Dear friends, I read eddy chettans mail and there's a heaviness I feel in my heart. I don' t know why. I too share the same sentiments with regard to priests.
As I've mentioned umpteen times, I'm the eldest of 6 children. My family has been thru a number of good struggles and tough times. We as a family have been very close to priests, infact I remember when I was a kid, the Jesuits, consolata fathers, and salesians we knew, used to vie telling me that I would become a priest!. Even now, our priest friends bring saints stories, rosaries, chocolates, little sacramentals here and there and give it to my brothers and sisters. I've got a large circle of priest friends too. I just love to hang around with them. I spent a lot of time with them. I borrow infinite number of books from them. I Just love talking to them and learning from them. When I need guidance the first people I run to, after my parents are priests. Even to this day people mistake me to be a seminarian. Many sisters, and priests have inadvertently asked me "Josun, are u a brother?" and my reply would be "yes, I'm a brother of 5 mavericks and a potential father also!!. Both my parents have a great love for priests and religious. I remember once back my mother sharing with all of us: After my parents got married, they planned to have a big family. Daddin and mummy love children a lot. And from the time of their marriage both my parents have been praying for a vocation to priest hood from our family. My parents now have 4 sons and 2 daughters God only knows if any of the sons will become priests. I remember after my first holy communion my parents used to specially take me for mass after my school, and with me in the middle of them both, my mom used to whisper . "my child, pray that God calls you to be a holy priest ok" Speaking from the human point of view, I don't think this dream of my parents will be fulfilled in me. I'm still praying over my vocation, but now my inclination is toward family life. I told this to my parents and I noticed my moms face fall a bit. Then I told her, "mummy please allow me to live my life. please don't thrust your dreams into my life, just becoz u want me to be a priest I won't become one ok" I told my parents about the very powerful sex drive that I've got and with that, I don't think its possible to live an entire lifetime of celibacy. My parents still hope that one of their sons will be called by the Lord to Priesthood. Whatever it is, do pray that we do only the will of God ok. Over the past 1 and a half years God has brought a holy priest across my life, and with his guidance I've been able to direct my sex urge to more productive and creative ways. These days by the grace of God, I don't lust after every wayfaring girl I happen to see. I'm not aroused by the posters and dirt that's out there in the world. These days God is helping me to live a holy life. but even still there are times I gratify my lower passions.. But even at those times, I don't lust after any woman in particular.its only out of that terrible feeling of loneliness. I love to have a big family with a bunch of Kids around me and a woman by my side to love and embrace and share my life with. I love to see children grow and mature. I love to see myself maturing as a parent like my parents still continue to do. After reading eddy chettans mail I don't know my heart is feeling heavy. It still is. Please pray for me. I remember during one of Fr. George Kumblumootils retreat some years back here in Delhi he told us about an incident that took place in kerala. Once there was a certain meeting in which one of the bishops in Kerala was attending. Little by little people started mud slinging and muck smearing on the priests, saying see what this priest is doing, see what that priest is doing etc. and the bishop just asked them. " do you want holy priests?" and they all echoed in unison "YES" and the bishop continued coolly "Live holy lives and bring up holy children" Eddy chetta, count me in this initiative. I do pray for priests, now I'll do it in a more organized manner. I love priests a lot but i don't think i've got what it takes to become one. Jesus Loves you all, Josun Jose/New Delhi/India ----- Original Message ----- From: Edward A. Edezhath <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, May 12, 2002 3:37 AM Subject: [JOYnet] Pray for Priests > Hello Joynet Friends, > > I am from Cochin, Kerala, India. These days I am mostly at my parents' house > in the village, Kumbalanghi. The evenings are quite relaxed, with a long dip > in the pond and sometimes a walk near the river side. At about 9pm I spend > quite some time in intercession. I pray for Jesus Youth all over, especially > those with responsibilities in it and those who have asked for prayer. I > remember Joynetters and many faces in it and it goes on, International JY > conference in Canada, the Rex Band trip, etc are uppermost in my mind. > > But one intention comes back to my mind again and again, that is, the need for > urgent prayer for priests. "The harvest is plentiful . . . . Pray the Lord of > the harvest . . " (Mt. 9: 37) > > Let me share some of my thoughts so that a few of you readers may respond. > > We have to pray for priests. Priesthood, I believe, is a wonderful invention > of the Holy Spirit. I think of many great priests I know, some of them in this > network, Joynet. Some Bishops are very close to my heart. I very well know > that one priest alive in Spirit is indeed a mighty force for the building up > of the Kingdom. All over the world a great number of priests are doing this > wonderful work of God, and we have to pray for Priests. "I do not pray for > these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word" (Jn. 17: > 20). > > When I hear about failures in the life of some priest, I again say we have to > pray for priests. They are called for a big mission and they have responded. > They were set apart and were given support and training. But they are from > among us and need our support. While talking to a big group of priests two > weeks back, one of them was sharing from his heart, 'Sir, don't forget, we are > human. We need your love and support'. We have to pray for priests. > > I dream of a wide network of people who will love the Church, love the priests > and earnestly pray for them. "If two of you agree on earth about anything they > ask . . ." (Mt. 18:19). I can never do the wonderful amount of God's work that > any single priest does. (Though sometimes some priests tell us that many of us > Jesus Youth do much more than any of them, I believe that our effectiveness > comes from our sharing of the work of these priests.) Even if I cannot work > like a prist, I can surely have a share of the abundant graces of priesthood > by loving and praying for priests. "He who receives a prophet because he is a > prophet shall recieve a prophet's reward. . . even a cup of cold water . . > shall not lose his reward." (Mt. 10:41). > > I don't have a complete idea, but we must have a network to specifically PRAY > FOR PRIESTS. There has to be certain things that (i) each one in this network > should do and (ii) certain things they do together as a body of intercessors. > > (i) Individually, > > - Daily take time to remember priests with love and pray for them. => I > remember priests in general and then specifically think of the priests I know > and life them to the Eternal Priest. And then I say a decade of the rosary for > them. > > - Love and respect priest. => I greatly value my relationship with priests. It > is a great thing to know a priest. There is an age-old custom of kissing the > hand of a priest. At times it is a little embarrassing, but I take great joy > in kissing the hand of some of them. > > - Try not to spread bad news about priesthood rather spread inspirational > tidings. > > - Collaborate in whatever way possible with the good things that priests are > doing. > > and more . . > > (ii) as a network called PRAY FOR PRIESTS, > > would some of you like to give some ideas for me. > > So, do pray for priests, > > Eddy/Cochin/ India > > **************************************************************** > This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. > To unsubscribe, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To subscribe to this mailing list, visit > http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet > For automatic help, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > **************************************************************** **************************************************************** This mail is generated from JOYnet, a Jesus Youth mailing list. To unsubscribe, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe to this mailing list, visit http://www.jesusyouth.org/joynet For automatic help, send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] In case of any issue related to the mailing list contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] ****************************************************************
