Supporting More Workers for the Vineyard

Our North American District Superior Fr. Michael Stinson summed it up in his 2020 Annual Appeal letter, which is now reaching mailboxes across the continent and which you can also read on our website:

“Fraternity priests remain ready to give their lives for you and our faith. When the lockdown forced us to close our churches, we kept the sanctuary lamps burning rearranging our schedules and lives and went to great lengths to attend to the dying, live-stream liturgies, and keep our Lord present in the world.

But quite frankly, my greatest fear is that our hardworking priests are not sufficient to turn the tide of modernism. We must do everything to provide our priests with more help.”

This year we have all learned some pointed lessons about how we spend our time and our resources. Even our most unquestioned worldly assumptions, and seemingly fixed institutions like our workplaces and schools, are suddenly being re-examined to their very essences–and we find ourselves asking if our actions are worth what we put into them.

“Everyone has to choose their priorities. How important is the Fraternity and the ancient liturgy to you?”

Privately and publicly we are hearing from more and more people who are rediscovering the Traditional Latin Mass. Sometimes they even do so over their own preconceived notions of traditional communities, or their own stereotypes and prejudices. But if they can just make that leap, they often find that what they sought most was right in our churches and parish halls.

They find their faith strengthened by the consolation of liturgical beauty, challenged and inspired by the uncompromising truth of the Gospel, and fortified with the bountiful wisdom that 2000 years can offer. They find families who delight in their children and their elderly, and homes whose wealth is measured less by income and consumer goods and more by spiritual fruits and holy charity. And they find wonderful friendships with other devout men and women who have the same desire to follow Our Lord above all else.

Many of us already know the power of the ancient Roman Mass to help us lead these kinds of lives: to strengthen us and light our path through dark and confusing times. But we cannot rest on that knowledge–we are called by Christ to carry that strength and that light out to everyone.

And for that, as Fr. Stinson states, we need more workers for the vineyard:

“Each summer, more men come to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary. But even with our recent ‘vocations boom,’ our North American District still finds itself short of priests. Bishops continue to call, requesting new apostolates in their dioceses. Many of our current apostolates could use a second or third priest. “

As you receive your Annual Appeal letters, or as you consider donating online, we humbly ask you to reflect on how the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter has been a force for good in the world and the Church. Not just for our own parishes, but for hundreds of diocesan and other communities whose priests and even bishops we have helped to recover our sacred Catholic tradition…and all the Catholic laity that these serve in turn.

The need out there is great. Perhaps even too great, in merely human terms. But with full confidence in Our Divine Lord to give the increase, we know that our little prayers and contributions today can yield a hundredfold in eternity.

And seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them: because they were distressed, and lying like sheep that have no shepherd. Then he saith to his disciples, “The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.” – Matthew 9:36-38