January 11th, A note from Fr. Walt

Ordinary Time:  Is any Time Ordinary?

       Today, the Church is celebrating the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.  It is a day when many churches mark this day by inviting the faithful to make a renewal of their baptismal promises.  This feast today also brings to a close the Advent/Christmas season: those several weeks when the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, the Advent Sundays, emphasized the time of preparation for the birthday of the Lord, and then the feasts of Christmas, Holy Family, the Feast of Mary the Mother of God, and Epiphany.

       As we look back at these two seasons, Advent and Christmas, we probably recall a whirlwind of activity, many hectic days, beautiful and joyous family celebrations, when families gathered and we looked with great joy at children delighted with special Christmas presents.  Some families traveled to be with the extended family, others welcomed grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to their homes.  We welcomed the Savior once again into our lives and hopefully took the time to reflect on the richness of grace, the many graces, that Advent and Christmas celebrations offer to us.

       Tomorrow, January 12, 2015, we will begin what the Church calls ‘Ordinary Time’.  What exactly is Ordinary Time?  Next Sunday, when we come to Mass and the welcome is made and we are invited to gather to celebrate the First Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the week after, the Second Sunday, and so on for weeks afterward, those words of welcome to Ordinary Time will probably go in one ear and out the other.  It’s only ‘ordinary time’.

       Ordinary Time is that period of weeks that begin right after the Christmas season that leads up to the beginning of the Season of Lent on Ash Wednesday.  Then, for six weeks of Lent and the seven weeks of the Easter Season, Ordinary Time is replaced by the most important period of the Church year:  we will make the journey of renewal of mind and heart from Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2015 until Holy Week, beginning Palm (Passion) Sunday, March 29^th and then the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord, April 5^th, and then the seven weeks of the Easter Season, taking us to May 24^th, the feast of Pentecost.

       On the day of Pentecost, May 25^th, we are back to Ordinary Time again until the end of November, when the holy season of Advent will be upon us once again.

       When we stop to think about it, no time is really ordinary time, whether we think about it in terms of the Church’s liturgical seasons and celebrations or not.  In our daily lives, we will celebrate all kinds of special days:  birthday, wedding anniversaries, etc.  There will be the days when we remember the passing of loved ones.  Young people will look forward to vacations from school, getting a summer job, maybe reaching that special age when they can get their driving permit.  In some families, there will be that special joy when someone gets married, when new babies come into this world and into our families.  Some may reach their day of retirement and begin a whole new season of life.  So, ordinary time, not really, especially if we walk each day in companionship with the Lord and those very special people we call our own… 

January 4th, A note from Fr. Walt

       Talk of making New Year Resolutions has been a tradition going back many, many years, even centuries.  There is always some talk about it and maybe a lot of people seriously think of making such resolutions:  I’m going to take off twenty pounds this year, I’m going to start a journal this year, I’m going to visit old friends more this year.  Resolutions such as these, as noble and well-intended as they are, rarely last beyond the month of January.  No offense to those who do make such resolutions seriously and carry them out faithfully.  Yet, such resolutions are talked about more than made and fulfilled; let’s be honest about it.

       Today is the feast of the Epiphany, the manifestation to the world of the coming of the Lord Jesus as our Messiah and Savior.  How Magnificent!  This manifestation of the Lord to us, we tend to confine as a part of the Christmas season celebration, but the manifestation does not have an ending, not only the Lord’s manifestation to us, but our part in that, namely:  that we are to share in the labor of continuing to make Him manifest in our world today.  To this end, I would suggest making a few ‘Epiphany Resolutions’.  May I offer a few suggestions?

       ONE:  I resolve that this year I will sincerely make an effort to spend at least a few moments in prayer each day.  I will pick a quiet time, without the noise of TV or such and quietly talk with the Lord, AND listen to what He wishes to say to me.

       TWO:  I resolve that at least two or three days a week, I will take a little time to read sacred scripture, the Bible.  Each Sunday in the bulletin, we list the scripture text for the Masses for that week.  Let this be a guide to help you decide what portions to read.  You don’t have to follow that; maybe you have your own favorite passages you would rather choose.

       THREE:  I resolve to share at least some part of my time in community, neighborhood or church activities.  We know that actions speak louder than words and maybe some of our good deeds will help others around us to see the presence and grace of God in action.

       FOUR:  I resolve to at least think about the call that frequently comes through the bulletin or the pulpit announcements, looking for more people to participate in liturgical roles:  servers, lectors, special ministers of the Eucharist, etc.  Giving witness among our brothers and sisters in our faith community is always a good way to share with others.

       Yes, I could go on with a longer list of suggestions for such resolutions, but I’ll leave that up to your own creative imaginations.  The important part of this message is that we come to realize that the Lord, Himself, depends on us to help make him manifest in our world.  A lot of the terrible things that have gone on in our cities of late speak volumes to us.

       Think of the Beatitudes that we read in the opening verses of the 5^th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, more than enough food for thought.

       Our new year is still very young.  May it be filled with God’s choicest blessings for all…  

December 28th, A note from Deacon Paul

        The Christmas season offers us a time to reflect upon and be thankful for the many ways God has graced our lives.  Next to faith, perhaps the greatest of God’s gifts is family.   I am very thankful for my own family and while I do not say it often enough, I love them and thank God for the blessing they are in my life.  They have formed me into the person I am today (don’t blame them for the faults) and they have given me the best of foundations for living the Christian life and sharing that life with others. 

         Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family.  Fixing this feast near Christmas, the Church reminds us that family is central to the plan of salvation and to our call to holiness.  It is in and through family life that we learn how to love and forgive one another.  In family life we come to recognize our own giftedness and our limitations.  We learn how to fail and then get up and start anew.  What better training ground for the Christian life?  How better to encounter Christ than to experience his presence in the love and community of family? 

          Yet, families today face many challenges arising from what Pope Francis calls a “culture of the temporary.”  It is not that the problems facing families are new, but that our culture all too often encourages opting out as a first response.  To engage in the struggle, to grapple with the problems of our human frailties and to rely upon God’s grace is the very essence of what it means to live as Christians in the pursuit of holiness.  The Holy Family provides a model for us and teaches us how to persevere in life’s difficulties while remaining open to God’s grace along the path to holiness.

          So what can we learn from the Holy Family that will strengthen families of today? 

    Joseph – In Joseph, we see a strong and quiet man of action.  In the whole of Scripture Joseph never says a word, but his presence is felt.  He leads his family and protects them.  He provides for them and humbly thanks to God for what he has.  Scripture tells us that Joseph is a righteous man which means that he is honest and keeps himself in proper relationship to God.  Joseph provides the example of a quiet doer. 

     Mary – In Mary, we see a gentle and loving mother.  Mary was an unwed teenager when she became pregnant with our Lord.  She trusted God and was not afraid to say “yes” to God.  Mary was a courageous woman who put her family first.  After the death of her husband, Mary became a single mother raising Jesus on her own.  Mary provides the example of courage and obedience to God. 

