Our Best Idea - Preserving God's Gifts

Ken Burns is a fantastic storyteller - a real American treasure. His series on the Civil War, baseball and jazz, among others, are masterpieces of historical exposition. This week, PBS is airing his latest offering, National Parks: America's Best Idea.

The national parks are, in effect, America's answer to the wonders of the Old World. Yosemite, Yellowstone, Denali and Death Valley are just as awe-inspiring as the pyramids, the Parthenon, the Colosseum, or Chartres. In fact, they may be even greater, since they come as God's pure creation while the latter are merely man-made. The parks are truly a blessing to our nation, and to the world. The shows have a lot of quotes from people extolling nature that draw on language from the Bible. This is not surprising, since the beauty that we find in these raw, natural places is a glimpse at the beauty that God is. Words fail - except the Word that God gives us.

We should be grateful and proud of these national parks. Go visit them, and while there, feel the presence of God in these "cathedrals of nature." Be sure, also, to thank Him.

The Pope Speaks to Youth

Continuing his coverage of Pope Benedict's visit to the Czech Republic, Rocco gives us the pope's message to the young people gathered at Prague.

Dear Young Friends,

At the conclusion of this celebration I turn to you directly and I greet you warmly. You have come here in great numbers from all over the country and from neighbouring countries; you camped here yesterday evening and you spent the night in tents, sharing an experience of faith and companionship. Thank you for your presence here, which gives me a sense of the enthusiasm and generosity so characteristic of youth. Being with you makes the Pope feel young! I extend a particular word of thanks to your representative for his words and for the wonderful gift.

Dear friends, it is not hard to see that in every young person there is an aspiration towards happiness, sometimes tinged with anxiety: an aspiration that is often exploited, however, by present-day consumerist society in false and alienating ways. Instead, that longing for happiness must be taken seriously, it demands a true and comprehensive response. At your age, the first major choices are made, choices that can set your lives on a particular course, for better or worse. Unfortunately, many of your contemporaries allow themselves to be led astray by illusory visions of spurious happiness, and then they find themselves sad and alone. Yet there are also many young men and women who seek to transform doctrine into action, as your representative said, so as to give the fullness of meaning to their lives. I invite you all to consider the experience of Saint Augustine, who said that the heart of every person is restless until it finds what it truly seeks. And he discovered that Jesus Christ alone is the answer that can satisfy his and every person’s desire for a life of happiness, filled with meaning and value (cf. Confessions, I.1.1).

As he did with Augustine, so the Lord comes to meet each one of you. He knocks at the door of your freedom and asks to be welcomed as a friend. He wants to make you happy, to fill you with humanity and dignity. The Christian faith is this: encounter with Christ, the living Person who gives life a new horizon and thereby a definitive direction. And when the heart of a young person opens up to his divine plans, it is not difficult to recognize and follow his voice. The Lord calls each of us by name, and entrusts to us a specific mission in the Church and in society. Dear young people, be aware that by Baptism you have become children of God and members of his Body, the Church. Jesus constantly renews his invitation to you to be his disciples and his witnesses. Many of you he calls to marriage, and the preparation for this Sacrament constitutes a real vocational journey. Consider seriously the divine call to raise a Christian family, and let your youth be the time in which to build your future with a sense of responsibility. Society needs Christian families, saintly families!

And if the Lord is calling you to follow him in the ministerial priesthood or in the consecrated life, do not hesitate to respond to his invitation. In particular, in this Year of Priests, I appeal to you, young men: be attentive and open to Jesus’s call to offer your lives in the service of God and his people. The Church in every country, including this one, needs many holy priests and also persons fully consecrated to the service of Christ, Hope of the world.

Hope! This word, to which I often return, sits particularly well with youth. You, my dear young people, are the hope of the Church! She expects you to become messengers of hope, as happened last year in Australia, during World Youth Day, that great manifestation of youthful faith that I was able to experience personally, and in which some of you took part. Many more of you will be able to come to Madrid in August 2011. I invite you here and now to participate in this great gathering of young people with Christ in the Church.

Dear friends, thank you again for being here and thank you for your gift: the book of photographs recounting the lives of young people in your dioceses. Thank you also for the sign of your solidarity towards the young people of Africa, which you have presented to me. The Pope asks you to live your faith with joy and enthusiasm; to grow in unity among yourselves and with Christ; to pray and to be diligent in frequenting the sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Confession; to take seriously your Christian formation, remaining ever obedient to the teachings of your Pastors. May Saint Wenceslaus guide you along this path through his example and his intercession, and may you always enjoy the protection of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother. I bless all of you with affection!....

