The Use of a Good Listener (And Where to Find One)
Listening might not sound like “heavy lifting,” yet there are many times when it is.
In the course of any parish priest’s day, there are many varied activities. Really, from concern over some item of the buildings to time spent with a family grieving the death of a loved one, the spectrum is broad and deep – and I love it! And often the activity that is the most important and precious is listening. We priests are good listeners—at least we try to be! Now that might not sound like “heavy lifting”—yet there are many times when it is! It depends on the matter being discussed. If it is about the retirement of Tim Wakefield from the Red Sox, that is one thing; if the subject is a family coping with a loved one diagnosed with a terminal cancer, that is something else. Listening, in any event, calls one to offer complete …
