The priesthood goes on, the Church goes on, we all go on.
We
have been advised over the years to take time to smell the flowers, but
we were never promised that life itself would be a rose garden. How
often we have prayed "in this valley of tears." How much more acutely we
appreciate now that milieu as the setting for our prayers.
During
the week of May 20-24, the priests of our diocese met for our annual
convocation. There were two sections: Monday to Wednesday, and Wednesday
to Friday. All were together on Wednesday. The purpose of the sessions
was to focus on healthy personal, emotional, mental, and spiritual
growth to discern how we can better serve our people.
Of course
the elephant at every meeting these days is the issue of clergy sexual
abuse of minors. The priests articulated clearly their reaction to the
atrocities: anger, upset, sadness, outrage, anxiety, sorrow, shock,
sickness at heart. There was extensive discussion.
We did not,
however, remain fixated on those emotions. What emerged clearly in the
concerns expressed was the determination to listen more carefully to
others, to work more vigorously for healing, to do everything possible
to guarantee the safety and health of young people and children. The
resiliency of our priests emerged from the gloom. This is not so
surprising, realizing our priests draw strength from the bedrock of
faith conviction, life coming from death, in resurrection following
dying. It was gratifying to witness their gritty determination to build
in God's grace a better, more purified Church. In these anxious and
arduous times, the strength and resolution of our priests will be an
inspiration to all.
As we look to the future it is heartening to
note that none of the candidates planning to enter our seminary system
is backing away from his commitment. As a matter of fact, our Pope John
Paul II Residence for college students discerning priesthood, will be
close to capacity for the first time in years.
Of course we
rejoice with deep gratitude at our recent celebration of Ordination to
the Priesthood. I was delighted to ordain Father Jorge Budez and Father
James Hartwell as priests on May 25th. Father Budez will have a summer
assignment as Parochial Vicar in Saint Joseph and Saint Mary Assumption
Parishes in Albion, with additional responsibilities to help with
ministry to the migrant workers in the northeastern section of our
diocese. Following the harvest season he will be given a more permanent
assignment. Father James Hartwell will serve as Parochial Vicar in
Infant of Prague Parish, Cheektowaga.
On May 4th I ordained to the
Transitional Diaconate Lynn Shumway and Joseph Zalacca. They are
serving as deacons respectively in Saint Stephen's Parish, Grand Island
and Saint John the Baptist Parish, Kenmore. With prayers of gratitude on
their behalf we look forward, please God, to their Ordination to the
Priesthood next year.
We look forward now to the meeting of the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Dallas, June 13th to
15th. The entire meeting will be taken up with the issue of clergy
sexual abuse of minors. Preparations for the meeting have been going on
for months. Our hope is that the prayer, discussions, deliberations, and
decisions of the meeting will be blessings for all in the Church and
our society at large for all the years ahead.
I ask your fervent
prayers, private and public, especially before the Eucharist, for the
success of this meeting. Whatever decisions are made, it will be vitally
important to follow them up with intensified concern, sensitivity, and
vigilance by all of us.
The priesthood goes on, the Church goes on, we all go on.
Most Rev. Henry J. Mansell
Bishop of Buffalo
May 25, 2002