The season of Lent created a full schedule on my calendar. Thankfully, I stayed healthy throughout the journey. After going nearly eight weeks with only one day off, I finally had a chance to escape for a few days this past weekend.
My wife and I were able to make a quick trip to the St. Louis area to visit her family. On Sunday we made a short trip a little farther east across the Mississippi River into Belleville, Illinois to visit Our Lady of the Snows Shrine for Divine Mercy Sunday. The shrine has long been a favorite of mine during the Advent and Christmas season due to their extravagant Christmas displays. This was my first visit for Divine Mercy Sunday. It was absolutely wonderful.
The grounds of the shrine were beautiful. There are times I really miss the lush green lawns during the early spring. In Wyoming I am just grateful when I am not shoveling snow in April and May.
I will share more pictures in the days/weeks ahead. I hope you are having a blessed Easter Season!
In 2003 I became a theology teacher and campus minister at Valle Catholic High School in Sainte Genevieve, Missouri. I reflect upon those years with great fondness and appreciation. I never realized at the time it was laying the groundwork to eventually become a principal and now a superintendent. God’s plans are quite surprising in many different circumstances.
My thoughts returned to my time at Valle today as I uploaded this photo from an e-mail my daughter had sent to me. As I looked at the photo I was wishing for one more item to be on the sign so that we would have “ten commandments.” Unfortunately, there are only nine prohibitions listed. However, it brought my mind back to a conversation that I had with a student while teaching at Valle. The student commented that the Church specializes in saying, “Thou shalt not…” That is certainly what I thought of when I saw this sign. Are we allowed to do anything?
A moral theologian could explain things in greater detail than what I am able, but I want to take just a moment to reflect upon the beauty of freedom. Can you imagine how “free” we would be if everyone followed the Ten Commandments? We would not need security cameras. We would not need to arrive at the airport two hours in advance to get through security. If we all followed the commandments and loved God with our whole heart. mind, soul, and strength and loved our neighbor as ourselves, we would all experience freedom in ways we may have never imagined.
How much heartache would we be spared if we each treated our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit as we believe they are? How many sexual relationships outside of the marriage bond between a man and a woman have brought serious emotional despair? Is there a valid reason why the Church encourages chastity and purity? How many individuals, and their families, have been devastated by substance abuse? Is there a reason why the Church encourages us to be prudent and temperate?
Life in Christ may require us to skip some things that look appealing on the surface. We seem to understand that concept in the secular aspect of our lives. If we eat nothing but candy day after day the long-term effects on our physical health will probably not be good. It is the same with our interior life. If we consume a steady diet of immorality, lack of charity, and specialize in the seven capital sins, our interior life is going to be in disarray. What will feed your interior life more effectively–television or Scripture reading? Is prayer more life-giving than looking at porn on the internet? It makes a difference how we live.
The Church gives us guidance in the ways to holiness. This leads us to eternal life with Almighty God, and that is our destiny. That is our purpose for being here. What concrete steps are you taking to grow in holiness? Did you begin some good practices during Lent that you can keep going? I want to encourage you to not become complacent. Keep growing.
Do you have plans for a summer reading program? May I suggest one? Read Part III of the Catechism of the Catholic Church entitled, Life in Christ. It may give you a tip or two on how to more fully unite your will to the will of God.
In closing, I simply say thank you to all who have touched my life in a positive way through the years. I am grateful for my time spent in Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, and for the people who entered my life during those years. Although I have been gone from Valle Catholic High School for more than a decade already, I give a “shout-out” to the students, their parents, the faculty, and the staff (and the retired personnel as well). May you be blessed abundantly in these final weeks of the school year!
It was raining this evening as I left for the Bishop’s Guild dinner and meeting. The rain is forecasted to turn to snow overnight. The photo above represents what we could be experiencing if we were living in California or other climate conducive to such growth at this time of year. Regardless of the weather conditions outside, spending time with the ladies of the Bishop’s Guild is always a delight. The dedication and prayerful witness of these women renews my own sense of purpose. The Church is blessed indeed to have such faithful and generous servants caring for God’s people.
The season of Easter reminds us of the power of God. As we continue our trek toward the Solemnity of Pentecost, we are encouraged to live our life in the Spirit. Have we recognized the risen Jesus in the breaking of bread? Do we believe He has sent His Holy Spirit upon us?
What in your life needs attention that you can follow the command of Jesus to cast out into the deep? Just as the ship workers take care of the maintenance needs of the vessel, we too, need to prepare ourselves for the pilgrimage of faith upon which we have embarked. Are you taking care of the temple of the Holy Spirit–which is you? Are you ready, willing, and able to share your faith with others?
Are you participating in the sacraments regularly? Are you praying with frequency and fervor? Are you studying the faith? Are you reading and praying with the Sacred Scriptures? Are you loving God with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength? Are you loving your neighbor as yourself?
I invite you to read the Acts of the Apostles in the Bible and experience the zeal of the early Church. Let the Word of God penetrate you in a profound manner so that you are filled with the Holy Spirit. This has the potential to motivate and inspire you to action just as it did the apostles. Do you have that burning desire?
My final question is straightforward. Are you equipped and ready to cast your net out into the deep?
The Easter Vigil is my favorite liturgy of the year. Beginning the ritual in darkness and experiencing “The Light of Christ” dawning upon us is powerful. The richness of symbolism and ritual in the Easter Vigil is beyond description. We are blessed as Catholics to have this beautiful liturgical celebration so thoroughly capturing the essence of salvation history.
The rector of the cathedral had an unusual opportunity to be the main celebrant in the absence of having a bishop in the diocese.
Singing the “Exultet” at the beginning of Mass at the Easter Vigil is a tremendous privilege for the ministry of deacon. I am grateful to lead this prayer of praise in my role as deacon.
When I saw the above photo my attention was immediately drawn to the emptiness of the bishop’s chair. There are certain things I have grown accustomed to after serving at the cathedral for more than seven years. The presence of a bishop is one of those things.
Speaking of the bishop, we can now begin preparations in earnest for the ordination and installation of our new bishop on June 5, 2017.
(The above photos are courtesy of the Cathedral of St. Mary.)
Lent was a beautiful journey. As I sit here late on Easter Sunday evening in front of my computer, I am feeling a bit exhausted but filled with joy. My life was truly blessed during these days of Lent. I can picture myself sitting on the beach in a warm climate relaxing without a care in the world, but that will not be a reality any time soon. However, my mind can imagine it anyway.
In the last six weeks I have had the privilege of preaching four parish missions, leading two retreats, and leading two penance services. During the four parish missions I preached at 17 Eucharistic liturgies and gave nine presentations lasting one hour each. The retreats were a total of eight presentations, and I also had the honor of preaching at the two penance services. These events took place in five different cities and towns across Wyoming. It was truly wonderful spending time with God’s people all across the state.
My schedule remains somewhat full for another few weeks, and then more time will be spent in preparation for the ordination and installation of our new bishop on June 5. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to make the ordination of a bishop a beautiful experience for the Church. When I arrived in Cheyenne seven and a half years ago, all the preparatory work had already been completed for the ordination and installation of the new bishop which happened just weeks after my arrival. This time I am present to be part of the fun of sharing some of those responsibilities.
I want to take a moment to thank all of the people who helped make my Lenten journey a beautiful experience. Each of the parishes where I led missions welcomed me with splendid hospitality. Your kindness and generosity was overwhelming. The Sacred Triduum at the Cathedral of St. Mary was a powerful expression of prayer. To the many people who had a hand in making that possible, I simply say thank you.
Finally, I say thank you to my family, especially my wife, Margaret. I will soon celebrate my 18th anniversary as a deacon. My family has sacrificed a lot through the years to allow me to minister in the manner that I do. This past Lent was an example of that support of my ministry. I was gone from home for nearly twenty of the forty days of Lent. I could not do the things I do if it wasn’t for the support and encouragement of my wife. That is something I try not to take for granted (but I know there are times that I do).
Where do we go from here? We solemnly celebrate Easter for eight days (octave). Then we continue to celebrate all the way to Pentecost. May these days of celebration open your heart to the movement of God’s Holy Spirit in your life!
THE LIGHT OF CHRIST. THANKS BE TO GOD! This beginning to the Great Easter Vigil should resonate with us all year long. We are committed to our baptismal promises to keep the flame of faith burning brightly in our lives. The virtues developed over the course of our Lenten pilgrimage should remain with us always. We are constantly striving to unite ourselves more fully to our Risen Lord.
Celebrate the fifty days of Easter well. The passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus is not all we have to celebrate. We still have the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to experience anew on the awesome Feast of Pentecost. May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion, fellowship, and power of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Cathedral of St. Mary in Cheyenne, Wyoming has been recording a weekly message during Lent. After I returned from Wheatland, I was asked to record the video for the 5th week of Lent. I was a little reluctant because of the shortage of time to prepare, but I hope the message encourages you to finish out the Lenten journey well.
At the close of the parish mission in Wheatland a couple of second graders shared their thoughts about receiving the Holy Eucharist for the first time in a couple of weeks. The young people preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation came to the mission as part of their class. It was good to see them with the rest of the parishioners in attendance.
As I spent some time admiring the stained glass windows in the church, I realized that both of those sacraments were featured in the windows. Many of our Catholic churches tell the story of our faith in the artwork and windows. I invite you to take a good look at the windows, statues, artwork, and other symbols and signs in your local church. Many people have sacrificed through the centuries to provide us with beautiful worship spaces. Take some time to appreciate the beauty of your local church.
It is generally a good sign when the closing night of a parish mission generates the largest crowd. It was wonderful to see a good number of young people in attendance as well. I especially appreciated having the opportunity to visit with many of you after the evening was over. Please know of my gratitude for your kindness and hospitality.
A special word of thanks to the eight year old who invited me to her first coommunion in a few weeks. You touched my heart with your kindness and vibrant spirit. While I will be unable to attend, please know of my prayers for you as you prepare for this beautiful sacrament. May God bless you abundantly!
My thanks to the pastor and the parishioners for a beautiful experience! Finish your Lenten pilgrimage well. May the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion, fellowship, and power of the Holy Spirit be with you all!
