Articulating Hope

Author: Vernon Dobelmann

Saint Valentine’s Day–Society Could Use Some Love!

Flowers, candy, and romantic dinners will be part of the day’s festivities for many couples this Valentine’s Day. Whether you enjoy this “holiday” or not may depend on a number of factors. Are you in a relationship with someone? Has your relationship recently ended due to a break-up? Has the love of your life died and you find yourself lonely? Frequently, an event that brings joy to one person will bring heartache to another because of different circumstances.

Some people perceive Valentine’s Day to be an economic holiday which enhances business at local florists, bakeries, and greeting card companies. It is possible that this writer may subscribe to that philosophy, but I would never admit that in writing. (I’ll be back in a minute. I need to go order flowers for my wife.)

As I read the news headlines each day in the secular world and in the inner circle of the Church, I yearn for civility and a little love in our political discourse. I intentionally used the words “political discourse” because it seems that everything is now viewed through a political lens regardless of the topic. Social media is anything but social since the last presidential campaign. It is now a political venting machine. I clicked off this morning after seeing that Ivanka Trump sat in the desk chair of the president in the Oval Office. Let’s have a meltdown on social media over her sitting in her dad’s desk chair. Seriously?

Unfortunately, the divide in the Church seems to grow more with each passing day as well. Posters in Rome against the pope show a sharp divide between conservatives and the papacy. Hitting the four-year mark of Pope Benedict’s “resignation” on February 11, also reignited some of the conspiracy theories as to why he left the papacy. Some laud the pastoral approach approach of Pope Francis. Others think he is changing Church doctrine. Some think that if you disagree with the pope you get demoted. Enter the name of Cardinal Burke as a reference point. Cardinal Burke is in the news on a frequent basis. He gets positive press from the conservative outlets and sharp criticism from the left. Where is the truth in all of it?

Bishop Barron is now in the hotseat for some of his comments in an interview with Dave Rubin. Were his comments helpful for evangelization, or did he simply miss an opportunity to teach the faith? The answer to that question will depend upon the viewpoint of the person being asked.

The divisions within the Church are nothing new, but I will admit that it is a bit exhausting to follow all of it. It breaks my heart to see some of the pain and confusion generated by some of these stories. We have a long way to go to be “one flock under one shepherd.”

I am looking forward to the season of Lent. My schedule is full with more than 30 preaching and teaching opportunities from March 2, through April 5. I will be entering into these weeks of penitence with great anticipation of seeing the Lord move powerfully within our midst. That will be a welcome reprieve from the political in-fighting of the Church that sometimes diminishes the beauty of God’s grace in our lives.

We are two weeks away from the start of Lent and five weeks away from the start of spring. Let the sun shine. Let the snow melt and the grass turn green. Let the Light of Christ shine in our hearts!

February 14, 2017
Pro-Life Holy Hour, Mass, the March, and the Banquet

Our Holy Hour on the evening before the pro-life march in Cheyenne has typically been led by the bishop. Since we are currently without a bishop I had the privilege of leading this year’s time of adoration. Being in the presence of our Lord is always time well spent.

Saturday morning began with Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary, complimentary breakfast in Hartmann Hall, and then it was down to the Historic Depot to prepare for the march to the capitol. (We stopped short of the capitol this year due to construction and finished in the street between the capitol and the state supreme court building.)

Over 400 people endured the cold and wind to participate in the march for life.

Dr. Alveda King spoke briefly to the crowd at the end of the march.

I offered the closing prayer immediately after Dr. King finished her statements. It was cold and windy enough that I didn’t bother to adjust the microphone to the right height. Can I get an “Amen” to brevity when we are enduring the cold and wind?

Dr. Alveda King was the keynote speaker at the evening banquet.

Having a photographer sitting at your table means you get your picture taken. He told Margaret and I to act as if we actually like each other. (I think we pulled it off.)

My thanks to Matthew Potter for all of the photographs above. My thanks to Laramie County Right to Life for all the work that goes into this march and banquet each year. My thanks to the clergy and staff at the Cathedral of St. Mary for assisting in the organization of the Holy Hour and Eucharistic Liturgy on this weekend each year. My thanks to the ladies of the Cathedral Guild who graciously prepare breakfast for us each year. My thanks to the Knights of Columbus for leading the march and providing lunch after the march. Thanks to all who marched. We are making a difference because each of you choose to get involved. Thank you for your support of life from conception through natural death.

February 1, 2017
Fog and Ice Are Much Different Than Sand and Sun

It seems that many of my plans recently have come to a screeching halt. Is it simply the ebb and flow of life, or is it something much more disconcerting? There are times when discernment in such matters is an absolute necessity.

The collapse of the publishing company has kept my book from getting released just before Lent as I had been anticipating. I was looking forward to having my book available to people who attend the retreats and parish missions that I lead. I wanted it to be a resource which would encourage them in their own dark days of suffering and affliction. Unfortunately, with the closing of the publishing company I am back to square one as opposed to my book being released on February 28.

My Lenten schedule is full so I was going to attempt to get some rest and relaxation in the warm sunshine this week before things really ramp up. I attended all of the pro-life activities on Friday and Saturday in Cheyenne. I came home Saturday evening after the pro-life banquet and immediately finished packing and loading the car so I could leave early Sunday morning. I was going to drive to Missouri to pick up my brother-in-law and then we would head to Gulfport, Mississippi where the forecast was for three days of sunshine with high temperatures of 70 degrees. My body could already get a sense of the heat and humidity.

Sadly, as I finished loading the car and got ready for bed, I suddenly knew something was not right. I could feel that my heart was back in atrial fibrillation. My prayers for it to go back into rhythm on its own were not answered in the manner in which I had desired. It would require some medical assistance. Vacation had to be cancelled.

In the midst of these obstacles I am striving to discern any relevant spiritual aspects connected to these events. It is at least a reminder that as aggravation and frustration enter into the picture, I must root myself even more deeply in prayer to combat any spiritual assault that is involved.

I do not have any pictures of the Gulf of Mexico to share with you, but I can share some morning photos of beautiful Cheyenne, Wyoming. Have a blessed start to your February!

Don’t forget–t
he Feast of the Presentation of the Lord is tomorrow (Thursday) and St. Blase (Blaise) is on Friday. Get your throat blessed on Friday in your local parish.

February 1, 2017
Cold and Windy–But We Will March in One Hour

There was a good crowd at our celebration of the Eucharist this morning. We had to set up additional tables for breakfast following Mass. We have people present from Cody and Powell who made the seven hour trek to join us. We have people from all across the state and a good contingent of people from northern Colorado as well. We continue to build a culture of life one step at a time.

January 28, 2017
Pro-Life March In Washington, D.C. (and more)

We pray today for all those participating in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. May their faithful witness to the dignity and sacred value of each human life from conception through natural death be a blessing to our country.

I received the photo above of children playing during recess at one of our Catholic schools in Wyoming. The piled up snow from their playground created a fun space to play. It made me chuckle as I thought back to when I was principal of a school in Missouri. Playground monitors always made sure our students stayed away from any snow-covered areas during recess. It is a different perspective in Wyoming where the mound of snow becomes the ideal place to play.

We have many different perspectives in life based upon our education, background and life experiences. However, I think most of us can agree on the beauty of watching children play and having fun. Their joy and innocence is refreshing.

How can it be that we as a nation still have such a large percentage of people advocating for abortion rights? When the issue came to the forefront following the U.S. Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade, the assurances from the proponents of abortion rights were that they wanted abortion to be safe, legal, and rare. Compare that to their slogan now of, “Abortion on demand and without apology.” Where does that perspective originate?

It is my hope and prayer that we will someday create a culture of life in which abortion becomes unthinkable. We still have a lot of work to do before that happens.

For my Cheyenne readers–
I will be leading a pro-life holy hour this evening (Friday) from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. at the Cathedral of St. Mary. We will have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, a Scripture reading with a brief reflection, a rosary, and finally benediction.

Tomorrow’s activities begin at 9:00 A.M. with Mass at the Cathedral of St. Mary. A complimentary breakfast in Hartmann Hall will follow Mass. The program at the Depot begins at 11:00 A.M. the march begins at 12:00 noon sharp. Lunch is available at the Knights of Columbus Hall following the march.

The banquet tomorrow evening will feature Dr. Alveda King as the keynote speaker. (Tickets to the banquet had to be purchased in advance.)

“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His mercy endures forever.”

January 27, 2017
National School Choice Week / Catholic Schools Week

I had the privilege of being the opening speaker today at our local school choice event. It is important that we continue to improve the educational opportunities for our children at all levels. Having a variety of schooling options from which to choose creates some healthy competition. It should prompt each institution to strive for excellence.

Next week (beginning on Sunday) we celebrate the annual tradition of Catholic Schools Week. This is a time when we have the opportunity to “toot our own horn” in regard to the good things taking place in Catholic education. This week sometimes causes a little extra stress with activities that are a bit out of the norm. I simply offer a word of encouragement and gratitude to the teachers and administrators that make this week phenomenal. Your dedication to Catholic education is greatly appreciated.

