Confirmation

The sacrament of Confirmation will be conferred on nine of our young people Wednesday evening at St. Patrick’s – Sparta by our bishop, the Most Rev. William Callahan.  It is always an occasion for great joy in our parishes when people, young or older, complete their initiation into God’s holy Church, His holy people.

As I reiterated to our young people this past Wednesday, Confirmation may be the end of the process of initiation, but it is only the end of the beginning of our continued growth in faith.    

The feast of St. Jerome was this past Thursday.  In celebrating this Father and Doctor of the Church, who is best known to us as the saint most closely connected to the study of holy scripture, we are reminded that our study of the faith, of which scripture is a large part, we are hearing from God, our Creator, our Father, the One in Whom we find the fullness of life.

We are also reminded that the scriptures are intended to be heard in worship, in the holy sacrifice of the Mass.  Our study of scripture and our meditation upon what we have read (this includes books which help us to understand the faith and scriptures better – what one person identified as the scriptures pre-digested for us) comes out of the liturgy, the Mass, and draws us back to it.  Why? Because the Mass is where God has chosen to interact with us, to be present to us in the most direct way this side of eternity.

As we celebrate the Confirmation of our young people it is a time for us to reflect on our own initiation into the faith and our stewardship of .  How have I lived out my faith?  Do I seek to continue my growth in Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Knowledge, Fortitude, Piety, and Fear of the Lord (the Gifts of the Holy Spirit)?  Do I recognize my faith as a pearl of great price for which I willingly sacrifice other goods?  Most important of all: Do I recognize faith as the intimate relationship to which the Father is calling me, for which He created me?

As I said, Confirmation is an excellent time to re-examine our own relationship with God and then re-commit to the promises made for us at Baptism and confirmed by us at Confirmation.  May God be with us all as we continue this pilgrimage of faith, or, rather, may we choose each day to be with God, and more intimately each moment of each day.

Politicians (and other sinners) & Holy Communion

As our Holy Father, Pope Francis, was continuing on his apostolic journey after his visit to Budapest, Hungary and the World Eucharistic Congress, a member of the press asked him about the reception of Holy Communion by politicians who support legal protections for abortion.  Quite rightly, he began by pointing out that abortion is murder, homicide, and it unacceptable that anyone should present themselves for Communion while at the same time promoting this daily slaughter of innocents.  He then went on to discuss the issue of withholding Communion from such persons as well as the issue of “excommunication”.

The Holy Father rightly said that no one should simply be excommunicated and forgotten / thrown aside.  He emphasized that all people, but especially those who are in sin, must be accompanied in a pastoral way which emphasizes God’s continued closeness to them even if they have turned their back on God and His Divine Will / Law.

Unfortunately, the common view of excommunication is that you have been “thrown out of the Church”; and in some very sad cases, the response on the part of the “faithful” has been “good-riddance”; on the part of the one excommunicated the response is too often either a self-righteous indignation (often then broadcast through the media) or a mutual attitude of “good-riddance”.  This is neither the attitude nor the intention of the Church in such situations.

The whole point of excommunication is “medicinal”, that is, the Church is letting the individual know how very serious their behavior is and how injurious that behavior is to the family to which we belong, that is - the Body of Christ, the Church.  As the Sisters used to teach – “in doing this you are driving another nail into the hands, feet, side of Christ.”  That is something that obviously cannot be allowed to continue.

Again, unfortunately, formal excommunication, or even simply not allowing someone to receive Holy Communion has neither been taken well by the subject of that action, nor have the pastors of the Church or Her people followed through with expressions of affection, concern, and determination to bring the individual concerned back into the full communion of the Church.

It is supremely important then, if the Church is to realize her mission which is the salvation of souls, that we take to heart this call to continuing conversion, reconciliation, and charity which are well attested to in the Gospels and in the epistles.

I hope in explaining this important issue we will all be drawn by the Holy Spirit to do our part in loving those who may be excluded from Holy Communion back into the full communion of the Church; which is to say, the full and mutual embrace of God, our Holy Mother – the Church, and each of the children of God.

The Sacrificial Nature of the Holy Mass

For the past two Sundays we have been reflecting on John 6 and that which comes forth from the Eucharistic theology set forth therein.  We have reflected on “why” we would want to be present at Mass (because that is where He makes himself present to us in that unique and privileged way); why we would come to church outside of those times scheduled for holy Mass; and why we should be diligent about cultivating that same desire for the Eucharist in our homebound, especially at the time of death.

This week we delve into what the Church understands the reception of Holy Communion to be: its meaning and the practices that naturally follow from that biblically grounded understanding.  Some good sources for this (besides John 6) are: the Catechism of the Catholic Church #1322-1419 (the holy Mass & Eucharist); Exodus 12:1-28, 43-49 (the Passover); Matthew 22:1-14 (Parable of the Wedding Feast); Matthew 26:17-29 (Last Supper); I Corinthians 11:23-32 (Eucharistic celebrations).

