MONDAY DIARY: ALMOST EXCRUSIATINGLY TRUE STORIES: A TAIL FOR CHRISTMAS

So no kidding; this is the Christmas tree in the St. Sebastian rectory and even though there are two priests and a couple of seminarians staying here - not to mention the couple of priests who will be visiting and staying with us next week - most of the presents under the tree are for Sebastian.  (For the uninitiated, Sebastian is my dog.)  Mostly only the tall skinny bags are for us.  For the young folk who may be wondering what is in the tall skinny bags - they are bottles of shampoo. 

Sebastian is pretty popular (and that makes me happy.  He does good ministry.)  So this past Sunday I took him for a walk during the 1:00 Mass as is my custom.

 

We were first stopped by one of Sebastian's favorite people in the world.

She pulled over and got out of the car to greet Sebastian and give him his Christmas gifts.

The poor grammar is not actually the above person's fault, it was the result of me trying to post too quickly and changing what I was going to say mid sentence and then not going back and changing it.  Ah well, such is life.

 

Anyway, no sooner does she pull away than somebody comes by to give him another present.

Apparently people drive around with gifts for dogs just in case they might run into them.  And while still talking to the second person this happened:

So maybe I looked a bit like Dickens character.  I must give her that much.  Below is an old picture of me.  I was dressed pretty much like this on Sunday so I suppose it could seem like I was in a play or something.  But hey, if it means people will stop their cars and give me hamburgers I'm Okay with that.

So there I am carrying all this presents, dressed like a Dickens character with the best looking dog in the world walking through the park in the snow - I guess it might have been a scene of sorts which is why this then happened:

 

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

So now its decision time.  What do these three windows mean?  Here are some conclusions gathered from your comments and from my resource books.  There were no difinitive guesses but you did help me shed much light on the mysteries of these windows.

To begin, what is that green thing at the bottom of this first window?  I was standing in the hallway at the time when a lady in the parish said rather matter of factly, "Those are figs" as though it was the most obvious thing in the world.  But you know what?  It seems to make sense.  The most common perception is that this first window has to do with things of the Old Testament.  So let's try to sew the whole thing together.  A snake (or serpent) is obviously something to do with evil.  Let us suppose for the moment that it is the devil from Genesis.  A torch (when it is not representing Christ or the Church as the light of the world) is a symbol of betrayal for Judas came after Jesus with "lanterns, torches, and weapons."  Figs are often substituted for the apple when symbolizing the fall of man because "they sewed fig leaves together for clothing."  The scroll represents the Old Testament and in the dove seems to represents the action of God throughout the church windows.

There seems to be common agreement on this window representing Christ as King and Victor over death.

Finally here we have the Gospel book and a lamp which is most often a symbol of wisdom and piety.  The dove is once again the action of God in the world.

 

So here is what I am thinking (wink'n and nod.)  At the least the three window represent the three major stages of our faith: before Christ, at the time of Christ, and the world after Christ.  We could take it a bit further and say the state of man mired in original sin, redeemed by Christ, and now living in Christ.  This might work since it is also just down the hall from what used to be the baptismal font. 

 

Anyway that is what I think.  With this final bit of information if you have any other ideas please let me know otherwise this is what I am going to put in my description of the symbolism of the parish.  Thanks for the help!

 

Now, here is a mystery that finally figured out but I'll give you a week to guess.  This one I am sure of.

 

I presented this a couple of years ago and nobody could figure it out.  It is obvious that these shelves were added later in the history of the parish.  Sticking out under the top shelf is a green marble block obviously built into the wall at about mid thigh.  It has an indentation at the top like a holy water font for dipping you finger in only that unless you are five years old, one would have to bend pretty far over to do so.  Nobody has been able to figure this out.  The best guess was that is was for people in wheelchairs but that doesn't make any sense since this door only had a ramp installed years after the building was built.

This past year I discovered this!  It is on the opposite side of the wall in the confessional (not where the priest sits but where the penitent is.

