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Happening ... in the Local Church
 A
statue of St. John Vianney at the Aug. 2 celebration (Photo by Katy
Troxell) |
By
Katy Harrison Troxell
For
The
Catholic Moment
FISHERS — Sunday, Aug. 2, was a special day for St. John Vianney Parish. Parishioners were in the midst of celebrating their patron saint’s feast day and hosting the first official celebration in the diocese to kick off the Year for Priests.
The special year was inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI on June 19 — the feast of the Sacred Heart. The pope also has declared St. John Vianney the universal patron of all priests on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of his death.
St. John Vianney became the parish priest (curé) of Ars, France, in 1818. From 1830 to 1845, an average of 300 people visited Ars every day to meet him. To accommodate all the pilgrims, he slept only two hours per night. He also ate little, dressed in old clothes and slept on a hard bed. St. John Vianney reflected the ideals of priesthood: prayer, sacrifice and penance offered as intercessory prayer for his people. He remains a living image of the priest after the heart of Christ.
Father Brian Dudzinski, pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Fishers, was named by Bishop William L. Higi to lead a diocesan planning committee for the Year for Priests. The first official diocesan celebration was the Mass on Aug. 2, which was held in the auditorium of Hamilton Southeastern High School. More than 300 people attended.
“It’s a big day,” Father Dudzinski said, as those attending arrived. “Thanks for coming.”
Stepping back after rearranging flowers and candles around a statue of St. John Vianney, he said, “How’s it look?” to a mother and daughter sitting in the third row.
The two women, Marilyn Champagne and her daughter, Sheri Champagne, are members of St, John Vianney Parish, and were eagerly anticipating the celebration.
“We read about the Year for Priests in The Catholic Moment,” Marilyn said. “I think it’s wonderful that it’s St. John Vianney being recognized.”
“It’s an honor to have these priests come from all over,” Sheri said. “It’s just special.”
Father Dudzinski’s homily began with an introduction of the priests present: Father Andrew Dudzinski, pastor of St. Mary, Muncie; Father Joshua Janko, associate pastor of St. Alphonsus, Zionsville; Father Dale Ehrman, president of St. Theodore Guerin High School, Noblesville; Father Kevin Haines, pastor of St. Maria Goretti, Westfield; Father Christopher Weldon, associate pastor of St. Francis of Assisi, Muncie; and Father Ben Okonkwo, St. Vincent Hospital chaplain.
“Why did Pope Benedict make this the Year for Priests?” Father Dudzinski continued.
The answer, he said, is twofold. From the priest’s perspective, “To be a priest today isn’t always the easiest thing to do. The Holy Father wants us to affirm ourselves to priesthood, recommit to being the priest God has called us to be.”
And the laity, he said, should reflect on the priesthood and “pray for your priest to be faithful, support your priest and love your priest.”
He went on to remind all of the importance of priesthood in one’s journey of faith. “Without the priest, we do not have the sacraments,” he said. “Jesus Christ founded the priesthood as he founded the Eucharist. To give himself to us so we can be united with him in a very profound way — through the Church, through the sacraments and through the priesthood. The Year for Priests brings all these together.”
St. John Vianney said, “You could have 200 angels there and they cannot pardon you. But a priest, as simple as he may be, can do it. He can say to you: Go in peace, I forgive you … The priest is not a priest for himself. It isn’t he who grants absolution. He, himself, doesn’t administer the sacraments. He doesn’t do this for himself, he does it for you. The priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus. When you see a priest, think of our Lord.”
Adding to that message, Father Dudzinski said that the priest represents Jesus Christ giving people what they need to go out and be witnesses to the Gospel. “(The priest) doesn’t preach and teach his opinion; he preaches and teaches the Catholic faith, and that is very important,” he said. “So pray for your priests to be faithful to the Holy Mother Church and what she teaches you.”
Father Dudzinski encouraged all to “forget about bad experiences you may have had or heard about the priesthood. We need good holy priests. We need the faithful.”
He then offered this reminder of why it’s important that priests be holy:
“Remember ...
“If the priest is a saint, his people will be holy.
“If the priest is holy, his people will be good.
“If the priest is good, his people will be fair.
“If the priest is fair, his people will be mediocre.
“If the priest is mediocre, his people will be bad.”
In closing, he recalled one of his favorite stories about St. John Vianney. The priest was coming toward Ars for the first time. As he approached, he saw a little shepherd boy and asked him, “How do you get to Ars?” The little boy pointed the way and St. John Vianney said, “You have shown me the way to Ars and I will show you the way to heaven.”
“Pray for us,” Father Dudzinski concluded, “that we can remain strong and faithful and show you the way.”