Over 1,600 Attend Fund-Raising Dinner
By Michael Paulson
Boston Globe
September 17, 2009
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/17/omalley_hosts_fund_raising_dinner_for_archdiocesan_priests/
Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley, in an acknowledgment of the extraordinarily difficult challenges facing priests of the Archdiocese of Boston, hosted a dinner last night for 1,630 people paying tribute to Boston's Catholic clergy.
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| Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley greeted guests at an Archdiocese of Boston dinner at the Seaport Hotel in South Boston last night. Photo by Dina Rudick |
About 300 priests, lay people from 120 parishes, and scores of business, political, and civic leaders, some of whom paid as much as $500 each, packed into a cavernous room at the Seaport Boston World Trade Center to dine on grilled autumn vegetables, char-grilled beef fillet, and miniature red velvet cupcakes. The dinner, although primarily intended as a celebration of priests, also raised several hundred thousand dollars for the clergy benefits funds, a set of underfunded archdiocesan accounts intended to finance retirement and health benefits for priests.
"We lift them up tonight as unsung heroes who lead lives of sacrifice and service," O'Malley said in a nine-minute speech in which he spoke of the joys and possibilities of priesthood. "It is a beautiful life."
The Catholic Church has been focusing on the priesthood this year after Pope Benedict XVI declared this the "year for priests." But in Boston, the effort has particular resonance, because many priests have struggled with anger, shame, or just uncertainty in the aftermath of the clergy sexual abuse crisis.
"In light of everything that's gone on the last seven years, it's nice to know that there are this many people who feel there are still good guys doing good work," said the Rev. Christopher J. Hickey, pastor of St. Mary of the Sacred Heart Parish in Hanover.
The daily life of priests has also become considerably more challenging, as their dwindling ranks mean that those who remain must increasingly devote themselves exclusively to performing sacraments, leaving little time to teach, study, or serve in other ways.
The work conditions for priests have also gotten harder: The archdiocese has asked most priests to continue working full-time until age 75, five years longer than the previous retirement age, and is expected to restrict retirement benefits in the future. Many priests have also been affected by a sweeping round of parish closings in the archdiocese, which has angered many Catholics and left many priests juggling several parishes and other worship spaces.
Some of the speakers last night directly referred to the abuse crisis that has shaken the Catholic Church in Boston.
"Unfortunately, seven years ago, we had what was described as the priest scandal," said former mayor Raymond L. Flynn, who decried what he called "a constant daily pounding in the press."
"Many of you can tell the stories of the ridicule and embarrassment you took, simply because you had the courage to wear the collar," he said.
Flynn paid tribute to a number of priests who he said shaped his own life, starting with the one who taught him to play baseball as a boy.
The Rev. John E. MacInnis, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Peabody, paid tribute to the priesthood itself, as well as to O'Malley, whose 25th anniversary as a bishop was also honored last night.
MacInnis described the joys and challenges of being called Father but also acknowledged that "our ranks keep getting thinner, and the age of retirement keeps getting higher."
MacInnis directly cited the impact of the abuse crisis on priests.
"The dark cloud of suspicion and distrust lingers and casts its shadow over us," he said. "We worry about getting close to our people, especially children. We've had to learn aright how to be strong and loving and wise."
Others said the gathering was a testament to the desire of Catholics to support their priests.
"The gathering itself, bringing all these individuals together, is a great sign of the community we are all part of," the Rev. William P. Leahy, president of Boston College, said in an interview. "They want to do everything they can to assist in the renewal, not only of the priesthood, but of the archdiocese."
There are currently 755 priests in the archdiocese, but 275 of them are retired, and over the next five years another 100 are expected to retire. The number of men ordained each year is far smaller than the number of men who retire.
Joseph D'Arrigo, executive director of the clergy funds, outlined the rising costs and diminished assets available for the growing number of retired priests in the archdiocese.
He said the archdiocese is in the process of establishing an independent board to oversee the funds, which had been in danger of running out of money in 2011.
"We're well on our way to finding a way to stabilize the funds," D'Arrigo said. "It's not going to be easy, but it will be possible."
Michael Paulson can be reached at mpaulson@globe.com
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