The Collar

I was reading this book called The Collar by Jonathon Englert about a group of second-career seminarians at Sacred Heart Seminary in Hales Corners, Wisonsin. Now, admittedly, the author was denied access to two other seminaries after being told he would have access. The sexual abuse crisis seems to have forced some vocation directors to re-think the exposure they want their seminarians to have. Nonetheless, it looks like the actual stories of the men will be good so I'm going to stick with it. One complaint that I have is that the author tries to explain complex theological issues but is wrong. For instance, an annulment is not when a person's civil marriage is considered valid while the sacramental marriage is considered invalid. There is one marriage here. The whole marriage is considered flawed from the beginning. Not being a theologian, who can fault him for that mistake? Plus, the book is about the life of these guys who have all lived "other lives" that are now considering priesthood, not about annulments.

The author described what happened during orientation. One evening they did a Native American prayer service before supper and sang a song based on the Mickey Mouse Club song in which the spelling of the letters to Mickey Mouse was replaced by S-A-C R-E-D H-E-A-R-T during supper. I almost lost my lunch...and this was right before going to bed! This is how you want to present prayer to new seminarians?

Seminarians need to know the church's prayer. Why not pray liturgy of the hours and chant the Salve Regina during supper? Believe it or not, I've never experienced Native American spirituality or sang campy pop quasi church songs before and I think I'm a pretty well formed priest. But, if you start chanting "Regina Coeli, laetare" I can sing along because I did it at St. Paul Seminary. If they aren't rooted in the church's teaching, how can they possibly ever be considered a competent spokesman for the church?

Please Pray for Cardinal George!

This just fresh from Zenit

Cardinal George Undergoes Cancer Surgery

missa en espanol

Unfortunately, many dioceses will probably have a conversation like Bishop Slattery had in Tulsa. The church in the United States has to face the fact that there are several people who have as central concerns...

illegal immigration: People shouldn't break the law to enter the U.S.;
How did your ancestors get here? Unless they were Native Americans, they were illegal immegrants.

people who do come here should learn English;
Have you ever tried learning a foreign language? Give them a chance!

people who want to live in America should not wave Mexican flags
Drive around the country. People have flags of their ancestors hanging on the walls. It's okay to be a proud American who is also proud of his Irish/German/Polish ancestory. Why can't they be proud of their Mexican ancestory?

This is simple racism. This has nothing to do with protecting our borders. September 11 had nothing to do with Mexicans. These are good people who haven't bought into the abortifacient/contraceptive bias that American society has sold itself. Perhaps what we should be really scared of isn't immigration, it's why immigration makes sense to employers.

Go visit oxfiles!

oxfiles.blogspot.com has done it again. Even though the person only posts once a month, it's still hilarious when he does. The new sign on my door says....

The both-and of Catholic Faith

When most people think of faith, we think of a kind of trust in the divine action of God. God works in our lives. We trust that he does. You gotta have faith, right.

WRONG!

Faith is a far more complex topic than that simple definition. The catechism says, "Both a gift of God and human act by which the believer gives persoanl adherence to God who invites his response and freely assents to the whole truth that God has revealed. It is this revelation of God which the church proposes for our belief, and which we profess in the Creed, celebrate in the sacraments, live by right conduct that fulfills the twofold commandment of charity (as specified in the ten commandments), and respond to in our prayer of faith. Faith is both a theological virtue given by God as grace, and an obligation which flows from the first commandment of God." p. 879 of green second edition. The entire first section of the catechism deals with faith.

So faith is not a simple-minded trust. It is both a gift and a responsibility.

A classic illustration: An old man or woman is in her or his house as the flood waters come to overcome the house. Several times, people try to save the person but, each time, the person sends them off because they have faith. Finally the person dies and goes to heaven. The person gets angry either at the Father or Jesus or St. Peter and one of them responds, "Hey, I sent all these people to help you. What more could I have done." Point: faith isn't pie-in-the-sky trust. It's intellectual trust and trusting in God working through other people.

So, should people be shocked that a church has lightening rods? Or that we take out kids to the hospital when they are sick instead of church? Of course not. That's not breaking faith. That's knowing and understanding that God is not a divine pupeteer. He gave us each other and expects us to take care of what he has given to us. Faith has been given to us and we trust in it but we must also nourish it. We give trust in God but we also trust that God has put people in our life to serve us.

Catholicism holds two things that seem contradictory together. It's one of the things I love about it.

From the Pope's address to families

"In contemporary culture, we often see an excessive exaltation of the freedom of the individual as an autonomous subject, as if we were self-created and selfsufficient, apart from our relatiohsip with others and our responsibilities in their regard. Attempts are being made to orgainize the life of socity on the basis of subjective and ephemeral desires alone, with no reference to objective, prior truths such as the dignity of each human being and his inalienable rights and duties, wich every social groups is called to serve. The Chruch does not cease to remins us that true human freedom derives from our having been created in God'es image and likeness."

From the July 9 Homily of the Holy Father in the Valencia, Spain for the World Meeting of Families

You are the good shepherd leading us into everlasting life.

Before I begin my homily today, please join me in praying for the peoples of Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine; that they will know Christ Jesus who, as St. Paul said in the second reading today, preached peace to those who were far off and peace to those who are near. Let us call upon our Lady, Queen of peace, for all the war torn parts of this world that the hearts of all world leaders will be moved to peace as we pray Hail Mary….

Late one already too late night, I was disturbed. I could not find the peace of Christ that unites east and west, Gentile and Jew, sleep to the weary mind. I had trouble falling asleep with a multitude of thoughts on my mind. I thought about my friend who has stage four lymphoma and all the many treatments he will have to endure. I thought about my friend who will be headed to Iraq in a couple of months after having already spent a tour of duty in Afghanistan. I thought about the high speed rail project that I think we need to connect Des Moines, Ankeny, and Ames and who I need to contact about it. I thought about what life would be like if I were president and how I would change things. I also thought about a few things that I actually could accomplish. For instance, I thought about the projects from work that I didn’t get done that day. In fact, I was in the middle of convincing myself that I couldn’t telephone someone who had called to schedule a wedding that day when, at last, my brain could fight no more. I fell asleep at 2:00am. Forty five minutes later, my own phone rang. I looked at the clock and debated if I wanted the answering machine to take it but then I begrudgingly made my way to the telephone, (Pause) and boy am I glad I did.

It was a parishioner who was going through some very serious relationship problems with his wife. I believe I have met the man before but we were far from being well acquainted. After 45 minutes of listening and trying to help this lost sheep, I not only felt like I gave him peace-of-mind, but I hung up the phone, went directly to bed, shut my eyes, and got the best five hours of sleep that I’ve got in some time.
We probably all know what it’s like to have busy schedules. If you are a parent, I imagine you are incredibly well acquainted with this phenomenon. With the beginning of the school year just a few short weeks away, it’s good to sit and reflect on how we deal with the busy times of life. The disciples of Jesus are dealing with evangelical busy-ness for the first time in the gospel. Last week, Father Ev preached about how they were sent out on mission. Today, the disciples have come back from that mission of preaching, healing, and calling people to the mission of Jesus and not they need time to reflect on what has happened. In some ways, they have been wildly successful, perhaps even too successful because they find themselves overrun with people who need shepherding, people who need to be missioned. Despite their best efforts to get away, going even so far as to cross a lake, the crowds find them because these people feel lost, like sheep without a shepherd.

Sometimes we are the lost sheep who need good shepherds to lead us along the way. They may be counselors, health officials, priests in the sacrament of reconciliation, or a good friend. Sometimes we get to be the good shepherds who answer the call to listen and be God’s presence for someone whose life seems out of control. Yet, in truth, haven’t there been times in our lives when we have been God’s bad shepherds? Haven’t we all used excuses not to fulfill our call to service? Sometimes we say that we are too tired or overburdened to help someone. Sometimes we use racism, sexism, or other biases to substantiate selfishness. Sometimes the repeated demands of people and children weigh upon our last nerve until it seems we can take no longer. We probably all know people who are lost, people whose lives seem to be spinning out of control. Sometimes we are unable to help them because, unfortunately, some people like their lives to be totally out of control. But, how often do we not help people simply because we don’t feel like we have the time or energy. Sometimes we are authentically out of gas. We haven’t any more to give and we need our Sabbath rest to recharge and re-center our lives on what’s important. Yet, we can’t become like the bad shepherds from the first reading who have their leadership stripped from them by God. Despite our busy-ness, we remain on mission, spreading the word of God. We cannot retreat to deserted places as a way of escaping our call to mission. Do we take the time to be good shepherds or are we so single mindedly searching for deserted places that we don’t recognize our neighbor’s needs?

Fun with Philosophy

My freind Kate sent me this great philosophy cartoon from www.qwantz.com. If you click on the picture it should blow it up in a new window. It's got the best of both worlds: dinosaurs AND logical reasoning. Does it get any better than that?

