He Leadeth Me | Chapter 11 | The Priesthood

Summary

The script narrates the experiences of a priest in Siberian prison camps, where he secretly performed religious duties despite opposition from authorities. It details the psychological warfare, surveillance, and the use of informers by the NKVD to suppress religious activities. The priest's interactions with fellow prisoners, his resilience, and the role of faith in the camps are highlighted, showing how his actions influenced others and provided spiritual solace.

Takeaways

• 📜 The script narrates the experiences of a priest in Siberian prison camps, detailing his ability to perform religious duties despite the harsh conditions.
• 🙏 The priest found solace and purpose in ministering to fellow prisoners, including saying mass in secret, hearing confessions, and providing spiritual guidance.
• 🚫 The Soviet authorities were opposed to religious activities, viewing priests as a threat due to their influence over others, which led to constant surveillance and harassment.
• 🗣️ Informants were prevalent in the camps, creating an atmosphere of mistrust among prisoners, which the authorities exploited to prevent unity and potential revolts.
• 🔍 The NKVD (Soviet security agency) conducted regular interviews with priests to intimidate them and to gather information about prisoner conversations and activities.
• 🙅 The priest refused to cooperate with the NKVD, choosing to protect the confidentiality of prisoner confessions and the integrity of the religious sacraments.
• 👫 Despite the risks and restrictions, the priest's presence was sought after by prisoners, highlighting the enduring human need for spiritual connection and guidance.
• 🤝 The priest valued the camaraderie and support from other religious figures in the camp, which provided mutual encouragement and a sense of community amidst adversity.
• ⛪ The priest's role was not just to perform religious rites but to be a living witness to faith, inspiring others through his actions, dedication, and service.
• 🌟 The script underscores the transformative power of faith and religious ministry, even in the most oppressive environments, offering hope and a sense of purpose to those who were suffering.

Q & A

What was the primary consolation for the priest in Siberian prison camps?

The primary consolation for the priest was the ability to function as a priest again, including saying mass in secret, hearing confessions, baptizing, comforting the sick, and ministering to the dying.

How did the authorities in the camps view priestly activities?

The authorities viewed priestly activities as dangerous and against religion, using the power of law and the Soviet constitution, which forbade proselytizing, to suppress such activities.

What was the purpose of the frequent interviews between the NKVD security agents and the priests?

The interviews served two main purposes: to conduct psychological warfare through harassment and intimidation, and to find out what the prisoners were discussing, particularly with priests, as the NKVD was interested in the conversations and potential ringleaders within the camp.

Why were priests considered especially dangerous by the camp authorities?

Priests were considered especially dangerous because they had influence over other people, and the authorities feared that they could potentially incite insurrections or revolts among the prisoners.

How did the presence of informers affect the relationships among prisoners?

The presence of informers led to a feeling of mistrust among the prisoners, making them afraid to confide in anyone unless they knew them exceptionally well, which in turn made it difficult for any organization or conspiracy to form among the prisoners.

What challenges did the priest face in his efforts to minister to the prisoners?

The priest faced challenges such as being assigned to the lowest work brigades, having his food rations cut, being denied privileges, and being frequently harassed and interviewed by security agents.

How did the priest perceive his role and the impact of his actions in the prison camps?

The priest perceived his role as one of service and ministry, with no thought of personal inconvenience or risk. He saw his actions as a witness to his faith, believing that his suffering and labors could be offered up for his fellow men.

What was the attitude of the other prisoners towards priests in the camps?

Despite the harsh conditions and the authorities' efforts to suppress religious activities, other prisoners sought out priests for spiritual guidance and comfort, and they respected and supported them in their faith.

How did the priest's experiences in Lubianca influence his service in the prison camps?

The priest's experiences in Lubianca, where he underwent a period of purification, made him more humble and better equipped to serve the prisoners in Siberia. He was grateful for the opportunity to function as a priest again and to offer his sufferings for the benefit of others.

What was the significance of the priest's role as a mediator between God and men in the context of the prison camps?

As a mediator, the priest could offer up his suffering and labors for his fellow men, adding a dimension of expiation and sacrifice to their lives, and providing a sense of purpose and dedication beyond mere survival.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Priesthood in Siberian Prison Camps

The narrator, a priest, reflects on his time in Siberian prison camps during which he was able to resume his priestly duties in secret. Despite the hardships, he found consolation in being able to say mass, hear confessions, baptize, and provide comfort to the sick and dying. He also faced harassment and intimidation from the Soviet authorities who saw priests as a threat due to their influence over others. The priest recounts the constant surveillance, the use of informers, and the psychological warfare employed by the NKVD to discourage religious activities. He also discusses the impact of these tactics on the prisoners' ability to trust one another and form communities within the camp.

