The Church's One Foundation

December 2007
(Chaplain)

If it had not been for the Holy Spirit giving us Pope John Paul II and now, Pope Benedict XVI, people say, the Church would be in trouble. It has always been so.

We are very fortunate to have these two Vicars of Christ, one right after the other.

So often people, especially Roman Catholics, "bad mouth" the Church because it is not perfect, because it has made some bad decisions, because it has its' feet mired in clay, because it is too patriarchal, because it won't allow this, or allow that; because, because, because!!

The other day I came across the following epilogue to a study of "The Story of the Church" by Fr. Alfred McBride, O.Praem. I thought it might be a good subject for the first issue of The Reverent Scout for the year 2008. I offer it below, with some editing on my part.

In this new year of hope, 2008, we cannot ignore what has gone on before. From Pentecost to the present day, we have been the Church of the future. Our story is an astonishing story by any standards. No writer would have dared to invent plots as circuitous and involved as has been the history of our Church. The truth of the matter is far stranger than fiction - and far more enchanting, enraging, lovable, hateful, captivating, frustrating and, in the last analysis, homelike. Jesus Christ established the "perfect" Church, but we "imperfect" humans have been trying to wreck it ever since.

The story is full of triumphs and disasters, mean endings and happy ones. Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against the Church. He also said that He would keep the Holy Spirit close to it, and that He Himself would abide with it all the days. He must have kept His promise. When one considers all the dead ends the Church slid into and then rebounded with the bounce and grace of a youngster, one can only conclude that a lovable divine force is at its center, a divine forgiveness in the face of all the Church's follies, a spiritual peace underneath all the storms.

Surely, the old hymn is absolutely right: "The Church's One Foundation" [is Jesus Christ our Lord.].

Amen to that. And thanks be to God!

Have a Happy, Blessed and Hope-filled New Year.

God bless,
Fr. Jim

Is God Calling You?

December 2006
(Chaplain Emeritus)

It has been a long, long time since I have heard any questions from young men about the ordained priesthood. Just recently, however, I have been asked a least ten times, "What is it like to be a priest?" "What made you want to be a priest?" What would I have to do if I decided that maybe God is calling me to be a priest?" "How long does it take before I can become a priest?" "What is the life of a priest like?" "Do you miss not having a family?" One question which took me by surprise, was from a young man in my parish, who one Sunday, right after Mass, asked me "Father, could you ever see me up there (meaning, "the altar)?" Of course, I said, "Yes!"

So, what is happening? The environment is definitely changing. It is "cool" to ask questions like that now. And, why? Because I talk from the pulpit about priestly vocations and religious life for both men and women. I ask any boy or young man from 12 years of age and up: "Have you ever thought of becoming a priest?" Or: "Has anyone ever asked you if you might think about priesthood?" And, I add a petition of my own during the time of the Prayers of the Faithful at Sunday Masses, or just before the Final Blessing; a prayer for vocations to the priesthood, especially. So, all of us have to plant the seeds so there will indeed be a good harvest. We should not be reluctant to ask, nor should the person being questioned feel intimidated or threatened. Once the question is asked, the rest is up to the Holy Spirit. But, we have to ask the question first.

Do you remember the parable about the seed-sower? You can read this parable in Matthew 13:3-9; Mark 4:3-9 and Luke 8:5-8. What the parable tells us is that some seed fell on the ground (some people hear the word [or our question], but Satan distracts them into not taking it to their hearts); some seed fell on rocky ground (those who hear the word [or, again, our question], receive it with joy but do not allow it to "root" in their lives - they believe [or listen] only for a short time and then fall away in time of trial, or temptation; some seed fell among the thorns (these are the people who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of this life and they fail to produce mature fruit); but, then, the seed that fell on rich soil are those who, when they have heard the word [or really listened to the question or the invitation], embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through faith and perseverance.

In which group might each of us fall? With which group would we most like to be identified?

Our loving, compassionate God would never force us to "join" a group to which we don't want to belong. That is what is meant by "free will." It is the only gift God gave us that He will never interfere with; in other words, if we decide to say a "NO" instead of a "YES" to anything, God is not going to tell us: "Oh, you should have said the opposite!"

So, if (and when) we think we are hearing God "calling" us to the possibility of becoming a priest, or a religious sister or brother, we can say "Yes" or "No."

When I was in the seminary, I was there because I thought God was "calling" me to priesthood, but you know what? I wasn't convinced that it was exactly what He wanted, but I thought I would give it a good try. I thought that He "called" me there so that I could help (maybe) other men who might be doubting their "call." And you know what? I was ordained a priest five years later, and a few of the guys whom I thought would become priests left the seminary. Every one of them was happier because they had given it a try. Most of them later married.

Our God is a God of surprises. Why don't you give God a chance to surprise you?

God bless,
Fr. Jim

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament

November 2006
(Chaplain Emeritus)

The Church strongly encourages both private and public devotion toward the Eucharist and teaches that prayer before the Lord sacramentally present in the Eucharist actually "extends the union with Christ which the faithful have received in holy communion." It helps them to live in a more Christian way, trying "to maintain in their lives what they have received by faith and by the Sacraments."
(The Rites of the Catholic Church).