This is what the door looks like open.  Though it doesn't look like it here, it is several inches in depth.

This is the final clue.

Did you get it?  Answer next week.

TOP CATHOLIC STORIES OF 2012: SYRIASLY

The last in John Allen’s top four Catholic stories of 2013 is the situation in Syria.  10% of the population there is Christian and the state of affairs for them there is greatly deteriorating.  It is increasingly difficult for them to survive as Christians and those who are able flee.  This whole region of the globe is an area where Christians are systematically being outlawed and rooted out.  The country is in general upheaval but it is the Christian community that are singled out and made the primary victims.

 

Over the past year the Vatican has made this country its top diplomatic concern.  The primary objective is to protect the Christian community there (Catholic and non-Catholic Christian alike) lest this country become “the new Iraq.”  This geopolitical concern will carry forth into the next year.

 

This leads us to the topics for next week:  There will be a post on John Allen’s predictions for the top 3 Catholic stories to keep an eye out for in 2013.

TOP CATHOLIC STORIES OF 2012: VATILEAKS

Continuing our countdown to the New Year using John Allen’s talk at the Akron First Friday Club concerning the top Catholic stories of 2012 we hit #3 of 4: Vatileaks!  This is the story of how the Pope Benedict’s personal secretary removed documentation from the Vatican and sold it to the press.  This was an early Christmas present for the world that loves a good story.  It was full of all the right details: The mysterious Vatican, high ranking officials in the Church, an insider giving the public sneak peeks at the inner workings (and some inglorious ones at that) of this rather unique city-state, and best of all:  THE BUTLER DID IT.

 

Be that as it may there were some interesting and somewhat controversial results of this incident.  The pope opened up the books of the Vatican bank in order to be more transparent to the world – to try to establish trust again in the Vatican.  What is so controversial about this you might ask?  Think of how vulnerable the Vatican is.  Rome has been sacked more times than bread in a grocery store.  We have fought “with blood” to keep this small patch of land sovereign.  Is the Vatican in any way compromised because it allowed “outsiders” to come in and examine its books?  In any event, this is completely unprecedented.  And, as John Allen made mention, when you are talking about a 2,000+ year organization that has gone through what the Catholic Church has gone through, saying that something of this nature is unprecedented is saying something.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK CCLXXIX

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND:  "When death strikes down the innocent and young, for every fragile form from which he lets the panting spirit free, a hundred virtues arise, in shapes of mercy, charity, and love, to walk the workd, and bless it.  Of every tear that sorrowing mortals shed on such green graves, some good is born, some gentler nature comes.  In the Destroyer's steps there spring up bright creatures that defy his power, and his dark path becomes a light to heaven."  from Charles Dicken's "Curiosity Shop"

 

IN OTHER NEWS:

 

Archbishop Aquila makes the plea that goodness should be the best response to the evil of the school shooting.  Read more here.

 

H. P. of the parish sent this in and asked me to share it with you:  "28 random acts of kindness over then next 30 days for the victims of the CT shooting. If I can get 100 people to join me, that's 2,800 acts of kindness in memory of those killed. I included the killer in that number. So much pain was injected into our world Dec 14th. Nothing will bring those who have died back, but we can (try) to make the world a better place in their honor. PLEASE, let these little angels work some good magic through us. You in with me???"

 

Matthew sent this in to help celebrate advent:

 

MONDAY DIARY: BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT

People often ask the question, "How long does it take you to write a homily?"  It is more difficult to answer that question than one might imagine.  It really depends on the readings, what has been going on the world lately, what is coming up (Christmas is a difficult one - there will be people there you've never or rarely seen and you want to speak to them as well as the usuals and be inspiring to both) and a host of other factors.  Another factor is how inspired I feel.  Sometimes there are so many ideas floating around that one is virtually drowned in the them.

In such cases it is more of an effort to decided what you are NOT going to preach on.  Only so many messages can be given at any one homily. 