Interviews with priests

This diocese is doing something called "Fishers of Men" a project for searching out young men who are interested in priesthood. Part of the process is going around and doing interviews of priests. That has been so good for me. I think every newly ordained priest should have to do this. It has given me a new appreciation for the priests of this diocese. It's way too easy to label someone and forget that they have histories that have made them the men that they are today. It reminds me of how blessed that I am to be part of this very unique oppertunity.

They also remind me that they have all weathered storms but have felt centered in the eucharist. I need to be better at finding the eucharist as my central point of prayer and as my source of strength. I need to remind myself that that is what the eucharist is and what is always has been.

Double Effects

I love the Lord of the Rings. I have the extended version of each of the movies and I try to watch each one at least once a year. I think they tell a lot about good vs. evil and use Christian imagery to tell a great story. You can imagine how frustrated I am to read this, then. So part of the profits are funding stem cell research You support a movie that promotes christian values and the people take your money and use it against us. There's just no justice on this earth.

Lebanon's Patriarch

I'm afraid I agree. I don't think anyone should be kidnapped but to kill tens if not hundreds of innocent civilians in order to take out a terrorist organization because they kidnapped 2 soldiers isn't right. Sorry Israel. I love you but this isn't just.

Some thoughts about the Holy Land

Having lived in the Holy Land for a while with Palestinians and taken classes with Israelis, I still don't feel like I have a great answer to the problems there. Abtout the best thing I can think I can say is that, in some way, no one belongs there. It's true that the Israilites were there in ancient times, in the time of the Old Testament. It's true that they were removed by the Roman empire and, for all intents and purposes, replaced by the Palestinians, though I don't get the feeling like they had a sense of ownership at the time.

How to solve the problem? Is it, as my Jewish prophets professor suggested, that Arabs can't stand a Jewish state? They have no fondness for that land. They have always looked down upon the Palestinians as less than Arabs until 1947 when they became martyrs for a cause? Or do we feel sorry for Palestinians who have been displaced by the communal guilt of the world over the massacre of World War II? I'm just not sure that there is a hard and fast answer. I am extremely skeptical of the answer that this has to do with having a democracy in the middle east and Muslim fears of cultural diversity, though I clearly remember crossing from Israel to Egypt and being told not to be caught alone with a woman because her husband will kill you if he finds out. If that was true in Israel, I would not be typing this blog. If I were to suggest a lesson we christians can learn from the situation, I would say that we can't become so fixated on a place or a building. Christianity is about a person - Jesus Christ. If St. Peters were to be destroyed tomorrow, the church would perdure. When the majority of Europe is Musilm, Christianity will still exist. As long as there is one good Christian somewhere in the world, the Spirit will be with us and there will be hope.

It's too darn hot!

In the midwest, it's hot. We hit 94 degrees so far today and it feels all of it. I decided that today was a good day to give the people of Gilbert a missa briva, a short mass. 45 minutes and we were all out of church.

So, I had an abbreviated homily, needless to say. I talked about simplicity of life and how this is an important aspect of the Christian life. It's not purely pragmatic. In other words, it's not just about not having too much stuff sitting around. It has to do with not letting the stuff of life get in the way of our mission of evangelization. The stuff of life should always give way to the path to holiness. Then I sat down and we went on with life.

Thoughts about Europe and other thoughts that keep you awake at nght

The other night, I thought about what Europe will look like when they, basically, succeed in their self-imposed genocide. It's a fact that in almost all of Europe, society is not having enough children to replace the current generation, an event I call the self-imposed genocide. That's probably too dire of a term to impose, though. But, I thought it was just brilliant. I was convinced that I had an idea of a column in a magazine righ before I went to sleep. I awoke and realized that I was just ranting about "facts" from "souces" that would immediately be discounted by the majority of people. But, I was convinced the night before that I had, basically, invented the wheel.

Do you ever do that? My mind races before sleep about all kinds of things. Sometimes it's about a disagreement I've had with someone, sometimes it's about esoteric subjects of which I'm studying. Sometimes, I'll realize that I'm keeping myself awake just by tossing ideas around in my head. Or, I'll think that I have an excellant idea for a homily or a post and then I won't remember it the next day. That's frustrating! The human mind is fascinating and proves to me the existence of God. It's just too complicated for it not to have been intended that way. Maybe instead of saying that it proves the existence of God, I should say that it gives me new appreciation for God's creation and his love.

Gone for a few days

I'm in the process of collecting interviews from priests for a program that is taking place in the fall so I'm going to be gone to Dubuque for the next couple of days. I'll probably be uunable to post during that time but, do not fear! I will be back on Sunday and hope to post then my homily and update you on what happened in Dubuque. Have a great (hot) weekend!

Holy Orders Batman!

What’s a cardinal? (No, not the bird kind, the church kind.) What’s the difference between an archbishop and a bishop? How do you become a monsignor? These questions all deal with Holy Orders and the meaning of terms surrounding this sacrament. They are often confused and deserve some clarification.

Holy Orders is the sacrament in the church for bringing about some order to her holiness. It is a gift from God to ensure both fidelity to the larger mission of the church and a central focus to a community of believers, whether that community is religious or parochial (parish) in nature. Holy Orders derive both directly from Christ and from his relationship to his disciples. There are three orders traditionally part
of the church: deacon, priest, and bishop. All other titles are just that: titles for deacons, priests, and bishops. What follows is clarification of some of these terms, though each title could deserve a lot more explanation that it will get.

A cardinal should be a superb bishop who serves in one of two capacities; either as a bishop in a Metropolitan area (e.g. Chicago, Boston, New York, Washington DC, etc.) or as one of the Pope’s advisors. Technically the first kind are known as cardinal archbishops, though no one calls them that. The advisors to the pope are almost all cardinals both because they should be the most best, most experienced advisors to
ensure that he does not fall into error and because, at points, they have to enact a sanction against a brother bishop. For some reason, bishops (especially bishops who are cardinals or archbishops) are more apt to take a sanction if it comes from a cardinal than if it comes from a lowly bishop. It is possible for a priest to become a cardinal and remain a priest. This is true of an American intellectual priest, Avery
Cardinal Dulles, who made a very important contribution to the Church’s self understanding in his book Models of the Church. Nonetheless, this is very rare.

An archbishop is the bishop of an archdiocese. An Archdiocese is located either in a larger city or an area where, per capita, there is a large percentage of Catholics. If you’ve ever driven through Dubuque, Dyersville, and points in between, it makes sense that the Archdiocese of Dubuque is the archdiocese.

A monsignor is either a priest who has an important assignment (pastor of a Cathedral/Basilica) or is a venerable and respected priest. These titles are bestowed directly from the pope after some scrutiny from his brother priests. Don’t you think Monsignor Miller has a nice ring to it? Just kidding!

There was, at one time, the title “Archdeacon” for an important deacon in a diocese but this has disappeared. The Archdeacon tended to be an important advisor to a bishop and may come back into usage with the renewal of the permanent diaconate though there is no indication of it doing so.

Beautiful Rain

Today was incredible!

It rained.

I know. I know. That's normal. But it's been so dry here in Ames that we haven't had it for a long time. In May, I would have hated today but we needed rain. I walked home in it with one of those grins on my face that just knew there was a God.

Sometimes in life we can't feel the presence of God. We feel dry. We need to stay in those places for a while until God makes it rain.

Medjugorje

I kind of find this interesting. I've not known what to make of Medjugorje for a while. I've had concerns because there are some people who believe that the private revelation happening there is more universal than what it is.

Let me explain. The church mandates that the dogmatic and moral truths of the faith be believed by all the faithful. It's our obligation to understand what those dogmatic and moral teachings are. In other words, the church teaches emphatically that there are three persons to the trinity; Father, Son, and Spirit. It's our responsibility to know that and not believe that there is, in truth, a fourth person named Jim. But, there are also personal revelations (not in scripture but connected to spirituality) wherein God intervenes in human history to promote faith on a pesonal basis. These personal revelations are often appearances of Mary and are definitely not mandated by the universal church for all to believe. It's supposed to strengthen the faith of individual believers.

The problem with Medjugorje is that some of the people believe they are getting revelations that are more universal in scope, ones that the entire church needs to believe. If that's true, it weakens the universality of the revelation of Jesus Christ (scripture and tradition) and, therefore, weakens the claims of the church. I believe that's why the bishop is encouraging silence. These are supposed to be private.

Jesus the carpenter or Christ the Prophetic voice of God

I was recently at a book store, which is a dangerous thing for a bibliophile to do, and I picked up a copy of A Connecticut Yankee in King Author’s Court by Samuel Longhorn Clemens, or as we know him, Mark Twain. I wanted to pick up something that would be humorous but at least a little thought provoking. And, despite a virulently anti-catholic viewpoint on history, I have found myself pondering a question from this book: If I could travel back to a specific period of time, when would I go? When would you go?

I imagine some of you are history buffs like myself so you may want to see Pearl Harbor, or Gettysburg, or you may want to meet Martha Washington or Martin Luther King Jr. Or maybe some of you have people who have been significant in your life that have died and you would love the opportunity to go back for just one last chance to let them know how much they mean to you and maybe even save their life. Personally, I think I’d go back to 27 AD to meet Jesus.

