Jack and Jo Rich, as Encounter Weekend Pillar leaders, were drawn to celebrating priests in their area during the 2019 World Priest Day, noting the following good reasons:
- Spiritual/theological importance buried deep in the initial WWME vision for these celebratory days.
- Possibilities for fruitfulness by using concrete attainable goals which are easy for others to achieve as well.
- Celebrations were fun, not only for us but for all who participated…smile-makers!
Corvallis has celebrated World Priest Day over the years with countless others who have helped bring these events to life. One particular couple has been very generous with providing “carte blanche” printing services, our catholic paper and radio station have helped us with promotion, the many other couples who have taken the vision to their own parishes, the many church secretaries that have been willing to get on board, and of most importance: our Catholic priests who really truly do give us their amazing vocational life to celebrate once a year!
Our very first “Priest Day Table” we had at our own parish in 2005. Our parish was celebrating its 150th anniversary, so we asked our parish archivist to printpictures of every parish priest from its start until present day for us to share. The parishioners were so touched by this visual tribute. At the Rose Bowl, presenting our archbishop at that time with a specially prepared basket.
*Other activities include: “romancing” our Archdiocesan priests during their annual retreat in October. We filled a huge basket with Hershey candy bars, wrapped with the WWME/WPD candy-wrappers; and then snuck it into the hotel, placing the basket right outside their conference room in the break area. We heard via priests we knew that it was with a very warm welcome the sweet treats were received! (Fun stuff!)
Join us in honoring Jack and Jo, Corvallis Encounter, in their creative and passionate methods to proclaim the value of Holy Orders in our Church and in our World.
Submitted by Mike & Jean Olsen, WWME World Priest Day Coordinators