Messages from the Pastor - Archive
March 4, 2012
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
It seems to me that one thing which all of us could do more of – and now, in Lent, it’s certainly a good time to begin – is the practice of spiritual reading known as “lectio divina.” This Latin term, which literally means “divine reading,”” refers to a slow, prayerful, meditative way of praying Sacred Scripture.
As God’s word, the Bible is THE basic text for Catholics to use in their prayer. But while Bible texts are constantly used in more formal prayer like our worship (the Mass, for example) or private devotions (the rosary is a good Biblical prayer example here), they’re less frequently used in personal prayer. We tend to study the Bible, but we also need to pray using it!
In lectio divina we open ourselves to what God wants to say to us. While there are various ways of practicing lectio divina, either individually or in groups, the simplest description is that it is a reflective reading of the Bible in four successive stages: first,lectio(the slow, quiet reading – I recommend out loud, in a whisper! – of some Scripture passage); meditatio (meditating on – thinking about, trying to understand – what has been read, what God is saying to me); oratio(prayer to God in my own words, flowing from what He has just said to me); and contemplatio(silent adoration and thankful contemplation of the presence of God in His holy communication).
Let’s look a bit more at each stage. In the lectio (reading) stage, we simply read a brief Biblical passage, often several times, slowly. We want the Word of God to “sink in.”
The second stage is meditatio (reflection). It’s not a study of the text but instead is an honest attempt to discover its meanings. We use our hearts, not our head! The point is that we search for what God wants to share. It might be a lesson, an insight or something we just think about too little otherwise. It depends on the Bible passage. It could be a word of encouragement, or even a warning!
The third stage is oratio (prayer response). We cease active thinking and try to let the heart speak to God. We may be prompted to give thanks, to ask for something, or even to complain! Again, our response is prompted by our reflection in the previous step: it will arise from it. It is often colored by emotion, as the Word of God affects us. Pope Benedict has described this stage as “lingering to talk with God directly,” for it is not a hurried conversation, but an “in depth” one.
The final stage is contemplatio (resting; I like the old-fashioned word “abiding”” as very appropriate, too). We stop trying to do anything at all: we “let go” not only of our own ideas and plans but also of our words and thoughts. We simply “rest in the Word of God,” aware at the deepest level of our being of the One who communicates with us. In these quiet moments, we are gradually transformed by God, from within.
These four stages are not fixed rules of procedure but simply guidelines as to how the prayer normally develops. Good lectio divina rather naturally gets simpler and simpler, with less talking by us and more listening. The length of time given to each stage depends on the person or group using it. Over time, lectio divina grows more and more silent and restful.
The practice of lectio divina as a way of praying the Scriptures has been a fruitful source of growing in relationship with Christ for many centuries. Nowadays it’’s being rediscovered by many individual Catholics because – if you give it a chance – it’s pretty easy, and usually practical and satisfying. God, after all, speaks to us in His holy Word, and by it will transform us more and more into saints, if we can but open ourselves to that wonderful prospect!
Let me close with some words spoken by Pope Benedict XVI soon after his election in 2005:
I would like in particular to recall and recommend the ancient tradition of lectio divina: the diligent reading of Sacred Scripture accompanied by prayer brings about that intimate dialogue in which the person reading hears God who is speaking, and in praying, responds to Him with trusting openness of heart. If it is effectively promoted, this practice will bring to the Church – I am convinced of it – a new spiritual springtime.
The Holy Father is urging us to give it a try; why don’t we?
Yours in Christ,
Father Paul
February 26, 2012
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
Happy Lent! Okay, I admit that sounds like an odd greeting, since most Catholics don’t find doing extra penance during this holy season all that enjoyable. I myself have to force a smile onto my face while drinking my Lenten tea (instead of my beloved fresh-ground and fresh-brewed coffee!). But in the long run drawing closer to Christ is a good thing, and does enrich our lives. That’s what our extra prayer, our self-mortification, and our increased charity is meant to accomplish. It’s just a matter of maintaining focus, and remembering the ultimate goal!
