IC '11

Although a few days late, I did want to post my (extremely-short-for-me) homily for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (8 December). Enjoy!

********

Two thousand years ago Eternity stepped into time, and the God of all glory and majesty took on the weakness and brokenness of our human flesh in the Mystery of the Incarnation. Today we come and celebrate one of the final acts of preparation God did so that He could enter our world in such a unique way. The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the “final act”, so to speak, of Salvation History before God’s ultimate interaction with His creation through His Word dwelling among us. The graces Mary received so that she could say “Yes” to the Angel Gabriel are the same graces we receive from the Paschal Mystery – in our celebration of the Mass and, most especially, in our reception of the Eucharist – which allow us to also say “Yes” to God so that we, like Mary, may be able to make Christ present to the world. Our openness to God and His graces afford us the awesome opportunity to be like Mary, always willing to say to the Lord that we are His servants – let it be done to us according to His Word.

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.

*********

Enjoy the journey . . .

An Advent Prayer

Last evening, the combined music ministries of Saint Alphonsus Parish and Saint Alexis Parish had their annual evening of Advent Lessons and Carols. I was asked to do the final prayer, and didn't have anything really prepared. But, as always, the Holy Spirit came through. This is what I composed during the event:

Lord Jesus,
You are the Song our lives sing out.
You are the Silence in which our lives yearn for Your peace.
Break through the darkness of the world's night
And shine, once again, the splendor of Your great light into our midst.
For You, we long.
For You, we hope.
For You, we cry out, "Come quickly, King of kings!", for it is in You we find our salvation.
In quiet stillness, our hearts ache for Your presence.
In joyful expectation, we announce Your coming.
Through Your grace and mercy, allow us to prepare our hearts and our lives to celebrate the remembrance of Your Incarnation and the joyful event of Your coming again.
Turn our hearts to hear Your voice.
Turn our faces to see Your glory.
Turn our lives so as to be like You, so that we may be ready to welcome You when You come again.
We ask this, and all things, through Your most glorious Name.
Amen. 



Enjoy the journey . . .

Homily 110925

 This weekend, Bishop Zubik asked all parishes in the Diocese of Pittsburgh to read a letter he had written to the faithful of the Diocese at all Masses, in every parish across the Diocese.  The subject matter was on the proposed "Preventative Services Mandate" (to go into effect on 1 August 2012), which is part of the Federal Health Care Plan (to be fully implemented by 2014).  You can read about our Bishop's letter to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius here, as well as an option to write Secretary Sebelius requesting that she halt the "Preventative Services Mandate".

Once the letter was read, I followed with my homily, written below:

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

You know it’s very infrequent for me to read my homily or to preach from the ambo on a Sunday, let alone from the celebrant’s chair.  But given what we have just heard from our Bishop, it seems rather appropriate today.

Our Gospel today reminds us in no uncertain terms that when it comes to the practice of our Faith, we cannot be of two minds.  Rather, we must be decisive in following Christ, without question, knowing that our baptismal promises oblige us to do so.

Our Lord, in today’s Gospel pericope, presents to us the choice to follow Him, or not.  We either put our faith into action, or we remain silent and still.  Those are our only two options, and they equal spiritual life or spiritual death: Life in the ever-loving Spirit of God or death through our own pride, selfishness and sinfulness.  But, in reality, this is nothing new – these are the choices we face every day.

When we reject the life God gives to us, we cry out, “The Lord’s way is not fair!”, those same words we hear from the prophet Ezekiel in today’s First Reading.  These are the words we hear in society today, because our culture sees iniquity everywhere – but not seeing with the eyes of God, but using the vision of our limited human nature.  Currently, our government is trying to implement a program in which they believe to be virtuous, but in doing so, they are enacting restrictions on religious liberties for us and others around our nation.  And I am not speaking just about us Catholics, or just for Christians in general, but also including our Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish brothers and sisters as well – all people of any faith.

You see, once one begins to chip away at the liberties held by one group, religious or otherwise, others quickly follow.  And once one begins to chip away at any of the liberties we hold dear, one begins tearing away the fabric of our national identity – an identity founded on the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness; a national identity founded and guided by the Providential Hand of God.

And so, my brothers and sisters, we must be as Paul says in the Second Reading: “of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing.”  And in our unity, we begin to “have in [us] the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.”  And that attitude is a selfless love, a self-sacrificing love.  A love which goes beyond our individual self and implants itself in others when we turn from acts of iniquity to acts of virtue.

This is the attitude, the virtue we develop when we put our faith into action.  The words of the Responsorial Psalm come to life when we embody the selfless love of Christ and share that love with others.  It is in our selfless actions and humble attitude that we come to know the ways of the Lord.  But we cannot fully carry out that mission if our hands are tied, and we are told who we can serve or how, if at all, we can practice our faith.  We cannot truly know of the Lord’s ways if we are not free to hear His voice.

And so, today, my brothers and sisters, choose life!  Choose the freedom found in a life with Christ!  Choose the virtuous ways that God was given to us!  His Providence has guided this nation for the last 235 years to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That same Divine Providence will continue to lead us with zeal and conviction if we only choose to let our faith guide the way we live our lives – privately, publicly, professionally, and politically.  Yet this Divine Providence will guide us when we come to realize that we ARE “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice FOR ALL.”

