Welcome and Website Protocol

Monday May 18, 2009

Welcome to ‘www.fatherlasch.com’ Revised on May 20, 2009

Almost four years have passed since I embarked on this website initiative. I continue to be amazed at the smorgasbord of possibilities provided by technology. I enjoyed being a ‘hands on’ pastor for many years but never imagined that I could continue to be so involved in ‘pastoring’ after retirement.

Feedback on the website has been overwhelming positive—an average of 250+ daily visitors. The largest number of visits recorded on one day to date was 470. I estimate that there are some who visit on a daily basis, others on a weekly basis and still others several times a month, depending on postings/

From the very beginning of my preparation for the priesthood in 1958, I wanted to be a pastor. Although after my first year of priestly ministry I was sent back to school for studies in Canon Law, the desire to be a pastor never left my mind and was always in my heart. My attempt to convince Bishop Navagh to allow me to study theology instead of church law was not successful. Nevertheless, in time I came to understand his wisdom with the realization that Canon Law can be the servant of church renewal and reform. I now consider his insistence providential.

To have studied Canon Law in Rome during three of the four sessions of the Second Vatican Council was nothing short of spectacular. In fact, it was impossible to study law without delving into its biblical and theological roots. I realized for the first time that to be truly traditional, change is necessary—not change for the sake of change but changes that keep the Church as the Body of Christ faithful to it’s biblical origins and its earthly mission, faithful to the core teachings of Christ. I realized that to be faithful, the Church must be free to articulate these teachings in a manner that acknowledges the crucial issues of the modern world and adopts to the diverse cultural, political, social conditions in which Christians find themselves at any particular time.

Although I retired on August 1, 2004 as the pastor of ‘Camelot’—a special parish that I loved, St. Joseph in Mendham NJ, I continue to pastor in a church without walls and in a parish without boundaries but well within the tradition and traditions of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Church has been challenged in every age to be a church of and for the people of God. Vatican II redefined the Church as ‘The People of God.” This was a radical change from the definition of Vatican I: “a perfect juridical society.”

Jesus Christ is the Church’s foundation and we as a people are his body. Our Holy Father and the college of bishops who surround him are our teachers and our guides but as with every good teacher, they must be attentive to the aspirations and the movement of the Holy Spirit among the faithful. Although we truly believe the Holy Spirit speaks to the Holy Father and to the bishops when they come together in council and inspires them individually as they prayerfully discern the application of the gospel, the manner in which they exercise their authority is not neutral. It either sustains the faith of the people or it diminishes it.

There are a variety of reform movements and organizations within the Church at the present time. They all have their place. Some bishops have banned some of these groups such as Call to Action and Voice of the Faithful because they view them as inimical to the mission of the Church. Although there may be individuals within these organizations who may seek changes that exceed the bounds of orthodoxy, I believe most active members are articulating the need to revisit and reexamine teachings in order to recapture the ‘spirit’ of the teachings of Christ in the Gospel. True dialogue more often than not bears good fruit and creates common ground among people of faith and good will. The Common Ground initiative of the late Cardinal Bernardin is a good example of the dialogue that should be taking place at every level of Church life.

In recent times and despite the aspirations of the faithful, I believe our bishops have not always been attentive to the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking in the hearts of ‘people in the pew.’ Sexual abuse by clergy, as serious as it is, is only a symptom of the abuse of power and authority among too many of our bishops.

Two years ago, three of my brother priests and I initiated “Project Millstones.” It was and remains a challenge to our bishops to hold one another accountable for the abuse that has shaken our Church to its roots. They have ignored this call for accountability signed by well over 1000 Church goers. The number of signatures continues to grow.

Quite frankly, I do not worry as much about the disparate and sometimes desperate voices within reform groups as I do about the slow erosion of Catholic practice among young and old who are walking away from the Church or at least moving into a diaspora. They view the Church not as a faith community focused on Christ which challenges them to live the Gospel but as an institution that hassles its members, corralling them into subjection to rules and regulations that pertain more to the preservation of the institution than to the promotion of the Gospel.

This is a strong sentiment, but If we challenge one another to become thinking Catholics then we will become responsible Christians in a world that views Christianity as outmoded.

As a pastor of any ‘territorial’ parish, I will preach and teach and provide services vis-à-vis this website with the hope that those who ‘tune in’ may not be turned off but be challenged to think about our tradition and its traditions so that we may live our tradition and traditions with greater enthusiasm.

I will be adhering firmly to the ‘salami technique’ familiar to so many of the parishioners whom I served at St. Joseph Parish in Mendham; one thin slice at a time.

This website is dedicated not to controversy but to true dialogue of mind and heart with mutual respect for people of every perspective and point of view in a common search for truth. All too often dialogue is the occasion for attack and condemnation. Moreover, the threat of sanction by church authorities serves only to weaken their case and cause.

“Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth each to his neighbor,
for we are members of one another.
Be angry but do not sin;
do not let the sun set on your anger,
and do not leave room for the evil one.
No foul language should come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for needed edification,
that it may impart grace to those who hear.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
with which you were sealed for the day of redemption.
All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling
must be removed from you along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another
as God has forgiven you.” [Ephesians 4:25-32]

“I, too, hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and of your love for all the holy ones,
do not case giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of glory may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand I the heavens.” [Ephesians 1:15-20]

To him be glory and praise forever. Amen.

Website Protocol

Headers:

• Article Archive lists all past postings according to date and title. Clicking the link at any point will give access to articles in any particular category. Or simply click ‘Article Archive on the header.

• Calendar, Bulletin Board and Announcements contain my monthly schedule, a list of recent postings and announcements of interest to guests and visitors.

Internal Website Links:

These are categories of articles and information including guest editorials and op-ed articles from other publications. It serves as a ‘clipping service’ for interested visitors.

External Website Links:

These are links to other note-worthy websites also dedicated to Church reform and renewal.

Welcome to www.fatherlasch.com.!

Father Lasch
Pastor-at-Large

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