Great site!

Yes, to those who wondered whether I died, left the Priesthood, or just got caught up in the Rapture, I am alive and well. Well, not so well. I bit of a cold has me operating at 75%. But my colds are pretty predictable, and so I'll be back to normal by Tuesday.

But even in my congested state, this blogsite got me laughing. A thanks to Fr. Tim Finnegan for pointing this out.

[cue ominous organ music]

In this season of creepy, scary things, dare to visit the BAD VESTMENTS BLOG.

Random B16 quotes on the Priesthood.

I've finally been able to catch up on some reading. I printed out the Q&A session the Holy Father had with Priests of the world at the celebrations marking the end of the Year for Priests (I know, that was LAST JUNE! I just got to it 2 weeks ago. I'm not proud, I'm just sayin'). So here are the quotes for my brothers out there:

"The temptation is great to take the matter into our own hands, to transform the priesthood -- into a normal profession, into a job that has its hours, and for the rest of the time one belongs to oneself, thus rendering it, as any other vocation, accessible and easy."

"I would say that we know the three fundamental priorities: they are the three columns of our being priests. First, the Eucharist, the sacraments: to render the Eucharist possible and present, above all to offer Sunday Mass, insofar as possible, for all, and to celebrate it in a way that it really becomes the visible act of love of the Lord for us. Then, the proclamation of the Word in all the dimensions: from personal dialogue to the homily. The third point is 'caritas,' the love of Christ: to be present for the suffering, for the little ones, for children, for persons in difficulty, for the marginalized; to really render present the love of the Good Shepherd.

And then, a very important priority also is the personal relationship with Christ. ... personal conversation with Christ is a fundamental pastoral priority, it is the condition of our work for others! And prayer is not something marginal: it is in fact the 'profession' of the priest to pray."

"Each of us should do everything possible to live our priesthood in such a way that it is convincing."

Apologies

Sorry I haven't written a flippin' thing for almost a month.

Yes, I'm alive. I promise to be back in the blogosphere soon.

The muse has hit me - MORE Haiku

Loads of committees.

Four people for Confession.

Successful parish?

Welcome back? Where ya been?

Soon parish churches will get noticeably fuller on Sundays. Once Labor Day comes and goes, the light goes on in the minds of those who treat church as if it was school (closed during the summer).

Let's put the following in the "How times have changed" file.

This morning a parishioner let me take home a "monthly calendar" (probably the forerunner of the church bulletin) from St. Mary's Church, South Amboy, NJ, from August, 1941. At the end of the booklet was this article.

First, it taught me that things were not so perfect before Vatican II. People missed Mass then, as they do now. The difference I've found is that, in 1941, you were obviously allowed to tell them that it's a sin.

I put it out there for Pastors to save and perhaps use next June, as the summer begins.

Pope on Solid Ground

From today's London Telegraph:

After the Pope presides at the beatification of Cardinal Newman in Birmingham later this month, he plans to travel to St Mary's College, Oscott, to have lunch and his customary siesta. When seminary staff checked the room he was due to stay in, they found that the joists, supporting the boards, were loose, making the room structurally unsound.

"The Holy Father wouldn't have fallen through the floor," Mgr Mark Crisp, the rector of Oscott, tells today's Tablet. "The strengthening of the room needed to be done so the Pope has done us a favour." Benedict XVI will stay in the Episcopium, the room normally assigned to travelling prelates. The Vatican recce team also felt the bed in the room was too high for the Benedict, who, at 83, needs to be able to climb in with ease, so a new one was acquired.

Happy September (part 2)

Welcome to September!

Skateboarding Priest

Yay, me!

I had a wedding this afternoon at another parish, so I had a visiting Priest friend o'mine cover my Saturday evening Mass. I did, however, get back to the parish in time to greet the people as they were leaving Mass.

I went over and stood in the back of the church (which I suppose is really the front of the church) by the doors. In fact, I stood dead center, using my girth to block access to the outside.

I stood, and waited.

Soon, there it was. Just after the moment the celebrant gave the final blessing, they began to come towards me, trying to leave Mass.

And I didn't budge.

In a rare moment of bravery, I said in my best passive-aggressive voice, "Oh no, you can't go yet. Father hasn't left yet."

Soon there was a logjam of humanity. People unable to escape, wondering what was wrong. Thinking, "Every other week we're in our car by now. What gives?"

As I stood my ground, I was trying to figure out why I was so "all of a sudden" brave?

Then it hit me. I didn't not recognize any of them, even though I've been here for 13 months. Week after week they come to Mass and leave early, so I never get the chance to shake their hands before they make for their cars.

Next week, I'll have the Saturday night Mass, and they'll leave early again.

But I did have this afternoon, and it felt great.

Yay, me!

Posh People at Trader Joe's

This morning, having nothing planned on my day off, I went to a Trader Joe's supermarket. I found about Trader Joe's years ago, and there are some things they sell that I absolutely love. Right now I live just far enough not to make a habit of going there, but close enough that it's entirely do-able.

It's kind of a "shi-shi" supermarket, with lots of organic stuff, lots of propaganda posters about preserving the environment, and, well lots of peculiar people. I like to think of it as "shopping and a show".

While walking around there today, what came to my mind were the series of 'Posh People' skits by the British comedian Catherine Tate. Watch this and you'll get the idea.

reaping what you sow

Back in May, I posted some pictures of my gardening efforts. This morning was uncharacteristic for this summer; a beautifully overcast, windy day with bits of rain, and some of my peppers and tomatoes were ready to be picked.

Eulogy article

Almost every clergyman (and most laity) have stories they can tell about experiences they've had at funerals with respect to eulogies. The stories, sadly, are usually about bad ones rather than good.

Thanks to Fr. Bernie Healey of the Diocese of Providence for bringing this to my attention, which comes from the U.S. Catholic website. Here are some bits from the article. They're looking for input on readers' experiences with eulogies, so click HERE to go to the website and read the full article.

Death by eulogy

A Catholic funeral is no place for a eulogy, says a Catholic pastor, but that doesn't mean we can't speak well of the dead.