Let us pray:

We pray, Thee O Almighty and Eternal God! Who through Jesus Christ hast revealed Thy glory to all nations, to preserve the works of Thy mercy, that Thy Church, being spread through the whole world, may continue with unchanging faith in the confession of Thy Name.

We pray Thee, who alone art good and holy, to endow with heavenly knowledge, sincere zeal, and sanctity of life, our chief bishop, Pope Benedict, the Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the government of his Church; our own bishop, David, all other bishops, prelates, and pastors of the Church; and especially those who are appointed to exercise amongst us the functions of the holy ministry, and conduct Thy people into the ways of salvation.

We pray Thee O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy Holy Spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of these United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for his excellency, the governor of this state, for the members of the assembly, for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they may be enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.

Finally, we pray to Thee, O Lord of mercy, to remember the souls of Thy servants departed who are gone before us with the sign of faith and repose in the sleep of peace; the souls of our parents, relatives, and friends; of those who, when living, were members of this congregation, and particularly of such as are lately deceased; of all benefactors who, by their donations or legacies to this Church, witnessed their zeal for the decency of divine worship and proved their claim to our grateful and charitable remembrance. To these, O Lord, and to all that rest in Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, a place of refreshment, light, and everlasting peace, through the same Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen.

The prayer which closed the homily is a prayer written by the first bishop and archbishop of our country, John Carroll.  He wrote the prayer in 1791, and asked the Catholics of the United States to pray it on major federal holidays.  I thought it most appropriate to pray it at the end of this homily.

Usually I don't like to "mix religion and politics" - but sometimes we need to voice the potential threats and injustices to our liberties when we see them coming over the hill.  It's our constitutional right for the freedom of speech, so let's use it.

The window to write Secretary Sebelius to request the withdrawal of the "Preventative Service Mandate" from the Federal Health Care Plan is coming shortly - Friday, 30 September 2011.  I would ask that you click on the link in the first paragraph to write to Secretary Sebelius and urge her to halt the implementation of the mandate.

Enjoy the journey . . .

Journeys

**NOTE: This is a LONG entry . . .

It's now early September, and the journey season of the summer is now over.  It was a hectic time, but so very well worth it.  That doesn't mean that I'm not planning to travel soon, but I have some weeks before I'm on the road again.

My last post had me preparing to head to my retreat on Enders Island, Mystic, CT.  The retreat center, Saint Edmund's, is a wonderful place, and the island itself is small and beautiful.  While the weather was perfect to be ocean-side for a week, it was also just a great setting to re-encounter Christ and His Spirit - and it was a blessed time simply to get away and slow down, rest, read, pray, walk, and "simply be" with God.  There was a wonderful opportunity to sit down at each meal with some of the other people on retreat.  Even while we were able to get to know each other, we also had great conversations about our work in the Church and how the Spirit continues to guide us in our ministries.  

One of the evenings early in the week saw us caught in the middle of a great thunderstorm that came off of the mainland and head out into the ocean.  It was just so awe-inspiring to witness nature be so violent in the course of a short time, but also how calming and refreshed everything was following the storm.  The next evening came one of the greatest sunsets that I had ever seen.  And, like most things, while you take a picture to capture that moment, that memory, it doesn't do it justice . . . the best picture of the event is kept alive and fresh in one's mind and memory.

After about ten days back at the parish, I and my group from Saint Alphonsus were off to World Youth Day (WYD) in Madrid, Spain.  (This was my fourth WYD.)  We flew from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia, before making our final stop in Lisbon, Portugal.  Before we headed into Spain, however, we had the blessed opportunity to make a [rather quick] stop in Fatima.  What a wonderful and spirit-filled place!  I had the opportunity to be the main celebrant for our group of pilgrims from Pittsburgh.  (Three of my diocesan priest brothers concelebrated with me.)  That was a moment I'll treasure for quite some time!

Our immediate voyage into Spain did not take us to Madrid, but, rather, to the ancient city of Ciudad Rodrigo.  This is where 168-or-so pilgrims from Pittsburgh (plus a number of other from various countries, such as the Philippines, China, Belgium and the Congo) spent a week in the "Days in the Diocese" program, where we were introduced to Spanish culture, workings of the Church in Spain (and, in particular, the Diocese of Ciudad Rodrigo), and engaging with the local people through service and spiritual opportunities.  Never having participated in Days in the Diocese before, this was a fortunate opportunity that I'm glad to have done.  Not only were the people of Ciudad Rodrigo very gracious and open to us, but they were able to provide for us a witness of faith - and even a lack-thereof!  (Not that we wanted to see anything said or done against our faith, but it was there in a small portion.  A bigger event was to happen in Madrid - but more on that later....)

After affirming our faith for about five days, our celebration culminated in the celebration of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is the patronal feast of their cathedral.  On the night before the feast (literally "night", because we began at 11:00 PM!), the pilgrims from Pittsburgh joined in with the faithful of the city in a procession from San Andres Church (the oldest in the town) to the cathedral, with some of the men carrying a statue of the Blessed Virgin through the streets.  It was awesome!  Some of our guys from Pittsburgh volunteered to carry the statue through the streets - a truly moving moment to see the faith of the youth shining through in that moment.  When we arrived at the cathedral, there was a period of a vigil service with Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.  During this time, we had three excerpts from Scripture read - all three in three languages: Spanish, French and English.  I was honored to be asked to read the Gospel in English.  The bishop gave an excellent homily about how Christ, truly present before us as the Bread of Life, was the foundation of our faith.  It was very simple, but extremely profound.  Following the vigil service, we returned back to the boarding school that we were staying at (which the cornerstone read "797" [I'm not joking - a building from the late Eighth Century!]), which was good, because it was somewhere between 12:30 - 1:00 AM!  The next day, we gathered at the cathedral to celebrate not only the Solemnity of the Blessed Mother's entrance into heaven, but to be sent by the bishop to Madrid and the celebration of WYD.

