Homily, 9 January 2011

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord

At the Conclusion of My Pastorate of

Holy Cross Parish, Auburn; of Sacred Heart Parish, Virden;

and of St. Patrick Parish, Girard

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

May the Lord give you peace!

In accepting John’s baptism at the River Jordan, Jesus demonstrates his acceptance of the Father’s will for him. For this reason, the Father’s voice is heard: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

His baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry, of his work of manifesting the Kingdom of God through the forgiveness of sins, the healing of the sick, the deaf, the mute, blind and lame, and the resuscitation of the dead.

In a similar way, our baptism also marks the beginning of our service of God, for “baptism commits Christians to participate boldly in the spread of the Kingdom of God, cooperating if necessary with the sacrifice of one’s own life” (Pope Benedict XVI, Angelus Address, 28 October 2007). The Lord calls each of us, in many and varied ways, to this mission, the very mission of his Son; our baptism is our acceptance of the Father’s will for us, and the beginning of our desire to follow after the Lord Jesus Christ.

But what is the Father’s will for us? It is, really, quite simple; it is simply this: that we live holy lives through the love of God and the love of neighbor. Indeed, holiness is the goal of the Christian life.

Too often we believe this goal of holiness is beyond us, that it is something too difficult to attain. Were we to attempt this goal on our own, it would certainly be too far from us. But we do not attempt this goal on our own! The Lord himself walks with us and helps us grow in faith, in hope and in love!

In the waters of baptism, Christ the Lord says to us, “I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you and set you as a covenant of the people, a light to the nations” (Isaiah 42:6).

In baptism he takes us, as it were, by the hand, he leads us along the path that passes through the Red Sea of this life and introduces us to everlasting life, the true and upright life. Let us grasp his hand firmly! Whatever may happen, whatever may befall us, let us not lose hold of his hand! Let us walk along the path that leads to life (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, 23 March 2008).

This is the task of the Christian: to stay on that path, following always the Father’s will.

As you know, very soon now I will begin my new assignment as the Episcopal Master of Ceremonies and Associate Director of the Office for Vocations. It is an assignment that I did not expect – especially so soon after receiving a third pastorate – but one that I am very much looking forward to beginning. I am particularly grateful to His Excellency Bishop Paprocki for the confidence he has placed in me in calling me to work more closely with him.

It seems a very strange thing to be moving for the third time in less than sixteen months. By now, packing has become almost second nature and these several moves have helped me to attach myself more closely to Christ Jesus and less closely to the things of this world.

[To the parishioners of St. Patrick Parish, Girard]

I know that when I arrived here as your Pastor in September of 2009, you were hoping I would be your pastor for at least a few years. You have had a great many pastors over a short span of time, creating the inevitable effect of a sense of a lack of stability and making it difficult to grow. But you have shown yourselves to be resilient as we have seen the level of participation in the life of this parish grow in the past many months.

Although it took a good amount of time and still needs a bit of encouragement, congregational singing has increased as we continue to recall the insight of Saint Augustine that “to sing belongs to lovers.”

The celebration of our patronal feast day on March 17th with a Solemn Mass in honor of Saint Patrick followed by a potluck dinner was well attended and provided both a good opportunity to seek God’s blessings on our parish and a time for fellowship.

The return of the sale of pork chop sandwiches and the soup supper have also provided both the occasion for fellowship and the task of working together for a common goal: the elimination of our parish debt. Toward this end we have made remarkable progress and have paid off one-third of the parish debt.

While there is still room for improvement in each of these areas, they are all signs of life and growth and point toward a future filled with hope.

Most notable – and perhaps exciting – of all is your generous contributions toward the 2011 Annual Catholic Services Appeal. As you well know, you have already contributed donations exceeding your goal!

I am exceedingly grateful to you for this fine achievement, and for the other progresses you have made. Please, continue them, so that, by the grace of God, this parish may become a thriving center of Catholic life, with an intense focus on the Eucharistic Lord and the means of reconciliation he has given to his Church.

