We are connected!

All Saints Day

Each and every Sunday we have the profound privlege to profess our Catholic Faith, a faith that has been passed down thru the centuries, a faith for which countless men and women martyrs have died, a faith which has tremendous power to save.
What a treasure, what a gift to profess this faith!

Today, on All Saints Day, it seems as though the beauty of our faith shines all the more brightly as we recall the memory of those who have professed this faith. People like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Kathrine Drexel, Francis of Assisi to name just a few. All of whom have professed this one same faith.

Today, we not only remember these people, as we remember George Washington on President's Day, But we remember that we are united with them. United in faith, sacrament and life. We share the life of the saints, we are indeed united and in communion with them. So much so that we can become like them. Today, we celebrate this communion with our brother and sister, saints.

We get an inkling as to what this means from the first reading today. St. John in Revelation tells us that he saw a countless throng of people, whose robes had been washed in the blood of the lamb. And then, in his letter, he reminds us that we share this communion. He reminds us that we are God's Children, and while the world does not recognize us, it is who we are. We must recongize who we are, and in so doing, we will be blessed.

How do we keep this in mind? I very practical way, may come from a secular image, that of a VERIZON commercial. Perhaps you know the one that I mean, that which shows that we are connected. That we have a network behind us, that we are never alone. Perhaps this can encourage us, to be who we are, together with those who have gone before.

My friends let us give thanks to the Lord, for all he has done and for the gift to be part of this great Communion!

FROM "not good" to VERY GOOD

27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

There is something very interesting stated in the First Reading today.
Here in this 2nd Chapter of Genesis, we find our Lord, creating the world...He has declared so many things good, indeed everthing is good that God creates. But then suddenly, we hear these surprising words...."it is not good"...what is not good?? God declares, "It is not good for man to be alone." Isn't that interesting??? God recognizes our loneliness and he calls it by its name, i.e. "not good". And then, not only does he create a solution for man's loneliness, but he creates a salvation. i.e. Woman. For now, for the first time Love is introduced into the world that God has created, and with that, there is indeed a goodness.

If we fast forward to the Gospel for today, we find the Pharisees. And they are looking for love. They come to the Lord with a question about marriage and divorce. And notice well, that the Lord takes them back to the beginning. He reminds them that we are made not for divorce, not to live life on our own terms, but to be in right order, right relationship. We are made for Love.

My friends, the question of the Pharisees is alive today as ever, although today the questions are not so much about divorce but about same-sex marriage and the like. All of which proves that we are still hungry for love. There is still in creation, a restlessness, something that is not good. Our hearts are still hungry.

And so, we turn to the Lord. For Jesus Himself, sees our need. In fact, he experiences it...for Jeus himself became like us, like us in all things but sin. He knows then what it is like to be lonely, to be hungry, to be in need of love. And because he is God, this brings to each and every one of us, to each and every hunger that we might experience, a profound hope. That is, that God experiences, and knows our needs.

My friends, as we consider this Good News, let us allow our Lord to provide for our many hungers. Let us seek his presence in our lives and come to know that which is very good...the life of Christ, active and alive within each one of us.

The Child Leads the Way

September 20, 2009
Twenty Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B

Three weeks into the new school year, I suppose that the tests, quizzes and papers are already approaching and being given. The teaching has begun and hopefully with it the learning. We shall see. Today, we see how much learning is happening with the disciples and our Lord. And sadly, it's been a tough go at it so far.

Always the teacher, Our Lord is finding that the disciples are having a hard time learning, the toughest lesson of all, the lesson of the cross. You'll remember last week, our Lord began the lesson by announcing to his disciples that He must suffer and die. The response from the disciples was one of "charitable" non-acceptance. "No, Lord, we will never let that happen to you." And our Lord's response, "Get behind me Satan, you are thinking as human beings think, not as God thinks." Plain and simple, they did not accept his word.

So we find our Lord, trying to teach them the lesson again this week. He talks to them further about his mission and that he must suffer and die. The response this week?? Well, St. Mark tells us that they did not understand and that they were afraid to ask Him questions. And upon questioning from our Lord, they are silent...Students who just don't understand the lesson.

Does this remind you of anything? Perhaps a classroom scene...where the students are just not getting the message?? Jesus may not have the disciples in a classroom, but no doubt he is trying to communicate an important lesson about the cross. And we hear silence, we find fear, we find a lack of understanding.

So then, we see Our Lord offer a perfect remedy for all of this lack of acceptance, namely, a child. We are told that he places a child in their midst and tells them that they must be the servant, they must be as the child, little, unafraid, listening and attentive...if they are to understand the lesson of the cross...for the child will accept the message, and we must follow the little one's lead.

My friends, what a gift this is to us. We who experience the cross daily, we who know what it's like to face the jealousies, wars, conflicts that St. James speaks of. Jesus gives us the remedy, it's being the child...welcoming the child, receiving the child who is in our midst. It is the child who understands and accepts the cross. It is the child who leads the way.

This week, as we face the trials and crosses of daily life and of our own lives, let us remember that we are children, God's children. And in being his children, we will not be overcome by the complexities of the cross. We will possess everything that we need. We will turn to our Lord and find in him the guidance and everything that we need. It's as simple as being a child.

There is Something About That Name

Homily For the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary
Delivered September 12, 2009, for The Kings Men,
a Men's Group, www.thekingsmen.us

Praise God, it is good to be with you here today. We all know the value of our name, for men, our name carries a lot of weight. It is something that we pass on, something we defend, protect and share with our sons. Of course, our real hope is to have not just a name, but a good name. What a tremendous gift, to have a good name. For in the turmoils of life, a good name is a security, a comfort and a worthy goal to have.

There is of course, no better name than the name of Jesus, Savior. There is power, salvation, healing, grace and strength in his name. Today, the Church calls to mind the name of the woman who brought HIm into the world and salutes her name, Mary. Mary's name is holy because she is holy, full of grace, the immaculate one whose fruit is Jesus. The Gospel today, speaks to us of bearing good fruit, well, how beautiful a gift, to have born Jesus, as the fruit of one's womb.

As men, Mary can teach us valuable lesson about bearing fruit. For as men, we like to produce, to make a mark, to make a difference to strive for greatness, leave a legacy, we might do this through our name, but it is Mary who shows us how to bear fruit that endures. And in a nutshell, we bear lasting fruit to the extent that we allow ourselves to be conquered by God.

St. Paul is a great example of this, He did many manly, heroic things, but it all flowed out of his being CONQUERED BY GOD. In the reading today, he identifies himself as being the worst of sinners, and he identifes Jesus as being the savior of sinners. Thus, by definition, Paul is the very target for person of Jesus Christ. And Paul, recognizing himself as such, allows the "arrow" of Christ Himself, to hit him, to conquer him, and to transform him. This is the source then of Paul's greatness...it is Christ's greatness within, that exudes from Paul's being. And paul becomes a living testimony of Almighty God.

My friends, there is a valuable lesson here for us. We become real men, fruitful men, enduring men to the extent that Christ is the Man of our lives. So, yes, we will face battles, trials, fears, storms and floods, but Christ in me is conquering them.

One final point. The Gospel today says, "a good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good." Isn't that interesting? We produce good not out of sheer will power, but out of the store of Goodness. Let us then ask the Lord to stock the shelves of our heart with virtue. Then, like Mary, we too will be full of grace, love, peace and power.
AMEN.

Making History this Week

Twenty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Year B. September 6, 2009

With the Holiday Weekend upon us, it's fitting for us to call to mind some dates in our history this weekend. In fact, this week is a rather historic week, as we remember the events of September 11, 2001, 8 years ago. There are two other bits of history as well that come to mind at this time...

1)It was twenty years ago this Fall, that the Berlin Wall came crumbling down. That symbol and reality of separation and communism, finally came down, a memorable date indeed...20 years ago.

2) Another date of history was marked just yesterday. 12 years ago yesterday, September 5, 1997...Mother Teresa of Calcutta passed away.

Theese 2 particular bits of history came to mind as I read theese readings for this weekend. For our readings speak to us of openness, healing, of showing no partiality, no fear whatsoever. And it is clear from the Gospel that it is only our Lord who can do such opening, openning of our senses, openning of our minds allowing the walls come down from within us...straightening our sight, healing our speach impediments and bringing healing to us all.

The example of Mother Teresa and the words of St. Paul, who commands us today to show no partiality, certainly convict us of our need for healing, and we pray for such grace, such openness which is only found in Christ.

My friends, as we celebrate this Labor Day this weekend, we call to mind that it is the Labor of the Lord that we must be about as Christians. And as Mother Teresa said, it is His labor that we must allow for in our lives. Mother Teresa said, that the Christian is the one who gives Christ permission in his/her life. Gives God permission to do the work of God, to love, to take over, to straighten our thoughts out, to see thru our eyes to hear with our ears, to love. This love of God, which we give permission for, will indeed tear down walls in our hearts, it will indeed help us to see and to love and will transform our lives.

