An Attitude of Gratitude

Back to basics

2012-02-07T23:39:00.000-05:00

There's a great debate going on in some circles about the effect of a phenomenon called relativism and its temptation toward another related reality known as individualism. These two phenomena are rampant by some standards in countries and regions of the globe which also profess to be more advanced than others. There are many dangers with the thinking that puts relativism and tempatation in the same basket as advancement, among them, the belief that each of us can go it on our own when it comes to living life.

In contrast to this, the lessons we first learned as children, about walking together at times hand in hand through the ravages that the world seems to through our way, can sometimes be put aside, but if they are, we are the ones who run the risk of being more in trouble than we might like to admit. This is the time when we should take a step back and return to the basics.

From the time we are children, many of us learn the basics of life: love deeply, find a reason for laughter and don't forget about your prayers. Even the words of prayer don't have to be complicated in order to be effective and beautiful. Some of the most basic of prayers are also the source of the most effective consolation, and when they are recited with passion and belief, they take on a life all their own. The same can be said of music well performed. In fact, some would say that music can be prayed. Take for instance the recording of Andrea Bocelli's concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, whenrein he sang a rendition of the famous Lord's Prayer which still makes the hair on some listeners necks stand on end.

The best prayers are simple. They are often the most profound too.

Just one question

2012-02-07T22:31:00.000-05:00

Can you hang on a moment while I pull over?

Thus began the conversation I had earlier today with a person who had called. A few moments later, the question was asked ... If someone is already civilly married, is there a way for them to have the marriage recognized by the Church, and if so is it necessary for a 'big' wedding with all the trimmings?

Answers provided: Depending on the history which lies behind the situation, as long as there is no impediment or reason why the Church cannot witness the wedding, then even though a marriage has already been civilly recognized, it can indeed be convalidated. In other words, recognized by the Church.

As with any wedding, the important players are the bride, the groom, the witnesses (two if at all possible) and the priest or deacon who can officially witness the exchange of vows on behalf of the Church. Providing that there is no reason impeding the recognition of a marriage, the usual interviews can take place, and the exchange of vows can be witnessed.

Impediments which may stand in the way of a wedding being witnessed by the Church include prior bonds (like prior marriages which have not been disolved either through death of a spouse or annulment).

The conversation lasted but minutes. I hope that I was able to answer some questions, and to even prepare the ground for the recognition of a wedding that might happen in the future.

How many

2012-02-06T09:11:00.000-05:00

It helps every now and then to put our adult brains on an even keel with children. These little ones have a different way of seeing things that just helps us to appreciate truth in a much more uncluttered way.

Take for instance the little one who was returning (with others of the children in our parish) to the gathered assembly yesterday. On the way, he asked one of the adults who was accompanying the children, How many more songs until Mass is over?: shades of the way children will inquire about how many more sleeps until the arrival of their approaching birthday or a major holiday like Christmas.

The response quickly uttered, Two (which was correct from the adult brain who was thinking about the Communion Hymn and the Recessional Hymn. The only difficulty was that we were only part way through the Eucharistic Prayer at the time, so there were also musical moments for the Great Amen and the Lamb of God to be sung. In the child's mind there were therefore four more 'songs' to be sung.

I wonder if the youngster noticed. I'm willing to bet that even if the answer was yes, there was also a forgiving heart, ready to excuse the slight oversight on the part of the adult brain.

From the office window

2012-02-05T13:02:00.000-05:00

Standing at the famous window of his studio, the Holy Father encouraged the gathered pilgrims in Saint Peter's Square this morning to see in the gospel passage for today's Mass, an example of Jesus' healing power. This word of encouragement, especially for the sick and suffering of the world is well timed, especially since next Saturday will mark World Day of the Sick.

The Italian text of his words is available at the time of this printing, and within a day or so, other translations (including English) will also be posted.

Of course, as always, the Holy Father has also published a printed message of encouragement addressed to all the infirmed of the world. Entitled Stand up and go; your faith has saved you (Lk 17:19), this message is addressed to all those who are so often discouraged by the travails of various maladies of body, mind and spirit in hopes of inspiring some measure of hope.

Getting to know him

2012-02-05T08:51:00.001-05:00

Curiosity often leads us to wonder why, when, how and what the famous and sometimes infamous are up to. Curiosity helps us to get to know those we idolize just a bit better. Curiosity can also help us to get to know the ones who want to know us best. Today's readings provide a glimpse into the heart of Jesus that is constantly seeking to know us, but only if we are willing to allow it ... and only if we are curious enough to want to know Jesus.

Listen in or read on for more:

A day in the life of

Shortly after the beginning of his pontificate in 1978, I remember reading an article that outlined the daily routine that Pope John Paul II would follow. At 4:00am, he was already awake, and out in the streets of Rome for his daily jog, much to the chagrin of the Swiss Guard who were definitely not used to such rigorous activity at such an early hour. Back in the papal apartments, showered and dressed, he would then spend an hour in the chapel in prayer before celebrating the Mass at around 7:00am, most often accompanied by members of the household, or by any number of invited guests. At the conclusion of the Mass, he would take time to greet the guests who had prayed with him, and then move on to breakfast, a meal shared with yet other guests. The schedule of diplomatic meetings began around 9:00am and continued until about 1:30pm, at which time, he would pause for lunch, often accompanied by other guests, and then the afternoon hours would permit a stroll in the garden or some time for meditation before the evening meetings would begin. Knowing that John Paul would often work in his study until at least midnight, this made for a torrid pace of life for those who were his closest aides.

Such was the daily life of Karol Wojtyla. Similar schedules can be recounted for any number of other dignitaries and those who live more or less public lives, but perhaps one of the first such accounts of A day in the life of was written of Jesus of Nazareth, and appears for us in today’s gospel. In this case, it must have been a Sabbath day. Jesus began the day at the synagogue, like all others of his circle of friends and relations probably did. Thinking about this habit brought back memories for me of younger days when my family would begin Sunday morning at our parish church and then travel to my grandparents’ home where we would meet with other family members to share a meal. In Jesus’ case, the routine took him to the house of Simon and Andrew (some of his closest friends) where they too were probably planning to share a meal, but perhaps he had heard from his friends about their concern for Simon’s mother-in-law who was not well. Was this then a compassionate visit, or did Simon know of Jesus’ miraculous powers? Had he perhaps asked a favor of a friend?

Regardless of the motivation, Jesus spent the afternoon with his friends before yet others appeared at the door, some having been brought by other friends, many of them suffering from illnesses of one kind or another. Poor Jesus: his work never seemed to be done. I wonder if he ever felt discouraged, like Job in the first reading who complained that most of his days seemed to be filled with hard work and nights which seemed to be long and filled with tossing and turning.

Despite all the hardship though, Job never lost hope and neither did Jesus. As young priests, many I know, myself included were cautioned to never allow the demands of daily life to compromise the importance of prayer. Time spent with Jesus in prayer may seem empty at times, but when all is said and done, these moments of quiet are often the source of the inner strength that allows mere mortals to carry out the work of compassion and care that Jesus did, that he continues to do though us.

Even though he was the Son of God, he knew the importance of prayer, so early in the morning, while it was still dark, he would rise from sleep, find a deserted place and pray. Every one of us who is a disciple of the Master must in our own way determine where this deserted place is for us. Every one of us needs to find a time and place in our daily routine to check in with Jesus because in the silence of prayer we find the inner strength that allows us to face the rest of the day with a sense of purpose, and with an eye toward the grace that comes from knowing that we are about the work of one much greater than ourselves. Strengthened through the routine of prayer, Jesus was able to go on to other neighbouring towns and villages. Later on, Paul and other disciples too continued the work, but only because they were able to remain connected in prayer. Why then should we think that we are any different? If someone were to look at the daily routine that we live, would they find there a source for inspiration? Would they find there a habit or two that would inspire them to want to do as we do?

When some people speak

2012-01-29T08:01:00.002-05:00

At the beginning of his public ministry, Jesus called some to work with him. Ever since that day, we have been listening. His voice speaks as loudly and clearly today as it did so many centuries ago ... guiding us as we seek his wisdom and leadership. He himself uses us (and others like us) to speak his truths to today's society. Who knows whether he's not calling you to use your talents too to spread his good news.

Listen in or read on for this week's reflection:

Speak with authority

In a few days’ time, we will bid farewell to Noel Simard. For the past four years, he has been living in this city and assisting Bishop Plouffe with the management of the diocese. During these last few years, those of us who have had the privilege to work closely with Bishop Simard have found in him a man of great wisdom, a man of compassion, a man who knows how to relate to people, and a man who knows how to balance the demands of work with a deep appreciation for family, friends and laughter. He possesses the great gift of being able to integrate empirical knowledge with the wisdom that comes only from having spent time in prayer. Because of this, when he speaks, people listen, because we recognize that his words carry an authority that speaks to the heart.

Throughout our history, other great orators and well respected individuals have possessed this gift. King George VI of England, Sir Winston Churchill and John Diefenbaker all knew how to speak to nations with words that could rally forces and give them a common purpose at a time when they needed it most. Saint Theresa of Avila and Saint Robert Belarmine used the powers of speech and wisdom to convince the leadership of their day to seek unity rather than division. Mother Teresa of Calcutta and John Paul II combined their talents for oration with wisdom born out of much struggle balanced with prayer to speak simple but profound truths to the people of their time.

For millennia, the Jewish people have recognized the wisdom spoken by Moses, a wisdom repeated for us in today’s first reading. Called by God to lead his people into the Promised Land, Moses had to find words which would help them to see that they had a common purpose. Moses had to find words to echo truths that would speak to their hearts. Thank goodness he did, otherwise his words would never have been written down and we may never have heard of him. Moses knew that the key to his words was his ability to trust in God, to look to God for guidance, and to echo the words he himself heard in prayer. Today’s first reading shows us that he also recognized that his words would not be the last spoken in the story: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet … you shall heed such a Prophet.

After the time of Moses, there were a number of prophets, each of whom spoke wisdom to his time. In the fullness of time, God then sent his Son, and Jesus too spoke truths to those who would listen. In fact, some were so taken with his words that they were astonished by his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority. The recorded words we know as having been attributed to Jesus were not technical or convoluted. In fact, it was their very simplicity that made them so powerful. Jesus used simple every-day images and examples like lost coins, mustard bushes and the fish in the sea to speak about the truths of the Father’s Kingdom. His teachings were not just words well crafted though. They carried with them a truth that rang in the ears and hearts of his listeners.

In the early part of the first century A.D., Jesus’ listeners didn’t have the benefit of modern medicine to diagnose or to heal mental illness. Instead, they referred to the malady as an unclean spirit. I don’t know of anyone in our time who can command such a spirit to come out of another person, but there are doctors in our time who combine their talents for diagnosing a problem with their ability to assess a situation and then find a way to treat the problem: sometimes with medicine and other times with alternative means.

Perhaps Jesus didn’t have the benefits of modern medicine at his disposal, but he did have the ability to listen compassionately. He knew how to use the power of words to speak not only to the intellect but more importantly to the heart. He still does it today as he calls some of us to take positions of leadership within the Church and in our world. He still speaks with authority when we recognize his words of compassion, encouragement, understanding and love spoken in the significant and not so remembered moments of our lives.

How was the party: the décor

2012-01-28T10:00:00.000-05:00

Ever since last Monday, there has been a buzz about how the party went. Those who were there are still talking about what a success it was, and those who missed it are wondering when the next one will be held.

Some of the pictures from the festivities will be made available on poster boards this weekend in the parish where I am assigned, but unfortunately, there's not enough room for all of them. Instead, I'll try to post at least a few of them here, in a series of posts, so that others can get a glimpse of what it was like.

Thanks to some very talented decorators, our parish hall was transformed. Many elements of oriental design were incorporated into this evening's décor:

Each place setting included elements of both Western and Oriental design and functionality. We also provided lucky money envelopes for each of our guests. Although these are traditionally used to give gifts to children within the household, we chose to use them as an option for people to consider donating to our parish's Building Fund. Thanks to all those who used them.

A few strategically placed fans helped to add another element to the décor. Hand-held fans are an integral part of life in China. Almost everyone, from the poorest peasant to the most afluent 'woman of leisure' can afford to carry a fan for practical and not so practical reasons.

Paper lanterns and even dragons are often used in the décor for the Spring Festival. Especially since this is the Year of the Dragon, we needed to incorporate these images in our décor as well, even though the version of our dragon looked as though he had only recently been hatched:

Flowers are also typically used to symbolize the coming of Spring. Since the New Year celebration also is known as the Spring Festival, it was fitting that we should use orchids to adorn the space used for this festival as well.

Red sheets of paper are commonly used to decorate homes in China for this Festival, and it is customary to write words of greeting and prosperity on the sheets as well. These words were spread throughout the room, complete with their English-language equivalents printed for all to see.

Table cards providing the details of the menu for the evening's meal, and centre pieces based on the concepts of Feng Shui (incorporating elements of earth, water, wind and fire) were also added to enhance the experience of our diners.

As an added bonus, even the washrooms were decorated to fit the theme of the evening.

One of the local mercants even donated packages of soap leaves which were incorporated into this design for the benefit of our guests.

Having set the scene, we were ready to welcome our guests.

Who to trust

2012-01-26T17:46:00.000-05:00

I popped in for a visit at the elementary school this morning. In hand, I took with me a bag full of Fortune Cookies. As it turns out, they were here for the recent celebration of Chinese New Year, but never made it out to the tables where our guests were seated, so I thought that it would be wise to share them with the students.

As it turns out, today was not about visiting with students (at least not in the usual manner). Instead, I had a wonderful visit with the staff. Before this visit though, I had a momentary encounter with one student who found himself sitting next to me for a few moments. The look on his face told me that he was deep in thought, perhaps about the reasons why he was sitting where he was.

I ventured to ask how he was doing and he answered in a rather dejected tone: Not well. The conversation that ensued was relatively stilted. I knew that he wasn't going to tell me much, at least not unless there was some level of trust established first. It wasn`t long before I noticed that he was cracking his neck (usually a sign of nervous energy), and I took this as an invitation to start a conversation about the fact that I too crack my knuckles. Although still stilted, we did make our way through the conversation, speaking about the effects of this habit (including the possiblity of developing arthritis). He almost appeared to be proud to show me how he could crack not only his fingers and his neck, but also his back, his ankles, and other joints in his body.

Before our conversation had drawn to a close, his teachers' aid arrived, accompanied by the school principal. Our conversation came to an abrupt halt as the curtain of recognition seemed to be drawn to a swift close. As he left the room, returning to class, I made sure to say goodbye, in hopes that a little bridge of hope might be maintained.

Trust is a very fragile thing. Who knows whether this encounter will lead to further conversations. Who knows whether there will be other opportunities. For some in the world, there are very few such encounters, and the less there are, the more difficult it is to learn how to trust, but hope springs eternal because every child is a unique creation. Every child deserves a chance to make a difference. Thankfully, for this one child, there are teachers who care deeply about who he is, and about who he can become. If only we could convince him of this truth, perhaps he could begin to believe in himself.

A word of thanks

2012-01-25T20:45:00.001-05:00

By all reports, Monday evening's feast was a huge success. From the moment that our guests arrived, they were wowed by the atmosphere that had been created. No detail of the décor was overlooked, including napkins, chopsticks, cutlery (for the non-adventurous) and even table cards outlining the menu for the evening.

The professionalism of the evening continued in the persons of a group of high school youth who volunteered to be our wait staff. Dressed in classic black, they added a definite note of elegance to the experience. Students also staffed the coat check and even took tickets at the door. Behind the scenes, there was a team of adults who were busy tending to the final details of the food preparation.

Upon their arrival, guests were invited to approach a punch bar, which throughout the night also boasted a variety of teas (green, black and red) as well as coffee for the dessert course.

A night of such magnitude doesn't happen without attention to the finer details; nor does it happen without many hands pitching in. For all the hours contributed, for all the enthusiasm and for all the dedication to the success of this endeavour, a sincere thank you to all those who helped in small and not so small ways.

An oriental feast

2012-01-25T20:40:00.001-05:00

When some of our guests arrived for Monday evening's feast, perhaps they were expecting to see a buffet cart, or at the very least, a series of warmers or chafing dishes. Instead, we offered a five-course meal. Every course was prepared with the belief that especially during the New Year celebration, abundance is a sign of great blessing.

First Course
It seems that no Chinese meal, and certainly no feast would be complete without a soup course. For tonight's meal, we offered a mushroom Hot and Sour soup, and we offered an alternative in the form of a Chicken Corn soup. This course was served in individual bowls, and our guests could choose which of the soups they preferred to sample.

Second Course
Central to oriental cuisine is the dumpling. For tonight's meal, we offered a mixture of Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine. On the plate (or plates as it were) we had prepared Vietnamese Cha Gio (Spring Rolls), Goi Cuon (Summer Rolls) and Chinese Gyoza (otherwise known as Pot Stickers). Accompanying the dumplings, we offered three dipping sauces, one for each of the dumplings and rolls.

Third Course
Although many might believe that pasta was invented by the Italians, the truth is that pasta existed in China many centuries before it was 'imported' to Italy. On the menu for our feast, we offered a Chow Mein (a mixture of egg noodles, chicken, sausage and vegetables). For presentation of this dish, we also added a variety of colourful shrimp chips.

Fourth Course
In many parts of China, people cannot afford to eat anything but vegetables, or perhaps a bit of seafood if it is easily available, but during the celebration of the Spring Festival no expenses are spared, including the treasured meat dishes. For this meal, we offered a Five Spice-marinated Pork Loin accompanied by steamed Bok Choy and Jasmine rice.

Fifth Course
Desserts are not very well known in China, however even this course can be presented for the waiting palate. The final course for this feast was Dan Tat: egg custard tarts, accompanied by Orange cream and squares of Coconut, Mango and Taro gelatin. To understand the extent of hospitality offered by this course, one must understand that eggs are not a normal part of the daily diet in China, however no expense is spared when celebration is in the air.

