Several years ago, I came across an address given by Pope Francis to the various religious communities throughout the world on the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life. In his letter, he invited these communities to do three things: to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with passion, and to embrace the future with hope. Unknown to me at the time was the fact that this same threefold invitation had been given more than a decade earlier by Pope St. John Paul II as he concluded the Great Jubilee Year of 2000, in which he wrote:
Duc in altum [cast out into the deep]! These words ring out for us today, and they invite us to remember the past with gratitude, to live the present with enthusiasm and to look forward to the future with confidence: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever” (Heb 13:8). (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 1)
I have found this to be a very helpful formula when facing moments of transition, such as the one that I am facing as I prepare to conclude my time as Rector of the Cathedral. I have therefore decided that my final three articles will follow those three points. Fittingly, I begin by remembering the past with gratitude.
The Cathedral will always hold a special place in my heart. I still remember my very first visit here in 2005. I came for a priesthood ordination for a man who had been connected to my home parish. I was in awe at the beauty of the church, and even more so by the beauty of the liturgy. Though I only recently returned to practicing my Catholic faith at the time, there was something that stirred in my heart as I saw those men be ordained. I know now that that was the beginning of the Lord revealing to me His plan that led to my entering seminary. I also remember the great pride as a seminarian coming to the Cathedral to serve at significant liturgical celebrations, not the least of which was the Dedication of the renovated church in 2009. A few months later, on April 10, 2010, I was ordained a transitional deacon here in this church. A year later, on May 28, 2011, I was ordained a priest. Much to my surprise, I moved here in 2013 to live in residence as the bishop’s Priest Secretary and Master of Ceremonies. Though not as heavily involved in the daily life of the parish, it was home, and I loved the opportunity to spend the early hours of the morning in prayer in this beautiful place. In the Spring of 2020, I was slated to become Pastor at another parish, but the bishop surprised me when he called and asked If I would become Rector of the Cathedral insteads. I immediately said ‘yes’, and for the past 6 years, I have served gratefully in this role.
There is not enough space to enumerate all of the things I am grateful for in serving as Rector, but a few come to mind. First of all, I am so grateful for the gift of priestly fraternity that I have experienced here. It has been an absolute privilege to live with the bishop, who has been a true father and friend to me, and with several other priests. For most of those with whom I have served, I had the privilege of being their first pastor. These men have become such amazing priests and I am filled with gratitude for the gift of serving them and witnessing their growth. I am also incredibly grateful for the staff with whom I have served day in and day out. They have been a real gift to me and taught me much about being a pastor, but also in being a spiritual father. Finally, I am grateful for the people of the parish. There have been so many lives and situations that I have been invited to be a part of. Some of those have been the happiest moments, such as with weddings and baptisms. But there have also been times when I have been able to accompany people in the saddest moments – times of suffering, tragedy, and loss. And for everything else in between, I am so grateful for how the Lord has used me to be a part of your lives, and as I remember my time here at Cathedral, remembering your stories, your lives, your friendship, your love – I will be eternally grateful to God with a gratitude that will be a source of great peace for however much longer the Lord allows me to serve His Church.