But something is happening this Lent in the Cathedral Parish that definitely makes us all sad. Two of our most treasured parishioners, Sister Carla Candella, SSND, and Sister Fides Bourgeois, SSND, are leaving us this month. They’’re a part of our parish family and indeed of our hearts: for years they have been involved in religious education efforts here at the Cathedral, both with the young in our PSR and the not-so-young in our RCIA. Yet in consultation with their religious superior it’s been decided that it’s time for them to move to the retirement convent of their order, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, in Chatawa, Mississippi. Their age and health have become precarious enough that it’s best they move from independent living to the place where they can be cared-for more completely.
So mark your calendars for a Goodbye Celebration on Sunday, March 25. At and after our 10 am Sunday Mass, we’ll celebrate the sisters’ place in our hearts, thank them for all they’ve done for us over the years, and give them a more formal farewell. They’ve already invited us all to come see them whenever we can – and having visited the retreat house at Chatawa over the years many times I can attest it’s a beautiful and holy place to visit. And it’s not far – only a little more than an hour away – so I guess we’ll have to organize a parish “road trip” there in the not-too-distant future!
Parishioners continue to share with me their outrage at the federal government’s efforts at forbidding us to practice fully our Catholic faith in their upcoming health-insurance “reform.” That’s what their insistence on our paying for abortion, sterilization and contraception amounts to. Do everything you can to point out to our elected representatives and senators, and other government officials, that we cannot abide by such a restriction on our religious rights. I urge you to go to www.usccb.org/conscience and inform yourselves on the issues and become more active in making sure this injustice does not stand.
I do admit: one person did approach me and politely urged that I note that the subjects mentioned above are not the only moral issues over which the Church and government – and sometimes society at large – disagree. He’s right, of course, and perhaps my not mentioning this seemed to imply otherwise. Our faith calls us, for example, to oppose capital punishment as unnecessary and wrong in our society; to reform immigration regulations to provide justice both to citizens and to newcomers to our country; and to continue banking and housing reform in ways that promote safe, affordable homes.
Be concerned about these things too – please! Society’s gradually been abandoning religious values for years: we have to resist while it’s still possible, to avoid more serious problems, even persecutions, to come!
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Paul
February 19, 2012
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
With Lent beginning this week, it’’s our last chance to do two things! One is prepare for Lent by being serious, and one is prepare for Lent by not being serious!
The serious side of Lenten planning is probably the more important. If we go into this special season of extra prayer and self-denial without purposefully choosing intelligent and effective Lenten practices, our fervor – no matter how sincere – won’t last long. The extra, ““hard” things we decide to do, or the favorite things we decide to “give up,” these have to be chosen carefully.
The three traditional Lenten practices are prayer, fasting and almsgiving. We should do more of each. I suggest that you don’t make your extra prayer solely solitary: find a prayer-partner and together go to adoration, or worship at daily Mass, or recite the rosary. I suggest you fast not only from favorite foods and drink, but that you give up some other things that bring pleasure into your life: replace a little leisure with some kind of productive activity such as working in the garden, re-grouting and painting the bathroom, cleaning out the junk-drawers and junk-closets, or visiting people who can’t come to you.
Increased almsgiving gets forgotten during Lent a lot. People who are already generous in giving to church and charity the rest of the year certainly feel the temptation to think “I’ve done enough.” So I suggest that instead of adding to your charitable donations right now, this Lent make sure your future giving is taken care of: sit down and make – or update – your will. Wills really should be kept up-to-date, not only because your family’s own financial situation changes, but those people and institutions which you wish to benefit do too. If you want, give a look to your life-insurance situation and review your family’s eventual retirement plan. Money is not only for use here and now; good stewardship demands we do serious financial planning.
But do take a day or two of relaxation and fun before Lent begins. The origins of our carnival season are intrinsically tied to the penitential season which follows it immediately: “all penance and no play make Jack a dull Christian.” If you don’t want to bother with parades, at least take a day off from work. Go on a picnic, walk on the levee, adopt a pet, visit a museum, bake cookies with some children! You get the idea. As long your Mardi Gras revelry stays wholesome – admittedly not something easy to do in the French Quarter this week! – it can strengthen your psyche and soul for the rigors of Lent which follow.
