The Rhythm of Ministry Within Seasons - June 23, 2023

Dear Friends,
 

I’m happy to share a bit about my recent travels to Colombia and the upper Midwest over the past month. On May 20 I concelebrated Mass for a cousin’s wedding for the first time with my great-uncle. It had been five years since our last major reunion, and though we had plans to celebrate my ordination together, the pandemic made travel impossible. I stayed for a week in Colombia after the wedding enjoyed time with my grandmother and extended family.
 

On June 5, I joined Fr Rich Andre and 25 other priests in Milwaukee for a weeklong workshop on parish management. The Leadership Roundtable (www.leadershiproundtable.org) organized the seminar with expert presenters who have dedicated their lives to serving the church in their professional capacities. It was a breath of fresh air and a sign of hope for the future of the church to discuss these topics with young priests of all ideological and geographical backgrounds. Many young pastors begin with rural communities, often traveling between multiple chapels, so their perspectives were interesting. Following the workshop, I drove to Chicago for a weekend at the Paulist rectory and visited with friends in the area.
 

As I approach my third year here at the parish, I am recognizing the different rhythms of ministry throughout the seasons. Lent is filled with confessions, both at St Austin and at communal penance services around the diocese. In a world of pervasive and instantaneous online communication, I have seen that people long for the chance to speak privately about their burdens and hear spoken words hope, and forgiveness. Easter is a time for great celebrations. The joy of Christ’s resurrection illuminates the many baptisms, first communions, and graduations during this season. Austin weather also makes Easter the ideal season for weddings. We had three in a row over Memorial Day weekend at St Austin. The joy of these sacraments overflows into banquets and receptions filled with great food, music, and conversation.
 

Summer is a time for rest, renewal, and planning. As a priest, it is also a season of extra Masses to cover for my brother priests who are on vacation. So far, I have been to St Ignatius, St Peter the Apostle, and the Cathedral over the past month. I enjoy seeing the different congregations that comprise our Catholic family here in Austin.
 

I pray you and your family can make time for a change of pace this summer, either on vacation or simply mixing up your routine here at home.
 

God bless,