     Jesus – In Jesus, we see an obedient and faithful son.  Though he was God, he did not regard equality with God something to be grasped but emptied himself taking the form of a slave.  Jesus teaches us how to love perfectly and to conform ourselves to the will of God. 

       So today, we thank God for the Holy Family and for our own families. We pray for all families that God will give them the courage and the grace to persevere.  May you enjoy the blessings of the season and may you and your families have a peaceful, happy and grace-filled New Year.

December 21st, A note from Fr. Walt

Waiting with Mary & Joseph 

       On this Fourth Sunday of Advent with just a few days to go before Christmas, I suspect most everyone is still very busy, as the Christmas Carol says, ‘making a list and checking it twice’.  People are busy at wrapping gifts, shopping for the last minute items for Christmas dinner and giving the house a good cleaning.  But what about the Fourth Sunday of Advent?  The gospel for today calls our attention to the event of months ago, the sudden visit of the Angel Gabriel to the young Mary of Nazareth.  As busy as we all may be, take a few minutes out of this day for some quiet reflection.  Sounds impossible?  Why?  Don’t let the sudden rush of Christmas celebration overwhelm you.  Think about those last days for Mary & Joseph as they traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census.

       I’m sure the last thing on their minds was the census, but the law was the law and the journey had to be made.  But what was the journey like for them?  For Joseph, I can picture him turning his head to look at Mary riding on the donkey.  “Are you okay, Mary?  Do you want to stop and rest?”  “No, I’m okay, let’s keep going.  It’s almost evening and we can stop and rest for the night.  Maybe tomorrow we will make it to Bethlehem.”  This kind of conversation was probably repeated in one form or another several times by these two people, each one chosen by God to have a special role in the event that would change the history of the human race.  Couldn’t God have made it a little easier for them, a little more comfortable?  Thoughts like that would never have entered their minds.  Remember what Mary said when the angel said of her, “Hail Mary, FULL OF GRACE.”  Because she was filled with the singular grace God had bestowed on her, her response to the angel’s announcement was, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.  Let it be done unto me according to your word.”

       These days were days of quiet as they made their way along the road.  And they were days of worry for Joseph, “How can I provide for her when we get to Bethlehem?  What if the child is born before I can find a suitable place for Mary and the Child?”  Yet Joseph, too, knew that the hand of God was guiding them and would protect them.  God had said to both Mary and Joseph, “Do not be afraid.”  The very special presence of the Holy Spirit was with them.  They had placed themselves at the service of God’s plan, whatever and however that plan was to be fulfilled.

       Take a little time today, no matter how busy you think you are.  Let it be some quiet time.  Pick up one of the Christmas cards you have received, maybe one with a picture of Mary and Joseph making their way to Bethlehem.  Let it speak to your heart.  Let the Lord speak to your hear.

       Oh heavens!  I forgot to send a card to great Aunt Sarah.  Will it get there before Christmas?  Oh Well, I’ll add a little note and tell her I was spending some time with Jesus, and that’s why this card is late.

       My wish for all of you is to experience the peace and love of this very special feast and may the Lord bless you with happiness and good health throughout the New Year.     

December 14th, A note from Fr. Walt

Joy in the Lord – Advent Prayer

       Prominent in the scriptures for the Third Sunday of Advent is the call to rejoice.  Indeed, it is a season for rejoicing as we prepare ourselves for the joyous feast of Christmas and also for the many times that the Lord bestows his joy on us and in countless ways.

       This little anecdote may help illustrate this truth.  A mother of five young children was baking Christmas cookies and her youngest son, we’ll call him Ben, had pushed a chair over to the counter so he could help his mother.  “I want to help, Mommy,” he said with great eagerness.  Mommy said, “But this is a mommy job, Ben.  Why don’t you play with one of your toys?”  “No, Mommy.  I want to help.”  Well, Mommy finally gave in and let little Ben help her.

       All of a sudden there was a whoosh, a white cloud of flour, some of it landing in the mixing bowl, some on the floor and some in Mommy’s hair.  Ben laughed at this, seeing Mommy with white hair.  As you can imagine, this frazzled mother became very impatient, but as she said, miraculously she held it in.  As she looked into a mirror, she saw what made Ben laugh, and she too laughed at the sight.

       The Christmas cookies were finally all made and decorated and later that afternoon as Ben fell asleep in her lap, she had an opportunity to spend a little quiet time before the other children arrived home from school.  She couldn’t help smiling herself as she looked at the very peaceful and beautiful child asleep on her lap.  Her thoughts took her to the homily she heard the day before on the Third Sunday of Advent.  The priest called it, ‘joy Sunday’.  As the thoughts ran through her mind, she could not help but think of the countless times her five children brought joy into her life.  Sometimes the joy followed a moment of impatience, as the episode with Ben making cookies, but joy always won out.

       Not only on this Third Sunday of Advent, but on many of the Advent Sundays and weekdays, we are given the abundance of hopeful and joyful readings from the prophet Isaiah.  He prophesies about our future, what this world can become; he prophesies about the Messiah who comes as the great peacemaker who makes promises to all who will accept the Messiah into their lives.

       Advent is truly one of the most beautiful seasons of the year, awakening in us once again the spirit of awareness that we are being called to make the journey once more, welcoming the Lord into our lives, listening to such uplifting lessons, preparing ourselves and walking with Him as our companion and our Savior.

       May these Advent days continue to hold many blessings for all of you.  Open your hearts and let Him in with his promise of eternal life.  If there is need for the grace of healing in your life, seek it out.  Don’t let this season pass you by.  Give time for prayer and quiet reflection, at least a little every day.  You won’t be disappointed.  The blessings that come from it will be your very best Christmas gifts.     

December 7th, A note from Fr. Scott

          The other day I stopped at one of the churches to get communion for a home visit.  Halfway to the church I remembered I would need keys.  So I walked back to my car and opened the compartment between the front seats where I always store my keys. 

          No keys!  (At least not the ones for which I was looking.)

          “Don’t panic,” I thought.  “Check your coat pockets first.”  I had on my winter coat with the big pockets and I knew I had the keys the day before.  So I searched my coat pockets multiple times.  They just weren’t there.  I went back to the compartment between the front seats, thinking I must have missed them; but, no, they weren’t there either.

          I began to panic.

          But then something nudged me to check my glove compartment.  There they were!  I never knowingly put them in my glove compartment, but after reconstructing the scene from the day before, I realized I had multiple items in my hand when I got into my car.  The keys were to go into the middle compartment, the other item was to go in the glove compartment.  I had absentmindedly reversed them.

          Actually, while I was relieved, I wasn’t surprised.  I’ve been doing that with more frequency as I age.  For example, at home I might put my tea mug in the refrigerator and the lemon juice on the counter, only to realize a minute later something isn’t right.  I imagine it’s a sign of aging as I’m due to enter my seventh decade in the not too distant future.  I imagine also that it’s a sign that I have too many things on my mind and am deep in thought when I do rather mindless mundane tasks.  Absentminded is, I suppose, the polite description.

