Well the summer is almost over. "Labor Day the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country." A "Google Search" gives a history of the establishment of a holiday dedicated to no particular person, event, nation, religion or ethnic group. We can say that as the summer ends this is a day for each of us to celebrate the individual, unique and various successes of our labors.

When we work it is hopefully with pride in the effort we make to do the job well and complete. There is a moral and ethical part of labor that holds each person responsible to perform their work with an awareness of the quality of effort put into a day’s labor. Taking pride in ones work is the heart of craftsmanship. We learn a sad lesson when people cut corners, use inferior materials, or disregard safety standards which result in the loss of life.

But Labor Day recognizes the majority of people who work hard and put their best into every hour and aspect of their work. For this we are blessed in a nation that celebrates the work we do using the gifts and talents God has given us or placed before us. When God said to our first parents, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of the air and all living creatures…," He called all of humanity through all ages to take every aspect of creation seriously and to take responsibility for the development, growth, use and protection of all He had created for our use. In essence I believe this is what we celebrate on Labor Day.

Remember that even though this is not a Holy Day, it is a day blessed by the labor of you hands, your mind, and, your heart. Have a restful Labor Day and like God the Creator, make this final day of summer vacation a blessed day of rest.

And now to update you on parish life, and as our Catholic School opens I want all of you to know that I just met with the School Board and let them know that I intend to do all in my power to work to support the continued development and growth of our Catholic School. I want all the NEGATIVE talk about money, enrollment and the future of catholic schools to end here at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. As I told the board and the parish council, if we are going to approach the school with fear and negative thinking then the school will become a burden and we might as well close it now and not wait for it to die. I believe in catholic school as a foundational piece of our Catholic Faith and as far as I am concerned THE SCHOOL IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE BUT UP!!! Having said this, let me explain a little further that this is a PARISH commitment that every individual and family at OLPH must make with me. I am truly confident in your support and I can’t wait until my "installation" to let you know "from the altar."

The facilities on this property are the results of a labor of love that people past and present have made because of a belief in God and the importance of witnessing through worship and education the magnificence of His presence in our lives and the importance of His presence in the entire community and world. God’s work will be done.

This Tuesday is September 11^th a day that will never be forgotten in the history of our State, our Country and our World. Shock filled the air as the greatest nation in the world was struck by the fear of terrorism. On that day the entire nature of how we live, work and act changed for everyone. We came to realize how vulnerable we are and experience the magnitude of anger and hatred that exists in this world lashed directly at us, not at some far away nation that most people will never visit or ever live in. Relatives, friends, neighbors, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, moms and dads, grandparents and children were lost in a matter of minutes. I for one will never forget. Here are some ways to remember.

I hope that you will make time to stop, pray and remember the families of those who lost their lives on that tragic day. Perhaps you can attend Mass that day. Or, you might join the community at the "Lindenhurst Remembers" ceremonies which will begin at 6:00 p.m. at the Village Green at the park on the corner of South Wellwood Avenue and the LIRR. It will be followed by a silent walk a few blocks to the new "Garden Memorial" where the community leaders will conduct a 911dedication ceremony to remember this day. We must remember because it is too easy for us to forget.

For some parish reflection, school has begun and our teachers are on fire with a desire to work with Mrs. Lubrano and me to continue to build our students into a community of faith and our school to a new level of academic excellence. The school theme for this year is "Courage" a most appropriate word for all of us to make special emphasis of as we progress in the development of our personal and spiritual lives. In today’s world it takes a lot of courage to believe in God and to believe in ourselves as capable of living the rewarding life He wants for us. It takes courage to teach as Jesus did "with authority." Our school and our parish will have the courage to be the reflection of the Catholic Church and the truth that Jesus Christ taught to the disciples and left us in the Sacred Scriptures. It takes courage to accept the power and authority "to loose and to bind" [to develop laws, guidelines, rules and regulations] which Jesus gave to Peter and His successors.

But, thanks be to God our Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, we have been given this "courage" (Fortitude) as a gift imparted through the power of the Holy Spirit. It first touches our lives at Baptism and again, in a more pronounced way, in the Sacrament of Confirmation. If there is a problem with courage, it is simply that we have not developed this gift from within ourselves. Like Marines and Soldiers in training we must accept challenges and consciously push ourselves beyond the limits that our mind and body impose on us. We take courage from our belief in God who does not create us and then leave us to our own fate, but who gives us everything we need to overcome fear and prevail in winning the battles of life and overcoming the challenges. This is what we refer to as "The Grace of God’s Presence."

