Why Am I so Tired?

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I was sitting here wondering why I was so exhausted today, and it hit me: this was probably one of the more emotionally difficult weekends I’ve had in my short time as a priest. Saturday included a funeral in the morning; Confessions and Confirmation in the evening. Sunday was the usual routine of 3 Masses and 100 miles of driving. On top of that were a handful of “make-up” first Confessions. I’m tired because all these various emotional events take a toll on our energy level.

I mention this not to merely talk about myself and make my life sound difficult (it really isn’t), but to show what a priest could go during the course of a weekend. So, when you come to Father after the last Mass of the weekend and he’s obviously tired, please don’t be offended if he’s not willing to give up some of his day off to deal with an issue you want to talk to him about. Likewise, don’t give up inviting Father over for supper just because he wants to spend Sunday evening in his recliner watching baseball and chowing on delivered pizza (Can you tell how I spent this evening?).

The life of a priest is one of the most rewarding and beautiful, but it is also one of the more emotionally draining. We need and appreciate the support and love of our parishioners, but sometimes we also need their understanding for our need for space.

Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent

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Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent

(Yeah, I know this is a bit late!)

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Concern About Children Conceived After Death of Parent

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An article on Fox News caught my eye this morning: Children Conceived After Death of Parent Face Uphill Battle for Inheritance Rights. Now, this isn’t about children conceived naturally and born after the father dies. Rather, the article details a couple of mothers who each had a child conceived by in-vitro fertilization from the stored sperm of their late husbands. Because the children were conceived after the fathers died, they are not eligible for Social Security inheritance payments.

I’m not so concerned about the money involved, although it should be topic of discussion in a country which currently faces serious debt issues, and has for some time now. My concern is the larger picture about how children are viewed in the United States and other Western European cultures today.

I live in a country where children are killed by the rate of over 1 million a year just for the crime of being “unwanted” by the mother or a “risk” to the mother. Because children are only viewed as “wanted” or “unwanted”, they’re seen by many as objects to possess or be thrown away. They’re not viewed as human,  but just another object – like a car, computer or TV – that will enhance or detract from what I want.

With the prevailing view of children as objects in this culture, I’ve got three concern about the inheritance rights article. First, the fact that science can conceive a child from a dead man’s sperm does not mean that it should, especially for the sake of the mother’s mental health. I fail to see how having a child artificially from her late husband’s sperm will help the mother overcome the grief at losing their husband. Isn’t it more likely that the child will be a constant reminder of the husband she lost?

Second, it’s one thing to be a single mother raising a child due to the accidental or health-related death of the father. It’s another issue for a mother to willingly place herself and the child in that situation from the beginning. Children deserve to have the love and care of both parents, father and mother, if at all possible. To conceive a child in this situation is to willingly deprive the child of the love of its father.

Third, I’m concerned that the children will be seen as objects of remembrance of the deceased husband, much as a beloved photograph or favorite item, instead of a unique human being. Too many children are seen as objects to possess, and too many couples feel they have an entitlement to a child. No one has a right to a child, and no child deserves to be viewed as a memorial to someone else. Gravestones and pictures help us to remember someone; other humans shouldn’t be conceived just for that purpose.

While my heart goes out to all women who have lost their husbands suddenly due to accident or illness, having a child artificially from his sperm is not going to solve the loss, and does no favors to the children.

St. Patrick’s Day: what it’s really about

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In the United States, St. Patrick’s feast day, which we celebrate today, has become an opportunity for Americans to eat corned beef and cabbage, and get drunk on Guinness, green-dyed beer, and Irish whiskey. Now, I love a good corned beef and cabbage feed, and enjoy (in moderation!) Guinness and Irish whiskey, there is much more to this feast than merely stuffing ourselves and getting drunk.

