Dear Friends of the Friars,

As many of you know, seven of our friars were ordained priests in May. We hope, over the next week or so, to post a few words from our new priests along with some photos of their first Masses celebrated in their home parishes.

Please pray for them!
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July 1, 2007

Surprised by Joy

One of the biggest surprises of becoming a priest was not the experience of celebrating Mass or hearing Confessions. These were indeed as powerful as I expected them to be. But what caught me so off guard was the response of my extended family, most of whom are lapsed in the practice of their faith. I wrongly presumed that they would be indifferent to my becoming a priest, especially after the negative publicity priests have received in recent years! They were not only not indifferent, they were proud that “one of theirs is now a priest.”

As family members carried me on their shoulders and processed me into the reception hall following my Mass of Thanksgiving, (as is customary in the Middle Eastern culture) I was overcome with great joy. This experience was exactly what I needed. In a time when so many are falling away from the practice of the Faith, there is indeed much hope!

Fr. Gabriel Mary Bakkar, CFR

St. Leopold Friary, Yonkers, New York

(above,
l-r) Br. Jacob Hausman, CFR; Fr. Terry Messer, CFR; Fr. Gabriel Mary Bakkar, CFR

photos below:The Bakkar Family