Great Summer Reads and Audios

Dear Parishioners,

I spend a lot of time in the car driving from Annapolis to St. Jane. I often drive in quiet. Sometimes I will do Morning or Evening Prayer conveniently from my phone. I recently found some interesting podcasts that I can play on my phone while driving. A podcast is an audio file you can access on your phone or computer. For instance, you can access a conversation of a doctor talking about some Alzheimer's issue, an interview with a basketball player, or a chef talking about ravioli. There are millions out there. You have to download a podcast player but there are also many free ones available. What I have recently found is “Pints with Aquinas.” The premise is what would happen if you could sit down with a beer and ask Saint Thomas Aquinas, probably the greatest Catholic theologian, a single question. The podcast asks about grace, sin, angels, the Eucharist, and all sorts of theological questions. Matt Fradd is the presenter, and he quotes often from the Summa Theologia, Aquinas’ masterwork. It is always interesting, and I recommend it.

Laudate, Ignatius Press Bible App, and Pocket Catholic are other phone apps that I use that provide access to the bible, prayers, and lots more information. For summer reading, Pope Benedict Emeritus is a wonderful theologian whose books, Jesus of Nazareth, offer great insights into our faith. My favorite writer is Henri Nouwen whose books are beautiful and articulate. Pope Francis has presented his ideas in a very down-to-earth manner in The Joy of the Gospel, The Name of God is Mercy, and On Care for Our Common Home. Finally, I would recommend, James Martin, Jesus: a Pilgrimage. There are great materials out there to enliven your faith.

Blessings,
Deacon Steve

“We must be like the shepherds in the fields during the winter. They have a fire, but from time to time they search about for sticks to keep it alive. If we knew how to keep up the fire of the love of God in our heart by prayers and good works, it would not go out.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

“INSIDE OUR SACRED SPACE”

Week 13: Ambry for Holy Oils

Each church stores holy oils for use in various ceremonies. New oils are blessed annually during Holy Week by the bishop at the chrism Mass and then distributed to parishes. The oils are: the oil of the catechumens, the oil of the sick and the chrism. They are kept locked in an ambry, a French word meaning wall safe or cupboard. Our Catechism says, “The sacred chrism (Myron), used in anointings as the sacramental sign of the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit, is traditionally reserved and venerated in a secure place in the sanctuary. The oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick may also be placed there” (CCC, No. 1183).
  
***This article “Inside Our Sacred Space” was originally published in the OSV Newsweekly, www. OSV.com, on January 8-14, 2017 and is used with permission of the author D.D. Emmons. ***

We Have Our Mission

Dear Parishioners,

As we approach the end of the Easter season (next Sunday—Pentecost), today we hear the end of Matthew’s gospel and our Lord’s last words before he ascends into heaven (Matthew 28:16-20). Since he will no longer be with his disciples, he commissions them to teach and baptize delegating his divine authority to do so. In short, he is telling them and us to evangelize. This is part of our Lord’s mission along with redemption, and is our mission in life as all our recent popes from Paul VI up to Francis have been telling us. Our Lord didn’t just live for himself; he lived and died for all of us. We, too, are called in a less dramatic way to do the same. May we respond to God’s grace and do what we can for others. Who knows what effects our Christian living will have in this world? But we will surely find out in the next world.

Fr. Carl

“With the Holy Spirit, we see everything in its true proportions; we see the greatness of the least actions done for God, and the greatness of the least faults.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

“INSIDE OUR SACRED SPACE”

Week 12: Stations of the Cross

In nearly every Catholic Church, 14 Stations of the Cross ring the walls of the nave. We can walk along with Jesus as he makes the agonizing journey from Pilate’s house to his crucifixion on Calvary that first Good Friday. We halt at each station meditating on the actual or traditional events that took place at that particular spot. This most popular devotion evolved over several centuries. While many Catholics participate in this devotion every Friday of Lent, the stations are available for us to “walk” anytime. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document “Built of Living Stones” states: “Traditionally the stations have been arranged around the walls of the nave of the church, or, in some instances around the gathering space of even the exterior of the church making the devotion as a true journey.”

  
***This article “Inside Our Sacred Space” was originally published in the OSV Newsweekly, www. OSV.com, on January 8-14, 2017 and is used with permission of the author D.D. Emmons. ***

Finding True Happiness

Dear Parishioners,

After Mass the other day, I was asked why the Easter (Paschal) Candle was burning. The answer is very simple. We are still in the Easter season. This Sunday is the Sixth Sunday of Easter. The Easter Season will continue up until Pentecost Sunday. After Vespers (Evening Prayer), the candle will be put out and placed near the baptismal font to be lit only for baptisms and funerals. If you look closely at the candle, you will see two Greek letters. At the top is the letter “alpha”; at the bottom is the letter “omega.” They are the first and last letter of the Greek alpha and symbolize Jesus as the beginning and the end. In short, he is to be our all—our everything. So when you think about the use of the Easter Candle at baptisms and funerals, it makes perfectly good sense. At baptisms, we begin a new life here on earth with Jesus. At funerals, we end our earthly life hopefully still connected to Jesus and begin anew our heavenly life. Of course, we have to love Jesus to be with him in heaven. And how we do that Jesus says in today’s gospel: “Whoever has my commandments and observes (keeps) them is the one who loves me.”

