More than 200 priests, deacons and lay persons gathered May 17 at St. Basil the Great Church in Brecksville to celebrate the 60th, 50th, 40th and 25th anniversaries of the ordinations of diocesan priests.
Bishop Richard Lennon celebrated the Mass. Concelebrants included retired Auxiliary Bishop Roger Gries and Father David Woost, who is marking the 25th anniversary of his ordination. Retired Cleveland Bishop Anthony Pilla also was in attendance.
The homily was delivered by Father Woost, who spoke about how burdens become blessings for priests. He said his 25 years of priesthood have ?flown by.?
Father Woost used the analogy of being in the middle to illustrate his life and vocation, pointing out that he has two brothers who are priests: Father Mike Woost, who is older, and Father Tom Woost, who is younger.
?Mike is the smart one. I can go to him for advice. Tom is the funny one. I can go to him for a laugh. I?m in the middle,? he quipped, adding that even his high school basketball coach wasn?t sure what position he should play. ?He called me a ?tweener,? which is a term I got used to, since I?m the fourth of seven kids.?
Father Woost said a priest is the man in the middle. In the first reading from James, he said James inserted himself into the middle of the Christian community which was in conflict, and called it back to God. ?He was a slave for Jesus Christ,? Father said.
He said he was once told that if you want to be happy for a day, go fishing. If you want to be happy for a week, take a vacation. If you want to be happy for a month, get married. ?Just kidding,? he said, adding, ?And if you want to be happy for a lifetime, serve the needs of other people, which is what priests do. The people you serve are good people. If you?re good to them, they will be good to you. I?ve heard those words often,? Father said. ?When you begin to see your burdens as blessings, you know God has arrived.?
Father Woost said he is about 279th of about 373 diocesan priests, ?not exactly in the middle. I have a great deal of gratitude for those who have served more years than me and for those behind me who bring great gifts to the priesthood.?
Bishop Lennon made brief remarks at the end of Mass.
?God has gifted us with these men and that gift has enriched the diocese. Thank you to those men who are priests and are living out the gift that so enriches us,? the bishop said.
After Mass, the priests and their guests were invited to a catered lunch in the Parish Life Center.
Click HERE to visit the priest jubilee page.
The jubilarians and their ordination dates are:
May 19, 1956 (60th anniversary)
