Dearest friends, this Latin title: ‘Salus animarum suprema lex‘ simply means this: ‘The Salvation of Souls is the Supreme Law.’ It is truly the summary of everything that the Church is and does; as well as what the priests are and do (Cf. Can. 1752). The priests exist because of the above. Therefore, priests are meant to always be *AVAILABLE and ACCESSIBLE;* especially when it has to do with the *SALVATION of SOULS.*
Although, Priests, by the nature of their VOCATION, are meant always to be *AVAILABLE and ACCESSIBLE,* the Faithful should also bear in mind that the above is not the same thing with BURDENING the priests with FINANCIAL NEEDS. *Priests have no money but are sustained by the generosity of the people of God.* Let me ask you, dearest friend, have you ever walked up to a priest and offered him financial support? If yes, kudos! If no, please, know it today that you are obliged to be doing that. Do you know why? It is because Priests have dedicated themselves to the *SERVICE* of the people of God; praying daily for their temporal and eternal well-being; they do not marry, they have no biological children, they do not live with their family members, they are not also allowed to engage in personal business (Cf. Can. 286), etc. So, if they do all the above for the people of God, is it not worthwhile that they be supported always by the same people? Unfortunately, some of the faithful do not know their responsibilities towards their priests. Such persons are actually those who always believed that priests are BANKS or ATM MACHINES. Just take a look at what the Church teaches about the above: *“Christ’s faithful have the OBLIGATION to provide for the needs of the Church, so that the Church has available to it those things which are necessary for divine worship, for apostolic and charitable work and for the WORTHY SUPPORT of its MINISTERS”* (Cf. Canon 222). So, please, always feel free to approach your priests for your *SPIRITUAL NEEDS.* Thus, it is better to tell the priest to pray for you than to tell him to send money to you. However, when he receives money from people, he can also be charitable to the needy when need be. But please, do not burden them with financial needs🙏🏼
But, are there priests who do not make themselves available and accessible to the Spiritual Needs of the Faithful or even do not respond to their phone calls (even when it is about urgent spiritual needs)? The answer is YES. However, the question is: Why are such priests doing that? I believe that if you approach such priests, they will also give you cogent reasons why they are doing that. Therefore, I will kindly advise that whenever you call a priest and he fails to answer, kindly send a text message or possibly go and see him physically. I strongly believe that he will always attend to you once it is about spiritual needs. But if you have enquired and you think that the reason is not cogent enough, kindly be praying for him; perhaps, he is failing in his priestly ministry.
Dearest friends, if you have ever demanded the attention of a priest for a spiritual need and he refused to attend to you, please, do not be offended. Perhaps, something was the cause. Do not because of such experience, turn your mind away from the *SPIRITUAL RICHES* in the Church; which GOD makes available to all of us through the ministry of his PRIESTS. The *Faithful should know it today that as PRIESTS, we sincerely love you and have been called for the sake of the salvation of our own souls and yours.*
Please, always pray for your priests🙏🏼
May the Blessed Virgin Mary always support us with her powerful intercession. Amen🙏🏼
Remain blessed🙏🏼