By James Field, pastor of Incarnation Parish in Melrose and Saugus, Massachusetts and the former director of the Office of Worship for the Archdiocese of Boston.

The commonplace "eulogy" is not part of our Catholic tradition, and it doesn't belong in a Catholic funeral Mass. Eulogy is Greek for "word of praise," and we come to bury Caesar and not to praise the wretch, as Shakespeare says, because the only one we praise in liturgy is Christ.

...lately funerals have taken on the attributes of canonizations. Secular canonizations at that. Nary a word of faith, of a disciple's life, is heard at during the "words of remembrance," that brief time after communion set often set aside to remember the deceased Christian witness (rather than list off accomplishments, or more often, embarrassing moments). Indeed, you may be surprised that the Catholic Order of Christian Funerals makes only one mention of a "eulogy"-and there it outright forbids them, even warning that homilies are to be kept free from the eulogistic style.

Nevertheless, the custom of having a "word of remembrance" at the funeral Mass has seized hold in the last 30 years or so, sometimes with the grudging approval of bishops in the particular law of the diocese. This adaptation normally happens after the communion prayer and before the final commendation. Where there are guidelines, they are often ignored.

Not long ago, a priest in a nearby parish was horrified to hear a beer can pop open in the pulpit as a tipsy cavalcade of grandchildren saluted their salubrious grandpa with a final Schlitz. Next they will be wielding champagne bottles against the casket like Mamie Eisenhower smacking the bow of an aircraft carrier. I once squirmed through an extended story involving bad clams, diarrhea in a roadside forest, pursuing skunks, and home remedies that was a disgrace to the memory of a fine old Catholic gentleman.

Feast of St. Jean-Marie Vianney

Happy Feast day to my brother Priests out there! Today is our feast day, and a chance to reflect on the life of St. John Vianney. So here are some pictures on this occasion.

St. Jean Vianney (1786-1859)

The Curé of Ars

The tomb of the Curé of Ars

The kitchen of the Curé of Ars

The seldom-seen

"Keurig of Ars"

(It's not really on the tour; you have to ask to see it)

What can I say? The man liked his coffee.

Saint Lydia

Today is the feast day of Saint "Lydia the Purpler", who was St. Paul's first convert in Philippi. She comes to us in Chapter 16 of Acts of the Apostles.

In honor of the Feast day, and because I could use the laugh, here's one from Groucho.

Dead Priest Quotes

In writing about my predecessor's passing, I came across these quotes, which came from "A Priest Forever", Fr Benedict Groeschel's book about the life and death of Fr. Eugene Hamilton, as well as Archbishop Fulton Sheen's book, "The Priest Is Not His Own".

“Priests should look upon death as one of the last functions of the priesthood. It is their last Mass. This mortal body with which you were born at the incarnation was for you, O Jesus, only the material of the sacrifice. This is what this mortal body should be for each of those who share your priesthood. They must make use of it, as you did, to preach the truth, to edify men. But the essential, sacerdotal use they must make of it is to die. … They should, then, prepare for it as they prepare to celebrate Mass, because the death of a priest is a Mass, united to your death and consummated in yours for the salvation of mankind.”

Fr. Gaston Courtois

“A priest must aim to fulfill the ideal of death, the death of a victim united with Jesus crucified. … Our whole life should be a preparatory exercise for the great act of our death, the act of our supreme sacrifice with Jesus.”

Fr. Jules Leo Grimal

“Our struggle as priests then is not to become angelic and to live as if we had no body, but to become more Christlike. ‘This is my earnest longing and my hope … that this body of mine will do Christ honor. (Philippians 1:20)’”

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen

“From the day of his ordination, a priest can never forget that he has been called by God himself. The priest is called to be...

...a servant,

...a victim,

...a brother,

...a listener,

...a friend.”

Terence Cardinal Cooke

Joy... Pain... Sunshine... Rain.

Sorry that I haven't written in a bit. The Haiku was a flash of genius in my normally predictable and unimaginative life. Still, it got me thinking of a few more poetic shots across the bow towards those who annoy me. You know what they say, "When life throws you lemons, make a pipebomb." Wha, just me?

Anyway, I recall saying to myself last May that I was looking forward to an uneventful summer. My first one, in fact, since the last time my summer did not involve packing, moving, unpacking, and getting to know a new place. That last time was 2007. That was the year Anna Nicole Smith died and Al Gore won a Nobel prize, just to set the stage.

So, last week, I was formally and officially installed as Pastor of St. Lawrence Parish. My Bishop was here along with 14 priests (no easy task on a Sunday). It was a glorious day, a bit on the hot and humid side (it is July, after all), but still a great day which found me in a daze I hadn't felt since my ordination weekend, wondering if it all was really happening. Here's a pic:

Joys and sorrows are a part of every person's life, and the same can be said in the life of a parish. This past Wednesday, my predecessor as Pastor of St. Lawrence, Father Joe Szulwach, passed away. Though we knew his health was not at all good, the quick decline we witnessed and his past rallies from death's door made it still a bit of a shock. His body will arrive here on Monday afternoon, and his funeral is scheduled for next Tuesday. Though I've had some experience with a dying Pastor, I'm still nervous about making sure I've done everything properly. Tomorrow, in fact, I'll have another "first" in my Priestly life: vesting a deceased Priest.

So next week is August, and I've often said that in the lift of a parish Priest, summer ends on the Feast of the Assumption. That's when thoughts turn towards September and the emergence of all the meetings and programs that come out of summer hibernation.

A Haiku for Those Who Leave Mass Early

I see you each week.

Receiving Our Lord, then out.

Hope you get Hem'rhoids.

Better sit down when you read this: Media has double standard when it comes to Catholics.

Check out the blog of Father Tim Finnegan for his "dead on target" analysis of the free pass the media has granted Roman Polanski.

Newsflash: Prince Charles poised to alienate English Catholics

From the London Telegraph:

Prince of Wales may miss Pope Benedict XVI's historic visit to Britain

Think of it as a "Cardio" workout

Check out this article from the New York Post, guaranteed to get your blood going.

