Pastor's Notes

A few weeks ago in this column, Rex Rund, our Director of Music and Liturgy, thanked so many magnanimous people who went the extra mile to keep our parish going during the pandemic. I also want to thank you, the extraordinarily generous stewards of our community who remained stalwart supporters of our beloved parish, even when your jobs and livelihoods could have been in pandemic jeopardy. I was so inspired by you. May God bless you for your generosity!

This is also a good time to relay how your contributions are stewarded. It begins each spring when our parish staff plans our budget for the next fiscal year. Last year, we created a leaner budget to correspond with an uncertain world climate. Our parish staff's careful management of your tithing, combined with your generosity, led to solid footing for our parish as we closed the fiscal year this summer. As your pastor, I breathed a sigh of relief and prayed prayers of thanksgiving!  

This year’s budgeting process was convened in May. For the past two years, our strategy has been to have each department head present their budgets to the staff, along with a narrative that helps all of us build mission-focused budgets in our ministries. This allows us to scrutinize our spending in light of our overall mission. 

In many ways, it is like putting together a home budget (on a much larger scale, of course). At home, you budget for utilities, food, clothing, and maybe a home improvement project. At the parish, we do the same. As we budget for the parish, we trust and pray that you have included us in your fiscal planning. In the end, this is what stewardship is about: that you see the work of your family and our parish family as one seamless garment that needs your support.

I was proud of our staff as they built this year’s budget. It is solid. We have discerned that our budget needs to be slightly increased by a modest 1.5%. We hope and pray that your support will continue so that we can continue to build beautiful things for God.

While we are most grateful for your stewardship in any form, to help us maintain a more consistent cash flow, we encourage the use of our online giving program. I can speak about this myself. For many years, as an employee of the parish, I have been able to have my tithe taken right out of my paycheck. I really like it that way because it is a protected priority in my financial management. I like the fact that God receives his share first, and then I consider my spending on needed personal priorities.  

Parishioners currently tithing online tell us that it is a great help to them, too. It allows them to clearly budget the amount they want to give back to God and helps them feel assured that their parish is receiving their tithe even when they are out-of-town or forget to consistently carry their envelope to Mass.  

Please prayerfully consider setting up a recurring tithe through our online giving program! You can do so through our website at olmc1.org/ways-to-give OR scan the QR code on the cards in your pews!

I cannot believe that we have arrived in August. In no time, kids will be returning to school. I hope you can seek out some family fun in the waning days of summer!

- Fr. Richard

To express the closeness of God and of the Church to every older person, Pope Francis has chosen “I am with you always” from the Gospel of Matthew as the theme for the first World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. This scriptural assurance is comforting in light of the trauma associated with one of the most COVID-affected populations: the elderly. Henceforth, the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly will be celebrated each year on the fourth Sunday of July. It coincides with the feast of Sts. Joachim and Anne that is celebrated on July 26.  

Sts. Joachim and Anne are the most highly blessed grandparents of human history, as their grandson was Jesus. The Gospels make no mention of Mary’s parents, but apocryphal works written about 150 AD give us the story. However, even in the Church’s early centuries, the Fathers could not sort out what was legend or fact. Obviously, though, Mary had parents. Considering the extraordinary graces God bestowed upon Mary, it stands to reason that her parents were holy and righteous human beings.

I remember giving a talk at an aging parish that was preceded by lunch. As I listened to the meal conversations, I got the distinct impression that in addition to retiring from their jobs, they retired from involvement. There was a tendency in the group to underestimate their value and potential to affect the lives of young people.  

The US Bishops call grandparents irreplaceable apostles--a concise way of saying that grandparents have a vital role in preserving the faith and handing it on to future generations. This is because, for whatever reason, faith has skipped over the “in-between generation” that is often “unchurched” today.  So what can you do?  

Set a good example. No matter one’s health or circumstance, your mentoring example matters. Children can spot a hypocrite a mile away, so be good Catholics! Your regular attendance at Mass matters. Whenever possible, bring your grandchildren along and connect your Mass attendance with family activities that will give them positive feelings about attending church. My grandmother often connected Mass with donuts, for example. As we feasted, she gave witness to our belief in the Eucharist and explained her love for the sacramental life, the saints, and the Church in general. We also talked about current events from a Catholic perspective. 

