One of the highlights of my year comes each January when I get to sit down with my archbishop, along with the other newly ordained priests of this diocese, talk about concerns, pray, and eat. It happened yesterday and it truly is a moment of grace for me. Archbishop Hanus' sense of humor and hospitality make it easy for hours to drift by in what seems more like a few moments. I especially appreciate how candid my brother newly ordained priests can be and how the Archbishop responds. He never makes promises that he knows he can't keep. He isn't going to say that all our assignments are perfect, because no assignment is perfect. But, if we he is going to listen to us, which is a reminder that he knows what we are going through and empathizes with us. It's hard for us to understand that "this too shall pass."
But, there are times when I wish I would be able to keep quiet and not speak. I remember one of the evaluations at St. Paul Seminary saying that I surely know how to put his foot in his mouth. That was no less true yesterday than it was four years ago. I brought up a topic that led the archbishop to ask me about his seal and I had to admit that I probably couldn't pick it out of a line up. I figured that it was more important to be honest than it was to lie. But, of course, the first thing I did when I got back was look up the Archbishop's seal!
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