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Luke12:48
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| Joined: | Sat Sep 30th, 2006 |
| Location: | Southeast, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 120 |
| First Name: | Kate | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle catholic, left for many years, returned June 2006 |
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Posted: Sat Apr 28th, 2007 11:49 pm |
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I have been invited to attend a Jubilee celebration for our pastor and a few of us would like to present him with a photo album of highlights of the last 25 years as well as notes from friends etc. I am looking for any verses, poems, quotes or phrases that might be meaningful to include on the pages and in between the notes and pictures. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
Also, this will be from the parish but I would like to take a gift as well. Never having attended anything like this, what would be the norm?
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5353 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 12:53 am |
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Luke12:48 wrote: Also, this will be from the parish but I would like to take a gift as well. Never having attended anything like this, what would be the norm?
The best gift you can give him is one that acknowledges that he is a man and not only a priest. Find out his hobbies, his favorite music, his favorite books, etc. If he likes to cook, give him a (Cajun) recipe book or a new wok, or maybe a seafood boiler. If he likes coffee, buy him a gift card from Starbucks or a couple of pounds of gourmet coffee or chocolate (fair trade from CRS). If he likes to hunt, give him hunting clothing or a gift certificate from Cabela's (along with a catalogue). If he's Irish, find something at ShopIrish. Or get him a gift card from a bookstore, music store, tobacco store, outfitter, etc. Buy him some "civilian" clothes or a gift certificate from a local clothing retailer. Think of what you would buy the man, not the priest. Especially after 25 years of priesthood, he needs to be reminded that you recognize him as a human being and not just a priest. Buy him a gift certificate at a fine restautrant, or better yet, offer to take him there. Or buy him his favorite after shave lotion, or (if he's into such things) a day at a gym or a spa. Or a gift card at Dairy Queen!
As much as he will appreciate you recognizing his priesthood, he will appreciate that much more that you recognize and appreciate him as a human being and a man, and not just as a priest.
HINT: If you can't figure out what he likes, ask his housekeeper. Ask what he would appreciate the most that he would never buy himself. If you can't reach the housekeeper, ask the parish secretary. She knows EVERYTHING!
And if you can't afford much, offer him a "coupon book" to do his laundry, wash his car, shine his shoes, fix him dinner, give him a hug, or invite him to spend the afternoon with your family to play Monopoly, or watch a football game, or take him to the amusement park, invite him swimming, invite him to a family barbeque, etc. As a priest he has likely given up family, so "family time" will likely be appreciated. Take him to a concert or a basketball or football game, or let your kids wash his car. Promise to bring him ice cream or share his favorite pie. Invite him to your house and promise to rent his favorite movie. Better yet, take him to the theatre and buy his popcorn. Take him to see Spiderman 3, Shrek the Third, or any other movie he wants. The most appreciated gift you can give him is your time.
The best gift I gave my former pastor was an "atomic alarm clock" that automatically sets itself. He was always late because he is "technologically challenged" so he could never figure out how to set his watch to the correct time. His VCR has been blinking "12:00" for years! I bought him an atomic clock so he would never be late again. That was 20 years ago, and he emailed me recently to thank me for it again.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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BodRod
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| Joined: | Mon Oct 2nd, 2006 |
| Location: | Apple Valley, California USA |
| Posts: | 814 |
| First Name: | Cliff | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Raised an SDA, then Generic Christian, finally at home with ... |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 06:19 am |
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cajunrick wrote: His VCR has been blinking "12:00" for years!
So, are you saying they are not suppose to do that??? 
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Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro.
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5353 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Sun Apr 29th, 2007 06:04 pm |
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Luke12:48 wrote: I have been invited to attend a Jubilee celebration for our pastor and a few of us would like to present him with a photo album of highlights of the last 25 years as well as notes from friends etc. I am looking for any verses, poems, quotes or phrases that might be meaningful to include on the pages and in between the notes and pictures. Any and all suggestions would be appreciated.
This is excellent. I can envision a line or two on each page, with pictures related to the selection, and then the entire writing on the last page.
The Priest
Bishop Thomas Grady
Like Jonah, by God’s will, spilled up on the shore from the belly of the whale to convert Nineveh. By the Providence of God, the priest is spilled up from the bosom of the community to preach the truth of repentance. Like Jonah, an imperfect messenger, a mere man with a message of infinite authority. To govern with humility and gentleness. To walk with his fellow pilgrims on the journey of life, feeding them bread and wine.A celibate life, lonely, needing a friend like Jesus, a mother like Mary, the response and affirmation of the people. At the altar, conscious of his unworthiness, he stands in the person of Christ, the head of the mystical body, gathering around him the great choirs of heaven, the souls from purgatory, the people present, and all the people of the world with their tears and cries, leading and joining their worship, giving voice to all of creation: to the silent mountains, to the restless sea, to elephants and mice, to flowers and birds, and all of God’s creatures. By Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity with the Holy Spirit, he says Amen to the glory of God, the Father.Chosen, not choosing, forged a priest in the infinite fires of the Holy Spirit. An ordinary man, walking ordinary streets, among ordinary people, bemused and strengthened by the call he has heard, "Follow me!" I took this from a Franciscan poetry site. There are many other really great writings there. The writing above by Bishop Grady does not carry a copyright notice, but most of the other poems do. I'm sure they wouldn't mind you using it.
One of my favorite sites for inspirational writings (other than my own, of course) is also operated by a Franciscan, Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, TOR, as an outreach of Franciscan University. It's called Apple Seeds, a member site of my Inspirations Net Ring. If Fr. Brian doesn't have something you like, he certainly will be able to recommend something.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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Luke12:48
Member
| Joined: | Sat Sep 30th, 2006 |
| Location: | Southeast, Pennsylvania USA |
| Posts: | 120 |
| First Name: | Kate | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | cradle catholic, left for many years, returned June 2006 |
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Posted: Mon Apr 30th, 2007 11:31 pm |
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Wow--as usual Rick, you are quite the source of information. The sites are wonderful and I have made notes of several good choices. I love the layout suggestion as well for the poem--now do you want to come up here and put it together with us---hmmm maybe a new sideline.
The ideas for gifts were also plentiful but I must confess (play on words here) left me feeling a bit confused. My first thought was that I'm not really sure I want to see the priest I go to for confession as a person. It's sort of like having to go the ob/gyn --blob in a white coat is the preferred image (the women here will understand) After thinking about though--it is quite the insight. We tend to take "treats" over to the rectory or help out fixing something at the church or give him things that are not as personal but this really should be something more personal. He is so wrapped up in the parish and has been struggling with a health problem for so long that he doesn't seem to have much time left for anything else--maybe scheduling something or a gift certificate would encourage him to take some much needed personal time. Back to the drawing board.....
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