The soviet's watched JP II

An interesting story from Catholic world News

"Last year the Institute for National Remembrance charged that Father Konrad Hejmo, a Polish Dominican priest stationed in Rome, had been on the payroll of the Polish secret policy, providing information about the Pontiff. Father Hejmo-- who did not work at the Vatican, and did not have access to secret information-- denied that he knowingly cooperated with Communist authorities. But he did say that Pope John Paul was keenly aware of the likelihood that he was being watched. During a meeting with Polish priests in Rome, Father Hejmo recalled, the Pope made it clear 'he knew he was being spied on.'"

Labor Day - A day to take a break from laboring.

As a kid, labor day was the last really good camping weekend of the summer. After this, we knew that we'd have to leave later on Friday afternoon because of school and arrive earlier on Sunday to get homework done. This summer will make me value the fall weather more than most, I imagine.

I find myself rather philosopical today. I'm using that term somewhat loosely, a dangerous prospect for a philosphy major. Nonetheless, as I sit watching Lord of the Rings, it occurs to me that I know between now and Thanksgiving, I will get very little rest. I will have to work six and sometimes seven days out of the week. Saying that I'm behind is both an understatement and an exaggeration.

This labor day, it is tempting to try to get work done...to work on my homily for this weekend or make some preparations for a retreat I'm working on for November. And, even though I know I will have to be working on a barbecue at five today, I also know that this labor day is also my day off...my sabbath day of rest to reconnect with my God. This is the challenge I face this semester: to not work seven days a week, to not let sloth throughout the week defeat the day that gives life meaning. I hope to be like Benedict and realize that if I'm a failure as a campus minister, it is bad. But if I am a failure as a man of God, I am doomed.

Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person

Ever since the sexual abuse crisis began, I've heard a continously incresing fear of being put in compromising situations. Part of this is good. A priest who makes the decision to "groom" a boy into being his victim is, at least, a little easier to recognize.

Nonetheless, I have made a conscious choice in my ministry not to move to the extreme of religious separatism. What am I talking about? I think it's still important to engage people on a personal level. I think it's important to meet with people who are in need on a one on one basis. I think it's still important to be willing to put ourselves in those situations in order to show people the love of a father.

We cannot become absent fathers. The solution to the sexual abuse crisis isn't withdrawl. While we need to take time for ourselves, we still need to show the love of a foster Father for the children the heavenly father has given to him.

Two sides to a coin

I work for college students. I live among college students.

We live in a time in which people don't recognize authority...at least most don't. People want to know that an authority figure is a human being not entirely different from themselves. They want to joke with us but they also want to know that, despite that, I'm also holy, that I live up to what I preach.

So, the question that keeps coming up for me is when do I tell students that I can't go with them, that our journeys must go in different directions. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm never going to a bar with a group of students on a weekend night. I know priests who have done this because they met and ministered to students that they wouldn't have otherwise met. I can't get past the fact that bars tend to be places students go to get drunk. They lose inhibitions and act in ways that are inappropriate. It just seems unseemly.

Yet, sometimes students invite me over for a movie and, when I arrive, I realize one or two have a beer. They will even offer me a beer and, to be honest, I will have a beer or two with them. I'm not going to get drunk obviously but I'm not going to be puritanical either. I tend not to leave because the plan is not to get drunk but to have a drink and relax. I've had incredible conversations with students in this context because the questions that they've always wanted to ask but couldn't get the courage or didn't know how to ask them tend to come out. I feel like there's an opening for very good for ministry.

Yet, I sometimes fear that I'm getting too close; that I'm becoming too much like the "older brother" and not maintaining the "other side of the coin" that allows them to see in me the image of our heavenly Father. For me, this is what I'm learning here at St. Thomas. I'm learning how to be a priest to the current generation and how to figure out what the current generation needs in a priest. I tend to learn the hard way and there have been times when I've made mistakes, nothing that would in any way compromise my ability to be a priest but definitely times when I think that I wish I could pull those words back into my mouth or not act that way to this particular student. But, I feel blessed because students are very forgiving and very honest. They tell me when something is "not cool" and they tell me that they appreciate my willingness to walk among them now...to minister to them where they are.

