October 29, 2006
Dear Friend,
Earlier this month the International Theological Commission was supposed to overturn the centuries old tradition of limbo. Limbo was thought to be the place that all unbaptized infants went and was somewhere between heaven and hell. However the Commission, which is merely advisory to the Holy Father, said nothing. In fact, the document it was preparing is not even complete. One member of the Commission stated, “Limbo is no longer the common opinion of Catholic theology, and as far as the salvation of unbaptized babies is concerned, we trust in the loving mercy of God.”
Nevertheless, there is need for something to be said on the matter from the standpoint of pastoral care to parents who have an unbaptized child die. In those moments of loss, it is important to offer them a message of hope and consolation. Thankfully it does appear that the Pope will eventually speak out on the matter.
What is very clear are recent developments in Catholic Theology away from Limbo. The ritual for “Funeral Mass of a Child Who Died before Baptism” as an official rite of the Church and published after the Second Vatican Council has the following Opening Prayer: “Father of all consolation, from whom nothing is hidden, you know the faith of these parents who mourn the death of their child. May they find comfort in knowing that he/she is entrusted to your loving care.” Under the old adage, “What the Church prays is what the Church believes,” such a prayer clearly implies hope that the child is in heaven.
To this add the fact that the new Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was published in 1994, states the following teaching, “As regards children who have died without baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men [sic] should be saved, and Jesus’ tenderness toward children which caused him to say: ‘Let the children come to me, do not hinder them,’ allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without baptism.” Interestingly, nowhere in the Catechism does the word “Limbo” appear.
It appears that the conclusions regarding Limbo were known long before the work of the Commission began.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 29, 2006: An Explanation of God
This and That:
An Explanation of God
The following was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, California. He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to “explain God.” I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
An Explanation of God
“One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.
“God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.
“God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.
“Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren’t any who come to our church.
“Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said okay.
“His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.
“You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.
“You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God!
Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.
“If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.
“But you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.
And that’s why I believe in God.”
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
An Explanation of God
The following was written by an 8-year-old named Danny Dutton, who lives in Chula Vista, California. He wrote it for his third grade homework assignment, to “explain God.” I wonder if any of us could have done as well?
An Explanation of God
“One of God’s main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn’t make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn’t have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.
“God’s second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn’t have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.
“God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps him pretty busy. So you shouldn’t go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad’s head asking for something they said you couldn’t have.
“Atheists are people who don’t believe in God. I don’t think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren’t any who come to our church.
“Jesus is God’s Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn’t want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him. But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn’t know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said okay.
“His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn’t have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.
“You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.
“You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there’s anybody you want to make happy, it’s God!
Don’t skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn’t come out at the beach until noon anyway.
“If you don’t believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can’t go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He’s around you when you’re scared, in the dark or when you can’t swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.
“But you shouldn’t just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.
And that’s why I believe in God.”
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly HOMILY for October 29, 2006: Unlikely Teachers
30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 29, 2006
Unlikely Teachers
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Miss Toner
Many of us have known both the joy and the privilege of having been taught by a capable and devoted teacher.
We have known one of those special people whose talent for teaching has stirred in us a sense of discovery and left us hungering for more.
Fine teachers have the ability to turn on lights in darkened heads and open up new worlds that invite deeper exploration, admiration, and respect.
For me it was Miss Toner, my 1st Grade teacher at PS 106 in Brooklyn, New York. I never knew her first name; teachers in elementary school didn’t have first names.
Rumor had it that I was a little overactive as a child. Who me? But Miss Toner would allow me to get up and walk to the back of the room when I felt the need to and as long as I was attentive, I could move quietly around back there.
What a relief it was to do so and while back there I could look at the aquarium, terrarium, hamsters, turtles, and snakes in their respective enclosures.
Without my knowing it she laid the foundation for my self-acceptance of my heightened sense of activity and my ability to multi-task.
Good teachers are, more often than not, also good people whose character, ethics and lifestyle also teach and challenge their students to respond in kind so as to grow into adults worthy of their mentoring.
Goethe, the great German poet and humanist, once said that, “A teacher who arouses feelings in us for one good action…accomplishes more than the teacher who fills our heads with interminable lists of natural objects.”
God bless Miss Toner, wherever she is. God bless the teachers who made us who we are today.
Jeremiah and Bartimaeus
Today, the Scripture selections, particularly the first reading and Gospel, present us with teachers, albeit unlikely ones, who also are intended to arouse in us feelings that will prompt us toward good actions.
These teachers are “unlikely” in that they are what the prophet Jeremiah calls the “remnant of Israel.”
“Remnant” refers to those few survivors who remain after a catastrophe. The most poignant imagery for the remnant appears in Amos where the “remnant of Israel” is compared to the remnant of a sheep, just a pair of legs or the tip of an ear, after an attack by a lion.
This graphic description was applied to the precious few who survived the calamities of war and exile because of their unquestioning reliance on God.
They are the poor, the voiceless, the disenfranchised; they are the blind, the lame, the mothers with child.
But what do these unlikely teachers have to teach us?
Lessons of Faith, Hope and Helplessness
FAITH: Foremost among the lessons imparted by God’s special remnant is the faith that inspired them to hold fast to God while all else seemed to elude their grasp.
Faithful in all things and in all seasons, they did not allow fear to cripple them or thwart their efforts.
Even when it seemed utter foolishness to rely on an unseen God in the face of obvious, formidable adversaries, God’s remnant believed.
HOPE: Along with faithfulness, the remnant of God’s poor ones teaches hope. Hope is based on the character of God whose promises are never broken but always kept, whose word never lies fallow, but is always fulfilled.
Hope dares to follow as God leads the remnant homeward; hope dares to cry out with Bartimaeus, “Jesus, have pity on me!”
Hope harbors no doubt even when its questions are unanswered and its needs unmet; hope follows Jesus up the road without benefit of map or any other directions save that of his presence.
HELPLESSNESS: While our unlikely educators, “the remnant,” appear to be weak, they are actually teaching us that true strength lies in knowing oneself to be utterly helpless and absolutely dependent upon God.
Like the blind Bartimaeus, they teach us the courage to cry out from our needs and our desires when popular mores would dictate that we be quiet and unobtrusive.
They teach us to throw caution and decorum to the wind when Jesus calls; they bid us jump at the chance to come to him, to know him and to experience his power.
They teach us the wisdom of following God’s will and God’s ways, even when these seem impractical, unpopular, and outdated.
They teach us not to sacrifice morals or principles or values on the altar of a popular culture that attribute its choices and behaviors to the signs of changing times and excuses its sins with: “This is the 21st Century, after all!”
Conclusion
Amidst these great though unlikely teachers, might not our rising out of our own helplessness give rise to a new level of faith and hope?
Our Lady of Grace
October 29, 2006
Unlikely Teachers
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Miss Toner
Many of us have known both the joy and the privilege of having been taught by a capable and devoted teacher.
We have known one of those special people whose talent for teaching has stirred in us a sense of discovery and left us hungering for more.
Fine teachers have the ability to turn on lights in darkened heads and open up new worlds that invite deeper exploration, admiration, and respect.
For me it was Miss Toner, my 1st Grade teacher at PS 106 in Brooklyn, New York. I never knew her first name; teachers in elementary school didn’t have first names.
Rumor had it that I was a little overactive as a child. Who me? But Miss Toner would allow me to get up and walk to the back of the room when I felt the need to and as long as I was attentive, I could move quietly around back there.
What a relief it was to do so and while back there I could look at the aquarium, terrarium, hamsters, turtles, and snakes in their respective enclosures.
Without my knowing it she laid the foundation for my self-acceptance of my heightened sense of activity and my ability to multi-task.
Good teachers are, more often than not, also good people whose character, ethics and lifestyle also teach and challenge their students to respond in kind so as to grow into adults worthy of their mentoring.
Goethe, the great German poet and humanist, once said that, “A teacher who arouses feelings in us for one good action…accomplishes more than the teacher who fills our heads with interminable lists of natural objects.”
God bless Miss Toner, wherever she is. God bless the teachers who made us who we are today.
Jeremiah and Bartimaeus
Today, the Scripture selections, particularly the first reading and Gospel, present us with teachers, albeit unlikely ones, who also are intended to arouse in us feelings that will prompt us toward good actions.
These teachers are “unlikely” in that they are what the prophet Jeremiah calls the “remnant of Israel.”
“Remnant” refers to those few survivors who remain after a catastrophe. The most poignant imagery for the remnant appears in Amos where the “remnant of Israel” is compared to the remnant of a sheep, just a pair of legs or the tip of an ear, after an attack by a lion.
This graphic description was applied to the precious few who survived the calamities of war and exile because of their unquestioning reliance on God.
They are the poor, the voiceless, the disenfranchised; they are the blind, the lame, the mothers with child.
But what do these unlikely teachers have to teach us?
Lessons of Faith, Hope and Helplessness
FAITH: Foremost among the lessons imparted by God’s special remnant is the faith that inspired them to hold fast to God while all else seemed to elude their grasp.
Faithful in all things and in all seasons, they did not allow fear to cripple them or thwart their efforts.
Even when it seemed utter foolishness to rely on an unseen God in the face of obvious, formidable adversaries, God’s remnant believed.
HOPE: Along with faithfulness, the remnant of God’s poor ones teaches hope. Hope is based on the character of God whose promises are never broken but always kept, whose word never lies fallow, but is always fulfilled.
Hope dares to follow as God leads the remnant homeward; hope dares to cry out with Bartimaeus, “Jesus, have pity on me!”
Hope harbors no doubt even when its questions are unanswered and its needs unmet; hope follows Jesus up the road without benefit of map or any other directions save that of his presence.
HELPLESSNESS: While our unlikely educators, “the remnant,” appear to be weak, they are actually teaching us that true strength lies in knowing oneself to be utterly helpless and absolutely dependent upon God.
Like the blind Bartimaeus, they teach us the courage to cry out from our needs and our desires when popular mores would dictate that we be quiet and unobtrusive.
They teach us to throw caution and decorum to the wind when Jesus calls; they bid us jump at the chance to come to him, to know him and to experience his power.
They teach us the wisdom of following God’s will and God’s ways, even when these seem impractical, unpopular, and outdated.
They teach us not to sacrifice morals or principles or values on the altar of a popular culture that attribute its choices and behaviors to the signs of changing times and excuses its sins with: “This is the 21st Century, after all!”
Conclusion
Amidst these great though unlikely teachers, might not our rising out of our own helplessness give rise to a new level of faith and hope?
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Weekly HOMILY for October 22, 2006: Deacon Preaching Sunday
29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 22, 2006
This weekend is “Deacon Preaching Weekend” so Father Nick did not preach.
He’ll return next weekend, October 29, 2006
Our Lady of Grace
October 22, 2006
This weekend is “Deacon Preaching Weekend” so Father Nick did not preach.
He’ll return next weekend, October 29, 2006
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 22, 2006: What'll It Be: Water or Coke?
This and That:
What’ll It Be: Water or Coke?
A friend sent me the following eye-opening information on water and Coke. I did check “Rumors on the Web” before sharing it, thinking it might be some sort of a ruse. It was not listed.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Facts about Water:
1. Seventy-five percent of all Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism
is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s
metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight
hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime
fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10
glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger
fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases
the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash
the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50%
less likely to develop bladder cancer.
Facts About Coke
9. In many states in the USA the highway
patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to
remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
10. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of
Coke and it will be gone in two days.
11. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola
into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit
for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in
Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
12. To remove rust spots from chrome car
bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
13. To clean corrosion from car battery
terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the
terminals to bubble away the corrosion
14. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth
soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
15. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of
Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in
aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the
drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.
16. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can
of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add
detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The
Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
17. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.
18. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric
acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in
about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
19. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate)
a commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
20. The distributors of Coke have been using it
to clean the engines of their trucks for
about 20 years!
Now the question is ... would you like a Coke or a glass of water?
What’ll It Be: Water or Coke?
A friend sent me the following eye-opening information on water and Coke. I did check “Rumors on the Web” before sharing it, thinking it might be some sort of a ruse. It was not listed.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Facts about Water:
1. Seventy-five percent of all Americans are chronically dehydrated.
2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism
is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
3. Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s
metabolism as much as 3%.
4. One glass of water will shut down midnight
hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.
5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime
fatigue.
6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10
glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger
fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases
the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash
the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50%
less likely to develop bladder cancer.
Facts About Coke
9. In many states in the USA the highway
patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to
remove blood from the highway after a car accident.
10. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of
Coke and it will be gone in two days.
11. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola
into the toilet bowl and let the “real thing” sit
for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in
Coke removes stains from vitreous China.
12. To remove rust spots from chrome car
bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.
13. To clean corrosion from car battery
terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the
terminals to bubble away the corrosion
14. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth
soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.
15. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of
Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in
aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the
drippings to mix with the Coke for sumptuous brown gravy.
16. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can
of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add
detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The
Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains.
17. It will also clean road haze from your
windshield.
18. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric
acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in
about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.
19. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate)
a commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for highly corrosive materials.
20. The distributors of Coke have been using it
to clean the engines of their trucks for
about 20 years!
Now the question is ... would you like a Coke or a glass of water?
Weekly MESSAGE for October 22, 2006: Holy Father to Visit Turkey
October 22, 2006
Dear Friend,
It was wonderful to hear that Pope Benedict XVI will visit Turkey from November 28th to December 1st. The trip is taking place in response to an invitation from Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The Pope will fly from Rome to Ankara, the Turkish capital, on Tuesday, Nov. 28th.
The following day he will visit Smyrna (or Izmir), the country’s third largest city, known as “the pearl of the Aegean,” and Ephesus, the city where St. Paul of Tarsus lived and where he was held captive. Tradition says that St. John the Evangelist lived there, accompanied by the Virgin Mary.
That same day, Benedict XVI will arrive in Istanbul, the former Constantinople, where he will stay until December 1st. In this way, the Pope will fulfill the original objective of his trip: to respond to the invitation of Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to take part in the feast of St. Andrew, the patriarchate’s patron saint, Nov. 30th.
The Pope has stated that the priorities of his pontificate include the promotion of ecumenical dialogue.
The Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, Bishop Luigi Padovese, said recently that the papal visit might be an irreplaceable occasion to deliver a clear address on Islamic-Christian relations.
Turkey is a secular, democratic and constitutional republic, whose political system was established in 1923. Of its 70 million inhabitants, 99% are Muslims, the majority Sunnis. Catholics comprise 0.05% of the population. Talk about an opportunity for good will!
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend,
It was wonderful to hear that Pope Benedict XVI will visit Turkey from November 28th to December 1st. The trip is taking place in response to an invitation from Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. The Pope will fly from Rome to Ankara, the Turkish capital, on Tuesday, Nov. 28th.
The following day he will visit Smyrna (or Izmir), the country’s third largest city, known as “the pearl of the Aegean,” and Ephesus, the city where St. Paul of Tarsus lived and where he was held captive. Tradition says that St. John the Evangelist lived there, accompanied by the Virgin Mary.
That same day, Benedict XVI will arrive in Istanbul, the former Constantinople, where he will stay until December 1st. In this way, the Pope will fulfill the original objective of his trip: to respond to the invitation of Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to take part in the feast of St. Andrew, the patriarchate’s patron saint, Nov. 30th.
The Pope has stated that the priorities of his pontificate include the promotion of ecumenical dialogue.
The Apostolic Vicar of Anatolia, Bishop Luigi Padovese, said recently that the papal visit might be an irreplaceable occasion to deliver a clear address on Islamic-Christian relations.
Turkey is a secular, democratic and constitutional republic, whose political system was established in 1923. Of its 70 million inhabitants, 99% are Muslims, the majority Sunnis. Catholics comprise 0.05% of the population. Talk about an opportunity for good will!
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Weekly MESSAGE for October 15, 2006: The Power of Faith and Forgiveness
October 15, 2006
Dear Friend
I continue to marvel at the power of faith and the strength of the Amish Community in the face of the Amish School Shootings
It is Jim Wallis’ job is to read a variety of news sources each morning and summarize the top stories in a daily digest he produces. He confesses that there are times when the violence in our world – from Darfur to Iraq, Colombia to the Middle East – threatens him with numbness. Then, there comes a story that deeply affects him. The following is his very moving account of such a story.
“On Monday morning, the breaking news bulletins began to flash into my inbox of a shooting at an Amish schoolhouse near Paradise, PA, in the heart of Lancaster County. For me, that’s home – I grew up in the County, and for 25 years my parents lived ten miles from that school. My wife’s grandmother was Amish, and we both still have relatives in the area. As more details came in, the shock and grief grew. A heavily armed gunman, Charles Roberts, walked into a one-room country schoolhouse, ordered all the boys to leave, then tied up ten little girls and methodically shot them in the head before killing himself. News stories emerged of state troopers with their uniforms soaked in blood as they worked with medics trying to save lives.
