Terminate It, Ah-nuld!

A young lady here at Towson University told me early in my time here last semester, "Father, I am convinced that there is nothing the Eucharist and the Rosary can't fix." It was a beautiful sentiment - beautiful because it was true. The Rosary is one of our most powerful spiritual tools against all that "ticks good people off." That is, if you know what you're doing. Does the Governator? Let's see...

From the Catholic News Agency:

San Diego, Jun 27, 2008 (CNA).- Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke to a meeting of the Catholic Healthcare Association (CHA) in San Diego on Monday on the topic of healthcare reform, pledging to pray “twenty rosaries every day” if that is what is necessary to have the California legislature pass his health care plan.

Governor Schwarzenegger, who was introduced by former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown, addressed the CHA audience to congratulate Lloyd Dean’s assumption of the association’s chairmanship, the California Catholic Daily reports. The governor said he was excited that Dean had become CHA chairman, praising his “tremendous work” in California as leader of Catholic Healthcare West (CHW).

“And, man, he’s an action hero, I can tell you that,” said Schwarzenegger, a former action movie star, who said Dean had balanced the deeply troubled finances of CHW after only two years.

Lloyd Dean, the governor said, had helped assemble “an unprecedented and historic coalition of hospitals, doctors, insurers, patients’ groups, business groups, and labor groups” to support Schwarzenegger’s health care plan, which he said is based upon shared responsibility among employers, healthcare providers, insurers, individuals, and government.

Schwarzenegger said that California’s uninsured population is a “moral crisis,” saying 6.7 Californians are uninsured, including one million children.

The governor said he can implement his health care program with the help of CHA members.“And I know that, with your help, we can do it,” he said. “And even if it takes praying 20 rosaries every day, I will be on my knees praying the 20 rosaries – but we are going to get the job done!”

Arnold, sometimes I think that California might need more than 20 Rosaries. But it's a start. Who knows? It might change you in the process! There are other "moral crises," though.

Now, kneel.

Breaking Free - Really Free

Forgiveness is a touchy subject for many people. “Forgive and forget,” is a popular catch phrase, but in reality it is rendered and lived as “I will forgive, but I will never forget.” That’s human. Our memory makes it very difficult to dismiss especially powerful experiences of hurt or betrayal from our minds. However, the too-often-lived reality of that motto is that we say we have forgiven, when, in fact, we are still harboring the pain (and many times enjoying the power it gives us).

The truth is that forgiveness is not easy, and it certainly cannot be reduced to the banal level of a bumper-sticker slogan.

Forgiveness, first and foremost, is an act of freedom. The one who forgives reveals his or her true freedom in forgiving from the heart. When Christ on the cross uttered, “Father, forgive them…” he was revealing the very freedom of God. Interestingly, this forgiveness requires neither contrition nor an apology – it is gratuitous, that is, it is grace. It is not, however, a simply divine quality relegated only to God. Rather, forgiveness is a power granted to every human being, as basic as our freedom.

Not only is forgiveness “free,” i.e., freely given, it is freeing. The one who forgives releases oneself from the power that an injury has over them. It is not selfish in this regard (“I forgive you so I can show I am better”), rather it is directed toward eventual reconciliation. The one who is forgiven may not even know what has taken place. This is only a first step. Forgiveness means opening up the future – a future that only true freedom makes possible. When someone apologizes, they are, in essence, affirming our freedom to forgive. Sometimes we do; sometimes we don’t. That’s our freedom again. True Christian freedom chooses forgiveness because it is the way of Christ.

Holding on to hurts and stewing over the injury that someone has done to me does absolutely nothing to the one who has offended me. On the contrary, it creates a “prison” for myself, in which I am controlled by the anger that I harbor. There is no stronger prison than the one we put ourselves into. Nothing anyone can do will open that prison, and as long as I am contained in there, I always will have a limited future. The key? Forgiveness.

That’s not easy, and this little essay will not make it easier. However, it might help us to realize that, as we share divine life through our baptism, so we share that same divine freedom. It is freedom that allows us to hope, to love – and to forgive.

A Gift of Unity

Tomorrow, Pope Benedict will confer the pallium on 41 new metropolitan bishops -or archbishops - one of whom is our own Archbishop Edwin O'Brien. The pallium is a band of wool cloth that a bishop wears around his neck and shoulders over his vestments as he celebrates liturgies. It is a symbol of his authority as an archbishop as well as a symbol of his unity with the Bishop of Rome. When Benedict became pope, he adopted a different pallium for himself, unique as he is, which dates back to the early centuries of the Church. Later this year, apparently, he will adapt that pallium again and wear the "Petrine pallium" as his own symbol of authority.

