“This I command you: love one another.” – John 15:17

Sometimes it really is that simple.  If you want to be a good disciple, then be loving to others.  This theme comes up often in John’s Gospel and in his letters, so it’s highly likely that Jesus returned to it often; perhaps we should, too.

There’s a theological profoundness to this statement, too.  If you go all the way back to the days of Abraham, we know that God entered into a covenant with him: “You will be my people, and I will be your God.”  For His part, God made promises to Abraham; Abraham and his descendents, in order to fulfill their half of the covenant, are expected to keep God’s commandments.  Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises in the covenant, and He renews it by His commandment to love one another.  Thus, in loving one another, we demonstrate in a real way that we are keeping God’s commandments and are true members of His flock.

Love one another!

Some news and notes:

PRAYERS:  So many people to pray for this weekend.  Pray for all of our young people who will receive Jesus in the Eucharist for the first time at the 5:00 and 12:00 Masses this weekend.  Please also pray for Isabel Jean McKenna and Luca James Casavale, who will be baptized this weekend.

ADORATION:  We need coverage for Eucharistic Adoration tonight from 11 PM-midnight.

MAY:  May is Mary’s month.  You’ll notice that we’ve added a temporary Mary altar in the front of the church, which will remain in place for the entire month of May.  Feel free to bring flowers from your garden or from the store to help decorate and honor our Blessed Mother.  Pray to Mary often and ask her intercession.  Pray the Rosary together as a family.  As St. Bernard of Clairvaux famously said, “De Maria numquam satis!”

BELOVED SERIES:  The Beloved series kicks off this Wednesday, May 9^th, at 7 PM in the social hall.  Beloved is a marriage enrichment program that all couples can benefit from, by being spiritually nourished and having a chance to connect with other couples.  See the bulletin for more details.

ASCENSION THURSDAY:  Next Thursday, May 10, is the Feast of the Ascension and is a Holy Day of Obligation.  There will be a vigil Mass Wednesday at 7 PM, and Masses on Thursday will be at 9 AM and 5 PM.  The parish office will be closed that day.

RUMMAGE SALE:  Back by popular demand!  The St. Richard Rummage Sale will be held June 8^th and 9^th; items can be dropped off beginning May 23^rd.  Many volunteers are needed to make this sale another great success.  See the bulletin for more info or call the parish office.

And that’s all the news that’s fit to print.  Or at least, that I can remember to print.  As always, check the bulletin for more information.  This week’s bulletin also contains the letter from Bishop Zubik I read at all Masses last weekend, and more information relative to the On Mission for the Church Alive planning process.  Have a great weekend and know that you are loved!  See you at Mass!

Peace,

Fr. Mike

 

Today’s a big day in the Diocese as we announce the new parish groupings and clergy assignments.  I’m not going to get into too much of it here, because it will all be addressed in future posts, but I will say this much:

Effective Monday, October 15th, I am being appointed as Part-Time Senior Parochial Vicar at Immaculate Conception and Saint Hilary parishes, as well as chaplain to the students and staff at Washington & Jefferson College, Waynesburg University, and California University of Pennsylvania.

More details will follow.

“Let every one of us be subject to his neighbor, according to the special gift bestowed upon him.  Let the strong not despise the weak, and let the weak show respect to the strong. Let the rich man provide for the wants of the poor; and let the poor man bless God, because he has given him one by whom his need may be supplied. Let the wise man display his wisdom, not by mere words, but through good deeds. Let the humble not bear testimony to himself, but leave witness to be borne to him by another. Let him that is pure in the flesh not grow proud of it, and boast, knowing that it was another who bestowed on him the gift of continence.” – Pope St. Clement I

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus presents to us the beautiful image of the vine and the branches; that is, that He is the vine, and we are the branches.  We are to bear fruit in the world because we are grafted to this vine, a vine that can never die, and is tended not by an earthly vine-grower, but by his Father.  In his letter to the Corinthians, Pope Saint Clement gives us some practical applications of what that image means.  Clement refers to the unity of the Church – that we are all in this together, and that we must show due honor, concern, and respect for one another.

