The importance of vacations for priests: Parish Bulletin--11-2-14

            This week I would like to share how important it is for a priest to take time off.  I write this because I took was on vacation last week (October 27^th-31^st) and will be on vacation next week (November 8^th-14^th) and I want to be open about when I am gone and why.

            A great blessing (and perk) of being a priest is that we are given thirty days and four weekends off for vacation each year.  I am not sure how much our previous pastors took out of these allotted days, but I want to let you know I will be taking them all!

            Our Catholic life centers on Sunday—the great day of our Lord in which we are given time to rest, relax and be rejuvenated in prayer and worship.  It is critical that we take advantage to be refreshed in order to maintain balance and health.  And, please God, I hope you can all take longer periods of vacation and time off throughout the year.

            I absolutely love my job being a priest and pastor.  When I am away I find myself missing “work” and spending time with you as we walk together on our journey to Christ.  There is always more a priest (and you) can do to promote growth in a faith.  Some priests respond to this reality by sacrificing their days off or vacations in the name of working hard.

            Personally, I believe this is unhealthy.  There is a reason why the Church allots this amount of time off a year for a priest.  Our mission features a chaotic daily and weekly schedule.  Indeed, I have never experienced two identical days in my priestly minister!  Additionally, priesthood is very intense.  In one day I may celebrate Mass, anoint someone who is dying (and be present to their family), counsel someone at rock bottom and oversee parish finances.  Ours is a roller coaster life as we enter the extreme sorrows and abundant joys of your lives. 

            The greatest challenge of being a priest is processing such extreme transitions, especially at the emotional and psychological levels.  Days and periods off allow me to decompress, process and pray and the Church wisely allows us adequate time away from ministry.

            All this is to say that I find time off to be both a blessing and essential to living as a healthy priest.  Know that when I am away I do so to be strengthened for ministry when I come home.  Please pray for me when I am away and be assured that I am praying for you.

            God Bless!