Five girls died, and five are still in hospitals in serious to critical condition.
“Suddenly, the media discovered the Amish. A quiet, peaceful offshoot of the 16th century Anabaptist movement who have lived in Lancaster County since the early 1700’s, living and farming for the last three centuries without the aid of modern technology. I know the countryside where this tragedy occurred. It’s rolling farmland, with not a power line in sight and farmers with teams of horses working the fields. If you ignore the car you’re driving on the back roads, it’s easy to imagine you’re in the 19th century.
“I’ve been surprised at the news coverage. The reporters covering the story have understood and written about the Amish in a generally knowledgeable and respectful way. As I’ve read the news, and reflected on the events, two things struck me as having entered into the news cycle that we don’t often see. One is the power of faith and forgiveness, the other the strength of community. In their quiet way, the Amish families and neighbors of these girls showed a witness to the world that it doesn’t see very often.
The Power of Faith and Forgiveness
“A pastor who has been with the Roberts family – the gunman leaves behind a wife and three children – told a Lancaster newspaper of being in the family’s home when there was a knock on the door. It was an Amish neighbor coming on behalf of the community. He put his arms around Roberts’ father, and said, “We will forgive you.” The pastor concluded: “God met us in that kitchen.”
“Also reported was a statement the family of one of the girls gave to the press: “We don’t know or understand why this happened, but we do believe God allowed this to happen. The rest of us, our lives will go on. We will try to work together to support and help the families directly involved, knowing that the innocent children likely need help in dealing with this tragedy of their friends, neighbors, and schoolmates.’’ The girl’s great-uncle added, “There is sadness for everybody involved, including the man responsible for this tragedy.’’
“One of this morning’s headlines reads: “Amish families hurt, but find way to forgive.” It is a spirit that I don’t often see in the news. A spirit in complete keeping with Jesus: “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:43-44) And a spirit that is now being sustained by Jesus: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. … Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:4, 7)
The Strength of Community
“The Amish community is known for its self-reliance. They do not have property insurance, so a community-wide barn raising is held to replace one downed by fire. They do not hold health or life insurance, relying rather on the community. The news reports this week have told of neighbors, friends and relatives coming to the homes of the families, bringing food and comfort. An AP story quoted a family counselor who was called to talk with the students who had run away: “There is a coming together. That’s how they deal with everything. They come together.” In a time of great grief, there is the strength of family and community.
“It is a community that lives by the words of Paul to his churches: “Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it…” (1 Corinthians 12:26) This week, the Amish community is demonstrating to the world the truth of those verses.”
What a great example these simple followers of Jesus are for us all.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend
I continue to marvel at the power of faith and the strength of the Amish Community in the face of the Amish School Shootings
It is Jim Wallis’ job is to read a variety of news sources each morning and summarize the top stories in a daily digest he produces. He confesses that there are times when the violence in our world – from Darfur to Iraq, Colombia to the Middle East – threatens him with numbness. Then, there comes a story that deeply affects him. The following is his very moving account of such a story.
“On Monday morning, the breaking news bulletins began to flash into my inbox of a shooting at an Amish schoolhouse near Paradise, PA, in the heart of Lancaster County. For me, that’s home – I grew up in the County, and for 25 years my parents lived ten miles from that school. My wife’s grandmother was Amish, and we both still have relatives in the area. As more details came in, the shock and grief grew. A heavily armed gunman, Charles Roberts, walked into a one-room country schoolhouse, ordered all the boys to leave, then tied up ten little girls and methodically shot them in the head before killing himself. News stories emerged of state troopers with their uniforms soaked in blood as they worked with medics trying to save lives.
Five girls died, and five are still in hospitals in serious to critical condition.
“Suddenly, the media discovered the Amish. A quiet, peaceful offshoot of the 16th century Anabaptist movement who have lived in Lancaster County since the early 1700’s, living and farming for the last three centuries without the aid of modern technology. I know the countryside where this tragedy occurred. It’s rolling farmland, with not a power line in sight and farmers with teams of horses working the fields. If you ignore the car you’re driving on the back roads, it’s easy to imagine you’re in the 19th century.
“I’ve been surprised at the news coverage. The reporters covering the story have understood and written about the Amish in a generally knowledgeable and respectful way. As I’ve read the news, and reflected on the events, two things struck me as having entered into the news cycle that we don’t often see. One is the power of faith and forgiveness, the other the strength of community. In their quiet way, the Amish families and neighbors of these girls showed a witness to the world that it doesn’t see very often.
The Power of Faith and Forgiveness
“A pastor who has been with the Roberts family – the gunman leaves behind a wife and three children – told a Lancaster newspaper of being in the family’s home when there was a knock on the door. It was an Amish neighbor coming on behalf of the community. He put his arms around Roberts’ father, and said, “We will forgive you.” The pastor concluded: “God met us in that kitchen.”
“Also reported was a statement the family of one of the girls gave to the press: “We don’t know or understand why this happened, but we do believe God allowed this to happen. The rest of us, our lives will go on. We will try to work together to support and help the families directly involved, knowing that the innocent children likely need help in dealing with this tragedy of their friends, neighbors, and schoolmates.’’ The girl’s great-uncle added, “There is sadness for everybody involved, including the man responsible for this tragedy.’’
“One of this morning’s headlines reads: “Amish families hurt, but find way to forgive.” It is a spirit that I don’t often see in the news. A spirit in complete keeping with Jesus: “You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:43-44) And a spirit that is now being sustained by Jesus: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. … Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:4, 7)
The Strength of Community
“The Amish community is known for its self-reliance. They do not have property insurance, so a community-wide barn raising is held to replace one downed by fire. They do not hold health or life insurance, relying rather on the community. The news reports this week have told of neighbors, friends and relatives coming to the homes of the families, bringing food and comfort. An AP story quoted a family counselor who was called to talk with the students who had run away: “There is a coming together. That’s how they deal with everything. They come together.” In a time of great grief, there is the strength of family and community.
“It is a community that lives by the words of Paul to his churches: “Bear one another's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2) “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it…” (1 Corinthians 12:26) This week, the Amish community is demonstrating to the world the truth of those verses.”
What a great example these simple followers of Jesus are for us all.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 15, 2006: A Message from the World Summit of Religious Leaders
This and That:
A Message From World Summit of Religious Leaders
This past summer the World Summit of Religious Leaders met in Moscow and issued the following joint message. They represented heads and delegates of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Shinto religious communities in 49 countries and appealed to the Heads of States, to their religious communities and to all people of good will.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
We believe that the human person is religious by nature. Since the dawn of history, religion has played the key role in the development of thought, culture, ethics and the social order. With the ever-growing role of faith in contemporary society, we want religion to continue being a solid foundation for peace and dialogue amongst civilizations, and not to be used as a source of division and conflict. Religion has the potential to bind together diverse peoples and cultures despite our human fragility, particularly in today’s context of plurality and diversity.
Human life
Human life is a gift of the Almighty. Our sacred duty is to preserve it, and this should be the concern of both religious communities and political leaders. Dialogue and partnership among civilizations should not just be slogans. We need to build a world order which combines democracy – as the way of harmonizing different interests and as people’s participation in national and global decision-making – and respect to the moral feeling, way of life, various legal and political systems, and national and religious traditions of people. Comprehensive, just and durable solutions of international disputes should be reached by peaceful means. We reject double standards in international relations. The world should have many poles and many systems, meeting the requirements of all individuals and nations rather than matching lifeless and oversimplified ideological patterns.
The human being is the Creator’s unique creation whose existence reaches into eternity. Humans should not become either a commodity or an object of political manipulation or an element of the production and consumption machine.
Conception till natural death
It is, therefore, necessary to assert constantly the highest value of human life from conception to the final breath and natural death. Thus the family needs support today, for it is the privileged context for cultivating the free, intelligent and moral personality. We call for more assistance to the family, particularly in its formative mission by national and international law and the practice of states, various public institutions, religious communities and the mass media.
Linked to this is our concern for the status of women and children in many societies. Promoting the unique character of every person, women and men, children and the elderly, as well as people with disabilities, we see that they all have their special gifts. Protecting them from violence and exploitation is a common task for authorities, society, and religious communities.
The human being is the supreme creation of the Almighty. Therefore human rights – their protection and respect at the national, regional and international level – are an important concern for us. Nevertheless, our experience also shows that without an ethical core, without understanding our duties, no society or country is exempt from conflict and collapse.
Freedom and rights
Sin and vice ruin both the individual and the society. For this reason we are convinced that law and social order should seek to bring together in fruitful harmony a commitment to rights and freedom as well as an awareness of the ethical principles that are constitutive of human living together. We state the importance of religious freedom in today’s world. Individuals and groups must be immune from coercion. No one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his or her own beliefs in religious matters. It is also necessary to take into account the rights of religious and ethnic minorities.
We condemn terrorism and extremism of any form, as well as attempts to justify them by religion. We consider it our duty to oppose enmity on political, ethnic or religious grounds. We deplore the activities of pseudo-religious groups and movements destroying freedom and health of people as well as the ethical climate in societies. Using religion as a means for rousing hatred or an excuse for crimes against individuals, morality and humanity present a major challenge today. This can be effectively addressed only through education and moral formation. School, mass media, and preaching by religious leaders should return to our contemporaries the full knowledge of their religious traditions which call them to peace and love.
Ethical values
We call for an end to any insult to religious feelings and defilement of texts, symbols, names or places held sacred by believers. Those who abuse sacred things should know that it wounds the hearts and stirs up strife among the people. Through education and social action, we must reassert sustainable ethical values in the consciousness of people. We believe these values to be given to us by the Almighty and deeply rooted in human nature. They are shared by our religions in many practical ways.
We feel responsible for the moral condition of our societies and want to shoulder this responsibility in working together with states and civil associations enabling a life where ethical values are an asset and a source of sustainability.
Economy and resources
Human life is also interrelated with economy. International economic order, as all other spheres of global architecture, should be based on justice. All economic and business activities should be socially responsible and carried out using the ethical standards. It is this that makes the economy really efficient, that is, beneficial to the people. A life lived only for financial profit and facilitating production progress becomes barren and meager. Being aware of this, we call on the business community to be open and responsible towards the civil society, including religious communities, at the national and global levels.
It is imperative that all governments and the business community alike be responsible stewards of the resources of our planet. These resources, as given to all generations by the Creator, should be used for the benefit of everyone. All nations have the right to use their resources, sharing them with others, as well as to develop technologies for their effective use and preservation.
Poverty
The responsible distribution of the earth’s richness, in addition to just international trade and active humanitarian involvement, will help overcome the poverty and hunger suffered by billions of our brothers and sisters. Poverty and social vulnerability become the cause of mass migration generating more and more problems in both poor and rich countries. The concentration of the majority of the world’s wealth in the hands of a few, while an enormous number of people, especially children, live in abject poverty, is a global tragedy. It will most definitely continue to destabilize the world, threatening global peace. We call upon all nations to return to a life of moderation, self-restraint and active justice. This will secure a hopeful future for upcoming generations and effectively function to cut the ground out from under the feet of extremists and terrorists.
Today’s challenges
The governments, religious communities and peoples of the world should work together to face the challenges of today, such as infectious disease epidemics, particularly AIDS, as well as drug addiction, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. No country, regardless of wealth and power, can cope with these threats on its own. We are all interconnected and share a common destiny. This requires concerted and united action by all member states of the international community. Moreover, the spread of diseases is not a concern for doctors alone, and the dissemination of lethal technologies is not a problem for law-enforcers alone. These challenges should become a common concern for the whole society.
Dialogue
Inter-religious dialogue should be maintained by the religious leaders and experts, and be enriched by the contribution of ordinary believers. It is inappropriate, and history shows that it is dangerous, for the actions of religious communities to be dictated by political interests. We also deplore attempts to artificially “merge” religious traditions or to change them without the will of their adherents in order to bring them closer to secularism. Our communities are also ready to develop dialogue with the adherents of non-religious views, with politicians, with all civil society structures, with international organizations. It is our hope that such a dialogue continues, permitting religions to contribute to concord and understanding among nations, a common home founded on the truth, built according to justice, vivified by love and liberty.
This dialogue should be conducted on an equal footing, in a responsible way and on a regular basis, with openness to any themes, without ideological prejudice. We believe that the time has come for a more systemic partnership of religious leaders with the United Nations. Making a special appeal to all the believing people, we urge them to respect and accept one another regardless of their religious, national or other differences. Let us help one another and all well-intentioned people in building a better future for the entire human family. Let us preserve peace given to us by the Almighty!
Moscow
July 5, 2006
A Message From World Summit of Religious Leaders
This past summer the World Summit of Religious Leaders met in Moscow and issued the following joint message. They represented heads and delegates of Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, and Shinto religious communities in 49 countries and appealed to the Heads of States, to their religious communities and to all people of good will.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
We believe that the human person is religious by nature. Since the dawn of history, religion has played the key role in the development of thought, culture, ethics and the social order. With the ever-growing role of faith in contemporary society, we want religion to continue being a solid foundation for peace and dialogue amongst civilizations, and not to be used as a source of division and conflict. Religion has the potential to bind together diverse peoples and cultures despite our human fragility, particularly in today’s context of plurality and diversity.
Human life
Human life is a gift of the Almighty. Our sacred duty is to preserve it, and this should be the concern of both religious communities and political leaders. Dialogue and partnership among civilizations should not just be slogans. We need to build a world order which combines democracy – as the way of harmonizing different interests and as people’s participation in national and global decision-making – and respect to the moral feeling, way of life, various legal and political systems, and national and religious traditions of people. Comprehensive, just and durable solutions of international disputes should be reached by peaceful means. We reject double standards in international relations. The world should have many poles and many systems, meeting the requirements of all individuals and nations rather than matching lifeless and oversimplified ideological patterns.
The human being is the Creator’s unique creation whose existence reaches into eternity. Humans should not become either a commodity or an object of political manipulation or an element of the production and consumption machine.
Conception till natural death
It is, therefore, necessary to assert constantly the highest value of human life from conception to the final breath and natural death. Thus the family needs support today, for it is the privileged context for cultivating the free, intelligent and moral personality. We call for more assistance to the family, particularly in its formative mission by national and international law and the practice of states, various public institutions, religious communities and the mass media.
Linked to this is our concern for the status of women and children in many societies. Promoting the unique character of every person, women and men, children and the elderly, as well as people with disabilities, we see that they all have their special gifts. Protecting them from violence and exploitation is a common task for authorities, society, and religious communities.
The human being is the supreme creation of the Almighty. Therefore human rights – their protection and respect at the national, regional and international level – are an important concern for us. Nevertheless, our experience also shows that without an ethical core, without understanding our duties, no society or country is exempt from conflict and collapse.
Freedom and rights
Sin and vice ruin both the individual and the society. For this reason we are convinced that law and social order should seek to bring together in fruitful harmony a commitment to rights and freedom as well as an awareness of the ethical principles that are constitutive of human living together. We state the importance of religious freedom in today’s world. Individuals and groups must be immune from coercion. No one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his or her own beliefs in religious matters. It is also necessary to take into account the rights of religious and ethnic minorities.
We condemn terrorism and extremism of any form, as well as attempts to justify them by religion. We consider it our duty to oppose enmity on political, ethnic or religious grounds. We deplore the activities of pseudo-religious groups and movements destroying freedom and health of people as well as the ethical climate in societies. Using religion as a means for rousing hatred or an excuse for crimes against individuals, morality and humanity present a major challenge today. This can be effectively addressed only through education and moral formation. School, mass media, and preaching by religious leaders should return to our contemporaries the full knowledge of their religious traditions which call them to peace and love.
Ethical values
We call for an end to any insult to religious feelings and defilement of texts, symbols, names or places held sacred by believers. Those who abuse sacred things should know that it wounds the hearts and stirs up strife among the people. Through education and social action, we must reassert sustainable ethical values in the consciousness of people. We believe these values to be given to us by the Almighty and deeply rooted in human nature. They are shared by our religions in many practical ways.
We feel responsible for the moral condition of our societies and want to shoulder this responsibility in working together with states and civil associations enabling a life where ethical values are an asset and a source of sustainability.
Economy and resources
Human life is also interrelated with economy. International economic order, as all other spheres of global architecture, should be based on justice. All economic and business activities should be socially responsible and carried out using the ethical standards. It is this that makes the economy really efficient, that is, beneficial to the people. A life lived only for financial profit and facilitating production progress becomes barren and meager. Being aware of this, we call on the business community to be open and responsible towards the civil society, including religious communities, at the national and global levels.
