Pastor’s Page Archive

October 26, 2015

The Synod on the Family ended after three weeks. While the final report is still to be translated, we can read the Holy Father’s homily for the closing Mass. Here it is.

October 19, 2015

Here is article about on man’s experience of going to confession as a an adult convert and, later, of hearing confessions as a priest.

October 5, 2015

Here is an interesting article about narcissism and Pope Francis. I gives all of us something to think about. Some may wonder why I offer the Mass in the Extraordinary Form (the “Tridentine” Mass) on First Fridays. I may wonder myself. Here is an article about the author’s experience of attending Mass in this form and his reaction. Finally today, if you are going to follow the Synod on the Family, here are some dos and don’ts.

September 29, 2015

As I look here, I see that September as gone by with my hardly posting anything. I apologize. I hope some of you are still checking. I thought of linking to this, but then I think its easier for you to have it, below without all the pop-up ads you get on websites. Here is one of the most important addresses the Pope gave, his address on Religious Freedom at Independence Hall:

Dear Friends,

Good afternoon. One of the highlights of my visit is to stand here, before Independence Hall, the birthplace of the United States of America. It was here that the freedoms which define this country were first proclaimed. The Declaration of Independence stated that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, and that governments exist to protect and defend those rights. Those ringing words continue to inspire us today, even as they have inspired peoples throughout the world to fight for the freedom to live in accordance with their dignity.

History also shows that these or any truths must constantly be reaffirmed, re-appropriated and defended. The history of this nation is also the tale of a constant effort, lasting to our own day, to embody those lofty principles in social and political life. We remember the great struggles which led to the abolition of slavery, the extension of voting rights, the growth of the labor movement, and the gradual effort to eliminate every kind of racism and prejudice directed at further waves of new Americans. This shows that, when a country is determined to remain true to its principles, those founding principles based on respect for human dignity, it is strengthened and renewed. When a country is mindful of its roots, it keeps growing, it is renewed and it continues to embrace newcomers, new individuals and new peoples.

All of us benefit from remembering our past. A people which remembers does not repeat past errors; instead, it looks with confidence to the challenges of the present and the future. Remembrance saves a people’s soul from whatever or whoever would attempt to dominate it or to use it for their own interests. When individuals and communities are guaranteed the effective exercise of their rights, they are not only free to realize their potential, they also, through their talents and their hard work, contribute to the welfare and enrichment of society as a whole.

In this place which is symbolic of the American way, I would like to reflect with you on the right to religious freedom. It is a fundamental right which shapes the way we interact socially and personally with our neighbors whose religious views differ from our own. The ideal of interreligious dialogue, where all men and women, from different religious traditions, can speak to one another without arguing. This is what religious freedom allows.

Religious freedom certainly means the right to worship God, individually and in community, as our consciences dictate. But religious liberty, by its nature, transcends places of worship and the private sphere of individuals and families. Because religion itself, the religious dimension, is not a subculture; it is part of the culture of every people and every nation.

Our various religious traditions serve society primarily by the message they proclaim. They call individuals and communities to worship God, the source of all life, liberty and happiness. They remind us of the transcendent dimension of human existence and our irreducible freedom in the face of any claim to absolute power. We need but look at history – we always benefit from looking at history – especially the history of the last century, to see the atrocities perpetrated by systems which claimed to build one or another “earthly paradise” by dominating peoples, subjecting them to apparently indisputable principles and denying them any kind of rights. Our rich religious traditions seek to offer meaning and direction, “they have an enduring power to open new horizons, to stimulate thought, to expand the mind and heart” (Evangelii Gaudium, 256). They call to conversion, reconciliation, concern for the future of society, self-sacrifice in the service of the common good, and compassion for those in need. At the heart of their spiritual mission is the proclamation of the truth and dignity of the human person and all human rights.

Our religious traditions remind us that, as human beings, we are called to acknowledge an Other, who reveals our relational identity in the face of every effort to impose “a uniformity to which the egotism of the powerful, the conformism of the weak, or the ideology of the utopian would seek to impose on us” (M. de Certeau).

In a world where various forms of modern tyranny seek to suppress religious freedom, or, as I said earlier, to try to reduce it to a subculture without right to a voice in the public square, or to use religion as a pretext for hatred and brutality, it is imperative that the followers of the various religious traditions join their voices in calling for peace, tolerance and respect for the dignity and the rights of others.

We live in an age subject to the “globalization of the technocratic paradigm” (Laudato Si’, 106), which consciously aims at a one-dimensional uniformity and seeks to eliminate all differences and traditions in a superficial quest for unity. The religions thus have the right and the duty to make clear that it is possible to build a society where “a healthy pluralism which respects differences and values them as such” (Evangelii Gaudium, 255) is a “precious ally in the commitment to defending human dignity… and a path to peace in our world”, wounded as it is by wars (ibid., 257).

The Quakers who founded Philadelphia were inspired by a profound evangelical sense of the dignity of each individual and the ideal of a community united by brotherly love. This conviction led them to found a colony which would be a haven of religious freedom and tolerance. That sense of fraternal concern for the dignity of all, especially the weak and the vulnerable, became an essential part of the American spirit. During his visit to the United States in 1987, Saint John Paul II paid moving homage to this, reminding all Americans that: “The ultimate test of your greatness is the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones” (Farewell Address, 19 September 1987, 3).

I take this opportunity to thank all those, of whatever religion, who have sought to serve God, the God of peace, by building cities of brotherly love, by caring for our neighbors in need, by defending the dignity of God’s gift, the gift of life in all its stages, and by defending the cause of the poor and the immigrant. All too often, those most in need of our help, everywhere, are unable to be heard. You are their voice, and many of you – men and women – have faithfully made their cry heard. In this witness, which frequently encounters powerful resistance, you remind American democracy of the ideals for which it was founded, and that society is weakened whenever and wherever injustice prevails.

Just now I spoke of the trend towards globalization. Globalization is not evil. On the contrary, the tendency to become globalized is good; it brings us together. What can be evil is how it happens. If a certain kind of globalization claims to make everyone uniform, to level everyone out, that globalization destroys the rich gifts and uniqueness of each person and each people. But a globalization which attempts to bring everyone together while respecting the uniqueness and gifts of each person or people is a good globalization; it helps all of us to grow, and it brings peace. I like to use a geometrical image for this. If globalization is a sphere, where every point is equidistant from the center, it cancels everything out; it is not good. But if globalization is like a polyhedron, where everything is united but each element keeps its own identity, then it is good; it causes a people to grow, it bestows dignity and it grants rights to all.

Among us today are members of America’s large Hispanic population, as well as representatives of recent immigrants to the United States. Many of you have emigrated (I greet you warmly!) to this country at great personal cost, in the hope of building a new life. Do not be discouraged by whatever hardships you face. I ask you not to forget that, like those who came here before you, you bring many gifts to this nation. Please, you should never be ashamed of your traditions. Do not forget the lessons you learned from your elders, which are something you can bring to enrich the life of this American land. I repeat, do not be ashamed of what is part of you, your life blood. You are also called to be responsible citizens, and to contribute fruitfully – as those who came before you did with such fortitude – to the life of the communities in which you live. I think in particular of the vibrant faith which so many of you possess, the deep sense of family life and all those other values which you have inherited. By contributing your gifts, you will not only find your place here, you will help to renew society from within. Do not forget what took place here over two centuries ago. Do not forget that Declaration which proclaimed that all men and women are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights and that governments exist in order to protect and defend those rights.

Dear friends, I thank you for your warm welcome and for joining me here today. Let us preserve freedom. Let us cherish freedom. Freedom of conscience, religious freedom, the freedom of each person, each family, each people, which is what gives rise to rights. May this country and each of you be renewed in gratitude for the many blessings and freedoms that you enjoy. And may you defend these rights, especially your religious freedom, for it has been given to you by God himself. May he bless you all. I ask you, please, say a little prayer for me. Thank you.

Here is the address of the Vatican representation to the UN on the 2030 goals for development. We can see how Pope Francis’ teachings are brought to bear in that body. The text of the address is here.

September 1, 2015

You may have heard that the Holy Father is granting the faculties for all priests to forgive the sin of abortion and lift the excommunication during the upcoming year of mercy. Unfortunately, this is being reported as if priests did not have that power up to now. Each bishop has the authority to delegate to priests the power to forgive the sin of procuring an abortion and to lift the accompanying excommunication. Many bishops have done this, including the Archbishop of Washington. The Priests of the Archdiocese of Washington have had this authority for many years.