          I realize we live in an era in which the ability to multi-task is highly prized, but I question the human ability to actually do so well.  Our capacity for attention is only so much; when we try to stretch it beyond capacity then we are unable to do anything well.  Yes, I know today’s young people have grown up bombarded with multiple stimuli (how much quiet fills their day?) and with much more supple minds than mine can no doubt multi-task better than I, but certain tasks require concentrated effort.  For example, I am of the opinion that when one studies for a test while watching TV or playing computer games or listening to music, the end result will suffer because the focus is divided.  Still, maybe that’s simply what happens to me and others may disagree.  

          My fear is that we carry over multi-tasking into our spiritual lives.  Prayer is just one “task” among many.  Ideally, prayer ought not be a “task” at all but a moment of privilege in which we connect with God in a way that improves our life journey—helps us live more Christ-like lives.  It seems to me that the important things of life require undivided attention.  Most of us have had the experience of being in conversation with another person and the other person seems to pay more attention to their phone than the conversation at hand.  (I’m guilty of being that other person at times!)  But what kind of respect are we showing the person with whom we are conversing? 

          It’s the same with God.  If we truly respect God, then ought we not focus our attention on God alone and not on God as one task in the midst of many?  Yes, that’s probably hard to do for many of us as we live life multi-tasking, but it’s not an impossibility.  Change is never easy.

          And this Advent portion of the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season is a perfect time to try and give God our undivided attention.  Advent is a season of patient waiting for God to act.  The waiting, however, is not meant to be passive.  It’s an active waiting of prayer and reflection, creating fertile ground in our hearts and minds for God to take deeper root in our lives.

          Yes, we are a multi-tasking culture, but what a shame if the culture takes precedence over our faith journey with God.

          Have a blessed Advent-Christmas-Epiphany season . . .  

November 30th, A Note from Fr. Scott

Recently I was in the supermarket waiting in line to check out when two people in the next line began to converse.  I wasn’t paying too much attention and then I heard “Ham?!  You can’t have ham on Thanksgiving!  You have to have turkey—it’s tradition!”

And then I heard, “Father, tell them it’s tradition to have turkey on Thanksgiving!”

I was a bit startled to be invited into a conversation of which I had not been a part, nor of which I cared to be a part.  All I could think was, “Why am I the expert on Thanksgiving traditions?!”

Traditions are a part of life.  We all have them, although our own traditions may be different from someone else’s.  Many years ago I remember meeting with an engaged couple and we were talking about expectations regarding traditions.  In his family, his mother always put up the Christmas tree and decorated it; in her family, her father always put up the Christmas tree and decorated it.  Naturally, their expectation was that the other would take care of the Christmas tree.  (I’m not sure what they did in the end as a married couple: maybe they never did get a tree!)

Traditions bring an element of comfort, an element of stability, to our lives.  That’s why we have traditions.  They’re familiar; they recall pleasant memories of times past. 

There are, however, times when traditions may change.  While the adjustment to a new way of doing things may not feel quite right in the beginning, eventually we embrace this new way as a tradition.  New traditions probably surface most commonly in young married couples who welcome children into their family.  While they still cling to their old traditions somewhat, they begin to form new traditions with their new family.  Actually it’s usually a blending of the new and the old.  And that’s what ought to happen as we journey through life.

Traditions are not just family-centered, of course.  The Church is filled with traditions that bring a sense of comfort and stability to our lives.  This weekend we begin a new liturgical year with the lighting of the first candle on the Advent wreathe.  Each week the light grows with the addition of another lit candle until we arrive at Christmas and celebrate how Jesus is the light of the world.

Jesus is also the light of our lives, in our lives, leading and guiding us to a deeper relationship with Him.  Jesus, the human face of God, reveals to us the depth of God’s love for us.  Even more than our cherished traditions, it is Jesus Who brings comfort and stability to our lives.  We live in a constantly changing world; traditions help anchor us in what is meaningful (as long as the traditions aren’t sinful, of course).  Even more so does Jesus provide an anchor of meaningfulness and purposefulness in our lives.  And we have such wonderful opportunities to connect with Jesus—through our Eucharistic celebrations (Mass), in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, in our own personal prayer lives, in our response to the needs of others, in our acceptance of another person’s kindness to us.  Jesus is indeed with us, lighting up our lives, bringing comfort and stability to our lives.

To go back to the supermarket: I didn’t really want to take sides in the ham versus turkey debate, so I simply said that whatever one’s preference is, it’s fine.  (Personally, I’ve never cared much for ham, but it’s a valid preference!)

Have a blessed Advent . . .

November 23rd, A Note from Fr. Walt

Viva Cristo Rey – Long Live Christ the King by Fr. Walt…

       Today, on this last Sunday of the Church’s Liturgical year, we celebrate the feast of Christ the King.  At the culmination of this entire liturgical year of our worship, we honor Jesus Christ as the Lord of the Kingdom of Justice, Truth, Love and Peace.  Our idea of the Kingship of Christ is that at the ultimate coming of Christ, it will be to claim this world as his kingdom and invite all who profess belief in Him to join him in heaven.

       In our society today, we don’t think in terms of royalty with all its trappings and regal traditions, though many Americans are fascinated to watch the pageantry that takes place in other countries where monarchs still exist.  Well, there are other stories that tell us of how we honor Christ the King and one in particular is connected to the feast of a 20^th century martyr who became a martyr on this date, November 23^rd, in the year 1927.

       His name was Miguel Pro, a native of Mexico, who became a Jesuit priest.  He received his education and training in Europe where, of course, it was the custom for the clergy to wear the black cassock every day.  He did this religiously, but when he returned to his native Mexico, the country was going through a period of fierce anti-Catholic repression.  The clergy were forbidden to wear any religious garb in public.  If they were found out, they might be arrested by the military police.  Fr. Miguel went along with this restriction though he had become very well known as a priest, celebrating Mass, most often secretly, taking care of the sick and dying and teaching the young people about their faith.

     Naturally, he became a target of the anti-Catholic authorities who would love to have captured him; it would be a feather in their cap if they could silence him.  Miguel was a master of disguises and many times walked even in the presence of the police disguised in some way that they never took a second look at him.  This enabled him to go about the city visiting the sick, bringing Communion, hearing Confessions, anointing the sick and bringing comfort to the bereaved.

       His colleagues warned him that he was taking a great risk in his efforts to carry out his ministry in the presence even of the police; they told him that sooner or later, he would be found out and captured and God only knew what would happen to him.

       Well, the inevitable finally happened.  He was discovered and arrested and thrown into a dark prison cell.  He remained there without being formally charged and left wondering what would happen to him and when.  Without any forewarning, the soldiers came to his cell early in the morning of November 23, 1927.  They dragged him up into a courtyard and stood him in front of a firing squad.  They asked him if he had any last requests and he responded that he would like to pray.  When he finished praying, he stretched out his arms in the shape of a cross and shouted out, “VIVA CRISTO REY” …..LONG LIVE CHRIST THE KING!