How well have we been Church?  How well have we loved one another?  Let us consider those questions today, and ask God to enlighten our minds and hearts as to how we can better serve Him, and one another, in the days ahead.

Some news and notes…

PRAYERS: Please pray for Mike Griffin and Sandy Lee, who will be married tomorrow.  Please also pray for the repose of the soul of Michael Barnes, who was buried this week.  Finally, please pray for our second graders, especially those receiving their first holy communion this weekend.

ON MISSION:  Some big announcements to be made this weekend.  For those of you accustomed to leaving right after Communion – don’t think I don’t see you – you might not want to do that.  Especially this week.

ROSARY:  Speaking of prayer, the Knights of Columbus will be leading the rosary this Sunday at 9:30.  Please stick around after the 8 AM or come early for the 10 and implore our Blessed Mother’s intercession for our parish, our country, and our world.

FIRST COMMUNION:  This weekend and next, at the 5 PM and Noon Masses, our second graders will receive Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist for the first time.

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT:  The Life in the Spirit Seminar continues this week with Baptism in the Spirit.  See the bulletin for more information.  The seminar is held on Tuesday night at 7 PM in the church.

FAITH FORMATION:  Although classes have ended, there are still a lot of important faith formation activities going on.  Please check the bulletin for information regarding 8^th grade confirmation classes, the 7^th grade retreat, and Vacation Bible School.

RUMMAGE SALE:  The annual Rummage Sale is the single largest fundraiser the parish has; so its success is critical.  Want to help make it a success?  Come to an informational meeting Wednesday, May 2 at 6:30 PM in Room 1 for more details.

BELOVED: LIVING MARRIAGE:  See the flier in the bulletin regarding the upcoming Beloved series in the church hall.  This series examines the day-to-day challenges of being united as husband and wife while maintaining a healthy individuality.  No matter if you’ve been married 1 year or 41 years, this is for you.

And that’s just about all.  That’s a lot, to be honest.  Read the bulletin, have a great weekend, know that you’re loved, and I’ll see you at Mass!

Peace,

Fr. Mike

 

Was going to post this last night, but the 7 church tour went long, and I was exhausted when I finally got home.  The ending here is not the ending I gave, but that’s because I did it spontaneously, and I can’t remember what I said.  For the most part, I followed the text, with only a few variances.  The readings, by the way, can be found here.

I have an issue with the missalette we use.  Not so much about the music; musically, it’s fine, which is why we bought them in the first place.  (I still think it needs more Gregorian chant, though.  The 6^th century demographic is woefully under-served.)  But my issue with it is when it tries to provide notes on the liturgy.  For example, tonight, it gave you literally two words from the Collect Prayer.  Two words!  Thanks for nothing!

When it got to the point we’re at now – the homily – it says, “The priest or deacon describes how the good news of Christ’s saving mystery applies to this particular community on this particular day.”  Now, that’s a direct quote from the GIRM – a document called the General Instruction of the Roman Missal.  What the title lacks in imagination it makes up for in functionality: it really is a collection of general instructions on how to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.  It governs a lot of different things – from decoration, to music, to vestments, to silence, to how the priest holds his hands and when.

Unlike the USGA rules of golf, this is one rulebook I tend to follow.

On certain liturgical feasts, however, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal gets superceded by specific instructions within the Roman Missal.  Tonight is one of those nights.  Tonight I am given strict orders on what I am to preach on, and I quote:

The Priest gives a homily in which light is shed on the principal mysteries that are commemorated in this Mass, namely, the Institution of the Holy Eucharist and of the priestly order, and the commandment of the Lord concerning fraternal charity.

That’s no small task, and frankly not sure one I’m fully equipped for.  And so tonight I’m going to share with you the stories of three priests that none of us have ever met as a means to shed light on all those mysteries.