The more we are filled with His grace, the more courageous we become. The more courageous we become, the more we will obtain happiness and peace within ourselves and with each other. Join me in praying for courage today, courage for our students, courage for their teachers and courage for ourselves and our Church.

My heart yearns to see Christ alive, his life flourishing in our parish as people come to know we are Christians by our love. I want to see our children filled with happiness at coming to Church and studying our faith as they come to know Jesus as friend and redeemer. When you enter our Church I want you to feel and see God’s presence. Please join me in making this Church, not just another building, not a social hall, but the House of Prayer and Worship it was built to be for all who come here. To be welcoming, warm and hospitable to each other and to newcomers is important, but we must all preserve the quietness of this house of prayer and meditation. In the weeks to come you will see a heightened focus on the dignity of the Sanctuary and the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament in our midst. The word genuflection will become a common action of praise and honor to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

Along with this I hope you will begin to help our children to gain an awareness of this Church as a special home, where God presides in His Son, Jesus. Over the years the church has tried to become a more "relaxed" place, where attention to how one acts and how one dresses is no longer important. While Christ will certainly not cringe at someone "speaking quietly" or being "comfortably dressed" we cannot lose sight of the importance of being "reverent" and "properly dressed" as we enter the special dwelling place of God, especially at times of prayer and worship.

These are not "old-fashioned" ideas; they are universal norms of Catholic, Christian life. If we were to visit an important dignitary or attending a special occasion we would think of how we ought to act and dress, and how we look. I ask you to think of appropriate dress for the appropriate place and circumstance. Dressing "down" is appropriate as long as the elements of decency and modesty are observed.

Why do I begin my pastorate on this note? Simply, because actions speak louder than words, the way we act and present ourselves before God and His people witnesses to ourselves and others the depth of our faith and the accompanying reverence faith should inspire. I don’t expect absolute silence or tuxedos, suit and tie, gowns, or fancy dresses, slacks or blouses, and neither does God. I only ask all of us to strive for a higher level of awareness of the importance of "Quietness" in Church and the manner in which we dress. "Think Appropriateness!"

I ask everyone to be gentle and kind. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and continuing to build our Community of Faith will take a lifetime. Through the celebration of the Sacraments, especially the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, I know that Christ will become more present and touch the lives of many who have not known Him or who have wandered away from Him. May Christ, the Good Shepherd, help us to lead His people safely home. Please pray for all priests every day.

On behalf of my entire family and friends I want to thank all who came to celebrate my installation as pastor of OLPH. It was a great celebration of Mass, the Installation, and celebration afterwards. Thanks to all who participated in the ceremony and all who prepared and carried through the many aspects of Liturgy, Music, setup, invitations, and the reception. God +bless all of you.

The installation was a ceremony that has been brought back for use in our Diocese by Bishop Murphy. It is not just a welcoming, but and assuming of responsibilities in the name of the Bishop and the Universal Church. I take my Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity seriously and with great pride to lead this community in the development, growth and implementation of the Catholic Faith into action. A vibrant community such as ours cannot fail to grow. The seeds have been planted and nourished by priests and bishops of the near and distant past. We look around and see the fruits of their labors. Our parish has been home for generations of families and our school has been the center of learning handed down from grandparents to parents to children and children’s children. How could I not be excited to come to a rectory of fine priests, loyal to Christ and His Church, holy men who are in love with the priesthood? Perfect we are not, sinners we are, one and all. But, thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ we share the sacramental life of the Church, seek forgiveness, learn from mistakes, and grow in wisdom and grace.

Now for a look around the parish: Last week I and five other pastors met at St. John’s Lutheran Church parsonage to begin a new "Lindenhurst Pastors Association." We will meet to support each other through prayers, and work to find joint efforts to improve the spiritual and personal lives of our Lindenhurst community. First on our agenda will be to meet with the Village officials to address issues affected by the wandering youth of the community. We are looking for joint efforts to create productive activities and places of interest that will occupy the time of youth who are not involved with school sports or activities. We are thereby addressing the quality of life of the people of Lindenhurst affected by troubled youth. We believe we can make a difference for both our youth and adults.

Next, if you haven’t noticed, the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the peak of the front of the Church has been removed. All of the framing was rotted and had come loose and ready to fall. It literally fell apart once touched. It turns out that the Icon, itself, is a heavy gauged copper sculpture with painted highlights. We will have it inspected by a refurbishing expert and probably take a new approach to restoring the colors and accenting the beauty of the brilliant copper beneath it. Are there any professional artists or sculptors in the parish?

Today through Tuesday evening I strongly encourage you to participate in the Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament with corresponding presentations by a seminary friend from the past, Paulish Father Frank DeSiano. I indicated last week that the Eucharist will take on new meaning for you in the coming months and years. It all begins tonight as we journey into the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Please come and bring a friend and family.

Thank you again, for your prayers and good wishes on my pastorate. May we always be faithful.

This last Sunday we were privileged to have Fr. Frank DiSiano celebrate Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament beginning in the evening and continuing through Tuesday evening. But what was this "Solemn Exposition all about? I would guess that many have no idea what "Exposition" means in relationship to the Church or the Eucharist. And yet, to understand is to come in contact with God alive in His Church.

When the Holy Eucharist, is displayed in the special vessel call the "Monstrance," we are given the opportunity to observe what we receive at Mass from a totally different perspective. We kneel or we sit in God’s presence. We feel the presence of Christ unfold before us. We focus on who we are, unworthy though we may be, His brother or sister in whose life He wants to live.

We could say that when we receive Christ in Holy Communion He lives in us, and that would be correct. But, when we come to Him "exposed" before us on the altar, we are given time to "think" about that presence. We talk to Him, we humbly pray adoring Him, Lord, Savior, Redeemer, Son of God the Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth, we bend our knees with contrite heart in a humble request for forgiveness, we thank Him for all the wonderful things He has given us even in the midst of so such a confused and sinful world, and, we pray for help, prayers of "supplication" our intercessions to Father and Son in the power of the Holy Spirit. In prayer and meditation, in His Real Presence, God comes alive in us.

Four simply prayers become ACTS of Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving, and Supplication that move us into position to know and do God’s will.

How often have you received Holy Communion and it came and it went. How often we never take the time to just be with Christ; to focus on the reality of His presence not just as an action of the Mass, but as a reality within ourselves.

There are times when it’s like being transported, if only for a few moments, into another realm of life. Everything around us falls silent to our interior self, our soul, and we know He is here. And it is in that quietness that He speaks to us, to our soul and we know His voice.

Now, imagine what begins to happen if all of us work to achieve that presence here in this Church, here within each one of us. Will it just sit here? Will it just be another celebration of Mass? No! The deeper the awareness of the reality of Christ’s presence the more empowered we become. You become motivated to bring that Presence into you everyday life. You feel better, you breathe better, you smile more, you understand more, you respond to life in a more controlled and decisive way and you watch you life change. People will want to know what’s going on with you, why you are so "different." Will it be so terrible to tell people that you have found peace with God?

This is not pie in the sky theology. This understands God as Life itself. This is our Faith; this is the faith of the Church. This is faith come of age, faith come alive. This is "Evangelization," the spreading of the Good News of Christ by attitude and action. This is the faith that welcomes and the faith that people look to be welcomed into on a Sunday morning.

I believe that all this is here already deep inside of each one of you. Some of you show it, some don’t, but all have it, after all, were you not created in the image and likeness of God? If so, then you must have His presence. He just wants you to make it come alive. He wants you to believe in yourself, hope in yourself, and know how greatly blest you really are with His presence. We are going to be working on this together. I’ll do my part, will you do yours?

From the Pastor’s Desk - October 7, 2007

Tonight at our parish council meeting we began with a time of prayerful reflection on today’s Scripture Readings. I was particularly excited about them because they spoke with clarity about having a vision and not letting the frustrations and evils of the world cloud our minds so that we never put the vision in writing and therefore remain in a stagnant state of holiness and peace. We become afraid to move, to make a decision or to act upon decisions. We have to make our vision of holiness through our relationship with Christ come alive.

I think the world fills us with too many fears about life. We don’t do or accomplish the goals of our lives because we’re afraid we might fail, or people might think we’re strange. For example, why are people afraid to get into Mass? What do I mean? Well, you hear so often about "how boring Mass is." We blame the priest, we blame the music, we blame the lectors, but we don’t blame ourselves. Isn’t that interesting!