As schools open this week, let us pray that our hearts, minds, eyes and ears will be openned as well, by the power of God. Let's make some history of our own and know that history will be made as we allow the Lord to work in us.

To close out this homily, I'd like to leave you with some simple quotes/words of Mother Teresa....who lived the call of this Gospel...and whose witness can spur us on, to do the same.

Mother Teresa said...

"It is not how much you do but how much love you put into the doing and sharing with others that is important. Try not to judge people. If you judge others, then you are not giving love."

"We must grow in love and to do this we must go on loving and loving and giving and giving until it hurts ---the way Jesus did. You must give what will cost you something. Then your gift becomes a sacrifice, which will have value before God. Any sacrifice is useful if it is done out of love.

This giving until it hurts--this sacrifice--is also what I call love in action. Every day I see this love--in children, men and women."

Lord, may your Love be in action in me this week, AMEN.

Grounded and Moving

Homily for Saturday of the Twenty Second Week of Ordinary Time
1st Saturday Pro-Life Mass

An awful lot can happen in the course of just one week's time. This past week was no different, from Church circles to political circles to family circles, a lot happens in just one week.

The same could be said of Jesus' time and there is ample evidence for that in the Gospels that have been offered to us this week.

This week, we've been following Jesus in St. Luke's Gospel, from the beginning of his public ministry in Nazareth (Luke 4) to today's Gospel in Luke 6. Jesus is clearly on the move and so too are the hearts of those who encounter him. This week, Jesus has been greeted with amazement, wonder and faith, but also with contempt, offence and hostility. A lot is happening in just 2 chapters.

Of course, that is no surprise, for when the Lord is present, there is always a lot happening, for the presence of the Lord always evokes a movement.

St. Paul, speaks of this movement and what type of movement should be happening in the life of Jesus' disciples. He tells us that the presence of Christ has moved us from alienated and hostile minds to holiness without blemish, irreproachable before our God and Father, living witnesses of Jesus Christ. I suppose that you and I find ourselves somewhere in the middle of this movement, if you're anything like me, you still have a ways to go.

But no fear, for St. Paul, thanks be to God, outlines the way for us. He says, we must persevere in faith, be firmly grounded and stable, not shifting from the Hope of the Gospel. And in theese words, the irony of the Christian life is revealed. Namely that thru, stable grounding, we are moved! Moved in deeper faith, hope and love in Jesus our Lord!

My friends, there is nothing more grounded, more moving than the cross of Jesus. And it is before that cross, on that cross, and thru that cross that we are moved, we are transformed, we become true witness of the Gospel.

All of us today will experience that cross of the Lord, in some way, shape or form. Make no mistake, we will encounter the cross. It may be at home, with our families, in our own hearts, temptation, or surroundings. A number of us will encounter it as we stand before the Planned Parenthood, abortion clinic. There in a most tangible and palpable way, we will encounter the cross and we will be moved.

For me, when praying in front of an abortion clinic, I'm often moved to throw-up, moved to cry, moved to anger, moved to confusion and moved to experience at times the seeming impotence of faith, hope and love. All right there in front of the cross. And yet, it is precisely there, in contemplating that reality of the Cross, in experiencing that modern day Calvary Evil, that we must allow the movements within to activate the power of good, to activate a deeper faith, hope and love, theese transforming Gifts of God thru which we become witnesses for the world.

Such a powerful, grounded witness of faith, hope and love can and does change the world. And it is this witness which is needed most today. Togethere then, we pray, Lord, make me a witness of the Gospel, grounded in hope, grounded by the cross of Jesus. Make me a witness like Mary, a peaceful, powerful witness of the Gospel. Jesus help me to be your living witness today.

From Managers to Producers

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

It is estimated that in the course of just one day, the average human being receives over a thousand images, words and ideas, all in just one day. From the moment we wake up to the moment we shut our eyes so much comes at us each day, so much that we perceive. As a result, we spend much of our lives responding, reacting, dealing with what comes at us, from the outside.

We are managers, managing the variables of life, family, work, finances, etc. Thanks be to God, life is not just one way; there's more to life than what comes at us from the outside. Life is really a two way street and while that may seem far more complicated, it is indeed Good News, Hopeful News. News that demands our attention.

For you see, Life is more than what comes at us. Life also includes what comes forth from us, and what a wonderful difference that makes, what a wonderful difference our choices, our actions can make on our lives and the lives of others.

While it is true that we may spend much time managing life, we are not just managers, we are called to be producers. Today, we are invited to consider: What is my life producing? What's coming forth from my life? What's the tone, the fruit, the quality of love coming forth from my life? Did you ever ask yourself that question? It's worthy of some thought.

Our readings today offer us hope. We are reminded that Yes, we are good, the Lord has chosen us, he loved us. There is in human nature, an innate goodness in us, we are a fertile field. And we are called to bear fruit. We are called not to subtract from or add to God's law, just receive the gift of His Law, His Word. No need for managing or manipulation, only reception.

St. Paul tells us, "Humbly welcome the Word that has been planted within you and it's power to save your souls." God's Word has power, we must not stifle it. Thus, we are called to welcome the word of God and then the fruit will come.

At times in today's world, we are tempted to focus on all the problems that are outside of us, and that in itself is a problem. We must therefore, cultivate the goodness that lies within us.

Allow me to offer you the following reflection, and let us ask ourselves this week, what is the garden of my life producing? In the garden of happiness, we must:

First Plant Five rows of peas:

Prayer, Perseverance, Politeness, Promptness, Purity

Next plant three rows of squash:

Squash gossip, Squash criticism, Squash indifference

Then Five Rows of Lettuce:

Let us be faithful to duty
Let us be unselfish
Let us be truthful
Let us follow Christ
Let us love one another

No Garden is Complete Without Turnips:

Turn up for Church
Turn up with a smile
Turn up with new ideas
Turn up with determination to make everything count for something good and worthwhile.

Let's plant well, and allow the gifts that lie within each one of us to come forth and bear abundant fruit.

Growing into a Christian Man

A great video...Be Inspired to Live Greatness...

Point of Decision

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23, 2009
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

With the passage of mid August, the time of year is shifting. School days are approaching and it's time for new things: New shoes, pencils, pens and paper. This is always an exciting time of year for parents and teachers and yes, even for some students. There comes a time, when even students know, It's Time...Time to move on to another year.

We find similar times in our readings today. In our first reading, we find ourselves in the last chapter of Joshua. You will remember that Joshua was the leader of the Jewish people after Moses died. And we see in this last chapter, Joshua's final address to his people. They've finally arrived in the Promised land and now it is time for them to renew their faith, renew their covenant with the Lord. Joshua proclaims to the people, "Decide today whom you will serve, the gods of the people around us, or the Lord God." Joshua declares to the people, "as for me and my house we will serve the Lord." A point of decision, indeed.

We see a similar scene in the Gospel. Having followed the Bread of Life Discourse for the past 4 weeks, we finally arrive to the last section. As we see, the people are still murmuring! They've been murmuring throughout the chapter and the end is no different. "This is a hard teaching", they say. But notice carefully our Lord. He stands firm, he does not give in to the mumuring crowd. And in one of the saddest lines of all the Scripture, we read..."As a result of this (teaching), many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him." That is quite a line and it's interesting to note it's citation, John 6,66. Isn't that interesting??

Then our Lord, turns to the 12. "Do you also want to leave?" What a demonstration of freedom. It's a point of decision for them too. Thank God for Simon Peter. He says, so honestly, "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."

My friends, where are we in our walk with the Lord, in our faith in Jesus Christ. Certainly, we are all walking with Him, we're in church today. But now is the time, this is the time of year, a wonderful time to believe again in Jesus and to accept again His saving power. To renounce evil, to embrace life! We do this for yourselves, for our households, for others. For without this choice, our lives lack so much power and life.

One of the hot items right now in stores and in our homes are HDTVs. Really, a great thing. Well, did you ever wonder how good it would be to have a high defined life? An HD Life of faith, hope, love, centered on God and family!!!

Now's the time, for us to go for it. To come to believe and to be convinced in the love of Jesus our Lord. Let us serve him faithful for he has served us so...

Such faithfulness demands, Daily Prayer, prayer with family, monthly confession, and daily decision for Jesus.

So let us reach our decision and in so doing, we'll be living in high definition, living in love, in the Lord.

Divine Transplantation

I hope that by this time of summer, you have had an opportunity to get away and rest a while, how important it is that we do so, and give a rest to theese hearts of ours. This week, I read an article about a group of people who are finding not only a restful heart but a new heart quite literally. I read a story about heart transplantation. An amazing story of people right here in Philadelphia who are awaitng and receiving new hearts. It's a story of life and death, of waiting and patience, of science and doctors, sick people and generous givers...all coming together in a remarkable way, to provide new life, new hearts for needy people. One hospital in our area averages 40 new hearts a year, almost once a week...amazing stuff!