I begin with fraternal charity.  In tonight’s Gospel, Jesus washes the feet of the 12, but it might be a bit impractical for us to do that.  (Although I am going to do that in a few minutes.)  More to the point, stay away from my feet.  But what is fraternal charity?  It’s way more than greeting one another with a kind word; it’s way more than not gossiping about someone; it’s way more than yielding to someone at a 4-way stop.  And in fact, if that’s all you think fraternal charity is, then you have no idea.

Fraternal charity involves putting the other so far above yourself that you’re not even in the picture.  It involves emptying yourself of pride and status and honor and serving.  It involves dying to yourself so that you might build the other up.  And sometimes, fraternal charity just means dying.

Father Aloysius Schmitt was a priest of the archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa.  He was also a chaplain in the United States Navy.  He was immensely popular with the sailors under his care on board of the USS Oklahoma – he was fair, he was kind, he was smart, he was interested in their lives…he was a good priest.  On Sunday morning, December 7th, 1941, as he was preparing to celebrate Sunday Mass below decks, the Oklahoma was struck by multiple torpedoes.  The ship almost immediately began to list severely to one side, and because they were already below the waterline, chances of escape were bleak.  Fr. Schmitt organized the survivors and got them to a porthole, which was their only means of escape.  The only problem was that he was the only one who didn’t fit through it.  He remained in that cabin, helping others escape and ordering them to abandon him, until he breathed his last.

Sometimes fraternal charity requires a lot more than we think we can give.

We’re all called to exercise fraternal charity towards another, but priests are especially.  What sets them apart?  What is about the priestly order that is so significant?  What is it that they do, exactly?  In technical terms, priests are to assistants their bishop in the exercise of his ministry, and bishops are the successors to the apostles.  Priests, then, are to help the bishop in bringing the people of their diocese closer to God and calling them to a new, deeper level of holiness.  They do this through the celebration of the sacraments, the preaching of the word, how they teach, and their very way of life.  And they do it all the time.  Everywhere they are.  Even if it’s a dire situation.

Consider the case of Father Thomas Conway.  No relation.  Fr. Conway was a priest of the diocese of Buffalo, New York.  He was chaplain aboard the USS Indianapolis, which was torpedeod and sunk the night of July 29, 1945.  The first torpedo that hit the Indy destroyed its radio room, and so they were unable to send out a distress call, and the cruiser sank quickly.  Still, many men were able to abandon ship – only to drift helplessly in the Pacific Ocean for the next several days.  In July.  Near the Equator.  Fr. Conway was one of the people.  He swam from one group of survivors to the next, hearing confessions, administering last rites, praying with the men, and just trying to keep their spirits up.  But 70 hours of no food, no water, no rest, and extreme heat can be too much for a man, and Fr. Conway eventually died in service to his men.  His body was never recovered.

The priestly order is one of service to our fellow men.  And it always working for the sanctification of others, in all corners of the world, at all times, and in every circumstance.

Finally we must reflect on the Holy Eucharist, what the second Vatican Council rightly called the source and summit of the Christian life.  No mere symbol, the Eucharist truly is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and is given to us again and again and again so that we might be made more like Him and eventually, one day be happy with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven.  The night before he was to suffer and die he handed this gift over to his apostles that he might remain with them always, and more importantly, that they would have the strength, the courage, the grace to perservere in service to the Gospel.  It would be the greatest gift any of them would ever receive – as it is for us.  The Eucharist is the greatest gift we will ever receive this side of heaven, and our lives must reflect that reality.

The story of Father Anthony Conway – again, no relation – may help illustrate this.  Fr. Tony was a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.  He was considered quiet and bookish, and he also looked like he was barely old enough to shave, but he was wildly popular among both the officers and the enlisted Marines he served.  Here is an excerpt from a letter he wrote home:

            Dear Mom and Dad, this is a pre-invasion letter.  We go into Guam tomorrow.  I am not so much afraid now, but tomorrow morning I will be plenty scared.  If the worst should happen to me, know that it is God’s will, and I gave my life for the Church and the God who rules it.  I took the vow at ordination to obey.  My work here is obedience at its best.  All the good I am going to do in there makes me courageous, for courage is fear that has said its prayers.  And there’s no greater prayer than squaring away souls for God.

