A Letter from Fr. Paul - May 12, 2019

Congratulations to Deacon Patric Nikolas, SDS, who graduated May 3 from Sacred Heart School of Theology with two Master degrees. He will be ordained a priest at Mother of Good Counsel on June 23rd at noon, along with three other members of our Salvatorian Family.

Salvatorian Fr. John Pantuso, who was a parishioner at Pius and then an Associate Pastor here, died the end of April and his funeral will be held at Pius at 11 am on Tuesday, May 14. His interesting life is featured in a Journal Sentinel article. 

Read Journal Sentinel Article

​What a wonderful coincidence that our Gospel about Jesus as the Good Shepherd falls on Mother’s Day, because a good mother has the qualities of a good shepherd!

In our short Gospel we have four “active” verbs that describe the interaction between a Good Shepherd and the sheep: the Good Shepherd KNOWS His sheep and GIVES them eternal life. The sheep, for their part, HEAR the voice of the Shepherd and FOLLOW Him.

My friends, we can’t FOLLOW if we do not HEAR the voice of the Shepherd. And we cannot HEAR if we are not quiet and listening. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that we regularly, daily is ideal, take time to be quiet and LISTEN to the Shepherd. That means not reciting prayers, not reading, but sitting quietly in the presence of the Shepherd, giving Him the chance to speak to us.

We are busy, but we can find the time, even if sometimes it means working it in to our existing activities. For example, I have a 10 to 15-minute commute from 37th and Kilbourn to Pius. I never put the radio on, I never have noise: it is quiet time when I deliberately place myself in God’s presence. It isn’t adding to my schedule; it is using time that is already there I invite us this week to reflect on how much quiet time we give the Lord, resolving to make sure we have some time each day – and strategizing, to make sure it happens.

Happy Mother’s Day to all our mothers. We thank God for the gift that you are and/or have been for us. May God continue to bless you abundantly.

-- Paul James Portland, SDS