Today should be a day to remember St. Patrick, bishop of the Church and patron saint of Ireland, and to recommit ourselves to live our lives as St. Patrick did: in total service of Christ. In fact, his Lorica shows what’s really important in life:

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth and His baptism,
Through the strength of His crucifixion and His burial,
Through the strength of His resurrection and His ascension,
Through the strength of His descent for the judgment of doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In service of archangels,
In the hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In the prayers of patriarchs,
In preachings of the apostles,
In faiths of confessors,
In innocence of virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven;
Light of the sun,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of the wind,
Depth of the sea,
Stability of the earth,
Firmness of the rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s hosts to save me
From snares of the devil,
From temptations of vices,
From every one who desires me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone or in a mulitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and evil,
Against every cruel merciless power that opposes my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of women and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that reward may come to me in abundance.

Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through a belief in the Threeness,
Through a confession of the Oneness
Of the Creator of creation.

Following Christ and professing our faith in Him. That’s what St. Patrick’s feast day is all about. So, enjoy the corned beef and cabbage (or be contrary like me and try this absolutely incredible-sounding Irish Beef Stew), tip back a Guinness or two (all in moderation, of course), but don’t forget to praise Our Lord and give your life over to Him!

Catholic Media Promotion Day

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Today, March 15th, Catholics throughout social networking and the blogosphere are promoting different forms of Catholic media, and with good reason. Over the past couple of years, Pope Benedict has been encouraging Catholics to use the new forms of media that the Internet has made available to us. Through his messages for the World Communication Days, the Holy Father has made it clear that we need to be using all forms of media – whether traditional print, TV, radio, or New Media – to spread the Gospel.

In the spirit of Catholic Media Promotion Day, here are some ways Catholics are using media to spread the Gospel:

Blogs

One of the easiest way to preach the Gospel is through establishing and posting to a blog. Here are 4 of the many I like:

  • What Does the Prayer Really Say? – Fr. Zuhlsdorf (Fr. Z) speaks on matters of liturgy and Catholicism in the culture
  • Catholic and Enjoying It! – Catholic convert and apologist Mark Shea publishes every thought of his “no matter how stupid”. Discusses Catholic views on politics, popular culture, and GK Chesterton
  • The Chant Café – Discussing and educating on the role of chant within Catholic practice
  • New Liturgical Movement – Working towards a true reform of the liturgy

Podcasts

Catholics talking about Catholicism, all for free download:

  • Catholic Pilot – Captain Jeff discusses flight, being a pilot, and Catholicism
  • iPadre – Fr. Jay Fanelli fulfills his role as a priest and shares the Gospel
  • In Between Sundays – Nick and Pat talk about being a young adult Catholic

Other Media

Radio, TV, Newspapers and more!

  • EWTN – The flagship television, radio, and Internet network founded by a very outspoken Poor Claire nun
  • The Catholic Channel – The Archdiocese of New York sponsored station on SiriusXM satellite radio (listening to it as I type this post!)
  • National Catholic Register – Weekly newspaper in the United States sharing Catholic news and opinion

Random Catholic Things

Other stuff that Catholics are doing:

  • Catholic Answers – Catholic apologetics with an extensive collection of Catholic writings, and Q&A Catholic radio program (on EWTN) with an archive of over 11 years!
  • Universalis – The Liturgy of the Hours online (sadly, this is an unofficial English translation – the official translation online requires a subscription due to copyright)
  • Vocation Boom – Online guide to discerning a vocation to the priesthood

My Projects

Things I’m doing:

Lenten Practice: Spiritual Reading

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If you’re not already doing it as part of your daily spiritual routine (you do have a daily spiritual routine, right?), spiritual reading during Lent is another great practice that allows us to be drawn into the graces of the season. For this reason, many publishers produce booklets with daily readings, reflections, and prayers that take just a few minutes every day. One Lenten booklet I particularly like, and even ordered as a hand-out to parishioners, is Magnificat‘s Lenten Companion. Sadly, they’ve sold out completely on this year’s edition, so keep it on your list to remember for future years. Magnificat also produces an Advent Companion, which is similarly worth ordering as soon as it’s available.

Along with the daily reflection booklets, Lent is a great time to avail yourself of the many great books on spirituality and Church teaching out there. You can choose from classics like Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales and The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis to more recent spiritual writing by Archbishop Fulton Sheen and Dr. Scott Hahn, among many other spiritually enriching options.

This Lent, join me in turning off the computer and TV, and picking up a good spiritual book or two. My choice is Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection. What are you reading this Lent?