This afternoon, in sight of Guam, I will be offering the Holy Sacrifice topside for all our men entering this combat, in the presence of all on board, that we might come through successfully whether dead or alive.  And if I am a victim, I know God will give me enough time to give myself Holy communion so that I will go into Eternity as I went into Guam.

Father Tony’s landing craft was hit by a Japanese shell as it made landfall on Guam.  All of the occupants were killed.

When they recovered his body later that day, he was still clutching his Mass kit tightly to his chest.

The Eucharist is more precious than anything else on this earth.

This Holy Thursday, pray for Fathers Aloysius Schmitt, Thomas Conway, and Anthony Conway.  And pray for Fathers Michael Conway, Tom Sparacino, Ken Oldenski, Steve Neff.  Pray for all priests.  And forgive us, too, for all the times we have failed to serve you as we should.  For the times we have not been what you needed.  Our Lord gives us an example tonight to follow, but in the end, we don’t always live up to the standards that we should.

But we’re going to keep trying.  This morning as we gathered with our bishop at the cathedral, we recommitted ourselves to our priestly promises.  We recommitted ourselves to you, to your service.  We’ve tied our salvation to yours.  Our goal is to get you into heaven one day, and that might mean we miss out on it ourselves.  We’re willing to pay that price, because it’s what Jesus commanded us to do.

So pray for your priests this evening, that we might always be about the work of building up the Kingdom of God.

About a year ago, I was introduced to a relatively new piece of music called Requiem for the Living, and I was recently re-introduced to it as several my friends were just involved in a performance of it.  The Requiem was composed by Dan Forrest, a contemporary American composer.  It is one of the most amazing works I’ve ever heard; any attempt of mine to describe it would fall flat – however, at the risk of sounding cliché, I will call it transcendent.  There are a couple versions of it on YouTube; I think the performance by the Rivertree Singers is the best.  Look it up – it will be 45 minutes well-spent.

This piece breaks some of the traditional “rules” for a requiem.  First and foremost, it’s for the living, whereas we generally associate a requiem as being for the dead.  The point of a requiem, however, is to pray for the repose of the soul of a deceased person.  Forrest has written this piece to be a plea for rest for the living – rest from the pain and suffering that we all, at times, deal with.  It also becomes a plea for peace of soul, because too often, our pain and suffering can lead to a crisis of faith.  This piece also breaks structural rules, by placing the Agnus Dei before the Sanctus.  The reason for doing so is because, when confronted with all this pain and suffering, people need to see the Lamb of God, who died to redeem us, to give us hope.  The Sanctus then becomes a response to that: recognition of the Lamb of God leads to understanding that the heavens and earth are full of His glory, and therefore pain and suffering will never have the last word.

There are, I think, parallels to this weekend’s readings here.  Jeremiah is prophesying to a people who are suffering, but he reminds them that God is still not done with them and will do greater things for them than what He has already done.  The author of the letter to the Hebrews reminds the Church that it was precisely the suffering of Christ that led to eternal salvation for all who obey Him.  Even Jesus appears to be troubled at the thought of what is going to happen to him in Jerusalem, yet He undergoes it willingly so that we might have life.

Lent is not to be a time of suffering; the Cross is not meant to be a stumbling block.  This is a time of hope and a promise of life.  In this waning days of Lent, let us keep our eyes and hearts fixed firmly on the Cross so that we might not be distracted by anything of this world, and so receive the peace and rest our Lord wants to give.

Oremus pro invicem!

