Homily for the Ascension of the Lord "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Thirty-five Years (and Counting!)

Preparing for Ordination:  The Litany of the Saints

Dear Parishioners,

Thirty-five years.  Where did the time go?

On Monday, May 16, 2022, I celebrated my thirty-fifth anniversary as a Roman Catholic priest.  It seems like yesterday when I entered the seminary at 18 years old—right out of Wildwood Catholic High School.  Looking back, that age seemed too young to be making a major life commitment by current standards.  People that I see getting married today are often in their mid-to-late twenties or even older.  Yet, I heard that mysterious call as a teenager leading me through eight years of seminary preparation and one year of parish work, culminating in ordination to the ministerial priesthood.

Did I know and fully understand everything that I was eventually to experience upon entering the seminary?  Absolutely not!  I was simply a young man who heard the mysterious invitation of Jesus to “come follow me” clearly and quite personally.

Saying “yes” to the call—being open to God’s will in my life—was just the first step of an ongoing life-journey.  It did not eliminate my inadequacies and sinfulness.  It didn’t guarantee worldly happiness.  It seemed to go counter to what many of my friends and classmates were doing.  Celibate life would mean no marriage or future family.  Obedience to a bishop would mean that I could be moved around to various assignments and be asked to do various tasks not necessarily of my own choosing.  Priesthood would involve the cross and sacrifice.  I know that I did not fully realize the many implications of my decision.

Twenty years as a priest were spent educating high school students.  Another fifteen involved primarily parish work.  Along the way, I have met some extraordinary people who have enriched my life and become part of an extended family that I would never have had experienced in other circumstances.  God had blessed me in ways unimaginable as He permitted me to act in persona Christi—in the very person of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Looking back, I am greatly humbled by what I have experienced:  to celebrate Mass each day, to baptize a child, to witness the beginning of a new family at a wedding, to anoint and hold the hand of a dying person, to forgive the repentant sinner in confession . . . .  I have been privileged to preach, to teach and to sanctify the People of God!  I am a priest, His priest, now and into eternity: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum.

I really do not deserve this great honor of being an ordained priest.  Frankly, if more people could know the interior joy that God gives in following His Will, we would never have a vocation shortage or crisis, and probably fewer unhappy people.  While I have had some difficult days as a priest in various assignments, I have never regretted being a priest.  Fully knowing what I know now, I would do it all over again.  Absolutely!  This is what God intended for me.  And I give a heartfelt “thank you” to Him who called me and to all of you who support and sustain me by your prayers.

When a married couple promises to remain faithful for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death, I know that they cannot fully anticipate and understand all the circumstances of the life that they have chosen.  Similarly, a priest doesn’t know where his call will lead him, but in both vocations God expects fidelity.  

I pray that I may continue to be faithful to that call all the days of my life.

May the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Great High Priest, continue to intercede for me and to provide her motherly protection and care!

Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor

Ordination by Bishop George H. Guilfoyle, 1987

Homily for the 4th Sunday of Easter "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Priestly Vocations

Newest priests for the Diocese of Camden

Dear Parishioners,

This year five ordinations to the Priesthood for the Diocese of Camden are scheduled for May 14th.  We congratulate and should pray for: Paul Abbruscato, Christopher Myers, Logan Nilsen, Cesar Pirateque and Stephen Robbins. Ad multos annos!

However, for the next two years there are no scheduled ordinations.  It should lead us to ask "why?"  I know that it is probably one of the most difficult times for the Sacred Priesthood with all of the scandalous behavior of clergy and hierarchy being made manifest.  However, Jesus intended from the earliest days of the Church that there be priests and that they model their lives after Him.  Shame on any of us ordained clergy who do not live up to that call.

When was the last time that we had a vocation to the ordained priesthood from our parish?

I know that we do not do the “calling”—God does.  I also realize that we do not have control over how a person who hears the call responds—free will is always involved.

Yet, I think there are things that can be done to foster vocations that may be present among the young men of our parish:

1.       Continue to pray fervently for vocations to the priesthood.  There are more things accomplished through prayer than we might imagine.  We are commanded in the Gospel to "Ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest." (Mt. 9:38)  We need to pray that those who hear the call of the Lord may have the courage to respond to that call.

2.       Encourage young men to think about the priesthood.  I was asked by someone in high school if I had ever thought about becoming a priest.  People told me that they thought that I might make a good priest.  I heard many homilies in my home parish encouraging young men to become priests if God is calling them.  In a secular, materialistic world there are many things working against a spiritual life or vocation.  We need the people of the parish to give some positive reinforcement to the value of priesthood.

  

3.      Do not discourage people from following the call.  One of the most disheartening things that was said to me when I initially told people that I was going into the seminary to study to be a priest was: "You don’t want to do that.  It’s such a lonely life."   This commentary came from a couple that I knew.  They were not priests.  How did they know so authoritatively that it would be a lonely life?  I have since known various married couples who suffer loneliness (or even unhappiness).  After 35 years of priesthood, I can truly say that I am basically happy each day.  While there may be some times of loneliness—I think all people have them—this is not and has not been a consistent characteristic of my life as a priest.

