The Big Scoop

Jesus said to his disciples: Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.” (Lk 6:36-38)

I enjoy going to the movies. I almost always go alone because it’s “me time”. One of my unwritten rules for going to the movie is that I HAVE to get popcorn. Even if I’ve just eaten I have to have popcorn. Its interesting to observe how some of the employees somewhat fill the bag and place it on the counter; whereas, others fill the bag, shake the bag or pack it down using the scooper in order to fill up the empty spaces and then they fill it up some more. I like that later person – a lot. The Gospel passage above makes it clear that Jesus encountered these people and liked them a lot too.

These generous servers serve others in the measure that they themselves would like to be served. BIG scoops, BIG servings, shaken down, packed together and overflowing. Jesus uses such people as an example to us on how we should love, forgive, give and serve it other. All of these things come in measures. We can love, forgive, give and serve like the employee who somewhat fills the bag with popcorn or we can do them to overflowing.

Use a HUGE scooper! For, the measure with which you measure [God] will in return measure out to you.


Jesus is, as always, the best example. He IS the Big Scoop. God the Father served us with everything he had, his dearly beloved Son, and handed him (served him) over to us. We are invited to give back nothing less than everything.

Our daily lives give us a thousand opportunities to serve others in some measure, frugally or generously. What measure do we return to God in the giving our time and money (livelihood) to our church, what measure do we use in personal and family prayer, in serving our children, spouse, employer, customers, school work, sports, and forgiving one another?

We want to do these things in a way that people will say “wow”! Go crazy. In everything you do use a good measure, pack it together, shake it down, and serve it till it overflows. “For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

That’s the big scoop.

EBAY Item for Sale: Two Extra Hours Each Day

How many times have you said “where did the time go”, “time flies”, “I need more time”, or “give me five more minutes”. What if you could buy extra time like you buy other things? How much would you pay for an extra hour of time? What would you do with it?

I know several people who have terminal illnesses and would pay handsomely for some extra time. So back to the question: if time is money so how much money would spend for an extra hour?

A study in 2009 revealed that the average Briton spends two hours and 15 minutes of their day fretting and worrying about things. That adds up to a loss of one month of life every year.

Jesus was – and is – very aware how much we worry. He said:

““Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them.

Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’

All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.” (Mt 6:24:34)

“Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” No. In fact, not only do we loose valuable time by worrying – which resolves nothing – but stress is also physically and emotionally damaging. Stress takes a toll on the body as well as the mind further decreasing our quality of life and sometimes our length of life.


Just think, if we stopped worrying we’d gain an extra month of life every year. If we entrust our worries – as well as our joys – to God we will also receive the peace and joy that comes with allowing God to be the God of our worries instead of letting our worries become little gods.

Remember this beautiful encounter? “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing” (Lk 10:41) Jesus tells us, “seek first the kingdom of God… and all these things will be given you besides”.

There are several times in the Scriptures when God or an angel is telling someone “do not be afraid”. John Paul II’s first words as Pope were “do not be afraid”. So, do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself.

However, Jesus did tell us to fear something. Do you remember what it was?

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Mt 10:28). Instead of worrying about corporal things such as food and clothing Jesus tells us to be afraid of what can damage our soul. To be clear, only we can destroy our soul by a lack of faith and by sin. Sin is not something that happens to us. Rather, a sin is something we freely choose to do knowing it is contrary to God’s will.

When was the last time you found yourself worrying about your soul – the one thing Jesus told us to fear loosing? We get things backwards sometimes, we worry about things we should not worry about and do not concern ourselves with what really matters – our soul.

So enjoy your extra two hours of life each day. When worries come – and they will keep coming –ask yourself if they are the worries Jesus told you to worry about or not. If not, give them to Jesus. Tomorrow will take care of itself and God will take care of us.

I'm Back

Like I mentioned in my very first post, I'm not exactly sure what this blog is for. I am not a good writer and writting does not come easy for me. Furthermore, it seems that there is something inherently arrogant about blogs - the thought that I think I have something so important to say that others are going to want to hear it. You be the judge.

Some of you have requested that I get back to blogging so I'm going to give it a try. Please try to overlook all the errors and take from it whatever you like.

Here we go.

"Is it in vain that I have kept my heart clean"?

Living a Christian life isn't easy and, of course, Jesus never said it was. On the contrary he who said "I am the way, the truth and the life" showed us by his own life, death, and resurrection what the Christian Way looks like. However, while we're trying hard to live a good Christian life sometimes we're tempted to look at those who live godless and selfish, and yet apparently rich carefree and we ask ourselves is in vain that I have kept my heart clean?

We're not alone. The psalmist below felt the same way until he gained a little Godly insight.

Psalm 73

1. How good God is to the upright, the Lord, to those who are clean of heart!

2 But, as for me, I lost my balance; my feet all but slipped,

3 Because I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

4 For they suffer no pain; their bodies are healthy and sleek.

5 They are free of the burdens of life; they are not afflicted like others.

6 Thus pride adorns them as a necklace; violence clothes them as a robe.

7 Out of their stupidity comes sin; evil thoughts flood their hearts.

8 They scoff and spout their malice; from on high they utter threats.

9 They set their mouths against the heavens, their tongues roam the earth.

10 So my people turn to them and drink deeply of their words.

11 They say, "Does God really know?" "Does the Most High have any knowledge?"

12 Such, then, are the wicked, always carefree, increasing their wealth.

13 Is it in vain that I have kept my heart clean, washed my hands in innocence?

14 For I am afflicted day after day, chastised every morning.

15 Had I thought, "I will speak as they do," I would have betrayed your people.

16 Though I tried to understand all this, it was too difficult for me,

17 Till I entered the sanctuary of God and came to understand their end.

18 You set them, indeed, on a slippery road; you hurl them down to ruin.

19 How suddenly they are devastated; undone by disasters forever!

20 They are like a dream after waking, Lord, dismissed like shadows when you arise.

21 Since my heart was embittered and my soul deeply wounded,

22 I was stupid and could not understand; I was like a brute beast in your presence.

23 Yet I am always with you; you take hold of my right hand.

24 With your counsel you guide me, and at the end receive me with honor.

25 Whom else have I in the heavens? None beside you delights me on earth.

26 Though my flesh and my heart fail, God is the rock of my heart, my portion forever.

27 But those who are far from you perish; you destroy those unfaithful to you.

28 As for me, to be near God is my good, to make the Lord GOD my refuge. I shall declare all your works in the gates of daughter Zion.

The Bells of Summer

As the bells of a monastery call its monks to prayer so too does summer call us to leisure. I am glad to report that I headed this call and ran to attention. The bells called me to12 days in Northwestern Ireland. Hidden away in a thatched roofed cottage for four days without a neighbor in sight you might call this extreme leisure. And I loved it.

Some people prefer high intensity, always-on-the-go, come back tired but exhilarated vacations. There’s nothing wrong with that. However, I knew I wanted a vacation I would not need a vacation

from. Sometimes we think of vacation as “disconnecting” from everything. Wireless technology has made it so easy to “connect” anywhere and very difficult to disconnect. My experience of vacation taught me that I am most connected precisely when I am disconnected from everything. True leisure opens us up to receive and enjoy what is around us.

