D.T.S.

This coming Sunday the Dead Theologians Society will meet for the first time at St. Anthony of Padua parish.

The Society is modeled loosely from the film, The Dead Poet's Society. Through the Saints of yesterday, the DTS seeks to inspire the youth of today to become the Saints of tomorrow. I am very excited about this new endeavor!

I've had a poster campaign of sorts going on at the high school for about three weeks and the kids are talking about it; we'll see how many come.

We'll start this first meeting with a cookout and s'mores in the backyard of the rectory before we hop to it.

Please keep this in your prayers.

It's official

After speaking with my pastor and the principal and guidance counselor of our parish high school, it was decided that, beginning today, I will take over two sophomore religion classes, in addition to the one junior class that I currently teach.

This will add considerable work to my load but, in the words of the Holy Father, I will make myself the Lord's "beast of burden." I am confident that he will give me the strength, stamina, and the time to meet the needs of my students. I will also rely heavily on the kindness of your prayers and those of St. Anthony of Padua!

Pope invites prayers for seafarers

During his Angelus address this past Sunday, the Holy Father invited the faithful "to pray for the men and women involved in seafaring, and for their families" on World Maritime Day, Thursday, 28 September 2006.

Invoking the aid of the Star of the Sea, Pope Benedict XVI prayed that Our Lady "look down in love upon seafarers and their families and upon all those who care for their human and spiritual needs."

Our Lady, Star of the Sea, pray for them!

Here is a prayer you might pray on Thursday:

Hail Star of the Sea!
Hail Lady Mary,our gentle candle in the darkness!
Send us the lightwhen we arefalling into sorrow
when we arecast about by waves of fear
and anger when we are drowning in despair.
O Mother of Holy Hope
renew us with the
child-like trust and joyof your son Jesus.
Amen

The Cardinalalatial Blog

Just in case you've missed it, His Emminence Sean Patrick Cardinal O'Malley, the Archbishop of Boston, is in Rome at this time and he has been blogging his trip.

He is, so far as can be known, the first Cardinal to use a blog, and quite possibly the first Bishop as well.

I, for one, hope he continues the blog when he returns to Boston.

Archbishop Milingo excommunicates himself

Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo, emeritus archbishop of Lusaka (Zambia), excommunicated himself Sunday in Washington, D.C. when he attempted to ordain four married men to the episcopacy.

The official statement from the Holy See may be read here.

EU lets down Pope

A rather odd day, but a good one

Today, after offering the Holy Mass and playing hacky-sack (or however you spell it) with some of the high school students, I drove to St. Louis to visit my doctor at St. Louis University Hospital to check up on my arthritis (for more on this read my testimony).

A couple of years ago when my classmates and I from the seminary went on pilgrimage in the footsteps of Saints Peter and Paul, we played hacky-sack all over Turkey as we waited for our fellow pilgrims to board the bus. It was a joy to play it again, even though some of the students nearly kicked each other to the hospital.

(I know some of the high school students read this; if you happen to be one of them with whom I played hacky-sack, invite me again sometime - I'd be happy to play.)

At any rate, I encountered a most beautiful child of God when I arrived at SLU and dropped off my car at the valet parking (it's only $3.00 and I have no idea where else to park!). The woman who came to drive my car began a conversation with me trying to decipher my license plate. As we talked she introduced herself to me and I introduced myself to her as "Father Daren".

I left for the hospital dressed like everybody else because a priest in the waiting room of doctor's offices often tends to make people quite nervous and scared, and, being that most people who visit these doctors have serious illnesses, I voted it best to go incognito. This way I also had a chance to finally read more of The Divine Comedy. Perhaps I should have gone in my clerics, but this proved to me a great moment of grace for me.

At any rate, the woman, Sandra is her name, said to me, "I thought you were a priest or a minister; you have that glow and look about you." She is a former Catholic who is now a Lutheran who still considers coming back to the Cathoic Church, but her son wishes to remain Lutheran. I suspect there is a long and interesting story behind this.

We chatted for quite a while and when another car pulled up behind mine I excused myself to let her return to her work and me to see my doctor. When I returned an hour later we chatted a good deal more. I look forward to seeing her again when I return in March.

During our conversation she mentioned that several of her friends suggested to her that she enter some sort of formal ministry. I reminded her that she had a perfect ministry right here at the valet booth. I have seen her a number of times before and she has always greeted me warmly and with a great smile. She is a most welcome sight in such a place. Her warm smile - and often enough her loving hugs - gives patients, myself included, quite a boost.

