An Encouraging Word: DIOCESE OF LONDON (ONTARIO) CANADA Part Three

Thursday, May 10, 2018

DIOCESE OF LONDON (ONTARIO) CANADA Part Three

BITS AND PIECES FROM THE WEEK

Doing my thing!
I presented nine conferences and preached at a Penance Service.

Father Paul Baillargeon
was my contact person and organizer of the retreat.

"Two Wild and Crazy Polish Priests"

Father Piotr Wojakiaoicz (on the left) and

Father Mateusz Sobierajski (on the right)

THE FOOD WAS WONDERFUL

SO WAS THE COMPANY

MASS TIME

Father Michael Ryan, 91 years old, is till writing, teaching and promoting Catholic Social Teaching. One of the priests said of him, "He is still very much alert and current!"

Father Vincent Nguyen CSJB
is originally from Vietnam. He has served in the dioceses of New York, Brooklyn, Vancouver (British Columbia), Portland (Oregon), Fort Worth (Texas) and now London (Ontario).
His religious community is Congregation of Saint John the Baptist.
His father left Vietnam in a boat at the end of the war. His
family was able to join him in 1991.

Wednesday Evening Rosary

EVENING PRAYER

THURSDAY NIGHT WE HELD A PENANCE SERVICE
and made the Sacrament of Reconciliation available to all the priests in attendance. Bishop Fabbro led the service and I preached,

Presbyteral Examination of Conscience Designed by Father Andrew L’Heureux at the conclusion of my 2015 Diocese of Kamloops, BC, Priest Retreat

Do I have a specific intention to grow in holiness? Do I seek to love Jesus more each day and be transformed by the grace offered to me? Do I allow Christ to heal my wounds? Do I put my trust in God? Do I go to confession regularly? Am I being faithful to the Liturgy of the Hours? Am I better this year than I was last year in the ways of holiness and effectiveness in ministry? Do I look after my physical and mental well-being? Do I use my money responsibly, give in a planned way and live within my means? Do I complain about my salary? Do I approach extra income with the right attitude? Do I spend extraordinary amounts of parish money on my personal comfort? Am I continuing my formation? Am I living up to my God-given potential? Am I a grateful person? Do I have a rule of life that includes physical, emotional and spiritual well-being that I stick to  faithfully? Do I blame others for my lack of success or happiness? Am I addicted to anything? Drugs, alcohol, gambling, comfort, money, possessions, my own opinion, etc. Do I pray for my presbyterate? Do I think that my way is the only correct way of doing ministry? Do I seek advice from other members of my presbyterate? Do I label my brother priests or bishop as “liberal” or “conservative?” Do I belong to a faction in my presbyterate? Do I speak about the bishop in a negative ways or undermine his authority, either publicly or in secret? Do I expect others to supply things like alcohol, snacks or cigars at presbyteral gatherings without ever bringing any myself? Am I greedy in taking the assignments that pay more money and leaving less lucrative ones to my assistant? Am I charging money for the sacraments or performing them in hopes of remuneration? When living in community am I considerate of those around me, e.g. clean up after myself? Am I fostering and praying for vocations? Is there anything in my lifestyle, past or present, that is putting (or could put) the well-being of the diocese in jeopardy? Have I committed any crimes that the bishop should be aware of? Do I lead others to gossip, sin or scandal by my comments about other clergy?

Do I ignore members of my presbyterate because of ideologies or other differences? Do I share positive stories or victories of other members of my presbyterate? Do I charitably correct members of my presbyterate? Do I reach out to a struggling member of my presbyterate? Do I believe that I have to save the diocese? Do I love the members of my presbyterate, and when struggling to do so, pray for the grace to do so? Am I attempting to seize power in my diocese or gain influence for my own ends? Do I lie constantly? Do the members of my presbyterate consider me honest and trustworthy? Do I attempt at least once a month (besides the required gatherings) to participate in or arrange a time of fraternity with members of my presbyterate? Do I show up and participate at regular presbyteral gatherings: the Chrism mass, ordinations, study days, priest retreats, etc.? Do I make an effort to support a member of my presbyterate when they are having a parish event, mission or pilgrimage? Do I try to get to know members of my presbyterate’s family background, vocation story, and the various pivotal moments in their lives? Do I share my struggles and successes with my presbyterate? Do I pray for those who have left active ministry and look for ways to include them? Do I see myself as working with the different members of my presbyterate to achieve our common goals? Am I refusing forgiveness to any members of my presbyterate? Am I passive aggressive in my dealings with others in my presbyterate? Am I jealous of another priest's work or feel that we are in a competition? Have I avoided dealing with a problem I have with another member of my presbyterate? Am I failing in my promise of obedience? Do I celebrate the sacraments with fidelity to the Church’s teaching, mindful that I am a custodian of the Liturgy and not its owner by being faithful to the rubrics? Have I neglected to keep confidential matters confident? Have I neglected to expose what needs to be exposed? Do I see myself as a servant working in close collaboration with the bishop in carrying out his ministry? Am I failing in my promise of chastity? Am I looking at inappropriate programs or watching pornography Have I established and maintained good boundaries with others, particularly wounded souls, so as to foster healthy and appropriate relationships? Do I flirt with people or tell sexual jokes? Do I willfully enter into occasions of sin?

NEXT DOOR TO THE HOTEL