Pray with your grandchildren. My grandmother’s quiet and prayerful demeanor made a tremendous impact on me. I often went to Mass with her when we visited. We also prayed the Rosary in the car, and she was always affirming when we learned new prayers. My grandfather also took us to Mass and taught us about the value of service and family. Hearing you pray out loud for them will certainly move your grandchildren. Pray specifically about their future, their education, and their faith. Pray about your desire to see them someday in heaven. Also, read stories to them about the saints and tailor those stories to match their interests. There is a saint for everything!

A pilgrimage. I have fond memories of mini-pilgrimages to Catholic places with my grandparents—cathedrals, shrines, Catholic colleges. Maybe you can even add a convent or a seminary. Some financially blessed grandparents might consider a trip to Rome or the Holy Land. All are formative experiences.  

Gifts! A Catholic bookstore is a wonderful place to spend your children’s inheritance with your grandchildren. Buying sacramentals like prayer books, statues, rosaries, and the like will keep a pilgrimage alive for years to come!  

In short, you matter to future generations, and you matter to God! If you are blessed with a living grandparent, this is a wonderful day to visit or call and to thank them for their example and faith.

-Fr. Richard

In my column this week, I hope to inspire you to encounter Christ as I do every year in the eyes of the poorest of the poor who come for our Tools for School program. For 17 years, we have opened our parish to children in need as they return to school, providing them with the basics like backpacks, school supplies, coats, shoes, socks, and a bag of healthy food. As the number of children has increased to 3,000 (!), we need a thousand volunteers! We need you! 

I have a story to share about this program that affected me deeply. A few years ago, I had dinner with a friend a few weeks prior to Tools for School, and he shared stories about a recent pilgrimage to the Holy Land. To get a laugh, I asked him if he had brought me a souvenir. He smiled and playfully apologized. “Sorry. Nothing for you, Fr. Richard, but I got something for myself.” And looking for approval he whispered, “I got a tattoo.”

OK, I’ll be honest. I am not a big fan of tattoos but to each his own. This was going to be a hard sell as I crossed my arms in theatrical disgust. But he sealed the deal when he explained the meaning behind the tattoo. 

My friend had gotten a Jerusalem cross tattoo on the backside of his wrist and explained that he did so in solidarity with Christians in the Holy Land who did the same, not only for themselves but most especially for their minor children to “brand” them as Christians. This is because, in the Middle East, Christians are a shrinking and persecuted people. And sadly, many young Christian children are kidnapped and become victims of human trafficking and slavery in this complicated and multicultural region. 

So in the event of this worst-case scenario, Christian parents tattoo their children so that they can find them. It was a story that stuck with me for many weeks. I mean, I face criticism for my faith in Jesus Christ. But in light of this, what do I have to complain about?

With this story fresh in my mind, I was working at the Tools for School registration table and asked a Middle Eastern refugee for her paperwork. When she handed it to me, I saw the same Jerusalem cross tattoo on the back of her wrist. Her kids had the same. I was dumbfounded. It was a conversion moment for me. Matthew 25 lifted off the pages of scripture and was played out in front of me: “Whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.” I saw Jesus Christ in her eyes, and I was privileged to serve him in her and her children. 

You know, we want to encounter Christ, but we often don’t put ourselves in the position of doing so. I received more than what I gave that day, and you can do the same by simply manning a station for an hour or two! We have critical volunteer hours that have yet to be filled with needed volunteers. They are Thursday, July 22, 3:30 - 7:30 p.m.; Friday, July 23,11:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.; and Saturday, July 25, 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. You can find the SignUpGenius at mercifulhelpcenter.org. Look for the red header banner at the top of the page. And don’t worry: You will receive the necessary training to fulfill your mission!

We need so many people. We need you! We need greeters, car loaders, organizers, parish hall and gym runners, traffic controllers, and food distributors, to name a few. Car Captains, Parish Hall Runners, and Gym School Supply Runners are jobs that people can do with their children. The children get an opportunity to see mom and/or dad in action, loving and serving the community. What a great way to model our faith!

Please consider signing your family up to help. It will make for a great conversation about the corporal works of mercy that Christ himself challenged us to go live in Matthew 25. I hope to see you there. I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

- Fr. Richard

Rex Rund asked to write this column in gratitude for all those who have assisted us during the last 16 months. I wholeheartedly agreed, but Rex cannot thank himself! Of all those who have worked to make our liturgies beautiful, Rex should top our list! Thank you, Rex! -Fr. Richard

In March of 2020, for the first (and hopefully last) time in our lives, disease shut the Church’s doors to public worship. The intervening 16 months have seen us run the gamut of adaptations, improvisations, and makeshift solutions. Now it’s time to recognize key people who stepped up and helped Our Lady of Mount Carmel liturgies thrive in this adversity. 