I remember the moments immediately after having LASIX surgery on my eyes several years ago. Everything was amazingly crisp. I could see the pointed edges of the leaves and the rich textures of plants and buildings. I was seeing nothing new but I was seeing everything in a new way – I could things more clearly as they were. This is a good analogy of leisure. True leisure is medicine to the senses. It cleans out the pores, prunes and retunes the senses and helps us to see and appreciate anew the the beautiful things that surround us .

My trip to Ireland was a time of true leisure that took me out of my “bubble”- my world, my culture, ideas, surroundings - and helped me get realigned, reoriented. It also helped fine-tune my internal listening skills – my senses. Nestled away on a green hill I was free from the many things that call my voice and sometimes shout: TV, radio, internet, IPOD, cell phone etc… Yes, this was a bit uncomfortable at first, restlessness quickly came upon me. I was looking for something to do, to do, to do.

Traveling alone to Ireland was more life-giving and fulfilling than you could imagine. I don’t think I’ll forget sitting in the middle of a large field of yellow daisies that surrounded the cottage. Nature is a convincing and entertaining teacher! Being alone and quiet forced me to look at things that I would normally see in much the same way as I see the painted lanes on the freeway. I see them but I certainly don’t look at them. Sitting in that green field with the thick grass and yellow daisies made me understand instantly how poetry comes into being. It not written so much as it’s observed. And when it is written is more of a testimony of what was seen as opposed to something created by words. It is no wonder that Ireland is the land of poets but it is not enough to simply be in Ireland or anywhere else for that matter. One must stop, sit on the ground and observe. The moment you “use” nature as a means to and an end, even for poetry, you’ve lost it.
As I sat there among the grass and daisies with sheep taking notice of me from a neighboring field I couldn’t help but notice that daisies looking up at the sun and smiling. I saw the daisies dance as they followed the lead of the breeze - sometimes graceful, sometimes violent. Through it all the daisies never fell, never turned their yellow faces to the ground but danced. Each flower according to its height bounced up and down as if on springs as the music of the wind grew stronger. As I watched them spring up and down, left and right, each at its own pace, I can could almost hear them giggle. Their strong and unpredictable dance partner led the dance and they followed and they laughed. I imagined myself as one of them yelling at the wind to “keep it down” or, “tell me the next time you’re going to blow hard” or “let me lead”.

Those daisies taught me how to dance that day.

Leisure also helps to me in my proper place. No cell phone no calls to the parish and…the world went on just fine without me. When I return to the business of life tomorrow I will try to remember the good teaching and example of the daisies and God’s other creations: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life and what you will eat, or about your body and what you will wear. For life is more than food and the body more than clothing. Notice the ravens: they do not sow or reap; they have neither storehouse nor barn, yet God feeds them. How much more important are you than birds! Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your lifespan? If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest? Notice how the flowers grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass in the field that grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? As for you, do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not worry anymore. All the nations of the world seek for these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these other things will be given you besides. (Mt12:22-31)

Leisure also gave me time for reading which I enjoy. Like going to a movie theater you need and expect some level of silence. Although this level of quiet is not always possible when reading vacation allowed me this freedom knowing I was safe from distraction and free from work. The turf fire, light rain, and Guinness also helped.

Leisure is not a luxury. When we stop and sit among the daisies we rediscover and experience anew the beautiful gifts of God that surround us, they remind of us of his great care for us and in so doing we glimpse of God.

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Postscript:
So how much time off does a priest get?
It differs among religious orders (such as Jesuits and Dominicans) and diocesan priests. There may also be differences from one diocese to another, however, in my diocese we are allowed:
1. One day off a week
2. Four weeks of vacation (but only 3 weekends)
3. Five weekdays after Christmas and Easter (one of which is our day off)
4. One day a month for a day of recollection/prayer.

What I read on Vacation:
Ann Rice: Out of Egypt
Grisham: (finished) The Appeal
Grisham: The Painted House
Jhumpa Lahiri: Unaccustomed Earth
W.B. Yeats: Collection of Poetry
Caritas in Veritate: Pope Benedict XVI

Lessons from Children

Here are few instances where children have stopped me in my tracks.

The Embrace
Not long ago I was hearing the first confessions of children, mostly seven year olds. Each encounter is as precious as the next but once in a while one "gets ya". After about 15 confessions the next child came forward and, like the others, we greeted one another and he made his first confession. However, immediately after I said "your sins are forgiven. Go in peace" he jumped out of his seat and hugged me. I didn't see that coming. The image of the prodigal son raced to my mind. The "prodigal" son wasn't very prodigal in this case, however, the sacramental "embrace" he received from his heavenly Father seemed no less strong and comforting than the one told in Scriptures. I guess he felt compelled to share that with me. I'm glad I was able to be of assistance.


God Loves A Cheerful Giver
Here's the scene. It is Sunday a few minutes before the one o'clock Mass in Spanish. I am standing at the entrance of the church ready to begin the procession. The song begins and the altar servers process in followed by the lectors. Like a wedding, I give a little room between the lectors and myself and get ready to go when a 4 year old girl runs out of the last pew and stand right in front of me. She is so close to me her head to cocked all the way back with her two pony tails hanging freely in the air. She smiles revealing a few missing teach and holds out her closed hand. I hold out my hand as she proudly enriches it with four pennies. I walked quickly to catch up with the procession far ahead of me as I proudly jingled the four pennies in my hand. As Mass continued the bread and wine were brought forward and blessed. At that point I thanked the girl and assured her that her gift was sitting safely right her on the altar.



On God's Time Zone
I had just spent an an hour with teaching children who are preparing to receive their First Holy Communion. We looked at all the different things we use at Mass inlcuding the chalice, paten, corporal, and vestments. After the class, as the students were leaving a little girl looked at me with a serious face and entrigued with all that we had learned about Jesus she asked: "Father, is there anyone alive now who knew Jesus?" Wow. Then again, don't we pray:

"A thousand years in your eyes are merely a yesterday"

Psalm 90:4

A Natural Remedy for the Gotta-Have-It Moments in Life!

You know the feeling: I gotta have it. Sometimes this overwhelming feeling comes to us at the mall, online, on vacation, watching T.V. - anywhere. It can be a dangerous, enslaving feeling whose very pursuit of obtaining what it seeks gives us a devilish joy. We loose focus of everything else around us as we become fixated on this one thing like a hunter who sees his prey. Fixated. Blessed to live in such an affluent county it is within our means to buy many things or put them on our credit card as we add more weight to our heavy debt.

Having lived in a religious community for six years I know what it is like to live a vow of poverty. As millennia of religious brothers and sisters attest, this temptation to own and accumulate follows one into the convent and rectory. Instead of clothes or cars one is tempted to have more of what one already has, a better one or, better yet, a new one - whatever that thing may be. We seem to have this inordinate desire to own whatever we desire. We are not content with enjoying something. We gotta own it!

I recently bought an IPOD. Now, when I listen to a song on the radio or the internet I gotta have it - I have to buy it, own it, ts mine, my precious. Obviously there is absolutely nothing wrong with buying music. I will continue to do so, however, I think there is a valuable lesson in being aware if this passion within us.