05:02

🔗 The Unbreakable Bond of Faith in Adversity

Despite the oppressive environment of the prison camps, the narrator describes how priests maintained strong connections with their fellow prisoners. As soon as a priest's presence was known, he would be sought out by other prisoners, not for personal reasons but because of his role as a representative of God. The priestly duties included providing spiritual guidance, absolution, and moral support to those in need. The narrator emphasizes the humility and service required of a priest, highlighting the importance of living the faith rather than just preaching it. He also discusses the camaraderie among priests in the camps, sharing the challenges of ministering to prisoners and the importance of their collective witness to their faith.

10:04

🙏 The Power of Witness and the Role of Religious Leaders

The text delves into the role of religious leaders, particularly Catholic priests, in the prison camps, and how their dedication and witness to their faith influenced other prisoners. It contrasts the priests' approach with that of Baptist ministers, who were often more hostile and separatist. The priests' unwavering commitment to their faith, even in the face of persecution and hardship, served as a testament to their beliefs. The text also touches on the Baptists' strict adherence to their faith and their resistance to the atheistic regime. It discusses the priests' interactions with other Christian denominations, the challenges of ministering in a repressive environment, and the importance of their witness in helping prisoners reconnect with their faith.

15:06

⛪ The Priesthood's Apostolate and the Impact of Faith

This paragraph highlights the apostolic work of priests in the Siberian labor camps and the profound impact of their faith on the prisoners. It describes how the priests, through their actions and dedication, provided a sense of purpose and meaning to the harsh realities of camp life. The text emphasizes the importance of the priest's role as a mediator between God and men, offering up their sufferings for the benefit of others. It also discusses the support and respect the priests received from the Catholic prisoners of Polish, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, and Latvian descent, who played a crucial role in protecting and aiding the priests in their apostolic mission. The narrative conveys the transformative power of faith in the most challenging circumstances and the priests' commitment to their spiritual duties despite the risks and difficulties.

Keywords

💡Priest

A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a church, particularly in the Christian tradition. In the context of the video, priests are central figures who, despite the hardships of Siberian prison camps, manage to carry out their religious duties in secret. They provide spiritual guidance, perform sacraments, and offer comfort to fellow prisoners, highlighting their role as shepherds of faith even in the most challenging circumstances.

💡Siberia

Siberia is a vast region in Russia, known for its harsh climate and history as a site for penal colonies and gulags. The video script references Siberia as the setting for the prison camps where the priests were held, emphasizing the extreme conditions and isolation they faced. This geographical context is crucial for understanding the severity of the priests' suffering and their resilience in continuing to practice their faith.

💡NKVD

The NKVD refers to the People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs in the Soviet Union, which was responsible for the state security, police, and political repression. In the script, the NKVD is depicted as the oppressive force that conducts surveillance and intimidation of priests and prisoners. The mention of the NKVD illustrates the political and ideological conflict between the Soviet regime and religious practices.

💡Informers

Informers are individuals who provide information about others, often secretly and to an authority, as a means of gaining favor or avoiding punishment. The script describes a pervasive network of informers within the camps, which sows distrust among prisoners and hinders the formation of collective resistance or support networks. The presence of informers underscores the oppressive atmosphere and the challenges faced by priests in maintaining their religious activities discreetly.

💡Religious Persecution

Religious persecution refers to the systematic mistreatment of individuals or groups due to their religious beliefs. The video script details how priests were particularly targeted for their influence over others, facing harassment, surveillance, and punishment. This persecution is a central theme, illustrating the struggle between religious faith and the atheistic policies of the Soviet state.

💡Sacraments

Sacraments are religious rites considered to have a transformative effect on the individual and are central to many Christian denominations. The script mentions sacraments such as Mass, confession, and baptism, which priests perform in secret to provide spiritual solace to the prisoners. These acts of worship symbolize the enduring nature of faith and the priests' commitment to their religious duties despite the risks.

💡Apostolate

Apostolate refers to the work of spreading the Christian faith and performing missionary activities. In the video, the priests' apostolate in the prison camps involves ministering to the spiritual needs of fellow prisoners, often in secret and under severe restrictions. This term highlights the priests' dedication to their mission, even in the face of persecution and adversity.