4.       Realize that priests are not perfect.  As the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us: "Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.  He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people."(Hebrews 5: 1-3)  Sometimes young men think that they are not worthy of such a call.  Who is?  Those of us who are ordained priests did not do anything to deserve the "call" from God.  We have just followed it, discerned it and accepted it.  You don’t have to be perfect to be a priest (but we do have to strive for holiness and to become more Christ-like every day!).

We need priests especially to celebrate the Eucharist, to forgive sins in the sacrament of Penance, to anoint the sick and dying—to be Christ’s presence in the world.  Please pray that priests will come from our parish and throughout the diocese.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

My "Mom" Song

My Mom with Her 4 Sons and Daughter (several years ago!)

Dear Parishioners,

I want to tell you about a song I had written about 10 years ago.  Please indulge me for a moment while I familiarize you with the details.

Each month, when I have a day or two off, I try to spend some time with my mother at her condo at the Jersey shore.  She and I have grown rather close over the years, especially since the passing of my father in 1995.  We have vacationed together, enjoyed many dinners and shows out and about, and simply talk about everything and anything.

While I was visiting mom one Tuesday afternoon, my sister arrived at my mom’s home with her youngest son.  He was cranky after just getting up from a nap and I watched as Cathy held him, tried to cheer him up and simply gave him her time and attention.  The moment was priceless as I looked at the young mom (my sister Cathy) take care of her then two year old and the slightly older mom spend her time with her then fifty-two year old son.

On the way back to my rectory I thought about the experience and I wanted somehow to capture this moment.  I also thought of a very special image of a Mother to me—the icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  I give a brief description of the icon’s meaning:

It represents the Mother of God holding the Divine Child while the Archangels Michael and Gabriel are presenting  Him the instruments of His Passion. . . . His passion is represented by angels holding instruments of His passion, most often the cross, the lance, the sponge, and the nails. . . . The Child Jesus is shown with an adult face and a high brow, indicating His divine Mind of infinite intelligence.  As God, He knew that the angelic apparition was prophetic of His future passion.  Yet in His human nature as a small child, He is frightened and runs to His Mother for protection.  Our Lady hastily picks Him up and clasps Him to her bosom.  This action is indicated by the fact that the Lord’s right foot is nervously curled about the left ankle and in such haste that His right sandal has become loosened and hangs by a single strap.   Further action is indicated by the way the Child Jesus clasps His Mother’s right hand with both of His, holding tightly to Our Lady’s thumb. (Catholic News Agency)

A song began to come to my mind while driving in my car with a simple melody and lyrics that I thought just about anyone could sing—especially a young child.  When I arrived at my rectory, I put my words to paper and sang the basic tune into my smart phone, using an app that I had on my phone for recording messages and talks.

I employed the help of my long-time friend Julie Linn, who was the music/choir director and vocalist from my former parish (and now, once again, holds that position here at St. Thomas More Parish). With Scott Armato, whose creative genius was responsible for the piano accompaniment and harmonies, the song Mom took its current shape. It was sung by select children (now grown) from five different schools combined into a single choir, we called Pure Jerzy Kidz. The students came from five South Jersey schools:  Edgarton Christian Academy, Newfield; Cleary Elementary School, Buena; Main Road School, Franklinville; St. Joseph's Regional School, Somers Point; and Joy D. Miller School, Egg Harbor Township.

  

The song is meant to honor all moms with the inspiration coming from three moms in particular:  my own mother, my sister Cathy and Mary, the Mother of God.

The song is available on iTunes, Amazon, and other digital music stores.  It is also available as a CD single.  In addition, a music video can be found on YouTube.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

These are the lyrics to my song:

MOM

She wipes away my tear;

Provides a listening ear;

Her smile’s a work of art;

She holds me in her heart.

When I think about her, such joy comes to my face.

Everything about her is filled with love and grace.

She’s the one I run to in times both thick and thin.

            She’s my best friend

            Like no other

            She’s my mother!

She shows me how to love,

Tells me ‘bout God above.

Finds sunshine in the rain,

Kisses away all pain.

When I think about her, such joy comes to my face.

Everything about her is filled with love and grace.

She’s the one I run to in times both thick and thin.

            She’s my best friend

            Like no other

            She’s my mother!

Having a real bad day,

She makes it all okay!

Whenever I’m afraid

The worries quickly fade.

When I think about her, such joy comes to my face.

Everything about her is filled with love and grace.

She’s the one I run to in times both thick and thin.

            She’s my best friend

            Like no other

            She’s a godsend,

            That's my mother!

            She’s my best friend

            Like no other

            She’s my mom!

            ©2012  Edward F. Namiotka

Homily for the 3rd Sunday of Easter "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka