By Dr. Scott Hahn

It was an extraordinary ending to an extraordinary four days. More than 100 priests, nearly a dozen deacons, and a handful of seminarians, turned out for our special workshop-retreat for the clergy, held in late June at St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

I was there along with St. Paul Center senior fellows, Dr. Bill Bales and Dr. Brant Pitre. Brant electrified them audience with talks on the priesthood of Jesus and the Jewish roots of the Eucharist. Bill spoke to their hearts about the importance of the psalms in their priestly life of prayer. I also had a rapt audience as I spoke about prayerfully proclaiming the Word, and "actualizing" that Word in the liturgy. 

On the last night we held a question and answer session. The last question of the night came from the oldest priest in attendance, a city pastor. "I've been a priest for over 56 years and I've been to countless conferences, retreats, and workshops," he said. "This one was by far and away the best. And I guess all I want to ask is: Are you going to do it again?"

I didn't even have a chance to answer. Before I knew it, every guy in the room was on his feet  applauding.

I should have expected it. It was that kind of week. We had wide range of priests from across the country -- many of them ordained less than 10 years, and at least three had been ordained more than 50 years. 

It was like a big family reunion and I don't mean only the gathering of young and old priests. It was the Old Testament reunited with the New; the Scripture reunited with the liturgy; theology reunited with to the spiritual life of prayer; prayer reunited with proclamation.

Everybody kept saying they'd never been to a conference so rich in intellectual fare and never been to a retreat that had been so spiritual. It was the best of both worlds!

One told us: "This conference is the most important thing for my priesthood that I have done in many years. I feel I have been given tools to become first a more holy priest and then a better spiritual father. Please keep doing this!" 

There's no finer definition than that of our goal in serving priests, deacons, and seminarians. We want to help make holy priests and spiritual fathers by renewing their love, knowledge, and reverence for Scripture and the liturgy. We want them to realize the divine power of Scripture prayerfully read and the Mass prayerfully said. 

At the end of our four days together, nobody could sleep, nobody wanted to leave. We stayed up past 1 a.m. talking. 

The question asked on that last night was, "Will you do it again next year?" The answer is, yes, with God's help, and your support.

August 2006