Many people see the reception of Holy Communion as a matter of mere participation in the gathered community and therefore the invitation for each and all to receive becomes a matter of hospitality on the part of the minister.  This is backwards!  Remember the warning about “self-referential” attitudes from two weeks ago? That is, how our focus is on God, not on ourselves.  Focus on the gathered community readily becomes the community as god, the community which creates itself, the community which accomplishes the act of salvation.  This is indeed backwards.

Unfortunately, the time assigned to the homily and the space provided for this catechesis doesn’t come close to even the introductory discussion that should be had in order to understand this and its implications for our worship and community life.  I would encourage each and all to visit my blog for a fuller consideration of these important points.  In any case, DO begin by reading the paragraphs indicated from the Catechism and the scriptural passages given.  These will at least ground us in the Word God has given us and the Tradition of the Church which is passed down to us. 

Traditionis Custodes (3)

It is very interesting, to me, to see the reactions of bishops from around the world to Pope Francis' motu proprio on the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite of the Mass.  An auxiliary bishop from the Netherlands, Bishop Rob Mutsaerts, calls the motu proprio a 'declaration of war' on the part of Pope Francis.  He also opines this is another sign of how Pope Francis is losing hold of his authority as Supreme Pontiff.  In any case, here is the article published by the National Catholic Register.  It is worth a read since it explains some about the terms ("oekaze") the bishop uses as well as where he is coming from.  The actual letter (in English) of Bishop Mutsaerts' follows.  I found the actual letter quite interesting and worth a read.  It is inserted here just in case your platform doesn't translate from the original.  I'm usually suspicious of software driven translations but this seems quite coherent.  So, have at it!

An evil oekaze of Pope Francis

Pope Francis promotes synodality: everyone must be able to talk, everyone must be heard. There was little mention of this in his recently published motu proprio Traditionis Custodes, an oekaze that must immediately put an end to the traditional Latin Mass. In doing so, Francis puts a thick fat line through Summorum Pontificum- Pope Benedict's motu proprio that gave ample space to the old Mass. The fact that Francis is reaching for the power word here without any consultation indicates that he is losing authority. This was evident earlier when the German Bishops' Conference did not care about the pope's opinions on the synodal process. The same occurred in the United States, where Pope Francis called on the Bishops' Conference not to prepare a document on dignified communication. Then no advice, but a warrant must have been given to the Pope when it comes to traditional mass.

The language is very much like a declaration of war. Every pope since Paul VI has always left openings for the old Mass. If any changes were made, they were minor revisions, see, for example, the 1984 and 1989 indults. John Paul II firmly believed that bishops should be generous in allowing tridentine Mass. Benedict even opened the door wide through Summorum Pontificum: "What was sacred then, it still is today".

Francis slams the door through Traditionis Custodes. It feels like treason and is a slap in the face to its predecessors. Moreover, the Church has never abolished liturgies. Not even Trent. Francis completely breaks with this tradition. The motu proprio contains briefly and powerfully some theorems and commands. By means of an accompanying longer statement, etc. is further exploded. This statement contains quite a few factual inaccuracies. One is the claim that what Paul VI did after Vatican II would be the same as what Pius V did after Trent. This is completely true. Remember that before that time various (overwritten) manuscripts circulated and local liturgies had arisen. It was a mess.

Trent wanted to restore the liturgies, remove inaccuracies and check for orthodoxy. Trent was not about rewriting the liturgy, nor about new additions, new eucharistic prayers, a new lectionary or new calendar. It was purely about ensuring uninterrupted organic continuity. The missal of 1517 har reached back to the missal of 1474 and so on back to the 4th century. There was continuity from the 4th century onwards. Even after the 15th century there is four centuries of continuity. From time to time, at most, some minor changes were made or an addition of a party, remembrance or column.

Vatican II asked for liturgical reforms, according to council document Sacrosanctum Concilium. This is a conservative document. Latin was maintained, Gregorian chants retained their legitimate place in the liturgy. However, the developments that followed Vatican II are a far from the council documents. The infamous 'spirit of the council' is nowhere to be found in the council texts themselves. Only 17% of the prayers of the old missal (Trent) can be found in the new missal (Paul VI). Then it is difficult to speak of continuity of organic development. Benedict recognized this and therefore gave ample space to the Old Mass. He even said that no one needed his permission ("What was sacred then, it still is today").

Pope Francis is now pretending that his motu proprio is in the organic development of the Church, which completely contradicts reality. By making Latin Mass practically impossible, he finally breaks with the centuries-old liturgical tradition of the R.K.Kerk. Liturgy is not a toy of popes, but is heritage of the Church. The Old Mass is not about nostalgia or taste. The Pope must be the guardian of tradition; The Pope is the gardener, not the manufacturer. Ecclesiastical law is not just a question of positive law, there is also such a thing as the law of nature and divine law, and moreover there is such a thing as Tradition that cannot simply be brushed aside.

