Author: Vernon Dobelmann

Lancaster, Pennsylvania was the U.S. capital city for one day on September 27, 1777. The British captured Philadelphia during the American Revolution, forcing the Continental Congress to flee.  It set up in Lancaster, but only for one day.  The Congress moved on to York, Pennsylvania on September 28.

On September 27, 1937, the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School was established and today is the oldest continuously-run Santa school in the world.  (I had no idea such a thing existed.)

On another note, September 27, is World Tourism Day.  Learn more at their website.
http://wtd.unwto.org/
World Tourism Day is celebrated every year on September 27.  It is a global observance to highlight tourism’s social, cultural, political and economic value.

We certainly enjoy some luxuries in modern times to be able to travel all around the world.  Obviously, travel costs money and tourism dollars impact many communities in dramatic ways both here and abroad.  The social, cultural, and political ramifications of tourism would probably be more difficult to accurately measure than the economic impact.  I would like to throw another category into the mix that was not directly included on the World Tourism Day website.  What has been the impact of tourism from a moral standpoint?  What kinds of immoral behaviors have been introduced into other societies from the more “enlightened” and “progressive” cultures?

Finally, let’s end on an upbeat note.  There are some famous and not-so-famous people having birthdays today.  Let your heart skip a beat ladies.  Shaun Cassidy was born on this date in 1958.  Are you a little older?  If so, do you know Marvin Lee Aday?  He was born on this date in 1947.  If you don’t recognize his name, do you remember music by MEATLOAF?  

All right, that is enough of a trip down memory lane.  I’m starting to show my age. Anyway, I’ll let you speculate about the non-famous people having birthdays today.

The annual September Institute for 2014 is in the books.  Nearly 190 people gathered in Cheyenne from all the parishes across the state of Wyoming to learn specifically about youth ministry.  Obviously, the challenges are many in today’s society, but there is also reason for great hope.  The love of God continues to beckon each and every one of us–young and old–and it is my hope and prayer that we each respond to that call with zeal and fervor.

It is easy to focus our attention on everything that is wrong in our world.  As people of faith we aren’t simply “optimists” in the secular manner of speaking.  We are optimistic because we believe firmly in the virtue of “hope.”  Hope that is firmly rooted in Jesus Christ does not disappoint.  That is a consoling thought.   

This morning I began my day at by arriving at St. Mary’s School for their annual foundation fundraising breakfast 6:30 A.M.  It was a pleasure to see members of the faculty, the clergy, Bishop Etienne, and about 70 parishioners come together for this event (as well as many of the students who graciously waited on tables).  It was also nice to see the mayor of Cheyenne and a couple of other elected officials join us for this early morning gathering.  I couldn’t stay for the whole event because I had to be at the Little America Hotel by 7:30 A.M. to be sure everything was ready for our closing day at the Institute.   My blood wasn’t flowing too smoothly at 6:30 A.M. so I forgot to take pictures at St. Mary’s School.  (However, I did get some photos of the Institute during the previous two days.)

I am hoping to get a little rest tomorrow prior to leaving for Cody on Saturday for the Respect Life Banquet.  I am looking forward to being with the Catholics United for Life and joining Rev. Denis Wilde, O.S.A., Ph.D. from Priests for Life to share an inspiring message of hope for all the faithful people engaged in pro-life work.

I always enjoy the opportunity to see parish leaders from all across the state gather for the annual September Institute.  Although the diocese encompasses the entire state of Wyoming (and Yellowstone Park), it still has a “small town” feel to it in regard to having the opportunity to get to know people from each of the parishes.  Typically, we gather in Casper for this event, but this year we are hosting it in Cheyenne. 

Keeping in line with our diocesan strategic pastoral plan, the Institute will be focused on youth ministry.  Dr. Leonard DeLorenzo from the University of Notre Dame will be the keynote speaker.  Breakout sessions with a variety of local presenters will also be part of the day’s activities on Wednesday. Obviously, we will also gather in the Cathedral each day to celebrate the Eucharist. The next three days will be filled with a lot of attention to detail, but I think we are ready.

