Are You Still Alive?
That's what friends and acquaintances ask me when they notice my prolonged silence! The reason I've gone quiet is not a sign that my heart as a friend has grown cold—a heart that has always been glad to be loved and to love, whether the people I meet each day or the friends I carry in my heart. It's simply life packed with commitments and work that, these past months, has created continuous chaos on my desk and stolen time for writing and visits.
I've lived a full and "weighty" year. Full because I feel useful in the presence of all the people I work with and can help and accompany as a priest. It's not the work in our three small villages with 900 residents that weighs on me, but everything else that piles on top. At our hospice "Chateau-Verdun," ever more groups and unexpected, fascinating encounters with guests or visitors "steal" hours of my time.
My commitment to the Fede e Luce community, my work as "Secretary for Consecrated Life in the diocese," prayer groups stretching up to Aosta, and more and more people seeking spiritual guidance—these fill the rest of my hours.
Since August 17, 2009, I've lived at the rectory in Orsières with three brother priests. My new parishioners welcomed me warmly. My heart is a bit sad because I left behind my friends from the Valle d'Aosta and Italy. Yet it was with a full heart of trust that I said "yes" without hesitation to the Provost, once I understood the reasons for the move.
You understand, I hope, that I'm not unemployed? Now I hope that the "grandfather" (in years) with an ever-enterprising heart might finally grow a bit wiser—with the help of prayers and friendship from so many people who fill his heart and make him a happy man and priest, despite all that goes wrong in the world.
I need "guardian angels"—like you—to accompany me each day in your thoughts and your prayers. I'm deeply grateful because without help "from elsewhere," our pastoral work bears no fruit.
I leave you with words from an elderly church secretary who once told me how glad she was whenever I came to her village. I spoke to her of my worries because I knew few of the people there. She answered without hesitation: "It's simple: you must love them, and they will love you!" A prophetic word that means more than just welcoming a new priest.
Fr. Klaus Sarbach
Whether Ombre e Luci Lives or Dies Depends on You Too
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