Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2008 / Priests celebrate milestones in lives of ministry
Priests celebrate milestones in lives of ministry
by Robert Delaney of The Michigan Catholic
Published May 30, 2008
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Joe Kohn | The Michigan Catholic
Fr. Michael Kazer helps 70-year jubilarian Fr. James Hayes vest before Mass May 27. Priests celebrating significant anniversaries of ordination gathered at Sacred Heart Major Seminary for a liturgy and reception this week. |
Detroit — Several senior jubilarian priests offered advice to the young priests just ordained this year, as they looked back on their own years of priestly ministry.
"I would stress that, from the moment of his ordination, his life should be a life of service to others, and that he should give of himself for the needs of others," said Fr. Fabian Slominski, 84.
This year, Fr. Slominski is celebrating the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
He joined other archdiocesan priests and religious order priests who have served locally who marked milestone anniversaries Tuesday at Sacred Heart Major Seminary.
"I would remind a new priest that he doesn't become a priest for his own needs, but to be of service to others from the moment he is ordained until the day he dies," Fr. Slominski continued, in an interview before Tuesday's Mass, reception and luncheon.
Fr. William McGoldrick, 89, said, "My advice would be to tell them that perseverance has been a big word in my life, and that they should persevere in their calling."
Marking the 65th year of his priestly ordination this year, Fr. McGoldrick also urged new priests not to neglect their prayer life, even when they find themselves exhausted by their daily work. "I would tell them to maintain close contact with the Lord in prayer. And just before they go to bed, at least say 'My Jesus, mercy' three times and 'Mary, help me' three times. Then, they can say the rosary and other prayers when they wake up," he counseled.
Fr. McGoldrick further recommended new priests take up some hobby or activity. He played handball until he was 77, and learned to play the harmonica and the piano (even now, his musical evenings draw capacity crowds and raise money for charity).
In his homily at the Mass, Cardinal Adam Maida told the congregation of jubilarians and others present that the jubilarians "have come to understand more profoundly what it means to be consecrated and configured to the person of Christ, Head of His Body, the Church."
He said every priest present had learned in his seminary training "we were saved by Christ's obedience, by His absolute openness to the will of His Father, His willingness to be emptied of all divinity, power and majesty."
"If we are going to be the ministers of Jesus Christ, obviously, we, too, must live and die His way of kenosis, His way of love, which was willing to suffer, to be empty, to wait for a response, a love without agenda," the cardinal continued.
And he added, "We can be 'another Christ' only by letting His Spirit of humble service and compassionate love completely take over our consciousness, our ego, our desires and dreams." Each year, the jubilarian Mass recognizes those priests celebrating 25, 40, 50, 60 or 60-plus years of ordained ministry.
For the oldest priest in the archdiocese, 95-year-old Msgr. Ferdinand DeCneudt, this is the 69th anniversary of his ordination. But even though he did not attend the jubilarian Mass, he also had advice for new priests.
Echoing the words of Fr. McGoldrick, Msgr. DeCneudt also spoke of perseverance: "I'd tell them to stick with it through thick and thin. Trust in the Lord, and He will give you the grace to persevere."
Msgr. DeCneudt said the greatest joy of his priesthood has been "the fact that I can continue to offer the Mass daily, even now, and that I can continue to serve Him."
For Fr. McGoldrick, the greatest joy of his priesthood came during his years as founding pastor of St. Edmund parish in Warren, "seeing people take up my invitation to become a good Christian community," he said.
Fr. Slominski cited two things as his greatest joys — "that I can offer the holy sacrifice of the Mass" and "whenever I had the experience of being of service to another individual."
He said this latter experience was most deeply felt during his service as a chaplain at St. John Macomb Hospital, which he only relinquished a year ago due to declining hearing and eyesight.
"For example, whenever I was able to bring a dying person the sacrament of God's forgiveness and help him into eternal life," Fr. Slominski said.
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