Deacon
I am 82 years old tomorrow.
I live alone at the home of my parents in a rural area of the Midwest
far from any major city. Because of my deteriorating health, I can no
longer work as a supply priest at the local parish, which is in the
small town twenty miles north of here. I don’t dare drive anymore
because of my weakening eyesight. Thank God I memorized the Mass from
all my years as a priest. As a pastor, my meager salary from the poor
parish I ministered to was used for a few personal expenses and then I
always gave the rest away to the needy families who would come knocking
at the back door of the rectory begging for food. That’s the way it was
in those days you know, we never thought of retirement. Thank God I am
still able to pray the Liturgy of Hours, offer my daily Holy Mass, pray
the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and do you know, I still
remember every single hymn that we would sing for Holy Mass at my
parish!
When we were young priests, we opted
out of Mr. Kennedy’s Social Security program so others that needed the
help more could benefit from it. There was never any pension of
course. I saved nothing for myself. My diocese can only give me a
little help, I don’t dare ask the pastor of my parish, they’re too poor
there. Now I have to beg. I’m the beggar at the back door now. It’s
an embarrassment and a scandal. I don’t want to scandalize anyone, but I
need a little help. I’m a Catholic priest, and I know that doesn’t
mean much nowadays, but when I was a boy, I think it meant something
more. I still remember my Dad paying for lunch for a priest he didn’t
even know. He said, “Johnny, that’s a man of God, you owe him respect.
Even if he’s not perfect, which he isn’t Johnny, he’s still God’s man
and we have to take care of God’s men.” I miss my father.
If you can, please donate to Opus
Bono Sacerdotii so they can help me, and my brother priests who are
hurting so much at this time. You can get a tax deduction too because
they are a non-profit. Joe Maher is the president and you can contact
him yourself. All they do is help us priests – thank God!
-Father John
Opus Bono Sacerdotii
411 North Oxford Road, Suite 663
Oxford, MI 48371
Joe Maher
joemaher@opusbono.org
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