A priest who’s too busy to focus on the sacraments is either a priest who’s squandering his vocation, or a priest whose vocation is being squandered.
Read the rest of my latest for The Catholic Weekly.
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This is an important thought! I asked a neighboring priest that we know well if he could give an annointing to my oldest son for a diagnosis he received, even though it’s related to cognition and not life or death, and he was so thankful that we asked! He was more than happy to do the blessing and also offered to do one for our other son who is autistic, not in hopes of a “cure”, but to help him through the difficult times. He also jumps at the chance to hear our confessions and has offered to help us through navigating confession and Communion for our autistic son (he is non-verbal, kind of a misnomer, he has lots of words but they don’t always or even often relate to anything you’re talking to him about). These are things that only a priest can help with, it is a good reminder that priests want to be there for us in that particular way!
So powerful, well-written, and thoughtful, Simcha. Thank you.