May we do our best to always show our love for Father, Son and Holy Spirit so as to find real happiness.

Fr. Carl

“How beautiful it is, my children, to be accompanied by the Holy Spirit!
He is indeed a good guide; and to think that there are some who will not follow him!”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

“INSIDE OUR SACRED SPACE”

Week 11: Sacristy

From the Latin word sacristra, meaning a room near the sanctuary or church entrance, this room contains the bread and wine, sacred vessels, the books, the vestments, everything needed in the celebration of the Mass. It is the location where the priests and ministers vest. The sacristy was part of the church since the first places of public worship were built in the fourth century. Here the sacred vessels are cleaned after Mass. In most sacristies there is a sacrarium, a sink that drains directly in the earth where water from cleaning the vessels is poured.
  
***This article “Inside Our Sacred Space” was originally published in the OSV Newsweekly, www. OSV.com, on January 8-14, 2017 and is used with permission of the author D.D. Emmons. ***

100th Anniversary of Fatima

Dear Parishioners,

One hundred years ago, Europe was embroiled in World War I. It was said to be “the war to end all wars,” but it was not, as we have seen in the last century. While the country of Portugal was not involved in the great war, there was a battle for the faith of the Catholic Church in that poor little country. The government was doing whatever it could to stamp out the Catholic faith. Then on May 13, 1917, three young Portuguese children were visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary who delivered a message of hope and a message of warning. She told the children that God was offended by the many sins committed around the world. The daily rosary was to be said in reparation for those sins and for help in preventing more souls from going to Hell. The current war would end, but if significant prayer and reparation were not offered, an even greater war would break out in the future. Unfortunately, the world didn’t do enough praying, and World War II broke out twenty years later.

Today, the world is in even worse shape than it was 100 years ago, and the message is even more relevant. We need to pray the rosary for peace and better family life. We may not generate enough prayer to prevent further wars, but the rosary will certainly help our families to grow in faith, hope, charity, and solidarity. If we have strong, united families, life will become a joy even in the midst of life’s trial and tribulations.

As we celebrate the month of Mary, let us pray the rosary. She will help us with her motherly support.

God bless,
Fr. Carl

“You wonder why God, who is goodness itself, allows us to suffer…
But, what would you think of a doctor who lost his patient because
he was afraid to give him the necessary but unpleasant treatment?”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

“INSIDE OUR SACRED SPACE”

Week 10: Easter Candle

The Easter (or Paschal) candle is located near the baptismal font, the exception being during the Easter season when it is placed next to the ambo. Originating around the fourth century, this large candle represents the light of Christ, and a new Paschal candle is blessed during each Easter Vigil. It is lit for every baptism, and the flame, the light of Christ, is transferred to a candle given to the baptized individual or to an adult family member when an infant is baptized.
  
***This article “Inside Our Sacred Space” was originally published in the OSV Newsweekly, www. OSV.com, on January 8-14, 2017 and is used with permission of the author D.D. Emmons. ***

The Good Shepherd

Dear Parishioners,

The month of May is typically dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus and our mother as well. This weekend we have our May Procession as we honor Mary and bring flowers to her as a sign of our love and affection. Praying the rosary on a more frequent basis would be a gift she would appreciate even more as we draw closer to her and “the fruit of her womb, Jesus.”

This week, Mary’s son, Jesus, reminds us of his love for us in referring to himself not only as the good shepherd but also as the sheep gate (John 10:1-10). As the sheep gate, Jesus serves as the entrance into a land of security, peace, and safety. It is a state of being and a relationship that gives life more abundantly than we can imagine.

So, this weekend, we celebrate two blessings: Mary and Jesus. May we strive to enter a deeper relationship with Our Lord and Our Lady.

Fr. Carl

“We must be like the shepherds in the fields during the winter. They have a fire, but from time to time they search about for sticks to keep it alive. If we knew how to keep up the fire of the love of God in our heart by prayers and good works, it would not go out.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

“INSIDE OUR SACRED SPACE”

Week 9: Baptismal Font

Baptism is the door to all the Church’s sacraments. The baptistery or baptismal font is part of every Catholic Church and located so that the congregation can participate in the baptismal ceremony. Some fonts are large pools with free-flowing water and normally found as you enter the nave; others are smaller and placed in different locations. The early converts to Christianity were baptized in rivers, streams, public baths, some in the catacombs. For the most part, it wasn’t until the fourth century with the construction of churches that baptisms were brought indoors.

Over the centuries, even until recently, the receptacle used for baptisms has been continuously reduced in size. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document “Built on living Stones” says for each parish that, “One font that will accommodate the baptism of both infants and adults symbolizes the one faith and one baptism that Christians share.”

  
***This article “Inside Our Sacred Space” was originally published in the OSV Newsweekly, www. OSV.com, on January 8-14, 2017 and is used with permission of the author D.D. Emmons. ***

Becoming Like Children

Dear Parishioners,

Wouldn’t you just know it? Several weeks ago it was hot outside and inside the church, so we switched the HVAC to the AC mode, and the weather turned colder. Sometimes you just can’t win. However, if you were part of our Flocknote system, you would have been notified and advised to bring a sweater. Flocknote is proving to be a wonderful tool for keeping you up-to-date. If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s easy to do. Just text “stjane” to 84576, and then follow the instructions.

This past weekend, we had a number of our young people make their First Communion. They all looked so nice and were so excited to receive Jesus for the first time. It was very awe inspiring to see their child-like faith and trust in God. Unfortunately, we all lose some of that as we grow older and become distracted by other interests in life. We would be wise to regain the attitudes of those young boys and girls. After all, Jesus said, “Unless you become like little children, you will not enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 18:3)

Fr. Carl

“Do not be afraid of people saying that going to Mass on
a week day is only for those who have nothing to do….
Are you ashamed to serve God for fear of being despised?
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

“INSIDE OUR SACRED SPACE”

Week 8: Images, Statues, and Relics

Statues and pictures of Jesus, the Blessed Mother and the saints adorn nearly every church. Catholics don’t pray to or worship statues; rather we venerate, we admire, respect and seek to imitate the individual emulated in the statue. We worship our living Lord, Jesus Christ, not his statue. The saints depicted in our churches lived lives of heroic virtue and are now in heaven, where they can intercede for us before God. The statues, pictures, even the stained-glass windows, tell about Jesus and the Scriptures. These images have long been an important educational tool, especially in the first 1,500 years of Christianity when few people were literate. Relics are treated in a similar way, as best explained by St Jerome (340-420): “We do not worship, we do not adore, for fear that we should bow down to the creature rather than to the Creator, but we venerate the relics of the martyr in order the better to adore him whose martyrs they are.”

  
***This article “Inside Our Sacred Space” was originally published in the OSV Newsweekly, www. OSV.com, on January 8-14, 2017 and is used with permission of the author D.D. Emmons. ***

Divine Mercy

Dear Parishioners,

Before the 2nd Vatican Council in the 1960s, the bible readings at Mass were always the same. Each year on a particular Sunday, you heard the exact same readings from the previous year. After the Council, the Church decided the people should hear more and different readings. Therefore, a three year cycle began with the readings being repeated only once every three years. However, there were some exceptions, and the 2nd Sunday of Easter is one. While the first and second readings are different each year, the gospel is always the same. It is the story of doubting Thomas who serves as a role model when we have some questions about our faith (Jn 20:19-31). But it is preceded by Jesus giving the disciples the power and authority to forgive sins. It is the scriptural basis for our Lord instituting the sacrament of Penance, Confession, or Reconciliation. Also, the Responsorial Psalm is the same each year as it deals with the Lord’s love, mercy and compassion. It is a perfect complement to the Lord’s forgiveness in the sacrament of penance.

If you did not have the opportunity to go to confession before Easter, now is a good time to take advantage of the Lord’s love and mercy which endures for ever. The sacrament is available from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the church. If you are not able to come then, please call the parish office, and I will be happy to make an appointment for you to experience Jesus’ compassion and mercy.

Fr. Carl

“Our Bishop has said that every morning we must offer as a
sacrif ice all we shall have to suffer during the day; and that if
God does not send any suffering, the merit of the sacri fice
well be there all the same.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars

“INSIDE OUR SACRED SPACE”

Week 7: Celebrant’s Chair

During the Mass, the priest represents Our Lord Jesus, persona Christi, and thus the priest’s chair is distinguishable from the other seats in the church. The chair is not designed as the place for a king: it is not a royal throne, not palatial, but it is easily differentiated from other chairs in the sanctuary and recognized as the place for the one who leads the congregation. The chair is always placed so to be seen from the nave. “The chair of the priest celebrant must signify his office of presiding over the gathering and directing the prayer” (GIRM, No. 310).
  
***This article “Inside Our Sacred Space” was originally published in the OSV Newsweekly, www. OSV.com, on January 8-14, 2017 and is used with permission of the author D.D. Emmons. ***