I just hope that God will continue to give me the grace to minister to these students and help me be there for them when they need me. It's amazing. This has been one of those weeks where I , again, started asking if this is the right ministry for me and, if I'd stop listening to the voices that deform the gospel and listen to the people who I minister to, it would be to patently obvious that God has put me here. It doesn't matter if it's always comfortable. God wants me to be here. That is sufficient.

Bats in the bellfrey

Have you ever had a bat in your house?

I've had two circling my apartment in the last couple of weeks. One was above the drop celing in my kitchen. I called our janitor over and he took removed it from my house. Then, the other night, one was on my kitchen window. I thought I could get it out on my own but, one half hour of circling my living room later, I had a bat sleep-over in my apartment.

I found something out about mysel that night. Some people are scared of bats. I'm terrified. I didn't know this about myself. For all intents and purposes, this bat was trapped in my living room behind a stack of books in my book case. It couldn't have made it into my room because I had shut my door and put a pair of jeans below the door and hung a blanket over the entrance to the hallway (there's no door there so I used a blanket instead). I bet I got 15 minutes of sleep that night because I kept convincing myself that there was a bat in the room. Irrational? Absolutely! But that's what my brain told me was reality. Each time that I heard something in the room, each time that I felt movement close to my cheek, each time that I had an itch, it was the bat!

We rely on our brains to provide sensery data to us. Yet, our brains are not infallible. If there's one thing about the human person of which we are sure it is that. Look at history and we will see people who thought big rocks fall faster than little ones, the earth was flat and stationary with a bunch of star satelites revolving around it, and that the French are cultured. We search for hard and fast laws to define these realities. Isn't the true hubris of any civilization when that civilization believes it has all the answers or is capable of defeating all quandries?

I pose this because, quite often, the intellectual community will say that religion believes that it can answer questions that it cannot. Some of this criticism is justified. It's not fair to say that a four thousand year old document was trying to answer modern scientific questions about the creation of the earch, let alone the origin of human beings. The Bible was written to answer the question of who did it, not how was it done. They did an excellant job in keeping us focused on God and did the best they could with how the whole thing took place. I know fundamentalists give us a black eye by believing in a literal interpretation of Genesis (despite the discrepencies between the TWO creation stories) but isn't it AT LEAST ironic that some in the scientific community believe that they can bring about an end for the need for God. There are some people who believe that the time will come when all the questions we have will be answered and we will figure out that there is no God.

To this I quote a friend, "poppycock"! The more answers we get the more questions we have. When you answer one quandry it opens up a dozen more. Human beings are insatiably curious. That's why the Bush Administration can see a connection between 9-11 and Iraq and why the Democrats can see a connection between religion and terrorism: because we thirst for simple answers in a complex world, especially if those answers help us feel good about ourselves. Yet, in the end, there will always be things that we simply cannot resolve. I'm not being pessimisstic. I"m being optimistic in human society as a whole. We won't stop exploring because, when we do, we will die. Mystery is a necessary part of the human person. Some explain it away and, in the process, begin down a trek toward utter hopelessness. I prefer to allow it to exist and learn how to love it. I do so because I believe it loves me and wants me to know that.

keeping the traditions

I've been reflecting on a phrase from today's reading....

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, stand firm
and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught,
either by an oral statement or by a letter of ours."

I've been thinking about how Paul had to get them to think "outside the box" or, better "outside the book" every once in a while. He had to remind them that the written word can be distorted and that God didn't just leave us an instruction book and abandon us. That just doesn't make sense that God would do that. God has been clarifying his relationship to us througout time, the fullness of that revelation being in the Catholic Church. We are the ones who have held "fast to the traditions (we) have been taught".

Fear not. Stand firm. Be proud to be Catholic.

murmuring

The disciples this past Sunday were murmuring. Our liturgy was very packed since we spent the first ten minutes, or so, introducing our rather large staff. So, I had to be brief and focus on what I thought the point of the homily was. Give them something to go home and think about.

I tried to focus on what it means to murmur...how that tears apart a group. I encouraged people that have complaints to approach people who can answer questions rather than simply complaining. I also encouraged people to not stay on the fringes but to get involved. I thought that was, in essence, what Peter was saying when he said, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”

I wish I could have preached about the second reading about wives being submissive to husbands and such. And I wish I could have highlighted that, once again, Simon Peter is the one who has faith. But, you can't say everything.

Catholic Church not against Science

In a shocking development, this story will not make CNN or any of the major news networks.

Cardinal Christoph Schornborn of Vienna, Austria says we should study Darwinism as a science. Here's the thing that the church wants: you shouldn't have to choose to believe in God or believe in Darwin. You can believe in God, believe in the truth of revelation and still believe that we descend from Monkeys.

Shocking? Not if you had given even the slightest bit of attention.

completing my interviews

As I said in a previous post, I've been interviewing priests for an upcoming meeting of priests. I did the last one I will do last night. I didn't get all the ones I was responsible for done so I hope my brother priests will forgive. That's why I haven't posted in a while. I'm hoping that, once this is done, I'll be able to look around and find out what's been happening in the church. This feels way too much like the conclusion of finals week.

Great pastoral letter

Bishop Braxton of the Belleville, Illinois has written what I think is a great pastoral letter. You can find it here.

Pay particular attention to his critique of the direction of the church in the US. Very good for a pastor who has been there just one short year.

Retiree visits Lebanon

Most people, when they retire, start planning vacations.

Here's a cardinal who went to a war zone to make sure catholcs were doing what we could do.

I am the bread of Life

I can remember, in my younger days, seeing a female friend walking down the hallway of my High School. I ran up behind her, threw my arms around her waste, lifted her up in the air, (as was our custom) only to realize that this wasn’t my friend at all. This was a poor stranger that I was triumphantly holding up in the air…right next to her boyfriend. I apologized, put her down, and walked, red-faced, in the complete opposite direction. I imagine most of you have not had quite that huge of a mistake but we all get names and faces confused. After a year at St. Thomas, I still marvel at the number of people who I should be able to call by name that are still a mystery to me. I’d rather not call people by any name than call them by the wrong name and, being a man, I’ll definitely not ask them their name any more than I’ll ask for directions.

In the gospel today, we heard Jesus say, “I am the bread that came down from heaven,” It’s hard to believe that a seemingly simple statement such as this caused as much turmoil as it did and I have to be careful here because, two years ago, my homily got me in trouble. People complained loudly about it for this Sunday and I think part of the reason had to do with leaving out the context. You see, to understand why this statement is so controversial, you have to know what comes before it. You might remember that two weeks ago we heard the story of the multiplication of the loaves. Jesus looked out over the crowds and had pity on them. Last week, we briefly interrupted our regular Sunday schedule to celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration. We should have been hearing the first part of this reading in which, one day after the multiplication of loaves, a group who had been fed seek him out in order to be fed again. Most of us can probably sympathize with both Jesus and the crowd. When someone does something nice for you, you are more likely to turn to them in need, right? And, likewise, it seems like there are some people that constantly turn to you for help if you offer it once. In what was supposed to be last week’s reading, Jesus sought to help them understand that he wasn’t just giving them a hand-out, he was giving them salvation. They ask for a sign similar to the one that Moses had given their ancestors. So Jesus reveals to them that the bread that they were eating was his flesh that would, through his suffering on the cross and his glorious resurrection, redeem the world.

That brings us to our present reading which is, in some way, trying to clarify how Jesus’ flesh is this bread of life. There is an allusion to the Old Testament Exodus event in that, just as the Jews murmured through the desert on their way to the promised land, so this group of Jews are murmuring about Jesus’ identity. In some ways, this story reminds me of the story that we heard a few weeks ago when Jesus was in his home town but he could not perform a miracle for them because of their lack of faith. These Jews have the same objections. They ask, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph? Do we not know his father and mother? Then how can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” You can almost hear the sarcasm seething through each word. As scripture scholar Diane Bergant said, “In a clever turn-of-phrase, (Jesus) explains that only those drawn by God will be drawn by the one sent by God.”[1]

What would only become clear later was that, in this instruction, Jesus was calling them to a new identity. He was calling them to become Christian. Not just to break bread with him, but to believe in him and, through that belief to see in the bread the reality of his flesh, his very self. The action of the Eucharist was to manifest and enliven the faith that was given them by the Father. Now, please don’t get me wrong. If you know me you know that I have a profound love for the Jewish People. I get frustrated by the statements of some liberal Jews and I get frustrated by some of the actions of Israel. But, especially given what has happened surrounding Mel Gibson and the military activity in the Middle East, I think it’s once again important to understand that Jesus was inviting the Jews to a fuller, deeper understanding of their relationship to God, not nullifying their past understanding. Our Jewish brothers and sisters remain in a relationship with God, even if it is incomplete without an understanding of the messiah.

In our present circumstances, unfortunately, the Eucharist not only separates Jew from Christian but, as we are all painfully aware of, it also separates Christian from Christian. In our ecumenically charged world in which we tend to emphasize what unites us as Christians and even find ourselves frustrated by certain Christian denominations that don’t even consider us Christian, we may feel tempted to obliterate the differences and expect that anyone is allowed to take communion. As we look more deeply at this reading, we are confronted by a very divisive Christ that does not tolerate half-hearted unity. Either, we understand that, through the body of Christ that we receive and the faith that we cultivate, we are being led to the Father or we do not have eternal life. This isn’t simple bread that appears from heaven, this is the flesh of Jesus Christ that connects our lives to the cross. In our exuberance to be one, we cannot deny the differences that painfully separate the body of Christ even as we continue to pray and work for those differences to be eliminated. We, as Catholics, must continue to take seriously the gospel call, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world.”

[1] Bergant, Diane Preaching the New Lectionary Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Mn c. 1999

Don't use American Express

This post is one of those "my own opinion" pieces. There is no sin involved with those people who disagree with me and I'm in no way proposing that the church has any agreement with this post.

But, I'm one of those people that sends a request to credit card soliciters that they stop doing it. I use their own "no postage necessary" envelopes when I do so by circiling my name and saying something like, "Please do not contact me as I have no desire to use your credit card." Sometimes they will send a second time and I will write, "Second Time" and repeat the above or a variation with a more direct message (something along the lines of "cease and desist").

I think the all of the credit card companies have figured out that they are annoying me not making any positive impression...all except American Express. I have asked them three times before to cease and desist but they continue to waste paper and IGNORE what I have to say. So, here's my request. There are tons of good credit cards out there that listen to people. They solicit but they don't waste all kinds of money and paper when people make it quite clear that they don't want their product. If you have an American Express, your card does this. So, why do you want to use it? I think it's time to destroy our American Express cards and let them know that we are doing so because of unethical solicitation practices.

myspace worries

A while back, a friend talked me into making a profile for myspace.com. I believe that if you go to www.myspace.com/fatherdennis that it will send you to the site. So far, I've connected with three guys that I thought had fallen off the face of the earth and it's proving to be one way of finding those college friends that I just kind-of lost.

In the process, I've received several inquiries from attractive young women to become their friends or start conversations with them. I wrote to the first three asking if I knew them and received no response. I don't know think it's healthy to meet friends via the internet. I don't mind reconnecting with people but, just like I don't dial random phone numbers just to meet people, so I don't just look up random people and try to correspond with them.

But, it does make me wonder how many men have done this. Hoe many married men are cheating on their wives, even if it is just in the heart, by corresponding to these women? How many men are writing to desperate housewives, so to speak, in order to do the same thing? I just find this troubling.

first bat of the season

Usually I post profound theological posts here on my blog. I imagine all of you know that by now. But, I'm on vacation. So, here's what I did today.

I was sitting in my dining room listening to the radio and watching TV when I heard movement above me. I thought a mouse had somehow got into the drop ceiling of my kitchen but, then, it moved really fast from one corner over to the other. I was tempted to move the ceiling and see what was there when I thought to myself, "what are you doing? What would the Archbishop say if you got rabies because you were trying to get a bat out of your apartment. So, I called the building manager and told him that I had a critter in my ceiling.

It was small and, according to the janitor, laying in the corner. But, he's not in my house anymore. And, for the second year in a row, I have the first bat of the season in my apartment.

Homily Panic

I had put the final touches on my homily at around 11:00 Saturday night. It was a very eventful Saturday as some of my extended family came to my apartment for a visit and supper. While it was good to see them and good to travel to the Iowa Cubs baseball game, I was short on homily preparation time. But, I got a decent one prepared and, right when my brain seemed too tired to function, I heard the knocking on the back door. It was a couple of friends, one of whom is beginning doctoral studies at the University of Evil...I mean Iowa. So, after a couple of relaxing beverages, I told them that it was time for me to go to bed and thanked them for their visit. Before one left, however, she asked me if I had looked at the second reading. I said I had...one of Paul's lettters. She said that it was one of Peter's, which made me think she was crazy. I brushed my teeth, prayed my night prayers and entered into night silence. Precious sleep.

Then it hit me.

This Sunday is not the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time. This Sunday is the Feast of Transfiguration! I had prepared the homily for the wrong celebration. I shot out of bed and found my "lost cause" website. Thank goodness I could re-work it slightly and use it instead of having to make no sense with my other homily.

What's truly ironic was that my other homily was going to be based on the predictability of the church...how you can go to church most every sunday and receive the same body and blood, hear the same prayers and readings, etc. This is a source of consolation for us that we don't have to make stuff up. I had to change it up, though.

youtube

I found this great website that posts a few great television shows from times past. When you have some time and need a blast from the past, click here.

Introduction

Mahna Mahna

Swedish Chef making sweedish meatballs

I've been memed!

Don't know what being memed means? Here's a definition. Thanks Domini Sumus.

1. One book that changed your life
The Sabbath by Abraham Josua Heschel. I know, I know, that's not Christian. But all Christians can understand Christ a little better by reading Heschel. This book showed me how the day of rest is what re-orients our life to God. Man was made for the Sabbath and the Sabbath was made for man.

2. One book that you've read more than once
The Lord of the Rings. Love it!

3. One book you'd want on a desert island
I wish it was the Bible and I know I would need it but I don't know how I'd survive without my brievary! I know the psalms are all there but I could find all the material for prayer that I would ever need in my brievary.

4. One book that made you laugh
DON'T HATE ME!!!! Rush Limbaugh is a big, fat, Idiot by Al Franken. It was vulgar and contained way too many swear words but I really don't like Rush Limbaugh and this book helped me explain why...dialogues are supposed to be two way not playing something someone says and then commenting on what they say. Franken is not always right but he's right in many of his criticisms of the conservative media.

5. One book that made me cry
This is a tough one, not only because I'm a guy and, therefore, never cry but because I don't read frustrating works. But, if you were looking for books that should have been a lot better, on the top of my list was "Lake Wobegon Summer 1956" which had one funny part and then really sucked after that.

6. One book you wish had been written
How to make a young man know that priesthood/celibacy is a great life. I not only wish that I could write it, I wish I could explain it.

7. One book you wish had never been written
Duh Vinci Code. If you know me, you know that I believe this is the most evil book ever written and that it will only cause evil. People who think this book will cause people to think about religion and that all publicity is good publicity are ignoring the problem that we are beginning to experience within Christianity: freedom is not defined as the ability to tell God what he should be/do.

8. One book you're currently reading
The Collar by Jonathon Englert. REALLY BAD THEOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS!!! But, I'm waiting to see what's going to happen with some of the guys. One of the guys is the typical liberal wacko straight out of the sixties/seventies: women priests, married priests, communion for anyone even unbaptized, church should be out in the trenches and doing everything different, destroy the church and her history and that's going to be good. He's either going to leave seminary or have to change.

9. One book you've been meaning to read
Let me start a list:
Christian Faith and Same-Sex Attraction: Eastern Orthodox Reflections. by Thomas Hopko
Deep Conversion Deep Prayer by Thomas Duba SM
God is Near us by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
Priestly Celibacy Today by Thomas McGovern

Cardinal Johannes Willebrands

Probably no one really knew who this man was but he worked tirelessly for the ecumenical movement to make us one again. Who's gonna fill his shoes?

A better tribute than "Have you forgotten"

I don't like the song "Have you forgotten" by Toby Keith. First of all, I don't like his voice. He's got a problem with what I call forced vibrato. But, secondly, he acts like a schill for the Bush administration. I haven't forgotten about the World Trade Center. Have you forgotten that Iraq and Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with that and that while we waste precious resources fighting that war, the real war on terror OSAMA BIN LADEN, continues to make movies and reinforce troops. I want to shout, "no, I haven't forgotten. How in the heck did you?"

So, I don't like the song. I found this video using Enya's song "Only Time", which I find to be a better reminder of that awful day.

God or the GIRL

So, I found out here that the one guy in the series "God or the Girl" that was supposed to have gone to the seminary never went.

It's not a huge surprise. I was encouraged by the fact that he was one guy that seemed to have celibacy in correct perspective. But, he was too affective. You can't depend on God to make this vocation feel comfortable. It's innately uncomfortable.

Just as the grains of wheat are gathered, so let your church be gathered

In one of the earliest descriptions of mass, called the Didache, this prayer was prayed over the bread, “We thank you, our Father, for the life and knowledge which You made known to us through Jesus your Servant; to you be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom; for yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever.” I was thinking about that the other day when something strange happened. I looked around the student center and asked myself, “Where are all the students?” Now, you may ask yourself if I’m totally oblivious to what is happening around me or if I had a temporary memory loss, but let me assure that, you that life at St. Thomas is not like a Soap Opera. Instead, what happened was that I became acutely aware that I’m really looking forward to having the rest of our parish back. It’s not that I don’t appreciate those of you who have stayed here the whole time; our resident parishioners and student parishioners who were here for the summer, but, to use an image borrowed from Pope John Paul II, our parish has two lungs and one of them has been gone for a while. It will be nice when we have them both back.

The ironic thing is that you would have received an entirely different response from me two or three months ago. I was ready for some peace and quiet after several 2:00am moments of being awoken as the bar crowd walked by my window. I actually looked out as Buchanan hall one Saturday morning when all kinds of moving vans and trucks were pulling up to take students home and I said to myself, “good, get those kids out of here” now I want them back so that our parish can get back to normal.

Our gospel today is both a culmination and a transition: it is the culmination of what has taken place the last two Sundays. These past few Sunday’s we’ve been hearing a consecutive set of readings from the gospel of Mark. You might remember two Sundays ago, Fr. Ev preached about how the apostles were sent on mission and Fr. Ev also challenged us to go on mission. Last week, I preached about the return of the apostles and how they were not given time to reflect on their evangelical mission because they were overrun by people. I challenged us to persevere through the tough times in order to carry out the mission that we began. The next story in Mark is the very story that we heard today but, as you may have caught, we transitioned to the Gospel of John. Same story, just expanded a little bit…enough to fill five Sundays talking about the bread of life. The transition to this is this miracle story of the feeding of the 5000 and all that surrounds it. Just like last week, we recognize that the success of the apostles evangelical endeavors has led to a large crowd that seemed like sheep without a shepherd, to use terminology from the gospel of Mark. In John, however, there is no demand for food. Jesus just knows their hunger and desires to feed them. I imagine most of us can sympathize with the hunger of the crowd. But, imagine being Phillip who heard that it’s his responsibility to feed them. It seems impossible. It would take 200 days wages to feed 5000 people! It takes Andrew’s cool head to see that Jesus wasn’t going to leave them without hope. He was probably at the wedding at Cana when Jesus turned Water into wine, he knew he could feed the hungry masses. Because of a boy’s five loaves and two fish and the faith of Andrew, the whole crowd is fed such that there is even more left over than when they started.

I think it deserves to be said that there are a few messages that aren’t quite central for this reading. The fact that there was enough left over that they had to gather it up is not just an ecological message about not wasting food, even though that’s a good message that we Americans need to hear. Nor is this gospel merely a message about sharing, as though the crowd, upon seeing the young man turn over his meager fish and loaves, opened their bags and started giving over what they had. It’s obvious from their reaction, wanting to make him king, that a real miracle happened here similar to the miracle that Elisha did in the first reading. Despite how important an ecological message or a message about sharing is, neither of them really has to do with this particular passage of scripture.

Instead, taking the next step from the previous two passages in Mark, Jesus is trying to tell us that his message needs to go out to all people, not just either to those who want to hear it or those who act like they want to hear it. Our goal, according to the second reading today, is “to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace”. God wants us all to be united under Jesus Christ “with all humility and gentleness, with patience.” Just as Jesus gathered the fragments together, so we are called to gather the lost sheep together, especially the ones that are hardest to convince.

In the next few weeks, we will go through a difficult transition with the arrival of several new parishioners. Many of them will walk into St. Thomas and experience a liturgy like they have never experienced before. Let’s face facts; we do things here that don’t happen in most other catholic churches. This is intimidating and, again to be honest, it turns some people off. One thing that can help people make the transition to St. Thomas a little easier is quite simple: helping them know that even as strange as our liturgy might seem, they belong here. This is part of our common mission as baptized Christians – to welcome the stranger and help them feel united to us. It’s not just the role of the staff or even just the role hospitality ministers. All of us are called to do what we can to gather the people of God together so that, “(e)ven as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom; for yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ for ever.”

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.