A priest appreciates his time serving

GUEST EDITORIAL

MATTAWA - Serving Christians, Catholics and Protestants, for 25

years. To my atheist brothers, and any religion; always concerned

about the salvation of your souls. I always knew that I was good

(generous). I always knew my capacity to love others. I always knew

that the kingdom of Heaven urgently needed very good and saintly

Catholic priests that would care for and serve the poorest and

neediest of this world.

GUEST EDITORIAL

MATTAWA - Serving Christians, Catholics and Protestants, for 25 years. To my atheist brothers, and any religion; always concerned about the salvation of your souls. I always knew that I was good (generous). I always knew my capacity to love others. I always knew that the kingdom of Heaven urgently needed very good and saintly Catholic priests that would care for and serve the poorest and neediest of this world.

I want to tell you that I feel happy when you call me father, cura or priest. I want to tell you that I admire you and respect you for attending mass on Sundays and the holy days, despite your tiredness, your pain or your grief. I want to tell you that I feel proud of you for sharing with your Catholic church your time, your talents, your money and your suffering. I want to tell you that I feel very happy when you receive the body and blood of Christ, to see you come out of the confessional very repentant of your sins, and very healthy and happy for having experienced God's forgiveness on behalf of me, your priest.

Although I am a priest, I am also a public person, and at some time or maybe many times, I will be criticized in the worst way imaginable.

If, as a priest, and a person, you speak kindly of me, I am eternally grateful. But if at any time I have offended you, please pray for me and forgive me. Help me to give you a good example and give it to me when I am in need of one.

I want to tell you that I am grateful that you are my Catholic family, that as your pastor I have suffered with you when I have seen you suffer, that I have prayed with you and for you when you stop coming to the temple. It has hurt me to know that you now attend a Protestant Christian church. I don't know the reason why you decided to abandon our Catholic church, but remember that there are no perfect priests, not a perfect marriage, only persons who know how to love and who struggle every day to be better persons.

Although you have gone, I remember you always in my prayers, and when I see you, I get very happy to see you, because when you were with me in the Catholic church, I tried to give you my faith, my Christian love, my friendship, and all of the best that I had.

You know, I could never repay everything you and the rest of my beloved parishioners have done for me and my family. I will always love you all, even though at times I may look unhappy, impatient or worried.

Please take care of me today and when I get old, if God permits it. You know I am weeping, but from happiness. It has been 25 years of priesthood.

Thank you Lord! Thank you for loving me the way I am.