St. Mary Church

The Amen Corner Feb 28

Over the last few years, I heard from long-time St. Mary’s people who said, “I want my parish back.” I’ve read an editorial from a person “who wants his America back” and editorials saying, “I want my right to smoke back.”  This clearly speaks of people becoming individualistic.

This parish belongs to no one generation or group of people. It is God’s house, and not one generation’s house. When a person steps in these doors, it becomes their church.  The person who has joined our parish today is equal to the person whose family grew up here for centuries. When I watch people snub newcomers, I am embarrassed (and yes angry).  What does this say about Jesus who said the first shall be last and the last shall be made first?

There is no “my America.” A nation is set up for the common good.  A nation is called to protect its citizens and to champion and safeguard everyone’s right. It took a nation to bring down slavery and to foster civil rights and give women the right to vote.  It will take a nation to protect the innocent, the poor and helpless.

I want certain guarantees to protect me and others from having to breathe in cancerous smoke or anything harmful to our health. I want to be assured the food I eat is safe and health protections are in place to prevent sickness and disease. Many times individualism can be self-serving.

Where is our sense for the common good gone?  This parish will continue to thrive if it works for the common good of all.  We are not the parish of Waverly; we are also the parish of Readlyn, Denver, Janesville, Tripoli Clarksville, etc.  We may like to claim ownership that is not yours in the first place.

Let’s remember the prayer Jesus taught us “Our Father,” not “My Father” as a prayer for universal respect.  We are not entitled to anything we possess – they are only gifts to be used for the sake of furthering God’s Kingdom on earth.

So let us be generous in our giving to Haiti and the Women’s Shelter.  They don’t deserve to be overlooked. No one deserves the suffering they endure. Alone we can do little, but together we can do great things. There is no “mine” in the Kingdom of God.

And the people say…   Fr. Mike

The Amen Corner - Mar 7

We are entering into the third week of Lent. Are you noticing any change?  There is still time to renew and reform.  As you noticed, our liturgies have longer periods of silence.  As a person who loves music, it sometimes is hard to face the silence and yet it draws us to quiet ourselves.  Even the cry of an infant reminds us we are in the midst of a mystery called life.

We are in the season of prayer.  Throughout the week, opportunities are available here at the parish for prayer – Mass, reflection, communal prayer, Stations of the Cross, etc. Many took their Little Black Books and other reading materials to help center themselves in their prayer life.  Many are putting aside quiet times of the day.

We are collecting alms – at no time is the need greater at the Food Pantry.  If every household would bring enough to supply one meal for a family, we would truly cause not just a ripple of relief but a wave of compassion.

We are collecting for Haiti – these are the poorest of the poor.   The earthquake might be past but the suffering continues.  As they now face the rainy season, new threats await them.  For some, the faces of the children, women and elderly touched by the disaster are slipping away from our view.  We must never forget them.

We are supporting our local domestic abuse shelter.  Abuse exists in our area.  We want to believe it’s not in our neighborhood and even in our family.  Abuse cripples people for life.  We need to provide a safe shelter.  In a time when we stress “traditional family values,” how do we support women and children when the family is torn by violence and neglect?  We must not close our eyes to this evil.

Fasting was always meant to identify ourselves with the poor.  In biblical times, meat was the food of the rich and fish the food of the poor.  To be in solidarity with all Christians the rich were to refrain from their luxurious style and share equality with the poor.  Somehow our giving up meat, so we can eat shrimp and lobster is not quite the same.

Therefore, if you have not started your Lenten sacrifices, there is still time.  Conversion comes when you are ready to let go and let Jesus enter into your life.  Also, remember on Sunday afternoon, March 21^st we will celebrate our communal reconciliation.  Let’s start anew this coming Easter.

And the people say...

Fr. Mike

The Amen Corner Feb 21

This Sunday’s readings speak of temptation.  Are you aware about 80% of the people sitting in our churches today are sitting on the edge of their seat?  They are wondering if they can stay in the Catholic faith.  Go to many parishes and the only color hair will be gray.  The second largest religion in our nation is fallen-away Catholics.

The temptation of the hierarchical church is to blame outside forces (the culture of death).  This response means we bear no blame.  A devastating part of the “culture of death” was the sex abuse scandals.  It shook the basic roots of Catholics that their priests (and nuns), along with cover-ups by archbishops and bishops, brought a dark pall over the church.  We can never cover-up this reality.

Another way institutional church desires to avoid the crisis, is to say, “We’ll just kick out the dissidents and return to a leaner and meaner church.”  Women and theologians are silenced. Seminaries put the young seminarians inside closed communities, put them in black shirts and collars and tell them only they hold the truth to the Catholic Church.

The temptation of individuals is to just give up and leave.  It is very difficult for a woman’s voice to be heard in an all male hierarchy.  Laity is afraid to question, feeling their church or parish will be the next one to be closed.  Keep in mind the sharp decline in priests now and it’s only the beginning.

The temptation is to deny a crisis exists.  Many young men and women I speak with have a great desire to serve the church – many of them as priests.  But as healthy men and women, they do not view priesthood as a healthy place to put their energy.  Many find they can do ministry without being in the structure.  They are bright, educated and dedicated people.  They see the church as obsessed with sex and not with justice.

To those reading this bulletin, I too sit at the edge of my seat.  Are we more interested in saving the structure of the church, or in saving the people who are in the greatest need of forgiveness, healing and the message of Jesus?

No one is exempt from temptation.  Even Jesus would later be tempted again when he hung on a cross?  Lent is a time we seek to face the message of Jesus!  There needs to be reform and repentance on all sides.

And the people say…   Fr. Mike