Last Friday, seminarians and clergy from around the Archdiocese of Melbourne gathered for Mass and a meal to celebrate the recent Jubilee of Seminarians, Priests and Bishops. Organised by the Clergy Life and Ministry Office and Proclaim: The Office for Mission Renewal, the evening was an opportunity for those gathered to reflect on their vocation and the signs of hope in the Church today.
Fr Justel Callos, parish priest of Holy Family Parish, Mount Waverley, shared that one of the most joyful parts of being a priest is witnessing how God works in people’s lives.
‘Of course, weddings and baptisms are great things,’ he said, but it is when people are ‘most vulnerable’ that the gift of his priestly ministry reveals itself. He described a student who, upon receiving his First Holy Communion, was in tears because he felt ‘he really understood what was going on’.
‘Moments where … you have someone say to you that it’s been years since they have been to Confession and thank you quietly for being the instrument of God’s love and mercy for them.’
Priestly ministry is being present during these moments of vulnerability and then seeing the effects of God’s work, explained Fr Justel. ‘I feel like I’m on the “back stage” of how God works with them, but at the same time, I am on the “front stage” and witnessing how God works in them.’
Those preparing for the priesthood were also present on Friday night, with third year seminarian Luke Kennedy reflecting on his hope for priests during this Jubilee Year.
I hope that priests are faithful to their call, and that they share the peace that they received from Jesus with the world.
Amid the busyness of priestly ministry and parish life, he said, he hopes that priests can revisit the moment they felt called by God. ‘That moment where God said to them, “I love you and I want you to do something for me.”’
Luke believes that same calling and love from God is what people need to hear. ‘It’s a sense of peace that the world is craving, I think, right now.
‘St Paul says to the Corinthians that we should be all things to all men,’ he said. ‘There’s a call for communion, I think … a call to be one with the people.
‘And so I hope that priests are faithful to their call, and that they share the peace that they received from Jesus with the world.’
The Jubilee Year is an opportunity as a Church and Catholic community to enter into God’s invitation, said Fr Brian Collins, parish priest of St Anthony’s Noble Park and Resurrection Parish in Keysborough.
‘For me as a priest, I think we’re very privileged to walk with our people, to journey with them at the best times and the worst times, when life is wonderful yet challenging. That’s our job: to simply walk with our people.’
We are the people of the resurrection ... May our voice and our actions reflect the healing and love of our God and bring life to all that we meet.
Fr Brian also described the Jubilee Year as a time for the Church to embody the joy of Christ and ‘be a voice for peace’ in a world beset by violence and war.
‘We are the people of the resurrection,’ he said. ‘The first words of the resurrected Christ were “Peace be with you.” The first words of Pope Leo were “Peace be with you.”
‘May we as a Church grow in the call to peace. May our voice and our actions reflect the healing and love of our God and bring life to all that we meet.’
Banner image: Seminarians and clergy from around the Archdiocese of Melbourne gathered for Mass and a meal to celebrate the recent Jubilee of Seminarians, Priests and Bishops.
All photos by Melbourne Catholic.