It is imperative that all governments and the business community alike be responsible stewards of the resources of our planet. These resources, as given to all generations by the Creator, should be used for the benefit of everyone. All nations have the right to use their resources, sharing them with others, as well as to develop technologies for their effective use and preservation.
Poverty
The responsible distribution of the earth’s richness, in addition to just international trade and active humanitarian involvement, will help overcome the poverty and hunger suffered by billions of our brothers and sisters. Poverty and social vulnerability become the cause of mass migration generating more and more problems in both poor and rich countries. The concentration of the majority of the world’s wealth in the hands of a few, while an enormous number of people, especially children, live in abject poverty, is a global tragedy. It will most definitely continue to destabilize the world, threatening global peace. We call upon all nations to return to a life of moderation, self-restraint and active justice. This will secure a hopeful future for upcoming generations and effectively function to cut the ground out from under the feet of extremists and terrorists.
Today’s challenges
The governments, religious communities and peoples of the world should work together to face the challenges of today, such as infectious disease epidemics, particularly AIDS, as well as drug addiction, and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. No country, regardless of wealth and power, can cope with these threats on its own. We are all interconnected and share a common destiny. This requires concerted and united action by all member states of the international community. Moreover, the spread of diseases is not a concern for doctors alone, and the dissemination of lethal technologies is not a problem for law-enforcers alone. These challenges should become a common concern for the whole society.
Dialogue
Inter-religious dialogue should be maintained by the religious leaders and experts, and be enriched by the contribution of ordinary believers. It is inappropriate, and history shows that it is dangerous, for the actions of religious communities to be dictated by political interests. We also deplore attempts to artificially “merge” religious traditions or to change them without the will of their adherents in order to bring them closer to secularism. Our communities are also ready to develop dialogue with the adherents of non-religious views, with politicians, with all civil society structures, with international organizations. It is our hope that such a dialogue continues, permitting religions to contribute to concord and understanding among nations, a common home founded on the truth, built according to justice, vivified by love and liberty.
This dialogue should be conducted on an equal footing, in a responsible way and on a regular basis, with openness to any themes, without ideological prejudice. We believe that the time has come for a more systemic partnership of religious leaders with the United Nations. Making a special appeal to all the believing people, we urge them to respect and accept one another regardless of their religious, national or other differences. Let us help one another and all well-intentioned people in building a better future for the entire human family. Let us preserve peace given to us by the Almighty!
Moscow
July 5, 2006
Weekly HOMILY for October 15, 2006: The Choices Before Us to Folow Jesus
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 15, 2006
The Choices Before Us to Follow Jesus
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Arid Land → Niagara Falls
Once upon a time, two men lived on the arid stretches of mesa in Arizona where it rained only briefly a couple times a year. Nothing grew there except cactus, lizards and sand fleas.
Both men had grown weary of being so thirsty in such a dusty place so they decided to travel to Niagara Falls.
Upon their arrival, the view was breathtaking! They witnessed water thundering down hundreds of feet in abundance, making the air heavy with mist, offering cool refreshment to all.
Overjoyed at their discovery, one of the men held out a large empty juice bottle and in a flash it was filled to overflowing. “I think I shall come here every six months with a bottle or two,” he said to his companion.
The other man shared his own idea. “I think I shall leave my home in Arizona and settle and build a home by the river.”
The Falls or the Desert?
Which of the two men showed himself to be truly wise, wise as Solomon in the first reading or wise as Jesus in the Gospel we just heard?
With which of the two men might you identify? Whose lead would you follow?
Probably only a few of us would dare to admit that we might choose to go back to life in the arid desert and rely on the occasional visit to the Falls for a much needed respite.
While we might long for relief from the aridity and dust, how many of us would be willing or wise enough to make such a life-changing decision and leave all that was familiar – however dreadful or unsatisfying – in order to embrace the unknown, the untried?
Would we dare risk our sure base of security? Would we chance the loss of everything that was so familiar?
Religious Status Quo
But this is precisely the choice placed by Jesus to the young man who runs up to him to ask about a share in everlasting life. And it is the choice placed before us today as we “run up” to Jesus in the Eucharist this evening/morning.
First, we can continue with our “religious status quo,” that is, keeping the rules that have been our guide since we were children, rules like not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying or defrauding, and honoring one’s parents and thinking we’re doing just fine.
Notice the comfort level we may have here and one that can be attained with a just a smidgen of faithfulness and perseverance.
Or we can let go of the comfortable easily kept rules and venture out into the unknown – the going beyond the rules – by being kind to others especially strangers, taking time to “turn the other cheek,” “walk the extra mile,” stepping up to the plate and offering to volunteer at my church?
Things we Posses and Treasure
Second, we can look at the things we posses and treasure, the things we go to great lengths to amass, and ask, “How much faith do I put into these things to bring me lasting happiness?”
Can I come away from the safe harbor of familiar objects, expensive “toys,” and things that glitter and vie for my attention?
Can I acknowledge that nothing satisfies like my relationship with Jesus Christ?
And if that is true, do I take the time to pursue that relationship with faithful attendance at weekly Mass, daily prayer, and acts of kindness?
Security Against the Future
Third, in my mind can I let go of what I consider “security against the future” that I have stored up against a rainy day, you know, my “hedge against inflation,” my secured savings?
Can I let go of what makes me feel invulnerable and prepared to face any and all emergencies?
It’s not having these securities that Jesus is calling us from, so much as it’s placing our trust in these things to keep us secure over Jesus’ relationship with me.
To all these things – “Religious status quo,” “Things we posses and treasure,” and “Security against the future” – that Jesus invites us to: “Come away, let go, and attach yourself to me as if to a lifeboat on a stormy sea.”
Conclusion
We need to be fully aware of the challenge Jesus is offering the young man in the Gospel who runs to him in eager anticipation, then goes away sad, his face fallen, his heart weighed down with blessings and burdens of many possessions.
Why? because Jesus is speaking the very same challenge to us today.
The question for us is, like the second man in the fairytale of Niagara, “Are we willing to build our home in Jesus Christ?”
Our Lady of Grace
October 15, 2006
The Choices Before Us to Follow Jesus
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
Arid Land → Niagara Falls
Once upon a time, two men lived on the arid stretches of mesa in Arizona where it rained only briefly a couple times a year. Nothing grew there except cactus, lizards and sand fleas.
Both men had grown weary of being so thirsty in such a dusty place so they decided to travel to Niagara Falls.
Upon their arrival, the view was breathtaking! They witnessed water thundering down hundreds of feet in abundance, making the air heavy with mist, offering cool refreshment to all.
Overjoyed at their discovery, one of the men held out a large empty juice bottle and in a flash it was filled to overflowing. “I think I shall come here every six months with a bottle or two,” he said to his companion.
The other man shared his own idea. “I think I shall leave my home in Arizona and settle and build a home by the river.”
The Falls or the Desert?
Which of the two men showed himself to be truly wise, wise as Solomon in the first reading or wise as Jesus in the Gospel we just heard?
With which of the two men might you identify? Whose lead would you follow?
Probably only a few of us would dare to admit that we might choose to go back to life in the arid desert and rely on the occasional visit to the Falls for a much needed respite.
While we might long for relief from the aridity and dust, how many of us would be willing or wise enough to make such a life-changing decision and leave all that was familiar – however dreadful or unsatisfying – in order to embrace the unknown, the untried?
Would we dare risk our sure base of security? Would we chance the loss of everything that was so familiar?
Religious Status Quo
But this is precisely the choice placed by Jesus to the young man who runs up to him to ask about a share in everlasting life. And it is the choice placed before us today as we “run up” to Jesus in the Eucharist this evening/morning.
First, we can continue with our “religious status quo,” that is, keeping the rules that have been our guide since we were children, rules like not killing, not committing adultery, not stealing, not lying or defrauding, and honoring one’s parents and thinking we’re doing just fine.
Notice the comfort level we may have here and one that can be attained with a just a smidgen of faithfulness and perseverance.
Or we can let go of the comfortable easily kept rules and venture out into the unknown – the going beyond the rules – by being kind to others especially strangers, taking time to “turn the other cheek,” “walk the extra mile,” stepping up to the plate and offering to volunteer at my church?
Things we Posses and Treasure
Second, we can look at the things we posses and treasure, the things we go to great lengths to amass, and ask, “How much faith do I put into these things to bring me lasting happiness?”
Can I come away from the safe harbor of familiar objects, expensive “toys,” and things that glitter and vie for my attention?
Can I acknowledge that nothing satisfies like my relationship with Jesus Christ?
And if that is true, do I take the time to pursue that relationship with faithful attendance at weekly Mass, daily prayer, and acts of kindness?
Security Against the Future
Third, in my mind can I let go of what I consider “security against the future” that I have stored up against a rainy day, you know, my “hedge against inflation,” my secured savings?
Can I let go of what makes me feel invulnerable and prepared to face any and all emergencies?
It’s not having these securities that Jesus is calling us from, so much as it’s placing our trust in these things to keep us secure over Jesus’ relationship with me.
To all these things – “Religious status quo,” “Things we posses and treasure,” and “Security against the future” – that Jesus invites us to: “Come away, let go, and attach yourself to me as if to a lifeboat on a stormy sea.”
Conclusion
We need to be fully aware of the challenge Jesus is offering the young man in the Gospel who runs to him in eager anticipation, then goes away sad, his face fallen, his heart weighed down with blessings and burdens of many possessions.
Why? because Jesus is speaking the very same challenge to us today.
The question for us is, like the second man in the fairytale of Niagara, “Are we willing to build our home in Jesus Christ?”
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Weekly MESSAGE for October 8, 2006: Today We Are Amish
October 8, 2006
Dear Friend,
This past week I have found myself mourning the death of the five little girls in Monday’s Amish schoolhouse shooting in Lancaster County, PA. The editorial in Wednesday’s Baltimore Sun settled me a bit and brought tears to my eyes.
“Lamentations: The Baltimore Sun, Wednesday, October 4, 20065
“Death is seldom easy to bear, but to lose so many innocent children to such unspeakable horror as took place Monday in a barricaded one-room schoolhouse is a tragedy beyond measure. And yet the image that will haunt us for a long time is not the TV helicopter-eye view of that pastoral killing ground in tiny Nickel Mines, PA, but the congregation of Amish men in their dark clothes and straw hats and women in equally plain dress standing a silent vigil outside the police crime-scene tape. They are transfixed by the grim proceedings, but powerless to do much about them.
“Today, we are Amish. We are standing on the outside trying to understand this incomprehensible act of violence. How could a man, a father of three who family members insist has lived a rational life, shoot these young girls in such a carefully planned and brutal manner? As of late yesterday afternoon, police say five of Charles Carl Roberts IV’s victims are dead; five others remain hospitalized in critical condition.
“This is a crime that will no doubt be analyzed and scrutinized and dissected by police, forensic psychiatrists and other experts in considerable detail. Police have offered evidence that Mr. Roberts had a confused and twisted mind. He claimed to have abused children in the past and dreamed of doing so again. He may have harbored deep guilt, anger and self-loathing.
“So, too, the tragedy will raise familiar questions of public policy. We will no doubt re-examine the too-easy availability of firearms in this country; the propensity for violent attacks in schools, what motivates them and how to make schools more secure; and whether the steady cultural diet of violence in our news and entertainment incites imitators or merely inspires mind-numbing indifference and acceptance.
“But it’s difficult to take much comfort from explanation or outrage. They cannot hold a dead man accountable, or raise his victims, or restore their grieving families. What we must deal with now is a sadness and a sense of disquietude that such a thing could happen in this country, particularly to a religious brethren that abhors violence and rejects the vanity and materialism of 21st-century life.
“We’ve seen too many bullets fired into too many children for too long. A terrible hurt has been inflicted. Nickel Mines may be a 90-minute drive and a cultural world away from Baltimore, but it doesn’t feel so far apart right now. “
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friend,
This past week I have found myself mourning the death of the five little girls in Monday’s Amish schoolhouse shooting in Lancaster County, PA. The editorial in Wednesday’s Baltimore Sun settled me a bit and brought tears to my eyes.
“Lamentations: The Baltimore Sun, Wednesday, October 4, 20065
“Death is seldom easy to bear, but to lose so many innocent children to such unspeakable horror as took place Monday in a barricaded one-room schoolhouse is a tragedy beyond measure. And yet the image that will haunt us for a long time is not the TV helicopter-eye view of that pastoral killing ground in tiny Nickel Mines, PA, but the congregation of Amish men in their dark clothes and straw hats and women in equally plain dress standing a silent vigil outside the police crime-scene tape. They are transfixed by the grim proceedings, but powerless to do much about them.
“Today, we are Amish. We are standing on the outside trying to understand this incomprehensible act of violence. How could a man, a father of three who family members insist has lived a rational life, shoot these young girls in such a carefully planned and brutal manner? As of late yesterday afternoon, police say five of Charles Carl Roberts IV’s victims are dead; five others remain hospitalized in critical condition.
“This is a crime that will no doubt be analyzed and scrutinized and dissected by police, forensic psychiatrists and other experts in considerable detail. Police have offered evidence that Mr. Roberts had a confused and twisted mind. He claimed to have abused children in the past and dreamed of doing so again. He may have harbored deep guilt, anger and self-loathing.
“So, too, the tragedy will raise familiar questions of public policy. We will no doubt re-examine the too-easy availability of firearms in this country; the propensity for violent attacks in schools, what motivates them and how to make schools more secure; and whether the steady cultural diet of violence in our news and entertainment incites imitators or merely inspires mind-numbing indifference and acceptance.
“But it’s difficult to take much comfort from explanation or outrage. They cannot hold a dead man accountable, or raise his victims, or restore their grieving families. What we must deal with now is a sadness and a sense of disquietude that such a thing could happen in this country, particularly to a religious brethren that abhors violence and rejects the vanity and materialism of 21st-century life.
“We’ve seen too many bullets fired into too many children for too long. A terrible hurt has been inflicted. Nickel Mines may be a 90-minute drive and a cultural world away from Baltimore, but it doesn’t feel so far apart right now. “
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 8, 2006: Five New Faces for the School Year
This and That:
Five New Faces for the New School Year
Our Lady of Grace is one of 15 “learning parishes” for St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park, right here in Baltimore. Last year the Seminary came to a realization that completely revamped its pastoral training program for men studying for the priesthood. The “rude awakening” was that with the clergy shortage, they had to begin preparing men to become pastors within a few years after ordination. No longer did we have the luxury of having a newly ordained priest go through the process of being 2nd curate, then getting moved to another parish after four years to become 1st curate and eventually a pastor after 8 to 12 years. As a result, St. Mary’s devised a way to give seminarians four years of experience – one year in each of four parishes – learning from selected pastors how best to pastor. It is an honor for Our Lady of Grace to be such a designated parish site. Something about each of our four seminarians with the focus of each year and how they will fulfill that focus here in our parish follows. They will be on hand each weekend at two Masses; please take the time to say hello and get to know them better. What follows the seminarians is information on our Permanent Deacon Candidate.
ERIN BROWN is a deacon studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Last year, he served at St. Francis de Sales parish in Abingdon. He is looking forward to serving here at Our Lady of Grace and after just a few weeks with us says, “It’s a real blessing.” The Seminary has stated the following as parameters for his ministry among us: Diaconal Service, Preaching, and Coordinator of the Seminarian Team. Erin will be preaching on the 4th Sunday of the month at two Masses. He will also do group Baptisms on the 1st Sunday of each month, as well as and wake services. He will also be responsible for communication regarding the team.
TIM BALLIETT is in third theology and studying for the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a native of Erie and his diocesan assignment is at St. Tobias Parish in Brockway. He will be ordained a deacon this coming April. Before entering the seminary, he earned degrees in psychology at Gannon University in Erie and at Penn State. The Seminary parameters for Tim are teaching, responsibility for a ministerial project, and working collaboratively with the parish staff. Tim’s learning contract with us includes being a member of the RCIA Team. His “project” will be setting up a formation program for RCIA sponsors. He will also assist in giving Sacramental Preparation Workshops and make guest appearances at Religious Education classes.
JULIAN CRESPO is from Colombia, South America. He is studying for the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina. Julian is in second Theology. He looks forward to continue learning more from our culture and the way we experience our spirituality. The Seminary has asked us to place Julian in situations where he can learn to minister to sick and suffering, as well as helping us promote solidarity and justice. His learning contract includes: hospital visitation, visiting the homebound, going to Manor Care with our youth each month, and being present when I have Bereavement Sessions with families who have lost a loved one.
