Time flies when you're having fun

Yesterday I celebrated the 1st anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood! I can't believe it's been a year already. It has been such an awesome year as a priest. I have had so many blessings and opportunities that I never would have had if I hadn't answered God's call. In fact, I was thinking of all the experiences I have had since my ordination.

Sacramentally, I have celebrated or participated in all seven sacraments. I have baptized 78 children since my ordination. Yesterday morning I celebrated my 435 Mass. I can't even count how many thousands of confessions I have heard. I have myself confirmed 12 adults at the Easter Vigil and assisted Archbishop Jim in confirming 240 of our 8th graders. I have participated in the ordination of 1 priest and 5 deacons. I have celebrated 7 weddings. Lastly, I have celebrated 7 funerals.

I have had the opportunity to celebrate Mass in so many places as well. In addition to Prince of Peace, I have celebrated Mass in Kansas at my home parish of Sacred Heart in Ottawa, St. Therese in Richmond which is the parish in which I was baptized, St. John in Greeley, St. Francis of Assisi in Lapeer, St. Patrick in Osage City, Holy Trinity in Lenexa and Prairie Star Ranch. In Missouri, I have celebrated Mass at Queen of All Saints in Oakville and the Basilica Cathedral of St. Louis. I have also celebrated Mass as St. Francis in Buffalo, MN and on a cruise ship in the middle of the Caribbean ocean. These are just the place I have celebrated Mass. I haven't even listed the places in which I concelebrated Mass.

I was given the blessing of being made Associate Pastor of Prince of Peace in Olathe. I have been able be a shepherd to the over 13,000 parishioners we have. I have supervised our youth program and witnessed our youth participation increase from only a dozen teens to nearly 50 teens thanks almost entirely to the leadership of Phyllis Mills who is our Youth Director. I have had the opportunity to be involved in the education of 625 students of Prince of Peace School. I have helped to bring 30 adults into the Catholic Church.

I could go on and on and on. What is obvious to me, however, is that I have been given countless blessings since my ordination and have had the privilege of being the part of the lives of tens of thousands of God's People - something I never, ever would have done had I not answered God's call. This first year has been such an awesome experience. Thank you to everyone who has helped me and been a part of this great blessing of priesthood. Until next time...God bless.

posted by: crossman at 07:02 | link | comments (4) |
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Comments:

#1  27 May 2008 - 10:00

 

Awesome! Congratulations! I said a prayer to St. John Vianney, patron of priests, in your behalf!

Dear Saint John Vianney, your childhood dream was to be a Priest, to win souls for God. You endured years of toil and humiliation to attain the Priesthood. You became a Priest truly after God's own heart, outstanding in humulity and poverty; prayer and mortification. Totally devoted to the service of God's people. The Church has exalted you as model and patron saint of all Parish Priest, trusting that your example and prayers will help them to live up to the high dignity of their vocation to be faithful servants of God's people, to be perfect imitators of Christ the Savior Who came not to be served but to serve, to give His Life in ransom for many.

Pray that God may give to His Church today many more Priests after His own Heart. Pray for all the Priests under your patronage, that they may be worthy representatives of Christ the Good Shepherd. May they wholeheartedly devote themselves to prayer and penance; be examples of humility and poverty; shining modelss of holiness; tireless and powerful preachers of the Word of God; zealous dispensers of God's Grace in the Sacraments. May their loving devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and to Mary His Mother be the Twin Fountains of fruitfulness for their ministry.

Saint John Vianney, patron of priests, pray for us!

Blessings,
Joe

Anonymous

#2  30 May 2008 - 04:35

 

Congratulations!! God bless you!!

Anonymous

#3  31 May 2008 - 22:15

 

Thats Awesome Father-

seems to me the only mass you haven't celebrated is the one in the Extraordinary Form.

Is that on your "To- Do" List?

;-)

God Bless and Congratulations

Anonymous

#4  07 June 2008 - 06:50

 

Thank you for the prayers as I begin my 2nd year.

I do not have the training to celebrate the extraordinary form of the Mass. It might be something I consider at a later time but isn't something I am able to take the time to learn right now.

Thanks again for the prayers and congrats.

God bless,
Fr. Chris

crossman

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