Our tour of Ireland group attended Sunday Mass in the Galway Cathedral where we received a warm Irish welcome from the Rector, Monsignor Peter Rabbitte. The Galway Cathedral is one of the youngest cathedrals in Europe. Dedicated in 1965, it is observing its 50th anniversary this year. It is a magnificent structure stunningly decorated with colorful varieties of precious Connemara marble.
For one of the priests on the Cathedral staff that Sunday was his last after a 12 year assignment. His bishop had approved a sabbatical as his next assignment. A sabbatical is a time for spiritual renewal, theological updating and human growth. Many parishioners turned out for that Mass and for the reception afterward in his honor. They were there to wish him well and to express their gratitude for his dozen years of priestly ministry.
I could not help but think of our priests in Camden who recently received new assignments. They too were honored at their parishes and were given farewell receptions which are an expression of love and respect by the faithful for the priests. I thought back on my own experiences of new assignments and leaving the parishes where I had served. Leaving is never easy. Arriving in the new assignment can be challenging — new people, new traditions, new territory.
The change of an assignment for a priest is part of the rhythm of life in a local church. A diocesan priest is ordained for ministry in the entire diocese and not exclusively for a particular parish. When he serves the parish his priestly ministry binds him to his people. However, a diocesan priest is first bonded to his bishop. The bishop oversees the diocese with his principal collaborators, the priests. They promise obedience to him at their ordination to the priesthood. Their promise of priestly obedience provides the bishop with the authority to assign his priests wherever in the diocese for the service of God’s people.
Yes, change can be difficult for the people of the parish and for the priest, but change enriches the local church and the presbyterate. The priest takes to his next assignment what he has experienced, learned and created in the former parish. The faithful welcome the new priest whom the bishop assigns to the parish.
The Gospel story on that Sunday in Galway was about Jesus feeding and sharing food with the five thousand. Feeding and sharing are essential to the ministry of a priest who feeds God’s people with the Sacraments of the Church and the Word of God. He preaches the bounty and extravagance of God’s love and he teaches what the Church teaches. He shares faith and is present and available to the people.
Some parishioners write beautiful testimonies about the ministry of a particular priest when a transfer takes place. These express their appreciation for the priest and his ministry. They speak to the esteem, respect and love for the priesthood and the Church.
Others write letters predicting the imminent collapse of a parish due to the transfer of Father X. Some contain nasty and cruel remarks about the Church, the bishop and even the Catholic Priesthood. All sorts of threats are expounded, like withholding contributions and leaving the church. Accusations are made that the priest did not receive a new assignment. All of which are not true.
When a few of these people take their misinformation to the public arena, they must be corrected. This is my duty as chief teacher in the diocese. They misrepresent Church law; are misinformed on Catholic teaching; have no knowledge about diocesan praxis for the assignment of a priest and they cause scandal.
Thanks be to God for the faithful ministry of our Camden priests who not only need our prayers but also deserve our praise and gratitude for the selfless service to the faithful and to all peoples. Our diocese is blessed by their ministry and I am blessed to be their bishop.
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