 

And of course the converse is also true:

Trying to come up with an idea can be like trying to squeeze orange juice out of a baked brick covered in sand in the desert after a drought. 

 

Though I often say that the true test of a good homily only makes itself known weeks after it has been given, I still like to see what the initial reaction is after Mass.

So, sometimes the ideas come fast an furious and it really does not take that much time before you know what you are preaching on and how it will all come together.

And other times it is more painful, unfruitful, and time consuming.

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: SCHOOLED!

O joy!  O rapture unforeseen!  I like to consider myself fairly well versed in symbolism used in the Church, but this past Friday I was schooled by one of you!  And that makes me happy.

 

There is a booklet at the parish that made a good attempt at unlocking the symbolic language used throughout St. Sebastian.  Going through it myself I found a few items with which I strongly disagreed with the author.  Further, not everything symbolic in the church was deciphered.  An example of this would be the three windows in the back hallway of the church which were posted last week on Friday Potpourri.  For a couple of years (seeking even advice from all of you) I have been trying to decifer these windows.  Nothing seemed to fit exactly.  At one point I had decided that the three windows had to do with the sacrament of confession.  The first window would be the passion and include the 30 pieces of silver, the whip, and Jesus' cloak. 

 

The second window would be the crucifixion through which He won for us the forgiveness of sins.  here is the Cross, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

 

And then, finally, the sacrament itself with the stoles etc.

 

The problem is, it worked, but not really.  The cloak did not look like anything Jesus would have worn in modern imaginings and the whip looked more stick-like.  The second window kind of works but it was a stretch.  The third window works but why two stoles?

 

Mary figured it out!  She wins the Adam's Ale prize!  These windows represent the traditional three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.  Diocesan priests do not take a vow of poverty but we are expected to live at the plane around which our people live.  The unicorn is a symbol of, among other things, chastity.  And the hands of the priest here are being wrapped in priest's stoles and connected to Christ's Cross joining their priesthoods as one - a symbol here of obedience to Him.  For her full explanation please see the comments on last week's Friday Potpourri.

 

We are narrowing down the mysteries of the parish!  Here is a set of three more windows that are rather mysterious to me.  Once again I have an idea of what I think they are but will wait until next week to see if someone can school me again.  God bless!

 

 

 

 

CATHOLIC NEWS YEAR IN REVIEW II

The second of four topics in John Allen’s Catholic news year in review is the New Evangelization.  This new effort within the Church will be “the engine that steers the financial train” of the Church making this the most important internal priority in the Church.

 

Statistics are a funny thing.  It is said that 67.2% of all statistics are made up on the spot (that is a joke) and that you can make statistics mean just about anything.  But if we only look at the number of new adherents, Christianity is the fastest growing religion in the world.  Interesting, but the happy news is not great for the western Catholic world.  Catholicism continues to be the largest single religious group in the United States with Baptists coming in a distant second.  (Protestantism as a whole is larger than the Catholic Church, but they are splintered into thousands of denominations.)  However, larger than even the Baptists are those who consider themselves former Catholics.  Though 68% of those baptized Catholic as infants remain Catholic into adulthood, that leaves 32% that “leave” and we are not doing a good job of retaining or replacing them.

 

Part of the reason is we have become so terribly polite.  “I’m Okay, your Okay, let’s not talk about religion” has become the political fashion.  While it may allay fist fights, it does nothing for evangelization and the furthering of the faith.  Hand in hand with yesterday’s post, we are to stop focusing on issues that are not on the Catholic playing field and get cracking on real matters of faith and truth that enliven peoples’ hearts.  The fire of evangelization has grown cold.  It is time to wake from our slumber, shake of the cloudiness of confusing issues, and carry forth the banner in the clear light of the sun – to banish complacency and apathy – and to relight the missionary fire to warm those around us in our everyday lives.