When public Liturgies were first suspended, our first priority was to help our people participate in Mass remotely. Live-streamed Masses quickly became a lifeline, and Mike Panasuk became our “go-to” expert on live-streaming, giving of both his skill and equipment. Mike and our Director of Communications, Angela Antonio, built a team who has webcast Masses ever since!

Another casualty of the early months of the pandemic was the perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Quickly, however, our staff, including our maintenance crew led by Rick Edmonson and John Logan, found a way to bring the Blessed Sacrament to the people, moving our beautiful Tabernacle into the narthex window, decorated and illuminated as a beacon of evangelization. Nearly always there were multiple cars parked before Christ until the Chapel re-opened.

The pandemic struck right in the middle of our sanctuary renovation project, raising doubts that the project could be finished in time for Easter. However, through the work of the Conrad Schmidt company and the management of Glen Ritchey, the project finished on schedule, and the first glimpses our parishioners got of the glorious new sanctuary were our Holy Week online liturgies.

At the end of May 2020, we returned to public Mass, albeit with reduced capacity, advance reservations, and an army of special volunteers. Many thanks to Broc Pittsford and his teams of ushers, to all those who helped direct traffic, and to the myriad volunteers who cleaned and disinfected pews after each Mass, including every school Mass.

Last autumn we started a drive-up Holy Communion program for those who couldn’t risk coming to Mass. Thanks to the efforts of Dan and Jody Dobson, Larry Clark, our clergy, and the Knights of Columbus, we served over 100 cars per Sunday most weekends, in all manner of weather, for a total of 3,424 cars over the course of the program.

In other liturgical ministries, reduced numbers of volunteers took on more and more Mass assignments. Ushers, readers, servers, EMHCs, sacristans, decorators, and musicians continually adapted to ever-changing guidelines - coordinated by Lauren March, Tom Graham, Gloria Boyden, and the other leaders of our Liturgy Council. Brian Wise and Carol Oberbroeckling kept our handbell choir together and playing, the only form of ensemble music we could safely use.

And our priests and deacon…oh, my! They managed not only disrupted schedules and procedures, but also new parish assignments in the midst of a pandemic. How blessed we are to have them!

Finally, let’s not forget the most important group of all: the parishioners and staff of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who continued to support the parish financially and spiritually, and by pitching in when needed. Thanks to you, we were able to devise creative solutions to unprecedented challenges. May God bless you richly for your faith-filled generosity!

Thank you, thank you, thank you…and let’s never do this again, God willing!

- Rex Rund, Director of Music & Liturgy

When I think of the 4th of July, my thoughts turn to its most significant observance in my lifetime: the bicentennial year of 1976. Doing the math, that was 45 years ago today. That is stunning to me. How quickly time flies. I was ten years old that year, which makes me an American antique!  

I have vivid memories of the 200th anniversary of the American experiment. On the heels of the contentious Vietnam War that only ended in 1975, the nation came together. There were a series of exciting celebrations that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. The bicentennial culminated on Sunday, July 4, 1976, with the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

The fireworks were spectacular and not just in large urban centers but all over the country. Many states added highway markers that localized our history. For years after, my father would hit the brakes on road trips when one of the signs caught his eye. And there we would sit, often in the middle of nowhere, pondering what had happened in that particular place. Most of those markers are still around, making me nostalgic.

In 1976, we lived in an old farmhouse that my parents had renovated a few years earlier, complete with bicentennial wallpaper in our family room. It had rows and rows of fierce-looking bald eagles clutching arrows that were a bit overwhelming when combined with our burnt orange carpeting. I always felt like the wrong person could have had a seizure if they looked at them for too long! We had a large picnic and celebration 45 years ago today that I will never forget. 

Today, many take exception to whitewashed versions of American history accounts that gloss over atrocities such as slavery and discrimination, as well as the horrors perpetrated against Native Americans. There seems to be a hasty attempt to “set the record straight,” casting a blanket of shame across what was formerly revered.  

