Dear Parishioners,
In today’s gospel (Matthew 22: 15-21), Jesus is put in an impossible situation by two opposing groups, both of whom are against Him. The question is whether it is lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not. An affirmative answer will alienate Jesus from the Jews; a negative answer will alienate Jesus from the Romans. Jesus masterfully evades the trap by saying, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, but give to God what is God’s.” However, sometimes there is no way to avoid trouble as St. Thomas More discovered. He was the chancellor of England when Henry VIII divorced his wife and remarried, even though the Church would not grant him an annulment. Loyal to the king, he never condemned Henry; but loyal to the Church, he never gave his approval. Even though he was pressured and all the other bishops except St. John Fisher caved in and gave their approval, St. Thomas remained steadfastly loyal to the Church. Because of this, he was sentenced to death. As he stood on the scaffold awaiting execution, his last words were, “I die the King’s good servant, but God’s first.” He was loyal to his King as long as possible, but his ultimate loyalty was with God. May we always be the same, and may our Catholic politicians look to God for guidance on moral issues rather than party loyalty or voter support and approval.
Rev. Stephen Hook is Pastor of the Pastorate of the Visitation which includes the Catholic Churches of Pasadena, Maryland: St. Jane Frances de Chantal (Riviera Beach) and Our Lady of the Chesapeake (Lakeshore). He is assisted by Associate Pastor Rev. John Belinki, Deacon Howard Klohr, and Deacon Rick Clemens. To learn more about our pastorate, please visit www.catholicpasadena.org.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
You’re Invited!
Dear Parishioners,
God is hosting a wedding for His Beloved Son. We can never earn our place on God’s invitation list; it’s just that God is generous. For it is a profound truth of the gospel, that God is continually extending an invitation to the event of a lifetime and beyond. It is an offer that no one in their right mind should refuse or put off. But it is an invitation that waits for a response. We, all of us, are invited. Please RSVP… and remember, wear white.
- Deacon Robert
God is hosting a wedding for His Beloved Son. We can never earn our place on God’s invitation list; it’s just that God is generous. For it is a profound truth of the gospel, that God is continually extending an invitation to the event of a lifetime and beyond. It is an offer that no one in their right mind should refuse or put off. But it is an invitation that waits for a response. We, all of us, are invited. Please RSVP… and remember, wear white.
- Deacon Robert
“Since we are only in the world for God
himself, we shall never be happy if we do not
serve him with zeal and love.”
- The Saint Cure D’Ars
Friday, September 30, 2011
Now it’s up to you
Dear Parishioners,
Our heavenly Father is like a good, hard working Father, and we are the crop he hopes to harvest. He has spared no effort or expense to make us fruitful and good. He has planted the seed of faith in our hearts, watered us in Baptism, nourished us in the Eucharist, and spaded the earth around us in the sacrament of Penance. He has spared no effort or expense and can do no more. The rest is up to us. Let us pray for the grace to use these gifts wisely so as to bear good fruit by living holy lives.
- Fr. Carl
Our heavenly Father is like a good, hard working Father, and we are the crop he hopes to harvest. He has spared no effort or expense to make us fruitful and good. He has planted the seed of faith in our hearts, watered us in Baptism, nourished us in the Eucharist, and spaded the earth around us in the sacrament of Penance. He has spared no effort or expense and can do no more. The rest is up to us. Let us pray for the grace to use these gifts wisely so as to bear good fruit by living holy lives.
- Fr. Carl
“We are each of us like a small mirror in which
God searches for his reflection.”
- The Saint Cure D’Ars
Friday, September 23, 2011
Learn more about your faith
Dear Parishioners,
Last week when I celebrated Mass on Catechetical Sunday and blessed our religion teachers (Catechists), I reminded everyone of the words of Blessed John Paul II. He said “No one, not even priests or religious, should feel excused from studying and learning more about the faith.” This year more than ever is it essential that we take those words seriously, since there will be a new translation to some of the prayers at Mass beginning November 26/27. This is a wonderful opportunity as there will be articles in the bulletin, some long and others short. Also, beginning October 8th at 9:00 a.m., there will be a series of five 30-minute videos held in the church on the changes as well as the biblical roots of the Mass. These videos were extremely well received by all the members of our Parish Council at their retreat last weekend. For those who cannot come on Saturday mornings, the same videos will be shown on Thursday evenings beginning on October 13 at 7:00 p.m., also in the church. Please call the parish office to register no later than October 3rd.
By the way, I’ve seen the video series three times and learned something new each time. I know you will find it worthwhile.
- Fr. Carl
Last week when I celebrated Mass on Catechetical Sunday and blessed our religion teachers (Catechists), I reminded everyone of the words of Blessed John Paul II. He said “No one, not even priests or religious, should feel excused from studying and learning more about the faith.” This year more than ever is it essential that we take those words seriously, since there will be a new translation to some of the prayers at Mass beginning November 26/27. This is a wonderful opportunity as there will be articles in the bulletin, some long and others short. Also, beginning October 8th at 9:00 a.m., there will be a series of five 30-minute videos held in the church on the changes as well as the biblical roots of the Mass. These videos were extremely well received by all the members of our Parish Council at their retreat last weekend. For those who cannot come on Saturday mornings, the same videos will be shown on Thursday evenings beginning on October 13 at 7:00 p.m., also in the church. Please call the parish office to register no later than October 3rd.
By the way, I’ve seen the video series three times and learned something new each time. I know you will find it worthwhile.
- Fr. Carl
Friday, September 16, 2011
The End of the Line
Dear Parishioners,
What are we to make of today’s Gospel message from Matthew? (Matthew 20:1-16a) Simply put, Jesus uses a parable to teach his disciples that God is not fair. Those who were hired at the end of the day were paid first and received the same wage promised to those who toiled all day. It seems to us that those who worked all day should expect to be paid more, but all the workers received the same pay. Jesus teaches us that God is not fair, God is generous. God plays by a higher set of standards, where the least powerful get extra protection, where the strong serve the weak, where the pious receive the same grace as the sinner. This may sound troubling depending on where you are in this line-up of workers at the end of the toilsome day.
But what if we are not really at the front of the line, the early risers? What if we are really at the end of the line, Gentiles who arrive centuries late to the family of God after the Jewish people have worked for centuries as God’s chosen people? Could it be that we are the 5:00 workers after all? From the back of the line, this parable sounds quite different. That said, it means that all of us are being invited to dance to the tune of Amazing Grace. Personally I’m glad that God is not fair, but that God is generous instead.
- Deacon Robert
What are we to make of today’s Gospel message from Matthew? (Matthew 20:1-16a) Simply put, Jesus uses a parable to teach his disciples that God is not fair. Those who were hired at the end of the day were paid first and received the same wage promised to those who toiled all day. It seems to us that those who worked all day should expect to be paid more, but all the workers received the same pay. Jesus teaches us that God is not fair, God is generous. God plays by a higher set of standards, where the least powerful get extra protection, where the strong serve the weak, where the pious receive the same grace as the sinner. This may sound troubling depending on where you are in this line-up of workers at the end of the toilsome day.
But what if we are not really at the front of the line, the early risers? What if we are really at the end of the line, Gentiles who arrive centuries late to the family of God after the Jewish people have worked for centuries as God’s chosen people? Could it be that we are the 5:00 workers after all? From the back of the line, this parable sounds quite different. That said, it means that all of us are being invited to dance to the tune of Amazing Grace. Personally I’m glad that God is not fair, but that God is generous instead.
- Deacon Robert
Friday, September 9, 2011
Roman Missal, Third Edition coming soon to a church near you!
Dear Parishioners,
By now, many of you have heard that there will be some changes in the Mass starting the First Sunday of Advent. It’s nothing to get concerned about as the changes will be relatively minor, affecting some of the responses and prayers. The format will remain the same – Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites. Why is the Church doing this now? Actually the Church has been making changes in the Mass since the beginning. (See page 2 of the Sept. 11 bulletin). Early on, the Mass was prayed in Greek (Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison), then in Latin, and forty years ago in the local language of the people. From the fourth through the eighth century, there were different forms of the Mass in France, Spain, and Italy before the Roman rite became more the norm in Europe. However, it was not until after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that the Roman Missal was mandated by the Church in 1570. Still some areas in Europe didn’t conform to the changes for over 300 years. That won’t happen here in the USA.
Now that the summer is over and Advent approaches, it’s a good time to prepare by reading the short articles and inserts in the bulletin. There will also be a series of five 30 minute videos on the biblical basis of the Mass on Saturday mornings from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the Muth Room starting October 8th. Contact the Parish Office if you would like to attend.
Why not begin by reading the insert today from the United States Catholic Conference?
- Fr. Carl
For more information, see http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/.
By now, many of you have heard that there will be some changes in the Mass starting the First Sunday of Advent. It’s nothing to get concerned about as the changes will be relatively minor, affecting some of the responses and prayers. The format will remain the same – Introductory Rites, Liturgy of the Word, Liturgy of the Eucharist, and Concluding Rites. Why is the Church doing this now? Actually the Church has been making changes in the Mass since the beginning. (See page 2 of the Sept. 11 bulletin). Early on, the Mass was prayed in Greek (Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison), then in Latin, and forty years ago in the local language of the people. From the fourth through the eighth century, there were different forms of the Mass in France, Spain, and Italy before the Roman rite became more the norm in Europe. However, it was not until after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) that the Roman Missal was mandated by the Church in 1570. Still some areas in Europe didn’t conform to the changes for over 300 years. That won’t happen here in the USA.
Now that the summer is over and Advent approaches, it’s a good time to prepare by reading the short articles and inserts in the bulletin. There will also be a series of five 30 minute videos on the biblical basis of the Mass on Saturday mornings from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the Muth Room starting October 8th. Contact the Parish Office if you would like to attend.
Why not begin by reading the insert today from the United States Catholic Conference?
- Fr. Carl
For more information, see http://www.usccb.org/romanmissal/.
Friday, September 2, 2011
What a week it’s been!
Dear Parishioners,
What a week it’s been! First there was an earthquake, then a hurricane, and now the news that Archbishop O’Brien will be taking a new assignment in Rome as head of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. While it is a sign of Pope Benedict XVI’s appreciation for the Archbishop’s long and distinguished service to the Church, it is disappointing to see him depart after only four years here in Baltimore. He has had some difficult decisions to make with the declining enrollment in Catholic schools, and is in the midst of dealing with a significant priest shortage and the changing demographics in parishes.
A Brother Who Sins
Today’s gospel (Matthew 18:15-20) deals with fraternal correction in the Christian manner. All too often we go about it in the wrong way with negative results. We might bottle up wrongs committed against us, or lash out in anger, gossip about the perpetrator, or publicize it on a website. Jesus advises us to go to the offending person and correct him/her in private. In the Navy, we were told to praise in public and rebuke in private so as to spare the culprit unnecessary embarrassment. If that were to fail, then get several witnesses to again privately address the offender. Only if that were to fail, should the matter to be made public. That’s what our bishops have been doing with our so-called Catholic politicians who come out in favor of positions contrary to the Catholic faith. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked here on earth. Still our bishops must continue to correct the sinner and the saint, the proud and the humble, the self-assured and the docile, trusting that God will sort it out when He judges the wicked and the righteous.
- Fr. Carl
What a week it’s been! First there was an earthquake, then a hurricane, and now the news that Archbishop O’Brien will be taking a new assignment in Rome as head of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. While it is a sign of Pope Benedict XVI’s appreciation for the Archbishop’s long and distinguished service to the Church, it is disappointing to see him depart after only four years here in Baltimore. He has had some difficult decisions to make with the declining enrollment in Catholic schools, and is in the midst of dealing with a significant priest shortage and the changing demographics in parishes.
A Brother Who Sins
Today’s gospel (Matthew 18:15-20) deals with fraternal correction in the Christian manner. All too often we go about it in the wrong way with negative results. We might bottle up wrongs committed against us, or lash out in anger, gossip about the perpetrator, or publicize it on a website. Jesus advises us to go to the offending person and correct him/her in private. In the Navy, we were told to praise in public and rebuke in private so as to spare the culprit unnecessary embarrassment. If that were to fail, then get several witnesses to again privately address the offender. Only if that were to fail, should the matter to be made public. That’s what our bishops have been doing with our so-called Catholic politicians who come out in favor of positions contrary to the Catholic faith. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked here on earth. Still our bishops must continue to correct the sinner and the saint, the proud and the humble, the self-assured and the docile, trusting that God will sort it out when He judges the wicked and the righteous.
- Fr. Carl
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