Items of Interest

Our parish priests are some of the hardest working members of the Church. The typical parish priest works every weekend and holiday and only gets one day off per week, not to mention they're being asked to care for more souls and take on more responsibilities than ever before.
1. Pray for your Priest-The most important thing a parishioner can do is pray for his priest. We are always praying for someone, even required to offer a Mass every Sunday and Holy Day on behalf of parishioners. It is good to let him know he's in your daily prayers.
2. Pray More, Complain Less-The vast majority of interactions seem to revolve around a complaint about the priest, the parish, a parishioner, the music, the temperature of the church, a decision, etc., and rarely about the spiritual life.
3. Offer to Help-Don't wait to be asked. Priests are ordained to give, and it's hard for them to ask for things. Volunteer your time to the parish as a sign of support and service. Consider increasing your offertory to show your support to the priest.
4. Save the Drama For Your Mama- Don't gossip or criticize, instead offer to help and to build up. I wonder how many vocations were ruined when young people hear adults tear down the priest, usually because of a petty dispute. 
5. Look Out For Their Well-being-Encourage your priest to take his time off.
6. Let Him Know You Have His Back-When you witness a situation where someone is being rude to a priest, let him know that you noticed and express compassion.
7. Go to Mass and Confession- Nothing will make him happier! Pick a day, go to a Mass that he's celebrating, and get a bunch of people to sit in the front rows. When Father asks you after Mass why, tell him you were offering your participation at Mass in thanksgiving for his priesthood.
8. Write A Note of gratitude- Tell him he's made a difference in your life. Write him a thank you with a tone of appreciation.
Simple notes mean a great deal to priests these days, especially when they have to make difficult decisions. Things like notes of appreciation after a wedding or a funeral or a compliment after a well-prepared homily.
9. Say Thank you-Thank the priest for the Mass. Even if you don't necessarily like the priest, the Mass is always about the presence of    Jesus. Even something as simple as saying to the priest after confession, "Thank you for your ministry and I will pray for you."
10. Give Them A Compliment opportunities to compliment priests, even the ones you don't particularly like. Something as simple as, "That was a beautiful Mass, Father."
11. Establish A Relationship-Don't tell him what you don't like if it's the first time you've bothered to talk to him. Say hello before telling him what's wrong.
12. Have Realistic Expectations and be helpful- Always assume goodwill. Offering feedback is helpful, but criticism and complaints given without humility and sincerity are draining after a while. He's probably not a plumber, so don't expect him to fix the leaky pipe. But do ask him if he knows it's leaking.
13. Don't Be a Priest Collector-Don't think you have to have a priest over every Sunday. Don't expect to be the priest's friend-he is your pastor and he needs you to keep things professional, Don't brag to other parishioners how close you are, as this only creates animosity or jealousy and THAT stresses priests out!
14. Give Him Space- Sometimes it's good to be just left alone, too. Stay away from what is called "unkind kindness" which is assuming Father is (Lonely, depressed, stressed anxious, etc.) when he just needs to blow off steam.
15. Invite Him Over-It's nice to invite the priest to special celebrations, holiday dinners, or family gatherings, but just remember, he will probably decline because he will be with his own family-but it's nice to be invited.
16. Strive For Holiness-There's nothing more exciting for a priest than witnessing holiness in the lives of people to whom he ministers; not only is that an experience of grace that his labor is bearing fruit, but it's also tremendously edifying in his own pursuit of holiness.

By Jonathan Teixeira  August 2014