July 5

So today everyone gets a day off to celebrate July 4th. But today is July 5th. I always remember a few years ago, where the Monday after the 4th was celebrated as "Independence Day Holiday". I was getting ready to celebrate Mass, when the weekend organist came in to tell me she was playing because it was the "4th of July". I told her she could certainly stay, but that July 4th had passed and I didn't want any patriotic music at this Mass. She gave me one of those looks.

So today is July 5th and everyone takes another day off. Somehow our forefathers put their necks on the line with King George, so that we could have a day off. But a day off from what? Kids are already off from school, so are teachers. It's wasted on them. If I were them, I'd petition for a day off in September sometime, maybe the day after Labor day.

[whoops, went off on a tangent there. let me bring it back]

So the Gospel this morning tells the story of Jesus interacting with two people: The synagogue official and the woman with the hemorrhage. Two great moments:

• The synagogue official was not just an official, but the man in charge of the day to day running of the Temple. Chosen by the elders, he would have been a man of undoubted faith and an unquestionable reputation among his people. What a moment it must have been when this highly esteemed man who represented the Temple itself came and knelt before Christ. How many gasps there must've been in the crowd at this sign of submission. But he also would have been a guy who loathed Jesus, and the way He was luring people away from Judaism (eg - work on the sabbath). If this guy is coming to Jesus on behalf of his daughter, he's doing so because he has tried everything else to heal her. His belief in Jesus' power is somewhat limited, but normal, since he believed Jesus could only heal her if He touched her.
• The woman with the hemorrhage is suffering daily. Blood loss would have made her perpetually weak. Society would have stayed away from her, since Jewish law said a woman was unclean during her menstrual cycle (her condition made her perpetually unclean in their eyes). She, too, probably tried every cure and remedy people recommended, all to no avail. Finally, she goes to Jesus. She has such a faith in His power that she feels even touching his clothing (touching something that is touching Him) will heal her.

The danger is that she was looking to touch Jesus' tallit just for the healing power, like some sort of vending machine. We still have that crowd around us: How many of our Catholic brothers and sisters come out for ashes or to have their throat blessed, without any desire or intention to go to Mass or Confession? It leans towards idolatry, just a hop, skip, and jump from those who think rock crystals have special powers. Even Jesus is afraid the crowd (and the woman) will feel His healing power comes from his garments, so He makes sure to tell the woman her faith healed her.

Finally, I also love that line at MT 9:24, when Jesus says the girl is "not dead, but sleeping". Sometimes as parish Priests, we can throw our arms up in the air in disgust and surrender when we see people continually arrive late for Mass, get up in the middle of the consecration to go to the bathroom, or leave right after receiving the Eucharist. I love that Gospel passage because it gives me hope. Their faith is not dead, just dormant and needs to be woken up.

Now, what can I do to "wake" it? Oh, lots of things (he says with an evil grin).

MWAH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Why am I smiling?

Good question. A few reasons.

First, the humidity has been gone for almost 48 hours now. It fell just right, so that I had an enjoyable day off yesterday driving around back roads of my diocese without the need for air conditioning.

Next, on Fridays, one of my predecessors as Pastor here (now retired and living in the area) comes and says the daily Mass here, giving me the chance not so much to "sleep in" as take extra time, have a second cup of coffee, and watching TV. With a cool breeze blowing through my rooms it was a lovely morning.

Finally, I had a funeral this morning of an 80 year old man I anointed a few days ago. Eight children. Twenty grandchildren. Lots of sibling who, themselves, have large families. To quote Rocco Palmo's overused words, "suffice it to say" the church was packed.

But what made this funeral palpably different was the level of participation. Everyone knew the responses. People sang. Everyone knew when to stand and sit and kneel. Everyone was respectful. Sadly, this is so rare today that, when it does happen, it stays with me (and any priest of deacon reading this will back me up on that). Truthfully, having one funeral like this fortifies me enough to take nine other funerals in which it seems that the only one who went to church regularly was the deceased.

THAT'S why I'm smiling.

Happy Canada Day!

On Retreat

Happy Monday, Church.

I'm sorry for "going dark" on you. Things here are so busy, what with all that I have to do.

I'll be away this week on retreat at my alma mater, Mount St. Mary's Seminary. Please pray for me.

-30-

SVILUPPO: I hope this made you feel as if Rocco himself was giving the news.

"Bring flowers of the fairest,

Bring flowers of the rarest..."

The Kingdom of Heaven: our "Best" or our "best offer"?

We're a culture of negotiators.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. If you like Rice Krispies, and one supermarket sells a box for $4.99 while another sells the same box for $3.99, you'll tend to buy it for the lesser price. You need to buy a new refrigerator, naturally you price hunt.

But it creeps up in other things. I accumulated $15,000 in debt on my credit card; How much do I really have to pay the company? The parish I belong to has a deadline of August 1 to submit registrations for religious education; when can I really turn it in? The speed limit on the Garden State Parkway is 65 m.p.h.; how fast can I drive without attracting the attention of the State Police? And, if I do get pulled over, what combination of cards, window stickers, and sweettalk will get the Trooper to NOT write the ticket? Sadly, we think we can negotiate with God. If I sing in the choir, can I be rude to my neighbor? If I donate food to the parish's social ministry, can I let my son/daughter share a hotel room with his/her prom date for the weekend? If the doctor tells me that there's a spot on my lung, do I expect the Just Judge to "dismiss it" if I promise not to smoke anymore?

In the Gospel today (still Matthew 5), Jesus begins to make his authority known (You have heard it said... But I say to you...) using the examples of murder and anger. Now you can't think of doing something, but not do it, and remain "righteous". Now, like the cloud mentioned in the first reading, you have to stop the storm when it's off in the distance.

The Lord set a tough standard for us to follow. It's gonna take work.

An homage to Father Z

In the life of a parish Priest (especially when you live alone), having the time to cook a meal is an almost unheard of treat. But, the other day, after reading another of Fr. Zuhlsdorf's culinary triumphs, I couldn't resist this:

On Sundays people should, if possible, get together for a nice meal. But after three Sunday Masses and a Corpus Christi procession, my desire for a meal is outweighed by my desire for things like a couch, The West Wing on DVD, and some air conditioning.

