On Living the Vocation to Holiness

The month of October is dedicated to devotion to the holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  This
comes about in large part because of the victory of the naval forces of Christian Europe succeeding in defeating the naval forces of Islam, who were threatening Europe with invasion at the time, at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1571.  (Interesting fact: the Feast of the Holy Name of Mary, celebrated on September 12, originally marked another Muslim invasion turned back at the gates of Vienna, Austria, by King Jan III Sobieski of Poland and his “Winged Hussars” September 12, 1683)  This date became known as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary because the Holy Father, Pope Pius V, had asked all of Catholic Europe to join in praying the Rosary to aid the outnumbered Christian fleet in their quest to save Europe from invasion. 

 

In our own day we face so many challenges, which can seem as fearsome as an invasion.  What to do?  Our Lady has over and over helped us to understand that daily praying of the Rosary will not only put our souls in a good place, and maybe even deliver our bodies from present danger as well, but will also save many souls.

I have heard so many of our older brothers and sisters about how their family would kneel in the kitchen or living room after supper each night during Lent and pray the rosary.  Why wait??  Why not get back into that habit yourself and with your household.  Our Blessed Mother showed us at Fatima (October 13 is the 102^nd anniversary of the “Day the Sun Danced” at Fatima) that so much of what ails
our own souls and also mankind would be conquered by her Immaculate Heart if we would return to her motherly care and meditate upon the mysteries of salvation which are brought to us in the Rosary.I would normally offer showings of a powerful talk by Fr. Donald Calloway.  In this time of pandemic I would be most happy to lend my copy of this DVD to anyone who would like to view it.  Maybe you could show it to your family as well, or even those people you gather with regularly, and then return to our Blessed Mother, who so desires to draw all souls to the Sacred Heart of her Divine Son.

Missive

As we continue to make our way through these challenging times, it occurs to me that we need reminding that we are not mere mammals: we have been created by almighty God body AND soul; one is mortal and will die, and the other is immortal will simply pass through the doors of death into eternity.  But wait, it gets better!  Our mortal body will rise on the last day and be rejoined with our soul so that we, like Christ into Whom we have been baptized, will exist in a glorified body for all eternity.  How great is that???  Also, how calming is that when faced with pandemics, natural forces of weather, or social unrest?  Personally, I take it as a tremendous comfort – except for one thing…What is the state of my soul?

Yes, Hell is real and, well, “hell”; and Purgatory is not going to be a picnic.  While arriving in Purgatory we are assured, eventually, of heavenly glory, there will be suffering involved in overcoming those last vestiges of sin.  So, where is my soul?

It has been a great lie put forward by the present culture, and abetted by the Satan, that hell doesn’t exist, and that everyone goes to heaven.  Scripture, including the words of our Lord Himself, do not bear this out.  We can discuss the justice and, ultimately, the charity of this another time; my concern is in encouraging everyone to be busy about caring for the soul so that when death comes knocking we can receive Him as a friend, and not as a thief in the night.  So, what to do?

In this season of anxiety, fear, and so many temptations, let us be serious about living the life of charity to which we have each been called in Baptism.  And, having recognized our failure in this in our nightly examination of conscience, let us approach that beautiful sacrament of reconciliation with God and man – Confession.

Nothing will prepare us better for the glory of heaven and for the challenges of life in this world than a clear conscience and knowledge of God’s infinite love and care for us.

“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)

Eucharistic Rosary Procession

 Sunday, September 20, we held an outdoor Mass and following Eucharistic Rosary Procession.  It was a lovely even with over 150 people participating in the procession from every segment of our Tri-Parish family as well as from surrounding parishes.  Following are some pictures from that blessed event.

The procession made its way from the Sacred Heart Parking Lot, where an outdoor Mass was celebrated, down Front St. to Wisconsin Ave. and then back up Main St.  I'd like to thank the Cashton Police Dept. for their ready assistance in planning and professional execution of our event.

We finished with the Litany of the Precious Blood and Benediction.  This event was very well received by all who participated and many who witnessed it.  I hope this will be the catalyst for future such events.

What to do next time...

Bishop Paprocki has always been one of my heroes amongst the current, actively serving bishops in the U.S.   This article is a story about his letter on the corona virus.  I highly recommend reading the actual letter, but if the article is all you have time for, then at least you'll get an idea of his basic argument. Either way, this is an eminently clear discussion on the topic. 