💡Providence

Providence, in a religious context, refers to the belief in a higher power's guidance and care for the world and human affairs. The script reflects on how the priests view their suffering and their presence in the camps as part of God's plan, finding purpose and consolation in their faith. This concept is integral to understanding the priests' resilience and their ability to find meaning in their circumstances.

💡Confession

Confession, in Christian theology, is the act of admitting one's sins to a priest, who then offers absolution. The script describes how priests hear confessions in secret, highlighting the importance of this sacrament for maintaining spiritual health and the continuity of religious practice within the camps. It also illustrates the trust and confidentiality that exist between the priests and prisoners.

💡Witness

In a religious sense, a witness is someone who testifies to their faith and its impact on their life. The video emphasizes the priests' role as witnesses to their faith through their actions, dedication, and suffering. Their witness serves as a powerful example to other prisoners, inspiring them to reconsider their relationship with God and the importance of faith amidst adversity.

💡Expiation

Expiation refers to the act of making amends for one's sins or the sins of others, often through suffering or sacrifice. The script mentions how priests view their labor and suffering in the camps as a form of expiation, offering their hardships for the benefit of others. This concept illustrates the transformative power of faith, turning suffering into a means of spiritual growth and service to others.

Highlights

The priest found consolation in Siberian prison camps by being able to function as a priest again, including saying mass in secret.

Authorities in the camps opposed religious activities, viewing priests as dangerous due to their influence over others.

Prisoners were under constant surveillance, with informers present throughout the camps, leading to a culture of mistrust.

The priest resisted cooperating with the NKVD's attempts to gather information, fearing it would compromise the sanctity of confession.

Despite the harsh conditions, priests were sought out by other prisoners, indicating a deep spiritual need among the incarcerated.

The priest's interactions with other prisoners were humbling, as they came to him not for his personal qualities but because of his role as a representative of God.

The priest's role was one of service and ministry, offering support without regard for personal inconvenience or risk.

The priest saw his suffering in the camps as part of God's will and a means to serve his fellow prisoners.

The priest's experiences in Lubianca led to a deeper understanding of God's grace and a more humble service in the camps.

Priests in the camps formed a support network, sharing resources and spiritual counsel, despite the risks and challenges.

Baptist ministers and Orthodox priests also played a role in the camps, though their interactions with Catholic priests were limited.

The priest's primary role was to be a witness to the faith, living it out in his actions and interactions with others.

The priest's dedication and service inspired respect and admiration among prisoners, leading some to rekindle their faith.

The priest's presence in the camps provided a sense of purpose and meaning to the suffering and labor, offering a spiritual dimension to the prisoners' experiences.

The priest's role extended beyond religious duties to include a daily offering of his labors and sufferings for the benefit of others.

Despite the challenges, the priest found joy in being able to serve as a priest again, even in the harsh environment of the Arctic Siberian camps.

Transcripts

[Music]