What Pope Francis is doing has nothing to do with evangelism and even less to do with mercy. It's more like ideology. Why don't you go to a parish where the Old Mass is being celebrated? What do you come across there: people who just want to be Catholic. These are generally not people who deal with theological disputes, nor are they against Vatican II (but against its implementation). They love the Latin Mass because of its sanctity, its transcendence, the soul fence that is central, the dignity of the liturgy. You run into big families, people feel welcome. It is only celebrated in a small number of places. Why does the Pope want to deny people this? I come back to what I said earlier: it's ideology. It is Vatican II including its implementation with all its aberrations, or nothing! The relatively small number of believers (which, incidentally, is growing, while the novus ordo is collapsing) that feels at home at the traditional Mass must and will be eliminated. That's ideology and malice.

If you really want to evangelize, really show mercy, support Catholic families, then you are honouring tridentine mass. The Old Mass may no longer be celebrated in parish churches (where can you?), you explicitly need permission from your bishop, who may only allow it on certain days, and for those who are ordained in the future and want to celebrate the old Mass, the bishop must seek advice from Rome. How dictatorial, how unpastoral, how unforgiving do you want it!

Francis mentions in Art. 1 of its motu proprio de novus ordo (the current Mass) "the unique expression of the Lex Orandi of the Roman Rite". He therefore no longer distinguishes between the Ordinary Form (Paul VI) and the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine Mass). It has always been said that both are expressions of the Lex Orandi, so not just the Novus ordo. Again, the old Mass has never been abolished! I never hear Bergolio about the many liturgical abuses that exist here and there in countless parishes. In parishes, anything is possible except the Tridentine Mass. All weapons are thrown into battle to eliminate the Old Mass. why? For God's sake, why? What is Francis' obsession with wanting to prey on that small group of traditionals? The Pope must be the guardian of tradition; Not the prison guard of tradition. While Amoris Laetitia excelled in vagueness, Traditionis Custodes is a perfectly clear declaration of war.

I suspect Francis is shooting This Motu Proprio in the foot. For the brotherhood Pius X it will turn out to be good news. They will never have suspected that they owe this to Pope Francis.....

+Rob Mutsaerts

Traditionis Custodes (2)

 Over the past week there has been plenty of ink spilled on the subject of Pope Francis' motu proprio seeking to limit the Extraordinary Form of the Roman rite of the Holy Mass.  Sorting through all of this is the task of a parish priest who is privileged to serve those with a devotion to the usus antiquior

(another name for the EF).  Cardinal Burke has written an outstanding analysis of this motu proprio which has been published on his personal web-site which can be found here.  George Weigel, Pope St. John Paul the Great's biographer, has also written a piece worth reading.  Mr. Weigel is upfront about his preference for the Ordinary Form, he is also upfront about his disdain for the "bullying" this motu proprio represents.

It is sad that there are those who have taken this as an opportunity to gloat and cast aspersions on to those who love the Latin Mass; including a priest from the Diocese of Rockford (Illinois) who claims to be "writing from the trenches".  It turns out that there have only ever been two places where the usus antiquior has been offered in his diocese, of which only one survives with only about 200 souls.  Seriously?  ONLY??  I'm sorry, that does not count as "writing from the trenches".  That does count as gloating, i.e.: cheering for a pre-determined outcome without any real experience of the issue involved.

Sad too are those who take this as an opportunity to throw darts at the Holy Father, Vatican Council II, and any number of other targets in the contemporary Church.

Brothers & sisters, this is not a time for recriminations.  It is a

time for prayer and for purification.  Please pray for the unity of the Church; the purification of the Church.  But don't stop there!  Contribute to the unity of the Church by your own acts of charity - especially towards those with whom you may not agree.  Contribute to the purification of the Church by your own acts of penance - for your own sins against charity as well as those who have contributed to the chaos in which we find ourselves now.

We can get through this, as we have overcome every obstacle over the past two millennia.  But we can only do so through our reliance on God and his charity, justice, & mercy.

Motu Proprio: Traditionis Custodes

Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

With the promulgation of Pope Francis' motu propio Traditionis Custodes the last few days have been difficult to say the least, for the laity no less than for so many priests (and bishops).  Many bishops have already written to their priests and made public statements for the sake of their laity.  An excellent article covering this has been published by the National Catholic Register.  

Our own Bishop Callahan was, unfortunately, away on Friday when the motu proprio was released and so was unable to even read it himself much less comment and reassure the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse.  However, he wrote and distributed a letter Monday afternoon which follows: 

19 July 2021 Year of St. Joseph 

 My dear Brothers: 

 May the Lord give you peace. 

Last Friday, on the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Pope Francis, surprised the Church with news that overturned the Liturgical life of the Church, especially from the vantage point of what many of us have come to understand from the Apostolic Letter of Pope Benedict XVI’s 2007 motu proprio: Summorum Pontificum, which allowed any priest to use the traditional (older) rite of the Mass without the permission of his bishop. 

