The recent archdiocesan pilgrimage to France, as many of you already know, was spiritually uplifting for so many of us. It was especially significant for the ordained clergy on the trip. In addition to myself, Father Nicholas Marandu of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Portland and Father Michael Walker of Shepherd of the Valley Church in Central Point were pilgrims. We were also accompanied by Deacon Paul Grubb, S.J., who will be ordained to the priesthood in Seattle on June 21 and assigned to the faculty of Jesuit High School here in Portland. Praying at the Shrine of St. John Mary Vianney, the Holy Curé of Ars, patron of parish priests, proved to be especially memorable for all of us.

Our priests have been uppermost in my mind and in my heart during recent weeks. I pray for them every day but never more intentionally than I did at Ars in late April. Among the many places where pilgrims are able to pray at the sanctuary of Ars, one is called The Chapel of the Heart. Therein one finds a reliquary with the heart of the Holy Curé and a statue showing him in prayer. The column above the entrance reminds visitors that St. John Vianney is the patron saint of all the parish priests of the world. Visitors are invited to write the names of priests whom they would like other pilgrims to remember in prayer. Before we entered the chapel, I reminded our Oregon pilgrims that the name is spelled V-l-a-z-n-y. I was grateful that so many pilgrims heeded my request and also very impressed with how many took the time to write down the names of their own favorite padres.

Springtime is always an uncertain time for a bishop and his priests. With new men being ordained, some retiring and even others, as happened this year, unexpectedly called to their eternal rest, there are inevitably several changes in the assignments of our priests. It is also the time of the year when folks who would like a change in their pastor make sure that the Clergy Personnel Board and I are so informed. There are always some parishioners who want to have a say in “selecting” their new priests. I like to remind them that I’m more than willing to have their help in our effort to “find” them a new priest! Interestingly, most of our priests are not interested in moving. They are quite content where they are. For that, you and I should be most grateful.

This is also the time of the year when I am receiving in the mail the evaluation reports on all our seminarians. It’s a joy that the number of seminarians has increased over the years. It also takes a little more time to review all the comments of faculty and to discuss any concerns with our vocations director, Father Kelly Vandehey. Fortunately, most of our men are doing quite well. I am especially proud of the two men, Father Kenneth Sampson and Father Luan Tran, who were just ordained at the cathedral this past Saturday, June 7. They will be joined by Father Ron Nelson, newly ordained last year and presently completing graduate studies in Rome, as newly appointed parochial vicars across western Oregon, effective July 1.
When our pilgrims visited Ars in April, on the way out of town we came across a statue commemorating a meeting between St. John Mary Vianney and a small shepherd boy. It occurred while the saintly Curé was approaching the town where he was to begin his new ministry. He wasn’t quite sure about the best way to enter Ars and so he said to the youngster, after the boy had given him some directions, “You have shown me the way to Ars. I will show you the way to heaven.” That’s probably a good model for all of us. We priests need to be shown the way into your lives and into your hearts. Our job, through teaching, prayer and pastoral care, entrusts us with the responsibility of showing you the way to heaven. Hopefully our directions are good ones which help you in your own efforts to be the holy people of God.

Since many of you will be receiving new priests in early July, I encourage you to welcome them wholeheartedly and help them adjust to the new circumstances and challenges of your communities. I always remind the priests to become familiar with a parish and its parishioners before making any major changes in operations and activities. But I also like to remind parishioners that a change in leadership inevitably does bring some new ways of doing things. As our priests must become familiar with your wants and needs, it is also important to allow a new leader to have his say as well. Collaboration should be the hallmark of our pastoral initiatives and activities. But collaboration requires good will and a sincere effort from both sides.
St. John Mary Vianney was born on May 8, 1786 near Lyon, France. The region of Burgundy is extremely beautiful and the Vianney family, like many others, made a living by farming. But when he was 20 years old, St. John Mary started to prepare for the priesthood, under the guidance of a parish priest named Father Balley. When he was ordained in 1815 he became curate, now “parochial vicar,” in Ecully. Three years later he was sent to Ars, where he spent the rest of his life until his death on August 4, 1859. When St. John Vianney arrived in Ars, its reputation was not the best. We have parishes like that nowadays where no priest will volunteer to serve. Thanks be to God, some generous soul eventually steps forward, usually after an invitation from the personnel board or the bishop. The saintly priest gradually revived the faith of the people of Ars through his sermons, but particularly through his prayers and his holy life. He restored the church, built an orphanage and was most generous to the poor. His reputation as a confessor drew many pilgrims to Ars where they sought reconciliation with God and peace of heart. St. John Mary spent long hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and often reminded his people, “Man is a beggar who needs to ask God for everything.”

The simple home of the holy Curé of Ars still stands intact as it was during his lifetime. There is also an international seminary in Ars where many young men have come to prepare for the priesthood in the spirit of this holy priest. St. John Mary is a special source of inspiration for those seeking to discern the Lord’s call in their lives. He once said, “Jesus Christ is all to us. He is our only model…the saints did not all make a good start, but they all ended right. We started wrong, let us finish right…”

The body of the Holy Curé of Ars is enshrined there in the Great Basilica. While there we pilgrims had the privilege of celebrating Mass and remembered in a very special way all our parish priests back home. I encourage you this month to pray for all our priests, the vets and the rookies, the extroverts and the introverts. We all need your support if we are to measure up to the significant challenge priestly ministry entails. When we please you, please pray for us. When we displease you, please pray for us even more! I take this opportunity to acknowledge publicly the marvelous service of the priests of this local church. They have shown me the way into the lives and the hearts of our people. I hope that together we are all doing a good job of showing you, the people of western Oregon, the way to heaven.