A Different Linkage: "The Inseparable Link Between Holiness and Worship" by Fr. Cassium Folsom

Fr. Cassium Folsom, O.S.B. is a Benedictine monk who "founded the Monastery of San Benedetto in a small apartment in Rome in 1988." [1]  This ought to give hope to any monk who wishes to have his own monastery since a limited amount of space is apparently not a barrier.

Two years later, Fr. Cassium Folsom moved to Norcia, Italy, at the request of Norcia's Archbishop to take up residence at a real monastery that had been closed since 1810. [2]  The photo below shows how beautiful it is:

In 2011, on the 14th of April, Fr. Cassium received the Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award.  On this occasion, "Fr. Cassium delivered his acceptance speech entitled: 'The Inseparable Link Between Holiness and Worship'.  In the speech he explains, 'The humble priest has a certain ars celebrandi, a certain way of carrying himself, a certain respect for the holy things, a fitting decorum in the presence of God.  The arrogant priest has a different ars celebrandi, and the faithful can tell the difference immediately.  The humble celebrant is transparent, so that the Lord can shine through. The priest knows that the liturgy is not primarily his work, but the work of the Holy Trinity, and his job is to be a good instrument and to get out of the way as much as possible so that the Lord is free to accomplish his work of grace within the hearts of those present.  How does the priest become humble?  By a life of Christian asceticism, by allowing the Lord to break his stony heart, so that a heart of flesh can emerge.  By allowing Christ--by means of physical and spiritual suffering--to empty him of all that is not godly.'" [3]

Fr. Cassium tactfully avoided to identify expressly the typical characteristics of the arrogant priest, probably because they are too varied and numerous to list, but simply said that the faithful could tell the difference between one who is arrogant and one who is humble.  Fr. Cassium, however, did point out that the humble priest allows the Lord to shine through, and that he is "to get out of the way as much as possible so that the Lord is free to accomplish his work of grace within the hearts of those present." [4], [5]  I cannot agree more.  A priest ought to be a messenger of God without an ego, to speak to all who cross his path, to bless them and lead them to God, whether or not they are believers.


[1] https://catholicu.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/father-cassian.pdf
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] I was present at a Latin Mass on Palm Sunday this year. After I came out of the confessional, I realized that the parish priest had asked the attendees to kneel and kiss his ring before a palm was handed out to them.  That was the last time I had attended Mass there.  I was given a palm by another attendee before Mass began so I never knelt before him to kiss his ring.  I walked out after receiving Holy Communion from the priest who listened to my confession.  I had not returned to that church since.  The celebrant who wanted his ring kissed was the same individual who I later learned had refused to give his blessing in his role as a priest to non-Catholic children who attended Mass.  Priests like him distance me from the Catholic church.  When he first arrived, I had so much hope that he would be holy, that he would be the one to lead me closer to God.  He ruined my image of him as a holy priest and it hurts.  I am now back to my old habits and have not been consistent in attending Sunday services. Off and on, I have been going to a different church although I continue to say the rosary consistently but not necessarily with uninterrupted devotion and on time.