[To the parishioners of Holy Cross Parish, Auburn]

I know that when I arrived here as your Pastor only six months ago, a sense of loss accompanied me as your Mass schedule was reduced as a consequence of my limited strength. For this reason, I am happy to soon be entrusting you to the pastoral care of Father House, whose strength is greater than mine and who is able to increase the number of Masses celebrated here in St. Benedict church.

You know that I recently restored to the tabernacle of the Eucharistic Lord to the center of his sanctuary. As we have done in this building, so I urge you to do with the homes of your souls: make the Eucharist the center of everything you do and you will know the peace the Lord intends for you!

Receiving – and keeping – this peace requires us to honor the Lord present in the Eucharist by keeping the Eucharistic fast, by maintaining a reverent silence in the church lest we disturb the prayers of others and by regularly confessing our sins.

When we live in this way we conform our lives ever more closely to the mystery of the Lord’s Cross and we grow in his grace.

[To the parishioners of Sacred Heart Parish, Virden]

When I first arrived here as your Pastor in September of 2009, it was very clear to me that I was receiving a parish from Father Sperl where the faith was strong and vibrant.

There is something unique here in this parish. Finding a choir of such talent and capability in a parish this size is often difficult, but to find a parish of this size in which the Lord is adored in the Eucharist for a 24-hour period each week is almost unheard of. To find such a strong pro-life involvement and a love of the priesthood is – sadly - also a rare gift.

I am grateful to Father Sperl for leaving behind such a strong foundation of faith and I am happy to have labored to build upon it, even if only for a short time. I am grateful to you, as well, for the great example of your faith and I urge you to keep building upon this foundation yourselves, as you have already done with the Lord’s grace.

As you know, the foundation of the physical complex of this parish is perhaps not as strong as the foundation of faith. There is much work and deferred maintenance that needs attending in the near future.

It was my hope to have had the honor of restoring this church of the Sacred Heart, but that task must now fall to Father House; I expect it will instead be my honor to assist the Bishop in the rededication of this church. Preparatory work toward the restoration of the church will soon be underway as we investigate the needs of the physical structure and the costs associated with them.

As I prepare to begin my new ministry with the Bishop, I urge you to share the great treasure you have here every Wednesday through Thursday morning. Invite and encourage your family and friends to participate in the adoration of our Lord in the Eucharist. Time spent with Jesus is always time well spent.

[To all]

As you have been encouraging and supportive of me through your many prayers, kind words, and generous assistance, so I ask you to be equally supportive of Father House, to whose pastoral ministry I am happy to entrust you. You will find in him an able and zealous pastor. Work well with him and grasp hold of his hand as he endeavors to lead you deeper into the mystery of Christ, so that together the parishes of this Pastoral Unit may truly become a light to the various communities, drawing all people to the Church the Lord has established.

As I begin my new assignment, I ask your prayers for me, that I might be an able and generous assistant to Bishop Paprocki in the worship of Almighty God. Pray, too, that the Lord will guide will guide me in my work for vocations, I might help young men and women discern the Lord’s will for their lives. At the same time, I assure you of my continued prayers for you as I also thank you for your many kindnesses extended to me.

Parting ways is never easy, especially for those who are so closely united in the Body of Christ. But it is here, at the altar of the Lord in the celebration of the Holy Mass, that we are never far from one another, no matter how great the physical distance that separates us. Gathered around the Lord’s altars, wherever they may be, we are one in the foretaste of the wedding banquet of the Lamb. May the Lord keep us faithful and gather us together again in the joy of his kingdom.

If we grasp his hand – and hold tightly to it each day – the Lord will bless us with his peace and will give us whatever grace we need to live a holy life, thereby making of us a light to the nations. It is this light – his own light – that is to shine before others through the witness of our lives. Holiness – like light – is attractive.

This truth Saint Patrick knew well; he took hold of the Lord’s hand and so closely followed his will that he converted an entire kingdom. Reflecting on his life, the Apostle to Ireland once said, “If I have any worth, it is to live my life for God so as to teach these peoples.”

Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, to whom the Lord revealed his Sacred Heart, expressed this sentiment with these words: “All for the Eucharist; nothing for me.”

The wisdom of these two saints is reflected in the Holy Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in which share through baptism. With Saint Paul, each of us can say, “I have been crucified with Christ; yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:19-20).

It is true, my friends: if we have any worth, it is to live our lives for God; the Eucharist must take precedence before us; we must glory in the Cross of our Lord. Let us, then, seek to live holy lives worthy of Christ that we might draw the nations to him who is the Light of the World. Amen!

A humorous (and touching) sign

After Mass this morning the parishioner who changes the marquee sign outside the church told me she was going to change the sign. This was nothing uncommon, as she does a fine job of keeping the community posted on local happenings.

But this she added a few words, saying, "But you can't change it."

Naturally, this peaked my interest, but I told her I wouldn't look until she was finished.

After finishing a bit of work inside the office, I stepped outside to see what the sign read. When I saw it, I had a big laugh:

I approve. When Father House arrives, perhaps the sign will read, "Aloha, Makua," makua being Hawaiian for Father. They called Father Damien, "Makua Kamiano."

You're invited!

This Sunday Sacred Heart Parish in Virden will host it's 18th Annual Fried Chicken Dinner at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Virden (1320 North Dye Street) from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

The menu includes:

fried chicken

mashed potatoes and gravy

green beans

corn

roll

homemade dessert

drink

Tickets will be $9.00 at the door and carryouts will be available. If you're in the area, why not stop by and visit?

Homily - 5 June 2010

The Solemnity of the Sacred Heart (C)

Dear brothers and sisters,

May the Lord give you peace!

Today we rejoice in the patronal feast of our parish as we celebrate the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, pierced for us, from which flowed blood and water, a symbol of the chief Sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist (cf. John 19:34).

We know that the heart of Jesus remains opened for us, for he said to the Apostle Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). This same invitation the Lord gives to each of us: “Put out your hand, and place it in my side.” He invites us to explore the recesses of his heart, filled with a shepherd’s devoted love, and by knowing his heart to know him.

He says to us, “I myself will look after and tend my sheep” (Ezekiel 34:11). Because he speaks these words and what he says is true, because he carries with him his rod and his staff, we can look to him with confidence and can courageously put out our hands to his heart.

To put out our hand to him is a gesture of deep humility and trust. It is a gesture of humility because through it we recognize that we do not have all of the answers, that we cannot make it through life alone; it is also a gesture of trust because through it we not only touch the Lord’s heart, but we also allow him to grasp our hand and lead us through “the dark valley” (Psalm 23:4). With him by our side and under his watchful care we have no reason to fear.

The Lord promised ages ago through his prophet, “I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark” (Ezekiel 34:12). The Holy Father reminded us yesterday:

Our path as individuals will one day lead us into the valley of the shadow of
death, where no one can accompany us. Yet he will be there. Christ himself
descended into the dark night of death. Even there he will not abandon us. Even
there he will lead us (Pope Benedict XVI, Homily, 11 June 2010).

And if the Lord will not abandon us in the valley of death we can be certain that he will not abandon us in the other dark valleys of life, “the dark valleys of temptation, discouragement and trial through which everyone has to pass. Even in these dark valleys of life he is there” (Ibid.).

Having heard the voice of Christ our Shepherd we have come here to this parish church where he has come to meet us. It is here, within this parish dedicated to his Sacred Heart, that so many people have been brought to meet the Lord in the font of Baptism. It is here where so many repentant sinners, like sheep that have strayed, have been lifted up on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd amidst the joy of the angels (cf. Luke 15:7). It is here at this altar that the Lord prepares the table before us to nourish us with his Eucharistic Presence(cf. Psalm 23:5). It is here that “the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us” when we were sealed in the Sacrament of Confirmation (Romans 5:5).

And it is here in this parish that the Lord will continue to meet us and where we will continue to come to him. It is hear that he will continue to show the depth of his love for his flock in the Eucharist and where he will continue to seek out the lost and “gather them from foreign lands” to “give them rest” when they meet him in the confessional (Ezekiel 34:13, 15).

