I look into
the paten's gold
My consecrated
fingers hold,
And mirrored
in its circle see
The other
Christ I'm called to be.
Adrienne
Gascoigne
Archbishop Charles Chaput
gives the paten and chalice to John Stokely during his ordination ~ 28 May 2013
"When the Holy Father
(JPII) described the priesthood as "the nerve-centre
of the Church's whole life and mission" (Holy Thursday
Exhortation, 4 April 1996), he was affirming the key role played by priest in
the drama of salvation. Priests, it could also be said, are God's key-men in the further sense that to them have been given
the keys of the kingdom - the kingdom of privileged sacramental treasures,
notably the Eucharist and the forgiveness of sins (cf. Mt 16:19).
...
...a priest's whole meaning
and purpose is focused on the Eucharist in general, the Mass in
particular. For he is consecrator and sacrifice-offerer of the
Blessed Sacrament, besides being distributor, custodian and privileged adorer.
How accurate and apt, therefore, is the Holy Father's (JPII) observation:
"A priest is
worth what his Eucharistic life is worth."
St Claude de la Colombiere treasured the
personal graces gained through holy Mass like rubies..."Each day in my
Mass He will give me new counsels, new strength. He will teach me, encourage
me. He will grant me or obtain for me, through His sacrifice, all the graces I
shall ask of Him."
Excerpts from
Mary and the
Eucharist
Fr Richard Foley, SJ
THESE HANDS BRING ME
JESUS
CLICK BELOW
to see this outstanding slide show (7 mins)
by
Stephen Golder - 2010 (Turn on
sound)
During this
upcoming grace-filled season of Lent
PRAY DAILY in
gratitude for priests and
implore deeper, richer Eucharistic lives for them
-
and ultimately
for the Church!
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