Priests

Today, I was enjoying listening to The Priests singing Amazing Grace and wondering, where have I seen this before. Then I recalled this photo...

A little light relief during these final penitential days of Advent!

Canon Frank Grady RIP

Today was the funeral, at St Gregory's in Longton, Stoke on Trent, of Canon Frank Grady and I had the honour of being able to be there. It was my first clergy funeral Mass as a priest and it was really good just to be someone in the background - if that is ever possible. When you have time, please do say a prayer for his soul.

One of the issues of leaving seminary, it seems to me, is that you can go from being a large fish in a small pond to a small fish in a large pond. Certainly the Archdiocese, though not the largest, is a large diocese and it is possible as a priest to melt into the background. I know from other priests that this transition has been a difficult time for them. For me, I suspect, it will be less of a problem since I am not really one to seek the limelight nor do I enjoy being the centre of attention. Do not misunderstand me: there's nothing finer than to spend a while talking about my favourite subject - me - but generally I do prefer to fade into the wallpaper, the unsung hero. So, today, it was good to just be there and not to worry about making sure everything was just so.

There have been fewer posts of late, and this will continue for the next three weeks or so as I enjoy my holidays before heading to Coventry to take up my post as Assistant Priest at Christ the King Parish with Canon Tom Farrell. Do please pray for the people of Coventry.

Year for Priests

Today, I came across a great little leaflet for the Year for Priests, published by the Vocations Team in Birmingham Archdiocese. Well done, Chris. It's great. They have chosen to reproduce Cardinal Carberry's prayer for priests:

O Jesus, our great High Priest, Hear my humble prayers, on behalf of your priest, Father _______

Give him a deep faith, a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of his priestly life. In his loneliness, comfort him. In his sorrows, strengthen him. In his frustrations, point out to him that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show him that he is needed by the Church, he is needed by souls, he is needed for the work of redemption.

O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your heart your son who is close to you because of his priestly ordination, and because of the power which he has received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs him so much. Be his comfort, be his joy, be his strength, and especially help him to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy. Amen.

Also of great comfort, for one approaching ordination, is this positive piece on celebrating the anniversary of ordination to the priesthood by Jane at My Heart Was Restless. Thanks.

Vocations Retreat: Holy Week 2009

Time for some shameless advertising, I think.

Oscott Seminary in Birmingham is offering a retreat to men over 18 who are interested in becoming priests. The Retreat runs from Midday on Maundy Thursday until after Lunch on Easter Sunday.

There are many, many good things about this opportunity, but not least is the chance to live the dream as it were. Guys will be living with us in seminary and thus have a chance to experience the reality of seminary life in all its manifestations. Much of the liturgy is, of course, at St. Chad's Cathedral and so those joining us on the retreat will be warmly welcomed along with us.

Perhaps you know someone to whom this would be a welcome chance to spend time with the Lord. If so, they should get in touch with the Rector:

Mgr Mark Crisp,

Oscott College,

Chester Road,

Sutton Coldfield

B73 5AA

0121 321 5000