       Not long before he was arrested, he wrote a letter to some friends.  He ended the letter with the following message, “Adios, Remember me to all, never forget me, and any time you lack someone for whom to say an “Ave,” know that I shall accept it with the greatest gratitude.”     

 
Fr. Walt Wainwright

November 9th, A Note from Fr. Walt

       There are several hundred churches in the eternal city of Rome.  Among them, of course, is the largest church in Christendom:  St. Peter’s Basilica.  Anyone who has visited the Vatican has stood in awe at the

magnificence of this basilica.  Among the other great churches we call basilicas are the Basilica of St. Mary Major, the Basilica of St. Paul outside the walls and the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

       Today, November 9th, we are celebrating one of those basilicas, the one that is dedicated in honor of St. John the Evangelist, more commonly called the Lateran Basilica.  It may seem unusual to us that the celebration of the Dedication of this Basilica should take

precedence over our regular Sunday Liturgy.  Another aspect that may seem unusual is that the feast has the title of ‘The Dedication of the Basilica of the Savior,’ yet it is the one and the same church dedicated to St. John the Evangelist.  It is only occasionally that this feast falls on a Sunday.  We probably wouldn’t take notice of it when it comes on a weekday.   

        So what gives this feast day such importance?  There are a number of reasons, among them is the fact that this particular church is also the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Rome.  Every Diocese in the world has a cathedral.  In Our own diocese, it is the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Rochester.  In New York City, it is the more famous St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  I am sure that in some remote areas of the world, the cathedral church is a very small church, perhaps due to the poverty of the area of its location.

       The significance of the Basilica of the Savior, or St. John’s Basilica, is precisely because it is a cathedral church.  It is the seat of the Diocese of Rome and consequently it is the mother church for the Roman diocese and Pope Francis is its Bishop.  Read over the texts of the scriptures for today’s feast and you will discover the importance of the cathedral church.

       In the first reading from the Book of Ezekiel, the imagery is very rich in speaking about the flowing water that comes out from the temple, running into the sea; and when the rich pure water reaches the salty water of the sea, it gives life to all the creatures of the sea.  The trees and plants that grow along the banks of the river are watered by the life-giving springs that nourish these plants.  Both the water which gives life and the plants that have healing powers represent the sacramental life of the church that nourishes and heals.  The sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist, Confirmation and Anointing, all give and sustain life.  The sacrament of Reconciliation brings healing to the sinner.

       In the passage from the Letter to the Corinthians, our second reading today, St. Paul reminds us that we ourselves are the temples of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit of God dwells in us.  This tells us that we are not only celebrating a structure in today’s liturgy, but the life-giving Spirit of God that is within us.

       Finally the passage of the Gospel, taken from the Gospel of St. John, gives us the scene where Jesus cleanses the temple in Jerusalem.  The words of Jesus give strong evidence for his love for the Father’s house.  “Take these out of here and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” 

        Jesus, by his action, is reminding us that every place

of worship is a sacred place and that we should remember this and remind ourselves at the same time, that we are living temples and the Spirit of the Lord dwells within us.

Fr. Walt Wainwright

November 2nd, A note from Fr. Scott

          Not long ago, I read an article written by a woman who said that when she was young she would read all the Reader’s Digest Condensed Books.  It wasn’t until years later that she realized that “condensed” didn’t just mean “shortened”.  The proper people at Reader’s Digest Condensed Books also removed any offensive material, especially language.  She cited as an example William Shakespeare’s classic “MacBeth” in which Lady MacBeth, overwhelmed with guilt, would cry out, “Out, d___ spot!” (taking a cue from the proper people of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books I will let you fill in the blank).  The Reader’s Digest version read, “Out, crimson spot!”

          As the author of the article recalled the Condensed Books I couldn’t help but think of the time (early 70s) when my mother read the condensed version of Erich Segal’s “Love Story”.  It was a rather sad and moving story and her reading of it made her want to see the movie, so she went with her sisters.  Of course, the original book was rife with vulgarities and the movie followed suit, much to my mother’s dismay: she would have preferred the cleaned-up condensed version.

          I thought of that article while I was on my annual retreat last week.  I go to Stella Maris Retreat Center in Skaneateles, NY, and take part in a silent directed retreat.  Silence is kept except for participation at daily Mass and a daily meeting with one’s director for about 45 minutes.  The rest of the time is spent praying, sleeping, eating, reading, and going for walks around the neighborhood.  (If it sounds like a vacation, it’s not.  Deep prayer is hard work.)  It happened to be a rainy week, so walking around the neighborhood involved avoiding raindrops and negotiating wet sidewalks. 

          One day I went for a lengthy walk up and down the small inclines strewn throughout the area.  As I started down a small incline, I must have been deep in thought, for I didn’t notice that part of the sidewalk was slate or shale or something of that nature—petrology/geology is not my strong suit.  At any rate, whatever it was, it was extremely slippery when wet!  My foot slipped, I lost my balance and subsequently fell to the ground.  (When one is 60ish, falling is not a pretty picture.  I admit I lack the grace of a ballet dancer—or even someone on “Dancing with the Stars”.)  I didn’t fall on my backside, thank goodness, or even face-first—also thank goodness.  I fell on my left knee, twisting my toes in an odd way to prevent further descent, leading to some limping for a few days.  But all in all, my pants took the worst of it, especially around the left knee area: dirt and what looked like black soot.  I decided I would just let it dry and wash it when I got back to Elmira.

          After returning home, I sprayed the pants with “Oxi Clean”, let it soak in for a while, echoed Lady MacBeth’s “Out, d___ spot!”, and then threw them in the washer.  They came out less than clean.  The stains remain.  I don’t know what was on that wet sidewalk, but it was like indelible marker.

          While my pants will no doubt forever be stained, fortunately the Catholic Christian life reminds us that no matter what sins may stain our immortal soul, God is the great stain remover—as long as we acknowledge our sinfulness, ask for forgiveness, and are truly sorry, there is nothing God won’t forgive.

          Years ago I remember reading a spiritual writer who said he tried every religion the world over before he decided which one he would embrace.  He became Catholic, because, he said, it’s the most forgiving of all faith traditions.

          It’s not really a faith tradition that’s forgiving; it’s God that’s forgiving—the Holy Spirit has clearly revealed that to the Church—because God wants to free us from the burdens that sin places on our hearts.  Even if the head denies sinfulness, the heart knows and sin leads to a restlessness of spirit within us.  Such restlessness can stain us for life (we all know people who never seem at peace), unless we turn to God, the great stain (of sin) remover.

          Have a blessed . . . and God-filled . . . week . . .

November 16th, A note from Fr. Scott

          Years ago I realized that no one does anything without a reason.  We don’t always like to admit our motivation—sometimes we aren’t even sure what our motivation is—but there is a reason for doing what we do.

          I watch “Revenge”.  Or to be more accurate, I DVR “Revenge” and watch it at some later time.

