Deacon Bob’s Audio Homily – 5th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Posted on February 6, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Here is my homily from this weekend.

God bless!

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle A

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Part 2

5th Sunday of Ordinary Time Part 3

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The Superstition of Divorce

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Here is a quote from G.K. Chesterton regarding marriage and divorce. I believe he wrote this in 1918 in a series of articles called, “The Superstition of Divorce.”

“The obvious effect of frivolous divorce will be frivolous marriage. If people can be separated for no reason they will feel it all the easier to be united for no reason.”

Then, he argued that divorce was not an act of freedom but rather an act of slavery. He reasoned that a society where vows can be easily broken is a society that is not free for a free society cannot function without people keeping their commitments to one another. To those who objected to his characterization of divorce being an act of slavery he referred them to the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin in which the oldest and simplest charge against slavery was that it broke up families.

He then went on to discuss how the family is before the State or government, before the office or the factory. He talked about the family being a triad of Mother-Father-Child. I  think he made, without realizing it, a strong case against same-sex marriage.

Log on to: G.K. Chesterton for more on this.

Somethings to think about, no? What do you think?

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Random Thoughts on Saturday Morning

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Deacon Bob

I went to see the movie, The Rite, last night. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised because it didn’t portray the Church in a poor light. It brought out the reality of the devil and devils, and the fact that they are personal, with names. It made clear the existence of God. It portrayed a chaste and health relationship between a seminarian and a woman. Whoever wrote the story (reportedly inspired by real events) had a poor understanding of Holy Orders though, for one of the main actors was shown to have been ordained to the diaconate but then functioning as a priest in the rite of exorcism, etc. It kept referring to “vows” that priests take at ordination, which is not accurate either, as candidates to the diaconate and priesthood make promises but really not vows. They seem to have confused vows with the sacrament of Orders. Overall though as I said, I was pleasantly surprised by the fair portrayal of the Church.

When I see such movies I am left with reinforcement to maintain a regular prayer life. As a deacon, this means for me being faithful to the Divine Office which gives structure to my day and keeps God close in mind. To faithfully pray the Office one has to give God priority, and you are frequently interrupting whatever you may have pressing upon you to take 15 minutes or so to pray the next Office. In the psalms one finds Christ and your association with him as an ordained minister of his Word.

Today is the memorial of St. Agatha. She was a virgin and  martyr who died in Catania probably during the persecution of the Emperor Decius. Her memory has been kept by the Church since the most ancient of days. The bishop St. Methodius Siculus wrote a discourse regarding her, excerpts of which I would like to translate  below from the Italian text I use.

“Agatha, our saint, who has invited us to this religious banquet, is the spouse of Christ. She is a virgin who has colored her  lips with the blood of  the Lamb and has nurtured her spirit by meditating on the death of her divine lover.

“The stole of this saint bears the colors of the blood of Christ, but also of her virginity. St. Agatha, then, becomes a witness of unfathomable eloquence for all future generations.

“St. Agatha is truly good because being of God she finds herself by the side of her Spouse to render us participants  of that good of which her name bears meaning and value: Agatha (that is, Good) given to us as a gift by the same source of goodness, God….. Agatha draws us with her own name to meet her and with the teaching of  her own example so that everyone, without pause, may compete among themeselves to obtain the true good, who is God alone.”

I love that last line: the true good who is God alone. If only we could live each moment of our lives reflecting that reality.

Tomorrow is Super Bowl day. I could care less actually, not because “my team” isn’t playing (I don’t have a team) but because I refuse to get caught up in the hype. I find I have to be knowledgeable about it all in order to be able to converse with the general public because that is all many are talking about… keep in mind Packerland is right across the River.

I hope all of you have a great day.

A diaconal blessing on you and your families.

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Have We Lost a Generation?

Posted on February 4, 2011 by Deacon Bob

The conference titled “Lost? Twenty-somethings in the Church” co-sponsored by Fordham Center on Religion and Culture and the Francis and Ann Curran Center for American Catholic Studies is getting a little blog time among us Catholic weblog editors. This conference was held a few days ago, January 28-29, and included a wide range of participants.

It is widely thought that the Catholic Church has lost a whole generation of Catholics who were born from 1980 to 1995 due to poor catechesis and sociological concerns. This conference called into question this belief.

Keynote speaker James Davidson suggests that we no longer have a social situation that demanded affiliation with organized religion like we did in the first half of the 20th century. The Catholic Church has lost more people in sheer numbers than any other religion. Yet we have the opportunity to win them back, he says.

Presenter Melissa Cidade suggested the “lost generation” has lost interest in the institutional church but has retained many of our most precious beliefs such as the Eucharist, and seeks moral guidance from the Church. They feel a disconnect between their beliefs and the Church as an institution.

Presenter Robert Putnam of Harvard University called both Cidade and Davidson’s analyses too optimistic. He called young Catholics who are Catholic in name only as being “doctrinally unfaithful.” He said that these Catholics are not raising their children as Catholics, and this portends poorly for the future. He suggests the Catholic Church runs the risk of becoming indistinguishable from the mainline Protestant churches.

You can read a synopsis of their comments at www.fordham.edu/Campus_Resources/eNewsroom/topstories_2028.asp

This topic is one of my greatest areas of concern. Common experience seems to indicate a mass defection from practice of the Catholic faith, especially among the 20-40 year olds. The manner in which faith is inextricably connected to a moral life style and a culture of prayer has not been faithfully handed on to many of our children. 

Any of us who have studied religion or any sort know that a religion has a creed, cult and code. In other words, to be a member of a religion, there is a body of tenets or beliefs, a common way of praying, and a code of conduct (or morals) to which its members adhere. This is true for Catholicism. It is difficult to separate the three and adhere to the Catholic faith and identity.

Perhaps the millenial generation hasn’t been “lost” but they are wandering. Not all, but oh so many. There is no doubt that the Church as an institution needs to reach out to them in more effective ways, but I don’t think this occurs when you disconnect what the Church believes from how she prays and what her beliefs require in terms of life and behavior.

What we need are bold witnesses to the truth. Just look at John Paul II…. he boldly proclaimed the truth to our younger people and they came back by the thousands. It doesn’t require papal stature  to boldly proclaim Jesus. It requires me and you.

Let’s do it, and do it now.

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A Piece of Advice for Spouses

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Log on to: For Your Marriage website for some very great ideas about how to live the sacrament of marriage.

Here is one of their daily tips:

“True, you can’t buy love, but the media tempts us to believe money will bring happiness. Free yourselves of aspirations for wealth and your heart will be more satisfied.” For Your Marriage Daily Tip.

Amen.

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Papa Luciani, Pray For Us

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Here is a prayer asking for the intercession of Papa Luciani (Pope John Paul I) whose cause of beatification continues throughout the world.

(Original is in Italian, written by Bishop Maffeo Ducoli, bishop of Belluno-Feltri.)

“Lord Jesus, you have given us great joy in venerating Pope John Paul I as your Vicar on earth, and then in your inscrutible design you had us experience the immense sadness of his unexpected death, grant us the grace we beg you, that sure of his intercession for us before you, we may one day venerate him at the altar. May his goodness and humility, put forth as an example for the faithful, will be a continual invitation to follow his teaching in our lives and to spread his serenity and love. Amen.”

Join me in praying this every day.

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Quote for the Day

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“Wealth is always so limited. Why do people chase after her so? While Holy Poverty knows no ending or boundaries.” — Will Moore, SFO

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North African Protests Unabated

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Deacon Bob

If you have been following the news of late you are aware of the massive protests being waged in some North African nations, most notably Tunisia and Egypt. It has been demanding the headlines for quite a few days.

I read with interest today that the former rector of Rome’s Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Father Justo Lacunza Balda, sent Catholic News Service an email in which he said that neither the armed forces nor the police will be able to stop these protests from continuing. Here are some quotes as given by Catholic News Service (CNS).

“Ordinary people cannot tolerate anymore the appalling conditions of human degradation in which they live. They say, ‘Enough is enough’ and believe that they have nothing else to lose… Therefore, neither the police nor the army will stop people in the Arab countries from demanding freedom and human dignity… Poverty and misery, lack of democracy and human rights are a constant in Egypt, Tunis, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Yemen…. The youth see no future… the divide between the filthy rich and the poor… political instability.”

He also made mention of the persecution of the Christians.

“[Christians] suffer intolerance, discrimination and hatred. Their places of worship are attacked and they are the object of sectarian violence. This is not new, and it might get worse in the future… Few voices are heard today taking the defense of the Christians, the biggest persecuted group in the world — in Egypt, the majorityf Muslim states and in communist-ruled countries.”

Read CNS’s complete article at: Catholic News Service.

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And the Answer is…

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Deacon Bob

John H. Garvey, the newly installed 15th president of Catholic University in America said it. (See post below.)

To read the report about it, log on to: Catholic News Service.

To read his entire address (worth your time!) log on to: Catholic University of America.

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Who Said This?

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Deacon Bob

Here is a quote from a recent address reported in the Catholic press. Do you know who said it?

“The challenge for Catholic universities is finding a place for Bibles and papal decrees between our telescopes and microscopes…. A Catholic university should be concerned with the formation of its students…. The measure of our success is how our graduates live their daily lives: Do they pray and receive the sacraments; do they love the poor; do they observe the rest of the beatitudes?…. We come to know virtue by seeing it, we learn from virtue by practicing it, we become virtuous when our practice makes it habitual, a part of character.. the particular goals we set for ourselves are illuminated by our character or moral orientation… In our efforts, Aristotle says, ‘Virtue makes us aim at the right mark, and practical wisdom makes us take the right means.'”

Answer forthcoming tomorrow.

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Okay, Guys!

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Deacon Bob

This is for all of you married men out there.

Question for you: What have you sacrificed today for the good of your beloved?

Men, we are to sacrifice our time, income and lives for our wives. This is the greatest witness to the sanctity and importance of marriage that we can give to the world, and the surest way to heaven for us and for our wives.

What have we sacrificed today?

Let’s do it…..

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Quote for the Day

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“Make the Gospel the guiding principle of your families, and make your families a page of the Gospel written for our time.” — Pope John Paul II

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Congratulations, Bishop Wester of the Diocese of Salt Lake City

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Deacon Bob

The Holy Father announced today that Bishop John C. Wester of the diocese of Salt Lake City has been named to the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant People.

Bishop Wester has been a leader in the area of migrant peoples’ needs in the United States and will no doubt well serve the Holy Father in his additional responsibilities.

Bishop Wester has diligently worked towards immigration reform on a local, national and international level. He serves on several committees of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops notably the Committee on Migration, as well as numerous boards including Catholic Relief Services, Mexican American Catholic College board of trustees, National Association of Lay Ministry, National Association of Catholic Chaplains, and others.

Congratulations, Bishop Wester!

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Quote for the Day

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Deacon Bob

“Moderate strength is shown in violence and supreme strength is shown in levity.” — G.K. Chesterton, 1908

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Update on Bishop Robert F. Vasa, newly appointed coadjutor bishop of Santa Rosa

Posted on January 28, 2011 by Deacon Bob

My post on the naming of Bishop Robert Vasa as coadjutor bishop of the diocese of Santa Rosa, California generated a few comments. Quite frankly, I was unaware of who Bishop Vasa is until I began reading other reports about him from various sources.

As you know, Bishop Vasa (pronounced Vasha), is most recently from the diocese of Baker, Oregon. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Lincoln, Nebraska on May 22, 1976 by Bishop Glennon P. Flavin. He was assistant pastor at the cathedral in Lincoln and a teacher at Pius X High School in the same city. He served in the Marriage Tribunal, later obtaining a graduate degree in Canon Law from the Gregorian University in Rome. He was assistant chancellor, judicial vicar and later vicar general for the Lincoln diocese. He held various other offices there until being named bishop  of Baker on November 19, 1999. He was ordained a bishop on January 26, 2000.

I’d like to quote from Bishop Vasa’s recent letter to the people of the diocese of Baker, after having been apprised of the Holy Father’s selection of him to be coadjutor bishop of Santa Rosa.

“… My eleven years in the Diocese of Baker have been a grace and blessing for me and while I have experienced a number of challenges in the Diocese I can say that I have never regretted saying, “Yes” the first time the Apostolic Nuncio contacted me. I have found a strength and a determination in the people here which matches the often relentless hardness of the land. I have found a land filled with beauty and I have delighted in my travels through it. I have found here friends in the varied corners of the Diocese and by these my life has been greatly enriched. I am also painfully  aware that some have found me too difficult and I can assure you that I have often carried them with me to the chapel in prayer and at Mass. I can only pray that no one has been given true cause to abandon Christ because of me. I am sure that I have not been all that you hoped I could be for you and I ask that you pray that I do better in the future. Please do not judge me too harshly…… I have given of myself, with sacrifices which most will always be unaware, over these past eleven years and I have done so without any hint of regret. I have been blessed by you. I pray that you, in some way, have been likewise blessed by me. Let us remember to pray for one another.”

To read the entire letter, log on to: the Diocese of Baker website.

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