Even as we rejoice this night in the many blessings the Lord has bestowed us in this parish through the Sacred Heart of Jesus these past ninety-six years, we also feel some trepidation. I know that many of your hearts are heavy as we look to the future and the formation of the Pastoral Unit of Holy Cross, Sacred Heart and St. Patrick Parishes. Because we do not know precisely what the future holds for us these circumstances seem to us as a particular form of darkness. Even so, we know that the Lord accompanies us on our journey that each of us would rather avoid, if we keep our eyes fixed on his Sacred Heart and if we place our hand in his.

Together, as one parish, let us look to his Sacred Heart and hold out our collective hand to his. We know that “adoring contemplation of the side pierced by the spear makes us sensitive to God’s salvific will. It enables us to entrust ourselves to his saving and merciful love, and at the same time strengthens us in the desire to take part in his work of salvation, becoming his instruments” (Ibid., Letter to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pope Pius XII’s Encyclical ‘Haurietis Aquas,’ 15 May 2006).

As we, then, turn our loving gaze to his heart, let us beg the Lord to strengthen his love in each of our hearts that we may love as he loves, that we may have the courage to put our hand out to his, that we may become fountains of love from which others can drink.

Let us pray, too, that the Lord will look with love upon this local Church of Springfield in Illinois and raise up for us many ministers for his altars who will cooperate in his work of salvation.

Homily - 6 June 2010

What follows is very close to the homily I preached this past weekend, though with a few refinements and a bit of further development. It is, at any rate, what I should have liked to have said.

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (C)
The Announcement of My Appointment as Pastor of
Holy Cross Parish, Auburn
while remaining
Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, Virden
and of St. Patrick Parish, Girard

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today’s celebration of the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ in this Year for Priests – soon to come to a close - provides us with the occasion to contemplate the priestly ministry, so necessary and vital to the Church.

We know the Eucharist to be the source and summit of our lives, that those who look in faith to the Blessed Sacrament recognize it to be the holy Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and so direct all of their lives to this inestimable gift and from their nourishment at the altar of God they find strength to persevere in faith; they find their union with God and so are filled with joy and peace.

We also know that without the ministry of priests, there can be no Eucharist, for Christ Jesus entrusted this great Sacrament to the Apostles. It is for this reason that the priestly ministry, too, is necessary for the life of the Church, so intimately connected with the Eucharist is it.

Holy Mother Church earnestly desires that all people have the Eucharist available to them, and not only its availability, but also the means to prepare themselves to receive it worthily, namely through sacramental confession. The Church erects parishes and appoints Pastors to shepherd these portions of the Lord’s flock in his name. It is for this reason that the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois has recently undertaken the 2010 Diocesan Pastoral Plan by looking towards the year 2013 to determine where best to assign priests to meet the needs of all.

This plan has divided the Diocese into thirteen regions based on geography and demographics. When I presented the plan to you for our region, Region 12, I told you this was not something that was intended to be implemented in the immediate future. While this was indeed not the intention at that time, various circumstances have arisen that necessitate the implementation of this plan, beginning July 1st.

To this end, the Reverend Monsignor Carl A. Kemme, Administrator of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, asked me Wednesday afternoon to assume the Pastorate of Holy Cross Parish in Auburn, while remaining Pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Virden and of St. Patrick Parish in Girard. It is an additional assignment that I have – with some hesitation – accepted. I knew the day would come for the implementation of the plan, but I thought I would be the one to prepare the two parishes in Virden and Girard for it and would leave the full implementation to another priest.

These additional duties will require that I move to Auburn to be closer to what will be the main office for the three parishes. It will also mean that our plans to construct a new rectory in Virden have come to an end. I appreciate very much the efforts of those on the rectory building committee and enjoyed working with them toward that goal; I look forward to working with them in the future toward another goal: the restoration of Sacred Heart church in preparation for our centenary celebrations in 2014. (It will be some time before more information on the restoration will be possible.)

