Western Kentucky Catholic Nonprofit Org. 600 Locust Street U.S. Postage Owensboro, Kentucky 42301 Paid Western Kentucky Owensboro, KY Change Service Requested Permit No. 111 42301 CATHOLIC Volume 34, Number 8 October, 2007 Priests Are My Unsung Heroes By Larena Lawson We live in an age where we are oftentimes caught up in fantasy and make-believe, where the media frenzy can capture our attention to draw us into an imaginary world of its own creation, of what it perceives living is all about, and what it defines as, “the good life.” The media culture wants us to picture ourselves in this land where excitement runs rampant; but do we ever just stop and seriously think about what is happening here? All of the things that we see on television and read about in books and newspapers are vividly planted in our minds for us to decipher and do with what we will, to our advantage or to our disadvantage. In all of this downloading of exposure to the modern world, we tend to pick out people that we admire, that we wish we could be like, and that we might call our heroes. But how many of them are really worthy of our admiration or of our imitation or exhibit a heroic character that one might call Christ-like? Wouldn’t you want your hero to be an extraordinary person? Heroes can come in all shapes and sizes, are of all ages and kind, and might be living or dead. It is good to have those people in our lives who’ll help us work toward striving to be that better person, to have that better life, and who’ll inspire us to reach the ultimate goals that we seek to accomplish. As we aim high in our quest to be who we want to be and who we ought to be, it is those extraordinary people, those heroes that we admire, who could help to get us there. Choosing those heroes carefully could make all the difference in the world…at least it does for me. Have you ever thought of a priest as a hero? Growing up, I guess I never really thought enough about how important it was to make sure that I chose the right path to follow and my growing up has taken a long time. Now I can see that it makes a remarkable difference in the quality of this life and especially in the quality of the next life, to be ever mindful of what we choose. I just walked this way and that way for many years, lost as to knowing or understanding what this life is all about. It came to the point, however, that going the wrong way was leading nowhere and I sought to find a bend in the road that would lead me in the right direction. Thus my search began: my search for a better life and for the truth. When one is searching one reaches out in all directions, and in my case, I also did some praying. My prayers and the Above: Father Brian Johnson bows to congrat- prayers of those who loved and supported me, in time, pointed me in the right direction. As the search continued, God ulate Rosaline Johnston at her 100th birthday placed many people in my path who continued to guide me and party August 26, 2007 at Saint Benedict Church, to lead me. In particular, He allowed me to come under the loving Wax, Ky. Staff Photo care of some of His holy priests. And this is the beginning of the rest of my story: how priests At left: Father Dave Johnson plays music with help me to know God’s love and mercy and to understand the Megan Rhodes for Vacation BIble School at Saint longings of my heart and soul. Mary of the Woods parish hall July 11, 2007. Fr. One by one, priests have inspired and encouraged me, have Dave’s thoughts? “Now, let’s see, how do I do a motivated and have challenged me to be who God created me F#maj7 chord?” Larena Lawson Photo Far Left Corner: Father Andy Garner extends a greeting to Paul Warrell, son of Ben and Susan Warrell, at Gasper River Retreat Center during an Owensboro seminarians brotherhood retreat Au- Sunday, October 28, is Priesthood Sunday, a gust 17, 2007. Susan Warrell photo day set aside for us to honor our priests and to thank them for all that they do for us. May we take to be. They have been my unsung heroes. I draw the time to acknowledge and appreciate them for strength from their witness of faith, from their gentle bringing the joy of Christ to us. May God bless them care of souls, and from their seemingly never-ending in a very special way for serving Him with love and willingness to serve God with love in spite of all the may He reward them for their undying faithfulness challenges that they face. to Him. Thank you God for our priests. Please see Priests on page 4 2 The Western Kentucky Catholic, October, 2007 May We All Be The Stewards Of God’s Gifts As He Wills Us To Be Dear People of God, that everyone must be given the opportunity to receive a good Catholic education. We Were it not for the happy experience I have had for 25 years of trying to do my best have parishes that need the help of the diocese to assist parents in giving their children to serve you and work with you in carrying out the mission of Church, I would not be a good Catholic education. An endowment fund will grow to where it can make a dif- writing this letter. ference, allowing the diocese to assist parishes in need, with Catholic Schools and/or I have found the Priests, Religious, and Laity of this diocese—all of you—to be Religious Education programs. a people with a deep faith in God’s love. I have witnessed a burning desire on your I present these four worthy causes to you the people of the Church of Western part to carry out the mission of the Church. As you know, our mission is to tell all the Kentucky and ask that you prayerfully consider your response. Please pray over this people of this diocese and beyond that Jesus loves us so much that He was willing to request for the needs of the diocesan Church and respond as a good steward of the gifts suffer, die, and be raised from the dead for our salvation. You, the people of God—His you have been given. Church—have shown over and over again your willingness to do whatever it takes to Being a good steward is a basic part of the faith life of every Roman Catholic. spread the Good news. You have been generous with your time, talents and material Stewardship puts us in touch with the fact that a loving God has given us all that we resources, which are all needed to carry out the mission of the Church. have. One way we show our love for God and our sisters and brothers is by striving to After much prayer and consultation, I have made the decision to launch a diocesan be good stewards. I am confident that these four needs will help this diocese carry out capital campaign. the mission of the Church, and I am equally confident that the Church—the people of As you know, we have worked over the years to become a diocese that is commit- God of western Kentucky—will meet these needs by being good stewards. ted to carrying out its mission through Christian stewardship. With everyone living In terms of money, the goal for this diocesan capital campaign has been set at 9 as a good steward of the gifts that God has given them, the needs of the Church are million dollars. While that is a lot of money, the campaign seeks to fund essential answered. ministries of the Church. I know that if we each participate to the best of our ability as You have been wonderfully generous in your parishes and in the diocese to achieve that good stewards, this goal for the mission of the Church can be reached. goal. I pray that this capital campaign, Responding to Today’s Need and Tomorrow’s I ask for your prayers first and foremost. Together we pray that God’s will be done Vision, will be more about being good stewards of God’s gifts (which means everything and that with God’s help we can make a difference in meeting the needs of today and we have, including life itself) than it is about how much money we can raise. fulfilling the mission for the future. The decision to have a capital campaign based on stewardship was made because You will be hearing a lot more about the diocesan capital campaign, Responding to of four needs that we face at this particular time. These four needs deserve your con- Today’s Need and Tomorrow’s Vision, in the months ahead, but I wanted to share this sideration as you prayerfully steward what God has given you. much with you at this time. We need to: May we all be the stewards of God’s gifts as He wills us to be, so that we are forever 1. Provide a faith-filled camp and retreat center to foster and strengthen the mindful of the need to be grateful for what we have and willing to share God’s gifts with Catholic identity of our young people.