Saint Charles Borromeo

Yesterday, November 4th was the memorial of St. Charles Borromeo. Here's some basic bio on St. Charles.

A few years ago, I was going to a discernment retreat at St. Joseph's seminary in Yonkers, NY from Nov 4th-6th. The morning of the 4th, a Friday, I stopped a St. Mary's Church in Ridgefield, CT for a noon mass. I was praying before the mass, aking for St. Charles's intecession. It was a warm day and some workmen had left the side doors to the church open. A gust of wind blew through the sanctuary. I took it as a reminder of the presence of the Holy Spirit for that weekend.

The retreat was excellent. After all, I had the help of St. Charles' Borromeo!

Holy Thursday

Today is Holy Thursday. It is the day the Church celebrates the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist. At Chrism Masses in dioceses around the country, the sacramental oils were blest and priests renewed their vows.

So on this day that honors the priesthood of Christ in the Eucharist and the ministerial priesthood of the Church; let us pray for our priests. Let us dedicate ourselves to support and encourage them this year. Let us create homes and churches that not only pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life but also know the joy of having their children serve the Church. Let us put aside our complaining that our priests are sometimes not all we want them to be and instead be willing to offer up our very selves for our priests, from our parochial vicars to pastors and chaplains to our bishops and for our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

Mary, Mother of priests, pray for our priests that they grow in holiness and humanity as they learn the fullness of being in persona Christi. Amen.