CHARLOTTE — The Diocese of Charlotte is blessed to have many priests celebrating special jubilee anniversaries this year. Father Larry LoMonaco, pastor of St. Aloysius Church in Hickory, is celebrating 15 years of priestly ministry.
He shares this reflection with the Catholic News Herald on the occasion of his anniversary:
As I reflect on my 15 years of ordained ministry serving our Lord, Jesus Christ, through a vocation to the priesthood, I can’t believe it has gone by so quickly. I have been told that when you love your job, you never work a day in your life. I now know that to be true. I also know that time flies when you are having fun.
I love serving our Lord and His people because it is exceptionally fulfilling and never boring. Each new day is a wonderful new gift that I get to open one day at a time. My vocation has challenged me more than I ever thought possible. I am comforted by the fact that every time I have prayed for wisdom and courage to do God’s will, I have received the divine guidance I need to use my gifts for the greater glory of God.
I always begin the day with prayer and I try to pray for at least a half hour. Jesus is my best friend, so I always make time for Him first thing in the morning. I always pray my breviary, not just because I have vowed to do that for myself and the entire Church, but because it is my daily spiritual “gas station.” Personal prayer also helps me to stay focused on my mission and ministry.
As I get older, I have less mental and physical energy, so I have learned to take better care of myself. No one is going to do that for me; it is up to me. I exercise and eat a healthy diet. I have discovered that food is an occupational hazard for a priest, so I try to eat less and enjoy it more. Boundaries and balance are essential ingredients to this vocation.
I enjoy spending time with people, but I also need time alone to relax and recharge. When I start feeling the urge to push people away, I know it is time for me to get away. Taking a day off is not negotiable. Jesus needed time alone during His ministry. Just one day alone at my house in McDowell County makes all the difference.
I try to treat everyone with respect and dignity. I believe it is appropriate to expect the same in return.
I have discovered the value of spiritual renewal by embarking on pilgrimages to holy places: the Holy Land, Lourdes, Fatima, Santiago de Compostella, Assisi, Orvieto, Siena, Florence and Rome. I have a pilgrimage planned to Poland.
There never seems to be enough time to accomplish all the duties as the pastor of a rather large parish, but I always make time for the most essential aspect of ministry: leading souls to heaven. The primary mission of the Catholic Church is the salvation of souls, so I try to make that the focus of my ministry.
I love to preach at Mass, but I know that I have to practice what I preach in order to be a witness to our faith. Our Lord never promised that serving Him would be easy. However, He showed us that it is worth every ounce of effort because the benefits are out of this world!
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
BOONE — Five years ago this June, Father Matthew Codd was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Peter Jugis at St. Mark Church in Huntersville. Now pastor of St. Elizabeth Church in Boone, the Asheville native Father Codd recently took time to share some insights about himself and his ministry with the Catholic News Herald:
CNH: When did you realize you had a call to the priesthood?
Father Codd: I received my call during my junior year in college, while at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. I had never really considered priesthood before then.
CNH: Where did you attend seminary?
Father Codd: I attended Mount Saint Mary’s in Emmitsburg, Md., for all six years.
CNH: What assignments have you had over the past five years?
Father Codd: I was parochial vicar of St. Mark Church in Huntersville for two years; parochial vicar of St. Aloysius Church in Hickory for one year; and pastor of St. Elizabeth Church in Boone for two years now.
CNH: What do you enjoy most about your priestly ministry?
Father Codd: I enjoy living for God and not for myself, through sacrificing myself for God and the souls He has entrusted to me. Whether that is through preaching, the sacraments, catechesis, or anything else, I simply enjoy living for God as a priest and having that one singular and beautiful purpose.
CNH: What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned over the past five years, especially as a pastor?
Father Codd: There has been an ever-deepening awareness of the depth of both the cross and of the joy of priesthood. So the biggest lesson would probably be how to rely as completely as possible on the wisdom and grace of God.
CNH: What advice would you give to a man discerning a vocation to the priesthood?
Father Codd: I would remind him of the beauty of priesthood and all of its blessings and joys, and that God is so intimately close to those who serve Him in this vocation.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter