Ad Multos Annos!

Today on the Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua, I was privileged to serve at Mass for the fifth anniversary of the ordination of a good and holy priest, Rev Jacob Maurer.

I rearranged my work from home day to be at the 8:00AM Mass.

Our visiting seminarian, Peter Guthrie, was the principal server. I enjoy serving with Peter because he, like me, has a background in coordinated movement that comes from years of high school marching band. We both like things to run smoothly and reverently – but like clockwork.

My friend Greg Cook served as lector, and he beautifully chanted the Alleluia, much to my surprise.

Although he has served as our parish Priest Administrator for a number of years, Fr Maurer’s appointment as pastor will only take effect on July 1.

I look forward to the six (or twelve!) years Father will serve our community. He’s young; he makes mistakes, but he admits them, fixes them where he can, and moves on.

Father has transformed the liturgical celebrations in our parish for the good. He is a student of the liturgical reform proposed by Pope Benedict XVI.

Mass is reverent and beautiful; it does what good liturgy is supposed to do: it gives you the briefest most ephemeral glimpse of the heavenly liturgy. It raises you to proper and dignified worship of God.

He takes no shortcuts, and he says the black and does the red.

He is also slowly rebuilding community at the parish, and fostering outreach and evangelization. There’s a lot of work yet to do, but as they say, “brick by brick”!

Here’s to many more years of good and faithful service! Ad multos annos!