Pleasant conversation with the Archbishop

Nobody gets three hours with the Archbishop though there are plenty of people who want them. From the elderly lady who wants to convince him that her parish of a hundred people shouldn't close down to the priest that thinks the only important thing in the world and church today is pro-life activities, everybody wants to sit and have a “moment” of a bishop's time. And, in the midst of these folks, the Archbishop needs to do the more "mundane" tasks of answering emails about the permissions priests seek, doing research for various projects the bishops are working on, and planning for the future needs of the diocese. I feel fortunate because I got FIVE hours with the Archbishop yesterday. He had a gathering of all the priests that are five years ordained and less. I felt especially fortunate because I spent about an hour of conversation with the Archbishop and two other priests over supper. In the midst of this, Fr. Bob Davies asked about the Archbishop's recent trip to visit the Holy Father in Rome. He said that he got fifteen minutes with the Pope, a man whose time is even more coveted than his own. The Pope's health is not good and he only spoke four words in the midst of this conversation. But, when he relayed that story to others, one person commented that they thought the Pope should just retire. Archbishop succinctly answered the person in the words that I had been struggling to find for three years. He said that this is a man that has emphasized for the entire time he has been pope that life is precious regardless of the state it is in. Now, he is living that message. I realized then and there what a blessing our Archbishop is to recognize that message in the leader of the universal church on earth and what a blessing it is to be with him.