• Bulletin Board, Announcements, Calendar
• Welcome and Website Protocol
• Editorial - Op Ed
• Article Archive

Print this page

Article Categories

• Book Reviews
• Open Letter
• Editorials
• Notes, Quotes & Comments
• Pastor's Study
• Project Millstones
• Sidebar Comments
• Weekly Message

Links

AMERICA Magazine
A balanced Catholic weekly magazine published by the jesuits of the United States for an intelligent Catholic readership. Go online to subscribe.

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.

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.'

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

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.

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.

Search

Daily Scripture

+ 7th Week of Easter

“Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Readings: Acts 20:17-27 Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21 John 17:1-11

I am in the world no longer, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. [John 17:11]

Shakespeare ‘penned’ the phrase quoted above. I didn’t understand it as a student of Shakespeare in high school but I began to understand it when I waved goodbye to my family as I sailed off to Italy on September 21, 1963 for a three-year stretch in Rome. In fact, it has multiple meanings and applications that I appreciate now more than ever before.

There is another phrase that perhaps gives credence to my thoughts so poorly expressed and it’s this: “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” Ah, that’s it. At times we need to separate from ‘the source’ in order to appreciate how important it is to stay connected.

The farewell speech of St. Paul in Acts and the farewell ‘prayer’ of Jesus in John’s gospel were more likely composed by the authors of these texts along the lines of the farewell speeches of great leaders of their times in order to attract the attention of Jesus’ followers.

The departure of Jesus and later that of Paul created ‘fallow’ time in the hearts of the neophyte believers that was absolutely necessary if they were to grasp the significance of Jesus’ message and the teachings of St. Paul.

We are once again in ‘fallow’ time as we prepare for Pentecost. It’s a time of discernment during which we are invited to ponder the words and deeds of Jesus so that in his absence, we may come to know his presence in the Spirit that remains within us and around us.

As we ponder, it is important to reflect on the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and reverence of the Lord. And the fruits of the Holy Spirit are qualities that are characteristic of a community living in Christ: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty self-control and chastity.

There is much to ponder as we wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.

Daily Scripture

Wednesday September 1, 2010

+ 22nd Week in Ordinary Time

Festina lente!

Readings: I Corinthians 3:1-9 Psalm 33:12-15, 20-21 Luke 4:38-44

Brothers and sisters, I could not talk to you as spiritual people, but as fleshly people, as infants n Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, because you were unable to take it. Indeed, you are still not able, even now for your are still of the flesh. [I Corinthians 3:1-2]

“Festina lente” is an ancient Latin axiom that may be loosely translated, “make progress slowly,” literally translated: “make haste slowly.” Life is multifaceted and multi-layered. There are no simple solutions to complex problems, so do not act in haste.

Anyone remember ‘Pablum?’ I don’t think it exists anymore. It was a refined wheat hot breakfast cereal for babies. However, my grandmother ate it even as an adult due to some digestive difficulties. No wonder. She reared seven children in ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and then in Jersey City.

At any rate, when she came to visit our home at this very time of the year, she brought her ‘Pablum’ with her and shared it with me. I loved it! It had a very sweet taste and was easy to swallow.

St. Paul knew what he was talking about when he addressed the fledgling community of faith at Corinth. He understood that it takes a long time to ‘digest’ the Gospel—the ‘Good News.’ Very few us get it right the first time around. Life is indeed layered and we grow in wisdom in grace very, very slowly.

There’s nothing worse than a spiritual or theological ‘know-it-all.’ They exist among reformers the right and the left. Life is lived in the ‘mess’ in between. No one of us has all the answers—not even the Pope! Only the Spirit knows. The most and best that we can do is continue to dialogue in openness to that Spirit and accept the fact that the full truth will emerge only over time. In the meantime, we do the best we can and confess that we don’t have all the answers.

Life is indeed layered and it all begins with ‘Pablum.’

Festina lente!