Jim Mahoney's Blog - Sacred to Etc.

Why Do This? - and Welcome!

(You can find the necessary disclaimers in the Profile section of the blog.)

It is the 21st century. The Vatican website (www.vatican.va) is far ahead of most websites of parishes, dioceses, and national bishops' conferences. We either use the new media in the everyday life of our Church or we run the risk of having our communications perceived as irrelevant and our ability to meet our people where they are as increasingly ineffective. Can anyone doubt that Jesus would use every means available to communicate his message?

Over time, the nature and hopefully the quality of this blog will be expanded. For now, this will simply be my thoughts on a variety of topics. I'll give a take on books, social issues, Church issues, politics, history, and popular culture. If I find things that might be interesting for you to read from other sources, I'll include them.

The commitment will be to make a post to this blog five times a week. Feel free to comment on anything that I write - or even on what others write. Kindly remember that I am easily hurt and remember all real and perceived slights forever. But I do forgive after a few decades. I am Chicago Irish. Among many things, this means that I never ever forget and am never ever disloyal to my friends.

Final Post in in this Series of 100 Posts - January 10, 2019 - Yippee - I did it

I'm happy that I did this - and that i stuck it out. I even finished a couple days early. Practicing the discipline worked. The process worked. This gave me a chance to explore myself in the hope that it might be helpful to those who were reading this. I hope so. If that is what happened, I'm glad. Know that I pray for you. We're all in this together. We're here for each other.

God bless. Love, jim

I end with this blessing written by one of my closest friends, who went home to heaven a few years ago, a person who always believed in me far more than I could ever believe in myself:

    May a silver moon reign over this harvest night

    And glorious Irish dreams explode anew

    May those glittering blue eyes dance with light

    While argent stars whirl to the pipes with you

    May your journey be at least twice as long

    And your people prevent you from growing old

    May Jesus and Mary join in your song

    And henceforth may every day be purest gold

    And  may the Lord of the great Sacrament

    Bless you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

                Andrew M. Greeley

 

 

TODAY'S GRATITUDE - I will resume writing on this blog starting this Ash Wednesday. By that time, I'll be pastor emeritus of Corpus Christi!

 

2 Posts to go - January 10, 2019M - I'm getting excited about my future

I genuinely believe that I'm ready for this next phase of my life. I'm ready to move on - I'm ready to grow - I'm ready for my bucket list - I'm ready to have more time with my friends - I'm ready to thank and to be with all those who are so important to me. Without belaboring the point even more than I have, I'm still perplexed that I have some very good friends, probably more than most, who always stuck with me. My hunch is that it may not have been easy at times - minimally, I probably just shut down in a way that was terribly frustrating for them. Who knows? I certainly don't.

This exercise, this discipline, of writing 100 Posts has had some very positive impact on me. The process helped me in ways where I did not know that I needed help. But I did - and it happened - with the help of God and all those I love.

I am such a fortunate person.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE - Read the above - and also the last post in this series which comes next.

 

3 Posts to go - January 10, 2019L - Continued Self-Exploration

My fear now is that, having admitted that I'm an introvert, I may have created a monster just going on ad nauseum about myself. In truth, this topic will only last through this particular post. Then I will be all defensed up to reach the 100th and last post in this series of 100. 

I have struggled for a long time with a poor self-image. This is not a case of "poor me" or "feel sorry for me." But I am quite often perplexed when people find me likable. I laugh at myself when I realize how often I use the word "joy." I'm absolutely serious about this word - it is so important. Yet, even this is a struggle which I try to overcome.

This may be a reason why I mention so often in preaching that God is absolutely crazy about us. I'm preaching to myself - and even trying to convince myself that I am lovable. I am being authentic as possible because I would never say something in a homily that I did not viscerally believe. 

I'm amused at myself in sharing some very private things in these last two posts - but obviously it is connected with the fact that this Sunday is my retirement liturgy. I'm starting a new phase of life. I continue on my lifelong task - of trying to help others. Often I'm trying to help me as well as help you. It kind of worked for me. I hope that it kind of worked for you.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: I'm so grateful to all of my extraordinary friends who have stuck with me over these decades.

4 Posts to go - January 10, 2019K - Keep this to yourself - I'm an introvert

I am a genuine certified introvert. In some ways, this can be somewhat of a challenge in my life of work, shall we say. My hunch is that the majority of people would not really classify me as an introvert. But I am. Without question. Not open for discussion. This is the reality. In many situations that I am in, due to my jobs, being an introvert is probably not an ideal thing. It can make some things more difficult and certainly more tiring. I don't relish many social gatherings. I am usually uncomfortable at them.  If I am at a function, I instinctively try to find a couple of people whom I'm comfortable with - and just stick around them. 

