My brothers and sisters, today is a day of great joy for our diocese. This year, as we commemorate our co-patron, St. John Vianney, during this special Sunday Mass, we gather to thank God for the gift of the priesthood and to pray fervently for vocations. This year, our celebration is made even more joyful because three of our seminarians will receive the Rite of Candidacy as they enter the final stage of their formation before ordination to the diaconate and, God willing, the priesthood.

To Jonathan (Ruscoe), Franz (Mercado), and Thomas (Rogers), these three men, I say, “Thank you.” Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for your courage. Thank you for trusting that the Lord's dream for your life is greater than any dream you could have ever imagined for yourselves.

The Rite of Candidacy is more than another milestone on your priestly journey. It is a brief yet public declaration that the Church recognizes your desire to offer your lives in service to Christ and His people, and that you, in turn, freely renew your willingness, relying on the grace of God, to continue this journey with the commitment it requires. It is another joyful "yes" to the Lord Who first said "yes" to you, tapped you on the shoulder, and whispered, “Follow Me!”

The Scriptures today beautifully describe the heart of every priestly vocation.

In the first reading from Ezekiel, the Lord appoints the prophet as a watchman. A watchman does not create the light; he simply watches for it and announces it. He warns, encourages, protects, and points the way.

Every priest is called to be such a watchman, not one who draws attention to himself, but one whose whole life points toward Christ.

St. Peter tells us how that ministry is to be exercised: "Tend the flock of God...not by constraint but willingly...not lording it over those assigned to you but being examples to the flock."

The priest is not called to be a celebrity. He is called to be a shepherd.

People remember priests not because they were impressive personalities, but because they reflected the very heart of Christ. They remember the priest who listened, the priest who forgave, the priest who visited them in the hospital or in prison, the priest who buried their loved ones, the priest who taught and encouraged them to pray, the priest who celebrated the Eucharist with reverence and joy, the priest who quietly stayed with his people, even when he didn’t have an adequate answer for suffering.

Isn’t that precisely what St. John Vianney did?

Humanly speaking, no one expected extraordinary things from him. He was an average student who struggled academically, especially with Latin. He was not considered particularly gifted or a bright light, yet he possessed one extraordinary gift: he stayed close to Jesus. It was the gift of humility and perseverance that emanated from the heart. His life and ministry flowed from that.

Because he loved Christ so deeply, Christ was able to work through him in astonishing ways. The small village of Ars was transformed into a place of conversion and hope. Thousands traveled there because they encountered not merely Father Vianney, but the mercy of Jesus shining through him. And the word spread.

That remains the secret of every fruitful priesthood: an abiding friendship with Jesus Christ.

This brings us to today's Gospel.

Matthew tells us that Jesus looked upon the crowds with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He sends the Twelve with a remarkable instruction: "Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give."

When I was ordained a priest, those words formed my own priestly ordination motto, though in the translation used in 1978, they read, "The gift you have received, give as a gift." I have carried those words with me every day of my priesthood.

Everything is gift. Our faith is gift. Our vocation is gift. Our talents are gift. Our very lives are gift. None of us earned God's love. None of us deserved His mercy. Everything begins with grace, and because everything begins with grace, everything is meant to become a gift for others.

To our candidates today, remember this always. Each of you brings unique gifts to the Church. Each of you has different talents, different experiences, different personalities, different ways of seeing the world.

God delights in calling a wonderful variety of men to serve His people. He does not erase your individuality; He sanctifies it. He takes your gifts and places them at the service of His Kingdom.

You will preach. You will celebrate the sacraments. You will teach the faith. You will accompany families. You will comfort the sick. You will strengthen the weak. You will help young people discover Christ. You will stand beside the dying. You will be instruments of reconciliation, mercy, hope, and peace. 

But before you do any of those things, never forget the foundation of your faith. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus – He is the Savior, not you. Remain close to Him in prayer. Love the Eucharist. Cherish time before the Blessed Sacrament. Return often to the sacrament of Reconciliation. If you remain close to Christ, He will accomplish through you far more than you could ever imagine.

Indeed, you will exceed your own expectations not because of your own abilities, but because the Lord delights in working through weak and humble vessels.

Isn’t that the lesson of St. John Vianney? The lesson of every saint? The lesson of every faithful priest? 

Today is also a day for our entire diocesan family. In most parishes throughout our diocese, we have our annual Seminarian Education Appeal. Here at the Cathedral the seminarian education collection is the 2nd Sunday – next week. Here at the Cathedral Parish the 1st Sunday is dedicated to the Capital Campaign.

We give thanks to God that vocations in the Diocese of Birmingham are growing steadily. We are seeing young men generously answering Christ's invitation to labor in His vineyard. That is an enormous blessing for our Church throughout central and northern Alabama and a sign of great hope for the future.

Their formation requires many years of spiritual, intellectual, pastoral, and human preparation. It is an investment not simply in these young men, but in every parish, every school, every family, every hospital room, every Confession, every Baptism, every wedding, every funeral, every prison, every university, every soul they will one day serve.

I am deeply grateful for the generosity of the faithful who support the formation of our seminarians. Your sacrifices make it possible for these men to prepare well for a lifetime of joyful service. By doing so, you become grateful partners in every future Mass they celebrate, every person they lead to Christ, every child they Baptize, every marriage they bless, every sinner they absolve, and every soul they accompany toward Heaven.

What an extraordinary investment in the future of the Church.

Today, then, our diocesan Church rejoices.

And to Jonathan, Franz, and Thomas, we simply say, “Thank you for your ‘yes.’”

So, here’s your task: Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Love Him above all else. Serve His people with joy. Give yourselves without reserve because you have first received God’s love freely.

Then, like St. John Vianney, you will discover that Christ can accomplish extraordinary things through ordinary men who belong completely to Him.

May St. John Vianney, and St. Paul, pray for you. May Our Lady intercede for you. And may the Lord Who has begun this good work in you bring it to fulfillment. Amen!