Last week I finished reading a very touching book, which I highly recommend. It is entitled A Priest Forever: The Life of Fr. Eugene Hamilton by Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. Many thanks to my priest friend who sent the book as a gift. Much of the book is taken from Fr. Hamilton's personal journal (he began an autobiography before his death in 1997, which was later found on his computer). This book is the fulfillment of Fr. Groeschel's promise to Father Hamilton before his death: "Your sermon will be preached." This "sermon," in the form of Fr. Hamilton's testimony to the Faith and the priesthood, is remarkable.
While his story is not exactly like mine, there are many similarities, so I draw strength and inspiration from his words. Quite simply, he wanted to become a priest, and was not going to let cancer stand in the way. He fought cancer for many years and was able to complete three years of seminary studies. When it became apparent that he was about to die, Archbishop Edwin O'Brien ordained him a priest with special permission from Pope John Paul II. Three hours later, Fr. Hamilton died. The story is very touching, and it reveals the character of a young man who shows us what the Catholic priesthood really is - not a job or profession, but an eternal vocation.
The whole book is definitely worth reading, but I found a comment from Fr. Hamilton's spiritual director very touching:
"I always had the sense that [Fr. Hamilton] knew that this was God's plan. It is almost as if he knew something that we did not know, namely that in him God was disclosing a new dimension of priesthood - perhaps not really new, but new in the sense that we seldom talk of it. And this dimension was the dimension of the victim-sufferer, even the victim-priest.... So often we think of priesthood as our choice, our decision, our commitment. In [Fr. Hamilton], the Lord was drawing us back to His definition of priesthood, defined in the person of the Suffering Jesus. I think [Fr. Hamilton] knew that he was a player in a divine drama that transcended him, and that, in some way, was part of God's teaching us what the priesthood really is."
I recommend this book to everyone, but especially to those discerning a vocation to the priesthood.
4 comments:
A priest is a sign of contradiction to a godless world. How can it be otherwise, given that a priest is alter Christus?
I was infuriated today by an interview with the actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who plays a progressive 1960s priest in the film Doubt. The interviewer, Jon Stewart (a Jew), elicited belly laughs from Hoffman and the audience when he said (I paraphrase from memory) that a priest is really nothing more than "an ordinary schmuck who has decided never to have sex." Hoffman went on to describe how the priest in the pre-Vatican II liturgy would "turn his back to the audience." Yes, the AUDIENCE. What a depressing display of ignorance and impiety. Sorry to rant, Phillip, but it was quite upsetting. Your post is a consolation. I'm happy that your surgery was a success. God bless .. and I will pray for your vocation. We need men like you in the Catholic priesthood!
Wow. That is something you just finished this book. I read this book just recently as well and finished it up this last week and thought of you and the situation you are in. I will pray for you that you may overcome your tumor and for your vocation.
P.S. Where did you get your surplice that you are wearing in several of the pictures on this blog?
That is a good book. Another book I read about the same time as this one was My Brother Pier Giorgio: His Last Days by Luciana Frassati. It has a foreward by Fr. Groeschel. I think you will find inspiration in Bl. Frassati's life too.
When I first discovered this blog, I thought of "A Priest Forever". My prayer is that you will enjoy a long and fruitful ministry in this life.
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