A few years ago, I was with a friend at a conference. I just mentioned that I was an introvert and don't like conferences. He seemed intrigued that I was an introvert since he has seen me in many social and professional settings. His wife was kind enough to send me a book about me - truly about me - which I read instantly - Here is the title: Quiet - the Power of Introverts in a world that cannot stop talking. The author explained that introverts, in order to cope and survive, adopt an "extrovert persona" in order to function in many social settings. That made total sense to me. The insight helped me. And since then, when asked, it allowed me to help other introverts. But I'm not going to go up to you and say that I see you're an introvert, here is a book to help you. Nah, you have to admit it first. I don't know if this is being an introvert, but I am about the least intrusive or prying person that you will ever find.

I do have to spend so much time in my "extrovert persona." The graphic at the top of the post really explains me to me - and hopefully to you. It is accurate!

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For these occasional bursts of self-discovery.

I cannot believe that, after 45 years, I actually wrote about this. I must be really tired and my well-constructed defenses are down!

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For understanding something about myself which I never understood.

 

 

5 Posts to go - January 10, 2019J - Things I Like about Priesthood and Things I Don't!

This is a photo of Bishop Casey who ordained me as part of a class of 23 in 1973. I liked Bishop Casey a lot and worked for him on a number of things during the last year of his life. He was no scholar, but I learned a lot from being around him.

This post is about things that I like about priesthood and things I don't.  I've been a priest for 45 years. Cannot believe that number. So let me share the things that I really like about priesthood:

Celebrating Mass/praying

Preaching

Being with the people on weekends (even though I'm an introvert - Really!)

Teaching

Trying to share with people the Joy of Christ

Figuring out answers and approaches to problems that people have in their lives

Helping people walk more closely with God

Leading a parish

Now I'm going to list the things that I don't like about priesthood. 

(PERSONAL SHARING: there will be nothing here. it is not that I like everything about being a priest. I don't. I obviously like many things or I could never have lasted. But there are things that I just hate doing as a priest. Nonetheless, I do them. We all have to do things we don't like. That is life. But since being a priest means ministering to people, I would share with people that the very thing that I am doing for them as a priest is something that I really can't stand doing or am uncomfortable thing  or would even avoid doing if I could. No one needs to know this. Just know that, even with those things, I try to do my best. I am comfortable knowing that I have never shared with people what I don't like about being a priest. That is not their problem. It is my problem. I do know that, on those things that I do not like doing, I try extra hard to be effective. People have a right to that from their priests. We are not given a menu and told to chose the things we like and just do them. Life does not work that way. Even relationships do not work that way. So this paragraph is the best that I could do on this question.)

 

  

6 Posts to go - January 10, 2019I - Things in life I learned, but did not like learning them, and now glad that I did!

(This is not me. I could not find a photo me playing the piano.)

As I continue to reflect on my past, particularly now since I'm heading from one phase into the next, I have been thinking about lessons learned, things learned, things tried, and some rather spectacular foul-ups. Consider the example of playing the piano. When I was in grade school, I took piano lessons. I do not recall begging my parents for piano lessons. I do not know how this began. Neither of my parents played a musical instrument. But somehow I had eight years of classical piano lessons.

I had to practice one hour a day up in my room. I had developed a strategy to make this less boring. I would play various exercises on the piano which I could memorize. Then I would place a book on the piano and read. My parents never knew this. Downstairs, they could hear the piano music so they thought that I was practicing - actually I was - but hardly giving it much concentration. 

When they would have company, they would invite me to play the piano in the living room. I then usually selected a sonatina or some other type of classical music - and just played and played and played - until the people in their living room lost interest, began talking, and gradually I would end the piece, excuse myself, and go back upstairs.

By the end of eighth grade, I had developed a total hatred of classical music. Did not play at all in high school. When I went to college, I went play in our beer hall - no classical music, but mostly Broadway show tunes which I enjoyed. Then I stopped playing for years. I only resurrected my piano playing in the parish when annually I played the piano to accompany our Children's Christmas Pageant. Only once did I revert to classical music when we dedicated a new piano for the church. I played one sonatina. It was fun, but that was it. Enough.

Is there a moral to this painful spectacle of introspection? Yeah - I'm glad my parents made me learn the piano. In the long run, I was glad that I could play the piano. Figure out the life's lesson for yourself. Some things that require discipline can ultimately be fun.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For accepting later in life that parents actually knew what they were doing.   