Dear young friends, your enthusiasm for the Christian faith is a sign of hope for the Church that is present and active in these lands. In order to give a fuller meaning to your youth, follow the Lord Jesus with courage and generosity as he knocks on the door of your hearts. Christ asks you to welcome him as a friend. May the Lord bless you and bring to fulfilment every good plan that you make for your lives!

Thank You

I know that many others have posted this video before, but reflecting on the Gift of my own priesthood, I watched it the other day and felt the same Spirit that moves in the hearts of all who hear and answer God's call to service. It doesn't hurt, either, to have Tim Dolan's voice and words woven throughout it. Thank you, priests; thank You, God!

And thank you, all you who offer prayers for your priests to be holy and effective ministers of God's presence in your midst!

Do Not Prevent Them

Who are you?
Where do you get the right
to do those works that
He gave us to do?
You're not one of us.
After all,
He chose us.

Of all people,
He picked us -
not you.
What right have you
to heal,
to cure,
to drive out those demons,
to preach?

Why are you one of us?

Why not me?
Why not us?
We heard His words
and we have seen His deeds.
He has done all things well;
He teaches with authority;
and at His name
the devils run.

Why not us?
Isn't this what He has been talking about?
Aren't we supposed
to hear,
and hearing to believe,
and believing to hope,
and hoping to act?

We have a question for you.
Why not you?
Have you not heard?
Do not you believe?
Should not you act?

A cup of water is all I ask,
and He can show you too
what it means to
truly believe.
To take Him at
His word.

Why not me?
Why not you?

Why not us?

"Dear Hollywood..."

Here's a new chastity campaign that folks are aiming right at Hollywood. It's an interesting idea, and it seems like one of those things that will fly through the Christian blogoshpere pretty quickly. These two videos give the simple message:




And the example...



H/t to Deacon Greg.

Can You Hear Me Now?

It is amazing how many priests one can find in the Blogosphere. Although, I suppose it should not be. This "new" technology gives us a new forum and means through which to preach the Gospel to new audiences and to people who might not otherwise even think about it.

Recently, a classmate of mine dipped his toes into the waters of the blogging world and set up a site for his Sunday homilies. Last week on Facebook, he was lamenting the fact that his blog had yet to appear in any search engine. So, I encouraged him by telling him that it takes time, and a series of links and hits to generate some traffic around his site. I hear he is now popping up in searches now, so congrats, Fr. Larry!

Go see his blog at "Roman Catholic Homilies".

Waiting for "Wild Things"

Like many people, this was my favorite book as a kid - as soon as I could read for myself, I would read it once a day. I even read it once in German - "Wo die Wilden Kerle Wohnen." Now, I am really excited:

"Do You Really Believe It?"

Friend Scott directed us to this wonderful site, The Journeys Project, which combines some great images of Jesus with simple, inspirational stories or reflections. He highlighted this one, and it is one of the best:

A traveler, hiking through the wilderness, comes to the edge of a canyon. Seeking a way to the other side, he discovers a big rope stretched over the canyon. As his eyes follow the rope toward the other side, he is surprised to see a man coming toward him, confidently pushing a wheelbarrow. Arriving on his side of the canyon, the traveler exclaims, “That was truly amazing!”

The man with the wheelbarrow asks, “Do you believe that I can do it again?”

“Oh, of course,” the traveler replies. “You walked across with such confidence.”

“Do you really believe I can do it again?” asks the man with the wheelbarrow.

“Definitely,” replies the traveler.

“Very good, then,” says the man with the wheelbarrow. “Hop in and I will take you across.”

Many of us look at God the same way we look at the man with the wheelbarrow. We say we have faith that God can do anything. Yet, when it comes time to get in the wheelbarrow, our faith begins to dwindle. Haven’t we seen enough of His promises to trust Him to carry us across?

How's Your Glass?

Last spring, some friends pointed me to a website called "F- My Life" - where people would send in disappointing, embarrassing or tragic stories from their lives and complain about them. A lot of it is sexual and, I suspect, made up. But it does say a lot about our propensity to complain about everything that does not go our way. Here's an example:

Today, while taking a shower in the dorm bathroom, my roommate thought it would be funny to steal my towel, robe, and key. I spent over an hour waiting for someone to come into the bathroom so I could ask them to bring me something to cover up. FML.

Traumatic as some of these events might be, there are a lot that simply amount to complaining about "stupid stuff."

My brother pointed me to another site - one that celebrates the good things that actually happen in our lives too. "GivesMeHope.com" gives us all a good dose of optimism in the middle of the day. Check it out.

Optimism is not the same as hope. Hope, a gift from God, teaches us to wait, to expect and to endure - even when things are grim, when they don't go our way. Ultimately, hope's goal is that eternal life we all expect as a gift of our faith. Optimism is a feature of hope, but it is not the same, since in hope we can still experience the emotions that accompany loss, suffering and hardship. Hope allows us to go through those thing and still see them as sacrifice and a sharing in Jesus' life, death and resurrection. And that's what gives me hope.

