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St. James Parish |
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| Fr. Ron Bacovin | ||
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St. James Parish |
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| Fr. Ron Bacovin | ||
Weekly Letter from Fr. Ron to his
Parish
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2008
Wednesday is the feast of the Solemnity of Mary – a Holy Day. We will have Mass at 10:a.m. on that day at the church.
We owe a great debt of gratitude to so many people who have come together to fashion for us a beautiful and prayerful Christmas experience. Fr. Jim McConnell, our musicians, choirs, children, ushers, junior ushers, Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, deacons, altar servers, staff, sextons, decorators for inside and outside of the church, gift bearers, sacristans, counters, your generous contributions given in a variety of way – we thank you and may God bless you!
I love the following little story. We are in the midst of celebrating wonderful and complicated mysteries of our faith… Divinity becoming flesh, the strange yet important journey of the Magi, the intriguing role Mary accepted in the Lord’s plan of salvation, the murderous attacks on the children and more. So much needs to be explained and/or understood – and meditated upon.. So often people have reduced the thousands of years of religious wisdom and experiences into simple phrases and substituted it with insipid “spirituality”. It is as if one could not handle a mature faith. I must admit that when I first heard this following story it did not impress me – but the more I read it but better it gets.
Science and Religion - Yes, a Dialogue!
Two men were riding together in an airplane. They were seat-mates, and eventually got acquainted. One was an astronomer, a scientist. The other was a preacher, a clergyman.
After conversing about their work, the first man said, "I am not religious myself, or a church-goer. I would have trouble, of course, with the Bible. But I have the deepest respect for religion. And sometimes I think: doesn't the whole thing - church, Bible, religion, and all that - doesn't it really boil down to 'love your neighbor'?"
The preacher said, "Let me answer you with a question. I am not a scientist myself, nor an astronomer. I would have trouble with differential equations. But I have the deepest respect for astronomy. And sometimes I think: doesn't the whole business - quasars, black holes, galaxies, and all that - doesn't it really boil down to 'twinkle, twinkle, little star'?"
If you are with friends and/or family on New Year’s Eve or day - give them all a big hug and kiss – here is real treasure.
In just a few days and three weeks we will most likely see one of the largest crowds ever at the (historic) inauguration of president-elect Obama. We find ourselves at the same time greatly concerned about foreclosures, the economy, the possible prospect of an end of a gigantic auto and its ancillary industries, greater homelessness and hunger and more. People begin to look at their homes not as an investment but as a place where their families are protected from the elements and cared for in all necessary manners We’ve much to fear and we’ve much to hope for.. Do not underestimate the power of your faith. It is a reliable and steady umbrella against the storms in our lives. God bless you… and from the staff of St. James:
Happy New Year!
Thursday is the feast of the Incarnation - Christmas . Masses for the feast day will be Wednesday evening at 5:00 and 11:00 p.m. On Thursday the Masses will be at 8:00, 9:45 and 11:30 a.m.
It is not too late to help decorate our tree in the Gathering Area – please create, bring in and hang your decoration on the tree.
St. James Parish is sponsoring a blood drive next Saturday, December 27th, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. So many people have come out in the past to give blood and lives have been saved time and again. At this time of the year the local hospitals are always facing serious shortages of blood to meet anticipated needs… your donation is extremely important. Think of it this way… where else would you get to lie down for about twenty minutes, get some cookies and/or juice afterwards and walk out confident that you have extended the gift of life for someone. Now if that doesn’t fit in with “Christmas spirit” I don’t know what would.
Just in case you missed it, Fr. Dietzen’s article in the 12/4/08 issue of the diocesan newspaper, the MONITOR offered an interesting reflection on the meaning of Santa Claus from G.K. Chesterton.
G.K.C. remembered that his stockings were filled with things he had not worked for, or made, or even been good for. The only explanation people had was that a being called Santa Claus was somehow kindly disposed toward him. “We believe,” he wrote, that a certain benevolent person “did give us those toys for nothing, and… I believe it still. I have merely extended the idea.
“Then I only wondered who put the toys in the stocking; now I wonder who put the stocking by the bed, and the bed in the room, and the room in the house and the house on the planet, the great planet in the void.
“Once I only thanked Santa Claus for a few dolls and crackers, now I thank him for stars and street faces and wine and the great sea. Once I thought it delightful and astonishing to find a present o big that it only went halfway into the stocking. “Now I am delighted and astonished every morning to find a present so big that it takes two stockings to hold it, and then leaves a great deal outside; it is the large and preposterous present of myself, as to the origin of which I can offer no suggestion except that Santa Claus gave it to me in a fit of peculiarly fantastic good will.”
Call Santa Claus a myth or what you will, but in his name parents, and for that matter all of us who give gifts at this special time of the year, are putting each other in deeper touch with the “peculiarly fantastic good will” who is the ultimate Source of it all. Plus, it’s fun!
“Beloved, let us give thanks to God the Father, through his Son, in the Holy Spirit, because in his great love for us he took pity on us, and when we were dead in our sins he brought us to life with Christ, so that in him we might be a new creation…
Christian, remember your dignity, and now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return by sin to your former base condition. Bear in mind who is your head and of whose body you are a member. Do not forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of God’s kingdom.
Through the sacrament of baptism you have become a temple of the Holy Spirit. Do not drive away so great a guest by evil conduct and become again a slave to the devil, for your liberty was bought by the blood of Christ.
And yes, this too: Merry Christmas!
Our tree will be decorated and blessed at the 5:00 p.m. Mass next Saturday. You are cordially invited to add your own decoration to the tree in the form of a small wrapped gift (empty box, of course) with pictures of yourself or you family. They can be brought into the gathering area on Friday or Saturday.
Last Saturday the Social Concerns Office honored St. James ministry in seeking social justice and helping ministries. A special honor was given to Moore and Theresa Hank for their Hope Ministry. Of course, they made note of and gave special thanks to those who work in the ministry and those who have supported them. W are grateful for all who serve (mostly unrecognized) in the many ministries within and outside our parish. Their work proclaims the gospel in the effectiveness of their work and the light shines on all of us.
There was an article in a local paper encouraging and urging people not to put themselves into such debt that they cannot make necessary payments for mortgage, food, etc, in order to please others for the Christmas holidays. It is a foolish investment and you may not recover from it. From a national Christian publication comes the following: the average household credit card debt is $5,100. If you have a credit card debt of $5,000 and pay just the monthly minimum payment it will take you 46 years to pay off that debt (assuming, of course, that you will not add more debt to the credit card.). 48% of American credit card holders make only the minimum monthly payments. If you are in that neighborhood – get out of it a.s.a.p.
At first I thought it was just my imagination but upon further observation and reflection I don’t think it is. Christmas truly is becoming a secular, as opposed to a religious, holiday. As an indicator of this I went to Google and typed in “Christmas” – almost nothing about the birth of the Lord Jesus or the meaning of the Incarnation. One has to be more specific about to get to a spiritual understanding.
Two meditations
"Make room for this man." When Cardinal Lercaro became Archbishop of Bologna, he inspected, along with his aged mother, the residence provided the hierarchy. It was an Episcopal palace, with one hundred rooms. But, he said, there re only two of us! So he invited thirty students from the university in Bologna to live with him as free boarders and guests.
Whenever possible he shared their evening meal. He was their confessor and guide; eventually he presided at many of their weddings; above all he was pastor and friend. They were poor (students usually are). He made room for them. Exalted by high office, he considered it more important to be the father of a family.
In Christ, then are all things and he is everything to us.
If you have wounds to be healed, let him be your physician.
If you seek to punish evil-doing, let him be your justice. Does fever inflame you?
He is a fountain.
Do you need help? He is strength.
Do you fear death? He is life.
Do you long for heaven? He is the way.
Do you flee from darkness? He is the light.
Do you hunger? He is food.
Sermon by St. Ambrose
Fr. Andrew Dunjama of Nigeria called me this past week to tell me that his parish and missions are under siege in Jos… his area. An election was held and fighting/killing broke out between Christians and Muslims – each claiming that the election was being taken away from their candidate. Fr. Andrew emphasized that it was a political conflict (not religious) – but as many as 500 people have been killed, mosques and churches burned down, and now there is an uneasy peace. Fr. Andrew had put aside his clerical clothing so that he could go out and visit his missions to see how they have fared. He himself seems to be safe – but his “parish’ had so little and even much of that has been taken away. St. James church does tithe itself to give assistance to others. I will ask the Finance Committee to consider send a contribution to help them meet the most pressing of their needs.
By now you have certainly noticed the new “box” in the inner courtyard. This fantastic project was led by Matt Mendelsohn and assisted by family, friends and scouts as his project for achieving the challenge of becoming an Eagle Scout. They had to dig out a widespread root system and bring in tons of block, stone and dirt. The tree in the center is a crepe myrtle tree (pink) – a hardy tree that holds its bloom in summer for a long time. They also planted some bulbs. We are very, very grateful for all that work (and most of it done in difficult weather). The wall should be good for sitting and talking or sitting and thinking, (not so much for running) or just sitting. Bishop Smith saw them working on it and somewhere there is a great picture of him and the workers.
The boiler is “in” and it is working. This was part of the projected cost in our campaign drive. Other work in improving and removing our Family Center include lowing the stage, making it a storage area with a meeting room, updating the electrical system (e.g. disposing of the stage lights) on the stage and gym, building a proscenium (where the gym curtains are) with doors, eventual replacement of roofing tiles for the church (estimated to be within a few years – one rough estimate was $69,000) which includes the church, Gathering area, and down through the Link.
These are the other elements in our campaign: “Continuing the mission…” If you haven’t yet made a pledge I urge you to do so a.s.a.p. It cannot be done without you. Measure your resources carefully and pledge wisely. We have all benefitted from those who have come before us – we give thanks and honor their memory by ‘continuing the mission’ to which they were committed: building the Kingdom of God and establishing a faith-spirited community.
Christmas tree decorations: we need them for our tree that we will light on December 20th. We request that the decorations come in the form of small gift boxes. E.g. – a small wrapped box can be tagged as “To” St. James Church” and “From…” Of course, on the box would be your picture or a picture of your family. Some of our religious education classes have put their picture on past decorations. Please make them of a size that is easy to hang on our tree and they can be brought into the Gathering are at your convenience at any time. We all love looking at the pictures and seeing families grow from year to year.
Feast of the Immaculate Conception: it is a holy day and a day of obligation to celebrate the holy liturgy (Mass). It is the national feast day of the Church in the USA. This feast celebrates the belief that from the first day Mary was conceived in her mother’s womb (St. Ann) Mary was not touched by what is known in the Western Catholic Church as ‘original sin’. In short, she was sinless. (Often people mistakenly believe that it means Mary became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit – that day is celebrated on March 25 – nine months before Christmas.) The feast is reflective of the Catholic’s love and awe of this woman and her place in salvation history.
True occurrence: a young woman approached a priest and said: “I’m going to study Buddhism. It’s so cool!” “Wow!” the priest responded. “Did you ever think of studying the religion that teaches that God became what we are so we could become what God is?” Puzzled, she said, “Ooh, that sounds cool. What one’s that?” he answered “Catholicism.” – the faith in which she had been baptized and confirmed.
“What the mouth utters, let the mind within acknowledge; what the word says, let the heart ratify." St. Ambrose: On the Mysteries.
How is it that we miss what our prayers make so explicit? Look at the opening prayer for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. We ask God to “Remove the things that hinder us from receiving Christ with joy, so that we may share his wisdom and become one with him when he comes in glory.” There it is: God became what we are so that we can become what God is. How cool is that?!
In the first weeks of Advent we look forward not to the birthday of the Christ child so much as to the second coming of Christ praying that “Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven.” That is followed up in the solemn blessing of the day when the priest prays: “You believe that the Son of God once came to us; you look for him to come again. May his coming bring you the light of his holiness and his blessing bring you freedom.” How cool is that?!
A number of the Advent prayers follow that line of thought for our benefit and as an expression of our faith. St. Paul pens the beautiful words: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Now, that is definitely cool!
In the Magnificat magazine (Advent edition) Frs. James Sullivan, Fr. Ambrose Eckinger and Sister Mary Grace (all in the Order of Preachers) have fashioned Advent Stations: Office of the Ancestors of Christ. There are seven. Listed below are the stations and the scripture readings attached to each station. What you will, unfortunately, not find are the meditations that accompany each station. However, you might like to give it a try for this holy season and supply your own meditation and prayers.
First station: The Creation of Adam and Eve:” Let us make man in our image”. Genesis 1: 26 – 28 & Revelation 21: 1 – 5
Second station: The Covenant Begins: The promise of a Son to Abraham and Sarah. Genesis 18: 9 -11; 21: 1 – 3 & Romans 9:1 – 9.
Third station: The Angelic Announcement to Manoah and His wife. Judges 13: 2 – 7, 24 & Luke 1: 5–17.
Fourth station: The Destiny of Bethlehem: Revealed in Ruth and Boaz. Ruth 4: 10 – 13 & Matt. 2: 1 – 6.
Fifth station: The Song of Praise: of Hannah and Elkanah: 1Samuel 1: 19 – 20, 27-28; 2: 1 – 10 & Luke 1: 39 – 56.
Sixth station: David’s Promise to Bathsheba: “Your son shall reign after me”. 1 Kings 1: 15 – 18, 29 – 31 & Hebrews 2: 5 – 9.
Seventh station: The Birth of the Virgin Mary: The fidelity of Israel in Ann and Joachim. Genesis 6: 13 – 22 & 1 Peter 3: 13 – 22.
Feast of Christ the King Pastor’s notes: A reflection on the gospel by Patricia Sanchez from Celebration liturgical publication: 11/23/08.
“In an episode of “Seinfeld” that continues to make its point in reruns, Jerry, George, Elaine and Kramer discussed the custom of what they called ‘re-gifting.’ If they received a gift and didn’t need it, or if it didn’t fit or they simply didn’t like it – would it be proper to pass on that gift to another person? As the characters argued their points of view, this writer reflected on the impact that such a custom might have on the human struggles that are cited by Jesus in today’s Gospel. Gifts that are superfluous to us could mean a great difference in the life of a needy brother or sister. Passing on these gifts, or paying them forward could mean the difference between their having a meal or going hungry; between wearing a warm jacket or freezing in the cold winter wind. Gifts stored in the overstuffed closets, drawers or garages can certainly be put to use by others if only we share them.
But the sharing Jesus calls for here goes deeper than the distribution of one’s cast-off wealth. Jesus challenges us to see and meet another person’s needs because of the presence of Jesus within that person.
Earlier in the Gospel, Jesus had acknowledged that he was present within those who accompanied him and shared in his ministry. “Whoever receives you receives me and whoever receives me receives the One who sent me” (Matt. 10: 40). As Douglas R.A. Hare has pointed out, there is nothing uniquely Christian about the idea of Jesus’ solidarity with his disciples… It reflects the Jewish shaliach principle: “A man’s representative is the man himself.” However, what is distinctive in this Matthean scene of judgment is the fact that Jesus has chosen to be known and represented in the world’s powerless and needy. Jesus is being revealed through their hunger, their thirst, and in all their struggles. This recognition in the most distressing of disguises calls forth our compassionate care for those who hunger and thirst or are naked, imprisoned, sick or in danger of being displaced and deported. This recognition of Jesus in this world’s least ones calls for giving that is steady and sacrificial, not just occasional. Inspired by the one who sacrificed Godhead, glory, his own will and his very life, we can describe our outreach to the poor as authentic re-gifting only if we give in the manner of Jesus – fully, freely, frequently and without expectation of reciprocity.