MICHAEL HALL is also studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey and is in first theology after finishing a year of Pre-Theology also at St. Mary’s. He is 28 years old and, after going to Restaurant School in Philadelphia, spent five years as a Restaurant and Hotel Manager in Princeton, New Jersey. “After 14 years of involvement in Youth Ministry for my home parish,” he states, “I was not able to shake the urge inside me to take my faith to another level. I contacted my Diocesan Vocation director and the rest is history.” Michael is looking forward to spending a year in what he calls “such a vibrant parish.” He is happy to have us be a part of his journey to the priesthood. With Michael as a 1st year man, the Seminary would like him to understand the pastoral dynamics of our parish. His contract involves: watching how systems work here at Our Lady of Grace, discerning the local Theology, that is what ecclesiology is operating (e.g. how pastor and staff relate to the people, what their celebration of Mass is like, what kind of a parish are we?) and some participation in ministry. Michael will: attend meetings of councils and committees, discuss systems with Pastoral Team members, shadow Elaine Hagner, our Parish Administrator, and serve as Catechist in Middle School Religious Education class.
In addition to the four seminarians we also have the good fortune of having an individual studying for the Permanent Diaconate. As Deacon Fred Passauer, last year, John Koester will be with us through his ordination to the Diaconate on May 19, 2007. We will be seeing lots of him and we welcome him and his wife Susan to our parish family.
JOHN KOESTER grew up in Baltimore City and has lived in Harford County since 1984. His wife Susan is from Massachusetts. They are members of St. Margaret Parish in Bel Air. He is beginning his final year of classes for the formation program for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is looking forward, as he puts it, “If the Lord wills,” to his ordination. John is pleased to be at Our Lady of Grace for this very important and final year of formation. He already feels very welcome. John’s pastoral year with us will include: oversight of Saturday and Sunday evening Masses, preaching on the 4th weekend of the month, Baptism Preparation sessions and Baptism set-up, shadowing Father Nick in Marriage Preparation sessions, wedding rehearsals and bereavement sessions, teaching sessions of the RCIA, reviving our Parish Nurse Program, and attending Pastoral Team meetings.
Should you wish to chat with any of the seminarians or John, they would be happy to respond to your emails. Their addresses are as follows:
➢ Erin Brown: ebrown@stmarys.edu
➢ Tim Balliett: tballiett@stmarys.edu
➢ Julian Crespo: crespojulian@hotmail.com
➢ Michael Hall: mhall@stmarys.edu
➢ John Koester: jwkinmd@clearviewcatv.net
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Five New Faces for the New School Year
Our Lady of Grace is one of 15 “learning parishes” for St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Roland Park, right here in Baltimore. Last year the Seminary came to a realization that completely revamped its pastoral training program for men studying for the priesthood. The “rude awakening” was that with the clergy shortage, they had to begin preparing men to become pastors within a few years after ordination. No longer did we have the luxury of having a newly ordained priest go through the process of being 2nd curate, then getting moved to another parish after four years to become 1st curate and eventually a pastor after 8 to 12 years. As a result, St. Mary’s devised a way to give seminarians four years of experience – one year in each of four parishes – learning from selected pastors how best to pastor. It is an honor for Our Lady of Grace to be such a designated parish site. Something about each of our four seminarians with the focus of each year and how they will fulfill that focus here in our parish follows. They will be on hand each weekend at two Masses; please take the time to say hello and get to know them better. What follows the seminarians is information on our Permanent Deacon Candidate.
ERIN BROWN is a deacon studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey. Last year, he served at St. Francis de Sales parish in Abingdon. He is looking forward to serving here at Our Lady of Grace and after just a few weeks with us says, “It’s a real blessing.” The Seminary has stated the following as parameters for his ministry among us: Diaconal Service, Preaching, and Coordinator of the Seminarian Team. Erin will be preaching on the 4th Sunday of the month at two Masses. He will also do group Baptisms on the 1st Sunday of each month, as well as and wake services. He will also be responsible for communication regarding the team.
TIM BALLIETT is in third theology and studying for the Diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania. He is a native of Erie and his diocesan assignment is at St. Tobias Parish in Brockway. He will be ordained a deacon this coming April. Before entering the seminary, he earned degrees in psychology at Gannon University in Erie and at Penn State. The Seminary parameters for Tim are teaching, responsibility for a ministerial project, and working collaboratively with the parish staff. Tim’s learning contract with us includes being a member of the RCIA Team. His “project” will be setting up a formation program for RCIA sponsors. He will also assist in giving Sacramental Preparation Workshops and make guest appearances at Religious Education classes.
JULIAN CRESPO is from Colombia, South America. He is studying for the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina. Julian is in second Theology. He looks forward to continue learning more from our culture and the way we experience our spirituality. The Seminary has asked us to place Julian in situations where he can learn to minister to sick and suffering, as well as helping us promote solidarity and justice. His learning contract includes: hospital visitation, visiting the homebound, going to Manor Care with our youth each month, and being present when I have Bereavement Sessions with families who have lost a loved one.
MICHAEL HALL is also studying for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey and is in first theology after finishing a year of Pre-Theology also at St. Mary’s. He is 28 years old and, after going to Restaurant School in Philadelphia, spent five years as a Restaurant and Hotel Manager in Princeton, New Jersey. “After 14 years of involvement in Youth Ministry for my home parish,” he states, “I was not able to shake the urge inside me to take my faith to another level. I contacted my Diocesan Vocation director and the rest is history.” Michael is looking forward to spending a year in what he calls “such a vibrant parish.” He is happy to have us be a part of his journey to the priesthood. With Michael as a 1st year man, the Seminary would like him to understand the pastoral dynamics of our parish. His contract involves: watching how systems work here at Our Lady of Grace, discerning the local Theology, that is what ecclesiology is operating (e.g. how pastor and staff relate to the people, what their celebration of Mass is like, what kind of a parish are we?) and some participation in ministry. Michael will: attend meetings of councils and committees, discuss systems with Pastoral Team members, shadow Elaine Hagner, our Parish Administrator, and serve as Catechist in Middle School Religious Education class.
In addition to the four seminarians we also have the good fortune of having an individual studying for the Permanent Diaconate. As Deacon Fred Passauer, last year, John Koester will be with us through his ordination to the Diaconate on May 19, 2007. We will be seeing lots of him and we welcome him and his wife Susan to our parish family.
JOHN KOESTER grew up in Baltimore City and has lived in Harford County since 1984. His wife Susan is from Massachusetts. They are members of St. Margaret Parish in Bel Air. He is beginning his final year of classes for the formation program for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and is looking forward, as he puts it, “If the Lord wills,” to his ordination. John is pleased to be at Our Lady of Grace for this very important and final year of formation. He already feels very welcome. John’s pastoral year with us will include: oversight of Saturday and Sunday evening Masses, preaching on the 4th weekend of the month, Baptism Preparation sessions and Baptism set-up, shadowing Father Nick in Marriage Preparation sessions, wedding rehearsals and bereavement sessions, teaching sessions of the RCIA, reviving our Parish Nurse Program, and attending Pastoral Team meetings.
Should you wish to chat with any of the seminarians or John, they would be happy to respond to your emails. Their addresses are as follows:
➢ Erin Brown: ebrown@stmarys.edu
➢ Tim Balliett: tballiett@stmarys.edu
➢ Julian Crespo: crespojulian@hotmail.com
➢ Michael Hall: mhall@stmarys.edu
➢ John Koester: jwkinmd@clearviewcatv.net
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly HOMILY for October 8, 2006: Faith, a Fountain for Marriage Longevity
27th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 8, 2006
Faith, a Fountain for Marriage Longevity
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
eHarmony
Dr. Neil Clark Warren, an author and relationship expert, is the founder of “eHarmony.” The Internet service is advertised as a patented “Compatibility Matching System.”
As spokesperson for his company, Warren asks television viewers and online guests, “Isn’t it time you experienced the joy of falling in love with someone who sees you, loves you and accepts you for who you are – the kind of joy that comes from true compatability …. Let eHarmony help you begin the journey to your soul mate today.”
Not a bad offer.
Their “journey” begins with a comprehensive 436-question “Relationship Questionnaire” that screens applicants on as many as 29 dimensions of compatibility, including values, character, education, sense of humor, spiritual beliefs, family background, life experiences, etc.
A highly successful enterprise, eHarmony boasts of having matched thousands of couples; a study conducted in 2005 by Harris Interactive claims that as many as 90 eHarmony couples get married every day.
Nevertheless, and despite the success that eHarmony can document, meeting one’s soul mate by discovering several levels of compatibility is one thing. Staying married, through all the joys and pains, the celebrations, and struggles of life, is quite another.
Therefore, it seems appropriate that the Church in its wisdom periodically invites the praying assembly to consider the gift of marriage and the inherent blessing and challenges it offers us.
Genesis & Jesus: The Reality and Power of Marriage
The reading from Genesis is a faith-inspired account of the creation of the universe and of the earth’s first partners who would share dominion over it.
It is very clear that man and woman are created to be soul mates and that their union is divinely intended to supercede even the relationship between parent and child.
When they are joined in the relationship of marriage, a man and a woman become one body, a new entity that did not exist before their union.
In the Gospel, when Jesus is questioned about the legitimacy of divorce, he will reference this Genesis text and with it the truth that the marital union, intended and blessed by God, should not be severed by human beings.
And again we hear that the couple joined by marriage has become a new being; they are one flesh, one heart beating in two bodies, one soul enlivening two persons.
Now I would submit that such a union cannot be based on mere feelings or infatuation. Regardless of how potent such passions may be, they do not have the “legs” to withstand the long and winding – might we add arduous – journey that is a marriage.
And this is the point I want to make: that this journey becomes possible only when two persons share at the deepest level of their faith, their values, their spirituality. Yes, our faith stands at the center of most of our life experiences and relationships.
Application
Here’s my thinking.
If the most important relationship we have in life is our relationship with God, and if this most important relationship is founded, formed and sustained in faith, doesn’t it stand to reason that faith would also be an integral aspect of the primary human relationship of a marriage?
So this faith between me and God and the relationship that comes from it (gesture: left palm up for God and right palm on chest for self) empowers the faith between husband and wife (gesture palm to palm as husband to wife) thus creating an extraordinary potential for unity and endurance.
Yes, faith-in-God as two individuals empowers faith-shared-in-each-other as husband and wife.
And when that exists in a marriage what might you expect from your marriage?
➢ How about a faith that endures when beauty fades?
➢ How about a faith that survives when finances fail, when physical or mental health deteriorates, when troubles comes, when death visits?
➢ How about a faith that sustains the two of you when friends or relatives disappoint or betray you, when jobs are lost, when trust is tested?
➢ How about a faith that enables when self-esteem and self-confidence are lost?
➢ Or a faith that empowers you when fears seem to cripple you?
From many of your marriages that I have experienced, I have come to know that faith in God and a shared faith in each other makes for the deepest degree of compatibility that can exist between a man and a woman.
In the celebrations your 25th, 40th, and 50th anniversaries I have seen a faith that enables that relationship to continue, to thrive, and to endure.
Conclusion
eHarmony may have a great way of drawing people together as soul mates, but it is shared faith in God, empowering your faith in each other, that will keep you together!
Our Lady of Grace
October 8, 2006
Faith, a Fountain for Marriage Longevity
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
eHarmony
Dr. Neil Clark Warren, an author and relationship expert, is the founder of “eHarmony.” The Internet service is advertised as a patented “Compatibility Matching System.”
As spokesperson for his company, Warren asks television viewers and online guests, “Isn’t it time you experienced the joy of falling in love with someone who sees you, loves you and accepts you for who you are – the kind of joy that comes from true compatability …. Let eHarmony help you begin the journey to your soul mate today.”
Not a bad offer.
Their “journey” begins with a comprehensive 436-question “Relationship Questionnaire” that screens applicants on as many as 29 dimensions of compatibility, including values, character, education, sense of humor, spiritual beliefs, family background, life experiences, etc.
A highly successful enterprise, eHarmony boasts of having matched thousands of couples; a study conducted in 2005 by Harris Interactive claims that as many as 90 eHarmony couples get married every day.
Nevertheless, and despite the success that eHarmony can document, meeting one’s soul mate by discovering several levels of compatibility is one thing. Staying married, through all the joys and pains, the celebrations, and struggles of life, is quite another.
Therefore, it seems appropriate that the Church in its wisdom periodically invites the praying assembly to consider the gift of marriage and the inherent blessing and challenges it offers us.
Genesis & Jesus: The Reality and Power of Marriage
The reading from Genesis is a faith-inspired account of the creation of the universe and of the earth’s first partners who would share dominion over it.
It is very clear that man and woman are created to be soul mates and that their union is divinely intended to supercede even the relationship between parent and child.
When they are joined in the relationship of marriage, a man and a woman become one body, a new entity that did not exist before their union.
In the Gospel, when Jesus is questioned about the legitimacy of divorce, he will reference this Genesis text and with it the truth that the marital union, intended and blessed by God, should not be severed by human beings.
And again we hear that the couple joined by marriage has become a new being; they are one flesh, one heart beating in two bodies, one soul enlivening two persons.
Now I would submit that such a union cannot be based on mere feelings or infatuation. Regardless of how potent such passions may be, they do not have the “legs” to withstand the long and winding – might we add arduous – journey that is a marriage.
And this is the point I want to make: that this journey becomes possible only when two persons share at the deepest level of their faith, their values, their spirituality. Yes, our faith stands at the center of most of our life experiences and relationships.
Application
Here’s my thinking.
If the most important relationship we have in life is our relationship with God, and if this most important relationship is founded, formed and sustained in faith, doesn’t it stand to reason that faith would also be an integral aspect of the primary human relationship of a marriage?
So this faith between me and God and the relationship that comes from it (gesture: left palm up for God and right palm on chest for self) empowers the faith between husband and wife (gesture palm to palm as husband to wife) thus creating an extraordinary potential for unity and endurance.
Yes, faith-in-God as two individuals empowers faith-shared-in-each-other as husband and wife.
And when that exists in a marriage what might you expect from your marriage?
➢ How about a faith that endures when beauty fades?
➢ How about a faith that survives when finances fail, when physical or mental health deteriorates, when troubles comes, when death visits?
➢ How about a faith that sustains the two of you when friends or relatives disappoint or betray you, when jobs are lost, when trust is tested?
➢ How about a faith that enables when self-esteem and self-confidence are lost?
➢ Or a faith that empowers you when fears seem to cripple you?
From many of your marriages that I have experienced, I have come to know that faith in God and a shared faith in each other makes for the deepest degree of compatibility that can exist between a man and a woman.
In the celebrations your 25th, 40th, and 50th anniversaries I have seen a faith that enables that relationship to continue, to thrive, and to endure.
Conclusion
eHarmony may have a great way of drawing people together as soul mates, but it is shared faith in God, empowering your faith in each other, that will keep you together!
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Weekly MESSAGE for October 1, 2006: The Holy Father Reconciles with Muslims
October 1, 2006
Dear Friends,
With all the brouhaha regarding the Holy Father’s quoting a medieval text regarding Islam in his address at Regensburg two weeks ago much good seems to have come out of the misunderstanding.
On September 25th Benedict XVI met with Muslim leaders of Italy and diplomats from 21 Islamic countries and stressed that the dialogue between Christians and Muslims is decisive for the future of humanity. The Pope said that he had called the meeting to “strengthen the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the Holy See and Muslim communities throughout the world,” in the wake of controversy over his September 12th address. The Arab-language news network Al-Jazeera carried the papal speech live. “In this particular context, I should like to reiterate today all the esteem and the profound respect that I have for Muslim believers,” said the Holy Father. He recalled the Second Vatican Council declaration “Nostra Aetate,” which expresses officially the Church's “appreciation” for Muslims who “worship the one God.”
The Pope did not address the issue of the interpretations of his address at Regensburg. On two occasions last week he clarified his quotation from the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus as a means to present the problem of the relationship between religion and violence. The quotation – as we know all too well – sparked violence and drew criticism from some Muslims.
To dispel doubts, the Holy Father said that, “I have had occasion, since the very beginning of my pontificate, to express my wish to continue establishing bridges of friendship with the adherents of all religions, showing particular appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue between Christians and Muslims cannot be reduced to an optional extra. It is, in fact, a vital necessity, on which in large measure our future depends,” Benedict XVI said.
He continued: “In a world marked by relativism and too often excluding the transcendence and universality of reason, we are in great need of an authentic dialogue between religions and between cultures, capable of assisting us, in a spirit of fruitful cooperation, to overcome all the tensions together. Continuing, then, the work undertaken by my predecessor, Pope John Paul II, I sincerely pray that the relations of trust which have developed between Christians and Muslims over several years, will not only continue, but will develop further in a spirit of sincere and respectful dialogue.”
