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One of the Lucky Ones
A recent article by Paul Vitello, “Taking A Break From the Lord’s Work,” published in The New York Times has some in the church world buzzing. I thought I would add my two cents to the bit… Here is Vitello’s opening paragraph: “The findings have surfaced with ominous regularity over the last few years, and with little notice: Members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higher than most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could. ..”
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
To those of you who have not heard me say this, here it goes: one of the main tasks of the church, the vestry, and the congregation is to kill the priest. That may sound harsh, if it does, please talk to your priest or another priest or pay attention to what is happening in your church. And if you are truly disturbed by my statement keep in mind that I wrote “one of the main tasks.”
So here is the impossible ministry:
This year alone, I have already given over $3,000 to people in the parish or people who have heard of the parish or people who are just in need. And I am not rich. And trust me, I do say no a lot and I still have given that much money away, a lot more than I ever have in my discretionary account.
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
Within the last week, I have gotten twelve phone calls for weddings and baptisms and funerals – these are not people planning a wedding in 2012. No, these are people who want the “service” of the church in three weeks. It takes me hours and hours to sort through these requests and determine which ones merit an answer. By the way, of a hundred weddings, funerals, and baptisms that I do, I get a thank you from five people. Out of a hundred people only five manage to say thank you. And I give them hours and hours of my time and I give them the best they could possibly get.
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
And then there are rude parishioners. You would not believe the things people say and do. I will not write them, well, maybe… “Father, Jamaica is in Africa!” “Father, you are an idiot!” “Father, you are too black!” “Father, your homily sucked!” “Father, I am coming to your house now, please prepare food!” “The church is ugly” “You are ugly!” “Take out the pews!” “Put back the pews” “Where did they find you?” “Shut up!” “How come you did not answer the phone?” “What the hell do you do all day?” “Why do you wear a hat?” “Why do you wear blue?” “DO you think this is the Roman Catholic Church?” And I could go on and on…
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
Speaking of what I do all day. I get hundreds of emails which I have to sort through and find a Christian and charitable response, I get at least ten voice mails a day; some last for five minutes and I have to listen to it six times to get the number; people call up to meet with me for counseling or spiritual direction (this is one of the favorite parts of my ministry) and then there are regular staff meetings – seems like everybody wants to meet about everything. It does take fifteen Episcopalians and forty five meetings to change a light bulb.
Then there is the homily or sermon. One needs time to think and write this. Folks want an excellent sermon and there is never time to prepare.
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
And I have a family. And the phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing. Then most people want to meet after five. I understand that. Folks work. So many evenings I do not get home until after eight. And the phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing. And people get sick and die at nights all the time…
Vacation: I swear to God and I know I should not swear. Every time I go on vacation someone dies. I hear about it or they find me, so nine times out of ten, I come back from vacation to face death…
Would I change jobs if I could? Well, I left the priesthood once…
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
To those of you who have not heard me say this, here it goes: one of the main tasks of the church, the vestry, and the congregation is to kill the priest. That may sound harsh, if it does, please talk to your priest or another priest or pay attention to what is happening in your church. And if you are truly disturbed by my statement keep in mind that I wrote “one of the main tasks.”
So here is the impossible ministry:
This year alone, I have already given over $3,000 to people in the parish or people who have heard of the parish or people who are just in need. And I am not rich. And trust me, I do say no a lot and I still have given that much money away, a lot more than I ever have in my discretionary account.
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
Within the last week, I have gotten twelve phone calls for weddings and baptisms and funerals – these are not people planning a wedding in 2012. No, these are people who want the “service” of the church in three weeks. It takes me hours and hours to sort through these requests and determine which ones merit an answer. By the way, of a hundred weddings, funerals, and baptisms that I do, I get a thank you from five people. Out of a hundred people only five manage to say thank you. And I give them hours and hours of my time and I give them the best they could possibly get.
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
And then there are rude parishioners. You would not believe the things people say and do. I will not write them, well, maybe… “Father, Jamaica is in Africa!” “Father, you are an idiot!” “Father, you are too black!” “Father, your homily sucked!” “Father, I am coming to your house now, please prepare food!” “The church is ugly” “You are ugly!” “Take out the pews!” “Put back the pews” “Where did they find you?” “Shut up!” “How come you did not answer the phone?” “What the hell do you do all day?” “Why do you wear a hat?” “Why do you wear blue?” “DO you think this is the Roman Catholic Church?” And I could go on and on…
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
Speaking of what I do all day. I get hundreds of emails which I have to sort through and find a Christian and charitable response, I get at least ten voice mails a day; some last for five minutes and I have to listen to it six times to get the number; people call up to meet with me for counseling or spiritual direction (this is one of the favorite parts of my ministry) and then there are regular staff meetings – seems like everybody wants to meet about everything. It does take fifteen Episcopalians and forty five meetings to change a light bulb.
Then there is the homily or sermon. One needs time to think and write this. Folks want an excellent sermon and there is never time to prepare.
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
And I have a family. And the phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing. Then most people want to meet after five. I understand that. Folks work. So many evenings I do not get home until after eight. And the phone keeps ringing and ringing and ringing. And people get sick and die at nights all the time…
Vacation: I swear to God and I know I should not swear. Every time I go on vacation someone dies. I hear about it or they find me, so nine times out of ten, I come back from vacation to face death…
Would I change jobs if I could? Well, I left the priesthood once…
By the way, I am one of the lucky ones, I do like my job for the most part…
Posted August 3, 2010
Author: Rev. Mark Bozzuti-Jones
Created: February 19, 2009
Using poetry, music, scripture and current events, we will explore in an interactive kind of a way the spiritual path of life...
