Our spiritual leaders, whether they be rabbis, ministers or priests, are vital to our spiritual growth and our well-being each and every day in meeting life’s challenges.
Recognizing the value and importance of priests in leading Catholics to a closer relationship with God and the Church, Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed this year as the “Year for Priests”.
Not only do priests serve as our moral sounding board, we turn to them throughout our lives to help us through our darkest hours and celebrate our most joyous moments.
The priesthood of the Catholic Church is very important to my spiritual life. As an infant, I was baptized at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and welcomed into the Church by my parents and our parish priest. This was the beginning of my new life as a Christian and a Catholic.
Many priests have played significant roles in my journey of faith. During my childhood, school years, teaching career and adult life, I have been influenced and guided by many pastors, teachers and personal friends who are Catholic priests. Throughout my life, a priest has always been present to administer the sacraments of the Church and to guide me in the most important aspect of my life – practicing my Christian faith.
One of the best commitments I ever made to God occurred a few years ago when the late Bishop Donald W. Montrose asked me to travel with him to Tijuana, Mexico, to meet an order of Catholic Sisters. It was the summer of 1987 and I barely knew this new bishop in our diocese and had no desire to travel to Tijuana. But something deep inside called me to make this trip so I went to Mexico with my dear friend, Celeste Podesto and our bishop. My husband, Bob, said, “You say yes to everything”. I answered: “I do when I feel God is calling me”.
Well, as they say, the rest is history! Traveling to Mexico to meet the Sisters remains one of the best decisions I have made. Meeting and learning the work of the Sister of the Cross was truly inspiring.
This order of nuns has many convents throughout the world and we were hoping they would establish the first one in this country in Modesto. They asked me to draw a map of California to locate our town. I outlined the state and drew a heart where Modesto is located.
The sisters have been here for more than 20 years serving us every day as our prayer warriors. While their primary purpose is to pray for all God’s children, especially our priests, their lives of sacrifice, prayer and mentoring have enriched and comforted thousands of individuals in need of spiritual support and prayer.
Given the role of Catholic priests, they must insist on a higher moral conduct for themselves. As we have witnessed in recent years, some priests are not immune from temptation. But for every priest that has strayed, thousands and thousands of priests are devoting themselves to God, the Church and His people each and every day.
My family and I – like millions of Catholics throughout the world – are blessed to have the friendship, spiritual guidance and loving support of many beloved priests of our Church. We need to always pray for God’s grace that young men hear His call to serve Him and dedicate their lives to bring Christ’s message of Faith, Hope and Love to all people.
Marie Gallo
Modesto
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