May 2013 – Daniel Tomberlin

May 31, 2013November 11, 2014

Lessons on Leadership from the Bishop of Rome

Pope Francis’s recent address to the Italian bishops was a call to be models of discipleship, not masters over persons.

“The consequence of the love of the Lord is to give everything—exactly everything, even one’s own life—for Him: This is that which ought to distinguish our pastoral ministry. It is the ‘acid test’ that bespeaks the profundity that we have embraced, the gift we have received. By responding to the call of Jesus, we show how much we are bound to the persons and the communities that have been entrusted to us.”

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May 11, 2013May 11, 2013

Shades, Angels, Memories, and the Resurrection

The most sensitive and critical moments of pastoral ministry are times of sorrow in death. This is especially true when the people we are seeking to comfort and encourage are members of our family. I have been here many times. I have presided or spoke at the funeral services of all four grandparents, my father, uncles, aunts, cousins, a nephew, and a niece. Most recently, I presided over the service for my brother, Randy. The past two weeks have been very tough. First, we lost two uncles. Then, two days after Uncle Mike died we received the news that Randy died suddenly and unexpectedly. Our grief has been profound.

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