Beloved Family:
What joy it gave me, this past Tuesday, to be able to participate in the recent final seminary evaluations for both Deacon Charles Cairnie, a son of the parish, and Deacon Nathan Frankart, our transitional deacon assigned to Saint Mary for the final year of his formation. While I was not surprised by the high level of affirmation of vocation that these two young men received, it is a gift to know how our lives, as the community of Saint Mary, have been enriched by their witness.
As I took in the figures seated around the room, there were so many connections evident—illustrations of how the providential hand of God has brought lives into relationship over the years. For example, Fr. Christopher Trenta, who served his first pastoral assignment at our parish, was there as a member of the seminary formation faculty. Likewise, Fr. Joseph Koopman, with whom I had the privilege to serve within my years at Saint Charles Borromeo in Parma, serves in this capacity. Additionally, Deacon Nathan’s pastor, Fr. Tim O’Connor, who was my spiritual director for a number of years, was in attendance. To witness the paths of ministry God lays out in our lives is a marvelous thing.
The reader may be aware of this, but in any case, I believe it warrants a reminder. There are many dioceses that do not have their own local seminary. This means that their candidates for Holy Orders receive their formation “away from home.” While the standards of formation are understood to be consistent across the board, these men clearly have reduced opportunities to “come to know their home diocese” in those years, as we enjoy in Cleveland. I believe this bears significantly on the sense of fraternity among the clergy of Cleveland. At a recent convocation, the guest speaker, Fr. Robert Aaron Wessman, the Vicar General and Director of Formation for the Glenmary Home Missioners, expressed his sense that we have, by the grace of God, a very good spirit about us collectively. May this unity be sustained in the Holy Spirit!
I have spoken before about the good work being realized at the John Paul II Healing Center, based in Tallahassee, Florida. Anyone who has seen and/or heard one of the team members, Sr. Miriam Heidland SOLP, knows of her deep heart for clergy (although she, and the JP II Center work with all kinds of groups). The Restoring the Glory podcast, co-hosted by two Catholic former therapists, Dr. Bob Schuchts and Jake Khym, MA, in my view offers consistently solid content to feed the soul in a manner firmly grounded in the Catholic Tradition.
If I may recommend you check out their latest episode, entitled “Healing and Prayer.” From the program notes: Drawing from the Catechism, they discuss the three expressions of prayer—vocal, meditative, and contemplative—and how each form is incorporated with the inner healing process. Far from being a psychological exercise, inner healing comes from a deeply relational encounter with Jesus and restores the whole person so we might live in deeper communion with Him.
As we enter the final weeks of the official Jubilee Year of Hope, I close with the following words from Pope Leo, addressing the young people gathered in Rome in July. I believe they apply to us all:
Today marks the beginning of a new journey, a jubilee of hope, and the world needs messages of hope. You are that message, and you must continue to give hope to everyone. We hope that all of you will always be signs of hope in the world! Today is the beginning. In the coming days, you will have the opportunity to be a force that can bring God’s grace, a message of hope, and a light to the city of Rome, to Italy, and to the whole world. Let us walk together with our faith in Jesus Christ.
GREETING TO YOUNG PEOPLE PRONOUNCED BY HIS HOLINESS
AFTER HIS TOUR IN THE "POPEMOBILE"
Let His Peace be with you,
Fr. Stephen
