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It is hard to believe that the month of January is almost over. I hope that you have enjoyed reflecting on the priesthood with me as we looked at the Five Priestly Identities. I also hope that you have gained a little more insight into your vocation as well whatever it might be. We have one last identity to look at this week. Following that, I would like to share with you some insights from Fulton Sheen on how priests fail to live up to God’s design of the priesthood as he looks at Judas, whom he calls “The First Crack in His Priesthood.”

As we travel to the month of January, I have chosen to reflect on the topic of the priesthood using what I have learned from my class in Spiritual Direction where a part of the class was focused on what theologians call the Five Priestly Identities. Once again, I wish to stress that I feel that all vocations are equal in the eyes of God but all are different in some way. I also feel that my reflecting on these identities will not only give you a better appreciation of the priesthood but also an insight into your vocation as well.

As we take a closer look at the priesthood this month, I would like to make a couple of things clear before I begin. The first is that I do not think that being a priest makes me better, holier, or more loved by God than a person who is not a priest. Being a priest though is different from being married, consecrated or being single. As St. Paul teaches us in his first Letter to the Corinthians the Body has many parts and each part has a role to play. Most of what I have learned about the five priestly identities, I have learned through my Spiritual Direction classes that were designed and hosted by the Institute of Priestly Formation.

Last May, I celebrated my tenth anniversary of becoming a Roman Catholic Priest and I have to admit it has been an amazing ten years; God has used me (as His instrument) in so many amazing ways. As I reflected on the past ten years, I began to realize that there was a topic in my spiritual ponderings that I have been avoiding. Surprisingly I discovered that I have been avoiding writing about the topic of priesthood all these years. I realize that I have been avoiding this topic for many reasons and before I get into the heart of my ponderings on the priesthood with you, I would like to share some of them with you.