This Oriental Feast provided an opportunity for leisurely dining and for learning about the importance of the Spring Festival for all those who wish one another luck and fortune for a Happy New Year of the Water Dragon.

Gung hei fat choi

2012-01-25T17:07:00.002-05:00

In China, and across the world, millions have been travelling for miles (or kilometers) to reach their homes in time for the two-week celebration of Chinese New Year. On Monday evening of this week, the party began.

According to tradition, families gather for a meal which is shared on the first night of the festival, and then throughout the next two weeks, other visits and meals are shared among friends and extended family. It is customary that even the poorest farmer must offer some hospitality to any visitor who happens by, even as simple as a cup of tea and a sweet or a dumpling.

The celebration of the Spring Festival also takes place in countries other than China, including in Vietnam, where the greeting of choice is chuc mung nam moi. Three years ago, we welcomed a group of Vietnamese who arrived at our doorstep, having recently arrived from their homeland to work in this city. Over the past number of years, we have had the privilege of getting to know them, and of learning about the traditions that are important to them, including the celebration of the New Year / Spring Festival.

On the first evening of the Festival, our parish hall was transformed into a place of celebration. It is customary that along with wishes of Happy New Year, hopes for peace, joy, good luck and prosperity are expressed.

Monday night's décor expressed Chinese cultural tradition. During the New Year celebrations, Chinese households are decorated with signs and posters, traditionally painted in black ink on lucky red paper, and the word foo (which means good luck and happiness) figures prominently among the symbols customarily used. Flowers are used to adorn homes and to indicate the coming of Spring. The colour red is important in Chinese culture as a symbol of prosperity.

Paper lanterns are hung, and dragon figures and symbols are used in decorations. On the first evening of the Festival, the family sits together for dinner and enjoys a beautiful New Year feast.

One of the popular Chinese New Year traditions is the presentation of gifts to young children as symbols of good luck and prosperity. Adults present red envelopes filled with money to their children, relatives and friends. Since our celebration was also a fundraising effort for our building fund, lucky red envelopes were placed on our tables, and guests were invited to use them to donate toward the fruition of the tower renovation. Of course, the donor of money, who placed funds in these red envelopes would do so in hope of gaining further luck and prosperity in the coming year.

At the centre of each table, we placed elements of Feng Shui (water, earth, fire and wind) all of which are central to Chinese daily life, functioning, health and good luck.

On vocation

2012-01-22T08:11:00.002-05:00

What makes someone today want to follow in the footsteps of the Master? Dare we to believe that the answer lies in the same place as it always has ... hearing the call, listening for guidance, and daring to respond in faith. The classic role model: Jesus' call issued to the disciples of his time, is repeated in today's scriptures.

Here's my take on how to interpret it for today. As always, it's available in podcast and text version:

Catch their attention

In the readings we have heard, both this Sunday and last, there is a common theme: they all speak of vocations. Last Sunday, the scriptures spoke of the call of Samuel and about Jesus’ invitation issued to John’s disciples. In today’s gospel, Jesus invites fishermen from the seashore to leave their nets and follow him, and in the first reading, we heard some the details of the call of the prophet Jonah.

Before reciting the Angelus after last Sunday’s morning Mass in the Vatican, the holy Father used the example of Samuel and the call of John’s disciples to speak of the importance of the role of a spiritual director, one who is able to accompany us in faith, helping us to listen to the voice of God, helping us to discern the call that is offered, helping us to perceive how we are being invited to be disciples in the world.

Each vocation, each call from God is an intimate, personal invitation which is gentle enough to reassure the questioning and seeking heart, and confident enough to hold a note of promise. One of the characteristics of an authentic call to vocation is that it often begins as a gentle whisper, difficult at times to hear because of other more dominant voices, but persistent enough that eventually, when the promises of the more dominant voices prove to be shallow, the whisper is still there.

This whisper sometimes invites us to radical change. It must have been difficult for Simon and Andrew to believe the words spoken by Jesus: Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of my people. These were fishermen, accustomed to setting out in their boats, to casting nets, to hauling in the bounty of the sea. The imagery of Jesus words must have made them sit up and listen, or at the very least, it made them curious about what he might mean. In any case, it was enough for them to leave their boats, to walk away from the livelihood they had known, and to embark on a new road.

Another of the characteristics of an authentic call of this nature is that it often challenges us to grow, by inviting us to consider something we’ve never considered before, or something that we’ve always thought of as beyond our reach. The prophet Jonah was still a young boy, when the word of the Lord came to him: Get up, go to Nieveh. Here again, the invitation might have seemed to him to be something well beyond his wildest imaginings. Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, so the voice of one young boy would have seemed rather insignificant, yet God asked him to call out a warning, and they listened.

Children in our elementary schools look up to the adults in their lives, especially those who are sincerely concerned for their wellbeing. Teenagers in our high schools can quickly decipher the peers and adults in their lives who are genuinely committed to helping them to become all they can be. There is a truth at the heart of discernment that cuts through all the layers of life, through every smoke screen that can ever be erected. This truth speaks to the heart. This truth inspires confidence. This truth is the heart of every authentic call to vocation, whether that is for a poet to write, for a musician to sing, for an artist to paint, for a craftsman to craft, or for a disciple to put down his fishing net and follow in the footsteps of an itinerant preacher who calls him to a new stage in life.

Today, if this truth is being spoken in our hearts, we must not ignore it. We must listen to it. We must follow it, even if it calls us to leave everything behind. The Sea of Galilee, upon which these first disciples were fishermen, is today all but void of fish, yet the words spoken by Jesus and by his disciples, the example of their actions and the lives they gave to spreading the gospel still speak to our generation. In quiet and not so quiet voices, Jesus still calls to the hearts of today’s disciples, Come, follow me and I will make you fishers, miners, artists and craftsmen of and for my people. The question is, what will it take for him to catch our attention?

Lambs to the rescue

2012-01-21T15:56:00.000-05:00

Today in Rome, in the Chapel of Saint Urban VIII, two lambs were presented to the Holy Father. Every year, on this day, the Liturgical Memorial of Saint Agnes, this offering is made. The Holy Father blesses them and then the lambs are shorn. Once they are shorn, the wool resulting from these lambs' coats will be used to create the pallia which will be presented to newly-named Archbishops in a few months' time.

The Pallium is a liturgical symbol of honor and of jurisdiction, entrusted by the Holy Father to all Metropolitan Archbishops. The rite of Imposition of Pallia takes place on the Liturgical Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, June 29, in Saint Peter's Basilica.

Now for something different

2012-01-19T15:44:00.002-05:00

On December 30 of this past year, the Holy Father appointed His Excellency, Noël Simard, until then Auxiliary Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie as the new Bishop of Valleyfield, Quebec. While Bishop Simard now moves on to a new responsibility, there is a vacancy left in the postion he leaves.

Almost within the same breath as the announcement of the new Shepherd of Valleyfield was made, questions began to be asked about who would fill the void left in the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie. The decision about how to proceed is up to His Excellency, Jean-Louis Plouffe, the Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie.

Bishop Plouffe explained the next steps of his plan to a reporter who filed a story, now published as of yesterday in the Sudbury Star (and affiliated newspapers in the diocese). In short, it is up to the Bishop to decide whether he will ask the Holy Father to appoint another Auxiliary Bishop, or whether he will chose some other way of exercising the pastoral governance of the diocese entrusted to his care.

There are pros and cons to both sides. Bishops can ask for Auxiliaries to be appointed if they can demonstrate a need for assistance with the leadership of their diocese. In this diocese, there have traditionally been two Auxiliaries (one English-speaking and the other Francophone) assisting the Bishop with his duties. To this end, one might expect that the pattern would continue, but it appears that we're about to embark on a new path.

In the coming months, Bishop Plouffe will appoint some of his priests to act as Episcopal Vicars. In effect, this means that while they will continue to function as pastors of their respective parishes, some of our priests will be asked to assist the Bishop with some of the tasks associated with the governance of the diocese. In particular, responsibilities (of Episcopal Vicars) will include acting as liaisons with Catholic school boards, health institutions, hospitals and nursing and retirement homes, presiding over the sacrament of confirmation if Plouffe is unable to attend, occasionally act as the bishop's representative for certain functions and implement diocesan pastoral programs and practices.

One major difference though between a bishop and a priest who is acting as Episcopal Vicar is that an auxiliary bishop can, with the bishop's permission, ordain a priest or deacon. An episcopal vicar cannot. In addition,Plouffe will choose one of the episcopal vicars to be the diocese's vicar general, or second in charge if he becomes incapacitated. An auxiliary bishop automatically assumes that responsibility but in the case of priests, the Office must be explicitly assigned. Appointments to the Office of Episcopal Vicar, which will last for two year terms, are expected to be announced in the coming months.

A dream in the making

2012-01-19T08:34:00.000-05:00

This week is observed (at least in Canada) as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Every year, for the period of one week (seven days), all the ecclesial communities representing different parts of the Church are encouraged to pray for unity.

Why? The story stretches back to the 16th century and the Reform, during which many of the Protestant churches (Anglicans, Presbyterians, Penticostals, Baptists, and later the United Church of Canada) were born. The truth is that this was a very painful period in the Church's history, and ever since then, we have dreamed of the day when we might be re-united ... but ruptures are not easy to mend.

In Rome, the Holy Father spoke of this theme as well during his weekly General Audience. The path to Christian unity requires more than being nice to each other and cooperating, he said. Full and visible unity will require transformation and being conformed to the image of Christ.

The Week of Prayer concludes on Sunday of this week. In the meanwhile various efforts at calling the community of Christians to pray for unity continue.

Changes afoot

2012-01-18T18:28:00.000-05:00

Last week, all was well (normal that is) but as evening cast its hews over the landscape, news was breaking in one of the neighbouring parishes that major changes are coming.

The parish of the Most Holy Redeemer has been in existence since 1949, and since that time, there have always been members of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (otherwise known as Redemptorists) here ... but those days are about to come to a close.

In a letter published on Saturday evening, Rev. Mark Miller, C.Ss.R., Provincial Superior for the Edmonton-Toronto Province of the Redemptorists (effectively the boss of all Redemptorists living and exercising ministry in Canada) explained that the Congregation will withdraw from serving the parish of Holy Redeemer as of August 1, 2012.

The months ahead will not be easy, for the congregation and for the priests who have established such deep roots in this city and in that parish, so we will need to keep them all in our prayer. Change is never easy, but it is necessary at times. With friends to walk the road together, perhaps the change will be just a bit more bearable.

The next step

2012-01-18T18:13:00.000-05:00

Some stories seem to be never-ending. Take for instance the process of reorganization and restructuring of parishes and resources which has been ongoing for the better part of a decade or so in these parts. Most recently, under the guidance of the diocesan administration, certain parishes in our territory were asked to conduct a series of feasibility studies and to provide statistical information about the life of their communities. This information would then form a part of the decision making process which would lead to a strategic plan for good (or better) use of our resources as we prepare for the coming months and years.

This most recent round of visioning and the resulting decisions which were presented more than a year ago now caused understandable anxiety to a number of individuals, but nowhere more so (it would seem) than with a group of individuals who took their cause to the highest courts in the Church.

The process has been a long and arduous ordeal, but finally today, the Bishop's Office issued a Press Release outlining the decision recently rendered by the Vatican Congregation for the Clergy, the competent authority who has now revewed the case and rendered its judgement.

In effect, the decision rendered finds in favor of the Diocese, saying that the Bishop did indeed follow all the necessary steps involved in making such a complex decision, and believes that the recourse mounted is unacceptable. While the applicants in this case always have the option of appealing the decision to the Vatican's highest Court (the Roman Rota), it remains to be seen whether this will indeed come to pass.

What will it take?

2012-01-16T14:17:00.000-05:00

It's cloudy today. The weather forecast is calling for snow. It's cold enough to snow, and if it does, we'll go out and shovel the driveway. If it does, we'll 'fix it', so that we can continue to go on, right?

What would we do if we couldn't 'fix' it? Conversations about protecting the environment have been going on around tables of all sizes and in all places across the globe for a long time now, but I wonder what it will take to make the subjects of such conversations move away from the realm of words. Perhaps it takes the simple empassioned plea of a young child to reach the hearts of those who can make a difference.

Or maybe we'll just keep talking.

Where is it?

2012-01-15T09:16:00.000-05:00

On Thursday of this week, the Church in Canada observed the Memorial of Sainte-Marguerite Bourgeois, the first Canadian woman to be named a Saint. She dedicated her life to education, and spent a great amount of energy establishing and nurturing relationships with Canada's First Nations peoples.

In recogntion of the importance of her work, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops launched a new section of its website this week, on her feast day. According to the press release listed on the CCCB website, there is a new section which has been added to the Bishops' website dedicated to the Catholic Church and Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

I wonder whether this means that plans are in the works for an entirely new section of the CCCBs website to be established and dedicated to Canada's First Nations. Some dioceses in the country have already established such links, so it might stand to reason that there is room for more.

From the children

2012-01-15T08:58:00.001-05:00

Last Sunday, the Church celebrated the Solemnity of the Epiphany, and children of this parish were invited to consider what it was like for the Magi to travel such long distances in order to visit with the new-born Christ child.

When asked to describe the chosen mode of transportation, they explained that camels are stinky, stubborn animals that spit. They rock when they walk. It must have been very difficult for the Magi to travel by camel. Given all this, it is even more amazing that they took the long way home (on a camel) in order to avoid Herod. It must not have been a very pleasant ride, so it must have been very important that they make this trek.

The scriptures for today (the Second Sunday of Ordinary Time) speak of vocation. I wonder what wisdom our little ones will iimpart.

Just passing by

2012-01-15T08:53:00.002-05:00

The wisdom of the one who wrote the Fourth Gospel invites us today to discover some truths about encountering Jesus: the one who has the power to change our lives if we dare to get to know him. This invitation is issued on the day of our baptism, and is renewed every day. All we need to do is respond by listening. The rest is already taken care of, and the possibilities are endless.

This reflection, offered to the people who pray in this place, is also available for others who encounter it here, both in podcast version and in text:

In pursuit of holiness

This weekend, at the last of the liturgies celebrated with this community, we will welcome two newcomers: children who are being presented by their parents. Every time we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism, I for one see it as an opportunity to learn a lesson about what God is asking, not only of parents, but of this entire community. Whether they realize it or not, parents who bring their children to a church and ask for them to be baptised, are responding to a call which they themselves have heard ever since the day of their own baptism.

It is God who awakens the gift of faith in our hearts, just as he taught Eli the sound of his voice, just as he made himself known to Samuel by calling his name in the dark of night. At this first encounter, we are told that Samuel was asleep. I wonder whether the same is not true of those of our own age who exist from day to day but who are deaf to the sound of God’s voice calling them by name. Only when Samuel was able to recognize the voice and respond to it, was he able to grow in wisdom. Similarly, if we are able to listen for God’s voice in the dark of our nights, and respond accordingly, we too can grow in His wisdom.

Like Samuel, before we can learn how to listen to God’s voice, we must first meet him. Our first encounter needs to be guided by someone who can point the way, someone who can guide us and teach us how to recognize him. The gospel passage for today’s liturgy provides us yet another example of this truth.

John’s account tells us that the Baptist and two of his followers saw Jesus walk by. In order to understand the wisdom of this particular gospel passage, we need to first remember that there were often double meanings to John’s words. In this case, perhaps Jesus did indeed physically walk by the Baptist and his disciples, but more importantly, Jesus came to meet them, to invite them to follow him, and the Baptist, who had previously encountered Jesus was able to point him out. As they grow, children need their parents to provide for their physical needs, but they also need their parents, their godparents and others to point out Jesus when he passes by. We do this by teaching them to pray in our homes, by bringing them to the Church and by helping them to understand that every day we live is a gift from God.

Once children have been taught how to listen for the voice of God, they too will want to get to know him more. Like the disciples who asked about where Jesus lived, today’s children too will want to see for themselves where he is to be found. This quest will lead them to ask questions which in turn will lead them to discover the power of his loving forgiveness and to the great gift of the Eucharist, and all because Jesus responds with an invitation: Come and see. Throughout our lives, this invitation is repeated, so that if we have the eyes to see it, we are able to marvel at God’s presence in our world. He is present in the wonder and excitement of a toddler, in the challenging questions posed by a teenager, in the exhilaration of newfound love and in the quiet assurance of companionship with one we trust unreservedly.

Once we ourselves have found the place where our Teacher is to be found, not only will we want to always return to this place where we can listen to his voice and where all the questions of our lives can be and are answered, we will also want to invite others to discover it. Listening to this voice allowed Paul to call the Christians of his time to a new appreciation for God’s wisdom, and to a new understanding that even the bodies we have been given in this life are gifts from him, meant to be seen as precious reminders of his abiding love for us. Listening to this voice prompted Andrew to call his brother Peter to listen for it as well, and to be formed by its wisdom. Listening to this voice might even prompt us to respond to a call which we have heard … ever since the day of our own baptism.

Ever new

2012-01-13T14:44:00.000-05:00

Little steps that are repeated can and often do build one upon another, and before we know it, great things begin to happen. True, the first steps may be tentative, and the result may be a while in coming, but patience often pays off.

This lesson can be learned through experience. It can also be learned through the simplicity of every-day chores, done with diligence and with determination. Evidence the experience of a pot of panatunies. This story is told by an unknown contributor:

A pot of panatunies
As many times before, my gardening rituals brought about some thoughts. The other day I learned a lesson; but not one of which I didn't already know. The lesson just became clearer because of my hands-on experience.

We have a large pot of panatunies growing in our back yard. You might ask, "What are panatunies?" When our daughter was about 3 years old she proclaimed the name of our petunias by combining the name pansies and petunias. We have used that name ever since to describe our petunias.

Just like roses, if you want more blooms to occur on your petunias, you need to snap off the dried up buds. I don't mind at all dead-heading petunias or roses; in fact it's rather relaxing. So here I was working with this big pot of petunias which are a beautiful deep purple. As I was standing on one side of the pot I picked all the dead ones I could see, and thought I was through. However as I began to move around the pot I began to see more and more of them. For awhile I thought I would never finish. I began to lift up the stems to discover more underneath.