In issuing Traditionis Custodes our Holy Father outlined changes and restrictions in the celebration of the Sacred Liturgy in the Extraordinary Form. I am certain that this news has caused some distress for some of you and some of the faithful of our Diocese. I feel it is necessary to study the decree further for deeper clarity and to ensure a complete understanding of the Holy Father’s intentions. While I work toward faithfully implementing the Traditionis Custodes in a manner that best serves the need of the faithful and our Diocese I grant permission for priests of the Diocese who have previously been celebrating the Liturgy using the 1962 Roman Missal to continue celebrating Masses at the times and locations in which they had previously been established. They must be celebrated with all relevant liturgical and disciplinary norms. No new celebrations of the traditional Latin Mass may be scheduled at this time. 

I request that priests who are celebrating according to the Missale Romanum of 1962 contact my office over the next couple of weeks, in writing, with a formal request in order to be considered for faculties (Art. 5) and so we might better determine locations where the Sacred Liturgy, celebrated in Extraordinary Form, may be scheduled in order to spiritually nourish those that have a unity to the Eucharist in this liturgical form. 

 Oremus pro invicem, 

 +William

I find it reassuring that our bishop, recognizing the pastoral care that has been rendered to the faithful of the Diocese of La Crosse in offering holy Mass in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (also referred to as the usus antiquior or the Traditional Latin Mass), is taking time to understand the Holy Father's intentions and implementing  Traditionis Custodes "in a manner that best serves the needs of the faithful".  I would ask the faithful to keep him in prayer as he seeks to understand how this is to implemented in our diocese.

Many of you know this motu proprio knocked me for a loop.  I have come to appreciate the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite just as I have always appreciated the Ordinary Form.  I have stated over and over again that both forms play an important role in the continued perfection in the evangelical counsels (faith, hope, & charity) to which we are all called at Baptism.

On a personal note, I cannot understand how a pope who is so concerned about accompaniment and the synodal path (indeed, one could consider these the central, pastoral themes of his papacy) could deem a not insignificant number of the faithful entrusted by God to his care worthy of that same accompaniment he has declared necessary for those who are clearly outside the boundaries of the Church's moral teaching; and then centralize a decision regarding the Mass when he has himself stated several times that issues concerning the liturgy should not be centralized on Rome, and that local ordinaries and conferences of bishops should be given latitude in deciding these things for their own region.

However, I am confident that Bishop Callahan has the care of ALL his people at heart and will work with his priests to find a way forward; and I am even more confident that God has us all in the palm of His hand, and will care for those who love AND trust Him.

Again, please, keep the prayers going!

Is this a sin?

One of the issues that inhibits our understanding of sin is exposed whenever someone asks me “is it a sin???”  The problem in answering the question is that it isn’t usually that simple.

In days gone by it was very simple because the process that went on in the heads of priests when dealing with sin stayed there, in their heads; it was then applied to the specific situations of their flock.  Now people are much more informed about the “grey areas”, however, this brings on confusion – or a race to absolve everyone of all sin – because, while many people know there is a grey area, they don’t generally know very well how to apply the principles involved, especially to themselves.  Confused yet?

You see, there is an objective side to sin – which is always well defined (some might call it “black & white”); then there is a subjective side to sin, that is – how is the seriousness, situation, awareness, and intention - and therefore the guilt - of the sin understood in this instance? ...and when do each of these issues bear on subjective guilt??? (because sometimes the best of intentions are still objectively and subjectively wrong, wrong, wrong!!!)

The objective side to sin recognizes that a particular sin is either “serious matter” (aka: grave matter) or something less serious.  It recognizes a particular matter as sinful (or less so) in all cases.  Thus, abortion is always the taking of an innocent life and is therefore a very serious – or grave – matter.  Kicking your dog, while objectionable, is less so and not always so.  Thus, recognizing serious ( or “grave”) matter is simply a matter of knowing the scriptures and the teaching of the Church.

This only becomes an issue when some people take it upon themselves to determine whether or not something is sinful.  This has been an issue since Adam & Eve.  Unfortunately for Adam & Eve - and for many of us since, we don’t get to decide whether something is a sin or not – ONLY GOD AND HIS CHURCH GETS TO DETERMINE THAT.  So, we must always be mindful of God’s plan for human life and happiness, and bend our will to His.

The subjective sense of sin is about discerning the issue in a particular instance.  This involves questions of – Did the person know it was wrong?  Did the person freely choose to do that which is wrong?  Among other things.  It can be helpful to seek the counsel of another, especially one who is serious about, and experienced in spiritual matters, in difficult situations or when there is a question in one's heart (or when one's conscience is "niggling" one over the issue).  Priests are very happy to assist with these questions.

So, you see, “Father, is it a sin?” isn’t always such a simple thing to answer.  This is particularly true when too many people ask the question in order to condemn another, not because they are concerned about the sinfulness of their own actions.

Please, never be afraid to ask the question.  I’m always happy to help faithful Christians to understand the Church’s teaching on matters of sin.  I’m even more eager to forgive sins through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and to assist all of God’s children in experiencing the hope and peace that comes from our salvation in Christ.

