Learning the secret

     When Paul wrote to the Philippians, as we heard today, he recounts that his life had had its ups and downs, he had had his good times and bad, it was not always steady going.  Paul was saying that his life, like the opening of "A Tale of Two Cities" - was the best of times and the worst of times.  But Paul tells us that he has learned the secret of balancing his equilibrium - namely, his unity with Christ Jesus.  That oneness allows us to not be overwhelmed by the bad nor be puffed up by the good, but rather to see everything as a gift from God that allows us to give thanks and then to give service.  Who we are and what we have is a gift from a loving God, given to us freely and generously with the invitation to respond in gratitude with a life of service.  The gift makes us, the recipient, a gift to others.  That is the secret ... and it is a good one ... so pass the word.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

     On this beautiful, sunny, warm Steeler Sunday, I spent the afternoon with a group of individuals (mostly women) at a "Basket Bingo Event" at the local firehall as a fundraiser for the local Brush Creek Faith In Action organization which has an outreach to our local Seniors in need of assistance.  I've mentioned them before - a worthy group of volunteers.  This Basket Bingo was a major money raiser, and a good time was had be all (even though I won nothing).  I serve on the Board of Brush Creek Faith in Action.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     This marks the 200th post since I began Journey Thoughts last March 11th.  I am humbled by the response and honored to be able to share my journey.  God bless you all.

A Greensburg Anniversary

     Today is the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, a day set aside to celebrate the winning of a battle.  We do strange things, sometimes.

     Today is also the anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Greensburg.  Greensburg was established in March of 1951 - 60 years ago.  The beautiful Most Blessed Sacrament Church in downtown Greensburg was chosen as the Cathedral Church, now known as Blessed Sacrament Cathedral.  This Benedictine run church became our mother church.

     In the early 1970's, our second bishop, William G. Connare, renovated the Cathedral Church to adapt to the liturgical changes of the Second Vatican Council.  The Altar of our Cathedral was brought into our midst, and a great simplicity became the hallmark of the building and of the worship there.  I seem to remember a book on Cathedrals at the time that highlighted our structure and worship space.  This is the Cathedral in which I was ordained and in which I have celebrated these thirty-eight years of priesthood.

     At the end of this month our present bishop, Lawrence Brandt, will celebrate the complete refurbishing of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral.  It has been his dream and goal to create what I call a beautiful European style church.  Infrastructure was strengthened, and the adornment is extensive.  The present beauty is much different from the former beauty.  I must confess that, in matters of taste, I truly miss the "mother" that I knew and loved.

     On this anniversary, I would like to share with you the Preface for the anniversary outside the church that was dedicated, taken from the new Roman Missal.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,

always and everywhere to give you thanks,

Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.

For in your benevolence you are pleased

to dwell in this house of prayer

in order to perfect us as the temple of the Holy Spirit,

supported by the perpetual help of your grace

and resplendent with the glory of a life acceptable to you.

Year by year you sanctify the Church, the Bride of Christ,

foreshadowed in visible buildings,

so that, rejoicing as the mother of countless children,

she may be given her place in your heavenly glory.

And so, with all the Angels and Saints,

we praise you, as without end we acclaim ...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

     On Tuesday of this week I presided over the memorial service for one of our newer parishioners who died at the age of 90.  His name was Dr. Dan Bolef, a retired nuclear physicist, a convert to the Church, an activist and a man of conviction.  Quiet and unassuming, you would never imagine Dan to be the brilliant scientist and academic that he was.  As many said at the service, though, Dan's greatest contribution in life was his activism in areas of justice and peace, and the causes of the underdog.  His wife, Regina, carries on the tradition.  I was honored to lead this tribute to Dan.

Hayride Event

     Sorry that I missed yesterday.  I ran out of time and of ideas.  But today is a different story.

     Tonight I attended an event sponsored by our regional school, Queen of Angels, and hosted by a local dairy farm - Kerbers.  As part of Kerber's October Pumpkin Days, many of our families gather at the fifty year old dairy to play at the Lilliput playground, or new miniature golf, or play tag football, or go on a hayride through the fields of the farm.  In addition, they serve great ice cream, and you got a small pumpkin to take home.  I skipped the hayride, had a pumpkin pie cheesecake milkshake (ummm), and socialized with the kids and their families, and Monsignor Paul Fitzmaurice of Saint Agnes, my ordination mate and neighbor.  Everyone seemed to have a great time.  The weather cooperated with warmth and a beautiful sunset (after many days of rain and cold).  Our kids are friendly and outgoing, and we are very proud of them.

     The Kerber Farm is operated by father and son, Tom Sr. & Jr, and is well known in our area, and has been featured in a local documentary by Rick Sebek entitled "An Ice Cream Story" on PBS.  They are good people, always generous with the school, and we thank them.

++++++++++++++++++++

     This morning I had the funeral Mass for our parishioner, Ron Auld.  Ron suffered with MS, yet gave great love and shared great faith with his family and friends, as evidenced by those in attendance.  Father Rick Kosisko, our former pastor and a friend of Ron's, joined me and preached.  Ron was also a staunch Notre Dame fan, and somewhere, as we were leaving church, I heard the strains of the Notre Dame Fight Song!  May he rest in peace. 