Uniting Our Passions with His Passion

Most of us are familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. Perhaps we have also read The Hobbit. However, there is another of his works that is just as wonderful, composed after he died by his son Christopher. It’s called The Silmarillion, and it is a gorgeous piece of creation myth and epic storytelling in our language.

The creation story is not necessarily Judeo-Christian, however there is a lesson to be gleaned that bears on our readings today. The book starts with a piece called “The Song of the Holy Ones.” It tells the story of Ilúvatar, “the One,” who is the source of all things. He begets the “Ainur,” or the “Holy Ones,” who are the product of his thought. Each of them is given knowledge of some part of Ilúvatar’s mind and plan, as well as the power to “sing” it into being as it is given life by “the One.”

As Ilúvatar is ready to begin creation, he gives the Holy Ones a vision of his grand scheme of creation and charges them to “sing” their harmonies, as only they can. One of these Holy Ones, Melkor, is the wisest and the most powerful. However, as such, he is very much like a precocious child – impatient and self-willed. He wants to introduce what he believes are his own thoughts to this song, and in so doing, he puts forth discordant notes. These affect the harmonies of the others, and Ilúvatar constantly introduces correctives, but the mess begins. At the end of the song, as creation is completed, evil has entered. Melkor is the source of all the nasty inhabitants of Middle-Earth, like the Balrogs, dragons and even the Dark Lord Sauron himself. These do battle to control the “Children of Ilúvatar” – the Elves and Men.

Saint James asks in our Second Reading this weekend, “Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members?” In other words, is it our passions – our will to please ourselves – that bring us into conflict with other people? Our desires to be best, to be right, to win, to get ahead, to be successful – all these things, while they may drive us on, also drive us over others, and that starts conflict. When we want to win, that means that there have to be losers; when we get ahead, we usually leave someone behind.

Not even Jesus’ closest disciples were immune to this passion. We hear Jesus, again, talk about the most important moment in his life and ministry – the Cross, the Paschal Mystery – and rather than ask him questions about why and what, the disciples are chatting about who is the best.

Their passions are standing in the way of the power of his Passion.

St. James was concerned about what this sort of bickering and passion does to the Church. Looking to our own interests only blinds us to those of our brothers and sisters. Jesus knew this all too well, and I imagine that their ignorance of his teaching about his ultimate moment hurt him deeply.

So he sets them straight. It was time for a lesson. Cue the child. In stark contrast to the disciples’ wants, needs, desires and ambition, Jesus places a little child – who needs to be fed, clothed, sheltered and taught. He counted for nothing, and yet Christ sees the Kingdom only in his grasp. By showing them the little one and by telling them that only those who welcome ones like him can they achieve any sort of greatness.

Into Jesus’ message of suffering, sacrifice and death, the disciples wanted to insert power, domination and conquest. Their “message” was in direct dissonance with his, and rather than allow them to keep entertaining themselves with their own ideas, Christ gave them the true story. “Who is the greatest in the kingdom? I’ll tell you who: those like this little one – without power, without status, without ambition. These are the ones you need to pay attention to. Stop listening to your own passions and become part of mine.”

We too are called to see in the weaknesses of the marginalized and powerless an invitation to participate in Christ’s life, death and resurrection. When we are weak, it is then that we are strong, as St. Paul would say. There are more opportunities to see Christ’s message in those who suffer and who need us than there are in wealth, power and prestige.

St. James offers us this wisdom: “the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.”

Who are those we need to welcome today? Who are the least? Answer that question, and you will find out where your place in line should be.

Welcoming Them

What does This Guy mean?
He took me,
and placed me in front of his friends,
and told them
that they should "welcome
one like me."
It seemed important to Him.

Did they understand?
I sure don't!
Who am I
to be welcomed?
I -
a child -
who count for nothing.
No one welcomes me;
I am "just there."

What lesson was He trying to teach?
It seemed so important to Him -
so urgent.
Like it was His
last chance
to get through to them.

Why didn't they get it -
whatever "it" was?
How could I help explain?
I -
who am never welcomed,
never received -
only noticed
when I am in the way -
in trouble -
in-convenient.

There are a lot like me -
not just children.
People who count for nothing.
Should they be welcomed too?
Do these guys get it?

It seems so important to Him.
So urgent.
Like He has so little time
to teach them,
and they
have
so much
to learn.

Just like me.

It must be important...