chapter 11

the priesthood

for all the hardships and suffering

endured there the prison camps of

siberia held one great consolation for

me

i was able to function as a priest again

i was able to say mass again although in

secret to hear confessions to baptize to

comfort the sick and to minister to the

dying

i was able to speak to others about god

and instruct them in the faith to

strengthen those whose faith was weak to

help and enlighten those who were

believers in name only but who wanted to

be more who might have said with that

man in the gospel lord i believe

help my unbelief

of course

all this could not be done too openly

the authorities in the camps did more

than simply frown on such priestly

activities officially of course they

were against religion and had the power

of the law and the soviet constitution

which forbade proselytizing on their

side

but there was more to the opposition

than that they knew priests had

influence on other people

from the point of view of those in

charge of the camps therefore that made

priests especially dangerous no matter

what they were telling their fellow

prisoners

accordingly priests were called in

regularly for interviews by the nkvd

security agents

i had my share of such interviews

one purpose of the interviews was a sort

of constant psychological warfare a form

of harassment and intimidation a not so

gentle reminder that such dangerous

enemies of the soviet people as priests

were constantly under surveillance

from time to time in these interviews

the security agents would deliberately

let it be known that much of the priests

activities were immediately known to

them through informers

the camps were full of informers

everybody knew that prisoners who worked

in the camp offices frequently suspected

or even knew for a fact who the

informers were and would tip off their

friends not to have anything to do with

such men some informers were beaten up

in retaliation i knew of cases where

they were even killed but by and large

the prisoners took it for granted that

such people had simply caved in under

whatever pressure the nkvd had used

against them it was a fact of life and a

man's first duty was to survive so

fellow prisoners might feel sorry for

the men or they might hold him in

contempt but as a practical matter they

simply avoided him or talked about

nothing with him except the most

ordinary things

in so close knit a society as the prison

camp

it did not take long for a word to get

around about who had joined the ranks of

the informers they made it easier for

the other prisoners in one sense but it

also served the authority's purpose as

well

it generated a feeling of mistrust among

the prisoners a man was really afraid to

confide in anyone unless he knew him

exceptionally well

and that made it all the more difficult

for any sort of organization

or conspiracy to come into being among

the prisoners

in the same way and for much of the same

reasons

i'm sure the security agents let it be

known that informers were constantly

watching priests so that a man would be

very slow to engage in religious

conversation with an ever widening

circle of people he did not know well

another purpose of these frequent

security interviews with priests was to

find out just what the prisoners were

saying if they were not talking to

priests about religion they must be

talking to them about something besides

the weather so the nkvd men would try to

find out what was being said in the camp

who were the ringleaders of various

groups what was said privately in the

barracks how the prisoners felt about

the regime the system the future

i consistently refused to cooperate in

any such line of questioning i had had a

belly full of cooperation with the nkvd

in lubianca

more than that i felt i had to be

extremely careful about giving even the

external appearance of cooperating lest

there be any suspicion among the

prisoners about placing the seal of

confession in jeopardy of course there

was never any question about that in my

mind but i had to be especially careful

so that no one else would have such

doubts either

i was punished for my lack of

cooperation in these sessions in many

ways i was assigned to the lowest work

brigades and even to the penal brigade

so that would be impossible for me to

build up an apostolic following my

brigades were changed frequently my food

rations were cut i was assigned to the

poorest barracks allowed no privileges

not even the ones i might have earned

and if the brigadier or the man in

charge of the barracks put my name on a

list of privileges for some reason or

other there would quickly be

intervention by some higher official to

prevent my actually receiving it

meanwhile the harassment and the

interviews went on

there was no doubt that priests were

singled out in this regard

but a system based on fear and

intimidation as the prison camps were

could not confine itself just to this

religious minority

camp officials were deathly afraid of

and constantly on guard against little

insurrections or revolts among the

prisoners they went to great lengths to

break up nationality groups among the

prisoners or language groups or even

people from the same town or other

common background for example those who

had been to universities or were former

party members

since the prison camps of the arctic

circle however included men from all

nationalities in the soviet union and

many men with common backgrounds such as

the army the university or the party it

was impossible for the security agents

to prevent common interest groups from

forming or associating with one another

in non-working hours

no doubt that was one reason the working

hours were stretched almost to the

limits of human endurance

it was the reason for the creation of

mixed brigades where the prisoners

shared little or no common interest

it was the reason why brigades were

changed frequently and finally it was

the reason why no secret was made of the

use of informers by the security organs

at all costs they had to be able to

isolate potential troublemakers or

leaders of any sort and it was because

of this potential for leadership among

the nationality or religious groups that

they singled out priests for

surveillance as much as for any reasons

of atheistic propaganda or

anti-religious persecution

nevertheless the amazing thing to me was

how little all these security measures

affected a priest's relations with other

prisoners the moment he appeared on the

campgrounds by himself or with a fellow

priest he would be joined by passing

prisoners the moment it became known in

