“The shepherd cannot run at the first sign of danger.” These words of Blessed Stanley Rother provide a good summary of the theme for Good Shepherd Sunday that the Church observes each year on the Fourth Sunday of Easter.
It was Jesus, after all, who said “A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.” Blessed Stanley didn’t run but remained with his flock and gave his all. What a marvelous source of encouragement for priests and members of the faithful in whatever circumstances we are called to live out our discipleship today.
In this issue of the Sooner Catholic, new pastoral assignments for many priests are being published. Transitions in the lives of our priests and in the parishes they serve give us opportunities to express our appreciation and gratitude for their dedicated service and priestly ministry.
If your pastor is departing, please be sure to thank him before he moves on. I, for one, am grateful for the generosity of these men who have served in a variety of ways and settings through the years. These departures and arrivals are usually not easy for priests or for parishioners. Let’s encourage one another and work through these transitions together with understanding and patience.
Two of our priests are entering a new stage of their priesthood as they enter retirement. Retirement for a priest does not mean he is no longer a priest. Priesthood is not merely a job or something we do. It is who we are! Priests who are in retirement continue to exercise their priesthood in a variety of ways, but without bearing the burdens and responsibilities of administering a parish. I am grateful for the past and continuing service of these brother priests.
Several of our priests are accepting new responsibilities as pastors to lead and guide parishes in a new setting. Others are assuming new duties as parochial vicars or in other special ministries. Please continue to pray for these shepherds as they undertake these new ministries in a new part of the Lord’s vineyard. It is all God’s Church!
Provision is being made through these assignments for a new ministry at the Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine when it opens in November. This involves restructuring two Oklahoma City parishes – Sacred Heart and Holy Angels – which will soon become part of a larger ministry that will include the ministry of the shrine.
We will be saying farewell to some of our missionary priests from Mexico and India, even as we prepare to welcome other international priests. I am grateful for the missionary spirit of these international priests, but concerned that we have become so dependent upon them.
One of the things you won’t read about in this list of new assignments is an ordination. This year we will not be celebrating the ordination of a new priest in June as we normally hope to do. This is a matter of great concern for me as the archbishop. We need priests! Without priests there is no Eucharist! Yet, we are not entitled to priests. Vocations are a gift from God. Pray for vocations and support your priests! We need priests who are being raised up in our own parishes and families.
On this Good Shepherd Sunday, I appeal to all the faithful especially parents, grandparents, parishioners, children and young people to pray for vocations. Encourage vocations. In our culture it’s so easy to criticize our leaders. Priests do not grow on trees or always need to come from another country or faraway place. Be open to the gift of a vocation in your family!