All these pretty affectations are not just to "dress our bishops up" some more. Rather, they are real signs of a deeper meaning - a unity that exists within the Body of Christ, the Church. The bishop is the visible sign of the unity of his diocese, an archbishop the sign of unity for an ecclesiastical province, a primate that of an entire country, and the pope that of the entire Church. The pallium reminds us that it is through the sacrifice of the Lamb of God (which the wool evokes) that this unity is possible and meaningful.

Crazy Times? Indeed!

Here's some fun, courtesy of Stephen Colbert:



I share his outrage! How could CTW do this to us? Keep the Cookie Monster! Make up some other (lame) fruit-eating beast.

All kidding aside, this makes me wonder: If we can change the attitudes of even the Cookie Monster, and through him, kids, why can't we do this in the Church? Let's have our kids recognize the Eucharist as not just something nice we do - only a meal, or a dispensable part of who we are - but as central to our identity. The Monster himself admits: "Me have crazy times in 70s and 80s."

Didn't we too?

Young people are not after the wild liturgy and pop-psychology Jesus that the mainstream world has tried to pass off on them. They want the Truth. They want authentic teaching. And yes, they want the Eucharist. An older generation who have had their thinking clouded by what people thought was the "Spirit of Vatican II" (my generation included) needs to open up to what the youth are asking for - and we must give it to them - not because they are asking for it, but because that is what the Church has always been about.

Seeds Planted...

One of our American legendary characters is Johnny Appleseed. In reality, he was John Chapman, a nurseryman, who grew apple trees first in New England before embarking on a preaching and planting tour of the Midwest. Appleseed is said to have wandered far and wide throughout that area, scattering apple seeds and planting orchards wherever he went. Actually, he established nurseries, carefully planting the seeds and enclosing the area with a secure fence. He loved nature and cared for it greatly.

Saturday evening, Pope Benedict XVI will kick off the Pauline Year at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. The year is to be dedicated to the Apostle to the Gentiles as a way for us Christians to get to know better this man whom many commentators have called the "inventor of Christianity." His work is truly amazing when we stop and think about it. He went to unfamiliar lands; to often hostile people; proclaiming a faith that represented the fringes (at best) of Judaism (already suspicious in the Roman Empire). In addition to his many trials and tribulations (beatings, stonings, imprisonment, shipwrecks...), he notes his "daily anguish" for the churches which he founded throughout Asia Minor and Greece. Paul gave the early Church a shepherd's care and laid for us the foundations of a body of Scripture and theology that still sustains us today.

He planted the seeds - not just haphazardly, but carefully, lovingly. We are the results, the descendants of those early "nurseries of faith" that Paul set in place for our good and the glory of God. May this year be one of prayer, pilgrimage, study and knowledge of the Apostle whose foundations of faith remain strong - deeply rooted - today.

First, Find the Verb, Then...

Remember diagramming sentences in elementary school? I don't think they do that anymore (shoot, kids can't even spell correctly, thanks to instant messaging and texting!). I was probably one of the last classes in my elementary school to ever learn that great art. Ever take Latin? The process was more or less the same: find the verb; locate the subject (in the nominative case, folks)...etc. Well, the folks at ICEL (International Committee for English in the Liturgy) who are responsible for providing the English translations of the Latin Missal are busy dealing with both of these "lost arts" on a daily basis. It's a difficult task - one I would never think to ask for myself. When the bishops met two weeks ago, they addressed the new translation, and there were many words spent arguing this translation over that.

Rocco at "Whispers in the Loggia" reports on the back-and-forth between Bishop Victor Galeone and ICEL here.

I shudder to think what we will be reading in years to come, but the point of all of this linguistic wrangling is that our words mean something. Dropping them casually - especially in liturgy - simply cannot do. But, just for fun, take any prayer from your Missal, and try diagramming it. Go on - it'll be fun. If your kids ask what you're doing, well, there's a heck of a conversation you can have!

Announcing the Word

There's a scene in "101 Dalmatians" when the puppies are being born, when the housekeeper announces, "The puppies are here!" Her excitement is infectious as more and more puppies appear. Something big was happening.