But still, I needed to eat, so I decided to whip up one of my favorite recipes: Un panino di burro arachidi con patate fritte e ciambelline di ciocolata which is a "Peanut butter sandwich with potato chips and chocolate donuts".

First, I undid the twist tie on some Pane Italiano.

... unscrew the lid on your peanut butter ...

... spread the peanut butter on the bread evenly ... Be sure not to let your bird feeders distract you!!! ...

To drink, I priced a fine Thé Freddo a Limone di Wawa, vintage 2010.

The finished product. Buon Appetito!

Red Mass(es)

Justin, Marcellinus & Peter, Charles Lawanga and the 11 companions, and Boniface. It's a week of wearing red as we celebrate martyrs.

The only other day of the week is Friday, a First Friday, which is usually a votive Mass for the Sacred Heart (where you'd think red would be the choice - a la Valentines Day - but you wear white). But then, next Friday, is the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart. I considered NOT celebrating the Sacred Heart today, to draw attention to next Friday's feast. Especially since next Friday's feast will mark the end of the Year for Priests.

In the meantime, hope you enjoyed the red.

Rev. Patrick Barrett - R.I.P.

Today is the fifth anniversary of the death of Father Patrick Barrett, a Priest of the Metuchen Diocese.

When I first thought about becoming a Catholic, a friend of mine (my future Godfather) brought me to Fr. Barrett, who agreed to instruct me. On Monday nights from January to September, 1990, I would meet with him for about an hour to talk about the Catholic faith. My class "textbooks"? the Baltimore Catechism and the New Testament.

It was Fr. Barrett who Baptized me, heard my first Confession, and gave me my First Holy Communion. It was to Fr. Barrett that I first went to seek counsel about the feeling I was having that God was calling me to the Priesthood. Finally, in May of 1998, it was Fr. Barrett whom I asked to vest me at my ordination. The picture above was taken that day; you can barely make out his head on the left.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord...

You know you're thinking like a Pastor when...

This morning, members of the Laurence Harbor Fire Company and the Fire Company's Ladies Auxiliary were at the 8am Mass. It's a Memorial Day tradition.

The Mass was going fine until, just before Communion, one of our elderly Extraordinary Ministers tripped on the sanctuary steps and fell down.

She was fine, but all I could think to myself was, "Thank God we had the Fire Department here and not the trial lawyers!"

Gardening

Just some pictures from my gardening endeavors:

I bought a Gardenia plant just before Easter, and so far I've had no luck getting it to blossom. But last week it turned warm all the time and so I could put it outside all the time. Now, I've got buds on the plant. Stay tuned.

I bought these grow bags from a catalog, and this one is for herbs. I've got basil, lemon basil, cilantro, italian parsley, thyme, and chives.

Different flowers which will eventually get placed around the back of the rectory.

On the 2nd floor, more grow bags with tomatoes and peppers.

In the "it had to happen eventually" Department

From the Messenger-Gazette, a local paper in Somerset County in my diocese:

Police responded to Mary, Mother of God Roman Catholic Church on Sunday for a report of a fight in the parking lot between an usher and a parishioner after the usher told the parishioner to stop videotaping during Mass.

For the whole story, click HERE. Evidently there also was a video of the altercation(s) put on YouTube, but these have been removed.

Now, let me start with the disclaimer: I'm not assigned to this parish. I have been there twice in my lifetime, once about ten years ago to serve as Master of Ceremonies for a retired Bishop who was administering Confirmations, and nor have I ever been there, and the second time for a Priest's funeral. So I do not know the characters involved. But, that being said, let me make some general observations (i.e., tirades, rants, whatever) about such a situation.

First, about the general Catholic public. Quite honestly, the vast majority of Catholics do not know how to behave in Church. This comes from a whole variety of reasons, some because of a cultural "relaxation" of rules of decorum, and others because a deliberate attempt to remove the transcendence and mystery from the Church's doctrine. But it will not come as a shock to any Priest, Deacon, seminarian, or CCD coordinator or teacher that people who come to a Church for a Sacrament of initiation (a baptism, 1st Communion, or Confirmation) when I say that people treat God's house like crap. They are totally unaware of the Divine Presence (which is at times a monster we created by moving the Lord to some obscure spot). They've come to treat liturgy like a performance, a show. If it's only that, they they're perfectly correct in acting like a church is a movie theater in which they can sit and chat (either with the person next to them or on a cellphone) and drink Dunkin Donuts coffee whilst buying their kid's silence by feeding them Cheerios, as long as they promise to be quiet once the "show" starts. If we say something to them, then we're being "cold", "rigid", and "unpastoral". If we say nothing to them, then the few Catholics who are trying to spend some time praying get the impression that we approve of such behavior, and begin to chit chat themselves. Add to this the fact that these Catholics are, by their actions, teaching their children that this is the way to behave in a church, and you see how this weed will keep growing back.

Now, about Catholic Church ushers. For the most part, your task is about taking up the collection and handing out bulletins, and these are necessary things in the life of a parish. I also know there's times when you get asked to do the priest's "dirty work" (telling someone to sit down when all they want to do is stand in the back of church because they want the quick escape after Communion), and for that, I thank you. But, let me also say this: I don't care what you do or did as a profession, putting on the blazer does not give you superpowers. It does not exempt you from sitting through Mass like everyone else. It doesn't allow you to stand in the back of church chatting away with fellow ushers whilst Mass is going on. I have visited lots and lots of churches over the course of my years as a Catholic, a Seminarian, a Deacon and a Priest. I think there's a lot of ushers who are going to be quite shocked when God makes the delineation for them on judgment day between the Masses they "attended" and the Masses they were merely "at".

I'm sure this will become a thing that involves police, lawyers, a lot of yelling, and very little will be remembered about the children who received the Sacrament of Confirmation. There's no way to "punish" this family for their behavior, since in all likelihood they aren't Mass goers and won't be back in church next Sunday.

