A Reason for Hope

Often people in ministry fall to despair. Families are choosing sports over their faith. Practice is more important to them than petitionary prayer, sacks over sacraments. While it can appear this way, we have to begin to unpack what sports can offer a young person.

An athlete knows how to be a part of a team, is dedicated enough to accomplish a shared goal, and is often quite disciplined. For these reasons they will practice five times a week to play a single game. 

Families will shape their limited off hours to support their sons and daughters, bringing them to practices, and travel some distance to attend a game. I think to understand a family's dedication to sports we have to ask, what’s in it for them? 

The sidelines is often where parents make their friends. Even before their little ones begin preparing for First Eucharist, they are spending hours together on the sidelines. When they get there, there is plenty of time to talk, and the topics can be light and happy. 

So, I guess all this time we’ve been asking ourselves the wrong question. Instead of ‘why do they value sports more than their faith?’ we should be asking, ‘how do we offer families what they are looking for, in a way that centers them in their faith?’ 

It doesn’t have to be one against the other, because you know what, the sidelines can be a mission field for our families. A family alive in faith, can spread the Gospel to their friends through their joy and service. 

So here’s why we have cause to hope, we’re considering these questions in new ways. As a parish we are taking seriously our young families’ need for community, and creating opportunities for our young people to focus their efforts on good works and the Good News. 

So next time you see young people in Church, and in service, cheer them on, because they could be anywhere else. This week, pray that we can all play on the same team, to continue the building of the Kingdom of God. 

God Bless and have a safe week. 

What Motivates the Things We Do?

Take a look around, people don’t often choose to dedicate their life to ministry in the Church, not as priests or deacons, or as Pastoral Associates working in faith formation. It isn’t a path that you take if success in life is weighed by monetary success. It has to be about something different.

Earlier in life I pursued different things, focusing on social change. I advocated for poor and disabled families who needed food assistance, and advice regarding disability benefits. I was of service, but something became abundantly clear. While there is a need to account for human suffering, and income equality, there is a much greater modern deficit, and that is a lack of reverence for, or relationship with God.

Perhaps if we address the later, we’d address the former? As parents, or grandparents, we have to address the fact that tomorrow isn’t promised for any of us, and nobody knows the day or the hour, so we must prioritize the eternal. Because in the end, bank accounts, grades, touchdowns, baskets, goals, solos, performances won’t matter, what will is that we love the Lord our God with all our being, and our neighbors as ourselves. Let us pray for all those who have gone before us, and that each of our families might become A Family of Faith, who prioritizes what lasts forever.

God Bless and have a safe week

Confirmation is a Beginning Not an End

During the last year, our faith formation team has had the opportunity to work with, and guide an amazing group of young people, as they work towards an important moment, that is, the day when they become fully initiated in the Catholic Church. This Spring, they will be Confirmed in our Church, and begin a new phase of their life as Christians. 

They will be empowered by the Holy Spirit as they receive the gifts of Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom,Counsel, Fortitude,Piety, and Fear of the Lord otherwise called Awe. These gifts aren’t a diploma, they aren’t a terminus, they are strength for a much greater journey to come. When you are empowered by these gifts, you don’t just leave them wrapped in a box, you take them out, exercise them, and make the world a better place. 

Here is where the whole parish community needs to come into action. Upon being Confirmed, the 9th grade will have concluded their formal faith formation. They will be called to seek and learn as members of the larger community. We all have to surround them with our prayers as they prepare, and then welcome them into the adult ministries of the parish on the other side. This week, let’s pray in a special way for the 8th and 9th graders who continue their journey of faith towards Confirmation, so that when the day comes that they are fully initiated that they will be fully equipped as disciples, and welcomed to greater life in Christ. God Bless and have a safe week. 

What a World We Live in, What Can Be Done?

I would normally use this space during Catechetical Sunday, to write a bit about the new faith formation year. I’d use flowery language to encourage the parents about the pivotal role they play in the education of their children. That all remains to be true. We make a promise at Baptism, and we seek to see it through until our children are making their own religious profession, or baptising their own children, and beyond. That said, there is something a little more important to be addressed. 

We are living in a dangerous time. There actually isn’t much new about that. Christians have been for as long as there have been followers of Christ. Yet there has been a disintegration of faith and life over the last several decades. It used to be that faith, and the family were at the core of life, and Americans took great pride in this. However, today, there has been an increase in violence, often unpredictable, and a recurring theme has been parents, families, and communities, that have failed to raise the alarm when something terrible was about to happen. In many cases there has been hateful indoctrination, or neglect within the homes of those who would go on to carry out hateful and violent acts. Beyond this, political leaders on both sides have failed to react to tragedy after tragedy because of political risk or ideology. 

I am convinced that the only true solutions to these societal ills come from Jesus, and from parents who intentionally pursue the path of peace. We need to pray without ceasing that Christ’s will be done, and model true discipleship for our children, because the solutions to the ills of this world may be outside of our reach, but it is not too late for our children. This week let’s pray to Jesus the Prince of Peace that senseless violence will come to an end, and that our family homes might be a laboratory, and workshop for His peace. God Bless and have a safe week.

Finding Good Media

Remember when I did a bulletin article about the faithful messages that could be found in everyday secular places? I had just gone to see the most recent Fast and Furious movie, and was delighted by messages about family? That was definitely a stretch, but aside from the output of Angel Studies, and the makers of Chosen, maybe some Christian music imprints, we aren’t provided with many bright lights for Christian Entertainment. Sure you can look to places like Formed.org to get your fix (and can do so for free as a parishioner) you have to dig for the good stuff. You aren’t necessarily getting it for easy consumption, alongside blockbusters. 

Good news about the Good News everyone! There is currently a movie out in theaters right now called ‘Light of the World’ a 2D animated film by the Salvation Poem Project. The movie tells the story of Jesus from the perspective of a very young St. John the Apostle. If you are looking for a straight and stiff retelling of the scripture you’ll be out of luck. Early on in the story telling there are action scenes reminiscent of the Disney Film Aladdin. There are powerful tellings of certain miracles, and the feeling and humanity of the story shine through.

The film isn’t completely without reproach. The leaders of the day, such as the high priest are dehumanized as the standard dastardly villain. Certain miracles are left out of the story which is understandable given what a reasonable run time should be. Still other miracles and events that are unique to the Gospel of John were condensed or glossed over. Of interest is the fact that the end of the movie has a call to accept Jesus, with a QR code to some good resources to learn more. If it is a rainy day, and you’d like something to do with your children, I’d encourage you to take the time to go see this in the theaters. We often complain about how there are negative things of great numbers in the culture, I’d encourage you to support something that is decidedly positive! 

This week let’s pray for the creators out in the world trying to share the Gospel, especially with those who’ve never received it, or have rejected it, so that our families, and community can continue to share the Good News with all peoples. God Bless and have wonderful week.