Ordained A Priest Forever Spiritual Reflections Of A Spiritual Father

Recognizing the strong and gentle fatherhood which our Heavenly Father bestows on us lovingly and daily indefinitely changes the scope of our spiritual lives. Amidst the crisis of fatherhood in today's society, it is imperative, more than ever, that all men—especially priests—be images of this unfalteringly generous fatherhood of God. What does true fatherhood consist of? How can true fatherhood help a person gain access to the freedom found through the knowledge of his or her identity as a child of God? While answering these questions, Fr. Jacques also presents the spiritual path which allows a priest to guard himself against possible shortcomings and ambiguities as he strives to live out his priestly fatherhood, the gift received by him in ordination. This book will not only be of interest to priests, but will also help all those who are called to exercise a certain paternity in the Church or in society: fathers of families, spiritual fathers, educators, and leaders.

The need for spiritual direction—or the accompaniment of a spiritual guide—is becoming more prominent in a world where so many are suffering from so many wounds. With a harmonious integration of both timeless spiritual wisdom from the Catholic Church’s tradition of prayer and direction, and the insight of the psychological sciences, Fathers Thomas Acklin and Boniface Hicks offer a comprehensive guide for all who provide or seek spiritual direction. Spiritual Direction: A Guide for Sharing the Father’s Love fortifies priests, religious, and lay faithful who embrace the ministry of spiritual direction and accompany the wounded, assist men and women in hearing the voice of God, and model the love and mercy of the Father for the many who are seeking Him but do not know Him or have false images of Him. This book also shows how various aspects of the spiritual life can emerge from and be fostered by a one-on-one relationship with a spiritual director. Together with concrete guidelines and numerous examples from personal experience, this book refers extensively to Sacred Scripture as the foundation for spiritual direction. Furthermore, since the practice of spiritual direction goes back to the first centuries of the Church, the authors turn for guidance to the Doctors of the Church, the writings of the saints, and the papal magisterium in developing and supporting their insights. Spiritual Direction will call spiritual directors to deeper holiness even as they assist others in growing closer to the Father through His loving gaze of mercy.

Thirty priests, both well known and not, answer the questions why they are a priest and why they are still a priest today, revealing much about themselves and the general state of the priesthood.

As a criminal defense attorney and as a pastor, the author has noticed that for the most part, not every man that he represents or counsels has had a father figure in his life (let alone a spiritual one) nor every man has had a good father involved in his life; however, every man deserves to be all that our Creator intended us to be""a man after God's own heart. Just like King David. This book was born out of fact that "the Body of Christ" is the salt of the Earth. As such, we must recognize that although not every man has had a spiritual father, every man is commanded to be the spiritual leader of his household. This requires a process by which these men who were not afforded the opportunity of a spiritual father, and that would otherwise not know this, would be able to learn and subsequently help other men achieve the same spiritual maturity required in our Christian walk.

"Rekindle the gift of God that is within you", Saint Paul urges Timothy years after his ordination (2 Tim 1:6). Drawing on sixty years of experience as a Catholic priest, Cistercian Fr. Roch Kereszty provides realistic spiritual, psychological, and pastoral guidance to priests and seminarians—from preaching and sacramental ministry, to parish life and spiritual direction, to chastity and poverty. Countless priests struggle to understand their role and identity in the post-conciliar Church, where laypeople have taken on many responsibilities once considered priestly. With the sexual abuse crisis kicking up a cloud of confusion and discouragement, many young men are wondering, "Why join a system in which everyone is suspect?" Meanwhile, without the right guidance, those already ordained can find themselves slipping into boredom—or even cynicism. But Fr. Kereszty knows the fire of a true vocation. With insights and examples from St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and many others, Rekindle the Gift of God helps priests and seminarians discover or rediscover their mission as shepherds, prophets, and teachers. A happy priest is one who lays down his life not only for his flock, but for his Lord. Father Kereszty gives patient, down-to-earth counsel on putting this ideal into practice, and he offers a glimpse of his own immense joy and gratitude for the gift of serving Jesus Christ.

For many priests today, the sense of challenge is great. Some feel caught between an old order of pre-Vatican II times and an attempted new post-conciliar order. What lies behind our selection is the conviction that it is above all in a life of communion with others, understood and lived out in a robust spirituality of communion, that priests can find new hope and strength as they interrelate with their brother priests, with their bishops and with all who pass them by, moment by moment, in their life and ministry. Includes reflections by: Saint Augustine, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Benedict XVI, Helder Camara, Avery Dulles, Richard R. Gaillardetz, Gregory the Great, Basil Hume, John Paul II, Chiara Lubich, Karl Rahner, Fulton Sheen, Edith Stein, Mother Teresa, Jean Marie Vianney, and many others.