Parishioners became friends through our many social events…
To God, the Best, the Greatest
Dear friends in Christ:
What a beehive of activity! This past Monday morning when many of us were yet to have our first cup of coffee, our campus was under siege by heavy equipment, tractor trailers and craftsmen. We had cement trucks, boom lifts, fork lifts and cranes. There were carpenters, electricians, masons, bricklayers, steel workers, plumbers, welders, landscapers, painters, organ tuners and the Lord alone knows who else was on site. The kid in me was excited to see all the different pieces of equipment and the adult was fascinated by the skills and talents of the tradesmen. One of the most satisfying aspects of this wonderful project is to see how these hard working folks have applied their talents to do something that is going to give God glory for a long time to come. Over the course of the project, a number of the workers have come to me and said that they have brought their children to our church to show them what they have been working on. Our project has enabled these men and women to have pride in their work. During this project I have also taken pride that our parish has given these good people a paycheck! Directly and indirectly, we are helping folks to make an honest living for themselves and to provide for their families. This is in the best tradition of our Catholic Social teaching.
As with every project there have been delays, and surprises. From the very beginning to this very moment we have encountered challenges. As I have mentioned in previous letters, the deadlines seem to change by the hour (and no, I am not exaggerating!). My mantra to one and all is that we do our best. (D.O.M.) We want a quality job over a quick job! Why am I telling you this? Here is a hint: I am not just talking about a construction project. The Lord blesses us each and every day of our lives. He gives us a mission, a job to do. In that mission there are challenges, obstacles and surprises. Sometimes, the challenges are great and other times less so. Sometimes the obstacles are caused by the actions of others and at other times there is no one to blame but ourselves. Then there are times when the problems are nobody’s fault. It is just part of the condition and environment in which we find ourselves. The real issue is not whether there are problems or no problems. The issue is ‘how do we deal with the problems, challenges and obstacles that we face in life?’ What is our approach? Do we quit? Blame others? Make excuses? Get angry? Cut corners? Cheat? Lie? Go into denial or depression? Or do we roll up our sleeves and do the right thing even when it is difficult? Do we humbly ask the Lord for the grace to fulfill his will for us?
In his famous prayer, Suscipe, (Latin: “receive”) St. Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556) offers a beautiful example of what our disposition should be each day:
Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding and my entire will. All I have and call my own, You have given to me; to You, Lord, I return it. Everything is yours; do with it what you will. Give me only your love and your grace. That is enough for me.
It is not easy and it goes against our pride to turn everything over to God. That is why we have to practice this giving, this sacrifice and offering each day. We give God everything and pray for the grace to accept to accept his will for us. We pray for his love and his grace. We beg God for the strength and courage to rely on Him and to do what is necessary and right. We work every day with God’s grace, to make ourselves better and the world better for those around us. We ask God to help us grow in holiness. And when we have done everything that we can, we should declare in all honesty and humility that ‘we are useless servants!’ (Lk 17.10)
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy Gately
Advent Reflection
Dear friends in Christ:
This weekend we begin a new liturgical year with the Season of Advent. As we all know, it is customary for many people to make New Year’s resolutions with the beginning of the calendar year. This usually requires an examination and reflection of some sort. May I suggest that we do the same with the beginning of this new liturgical year? Specifically, I would ask that we look and see how we use technology and social media. There are many wonderful and positive aspects of this new technology, but there are also some concerns.
On the positive side, of course, is convenience. It is easier to connect and communicate with people all over the globe at an almost instantaneous rate. We can conduct business, keep up with family and friends, enjoy it as entertainment, and use it as a resource for learning and information. Spiritually speaking, we can use it to promote, proclaim and communicate the gospel and the teachings of the Church. We can use it to strengthen and deepen our faith and our understanding of the faith. We can also use social media and technology to strengthen the bonds of community. And there are many more wonderful and beneficial uses.