Furthermore, when Jesus gave to another, that person was not demeaned by his gifts; rather Jesus’ gifts bestowed dignity on others. So also must be the “paying it forward” of those who call themselves his own.” From a teen’s blog: “The sad truth is, a lot of (us) teens turn into mindless groupies around certain people because being associated with those people makes them feel cool.”
Ah… often it doesn’t end with the end of the teen years.
A heartfelt “thank you” to all who helped make my installation go so well and smoothly last Sunday. Really – and gratefully – a big ‘thank you’. RB
This Sunday, at 3:00 p.m., I will be installed as a Monsignor by Bishop Smith in our church. You are invited to the ceremony – and should you have an urge to bring a small gift --- please resist the temptation to do so.
Also, today, we begin the public phase of our campaign drive “Continuing the Mission”. I ask you to consider a pledge of $75 per month for three years above your regular support of the parish. Of course the need for space in which to conduct religion classes for our children is high on our list but there is a need for meeting rooms, updating of facilities in the Family Center, etc. An observation: the two parishes north and south of us have had campaigns to increase their space to meet their needs within the past two years. Both pastors have told me that it has proved so effective that they now need more space. As it was once said in a popular baseball movie: “Build it and they will come.”
An historic election has been held and a peaceful transfer of power is already in process. President-elect Barack H. Obama will take on his shoulders problems the like of which have not been seen perhaps since the Great Depression and WWII. No one can imagine what other challenges will come his way. He is the first president since JFK who has not come from the great South. His popularity among his and younger generations is very high and quite hopeful. And as it has been since this country has had its first president, he is to be our president. We wish him safety, great success (for it will be our success, too) and the best of God’s blessings.
This Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. the sacrament of Confirmation will be celebrated in our church.
When in the seminary and just a few months away from ordination we deacons wondered if we were prepared for the vocation we chose. We seemed to be in common agreement that we were not – but we were on the top and the best that the church had at that time and so we were hopeful in accepting the challenges before us. I don’t know if the Confirmandi see the celebration of Confirmation as an end of a journey or a beginning of a new one (I suspect it is the former) – but I do pray that somewhere along the way they get to think and meditate on the sacrament they will have received, come to know a lot more about God, Jesus, the church and their place in it. To speak of the love of God, of the Kingdom of God, and the good God has in store for us is an awesome task. It will also, somewhere along the way, be their mission to challenge others as to how they (we) treat others, how a life will be wasted if evil is their master or is perpetrated upon others. When confused may they ask the Holy Spirit for guidance and have Jesus as their companion along their way.
Oh yes… we’ve been told that the boiler for the Family Center will not be ready for two weeks (delivery of the heart of the boiler to be Nov. 25th) – after being told that it would have been delivered on Nov. 11th. Drats! (Who can you trust any more?)
In the early years of our life a foundation was formed for living: how to live with others, learning our A,B, C’s and simple math, what is important in life and what isn’t, the power and value of religion, etc. While in high school, somewhere along the way, after our reasoning abilities kicked in, we were seriously wrestling with and forming our consciences. We were taught, as Catholics, the great commandments of God, and what is needed to form a good conscience - for later we would be taught to follow our conscience and remain faithful to our God.
In our early years the many complexities of life seemed quite simple. Almost everything seemed to be black and white, right or wrong, to go after something or to run from something. It seemed pretty clear where our loyalties needed to be placed.
Then comes one of the hard lessons of life: the world is pretty complex and our world-view is not the only world view. “Wrestling with our conscience” and making “hard decisions” became personal, and in some cases, painful. To remain faithful to your conscience may involve “personal sacrifice” with a “high price.” When can I compromise and when can’t I compromise? A lot is at stake – my integrity and maybe even the ability to live with myself.
The issues of our time and the act of choosing people to guide our government are never simple realities. There is no question that complexity is part of all living.
Bishops are the spiritual leaders of their dioceses and they have dealt with such complexities time and again – it is never far from their desk. They have been given the heavy charge of proclaiming an orthodox (faithful and true) gospel and its values. Over the past few weeks I have echoed their concerns – all centered on life issues (October is “Right to Life Month”). Heed their concerns and reflect on their messages along with other issues that are in the mix (economic, education, taxes, etc – to name a few). The following (in italics) comes from the bishops conference for your consideration:
“It would be refreshing if we could find candidates whose records, party platforms, and personal commitments embody the full range of the Church’s social teaching, reasonable as that teaching is. That is why we must have a well-formed conscience capable of giving each issue its proper moral weight and making other important distinctions and judgments…And while Faithful Citizenship acknowledges that one may vote for a politician who supports pro-abortion policies ‘only for truly grave moral reasons,’ a conscientious voter must question what grave moral issue rises to the level of nearly 49 million lives lost to the evil of abortion.
On the other hand, a politician who opposes abortion should not go unchallenged if he or she adopts positions that undermine human dignity in other ways.”
You have been blessed with the power of the Holy Spirit – at your Baptism and Confirmation. Use that Spirit to guide you in forming your conscience as you then go vote and
About three weeks ago I met a former St. James Director of Religious Education. She spoke of her good memories working here and went on to say that number of children involved in the religious education program at that time numbered 147. She got to know them very well… and the space for the program was adequate. In 2008, with just about the same available space we have approximately 700 children in our program.
This is but one of the reasons why we need to expand our facilities (however modestly) for today and prepare for the future.
This weekend we announce a capitol campaign for St. James parish in order that we may “continue the mission” of the Lord Jesus. Over the past years I have kept you informed of all the renovations that have taken place (e.g. paving of the parking lot, the replacement of furnaces and coolers at the chapel, church and link), etc. We have been able to handle the expenses of all these improvements from our savings.
You may have received a brochure this past week (if not, it is in the mail) with a letter and a case statement from me. Please read the brochure carefully and, if possible, make a pledge to the campaign. I know I am asking for a sacrifice in addition to your regular contributions. What I am asking for is equal sacrifice but not equal giving. I have long ago recognized and learn that a small donation is as great a sacrifice for some as is a large donation for others… but all sacrifices will come together for a common goal.
We have need of a number of volunteers and if you are to do that it will be invaluable to the success of the campaign.
In anticipation of your commitment to the campaign and your help I want to express my deepest thanks.
From the wisdom of Fr. James Smith: “The command to love God is not actually a command to do something; it is a command to be something. It is the expression of who we are. We are love-creatures, creatures created by God to love God. That is our whole essence, our purpose, our goal. Everything outside of that is useless. We spend a whole lifetime getting our various loves in order so that when we die, we can love God with our whole being.
“The command to love our neighbor is also more than a command to do something – to treat them justly or loyally. Just as we were created with a propensity to love God, so we are created with a disposition to love everyone. You know what love is in this case, also. To love someone is more than to wish them well, to do them good. All those actions are merely later expressions of a prior attitude toward them. First you love them, then, you do the right thing.”
These thoughts offer by Fr. Smith sound wonderful to the ear. But we look at the world and we can become so very disappointed: it doesn’t seem like that at all. But the Lord Jesus once described the faithful follower as one who is leaven to the world. I look around at the people gathered to worship at St. James and see people desire to be just that. They want to live with their families, with their neighbors and even with their enemies a life of shared respect and love. It is not always easy – and sometimes unseemingly possible: but even here a ‘door is left open’ so that it may happen. In that struggle and in that faith they are leaven to the world… and I really doubt that the world can survive without them.
A week and a half ago we discovered some water on the gym floor. After investigating the situation we found that the drains on the roof were clogged and lots of water was backed up just under the roof. When one drain was cleared water just kept pouring out for half an hour. They’ve all been cleared but there is part of the roof that is sagging and will be fixed within a week or two. Cost: about $5,500.
We got a jump on updating the heating system for the Family Center (by dipping into some parish savings). The old boiler has been taken out and a new one is being assembled. I have been told at one time it would take three days to replace the old one (once it was taken out) and then later told it would take two to three weeks. I am waiting for a definitive answer to that question – but it will take as long as it takes. The people who are putting it in (MACK) have taken care of the old boiler for years and they have been very good to us over the years. This cost is approximately $84,000 (this is a part of a case statement sent out to all a few weeks ago.)
The good news – so far the rectory has been holding up quite well so far.
“Are modern people even capable of worship?” This painful question came from a lover of liturgy, Romano Guardini. Fr. James Smith (in Celebration, 10/12/08) opines that “Our relationship with God is surely more profound and more personal than the average service.” Who’s at fault? Guarini insists that the fault is buried deep within three traits of modern humankind. lack of contemplation, lack of community, and lack of body/soul integration.
“Lack of contemplation: contemplation may be described as a long, loving look at the real: the real tree, the real person, the real God. You don’t have to understand the tree or analyze the person or pray to God. Just look at the real until the real becomes part of you, and you become real.
“…contemplation is absorbing the other like a sponge. We have to be schooled in silence; we must shut up and know that it is better to hear “I love you” than to say “I love you.” (In the scriptures we are reminded us that the great mystery is not that we have loved God but that God has loved us first.) “We will not get liturgy right until our chattering prayer is muffled in the cloak of quiet contemplation.
“Lack of community: “The most obvious sign of our descent from community to individuality is in the titles of our magazines. We went from Life to People to Us to Self. Next might be Me Me Me. That is not all bad – we have to take care of ourselves – but we become less than ourselves when we deny our imbeddedness in the larger community.
…We must learn to balance our being. All of us are because of you, and you are because of all of us. (The last sentence does make sense but you may have to read it two or three times.) Neither is first, neither is better; both are essential. Humankind is like a humongous intertwining web. If it is touched at any point, the whole thing trembles. We will never get liturgy right until we all vibrated together.
Lack of body/soul integration… or simply, lack of integrity, lack of wholeness. We imagine that are composed of two different things: body and spirit. We have to re-imagine our whole self. Imagine a body without a spirit: that is a corpse. Imagine a spirit without a body: that is a ghost. Neither one is who we are. We are a single, simple, undivided being. That makes life exciting, joyful, and celebrative. Only human beings are blessed with both the pleasure of bodily senses and the joy of knowing we deserve it.
“Because God is spirit, we are prone to distrust out bodies when we worship… Ancient Heraclitus said that the senses are bad only to those who have barbarian souls. Our souls have been civilized by Christ; our bodies have been sanctified by Christ. Our whole being, body and spirit, is bound for glory. We will not get liturgy right until we feel ourselves to be the unified body and soul of Christ praying to the Father.”
Last week I wrote about abortion and stem cell research. As you are well aware, each October is designated as Respect Life Month…and the bishops are adamant each year.
The intent of the first part (abortion) was to try to have one approach the issue not from the viewpoint of the adult but rather from, as well as it can be imagined, the viewpoint of the child in the womb…as if the child were asking the question "by what reason would I not be allowed to come to birth?" "How am I different from the others?" I believe that such questions asked from this perspective demand some serious and well-thought out answers. It is why I asked the reader to clarify their answer before reading on and then see if their answer would have been different if one was first told under what circumstances the child came into being.
Though I did state what each political party thought about abortion I assumed that people were very aware that by far, choice is the major reason given for the procedure.
Re: stem cell research: I have seen it happen time and again where people get confused between (adult) stem research and embryonic stem cell research. I just wanted people to be clear that (adult) stem research, far different from embryonic stem cell research, is not only acceptable but highly productive and acceptable.
Family Life is another concern for Respect Life month. There are diverse forms of family but there is very little debate that the child is to be protected, educated and cared for by his/her parent(s) or guardian. Mom, dad and child(ren) seem to be the ideal but it is not always the reality. Many of our laws are formulated to protect the family. When a child goes into a hospital the law clearly acknowledges that the parent(s) make the health decisions and no one else that tax deductions are given for each child that a child may be home schooled, or taxes may be imposed on the general population to build schools for children, and more. Because society has such a big stake in families we keep focused or it less we lose it.
Illustrator Lea Marie Ravotti was an atheist growing up in Eastern Europe. She has a book out on Christian symbols (Signs and Mysteries: Revealing Ancient Christian Symbols). The October 5th issue of Our Sunday Visitor contains this exchange in an interview.
OSV:…What shaped your understanding of Christian symbols?
Ravotti: "I was brought up as an atheist among atheists in a very atheist country, the former Czechoslovakia. It also made me curious as to why Catholics seem to stand behind everything good.
Drawing was always my favorite activity. Everything was in short supply under communism, so my parents used to bring me crayons from their trips abroad.
By the time I finished college, communism had ended in Central Europe, and I was free to go into the world to get crayons anywhere I wanted to.
When I came to the United States to teach art classes, I met a priest for the first time in my life. We talked about the glory of creation, about beauty, about free choice of the will and the Christian principles that one senses are veiled in the old European fairy tales and in every meaningful work of art.
Once I put my hands on the doorknob of Catholicism, I decided I only wanted to peek in. Little did I know that one you knock on the door, there is no way back. No matter how determined I was to keep the door closed, God had other plans. Luckily, I have found so many good things here in the United States. Above all the greatest good---my Catholic Faith."
PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS: INVESTITURE OF MSGR. RONALD BACOVIN on NOVEMBER 16, 2008 at 3pm St. James Church
October is Respect Life month and so let’s reflect on some of the issues of our time.
Imagine that you are a pediatrician. Over two days you have seen ten women – all of whom are three months pregnant. After examination you have determined that all ten children are very healthy, there are no signs of anything wrong and are convinced that the babies will be healthy.
Now, are there any circumstances under which you would allow for an abortion of two or three of them?
Before you read any further try to have a clear answer in your head.
There are four answers in our society that are posited for allowing an abortion:
--- the pregnancy resulted from rape
--- the pregnancy resulted from incest
--- the mother’s life is in danger
--- it is a matter of personal choice.
Of the two major political parties (as I have heard from their speeches and debates --- if I am wrong then please correct me and cite your source) one party states that all four choices are acceptable and to be allowed… the other says that three of the four are acceptable and to be allowed.
If I had stated that two or three of those babies were the result of rape or incest or a danger to the mother’s health but would you have had a different answer? If yes, why would that be? These are highly charged, complex and emotional issues… and have been discussed and fought over in the public forum for over forty years.
In a recent survey, as reported in Christianity Today magazine Oct., 2008, 20% of Americans say they would not consider voting for a presidential candidate whose position on abortions is different from their own. 53% of Americans say they don’t need to know a presidential candidate’s position on abortion before deciding their vote.
I hear many things when I hear the words “pro-life”– and it is more encompassing than birth issues. When the Church is not Pro-Life in all matters it loses its bearings and direction. Jesus came so that all may have life and have it to the full. Yes, the abortion rate in our USA is high – and even higher in other countries. (It was a matter of great grief to the late Pope John Paul I that his native country was among the countries with a very high abortion rate.) The Christian of today indeed does stand out as a witness against societies that sell death and destruction. You might think it would be a welcomed witness – but not always so.
Stem cell research: Both political parties are in favor of Stem Cell Research – and so is the Catholic Church! In fact, the Church supports and encourages Stem Cell research. Already there have been some marvelous results and wondrous healings. What often happens is that people confuse stem cell research with embryonic stem cell research – and that is of a different nature. Stem cells are easily gathered from adults – we have a super abundance of them. Embryonic stems cells are a patch of cells of the earliest part of a pregnancy. Left to grow, every single one will result in a birth of a child… it will not be anything other than a child. In moral theology there is a term: tutior pars – roughly translated, it means that since something cannot be definitively determined one always takes the safer path in favoring a particular issue. In this case if there is even the slightest possibility that an embryonic stem cell is a human being- then until it is definitely determined to be otherwise the presumption is that it is a child… and so must be respected as such. Thus the Church’s opposition to embryonic stem cell research. By the way – despite hopes and millions upon millions of dollars spent on embryonic stem cell research nothing has every come of it. Some medical companies have simply given up such research.