Under the current plan for Region 12, the parishes in Auburn, Virden and Girard will form what is called a “Pastoral Unit.” This effectively means the three parishes will remain separate, but will share one pastor and have a joint Pastoral Council. Resources will be shared and we will seek to coordinate our efforts to better work together, rather than duplicating projects, programs and processes. Precisely what this looks like, I cannot yet say.

Between now and the first weekend of July, a new Mass schedule will have to be hammered out for the three parishes – which include four churches. Father Kevin Laughery, the current Pastor of Holy Cross Parish, and I will soon be meeting the parishioners who were part of our regional planning committee and Mrs. Marlene Mulford, Chancellor of the Diocese and Director of Pastoral Planning, to work on a new Mass schedule for the three parishes. As one of our parishioners recently put it, it will be a plan that none of us will like, but that we will all have to accept and get used to.

We will all need to keep each other in prayer in these weeks ahead as we beg the Lord to guide us. We will look to him with confidence because we know that he says to his priests, as he said to the Apostles, “Give them some food yourselves” (Luke 9:13).

When a deacon is raised to the order of priest through the laying on of hands and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the Bishop says to him, as he entrusts to him the chalice and paten, “Receive the oblation of the holy people, to be offered to God. Understand what you do, imitate what you celebrate, and conform your life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross.” From this moment on, “the priest’s life must be identified with Christ;” he must seek to make his life mirror the life of Christ. In all that he does, he must continually give himself over to the threefold ministry of Christ, of teaching, of sanctifying and of governing.

It is this food that the priest gives. He gives not his own teaching, but Christ’s, remembering the words of Saint Paul: “I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you” (I Corinthians 11:23). The priest sanctifies the faithful through the celebration of the Eucharist in which he gives the faithful “the living bread that came down from heaven” (John 9:11). The priest governs not with his own authority but with the authority of Christ, remembering that Jesus’ “way of governing was not through dominion, but in the humble and loving service of the Washing of the feet, and the kingship of Christ over the Universe is not an earthly triumph, but reaches its highest point on the wood of the Cross, which becomes a judgment for the world and a point of reference for the exercising of that authority which is the true expression of pastoral charity.”

As today I look with you toward the future, I entrust myself to your prayers and to the Lord’s grace. I am all too conscious of the Lord’s words, “Give them some food yourselves,” and I hear his call - and that of the Church – to model my own life on the mystery of his Cross, yet I am conscious, too, of my own weakness and limitations and I am tempted to echo the words of the Apostles spoken to the Lord: “Dismiss the crowds” (Luke 9:12). I fear what is being asked of me may be more than I can give.

Yet I, too, see the miracle of the loaves and the fish. I, too, see what the Lord can do so little, how he can satisfy vast crowds with all that we have, little though it is. And so I seek today to place myself again at his disposal, knowing that my life is not my own but his; I seek today to offer him what strength I have, little though it may be, trusting that he will know how to multiply it that I may continue to feed you and the additional portion of the Lord’s flock soon to be entrusted to me.

Please, pray for me that these words will not be mine, “Dismiss the crowds.” Pray that I will so conform my life to the mystery of the Lord’s cross as to always give you food to eat at the table of the Word, at the altar of God and in the exercise of my pastoral charity.

It is the Church’s firm belief that every pastor “is a means through whom Christ himself loves men: it is our ministry, dear priests, it is through us that the Lord reaches souls, instructs, guards and guides them.” Please pray, dear friends, that I will allow the Lord to use me, his weak and humble instrument, for such a task. Pray that I may be a shepherd to you after the heart of Christ.

Together let us go forward with our eyes fixed on the Body and Blood of the Lord. It is he who guides us and sustains us; he is the goal of our lives. Let us then look to him with confident hope, knowing that he is all we need. Amen.

A special birthday party

A week ago yesterday, my predecessor here at Sacred Heart Parish in Virden, Father August J. Sperl, reached the venerable age of ninety years.

He returned to the parish this past Saturday evening to concelebrate Mass with me and to allow us to hold a birthday party for him.

Many of the parishioners came to celebrate with Father Sperl, who brought his sister, Sr. Augusta, O.S.F., with him.