“I arise today through/God’s strength to pilot me, God’s might to uphold me/God’s wisdom to guide me, God’s eye to see before me/God’s ear to hear me, God’s word to speak for me/God’s hand to guard me, God’s way to lie before me/God’s shield to protect me, God’s host to secure me…” – from the Breastplate of St. Patrick

I know, Saint Patrick’s Day isn’t until tomorrow, but if you really thought I was going to let that one slip by without making mention of it, then you really don’t know me.  Besides, the Breastplate of Saint Patrick is, in many ways, a great prayer for Lent.  Each stanza of the prayer begins with the same phrase, which can be translated from Gaelic as “I arise today through” or “I bind unto myself today”.  The prayer then goes on to list all the different things the Apostle of Ireland is calling to his aid: the Trinity, Christ, the Divine attributes, the angels, martyrs, patriarchs, and saints, to name a few.  He then lists what it is he needs protection against: anything that would lead him into sin.  The prayer concludes my once more invoking the Trinity.

Isn’t that what Lent should be about?  Ridding ourselves of attachment to anything other than God, and making ourselves wholly reliant on Him and His grace?  Aren’t we to be arming ourselves with prayer and schooling ourselves through the disciplines of fasting and almsgiving so that we can avoid whatever leads us into sin?  As we get into these final weeks of Lent, may Saint Patrick, Saint Richard, and all our holy patrons intercede for us, that we may celebrate worthily the sacred paschal feasts to come.

Some news and notes…

ADORATION:  We need help covering the 2 PM hour today and we need someone to cover the midnight hour tonight.

PRAYERS:  Please keep in your prayers Georgene Brander-Mion, whose funeral will be celebrated tomorrow.  Also, pray for Al and Thelma Weigand, who celebrate their 60^th wedding anniversary tomorrow, as well.

LENT:  So many good things.  CONFESSION today from 3:00-4:00 PM and again after Stations; CONFESSION tomorrow 3:00-4:30 PM; CONFESSION next Wednesday, 6:00-9:00 PM.  STATIONS tonight at 7:00 PM, with Bishop Zubik presiding.

FISH FRY:  Our world-famous fish fry continues this week.  Lunch available for take-out from 11-2, and dinner is served 4-7.  This week we welcome the bishop and seminarians for dinner.

SEVEN CHURCH PILGRIMAGE:  Spots are still available for the 7 Church tour on Holy Thursday.  Call the office to sign up.

APPALACHIA FUNDRAISER:  Help our Appalachia Mission team with their important ministry and have fun while you do it.  Join us for our first-ever wine and spirits tasting at Greystone fields on Saturday, March 24^th.  Tickets and info are available at: https://goo.gl/PdxvQZ

RUN ACROSS GUATEMALA:  Or, run through North Park.  This 5k run helps raise much-needed funds for the orphanage in Patzun, Guatemala.  The run will be on Saturday, April 14.  There is also a 1 mile walk available.  Registration is at https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/PA/AllisonPark/RunAcrossGuatemala5K

LANDSCAPING:  Boy Scout Troop #344 and The Farbacher Family are looking for a landscape architect or landscaper to help design and install landscaping around the Pavilion that Ryan Farbacher constructed as his Eagle Project.  The landscaping will be funded by donations that were made to Boy Scout Troop in memory of Jeff Farbacher.  The goal is to have the work completed in time for a dedication ceremony in late May or early June as the Scouts before the scouts end their meetings for the summer.  If you are interested, please contact Beth Farbacher at efarbacher@consolidated.net or at 412-327-9820.

BULLETIN:  As usual, the bulletin has even more information that what I’m including here, so be sure to check that out.

I know I’m leaving stuff out.  It’s been that kind of morning.  At any rate, have a great weekend and know that you are loved.  See you at Mass!

Peace,

Fr. Mike

You may have noticed that there are two options given for the readings this week.  There were last week, as well, and there will be again next week.  Really astute observers may have noticed that the other option given were the readings from Year A…and yet we’ve been in Year B since the first week of Advent.  There are, of course, good reasons for this: the readings from Year A are always read when the scrutinies of the elect are celebrated.