Trinity Wall Street | for a world of good
Comments
Count me as number six: THANK YOU - and thank God for you! You should know that everytime I see you in person or on this screen - I say a prayer for your day.
A.O.G. on August 4, 2010
Count me as number SEVEN - THANK YOU for staying in your job. Reading and pondering THE FULLNESS blog is part of my spiritual practice. I live in Tucson and am one of the lucky ones who work in a senior living community. As I read the NYT article and now your 2 cents, I could relate to so many of the impossible tasks AND I do like my job for the most part....I do have one request - Could you write more often to THE FULLNESS blog? :)
Sue Alexander on August 7, 2010
I don't doubt for a moment the accuracy of your experiences. Look on the bright side. In your former denominational home most priests live alone or at least have no full-time assisting clergy. Such is also the case in most mainline Protestant churches , TEC included. At least at Trinity there are other priests to share the pastoral duties. At the risk of setting the cat among the pigeons, are you hinting at something here?
JFM on August 7, 2010
You really got me worried. How in the world you are going to make it !! Our wedding is coming up in only 3 weeks and we only asked for you in February. But I will dye if You and Your wife will not dance with us at our wedding reception! OK, OK! I will drop one request, you don't have to teach Stuart how to swing his bootie Jamaican style, but you have to lead all of us to some calypso,and reggae, and we will show you polish polka. Sic!!!! polka is really from Czechoslovakia, and today they even split to separate countries making geography even more complicated. So, if you don't want to add more work to your schedule by causing me to dye, please, please, pretty please, with a cherry on Your Hat, make it sure that you will come to our wedding party !!!!!! But seriously now, I can't expressed strong enough, how much we appreciate you for all those wonderful times of counseling. Your kindness, your gorgeous smile and patience, understanding and great advise you have given to us has certainly brought us closer to Trinity. We really feel that we belong. Trinity Wall Street Is Our Home now. We are grateful that you do really like you job for the most part ..... and want to remind you that some people can only see one shade of only color and they just don't know how much they are missing. Life is beautiful, God is great and we truly love you. P/S Some time ago I was asked this question. " So you are a polish girl from Warsaw, right? Can you explain these to me. Is Poland in Europe or Europe is in Poland? Perhaps we can tell them that Jamaica share it's border with Poland and New Zealand! God please help this People, and keep geography in american classrooms.
Barbara Tabor and Stuart Martin on August 7, 2010
I hear you. The priests in my church must be on, on, on, on, in terms of their public faces, or else there are the inevitable comments suggesting they are not hospitable ("He didn't say hello to me! ) or they don't make themselves available (" I have no idea what s/he does!"),, etc. Meanwhile, they are breaking their necks spending hours and hours sitting and hearing peoples' problems, worries, concerns or making visits - serious work that must be done - but there is no limit, the work for clergy is unending...9 hour days followed by evening meetings... what's left when they get home, I wonder?
caroline on August 8, 2010
Thank you all for your kind and supportive words. Yes, you make ministry easier amidst the challenges (which are blessings in their own way). Sue, i will try and write more... Blessings.
MB-J on August 8, 2010
Amen Father!!! I serve on staff as Canon Pastor at the Cathedral of St. John in Albuquerque and am moving to Queens to serve as Priest-in-Charge of St. Gabriel's Anglican Episcopal Church. I will Pray for you and please pray for me.
Terence on August 12, 2010
Thanks for all you do for us, Rev.!
Emily on August 14, 2010
I bet I owe you many Thank Yous...so here's one little one -- THANK YOU, Fr. Mark! You truly rock. You are not too black you are not ugly your sermons do not suck, etc. etc. etc. We God's people are truly blessed to have you in our world. Stay strong. I know you will stay loving. Peace!
Susan Garcia on August 19, 2010
Dear Brother, you just don't have a job...You have a Vocation, you have been called out. The I'am is in you.........A bestowal given to you by the Supreme Source of All. The shared consciousness of God.You are a Co-Creator, a branch of God's workmanship. Keep up the good work and Many Blessings & Light. PS...Enjoy the rest of the summer season.
Mystical Traveler on August 21, 2010
Amen Fr. Mark. You are not the first Priest to voice these sentiments, but you are the first one, that I know of, bold enough to put it in writing; ) Peace of the Lord. Love Worf
Worf Son of Mogh on September 4, 2010
Please let me know when you are going on vacation so I remember to look both ways when I cross the street.
Lesha on September 12, 2010
Rev Mark, I think you can get a voicemail service that puts a time limit on messages, which you could let people know about in your greeting message. Worth looking into?
DC on September 15, 2010
Father Mark, You are my inspiration adn I look forward to your sermons on Wednesdays and Fridays! I love the hugs! GOD BLESS Y.O.U.!!! See you tomorrow. XOXO!
Alissa Mandaro on September 16, 2010
You rock star you...with all that goes with it., all the pleasures and satisfactions, and all the burdens. All the loneliness and anger, and all the joys. To be fully engaged is to feel pain as well as that power and that delight. Drains the batteries pretty quickly, and hard to keep recharging them, over and over and over. Blessings on you.
Hilary on September 19, 2010
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