I have finally finished the articles on baptism and original sin. The web addresses are
Baptism- http://www.renewaloffaith.org/ls/baptism.htm
Original Sin – http://www.renewaloffaith.org/basics/originalsin.htm
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Summer Time
We are at the peak of our summer season. Today the forecast for here is a high of 88 degrees and hot, hazy, and humid.
With summertime, many people are taking vacations. I took some vacation time at the end of June before I began my new assignment. Lately, I haven’t been writing much here but that is because I am working on a couple of articles on baptism and original sin for my website. Hopefully, I will be able to finish them soon.
Until then, I just want to remind you that as you take your vacation, God is always at work. Sunday Mass continues as usual. If you are travelling and need help finding a church check out www.masstimes.org.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Settling In
Well, I have being at my new parish assignment for just over two weeks now. The physical moving and unpacking is completely done. Of the five churches, I have celebrated Sunday Masses at St. Januarius in Naples and St. Patrick’s in Prattsburgh. I have celebrated Weekday Masses at St. Januarius in Naples, St. Michael’s Penn Yan, and St. Mary’s in Rushville leaving St. Theresa’s in Stanley. I will be celebrating the Sunday Mass there this weekend and next weekend (July 25th) I will celebrating the Sunday Masses for St. Michael’s completing my first visits to each church.
I am pleased to say the people are very welcoming and there is always a parishioner willing to help show me where everything is. I have met all the staff now who are very helpful and kind. I am beginning to meet some of the parishioners who coordinate some of the various ministries. There is much to get to know and do. One of the areas I have been happy to begin with is meeting some of our parishioners who are homebound or in nursing homes. I went with one of our parishioners to visit several of them last week and will visit three more tomorrow with more to follow. I am happy to be able to visit these people so soon after my arrival to make sure that they know I care about them even though I don’t get to see them in church.
So what else will I be doing?
The ministry of a priest always begins with the celebration of the Sacraments but it does not end there. There are visits to the homebound, nursing homes, and hospitals. I will be involved in the Baptismal Preparation for parents preparing to have their children baptized. I’m meeting with the Social Ministry chairperson next week. I will make some visits to the parish school. There may be some stewardship ministry for me and RCIA. These fall under what I will call “direct ministry” meaning working face-to-face with the people. They do not need a priest to be involved in all of their ministry but I do feel called to be part of them, working as partners with the parishioners and staff.
There are also what I will call “support activities.” The first that comes to mind is the Diocesan Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA). This is the yearly fundraising for the diocese so it might not seem like ministry but it is essential for the diocese to carry on its ministry. It is done to raise money but not to make money. The money is not “profit.” It is used to buy materials, to pay the staff, and to pay building and utility costs necessary to bring the Gospel message with Christ’s love to the world. So, I see it as a vital part of making possible what we do as a church.
The last area I might mention is the parish website. The parish has had a website (www.ourladyofthelakescc.org) for several years. We do have a parishioner who generously maintains the website for us. Yet, it is time to update the website and begin using it as a regular means of communication (the weekly bulletin is already there). Some of what will be on the website will be communication about the ministries that happen at Our Lady of the Lakes. As such, it will help make people aware of what we have to offer them and how they might be part of it. I also see the website as a way to reach out to people who haven’t been to church in a while or ever. We need to make the gospel message known and a parish website is one means of doing just that.
There is always much ministry to do. What is God calling you to?
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
RCIA
It’s time to think about RCIA but first what is RCIA?
RCIA stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.
RCIA is the process by which a person joins the Catholic Church. There are two general groups of people here. First, those who have never been baptized in any Christian Church and, secondly, those who were baptized in a Christian (but not Catholic) Church. A third category may be seen in many parishes. This group of people were baptized in the Catholic Church but never received any religious education or any other sacraments. These people are often included in RCIA to receive the religious education.
RCIA is not a one-time thing. It is a process. Most parishes begin the process in September (some run year round) and continue until the Easter Vigil when the person is baptized (if not already), confirmed, and/or received into the Catholic Church, and receives their first Communion.
