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Liturgy
This link will keep 'parishioners-at-large' in touch with current creative liturgy sources and resources that respect a variety of 'traditions' within the Church.

COMMONWEAL Magazine
A 'lay' Catholic weekly publication with an accent on an intelligent analysis and commentary on curent issues, trends and concerns of interest to Catholics.

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A national Catholic lay newspaper covering events not usually covered or presented with a clerical bias in the local diocesan press or but of concern and interest to Catholics.

Survivos' Network for those Abused by Priests or Religious
A National Network of self-help support groups for people abused by clergy or religious.

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Vital information about the disclosure of sexual abuse and related issues affecting Catholics in the pew and the manner in which Bishops continue to exempt themselves from accountability

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A 'movement' of lay Catholics 'inspired' by the abuse scandal calling for greater accountability of bishops to 'Catholics in the Pew.'

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Daily Scripture

+ 3rd Week in Lent

Integrity demands honesty and yields forgiveness.

Readings: Hosea 14:2-10 Psalm 81:6-11, 14, 17 Mark 12:28-34

Thus says the Lord: Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God; Say to God, “Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, hat we may render as offering the bullocks from our stalls.” [Hosea 14:1, 3]

One of the scribes and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear O Israel! The Lord our god is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The scribe said to him, “Well said…, there is no greater commandment greater than these. [They] are worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifice. [Mark 12:28-33]

“I’m sorry if I have offended you,” or words similar to these are what I would call a shallow political apology; empty words without substance. The offender is distancing him/herself from the offense. There is a hidden question in the apology, e.g., ‘why are you offended… ‘ worse, ‘I am sorry that you took offense’ putting the burden on the other person to apologize for being offended. Yipes!

A personal or institutional apology is an admission of wrongdoing and can be used for fodder in an indictment and subsequent trial so attorneys are very careful to caution their clients against any admission of guilt that could be used against them in court.

Sadly even our Church has masterfully avoided admission of wrongdoing in multi-million dollar settlements with those who were abused by priests and religious. Spokespersons for church, political or commercial institutions are careful to point out that such a settlement “is not an admission of guilt or wrongdoing and is actually a compromise of a disputed claim.” More ‘yipes!’

Lent is a time to confess our wrongdoing, personal and institutional, hands down! In the words of the psalmist, “my sins are before me always.” [Ps 51] But the Lord is our refuge and our strength. “Let the wise understand and speak these words without equivocation or prevarication.

Integrity has its rewards in this life and in the next.

Editorial - Op Ed

Monday March 19, 2007

It’s a matter of conscience

For several weeks in succession, I repeated the ‘pulpit’ announcement at the conclusion of Mass at Assumption Church in Morristown where I preside every Sunday at the 8:30 AM Liturgy. “Parishioners are invited to participate in the Rally for Darfur on Sunday, March 18th at 2:00 PM on the Morristown Green.”

I’m not one for rallies and rarely participate in public demonstrations especially on a Sunday afternoon. However, a little voice inside me told me to ‘show up’ for the rally that, due to the snowstorm on the previous Friday, was moved to the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer on South Street. In recent years, ‘Redeemer’ has been on the cutting edge of social justice issues that cross religious, social and socio-economic boundaries. It was no surprise that parishioners opened their doors and their sanctuary for the five hundred Jews, Christians, and Moslems who attended. There was not an empty seat in the church and many stood for the two-hour program of brief but powerful speeches, prayer and music.

The enthusiasm in the crowd brought me back to the civil rights movement and the anti-Vietnam War rallies of the sixties across the nation but without the rancor of those days. The mood of the gathering was indeed spirited but not raucous. As the speakers shared the memory of their experience of pillage and rape, as they described the horror of bombs, the torching of entire villages and the execution of survivors, one could hear a pin drop in the attentive congregation.

The phrase that came to mind was, “Justice delayed is justice denied!”

After the holocaust, we Americans said, “Never again!” but it happened again in Cambodia, in Bosnia, in Rwanda and now it is happening in Sudanese Darfur and the world has again looked the other way. Why does it take so long for us to recognize the ‘killing fields?’ Why has it taken so long for ME to see what is happening under our watch?

Three weeks in succession the media was obsessed and we were saturated with nightly interviews about the death and burial of Anna Nicole Smith but hardly a word about the daily genocide in Sudan. The nightly news has changed from what people need to know to what people want to know. Not good!

I don’t think we are complacent. Rather many of us are overwhelmed with the enormity of the problem and paralyzed by our assumed inability to make a difference.

I mentioned earlier that at this stage of my life, I’m not into rallies and demonstrations but I can write a good letter and I have yet to give to the point of hunger.

The theme of the rally on the 18th was “It’s a matter of conscience.” Indeed it is.

What would happen if at least one member of every website visitor in wrote a personal letter to our congressional representatives and to our UN ambassador demanding sanctions and a peacekeeping force in Sudan? And if every parish did the same, I’ll bet it would make a difference. What do you think?

This is really what is means to be Catholic with a large and small ‘C.’ This is what it means to be pro-life at every stage of life.

We can start by visiting: NJ Coalition where there are links to many other organizations helping victims of this humanitarian scandal or click on to: Save Darfur.

First inform yourself. Then write a letter to your representatives. Give to the cause through a trusted charity of your choice. We can’t afford to wait until our children ask us where we were when Darfur was massacred.

Father Lasch