Practicalities: The boiler in the Family Center is to be replaced sometime in October. We have asked several companies to give us a bid (we had estimates as high as $130,000 for the replacement.) The bid we accepted is approximately $85,000. The boiler will be more energy-efficient as well less expensive to maintain (especially in its early life). If all goes well we will have it in place and working by later October. An update on the side walls by the baptismal font that needed repair. On one wall a good deal of the wood was eaten away (carpenter ants) and the rest was quite wet. We got rid of the ants, put in cedar wood (which is unattractive to such creatures) and think we fixed up both walls quite nicely.
The computer offers availability to websites and blogs and puts world libraries into our hands. Here are a few sites that Catholics would benefit visiting.
www.catholic.org – a comprehensive site with news, links, saints, directories and Scripture. It offers and easily searchable database.
www.catholic.com – one of the largest Catholic lay apologetics site, it also offers links to the original Catholic encyclopedia and This Rock magazine archives.
www.vatican.va – amazing availability to art and archives. The archives include about 85 linear kilometers (52miles) of shelves. The oldest document dates to the 8th century, while the archives have an almost uninterrupted documentations starting from 1198.
www.vaticanradio.org – programs in 40 different languages from 61 countries.
www.usccb.org – the official site of the U.S. catholic bishops includes an online Bible, the Catechism, publications, movie review and more.
www.restoredtraditions.com - famous religious art work from great Catholic artists over the centuries.
www.catholiccharitiesusa.org – network of social service organizations in the U.S.
www.crs.org – the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community.
www.cafetheology.org – Faith-sharing website for young Catholic adults.
www.catholicforum.com – a forum and discussion area for Catholics. www.catecheticalresources.com – resource library for Catholic catechists.
www.love2learn.net – information for Catholic homeschoolers.
www.catholicgreetings.org – free online e-cards with Catholic inspiration.
www.veritasfinancialministries.com – financial advice from a faithful Catholic perspective.
www.sacredspace.ie – online daily prayer and Scripture from the Irish Jesuits.
www.cba.cua.edu – the Catholic Biblical Association of America
www.aul.org – the ultimate goal of the National Right to Life Committee is to restore legal protection to innocent human life.
www.catholichistory.net – history of Catholicism in the U.S.
www.catholicsoncall.com – vocational website from the Bernadin Center at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.
www.faithfulcitizenship.org – a site sponsored by the U.S. bishops conference. It offers resources for educators and families.
www.catholicleague.org – defending the rights of Catholics in the public arena.
www.catholicshrines.net – list of all Catholic shrines in the U.S.
www.catholicdoors.com/prayers - nearly three thousand Catholic prayers from ancient to modern times.
www.ebreviary.com – daily Liturgy of the Hours.
While on the Priests’ Convocation last week I was impressed when the priest who spoke took out his Blackberry (amazing cell phone) and would read scriptures off his Blackberry. You can too! So, in the radio broadcast “Prairie Home Companion” there is a saying posted up in the local general store: “If you can’t find it here you probably don’t need it.” That pretty much sums up the above. Enjoy!
(Part II on an exhortation to newly-ordained priests.)
“Word” is the operative word. After 20 centuries the Good News is old news to most people. The best we can do is to find the right words to make the old news gripping to our congregation. We must appreciate the power of the correct word. We should flood ourselves with great literature to appreciate the narrative aspect of life, then delve deeply into poetry to both experience and relate the eternal truth to temporal situations….
In order to know what to say to others, you yourself must be an integrated human being. That comes mostly from being a man of prayer. Since every priest is different and all of us mature in stages, our prayer life will be progressing constantly. But since God always remains the same, some aspects of prayer remain constant.
And if prayer is basically our personal relationship with God, then Augustine sets the parameters by insisting that God is closer to us than we are to ourselves. If we do not believe that, we will prayerfully search for God in vain. But what words should we use? Karl Rahner says that we are a word spoken by God, and our prayer is the every-changing response to God’s ever-new name for us. If you want a touchstone, Thomas Merton describes the depths of prayer as “when in the depths of your being you feel that God is creating you at this moment.”
In order for your or anyone else to benefit from your priesthood you must be a holy man. Do not be put off by pious caricatures of saints. To be holy is literally to be “set apart.” Not set apart from others but set apart to be in God’s presence – which makes you more present to others. Priesthood does not make you better, just different. People don’t need one more person like themselves – they need a different view.
Without your willing it, your whole being is a sign of God’s Kingdom in the midst of this world. Your whole life is a sign to others of God’s immediate concern for this world. Your bodily activity proclaims the goodness of sensuality and the hope of bodily resurrection.
This is not a nice theory; this is concrete and real. You must be truly poor, not just show a spirit of poverty. You may not be a virtual virgin but physically chaste. You must be actually obedient, and not just find a lawful way to do as you please.
It is easier to obey the law than to be in love; but once you experience a great love, all else happens within that love.
And if you ever doubt your ability to live a priestly life in this secular world, remember: This human life was once divinely lived.
There are some gospel stories that really grab out attention and seem to elicit strong reactions and feelings – and this gospel of same pay for different hours of work is certainly one of them. Well, first of all the workers did agree to go out into the fields for an agreed-upon salary. Legally – there is nothing to stand on. We don’t like the “lump it or leave” attitude that Jesus seems to leave us with. Though we know that the thinking of Jesus is often at odds with our thinking but this seems outright unfair.
I think it best just to reflect on the generosity of the owner and the generosity of our God for no matter what happens we will all need to depend on that generosity and we will all be so thankful for it. I have heard more than a few people sincerely claim that they hope they don’t get what they deserve. Meaning they are well aware of their failures and missed opportunities to do good, etc… and they are not small failures (though it seemed so at first). They put themselves at the mercy of God and it is not a bad place for us to be either.
The small construction tents you may have seen are there because the walls on either side of the baptismal font on the outside have been rotted out by rains over the years. Corrective measures are being taken to repair an correct the problem.
(the article to be continued on the priesthood will appear in next week’s bulletin)
I want to express a note of appreciation to everyone who participated in our feasibility study. As of September 8th --- Our Feasibility Study and the Questions Most-Asked…
Is the cost of the expansion and renovation of the Family Center $2.5 million?
No, the total cost of the project was estimated to be $1.3 – #1.5 million. Our original idea was to raise $2.5 million over a 5-year period in order to maximize our capital ability. Now, after conducting the feasibility study and receiving feedback from our parishioners I will go before the Finance Council (we meet the last week of September), present the results to them and perhaps propose considering taking on a 3-year $1.5 million dollar campaign. This will give us the necessary capital in order to complete our projects and cover any contingency costs.
Why do we need to expand our Family Center?
Our ministries and groups are limited in meeting spaces. In order to continue to serve our parish and our community effectively (and meeting future needs) it will help ensure a strong future for our parish and those who serve it. It will also give us appropriate meeting areas for our religious education program. Quality space is optimum for quality teaching possibilities. I have written on previous occasions about some of the spaces in which the children need to meet. They are far from adequate…but I invite you at any time to stop in the Family Center to observe and judge for yourself.
What if I still want to make a pledge to the campaign even though I agree with only parts of the case statement?
You can still make your pledge and indicate on your pledge card that you want your gift to be put towards a specific item on the case statement. This is called restricted funds. You can still participate in the campaign and have your gift applied towards certain aspects of the project.
Is it possible to raise $1.5 million with current economic environment?
Yes, it is. Our parish is capable of raising $1.8 - $2 million over a three-year period. We have reduced our capability (our original plan) based on the feedback from the feasibility study to ensure a successful campaign and to cover the entire cost of the project. During the capital campaign we will be appealing to the entire parish with the intention of having each parishioner’s individual sacrifice come together to achieve one common goal.
On another matter… upon inspection of the outside walls of the church on either side of the baptismal font we discovered that the wood and insulation under the shingles have rotted away and need to be fixed… and that work was started last week. We do keep checking out the condition of our property and grounds (there is a lot!). When the torrential rains came down when Hanna visited us we were able to see how the water comes off the roofs of our buildings and to see what needs our attention.
I had opportunity two weeks ago to visit the New York City Museum in Manhattan. I wanted to go because there is an exhibition on Catholics in that great city – from the eighteen hundreds to 1946.
I continue to be amazed at what the Catholic communities accomplished, even though we were primarily an immigrant church. E.g. an orphanage burned down and a new one was built to house 1,000 orphans. Within that time span St. Patrick’s Cathedral was built as well, along with hospitals, community centers, schools, etc. These accomplishments are not to be measured in terms of money. Look beyond that and behold the determination, vision and commitment of the believers… and those values are still alive today.
After the war, when the GI’s came home, there was a great exodus out of the city to the suburbs, a greater interest in the value of education and the laity willing to take upon themselves. greater leadership in the church. In years past almost all the books on spirituality, oversight of education, etc would have been the sole realm of priests and nuns. Most books on spirituality today are by laity and the ministries of nuns today are tremendously diverse. And though the role of the priesthood has some clear and defined missions, the priesthood is evolving to meet the many needs that are pressed upon them on local and diocesan levels.
Fr. James Smith is a pastor in Columbus, OH and he has penned a talk to the newly-ordained priests – to be found in the September issue of Celebration. I think it is worthy of your reading… and perhaps something you might consider passing on to our young Catholics.
“The priesthood is a many-splendored thing. To glance at one random facet, this means that you are a man for others. The first lesson that every groom learns is that his life is no longer his own. Everything he thinks and does is now only one aspect of a dual relationship. Since you will probably live and work alone, you will continually have to remind yourself that you do not have a life apart from your priesthood.
Do not be taken in by secular models of leadership. Office hours and a home away both betray your essential being. They would slowly transform your vocation into a profession. Nor should you ever dream of the time when you can retire and do whatever you like. Every thought of something beyond your priesthood will ineluctably transmogrify you from a shepherd into a hired hand.
If you ever find yourself lonely, that is good. What else would a lone person feel? But don’t too quickly surrender to any cure – let loneliness cut deeply into your being. You have spent nearly 30 years carving a personal identity. Now begins the final phase when love of other people will forge your identity into a personality. Let it be Christ-like.
You are a man of the Word. Whatever doubts you may have about some ideas of the church, take it to heart when the church tells you that your primary duty is to preach. One cardinal said that if in one Catholic parish the Gospel was preached without the Mass, and in another parish the Mass was celebrated without preaching, the parish with the preaching would be more Catholic after 20 years. This is not to denigrate the value of the Mass; it is to emphasize the power of the Word. (To be continued)
This past July 11, seventh and eighth grade students in our parish accepted an invitation offered by our Committee for Social Justice and Peace to “make a difference”.
Each day they spent time volunteering at various sites throughout our community, including the Princeton Day Care Center, Mt. Carmel Guild, and CYO of Trenton. Not only did these students make a difference with those they served – but also in the lives of those who conducted the program, their co-workers and their own.
We express our gratitude to those who took the chance and participated, those who prayed for them, and for those who made it all possible. Thank you parents for your support and encouragement (nothing would have happened without you).
Labor Day: the unofficial end of summer. From the Department of Labor website you will read that “Labor day differs in every essential way from the other holidays of the year in any country,” said Samuel Gompers, founder and longtime president of the American Federation of Labor. “All other holidays are in a more or less degree connected with conflicts and battles of man’s prowess over man, of strife and discord for greed and power, of glories achieved by one nation over another. Labor Day…is devoted to no man, living or dead, to no sect, race or nation.”
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
Two passages (randomly selected) for your meditation: They come from the marvelous book by William O’Malley – Daily Prayers for Busy People
“There is no one of us – no matter what our race or sex or allegiance – who does not have the same blood and bones, the same flesh and frailty. So, too, the Christ. The Sanctifier must be of the same stock as the sanctified, so that by his death he might nullify Evil and his uncreation, death, to free us from our lifelong fear that death could sever us from God. For he did not pitch his tent among the disembodied angels but among the daughters and the sons of Abraham. He might become utterly at one with his sisters and brothers. Thus, our high priest has assured all our weaknesses in every way; and thus he is trustworthy. He was defiled that he might expunge our defilement. He has survived all temptation to infidelity, and thus he can show us the way. (Hebrews 2: 14 – 18)
During the war, a British friend of Madeleine L’Engle lost her husband her three small children in an air raid. For the rest of the war, she worked for the destitute, doing “her passionate grieving in private.” Later she fell in love again with a man who asked her to marry him and begin a family again. She knew the awful risk. “But she mad the dangerous decision. She dared to love again.”
Years later, L’Engle told the story at a college, “and during a reception a handsome young philosopher professor came to me; she had been married and her husband had died; she told me that she was not going to do as the Englishwoman had done; she was never going to open herself to that kind of pain again; she refused to be vulnerable.“I do not think that I would want to be a student in her philosophy classes.” (Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water)
It is probable that during this week or next many of our parishioners who graduated this past June will be taking off for colleges throughout the USA.
Over the years the colleges have become much more accommodating to parents by hosting welcoming parties or sponsoring ‘parents’ days’ later in the year. The experience of many in my generation seemed to have been dropped off at college and “we’ll see you again at Thanksgiving.” A graduate of the American College (seminary) at Louvain in Belgium wrote an interesting account of the time he was sent by his bishop for theological studies. He received a letter from his bishop in mid-summer and was told to report to the seminary at Louvain in September. While there he was not allowed to go home during his stay. He was allowed one or two phone calls home during the year. After some politicking the deacons from the US the deacons were allowed to go home for a week or two before they started their last academic year.
Oftentimes, especially in the early years of our priesthood, it was not unusual for ‘wise guys’ to tell younger priests how easy they have it. A classmate of mine never let them get away with that. He would remind them that while they were out partying, dating, and bound by no curfews, etc… he was confined to the seminary grounds. There was no opportunity take a break and go out for a pizza or movie (you weren’t allowed to leave the seminary grounds and lights were out at 10:00 p.m.). He made the sacrifices necessary to gain his goal of priesthood and he never regretted it one bit. (By the way, things have changed in the seminary as well.)
He, like so many of the priests I know, had a burning desire to live a different life for the good of the Kingdom of God. We have a deep and abiding faith that God has greater things in store for us and Jesus Christ is the definitive Word that brings us there. The great preacher Bishop Fulton Sheen, speaking of the destiny of humankind, once wrote:
“…man (sic) is not an evolution but a revolution.”
“He may be an animal, but he has a soul. He is the only animal in the world that is not a domestic animal. Every other animal in this world seems to belong to this world and is content with it. Man is the only wild animal in the sense that he is not domestic to this earth. On account of his soul he has an infinite reach toward the infinite life, love, truth and beauty, and therefore his home is with God in heaven.”
We will all build the Kingdom of God in varied ways. To our students going off (or returning) to college we wish you great success. We hope your dreams are noble and worthy. And just perchance somewhere along the way the voice of God may invite you to a different calling --- one dedicated to his service which has great diversity and blessings to offer you. Should that come along stop and think about it…
THE ROAD NOT TAKEN by R. Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
Friday, August 15th is the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. It is a holy day and a day of obligation. Masses are at 9:00, 12:15 and 7:30 p.m. We’ve had a number of riders who participated in the Anchor House Ride for many years. One rider, Melanie S. sends out a note to her friends and sponsors and on top of her letterhead are the words: “The Need Remains, So We Ride”. I’ve heard riders recount time and again, when they might get weary, say to others and to themselves “it’s for the kids”. And for the support team and those who contribute – these are phrases upmost in their minds.
As always the riders have steep hills to climb (as must as 18% grade) and face the headwinds – which Melanie describes as one of the most challenging of obstacles they have to endure.