I recently read a Washington Post editorial (May 27, 2021) by Michael Gerson that attempted to synthesize the good, the bad, and the ugly while trying to create a starting point about our history over which we can all agree. Gerson writes about the American abolitionist Frederick Douglas and his scathing critiques of the times that we have missed the mark regarding our founding principles.

But Gerson also posits that the crimes in our history did not discredit American ideals for Frederick Douglas. Instead, these crimes demonstrated the need for the urgent and radical application of them. Gerson wrote that Douglas “insisted that the Constitution was a glorious liberty document. He drew encouragement from the ‘great principles' of the Declaration of Independence and the ‘genius of American institutions.’ He challenged the country’s hypocrisy precisely because he took its founding principles so seriously.”

To use another analogy, I still believe in the Creed and the dogmatic teachings of the Catholic Church, even though many of Jesus’ disciples have fallen short of our ideals. I also believe that because many disciples got those ideals right! 

There is much to celebrate about the United States of America. And in light of our current national difficulties, I believe we should try harder to live up to the vision of our founders as so many have. This includes American Catholic saints who built up our country through education, hospitals, and services for the poor, like our Matthew 25 Center as we serve “the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”  

I am thankful for the religious freedom that we enjoy as Americans. It is a freedom that we should uphold with tremendous vigor, particularly when many of our beliefs are counter-cultural. Adhering, for example, to the insistence that life is sacred from conception to natural death makes us targets. Hints of persecution inspire me all the more to be involved, to vote, to participate, and to “get it right” in our own time.

While we enjoy time with family and friends today, we should pray for our country, in thanksgiving for the blessings that we share as Americans, and also in reparation for our failures. And let us pray that we will continue to strive to be “one nation under God!”  

God bless America!

-Fr. Richard

You’re invited to pray for our Church and Country.

We are having a special Mass on Tuesday, June 29, at 7 p.m., the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul. During this Mass we will be asking for the intercession of these two august saints, praying for our country as we approach Independence Day and for our beloved Church, that we may serve as a remedy and balm for the many wounds and divisions that we are currently experiencing in our country. As our Pledge of Allegiance bids us, may we remain “one nation under God.” 

This feast is ancient and significant. There is historical evidence that it has been celebrated since the 3rd century, if not earlier. In some parts of the world, it is still a Holy Day of Obligation. 

St. Peter is the rock upon which Jesus built his Church. He represents the apostolic authority and the truth of the gospel that must be safeguarded by his successors. St. Paul represents the Church’s missionary zeal. He reminds us that the Good News is a message that must be preached by all of us. To accomplish the herculean task of healing our culture, we much work together in unity. As St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and same judgment”
(1 Corinthians 1:10). 

And we must also pray fervently as we navigate our fractured world. “Pray without ceasing,” St. Paul told the Thessalonians, “In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:17–18).

In 2008, I was blessed to attend a Papal Mass with our parish choir during the Holy Year of Sts. Peter and Paul at the Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican City. And later that day, we celebrated a second Mass at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, and our choir was responsible for the music. (You were well represented!) 

I have reviewed Pope Benedict’s homily that we heard in person. He preached that in their martyrdoms, Sts. Peter and Paul became brothers. After meeting only twice, St. Peter died first being crucified upside down. St. Paul, a Roman Citizen, was allowed a less painful and swift death by being beheaded. In the 4th century, St. Augustine pleaded, “Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.”

In recent years, the Church has suggested that we pray particularly for the preservation of religious freedom leading up to our celebration of Independence Day. This is partly because of the many martyrs in the summer calendar, many of whom were persecuted by secular leaders. Yet another reason why we gather to offer prayers to Sts. Peter and Paul on the upcoming Tuesday evening! Let me close with a prayer from the Roman Missal to Sts. Peter and Paul:

Grant, we pray, O Lord our God, that we may be sustained by the intercession of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, that, as through them you gave your Church the foundations of her heavenly office, so through them, you may help her to eternal salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.

-Fr. Richard

This past Tuesday, our Gospel was taken from Matthew 5:38-42: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…for God makes his sun rise on the bad and the good…. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same?”

What a challenging Gospel on which to reflect. Clearly, no one blames us today for hating or even destroying our enemies. And it is also the case that no matter how kind and loving we are, there will be people who simply do not like or appreciate us. Still, the lack of civil discourse in government halls, cable TV, and social media is disturbing. 