YEAR IN REVIEW I

The end of 2012 is right around the corner and Mr. John Allan (of All Things Catholic fame) was the speaker at the First Friday Club of Akron giving his annual end of hear news roundup.  The first part of his talk concerned the top Catholic stories of 2012 and the second the stories to watch for in 2013.  Today there will be quick look at one of his top 2012 stories with personal commentary.  (More will follow.)

 

1)       The Crackdown on Controversy:  We’ve all been reading about the Vatican visit to our nuns and to our seminaries.  But that is only the tip of the iceberg.  The Church seems to be asserting her authority to be loyal to herself.  Perfectly understandable in any organization but the Church seems to take it on the chin when attempts to do so.

 

What is really at stake here, however, is identity.  Who are we anyway?  What do we really stand for in a (western) world that values so called diversity and tolerance?  Here is where the New Evangelization comes shining through – the effort to reinvigorate the truths (yes Virginia, there is such a thing as truth) of the faith among Catholics.   

 

Some cry foul ball as if they are being censured and no longer allowed to speak on such matters.  Anyone can talk about anything they wish; abortion on demand, same sex marriage, etc . . . the Church cannot possibly stop you from talking about this at work, on your blog, or even on television – but you won’t do it on the Church’s dime.  But does this not make sense?  It only makes good sense.  Who wants to belong to an organization that cannot even get its own message out through its own people?  So the Church has established what John Allen has given the name, “No Fly Zones.”  In other words, here is what we believe as Catholics and if you want to engage in these topics as open for discussion; they will not be done on the Catholic Church’s dime.  There is a place and a time – but not during times when authentic Church teaching is supposed to be expressed.

TUESDAY QUOTE OF THE WEEK CCLXXVIII

FINDING TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY BE FOUND:  This week's quote is a bit different.  I've been reading the book of popular fiction, "The Best of Everything" by Rona Jaffe for my "for recreation" book.  In it a young woman is about to have an abortion after being pressured by her boyfriend whom she desperately loves.  The book doesn't just gloss over the event in a "now everything is Okay" fashion but grapples with conflicting emotions.  Here is the passage:

 

"In all her fantasies about unwed motherhood April had never imagined the efficiency or the speed with which alien forces would mobilize to help her.  With one half of her mind she realized she should be grateful - there were total strangers with hearts in this city.  Speed, they said, was important.  It was almost as if they were all talking about a diseased appendix.  Cut it out, cut it out fast.  Time is of the essence.  And with the other half of her mind April felt abused, about to be ravished, about to have something stolen from her which she knew logically she had no right to keep and which she knew emotionally she had to keep or something else within her, something more important, would die with it.

 

"Because she knew there was no chance she would be allowed to have this baby (unless she should run away, and where could she go?) every moment became very valuable to her.  She felt as if she were spending the last days with someone she loved whom she would never see again.  She would never see this baby at all, she would never know if it were a boy or a girl.  Perhaps it could have been a talented person, someone who would have done something for the world.  But all these were emotional thoughts, and the other side of her mind kept saying, You don't appreciate how lucky you are.  What else could you do?  It will be all over soon.  You'll forget and you'll be grateful that Dexter took care of everything."

 

IN OTHER NEWS:

 

Thanks to Frank for sending this in:

This article was in the last Diocese of Cleveland Enewsletter:  "Are you a nun?" someone will often ask me at the grocery store. "Yes!" I'll reply. The conversation usually continues with a reminiscing of this person's days in Catholic school when he or she was taught by nuns, or a remark of surprise that nuns still exist (especially young ones!). I am often surprised myself by the excitement that I see in the eyes of people I meet. What is it about this encounter with a nun that causes these reactions?"  Read more here.

Go here to find a treasure trove of Chesterton's Christmas essays.  Thanks for sending it over Ellen.

MONDAY DIARY: MUSIC IN HEAVEN

Greetings friends,

There is not going to be a Monday Diary per se as there is a family funeral today.  My Uncle Fankie Spetich (of the Frankie Spetich Orchestra fame) passed away this past week and so time is limited today.