On the negative side, social media and technology should not and cannot take the place of real person to person interaction. Technology is a tool, just like the printing press or the telegraph were in their day. Social media and technology, like other forms before them, can be abused and misused. Some things to be aware of: Problem: Social Media and technology are very good at stealing our time. Texting, tweeting, e-mailing, surfing the net, etc. all take up time. The rate of speed at which things happen can distort the amount of time we spend with technology and social media. What seems like a few minutes turns into hours. “Facebook friends” are no substitution for time spent with real life friends. Wasted hours on line can never be replaced. Solution: Limit time spent using social media and technology. Go on a technology and social media diet. Have certain times of the day when everything is turned off. Real people, relationships and conversations are far better than virtual and digital ones! Problem: Cyber Etiquette. As we see too often, people on-line can be harsh, rude, cruel, crude, curt, and mean! Perhaps this is because of the anonymity or the instantaneous speed with which we can respond, or the limited number of characters we can use. Politeness and good will are many times scorned and trampled. Solution: Refrain from commenting on everything! Our two cents are often not even worth two cents, and most of the time they are totally unnecessary! Remember to be a Christian on-line. Develop and practice cyber charity and cyber manners. Problem: internet pornography. Solution: Block those sites with filters. Don’t go there! Seek some help. Go to confession and pray. Would you like it if it were your wife, daughter, sister or mother/husband, son, brother or father? The body is sacred and to be cherished and respected. Internet Porn has reached epidemic proportions and is destroying relationships, lives and families. Many are becoming addicted. If you or someone you know is addicted, seek some help. Don’t be afraid, integrityrestored.com and reclaimsexualhealth.com. Problem: conflation. Not everything is important and not everything is of equal importance. Just like you don’t really need to see the photo of somebody’s recent enchilada plate, they do not need to see your selfie or read your post about every little thing in your day. Solution: Keep important things important. The virtue of prudence helps us discern what is important and what is of greater importance and what is not. Exercise and practice this virtue.
Technology and social media are great and useful, but not when they rule or dominate our lives. Jesus has set us free so that we can live life to the fullest, not to sit behind a screen or play on our phones all day. Use and enjoy these wonders, don’t become enslaved to them!
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy Gately
First Communions in 1990
A big day for these John Paul II students and their families…
St. Anne’s Society
St. Anne’s Society began having their Christmas parties…
Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
Dear friends in Christ:
For all the talk in recent decades about “imperial presidencies”, we as Americans do not really appreciate what it means to live under an absolute ruler. Democratic principles are deeply ingrained in our national DNA. In speaking of types of governance, Winston Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the other forms of government.” Indeed, democracy takes work, is messy and is not perfect, but it is the best that human beings have been able to achieve. We have the tendency to take some of our experiences of democracy (and other forms of human governance) and attempt to apply them to our faith. Sadly for us, this never works. God does not put morality or truth up to a vote. A compromised resolution concerning right and wrong or sanctity does not get us what we need, nor is it faithful to what God has planned for us. This has been true since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden to this very day.
Attempting to negotiate a deal with God is fruitless because we are not equals with God. The Lord doesn’t work that way. Our inherent dignity and all of our power are the result of God’s free gift to us of life, being and freedom. Democracy is wonderful in dealing with other human beings and forming an earthly society. When it comes to our relationship with God, fidelity and love are key and essential; not popularity or majority rule.In our freedom, we humbly submit ourselves to God and His divine will and plan for us. We faithfully follow His commands for us and seek to be faithful to His will and not our own. We strive to conform and transform our wills to His in all things.
To proclaim Jesus as our Lord and Savior is to recognize the Kingship of Christ over the whole universe. Jesus lays claim to our allegiance and loyalty not in a few chosen aspects of our lives, but our entire life. Jesus is not a partial or part time redeemer. He is King and Lord of our whole life! Our first allegiance is always to Him who has redeemed us and saved us from the power of sin and eternal death and damnation. All Hail Christ our King and our God!
We are moving quickly ahead in the final phases of our renovations. The schedules seem to change hourly. Here is where we currently stand. The majority of the interior (church, chapel and adoration chapel) is anticipated to be completed by December 16 with the exterior (plaza, bell tower, arcade, and parking) and the narthex by February 10. The Mass of Dedication with Cardinal DiNardo is set for Saturday, March 25 at 10:00 a.m. The new organ will be installed and completed by Easter. There are lots of moving pieces and we are so grateful to all of the workers and to all of the benefactors. Your continued patience and of course your prayers are still needed and appreciated.
Lest anyone forget, with the downturn in the energy industry, this is a precarious time for many in our area including many of our parishioners. While the brunt of the layoffs have been in those professions directly connected to the energy industry, it is also being felt in other fields. These layoffs and the anxiety of those who still have their jobs affect not only the worker but also the entire family. The stress is felt by spouses, children and extended family. When facing such issues, our faith in God is vitally important. We must not fail to take these things to the Lord in prayer. We must trust and not lose hope. We need to remember that the Lord is with us. It is also important to face these challenges in a realistic, prudent and healthy manner. Some common sense suggestions: Be Realistic. We should not try to deny them or take out our fears and stresses on ourselves and those around us. Seeking help and support is not a sign of weakness. Pray. Prayer to the Lord but also to St. Joseph, patron of workers and families and Our Blessed Mother (especially under the title of Mother of Perpetual Help). Take care of yourself. Keep busy, network, volunteer and avoid behavior that can be negative – Alcohol, Griping, Gossiping, being lazy. Also if your job is fine and you are in the position to hire someone, especially someone from the parish who is qualified, hire them. Ask around at church. All of us probably know someone who can be a great asset to your company. The dignity of work is a tremendous gift.