Presence

Over the next several weeks leading up to the Eucharistic Congress in Budapest, Hungary, we will be examining the many facets of our Eucharistic faith and the theology that underpins and explains it.  In this way we will build a foundation for the Eucharistic coherence so important for living our faith wholly and with integrity.  But, we must begin with the issue of sacramental realism.

Over the past 15 months many have at one time or another been watching Mass on-line or on television.  Some may have even gotten used to it and wondered why they would want to go church again when they can find their favorite on-line Mass and watch from the comfort of their home.

Well, as I’ve said before: if you think watching Mass at home is as good as being there, I’ll happily take your tickets the next time the Badgers or Packers make it to a championship game and you can watch it in the comfort of your home! 😊

Actually, it is far more than that.  Attendance at Mass is more than being some place for a significant event – although it is that.  Attendance at Mass is more akin to an intimate evening between husband and wife, lover and beloved.  Imagine having that datenight on-line. Oy!

That is, in part, what sacramental realism is about.  It is about being there and the encounter that takes place when we come into the presence of God in a way that does not exist in any other context this side of heaven.  And all this because the Most Holy Eucharist is what our Lord, Jesus Christ said it is at the Last Supper, and what the Church has witnessed to since that time.

Our Lord is waiting for you.  He wants an encounter with you that will change your life and everything about your life.  You haven’t experienced that yet?  Like many human relationships it can take time.  Keep at it.  Give it time.  Most importantly, open yourself to Him completely.  You’ll be surprised; but more importantly, you’ll be fulfilled and complete.

Free Will & Conscience

The two great misconceptions inhibiting our more effective participation in our democracy are misunderstandings regarding the duties of Catholics in public life (both within the body politic as well as in the public square more generally) and the role of individual “conscience”.

The first is more easily addressed since it comes from our baptism in Christ: we who have been made in the image and likeness of God have been given the task of subduing the earth and exercising dominion over all creatures (cf. Genesis 1:28).  In other words, we are called to exercise “right or wise rule” over all creation.  I could write a whole article just on that!  But I digress.  To put it more directly, we exercise dominion over creation when we seek more and more to order it according to God’s design and will.  Anything that subverts this moral order in creation is a misuse of our free-will and a subversion of God’s intention in creating us – individually and collectively.

The second issue has been quite regular in the news and opinion pages over the last few years – that of conscience.  Many, including many politicians and far too many clergy, seem to understand conscience as 1) whatever I am comfortable with; 2) whatever I “feel”; 3) whatever I have convinced myself is right (free, of course, of objective truth).  These are all, of course, incorrect understandings of conscience according to our Christian Tradition.

Conscience, properly understood, is that voice of God speaking to us, especially in times of stress or moral crisis.  It is formed in us through the cultivation of virtue and a constant deepening of our intimacy with God.  Seems easy enough, but it is a life-long process as well as an intentional process; but it is what we have been called to in baptism and the life of grace.

The tough part, often, is that we have a tendency to see our life in communion with God as merely a portion of our life.  It isn’t.  It’s the whole of our life; meaning every thought, word, and deed is subject to the right use of conscience, and therefore, the “wise rule” (dominion) of created things.

Happy 4th of July!

A happy Independence Day to all!  It is a joy to celebrate the blessings of liberty each year.  We have seen over these many years that liberty is a blessing that must be guarded with the greatest vigilance.  Too often, as we have also seen over these many years, we find ourselves only steps away from losing this blessing, yeah, even giving them away.

It has been popular over the past few years to dismiss our founding fathers because of their imperfections, weaknesses, inconsistencies, etc.  However, we dismiss their legacy, especially their intellectual legacy, at our great peril.  Indeed, as Aristotle recognized, a benign dictatorship is the most efficient form of government:  as our Catholic intellectual tradition teaches, a world ruled according to Catholic principles by near saints; but, alas, we are not saints yet.  A democratic republic is the best we’ve come up with so far: but if we don’t understand, appreciate, and apply the ideals set forth in our Declaration of Independence and Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (among other documents of note produced throughout the history of our republic), and principles as they are set forth in our Constitution, and finally, recognize and act at significant moments to further refine these principles, then all will have been for naught; and this great patrimony could be lost to humanity.

Thus, the continued, active participation of every man and woman of faith is necessary as was repeatedly recognized by the founding fathers.  However, if our participation is to be worthwhile, it will be necessary that we first of all ensure that we are each and all one with the will of God – as Lincoln said, when an aide expressed the confidence that “God is on our side”, we should be more concerned that we be on God’s side.  Having done our best to ensure this through our participation in the life of the Trinity through our active participation in the sacred rites and a life of grace, let us dedicate ourselves to the unfinished business before us.  But, for today, let us celebrate!