If the vision I have of coming to Mass is entertainment then I might be sadly disappointed. But if my vision of coming to Mass is to take some time on the weekend to make a visit to God’s special home, to sit down and talk, pray, to Him, to focus on my relationship by getting to know God better through Christ, to listen to the wisdom of His words and apply them to my own life through the homily, then I’ll enjoy my visit and realize that this is what "worship" is all about, it’s a celebration between God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and all of us.

You can’t go to someone’s home and remain passive all the time. There’s a time to speak, a time to listen and a time to interact in dialogue and actions. Do you take part in the celebration of Mass? Do you listen; respond to the greetings of the priest, "The Lord be with you?" Do you pay attention to what is going on? Join in the singing of hymns which are prayers put to music? Yes, hymns are prayers set to music. The celebration of the Liturgy (worship) has as its vision the deepening of a relationship between you and God.  People rightly expect the celebrant to be engaging in the manner in which he celebrates, prayer, preaches. But this vision of coming to Mass is not to be entertained by the priest, or by the musicians for that matter. The vision of coming to Mass is worship, creating, celebrating the reality and the deepening of a relationship between you and God. I use the word "focus" a lot. But that’s the only way visions become reality, by focusing, in an active and reflective way, on the goal, in this case, to walk out having felt and enjoyed being in God’s presence.

This year I plan to work with my brother priests, the parish council, and the leadership of our parish community in finding ways to clarify the vision, put it in writing, and work to help everyone to understand reach the goal of the vision, namely, a deeper and felt experience of God’s presence in your life. But you must do your part. You must come to church with the intention of taking part in the Celebration of Mass, the Liturgy, and Worship. Come with a positive attitude, even if you’re sad and hurting. Come and pray, lay your burdens down at the feet of Jesus. If you can’t pray, then open your heart to let the prayers of those around you, especially the priest, be the words for you need to hear and repeat in the silence of your heart. But whatever you do, come to be fed, and open your heart, like you would open your mouth the let yourself be fed, by the Bread of Life.

Do your part when you come to Mass, participate. It’s your duty to listen and take part?

Be sure to tune in next week when, to bring your focus more sharply on Jesus, we talk about why "the tabernacle" (right now it’s over on the left side out of sight on the side Altar) needs to come back to its original place of prominence in the center of the Sanctuary.

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From the Pastor’s Desk - October 14, 2007

Last week I told you that I would bring your focus more sharply on Jesus and talk about why "the Tabernacle" needs to come back to its original place of prominence in the center of the Sanctuary.

The late John Paul II, in reference to the year 2000, said, "The year 2000 will be intensely Eucharistic: in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the Savior, who took flesh in Mary’s womb twenty centuries ago, continues to offer himself to humanity as the source of divine life." I believe that as a result of his travels, John Paul saw the need to bring a clear focus upon the Eucharist. Throughout the world people are longing for a resurgence of hope in their lives. For many life has been shattered by family breakups, marriage breakups, alcohol, drugs, illicit sexual relations, fornication, unwanted pregnancies, abortion, euthanasia, physical, sexual and verbal abuse, injustice, moral depravity, desecration of religious beliefs and practices, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and successful attempts to rewrite the law to suite the desires of self-interest groups and moral codes of conduct that have led to redefining family, marriage, sexual roles and all this continues to blur and distort the focus of life as revealed by its creator, God. If God is the Creator, then the focus of life must be the Creator. If the Creator clarified his love for us by sending His only Son into the world to save it from its sinfulness, that is, all and more that I listed earlier, then we must have ways to help us keep that focus and more so that "Presence" of the Creator among us.

Enter the House of Worship of any major faith community in history and you will find a focus that draws the worshiper into an awareness of God’s Presence. For many it may very well be an altar, an object of belief, a statue or image of its "god." For the Catholic Church, the altar is the reminder of the sacrifice of Christ on the Altar of the Cross. The pulpit focuses on the proclamation of the Word. But we have something that brings both the Sacrifice of Christ and the Proclamation of His Gospel to light. We have "The Holy Eucharist," "The Body of Christ," "The Real Presence" of the "Word made Flesh." This is and has always been the crowning jewel of our Catholic Faith, the fundamental element of our developing spiritual life.

