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July/August 2007 Issue
Priests are more than a collar
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Don't judge a book by
its cover. This old adage is one that reminds us to
look beyond the visible exterior of a person in order
to discover what lies beneath. It also reminds us not
to make judgments based only upon what we see. People
are so much more than the way they look or the clothes
they wear.
Although clothes may
tell us about the job a person holds or how much money
someone spends on clothing, they do not defi ne that
person. The roman collar worn by a Catholic priest lets
everyone know that he has been ordained for a particular
role within the church. |
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It also tells us that he has chosen to devote
his life to service of God and His people. However, it doesn't
tell us about the unique individual whom God has called. Each
priest is a man whose likes and dislikes, his life experiences
both good and bad and his personality have been placed in
service to the Body of Christ. God has called each of us who
make up the presbyterate of the Diocese of Grand Rapids because
of the distinctive qualities that we bring to our ministry.
Each priest possesses unique gifts and talents that make his
ministry of preaching, evangelizing, teaching, presiding,
etc. as unique as he is.
Although the multi-faceted tasks associated
with priestly ministry can more than fill our days, it is
good for you to know that many of us have hobbies and interests
that help us to unwind and fi nd respite from our often hectic
lives. Within our diocese, we have priests who are pilots
and golfers; we have painters/artists and hunters; authors
and gardeners; baseball fans and musicians; chefs and fi shermen
just to name a few. In addition, all of us are sons, and most
of us are brothers, uncles and godfathers. A few of us are
even fathers and grandfathers. For some of us, regular exercise
helps us to keep physically fi t and mentally sharp.
Prayer is a daily part of our lives. Although
we promise to pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily, beyond
that our individual prayer lives are as varied as our personalities.
For some of us, the path to priesthood was certain and smooth;
for others, it was more circuitous and often very bumpy. Some
of us knew from childhood that we were meant to be a priest;
others heard God's call later in life. Some of us are converts;
others lifelong Catholics. Our vocation stories are as unique
as the individuals who tell them. Yes, we may wear a roman
collar, but, as priests, we are so much more than what we
wear.
- Father Ron Hutchinson is director of priestly
vocations for the Diocese of Grand Rapids.
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