Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Parish Bulletin Article: "A Powerful Priest": 1-21-18

            Last week Fr. William Baer, the rector I had at St. John Vianney, passed away.
This man was saintly.  He was influential for many, many people both in the seminary and his pastoral assignment and me too.  He was a teacher, a preacher, an evangelist and a disciple of Jesus Christ.
As this is what he wrote on his parish’s webpage, you can see a perfect example of how good he was and is:
“We deliberately put the words ‘Catholic’ in this opening welcome.  At Transfiguration, we are Catholic.  We’re not ashamed of it; in fact, we’re very excited about it!  At Transfiguration, we believe, celebrate, and proclaim the fullness of the Catholic Faith that has been given to the Church down through the centuries.  If you want to become a stronger Catholic, if you want to raise your family to understand and follow the faith and morals of the Church, if you wish to know and love Jesus Christ through His Sacraments and His teaching, then you’ve come to the right Parish!
As you visit this Website, please feel free to contact us with your questions or comments.  I hope you will not only visit the Website, but that you will visit our Church and School as well.  Please email me directly at frbaer@transfigurationmn.org.  I am eager to hear from you.
The original Transfiguration event is the guidepost for all we are and do as a Parish: Jesus Christ, shining atop Mount Tabor in His glory to Saints Peter, James, and John, gave them a vision that would strengthen their faith when they saw Him suffer on a different hilltop, the Mount of Calvary.  None of us is perfect, all of us have our sins, our fears, our doubts, and our crosses, but with the grace of God we’re on the way.  God the Father spoke from heaven, “This is my Beloved Son.  Listen to Him.”  There are many contrary voices in today’s world.  Whose voice are you listening to?  At Transfiguration Catholic Church, we want our Lord Jesus Christ first to shine in us, so that He will then shine through us!
Welcome!”
            I hope that we may do the same!
Thank you, Fr. William Baer, for your mission in the Archdiocese of Minneapolis/St. Paul, as well as within our state and country.  Fr. Baer showed how to live his life in God's family, and through His call he encouraged and proclaimed to us to follow what God has called each person. 
Please pray for him, his family, his parishioners and those who grieve his loss.
Fr. William Baer, may you be at peace.

God Bless.

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