Jesus Goes to the Sci-Fi Conventions

Deacon Greg points us to this article about a Georgia priest who points to the connections between sci-fi/fantasy and faith. There is a great opportunity when we open ourselves up to the movement of the Holy Spirit, even in the "geeks" among us!

This past Labor Day weekend, Father Small sat on a panel with four others exploring the religious and spiritual themes of the popular science fiction shows, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Supernatural.” It drew an audience of about 50 people.

The shows have obvious religious overtones with story lines of characters undergoing a loss of hope and then finding a purpose in life, he said. There are themes of sacrifice, death and resurrection, he said.

A number of “these shows borrow some of the visual elements of Catholicism but seldom do they come close to conveying actual core beliefs and that’s an important distinction,” Father Small wrote.

The other panel was dubbed “Religion, Spirituality and the Paranormal.” Father Small said he opened the discussion by saying, “If we have friction, let it create light, not heat.”

Attending the event is equal parts fun and ministry, he said.

“Good ministry is always fun,” he said.

How Are We Doing?

On Wednesday, the priests of Baltimore gathered for our biennial Clergy Day of Enrichment, and discussed "generations in dialogue." What that means is that we gathered - young and old - and talked about what makes our generation unique, what we share and what we can learn from each other. The presbyterate - any presbyterate, for that matter - can be broken into "cohorts" that roughly follow these groupings: pre-Vatican II priests (ordained before the Council), Vatican II priests (ordained during and immediately after), post-Vatican II priests (ordained from about 1978 to 1991), and jubilee priests (ordained after 1992).

What we asked mostly of one another is, "What can we learn from you?" There were also questions of "Why do the young guys want to bring back and experience of Church that they never had themselves?" "What are ways in which you draw life from your ministry?" And "How do you see the balance between piety and justice?" These questions were asked in a respectful manner. One of the things we learned about ourselves is that each age bracket accuses themselves of being overly-judgmental of the others. The youngest cohort sees their strengths in their energy and ability to use new technology to help them evangelize. The older generations see their perspective and perseverance as a strength.



One of the most touching moments for me was when a "Vatican II" priest got up to talk about their questions of other generations, and he asked the pre-Vatican II guys (those who preceded him), "Are we doing a good job?" For me, all the unspoken tensions between generations fell apart then. Here it was - from one of those "goofy 'Spirit-of-the-Council' guys" - the question that really united us all.



"Are we doing a good job?"



"Are you proud of us?"



In the end, we all want to simply be good priests - to do a good job - not only for our people, but for each other. That is fraternity, brotherhood, and unity in a nutshell. Say what we want about "these newly-ordained guys" or "those hippie-70s priests" - it still boils down to the same ministry, the same Sacrament.



Are we doing a good job?

For their sake - for our sake - I hope we are.

You Have Arrived

A couple years ago, a friend game me one of those GPS direction-finder devices. It's a "Tom-Tom." Now, I am usually pretty good at getting around and finding places, so I hope it wasn't a commentary on my driving abilities. At any rate, the device lets you pick the voice in which the directions are given, and mine is "Lori."

Last month, Lori helped me go to New York for a wedding for two former students. As I had never been to this area, I was pretty heavily reliant on Lori. She not only got me to my hotel, but she got me to the church, to the bride's parent's house for the rehearsal dinner and to the reception. Lori even got me into New York city and out and back home. I was not hesitant to use the GPS, since I have never been steered wrong before by her.

As I thought about this, it reminded me of how the Spirit guides us in our lives - when we trust. Jesus promised the Spirit to "lead us to all truth," and because his promises are trustworthy, we know we can trust that promise.

Sometimes, I will even use Lori just to get me to the Newman Center where I work, or to my home after a visit to my parents - just to hear that voice and know I am on track. Coming home, she cheerfully announces, "You have reached your destination."

One day, with the Spirit's help, that will really be true.

"What Kind of Priest Are You?"

People always ask me, "What kind of priest are you?" "A good one, I hope," I will often reply. But their question has to do with something else.

One question relative to the Year of the Priest that I have received has to do with the "vows" of obedience, chastity and poverty that priests make. This is a good occasion to talk about the difference between "religious" and "secular" (or diocesan) priests.

First, religious priests are those that belong to the traditional (and some not-so-traditional) "religious orders." These are the Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, Carmelites, Jesuits, Vincentians, et cetera. Men who are ordained priests in these orders are part of communities and make "vows" of the evangelical nature: poverty, celibacy and obedience to their proper authorities and superiors. They do not live outside of community without some special permission, and their orders are usually committed to some particular charism - teaching, missionary work, preaching.... Every religious order has a particular habit - although they may not always wear it.