 

It was difficult to be Slovenian and for Frankie not to be part of your celebration.  He and his orchestra (also featuring my Uncle John also late of our company) played for countless weddings, club dinner dances, and community events while I was growing up.  His reach extended far beyond the city limits of Barberton but it was there that I was most familiar with his work.  As a child it seemed almost every week we had to be down at the lodge for a some event at which the orchestra would be playing.  I remember the haze (from the many smokers), the chicken dinners, and the gentleman throwing dancing dust on the wooden floors (one would probably be sued today if someone slipped and fell) when the dancing music was about to begin.

 

In later years he started playing at church for polka Masses for such events as the Slovene Open and Night in Slovenia Dinner Dances.  To top it all off (for me) he finally played for my ordination reception.  What a night.

 

Here is a recording of his music. 

IN OTHER NEWS:

Dave Brubeck (a favorite of mine) also died this past week.  He is a jazz genius who didn't really know God in his early years.  At one point he was commissioned to compose a Mass.  Studying the Mass as he would have to do in order to compose the piece he fell in love with God His Church and became Catholic.  Rest in peace!

 

 

FRIDAY POTPOURRI: THREE RIDDLES SOLVED (I THINK)

I think three riddles have been solved concerning the church buildng at St. Sebastian. The first concerns the following three windows.  They are definately connected.  For the longest time I could not really tie them together mostly because of the middle window.  I think this first of the three mysteries have finally been solved.  Before I give what I think to be the answer however, I want to give you one last go at it.  I don't want to sway what you think by giving my answer too quickly.  My thoughts next week.



A-THEISTS POINT OF VIEW

There are those who believe (and I use the word “believe” very deliberately since it comes with its own set of un-provable presuppositions) that there is no God.  The theory of “no god” is also associated with the idea that there we are an accident of the universe with no meaning and when we die we cease to exist.  Period.  If this is so, then there really is no basis for a universal morality because there is no basis for absolute truth.

 

Some will argue that a basis for morality might be found in nature (natural law.)  There is small grounds here.  We might, for example, figure out through natural law that without clean water it we cannot survive and therefore it is good to have clean water and bad not to.  But what about people living in a desert?  Should we give them some of our clean water?  What if it places our access to clean water at risk?  If there is no real meaning to life why not let the people in the desert die?  If you give them water they will only increase in number and then we will need to send more of our limited supply of water.  But if they died, that would be the end of a problem.  There is no heaven or hell so there are no consequences and for the people who live, life on this meaningless planet just became more tolerable.

 

If, on the other hand, one would say that there is in natural law a basis for morality that says life has meaning and that we should take care of the people in the desert; that means that life and the universe have meaning and purpose.  If it has meaning and purpose that means there is an intelligence behind it and we get right back to some form of god.  But even if one argues otherwise, how do you enforce this concept of natural law other than to say, “This is my idea!” followed by a meaningful lump on the head with a club to the one who disagrees?

 

“But wait!” one might argue, “I know plenty of moral and good atheists!”  I agree.  So do I.  They are some of my favorite people.  They are also some of my favorite people in history.  People of towering (what Christians even would call) virtue.  But in the end it can only be fashion.  There is no absolute by which it can be enforced save for “Might Makes Right,” whether that be army, popular vote, control of resources, or other such means.  When the benevolent believer in a god free universe is no longer in control, to what can we appeal to continue his ideals against a contradictory force other than to raise our own force for our preferences?

 

It is often brought up that religion has caused so much war in the world.  From the Catholic perspective, it is exactly when we were NOT living up to the call of our faith that the worst in the world has been committed; when God is used as a false rallying cry and not to move people more deeply into the Gospel message. 

 

For the radical separation of Church and state (which I would argue does not state nor mean that the faith of many of the very people that they government is supposed to represent may have no sway in political activity) opens the door to those with power abusing those without power.  The worst in ourselves will come out over the (not so) long haul.

