INTERNATIONAL BUY A PRIEST A BEER DAY

 INTERNATIONAL BUY A PRIEST A BEER DAY: SECOND MONDAY IN SEPTEMBER

Rev Fr Utazi Prince Marie Benignus

Utaziprince@yahoo.com

September 22 2022

This topic is somehow bizarre. The reason is that, to many, a Priest of God supposes not to drink. But is it true? Is this assertion biblical or just man made? Well, this should be a discourse for another day.

The first point you will bear in mind is that this INTERNATIONAL BUY A PRIEST A BEER DAY is a Catholic Celebration. On this festive day of every September 9, faithful Catholics all over the world take their priests out for a beer and get to know them better. 

The second point is that this beautiful Catholic tradition dates back to the time of Saint Hopswald of Aleyard, the first man to take his priest out for a beer. It was truly a pious deed of Saint Hopswald of Aleyard. The fable or folklore says that Saint Hopswald, a master brewer by trade, was a Teutonic pagan who was converted and baptized by a zealous Catholic priest. One day, Saint Hopswald committed a grievous sin. Without wasting a moment, he ran quickly to his priest and confessed. Later that day, as he was particularly enjoying the peace of a clean conscience, Saint Hopswald was so filled with gratitude for the sacramental ministry of his priest that he rushed to the rectory and offered to buy his priest a beer. 

Now, since it has been a legend, it can be said that Saint Hopswald was not real, but your priest is, and without priestly ministry, getting to heaven would be well imminent impossible.

At this juncture, let me make it clear that INTERNATIONAL BUY A PRIEST A BEER DAY is not a real holiday. However, many have argued that it should be a real holiday. Their reasons can be summarized thus: priests are real people, and they enjoy socializing over good food and drink just like every other person. They also have a thankless and difficult job, a job that people could not get to heaven without. Priests are the lifeblood of the Church, and they deserve some appreciation. QED.

Therefore, with this at the back of our mind, I would challenge everyone to do something concrete to show appreciation to your priest, starting from this September to December. Yes, it could be taking him out for a beer (organizing a one-day or a two-day holiday for him; taking him out for shopping no, matter the quantity and quality of the material and so on); or it could be inviting him over to share dinner with your family. Be creative if you want, but give back to your priest somehow, and let him know that his ministry is making a difference.

Just as someone observes, your priest may be insanely busy and unable to schedule a time for a lengthier visit. This is okay! You could offer a rosary or a holy hour for him and his intentions, and let him know that you are regularly praying for him. At the very least, express to him your gratitude, in person or via a note, for his faithful ministry and his answering the call of God to the priesthood. When this activity is carried out by majority of the lay faithful, I fully expect that there will be a lot of happy, encouraged priests by the end of the month. 

The third point is that, for the Catholic Church, there is no formal rules to drinking that is doctrinally found, but Saint Paul does tell us to avoid drinking bouts (Galatians 5:21) and to not get drunk on wine (Ephesians 5:18). A writer would say: So, we could engage in the other extreme which is complete abstinence of alcohol, which in some cases may be necessary; but I would like to propose that a happy medium between drinking bouts and complete avoidance can be found. Engaging in the virtue of temperance, this lost art of drinking could be resurrected and employed as a prime means of evangelization.’

G.K. Chesterson noted: "Drink because you are happy, but never [drink] because you are miserable. Never drink when you are wretched without it, or you will be like the grey-faced gin-drinker in the slum; but drink when you would be happy without it, and you will be like the laughing peasant of Italy. Never drink because you need it, for this is rational drinking, and the way to death and hell. But drink because you do not need it, for this is irrational drinking, and the ancient health of the world." I am sure you got the gist. This is a very wise saying.

Now back to the idea of evangelizing over a nice drink. In the culture of today, approaching alcohol with the mindset that drinks are to be savored and not simply indulged in as a means to an end, is evangelizing. Go to any bar and look around; there are people drinking (1) to celebrate; (2) to mourn; and (3) to escape trauma, stress, ugly situations and so on. The thing a lot of these people have in common is that they are looking to drink in excess. 

However, enjoying a cocktail as means of celebration is a little taste of the eternal banquet. In Europe and America, there are lists of Catholic drinks that can be shaken or stirred, and their history discussed. They include but no limited to: Bénédictine; Chartreuse; St. Brendans; and St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur.

SAINT ARNOLD OF SOISSONS

This INTERNATIONAL BUY A PRIEST A BEER DAY cannot be complete without the mention of Saint Arnold of Soissons whose feast day is August 14.

As abbot in Oudenburg, Arnold brewed beer, as essential in medieval life as water. He encouraged local peasants to drink beer, instead of water, due to its "gift of health". During the process of brewing the water was boiled and thus freed of pathogens, making the beer safer to drink. The beer normally consumed at breakfast and during the day at this time in Europe was called small beer, having a very low alcohol content, and containing spent yeast. It is likely that people in the local area normally consumed small beer from the monastery, or made their own small beer at the instructions of Arnold and his fellow monks. During one outbreak of sickness, Arnold advised the local people to avoid consuming water, in favor of beer, which advice effectively saved lives.

One miracle tale says, at the time of an epidemic, rather than stand by while the local people fell ill from drinking water, Arnold had them consume his monastery brews. Because of this, many people in his church survived the plague. This same story is also told of Arnulf or Arnold of Metz, another patron of brewers.

CONCLUSION

INTERNATIONAL BUY A PRIEST A BEER DAY is a day when Catholics build relationships with their priests by taking them out for a beer. In a clearer term, it is a day when Catholics show appreciation to their priests and share with them how their ministry has been important to them (the lay faithful). Beer is not even required. The priest could be bought a root beer, or they could be invited over for dinner. If there is no much time, they could simply be let known that they are being prayed for, and a prayer could be said for them. One also does not need to have a priest or be Catholic to celebrate. A person of any religious belief can buy a priest a beer, or someone of a different faith could buy their spiritual leader a beer.

This goes on to tell us to take good care of our Spiritual teachers and pastors. The Scripture says in Galatians 6:6 thus: Let him who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches. 

May the blessings of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit abide with you now and forever. AMEN