[An interesting aside: There were five Pittsburgh priests in Ciudad Rodrigo.  All five of us wore our "blacks", our clerics, every day.  The priests in Ciudad Rodrigo did not.  At least, at the beginning of our time there.  The Church in Spain is undergoing an intense persecution, and a number of the priests there have basically abandoned the wearing of their clerics.  (And I don't want to judge, because being persecuted CAN wear one down to a point where an individual wants to simply remain anonymous.)  But the presence of the Pittsburgh priests did something to the clergy of Ciudad Rodrigo, because over the course of the week, there was a change in clothing.  From "civies", to the wearing of a dark / black polo shirt, to gray clerics, to the black clerics.  Apparently, the five of us helped the priests of Ciudad Rodrigo to find the courage to wear the "symbol" of who they are, and who they are called to be by the nature of their ordination.  It was an interesting evolution to see over the time that we were there.  I continue to pray that they have the courage and zeal to not be anonymous, but visible signs of Christ in their community.]

After a brief stop in Salamanca, we entered into Madrid for the celebration of the 26th World Youth Day.  We stayed at a sports complex a short distance outside of downtown Madrid, but not too far away by bus or train.  Our group quickly learned the stops of route 102, and found the Metro pretty easy to figure out.  Though we did A LOT of "hurry up and wait", we were able to get a shady spot for the Opening Mass.  I was able to concelebrate and distribute the Eucharist - and meet up with a classmate of the Archdiocese of Atlanta from seminary, as well!  

Our first full day of WYD did not proceed as we would have hoped, and there were some eye-opening moments, but I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything in the world.  We tried to get to a catechetical session, but the volunteer said it was full (and admitted that he wasn't too positive where the church was), so we, along with another small group from Pittsburgh, did our own catechesis, and were able to catch a quick, but good lunch before we headed into the Sol section of Madrid to catch a bus that would take us (and the pilgrims from Saint Teresa of Avila Parish) to Avila for a day trip.  I wish that we could have spent more time there!  Avila is just so rich in spiritual history that I would to have liked to soak it in!  But we had to head back to Madrid, which was about an hour away.  

When we returned to Madrid, we decided to stay in Sol, since we were scheduled to have a Holy Hour with Bishop Zubik, Bishop Walterscheid and the pilgrims from the Diocese of Pittsburgh.  Unknown to us was the fact that the government had authorized a protest from 8:00 - 10:00 PM in the Sol section.  You could imagine our surprise and concern when we came out of the restaurant from dinner, and, looking at the streets around us (and even the one we were on), protesters were gathering to speak out against: WYD, the cost of WYD on the Spanish government and citizens, the Pope and the Church in general.  Anyone wearing a WYD backpack or any priest in his blacks or religious in their habit was a target of yelling and / or violence.  An older gentleman stopped me and warned me that if we were to go in the opposite direction, we would be in perilous danger.  We ran into the group from Saint Teresa's, and decided to pray for our safety and the protection against the anger of the protesters.  (I recommended the prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel.)  After we finished praying, we noticed our Pittsburgh bishops walking up the street toward the protest.  We stopped them, and two of the other priests with me went to scout out a safer route, while I stayed with the bishops and the rest of the group.  After some time, we headed up to the church (Santa Cruz / Holy Cross), and had the Holy Hour.  Unfortunately, the groups from Saint Columbkille and Saint Louise de Marillac Parishes could not join us, for the protesters were still gathered right outside their hotel.  It was a powerful Holy Hour - and one that we all needed.

The rest of WYD was not as concerning, but there were things that frustrated us, including a sickness that seemed to be running through various members of the Pittsburgh pilgrims.  (I did get sick, but only a head cold on the last few days - but I'm still getting over it.  [Just a lot of congestion - but am feeling a lot better than I did a week or so ago.])  One of the more interesting things that happened to me personally was to receive some "protest propaganda" shoved right at me as I was walking with my group.  When I opened up the paper, there was a paragraph on how the Church needed to accept the use of condoms, with a condom in the paper.  It was an awkward moment, but I just discarded it, and prayed for those people who thrusted it to me.

A HUGE highlight for the group was the ability to be about 10 - 20 feet from the Pope and Popemobile as it passed through the crowds for the Welcome Ceremony on Thursday.  You could see some of the youth becoming so alive in that moment.  (Or, as I should really say, "moments", since the Holy Father passed the group twice!)  They got some great pictures and video, and, hopefully, an understanding of who the Holy Father is to us as Catholics.

The Stations of the Cross were beautiful.  The statues that they used for the Stations truly depicted the scenes of Scripture that were used for our reflection.  The music, also, brought the Stations to life, and we were able to enter into the Paschal Mystery in a unique way in this celebration with the Pope and our sisters and brothers from throughout the world.

