Third Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle B Called By Name Sunday

 Third Sunday of Ordinary Time    Cycle B    Called By Name Sunday

In the Gospel we just heard, Jesus calls Simon (also known as Peter), his brother Andrew, and John and his brother James, to come follow Him.  They became Apostles.  This is appropriately therefore “Called By Name Sunday” when we focus on the call to vocations, especially to vocations to the priesthood, permanent diaconate, and religious life as a religious Sister or Brother. 

This is really important, because we cannot do Church in the way we know it without people responding generously to the Lord’s call to serve the Church as priests, deacons, sisters and brothers. 

The Paulist Fathers, who have staffed this parish for over a century, have had a few men from St Austin’s respond to the Lord’s call to be a Paulist priest, but none for a very, very, VERY long time.  In the nearly 14 years that I have been here at St. Austin, we have had ZERO vocations from this parish. 

That is just not sustainable.  Next week I will be in New York City at a meeting of the Paulist General Council, and we will have to decide what foundations we need to withdraw from, because we simply do not have the manpower to staff all the commitments we currently have.  St. Austin’s, I am happy to say, is NOT on that list, at least for now.

Many religious communities and dioceses face the same reality.  For many diocese a solution has been to import priests from other countries, from the Philippines, India, Latin America and Africa.  This does help make concrete and real the sense that we all belong to a universal church, essentially the same throughout the world.   But it would be better if we could provide for ourselves the priests that we need.

 It is not clear to anyone why we have such a shortage of clergy in this country.  Certainly, the discipline of celibacy, and the very negative repercussions of the clergy sexual abuse scandal, play a large part in this.  But I suspect these are more surface issues, and that there is more that underlies these reasons.

And yet, having been an ordained priest for 45 years, I can truly say that I have been immensely blessed and truly happy as a priest.  And I hope that as you think about the Paulist priests you have known over the years at St. Austin’s, the Bob Scotts, the Stephen Bells, the Rene Constanzas, the Dick Sparks, the Bob Carys and the Rich Andres and Paolo Puccinis, the great majority of them seemed to you fulfilled and happy. 

Certainly, we all have our bad days and down times.  As Americans we cherish our God given right to complain and criticize.  But I hope that in the preaching, in the presiding, in the interactions you have had with Paulist priests, you have seen men with a sense of purpose, mission, and even contentment. 

For me it has been a truly wonderful life.  So, I am perplexed that more men are not drawn to this life of mission and significance.   A priestly vocation really does have great meaning and deep satisfaction.  I hope that shows.

So here is what I am asking you to do.   PRAY.  Pray for vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and religious life.  The situation in the world is not getting better.  It is getting darker.  One of the few bright spots is Pope Francis.  We need priests and religious who can proclaim in action as well as word the Joy of the Gospel.

Secondly, there are cards either in your pew or in the foyer where you can write the name of someone who you think would make a good priest, either diocesan or as a Paulist.  Put down that name and as much information as you have, and put it in the collection basket this week or next, or mail it in.   Bishop Joe will contact that person.

Third, if you know of someone who would make a good Paulist or diocesan priest, mention it to that young man.  You may be God’s instrument to help that man begin thinking about a priestly vocation.  And that would be a wonderful gift to the Church.

The Church of the future in this country will not be what it has been in the past.  That is pretty obvious.  Things are changing much faster than most of us realize.   Those who bravely answer the call of the Lord to follow Him in service to the church as priests, deacons and religious will be in for quite an adventure.  You will NOT be bored.

God bless.