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy Gately
Our Catholic Faith’s Teachings about Death – Part III
Dear friends in Christ:
In the revision of the liturgy after Vatican II (1962-65), one of the more beautiful revisions were the Funerals Rites. The funerals rites of the Council of Trent, what we call today the Extraordinary Form or Tridentine Rite, were beautiful and meaningful, but the revised liturgy has its own beauty and theological richness. One of the extraordinary aspects and characteristics of our current funeral rites is the ritual connection to the Rites of Baptism. While the funeral rite does provide a number of options, there is a strong resonance between the rituals of these two pivotal life moments.
Theologically baptism is a spiritual rebirth and the death of a Christian is birth into eternal life. In fact, for the early saints and martyrs, the day of death, what we call today their “feast day” was called Dies Natalis, their birthday!
Let’s look at some of the similarities.
The first liturgical action is that the loved one is brought to the church by their family. There they are greeted by the church’s minister wearing white vestments; white being the color of new life, rejoicing and the color worn for baptisms. Present is the paschal (Easter) candle, the sign of Christ’s conquering the darkness of sin and death. These actions and symbols are present at both baptisms and funerals.
After the casket containing the body of the deceased Christian is brought into the church, it is sprinkled with holy water and is clothed with a white pall recalling their baptism in which they were reborn in the Spirit, washed clean of sin and clothed in Christ and his grace. At baptism the faithful wear a beautiful “christening gown” which is the symbol of the dignity and purity as a child of God. At the funeral the body is clothed as well in a white garment.
The body literally moves through the stages of a journey from the home (funeral home) to the doors of the church, to the altar and then to the place of rest where the bodies await resurrection. This journey mimics the processions in the baptismal rite and the journey of faith which is the journey of our lives. As the body is taken to the altar for the mass, the Scriptures are read and the Eucharist is offered. Here we receive spiritual wisdom and nourishment, the Word of God and the Body and Blood of Christ. Notice how the ordinary actions of washing, clothing, learning and eating are transformed in the funeral rite to ritually symbolize what takes place in supernatural and spiritual journey. God purifies us, protects us, teaches us and feeds us! All these important actions, these stages of our lives, are recalled ritually in the Funeral Mass. Even more important than ritually rich symbolism and significance is the grace that is given. We offer for the soul of the deceased and for ourselves the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the greatest treasure we have on this earth. We spiritually assist the dead with our prayers and by our prayers we ourselves receive actual grace and in the sacrament, sanctifying grace.
Throughout all of our Catholic funeral rites, we proclaim the truth of our faith that we are all made by God and for God and that our ultimate destination in this life is life in the world to come. While acknowledging present sadness and past joys, our Catholic funeral rites ultimately proclaim in word and action that we are made for eternal happiness and eternal life with God, our Father, Jesus Christ, His only Son and the Holy Spirit.
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy Gately
On the Feast of St. Leo the Great
Christmas Sermon of Pope Leo The Great (c.400 – 461)
Our Savior, was born today: let us be glad. For there is no proper place for sadness, when we keep the birthday of the Life, which destroys the fear of mortality and brings to us the joy of promised eternity. No one is kept from sharing in this happiness. There is for all one common measure of joy, because as our Lord the destroyer of sin and death finds none free from charge, so is He come to free us all.
Let the saint exult in that he draws near to victory. Let the sinner be glad in that he is invited to pardon. Let the gentile take courage in that he is called to life. For the Son of God in the fullness of time which the inscrutable depth of the Divine counsel has determined, has taken on him the nature of man, thereby to reconcile it to its Author: in order that the inventor of death, the devil, might be conquered through that (nature) which he had conquered. And in this conflict undertaken for us, the fight was fought on great and wondrous principles of fairness; for the Almighty Lord enters the lists with His savage foe not in His own majesty but in our humility, opposing him with the same form and the same nature, which shares indeed our mortality, though it is free from all sin.
Truly foreign to this nativity is that which we read of all others, “no one is clean from stain, not even the infant who has lived but one day upon earth.” Nothing therefore of the lust of the flesh has passed into that peerless nativity, nothing of the law of sin has entered.
A royal virgin of the stem of David is chosen, to be impregnated with the sacred seed and to conceive the divinely-human offspring in mind first and then in body. And lest in ignorance of the heavenly counsel she should tremble at so strange a result, she learns from converse with the angel that what is to be wrought in her is of the Holy Ghost. Nor does she believe it loss of honor that she is soon to be the Mother of God. For why should she be in despair over the novelty of such conception, to whom the power of the Most High has promised to effect it. Her implicit faith is confirmed also by the attestation of a precursory miracle, and Elizabeth receives unexpected fertility: in order that there might be no doubt that He who had given conception to the barren, would give it even to a virgin.
The Mystery of the Incarnation is a fitting theme for joy both to angels and to men.
Therefore the Word of God, Himself God, the Son of God who “in the beginning was with God,” through whom “all things were made” and “without” whom “was nothing made,” with the purpose of delivering man from eternal death, became man: so bending Himself to take on Him our humility without decrease in His own majesty, that remaining what He was and assuming what He was not, He might unite the true form of a slave to that form in which He is equal to God the Father, and join both natures together by such a compact that the lower should not be swallowed up in its exaltation nor the higher impaired by its new associate. Without detriment therefore to the properties of either substance which then came together in one person, majesty took on humility, strength weakness, eternity mortality: and for the paying off of the debt, belonging to our condition, inviolable nature was united with possible nature, and true God and true man were combined to form one Lord, so that, as suited the needs of our case, one and the same mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, could both die with the one and rise again with the other.
Fun Memories
One of the “Famous” lobster dinners…
Our Catholic Faith’s Teachings about Death – Part II
Dear friends in Christ:
The death of a loved one is something all of us will have to face. At the time of death of a loved one, there are numerous practical issues that must be dealt with and decisions to be made. Pre-need planning is a prudent thing to do, not only in regards to a will and financial arrangements but also with a funeral director and the parish. It is important that all family members know, understand and respect the teachings of our Catholic faith in regards to the death of a loved one. At the time of death, the parish should be notified. In consultation with the funeral directors, a day and time is set for the funeral liturgies. A meeting will be scheduled for the family to meet with our Funeral Aid Ministry, pastoral staff and parish clergy. In this meeting, the details necessary to prepare for the funeral (readings, music, reception, etc.) will be discussed. Not everything has to be or should be pre-planned. These family meetings are important in dealing with the reality of the death of a loved one. They are more than just deciding the details of the arrangements. They are also one of the important ways the family can show their care and affection for their beloved. Sometimes people erroneously think that if they pre-plan everything to the very last detail that it is better for the surviving family. Actually, it is a good thing for the surviving family to participate in planning the funeral at the time of death.
Our Catholic Faith holds great reverence for the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit. For this reason, we respect and honor to the body in death as we do in life.
There is a preference in Catholic theology, teaching and practice, that the body of the deceased be buried. Cremation is allowed in the Catholic Church but not for any reason which would be contrary to Catholic teaching. Even when cremation is chosen, there is a strong preference that the Funeral Mass be celebrated with the body present and cremation following the funeral mass.
The funerals rites of the Church take place in three parts or stations. The First Station is the Vigil. This is normally conducted in the funeral home on the evening prior to the Funeral Mass and consists of the gathering of family and friends in prayer. The Vigil Service (a Liturgy of the Word) may be prayed and/or the recitation of the rosary. The most appropriate time for remembrances and eulogies is at the vigil. The Second Station is the Funeral Mass. The body is brought to the church and Mass is offered for the repose of the soul of the deceased. The community also prays for the consolation of the family and friends in their time of grief. A homily is given at the funeral reflecting on the scriptures and on the promises of the faith. Eulogies are not given during the funeral mass. Eulogies are given and are appropriate at the Vigil Service and may not take the place of the homily at Mass. After communion, a family member may make brief remarks of 2-3 minutes in remembrance of the deceased and to express the gratitude of the family to the gathered mourners. The Third Station is the burial and Rite of Committal, which normally takes place at the cemetery immediately following the Funeral Mass. Following the burial, a reception for family and friends is often held.
In those instances where cremation has been chosen, the committal is delayed and takes place after the body has been cremated and the remains are ready. Cremated remains are to be treated with respect and dignity and should be buried or interred in a columbarium. They should never be scattered or merely stored or abandoned. When the body cannot be present and there is to be a direct cremation, a Funeral Mass with the ashes present and the Rite of Committal should still be held without unnecessary delay. When the ashes cannot be present or a delay is unavoidable, a Memorial Mass for the Dead is to be offered. Every Catholic should receive the prayers of the Church at the time of death. A proper Catholic burial and the rites of the Church should not be denied to any member of the Church.