Sandra is certainly not the first person to say that there is something about me that sets me apart from other people, some glow, aura, or something or other. I'm not entirely sure I know what she means or what she saw in me - although I have said the same thing about other priests - but it gives me great confidence to know that my priesthood is not my own, but that of Jesus Christ. This, I suspect, is what she saw in me and for this I am deeply grateful to the Lord.

As we pray somewhere in the Liturgy of the Hours: "My life is at the service of the Gospel. God has given me this gift of grace." May he keep me faithful in his service all the rest of my days!

How's this for peace?

Even as Pope Benedict XVI meets with various representatives today from the Muslim world, one pakistani Islamic cleric - Hafiz Hussain Ahmed - said, "If I get hold of the Pope, I will hang him."

In light of the current "controversy", George Cardinal Pell says the Church asks for reciprocity.

Leonard Pitts has an interesting editorial on the current debate.

A pleasant afternoon

After a brief respite following the celebration of two Masses and three baptisms, I attend an organ concert at Centenary United Methodist Church in Effingham.

The concert was given by Mr. Walt Strony, an accomplished and celebrated organist throughout country, I believe. Mr. Strony played several remarkable pieces, included the brilliant Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. I went to the concert in the hopes of hearing this piece and I am truly happy it was played.

Now I am off for another brief respite before the celebration of Mass in less than two hour's time.

Homily - 23 September 2006

Why does it often seem that the “good guy” finishes last? The good guy follows all of the rules; he treats everybody with the utmost kindness and consideration; he cheats no one and bends not a single rule. And yet, despite all of his goodness, he is trampled upon, he is ignored and he is passed over. In the end, it seems as though he loses, almost in spite of his goodness.

Everyone seems to take advantage of the good guy and they say, “Let us beset the just one because he is obnoxious to us” (Wisdom 2:12). Why is the just one, the good guy, obnoxious to the evildoers? Simply because he does right, he treats people well, and fears and honors God.

Goodness is always obnoxious to the wicked because it quietly speaks against evil, simply because it is good. Because of this, the wicked one says of the good, “he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for our transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training” (Wisdom 2:12). The wicked recognize the evil that they do, they see that they do not live as they profess, that they are merely actors who pretend to be just; in the end they are proud and refuse to acknowledge their sin. Consequently the good guy is perceived by them as saying, “You hypocrite and liar,” although he says not a word; their consciences speak against them. Their hearts are restless and they are not at peace and they lash out at the one who seems to be at peace. The very goodness of his life speaks against the lives of the wicked and it condemns wickedness. Wickedness cannot tolerate the good.

Jesus Christ came among us as the good guy par excellence; he came not as the proud man but as the humble and because he came as the Good itself he was rejected for speaking against the hypocrites of his day, and he continues to do so today. Because of his goodness and humility he knew that the “Son of Man is to be handed over to men and they will kill him, and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise” (Mark 9:31).

It sometimes happens that we find ourselves in a similar situation. We do all that we can to treat others well, to show them kindness and love and all of our efforts of good will are rejected. Our first instinct is to run away and return their wickedness but we ought rather to rejoice when this happens to us for it gives us an opportunity to share in the suffering and the rejection of Christ. It gives us the opportunity to become a little child, to become “the last of all and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35). Here we abandon pride and take on humility. We die with Christ and we rise with him.

At other times we find ourselves in the opposite situation. Someone is so pleasant toward us we imagine that they are trying, as it were, to kill us with kindness. We say with the wicked, “Let us beset the just one because he is obnoxious to us.” He cannot possibly be this good, this kind, this loving. It must be an act, we presume, and we begin to look for any instance of hypocrisy for which we might denounce him and prove him wrong. We abandon humility and become proud, becoming hypocrites ourselves.

At all times Christ Jesus comes among us and invites us to share in his Cross, to give of ourselves so fully to God and to others that our goodness overflows and gently speaks to the wicked. Never should we run from this mission for love alone will save us, love alone will transform the world. This is what he means when he says, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” At the heart of discipleship, at the heart of the following of Christ, lies humility.

At the same time, though, the love of Jesus Christ comes among us sinners in the life of the just one who quietly reminds us of our sins and calls us to repentance. Here again our temptation is not to change our own life, but rather to lunge out against those who are just, searching for their own sins with which to attack them in the attempt to ignore our own sin.