As part of the evening's festivities, Father Sperl played several songs for us on his harmonicas, which he learned to play decades ago.

Even the children had an enjoyable evening.

Happy birthday, Father!

A birthday potluck

In honor of my birthday yesterday, my parishioners decided to throw a potluck dinner following Mass this evening.

Three cakes were provided, the two smaller cakes being chocolate and the larger cake being strawberry. They even had Hawaiian flowers placed on top of the large cake:

It was enjoyable evening with good people and tasty food. Thank you, all!

Why I like having parishioners from Sicily

In honor of the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, the Husband of Mary - despite what Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi recently claimed - a few parishioners donated loaves of bread to be blessed and distributed to their fellow parishioners.

They prepared a set of breads for Saint Joseph and placed the other loaves in baskets, which were brought forward during the offertory and blessed. The loaves were distributed after Mass.

The breads at St. Joseph's altar apparently proved too tempting and brought out a little friend, a church mouse, one might say. Thankfully, he stayed in hiding throughout the Mass. I'll see about having him removed tomorrow.

Small parishes in a big world

Much of my day yesterday was spent working on content for revamped web site of Sacred Heart Parish. Since the parish already had a quiet presence on the web, it seemed a good idea to tackle this site before completing the site for St. Patrick Parish.

The design of the site is complete, with a few minor tweaks to be done here and there and what remains to be done is completing the remaining content for the various pages.

The two sites will be similar in design, though with their own nuances appropriate to each parish. Once the first web site is finished, the second shouldn't take long at all to get up and running.

Slowly, the work is being done and it is my hope that the new parish sites will be unveiled around Easter, though that will largely depend on how busy things become between now and then.

As a little teaser for you, here is a screen shot from the main page:

What do you think?

The site is being developed by the Diocesan web master and is funded thanks to the generous donations to the Annual Catholic Services Appeal.

Now that's what I call ecumenism

This morning I celebrated Mass at one of the local nursing homes. Being in a predominantly Protestant area is still a bit strange to me (less than 30% of the population is Catholic; we have a lot of work to do!).

At this particular nursing home, two of those who assist at Mass are Catholic, while the rest are not (anywhere between six and ten people). Even so, it works out well.

This morning the parishioner who usually plays the organ for us could not be present, but we learned just before Mass that one of the residents present played the organ and offered to play for Mass. Not being a Catholic herself, it was the first Mass she played, playing How Great Thou Art, O Lord, I Am Not Worthy and Holy God.

I think that's a good form of ecumenism.

A day in the life of a pastor

Today brought about the beginning of Beardfest 2010, together with a flurry of activity.

The day began with Mass at 7:15, after which I ate breakfast and set to work on a bit of paperwork, particularly this weekend's and next weekend's bulletins.

About 9:00 I went to put my "Mass kit" together for Mass "on the go." When I tried to twist the cap off of my little bottle for wine which needed to be refilled, my fingers, feeling the effects today of arthritis, were unable to remove the cap; apparently when last I used it I put the cap on too tightly. I found another bottle that sufficed and hope my fingers will have enough strength tomorrow to twist off th cap.

I celebrated Mass at the nursing home at 9:30 and visited with a parishioner afterwards.

When I returned to the rectory I worked with my secretary to pay parish bills, write a couple of letters and start planning ahead for next week during my absence from the parish. I also fielded a few telephone calls.

Just before Noon I went over the to the church to work on the sound system and hook up a newer microphone. We'll see how well it works.

I returned to the rectory for a quick lunch and continued attending to more paperwork.

Just after 1:00 I took a little walk downtown to do a bit of business at some of the local stores and to pick up a box of envelopes we ordered. From this I learned a valuable lesson: check to see how many envelopes you ordered before you decide to pick them up on foot; it isn't terribly fun carrying 2,000 envelopes for several blocks.

By the time I returned to the rectory the mail had arrived so I went through it and paid a few more bills with the help of my secretary.

And then it hit: a change in the weather. Before I really knew what happened my energy level bottomed out and my exhaustion showed clearly on my face. Try as I might, I simply could do no more and went to bed.