Today is the Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist - which we celebrate liturgically with all the trappings of any feast of the Lord: Gloria and Creed included. We celebrate because John's birth is the beginning of something new. John receives a new name, unlike any in his family before him; his father's tongue is freed and he speaks; all of Judea is abuzz with expectation of "what this child will be."

St. Augustine said that Zechariah's silence was symbolic of Israel's awaiting of the Messiah. Now that the Forerunner has been born, he speaks and blesses God. John comes, and he preaches an ascetic life of repentance and expectation of the nearness of God's manifestation, calling people back to their true faith. But there were still those who didn't want to listen. Jesus came and often broke with religious tradition (a radical, or even liberal), and people didn't want to listen. The point being this: people will do what people want - until the grace and power of God works in their hearts. This is all God's action; but, it does not absolve us of the duty to faithfully proclaim and live what we believe - what has been handed down to us in the Church.

John's voice is the one that proclaims, "There is the Lamb of God." The Lord is near. God's grace stirs in our hearts to recognize and embrace the Word that makes that proclamation possible. We are His heralds today, and people will hear - if not from us, then from whom?

A Frank Dialogue

This is not the usual matter for this blog. Typically, my subject matter is a bit lighter than this. However, as this is an important issue in my diocese (and many beyond are interested too), I thought I would provide some further input on the Archbishop O'Brien - Legionaries of Christ/Regnum Christi matter.

On Saturday, Archbishop Edwin O’Brien met with a group of members of Regnum Christi after the priesthood ordination in Baltimore. Recognizing that they probably had already heard much of what was the impetus for the meeting, the archbishop told the roomful of 150 people, “It is out of pastoral concern that I speak to you. … I want you to hear [these things] directly from me.” He began the meeting by restating the content of his letter that went to Fr. Alvaro Corcuera, the head of the Legion of Christ in Rome. In restating these concerns raised in the letter, O’Brien emphasized again the three areas of concern he had with regard to the operations of the Legion and Regnum Christi in the Archdiocese:

First was the lack of pastoral transparency in the sharing of information about programs and participants. Second was the nature of youth programs and activities that seem to show a lack of respect for parental rights and duties, and a call to cease ongoing spiritual direction with children under 18. And finally was a need to respect the parental role in encouraging and fostering vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

After his brief words of explanation, the archbishop opened the discussion up to the concerns and comments of the assembly. Most of the comments reflected the very positive role that involvement in Regnum Christi has had in the lives of the families who participate. They said that they are closer to their Church and Jesus, and that they have been active and integral participants in their parishes as well. They didn’t feel the “coercion” to follow the LCs vocational promotion or the “flaws endemic” to them that the archbishop’s letter had referred to.

Some who spoke acknowledged their skepticism about RC and their schools and programs but did not deny the positive effects that they saw with their families as a result of this ministry. One man asked O’Brien, “Are you open to this dialogue?” noting that his comments – especially those in the interview with John Allen – seemed “offensive” and “not very open” to a process of healing (referring to the comment that priests applauded the archbishop's decision with regard to the LC). Others pointed out that there could have been a tendency on the part of ex-members to “misinterpret” the problems of RC and that their input represented only one, biased side of the issue.

Many things were said in defense of RC and LC, and O’Brien listened attentively. Some folks mentioned that there was an orthodoxy in teaching by the LC that was not encountered from diocesan clergy. This was the attraction of the Legion’s activities. There was a question as to whether or not the Archbishop was conducting the meeting simply to appease members. O’Brien assured them that “I’d be wasting my time if this was for PR.” For him, it is a real issue that must be addressed openly and candidly.

From what I have seen and known about Archbishop O’Brien thus far, to say that this is anything other than true pastoral concern on the part of a shepherd of the Church would be disingenuous. Hopefully, with this dialogue initiated, we are on the way to an open, transparent road to the future. The people spoke, and O’Brien “got what they were saying.” “I love you and what you are doing,” he told them. Now, he says, it is up to them to be open and honest in approaching their pastors – parish priests – and share the best of who they are – something the LC have already taught them to do for God. In a letter sent to Baltimore priests as a follow-up, O’Brien tells us “In my opinion, many members of Regnum Christi are exemplary in doing fine work in this Archdiocese. However, unique among many apostolic groups, LC and RC suffer a strong negative image among many of our clergy in Baltimore and beyond. Until this factor is addressed candidly, tensions will remain. I suggested that members of Regnum Christi speak with their parish priests, relating their account of Saturday’s meeting and seeking ways to collaborate more closely with parish life.”

The dialogue, I seems, has begun. We’ll see where this takes us.