"Secular" or diocesan priests are rooted in a particular place, or diocese. They are ordained as part of a local "presbyterate" (group of priests) for service within that diocese. Rather than living in communities of priests and religious, secular priests live among the people - although often, they live at the parish house, or rectory, and sometimes even with other diocesan priests. They also promise celibacy and obedience to one's bishop at ordination, as well as a promise to pray for the people of God in the form of the Liturgy of the Hours. The "habit" of the diocesan priest is usually the black collared shirt with white tab below the chin.

Both religious and secular priests celebrate the sacraments for the People of God, and one is not better than the other. Those who feel the call toward religious life should have a comfort within community, as well as a willingness to go far and wide to serve God in their order. For me, I am more of a "home body." My decision to be a diocesan priest came as a desire to serve those people among whom my faith had been fostered. It has taken me far and wide, but I certainly have always felt "at home."

Those discerning a vocation to the priesthood should explore all the options, as this is the best way to fit your personality and put your particular gifts at the service of the Church. It takes all types, and we need both religious and diocesan priests. Let's keep praying that more people are encouraged to answer that call.

Class and Character

My family and I love tennis. This US Open has given us some great tennis to watch - and some, um, interesting stories. I was very disappointed to watch Serena Williams after her outburst and loss to Kim Clijsters, as she told the press how she was "firey" and played with passion - but never apologized for threatening a line judge. It was a sad contrast to the men's final and their award ceremony, where Roger Federer congratulated the new champ, Juan Martin Del Potro, saying
"he's the best" this year. It was classy.

Sunday night's Video Music Awards also presented us with a contrast in classiness. As Taylor Swift was accepting her award, Kanye West took her mic and announced that Beyonce had the best video, totally usurping her moment. Swift and Beyonce were stunned. Later, Beyonce invited Taylor up to give her thanks. Again, classy.

What these episode can teach us is that winning and losing awards and competitions are not simply about being better or best. They reveal character - either way. Notice that - they don't build character; they reveal it. To build it, well, that's up to us. It takes development of values and living habits of virtue. When we are tested, these things shine through - or, unfortunately, the ugly side shows.

It is heartening to see that Serena has added to her previous press statement and apologized, but that comes at the cost of a difficult lesson. Character takes work - and it's more important (and perhaps harder) than winning the Open.

An Encouraging Thought

In the film version of J.R.R. Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring, the fellowship encounters many hardships while carrying out their mission. During one such time, in the dark depths of Moria, Frodo says, "I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

To this, Gandalf the Wizard replies with a caring smile, "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us." Then he tells Frodo, "There are other forces at work in the world than those of evil." For some reason, he explains, Bilbo was meant to discover the Ring as he did, and therefore, "you were meant to carry the Ring.

"And that is an encouraging thought!"

Gandalf is right: we can't decide what happens to us; but we can decide what we do with what does happen. Rather than lamenting the difficulties, there is comfort in belief that we are part of God's divine plan. We are meant to be here, and therefore we can be encouraged to listen to God's will in our own life. The prophets of the Old Testament are great examples of this drama.

For example, the prophet Amos, one of the early prophets to Israel, was a self-described shepherd and gardener. He was sent to prophesy to Israel's king and people to change their ways and pay attention to justice for the poor. This did not sit well with the king or his priests and prophets. One of the priests tells Amos to go away, and earn is money prophesying elsewhere. To this, Amos has this to say:

"I was no prophet, nor have I belonged to a company of prophets; I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores. The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me, Go, prophesy to my people Israel. Now hear the word of the LORD!" (Am 4:14-16)

Amos probably wished none of that ever happened too. But, he also knew that he was doing what he was meant to do - what God called him to do. That was his purpose, and it took courage to do it.

In our lives, there are many times when it would be easier to ignore what God is asking of us for a more "comfortable" path. We are always confronted with our own limitations and frailty. How often to we strive for peace in our homes, our city and the world, only to see it shattered by harsh words or violence? How often do we pray for healing only to feel the sting of suffering or disease? How often do we try to lead the good life, only to see other "bad" people prosper before us? How many times have we asked God to somehow make things different, only to have to face reality?

The good news? God still has chosen us. He chooses us as we are - not as we could be, or as we wished we were - but as we are. He chooses us and sends us and strengthens us - to share His life, as we are. From the dawn of time, God has picked us out for His purpose - and He stands with us, always.

And that is an encouraging thought!

Rebuked

Did you hear that?
Did you hear what He called me?

Satan?

And this,
after I told him who He was!
He is the Christ!
The Messiah!
He is the One -
and I said it!

Now, when He talks about hardship,
about suffering,
loss,

Sacrifice...

No.
That is not the meshiach
we were waiting for;
that cannot be the Christ He is.
So, I set him straight.

And this is what I get?
A rebuke?
Why?
We've been with Him,
on the way,
for the whole time -
from the beginning.
And, to talk of suffering,
while we have to
keep quiet
about who He is,
this is too much.