The result I am always trying to bring about is to help maintain a nice looking pot of panatunies. This work always rewards me with new blooms. A few days of laziness had got me to this place and I was paying the price.

The thought that came to me is that if we procrastinate, we pay a price or even worse. We may have to do something over and over to keep the beauty of what we want to accomplish.

In other words, change your perception, your view. Heck, stand at a different spot if you have to. There are times (sometimes many) that you feel you're going around in circles picking off old dried blooms, but what you are really doing is clearing up old negative garbage and being persistent trying out new ideas.

If you want your life to look and feel great there are times that you may have to do something over and over while you're looking under your old beliefs and picking them off to bring forth new and vibrant ones.

Ideas with right action equal a great life, but if you don't feel you're there yet then go back to the pot of panatunies and start over again. You will then find your life enriched with new vibrant blooms.

Paving the way

2012-01-13T11:16:00.001-05:00

Here's a rare sight. Guyana is one of the poorest countries in the world. Reportedly, it is perhaps the poorest of all South American countries, and yet there are signs of hope. In recent years, there have been more and more efforts expended to show the rest of the world that this forgotten land is worth exploring.

Even among the locals, there are signs of enterprise, such as the road that has been constructed between the capital city, Georgetown and the south-western town of Lethem. To understand the enormity of this project, one must understand that while the capital city is located on the Atlantic coast, the road in question passes through some of the most densely wooded areas of the world: the northern reaches of the Amazon rainforest. Yet, the road represents promise for the people of the interior, and for the possibility of trade with Brazil, located to the south.

In May of 2010, New York Times reporter Simon Romero published a video article presenting the Road to Georgetown: the road, that is, that now stretches between the two extremities of South America's only English-speaking nation.

Signs of progress being shown to the world.

From another's perspective

2012-01-13T11:01:00.000-05:00

Sometimes, we have things right in front of our eyes, and don't even notice them.

There is a practice in this parish which dates back a number of years (I really don't know how many), of Adoration of the Exposed Blessed Sacrament. Every Friday, the Adoration begins after the completion of the noon Mass and continues until 3:00pm. The rule is that there must be at least one person adoring at all times, otherwise, the Blessed Sacrament should not be left in the monstrance.

In some parts of the world, a period of exposition draws crowds; in other parts, it seems to be an occasion for just a few to spend some quality time with Our Lord. Perhaps that's the trick though. I wonder how many people realize that this is a privileged time, an occasion to spend a moment before the Lord in prayer. If more of us understood this, perhaps things would be a bit different.

But don't trust my ramblings on this subject. Instead, here's the testimony of another, posted in an online publication called Catholic Exchange. For ease of readership, the text of some of her article is reprinted below:

Last summer's motor vacation took us through Door County, Wisconsin and my husband and I stopped for Sunday Mass at St. Rosalia's, the Stella Maris parish in Sister Bay.

Something unusual happened the day we visited that parish. After genuflecting, we slipped into a row and leaned forward to lower the kneelers. There were no kneelers to lower.

It was the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. And we were in a Catholic church, but we wouldn’t be kneeling at the moment of Consecration – the very moment that the Corpus Christi would come to us in the Eucharist. My heart ached for kneelers. Doesn’t that sound strange coming from a former Protestant who spent forty years in churches that didn’t have kneelers?

I wondered as I sat there. Why had they left out kneelers when they built this church? I guessed that the decision had been made in an attempt to welcome visitors. This area of Wisconsin had its share of tourists. I suspected that the parishioners had hoped to welcome anyone and everyone.

I visited a few Catholic churches as a child. On those rare occasions, I did think the kneelers were a strange addition to a sanctuary. Kneelers were part of the list of Catholic oddities that included incense, bells, and statues.

So why was my heart heavy on that Solemnity of Corpus Christi? If I could live without kneelers for forty years, surely I could worship without them during this one Mass. But there’s one thing that changes everything for me. That one thing is Jesus Christ, Our Eucharistic Lord.

I came to the Catholic Church with a love for Christ, and when I grasped the Truth – that this same Christ was truly present in the Eucharist - everything changed.

I thought of St. Paul’s letters. To the Romans, he writes, “As I live, every knee shall bend, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” To the Philippians, St. Paul writes, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend in heaven and on earth.”

That day in Door County, I knew that this same Lord would come to all of us. And there was no kneeler upon which to bend our knees. At the end of Mass, the priest made an announcement. “There are envelopes in the pews if you wish to make a donation for kneelers. We want to comply fully with our Bishop’s mandate for every parish in the diocese to have kneelers,” he said. I blinked back tears. This bishop was a shepherd after St. Paul’s own heart! And I pulled out my checkbook and wrote a check.
I understand the desire to make all people feel welcome. And I remember all too well what it was like to see the kneelers and not understand. To watch the incense going up, to hear the bells and not know that Jesus Christ had just arrived. Just bells for no reason. Incense to be different. Kneelers to pray when I could pray while standing or sitting, whether indoors or outside.

But if you had asked me what I would do if Jesus Christ walked through the door, if Jesus came to me in the Flesh and stood before me – even back then I would have smiled and answered without hesitation.

I’d hit my knees.

There is one thing in the Mass that changes everything. Jesus Christ comes to us really and truly- Corpus Christi. All praise, glory, honor, and power belong to Our Lord.

God bless the bishops for reminding us: We have the Body of Christ.

The full text of this reflection, entitled If there are no kneelers, is it a Catholic Church, can be found on the Catholic Exchange website.

In the shadows

2012-01-12T22:25:00.000-05:00

Every child has played at shadow puppets, and those who haven't either have secretly wanted to, or should. In most cases, shadow puppets are obvious signs of empty hands getting into mischief, but every so often, there's a group of people who have enough commitment to make shadows look quite creative. In fact, they could even be used to promote tourism.

Check it out ... and enjoy!

Say farewell

2012-01-12T11:59:00.000-05:00

Just a few weeks ago, the Holy Father announced the appointment of a new bishop for the Diocese of Valleyfield (Quebec). The chosen shepherd is His Excellency, Noël Simard, until now Titular Bishop of Nova Sinna and Auxiliary Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie.

The normal routine followed when a new appointment is made is that the Bishop in question has a period of three months from the date of his appointment after which he must be resident in his new diocese. Plans are fast and furiously being put into place, even as we speak.

Just yesterday, details of a farewell Mass and reception which will be held in honour of Bishop Noël were announced.

Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe invites all parishioners to a Thanksgiving/Farewell bilingual Mass for Bishop Noël Simard (which will take place on) Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at Ste-Anne-des-Pins church (14 Beech Street, Sudbury) beginning at 7:00pm.

A reception in the parish hall will follow to wish Bishop Simard well on his new appointment as Bishop of Valleyfield, Quebec.

All are invited to participate in this celebration.

The date for Bishop Simard's installation as the eighth shepherd of Valleyfiled will take place on Thursday, February 23, 2011 in the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Cecilia, located in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

So large ... so small

2012-01-11T15:52:00.001-05:00

I've heard of miniature villages, usually relegated to the ranks of tourist attractions. I've even seen a mini town nestled in a hilltop (located somewhere along the roadway that winds along the Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy), but what happens when miniature sculpture is combined with extensive behind-the-scenes technology? Answer: a Miniature Wonderland. Believe it or not, here it is:

When Cardinals are created

2012-01-11T14:05:00.000-05:00

A few days ago, we received the news that one of the Canadian Bishops will be created a Cardinal next month. Along with 21 others chosen from various parts of the world, Thomas Collins, Archbishop of Toronto will be given the Red Hat during a ceremony presided over by the Holy Father himself.

In preparation for the Consistory (the ceremony of investiture of newly-appointed Cardinals) scheduled to take place on February 18, 2012, the Vatican's spokesman announced yesterday some details about the liturgies which will be celebrated. In short, there will be a few changes adopted so that the two days of formal celebrations will be somewhat more streamlined.

Each newly-created Cardinals will receive a red beretta and a ring from the hands of the Holy Father. In addition, each will be assigned a rank within the College of Cardinals (distinctions vary between Cardinal Deacons, Cardinal Priests and Cardinal Bishops), and a Cardinatial church. Since the tradition of the Church dictates that the Pope is elected by the clergy of Rome, each Cardinal that is created is assigned a titular church, located within the city of Rome.

With this list of appointments, there are now two resident Cardinals living in Canada (the Archbishops of Toronto and Montreal), as well as one Canadian Cardinal who is curently serving as Prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

Welcome the Year of the Dragon

2012-01-07T22:26:00.000-05:00

As readers of these pages know, the parish where I am currently serving has recently undergone some major renovation to our bell towers. The work lasted through the summer months, and with any luck, the last parts (the louvers at the top of the towers) will be installed by the end of Spring 2012. Work of this magnitude doesn't come cheaply, and as a result, we have to get creative if we can ever hope to pay off the debt we incurred in order to bring this restoration to fruition.

For the past four years, we've been involved in a number of fundraising projects, and now we're ready to tell you about the most recent of these endeavours.

January 23, 2011 will mark the beginning of the Chinese New Year celebrations. The coming year is designated as the Year of the Dragon, and we're ready to welcome it in style.

In China, no one celebrates birthdays. Instead, everyone takes two weeks away from the regular routines of life to spend time with family and with loved ones. This is a time for festivals, for banquets and for celebrating. Even the poorest of peasants will offer a guest some kind of hospitality. A cup of tea and a simple dumpling or snack may be the extent of the hospitality that can be offered, but it will be offered cheerfully during the New Year celebration.

Parishioners at the Church of Christ the King will welcome the Year of the Dragon by hosting a special feast which will be held in our parish hall on Monday evening, January 23. Together with the members of our 'family' we will begin the celebrations of this special time of year, and enjoy a scrumptious meal at the same time.

Since this is a fundraiser event, we invite friends and family to join us. Tickets can be purchased either on-line or at the parish office. For more information about this feast, contact us by email or call (705) 674-6447.

Epiphany: Little Christmas

2012-01-07T20:19:00.000-05:00

Ever since I was a little one, I remember people referring to today's feast day as either the Epiphany or as Little Christmas. As it turns out, Little Christmas (traditionally observed on January 6) is also Christmas Eve for those who follow the Jullian calendar (like the Ukrainian Catholics, and all those who count themselves among the Eastern branches of the Catholic Church or the Orthodox Church.

While our Eastern relatives are celebrating Christmas, the Latin Church observes the Epiphany, the appearnace of God made flesh to the Magi (or as some references put it, to the Gentiles). Here then is my reflection about this feast. Whether in podcast format or in print, I hope that it helps you to pray:

Follow the star

For the past couple of weeks, many of us have been travelling. Some for just a few days, and others for the entire period of the Christmas break. Some travelled to their destinations on foot, and others used other modes of transportation. Destinations may have been as close as the next door neighbour or as distant as the other side of the world. No matter how near or far, every time travel is involved, there are preparations to be made, routes to be planned, transportation to be arranged.

Regardless of the details involved, travel is relatively easy these days. At least it’s easier now than it would have been at the time when the wise men from the East came to Jerusalem asking ‘Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?’ As if fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah (see today’s first reading), these unexpected visitors arrived in the metropolis of Jerusalem, and then continued their search until they found Joseph, Mary and the newborn child. Who were these travellers? What was their story?

The Magi might have been practitioners of Eastern mystical traditions, perhaps Babylonian astrologers or Arabian magicians. Perhaps they were just rich adventure seekers. If they were living in the twenty-first century, these would be the modern-day Phileas Foggs, travelling the world aboard yachts and cruise liners, or streaking across the skies in search of the next exotic port of call. These are the ones who would have paid money to be aboard the manned rocket that lifted off from China in the past week or so, destined for the moon.

The story of the ancient travellers from the East is retold and reflected upon each year, even though we have been so separated by time from them, perhaps because there is still a part of their story that is found within each of us. The wise men were and are much more than simply ancient nomads in search of a thrill. They followed the signs that pointed them to the Christ-child, and they show us too how to find the star that guides us to Him.

This star still shines in our night skies. This star is still visible in our world today. At times, our work may be to polish the star and make it shine when it has been obscured by clouds of doubt. This week, the media is abuzz with reports of the sentencing of a Catholic Bishop from Nova Scotia who was arrested two years ago for possession of child pornography. It seems that the darkness of scandal and suspicion are in desperate need of a star to provide some guidance. Eight months ago, the bishop in question asked permission to begin serving a prison sentence, in anticipation of the sentence that would be handed down this week. A few days ago, the judge granted release (with conditions attached) based on the fact that the time already served is adequate for the crimes committed. There is still the matter though of the penalty that will be imposed by the Church. He must now wait to discover what that will entail. In the meanwhile, he has admitted his error, and is on the road to dealing with the consequences.

As for the people of the diocese he once served, there is understandable disillusionment and doubt there too. The work of healing will not come easily. Perhaps the best gift that we can offer them is the assurance of our compassion, understanding and prayer. At times such as these, ours is the privilege of pointing out to restless searchers of our time, the star of faith that still shines in the heavens.

Admittedly, sometimes we ourselves are the ones out in the cold, dark night, needing to get back on track, needing to find our way back aboard the camel so that we can follow the star again, until it leads us to the Christ-child who brings life and joy for the whole world. We can only hope and pray that if this happens, there are others who will remind us that there is good news in which we ought to hope, for we are all members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel.

Guidelines for a Year of Faith

2012-01-07T13:26:00.000-05:00

This morning in Rome, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith published guidelines which are meant to help the Church prepare for a special Year of Faith which will be obeserved from October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013.

These recommendations are meant to assist Bishops and others to plan various projects which will help the people in our pews to discover or to rekindle their faith. The note explains some of the measures that are being put into place in order to favor the growth of faith at all levels of the Church. The fruit of these guidelines will come to be known in the next few months. Stay tuned. It should be interesting to see how it all works out.

Think positive

2012-01-07T12:56:00.000-05:00

Some days are challenging, but every day should be an opportunity for discovering something positive, and there's always a positive side, if we have the eyes to see:

Living on earth can be an expensive proposition, but it does include a free annual trip around the sun
The length of a minute depends on which side of the bathroom door you're on
Birthdays are good for you; the more you have, the longer you've lived
Happiness comes through doors you didn't know you'd left open
Have you ever noticed that the people who are late are often much happier than the people who've had to wait for them?
Most of us go to our graves with our music still inside
If Wal-Mart is always lowering prices, why is nothing free yet?
You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person
Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once
Don't cry becasue it's over; smile because it happened
We could learn alot from crayons: some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have wierd names and all are different colours, but they all exist very nicely in the same box
A truly happy person can even enjoy the scenery on a detour

It's all in the way you look at things.

Christ is born

2012-01-06T23:42:00.000-05:00

While many in the Latin-rite Church celebrated the Epiphany today, this evening, the Eastern Church begins the celebration of the liturgical season of Christmas. As is their tradition, parishioners at the local Ukrainian Catholic Church gathered tonight to celebrate. Others who are celebrating Christmas tonight include the various branches of the Eastern Orthodox Chuch and the Eastern Rites of the Catholic Church.

Present at the celebration of the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom were a number of the Latin-rite priests of the city. This was a rare opportunity for us to celebrate together. In the words of one of the Ukrainian priests, it takes such a celebration as this to bring the priests of the city together.

As we moved through the celebration of this liturgy, I couldn't help noticing the language of this Eastern liturgy, and how similar the wording is to the revised language of the Latin-rite Mass. In reality, this was a moment for all of us present to realize that when we are given such opportunities for celebrating together, we can better appreciate the beauty, the diversity and the rich heritage that is ours in faith.

Christ is Born! Let us adore Him!

Cardinal TC

2012-01-06T08:50:00.001-05:00

January 6 is the liturgical Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. In Canada, this Feast is transferred to the nearest Sunday (thus we will observe it in just two days' time) but in Rome, there is a Papal Mass celebrated in the Basilica of Saint Peter.

At 9:30am local time, the liturgy began. In the course of the celebration, the Holy Father pronounced his homily and as is his custom, greeted the gathered pilgrims at the end of the liturgy before pronouncing the words of the Angelus.

Today, in addition to his regular Angelus greeting, His Holiness also announced that there will be a Consistory held on February 18 of this year, during which 22 newly appointed Cardinals will receive the red hat. These newly named Cardinals come from all parts of the world, including the Archdiocese of Toronto (Canada).

In addition to their responsibilities to assist the Successor of Peter in his duty to confirm the faithful in faith and to be first and foremost a sign of unity and communion in the Church, Cardinals who have not yet celebrated their 80th birthday are called upon to elect the Successor of Peter when the current Pope dies.

Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins will now join the 108 others who are considered Cardinal electors. In total, there are 192 living Cardinals, all of whom are consulted at various times and in various circumstances in order to seek wisdom and guidance as major decisions must be made.

The formal investiture of the newly appointed Cardinals will take place in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome on February 18, 2011.

Looking for answers

2012-01-05T09:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was a day for questions.

As it turns out, there were stories of two Catholic bishops in the news. The first concerned the former Bishop of Antigonish, who has been in the news across Canada in recent months, ever since he was stopped by Border Control officials at the Ottawa airport for posession of child pornography. Two years and some months later, he was officially sentenced yesterday, but the judge freed him from prison because he has already served his time.

Although his time in court is now complete, he still has to wait for the Vatican's decision to be rendered. Archbishop Martin Currie (Saint John's, NF) explained to CBC News that There are three possibilities. First would be dismissal from the clerical state altogether. Secondly, he could be sentenced to a life of prayer and penance in a monastery, which in a sense would be house arrest. A third would be that he may be able to celebrate eucharist privately, but he would not be able to identify himself as a cleric by title, by address or by association.

Meanwhile, the Vatican accepted a resignation from pastoral governance presented by one of the Auxiliary Bishops of Los Angeles yesterday, following his own admission that he has fathered two children who are now teenagers. Although the Eastern rites of the Church do permit their clergy to be married, Roman Catholic clergy have taken vows or promises to live celebate lives, at least since the seventh century.

