Processions

A couple of my Cincinnati readers have inquired about Corpus Christi processions tomorrow.

Feel free to use the comment box to alert us to parishes that are doing so.

(My Rochester readers can join in too.)

The latest inductee

Gene reports that “Reverend” Denise Donato, a proud graduate of Bishop Matthew Clark's St. Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry, has formed a new religious community, Mary Magdalene of Fairport. Someone ought to put together a Hall of Fame for products of what is affectionately called the "French Road Heresy Factory."

Conviction

Missionary of the Precious Blood Father Richard Friebel, pastor of Holy Trinity since 2002, called the anniversary "phenomenal." Parishioners have had a strong faith for generations, he said.

"That to me just shows the conviction of the faith of the people here," said Father Friebel. "I feel honored to be here at this place and time to celebrate this 150th anniversary."

-- from the lead story in this week's Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati, 12 June 2009

Friebel. Friebel. How do I know that name? Oh, that's right -- he's the Dayton priest who demonstrated his conviction last year by giving nearly $5,000 to Barack Obama's presidential campaign.

The virtues of miracles and the pitfalls of folly

To mark the feast of Corpus Christi, Zenit's can't-miss columnist Liz Lev devotes the first part of her latest missive from Rome to Eucharistic miracles:

In Rome, there have been two miracles at 1,000 years distance. The first took place in the age of Gregory the Great and the second during the reign of Pope Paul V Borghese.

In 595, Pope Gregory was celebrating Mass in a Roman church. When it came time for consecration, the Roman noblewoman who had baked the bread for the Eucharist began to laugh in disbelief that the fruit of her oven could become the Body and Blood of Christ.

Pope Gregory, dismayed at her lack of faith, refused her Communion, but as he prayed over the bread, it transformed visibly into flesh. The woman fell to her knees repentant. The relics of this miracle are now in Andechs, Germany, although a damaged fresco by Pomarancio recounts the story in the portico of the Church of St. Gregory on the Celian Hill.

Rome’s most celebrated Eucharistic miracle, however, took place on the Esquiline Hill, in one of the oldest churches in the city. Tradition has it that St. Peter found hospitality in the home of Senator Pudens, father of Sts. Praxedes and Pudenziana, who famously collected the blood of the martyrs.

This prestigious site was soon converted into a church and to this day contains the oldest Christian mosaics in the world. This basilica enjoyed the patronage of many great churchmen and was beautified with paintings, mosaics and luxurious pavement over the centuries. But its most wondrous gift was the privilege of hosting a miracle in 1610.

While celebrating Mass in the Caetani chapel of the church, a disbelieving priest dropped the Host after consecration. (Some versions say he let it fall on purpose). The Host fell upon the steps, spilling blood onto the marble. To this day, the relics of this miracle can still be seen in the form of the bloodstains on the steps.

A common factor among the stories of these miracles is doubt. Anguished doubt, ridiculing doubt or disrespectful doubt plagued each of the recipients of these miraculous visions. Rarely has there been more confusion and certainty than in our present day, and these miracles demonstrate how God tries to help us overcome our dark hours so we can proclaim with St. Thomas the Apostle, “My Lord and my God.”

Part two is a critical reflection of Erasmus of Rotterdam, whose "In Praise of Folly" is 500 years old this year. "Blistering" is not too strong a word to describe it. Here's a key excerpt:

Erasmus’ treatment of the papal magisterium as a secondary consideration played a critical role in undermining the authority of the papacy. Confident in his own reason and personal brilliance, it never occurred to Erasmus to seek counsel from Rome on how his writing might affect those who were contending with the forces of Protestantism. Reading his work, some confused Catholics thought that open criticism of the Church was the order of the day.

The legacy of Erasmus illustrates the dangers of downplaying doctrine while taking a superficial approach to the great issues of the day. While the Eucharist was being dismissed and profaned from one end of Europe to another, Erasmus poked fun at those who tried to explain Transubstantiation. Brushing aside the role of theology in the Church, he played right into the hands of the Protestant dissenters who were quick to claim Erasmus as one of their own.

