Unaware of the JesusFreak.com website, I wrote an article about websites for Jesus freaks.
Some time ago, I wrote an article titled Websites for Jesus Freaks. It was a list of websites that might be of interest to Christians. Unbeknownst to me, however, was the fact that there actually is a website titled jesusfreak.com. Turns out its a whole ministry.
I checked out the website and it is full of news, commentary and some blogs that make you think. One blog that got me thinking was about squeezing the life out of your pastor.
You see, the pastor of our parish recently left. His departure was swift and health reasons were cited. My sincere hope is that his new, much smaller parish, will allow him to practice his vocation without risking his life (his ticker's not so good).
It was pretty sad to see him leave. He had been here for over a decade and helped transform this parish into a community that gave over a million dollars a year to shelters, food pantries and other charities. Not bad for a city with less than 500,000 residents.
He will be missed and the new pastor will have enormous shoes to fill. But even with his leaving, something made me even more sad. This past Sunday, the first without him, the church pews were not as full as they usually are. In fact, people from other masses told me that the pews were a lot more empty than anyone could recall. I realize that he will be missed, but I can't help but wonder if people truly go to mass only for the priest and not for the mass. I'm no fool, I know having a rousing homily and a lively priest makes for a more enjoyable mass but that's not the reason I go. But then again, maybe I'm just making a mountain out of a molehill. Stay tuned for more dispatches from the front.