The USCCB Mass for all the pilgrims from the United States was pretty good.  Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York gave an awesome homily about how Peter's encounter with Jesus literally turned his life "upside down" - reflecting on the martyrdom of Saint Peter on his cross.  The journey to the vigil site was HOT (as was pretty much the whole time we were there)!  However, since one of our youth came down with the same head cold that I was developing, I took him to one of the hotels where our sick pilgrims were staying.  I, therefore, was not with the group when they entered the vigil site, and ended up being a part of a large group that was prohibited from entering for quite some time.  An intense thunderstorm passed through (as you may have heard from the news), and so I left my place "gateside", and tried to find some shelter - not from the rain, really, but more from the lightning.  After walking a good bit, and unsuccessful in my attempt to find shelter, I headed back to the vigil site, and spent a good 30 - 40 minutes trying to find my group.

My group was in one of the farthest areas away from the stage.  There was a hillside blocking any sight of the stage, and the closest large screen was about 300 yards away, if not more.  We did have a speaker in our area, so we could hear everything pretty well.  As I walked down the hillside to get to them, I could only think that I was entering a refugee camp - there was a fence blocking out the area for the people to stay, and there were people on either side of the fence talking.  That was on my right side.  On my left were police and their vehicles, making sure that no one became too rowdy or out of control.  It felt very odd - it was like nothing I had ever experienced on a WYD.  (I felt like I was a "chaplain to the damned".)  It felt like forever to walk along the fence and find my group, but I did.  I quickly set up camp, and went to sleep.  I was just happy to be with the group.

The next morning, we awoke to announcements being made about lost children needing their parents to pick them up; about how only concelebrating priests and bishops would receive the Eucharist, since the wind of the previous evening's thunderstorm knocked over the tent where the Blessed Sacrament was being reserved; about how the people had to clear the roadways and proceed to their assigned areas so that the Pope would be able to drive around and see as many people as possible; how the Pope was glad to be there, and would like to see all the flags flying as high as possible; and about how there was an 83-year-old Polish lady who had lost her group - this announcement being made only in Spanish, English and Italian.  It was a strange morning.

The Mass, though, was wonderful - and though we could not receive the Eucharist, it was a great catechetical moment to remind the youth that the obligation for Sunday is not to receive the Eucharist, but to attend Mass and to be a part of the community of faith, to be a part of the full, conscious and active participation of worshiping God.

Returning to the sports complex after two long days was wonderful - just in the fact of getting a shower and washing all the dirt and dust off.  Our group finished packing, and at 11:30 PM, boarded the bus to take us to Lisbon for our return flight home.  Flying from Lisbon, back to Philadelphia and then back to Pittsburgh, it was a good time to rest, catch up on some sleep, and then see family and friends at the airport to welcome us home.  And it was SO GOOD to come home . . . and to sleep in my own bed.

WYD, despite what I wrote above, was an overall wonderful experience.  We know that the negative moments are going to creep in to any event.  Unfortunately for my group, they happened around some of the most pivotal events of the WYD experience itself.  But I am very glad to have gone.  I gained a deeper appreciation for my faith, for my vocation as a priest and shepherd, and for the people the Lord has placed in my life to get me to where I am.  I am grateful for the opportunities to have been a witness to the faith, not only for the world, but more for those who were with me throughout the pilgrimage.  Yet I am also thankful for the witness of faith that they provided for me.  And I am glad to have shared this experience not only with some of my brother priests, who are some of my best friends, but also with my sister.  She was great to have around . . . and not because "she's my sister", but because of the silent communication that we share and have developed over the years.  Plus, it was good to have the "24-hour comedy channel" (as our cousins would put it) there with me to help me in not becoming too stressed at moments.

Will I be going to WYD in Rio de Janeiro in 2013?  I really don't know at this point.  Part of that depends on where I am assigned to at that moment.  The other part is dependent upon whether the Lord needs me to be a witness of faith at that WYD, or if my witness will be needed more here.  Would I like to go?  I think so, for a variety of reasons - but I'm not going to think about it right now, and take the decision slowly for now.

My summer journeys have ended.  They were good - they were long.  And while it's good to be home, it's also good to have traveled and experienced my faith in these relaxed, yet intense ways.  I can't wait to see where the Lord takes me in my journeys - both physically (including future assignments) and (more importantly) spiritually.  Until the next leg begins, I'm going to take it slow and see what plans the Lord has in store for me.

Enjoy the journey . . .

Go with God, but Go

The above saying is one that I say to my friends - and even others - from time to time.  While it is jovial, I find myself saying it to myself more and more recently.  Which is why I'm saying it to myself once again.  And I need to.

I'm leaving for my annual retreat tomorrow.  This will be the first one that I've gone on since I've been ordained, and I'm very much looking forward to it.  I'll be heading out a good numbers of hours away from SWPA, to what seems to be a wonderful, peaceful and blessed place in New England.  (I've not yet been there, so I'm going on what's been put on their website.)  I've been looking toward this retreat for some time now - especially since the World Youth Day pilgrimage is right around the corner.  (Yep, I'll be back a little over a week, and then I head with our group of 17-or-so to Spain.)  

I think that I wrote in a previous entry how I was explaining to a friend that retreats are a good thing.  He had joked with me that I shouldn't be retreating in life, but courageously moving forward.  And, laughingly agreeing with him, told him that for me to move forward - or anyone for that matter - I had to "retreat" and fall back, see what I've done, where I've been, so that I know where I am going and what I am to do.  I still think of this conversation often, especially when I am preparing to go on retreat.  I need to "Go with God" - we all do.  But, even more so, we all just need to "go".