Sunday Obligation

The suspension of the obligation to attend Sunday Mass was to be lifted in the Diocese of La Crosse on September 28.  However, after the last presbyteral council meeting Bishop Callahan put out a statement that he would not be following his brother bishops in the Milwaukee Province (State of Wisconsin) in lifting the suspension of this obligation.  When he does however, all Catholics will be once again obligated, under pain of mortal sin, to attend Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.  This means, very simply, that if you willfully miss Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation, you may not present yourself to receive Holy Communion until you have confessed this in the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession).

Quite honestly, all  of this confusion could have been averted if Catholics understood the nature of this obligation (or the concept of "obligation" generally).  If this was properly understood there would have been no need for the bishops to suspend the obligation, since an obligation can only be held where there is nothing blocking one from fulfilling that obligation.  Thus, with the state shutting down our public life and later limiting the seating capacity of public places, if you can’t get in, you are not obligated to assist at holy Mass in person.  You are also not obligated if you are sick and thereby a danger to others – in fact, in that case you have an obligation to stay home; you are not obligated if weather conditions truly make it dangerous to go out; you are also not obligated if you are caring for someone who is sick and you are unable to “tag-team” with another person.  In other words, if you are in a condition such that you would not go out to eat, shop, work, or any other such thing, you are generally not obligated to assist at holy Mass.

Indeed, where does the obligation to assist at holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation come from anyway?  The third commandment of the Decalogue tells us to Keep holy the Sabbath.  This has been understood by the Church, under ordinary circumstances, to mean we are to spend the day in worship, fellowship with family / community, and works of charity.  The first of these is considered to be so serious that it is the first of the Precepts of the Church; it is also included in the Didache, an early second century document also know as the "Teaching of the Apostles".

The great difficulty with keeping this precept is a loss of understanding about what faith, the virtue of religion, is.  Too many, now-a-days, treat the life of faith like a box that is checked off at the proper times, a list of things to be done.  Too many have lost sight of the life of faith as a covenant relationship into which we enter with God and the covenant community (the Church) at Baptism.  It is for this reason that the holy Scriptures have frequently held up marriage as the image of that relationship between God and the human person.  It isn't merely about the right ordering of the universe, it is about the continuous deepening of our love relationship with God and the Body of His Son - the Church: this is called covenant fidelity.

When we learn and accept seeing our relationship with God in this way, everything really does fall into place.  Why do I go to Church?  Because I want to be with God who presents Himself to us in the Body & Blood, Soul & Divinity of His only-begotten Son.  Why would I NOT choose to do anything else on Sunday when it is time for Mass?  Because I really do love God above all things!  Why would I not spend the rest of the day working once Mass is over?  Because I want, I need to grow in relationship with those He has so generously put into my life - family, friends, and community.

So, if we understand our relationship with God, family, and community - especially our worshiping community - in this way, the "obligation" is obvious; indeed, it ceases even to BE an obligation at all: it become instead a time of grace, a blessing.

May we all be so blessed!

Fr. James Altman and Forming Our Conscience

I have been very interested during this past week to hear the comments coming from my parishioners about Fr. James Altman’s YouTube videos.  Some have been rather enthralled with both the message and the style; most have been in near total agreement with what he has had to say.  I have to admit my good friend has caused me to do some soul searching myself about how I address the issues of politics and Catholic politicians, as well as many other "hot button" topics.  Many have asked me what I thought, and I have said that I agree with about 98% of what he had to say.  What don’t I agree with?  Well, I know there are still some pro-life Democrats, though the party throwing one of these out a couple of weeks ago because of his pro-life views is not reassuring.  I also would not put climate change near the top of my list of things to address from the pulpit.  

But make no mistake!  I absolutely have a problem with Catholics who put their politics before their covenant fidelity to God and to their neighbor; and I count former Vice-President Biden among these, as well as Nancy Pelosi and others.  I also believe, along with Fr. Altman, that their souls are in very serious danger.

