Yesterday Cardinal Jean-Marie (Aaron) Lustiger passed from this world to eternity. He was one of the most outstanding pastors of our time. Sometimes bishops are good theologians or politicians or financial directors or, occasionally, even good preachers. Cardinal Lustiger taught by word and example what it means to be a pastor. He had great courage and imagination as well as a profound understanding of the times in which he lived; all of these enabled him to challenge both the secular and the ecclesiastical culture of France with the new wine of the Gospel.
I was a parish priest in his diocese for seven years and was always encouraged in my faith when I listened to him preach. I remember well his homily at the Chrism Mass the year I left Paris (1996) at which he told us that the Diocese of Paris was now ordaining more priests per year than at any time since the French Revolution. A great promoter of vocations and supporter of young priests (-he ordained two hundred and thirty priests in his twenty four years as Archbishop of Paris), he went on in his homily to address the older priests of the diocese, reminding them that, when many of them had been young priests in the 1960s, the old parish priests had tolerated their ways of doing things and had allowed them the freedom to be priests of a different style; then he asked, “And will you not do the same for the young priests of today?”
May his great soul rest in peace.
Bon Pasteur
6 August, 2007 by PF
I like what you said. Nice words. I have nothing but good thoughts of him too. I was in France a few times in the 90’s and was with some priest friends of his. They had nothing but good to say about Lustiger, which resulted in my paying attention to him, his actions, and his words. I have followed him as a result since then. Glad I did. When I went to World Youth Day in Paris, I was reminded of the many good things I had once heard about him. Paris was alive with the faith in a way that was real and authentic. The sessions Lustiger set up and promoted were amazing. He gave an interview on the event and Communio published it back in the late 90’s. It is a great read. I will post some of his comments.
Thank you for what you wrote. I like the closing lines.
In Christ,
Love your blog…