You've gotta love St. Paul

I mean the person, not the city. I've never been to St. Paul, and it might be nice, but I'm talking about the person. But I digress.

We're almost done reading the Acts of the Apostles as our first readings at weekday Masses. In today's reading, he owns the Sanhedrin by causing an implosion over the question of life after death in Judaism.

Meanwhile, he owns the Romans by pulling out his "ace in the hole": Paul is a Roman citizen. And, not just one that bought their citizenship after being a slave or a soldier (that was impressive enough). He was a Roman citizen by birth, which was the "elite class" of citizen. Just before he is about to be scourged, he drops the "C- bomb" on them, which gets the soldiers to back off and treat him with a little respect. Now, instead of seeing their priority as keeping order in Jerusalem, they now see their priority as keeping Paul safe from harm.

You've gotta love St. Paul, fighting a two front war and winning both.

Another gift idea for Priests

These three panels are 20x20 each, and are available from a place called copiart, which I saw in a mall kiosk in San Diego. $170 dollars for the three of them.

Vatican gets FiOs

From today's Vatican News Service Daily Bulletin:

The Governorate of Vatican City State and Telecom Italia have announced the signing of a contract for the installation of the first nucleus of the "Integrated Communication Infrastructure for Vatican City State". This consists in a broadband IP network capable of voice, data and video transmission within the territory of the Holy See and Vatican City, according to a communique published today.

The plan includes, among other things, fibre optic cable links between the ten main extraterritorial sites including the Pontifical Villas at Castelgandolfo and the radio stations in Santa Maria de Galeria.

A priest gift idea

When I was first ordained, I started subscribing to the weekly English edition of L'Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper. It's a bit expensive ($129 a year), but realize you get 52 issues so it comes to about $2.50 an issue.

In honor of the Year for Priests, they're running a special for new subscriptions for Priests, where you get 20% off (so it comes to about $103).

This time of year, people are looking for gift ideas for newly ordained Priests or Priests celebrating anniversaries, retirements, transfers, etc. But hurry, the offer ends at the end of June.

Here's an idea.

B16 speaking about the internet, again.

Thanks to the Zenit News Agency for this (my emphasis added):

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 25, 2010 - Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave Saturday in an audience in Paul VI Hall with participants in a national conference on "Digital Witnesses: Faces and Languages in the Cross-Media Age," an initiative promoted by the Italian bishops' conference.,

Eminence,

Venerable Brothers in the Episcopate,

Dear Friends,

I am happy for this opportunity to meet with you and to conclude your gathering, which has had as its quite evocative theme, "Digital Witnesses: Faces and Languages in the Cross-Media Age." I thank the president of the Italian bishops' conference, Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, for the cordial words of welcome with which, once again, he desired to express the affection and the nearness of the Church in Italy to my apostolic service. In his words the cardinal reflects the faithful adhesion to Peter of all the Catholics of this beloved nation and the esteem of so many men and women animated by the desire to seek the truth.

The time in which we live is experiencing an enormous expansion of the frontiers of communication, realizing an untold convergence between different media and making interaction possible. Thus the Internet manifests an open vocation, with an egalitarian and pluralistic tendency, but at the same time it has dug a moat about itself: One speaks, in fact, of the "digital divide." It separates the included from the excluded and adds to the other discrepancies that separate nations from each other and divide them internally. The dangers of homogenization and control, of intellectual and moral relativism, already quite evident in the bent of the critical spirit, in truth reduced to the play of opinions, in the multiple forms of the degradation and humiliation of the human person in his intimate dimension. One witnesses, then, a "polluting of the spirit, which makes us smile less, makes our faces gloomier, less likely to greet each other or look each other in the eye..." ("Speech in the Piazza di Spagna, December 8, 2009"). But this meeting points to recognizing faces and so to overcoming those collective dynamics that can make us lose the perception of the depth of persons and remain at the surface: When that happens, they are bodies without souls, objects of trade and consumption.

How is it possible today to return to faces? I tried to show the road in my third encyclical. It passes through that "caritas in veritate" that shines upon the face of Christ. Love in truth constitutes a "great challenge for the Church in a world that is becoming progressively and pervasively globalized" ("Caritas in Veritate," no. 9). The media can become a factor in humanization "not only when, thanks to technological development, they increase the possibilities of communicating information, but above all when they are geared towards a vision of the person and the common good that reflects truly universal values" (no. 73). This demands that they "focus on promoting the dignity of persons and peoples, they need to be clearly inspired by charity and placed at the service of truth, of the good, and of natural and supernatural fraternity" (ibid.). Only under those conditions can the epochal journey that we are undertaking become something rich and fertile with new opportunities. Without fear we want to set out upon the digital sea embracing the unrestricted navigation with the same passion that for 2,000 years has steered the barque of the Church. More than with technical resources, although necessary, we want to qualify ourselves dwelling in this universe too with a believing heart, that contributes to giving a soul to the uninterrupted communicational flow of the Internet.

This is our mission, the Church's mission that she cannot renounce: The task of every believer who works in the media is that of "opening the door to new forms of encounter, maintaining the quality of human interaction, and showing concern for individuals and their genuine spiritual needs. They can thus help the men and women of our digital age to sense the Lord's presence" ("Message for the 44th World Communications Day, May 10, 2010"). Dear Friends, you are called to take on the role of "animators of the community" on the Internet too, attentive to "prepare the ways that lead to the Word of God," and to express a particular sensitivity to "the disheartened and those who have a deep, unarticulated desire for enduring truth and the absolute" (ibid.). The Internet could in this way become a kind of "Court of the Gentiles," where "there is also a space for those who have not yet come to know God" (ibid.).

As animators of culture and communication, you are a living sign of how much "Church communities have always used the modern media for fostering communication, engagement with society, and, increasingly, for encouraging dialogue at a wider level" (ibid.). In this field voices are not lacking in Italy: We need only to point to "Avvenire," TV2000, the inBlu radio network and the SIR press agency, along with Catholic periodicals, the network of weekly diocesan papers and the now numerous Catholic Web sites. I exhort all media professionals not to tire of nourishing in their heart that passion for man that draws ever closer to the languages he speaks and to his true face. You will be helped in this by a solid theological formation and above all a deep and joyful passion for God, fed by a constant dialogue with the Lord. The particular Churches and religious institutes, for their part should not hesitate to value the formation courses offered by the Pontifical universities, by the University of the Sacred Heart and the other Catholic and ecclesiastical universities, providing persons with foresight and resources. The media world should be a part of pastoral planning.