In an effort to encourage a more personal interaction at Mass, to let people see the importance of our knowing the Sacred Scriptures and reminding people of their Baptismal share in the priesthood of Christ, the architectural recommendations for new constructions and renovations called for a realigning of these points of focus. Unfortunately, this was interpreted as the removal of the tabernacle from its place of prominence in the center on the "High Altar" to a visible, but less prominent place either off to the side of the sanctuary, on a side Altar or in a separate room or location where people could go to for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament.

What has happened is that "The Real Presence" has been lost, off to the side. The awareness of "The Real Presence" has been visually impeded, and, the "belief" in the "Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist" lost to other valid, but not nearly powerful reality of the actual Presence of Christ in the "House of God," the temple build by man to honor the Creator in His Son, Jesus Christ, and to keep His people ever in focus to His abiding love.

This is our Faith; this is the Faith of the Church. The Real Presence is our focus and this is why the "Tabernacle" which holds for us the Sacred Body of Christ to be worshiped and adored, to be knelt before in the quiet and not so quiet moments when we need to know that He is here. "Front and Center."!!!! This is where He not only belongs, but where He wants to be and where He must be NOW and FOREVER.

I am sure that all of you received my letter about stewardship and the responsibility everyone has to support our parish.  Please pray about this before you make a decision.  As you know, we are living in very disturbing times.  We are blessed in so many ways, and yet, in so many ways we take what we have for granted.  I think that what we have lost the most of is family and faith.  I know that you are here.  I know that you are reading these words.  I know that it is important to you.  But, I have such a deep and abiding concern for the thousands of people who sit at home and will only be involved in their faith when it suites them and when they need to sooth their consciences for a brief moment or two.

Reaching out to these people is an undertaking that will need the coordinating, developing and sustaining of a great deal of the talent now present in our pews, a lot of time given to putting this together and hitting the pavement to reach out, and, a reasonable amount of money to create and distribute the message in a multi-media world.

I believe we are off to a good start.  I am pleased with our Religious Education outreach to children and parents.  We have a positive outlook in our development of a Catholic School of Excellence preparing for accreditation.  The youth program is in the evaluation and pre-reorganization stage in order to create a better outreach to youth.  The renovation of facilities will take time, but, if we are to move forward we must make them user friendly, aesthetically pleasing and attractive, safe and, of course, welcoming.  Moreover, and most importantly, we are refocusing of our attention in the Church back to Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.  Our priest work very hard each day not only with Masses, funeral, baptism and weddings, but with a lot of counseling, and making themselves available for special devotions and now willingly to add times and availability to hear confessions.

Today I leave to participate with our bishops, some priests, and people from the Diocese in a pilgrimage to Rome for the 50^th Anniversary of our Diocese.  We will visit four of the principle churches in Rome and reflect on the Church and the Diocese as one, holy, catholic and apostolic.  As a pastor, I will be adding to that reflection our parish and our task to bring that oneness, holiness, catholicity and apostleship to all the people of our parish community and family.  My theme is, “Building a Community of Faith, one soul at a time.”

I will not have to do it alone because I know I have your support.  According to our stewardship model, we are “the hands of Christ.”  I beg you to pray before you fill in your “commitment card” and, without placing your family in jeopardy, be courageously generous in your support.

As we move through November, remember that it is traditionally the month of the “Poor Souls.”  I hope you were able to come to Mass for All Souls Day, but if you were not, try to come one extra day during this month to pray for those in your family, relatives and friends who have died.  We believe that the souls of the faithful departed are prepared to enter heaven by having sins “purged” from their souls.  That is where we get the theology of “Purgatory.”  They need our prayers and we are obliged to bring those prayers to God “for the repose of their souls.”  Even in death, the church invites us to embrace those who have died and offer our prayers for their eternal rest in the kingdom of heaven.  Such a faith as this fills us with the hope of eternal life.

Today we conclude with two tasks.  Prepare the way to reach out to the non-practicing members of our parish and community family, and, second, to remember to pray with hope for the souls who those who have departed from us and are awaiting to see God, face to face.

