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YEAR FOR PRIESTS — Bishop Albert Thévenot concelebrated mass with Bishop Emeritus Blaise Morand (left) and St. Boniface Archbishop Albert LeGatt at the Year for Priests celebration March 19 at St. Joseph Parish in Prince Albert. LeGatt was St. Joseph’s pastor for nine years until 1999. Rev Matthew Nguyen (far right) is the current pastor. (Murphy photo)

Pastors must be supported by parishioners: Thévenot

By Therese Jelinski

PRINCE ALBERT — What brings real joy to a parish priest, says St. Boniface Archbishop Albert LeGatt, “is to see people on fire with their faith” who are also willing to work toward the changes they desire in their parish and broader community.

The priest’s role in service to God and his people “only finds its true measure when it is the whole of the People of God that comes alive,” LeGatt said during a special mass held at St. Joseph Parish to mark both the Feast of St. Joseph and the Year for Priests.

LeGatt, who was pastor of St. Joseph’s throughout the 1990s, was one of 15 former pastors, former seminarian interns and local priests invited to the occasion. Prince Albert Bishop Albert Thévenot concelebrated the mass with LeGatt and Bishop Emeritus Blaise Morand.

LeGatt concluded his homily by thanking St. Joseph’s parishioners, on behalf of all priests who have served the parish, for making it “a joy and a true blessing to be a pastor here.”

More than 250 people gathered for supper after the mass, where gifts were presented to the current pastor, Rev. Matthew Nguyen, and the priests in attendance.

“We pastors can only do our job if we are supported by you, the parishioners,” Thévenot said. “It’s together that we’re going to build the community and give witness to the world of the beauty and strength of our faith.”

“We find joy when we serve,” he added. “Our joy is to go out to you people and to walk a little bit with you in this journey of life.”

Thévenot also noted that after the May 14 ordination of Vietnamese-born Dung (D.J.) Vu, it could be seven or more years before the next priest is ordained for this diocese. He urged Catholics to support and encourage local men to answer the call to priesthood.

A few weeks after becoming Prince Albert’s bishop in 2008, Thévenot had stated, “I don’t mind having clergy from outside, but to have only clergy from outside is not good.”

The Year for Priests (which ends June 19) was proclaimed by Benedict XVI on the 150th anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney, patron saint of priests. The pope said the special year is “meant to deepen the commitment of all priests to interior renewal for the sake of a stronger and more incisive witness to the Gospel in today’s world.”