As I thank you for the service you give to the Church and therefore to the cause of man, I exhort you to walk the roads of the digital continent, animated by the courage of the Holy Spirit. Our confidence is not uncritically placed in any instrument of technology. Our strength lies in being Church, believing community, able to bear witness to all the perennial newness of the Risen One, with a life that blooms in fullness in the measure that it opens up, enters into relation, gives itself gratuitously.

I entrust you to the protection of Mary Most Holy and the great saints of communication and bless you from my heart.

Don't mess with hockey players!

From last night's Caps/Habs game.

Warning: contains a GDM (GRAPHIC DENTAL MOMENT)

Feast of St. George

Life (in a parish)

I had some matches I wanted to bring over to the sacristy (last Sunday our lighter/clicker thingee [yes, that is the technical term] ran out of fluid).

Since I was going over anyway, I thought I'd replenish the pamphlet rack.

That got me to wonder where I can put the box with the extra pamphlets. I looked in a closet in the sacristy.

That got me to reshuffle some boxes with sanctuary lamp candles on the floor of the closet, which got me to move some other stuff, which got me to look at the stuff on the cabinet I haven't put away since Holy Week.

That got me to look at last year's paschal candle laying there. My friend found a company that will recycle beeswax candles and give store credit for buying new candles. That got me opening up a closet where I had seen an old paschal candle, to see if there were any more.

To make room for the paschal candles I found (5 in all), I needed to move some things off of the counter top, among them some purple cloth we used to cover the processional cross' corpus and some statues.

That got me opening up other closets to put away the purple cloths into storage bins.

That got me to put away 2 candelabra, which have been hanging out there since Holy Thursday, but they won't fit on the shelf with the candles still in them.

That got me to take the candles out and put them neatly in a box so they can be used again. But then the candle followers were making the box too heavy.

That got me to open a cupboard where we keep plastic storage bins with candle followers, so I could store them there.

That got me to start digging out that cupboard, throwing away junk, and discovering 2 unused cans of incense from Holy Rood Guild (currently retailing for $39. a can).

That got me to open a can of the incense to see if it was still usable. So I decided to light a piece of charcoal and light some of the incense.

That got me to try out some other incense I recently bought (not knowing there were 2 perfectly good cans of incense buried deep inside the cupboard).

That got me to bring a can of the Holy Rood incense back to the rectory to see if I could split it up a bit. The moisture has evaporated, leaving only the balm. Right now it's like a sticky clump.

When I got back to the rectory, over an hour later, I still had the matches in my pocket, which is why I went over to the church in the first place.

Welcome to my life.

Bishop Paprocki to Springfield

This morning Rome announced that Chicago Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Paprocki was made Ordinary of the Diocese of Springfield, IL.

I've known about the Bishop for years, and he and I share a love for hockey and especially playing goalie. A few years ago, when I had started playing on the ice again after some 20 years, I wrote to His Excellency. He wrote back, enclosing a signed photo from his cover shoot for USA Hockey Magazine.

In the letter, he wrote this:

"My most important tip for a goalie is the mental aspect of the goalie's game. To be successful, a goalie needs to play with CONFIDENCE. Interestingly, the word 'confidence' comes from the Latin, con + fide ("with faith"), which means that a goalie needs to play with great faith in God and in the talents, skills and abilities that God has given to him. Remember that Jesus said, 'All things are possible with God' (Mark 10:27)."

I also love the fact that the Bishop who loves having pucks shot at him is made the head of his own Diocese on the day when, in the Gospel for Mass, St. Stephen is having rocks shot at him! If only Stephen had the pads :-)

I finish with a little thing on You Tube I found on the Bishop.

Occupational Hazard

Since Tuesday evening, I've been feeling pretty icky. I know, it's not a medical term. But it pretty well sums up the feeling. Sore throat, hurts to swallow, and congestion up in the sinuses.

I blame myself. Most of the time I'm pretty good at making sure I wash my hands after shaking hands with people after the weekend Masses. I was good at it all winter, making sure that we had plenty of antibacterial gel in the sacristy. But then the weather changed, and I caught up into Easter, and on Holy Saturday night and Easter Sunday, I totally forgot about cleaning my hands after pressing the flesh with the People of God.

The odds were against me, really. All those people. All those germs. It only takes one to get (literally) into my head and start procreating. I wonder if Humanae Vitae covered germs, too?

Colds that come from being around people put clergy into the same category as teachers and flight attendants, I suppose. It's part of "what we do". Hyman Roth said it best to Michael Corleone.

So what do I do? I load up on Vitamin C. I keep the Dayquil and Nyquil people in business. I go through tissues like they're, well, tissues. I know this will pass, but until then, it's still a pain in the neck.

Let that be a lesson: Folks, if you're sick, don't think your Priest will take it the wrong way if you don't shake his hand. Similarly, if he's sick, don't think he's being rude if he chooses not to shake hands with you.

Monday of the Easter Octave

Easter Decorations

Good Friday at St. Lawrence

Holy Thursday decorations

Actor's faith and family come first

Click here for a story about Neal McDonough, who was recently fired by ABC because of his refusal to film sex scenes. His reason?

He's a family man and a Catholic, and he's always made it clear that he won't do sex scenes.

"Bless me, Father, for I have sinned..."

Question of the Day

Why is it that the same "purists" who have no trouble coming to Midnight Mass at Christmas complain when an Easter Vigil might start at, say, 9 p.m.?

How ya feelin' today, Laurie?

I really haven't been writing about the articles that have been coming from the New York Times. I figured, "It's Holy Week, and this is what they do: come up with something to write that, if read, puts a bad taste in your mouth about the Roman Catholic Church." Do I make light of it? Absolutely not. But like the rainstorm that is hitting the window next to me as I type this, there's very little I can do about it. Michael Deaver, former media guru to Ronald Reagan, once gave the advice, "Never argue with anyone who buys ink by the barrel!".