The only thing now separating me from leaving on retreat are three Masses, one sleep, and packing.  (I have a feeling that the packing won't occur until tonight or tomorrow morning, but we'll see.)  And while I wish, in some sense, that I had someone to drive up with me, I'll be happy to have some time alone in the car.  I have a number of CD's to listen to, and lots of good music to set me in the "retreat mood / mode".  I'm looking forward to some down time / quiet time.

Pray for me, as I will for you.



Enjoy the journey . . .

Non-Stop Homilies

It's been awhile since I've written, and I apologize.  Since Lent began some 90+ days ago, it's been a non-stop whirlwind of constant activity.  But I did want to share two weekday homilies that I gave recently.  I usually don't write down my homilies, but I needed them to be succinct, and so I wrote them down so I wouldn't find myself rambling.

--------------------

Gospel: Matthew 6.7-15

The Lord gives to us this day the perfect prayer.  We, in turn, pray through Him and, once again, offer to the Father the Perfect Sacrifice.  We do so that, through our prayer and offering - and through the the reception of the Eucharist - we join in the work that God's Kingdom will come, and that His will - not ours - will be done and be the mission we live out.

---------------------

Gospel: Matthew 6.19-23

"Heart speaks to heart."   This motto of Blessed John Henry Newman summarizes what we are called to reflect upon today.  The Lord reminds us that where our treasure is, there is our heart.  Our hearts, my brothers and sisters, are ultimately resting in the Sacred Heart of Jesus, finding their solace in His Paschal Mystery.  Our task is to seek the true treasure which His Heart is, and to constantly find solace and rest there.  And that seeking begins here - at the Table of the Word and the Altar of Sacrifice - when we place our hearts, when we place our all at the foot of the Cross, seeking nothing more than to find our treasure at the Feast of Life - the treasure of the very Heart of God poured out for us, speaking to our own hearts, "Follow me."
 

--------

Interestingly, the Gospel for the second homily fell on a day when I and a youth minister of the Diocese were going to use this particular Gospel for our opening prayer in a Morality course that we were teaching.  Truly, the Lord works is awesome ways.






Enjoy the journey . . .

Time of Transition

With all of the craziness that accompanies the Triduum, in the midst of everything, life still goes on as normal outside the walls of the parish.  I was reminded of this in a special way within these last minutes.

We received a call from one of our local hospices that a man was in the process of dying, and his family had requested one of the priests to visit and pray.  They gave me the name of the man, and I was on my way.  When I arrived, one of the nurses met me and introduced me to the family.  One of the children of the dying man is a well-known member of the media in the area.  How gracious the children were to have a priest come and anoint and pray with their dying father in the midst of the chaos of Easter preparations.  

As I was making some small talk with the family prior to praying, we agreed that if this man - this father - was to die, there was not a better time to do it within the veil of the celebration of Easter, within the celebration of the Paschal Mystery.  Truly, it is the ultimate time of transition from this life to the next.

As I was driving back to the parish, it struck me that it is in the "ordinary-ness" of life that make us appreciate not only the whole understanding of how our relationship with God underlies all that we are and do (or at least it should), but also how much the presence of Christ is truly found in the smallest of moments - in the quiet of the chaos that surrounds us.  Our openness to the moments when God makes Himself known to us are profound opportunities in which we come to grasp - even if it's just for the briefest moment - a glimpse of the Divine.  And these small glimpses strengthen us for what is ahead.  Yet, these glimpses ought to lead us to a deeper relationship with God - especially the strengthening of our relationship with God through the celebration of the Sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation.

We are all constantly in some type of transition.  Yet there is not a better time to reflect upon the greatest of all the transitions - that from death to life - than at this time of Easter.  And I'm glad I had the opportunity to, if just briefly, see this transition happen at this time, within the veil of the celebration of Easter and the Paschal Mystery.

Lord, help us in all of our times of transition.  Allow us to see the glimpses of You to allow us to know of Your constant Presence with us.  May these glimpses, especially through the celebration of the Sacraments, enable us to be strengthened in the knowledge of Your love and new life.  Amen.



Enjoy the journey . . .

B16's Holy Thursday

Pope Benedict XVI had some wonderful thoughts in his homilies for the Chrism Mass and for the Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper.  I thought that I would share with you some of the quotes that really impacted me.

From the homily for the Chrism Mass

"I wish not merely to be called Christian, but also to be Christian, said Saint Ignatius of Antioch."

"Through this first anointing [with the Oil of Catechumens], which takes place even prior to baptism, our gaze is turned towards people who are journeying towards Christ - people who are searching for faith, searching for God."

" . . . God himself is searching for us."

"Driven by love, God has set out towards us."

"God is searching for me.  Do I want to recognize him?  Do I want to be known by him, found by him?  God loves us.  He comes to meet the unrest of our hearts, the unrest of our questioning and seeking, with the unrest of his own heart, which leads him to accomplish the ultimate for us.  That restlessness for God, that journeying towards him, so as to know and love him better, must not be extinguished in us."

"Let us remain constantly on a journey towards him, longing for him, always open to receive new knowledge and love!"

"The proclamation of God's Kingdom, of God's unlimited goodness, must first of all bring healing to broken hearts."

"Christians are a priestly people for the world.  Christians should make the living God visible to the world, they should bear witness to him and lead people towards him."

