*Image: Priest (from the Ordination Series) by Neilson Carlin, 2010 [Commissioned for Saint Paul Seminary, Saint Paul, MN. Visit https://www.neilsoncarlin.com]
By Rev. Jerry J. Pokorsky, The Catholic Thing, Feb. 20, 2020
Father Jerry J. Pokorsky is a priest of the Diocese of Arlington. He is pastor of St. Catherine of Siena parish in Great Falls, Virginia.
At times, priests reveal intimate secrets about themselves from the pulpit. I’ve always hesitated to do so mostly because a sermon should be about Jesus, and innermost secrets and feelings are none of your business. But there are certain advantages that a priest has in the twilight of his priesthood. The expanding mosaic of his experiences – good and bad – can provide others with useful insights.
Parishioners notice many uncomfortable details about priests, ranging from personal hygiene to personality quirks. Depending upon circumstances, a pastor may have a duty to affirm or deny rumors for the sake of tranquility, and transparency. These acknowledgments can be painful but necessary. So here is one of my many secrets: I am a conservative.
I prefer the term “Catholic.” But since I have an obligation before God to conserve and preach what I have received, after careful consideration, I have come to accept the conservative characterization. ….
Reproduction of the Stampita of the Holy Face. 8 February 2024. Author Sacrosanctum Concilium. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. You are free: to share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work ...