Ironically, I read articles this week about a woman who is described as a model/television personality who viciously attacked others online, ruining the names and reputations of her victims through repeated cyberbullying. And she is not the only one. The vitriol that is waged behind computer screens is common. Have we gone mad? 

It is scary to ponder that according to Matthew 5, we will one day be judged not by how we loved those who returned our love, but by how we loved our enemies. Most of us pray the Lord’s Prayer many times a week. When we repeat it so often, we can grow numb to the danger of this powerful prayer. “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It’s dangerous because we’re asking God to judge us as we judge others, creating our own measuring stick for God to use. In Matthew 7, Jesus reminds us that “The measure you give will be the measure you get.” That’s more than cringe-worthy when I think of difficult people in my life. 

I think the mistake that we often make is thinking that God is asking us to love others because they deserve it. Loving one’s enemies also does not mean minimizing the evil that they may commit either. The decision to love does not make us feel the warmth of friendship. This is where obedience is a key to spiritual growth—that we love others because God loves them. It means that we have a desire for the good of all, a conversion of heart, or a change in the other for the good. 

Carrying the weight of an unforgiving heart will only bring us down. From my own personal experience, letting go of hatred for enemies has only improved my life. I also have the advantage of being a confessor and spiritual director. I know well what suffering often causes people to be difficult. So I pray for my enemies and difficult people every day. In that petition, I pray that God will most especially soften my heart when someone hurts me. 

Perhaps we can pray for difficult people in our lives this week.

- Fr. Richard

Our pastoral care office is sponsoring a 5-week series and discussion group to help our parishioners fend off anxiety.  We will be following a book/video program titled Anxious for Nothing by Christian author Max Lucado. The group will meet on Wednesdays,
June 23 - July 21, from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in the St. Thomas Aquinas Room. Email Jayne at slatonj@olmc1.org to reserve a spot. 

Jesus once said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). I wish such a beautiful quote from our Lord would calm us. The reality is we struggle mightily in our complex modern age. Our parish has made a tremendous effort to assist those who suffer from anxiety. We have sponsored seminars, support groups, and book studies. But we need to do more. 

Why this emphasis on anxiety? The facts about anxiety are astounding. For example, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting
40 million adults ages 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population, every year. In addition, suicidal thoughts and actions (that have been dramatically on the rise, even at our beloved parish) are typically discussed concerning depression. But several studies have suggested that suicide may also be linked to anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders often co-occur with depression, and this may be masking a risk of suicide specifically related to anxiety.

There is no doubt that, in recent years, I have heard people talk more about anxiety when they seek our pastoral care at our office and in the confessional. It can be crippling, and people often suffer silently. If you are one of those who suffer, you are not alone, and we want to support you!

St. Padre Pio said something that we all need to hear in the modern-day: “Pray, hope, and don’t worry. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” How much better off would we be if we took this advice! Instead, we often immerse ourselves in the negativity of social media and cable TV. I was amazed when several parishioners reported that they ditched social media this past Lent. They all doubted that they would return to it and were developing strategies to mitigate its effect on their day-to-day lives. 

Our upcoming study mentioned above will be for people of ALL ages. If you have a teen (14 - 17) or are a teen who suffers from anxiety, I challenge you to come with your mom, dad, guardian, or older sibling, as they might be able to help you be accountable to the strategies that will be discussed.

In closing, I am including a prayer that we can tape on our bathroom mirrors. Perhaps as we are washing our hands, we can also quiet our troubled spirits at the same time!

Dear God, I come before You to lay my panic and anxiety at Your feet. When I’m crushed by my fears and worries, remind me of Your power and Your grace. Fill me with Your peace as I trust in You and You alone. I know I can’t beat this on my own, but I also know that I have You, Lord, and You have already paid the ultimate price to carry my burdens. For this I thank you. Amen.

-Fr. Richard

Next Sunday, the diocesan suspension of our Sunday Mass obligation will be lifted. Excluding those who have serious health issues, we are to return to Mass. It is a big step for many after the months of the pandemic. But I prefer to look at it differently. That is, we are so blessed. As Catholics, we are invited by God to gather and participate in Sunday Mass, which the Catechism reminds us is the “source and summit of the Christian life.”

The Catechism also reminds us that “Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit” (Catechism 2182).

Some believe that when we attend Sunday Mass, we are doing God a favor; that God somehow “needs” our worship and praise. That could not be further from the truth. Mass is for our own spiritual well-being, happiness, and eternal salvation.