This, naturally, only increased my anticipation of my retreat in Hawaii which begins one week from today.

The forecast calls for only a flurry or two in the morning, but I think we'll get more than a flurry; not in the morning, but tomorrow night and into Wednesday morning. We'll see who is right.

After eating dinner I met with the parents of our first communicants.

This evening I have spent writing a few more letters and searching for the year the present rectory was built; I haven't yet found it.

It's been a full day and I'm happy to see it to it's end.

For my parishioners in Virden

Does anyone happen to know when the present rectory was built?

I know it was acquired during the time of Father Vraniak, presumably around 1917, but do not know when it was built.

Best window ever?

Hidden in the choir loft of Sacred Heart church in Virden is this gem of a window demonstrating in clear fashion good Catholic humor:

While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going... (Acts 1:11)

New curtains in the living room

Today a couple of parishioners arrived bearing gifts of new curtains for the living room and stairway. The old ones were in sore need of replacing:

The new curtains are heavy and will help keep the warmth in and the sunlight out. They are also much richer in color than these pictures show; when the sun strikes them the gold in them shines. They're quite lovely:

The new curtains help very much to help the rectory feel like a home. Thank you!

From the mouths of babes

Last evening we had our Advent Penance Service at Sacred Heart Parish.

Three of my brother priests assisted me and each of us heard confessions for a solid 75 minutes each, without any lull; it was quite remarkable. I've no idea where so many penitents came from for such a small parish; I think we had more people present last night than we have parishioners! God be praised!

One of the moms in the parish told me that as she brought her family to the church last night she reviewed with her children how to go to confession and remarked that there would be different priests present that he might they not know.

One of her boys thought for moment and said, "I think I'll go to regular Father." She found it amusing that I didn't have a name, just "regular Father." It is amusing, but also quite profound.

At the altar and in the confessional the priest acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. In this way, he himself does not matter. When the action is done and words spoken the sacrament happens. He is just a "regular Father."

New furniture

Courtesy of an anonymous benefactor, a new kitchen table and chairs arrived today for the rectory:

Last week I was told to go to the local furniture store and select a table and chairs for the kitchen and someone would provide them for the rectory. I am grateful to this anonymous donor; thank you!

I selected a high table and chairs - something like a bistro style - to help balance out the lack of counter space in the kitchen. Now when I need to slice tomatoes and combine ingredients for a pasta I will be able to do so with plenty of room at the table.

In the Year for Priests

This evening the Ladies' Sodality hosted several area priests for a dinner to honor the priesthood. It was evening for us simply to enjoy.

A year ago the ladies began praying for priests and more vocation to the priesthood by having a Mass celebrated each week. When Pope Benedict XVI announced the Year for Priests on the Feast of the Sacred Heart (the parish's feast day) the ladies continued having two Masses celebrated for priests each month.

This evening the ladies really out did themselves. The decorations alone were outstanding:

The meal was one of the most delicious I have yet eaten, made by Sicilians. I took a couple of pictures, but didn't think to take pictures of each course:

Thank you, ladies, for a delightful evening!

Behold, the new copier

As we received the new copier in the parish office, I think it is safe to say that my secretary and I felt like children on Christmas morning.

The man who gave us the copier told us he tries to make one person happy each day, and he has certainly done so today. In fact, he has made quite a few people here very happy. May the Lord bless him for his generous kindness!

It is really all quite overwhelming. I have no idea how to properly thank him, save only with those two simple words: thank you.

Surprise, surprise!

Have you ever simply been ambling about your day and sat down at your desk to check your e-mail only to discover that a $10,000 copier fell into your lap to replace the below copier (it still works [remarkably], but note the brick that must be in place for it to copy)?

No? It happened to me last week and I could not be more pleased about it. It will arrive here at the rectory and all the parish will to do is keep an annual contract at a very reasonable rate. You should try it sometime.

I am not sure what I am doing, but whatever it is I must be doing it well. Thanks be to God! And to the patron saint of electronic imaging devices!