THE INCREDIBLE VANISHING ACT

Many seminarians are second career guys these days.  That is, they went to college, got a degree, and perhaps worked a while “out in the world” before fully realizing their call to the priesthood.  This is great because there is nothing that one can learn that is not helpful to the mission of the Church.  Art, engineering, history, plumbing, political science, medicine, accounting, you name it, it can be used to advantage for the kingdom of God.

 

So a seminarian asked me the other day how much of “us” do we bring to our ministry in the priesthood?  As in most things with authentic faith, the answer is “a careful and delicate balance.” 

 

Almost everyone knows of a pastor assigned to a parish that brings it to its knees.  Then there is the struggling parish that a new pastor brings fresh breath into.  Or the parish that falls apart because the popular pastor left and the one that transitioned as well as can be expected.  Part of it is the personality and charisma of the man.  But that is only part of it.  Extremely non-charismatic men have had at least a modicum of success at parish ministry.  It seems to me that there are two ingredients (assuming that one is teaching truth) that makes for a successful pastor/parish/Church relationship.

 

It is true that a parish will take on some of the personality of the pastor.  That can’t be helped.  In the end, someone has to make a final decision and that is the pastor and his decisions will impact the feel of a parish no matter how open minded he is.  He may be more of a roof and boilers man instead of an arts man and the resources of the parish will change direction.  That has a huge impact.  But first, a parish must know that the pastor does what he does because he loves them and does what he thinks is best for the overall parish.  Even the best of pastors cannot make everyone feel loved, but in general, it must be perceived that he loves the parish as he loves the Church.

 

Second is that his personality and talents and preferences should be like the red cape of a matador.  He gets your attention and leads you toward himself only to step out of the way; except when he steps out of the way it always to reveal the Eucharist.  There is the terrible temptation to begin a “personality cult” in which people are attracted to a parish because they like the pastor and it ends there.  It is Okay to like the pastor, but it must lead somewhere, not stopping there.  It must lead to the Eucharist, to the Church, to that which will be maintained when that pastor is no longer there.  And this is possible as long as he is a finger post pointing to that which is more important and not merely to himself.

 

But of course, this is not just the calling of a pastor.  This is the calling of all who spread the word of God.

MONDAY DIARY: ALMOST EXCRUSIATINGLY TRUE STORIES: 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM CREMATION

Thanksgiving is no longer fresh in any body's mind including the editorial staff of Adam's Ale.  But we have these cartoons left over (which lasted longer than the turkey) and now that the gist of working with blogs and pictures has been worked out, it seemed appropriate to bring the left overs out of the freezer and see if enough of the day can be remembered to make it worth while (or should we save the calories and just throw them away?)

 

For the third year I have hosted Thanksgiving at the rectory for one branch of the family anyway.  Don't get me wrong - I don't cook.  I am responsible for setting the table and keeping people's glasses full and that is about the extent of my responsibility.

 

My brother-in-law is the cook.  Normally a very accomplished cook.  He and my sister live in New York and they came down to celebrate with us and he decided that he would make the turkey which was just fine by me.  So I get a text on Wednesday:

Now I know Don.  I am sure he had every good intention to be at the rectory at 7:59AM on Thursday morning to start cooking and I did get up to make sure the doors were open and the lights were on just in case he actually showed up.  But every year he decides to do something else and as an after thought thinks to tell me.  (Not that I have a problem with this whatsoever.  The turkey eventually makes it's way to St. Sebastian and that's all that matters.)  So it is after Mass and there is still nobody in the kitchen cooking and I am not terribly surprised when eventually I get this text:

Or this one:

Or this one:

Okay.  I was surprised by this one:

My nephew Paul got his grandpa's oven working all right - but it acted like a blast oven.  It actually burned the oven mitts when they took the pan with the turkey out.  The 25lb beast was done in half an hour and I got a frantic phone call that dinner was being moved up by hours and we all needed to be at the rectory and eating ASAP.

After that it was hard to slow down and appreciate the meal.

But in the end, the results were exactly the same.