After ordination, I was somewhat shocked by the fickle comments of many Catholics who excused themselves from Mass attendance for a variety of reasons. Some excuse themselves because they don’t like the priest. For others, it is the music. Some didn’t bother looking for a Mass when their children were participating in travel sports. It might be for some that the Sunday Mass times are not convenient (though at Our Lady of Mount Carmel where we are spoiled with nine Sunday Masses, this is hardly an excuse!). 

But this isn’t the way I was taught as a Catholic. Sure, it is wonderful when there are priests that preach well, where the church is beautiful, when the singer is skillful, and so on. But in the end, what matters most is the supernatural gift that we receive in Holy Communion. What matters, too, is the ancient tradition that we are invited into when we come to Mass.

This past Monday was the Feast of St. Justin Martyr who wrote extensively about how the early Christians worshipped. It looked remarkably like how we worship today. In 155 he wrote, “We do not consume the eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.”

Post pandemic, there are many who need to renew their obligation to Sunday Mass. Statistics report that many Catholics have lost the sense that Sunday Mass is necessary or helpful to their walk with God. I would venture a guess that many of them have the cringe-worthy attitude of “Why should I go? I don’t get anything out of Mass.” Most times, I counter that statement by telling people that if they aren’t getting anything out of Mass, they have to ponder what they are putting into it. Our daily lives should be an extension of the Sunday liturgy. I encourage people during my walkthrough Masses to symbolically place their gifts and sacrifices on the same altar as the bread and wine to be offered to the Lord. Conversely, if we haven’t “lived” our faith, we have nothing to offer, and we wonder why Mass is hollow and dry. In other words, when we do not get anything out of Mass, it is because we have put precious little into the Mass. 

As we return to Sunday Mass, let us pray for the Church throughout the world. Let us pray for a renewal of devotional to our Eucharistic King.

-Fr. Richard

Dutifully, men, women, and children make their way to our Adoration Chapel every day and every hour. From my room in the rectory, I see you coming and going. I thank God for you! 

During winter storms, I often peer out my window to see if the maintenance crew cleared a path in the parking lot and sidewalks so that people can make it in to pray. I understood again the value that we place on adoration during the pandemic when we moved the tabernacle to the narthex window so that people could adore from their cars. It was rare that Jesus was left unattended, which most definitely warmed my heart and most definitely pleased God. 

Eucharistic Adoration is adoring the True Presence of our Lord Jesus Christ – his Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – in the Holy Eucharist. Because we believe that Christ is truly made present in the consecration of the Eucharist, we give the Blessed Sacrament the same honor and reverence accorded to Christ himself. What a privilege that we enjoy!

As we recall from Jesus’ words in the garden before his crucifixion, “You could not keep watch with me for one hour?” It was a question that haunted me when I was a child. When we consider that God gives us 24 hours in each day and 168 hours each week, surely we can afford one hour to sit in the Lord’s presence. As one of my seminary spiritual directors said, “Richard, if you are too busy for God, you are too darn busy!”

St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote, “Of all devotions, that of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the greatest after the Sacraments, the one dearest to God and the one most helpful to us. The Eucharist is a priceless treasure: By not only celebrating the Eucharist, but also praying before It outside of Mass, we are enabled to make contact with the very wellsprings of Grace.”

From time to time, a parishioner will ask me if they are allowed to visit the chapel — like adoration is some exclusive club. “What?” I say. “Of course!” The transformative power of setting time aside just to be with Jesus is amazing. You are always invited! 

Some also ask me what exactly they are supposed to do in the chapel. Imagine yourself on a road trip with a close friend. Sometimes you talk to your friend, but other times you just spend time in silence. In both cases, the time spent promotes intimate friendship as you share new horizons and inner thoughts and feelings as you drive. It is the same in Eucharistic Adoration. Your friend Jesus wants the love between you to grow and flourish. He wants to calm your nerves. He wants to hear about your day. He wants to help carry your crosses as Simon of Cyrene carried his. 

Intimacy with our Eucharistic King grows through devotional prayers like the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Spiritual reading can also help us learn about Jesus and his Church. But the key to all of these practices is the gift of time - your time - with God. 

Next week we celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi. On this Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, we will have representatives from our adoration committee in the narthex to answer your questions and maybe even help sign you up for the best hour of your week!

-Fr. Richard