Quigley Preparatory Seminary - La Petit Seminaire Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

Page 79 text:

Aririfi greater than the one about whom these words were spoken, what can be said about one who is great in the kingdom of heaven, a priest? Certainly he must live the life of a saint. He must do all things in Christ, with Christ, and for Christ. He is the motivating force in a priest's lite, Christ, the Son of God, the Eternal High-priest, The priest strives not tor mere earthly gain, but rather tor everlast- ing gain. Everyone who has left house, . . . . for My name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold and shall possess life ever- lasting. However, tor a reward service is re- quired, and the priest has various duties which he must perform, These are sum- marized in the rite of ordination, The 'c

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felfi We here at Quigley are striving to attain the greatest goal which can be reached by a creature ot God, the Priesthood. lt is a power which was not even given to the Angels and yet, it is put within our reachl We are all looking forward to that day when the bishop will place his hands on the head of each one of us, and we will receive that indelible mark of the Priest- hood on our souls, and will be truly priests forever. We will be mediators between God and man! We can see the awful dignity of the Priesthood when we ponder these words of Christ: Amen I say to you, among those born of woman there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist: yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. It one least in the kingdom of Christ is und ' i -4

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office of the prlest IS to offer sacrl flce to bless to govern to preach and to baptlze TO OFFER SACRIFICE Thus IS the foremost and the baslc duty of the priesthood This IS the very rea son for any priesthood to offer to God sacrlflclal vlctlms And In thus priesthood of the new law the great est sacrlfnce of all ns offered to God Jesus Chrlst the Son of God' Thus IS the greatest act that can be performed by man the offering of God to God the Holy sacrnfnce of the Mass' Through the power of God the priest changes the bread and wlne into the body and blood soul and dlvlnlty of Chrlst Hlmself A miracle' And It IS performed every day by a priest and no one else except a priest appointed by God For nt IS dnvnne command which empowers hum to offer the Holy sacrlflce This IS my body This IS My blood Do thus In remembrance of Me' T0 BLESS The priest has more to do than celebrate Mass Be :ng the medlator between God and man he has the power to bless to call down God s favor upon us Thus can never be stressed too much namely how very necessary the favor of God as ForChr1stHlmselfhassald Wlth out Me you can do nothmg TO GOVERN The priest IS called Father He IS the splrutual father of has people Slnce the people follow their leader It IS so necessary that he lead them safely and surely 76 toward the heavenly knngdom of God far from the horrible torments of hell lt IS a great power but nt IS also a tremendous responslbnllty responsl bnluty for the salvation of souls The priest must govern has people wisely for To whom much IS glven of hum ns much expected T0 PREACH Thus IS one of the most Important commands of Christ Go Into the whole world and preach the gospel to every creature To be a really good servant of has dnvlne master the pnest must be un ceaslngly zealous ln spreadlng the word of God He IS as It were a ray of llght an the Church the great bea con of truth Pope Plus Xl says In his encycllcal On the Cathollc Prlest hood Woe If ever thls beacon should be hindered from shedding far and wlde Its benehcent light' Thus It IS a grave duty for the priest to preach to make known the doctrines that wall lead the people to heaven The priest must explain them carefully so that the people will understand them fully There are many opportunltles for a priest to preach One of the most lmportant ns the Sunday sermon Here IS his weekly opportunnty to Influence has people to lead good lnves A per son who ns persuaded to do thus by a priest wlll be saved The prnest has another great oppor tunlty to preach an Lenten sermons . . . . . - V ' . 9 1 1 9 . ' 91 . . . . 1 v - tt yy - ' I I I I ' ' ' U . f . . . . 9 . ' ' 11 . 0 1 ' CK 11 ' ' - I I I I 1 . . . . .. . 1 ' - 11 v v . ' - 1 - 1 1 1 1 - . . U - . , - ' ' 19 16 ' ' , . Q . Q . . . . , , ' - n u n u yy n . . 44 . - . . Q . . . 0 11 ' ' I 1 1 ss is ' , , . - q Q . Y 1 1 n a 1 . . . . U . . . . , ' . . g, . . - - 0 KC 99 - - I I I I A ' Y -