But...

To whom shall we go
otherwise?
Who else has these words?
Who else does these things?
How can I fault Him
if this is what He says?

And maybe...
maybe He is right.
Maybe I need to start thinking
as God does.
Can He not bring victory out of suffering?
(but, even from a Cross?)

My choice must be made.
Am I to follow still,
on the way,
or do I wander off,
like so many others.
Do I return to a life
where I make the rules
and end up without hope?

For His sake,
I will
take up my
(gulp)
cross.
And I will follow
Him.

There Are No Words

O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name through all the earth!

You have set your majesty above the heavens!

Out of the mouths of babes and infants

you have drawn a defense against your foes,

to silence enemy and avenger.

When I see your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and stars that you set in place--

What are humans that you are mindful of them,

mere mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them little less than a god,

crowned them with glory and honor.

You have given them rule over the works of your hands,

put all things at their feet:

All sheep and oxen, even the beasts of the field,

The birds of the air, the fish of the sea,

and whatever swims the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord, how awesome is your name

through all the earth!

- Psalm 8

NASA released photos from the newly-refurbished Hubble Space Telescope. As Jodie Foster said in Contact, "There...are...no...words! . . . should have sent... a poet!"

Another Corner of the Blogosphere

A couple weeks ago, I was part of a meeting at the Maryland Catholic Conference to help their communications people make better use of technology via their website, blog, Facebook and Twitter. At that meeting, I got to meet another local Catholic blogger, Eric Sammons, who posts at Divine Life - Why We Were Created." Eric is working on his Masters in Theology, and Our Sunday Visitor is publishing a book he wrote on Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew next year.

It's always good when people who spend time stuck in cyberspace can actually meet each other. Check out his well-written work at his blog - and say hello for me!

Into the Silence

And I have trouble being quiet for a 5-day retreat! Here is news about some Buddhists who are seeking enlightenment and solace in the prayerful silence of the desert southwest:

Deep in a remote desert valley, where rattlesnakes lurk in the scrub, Stéphane Dreyfus and several dozen other Buddhists are preparing to undergo a mind-altering journey:

Three years, three months and three days of silence.

There will be no word from the outside world in the Great Retreat, only the deafening quiet of rock and cactus, with seemingly endless time to ponder the emptiness of life.

Dreyfus and his fellow adherents hope to find enlightenment in the silence, a gift they plan to share when they emerge from their long seclusion.

They know that outsiders might dismiss them as eccentrics on a strange utopian trip, but their resumes suggest otherwise. Among them are an airline pilot, a dermatologist, a retired biochemist and a former television editor.

They're jettisoning the trappings of their middle-class lives to carry on a Buddhist tradition that traces its lineage through the Dalai Lamas of Tibet. For many in the group, that means leaving behind six-figure incomes, young children or aging parents for the solitude of cramped retreat cabins made of adobe, wood -- even hay bales.

Prolonged silence, they explain, is the only way to reach the deep level of inner awareness required to bring true happiness to the world.

Silence is an essential part to any prayer, actually. In the quiet of this reflective calm, we enter even more deeply into ourselves - not to "find ourselves", but to hear God speaking to us there. It is then that we are able to understand who we are, because it is then that the One who made us speaks to us most clearly and powerfully - not in a storm, or an earthquake or the rending of rocks, but in the tiny whisper of God's voice in our hearts.

Namaste, friends!

Reach Out and Touch Someone

Deacon Greg has some posts about how modern technology and Church go together - and then, how they do not.

First, here is a great use of the modern technology for connecting people to their parish family in the 21st century:

THE PROBLEM
As is the case with every church/parish, we all try to have those who attend church with us register as parishioners. Most parishes will put out cards and some even have on-line registration. Many people don't register, because they don't want to go through the trouble. This is especially true of college students who have never registered growing up, because their parents did it. Additionally, we have a problem that is much bigger than most parishes registration problems. We have hundreds of students coming and going throughout the year. So, keeping track of their data is very difficult, esp. when it changes. Our registration has never gone well. So, we decided to wipe the board clean and start over.

THE SOLUTION

We told everyone (last weekend) to bring their phones to mass this weekend, but we didn't tell them why. The intrigue is half the fun. After the homily, the priests have everyone pull out their phones and turn them on - the first time a priest has ever done this, to be sure. The priests then talk about how everyone at Mass is joined together in the Universal Church as well as in this parish, and we want to know who they are so that we can serve them better. Furthermore, everyone is invited to register with us by texting us their names, email, and phone #. We then download their information into a database. Later this week Fr. David will send them an email and ask them to go to our website to finish the registration process (check out our newly designed page). If they didn't have a cell phone we have them register the "old-fashioned" way with pen and paper.