A Son Becomes a Father

Yesterday, John Rapisarda was ordained a priest at the Basilica of the Assumption in Baltimore. He was the only one this year for the diocese, but the celebration was superb. Adding to the beauty and power of the ordination, I think, was the presence of John's dad for the Mass - right next to his son from the start of Mass. You see, John's father, Greg, is also a permanent deacon here in Baltimore. So, there they sat, father and son, joyful from start to finish of this wonderful sacramental celebration. Archbishop O'Brien even joked in his homily that John now "surpassed his father in orders" with this priestly ordination.

John's ordination, and the presence of so many of his family, friends and home parishioners serves to illustrate the very important point that vocations don't just spring out of burning bushes or from the sky; they are the products of family life - life lived in faith and love. From that domestic church come the vocations that serve the Church Universal. Archbishop O'Brien was quick to add after his joke that John does not surpass his father in the paternal example and - now - care and concern that he owes the People of God.

When he presented himself for ordination, John - then still a deacon - proclaimed (very diaconally) "I have come to serve." Indeed, priests remain deacons, and our charism of service and charity remains a part of who we are. Thank God for a good new priest; thank God for good families and parishes that sustain and produce such good men.

Dreams Come True

The point of this blog is that Jesus does indeed have a place in our world; that we do not need to (nor should we) compartmentalize our faith and bring it out in church or with like-minded believers. Jesus goes to Disney World.

A woman living with terminal breast cancer had a wish to go to Disneyland with her children before she dies. Make-a-Wish could not make it happen, but friends and other caring folks have brought a dream to life for her. That is remarkable in itself.

Now to the profound "Jesus" part. As she goes, suffering and limited as she may be, she goes sharing in the suffering of Christ. If she is aware that illness and weakness are an invitation to feel one's union with the Lord, who also suffered and died for us, that suffering - her suffering - becomes redemptive. No - she probably won't walk on water or float above other people; but, her mere presence is a Christ-like presence, even in Disneyland. We all know people like her. They are our mothers and fathers, children and friends, neighbors and acquaintances. Our witness to them, and their gift to us, is to be aware of the presence of Jesus among us in the suffering. Through that, we are redeemed, and we participate in a real way in that redemption.

It's not just a dream - it's a dream come true.

It Was I Who Chose You

Discipleship is a matter of following - a willingness to learn and to act on those convictions. In Jesus' time, there were many rabbis who were respected and followed because of their wisdom. The Jewish people have always had a respect for wisdom and those who possess it. Therefore, people chose which rabbi to follow and marked it as a point of honor to belong to this or that teacher. Jesus' disciples may have thought the same thing. However, to dispel that error, Christ tells his followers, "It is not you who have chosen me but I who have chosen you."

Imagine the honor! Christ chooses us! How wonderful his followers must have felt to hear that. Today, we often "shop around" for churches based on whether or not we like this or that preacher or the color of the windows or the arrangement of the sanctuary. In the midst of that, we can forget that the choice -the choice that really matters - is not made by us. It has already been made by Jesus. He chooses us.

Stephen Colbert has some advice for another well-known church-hopper in the news recently. Take a look at this:



I love his "I worship Jesus" line!

See? It's Not That Bad of an Idea!

Greg Kandra of "The Deacon's Bench" recently vacationed (as he often does) in Disney World. Yesterday, he shared with us all where he saw Jesus in Disney World - in short, He was everywhere. By the way, Greg, was He able to help you find parking?

Read his entry here.

Photo by Deacon Greg Kandra

It's No Accident

I caught "Kung-Fu Panda" the other evening. It's a tale of a panda who dreams of being more than a "noodle maker" like his family. He idolizes the five great heroes of the Jade Palace on the mountain above their town. When the time comes to choose the "Dragon Warrior," the whole town turns out to see the champion who is chosen. Po, the panda, bungles his way inside the closed palace, and by a series of "accidents," ends up right in front of the great master as he makes his choice. The panda becomes the Dragon Warrior.

Now, he is hardly kung-fu material: fat, slow, always eating, a bit dim-witted. However, despite numerous protests from the other master and the five champions, the great master asserts that Po is the One. He always adds, "There are no accidents."

This is true with our relationship with God and the ways in which our lives unfold. Many times, it may seem like this or that happens purely "by accident," but God works with them. he doesn't say, "That's not what I meant," or "Let me fix this and we can have a 'do-over'." No, God works with what we give Him, and often we give him a mess.

