Looking back at the weekly messages of Father Paul Counce, first published in The Carpenter, our weekly Parish Bulletin
Published: June 20, 2021
As my time as pastor here at the Cathedral draws to a close, I’ve shared with you here in this space in The Carpenter a few things about which I’m especially grateful. I’ve mentioned the building of our enlarged Parish Hall and the generally overall younger age of our members as St. Joseph Parish moved into the future, for example. Our liturgy offers, I think, the right blend of formality and comfortability. I’m thankful that we’ve been able to weather a few emotional and financial storms as well as Louisiana’s usual hurricanes and rains. I even look upon the ways our Parish and its parishioners have coped with this past year’s Covid-19 pandemic as one of those difficult times that in the end proves the depth of our faith: it was a dark time, but the light of the Lord has gleamed throughout.
I’m very thankful you all allowed me to share my own spiritual searchings and struggles with you in my preaching. You did recognize that that’s generally what I’ve been doing, right? What I’ve discovered in the Bible and in the Church’s life and doctrines during the past 54 years (I went into the seminary at the unripe age of 14!) has been very rewarding, but those lessons have not always been easy to grasp or put into practice. I never wanted to just repeat tiresome formulas and church jargon or to imply popular but false notions. Clergy are not “better” than laity, for example, and education or wealth cannot make up for sin, although God’s mercy is able to recognize weakness in the sinner and still forgive. These are the kinds of things that enable faith in God and far outweigh other, always lesser, approaches.
A number of you have asked me what I regret the most over the past 12 years. Hmmm. I guess the best answer to give is that I wasn’t able to agree with or please everyone. I’m sure that a few folks who just disappeared from regular worship here did so because a choice of mine relegated their favorite pet project or focus to the dustbin of history, or that I phrased something in either homily or humor the wrong way. It’s likely too that my priority to welcome anyone, saint or sinner, into our worshipping community – and only then to challenge those same people to become holier in some way – was not always popular. While I do very much regret if I have ever hurt someone’s feelings with my temper or tongue, I hope God – and all of you! – will recognize that I tried to make up for my shortcomings with charity, patience and hard work. I know I tried to do the best I could.
And I regret having to say goodbye to so many people whom I have come to call dear friends. I’ve lived long enough to know that my good intentions to “stay in touch” really will come true in only a handful of cases. Much of my reflective prayer these days is for persons I no longer see often and who maybe don’t know how much I cherish them still. As this continues, all I can do is simply beg your own ongoing care and prayer for me in return.
Ever in Christ,
Father Paul Counce