August 22, 2015

I’m back from vacation. Sorry for the long hiatus. I hope some of you are still checking out my page. I went to California for two weeks, spending them at St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County. This makes for a kind of half vacation half retreat. I participate in a large part in the prayer life of the Abbey, up at 5:00 am with prayers beginning at 5:45 am. But then, I’ll go golfing and take some side trips. This year I went to two Dodgers/Nationals games at Dodger Stadium then up to San Francisco for a Giants/Nationals game. Unfortunately, the Nats did not do well that week. I also took a trip up the coast on Route 1. We went to Point Reyes to see the light house there. I walked down (and then, of course, up) the over 300 steps that go down to the light house. I had a great time all around, but I’m happy to be back.

One story that caught my eye was about the Pill and what it does to a woman. I’ve had anecdotal evidence of how a woman can marry a man while she’s on the pill. Then, after they decide to have child, she goes off the pill. She then wonders who this man is that she married. The Pill so changed her hormones that simply getting back to normal meant a complete change in her personality and hormonal balance. This article confirmed what I knew anecdotally, that the Pill does incredible damage to a woman’s body and her personality. You never hear about this. So, it is important that we educate ourselves so we can spread the word. The article is here.

Here is a link to the latest Planned Parenthood video. I hope these revelation bring about a sea change in how the public views abortion and Planned Parenthood. Evil begets evil. If you perform abortions there will really be no limits to what you will do. The line has already been crossed. The video, even a transcript of what is said in the video, is not for the squeemish. But, we need to face it ourselves to be credible witnesses in our society.

July 31, 015

I’m sure you’re following the two big stories, Cecil the Lion and yet more Planned Parenthood videos. You may be a little disoriented by the disproportionate reactions to each story. The dentist who shot Cecil with a bow and arrow seems to be public enemy number one, while Planned Parenthood’s actions seem to be business as usual. Here an article by Dale Ahlquist who brings some of Chesterton’s insights to bear to help explain this disproportion. The article is here.

July 24, 2015

During this NFP Awareness Week, we can look at an article about NaPro, this is an approach to fertility that is both scientific and in conformity with the Church’s teachings. This is an approach to looking at a women’s fertility that can be very effective in spacing children, if there is a just reason, but can also help in situations where there is difficulty in conceiving a child. The article is here.

July 16, 2015

Here is an article by Rachel Lu about how to rebuild marriage in our culture. Since marriage and family are built into us as humans, there is still a longing for marriage and family in the hearts of our young people even as they may be wandering in the fog of the post-sexual revolution culture.

July 15, 2015

Here is another article on same sex attraction and the “gay” community. One of the things discussed last Wednesday evening was the category of “gay.” Deacon Jim Russel speaks about how being part of a “gay” community feeds the impure desires that same sex attraction engenders. Those who are seeking to live a mature purity should abandon the “gay” identity. His article is here.

July 10, 2015

Following up on the presentation on Wednesday on same sex attraction, here are a couple of articles of interest. In the first, David Prosen discusses how he was bullied growing up. But, he also exposes a lot of other bullying that he has experienced, even from other people with same sex attraction. He is showing how all people can be guilty of bullying. His article is here. Another article of interest is about the origin of same sex attraction. It disputes the myth that people can be born with this attraction. There is no evidence of this despite it becoming a more widely held belief. At the talk on Wednesday a discussion arose about the culpability of someone who has same sex attraction. I supposed there could be cases where this attraction is freely chosen. Well, this article discusses this also. Apparently, there is a movement in the “gay” community towards claiming same sex attraction as a free choice. They do not want to be seen as victims or as people stricken with some kind of pathology. They want to put themselves into the Justice Kennedy universe I spoke about Wednesday night. That article is here.

July  8, 2015

As we are commissioning a painting of the Assumption, we can reflect upon what it means to have an original, fine work of art produced for our church. Duncan Stroik, a noted Church architect, reflects upon the value of having new works of art commissioned for a church rather than copies or photos of existing works. His article is here.

June 27, 2015

I’m sure you saw the statement from the Archdiocese of Washington on Friday’s Supreme Court decision in the advisory box on our main web-page. I don’t have much to add right now. Here are two thoughts from Ed Peters, a noted lay Canon lawyer.

June 22, 2015

I am making my way through the Pope’s Encyclical Laudato Si. I’ve written a couple of bulletin articles on this which will appear the next two Sundays. As I keep reading, I may write some more. In the meantime, hear is an article on the encyclical that gives you a short, thumb-nail sketch. The article is here.

June 16, 2015

I’m always a little upset when I come here to post something and find out its been a couple of weeks since my last post. Now that school is over and all the extra post-Pentecost feasts are passed, I can post a little more often. What got my attention today was an article about why Catholics call Mary the Mother of God. It does sound very odd. After all, God is eternal and un-created How can he have a Mother? Here is an article that explains this. The author doesn’t go into the weeds of the hypostatic union of the Divine and Human natures of Christ in the one Divine Person of the Eternal Word. But, he does explain it in a way most people can understand. The article is here.

June 3, 2015

Doubtless you have heard about Bruce Jenner. It is one of those stories you wish you could ignore but get thrown in your face everywhere you go. Here is an article from an eminent Psychiatrist about this pathology. He insists that this is a psychological disorder that is not resolved by surgery. In fact, indulging the patient in their disordered desire harms rather than helps them. This article may help you if and when the topic comes up.

June 1, 2015

I’m back from Kentucky. I just finished my article in the bulletin on my trip there and Fr. Jason’s ordination. One thing that came up in my conversations with the people there was the migration from Southern Maryland to Kentucky that occurred after the Revolution. I found this article on that. This might be of interest to many of you.

May 22

Pope Francis spoke about educating children at his Wednesday audience. Parents have the primary obligation to educate their children. Too often, the Pope notes, parents have exiled themselves from their children and this responsibility. Here is the article. Say a prayer for Ireland today. They are voting on a referendum on same-sex “marriage.”

May 20, 2015

Some have been asking for more details about the painting we are having done for the Church. It will be an oil on canvas painting; it will be quite large, 6 by 8 feet with Mary being almost life-sized. The artist is Henry Wingate. Here is link to his website. Here is an article about the painting he did for St. Mary’s Piscatatway.

May 12, 2015

As most of you know, I don’t write out my homilies most of the time. Sometimes I do. I’m not sure way, perhaps when I touch on a “controversial” issue, I want to make sure I say what I want to say and make sure I have a record of what I said. Last Sunday’s homily was about marriage and motherhood. It was inspired in a way by this article about how mother’s day days may be numbered. As marriage licenses now say Spouse 1 and Spouse 2 rather than husband and wife, so we may have to go to Parent 1 and Parent 2 on birth certificates. Here is last Sunday’s homily:

Mother’s Day is in danger; at least as a public event. The loss of Mother’s Day is beginning in the public schools where Mother’s Day celebrations become problematic. There are always children who have no mother because of death or some other accidental situation. But, now there are children for whom not having a mother (or a father as the case may be) is intended. There are children who cannot, perhaps dare not, ask the question “Who is my mother?” or “who is my father?”  This situation did not come out of the blue. The deterioration of marriage and family life has been going on for at least two generations. In the 1960s marriage and procreation were decoupled with the advent of the pill and other chemicals and devices. This latest stage in the process of deterioration has decoupled children from their mother and father.  A child is not a gift from God received through cooperation with God’s plan of creation, but is a product that can be obtained when wanted or avoided or disposed of when unwanted.

In the beginning of Revelationwe are told that God created man in his own image and likeness, in the Divine image he created him, male and female he created them. As God reveals himself to us in history, because we are created in his image, he also reveals who we are. The two revelations run concurrently until they both meet in the Incarnation of the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the divine Son of God. In Jesus Christ, we now have the fullest revelation of God and the fullest revelation of man. In Jesus Christ God reveals himself as love and reveals man as love. In the Upper Room, Jesus expresses this on the night before he gives his life for his friends.  Let’s look at the relationships of love revealed in John 15:  The Father loves the Son; The Son loves us; we are to love one another. What is the consequence of all this love? That we share the Son’s joy in being loved by the Father.

The love Jesus is talking about is not a greeting card love.  In a practical sense, love is willing the best for another person; in an affective sense it is the longing for communion with the beloved, leading to joy when the communion is achieved. Sometimes the best for someone else demands sacrifice on my part. This is how Jesus shows his love by his sacrifice for us. Sometimes the beloved is distant and hidden. That is why Holy Communion brings us joy, but not a complete joy since even in sacramental communion the beloved is still hidden. Only in Heaven, when sacramental communion is fulfilled by the immediate vision of God, will our joy be complete.