7 Posts to go - January 10, 2019H - Will Jesus recognize you when you die?

A close friend once said to me that she hoped Jesus would recognize her when she died. I always found that an interesting way to sum up the whole complicated fact of judgment at the end of our time here on earth. Without knowing it, she used rather good theology - which is absolutely faithful to the Scriptures and our tradition. Recognition is part of the spiritual life. Do we recognize Jesus in others and treat them accordingly. Can people recognize Jesus in us by the way we treat them! 

Where can we recognize God? I've touched on this point a few times in this series of 100 posts because I think it is really important. I remember when I was in high school the teacher was going to be late. So he taped on the blackboard a picture of Jesus - with the caption, "I'm Watching You." We thought it was silly. But today, it kind of makes sense - God watches us - and watches over us. We want God to recognize us - and welcome us. It is almost that simple.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: I'm grateful for the many people in my life whose very life helps me to recognize God.

8 Posts to go - January 10, 2019G - I'm blessed with the wisdom of so many

As I get older, I think a lot about the people who have really influenced my life. I have been blessed with tremendous human beings of all different shapes and sizes. I love the above quote from Albert Einstein. I have certainly learned and grown from some people who were the absolute best in their field. It was fun to be around them. I learned so much. I was also baffled that they seemed to like me. But I've also learned from people who might not have had lofty academic credentials, but had insights and wisdom that helped me more than those with a bunch of degrees. 

I'm at my best when I feel that I can learn something from someone. It is not fun for me when someone goes on and on and on. I do come alive when I can learn from someone, connect dots form their experiences, and learn things that I never knew. This makes me better. There are some people who have given me wonderful gifts with their observations, their way of connecting dots in the world, and their sense of wonder and discovery. I am intrigued when some people that I know well do not consider themselves very intelligent. They are among the wisest people that I know. Heck, book learning can be found in a book. But real wisdom comes from a person with eyes wide open and a heart that never shrinks.

If the world only had Einsteins, it might be fun for a while - but probably it would get boring. I knew a parishioner many years ago who was a friend of Einstein in Princeton. Decades later, I wish I had the gumption to have asked him about his friend, Albert. But even Einstein could have fun. Just consider this stately photograph:

   

   I have no idea why I use this graphic. But it makes me laugh - and that is not a bad thing - especially when I take myself too seriously.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: I am more and more grateful for the gifts that God gave me - especially as I get, shall we say, less young.

9 Posts to go - January 10, 2019F - A Good Prayer - The Wind died down

I believe this is a sign of the presence of God - the wind died down. When Jesus walked on the water, there was a storm. His disciples were afraid. Jesus calmed the storm and told it to be still. Then there is a line which can often be overlooked, "Then the wind died down." THis is seldom highlighted, but I think that it is one of the most important phrases in the gospels. Our life can be a cauldron, a tempest, roller coaster - use whatever image you like. But what it comes down to is this: we pray to God that the wind will die down. What a stark simple practical sign of the presence of God - The wind died down. Don't be afraid to ask God to let the wind die down in your life. I know I need this. You probably do too. Let's together seek the dying of the wind so we can experience the rising of joy and peace. It is worth it.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: I'm so thankful for understanding this passage in Scripture - only after 50 years since I learned about it in school!

10 Posts to go - January 10, 2019E - Prayer when we're really in a bad predicament

We are all in predicaments. The above graphic is about the predicaments of a younger person. Older persons have lost of predicaments as well. The spiritual issue really becomes something like this: if we're in a situation where there is tension, misunderstanding, anger, judgment, etc., what can we do about it? Do we insist on being right or following Jesus? At the moment we die, can we defend our behavior before God? Wouldn't we want to clear things up way before this. 

We have to pray for people who have done awful things to us. It is not easy. But it helps. It is profoundly spiritual. It will make us a better person. Don't even think about fairness. Think about salvation. Do you want that so and so who did things to you to be responsible for keeping you out of heaven for not forgiving? I don't. I hope that you don't either. Get yourself out of the predicament.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: When God has helped me to forgive and not hold onto things. (This is not easy - but it works.)

