- George Bernard Shaw
I am presently away (January 9-14) for continuing education at Bethany Retreat Center in Lutz, FL near Tampa. Twice a year I go away, searching for new roadmaps, insights, visions and dreams. In doing so, I seek to reclaim the treasure of the gift of faith and believing. During this Winter Institute, 35 priests will attend from 12 different states. Two brother priests from our Diocese of Pittsburgh -- Fr. Joseph Grosko and Fr. John Vojtek -- will be present. It is good to be together for fraternal support, prayer and formation. Sharing a meal, enjoying the sunshine for a walk or telling stories relating our ministry, helps to widen and strengthen our own experience. In any professional walk of life, one must stay current and abreast to life-long learning, life-long training and life-long formation. If we are not continually formed and reformed we run the danger of “malpractice," which literally means “practicing badly." Two of my brother siblings who are doctors tell me that every month they are required to take tests to keep updated via the computer.
In May 2011, I will celebrate my 23rd year in the priesthood. There has been no single greater influence and impact on my priestly life than the International Institute for Clergy Formation out of Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. This program’s founder and director was the late Msgr. Andy Cusack, a 6'7" giant and visionary, originally from the Diocese of Bridgeport, CT. He was the Director of Formation at Immaculate Conception Seminary from 1993-2002. He acquired a PhD in Counseling Psychology from St. John’s University. He was a spiritual director and taught Counseling, Psychology and Homiletics at the seminary. Msgr. Cusack died in January of 2004. Msgr. Cusack founded the Summer Institute in 1987 when I served as a deacon at St. Alphonsus Parish in Springdale, PA. This year marks the 25th anniversary of this continuing education program for priests, both home and abroad. I have attended almost every Summer and Winter Institute to help remain renewed, refreshed, rekindled and revitalized in my priestly vocation. I am eternally indebted to the pioneer and founder, Msgr. Cusack, for seeing the need for human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation, interpersonal formation, psychological formation and prayer formation. He put together all the components that Pope John Paul II wrote in Pastores Vobis Dobis, “I will give you Shepherds after my own Heart." Although this towering figure was called home at the age of 71, his presence looms large in my priestly walk and discipleship with the Lord. The qualities of his generosity, graciousness, hospitality, vision, wisdom, prayer and spirit were unmatched.
Some of the speakers for this Winter Institute include:
- Fr. William Burton, OFM -- “Understanding St. Matthew’s Gospel Readings for Preachers”
- Fr. William J. Byron, SJ -- “Listening Receptively and Leading Gently”
- Fr. Vincent Fortunato, OFM will give a spiritual direction workshop. This will include prayer, spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius, spiritual discernment and supervision of spiritual directors.
- Fr. David Toups, STD's theme “Priestly Character and Identity,” will examine sacramental character, post-Conciliar priesthood, core identity and priestly principles.
I treasure this special time away in order to better tend to my garden. In the new year all of us are looking for resolutions to make marked improvements to enhance and enrich the well being of our lives and the lives of others. Through the years I have found it critically important, like Jesus, to take time away to renew, refresh and regroup in order not to lose the luster of the gold of faith entrusted to me. When I was a child I worked at Marian Manor Nursing Home in Greentree with an 80-year-old man in the greenhouse. I fondly remember this man, Mr. Lawson, who tended with great diligence and devotion to the greenhouse. He told me that if we don’t take care of the plants in Winter, the home won’t look beautiful in the Spring. He inspired me to sell seeds around my neighborhood from Lancaster, PA, to help our neighbors’ gardens grow. This precious time in winter in the “Sunshine State” of Florida plants new seeds of hope, promise and expectation of a new life. I end with thoughts of a life-long friend of mine whom I met at the International Institute, Bishop Robert Morneau, Auxiliary Bishop of Green Bay, to help all of you to tend your own gardens in the year 2011.
The 12 Gardens of Stewardship
1. Garden of the Body -- Get proper nutrition, exercise and rest; avoid chemical abuse, smoking, and in our culture, obesity.
2. Garden of the Soul -- Cultivate a prayer life.
3. Garden of Family & Friends -- Take the time to nurture relationships with those important to you.
4. Garden of the Globe -- Care for the environment; recycle; don’t waste natural resources.
5. Garden of Emotions -- Aim for a balance emotionally; work at being in good humor.
6. Garden of the “Polis” -- Be politically aware; be an informed and involved citizen, and vote; attend community meetings.
7. Garden of the Mind -- Keep learning.
8. Garden of Decisions -- Make well-informed choices; work toward understanding and consensus; keep the vision and mission of Jesus in mind.
9. Garden of Technology -- Use technology for good purposes.
10. Garden of History -- Know and value the things of the past; keep lessons of history fresh in the mind.
11. Garden of the Arts -- Listen to, read and watch the best in books, music, movies, theater, artwork, radio, TV.
12. Garden of Money -- Use financial resources well; set and keep a budget; set spending limits; ask how much money is enough.