Here in the Parish Office we try to laugh as much as we can. While we’re often busy – our staff is small, and yet we still have to provide the full range of parochial services as a Parish ten times our size – it’s rare for ten minutes to go by without something funny being shared. Whether it’s wedding stories (such as the “not all strapless wedding dresses are designed that way” category) or things seen on the street (tip to the homeless: don’’t be carrying your iPad when you ask for a handout) or liturgical follies (broken censer chains, temperamental wireless microphones, and upside-down missals are the stars here), when you stop to think about it there’s an awful lot of simple humor in daily Parish life! We try to stop and smell the roses … and giggle when they turn out to be plastic flowers!
One lady that brought genuine smiles to our faces last week was our Parish receptionist, Mrs. Glenda Wright Hafford, on the occasion of a special anniversary. She was hired 25 years ago by Father Frank Uter! While at first she helped out around the rectory and office as a housekeeper, for many years now she’s answered the door and the phone with a helpful smile. She’s always made the coffee first in the morning, unlocked and locked more doors than anyone else, and scheduled more weddings than Cupid! Thanks, Glenda, for all you’ve done over the years, and for helping everyone else to smile the whole time!
Yours in Christ,
Father Paul
February 12, 2012
Dear Parishioners and Friends,
After last week’s thanks to you for your participation in our Parish’s annual Stewardship of Finance effort, I really hadn’t meant to mention money any more for a while. And then the mail came in, with an envelope containing two checks. I just had to tell you about that donation.
It wasn’t the size of the checks, it was the senders. Two of our most beloved, lifelong parishioners, Josie Cangelosi and Chetta Cangelosi, exercised their stewardship by sending in something, as they have done for an incredibly long time. You see, Josie will be 102 years old in March, and her sister Chetta will turn 104 in June! While both have been residing in a nursing home facility for quite some time now, it’s humbling to see them insist on giving back to God some of the good things He has shared with them. It’s wonderful to see how they remember with such fondness the role St. Joseph Parish has played in their lives of faith.
Church mattered to them, and they can’t forget it. It makes me reflect on how much the Church matters to me! And what about you?
At the same time I hope you haven’t tried to come to Mass on Saturday afternoon lately! Remember, our Saturday vigil Mass is cancelled on the last three weekends before Lent: the traffic, crowds and noise of carnival parades downtown make prayer pretty much impossible for us. The vigil Mass will return on February 25, I promise!
I got a fair amount of positive feedback for my mention, in my column last week, of the federal government’s recent attack on freedom of religion – and especially on Catholicism – by trying to force religious institutions and employers to pay for things forbidden by our faith. The resolve of the Church to overturn the government’s unjust regulations is unyielding, of course, since it is not possible for us to comply with them. I hope our protests don’t come to the point of civil disobedience, but inasmuch as our country is not superior to God I suppose it eventually could. Please, make sure that you do your part to inform your elected representatives and senators of this. Tell them of your intentions to elect only those persons committed to reversing such offensive – and illegal – attempts to persecute religion.
On to a more enjoyable topic: this weekend’’s Welcome Sunday celebration! Some years ago the Worldwide Marriage Encounter organization decided to designate the second Sunday in February – probably because it’s the closest one to St. Valentine’s Day! – as World Marriage Day. Our parochial Development Committee, under the chairmanship of Bobbie Carey, thought this would be a wonderful thing for us to focus on specially this year: after all, married couples are the very backbone of family life and society.
We’re not only honoring married couples all weekend. At the 10:00 am Sunday Mass on February 12 we’ll be pinning flowers on them, praying for them, and leading them in renewing their wedding vows. And then we’ll feed them – and everyone else! – with some wedding cake and other refreshments in the Parish Hall. (I understand there’s even a move afoot to have a chocolate “groom’s cake” as well!)
I hope you’ve made plans to join us; invite every married couple you know to come as well. I think we all agree that all husbands and wives today – including those who belong to other parishes, and even couples who are not Catholic – could use more blessings from God!
Yours in Christ,
Father Paul