ACTION ITEM! International Buy a Priest a Beer Day!

WDTPRS ^ | September 9, 2013 | Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

[NYer]

At the blog of The Catholic Gentleman:

International Buy a Priest a Beer Day!

Did you know that this coming Monday, September 9, is International Buy a Priest a Beer Day? On this festive day, faithful Catholics all over the world take their priests out for a beer and get to know them better. It’s a beautiful Catholic tradition that goes back to the time of St. Hopswald of Aleyard, the first man to take his priest out for a beer.

Okay, if you’re getting suspicious by now, there’s a good reason. Buy a Priest a Beer Day is not a real holiday. But I would argue that it should be! [Do I hear an "Amen!"?]

Believe it or not, priests are real people, and they enjoy socializing over good food and drink as much as anyone. They also have a thankless and difficult job, a job that we couldn’t get to heaven without. Priests are the lifeblood of the Church, and they deserve some appreciation.

So with that in mind, I would challenge you to do something concrete to show appreciation to your priest in the month ahead. Yes, it could be taking him out for a beer, or it could be inviting him over to share dinner with your family. Be creative if you want, but give back to your priest somehow, and let him know that his ministry is making a difference.

Of course, your priest may be insanely busy and unable to schedule a time for a lengthier visit. That’s okay. You could offer a rosary or a holy hour for him and his intentions (or better yet, more than one), and let him know that you are regularly praying for him. At the very least, express to him your gratitude, in person or via a note, for his faithful ministry and his answering God’s call to the priesthood.

I fully expect there to be a lot of happy, encouraged priests by the end of the month. If you want to participate, leave a comment saying, “I’m in!” Ready, set, go.

My correspondent who sent me the link and alerted me to this sacred event, wrote:

Apparently, amazon doesn’t sell beer, so I dropped a $20 into your tip jar so you can pop out and choose something interesting.

;o)

I like that idea.

Here’s my donation button!

 

UPDATE:

Something fun happened. One of the gals who looks after us here (cleaning, laundry, finding useful stuff, reading my blog, etc.) came with a basket of clothes and …

And it’s cold!

UPDATE Monday 2020 GMT:

So far I have been given only ONE real, physical, beer.

However, I have been getting some donations and some have messages. Here’s one:

Enjoy your beer, Father! God bless you and your work. My family (siblings,parents,husband) and I check in on a regular basis to see what trouble you are stirring up. Keep it up. We could use more trouble makers, and I mean that in the best possible way. May Our Lady protect and bless you, always

And:

Specially for the “Buy a priest a beer day”. Greetings from Germany.

[NYer]

Catholic, ping!

[a fool in paradise]

[Fido969]

Post suggestions!

[Fido969]

[smvoice]

“Suggestion” “Suggestion?” I suggest we all kick back with a Saint Arnold tonight and watch the Texans KICK you-KNOW-what!

[markomalley]

[Heart-Rest]

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Maybe they should make this a Holy Day of Obligation...

☺

Here's some music to enjoy that beer with, Padre:    I Like Beer - Tom T. Hall

(And, thanks Father!)

[rwa265]

Our Senior Associate Pastor would get a kick out of this. He ends his homilies with: “Do I hear an Amen!”?