Wouldn’t it be incredible to actually have the experience of hearing Jesus preach and watching him do healings. I’d love to be able to say in a homily, “Mark says that Jesus says this and Matthew has similar but not exactly the same words. In truth, I remember this speech and a direct quote from the Aramaic would be ‘Be nice to Fr. Dennis Miller. He’s a nice guy.’”

The gospel offers us a word of warning if we believe that faith would be easier if we could have a direct, personal experience of Jesus Christ. The actual location of this story is a bit confusing. Jesus has been up around the Sea of Galilee in Northern Israel for the last couple of chapters. It says, literally, that he went to his “Father’s House”. It doesn’t seem to make sense that he is in either Jerusalem at the temple or Bethlehem close to his father’s relatives, since that is way too far away and Mark’s whole point is that he won’t go in that direction until he dies. So, he’s either in Nazareth where he was raised, though that is a bit removed from the Sea of Galilee geographically. Or, he may be in Capernaum, which is a town on the Sea of Galilee that appears to be the place Jesus lived before he began his ministry of traveling preacher. We simply aren’t sure, a reality that would make my time traveling trip at least a little frightening just trying to track him down Nonetheless, he’s in a place that is familiar to him and he’s going about his usual practices of preaching, healing, and forgiving. As he does this, he becomes aware that some of the people in that town have no faith in him. As happens all too often, when you lose the trust of one person, distrust follows to others until no one in town has faith in him except the sick in their need. In his familiarity among the people of this town, he had taken on a persona. In other words, they could only see him as that carpenter who has a mother and step brothers and sisters. It’s ironic that his familiarity among these people made him totally unfamiliar in his real vocation as Son of God.

I think that, sometimes, we can do that with the gospel. We can make it seem too pedestrian, boil it all down to a slogan that feels all too comfortable, and get stuck in that. Yet, Jesus’ words are far too complex to be synthesized in even the best intended slogan. Jesus words and actions should be just as controversial today as they were in his own time. The gospel loses its radical sense if we pick-and-choose what we want to believe and mark off other parts as “not really the words of Jesus” or contextualize them such a way that the meaning is almost entirely lost. We stand along with this crowd each Sunday that we come to mass and hear those same readings and receive that same body and blood of Christ. We must ask ourselves as we do this if Jesus is merely a familiar carpenter or a challenging prophetic voice of God.

The Dubuque Colts Cadets

Yesterday morning, I awoke a little later than usual. I knew I was going to Cedar Rapids for spiritual direction and had been throwing around the idea of also going to Dubuque for a drum and bugle corps competition taking place there last night. I have tried to make this competition for the last several years and have probably only really been successful every other year. I debated all day long about it and finally decided, while in C.R. that I would go.

Boy am I glad I did! The show was fantastic. And, personally, the real highlight was the Colt Cadets. The Colts had a tremencous show and were improved from last year (which was an improvement from the year before, which was an improvement from the year before) But the cadets are the "minor leagues" of drum and bugle corps, the younger kids that still need a lot of practice. But, this was by far the best that I've heard them. I heard a show all based on snoopy one year and, last year, it was all about video games. Both of those shows were cute and I was constantly afraid that the entire thing was going to fall apart because the kids just weren't good enough to keep it going. This year, the sound was PHENOMENAL! They took things seriously and had a top notch routine. It reminded me of something. I imaine that those other two years, which were both building years in terms of numbers of kids involved, the director figured she had to do something the kids would think is fun. I hope she's learned this year that the most fulfilling things in life involve doing something well that's difficult and being able to take pride in that. I imagine the kids thought it was fun to play the theme to frogger while someone pretended to be playing that game on the field with a giant inflatable frog. But, these kids can look at this routine and be proud that they had a tight sound and looked just as good as the older corps.

Religious Leaders in Moscow

Undoubtedly at least partially influenced by Pope John Paul II's unprecidented way of reaching out to other religions (E.G. Assisi prayer service), the leaders of many major religions met to discuss what they have in common and, in general, the importance of religion. You can find the text at www.zenit.org/english under the link"message from world summitt of religious leaders."

Here's a great quote, " The human being is the supreme creation of the Almighty. Therefore human rights -- their protection and respect at the national, regional and international level -- are an important concern for us. Nevertheless, our experience also shows that without an ethical core, without understanding our duties, no society or country is exempt from conflict and collapse."

It also dicusses the importance of moral formation and denounces terrorism. It's a good start. Let's hope we all take seriously the need for further dialogue.

Weird busy-ness

I complain sometimes about being busy and, usually, I'm greatly over exaggerating. But, I truly feel like there's a list of things that I should be doing. I'm not complaining because it's keeping me out of trouble. (haha) I'm missing the opportunity to get out in the sun but that's okay.

Part of the problem is that the pastor is gone. He's on vacation somewhere with an organization of priest pilots. We haven't had our PIG (Pastor Is Gone) party yet. I'm totally slacking!

Today's the feast day of Saint Maria Goretti, a girl who stood up for what is right in this world, who refused to be raped by her neighbor. We pray for the young women of the world who are abused and ask her intercession this day on their behalf.

The quiet of July

It's 79 degrees outside with summer sun beginning its descent. I love summer! Even though it's 5:15, I know we still have about four hours until the sun goes down. And, even though I know I have a lot of things to do this month, I know that I'm going to go camping a few more times before the students get back.

Now, having said that, I will formally admit somthing here. I officially miss the students. I want to start preparing for programs and help students get involved but there are only so many things I can do without the suggestions of students. Let me list a few of them:

1. Priesthood Discernment group
2. STA prayer book
3. Busy Person's retreat
4. Liturgy Team
5. Social Team

I could keep going but those are the top five. I know that July will fly by and then we'll be starting the school year. I feel so much better right now than I did a year ago.

Patriarch of the Maronite Church

Here is a link to an article from the the maronite patriarch. He's right on target about how important that part of the world is for world peace. I'm really scared about the last few days of violence and how Israel seems, in my own opinion, to be responding to a bad situation like a brute. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Benedict as Pope and Abbot

An article in a recent America Magazine compared the present pope with the father of western monasticism, Benedict of Nursia. The article is INCREDIBLY weak and shows an incredible Jesuit bias (Jesuits, especially the Jesuits who run America magazine, believe that the only true form of the church is in the likeness of the Jesuits).

So, I'm hoping to do something that is a little different with my Wednesday posts for the next few weeks. I'm hoping to point out the legitimate ways of seeing the intersection of pope Benedict and Abbot Benedict. For obvious reasons, I won't use it as a platform to articulate a unreflective social platform nor to criticize the pope as stringently holding outmoded sexual mores. It's up to you wheather you agree or disagree with my assessment.

Time with the Georges

It's too hard to explain my connection to this family. Truth be told, there are too many connections to tell. But, this Saturday was really incredible because I got to be invited into a family that means a lot to me. Most of my connection comes from the "Stein" side of the George family but not all. It was incredible to celebrate mass for this family and be invited to be part of it for a while.

I was also overjoyed to celebrate mass Sunday at my little rural parish, Sts. Peter and Paul in Gilbert. I love that parish. With last Thursday being the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, I talked about those Sts. without turning it into the focus of the celebration. I used the line from the first reading "God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living" to talk about a correct understanding of Christian martyrdom. I concluded mass with the blessing from the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Then, I went to visit a friend with this incredible lake front cabin in Minnesota. It was so nice to relax , enjoy the sigts and get some vitamin D. Now it's back to the perverbial grindstone, though slightly refreshed and ready to get prepared for the beginning of the school year. I can't believe that it's really only a month and some change away! Yikes.

Fouth of July

Today's reading was from second Kings and told the story of the first great exile in the life of our Jewish brothers and sisters. I couldn't help but think about how dangerous it is to be arrogant with God's relationship to a nation. Nations come and go even if God sheds grace on them. Christianity will be with us forever and we can't become wrapped in a nation.

Computers give me headaches

I got a laptop last week when I was at the conference in Notre Dame and I'm trying to get it work to its best capacity. And, a student is trying to get my desktop to work by getting rid of all the junk that I put in the last three years. I think that today, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, is the perfect day to make administrative decisions like these.

Baptism, Confirmation, and (then) Eucharist

There's a diocese in Texas that is trying to restore the original order of the initiation sacraments. click here to read Bishop Alvaro Corrada's reasoning why.

A Glorious couple of days

When I was at Conception Abbey in Missouri, Fr Adam (one of the monks) said that in his spiritual life there are times when he wants to say, "God, get a life!" because of all the minor conncetions he makes in the day. He was, basically, giving a modern day interpretation of psalm eight, which says...