Can we simply enjoy something (or someone) without having to own and possess it? Can we enjoy something and let it go? When I go on vacation I am always tempted to buy stuff that I'll never ever use. I understand some of this passion comes from our desire to remember or memorialize different experiences in life. A tee-shirt reminds of where we bought it and in some way helps us to relive some part of that particular experience. Isn't that true? Even in our Catholic tradition we have relics. We naturally want a physical connection to whatever or whoever we love and desire. This reality is deeply rooted in something very true and beautiful: "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us." (Jn 1:14) The spiritual and physical, the natural and divine are forever wedded in us.

Our thirst for material things comes from the fact that we have an unquenchable spiritual hunger that will only be satisfied when "on that day we shall see you, our God, as you are. We shall become like you and praise you for ever "(Eucharist Prayer II). Because we are not angels (pure spirit) but human beings (body and soul) we are made to experience reality through our five bodily senses.

Our passions, including the passion to possess, however, must be subject to reason. They need direction, they need to be informed, to be disciplined but never suppressed. Otherwise, we become slaves to desires that at best offer us momentary pleasure but never satisfy.

In a recent trip to Cabo Real, Mexico, I wanted to buy something badly. I don't remember what it was now, however, I remember loving the trip and therefore felt compelled to buy something - anything. I subconsciously wanted to try to perpetualize this joy I was experiencing through something material. Its incredible that sometimes something as simple as a rock or a picture can help bring to "life" moments we rightfully want to relive.

I found my match, however: nature. Nature is the remedy for this gotta have it mentality. When you look over the Grand Canyon or the Cliffs of Moher, you can't own it; all you can do is enjoy it. Sure, if you have enough money perhaps you could buy some of the land but never enough to own all the beauty in the world - the sea, the sky and land. At some point you just have to sit down and be absorbed by the beauty and enjoy it without trying to buy it.

Nature frustrates our desire to own everything that gives us pleasure. It taunts us saying "I know you wan'it but you can't have it" All we can do is sit defeated and forfeit our seek-and-destroy mentality and just enjoy it without taking possession of it. It seems to me that these are precisely the moments that bring us satisfaction and peace.

These are a Few of my Favorite Things

Well, its been a while. It's come to my attention that people were actually reading my blog and perhaps it may have helped someone in some way. So, I will try to write more consistently.

From time to time someone asks me what I like about being a priest. Honestly, its a hard question to answer because the question sometimes relegates the priesthood to a mere job like being a lawyer, credit analyst, or factory worker. Yes, the priesthood is a job, my job is being a Parochial Vicar - a parish priest - but it is first and foremost a vocation, like being married, or single, or a religious sister or brother.

I've decided to sit down and write a brief list of some of my favorite ministerial experiences. These are not listed any any particular order.


Marriage Preparation
One of the things that I spend a considerable amount of time doing is preparing couples for marriage. With divorce rates roaming around 60% and aware of the harm that it causes this is a daunting task. It can be difficult for some couples to really take advantage of this time of preparation because they are stressed out preparing for their wedding day. At times I am tempted to become disheartened when I sit down with a couple for the first time who are asking to make a life-long vow to God and their fiancé and yet are living together, not going to Mass each Sunday, nor praying together. For some, meeting with a priest is just "going through the hoops" to get married. On the other hand, I have occasionally witnessed great transformations during this time of preparation.

It has happened that a couple returns for the second meeting and say "Father, we've decided we're not going to have sex until we get married". Often, one of them will move out until they get married. I have seem couples start to pray together for the first time and go to Mass together each Sunday. While its easy - and my responsibility - to tell engaged couples to do these things it's wonderful to see this change come from within them. As a "father" (priest) I want to offer them the tools for a life of marriage that mirrors the love of God for us. Seeing this transformation in marriage preparation is one of my favorite things.


Domestic Churches
My life as a priest leads me into stranger's homes. I am invited to bless homes or apartments and to anoint someone who is sick. During these visits I have seen some a most profound love and devotion that spouses have for one another, adult children for the sick parents, and parents for their children, particularly those who have disabilities. These homes are truly the domestic churches that Pope John Paul II invites all families to build out of faith and love.

I remember distinctly being called to anoint an elderly and terminally ill woman at her house. I had never met this women or her husband before because her health made impossible for her to leave the house. Her husband answered the door and led me to her. She was clearly in some pain as she lie in her bed. At her side must have been 25 different medicine bottles. She told me that the thing that bothered her most was not the pain but having to make her husband take care of her all the time . She needed help doing everything including going to the bathroom. Her husband, standing next to me was hard of hearing a didn't hear what she said. I asked her how long they had been married. 60 years. I turned to her husband him and in a loud voice asked how he felt about taking care of his wife like this for the last several years. He said in a loud but very gentle and peaceful voice that he loved it. It was so clear to me that he was more in love and devoted to her than they could have been on their wedding day. The type of love this man had for his wife is exactly what the Passion of Christ - the crucifix, looks like in married life. It was beautiful and quite clear that they were already, in some sense, sharing some of the glory of the resurrection. Seeing love and devotion like that is one of my favorite things.


A Family That Prays Together...
You may have heard the expression "a family that prayer together stays together". Admittedly, this sounds a bit utopian. Families that pray together will still have problems and make mistakes; however, prayer is the most powerful tool is fostering a holy, happy, and healthy family. My office window faces the church and so I see often see people as they walk into the church during the day. Nothing is more satisfying than seeing a family coming together in the middle of the week to pray. All fathers and mothers want the best for their kids and enjoy seeing signs from time to time that everything is OK. As a "father" myself, seeing a family coming together in prayer assures me that whether they entered the church in joy or sorrow they'll be leaving in better shape because they've given and committed themselves and each another to God. What more could a father or mother want for her children? Seeing a family praying together is one of my favorite things.

Are You With Me?
Every Mass is different. On a very busy weekend I may celebrate four Masses. (This is the norm for some priests). Even though the readings and songs may be the same, every Mass is different because the people are different. Mass is essential an exchange of gifts. We offer ourselves to God the Father, Jesus gives himself to us and offers himself and us to the Father. Because the "we" is different at every Mass each Mass is different. Sometimes, for whatever reason, I can feel like I'm the only one conscious during Mass. At other times, I can feel the Holy Spirit, we are all celebrating Mass together. People are praying and I can feel it, there is an "energy" in the church (not in the new age kind of way). The value of Mass is always infinite and can't be judged on how we feel, however, celebrating Mass when I can see, hear, and feel that we're all praying together...this is one of my favorite things.


Lost No More
"Forgive me Father its been 50 years since my last confession". It happens all the time, while the people and the number of years may differ people continue to return to Jesus in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and its awesome. Let me be clear to those who may be reading and are unfamiliar with the Catholic Church. These penitents are not returning to the sacrament after decades of being burdened with sin to fulfill some church requirement or ritual. Nor have they come simply to tell someone their sins. God has hounded them with love and mercy, waited patiently, been with them at every step and gently - and sometimes loudly, lead them to himself in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. As with Mas, every person is different and therefore every confession is different, however, every confession is a healing encounter with God - there is no substitute. As you walk into my confessional the first thing you will see is a large cloth image of Christ the Shepherd who has one sheep at his side. On the bottom it says "Lost no more". "There is more joy in heaven over one repentant sinner than 100 righteous." (Lk 15:7). When God allows me to welcome back the lost for him and experience the joy and peace of the penitent and heaven itself it is truly one of my favorite things.