Such a miracle fits well into our Gospel this week, as we move into the heart of John 6, Jesus teaching on the Bread of Life. For 3 weeks now, we've been reading along in this 6th chapter of John's Gospel. We've seen the miracle of the loaves and fish, the crowds following the Lord here and there, like sheep without a shepherd. And now today, we see our Lord getting to the heart of the matter, and teaching quite clearly about what exactly He provides for his people, in short, He provides Himself.

We hear the Lord proclaim today, "I am the bread of life. The bread that came down from heaven, whoever eats this bread will live forever." Unlike your ancestors who ate manna and died, those who eat this bread will live forever.

At this, we hear the crowds "murmur". Who is He? Where is he from? Is he not from Nazareth? And yet, amidst the murmuring his teaching could not be more clear. In short, Jesus is proclaiming today that he is Our Life, Our Salvation. The living bread without which we have no life. And this is the very heart of the matter. Jesus is providing Himself to us, to feed and eat of Him.

How mysterious and refreshing are theese words. You see, all of us my friends, have been born with a heart defect, it's called sin. And we stand in need of a remedy, we stand in need of a "new heart", a heart transplantation of sorts. We stand in need of a heart that will never stop beating, a perfect heart, a pure heart, a Sacred heart, Jesus' heart!

And the Lord Jesus provides. "I am the living bread, the bread of life, eat and drink of me and never die."

St. Paul tells us today, remove from your hearts all bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling. In place, be kind, be compassionate, forgiving, be imitators of God. Be with the Lord.

You see my friends, this teaching of Jesus is an amazing gift. And what he provides for us each day is even more amazing, i.e. HIMSELF, in the Eucharist. It is far more remarkable than what happens in our local hospitals, but no less real. Our Lord is giving us new hearts, his heart.

How much we need the Heart of Jesus, to heal us, to save us, to restore us. This week, let us make a conscious choice to bring our hearts to him. Let us come to Jesus with all our hearts. With all the heart murmurs that we have, all the heart burn, all the heart aches and heart attacks, all the clogs and blockages. And he will give to us His heart. And make our hearts like His. This is what He offers to us, this is what Jesus gives. How blessed we are to receive. Lord Jesus, I give you my heart, help me to receive all the love and life that flows from yours.

REMEDY FOR HUNGER PAINS

Several years ago, IKEA Furniture Company ran a commercial that was quite clever. The viewer saw a kitchen cabinet door that was opening and closing back and forth, over and over again. And in the background, one could hear a child's voice saying, "Mom, can I have a cookie?, Mom, can I have a cookie?". Over and over again, the question sounded and with it, the door opened and closed. Thus, trying the patience of a mom, but proving the endurance of IKEA cabinet furniture! Indeed, the point was made: IKEA furniture endures.

We know that in real life, hunger endures as well. Like a repeating record, how often, we get hungry and hungry over and over again. At times, we may call out for cookies, but our hungers take many and varied shapes and sizes, throughout the course of our lives and it seems whether we are young or old, our hungers know no lasting peace.

Of course, this reality is nothing new; this is not particular just to us. We have proof of that in today's readings. In Exodus, we hear the moans and groans of the people, 600,000 of them not including children. Crying out to poor Moses, saying that they would rather be slaves in Egypt and have full stomachs, than be free and hungry in the desert. How sad! And in the Gospel, we hear the hunger refrain continuing, with the crowd of people following the Lord. The Good News is that they are following Jesus, the sad news is that they are following him not because of faith, but because of hunger. Having eaten the loaves and fish, they hunger again...and they are still searching for more.

And so the Lord provides. But notice well, how he provides for them, and what he is providing. He provides not by feeding them more food, but rather by inviting them to a radical faith, faith in him. We get a foretaste of this in the First Reading. In the Old Testament, notice that the Lord provides not just the manna, but instruction as well. They were to collect the manna, day-by-day. No hording, no storing, but rather daily collecting, thus demanding faith, faith in the providence of God, that he will provide the manna for tomorrow. The lesson and the gift here is not just manna but the invitation to faith and obedience to the Lord who provides.

In the New Testament, we see something similar. The people say, "Sir, give us this bread always, so that we never hunger." And Jesus says, "I am the Bread of Life, whoever, comes to me will never hunger, whoever believes in me will never thirst." Notice well, the instruction. To "come" and then "to believe". This, my friends, is the way the Lord provides, for the hungers of the crowd. You see it's not just a matter of following Jesus, of witnessing miracles, or eating multiplied bread. It's a matter of obedience, coming and believing in the Lord and only in this way, will our hearts be satisfied.

Friends, is this not true of our lives, as well? Is it not true that the only rememdy for our hungers is love?? And that Love can make all the difference in life? And that is what the Lord is inviting us to...namely Love.

In our relationship with Jesus, our coming to Church, are we aware of Love. Where is the Love in our relationship with the Lord? Do we have a love relationship with the Lord, or is our relationship with the Lord driven by our hungers. Does our prayer sound like love, or like a broken record/IKEA commerical, "Jesus, can I have a ....?" We are challenged today to seek the Jesus and his enduring love.

Our presence here today should be a sign of love, a sign of our obedience, our duty to love the Lord. We give him this time, we "come to Him", we "profess our faith" in Him and he gives us HIMSELF. What a tremendous gift. This is what the Eucharist is all about. And this is what the Eucharist brings forth, i.e. Love.

My friends, this is why I am a Catholic Priest, not to serve bread on Sundays, for mere unleavened bread does not satisfy. Rather, I am a priest in order to bring forth the love of Jesus to the world. And His love alone can satisfy. For God is Love. And so, we are invited as the crowd is invited today, to love Jesus. To come to him, to believe in him. And in doing this, we find that our hungers are satisfied, that we have our daily bread, that our God is a faithful God. How wonderful, to know and love Jesus with all our hungers and desires! Let us, then, allow that love to lead us, to guide us, and to provide for us. He will, He really will!

Year of the Priest: Homilies

Greetings to you! I always want to post more on this blog and wish at times that every priestly experience and encounter that I have, could suddenly appear in print on this Blog. But until that can happen, you just need to trust me and believe How wonderful is the Gift of the Priesthood! It truly is a Life Worth Living, A Call Worth Considering.

In an effort to share more of my priesthood thru this blog, I'm going to attempt to share my Sunday Homilies during this Year of the Priest. I hope they are a blessing to those patient enough to read them.

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, B.
Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fish.

Of all the various reality T.V. Shows out there today, one of the Original's is America's Funniest Videos. Some of the videos submited to the show are obviously contrived/staged. Others are dangerous and downright stupid. But occassionally, one can find one that really is funny. A real life, life as it is moment...unscripted, unexpected and un-edited.

In some way, I think we have one such moment in today's Gospel and as familiaras we may be with this story, of the multiplication of the loaves and fish, it's worth taking a second look.

We see today, a huge crowd following Jesus because He has cured the sick. It must have been cool to follow Jesus up to this point. To be part of that 5,000 member crowd, following him up the mountain, a modern-day parade of sorts! But suddenly Jesus raises the question of food, and like a rain-cloud, panic sets in with the apostles. Jesus is asking them how to feed the 5,000!

Philip says, "not even 200 days wages would be enough for all to have a little"
Andrew points out a young boy who has "5 barely loaves and a few fish." And Jesus smiles as he listens to their bright ideas.

Of course, Jesus has another idea and we see that he is using this opportunity to teach his friends a valuable lesson. You see Jesus raises the "food question" cause he knows exactly what he is going to do. St. John tells us just that. Jesus had a plan. What was that plan? To Provide for them. Namely, to tell the people to recline, as he gave thanks and distributed what they had. As we see, Jesus PROVIDED for the people.

He provides not just fish and bread but he provides Himself, as an example and as Provider. And he invites His followers, to climb the mountain with him, to pass-over the old way of thinking, and to radically rely on Him, as Provider. To be Generous in Faith, Hope and Love.

We hear similar lessons in the First Reading and Psalm, as well, that yes, the hand of the Lord feeds us, and gives us all we need.

Friends, in some ways, we can appreciate the difficulty of this scene. While we might not be faced with feeding 5,000 this week, sometimes it can be tough even to feed the 5 that are at our table. The LACKS that we find in the world, (lack of resources, talent, money) or in ourselves can create a panicky situations. And all of us know what they are, situations that are out of our contraol, desert situations, "steep climb" situations. But the Gospel reminds us that the Lord is there. And we need to keep on following Him, keep on turning to the Lord, with all we have and see what he does. St. Paul urges the Ephesians of yesterday to do just that, and we the people of today need to do the same, namely to live in a manner worthy of the call we have received. i.e. to stick with Jesus.

