I'm Moving

Yeah, I know I already told you about my move to Garretson, but I am also moving my blog to a new location.  This has been something I have been meaning to do for some time because my current blog home does not have any way to moderate the comments, and there are some nasty people out there who love to post all sort of filth, especially on a priests blog. Hopefull this will be much better.

The new blog can be found at www.whitearoundthecollar.blogspot.com.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

Bishop Tobin's RSVP

From Bishop Tobin's article in the Rhode Island Catholic:

I probably would have written this article anyhow, so distressed was I. But then I received an invitation to attend a fundraising luncheon for presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, and that absolutely confirmed my decision.

The fundraiser is scheduled for Providence next week. For $500, I could attend a reception with the former New York City Mayor. For $1,500 I could attend a reception with a photo-op.

The first thought that came to my mind is that I’m not charging enough for my Confirmation photos!

Nevertheless, and more to the point, I have no idea why I received an invitation to Giuliani’s fundraiser. I don’t know the mayor; I’ve never met him. I try to avoid partisan politics. Heck, I’m not even a Republican. But most of all, I would never support a candidate who supports legalized abortion.

Rudy’s public proclamations on abortion are pathetic and confusing. Even worse, they’re hypocritical.

[...]

Photography During the Sacred Liturgy

One of the most common questions I get before any sort of Liturgy is "Father, is it alright if I take pictures?"  In most cases I have no problems, but once in a while a photographer gets out of hand or parents get a little too camera happy at times where it seems inapproprate.

So, for those of you who want some guidelines on when and how to take pictures during the Liturgy here you go.  Jeff Geerling, a seminarian for the Archdioces of St. Louis has written a little article on the topic.  Here is a jem of a quote from the article, but do read the whole thing...it's not that long.

"Basically, it comes down to this: liturgies are set up for the worship of God. They are not set up for picture-taking. You should respect other people who are present and worshipping; if you're distracting them, you're not respecting them. But, more importantly, at liturgies in a Catholic church, you need to show respect to Jesus, who is present in the Eucharist and in the tabernacle. He is present so you can worship Him; not so you can get a really good picture of Him! How would you like it if someone you invited to your party came, took a bunch of pictures of you, and never said a word to you, then left? Pretty disrespectful!

The first purpose for a liturgy is the worship - make sure you have that covered! You don't need twenty pictures of your nephew's baptism to remember it forever. It would be better to experience the baptism firsthand, and maybe just take one meaningful picture, or get a picture from someone else to remember the event by."

The article can be found by clicking here.

The Public Ruminations of One Domenico Bettinelli

Let me be clear right up front. This is not a rumor. I have no special or inside knowledge. I’m just ruminating...

In recent history, the secretary’s [ for the Congregation for Catholic Education] position has been held by a member of a religious order who has experience in Catholic education. I got to thinking about potential candidates for the post, and I realized that Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ, is available on the bench.

Now, I’ve heard it said more than once that if offered a bishop’s office, Fr. Fessio would refuse once, twice, and even three times. But consider that he is a longtime student of the Holy Father and has long experience in academia, going back to the founding of the Ignatius Institute at University of San Francisco.

It wouldn’t surprise me.

Again, I have heard no rumors. I’m just thinking in public.

It sounds logical to me, but it would be a rather bold move on the part of Pope Benedict, especially considering the "arch-conservative" [whatever the heck that means] label that has been bestowed upon Fr. Fessio...but one never knows what the Holy Spirit has in mind.

This One Made Me Chuckle

Via the Curt Jester:

If math were taught the way religion is taught in many (but clearly not all ) Catholic schools:

• How do you feel about numbers?
• Meditate on your favorite number, then write a paragraph about why it is your favorite.
• Choose a song and identify some of the ways in which numbers are present in it. Play the song for the class and lead a discussion about what the class thinks the song expresses about numbers.
• Which number is most present to you in your life today? Which number is most absent?
• We’re going to watch a movie. At the end of the movie we’ll discuss the ways in which numbers are explicitly and symbolically portrayed in it.
• What can you do to be more aware of numbers in your everyday life?
• What are your best and worst experiences involving numbers?
• Make a poster in which you creatively and colorfully depict a number of your choice.
• Although some numbers are called “greater” and others are called “lesser”, in what ways are all numbers really the same? In what ways can the “lesser” numbers be considered greater than the “greater” numbers, and in what ways can the “greater” numbers be considered less than the “lesser” numbers?
• Even though irrational numbers cannot be expressed as the quotient of two integers the way rational numbers can, explain how irrational numbers should be respected and considered to be no different from rational numbers.
• Explain how the traditional classification of integers as either odd or even is merely a social construct.
• Explain how every number has something good about it.
• Do you accept the way that previous generations have used numbers? How do you think numbers should be used? Is there a right or a wrong way to use numbers? What do you consider to be the most personally meaningful way to use numbers?
• How has the way you use numbers changed throughout your life? How do you think you will use numbers in the future?
• Explain why a diversity of numbers is good and what you can do to promote number diversity.
• Explain how multi-cultural approaches to numeral systems (e.g., Mesopotamian, Roman, Arabic) can enrich our appreciation of numbers. Also explain why no numeral system is better than any other system.
• You will have to do a group project in which each person contributes a number. Present to the class all the ways your group can relate the numbers to each other. Your presentation can be a PowerPoint or a video in which you creatively animate the numbers your group selects.
• Write an essay in which you pretend that you are a number. Explain what you think it would be like to be that number.
• If you believe in your heart or in your conscience that 2+2=5, does anyone else have the right to tell you that you’re wrong? Explain why we should avoid judging other people’s mathematical operations.
• Fractions are divisive. Can you think of better ways to express a quotient, without using divisive fractions? Is division something we should strive to do with numbers anyway?
• Explain why the labeling of numbers as either “positive” or “negative” is discriminatory, hurtful, and a manifestation of the bigotry of value-ism. How would you feel if you were labeled a “negative” number? What can you do to help end this kind of discrimination?
• Create a collage of numbers.

Comments

I'm going to turn the comments back on (you won't have to register with motime) and see how it goes.  The first time an obscene comment appears, however, I will have to go back to requiring registration.

The Big News

His Excellency, Paul J. Swain, Bishop of Sioux Falls, SD has appointed me Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Garretson, SD and Associate Director of Vocations for the Diocese.  This assignement will be effective July 2, 2007.

I am grateful to the people of Holy Spirit Parish for their kindness and support and I look forward to serving as Pastor of St. Rose of Lima and serving as Associate Director of Vocations.

Please pray for me.

News Item

I have big news.  But I won't say anything about it yet.  I will be able to say more this coming Sunday, so stay tuned.

Homily: Sixth Sunday of Easter

There was a Pastor of a parish, oh, let’s say his name was Fr. Morgan, and Fr. Morgan was having a hard time with his congregation.  It seemed as though everyone disagreed with him on almost everything.  So, the parish council president said to him, “"Fr. Morgan, this cannot be allowed to continue. Come now, we must have a meeting so we can settle all areas of dispute once and for all." Fr. Morgan agreed. At the appointed time, therefore, Fr. Morgan, the president of the parish council, and the entire parish council met, sitting around a magnificent mahogany table. One by one the issues were dealt with and on each issue, it became more and more apparent that Fr. Morgan was the lone voice in the wilderness. The president of the Parish Council said, "Come, Fr. Morgan, enough of this. Let us vote and allow the majority to rule." He passed out the slips of paper and each man made his mark. The slips were collected and the president said, "You may examine them, Father. It is eleven to one against you. We have the majority." Where upon Fr. Morgan rose to his feet in offended majesty. "So," he said, "you now think because of the vote that you are right and I am wrong. Well, that is not so. I stand here" --and he raised his arms impressively-- "and call upon God Almighty to give us a sign that I am right and you are wrong." And as he said this, there came a frightful crack of thunder and a brilliant flash of lightning that struck the mahogany table and cracked it in two. The room was filled with smoke and fumes, and the president, and the parish council were hurled to the floor. Through the carnage, Fr. Morgan remained standing and untouched, his eyes flashing and a grim smile on his face. Slowly, the president of the parish council lifted himself above what was left of the table. His hair was singed, his glasses were hanging from one ear, and his clothing was in disarray. Finally he said, "All right, eleven to two. But we still have the majority."

It’s a funny story, but it shows us one of the constant tensions in a parish, but also in the Church at large.  There is always the question among those who consider themselves Christian as to who has the authority?  Who is it that speaks on behalf of God?  With so many varying interpretations of God’s word who is right and who is wrong?