We have partnered with a great new company called Flocknote.com. Flocknote is a free and easy way for parishes to communicate with their parishioners in whatever way they choose. So, anyone can sign up to receive updates from St. Mary's, via Flocknote, by email, texting, or even Facebook. Each individual chooses their way we communicate with them. They can also sign up for all of our parish organizations and receive information from them as well.

Finally, a few weeks after registration, we we will ask all students to fill out a survey that was developed in partnership with A&M to help us get more detailed info on our congregation, why they come to Mass, when they come, what they like, what they are involved in, why they aren't involved outside of Mass, etc.

St. Mary's is once again paving the way for others.

Please pray for success of our efforts.

As a chaplain at a university, I am always intrigued by the innovative ways that campus ministers connect with their students. So, I will follow up on how this initiative pans out for them.

Now, how do you discourage cell phones in church? A certain congregation has a suggestion - use a threat of damnation! Here:

Now, there is still a sense of the actual mystery that we celebrate. Thom posted some great photos of a visit to a Greek Orthodox church. Check out his post here. Very nice photos, Thom!

Down Memory Lane (Sort of...)

Since it is Labor Day, no one should feel bad about those Facebook time-wasters. The latest one that I have done is "Yearbook Yourself" - which, while not actually a Facebook application, is nevertheless akin to those quizzes like "Which Latin American Dictator are You?" Check these out:

Here, we have Fr. Austin as a member of the Jets - all the way!

Or in my 1970's heyday...

Rockin' out in a garage band...

"And I ra-a-an/I ran so far a-wa-a-ay..."

Some of these are just too close to the reality of things - and then again, some of them are far from it. Let me wish you a very happy and restful Labor Day!

What Would You Say?

What is this?
Sounds I have never heard before:
voices,
surprise,
shock,
and is that . . .
joy?

I've never heard any of this -
only muffled sounds
of people trying to be heard.
I had no idea.
I couldn't even
explain.

And now. . .
this Man,
this Man who touches me,
and commands me:
"Ephphatha!"

And I am opened.

Now I hear
the first words
I have ever heard clearly
from anyone:
"Be opened!"
And I can speak!

I want to tell everyone
about this Man.
This Man who opened me up,
surely,
this is the One!

But He orders me -
and all around -
to tell no one.
And then He simply moves on,
along the way.

But I -
I cannot just stand here,
not after what I have heard.

And I have so much to say. . .

Did You Know ...?

Today is the anniversary of the founding of Los Angeles. However, did you know that the city is not named for "the angels"? Rather, the city is named for the Blessed Mother. It's true! The full name of the "little town" founded by the then-governor, Filipe de Neve, was "El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles del Rio de Porciuncula." The name means "The Village of Our Lady, Queen of the Angels of the River of Porciuncula." The "Porciuncula" is a reference to the little church within a church in Asissi that was given to St. Francis. The larger church that now surrounds that chapel is Santa Maria degli Angeli. The original name for the Los Angeles River was this Rio de Porciuncula.

Did you know that? Until today, I did not!

Coming Into the Fold

Wednesday was the day for 10 formerly-Episcopalian nuns and their Chaplain here in Baltimore. The Archdiocese joyfully released this press release item:

Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, Archbishop of Baltimore, announced today that 10 nuns, formerly members of an Episcopal religious community known as the Society of the All Saints’ Sisters of the Poor, and the group’s chaplain, Fr. Warren Tanghe, were received into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church at a Mass earlier today.

The sisters, who contacted the Archdiocese last year to investigate the possibility of entering into full communion with the Catholic Church after a seven-year period of discernment, will continue to reside in their convent in Catonsville, where the Order has been located since 1917. The nuns first arrived in Baltimore in 1872.

The sisters have expressed to the Archbishop a desire for the community, which has served the poor in the Baltimore area for over 135 years, to continue, now as a Catholic religious institute.

“The Catholic Church has been serving the needs of the people of the Archdiocese of Baltimore for over 200 years and our many communities of consecrated religious have been invaluable partners in this effort,” the Archbishop said. “Our Archdiocese and our Church’s mission of caring for the poor are now greatly enriched for having the All Saints’ Sisters among us.”

Two nuns from the religious community have decided not to leave the Episcopal Church and will continue to reside with their now-Roman Catholic sisters.

“The spiritual well-being of all of the All Saints’ Sisters is our priority and we will do everything we can to support those who have entered into full communion with the Catholic Church as well as the two sisters who remain Anglican,” Archbishop O’Brien said.

More than 120 people attended the Mass celebrated by Archbishop O’Brien at the chapel of the Sisters’ Catonsville convent.