As we do so, He will provide. We will find ourselves becoming more and more confident in Him, relying on Him more and more, becoming more and more like Jesus.

Like a good episode of America's Funniest Videos, in so many ways, our lives are unscripted. But we can always choose Jesus. And in choosing Him, we will have all we need. Let's make HIS Life our own, this week, and see what miracles can happen.

The service of priests

First, I hope everybody had a nice Independence Day, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. May we always give thanks to God for the gift of our freedom.

In this year of the priest, which Pope Benedict XVI announced would begin three weeks ago, we pause to reflect on the service aspect of the priesthood. Every priest looks to Christ as their model for priesthood, and all things that the priest does should be Christ-like. Christ Himself said that he came to serve, not to be served. Christ shows us the way of self-emptying (kenosis in Greek), where we are supposed to empty ourselves for the sake of those you serve. For the priest, the first service aspect is the self emptying of the priest of a sacramental nature. He is called to say Mass for the people of God, he is called to hear confessions, and to go on communion calls, to give anointing of the sick. He is called, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, where he could be at the beach relaxing, to celebrate and witness a wedding. The priest is supposed to be in service to his people, bringing Christ to people in the sacraments.

The sacraments are the greatest service that the priest can give. Only the priest can bring us the Eucharist, only the priest can hear our sins and absolve us of the worst sins possible and immaginable. It is the priest who brings the soul home to God through annointing of the sick. What a great service the priest gives us, every Sunday, when he celebrates Mass! What a great service when confession is heard. The priest is leading his flock on and along the way to holiness. The priest is the shepherd of souls, and he does just that when he celebrates the sacraments.

The priest is called to be the good samaritan, spiritually guiding people along the path of holiness. When we look at the people of God, we can see a wide spectrum. We can see people who seem to have lost their way. We can see people who are faithful daily Mass participants. We can see everybody. The hard job of the priest is to shepherd everybody. If he shepherd just one group and gets comfortable with just one group, he ignores another group of people. The priest is supposed to be all things to all people. The good samaritan picked up the man at the greatest hour of need, and guided him back to health. The priest is supposed to seek out those who hit rock bottom spiritually, and guide them back to life in the spirit. In short, the priest has a hard job, and often, it is a thankless job.

As a people of God, I think, in general, we truly appreciate the role of the priest, and what the priest does. We may criticize him, we may poke fun of an accent, or we may say his homily was only average. Do we hear the priest paking fun of you, or saying that your prayer is only average? We don't hear that, so it is a temptation we must avoid to criticize priests in a malicious way. At the same time, it can be a great affection to have priests poked fun of. If people do that, they probably really like the priest, and he is someone they admire. One example of this is when I was in college, the chaplain of my school had a very hearty laugh, and a very deep laugh. He was a very well loved priest, and he was very popular. As a result, people would try to imitate the laugh.

But, in short, the job is often thankless. How often do we thank the priest for his ministry after we go to confession? How often do we send him a thank you note for celebrating Mass? The priest probably isn't looking for thanks; if he is, he needs to evaluate that. At the same time, it still feels good to get a thank you every now and then. And not just a quick "thanks", but look in his eyes, and say "I really want to thank you for..., and I really appreciate your service to the Church."

For any priest who is reading this, I sincerely want to thank you for your faith and fidelity to the Church, and I want to thank you for your service and ministry. Your service to the Church is indispensable to the mission of the Church.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. St. John Marie Vianney, pray for us.

Cure D'Ars: Model Priest

Dear Friends in Christ,

I found this article from Zenit on St. John Vianney, the patron saint of Diocesan Priests. This year, in the Year of the Priest, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI will declare St. John Vianney patron saint of all priests.

Click here to read the article.

St. John Vianney once said that the priesthood "is the love of the heart of Jesus". This heart of Jesus, His Sacred Heart, was punctured when Jesus was on the cross, and from it poured forth water and blood. The Church was founded from the side of Christ, since from that thrust came forth the healing waters of the sacraments (Baptism, and the Eucharist). For the Eucharist, it is the priest which offers every day, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the same sacrifice and action as Jesus on the cross. So it is here that the priest is the love of the heart of Jesus, since it is from the Sacred Heart of Christ that the salvific powers of the Eucharist flow. Priests continue to reside in His Sacred Heart, and every time Mass is offered, that same salvific power flows outward in the Eucharist.

During the year of the priest, this blog will be used to update people on activities of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia of the different programs and activities of this office, the Vocation Office, as well as the Archdiocese as a whole. May you be blessed abundantly in this year of the priest, and through the intercession of St. John Vianney, may you come to a deeper realization of the vocation God has given you, whatever it may be.

May you reside in the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

BBVC

Dear friends in Christ,

This past week, the Vocation Office hosted its third annual Brothers of Borromeo Vocation Congress for junior high boys. It was a tremendous success, as we had over 115 boys come out for the event. The day started with icebreakers, and then Mass with Bishop Thomas. The day also consisted of a scavenger hunt around the seminary, shield making, rosary making, and confessions.

The theme of the day was "Put on...the helmet of hope", in the first letter to the Thessalonians. For Jesus Christ is our hope. In Jesus Christ, all things will be restored. People can put hope in earthly, or man made things, but in the end, it is Jesus Christ who we must look to. If we have hope for anything, the foundation of that hope is in Jesus, even if you don't realize it. We can have that assurance of hope (which is our faith) because Jesus came, and said "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel." This believing is something we do in Jesus Christ. Every Sunday at Mass, the faithful recited the Nicene Creed, which starts "We believe", so we make a public testament to the faith which we believe. So the helmet of hope is really Jesus Christ; when we take him with us in our everyday lives and struggles, He is like a helmet, ready to protect us from enemies, and Jesus will never fail. Trust in Jesus, and everything else in your life will fall into place.

Please pray that the young men at BBVC last week will follow the will of God in all that they do.

Pray, hope, and do not worry. -St. Padre Pio

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May God reward you abundantly.

PRIESTS OF JESUS CHRIST

The Church in Philadelphia is rejoicing in theese days as we celebrate the
ordination of 6 New Priests. What a magnificent ceremony on Saturday as our
seminarians became Catholic Priests. Many witnessed this wonderful sacrament, including family, friends and brother priests. Also present at the Mass were many young men who may be considering the priesthood. For all who witnessed the ordination, truly it was a day of blessing. I share with you below an article written by a young man present for the ordination, Mr. Kyle Tompson. The article is a commentary on last year's ordination, but nevertheless, is a fitting tribute for such a beautiful weekend. ENJOY!

The Deacon’s New Clothes
A commentary on Ordination weekend
By Kyle Thompson

On Saturday May 17th I attended the Ordination of three priests for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Two things made this experience very special to me; this was my first time attending Ordination, and my friend Brian Kean was ordained a priest that day.

I didn’t know what to expect other than the normal Mass, of which I am very familiar. I had a hard time identifying when the sacrament occurred. So, who better to ask than our own Father Oswald? He informed me than the sacrament takes place when the Cardinal lays hands onto the ordinand. The most visible sign to us average folk was when the stole around Brian’s neck was changed from Deacon wear to Priestly wear.

My favorite moment of Ordination occurred when Monsignor Miller, Brian’s former pastor and close friend, and a priest that I have the utmost respect and admiration for, vested Brian in his priestly garb. Words could not describe how amazing this moment was to me, and how it was to them. It was as if I was watching a legacy being handed down, from Father to Son. This served as a revelation to me that the priesthood is not something distant and isolated, it’s a brotherhood. Father Kean spoke of that same legacy when he thanked Monsignor for giving him his ordination chalice from forty years ago.

I ran into Father Kean a week after ordination, I asked him “How does it feel to have reached the priesthood?” He told me this “It felt surreal; it’s been a long eight year journey. Arriving at the priesthood has been something I’ve prayed for to come for many years. It is a culmination of many prayers and dreams, which has been sustained by God’s grace, and the prayers of many people whom God has used as instruments to achieve His Will in my life.”

I have learned a couple things this weekend. I have known Father Kean for several years now. I was fascinated by his journey, and his joy. I’ve come to learn and appreciate that his joy is founded in doing God’s will. It has given me a new perspective and respect for the priesthood. I don’t know God’s will for me in my life yet, but I do know if my journey includes prayer, commitment, and the love and support of my family and friends I too can know the peace and joy of doing His Will in my life.

Fr. Neuhaus on the courage to decide

Being New Dough

On Easter Sunday, the day which we celebrate the fulfillment of the Paschal Mystery by the rising of Christ from the dead for the salvation of the world, Pope Benedict XVI, in his Easter homily, called on the Christian people to be new dough and to remove from their hearts the "yeast of old sin".

To read Pope Benedict's homily, click here. Read it with an open heart.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Christ is Risen; indeed, He is truly risen. Alleluia!