 

11 Posts to go - January 10, 2019D - Routine Prayer

I believe it is helpful to have a routine to our prayers each day. Prayer does not have to be lengthy or complicated. But it has to exist. It is a conscious effort we make to have a connection with God. We pray for many different things in our routine of prayer each day. I really see praying for people, especially parishioners, is an important responsibility that I carry every single day. With Mass and reading and thinking and actively seeking God's help, I probably spend an average of one hour a day praying for people - and sometimes, even for myself. Once in a while, when I get overwhelmed, I realize at the end of the day that I let this slide. I know that is not good, so I just increase my efforts.

The key thing in prayer for me is knowing that, in the end, praying can help many people, but it can often change me. That is not a bad thing.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For the many people who have told me lately that they are praying for me.

12 Posts to go - January 10, 2019C - A few posts on Prayer - Emergency Prayers

There are many different ways to pray, There are also different times when we pray different kinds of prayers. 

Emergency Prayers: We all have times when we hear of some tragic news. Some is really ill. They had a heart attack. They are in a coma. They had a seizure. They were in an awful accident. At these times, At these times, our common response is usually to pray. 

In emergency prayers, what are we praying for? The answer is complicated, but let's try to make it simple. I believe that we are praying for the person who needs our prayers in this situation receive the best possible enlightened effective care imaginable. There are so many moving pieces that we want them all to come together in the best possible way. We then ask God to intervene - and to do so powerfully. It is OK to beg. We ask God to simply walk with the person - to take their hand - to give them peace - to not let them be in pain - and to let them know that, in this situation and all situations they are genuinely loved. Just keep repeating the Jesus prayer - asking that Jesus be with them.

As Jesus did when he calmed the winds on the sea, we are asking for a very similar thing - God, calm the winds. Being given the gift of peace is powerful. 

We have a practical reality that sometimes things do not work out as we want. Then we continue our prayers - but make sure we are asking for God's gift of peace - which will stay with the person and let them know that they are not abandoned. 

Obviously, we want everyone to live forever. We want everyone to be healthy. We want everyone to be safe. Our emergency prayer is ultimately for the healing power of peace to be given to this person. Through prayer and people praying for them, they are not alone. Somehow, in the short run, it seems like these prayers may not be answered. But I believe that, maybe not even in the middle run, but in the ultimate run - God answers them - and gently guides the person, through our prayers, into whatever outcome is possible. Sometimes, we need God to just keep the person safe. 

These are somewhat random thoughts - about the most difficult circumstances that people can face. We pull out all the stops - knowing that we cannot control the situation - but we can be certain that Jesus walks with this person and stays close to them. Sometimes, this is all we can hope for - but we usually hope and want even more. I have seen good things happen countless times- and also seen times when things are really left in God's hands to take care of the person.

This is the bottom line for me - this is the bottom line of our faith: somehow, in some way, in some time - God never ever abandons the ones that God loves.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For people who help other people through difficult times, especially in recognizing that they are not alone.

 

13 Posts to go - January 10, 2019B - The Beauty and Mystery in Nature

Have you noticed something interesting about the Poinsettia plans in church this year? Each plant is fuller, taller, and markedly more robust than in past years. Our plants come from a wholesale greenhouse. I do not know if the little folks began their lives outside or spent their life in a greenhouse. Whatever the case, they were better than any year I can remember in the past. I do not have a green thump. I really am not competent in these things. But, is there a point to this horticultural meandering? Actually, yes. 

The beauty and mystery of nature is one of the signs of God in the world. God is the creator. It is easy to picture the hand of God in a poinsettia plant - as we see that hand in a beautiful sunrise or sunset at the Jersey shore. We must honor and respect all of God's creation. If Joyce Kilmer could do a poem about a tree, we can reflect on God's power in a plant - and then, most important - in life itself.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE:  For realizing the hand of God in so many things in our world.

14 Posts to go - January 10, 2019A - Heroic Sacrifices - a common response

As I look back over these years in the parish, I often think about the families who made what anyone might feel are sacrifices for another family member: a gravely ill parent, a struggling spouse, a younger person or even older person struggling with addictions, mental and physical disabilities - so many things, so many situations requiring a family to dramatically shift their priorities and figure out how they can help. To people looking at this from the outside, it might seem like a heroic sacrifice - but to so many families in these situations - there see no option. Their only response is love.

I have seen this over and over. It has taught me about goodness and sacrifice. Above all, it taught me one of my most important religious truths: non-abandoning love. It is real. It is dramatic. It is given without stinting. It is the response of saints - disguised as parishioners and friends.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For the wonderful example of people whose lives really show what faith is.

