As part of our Godzdogz celebration of the Year for Priests, we asked some of the Dominican priests living and working in our Province what inspired them in the exercise of their priesthood. Below is a response from fr Ismael Gonzalez OP, a friar of the Province of Spain, who is currently studying in Oxford. fr Ismael was ordained in Eastertide 2009 in Salamanca."A few months before my ordination to the priesthood, I discovered one of the most beautiful texts that inspired me concerning how I should live my life as a priest: “Deje que la gente le coma”; be consumed by the people, let the people be fed through you. These words belong to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and their deep meaning is really important to my vocation.
Let us consider the mystery: I am not Christ, yet I say over the bread, "This is my body". It is the priest who says "my body", he says "my blood". But it is the Lord who gives us his Body and his Blood. So, people recognize Christ in the priest, for through his ministry, it is the Body and Blood of Christ that the people adore, it is the sacrifice of Christ that is offered, it is Jesus Christ whom I and the people receive.
At the consecration, it is not only Christ who shares his life with the people, the priest also must share his own life with humanity, not only when he celebrates Mass but in all times and in all ways. So, I give my whole life, like bread that people take in their hands, and they can, so to speak, break and give and share that with everybody. Consequently, I have to be willing to share myself: to share all my life, my time, my work, my hands, my eyes, my smile … even my nothingness. What I mean is, it is not necessary for the priest to know everything. Humility is important. Sometimes when I find it difficult to help somebody or to find the right words for them, I must remember that my own limitations can also help people, because the priest too is a human being searching for God."
A truly lovely post. I read it early this morning and have come back to it a second time. Thank God that we have young men like you. Your witness will bring many souls to God.
ReplyDeleteFr. Ismael, you made me cry! Thank you for responding to God's call and for sharing your beautiful Dominican heart.
ReplyDeleteIn SPND,
Catherine Liberatore, OPL
Sacramento, CA, USA
I am distressed that even in the English Province, friars have adopted the totally iliturgical, as well as forbidden, "custom" of replacing the Alb with the habit. Besides simply looking foolish, it completely misapprehends the purpose of the alb and how it is distinct from our habit. Furthermore, it seems to me to be a species of "novo-clericalism", since it suggests that the "white garment" of baptism (linen in origin, by the way) and the undyed and unbleached woolen (in origin)habit of the Preaching Friars is basically the same. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!
ReplyDeleteDoubtless those Dominicans who do this are simply trying to "keep things simple". But that amounts to shoring up and perpetuating the most pernicious liturgical abuse of all, MINIMALISM.
Fr. Martin Farrell, op
Canadian Province
The picture is from the Spanish province
ReplyDelete