Because God has revealed himself as love, St. John tells us in his first letter that everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. The love of God has been revealed to us through his Son. We can now have life through him. Since the divine essence has finally been revealed to us, we now know who we are. We also are love. God created each and every person in the divine image. With this revelation we can now see that all the ways sin has separated us are accidental. We were not created to love our friends and hate our enemies. We were not created to even have enemies. Bringing the full revelation of who God is and who we are into the world will require a love that transcends what even the world calls love.  The sinner loves what is best for himself; his joy is in attaining what he wants. The sinner loves only himself. When you love yourself you make others sacrifice for your own good.

In the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, we see how this revelation of God as love begins to transform the Apostles’ understanding of man. God loves all of his creatures and wills the salvation of all men. Now even Gentiles are not left out.  They can be given the Holy Spirit and be baptized into the Body of Christ. This final revelation of God as love even removes the distinction between Jew and Gentile, a distinction that even the Apostles thought was ordained by God.  Now the important distinction in our lives is between God and us. In constantly recognizing God as the eternal creator, the giver of life, we can see how much he loves us. We can see how great a gift life truly is. God wills each of us to live and wills each of us to live eternally. He wills nothing but good for us and sent his Son to sacrifice the good of his life for the greatest good of eternal life. Now we can worship God not as slaves but as friends. Worship is the way we show our love for God. Jesus is the one man who offers perfect worship to God. Through the Holy Spirit he allows us to join Him in his worship of the Father that we might join him in the joy of being loved by his Father.

This now brings us back to Mother’s Day. The love of a husband and a wife is a privileged revelation of God as love.  Marital love is always directed toward the good of another and to the joy of communion.  The Church will always honor marriage and family as created by God. She cannot abandon the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony any more than she can abandon the truth that God is love.  May we celebrate Mothers and Motherhood as a particular revelation of the love of God.  A mother’s love is not a greeting card love. Rather, it is a revelation of the love of God in that she too is a giver of life and love.

May 3, 2015

The Holy Father is apparently working on an encyclical on the environment. Also, there was recently a colloquium at the Vatican on climate change and environmental issues. The Church seems to be putting itself into the conversation on these issues. Here is an article on the environment and Neo-Paganism. Perhaps the Holy Father is trying to steer the conversation toward the human goods that the enviroment serves. Many want to depict people as the problem, as a parasites on the earth. The Church has to witness against this. Man is at the center of creation, being given dominion over it; not to destroy it, but to have it serve its ultimate good: the human person.

April 29, 2015

Here is a link to the Declaration Dominus Iesus which I referred to in my homily last weekend. This is the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena. Here is an article about Sigrit Unset, the Norwegian convert to the Faith who wrote a wonderful biography of St. Catherine. I read it several years ago. It is worth a re-reading. But, you can read this article to see how Sigrit Unset makes St. Catherine relevant for our own times.

April 21, 2015

Here is a fun article about all the contradictory comments people make about the Church, some of them from the same person! This past weekend I mentioned the high tech billionaires who want to become immortal. Here is the article with the quote I used. I still can’t believe the math. Everyone in the Church gasped. But, here it is: If you live 1000 years you will live 365,000 days; if you spend $100,000 a day you will spend $36,500,000,000; so, with a fortune of $43,000,000,000 you could spend $100,000 a day for a thousand years and still have $6,500,000,000 left! I ran the math three times on different calculators, just to make sure. I still can’t believe it.

April 13, 2015

Now that the Easter Octave is over, I can find some time to post. I don’t know if you are following the inside baseball of the Synod on the Family. Cardinal Kasper made some statements about Cardinal Sarah’s comments. Here is an article about Cardinal Sarah. I don’t pass it on because of the statements back and forth but because this article relates Cardinal Sarah’s story as an African from a small village who is just one generation away from paganism. One statement that struck me concerns how pagans experience Christianity as a move to freedom and away from fear and superstition. This may seem surprising to our “modern” minds. Being so far removed from the fear and superstition of a pagan world, the West has lost sight of how freeing faith in a creating, loving, and redeeming God really is. Cardinal Sarah’s voice should stir the memory of “post-modern” man to appreciate every more the freedom we enjoy in Christ Jesus. The article is here.

April 2, 2015

We had a beautiful Mass of the Lord’s Supper this evening. I don’t usually write out my homilies. Occasionally I will if I want to give a deeper theological perspective or I will be very busy with long liturgies. This evening provided both reasons. I thought I would post my homily here for those who could not come to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper and for those who did and want to try and figure out what in the world I was talking about! So, here it is:

Holy Thursday 2015

How do we form communities?  On what can we base a community? There is a growing sense that we can base a universal human community on our common humanity. Obviously, all of us being human should make us able to form a community. We share the same world, the same human nature, and the same desire for happiness.  In the state of innocence, before the Fall of Adam and Eve, our common human nature would have been enough for us to form a universal community. This community would not have eliminated other communities, such as groups of friends, neighbors or families. Rather, all of these smaller communities would contribute to the universal harmony of the entire human community.  As we know, sin interferes with us forming communities. Because we were not totally depraved by sin, the ability to form communities is still possible, though in a limited way and not without difficulty.  What limits our ability to form communities and our ability to sustain them is sin.

Since we are unable to forgive our own sins or undo the effects of sin, our attempts to form communities will always be subject to these limitations. Yet, our common humanity and our common dignity cry out for community.  The remedy for this dilemma, the way to a universal human community is Communion, Communion with God.

The first step in God’s plan to form this community is the making of a covenant with Israel. By forming them as a people, by giving them a law and a land, God began to reveal the form of the community of communion.  The law, while holding Israel together by overcoming some of the effects of the Fall, could not become the basis for universal community. While the law is wise and good, it does not take away sin or the effects of sin. In fact, interpreted and lived out by sinners, even the law can become an idol.  It can become reduced, “carved by human hands”, by exceptions to the law and by interpretations that conform the demands of the law to the ability of sinners to live it out.

The law lived out in this way makes those who live it a graven image of themselves as sinners. The fulfillment of the law requires a freedom from sin and a love of God that makes those who fulfill the law not a graven image of themselves but an image of God. How can we have the image of God in which we were made come to its fulfillment?

The second and final step in God’s plan to form this community is the incarnation of His Divine Son.  The eternal Son of God joined himself forever with us by taking a full, human nature. Through his human body and soul, God can reach out and share his divine life with us.  Jesus began his public ministry by choosing Apostles.  Jesus establishes human relationships with other people as the way of extending this divine life. Jesus, with the Divine authority to forgive sins and with the grace that comes from his divine personhood, can form relationships that are free from the effects of sin and which are further grounded in the mutual sharing of divine life. Through the Holy Spirit, this work of Jesus in extending divine life through human relationships and human actions continues through the Apostles and then through their successors the Pope and the College of Bishops.

All of this depends upon Jesus presenting his body as the pure sacrifice, the unblemished lamb, to the glory of His Eternal Father.  The Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus bring the Son of Man fully into the eternal relationship of the Blessed Trinity.  The Apostles are entrusted through the Holy Spirit to extend this relationship throughout time through the Body of Christ, the Church. They will do this by preaching the Gospel and by adminstering the sacraments.

By washing the Apostles’ feet, Jesus gives a “model” or “example” of what they are to do. The Apostles are already clean because of the Word spoken to them. Peter does not need to have his hands and his head washed.  However, Jesus gives them the final cleansing, the washing of the feet.  The humility of Jesus’ suffering on the Cross is what will complete the work of his preaching and teaching.  Just as Aaron and the other priests had to wash their feet before entering the meeting tent, so the Apostles need their feet washed before partaking of the sacrificed Body and Blood of Christ. The foot washing also symbolizes Jesus sharing of his priesthood with the Apostles, allowing them to extend the complete cleansing of sin through the waters of Baptism and presenting the People of God as a pure sacrifice to the Father.

The foot washing in the upper room is only a model or an example. Even as Jesus is modeling the community of the Church, it is beginning to unravel. Even as he showed them this model he knew who would betray him. In his pride, Peter balked at having the Lord wash his feet. If his Master washes his feet, what will he be called upon to do?  The Lord also knew that Peter would deny him and that all the Apostles but John would abandon him. So, immediately the model and example seem doomed by betrayal, abandonment, and pride. What would give this model life is the Holy Spirit which will be sent by the Father and the Son after Our Lord’s Ascension.

