Pray For Priests Urge Archbishop

Yesterday the Chrism Mass was celebrated throughout the Catholic Church world wide. Trinidad and Tobago was no exception with this special Mass of sacred oils being celebrated in the parish of St. Phillip and St. James in Chaguanas. This Mass would normally be celebrated in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Port of Spain, but this is still under renovation and is scheduled to be completed sometime this year.

The Chrism Mass was very well attended with Catholic faithful from parishes and communities throughout the archdiocese of Port of Spain filling the church.  Also in attendance was a large cross section of our Catholic priests, who during the celebration will rededicate themselves in service to the Holy Roman Catholic Church and to their parish communities.  At this Eucharistic celebration, sacred oils were also blest and distributed to parishes and communities.

In his sermon, Archbishop Joseph Harris spoke on the two areas of celebration of this Eucharist, namely the blessing and distribution of sacred oils and the sacraments in which they are used, and the rededication of our priest to the Priesthood, a vocation initiated by Jesus Christ himself. Archbishop Harris described the celebration as a celebration of God’s inexhaustible mercy. He recounted the many times in the bible that the one least expected to be chosen was in fact chosen by God and commissioned and empowered to do His work.  “It was God’s mercy that called us” he said – something we should always remember.

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In his sermon, Archbishop Harris recalled that as a child, whenever someone did something wrong, his mother would always say to them, ‘there go you or I but for the grace of God.’  We should therefore never look down on someone who has fallen.

Archbishop Harris underscored the importance of the sacrament of reconciliation as a vehicle of God’s mercy. “It is in this sacrament that we are reinstated into the body of Christ” he told the packed church. “Thus the sacrament must be made available to all especially working people.” He implored his brother priests to make themselves available to administer this very important sacrament. “Be servants of all” .

Archbishop Harris lamented that for very many Catholics, catechism is something that is done in order to prepare for an event – example, First Communion and Confirmation. After the event is over, so to is the catechism. The end result of this he lamented, is that many Catholics do not know their faith and fall prey to many false teachings.   “Catechism should be for life and not for an event”, he said as he implored his brother priests to implement structures in their parishes to ensure catechism continuity long after the sacraments have been made.  He thanked those lay persons who help support their parish priest by making their time treasure and talents available.  Too often, he lamented, parish priests are caught up in administrative processes when they should be ministering their ‘priestly gifts’.  He urged more lay people to get involved in helping their parish priests – in serving their parish community; while encouraging priests not to be afraid to train lay persons in the administrative aspects of their parish.

“We must be conscious of God’s merciful presence in our lives,” said Archbishop Harris. In so doing we can reflect Gods mercy onto others.

In closing, Archbishop Joseph Harris told the congregation that the vocation of the priesthood does not and should not put priests on pedestals.  He urged the congregation, “help us to be good priest.” Support your priests, guide them; where and when necessary, gently correct them.  “Above all pray for them”