I have spoken out regularly, in bulletin articles, my Facebook page, this blog, and from the pulpit about the duties of Catholics – including their duties as faithful citizens and electors.  I can’t imagine there is much of a secret about where I stand personally and as a pastor.  Some of you have written to me privately to express your views and a couple of you have even questioned whether you can belong to a Church that puts such boundaries on your freedom of thought and action.  Indeed, I saw a letter to the editor of our regional paper today from a former parishioner who said given the choice between his Church and his Party, he chooses his Party!  Dear Lord!!!  

I’m certain that some in my parishes would say I don’t challenge my parishioners straight forwardly enough.  Indeed, St. John Vianney is said to have remarked: a priest who is not threatened with lynching when he comes out of the pulpit is not doing his job.  To this I would remind that shepherds (in ancient Israel and in Israel today)  lead their sheep by "singing" to them and literally leading them - they walk in front and the sheep follow.  Sometimes a sheep will try to wander off and then the shepherd has to go after the wayward one and encourage, sometimes with a serious poke, that one to return to the flock.  I try to follow this model.  Moreover, I take my task of saving souls (my only REAL job) very seriously; and I recognize that what works at St. James is not necessarily the best tack to take in the Tri-Parishes.  So I, and Deacon Sam, work hard at convincing, sometimes cajoling, or even shocking, but always proposing and inviting as Jesus did.

If you have been watching Fr. Altman's YouTube videos, I hope you will take to heart what he has to say and will further form your conscience with, among other things, the quadrennial statement of the U.S. bishops - Faithful Citizenship, as well as other statements of our own bishop and bishops like Archbishop Alexander Sample (Portland, Oregon), Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone (San Francisco), Bishop Thomas Paprocki (Springfield, Illinois), and other bishops noted for their fidelity as opposed to those who continuously soft-pedal the Gospel in an attempt to "charm" the political class and the culture, to be "relevant", or to be on the right side of history.  Far better that we be on the right side of God, Who has been very clear in His revelation what is expected, and what covenant fidelity looks like. 

We must, each of us, take responsibility for what our candidates promise and do. If they are promising things which are contrary to our Catholic faith, such as promoting abortion, taking away our religious liberties if they run afoul of the “wisdom of the age”, or if they are treating immigrants and others in distress in a way that actively diminishes their human dignity, then we have a serious duty to consider whether we can, in fact, vote for that person in good conscience. We also have a duty, regardless of who wins, to let them know how we feel about these issues when they come up in policy discussions and especially when they come up for a vote. 

We will be held accountable by God at our final judgment for our part in these things. Therefore, we must avoid the temptations of financial, personal, or agenda driven self-interest; keeping in mind the cornerstones of Catholic social teaching: the Dignity of the Human Person, the Common Good, the principle of Subsidiarity, and the principle of Solidarity; and take them with utmost seriousness as we form our conscience and prepare to vote.

Christifidelis Laici: the final installment

We come now to the final two sections, 63 & 64, of Pope St. John Paul the Great’s exhortation on the laity.  Section 63 begins by recognizing that “formation is not the privilege of a few, but a right and duty of all.”  In order for this to happen, those who will form others must themselves be formed.  The Diocese of La Crosse offers continuing opportunities for this.  Keep an eye on the bulletin as these opportunities are offered.  This also happens in our Tri-Parishes; especially with the Men’s Spirituality Group, the Tuesday evening prayer group, our Women’s Spirituality Group meetings (3x’s/year), and a number of other small groups aimed at marriage & family, women’s spirituality, and teen girls.  I heartily thank those who have undertaken leading these various efforts.  They are beautiful signs of the Spirit active within our parish communities.  If you are feeling called to “do something more” and would like some guidance, direction, materials, PLEASE contact me and I will very happily put you in touch with those who are also interested as well as those people and/or resources needed to make this happen. 

Our Holy Father of (very) happy memory points out, in concluding, that we can only form others if we, ourselves, are being continually formed.  This process is never “done” since we see in the lives of the saints: the more they were formed, the more they felt the need to be further formed.

Finally, he points out that while methods made available by human science and newer technologies are important, these are “made more effective the more they are open to the action of God.  So, let us remember that it is about learning more: facts, techniques, etc.; but, it is much, much more about knowing Him, Who is the source and goal, the beginning and the end, the font & the summit – God Himself.

Over the next three weeks this space will be taken up with some timely (not political) issues, so don’t go away!  After that, we will begin covering Pope Francis’ new encyclical, due out October 3^rd.