The scrutinies are tied to rites of Christian initiation.  They are, according to the rite, “meant to uncover, then heal all that is weak, defective, or sinful in the hearts of the elect; to bring out, then strengthen all that is upright, strong, and good.”  Those who will come into the Church at the Easter Vigil (and, for that matter, all those already in the Church) should have, according to the rite, “…[the] intention of achieving an intimate knowledge of Christ…[and] to progress in genuine self-knowledge through serious examination of their lives and true repentance.”

The reason the Church proscribes the same readings for the scrutinies every year is because of how powerful those readings are.  The scrutinies are not just designed to elicit a desire for purification, but also a desire for redemption by Christ.  Through these readings, then, the spirits of the elect (and again, by extension, the spirits of the entire Church) are “filled with Christ the Redeemer, who is the living water (gospel of the Samaritan woman in the first scrutiny), the light of the world (gospel of the man born blind in the second scrutiny), the resurrection and the life (gospel of Lazarus in the third scrutiny).”

The entire rite of Christian initiation is beautiful and complex; I could write pages on it.  (Perhaps it might become the topic of a lecture series this summer?  I have a couple ideas in the works…)  The scrutinies are part of that rite that are frequently found to be burdensome, and sometimes overlooked, which is a real pity, because of what they remind us of: the purification and redemption offered to us through Jesus Christ.   During this second half of Lent, consider prayerfully reading those three gospels, and ask the Lord to purify and redeem you.  Above all, pray for our brothers and sisters – both in our parish and throughout the world – who will be coming into the Church this Easter.

Oremus…

Then the proconsul urged him, saying, “Swear, and I will set you at liberty: reproach Christ.”  Polycarp declared, “Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He never did me any injury: how can I blaspheme my King and Savior? Hear me declare with boldness: I am a Christian.”  – from the account of the martyrdom of Saint Polycarp

Polycarp’s story has always fascinated me.  He was a disciple of the apostle John, who eventually ordained him the bishop of Smyrna (in modern-day Turkey).  With St. Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp would travel to Rome to meet with Pope Anicetus to work out a method of determining when Easter ought to be celebrated.  Polycarp, we’re told, was a prolific writer, but only his letter to the church of Philippi remains.  It’s remarkable for its pastoral tone and his ability to seamlessly weave Scripture into the text.

His martyrdom, though, is the most compelling part of the story.  He was sentenced to death after refusing to renounce Christ, and his method of execution was to be burnt at the stake.  He convinced his executioners that he was too old to run away, and so they didn’t need to nail him to the stake.  When the flames came up, they surrounded him, but did not burn him; instead, his skin took on a golden color.  The account of his martyrdom says it was much like a loaf of bread (like the Eucharist) or like gold and silver being refined in the fire.  The odor was that of incense.

It’s a powerful story of holiness, dedication to Christ, and reliance on Christ.  In that sense, Polycarp is an excellent companion on our Lenten journey.  Through his intercession, may we persevere in our works of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving this holy season.

Some news and notes:

ADORATION:  We need help covering the 2 AM hour.  Let’s not leave Jesus alone on the altar; hasn’t He suffered enough for our sins?

PRAYERS: In your charity, please pray for Virginia Russo, who was buried this morning, and for Domenic Joseph Petrarca, who died this week.  Pray also for our young adults who will be away on retreat this weekend, and for the men who will be doing the Christ Renews His Parish experience this weekend.

LENT:  Lots of good Lenten things going on this weekend.  Confessions available from 3-4 this afternoon.  Stations of the Cross at 7.  Confessions following Stations until 9.  Solemn Evening Prayer and Benediction on Sunday at 6.  And don’t forget the Parish Mission is coming up: March 4, 5, and 6.

HOLY THURSDAY:  Once again, we’ll be making a 7 church pilgrimage on Holy Thursday after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper.  To sign up, please call the parish office.