          It’s not my usual preference in television programming.  Just the title goes against most everything in which I believe.  There’s no room for “revenge” in Catholic Christianity if we understand the Gospel correctly.  The acting in the show is less than riveting; the plot lines strain credibility to the max; there is probably one likable character in the whole menagerie (who isn’t even the centerpiece of the show).  It seems preposterous to me that it’s in its 4^th season on television.

          So why do I watch?

          For one simple reason: I know one of the screenwriters.

          Or I did know one of the screenwriters some years ago.

          His name is Joe and he was a student at Ithaca College.  He had a difficult time the first month away from home—homesickness affects many a student in the beginning, but he toughed it out and did very well.  Early on he became part of the Catholic community and we hired him to work in the Catholic offices at Muller Chapel. 

          Joe was bright, had a great sense of humor, was a terrific worker, and loved all things entertainment: movies, music and television.  I don’t remember the exact title of his major, but it had to do with television.  Joe watched a lot of TV growing up—I was amazed at how many television theme songs he knew by heart!  He also had a wonderfully compassionate heart (something missing from the characters on “Revenge”).  He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do in television, but his dream was to work in television.  I remember him telling me one time that one of his professors suggested he pursue screenwriting. 

          When he first went to LA, he got a job working with the crew on the long-running show “ER”.  He never wanted to be an actor; he wanted to work behind the scenes, although one time “ER” used him as an extra in a scene.  And then came “Revenge”.  A friend told me that Joe was writing for the show, so I started to watch in the second season.  I’m not sure how the writing works because different people get credit for different segments.  Somehow they must work together plot-wise, although the strained plotlines might suggest lack of communication.

          Anyway, Joe is the reason I watch “Revenge”.  It takes me back to my years at Ithaca College.  I never wanted to go there as a chaplain and yet it turned out to be a great experience.  I loved working with young adults, so filled with hope and determination, questions and compassion.  I had a great rapport with the other Catholic Chaplain, Mary.  Those were good years.

          But I wouldn’t want to go back.  Because we can’t recapture the past.  We can learn from the past and we can be inspired by the past, but we can’t recapture it.  We can only go forward.  Jesus once said, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.”  In other words, if you are plowing a field and keep looking behind, you’ll never keep to a straight path; you’ll go off course.  We follow Jesus Who leads from the front, not from the back. 

          Nostalgia has its place, but we’re doomed to failure if we try to recapture the past.  We can only go forward.  While the past may look a lot better than the present in some ways, that doesn’t mean the future can’t be bright.  With eyes and ears and minds and hearts set on Jesus ahead of us, we can only be people of hope.  With eyes and ears and minds and hearts set on Jesus, revenge truly makes no sense.  With eyes and ears and minds and hearts set on Jesus, our motivation will be positive—and incidentally, we’ll be going in the best direction possible.

          Have a blessed week . . .

October 26th, A note from Fr. Scott

          As I drive around the area I frequently listen to the radio (except for during Lent when I give up listening to the radio as an act of self-sacrifice).  While my car radio has the capacity to program 18 different radio channels, basically I listen to 6.  (The other twelve I programmed long ago when I travelled a bit more and they are tuned to radio stations whose signals do not reach the Elmira area.  Also long ago I forgot how to program the radio which is the real reason the stations remain as they are—yes, I could probably figure out how to do it again, but 6 is actually enough, especially since I also have a CD option.)

          5 of the stations are tuned to various music genres.  2 are oldies stations (yes, I am of that era), 2 are contemporary pop/soft rock, 1 is country, and the 6^th is tuned to a talk radio station.  Clearly music is my preference as I like to sing (while I appreciate classical music, I can’t sing to it so it doesn’t make my regular play-list).

          Quite frankly I abhor talk radio in general, mostly because my (limited) experience has been that of exaggerated opinion, whether it’s sports or politics or conservative vs. liberal viewpoints.  Opinions are fine, I suppose, but I prefer non-biased facts to opinions, which are rarely balanced.  I see little value in blustery opinions that tear others down in order to “prove” their point.  (I equally abhor political attack ads on television—we’ve sunk very low on the maturity scale when our main message is to point out others’ faults instead of presenting viable plans for a better future.  But I will admit, that’s just my opinion.  Others may think differently.)

          The talk radio station to which I do listen is the Catholic Station, called the “Station of the Cross”.  I’m not even sure where it is on my radio dial, only that it’s programmed between an oldies station and a contemporary pop/soft rock station.  I catch bits and pieces as I drive around.  I know the station broadcasts Mass at 8:00 am and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 pm, and at some point on the weekend does offer some contemporary Christian music, but what I really like are the call-in shows during which people ask for clarification about Church teaching or ask for ways to deal with family problems.  The hosts of the program as well as the guest experts offer solid information that can be both enlightening and supportive of our faith tradition.  I like the pastoral approach that seems to be a common thread throughout.  The news presented on the station also reflects things Catholic.

          For those who haven’t discovered the “Station of the Cross”, you might like to try listening sometime.  Not every program offered will capture your attention in the same way, but it’s nice to know we have a resource on local radio that can help us live out our Catholic faith—and our baptismal call.  Baptism begins a journey for us all, a journey of deepening our relationship with God through our own prayer life and the wisdom of the Church, a journey of continuing discovery of all the ways God loves and enlightens us. 

          Have a blessed week . . .

October 19th, A note from Fr. Scott

          It’s happened again.

          The best teams in baseball didn’t make it to the World Series.  (When I was growing up, baseball was the national pastime and there were no play-offs, just the World Series involving the winningest team in each league.  Today, every sport has multiple team and lengthy play-offs primarily because of the economic benefit.) 

          The American League Los Angeles Angels had the most wins of any team in baseball during the regular season, but they were quickly eliminated by a wild-card team, the Kansas City Royals (kudos to them as they hadn’t made the playoffs since before most of the team members were born).  The Washington Nationals had the best record in the National League, closely followed by the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Neither survived their first play-off round, losing to the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals respectively.

          It hardly seems fair.

          But isn’t that why we like our sports so much?  The so-called “best” don’t always win.  There’s great excitement about David defeating Goliath in our modern sports.  Media headlines often use words like “Stunned” or “Shocked”, but that smacks of sensationalism in our world of competitive sports.  Upsets happen all the time.  We ought to be surprised only when there are no upsets.  (Nearly 100 years ago, the great thoroughbred race horse, Man O’ War lost one race—appropriately to a horse named Upset.)

          If we don’t take our sports too seriously (seeing them as an end in and of themselves), there are great life lessons to be learned from sports.  Teamwork, dedication, learning that losing/failure isn’t the end, sportsmanship—all great lessons in life.  Another one of those life lessons is to expect the unexpected. 

          In my life I’ve learned through various means that God is a God of the unexpected.  God is a God of surprises.  In sports we pride ourselves on anticipating what our opponent is going to do before they do it.  That’s key if we are to be victorious.  Unfortunately, we sometimes think of God in the same way: as an opponent whose ways we must anticipate.  We think we know God and what God asks of us.  When young, we are taught to keep the ten commandments; that’s what God wants.  And we know that if we mess up, God is ready to punish us in some way.  That’s what we know about God.

