Vacation/Retreat

If a lazy blogger goes on vacation and retreat, will anyone notice?

If they do, pray for me. The plans look wonderful and God is good AND its the year of the priest- what more could I ask for? Your prayers.

Something timely and new when I get back? Pray for Priests

New Assignment

Effective July 1st, 2009, Bishop Swain has asked me to begin ministry as Chaplain of Pope Pius XII Newman Center on the campus of South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD. I am very excited and will have the privilege of working with a FOCUS missionary team.

Additionally I am pastor of St. Paul's in White, SD, a delightful rural community.

Please pray for me.

Archbishop Chaput to Journalists

I've seen one report of Archbishop Chaput's conversation with various Journalists in Washington, DC, but I hadn't seen his own initial remarks, which are succinct, concise, and very hard to misrepresent. These deserve attention in how they challenge while inviting a response. Though, "where there's a will..."

Full Text

The heart of the issue is as follows:

Sometimes in reading the news, I get the impression that access to Holy Communion in the Church is like having bar privileges at the Elks’ Club. I’m reminded of the story of the Catholic novelist Flannery O’Connor. She was at a cocktail party talking with fellow writer Mary McCarthy, who had left the Church. McCarthy, though no longer Catholic, said she still thought the Eucharist was a pretty good symbol of God’s presence. O’Connor replied: “Well, if it’s a symbol, to hell with it.”

For believing Catholics, the Eucharist is not a symbol; or rather, it’s enormously more than a symbol. It’s the literal, tangible, body and blood of Jesus Christ. And since the earliest days of the Christian community, honest believers have never wanted to, and never been allowed to, approach the Eucharist in a state of grave sin or scandal. St. Paul said that if we do that, we profane the body and blood of Christ, and we eat and drink judgment upon ourselves (1 Cor. 11:27–32).

In other words, we commit a kind of blasphemy against God, and violence against our own integrity and the faith of other believers. There’s nothing casual about this kind of sin, and the American notion of “civil rights” is useless and flatly wrong in trying to understand it. No one ever has a “right” to the Eucharist -- and the vanity or hurt feelings of an individual Catholic governor or senator or even a vice president do not take priority over the faith of the believing community.

Blasphemy and violence are unpleasant words in polite conversation – but for believers, they have substance. They also have implications beyond this lifetime. That’s why no Catholic – from the simplest parishioner to the most important public leader – should approach Communion with grave sin on his soul. The media have no obligation to believe what the Church teaches. But they certainly do have the obligation to understand, respect and accurately recount how she understands herself – and especially how she teaches and why she teaches.

Is this effective and sufficient engagement of the spirit of the day? Why or why not? It isn't total or final but does it challenge? I think so.

God bless Archbishop Chaput.

Say a prayer, send a card, write him an email.

Wish I were a Canon Lawyer...

Though I never thought I'd say it, the world may need more canon lawyers. As I've read Ed Peter's blog about Church Law [Canon Law] I've found myself nodding to myself quite often. This case is no exception. When someone publicly and boldly violates the Church's laws why do we not respond according to those laws?

In fewer than 500 words, McElvaine manages to insult meanly and repeatedly Pope Benedict XVI and to impugn (sophomorically, I grant, but nevertheless clearly and directly) a half-dozen important Church teachings on sacraments, ecclesiology, and moral doctrine. If McElvaine's column does not constitute a violation of, among other norms, Canon 1369, then folks, I am never going to recognize it when it is violated.

I often see virtuous couples of all ages refraining from the Eucharist. Why? Because they are in irregular marriages and are awaiting annulments. I also know faithful spouses and parents who attend Mass every Sunday but are not Catholic and do not receive. This allegiance is inspiring. The betrayal of various media friendly Catholics is infuriating.

[For everyone's sake, Comments have been turned off]

Shirking Responsibilities

If you are procrastinating, check out:

B-Movie Catechism

Primary School Homily on the Anniversary of Roe v. Wade

I definitely used "kid gloves." The story of Ironic Catholic's 6 year old is precisely what I wished to avoid. That sort of trauma is a parent's privilege that I will not usurp. That being said, my homily was short and went something like this:

Who likes to be picked on? Who likes to be made fun of? Who likes to get hurt by someone else? None of us. Second graders, are you allowed to pick on first graders because they are smaller? "No!" First graders are you allowed to pick on the kindergartners because they are smaller? "No!" Are we ever allowed to hurt someone because they are smaller? What if Mrs Schwab, your principal, announces that it is now okay for bigger kids to hurt smaller kids, would that make it okay? "No!" Because hurting people is wrong, whether we are in second grade or when we are in high school. Even someone so small where we can't even see them should never be hurt by us.

So that's the brief homily. I did mention the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in the intercessions hopefully that was abstract enough to engage the children while concrete enough for the parents to connect what I was saying in the homily. If not, its a good thing the world already has a savior and I am not He.

Begging for Advice

So I have Mass with our primary school students tomorrow. They cover the young age of grade school- preschool through 2nd grade. Is there a way I can speak effectively to them about abortion while not harming them too greatly or violating their parent's right on when to teach them. Ideas?