When you feel like there's no direction, and that you have screwed your life up beyond hope, know this: everything happens for a reason (even when we don't understand those reasons). Scripture is full of these "accidents." Recall the "happy fault - the necessary sin of Adam, which won for us so great a Redeemer." Think of how Jacob (Israel, the father of the 12 tribes) tricked his poor, old, blind father into giving him the birthright. It's all there - and God still worked wonderful things through it all. There is a reason for what we are - and that reason comes from God and our cooperation with Him. Even when we run into an "accident," there is a reason to go on from there: God has something wonderful in store for you.

And that is no accident!

Listening to Our Elders

Disney films are full of relationships wherein an older character shares his or her wisdom with a younger one. Often, this advice is first ignored or passed over, but then it is remembered as a key part of the maturing and development of the story. Elders are an important part of every society. Their link to the past makes our hope for the future real and sustainable. In the Church, we also have elders - priests - presbyteroi in Greek (literally, an "elder") - who guide us by reminding us where we come from and where we are going.

This Saturday, we the Archbishop will ordain one young man to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ at our basilica downtown. John Rapisarda is an enthusiastic and prayerful deacon who I think will make a wonderful priest and lead many souls closer to Christ. In the spirit of St. Peter, I "a fellow elder" would offer some words of reflection to John as he starts his adventure of priestly service here among us.

Dear John,

Welcome to the presbyterate of Baltimore! You will find, I believe, an "interesting" group of men dedicated - each in a personal way - to the service of the Church and the People of God. I had the opportunity to share a retreat last week with 31 of them - ranging in ordination years from two to well over fifty - and after that week, I have advice for any young priest joining our ranks:

Listen to them!

These good men have stories to share - personal stories of faith lived and suffered, humorous stories of characters long-since dead, wise stories of priests who have "been there and done that." With an ever-dwindling number of brother priests (you're the only new one this year here!), it is ever-more urgent that we listen to our elders, in order to know where we have been as a presbyterate, so we may know where we are going.

These men range in ecclesiology, political views, and humor from very liberal to arch-conservative, but they still love what they do and are willing to share their stories with an eager young ear - often with absolutely no prompting! Take every opportunity to sit and listen with them when you can. You will be the better for it - and so will your ministry.

Finally, John, know that the People of God are praying for you intensely - not just on your ordination day, but every day. When the burden of ministry seems too onerous, and you plop down in your chair at home (if you're lucky to be able to do that!), know that the people want you to be refreshed and holy and that they pray for that all the time. I know I do. They pray for you because you are now an "elder" in their Church.

And they want to listen to you too.

Cum Episcopi in Mundum Disneiensis Eunt (When the Bishops Go to Disney World...)

I still know him as "Father Vic." He's now the bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Victor Galeone. Fr. Vic was my pastor at St. Agnes parish in Catonsville when I entered the seminary. On his days off, sometimes he and another priest would invite me along on their fishing trips, and we'd drift in the waters under the Key Bridge in Baltimore. But Fr. Vic knew what he wanted and what was important to him. Years ago, he used to teach Latin to young seminarians, often singing songs like "Multus, Plus, Pluribus..." (I'm sure it's better when you hear it) to teach the various declensions.

He is apparently bringing his love of the Lingua latina to the bishops' meeting in Orlando, as they try to agree (ahem) on a new translation of the Latin prayers for Mass. John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter covers the meeting:

Galeone made a forceful argument that the new translation is simply too unclear and awkward to be effectively used in American parishes.

Among other things, Galeone cited the text’s use of the phrase “the gibbet of the Cross.”

“The last time I heard that word was back in 1949, during Stations of the Cross in Lent,” Galeone said.

“I challenge anyone to proclaim what’s given here at Mass,” he said. “It’s very difficult.”

“A good translator has to understand not just the original language, but also one’s own into which these texts are being put,” Galeone said. Despite assurances to the contrary, he said, the new texts are “slavish” with respect to the Latin originals.

Way to go, Father Vic!... and good luck. Let me know next time you're in town; maybe we can go fishing.

Being There

Fathers get a tough rap these days - and sometimes deservedly so. Too many of our young people grow up with absent or disconnected fathers, and this not only hurts the youth but society as well. Listen up guys (especially you young ones): take care of your kids!