Grains of Wheat

Dear friends in Christ,

This past Sunday we celebrated the fifth Sunday of Lent. Every day now, we are drawing close to Christ's Passion and Death that we remember in the Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. The next couple of weeks are the holiest weeks of the year, and everybody should try their hardest, cooperating with the grace of God, to enter more fully into the Mystery of Jesus' Passion.

This past Sunday we learned a great lesson through the Gospel. The Gospel reads, "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it bears much fruit" (John 12:24). Why does He say this? First, Jesus is looking towards His own Passion, realizing that He is that wheat which falls to the earth and will die. From the death of the wheat, which is Jesus, much fruit is beared. If a grain of wheat falls to the ground and the roots take hold, at harvest time there will be a wheat stalk, and from that farmers can take that wheat stalk, and many other wheat stalks, and turn it into bread. But from that single seed of wheat, a great stalk springs forth. Many things in nature are like that. If you look at the oak tree, it starts as a nut, but fully actualized, that nut turns into a mighty oak. Jesus himself spoke of a mustard seed, which is very small; however, a fully grown mustard bush is huge. Things in nature start of small, growing quietly into something that will bear much fruit.

Since Jesus refers to the grain of wheat, and since we know that Jesus is talking about Himself, since He is about to undergo His Passion, this reality of Jesus referring to Himself as wheat is a profound testament to the humbleness of Jesus. From the beginning of His earthly life, Jesus exhibited the perfect example of humbleness; he came into the world not with an army of angels, or with trumpet blasts, but born to a virgin in a stable with animals. He prepared for His public ministry not with angels serving Him, but by him going on what can be considered one of the most severe retreat one can go on: going into the desert for forty days and forty nights, fasting and praying. He isn't ministered to by angels, but says that He came not to be served, but to served. His entire life is a life of humble work and ministry. When Jesus refers Himself to wheat, he is making Himself the smallest of things.

However, a grain of wheat will grow and take root, at harvest time there will be a mighty stalk. It will produce much fruit. Like that stalk of wheat, Jesus will also bear much fruit. That fruit, in one way, will be through wheat; in another way, it will be through the cross; but in the end, they are the same way. Let us look at both of these ways, beginning with the latter.

Jesus, in His Passion and Death, will be scourged, whipped, beaten, and dragged through the streets with a giant cross on His back. The only consolations He will receive is when Simon of Cyrene helped Him carry his cross, and when He meets His mother, Mary, along the road. To make it harder for Jesus, is that the weight of the cross isn't just the physical wight, but there is also the weight of sin. The reality is that Jesus not only died for our sins, but he suffered for our sins. When Jesus carried the cross to His death, He also carried the sins that the Pharisees commit, that the Jewish people commit, but also, He carried sins that we commit, and ones that we will commit. He carried with Him every sin that every person in the world commited, commits, or will commit in the future. He is carrying all of this, and He suffers in a very physical way for us. Not only was he physically suffering, but He was also probably mentally suffering; imagine if His mind was racing with images of sins that people would commit, and that through His death, forgiveness can be given to them? He finally gets to the hill, Golgatha, the Hill of Calvary, where He is to hang for three hours until His death. He is nailed to the cross, and He is lifted up high on the cross to be crucified. Like the grain of wheat, which is planted into the ground, the cross is then planted into the ground, and so the cross then is the link between God and man; without it, there is still separation from God and man. The cross is the connecting factor between Jesus and the ground. At the death of Jesus, that cross, which was a machine for the death of Jesus, becomes life saving. Through the cross, Jesus makes holy the ground and all who walk on it. At the moment of His death, He redeems humanity through the cross, which is planted firmly in the ground. So it really is through the cross that Jesus can restore the human condition back to what it was. It is planted in the ground, and so the cross bearing Jesus bears much fruit because of Jesus.

We must go back to the wheat. Unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground it dies... it produces much fruit. Wheat produces bread through a process which is unknown to me, but I know that wheat fields produce bread that I eat at mealtime. Like the cross, which bears much fruit, as we discerned above, the wheat bears much fruit. What does it produce, or a better question: what does Jesus the wheat produce? It says what It produces in John, chapter 6, verses 32-33: "So Jesus said to them, "Amen, Amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." Now, what is this bread of God, and how does it relate to grains of wheat? Well, as we have said, grains of wheat are turned into bread, so we see the relationship between the wheat and the bread. But what about the bread of God? First, Jesus said "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst" (John 6:35), and he later says "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" (John 6:51). Jesus is the bread of God, and so the wheat that falls to the ground and dies, and produces much fruit, turns into bread. Since Jesus says that He is the living bread, the bread of life, His origin must be that of wheat, which produces much fruit when it falls to the ground and dies. Jesus is the wheat, and when he dies, He produces much fruit.

On the night before He suffered, Jesus took bread, and gave His Father thanks and praise. He broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: "Take this, all of you, and eat it. This is my body, which will be given up for you." When Jesus says, "And the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world", He is referring to the Last Supper, that bread he gave "is my flesh". This begs the question: "Why did He give it?" And he answers that question when He says "for the life of the world". This bread, which is his flesh, will be given up for the life of the world. This bread has a salvific aspect to it because it is Jesus Himself, because he says that Himself: "And the bread that I will give is my flesh [the verb "is" equates the bread and his flesh; they are the same] for the life of the world [the bread is salvific because it is His flesh]". But it is bread that will be given, because Jesus says "I will give". And not given for mere trivial matters, but for the life of the world, for our lives, for us. This is my body, which will be given up for you. The bread Jesus breaks at the Last Supper is His flesh, which will be given up for you.

So, we look at the cross as saving, and we look at this bread turned into the flesh of Jesus as saving. On the top layer, it looks as though there are two different sacrifices happening; Jesus gives himself as bread, and then later on the cross. But when Jesus says, "This is my body, which will be given up for you", His body will be really given up on the Cross. At the Last Supper, this bread which becomes flesh for the life of the world has yet to be actualized. Jesus doesn't offer two sacrifices, but rather one sacrifice. His body will be given up. The sacrifice Jesus made at the Last Supper is completed on the Cross, and it becomes actualized. This sacrifice is started on the night before He died, and it is completed on Good Friday when He is crucified. It is here that the wheat produces much fruit, that the cross becomes the tree of life, and that the salvation of humanity becomes actualized, all by the one sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Through the cross, which is salvific outside of time, as well as inside, salvation can be given to all who came before, and all who came after. Through the completion of the sacrifice of Christ, the part of the sacrifice which came before (at the Last Supper) is fulfilled into a very real reality: And the bread that I will give [and gave] is my flesh [Jesus Himself] for the life of the world [actualized with the crucifixion of Christ]."

As a result of this, we must read the Last Supper account in a specific hermeneutic. A hermeneutic is a lens through which we read things. We read the Last Supper account through the hermeneutic of the cross and crucifixion of Jesus, and through what the rest of the Gospel says about the Last Supper and the Cross (that of Jesus being wheat, and Jesus being that bread (flesh) which is given for the life of the world). We don't understand the full meaning of the Last Supper without looking to the deeper significance of the bread which Jesus offers, which I hope through this meditation have brought to life. We also don't understand the Last Supper without looking at the Cross, and how the Cross fulfills this Last Supper meal into what it really is: Jesus offering himself in a very literal way for the life of the world. This bread truly turns into the Body of Jesus, the Body of Christ, and it becomes so tranformed that the only thing that remains of the bread is that it looks and tastes like bread. The bread turning into the Body of Christ is the same sacrifice as the Crucifixion and death of Christ; it is that complete, and the completeness of the bread turning into Christ Himself is a mirror image of that. As transforming the Cross of Christ became, going from a symbol of death to a symbol of life, this bread transforms completely from mere food into the ultimate symbol of life: Jesus himself.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. May you, during this holy season, seek to draw closer to the crucified Christ, who humbled himself by being obedient unto death, even death on a cross. God bless.

Silent Prayer

Following the Holy Father's Lenten retreat several weeks ago, he discussed the importance of silent, meditative prayer. Click here to read the article.

The Year of the Priest

Dear friends in Christ,

Recently, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI declared the Year of the Priest, to begin in June. Click here to read the article.

God bless. May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Pope on his recent retreat

Recently Pope Benedict XVI went on his annual Lenten retreat, which was given by Cardinal Arinze, recently retired Prefect for the Congregation of Divine Worship. Here is the article on it.

Retreats are always an important time to have one on one time with the Lord through prayer and the sacraments. It is a time for us to get away for a while, away from the world, to strengthen that relationship that needs it most, our relationship with God. Try to set a Saturday aside this Lent to have some extra prayer time. Spend time in Eucharistic Adoration, go to Mass, and read Scripture. Meditate on the mysteries of the Cross, and how through it, we can be offered salvation.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Priests in Imitation of Mary

Last week, Pope Benedict XVI had a conference with pastors from around the city of Rome, in which he called on them to imitate the life of Mary. Click here to read it.

