Good shepherds need understanding, support

Each year, the Catholic Church celebrates Good Shepherd Sunday on the fourth Sunday of Easter. The Gospel reading for that day always turns our attention to Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd.

It is a fitting occasion to recognize and give thanks for those men who share in his pastoral ministry through the priesthood here in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. As Jesus reminds us in the Gospel, “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” This is the model and the measure of every priestly vocation, and one that we have seen lived in a profound way in the life of Blessed Stanley Rother.

As archbishop, I have the great joy of serving as shepherd of this local Church. Among the greatest responsibilities entrusted to me is the care of our priests who are my principal collaborators.

They are not simply ministers who carry out a function. They are fathers, pastors, preachers, teachers, confessors, counselors, administrators and, from time to time, even handymen. They stand with their people at the most sacred and vulnerable moments of life – at the altar, at the bedside, in the confessional, at gravesides and in times of crisis. What for many Catholics happens only at decisive moments is, for a priest, the ordinary fabric of almost every day.

That daily offering is beautiful, but it also is demanding. In many places throughout our archdiocese, fewer priests means wider responsibilities, longer days and heavier burdens. The Easter Season, which is filled with joy for the whole Church, also can leave priests physically tired and spiritually spent. The work is holy work, but it is still work that asks much of the heart, mind and body.

For that reason, I was grateful that during our recent Clergy Days at the end of March, we had the benefit of presentations from David Shellenberger, RN, BSN, of the Saint John Vianney Center. He offered practical and wise guidance about stress, health, healthy boundaries and the habits that help sustain a priest in maintaining a joyful and faithful ministry.

Such conversations are not secondary. They are necessary. Grace does not eliminate our humanity. Rather, grace perfects it. A priest must tend not only to the flock entrusted to him, but also to his own life of prayer, health and stability if he is to serve well over the long haul.

This makes Pope Leo’s prayer intention for this month especially timely: that we pray for priests who are experiencing crisis in their vocation, that they may find the accompaniment they need and that Christian communities may support them with understanding and prayer. That intention deserves the attention of the whole Church.

The first step in caring for priests, and really in caring for any disciple of Christ, is humility. None of us is beyond weakness. None of us is immune from discouragement, loneliness, temptation or fatigue.

Because of our fallen human nature, crisis is never something that happens only to someone else. A life of faith must be nourished. Charity must be renewed. Chastity must be guarded. Prayer must be protected. These things do not remain strong on their own. They must be actively maintained, day by day, with perseverance and honesty before God.

It can be tempting to imagine that a priest ought to be tireless, untroubled and somehow above the ordinary needs of human life. But, your priest needs what every Christian needs: good rest, sound habits, healthy friendships, honest fraternity and, above all, a deep life of prayer. He needs time with the Lord whom he preaches. He needs silence. He needs encouragement. He needs the support of his people, not only when he is struggling visibly, but long before any crisis appears.

There are simple ways the faithful can help. Pray for your priests every day. Refrain from criticizing and gossiping about their weaknesses. Offer gratitude for their ministry. Resist the temptation to treat them as functionaries or to measure them against impossible standards. Encourage them to take seriously the ordinary disciplines that sustain a healthy and holy life. A word of thanks, a promise of prayer, a patient spirit, or an act of kindness can do more than we know.

The priest is called to be a bridge to Jesus Christ, to live in such a way that others may encounter the Lord through his ministry. This is a beautiful calling, but it is not an easy one. No priest carries it by his own strength alone. He carries it only with the help of grace, with the support of his brother priests and bishop, and with the prayers of the faithful.

As we approach Good Shepherd Sunday, let us thank God for our priests who serve faithfully in our parishes, schools and missions across Oklahoma. Let us ask the Lord to strengthen those who are weary, to console those who are discouraged, and to renew those who may be carrying burdens known only to him.

Ask the Lord to send many new laborers to the vineyard. And together with Pope Leo, let us pray in a special way for priests in crisis, that the love of Christ may reach into hearts, heal what is wounded, and restore the joy of those called to serve in his name.