Homily for 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily for the
21st Sunday of Ordinary Time
Aug. 27, 2017
Matt 16: 13-20
Is 22: 19-23

I’d already drafted this homily for my 1st Sunday celebration in a D.C.-area parish when I was informed at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday that there would be a visiting missionary preaching at all the Masses.  I wasn’t amused at such late notice, but at least I have something fresh to offer my couple of dozen readers.

“Jesus said to him in reply, ‘I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven’” (Matt 16: 17-18).

We’re all familiar with keys:  house keys, office keys, car keys, keys to briefcases and bicycle locks, etc.  Keys give us access and security.  We use keys to enter places where we find privacy, protect secrecy, secure important papers or possessions.  We use keys—or locks—to keep out others who don’t belong.

The sacred Scriptures this morning use keys as symbols of power and authority.  In the OT reading, the prophet Isaiah informs 2 royal officials that one will be removed from office and the other given his key, his authority.  This is God’s word.

In the gospel reading, Jesus speaks figuratively of giving Simon son of Jonah—Simon Peter—“the keys to the kingdom of heaven.”  That’s why so many jokes speak of St. Peter as the porter who greets the deceased at the pearly gates.

But the language is figurative.  Jesus is giving Peter authority, authority that he is to use to upbuild Christ’s Church, to secure the Church against the darkness of the netherworld—the underworld, the world of death, the world of evil and sin; the Greek word in Matthew’s text is hades; and to bind and loose.  “Bind and loose,” or open and close, what?  To bind and loose sins; to open or close the doors of the Church.  Peter receives the authority to admit sinners to Baptism and Reconciliation, to open up the doors of God’s mercy thru the Church, to set people free; or not to admit them or grant forgiveness because some condition is lacking, such as genuine repentance or a firm purpose of amendment.

So the Church is having a big debate these days over access to Holy Communion.  No one is worthy of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus, as we proclaim in the Communion rite at every Mass:  “Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof.”  But God in his mercy, thru the Church, grants access to the most sacred mystery of our faith to those who confess their sins and seek to live as disciples of Jesus, and refuses access to the unrepentant or unconverted.

If the gates of the netherworld—or of hell, as hades is sometimes translated—are not to prevail over Christ’s Church, then Peter’s authority must continue in time.  We believe that it passes to his successors, the bishops of Rome, the Popes.

We may also give some thought to other authorities.  When we read today’s Scriptures, we hear that Eliakim is given authority that he might “be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem” (Is 22:21), and Peter is given the keys to the kingdom of heaven to secure salvation for God’s people.  Authority is meant for the service, protection, and assistance of others.  That is true for public authorities—Shebna and Eliakim were public authorities—and for Church authorities like Popes, bishops, priests, and deacons.

So we expect our civil leaders to provide for our national security, e.g., against nuclear war or terrorism; to assist the victims of natural disasters like hurricanes and wildfires; to work for social justice for all our people regardless of race, national origin, age, state of health, economic status, etc.

We expect our religious leaders to work hard to bring us the life of Jesus in the sacraments, to preach the Word of God, to comfort the sick and the anguished, to set examples of discipleship.

But most of us are authorities of some sort.  Parents have authority in their household, employers and managers in their businesses, teachers and catechists in their classrooms, doctors and nurses in their offices and wards, Scout leaders in their packs and troops, and so on.  All of these forms of authority are opportunities to defend the kingdom of God against the darkness and the evils of the netherworld, to be fathers (or mothers) to people (regardless of age); to bring the Gospel to life in our world, at least silently and sometimes explicitly, by our imitation of Jesus “the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt 16:16), whom we claim as our master and our model.

I think it’s apropos to quote from the editorial in the June issue of Columbia, the magazine of the Knights of Columbus.  After noting that parents are responsible for the spiritual formation of their children and a reference to preserving the faith even in the face of religious persecution, the editorial says:

In the Western world, the duty of Christian parents to practice their faith and witness to their children is no less serious.  As faith is undermined by dominant ideologies and met with increasing indifference or scorn, Christianity in the West is threatened by an extinction of a different kind—related in no small part to the collapse of the domestic church, the family.

The love of a mother is unquestionably important and irreplaceable in the lives of her children, but fathers also play an indispensable role, especially when it comes to passing on the faith.  According to a major study …, the strongest predictor of a child’s future church attendance is the religious observance of the father.  The study found that between 66 and 75 percent of children whose fathers regularly attend church go on to become at least irregular churchgoers as adults, even if the mother does not practice.  If the father does not practice, however, at least 60 percent will stay away from church altogether, even if the mother is devout.

So, parents, and dads in particular, to you is given the key to the kingdom of heaven.  Exercise your authority with faithfulness, love, and constant good example.

Another Mini-Vacation in the Woods

Another Mini-Vacation in the Woods

Following my annual retreat at the Marian Shrine in Haverstraw (Aug. 13-19) and a family event on the 19th, I was able to take 3 days of mini-vacation.

My original plan was do another Appalachian Trail hike (see   http://sdbnews.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-trail-of-10000-acorns.html and http://sdbnews.blogspot.com/2015/06/meeting-thru-hikers-on-west-mountain.html).  I went so far as to purchase the AT guide for New Jersey and New York, study it, and photocopy the pertinent pages to pack along with me.  I was intending to hike up to the AT from Greenwood Lake, N.Y., at the N.J. state line, then go north and east to the Elk Pen at the western edge of Harriman State Park, a demanding hike of about 19 miles with some gorgeous views (reportedly). Except for the last 3 miles or so, I've never been on that section.  I've done Agony Grind a couple of times.

View of the Russian Bear from the Kakiat Trail

I invited Fr. Jim Mulloy and several of my old Scouts to come along.  I also offered the "out" of a shorter and easier plan in Harriman.  But I had no takers until I met up with Fr. Jim, who was on the same retreat as I.

He was reluctant to tackle the AT.  So we agreed instead to get ourselves dropped off at Reeves Meadow (on 7 Lakes Dr. in Sloatsburg) and hike eastward to Pine Meadow Lake and up (south) to the Suffern-Bear Mt. Trail, spend Sunday nite at the Stone Memorial Shelter, then go northeastward to the Big Hill Shelter for Monday nite, and out on the Long Path to my car on Tuesday.

Typical look of 7 Lakes Drive at Reeves Meadow on the weekend--lots and lots of cars for lots and lots of hikers

Then Fr. Jim had 2d thoughts about that too, due to a bad ankle he's got.  So he dropped me off at Reeves Meadow on Sunday at 10:40 a.m. and agreed to meet me on Monday afternoon at Big Hill.

Lots and lots of hikers were moving in both directions on Pine Meadow Trail on Sunday a.m.  It's one of the most popular trails in all of Harriman-Bear Mt.'s 52,000 acres.  On a whim, sort of, I decided to do a section of trail I'd never been on and broke off the Pine Meadow Tr. around 11:30; about 10 minutes up the trail (and it was up), I took another look at the map and realized I was on the wrong trail--the Hillburn-Torne-Sebago, going away from where I wanted to go; so I backtracked, and at noon reached the trail I wanted, the Kakiat, and headed south (and more or less up).  Had lunch from 12:15 to 12:30.  The trail was relatively easy and scenic but with quite a few ascents and descents.

My lunch stop (PB & J sandwich) on the Kakiat

As Yogi said, "When you come to the fork in the road, take it." This is a fork

with the Raccoon Brook Hills Trail going left and the Kakiat going right.

What you'll see on the southbound Kakiat

2 brooks proved to be dry--no filling my water bottles.  That got me to fretting; I had 2 more chances to find water before Stone Memorial, or I'd have to go all the way down to Pine Meadow Lake.

The party of 25 day hikers that passed me on the Kakiat and moved rapidly along

I met only 7 hikers traveling individually or in pairs on the Kakiat, and 1 party of 25 heading back to their cars at Montebello (Rte 202); probably had done a long loop hike.  At 2:30 I finally reached junction with Suffern-Bear Mt Tr.  This diversion on the Kakiat added almost 2 miles and 2 hours to my hike, and my legs complained about it.  I was happy to hit new trail, but not happy about the extra mileage (which I knew I was going to get when I opted for the Kakiat--the map was not deceptive at all).

A lot of the SBM is like this, easy hiking (and sometimes not blazed as clearly as you'd like

And a lot of it is like this--steep ascents and descents

Fortunately, a little brook along the SBM had enuf water in it for me to refill my canteen and fill my 3 water bottles.  That was a relief, even if 5 extra pounds in my backpack was not.  Along SBM I met only 1 hiker, a guy I'd seen earlier on the Kakiat. 

Structures of the new Tappan Zee Bridge (and towers in White Plains) visible from the SBM

Thru the haze you can discern the Manhattan skyline

Got to Stone Memorial Shelter at 5:00 p.m after 6 miles of hiking.  At that point, I was grateful to Fr. Jim that he didn't want to do the AT, which would have demanded 6 miles on 3 consecutive days.

Stone Memorial Shelter with 4 Baker Camp tents pitched alongside (athwart the trail!)

The shelter had no occupant, but a youth group from Baker Camp on Lake Sebago was encamped in tents--doing the The Duke of Edinburgh Award program.  Eventually there were 8 of them, plus a couple of adults loosely monitoring them.  They were a friendly and responsible bunch, more or less green as hikers and campers (most of them were from NYC) except for a veteran Boy Scout named Ben Haddley from England by way of Minnesota.  We hit it off well.  I had the shelter to myself, except for a couple of the boys stashing their backpacks there.  The mosquitoes were tolerable.

On Monday a.m. I was up at 6:20, said Mass, ate oatmeal, a granola bar, and an orange with instant coffee, prayed the breviary, packed up, texted Fr. Jim, and got on the trail at 9:00.  The Baker Camp youths were out at 8:00, half of them returning to camp having completed this phase of their program, the other half heading to Big Hill by a circuitous route.

East of the shelter a great deal of the mountaintop had been burned over by a wildfire several years ago (since the last time I was up there).

At 10:00 a.m. I met the 4 Baker Camp kids at the junction of Pine Meadow and SBM trails. 

They were obliged to leave some written records at certain points along the trail (for trailing adults to check), and we hop-scotched a little as we hiked along.  Mostly they moved a lot faster than I did (with my 30-lb pack and 68-year-old legs).  Later I ran into their 2 trailing adults, and then I hop-scotched along with them.

In the distance, Haverstraw Bay and the village of Haverstraw

Monday was eclipse day.  I wasn't sure when that was supposed to happen, and didn't notice anything special--no more darkening of the daylight than often happens when clouds dart over the sun. 

What the sun looked like whenever I looked up

But at 3:00 p.m. (as I caught up with Baker Camp kids at the 3d reservoir, filling their water bottles), I noted and remarked upon how silent the woods were--no birds, no crickets making their usual noises.  Apparently that's when the eclipse was happening.

The kids moved on as I filled my water containers, and their 2 adult monitors passed by.  At 4:10 I reached Big Hill Shelter--very welcome to my weary legs--after 5.2 miles from Stone Memorial Shelter.  The 4 youths and Fr. Jim were already there--Fr. Jim asleep in his hammock.  I settled into the shelter, and Fr. Jim awakened and joined me.  Later another 10 Baker Camp youths arrived, doing a more advanced phase of the Duke's award, and a couple of supervisory adults.

Fr. Jim and I made a small fire in a shelter fireplace and cooked hot dogs for supper.  I downed lots of Crystal Lite and water, replenishing what I'd been sweating out all day.  We prayed Evening Prayer with my iPad, chatted, watched the Baker kids start and maintain a fire in the outside fireplace and chatted with some of them too, warned some of them several times about the abundant poison ivy nearby, and otherwise relaxed.

I didn't have the presence of mind to take any photos around Big Hill except this one, prompted by Fr. Jim:

The blaze ignited in the fireplace by the youth hikers

Around 9:00 Fr. Jim retired to his hammock, I went to my sleeping bag, and all the kids except a bunch of Asians went to their tents; the last finally retired around 11:00 when I made a nice plea to the last 2 of them still up.

On Tuesday I was up at 6:15 a.m., and by 6:30 Fr. Jim came in and we celebrated Mass.  He had his usual really light breakfast and prayed the Office while I prepared my usual breakfast (same as above). 

I noted above that the Baker Camp youths are city kids except for Ben, and quite green.  They're so green that one of them told Fr. Jim that it had rained last nite, and Fr. Jim had to inform him about dew.  All of them except the Asians were out by 7:30. 

Fr. Jim and I completed our packing up, waved good-bye and "safe hiking" to the Asians, and hit the trail (the Long Path) at 8:00.  We reached our cars in the hikers' parking lot on St. John Rd. at 8:45.  Fr. Jim headed home to Don Bosco Prep, and I back to my room at the Marian Shrine (for a very welcome use of the bathroom and shower, and then the Divine Office).

I really appreciated the quiet hours on the trail, the vistas, the shade of the woods (but not the mosquitoes that lurked about there, and eventually left me with half a dozen souvenirs--more likely from the shelters, tho).  Not sure I should be doing 5-mile hikes with a full pack any longer, given how seldom I get to do it and thus how out of shape I am.  Maybe I can figure out how to reduce the weight by 10 pounds?  Probably not, without ditching the tent (in case I don't land a shelter), extra fuel, head lamp, some clothing, and some spare pieces "just in case."  On this trip I did need the 2d fuel canister and a new set of batteries for the flashlight--that last could have been handled before I left.

Bro. Eddy Chincha Makes Perpetual Profession

Bro. Eddy, holding a candle, makes perpetual profession before Fr. Tim Ploch.

Before Fr. Tim Ploch, regional councilor, Bro. Eduardo Chincha made his perpetual profession on Saturday morning, August 19. The rite took place in the chapel of the Marian Shrine at Haverstraw, N.Y.

The profession Mass was concelebrated by 29 Salesian priests. Another 21 Salesians (including yours truly, working camera and notepad), Deacon Ivan Gemio of Port Chester, Bro. Eddy’s parents and other family members, parishioners from Port Chester, some of Bro. Eddy’s former students from New Rochelle, newly commissioned Salesian Lay Missioners, and other friends of Bro. Eddy and the Salesians also attended.

During the Litany of the Saints, Bro. Eddy’s family and the entire congregation pray

for God’s blessings upon him. (Photo: Bro. Travis Gunther)

Bro. Eddy, 28, and his family (parents Alberto and Lucia and brother Richard) were long-time members of Holy Rosary Church in Port Chester. With much encouragement and support from Fr. Ploch when he was Holy Rosary’s pastor and Fr. Rich Alejunas, parochial vicar, Eddy became a candidate at the Salesian house of formation in Orange, N.J., in 2009. He made his novitiate in Port Chester in 2010-2011 under the guidance of Fr. William Keane as master of novices, and made his first profession (of temporary vows) on August 16, 2011.

Salesian religious profession involves not only the vow made to God (to live chastity, poverty, and obedience in accord with the Constitutions) but also a commitment to the Salesian mission and the fraternity of community life.

In his homily, Fr. Ploch stressed that it is Jesus Christ who has called Bro. Eddy, and he cited a question posed by Pope Francis: not “Who am I?” but “For whom am I?” Bro. Eddy, said Fr. Ploch, is answering, “I am for the Lord, because he has called me.”

Furthermore, the homilist said, Bro. Eddy is saying, “I am for my brothers because God has given me brothers to love.” And, “I am for the young because God has chosen me to serve them.”

Fr. Ploch’s homily stressed Christ’s vocational call and the need to remain in union with him.

While every baptized person is meant for the Lord, Fr. Ploch continued, Bro. Eddy is answering Christ’s call in a radical way, offering Christ everything that is inside himself. He will seek to do God’s will and not his own; to offer his body to the Lord without filtering his love for God through another person; to offer God all he has and look for riches in heaven.

Bro. Eddy is confident that Jesus will accompany him, in spite of his weaknesses, as God promised to be with young Jeremiah the prophet, said Fr. Ploch.

Fr. Tim places the Good Shepherd cross over Bro. Eddy’s head—

the sign of his readiness to make himself loved and to shepherd the young.

The preacher then touched on community: each Salesian belongs to his brothers and they belong to him. Together they are a sign to the young of the communion that God intends for the world. Each Salesian is sent to the young and belongs to them, like St. John Bosco.

General Chapter 27 used the image of the vine and the branches to illustrate that the Salesian derives his life and his fruitfulness from Christ, Fr. Ploch reminded Bro. Eddy. He went on to promise him that the Virgin Mary will guide him as she guided Don Bosco.

Finally, Fr. Ploch thanked Lucia and Alberto Chincha for all their contributions to Holy Rosary Church and the example that they gave to young Eddy. He thanked Bro. Eddy for saying “yes” to Christ’s call, and he wished him the Lord’s peace.

All the Salesians present gather around Bro. Eddy and his family. (Bro. Travis Gunther)

13 Salesian Lay Missioners Commissioned

13 Salesian Lay Missioners Commissioned

2017 batch of Salesian Lay Missioners

with Adam Rudin (back row far left), Bro. Craig Spence (next to Adam),

Fr. Tim Zak (back row center), Clare Pressimone (middle row far left), and Fr. Mark Hyde (middle row far right).

On August 18 Fr. Tim Zak, provincial, blessed 13 missionary crosses and commissioned 13 new Salesian Lay Missioners during Mass at Don Bosco Retreat Center in Haverstraw.

The SLMs were completing three weeks of orientation that included talks on such topics as enculturation, Don Bosco, and the Preventive System; practical service in youth ministry and other ministries at St. John Bosco Parish in Port Chester, N.Y.; spiritual reflection; paperwork; and finally, a retreat at Haverstraw that included sharing meals and prayer with SDBs.

SDBs join Fr. Tim in praying the blessing over the SLMs

The orientation was coordinated by SLM director Adam Rudin, Salesian Missions director Fr. Mark Hyde, and returned SLM Clare Pressimone (Cambodia, 2014) with assistance from Bro. Craig Spence (SLM 2001-2003, Paterson, N.J., and New York City) and Fr. Ken Shaw of Salesian Missions.

SLMs make not only an oral commitment to a year's service but a written one too.

The SLMs will be missioned overseas to Bolivia, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, Vietnam, and Zambia; and in the U.S. to Tampa.

Inspired by the collect of the Mass for ministers of the Church, Fr. Hyde’s homily (left) encouraged the SLMs (and the SDBs on retreat, too) to be “effective in action, gentle in ministry, and constant in prayer.” Fr. Hyde reminded them to serve others, like Christ, to turn to Mary in any difficulties they meet, and to be ready to sacrifice themselves in love, like Jesus. He assured them that the Salesians will pray for them.

On Thursday the 17th, your humble blogger took the SLMs on what has become something of an orientation tradition: a picnic and hike at Bear Mountain State Park, preceded by a short tour of the ruins of Fort Montgomery.

Eating sandwiches, etc., alongside Bear Mt.'s Hessian Lake

At scenic overlook, something like halfway up Bear Mt.

with Hudson River and Iona Island in the background

Eight SDBs Renew Vows

(Haverstraw, N.Y. – August 16) – Eight young Salesians renewed their temporary vows on August 15-16—seven of them during the annual retreat at Don Bosco Retreat Center in Haverstraw, and one at the annual retreat for Canadian Salesians, held this year at St. Francis Centre in Caledon, Ont.

Fr. Tim Zak, provincial, received the professions, all of which were for one year, in accordance with SDB practice.

Fr. Tim Zak and the 7 candidates for renewal of profession

at Don Bosco Retreat Center carry out the ritual questioning of intention.

The confreres who renewed their vows on August 16 in Haverstraw were Bros. Ronald Chauca, Sasika Hokuhettige, Ky Nguyen, Joshua Sciullo, Simon Song, and Rafael Vargas and Fr. Derek Van Daniker. Bro. Branden Gordon, a Canadian, renewed on August 15 in Caledon.

Bro. Ron Chauca reading the formula of profession,

witnessed by Fr. Greg Fishel and Bro. Bob Metell.

Fr. Zak said in his homily at Haverstraw that we Salesians love to hear and to tell stories of Don Bosco, and Don Bosco points us to Christ. These young Salesians present to us living stories of Don Bosco, a living memory of Don Bosco. They aren’t professing that they will be Don Bosco but that they will follow Christ in his spirit.

According to Vatican II, Fr. Zak said, religious life is the living memory of Jesus Christ in the Church. The lives of religious so reflect their commitment to Christ that we see in them, also, the living presence of Christ.

Fr. Tim preaching.

The Salesians renewing their profession this day, he continued, are making a commitment to live in community, to practice the vows, and to carry out an apostolic mission. This commitment is Christ-like. They will preach the Good News, live in a fraternal community, and be clear witnesses to the world. They will be prophets of the world to come, signs of the heavenly life that we all hope for, when Christ will fill our hearts and be our true treasure, when we’ll do the Father’s will. By their vows, they strive to bring heaven to earth.

In the name of the province, Fr. Zak thanked the 7 young confreres for saying “yes” again and bringing the story of Jesus to us.

Fr. Zak recalled how the Salesian motto (Da mihi animas, caetera tolle) was decided upon, and saw in that decision that our eyes are set on Christ, that we’re missionaries sent out to save souls for Christ, that we are to bring others into God’s family. This is our Salesian passion.

Fr. Derek Van Daniker, Bro. Simon Song, Bro. Rafael Vargas, Bro. Ron Chauca,

Fr. Tim Zak, Bro. Josh Sciullo, Bro. Sasika Hokuhettige, and Bro. Ky Nguyen.

Homily for 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily for the
20th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Aug. 16, 1981
Matt 15: 21-28
Mary Help of Christians Academy, North Haledon, N.J.

“But he answered her not a word” (Matt 15: 23, JB).

Christ & the Canaanite Woman

Pupil of Rembrandt, ca. 1650 (Getty Museum)

Today’s readings are about God’s all-inclusiveness.  I don’t know whether that would be the best homiletic theme for this particular congregation.  What does strike me as apropos is Jesus’ response to the prayer of the Canaanite woman.  “He answered her not a word.”

It’s hard for us to imagine Jesus ignoring a plea for help.  And remember, this isn’t a parable.  Let’s take a look at the episode from two angles, the divine and human.

How can Jesus, who is God, just ignore this woman’s need?  Some say he’s testing her and drawing out of her a deeper faith commitment.  If so, this seems to be a strange way of going about it.  The woman is in torment, and he teases and insults her.  Does he get a sadistic pleasure out of her discomfort?  In faith, we quickly say no to that.  Mark’s account of the same incident is less harsh.  He hints that Jesus is tired and wants to get away for a while:  “He went into a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not pass unrecognized” (7:24).

I don’t know why Jesus acts this way.  But he says plainly enough that his salvation is only for Israel.  When the woman’s faith shows that she has heard this word from him and understood it, when her answer to him shows that she truly does belong to God’s children, then he grants her prayer.

How often does our prayer seem to go unheard!  God so often seems to be deaf, despite his gospel promises about those who ask in faith.  True, Augustine says that if our prayer is bad it won’t be heard, i.e., if it comes from a weak faith or asks for something bad for us.  But can all the things and situations and people we pray for and get not a word of answer, can all these be bad for us?  Can our faith be that lacking?  Hardly.  Is God testing our faith and leading us deeper?  Possibly?  On the other hand, we also need to consider how many graces are thrown our way when we aren’t even looking.  God’s listening to our prayers is a peculiar business.

Maybe as soon as we get into particular details, whether we pray for more vocations or for good weather or whatever, maybe we’re treading on God’s turf.  Maybe God does us a favor, a grace, by apparently not listening even to a patently good request.  For he had his own times and purposes.  The Lord’s own prayer, after all, is pretty general, pretty wide open:  Your will be done … give us bread ... give us forgiveness … protect us from evil.  True prayer doesn’t move mountains or drive out demons (we don’t exclude those, of course)—or else very few people truly pray.  It performs miracles of disposing us to God’s operation in our lives.  If we expect God to be the only one listening, then we have a monolog.  Maybe that’s our problem when God seems to make no response.

The 2d angle is the human.  By that I don’t mean Jesus as man, but us as men and women who are Christ in today’s world.  When people pray to us as the Canaanite woman prayed to Jesus, are we listening?

For example, the readings show God isn’t an exclusionist.  He plays no favorites when he bestows his graces.  There is a message for us as superiors, principals, and teachers who always have people praying to us for something.

For example, when a boy or girl comes to us with a problem, do we want to listen?  Or do we say, (a) “I’m really busy now. Could you see me this afternoon?”  (b) “That’s Sister So-and-so’s responsibility. Go see her.”  (c) “I’m really tired.  Would you give me a break?”  (d) All of the above.

For example, supposing we give the kid (or adult) some of our time, do we really listen?  Or do we seize the first opening to throw in a spiritual band-aid, a cliché, a platitude we once heard in a conference, expecting that to solve the youngster’s problem, expecting her to find that an adequate substitute for our hearts?  When the kid wants to get something out, to question, to cry, to explode, to explain, to pray to us person-to-person, or to God thru us, do we let her?  How often that in itself would be the answer to a kid’s prayer, or a sister’s prayer.  The only word of response she wants is to know that someone understands, someone cares.  You don’t have to be God to hear prayers.

For example, we’ve all seen the kid or the sister who’s too shy to come forward with a complaint or a problem.  We’ve read her body language, the silent prayer.  Do we have the courage to answer it?

Jesus praises the faith of the Canaanite woman who persists in her prayer, and he grants her wish (Matt 15:28).  It seems to me that our prayer will be as faith-full when it opens itself to God’s word without telling God what his word should be, and when it opens our hearts to the prayers of our brothers and sisters in need.

May God open our ears to hear his word and see in it the answer to our prayers.  May he open our hearts to hear and answer the prayers of our sisters and brothers.

Half a Century

Half a Century

(Unfortunately, I can't seem to keep up with this!  I started it 5 days late, and I'm returning to it 2 days after that.)

On August 15, six U.S. SDBs celebrated their golden anniversary of religious profession (1st profession of vows). They are Frs. Steve Dumais, Tom McGahee, and your humble blogger and Bro. Joe Ackroyd from our New Rochelle Province and Frs. Nick Reina and Bob Stein from the San Francisco Province.

Fr. Steven Dumais

He had a lot more hair in 1966-1967!

Bro. Joseph Ackroyd

The "old man" of our profession class, an Air Force vet, was 29.

Fr. Thomas McGahee

We are most grateful to our Lord Jesus for calling us and leading us and keeping us faithful all these 50 years (and, I have to say, also re-calling us and renewing his grace in us because religious life is a constant process of conversion of life).  We are grateful to our Mother Mary, the Help of Christians, for her guidance and protection.

Our class entered the novitiate at Newton, N.J., on Aug. 14, 1966.  That in itself was an innovation.  The provincial, Fr. August Bosio, had decided that Aug. 15 would be a better day for making profession than the date that had been in use since 1961, viz., Aug. 16 (DB's birthday).  We marched in high spirits (whistling "Colonel Bogey," if my memory is correct) up the hill from Don Bosco College to the novitiate building on the 16th as soon as the class of 1966 had vacated (moving down the hill to DBC).

There were 48 of us, about 3/4 from the Eastern Province (I don't have an exact breakdown at hand) and 1/4 from the West.  We had 5 or 6 Canadians, who belonged to one of the 2 provinces; at that time, the houses in Alberta and B.C. belonged to the San Francisco Province.  Ten of us were graduates of Salesian Junior Seminary in Goshen, and another couple of dozen of the other aspirantates at Ipswich, Haverstraw, Cedar Lake, Watsonville, and Rosemead.

Fr. Peter Granzotto

Our master of novices was Fr. Pete Granzotto, who (thank the Lord) is still alive and relatively well at age 90 in Port Chester, N.Y.  The socius (a kind of assistant to the master) was the late Fr. Jim O'Driscoll.  Our general assistant was Bro. Tom Dunne, in his 2d year of practical training, and there was also Bro. Charles Chappetto, a coadjutor brother.  Bro. John Itzaina, a senior at DBC, was a part-time assistant.

They, and some others like Bro. Armand Quinto, had various teaching roles.  In addition to the conferences on religious life and Salesian topics that Fr. Pete gave us a couple of times a day, we had light-weight courses in English, Italian, and theology and, for the "clerics," Latin and Greek.  I think Bro. Tom also tried to teach us some good manners.

Fr. Thomas Dunne

Photo by Fr. Dennis Donovan

The theology course was taught by the director, Fr. Jerry Sesto, and mostly covered some of the material coming from Vatican II, which had ended just the previous December.  Fr. Pete walked thru the conciliar decree on religious life, article by article.

We had house chores to do, rotated every month (or was it every week?) and a couple of recreation periods a day and lots of study time and community prayers.  Our liturgy and prayers were mostly in English, as we began the post-conciliar transition.

One of the "challenges" of life in Newton in those "old days" was canonical separation.  People in the different stages of formation weren't supposed to talk to each other--especially the novices.  Thus, the Sons of Mary ("late vocations," or what today we call "candidates for Salesian life") were supposed to intermingle only with themselves and the superiors; the novices with the novices and the superiors; the professed brothers (of whom there were about 100 from both U.S. provinces and a few from South America) with the professed and the superiors.

"The superiors" included all the perpetually professed staff of Don Bosco College and the novitiate, from the director down to saintly Bro. Joe Traina, who did everyone's laundry (with assistance).

On feast days, athletic competitions, and other special occasions, we reveled in the news that there would be "no separation" for the day or for a specified period, and we could enjoy conversations (news, gossip, sports talk, etc.--usually nothing terribly "religious") with anyone.

During the course of the year, our number of 48 gradually decreased: 2 gone in September, 3 in October, 2 in December, 2 in January, 1 in April, 2 in May, 2 in June, 5 in July, and 1 even in August.  No good-byes; just abrupt disappearances, as one novice and then another discerned that he wasn't called to Salesian life (or had it discerned for him).  We'd come back from class or a work period and find an empty bed and locker in the dorm.

The dorm--all of us used one large, open room with a simple hospital-style bed and a plain low wooden locker.  The 2 assistants shared basically the same arrangement, except they had curtains around their "cells."  We had a large common area adjacent with shower and toilet stalls and 2 rows of sinks.  Such was seminary life in "the good old days."  (It was the same for the professed brothers at the college until the start of my junior year, 1969-1970, when curtains were set up around everyone's bed and locker.)

Mid-August 1967 came, and we were down to 28 novices, mostly "clerics" (we'd been wearing cassocks since "vestition day," the feast of Christ the King in 1966) with a few coadjutors (who wore simple medals indicating their status).  Without reference to a roster or the Congregation's general directory (the elenco), I can't recall how many were from the Eastern Province and how many from the West.  Six of us, out of the original 10, were Goshen grads.  (One of the 4 who departed, Art Humphrey, entered the diocesan seminary, was ordained for the Newark Archdiocese in 1975, and was a dedicated and admired priest--and friend of the SDBs--until his death in 2012.)

Our profession of vows was a strictly private affair carried out in the novitiate chapel.  Fr. Bosio got up from a sick bed to receive our vows.  In those days, the newly professed made vows for 3 years, renewable for another 3 in due time, before perpetual profession.

And gradually, over the years, the process of discernment of vocation continued, as one classmate after another discerned a different calling: 3 in 1969 (with a required dispensation from vows), 2 in 1970 (at the expiry of vows), 2 in 1971, 1 in 1972, 2 in 1973 (at the expiry of 2d triennial vows), 2 in 1974 (after a year's extension before perpetual vows), 3 during theological studies (with dispensations), 1 coadjutor dispensed after perpetual vows, 1 in 1979 only a year after ordination, and 5 at dates that I didn't note, including Fr. Joe Pellegrino, who left the SDBs several years after ordination and was incardinated in the St. Petersburg Diocese, where he has served with distinction for something like 30 years.

Your humble blogger

June 2017 at Catholic Media Conference

The reader will already know from having seen in the 1st paragraph that just 6 of us remain as SDBs.  May the good Lord keep us faithful and his Mother watch over us for the rest of our days!

(For more about Salesian seminarians and seminary life, see Spencer Boudreau and George Stanton, ed., We Were Brothers: Stories of Salesian seminarians who followed a dream. Calgary: Detselig Enterprises Ltd, 2009).

Homily for 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time

Homily for the
19th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Aug. 13, 2017
Collect
Residence, Silver Spring, Md.

I was originally scheduled to go to a parish for Mass on the 13th, but due to my having to leave for retreat, I was relieved of that.  But with a little tweaking I used the homily I’d already mostly drafted at home, instead. This is the "parish" text.

“Bring to perfection in our hearts the spirit of adoption as your sons and daughters” (Collect).

The Collect of today’s Mass uses the word spirit twice.  The 1st use notes that we have been taught by the Holy Spirit to call God our Father—we “dare” to do that under the prompting of the Spirit.  The 2d use asks our Father to perfect in us “the spirit of adoption” as his children.

How has the Holy Spirit taught us?  We’ve listened to the teachings of Jesus, who taught us how we ought to pray.  Now, many people have read the Gospels or heard the Lord’s Prayer.  But not all have believed the Gospels or taken them to heart.  If we have done so, it’s because the Holy Spirit has moved our hearts, convinced our minds, urged us to listen to Jesus and become his disciples.  This is a great grace, given to us not out of our merits but purely out of God’s goodness.

Jesus is truly the Son of God—by origin, by his divine nature:  “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, consubstantial with the Father,” as we say weekly in the Creed.

We are not sons and daughters of God by nature.  We can become so by grace, by adoption as children of the One whom we dare to address as “Father” because Jesus has taught us to do so. He’s done more than teach us that we’re God’s children.  He makes us God’s children by adoption; makes us his own sisters and brothers.

How so?  1st, in his preaching he says that anyone who does the will of his Father is his brother or sister, even his mother (Mark 3:34-35).  Being related to God is not a matter of nature but of super-nature.  Thru Christ we can receive the gift of a union of our wills with his Father’s will that draws us into a family relationship with his Father, into adoption.

2d, the Spirit led us to the saving water of Baptism, where we were born anew of water and Spirit (cf. John 3:5) and were anointed with sacred chrism; and by being chrismated (I’m not sure that’s a real word) were made christs, made brothers and sisters of the Christ, God’s Anointed One, Jesus of Nazareth.  As the Spirit anointed him at his baptism in the Jordan and brought a declaration from heaven, “You are my beloved Son” (Mark 1:11), so the Spirit anointed us at sacramental Baptism and made us God’s adopted children. 

Post-baptismal chrismation at the Easter Vigil

Holy Cross, Champaign, Ill., April 15, 2017

Photo by Dave Devall

3d, Jesus has given us the amazing gift of his own Body and Blood, the Holy Eucharist.  When we feed on this sacramental food, we become Jesus—again, not by nature but by super-nature.  The Fathers teach us that God’s Son became human in order that humans might become divine.  Thru Jesus we do become adopted children of his Father.  In a beautiful line, the Apostle John writes in his First Letter, “Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed.  We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is” (3:2).  When the Father looks upon us, he sees his own Son Jesus, and he loves us, and he is ready to welcome us into his house, his home, our eternal home.

The Collect prayed that the Father “bring to perfection in our hearts [this] spirit of adoption.”  To be brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ, to do the will of his heavenly Father, requires that our hearts become like the heart of Jesus, that they be more and more perfectly aligned with his way of thinking, willing, and acting.  Our hearts need constantly to be converted from their innate selfishness and brought to the perfection that we see in Jesus.  So we pray that the Father bestow an abundance of his Holy Spirit upon us to work over our hearts, to shape them, to conform them to the heart of his beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.