a new brigade or a new barracks or a new

camp that a man was a priest he would be

sought out

he didn't have to make friends

they came to him instead

it was a very humbling experience

because you quickly came to appreciate

that it was god's grace at work and had

little to do with your own efforts

people came to you

because you were a priest

not because of what you were personally

they didn't always come either expecting

wise counsel or spiritual wisdom or an

answer to every difficulty they came

expecting absolution from their sins

the power of the sacrament

to realize this was a matter of joy and

of humility you realized that they came

to you as a man of god a representative

of god a man chosen from among men and

ordained for men in the things that are

of god

he realized too that this imposed upon

you an obligation of service of ministry

with no thought of personal

inconvenience no matter how tired you

might be physically or what risks you

might be running in the face of official

threats

for my part i could not help but see in

every encounter with every prisoner the

will of god for me now at this time and

in this place and the hand of providence

that had brought me here by strange and

torturous paths

it was not always a matter of preaching

god and religion it was enough at times

simply to respect each of your fellow

men in the camp to do good to each no

matter what he himself did or said no

matter how he acted toward you even the

christians who came specifically to seek

advice needed sympathy and moral support

more than they needed a reminder of

their obligations or their failings

there was little call to preach about

sin or damnation or hellfire to men who

experienced daily the hell of loneliness

and separation and anxiety

a great deal of tolerance and a great

deal of understanding were required of a

priest if he wished to be effective

among these unfortunate and almost

degraded human beings

common sense and intuition a feeling for

the finger of god's grace behind a

question or a conversation or an

encounter was much more necessary than

textbook answers in theology before my

own sad experiences in lubianca where i

finally came to understand that

everything depends on god and not on

self in matters spiritual i had always

thought that i had a definite answer and

an explanation for all the moral

questions in every problem of conscience

having failed the test myself however

having learned god's truth the hard way

i was able in the camps to be of humble

service to the men god sent my way each

day

we come to know the workings of the

spirit in ourselves slowly how much more

slowly then do we begin to detect the

workings of that same spirit and others

as i worked daily in the camps i thanked

god over and over again for the awful

period of purification i underwent in

lubianca so that i could serve these

tortured men and i thanked him too for

the mysterious workings of his

providence that had brought me here

but above all i thanked him for having

chosen me to be a priest and for the joy

he gave me now in being able to function

as a priest again

in every camp there were a number of

priests this too was a source of

consolation to me the ones who had been

there the longest were usually the ones

who had made the contacts necessary to

obtain what was needed for mass

they were delighted to have another

priest in the camp and quick to spread

the word among the prisoners such

friendship was a joy in itself but it

also meant a chance to go to confession

in the sacraments again to talk of

spiritual things to share experiences

we discussed together how best to answer

the problems that the prisoners brought

to us problems peculiar to a prison camp

and never covered in the course of

theology

we exhorted and encouraged one another

shared prayers and short homilies they

may not have been the most polished

sermons but they were often moving and

most provocative because of the

circumstances under which they were

delivered

it was something just to be with these

men and to see them prove in word and

indeed their dedication to god and to

the flock he entrusted to them day after

day

not that all of them were perfect

indeed there were even informers among

the priests themselves we sometimes knew

it because trusted prisoners who worked

in the offices would tell us of

encounters they had seen sometimes these

priests themselves would tell us

privately how they had been pressured

into such cooperation and they begged

our forgiveness

strange as it may seem these informers

or suspected informers were never

excluded from our company they shared in

our masses we heard their confessions

and they heard ours such was the power

of our confidence in the seal of the

confessional and we could not bring

ourselves to turn away anyone from the

grace to be gained in the sacraments or

in listening to the word of god we all

had our failings each of us knew only

too well how much we depended upon god

and on his grace

every camp also had a number of baptist

ministers but they would rarely have

anything to do with us most of them in

fact were fiercely anti-catholic at

times openly antagonistic and hostile

they and their followers were usually a

close-knit group they held regular

prayer meetings recited the bible from

memory and instructed one another to be

faithful to christ while opposing

antichrists whether in the guise of

communism or catholicism

perhaps because they were so staunch and

outspoken or maybe simply because they

were such a close-knit group

the camp officials were particularly

severe on the baptists and did their

best to break up such groups

i was saddened and frequently puzzled at

their attitude toward other believers

especially under the circumstances

yet one could not help but admire their

dedication and the christian witness

they gave to their beliefs

there were some who felt that their

relations with other christians were not

particularly christ-like or even

charitable

yet if they sincerely believed that the

church somehow stood for antichrist one

could perhaps understand their fear of

us and their reactions

certainly in all other ways they were

admirable and they were never afraid to

stand up for their faith to suffer for

it and so give testimony in their daily

lives to their religious beliefs

the same could be said of the few

orthodox priests and monks i met in the

prison camps they were not very active

for the most part but they seemed

genuinely holy men they stayed away from

controversy or even much in the way of

public religious activity

instead they led a simple life of prayer

and work

