Meetings

Meetings take up much of a priest’s time.  There are different kinds of meetings: committee meetings, council meetings, family meetings, liturgy meetings, staff meetings, and individual meetings.  Yesterday for example, started normal with prayers and Mass.  Then right after Mass I attended the Presbyteral Council in Portland of which I am a member.  This lasted most from 10 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon.  I takes about an hour to get to the east side of Portland and another hour to get back especially with congested traffic.  When I got back to the parish I met with an individual and closed the office.  Today also I started the day with prayer and Mass and then jumped into meetings.  Meetings generally take about an hour.  For the better part of an hour a family came to prepare a funeral for next week.  For another hour a representative of a charity group met with me to inform me of their ministry.  And I met with some individuals about different things.  A priest cannot reveal the content of most meetings because they tend to be very personal and emotional.  Alongside of meetings we assemble for prayer in liturgy.  The Mass is an example of such a gathering that a priest attends.  Later tonight we have planned a gathering in the Church for a reconciliation service.  There are some of the things we do as priest, most of which need meetings.  Please pray for us that the Holy Spirit may guide our minds and hearts to discern the will of God and carry it out as we meet.