Today is the Feast of St. Andrew Avellino (+1608). He was a priest and a lawyer, at first. However, when arguing a case once he told a lie. He was so struck in his conscience about this that he experienced a deep conversion. At length he entered the Theatines, clerics regular founded by St. Cajetan and Gian Pietro Carafa who later became Pope Paul IV. They were dedicated to the reform of the clergy during the Counter-DEformation.
On 10 November 1608, St. Andrew suffered a stroke while beginning Mass in Naples. At the foot of the altar, he repeated “Introibo ad altare Dei” three times before collapsing. He received Holy Viaticum and died that day. He is invoked against strokes and sudden and unprovided death.
Many priests live alone, with no one to notice if they fail to rise, suffer a fall, or become suddenly ill. I admit to thinking about this more often than I did before.
St. Andrew was struck down in the full view of and company of others. As a member of a community, he received the spiritual care he needed at the time. His death was fairly sudden, but it was not “unprovided”, that is, it was not without the last sacraments.
Lone parish priests who answer calls at every hour may have nobody who calls simply to ask whether they are okay. Parishioners can blithely assume that someone else is looking after Father. It could be that nobody is. Modest arrangements such as a daily call, an agreed check-in, a trusted person with a key could save a life. Caring for older or ailing priests includes such practical charity. In these days of declining numbers of priests in dioceses, they are a precious and not-so-easily-renewed resource. Sure, perhaps Father might be a little defensive about either his privacy or his health. This is not that uncommon among people who are senior. It is important not to be invasive or smothering. That’s true about anyone as they get older and set in their ways. Great prudence is required, but diligence too.
Your priests need your prayers and, in some cases, someone who notices that Father’s kitchen light didn’t come on in the evening.
shiny on YOUR URGENT PRAYER REQUESTS: “Thank you to all those who have prayed for my intentions in the past! This might be a small thing,…”