“May Christ our Lord help us all with His bountiful grace, so that we may know His holy will and perfectly fulfill it.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola)

Our Return to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

 

With the news of Bishop Callahan’s ending the general dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass on weekends and Holy Days of Obligation, I am hopeful we will see more of our brothers & sisters returning to participate once again in the sacred mysteries.

As I saw the headline in the La Crosse Tribune reporting on this it struck me as a very sad commentary on the way most folks, and not just those outside the Church, look at this mandate / obligation: “Diocese of La Crosse Again Requiring Parish to Attend Sunday Mass”. (sic)  Poor grammar aside, at least they also quoted Bishop Callahan’s letter where he says: “The Mass is our intimate encounter with Jesus.  It is with open arms and a grateful heart that we welcome all to respond to the invitation of Jesus to come to him.”

As one would expect, our bishop recognizes, and therefore expresses this obligation in a positive manner.  When we recognize Whom it is that waits to welcome us we WANT to be where He is, and we welcome the invitation to be in His presence.

So, why is it an “obligation” if it should be something we would want to do?  Unfortunately, we don’t always recognize the "good" as the better choice over the “not as good”; in large part because we haven’t matured enough in faith, that is – in love, so as to recognize the good and choose it.  In this, we misuse the gift of free will we have been given, which is the ability to freely choose the good.

It saddens me to know there are those who have been doing everything else but assisting at Sunday Mass simply because "the bishop said they didn't have to".  I also recognize there are those who have, sadly, gotten used to watching Mass on tv or the internet, not appreciating the sacramental realism that makes our presence, in person, so very important.  Finally, there are those who have just gotten used to not observing Sunday as the Lord's Day, who are in particular need of our prayers.

Of course, if we spend more time with God, especially in adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and also in our daily devotions (especially Sacred Heart & Divine Mercy), our love for Him will grow such that we will want to be with Him: we will use our gift of free will to freely choose Him above all things; and then we will know heaven – the new Jerusalem, already here on earth.

“Who will separate us from the love of Christ?  Trial, or distress, or persecutions, or hunger, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword?  Yet in all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us.”  (Romans 8:35, 37)

Wisconsin Attorney General Attack on the Five Catholic Dioceses in Wisconsin

 Folks,  because the Wisconsin Attorney General is continuing his cheap, political attack on the Church in Wisconsin, and the mainstream media continues to uncritically report on this issue, I think it important that people get a clearer picture of what is going on before leaping to any judgment about this issue.  Here is an article from the National Catholic Register which does just that.

ACTION ALERT!

Brothers & Sisters,

As much as we'd like to enjoy the coming Triduum and following Easter season without the distraction of evil, we live in a fallen world which continues to suffer the machinations of fallen minds urged on by evil itself.  And so, I urge you to read the linked statement by the bishops of Wisconsin regarding the so-called "Equality Act".  This legislation, which has passed the House of Representatives and is now before the Senate, will gravely effect our ability as Christians to give witness to the Gospel - both in our daily / professional lives, as well as in our communal / political life.  I ask that you read this statement carefully, bring it to prayer, AND THEN ACT!

If this legislation passes, it will not be the end of the world, but it will be another nail in the coffin of the world as we know it.

Holy Week

Here we are at the start of Holy Week with today’s celebration of Palm Sunday – the holiest week of the entire Church year.  I hope and pray that everyone will give to themselves and to their families the gift of observing this week to the fullest extent possible.  I know there is work to do and we aren’t going to entirely shut down the sports schedule; but there are many things we could set aside in favor of the observance of our Lord’s Paschal Mystery, that is, His passion, death, and resurrection.

Setting aside this time, giving ourselves the quiet and peace necessary to enter fully into this time is critical, because we aren’t simply invited to observe or even celebrate the events of this week, we are called by our Baptism to enter into these mysteries; indeed, that is what our baptism is all about, after all.

What to do with this time?  Re-reading the Gospel narratives of our Lord’s Passion is a terrific start.  In the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite the entire passion is read from each of the three Synoptic Gospels during the first part of the week: Matthew on Palm Sunday, Mark on Tuesday, and Luke on Wednesday: and we all hear the Passion according to St. John on Good Friday.  On Holy Thursday it would be good to read the narrative of the Last Supper, all four Gospels have one with differences which are particular to the memory (or information available in the case of St. Luke) and narrative goals of each writer.

Another option on these days would be a greater attention to our devotional life.  The Stations of the Cross and the Rosary are wonderful devotions in themselves which take on more meaning and power in the context of these Holy Week celebrations.  Interestingly, the Vatican website still contains the texts of the Stations of the Cross celebrated by Popes going back to the reign of Pope St. John Paul the Great.  Of course, we can’t forget too the Divine Mercy Chaplet which our Lord Himself asked to be recited especially at the Hour of Mercy – 3:00 pm, Friday.

Finally, there are a sufficient number of movies to be watched, oratorios to be listened to, and books to be read on the topic of our Lord’s passion, death, and resurrection.  They need only be chosen in favor of the latest installment of our favorite television series or movie, commercial radio, or whatever novels and other reading materials that are on our table waiting to be read.

