GASTONIA — It’s been a decade since Father Lucas Rossi, pastor of St. Michael Church, knelt before Bishop Peter Jugis and was ordained a priest.
Since that day in 2010, Father Rossi’s vocation has taken him from churches in Winston-Salem to Charlotte to Salisbury, in addition to a brief time discerning a monastic vocation with the Benedictines at Belmont Abbey. In 2018, Bishop Jugis assigned him to serve as pastor of St. Michael Church in Gastonia. He has embraced the ups and downs of ministry, most recently leading St. Michael Parish’s efforts to replace a leaky church roof, strengthening parish life and ministries, and embarking on a revitalization of St. Michael School.
“It’s wonderful serving as pastor. I am very happy to be at a parish with a parish school,” he says. “The families are wonderful, holy and supportive people.”
One of the greatest challenges, he says, has been his separation from parishioners after public Masses were not able to be celebrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Not being able to offer Holy Communion to the faithful during Mass in the early weeks of the shutdown was difficult.
“That was horrible,” he recalls. “As we have opened up and people have come back, we are encouraging precautions. And we are also livestreaming the Sunday 9 a.m. Mass for those who can’t be with us.”
He has come to learn that a successful pastor is one who promotes unity with his parishioners and has a heart open to listening to them, encouraging them, and leading them according to Christ’s example. He has embraced this lesson in his own ministry. “It is important to listen to the counsel that the parish leaders offer the pastor. It is important to collaborate with parishioners in leadership, as they offer you their expertise and advice, and it is important to have the support and prayers of the faithful,” he says. “I have come to rely very much on that support and prayer.”
Daily prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, confession, and fraternity with brother priests have also been sources of strength for him, he says.
“I think that as we are spiritual fathers for the people and we preach about prayer, we have to embrace prayer and a fruitful sacramental life ourselves – first and foremost. We have to be living it. That is an important lesson.”
His advice to men discerning the priesthood? “Develop a deep love for Our Lady and for Jesus in the Eucharist, in Adoration. If that’s not there, you will probably not hear the voice of the Lord. Turn from sin, root it out with regular confession so you can remove the obstacles of sin, which prevents you from hearing God’s voice.”
He points out that every young man is called to be holy. The vocation is the pathway to holiness – be it priesthood, religious life, married life or committed single life. “Every man is called to share in some way in the fatherhood of the Heavenly Father. A man committed to holiness does not mean he will automatically become a priest. A man seeking holiness will be led by God to a particular vocation.”
“Universally, we can look at St. Joseph, who embraced holiness in married life and chastity,” he adds. “Devote your life to Mary and Jesus, serve them in every way possible in your vocation. That is the path to holiness.”
— SueAnn Howell, Senior reporter