This dialogue, Benedict XVI added, must be, “Based on ever more authentic reciprocal knowledge which, with joy, recognizes the religious values that we have in common and, with loyalty, respects the differences. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is a necessity for building together this world of peace and fraternity ardently desired by all people of good will.
“Faithful to the teachings of their own religious traditions, Christians and Muslims must learn to work together, as indeed they already do in many common undertakings, in order to guard against all forms of intolerance and to oppose all manifestations of violence; as for us, religious authorities and political leaders, we must guide and encourage them in this direction.”
Among the common challenges faced by Muslims and Christians, the Holy Father mentioned, “The defense and promotion of the dignity of the human person and of the rights ensuing from that dignity.” He added: “When threats mount up against people and against peace, by recognizing the central character of the human person and by working with perseverance to see that human life is always respected, Christians and Muslims manifest their obedience to the Creator, who wishes all people to live in the dignity that he has bestowed upon them.”
How wonderful it is to see the Pope take something that was so poorly interpreted and received and turn it into a possibility for dialogue and understanding.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friends,
With all the brouhaha regarding the Holy Father’s quoting a medieval text regarding Islam in his address at Regensburg two weeks ago much good seems to have come out of the misunderstanding.
On September 25th Benedict XVI met with Muslim leaders of Italy and diplomats from 21 Islamic countries and stressed that the dialogue between Christians and Muslims is decisive for the future of humanity. The Pope said that he had called the meeting to “strengthen the bonds of friendship and solidarity between the Holy See and Muslim communities throughout the world,” in the wake of controversy over his September 12th address. The Arab-language news network Al-Jazeera carried the papal speech live. “In this particular context, I should like to reiterate today all the esteem and the profound respect that I have for Muslim believers,” said the Holy Father. He recalled the Second Vatican Council declaration “Nostra Aetate,” which expresses officially the Church's “appreciation” for Muslims who “worship the one God.”
The Pope did not address the issue of the interpretations of his address at Regensburg. On two occasions last week he clarified his quotation from the Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus as a means to present the problem of the relationship between religion and violence. The quotation – as we know all too well – sparked violence and drew criticism from some Muslims.
To dispel doubts, the Holy Father said that, “I have had occasion, since the very beginning of my pontificate, to express my wish to continue establishing bridges of friendship with the adherents of all religions, showing particular appreciation for the growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue between Christians and Muslims cannot be reduced to an optional extra. It is, in fact, a vital necessity, on which in large measure our future depends,” Benedict XVI said.
He continued: “In a world marked by relativism and too often excluding the transcendence and universality of reason, we are in great need of an authentic dialogue between religions and between cultures, capable of assisting us, in a spirit of fruitful cooperation, to overcome all the tensions together. Continuing, then, the work undertaken by my predecessor, Pope John Paul II, I sincerely pray that the relations of trust which have developed between Christians and Muslims over several years, will not only continue, but will develop further in a spirit of sincere and respectful dialogue.”
This dialogue, Benedict XVI added, must be, “Based on ever more authentic reciprocal knowledge which, with joy, recognizes the religious values that we have in common and, with loyalty, respects the differences. Interreligious and intercultural dialogue is a necessity for building together this world of peace and fraternity ardently desired by all people of good will.
“Faithful to the teachings of their own religious traditions, Christians and Muslims must learn to work together, as indeed they already do in many common undertakings, in order to guard against all forms of intolerance and to oppose all manifestations of violence; as for us, religious authorities and political leaders, we must guide and encourage them in this direction.”
Among the common challenges faced by Muslims and Christians, the Holy Father mentioned, “The defense and promotion of the dignity of the human person and of the rights ensuing from that dignity.” He added: “When threats mount up against people and against peace, by recognizing the central character of the human person and by working with perseverance to see that human life is always respected, Christians and Muslims manifest their obedience to the Creator, who wishes all people to live in the dignity that he has bestowed upon them.”
How wonderful it is to see the Pope take something that was so poorly interpreted and received and turn it into a possibility for dialogue and understanding.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for October 1, 2006: Christian Charity in Cyber Communities
This and That:
Christian Charity in Cyber Communities
As some of you know I’ve just completed working on getting my blog up and running and hope to use it as a way of interacting with others around my weekly message, This and That column, and homily. Should you care to visit it on the Internet, it is www.frnickamato.blogspot.com and is entitled: “WordWorthNoting.” It is beginning with 300 folks that receive via email the weekly message, This and That, and Homily.
In line with this new and promising way of interacting with others in cyberspace, the following interview with Catholic sociologist G. Alexander Ross caught my attention. It has to do with the fact that Internet friendships, despite their inherent limitations, can be a real way to foster deeper personal relationships. Ross who is a professor and dean of students at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, in Arlington, Virginia, addresses the possibilities and dangers of using cyber communities to build relationships with others. What I found interesting is that Ross’ areas of interest include the sociology of the family and the integration of the Social Sciences with a Catholic understanding of the human person.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Q: What are some reasons for the growing attraction of young people to online cyber communities?
Ross: At a most basic level, the attraction you ask about is merely one instance of our natural desire to associate with others. Aristotle called man [sic] a “political animal.” What he meant by this was not that we all have a desire to run for office, but that each of us is drawn to form groups and associations with others in order to realize himself. That is, it is the very nature of man to associate with others. As the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 149, teaches, man “can only grow and realize his vocation in relation with others.” The young are often skilled at using Internet technology. They appear to view these cyber communities simply as other opportunities to pursue social relationships.
Q: Among the various means of communication, is there a significant difference in Internet relationships?
Ross: Of course, Internet relationships are not identical to other forms of social interaction. Something the Internet shares with earlier technologies such as the telegraph or the telephone is that the social cues transmitted to the other person are more limited than in face-to-face communication. This limitation in the richness of communication has obvious disadvantages, yet research suggests some interesting compensations. Social psychological research shows that physical attractiveness often has a more powerful influence on relationship formation than the deeper, more significant personal factors that we would prefer to influence friendship formation. Although members of some of the cyber communities will share personal photos and other media as well as messages of text, the physical characteristics of the individual are not normally visible to the communicators. This can allow the deeper personal characteristics of the individual to be more salient in the interaction that occurs.
One interesting laboratory experiment found that subjects who met for the first time on the Internet liked each other more than those who first met each other face-to-face. Furthermore, the lack of information on physical characteristics, by hiding racial differences, may make attitudes of racial prejudice less likely to impede relationship formation. Not being tied to face-to-face interaction also opens many possibilities for reaching people who share particular interests. Esoteric interests are, by definition, shared by only a few. But because the Internet lets a person search the entire world to contact others who share unusual interests, he may find many with whom to correspond.
For example, some cyber communities are formed by people who share a rare medical condition. With that common bond, the members are able to offer empathy or advice that is not provided by their available face-to-face contacts. Other special-interest cyber communities form around what sociologists call stigmatized identities. An important part of the self-identity of members of these groups is a trait or practice that sets them apart from conventional society. They seek each others company for mutual support and defense, a natural and beneficial tendency found in some measure in most social groups. It has been common in history that groups are stigmatized unjustly for a trait or practice that is in fact good. Often stigmatized and persecuted, Christians provide an example of this. However, the characteristic that sets apart a stigmatized group is sometimes objectively harmful. In such cases, the cyber communities may serve to resist a change that would actually be to the benefit of the members.
Q: Is it possible to develop authentic friendships online, with people you may never see in “real life”? What would these relationships look like?
Ross: The limitations of the medium will certainly restrict the depth of the relationship that forms. But the specific social context is very important here. As in the case of groups forming around rare medical conditions, the individuals may already share important human bonds that facilitate authentic friendship. Also, research shows that many participants – more than 50% in one study – of these cyber communities will have transferred a relationship begun on the Internet to “real life.” This finding suggests that while most such cyber relationships remain merely “virtual,” the ones that the participants value most highly can be made “real.” It is important to remember that a very important purpose for participating in cyber communities is to supplement already existing contacts rather than form new ones. A common criticism about the Internet has been that its use may weaken an individual’s involvement in existing associations, such as the family or the neighborhood. The research does not support this claim. Rather, we see that the Internet often facilitates communication between friends and family members, particularly in our age of high mobility. Cyber communities serve for many people the function of staying in touch with those from whom they might otherwise drift away. It is, in other words, one more way by which we can maintain that contact with other persons which is so important to human nature.
Q: What are the implications of a person’s sense of community, when their greatest social network is online?
Ross: While we call these phenomena cyber or virtual “communities,” they lack the spatial or geographic boundaries that have often been part of the sociological definition of community. It is the absence of that physical character that leads us to label these social entities as “virtual” rather than “real” communities. Nevertheless, many such “communities” do exhibit other conventional characteristics of communities such as a common identity and sustained patterns of interaction. I suspect that the cases are rare in which a person’s greatest social network is online. In the same way that we tend to assume that Internet usage promotes loneliness and depression – something that is not supported by the research – we are also likely to overestimate the number of those whose primary social contact is on the Internet. Nevertheless, when it does occur it may indicate a problem. This area may be further addressed by my colleagues in clinical psychology.
Q: How could a person cultivate an attitude of authentic Christian charity, like that described by Benedict XVI in “Deus Caritas Est,” through a cyber relationship?
Ross: One of the points that the Holy Father stresses in his first encyclical is the Church’s concept of subsidiarity and its role in true Christian charity. The concept of subsidiarity reminds us that associations of a higher order – most particularly, the state – must support rather than usurp the functions that are best carried out in the family, the local church community, and other lower order associations. The flexibility, independence and decentralization of the Internet permit the formation of cyber communities as lower-order associations that can respond to the needs of their fellow men with “spontaneity” and “closeness.” There are many instances of groups which have used the Internet to mobilize others to respond with compassion to human and social problems. Cyber communities formed around pro-life work, for example, have done marvelous work in bringing Christ’s love and guidance to young mothers in need. This is not work done by the “bureaucratic state” but by individuals and groups with authentic concern for others. At a simpler level, the mere act of communicating with another human being can often be a gesture of love. One may not be able to comfort another with a touch of a hand or a smile over the Internet, but nor is that possible with a conventional letter. And we have no doubt that great love has been communicated through that ancient medium.
Christian Charity in Cyber Communities
As some of you know I’ve just completed working on getting my blog up and running and hope to use it as a way of interacting with others around my weekly message, This and That column, and homily. Should you care to visit it on the Internet, it is www.frnickamato.blogspot.com and is entitled: “WordWorthNoting.” It is beginning with 300 folks that receive via email the weekly message, This and That, and Homily.
In line with this new and promising way of interacting with others in cyberspace, the following interview with Catholic sociologist G. Alexander Ross caught my attention. It has to do with the fact that Internet friendships, despite their inherent limitations, can be a real way to foster deeper personal relationships. Ross who is a professor and dean of students at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences, in Arlington, Virginia, addresses the possibilities and dangers of using cyber communities to build relationships with others. What I found interesting is that Ross’ areas of interest include the sociology of the family and the integration of the Social Sciences with a Catholic understanding of the human person.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Q: What are some reasons for the growing attraction of young people to online cyber communities?
Ross: At a most basic level, the attraction you ask about is merely one instance of our natural desire to associate with others. Aristotle called man [sic] a “political animal.” What he meant by this was not that we all have a desire to run for office, but that each of us is drawn to form groups and associations with others in order to realize himself. That is, it is the very nature of man to associate with others. As the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, No. 149, teaches, man “can only grow and realize his vocation in relation with others.” The young are often skilled at using Internet technology. They appear to view these cyber communities simply as other opportunities to pursue social relationships.
Q: Among the various means of communication, is there a significant difference in Internet relationships?
Ross: Of course, Internet relationships are not identical to other forms of social interaction. Something the Internet shares with earlier technologies such as the telegraph or the telephone is that the social cues transmitted to the other person are more limited than in face-to-face communication. This limitation in the richness of communication has obvious disadvantages, yet research suggests some interesting compensations. Social psychological research shows that physical attractiveness often has a more powerful influence on relationship formation than the deeper, more significant personal factors that we would prefer to influence friendship formation. Although members of some of the cyber communities will share personal photos and other media as well as messages of text, the physical characteristics of the individual are not normally visible to the communicators. This can allow the deeper personal characteristics of the individual to be more salient in the interaction that occurs.
One interesting laboratory experiment found that subjects who met for the first time on the Internet liked each other more than those who first met each other face-to-face. Furthermore, the lack of information on physical characteristics, by hiding racial differences, may make attitudes of racial prejudice less likely to impede relationship formation. Not being tied to face-to-face interaction also opens many possibilities for reaching people who share particular interests. Esoteric interests are, by definition, shared by only a few. But because the Internet lets a person search the entire world to contact others who share unusual interests, he may find many with whom to correspond.
For example, some cyber communities are formed by people who share a rare medical condition. With that common bond, the members are able to offer empathy or advice that is not provided by their available face-to-face contacts. Other special-interest cyber communities form around what sociologists call stigmatized identities. An important part of the self-identity of members of these groups is a trait or practice that sets them apart from conventional society. They seek each others company for mutual support and defense, a natural and beneficial tendency found in some measure in most social groups. It has been common in history that groups are stigmatized unjustly for a trait or practice that is in fact good. Often stigmatized and persecuted, Christians provide an example of this. However, the characteristic that sets apart a stigmatized group is sometimes objectively harmful. In such cases, the cyber communities may serve to resist a change that would actually be to the benefit of the members.
Q: Is it possible to develop authentic friendships online, with people you may never see in “real life”? What would these relationships look like?
Ross: The limitations of the medium will certainly restrict the depth of the relationship that forms. But the specific social context is very important here. As in the case of groups forming around rare medical conditions, the individuals may already share important human bonds that facilitate authentic friendship. Also, research shows that many participants – more than 50% in one study – of these cyber communities will have transferred a relationship begun on the Internet to “real life.” This finding suggests that while most such cyber relationships remain merely “virtual,” the ones that the participants value most highly can be made “real.” It is important to remember that a very important purpose for participating in cyber communities is to supplement already existing contacts rather than form new ones. A common criticism about the Internet has been that its use may weaken an individual’s involvement in existing associations, such as the family or the neighborhood. The research does not support this claim. Rather, we see that the Internet often facilitates communication between friends and family members, particularly in our age of high mobility. Cyber communities serve for many people the function of staying in touch with those from whom they might otherwise drift away. It is, in other words, one more way by which we can maintain that contact with other persons which is so important to human nature.
Q: What are the implications of a person’s sense of community, when their greatest social network is online?
Ross: While we call these phenomena cyber or virtual “communities,” they lack the spatial or geographic boundaries that have often been part of the sociological definition of community. It is the absence of that physical character that leads us to label these social entities as “virtual” rather than “real” communities. Nevertheless, many such “communities” do exhibit other conventional characteristics of communities such as a common identity and sustained patterns of interaction. I suspect that the cases are rare in which a person’s greatest social network is online. In the same way that we tend to assume that Internet usage promotes loneliness and depression – something that is not supported by the research – we are also likely to overestimate the number of those whose primary social contact is on the Internet. Nevertheless, when it does occur it may indicate a problem. This area may be further addressed by my colleagues in clinical psychology.
Q: How could a person cultivate an attitude of authentic Christian charity, like that described by Benedict XVI in “Deus Caritas Est,” through a cyber relationship?
Ross: One of the points that the Holy Father stresses in his first encyclical is the Church’s concept of subsidiarity and its role in true Christian charity. The concept of subsidiarity reminds us that associations of a higher order – most particularly, the state – must support rather than usurp the functions that are best carried out in the family, the local church community, and other lower order associations. The flexibility, independence and decentralization of the Internet permit the formation of cyber communities as lower-order associations that can respond to the needs of their fellow men with “spontaneity” and “closeness.” There are many instances of groups which have used the Internet to mobilize others to respond with compassion to human and social problems. Cyber communities formed around pro-life work, for example, have done marvelous work in bringing Christ’s love and guidance to young mothers in need. This is not work done by the “bureaucratic state” but by individuals and groups with authentic concern for others. At a simpler level, the mere act of communicating with another human being can often be a gesture of love. One may not be able to comfort another with a touch of a hand or a smile over the Internet, but nor is that possible with a conventional letter. And we have no doubt that great love has been communicated through that ancient medium.
Weekly HOMILY for October 1, 2006: Protocol of the Spirit
26th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
October 1, 2006
Protocol of the Spirit
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Soup Nazi
One of my favorite Seinfeld show is the one about the “Soup Nazi.” The Soup Nazi was a grim-faced immigrant chef with a thick Stalin-like moustache and an accent to match.