I Will Go and Prepare a Place for You
Before Jesus was betrayed he told his disciples "I am going to prepare a place for you so that where I am you also may be...You know the way..I am the Way the Truth and and the Life." In the course of the last few years I have been one of the last faces and voices some have seen and heard before dying. No one likes death but it is been such a grace-filled experience walking with someone through the last months, days, and even seconds of their life. This is a ministry that many spouses and children share in as they care for their loved ones. The Sacraments of the Eucharist, Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick are profound ways that Christ keeps his promise of preparing a place for us. The sacraments aren't magic they are encounters with Christ through which he gives us his grace, his life. Every moment of our life is a pilgrimage toward (or away from) God. Helping to preparing someone for the most important moment of their life - meeting God face to face- is one of my favorite things.


Being Taught by Kids
You know what I’m talking about.


This is Work?
Yes, priesthood is a lot of work and is often very intense and very public. This can take its toll. However, at times, as I am preparing for a homily for a wedding, funeral, Quinceanera, daily Mass, Sunday Mass, or preparing to give a talk, it strikes me how awesome it is that my work is praying, reading and studying the Scriptures and our faith. Most people work very hard at their jobs and some people even enjoy what they do but who could beat what I do? I'm never comfortable giving homilies or talks- they're don't come easy for me, however, preparing for them is one of my favorite things.


As you might imagine, I have many other favorite things. These are only a few things as they directly relate to being a priest. There are other personal ones like listening to music, the blues, traveling, Angel's baseball, a good ol' Guinness etc...

Babies, Freedom, and Guitars

Baptisms
Baptisms are always a pleasure. Although the ritual is the same, each child and each family makes it a new experience. Jesus gives new life - His life - to these precious children and to the parent(s) he gives what they need to care for them. Sometimes I seem to have a special touch with these infants. After the baptisms I take pictures with the families and their newly baptized children. Its amazing how a cheerful baby can turn so mad so quickly the instant they're given to me to hold. The moment I hand him/her back to mom or dad peace reigns again. Here are pictures of baby Brian. (Brian and I got along just fine)

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Premature and Precious

My friend Dave and his wife had their first baby recently. Alyssa was born 2 months premature. She was healthy but at 3 pounds she was quite fragile as well. Dave and I were great friends in High School but we lost touch a few years later. Its seems Alyssa brought us together again with a little help from Google. I headed over to the hospital on my day off and met Alyssa and her happy but nervous mom. We spent about an hour together and I took great pleasure in holding this 3 pound wonder as she would open her eyes and look at me and make funny faces at me. Meet Alyssa.

(Click to enlarge)

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The Barber Philosopher

As I sat in the chair at Super Cuts to get my monthly 2" on the side, 7" on the top hair cut the Vietnamese barber started the small talk. In her thick accent she asked "do you have kids?". "No" I said. She responded all too joyfully "Oh you lucky". Then she followed up with "Are you married?". Again, I said "No". Well, it sounded like I made her day as she said "Oh you really lucky, you have lots of freedom". I returned a courteous laugh.

How odd! I understand what she meant but what a selfish life that would be: to not get married or have children so that I could be "free". What else is freedom for than to give your life to someone. "Whoever wishes to save his life will loose it."MT 16:25a

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Priest and Guitar Hero

We recently had our parish La Fiesta, a one-day event. 2 years ago I sat in the dunk booth as our innocent Catholic school children lined up in droves to dunk me. This year proved to be more merciful. There was a booth set up with Guitar Hero and I had been signed up together with our Deacon to test my Guitar Skills against children who were born with it in their hands.

I underwent 3 weeks of self-training. The training wasn't as intense as Rocky Balboa's but I was determined to put on a show. We had a lot of fun. Many passed by the booth in amazement as they saw their parish priest rockin' out to Pat Benatar.

A priest wears many hats. Today I add Guitar Hero to the list.

Las Lomas

It's one thing to hear that a Catholic has decided to go to a protestant church and quite another to find that some are being lead astray by people who pretend to be Catholic priests and bishops. There is not much shock - though there should be - when we hear that someone is leaving the Catholic Church to go to XYZ chapel or some community church but when people use the name Catholic in the name of their "church", dress like priests and present themselves as Catholic priests I...get...angry.

There is always the occasional story about a renegade priest who has left the priesthood and started his own church. They give it a nice name and they're on their way. However, when someone uses the name "Catholic" in the name of their church, says he's Catholic, and intentionally misleads people he commits a grave sin and deprives innocent and unexpecting people of the true Roman Catholic faith and the grace God offers us in the Sacraments.

From time to time someone would mention that there was a priest in the neighborhood who was teaching catechism to kids from the garage of a house on a street called Las Lomas. No one seemed to know the exact address. We put a notice in the bulletin to let people know that this man was not a valid priest and whatever "sacraments" he may be offering are not valid. As a result some parents approached me to ask me if it was alright for them to be sponsors for a child that was going to receive Confirmation from this priest. I informed them that, despite the ritual and the appearance of a Confirmation, it would not be valid and the child would be deprived of the true Sacrament. I insisted on knowing exactly address where this girl was taking classes. I was told he taught religious education classes on Wednesday nights and was finally given the address on Las Lomas street.

Determined to put an end to this I got in a car with the Director of Religious Education here at the parish and her assistant and we drove to Las Lomas on a Wednesday night. Our intention was to arrive there before classes begun at 6pm and talk to this "priest". Unfortunately when we arrived at 6 we saw the garage door of the house open and about 25 kids and many of their parents in folding chairs listening to a man teach in Spanish. I stood quietly in the back for a minute or two and listened. Though quiet, I was quickly noticed. The man, dressed in casual clothes, stopped, looked at me and said in English:

"Hi, can I help you."

"Yes", I said, "I am Father Brendan, who are you?"

He responded "I am Father Fernando."

"Oh you're a Catholic priest. What church are you from" I asked.

He said" St. Matthew's in Huntington Beach"

"There isn't a Catholic Church named St. Matthew in Huntington Beach" I informed him.

"Yes there is", he said"

The conversation continued civilly but the tension was obvious and the children, ranging from 6-16 years old and their parents could sense it. Many of them attend Sunday Mass at our parish and so they recognized me. And if not, the roman collar certainly helped. This man claimed to be a Catholic priest from a parish that doesn't exist. I pursued the issue and told him that he did not have the bishop's approval to be here and however good his intentions may be they were misguided. He wavered on the issue saying he was here by the authority of Bishop Mahonney. (Apparently he wasn't aware that that it's Cardinal Mahonney). I asked him again:

"Are you a Catholic priest and if so who is your bishop?"

"Yes", he said, "my bishop is Bishop Maximo."

"There is no Catholic bishop by the name of Maximo" I told him, a bit frustrated with his lack of honesty.

The parents and kids were becoming more uncomfortable with the situation.

Trying to get a straight answer I asked: "Are you in communion with Rome"?

"We are are an independent church", he told me.

Then I told him firmly, "then you're not Catholic.

Knowing that most of the parents there understood what was going but didn't understand everything that was being said I addressed the priest in Spanish and said "you are deceiving these people into believing you are a Catholic priest and you are not. If you wish to start your own church you have every right to do so but don't tell these people you are Catholic because you are not" I then addressed the parents and told them that I respected their decision to worship according to their beliefs and conscience but they should know that this man is not a Catholic priest. If they wished to receive a Catholic education and receive the Sacraments then they needed to come to Our Lady of Guadalupe or another Catholic parish.

To my great surprise, some of the parents were clearly upset with me that I had invited myself to this house and and felt that I was accusing them of doing something bad. This disheartened me. I assured them that, on the contrary, they were being great parents by wishing to educate their children in the faith and joining them for their classes. I felt that if, indeed, this man was Catholic I would surely be warmly welcomed whether or not I had been invited. My goal, I told them, was to let them know that if they were attending these classes in this garage thinking that they were receiving the Catholic faith or that the sacraments they were preparing for were valid then there were being gravely mislead by this man. If they were aware that this man was not truly a Catholic priest and wanted to follow his teachings that I respected their freedom to do so.

I asked the "priest" to be honest with the children and their parents and simply tell them that he was not a Catholic priest in good standing. He said that he explained the differences to them. I said "OK" I shook his hand, thanked him for his time and we left.

The 5 minute ride back to the parish was difficult. I was disheartened by the reaction of the parents and wondered if I had come across as the mean 'ol arrogant Catholic priest. Perhaps I should have tried to pull the "priest" aside and talk to him privately, I thought. The two women I went with assured me that we did the right thing, that they needed to be told that this was not a Catholic priest. I thought and prayed a lot about this during the night and the next morning. My intention was good but perhaps I had gone about it the wrong way. The visit seemed a failure.

When the three of us returned to the parish we checked the internet for a St. Matthew' Parish as well as the name of Fr. Fernando. Surprise, surprise. We found that St. Matthew's Old Catholic Church was started by some Catholic priests who left the priesthood and started their own church. The claim to believe in all the Catholic teachings of the Catholic Church until the first Vatican Council in 1870. However, when we read about their beliefs on their website we found that they approve of people having premarital sex, remarriage after divorce, women priests, contraception among other things. Now I was felling a little redeemed. This man had essentially lied to me and these families. What doesn't he just tell people the truth? He is intentionally misleading the people. Worse, he and others do so using names like Guadalupe Chapel as bait to attract Hispanics. We also read that this Fr. Fernando was, in fact, a Catholic priest who left the Catholic Church, got married and then joined this heretical community.

The following day I was busy with appointments up until 5:15 at which time I needed to head over to the church to celebrate the 5:30 Mass. As I opened the door I saw a group of people standing outside of the church which I presumed was a family waiting for a wedding rehearsal. As I left the rectory and headed towards the church this group of people pointed at me and approached me. Suddenly I recognized them as parents from the garage at Las Lomas the night before.

"We want to meet with you now", they said"

I told them I had Mass, paused for a minute and said "OK, 7pm tonight" I felt like Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane when the soldiers came out to arrest him with torches and swords. What do they want, I wondered with an accelerated heartbeat as I continued toward the church to celebrate Mass. Why are they here? I celebrated Mass with my mind on Las Lomas, had dinner and wondered what might be waiting for me in one hour.

After dinner I spent 15 minutes praying and thinking about the things I should and shouldn't do and say. Prayer - we should start the meeting with prayer. I picked out the passage about the parable of the shepherd seeking out the lost sheep. I decided the most important thing for me to do was to simply listen to the parents and try to understand them.

At 7pm I welcomed this groups of parents. I was outnumbered 14 to 1 and forced to listen, understand and respond in a language I am comfortable with. Instead of using the scripture passage I had chosen I thanked the parents for coming and prayed that the Holy Spirit grant us humility, understanding and wisdom and then tried to tell them in Spanish "I'm all ears".

Some told me they were offended by my visit and all were troubled by it. However, they all realized that the parish cared about them. We sought them out and cared for them. The parents were full of complaints about their experience with religious education at the parish. It was too long, too expensive and they felt that they were treated rudely at at times. I apologized and told them that we could do things much better but I were willingly to listen and improve if they would help us. Much of the conversation was focused on misunderstandings: that religious education is only to receive sacraments, that easier and more convenient is always better, that cheaper is better, that the church turns children away if they can't pay. I shared the information we found from St. Matthew's website which clearly showed that this man was no longer a priest, not Catholic, and that many of their teachings are contrary to the Catholic faith

Clearing up many of their misunderstandings helped a lot and letting them vent was healthy for all of us. I told them that we would love to have the kids back in our religious education classes so that they could receive a Catholic education and receive the sacraments. I tried to make it clear that this was not a case territorialism: my church and his church but rather that God's one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church that he founded upon St. Peter and his successors. They told me that their children were scheduled to received their 1st Communion in a few weeks from the "priest" and had already paid $80 to the man and would not consider waiting another year for their kids to receive their 1st Communion. I invited them to meet with me again together with the staff of our Office of Faith Formation.

At the parish we were quite positive about the possibilities of this upcoming meeting. The thought of all these families coming back to the Catholic Church thrilled us. We were determined to do whatever was possible to accommodate these kids and their parents. The meeting wouldn't prove so successful.

We provided chips and sodas and tried to welcome these families. There were not convinced that there was any difference between our church and the other "priest's" church. I tried with all simplicity to explain but to little avail. The other guy sounds like a priest, teaches like one and hadn't preached anything different than the parents had received form their priests in Mexico, they told me. The priest who was teaching in the garage was helping the parents and their children learn about God and was doing it in a very convenient way. There was still some resentment at my uninvited visit to Las Lomas and one parent told me I should show up again and apologize to the "priest", the children and their parents. One person suggested that I and the other "priest" celebrate a Mass together. Many of them could not grasp the reality that this man was not a priest nor was his church Catholic. It was mindboggeling.

By the end of the meeting we offered the parents to set up a special class for the children to evaluate what the they already knew about the Eucharist to supplement what was lacking and make sure their children received their 1st Communion as soon as possible. The Director of Religious Education was wise enough to ask about the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The kids had never been told about the Sacrament. Nonetheless, we assured the parents we would do whatever necessary to give their children a Catholic education for free during the summer and have a special Mass for their 1st Communion as soon as possible.

Although it was a lot work we got the feeling that the parents were surprised that we were bending over backwards to make things work for them while making sure that the children were properly prepared for Holy Communion. The four wonderful women who work in the Office of Faith Formation took on the added task of evaluating what these children knew and didn't know about the Eucharist and to prepare them accordingly. From the 25 children who we found in the garage that night at Las Lomas three parents decided to pull their children - six in all - out of Las Lomas and bring them to our parish.

As these personalized classes began for these six children it was found that two of the kids had never been baptized. So 1st Communion classes now became baptism, Reconciliation and 1st Communion classes. It was a lot of work for the parish Religious Education staff.

Like world diplomats the staff worked closely with the parents to find an agreeable date and time to receive all three sacraments while making sure the kids would be prepared in time.

Last week four of the children made their first Confession while the other two received a blessing in anticipation of their baptism. This Saturday we celebrated the baptism of Roxanna and Ernesto. It was great to see the staff of Religious Education who cared so well for these kids together with the 4 other children attending their baptism.

Today at the 1pm Mass in Spanish the six children received their First Communion in the presence of their families and about 900 parishioners. The children and their parents were so happy and we were too.

The Las Lomas saga ended with six children returning to the Catholic Church, two of them being baptised, four of them receiving the the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time and all of them receiving 1st Communion - God himself. If success is measured by mere numbers our visit to Las Lomas was a complete failure. However, I think there is more rejoicing in heaven over these six children who received Christ than than the 20 whose parents decided not to return to the Catholic Church.

Unfortunately the Las Lomas situation is now a common occurrence. We find these false prophets and ex-priests in many neighborhoods, in hospitals, and reception halls enticing families with convenient and cheap "sacraments" whenever and however they want them. One can even find a "priest" in a local paper offering to celebrate the Sacraments in homes and wherever else the family desires.

Today we celebrate that a few parents have chosen truth over convenience and most of all that 6 children received the greatest gift of all: God who is love and who has given himself to his children through baptism, Reconciliation and Eucharist.

Running with Characters

Despite being undertrained and undermotived I managed to wake up at 4:45am on August 31 to run the Disneyland Half Marathon with 10,800 other people. After a quick breakfast and some stretching I headed to the "Magic Kingdom". It took about 20 minutes to park since everyone was trying to arrive in time for the 6am start. I arrived at the starting line just in time. Surrounded by people of various ages, sizes, and shapes, my goal was to finish under 3 hours although I had finished my previous two races in 2hrs 20min.

A good number of the runners were predicatably dressed up as various Disney characters. Ever see Mickey run 13.1 miles before? I'm not much of a Disney fan so running through Disneyland didn't do much for me but after running through the city streets and around the Honda Center we finally got to run around The Big A at Angel's stadium.

Its hard to explain how much it helps to run with other people. I usually run alone so being surrounded by thousands of other people helped me to keep going and going and going even while my mind and body are making great arguments for stopping.

Not being prepared to run 13 miles can cause injuries so I needed to walk the line of being smart but also pushing it. I walked 3 separate times during the race for a total of 1.5 miles. At mile eleven I told myself I was going to run the last 2.1 miles. I was determined but at miles 12 my body was wasn't. Although we were back at Disneyland I was far from the "happiest place on earth".

The crowd of spectators thickened - a sure sign that the end was near. I started to run so slow I wondered if walking would really make much of a difference. But it wasn't about time it was about running, running till the end. The last 1/10 of a mile wouldn't end. Finally I saw the finish line and ran as fast as my body would let me. 2 hours and 33 minutes. I couldn't believe it.

Running isn't about winning. In fact, I came in 5,556th place. It was the slowest of my 3 half marathons but I had to work harder for each of these 13 miles than the others. I ceremoniously hung the bib and finisher's medal on my bulletin board in my office, took a bath in ice and celebrated a couple of Masses.

Here is a link with some more pictures of the race: http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=31324&BIB=2996&S=230&PWD=

Here is a link to a funny commercial for Nike. This is NOT why I run. I promise!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkDI5xVa354

Do you not know that the runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No, I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. (1 Cor 9:24-27)

'House' for Sale

I don't have a T.V. show that I watch regularly. This is due to the fact that my schedule is different each night, I'm too lazy to put a cassette tape in the VCR and suffer through the humiliation and frustration of trying to find out how to record and, finally, because there is not much on TV anyway.

I recently was surprised that I had a night free and made a trip to Blockbuster to find what many find there - nothing. Out of desperation and trying to find a way to salvage the 5 minute mission to Blockbuster I ran across DVDs for various television shows. I saw House, MD, a show I had seen a few times and liked a lot. I rented the DVD that contained about 5 episodes.

Dr. House is a physician who is well known as one of the best diagnostic doctors. Don't know what's wrong with someone? Send them to Dr. House but beware. Dr. House is equally known for his incredible and unforgiving sarcasm - enormously comical if you are watching it on TV, destructive if you are on the receiving end.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes which I watched back to back. Because it is commercial-free one episode lasts 42 minutes instead of 60. I found myself during the day wanting to watch the remaining three episodes ASAP. I finished them the following day. There was one episode that involved a case of euthanasia. Dr. House's sarcasm made it impossible to know how he really felt about it. In the end the patient was euthanized but no one knew for sure who did it, however all evidence pointed to someone on House's staff of three doctors. The episode ended with House approaching one of his doctors who was in the chapel crying the next morning. He put his hand on her shoulder and said "I'm proud of you". Did the show I was enjoying just endorse euthanasia? Well, I told myself, it was ambiguous and it was just an episode.

I soon rented two more videos which contained the last 10 episodes of the season. Vacation was quickly approaching, I had got sucked into the series, and had the time to watch them.

Over the course of two weeks I watched the whole series, about 15 episodes and I learned a valuable lesson from this rare experience. Too much of anything too soon was not good for me. The sarcasm, once funny, was annoying and even depressing. I discovered that although I was only a viewer I felt like I was also on the receiving end of the sarcasm. There was another episode where House told a patient exactly how to kill himself while not damaging his organs so that he could donate his heart to his son. What was once funny and entertaining had irritated me and I found myself feeling a little mad that a series I was enjoying had left me warn out and worn down by its constant degrading sarcasm and a culture of death that often peaked its ugly head under the mask of humor and compassion.

I know its a show and not reality but its effect on me was undeniably real and even physical. I could feel it. Something fictional that I had watched had a nonfictional effect that was not pleasant. Too much House too soon was a bad thing! Too much of anything is a bad thing. Balance is so important, much like a diet.

However, having seen one full season in its entirety without much interruption I wonder if the problem wasn't just too much too soon but the show itself. Was the show OK in small doses or was it a bad show -one that leads us away from God- that in small doses simply doesn't show its negative side effects? I don't know. On a moral level we would never knowingly do something wrong and try to justify by saying that it would be OK so long as we only did it a little or did something good later to "balance it out". It doesn't work that way.

When we watch one show once a week for 15 weeks or so we don't know where the show is going. That would be boring. We wonder what's going to happen next and that wonder tempts us to tune in the next week. We also don't get the 'big picture' by watching week to week; rather, it unfolds with the season. Also, anything we watch on T.V is often balanced with other entertainment - sports, books, etc...- and so its effects aren't usually felt too strongly. I experienced a full season of House, M.D. almost interrupted; I saw the big picture, and while it was attractive in small pieces its was ugle when I sttod back and looked at it in its entirety. Like going to an art museum I think the only way you can really see a painting is by standing back a little to allow the eyes to capture whole picute. If you stand to close you see paint not a picture. House was full of great paint but the picture was disformed.

Where does this show fit in? I don't know.

Will I watch House, M.D. again? I don't know. For now, I've overdosed. I doubt I'll ever watch a full season of any T.V. series so quickly again.

If the old saying "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" were true my mouth would be full of them (green ones). Perhaps the annual doctor visit is not a bad idea after all.

"My house shall be called a house of prayer" - Isaiah 56:7

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you"
- 1 Cor 6:19

What? I'm Catholic!!!

God continues to teach us through our young ones.

Last week my 8 year-old nephew/godson Patrick was in a community pool with his grandma practicing his newly acquired swimming skills. As he practiced his kicking in the water the boy next to him became annoyed, perhaps a bit scared, and said to Patrick "move over you're going to hurt me". Patrick was horrified by the accusation and without thought or hesitation responded "what? I'm Catholic".

Can you imagine that scene?

If only our faith was so deep? That being both a Christian and hurting someone would seem equally ridiculous and unimaginable to us! Its obvious Patrick's response was not something taught, memorized and repeated but came from a faith that is both child-like and incredibly mature.

I'm going to pray tonight that I might grow up to be as Catholic as Patrick is.

Me Levante Con El Pie Izquierdo

Not long ago I had a string of days where I woke up feeling bla, gloomy, and even moody. I didn't feel like getting out of bed and I kinda wished no one else would either. I would have loved to take a "personal day" but I don't have personal days. I felt like calling in (downstairs) sick but I wasn't sick, I just had the blues. I love listening to the blues but I had having them. I didn't feel like exercising, going out...nothing!

I struck me it was time to suck it up and be an adult. I thought of the moms and dads, single parents and others who have to get up under horrible and heroic circumstances to provide for their families. There is no calling in sick or taking a personal day because that means no food on the table. I don't mean to be over dramatic but it is a reality that is more common than we'd like to think.

So I go up and "celebrated" 7:45am Mass, preached and returned to the office. I could have sat at my desk all day. There was nothing so urgent that couldn't wait unto tomorrow but there were things to do, as always. I picked myself up and tried to hide my feeling-sorry-for-myself mood. I went and visited an elderly couple in their home who had requested a visit and the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. They are both dying. Her fight for cancer is over. The doctors have taken her off of all medications and is letting time - and cancer - do its thing. Her husband is dying slower. I could feel their love for each other; there was so much that they wanted but couldn't talk about, namely her death. We talked about it; they cried.

I had them move so that they were sitting close together and we reverently, slowly, and deeply prayed. We listened to the Gospel recognizing that Jesus was speaking to us, they closed their eyes for the laying on of hands, recognizing that Jesus was laying his hands on them. They listened carefully as they each were anointed on the forehead and the palms of their hands. Finally, I asked them to hold hands as we prayed the Our Father. I blessed them and left.

I have anointed countless people; the ritual is the same, people are often elderly and dying. Yet, on this day I felt God ministering to me as he ministered to them. I was receiving as I was giving. I too had encountered and received God, not in a sacramental way, but in an unforgettable way.

I then headed off to a convalescent home. Note, this is not the first place one would want to go when experiencing the doldrums and yet this is where I needed to go. I spent an hour there going room to room. I smiled, blessed, caressed, and talked to people. They looked how I felt. Next, I drove down the street to another convalescent home that we minister to. Wheelchairs filled the hallways, heads slumped, some groaning, others just starring at nothing. I stopped and spoke with most of them and went through many of the rooms talking to people. I joked with them, sat with them and encouraged them to pray and watch Angel's baseball.

Nothing extraordinary happened; I was still feeling like I was moving in slow motion but I had just spent 3 hours visiting sick people. I did what I should have done, I did what so many people have to do every day with harder work and longer hours. Somehow I felt satisfied.

In Spanish they say "me levante con el pie izquierdo", which means to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. My left foot (el pie izquierdo) was tired by the end of the week. I was encouraged by the example of Mother Teresa - to smile and serve even when you feel like pulling the sheets over your head and hiding.

Recommendations for getting through "the blues":

1. Get out of bed
2. Pray
3. Serve
4. Have a nice dinner and a glass of wine (or Guinness - adults only) with friends
5. Listen to music you like
6. Play an instrument
7. Call a friend
8. Offer it as a spiritual gift for someone else who is suffering
9. Know that it will end

You're Welcome

I received the following "Thank You" cards from some children who recently received their first Communion.


Letter #1: "Who would have thought?"

Response: Yes, I have been attending Mass lately. Thank you for noticing. Apparently, you have too.



Letter #2 "Bad Taste?"
Response: No offense taken.



Letter #3 "Priceless"

Response: Dear Ashely:

I'm not sure where to start! Here I go:

You're very welcome... I'm glad to hear that you already have a Dad and I'm sure he's wonderful. However, I am a priest so feel free to call me "Father". I do not have children or a dog, however, because I am priest I am called to love and serve everyone as God's children just as a good Father would do. I did have a dog I liked a lot called Whiskey. Like your goldfish, he died too. Ashley, I will die some day but I will be with Our Father and I'll be OK.

Love,

Fr. Brendan

The following letter is from an 8th grader letting me know he is praying for me while I am on retreat with the other priests from the diocese. He's got some questions, of course.

Response: Dear 8th grader. Thank you for your prayers. No we don't chase each other or play tag, there are no bible games and, therefore, no prizes to hand out and no one even brings their "priestly garb". We are dressed in casual clothes - usually shorts and a regular shirt or T-shirt. Yes, even the bishops. The day begins with morning prayer followed by breakfast. At about 8:30am we we have a guest speaker who talks to us about different elements of priesthood and how to become a better Christian. We have lunch and then about 3 hours of free time. Some priests play golf, others tennis, jogging, some take a nap and read, and many swam and relaxed in the pool. No there were not wearing their priestly garb; they were wearing swimming shorts. In the evening we have Mass, dinner, another talk and then we just hang out and talk.

I understand why its hard to imagine priests not wearing their clerics, as we call them, but you probably see priests all the time wearing regular clothes but you don't recognize them because we look like everyone else. We are human, after all.

-Fr. Brendan

PS. I'm wearing shorts and a tank-top (no shoes).

Future Priests?

Where will the new priests come from? Our homes, our parishes. Over the last couple of months I have encountered God's undeniable working in the young of our parish. When I say young I am talking about 7-10 year-olds. Now the cynic may write off anything a 7 year-old says as being the dreamy talk of children. I remember being 7 myself. At one point I wanted to be a truck driver just like my uncle.. I would sit on my bed with my improvised walkee-talkie and invisible steering wheel. However, the two strong desires that drove me at that age were to be a soccer player and a priest. Not one or the other, but both. Because I have already blogged earlier about this I'll spare you the details again but it is important to note that God speaks to us through our desires, talents, and passions even in our childhood. Naturally theses desires need to be discerned but never dismissed.

Recently I heard the confession of a young boy. While he was confessing it crossed my mind to ask him to be open to a vocation to the priesthood. It had nothing to do with his confession, it just entered my mind as clearly as could be. As he finished he confession he got up to leave and then sat down right away and I said "can I ask you something?" I responded "You want to ask me about the priesthood, don't you". He was stunned and said "how did you know?"

God speaks to us, within us, but also through one another. Let's listen carefully.

One of my nephews is incredible conscious of God, loves to read about Him, asks great questions and has a sense of how close God is to him. His joy at receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Communion was divine. Like many children he was worried he would say or do something wrong but more than anything he was excited. I went with him and his parents to his first reconciliation/confession. He wanted to make sure we got there really early. When his dad asked him were he wanted to sit he lead us to the front pew, right in front. As you might imagine there weren't many families positioning for the front pews. We sat alone for quite some time until the pews and the whole church filled up. When it was time for confession he jumped up and was first in line.

The day before Easter my nephew asked his dad if they could go to the sunrise service at 6am for Easter! His dad told him that if he woke up and got ready in time they would go. My brother was a bit surprised when his son woke him up and said "let's go dad". And so they went. He also likes reading a kid's Mass missal, Magnifikid, on the way to Church. He looks over the prayers and readings and lets his Dad know if there are any discrepancies between the missal and what is being said at Mass.

The third example of a possible priestly vocation took place during a tour of the Church I was giving to children preparing to receive First Communion. I showed and explained the different things we use for Mass and asked and answered questions. After the 60 kids were dismissed there was boy who stood in front of the altar with a troubled look on his face. You know the kind: his forehead was wrinkled, he eyes were purposefully pointed up at me with his hands firmly planted in his pockets. As his teacher stood at a distance I said "Hi, do you have a question?" He said how do you preach?" I was sure I misheard him and so I asked him to repeat his question. To my surprise I had heard him correctly. I was as puzzled as he was troubled and I asked him "Do you need to preach"? He said "I'm scared of preaching and if can't preach I can't become a priest" Wow! I bent down and told him "I'm scared when I preach too! What I do is pray first and ask God to let me hear what he wants to say to me and to those who will attend Mass. I read the readings prayfuly, then study them and finally start to write what I am going to say. Don't worry", I told him, "Jesus told us not to worry about what to say because he would send us the Holy Spirit who would help us know what to say" The boy looked a little relieved, said thanks, and walked away with his teacher. His forehead wrinkles had subsided a little but I could tell he was thinking it over deeply.

Will these boys become priests? Only God knows. When I was 7 I thought I would be a priest, from 16-25 years old I would have laughed and now at 36 and I am still amazed that I am a priest. God speaks to us and to our kids and places a seed, a desire in us that needs to mature and be nourished through prayer - both listening and speaking to God - and an encouraging Christian environment especially at home.

It seems to me that children are actually great listeners! Let's listen to them and help them respond to God's call.

Pray for vocations and support them at home and at your parish.

Pray for us Now and at the Hour of our Death. Amen!

Walking with someone through the last moments of their life is a fairly rare occurrence, unless you're a priest that is. Death does not always give due notice and so it often catches many by surprise although, paradoxically, it is one of those very few things in life we know will happen. Perhaps we will be able to say that final goodbye to one of our parents or loved ones but certainly not all of them. It is the "when" that catches us by surprise, of course, not death itself. And so it is a special grace for the one dying and their loved ones to have some proximate warning that he or she is dying so as to prepare as best as one can.

How many times have we prayed to Mary: "pray for us now and at the hour of our death"? She certainly assists us now and will do so at the hour of our death whether this comes suddenly and without warning or is somewhat anticipated. Nonetheless, what a blessing it is to have the grace to prepare oneself to meet Christ face to face at the moment of death. I would like to share just one of those moments with you.

On a day not long ago I received 2 messages within a very short amount of time. Written on red paper to indicate a "sick call" I looked at them and they were both said urgent "not sure how long he will live". I went to the first house. It was man I had anointed about 6 weeks earlier. I remembered him because there was something very dignified yet simple about him. He didn't have the sophisticated look of a rich man but of a man full of virtue. As the message indicated, he didn't look well. His eyes were half open at best. He sat in his chair noticeably uncomfortable as he repeatedly tried to reposition himself although he didn't have the strength even to budge. He slowly mumbled out the words that he was dying. When I asked him how he felt when he thought about dying he said "happy". This wasn't the "happy" of a desperate or bitter man who had given up his struggle to fight on. Rather, his was a "happy" of man who knew where, or rather, to Whom he was going. I didn't need to ask him to explain.

As I prepared to administer the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, probably his last time, I told him not to worry about making the sign of the cross or trying to say the responses. Instead, "your heart can do the talking", I told him. His care giver was in the room, a woman in her 40's. I began: "The grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you". After a pause, he gathered up his energy and breathed out "and also with you". I wasn't about to tell not to talk. I spoke to him about the grace of the sacrament, how it was Christ himself who was lying hands on him and anointing him through me. I mentioned that all of his sin were forgiven and through the prayer of Apostolic Pardon all debt due to sin loosed. In others words, our Lord had come to get him himself, maybe today maybe in 10 years but he's good and ready.

At the end of the rite of anointing I said "let us pray in the words Christ taught us". As I began the Our Father I realized he was once again gathering his strength to join his voice to mine. I waited and we slowly continued together and prayed the Our Father to our Father.

That is dying with dignity. It has nothing to do with the suffering, the tubes and the like, it has to do with the man connected to them.

I realized it had been a half hour and that I had another man gravely ill to anoint. I arrived at his house within 5 minutes and meet several people inside. Two of his daughters, 3 other younger relatives, a hospice worker, and nurse were waiting for me. I entered the room with the family, pulled up a chair next the man lying in his bed with his oxygen mask. His breathing was deep and intermittent. He was struggling to breath, gasping. It didn't take a medical degree to realize death was quickly approaching.

I asked the family if their dad was responsive and they said "no", that he didn't make any physical movements or reactions to their words. I told them that while his body may not be responding he very well might be quite conscious nonetheless. Sitting in the chair next to the man I held his hand and introduced myself to him. "Hi, 'Jim', I am Fr. Brendan from Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and I have to come anoint you and prepare you for God." Then, I invited the family to participate with me in praying the Rite of Anointing of the Sick. All of us slowly and solemnly made the sign as if we were learning how for the first time. I turned to the side and greeted the Italian family who energetically responded "And also with you". Next I encouraged the dying man and the family to join me in calling to mind our sins and ask for God's mercy. Once again they actively responded..."Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy".

...And the man stopped breathing.

The daughters let out a big sigh. "Oh my God, he stopped breathing" As they called in the nurse I immediately stood up, leaned over the man and anointed him while praying the formula of anointing: Through this holy anointing, may our Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. Amen. So that freed from sin he may save you and raise you us. Amen" Just then the nurse rushed in, listed to his heart with her stethoscope and gave me that infamous look you see on TV where they just shake their head once very slowly without saying anything.

The first thing I remember hearing from one of the daughters is "Thank you, thank you Jesus". The other daughter then echoed the same prayer. I understood. This was exactly my first words when my grandma died. Perhaps their reasons were a little different than mine but I understood. The told me several times within the next 10 minutes how grateful they were that a priest come and anointed their father. I, in turn, thanked them for calling me. It was an emotional time for me too. I was caught up in it all myself.

I sat back down in the chair after the nurse noted the time of death and the initial shock of the family passed. Once again, I invited the family to continue to pray with me for their father. We continued with the beautiful prayers for the dead. It reminded me that death is a passage, something more profound and personal than the time of death. This was Jim's passover and we were going to join him as much as we could through prayer. We invoked the saints, we gave thanks, and commended to him to God.

What a beautiful death!

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen!