Fr. Bryan Recommends

Fr. Bryan Recommends
The Priest is Not His Own
by Archbishop Fulton Sheen
 
            I’ve recommended books by Archbishop Fulton Sheen before, and when I was thinking of books on the priesthood to recommend it didn’t take long to settle on this one. He was born in 1895 and ordained a priest on September 20, 1919. He was consecrated a bishop in 1951 and archbishop in 1969. He is most famous for His television show, Life is Worth Living, which ran from 1951 to 1957, and a followup show from 1958 to 1968. The viewing audience is estimated to be as at least 10 million or as high as 30 million viewers every week.

            His book on the priesthood is not really a theological explanation of what the priesthood is, but it’s more of a spiritual look at the priesthood. He writes about who the priest is, why we need priests, what priests do, and how priests should live. He gives practical advise to priests on how to grow in holiness, and how to draw souls to Christ. 

            He focuses on the fact that the priest is meant to imitate Christ, to be an alter Christus. Christ came as a victim offering Himself for our sins. He was born in order to die, and He died for us, to save us. If Christ came to offer Himself for us, His flock, then every priest is called to do the same, to offer Himself for his flock. Hence the title, The Priest is Not His Own.

            This book is really written for priests and seminarians, but if you want to understand the priesthood better, then this is one of the best places to start.
 
Next Week: Three Kinds of Love

https://www.amazon.com/Priest-Not-His-Own/dp/1586170449/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524842658&sr=8-1&keywords=the+priest+is+not+his+own