With Gaudium et Spes on Presbyterorum Ordinis...

       My reflections On the Ministry and Life of Priests - Presbyterorum Ordinis were  so many that rather than pouring them out there, I chose reminisce on clergy who have elevated the priestly life in ways they themselves might have dreamed of, but never imagined. Why? Because He, Our Lord, whom we adore is the One we glorify because it is only with his Power working in us that infinitely more than we can ask or imagine is done (Eph 3:20 NJB).

     It is rare today to see in societies being more and more secularized priests' praised on national TV unless it is a Catholic Channel. Rather, you will hear the sinful lives of a few exposed which stains the holiness of the many who've chosen to do it well. You'll hear about the one who was taken to the diocesan tribunal for child abuse, or the one who left the priesthood many reasons, or the one who joined a sect or the one who suddenly realized that priesthood was no longer for him and either found a woman and left or left for pursuit of another vocation. You will rarely hear about clergy who celebrate 25 years anniversary, or 50 years of celibate priesthood. You will rarely hear that the Catholic Church is so rich that she actually has married priests, legit! I mean sacramentally married with children. 

You will rarely hear about the one who loves the people of God so much so that His very love will heal, such as St John Mary Vianney who was such a doctor of the soul  that he was reputed to spend hours in the confessional hearing his parishioners to mend the wounds of their souls. His holiness grew so much so that it is said that bars and liquors store shut down, and Sundays were renowned to be dedicated to the Lord with the people of God filling the sanctuary to hear the Word of God.

Or even about St Pio of Pietrelcina who I grew up knowing as a faithful apostle of Christ, in whose name many of children met to intercede for his Canonization and whom we referred to in those days as Padre Pio. Another one who was not just blessed with the visible Stigmata, the open wounds of Christ crucified. Yes, he suffered with Christ taking flesh in him for the salvation of souls; stigmata he bore for 50 years. As well, regardless of the disbeliefs or crosses he bore, in regards to the Lord working in Him, it did not stop the long line ups of souls coming to Him, or those whose prayers the Lord answered through his intercession for the gift of a child; naming them Pia  if it was a girl or Pio if it was a boy. Regardless of the persecutions as many saints before Him, the graces from heaven grew ever more as he was graced with the charism of Bilocation;

one who could be in two places at the same time. Indeed, sounds pretty freaky! but there are gifts we receive by the power of the Holy Spirit, and they tend to look similar to gifts given by other spirits. One must learn to make the difference. Ignorance might say only witch can do that, but in Christ, there is much that we can do and be through Him who strengthens us that surpasses all things. And so these are just holy men now saints who saw that their priestly role was to sanctify the faithful.

~Sisters of St Pio & the children @Lunch Time~

 Lo behold, inspiring many other young men to rise to the call of the priesthood and do marvel for the Church; such is the case of the Reverend Father Gilbert Dagnon who was the founder of  two religious order. First, came the Brothers of Jesus - Christ while serving both as a professor and as a rector in Ouidah at St Joan of Arc Seminary and then came the Franciscan Sisters of St Pio  in Benin, and spreading its wings across Africa to Togo, Gabon and the future will tell us where next... But this is me jumping ahead in excitement. As one who embodied the words spoken over him during his anointing, there was indeed no boundaries to him being Priest, Prophet and King (Gaudium et Spes). Next to that, He was truly was recognized as one of the exorcists  of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, this holy man who many throughout their life dream to see was the one who wrote the national anthem that is sung nationwide in the Republic of Benin. Rather than letting culture compromise him in his priestly life, he demonstrate to us that culture is not the end, but that culture can indeed conform itself to the Gospel (Gaudium et Spes, par. 51). 

~Me being blessed by him in his last moments~

Myself, I got to witness how the Members of his congregation established in a parish that had the school annexed to it would welcome the students during lunch, feed them and have them nap before the return to class in the afternoon. They were uniforms 'Khakis', so no one can tell the rich kid from the poor kid. This religious order has also orphanages, so rather than telling people how many kids to have as mentioned in Gaudium et Spes, he chose the road that will potentially make things better, not just with the children and orphans, but as well by using farming in the rural areas where his ministry led him to relieve villagers from their miseries that they may become self sufficient. Dear Reverend Gilbert Dagnon, intercede for us that we may one day be among those who shout Saint. 

Fanny Magnificat, MZRB.

for more, find me on Google, Twitter, Youtube.