Well known throughout New York City for his delicious soups, he is also notorious for demanding that his customers observe his soup-ordering instructions to the letter.
To purchase soup customers are to line up in an orderly fashion, have their money at the ready, order their soup, then step to the left to pay their bill, receive their soup, and leave the restaurant promptly with the soup in hand.
Even the slightest deviation from the chef’s rigid protocol can result in a refusal of service.
“No soup for you!” That is what George Costanza hears when he dares to ask why the person ahead of him received bread and he did not: “You want bread? No soup for you!”
The point? Protocol, however arbitrary, is to be followed or the perpetrator suffers the consequences.
The episode points to a certain rigidity that all too often characterizes our own dealings with one another. Having developed a system or a habitual manner of doing things, we are reluctant to stray from our protocol.
We all have set ways of conducting business, certain rites as regards our relationships, specific ideas as to what is or is not polite, and who is or is not acceptable. We tend to be intolerant of others who dare to choose a different course of thought or action.
Moses and Joshua
Something of this impatience and intolerance is clearly evident in today’s first reading and Gospel.
In the Book of Numbers, we see Moses and the Israelites during their desert journey to Canaan. To this point Moses has been the mediator of God’s will for the Israelites.
God’s own Spirit is thought to rest upon Moses, giving authority to his teachings.
He was the institution whom the people had come to accept and through whom they experience God.
To their credit, the people are also willing to accept that some of the Spirit with which God had endowed Moses could be shared among the 70 elders who have gathered in the meeting tent at God’s command.
However, when two of the elders deviate from the plan and do not gather in the tent, Joshua objects when it appeared that God’s Spirit has come rest upon them as well.
While he does not use the Soup Nazi’s exact words, Joshua’s reaction seems to say “No Spirit for you!”
Joshua’s thinking is how could those who were not associated with Moses be spiritually endowed?
Jesus
In an effort to educate his disciples in the freedom of the Spirit to blow were it will, to inspire whom it may, and to empower whom it chooses, Jesus challenges them to venture beyond protocol and institution and to open themselves to God’s mysterious working.
Even someone the disciples regarded as “outside their group” can be acceptable to God and can be a vessel of the Spirit.
And by extension to us, even someone we may hold suspect or unorthodox, if that person is not against us, insists Jesus, that person can be an agent of the power and Spirit of God.
Application
So, that person at work or the individual in our social circle of friends whom we find suspect or a bit edgy may have something to say or contribute.
Arab, oriental, or Persian food may be foreign to our palate or look strange by our own standards, but may very good if we developed a taste for whatever is being served.
Or to recognize that Christians, Muslims and Jews are all children of Abraham and read and learn more about each other’s beliefs and our quest for peace for our children.
Conclusion
Jesus’ challenge to his own disciples – both then and now – is one of inclusiveness.
However, to meet this challenge, believers must be willing to surrender preconceived ideas and judgments to the sometimes untamed and unimaginable ways of God.
Too frequently those who are different, those who dissent, and those who march to the beat of a different drummer are ignored and rejected outright.
We need to make space for mavericks and outsiders, as long as they are not explicitly opponents of Jesus.
Imagine the power and possibilities for goodness in a community that could accept a Galileo, a Martin Luther, a John Wesley, a John Calvin, a Charlie Curran, or an Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza!
Rather than eliminate, excommunicate or censure the maverick, might not the church and our own circles of family and friends be better served if we were to truly heed Jesus’ insistence that “anyone who is not against us is with us”!
Our Lady of Grace
October 1, 2006
Protocol of the Spirit
By (Rev. Msgr.) Nicholas P. Amato
The Soup Nazi
One of my favorite Seinfeld show is the one about the “Soup Nazi.” The Soup Nazi was a grim-faced immigrant chef with a thick Stalin-like moustache and an accent to match.
Well known throughout New York City for his delicious soups, he is also notorious for demanding that his customers observe his soup-ordering instructions to the letter.
To purchase soup customers are to line up in an orderly fashion, have their money at the ready, order their soup, then step to the left to pay their bill, receive their soup, and leave the restaurant promptly with the soup in hand.
Even the slightest deviation from the chef’s rigid protocol can result in a refusal of service.
“No soup for you!” That is what George Costanza hears when he dares to ask why the person ahead of him received bread and he did not: “You want bread? No soup for you!”
The point? Protocol, however arbitrary, is to be followed or the perpetrator suffers the consequences.
The episode points to a certain rigidity that all too often characterizes our own dealings with one another. Having developed a system or a habitual manner of doing things, we are reluctant to stray from our protocol.
We all have set ways of conducting business, certain rites as regards our relationships, specific ideas as to what is or is not polite, and who is or is not acceptable. We tend to be intolerant of others who dare to choose a different course of thought or action.
Moses and Joshua
Something of this impatience and intolerance is clearly evident in today’s first reading and Gospel.
In the Book of Numbers, we see Moses and the Israelites during their desert journey to Canaan. To this point Moses has been the mediator of God’s will for the Israelites.
God’s own Spirit is thought to rest upon Moses, giving authority to his teachings.
He was the institution whom the people had come to accept and through whom they experience God.
To their credit, the people are also willing to accept that some of the Spirit with which God had endowed Moses could be shared among the 70 elders who have gathered in the meeting tent at God’s command.
However, when two of the elders deviate from the plan and do not gather in the tent, Joshua objects when it appeared that God’s Spirit has come rest upon them as well.
While he does not use the Soup Nazi’s exact words, Joshua’s reaction seems to say “No Spirit for you!”
Joshua’s thinking is how could those who were not associated with Moses be spiritually endowed?
Jesus
In an effort to educate his disciples in the freedom of the Spirit to blow were it will, to inspire whom it may, and to empower whom it chooses, Jesus challenges them to venture beyond protocol and institution and to open themselves to God’s mysterious working.
Even someone the disciples regarded as “outside their group” can be acceptable to God and can be a vessel of the Spirit.
And by extension to us, even someone we may hold suspect or unorthodox, if that person is not against us, insists Jesus, that person can be an agent of the power and Spirit of God.
Application
So, that person at work or the individual in our social circle of friends whom we find suspect or a bit edgy may have something to say or contribute.
Arab, oriental, or Persian food may be foreign to our palate or look strange by our own standards, but may very good if we developed a taste for whatever is being served.
Or to recognize that Christians, Muslims and Jews are all children of Abraham and read and learn more about each other’s beliefs and our quest for peace for our children.
Conclusion
Jesus’ challenge to his own disciples – both then and now – is one of inclusiveness.
However, to meet this challenge, believers must be willing to surrender preconceived ideas and judgments to the sometimes untamed and unimaginable ways of God.
Too frequently those who are different, those who dissent, and those who march to the beat of a different drummer are ignored and rejected outright.
We need to make space for mavericks and outsiders, as long as they are not explicitly opponents of Jesus.
Imagine the power and possibilities for goodness in a community that could accept a Galileo, a Martin Luther, a John Wesley, a John Calvin, a Charlie Curran, or an Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza!
Rather than eliminate, excommunicate or censure the maverick, might not the church and our own circles of family and friends be better served if we were to truly heed Jesus’ insistence that “anyone who is not against us is with us”!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Weekly MESSAGE for September 24, 2006: "The Pope's Damaging Words" by Martin Marty
September 24, 2006
Dear Friends,
Martin Marty is professor emeritus at the University of Chicago Divinity School and a Lutheran minister and author. The following is an article reprinted from the Chicago Tribune that originally appeared in “Sightings,” a publication at the divinity school. It is entitled “The Pope’s Damaging Words.” I found his thoughts stimulating.
Pope Benedict XVI has had a free ride so far. Back when there were still Protestant anti-Catholics, some would have found much fault with him, but most appreciated his encyclical on divine and human love and said so. Many Catholics and non-Catholics whose friends suffered under him as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger now empathetically chose to help the wounded nurse their bruises. Some among the Catholic right even think he should be more of a hard-liner.
For all those reasons, it is regrettable that in the midst of a well-worked-out (of course) formal speech at the University of Regensburg in Germany, his old academic turf, the pope lapsed for a moment and did what we tenured folk sometimes do – and remember, the pope has lifetime tenure – we come up with an allusion that gets us in trouble, let a side point take center stage or fail to count the cost of a remark.
So it was that, almost inexplicably, the pope began his talk in Regensburg with inflaming words from an obscure Byzantine emperor from the 14th century to show that jihad as holy war is bad, that emperor, through this pope, said that what the Prophet Muhammad brought to the world was “only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” As Christians often did? The pope did not mention that.
His Holiness must have underestimated how useful such words would be to extreme fight-picking Muslim clerics and right-wing American talk-show folk. He now says that he did not intend to offend Muslims, but his plea for “genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today” will be set back and out shouted by those clerics and rightists. What sounds at least half-appropriate in a history and theology classroom sounds different when spread to a billion Christians and a billion Muslims, as words such as these will be. The only things that will be remembered from the pope’s new call for reason and dialogue is the unreasonable citation that Muhammad contributed only “evil and inhuman” speech and action in human history.
I know I’ll get hit for suggesting “equivalencies” here, though I am always clear in stating that there is no equivalency between today’s radical and extreme Muslims and today’s ordinary Christians. But it also must be said that Christians, from the 4th century to the 18th century, can match the Muslims one-for-one when it comes to having spread the faith with the sword. Read the history of the Christianization of Europe, and you have to go hunting for that minority of the faithful who spread the faith without the sword, merely by witness and works.
We live today not in the time of Christian Crusades and Inquisitions, but in a time when the pope is needed as a bridge-builder, a link-maker. Having quoted claims seven centuries old that only “evil and inhuman” things were new in the program of the prophet and in the name of Islam, it will be harder for the pope to have a dialogue with the Muslims who do good and human things. Some on the Muslim and American right seem to be craving a war of civilizations, a war about which we know only one thing: Both sides (or the many sides) would lose.
Rather than point to the “evil and inhuman” nature of Islam’s, Judaism’s, Christianity’s, Hinduism’s, Buddhism’s and other religious’ holy wars, the pope will serve better if he can still find dialogue partners in search of the good and human.
All is not lost. Yet.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friends,
Martin Marty is professor emeritus at the University of Chicago Divinity School and a Lutheran minister and author. The following is an article reprinted from the Chicago Tribune that originally appeared in “Sightings,” a publication at the divinity school. It is entitled “The Pope’s Damaging Words.” I found his thoughts stimulating.
Pope Benedict XVI has had a free ride so far. Back when there were still Protestant anti-Catholics, some would have found much fault with him, but most appreciated his encyclical on divine and human love and said so. Many Catholics and non-Catholics whose friends suffered under him as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger now empathetically chose to help the wounded nurse their bruises. Some among the Catholic right even think he should be more of a hard-liner.
For all those reasons, it is regrettable that in the midst of a well-worked-out (of course) formal speech at the University of Regensburg in Germany, his old academic turf, the pope lapsed for a moment and did what we tenured folk sometimes do – and remember, the pope has lifetime tenure – we come up with an allusion that gets us in trouble, let a side point take center stage or fail to count the cost of a remark.
So it was that, almost inexplicably, the pope began his talk in Regensburg with inflaming words from an obscure Byzantine emperor from the 14th century to show that jihad as holy war is bad, that emperor, through this pope, said that what the Prophet Muhammad brought to the world was “only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” As Christians often did? The pope did not mention that.
His Holiness must have underestimated how useful such words would be to extreme fight-picking Muslim clerics and right-wing American talk-show folk. He now says that he did not intend to offend Muslims, but his plea for “genuine dialogue of cultures and religions so urgently needed today” will be set back and out shouted by those clerics and rightists. What sounds at least half-appropriate in a history and theology classroom sounds different when spread to a billion Christians and a billion Muslims, as words such as these will be. The only things that will be remembered from the pope’s new call for reason and dialogue is the unreasonable citation that Muhammad contributed only “evil and inhuman” speech and action in human history.
I know I’ll get hit for suggesting “equivalencies” here, though I am always clear in stating that there is no equivalency between today’s radical and extreme Muslims and today’s ordinary Christians. But it also must be said that Christians, from the 4th century to the 18th century, can match the Muslims one-for-one when it comes to having spread the faith with the sword. Read the history of the Christianization of Europe, and you have to go hunting for that minority of the faithful who spread the faith without the sword, merely by witness and works.
We live today not in the time of Christian Crusades and Inquisitions, but in a time when the pope is needed as a bridge-builder, a link-maker. Having quoted claims seven centuries old that only “evil and inhuman” things were new in the program of the prophet and in the name of Islam, it will be harder for the pope to have a dialogue with the Muslims who do good and human things. Some on the Muslim and American right seem to be craving a war of civilizations, a war about which we know only one thing: Both sides (or the many sides) would lose.
Rather than point to the “evil and inhuman” nature of Islam’s, Judaism’s, Christianity’s, Hinduism’s, Buddhism’s and other religious’ holy wars, the pope will serve better if he can still find dialogue partners in search of the good and human.
All is not lost. Yet.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT for September 24, 2006: Theresa and Bill Campbell Share Testimony
This and That:
Bill and Theresa Campbell Share Testimony
The following is the testimony of Bill and Theresa Campbell sharing their thoughts about Our Lady of Grace and inviting all at the Masses this weekend to participate in our Annual Offertory Renewal.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Bill: Good evening (morning)!
I’m Bill Campbell and this is my wife Theresa and our daughters Colleen, Christa, Jan and Juliana. Fr. Nick has asked us to speak at each Mass this weekend about our commitment to stewardship. That’s good news and bad news for you. The bad news is that Theresa and I are not dynamic speakers like Fr. Nick. The good news is that our talk will be shorter than the typical homily.
Theresa and I feel blessed by our Catholic faith and traditions, and thus we want to give something back. We hope you all feel blessed too. We all live in a beautiful area and belong to a vibrant parish. We should take time to appreciate our many gifts and thank God for them. We can also show our gratitude by generously sharing our time, talent and treasure. This is precisely what stewardship means – being faithful in our generosity.
We want to thank you for all the great things that are accomplished here that wouldn’t be possible without the almost 700 volunteers and your monetary gifts to the church. There are 60 different ministries, and although we will mention only a few of them today, all are worthwhile! We have an extensive outreach program providing food and clothing to those less fortunate than ourselves. The Knights of Columbus provide wonderful parish brunches plus many valuable services in direct service to our youth as well as helping others in need with house repairs. We have a Teen Life program that includes an upbeat Sunday 5 pm Mass with social and spiritual activities afterwards. Although the program is fairly new, it has been well received by the teens and does seem to have an impact at helping the teens grow closer to Jesus.
You may have noticed I am wearing a red ribbon around my neck. This is not a fashion statement on my part, but rather it signifies that I am a member of the Pastoral Council. We wear these ribbons so that you may stop any of us after Mass with questions you have or feedback on anything, positive or negative. That way we can share your concerns at the next monthly Council meeting.
Now I will turn it over to Theresa.
Theresa: Good evening (morning)!
The parishioners and friends we’ve met know that our family has been here just over a year. As a tribute to the kindness and friendliness of the people of this parish, we immediately felt we were in a place we could call home. I remember the Sunday we came to check things out, and we sang “The Summons.” We sang it just a few weeks ago, and the lyrics still move me, “ Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?” Somehow, I can’t help but think that we receive gifts like these, life-changing moments like these, as blessings and signs from God for being faithful stewards. Well, we came, and guess what, we will never be the same. We love it here, and with all the hassles of moving, Bill and I have assured each other, God willing, that this is where we will stay and raise our children.
Speaking of the girls, we were holding our own when we had just two, but things really started slipping by the time the third and then the fourth daughters were born. Then we figured it out: we realized that we were good in the man-to-man defense but much weaker in a zone defense. At this stage of the game, most days I will tell you that I need a sub! In fact, last summer when we moved, I looked to the sidelines and Our Lady of Grace was there. We had just attended the new parishioner orientation where I remember vividly Father Nick with his chalk in hand promising that Our Lady of Grace is here to help us with any need and that he in turn hopes that all of us will take an active role in helping the Church. So here I was knee-deep in unpacked boxes, four little girls with no school routine, running all around reacting in their own way to the stress of the move, Bill who was workingy long hours as he was transitioning from his Virginia office, no family in the immediate vicinity – in other words, feeling very overwhelmed. It was then that Fr. Nick’s words rang in my ears. I picked up the telephone and almost literally cried, “HELP! I need a sub!” The kind voice put me through to Mike Bertling who was the Youth Ministry Coordinator at the time. He provided me with a list of several dependable teens who could babysit and give me some relief. As the saying goes, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with those sitters and the regaining of a bit of summertime sanity. This is just one example of the many ways we feel blessed to be part of Our Lady of Grace.