Improbable success stories

     There was a guy named Jonah whom God sent to call the great city of Nineveh to repentance.  It was a daunting task, since Nineveh was huge and the people did not know this God who was calling them to repentance.  In fact, Jonah tried to duck out, but the best laid plans were thwarted by God,  but he did his best.  And lo and behold, after only one day the king and the citizens repented in sack cloth and ashes.  No one was more surprises than Jonah ... but, then again, God is unrelenting.

     There was a guy named Francis whose life was laid out for him, yet he was being called to embrace "Lady Poverty".  Remarkable as his transformation was from a inept soldier to a poor troubadour, Francis was in for a bigger challenge.  He heard the Lord speak to him and challenge him to "go and repair my house which, as you see, is falling into ruin."  When God spoke, he was praying in the abandoned church of San Damiano, so he thought that this was the house in ruin.  But the task was to rebuild the whole Church.  He was a kid from the little town of Assisi.  What could he do?

     We know what he did.  This spiritual movement caught fire and renewed the face of the earth.  Francis the obscure became Francis the beloved, not only in Assisi but throughout the world.  That work of renewal continues, since the Church continues at time to cling to ruin.

     On this feast of Saint Francis, I wish you the joyful spirit, the simple trust, the humble service of the one who modeled Christ for us.

     This morning I celebrated around the Table of the Lord; I rejoiced in the life of a parishioner whose credentials were extremely impressive but whose life was lived simply and in the spirit of peace, a man whose interesting life reflected the gospel message - Dan Bolef - in a service of celebration of his life at the time of his death; and this evening at six I will bless pets in the spirit of Francis of Assisi.

     I have included a few pictures of a trip years ago to Assisi.  Except for the hills (especially for one out of shape) it is a beautiful, charming 11/12th century town in the foothills of Central Italy.

     If memory serves me, the first picture is of the Basilica of Saint Francis.  His tomb is in the crypt of this church.  Next is the square in front of the Basilica of Saint Clare, where she is buried.  Thirdly is a view of the Benedictine Church in the lower city.  The "Pizzeria" sign stands opposite what is said to be Francis' home as a boy.  The next is a view of the road into town followed by a view of the architecture of the town.  What a wonderful place!

An important observation

     I was wondering what to blog on today when I came across the blog of Sister Mary Ann Walsh, RSM, the Director of Media Relations of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.  Her post today is entitled: "Death Penalty: Political Sport at its Most Barbarous".  I highly recommend it to you at

http://usccbmedia.blogspot.com/2011/10/death-penalty-political-sport-at-its.html

     My dad was a policeman for many, many years.  He and I would often get into it regarding the death penalty - we had different approaches.  He would see the desire for the death penalty rather than the possibility of parole.  I would say lock them up and throw away the key (no parole).  We rarely agreed.

     Recently I have been extremely uncomfortable with, as Sister Mary Ann points out, the cheers for the death penalty at a recent presidential debate, the jubilant celebrations at the death (not capture and trial) of, yes, even Bin Laden, and most recently the grave questions regarding the evidence and testimony regarding the man executed in Georgia.  I am not comfortable in rejoicing over putting someone to death.  In this respect life month of October, Sister's reflection is a good one.  Check it out.  You may not agree, but at least think about it.

Guardian Angels

     Even though this is the 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, on the calendar it is the feast of the Guardian Angels.  In honor of the feast, do you remember?

Angel of God,

my guardian, dear,

to whom God's love

commits me here.

Every this day

be at my side:

to light, to guard,

to rule, to guide.

Amen.

     The Sisters would be proud.   Thank you, Lord, for these heavenly protectors.

**********************************

A correction:  in yesterday's post I mentioned the three that I baptized at the 4:00 pm Mass. 

I was woking from memory on the names, and have a correction -

of the twins,

the little boy was CULLEN PALMER McCONNELL,

not Cullen Parker McConnell.

My bad, sorry Cullen.

Nine years to perfection

     What can be accomplished in nine short years that could change the world?  A presidential term?  A sports career?  An academic degree?  Possibly.

     But for Therese Martin, Carmelite Sister Therese of the Child Jesus (or Therese of Lisieux) her nine years lived in the obscurity of a Carmelite Convent from the age of 15 till she died at 24 provided for us an account of her "Little Way".  Her journals, written under obedience, revealed a childlike confidence in the love of God for her.  She learned to take God at his word and let his love for her wash away her sins and imperfections.  She encourages us to do the same.  She was physically weak and some would say psychologically vulnerable, but was a giant in that vulnerability and weakness.  She used her daily opportunities of grace to gently walk her "little way".  This simple nun, who died of tuberculosis in 1897, was declared a Doctor of the Church by the late Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1997, joining Catherine of Sienna and Teresa of Avila as the three female Doctors of the Church.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     That childlike simplicity was brought to mind this afternoon as I shared the gift of Baptism with three babies during the 4:00 pm Mass.  We welcomed twins Ella Lynn and Cullen Parker McConnell and Antonio Vincent (Nino) Pagano into the church, along with their parents, godparents family and friends ... and the parish family.  Pray for them, and all of those who are Children of God.