Check this article out.. click on www.thankyoufather.com to send a positive message to our good holy priests who need love and encouragement...

ZENIT, El mundo visto desde Roma Agencia de Noticias ================================================== American Laity Go Online to Say: Thank You, Father Web Site Supports Faithful Priests

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky, DEC. 17, 2002 (Zenit.org).- Two Catholics have started a pastoral initiative of sorts -- to help the clergy in the United States.

Laymen Joe Lilly and Rick Redman, both former television news workers, wanted to make a statement of support for the good priests in their own lives -- and wound up doing considerably more than that.

As Redman told the National Catholic Register, "Our television news experience taught us the media would hammer everything negative they could out of the story, and we felt that was unfair to the good priests."

"Priests we knew told us they were afraid to go out in public with their collars on," Lilly added.

So they staked out a place on the poor man's medium -- the Internet. With volunteer help from a few friends, the two created the Thank You Father Web site (www.thankyoufather.com), which has received over 25,000 messages since its inauguration last August.

The site introduction reads: "Recent headlines have showcased serious allegations involving several members of the clergy. Those cases will work their way through the legal system, as they should. We pray for justice and healing for all victims.

"However, the crisis in the Catholic Church has reminded us how important priests are to us. They're with us throughout our lives. They lead us during good times and bad. They minister to us on our spiritual journey. Now it's time we minister to the 'good guys.'"

And minister they do -- not through arguments or rhetoric, but through simple individual testimonials from ordinary people, telling the stories which are not making the local news. The everyday stories of everyday priests administering the sacraments, helping the needy in soul, mind or body -- of priests being priests.

Catholics around America are telling their stories -- like the woman from Rockford, Illinois, who thanked "Father Joe" for helping to save her marriage by seeking out her non-Catholic husband at his workplace and talking to him. Or Ken and Joan in Springfield, Illinois, who remember the priest who came to their home to comfort them when their daughter died. Or the anonymous writer who recalled the indispensable role of each priest in making the sacraments available.

As Lilly and Redman point out in the site introduction, the best way to express gratitude to priests is by going to them and thanking them in person.

ZE02121721

===================================================

-- Theresa Huether (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), December 19, 2002

Answers

praise God

-- Theresa (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), December 19, 2002.

What a fantastic site, Theresa! Thanks so much for telling us about it.

John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 19, 2002.

Thank's Theresa it is good to see some positive praise for our clergy. PAX

-- Andrew.M.Tillcock (Drewmeister7@aol.com), December 19, 2002.

Thank you for this wonderful website as a reminder that our priest are in need of our support along with our bishops. I as a Deacon in the Catholic Church have preached in support of our priest. Not all priest deserve this type of treatment from the media. I am in full support of the two wonderful priest in my parish here in Barnegat New Jersey. St. Mary's Church has a wonderful pastor, Father Ken and his Assoicate Father John. Fr. Ken has been more than a priest to us but a good friend and he is always there no matter what time of the day or night. His associate Father John is following in his footsteps. I thank God for placeing me here as a deacon and for the zealous preist that are always at our side. Thank you Father Ken and Father John. God Bless all our Priest. Deacon Joe

-- Deacon Joseph A. Fiorillo (holyhoe1@aol.com), December 24, 2002.

We saw Fr. Benedict Groeschel last summer in L.A. He gave a rip- roaring talk on the holy priesthood that encouraged us during this time of trouble. I didn't realize how awful and anti-Catholic the media is. Only a few 2. something % of the priests are involved. The others suffer immensely over this. Silently, I might add, as they continue their life-giving ministries of self-sacrifice.

I, too, commend our parish priests Father Joe, Joseph, and Francis, you are angels to us, faithful and true. God bless you!

-- Theresa (Rodntee4Jesus@aol.com), December 24, 2002.

I do thank God for the many wonderful priests in my life, especially my brother Jim, who was a missionary (priest/pilot) in Alaska. He lost his life in a plane crash, on his way to say Palm Sunday Mass, last March. His ministry,his dedication to Jesus, his wonderful,warm wit and loving heart are sorely missed by many. May God bless the many priestly priests in the world, who are doing so much GOOD! Thank you all. Hilary

-- Hilary Kelley-Piccoli (hilarykelleypiccoli@earthlink.net), January 20, 2003.

Our way of saying thank you to our priests is to send a copy of a "calendar for priests" (and religious women) to our local deanery of parishes. In the daily box we assign the name of one priest and most parishes participate by praying for that particular priest on that particular day. With extra boxes we remember deceased priests, seminarians, deacons, etc... Some parishes say a specific prayer before Mass together, some parishes remember the priest during the intercessory prayer, some bring the calendar to local nurising homes and their shut-in's to expand the ministry. Perhaps you might like to share our wonderful way to say "thank you father".

-- Mary Lou Musacchio (maryloumu@juno.com), February 20, 2003.

Hilary, I read about your brother in the National Catholic Register -- my deepest sympathies.

-- Christine L. ;-) (christine_lehman@hotmail.com), February 20, 2003.