Coming into Jersey on the final day she saw a young boy (13? 14?) at the end of the bridge playing with a cell phone. Another rider asked why she thought the boy was there so early in the morning… probably up to no good. Her response was that he may just be a boy who hasn’t yet found Anchor House. He liked her version of the story much more. She finishes up by writing: “The final 10 miles, and entrance into the Mall was as exhilarating as in the past years, but what really exhilarates me is seeing kids like the “bridge kid” and knowing that as long as kids like him are in need, and I am able, I will ride. Your generosity in terms of financial support, prayers, karma, and wishes keeps me going. I can’t say thank you enough, but do know that while I am proud to have completed all 500 miles of the Ride, I am more proud to be part of the Anchor House family doing good things for kids.
On behalf of the kids, including the “bridge kid” who will someday find Anchor House – thank you.”
Kings and queens and other royalty of the past are offices that we could not imagine or understand today. For most these are people of interest – but with no authoritative power… but once were considered to have their office almost by divine decree. The papacy held the same unique honor and eventually took on the trappings of royalty. Some called it the “Imperial Papacy”. However, over the past several decades the popes have been divesting themselves of symbols of royalty. Some can remember ostrich fans behind Pope Pius XII, in one pope’s company you would never, never turn your back to him and among the last vestiges was the fact that you did not touch the personal of the pope. When John Paul II walked arm in arm with the president of the US it was no small thing… but no pope had ever done that in living memory.
Fr. Benedict Groeschel, C.F.R. writes in The Priest magazine (Aug. 2008): “…there at St. Joseph’s Seminary (in NY) I witnessed the final end of the “Imperial Papacy.” It came when a young girl of grammar school age, who was assigned to make the first presentation to Pope Benedict, came up and threw her arms around him. Smiling, the Pope embraced her in return. This started a trend, and I watched as person after person embraced the Pope. Prior to this, the only time I had ever seen a pope kissed was in the ceremonial kiss given by cardinals after they received their red hats.
One might lament the passing of these royal signs if they had not been replaced by something far more important and pastoral. Benedict XVI was received with the greatest enthusiasm. The same enthusiasm is seen regularly at papal audiences in St. Peter’s Square. Forget the imperial dignity. The Pope is no longer the Emperor of Religion… He is now emerging as the unique father of the faithful, and – as we saw in his meetings with non-Catholics and non-Christians – the moral leader of most of the religious world. This is what he is supposed to be. One newspaper even pointed out: “There is all this enthusiasm because in the whole world there is only one pope.” He is becoming a father figure to much of the world, and – as we saw on that great day at St. Joseph’s Seminary – for much of the younger world he is very successfully becoming a grandfather figure, as well. Long live the Pope!”
Beginning this Sunday I will be away on vacation for two weeks and back on the 31st. Frs. Andrew and McConnell will take good care of you.
I would like to thank you for your warm reception to the news of my being named a Chaplain to his Holiness (Monsignor). In the egalitarian days of church while in the seminary most were no longer in favor of the honor of ‘monsignor’ being given. (Ironically, I was in favor of it but never sought after it.) A canon law professor told us never to refuse the honor should it come our way. He said the honor was for the people. So in that spirit it is an honor for St. James parish and the people at the Pastoral Center… but like any monsignor worth his salt we think we had a little to do with it, too. Again, thank you.
From Christianity Today (Aug. 2008, Tim Stafford) comes a report of how a Christian, who takes his faith seriously, lives out his life as a lawyer.
“Stephen Pfeiffer practices litigation, criminal law, corporate law, environmental law, labor and employment – in other words, all kinds of law. Pfeiffer, a recent Regent University law school grad who practices for a sizeable secular firm in Hampton Roads, says he isn’t trying to change the law, but to use it.
“My goal in becoming a lawyer has never been to take on unjust laws,” he says. “it is to be able to work with people and demonstrate integrity and excellence. That’s how I am going to change the world, by the way I conduct myself.”
He recalls one criminal case in which he suspected a client wanted to make an untruthful statement before the court. “I gathered it was not the truth so I called him on it,” Pfeiffer says. “I told him, ‘I want to know the truth whether it hurts me or helps me. Not only is it against the rules of Virginia (to mislead the court), but as a Christian I can’t allow that.”
Afterwards the client thanked Pfeiffer for this representation, including holding on to the truth. “It was really strange to have an attorney hold me to the truth,” the client said, but he was grateful that he had been reminded of what was right.In civil litigation Pfeiffer sometimes encounters opposing attorneys who use questionable tactics, often just to incite the other attorney’s wrath. “We all go to war for our client,” Pfeiffer says, “but some are using biological warfare.” Pfeiffer says he refuses to fight fire with fire, stopping short of vengeance in the legal process.
Pfeiffer says his faith also precludes him from taking advantage of his clients.” Any civil attorney can find a million frivolous things to file on, but it’s almost stealing,” he says. “Why file it if it’s not going to advance my client’s case? It’s a big temptation to raise billable hours.”
Pfeiffer says his goal is to serve. “Pretty much (with) every case I feel I can help somebody,” he says. “People don’t come to an attorney unless they need help. For them, it’s often the most important issue in their life. I can’t always get them to resolve the issue between themselves, but at least I can always be a source of stability and listen to them – to make them feel important because they are important to me. I just try to treat them well.
“I rarely mention that I am a Christian unless someone asks. I had one client who said to me, ‘I know you are a Christian.’ I said, “Oh, how is that?” He said, “I just knew there was something about you, the way you treat me and talk to me.” That was an amazing compliment, and I give the credit to the Lord for using me that way. I really want my actions to speak loudly to people.”\
(How is that for integrating faith and vocation?) the Pastoral Center… but like any monsignor worth his salt we think we had a little to do with it, too. Again, thank you.
I have noted that we need to upgrade our buildings to better meet the needs of our parish. To take on this task in a worthy manner will mean a commitment from our community. It is more than a physical and financial commitment – it is also to a dream that all will be better served through an enhancement of or parish facilities and the desire to use these facilities to the building of God’s Kingdom. So, we are embarking on a feasibility study. Is the commitment sufficient to meet the task we are to assume? It cannot work without you. A number of you will be contacted the members of the Kevin Lynch Development Associates. If you are contacted I ask for your cooperation and openness in speaking with them. Anything they may ask of you is to be kept in strict confidentiality They will ask you questions about the parish and about your pastor. They will give me an honest report and I will not be told who said what and no one will be identified in that report. The report will let me (and the finance committee) know if we have the support to move forward and how we need to go about it.
So, in advance, I thank you for your input and time. Fr. RB
For me, as a child, the summer months were times for creativity, fascination, and loads of physical activity. Among those summertime activities was the joy of reading. I was inspired to read by clever adults who taught me in school, my older brother and sister, and those who manned the desks at the library.
For many adults “summertime reading” or “beach books” are welcomed respites from hectic times. However, they are not mere escapes – they fire up our imaginations, allow us to dream, bring life to our spirits and almost off-handedly teach us quite a bit. Not to read in the summertime would indeed be a waste (to my way of thinking).
Among the many books to choose from let me suggest some authors for you to read: anything by C.S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton and R. Rolheiser. They write of things spiritual but they can be like listening to a good friend. Reading, as one priest noted, is meditating with other people’s thoughts. C.S. Lewis’s “…background of atheism and doubt gave him a life-long understanding of and compassion for readers who would not accept his words. He had engaged in a gallant tug of war with God, only to find that the God on the other end of the rope was entirely different from what he had imagined….” (P. Yancey, Christianity Today, July 2008). “Lewis saw the world as a place worth saving. Unlike the monastics of the Middle Ages and the legalists of modern times, he saw no need to withdraw and deny all pleasures. He loved a stiff drink, a puff on a pipe, a gathering of friends, a Wagnerian opera, a hike in the fields of Oxford. The pleasures in life are indeed good, just not good enough; they are ‘only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have not yet visited.” I found in Lewis that rare and precarious balance of embracing the world while not idolizing it. For all its defects, this planet bears marks of the original design, traces of Beauty and Joy that both recall and anticipate the Creator’s intent. (P. Yancey).
G. K. Chesterton and R. Rolheiser write as Catholics. G.K.C. coined the phrases: “Christianity has not failed. It has never been tried” and “Catholic means ‘here comes everybody’.” And R. Rolheiser is an spiritual author of our time.
Why read? For yourself and that you may pass on a mature faith to your children as they grow. An eighth-grade religious teacher met one of her former students who left the faith. In the discussion that followed she discovered that the god he turned from was not the God she believed in or taught. He did not catch the message the first time around but he liked what he heard now and had much to discuss.
Oftentimes we grow intellectually, emotionally, physically but spiritually we may lag behind somewhat. Our adult maturity needs an adult faith – and it helps to read, meditate and pray.
First off – during the past two weeks our phones have not always worked the way they are programmed to work. Sometimes we would pick up the phone to answer it only to have it disconnected. Don’t know why that happened but we apologize for any inconvenience and frustration it may have cause you (it is also frustrating to us as well).
Music, noise and silence: a recent healthy living section of the Trenton Times (7/21/08) there was an article entitled “Heading off hearing loss…” It focused on how loud one plays music on their MP3’s (e.g. I-Pod). Francheska Salcedo (18) said “I listen to my music every day… I’ve read about headphones causing pressure on the eardrums, but I can’t live without my music.”
Music and some noise can be comforting and pleasurable. They can bring forth a string of emotions that are important to us. Just as important, perhaps more so, is the ability to be silent and to live in silence. Young people, for whom constant noise and/or music is a given in life, ought to seek to spend quality time in silence. (This is true for all of us.) A story to illustrate one point as to why: a priest/minister found himself in a terrible state of uneasiness and unrest. He sought counsel from a wise clergyman who recommended that the minister should, on the next Sunday, go into his study, close the door and let no one in and allow no interruptions for at least three hours. The clergyman did as he was instruction. When they next met the spiritual director asked him if he did as instructed. He answered “yes”. I went into the study, locked the door, turned off the phones and played some classical music for three hours. “It was wonderful” he said. The spiritual director reprimanded him and said that this is not what he asked him to do. He was to be silent and remain in silence. The priest/minister then said “Oh, I couldn’t do that – I wouldn’t be able to stand being alone in my own presence!”
For some people noise and music is an escape from something – as illustrated in the above story. For others it is a key into a deeply spiritual and religious life. It is important that we become acquainted with ourselves and know who we are. If one is to enter into honest conversation with God we ought to know what “we are bringing to the table”. God already is aware – we may not be. Are you running away from something? Are you so confused about life and other matters that noise and music become welcomed distractions?
Try entering into silent prayer and reflection. If you don’t know what to do try to reflect or think of the music that you welcome into your mind and heart. What is there about it that makes it important to you? Once you answer that question then wrestle with the question as to why that is so. Are the feelings surface feelings? Are they fleeting? Is there something substantial, something that touches your very soul that you find there? Don’t be fuzzy in your thinking – write down your thoughts on paper and maybe you will discover a deep truth about yourself or simply come to be surprised at what you find.
Since you are wonderfully and awesomely made by God recognize that you will never fathom the total mystery of yourself – but it will be one of the best journeys you will ever take. By the way – when you first try it do not be surprised to be filled with a lot of distractions. Keep at it – it will get better and become more rewarding as you move on.
God’s Big Back Yard – the theme of last week’s Vacation Bible School. A thousand – maybe ten thousand – thanks to the adults and youth who helped to run and direct all that went on. To those who do not get a chance to observe any behind the scenes preparations, etc – believe me, a great deal of time and hard work went into this (as it has in all the past years). The children loved it and they had a great time. God bless you all!
A unique witness of faith: young men, from out of state, had recently entered in the Catholic Church via the RCIA process. As I often hear, the baptism at the Easter Vigil was awesome. He said that when he went up to receive the Holy Eucharist he felt it was “no big deal” – not that it wasn’t important but just that he would take it in stride. When he went back to his pew he bowed his head and found himself weeping for joy (and for no short period of time). He went on to say that previously he felt he had a close relationship with God but now he had a close relationship and was surrounded by people who knew and loved God as well.
As I noted time again, no Catholic “flies solo”. We are in community with one another. We may disagree on many things but we stand together in our knowledge and love of God and one another.
The Communion Bow
“When receiving Holy Communion, the communicant bows his or her head before the Sacrament as a gesture of reverence and receives the Body of the Lord from the minister… When Holy Communion is received under both kinds, the sign of reverence is also made before receiving the Precious Blood” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal 160). Communion is the climax of the Mass. The Eucharist is the summit, the greatest experience of our life, and it is the source, the origin of all we do and are. It calls forth our belief in God and our service to the world. As Catholics, we believe that the communion we share is the sacramental presence of Jesus and that Christ remains with us as we go forth to love our neighbor. At God’s invitation we come to this table with joy, faith and reverence. As a sign of the reverence we owe this sacrament, each of us bows our head before we receive. This sign of reverence is similar to the bow of the head made at Mass whenever we say the name of the Trinity, Jesus, Mary or the saint being honored. It differs from the profound bow during the creed at the words “by the power of the Holy Spirit.” In the past, when approaching communion, some have made a profound bow, a head bow or a genuflection. Others have made the sign of the cross after communion. For the sake of uniformity, the custom in the Unite States is now a bow of the head before receiving communion. (Ministry & Liturgy by Resource Communications.)
Summertime story (from a friend through the internet): a grandfather was explaining to his grandson the various internal conflicts that we will all experience. Grandpop said that there are two wolves inside of us. One is evil and is recognized by its lies, theft, betrayals, meanness, injustice, etc. He said the other wolf is good and is recognized by its works of justice, fair play, truthfulness, respect, loyalty, etc. One day one of the wolves will be the strongest and the other must leave.
The grandson, strongly affected by the picture his grandfather had drawn, asked him which wolf of the wolves will win. The grandfather said that it depends on which wolf you choose to feed.
Welcome back home to our work camp youth and adults and to all the Anchor House Riders (especially from our own parish) – and a “thank you” to those who support them.
As you have observed the parking lot has been totally paved and should last another twenty or more years. Now we need to work on the pavements that have been lifted up by the trees in front of the chapel.
I mistakenly reported the last time I spoke about parish improvements that all the HVAC work in the church had been done. Actually, the last unit was put in and finished just before the July 4th weekend. This means that the HVAC for the chapel, the church, and the link have all been replaced within the past two years. They should last for another twenty years.
We are meeting to replace the largest boiler that is in the parish center. If all goes well it should be replaced by or in October, 2008. That will mean only the AC for the gym has not been replaced.
In the rectory we have had our boiler fixed but not replaced. The only AC in the rectory is by individual unit per room – not all rooms are air conditioned.
The finance committee and I will have met with Kevin Lynch to speak about fundraising: to speak of our needs, our goals and the probabilities for success. A great need is more space and proper space for our religious education needs, and more.
Oh yes, I have discovered some new animals that roam our property. If your children should see what looks like nice ‘kitties’ that are black with a white stripe down their back – advise them to get away as quickly as possible. Of course, they don’t bite but you wouldn’t want to wear the ‘perfume’ they may endow upon you.
I would like to encourage those who made pledges to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal to complete their pledges and those of you who have not to please consider doing so. There will be literature at the back of the church this Sunday to help you to pledge.
Failure often leads to great things. I will be at a workshop this week that will focus its attention on alcoholism, obsessive behavior, and more. It is conducted by Guest House – a place where priests may go to be healed of their alcoholism – but the range of topics is much broader. What amazed me was that many who attended had once been caught up in such diseases and behavior. I find that they are the most dedicated and they are on fire with desire to help others. There was a priest who taught in our seminary who worked with alcoholics and he himself was an alcoholic. At that time I was convinced that God took him down that path in order that he may help others – and boy, did he ever help the others.
St. Marcellinus: a pope at the end of the 3rd century. Under the persecution of the Roman Emperor, Diocletian, he handed over copies of Sacred Scripture, other sacred books and offered incense to the gods. For this he was disposed as pope and for a while was not listed in the names of the popes. But history records that he repented for what he had done and was killed by order of the emperor. For that he was venerated by the people as a martyr and saint – and his name was permanently placed in the Roman Canon (one of the canons that we use at Mass) and is there to this day. Apostasy, along with murder and adultery, were considered the most severe of all sins. The early church did not often go easy on them and the penance one might have received was indeed strong. Marcellinus’ martyrdom lifted him to the company of the saints. Apparently his love for God won out and overcame his disgrace. The lesson: God’s grace and forgiveness is not beyond our reach
Last week I noted that the bishops urged us not only to participate in government but to do so with a conscience formed in the truth of God. They write: “The formation of conscience includes several elements. First, there is a desire to embrace goodness and truth. For Catholics this begins with a willingness and openness to seek the truth and what is right by studying Sacred Scripture and the teaching of the Church as contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It is also important to examine the facts and background information about various choices. Finally, prayerful reflection is essential to discern the will of God. Catholics must also understand they if they fail to form their consciences they can make erroneous judgment.
The dioceses throughout the US do have established standards as to how a parish may or may not enter publicly into politics or from the pulpit. I’ll list the “don’ts”:
Don’t endorse or oppose candidates for public office.
Don’t distribute partisan campaign literature under church auspices.
Don’t arrange for groups to work for a candidate for political office.
Don’t invite only selected candidates to address your church-sponsored group.
Don’t conduct voter registration slanted toward one party.
Don’t distribute a biased candidacy survey.
We can address issues, non-partisan voter registration, moral and human dimensions of public issues, etc.
We often see others bring candidates into their churches and give them support. Why can’t we do that? Why don’t we do that? (E.g bring in a pro-life candidate and endorse him.) One reason is that to bring in a candidate appears to give total approval to him/her and all their views. That can put us in a terrible bind. There have been times when a candidate states one view (e.g. pro-life) and a few weeks later goes to the other view (e.g. pro-choice). It leaves us in an awkward position. And the bishops caution us that we are not to be a one-issue voter.
The question has been asked “How can a Catholic be a Republican/Democrat?” Yes, it has been asked from both sides. Maybe that is reason enough not to bring candidates from one political stance into the church. (Fr. Pfleger from Chicago seemed to illustrate the point quite well.)
And the tax issue is not a small issue. The IRS and government are quite anxious about tax-free organizations endorsing particular candidates – one could lose their tax-exempt status because of that – though I know of none that have.
A dilemma: the bishops have condemned racism as intrinsically evil. A voter called her brother who was a bishop about a school board election in which one candidate was pro-life but was also a white racist. Did she have to vote for him because he was pro-life. The bishop thought and answered. As a school board member he would have no say in pro-choice/pro-life issues – but he could have great influence as a white racist. He told her to vote against him. Just something to think about.This week we will celebrate, on the 4th , the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is a document that fashioned our nation and changed the lives of millions - here and in distant lands.
This summer we will witness the conventions of the Democratic and Republican parties, intense campaigning, perhaps some debates and , in November, the election of a president and various members to Congress.
Are Catholics encouraged to participate in political life? “You betcha!” From the bishops we hear some encouraging words and wisdom from their document: Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship.
In their booklet we read “…(we bishops) do not intend to tell Catholics for whom or against whom to vote. Our purpose is to help Catholics form their conscience in accordance with God’s truth. We recognize that the responsibility to make choices in political life rests with each individual in light of a properly formed conscience, and that participation goes well beyond casting a vote in a particular election.”
Is the turnout to vote for “American Idol” really greater than those who go to elect public officials?
“In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. This obligation is rooted in our baptismal commitment to follow Jesus Christ and to bear Christian witness in all we do. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, ‘It is necessary that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person… As far as possible citizens should take an active part in public life.’” (nos. 1913-1915.
The Church wishes to help form consciences in political life and to stimulate greater insight into the authentic requirements of justice as well as greater readiness to act accordingly, even when this might involve conflict with situations of personal interest… The church cannot and must not take upon itself the political battle to bring abut the most just society possible. She cannot and must not replace the State. Yet at the same time she cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice …“The direct duty to work for a just ordering of society is proper to the lay faithful.” (Pope Benedict XVI in his encyclical Deus Caritas Est -God is Love”. 28 & 29)
The bishops remind us: There are some things we must never do, as individuals or as a society because they are always incompatible with love of God and neighbor. Such actions are so deeply flawed that they are always opposed to the authentic good of persons. These are called “intrinsically evil” actions. They must always be rejected and opposed and must never be supported or condoned. A prime example is the intentional taking of innocent human life, as in abortion and euthanasia…. It is a mistake with grave moral consequences to treat the destruction of innocent life merely as a matter of individual choice…”
Are we to be a one-issue people? If other churches back candidates why don’t we? (Is it a tax issue?) …to be continuedIn a recent article Fr. Richard McBrian writes about Fr. Theodore Hesburg, C.S.C. – he was president of Notre Dame University for thirty-five years and is now President Emeritus. Fr. Hesburg recently celebrated his 91st birthday (May 25). On June 24, 2008, Fr. Hesburg will celebrate his sixty-fifth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
He was ordained during WWII and he asked permission to serve as a Navy Chaplain. His Religious Order had other plans for him and sent to Catholic University for further studies.
Fr. Hesburg was quite successful in his studies but he had some difficulty when he had chosen a topic for his doctoral dissertation: a theology of the laity. Some professors did not think this topic worthy of academic consideration, Fr. McBrien reminded us that, at the time, the laity were considered ‘second-class citizens’ in the Church – it was thought that the clergy did the real work of the Church. The laity were the beneficiaries of the administrations and spiritual work of the clergy.
There was also a movement at the time known as Catholic Action. Its strength was that it found a place for the laity in the Church. Its weakness was that it regarded lay activity as completely dependent on the hierarchy. (When I first entered the seminary the ‘Lay Movement’ was growing but even then (early ‘60’s) the laity were seen as participating in the apostolic work of the hierarch and they were seen as helpers.
Fr. Hesburg did complete his dissertation and when it was printed the University bookstore could not keep up with the demands for his book. The Vatican asked for a copy of his dissertation top be sent to them and the request was dutifully honored. A copy was sent out but he never heard anything from them… until two decades later. The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity recognized his ideas and incorporated them into the decree without a single footnote of attribution – (I did tell you that all of this is from a recent article by Fr. McBrien – did I not?)
Fr. Hesburg was ahead of his times. Bishop Sheen had similar inklings as well but did not have the same understanding as did Fr. Hesburg.
The Church exists for the laity – not the reverse. The fundamental sacrament that consecrates us into the Lord is Baptism… not Holy Orders.
“Father Hesburgh received the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal in July of 2000. At the award ceremony in the Capitol rotunda, then-President Bill Clinton captured the essence of the man when, after calling attention to his extraordinary contributions to his country and to world peace, he said: “The greatest honor you’ll ever wear around your neck is the collar of a priest.”
Father Hesburgh unhesitatingly agreed. The most significant day of his life, he said at the ceremony, was the day of his ordination to the priesthood. For years he has insisted to his many friends and countless audiences that his all-sufficient epitaph would simply read: “priest.”
One seminary professor, perhaps it was the rector, spoke to us of the importance of being a gentleman. He went on to say that a priest is a gentleman with a Roman Collar. Fr. Hesburg has many honors and indeed is a gentleman with a Roman Collar.
A Happy Father’s Day to all the dads. Some quotes:
“I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.” Sigmund Freud
“If the new American father feels bewildered, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation he has a fifty-fifty change of being right.” Bill Cosby
“It doesn’t matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was.” Anne Sexton
The Rev. William O’Malley has written two books of prayers. He takes psalms and scripture readings and other forms of literature to form the prayers. He goes to the heart of the psalms and presents them in intriguing ways. His Psalm 31 is reflective of the biblical psalm for a leader who is in distress…
“There’s more challenging parts in the play, to be sure,
Not the lead, God, of course. That’s your’s.
The arch-villain’s part is a role I’ve tried, but it calls for a … stature I lack.
I’m not right for the unsullied maid or the knight, the fool or the witch or the ghoul.
They’re all more… extreme than the talent I have, and I don’t long for the lead anymore.
I don’t mind that I am assigned to the menial roles: serve the meal, open doors, point the way.
I am pleased to announce the entrance of the Host, and fade back to the chorus line and sing.
But the roles that I play seem created from glass: they look through me, as if I weren’t there.
And the Lead said, “That’s fine, friend. It’s just what I want.
You’re not here for applause. Just play.”
Daily Prayer for Busy People pg. 64
A scripture reading: pg. 127
Exodus 4: 10 – 13
“Moses said, “Uh, my God, I … I never in my life have been what you’d call … uh … eloquent. Never. I mean … even after our little talks together. you see, I … I … stammer, you see. I do … don’t speak well at all.”
“Hm,” God mused. “Where do you suppose a outh comes from? Who would you guess makes this one speechless and that one deaf? This one clear-eyed had that one blind?”
“Uh, you, God. But … if … if … if it would please you … there must be someone else.”
“Hm,” God mused again. “Yes. Yes, I suppose I had better go with you.”
“Misfortune is often a doorway, and good luck a dead end.
Some windfalls you end up paying for yourself, but some intimidating, infuriating encroachments on your time enrich you a hundredfold.
Honors laid on from outside soon grow thin and forgotten; honor forged from within may be unseen, but it can never be taken away, only surrendered.
Even inferior fools can delight the mob for a moment; the wise who listen with vulnerable hearts are beyond death.
Gratitude is rare, but longing for it is obsessive; forswearing gratitude is the final test of love.
Ecclesiasticus 30: 9 - 17
I subscribe to The Priest magazine. One of my classmates is editor and, of course, the articles are directed primarily at priests. In the June issue is an e-mail they received. The author withheld his name but he addresses all priests.
“…I do have one favor to ask of you: please recognize that child pornography use and child sexual abuse are a growing problem in our families.
A lead therapist at an agency specializing in treating offenders told me personally that their cases are skyrocketing, and he does NOT think that is because more are simply being identified. He thinks the problem is growing, and he told me that that is the consensus of his colleagues.
Internet pornography addiction leads many men (not all) but many men to view harder and harder core pornography. Many men who would have NEVER been prone to using child pornography are gradually desensitized to it and drawn into a hideous and evil subculture of child pornography.
When men come to you confession, and confess using pornography, please take the time to ask a follow-up question. Please ask them if the pornography they are using involves the portrayal of minors.
I have sat in on offender’s groups. I have spoken with many offenders, some of whom happened to be Catholic. I asked them, “Have you confessed this?” they said, “yes!” I said, “Have you told the priest it was child pornography?” one-hundred percent of them replied that they had NOT told the priest that they had intentionally viewed child pornography.
Please, for the good of men’s souls, help them come to terms with the kind of pornography that they are viewing. While many of your penitents probably have NOT viewed violent pornography or child pornography, you would be surprised how many have. They need your help.” (The Priest magazine – June ‘08)
Some of our parishioners work with children who were abused physically and sexually. It is a hard task to keep at it because of the vulnerability of children and the damage that is done to them. When the priest child-abuse scandal became public many had not realized, until then, the harm and terrors the children endured. Never, never be a cause of such a sin. That may seem very simple but it happens time and again – mostly by people whom the children know and trust. Pornography can become an insidious disease. It can become addictive and addictiveness often leads to more harmful behavior. Pornography that is received via the internet seems to be a private experience. It never is. Just so you know, even if you believe you have successfully erased it – it remains in the computer… and it can be found!
Parents – monitor what your children view on their computers - I’m sure most of you do.
For teens and adults the cause for concern is should take priority. Viewing child pornography is not only a federal crime – but the greater danger is that it may well entice one to do something they would never have thought themselves capable of doing
To be consecrated in Baptism (as we were) is to “put on Christ” and stand against that which is evil and to bring life and blessing into our world
At Christmas past, a newly-ordained priest preached to the people about the sins of abortion, adultery, deliberately missing Mass, injustices, stealing, etc. Someone approached him to speak of his “inappropriate” choice of topics: it should have been about the babe in the crib, or family life, etc. In turn he said he felt impelled to do so because many of these people do not come to hear the Word of God on a consistent basis and this was his only chance to speak about salvation and what was at stake for the good of their souls. What is the unspoken word or topic he is referring to? Simply, it is “hell”.
The Christian Century magazine (6/3/08) featured a symposium on hell. Six theologians wrote short essays about it and below is just one of them. The author is Paul Griffiths. Any underlining or highlighting is my doing for emphasis and/or commentary.
“Hell is a nonnegotiable item of Christian vocabulary. It has scriptural roots, it is there in the earliest creeds, and it has been a staple of Christian preaching and art since almost the beginning. To speak of hell is to speak primary Christian language: the language of confession, of prayer and hymnody, a language in which fear, hope, sin and grace are inchoately intertwined.
To abandon this sort of talk, as some Christians recommend and some attempt, is a strange and sad form of self-hatred, like that of those who mutilate themselves an attempt to see what it would be like to live without arms or legs. The stumps can still be wiggled; there’ll be those phantom pains where the lost limbs once were; but once the knife has cut deep enough the body will no longer do what it once could and what the lure of health draws it to. Just so, the fabric of Christian thought without hell is rent, damaged, no longer the seamless white garment with which we Christians have been uncomprehendingly gifted.
It’s worth noting that although the Christian tradition has been rich in philosophical and theological speculative specifications of what such talk means, and still richer in poetical elaborations of its connotations, it’s been chaste in formulating doctrine about hell. The Catholic Church, for example, in whose passionate embrace I delight, has very little developed hell-doctrine, teaching almost nothing de fide about who is in hell, whether anyone is, what it’s like to be there and so on. (Most of our Catholic images of hell come from art or from the gifted poet Dante in his book De Inferno – one of three books in his Divine Comedy.) This is a good thing: no developed eschatology’s details (eschatology – final times) are such as to command the assent of any Christian. We have, then, the unavoidability of hell-talk., together with the speculations and imaginations it prompts. But about the topic itself we know almost nothing.
Or perhaps we do, even though doctrine about it is rightly undeveloped. One thing I’m sure I know is what hell is like. And I’m sure that you know it too, and that only a half-willed blindness can make you think otherwise. It’s this matter – hell’s foreshadowings in this life, its agonizingly dusty taste on the tongue, its melody-destroying disharmonies trailing off into endless silence – to which I’d like to see preachers and teachers pay more attention. Hell, formally speaking, is that despairing condition in which separation from God seems to be final and unending; in it, there is no faith, no hope, no love – only the agony of abandonment, the edgeless desert of dissimilitude (to hide under a false face) to which you know you do not belong but from which you can see no exit other then the attempt at self-destruction.
This you know, and have known since birth. It is the condition of the child separated from the mother and not finding her, and the despair of that hell is real to the child even if it occurs in the warmth of a loving home and does not last long – so much the more if it occurs at the hands of torturers and killers. It is the choking dry-as-death hopelessness of the adult whose idols have failed and who can, whether for now or for ever, see nothing beyond them. It is, in short, a world so broken by sin that the most natural response to it is despair.
It doesn’t do to skip lightly over this truth, the truth of hell’s obviousness and closeness. If we, Christians, do that, the gospel of grace is emptied and turned into a lie whose comfort is nugatory (i.e. worthless), like that of an empty chocolate Easter egg. We have something more important to say than that, but we can say it only if we both recall and talk about the reality of hell.
This weekend we celebrate a remembrance of those who have died in war – Memorial Day.
It was once thought that war was noble and glorious. I am always impressed when I see a commercial for the Marines - when I see them in their dress uniforms and performing precision drills. But I am overwhelmed when I see military caskets draped with American flags lined up to be brought home for burial. It is the harder reality.
We pray for those who lie in those caskets and for those will follow them. Pray also for those who went into battle and who suffered irreparable harm to their bodies and/or spirits.
War is not a school for virtue. The idea of common fellowship, of great sacrifice was thought to bring about a renaissance of a new spiritual quality of life. The truth is that after a war we are on a far lower moral level than we were before it. To be sure there were individual exceptions. There are no limits to the methods of killing in war anymore. The cost of war has no limits. Sooner or later the price of war must be paid – and the bill will be high.
A few weeks ago the last survivor of World War I died. His view of war? “War kills young fathers. War is stupid!” The bill for war is indeed high.
May they rest in peace. Amen.This is unofficially the beginning of summer and this weekend is a beautiful one – lots of sun and warmth – so maybe some levity is not inappropriate.
After his little brother was baptized at church, a boy sobbed in the car all the way home. His father asked what was wrong. The boy replied: “The priest said he wanted us to be brought up in a good Catholic home, but I want to stay with you guys.”
Adam and Eve had the perfect marriage. He didn’t have to listen to her talk about men she knew before him and she didn’t have to put up with his mother.
Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused novocaine during his root canal work? He wanted to transcend dental medication.
An elderly couple professed how much they loved children. One day a boy rode his bicycle through the fresh cement of their new driveway. The husband went into a rage. His wife said “But dear, you always say you love children.” He replied: “I do love them in the abstract but not in the concrete.”
Going into a church one day a man, looking for a place to sit, asked a lady “Is that seat saved?” She replied, “No, but I’m praying for it.”
Why did the Amish couple get divorced? He was driving her buggy.
(I didn’t claim they were great jokes…)
In America magazine (5/12/08) appears an article by Cardinal Carlo Maria Martini. He is now retired but was Cardinal Archbishop of Milan, Italy. To teach, to proclaim, the faith is a challenge and he offers the following advice on how to prepare for that. (Remember: Pentecost was also a sending out of the Apostles to proclaim the Gospel.)
Do not be surprised by diversity. Do not be frightened by what is new but look upon it as something in which is found a gift from God. Show that you can listen to things quite different from what we usually think but without immediately judging the speaker; try to understand what is being said and the basic arguments put forward. Young people are very sensitive about an attitude of nonjudgmental listening. This attitude gives them the courage to say what they really feel and to begin to distinguish what is really true from what only appears to be true. St. Paul said it well: “Examine everything with discernment; keep what is good and keep your distance from every trace of evil.”
Take risks: Faith is the great risk of life. It is the Lord who said “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but the one who loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Mt. 16:25). Everything is to be given up for Christ and the gospel. Now, that is a risk!
Befriend the poor: they were the friends of Jesus. That’s all we need to know.
Nourish yourself with the Gospel: the Lord Jesus said that humankind does not live by bread alone but on the word of God.
Lectio dinina: The Word of God nourishes life, prayer and the daily journey. It is the principle of unity of the community in a unity of thought, the inspiration for continuing renewal and for apostolic creativity.
Self-mastery: Learn anew that the frank opposition to desires is sometimes more joyful than endless concessions to everything that seems desirable but ends in boredom and satiety.
Silence: Fast from noise and feast on silence. Move away from an unhealthy slavery to rumors and endless chattering, from characterless music that only makes noise, and find each day at least ½ hour of silence. That is difficult to ask – and it takes more than discipline – it takes courage as well.
Humility: Do not think that it is up to us to solve the great problems of our times. Leave room for the Holy Spirit. Co-operate when you can and if you choose not to then get out of the way and do not be an obstacle to the Spirit.
At the Cathedral Church of the diocese of Trenton, two men were ordained to the priesthood (cf. the MONITOR). Please keep them in prayer. That they chose to respond to the call from the Lord is admirable, but not always easy. They have a great love for their God and the Church – especially for the sacramental life within.
I invite those who are trying to decide about their life work to take but one-half hour and (without making a commitment) imagine yourself as a priest or religious woman. I do not mean think whether or not this is the life for you – just imagine yourself as a priest or religious. You will lose nothing for the effort but may gain more than you ever hoped for.
One poetic translation of a verse in Psalm 139 goes something like this: “…O Lord, you knew me when I was being knitted in my mother’s womb… ” “I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works!”
This “wonderful piece of creation” (i.e. you) did not come about by itself. Your mom and God put you together. We often praised God – today - praise Mom, thank Mom, and see her for the unique person she is. Familiarity ought not to blind us to those qualities. Happy Mother’s Day!
Without spirit, there is no life! Many times in life this truth is affirmed but it is easy to miss if you are not looking. All our lives we get chances to make connections and allow the Spirit to work.
Janelle Lazzo, in Celebration newsletter writes of an experience that each of us has to give life. She received a phone call and did not recognize the voice until the caller said her name. Then she remembered a freshman who came to a small women’s college in her senior year.
“Carole!” I said. “How nice to hear from you! Are you in town?”
“No,” came the reply. “I am at home in Atlanta, “I have breast cancer.” I know my sharp intake of breath could be heard over the phone, but I didn’t say anything. Then I managed a weak “O Carole…” “No,” she said quickly. I’m all right. The treatments seem to be working and I feel well.” “It has put some things in perspective, though. And that is why I am calling. You are a special person who made a difference in my life, and I just wanted you to know.”
“A difference in your life?” My wonder was genuine. “You mean when we were in school?” “Of course.”
Sr. Imogene had made a big difference in my life so I thought that her affecting someone else profoundly was entirely possible. But me? I hadn’t been particularly thoughtful of others, I knew.
“Well, Carole. I can well believe that Sr. Imogene did something important for you. But I can’t think of a single thing that I did.” “That’s just it,” she said chuckling a little. “You didn’t do anything.”
“And for that I get a phone call?” I laughed too. “I did nothing and I affected your life?” My puzzlement was genuine.
“I’m black!” she said suddenly. “And you and Sr. Imogene didn’t seem to notice. You didn’t do anything. You just were.”
We talked a little after that… but I thought for a long time after we had hung up. Carole’s life had crossed mine in the 1950’s and I am sure I gave no thought to her situation, so her gratitude for my ‘benign neglect’ was undeserved. I had just liked her. But her call made we wonder how many people who had really wanted to help, to extend a hand of welcome, had without knowing it, tried too hard and in their very trying, made her feel different and apart..
She goes on to another incident. There are times when the Spirit is not shared. A woman spoke of a high school experience that had caused her much unhappiness. She was not in the “in” crowd. Nevertheless, she had thought herself a friend of a pretty classmate who had suddenly glanced in her direction in homeroom one day, and said, as if seeing her for the first time, “Oh, are you in here?”
That one thoughtless comment made with no malicious intent, had nevertheless made her feel that until that moment she had not existed in homeroom, and could, in fact, go out of existence at any moment, at least in the consciousness of the other. That one incident had made her resolve never to look through persons that she met, but always look at them.
The Spirit is alive in the world today. But I am also sure that human beings have tremendous power to affirm or diminish each other. Sparks of grace can come through any of us, usually in situations that seem inconsequential at the time. Maybe it is the very lack of dazzle that makes it so easy to miss making a connection with someone else.
But every encounter in our lives has the potential to lead to such a connection.
And each time one is made, the results may be powerful beyond out imagining.”
Pentecost is a razzle-dazzle feast day – but go microscopic in your spirituality and see and feel the wealth and the power of the Spirit that has been given to you – and “praise the Lord!”
On May 3rd we celebrated First Eucharist for 62 children of our parish. It is always a most pleasant experience and parents have assured time and again that their children at their best… it doesn’t get any better than this. We pray that they will know the presence of God in their lives and respond to God with simple and deep love.
We have a committee of six people who will research various models of Parish Councils for the next four and one-half months. They will recommend three models of Parish Councils to me by September 15th and list their order of preference. I will select one of the three models. The people who have volunteered and will serve on the committee are Thomas Brown, William Brennan, ‘Gerri’ Brennan, Dolores Davis, William McDermott, Pete and Patricia O’Hara.
Over the past two years we have been replacing heating and cooling units in the “new” section of parish buildings; i.e. the church, Gathering area, and link. Within the past two weeks the units behind the altar have been in the process of being replaced. That completes the replacement of all those units that were installed over 21 years ago when the building was dedicated.
I am told that some frames and doors will need replacing, the rectory in need of some painting and stonework repair, the ‘ceiling’ area of the portico at the front entrance to the church… and more are targets of concern. The size of our property and buildings is deceptive. There is a lot to care for --- and by your generosity we are able to keep ahead of the game. (And know that we are grateful for that.)
This summer (perhaps early summer) we will pave the remaining section of the parking lot in front of the church and the small parking lot by the rectory. The rectory lot doesn’t get much traffic but underneath it are rotting trees, roots, etc. Thee result is that parts of the lot have been sinking. We’ll go in, fill them up with stone and have a proper lot.The Family Center Furnace has been tended to with great care over the years. We went to Mack industries who built and installed the furnace to see if it could be updated and be more efficient. It cannot be made more efficient and there are some parts that are burning out. We are working on replacing it within the next six months. It will take that time to design and replace the present boiler. One possible option is to have three smaller and efficient boilers. At any given time two will be in use and their usage will be changed from time to time. It is said that not only will it not overburden the boilers but should one break down it can be fixed while the other two continue work and heat the building. Zoned heating and future expansion of our space will be taken into account.
The building committee, in compliance with diocesan regulations, has met with three architects and construction people. We hope to present to the parish the need for expansion and some concrete designs to present to you in the near future. The need for space (especially decent space for religious education) is certainly there. We have gone from some ‘dream’ space, shaved it quite a bit and will come forward with small but serviceable space. Since the church has been built I estimate that our parish has roughly doubled in size (not a scientific evaluation here) and our needs have expanded as well. Campaigning for funds and adding new space is not unfamiliar territory for any church. Have not the last efforts of St. James parishioners given us an inheritance of beautiful worship space, a Gathering area and allow us to conduct a nursery school? As a famous advertisement puts it: “Precious!”
Pope Benedict will visit Ground Zero today (Sunday) and in the afternoon will celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium. He leaves this evening for Rome at 8:00 p.m.
Bless, O Lord, your servant, Pope Benedict XVI, and bless all your family gathered here to welcome him.
Bless, too, O Lord, all those who generous time and efforts have made this visit possible.
Grant us patience in our waiting, safety on our journeys, and understanding in our hearts.
Last year, at one of our Soup and Study programs, people had a chance to ask questions of me. It was a most interesting and rewarding evening – but there was not enough time to answer all the questions. I was asked to do some follow-though recently on some unanswered questions. Here are a few.
Q: Did not the Church expand by the sword?
A: At the very outset of the church, i.e. the years immediately after the death & resurrection of Jesus the Church did expand - by the martyrdom of the believers. The witness given by the believers who died for their faith opened the eyes of many who then “converted” to Christ. There is an old adage that “the church was built on the blood of the martyrs” (especially the Roman martyrs). Martyrdom for the follower of Christ is to suffer death rather than inflict death on others.
However, the question is a two-sided sword. It could also mean “isn’t it true the church expanded by forcing its way on others?” There is some truth in this – but that would be the case only several centuries later… one only need to refer to the infamous Inquisitions, or when lands were captured by “Catholic” countries. The faith was sometimes forced on people (it was, in practice and politically, opportunistic). However, colonialism has pretty much “left the scene” in history. There are parts in our church history which are more than scandalous – and the Church over the years has paid a price for it… people do not forget. Today, as is should be for Christ followers, it is unthinkable.
Q: Priests of the Eastern Rite Catholic Church have (or may elect to have) wives. Yet our Church forbids it for the Roman Rite? Why? (Question is paraphrased.).
A: The discipline of celibacy started in the West (France, Germany, etc) probably around the 8th century. As I remember this history (or misremember it perhaps), when a bishop was needed, the Church often went to the Religious Orders to find such a man. Usually he was better educated than the ‘parish priest’, was freer to move about his diocese (they were getting larger all the time) and because he did not have the responsibility of a family he was able to dedicate more time to this work. St. Paul once noted that it was better that a bishop not be a married man. Reasoning: if this were true of bishops would it not be better for priests to come under the same discipline for the good of the church? – and so more and more bishops introduced it in their diocese. I’ve always had the suspicion that money and control had something to do with it but those who accepted this as part of their priesthood most likely did so with interior and higher spiritual motivation. And you would get passionate arguments from some priests that the Church has greatly benefited from it. For some reason the Eastern Church never saw the need to have celibacy as a necessary… but they do have the discipline that should a priest’s wife die they may not remarry. [Exception: Eastern bishops did impose celibacy in the USA and Canada on their priests back in the ‘60’s. I have a cousin who would have been a priest in the Ukrainian Byzantine Church (my mother’s Church) had he been allowed to marry.]
Perhaps the focus should be taken off the discipline as such and discuss whether or not marriage would make the man a better priest (i.e. more understanding, compassionate, effective, etc.) and if the church does fare better because of or not because of the discipline of celibacy.
Pope Benedict visits NYC and DC this week.
Pope Benedict was born on April 16, 1927 and ordained in 1951. He is a renowned scholar and was present at Vatican Council II. He was bishop of Munich, Germany for a short while and then called to Rome where he served as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith (the office responsible for safeguarding the faithful teaching of the Gospel throughout the Church).
He has written two encyclicals: Deus Caritas Est (“God is Love) and Spe Salvi (Hope of Salvation). He has written a book, Jesus of Nazareth, that was published in the spring of 2007, sold millions of copies, and is in 32 languages. His writings and homilies can be found at http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/index.htm
Though many look upon him with a cautious eye he has shown himself to be a reflective and almost shy person. He would most certainly be more comfortable teaching students than he would be as pope. On the day he was seated in the papacy his focus was not on himself but on the Lord, Jesus (it was on the feast of the Ascension) and on the office of the papacy. His homily that day was masterful.
“The Ascension of Christ means that he no longer belongs to the world of corruption and death, which conditions our life. It means that he belongs completely to God. He, the eternal Son, has taken our human being to the presence of God; he has taken with him flesh and blood in a transfigured form. Man finds a place in God through Christ; the human being has been taken into the very life of God. And, given that God embraces and sustains the whole cosmos, the Lord's Ascension means that Christ has not gone far away from us, but that now, thanks to the fact he is with the Father, he is close to each one of us forever. Each one of us may address him familiarly; each one may turn to him. The Lord always hears our voice. We may distance ourselves inwardly from him. We can live with our backs turned to him, but he always awaits us, and is always close to us...
“…The risen Christ is in need of witnesses who have encountered him, who have known him intimately through the force of the Holy Spirit, men who, having touched Him with their hand, so to speak, can attest to him. It was in this way that the Church, family of Christ, grew from "Jerusalem ... to the ends of the earth," as the reading says. The Church was built by witnesses, beginning with Peter and Paul, the twelve, all men and women who, full of Christ, in the course of the centuries have rekindled and will kindle again in an ever new way the flame of faith. Every Christian, in his way, can and must be a witness of the risen Lord. When we read the names of the saints, we can see how many times they have been, above all -- and continue to be -- simple men, men from whom arose -- and arises -- a shining light capable of leading to Christ”
Homily of Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of his acceptance of the papacy.