To give back, we have really tried to embrace parish life and participate in the ministries and events in which we’re able. I joined our choir, the Voices of Grace. Let me tell you, they say that to sing is to pray twice. Our director Beth and the other members make rehearsals and Masses so uplifting, that I can’t believe I’m getting double credit in the prayer bank. (I admit this is my plug for the choir. We just started back up for the season, so please come join us if you’re interested. We know how good you all sound from up here.)
I also make the zippy beef casseroles for Our Daily Bread and provide food for Grace Our Table hospitalities. Our entire family enjoyed the Lenten Family Fridays (which was my ploy to get out of cooking for several Fridays in a row). Our girls participate in Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Vacation Bible Camp and the Youth Theater of Northern Baltimore County. It is no secret that we are big fans of Mary Miller and this ministry. I agree with a mother whose letter was published in the bulletin after the recent Godspell production that Mary and this ministry not only touch lives but SOULS. These children are our future. How can we not be grateful and support these programs?
Our oldest daughters, Colleen and Christa, are currently attending Our Lady of Grace School. They love it, and we have been equally thrilled with their daily religious affirmations, the great student-teacher ratio and cutting-edge technology in the classrooms, just to name a few things. Our two youngest, Jan and Juliana, can hardly wait to go. Just like the parish, there are wonderfully supportive families there and numerous volunteer opportunities. I have enjoyed volunteering in the lunchroom, on the playground and occasionally in their library and computer classes. I have taken an active role on the Marketing Committee and both Bill and I have attended the Open Houses to share our enthusiasm about our church and school.
Through all these examples, I hope we can see the true cycle of stewardship: We give in grateful response to God’s many blessings, and then the funny thing is, we often receive as much or more than we give. So we feel blessed even more by our giving, and the cycle goes on. Sometimes we can see the direct impact of our time, talent and treasure. Other times, we can never know how far-reaching our prayers, actions and generosity turn out to be.
I’ll turn it back to Bill now for a few final thoughts.
Bill: Unfortunately, I am not very handy at fixing things around the house. For that type of work, you need time, talent and tools and I’m 0 for 3. However, it’s not that way here. As I mentioned, there are 60 different ministries that you can get involved in, and I guarantee that at least some of the 60 need your particular abilities. We are all pressed for time, but you will find your volunteering experience to be worth it. For example, I’ve enjoyed all the people I have met on the Pastoral Council and feel good that we are helping to make a difference. I also had a blast watching all the children have so much fun when I volunteered at Field Day at Our Lady of Grace School. If you are generous in sharing your time, talent and treasure, you will not only help others, but it will make you happier too. The Prayer of St. Francis even reminds us that, “It is truly in giving that we receive.”
I waited until the end to talk about money, as it’s a turnoff for some people; however, we need money to keep our parish ministries going. Everything keeps getting more expensive. Utilities are projected to increase 22% this year. We want to not only continue to provide the current level of giving to the poor, but increase it. Thank you for your generosity in the past. Please think about it, pray about it and sleep on it and be as generous as you can be in giving to our church in the next year.
Bill and Theresa Campbell Share Testimony
The following is the testimony of Bill and Theresa Campbell sharing their thoughts about Our Lady of Grace and inviting all at the Masses this weekend to participate in our Annual Offertory Renewal.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Bill: Good evening (morning)!
I’m Bill Campbell and this is my wife Theresa and our daughters Colleen, Christa, Jan and Juliana. Fr. Nick has asked us to speak at each Mass this weekend about our commitment to stewardship. That’s good news and bad news for you. The bad news is that Theresa and I are not dynamic speakers like Fr. Nick. The good news is that our talk will be shorter than the typical homily.
Theresa and I feel blessed by our Catholic faith and traditions, and thus we want to give something back. We hope you all feel blessed too. We all live in a beautiful area and belong to a vibrant parish. We should take time to appreciate our many gifts and thank God for them. We can also show our gratitude by generously sharing our time, talent and treasure. This is precisely what stewardship means – being faithful in our generosity.
We want to thank you for all the great things that are accomplished here that wouldn’t be possible without the almost 700 volunteers and your monetary gifts to the church. There are 60 different ministries, and although we will mention only a few of them today, all are worthwhile! We have an extensive outreach program providing food and clothing to those less fortunate than ourselves. The Knights of Columbus provide wonderful parish brunches plus many valuable services in direct service to our youth as well as helping others in need with house repairs. We have a Teen Life program that includes an upbeat Sunday 5 pm Mass with social and spiritual activities afterwards. Although the program is fairly new, it has been well received by the teens and does seem to have an impact at helping the teens grow closer to Jesus.
You may have noticed I am wearing a red ribbon around my neck. This is not a fashion statement on my part, but rather it signifies that I am a member of the Pastoral Council. We wear these ribbons so that you may stop any of us after Mass with questions you have or feedback on anything, positive or negative. That way we can share your concerns at the next monthly Council meeting.
Now I will turn it over to Theresa.
Theresa: Good evening (morning)!
The parishioners and friends we’ve met know that our family has been here just over a year. As a tribute to the kindness and friendliness of the people of this parish, we immediately felt we were in a place we could call home. I remember the Sunday we came to check things out, and we sang “The Summons.” We sang it just a few weeks ago, and the lyrics still move me, “ Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?” Somehow, I can’t help but think that we receive gifts like these, life-changing moments like these, as blessings and signs from God for being faithful stewards. Well, we came, and guess what, we will never be the same. We love it here, and with all the hassles of moving, Bill and I have assured each other, God willing, that this is where we will stay and raise our children.
Speaking of the girls, we were holding our own when we had just two, but things really started slipping by the time the third and then the fourth daughters were born. Then we figured it out: we realized that we were good in the man-to-man defense but much weaker in a zone defense. At this stage of the game, most days I will tell you that I need a sub! In fact, last summer when we moved, I looked to the sidelines and Our Lady of Grace was there. We had just attended the new parishioner orientation where I remember vividly Father Nick with his chalk in hand promising that Our Lady of Grace is here to help us with any need and that he in turn hopes that all of us will take an active role in helping the Church. So here I was knee-deep in unpacked boxes, four little girls with no school routine, running all around reacting in their own way to the stress of the move, Bill who was workingy long hours as he was transitioning from his Virginia office, no family in the immediate vicinity – in other words, feeling very overwhelmed. It was then that Fr. Nick’s words rang in my ears. I picked up the telephone and almost literally cried, “HELP! I need a sub!” The kind voice put me through to Mike Bertling who was the Youth Ministry Coordinator at the time. He provided me with a list of several dependable teens who could babysit and give me some relief. As the saying goes, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with those sitters and the regaining of a bit of summertime sanity. This is just one example of the many ways we feel blessed to be part of Our Lady of Grace.
To give back, we have really tried to embrace parish life and participate in the ministries and events in which we’re able. I joined our choir, the Voices of Grace. Let me tell you, they say that to sing is to pray twice. Our director Beth and the other members make rehearsals and Masses so uplifting, that I can’t believe I’m getting double credit in the prayer bank. (I admit this is my plug for the choir. We just started back up for the season, so please come join us if you’re interested. We know how good you all sound from up here.)
I also make the zippy beef casseroles for Our Daily Bread and provide food for Grace Our Table hospitalities. Our entire family enjoyed the Lenten Family Fridays (which was my ploy to get out of cooking for several Fridays in a row). Our girls participate in Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Vacation Bible Camp and the Youth Theater of Northern Baltimore County. It is no secret that we are big fans of Mary Miller and this ministry. I agree with a mother whose letter was published in the bulletin after the recent Godspell production that Mary and this ministry not only touch lives but SOULS. These children are our future. How can we not be grateful and support these programs?
Our oldest daughters, Colleen and Christa, are currently attending Our Lady of Grace School. They love it, and we have been equally thrilled with their daily religious affirmations, the great student-teacher ratio and cutting-edge technology in the classrooms, just to name a few things. Our two youngest, Jan and Juliana, can hardly wait to go. Just like the parish, there are wonderfully supportive families there and numerous volunteer opportunities. I have enjoyed volunteering in the lunchroom, on the playground and occasionally in their library and computer classes. I have taken an active role on the Marketing Committee and both Bill and I have attended the Open Houses to share our enthusiasm about our church and school.
Through all these examples, I hope we can see the true cycle of stewardship: We give in grateful response to God’s many blessings, and then the funny thing is, we often receive as much or more than we give. So we feel blessed even more by our giving, and the cycle goes on. Sometimes we can see the direct impact of our time, talent and treasure. Other times, we can never know how far-reaching our prayers, actions and generosity turn out to be.
I’ll turn it back to Bill now for a few final thoughts.
Bill: Unfortunately, I am not very handy at fixing things around the house. For that type of work, you need time, talent and tools and I’m 0 for 3. However, it’s not that way here. As I mentioned, there are 60 different ministries that you can get involved in, and I guarantee that at least some of the 60 need your particular abilities. We are all pressed for time, but you will find your volunteering experience to be worth it. For example, I’ve enjoyed all the people I have met on the Pastoral Council and feel good that we are helping to make a difference. I also had a blast watching all the children have so much fun when I volunteered at Field Day at Our Lady of Grace School. If you are generous in sharing your time, talent and treasure, you will not only help others, but it will make you happier too. The Prayer of St. Francis even reminds us that, “It is truly in giving that we receive.”
I waited until the end to talk about money, as it’s a turnoff for some people; however, we need money to keep our parish ministries going. Everything keeps getting more expensive. Utilities are projected to increase 22% this year. We want to not only continue to provide the current level of giving to the poor, but increase it. Thank you for your generosity in the past. Please think about it, pray about it and sleep on it and be as generous as you can be in giving to our church in the next year.
Weekly HOMILY for September 24, 2006: Our Step in Faith
24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Cycle B
Our Lady of Grace
September 24, 2006
Our Step in Faith
By Bill and Theresa Campbell
The following is the testimony of Bill and Theresa Campbell sharing their thoughts about Our Lady of Grace and inviting all at the Masses this weekend to participate in our Annual Offertory Renewal.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Bill: Good evening (morning)!
I’m Bill Campbell and this is my wife Theresa and our daughters Colleen, Christa, Jan and Juliana. Fr. Nick has asked us to speak at each Mass this weekend about our commitment to stewardship. That’s good news and bad news for you. The bad news is that Theresa and I are not dynamic speakers like Fr. Nick. The good news is that our talk will be shorter than the typical homily.
Theresa and I feel blessed by our Catholic faith and traditions, and thus we want to give something back. We hope you all feel blessed too. We all live in a beautiful area and belong to a vibrant parish. We should take time to appreciate our many gifts and thank God for them. We can also show our gratitude by generously sharing our time, talent and treasure. This is precisely what stewardship means – being faithful in our generosity.
We want to thank you for all the great things that are accomplished here that wouldn’t be possible without the almost 700 volunteers and your monetary gifts to the church. There are 60 different ministries, and although we will mention only a few of them today, all are worthwhile! We have an extensive outreach program providing food and clothing to those less fortunate than ourselves. The Knights of Columbus provide wonderful parish brunches plus many valuable services in direct service to our youth as well as helping others in need with house repairs. We have a Teen Life program that includes an upbeat Sunday 5 pm Mass with social and spiritual activities afterwards. Although the program is fairly new, it has been well received by the teens and does seem to have an impact at helping the teens grow closer to Jesus.
You may have noticed I am wearing a red ribbon around my neck. This is not a fashion statement on my part, but rather it signifies that I am a member of the Pastoral Council. We wear these ribbons so that you may stop any of us after Mass with questions you have or feedback on anything, positive or negative. That way we can share your concerns at the next monthly Council meeting.
Now I will turn it over to Theresa.
Theresa: Good evening (morning)!
The parishioners and friends we’ve met know that our family has been here just over a year. As a tribute to the kindness and friendliness of the people of this parish, we immediately felt we were in a place we could call home. I remember the Sunday we came to check things out, and we sang “The Summons.” We sang it just a few weeks ago, and the lyrics still move me, “ Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?” Somehow, I can’t help but think that we receive gifts like these, life-changing moments like these, as blessings and signs from God for being faithful stewards. Well, we came, and guess what, we will never be the same. We love it here, and with all the hassles of moving, Bill and I have assured each other, God willing, that this is where we will stay and raise our children.
Speaking of the girls, we were holding our own when we had just two, but things really started slipping by the time the third and then the fourth daughters were born. Then we figured it out: we realized that we were good in the man-to-man defense but much weaker in a zone defense. At this stage of the game, most days I will tell you that I need a sub! In fact, last summer when we moved, I looked to the sidelines and Our Lady of Grace was there. We had just attended the new parishioner orientation where I remember vividly Father Nick with his chalk in hand promising that Our Lady of Grace is here to help us with any need and that he in turn hopes that all of us will take an active role in helping the Church. So here I was knee-deep in unpacked boxes, four little girls with no school routine, running all around reacting in their own way to the stress of the move, Bill who was workingy long hours as he was transitioning from his Virginia office, no family in the immediate vicinity – in other words, feeling very overwhelmed. It was then that Fr. Nick’s words rang in my ears. I picked up the telephone and almost literally cried, “HELP! I need a sub!” The kind voice put me through to Mike Bertling who was the Youth Ministry Coordinator at the time. He provided me with a list of several dependable teens who could babysit and give me some relief. As the saying goes, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with those sitters and the regaining of a bit of summertime sanity. This is just one example of the many ways we feel blessed to be part of Our Lady of Grace.
To give back, we have really tried to embrace parish life and participate in the ministries and events in which we’re able. I joined our choir, the Voices of Grace. Let me tell you, they say that to sing is to pray twice. Our director Beth and the other members make rehearsals and Masses so uplifting, that I can’t believe I’m getting double credit in the prayer bank. (I admit this is my plug for the choir. We just started back up for the season, so please come join us if you’re interested. We know how good you all sound from up here.)
I also make the zippy beef casseroles for Our Daily Bread and provide food for Grace Our Table hospitalities. Our entire family enjoyed the Lenten Family Fridays (which was my ploy to get out of cooking for several Fridays in a row). Our girls participate in Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Vacation Bible Camp and the Youth Theater of Northern Baltimore County. It is no secret that we are big fans of Mary Miller and this ministry. I agree with a mother whose letter was published in the bulletin after the recent Godspell production that Mary and this ministry not only touch lives but SOULS. These children are our future. How can we not be grateful and support these programs?
Our oldest daughters, Colleen and Christa, are currently attending Our Lady of Grace School. They love it, and we have been equally thrilled with their daily religious affirmations, the great student-teacher ratio and cutting-edge technology in the classrooms, just to name a few things. Our two youngest, Jan and Juliana, can hardly wait to go. Just like the parish, there are wonderfully supportive families there and numerous volunteer opportunities. I have enjoyed volunteering in the lunchroom, on the playground and occasionally in their library and computer classes. I have taken an active role on the Marketing Committee and both Bill and I have attended the Open Houses to share our enthusiasm about our church and school.
Through all these examples, I hope we can see the true cycle of stewardship: We give in grateful response to God’s many blessings, and then the funny thing is, we often receive as much or more than we give. So we feel blessed even more by our giving, and the cycle goes on. Sometimes we can see the direct impact of our time, talent and treasure. Other times, we can never know how far-reaching our prayers, actions and generosity turn out to be.
I’ll turn it back to Bill now for a few final thoughts.
Bill: Unfortunately, I am not very handy at fixing things around the house. For that type of work, you need time, talent and tools and I’m 0 for 3. However, it’s not that way here. As I mentioned, there are 60 different ministries that you can get involved in, and I guarantee that at least some of the 60 need your particular abilities. We are all pressed for time, but you will find your volunteering experience to be worth it. For example, I’ve enjoyed all the people I have met on the Pastoral Council and feel good that we are helping to make a difference. I also had a blast watching all the children have so much fun when I volunteered at Field Day at Our Lady of Grace School. If you are generous in sharing your time, talent and treasure, you will not only help others, but it will make you happier too. The Prayer of St. Francis even reminds us that, “It is truly in giving that we receive.”
I waited until the end to talk about money, as it’s a turnoff for some people; however, we need money to keep our parish ministries going. Everything keeps getting more expensive. Utilities are projected to increase 22% this year. We want to not only continue to provide the current level of giving to the poor, but increase it. Thank you for your generosity in the past. Please think about it, pray about it and sleep on it and be as generous as you can be in giving to our church in the next year.
Our Lady of Grace
September 24, 2006
Our Step in Faith
By Bill and Theresa Campbell
The following is the testimony of Bill and Theresa Campbell sharing their thoughts about Our Lady of Grace and inviting all at the Masses this weekend to participate in our Annual Offertory Renewal.