As we know, Pentecost, the Feast which will conclude the Easter Season, pours upon the Apostles the grace of the Holy Spirit, merited for them by the Sacrifice of Christ. The Holy Spirit will form them into the community that God wishes for us. God is re-creating mankind in the image of his incarnate Son.  Jesus’ defeat of Satan is shared with us as we share divine adoption. The Apostles then go forth, preaching the Gospel and sharing this divine life through the sacraments.  The Apostles carry forward Jesus’ work of re-creating mankind. This night we celebrate the first day of the new re-creation, the day our Lord, on the night before he died, began to fashion a Holy Priesthood which would continue to make present his sacrifice to his Father and would continue to pour out on those who are being re-made in his image the divine love he shares with his Father.

March 31, 2015

Our elect and candidates in RCIA have or are about to make their First Confession. Here is an article on a little off-beat website of a convert’s experience of her First Confession. I’m sure most adult converts who have gone through this experience can relate. But, also, if its been a long time since going to confession, all of us can relate to her experience.  Have you ever been confronted by an Evangelical asking why you wear a crucifix? Someone recently came to me after Mass telling me of this experience.  Here is an article with an explanation of how you might answer.

March 30, 2015

We are still shocked at the pilot who deliberately flew his plane into the ground. Here are two perspectives on this. One wants to blame extreme narcissism on his actions; the other says that the action was evil and beyond explanation. Perhaps both can be correct. The article blaming narcissism tells us that narcissism is endemic to our society where we have culture of entitlement and selfishness. This extreme narcissism can lead to rage when we don’t get not just want we want but what we think we’re owed. There is evidence that this pilot suffered from this extreme narcissism. His obsession to be an elite “long-haul” pilot let to rage when it became clear that such was not in the cards for him. The other article explains, rightly, that evil is a deficiency in good. As such there is no explanation or account for evil. We want to understand the motives of people who do evil so that we can prevent them doing these acts. But, this article explains that there are some acts so evil that we cannot account for or predict who will do what evil action. Both can be correct in that we probably will never be able to know why this pilot in particular suffered this extreme narcissism. While Psychologists may come up with tests to spot the extreme cases of this pathology, we can probably never be able to explain why this condition exists in the first place and why this person has it in the second. While we can screen pilots for this condition all we will do it redirect their evil rage in another direction. Both articles make interesting reading. The narcissism article is here;  the “evil” article is here.

March 26, 2015

If money is the “devil’s dung” then, perhaps, gossip is the devil’s prayer. Gossip is useless talk about other people’s problems. The devil wants nothing more than for us to talk uselessly. He does not want us to pray. We cannot solve other people’s problems by talking about them with others. The only useful way to talk about other people’s problems is to take them to God in prayer; also, telling other’s about someone’s problems in order to have them pray for that person is not gossip. Here is an article about the Holy Father asking for prayers for the upcoming Ordinary Synod on the Family. There’s lot of talk about what they Bishops should and shouldn’t do. But, this talk is useless. What would be useful talk is to take the Synod  to prayer.

Every parish priest can relate to this article. We hear children’s confessions and, over and over again, we hear them confess that they missed Mass. Here is an article that articulates this situation from the perspective of a parish priest. The writer also echoes the sense of loss that children can have knowing that their is something missing from their faith-life and from their relationship with Jesus.Here is that article.

Anthony Esolen is a professor at Providence College. He is a kind of in-your-face writer and can be very polemical. So, I don’t usually link to him here. But, here is an article he wrote that reverses the Beatitudes. What if we re-wrote the Beatitudes according to worldly values? It is an interesting and eye-opening piece. Here is the link.

March 23, 2015

A while back I promised to post Indulgences. As you recall, an Indulgence is a spiritual or corporal practice that can remit the temporal punishment for sin either for the person performing the indulgenced act or for a soul in purgatory for whom the indulgenced act is performed. I finally found my handbook of indulgences. Although, I could have forged ahead since, as I always try to remember, everything is now online. Well, I cut and pasted the Indulgence for Stations of the Cross, which seems appropriate as we are in Passiontide. Here is the norm for gaining this Indulgence. Always remember that in addition to the norms for the Indulgence, you need to receive Holy Communion, make a sacramental confession (within a few days), and pray for the intentions of the Holy Father:

EXERCISE OF THE WAY OF THE CROSS. PLENARY INDULGENCE. A Plenary indulgence is granted to those who piously make the Way of the Cross. The gaining of the indulgence is regulated by the following rules:

1. Must be done before stations of the cross legitimately erected.
2. 14 stations are required.   Although it is customary for the icons to represent pictures or images, 14 simple crosses will suffice.
3. The common practice consists of fourteen pious readings to which some vocal prayers are added.. However, nothing more is required than a pious meditation on the Passion and Death of the Lord, which need not be a particular consideration of the individual mysteries of the stations.
4. A movement from one station to the next is required. But if the stations are made publicly and it is not possible for everyone taking part to go from station to station, it suffices if at least the one conducting the exercise goes from station to station, the others remaining in their places.
5. Those who are “impeded” can gain the same indulgence if they spend at least one half and hour in pious reading and meditation on the Passion and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

March 18, 2015

Here is another article on Pope Francis. The author has an interesting take Francis and on the past few Popes. He also puts a lot of what we hear in the media into context.

March 16, 2015

The Holy Father recently gave an interview. Here is an article with some of the highlights. He speaks about all the troubles Mexico has had in its history. He connects these with the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Having a visit by the Blessed Mother is a great privilege, but, as Pope Francis sees it, it puts a target on them as far as Satan in concerned.  I had the privilege of spending a summer in Mexico as a seminarian. There are so many beautiful churches and shrines, so many saints and faithful people. There is also a resurgence of Mayan/Pagan religion; and Mexico has been ruled by a Masonic cabal for the last hundred years. It is potentially one of the most prosperous countries in the world but it has been robbed blind. We may wonder why so many want to come here. While the police in this country are not perfect, at least they don’t set up roadblocks and shake down the occupants of cars for money; the streets here are not paved with gold, but they are paved; and while we might complain about high taxes, at least we still get to keep most of the fruit of our labor without having to pay confiscatory taxes and bribes. Many Mexicans simply want the things we take for granted.

March 13, 2015

Here is a wonderful article about a Korean Pastor who saves unwanted babies. An American filmmaker made a film about him called “The Drop Box.” This Pastor (I didn’t see the denomination in the article) set up a box in front of his house for people to leave-off unwanted babies. There are sensors in the box that set off a bell when a baby has been placed there.

March 9, 2015

I’m sorry for so few posts. Now, with Spring in the air we can start to get back into normal rhythm and routine. I found this interesting article about the change in Cardinal Borgoglio when he was elected Pope. I can remember when he was elected, watching him come out to the balcony, he seemed to be stunned. I suppose being elected Pope can do that to you. But, this was perhaps more than just the shock of being elected. He has recounted how he had a mystical experience after his election. Here is the article that explains this.

March 3, 2015

I came across this article in the Post that has maps showing religious affiliation across the US. An interesting read.  Are we tired of winter, yet? With 5-8 inches of snow predicted for Thursday, we do not seem to be anywhere near an end. If you want a little encouragement (a little, not much) check out the March forecast from Accuweather. At least there are some 60 degrees days forecast in a couple of weeks. Although, there were a couple more, and sooner, such days a couple of days ago.

February 27, 2015

Maybe you have heard about the open letter written to Justice Kennedy written in light of the fact that the Supreme Court will take up the issue of “gay marriage” in the fall session. It was written by a woman who had been raised by a same sex couple. It explains her loss at having a Father intentionally denied to her. She also has a blog. There is a link to her blog in the article. Her article raises points that we need to have in order to discuss this issue intelligently and compassionately. You can find the article here.

February 24, 2015

I haven’t been posting much, lately. Apologies to all who check this page. I’ve been deal with cold, burst pipes, and cranky furnaces! At least we are better off than the courthouse, which I think is still closed because of frozen/broken water pipes. I encourage everyone to help with the 40 Days for Life. Come up to pray at the place in College Park. St. Mary’s goes up Fridays from 9:00 to 10:00. If you come to 8:00 am Mass you can probably catch a ride with someone who is going. I try to go when I can, but I have the 10:00 am school Mass three Fridays a month. The next time I can go with be Friday the 13th of March. Pray for warmer weather!

February 20, 2015

Recently I posted a reference to an article by Daniel Mattson about people categorizing themselves according to the object of their sexual desire. Here is a follow up article on that same topic. He expands on this especially in speaking about how this affects young people. Having a vocabulary for such categories traps people into thinking that they are set in a way of being for the rest of their lives. Here is a story that intersects with this theme and the theme of Pope Francis being at the mercy of people’s imagination. You may have seen this story about a “gay rights” group being given the red carpet treatment at the Pope’s Wednesday audience. Here is the other side of that story.

February 16, 2015

I haven’t updated for a while. I was away last week at an undisclosed location in Virginia Beach. I had a restful, quiet time. Although, the weather was no better there than here. I just had a view of the ocean. I’m sure everyone is getting ready for snow; 8-12 inches still in the forecast. The Holy Father created 20 new Cardinals over the weekend. Most of these are from the “Third World.” Pope Francis is recognizing the growth of the Church in different areas of the world. There were no new Cardinals from the US. One might expect the Archbishops of Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia to be made Cardinal. These have been traditionally lead by Cardinals. But, each of these has a Cardinal who is not yet eighty. American Vatican watchers will be busy when the time comes for new Cardinals to be named.

February 7, 2015

Pope Francis recently said that without the Church Jesus is at the mercy of your imagination. I think the same could be said about Francis himself. When it comes to marriage and the family he is very outspoken and in continuity with the teachings of the Church. This past Wednesday at his general audience he spoke to the people of Slovakia who are voting in a referendum on same-sex “marriage”. Here is a link to an article about the speech he gave. He does not mince words nor leave any doubt. Here is a strong example of Jesus and Pope Francis being at the mercy of someone’s imagination.

February 2, 2015

The groundhog saw his shadow and ran back into his hole; so, six more weeks of winter. I don’t know how he saw his shadow since its just as overcast and rainy in Punxsatawney, PA as it is here today. This morning I had a rare Monday morning Mass for the Feast of the Presentation, celebrating the entry of the child Jesus into the Temple. There is a blessing of candles to begin this Mass and a procession with lit candles to the Sanctuary. This represents the entry of the Light (Jesus) into the Temple and into the world. There is no coincidence in this being the Feast of the Presentation and also groundhog day. As I said in my homily, as sinners we are all groundhogs. Being in the light is frightening to us because all we can see is the shadow of our sins. Jesus is the light that purifies as it illuminates. The more we live in the light of Christ, the farther we go from sin. Holiness means that the light of Christ illuminates every part of our lives, so there is no shadow of darkness to frighten us and have us hide from the light. So, while Punxsatawney Phil can be frightened by the light since it also reveals his shadow, so we, being in a state of grace, can look at the light and not be scared by our own shadow.

January 30, 2015

There is a commentary on page 8 of this week’s Catholic Standard on the persecution of Christians. I encourage everyone to read it. This week a parishioner shared with me the front section of the Washington Post from a few days ago. It has an extensive article on Christian persecution. As the Body of Christ, when one member suffers all the members suffer. So, remember to pray for our brothers and sisters in danger and suffering for their faith in Christ.

January 28, 2015

Well, we got through the “Blizzard of ’15” alright! Too bad we had to cancel our evening events. Yesterday turned out to be not so bad. This past Saturday, I went to a fundraising banquet in Silver Spring for an organization called “Isaiah’s Promise.” This organization was co-founded by my sister-in-law Cubby LaHood. Cubby has been fighting cancer off and on for several years. She is finished with chemo (thankfully) but she is on an experimental pill. We hope and pray for a good result. Isaiah’s Promise is there to help couples who receive a poor prenatal diagnosis for their unborn child. This is a devastating and disorienting experience for parents. So often they are advised to have an abortion; and, in their grief and loneliness they are apt to make that decision. Rather than I going on about it, have a look at their website. The word should get out that there is help for parents in these situations. While we cannot say there won’t be sadness and grief, we can say that there will never be regret at allowing a child with this diagnosis to live out his or her natural life. Be sure to watch the video embedded in the home page.

January 26, 2015

One of the things the Church insists upon when speaking about people with a same sex attraction is that that is what we call them. They are first people. We avoid labels, even if self-imposed, in defining people according to their sexual attractions. There is a movement among some with a same sex attraction to define themselves in this way, that is “gay but celibate.” Here is a very interesting article by a man who is faithful to the Church and also faithful in seeming himself as a man created in the image of God. He disagrees with the label “gay but celibate.” When he speaks about his own sexual attraction he speaks about it in terms of a deficit, that something is missing. As a man, he should be sexually attracted to women, but he is not. I will let you read the article. What he has to say is very illuminating for all Catholics who want to know how to speak about these questions in a way that is charitable and at the same time faithful to the natural law. You can find the article here.

On a lighter note, here is an article about the 16 things you probably do not know about the Church.

January 21, 2015

I encourage everyone to participate in the March for Life. If you can go to the March that would be wonderful.  The March is primarily a spiritual event, a prayer to God.  We will have our regular daily Mass at 8:00 am. It will be the Mass for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. We will also have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament beginning after Mass and continuing until about 4:00 pm when the buses return. We will have Benediction at that time. May the Loed bless our nation on this day.

January 17, 2015

The Holy Father is in the Philippines. He is having Mass in the face of a category 1 typhoon. He is staying just ahead of the storm as he moves from the coast up to Manila. This may be an image of what is happening in our world. The approaching storm that he is staying ahead of is the assault on the family. In his address to families he speaks of the joy and difficulties of family life and the help offered by the prayers of St. Joseph. He describes beautifully how a family brings us out of ourselves; that, as a mother and father our children become the focus of our lives and our hopes. But, he speaks also of ideologies that are trying to colonize the family from outside. He warns against them as well as against not being open to life in marriage. In this time between the Extraordinary Synod on the Family that was held last October and the Ordinary Synod to be held this Fall, there is a lot of speculation about how Pope Francis will be open to the changes to the family proposed in our times. He is not. In fact, what will be new is the re-presentation of marriage and family as sources of joy and of life. His entire address can be found here.

January 14, 2015

The Holy Father is now in Sri Lanka. He will be going to the Phillipines next. Today, I offered a votive Mass for Pope France. Sri Lanka has been recently torn by civil war. At his visit to the shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, the Holy Father gave this address imploring Mary’s help in bringing peace and reconciliation. Here is the text of that address:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are in our Mother’s house. Here she welcomes us into her home. At this shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, every pilgrim can feel at home, for here Mary brings us into the presence of her Son Jesus. Here Sri Lankans, Tamil and Sinhalese alike, come as members of one family. To Mary they commend their joys and sorrows, their hopes and needs. Here, in her home, they feel safe. They know that God is very near; they feel his love; they know his tender mercy, the tender mercy of God.

There are families here today which suffered greatly in the long conflict which tore open the heart of Sri Lanka. Many people, from north and south alike, were killed in the terrible violence and bloodshed of those years. No Sri Lankan can forget the tragic events associated with this very place, or the sad day when the venerable statue of Mary, dating to the arrival of the earliest Christians in Sri Lanka, was taken away from her shrine.

But Our Lady is remaining always with you. She is the mother of every home, of every wounded family, of all who are seeking to return to a peaceful existence. Today we thank her for protecting the people of Sri Lanka from so many dangers, past and present. Mary never forgot her children on this resplendent island. Just as she never left the side of her Son on the Cross, so she never left the side of her suffering Sri Lankan children.

Today we want to thank Our Lady for that presence. In the wake of so much hatred, violence and destruction, we want to thank her for continuing to bring us Jesus, who alone has the power to heal open wounds and to restore peace to broken hearts. But we also want to ask her to implore for us the grace of God’s mercy. We ask also for the grace to make reparation for our sins and for all the evil which this land has known.

It is not easy to do this. Yet only when we come to understand, in the light of the Cross, the evil we are capable of, and have even been a part of, can we experience true remorse and true repentance. Only then can we receive the grace to approach one another in true contrition, offering and seeking true forgiveness. In this difficult effort to forgive and find peace, Mary is always here to encourage us, to guide us, to lead us. Just as she forgave her Son’s killers at the foot of his Cross, then held his lifeless body in her hands, so now she wants to guide Sri Lankans to greater reconciliation, so that the balm of God’s pardon and mercy may bring true healing to all.

Finally, we want to ask Mother Mary to accompany with her prayers the efforts of Sri Lankans from both Tamil and Sinhalese speaking communities to rebuild the unity which was lost. Just as her statue came back to her shrine of Madhu after the war, so we pray that all her Sri Lankan sons and daughters may now come home to God in a renewed spirit of reconciliation and fellowship.

Dear brothers and sisters, I am happy to be with you in Mary’s house. Let us pray for one another. Above all, let us ask that this shrine may always be a house of prayer and a haven of peace. Through the intercession of Our Lady of Madhu, may all people find here inspiration and strength to build a future of reconciliation, justice and peace for all the children of this beloved land. Amen.

January 9, 2015

Update on the rectory: Wednesday there was the hearing for the variances we needed to proceed in the permitting of the rectory. Did you notice the signs in front of the Crandell-Rothstein house? The variances were approved! This was about side yard and frontage restrictions. Since the house was built over a hundred years before these restrictions it was not in compliance. On to the next step in the process.

January 6, 2015

I hope everyone got through the snow alright today. The schools first were going to open two hours late then, at 7:30 am they announced they would be closed. The staff who were able to come in today told of snarled, slow moving traffic. Today is the traditional Feast of the Epiphany. Some diocese still celebrate it on the 6th of January. One such is Rome, Italy. Today, the Holy Father celebrated Mass for the Feast of the Epiphany. In his homily he spoke about the temptations of the Magi, the temptation offered by Herod to tell him where the child is and the temptation to reject the humble infant Jesus as the king which they sought. The full text of the Pope’s homily is here (scroll down to find the English version or click on “Testo in Lingua Inglese”).

January 3, 2015

Some people have asked me to post my homily from last weekend, the feast of the Holy Family. Here it is:

Holy Family 2014

In my homilies at Christmas, I talked about the cultural expressions of Christianity; how they brought together the enemy troops in World War I in the “Christmas Truce.” This Christmas Truce never happened again in World War I nor in World War II.  The forces of our modern world and the ideologies that drive them were too strong to be overcome by cultural expressions of Christmas.  This shows us that unless the cultural expressions of Christianity are grounded in Christ, they fall by the wayside or become hollow.  We use cultural expressions of Christmas, but our celebration of Christmas does not depend on them. Living in Christ’s Body, the Church, seeking Communion with Him in the sacraments, spares us from empty expressions of faith. Christmas is, for those who are faithful to Our Lord, an outward expression of our lived faith instead of a hollow show.

There are other things can be reduced if they are supported only by a hollow culture. The family is one such thing.  There has been a strong cultural foundation to the family in our world. Innocence, courtship, the expectation of getting married and establishing a family, having children, growing old together, these were all part of our culture. How quaint and outdated these things seem now. They are like an old black and white TV show from the fifties. Yet, how many young people have a secret longing for these things? Marriage and family is part of being human. As we see in the Synod on the Family, the Church has much work to do.  When the collapse of the cultural supports for what is true occurs, the Church needs to dig more deeply into the reality of creation and revelation in order to rebuild the foundations. As Christmas becomes more a hollow holiday, so all the more do we need to present the Christ child, God made man, to the world. Just as marriage and family life are being lost in our culture, the Church needs to dig more deeply into the truth of what married love and its fruits are.

This Feast of the Holy Family gives us that opportunity. As the account of Abraham and Sarah tell us, God can make fruitful what was thought to be sterile, can give a future to those who thought their days were numbered. The Church persists in teaching and living the truth of marriage and family so as to give hope and a future to those who are left confused and alone by our culture of absolute autonomy and license.

We can begin with St. Joseph.  What a fool he appears to be in our modern world. He becomes responsible for a child not his own while taking in marriage a wife with whom he will never have relations. While we can understand taking on some responsibility, we can’t understand doing this without getting something back. But, St. Joseph shows us that giving yourself for the good of your family is the essence of being a husband and a father.  St. Joseph personifies as a husband and father the gift that Jesus will give us on the Cross. Jesus got nothing back on the Cross, rather he poured himself out for his bride the Church. This kind of chaste love is the beginning of a family. A family springs from the soul of a man. A man who is conformed to Christ can truly become a husband and father, capable of forming a family that reflects the Holy Family in their self-giving love.

What keeps men from giving themselves in this way? We can look to our sex-addicted society. But, that is only a symptom of a deeper problem.  Our culture has become a culture of the individual. We see ourselves as complete in our individuality. The task of life is to extend our individuality by constructing our own world according to our own needs and desires.  We reach compromises with other people, since we need them and they need us in our life construction projects, but as soon as anyone else’s project interferes with mine, the compromise has been broken and the relationship has to be terminated or reset within the necessary boundaries.

The thing we fear the most, as modern people, is the possibility of my having to adjust my life, my priorities, my needs, my desires in order to take care of someone else’s needs. The compromises we set up with other people have to be strictly enforced.  This is how we live now.  The cultural framework of marriage and family cannot withstand this assault. We need to dig more deeply.

Recently, the Vatican held a conference on the complementarity of man and woman. Those who hold to the belief that “I am complete in myself” will be shocked when told that they were made for another. The Church teaches that man and woman were made for each other. There is a physical, spiritual, emotional and psychological complementarity between men and women. While we are quick to accept the physical complementarity, those other areas of complementarity are less obvious or are seen as aspects of a relationship that cause problems and friction, that cross the boundary lines. We convince ourselves that physical complementarity, lived out as a compromise which serves to satisfy mutual needs, can be the foundation of a relationship.

But, as we see, this is an illusion. Couples who live together before marriage divorce at a high rate.  Their compromise of mutual physical needs quickly disintegrates when real, human needs press upon the relationship.  When the autonomous and already complete “me” is called upon to give myself beyond what I bargained for, the relationship is quickly put back in its boundaries or is ended by divorce or by just walking out the door.

The man’s soul hemmed in by a narrow understanding of who he was created to be by God, cannot expand outward to form a family. Women, too, in their autonomy are not open to having their lives formed by a man. While he’s useful for some things, to give my life completely to this man would be a denial of my own autonomy.

What is our hope for marriage and family? Most young people do long for the kind of marriage and family life they see that their parents or grandparents had. But, they do not see the same kind of cultural framework around them that their parents and grandparents enjoyed. Perhaps they think that because the cultural framework for marriage and family has been lost a “traditional” marriage is not in the cards for them. So, they give in to what the culture now says their lives are all about.

To find hope for marriage and family we have to go back to the creator of marriage and family, God Himself. The Church, especially through the teachings of St. John Paul II, has been re-presenting marriage and family to the modern world. The Church is digging deeper and showing how marriage is a revelation of God Himself in the self-giving love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Just as in becoming man, the eternal Son of God gives himself completely for our salvation and for the glory of the Father, so we who are created in the image of God and redeemed by the Incarnate Son can live the self-giving love of marriage and family.

There is a question I like to ask engaged couples:  Will getting married increase or decrease your freedom?  The usual answer, as you would guess, is that it decreases freedom. Rather than thinking of freedom in terms of being able to fulfill your own desires, look at freedom in terms of the size of the action. While choosing to do this, that, or the other thing and keeping open my options to do this that or the other thing may give us a sense of freedom, we cannot see giving ourselves completely for the good of someone else as a free act. But, in fact, the free-est act we can ever do is to give our lives to someone else.

We can see this concretely in the rift that occurred in the recent Synod on the Family. Some European bishops were arguing that the Church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage is too harsh and rigorous for people today; that the Church needs to conform itself the needs of our times. Bishops from Africa strongly opposed this view. What sounds strange to us in the first world, is that the Church’s teaching on marriage and family is experienced in the third world as liberating. Women are no longer objects whose main purpose is to satisfy the physical needs of a man and to produce male heirs for the family. The couple is now called to give themselves to each other as a gift from God, as a means of living out their love for God and working out their salvation.

The Church as a field hospital needs to see itself as a place of healing and hope. We walk with and encourage those who are seeking the kind of love and fidelity that is the basis for marriage and family. The prayers of the Church and her sacraments of forgiveness and grace are here to help us re-present to the world the truth about marriage and family. In  doing so we will also reveal who God created us to be:  images of his life and his love.

January 2, 2015

Happy New Year! I hate to start the New Year off on this note, but we have to stay aware of these things. There may be a big push in the General Assembly this coming session for legislation allowing assisted suicide. The Archdioceses of Washington and Baltimore and the Maryland Catholic Conference have been getting out ahead on this issue. You can find materials on the Archdiocese of Washington website here. The program is called Transform fear. Assisted suicide comes from fear; fear of pain, fear of being of a burden, etc. Actually, as I have heard, the biggest fear people have is of losing control over their bodily functions. As with all other life issues, the cure for fear is love and hope. Two things all of us long to have. Here is a story on this theme. A doctor from Maryland was recently arrested for suffocating six people who were terminally ill. Here is the story about him. I hope he doesn’t become a poster boy or a test case.

December 31, 2014

While everyone knows that this is New Year’s Eve, few people realize it is the Feast of Pope St. Sylvester. This Pope died December 31, 355. He may have tried to hang in there a little longer had known his feast day would get lost in the “Holiday Season.” He is significant historically as the Pope who first presided over the freedom of the Church, after the Church was legalized by the Emperor Constantine in 312 AD. Here is a brief biography. St. Sylvester, Pray for us!

December 30, 2014

We may think of Jesus as an “only child.”  But, he made us his brothers and sisters. So, in reality, he’s a brother of the many children of his Father, God the Father, and his mother, Mary. Recently the Holy Father praised large families. I was talking to some parishioners last night, one who is a mother of seven children, another who is one of seven children. I am one of seven children. Here is an article on Pope’s statement on large families.

On another subject, have you noticed the sign in front of the Crandell-Rothstein house next to the Church? There will be a variance hearing on January 7th. We need a variance from set-back limitations for the new rectory. We are moving forward with the permitting process for the new rectory. The architect thinks we can start construction in late Spring!

December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas! In a couple of my homilies this Christmas I referred to a pastoral letter by Bishop Mark Davies of Salisbury, England. He speaks about the “Christmas Truce” during World War I. He makes the point that religion has not been the cause of the most destructive wars in the history of man, rather it is secularism and anti-Christian ideologies. He even refers to John Lennon’s song “Imagine”, which is something of an atheist anthem today, as “heart-chilling” since it says that once religion is done away with peace will break out in the world. We as Christians know that true peace can only come from the Prince of Peace. Without Him and His Body, the Church, the world would be completely ruled by sin and Satan, hardly the makings for peace.

December 23, 2014

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is one my favorite Christmas shows. The one thing that bothers me about it, though, is the seeming secularism of the Whos who celebrate Christmas. They seem to be celebrating themselves. Would people go to such lengths to celebrate themselves? The point of the story seems to be that this celebration of the themselves is expressed by, but does not depend on, all the trimmings, feasting and gifts associated with Christmas. As Christians we may wonder whether our celebration of Christmas depends upon all those things. What if a Grinch took all our trees, gifts, lights, wreaths, turkeys, etc. away? In this context, we can read the Pope’s letter to Christians in the Middle East. They have not only had their Christmas trimmings taken away but also their homes, countries, and lives taken away. Perhaps it is in these kinds of desperate situations that the meaning of Christmas comes through. When we experience most acutely the evil of the fallen world then we can truly be thankful that we have been redeemed from that evil and can live in hope of eternal life.

December 22, 2014

Sorry for the long delay in posting. I’ve been a little busy the last few days. I came across this article on a romantic longing for the Eucharist. The author speaks about the Eucharist as a concrete living out of our relationship with Jesus. Our reception of Holy Communion is an intimate moment in that relationships; and, like all intimate relationships there is a time of waiting and expectation that should precede it. These are some good thoughts to meditate on as we come to the close of the Advent Season and our waiting longingly for the Lord.

December 15, 2014

After the wonderful Lessons and Carols program last night, I was speaking with people who came to the reception in the red building. One conversation was about how Pope Francis is becoming a mythological figure. This after we talked about how the reported “all dogs go to Heaven” story turned out to be totally false. Well, I found an article today on the very same theme. Here is a link to it. Probably Pope Francis would be amused at his status as a myth. But, I suppose he will have the world’s attention when the mythology evaporates and the reality comes through.

December 13, 2014

Cohabitation is a big problem in society. The Synod on Families next year will certainly address this issue. As sinners we are untrustworthy. We have sins, weaknesses and attachments that make us selfish and unreliable in making the sacrifices necessary to sustain a relationship. When that relationship calls upon us to give our lives, then we are almost sure to fail. Sexual relations are ordered, most of all, to the establishment of a family. In every sexual act involving a woman of child bearing age, there is a possibility of a child being conceived. One answer to this is artificial contraception. But, introducing artificial contraception, does not change the meaning of the sexual act, it only fails to have it accord with its natural, God-given meaning. It drags it down to the level of a selfish act closed off to its natural fruitfulness. Rather than being an act that can draw us out of the effects of sin, it sinks us ever more deeply into the effects of sin. Courtship and marriage are the age-old and, as we are finding out, only recourse to this situation. This is the best way to insure that the couple are conscious of the responsibilities they are taking on and that they have established, as much as is possible, the trustworthiness of their future spouse both to be husband/wife and mother/father. Here is a good article that gives an account of the consequences of cohabitation and how the Church can offer a loving path out of this situation.

December 10, 2014

This item should NOT be on anyone’s Christmas list. The Ouija Board is making comeback because of an eponymous film. The problem with this thing is not that it doesn’t work, but that it does. When you use it you are invoking demons, perhaps even Satan himself. If you have purchased one, destroy it and throw it away. If you have used one, bless yourself with Holy Water. Do not buy one for anyone. Here is an article that goes into greater detail on this spiritual danger.

December 9, 2014

Today is the Feast of St. Juan Diego. He is the visionary to whom Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared. Here is a brief article about him and his experience in seeing Our Lady. The most amazing thing about this apparition is that it converted an entire continent. Before this vision, the missionaries were having a difficult time converting the Aztecs peoples. Afterwards, they started flocking to the Church. The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is this Friday.

December 5, 2014

Today is First Friday. A couple of months ago I began offering Mass in the Extraordinary Form on First Fridays. This is the “Latin Mass” according to the 1962 Missal. Permission to offer this Mass was given by Pope Benedict in 2007 when he redefined the Roman Rite as existing in two forms, the Ordinary Form according to the 1970 Missal of Bl. Paul VI (which we use every day) and the Extraordinary Form according to the Missal of St. John XXIII. Why this form of the Mass? Isn’t this just trying to “go back to the 50s”?  Perhaps Pope Benedict sensed that something had been lost in the transition to the new Mass. Here is an article of one man’s experience of the Extraordinary Form.

December 2, 2014

As the Feast of the Immaculate Conception draws near (it IS a Holy Day of Obligation even though it falls on a Monday) we can take a look at this dogma. I wrote a short article for the upcoming bulletin. But, I found a web article that goes into detail on the history of this dogma. The article is here. You will see that some of the greatest theologians of the Church had a tough time with this.

December 1, 2014

I hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving. How quickly that celebration fades in the rear view mirror. Pope Francis has returned from his trip to Istanbul (Constantinople) to meet with Patriarch Bartholomew of the Eastern Church. This was a very warm meeting,with Patriarch Bartholomew blessing Pope Francis. This meeting was to celebrate the Feast day of St. Andrew the patron and founder of the Eastern Church. There seems to be real hope of a reconciliation between the Western and Eastern Churches after a nearly thousand year schism. There are difficulties ahead, but I’m sure that Pope Francis is appealing to one his favorite devotions Our Lady Undoer of Knots. We can join in prayer for this reunification of the Eastern and Western Churches. Patriarch Bartholomew recognizes the great need for reconciliation especially since there is so much persecution of the Church now and seemingly coming in the future.

November 25, 2014

Pope Francis addressed the European Parliament today. The main focus of the address is the dignity of the human person. Recognizing and respecting this is the foundation of a Democracy. The Pope explained that we can too easily look at the world and other people with a technological viewpoint, seeing them as instruments or cogs in the wheel. He speaks also of a dictatorship of relativism. His talk can be found here.

November 21, 2014

The conference at the Vatican on the complementarity between man and woman continues. Chief Rabbi of England Jonathan Sacks gave a wonderful talk from the Jewish perspective which, to a great extent, is also the Christian perspective. You can find the full text of his talk here. He gives a sweeping narrative from both a natural/scientific and biblical point of view.

November 18, 2014

There is a conference at the Vatican going on now about marriage and the complementarity of man and woman, or, even more broadly, of the masculine and the feminine. There is a whole series of videos produced in support of this conference. I have seen the first one entitled The Destiny of Humanity the Meaning of Marriage. It is in several languages, but here are sub-titles. You can find all the videos here. Click on the arrows to scroll across to find the one numbered 01. Enjoy.