Many modern-day Catholics have been disillusioned by the human frailty among the Church's leadership which has been brought to the light of public scrutiny over the past number of years. The Church in Canada, and in other parts of the world has put into place a number of protocols and measures to deal with cases of sexual abuse. In and of itself, no protocols will repair the damage done to the trust of those who have watched this reality unfold, but every measure of protection is worth the effort because every human being is created in the image and likeness of God.

This morning, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued an explanatory note in which it announced the forthcoming publication (due on Saturday of this week) of guidelines and recommendations for the observance of a special Year of Faith which will take place from October 11, 2012 to November 24, 2013.

Faced with the doubts which are resident in so many hearts, especially in light of the evidence of human frailty, it is perhaps a sign of hope that the Church is being invited to a special time of grace and deepening of our faith. We can only hope and pray that this will also be a time of healing and of renewal for disheartened and wounded souls.

Pray for peace

2012-01-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

Every year, on January 1, the Holy Father publishes his New Year message. Like the custom of Royalty, these words are shared with all the faithful throughout the world. In the tradition of the Church, January 1 is the day dedicated to the Liturgical Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, but it also serves as the World Day for Peace. The Pope's words provide a snapshot of the world as it is currently, and issues a call for peace, especially in troubled areas.

Here's this year's version:

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS, BENEDICT XVI
proclaimed during the celebration of the Mass for the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

On the first day of the year, the liturgy resounds in the Church throughout the world with the ancient priestly blessing that we heard during today’s first reading: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Num 6:24-26). This blessing was entrusted by God, through Moses, to Aaron and his sons, that is, to the priests of the people of Israel. It is a triple blessing filled with light, radiating from the repetition of the name of God, the Lord, and from the image of his face. In fact, in order to be blessed, we have to stand in God’s presence, take his Name upon us and remain in the cone of light that issues from his Face, in a space lit up by his gaze, diffusing grace and peace.

This was the very experience that the shepherds of Bethlehem had, who reappear in today’s Gospel. They had the experience of standing in God’s presence, they received his blessing not in the hall of a majestic palace, in the presence of a great sovereign, but in a stable, before a "babe lying in a manger" (Lk 2:16). From this child, a new light issues forth, shining in the darkness of the night, as we can see in so many paintings depicting Christ’s Nativity. Henceforth, it is from him that blessing comes, from his name – Jesus, meaning "God saves" – and from his human face, in which God, the almighty Lord of heaven and earth, chose to become incarnate, concealing his glory under the veil of our flesh, so as to reveal fully to us his goodness (cf. Tit 3:4).

The first to be swept up by this blessing was Mary the virgin, the spouse of Joseph, chosen by God from the first moment of her existence to be the mother of his incarnate Son. She is the "blessed among women" (Lk 1:42) – in the words of Saint Elizabeth’s greeting. Her whole life was spent in the light of the Lord, within the radius of his name and of the face of God incarnate in Jesus, the "blessed fruit of her womb". This is how Luke’s Gospel presents her to us: fully intent upon guarding and meditating in her heart upon everything concerning her son Jesus (cf. Lk 2:19, 51). The mystery of her divine motherhood that we celebrate today contains in superabundant measure the gift of grace that all human motherhood bears within it, so much so that the fruitfulness of the womb has always been associated with God’s blessing. The Mother of God is the first of the blessed, and it is she who bears the blessing; she is the woman who received Jesus into herself and brought him forth for the whole human family. In the words of the liturgy: "without losing the glory of virginity, [she] brought forth into the world the eternal light, Jesus Christ our Lord" (Preface I of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

Mary is the mother and model of the Church, who receives the divine Word in faith and offers herself to God as the "good soil" in which he can continue to accomplish his mystery of salvation. The Church also participates in the mystery of divine motherhood, through preaching, which sows the seed of the Gospel throughout the world, and through the sacraments, which communicate grace and divine life to men. The Church exercises her motherhood especially in the sacrament of Baptism, when she generates God’s children from water and the Holy Spirit, who cries out in each of them: "Abba, Father!" (Gal 4:6). Like Mary, the Church is the mediator of God’s blessing for the world: she receives it in receiving Jesus and she transmits it in bearing Jesus. He is the mercy and the peace that the world, of itself, cannot give, and which it needs always, at least as much as bread.

Dear friends, peace, in the fullest and highest sense, is the sum and synthesis of all blessings. So when two friends meet, they greet one another, wishing each other peace. The Church too, on the first day of the year, invokes this supreme good in a special way; she does so, like the Virgin Mary, by revealing Jesus to all, for as Saint Paul says, "He is our peace" (Eph 2:14), and at the same time the "way" by which individuals and peoples can reach this goal to which we all aspire. With this deep desire in my heart, I am glad to welcome and greet all of you who have come to Saint Peter’s Basilica on this 45^th World Day of Peace: Cardinals, Ambassadors from so many friendly countries, who more than ever on this happy occasion share with me and with the Holy See the desire for renewed commitment to the promotion of peace in the world; the President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, who with the Secretary and the officials of the Dicastery work in a particular way towards this goal; the other Bishops and Authorities present; the representatives of ecclesial Associations and Movements and all of you, brothers and sisters, especially those among you who work in the field of educating the young. Indeed – as you know – the role of education is what I highlighted in my Message for this year.

"Educating Young People in Justice and Peace" is a task for every generation, and thanks be to God, after the tragedies of the two great world wars, the human family has shown increasing awareness of it, as we can witness, on the one hand, from international statements and initiatives, and on the other, from the emergence among young people themselves, in recent decades, of many different forms of social commitment in this field. For the ecclesial community, educating men and women in peace is part of the mission received from Christ, it is an integral part of evangelization, because the Gospel of Christ is also the Gospel of justice and peace. But the Church, in recent times, has articulated a demand that affects everyone with a sensitive and responsible conscience regarding humanity’s future; the demand to respond to a decisive challenge that consists precisely in education. Why is this a "challenge"? For at least two reasons: in the first place, because in the present age, so strongly marked by a technological mentality, the desire to educate and not merely to instruct cannot be taken for granted, it is a choice; in the second place, because the culture of relativism raises a radical question: does it still make sense to educate? And then, to educate for what?

Naturally now is not the time to address these fundamental questions, which I have tried to answer on other occasions. Instead I would like to underline the fact that, in the face of the shadows that obscure the horizon of today’s world, to assume responsibility for educating young people in knowledge of the truth, in fundamental values and virtues, is to look to the future with hope. And in this commitment to a holistic education, formation in justice and peace has a place. Boys and girls today are growing up in a world that has, so to speak, become smaller, where contacts between different cultures and traditions, even if not always direct, are constant. For them, now more than ever, it is indispensable to learn the importance and the art of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, dialogue and understanding. Young people by their nature are open to these attitudes, but the social reality in which they grow up can lead them to think and act in the opposite way, even to be intolerant and violent. Only a solid education of their consciences can protect them from these risks and make them capable of carrying on the fight, depending always and solely on the power of truth and good. This education begins in the family and is developed at school and in other formative experiences. It is essentially about helping infants, children and adolescents to develop a personality that combines a profound sense of justice with respect for their neighbour, with a capacity to address conflicts without arrogance, with the inner strength to bear witness to good, even when it involves sacrifice, with forgiveness and reconciliation. Thus they will be able to become people of peace and builders of peace.

In this task of educating young generations, a particular responsibility lies with religious communities. Every pathway of authentic religious formation guides the person, from the most tender age, to know God, to love him and to do his will. God is love, he is just and peaceable, and anyone wishing to honour him must first of all act like a child following his father’s example. One of the Psalms says: "The Lord does deeds of justice, gives judgment for all who are oppressed ... The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy" (Ps 102:6,8). In God, justice and mercy come together perfectly, as Jesus showed us through the testimony of his life. In Jesus, "love and truth" have met, "justice and peace" have embraced (cf. Ps 84:11). In these days, the Church is celebrating the great mystery of the Incarnation: God’s truth has sprung from the earth and justice looks down from heaven, the earth has yielded its fruit (cf. Ps 84:12,13). God has spoken to us in his Son Jesus. Let us hear what God has to say: "a voice that speaks of peace" (Ps 84:9). Jesus is a way that can be travelled, open to everyone. He is the path of peace. Today the Virgin Mary points him out to us, she shows us the Way: let us walk in it! And you, Holy Mother of God, accompany us with your protection. Amen.

Wisdom for a new year

2012-01-01T08:43:00.003-05:00

It's rare that Christmas Day (and hence New Year's Day also) fall on Sunday, but that's excactly what has happened this year, so while the regular crowds gather for the weekend liturgies, some of them have had to share their regular seats with some newcomers (or some of the CEOs) who have come to pray with us in the past week or so.

As a new calendar year begins, it is perhaps customary that we should want to start afresh, so today gives us pause to set our sights on ways that we can improve, ways that we can reach out to others in need, ways that we can aim to do things that much better in the coming months, and thankfully, we do all this with the help of some very powerful intercessors. January 1 is also the liturgical Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God, so pray with Mary as we begin this new year. Ask her to intercede and to bring us closer to the loving heart of her Son, so that we might grow ever-more in our knowledge of Him and our appreciation for His love.

In case it might help, here is this week's reflection (in text and podcast format of course):

Words to be treasured
This past week, many of us have taken a bit of time to visit, to exchange greetings with family and friends and to get caught up with one another’s lives. Some of these meetings involved first-time encounters, and others brought together old-time friends. Stories and adventures were recounted even as traditions old and new were observed.

I’m not sure whether any of you noticed, but in the midst of these meetings, God has revealed himself to us. God has shared with us a number of blessings, some of which we have already acknowledged and others which are yet to be noticed.

The shepherds who visited with Mary and Joseph and their newborn child were also anxious to tell their story, and what a story it was. This was a tale of mysterious apparitions involving angels who had revealed a secret and good news that had compelled them to make their way to Bethlehem. This good news had also awakened in them a need to search for the Christ-child. I wonder whether Mary and Joseph were surprised at all by this encounter, or by the words that were spoken as they recounted their encounter with the heavenly messengers.

The story of the shepherds’ visit has been told and retold every year for the past two millennia, and yet every time its details are recounted, the truths it contains are fresh and vibrant. Unlike the best of novels penned, this story is always new because each one of us here is part of this story. Each one of us comes to visit with the newborn child every time we utter a word in prayer. Each one of us welcomes the shepherds whenever we encounter a friend who knocks at our door. Each one of us has cause to ponder the truths of such an encounter, as did Mary in the stable. Each one of us has reason to treasure the truths spoken in Paul’s letter to the Galatians: God sent his Son … in order to redeem each one of us. If therefore God sent his Son into our hearts, we are all sons, daughters and heirs of God.

Every year, at the beginning of the calendar year, we hear these words read aloud. Every year, we are given the chance to stop, to listen anew, and to come to believe them ever more deeply. What do Paul’s words truly mean? Could it really be that in Christ, God wanted to make us his sons and daughters, his heirs? What is it then that we are to inherit? If God had written a Last Will and Testament, would it include you and me? Answer, yes! Believe it! You and I have been bequeathed a part of God’s inheritance. Unlike the pieces of paper that we prepare with such care and then squirrel away in vaults, safety deposit boxes or in lawyers’ offices, this testament is renewed each day, each time we hear the good news of the gospel proclaimed. We are heirs of God. Perhaps we have difficulty believing that we could truly be enumerated among the elect who call themselves sons and daughters of God. Perhaps even despite numerous years having been spent discovering this truth, we might still have difficulty believing that each one of us is indeed so deeply loved, but it’s true.

Ponder then with Mary and Joseph the truths revealed in this encounter. Among us are the bearers of good news. Among us are the ones who receive the blessing of God, and the encouragement we need to encounter friends new and old, to recount our adventures in faith and to believe ever anew that God has revealed himself to us, that he has looked graciously and kindly upon us and that he has blessed us with his peace.

Happy New Year!

Now to Valleyfield

2011-12-31T14:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday morning, news was published indicating that the Holy Father had appointed a new shepherd for the Diocese of Valleyfield, Quebec in the person of His Excellency, Noël Simard. Within minutes of the publication of the offical announcement on the Vatican website, the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie also issued a press release explaining the appointment.

A priest of the Archdiocese of Quebec, Bishop Simard is (in a sense) returning home to the province of his birth. There is a significant anglophone population in the Diocese of Valleyfield as well, so his command of the English language will serve him well.

The details about a farewell liturgical gathering and the date and location of his installation and the innauguration of his Episcopal ministry in the Diocese of Valleyfield are forthcoming.

Farewell to 2011

2011-12-31T12:04:00.002-05:00

Catching up

2011-12-30T19:28:00.000-05:00

They say that friends can sometimes go for great periods of time in one another's absence, and when they do get re-united, they can chat as though they were never apart.

Evidence of this came true once again today. Eighteen years and some months have passed since I had the opportunity to see some of the priests who were at the seminary when I was there. Even though I do travel into areas where others of my classmates and contemporaries are located, we seldom get the opportunity to visit. That makes the happenings of today even more wonderful.

As it turns out, one of my contemporaries is currently assigned to one of the parishes located not far from my parents donicile. Today, I had an opportunity to visit with him, and to renew acquaintances. Despite the fact that so much time has passed, we still recognized each other (which is a fortunate thing, particularly given the amount of time and experiences that have marked our respective journeys).

There have been countless writings detailing the encounters between disciples throughout the ages. Some of them were short in duration and others lasted for varying lengths of time. I'm not sure that this one will be logged in that fashion, but I couldn't help thinking that this might have been one of those meetings between Paul and Timothy, or Peter and any one of the other apostles who came to visit while he was in Rome. What of Benedict and Scholastica?

This was a time (brief as it was) to exchange some of the joys and treasures we have both encountered during the years of our service to God's people. Each of us has followed different roads, but both of us have more than enough stories to recount as evidence of God's goodness to us. Both of us also know only too well that it is only through the treasure of prayer that we are able to continue bearing witness to the One whose gospel we preach.

This was a precious opportunity to renew a friendship, and to remember once again the great gift that has been entrusted to us. In the coming year, it is our hope that we will continue to discover the consolation that comes with faithful service as a consolation to those who walk the road of discipleship.

Holy Innocents

2011-12-28T20:30:00.000-05:00

Jealousy does really strange things. It can lead to unfounded judgements, and even to more drastic and irreversible consequences. Jealousy was at the root of Herod's problem, and today we remember the consequence that bore its fruit in the death of the little ones we now refer to as the Holy Innocents.

Matthew's gospel recounts Herod's order for the slaughter of these little ones, all because he had heard of the birth of a king, and was worried that this royal one would threaten his own position and authority.

In today's world too there are modern-day slaughters of the innocents: the ones who have no say in the matter, the ones who must suffer the ravages of starvation, slavery and even martyrdom at the hands of others. The news of these days speaks of funeral services being held for fallen dictators. I wonder whether those who have suffered are relieved by the passing of such power mongers, or whether they will truly be saved from the tirade by this passing.

Perhaps, nay certainly, the slaughter of innocents continues. Perhaps the only consolation that can be offered is authored by heavenly hands.

My first tea party

2011-12-28T20:12:00.000-05:00

She grabbed my hand and joyfully but somewhat insistantly urged me to follow her. The destination: her kitchen. The purpose: I was being invited to a kitchen party. Apparently I was the only guest on the list. What a wonderful privilege.

First, she boiled some water, and before I knew it, the tea was brewed, poured into cups and mixed with just the right amount of sugar and milk. While I was sipping on my tea, my hostess began working on the next course. No, there were no cookies at this party. On the menu were boiled eggs, crispy bacon strips and toast.

The salt and pepper seemed to be flying through the air, but in truth the artist in this kitchen was demonstrating her proficiency with the world of spices. It was a most delicious meal, but most of all, I enjoyed spending time with my special hostess. She seems right at home in her kitchen. She seems to know where everything is: the vegetables, the dairy products, the canned goods, and even the spices. She has no problem at all manouvering the stove, the pots, the pans and even the utensils.

The meal complete, and both of us sufficiently satiated from hunger, the next order of business was the discovery of the art room, including the animals who might some day stand as models for this young budding artist. Ah, and don't forget the visit to the music room, where treasures like the snare drum and the maracas: perfect for the beginner percussionist.

It seemed that I was just getting familiar with these new surroundings, when the party came to an abrupt end. The next adventure had already begun. As soon as I catch up to it, I'll be only too happy to recount it. In the meanwhile, for a few moments spent in such a happy place, thanks.

The second and third days of Christmas

2011-12-27T10:43:00.000-05:00

The day known by most of society as Boxing Day is also the second day of the Christmas Season. In the liturgical calendar, it is known simply as the Feast of Stephen, perhaps most well known through its reference in the Christmas Carol Good King Wenceslas, which is a poetic rendering of the story of this good King.

Then there's the third day of Christmas, which is also reserved for the celebration of the Feast of Saint John the Evangelist. This is the disciple Jesus loved, as he was referred to in the fourth gospel. There is a really good reflection about the meaning of these three words. It might help us to more deeply appreciate the importance of this little-known apostle, and the importance of this day.

These are days for celebrating with family and friends. These are days for rest and relaxation. These are days for coming closer to the saints who guide us through this period of Christmas rejoicing. These are days for receiving the gifts prepared for us.

The other homily

2011-12-26T10:58:00.000-05:00

There are some moments when even those of us who are charged with the mission of proclaiming become the ones who receive the message. In the case of the liturgies for Christmas, this 'other' message was provided courtesy of the little ones who were present.

From the front of the gathered congregation, I was asking the children to help me understand what Christmas was all about. They were quick to tell me that it was the celebration of Christ's birthday, so I drew a parallel between Jesus' birthday and our birthday. We decorate for a party with balloons and we share some time with friends. We cut a cake and we bring presents for the person who is being feted. When Christ's birthday is being celebrated, lots of his friends come to visit. We decorate with special flowers and colours, we get dressed up and we spend time with friends, learning more about his love for us.

We don't cut a cake for Jesus' birthday (I'd be worried about how many candles we'd have to light), but we do share a special meal, and we do bring presents. When I asked what kinds of gifts we bring for Jesus, I heard a little voice (not originating from the children immediately before me, but rather from another little voice somewhere else in the crowd), 'Barbie!' the voice called out. I wonder how many others heard it. I wonder how many around her might have chuckled to themselves.

Elsewhere in the crowd, there was another contributor who was providing answers to all my questions. When I asked about what we were celebrating, she answered Snow. Apparently this offering was repeated numerous times, so she must have been convinced of her answer. In truth, we had thought that we would be celebrating a green Christmas, until the snow began to fall shortly after noon on Christmas Eve. Snow continued for the better part of 10 to 12 hours, so by the time the Children's Mass began at 5:00pm, the entire landscape had been transformed into a winter wonderland. Wisdom from the little ones.

When I spoke with the children about celebrating and asked them what kinds of foods they might bring to the party, our unknown contributor offered her ideas: Meatballs and pizza. I love the idea of inviting Jesus and his friends to a pizza party, and what better accompaniment than meatballs (juicy and tender ones, little bite sized ones, or huge tasty ones, perfect for meatball subs).

It appears that our anonymous contributor kept her listeners quite well entertained. Her answers were appropriate for each of the questions that was posed, and of course they added her own unique perspective to the celebration.

What a wonderful gift. I wonder if she realizes the profundity of her wisdom. With gratitude to the unknown little one for sharing this amazing gift.

Have you heard?

2011-12-25T01:57:00.002-05:00

The celebration of Christmas is upon us because we have received a great gift from our God. The gift is some very good news: Christ is born; come let us adore him! This good news, first shared by angels is repeated among all those who celebrate this Festival day today.

At the first Mass celebrated earlier this afternoon, children helped me to teach some of the adults among us about this message. Through a series of questions and answers, we learned that there are many gifts exchanged at Christmas time, all because we love one another and we want to share these gifts with those who are near to us. The wisdom of a child is what this celebration is all about. Pray therefore for the ability to cherish the little ones among us, to learn from them, and to cherish the lessons that are taught.

Celebrate and give thanks also for the gift of love, and if you have time, feel free to read through (or re-read, or even listen into as the case may be) the reflection that was offered tonight (and again at tomorrow morning's liturgy.

Good news

In the evening hours of September 16 of this year, news hit the wires that Canadian Olympic bronze medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep had given birth to her first-born child. ‘It’s a girl!’ the headline read, and instantly there was great joy and cause for celebration. In the days that followed, the first pictures of the new-born child were shared not only with family and friends but with the whole country via print and new media. Even Priscilla herself tweeted a message to all her ‘fans’: Thank you everyone for all your support. Bronsen and I are very happy to announce the birth of our daughter Nataliya Ava Schliep!

There’s a thrill in the air when parents announce the birth of a child, and isn’t it equally exciting to gather around a tiny baby? Every newborn child is a wonder, a mystery, a gift from God. No matter whether the family is wealthy or poor, whether the child is first-born or latest in a long line, all who gather around, and even those who are separated by physical distance are moved. Congratulatory words are spoken and sent. Visitors smile, cry, laugh, bring a gift, wish happiness and peace for the child and the parents, for every child is a sign of hope and faith in the future.

For us Christians, Christmas is about remembering and celebrating the birth of a child which took place in time (more than 2000 years ago), but it is also about proclaiming the feast of our salvation, and about looking forward to the second coming of Christ and the inauguration of God’s kingdom.

With wonder and awe, we recognize God’s presence in a tiny vulnerable infant, so unexpected, so overwhelming. The story of Joseph and Mary is not so different from the story of many young couples today, not so different from your story and from mine. Two millennia ago, God’s people had been waiting for a messiah: waiting so long that they had begun to grow weary and doubtful about whether their efforts were bearing any fruit. They were a people walking in darkness, and God surprised them by sending not a warrior, but a child to replace worn-out expectations with renewed light and hope.

Tonight, God invites us to hear afresh the message proclaimed by the angels, to you is born this day … a Savior who is Christ the Lord. In Christ, the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all. Tonight, God invites us to believe that this message, this grace is truly offered for each of us. Indeed it is good news, and we should set out with renewed excitement to find the Christ-child. In the great city of David, surrounded by the goings and comings of all those who had been summoned to partake in the census, he was not born in great luxury, but in a stable. Not surrounded by doctors and nurses, his first attendants were a donkey, a cow and perhaps a dove that had roosted in the rafters to seek shelter and warmth.

Christ’s birth was not announced in the newspapers or on Twitter. It was proclaimed by angels. There was no fanfare to this beginning. Instead, the visitors who first smiled and cried, laughed and brought gifts to wish happiness and peace for him were the outcasts of society, the shepherds who were among the poorest of the poor. The mere fact that there was no glitz and glitter about this birth makes it all the more a reason for us to gather here tonight. This king came among us as one of us. He wanted then as he wants now to be close to us, to be within our reach.

The true miracle of Christmas is that the creator of the universe, the one who made each of us and all that we can see and touch, came among us to live with us. He is present in the wonder and awe of a child who awakens with great excitement to greet a new day. He is present in a newborn child who embodies the hopes and dreams of her parents and family.

Merry Christmas!

A lullaby for Christmas

2011-12-25T01:14:00.002-05:00

Mere moments after the clock has marked our arrival at the beginning of the celebration of the Christmas Season, it is perhaps fitting that we should consider a lullaby of a different sort. What would it have been if instead of Mary singing to her newborn child, she had the extraordinary privilege of the angels singing her a lullaby. Would it have sounded like this?

Merry Christmas to you all.

In the digital age

2011-12-24T13:56:00.000-05:00

In just a few hours, the story of the first Christmas will be retold. In most cases, this will be a matter of one or two voices proclaiming a word or two, recounting a story that is older than all of us combined. What if, just for a moment, we were to imagine the story of coming of Christ as it might have taken place today?

It just might have looked a bit like this:

Abundant blessings for technology users everywhere!

For those we love

2011-12-24T11:59:00.000-05:00

Christmas is a time for spending time with those we love. Some will be surrounded by large groups of family and friends, and some will be lucky to find the one who means the whole world. Many or few, have a wonderful celebration!

What Christmas is all about

2011-12-24T08:10:00.000-05:00

Will today bring a bevvy of last-minute shoppers? Will today bring frantic hurrying and frazled nerves? Perhpas this might help. Remember that the true wisdom of this time is found in the hearts of children. With that in mind, it might help to learn some wisdom from the little people:

A time for giving ... and receiving

2011-12-23T11:46:00.000-05:00

An almost surprise visit from some of the Daughters of Isabella happened this morning. In truth, I knew that they were coming so I wasn't entirely caught off guard.

Three of the Daughters from Marian Circle 908 came by to deliver a cheque, representing a donation to the parish. This money will help us to defray part of the cost of our charitable works, in union with the Daughters who themselves do charitable work to promote unity,friendship and charity among the most needy of our world.

With gratitude to the wonderful women who work so tirelessly for the good of others. At all times of the year, but especially at Christmas time, your dedication and love is most appreciated.

A final O

2011-12-23T08:03:00.002-05:00

Today, we complete the presentation of the O Antiphons. For the past week, the liturgy has been highlighted by the series of titles ascribed to Christ, and now the seventh (and final antiphon is recited with Vespers tonight).

O Emmanuel, this time O God with us is the title in the spotlight. Here's how at least one setting puts it:

As for the translation, here it is:

O Emmanuel, our king and our lawgiver,

the hope of the nations and their Saviour:

Come and save us, O Lord our God.

And so ends the period of preparation. On to the celebration of the Season of Christmas. Celebrate well, surround yourself with the ones who you love (and who love you), and give thanks for the Gift that is the reason for the season.

When doors are closed

2011-12-22T16:53:00.001-05:00

The outer door of the building opened easily enough, but when I passed through the second set of doors, I discovered a sight I've never seen before. All the other doors were closed.

Normally, the doors leading to various rooms off the hallway are all open, and various souls pass in and out of them throughout the busy days, but closed doors immediately conveyed a different message: beware! important stuff is happening!

Things meant to be hidden happen behind closed doors. People discuss pretty important matters behind closed doors. Closed doors speak loudly of a call for privacy, and to the casual visitor, closed doors say Think twice before you knock (especially if under normal circumstances they are usually propped open). Therefore, I did just that.

Cautiously I knocked at one of the doors that happened to be open just a crack. Having been bid to enter, I proceeded about the business at hand, and then dared to comment on what I had seen. Indeed, there were a series of pretty important matters being tended to, and this explained the strange sight that had greeted me. Nothing that couldn't be handled, just things that needed to be dealt with. Yet, this posture spoke also of weariness and a need for some down time which can't come fast enough.

In the midst of all this, thank goodness that we are celebrating a time of miracles, the anniversary of Christ's manifestation among us. He came from heaven in order to open celestial doors for our good. Maybe he can soften the hearts of those behind the closed doors of our society, so that they will in turn be able to welcome visitors who might pass by. Who knows, maybe some of the doors which are too often closed will begin to crack open to let in a bit of the divine light.

Last minute preparations

2011-12-22T13:38:00.001-05:00

The day began before the sun had crested the horizon. Computers were on, emails were being sent and received, last-minute details were being tended to, all in preparation for the period of vacation that will begin in just a few days' time.

In the midst of the frenzy, there was a moment of peace and serenity today; a reminder that beneath all the preparations lies the true reason for the torrid pace at which we seem to be operating these days. The paradox is that all this hype leads us to a time of welcoming the One who came among us so many centuries ago to bring us peace.

For more years than many of us can count, God's people have waited. Our waiting is therefore a continuation of a tradition that has been passed down to us from ancestors in faith who walked this land, who themselves heard the call of the child God and who watched and waited for his coming.

This morning, I celebrated a Mass with the staff at the Board Office (the SCDSB that is). Along with the staff members, a group of students from St. Charles College were in attendance. Apparently, their original plan was to sing some Christmas Carols for the Board staff, but then they discovered that there would be a Mass celebrated, so they agreed to join us, and to add their voices to the others who would sing and pray together.

What a wonderful surprise. These girls brought with them their gift of song, and witnessed for us the hard work that they have been doing in preparation for this festive season. Their voices rang out to not only our ears but our hearts as well: evidence of the seeds of faith that have been planted and which are now germinating.

We even borrowed one of the hymns for today's liturgy from the Baptist tradition: evidence that all of us have gifts to bring to the table. From this table, we receive the food that is our God, to strengthen us in faith so that we can continue to proclaim the good news that we have heard.

King of all

2011-12-22T08:45:00.000-05:00

So, the O Antiphons continue.

Today, yet another title is ascribed to the Savior: O Rex Gentium (O King of the nations), and the evensong chant is taken up:

In answer to the prophesy of Isaiah (9:6), this antiphon praises the King of all nations who is coming among us

O King of the nations, and their desire,

the cornerstone making both one:

Come and save the human race,

which you fashioned from clay.

When voices combine

2011-12-21T22:32:00.001-05:00

In posts recent, I've recounted tales of students who are 'getting into the spirit', but ours are not the only ones who have discovered a bit of the magic of the season of Christmas. It seems that deep within each of us is a wish for happiness and peace, and what better way to prepare for the joy of Christmas than to prepare the places necessary for the festivities to take place.

The Carlson School of Management is a place where students learn the finer points of running a business, but just for a moment, all of the books and studies were put aside and as though by mere coincidence, the students combined their efforts with those of the teachers, custodians and even the campus security team to create a bit of Christmas cheer. Have a look:

Luckily for us, schools are not the only place where the spirit of Christmas seems to be catching on. In at least one of the malls, the other mecas where people seem to gather by the thousands, worshipping the god of merchandise seems to have been replaced (albeit for just a moment) by a renewed sense of the true beauty and wonder of Christ who came among us. Check it out.

Four more sleeps to go!

Birth: the miracle

2011-12-21T13:40:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen an embryo being fertilized? Have you ever watched a foetus grow within the womb? Have you ever seen a child being born? Perhaps, yet not many have seen it quite like this:

Light another candle

2011-12-21T10:36:00.000-05:00

This morning, the students at St. David's held their fourth Advent celebration. Each week during the Advent season, the students gather to pray and to learn about this season of waiting.

The liturgical use of the Advent wreath is actually something that is more common in the Lutheran tradition. There are even a number of hymns which have been composed (in various traditions) particularly for this season, including those which have found their way into the Catholic tradition. Despite the vast library of music we already posess, there are others too which either seldom are used, or are yet to be discovered. Some are ancient and others are contemporary. Some are beautiful renditions which will stand the test of time, and others are tried and true testaments to the hope that we all hold dear.

Candles are lit in the Advent wreath, and people pause to remember and pray in thanksgiving for God's gifts of hope, peace, joy and love ... all in preparation for the coming of His son, the bearer of all these gifts.

Children need to learn these lessons, and adults need to celebrate them so that we can always remember the greatest of gifts ever given.

First signs of morning

2011-12-21T07:59:00.001-05:00

The O Antiphon for evening prayer tonight speaks another word of hope and honor. O Oriens (O Morning Star) can also be translated as O Rising Sun:

Lessons from the little ones

2011-12-20T20:08:00.000-05:00

This is the time for listening to good music, to children who tell the story of miracles that can take place if we dare to dream.

A few years ago, a little girl named Jackie Evancho stunned the talent world with her mature voice, and since that time she has made strides in sharing her voice and her belief that we can always watch for the new morn. In the musical selection entitled To Believe, her uncle's composition, she sings of possiblities that can come true ... if children of all ages would only believe:

Celebrate with Thunder

2011-12-20T19:58:00.000-05:00

In just a few days, we will be celebrating the Festival of Christmas. These final days of the Advent period put us 'in the mood' to mark the most wonderful time of the year:

Hopefully, by this point, the letters have been sent, and the wishes have all been spoken, so that Christmas wishes can come true:

So, take the time you need. Surround yourself with family and friends, and people who you love. Sing songs and celebrate ... Christmas is almost here:

After the party

2011-12-20T13:10:00.000-05:00

For the third time in almost a week, students at St. David's threw a party. This time, a full turkey dinner for all the students (and as many of the staff as cared to partake as well). The décor for this meal included placemats for each diner; each one a work of art in its own right.

Students stood attentively behind each one of the dishes of heaping food, and served the meal with poise and grace (good lessons for all of us in the art of hospitality). With teachers' assistance, the students also distributed cookies and cupcakes to those who had completed their savory meals.

While all the guests were devouring their meals, a collection of slides prepared by the senior students displayed memories from the months past, and the good work that has been accomplished. As an added bonus, the staff agreed to have their pictures taken and to be included in Christmas carol displays which were shown to all the students.

When all the gastronomic adventures were complete, the younger students made their way to the school yard in order to enjoy some fresh air while the senior students cleaned up the tables and chairs. Last but not least, a group of six students grabbed brooms and dust mopped the floor of the gymnasium. By the time they left the room, all the chairs had been stacked, the tables counted, the floor swept and the room made ready for the next adventure.

Some valuable lessons were taught today: hospitality, including simple greetings for friends who shared a meal together; sharing of chores, including the cleanup after the meal was complete; and the satisfaction of knowing that each student present played a part (small or large) in making this celebration one of great joy for all who were there.

David's Key

2011-12-20T08:47:00.001-05:00

Today's O antiphon is entitled O Clavis David (O Key of David): yet another name for Jesus. Here's the chant, in case you're still wondering. If you're lucky enough to know where there might be a community of monks or others who pray the Office in public, you might even hear this antiphon chanted at Evening Prayer tonight.

The English-language translation runs something like this:

O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel;

you open and no one can shut;

you shut and no one can open:

Come and lead the prisoners from the prison house,

those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.

O Antiphons 1-3

2011-12-19T14:37:00.000-05:00

December 17 begins the octave immediately preceding the Solemnity of Christmas. In the Roman Catholic tradition, these eight days are characterized by the chanting of the O Antiphons during the recitation of Vespers (Evening Prayer) at the end of each of these eight days.

Each of these O antiphons refers to one of the names traditionally attributed to Jesus. On the first of these days (December 17), the antiphon is entitled O Sapientia (Widsom).

December 18 is reserved for the antiphon entitled O Adonai (Lord).

And then today, the antiphon is entitled O Radix Jesse (Root of Jesse).

Others will be posted in the coming days. Enjoy!

For those who matter

2011-12-18T08:28:00.001-05:00

This fourth Sunday of Advent gives us an opportunity to pay attention to some important words and attitudes about preparing for Christmas, including making room for the things and people who are most important ... even the ones we may sometimes forget.

Listen in or read on:

Important people

There’s one week left before Christmas. Is all your shopping done? Are all the packages wrapped? Are all your plans made? Some among us may be still franticly searching this week for the right gifts, but others have already sent the cards, made all the arrangements for the family meals, put the bows on the boxes, and even tucked away a few extra gifts for the people in our lives who might sometimes go un-noticed. You know who they are: the people who deliver the daily papers, the janitors who clean our schools and places of work and the neighbours next door. These are important people too.

The scriptures we have heard this week tell the story of some pretty important conversations that took place, and some major players in our faith history, but I’m not going to focus on either King David or on Mary this week. Instead, I want to give the limelight to some of the lesser-known biblical figures. These were the ones entrusted with the important work. These were the messengers, but unfortunately they are far too often overlooked because it seems that they play relatively minor roles in the story.

David was indeed a great king, and an important part of the history of the Israelite people, but if it were not for Nathan, the prophet who stopped him from making some unwise decisions, David may very well have forgotten that before he had been called by God, he himself was a lowly shepherd. Without the wisdom of Nathan, the great King would never have understood that every gift he could possibly offer to God was first a gift that God had offered to him. This is the true wisdom that kept David grounded. This is the true source of the strength he carried in his years of leadership, and all thanks to the wisdom of the relatively unknown prophet Nathan.

There are other figures in today’s scriptures who share their wisdom as well. The angel Gabriel brought a message from God and spoke words to a young maiden in the hill country of Judea that changed her life: Hail, full of grace! Greetings to you, so highly blessed. Gabriel was the one who had to calm Mary’s fears, who had to reassure her that the role he was proposing was a gift that was being offered to her, and a gift that she could in turn offer to all humanity. The scriptural account of the conversation that ensued doesn’t recount all the words that were spoken, but enough so that we understand the essentials of the encounter. Gabriel came to announce a miracle, and Mary expressed her doubts. I think that we would all wonder if she had not voiced some concern. In fact, her doubts are the same that we would have had, and isn’t it true that when God asks us to cooperate in his plan, we all have doubts and concerns?

The church reserves a place of great honor in our tradition and our teaching for Mary, and rightly so, but not in the same sense that we might pay homage to a film star or a pop idol. No, Mary’s place of honor was deserved more because of her humility and because she provided us with the first model of discipleship. It was right that she should question the angel about what God wanted her to do, but in the end she had to give her consent: Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word. In these few words lie the pivotal point of Mary’s entire existence. This is the phrase she was created to utter. This is the phrase she teaches us to say as well.

Across the centuries, the wisdom of David and Mary call out to us, encouraging us to always remember the One who continues to love us, to provide for us, and to challenge us. The example of Nathan and Gabriel also encourage us to constantly make room for the ones who make God’s wisdom known to us, and the words written by Paul to the community in Rome remind us that for all the wisdom we might garner in this world, for all the successes we may know throughout our lives, we should always be ready to give praise and thanks to God.

See, even the little people can teach some pretty valuable lessons.

Welcoming Christmas

2011-12-17T13:51:00.002-05:00

There's nothing like children to put adults in the spirit of Christmas, and one of the best ways to do this is to get the adults to sit down

and pay attention to the show. There's a certain magic in the air when parents are invited to watch their children in action. In this case, the show began with the Native Studies class singing a welcoming song which many of us knew as the Huron Carol. Many have sung this hymn, some have even attempted to dramatize it but none as well as the students who sang it yesterday morning.

From the drummer/singer to the dramatists

What a wonderful start! As this group of students finished their presentation, and as the stage was prepared for the next group, there was music in the air, courtesy of one of the most gifted Grade 8 students, who began the performance praying for guidance (I think):

As he filled the air with wonderful strains of Christmas Carols, there was even a mystery visitor who made his presence known to fill us with cheer and joy ... ah and of course he was accompanied by two of his faithful helpers.

Other performances took place one by one until we had all had a taste of the joy and innocence that makes this time of year well worth it.

Some hymns were sung by choirs while others had just the right amount of drama to keep us all on our feet, like the musical story of the twelve days of Christmas and the gifts that were given by the Author of Love. Did you know that this song was actually written as a catechesis to help people understand their faith?

Above is an image of the Partridge in his pear tree (as it was dramatized for the attentive audience.

Some pictures don't need any words. They tell their own story of wonder.

For some of the students, this was the day for their debut; for others it was a chance to have some fun, including taking some theatrical licence to tell the story of what Christmas might be like if Santa ever decided to take a day off.

Whether he's sleeping on the job or not, there are some children who will be watiing with anticipation for his arrival:

Even the ones who now that they will have to be sleeping before Santa arrives

Thanks to all the children (of all ages) for all the hard work and dedication that was invested, and that made this presentation possible. This is what it's all about!

Here they come

2011-12-16T11:25:00.000-05:00

What happens when some extra guests show up at the party? Answer, we make room for them, right?

Yesterday (Thursday that is), we had a visit from some of the students at the local high school. They arrived just in time for the celebration of the regular weekday Mass. Even though they outnumbered the adults who were here, they were still among the 'newcomers', and their lack of familiarity with these surroundings was still evident (a bit) although to be honest, they are getting more and more used to this place. They should be, since they have been coming into this building about four or five times a year for the last four years or so.

Things have changed though since the last time they were here. We are in the Season of Advent, which means that whereas the students would normally have prepared for a 'Christmas' Mass for this week, we kept the focus on waiting rather than anticipating. This didn't stop some of them from willingly participating in the proclamation of the scriptures, and the prayers that were offered for peace and goodwill.

Perhaps the most surprising result was that they willingly took part in the recitation of new responses to the various parts of the Mass, and when the time came for the distribution of Communion, they all stood (yes, they had been instructed to do so) until the last person had received, and then all sat with a clatter for the 'period of silent reflection'.

It might have seemed a bit strange to some that this gathering passed with narry a song or a note being played, but in truth, they continue to learn (as we all do) and to grow in their experience of celebrating faith, respecting the silence of a sacred space, and opening their hearts to receive the gift of faith that is being offered.

In turn, they share with this community their youth, their vigour and their love for live. Isn't that the task that is set before each of us: to share with the world the good news of faith, of Jesus risen and of the child who came to bring peace to the world?

Chaos, confusion or creativity

2011-12-15T11:12:00.000-05:00

Getting ready for Christmas is already a busy time, but amid the other activities that occupy our time, there is always room for a surprise or two.

Last night, we held one of the practice sessions for little ones who will take part in the Christmas pagent at the first of our Masses for Christmas Eve. This is always a wonderful time for seeing creativity at work. While children with amazing musical talent bustled about arranging their music, and adults sat patiently waiting to begin the music practice, other realities were unfolding in another part of the church.

Little ones (some as young as three years old) were getting ready for the procession which will take place. Each of them will have a 'job' to do. Each of them will play an important part in telling the story of the first Christmas. The wonderful thinig about working with children of this age is that they are like sponges, taking in the instructions they are given, and eagerly accepting their responsibilities.

In just over a week's time, other children of all ages will be here. I wonder if they too will soak in the experience.

Christmas lights

2011-12-14T20:36:00.000-05:00

We have all seen Christmas lights on houses at this time of year. The other day, while I was travelling with some children aboard, they begged me to slow down so that they could watch the lights as we passed by the houses in their neighbourhood.

What lengths some people have gone to over the years though to make their displays sing (in more ways than one). Take for example, a house in Pleasant Grove, Utah, where the owners set their display to music. The result was that so many people stopped to watch the show that the owners had to start charging them money so that they could pay the police to direct traffic.

Was this what Christ had in mind, that simple night in Bethlehem ... or is this what Christmas has become?

The imagination of children

2011-12-14T11:45:00.000-05:00

This morning, I had the wonderful privilege to share some time with Senior Kindergarten students at St. David's. There are four tables set up in this classroom, and from the moment I walked in, I became an instant Educational Assistant, although in situations such as these, I'm never sure who is the educator.

Since the regular teacher was occupied with other activities during my visit, there was a substitue who was filling in, so between us, we made sure that all the children got some breakfast. Feeding bananas to Kindergarten students is interesting, since their little fingers sometimes have difficulty removing the peel, and therefore they need adult fingers to help them figure out the puzzle. If fingers don't work, there are always scissors, but the kind needed for this task should only be handled by adults.

Even as some of the students continued to enjoy the adventure of a leisurely breakfast, others were ready to move on to the next activity. In most cases this meant that colouring books came out on the desks, and an array of coloured pencils weren't far behind. Before long, the little scissors also made their appearance, and the result was a crop of paper angels which, once cut and stapled became puppets: another source of amusement for young intellectual minds.

Time seems to fly when there is this much activity around, but not before I was beckoned by one child who wanted to show me his artistic renditions of his family, including the birds that were flying above their heads, and the motorcycles he has already begun to dream about.

I can't wait to see what other dreams and aspirations they come up with.

Out of the mouths of babes

2011-12-11T21:57:00.000-05:00

What would it take for us to wake up and realize the real reason for the celebration of Christmas? For some, this is a given; for others, simple words spoken by children are enough to wake them up.

Becky Kelley found herself in a lineup at her neighbourhood mall. Not far away were children waiting to visit with Santa. Everything seemed just right, until a small child tugged on her blouse and asked, Where`s the line to see Jesus?

The result of her wake-up call was a song that she recorded and posted. It's met with great success, and is a fitting message for us to hear in these weeks as we prepare for the season of giving, love and the celebration of birth.

Catechism at Christmas

2011-12-11T09:05:00.000-05:00

As we prepare for the celebration of the Christmas season, perhaps this is a good time to ask readers whether you realize that the words of the famous Twelve Days of Christmas were originally written as a means of teaching children about the truths of faith taught by the Church.

Before we explain, here (to refresh your memory) is the rendition as it was recorded by the famous Chipmunks:

Now for the translated meaning of each of these days:

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each
element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

So there is your history for today. Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone - and, remember, the Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days following December 25th. The Christmas Season runs until Epiphany, January 6.

Oh, and should you be wanting yet another rendition of this carol, here is the rendition recorded in 1998 by a men's chorus called Straight No Chaser. Enjoy!

Stand up

2011-12-11T08:53:00.008-05:00

Today is Gaudete Sunday, the day of great rejoicing, the day when our anticipation for the coming of our Savior is all but brimming over. It seems ironic that on this day of great joy, the scriptures speak of situations and people who often can hamper such celebration. Is it true that the scriptures provide paradox? Is it not true that often this paradox allows us to unveil a deep-seated truth about our call to be people of faith?

Here then (or should that be hear then?) is my reflection based on the gospel passage of John, a voice crying in the wilderness, a witness to the Light:

I am the voice

Across our country, especially among children, there is significant concern about a prevailing tendency for bullying among peers. This is not a new phenomenon, but it seems to have reached epic proportions in recent years. As part of the campaign to identify the perpetrators and to control this issue, the local Catholic School Board has recently introduced a new slogan which is being repeated within the walls of our schools. The words Stand up to bullying provide the framework for addressing the problem of bullying whether it takes place on the school bus, in the school yard, in the halls or in the classroom. Some if not all of us present today may very well have known our own fair share of bullies in school, at work or in some other setting. Regardless of their age and size, bullies are either controlled or allowed to control, and unfortunately, the ones who are bullied often end up feeling powerless.

The scripture passages we have heard today tell us that bullying existed even as far back as the time of Jesus. In fact, I would venture to say that bullies have existed for many centuries before that time too. In the time of Jesus, the Romans were occupying the territory of present-day Israel, and they ruled with an iron fist. There was little mercy shown to anyone who dared to question their methods, and this bred a sense of fear in their subjects. Jesus knew this repression only too well, but he also knew that the spirit of the Lord was upon him and that he was to be entrusted with the task of bringing good news to the oppressed, of binding up the broken hearted, of proclaiming liberty to captives, and release to those who were imprisoned and who were being repressed.

Even before Jesus came onto the public stage though, there were other heroes for the cause. John the Baptist stood in the waters of the Jordan and testified to the Light. The Roman rulers were smart political figures. They knew the signs of insurrection, so even as the first signs of threat to their rule were becoming apparent they sent emissaries to put John to the test. The arrival of these priests and Levites (the law enforcers of the day) would have been like the school yard bully making a grand entrance. They thrived on the fear that was conjured in the hearts and spirits of their captives. Although John would have known this to be true, he appeared to have the answers well-rehearsed. I wonder whether his voice cracked as he answered their queries: Who are you? and Why are you baptizing?

The truth is that his answers paved the way for the one whose sandals he himself was unworthy to untie. The truth is that he was able to overcome the fear that imprisons so that he could find a voice to proclaim a new truth: that he was but a voice crying in the wilderness, speaking out against the ever-present oppression.

What of our world today? There are places in our world where political oppression makes it feel as though any words spoken about the promise of one who can bring freedom are indeed the voice of one crying in the wilderness, as though such an effort would be worthless. In India, Christians count for only 3 percent of the population. Across the mountains, in China, words about Christianity might very well meet with a much more severe punishment. In the Northern Ontario community of Attawapiskat, words once spoken in hope have been stifled, and unkempt promises have resulted in a decimated people. Yet, one of the signs that convince me that faith is bigger than any of us is that there is a thriving Christian presence in China, and the three percent of Indians who are Christian can teach us a thing or two about not being afraid to be fervent disciples. The truth is that wherever it is oppressed, faith seems to grow stronger. Even when attempts to silence our words appear to be triumphing, we must be brave enough to speak, especially for those who have no voice.

Perhaps we can’t change every situation, but I wonder if we have the courage to leave this place tonight (today), to go into our streets, into our schools and into our workplaces, ready to face the challenges we will meet there. We know only too well who the bullies in our own situations are. The truth of the matter is that bullying itself is often a response to some kind of oppression, and bullies often are the ones who most need to be convinced that they are loved. What would it take for us to answer terrorizing tactics with enough love to convince even the most skeptical? Paul’s words encourage us to rejoice always for the Spirit within us will give us the words we need to speak at the appropriate time.

For Gaudete Sunday

2011-12-11T08:32:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday!

The third Sunday of Advent (that's today) is traditionally known as the day of great joy. This joy is not born out of some sense of success on our part, but rather on the great gift of love that was offered to us by our God. Out of this love, we were created and redeemed. Because of this grace, we now live by the light of faith.

Enjoy the day, and give thanks for all that we have received.

One day too late

2011-12-09T08:26:00.000-05:00

Today the Church provides an optional memorial to pray with Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin. Very little is known about the life of this Mexican aboriginal before his conversion to Catholicism, yet he is famous because he is the peasant to whom Mary appeared in the Tepeyac dessert near Mexico City. This apparition is commemoriated on December 12 (that's next Monday) as the Virgin of Guadalupe.

This morning, I set out to visit the nearby high school. Normally, I am there on Thursdays but yesterday saw me busy with other matters, so off I went, only to discover today that although the students are in classes, the chaplain who I would normally meet is at another location today. These are relatively informal visits (for the most part) so after spending just a few moments to greet arriving students and staff, I left the school. No problem: the students are scheduled to celebrate Mass here next week, so maybe then I'll be able to tell them about today's Mexican saint (unless of course there is some other focus that might take over the spotlight, like Advent or some other hero in faith).

Gone home

2011-12-08T15:16:00.000-05:00

Word today from the Congregation of the Resurrection of a funeral that was celebrated in Kitchener for a priest who once served in this diocese. He's better known to people in the North Bay area than in other parts, but nonetheless we join our prayers with those of his religious congregation as we commend him to the mercy of our God.

Father Joseph Palubeski, CR died on Saturday, December 3 of this year as a result of a brain tumour. He was in his 73rd year of life and his 54th year of religious life.

The son of the late Dominic and Stella Palubeski (nee Coulas), Fr. Joseph was born in Woodstock, Ontario. He is survived by his sisters Beverly Sieber of Kitchener and Marylin Strauss of Waterloo as well as five nieces and 1 nephew.

He grew up attending Sacred Heart Church in Kitchener, Ontario under the care of the Congregation of the Resurrection. On September 8, 1958, he professed his first vows in the Congregation. He then attended St. Peter's Seminary in London, where he obtained his B.A. in Honors Philosophy from the University of Western Ontario (1962). He continued his theological studies at St. John Cantius Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri from 1962 to 1966 and on March 26, 1966 he was ordained a priest in St. Louis.

From 1966 to 1983, Fr. Joe taught Business and Commerce, Mathematics and Religion at three different High Schools in Kitchener, Brantford and North Bay. He served on the OECTA in Brantford and North Bay during his postings in those cities. In 1978, he obtained a M.Ed. from the University of Toronto. In 1983, he was appointed Associate Pastor of Holy Name of Jesus parish in North Bay, and then served there as Pastor from 1984 to 1993. Following this appointment, he accepted an appointment in Stony Hill (Jamaica) where he served as Pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish and four missions for a period of seven years. From 2000 to 2003, he was assigned as Pastor of Guardian Angels church in Louisville, Kentucky, and then was called to serve as Pastor of St. Anthony's Parish in Warwick, Bermuda. Two years later, he was appointed as Rector of St. Theresa's Cathedral in Hamilton, Bermuda, where he served until the present day.

Well known for his generosity and zeal, he demonstrated a consistent quality of commitment and fidelity to the values of religious life, which enabled him to touch the lives of many people during his life of faithful service.

Visitation took place last night at the church of the Sacred Heart (Kitchener) and the Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated there this morning at 10:00am. Fr. Palubeski was then burried in the Resurrectionist Community plot at Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener.

May the choirs of angels come to meet you; may they take you to paradise. May the Lord enfold you in His mercy, and may you find eternal life.

The one who chose his mother

2011-12-08T07:48:00.000-05:00

Today, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. This is a feast that is often misunderstood, for perhaps the first thought is that today is about celebrating the fact that Mary conceived her Son without sin. In fact, today is about celebrating the fact that Mary herself was conceived without sin.

Fulton Sheen, who served as Bishop of Rochester, New York from 1966 to 1969 spoke of this feast by explaining that God had the privilege of choosing the one who would be his mother. If you had this privilege, would you not choose the best, most perfect woman? In fact, the Church teaches that from the moment of her own conception, Mary was protected by the special gift of prevenient grace from the effects of sin. Today is about celebrating this gift, given to a mortal by the immortal.

Saint Anselm sppoke of this day explaining that God is the Father of the created world and Mary the mother of the re-created world. God is the Father by whom all things were given life, and Mary the mother through whom all things were given new life. For God begot the Son, through whom all things were made, and Mary gave birth to him as the Savior of the world. Without God's Son, nothing could exist, without Mary's Son, nothing could be redeemed. (from the Office of Readings for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception)

A morning with the little ones

2011-12-07T22:35:00.003-05:00

This morning, the front hall at St. David's was very busy when I arrived. At least four students were waiting for their chance to explain their actions (or lack thereof). All of this is 'normal' in this setting where the children face all kinds of challenges. Thank goodness they are so resilient.

My morning routine took me into the JK class today to meet with some of my little friends. In fact, when I walked into the class, they were overjoyed to see me, and actually knew my name (aren't they smart?). They are quickly getting used to my visits, and perhaps are anticipating them as much as I am.

Even as we shared English muffins and oranges this morning, I heard whispers about going with this group of youngsters to the gymnasium. On the way, the children willingly posed for a few photos.

Notice the sign that is above their heads. One would have thought that I placed it there to identify my new-found friends. As it happens, the sign was already there, and I just happened to notice it there. I wonder whether they put it there in anctipation of such a photo op.

After this brief pause, the next stop was the gymnasium, where they quickly demonstrated their knowlege of the routine.

From this circle, they could proceed to any number of activities:

running in circles around at least half of the gym space
playing hopscotch on the coloured circles (you can perhaps catch a glimpse of the circles in the distance, behind the circle of children, and
taking their turn at bowling, a task which isn't as easy as it might first appear, especially for these little ones (the bowling ball is bigger than some of them).

In all, it was a morning filled with the simplicity of children. What a wonderful gift for the adult: an opportunity to remember that no matter how old we may be, we're all children at heart.

From politics to priesthood

2011-12-07T22:17:00.000-05:00

Today, the Church celebrates a fourth-century saint who actually began not as a priest, but as a politician. Some would say that all priests need to be politicians of sorts, but today's hero boasted a father who served as the Prefect of Gaul.

Having died at a relatively early age, this father left the way open for his son to follow in his footsteps. In fact though, his political background only paved the way for his ecclesiastical election to the office of Bishop. This happened in a fashion not often heard of today: he was chosen by spontaneous acclamation.

In time, his dedication to the Church and to his ministry as one of the Shepherds earned him the title of Doctor of the Church, one reserved to those whose teaching has proven to be particularly pivotal in the magesterium (teaching authority of the Church).

Saint Ambrose of Milan, pray for us.

A saint and shoes

2011-12-06T17:07:00.001-05:00

Did you know that Santa Claus is a saint?

The famous man in red had a fourth-century cousin who walked the world as a bishop in modern-day Turkey. Today, the Church all over the world remembers and prays with this saint who had a reputation for secret gift giving. People would leave their shoes out for him, and if he passed by (which he often did) he would put coins into the shoes. Based on this habitual goodness, he provides the model for the famous inhabitant of the northernmost reaches of this country.

As at some other times in the year, both the Eastern and Western Church hold this holy man in great reverence, as do various protestant churches, including some branches of the Lutheran and Anglican traditions.

You might say that he was also a model for ecumenism, long before it was necessary.

Preparing the way

2011-12-04T09:26:00.002-05:00

The words of the baptist must have made a few people scratch their heads and wonder. Perhaps more than a few in his day thought that he was just a reed blowing in the wind, but one by one, more and more people listened, and came to believe. Today, we too may choose to let these words pass us by, but if we stop long enough to ponder them, we may discover a truth that speaks to our hearts, and calls us into a new relationship of love.

Prepare the way

Twice this past week, I was woken up in the early hours of the morning by snow plows passing by. Throughout the summer months, I’d forgotten the fact that in the downtown core, these machines pass by (sometimes quite regularly) during the winter months, and they often work in the pre-dawn hours of the morning, clearing away the debris left by an overnight snowfall, and preparing the streets for the morning rush hour traffic.

Long before the advent of snowploughs, there was another means of waking us up, of preparing us for the day ahead. The prophet Isaiah spoke during a time when the Israelite people would have known only too well what it was like to have weathered a storm or too. They had been exiled from their homeland, and been subjected to captivity for so long that they perhaps had almost forgotten what it was like to be free. In the face of such desperation, the prophet’s words speak of promise, of a time when the ravages of captivity will come to an end, of the hope of a better tomorrow. Even as this new dawn was looming, Isaiah also challenged God’s people to prepare the way of the Lord.

Throughout the centuries that have since passed, these words have been repeated by the Baptist and by others, as a reminder that we must always be on the lookout, always preparing the way for a better tomorrow. The question is, How exactly do we prepare the way? and What will this better tomorrow look like? Will we recognize it when we see it?

To answer the first of these questions, perhaps we should borrow a page from the ancient Lenten practices of fasting and prayer. Together with almsgiving, these are the disciplines most often spoken of during the season of preparation for Easter, but there is room for them to help us live the Advent period too. The discipline of fasting allows us to identify the excuses we make up in order to convince ourselves that we’re too busy for God. It’s about admitting to ourselves that we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to admitting that we often surround ourselves more with the tasks of life than leaving room for living life to the full. One might say that the discipline of fasting allows us to identify the debris in our lives that needs to be cleared away in order to make the path straight again.

Making the path straight is where the discipline of prayer comes in. Over the past number of weeks, we’ve been preparing for the introduction of the revised Roman Missal, and last week, for the very first time, we used this new text for our time of prayer. It will still take some time for all of us to get used to this new language, but I think that we did pretty well, considering how many changes there are. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that we’ve started to implement most of the changes in posture, but I’m sure that there are still some who are wondering what’s going on. For those who may not have heard the news, Bishop Plouffe issued a set of directives about the implementation of these changes back in September. One of the changes he’s called for is that during the distribution of communion, the assembly should remain standing (if possible) until all have received the Blessed Sacrament. After Communion has been distributed to all the assembly, ‘as circumstances allow’ the members of the assembly may sit or kneel while a period of sacred silence is observed.

While we may still be asking why such a change has to be implemented, consider for a moment that this is all part of preparing the way. A better tomorrow begins to take shape when we all recognize that the prayer we offer during the Mass is about giving praise and thanks to God. This sacred space allows us to utter private words of supplication and also to join in the common prayer of the Eucharist. Even as we speak these words, our prayer makes us keenly aware that there are aspects of our lives that need to be cleared away in order to make the path straight for the coming of the Lord. When he comes there will be a new heaven and a new earth. I for one can’t wait to see what that will be like.

X-day

2011-12-03T09:43:00.000-05:00

Today is the liturgical feast of Saint Francis Xavier. It also happens to be the day on which graduates of St. Francis Xavier University (StFX for short) receive their rings. Yes, every graduate from that institute of higher learning (with the exception perhaps of the distance learners) is presented with a ring as a momento of their years spent there.

This year, for the first time I believe, the grad ceremony and the presentation of rings is being televised on-line so that other X-men and women can be present, albeit virtually at the festivities.

The broadcast begins at 2:00pm EST.

A child's perspective

2011-12-02T10:17:00.000-05:00

Every now and then, wisdom comes to the heart of adults from the mouths of children. If we're lucky, we get the opportunity to hear this stuff first hand, but at times it comes to us through the miracle of modern communication. Evidence the words of a very bright young child who lives in the city of Chula Vista, California. Here's 8-year-old Danny's take on explaining God:

'One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.'

'God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.'

'God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.'

'Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista ... At least there aren't any who come to our church.'

'Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God.. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.'

'His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.'

'You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.'

'You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy, and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.'

'If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.'

'But.....you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.

And...that's why I believe in God.'

How can we top that one?

Fraternizing

2011-12-02T09:42:00.000-05:00

Opportunities for friendship arise at all moments of the day. Opportunities for building bridges appear sometimes when we least expect them.

Evidence a social gathering last evening at one of the Anglican churches here in town. I had been invited to attend along with a friend who wanted to drop in for a few moments to renew some friendships and to say hello. As it turns out, I myself knew not only the hostess of the party, but some others of the invited guests. The fact that these friendships bridge the distance between Christian communities of various confessions was irrelevant for the moment. Where there is friendship and room for chatter, there is little room for pointing out differences.

Whether in a church hall, a neighbour's house, during a formal gathering or an informal cuppa, there should always be time for checking in with friends, for opening the door to new relationships, for greetings to be shared and for stories to be told ... and all begins with a healthy understanding of the word fraternize: the act of associating cordially, in a fraternal or friendly way.

A lullaby for Christmas

2011-12-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

At long last it's here: the birthday of Jesus is celebrated as the midnight hour rings. Even as the voices of congregations combine to sing praises, there is yet another level at which the events of this night call us to a much quieter place, where it is possible to pause in wonder.

I wonder whether when the angel spoke to her, Mary knew that her YES would bring this night to pass. I wonder whether when she rushed off to visit with Elizabeth, Mary was conscious of the great gift that she would offer to us all. I wonder whether she understood in the hustle and bustle of that night that she was destined to witness miraculous things. I wonder whether she knew at that moment that the cause of her sorrow and pain would be the cause of our salvation.

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Merry Christmas!

Meet Gatineau

2011-12-01T22:56:00.001-05:00

It is an ancient custom that the Bishops of the Church sign their names like royalty. Let me explain: If one were to ask the Queen of England to sign her name, she would simply write Elizabeth II R. Similarly, if we were to ask any of her family to sign a document, they might write Charles, Ann, William or Harry and so on. Bishops too (in ancient times) used to sign documents with their Christian name only, followed by the name of their Archdiocese or Diocese. As such, one might say that as of last evening, we can call him Paul-André, Gatineau.

Shortly after his appointment to this new post was published in early October of this year, Father Thomas Rosica, CEO of Salt + Light Television conducted an interview (in French) with Archbishop Durocher. The interview has aired on S+L but has also been posted on Youtube for all to see.

In the interview, various topics are discussed, including

a brief resumé of who the person of Paul-André Durocher is, and how his vocation was discovered and nourished to the point of priestly ordination;
his work with the Provincial Office for Catholic Education in Ontario (OPECO)
his take on some of the blessings that have resulted from the experience of World Youth Day (2002) and the Eucharistic Congress (2008) held in Canada
his understanding (albeit from an outsider's point of view) of the perceptions and challenges of the Church in the Province of Quebec.

Last evening, in presence of His Excellency, Pedro Lopez Quintana, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, various other bishops and priests and the faithful of the Archdiocese of Gatineau, the newly-appointed Archbishop took up residence and officially began his pastoral ministry in this new particular church. While the video coverage of the inauguration is still to be posted, a copy of his homily from last night's celebration has been posted on the website of the Archdiocese of Gatineau for all to see.

In his characteristic simplicity, he takes this first public catechetical moment to explain the rich history behind the simple gestures that characterise the ceremony of installation, and to challenge all those present, and all those who will read the text in days and weeks to come, to dare to allow Jesus Christ, who enflamed the apostles with the joy of faith to inhabit our hearts as well.

The first signs

2011-12-01T11:09:00.000-05:00

Early this morning, things were afoot. Well in reality I was the one afoot, on my way to an appointment. As I peered out the window, I saw an ever-so-light dusting of snow. If I didn't know better, I might have thought that God had sent the angels to dust the ground with talcum or chalk.

The trail of footsteps I left behind me as I stepped out the door (which had been invisible since the early spring) was a tell tale sign that things were different this morning, and even before I reached my destination, the powder began to waft once again from the sky.

Perhaps this is a sign that I must get on with the baking of cakes and other preparations for Christmas. Ah yes, the scents and sounds of Christmas are not so far away. There is music already playing in the speakers of some of the city merchants, and soon there will be presents and gifts to be prepared. What fun!

Breakfast with the little ones

2011-11-30T10:43:00.001-05:00

Today was a special day of adventure and learning.

My weekly visit to St. David found me in a class of Kindergarten students this morning, just in time to join them for breakfast. On the menu today was raisin toast and grapes. As the teacher and her helper bustled around the room distributing the treats, one by one the students took their places.

Once they recognized me, it didn't take long for one little one to invite me to sit next to her (right between her place and the place reserved for her desk mate). Together we began to discuss the food in front of us: What's for breakfast, I asked. One by one (and sometimes three or four at a time) students from the table where I was, or from one of the other tables in the room, answered: grapes ... toast. A few of them were munching on both choices, but the majority of them were content to feast on a pile of grapes only.

We then took turns counting the number of grapes that each of us had (yes, I too had by now received my alotment). Then it was a competition to see how long it would take to finish our breakfasts. The ever-diminishing number of grapes was easily turned into a lesson in subtraction: six grapes became five, became four ... then there was nothing left but the paper towel.

Some of the grapes made their way into a variety of shapes. Squares became triangles and smiley faces gradually became s-shaped lines. Before I got to the next lesson: how the grapes became raisins and how the raisins found their way into the bread, breakfast was finished, and we had to move on to the next phase. You see, in Kindergarten class we have to follow the schedule and bathroom breaks are next on the agenda.

Before the break though, we managed to gather all my new friends on the classroom carpet, just long enough to take the photo which the children knew would find its way onto the blog. Thanks very much for a wonderful encounter. I can't wait for our next visit. I wonder what else we'll learn together.

Be thankful for thorns

2011-11-30T10:20:00.000-05:00

It's perhaps no coincidence that at times when we need words to point out the obvious in our lives, they arrive ... sometimes in ways most unexpected. The following 'arrived' today and it needs to be shared.

Sandra felt as low as the heels of her crocks when she pulled open the florist shop door, against a November gust of wind. Her life had been as sweet as a spring breeze and then, in the fourth month of her second pregnancy, a "minor" automobile accident stole her joy. This was Thanksgiving week and the time she should have delivered their infant son. She grieved over their loss. Troubles had multiplied. Her husband's company "threatened" to transfer his job to a new location.

Her sister had called to say that she could not come for her long awaited holiday visit. What's worse, Sandra's friend suggested that Sandra's grief was a God-given path to maturity that would allow her to empathize with others who suffer. "She has no idea what I'm feeling," thought Sandra with a shudder. "Thanksgiving? Thankful for what?" she wondered. "For a careless driver whose truck was hardly scratched when he rear-ended her? For an airbag that saved her life, but took her child's?"

"Good afternoon, can I help you?" Sandra was startled by the approach of the shop clerk.

"I... I need an arrangement," stammered Sandra.

"For Thanksgiving? Do you want the beautiful, but ordinary, or would you like to challenge the day with a customer favorite I call the 'Thanksgiving Special'? I'm convinced that flowers tell stories," she continued. "Are you looking for something that conveys 'gratitude' this Thanksgiving?"

"Not exactly!" Sandra blurted out. "In the last five months, everything that could go wrong has gone wrong." Sandra regretted her outburst, and was surprised when the clerk said, "I have the perfect arrangement for you."

Then the bell on the door rang, and the clerk greeted the new customer, "Hi, Barbara... let me get your order." She excused herself and walked back to a small workroom, then quickly reappeared, carrying an arrangement of greenery, bows, and what appeared to be long-stemmed, thorny roses - except the ends of the rose stems were neatly snipped. There were no flowers.

"Do you want these in a box?" asked the clerk. Sandra watched for the customer's response. Was this a joke? Who would want rose stems with no flowers! She waited for laughter, but neither woman laughed. "Yes, please," Barbara replied with an appreciative smile. "You'd think after three years of getting the special, I wouldn't be so moved by its significance, but I can feel it right here, all over again.", she said, as she gently tapped her chest.

Sandra stammered, "Uh, that lady just left with, uh... she left with no flowers!"

"That's right," said the clerk. "I cut off the flowers. That's the 'Special'. I call it the Thanksgiving Thorns Bouquet."

"Oh, come on! You can't tell me someone is willing to pay for that!" exclaimed Sandra.

"Barbara came into the shop three years ago, feeling much as you do, today," explained the clerk. "She thought she had very little to be thankful for. She had just lost her father to cancer; the family business was failing; her son had gotten into drugs; and she was facing major surgery."

"That same year, I had lost my husband," continued the clerk. "For the first time in my life, I had to spend the holidays alone. I had no children, no husband, no family nearby, and too much debt to allow any travel."

"So what did you do?" asked Sandra. "I learned to be thankful for thorns," answered the clerk quietly. "I've always thanked God for the good things in my life and I NEVER questioned Him why those GOOD things happened to me. But when the bad stuff hit, I cried out, "WHY? WHY Me?" It took time for me to learn that the dark times are important to our faith! I have always enjoyed the 'flowers' of my life, but it took the thorns to show me the beauty of God's comfort! You know, the Bible says that God comforts us when we're afflicted, and from His consolation we learn to comfort others."

Sandra sucked in her breath, as she thought about the thought that her friend had tried to tell her. "I guess the truth is, I don't want comfort. I've lost a baby and I'm angry with God."

Just then someone else walked in the shop. "Hey, Phil!" the clerk greeted the balding, rotund man.
"My wife sent me in to get our usual Thanksgiving arrangement... twelve thorny, long-stemmed stems!" laughed Phil as the clerk handed him a tissue wrapped arrangement from the refrigerator.

"Those are for your wife?" asked Sandra incredulously. "Do you mind telling me why she wants a bouquet that looks like that?"

"No... I'm glad you asked," Phil replied. "Four years ago, my wife and I nearly divorced. After forty years, we were in a real mess, but with the Lord's grace and guidance, we trudged through problem after problem. The Lord rescued our marriage. Jenny, here (the clerk) told me she kept a vase of rose stems to remind her of what she had learned from "thorny" times. That was good enough for me. I took home some of those stems. My wife and I decided to label each one for a specific "problem" and give thanks for what that problem taught us." As Phil paid the clerk, he said to Sandra, "I highly recommend the Special!"

"I don't know if I can be thankful for the thorns in my life." Sandra said to the clerk. "It's all too... fresh."

"Well," the clerk replied carefully, "my experience has shown me that the thorns make the roses more precious. We treasure God's providential care more during trouble than at any other time. Remember that it was a crown of thorns that Jesus wore so we might know His love. Don't resent the thorns."

Tears rolled down Sandra's cheeks. For the first time since the accident, she loosened her grip on her resentment. "I'll take those twelve long-stemmed thorns, please," she managed to choke out.

"I hoped you would," said the clerk gently. "I'll have them ready in a minute."

"Thank you. What do I owe you?"

"Nothing. Nothing but a promise to allow God to heal your heart. The first year's arrangement is always on me." The clerk smiled and handed a card to Sandra. "I'll attach this card to your arrangement, but maybe you would like to read it first."

It read: My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain. Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.

A shoot shall sprout

2011-11-29T13:37:00.000-05:00

Today's first reading from the Book of Isaiah uses an interesting image: A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom (Isaiah 11:1).

Sometime last week, I planted some seeds. I found some plant pots, carefully placed small rocks in the bottom of each pot (to allow for proper drainage), and then filled each pot about half way with some potting soil, the kind that has vermiculite and fertilizers mixed in. I then placed a couple of seeds in each pot, and covered them with more soil. After tapping the earth into place, I made sure to water them, and then place the pots in a winidow so that there would be enough light. Each morning, I check the soil, water it if it's dry and wait.

It seems strange to be planting seeds as the winter months are just beginning. In other parts of the world, where weather is much more forgiving, there are indeed growing seasons that allow for planting and germinating of seeds at this time of year, but ours is not one of them. Yet, the scriptures for today speak of shoots sprouting from the stump of Jesse. It's a curious image to think of new green growth sprouting while all else in the world of bottany seems to be lying fallow, yet all things are possible for God (even new life in the midst of ice and snow).

I wonder what surprises are being prepared for each of us during these days of Advent. As we await the coming of Christmas, and the festival that celebrates the birth of Him who came to live among us, we too are being prepared. We too should be on the lookout for tender green shoots, sometimes in the form of new discoveries of God's tenderness and mercy, sometimes in the form of new discoveries about ourselves and about the light of faith that has been kindled within.

A shoot shall sprout. I wonder what form it will take.

A message for priests

2011-11-29T09:52:00.002-05:00

In yesterday's list of publications from ZENIT, there appeared a message addressed to priests from the Prefect of the Congregation for Clergy. For the sake of those of my brothers who may not yet have seen it, here it is in print.

ADVENT MESSAGE FOR PRIESTS FROM CLERGY CONGREGATION PREFECT
'Our Own Lives Become Transfigured Into Christ's Coming for Humanity'

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 28, 2011 (Zenit.org).- Here is a message from Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy, on the occasion of the beginning of Advent.

Dear Priests,

in this special time of Grace the Most Holy Virgin Mary, Icon and Model of the Church, wants us to be introduced to that vigilance which is the constant attitude of Her Immaculate heart.

In fact, the Virgin lived constantly in prayerful vigilance. In vigilance, She received the announcement that changed the history of humanity. In vigilance, She kept and contemplated, more than any other, the Almighty who became her Son. In vigilance, filled with loving and grateful wonder, She gave birth to the Light Himself and, together with St Joseph, became a disciple of He to whom She had given birth. He was adored by the shepherds and the kings, welcomed in jubilation by Simeon and the prophetess Anna, feared by the doctors in the temple, loved and followed by the disciples and opposed and condemned by His people. In the vigilance of her maternal heart, Mary followed Christ right up to the foot of the cross where, in the immense sorrow of a pierced heart, She accepted us as her new sons. In vigilance, She waited with certainty for the Resurrection and was Assumed into Heaven.

Dearest friends, Christ constantly watches over His Church and over every one of us! We are all called to enter into that vigilance, that passionate observation of reality that moves us between two fundamental directions: the recollection of meeting Christ in our lives and the great mystery of being His priests and the openness to the 'category of possibility'.

The Virgin Mary, was in fact 'recollected', which means that in her heart She constantly relived what God had done for Her and, in the certainty of this reality, She lived the duty of being the Mother of the Almighty. The Immaculate Heart of the Virgin Mary, was then constantly willing and open to the 'possible', to that materialisation of God's Will in daily circumstances and also in those that are most unexpected.
Also today, from heaven, the Virgin keeps us in Christ's living memory and continually opens the possibility of Divine Mercy to us.

Dearest Brothers and Friends, let us ask Her for a heart that is able to relive Christ's coming in our lives, a heart able to contemplate the way in which the Son of God, on the day of our Ordination, radically and definitely marked our entire existence immerging us in His priestly heart. He renews us daily in the Eucharistic Celebration so that our own lives become transfigured into Christ's coming for humanity.
Finally, let us ask for an attentive heart able to recognise the signs of Jesus' coming in the lives of every man, especially to the young who are entrusted to us, so that we are able to recognise the sign of that special coming which is the vocation to the Priesthood.

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Priests and Queen of the Apostles, always grants those humble requests for that priestly paternity which is the only thing able to "accompany" the youth on the joyful and enthusiastic journey to follow Christ.

In the “Yes” of the Annunciation, we are also encouraged to be coherent to the “Yes” of our ordination. In the Visitation to Saint Elisabeth, we are encouraged to live that divine intimacy in order to bring Christ's presence to the others and to translate it into joyful service without the limits of time and space. In the Holy Mother's act of wrapping the Baby Jesus in swaddling clothes and adoring Him, we learn to treat the Most Holy Eucharist with an ineffable love. By conserving every event within our own hearts, we learn from Mary how to gather around the Only Necessity.

With these sentiments I assure all the dear Priests around the world of a special remembrance in the Celebration of the Holy Mysteries. I ask everyone for the prayerful support for the ministry that was entrusted to me and, before the crib, let us implore the ability to become that what we are every day.

What's up

2011-11-29T09:30:00.001-05:00

This image was posted recently by Father Donald Calloway, along with the following words: “This is absolutely awesome! My brother in community from Argentina, Fr. Dante, sent it to me today. It was taken last month at a Eucharistic procession in the Dominican Republic. Powerful stuff! Praised be Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar!”

Your reaction

2011-11-27T14:46:00.000-05:00

Now that the first celebrations of the Mass with the new translation of the Roman Missal are complete. There is a buzz about people's reactions to hearing the new words, to experiencing the new-ness of it all ... and those who have been criss-crossing the country to provide formation workshops are probably breathing a sigh of relief.

Anyone else want to comment about your experience? Was it a pleasant surprise? Was it a smooth roll out? Were there unexpected hicups?

New beginnings

2011-11-27T09:20:00.005-05:00

Happy Advent! As we begin a new liturgical year, there are lots of firsts happening around us today. Advent marks the beginning of a new liturgical year, so today is New Year's Day in the Church. The colour of vestments used for liturgical celebrations changes to violet for the next four weeks, and gradually the focus of our prayer and the scriptures provided prepare us for the coming festival of Christmas.

At long last (we've been waiting for forty years), the revised Roman Missal has arrived (in most of our parishes) and began being used today. The language of this new translation necessitates a careful read, and will indeed sound strange for quite some time, but that's not a bad thing. Proclaimers and listeners alike will notice a far more regal verbage, and dignified phrasing that allows mortals to speak with God.

Today's homily (available in podcast and text format) speaks to the fact that this change (like all change in our lives) is not easy. It will take some time and lots of patience before we are familiar with it. It's a good thing that God is infinitely patient with us too.

Be watchful, be alert

My earliest recollection of a home security system was not of the electronic variety. Long before names such as ADT and others like them became well known to us, there was a man who used to be paid to sit outside the neighbour’s house and supposedly kept guard while we slept. I say supposedly because even as a very young child, I was convinced that this man, who we referred to as a watchman, slept more during the quiet darkened hours than he actually was on the alert for possible robbers. The reason for his apparent lack of vigilance might have had something to do with the fact that there was really not a high incidence of crime in the neighbourhood, but a more likely reason was that he may very well have been too assured of his position to really worry about whether he would lose his job for not doing it right.

Advent is upon us. With the liturgies of this weekend, God’s people gather to begin a new liturgical year. Today we also introduce the long awaited revised Roman Missal. Over the past number of weeks, we in this parish have been introduced to some of these revisions. In some parishes throughout our country, today is the first day that people are seeing any of these changes, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all to hear that over the next couple of weeks and months, visitors to this and other parishes might wonder about why the changes are taking place. This is a time of change, and change is never easy. It takes patience and dedication. It also takes great understanding because for every person who might willingly accept the changes, there is another who will question them and even resist them.

Some people may find it difficult to pray during this time of change, because we are trying our best to follow new rules, to speak new words, to sing hymns and responses that are not yet second nature. Even though we may at times feel like Isaiah who spoke of hardened hearts and wandering ways that separated his people from their God, we have a choice to make. We can either react to the changes set out before us or we can see them as an invitation to understand and appreciate afresh, the fact that all liturgy, and in particular the Eucharist, is first and foremost the action of Christ, to which he associates his Body, the Church (cf SC7).

Forty years ago, when the first English translation of the Mass was published, many people resisted the change. Then as now, words spoken and postures assumed had become habitual, and when things are done out of habit, we don’t have to pay any attention to them. We say that they are second nature to us, but sometimes such familiarity is not good. Remember the slumbering watchman?

At the beginning of this Advent season, the gospel challenges us: Be watchful! Be alert! In a particular way, we are being invited this year to a wonderful opportunity to put this advice into practice. New translations of the words spoken during the celebration of the Eucharist are cause for all of us to pay attention. We need to slow down just a bit so that we can hear these words with new ears. We need to pay attention in a way that perhaps we have not paid attention for quite some time. The language of the liturgy is beautiful. It is regal. It is stately. It is fitting of an action of praise and thanksgiving spoken by a people who know deep in our hearts that the grace of God has been bestowed upon us in Christ Jesus, and in him we have been enriched in every way.

In the pews today, there are copies of a new publication entitled Celebrate in Song! This little book contains the musical notation for three beautiful Mass settings based on the revised language of the liturgy, as well as music for various chants and even a number of new songs and hymns for use at the Mass. All of these are opportunities for us to deepen our understanding that every time God’s people gather for the celebration of the Eucharist we should celebrate fervently, as though it were our first Eucharist. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we should strive to be like vigilant watchmen, filled with gratitude to God for his goodness to us.

Blessing for the new Missal and the Advent wreath

2011-11-26T19:20:00.001-05:00

At the beginning of today's liturgy, the newly revised Roman Missal was used for the very first time. The book, larger and thicker than its immediate predecessor, was processed into the midst of the assembly and then the following blessing was pronounced:

Blessing for the New Missal and the Advent wreath

Dear friends in Christ: As we begin a new liturgical year, we bless our Advent wreath and at the same time we receive and put into service a new book to be used at our altar. Books called the Roman Missal has been in use since the year 1570, and many of the prayers contained in this book have been used since at least the fourth century, but while this is a book of tradition, it is also a book for our future, for celebrations that will be held in the Church for years to come. It is right that we should pause for a moment to mark these new beginnings: a new liturgical season, a new year of grace, and the first time that this edition of the Roman Missal is used.

Father of light and wisdom, We praise you for sending your Son to save us from our sins and to be light in our darkness. Bless us + as we gather in his name, bless this wreath as a sign of his light among us, and bless + this Roman Missal; grant that all who use it or hear its words may grow in wisdom and grace before you and all your people.

Father, we praise you through Jesus Christ your Son in the love of your Holy Spirit now and always and for ever. Amen.

The first candle in the Advent wreath was then lit and the Mass began in the usual way.

Whose calling

2011-11-26T10:53:00.000-05:00

In our modern-day society, we have become somewhat over-vigilant about protectinig our privacy. Alarm systems are rather common place in our homes, in our automobiles and in our places of work. Because of the ever-present telemarketer, new features such as Call Display have been added to our phones, and even the world of instant messaging has added new realities to the way we interact with one another.

Invented in the name of protection and ease of communication, some of these methods have actually created a sub-culture all their own, but there is always and forever the tried and true custom of physically visiting with friends. Sometimes these are planned, but at other times they are rather impromptu, and these often turn out to be the best encounters.

Friends who drop in, announced or otherwise, bring with them a wealth of stories and experiences. The telling of stories and the creation of tales is the stuff of memories, the mortar that cements a friendship.

All of this is possible if we are willing to open the doors of our lives to one another, but none of it is happening if we don't answer the call.

In Thanksgiving

2011-11-25T11:07:00.000-05:00

Citizens to the south of us are celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend. Although yesterday was officially Thanksgiving day, the truth of the matter is that the celebration has been going on in some cases since the week began, and as of dawn this morning, the Christmas shopping season is in full swing.

While for some, Thanksgiving is the beginning of a holiday season filled with joy and happiness at the prospect of spending time with family, for others, it's a sadder time blemished by bad memories or dread. Some people see their lives filled with abundant blessings and find thankfulness easy and natural; others are so pre-occupied with tending to past wounds or current crises that they simply don't feel grateful.

Regardless of where you fit on this spectrum, I hope you will approach this occasion for Thanksgiving with a commitment to give yourself and others who deserve it the gift of gratitude.

Sincerely thanking others for something they did or for the role they play in your life is not merely good manners and good ethics. I think William James was right when he said, The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated. Fortunately, it's a need easily met. It costs so little and means so much. Just putting appreciation into words can make someone's day, or even change their life.

But there is another side of gratitude and it should play a much larger part in our lives. Expressing gratitude is what we do for others, but experiencing gratitude is what we must do for ourselves. Willie Nelson, after struggling with depression and addiction, said, When I started counting my blessings my whole life turned around.

Feeling gratitude is a potent tonic that can immeasurably improve our happiness and sense of well-being. Author Melodie Beatie tells us why. Gratitude, she says, unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.

The platitudes are true. The key to happiness is deciding to be happy. It's not getting more than you have; it's appreciating what you have.

So, whether things are going well or poorly, this Thanksgiving, open up a new emotional bank account and start filling it with all the things that deserve your gratitude. If you do, you will have even more for which to be grateful.

48 hours to go

2011-11-24T18:34:00.000-05:00

Within the next 48 hours or so, just as the sun is setting on Saturday evening, we will begin to celebrate the first of the vigil liturgies for the First Sunday of Advent. This moment will also mark the beginning of a new liturgical year, and after more than 40 years of waiting, it will also mark the introduction of the long-awaited final English translation of the Roman Missal.

The hard copies arrived in house just about a week ago, barely enough time for us to see the print. This means that all of us will be hearing new words as of Saturday night, and getting used to new verbages. In general, the texts are very regal and speak of our worshipping action with a dignity that it deserves.

Get ready, it's on its way.

Visiting with the Grade 8 Class at St. David

2011-11-23T14:24:00.003-05:00

I visited with the Grade 8 students at St. David's school this morning. Since they are all hooked up to the net, I asked the teacher to nominate one of the students to take notes during my presentation, and we fired up the smart board (apparently we were lucky that it was working, since it's been known to develop some gremlins from time to time that even stump the tech wizards.

Tamera took notes during the presentation

Here then is a point-form précis of the converstion I had with the twenty-four students who were present. Thanks to Tamera for her note taking.

We are trying to figure out where Father Tony is from.

The class is guessing things like the Arctic, Holland, Brazil, but they are all wrong. Father Tony is pointing out our choices and giving clues so that we can hopefully solve the riddle.

Riley found were he was from, he is from Guyana.

The average temperature is about 25 degrees.

Guyana is below sea level.

The land is about 10 to 15 feet below the sea, which means we have lots of floods.

The English built a wall around the country to stop the water. Actually the British invited the Dutch to build the wall. Since they were in Suriname, just next door, they could bring their expertise to bear in Guyana as well.

The had a man-made door (called a koka, built into the sea wall) so the water can get back out to sea, after a high tide.

In the 1970's his parents and two brothers and he, immigrated from Guyana to Toronto then to the Sault.

Father Tony had never seen snow, until he was 8. He saw his first snow fall in the Sault.

When he went to school Father Tony, meet a lot of people with different names, and that different backgrounds. In grade 6 Father Tony started taking Core French. This was a whole other language for him, but he realized that he enjoys French. He has taken French all through elementary and High school, and even 2 years at University level. He also severed in a French church, for 2 years.

A number of years later, he also learned Italian.

Today, we learned that Father Tony's Father is Chinese, his mother is Portuguese. He was born in Guyana. Grew up in Sault Ste. Marie, and also speaks 3 different languages: Italian, English, and also French.

Lunedi scorso ero in Italia dove ho passato 9 giorni means Last Monday, I was in Italy, where I had spent 9 days.

This last phrase was written on the blackboard so that I could encourage the students to try translating some Italian. They were intrigued with the different languages, and I think they really enjoyed learning about a number of different cultures. I wonder how their teacher will test this new knowledge.

Did you know that:

There are only 23 letters in the Italian alphabet.

There are 27 letters in the Spanish alphabet.

Written Chinese has more than 260 character equivalents to the letters of our alphabet.

Bar-b-ques and blocks

2011-11-23T07:43:00.000-05:00

One third of Canada's homeless population is between the ages of 16 and 25 years. That's a staggering figure, but the truth is that these youth are no different from you and me. They just need a bit of guidance, a place to crash and a few adults they can trust to show them the way.

An annual fundraising campaign was begun yesterday. One of the staff at the Sudbury Action Centre for Youth called it a BBQ and Block Heater party, but the truth is that the festivities are part of the annual Raising the Roof/Chez Toit campaign. The campaign's local kick off took place at a youth drop-in centre with a bar-b-que which was held on the street. Elm street is a very busy thoroughfare, so there's no better place to set up camp. Some of the youth manned the bar-b-que, offering hot dogs and sausages to passers by (cost of $3 or $4 each), and if the passerby agreed to buy a touque (at a cost of $10), they were treated to a can of pop.

Most of the proceeds from the sale of touques stays in the community where it's sold. Of the $10 earned, only two dollars are sent back to the national campaign office. The rest stays in the community to help fund programs for needy youth. Touques can be purchased either from local youth shelters or online at the website above.

For the past year (or is it two by now), some of these youth have been taking part in a community kitchen which is run in this parish. It's been really great to get to know some of them, and to watch them learn some valuable life skills. Each time we meet, there are stories to be told, adventures to be lived, and roles to be modeled. You never know what lessons will be learned when, and when they will be needed most.

For his 25th

2011-11-22T21:39:00.000-05:00

Today, a celebration was held in honour of the 25th anniversary of Ordination of Rev. Josef Niesyto. Combined with a banquet to mark his anniversary, tonight was also about the launch of his seventh book.

Fr. Niesyto has most recently published a book outlining the Church's teaching on sexual morality, the importance of family life and the challenges posed by the modern-day consumerist society known so well in Western civilization. Entitled Dieu au dortoir du couple (the English translation reads God in the bedroom, this newest publication has already stirred a bit of interest in the local media but this doesn't seem to worry him.

Some celebrate major anniversaries quietly. Others do so with a certain flare.
Félicitations pour cette bel oeuvre!