Lastly, we should always pray for the dead. We remember the dead in our private prayers and at mass. We can offer masses to be prayed for them. We can visit their graves and we pray that we might be given the grace to live our lives in a holy manner so as to be reunited with them in the Kingdom of God.
To be continued.
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy Gately
Missionaries Return from El Salvador
St. John Vianney and St. Thomas More joined a team of 29 medical and lay professionals from across the U.S. to journey to El Salvador on a Helping Hands Medical Mission. SJV also provided financial support, supplies, and volunteers throughout the summer to package and inventory medications in preparation for the mission. On the ground in El Salvador, the team was also assisted by Helping Hands’ staff and Regnum Christi volunteers.
The Helping Hands Mission Team set up makeshift clinics in Apopa, Ciudad Delgado, San Julian, and Santiago Texacuango where each day, they were greeted with long lines of hopeful and grateful individuals who ordinarily had little to no access to health care and critical medications (see photo below of the waiting area in Apopa). Patients received exams, medications, eyeglasses, and referrals as appropriate as well as opportunities for confession. Over 1000 individuals were provided with eyeglasses. Shoes were also given to families in need. Additionally, clinicians provided their services to local hospitals, performing surgeries and delivering babies. Over 2400 individuals were served by our Mission Team.
In addition to providing medical services, the team visited the sick and prayed with their families at La Divina Providencia, the cancer hospital where Blessed Oscar Romero was martyred celebrating Mass. They also visited children at an orphanage and a pediatric hospital where they brought gifts for the children and care packages for the families. While practicing the corporal works of mercy every day, team members were also able to spend some time in personal spiritual reflection by participating in daily mass, morning and evening prayers, and confession.
“whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).
Our Catholic Faith’s Teachings about Death – Part I
Dear friends in Christ:
We are all going to die! (How is that for an opening sentence?) It is in the presence of this reality that our Catholic Faith makes great sense. God offers salvation and eternal life to every man, woman and child. God wills that all be saved. The reason that Jesus came into the world is that we might not perish but have eternal life with God in heaven. Yet that does not change the reality of death or exempt us from it! Death is a part of life and also a part of our Catholic faith. We pray at the Funeral Mass:
“Life is changed not ended! When our earthly body lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling in heaven.”
As Catholics, we view death as both a loss and gain. We do not try to sanitize the reality of death’s pain and loss. Likewise, death is the time for us to express and embrace the truths of our Catholic Faith. Paradoxically, in our contemporary “culture of death”, there is a widespread denial of death and a desire to avoid the harshness of death. Increasingly in our society, death is treated trivially. This trivialization of death reflects the growing disrespect our society has for life. The contemporary attitude of not wanting to face the sadness, pain and grief caused by death results in attempts to make funeral rites “happy”. Such attempts are inconsistent and are in conflict with our basic human emotions and our Christian Faith. Such attempts to deny the sadness of death end futilely. This attitude is not healthy psychologically, emotionally or spiritually. While death is a mystery, it is also very real. If death has no sadness or loss what does that say about the life or eternal life? If death is nothing or only happy, what need is there of salvation or the value of the promise of resurrection? The rites of the Church at the time of death teach us eternal truths, and they assist us with God’s grace in dealing with our pain and loss. The rites of the Church aid in strengthening our faith and hope. More importantly, when we participate in the rites and prayers of the Church, we assist those who have died and those who mourn with our love and prayers.
At the time of death, there are also practical things that need to be done. The first thing for all of us is to prepare for our own deaths by living a holy life. Don’t be a stranger to God or his Church. Pray and work daily to live in a state of grace. Pray for a happy and holy death. This is for ourselves and our loved ones. For those near death, they or their family members should make sure that the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is received. For those who are unable to attend mass, the family should ask for a pastoral visit and Holy Communion to be brought to the home or care center. If in a hospital, call for the priest chaplain or call the parish for the sacraments. Do not delay in calling for a priest to administer the Sacrament of the Sick. Do not wait until the last moment.
When possible, just as with making pre-need plans with a funeral director ahead of time, one may also do the same for the funeral liturgy, though this is not obligatory or necessary. On our website, there is information to help with the planning of the funeral. Our Funeral Aid Ministry can be contacted ahead of time for assistance and guidance. It is important to communicate with family members and friends that you want a Catholic funeral. Written instructions are very helpful to family members in honoring the wishes of the deceased and in making decisions at a difficult time. These funeral instructions along with medical directives and will should be reviewed and updated periodically.
To be continued.
In Pace Christi,
Fr. Troy Gately
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