"We have reason to cry out at this time to God: 'Do not allow us to become a "non-people"!  Make us recognize you again!  Truly, you have anointed us with your love, you have poured out your Holy Spirit upon us.  Grant that the power of your Spirit may become newly effective in us, so that we may bear joyful witness to your message!'"

"With great gratitude for the vocation [to the priesthood] and with humility for all our shortcomings, we renew at this hour our 'yes' to the Lord's call: yes, I want to be intimately united to the Lord Jesus, driven on by the love of Christ.  Amen."

----------------------------------------

From the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper

"Jesus desires us, he awaits us.  But what about ourselves?  Do we really desire him?  Are we anxious to meet him?  Do we desire to encounter him, to become one with him, to receive the gifts he offers us in the Holy Eucharist?  Or are we indifferent, distracted, busy about other things?"

"Eucharistic communion requires faith, but faith requires love; otherwise, even as faith, it is dead."

"Yet at his final meal, more than anything else, Jesus prayed."

"Jesus turns his suffering into prayer, into an offering to the Father for the sake of mankind."

"The ultimate purpose of Eucharistic transformation is our own transformation in communion with Christ.  The Eucharist is directed to the new man, the new world, which can only come about from God, through the ministry of God's Servant."

"All of us eat the one bread and receive the one Body of the Lord; this means he opens each of us up to something above and beyond us.  He makes all of us one.  The Eucharist is the mystery of the profound closeness and communion of each individual with the Lord and, at the same time, of visible union between all.  The Eucharist is the sacrament of unity.  It reaches the very mystery of the Trinity and thus creates visible unity.  Let me say it again: it is an extremely personal encounter with the Lord and yet never simply an act of individual piety."

" . . . unity is something utterly concrete, it has names.  In this way unity becomes visible; it becomes a sign for the world and a concrete criterion for ourselves."

"Every human being, save Mary, has constant need of conversion."

" . . . in the humility of one who knows that he is a sinner, is he called."

"We too, all of us, need to learn again to accept God and Jesus Christ as he is, and not the way we want him to be."

"Tonight we want to ask Jesus to look to us, as with kindly eyes he looked to Peter when the time was right, and to convert us."

"'I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you.'  Lord, you desire us, you desire me.  You eagerly desire to share yourself with us in the Holy Eucharist, to be one with us.  Lord, awaken in us the desire for you.  Strengthen us in unity with you and with one another.  Grant unity to your Church, so that the world may believe.  Amen."





I would recommend that you read the entirety of both homilies.  They are excellent.  They give us wonderful reflection material for the quiet of these days.




Enjoy the journey . . .

A Passiontide Prayer

O great Passion!
O profound Wounds!
O outpouring of blood!
O highest Sorrow!
O Death suffered in every bitterness!
Be to us healing and eternal life.

Mère Yvonne–Aimée de Jésus is credited in writing this wonderful prayer.  Truly, something to help us enter into the wonderful celebration of Holy Week and the Paschal Triduum.






Enjoy the journey . . .

Nutrolls = Commitment

As one of our fundraising efforts for the pilgrimage to Madrid, Spain, for World Youth Day in August, our group is making nutrolls.  (We're planning to bake about 300 nutrolls, and, hopefully, about 50 apricot rolls.)  We've done them before, but they seem to be an intense process to make.

One does not simply seem to need enough dough or enough filling to make sure that we have the item to eventually sell, but one also needs to have the people in the kitchen to make all these treats become a reality.  As always, "Many hands make light work!"  This can seem like an overwhelming process if you do not have the people to assist.  In the long run, these nutrolls equal commitment.

The pilgrims who are attending World Youth Day (WYD) from the parish have committed themselves to help not only in the fundraising efforts for the group to get to Spain, but also in assisting the other members of the group in their own preparation for the voyage.  There is a commitment from each of the pilgrims to support, through prayer and action, the others journeying with them to Europe.  And this is a daunting thing when one stops to think about it.  The commitment that I and the other adult leaders have agreed to does not simply begin at one point in time and end at another - we are here to see the preparation of the group, the journey of the group, and the returning of the group home.  We are simply not putting our lives up for grabs for two weeks in Spain; rather, we are entering into a commitment with the other pilgrims that, beginning in the here and now (which already had begun before I arrived here in July), should carry us in a committed relationship of Christian fellowship throughout our lives, whether we remain physically connected or not.  Our group's total commitment to manifesting the Mystical Body of Christ on a physical level within the fraternity that we build amongst ourselves.

And so our nutrolls are simply something more than just a tasty treat which we're trying to sell to raise some money to travel to Spain to be with other Catholics from throughout the world.  Rather, these nutrolls symbolize a deeper commitment in those who bake them - and those who buy them - to support one another in our journey of faith . . . and to help lead each other to the Kingdom of God.  I know in a few days, I will be sick of thinking of and dealing with nutrolls.


But I also know something greater:









Nutrolls are only a small part in the way that we help each other journey in our lives of faith.



Enjoy the journey . . .

Happy 200th!

Today is the 200th birthday of Saint John Neumann, one of the priests who served in the Pittsburgh area - including my hometown and my current parish assignment, as well as the bishop who established the Franciscan order who oversees the high school where I am chaplain.

(He has influence over a lot of my life . . .)

Happy Birthday #200, Saint John Neumann!

(A picture of the former Shrine of Saint John Neumann in the mother church [Saint Peter Parish] of my hometown, which is now closed.]

Wearin' of the Green

"I am certain in my heart that all that I am, I have received from God."