And today, we sat within 75 feet of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI during his audience in St. Peter's square.   On his behalf, in accordance with his wishes expressed to the people of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, I extend to you his Apostolic Blessings for "each of you and your lived ones, especially your children, and those who are sick."   The Vatican has been gracious in extending to us certain privileges for entry into the Vatican, especially for Mass and with special seating on the main level of the audience stage just to the Pope's left. The Church is One, the Church is Holy, the Church us Catholic (Universal) and the Church is Apostolic.   Amidst the cheers and singing, excitement and cheering from people around the world you cannot but appreciate the incredible connection we truly have as a people of God in the Catholic Church.

Praised be God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  This month we have had the opportunity to pray for our deceased family members and friends.  For some there is still sadness in remembering because of the depth of our love here on earth.  However, a double joy comes with our remembrance.  First is the joy of knowing that they are resting in the peace of Christ.  For each, either the sufferings that they endured are over, or, the suffering that they might have had to endure did not come to be.  Yet there are those many that died who did so in their prime of life, or those millions of unborn who never saw the light of day.  The joy is in our knowledge of and belief in the resurrection of Christ, which is a guarantee of our own resurrection, and the share in eternal life that Jesus promises to all who believe in Him and the resurrection and the life.  The second joy is that we receive the opportunity to grow by recalling their lives and reinforcing the importance of life and renewing our resolve to become better at living life.

Remember that those who have died call us to a renewed life on earth.  They call us to move forward, with the grace of God’s presence and the knowledge of their prayer for us before God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Now we conclude this month with Thanksgiving.  Some people in the secular world have said “…at least it’s not another religious holiday.”  How lacking in knowledge they are about this day.  In fact, the celebration is based on “Giving thanks to God” for life and the resources given to us to live in ‘the new world.’”  Whom else do we give thanks to on this day but the Creator of all the good gifts given to us for our happiness?  For us, as Catholics, we have the added gift of “The Eucharist,” the ultimate expression of thanksgiving.  No matter how secular a holiday might be to some we have the blessings of seeing God’s hand in all of life.  Therefore, we give thanks.

Now we prepare for a new Liturgical Year.  Next Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent.  The readings from scripture are from a New Year and cycle (year A and cycle II).  We continue to recall the importance of being prepared for the final coming of Christ, by preparing our hearts for the renewed celebration of His birth.

Next week we will begin our new Mass times, so make sure you post those times on your refrigerator so you remember.  We will begin the season with a 3-day Advent Mission Renewal.  Father Robert Joerger will offer three Mission Talks at 7:30 the evenings of December 3, 4, and 5.  Father will also preach at all of the weekend Masses next Saturday and Sunday.  PLEASE MAKE A SPECIAL EFFORT TO COME TO THIS MISSION.  I ask you to bring a friend who has been away from the church or who is going through a difficult time in their life.  It is important not to celebrate Christmas as an “isolated holiday.”  Make Christmas more than one day of excitement for children or partying adults.  Join your priests of the parish in preparing for a “depth” of awareness of the magnificent love of God who came to us in His Son, Jesus, the Christ.  Christmas must be an experience of life-changing proportions.  Come to the Mission and begin the journey to a renewed life in Christ.

You are all in my prayers each day and I hope I am in yours.  Please renew your generous response to God’s work on earth.  I pray for a new year that will bring our church into the hearts of countless people in our parish.  Let us welcome them back and ask them to stay by giving them a reason to want to come again.

             Here we are at another juncture of church liturgical life.  The First Sunday of Advent is for us a time when we begin a new Liturgical Year for 2008.  This is an appropriate time, which the Church uses to implement changes in liturgical, pastoral and sacramental policies for the local and universal church.  Today begins our new schedule of Mass times for Sunday and Weekdays.  Today we also begin changes to our bulletin format.  Although, due to technical difficulties, the front cover is not changed until next week, the inside presentation of Events and Information has changed.  Just like my “Pastor’s Desk,” I want the entire Bulletin to be our official vehicle to communicate what is going on in and around the parish.  This will enable us to eliminate the need to repeat events and information through verbal announcements.

Christ spoke these words not only for the ears of a few people called apostles; He spoke them to pass on to all of us whom He has called to a baptism into His life. Today, John in the Jordan River baptizes Christ. He who would take upon Himself the sins of us all is freed from the bonds of ours sins so that He might offer His life to reconcile us to our Heavenly Father. In addition, so that we might understand the power and Christ’s Life, Death, and Resurrection, we hear, clearly, the voice of our Heavenly Father say, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Listen to Him."

