Pentecost Sunday
30 May 2004
Praised be Jesus Christ! Now and forever!
Dear Friends in Christ,
As you know, I was away two weekends ago to give the canonical retreat to the seven men who were ordained to the priesthood in Boston. This weekend I am away again to attend the ordination and preach at the first Mass of Father William Brailsford, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington. Father Brailsford and his family moved to Greenville from New York in the mid-1970’s and became parishioners at the newly founded Prince of Peace Church in Taylors. During high school and college, however, the young William gradually drifted away from Catholicism because of the liturgical and catechetical chaos that was so common then. William was drawn to the doctrinal clarity of Calvinism and eventually studied theology in the Presbyterian seminary. At the end of his studies, though, he could not present himself for ordination because of lingering doubts about the truth of Catholicism, and over a decade he found his way back home to the Catholic Church. I played a small part in that drama and then assisted William in answering the call to the priesthood, so it is a great pleasure for me to be present at his ordination and preach at his first Mass in Washington, DC.
Next Saturday, 5 June 2004, Bishop Baker will ordain two men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Charleston: Deacons Phil Grant and Timothy Tebalt. We give thanks to God for the gift of these men and the priestly service they will give to the Church in South Carolina. Let us also redouble our efforts to help the young men of our parish discern the will of God in their lives, so that those who are being called to the priesthood can hear and heed the voice of the Lord.
Finally, we are blessed to have a seminarian with us for the summer. Mr. David Runnion is a second career vocation: he is 57 years old and a civil attorney with wide experience in government service. David is in his second year at Blessed John XXIII seminary in Boston, MA, and he will be with us from early June through mid-August. When David arrives, he will be introduced at Sunday Mass and be involved in many activities here during his brief stay with us. Please make him welcome.
Father Newman
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us.