Light and salt

Is 58:7-10

Thus says the LORD:
Share your bread with the hungry,
shelter the oppressed and the homeless;
clothe the naked when you see them,
and do not turn your back on your own.
Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,
and your wound shall quickly be healed;
your vindication shall go before you,
and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer,
you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!
If you remove from your midst
oppression, false accusation and malicious speech;
if you bestow your bread on the hungry
and satisfy the afflicted;
then light shall rise for you in the darkness,
and the gloom shall become for you like midday.

Finally caught up

Today really spoke a lot about the grandeur of God. It was beautiful outside. The sun was shining and the temperature was in the mid forties. We have too much snow on the ground to get any warmer. I cleared off the snow/ice that had caked onto our deck. All I could think was that it was nice to finally be outside. It was nice to be out in the clean air of Iowa. It seems that sickness is surrounding me. In the week and a half that I was in Texas, the flu was passed through the office here at Holy Ghost forcing almost everyone to stay in bed for a couple of days, including the pastor. I missed it. But, I did hear that our vicar general, Msgr. James Barta, was in the hospital with some heart complications. Plus, visible head of the church, Pope John Paul, was in the hospital. I was starting to get depressed. It’s amazing how the sun can put us in the right frame of mind. It’s amazing how the sun reminds us of the hope that the son puts into our hearts.

Back from Texas

After a week and a half of travel, I'm back in the great state of Iowa. Sorry that my postings were so infrequent in the past couple of weeks. I didn't have regular internet access and, when I did, I had to respond to parish emails and the like. I found my time in Texas, at points, to be a time of intense prayer and reflection. Generally, I would awake a couple of hours before I needed to be somewhere and pray and say mass privately. I was going to go to St. Mary's parish on the campus of the University of Texas A&M for daily mass but I decided that I needed a little time away from people. Those mornings would prompt a lot of prayer, especially these past few days for Pope John Paul. The tough thing about being a priest on vacation is that you are constantly worried about how things are going back in your parish. I imagine some business owners go through a similar situation but I'd prefer to think of it like a parent who leaves adult children. I kept wondering who died in my parishes and if someone answered the letters I sent out before leaving asking people to consider vocations to priesthood and religious life and what meetings I missed. I'm getting caught up on all that and, as usual, everything was handled well when I wasn't here. Now I just have to clear off my desk of tasks before I go to a meeting tonight. I taped the state of the union and hope to watch it before supper. So many tasks, so little time.

Reflecting on our own freedoms

What would it be like to live in Iraq right now? Can you imagine growing up in a situation that didn't allow you to vote or be free? And then to have your sworn enemy come in and change it around so that you could choose your leaders? I keep coming back to two different questions: Are we helping them to realize the goodness of a democratic state or are we just giving them yet another civil war. And how will we react when George Bush invades the Vatican because we don't have a freely elected civil leader?

Texas warmth

I'm visiting a friend in Texas. It feels so good to be away from Iowa right now. It was in the thirties in Iowa today but in the seventies in Texas. I sat outside with a short sleeved shirt on reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I know what you're thinking. Who goes on vacation to a wonderfully warm state to read the Catechism? I'm doing a presentation shortly after I return and I have to have it pretty much finished by the time I get back. But, don't worry, just being in this warmth will take away all the stress. Plus, a week and a half without wearing priestly clothes tends to take away all the stress. I'll be ready to enter into a good Lent as soon as I get back.

Working on my presentation

I figured out something the other day. I have this presentation that will begin on February 13th about the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It will span several weeks since the book is over 700 pages and covers, basically, everything that the Catholic Church believes. I started preparing this week and hope to have the first lesson set in stone before I head off to Texas on Vacation this Sunday. In the middle of all the reading that I've been doing, I realized how much I missed intense academic scholarship. I didn't think that would ever happen! I wasn't one of those guys that was willing to stay in school for the rest of my life. I was more than happy when I got my degree and left. But, I have finally found what my professors warned me about. When I initiate the study of a topic, I still use the techniques they taught me, I just do so with more energy because I want to do it. What a good thing to discover.

Smarter without fox

I think Rupert Murdoch is a hypocrite. On the one hand, he has completely immoral shows like "Who's your daddy", "Temptation Island", "The OC" and other crap. On the other hand, he sets up Bill O'Reilly (or Oh-lie-lee as I prefer) as his host par excellence on his Fox propaganda news network. And Bill, despite forcing an intern to have phone sex with him, says that conservatives are right because they have moral values. He would deny that he ever said that, of course, because the way that O'Liely operates is by making an outrageous claim and, when someone confronts him, by denying it, even when confronted with evidence. I guess we would expect nothing more from a man who condemns Clinton for having an affair with an intern while having phone sex with his own. And, all of the Fox stuff we see on TV is owned by a man who has no moral values whatsoever aside from the almighty dollar and seeing to it that politicians are put into office that will allow him to continue getting more money. I got angry the other day because of all this hypocrisy. I deleted four stations from my TV: Fox, Fox News, Fox Sports, and FX. I have accidentally turned on FX in trying to get to other channels but I quickly turn it to another channel that is not trying to pretend that his has moral values while simultaneously selling smut but I have not watched a single program from a Fox owned station identified above. I don't expect to affect Murdoch's bottom line (Or O'Liely's for that matter, though the good thing is that O'Liely will just lie about his bottom line just like he has about his ridiculous boycotting of France!). But, I've been amazed at one thing. I'm finding more time to read and learn than I did when I watched Fox. I think Fox stations have an unusual affect on my brain. They make it lethargic. In other words, I think Fox makes some people stupid. Hypocrisy tends to have that effect.

One week until vacation

With one week left until I take a much needed vacation, I find myself a little bit on the tired side. January tends to be a hectic month. It's a good time for people to want to stay inside and do religious things. It's also a good time for priests to go south for a few days of rest right before the "spring break" crowd take over and ruin everything. With below zero temperatures abounding here in Iowa, I hope this is a short week.

Pleasant conversation with the Archbishop

Nobody gets three hours with the Archbishop though there are plenty of people who want them. From the elderly lady who wants to convince him that her parish of a hundred people shouldn't close down to the priest that thinks the only important thing in the world and church today is pro-life activities, everybody wants to sit and have a “moment” of a bishop's time. And, in the midst of these folks, the Archbishop needs to do the more "mundane" tasks of answering emails about the permissions priests seek, doing research for various projects the bishops are working on, and planning for the future needs of the diocese. I feel fortunate because I got FIVE hours with the Archbishop yesterday. He had a gathering of all the priests that are five years ordained and less. I felt especially fortunate because I spent about an hour of conversation with the Archbishop and two other priests over supper. In the midst of this, Fr. Bob Davies asked about the Archbishop's recent trip to visit the Holy Father in Rome. He said that he got fifteen minutes with the Pope, a man whose time is even more coveted than his own. The Pope's health is not good and he only spoke four words in the midst of this conversation. But, when he relayed that story to others, one person commented that they thought the Pope should just retire. Archbishop succinctly answered the person in the words that I had been struggling to find for three years. He said that this is a man that has emphasized for the entire time he has been pope that life is precious regardless of the state it is in. Now, he is living that message. I realized then and there what a blessing our Archbishop is to recognize that message in the leader of the universal church on earth and what a blessing it is to be with him.

Wow! Did that just happen?

This morning, I had the funeral of a woman named Delilah Kutsch. Delilah wasn't all that old but she had been battling lung cancer for a few years. Her children were sad but they also were glad that their mom wasn't suffering any more. I arrived about forty-five minutes before mass was to begin and discovered that there were no servers. So, we found a couple of adults to be servers for us, which turned out to have a bit of irony involved. The irony was the Fr. Paul Odekirk had written a letter to the diocese asking that they accept me as a priest. His brother, Fran, was one of the adults we found to be a server. The mass was nice. I've found that these are excellent opportunities to help begin a process of dealing with the loss of their loved one. We took Delilah to the cemetery, had the prayers there, and drove back to the parish school for the dinner. While people were milling around getting ready for the dinner, I noticed one older man walking down the stairs of the school. I smiled as I walked by and then walked over to talk to the older ladies who were serving. I looked back to the door and noticed that someone was on the floor with a bunch of people around. So, I walked over and saw the same man lying on the floor with people kneeling over him. They moved all the people back and started CPR. It was so difficult to go from celebrating a life to being concerned for the life of Delilah's brother-in-law. They took him away in the ambulance and he died at the hospital.

Giving Blood

Almost monthly, I head to the Red Cross to give blood. A little over a year ago, I started giving via a new procedure using a machine they call a TRIMA. I don't know what is stands for but the idea is that they take out blood, send it through a centrifuge, take out what they want, and put back what they don't. I arrived at the Red Cross at 2:00 and went through the usual selection process. They ask all kinds of questions. I usually eliminate a lot of them which begin "Have you ever had sex..." and "Are you a female...". It takes about an hour for all that processing to finish and they finally hooked me up. The cool thing about the TRIMA machine is that you can watch movies while it is happening. It takes a little longer than old-fashioned giving of whole blood. I got hooked up at 3:00 and finally was able to stand up and stretch at 5:00. But, it feels good to know that, in these two hours, they are taking from my body everything that they need to help people live longer.

Called By Name

With the memories of a very difficult funeral still fresh in my mind, I had to do a somewhat quick turn around to do a "Called By Name" project. This project is a way of getting the names of people that Catholics believe would make good priests, brothers, and sisters. I didn't have my usual energy at first. I kept forgetting to include details like, "It's possible to be happy as a priest" and "It's okay to be thinking about marriage while you are thinking about becoming a priest." But, by the end, I had attained my pep and I think, in looking at the names given to us, it was successful. I returned home after my last mass and was ready for a nap. While throwing some ingredients for ham soup in a crock-pot, the phone rang. It was a family that asked that I come to pray with them. Their mother died. I drove out and spent some time with them before returning home and getting my nap. I think the hardest part of being a priest is the public nature in which everyone expects you to respond in a certain way. The newly engaged couple wants me to be joyful and celebratory. The sick person, on the other hand, wants me to listen and by sympathetic. Sometimes I encounter these two scenarios within a five-minute period. It's at these times that I wonder if Christ went through the same quick turn around in his ministry. I realize that, above the happiness and sadness, the reality is that this is a good job. I'm doing good work by spreading the good news.

Taking solace in music

I'm a person who believes that music has the power to reach the very core of our being to move our hearts and bring comfort when nothing else can. I sympatize with St. Augusting of Hippo who said that music is prayer twice; first in the sounds, then in the words. I have, therefore, been listening to music in an effort to come to understand why God does things like allow a tsunami killing millions. Or, why he allows some babies to wake up from their naps and others don't. I've been listening to the song,"The Prayer" by Andre Bocelli with the hope that someday we will understand.

http://english-cards.qatar4us.com/the_prayer/

Please pray for Baby Jacob

I just found out from a couple of college friends, Tony and Tricia, that their baby died yesterday of SIDS.Jacob was not quite 3 months old. They are, undoubtedly, devastated and confused, as is their older boy, Joseph. No words can console us in these times. Instead, we draw on each other and the love we feel for each other. We ask that Christ draw Tony, Tricia, and Joseph close to his heart as well as little baby Jacob.

What would they do if....

Imagine if you were part of a club or organization. Let's say you bought a Membership to the YMCA or had a share in a timeshare vacation house. Now, imagine that you found out that someone was getting the same priveleges to the services that were provided you in those places without having to pay or be committed to them. For instance, you talk to the person swimming next to you and find out that, even though he or she hasn't been to the Y in years, he or she was allowed use of the facilities because their parents were members once. Or, worse, you go down to your summer vacation spot and find out that you can't use it because a family that isn't a part of the agreement, though they were at one time and they still have friends who are, were using it for the day. I imagine most people agree that these situations would be aggrivating. So, why should Catholic Churches do weddings and funerals for people who never come to church and don't contribute a dime? Why should I have to tell one family that wants to use the church and that come to church every week and give of their time and talents toward making the church exist each week that they can't have a wedding because Nina Nonbeliever wants to have a pretty church wedding in a church with a long isle? Yet, Catholic priests continually not only bend over backwards to make the couple happy but, in the end, ask for such a small contribution that the weekly faithful end up paying for part of Norman Nonbeliever's wedding. We need to be more just with some of this stuff.

The snow's a comin'

Ah, yes. It's the first real snowfall of the year. The only problem is that it's still four hours away from starting. But, by all accounts, it is going to be one of those four to six inch events. I went over to lunch with the grade school kids and they are all excited. I'm not sure if they're hoping for a free day of school tomorrow or if they are just hoping to finally be able to drag out their sleds and go flying down a snow-packed hill. I love the first real snow of the year. Right now, my life is a bit hectic. It would be good if something were to force me to slow down and take it easy for a little while. I think it would probably be good for everyone to have a day where the only thing we can do is sit in our warm homes and watch it snow. If only the weather men would get it right when they predict these things.

Christmas Cards

I'm working on my Christmas cards. I know what you're thinking. Shouldn't I have been doing that about a month ago? Yes. But, in the Catholic Church we refer to the time before Christmas as Advent and from Dec. 25 until we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord. So, I have five days to get it done. It's nice to recieve the cards from parishioners and hear from old friends but it's also hectic to answer them back. I can't wait until Sunday is over and we put away the trees for another year.

Standing up for a few things

As a Catholic priest, there are a few principles that dominate my life. The first is that God is the author of human life who decides life and death. An offshoot of this principle is that life needs to be treated with respect. We need to give respect to people because they are created in the image and likeness of God. Using people as objects denigrates the respect that we need to have for them. That’s why the Catholic Church opposes Pornography: because it transforms someone from a person with dignity into an object whose only dignity is my sexual gratification.
Nonetheless, we can’t look at this principle too restrictively. It seems to me that, while pornography is one thing, MTV’s “Boiling Points” objectifies people in the same way using a different principle. If you’ve never seen “Boiling Points” before, the basic premise is that one person develops a scheme to aggravate another person. Maybe a customer pays for something and doesn’t get the right product. When the person complains or asks for his or her money back, the person behind the counter who is trying to aggravate the person, refuses to do so. The person who is being aggravated has a certain time limit until the scam is revealed. If they don’t get angry and walk away, they win $100. The problem I have with this whole premise is that, despite the mistaken belief that MTV is really trying to get people to be more patient, they are really using money to justify using people as objects of pleasure. We laugh as they get mad when, in truth, the audience knows that it’s all a sham. How would we feel if we were the person who asked for a muffin and got a half eaten one instead? We need, as a society, to ensure that we don’t support these shows that exploit other people.

A visit to friends

Since last Sunday, I’ve been traveling from one place to another. I started in the middle of the state of Iowa and went to see some friends in the middle of the state of Illinois and then back to Iowa and, finally, back to Dubuque today. I’m sorting through mail and coughing from the second head cold I’ve had so far this winter. But, it was a good opportunity to see friends and family. I have a really good group of friends that I made in college. Obviously, they’ve known me since before I was a priest and they know me really well. It is strange, however, to realize how much we’ve changed in the last number of years. My friends, Jed and Jen, for instance, have a ten-month-old baby boy named Ryan. He’s, unquestionably, the best baby in the world. I think that, in the midst of these conversations, I’m reminded that there is a necessary connection between celibacy and marriage. Both involve commitment, but there’s more to it than just that. There is, unquestionably, more that binds the two vocations together than that divides them

a visit to friends

Since last Sunday, I’ve been traveling from one place to another. I started in the middle of the state of Iowa and went to see some friends in the middle of the state of Illinois and then back to Iowa and, finally, back to Dubuque today. I’m sorting through mail and coughing from the second head cold I’ve had so far this winter. But, it was a good opportunity to see friends and family. I have a really good group of friends that I made in college. Obviously, they’ve known me since before I was a priest and they know me really well. It is strange, however, to realize how much we’ve changed in the last number of years. My friends, Jed and Jen, for instance, have a ten-month-old baby boy named Ryan. He’s, unquestionably, the best baby in the world. I think that, in the midst of these conversations, I’m reminded that there is a necessary connection between celibacy and marriage. Both involve commitment, but there’s more to it than just that. There is, unquestionably, more that binds the two vocations together than that divides them.