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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.

National Catholic Reporter
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.

Bishop Accountability
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

Voice of the Faithful
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

+ 20th Week in Ordinary Time

I’ll do it myself.

Readings: Ezekiel 34:1-11 Psalm 23:1-6 Matthew 20:1-16

Therefore, shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: because my shepherds did not look after my sheep, but pastured themselves and did not pasture my sheep, I will claim my sheep from them and put a stop to their shepherding my sheep. I will save my sheep, that they may no longer be food for their mouths. [Ezekiel 34:10]

There is much talk about a vocation shortage—fewer young men entering the seminary and fewer still persevering to ordination. Not withstanding some notable exceptions this has resulted in the lowering of standards for ordination. Moreover, priests and candidates for the priesthood are being ‘imported’ from other countries whose needs are as urgent as ours.

The prevailing accent seems to be on the need to have a sufficient number of priests to ‘say Mass’ and provide for the sacramental needs of the faithful. But surely in the light of the Second Vatican Council, priests need to be more than presiders at Mass and providers of the sacraments, as important as are these roles.

The earliest experience of the Church can be instructive in this regard. The notion of presbyter provided the early church with presiders for worship and leaders for base communities. Celibacy was not an issue and there was no clerical caste. The gifts of the faithful were recognized in such a manner that men and women, married and single fulfilled the spiritual needs of the community including the sacramental needs.

Notwithstanding the inadequacy of the notion of shepherding people (sheeple?) the need remains for qualified men and women to minister to the needs of the community.

Ezekiel warned the priests and assured the people of Israel that God would find away to pasture his people.

Ezekiel’s words need to be taken to heart again and in fact we already see that God is indeed providing a way through the action of the Holy Spirit in the lives of men and women, married and single, who are tending to the needs of the faithful.

The Grace of Good Friday

Friday March 21, 2008

Jesus is dead!

Banks are closed.
No mail delivery today.
Off to Nassau and the islands for a break?
or instead to Disneyworld?

Color Easter eggs but not before 3:00 o’clock.

Collegians off to Florida beaches
for sun, sex and a bottle of booze.
Easter break.

Artist’s rendition of the crucified
in milk chocolate,
on sale at the local candy store.

Nightly news competing with ‘U-Tube’ catering to viewers
telling them what they want to know
rather than what they need to know.

The news is rarely good,
especially on ‘Good Friday.’

Easter bunnies stand on the sidelines of life
watching ‘the Holy One’ pass,
wondering what it’s all about.
No, not the execution,
but life itself.
“What’s it all about, Alfie?”

What IS the grace of the day?

Liturgists remind us that it’s not a feast day
and certainly not a holiday.
It’s a commemoration,
an observance
on which Christians over the world
contemplate and ponder the death of ‘the Christ.’

But the death of the ‘Anointed’ is not on the cross.
It’s at the mall
on the battlefields
and in oil fields
across the world,
in skyscrapers,
on Wall Street
in brothels and casinos that rival ancient shrines
with their gold and silver arches and
and even in basilicas—elegant theaters of ceremony
and carefully staged rituals

Preachers pointing to the large crucifix
mouthing the words of scripture
shouting out to the assembly:
“God sent his son to die” and
“you put him on the cross!”

No, God did not send his son to die;
He sent him to live
and no,
I didn’t put him there,
though I do confess that
I might have been in the crowd that
called for the release of Barabbas,
not for the death of Jesus.
I am innocent of that man’s blood.
I’m no terrorist!
I’m a Christian!

I stood with Peter;
I was frightened,
scared to death that they would haul us all
into the courtyard
and tie us to a cross too.

Yes, it’s all about denial.
Death to the prophet!
It is always expedient that one person die
for the sake of the many.

The grace of the day
is in the air
everywhere.

Be attentive,
stay awake lest you miss the point
not of his death
but of his life.