Father Snort

Jesus' fame spread for his healing, but when folks gathered around looking for him, Jesus told his disciples that he wanted to go on to the surrounding region of Galilee to preach the gospel there also, for that is what he had come to do. The beginning of my call as a priest involved reading the Bible and seeing time and again how the religion of Israel eclipsed the God and the Kingdom of God which the religion was meant to connect people to and help them live. I noticed the same thing with Christianity, ways in which love of "church" as institution got in the way of people's discipleship of Jesus and living out the Kingdom of God. Then, two weeks ago, Bishop Doyle in his address to Diocesan Council said that for too long the church has been clergy led with lay support. He wants to see a church that is lay led with clergy support. Those words spoke directly to my call. We are to live out our lives as Jesus' disciples though service, evangelism, and reconciliation. The structures and institution