But is that all there is to God?  I don’t think so.

I must admit that I don’t remember anyone ever using the word “fun” in relation to God.  In fact, my youthful recollection is that God didn’t really approve of fun; God was more of a buzzkill (I hope I’m using that word correctly!) when it came to fun. 

          Imagine my surprise when I realized that God has no problem with “fun”, although I suppose it depends on our definition of “fun”.  If “fun” has to include disrespect or harming others (or the self) or the need to be superior or if it involves immoral or sinful behavior, then God no doubt has objections.  If “fun” is the goal of life, then God no doubt has objections.  However, God has no problem with leisure activity that we enjoy and that re-energizes us.  That’s a basic human need (not just for kids), although I suppose many of us have a tendency to go overboard about it.

          Just to be clear: God never wants to be our “opponent”, our “adversary” (the word “satan” actually means adversary and God is the opposite of that).  God wants to be on our team, on our side.  If God isn’t, it’s not God’s choice; it’s ours.   

          God can surprise us in many ways: by giving us the grace to forgive others and let go of grudges; by giving us the grace to refocus on the values that truly matter in life; by giving us the grace to handle adversity; by teaching us that winning is not the most important thing in life; by teaching us to love God with our whole being and our neighbor as ourselves.  There are other surprises, none of which happen in the purely human realm.

          And one more thing: while God is on our team, God is also on every other team.  God wants the best for everyone.  Maybe that surprises us also!

          Have a blessed . . . and surprising . . . week . . . 

October 12th, A note from Fr. Scott

          On a recent morning my car radio reported a story of a group of young people who had stolen a statue of Jesus from a Catholic church somewhere in Oklahoma.  There was a video from the church surveillance camera showing two cars pulling up, 5 persons getting out (apparently teen-agers), and then stealing the statue from the garden, getting back in their vehicles and departing.

          This wasn’t just a free-standing statue, stolen as a result of a night of over-indulgence; it was a corpus of Jesus on the cross.  The crime was clearly pre-meditated as they had tools to pry the body off the cross.

          My first reaction was anger: how could anyone do such a thing!?  Is nothing sacred?!  It’s a direct affront to Catholicism and religious faith in general!  Punishment is required!

          Then I calmed down a bit. 

My second reaction was to feel sorry for the perpetrators of the crime.  What kind of values do these young people have?  Do they have any moral values at all?  Are they so unhappy in their lives that they have to try and hurt others with their mischief?  It must be difficult to go through life without being centered in Someone Who gives meaning and purpose to life.

Then I calmed a bit more.

My third reaction was to wonder if the individuals didn’t mean to be hurtful as much as funny.  Young people sometimes are fond of pranks and the reaction they elicit.  (Older people are sometimes fond of pranks and the reaction they elicit.)  I can remember being young (quite some time ago) and what I laughed at then isn’t what I laugh at now.  I prefer to hope that I’ve matured somewhat in my outlook and now realize that many forms of “funny” are actually hurtful.  Still, it took time to reach that realization.

As it turned out, some days later the corpus was returned to the church, apparently a college prank more than anything.  The church community, happy to get the corpus backed, declined to press charges, although the college may deal with the students internally.  I applaud the church for their willingness to forgive—forgiveness is always the right course of action, never out of style; but I’m not opposed to the college meting out some form of chastisement—everyone needs to learn there are consequences to their actions; we do have an effect (positive or negative) on others whether we want to or not.  It’s the reality of life.

I do have to say that my initial reaction bothers me a bit.  While I know that anger and the desire to retaliate are normal human reactions to being hurt or offended (it wasn’t even a directed hurt toward me, though I felt my beliefs were attacked), I also know that turning those emotions into action is wrong.  As someone once said, “If we live by the motto ‘an eye for an eye’, soon the whole world will be blind.”  (Jesus had something to say about that!)  Fortunately, the grace of God can stop us from taking that next step.   

The next step ought to be a sense of compassion for those who don’t have a relationship with our God, Who so beautifully revealed Himself in His Son, Jesus the Christ.  It seems to me that any act of hurtfulness or violence comes from a person who is very unhappy in their lives.  (Contented people never wish harm on anyone else.)  The Source of true happiness is God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Not that we achieve perfect happiness in this life, but we get glimpses of it through our relationship with God, sort of a sneak preview of heaven!

We can’t force others to believe, but we can be a voice of evangelization by the way we live and react to life.  When we model Jesus for others, we help to plant seeds that may one day grow.  When we pray for those who hurt us, we plant seeds.  What happens to the seeds depends on the person’s free will choices as well as God’s grace.  We have no control over that, but we do have control over our own actions and reactions.  We can make no better choice than the choice to be Christ for one another, even when—especially when—we don’t feel like it.

Have a blessed . . . and Christ-like . . . week!

October 5th, A note from Fr. Scott

          “I shot an unbelievable 69!”

          That would have been my response if anyone had inquired about my last golfing venture.  No lie.  I shot a 69.

          Unfortunately, it was for 9 holes.

          To be fair to myself, I don’t golf very often.  Maybe 5 times a year, if that.  I go with my Priest Support Group.  We’ve been together for over 25 years—meeting once a month—and when the weather is decent we play golf.  I haven’t gotten any better over the years although the 69 was pretty bad even for me.

          Golf is a frustrating game.  Sometimes I’ll hit a good shot, maybe even a few in a row.  And then I always think, “I’m getting the hang of this”, only to duff the next few shots.  It’s a pattern that repeats itself pretty much every time I play.  I have no idea why I think I’ll do better next time, unless it’s because I’m a person of hope (even pessimistic people have hope apparently).  But I never do seem to improve.

          Of course, there’s an obvious solution to my golfing woes: I could practice or play a lot more.  However, I know that’s not going to happen.  If I was retired, maybe, or if I developed a great passion for the sport, maybe, but I can’t or won’t spend the extra hours in order to get better.  (And it would take lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of hours to get me to a satisfactory better.)  Hey, it’s OK.  A little public humiliation can do wonders for one’s humility. 

          In order to reach proficiency in anything, one must be willing to spend the time and the energy (and maybe the money) required for improvement.  That’s true of most every area of life (golf included).  One may have natural ability in a particular area, but without proper practice, without learning proper technique, potential is never reached. 

          That’s also true in our lives as Catholics.  Living the Catholic life requires that we put some time and energy forth (money is less important, since one doesn’t need proper equipment or expensive lessons to live out our Catholic identity).  Our relationship with God through Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit doesn’t automatically deepen as time goes by.  We have to “practice” by taking time for prayer, by taking time to learn, and by responding to the needs of others around us.  In so doing, we “get better” at living out what it means to be a Catholic.

          I’m not saying that God demands or even expects us to devote hours and hours of prayer and learning and practice every week to living out our Catholic call.  But I am saying God expects some time on a regular basis.  If we think about our week and the amount of time we spend on various activities, where does prayer fall?  Where does learning about God and the faith fall?  How about volunteer or outreach efforts to others?  Of course, we need to work or go to school; we need to eat and sleep.  But how much time do we spend watching TV or sitting in front of the computer or cleaning or giving our attention to music or engaged in a sporting activity or spending leisure time with family or friends?  Of course, none of that is necessarily bad—but it’s not all good if it prevents us from deepening our life as disciples of Jesus (by virtue of baptism we are all disciples).