"When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and stars that you set in place-- What are humans that you are mindful of them, mere mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them little less than a god, crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them rule over the works of your hands, put all things at their feet:"

These past three days, (Sunday, Monday and this morning) I had one of those, "Why are you so good to me" experiences with God. I went camping in late June, fully expecting that it would flop because it would be too hot and too humid. But, it was neither. I can't imagine having a better time to be in nature and be reminded of the God who has "made them little less than a god..." My stress level is at an all time low, which is awesome. I have some work that needs to get done in the next few days since I've been gone and I needed to rest before I get all wrapped up in it. As the cook, Mary, from the holy land, used to say, "Thanks, God."

Quiet! Be Still!

The disciples get into a boat and cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. In the middle of the trip, they encounter what this translation of the scriptures calls, “a violent squall”, something we might call a storm. What are the storms of your life?

This past week, I had the great fortune to attend the Frank J. Lewis Institute for Campus Ministers. It was a conference for people who have been in campus ministry for a year or two in order to help us hew our skills. I’ve never been on the campus of Notre Dame University until this conference and, I must admit, I’m very impressed at the quality of the buildings and the care they take with their lawn. It’s one of the only places I’ve ever stayed where a lawn sprinkler was running in the midst of a beautiful spring rain. At one point in the conference, our group was going to take a picture with the dome of the basilica in the background while the setting sun was making just enough light for us to have an awesome. I felt my phone vibrate on the way to the staging area and looked down to see that it was an unknown number from Minnesota. I wasn’t going to answer but, fortunately, I did. It was a friend from College named Jenny who married one of my college roommates named Dave. Jenny asked if I was busy and I told her where I was and stuff and, when she said she understood, I heard the unmistakable sound of someone trying to pretend that they aren’t crying. So, I ducked behind a pine tree and asked what was wrong. She said that her husband was having trouble breathing so she brought him to the hospital and they found Lymphoma, cancer. She didn’t know anything more but I couldn’t help but think that she knows what it’s like to be in the midst of a storm.

I imagine some of you can sympathize with my friends Dave and Jenny. You know what it’s like for health situations to be the storms in your life or the life of family friends. The storms of life are those things in life in which we feel like we are helplessly being picked on by God; they are the times when we ask why bad things happen to God. They are also the basis of the story of Job from the first reading.

If you’ve never read the story of Job, it’s one of those biblical stories that deserves to be read in its entirety. I think it represents true development in the understanding of evil. Before this, it was common for people to believe that bad things happened to bad people; in other words that people were punished by God for their sins or the sins of their parents. Job, on the other hand, tells quite a different story. It begins in heaven where God is gathering with all the heavenly hosts. God and the devil are chatting about earth, which probably sounds a little strange to our ears. This was at a time, theologically, when we thought of the devil as opposing council in a trial. He’s supposed to stand up for the law against the law breaker. It was later when we figured out that, not only does the devil try to prove to God that we are sinners but he also tries to lead us down the path to sin. So it makes perfect sense for God and the devil to be hanging out in heaven talking about the situation on earth and for God to say, “Have you noticed my servant Job, and that there is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?" Isn’t he cool? The devil, basically, responds by saying: well it’s easy to be good when you have everything that you need. But, if you take all that away, Job will curse you. It’s on.

The devil, in the matter of an hour, destroys all of Jobs oxen, sheep, and camels, as well as the servants and shepherds that we working for Job caring for these animals. And, to top it all off, while his children were eating, the house collapsed and killed them all. Job lost everything in the course of an hour. Job’s stands, tears his garments and shaves his head in sadness. But, he refuses to doubt the goodness of God but, instead, says, “"Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!" So, the devil sends four friends, Bildad, Zophar, Elphaz, and Elihu to be with him. Do you wonder if these four guys ever visited Job when he was healthy. Isn’t it strange that we give some relationships low priority until someone gets ill, then we feel like we have to run to be with the person. Have you ever noticed that? I wonder if these guys, who haven’t seen Job in years, all of a sudden come when he’s covered in boils sitting in his own filth so that he would have to care for their needs and be hospitable when all he wants to do is be alone. Nonetheless, Bildad, Zophar, and Elphaz each take turns trying to get Job to curse God but Job remains firm for 28 chapters, he laments what is happening to him but never curses God until he finally gives into this intense peer pressure and asks a series of questions that can be summed up in these four statements: I never violated my marital contract, I was charitable to those in need, I have not worshipped false Gods…I deserve to plead my case before God. If I, who have followed the rules and done acts of service to the poor, can’t talk directly to God, who the heck can? Job is angry and he has a firmer foot to stand on than Bruce Almighty did. He doesn’t take the Lord’s name and is even cautious to avoid using the biblical name of God revealed on Mount Sinai but he makes it clear that he’s angry. Six chapters later, God gives him his hearing, part of which we hear in the first reading today. God responds to Jobs series of questions with a series of his own; do you know how I made the earth? Do you know what is supposed to happen next? Do you want to be in charge? God’s response to Job is strikingly similar to the response of Jesus to the disciples in the gospel: “Quiet! Be still!”

This probably seems harsh to our ears and probably seems rather un-Christ-like. But, the truth is that if there is a religion who should not be surprised when the storms of life happen, it’s Christianity. We are a religion with a core believe that something bad happened to a Good person. That Jesus Christ, the one who came to take away our sins and came to make us daughters and sons of our creator, came to make our creator into our father, was betrayed by his friends and died on a tree because of the group think of the crowds. We are not surprised when bad things happen. This doesn’t mean that we don’t get angry and frustrated and even ask why this is happening but we also listen to the response of Jesus today: Quiet! Be Still! You’ve gone through bad things before and I will be with you to get you through this. Quiet! Be Still! I brought my son through suffering and death to the glory of the resurrection to give you hope that even the worst evil in this world can be overcome through me. Quiet! Be Still! Let me be in charge and comfort you. Quiet! Be Still!

A great day of rejoicing

It's nice to go to conferences and talk to peers but it's even better to go away for a while and realize just how nice it is to sleep in your own bed and pray in your own prayer area, even if that means driving through the night and arriving home at 3:30 am. Yikes!

I was surprised at the Frank J. Lewis Institute for training Campus Ministers. I'd never before spend this much time at the University of Notre Dame or the INCREDIBLE Basillica there! I tried to bring it back to Ames but they caught me attaching the log chains. Nonethless, the first thing that surprised me about the conference was the number of young people who are a part of campus ministry. There were at least 10 people age 25 who were not ordained that were doing campus ministry. I was inspired to think that young lay people are willing to do this. And they had social skills to boot! I was also surprised at the number of people who were faithful to church teaching on controversial issues like abortion, contraception, and homosexuality. Even though we struggled with providing pastoral care for all people, I didn't hear anyone say that they just didn't talk about those issues or compromised church teaching. They sought pastoral ways to be honest. That was awesome.

What was frustrating for me was when we talked about spending time with students. The questions was asked if it was ever appropriate to spend more time with one student than another. I said yes and most of the other people said no. Actually, only one other person said yes and he was a young guy who may have just been obstinent. When I explained that there are some people that you connect with more than others and, in particular, if that person is a young man who may have a vocation to priesthood, I'm going to spend a lot more time with him than with others. This caused, in my opinion, the most unfair remark of the conference as someone accused me of, basically, selling snake tonic while looking like I'm counseling. The remark came from a middle-aged sister. I wasn't able to defend my remarks because of the nature of the debate but her remark, in my own opinion, goes to a deeper undercurrent that vocation directors face constantly. Part of the vocation crisis comes down to selfishness on the part of society, which is a pervasive problem in (so-called) first world/wealthy socities. The more we get, the more we want. But, the larger problem is that I believe there is an active element within religious leadership that actively discourage young men from considering priesthood because it doesn't forward their agenda. If the contention is that young men don't want to become priests because they can't get married or if the priesthood shortage if caused by "half the population being excluded", then a man who is willing to at least consider forfeiting wife and child in order to be a priest is a threat. I used to notice it more but I've come to expect it by now. It's tragic that I know most sisters between the ages of 40 and 60 not only don't like me simply because of my age and vocation but hate my promotion of vocations. I'm not saying all sisters are like this and I find an occasional incredible sister who loves and supports her priests but, as a friend of mine says, you can only hit a dog so many times before he starts to recoil every time he sees you. I pray for these people because the church isn't going to change. You can hang on to the hopes of a new Vatican II spirit of openness to "new ideas" (that we've been proposing since before Vatican II) or you can realize that it's not going to happen and find value in what is happening right now. Let's live in the now.

from Notre Dame

I realized last night that I haven't posted in quite some time. I've been busy preparing and going to a conference at Notre Dame for campus ministers. I can't wait for Saturday when I will finally get to sleep in my own bed. Nonetheless, it's been good in many ways and a very rewarding experience to get to know so many people.