in the barracks they kept to themselves

rarely speaking to the other prisoners

some older prisoners themselves orthodox

visited them occasionally and spent some

time with them in private conversation

but they seemed to want to avoid doing

anything that would call attention to

themselves or that would get them into

trouble with camp authorities

nevertheless the other prisoners showed

respect for them left them alone and

wondered sometimes at their life of

prayer

the key word in fact of our priestly

apostolate in the camps had to be the

word witness it was not so much a matter

of preaching god and talking religion to

the men around you as it was a matter of

living the faith that you yourself

professed

many of them could not at first

understand the life dedicated to god and

work and suffering and in sacrifice but

they began by respecting it

and from that respect grew a sense of

admiration

and then of inquiry

it was not so much what you said but

what you did how you lived that

influenced them

they were wise in the ways of the prison

camp and the prison system they knew

that priests were the object of special

harassment by the officials

yet they saw these same priests refused

to become embittered they saw them spend

themselves in helping others they saw

them daily give of themselves beyond

what was required without complaint

without thinking of themselves first

without regard for their own comfort or

even safety they saw them make

themselves available to the sick and to

the sinning even to those who had abused

or despised them if a priest showed

concern for such people they would say

he must believe in something that makes

him human and close to god at the same

time this quality in a priest was what

appealed most to them and it was this

quality that led them to seek a new

relationship with god by reconciling

themselves to his laws and to conscience

to help prisoners return to a belief in

god they had long abandoned or simply

ignored for many years was our greatest

joy and consolation

the catholics of polish ukrainian

lithuanian and latvian descent were the

primary objects of our apostolate and

the nucleus of any prison camp parishes

they held steadfastly to the faith and

were overjoyed to have a priest among

them to be able again to receive the

sacraments

they traditionally held a priest in

great respect and in the camps they did

whatever they could to care for us to

shield us to make our apostolate

possible and effective

they shared with us the little extra

food they had they stood on watch when

we celebrated mass to warn us against

the approach of the guards or the

presence of informers and they brought

other prisoners to us

not all of them were the most exemplary

christians of course but they were

believers

they might not always be able to explain

the truths of the faith in a way to

satisfy the curiosity of those who had

grown up in a soviet system and heard

religion ridiculed or explained away in

the schools

but they were witnesses by their own

faith to the fact that faith itself gave

another dimension to life that a man

could believe in something beyond the

material world and that this belief gave

meaning and purpose to a life lived in

circumstances that otherwise would be

cause only for despair

it was through their belief however

imperfectly expressed that others came

to us to find out more about a faith

that could give such meaning to their

lives

there was no startling conversations no

miracles performed no sensational prayer

sessions testifying to the working of

the holy spirit no pomp no splendor in

our religious services that could draw

the curious minds of the ordinary worker

to participate no religious pretense

whatsoever for all our get-togethers for

the eucharist or any spiritual services

were held in seclusion out of fear of

repression

the little that was done the simple way

it was done for god

be it a clandestine mass a baptism

an office of the dead a sermon preached

on the spur of the moment a sick call

made a confession heard a mumbled word

of advice or prayer while walking about

the camp or marching through the snows

to work everything done in a deep spirit

of faith

was the mission of the priest and the

faithful alike in the prison camps

on the one hand the priest never lost

sight of his own insignificance

as a laborer in this vineyard he sensed

the seeming impossibility of ever

influencing

in any significant way the masses of

people living in a professively

atheistic state

on the other hand

he could daily feel the power of god's

grace could trust completely in his

divine providence

his task therefore was to do what was

asked of him each day as perfectly as he

could and leave the rest to god

being a priest also gave new purpose and

meaning to the harsh labors and cruel

sufferings men had to endure in order to

survive the labor camps in siberia in

his role as another christ as a mediator

between god and men the priest could

offer up his suffering and his labors

for his fellow men he could accept the

works and sufferings of each day from

god's hands and offer them back to god

not for himself alone but for all those

around him who were struggling to keep

the faith or had not yet received the

gift of faith

it didn't make getting up in the morning

to face another day of rough and

wind-whipped work any easier or the work

itself any less exhausting

but it added a dimension of expiation

and sacrifice to our lives beyond the

sheer necessity of survival and enduring

one more day it gave another sense of

purpose and of dedication to the

priesthood it added a sacramental

element to the labor and the sufferings

of the day

and made of every moment and of every

effort a priestly work

for a priest is ordained to do more than

simply celebrate the mass or hear

confessions to console the sick and

comfort the dying to offer words of

consolation and spiritual wisdom to

those in need every priest is chosen

from among men and ordained to minister

to men in those things that are of god

says the ordination ceremony and the

things that are of god are all the joys

and works and sufferings of each day

however burdensome and boring routine

and insignificant they may seem

it is the priest's function to offer

these things back to god for his fellow

men and to serve as an example a witness

a martyr a testimony before the men

around him of god's providence and

purpose

after all the years of isolation and

loneliness in lubianca it was a joy for

me to be able to do that once again

amid the physical pain and suffering the

sorrow and despair

of the prison camps of arctic siberia

[Music]

you