Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

St. Damien Church

14 September 2018

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

I want to thank Fr. Pelster for agreeing and permitting us to schedule this Solemn High Mass in what is a time of penance and reparation for the Church, called for locally by Archbishop Coakley in his letter to us on August 31.  Today’s feast gives us the opportunity to join together at Calvary and to plant the saving reality of the Holy Cross, not in dirt outside the walls of Jerusalem, but in the midst of the filth and dirt of heinous sin in our time.  This Holy Mass is offered for the intention of the healing of victims of clerical abuse and for conversion of the clergy.  Let nothing bring out of focus our attention to victims and the real harm done to them.  No excuses, no dismissals should lessen our focus on victims.  Let only our tears bring that attention out of “focus” because we weep due to unspeakable betrayal of the innocent and unspeakable betrayal of the Innocent Lamb without blemish!

None of us appreciates or likes how our beloved Church appears in this moment.  She’s not supposed to look this way.  She’s not supposed to be filthy.  The Lord gave up his life to make her spotless.  She’s supposed to be upright and standing tall.  Instead she is knocked down and in the dirt.  We hate this moment.  We hate what has happened.  We hate what it does to the Church and to us.  We are conflicted by the mystery of the human elements of the Church and how they are united to the divine.  How will she ever be better?  How will she return to her proper glory?  Just make it all go away.  We are tempted to fall prey to ill-advised silence and cowardice.  From the introit: “But it behoves us to glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ….”  It behoves us to glory in the Cross!

If what I just expressed is true about how ill at ease we are with the disfigurement of the Church, how much more ill at ease are we with the disfigurement of Jesus, which today’s feast calls to our mind?  When we think of the Cross can we possibly like the way the Lord appears?  It doesn’t seem proper that he look so disfigured.  It doesn’t seem proper for him who is God to be filthy and covered in blood.  He’s not supposed to be thrown to the ground, but rather standing tall.  Yet, if he could lower himself to such depths for our salvation… then perhaps our conflict about the Church in this present crisis can be seen with different eyes.  What might cause us to view things differently when we are so disgusted by what is going on in the Church?  The reality that the Church, the Body of Christ, is united with her Head might cause us to see with different lenses.  What causes us to view this differently does not come about primarily by focusing on the Church, but rather by focusing on the Lord.  You see, the Lord is united with his Church in this shame.  We don’t want him in such a situation and we don’t want her, the Church, in it either.  Recalling also that the Lord chose to lower himself from his proper glory in heaven to endure the Cross also reforms our vision.  Certainly, it is a travesty to consider our Lord bruised, bloodied, and broken, as Isaiah prophesied about him: “As many were astonished at him – his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the sons of men” (Is. 52:14).  Yet, do we forget that in the Incarnation the Lord had already condescended mightily by leaving his heavenly glory to take on our flesh?  Considering the infinite greatness of God are we numbed to how unfitting it was for him to take on our flesh?  Isaiah again speaks of how low God made himself: “He had no form or comeliness that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him” (Is. 53:2).  And yet, this seemingly inappropriate lowering of self, this condescension of God to plant Himself in our lost state was already a disfigurement of sorts (at least as regards divinity), well before we ever get to the far greater disfigurement of the Cross.  Only the immense love of God for us helps us cast aside our apprehension to accept what the Lord freely chose to do in order to save us.  What we make of this is that God’s choosing of this path, is what helps us see the Cross and this present moment in Church life differently.  Where we only see brokenness and filth and hopelessness, we believe in faith that divine eyes see something more.  Why can we endure thinking of our Lord so disfigured and His Church presently so disfigured?  Because he chose this path for purposes only he can accomplish and his Bride is united with him to pass from shame to glory!  Think of this: In the suffering of Christ our Head, which we recall on this feast, the Lord used the government, the processes of Roman execution, to be crushed in order to fulfill his plan to accomplish not only death but ultimately the victory of resurrection.  Consider the ugliness of our time and the disfigurement of our beloved Church at the hands of priests and bishops.  What in many ways is forcing the hand and aiding a purification according to God’s plan?  It is, to a degree, again the government being used to force the filth into the light and to drive it to the foot of the Cross to receive its judgment like so many vile demons.  The government method the Lord is using today is, we might say, attorneys general who by the subpoena of records and forced investigation bring us great pain, yes, but oh, with the purification to come, we will see the Bride of Christ, the Church, appear more properly according to her nature as united in greater holiness to her Head.  Because of the power of God to make the horror of the Cross more than just horror, it behoves us to glory in it and we can have confidence that as he was lifted up for our salvation, so he will make his power and victory evident again in his Church, his Bride.  He will bring about a purification that causes our rejoicing and aids our ability to glory in what the world sees only as shame.