Enjoy these photos of the official dance of “National School Choice Week” from today’s event at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

January 26, 2017
If Things Can Go Wrong They Probably Will

There are times when I think I should have been more specific in my prayers when I prayed for patience. I never realized how many opportunities God would give me to learn this elusive virtue through the years. Apparently, I am also a slow learner. The opportunities continue to come my way.

Writing complete. Editing complete. Formatting and layout complete. Proofreading complete. Front and back cover design complete. Release date is scheduled for February 28. The only thing left is printing. I order five hundred books to have on hand for my speaking engagements. I am told my shipment will arrive in four to six weeks.

Six weeks pass and I still have no books. I contact the publisher to inquire about my order. I am told that there have been some delays because the company was moving some overseas operations back into the United States. After week seven passed I started getting concerned. Some research on the internet revealed numerous complaints against the company in the past couple of months. The Better Business Bureau and the state’s attorney general had heard from quite a number of people. According to the internet Tate Publishing closed its doors last Friday.

An interview from a local television station in Oklahoma City said that the company had served over 39,000 authors through the years. The CEO said they had just not recovered since the economic downturn. He went on to say that the closing of the publishing company primarily impacts the several hundred authors who have works currently in progress. Unfortunately, I am one of those several hundred directly impacted. I seem to have a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Once I figure out what my next step will be, I’ll let you know. Part of me thinks I need to pray for patience through all of this. The other part of me is scared to do that. It would simply be nice for things to flow smoothly just for a little bit.

January 25, 2017
Transforming Grief On Paper

I was invited to attend a “grief writing workshop” yesterday evening. While I have had some training in pastoral counseling and have had a significant amount of experience in hospital ministry, I had never had specific training in regard to writing and grief. Oh sure, I had heard things like, “Keep a journal.” That does not exactly give you a lot to go on if you are unfamiliar with writing or with processing grief. Thus, I thought this training would enhance my ministry to others who are grieving. I was not disappointed.

The other attendees at the workshop were all experiencing grief from recent losses. I was at the workshop to learn how to be a better minister to others and was not really processing my own grief. However, the writing exercises required that I have a person in mind as I write. Although it has been over a year since mom died, I chose to focus on her. As I wrote, I began to revisit some of the memories from our last trip together just a little over a year before she died. Today, I went through some of those photos again. In four days it will be mom’s birthday. She would be celebrating 93 years. I am grateful for the photos from our last trip.

I want to express my gratitude today to Pennie Hunt, the leader of our workshop. (www.penniehunt.com/) You walked us through an amazing process in a very brief amount of time. Your compassion and pastoral sensitivity toward those whose grief was fresh and deep was inspiring. May God bless you abundantly for your ministry of healing.

January 24, 2017
Parish Mission in Green River, Wyoming

After being in Green River for parish missions in 2014 and 2015, I am looking forward to returning again in 2017. I missed seeing all of you in 2016.

I will be leading a mini-retreat/workshop on Saturday, March 4, 2017 from 10:00 A.M. until noon for all those involved in parish ministries.

This will be a great way to begin our Lenten journey.

January 20, 2017
Parish Mission in Wheatland, Wyoming

We are still finalizing a few of the details, but the schedule is mainly established for the Parish Mission in Wheatland, Wyoming. There may be some social gatherings added to the agenda, but overall, this is the main component of the mission.

While I have led a couple of workshops in previous years in Wheatland, this will be my first parish mission at St. Patrick. It will also be my first time to visit the mission church in Chugwater when I preach at the 11:00 A.M. Mass on March 26. I am looking forward to both experiences.

This is going to be an exciting Lent. I am now scheduled to lead four parish missions, preach at 13 Eucharistic liturgies, lead a women’s retreat, speak at an Eagle Scout Recognition Banquet, and lead an RCIA retreat the week before Lent begins. Throw in my attendance at the monthly diaconate formation weekend, the day of recollection and Chrism Mass on April 6, and everything associated with Holy Week and I have a full calendar. In the midst of all of that I will still have to get my usual work completed.

Usually, I recuperate for a while after Easter. There won’t be much time for that this year as I head to St. Patrick’s Parish in Casper at the end of April to preach at the weekend Masses to kick-off the annual Living and Giving in Christ appeal. The weekend following that I head to the western side of the state to lead a men’s retreat in Thayne, Wyoming. It appears I will have to make time for rest in June.

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His mercy endures forever!

January 20, 2017