We all know the problem.  How many times have we heard varying opinions on moral issues, all from people who say they are Christians and speaking the truth, but who are contradicting one another?  We have seen it over and over again with issues such as abortion, homosexuality, contraception, stem cell research, and a whole host of other moral issues.  There are people on both sides of the fence, all saying they are speaking the truth, but both sides can’t be right.  It’s a logical truth that something cannot both be right and wrong at the same time.  These things are sins or they are not, they are either ok, or not ok, they are either good or evil.  You can’t have it both ways.

So the question still remains.  Who do you trust?  The answer to that lies within our readings today.  In our Gospel we hear the risen Lord telling the Apostles that “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”  Here the Lord gives to the Apostles and their successors an amazing gift.  A special charism, or gift of the Holy Spirit, which will enable them to teach what Jesus taught and never falter in that reaching And because they are human and may forget, they are given, in a special way, the guidance of Third person of the Holy Trinity to constantly remind them of what Jesus taught and keep them faithful to it.

This gift is exercised by St. Peter, the first Pope, and the apostles united with him in our first reading.  We have in that reading a situation much like our current situation in the world.  There were people teaching contradictory things, both claiming that their position is the position of God.  So what did they do?  They turn to those entrusted with this gift of the Holy Spirit.  They turned to the apostles united with Peter; they turn to the bishops, united to the Pope. 

Peter in union with the Apostles render a decision and proclaim it in a way that may seem strange to a modern ears.  They say “It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us.”  Wow!  The modern world would say that it is rather arrogant for this group of men to say they speak on behalf of God himself, yet that is what we believe.  We as Catholics believe that the bishops united with the pope preach and teach the truth.  One could say that the voice of the Church when she teaches the faith is the very voice of God.

But to many, it seems so arrogant.  Well, the Church could be arrogant, or she might just be right.  But we can’t have it both ways, either she is right, or she is arrogant, and we must decide which side we fall on…and we can’t just pick and choose depending on the issue.  If the Church is inspired by the Holy Spirit then she is right about all issues not just some.  If she is right about abortion, then she also must be right about contraception.  If she is right about homosexuality, then she must also be right about an all male priesthood.  It’s an all or nothing issue. 

We, my friends believe that Jesus gave to the Church the Pope and Bishops to teach the truth.  We believe that when they speak on matters of faith and morals, they teach the truth.  We believe that this authority was given by Jesus to the Catholic Church, and to her alone.  If that is the truth, and it is, then as Christopher West says in his book entitled the Good News about Sex and Marriage applies.  He said “If Christ truly gave this authority to the Catholic Church, it’s not arrogant for her to exercise it.  If we’re honest, what’s arrogant is for us to think we know better than the Church what God’s will is in matter of faith and morals.

Today, as we gather here at this altar united in our common belief, let us ask for the faith necessary to listen to God’s word given to us through the teachings of the Church and fearlessly put it into action in our lives.

Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him O Lord

The Rev. Jerry Falwell, the television evangelist who founded the Moral Majority and used it to mold the religious right into a political force, died Tuesday shortly after being found unconscious in his office at Liberty University. He was 73.

I'm Back

Well, I made it back from my pilgrimage, and since I have already been harrased for not posting yet I figured I better do it.

The pilgrimage was excellent.  As soon as some pictures are available I will post them, until then you will have to trust me when I say it was a wonderful experience.

I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane...

Pray for me and for the pilgrims accompanying me to Poland and Rome on our "Pope John Paul the Great tour."  We leave tomorrow morning (Monday the 22nd) and will be gone for 12 days.  I doubt I will be blogging while on pilgrimage, but when I return I hope to have many pictures and stories to tell.

Homily:  Divine Mercy Sunday

And when he had said this, he breathed on the Apostles and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

                This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy, a day set aside to celebrate the great Mercy of God – a Mercy so great and inexhausable that even the greatest sin is no match for it.  When we come before our Lord in the Sacrament of Mercy, the Sacrament of Confession, and humbly confess our sins, no matter how great they may be, they are utterly destroyed by God’s infinite mercy.

                How appropriate it is that on this Mercy Sunday our Gospel reading recounts for us the institution of the Sacrament of Penance on the very night of His Resurrection.  There, in the upper room as the Apostles were hiding, cowering before their enemies, Jesus comes to them and does something unheard of, something that the Apostles would have never in their wildest dreams imagined, he gives them a power that up until then had been reserved only to God, the power to forgive sins.  Jesus said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”  At that moment the Apostles must have been utterly amazed…they…fishermen, sinners, men who had abandoned our Lord when he needed them most were given this amazing power to forgive sins. 