Oh sure, in our piety, we want to deny the Lord’s suffering in the words of Peter: “God forbid, Lord!  This shall never happen to you” (Mt. 16:22).  We feel the pain just imagining our good Lord so rejected, abused, beaten, dying, and bound to the Cross.  Yet bound to that ugliness, like sacramental matter to form, is the plan of God to use His lowering and sacrifice of self so that He be raised high in victory.  If we embrace the shame and the pain of purification right now in our age of the Church, there will be grace in our lowering of self and grace in being lifted high with our Head.  We have to want this process as the Lord does: “Now is the judgment of the world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to Myself” (Jn. 12:31-32).

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dominica XXIII per Annum B

9 September 2018

I’ve been reflecting on my past two sermons on the crisis in the Church.  The first time I spoke on this I surprised myself by the intensity and emotion that came out of me.  Last weekend was like getting a bigger picture and a context that I could not appreciate in my anger the first weekend I spoke on these events.  I want to make sure that no one has a mistaken notion that the data I shared last weekend means I am saying the Church is now “in the clear.”  Today I want us to consider the wrath and anger of God who has been deeply offended by the heinous crimes committed in His Church and by His churchmen.  Whatever good the Church has done to address abuse, I think it is time for all of us as the Body of Christ to simply say to victims for whom the statistics never change: We are sorry.  Though we may not be personally guilty, we accept guilt and blame on ourselves and accept the call to do penance and to make reparation for the harm done to the innocent.  In accepting guilt on ourselves, you see, we are being Christlike in a most particular way that conforms us to the saving work of the One who most certainly is not guilty and is not responsible for sin, but who freely took our sin on himself in order to save us on the Cross.

Why does any one of us, not personally guilty, do penance for this situation?  You might want to say, “Sure, Father, maybe a priest or a bishop ought to do penance for sins of priests and bishops, but why us, why the laity?”  The Body of Christ is made up of many parts (1 Cor. 12:12, 14, 20, 27-30).  We do not all have the same function.  But we do share life and we do have the same primary vocation to holiness of life.  This holiness is a personal response to Jesus in our lives.  This holiness is a matter of our participating more fully in salvation.  This holiness is also a corporate matter of permitting the Church of Jesus to be seen for who she is, one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.  The Church’s sanctity can’t be fully seen if the laity aren’t involved.  The laity are the majority of the Church’s members.  All of us together must be living members of this Body.  We can demonstrate now that we are living members of the Body of Christ by joining together and participating in what the Church now needs from us.  St. Paul writes about the unity of the Church: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together” (1 Cor. 12:26).  Our common experience tells us the truth of this.  Are you sick and angry about what you have heard and read about our Church, about some of our priests and bishops?  I know I am.  That’s the truth this Scripture reveals.  Why are you sick and angry if you aren’t part of this?  The sick and angry feeling I imagine we all feel at this time shows how we, as the Body of Christ, are united.  If we feel the harm that has been done by a few, then we can understand the call to likewise all be involved in penance and reparation for our Church.  Furthermore, when individually we don’t admit sin, then we aren’t moved to repent of it in the way Jesus gave us to repent; and when we don’t repent, then we don’t receive purification and healing that comes to us in confession.  We as a Church take on penance and reparation so that a more thorough purification of the Church takes place.  We are called to be part of that.  The only lasting solution to this mess is a closer relationship with Jesus.  We each need that individually and we each need to be part of this now for the Church.  I am convinced that the stories of saints are being written right now by God.  Will you let God write that story in you?

For a few weeks now I have prayed and thought about what to suggest to our parish in response to these events in the Church.  I have my own personal plan that I will keep mostly private.  But as a public person, I probably need to say something about the decision to shave my head.  I mean it as a sign of mourning and penance.  I am telling you this because I ask you, please, don’t treat it as something silly or an item for humorous conversation with me.  In another climate it would be a light, trivial matter, but it is for mourning and penance.  I explained this to the non-Catholic lady who cuts my hair.  She immediately understood the reasoning and added: “Oh sure, you’re sort of stripping yourself and avoiding the vanity of appearance.”  If I hadn’t been stunned by her faith and understanding, I should have said, “Do you want to become Catholic?”  Perhaps this appearance can serve as a visible reminder to pray for victims, to pray for priests and bishops, to pray for me, for Fr. Bali, and for Fr. Mejia.  Now I want to move into my suggestions for penance and reparation at the parish.