Mary is a great example of love and humility. She was one who heard the Word of God in a very literal way, since it was the Word that entered into her. The "Word" (λογος in Greek) is Jesus. At the beginning of the Gospel of John, it reads "In the beginning was the Word" (Εν άρχή ήν ό λογος). It is the Word, Jesus, Who Incarnates Himself into the womb of Mary. This profound event is the Annunciation, which we celebrate on March 25 most years.

Mary is also the woman who listens. She still plays an important role by being the Mother of God. She intercedes for us, and so the prayer we give to her is intercessory. What do you need to pray for? Do you have a sick mother, or are you praying for clarity of vocation? Pray to Mary, and ask her to intercede for you to Jesus.

Her example is also to inspire us. She followed Christ in his ministry, and in our meditations on the life of Christ, part of us should stand back and be observant of what Jesus does, trying to incorporate what he did into our lives, and how what He did can guide us to follow Him closer.
Pray the Rosary. Mary will always be faithful to you, so let her know that you want her to be faithful. She will always pray for you, so ask her to pray for you.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Cross

Dear Friends in Christ,

In the Season of Lent, we prepare for the death of Jesus that will happen on Good Friday, and we eagerly await the Resurrection of Christ, that we celebrate on Easter.  The Cross is the ultimate paradox of the history of the world.  On one hand, it is a sign of suffering and sacrifice, a sign of the death of Christ, one that we remember in a literal way at Holy Mass.  On the other hand, it is a sign of the salvation of mankind, a sign that because of the sacrifice of Christ on the Hill of Calvary, we have been given salvation for all who accept it.  

In this Season, we meditate on this profound mystery: God loves us as much as God is love.  Because love is a transcendental of God, not an accident, love is intrinsic to the substance of God; no part of God is not love.  Love is not merely a part of God, God is love.  Any kind of love we do on earth is in direct imitation to the love that God is, and the love that he pours forth on us.   Any kind of sincere love we do on earth is in direct imitation of Him; not only that, but it is because of Him that it is possible to love in the first place.  Just like we are made in God's image, part of that image can be the ability to love, because we are imaging God when we love.  

Jesus says in the Gospel, There is no greater love than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  Jesus here teaches us something very important about love.  Love is more than just a feeling.  Equating love with feeling is a common mistake made in modern society; it results in divorces when people lose that feeling of love, precisely because they equate love with feeling.  Love is more than a feeling.  It is a choice; it is also a sacrifice.  Love goes much further than just feeling affectionate.  Love is required when the child is sick in the middle of the night, or when a priest gets a sick call at 2 AM.  Love is that choice, that sacrifice.  In any vocation we are called to enter into, love is a necessary requirement in order to be faithful to that vocation.  Love is required even when we don't think we have any more love to give.  At this point, this is where the grace of God is most important, since it is through graces received that we can be given the ability to love like God.  Love is designed to be sacrificial.  The love a husband and wife shares is a sacrificial love, laying down their life for the other.  The love a priest has for his people is a sacrificial love, as the priest lays down his life for his flock.  

The example we look to, in terms of laying down one's life, for the sake of his friends, is the sacrifice Christ made on Calvary.  Jesus laid down His life for His friends, and Jesus seeks friendship with all.  He extends a hand of friendship, yet so few reach out to take His hand.  Jesus offers himself for the sake of humanity; this is the ultimate expression of love.  The Cross is hard, and it shows in a real way the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross.  But also, the Cross is a symbol of love, since it is through the Cross that we can seek friendship with God, and it is through that Cross that we can seek salvation through God.  

What we learn from the Cross is that the way to true love with God and with fellow man is through the Cross, and it is through suffering that we come to love.  It is easy to love when there is little sacrifice.  It is hard to love when the suffering and sacrifice is a heavy burden to us, but it is through these moments that we experience the love of the living God.  It is through these moments that God pours forth graces upon us.  It is through these moments that we become more Christ like.  May we always seek the Cross, that great example of love, especially in the Lenten Season, that through the Cross we may become more Christ like.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.  

Papal Message for World Youth Day 2009

Dear friends in Christ,
I found this translation from the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, on Youth Day 2009, which is to be celebrated on the Diocesan level on Palm Sunday. Here is the link to that address.

The Holy Father continues to stress the importance of hope, not a false hope in any worldly things, but rather hope in Christ. This theme became poignant when he wrote Spe Salvi, literally, Saved in hope. But he continued this theme at World Youth Day last year, and Hope was the theme of the Holy Father's visit to the United States last year.

In the midst of trouble in our world, with terrorism, the economic situation, and the offenses against human life that happen from the womb until people are old, if you are not grounded in faith of God, then we can lose hope. Our faith perfects the hope we have. There is hope. It may not be in this world, but if we stay hopeful, and we stay faithful, we can be assured that our hope will not be in vain.

We must follow Christ, and we must follow His will for us. God wants us to be joyful, and following Him without hesitation in whatever he asks of us will bring us the most joy. May we always remember that.

God bless. May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Can a priest have tatoos?

Your question about priests with tattoos is interesting. To answer it briefly, a tattoo is not an impediment to the priesthood. A man with a tattoo can become a priest. However, the seminary needs to take note of the nature of the tattoo (i.e. when did the man get it, what does it re-present, and whether the location of the tattoo is an issue, i.e. it would be odd to see a priest with a tattoo on his forearm.) At times, a man may enter the seminary and have a tatto from earlier in his life. Again, this alone would not prevent his entrance or being ordained, but it needs to be considered by the candidate and the Church. Depending on the nature of the tattoo, the Church might ask the man to consider having it removed.
-Fr. Chris Rogers

Prayer, fasting and almsgiving

Dear friends in Christ,

We are now on the eve of the Season of Lent, that penitential season where we remember in a unique way the suffering Christ and the sacrifice He gave for the sake of the Church. In the season, we are also asked to take up a form of suffering and sacrifice. These forms of sacrifice are divided into three categories: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

When picking practices for Lent, whether it be giving up chocolate or meat, or praying the Rosary or attending daily Mass, we must remember something very important: Holiness is a process by which, over time, our fortitude to strive for virtue grows stronger by the grace of God. God gives us graces to sanctify us, and through those graces we respond by striving to cooperate with the Will of God and say yes to God. We thank God already for the graces He has given us. He may have blessed us with good health, or with intelligence, or with a dear friend, or with a loving family. Upon reflection of our lives, there is always a grace there we can be thankful for. And if you are hard pressed to find a grace, remember that it is also a real grace to know the Truth of the Gospel, and it is a grace to know the Holy Catholic Church, who is also given graces for the sake of Her members and their salvation. When picking practices for Lent, we must be careful not to take on too much, or nothing will get done. The man who gives up meat, beer, soda, chocolate, and candy when he is not used to giving up anything will probably last about a week, then find himself in a Texas Steak House having a porterhouse steak with a tall beer, and then having chocolate ice cream on the way home. And believe me, I gave up meat, and soda, and a bunch of other things one year, and I lasted until I discovered an Arbys in the next town over. From then it was downhill, and by Easter the things I gave up, I had no longer given up. In short, it is better to give up one or two things and do well, than to give up 7 things and not last.

I wish to first discuss prayer. Prayer is the bedrock of the Church, and prayer is our communication with God. We pray individually, but also in community as our prayers are lifted up to God. In the Season of Lent, we can pray for those suffering, that their sufferings and sacrifices can be lifted up to God. We all live in the shadow of the cross, as it is our sufferings that we can unite to the Cross of Christ. Prayer is the first priority of the Lenten Season. Through prayer, we are spiritually preparing ourselves for the Resurrection that we experience on Easter, and it is the Resurrection we hope to enjoy after our passing from this life into eternal life. In many ways, our lives can be like Lent, looking forward always to the hope of eternal life. In this mindset, we look to prayer first in this Season of Lent, to see what ways we can unite ourselves, with the whole Church, to Christ, the Crucified One, so that our prayers can be fruitful for eternal life.

There are many tangible things that we can do that can aid in our spiritual lives, in order to prepare ourselves for Easter. Have you considered the possibility of daily Mass? Mass is the ultimate form of prayer and praise, and during Lent the attendance of daily Mass can give one many spiritual graces (daily Mass also gives many graces throughout the rest of the year too). It is through Mass that our sufferings and penances can be united to Christ, as the Eucharist is a memorial of Christ's suffering and death in a very literal, transubstantial way.

