Sunday, June 21, 2015

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - June 21, 2015

Next Saturday morning, June 27, Bishop Zubik will ordain six new priests for the Diocese of Pittsburgh at St. Paul Cathedral. One of them is our own Zachary Galiyas. The next day, Sunday June 28, Fr. Zachary Galiyas (I’m trying to get into the habit of referring to him by his soon-to-be title of “Father”) will celebrate his Mass of Thanksgiving, his “First Mass,” at 2:00 in our church.

I cannot help but think of a story I remember from my own days in the seminary. Each year we were assigned to various forms of ministry. One year I went once a week to Camp Hill State Prison. One day I was walking around the cell block when one of the prisoners noticed my Roman collar and asked if I was a priest. I told him that I wasn’t yet a priest but that I was studying to be ordained. He then asked how long it took, so I told him that I had just finished four years of college seminary and was starting on four years of Theology. He noted, “That’s eight years!” I admitted that his math was correct, and he shook his head and said, “Man, that’s how long I’m in for.” I had to laugh and tell him that sometimes it felt that way.

I know most seminarians reach a point where ordination day seems so far off. I’m sure Fr. Galiyas has felt that way at times. He has gone through a long time of training and preparing. It is not all academic, of course. He has had a lot of classroom work, but the seminary has prepared him for various forms of ministry and has helped to shape his spirituality. Any of us who know him know that Fr. Galiyas is a man of deep prayer. I know he is very eager to get down to work in whatever parish the bishop sends him to, and he will be eager to experience all the joys of priesthood.

While I offer my congratulations to Fr. Galiyas, I also offer my congratulations to his parents, Mitch & Mary Galiyas. I remember my parents meeting Cardinal Wuerl once when he was still Bishop of Pittsburgh, and he thanked them for giving their son to the Church. Mom responded, “We didn’t give him; it was his idea.” But the openness to a vocation needs a faith that is nourished by our parents. Mitch and Mary and their whole family have a lot to be thankful for as they rejoice with their son. And the same is true for our entire parish. We rejoice with Fr. Galiyas, and we are thankful that we have played a part in his formation. I say “we,” of course, even though he was ready to be ordained a deacon when I arrived here. But in any event, we will always be happy to say, “We knew him when.”

Most importantly, this is a big day for the entire Church. I always say that there is no shortage of vocations to the priesthood. There is, however, a shortage of young men hearing and responding to God’s call. Please pray for vocations, and please pray for Fr. Zachary Galiyas as he begins his priestly ministry. If he experiences even half of the joys that I have experienced, he will be very happy indeed.
                                       
                                                                                                                       Father H