Sunday, October 31, 2010

A Word from Your Pastor October 31

Dear Parishioners:

We are in the midst of the annual season of “political spin.” The Church wants to remind you of three things during this time:

1. You who are laity are primarily responsible for seeing to it that the Gospel has an impact on the world around us. Church authorities are here to assist you in your task, but by your Baptism and Confirmation, you are explicitly and personally called by God to make the secular holy. So, don’t let anyone push you or your Faith out of the public sphere.

2. The purpose of public servants is to safeguard the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness that every member of society is entitled to, the inalienable rights with which we are endowed by our Creator. We must keep in mind and fight for those who do not have a voice to speak for themselves.

3. All issues must be considered as you exercise your vote, but each of us must take into account that some of the issues are foundational. Life is mentioned first in the list of our American values for a reason. It is also seen by the Church in this way.

Our Bishops have given guidance to all of us concerning the principles to be kept in mind. By way of definition, realize that when they speak of a “well formed conscience,” they mean a conscience that has been formed by a clear understanding of the teachings of the Church. When they speak of “intrinsic evil” they refer to matters that are revealed by God to be wrong in themselves, completely contrary to His Will and our Human Nature. When they speak of weighing issues with an eye to “proportionate reason,” they mean acknowledgment of the fact that some issues have more weight than others in the discernment that is necessary. The questions they offer to be considered are not a laundry list, but rather an effort to keep in view all the demands of the Gospel.

Having pointed out these things, I want to hazard just a couple of comments myself. This is the only advice I will give regarding politics:

1. Vote. Exercise your civic responsibility. If you failed to register in time for this round, then register now for the next round and say an extra prayer for those who are voting who will be deciding the course of things.

2. Please show civility in your political discussions. Remember, others do have the right to disagree and it is not your place or mine to demonize those who think differently. Please show more decorum than the ads that we have been subject to for the past several months!

The Year of Prayer: Prayer for Protection of Human Life at its Beginning

God our Father, you lovingly knit us in our mothers’ womb. Grant that each human embryo will be respected as a human being, and not dismissed as a product to be manipulated or destroyed. Grant us the courage and conviction to be your voice for our sisters and brothers at the very earliest stages of their development, and for all defenseless unborn children.

Jesus, Divine Healer, foster in those conducting medical research a commitment to finding cures in ways that respect these little ones and all your vulnerable children.

Holy Spirit, grant us the wisdom to develop morally sound treatments for conditions now thought to be incurable. Help us persevere in defending human life while alleviating suffering.

Show mercy to all who have cooperated in killing our tiniest brothers and sisters. Bring them and all who support destructive embryo research to true conversion. Grant them the ability to see the immeasurable dignity of all human beings even in the first days of life.

Father, we ask this in Jesus’ name, through the Holy Spirit. Amen.
--United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Sunday, October 24, 2010

A Word from Your Pastor October 24

Dear Parishioners:

The loss of any loved one is a painful experience. The loss of one who is young is the hardest. I am sure you have been aware of the loss of Dominic Gregory, one of our high school students, a 2009 graduate of St. Timothy School. His funeral was celebrated this past Monday at St. Charles Prep High School. The principal, Dominic Cavello, graciously offered to host the funeral Mass knowing that our church would not be able to accommodate the large number who wanted to participate. Once again, I am personally grateful to all in the St. Timothy Parish family who have stepped up to work together to support members of our community who are facing tragedy. I know that the Gregory family is also thankful to the many who have reached out to them in their time of need.

As I said in my homily at the funeral, only Faith can help us to embrace this kind of experience. We are not capable of reaching a full understanding of such events. We have to express our grief and our pain and put our trust in God. We can be confident that God is with us in our sorrow. He hears our cry and He provides the grace that sustains us. Our deepest longings are expressed at times like this, and Faith tells us that God will fill them. Death is a Mystery and yet, through our experiences of the love and support that comes to us, we taste the Resurrection. Our hearts are opened to the Hope of Eternal Life for those we love and for all of us. The Kingdom will come. In the meantime, we wait with expectation and we commit ourselves to one another along the way.

The precious gift of life is in our view when we experience loss. Our Faith invites us to keep it in view at all times and to work to build up a culture around us that is also respectful of life. Let us cherish one another.

This weekend our 8th Graders begin their journey of preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation. Let us keep them and their families in our prayers that they may be docile to the promptings of the Spirit and learn to live the Faith we share.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

A Word from Your Pastor October 17

Dear Parishioners:

As you can imagine, one of the difficulties of “Preaching the Word” today is that some parts of God’s Message to us are “hard sayings.” The teachings of our Church are often very different from what is popular or what is easy for us to hear. We “all fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

Nonetheless, all of us have a responsibility to “preach the Word in season and out of season.” As St. Paul wrote to our patron St. Timothy: “Proclaim the Word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.” (II Timothy 4:2) The month of October calls for a serious look at the Truth and a sober reflection on our response to what God calls us to be and to do. As you may have noticed, a few of my homilies lately have been attempts to invite this sort of soul-searching.