- Saint Patrick

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!


It's hard to believe that, in some regards, we're already at this point of the year!  But, as in all things, I am thankful.

We all know legends and tales of the blessed Patron of Ireland, whom we celebrate today.  And no matter which tales we believe, or how we celebrate his life, we must ultimately give thanks to God for giving us a wonderful example of the Faith.  

Many of us are wearing some form or shade of green today, which is a color of hope.  How appropriate!  Saint Patrick brought many men and women of the Emerald Isle to come to know the eternal hope that comes to us through our belief in Christ Jesus.  We continue to celebrate the transcendence of that hope throughout the ages not only through the remembrance of the saints, but also through the celebration of the Sacraments, in which we continuously open ourselves to the grace of God, in which we have that eternal hope.

Saint Patrick gave us many wonderful ways to experience our faith, one of which is the wonderful prayer, "The Deer's Cry".  I post it here, now, for you to pray, so that you (and I) may once again open ourselves up to experience that eternal hope that God gives to us.

The Deer's Cry

Also known as "The Breastplate of St. Patrick" and "The Lorica"

This powerful prayer was composed by Saint Patrick in the year 433. He was aware that there was an ambush to try to kill him and his group en route to the King's court. It was during the march that they chanted the sacred Lorica or Deer's Cry - later known as St. Patrick's Breastplate. 

As the druids lay in hiding, ready to kill, they saw not Patrick and his men, but a gentle doe followed by twenty fawns.

St. Patrick and his men were saved.

******* + + + *******

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with his Baptism, through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension, through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim in obedience of Angels, in the service of the Archangels, in hope of resurrection to meet with reward, in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets, in preachings of Apostles, in faiths of Confessors, in innocence of Holy Virgins, in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven; light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendor of Fire, speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea, stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me: God's might to uphold me, God's wisdom to guide me, God's eye to look before me, God's ear to hear me, God's word to speak for me, God's hand to guard me, God's way to lie before me, God's shield to protect me, God's host to secure me: against snares of devils, against temptations of vices, against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils): against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul, against incantations of false prophets, against black laws of heathenry, against false laws of heretics, against craft of idolatry, against spells of witches, smiths and wizards, against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul. Christ to protect me today against poisoning, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so that there may come abundance in reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left, Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me, Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ. May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us. Amen.

 Enjoy the journey . . .

A Joyful Time

Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel.  

Remember, man, you are dust and to dust you will return.

Lent 2011 has begun.  And these words above call each one of us to heed the call to repentance and conversion.  It is so important for us to remember that what this season of Lent calls us to: repentance and conversion.  And while the this season is one of the most somber, subdued and introspective throughout the Church's calendar, this does not mean that it is also the most "depressing" of the liturgical year.

Rather, this season in which we sacrifice to become more like Christ is a joyful season of hope in the promise of the Resurrection which we will celebrate in some 40 days at Easter.  The Preface for Lent I reminds of this when we pray:

Each year you give us this joyful season

when we prepare to celebrate the paschal mystery

with mind and heart renewed.

You give us a spirit of loving reverence for you, our Father,

and of willing service to our neighbor.

As we recall the great events that gave us new life in Christ,

you bring the image of your Son to perfection within us.

We enter into this Lenten journey fully aware of our sinfulness; yet we prepare with joyful hope to celebrate those central acts of our faith in which Christ has given us new life.  It is through this "joyful hope", then, that we put into action the three-fold action of Lent: prayer, fasting and almsgiving (works of charity).  It is through the interconnectedness of prayer, fasting and almsgiving which we come to not only appreciate the sacrifices Christ endured, but also for the sacrifices which we make so to "bring the image of [Christ] to perfection within us".  

Father in heaven,

the light of your truth bestows sight

to the darkness of sinful eyes.

May this season of repentance

bring us the blessing of your forgiveness

and the gift of your light.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

(Alternative Opening Prayer for Ash Wednesday)

Enjoy the journey . . .

A Little Catch-up

DAG!  It's hard to believe that this is the final day of February.  Where has the time gone to?  There's been a lot going on, and some of it I've wanted to post about over the last few days.  Fortunately, ministry has kept me going from last Wednesday on . . . 

Wednesday was a crazy, yet important day in the life of our parish.  Bishop George Murry of the Diocese of Youngstown visited us and confirmed 85 students in their faith.  But before we got to the actual celebration of the sacrament, the day was a blessed marathon: parish Mass, Mass at one of the local high school, staff meeting, and anointing at the local hospice.  Following the conferral of the Sacrament, there was, of course, a reception.  It was a wonderful time.  It was a good day.

The day actually made me think of the day I received my Confirmation.  It's hard to believe that I was where they were almost 20 years ago.  Sometimes it seems like it really wasn't that long ago, but time flies when you're having fun.  [Hmmm . . . I guess I am having a little bit of fun in my life.  :)]  The Spirit seems to continue to surprise me - and keep me young at heart!

Thursday wasn't too bad of a day: parish Mass, lunch with my spiritual director, Mass at one of the local nursing homes, and vigil at the funeral home for one of our parishioners who had passed away.  Also on that day, I made to a visit to a new coffee shop that opened in the area a few months ago - and within walking distance of the church!  I placed a request with the managers to hold a Bible study Saturday mornings there for young adults of the parish.  They said that they had to talk to the owners, and that they would get back to me.

