Bishop Kevin Farrell

The Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas

Connect

Priesthood Sunday

By

On October 27 we will observe Priesthood Sunday, a time to reflect on the ministry of our parish priests.

In his first six months as the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis has modeled for the world what it means be a parish priest. When the media dubbed the Pope “the world’s parish priest,” it was recognition of all parish priests, whose ministry best describes the openness, compassion and commitment to service to others demonstrated by the Holy Father since his election.

Like the Holy Father, priests must balance the dual roles of servant and leader. Their ministry embraces the image of Christ the presider at Eucharist and Christ the foot washer with basin and towel. They bring the love of Jesus to our life’s passages:  baptism, reconciliation, marriage, ordination and finally our journey home.

The parish priests are my indispensible partners in ministry. My respect and admiration for their ministry is unbounded. I invite you to join me on Priesthood Sunday in expressing your appreciation and support for their faithful service and spiritual guidance.

Priesthood Sunday is not only an opportunity to express our gratitude for the ministry of our priests, but it is also a reminder of the need to genuinely invite and encourage sons, nephews, brothers and other good young men we know to consider a life of service to Jesus and His Church.

God’s call is easily drowned out by the din and chaos of our world. Each of us must work to ensure that His call is heard.

Priests Convocation

By

Priests of the diocese will gather for their biennial convocation in Westlake June 3-6. During the four days, priests will have the opportunity to discuss mutual pastoral concerns, participate in special presentations on aspects of their ministry, be given an update on the affairs of the diocese and share in liturgies, meals and fellowship with their confreres.

Special presentations this year will concern the effective utilization of permanent deacons in the parish. There are presently 157 active permanent deacons in our diocese.  Father W. Shawn McKnight S.T.D., a priest of the Diocese of Wichita, and Executive Director of the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will make the presentation. He will also give a presentation on the new preaching document issued by the USCCB last November.

Marriage preparation and the work of the Marriage Tribunal are important aspects of the priestly ministry. A presentation on this important topic will be given by Monsignor Mark A. Plewka, J.C.L. Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Pueblo, Colorado and a former member of the Board of Governors of the Canon Law Society of America.

On the final day I will share with the priests information on the state of the diocese in 2013 and plans for the future based on the impact of demographic data from the 2010 census and propose a vision for the future that all can share.

Please keep our priests in prayer during this important time.

Priest anniversaries and June ordinations

By

In the “whatever” society in which we live we are reminded of the value and importance of commitment by our priests who are celebrating anniversaries of their commitment to faithful service to Christ and his Church.  At their ordination each promised to consecrate himself to God for the salvation of all. Their ministries are seldom celebrated in the media but their faithfulness and devotion to Christ and His Church is recognized and admired by the thousands of people whose lives they touch through sacramental service, preaching and  pastoral ministry.

We honor them and ask God’s continued blessing on their ministries.

These faithful witnesses to the Gospel will soon be joined by two young men whom I will ordain to the service of Christ and his Church at the cathedral on June 1. They are Deacon Jorge Ivan Ascencio Micheli who will serve as parochial vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Frisco, and Deacon Charles Mwaniki Githinji who will serve as parochial vicar at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Dallas.

Deacon Githinji is a native of Kenya where he grew up. A visit to friends in Dallas was responsible for his decision to serve in the Diocese of Dallas. Deacon Micheli, a native of Puerto Rico, grew up in Puerto Rico and began his seminary training there. After a 2008 visit to Dallas he applied and was accepted as a serminarian for the diocese. Both men completed their theological studies at St. Mary Seminary in Houston and will be ordained for the Diocese of Dallas. We pray that they be blessed with long and fruitful ministries.

Nothing gives greater joy to a bishop than ordaining priests to share his labors in Jesus’ vineyard. I give thanks to God for the large number of seminarians preparing for ordination for our diocese at St. Mary, Holy Trinity and Redemptoris Mater seminaries.

Please pray for your priests and for their lives of faithful service and for the ordinands who will join them June 1.