Saint James calls us not to focus on each other’s sins but on our own because as he says, “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice” (James 3:16). It is our jealousy and ambition – our pride – that leads us to focus on other’s sins. We seek to say that we are better followers of Christ than somebody else, but in reality whenever we think such things we have abandoned Christ; we no longer follow him, we follow ourselves. When we turn from Christ and turn toward ourselves Jesus invites us, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”

When we turn from Jesus, James asks us the rhetorical question:

“Where do the wars and conflicts among come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions” (James 4:1-3).

James knows that the wars and conflicts among us come from our pride, from our refusal to be humble and lower ourselves as Jesus himself did, to love and serve God and our neighbor.

To be humble is really to recognize who we are before God, fully aware of our sinfulness and our faithfulness. To be humble before the Lord is to be aware of our need for his love, for his mercy and forgiveness. It is to be like a young child fully dependent on his or her parents.

If you wish to be the greatest you must first become the least. As followers of Christ we cannot love places of honor, we cannot live in pride. Rather, we must live in humility. If we wish to be great we must become like trees. Said Saint Augustine:

“Observe a tree, how it first tends downwards, that it may then shoot forth upwards. It fastens its root low in the ground, that it may send forth its top towards heaven. Is it not from humility that it endeavors to rise? But without humility it will not attain to higher things. You are wanting to grow up into the air without a root. Such is not growth, but a collapse” (Sermon on the Gospel of John, 38).

We must put down our roots into the firm foundation of Christ and his humility. If we, like Christ, humble ourselves and live in love as the servants of all – not as the judges – we will grow tall in the kingdom of heaven.

The Psalmist encourages us in this endeavor to grow in humility, saying to us: “Behold, God is my helper; the LORD sustains my life” (Psalm 54:6). To this way of life the Lord has called us and he will give us the grace – if we ask sincerely and in humility – to follow faithfully after his Son and so lead others to salvation.

Taking on classes

We have lost yet another teacher at our high school this year, this time on account of pressing health issues.

Consequently, the principal has asked me to take over at least one class of sophomore religion, and possibly even a second (I should know for sure on Monday).

I currently teach one section of junior religion which covers Church history and the Sacraments. Sophomore religion covers the New Testament and social justice.

I take over the sophomore class on Wednesday and am really looking forward to it. I had hoped to teach more than one class this year and it looks like my desire is coming to fruition!

The "chaplain" hits the road

Last evening I traveled with our soccer team to an away game in Raymond, Illinois. It was an enjoyable evening but the team unfortunately lost the game.

They played the first of what should have been two games, but threatening weather canceled the second.

As I sat on the bench with the team we watched both the game and the skies, searching for the formation of thunderstorms and possible tornadoes, arguing with one another as to what the skies portended.

On the way to the game I was able to finish reading a couple of books and I typed this post on the bus on the way home. I may have to do this more often (it’s not bad at all traveling and not having to drive!). This way I am able both to visit with the students and get some work finished. I was even able to write half of my homily. This is the life!

An omen rises

[I meant to post this some two weeks ago]

For anybody who happens to be up in the early hours of the morning - before dawn, say, perhaps, to turn the lights on in the church - and who also happens to look up to the heavens something new should strike your eye: the constellation Orion.

Orion is, quite easily, my favorite constellation and has been for as long as I can remember. He is also - most unfortunately - a winter constellation, meaning that we in this hemisphere see him throughout the winter nights and in the summer he is gone from our view.

The fact that he is now rising in the early morning is a clear omen of pending doom: the death that is winter, but I shall enjoy him nonetheless.

The saga continues

Several worthwhile stories continue to emerge concerning the Holy Father's lecture at the University of Regensburg during his return to his native Bavaria.

Mehmet Ali Acga, the man who attempted to assasinate the Servant of God Pope John Paul II warned Pope Benedict XVI that his life is in danger and that "for your own welfare you must make a grand gesture of honour and resign". Apparently speaking the truth is not worth it. Acga even suggests whom the next Pontiff should be.

The "Army of Guidance," comprised of Muslim militants formed in Gaza to attack Christian faithful and places until the Pope apologized. Now that he has, I don't expect that they'll disband.

Abdallah Redouane, the leading Muslim in Italy, accepted the Holy Father's apology and said "the way to dialogue has been reopened".

Islamic clerics in Pakistan - some one thousand or so of them - say Pope Benedict XVI must go because of his "insulting remarks". Can we demand their removal when they insult Christianity? The group's statement said the "pope, and all infidels, should know that no Muslim, under any circumstances, can tolerate an insult to the Prophet (Muhammad). ... If the West does not change its stance regarding Islam, it will face severe consequences." Translation: it's back to Muhammad's way of spreading his new religion, convert or die.

