Once you’re a parish priest, you almost never hear any other priest’s homilies. Why? Well, because you’re almost always the priest at Mass, and therefore the preacher as well. And while most priests really enjoy Mass, I can’t think of any who will go attend a Mass offered by someone else in addition to the Mass (or Masses) he has already celebrated himself.
This has some odd penalties; we priests never get to see (or hear) our friends work. Our seminary buddies with whom we practiced preaching, the friends we have made along the path of our priesthood: they celebrate their Masses, and we celebrate ours, usually in different churches, often in different states, or even time zones. We do not get to learn from their best practices, or even just enjoy how their personalities and abilities come through.
But there are benefits, too: we do not have to put up with the foibles and faults of another priest or preacher. One of the bad habits that left a lasting impression on me when I attended Masses rather than celebrated them, was when the priest talked about some sport or team more than, or even instead of, about our Lord, about the Gospel, about the Faith. Whether Alabama-Auburn or Redskins football, depending on what time in my life we are discussing, or whether some celebrity player or championship contest, it always struck me as a major cop-out for the priest to seek attention and approval by feeding the fanbase instead of the spiritual needs of his flock. It drove me nuts, and as I progressed in my own vocation, I resolved never to resort to it.
Despite my fidelity to that pledge, many of you are very aware that I have been completely consumed for the past five or six weeks with the most remarkable and eventually delightful late- and post-season run of our local baseball club, the Nationals. Yes, it was awesome; yes, I went to the games AND the parade; yes, I did stay up that late, that many evenings; and yes, I am thrilled and proud. I was even interviewed live on local television as a Nats-obsessed priest (clearly a curiosity). This week I insisted that the kids in our school enjoy an ice-cream-sundae social to celebrate the victory. And yes, I am exhausted as well as elated, and about a month behind in many other obligations and responsibilities. So, for all of you who checked with me for the score as soon as you exited the Vigil Mass, or bemoaned the latest on-field embarrassments, or simply whispered, “You must have enjoyed yesterday’s game!” outside the church door: thank you, and Go Nats.
To recover, this past week I went with Father Russo and most of the priests of our Archdiocese to a hotel on the Eastern shore for our biennial three-day Convocation. When these started, back in 2003, the priests had to be required to attend. They’ve been so good, now most of the guys are eager to come, and especially so this year when we have a new Archbishop to check out. Our principal speaker was the excellent Archbishop Hebda of Saint Paul-Minneapolis, and we had some practical seminars. But most important was the time to just be together, dine together, pray together, and talk together. This event fortifies the bonds of brotherhood among us priests of this local church, and these days especially, that is vital.
It also provided two days when not only did I not have to preach, teach, or speak; but I got to listen to someone else do so – a rare and refreshing experience.
Monsignor Smith
