Florida Catholic | Father Paul White Celebrates 25 Years Of Priesthood

Father Paul White celebrates 25 years of priesthood

AMY FERRARA SMITH | FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Published: 05.23.08

Father Paul White, center, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Mary Esther, prepares to receive the Eucharist during Mass in thanksgiving of his 25th anniversary of ordination May 4.
AMY FERRARA SMITH | FC

MARY ESTHER | Following a procession of the Knights of Columbus, diocesan priests and deacons, Father Paul White, pastor of St. Peter Parish in Mary Esther, made his way to the altar May 4 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his ordination to religious life.

“Father Paul, it’s nice to have a celebration where you can hear good things said about you at a time, condition and situation in your life that you can hear them,” joked Bishop John H. Ricard, SSJ, who joined the ceremony only briefly before leaving to celebrate confirmation in Panama City.

In a more serious tone, the bishop added, “So it’s important that we do celebrate anniversaries and we do honor you today. Because when we honor you, we honor the priesthood of Jesus Christ and we honor all priests. I want to express to you my hope that this time will be for you a time of renewal, a time of rededication and a time of recommitment of yourself to the Lord Jesus and to the priesthood in his church.”

Throughout the Mass, a small group of musicians accompanied the liturgy with soft hymns.

“He’s a really close friend of mine. I’ve known him since St. Mary’s (Fort Walton Beach). He knows liturgy, he knows music,” Joey Ferreira, director of music ministry for the parish, later said. “We work to the closest detail of every Mass. And it’s great working with him because he has such a passion for liturgy.” Father White serves as the director of liturgy for the diocese.

Mia Olis, cantor, added, “He really has given the music a lot of priority.”

After the Gospel reading, Father John Cayer, pastor of Our Lady of Victory Parish in Crestview, addressed the homily to his friend, noting first that Father White was ordained a monk April 16, 1983 at Conception Abbey in Conception, Mo. He lived the monastic life for 22 years before becoming a diocesan priest.

“I asked Father Paul what’s the one thing about your priesthood that you enjoy or find great satisfaction with the most,” said Father Cayer. “He said, ‘The Mass. The Mass.’ He said, ‘That’s where I feel the most authentic.’”

Father Cayer compared Jesus of Nazareth, a priest, to all priests, including Father White. “The priest must be liable to suffering, weak as a man because he must become what he touches, the body of Christ,” said Father Cayer. “And I think for most of us, most Catholics, I think we understand, experienced primarily through the Eucharist, that we come to on Sunday within the church.

“And what is the Eucharist?” he continued. “The body of Christ, a body which was broken for us, a blood which was shed for us, a sacrificed self, effective only through its destruction on Mount Calvary. And in our ritual of the Eucharist, it really only achieves its graced entrance into our lives if broken and distributed. Thus, it is this liability of Christ to suffering, his ability to be broken and shed, that makes his priesthood effective and his Eucharist possible.”

As a sacristan, Kristi Blatz works closely with Father White to prepare for Mass each Sunday. “I think highly of Father Paul. … He always makes me feel welcome. I look forward to seeing him every Sunday.”

Following the anniversary Mass, the priests, deacons and parishioners in attendance, as well as Father White’s visiting family members, continued the celebration with dinner at the Soundside Club on Hurlburt Field.

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Father Paul White celebrates 25 years of priesthood

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