          I’m fairly certain that I’ll never put in the time and energy required to be a decent golfer, but I always hope that I’ll put in the time and energy required to be a decent disciple.

          Have a blessed week . . .

September 28th, A note from Fr. Scott

Recently my phone rang.  I answered it and on the other end was a telemarketer, trying to convince me to buy some kind of movie package for my TV.  It was described as a great deal, unlimited movies (that were not the ones found on HBO and the other pay-channels) for one low price (I can’t remember the quoted price but I think it was near $30).  This was a special offer for a monthly trial, which, I think, means the price goes up considerably the second month.

          After the spiel, the last line was, “So can I sign you up for the month?”  I do try to be polite to telemarketers because I know their job isn’t easy and I believe they are often treated rudely on the phone, so I tried to frame my answer softly: “No, I really don’t have much time to watch movies, so it wouldn’t be worth it to me.”  Then I realized the telemarketer had hung up on me immediately after the word “No”.  There was no “All right, thank you for your time” or “Maybe another time” or “Have a nice day”.  There was no goodbye.  Just a rude hang-up (at least that’s how I received it).

          The next day, I was walking out of a grocery store with my mother and was maneuvering around behind a car when the driver honked his horn.  Horns tend to be loud and both my mother and I were startled by the unexpected loud noise.  As we walked a few more feet, the driver of the car saw us and apologized profusely for startling us.  The driver was trying to get someone’s attention and didn’t know we were there.  I was most impressed by the caring reaction of the driver.  No hint of rudeness whatsoever, just sincere concern. 

          As an occasional recipient of rude behavior (aren’t we all?), I admit that rude behavior leaves a negative feeling inside me—rudeness implies that I don’t matter as a person and that’s not a pleasant feeling.  It can affect the rest of my day.  The opposite happens when someone treats me like I matter.  I experience a pleasantly good feeling which I think affects the rest of my day.

I’m not sure why it’s so difficult for people to say “Excuse me” or “I’m sorry” or even a simple “Thank you”.  It seems to me that that takes less energy than ignoring another person or being deliberately negative toward them.  Growing up, I had the idea that men were supposedly ruder than women (who were more sensitive), although I’m not sure that’s exactly the case today.  The telemarketer I encountered was a woman; the driver a young man. 

Somehow I don’t think there is any room for rudeness in Christianity.  That doesn’t mean we act wimpy and let others walk all over us.  Jesus certainly confronted people who taught others misunderstandings about God, but characteristically Jesus wasn’t what we might call negative. He brought the Good News of salvation to many (no, not everyone always listened to Him); He gave second chances; He ate with sinners; He treated others with respect unless (until) they were leading others astray (then in a chastening way, He spoke up and spoke out about the dangers of such sin).

Rudeness flows from an “I”-centered existence.  (“I” am more important than anyone else; “MY” way is better than anyone else’s way.)  That is not, of course, what our faith teaches us—and if we think it does, we’re misunderstanding both the faith and God.

I realize we are all victims of rudeness on occasion, but that doesn’t give us the right to act the same toward others.  If we react in kind, then we’ve become the perpetrators.  The grace of God gives us the ability to make better choices.

Have a blessed week . . .

September 21st, A note from Fr. Scott

Last week I attended a funeral.  He was 17, diagnosed with leukemia less than one month before he died.  I saw his mother shortly before the Mass and just gave her a wordless hug.  She simply said, “There are no words.”

          No, there aren’t any words at a moment like that, at least no words that make any sense.  And yet we desperately want words that make sense, that bring some sort of comfort to those moments of intense grief.  But such words are not to be found.

          Two days after I attended that funeral, the Church celebrated the Feast of Our Mother of Sorrows.  There are two possible Gospels for that day.  One selection is from the infancy narratives in the Gospel of Luke where Simeon holds the child, Jesus, and tells Mary “and you yourself a sword will pierce”.  One wonders if she had any idea of what that meant.  Clearly she must have remembered it or it would never have been recorded in Scripture.

          The second Gospel is from John and takes place at the foot of the cross.  Standing there are Mary and the beloved disciple.  Near death, Jesus gives to the beloved disciple Mary, and to Mary the beloved disciple.  And then Mary witnesses the painful death of her Son.

          For most of us there is a tendency to associate suffering with sin.  One suffers because of sin.  If we can’t recall anything in particular we ask the question, “What did I do wrong?”  And while it’s true that sin often results in suffering (sin upsets the balance God creates for our world), we are mistaken if we think all suffering is a result of sin.  We have only to think of Mary to realize that.  In spite of her sinlessness, she knew grief.

          Suffering, grief and loss are part of human life.  I don’t know why it has to be that way, only that it is that way.  Maybe it’s God way of prompting us to think of the promise of eternal life.  We may want heaven on earth, but that’s not possible.  Heaven is our term for eternal happiness.  Oh, we catch glimpses of happiness here on earth: when we experience forgiving love, when we serve one another, when we follow God’s will and our heart realizes it, when God gifts us with a graced moment.  All amazing and wonderful, but not everlasting.  Interspersed is suffering and sorrow.

          In the midst of it all, we’ve been given the gift of faith which helps us endure the painful moments of life.  Faith isn’t meant to eliminate the experience of grief in our lives, but it does help us cope.  Personally, I don’t believe God gives faith to some and not to others; I believe we all have the capacity for faith.  It’s true that not everyone taps into their capacity for faith and perhaps some have never had much of an opportunity, but no one is without the potential. 

          Maybe it’s part of God’s plan to work through us in the lives of others when it comes to faith.  If people witness our faith even in the midst of hardship and pain, suffering and grief, it may stir something within them that leads them to God.  We may never know the effect our faith has on someone else, but we don’t have to know.  God will let us know if we need to know—maybe we’ll find it all out in the next life.

          But then again, it probably doesn’t matter.

          What does matter is how we live out our faith in the present.

          Have a blessed week . . .

September 14th, A note from Fr. Scott

At a recent family gathering, someone mentioned the old TV show “My Three Sons” (I have two brothers and no sisters); the unlikely follow-up question was “What was the name of the dog on the show”?  Of course, no one could remember.  Out came a smart phone and within a matter of seconds we had the information and everyone nodded and said, “Oh, that’s right!  I remember now!”

          TIME magazine recently released an issue with the headline “The Answers Issue: everything you never knew you needed to know”.  It began with an article about the information explosion that now influences our lives.  The demand for maps or travel agents or encyclopedias has diminished, replaced by GPSs, the internet, and Wikipedia.  The article did point out some dangers of this new information age, but insisted our quality of life can be enhanced by what we can now know.

          The magazine then asked and answered multiple questions: What is the most patriotic color?  (Red, the most common color in national flags)  Where do designer dogs come from?  (Deliberate cross-breeding; I now know that actor Jeremy Irons owns a Labradoodle, a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle)  Are there any safe places left to live (regarding the least likelihood of natural disasters)?  (Areas of Montana and Idaho are your best bets)  They even offered a quiz: “Are you smarter than a teen-ager?”  (I failed miserably, although in my defense it’s been nearly 40 years since I bid adieu to my chronological teen years and more than 25 since I said good-bye to my psychological teen years.)

          The issue even analyzed the U. S. population according to income level.  I was actually surprised to find that the percentage of “very happy” people was highest in those with the highest incomes and lowest in those with the lowest incomes.  Maybe money does buy happiness, although I think not.  It makes me wonder how we define happiness.  Is happiness defined by having what we want?  Personally, I think of that as pleasure, not happiness.  Happiness to me is an inner contentment that reflects our right-relationship with God.  Not surprisingly, the article said nothing about God or faith or religion or morality, but I suppose those topics are not exactly information based or fact based and the article wasn’t geared in that direction.  Still, the questions it posed have far less to do with the quality of life than do questions about God and faith and religion and morality.  If we think sinful lives are happy lives we are only deluding ourselves.     

          This weekend the Church celebrates “The Exaltation of the Holy Cross” (replacing the 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time).  The cross, of course, represents the suffering of Jesus.  We talk about “carrying our crosses” and by that we refer to burdens that are difficult.  Logically, the cross doesn’t suggest happiness, and yet our faith reminds us that without the cross there is no resurrection.  When Jesus willingly accepted the cross (and the suffering and death to which it led), He became a model for us: we, too, must accept the crosses that come our way by living our faith in a secular world.  The world consistently tells us to reject the cross in favor of easier paths, but our faith teaches us that’s not the way to happiness.

          It’s nice to be able to know things in a matter of seconds, but that won’t fulfill our destiny as children of God.  Making the choice to live our faith each day will.

          By the way, the dog’s name on “My Three Sons” was Tramp.

          Have a blessed week . . .     

September 7th, A note from Donna Bennett

Dear friends,

            I hope your summer vacation was a time  of rest, relaxation, and regrouping as a family.    As September approaches, not only will school start, but also Faith Formation will begin on          September 14^th.  In preparing for all the new     beginnings, let us take time to reflect on what role we as individuals play in passing on our faith to our children and each other.

             As a parent and grandparent myself, I know the stresses that come with these titles.  We want our children to live in a healthy, holy, and happy household.  Ways that we achieve this are by serving wholesome food, making sure they get exercise, and to see to it that they become good learners.

            As parents and grandparents, we lead by example.  We all know that parents are the primary educators of their children.  We, as ministerial staff, support what has already begun at home.  Yet our faith formation challenge remains the same:  to bring Jesus into the lives of our children.  We are also aware of conflicts with sports, dance, skiing, and other programs.

            That’s why we have provided you and your family with three options of Faith Formation opportunities that could work around your hectic schedules.  We will have our traditional Sunday morning program 8:45-10AM, Monday evening program 6-7:15PM and our Family Education session will continue once a month for a two hour session.  If you need a registration form, please call our office at 733-3484, and we will mail one out to you.

            The Diocese has a few new changes to our Sacramental programs.  First of all, the sacrament of Penance will precede the Sacrament of First Eucharist.  So any child who is planning to receive First Eucharist in the spring should plan to receive First Penance this fall.  Any children in second grade or higher should also be receiving First Penance this fall if they have not done so yet.  All notices of Sacramental Preparation meetings and classes will be primarily through the church bulletin.  Our first Sacramental parent meeting will be September 24^th at 7PM at the Faith Formation Center for First Penance.

            We are here to serve you.  If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to contact us.

God Bless,

Donna Bennett

Coordinator for Faith Formation for Children

August 31st, A note from Fr. Scott

          Our summer season is coming to a close.  Most colleges are back in session and local pre-college students will return to the hallowed halls of academic learning this week.  As the amount of daylight decreases, we bid adieu to vacation time and welcome the routine of autumn.  (Well, maybe “welcome” isn’t the word everyone would use—I’m more inclined to use the word “tolerate”.)

          Elmira also sadly bids adieu to the good Sisters of the Dominican Monastery; they have been a presence in Elmira for about 70 years.  As much as we hate to see them go, the leaving must be more difficult for them.  It’s never easy to leave behind friends and the familiar in order to enter a new phase of life.  Adjustments are challenging to say the least.

          Their chaplain, Fr. Tony Breen, will also be leaving Elmira.  Fr. Tony has been a great help in the area—Elmira, Horseheads, Corning, Painted Post and no doubt elsewhere.  He has presided at weekend Masses, weekday Masses, funerals, and Masses at Skilled Nursing Facilities and Senior residences.  He has helped with Confessions and Communal Penance Services and served as the Chaplain to the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus.  He has shared time with the area priests and parishioners and we have all benefited from his friendship and wisdom.

          Good-byes are not easy.

          However, they are part of life.  We’ve all experienced them in various ways.  Whether it’s a loved one who has passed from this life or a family member or friend who moves away, we dread the adjustment required to a life without them.  Sometimes we are the ones who move away.  Learning to let go is challenging and painful, and most of us are at least a little resistant (maybe a lot resistant).  There’s no tried and true formula for making grieving easy—it’s different for each person.  But we must work through it; otherwise we remain in a state of grief for the rest of our lives and that prevents us from experiencing the joys that life offers us.  

          It was back in 1969 that Elisabeth Kubler-Ross published On Death and Dying, the landmark book that has helped us understand the emotions attached to loss.  Dr. Kubler-Ross identified the stages associated with grieving: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and, finally, acceptance.  While we commonly associate the stages with physical dying, they apply to any impending loss in our lives.  (There is no particular order that a person follows in dealing with the stages.) 

          Some of us have moved a fair amount in our lives; others have pretty much remained in Elmira all lifelong.  But no one has been exempt from good-byes.  I learned through my own journeying that some people are life-long friends; others are very good friends for a period of time—then life circumstances enter and contact ceases.  In a way that’s sad, of course, but also natural.  Humans have a tendency to want to hold on to friendships forever, but that’s not the way it’s meant to be.  We don’t have the time or the energy to keep in close contact with all the people who’ve made a difference in our lives.  Maybe that desire for forever is something that God plants within us so that we grasp the reality of God’s promise of eternal life. 

          Letting go is painful, but it’s not bad.  Unpleasant, yes, but not bad.  Sin is “bad”; that which leads us away from God is “bad”.  Pain itself is not sinful nor does it lead us away from God.  In fact, it can lead us (if we so choose) toward God as we realize how finite we are in our physical being.  We are more than body; we are soul, created in the image and likeness of God.  God is ever calling us to union with Him in the hereafter.

          While grief is necessary as we say “Good-bye” to our friends at the Dominican Monastery, an attitude of thanksgiving for their presence these many years will serve us much better than dwelling on the sadness evoked.

          Have a blessed . . . and thankful . . . week . . .