 In case I don’t get back to my blog until the end of the week, please know that I am occupied with work related duties.  Each time I miss a few days I get e-mails from a few of my Missouri readers asking:  “Are you sick?”  One individual consistently asks: “Are you on vacation again?”  (Very Funny!)  I appreciate that readership of my blog has gone up significantly in the last six months, and I do my best to stay consistent with posting several times a week.  Sometimes it is just a little more difficult to keep up with the demands of life.  Have a blessed week!

It was a gorgeous day to make our way from Cheyenne, Wyoming to Virginia Dale, Colorado for the women’s retreat at the Abbey of St. Walburga.  I have been to the Abbey each year as a retreat participant, but this was my first time to be the retreat leader.  It was a privilege to gather with women from all three of the parishes in Cheyenne.  We also had a participant from Holy Family Parish located on the F.E. Warren Air Force Base as well as one participant from Colorado.My day begun at 4:30 A.M. as I made final preparations for the retreat.  Predominantly, that consisted of praying and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit for a fruitful day.  I believe those prayers were answered very profoundly.  I was in the chancery office by 7:00 A.M. gathering up the necessities for the retreat.  By 8:15 A.M. we were on our way across the border.  We enjoyed the hospitality of the Benedictine Sisters, learned a little of their history, and had the opportunity to join them for mid-day prayer.We returned to Cheyenne just after 5:00 P.M. which gave me the opportunity to make it to the state capitol by 6:00 P.M. to join Bishop Etienne for an ecumenical prayer service with the Greek Orthodox Community.  We prayed for the well-being of Christians in the Middle East and implored God for peace in our world.   My day finally concluded at 8:30 P.M. before I sat down at my computer to put a few thoughts here.  Thus, I will not give a lot of details about the retreat, but I will let the pictures give you a glimpse of the beauty we enjoyed. We not only saw the handiwork of the Creator in our surroundings, but we encountered the glory of God in our midst.  It was a “WOW” experience.I offer my sincere gratitude to all of the ladies who attended the retreat.  Your kindness and deep spirituality touched me.  Thank you for your faithful witness to Jesus Christ.

There was a lot of bloodshed to get to that point, but the Constitution of the United States of America was signed on September 17, 1787 by 38 of the 41 delegates present at the conclusion of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia.  It took until June 21, 1788 to get the required 9 out of 13 states to ratify the document.  Subsequently, the government did not begin functioning under the new constitution until March 4, 1789.  Today, the U.S. Constitution is the oldest written constitution in operation in the world.

I was not an avid student of history in my younger years.  As the years of life add up it is easy to now see the folly of such a dismissive attitude toward past events.  The present moment that we have the opportunity to experience has been shaped by these historical events in monumental ways.  The gift of freedom is a cherished treasure that did not come without a significant price.

The world in which we live is a complex place.  While it is easy to sit in my living room and criticize our governmental leaders while watching the evening news, I also realize that their task of governing the country is no small endeavor.  This becomes more and more evident as the polarization of America grows ever deeper and wider.  Seeking the common good seems to be a foreign concept in the current political climate.  On the other hand, could it be that there is just no majority viewpoint as to what is the common good?

My growing concern for our country is the lack of moral persuasion exuded by the Church.  Separation of Church and State has been so twisted through the years that the Church has been pushed more and more into the background so as to have little or no influence in the civil discourse of ideas.  If the Church does not have a place at the table in the arena of public life, who or what will be the determining influence that shapes the current thinking in regard to the common good.

Preaching and teaching on Christian values greatly impacted our nation in its early years.  There is much written documentation to verify that assertion.  Now, preachers are frequently badgered into silence about anything that is related to politics or cultural values.  Some want the IRS to strip a church of its tax-exempt status if the preacher mentions anything politically oriented in the sermon.  Is that really what was intended from the founders of our country?  Historical documents would certainly indicate that it is not.

On the flip-side, there are many people sitting in the pews who do not want to hear anything even remotely related to politics from the pulpit.  Since many cultural values are shaped by politics and even mandated into law by legislation and court decisions, how does a preacher avoid wading into politics if the sermon covers the topic of morality?  If the preacher talks about any of a vast array of topics regarding morality, it can be assumed that the sermon has entered politics.  For instance, how would a preacher address any of these things without potentially being considered political?