To understand my suggestions you need to keep in mind some basic assumptions I believe about this situation.  If you find yourself wondering, or if you find yourself in conversations and people are asking, “Why would Father suggest this or that?”  “Why would Father do that?”  Come back to these three assumptions because they tell you how I see this moment and therefore they inform my suggested response:

I think we are dealing with something truly diabolical.  Fasting and prayer and an awareness of serious battle lines is necessary.  The first clergy scandal in the Church’s history happened among the apostles.  Judas betrayed; Peter denied; nine others fled; only John remained.  One out of twelve.  And Jesus picked them all!  St. John’s Gospel tells us Satan had put it into Judas’ heart to betray Jesus and that Satan entered him in the very act of eating at the Last Supper (cf. Jn. 13:2, 27).  Judas bore his own personal responsibility, but the marks of Satan’s coordination were also evident.  I think we have something similar in the current crisis.  Satan has had his influence and entered the hearts, the minds, and the perverse wills of some priests and bishops.  What a masterpiece the devil has orchestrated, getting the cooperation of human sinners, to infiltrate the priesthood (which is the sacramental image of Christ) in order to deform the Body of Christ.  Some demons can only be expelled by prayer and fasting (cf. Mk. 9:29).  I urge that from all of us.

The state of affairs here demands serious penance, penance on a biblical scale.  The “I’m giving up candy” for Lent response is not adequate, unless you are a small child.  We are being called to radical penance and reparation because I believe we are being prepared by God for the grace needed for a new wave of evangelization of a world that has become increasingly secularized, a secularization that has also wormed its way into the Church.

I think we need to consider what Jesus says is the greatest command (cf. Mt. 22:36-40).  Jesus says the first is to love God with all that you are.  This can guide our response and make sure we give focus to rightly ordering our relationship with God first.  From proper relationship with God first and foremost, love of neighbor then follows.  It is a natural and rather socially acceptable thing to work for the good of our neighbor.  But I am not sure we as a Church keep an intense focus first on God.  You see, it is easy and satisfying and gives us a sense of accomplishment to jump into action instead of first being quiet before God and placing ourselves in His presence.  But if we don’t start with God, then our action is out of order and it distorts the great command as Jesus described it.

A text and audio copy of my remarks will be on the parish website and a summary will be sent to your email if we have an address.  As always, if you would like further explanation or discussion of any aspect of my suggestions, please get in touch with me.  Here is what I suggest for our parish; five ideas for penance and reparation:

Attend Daily Mass: In particular, five consecutive Wednesdays the daily Mass intention in our chapel will be “In Reparation,” asking healing for victims of abuse and repair for sins of the clergy.  These Wednesdays start September 12 and end on October 10.  You are encouraged to join in the chapel for the Mass at 5:30 pm, preceded by confessions.  I chose five Masses in honor of the Five Sacred Wounds of Jesus (which are his wounds of piercing: 2 hands, 2 feet, and his side).

Fasting and abstinence on Wednesdays and Fridays.  From antiquity, Christians fasted on both Wednesdays (marking the day Jesus was betrayed by Judas) and Fridays (marking the day Jesus died for our sins).  Challenge yourself to observe meatless days (that’s what abstaining means in this context) and even fasting (which means taking only one main meal) in reparation for the sins and crimes of the clergy and for healing of victims.  The older practice of what are called “Ember Days,” which were quarterly times of penance, sort of like quarterly mini-Lents, can also be observed with fasting.  The fall Ember Days are:

                Wednesday, September 19

                Friday, September 21

                Saturday, September 22

Weekly Holy Hour: Commit to one Holy Hour each week before the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel.  You can make visits 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  In addition, I will preside over a public time of adoration for healing of victims and in reparation for the sins of priests and bishops on Thursday, September 20, from 7-10 pm.  Come and go as you please in that time frame and know that you can join me in prayer and that I will lead various public prayers throughout that evening.

Invoking Mary & St. Joseph: I encourage each of you to pray the Rosary daily and to pray it as a family at least weekly for the intention of the healing of victims, conversion of the clergy, and sanctity in your family life.  We pray the Rosary about 30 minutes before the start of each Holy Mass on the weekends.  Can you commit to coming to church early enough to make the Rosary?  At the conclusion of these Rosaries before weekend Masses we will add a prayer to St. Joseph.  You can get a copy of this prayer for private and home use too.  I want St. Joseph invoked with our praying of the Rosary because I am convinced one of the roots of the crisis of abuse and cover up among priests and bishops is what I described as a weak masculinity that has resulted in the loss of the ability to be fatherly.  I want us invoking St. Joseph, the patron of fathers, protector of the Church, and terror of demons, so that a stronger masculinity and fatherly spirit may prevail.  I would like husbands and fathers of the parish to step up to volunteer to lead the Rosary before Masses and, men, I’d like you to take charge of this in your homes.  You might say: “I don’t have all the prayers of the Rosary memorized, Father.”  My response is: You can do it.  Get over it.  Get a pamphlet.  Look it up online.  This is not rocket science.  But it will propel the Church more than you can imagine!

Invoking St. Monica: The collect prayer for the Mass of St. Monica mentions two characteristics of our parish patroness that we should develop: tears for conversion and bitterly regretting our sins.  In particular, I want to enlist women and mothers to pray through the intercession of St. Monica for conversion and repentance, especially among clergy.  In the face of large-scale apostolic betrayal in Jesus’ time, when only one apostle stayed close to Jesus in his suffering, it was mostly a group of women who maintained a closer devotion to Jesus.  In the time of St. Monica her devotion eventually led to the conversion of her wayward son, so that he became Christian and an outstanding bishop.  I ask our women today to band together like those women in the apostolic age and like St. Monica to pray for our priests and bishops.

There is much darkness coming out of our Church right now that shakes all of us.  I suspect things will get worse before they get better.  As ugly as things may be, we should thank God that it is coming out into the light so it can be dealt with and purified.  I am convinced that in this darkness, things we cannot see are coming to new life.  I am convinced that the stories of saints are being written right now.  Half-measures and complacency won’t be in those stories.  But disciples making a radical decision to turn to Christ will.  Being saints together is the most enduring answer we can give to victims who have known the darkness in the Church but who long to see the light.  Don’t be closed to being saints.  Rather, let the groan of Jesus echo deep in your heart, mind, and soul: Ephphatha!  Be opened!  With our impediments removed may we go forth with ears opened to God’s Word and with voices ready to speak plainly and to proclaim that Jesus heals and saves us!

Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Spanish)

Dominica XXIII per Annum B

9 de Septiembre 2018

He estado reflexionando sobre mis últimos dos sermones acerca la crisis en la Iglesia. La primera vez que hablé de esto, me sorprendí por la intensidad y la emoción que surgió de mí. El fin de semana pasado fue como obtener una imagen más grande y un contexto en el que no pude apreciar en mi enojo como lo fue el primer fin de semana cuando hablé sobre estos eventos. Quiero asegurarme de que nadie tenga la noción equivocada, de que los datos que compartí el fin de semana pasado significan que la Iglesia ahora está “limpia.” Hoy quiero que consideremos el enojo y la ira de Dios, que se ha sentido profundamente ofendido por los crímenes atroces cometidos en su iglesia y por los hombres que forman parte de la misma. Cualquiera sea el bien que la Iglesia haya hecho para abordar el abuso, creo que es hora de que todos nosotros, como el Cuerpo de Cristo, simplemente le digamos a las víctimas, para quienes las estadísticas nunca cambian: Lo lamentamos. Aunque no seamos personalmente culpables, aceptamos la culpa y nos culpamos a nosotros mismos y aceptamos el llamado a hacer penitencia y a reparar el daño hecho a los inocentes. Al aceptar nosotros mismos la culpa, vemos, que estamos siendo semejantes a Cristo de una manera muy particular, que nos conforma para la obra salvadora de Aquel que ciertamente no es culpable y no es responsable por el pecado, pero que tomó nuestros pecados sobre sí mismo para salvarnos en la Cruz.

¿Por qué nosotros, que no somos personalmente culpables, hacemos penitencia por esta situación? Quizás quieras decir: “Claro, Padre, tal vez un sacerdote o un obispo debe hacer penitencia por los pecados de los sacerdotes y los obispos, pero ¿por qué nosotros, por qué los laicos?” El Cuerpo de Cristo está hecho de muchas partes (1 Cor. 12:12, 14, 20, 27-30). No todos tenemos la misma función. Pero compartimos la vida y tenemos la misma vocación primordial a la santidad de la vida. Esta santidad, es una respuesta personal a Jesús en nuestras vidas. Esta santidad, es una cuestión de nuestra participación más completa en la salvación. Esta santidad, es también un asunto corporativo que permite que se vea a la Iglesia de Jesús por lo que ella es, una, santa, católica y apostólica. La santidad de la Iglesia no se puede ver completamente si los laicos no están involucrados. Los laicos son la mayoría de los miembros de la Iglesia. Todos nosotros juntos debemos ser miembros vivos de este Cuerpo. Podemos demostrar ahora, que somos miembros vivos del Cuerpo de Cristo al unirnos y participar en lo que la Iglesia necesita ahora de nosotros.  San Pablo escribe sobre la unidad de la Iglesia: “Si un miembro sufre, todos sufren juntos; si un miembro es honrado, todos se regocijan juntos” (1 Corintios 12:26). Nuestra experiencia común nos dice la verdad de esto. ¿Estás enfermo y enojado por lo que has escuchado y leído sobre nuestra Iglesia, sobre algunos de nuestros sacerdotes y obispos? Sé quien soy. Esa es la verdad que revela esta Escritura. ¿Por qué estás desconcertado y enojado si no eres parte de esto? La sensación de desconcierto y enojo que imagino todos sentimos en este momento, muestra cómo nosotros, como el Cuerpo de Cristo, estamos unidos. Si sentimos el daño que han hecho algunos, entonces podemos entender el llamado para que todos participemos de la penitencia y la reparación de nuestra Iglesia. Además, cuando individualmente no admitimos el pecado, no nos vemos obligados a arrepentirnos de él, en la manera que Jesús nos dio para arrepentirnos; y cuando no nos arrepentimos, entonces no recibimos la purificación y la sanación que nos llega en la confesión. Nosotros, como Iglesia, asumimos la penitencia de reparación para que se realice una purificación más profunda de la Iglesia. Estamos llamados a ser parte de eso. La única solución duradera a este problema, es una relación más cercana con Jesús. Todos necesitamos eso individualmente y cada uno de nosotros necesitamos ser parte de esto ahora para la Iglesia. Estoy convencido de que Dios está escribiendo las historias de los santos en este momento. ¿Dejarás que Dios escriba esa historia en ti?

Desde hace algunas semanas, he orado y pensado sobre qué sugerir a nuestra parroquia en respuesta a estos eventos en la Iglesia. Tengo mi propio plan personal que mantendré en su mayoría privado. Pero como persona pública, probablemente deba decir algo sobre la decisión de afeitarme la cabeza. Lo hice como un signo de luto y penitencia. Te lo digo pidiéndote por favor, que no lo tomes como algo tonto o como tema para una conversación humorística conmigo. En otro momento, esto sería una cosa ligera y trivial, pero es para el luto y la penitencia. Le expliqué esto a la mujer no-católica que me corta el pelo. Inmediatamente entendió el razonamiento y agregó: “Oh, claro, te estás desnudando y evitando la vanidad de la apariencia.” Si no me hubiera sorprendido su fe y comprensión, debería haberle preguntado: “¿Quieres convertirte en católica?” Tal vez esta apariencia pueda servirles como un recordatorio visible para orar por las víctimas, orar por los sacerdotes y obispos, orar por mí, por el Padre Bali y por el Padre Mejía. Ahora quiero pasar a mis sugerencias de penitencia y reparación en la parroquia.

Para entender mis sugerencias, debe tener en cuenta algunas consideraciones básicas que creo sobre esta situación. Si te encuentras preguntándote, o si te encuentras en conversaciones y la gente pregunta: “¿Por qué el Padre sugirió esto o lo otro?” “¿Por qué el Padre haría eso?” Tome en cuenta estas tres consideraciones que le dicen cómo percibo este momento y por lo tanto, informen las respuestas que les sugiero:

Creo que estamos lidiando con algo realmente diabólico. El ayuno, la oración y la conciencia de las líneas de batalla serias, son necesarias. El primer escándalo de clérigos en la historia de la Iglesia ocurrió entre los apóstoles. Judas traicionado; Pedro negó; otros nueve huyeron; solo Juan se quedó. Uno de doce. ¡Y Jesús los recogió a todos! El Evangelio de San Juan nos dice, que Satanás había puesto en el corazón de Judas traicionar a Jesús y que Satanás entró en él, en el mismo momento de estar comiendo en la Última Cena (cf. Jn. 13: 2, 27). Judas tenía su propia responsabilidad, pero las marcas de la manipulación de Satanás también eran evidentes. Creo que tenemos algo similar en la crisis actual. Satanás ha tenido su influencia y ha ingresado en los corazones, las mentes y las voluntades perversas de algunos sacerdotes y obispos. ¡Qué obra maestra el diablo ha orquestado, obteniendo la cooperación de los pecadores humanos, para infiltrarse en el sacerdocio (que es la imagen sacramental de Cristo) con el fin de deformar el Cuerpo de Cristo. Algunos demonios solo pueden ser expulsados ​​mediante la oración y el ayuno (cf. Mc. 9:29). Insto a todos nosotros.

El estado de las cosas aquí exige penitencia seria, penitencia en una escala bíblica. El “Estoy renunciando a los dulces” para la respuesta de Cuaresma no es adecuado, a menos que seas un niño pequeño. Estamos siendo llamados a la penitencia y la reparación radical, porque creo que estamos siendo preparados por Dios, para contar con la gracia necesaria, para una nueva ola de evangelización de un mundo que se ha vuelto cada vez más secularizado, una secularización que también se abrió camino en la Iglesia.

Creo que debemos considerar lo que Jesús dice que es el mandamiento más grande (cf. Mt. 22: 36-40). Jesús dice que lo primero, es amar a Dios con todo lo que eres. Esto puede guiar nuestra respuesta y asegurarnos de centrarnos de manera prioritaria en ordenar correctamente nuestra relación con Dios. De la relación adecuada con Dios en primer lugar, lo siguiente es el amor al prójimo. Es una cosa natural y socialmente aceptable trabajar por el bien de nuestro prójimo. Pero no estoy seguro de que como Iglesia mantengamos un enfoque intenso primero en Dios. Usted lo nota, es fácil y satisfactorio, y nos da un sentido de logro ponernos en acción, en lugar de permanecer de primera instancia callados ante Dios y colocarnos ante su presencia. Pero si no comenzamos con Dios, entonces nuestra acción está fuera de orden y distorsiona el gran mandamiento tal como Jesús lo describió.

Una copia de texto de mis comentarios estará en el sitio web de la parroquia y se enviará a su correo electrónico si tenemos su dirección. Como siempre, si desea más explicación o discusión sobre cualquier aspecto de mis sugerencias, por favor póngase en contacto con la oficina. Esto es lo que sugiero para nuestra parroquia:

Asistir a la Misa diaria: En particular, cinco miércoles consecutivos, la intención de la Misa diaria en inglés en nuestra capilla será “En reparación,” pidiendo la curación de las víctimas de abuso y reparación por los pecados del clero. Estos miércoles comienzan el doce (12) de septiembre y terminan el diez (10) de octubre. Le invitamos a unirse a la capilla para la misa a las cinco y media (5:30 pm) de la tarde. Elegí cinco Misas en honor a las Cinco Sagradas Llagas de Jesús (que son las heridas en sus dos manos, dos pies, y su costado).

Ayuno y abstinencia los miércoles y viernes. Desde la antigüedad, los cristianos ayunaron los miércoles (el día en que Jesús fue traicionado por Judas) y los viernes ambos (el día en que Jesús murió por nuestros pecados). Ponte a prueba pasando estos días sin carne (eso es lo que significa abstinencia en este contexto) e incluso ayunando (lo que significa tomar solo una comida principal) como reparación por los pecados y crímenes del clero y para sanar a las víctimas. La antigua práctica de los llamados “Días de Ascuas” donde cada tres meses se hacía la penitencia, algo así como una mini-Cuaresma, también se puede vivir con ayuno. Los “Días de Ascuas” para el otoño son:

Miércoles, diecinueve (19) de septiembre

Viernes, veintiuno (21) de septiembre

Sábado, veintidós (22) de septiembre

Hora Santa semanal: Comprométase a vivir una Hora Santa cada semana ante el Santísimo Sacramento en nuestra capilla. Puede hacer visitas durante las veinticuatro (24) horas del día, los siete (7) días de la semana. Además, presidiré un tiempo de adoración publica para sanar a las víctimas y en reparación por los pecados de los sacerdotes y obispos el jueves, el veinte (20) de septiembre, de las siete (7) a las diez (10) de la noche. Venga a la hora que guste durante ese periodo de tiempo y sepa que puede unirse a mí en oración y que dirigiré varias oraciones de manera pública durante toda la noche.

Invocar a María y a San José: Invito y animo a cada uno de ustedes a rezar el Rosario todos los días y rezarlo como familia al menos una vez por semana con la intención de sanar a las víctimas, convertir al clero, y para la santidad en su vida familiar. Rezamos el Rosario unos treinta (30) minutos antes del inicio de cada Santa Misa los fines de semana. ¿Puedes comprometerte a venir a la iglesia lo suficientemente temprano para hacer el Rosario? Al concluir estos Rosarios antes de las Misas de fin de semana, agregaremos una oración a San José. También puede obtener una copia de esta oración para uso personal y familiar. Quiero invocar a San José con nuestra oración del Rosario porque estoy convencido de que una de las raíces de la crisis del abuso y el encubrimiento entre sacerdotes y obispos, es lo que describí como una masculinidad débil, que ha dado como resultado, la pérdida de la capacidad de ser paternal. Quiero que invocamos a San José, el patrón de los padres, protector de la Iglesia y terror de los demonios, para que prevalezca una más fuerte masculinidad y un espíritu paternal. Me gustaría que los esposos y padres de la parroquia se ofrezcan como voluntarios para dirigir el Rosario antes de las Misas y para ustedes, hombres, también me gustaría que se hagan cargo de esto en sus hogares. Usted podría decir: “No tengo todas las oraciones del Rosario memorizadas, Padre.” Mi respuesta es: Puedes hacerlo. Supéralo. Obtenga un panfleto. Búscalo en línea. Esto no es ciencia de cohetes al espacio. ¡Pero impulsará a la Iglesia más de lo que puedas imaginar!

Invocar a Santa Mónica: La oración colectiva para la Misa de Santa Mónica menciona dos características de la patrona de nuestra parroquia que debemos tomar en cuenta: lágrimas por la conversión y lamentar amargamente nuestros pecados. En particular, quiero reclutar mujeres y madres para orar por la intercesión de Santa Mónica para la conversión y el arrepentimiento, especialmente entre el clero. Frente a la traición apostólica a gran escala en la época de Jesús, cuando solo un apóstol se mantuvo cerca de Jesús en su sufrimiento, era principalmente un grupo de mujeres que mantenía una devoción más cercana a Jesús. En la época de Santa Mónica, su devoción finalmente llevó a la conversión de su hijo descarriado, por lo que se convirtió en cristiano y un obispo sobresaliente. Pido a nuestras mujeres hoy que se unan como esas mujeres en la edad apostólica, y como Santa Mónica, para orar por nuestros sacerdotes y obispos.

Hay mucha oscuridad que sale de nuestra Iglesia en este momento que nos conmueve a todos. Sospecho que las cosas empeorarán antes de que mejoren. Pero por muy feos que puedan ser, debemos agradecer a Dios que todo esto está saliendo a la luz para que pueda ser tratado y purificado. Estoy convencido de que, en esta oscuridad, las cosas que no podemos ver están llegando a una nueva vida. Estoy convencido de que las historias de los santos se están escribiendo en este momento. Las medidas a medias y la complacencia no estarán en esas historias. Pero los discípulos que toman una decisión radical de volverse a Cristo lo harán. Ser santos juntos, es la respuesta más sólida y duradera que podemos dar a las víctimas, que han conocido la oscuridad en la Iglesia pero que desean ver la luz. No se cierren a ser santos. Más bien, deja que el suspiro de Jesús resuene profundamente en tu corazón, mente y alma: ¡Ephphatha! ¡Sé abierto! ¡Con nuestros impedimentos eliminados, podremos salir con los oídos abiertos a la Palabra de Dios y con voces listas para hablar con claridad y proclamar que Jesús nos sana y salva!

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dominica XXII per Annum B

2 September 2018

It has been a very curious week as more of the current crisis in the Church unfolds.  And I really long for the day when I can return to giving proper homilies about the Scriptures.  However, in a moment like this when we are all saddened, scandalized, and shaken you deserve to hear from your Pastor about what is going on and how to maintain a perspective of faith.  I hope you will agree with my opinion that sort of having to suspend reflections on the Scriptures and to talk about what is going on is warranted at this moment.

A week ago a stunning testimony was released from the Pope’s former ambassador to the United States, the now-retired Vatican diplomat, Archbishop Viganó, who alleges cover up regarding the sex scandal surrounding former-Cardinal McCarrick.  Viganó’s allegations implicate many high-ranking Vatican prelates and raise questions about the handling of this by Pope Benedict and by Pope Francis.  The allegations further raise questions about whether Pope Francis ignored sanctions said to have been imposed against McCarrick by Pope Benedict.  Since Viganó is no hack but is someone with privileged information relevant to these charges, it seems to me his allegations must be investigated.  He is credible and knowledgeable.  Therefore, I wrote Archbishop Coakley, Cardinal DiNardo (in his role as President of the conference of bishops of this country), and Archbishop Pierre (Viganó’s successor), the Pope’s current ambassador to the United States, asking each of them to lend their voice to the demand that Viganó’s claims be fully investigated.  I’m not usually writing bishops and making demands.  It has been a curious week.  It would seem that several bishops around the country are in fact demanding an investigation.  Archbishop Coakley is among them.  The week was a bit more curious when the The Vista, the newspaper at UCO, called me and conducted an interview about the crisis and how it is impacting Edmond Catholics.  That article should be out this week.

Since my remarks a couple of weeks ago I have had some time to calm down a bit.  I think more data gives us a context to see that abuse in the Church has been effectively responded to with procedures and policies since 2002, which has greatly reduced (by large margins) the incidence of abuse and new events of abuse.  By stating this I am not saying we don’t have more work to do or that there isn’t still a crisis.  Rather, it might help us all to see what good has been accomplished so our picture is accurate.  Before I share some statistics for context, I want to state clearly that abuse like this must not be happening in the Church and among clerics.  That even one event of abuse has happened is too much.  The first focus needs to always be the victims, the harm done to them, and how we respond to them and care for them.  I tried to address that in my remarks a couple of weeks ago.  Today, by no means diminishing the focus on victims or offering excuses, I think talking about the context here can help us as we struggle.  I decided to share some data in the homily today because I noted in several conversations this past week the mistaken notion that widespread abuse is still going on presently, on the same horrific scale as when it first became more publicly known in 2002.  But that is actually not true.  To that end I have decided to share with you data from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, called CARA, at Georgetown University.  CARA is a non-profit research center that conducts social scientific studies about the Catholic Church.  A research analyst, Mark Gray, speaks in the data I will now share regarding past reports of abuse in light of the current Pennsylvania Grand Jury report.  It’s a rather lengthy report I want to share with you, so bear with me.  The words I am speaking come from Mark Gray the analyst.  [Read CARA report]

http://nineteensixty-four.blogspot.com/2018/08/pain-never-disappears-from-unhealed.html

[After CARA report pick up here…] So reports Mark Gray from CARA.  The data here is helpful and, furthermore, I can agree with the researcher’s attitude and suggestions.  Again, I do not want there to be any confusion or careless claim that distracts from real harm done to victims and the collateral harm done to us since scandal rocks us and shames us all.  With that in mind, it is at least good to hear that as regards abuse itself, we should not be mistaken and think that the PA Grand Jury report is revealing an entire set of new abuse cases.  Most of it is abuse that fits the historical pattern of having occurred mostly in the 1960s through the 1980s.  What does seem to be new is that the grand jury report gives us a focused look at the response of bishops and other Church leaders.  The abuse itself is the most horrific thing of all.  However, perhaps the knowledge now of cover up and secrecy is the fuel that drives most of the current anger in what has now become another crisis for us.  Given that we are reliving again 2002 with a report on mostly older, historical cases, I wholeheartedly agree that the Church should freely and willingly open our records for independent scrutiny.  I was 28 years old when I had to preach on this scandal in 2002.  Sixteen years later I’m doing it again at 45 years old.  I would really like it if I didn’t have to treat this subject when I’m 61 years old.  I’m glad to tell you that Archbishop Coakley has announced a plan to review our current and our historical clergy files and to submit them to independent scrutiny from a prominent local law firm so that a report may be made public.  This strange week for me continued in that I happened to have a conversation with Governor Frank Keating this week who, in the aftermath of the 2002 scandal, had been the chairman of the National Review Board set up by the US bishops to respond to the abuse crisis.  He expressed great pleasure at Archbishop Coakley’s plan and he expressed hope that a prominent state law enforcement officer would review the plan and give it public support so that we can all have confidence that we are opening this dark subject once and for all.

We are in for a long haul with our response this time around to what seems to me to be a crisis most closely focused on failed leadership in our Church as regards the handling of the crime and the sin of abuse.  The allegations that have come out reaching all the way to the top in the Vatican continue to develop and I have no idea where all that might go.  To be sure, the daily and ongoing developments in the news cycle are exhausting.  But we have to cry out to God in this and find our source of hope and light in Him.  We must also do penance and make reparation for the evil and the grave harm done in our Church.  I want to be part of the solution and I hope you will want the same.  I truly believe we need some radical penance and reparation on a biblical scale that gives particular focus to ordering rightly our relationship with God and our relationship to others.  This focus will respond to what Jesus says is the greatest command: Love God first with all that you have and are; and love your neighbor as yourself.  I am continuing to pray and it is my plan next weekend to announce my decisions and suggestions for the penance and reparation we will observe here.  In the meantime, and in conclusion, I want to share some of Archbishop Coakley’s words from his letter to all of us about penance and reparation.  But before I do that, if you are interested, I’m happy to share any of the documents I referenced today, my own letters to the bishops or the CARA report.  Just let me know.  [Read Coakley Letter, 31 August 2018].