Sunday, July 27, 2014

A Word from Your Pastor - July 27

Dear Parishioners:

Have you begun to know the Scriptures?  We Catholics have a reputation for not knowing the Bible.  Often, former members who choose to leave us and to attend other churches tell us that they did not learn anything about the Bible in the Catholic Church.  This is an indictment against us that we have to take seriously.  As an institution, we have to do a better job of communicating the Scriptures to our people.  As individuals and families, we need to take responsibility for our own education and study the Scriptures personally.

Here are some simple facts about the Bible from the Catholic point of view:

  • The Church herself wrote the Bible through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and established the canon of the Bible (that is, the list of Books included in the Bible).  God is the Author of the Bible and He used human beings with all their gifts and talents to accomplish His purpose; the Holy Spirit Who inspired the Bible guided the Church to identify those texts that are in the Bible.
  • The text of Scripture was preserved by the work of scribes and monks in Judaism and in Christianity who devoted themselves to making these sacred writings available across the generations.
  • Through the centuries, the living teaching authority of the Church (Pope and Bishops) have assisted the members of the Church to interpret the Scriptures and to understand their meaning in regard to the salvation God gives us through Christ.
  • The whole life of the Church today is marked by the Scriptures: Daily prayer (the Liturgy of the Hours), the Sacraments, and every Mass.
At St. Timothy Church, Bibles are available in every pew.  We have a weekly Bible Study on Tuesday mornings.  Many opportunities for learning Scripture are available.

My reason for offering this reminder about the centrality of Scripture this weekend is that the first reading from the Sunday Mass has been a significant guide for my life.  While I was in the Seminary, I was seeking a way to describe how God is at work in my spirit, how I am to respond to the All-Loving Provider and Listener I know God to be.  The prayer of Solomon for Wisdom was expressed as a request for a “lev shome‛a,” “a listening heart.”  At a certain Mass when that was proclaimed and the homilist spoke about it, I felt a kind of integration of my heart, an answer to may quest for my own “name” in God. 

So, I share with you one of my Scriptures, the heart of my prayer:  Give your servant, therefore, a listening heart . . . .  (I Kings 3:9)  Have you found your Scriptures?

Sunday, July 20, 2014

A Word from Your Pastor - July 20

Dear Parishioners:

This weekend we have our annual Mission Appeal with the Diocese of Columbus Missionary Co-op.  This year we have been assigned Hands Together, an organization that works to address needs in Haiti.  Since our parish has already shown generosity to Haiti in a variety of ways, it is a good match.  During our Parish Jubilee, we helped a family by building a house in Haiti through our donations.  We also shared in a Medical Mission trip by sending needed supplies with a group who were going to Haiti.  Our neighbor, St. Agatha Parish, has been working with Hands Together, involving their entire parish and all its committees and organizations as a way of entering into a Spiritual Renewal.  I invite you to be generous in your response to the appeal.

We are grateful to all who were part of the Festival this year.  Countdown for next year has begun – July 10-11, 2015.  As we wrap-up this year’s details, let’s be sure to note down things to keep in mind for next year.  One hidden item that took place without much fanfare was setting up a table with information about the Catholic Faith.  T. J. Lehigh set it up just before the first night of the Festival began.  No one attended to the booth, which was in the church vestibule, but the materials on display disappeared.  Perhaps we can think about such a booth next year, with live participants to share our Faith with those who come to visit.

As you will notice, I am away this weekend (taking advantage of the presence of the Missionary priest).  I am attending a Golden Jubilee Celebration for a Holy Cross Sister I have known for many years, Sr. Paula Goettelmann, C.S.C.  She was one who prayed me through Seminary and who has been present for many of my own milestones in priestly life and ministry.  It is a joy to be there, at St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, as she and other Holy Cross Sisters are honored for their faithful service.  I will say a prayer for your at the Grotto at Notre Dame and give a nod to “Touchdown Jesus” for you as well.

Next weekend, T.J. Lehigh will be saying his farewell, even as he completes the major project for his summer assignment at St. Timothy, creating an opportunity for parishioners to share in the New Evangelization.  We are hopeful that many of you will make plans to take part next Sunday afternoon.  We are a welcoming parish family.  Let’s be sure our neighbors have heard from us!

Sunday, July 13, 2014

A Word from Your Pastor - July 13

Dear Parishioners:

Thanks to all who are part of the St. Timothy Festival on the Green – Joe Lorenz and his team of captains, the Moms and Dads and Children of Parish and School who make it all happen, and all our guests.  You help to make it great!

What do you enjoy most about the St. Timothy Festival?  It is a time of fellowship and fun, a real builder of community.  Stories are told by every generation of our community.  When our alumni of School and Parish return to visit, this is something they remember with delight.  Since I have been present for seven festivals now, I have watched the interactions that happen and seen the power of such an event to forge bonds that are lasting.

We have such a wonderful sense of family at St. Timothy that we may be tempted to forget that there are many – even some among us – who do not experience a sense of welcome.  We may also forget that when God gives gifts, He expects a return on His investment.  How are we responding to the call to share what we have received?

As the Summer moves ahead, it is time to make plans for the Fall and for the next several years.  I want to suggest three areas of concentration: Prayer and Worship, Catechesis and Study, and Evangelization and Mission.  How we grow in these areas will decide our future.  If we allow ourselves to be moved by our own whims and by the cultural trends around us, we will lose ground quickly.  If we make a choice to commit to God and one another to grow in the active practice of our Faith and in our cooperation with the breath of God’s Spirit, we will become a true witness to Jesus Christ and His plan for the world.

Once you have had your fill of Festival pizza and fun and of the zeal of the St. Timothy community that accomplishes this task each year, you are invited to renew your decision to be a true disciple of the Lord.  Let zeal for God’s House consume you!

Sunday, July 6, 2014

A Word from Your Pastor - July 6

Dear Parishioners:

As we enter into a new month, we also enter into a time of transition from my first six-year term as your Pastor to my second six-year term.  I remember well arriving at the parish which was in the midst of preparations for the Festival on the Green for 2008.  So, this will by my 7th Festival at St. Timothy Church.  How quickly the years have passed!

We have completed a time of special celebration of our Parish and School’s Golden Jubilee.   During that time, we have renewed our awareness of our history and expressed our gratitude to those among us who helped to build the foundations of our community.  Now we need to look toward the future and to make plans now for what we hope to accomplish in the years ahead.

As Pastor, I have come to know the parish and I have experienced the welcome that is certainly a hallmark of St. Timothy.  I have also seen some of the challenges that we have to face.  In the next six years, I will strive to lead you in the direction that I believe the Lord is calling us.  Time will tell if my instincts are correct, but your choice to walk with me will be the “sign” that we are on the right path.  I am certain that the Lord will supply Manna and Living Water, and that the Spirit is with us.  But we have to move now!

Recently, I attended a talk by Matthew Kelly, whose books many have read.  He points out that there are four key signs of Dynamic Catholics: Prayer, Study of the Faith, Generosity and Evangelization.  How do you score yourself in these four areas?  Where do you need to grow?

In the weeks and months ahead, I hope to offer some reflections as to how we can grow as a parish and as individuals in these areas.  We are a dynamic and welcoming family, or at least most people find us so.  But we do have some rough edges and we can grow in the depth of our witness in a world that is in need of true disciples.  Let’s enjoy the Festival together, and then get started anew in our efforts to plan for tomorrow.

What do you hope will be here for your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren?  What do we need to do in order to ensure that it will be so?