Another form of prayer is the Rosary, especially by praying the Sorrowful Mysteries. You are meditating with Mary on the life of Christ, especially his final hours here on Earth before He died. A daily Rosary may seem hard, but really, it is easier than you think. When you drive to and from work every day, or to and from school, you may listen to the radio. Consider praying a Rosary on the way to work or school, and listening to the radio on the way home. It is something easy you can do, and it only takes 15-20 minutes. There is also the Divine Mercy Chaplet, focused on the prayer: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world." It is traditionally prayed at 3PM on Fridays (this is the hour of the death of Christ on Friday, and 3PM is called the Hour of Mercy); during Lent you can consider praying the Chaplet every day, and if possible, at 3 PM every day. Another devotion you can take up stems from the Garden of Gethsemene. To recall the story, Jesus was praying, and His disciples kept falling asleep. Jesus said to them "Can you not spent one hour with me?" This developed into the devotion known as the Holy Hour, an hour you spend with Jesus in prayer. By praying in front of Jesus, you are uniting yourself to Him, as Jesus calls us to do in the Garden, and in his Passion and Death.

Now I wish to move onto the idea of fasting. Before His ministry began, Jesus went into the desert to fast and pray, and at the end of it He was hungry. He was in the desert for 40 days, and with no coincidence, that is how long Lent is, as Lent is our journey in the desert before the Resurrection of Jesus. By fasting, we are uniting ourselves to Jesus in the desert. Some of the things you can give up are what we were taught to do when we were kids: candy, chocolate, soda, or whatever you might really enjoy. Also consider giving up meat during Lent, not just on Fridays during Lent and Ash Wednesday. Pray, what is it that I enjoy too much, and can I give it up during Lent? Another thing to consider is on Fridays to eat just bread and drink water, as that can be a good fast. By giving it up, you are then learning not to take that food for granted, and you are sacrificing a little something as a way to offer it to Christ.

The final thing is almsgiving. Almsgiving can look many different ways. The first is to continue to tithe at Sunday Mass; by tithing, you are being a good steward, and you are helping the local parish continue to provide spiritual support and ministries so that the Church can continue to thrive. In addition to tithing, one can consider giving your time in a homeless shelter, or at a retirement home for priests. In Norristown, there is a Missionaries of Charity House. Consider calling them up and asking to volunteer 2-3 Saturdays during Lent there. In addition to tithing, you may want to give a little something extra to the Church, say, for the parish hall renovations, or for a new parking lot. There may be a special project your church is doing, and they need money to do it. Give them a little something extra. If I may, I would recommend doing some sort of community service. Not enough community service is done, and there are groups that need help that way.

Finally, we must remember that by praying, fasting, and almsgiving, the things we do during Lent are not for the sake of the things we do, but rather to be spiritually edified, making one more properly disposed to receive graces. By doing some penances and practices during Lent, we make ourselves more disposed to hear the Word of God and to act on His will for us. We do these things to become more Christ-like, as by doing these things we are imitating Him.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Chastity: A Catholic Truth for Catholic Youth

Dear friends in Christ,

I found a short article on some basics of chastity that you might find as an interesting read. Click here to read it.

New Saints

This is an article to the Catholic News Agency, which put out an article on several men and women who have been beatified who are to be canonized. Read it here.

These are pictures of Blessed Damian of Molo'kai, who spent much of his life ministering to lepars on the island of Molo'kai, and Blessed Brother Rafael, who is considered one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century.

discerning God's call versus your parent's call

Dear friends in Christ,

The next question I wish to look at is: "How do I discern God's Call from my parent's call?"

Family influence on your life can be very strong. For many cases, it is the family who may not exactly be supportive at first regarding a priestly vocation, precisely because they have so much happiness in married life, and they want you to be happy. But there are some parents who may excessively push their kids to consider religious life or the priesthood. So in the end, we must figure out God's call apart from what our parents want. The question is: how do we do that?

The answer is through prayer. By talking to God in prayer, you will soon figure out what He is calling you to do. Praying at Mass, and by praying outside of Mass, especially in front of the Eucharist, can lead you to figure out what exactly God may be calling you to do. One must clear his head from other people speaking when you are praying to God.

Now, at the same time, it is often our family and friends who see a priestly vocation in a boy long before the boy sees it himself. Your family may be encouraging you because they see it in you, and they are trying to point it out to you. Can they be excessive sometimes? Yes, but remember that they are your parents, and they honestly want what is best for you. In the end, listen to and respect your parents, and take what they say seriously, and pray about it. And be open to a possible call to the priesthood, and open yourself to God's generosity.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

On Mortal Sin

Dear friends in Christ,

With Lent approaching, which is a penitential season, I think we need to talk briefly about mortal sin, what it is, what we can do about it, and how to avoid it.

Mortal sin destroys charity in your heart. It turns you away from God, and only through the Sacrament of Confession can we be reconciled to God. An act of mortal sin has grave matter associated with it. For example, abortion is grave matter, so anyone performing an abortion, or a mother having an abortion, has grave matter. The first criteria for a mortal sin is whether it is grave matter. There is also light matter, which are associated with venial sins. Venial sins distort our charity, but it doesn't destroy it, nor does it destroy our relationship with God. Venial sins, however, make us more disposed to commit mortal sin. An example of this is talking back to your parents by telling them you won't do something they asked you to do. That is light matter, and so it is venial. But with repititions and frequently talking back to your parents, it will make you more disposed to commit an act with grave matter, say, telling your parents that you hated them, or using the Lord's name in vain while arguing with them.

So the first criterion of a mortal sin is that it is an act with grave matter. The second criterion is that you must be aware that you are doing it, and that you did it intentionally. Intention to commit the act in question also plays a part in weighing over whether the act is constituted a mortal sin. In the example of accidently having a car accident and killing someone else, you did not have the intention of having the car accident to kill the other person, so the act of killing someone, although it is still grave matter, isn't a mortal sin because the intention isn't there.

The third criterion for a mortal sin is whether you have had sufficient reflection of the act. If you know from the past that it is an act of grave matter, then you know that it might be a mortal sin. For example, if someone out there didn't know that abortion was grave matter, then for him or her, it wouldn't be a mortal sin. But for someone who did know, it would be considered a mortal sin. It is important to note, that the gravity of the act is not dependent on the person and their knowledge of what is good. Abortion is intrinsically wrong in every single circumstance, and the gravity of abortion stays the same. But it depends on the person and their knowledge or ignorance whether they committed a mortal sin. I hope this makes sense. In short, abortion is always grave matter, but if the person honestly didn't know (which I find hard to believe with abortion, because the nature of life should be innate in every person), then it wasn't a mortal sin for them.

In short, a mortal sin has those three criteria: grave matter, intention of doing it, and sufficient reflection that the act was of grave matter. If it has all three of these criteria, then it is a mortal sin. If not, then it is probably a venial sin.

When, after having committed a mortal sin, a person who is penitent should seek a priest for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Reconciliation restores the charity in our heart and restores us back to the friendship of God that every person, at least implicitly, longs for.

And how do we avoid it? The number one thing someone can do to avoid mortal sin is by going to Reconciliation frequently for the venial sins one commits, because, as I stated earlier, venial sins make one more disposed to commit a mortal sin. By frequenting the Sacrament of Reconciliation and by going to Mass regularly (not going to Mass on Sunday can be a mortal sin if it meets the three criteria), they can be great tools to avoid the near occasion of mortal sins. Additional prayer is also important. Try praying a Rosary with the intention of avoiding the near occasion of sin.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The Season of Lent

Dear friends in Christ,

It is hard to believe that next Wednesday (in nine days) is Ash Wednesday, thus marking the beginning of the penitential season of Lent. I can attest that it really is a sign of getting older when the days and months just fly by, because it just seemed like yesterday when we were celebrating Ash Wednesday, and now it is here again.

Lent is 40 days long, signifying the time that Jesus spent in the desert in the Gospels. Jesus went into the desert to pray and fast, and this is what we do in Lent. We are preparing for the death of Christ that happens on Good Friday, and we await the gift of the Resurrection that we receive on Easter Sunday, the high liturgical feast of the Church for the entire year. Easter is a sign of our redemption through Christ Jesus, and Lent is our spiritual preparation for that gift.

I bring this up today, in advance, of Ash Wednesday because we also must spiritually and physically prepare for Lent. The most practical preparation we do in anticipation of Lent are penances for the season. As kids, we were always encouraged to give up chocolate, or soda, or some kind of food or drink as a way of self-emptying, or kenosis. In the life of Christ, we continually try self-emptying ourselves for the sake our redemption. Christ self emptied himself on the Cross; we are asked to do the same in order to be Christ like.

So Lent is a time set aside in the liturgical calendar for the spiritual preparation. What do we give up? A better question is: what do we take up?

A story: In my travels and experiences the last few years, I have come to meet probably over 100 different priests, mostly in Maryland and Pennsylvania. One priest I met in Maryland tells this story: When he was in his 20's, he was a wild party animal. He would drink to excess, and party like it was the end of the world. He was crazy. He was also a fallen away Catholic, and he didn't go to Church on a regular basis. As a joke, his friend bet him that for Lent he couldn't go to daily Mass every day for the season. To prove him wrong, he took the challenge and starting going to daily Mass.

