In light of the celebration of Priesthood Sunday which was last Sunday (September 29), I spent some time giving thanks to God for the ways he uses priests as instruments of his grace, especially through the sacraments, but also the way the laity are instruments of grace for the priests in many wonderful and different ways.

We lost from our sight (but not from our minds and hearts ) a dear parishioner, Connie Cody Wilson.  Connie was a blessing to many with her infectious smile and her Christ-like love for all, which included for many a "Connie Hug" which said to many including me, that firstly God love you....and so do I.  She was an ambassador of the Catholic faith who among a number of things, sought to lead those who had left the faith back to the Church and the sacraments.

I must say I was a little surprised when more than a few parishioners after Connie died were unfamiliar with her when I brought her name up as a dear lady who was "a live wire" in many good and beautiful ways.  It reminded me that being in such a large parish there are almost always many more who did not know people whom I have been blessed as a priest to know and minister to (and be ministered to) as pastor or this wonderful parish.

While priests do, in reality, minister to people in difficult situations like sickness and the death of a loved one, (and admittedly, at time, people who are a challenge for one reason or another), there are also people who priests encounter on a regular and an even personal way that are mother, father, brother or sister figure for us in our lives.  Connie was one of those "motherly" people to me and I will truly, sincerely miss her in my life as obviously Gordon her husband and others no doubt will.