15 Posts to go - January 9, 2019E - The 7:30 weekday morning mass

When I first moved into the rectory at the parish from living at one of our Catholic high schools, the parish only had an 8:30 a.m. Mass on weekdays. That would not have worked with the schedule that I had to keep in my diocesan job. Father Patch added a 7:30 a.m. Mass to the weekday schedule, and primarily I said it over the decades.

Over time, this became one of the real great supports for my own faith and connection with God. I learned so much from the people who went to this Mass. Since I said the Mass for over four decades, I not only knew all of the people really well, but also, with profound sadness, had to celebrate a good number of funerals of these good people. 

This people caught me about faith, prayer, not giving up, being joyful in the midst of adversity, and so many other things. I've never told them this, so I hope that they read this post. They are an extraordinary group of human beings - filled with faith, spiritually disciplined, thoughtful, and so concerned about each other. I will always be in their debt.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: The 7:30 a.m. weekday Mass crowd. They are so good.

16 Posts to go - January 9, 2019D - I love the music here

The above picture shows our various choirs singing at my retirement liturgy. Well, maybe, just in my mind. But, I do love the music here. We have lots of choirs - various children's choirs, youth and young adult, and adult choirs, and handbell choirs for children and adults. Singers and instrumentalists. They all come together in our liturgies. It gives the parish, our worship, a special flavor and joy that we might often take for granted. I would never compare all of our choirs to other parishes. That would not be fair. But what I will say - is that it is one of the things that I like the most about the parish. It is clearly a priority because worship is a priority. Our choirs help us celebrate. They do not dominate. They are well integrated into our masses. They are so incredibly good. Did I mention how good they are? I am so fortunate that these choirs exist, that their quality continues, and that those who lead our choirs are people of joy and exceptional competence and artistry. What more could a pastor ever ask? (Unlike many choirs that I have heard outside the diocese, when this choir sings, you can actually understand the words they are singing. That is not often the case.

If you agree with me (and you better!!!), why not tell them sometime.

17 Posts to go - January 9, 2019C - My lifelong goal - I always wanted to be tall

You may be amused at this, but if I was asked to pick something about my life and change it, one unfulfilled wish would be simply that I was tall. I do like the photo and caption of the giraffe above. I guess most people have something about themselves that they would like to be different. I was never content with being short. Unlike many things in my life, I did not set out on a program to change a particular characteristic, such as height. I did not wear elevator shoes or anything like that. But here it is - I've said it. I've confessed it. I have never said this to anyone in my entire life. So there.

As I get towards the end of this series of 100 posts on my blog, I do find that I'm starting to get a bit surly. Is this really me or is this just a function of being too tired to have my usual filters in place. Who knows. Someday, I'll figure it out. While those who know me best have an idea about this, here is something interesting about my preferences: one of my very favorite animals is the giraffe. I have a large giraffe in my office, Msgr. Cora, who is one of my closest advisors. I also have a few other giraffes hanging around. Am I trying to identify with them? I don't know. I just like giraffes. 

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: That I can laugh at myself when I'm being ridiculous. Sometimes, it takes a while to reach that point.

 

 

18 Posts to go - January 9, 2019B - Am I Old?

I have never felt old. According to my driver's license, birth certificate, baptismal certificate, and AARP membership card, I am old - and quite possibly what is quaintly referred to as a senior citizen. While I often am just plain tired, I rationalize that this is a function of work responsibilities and dealing with serious problems - I have an innate disinclination to look at myself as old.

I know that most discussions of senior citizens hover around the ages of 60 - 70, usually 65. But I say to myself, so what. I just don't consider myself old. I don't consider myself young either. But until I breathe my last, I hope that I can always say that I don't care how old I am. I want to be active. I want to be healthy. I want to be happy. I have to have joy. (sorry for all the "I" words in the last few sentences.) I choose to rage, rage, against the dying of the light. Old Age? To heck with it. I used to hate this expression, but now I like it: Just seize the day, darn it. Keep savoring each day - and be sure to get all the senior discounts you possibly can.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For the gift of good health. May this continue.

19 Posts to go - January 9, 2019A - Wow - Perspectives Change on Retirement

(No graphic here. Could not find photograph of elderly priest that I considered respectful!)

Probably 25 years ago, I did a survey of our priests on their possible time for retirement. At that time, there was more latitude with choosing an earlier retirement date than we have today. When I filled out the survey (which I wrote!), I remember checking off the box which indicated that I planned to remain in active ministry until I was 75. At that time, I had not started to feel in any way the toll that 2 full-time jobs might take on me. Today, I would ask myself about staying until 75, my thoughtful response would be "are you nuts?" Reality rears its ugly head every time.

There is a reason so many organizations have a mandatory retirement age of 65 or earlier. There is a reason why police and firefighters can retire after 20-25 years of active service. We just cannot keep it up. We don't have the stamina we once had. Frankly, it can no longer work in the best interest of the organization. With priests, we have the added complication that, in many dioceses with fewer priests, there just have to have their priests serve longer, even if it is against their good health. (go figure!)

Today, I envy those priests who retired in good health at the age of 65. Good for them. Those lucky dogs. They also retired before they faced a Church now dealing with some awful issues from our past.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: I'm thankful to God that I can retire now. 

20 Posts to Go - January 8, 2019A - What Do Catholic Politicians Do about Politics?

The older I get, i am less enamored with politicians. Come to think of it, the older I get, i am less enamored with all sorts of leaders. Is this a societal trend or is this a diagnosis of what is going on today. I came across an article yesterday which observed that, for the past 12 years, the Speaker of the House has been a Catholic. This would be John Boehner, Paul Ryan, and Nancy Pelosi. The article asked whether we could identify a particularly Catholic way of being Speaker. The author's conclusion and mine would be "Nah."

I think that it is a difficult task for politicians to remain faithful to their faith, given all of the reasons that politicians have for compromise, building coalitions, and so many other things that are really difficult. In my thoughtful judgment (which would be the only judgment to have), each of these Catholic Speakers of the House did try to follow their moral impulses - but sometimes their impulses really were contrary to the full vision of the Church for our world. God bless them for trying.

I think it is great to have growing numbers of Catholics in our Congress. I would be happier if some of them, even two or three,  could come up with a truly Catholic understanding of life and society. This does exist, but only a few politicians have tried this in the last fifty years. That's a shame.  

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: I'm grateful for political leaders in Pennsylvania named Casey. They were genuine Catholics in the best sense of the word.

 

 

21 Posts to go - January 7, 2019A - Life Really Is Sacred

Let me share my thoughts succinctly. I really believe that life is sacred at every stage, every age, every social condition, every ethnic group, every everything! I believe that the protection of the environment is terribly important. I am not inclined to be a protester. I am inclined to be thoughtful and think carefully through these important issues. I value a consistent ethic of life. 

I believe that neither political party has a monopoly on caring and profound life issues. Some ways in which some politicians approach life issues make me wince, groan, and sputter. I believe that if you don't respect people, then you have little credibility in convincing others that you respect life.

Period. End of post. Why should this be so complicated?

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For politicians, few and far between, who are consistent in their protection of life.  

22 Posts to Go - January 6, 2019G - Monsignor

This is not my photo. It is taken out of a church clothing catalog in case you wanted to order a Monsignor cassock. I do have all of these things, but you may not have often seen me attired in such "splendor." Have not worn these things in years at the parish. Maybe once a year at certain diocesan functions. I'm not putting these things down, but, in truth, have been thinking about them lately.

I've been a priest with the title of monsignor for 25 years. It bears repeating that being a monsignor is strictly honorary. One does not receive any special sacramental powers or anything else. It is honorary. Did I mention that it's honorary! I will concede that when I was given this honor, I was very happy. It was fun. But shortly after receiving the honor, I thought more and more about the priests who were not given this honor. To make one person happy made countless others unhappy. It often happened over the years in the diocese.  It is hard to honor some and not honor others. 

Shortly after he became pope, Pope Francis changed the rules for requesting monsignors. I have never actually seen the document, but essentially it changed the minimum age to be named a monsignor. I think it is 65, but I'm not certain. The practical effect was to limit this honor to a much smaller group of people than in the past. The pope said that he wanted to reduce "careerism" in the church among priests. The only exception was that priests who were working in the Vatican still could be named monsignors without this age limitation. 

The effect of having monsignors used to be to "reward" priests who had done a good job. The problem is that most priests have done a good job - but were never going to be monsignors.

I don't have a solution for this particular situation. But I believe it is a problem. A lot of priests have been battered around with the aftermath of the sex abuse crisis - guys who have done their very best to help people and have been wonderful priests.  A lot of priests have been and are discouraged over what has taken place. It is a problem. (Sometimes, I think it would be great to be pope for just a day. I could solve everything. I also believe that the Chicago Cubs will win the next World Series.)

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: In the midst of such a tumultuous world and church, I'm grateful to know people who are sincerely concerned about the morale of priests and what can be done.

 

 

23 Posts to go - January 6, 2019F - Deep down, I am enjoying the downsizing of my life

Even though I consider the prospect of getting ready to move, have new beginnings, a major shift in my work patterns, and so many other changes, I nonetheless find at least a little enjoyment in downsizing. In the past, I had the luxury of being expansive. Now, I have no choice. Being focused, being sparse is not an option, it is a requirement.

In my professional life for both jobs, I have often had to deal with priorities - sometimes loosely, sometimes quite rigorously. Now I am dealing with downsizing rigorously - both in terms of things and in terms of what I will actually be doing. 

When I'm thinking straight, I look at this process of getting ready for retirement as an adventure - a new way of living. When I'm not thinking straight, then I look at all this as just a royal pain. From both perspectives, I do wish this process could be completed soon.

The thing that is fun is hoping I will emerge from this process having removed clutter in my life, and really having a chance to only deal with those things that I want to do and are important to me. I have spent my life trying to serve other people. Now I'll be shifting some of that focus on to me. I'm actually looking forward to it.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE - Seeing this more and more as a new exciting beginning. That makes me happy. 

 

24 Posts to Go - January 6, 2019E - The Accumulation of Stuff!

In some ways, i'm a pack rat. I don't like to throw things away. I accumulate things over time. Now in the course of 45 years, I have been dealing with the accumulation of stuff and more stuff and more stuff. It is a tedious exacting process. Ideally, it should be done annually, but that seems frightfully reasonable to actually do it when I have things to do that are more important.

As I'm going through this process which will certainly continue for the rest of this month, I'm bemused at how priorities and assessments of things rapidly shifts. Things, inanimate objects, that seemed quite essential and valuable at one time now have lost the slightest bit of importance to me. This has happened a lot. I wish I had done this annually. I was fortunate in always having additional space where things could be spread out. Now I am under a space constraint that I never had to deal with since I left the seminary. A one-bedroom apartment is not a place where you have the luxury of having non-essential things. Reality happens - even after 45 years.

I'm kind of glad. If this process did not take so much time, I would really value it. But having to cut through all these things accumulated over the decades has made me recall those things and memories that mean the most to me. I'm taking nothing to my little apartment that is not incredibly important to me. That feels good. I'm happy about it. It has not made me sad in the slightest - and that is a very good thing as I'm approaching retirement.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE - Getting my act together - even if it has taken at least 45 years.

 

25 Posts to Go - January 6, 2019D - Tonight are the Golden Globes

OK, tonight is the Golden Globes- and the start of the important time of the year when those in the entertainment industry take much needed time to honor themselves. When I read the nominated films, I realized to my social chagrin that I had not seen one of the nominated films. In truth, it is rare if I have seen more than two of the nominated films, but this is the first year when I had seen exactly none of them.

What is the cause of this void in my life? A reasonable honest answer is that I have just had too much to do and been too tired. That is true. But I do enjoy going to movies - and especially movies that will make me laugh. I find that when dealing with sad things, i.e., sex abuse and the intense aftermath, I retreat at times into things that will lift me up. Movies can do this, but none around seemed capable of spending the time to let that happen.

Consider Charlie Brown's trenchant observation: (makes sense to me!)

  

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: I have a renewed interest in Peanuts lately. 

26 Posts to Go - January 6, 2019C - Does a good example matter anymore?

This is not only about politicians. There is enough blame to go around. I fear for what is happening to children today - when the insistence on adults giving a good example to children seems to have been ripped to shreds by the example of leaders in so many walks of life. Obviously, some of the worst possible examples for children comes from certain of our political leaders. In no way can the Church be complacent about this as well.And so many other areas of life come to mind.

Is there an obligation to give a good example to children? I think so. But why do so many adults let so many leaders get away with giving a bad example that will ultimately be mimicked by children. The quote at the top of this post says it all. People rightly talk about climate change. I think we should also be talking about Character Change. It is happening rapidly. 

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: For adults, especially parents, who go the extra mile in giving a great example for their children and other children in their neighborhood or community. These are the heroes today. 

27 Posts to Go - January 6, 2019B - Let the children come to me

 

In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus said, "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them, for of such is the Kingdom of God." I don't believe it is very difficult to figure out what Jesus was saying. It is quite probable that he was not talking about the present scourge in our society of child abuse. But minimally, Jesus is talking about the best possible example being given to children - because they are sacred.

I will never understand this scourge of child abuse. I know in some cases that it is a sickness. In other cases, it may be a horrible moral failing. To think that adults would not do everything in their power to attack this scourge, to prevent this happening ever again, and not rest until it is eradicated - I just don't understand it. It is an under-reported, but accurate, fact that it has happened in every part of our society. The Church has been blamed the most - but the statistics and research show the incredible progress the Church has made, but few report this. Nonetheless, even one case is too many.

I tend not to be terribly impressed with politicians weighing in on this issue. I'll take them seriously when true protection of our environment, comprehensive gun control, comprehensive background checks, and the elimination of the availability of semi-automatic weapons takes place. Until that time, please don't pretend to be in favor of life. 

So few politicians are genuinely pro-life. That is a shame, because so much good could be done. Sigh.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE:  For those in the minority who have tried to be authentically pro-life at every age, stage, and social condition.

 

28 Posts to go - January 6, 2019A - How's Your Faith?

"Keep the Faith" is more than a album/song by Bon Jovi. It is a genuine plea to each other to remain faithful to God - and to remain vigilant in the times when we can veer off course in our lives and drift away from God. I would like to hope that I have a strong faith, but I know that there have been times when I feel that my faith has been tested, when things do not make sense, and I am just struggling.

The most recent major testing of faith came for me during the most recent clergy sex abuse crisis. So many things seemed to be up for grabs. So many people were angry and disillusioned. People wanted to strike out and hurt the Church for seeming to have abandoned them.  This was a time of upheaval. 

For me, I had to wrestle with this question, both in terms of my two jobs and also wanting to help people who were themselves hurting because of all this terrible stuff. I'm still angry, but certainly a more thoughtful anger than the initial just being plain ticked - big-time. My regard for church leaders did not, shall we say, grow. but I kept coming back to the words of Peter in the Gospel of John, chapter 6. The real context is about eternal life. 

Jesus is the only way who can promise us eternal life. WE need the Eucharist as our most privileged connection with Jesus. The Eucharist is the heart of the Church. Not having the Eucharist seems an incredible deprivation. So, for me, this is why I stay in the Church and want to stay in the Church - because of the Eucharist - the Sacraments - the Mass. We cannot get that anywhere else. 

Is the Church perfect? Nah. Are you perfect? No. Am I perfect? Well, perhaps now. But my faith is in Jesus Christ. It is not in someone who is just human. I need to remember that. I need to keep the faith. 

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: Keeping things in perspective.

29 Posts to Go - January 5, 2019 - The Gift of Time - a worthy gift of the three kings!!

 

This weekend, we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. We remember the portrayals of this feast as a time when people, that we call kings, arrived to bring gifts to Jesus in the crib. Over history and in tradition, these were gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. A popular Christmas carol gave us the idea that these were three kings. The word astrologer is sometimes used to describe them because they followed the star to the place where Jesus was. They presented what was important to them on Epiphany.

Sometimes, to put the feast of the Epiphany into contemporary terms, I have this image of Jesus receiving especially the gift of myrrh and simply saying to the presenter, "oh, what a lovely surprise, I always wanted myrrh for Christmas." All right, perhaps not - but in truth the magi presented things important to them. Each of us can present gifts to God of our support and offerings, but also the gift of time.

Our parish would wither away if we did not have the generosity of our parishioners in so many different ways. To have great programs, we need great volunteers. Fortunately, we have them every year. Some can volunteer for things on a regular basis - other for something occasional - and the universal comment of those who volunteer is that they feel that they receive more than they give. Their hearts are enriched by what they do.

I pray for our volunteers - probably much less than I should because they are so important to our life. When I retire, I intend to get better about this particular group of people who have made Corpus Christi what it is today. God bless them all.

TODAY'S GRATITUDE: Volunteers of every age and interest. You help us to be the Body of Christ. 

 

30 Posts to Go - January 4, 2019D - Confessing the Sins of Others

My hunch is that one of the most frequent sins that people commit is confessing the sins of others. What does this mean? It means sharing with someone else something that another person has done and it is something wrong or sinful. It can come from gossip. It can be a byproduct of jealousy or all sorts of things. Sometimes the more biblical point to James, chapter 5, as a reason why we are supposed to confess the sins of others. Nope. Nope. Nope. Confessing, mentioning the sins of others is a way of judging them, of making ourselves feel superior in comparison to the person we are talking about.

This is pretty direct. If you confess the sins of others, stop it. No one made you God. Pope Francis put it most simply, "who am I to judge?" He is right.

When I confess/mention the sins of others and later think about it, I feel really cheap and unworthy. It takes a lot of practice NOT to do this. But it is worth it.

TODAY's GRATITUDE: When I catch myself on the verge of mentioning someone else's sin or failing - and stop.