During my last weeks in the seminary, in 1997, shortly before ordination to the priesthood, the priest who was the Dean in charge of pastoral formation had a “final conference” with those of us who were about to be ordained. I remember that he gave us three practical suggestions so that we might be “good parish priests.” I remember one of the three suggestions very clearly. I am a little vague on the other two. The suggestion that stuck with me was the advice that we should do our best to attend priests’ funerals. The Dean told us that, even if we didn’t know the priest well or had never met him, when we hear that a priest has died, if our schedule allows, we should make an effort to attend and concelebrate the funeral Mass.
I don’t recall whether the Dean mentioned that attending a priest’s funeral was a good way of building “priestly fraternity,” but I have learned that it certainly is. I do remember that the Dean said that attending a priest’s funeral can be like a mini-retreat or morning of prayer. The funeral Mass and (hopefully) the homily give us an opportunity to reflect on the ways we were living our own priesthood and, hopefully, reflect on the ways we were striving to be faithful in our priestly ministry.
In my 23 years as a priest in Brooklyn, I tried to follow the Dean’s advice and found it was very good advice. Now, as bishop, I have the privilege of celebrating the funeral Mass when a priest passes away. I continue to find it to be an uplifting and inspiring experience and that was very much the case this past Thursday when I celebrated the funeral Mass for Father John O’Connor at St. Virgil’s parish in Morris Plains. I encourage you to read Father O’Connor’s brief but beautiful obituary.
Father O’Connor grew up in St. Virgil’s parish with his three siblings and attended the parish grammar school and Baley Ellard High School. After college and the seminary, Father O’Connor was ordained on May 26, 1962. As our Dean in the seminary had told us that the homily at a priest’s funeral can be an opportunity for any priest to reflect on his vocation and ministry, I have also learned that it can be a wonderful opportunity for all present to reflect on their particular vocation. A priest’s funeral and the homily can be a wonderful opportunity for all present to reflect on God’s Love for us, the importance and blessings of family life, and on the gifts of our Catholic Faith, especially the Sacraments.
Father Nick Bozza, the pastor of St. Lawrence parish in Chester, preached the homily at Father O’Connor’s funeral and he beautifully offered that opportunity for reflection to the priests and all present. Father O’Connor had been Father Nick’s teacher in High School and they had stayed in contact over the years, especially after Father Nick was ordained and as they joined together with some other priest friends to make their annual retreat. Father Nick shared that, in more recent years, that group of priest friends would meet once a month to pray together, share a meal, and discuss their lives and ministry as priests.
Father Nick also shared that, a few years ago, Father O’Connor had asked him to give the homily at his funeral. In the weeks before Father O’Connor died, Father Nick was visiting with him and asked if there was anything in particular that Father O’Connor would like Father Nick to speak about in the homily. Father O’Connor replied, “Talk about the priesthood.” In both Father Nick’s homily and in the words of remembrance that Father O’Connor’s nephew offered after Communion, it was very clear and inspiring to hear how Father John O’Connor truly and faithfully lived and ministered as a priest for 62 years.
After offering condolences to the family and sharing some personal reflections about Father O’Connor, his personality and history, Father Nick mentioned Father O’Connor’s request that he “talk about the priesthood.” Father Nick then told us he would speak about “the priesthood and the Eucharist,” because the life and vocation of the priest are so strongly connected to the Mass and the daily celebration of the Eucharist. He spoke about the prayers that a priest offers, especially at the time of the consecration, and the way in which the priest calls down the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine, which become the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus, in the Real Presence of the Eucharist.
Father Nick also referenced the National Eucharistic Congress that had taken place the previous week in Indianapolis, which is part of a three-year National Eucharistic Revival. Father Nick referenced a talk at the Congress given by Father Mike Schmitz which I would also highly recommend. The talk can be found on YouTube.
One of the main points in Father Schmitz’s talk was that it is not so much that we (Catholics) don’t know what we believe about the Mass, the Eucharist, and the Real Presence, but that we don’t fully appreciate the Love that God reveals to us, as Jesus offers the sacrifice of Himself for us on the altar of the Cross. Father Schmitz says that ignorance (not knowing) is a problem, but that indifference (not caring) is an ever greater problem, stating:
“Sometimes our problem is ignorance, what we need is knowledge, and the road to knowledge is Truth. And sometimes our problem is indifference. Sometimes, it’s ‘I don’t know.’ Too often, it’s ‘I don’t care.’ … If the remedy for ignorance is to get to knowledge and the road to knowledge is Truth, the remedy for indifference is Love and the road to Love is repentance.”
As Father Schmitz calls us to repentance he is calling us to Love, as Jesus Loves us. He says, “Knowledge can make someone great, but only Love can make a saint.”
When we consider that Father John O’Connor was born in 1936 and ordained in 1962, we are aware that so much has transpired and changed in the Church and the world in the course of his life and priesthood. Yet the heart of priesthood and the gift of the Eucharist remain the same, as they have for the past 2,000 years. In our country, we are very much in need of a true Eucharistic Revival. We hope and pray that the Eucharistic Congress will have a lasting impact, not only on those who attended, but also on many, many more, as it had an impact on Father Nick Bozza and his preparation to preach a homily at the funeral of a good, holy, and faithful priest.
As we pray for a true Eucharistic Revival in our own lives, in our families, parishes, diocese, and country, let us also pray in gratitude for our priests and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood.