This adoration, apart from the Mass, actually should acknowledge the marvelous presence of Christ in the Sacrament and foster the worship which is due to Christ in spirit and truth. Such public adoration of the Blessed Sacrament must clearly express its relationship to the Mass
(The Rites of the Catholic Church).

In addition to these times of public adoration, we can each ... draw great nourishment from times of private adoration. ... All you have to do is be present to the One who is present to you. Certainly, bodily presence is a first step ... but we should also try to be present with our hearts. ... Many times, we need to be silently present - not analyzing, thinking, or saying prayers with our lips.

Even a few short moments of this silent presence to the Lord is a precious treasure, for it is in this silence that the Lord speaks to us. ... Especially in our age, which is so heavily bombarded with words - reading materials, radio, audio tapes, video and TV (not to mention computers!) - we all need times to listen to the Lord, who speaks in a very special language called silence.

If, after an initial period of silent adoration, you feel a desire to pray, or read, or write, or sing! (as long as you are alone with Him), then you simply allow yourself to move naturally into whatever activity you feel led to do at each moment.

Reading the [Sacred] Scriptures, pamphlets, or books is always appropriate, and many people also like to pray the Rosary or make the Stations of the Cross. Traditional prayers in preparation for Holy Mass or in thanksgiving after Mass can also be very fruitful, particularly when they are addressed directly to Christ in the Eucharist.

There is no single "right" way to begin a Holy Hour, but start with body-language, making some gesture of profound adoration, such as genuflecting or bowing to the Lord as a reverent acknowledgement of His Real Presence. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with His gift of praise. Unite your heart with the Heart of Mary... Call upon the angels and saints to help you to unite with their heavenly praise and worship. Then, follow His suggestion: "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps. 46).

A good way to end a Holy Hour is to thank the Lord. Thank Him for His presence, for His love, for all that He has done and will do in your life. You can call to mind and thank Him for the specific graces or resolutions you received during the hour. Then, again, express your adoration with your whole body and soul, and renew your commitment to try to live each moment of your life in such a way that you will be a living sign of His presence, of His mercy to the world.

Remember, the length of time you spend with Jesus is not important. What is important is that you make time to spend with Him!

God bless,
Fr. Jim

What is a Vocation?

August 2006
(Chaplain Emeritus)

The English word "vocation" comes from the Latin word "vocare" meaning "to call." We are all called to one vocation or another. There is the "call" to the Sacrament of Holy Orders (the ordained priesthood), the "call" to religious life for men and women, the "call" to the Sacrament of Marriage, and, surprising to many people, the "call" to the single life! For the purposes of this article, I will address the "call" to the ordained priesthood and the religious life. Many men and women are called to be nuns and brothers in the various communities and congregations available in our Roman Catholic Church. However, there is a special ministry, that of the ordained priesthood, which has its own Sacrament. This vocation is limited by Church law, based on theology (the study of God) and Canon Law (Roman Catholic Church law), to male members of the Roman Catholic Church. Having said that, let me proceed with what is common to all vocations. They all have much in common and that is what we have to start with.

The very word "vocation" suggests that the initiative for undertaking priesthood, religious life, marriage or to remain single comes from "outside" one-self, from Another (God). It suggests that the person hears some clear divine communication about his or her destiny. This says both too much and too little about the beginning of the process. It says too much because it suggests an experience that very few people will have: a kind of audible divine summons. It says too little because it suggests that, in a sense, only one's ears and mind are involved in the experience of "vocation." It also can lead to faulty decisions in that some might feel that unless they receive an absolutely unmistakable "sign" from God, they are not truly called to that particular vocation.

When vocation is thought of as a clear call from God indicating what one should do, it carries an implicit threat that failure to obey will have unpleasant or dire consequences. So, if "vocation" or the "call" is not an explicit divine command, to what does the word refer? It is, definitely, a call to "consider" the lifestyle you are thinking of leading. Unlike someone suddenly calling your name in a crowded room, the call is coming both from within and from without in a way that is similar to the "felt" call to be an artist or an actor or a scientist. It is the coming together of many interior factors such as attraction, talent, interest, experience, desires, ideals, and even realistic fears and awareness of personal limitations, with exterior factors such as people you admire, work that interests you, opportunity presenting itself, needs that move you, structures that invite exploration, or invitation from another. For example: every time I meet a boy or man, young or old, I always ask: "Did anyone ever ask you if you ever thought about becoming a priest?" Their answers are very surprising. Usually, they say "No." Then I say: "Well, you can never say that again."

The bottom line is that when it all comes together, it is usually a rich mixture that is both confusing and exciting and leads you to begin to explore what all of it means.

These are the common elements of any call to a vocation. Next time I will give some "hints" and guides for those of you are considering religious life or the ordained priesthood. Later on, I will cover the Sacrament of Marriage as a vocation and the very, very important vocation of remaining single. There are many, many opportunities for one to serve the Church by remaining single.

God bless,
Fr. Jim

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