“Time and again, apostles and saints have been led by God into unexpected paths; so too with us—the All Saints’ Sisters of the Poor,” Reverend Mother Christina, Mother Superior, said. “As they responded with faith and trust, we also are responding to God’s call, and are looking forward to seeing His will for us unfold as we enter the Roman Catholic Church.”

The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, the Rt. Rev. Eugene T. Sutton, said, “In meeting with the Sisters, I’ve been impressed with depth of their prayer and the pace of their discernment. I wish them God’s blessings as their journey takes them into the Roman Catholic Church. Despite the sadness we feel in having to say farewell, our mutual joy is that we remain as one spiritual family of faith, one body in Christ.”

Chaplain to the All Saints’ Sisters, Fr. Warren Tanghe also entered into full communion with the Catholic Church today and is discerning the possibility of future formation and ordination as a Roman Catholic priest.

Welcome, all!

Never Too Far

I saw G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra a while back, but have had no time to really make any commentary on it. Overall, it was a pretty weak film, but the kitsch of seeing a childhood cartoon and toy come to life was enough to keep me interested.

The main evil of the plot line centers on Rex, the evil scientist and weapons developer for Cobra, who creates "nanomites" - tiny robots that can enter the system and control a person. These nanomites have been placed inside all the Cobra troops to keep them loyal and heartless, as well as in Anna - the "Baroness." She was at one time engaged to Duke, the young hero who is drafted by the Joe team.

Throughout the movie, Duke and Anna face off, and Duke can never bring himself to really try to kill her (although I really wanted to see him do it, his puppy-dog sense of love kept her safe). In the end, she is taken prisoner and it is discovered that she is riddled with the nanomites. In her imprisonment, they will try to remove them all. Anna and Duke have a conversation at the end in which she acknowledges that she is a danger to him and that she cannot be trusted. "You can't save me, Duke," she admits. But Duke is not about to stop trying. There is still love there - on both of their parts. And that is reason enough to keep trying for him.

Jesus is our Savior. He is not our Savior by our own personal choice, nor by our own merits. Whether we like it or not - whether we want it or not - Jesus is our Savior. Many people live as though they don't want this salvation or they admit that "I'm too far gone for God to get me." This is simply not true. God's love reaches across the farthest distances and brings us back. We are never beyond His reach. We are all affected by sin, and may have that tendency to lean toward what we shouldn't from time to time. Perhaps we find ourselves even doing the same things over and over again. Like the nanomites, we have that proclivity towards sin (traditionally called "concupiscence"), but we are also capable of resisting this too with God's grace. We all want to end up well; we all, probably, love God; and He loves us.

That is reason enough for Him to keep trying.

A New World of Possibilities

So . . . what to do with the news of Disney's purchase of Marvel Comics? What are the possibilities here? Folks at "Woot.com" have some creative suggestions. Check some of these out:

Mary Poppins vs. Dr. Strange: The Cloak of the Vishanti vs. A Spoonful of Sugar! The Faltine dimension vs. the racetrack full of penguins! “Abracadabra” vs. “Supercalifragilisticexpialadocious”!

Spider-Man vs. Jiminy Cricket: Seized by arachnid instinct, the way-out web-slinger craves cricket meat! Will an enchanted umbrella be enough to shock him back to his spider-senses?

Hercules vs. Hercules: The battle the public domain laws demanded! Not a dream! Not a hoax! Not covered under the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act!

Black Panther vs. The Lion King: When Wakanda goes to war with the Pride Lands, only one big cat can be left standing in the circle of death! The two-pawed battle epic that shook a continent!

Galactus vs. Pocahontas: She laid her head down on the soil – and a doomed world was saved! But can she lead her new master on a journey that turns his hunger… into love?

Colossus vs. Pinocchio: The building materials who walk like men! Who will triumph: Italian wood… or Russian steel? There’s no flesh in this supersaga – but plenty of blood!

The 7 Dwarves vs. The Fantastic Four: When the last surviving members of a race of woodland demi-humans hold a naive princess hostage, the original super-team springs into action! Whistle while you clobber!

Wolverine vs. Tramp: One is a scruffy loner with heroic instincts and a heart of gold! The other has giant adamantium claws! Who will win the good girl’s heart?

My friend Scott asks, "Does this mean that She-Hulk is now considered a Disney Princess?" Got any others? - because these are really entertaining!

From the Mouths of Our Youth

The Scott Miller for the Archdiocese has been filming folks telling stories of their favorite or most memorable priests. You might recall Yours Truly reflecting on my childhood pastor a couple months ago. Here's one young woman - and most of these reflections come from our youth - talking about a young priest, and friend of mine, Fr. Mike.



Keep up that great work, Triplett!