If you have been challenged by what has been preached, congratulations! You are listening and your heart is ready to hear what God has to say. God is loving and merciful and He understands our weakness. He is compassionate and forgiving and He will never turn us away. It is fair for each of us to say to God and to His Church: “Take me where I am, but don’t leave me there!” We can be sure that God will accept us as we are, but that, as God, He cannot help but change our direction. “God writes straight with crooked lines.”

When “hard sayings” are preached, it is never a judgment against us, unless we are closed to the message. Rather, it is an act of trust that invites us to growth. God intends for us to be more tomorrow than we are today. If we hear the Word and allow it to lead us to a new understanding, we are on our way to the new life that God has in store for us.

There are teachings of the Church that our fallen human nature rebels against. That does not mean that the teachings should be changed, but rather that we need God’s help to live in accord with His design. When we strive to put the Truth into practice, we give God room to work in us.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

A Word from Your Pastor October 10

A Word from Your Pastor

Dear Parishioners:

Thanks to all who responded so readily and so quickly to last week’s homily! It was truly heartwarming to see how many families went into the cafeteria to have a look at the information set up by so many groups at our Parish Activities and Ministry Fair. It was, without a doubt, the best attendance we have had at such an event. Everything was right for it: the rainy weather, the donuts and juice, the Sunday readings, and good ole Catholic guilt (not always a bad thing!) that conspired to move hearts to say yes to something as simple as having a look before running off after Mass. Let us continue on our way!

Just a reminder of my invitation: every individual and family is asked to choose one group in the parish, either to join it or to pray for it, and to select one “big issue” in society that needs the touch our Faith provides and to get involved in doing something about it, either directly or by way of prayer. If each of us does our part, then all of us will benefit. We are in this together. The world needs a witness of the power of Faith and it is our responsibility to cooperate with God’s grace in us to live this witness.

I would like to highlight just a few items in each area for you to consider. In the
parish, we are seeking involvement in Bereavement Ministry (contact Deacon Marion), the establishment of a Jubilee Committee and an Alumni Association (contact Mary Ballantyne), and helpers to bring Holy Communion to our homebound parishioners (contact Sr. Carolyn).

Groups in the parish are looking outward by developing a response to Respect for Life (contact Peggy Wollock) and Social Justice (see the invitation to BREAD in the bulletin). You may be aware of other opportunities to reach out. Let us know what you are doing so we can pass on ideas to others. When we put our minds and hearts together, we accomplish much.

Next weekend, we will have a Mission Appeal for the Church in the Philippines.
This appeal is part of the annual Mission Co-op which allows missionaries from around the world to share their vision and seek the support of parishes in the Diocese of Columbus. Since the following weekend is World Mission Sunday, we are clearly being invited by God to open our eyes to the needs of the Church in the World. God can do great things if we have hearts that are open and generous.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

A Word from Your Pastor October 3

Dear Parishioners:

This weekend, we have a Parish Activities Fair. Don’t miss your opportunity to
respond to the Church’s call to put our Faith into practice. Every family and every individual Catholic should have at least one internal parish activity they make their own and one “big issue” that involves putting Faith into public view that is theirs as well. Faith is not a merely private matter. If it is truly Faith, it involves going out to all the world.

October is Respect Life Month. Each week our bulletin will include an insert designed by the U.S. Bishops Conference to highlight some aspect of the Church’s teaching on the dignity and worth of the human person. I want to emphasize two points for everyone to consider.

First, the teachings of the Church in this regard are not a patchwork quilt of disassociated topics. There is a consistency in the whole vision that the Church presents that starts with the dignity and value of every human person from the first moment of conception until the last breath before God’s call to Eternity. Every human being is worthy of respect because the human person is created in the image and likeness of God and will live forever. This is true even of the first moments of existence (all of us began as zygotes). This is true even of human persons who are no longer able to relate with others consciously (Alzheimer’s patients and those in so-called “persistent vegetative states”).

Second, it is of the utmost importance that members of the laity take seriously their responsibility to share this truth with the wider society. If you do not live it and share it, then the truth is not heard and understood by others. Priests and religious have their role to help all of us come to appreciate the truth revealed to us by God.

Laity have as their task the duty – imposed on them by God Himself through Baptism and Confirmation – to transform the secular sphere into a place where God is welcome. This is a vision that is incredibly powerful and empowering if you take it seriously. Your life is meant to help others make room for Christ. You cannot do so unless you allow His Truth to penetrate your heart and come to its fruition in your life.

If there is any part of the Church’s teaching that you have difficulty with, don’t start with the idea “I don’t believe it.” That will not get you anywhere. God “is found by those who test Him not, and He manifests Himself to those who do not disbelieve Him.” (Wisdom 1:1-2) Blessed John Newman said, “Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt” (Apologia pro vita sua). We must allow the Church to form our consciences before we dare to rely on them. Formation of conscience requires a deepening of our understanding and an openness to truths beyond our experience. Let this month be a reminder to you to study more profoundly what the Church has to say in the issues you “disagree with” in practice or in mind. Perhaps God will open your heart to a greater experience of the truth of our Faith and life itself will become more precious in your eyes.