     The invitation is once again extended by our Lord.  Who will accept it?

     Remember who (and Whose!) you are,

Solemn Feast of St. Joseph (2)

I know.  You're saying "Why all the YouTube videos, Father?"  Right?  But there was a real cache of good articles I came across in the National Catholic Register (one of my "go to" sources), but because of pastoral responsibilities and travel I wasn't able to get them up until now.

The first is an interesting article by Mike Aquilina on how not only does St. Joseph not say a word in the Gospels, but no one else says a word TO him either - except the angels!  Enjoy!

The next is an article on appearances and apparitions over the centuries.  Who knew?  Well, Joseph Pronechen, the author has put it all together for us.

Another article, by Sr. Clare Hunter, is an "Examen for Masculine Virtue"; a great article for men (by a woman no less!) and the women wondering what they should be looking for in a man.

Finally, an article by Joseph O'Brien, of my own Diocese of La Crosse, on "St. Joseph and the Sacrifice of the Mass".

In addition to these articles there are two books to watch out for.  The first is by the afore mentioned Mike Aquilina, with a forward by Dr. Scott Hahn, "St. Joseph and His World".  This book really helps one understand the world in which the Holy Family lived.  We don't have to wonder about how they could have escaped to Egypt, this book helps us understand what an eminently logical plan it was.  Son of David?  What did St. Joseph understand about being a descendant of David?  This book tells us.

Another is a book that is to be released on May 1, the Feast of St. Joseph the Workman, by Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B., "Through the Heart of Joseph".  In speaking with Fr. Boniface, this seems to be a great follow on to Fr. Donald Calloway's "Consecration to St. Joseph".  This book also has a forward by Dr. Scott Hahn.

It is amazing to me that we have had such an explosion of material on St. Joseph over these past few years.  We have come to understand that St. Joseph's intercession will be an essential element in meeting the challenges of this period in human history - the history of salvation.  The material is a real gold mine, but it is only a start.  It is necessary that in having been give the opportunity to "know about" St. Joseph, that we come to "know" St. Joseph: this can only be accomplished by prayer.

Solemn Feast of St. Joseph

Today, March 19, the Church throughout the world celebrates the Solemn Feast of St. Joseph - the Husband of Mary.  This is such an important feast that the "Gloria" is sung at Mass - even in the middle of Lent!  I have published many postings on St. Joseph over this past "Year of St. Joseph" (both in the Diocese of La Crosse, WI, and in the Universal Church) which will end on December 8, 2021.

Here are a couple of new YouTube links on St. Joseph.  First, a link (14 minutes) with "Who is St. Joseph and Why do you need to know him?"  Next, a link (9 minutes) on "What was Mary and Joseph's relationship like?"  Both are discussions with Dr. Scott Hahn and Fr. Donald Calloway.  Next, a solo reflection by Dr. Scott Hahn titled: "Silent Knight, Holy Knight".  And finally, a 32 minute video by Dr. Hahn on a "Rosary of St. Joseph".  This last is a personal devotion that he developed and which he explains on the video.  It's interesting and has definite possibilities.  We'll see if he gets his bishops approval and how time will treat it.  That is, after all, the way of things in the Church from its beginnings.

Today and tomorrow I will be gathering with my religious "family", the "Institute of St. Joseph", a diocesan institute which is a public association of the faithful within the Catholic Church.  Please pray for our continued growth in grace as well as size (if it be God's holy will).

Missive (3/14)

 Dearest Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

We’ve hit Laetare Sunday, the (sort of) mid-point of Lent; a time to relax the Lenten disciplines for a day and get ready to pour on the coals as we hit the second half of Lent.  If you don’t feel like you’ve hit your Lenten stride yet, then relax a bit anyway and, while you’re relaxing, make a plan for how you’re going to hit that stride Monday morning.

The word “Laetare” is Latin for “REJOICE!”  This Sunday gets its name from the opening word of the introit, or, opening antiphon for this Mass: “Laetare, Ierúsalem: et convéntum fácite, omnes qui diligitis eam; which means: “Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and come together, all you who love her.”  The Jerusalem we love is, of course, heaven – the new Jerusalem.

This love for the new Jerusalem, for heaven, is our motivation for the Lenten disciplines we undertake.  It is also the motivation for the disciplines we extend throughout the rest of the year.  As the apostle, Paul says in his first letter to the Corinthians (9:24-26): “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only receives the prize?  So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercise self-control in all things.  They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  We also see this motivation beautifully demonstrated in the “Song of Songs” from the Old Testament.

One of the first things our Lenten men’s group was asked to do was to think through and write down their motivation for undertaking the Exodus 40 Lenten program.  The designers of the program point out, rightly, that we can’t get to where we are going if we don’t clearly understand why we are undertaking this journey.  So it is for all of us – men, women, and children who follow Christ.  It is necessary that we understand our goal (the new Jerusalem – heaven) and also recognize that the journey there is not an easy one.  If it were, our blessed Mother would not have had to show the vision of hell to the three shepherd children at Fatima, there wouldn’t have been anything to show them!  All of those souls, so many that it seemed like a snow-storm to the children, would have been falling into heaven instead of hell.  So we see, the journey to heaven is not like “falling into something”, it is a steep climb, an arduous climb.