BUT, today is my four year anniversary. Four years as a priest...only 50 more until retirement. Just kidding. It's actually been an incredible four years. It's true that the worst day as a priest is better than the best day as a seminarian. It's even more true that each day I seem to feel more like a priest than the day before. At first, I couldn't believe I had actually made it. Then, a few months later, I would still catch myself thinking, "Gosh, you're actually a priest!" and feeling so unworthy. Lately, I've had times when I wish I could just take a little break, like not be a priest for this party or this conversation. That's strange, I know, but I usually realize that I'm really wishing I could go backwards in my relationship to God at the same time that I wish I didn't have to be a priest. Only in prayer do I sort out the feelings of temptation for sin from the ones that draw me deeper to God.

I pray for the priests that have left. I hope it's God's will in their lives and not their own wills getting in the way of God. I can't imagine ever being happy not as a priest...I can't imagine me being holy not as a priest. I understand what the theologians say when they say that ordination affects a person's being, not just what they do. I am a priest. I'm not perfect but it's who I am and the challenge that I must live up to every day for the rest of my life.

The trinitarian God who is love

My Dear sisters and brothers: Grace and Peace in God, our Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ whose Spirit enlivens our hearts and makes us sons and daughters of the one true God.

We heard in the first reading, this series of Questions,

“Did anything so great ever happen before? Was it ever heard of? Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Or did any god venture to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, with strong hand and outstretched arm, and by great terrors, all of which the LORD, your God, did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?”

The writer’s answer to his rhetorical question is,

“This is why you must now know…that the LORD is God…and that there is no other.”

In many ways, the core of this celebration is different than most other times that we gather together for Eucharist. In some ways, it seems to have more in common with the people of that first reading than the other two, the people we refer to as the Jewish people. I say this not because the Jews have come to believe in the trinity but because we are here to come to a greater understanding of the very nature of God, a question that is so close to the heart of the unique revelation given to our elder brothers and sisters in the faith.

If you will indulge me, I’d like to read an excerpt from a book that seems to sum up the nature of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. In this book, the author is telling a story from an author named Harvey Cox in his book The Secular City.

“According to this story, a traveling circus in Denmark caught fire. The man­ager thereupon sent the clown, who was already dressed and made up for the performance, into the neighboring village to fetch help, especially as there was a danger that the fire would spread across the fields of dry stubble and engulf the village itself. The clown hurried into the village and requested the inhabitants to come as quickly as possible to the blazing circus and help to put the fire out. But the villagers took the clown's shouts simply for an excellent piece of advertising, meant to attract as many people as possible to the perfor­mance; they applauded the clown and laughed till they cried. The clown felt more like weeping than laughing; he tried in vain to get people to be serious, to make it clear to them that this was no stunt, that he was not pretending but was in bitter earnest, that there really was a fire. His supplications only increased the laughter; people thought he was playing his part splendidly—until finally the fire did engulf the vil­lage; it was too late for help, and both circus and village were burned to the ground.[1]

According to Cox, this story shows the importance of an updating faith. He says that, far too often, we bring old-fashioned ideas and cliché answers to difficult questions of believers. If we strip away the outmoded ideas of the middle ages and offer new explanations, we will be effective ministers of the gospel. Of course, a part of that is true, but the author offers a critique of this attitude as well. He says,

“Perhaps we should admit that this disturbing analogy, for all the thought-provoking truth contained is still a simplification. .For after all it makes it seem as if the clown or in other words the (believer), is (in possession) of full knowledge who arrives with a perfectly clear message. The villagers to whom he hastens, in other words, those outside the faith, are conversely the completely ignorant, who only have to be told something of which they are completely unaware; the clown, then need only take off his costume and his makeup, and everything will be all right. But is it really quite such a simple matter as that?”[2]

Of course not. The author is using this story to show that both doubt and belief plague both believer and unbeliever alike. This leads the author to the interesting conclusion,

“Per­haps in precisely this way doubt, which saves both sides from being shut up in their own worlds, could become the avenue of communication. It prevents both from enjoying complete self-satisfaction; it opens up the believer to the doubter and the doubter to the believer; for one, it is his share in the fate of the unbeliever; for the other, the form in which belief remains nevertheless a challenge to him.”[3]

On this Trinity Sunday, we are forced to face the fundamental question, “Existiert Gott?” Does God exist? Despite our best efforts to focus on other questions, this will not easily go away. It perdures. We are invited to probe the depths of the mystery of this difficulty and, in the process, come to a greater understanding of God.

We begin in the first reading by firmly establishing the unity of God. We believe in ONE GOD (period!). We do not believe in three gods; father, son, and spirit. We believe in the God of the Old Testament who is one. This is why the gospel mandated baptism in the Name, singular, not in the Names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Yet, it has been divinely revealed that God, who is one, has three divine persons, “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” One God in three persons. We try to use images like a triangle or a three leaf clover to explain the meaning of this theological concept but both of these can be misunderstood. So, where do we turn for guidance?

As a kid, I never understood all that my Father and Mother did. I never knew of all the sacrificed they made to ensure that I had a rood over head, food on my plate, a good education and even a few of the things that were simple pleasures. And, to be honest, I still don’t know everything they did to make my life better. That’s sort-of what Paul is trying to convey to us in the second reading by using the analogy of adoption. As God’s daughters and sons by adoption, we will learn about the relationship between Father, Son and Spirit by being in relationship to them, in prayer and in acts of justice. When we share in the sufferings of Christ and, so, share in his glory, we are living in the spirit who reveals to us the Father through Jesus Christ. We shouldn’t be too surprised when we get to the heart of the mystery and we find the God who is live and once again find ourselves to show the God who is love to one another.

[1] Ratzinger, Joseph Introduction to Christianity, c 1969 Ignatius Press.pp.39-40
[2] ibid pp. 40-41
[3] ibid p. 46

A new bishop for Washington

How would you speak to a new diocese to which you have been assigned? How about like Archbishop Donald Wuerl did here? I think there is great wisdom in this statement.

"Of the faithful of the Church of Washington I would like to ask your support and most particularly your prayers. Undertaking an assignment of this magnitude can be daunting. Yet I recognize the power of prayer and what faith and God’s grace can accomplish in each of us."

CNN - Commentary?

I try to read CNN.com on a fairly regular basis because it keeps me in touch with what is going on in the world. I feel a little betrayed, though, today. I've never seen them have an opinion piece on the website. The first one that I saw was called Commentary: Kay Warren: Christianity and AIDS. The content is blythe and pointed but more suited for a blog posting than a news source. So, why is CNN starting a commentary piece as part of its news reporting? And, why is the first commentary one that, basically, is an internal christian statement on our need to care for the poor? Is Fox News more correct than we want to admit that CNN is biased? Does this happen more often than I'm aware and, for some reason, I've just missed them all?

Pentecost

This morning at Sts. Peter and Paul church in Gilbert, I celebrated what could be the best liturgy that I have celebrated as a priest. It wasn't because of a great homily...it actually was kind of pathetic. It wasn't because of the extraordinary holiness of the priest (or the people). It was just a solemn mass celebrated the way the church wants us to do so. Incense...altar bells...chanted prayers...all the good stuff was there for this celebration. And, to top it all off, it was an extraordinarilly beautiful day! The windows were open letting in the incredible breeze so that the smoke of the incense went wafting out the windows while the scent traveled througout the church. The sun was so bright that we could have turned off the lights and had the same effect. And, after mass, we had breakfast and conversation. These are the days that make me so grateful to God for letting me be a priest.

Being excited when you have no reason to do so

I get excited by getting things through the mail. It's like my birthday or Christmas, though it's totally a surprise.

Yesterday I got the DVD of the miniseries "God or the Girl", and today I got my weekly newspaper from the Vatican, L'Osservatore Romano. I fully espected both but, in both cases, I was really excited when I received them. I'm so excited, in fact, that I'm going to sit and read instead of organizing my email inbox.

Spiritual Direction

There are those who say that the greatest disservice the church has ever done for christian society was diminishing the importance of reconciliation. I think that's a bit of a overstatement, in the end. But, the point they offer is that there was a sense of humility when reconciliation was more the norm than it is today. There was less counseling, fewer divorces, and a whole host of other societal problems that weren't as chronic. And, even though I hesitate to make a strict causal connection, I am just as hesitant to deny it totally. I don't know how to change the problem, though historically, things have a way of fixing themselves.

One of the things that may help us to realize the importance of confession is spiritual direction. I spend one full hour talking to one of my brother priests about my spiritual life and it is so incredibly helpful when I approach the sacrament of reconciliation. I've usually worked through my difficulties and problems with my spiritual director and am prepared to be reconciled with God and "Go and sin no more". If I were to offer an analogy, I'd say sin is like an injury, spiritual direction is the physical therapy and confession the orders to leave. Now, if only I could get to the point in life where I wouldn't walk right out and do the same darn things all over again.

In Defense of JC Superstar

I checked out the movie "Jesus Christ Superstar" from the library the other day. I had heard constant comparisions between it and Duh Vinci Code recenly so I had to remind myself of its content. And, while I can understand the relationship with Mary Magdalene being highlighted to the detriment of other, more important, relationships (ex. Peter's only role in the movie is to deny Jesus), I disagree in a strict one-for-one citique.