In a way, you have to pity the Times. Subscriptions are dwindling. Their company now has layoffs upon layoffs about as often as I get e-mailed coupons from Borders. Maybe Laurie Goodstein is just trying to make herself "necessary" to her bosses before the next round of layoffs. Maybe this is retribution for the Catholic Church's objections to the Democratic party's push for their healthcare agenda (the timing seems about right). Maybe this is just something that gives the enlightened ones the giggles as they watch Manhattan Catholics make their last minute visits to Church for Holy Week, searching for some Priest to hear their confession? My personal opinion is that, as Pope Benedict leads the the events of Holy Week, they simply want the caption underneath the video footage to read, "Pope leads services amid allegations" [add ominous organ music here - or dramatic chipmunk].

Today an article is out and about the blogosphere from the man who was Judicial Vicar (the chief canon law expert) for the Milwaukee Archdiocese when the whole question of bringing ecclesiastical charges against Fr. Murphy came up. It's a long article, much longer than our sound bite mentality, attention deficit inflicted minds can normally take in one reading. But, if you're genuinely interested in knowing where a professional journalist for one of, what was, one of the most respected newspapers in the world got it WRONG, then read the article. This is bad research, approved by bad editing, confirmed by bad publishers. I think the "old grey lady" has a touch of Dementia.

Now, on a supernatural level (I am a Priest, after all), let's look at this in the context of Holy Week. For the last week or so, roughly about the time this story has been out there, we've been reading at Mass the stories about how it is getting more dangerous for Jesus to be out and about. The Scribes & Pharisees don't want him to make them irrelevant. The Herodians like things the way they are. The Romans just want peace and quiet. None of them have been able to sway his followers away from supporting him using the truth, so they're resorting to lies.

If they did this to Jesus Christ, should we be shocked that it's happening to his Vicar?

Palm Sunday at St. Lawrence Church

Solemnity of the Annunciation

"The mystery of the annunciation to Mary is not just a mystery of silence. It is above and beyond all that a mystery of grace. We feel compelled to ask ourselves: Why did Christ really want to be born of a virgin? It was certainly possible for him to have been born of a normal marriage. That would not have affected his divine Sonship, which was not dependent on his virgin birth and could equally well have been combined with another kind of birth. ... We find the answer when we open the Old Testament and see that the mystery of Mary is prepared for at every important stage in salvation history. It begins with Sarah, the mother of Isaac, who had been barren, but when she was well on in years and had lost the power of giving life, became, by the power of God, the mother of Isaac and so of the chosen people. The process continues with Anna, the mother of Samuel, who was likewise barren, but eventually gave birth; with the mother of Samson, or again with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptizer. The meaning of all these events is the same: that salvation comes, not from human beings and their powers, but solely from God - from an act of his grace."

Joseph Ratzinger, 1977

Prayer over the gifts today

From the Sacramentary:

"Lord, as we come with joy to celebrate the mystery of the eucharist, may we offer you hearts purified by bodily penance. Grant this through Christ our Lord."

A better translation of the Latin:

"Lord, as we prepare to celebrate your sacred mysteries, please grant that, as a result of our bodily penance, we may display a purity of heart that will be pleasing to you. We ask this through Christ our Lord."

Whoa Nelly, "bodily penance" for Lent? How often do you hear talk of THAT anymore? You mean Lent isn't just about giving up cookies or saying naughty words?

Now, on that topic, I'm off to the gym for an hour of bodily penance (to make up for the St. Joseph's pastries last Friday).

Sometimes a father has to take his kids to the woodshed

From the Pope's letter to the Catholics of Ireland:

"You betrayed the trust that was placed in you by innocent young people and their parents, and you must answer for it before Almighty God and before properly constituted tribunals. You have forfeited the esteem of the people of Ireland and brought shame and dishonour upon your confreres. Those of you who are priests violated the sanctity of the sacrament of Holy Orders ..."

Passion Sunday, 2010

T.G.I.F.(a.a.S.)!

My pal Father Guy, over at Shouts in the Piazza, has a blog entry about an ecclesial eclipse that is set to take place tomorrow.

On March 19 each year (unless it's a Sunday, but that's for another blog entry), the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Joseph. The Church ranks this as a Solemnity, the highest ranking for a feast day. The effects of a Solemnity will be noticeable: white vestments will be worn (and not Lenten purple), the Gloria will be sung or recited (which we lost during Lent), the Creed will be recited at a weekday Mass, and prayers proper for the feast day itself will be used (compared to the Lenten propers). This will give us, as it were, a day to "step out of Lent".

Where it gets interesting comes in the fact that, this year, the Feast falls on a Friday of Lent, which us normally a day of abstinence. As Fr. Guy points out in his blog, Canon 1251 of the Code of Canon Law says that when a Solemnity-ranked feast day falls on a Day of Abstinence, the Solemnity wins.

This means that, tomorrow, one does not have to abstain from meat, in honor of the Feast Day of Saint Joseph. In addition, if you have given up sweets as a Lenten sacrifice, you could indulge yourself a little bit tomorrow. As Fr. Guy's blog entry says, one may still choose to abstain, but one is not required to do so.

"But what about St. Patrick?", some of you ask. "Is this why we can eat corned beef on a Friday of Lent?" In a word, "no". The feast day of St. Patrick (like Sts. Casimir, Frances of Rome, John of God, today's Cyril of Jerusalem, et al.) does not rank as a Solemnity (for most places - I'm thinking that there are exceptions like New York and Harrisburg - whose Cathedrals are named for St. Patrick). Even the weekdays of Lent take precedence over the feast days of Saints, and this technically "downgrades" them from memorials to commemorations. This is why you rarely see anything outside of purple vestments during Lent (compared to Ordinary Time, when you see all the liturgical colors). It means that in the case of our American obsession with corned beef in honor of Ireland's own, a dispensation should be asked for and received by the local Bishop. Universal law does not allow you to do it, so it needs a relaxing of the law by the one who is able to do so for his flock. You're fine with the cabbage and potatoes.