Let us then start afresh on Monday morning: entering into those Lenten disciplines like athletes training for a championship.  It will take giving some things up, hard work, and sometimes even facing ridicule: but imagine winning a prize that makes winning the Superbowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, the Ryder Cup, and every other prize there is seem like an afterthought.  That’s how good heaven is!  So let us rejoice in her today, and redouble our efforts to attain so great a prize tomorrow.  God has done His part, now we need to do ours.

Remember who (and Whose!) you are!

Confession (2)

In my last blog post I recommended four books on the Sacrament of
Reconciliation / Confession.  It is so important that we begin again to recognize this sacrament as a thing of beauty, a gift of grace from a Father Who loves us more than we can fathom.  A number of folks have talked to me about Confession and the difficulties they have with coming.

The difficulty that is raised over and over again is “What do I confess?”  This difficulty is especially raised by our older brothers and sisters, and in particular those who are relatively home-bound.  I can understand that we find ourselves in a quandary on this issue.  After all, we live in a culture that very consistently redefines sinful behavior as nothing more than misunderstanding of the actor’s motivation, meaning, or simply dismisses the idea that the behavior is sinful as a cultural idea.

Another difficulty we run into is we see our venial sins as sometimes so small as to not matter.  And yet, they most certainly DO matter.  What seems small to one person can loom rather large in the mind and heart of someone on the receiving end.

Imagine what would happen if we had the same attitude towards a little grain of dust in our automobile engine.  As we know, those little bits of dust eventually build up until they cause real problems.  That’s why we change the oil and filters in our vehicles regularly.  So it is with our sins.  That is why it is well-worth our while to come to Confession regularly, even frequently, to flush even those tiniest bits of sin out of our system. 

When these things are taken care of on a regular basis we find a particular joy in driving our vehicles.  They run so much better and make even an everyday drive a joy.  This is true in the spiritual life as well.  When the system is well maintained by regular (even frequent) Confession we discover more than a simple oil change and tune-up, we discover the joy of God’s presence in our lives.

Think that analogy is too far-fetched?  Then why do car collector completely wash, tune-up, and even change the oil in their cars after only a short afternoon drive?  And just think, you are worth more than all the collectible vehicles in the world combined!

Take care of yourself like the treasured collectible you are.

Confession

It is a great tragedy of the contemporary Church that so many continue to neglect this critically important avenue of grace.  God has given us this sacrament so that we might know more fully His great love for us as well as bring us the healing necessary so that all that grace He is pouring down on us every day might at last find its way into our hearts and souls.  Over the years I have collected a few books on Confession.  I’d like to recommend some of these for your consideration, healing, and spiritual growth.

The first is a book by Dr. Scott Hahn called Lord, Have Mercy: the healing power of Confession.  As always, Dr. Hahn gives a wonderful explanation of the sacrament and why we should want to participate, not once a year as the Church’s precepts direct, but frequently!  Dr. Hahn writes in a very popular style which is often amusing (even when talking about Confession) and always accessible.

My next recommendation is 7 Secrets of Confession by Vinny Flynn.  Flynn, who got his start at the National Shrine of Divine Mercy, is a singer/songwriter, speaker, and author who also writes in a very accessible style.  What sets his book apart is how he answers so many of the objections and mis-understandings regarding Confession.  He does a wonderful job of bringing us back to Confession as a sacrament of healing so that we might fully know the love of God.

Once you have gotten over any misunderstandings or hang-ups concerning Confession, you might want to dig into Benedict Baur’s book, Frequent Confession: its place in the Spiritual Life.  Baur discusses why one would want to go frequently (like every other week, even weekly, but at least monthly).  He also dives into the problems we have with making a good Confession.  This book isn’t written in as popular a style as the previous two, but it is still quite accessible.

Finally, if you really want to get into the spirituality of Confession, I highly recommend Confession by Adrienne von Speyr.  Von Speyr was a native of Switzerland (1902-1967), a Catholic convert, and one of the great mystics of the 20^th century.  This book is not written in a popular style.  It is readable with, maybe, a little bit of help.  I’d like to say it’s a serious book for serious people, but I don’t want to take away from how valuable and solid the previous three are in this list.  But, it is a serious book.

My prayer would be that everyone would read at least one of these books.  The graces God has waiting for us in the sacrament of Reconciliation / Confession unlock the graces of all the other sacraments – kicking down the door of sin and woundedness which keeps us from making full use of the grace given in any other sacraments already received, as well as the grace that comes to us through our daily works of charity / mercy.

“May Christ our Lord help us all with His bountiful grace, so that we may know His holy will and perfectly fulfill it.” (St. Ignatius of Loyola)