After a little while he noticed his entire life transformed, and the things which were important to him before were no longer that important. After Lent ended, he continued going to daily Mass, continuing to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. Pretty soon he went into the seminary because he heard the call to become a priest, and he is now a Catholic priest in Maryland.

The question for you: we have the season of Lent to help us spiritually grow, by the grace of God. Are you willing to take up a penance or practice for Lent that can potentially change your life? We are all striving to be Christ like, and the practice you take up in Lent is supposed to have that as its end. If you do something for Lent like not eating chocolate, but it is for the purpose of losing weight, then that isn't a suitable practice. Give it up for Lent so that it can spiritually edify you.

But I go back to the question: Are you willing to change your life for Christ? If your answer to this is "yes", which I sincerely hope it is, here are some suggestions for penances:
1. Daily Mass- the Mass is the greatest form of prayer and praise in the Church, so availing yourself of this every day will bring you much fruit.
2. Daily Rosary- talking to Mary, and asking her to pray for us will bring you many graces, and The Rosary has been known to change lives.
3. Daily personal prayer: Praying for 15 minutes in silence every day can take you far.
4. Give up all meats- Fridays are mandatory for most people, but by giving up meat completely, you will be taking a huge sacrifice on your shoulders, and it will reap many spiritual benefits.

Do not be afraid to take on a hard penance. God will give you the graces necessary for you to do it. Be not afraid of failure. These above ideas are not easy, nor should they be. They should be hard, and the harder they are, the more graces that will be given to you. Do not be afraid. Have courage to do the extraordinary.

There are three main components of Lent. Today I talked about the general idea about giving things up. In the next few days look for posts of these three main components, which are prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

May the Divine assistance remain always with us, and may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the Mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Prayer for priestly vocations

The following is a short prayer that can be prayed even at your dinner table. Remember to pray for vocations.

Lord Jesus, you called chosen men to be with you: to preach the good news of salvation and to have authority over the powers of darkness. Send your Holy Spirit upon the men you have chosen for the priestly ministry. May they answer your call and follow you with generous hearts. Amen.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Hearing the call, but yet you have fear

Friends,

The next question I wish to write about is: "I've had these feelings about joining the priesthood, but I don't feel like I can talk to anyone. What do I do?"

My first observation is to tell people that you can talk to people. The couple of people you would most likely approach are your parents, and your parish priest. They would be more than happy to talk to you about your feelings. But what you are talking about is actually getting up the courage to talk to someone about it.

I think this is a common element in most vocation stories I have heard over the years, that for a while the man was afraid to say something to anybody. He may go for even years without saying anything. I say this to reassure you that it is probably pretty normal for you to go through a period where it is hard for you to say something.

At the same time, this gives you the opportunity to examine why it might be hard for you to say something. Perhaps you know yourself and your failings, and you are afraid you might be dismissed because of those failings and your short comings. There might be a sense of unworthiness that you feel, and you might feel ashamed to go to a priest or your family because they may know your failing as well. Let me reassure you that if only the worthy were called to the priesthood, we would have had only one priest, and that was Jesus Christ himself. Nobody is really worthy to undertake such a task, so if you can't talk to anybody about it because of this, do not fear, and realize that no one is worthy in the end.

You might also feel rejected. We must realize that some parents are against the idea of their son becoming a priest because they fear it will make them unhappy. But really, it is in following your vocation that you will become happy, and maybe that is something to remind your parents, that every person has a vocation from God, and through that vocation will they find the most fulfillment. Find more information out about seminary and the priesthood, and try to inform your parents about it. Have them talk to a priest about their life. While I say all this, we must remember to honor and respect our parents, and remember that they try to do what is best for us. So go about this respectfully, and respect their opinion. Also, prayer goes a long way in this respect. It would be good to pray for your parents that they may be open to the possibility of their son becoming a priest, God willing.

You might also feel as though you will be targeted if you talk to a priest. So you talk to the priest, and then he has the Vocations Office on speed dial, and tells us about you. At this point, you probably fear that you won't be left alone after that, and that we will call you constantly. This isn't the case. While a priest may tell us about a man he had a conversation with, we encourage the priest to continue the conversation with you. We might send you a letter and invite you to an event, but we mostly encourage the priest to continue working with you. When you are ready, you then call the vocation office and talk to us about vocations. We work with the priest in providing you good resources to assist you in your discernment. Our office is stocked full of vocations materials that you can use, and we do our best to provide to you and the priests of the Archdiocese that material for your use. So, in short, we don't harp on men, but we gently encourage them to continue their discernment, and when they are ready, they can talk to us more seriously.

In the end, I pray that you may not be afraid in talking to somebody about movements of your heart that are telling you that you may be called to go into the seminary. Please know of our office's prayers for you and your continued discernment. May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Saint Valentine's Day and love

Dear friends in Christ,

Tomorrow millions of couples around the United States and beyond will be celebrating Valentine's Day. Now, it might be funny to be talking about Saint Valentine on a website dedicated to priestly vocations, but there is a connection.

I first have to admit that while I knew there was a Saint Valentine, I really had no idea about the role he played that got him on the date where couples celebrate their love. So I had to go to one of my most trusted sources, Wikipedia for some background information. From Wikipedia, I read about how in the ancient book of the saints, "The Golden Legend", Valentine was actually a priest in the Roman Empire. The story "The Golden Legend" tells is that the Emperor Claudius II made an edict, or a law forbidding young men to marry. He did this as a way to bolster his army, since he didn't consider married men to be good soldiers. Father Valentine, recognizing the importance of Christian marriage, went on a campaign to secretly marry young men and women. As a result, he was eventually thrown in jail. He was executed a few days later. This story happened in the third century after the death of Christ.

So, one can see the origins of Saint Valentine's Day to this story of a priest named Valentine who went around marrying people against the wishes of the Emperor. How far have we come from this idea of celebrating Saint Valentine's Day? The first thing is that any kind of Christian element has been taken out of the day itself. The day may celebrate love, which is a virtue in the Christian tradition, however, the "love" usually takes forms that are essentially non-Christian. For non-married couples, Valentine's Day is an excuse to engage in pre-marital sex, usually with the use of contraception. This day is also an excuse, most likely, for homosexual couple who think that what they experience is love. In both of these instances, the "love" the couple feels is a distorted and disordered love. Their idea of "love" isn't Christian love. Christian love is a beautiful union between a man and woman in holy Matrimony that is open to procreation. This Christian love is much more beautiful than any kind of distortion of love out there.

Christian love is found in every vocation God has given us, from the married life, to the priesthood and religious life. In marriage, love is fairly obvious: it is that mutual love a man and woman give each other for the sake of their sanctity. They continue to grow in love. In the priesthood and religious life, this Christian love takes the form of a non-exclusive love. Since the priest's bride is the Church, he is called to give himself to the Church in a completely loving way. In married life, the love is exclusive. For the priest, they have the benefit of their love being inclusive. They are called to love all, not in a sexual way, but in a completely Christian way nonetheless.

This points to an important aspect of the notion of love: love is a sacrifice. A man is supposed to lay down his life for his wife, and vice versa. A priest is supposed to lay down his life for his bride, the Church. Sacrifice is the ultimate notion of love. Don't let the media or popular culture tell you that love equals pleasure. This is a completely false notion of love. While it is true that Christian marriage and the marital act is pleasurable, the pleasure points to the sacrifice of each other. Sex isn't to be used as a tool for pleasure for those who are not in a marital relationship (man and woman). And those in a loving marital relationship, the marital act in which they participate would be directed to union and procreation. This doesn't mean that you can't have sex unless you are trying to get pregnant; but there must be that openness to life nontheless.

But why is sacrifice the ultimate form of Christian love? It is becase of the reality of the death of Christ. Christ says himself in the Gospel, there is no greater love than a friend giving his life for his friends. This is what Christ does on the Cross. He dies for His people, His Church so that, through His sacrifice, humanity can be saved. We celebrate this in the Eucharist. Since the priest acts in the person of Christ, that priest offers that same sacrifice for His Church. In the benediction prayer for Holy Hour, it reads: "Lord Jesus Christ, you gave us the Eucharist as the Memorial of your Suffering and Death." In the end, the love you give the people as a priest, or the love you give your husband or wife, should reflect the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.

May you remain close to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

If you are reading this and think I am down on Valentine's Day, please know I am taking my fiancee to a nice dinner Saturday night for Valentine's Day, so I am not down on it; it is a great time to get together with the one you love. For those who are going out with boyfriends, girlfriends, or fiancees or spouses, I hope you have a great time, and remember real Christian love isn't getting as much pleasure as possible, but rather a reflection of the love of Christ crucified. May your actions be Christ like.

-Bobby