Our co-chairs, Rick and Cathy Roche, did a magnificent job in making this year’s outing such a success. Marilyn Gaeta held all the details together and flawlessly executed the plan for the tournament.
I am very grateful to the Executive Committee, consisting of Rev. Eric Cadin, Richard Gaeta, Craig & Nancy Gibson, Rev. Christopher Hickey, Terry & Kathy Kennedy, Rev. Mark Murphy, Rev. Robert Reed, Bob Travaglini, and Frank Woodward.
I also want to thank the Saint John’s Seminary Working Committee members: Rev. Christopher O’Connor, Rev. Edward Riley, Deacon Scott Carpentier, John Cassani, Maria Cusack, Marilyn Gaeta, Mary Jo Kriz, Gerald Souza, Rev. Gregory Vozzo, and Kaye Woodward
Here is what I said to the assembled generous golfers at the banquet:
I want you to look around the room this evening at the number of people here. It is almost exactly the number of seminarians we educate at Saint John’s Seminary for virtually all the Dioceses of New England and for several Religious Orders.
Picture the number of people in this room as the number of idealistic young men with hope overbrimming their hearts and a faith that could move mountains and you will picture the reason that I have the best job in the world.
Imagine what it is like to be the pastor of a young shepherd to be, who sits across from you with tears in his eyes and says, Monsignor, all I really want to do is to give my life to Jesus and to his Church.
Picture your son or your grandson or your nephew or the kid you see serving the 9:00am Mass every week. Picture all the men whom Christ is calling to share in his Priesthood....
calling to anoint your mother at 2:00am
or sit with your nephew as he struggles with drugs
or counsel your sister when her marriage is on the rocks
or feed the poor, or seek out the confused,
or teach the authentic Catholic Faith with passion
or celebrate the Sacraments that
Christ might baptize your children
forgive your sins,
and give us his body and blood to eat and drink,
all through the hands of those 124 men whom Christ is preparing today to be your Priests today.
On their behalf, I thank you for your generosity. Dioceses pay tuitions of $23,000 a piece, but that’s less than half of what it really costs to prepare these men spiritually, humanly, intellectually and spiritually to be your priests.
So on their behalf, I thank you...
Let us Pray.
Blessed are you, Lord God, Creator of this beautiful day,
of faith, of life, and of all the blessings you shower upon us.
You raised your beloved Son from the dead,
and made him Lord of all.
You raised your beloved Son from the dead,
and made him Lord of all.
Bless us and bless this food
which you have given us.
Bless all who work for the good of your Church
and for the good of those who prepare to serve them.
Fill our hearts with gratefulness and praise
for you live and reign
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God forever and ever. Amen.