So, yes, enjoy this moment when the Solemnity of St. Joseph (the

moon) blocks the Lenten

abstinence rules (the sunlight) from Catholics worldwide (the earth). Eclipses only come around once in a while, but they're worth checking out when they happen.

Thank God it's Friday (And a Solemnity)!

Happy Laetare Sunday!

Genesis 7:11

"...on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth."

Naaman: tough guy, but great skin!

One night, when I was young, my friends and I decided to go to play Bingo at a local Byzantine church. We had nothing to do (and were still under 21, so Atlantic City was out), we figured it'd be fun.

So there we were. In a church hall. Cigarette smoke hanging like a haze in the air. If you've ever been to Bingo (or worked a Bingo as part of a deal to lower your child's Catholic school tuition), you know the rest of the story:

• Upon walking into the room, we lowered the average age of the hall by 15 years.
• We only played like 2 cards each. "Specials? What the heck are specials? You mean they're not included in the price?"
• We sat in seats that "belonged" to other people. Not that they were there. Not that their names were on the chairs. Not that there was any "Reserved" signs on the tables that we ignored. We were "shoo-ed" away from the first three tables we wanted to sit at, because the same people put their same butts in those same chairs for years.
• We didn't have the proper Bingo equipment: some sort of craft show produced carry-all. A collection of pictures of children and grandchildren (heck, they could have just been the pictures that come with a new wallet, for all we knew). Nor did we have Bingo chips to mark the cards.
• We made noise. Evidently you're not supposed to talk to each other during Bingo. To think, we could have gone to the library on a Friday night.
• We didn't join in the attacks on the Bingo caller: "You're calling the numbers too fast, too slow, with too much of an accent, with food in your mouth, etc.
• AND THEN THE WORST OFFENSE POSSIBLE: one of us actually won. We acted like he just hit the game winning home run in game 7 of the World Series, high five-ing each other. But then we saw the looks, the stares, the glares. We're not supposed to win. We just showed up tonight. We only played 2 cards. We didn't have the chachkis that invoke the bingo-gods from on high. In short: we were OUTSIDERS who got something.

Understand that, and you get Jesus bringing up Naaman the Syrian in today's Gospel. They thought God needed them more than they needed God, and Jesus let 'em have it, to the point that they wanted to kill him.

Today's First Reading tells the story of Naaman that Jesus alludes to in the Gospel, the story that everyone in that Synagogue in Nazareth knows. Naaman was a non-Jew and the commander of the King of Aram's army, and a leper. Eventually Elisha the prophet will cure him, and there's some interesting lessons we learn from it:

1. The God of Israel cures a Gentile. God has power over everyone.
2. Naaman brought loads of treasure, presuming a cure would have a price to it. How many people treat God as if He is a commodity they can "buy" (or "rent") as needed?
3. Naaman doesn't have to renounce his former faith before God cures him. Nor does he have to go through a catechumenate before getting cured. Nor does he need a "sponsor certificate".
4. Naaman only finds out about this by a seemingly coincidental chain of events: Naaman's wife's servant girl starts the ball rolling. But then the King of Israel thinks this is just a set-up to provoke a fight between the nations, and his lamenting is what gets Elisha's attention. Naaman then bounces from the King to Elisha. Sometimes the craziest quests bring us the greatest victories.
5. Naaman's retinue goes from a royal palace to Elisha's simple front door. Sometimes the thing we're looking for can be found in the place we least expect to find it.
6. Elisha doesn't talk directly to Naaman. Nor does he see him, touch him, or say magic words. Remember, the prophet is only God's mouthpiece. It's God that is curing Naaman.
7. Naaman is offended that Elisha won't come out to see him, and is ready to go home. If Naaman's servants weren't there to convince him to bathe in the Jordan, he'd still be a leper. How many people don't go to Confession because they don't think God can forgive them?
8. God doesn't just remove the leprosy and restore his skin to what it was: the skin of a middle aged man. His skin is restored above and beyond, to that of a baby. No need to buy Clinique for Naaman on his birthday! When God gives, He gives in abundance.

Three more weeks until Holy Week begins. Get clean in Confession!

*WTF?

Caught this headline scrolling on the bottom of one of the cable news channels, while at the gym this morning:

"Shorter skirts better for the economy"

*WTF = What's This Fashion? - what did you think I meant?

a hypothetical

OK, this one goes out the the Priests:

Today is, on the calendar, the first Friday of the month of March.

On the liturgical calendar, it is Friday of the Second Week of Lent.

According to the rules, one must celebrate the Lenten weekday (which takes precedence over any celebration of a Votive Mass in honor of the Sacred Heart, which is an option during Ordinary Time).

Are ya' with me so far?

On First Fridays (theoretically in honor of the First Friday devotion), myself and the Deacons of the parish make Communion calls to homebound parishioners.

But, if there is no First Friday liturgical devotion today, could a pastor, hypothetically, intentionally NOT make Communion calls?

[I know, I know: "But, Father, these people wait for you each week".]

I know what the answer is on the emotional level. I'm asking on the catechetical level. Could this be a "teaching moment" in a penitential season, to show that Lent is different from the rest of the year? Is asking the homebound to make a "Spiritual Communion" as a Lenten sacrifice "over the top"?

For those who have not had a Priest come to your home to bring Holy Communion to a loved one who is either sick or unable to get to Mass, realize that they days seem to be long gone when the house would have a reverential silence from the time the Priest entered the door with the pyx containing Our Lord. Gone are the days of someone in the family meeting you at the door with a lit candle, and a table laid out with a white cloth and candles and a crucifix.

So, anyway, all you clergy out there, ponder my question and let me know what you think.

Meanwhile, I'm off to do my Communion Calls.

Whoops!

From this morning's Gospel:

"There was a ... man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen"

Always a great exercise in self-awareness at 8am as I'm standing in the sanctuary dressed in a linen alb and a purple chasuble. Too bad he ends up dead and in Hell.