Guided by the theme “Living What We Believe,” more than 200 priests attended workshops, engaged in dialogue, took time for prayer and reflection and had a chance to catch up with each other socially.
It was a strong reflection of the current face of the Presbyterate that 32 priests were attending the Convocation for the first time, and all but four of them were born outside the United States. The international priests have valuable insights in ministering to the many cultures present in the Diocese, Bishop Gerald Barnes said, reflecting on the Convocation. “They bring a lot of experience for us to learn from.”
The first day of the Convocation was described by several as academically-focused, with presentations on “The Foundations of Morality,” “The Primacy of Conscience in Catholic Moral Tradition,” and “The Context of the Wider Magisterium of Pope Francis.”
During the third day of the Convocation, the presentations were geared more to help priests meet the pastoral needs of people facing a variety of circumstances. Among those was “Pastoral Accompaniment of Married Couples and Families in the Parish” and “Pastoral Response to Human Weakness and Limitation in Interpersonal Relationship.” Those talks reinforced the emphasis of Pope Francis that the Church is called to “go out” to those who are suffering and struggling, observed Father Manuel Cardoza, Administrator of Our Lady of Hope Parish in San Bernardino.
“We can’t take a fundamentalist point of view,” he said, reflecting on what he took away from the Convocation. “We have to find solutions to people’s issues so they come back to the Church.”
The two presenters at the Convocation were Father Stephen Rehrauer, Provincial Superior of the Denver Province of the Redemptorist Priests, and Dr. Robert Dell’Oro, the Director of the Bioethics Institute in the Department of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University.
In addition to the academic learning and prayerful reflection done at the Convocation, its fraternal benefits are also important, noted Dr. Jose Antonio Medina, Director of the Office of Continuing Formation of Priests for the Diocese. Dr. Medina coordinated the Convocation as part of his ministry.
“It’s sort of like a big joyful family gathering where they reunite and show their love for Christ and for one another,” he said.
The Convocation also includes the Annual Jubilarian Mass and Dinner for those priests celebrating 25 or more years of ministry. 25-year Jubilarians honored this year included Father Arturo Guadalupe Chavez, Father Hyacinth S.O. Ibeh, Father Cletus Imo, Father Joseph Kim, MSC, Father Howard Lincoln, Father Charles Miller and Monsignor Gerard Lopez, STL, VG. 50-year Jubilarians honored were Father Joel D. Kelly, OSB, Father Melvin Long, Father Louis Marx, and Father Ignatius Rodrigues.
Monsignor Cosimo Corciulo was honored for his 61st Jubilee; Father Henry A. Ruszel, C.R., and Father Norbert C. Rosso, C.S.Sp were honored for their 62nd Jubilee; Monsignor John Ryan was honored for his 66th Jubilee and Monsignor Cornelius P. O’Leary was honored for his 68th Jubilee.