Unfortunately for the faithful, some of the writings of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have brought new perspectives and better understandings of the mysteries of our faith. I don not expect the secular press to be cheerleaders for the Catholic Church but their focus most likely will be limited and myopic. (It is almost a given that a newspaper will not have a qualified person to report on religious issues).The religious press and its comprehensiveness of reporting will be better (and there probably will be a bit of cheerleading there – but why not!).
Keep Pope Benedict XVI and all those involved with his visit in your prayers.
Within the diocese there are approximately fifty priests who are involved in a program entitled “Good Leaders, Good Shepherds”. It is a pastoral training program for pastors so that they will work more efficiently and with clearer vision of a healthy and vibrant church. I am one of the people enrolled in the course. One learns that he can work so much better with greater results. One priest involved in the course commented that he would now have to sit down and write out about fifty letters of apology to various leaders.
Some parish staff members have encouraged me (actually a while ago) to establish a Parish Council. It is long overdue. So, I will invite seven or nine people to meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m.
They are to investigate, select and recommend to the pastor three models of Parish Councils so that the pastor and people of St. James will with greater clarity and enhanced vision draw closer to God in their worship, through service to others and strengthened/supported by a faith-filled community.
In their recommendations I ask that they present them in some order of preference. Their final presentation to the pastor is to be completed by September 15, 2008.
If you would like to recommend someone to serve of this committee please submit their names to me at your earliest convenience. If you are so inclined you may volunteer yourself. I hope to have the committee in place by early May… in time for their first meeting on the 3rd Thursday of May.
From America magazine 3/17/08 issue comes the following:
Name That Child “What name do you give your child?” With this question to the parents, the priest begins the Catholic rite of baptism. Years ago, one expected in response the name of a saint, like Mary of John. Today, the name may well reflect an entertainer or sports hero, like Jayden, Britney, Reagan, Ashley, Angelina and Kyle. The television show “Grey’s Anatomy” has helped make the names Addison, Isabelle, Bailey and Callie more popular. There seems to be a new spirit of creativity in giving names and, indeed, in spelling them. One person found 34 ways to spell Callie – or is it Kallee?
In 2007 the most popular names given for boys were Jacob, Aiden, Ethan, Matthew, Nicholas and Joshua; for girls, Emily, Emma, Madison, Hannah and Hailey. Johnny Cash once sang of a “Boy Named Sue”; now we hear from Tiger Woods of a girl names Sam – his daughter, Sam Alexis – because Tiger’s dad called him Sam.
True, according to canon law, a baptismal name need not be that of a saint. The only guideline is: “Parents, sponsors and the pastor are to take care that a name foreign to Christian sensibility is not given” (No. 855). How different from many African traditions, in which the grandparents, not the parents, give the name. Names in Africa are very religious too, some with meanings like “love of God” or “gift of God.” In many African cultures, the day of the week on which you were born becomes part of your name. Elsewhere families choose a baby’s name from among the names of parents, grandparents, uncles or aunts. Connections with religious, cultural and family traditions definitely are becoming weaker. Different values are clearly at work in the choice of children’s name. If the Latin tag Nome nest omen (“A name is an omen”) is true, what future waits?”
Whatever name you choose – choose with considered thought for it is one of the nicer pleasures of life.
The ten apostles could not convince Thomas that they met and talked with Jesus after they had all witnessed his death and burial. Thomas would have none of it – he had to see for himself. His wish was granted and he was awkwardly embarrassed when Jesus told him to put his finger into the nail-marks of his hands and then put his hand into Jesus side where the lance pierced him.
Next week there will be a different encounter experienced by two disciples of Christ. They will walk several miles with Jesus and only when they sit down and Jesus breaks the bread will they have realized they were in his company.
In the first encounter the disciples were despondent and at a loss over what to do, now that their savior was killed on a cross. They were not ready to accept the news of the resurrection and so it had to be one very special encounter with the Lord for them to get turned around.
In the second encounter we are told that the disciples’ hearts were on fire (“…were not our hearts burning…” as Jesus talked to them as they walked along. They were ready to believe and they came to faith by recognizing Jesus in the simple action of the breaking of the bread.
St. Augustine on the Catholic Church…
“In the Catholic Church, there are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosom. The consent of peoples and nations keeps me in the Church; so does her authority, inaugurated by miracles, nourished by hope, enlarged by love, established by age. The succession of priests keeps me, beginning from the very seat of the Apostle Peter, to whom the Lord, after His resurrection, gave it in charge to feed His sheep (Jn 21:15-19), down to the present episcopate.
“And so, lastly, does the very name of Catholic, which, not without reason, amid so many heresies, the Church has thus retained; so that, though all heretics wish to be called Catholics, yet when a stranger asks where the Catholic Church meets, no heretic will venture to point to his own chapel or house.
“Such then in number and importance are the precious ties belonging to the Christian name which keep a believer in the Catholic Church, as it is right they should...With you, where there is none of these things to attract or keep me... No one shall move me from the faith which binds my mind with ties so many and so strong to the Christian religion...For my part, I should not believe the gospel except as moved by the authority of the Catholic Church.” -- ST. AUGUSTINE
Holy Week and Easter: The riches and blessings of the different celebrations during this time do not take place without the dedication and efforts of so many people. We are pressed to do so much with in a short span of time – and so on your behalf and mine I’d like to express a special note of gratitude and thanksgiving to those who have made our Lenten season go so well and our Holy Week so beautiful. Thank you:
Choirs, cantors, musicians, ushers, altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, decorators and flower arrangers, the washers of linens, volunteers to bring up gifts, to have their feet washed (at Holy Thursday Liturgy), keepers of the watch with Jesus, extra clergy for Mass and confessions, janitorial staff, Liturgy co-ordinator, deacons and deacon candidate, parish staff, PLOW & CLOW teachers, cross bearers, junior ushers, counters… no role unimportant and the diversity of gifts joining together whose aim is to draw us closer to Christ in prayer, perfect worship to God, and joy to our hearts.
Again, thank you so much!In his book, The Yellow Brick Road, Fr. W. Bausch recounts an incident from WWII. Private Joseph Schultz was sent to Yugoslavia shortly after the invasion. He was a loyal young German soldier, filled with what he had perceived to be an ideal worthy of his dedication. One day while Schultz was on duty, the sergeant called out eight names, his among them. Thinking that he was going out on routine patrol, the soldiers set out. As they made their way over a hill, they came upon eight Yugoslavians, five men and three women. Only after they had drawn to within fifty feet of them, a distance from which any marksman could shoot the eye out of a pheasant, did the soldier realize what their mission was.
The sergeant barked out his orders and the eight soldiers lined up, “Ready!” he shouted, and they raised their rifles. “Aim!” he said, and they focused their sights. Suddenly, in the silence that hung heavy in the air, they heard the thud of a rifle butt hitting the ground. As the sergeant and seven soldiers turned to look, they saw Private Schultz walking toward the Yugoslavians. Ignoring an order to come back, Schultz walked the fifty feet to the mound of the hill and joined hands with the five men and three women.
After a moment of stunned silence, the sergeant yelled, “Fire!” and Private Schultz died, mingling his blood with the blood of those innocent men and women. Later, an excerpt from a scripture passage was found on the person of Private Schultz. I am sure you have heard or read it many times and were inspired by the beauty of the words of St. Paul to the believers who lived in the city of Corinth. The paper Private Schultz carried with him read as follows:
“Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never fails.” (1Cor. 13:6 – 8)
Jesus came into our midst as one like us, i.e. of human estate.
Though he was without sin he died to sin, as one like us.
Though he was buried, as one like us, death could not contain him.
By being like us, viz., human – he has made it possible for us to be of divine quality, as is He.
Christus resurrexit –
Sicut dixit! Alleluia!
(Christ is risen! – as he said!)
Palm Sunday promises much but delivers very little, don’t you think? The gospel story about people welcoming Jesus with palms, spreading their cloaks on the ground and shouting their “hosannas” is proclaimed at the very beginning of this Sunday’s liturgy. However, when we get to sit down to listen to the three readings of the day we get right to the business of recalling the passion and the death of the Lord, Jesus. The liturgy gets the congregation all excited only to have us come crashing down. Well, it’s not out of character with how we will go through this week. Holy Week is solemn (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, empty tabernacles in the churches…). We may never have been able to recover were it not for the feast we celebrate next Sunday.
Holy Triduum: a feast of three days of holiness. Many of us grew up in a “Catholic Ghetto”. In the US they don’t exist any longer - though there may be an exception here and there. If you did not grow up in a Catholic Ghetto the following may seem strange to you – but this is how it was. It seemed that your whole world was Catholic. The school you went to was Catholic, the basketball league you played in was Catholic, the dances you went to were sponsored by a Catholic HS or CYO club and though you may not have known your city all that well – you probably knew the locations of atleast a dozen Catholic churches (it came from visiting seven different churches on Holy Thursday).
Then somewhere along the way your horizons expanded tremendously and you discovered that was a world quite different from the one in which you grew up. The Holy Days and the sacred rituals you honored and practiced were not followed by the whole world. There were people who were unconcerned about Lent, ate meat on Fridays and thought Easter had more to do with the rabbits and eggs and the season of Spring than with the Resurrection of Jesus. You may not have thought of it but you were a counter-cultural person. That is, many of your values were not in line with popular culture. It is also what made you a little special.
Well, we are still a counter-cultural type of people… at least in theory. It has been said that in our times religion is being treated like a commodity: that is, if you don’t like what you see you can always pick up a different model. Someone once noted that he went to thousands of Masses and he said that the Truth was always spoken wherever he went. It may not have been spoken well but it was spoken.This Holy Week, hear the Truth spoken again and again in the sacred liturgies and from the Holy Scriptures. Seek a deeper relationship with the Lord. Perhaps you will love being a person tagged as being counter-cultural.
The following is from a homily by St. John Chrysostom: 347 – 407.
“Would you like me to list also the paths of repentance? They are numerous and quite varied, and all lead to heaven.
A first path of repentance is the condemnation of your own sins: Be the first to admit your sins and you will be justified. For this reason, too, the prophet wrote: I said I will accuse myself of my sins to the Lord, and you forgave the wickedness of my heart. Therefore, you too should condemn your own sins; that will be enough reason for the Lord to forgive you, for a man who condemns his own sins is slower to commit them again. Rouse your conscience to accuse you within your own house, lest it become your accuser before the judgment seat of the Lord.
That, then is one very good path of repentance. Another and no less valuable one is to put out of our minds the harm done us by our enemies, in order to master our anger, and to forgive our fellow servants’ sins against us. Then our own sins against the Lord will be forgiven us. Thus you have another way to atone for sin: For if you forgive your debtors, your heavenly Father will forgive you.
Do you want to know a third path? It consists of prayer that is fervent, careful and comes from the heart.
Do you want to hear of a fourth, I will mention almsgiving, whose power is great and far-reaching.
If, moreover, a man lives a modest, humble life, that, no less than the other things I have mentioned, takes sin away. Proof of this is the tax-collector who had no good deeds to mention, but offered his humility instead and was relieved of a heavy burden of sins.
Thus I have shown you five paths of repentance: condemnation of your own sins, forgiveness of our neighbor’s sins against us, prayer, almsgiving and humility.
Do not be idle, then but walk daily in all these paths; they are easy, and you cannot plead your poverty. For, though you live out your life amid great need, you can always set aside your wrath, be humble, pray diligently and condemn your own sins; poverty is no hindrance. Poverty is not an obstacle to our carrying out the Lord’s bidding, even when it comes to that path of repentance which involves giving money (almsgiving, I mean). The widow proved that when she put her two mites into the box!
Now that we have learned how to heal these wounds of ours, let us apply the cures. Then, when we have regained genuine health, we can approach the holy table with confidence, go gloriously to meet Christ, the king of glory, and attain the eternal blessings through the grace, mercy and kindness of Jesus Christ, our Lord. + + +
April 5, 2008 – 5:00 p.m. (Saturday evening) Mass will be a special liturgy for the Religious (Sisters and Brothers) throughout the diocese who are celebrating a significant anniversary. Bishop John Smith will preside at the Liturgy. It is a very special honor given to our parish to host this event. The senior members of the parish will remember the nuns in their diverse styles of “habits” and the sense of ‘gravitas’ they carried about them. They were not lightweights in their service to the Lord and though at times they may have looked fragile to some – they were far from it.
In an unusual sermon a pastor once preached to his congregation the danger of wanting to amass spiritual treasure. Using himself as an example, he admitted he always wanted to give a bit more than he really had to give: to make another appointment for counseling or visiting another stricken person when he was already stretched too thin to be effective. He found himself starting to be short with people or argumentative or suffering a malaise that he could not identify. He was running on ‘empty’ and never knew it.
Some of my penitents, who are overwhelmed by the cares and demands of life, have heard me give them the following advice. If they have ever flown they would have heard some safety procedures explained to them before they left the ground. One such instruction informs them that there is a possibility that the air supply might take a dramatic drop. In that situation some masks will drop from the ceiling, one for each passenger. If they are traveling with a child the adult must first put on their mask and only then attend to putting the mask on their child. The natural reflex of a parent or guardian would be to first put on the mask of the child. Why such advice?
If the child’s mask is put on first it may turn out that the adult will pass out and the child may have no idea of what s/he is to do. S/he may thus end up panicky and fearful and have an unconscious caregiver on their hands. However, if the adult puts their mask on first, then they are able to care for the child (by putting their mask) and both child and adult will survive quite nicely with the adult alert and able to calm the child.
In order to care for others we need to first care for ourselves. It may seem selfish at first glance but the fact is that a caregiver is often in more danger of bad health, losing perspective, becoming bitter, etc than the one who needs care. Lent is opportunity to look at ourselves to see if we are giving ourselves proper ‘nourishment’. Is there a spiritual depth within us from which we can nourish ourselves – or are we ‘running on empty’? Our Lord Jesus could have stayed with the crowds all day teaching, healing and feeding them – but we are told that at times he fled the crowds so that he may go to a deserted place for prayer and to converse with the Father.
An honest evaluation is needed here. It may be we are not using our talents to their potential. It may be we are somewhat selfish. But there are also times when we have to ‘draw a line’ and begin to draw upon a greater depth of spirituality by nourishing ourselves (not spoiling or treating ourselves but ‘nourishing’ ourselves). Prayer, fasting and almsgiving (mercy) during the Lenten season can bring us there.
Bishop’s Annual Appeal: there are cards on the windowsill by the baptismal font in church which you can use to make a pledge or a contribution to the Bishop’s appeal. Last year you were generous and the parish received a nice rebate, if you will, from the diocese for care of the parish. If you have not given yet I urge you to make a contribution of some sort – even if it be only ten or twenty dollars. We are part of the Diocese of Trenton and I hope that your contribution will remind you that you (all of us) belong to this ‘wider’ church.
Go back and read again Genesis 12: 1 – 4a (the first of today’s scriptures at Mass). Focus on the last line: “Abram went as the Lord directed him.” It doesn’t seem like much, does it? In his book, The Gift of the Jews, Thomas Cahill claims that this little sentence marked an earth-shaking change in how people viewed the world… and thus how we think.
To oversimplify what the author explains in some detail, Abram and Sarah went against common and accepted human wisdom. In their world (indeed, in the entire world) common wisdom held that the events of life are cyclical. That is, what is happening now has happened before and will happen again, and again, and again. In this world-view we each have our lives set in stone – we are benefactors/victims of life. In the book of Ecclesiastes it is proclaimed that there is nothing new under the sun… and thus all is vanity, our efforts are no use.