That being said, there are also many great examples of good fathers that many of us are blessed to point to and share. Check out this blog that celebrates Catholic Dads and their struggle (as with moms, too) to do what is right. They are not perfect - they are simply there. And that is the model of fatherhood that helps us to understand the strong, loving, nurturing presence of the Father. Jesus was blessed to have St. Joseph, whose model of fatherhood, I am certain, shaped his own human understanding of how to present God the Father in His preaching of the Reign of God and of our place in that Reign.

Thank you, Dad. You've given more than you know by just being there.

A God's-Eye View

Google Earth is a really cool tool - and while it might not be a terrible practical device (I spend more time just zooming in and out of places I've been to see if anyone is waving to that big camera in the sky), it does give a person a sense of our place in this ever-shrinking, big world of ours. Disney has a new feature in tandem with the global mapping experiment, called Walt Disney World Resort in 3D, wherein one can take a virtual tour of the park. It might not be the next best thing to actually visiting, but it can take you there for free.

Like I said before, I just came back from retreat, and it was a nice time to relax and recharge the spiritual batteries. Taking that time away gives a person a chance to get a better perspective on live and one's relationship with God. If done right, you could say that you get a sort of "God's-eye view" of things. Looking at the various relationships in my life - including the Big One - I found myself returning with a sense of gratitude for my vocation, my faith, and all the friendships that God has blessed me with. Zooming in and out, through the Word of God and celebrated prayer, I feel stronger in my task to bring Christ to those to whom He sends me.

But now, excuse me - I am going to visit "virtual Disney World." I wonder if I can find Jesus there? Perhaps I'll look for Him, waving at that big camera in the sky.

Go Away for a Few Days, and Look What Happens!

It figures! Just as I packed the car for the trip to West Virginia for the retreat, a juicy bit of blog fodder drops out of the sky - or the seventh floor of the Catholic Center! Archbishop O'Brien is not a coy man; you pretty much know what is on his mind.

Just ask the Legionaries of Christ.

In an attempt to have more transparency in their operations, O'Brien is asking for better communication regarding programs and activities in our Archdiocese. He might also ask for some cooperation, if we are to host their activities as well - cooperation that has long been lacking. Of course, that's only my opinion...

Unplugging

OK - it's time for a break. I have amazed myself by actually blogging every day for three months, and I think I will keep that up. However, as Chicago sang once, "Everybody needs a little time away..." so I am going on retreat with some other priests and deacons of the diocese. Five days of prayer and relaxation sounds really good right now. I'll be back next week!

Reaching Out To Call

Caravaggio's famous painting, "The Calling of St. Matthew," depicts Christ at the customs post (as we hear in today's gospel) stretching out his had to point to an amazed Matthew who sits with his fellow tax collectors. With Christ, St. Peter also points at the new apostle, as if to confirm Jesus' call of Matthew. The scene is a marvelous example of Renaissance art, as well as a study in vocational theology.

Christ calls each of us, through our baptism, to follow him in a life of holiness. We are also called to various states in life as ways of fully living out that call to holiness. These calls come many times -even after we answer them - as we are always challenged to be disciples where we are. As in Caravaggio's painting, it is God who calls. The Church, represented by the first pope, St. Peter, affirms these vocations and blesses them as the Bride of Christ. Another point: our vocations are not just personal means of fulfillment; they are ecclesial - helping to build up the Church together with all of the called. Matthew, the disciple, in bewilderment, points to himself as if to say, "Who, me?" And he is brought to a new life.

Caravaggio modeled Christ's hand on that of another famous painting: Michelangelo's "Creation of Man" in the Sistine Chapel. There, Adam reaches out to receive life from God the Creator. Here, Christ, the "New Adam," reaches out to give new life to this new disciple, if only he heed his command to "follow me." That's the beauty of our vocations - as we are called, we receive new life through our relationship with Jesus, but the Church also receives this life as a new disciple joins the ranks. We, in turn, affirm the vocations of those around us through example and encouragement, that the People of God is built up.

It all begins with Christ; it all starts with a reaching out.

Too Hot to Blog

It's hot today.

But...a few people said they liked the cuteness factor on a previous blog, so I am just appealing to the lowest common denominator here. Behold: puppies!

That's right - I can be that shallow! (And, by the way, Happy fifth anniversary, Fr. Patrick!)

Bend It Like ... Jesus?

About a year and a half ago, Vatican priests and seminarians had an idea: "un altro calcio e' possible" (a different kind of soccer is possible). They were looking at Italian and European soccer and saw the corruption and violence that often engulfed the game, and they thought that there was a way to bring Christianity's transformative influence even to that sport.

