The New Roman Missal is Not Better
I rarely make declarative statements regarding liturgy. As I’ve mentioned before I have had exactly one course in liturgy in my education; it is, to be sure, not my area of expertise. So at the risk of stirring the pot, let me say: The new translation of the Roman Missal we will be using this fall is not a better translation than the old translation. Now before you head to the combox, let me explain. I get very uneasy when I hear people say that the new translation will be “better” than the old. This implies that a) what we have been saying is somehow wrong or deficient,...
Read MoreConfirmation Candidates Reflect Unity in Our Diversity
This past Sunday, on Pentecost, our bishop confirmed 44 adults from around our diocese at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. As the diocesan director of catechetical ministries I had the privilege of being the “behinds-the-scenes” guy sending out directions, checking in the candidates, and handing out nametags. Witnessing the Rite of Confirmation is always profound, but I found myself especially moved this time by the diversity of candidates who came forward – in ethnicity, age, and geography. Some were barely out of high school, others had grandchildren. Some were born in...
Read MoreA Child Learns the Power of Prayer (A True Story)
A year or so ago our oldest was packing for a weekend trip to Grandma’s house. He was growing increasing despondent because, months before, he had lost track of his Nintendo DS and really wanted to take it with him for the car ride. He had searched the whole house several times, was ready to give up, and plopped down on the living room chair. “You know,” he said, “Mrs. D. at school told us about a prayer we could pray when we lost something.” “Oh?” I replied. “You mean the prayer to St. Anthony? ‘Tony, Tony, look around. Something’s...
Read MoreDon’t Knock the Minimum
This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend our Diocesan Youth Conference — the first such gathering of the young Church in our diocese in some years. As part of the weekend I gave a small breakout talk discussing reputation management online. One of these sessions was attended by a young man who, it was obvious, didn’t want to be there. He made off-hand remarks and asked incessant questions throughout my presentation, seeking to gain some attention and (it seemed to me) to derail my train of thought. I wondered to myself, if this was going to be his attitude, why he came...
Read MoreHow Young Catholics Will Save the Church
Last night I had the pleasure to present a Theology on Tap talk at St. Boniface parish in Edwardsville, IL. Entitled “How Young Catholics Will Save the Church,” it was my own thoughts on the gifts young Catholics bring to the Church and how those gifts will help the process of renewal in the Church. While I didn’t have an opportunity to make a video recording of the talk (I forgot my tripod!) I did have an audio recorder going. As I warned the group last night, these thoughts are in no way systematically laid out; they are closer to an extended reflection based on my own...
Read More“I’m not backing down now.”
This past Thursday I had the opportunity to return to my grad school for some official diocesan business. While I was there I attended a school Mass led by Fr. Dennis Logue, an 84-year old diocesan priest who is still taking continuing education classes at the school. Fr. Logue is a chaplain at a St. Louis soup kitchen and lives on the city’s north side. During his homily he explained how the north side has declined in recent years. But, even at 84, he declared that is “not backing down now.” Even in the midst of widespread poverty and crime he still sees it as his duty to...
Read MoreYour Advent Homework
There are many ways in which the Church is out of step with our secular culture, but I think in no way more obvious than at this time of year. While the wider culture seeks to rush us towards Christmas (carols on the radio before Halloween? Really?!), the Church asks us to slow down and wait. While lights are strung and increasingly outrageous decorations are mounted on the front lawn, we light candles on the Advent wreath. While television commercials entice us to buy more and bigger, the Church points to a child born in poverty in a manager. This is a great time of year to reminder...
Read MoreGrowing in Holiness through Middle Management: Part IV – The Kingly Ministry of Christ
(Looking for the start of this series? Go to Part I, Part II, or Part III.) Of the kingly ministry, Pope John Paul II says Because the lay faithful belong to Christ, Lord and King of the Universe, they share in his kingly mission and are called by him to spread that Kingdom in history. They exercise their kingship as Christians, above all in the spiritual combat in which they seek to overcome in themselves the kingdom of sin (cf. Rom 6:12), and then to make a gift of themselves so as to serve, in justice and in charity, Jesus who is himself present in all his brothers and sisters, above all...
Read MoreGrowing in Holiness through Middle Management: Part III – The Prophetic Ministry of Christ
(Missed the beginning of this series? Check out Part I and Part II.) Of Christ’s prophetic ministry, Pope John Paul II says Through their participation in the prophetic mission of Christ, “who proclaimed the kingdom of his Father by the testimony of his life and by the power of his world,” the lay faithful are given the ability and responsibility to accept the gospel in faith and to proclaim it in word and deed, without hesitating to courageously identify and denounce evil. United to Christ, the “great prophet” (Lk 7:16), and in the Spirit made...
Read MoreGrowing in Holiness through Middle Management: Part II – The Priestly Ministry of Christ
(Missed the first part of this series? Start at Part I) The three-fold ministry of Christ is beautifully summarized in Pope John Paul II’s encyclical Christifideles Laici. Of the priestly ministry the pontiff says: The lay faithful are sharers in the priestly mission, for which Jesus offered himself on the cross and continues to be offered in the celebration of the Eucharist for the glory of God and the salvation of humanity. Incorporated in Jesus Christ, the baptized are united to him and to his sacrifice in the offering they make of themselves and their daily activities (cf. Rom 12:1,...
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