That sort of folly led to tragic consequences in the case of Erasmus. In 1535, his longtime friend and correspondent, Sir Thomas More, was beheaded in England. The two colleagues had come to a crossroads. King Henry VIII tried to coerce Thomas More to act against his faith and conscience by denying the Magisterium. Thomas could not. Erasmus was silent.

Erasmus’ usually ready pen spilled no ink during the trial, imprisonment and murder of his friend Thomas More. Whether paralyzed by cowardice or compromise, the results of his political coquetry must have been painful.

Does her description of Erasmus not remind you of many Catholic intellectuals of our own day, who sit in the Church's peanut gallery and jeer at the street-level efforts of pro-lifers, apologists, and -- heaven forbid -- EWTN?

The privilege of sacramental certainty

The seven-hour drive from Atlanta to Cincinnati affords drivers with ample time to listen to the radio.

Unfortunately, there's only only one stretch of that trip that features a Catholic radio station -- Lexington's 1380.

I tuned in a handful of Protestant shows, and one stood out. It concerned forgiveness. Listeners would call in with tales of woe and ask two gentlemen whether they were forgiven. The sins were rather routine -- adultery, drug abuse, anger.

One caller yesterday confessed to cheating on his wife as they headed toward divorce. He desperately needed to be told that God could, would, and did forgive him.

You know where this is going.

As Catholics, we have the privilege of sacramental certainty. When we confess our sins to a priest who sits in persona Christi, we know that once he pronounces the words of absolution we receive God's mercy; our sins are forgiven -- totally.

What a comfort that would have been for yesterday's troubled caller.

If you are a regular penitent, thank God today for the gift of confession. If you are not, resolve to go to confession this weekend.

Even inside the Church

Week after week, Pope Benedict delivers brilliant, concisely written catecheses on the central elements of our faith.

And week after week, it has no discernible impact on the activity of our parishes.

"Aware that, because of sin, we are inadequate, yet needing to nourish ourselves from the love the Lord offers us in the Eucharistic Sacrament, this evening we renew our faith in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Such faith must not be taken for granted!

"Today there is a risk of insidious secularisation, even inside the Church", Benedict XVI added. "This could translate into a formal but empty Eucharistic worship, in celebrations lacking that involvement of the heart which finds expression in veneration and respect for the liturgy.

"There is always a strong temptation to reduce prayer to superficial and hurried moments, allowing ourselves to be overcome by earthly activities and concerns", he warned.

"With the Eucharist", the Pope explained, "heaven comes down to earth, God's tomorrow descends into the present moment and time is, as it were, embraced by divine eternity".

Archb. Schnurr: Teachings of Christ, Church are "one truth"

The Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati features highlights from what I am told was an excellent, wide-ranging Q&A session with Coadjutor Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr at a local meeting of Theology on Tap; he covered everything from catechesis and the nature of Church teaching to the Notre Dame/Obama scandal and the importance of liturgical fidelity:

The teachings of Christ are clear, the archbishop said, but it is how to apply the Gospel to everyday life that becomes a challenge.

“Perhaps we are not as clear as we could be when we use the expression ‘this is what the church teaches.’ Unfortunately, in this secular world that expression seems to allow some to come to the conclusion that we are speaking about the opinions of an aging male clergy,” Archbishop Schnurr said. “Maybe it would be better expressed that ‘Christ teaches,’ then it is clear what is at stake. When Christ states, ‘I will be with you till the end of time,’ He promises to remain with His church and guide it in the truth. The teachings of Christ and the doctrine of the church are one truth.”

Archbishop Schnurr compared the teachings of Christ to a mosaic.

“The study of the Catholic faith has to go on for a lifetime. You won’t see the beauty of a mosaic until it’s been completed,” he said. “In a similar way, the beauty of the message of Christ cannot be appreciated when it is partial and incomplete.”

The archbishop said the liturgy is a celebration of the message of Christ.

“Here, too, fidelity in the celebration of the message is important. If it is not celebrated properly, the beauty of the mosaic is diminished. Following the Second Vatican Council, church leadership did not always give adequate attention to catechesis, explaining to parishioners why changes were made in the liturgy. This led to some unfortunate confusion and misunderstandings,” Archbishop Schnurr said.

He asked the audience what attracts Catholics who attend Latin Mass regularly.

“Among other things, they appreciate the fact that there is great consistency in the prayers and rubrics of the Mass from one location to the next,” Archbishop Schnurr said.

The archbishop said he encourages people, especially young people, to ask questions about the Catholic faith.

“Questions can be a healthy thing. They indicate that the mind is engaged. The danger comes when an individual doesn’t take the time to seek the answers,” Archbishop Schnurr told the audience. “The church has 2,000 years of experience in responding to questions. In particular, when it is a question of ethics and moral behavior, the Christian is to respond with an informed conscience. Christ entrusted His teachings to the church, and it is the responsibility of the church to inform consciences.”

Before the program ended, Archbishop Schnurr answered questions from the audience that had been submitted to Father Schnippel. Questions ranged from how to properly address the archbishop to the definition of a coadjutor. He was also asked about his reaction to President Barack Obama being the commencement speaker for the 2009 graduating class at the University of Notre Dame.

“I’m with (Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend Bishop John M. D’Arcy), who said it was a mistake to invite the president and give him an honorary degree,” said Archbishop Schnurr, whose comment received applause.

“All of the other bishops recognize the authority of the bishop. Secular media wants to create the illusion that no one spoke out.”

And Gene at Rochester Catholic informs us of a rather different caliber of speaker slated for a Theology on Tap session later this summer.

“How many souls did you save?”

In the current issue of the Catholic Telegraph of Cincinnati, vocations director Fr. Kyle Schnippel reminds priests and seminarians of their primary mission in a timely essay:

Therefore, we start to realize that the main opposition that Jesus had against the Levitical priests in His day is that they have fallen from their original zeal in serving the Lord above all else. They placed a desire for prestige among men before the desire to serve God.

This initial zeal for the salvation of souls as exhibited by the Levites is what caused them to be selected and consecrated to serve the Lord exclusively. It is this same zeal for the salvation of souls that must be a constitutive aspect of the character of men studying for the priesthood today. The men in formation must put the desire for serving God above the desire for prestige and honor for even though these come to the priest by virtue of his office, the question he will be asked upon his final judgment will more likely be along the line of: “How many souls did you save?”

This orientation towards salvation of souls is one that can be difficult to achieve, for Jesus promises that as He has been persecuted, so will those who follow Him. Yet, we all work to build a place in the kingdom of heaven. Let us all model and imitate the zeal of the Levites in striving for purity of heart in worship, and if the Lord is calling you to spend your life for the salvation of your brothers and sisters, visit www.cincinnativocations.org.

This should be required reading for entering seminarians.

A welcome cleansing

A new blog, Cleansing Fire, is the newest blog devoted to the Catholic goings-on in the Diocese of Rochester, joining DOR Catholic, Rochester Catholic, and a View from the Choir. Stop by and say hello.

Ya man

The Diocese of Rochester announces a unique worship experience this Sunday:

19th Annual
Caribbean Mass
Sunday June 14, 2009, at 1 p.m.
St. Monica Church
831 Genesee St. , Rochester
Guest Celebrant & Homilist:
Rev. Msgr. Theophilus Joseph, Island of St. Lucia

All are welcome! Caribbean Music & Musicians: Trinidad & Tobago Steel Band. Following Mass, sample Caribbean delights prepared by members of the community

Click here for driving directions

Beginning to mobilize

I'm considering a trip to Madrid with my two oldest in 2011 for WYD.

Is anyone aware of local groups in Cincinnati that are organizing trips?

Also, past WYD travelers are feel free to share any travel tips or advice.

ROME, JUNE 10, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Spanish ambassador to the Holy See, Francisco Vázquez Vázquez, reported that the country's government is actively supporting the organizational effort of the World Youth Day scheduled for August 2011.

In a press conference Tuesday at the embassy, Vázquez noted that the government led by Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero has begun to mobilize for the event that will draw worldwide youth to Madrid.

The ambassador reported that last week there was an organizational meeting between the Spanish vice president, María Teresa Fernández de la Vega, and the archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela.

Vázquez, former senator and president of the Spanish Federation of Municipals and Provinces, explained that the Spanish government named a representative for the coordination of the event's organizational aspects.

He noted that the country is planning for the participation of 1.5 million young people from all continents, which, he said, gives the youth day more than just a spiritual significance.

Focalizers

This weekend, Cincinnati's Xavier University will host the Earth Spirit Rising conference. Sponsored by the Sisters of Charity and other like-minded groups, one of its plenary speakers is "a visionary proponent of a planetary system of local living economies"; another is described as a "weaver." Tickets are surely going fast.

Highest rank of any Ohio school

Congratulations to Walnut Hills (Public) High School, whose classical curriculum arguably represents the closest thing to a traditional Catholic secondary education you'll find in Cincinnati:

Newsweek magazine has released its annual listing of the 1,500 best high schools in the nation, Walnut Hills High School in Evanston received the highest rank of any Ohio school at #60.

Wyoming (#69), Turpin (#1306), Mariemont (#443), Indian Hill (#113) and Sycamore (#666) High Schools were also on the list.

Read the complete list on Newsweek's site.

"... Linus, Cletus, Clement, Sixtus" ... and Oscar?

Get the scoop here.

JustFaith and Junk Science

Those are the two focus areas promoted by the Catholic Social Action Office for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in the June-July issue of "Clergy Communications." Read related posts here, here, and here.

Perfect timing

In recent weeks, my home state of New York has been poised to become the seventh state in the nation to legalize homosexual "marriage." Last night, two renegade Democrats in the state senate joined forces with minority Republicans to hand over control to the G.O.P. Serendipitously, the group Stand for Marriage has a rally scheduled on the capitol steps today.

Meanwhile, the Diocese of Rochester maintains its silence:

I have now been contacted twice in regards to making a statement to the media about gay marriage. Each time, I asked if the diocese had been contacted for a statement. Both times I was told that the diocese had declined to provide a spokesperson. The latest reporter told me that he was referred to the diocesan website for its official position.

"We need permanent conversion"

Over lunch I skimmed the fifth and final installment of Pope Benedict's catechesis on St. Augustine of Hippo. My "Fathers Know Best" salon, which has been reviewing the Pope's addresses on the Church Fathers for the past six months, will wrap up tonight and take a summer break. The passage below, on conversion and the Sermon on the Mount, made an impression, perhaps in part because today's Gospel reading concerns the Beatitudes -- the "gateway" to that sermon.

But there is a last step to Augustine's journey, a third conversion, that brought him every day of his life to ask God for pardon. Initially, he thought that once he was baptized, in the life of communion with Christ, in the sacraments, in the Eucharistic celebration, he would attain the life proposed in the Sermon on the Mount: the perfection donated by Baptism and reconfirmed in the Eucharist. During the last part of his life he understood that what he had concluded at the beginning about the Sermon on the Mount - that is, now that we are Christians, we live this ideal permanently - was mistaken. Only Christ himself truly and completely accomplishes the Sermon on the Mount. We always need to be washed by Christ, who washes our feet, and be renewed by him. We need permanent conversion. Until the end we need this humility that recognizes that we are sinners journeying along, until the Lord gives us his hand definitively and introduces us into eternal life. It was in this final attitude of humility, lived day after day, that Augustine died.

Shifting habits and strategic bets

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that St. Anthony Messenger Press, whose publications have been the subject of more than a handful of posts on this site, has teamed up with Xavier University to develop a restructuring plan. They indicate that three changes in the Catholic marketplace are impacting them detrimentally. One wonders whether a fourth change, the growth of dynamic orthodoxy -- and orthodox Catholic publishers -- is also playing a role. Moreover, I am told that their biggest-selling product is the excellent audio-recording of the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. Might now be the time to make a strategic bet on faithful presentations of the Catholic faith, as opposed to, e.g., the works of heterodox New Age guru Richard Rohr, which dominate their website?

Father Dan Kroger said the 116-year-old communications company, based in Over-the-Rhine and sponsored by the Franciscan Friars of St. John the Baptist Province, is offering voluntary early retirement to eligible employees, closed its Cincinnati Call Center and will stop using its independent field sales force.

Father Kroger, the CEO and publisher, said in a statement that three factors are driving the changes:

• Changes in religious affiliation and commitment among American Catholics.

• Changes in the way Catholic Church professionals use the print and electronic resources St. Anthony Messenger Press produces.

• The economic crisis that has resulted not only in increased costs but in significant changes in the buying habits of Catholic individuals and institutions.

The Press produces St. Anthony Messenger, a monthly magazine with a circulation of 250,000; Catholic Update, a parish resource used in about half of U.S. parishes; as well as St. Anthony Messenger Press and Servant Books, newsletters, homily services, audio books, DVDs and the flagship Web site www.AmericanCatholic.org.

"St. Anthony Messenger Press, like many communications organizations,” Father Kroger said in a statement, “is examining its corporate mission and goals, the audiences we reach currently and those new audiences we want to develop, and the formats and technology we want to employ to communicate successfully.''

The Press worked for six months with the Xavier Leadership Center of Xavier University to come up with a new business plan and marketing strategy.

The new corporate strategy will include:

• Becoming a more sharply focused, market-driven provider of inspirational products and services.

• Moving into new markets and expanding reach to existing markets.

• Strengthening the already strong online evangelization and e-commerce efforts.

• Closing the Cincinnati telemarketing center.

• Implementing company-wide cost efficiencies for purchasing, inventory, utilities, salaries and bonuses.

"Across the country, we have witnessed the decline of secular and religious newspapers and the diversification of traditional publishers,'' Father Kroger said in a statement. "Reading habits are shifting, gradually but noticeably for everyone and rapidly among younger people, from print to electronic sources.''

He also said the traditional Catholic audience is shrinking and the subscriber base is declining.

Bring your Bible to Mass

That's what one Rochester pastor is telling his congregation, as they use the time reserved for the homily as a mini-Bible study. While I salute his intention to get more Catholics to read the Bible, the Church teaches that the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist "form one, single act of worship. The Liturgy of the Word involves proclaiming and listening to the Word of God" (Compendium of the CCC, 277). In other words, it is the wrong venue for study.

An example of this effort in action occurred April 26, when the second reading -- from I John 2 -- said, in part: "But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one." During his homily Father Bonacci directed attendees to turn their Bibles from that passage to the Gospel of John, 14:16, which states: "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always." The accompanying footnote explores different meanings of the word "advocate" and points out that Jesus fills that role in a unique way by being an intercessor for humanity in heaven.

As time has gone on, Deacon LaFortune has observed a successful adjustment on the part of parishioners.

"For the majority of the people who are coming, it's almost like a revolutionary idea to them. But they take (their Bible) home and study it, and that's where the benefits are. Now they're getting encouraged to do that," said Deacon LaFortune, the cluster's pastoral associate (he will become pastoral administrator at St. Mary Parish in Bath in late June.) "I think they've really learned how to read the Bible, looking at the footnotes and scriptural references and seeing how it all ties together. People have been really excited. They've commented on how much they're learning."

Not all people bring their Bible each week, "but they're paying close attention. Then they'll go home and look up the footnotes," Deacon Pavlina said.

He noted that this new Sunday custom has sparked a rise in attendance at other scriptural initiatives offered by the parish, such as a monthly Bible study led by Father Bonacci and a series on the Gospel of Mark that Deacons Pavlina and LaFortune have conducted in conjunction with the spiritual renewal.

Father Bonacci observed that bringing one's own reading material to church is a foreign concept to most present-day parishioners. Yet he pointed out that his mother, for one, regularly transported her St. Joseph Sunday Missal and prayer cards to liturgies.

Absolutely wonderful

The Catholic Courier of Rochester's Mike Latona, a terrific reporter whose work has also appeared in the Knights of Columbus' Columbia magazine, describes Father Brian Carpenter's emotion-filled ordination Mass:

(Pray for priests -- the ones we have and the ones we need.)

ROCHESTER -- Where does one begin in rating the spiritual and emotional waves surging through Sacred Heart Cathedral June 6?

There was Father Brian Carpenter, sailing into priestly ministry right after his ordination Mass ended. One by one he blessed family, friends and other well-wishers who waited in a long line to approach and kneel before him, exchanging hugs with many of them.

"Wonderful, absolutely wonderful" is how Father Carpenter described his feelings to the Catholic Courier during a brief pause from bestowing those blessings.

There was the Diocesan Festival Choir, whose voices and instruments -- including the cathedral's magnificent new organ -- produced joyful tunes that thundered off the walls.

There were several dozens priests who took turns laying their hands on Father Carpenter's head during the Mass, solemnly welcoming him as their brother.

There was the sizable congregation, which burst into prolonged applause when Bishop Matthew H. Clark began the ordination rite by presenting Father Carpenter for election.

Yet the morning's most outward display of emotion came from Bishop Clark himself, who halted and composed himself during that presentation as well as his ensuing homily.

"You are on the first day of a magnificent, lifelong journey," the bishop told Father Carpenter from the pulpit. On the other hand, he went on to note that four years will pass before the next scheduled priest ordination takes place in this diocese.

"That's a powerful reality that we all need to face," Bishop Clark said, imploring those in attendance to pray for priestly vocations and take active roles in identifying men who might make good priests and encouraging them in that direction. With his voice shaking, the bishop also paid tribute to the many priests surrounding him, saying they've been exemplary servants even as the priest shortage has continued stretching their resources.

"These men have been extraordinarily generous and faithful in their ministry," Bishop Clark stated. "I could not be more grateful or proud of them than I am standing here today. ... My one concern is that we do not ask more than is humanly possible of them."

A short time later Father Carpenter prostrated himself and then knelt before Bishop Clark, who laid his hands on his head, officially designating him as the newest priest of the Diocese of Rochester.

Father Carpenter, 33, is an Indiana native who resided in Penfield's St. Joseph Parish during his teen years and attended McQuaid Jesuit High School. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 1998 and entered Becket Hall, the diocesan pre-theology program, in 2004. He recently completed studies at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. Father Carpenter's first priestly assignment will be at Rochester's Peace of Christ Parish (St. Ambrose, St. James and St. John the Evangelist).

The ordination had a profound effect on Cory Smith, 31, one of nine men who took part in "24 Hours with the Lord," an overnight program for men considering the priesthood that has been held annually in conjunction with priest ordinations.

Smith's group received hearty applause when they stood and were introduced by Bishop Clark during Mass. Smith described Father Carpenter's ordination as an uplifting event for the Rochester Diocese, which has endured the closing of many schools and churches in recent years along with the decline in priestly numbers.

"Our theology teaches us that after death comes resurrection," remarked Smith, of Church of the Assumption in Fairport. He added that his overall experience on June 6 was a big inspiration in his personal discernment process.

"I'm looking forward to what could be in my future," he said.