Throughout the process, generally there are weekly gatherings where the participants learn about the Catholic Church and what we believe. Some people begin the process knowing for sure they want to be baptized or received into the Catholic Church. Others aren’t sure. You don’t have to commit to the whole process at the first session. Part of the process is for the person to learn what it means to be Catholic and to discern if now is the time to do so.
People joining RCIA come from various backgrounds. Some are married to or dating a Catholic. Others may have friends who are Catholic who inspire them with their faith. Still others may have found out about the Catholic Church on TV or on their own. All are welcome.
If you are interested check the bulletin in your local Catholic Church for more information or call the parish office and ask to speak to whoever is in charge of the RCIA program. Or if you know someone who may be interested share this with them. Maybe it will be just the encouragement they need.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Asking Questions – Learning Something New
As I was reflecting on the readings for this coming Sunday this morning, I read something that caught my eye. The second reading comes from the Letter of Paul to the Colossians. From seminary, I always remembered that the only letter that Paul wrote to a community that he had not visited was his letter to the Romans.
Today, I read in the scripture commentaries that Paul had not visited the Colossians! So my mind immediately said, “wait a minute, how can that be?” So, I dug a little deeper but at first I could not find anything to explain this “discrepancy” but what I remembered and what I read today. Finally, this afternoon I found something. Paul himself visited the general area where the Colossians lived but did not visit the city of Colossae itself. One of his disciples did. It is a small distinction (visiting the area but not the city itself) but that is not the point I want to make here.
How often do we assume we know exactly what we are talking about, only to discover maybe what we thought wasn’t quite right. How often do we choose not to worry about the little discrepancies? As adults, I think we learn best when we notice something that doesn’t seem quite right and ask questions.
What questions have you had that you never asked or bothered to try and find an answer to?
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
What Do You Stand For?
This weekend we celebrate our nation’s independence. On July 4, 1776, the colonists signed the Declaration of Independence. The colonists had fought for representation so that their voices could be heard. They declared their independence and fought the Revolutionary War for seven years. They believed that all people have certain rights given by God that can never be taken away. We continue to learn what it truly means to believe that all people have these rights. For instance, it was almost 9o years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence before slavery was abolished.
God has given each of us a special dignity, made in his image. We are called to stand up for the rights of all. As we celebrate the Fourth of July, I encourage you to think about the freedom and rights that you have and to pray that all may have the same rights.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Beginning the New Assignment
I arrived Tuesday afternoon (June 29th) at St. Michael’s Rectory to begin my new assignment at Our Lady of the Lakes. It has only been two days so it has been quiet so far with activities focusing on unpacking and getting to know the parish. I celebrated my first Mass here yesterday at noon at St. Michael’s. Tomorrow I will celebrate the daily Mass at St. Januarius in Naples and then celebrate the Sunday Masses with them this weekend. Over the next four weekends I will cycle through each church building to begin to serve the people and get to know them.
Fr. Bob and I have already had at least three separate conversations since I arrived to talk about what I will be doing. I have been getting to know the staff and what they do. Over the next few days these conversations will continue so we can discern what it is that God wants me to be involved in here.
Do you take the time to think about (that’s what discerning is) what God wants you to be doing or do you go charging into new activities without talking to God about it?
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Standing Up For the Poor and the Vulnerable
Our Catholic Teaching calls us to stand up for the poor and the vulnerable. The fourth of the Seven Principles of Catholic Social Teaching speaks of this. Jesus calls us to help the hungry, thirsty, and those without shelter or clothing (Matthew 25:31-46).
Our care for the poor and the vulnerable can take two forms, charity and justice. Charity is helping them in a direct way such as donating food or clothing. Justice is to stand up for the poor and the vulnerable in public policy. The basic question here is do the laws (or proposed bills) help or hurt the poor and the vulnerable? But how are we to keep aware of proposed policies and legislation?
Our U.S. bishops provide us with help here. For issues facing the national government check out http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ paying particular attention to the links on the left for “Take Action” and “Issue Campaigns.”
The bishops of each state have some of the same resources. In New York State, it is the New York State Catholic Conference (www.nyscatholic.org) that helps us stay informed on issues in New York such as the Reproductive Health Act. The NYS Catholic Conference can be found on Facebook.
Stand up for people in need! Jesus did!
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
Credibility
In today’s Gospel (Wednesday, June 23, 2010), Jesus tells us to be careful of false prophets. Whenever we encounter a new person we might wonder ‘Can I trust this person?’ We know nothing about them. Can we trust them to tell the truth? Can we count on them to do their share?
We need to give new people some basic level of trust. Then, over time, we come to know them better and hopefully to trust them more and to be able to count on them. How do we know when we count on them? Jesus tells us the answer is to see if they bear good fruit or bad fruit.
As I prepare to begin my new assignment next week as the Parochial Vicar at Our Lady of the Lakes, I am very much aware that very few people there will know me. If I go there and do things just to impress people, they will not see who I truly am. I don’t intent to go there and try to “set the world on fire” because I would rather build my credibility with the people first. I will be myself. This doesn’t mean I will do nothing at first. Of course, I will do what is asked of me but I will do it in a way respectful of the people and their local traditions. I hope by being myself they will see me as I strive to be, a caring, honest, dedicated servant priest of God. They will see the fruit of my labor. Then, as they come to know me better they will come to trust in me and count on me.
Then, we can all work together to grow in our own relationships with Jesus and to bring the gospel to the whole world.
When you are starting a new job or any new role do you try to “set the world on fire” or do you build relationships with the people around you, learning the local way of doing things?
Peace,
Fr. Jeff
The Our Father
The gospel reading for tomorrow (Thursday, 6/17/10) is Matthew’s telling of Jesus teaching his disciples the prayer we have come to call The Our Father or The Lord’s Prayer. We say the words of The Lord’s Prayer often. We say it every time we celebrate Mass. It is said several times when we pray the Rosary. We can say it at any time when we are at a loss as what to say to God.
Note that in each of these cases I said we can “say” The Lord’s Prayer. However, it is not enough just to say it. We need to pray it. We need to mean it when we say it. Here are the words and some thoughts to help you think about what it means to you.
Our Father who art in heaven,
God dwells in heaven. In heaven, we will know the fullness of God’s presence. What does that mean for you?
hallowed be thy name,
God’s name is indeed great. Great because of all that he has done for us. Do we proclaim the good things that God has done for us, so that his name may be known and hallowed by every single person on Earth? Do we live according to God’s will to show that God is truly great and hallowed?
thy Kingdom come,
Jesus came to make God’s kingdom known in a new way. We will not know the fullness of the kingdom until the Resurrection but we are called to help make the kingdom “present” here on Earth. What can you do to help make God’s kingdom known here on Earth? What can you do to make God’s love known? What can you do to help make the world a better place in accord with God’s plan?
thy will be done,
God knows what is best. If we follow God’s will we show that we trust and believe in his will. When we try to live our way, we seem to think we know better than God. Do you trust in God enough to do his will rather than your own? Do you seek to make God’s will your own?
on earth as it is in heaven.
Again, only in heaven will we know the fullness on God’s presence. But the Earth is God’s creation. What can you do to make our world more like the heavenly kingdom?
Give us this day our daily bread;
Jesus gives us the Bread of Heaven in the Eucharist; his body and blood. God gives us whatever grace we need to face the challenges of our lives. What grace do you need? Do you stop to let God help you or do try to do it on your own?
and forgive us our trespasses,
When we sin, we offend God. We need forgiveness. The good news is that Jesus “is dying” to forgive us. We just have to ask for it. What do you need forgiveness for?
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
We cannot have forgiveness unless we are willing to forgive everyone who has hurt us. Is there someone you need to forgive?
and lead us not into temptation,
Jesus was tempted in the desert. As the Son of God, he had the strength and wisdom to resist the devil’s temptations. We can fail in our own attempt to resist temptation. The best way to avoid sin is to keep away from temptation. What temptation do you need to learn to avoid?
but deliver us from evil.
Jesus died on the Cross to deliver us from evil. AMEN.
Peace,
Fr. Jeff