First of all, there is no evidence in JC Superstar that Jesus struggles with his feelings for Mary Magdalene. She does in her feelings for him, which, I imagine, would be true of any prostitute turned disciple. I'll leave aside the fact that Mary is not a prostitute in the Bible and that later tradition conflagrated her with a nameless anointing woman. If Mary was a prostitute, her understanding of love would be warped. A man who had no intention of using her for a sexual object would be very unusual.

Plus, she is just as confused as everyone else about his trial and conviction. This is not a woman who knows full well that this is a ruse in order for him to exit the spotlight and marry her.

Lastly, she is the one who is singing "could we start again, please" with the disciples. She misunderstands his ministry and is just as lost at the crucifixion as the others are.

So, even though I'm not advising people to watch it, I don't think it's fair to equate these two movies. At very least, I think it's safe to say that JC Superstar is not as evil as Duh Vinci Code.

Update

I'm sure you all think that I've had a minor meltdown because of the "success" of the Duh Vinci Code and that's why I haven't posted. No, I've actually had a reasonably atypical week. I've been driving all over the place and haven't had a chance to post. Sorry. I have to admit that I've been out of the loop on a lot of stuff because I haven't been able to read stuff. I'll work to catch up tonight and have more of a profound post tomorrow. But, for now, I feel really relaxed because of the last few days. These are the times when I'm convinced I should have been a semi-truck driver.

Evangelization as experiencing the love of God

If you’ve ever spent in a foreign country, you know that one of the more interesting experiences deal with cultural differences. When I was in Israel, I remember seeing two older gentlemen walking down the street holding hands and talking very close, so close in fact that my German sensibilities wanted to move them apart. I thought to myself, “Gosh, you don’t see that very often in the US.” I thought that maybe they were just old Palestinians that had difficulties keeping balance. Then, a few moments later, I saw two young boys in the same posture and proximity and I realized this is a cultural phenomenon. This is the way that middle easterners show love for one another. Do you think we would call that expressing love for one another?

I ask that questions because, as some of you may remember, a similar situation played out in this country with different consequences. A few months ago, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia visited President Bush on his ranch in Crawford. Reporters caught them strolling around the ranch holding hands with one another in the way that I described above. What I found fascinating was the reaction the media had to this scene. The most juvenile was one news commentator who put inappropriate music behind the scene and seemed to indicate that there was a romantic relationship going on. What makes us automatically assume that, in that situation, there must be an erotic component?

Part of the problem deals with our language. As some of you know, the English language has one word that many other languages had several for. If we look to ancient Greek, we hear of something called filios, or the love of siblings for one another. That’s the love that families strive to offer each other. This is the love that soldiers have for one another in battle. This is the love the roommates have for one another. Filial love is a moment of trust that is, usually, built over years.

A different love and one that, in many ways, our culture is obsessed with, is called eros, or erotic love. Now, it deserves to be said that there is nothing wrong with eros between husband and wife. In fact, it is a noble love in that context. In the old Testament, this type of love is used to describe God’s love for his people Israel. This shows the dignity that we, as church, should have for the love of husband and wife: that it is an image of the love that God has for us. Yet, my fear is that, in our contemporary American culture, we are fixated on eros and don’t put it in it’s appropriate context. This is, I believe, what is driving movies like Da Vinci Code. Our culture needs to believe that Jesus experienced eros in order to believe that he’s human. This is why I think there is an unhealthy understanding of love that permeates American culture.

The New Testament abandons the image of eros for a more inclusive form of love called agape. This is the love that John was talking about in the second reading when he said, “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.” We have been loved by God and we are called, in turn, to love one another. This is the type of love the philosopher will spent countless hours writing tracts about. This is the love that popes write encyclicals on. This is the love that a parent has for a newborn child. That child can, in no way, give thanks to her or his mother or father. You don’t expect a two day old to take out the garbage, wash the floor, and clean the sink by the time that you get home from work. You expect that you are going to have to give up a lot of things that you used to hold dear in order to love for this child. This is agape love.

In the gospel, we are reminded that, when we show this love to one another, we are not merely being kind, nor are we fulfilling our Christian duty. We are showing to this world the love that is God. When we love one another with that selfless love, we are offering more proof for the existence of God than any piece of writing ever could. So, this is what God wants of us: to love and not count the cost, to be his love in this world and, in the process, to show the world how much God loves it.

The lie is winning...

I just learned on CNN.com that the worst movie made in our lifetime has made $29 million dollars. Here's all that I'm going to say; if you support them when they hate us, don't be suprised when they keep hating us. This movie is nothing but lies masquerading as truth and now Catholics have proved that we will not only financially support a book that, in the worst tradition or plagarism and prejudice, condemns our historical foundations but now we are going to financially support a movie that does the exact same thing.

If there is a market, Hollywood will whore itself out to make money. In the next few years, it will find new and more explosive ways to "reveal" the truth of Christianity and we will probably all be surprised what they do. But, if you are holding a ticket stub for Ron Howard's house of lies, you have no right to be angered!

God is love

I was/am struck by an amazing coincidence. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a column about the pope's encyclical called "Deus Caritas Est" or God is love. It appeared in the bulletin this weekend. In the meantime, since the readings for this weekend are saturated with love language, I wrote my homily on the same topic.

Here's what I emphasize in my homilty. God's love is a full understanding of love...a self-less love. We love God because God loved us and sent us his son. We, in turn, love each other with that same kind of love that God first loved us with. I highlight that our culture is fixated on erotic love, or eros, but that God's love is more than just eros and moves in the direction of what is called agape.

I was going to make my point even more explicit by stating, "That's why we shouldn't need to believe that Jesus had sex and fathered children in order to believe that he is human. Any animal can have sex and breed. Jesus' accomplishment was that he taught us the meaning of selfless love and, in the process, gave us a goal of what it means to be fully human." But I didn't. I'm still struggling with how to respond to DaVinci evil.

Meet Bishop Martino

A good bishop of the diocese of Scranton teacing gospel teachings.

Fast for DaVinci

The first showing the of DaVinci code in Ames, Iowa will be at 11:30 this Friday. I will fast for one full day and pray that people just avoid evil. Anyone want to join me?

My students love me

On the last student-planned Thursday Night mass of the semester, a group of students with whom I routinely worked presented me with a gift of a year's subscription to L'Osservator Romano, the Official Vatican Newspaper. The first issue came today and I couldn't be any happier!!!

The Pope with arms in "orans" (prayer) position next to the headline "The Resurrection and rediscovering Mary in our lives".

I started shaking because I was so happy.

Bishop Paul S. Loverde's wisdom

I kind-of wish more bishops would communicate like this. I especially enjoyed hearing about "A chance to share the vision" in which the bishop met with parish leaders to build a common vision. My archbiship did this five years and is discussing ways that we may do this again.

Jubilarians of the world...unite!!!

We had our yearly priests' Holy Hour and celebration of those celebrating anniversaries. Usually, these celebrations are just awful. The speakers talk for too long and turn the evening into a rousing celebration of lament. This year was different, however. The speakers got to the point and sat down. They let us know what it means to be a priest and didn't tell all kinds of stories about the priests that weren't in that room - those that left priesthood. I left Dubuque feeling inspired and honored to be a priest.

All are Priests. Some are Priests. None are Priests

A few years ago, pastoral leaders in this diocese; priests, deacons, and lay pastoral staff, were invited to come together to reflect upon the relationship of priestly leadership to lay pastoral leadership. We heard a very complex theological explanation by a professor from St. John’s University in Minnesota named Susan Wood which I found fascinating and thought provoking but almost everyone else found to be boring and wordy. Then we heard from another speaker named Zeni Fox who everyone else seemed to find enlightening but I felt like she reduced ministry to a hug, used lots of meaningless jargon, and generally oversimplified a complex issue. I had hoped the conversation at my table would help us understand the complexities at hand and come to some common ground but, instead, I found myself assigned to a table with a group of embittered priests and laity who complained about the declining number or priests and admitted to me that they didn’t try to work with the young men in their parish to nourish vocations to the priesthood because they want to “solve” all the church’s problems by forcing the Pope to allow women and married men to be priests. I walked away from the whole day feeling frustrated, angry, and concerned for the future of the church – and no closer to understanding the relationship of lay leaders to the ordained.

So you can imagine my surprise as I was reading over a commentary on today’s scriptures and heard the phrase that seemed to answer this very question. It said, “All are priests, some are priests, none are priests.” Let me repeat that in case you think that I left out a note or two. I said, “All are priests, some are priests, none are priests.” Now, let me explain. The Second Vatican Council rightly emphasized that, through the imposition of the Holy Spirit at baptism, we have all come to share in the priesthood of all believers. By being initiated into the Church of Christ, we are called upon by Christ to lay down our lives to lead a life of holiness. This vocation to holiness was described well in our second reading today. It said we are children of God just like Jesus was a child of God. This childhood is a sharing in the priesthood of Christ in the faith, hope, and love that was given to us in Christ’s triumph over sin and death on the cross. We, in turn, must live lives of faith hope and love in the way we steward our lives. Parents play a special role in this by training their children in the faith. Next week we will remember our mothers who, oftentimes, laid down their lives to raise their children. It’s only appropriate that we thank them for that sacrifice, so don’t forget!

Yet, amidst this general priesthood to which all people are called, there are a group of people that are called to a special priesthood. These priests, to which I have been called, model Christ for the community in a radical way – in their gender and in their undivided devotion to God. This is the priesthood in which Peter was participating in the first reading. He has been filled with the Spirit and is called forth by Jesus himself to be a leader in the Christian community. He was to put a holy order to things so that it was possible for the gospel to spread. His ordering of the holy community tells us that priests are not meant to do everything in a parish, nor are they confined to doing only the sacraments. They are to model Christ by laying down their lives so that they can be the shepherds of a community. That’s why we can’t be like the people at my table at that meeting hoping to coerce a change in the church. We need to pray that God continue to call forth good, holy leaders from among his people and always encourage our young men to be priests.

So, all are called to the priesthood of the faithful in baptism and some are called to priesthood by ordination. But what was I talking about by saying none are priests? The truth of the matter is that Jesus Christ is the only shepherd of his Church, the only priest. It said so in our Gospel today when Jesus said that there will be one flock and one shepherd. If any of us, lay or ordained, begin to believe that we have the authority to make decisions about faith or morals outside of the teaching of the Church of Christ then we have in effect strayed from the fold in an attempt to make ourselves the shepherd. The only true everlasting priesthood is that of Jesus Christ, the good Shepherd. He is the one who appoints certain men to be priests and he is the one who calls us all to the priesthood of all believers. Truly all are priests, some are priests, none are priests.

Blindness

The first reading for today's mass was from Acts 9 and told the story of the conversion of St. Paul. I was struck with the parallel between Luke's story of the man born blind and the story of St. Paul. The man born blind has faith, he can see interiorly, but cannot see exteriorly. Saul can see many things exteriorly but cannot see with the eyes of faith. This causes him to persecute the body of Christ, the church. We are called to be the culture of life in a society that persecutes the body of Christ. We are called to see when others are blind and to try to help them see.

Diocese of Juneau has a good shepherd

You can go to this site to find this great Easter message.


The highlight of the year for Christians is Easter! At Easter we celebrate that Christ has overcome sin and the power of death once and for all. Those who have been baptized and have died in Christ have the promise of eternal life in Christ. So we proclaim, “Christ is risen! Indeed, he is truly risen! Alleluia!”

The celebration of this great Christian feast, however, has an essential connection to the preceding days. Thus, the core celebration of our faith (if I can call it that) actually takes place over three days.

Beginning on the eve of Holy Thursday, we begin the celebration of the Holy Triduum with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion and the Easter Vigil. Over these three days, we remember Christ’s passion and death and his rising to new life.

It is vital to recall that “to remember” means more than re-enact as if it were solely a past historical event. As we celebrate it liturgically, we participate in a saving mystery at work in us now. A word used by some theologians to describe what is taking place is “actualized.”

Christ’s dying and rising is an event that we experience in our own time and place because it is an experience that transcends time and place. It has as much bearing on our lives today as it did for anyone in the past or anyone in the future.

Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead for all people of all time. Because of it, we allow our lives to be transformed into a likeness that bears the stamp of God, striving always to live as daughters of the Lord and sons of God.

As we celebrate Easter this year, may we remember that Easter is not and never has been a past event. It is always a present reality that we try to embody with our lives and celebrate through our liturgy.

We proclaim over these 50 days of the Easter season, that Christ has died for us, that Christ is risen for us, and that Christ will come again in the fullness of time for us.

Alleluia
Alleluia
Alleluia

Vatican asks for Duh Vinci Code boycott

How strong do I push this? Any publicity is good publicity. If I say, "please don't go see the movie, 'Da Vinci Code'" people will hear ...go see the movie 'Da Vinci Code'". My friends simultaneously say they are disappointed at how distorted the story is and, yet, they will see the movie because of Tom Hanks and Stephen Spielberg.

These are the struggles of a parish priest. In some ways, I feel like I have made my message heard and, now, all I can do is hope that people will actually listen. If I continue to push, it's just going to make me look like the albino Opus Dei member.

Once again, the socialists in China are attempting to subvert Christ's authority and set up a parallel church that they can control. Think of the number of people who are led astray by these false shepherds and how tragic this is for the one true church! My personal favorite statement from this article is this one;

"A big stumbling block remains the Vatican's official recognition of Taiwan, branded by China as a renegade province."

Actually, an even bigger stumbling block is the absolute failure of the Chinese government to acknowledge the existence of the Vatican or the Pope and/or to allow the church to operate outside of it's tentacles. If you are not a mouthpiece of the government then you are not allowed to operate in China. Pray for the true church in China which, like the early church, is forced underground and often persecuted for no other reason than fidelity to Christ.

schools of liberalism

Like several commentators, I struggle to define what constitutes ecclesiastical liberalism ie. what makes someone "liberal" in the church. I used to understand the core to liberalism as "minimalism"; seeking to answer the question, "What else can I get rid of" or "How can I make this smaller/shorter".

I've discerned a new type of liberalism. It's not pure minimalism but does being by seeking to take out the permenant and make it all transitory. So, it begins in minimalism and then replaces it with something different. I experienced the height of this type of liberalism when I visited St. Joan of Arc parish in the Twin Cities. When I went there five years ago, the priest appeared in a tweed jacket and sat in an inconspicous place. The first reading was a poem. Then we heard the second reading of the day. Then there was a "happy song" that didn't really say anything about God at all. Then, the priest strolled over the pulpit for the gospel right before introducing the speaker of the day. Oh, the James Taylor songs we sang! I think you get the picture.

The first type of liberalism kills a parish by simply removing all the elements that people find comforting and, in its place, leaves a vacuum. There is no vision, let alone the vision of the church, so either the individual has to develop a deep personal spirituality or they will leave the church.

The second type of liberalism kills a parish by removing those elements and then replacing them with something a committee/staff memeber believes better expresses the "spirit of the church/vatican II" thus imposing one person's whim on a congregation and turning a parish into more of a fast food restaurant than the worship of the body of Christ (as in, "I like to go to St. X parish because it makes me happy/has great music/is child friendly)

I wonder if the John Paul II generation will learn from this or if we will simply turn into simple maximalists.

Don't be deceived: You are witnesses

It was first communion for the kids this weekend so I emphasized three interconnected things in the homily:

1. Jesus "opened their minds to understand the Scriptures." I told the kids that it's time that they pay attention to the readings when they come to mass and listen to what Fr. Ev or I say in the homily. I told them that the disciples heard the scriptures and didn't understand them and that it's important they listen to the church to understand them.

2. The Disciples "were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost" I told the kids that, even though they think they are eating simple bread and wine, don't be confused or scared because it is really the body and blood of Christ. This is how you become part of the body of Christ; by eating his body and drinking his blood.

3. "You are witnesses" I told them that, since they are part of the body of Christ and eat his body and drink his blood, that means they represent the catholic church. They must act like Jesus to the people they meet, treat them with love and faith and hope.

What I find instructive is that a lot of people that don't usually say "boo" to me will come up after mass and say that they got a lot out of the homily and that, sometimes, the direct approach is truly effective. It makes me wonder if I should spend less time on being poetic and more time on just saying what needs to be said.

Bush and Oil

I don't like to get too political because, admittedly, I tend to think all politicians are to society what a bath is to an eight year old boy - a necessary evil. And, I try to support the president, whoever that president is. But, I'm frustrated by this story. I don't understand how a leader can see his people being hit with the highest gas prices in history and say that he has any confidence in oil companies to do anything but make money. What incentive is there to invest anything in anything but themselves? None. So, here's the choice: to take President Bush's advice to invest in alternative fuel sources or put the money into a brand new hummer. Which one would you do?

School is coming to an end

I'm facing the reality that, in a little over a week, the campus of Iowa State will let out for the summer and all the students I've been serving will be going home or to jobs. This has caused a few emotions....

I'm happy that the fraternity guys living next to me will be leaving, which may cause less noise. And, I'm excited that some of the educational stuff that I've been putting off (re-learning Hebrew) may be able to start because of my decreased schedule.

I'm sad because of so many students who will soon be leaving. I will miss our Thursday Night Liturgy folks and the people who faithfully come to Sunday Night at 7:00. It will be really hard when it finally sets in that some of the seniors and a few of the students that are studying abroad will never come back. I will miss them and Hope I can keep in contact with them.

I'm hopeful that some of the mistakes that I made this year, some of the things that caused long work days, will be worked out in the summer months. Yet, I'm also skeptical because I know myself well enough to know that it's way too easy to put things off...

Mostly, I'm relieved that I made it through one year here with a sense of humor intact...so far...

Immigration and the Catholic Church

Here's a great shepherd trying to ensure that his entire flock is kept safe, not just the ones that the civil authorities protect.

