Archdiocese of Chicago, Catholic Committee on Scouting, Office of Catechesis at 1025 West Fry Street, Chicago, IL 60622 US - Priest Sunday

Catholic Scouts Can Make a Difference on October 31st, 2004 Show appreciation for your Priest 1 . What is "Priesthood Sunday?" Priesthood Sunday, Oct.31, 2004, is a special day set to honor Priesthood in the United States. It is a call for parishioners to honor Christ as Priest and the men who were called to be his priests on earth. It is also a day to honor all religious and to focus on the importance of vocations. Catholic Scout Packs, Troops and Venture Crews are encouraged to make a special effort to involve the youth in programs of making appreciation cards to be presented after Mass on the October 31st or at an event planned in your parish. 2. Why October 31? Frankly, there are many times such an event could be marked – on Good Shepherd Sunday in the Spring, or on Marriage Encounter’s World Priest Day in September. The last Sunday in October was chosen last year because of the readings and the fact that there were no other major national events scheduled. The event is being marked this year at a similar time. 3. Who is sponsoring “Priesthood Sunday?” The board of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils, the voice of parish priests in the U.S., first declared Priesthood Sunday, but the event is now co-sponsored by many groups including Serra USA , the Knights of Columbus and is supported through the NCCS Vocations Committee. 4. Why have a “Priesthood Sunday”? The first reason for proposing a Priesthood Sunday is to affirm the priesthood in the life of the Church. With the phenomenon of fewer priests, people see less and less of priests. Our young people are not offered the opportunity of close relationships with priests. The explosion of lay ministers in pastoral ministry has lessened the visibility of the priest in the community. The role of the priest has shifted in the years since Vatican II, causing some confusion about the place of the priest in the life of the Church. Priesthood Sunday seeks to reaffirm the priesthood of Jesus Christ and its central place in the life of the Church. Second, In the wake of the wake of the clergy sex abuse scandal, there has been concern that all priests have been tainted by the actions of a few. Some organizations and some parishes have attempted to counteract this negativity. “Priesthood Sunday” sends a message to Catholics and non-Catholics everywhere that the parish priest as the instrument of Christ’s Priesthood on earth, is loved and respected by those in the parish community. 5. What will take place? The lay faithful of each parish are asked to develop their own special way of marking the day and honoring their parish priest(s) both at mass and in the parish. 6. Are there any suggestions? A special website has been established (www.priestsunday.org) to provide ideas for liturgies, social celebrations, preaching, school activities and other events. In some dioceses there will be special Catholic newspaper sections devoted to honoring priests. 7. What can I do? If you are a parishioner, a member of the parish staff, a lay minister/leader or a Catholic Scouter, call some friends and organize a group to spearhead the celebration. Go to the website for some ideas, then plan your own way of honoring the priest(s) of your parish.

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