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Peace and good!
June is coming and it means changes concerning priests in parishes.
May and June have always been the time of ordination in many dioceses.
And then the new priests are sent to parishes while the other priests are moved somewhere else.
And here's a dilemma - does it have to be like that?
Our question also concerned that issue: does it have to be like that even if it's really painful for these priests?
I think we should look at it from two points of view - firstly, the human one, which concerns the bond that is created between the priest and the parish.
And the second one connected with the words of Jesus: "Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head."
As these words refer directly to every priest, who is fully flexible as far as the needs of the Church are concerned.
I remember the recording from this year's ordination in the Dominican Order where bishop Ryś (I'll try to summarize it shortly).
addressed the newly ordained friars in beautiful words saying that he doesn't know their names but that's not the point.
It's all about the sacraments you will be giving, the words you will be saying and the awareness that every priest is an instrument in God's hands.
And it's not about his personal story, the story of Franciszek or Leonard, the story of the Franciscans or the Dominicans.
We contribute to these stories but it's all about the story of salvation. We're supposed to sow the seeds where it's necessary.
Moreover, every man joining a seminary or a convent is fully aware of the fact (it's more than 100 per cent certain)
that at least during the first stage of his priestly life he will be moved from one place to another.
We usually count every three years in one place as peaceful time and then we say: if they let us stay longer - that's good, if not, we'll move on.
And I was moved from Toruń (my first pastoral love:)) after one year.
So it's calculated into our way of life and we have to bear it in mind. Of course, as father Leonard said, the human factor plays an important role here.
But the key point here is that we've been called by God and we have to fulfil His will, and this will is also reflected in the decisions of the bishop.
(By the way, we're recording it against the wind so we'll probably hear it blow in the recording.)
Yes, the will is reflected in bishop's or provincial superior's decisions but it's not easy.
We grow attached to each other and often truly love each other with fraternal or paternal love.
We sacrifice ourselves thoroughly living with people we are sent to because we love them and we love what we do. If it was only treated as our duty it would be our priestly failure.
It's definitely difficult but God's will, seen here in the will of our superiors, is above it all.
Giving up the attachment to other people is the consequence of the choice of life we make. Living in celibacy, solitude and being unmarried.
Of course we form bonds with many people but the decision to be alone also makes us be here now and the next day in some other place. We have to be able to move and it's often painful.
Besides, God places us at a certain time in a given place. And from our human point of view we don't know why it happens.
It might happen that the superiors move us to another place because God knows that we, with our talents and actions, are indispensable there to help God carry out His plan.
And we perceive it as something bad because someone has to leave.
The situation is very dramatic when people are so closely attached to the priest that when he leaves their faith collapses and they stop going to church.
But I see it as the priest's mistake in his pastoral work, as a good priest is supposed to attach people to God not to himself.
We are expected to be a kind of bridge that people cross on their way to God and which also God uses to come to us.
So the fact that the priest leaves should not mean despair but our thanksgiving to God that we had a chance to be with him for so long let him lead us to God.
Even if it was only for a year of two, we should thank God that He put him on our way and accept the fact that now he must be sent somewhere else. And we have to agree with God's will.
This topic is difficult but beautiful. Just like the priesthood - it's difficult but beautiful.
We can understand the question of priests being moved from one place to another only by looking at it through God's providence and His plan concerning the ones He has chosen.
Otherwise, we'll keep saying "Why is he leaving us as he's such a good priest and has done so much good for us?". But others also want to have this good priest :).
We can use countless arguments and won't reach a compromise :).
Peace and good!