November 17, 2014

Today is the Feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary. I am always amazed at the account of her life given in the Office Readings in the Breviary. Here is a link to this office. You have to scroll down to find the account of her life written by her spiritual director. She was a queen yet she gave her whole life to service to the poor.

November 12, 2014

The English translation of the Final Report of the Extraordinary Synod on the Family has been published. It can be found here at the website for the UK Herald. I’ve skimmed it and will take a deeper look later. But, I thought I would present it here. Of course there is controversy! Apparently, something was left out from the original Italian that described marriage as between a man and a woman. You can do a search on this topic and read about it yourself. Perhaps it was left out since the Church wants to assume the marriage is only between and man and woman and does not want to get into speaking about it any other way. In any event, have a look at the final report and pray for families.

November 11, 2014

Happy Veterans Day. I can remember when World War II veterans were in their 40’s. I knew many growing up.  We lived across the street from a World War I veteran and a Korean War veteran. We salute all those who have fought for our country. The willingness to lay your life on the line in a just war is an act of charity. May the souls of all the departed who defended our country rest in peace. This is a good day to see what St. Thomas Aquinas had to say about just war. Here is link to the section of his Summa which deals with that topic.

November 7, 2014

During this month of November while we pray for your beloved dead, we can also reflect upon Christian Funerals. There is no doubt that there has been a shift in the sense of what a funeral is all about. As Catholics we first think about the soul of the deceased. The funeral rites express this with many prayers for God’s mercy on the deceased person. The second aspect is the mourning that the family and friends of the deceased are experiencing. We acknowledge the sadness but also offer words of hope and consolation. In the past few decades, though, the focus has shifted to the life of the deceased. Funeral rites have shifted to Life Celebrations. While there can be much to celebrate and remember about our beloved dead, this aspect is best left to our private conversations and personal reminiscences. We entrust the ultimate meaning of someone’s life to God who created him/her.

Another aspect of funerals that has changed is the proliferation of cremation. While cremation is permitted,  absent serious circumstances, we should bury or inter someone full-body. Cremation seems to be the default position today. This practice also leads to the temptation to spread or even store in our homes the ashes of the deceased. Even if cremated, the remains of the dead are to be treated in the same way. This is the body of someone baptized into the Body of Christ who will be raised up on the last day. I found this article on this issue. If you wish to read it, here is the link.

Eternal rest grant  unto them, O Lord; and let perpetual light shine upon them.

November 4, 2014

Sorry for the gap in posting, its been a busy few days. This Saturday I went to a dinner where 47 young seminarians were present. Most of these were from our own St. John Paul the Great seminary in Washington. Most of these men are college age. Yesterday I went to the Crypt Church of the National Shrine to attend the temporary vows of the Sister Servants of the Lord (the Blue Nuns you see in Church from time to time). This is an order attracting many young women. Their novitiate house in off of 301 just north of Upper Marlboro. These last few days have given me a look at the future of the Church. Anyone who is still talking about a vocations crisis is not paying attention. Although, there is still a great need, there are signs of great hope. When so many young and faithful people are willing to give themselves to the Church and her mission, we have cause to rejoice that the Lord is seeing our need and opening hearts to respond. Please pray for vocations and encourage them in our young people.

This month of November we remember our beloved dead. Please pray for the happy repose of their souls. I still need to dig out my book of indulgences. While I was at the Shrine yesterday I stopped by the bookstore. They have the book of indulgences, but it costs twenty dollars! I wish they would come out with a cheap paperback. Anyway, when I dig it up I’ll post of couple of the indulgences and say something about them. Stayed tuned

October 27, 2014

At the conclusion of the Synod on the Family, there was a Mass where Pope Paul VI was beatified. As we approach the month of November, the month where we pray for the souls of the faithful departed, we can look at what Pope Blessed Paul VI wrote on this topic in his Apostolic Exhortation Indulgentiarum Doctrina, the Doctrine of Indulgences. An indulgence is a specified spiritual or charitable practice, the merits of which can be applied to the purification of the soul of another man or woman, living or dead. You could also keep the merits for yourself! This is not a selfish act but rather an act of faith. You can gain one indulgence each day. The specific act has to be coupled with sacramental confession, reception of Holy Communion and prayers for the Holy Father. Confession does not have to be done every day, but can be applied to an indulgence within a few days. Some spiritual practices we do often, if not every day, can gain an indulgence: praying the rosary, reading sacred scripture, spending an hour before the Blessed Sacrament. There is a book of Indulgences. I have a copy. Maybe I should dig it up and share it with you!

October 24, 2014

40 Days for Life is coming to a close. Thanks to those who participate. I’m planning to go with our parish on Friday the 31st. We don’t have school that day so I won’t be doing school confessions and Mass that Friday morning. There is a closing vigil at Metropolitan Family Planning (sic) abortion place on 5915 Greenbelt Road, College Park at 3:00 pm on Sunday, November 2nd.  Fr. Smith from Holy Redeemer will be leading it. I have it on my schedule. Hope to see you there. Here is a link to the 40 Days for Life website with more information.

October 22, 2014

Today is the Feast of St. John Paul II. In most of the history of the Church there were very few people who could say that they saw a saint in person. Many of us can say that, whether seeing him in Washington, Baltimore, World Youth Day, or in Rome.  JPII is thought to be the most seen person in history.  This makes St. John Paul II a very special saint to all of us. He lived in our time, having a huge effect on the life of the Church and on the history of the world. During this year in between the Extraordinary Synod on the Family and the Ordinary Synod we can pray for the intercession of this great Saint in guiding the Church in this area where he provided such profound teaching. You can find his Apostolic Exhortation on the Family here. Saint John Paul II, Pray for us!

October 21, 2014

The Extraordinary Synod on the Family has ended. But, the final relatio or summary is still to be published. This will be the official report on what was said and done during this part of the Synod. The Ordinary Synod will take place a year from now. I’m sure many thought that the Synod would talk things out, take a vote, and proclaim new doctrine which the Pope would rubber stamp. This is, of course, not the case. This Synod, as with all pastoral initiatives, is seeking the balance between what we believe and practice and how to transmit what we believe and practice. The two incorrect approaches to this would be to 1. simply tell people what we believe and practice and tell them that they better believe and practice this or else; or 2. to tell people what we believe and practice but tell them that we really don’t mean it and if they do the best they can on their own they’ll be fine. Both positions relieve pastors and laity of the hard work of teaching, preaching, and walking with people who struggle with what the Church teaches. Truth be told, we all struggle with what the Church teaches since she teaches the greatest law to love God and love our neighbor. No one can check these two items off of his list of things to do. We will hear this Gospel this weekend. To teach the faith and assist people to live is to love God and our neighbor.

You can read the Holy Father’s final speech to the Synod here. Since the Holy Father is a Jesuit much of what he says comes from his Jesuit spirituality. Perhaps a lot of the confusion and misunderstanding about what he does and says comes from the fact that he is a Jesuit. The Discernment of Spirits is just that, a discernment. Discernment takes listening and reflecting, two things that our modern, practical approach to “solving problems” doesn’t value very much. Here is an article on discernment of spirits. It will help you understand what the Holy Father means when he talks about temptations, consolations, and desolations. We are now in a period of reflection and discernment. The modern world may not realize this, but we in the Church need to keep this in mind.

October 17, 2014

There has been much more written about the interim document from the Synod. Apparently there was a mistranslation of a key word. The Synod ends this Sunday with the beatification of Pope VI. This will be a very interesting weekend for the Church. Here is a recent article on the relatio and the pull-back from the bishops.  Stay tuned and keep praying.

Looking ahead to next weekend, it will by interesting for every parish. All Saints Day falls on Saturday, November 1st. Because it is on a Saturday, it is NOT a Holy Day of Obligation. Because next Sunday falls on November 2nd, we will be celebrating All Souls Day at all the Sunday Masses next weekend. Also, FALL BACK next Saturday night the 1st of November!

October 15, 2014

The Synod for the Family is ongoing until the 19th. There has been a lot of controversy and reporting about some the statements made during the Synod. Its important to remember that the interim report is a summary of what individuals, whether bishops or even lay people, said during the sessions. Some report this interim report as an official statement from the Vatican. It is not that. Keep praying for the Pope Francis and the Synod Fathers.

I will say this in my bulletin article the coming weekend. But, let me give you an update on the rectory. We have received approval from the Historical Commission of PG County. This was done by an administrative process rather than a public hearing. We hope to have the permitting done by the Spring with construction beginning next Summer.