Suffering is sometimes so hard to understand. Today we read about a Catholic priest who is thought by many to have been a living saint. The obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for Fr. Patrick Rager of Pittsburgh, PA tells how Fr. Paddy “was an example of heroic virtue” to all who knew him. “He gave such a witness in his priestly ministry to what it means to take up one's cross and simply, quietly bear it. But he did it in a way that converted it into a ministry. He was a constant source of support, encouragement and spiritual strength for people all over, not only the United States, but different parts of the world......” (read more).
Fr. Paddy was “inspired to priesthood by his childhood pastor at St. Mary Magdalene..” Today, on this feast of St. Mary Magdalene, let us pray for her intercession that Fr. Paddy rest in peace and all may come to know more about the Christian meaning of suffering through his example. “Suffering is something which we will all experience in our lives. When we suffer in union with Christ, it can be a source of innumerable graces and blessings, a powerful means through which our lives are transformed and made holy. We saw this example of suffering lived deeply and authentically in the life of the author of this apostolic letter, our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II.........” This powerful apostolic letter is studied in the ENDOW class: Salvifici Doloris (On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering).
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