Q: I know you all live very busy and demanding lives as priests, to which we are thankful. What is the most fulfilling aspect, the thing that brings you the most joy, in your service as a priest?
Anonymous
A. The high point of my week is the Sunday Mass. I love to see the great diversity of people who come to a Mass. As James Joyce said about the Catholic Church, “Here comes everybody.”
I am currently serving at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine. I love standing at the back of the shrine and greeting people after Mass. I will spend 30 minutes just being with people. People who are celebrating anniversaries or birthdays want a priestly blessing. So do those who are sick and scared and low on hope. Having just received communion at the Mass, we are "living into" that communion by being with one another.
And what a blessing to have all the kids who want to come up and shake my hand. They are filled with smiles and happiness. Their joy becomes my joy.
So what brings me the most joy as a priest is being with the people of God at the Sunday Mass.
Or, as we hear from the gospel of Matthew, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (18:20)
Father Scott A. Boeckman
Sacred Heart Catholic Church at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine, Oklahoma City
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