We need men who see the faith as a gift to be shared

By Father Adam Cichoski

“He laid down his life for his people, long before they came to kill him.” This is what Bishop Anthony Taylor of Little Rock, Arkansas, said about Blessed Stanley Rother, the first American-born martyr. 

Father Stanley Rother was an ordinary man who did extraordinary work.  One of five children, there was nothing that made him stand out from amongst his brothers and sisters. He was a man who struggled through seminary but eventually became a diocesan priest.

He would hear the call of Saint John XXIII to go out to Central America and proclaim the Word of God so that all may know Him. This would lead him to Guatemala where he worked with the indigenous peoples there. He helped establish schools, hospitals, and even a radio station.

His work with the people there ended up putting him on a list that the government was watching; thinking he was there to disrupt the he status quo. In fact, he was there to do this, but not as a revolutionary to overthrow the government. Instead, he as a man who knew things could be better and that the people needed to see the God-given dignity each of them had.

He would eventually be martyred for this love of the people he served.

This love for the people began years before he was a missionary. He learned it in helping with the daily duties of the family farm. He learned it in the Catholic schools he attended as he received the foundation of his faith. He learned it in the seminary, as he struggled to do well in classes and become the priest God was calling him to be. He learned it in his ministry as a parish priest, assisting in parishes and always helping people get closer to God. All of us on this journey, of serving God and His people. We see this in our own stories, how we make sacrifices and try to live as God is calling us to live. 

At each ordination, the men preparing to receive Holy Orders first lay prostrate on the floor of the church. This is an important part of the ritual, as the men know they are laying down their lives for the people they will be serving. They are dying to the world around them. They themselves are no longer the most important people in their lives. As they rise, Jesus Christ now becomes the center of their lives and the example they will imitate. This is a big moment for them, and for us who are witnessing it. We know this is a big responsibility, and our praying for them now becomes a necessary part of our daily lives as they will one day be the leaders of our Church here in the Diocese of Camden.

What are we laying down our lives for? Do we hear God’s call to make Him present in our communities, so that others can experience the transformative love we have experienced? Can we be that sign of love and hope, giving everything over to God?

The world, and our diocese, is in need of men willing to make that sacrifice. We need men who see the faith as a gift to be shared and lived out each moment of their lives. We need to keep praying for vocations every day, and encouraging our young men to think about serving God with their lives as priests. They need our support and love to help them through the difficult moments, to celebrate the victories, and to walk together in sharing God’s Word to the people around us, no matter what the danger or obstacles that we face.

Father Adam Cichoski was ordained a priest in 2017. He is Director of Vocations for the Camden Diocese.