THANK YOU:  The Knights of Columbus extend their sincere thanks to the parish – last week you donated over $1,000 to support Special Olympics.

BIRTHRIGHT:  Birthright of Pittsburgh will be in the narthex this weekend for their annual collection.  Birthright of Pittsburgh is a nonpolitical, interdenominational organization that provides assistance to pregnant women without regard to race, age, religion, or income. We do not evangelize or engage in “scare tactics,” protests, or political demonstrations. The essence of Birthright is love and compassionate support to women faced with difficult decisions regarding the life of their unborn baby.  Everyone who donates gets a miniature red rose.

APPALACHIA FUNDRAISER:  Join us for an evening of wine and spirits tasting at Greystone Fields to raise money to support our Appalachia Mission Trip.  Tickets will be available at the fish fry next week, or by visiting https://tinyurl.com/y8oowyzc  For more information about this event, contact the Youth Ministry Office.

INTO THE BREACH:  You may not have read this powerful pastoral letter from Bishop Olmstead of Phoenix, but you should.  Saint Catherine’s will be hosting what should be a very interesting discussion about it on March 14^th.  The event begins with a brunch immediately following St. Catherine’s 9:15 Mass, and is followed by presentations by Mark Jordan, Dave Van Vickle, and Sister Mary Gianna of the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. There are also opportunities for small group discussion. The entire event, including brunch, is free of charge, and all participants will receive a complimentary copy of the Into the Breach pastoral letter. Registration is mandatory, and is limited to the first hundred people, so contact the St. Catherine Parish office at 412-486-6001 to confirm your spot.

 

Far too long of an email this week, but there’s a lot going on.  Lent’s our busy season, I guess.  (So was Advent.  And Christmas.  And Ordinary Time…) Anyway, have a great weekend, stay dry, and know that you are loved.  See you at Mass!

Peace,

Fr. Mike

There’s a neat tradition in Rome during Lent that, now that I’m back home, I wish I had participated more fully in when I lived there.  It’s called the station church pilgrimage, and it’s been happening for well over 1,500 years.  Every day, the seminarians would rise before the crack of dawn and walk to one of the more ancient churches in the city for daily Mass.  Ash Wednesday, for example, is celebrated at Santa Sabina on the Aventine Hill; to get there in time for a 6:45 Mass, one needed to leave the seminary by 5:55.  My aversion to all things morning made this a very sacrificial day, indeed.  Thankfully, the pilgrimage was optional.

But why do it at all?  It wasn’t just so we could get to see some churches that we otherwise wouldn’t; the custom is deeply rooted in prayer.  In the second and third centuries, the popes made it a priority to celebrate Mass in different parts of the city each day to help unify the community.  By the fifth century, once Christianity became legal the political situation in Rome had stabilized, the schedule became more or less set for these visits.  In the days before Lent started, the pope would celebrate Mass at the three major basilicas outside the walls of the city, thus forming a ring of prayer around Rome; his daily visits to different neighborhoods were meant to sanctify that part of the city, to prepare it for the coming feasts of the Triduum and Easter.  The community would gather with the pope at one church, called the collectum, and after saying some prayers, they would then go in solemn procession to the statio, or station, church for Mass.  And if the statio was in your neighborhood, it was a fast day for you.  The people understood their responsibility on that day to be like that of a soldier on guard duty, and took it seriously.  They were protecting their homes from vice and temptation; from evil.

Now that our Lent is a few days old, we should ask ourselves how well we’re doing at resisting temptations and vices.  What are we doing to sanctify our neighborhoods?  Our schools?  Our homes?  It’s not an easy task, and we won’t be successful without relying on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving – but, with the grace of God, it can be done.

Oremus pro invicem!

 

There have been a lot of reasons why I haven’t been writing lately; but I think I’m at a point where I can get back to it.  Besides, one of things I want to do for Lent is write more.  So, here I am…and hopefully here comes more posts.  Thanks for reading.  Happy Lent.