But Abram and Sarah “went”. They were in their old age and their future was set. And here they go and change everything… they “went”. “Something new is happening here; but it is happening as all things new must happen - in the midst of the old, usual, ordinary reality of what was then daily life. Nova ex veteris,” runs the old Latin paradox. “The new must be born out of the old.” (pg. 60)
When Abram and Sarah left the word of God to “go forth” contained a sense of immediacy that the English language cannot duplicate. They may not have known where they were going and had only the promise of God that “All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.”To our minds such things as change and progress and “discovering” our world are so much a part of our life that we don’t even notice our mindset. The thought that we can change things is taken for granted. This is blessing that all the communities of the earth have found in Abram and Sarah.
T’is true that it often seems as though we continue to experience what has happened before. Think of it not as cyclical but as spiral ascending. Though it may seem, at times we are re-living the past, the truth is we are progressing upwards (toward God). Fr. Pierre de Chardin wrote that the whole universe is progressing until it reaches the Omega point (the end point) where all will be all in Christ.
I would like to remind you that if anyone is going into the hospital and would like to receive the Anointing of the Sick you are invited to see either Fr. Bruno or myself before any weekday Mass and we will be happy to anoint you at the Mass. You will have the added beauty of having the community pray with you and for you as well.
We are crest-fallen that each parish was allowed only four tickets to Pope Benedict XVI’s Mass at Yankee Stadium. The four who ‘won’ the tickets have been notified. If I can come across any openings I will try to grab them and include some more from our parish.
To Joann Held and her committee and volunteers we want to express our gratitude for a wonderful two hours last Sunday for people of all ages who participated in our Lenten ‘Faith and Fun” night. Awesome!
The sense and belief that we can have a personal relationship with God is Christian to the core – but to a Muslim, for example, it is scandalous - for God is to be obeyed and not one with which to have a relationship. For us, our relationship with God, by some (intuitive?) necessity, has a moral dimension to it. Those 10 Commandments are not 10 suggestions, the parables of Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount and the teachings St. Paul and more are bequeathed to us as ways of loving our God, ways of relating to God that are true, and the manner in which God loves and relates to this world and us.
Somewhere along the way we, most if not all, lost our moral ‘innocence’ and our way to God. Comedians, song-writers, playwrights, etc. of our time seem to enjoy telling us that it is when we lose our sexual innocence. To most, if not all, I suspect it started much earlier. It starts when we begin to compromise that which is right. We may feel only the tiniest of twinges – but we feel it. It may be as simple as cheating on a test n high school – “everyone does it and besides, who does it really hurt?” Opportunities to compromise abound. In one episode of the TV series “24” we hear this: “Nina, you can look the other way once and it’s no big deal. Except it makes it easier for you to compromise the next time and pretty soon that’s all you’re doing is compromising because that’s how you think things are done. You know those guys I blew the whistle on? You think they were the bad guys? ‘Cause they weren’t. They weren’t the bad guys. They were just like you and me… except they compromised once…” (Jack Bauer to Nina Meyers)
Lent is not given to us as a tortuous test or path to follow. It is given as a means to see God more clearly and enabling us to live and tell of the love of God.
Martin Luther though that the life, death and resurrection of Christ covered our sins. Like snow covering a dung heap. We Catholics won’t buy that understanding. Our faith is that Christ’s life, death and resurrection has made us new – a ‘new creation’… (“…behold, I make all things new…”) and that is pure gift from God.
Seek to deepen your relationship to your God this season of Lent. Let us journey together for there is great strength here and opportunity to be that new creation. + + +
It is not an unusual experience for priests to hear or to be told that someone has cancer… and to see that in some cases after a while they have gone into remission or the cancer has long been gone. At St. James I know of several who have told me they had cancer and after many years they continue to come to Mass each Sunday, hale and healthy.
All this is said by way to inform you that I have been undergoing a regular health check-up. Among the things I did was to have a biopsy taken (prostate). Of the twelve sections that were tested eleven of them were clean – and the twelfth had a small touch of cancer about it (10%). When I was informed of this the doctor said that if he has to tell someone they have cancer this is the report he would want to give. It seems as though we detected this in its earliest stage and so now I go about taking the steps to stop it and become clear of cancer. As of this writing, I’ve had a CT scan and total body scan and need to see what the results are. With that the doctor and I will travel the path of healing me. Things look good.
I tell you this via the bulletin rather than from the pulpit (I don’t think the children and teens read it so perhaps it won’t scare any of them). There are some things I have to attend to before the problem can be faced directly (e.g. a little shrinking of that gland). Please assume that no news is good news. If I should, somewhere along the way, hear an “oops” or an “oh-oh” I will so inform you about it. I am hoping that by doing it in this fashion it will hold in check any exaggerated rumors… I mean I might hear such a rumor from someone and scare myself. Of course, your prayers are requested and most appreciated. By the way, right now I feel just fine. RB
This Wednesday is the first day of Lent! Yes! Already! And we all need to be here in three days from this Sunday to enter Lent together and signed with the ashes. It is an old way of remembering where we came from and where we’re going. With our multi-tasking, eternal entertainment, and instant communications we make little, if any, time to reflect on the “why”, the “whereto”, the “how” and the “priorities” of our life. If we don’t know where we are going then it makes no matter which way our life goes – does it?Lent doesn’t let us get away with it.
Lent is a specific Christian practice that is meant, among other things, to lead us into God’s love for the world (…so much is that love that God sent His Son for our salvation). How are we to love the world as God loves the world? This is what Lent wants us to do. It seems to me that if we can get this straight and follow the purest dictates of our faith we will walk with God in purity of spirit and greatness of heart. You won’t need to worry about how you are to be judged because you will have the same mind as that of Jesus and your will is His and His is yours.
Most see lent as a self-improvement plan. It is, really, more about finding how to be God’s love for this poor world.
Prayer, fasting and almsgiving are the three traditional disciplines of Lent. From the writings of Fr. Gabe Huck:
“What is Lent’s fasting? Ask it this way: What must I stop doing and what must I start doing if I am to keep my eyes and mind and heart where the Gospel directs? What must we all stop doing and all start doing if there is to be justice for the earth and in the world? That is Lent’s fasting.
“What is Lent’s almsgiving? Ask it this way” What do I have to put into the struggle to love the world? What resources do I have, what gifts, what energy? What do we together have to offer in money and time and experience? What must we together take time to learn if we are to be God’s love for the world? Think with Paul: How is God choosing the foolish and the weak of the world? How are we, so busy and so strong and so rich, to undergo conversion? That is Lent’s almsgiving.
“What is Lent’s prayer? First, to make this Eucharist together each Sunday as an assembly striving to know its scriptures, and to practice how at the heart of everything for us is giving thanks to God over God’s gifts, all God’s gifts as we pray around this table (the altar) and as we proclaim the death of the Lord. Then, within that great thanksgiving we find the daily praying that is crying out to God for all the needs and sufferings in the world. Then, within that great thanksgiving is something we perhaps do not know well at all, the prayer of lamentation, the prayer that sees straight about the suffering of the world and joins in clamoring for justice.
“All of this is the church being the church; it is us being the people we were baptized to be.” Celebration 2/2008 At a minimum, so that we might not forget, the Church asks that if you are 14 or older you would not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent. If you are between the ages of 21 and 59 then you also fast (one meal only) on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as well. It’s a start.
For at least two years now a committee has been meeting to look at our parish campus and discuss the needs of our parish. Over the years we have kept our grounds and buildings in good shape. We have replaced a number of heating and cooling units in the church, Gathering area, Link and our chapel. Of course, half our parking lot was paved, painting seems to be a constant and the grounds are beautifully tended to throughout the year.
There is serious talk about a number of renovations (many of which were noted in past bulletins) and construction. Among other things: finding and/or new classroom space, renovating the stage in the gym, updating electrical systems, HVAC, lighting (anything from LED lighting to indoor sodium lights for the gym), etc. It may be that rather than renovating some space we may get more “bang for the buck” by having a two-level classroom situation. Our furnace in the Family Center, it seems, can last another 20 or 30 years. We are having it evaluated for energy efficiency. Along with that we are looking at the roof on the church and link.
Any plans or proposals will be presented to the parish and opportunity will be had to speak with the architects and discuss the changes and to get your input as well. We will want to invite our neighbors in to show them our plans, too. FYI – the size of any extension or addition to our present property will occupy a ground space of roughly 1,000 square feet – and that would be along the north side of the gym (you drive out on the south side of the gym).
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A word about hymns: If you need a source of inspiration for prayer and meditation go to the hymns of our faith. They will serve you well – especially a number of the “old” or classic hymns. A case in point is to open up the hymn book to Morning has Broken. Speak the words aloud and hear how poetically it announces each day as a new creation that is given to each of us and a proper “response” is to praise God. Don’t speed through the reading and don’t settle for just reading it once. Then sing it and see how you will have sung it with a deeper love of God and stronger faith.
When Morning Fills the Sky: I don’t know the melody of this hymn but it isn’t necessary. The cadence just flows ever so smoothly as you speak it aloud. It is an adequate (i.e., it has almost everything) for a morning prayer.
When morning fills the sky,
Our hearts’ awakening cry”
May Jesus Christ be praised!
In all our works and prayer,
His sacrifice we share:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The night becomes as day
When from our hearts we say
May Jesus Christ be praised!
The powers of darkness fear
When this glad song they hear:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
In heaven our joy will be
To sing eternally:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let earth and sea and sky
From depth to height replay:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Let all the earth now sing
To our eternal King
May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this the eternal song,
Through ages all along:
May Jesus Christ be praised!
This Tuesday will be the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision of Wade vs. Roe. In that ruling, abortion at any stage of pregnancy was determined as a legal choice for those expecting a child. Much later a law was enacted that prohibited partial birth abortion and that law was upheld by the Supreme Court.
From the Catholic Catechism we have this instruction: “Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.” Catechism, 2258
This calls for reflection on our part in order that we might clarify our thoughts and beliefs. We certainly can apply it to the issues of abortion, to the innocents killed in war, those who would out of sheer willfulness harm others randomly, and as the NJ legislature has done - apply it to the death penalty.
When such things as these touch us personally everything we held dear to our value system comes under tremendous stress and may undermine our beliefs. For others it is a clear path that is opened to them to do the right thing. “Life is exalted as long as it is pleasurable, but there is a tendency to no longer respect it as soon as it is sick or handicapped.” Pope Benedict XVI 2/5/07
So we continue to pray and be witness to this belief... and the church needs to stand by those with assistance as they struggle to give birth. We have seen from hard and clear statistics that when a new mother has resources to raise and care for her child she will more likely not choose abortion. If she cannot care for the child adoption is not often seen as a viable choice and she may well chose an abortion. Abortion is a matter of life or death consequences – and so often this is true of the life that follows after one gives birth. Mother Theresa, who is no stranger to poverty, felt that poverty in the US was quite different and more destructive than poverty in other countries. It is here that we can make a difference and lessen the pressure of the poor to choose abortion.
This may catch you surprise, Lent is but two and a half weeks away. It begins February 6th. It will never be this early again for another 79 years. Easter will be here well before the month of April.
I want to take time to say thanks to those who obtained a Christmas tree for the Gathering area, cared for it and then took it down.
Another note of thanks (not just associated with Christmas or Easter holy times): to those who schedule the various ministers of our Holy Liturgies. It is not easy to get everyone in at the right time. Since we are a very mobile people, the schedule may be set up and then it is discovered that several people will be away or simply cannot make a particular date. To rearrange and reschedule is not so simple a task. Some Mass times are more popular than others; one is loyal to their schedule except for vacation time (which varies) and times when they need to go out of town to visit relatives, etc. Our schedule makers have to keep on their towns and their computers running.
January 13, 2008
On April 30, 2008 Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate a Mass at Yankee Stadium, NYC. If you wish to go to this event please read the following carefully.
Each parish will be given approximately fifty (50) tickets.
If you wish to have a ticket please contact the rectory as soon as possible with your name and address. If you think you want to go but may have a conflict of dates please do not ask for a ticket. It is like getting an airline ticket – it is not transferable and once it is in the system no one else may use it.
Please indicate if you would like to go by bus. If we have forty-five or more who want to go by bus we will arrange to get one – but they will be at a premium so let us know when you call in.
The closing date for getting tickets is January 25th. We will give out tickets on a first-come and first-serve basis.
The diocese of Trenton is conducting “Fertility Planning Information Evenings” at four parishes. The first one is Wednesday, January 23 from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Ann Church, Lawrenceville. Because I am late in getting this into the bulletin if you wish to attend please call Donna Goodwin at 406-7400, ext. 5592. Please call this Monday or Tuesday to see if they can accommodate you for the session.
Other sessions are planned for Marlton (April 1, 7-9pm); Jackson (July 16, 7-9pm) and Belmar (Nov. 18, 7-9 pm). You may register for those at any time.
THANK YOU
Altar servers, ushers, cantors, choirs (children, Occasional, Youth, Crash, Adult) and special musicians, Eucharistic ministers, Lectors, set up crew, decorating committee and their helpers, sextons, parish staff, deacons, liturgical co-coordinators, directors of liturgical environment, for generous donors, for gift donors to children, for those who made ornaments for the tree, for the tree giver and the tree organizer, for Faith and Fun night leaders, to Fr. Jim McConnell and the priests who helped with Confessions --- for the many hours and the spirit in which you gave of yourself: thank you, thank you and thank you.
From myself (Fr. Ron) I want to thank you for the many cards and warm gifts I received during this Christmas season. I am so very appreciative for your thoughts and good blessings during Christmas and through 2007. God Bless!(From the Good News publication of times past.) “In the calendar of saints at the great cathedral of Cologne the following is recorded.
Having undergone many trials and fatigues for the gospel the three wise men met at Sewa (Sebaste in Armenia) in A.D. 54 to celebrate the feast of Christmas. Thereupon, after the celebration of Mass, they died: St. Merlchior on January 1st, aged 116; St. Balthasar on January 6th, aged 112; and St. Gaspar on January 11th, age 109.
That citation is appropriate because the incorrupt bodies of the magi had been sent there in 1162 by the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa. (He had stolen them from the cathedral in Milan. In 1903 the cardinal of Cologne generously returned some of the relics to Milan.)
If the citation about and the transportation of these holy figures seem a mite far-fetched, it is nothing as compared to the longer and larger tradition of the magi which we celebrated today. In the gospel texts they are explicitly referred to as magi, i.e. a class of wise men who had quasi-magical powers often associated with astrological prophecy. Despite the designation in the gospel as magi, within two centuries they had been elevated in Christian literature to being “kings.” Then their number began to multiply. In the earliest depictions in the catacombs there are only two magi but since there were three gifts it soon became three magi-kings. Later it was four kings in a third century catacomb, and in some medieval texts there are twelve wise men along with their names. The familiar names in the Cologne citation do not appear until the sixth century.
All this historical and pious embroidery of the story of the magi is understandable if for no other reason than it conforms to the spirit of the text from Matthew today. It is clear that the magi story is a post-resurrection Christian interpretation of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. It is not an historical fact and probably was not so intended by the gospel author.” However, there are some scripture scholars who are seriously revisiting that understanding to see if that judgment is valid. There was a short period of time when it was seen as a mark of radical thought to proclaim boldly “There are no magi.” One such radical scholar received a hand-painted Christmas card depicting three angry looking Orientals with camels knocking on his study door demanding entrance. All things considered, we should open the scholar’s door and readmit our two or three or four or twelve magi kings. They belong to the gospel message. They have much to say about Jesus, his life and his teachings. Not to have this account by Matthew would very much impoverish our knowledge of God’s intent to come into the world to bring it redemption!
email to stjames1@bellatlantic.net