Hence, the "Clericus Cup," a soccer tournament played between teams comprised of priests and seminarians of the various national colleges in the Eternal City. Played in the shadow of St. Peter's dome, young men studying theology in the assorted pontifical universities run, kick and "bend it like Jesus," all for the sake of bringing unity through sport. There are, of course, the outbursts and penalties that come with a heated sport like soccer, but for the most part all the participants end up walking off the field better for the experience.

Because of the obvious "kooky factor," the tournament has caught the attention of various news outlets. However, the tournament itself illustrates a central point of this blog: faith and culture are united - not in an institutional sense, but on a human level. And Faith has that humanizing effect on our world. A different kind of soccer is possible - as is a different kind of world: a world transformed by faith and the values of those who embrace it.

Please, Don't Do It

Steven Colbert spoke at Princeton University this weekend and offered Young America some advice. Acknowledging the graduates' potential to change the world and the hope and promise that young people represent, he told them, "Please don't do it. As a middle-aged white Christian male, the world outside fits me like a glove."


Saying that his generation has made the world very comfortable for themselves, he challenged them to "inaction." "We have worked long and hard to make the world comfortable for ourselves, and we don't like when a new generation comes along and starts touching our stuff," he said.


This sort of satire is par for the course from the Catholic social commentator and comedian. He even brought in the example of someone very familiar to us: Jesus, who tells us the "take up our cross daily and follow him. But, as Colbert noted, "crosses look heavy."


"Wouldn't it be easier for you to take up your remote control and follow me?" he asked. The 44-year-old Comedy Central mainstay hits on a good point. Many people hope that young people stay inactive just long enough so that they can enjoy their comfortable world, ignoring the life-giving energy and contributions that our youth have to offer. Colbert's irony calls us to wake up and be the change we want to see in the world - but also, to do that in line with the challenge of Jesus Christ. Yes, those crosses look heavy; many times they are heavy; but, they are made lighter in that they are part of following the One who changes not just the world but our hearts as well.


Full Colbert story here.

Spiritual Need

Belle opens the film "Beauty and the Beast" by singing about her desire for something more than that little town where she lives. Her interest in books and reading has opened her mind to larger horizons, and she hungers for a bigger world.

This transcendent yearning is part of who we all are as beings created in God's image. Our sense of and desire for "more" is a sign of that Something Greater to which we are called. We are somehow "bigger than ourselves" in a spiritual sense, and from this stems a sense of spiritual need. Young people - especially today - seem to feel this tug very well. That is, perhaps, why they find so much comfort and nourishment in traditional religious practice and expression. They acknowledge being "spiritual" but maybe not "religious"; however, they feel a need that "being spiritual" simply doesn't satisfy. That is where organized, traditional faith and practice come in to give a sense of clarity and direction to this spiritual sense.

In our Catholic tradition, there are the "Works of Mercy," which are divided into the corporal and spiritual. However, I think that this yearning, this spiritual need, can be seen and addressed through a hybrid of the two. There is, I believe, in young people today an awareness of and a need to address these spiritual needs or lacks. They can correspond, loosely sometimes, to the corporal works:

• Spiritual hunger - a desire for that which nourishes that spiritual sense with which we are all equipped.
• Spiritual thirst - a yearning to draw from some sense of a life-giving relationship that is explained and sustained by a clear sense of teaching and authority.
• Spiritual nakedness - a need to "clothe" our spiritual sense (as "spiritual") with a structure that makes sense of that sense (i.e., religion" or organized faith).
• Spiritual sickness - a reaching out for healing when our world seems to be cracking at the seams.
• Spiritual imprisonment - an angst about where we stand with the Source of our transcendent sense of being; a desire to "break out" of our human limitations.
• Spiritual homelessness (thanks, again, Scott!) - feeling as if we don't have a home or a community who understands us and can celebrate with us.
• Spiritual burial - knowing that there is some "dead weight" holding us back from fully living in that relationship we may not be able to explain, and desiring to lay that to rest.

I am still kicking these ideas around. I hope to write a little more on each one, because I think they have a lot to say about where we as Americans, and especially our youth, are spiritually right now. Belle knew that there had to be more than that provincial town where she lived, and her experience took her out of the expectations of the townsfolk - and even her own - to a greater understanding of herself. It even brought her ultimate happiness in a life-giving relationship. I am sure that is waiting for us here too. After all, that is our purpose, our goal: beatitude.