                This gift, this power to forgive sins is an expression of God’s Mercy, of His great love for us.  He wants us to share in his Resurrection, but in order to do that we must be free from sin, and in order to be free from sin we need forgiveness…and if you are like me, we need it often.  Our Lord, knowing all things, knew that we needed a means to be reconciled frequently, and thus he provides a Sacrament to do just that.  He bestows upon the Apostles and their Successors this power to forgive sins…and that power has been passed on from that moment in the Upper Room, down through the centuries to this very day and this very place.  What a humbling thing for me to think that I, a sinner myself, have through my ordination been entrusted with this power to be an instrument of God’s Mercy and forgiveness.

When our Lord appeared to St. Faustina to request that the Feast of Divine Mercy be instituted he said of this day

“I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.* [our emphasis] On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. Everything that exists has come forth from the very depths of My most tender mercy. Every soul in its relation to Me will I contemplate My love and mercy throughout eternity. The Feast of Mercy emerged from My very depths of tenderness. It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount of My Mercy.”

The Church in Her wisdom has enriched Divine Mercy Sunday with a plenary indulgence, which is a complete wiping away of all confessed sins and all the punishment we might deserve because of those sins.  In order to receive this indulgence we must do one of two things.

1.        “In a spirit that is completely detached from the love of sin, even a venial sin, take part in the prayers and devotions held in honour of Divine Mercy.”

2.        “In the presence of the Blessed Sacrament exposed for Adoration or reserved in the tabernacle recite the Our Father and the Creed, adding a devout prayer to the merciful Lord Jesus.” 

In addition to one of those two options we must fulfill the usual conditions for gaining an indulgence.   Namely, receiving Holy Communion and the Sacrament of Penance within one week before or after Divine Mercy Sunday, and praying for the intentions of Our Holy Father.

                By Brothers and Sisters, This Feast of Mercy is a day to celebrate…it’s an opportunity that should not be missed.  Our Parish is joining with St. Mary’s to celebrate this great feast with Adoration of The Blessed Sacrament, The praying of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and with the Sacrament of Reconciliation (tomorrow) this afternoon at 3pm at St. Mary’s Church.  Come…experience the joy of knowing all your sins and punishment are washed away in the flood of God’s immense mercy.  I hope to see each and every one of you there so that together as a parish we can change the world by allowing God to change us.

                For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us, and on the whole world.  Amen.

Homily:  Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

                This evening we gather to commemorate, and in a very mystical way to enter into the very events we celebrate.  Tonight, we enter into that eternal moment where Christ, on the night before He died, gave his very flesh and blood to us as food to nourish both our body and soul.

                 On that night when our Lord gathered his apostles to celebrate the Passover he instituted two of the seven sacraments.  First and foremost, he instituted the Holy Eucharist, and in order to make it possible for the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass to be offered to the end of time, he looked upon his Apostles during that meal and said to them “Do this in memory of me” and thus instituted the Holy Priesthood.   In fact, without the priesthood there is no Eucharist.  As Pope Benedict reminded us all a few weeks ago in his document entitled The Sacrament of Love, “priestly ordination is the indispensable condition for the valid celebration of the Eucharist.”  In other words, no priesthood, no Eucharist!

                My brothers and sisters, the priesthood is one of the greatest gifts that our Blessed Lord gave to us, for only through the priesthood are we able to experience the great mercy and love of God in the sacramental forgiveness of our sins.  Only through the priesthood are we able to have the experience of Christ laying His hands upon us to bring us healing of body and spirit in the Anointing of the Sick.  Only through the priesthood are we able to be present at the foot of the Cross and receive the very flesh and blood of the Living God in the Eucharist.  What a gift the priesthood is, and how unworthy am I to have been called by the Lord to carry in my very person this gift.  I am humbled every time that I think that God would chose a sinful man like me to be a living gift, a living sacrifice, a living image of his son, Jesus Christ.

                The priesthood, my friends, is not about being the center of attention, it is not about being put on a pedestal, it’s not about being better than everyone else.  It is about being the living presence of Christ in the world.  It is about being a servant of God and of the people to whom we minister.  This service to our flock is liturgically played out before us in the moving reenactment of Jesus washing the feet of his Apostles.  As your Pastor and I wash the feet of twelve men representing the twelve apostles we are saying to you in a real way that we are here for you, to serve you in your need, and we mean it.

