Sabbatical renews diocesan priests in many ways Encounter the Pope in Rome

Spending three months on sabbatical in Rome with a ten-day pilgrimage to the Holy Land included in the package has renewed the spirits and reaffirmed the faith of two diocesan priests.

And when you throw in a meeting with the Pope, nothing could have been better for the two clergymen.

In separate interviews, Rev. William Bauer, pastor of St. John the Baptist Church in Greenville, and Rev. Joseph Cebula, pastor of Sacred Heart/St. Philip Negri parish in Stamford, told The Evangelist that being so close to the roots of the Church made their faith more meaningful than ever.

First-time visits

Neither Father Bauer, who celebrates his 25th anniversary as a priest next May nor Father Cebula, who was ordained 22 years ago, had ever set foot in Rome or Israel prior to their sabbatical, which ran from late January to mid-April.

Both say the experience was well worth the wait -- though, in retrospect, they wish they'd visited the roots of the Church sooner.

"Sabbaticals of this nature are good for the priest and good for the people. We should have them more often!" enthused Father Cebula, adding on a more reflective note: "As a priest, I feel I have come back renewed and refreshed, physically and emotionally as well as spiritually. It was, in many ways, also a time of reaffirmation. My goal now is to share what I have gained with my parishioners."

Changed man

"Having been in Rome -- and especially in the Holy Land where Jesus lived and preached -- cannot help but affect you and move you," reflected Father Bauer. "It was certainly very enlightening and inspiring, and really made the Gospel stories come alive for me -- something that I hope is now reflected in my homilies."

Participating in lectures and discussions with 44 other priests from across America also reenforced Father Bauer's belief that the Albany Diocese is "in good shape."

"I feel we are further ahead than many other dioceses in terms of involving laity in the life of the Church. I came home feeling very positive about the state of the Albany Diocese," said Father Bauer.

Restorative

Noting that he was "physically run down" from knee and heart surgeries at the time his sabbatical began, Father Bauer said the period of leave to study theology and Scripture also helped to restore his health.

"We flexed our mental muscles a great deal," he said. "But at the same time, I found I was able to rest and relax in a way that is not possible when you're in the midst of the everyday hustle and bustle of parish life. It was wonderful to be able to take it easy for a while."

The Greenville pastor noted that visiting some of the world's most magnificent churches and museums helped him develop an interest in art and architecture that he never realized he had.

"Seeing the great shrines of our Church firsthand was among the greatest experiences of my life time," he added.

Meeting the Pope

A highlight of their time abroad was attending an audience with the Pope in the company of about 2O0 other priests who were also staying at the Pontifical North American College Community in Rome.

As an added boost, Father Cebula was able to help distribute communion along with the Pope at St. Peter's Square on Easter Sunday. In fact, his image was broadcast on world-wide TV as he stood behind the Holy Father during the Eucharistic Prayer.

Father Cebula said he "just happened to be in the right place at the right time" for the TV shot. When he secured tickets for the Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday services, he had checked a box indicating that he would be willing to assist during the Eucharist.

"There were many of us," he noted, "but I happened to be in the front row -- that's how I happened to get on TV."

Father Bauer was also present at the Pope's Easter Sunday Mass but did not distribute communion. Even so, he said that just being a part of the crowd of 250,000 to 300,000 people that day was "an amazing experience." Both he and Father Cebula said they were impressed by "the reverence and prayerfulness" of the crowd.

(06-19-97) [[In-content Ad]]