Passionate about Priesthood

(article for July/August issue of St Martin-on-the-hill parish magazine)

I was priested at Petertide 1971, after twelve years as a Methodist minister, a year with the Community of the Resurrection, and a year as a parish deacon.

As an Anglican curate I was supported financially by the Additional Curates Society which for over 170 years has helped some of the poorest and populous parishes to have the assistant priests they need. 'Passionate about Priesthood' is the new ACS slogan used to summarise the work of an organisation a 100% committed to doing everything possible to both pray for and pay for priests.

Pope Benedict recently inaugurated a special 'Year for Priests' to run from June 19th 2009 to June 19th 2010. June 19th is the 'Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus' when we celebrate the love of Christ the Good Shepherd who gave his life for the sheep.

This special year will also commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of St Jean Vianney, Curate of Ars in France, on 4th August 1859 - a true example of a pastor at the service of Christ's flock. His relics were brought from Ars to St Peter's Basilica in Rome when the pope inaugurated the year by presiding at Vespers there. During the year he will be proclaimed as the patron saint of all the priests of the world.

St John Vianney was born in 1786, near Lyons in France. He was not quick at study and had great difficulty in being accepted for ordination. When he was sent to the parish of Ars he transformed it by his preaching, his personal mortification, his life of prayer and charity for all, and particularly by his fame as a confessor - people came to him from all over the world.

A 'Directory for Confessors and Spiritual Directors' is to be published along with a collection of texts on essential aspects of the life and mission of priests in our time. The Church wishes to stress the importance of priestly formation "in the unbroken ecclesial tradition" and warns against the "dilution of priestly ministry". At the close of the year Pope Benedict will preside at a 'World Meeting of Priests' in St Peter's Square.

In the centenary year of the death of St John Vianney the then Pope John 23rd issued an encyclical praising him for several things including his mortifications, his poverty, his chastity, his obedience, his administration of the sacrament of penance. The encyclical also praised his prayer life, holiness, pastoral skills, exercise of the teaching office etc.

His 'Prayer to Jesus' is quoted in the church's catechism:

"I love You, O my God, and my only desire is to love You until the last breath of my life. I love You, O my infinitely loveable God, and I would rather die loving You, than live without loving You. I love You, Lord and the only grace I ask is to love You eternally... My God, if my tongue cannot say in every moment that I love You, I want my heart to repeat it to You as often as I draw breath."

"The Priesthood" he said "is the love of the heart of Jesus".