                Frequently when I meet with the young men and women of our parish I show a video produced by the United States Conference of Bishops entitled Fishers of Men.  It’s a wonderful presentation on the priesthood.  It’s not a sappy, idyllic, or sugar coated version of the priesthood.  It’s a presentation of the real deal.  It’s realistic about the demands, sacrifices, and hard work of the priesthood, but it is equally realistic about the joys of serving Christ wholly and totally.  When the video presentation is over I always ask the youth what they think, what their impressions are, and inevitably one phrase comes forward.  “It takes a real man to be a priest.”  Yes my friends, the priesthood is not for the faint of heart, it’s not for sissies, and it’s not for girly men who want a soft, easy and effeminate lifestyle.  It’s for men – real men.  Men who are unafraid of sacrifice, who are undaunted by the mockery of a world that despises chastity, who are willing to go to their death for the sake of the truth.  It’s for men who want to live and die like Jesus.

                The world doesn’t believe this…they think the priesthood is for sexually dysfunctional and effeminate men, and sadly, we all know there have been some priests who have fallen into that sort of lifestyle, but that chapter in the Church’s history is over.

                Our seminaries are filling up with men who are strong, courageous, sacrificial and who are healthy and happy.  But even so, we need more young men to follow the Lord, to become living images of Jesus Christ in the midst of a world searching for him.  I know that our Lord is calling men from this parish, I know that here tonight there are men who right now, at this very moment are thinking that they might be called to the priesthood.  Do not be afraid!  The priesthood is not easy, but it’s an adventure, and we need you.

                But what about those who are not called to the priesthood?  The Church needs you too.  We all have our role to play in the family of the Church.  All of those roles are equally important, even though they may be different.  After all, we wouldn’t have priests were in not for the married couples who bring them into the world.  Priests don’t just drop from the sky, they come from families, from Moms and Dads and brothers and sisters.

Our Spiritual Father, Bishop Swain, who in his short time in our Diocese has already shown himself to be a loving father to his priests, but also to his entire flock recently spoke about the priesthood n his Homily during the Chrism Mass.  In that homily he said to the priests gathered at the Cathedral,

“I know it is not easy being a priest these days. The hours are long, the driving hard, the demands many, the parish tensions wearing, the affirmations too few.”

He went on, saying

“I ask the laity to help us be good priests keeping proper perspective by being measured in your expectations and demands; charitable in your critiques, generous in your support of time, talent and treasure, and forgiving in your hearts. Each priest is unique as are we all. Each has strengths and human frailties. Each however is a man who has been anointed by the Lord to be a minister of God, as Isaiah so beautifully put it.”

The words of our Shepherd are words to be heeded.  He is right, it is not easy being a priest, and that being the case we need you, we need your understanding and support, we need your love.  Holy Spirit Parish is a place where these things are done, and done well; here we are loved and cared for, and for that I am very grateful.

Know this, my spiritual sons and daughters, we as priests, as your spiritual fathers, take our call seriously.  We are here to serve; we are here to give of ourselves as Christ gives himself to us in the Eucharist.  We are here to embody in our lives the words we utter as we stand in the place of Christ at Holy Mass, “This is my by body, which will be given up for you.”  Pray for us, that we may truly become who we are, living images of the Crucified, called to serve, called to sacrifice, called to give our very selves for you sake, even to the very end.

Alleluia, Christ Is Risen!

Latin and Gregorian Chant...It's Not Just for Lent Anymore

Over at The New Liturgical Movement Jeffery Tucker comments on the trend of using Latin in the Liturgy only during Lent.  He says "There might be a very practical reason for this. The pastor may feel like he has a better chance with success in Lent, when people come to expect different things that feel really Catholic, like Latin and all that. Avoiding parish political problems is a good enough reason (many Pastors live in fear of the music question).

But there is one very bad reason: the impression that chant is penitential and nothing else. Not so! "

He goes on to say that "it would be tragic if the chant movement became stuck in Lent and never moved forward to Easter and Pentecost and beyond, indeed, to the whole Church year. In fact, apart from the political reason, I can see no particular reason why Lent should be chosen more than any other season, though of course Lenten chants are amazing. But so are thousands more from every other season.

So let's please do all we can to move to stage two, beyond Lent. Chant isn't just for penance. It is the song of every liturgical emotion and, indeed, the paradigm song to express everything of true importance"

I wholeheartedly agree.  Latin and Gregorian Chant are not just for Lent, and if you think Chant is depressing, then you may not have heard some of the more joyful chants.  The Te Deum comes immediately to mind.  It is one of the most joyful and uplifting pieces of music I have ever heard.  So, if indeed you think that Chant is depressing, expand your horizons. 

Latin In The Mass

Fr. Martin Fox over at Bonfire of the Vanities has an interesting post about the use of Latin in the Mass.  He said "In conversations with the handful of parishioners who have expressed comments on this, I get the idea that they perceive this to be something very unusual; I suspect some may be saying, "but no one else is doing this.""

I too have encountered the idea that the use of Latin in the Mass is unusual.  I hear it all the time.  At that parish I am at in Sioux Falls, we are using the Latin Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) at the Sunday Masses during Lent, and at the daily Masses I celebrate we also use the Latin Sanctus (Holy, Holy).  This fact has cause some, but not many, great consternation.

This being Fr. Fox's experience he tried a little experiment to prove that the use of Latin is not in any way unusual or unique.  He said "Still, I got curious--just how many parishes are there, dabbling in this? Rather than wait for someone else to solicit the information, that's what I'm doing with this post...

If you know of a parish (i.e., it's either your parish, or you go there regularly) that is using any Latin on a regular basis, or using any Gregorian chant, please post here. (I'd ask that this not be a place for folks to post opinions pro and con.) I ask that you identify the parish by name, city and diocese. If you can provide a link to a webpage or something else with more information, even better!"

So far, Fr. Fox has somewhere in the area of 225 people who have posted saying that their parish is using Latin as part of the Mass.  I would guess that there are many more out there who are doing, they just haven't had someone post on his blog.

So, next time someone comments that it is unusual to use Latin at Mass or if they say something like "Nobody else is doing it" you can point them to this link.

Changes in Commenting

I am sorry that I have to do this, but because of the behavior of some [one in particular] commenters I am now requiring registration in order to comment. 

Homily:  Third Sunday of Lent

Remove the sandals from your feet,
for the place where you stand is holy ground. 

Dearly Beloved, the place where you stand, or in this, case sit, is holy ground.  In our First Reading the place where Moses stood was made holy by the fact that God was spiritually present in the burning bush.  If the place where Moses stood was holy by the spiritual presence of God, so holy that Moses was asked to take off his shoes as a sign of reverence, then how much more holy is this place, this church.  For here dwells not a spiritual presence, but the true, real and substantial presence of Jesus Christ, God made flesh, in the Holy Eucharist. 

In the time of Jesus the Holy of Holies, the tabernacle of God was the holiest place for Jews to worship.  The Jewish people knew that because of the presence of God the utmost reverence was need for that holy place.  Only Jews were allowed to near the Holy of Holies, and the High Priest was allowed to enter that sacred tabernacle, that sacred dwelling place of God only once a year on the Day of Atonement.  If that place, the Holy of Holies was so sacred because of the spiritual presence of God, how much more so this place, for here dwells God in flesh and blood, not just in spirit form.

If this place is so holy, so sacred, we too should have a great reverence and respect for this sacred space.  This reverence, like all things, is expressed through physical realities.  We express our love through our bodies, we express our anger through our bodies, and surely we express our reverence through our bodies.  That is the way we are made, our physical bodies express the interior dispositions of our mind and soul.  So, to express our reverence, we as Catholics, have certain customs, certain ways of physically expressing that reverence.  Things like making sure we observe silence in this sacred space before, during, and after Mass.  We try to refrain from needless talking, needless laughing, and other distracting things.  If we are men, we uncover our heads, and traditionally women have covered their heads.  We also have a certain way of dressing when we enter this sacred dwelling of God.  We wear our Sunday best and avoid dressing too casual. When we come here we are not going to the beach, to a party, or to a baseball game…we are entering the presence of God, and so we dress modestly so that we do not become a source of temptation to those around us.  We may not take our shoes off like Moses, but we should be doing something to remind us of the sacredness of this place.

The Church, however is not the only place where God dwells, he dwells in a very mysterious and real way within each one of us.  From the time we were baptized the Holy Trinity:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit dwells within us, and after receiving Holy Communion God dwells within us not only spiritually, but physically as well.  If that is true, and it is, then we should have the same respect for our bodies as we do for this place.  Scripture tells us that we, our bodies, are temples of the Holy Spirit; the very dwelling place of God.  Our bodies are living tabernacles, a living Holy of Holies and thus our bodies, and the bodies of others deserve our utmost respect and reverence.

Just as we express our reverence for this Holy Place by performing certain actions or by refraining from other inappropriate actions we also express our reverence for our bodies and the bodies of others by certain customs and ways of acting.

We should never, ever treat others and their bodies as things to be used, as a way to get our kicks.  People are made to be loved and never used just so we can have a little fun or experience a little pleasure.  Why, because they are temples of the Most High God, and that’s nothing be easily forgotten.

This, sadly, is not how the world we live in sees things.  The use and abuse of people is rampant, especially when it comes to sexuality.  Pornography, the most rampant way that people are used and abused is a multi-million dollar industry.  ABC, CBS, and NBC combined make 6.2 billion dollars per year, yet the Pornography industry easily makes 57 billion dollars per year.  That’s more than the combined revenue of all pro football, baseball and basketball franchises.  I should make us sick to know that people, made in the image and likeness of God, temples of the Most High, are lowering themselves to use other people though pornography; people who also are made in the image and likeness of God and have God dwelling within them.

And even more sad than those statistics are these:

§         90% of 8-16 year olds using the Internet have viewed pornography on line (most while doing homework).

§         Eleven years old is the average age of first Internet exposure to pornography.

§         Among underage viewers of pornography, children 12 years old to 17 years old are the largest consumers of Internet pornography.

§         A survey of 600 households conducted by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children found that 20% of parents do not know any of their children’s Internet passwords, instant messaging nicknames or email addresses.   Only 5% of parents recognized the acronym POS (parent over shoulder) and only 1% could identify WTGP (want to go private?), both of which are used frequently by teens when instant messaging.

                Parents, please, as your priest, I exhort you, I beg you, do not allow your children to be used or to use others.  Your Children, our children, are, whether we realize it or not, taught by our society that it’s ok to use other people if it’s fun or exciting.  Our world teaches them that if it feels good, do it, even if you use someone in order to feel good.  But, some might say, nobody gets hurt.  No, someone gets hurt.  First of all, the person using pornography gets hurt, spiritually for sure, but also emotionally.  And second, the person being used, being watched, being treated like an object is hurt spiritually, emotionally, and often times physically.  One study stated that “As little as six hours exposure to soft core porn is enough to destroy the viewer’s satisfaction with his or her spouse; decrease the value of faithfulness; decrease the ability to be with one person and cherish that person; and increase the thought that women enjoy rape.”

                Parents, if you haven’t talked to your children about this, please do.  If you don’t know the passwords, user names, or instant messaging nicknames find out what they are.  And please, if you child has a computer in his or her room where the internet can be accessed at any time and without supervision, please get rid of it.  The danger that it poses is far worse than any benefit.

                So, what if one of us has a problem with this?  What if one of us struggles with a problem with the internet?  Statistics say that 47% of Christians surveyed said pornography is a major problem in the home.  If you struggle with this, come to confession.  Talk it over openly and honestly with a priest.  The problem is not hopeless.  It is able to be overcome, and a priest can help.

                My brothers and sisters in Christ, I know this has been a tough homily to listen to.  It’s also been a hard one to give, but as a priest, I cannot not say something about a problem that looms like a dark cloud over so many people.  But there is good news.  God forgives, he delivers us, he breaks the chains that bind us.

                We, my friends are the dwelling places of the Most High.  We, body and soul, are sacred.  God loves us, even though we sin, even though we fall, and that is great news.

                Today as we gather around this Altar let us pray that all of us will come to know, understand and appreciate the holiness of this place, the Church, but also the sacredness of this place, our very bodies.  For if we do, we will grow in holiness by leaps and bounds, and one day, when Christ will stamp out evil for good, we will stand upon the earth as victors, as men and women who have fought the fight and won.

                We adore you o Christ and we bless you, because by your Holy Cross you have redeemed the world.

Many have asked me where I got the statistics used in this homily.  The source of the statistics is an excellent pastoral letter written by Bishop Robert Finn of the Diocese of Kansas City St. Joseph.  It can be found by clicking here.

The Waiting Will Soon Be Over

From the Catholic News Agency:

After over a year of work, the Holy See will release the post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation on the Eucharist, titled “Sacramentum Caritatis,” on Tuesday, March 13th.  The document, which flows from the 11th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, held in October of 2005, has been highly anticipated in ecclesiastical circles...

The document is rumored to be a profound reflection on the Sacrament of the Eucharist and may call for a proposal and plan for liturgical reforms, including a greater use of the Latin language, Gregorian chant, classical polyphonic music.  According to one source, the document may also call for “more decorum and liturgical sobriety in the celebration of the Eucharist, excluding dance and, as much as possible, applause.”

Some Litugical Comments From Cardinal Schoenborn:

A biretta tip to Gerald at The Cafeteria is Closed for finding and translating this gem on the direction the priest faces during Mass.

"The question "people's altar or high altar" has become a reason for dispute. A Viennese parish decided, to once more celebrate Mass using the baroque high altar. A movable people's altar will only be used for "family Masses". Someone told the media about this which resulted in some clamoring, including the hilarious statement that from now on the priest would "preach to the wall" in this church!

First and foremost: It is not decisive in which direction the celebrant faces, but rather what happens on the altar. We are called to focus on the "mystery of faith", on Christ who is in our midst, whose dedication to the Father, for us and for all people we celebrate in the Eucharist. We proclaim His death and His resurrection because they become present among us. That is the center and the source and the highpoint of the Christian life, as the Council stated several times. So this question arises on occasion of this "altar controversy" - are we sufficiently aware of this ?

Second: Both directions of celebration are justified and neither should be suspected or "ideologized" . Mass isn't celebrated "to the people" or "to the wall",but to God through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. The celebration turned "to the people" has the meaning that we all, priests and laypeople, gather around Christ who symbolizes the altar and whose Body and Blood become present on the altar. The celebration "with the back to the people" is not a turning away from the faithful but facing in the same direction in prayer, expression of the path we walk walk towards God as pilgrims, His wandering people.

Third: Vatican II did not say anything about the direction of the celebrant. It wasn't until 1969 that the GIRM said (Nr. 262): "The main altar should be built separated from the wall, so that it can be walked around easily to make the celebration versus populum (towards the people)" In the 2002 edition the following is added: "This should be the case wherever it is possible". The Roman Congregation has declared this as a recommendation, not a requirement.

Fourth: The oldest direction for prayer is towards the East. The Jews prayed towards Jerusalem, the Muslims towards Mecca, the Christians towards the rising sun which symbolizes the Risen Christ. Thus the respective orientation of the synagogues, mosques and churches. The orientation, ie the "Eastwardness" of churches is one of the "original laws" of church architecture. St. Peter's in Rome faces westward for practical reasons. therefore the Pope celebrates facing the doors, which are in the East, and because of that towards the people. It is good to remind oneself what "orientation" means.

Lastly, a personal comment: I love both directions of celebrating Mass. Both are full of meaning for me. Both help me to encounter Christ - and that is, after all, the purpose of the liturgy."

Homily:  First Sunday of Lent

Jesus returned from the Jordan
and was led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days,
to be tempted by the devil.

                Lent, my brothers and sisters in Christ, is a time when we too are led by the Spirit into the desert for forty days.  The image of Lent as a desert goes back to this passage from the Gospel of Luke, but it has its roots buried even deeper in the Scriptures.  The idea of going out into the desert goes all the way back to when the Hebrew people wandered the desert of Sinai for forty years seeking the Promised Land.

                I have never been to a desert, but I am told that the desert is a place of extremes.  It is freezing cold at night, and boiling hot during the day.  The wind can be strong, or it can be nothing at all, and the silence…the silence is deafening.  The desert, because of its utter loneliness forces a person to face themselves, for there is no one else there, and there is nowhere to hide.  Lent is a time to do just that: to enter the starkness of the desert and there encounter our truest self, with all our strengths and defects, with all our virtues and vices, but not only to encounter ourselves, but also Jesus himself.

                Even the liturgy calls us to enter the desert.  The Church, in her desire to strip away all things that might in any way distract us from focusing on God and our conversion to him, has certain liturgical regulation for this season.  For instance she forbids the use of flowers to decorate the sanctuary as well as requiring that we scale back and tone down the music during lent, which gives the liturgy a more silent and desert like atmosphere.  Here at Holy Spirit we have also scaled back the Altar Cloth so that it only covers the top of the Altar, we have removed some of the candlesticks, stopped the baptismal font from running, and later on in the season we will cover all the statues adding to the starkness of this season. 

How do these things help us to enter the desert?  They reminds us that the real reason we come to Mass is to encounter Jesus, to hear His word and be united with Him in the Eucharist.  We do not come to Mass only because of the decorations and flowers and music, as wonderful as they might be.  If we are coming to Mass only for those things, this Lent may be a good time to re-examine our priorities.  If we find ourselves saying that the only reason we come here