Priesthood and Vocations Week – a special week dedicated to prayer and education – kicked off at Most Blessed Sacrament Church in Bally on Sunday, May 4 at the 10:15 a.m. Mass with over 100 of the faithful in attendance.
“We need more priests,” said Father Richard James, Pastor. The parish “has a great heritage of priests who served here,” he said, referring to Father Theodore Schneider, S.J., who founded the church in 1741 and Father Augustine Bally, S.J., who served at the parish for more than 40 years in the 19th century (1837-82) and from whom the town takes its name.
Ordained in 2012, Father James said the parish “seeks to pray for future vocations, and to take care of [the priests] we have now.”
For the past year, Masses at Most Blessed Sacrament opened with a “Vocations Prayer,” asking God “to give worthy priests and religious to His Holy Church,” and to “choose from our homes those who are needed for Thy work.”
During Lent, parishioners were invited to mail cards to current priests, telling the priests that they’re remembered in parishioners’ prayers.
The creation of the Priesthood and Vocations Week at Most Blessed Sacrament is another step toward the parish’s efforts to foster more vocations. Father James said he hopes people will “open their hearts and see what God wants them to do.”
Mass opened with the entrance hymn “Hail, Holy Queen Enthroned Above,” as the Church traditionally dedicates May to the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Main celebrant was Father Aaron Scheidel, Assistant Pastor at the Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena, Allentown, with Father James as concelebrant.
Assisting were Deacon Christopher Kinsella, permanent deacon at Most Blessed Sacrament; Patrick Neher and Edward Short, parishioners who are in formation for the Permanent Diaconate; and Justin Frees, altar server.
During the Liturgy of the Word, Short read the first and second readings. Alto Linda MacGill served as cantor.
The Gospel of John (John 21:1-19) was read by Deacon Kinsella, in which Jesus appears to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias after His resurrection and miraculously guides them to catch a large quantity of fish.
In his homily following the proclamation of the Gospel, Father Scheidel – who previously served at Most Blessed Sacrament as a transitional deacon – spoke of how the Apostles, after Jesus’ resurrection, still felt “unsure what it meant to minister to the people, to go on mission” for the salvation of souls, he said, and they went back to fishing because that felt comfortable and familiar to them.
Jesus even referred to Peter “by his old name” of Simon, said Father Scheidel, because Peter had “returned to his old ways” of life before encountering Christ. “[Peter] needed to be called once more and made a disciple again and returned to the mission that [Jesus] had planned for him,” he said.
Father Scheidel described the Gospel as “a beautiful example of Jesus meeting people where they are,” he said, and that Jesus also meets us where we are and has a mission for each of us, whether it be a vocation of marriage, religious life, or the priesthood.
“This Gospel is a reminder that we must pray that people answer God’s call to serve.”
Fragrant incense was lit during Mass, representing the prayers of the faithful rising toward Heaven.
During the Liturgy of the Eucharist, parishioners Rob Pekarik and his wife Norma brought gifts of bread and wine to the altar.
Mass ended with Concluding Rites, and the closing hymn, “Jesus is Risen.”
Music was provided throughout the Mass by the Cathedral Choir of St. Catharine of Siena in Allentown, directed by Beverly McDevitt, director of music for the Cathedral and Diocese of Allentown.
The choir sang the “Hallelujah Chorus” from Handel's Messiah as people exited the church.
Organ music was provided by Joseph DiCindio, director of music at Most Blessed Sacrament.
Photo and Article by Gia Myers.