Abortion
Contraception
Same-sex attraction
Outreach to the immigrant
Death Penalty
Persecution of Christians

As fewer and fewer people attend church services on a regular basis it is only a logical progression that the Church will continue to lose its influence in shaping cultural values.  Furthermore, as some Christian denominations accept abortion, same-sex unions, and other behaviors once considered taboo, the remaining denominations holding fast to traditional moral values are viewed as obsolete, out of touch, and irrelevant.  The end result is that the value system once espoused by churches of most major denominations has been called into question at best, and completely disregarded at worst.

What does this have to do with our country and our constitution?  Read the pertinent documents from our country’s early history.  Look at the biblical inscriptions etched in stone on many of our government buildings.  Look at the role of religion in the shaping of our country and you will clearly see that the founders emphasized the necessity of faith for the republic to effectively function under this type of governance structure.  All of this begs the question, “What happens now as our country moves away from the founding Christian principles?  How long can we last with this system of government as the Christian foundation becomes more and more despised and is incrementally removed from all of public life?  Is the streak of 227 years of functioning under the same constitution drawing to a close?     

I passed by St. Anthony’s Church in Guernsey, Wyoming today on my way to the small town of Hartville, Wyoming.  (Population 76)  I was a conducting a workshop for catechists from two mission parishes–St. Anthony’s in Guernsey and St. Leo in Lusk. We were graciously welcomed to utilize the Hartville Community Center for our workshop. Small town hospitality is still alive and well in Wyoming.I always appreciate the opportunity to get out into the diocese and meet the people who keep catechesis and faith formation thriving in our parishes.  The workshop today was unique in that it was only for a couple of mission parishes.  I typically get invited to hold a workshop in the main parish and any connected mission churches are invited to join us there.  That was not the case today.  Although these missions are served by St. Rose of Lima in Torrington, this workshop was tailored specifically for the catechists in Lusk and Guernsey.  I was reminded today of what it is to be a “mission diocese.”Before moving to Wyoming I had been working in a parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis with over 3,000 households.  The attached Catholic school had nearly 500 students and the parish religious education program had over 500 students.  First Communion was problematic because the church was too small to accommodate all the people even though the church could hold 1,200 people.  The mission churches don’t struggle with such issues.  I was informed today that they may have as many as three children make First Communion in a year.  Some years there aren’t any.Wyoming is the least populated state in the country, and although Catholicism is the largest denomination in the state (followed closely by the Mormons), there are still only about 60,000 Catholics in the whole state.  In metropolitan areas in other states you may find Catholic churches within blocks of each other.  In Wyoming you won’t find that kind of close proximity.  Harsh weather conditions can make the isolation even more dramatic.  If there is a sign on the interstate that says, “Next Services 76 Miles,” you better believe that there is absolutely nothing available for the next 76 miles.Catholic Extension Society has blessed the Diocese of Cheyenne abundantly through the years, and continues to do so yet today.  As the Director of Pastoral Ministries for the diocese, I know first-hand the generosity of this wonderful organization.  It is through grants received from Catholic Extension Society that enables my office to continue.  It costs money to travel the great distances across the state of Wyoming–over 98,000 square miles.  However, the ability to connect personally with people, as I did today with the catechists from Lusk and Guernsey, is essential to enhancing the outreach endeavors of our parishes and missions.  The faithful people who contribute to the Catholic Extension Society bless people all across this country in mission dioceses in ways that they may never know on this side of heaven.  I just want each and every one of those donors to know how much their donation means to the work of proclaiming the Gospel message.  Your kindness and generosity is making a difference.  Thank you.After the workshop was completed today I took advantage of being in this historical part of Wyoming.  I went to Register Cliff and also to see the Oregon Trail Ruts. Traveling across the state can be difficult even with all of the modern roads and vehicles that we have; I can only imagine the hardships of the early settlers.  They had to be some rugged individuals and I admire their courage and tenacity.Enjoy the pictures from Hartville, Guernsey, and the historic sites in the area.

Hartville is the oldest incorporated town that is still in existence in Wyoming.  The school desks below are in the community center which also serves as a museum.  The iron work on the leg of the desk is amazing.  The oldest bar is claimed to be in Hartville.  Although I did not get a picture of the actual bar, it was made in 1862 and shipped to Wyoming from Europe. Thus, it came by ship and eventually by train to its current location in Wyoming.  The woodworking on the bar is fabulous.

Last, but not least, I wanted you to know that I really did conduct a workshop today.