Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: March 16, 2018
As Lent enters its homestretch, I urge you: don’t give up on your penitential practices, especially on the great day of both abstinence and fasting, Good Friday. The last two weeks of Lent sometimes go by the traditional name of Passiontide. It’s not just a time to remember Jesus’ sufferings, that is, His passion. It’s also a time – if you’ll pardon the pun! – for us to become “passionate” about our own faith in imitation of Him, and to redouble our efforts at self-mortification and penance.
One thing that’s going to be odd next weekend will be the dearth of palms on Palm Sunday! Just about every sago palm – and all other kinds! – froze across the State during the super cold snap a few weeks ago. We’ll be working with our floral suppliers to see what we can find, but don’t be surprised if instead of our usual overabundance you end up with just a leaf or smaller strip of something green!
May I also bring up something that can never really be talked-about in church? No, it’s nothing off-color! It’s the special Easter collection (both at the Great Vigil in the night and the next morning, March 31/April 1 this year) that helps to fund our Diocesan Priests’ Retirement Fund. Now, honestly, the bishop and I “have to” preach about Christ’s resurrection on Easter – it is, after all, the most important truth of the Faith! You’d really be shocked if we instead pushed our retirement collection! But every diocesan priest – and this year that one soon-to-retire diocesan bishop! – will be hoping that you’ll once more express your appreciation and support for us by special generosity to this yearly appeal.
Remember, once a diocesan priest retires from assigned ministry, he no longer receives a salary per se from the Church. Instead, aside from what he – as long as he can – obtains from volunteering to “help out,” he only has his own savings if any, Social Security, and what’s paid out from the Diocesan Priests’ Retirement Fund each month. Now I admit our Retirement Fund is in better shape than Social Security, but that’s not saying a lot! As we priests grow greyer, the Retirement Fund is being stretched to its limits.
In closing, let me say that Bishop Muench and I know you will remember this collection generously. So thank you! We priests live this life and do this work for Jesus and for you, and neither has ever disappointed us in caring for us!
Sincerely yours in the Lord,
Fr. Paul