There and back again

Yesterday afternoon I returned from Springfield from our annual presbyteral convocation. The topic this year - and seemingly for the next several years - focused on building trust and unity within the presbyterate, certainly a worthy topic.

I return quite exhausted. The schedule for Wednesday allowed - quite literally - two hours of available "free" time the entire day.

I must still see to the two worst details of returning from time away: unpacking and going through the mail.

Threats of Muslim Violence

More threats and acts of Muslim violence have occurred. Stories are here (a second story here) and here.

There is yet another call for the Pope's murder here, and a Turkish (Turkey being, of course, a 'moderate' Islamic State) best-selling novel speculates on who will kill the Pope in his visit to Turkey at the end of November.

Peaceful, isn't it?

To discern what the Holy Father really thinks about Islam, read his address he gave in Cologne last year in a meeting with representatives of the Muslim community.

More on the Pope and Islam

Sandro Magister has an excellent piece regarding "Islam's unreasonable war against Benedict XVI" here.

Isalm? Peaceful?

In the past several days Muslims have erupted in a rash of violence against Christians.

Ask yourself the following questions.

Does a religion of peace do this to a Greek Orthodox church:

Do followers of a religion of peace holds signs such as this outside Westminster Cathedral:

Do peaceful people do this in the street:

Do followers of a peaceful religion kill a 70-some year old nun?

All of this has occurred since the Pope's address at the University of Regensburg. I'm saying one way or the other; I'm only asking the question. You can answer for yourself.

All in a week's work...

This week I will be away from the parish and my students will be given the following assignment:

The Trial of the Accused Christians

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!

It is now the fourth year of the reign of the Emperor Darius, what we would now consider the year A.D. 72. Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem almost forty years ago and the great Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed only two years ago. Peter and Paul have both been killed in Rome and yet the new religion based on the life of this man named Christos still spreads throughout the Empire.

In an effort to curtail this new and dangerous religion, His Excellency, the Emperor, has accused four inhabitants of the Province of Gaul (roughly modern-day Spain) and citizens of the Roman Empire – namely, Antonius, Suetonius, Caecilia and Irminia - of being members of the group known as Christians.

On Wednesday, the 27th of September the Emperor will arrive in Gaul to preside over the trial to be judged by the Governor of Gaul, Saturninus. After Saturninus hears the case brought before him, Emperor Darius will either confirm his judgment or over turn it.

Throughout this week, the students are to imagine themselves as ancient Romans who are now involved with this case. All students have been assigned a role in the trial and are to prepare themselves fully for the trial next Wednesday. Everyone is to cooperate with the attorneys – both defense and prosecution – and be well prepared to participate seriously in the trial, though enjoying him or herself at the same time.

The attorneys will have to speak with their respected witnesses as well as the accused in the preparation of their cases.

Extra credit will be given to those students who dress in the costume of ancient Rome for the day of the trial.

To help prepare for the trial, every student is expected to read pages 65-72 in the textbook. In addition to the text, each person will be given a fact sheet to help them prepare. The students must fill in whatever information might be missing in order to complete the assignment. This will require the use of the imagination and intellect, both of which are often underused today.

I expect it should be a great deal of fun; what think you? We did something like this when I was in high school with the trial of Joan of Arc...we burned her.

Benedict XVI and Islam

The London Times has an editorial worth reading for a clearer perspective on the Holy Father's address at the University of Regensburg that has militant Muslims up in arms, even calling for the murdering of the Pontiff.

If you have not yet read the Holy Father's speech to the University you really should. It might take a time or two to get through it, but it is a brilliant discussion on the relationship of faith and reason, and a good critique of the current culture of the "west".

To read the Vatican Secretary of State's clarification of the Holy Father words, go here.

For a good discussion of the Pope's address, go here and here. Amy over at Open Book has a great list of links and discussions and from her I have taken these. Thanks, Amy!

For several violent Islamic reactions - which might seem to validate the thoughts of the Byzantine Emperor quoted by the Holy Father - go here, here, and here.

Despite the fact the Muslims claim to be peaceful, it is rather ironic that the primary way they react to a scholarly address in a university setting that criticizes not Islam but the relationship between faith and reason is through violence and threats of death and destruction even after an apology has been issued. When was the last time they apologized for the actions of even a small handful of Muslims, say the 9-11 attacks, the London bus bombing, the Madrid train bombing, etc., etc., etc.

Simply look back to how Islam spread in its first decades: you have two options, it was said, convert or die. That does not sound like a religion of peace to me.