Cure D'Ars: Model Priest

Dear Friends in Christ,

I found this article from Zenit on St. John Vianney, the patron saint of Diocesan Priests. This year, in the Year of the Priest, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI will declare St. John Vianney patron saint of all priests.

Click here to read the article.

St. John Vianney once said that the priesthood "is the love of the heart of Jesus". This heart of Jesus, His Sacred Heart, was punctured when Jesus was on the cross, and from it poured forth water and blood. The Church was founded from the side of Christ, since from that thrust came forth the healing waters of the sacraments (Baptism, and the Eucharist). For the Eucharist, it is the priest which offers every day, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the same sacrifice and action as Jesus on the cross. So it is here that the priest is the love of the heart of Jesus, since it is from the Sacred Heart of Christ that the salvific powers of the Eucharist flow. Priests continue to reside in His Sacred Heart, and every time Mass is offered, that same salvific power flows outward in the Eucharist.

During the year of the priest, this blog will be used to update people on activities of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia of the different programs and activities of this office, the Vocation Office, as well as the Archdiocese as a whole. May you be blessed abundantly in this year of the priest, and through the intercession of St. John Vianney, may you come to a deeper realization of the vocation God has given you, whatever it may be.

May you reside in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

BBVC

Dear friends in Christ,

This past week, the Vocation Office hosted its third annual Brothers of Borromeo Vocation Congress for junior high boys. It was a tremendous success, as we had over 115 boys come out for the event. The day started with icebreakers, and then Mass with Bishop Thomas. The day also consisted of a scavenger hunt around the seminary, shield making, rosary making, and confessions.

The theme of the day was "Put on...the helmet of hope", in the first letter to the Thessalonians. For Jesus Christ is our hope. In Jesus Christ, all things will be restored. People can put hope in earthly, or man made things, but in the end, it is Jesus Christ who we must look to. If we have hope for anything, the foundation of that hope is in Jesus, even if you don't realize it. We can have that assurance of hope (which is our faith) because Jesus came, and said "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel." This believing is something we do in Jesus Christ. Every Sunday at Mass, the faithful recited the Nicene Creed, which starts "We believe", so we make a public testament to the faith which we believe. So the helmet of hope is really Jesus Christ; when we take him with us in our everyday lives and struggles, He is like a helmet, ready to protect us from enemies, and Jesus will never fail. Trust in Jesus, and everything else in your life will fall into place.

Please pray that the young men at BBVC last week will follow the will of God in all that they do.

Pray, hope, and do not worry. -St. Padre Pio

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May God reward you abundantly.