Friday saw me spending the almost the entire day away from the parish.  I spent a good bit of the day at the high school where I'm chaplain for the Junior Retreat - which was awesome.  Since it was our day to be on hospital duty, and since the hospital we visit is on the way back to the parish from the high school, I stopped and visited those people that the chaplain asked me to visit.  As I was leaving, I received news from one of the youth ministers that a situation in which we were involved that had calmed down for a bit was now flaring up again.  My brief time back at the parish was spent in dealing with some of the fallout.  I was so happy when I got to IGNITE, a night of praise and worship with Eucharistic adoration - though I did not get a big chance to join in, since I was hearing confessions for a majority of the event (which, for me, was part of the healing I think I needed).  A few of us went to Applebee's following, and took the time to relax in Christian fellowship, which was much needed and welcomed.  

Saturday found me celebrating the morning Mass for the parish, followed by our normally-scheduled Confessions at noon.  I had promised one of the seminarians who is (God willing!) moving on to theology in the Fall that I would help him pick out some clerical attire.  So we headed out early that afternoon, and he picked out a few items.  (Reminded me of the first time I had to do such things.  Oh, the memories!)  We then proceeded to grab some lunch.  Since the pastor had the evening (vigil) Mass, I laid down for a bit until I was needed after Mass.  During that time, however, I received a call from the daughter of a gentleman I anointed about 1.5 months ago - his health was deteriorating rapidly, and they asked if I could come and pray with them for him.  That was an honor.  I ended up spending about 1.5 - 2 hours with the family, praying with them and allowing them to tell me their stories.  It was a wonderful time.  When I got back, the pastor and I headed out for a brief dinner.

Thank goodness I was able to sleep in a little on Sunday!  I had the 10:00 AM Mass, as well as the 12:15 PM, which I hadn't celebrated in over a month due to varying schedules.  It was good not to have the 8:00 AM!  Following my two Masses, I drove the pastor to the airport so he could begin his vacation . . . I returned, and we began our youth ministry meeting, which ended up in the church.  We had a wonderful discussion!  It was a very good session!  Following that, I met up with my diopitt classmate for a quick cup of coffee and discussion.

Today has found me planning some youth ministry events, being proxy for an exam, meeting with some parishioners, and - the high point - finding out that the coffee shop has given permission for me to go ahead with the Bible study on Saturday mornings!  We'll be beginning that on Saturday, March 19th, following our parish mission earlier in the week.

And now, I go to shut down the month of February and prepare for the month of March - after I do some prayers . . . 


Enjoy the journey . . .

Snow

Last night, the Pittsburgh area received 8.4 inches of snow.  As one radio broadcaster put it this morning, "I thought the forecast was for 2-4 inches, not 2 x 4 inches.  Must have missed the "x" symbol in there somewhere."

Since we were only expecting - initially - 2-4 inches, I thought that I would be fine traveling to have dinner with a friend at a restaurant about 45 minutes away.  Generally, I have no problem driving in snow.  But the falling of the flakes began a little sooner than most people expected, and collected on the ground faster than anyone thought it would have.

"Eh . . . I'll still go to dinner," I thought.  And I did.  And it was a delightful dinner.  A catching-up with one of my friends that was long over-due.  By the time I left the area, it was 8:50 PM.  I returned home to the rectory at 10:30 PM.  I, luckily, decided to take the Turnpike.  While there was some traffic, everyone kept moving, so there wasn't any problem about getting stuck on the road.  The only major problem I had was as I was driving on Route 19 South.  I sat in traffic there for about twenty minutes.

In retrospect, I probably should have spent the night at a hotel.  (The pastor assumed I wasn't coming back, and was waiting for me to call informing him of that.)  But, once here, I was happy to be in my own bed for the evening.

When I went to bed last night, our parish school and the surrounding school districts had a two-hour delay.  When I woke up this morning to unlock the church for the 7:00 AM Mass, they had closed.  I was surprised when I had about 10 people this morning for Mass - I was preparing for about 3-4.  And we're still at the point where the snow is still the major story everyone is talking about, because a lot of people are still be effected by it.  Nevertheless, it's wonderful to see the sun out, though it's still chilly out.

I just cannot wait until Spring finally decides to come around.




Enjoy the journey . . .

A Personal Prayer

While I was on vacation, I took the opportunity on the final day to sit at one of the overlooks and drink in not only the beauty of the scenery (overlooking the Missouri River and the state of Missouri, too!), but the opportunity to listen to what the Lord was saying to me.  During that time, I wrote a little prayer.  And while I do hold that this prayer is a bit personal, I hope that even one person may find it helpful in their life.  

***************

Lord Jesus Christ,

       Breath of my life,

       Song of my soul,

       Flame of my heart,

Confirm within me Your grace

       To be Your Presence,

       To know of Your Love,

       To live in Your Light,

       To trust in Your Providence.

Allow me to abandon myself completely to Your Will.

Empower me to live my life in complete conviction to the Gospel.

Open me to the movement of Your Spirit dwelling within me.

Enfold me in Your Loving and Sacred Heart.

Unite my sufferings to Yours for the redemption of the world.

Let Your Holy Cross

       Be my banner of victory,

       Be my altar of sacrifice,

       Be my sign of love for the world.

Make me like You

       In all that I say,

       In all that I think,

       In all that I do.

May my presence be Your Presence to all I encounter.

Allow me to grow in faith, hope and charity,

       For I place my life in Your Hands.

Amen.

Enjoy the journey . . .