Young Adults & Faith

I am currently reading Colleen Carroll's book, The New Faithful: Why Young Adults Are Embracing Christian Orthodoxy. She follows trend of young adults who are looking for a stronger sense of meaning through "traditional" faith. As a campus minister, I have also seen this trend playing out among the youngsters who pass through the doors of our Newman Center. College Campus Ministry, in fact, is facing a sort of revitalization precisely because of these young seekers, who want to firm up the foundation of their faith that calls them to "more."

So, a commitment to serving these young adults on our college campuses should be among the priorities of any diocesan plan of ministry. My own presence as a full-time campus minister - instead of as an associate in a parish who "helps out" on campus - is a sign of Baltimore's commitment to our youth. There are many colleges and universities with vibrant campus ministries. In Maryland alone, we can identify a number of them. One of the best ways of reaching out for us has been via the Internet on web pages and through social networks like Facebook. Here in Maryland, there are a few sites I have perused in order to strengthen our own website here at Towson U.:

Frostburg State University is another college that has a full-time priest serving them, Fr. Ed Hendricks. He loves his job and is an effective servant to the youngsters there.

Loyola College in Maryland, a Jesuit school, has a pastoral team who ministers to the students in various ways.

The Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Maryland, College Park, is a model of what a ministry can do with students who want to receive their faith as it is taught, and not as we might water it down sometimes. They've even produced a number of priestly and consecrated vocations recently.

At UMBC - another Maryland campus - a small but significant community gathers and celebrates the Faith through the week.

McDaniel College draws from the nearby parish to serve the needs of the Catholic students. Salisbury University and UMES (another MD campus) share a ministry.

Check out any and all of these sites. I'd be interested to hear what folks think of them - good and bad - so we can improve them too. Faith belongs on campus - as Cardinal Newman knew and pointed out. These ministries, and many more like them, help to make that presence a reality.

Giving Us Shepherds

When Archbishop O'Brien took his episcopal motto, he chose a phrase from Jeremiah that also became the title of an Apostolic Exhortation by John Paul II: "Pastores dabo vobis" (I will give you shepherds). It reflects a sense of hope for the future - and the present - in that God (the "I" of that phrase) is aware of the needs of His flock and is responding. O'Brien has worked diligently to encourage priestly vocations all his life, and it is apparent even now as he shepherds this Premier See. He wrote last week:

I close with a challenge from the warm and reassuring words of Pope Benedict XVI to the youth at St. Joseph’s Seminary in New York: “Friends, again I ask you, what about today? What are you seeking? What is God whispering to you? The hope that never disappoints is Jesus Christ.”

The challenge to each of you, especially to parents, is the same one I made to the students and staffs of the schools. I ask you to reflect on what we can do to encourage vocations, to help our young people to hear what God is whispering. I challenge you to speak to those young men and women you think would be good priests and religious and invite them to consider a life of service in the Church. Most, of all, I ask you to pray that God will open further the hearts of our young people to hear and answer his call.

From the beginning of his time here, he has challenged us all to work harder to encourage those who hear God's call to be a shepherd, and to help them follow that call. It is a gift that the Supreme Shepherd gives us. What does he give? "I will give you shepherds after my own heart." Read all of Archbishop O'Brien's thoughts here.

Building Your House

"Then, I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down!" bellowed the Big Bad Wolf to the defiant little pigs, and each time - for the straw house and the stick house - he blew the house down. And each time, the little pigs ran and took shelter together in their friend's house, until, at last, they were safe within the sturdy brick home.

Today, Jesus tells us in the Gospel, that those who listen to his words and acts on them are like wise builders who build their houses on solid ground. For Jesus, it is the foundation that matters - not the construction material. In fact, he says that the rains and floods and winds will come - we are not immune to them. So, when we are buffeted by life's trials and difficulties, our question ought not to be "Why is God doing this to me?" but rather, "Is my foundation solid enough to stand?" Even if a house is damaged or destroyed, if the foundation is intact, we can rebuild. That relationship of faith in Jesus Christ is our firm foundation, and it is firm if we listen to his word and act on them.

Hurricane season begins today, and there is tell of a first named storm already lashing the Mexican-Central American coast. Many homes can be destroyed, but the faith that sustains the people - and us - can remain firm. It is faith that provides us with the perspective to see the good, even amid the bad; and it is faith that gives us hope for the future, so that we can rebuild and carry on.

Christ equips us to weather the storms and buffets of life. Our faith in him gives us the firm foundation to see that even in the midst of life's woes, God remains faithful. And that is all the reason we need to hope again.