Fondly,
Father Nick Amato
Bill: Good evening (morning)!
I’m Bill Campbell and this is my wife Theresa and our daughters Colleen, Christa, Jan and Juliana. Fr. Nick has asked us to speak at each Mass this weekend about our commitment to stewardship. That’s good news and bad news for you. The bad news is that Theresa and I are not dynamic speakers like Fr. Nick. The good news is that our talk will be shorter than the typical homily.
Theresa and I feel blessed by our Catholic faith and traditions, and thus we want to give something back. We hope you all feel blessed too. We all live in a beautiful area and belong to a vibrant parish. We should take time to appreciate our many gifts and thank God for them. We can also show our gratitude by generously sharing our time, talent and treasure. This is precisely what stewardship means – being faithful in our generosity.
We want to thank you for all the great things that are accomplished here that wouldn’t be possible without the almost 700 volunteers and your monetary gifts to the church. There are 60 different ministries, and although we will mention only a few of them today, all are worthwhile! We have an extensive outreach program providing food and clothing to those less fortunate than ourselves. The Knights of Columbus provide wonderful parish brunches plus many valuable services in direct service to our youth as well as helping others in need with house repairs. We have a Teen Life program that includes an upbeat Sunday 5 pm Mass with social and spiritual activities afterwards. Although the program is fairly new, it has been well received by the teens and does seem to have an impact at helping the teens grow closer to Jesus.
You may have noticed I am wearing a red ribbon around my neck. This is not a fashion statement on my part, but rather it signifies that I am a member of the Pastoral Council. We wear these ribbons so that you may stop any of us after Mass with questions you have or feedback on anything, positive or negative. That way we can share your concerns at the next monthly Council meeting.
Now I will turn it over to Theresa.
Theresa: Good evening (morning)!
The parishioners and friends we’ve met know that our family has been here just over a year. As a tribute to the kindness and friendliness of the people of this parish, we immediately felt we were in a place we could call home. I remember the Sunday we came to check things out, and we sang “The Summons.” We sang it just a few weeks ago, and the lyrics still move me, “ Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same?” Somehow, I can’t help but think that we receive gifts like these, life-changing moments like these, as blessings and signs from God for being faithful stewards. Well, we came, and guess what, we will never be the same. We love it here, and with all the hassles of moving, Bill and I have assured each other, God willing, that this is where we will stay and raise our children.
Speaking of the girls, we were holding our own when we had just two, but things really started slipping by the time the third and then the fourth daughters were born. Then we figured it out: we realized that we were good in the man-to-man defense but much weaker in a zone defense. At this stage of the game, most days I will tell you that I need a sub! In fact, last summer when we moved, I looked to the sidelines and Our Lady of Grace was there. We had just attended the new parishioner orientation where I remember vividly Father Nick with his chalk in hand promising that Our Lady of Grace is here to help us with any need and that he in turn hopes that all of us will take an active role in helping the Church. So here I was knee-deep in unpacked boxes, four little girls with no school routine, running all around reacting in their own way to the stress of the move, Bill who was workingy long hours as he was transitioning from his Virginia office, no family in the immediate vicinity – in other words, feeling very overwhelmed. It was then that Fr. Nick’s words rang in my ears. I picked up the telephone and almost literally cried, “HELP! I need a sub!” The kind voice put me through to Mike Bertling who was the Youth Ministry Coordinator at the time. He provided me with a list of several dependable teens who could babysit and give me some relief. As the saying goes, it was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with those sitters and the regaining of a bit of summertime sanity. This is just one example of the many ways we feel blessed to be part of Our Lady of Grace.
To give back, we have really tried to embrace parish life and participate in the ministries and events in which we’re able. I joined our choir, the Voices of Grace. Let me tell you, they say that to sing is to pray twice. Our director Beth and the other members make rehearsals and Masses so uplifting, that I can’t believe I’m getting double credit in the prayer bank. (I admit this is my plug for the choir. We just started back up for the season, so please come join us if you’re interested. We know how good you all sound from up here.)
I also make the zippy beef casseroles for Our Daily Bread and provide food for Grace Our Table hospitalities. Our entire family enjoyed the Lenten Family Fridays (which was my ploy to get out of cooking for several Fridays in a row). Our girls participate in Children’s Liturgy of the Word, Vacation Bible Camp and the Youth Theater of Northern Baltimore County. It is no secret that we are big fans of Mary Miller and this ministry. I agree with a mother whose letter was published in the bulletin after the recent Godspell production that Mary and this ministry not only touch lives but SOULS. These children are our future. How can we not be grateful and support these programs?
Our oldest daughters, Colleen and Christa, are currently attending Our Lady of Grace School. They love it, and we have been equally thrilled with their daily religious affirmations, the great student-teacher ratio and cutting-edge technology in the classrooms, just to name a few things. Our two youngest, Jan and Juliana, can hardly wait to go. Just like the parish, there are wonderfully supportive families there and numerous volunteer opportunities. I have enjoyed volunteering in the lunchroom, on the playground and occasionally in their library and computer classes. I have taken an active role on the Marketing Committee and both Bill and I have attended the Open Houses to share our enthusiasm about our church and school.
Through all these examples, I hope we can see the true cycle of stewardship: We give in grateful response to God’s many blessings, and then the funny thing is, we often receive as much or more than we give. So we feel blessed even more by our giving, and the cycle goes on. Sometimes we can see the direct impact of our time, talent and treasure. Other times, we can never know how far-reaching our prayers, actions and generosity turn out to be.
I’ll turn it back to Bill now for a few final thoughts.
Bill: Unfortunately, I am not very handy at fixing things around the house. For that type of work, you need time, talent and tools and I’m 0 for 3. However, it’s not that way here. As I mentioned, there are 60 different ministries that you can get involved in, and I guarantee that at least some of the 60 need your particular abilities. We are all pressed for time, but you will find your volunteering experience to be worth it. For example, I’ve enjoyed all the people I have met on the Pastoral Council and feel good that we are helping to make a difference. I also had a blast watching all the children have so much fun when I volunteered at Field Day at Our Lady of Grace School. If you are generous in sharing your time, talent and treasure, you will not only help others, but it will make you happier too. The Prayer of St. Francis even reminds us that, “It is truly in giving that we receive.”
I waited until the end to talk about money, as it’s a turnoff for some people; however, we need money to keep our parish ministries going. Everything keeps getting more expensive. Utilities are projected to increase 22% this year. We want to not only continue to provide the current level of giving to the poor, but increase it. Thank you for your generosity in the past. Please think about it, pray about it and sleep on it and be as generous as you can be in giving to our church in the next year.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Weekly MESSAGE for September 17, 2006: Back from Alaska
September 14, 2006
Dear Friends,
My week in Alaska with 40 of our parishioners was a wonderful experience. It was a time for prayer, reading, sightseeing, and great gatherings with friends, new and old.
The beauties of Alaska are legion. The train ride from Scagway, Alaska into British Columbia was a sight to behold. In a single vista you could see a glacier at mountaintops, with mountain goats grazing on the lower hills, and lush forests below that, all ending in the shoreline of river. And nowhere in sight was a person to be found apart from those of us in the 20 railroad cars feasting on the landscape.
The scenery notwithstanding, I’d have to say the most transforming thing I did the week away was read a book entitled: “Leadership and Self-Deception.” The quote of Steven Wheelwright, Professor and Associate Dean at the Harvard Business School sums it up for me, “Fascinating, thought provoking, and insightful! This book is a wake-up call to all those who think they’re good with people, and a must-read for those who know they need to be better. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down.”
“Leadership and Self-Deception,” authored by the Arbinger Institute, shows how most personal and organizational problems are all the result of a little-known problem we all are involved in to some degree called “self-deception.” Through an entertaining and highly instructive story, the book shows what self-deception is, how you and I get trapped in it, and how it undermines our personal achievement and organizational performance. Perhaps most importantly, it offers you the surprising way to solve it. An amazing read!
An important lesson learned was that I could have stayed at home and still had the transforming experience. Ah, the wisdom that comes with years.
Best regards,
Father Nick Amato
Dear Friends,
My week in Alaska with 40 of our parishioners was a wonderful experience. It was a time for prayer, reading, sightseeing, and great gatherings with friends, new and old.
The beauties of Alaska are legion. The train ride from Scagway, Alaska into British Columbia was a sight to behold. In a single vista you could see a glacier at mountaintops, with mountain goats grazing on the lower hills, and lush forests below that, all ending in the shoreline of river. And nowhere in sight was a person to be found apart from those of us in the 20 railroad cars feasting on the landscape.
The scenery notwithstanding, I’d have to say the most transforming thing I did the week away was read a book entitled: “Leadership and Self-Deception.” The quote of Steven Wheelwright, Professor and Associate Dean at the Harvard Business School sums it up for me, “Fascinating, thought provoking, and insightful! This book is a wake-up call to all those who think they’re good with people, and a must-read for those who know they need to be better. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down.”
“Leadership and Self-Deception,” authored by the Arbinger Institute, shows how most personal and organizational problems are all the result of a little-known problem we all are involved in to some degree called “self-deception.” Through an entertaining and highly instructive story, the book shows what self-deception is, how you and I get trapped in it, and how it undermines our personal achievement and organizational performance. Perhaps most importantly, it offers you the surprising way to solve it. An amazing read!
An important lesson learned was that I could have stayed at home and still had the transforming experience. Ah, the wisdom that comes with years.
Best regards,
Father Nick Amato
Weekly THIS AND THAT FOR November 17, 2006
This and That:
Annual Offertory Renewal
Miracle or Natural Phenomena?
Picture this: the Sea of Galilee; the year 30. It is springtime, lots of green grass and a beautiful full moon. Jesus has just fed 5,000 folks at the side of the Lake and sent them home. The Apostles he has sent back via the Sea exhausted from the feeding, and he himself heads for the mountain for some prayer and rest. While the Apostles are on the Sea, a storm arises and the strong winds are driving the boat back against the northern coast of the Lake. Jesus, for his part, is coming down the mountain and sees the squall. As he nears the shoreline he hears them crying out for help and even sees them, arms flailing, with the help of the full moon.
What I find very interesting and what I want to serve as a focus for my remarks are two different translations of how the frightened Apostles experience Jesus. The first time they see him the Greek says they see him “on” the Sea. In the next sentence the Greek says they see him “by” the Sea. If he were walking “on” the sea, that would be miraculous. If he were walking “by” the sea, that would have been a natural phenomena. But either way what is important is that their experience of Jesus in the midst of their fears and alarm gives Peter the faith necessary to venture out into the storm. Oh yes, he falters a bit, but the hand of the Lord is always there to grasp and hold him firmly. Once back in the boat the storm ceases.
Annual Offertory Renewal
This past week we began our Annual Offertory Renewal with the letter you received from me. My purpose in speaking today is to break open this Word of God which is the theme of this year’s renewal – A Step in Faith. Our presence as a parish in this community has been a succession of steps in faith. From our founding in 1974, 32 years ago, to the fact that the only building older than 6 years is the church, and that was built in 1990, is a very dramatic story of growth in faith. Yes, apart from the church, the entire rest of the campus is new. That’s 48,335 square feet of new space created since the year 2000!
Miracle or Natural Phenomenon? Either way what is important is that our experience of Jesus in the midst of our struggles, fears, alarms, oppositions, and challenges to funding gave us the faith to venture out “into the deep,” so to speak. But the facilities are only a sign of the real growth in faith of this parish family of ours. Since 1995 our parish has doubled in size to almost 1,400 families and 4,861 men, women, and children. We have opened a Lower and Middle School; expanded our Religious Education Programs and our ministry to youth. Our service to those in need continues to grow with the passing of each year. Our programs and ministries now number 60; our volunteers are a tad over 600 in number filling almost 800 volunteer positions!
Miracle or Natural Phenomenon? Whichever it is, it’s Jesus’ hand reaching out to us and calling us to new adventures is what is really going on.
Invitation to Take a Step-in-Faith
Each September we focus on the support of our facilities, energizing worship and programs, and reaching out to those in need. As with any family, we continue to grow in size and take on new responsibilities. As your family does, we as a parish get hit with increases in the cost of fuel, electricity, and health care. Since 2000 we have increased our square footage (not including the church) 9 times over, from the old offices and hall to the new offices, education center, hall and two lower levels; in square footage, that from 5,000 to 48,335. However, our income to cover maintenance, salaries, and programs has only gone from $700,000 in the year ending June 30, 2001 to $877,582 projected for the current year. In addition to 9-fold growth in space, our other biggest areas of growth are in Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Evangelization, the Why Catholic? Program you have been hearing a great deal about and which is coming soon to your neighborhood this month, and the Sunday evening 5:00pm Mass. And we come asking in the “turmoil at sea” of our own finances and limited resources, “Will we meet our new budget?” Whether it be a miracle we need or a realization of the natural phenomenon of a growing parish, Jesus is with us through it all, calling us to step forward in faith.
Conclusion
Next week every household will be receiving a letter of invitation from me personally to take that Step in Faith. Please be thoughtful in your reading of it, prayerful in your consideration, and generous in your response.
Annual Offertory Renewal
Miracle or Natural Phenomena?
Picture this: the Sea of Galilee; the year 30. It is springtime, lots of green grass and a beautiful full moon. Jesus has just fed 5,000 folks at the side of the Lake and sent them home. The Apostles he has sent back via the Sea exhausted from the feeding, and he himself heads for the mountain for some prayer and rest. While the Apostles are on the Sea, a storm arises and the strong winds are driving the boat back against the northern coast of the Lake. Jesus, for his part, is coming down the mountain and sees the squall. As he nears the shoreline he hears them crying out for help and even sees them, arms flailing, with the help of the full moon.
What I find very interesting and what I want to serve as a focus for my remarks are two different translations of how the frightened Apostles experience Jesus. The first time they see him the Greek says they see him “on” the Sea. In the next sentence the Greek says they see him “by” the Sea. If he were walking “on” the sea, that would be miraculous. If he were walking “by” the sea, that would have been a natural phenomena. But either way what is important is that their experience of Jesus in the midst of their fears and alarm gives Peter the faith necessary to venture out into the storm. Oh yes, he falters a bit, but the hand of the Lord is always there to grasp and hold him firmly. Once back in the boat the storm ceases.
Annual Offertory Renewal
This past week we began our Annual Offertory Renewal with the letter you received from me. My purpose in speaking today is to break open this Word of God which is the theme of this year’s renewal – A Step in Faith. Our presence as a parish in this community has been a succession of steps in faith. From our founding in 1974, 32 years ago, to the fact that the only building older than 6 years is the church, and that was built in 1990, is a very dramatic story of growth in faith. Yes, apart from the church, the entire rest of the campus is new. That’s 48,335 square feet of new space created since the year 2000!
Miracle or Natural Phenomenon? Either way what is important is that our experience of Jesus in the midst of our struggles, fears, alarms, oppositions, and challenges to funding gave us the faith to venture out “into the deep,” so to speak. But the facilities are only a sign of the real growth in faith of this parish family of ours. Since 1995 our parish has doubled in size to almost 1,400 families and 4,861 men, women, and children. We have opened a Lower and Middle School; expanded our Religious Education Programs and our ministry to youth. Our service to those in need continues to grow with the passing of each year. Our programs and ministries now number 60; our volunteers are a tad over 600 in number filling almost 800 volunteer positions!
Miracle or Natural Phenomenon? Whichever it is, it’s Jesus’ hand reaching out to us and calling us to new adventures is what is really going on.
Invitation to Take a Step-in-Faith
Each September we focus on the support of our facilities, energizing worship and programs, and reaching out to those in need. As with any family, we continue to grow in size and take on new responsibilities. As your family does, we as a parish get hit with increases in the cost of fuel, electricity, and health care. Since 2000 we have increased our square footage (not including the church) 9 times over, from the old offices and hall to the new offices, education center, hall and two lower levels; in square footage, that from 5,000 to 48,335. However, our income to cover maintenance, salaries, and programs has only gone from $700,000 in the year ending June 30, 2001 to $877,582 projected for the current year. In addition to 9-fold growth in space, our other biggest areas of growth are in Religious Education, Youth Ministry, Evangelization, the Why Catholic? Program you have been hearing a great deal about and which is coming soon to your neighborhood this month, and the Sunday evening 5:00pm Mass. And we come asking in the “turmoil at sea” of our own finances and limited resources, “Will we meet our new budget?” Whether it be a miracle we need or a realization of the natural phenomenon of a growing parish, Jesus is with us through it all, calling us to step forward in faith.
Conclusion
Next week every household will be receiving a letter of invitation from me personally to take that Step in Faith. Please be thoughtful in your reading of it, prayerful in your consideration, and generous in your response.
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