So, do you think immigrants should boycott May 1st or not?

When you're next to me

I have been listening to the sountrack to the movie "A Mighty Wind" a lot lately. I think that it's best when you turn songs about lust turn them into songs about the love we have for God. Oh, glorious Song of Songs...

When I’m standing next to you
There’s a song to sing
I know everything’s feeling right

When I’m standing next to you
Steeple bells ring
Only good things Do I see
When you’re next to me

When I hold your hand in mine
Different world wakes
A new morning breaks with the sun

When I hold your hand in mine
Children's dreams take flight
Through a star lit nightThat’s what I see
When you’re next to me

(Chorus)This love for you I’m feeling
Has a power that is healing
It can mend the darkest hour
With glorious light
When I taste your lips so sweet
I see beggars dine
And the sands of time up and stop

When I taste your lips so sweet
Black and white bend
Every dove lands at your feet
When you’re next to me

(Instrumental)

(Chorus)This love for you I’m feeling
Has a power that is healing
It can mend the darkest hour
With glorious light

When I’m lying next to you
I feel moonbeams burn
I see rainbows turning to gold

When I’m lying next to you
I hear Angels play
I see sweeter days
I see rivers wind
Through the end of time
I see hatred fall
From the highest hill
I see God’s good grace
Shining in your eyes
That’s what I see

When you’re next to me

Jesus gives the power to forgive to those who need to be forgiven

On my last day-off, I was at home talking to my mother about the difficulty priests have in going to confession during Lent. We are usually busy hearing confessions on Saturdays when our fellow priests hear confessions. Some priests are out in the country pastoring multiple parishes with the next priest twenty to thirty miles away. We usually get on this topic because my mom can’t understand why a priest has gone to confession at communal penance. I think part of the reason she has trouble understanding this is because it probably seems annoying to her. I mean, if a priest is going to confession, that really takes two priests out-of-commission, both the priest penitent and priest confessor. But, when mom brings this up, she doesn’t ever bring that up. She says something along the lines of, “What has a priest done that he needs to go to confession.” It makes me laugh that a woman who has a son who is a priest still thinks that priests are perfect. Does she not remember my teenager years?
Today, we celebrate the end of the eight-day celebration of Easter in a celebration that Pope John Paul II declared Divine Mercy Sunday. He was heavily influenced by Saint Mary Faustina Kowalska who was fascinated by the forgiveness offered by God to his people. This forgiveness is what we celebrate each Easter, the forgiveness connected to the cross and resurrection of Christ.
In the church, we have three sacraments whose core meaning is forgiveness of sins. In Baptism, we celebrate the forgiveness of original sin that came from Adam and Eve. In the anointing of the sick, we celebrate the forgiveness of sins for those who suffer, knowing that they have a unique insight into Christ’s suffering on the cross. Yet, for the most part, I’ve never found anyone who has troubles with these two sacraments. Even people with only a slight interest in practicing their faith will have their newborn child baptized. And, despite changing the name and words associated with the sacrament of anointing of the sick, I still get calls from people whose loved one hasn’t been to church in decades who suddenly want “Last rites.” These moments are clearly moments of profound conversion and joy for people. Yet, I meet several people who have difficulty celebrating the sacrament of reconciliation, myself included, and I hear reasons why. Some say that it has to do with the changing ritual such that no one knows what will happen when they come. This may be why I try not to impose too much ritual on people who want to confess their sins. I don’t want people to feel lost but I also don’t want to take away people’s sense of continuity that should be a part of this sacrament. Nonetheless, I tend to believe that it has more to do with a loss of a sense of sin and its effects on the part of the faithful, a criticism that especially concerns me. I think it’s hard to understand God’s forgiveness if we don’t have a sense of our need to be forgiven. We have to understand what the goal of life is in order to understand why we aren’t living up to that goal and our first two readings offer just such a glimpse.
The first reading said that the first Christians held “everything in common” and that there was “no needy person among them.” This was not a form of Christian communism. In context, this is clearly seen as an elective form of charity in which each person asked themselves how they could have so much excess when there are others who don’t have enough to live, a question that should plague the Christian conscience.
If we are to look to a theological rationale behind this radical form of charity, we need look no further than the second reading. In it, John looks at this world as being transformed by the paschal mystery. As one commentator put it, “The direction of love taken by John…is reversed. (We are accustomed to) the focus (first on) a love for God, which presumes love for others. (In John) the focus is on love for God’s children, which reveals itself in love for God and observance of God’s commandments. It would seem that these two loves are co connected that it makes little difference which comes first.”[1] So, this is the goal: a society that cares for all its members and loves God. Yet, this prompts a question for all of us: is this the way we lead our lives? To put it more bluntly, are we the society of the perfect? After much reflection, I would humbly answer in a somewhat typical theological way, Yes and No.
We see this answer in the gospel story, part of which took place eight days after the resurrection. This story, to which we generally refer as Doubting Thomas, first tells the story of the apostles’ astonishment at seeing the risen Lord without Thomas and then tells a parallel account the next week with Thomas present. We often highlight the doubt that Thomas had in the meantime, a doubt that prompted him to make outlandish statements about his need for proof. Yet, in truth, I imagine we can all sympathize with Thomas in the skepticism that we have felt, at points in our lives. Maybe not right at this moment, but haven’t we all wanted to actually have more proof than the testimony of people who lived two millennia ago? Instead, what I would like to emphasize is what happened the week before to those apostles who were just as astonished, just as doubtful, as Thomas would be the next week. Despite their unbelief, our Lord turned to them and gave them authority to forgive sins. In this story, therefore, we see that God calls the sinner to also be the reconciler. This is a call to personal forgiveness and a call to forgive others, in other words to take seriously the call of the Our Father, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In Thomas, we can see that small things matter, those times we doubt God, times we don’t use our gifts and talents to show love to our neighbor, and times when we don’t love God in prayer.
In our life of faith, sometimes we are the society of the perfect and sometimes we are doubting Thomas. God’s divine mercy says we not only love one another in order to love God but we must also have a need to be forgiven for all our sins while we forgive those who sin against us.
[1] From Bergant Preaching the New Lectionary Year B

New Goal

Go listen to this guy speak!!!

And soon.

Spiritual Directors

I just got back from my spiritual director and I think, if you don't have one already, you should get one. You can't replace your confessor with your spiritual director because you need both.

My spiritual director is just so encouraging and helps me understand what God is doing in my life and teaches me the hardest thing we believers must do, not confuse my will with the will of God. It's worth a five hour car ride for this visit that helps my most fundamental relationship.

Catholic School girls have more fun

Good news from Bishop Gregory about our schools.

Pray for VIESHEA

There is a long tradition in Ames of a springtime celebration called "VIESHEA"

"What does "VEISHEA" stand for? VEISHEA was named in 1922 by Professor Frank D. Paine, Department of General Engineering. He combined the first letters of the colleges at that time, and the name has stuck ever since. The word VEISHEA (pronounced "VEE-sha") stands for:
Veterinary Medicine
Engineering
Industrial Science
Home Economics
Agriculture" (from the VEISHEA WEBSITE)

It is notorious for two things: end of school release of tension before finals and rioting...literally.

Two years ago this celebration was a real black eye on the University. They have taken significant steps to try to prevent the same mistakes from taking place. However, I'm really concerned because I don't hear students wanting to put the blame on students. It's the Police's fault for breaking up a huge party...it's the president's fault for not having enough activities...it's the bars fault for closing down all at once... Unless if students can say those statements as well as saying that it's rioters fault for toppling street lights, parking meters, and wreaking havoc, the lesson is unlearned.

I just hope that, despite the unlearned lesson, nothing bad happens. Please pray for us here at Iowa State.

Waking up

I had two epiphany moments today that made a lot of sense.

1. I regularly read certain conservative blogs, usually done by college-age students that are frustrated with the state of the catholic church. In the middle of reading one with a million responses, I had this realization of Tolkien significance. You may remember the communication (propaganda?) devices between the dark lord, Saruman and the vile figure Sauron that drives the steward crazy. I think that reading these blogs had the same effect on me. They make a vocal minority seem as though they are the norm. I can hear the future of the church that is frustrated with certain liturgical innovations that want to be a voice for a renewal of the renewal. But, I can also hear a real arrogance in their tone...a lack of any sort of charity. So, I deleted them from my favorites so that I'm not influenced by them.

2. I'm reading a book about Opus Dei, the maligned organization of the most evil man on the planet, Dan Brown. In this book, the founder Josemaria Escriva is highlighted. At one point, the liberal author claims that the founder was both accused of being anti-semitical by the Jersualem newspaper Ha'aretz and Opus Dei was accused of being composed of Jews by legitimate anti-semites. Even though it's not a direct statement that you are being a good Christian, I think it is at least shows how much people hate this organization and how unjust that hatred is. Jesus' accusers couldn't get their story straight either.

Pope's letter to priests

here's the summary of the Pope's letter to priests. I wish I could find the original but I'm a little behind and want to get at least this out.