The stage of life is set. We are ready for Ordinary Time, the day to day living of our lives, not alone, but in Christ. If the season of Christmas ends with Christ being relegated to the storage closet with the manger scene, then the message is lost and forgotten. In effect, the season ends, but Christmas begins. Now we get to live with Christ. Now we get to love in Christ. Now we get to even die with Christ. Your baptism was a beginning. You now live in Christ. Christmas, Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord manifest the incredible life we are given to live.

The parish advisory council met on Thursday and we have taken up the task of putting into writing the mission and vision of our parish for the next five years. Periodically, I will let you know where we are at in the process and where the leadership of the parish sees us going. This will take a few months to achieve, but if what I have said above has any meaning we must be specific as to how we are going to bring Christ, alive, into the homes of every parishioner.

Meanwhile, the restoration of the marble floor in the sanctuary will continue. The design for the Altar for the Tabernacle in the sanctuary will be worked on, and, rather than spending a lot of money on a new tabernacle, I am going to have the present tabernacle refurbished and plated. The Icon will be finished and hung. The sound system has been a problem and, a new state of the art sound system, if found effective, will be installed. The rectory has that fresh paint smell as it takes on a fresh look. In the works are security lighting and cameras for all the buildings and premises.

Lastly, on behalf of all the priests, I want to thank all of you for your Christmas wishes, your cards, goodies and gifts. We begin "Physical Training" tomorrow.

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            What goes on in the ordinary time of the Church?  Simply stated, we live our normal or ordinary lives.  As I see it, this is the truly busy time of the Church.  This is when we have to be working in the vineyard of the Lord.  This is when we water, feed and nurture the soil that is our faith.  During this time, God will call you to witness to your faith and to develop it.  Many Catholics feel inadequate in their knowledge of the faith.  They stammer and shudder at the challenge when it presents itself.  “I believe in my Catholic Faith, but I don’t know how to respond to people.”  Well, you not theologians, but you are capable of knowledge and you can learn a lot more about our faith and what and why we believe.

            Did you know that we have faith development programs?  Our adult education offers scripture study and theology studies.  Right now, the program is part of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (the RCIA).  Some people might think that this is only for those becoming Catholic Christians or converting to Catholicism. 

            In actuality, these classes are open to everyone in the parish.  Every Sunday, one of the priests, together with our coordinator, June Baker, teaches a 1 hour to one ½-hour class from 1:00 – 2:00 in the basement of the rectory (the pastor’s meeting room).  I ask all of you to read the bulletin and see the schedule of classes.  You do not have to come every week.  The commitment to go just a few times a year will help you to begin to know you faith better.

            Lent is just around the liturgical calendar corner and we will have a parish mission on “The Parables Alive.”  Also in a few weeks, there will be “Free” CDs in the lobby of the church with talks by a number of prominent theologians and teachers of the faith.  You will have an opportunity to take a CD home, listen to it and then pass it on to a family member or friend.  Do not be afraid to learn.  There is no obligation attached except the obligation you have to yourself in the eyes of God to be knowledgeable about your faith so that you can share and defend it with assurance and pride.

            Every day is about reaching out and teaching.  That is what the priests here at OLPH do at Mass, in the confessional, in the classroom and in the office.  Every day you have opportunities to teach.  You do not need a professional degree to share and teach the Catholic Faith.  You need a heart convinced that only in Christ is our Hope for a world, a family, a community of peace and love.

            On a more practical and personal note, I ask you to pass on a concern and a request that I have about parking behind the church.  Our priests’ garages need to be clear at all times.  We never know when we will be called to attend to the emergency needs of a person or family, at home or in the hospital.  The yellow cross lines and the No Parking signs should be enough, but perhaps word of mouth (nice words) will help.

            Right now we are planning for a weekend visit from Bishop John Dunn, our Vicar on the weekend of February 9 and 10.  I’ll tell you more as we get closer.  And, remember, Lent is on its way and it’s not too early to ask yourself, what can I do for Lent that will make a significance in my spiritual life?   

At present, I am working with our staff to verify our parish compliance with the Diocesan Child Protection Policies.  As you all know, we have a grave responsibility to see to it that our children are being cared for, led by, or in the company of people who are positive role models and whom we have reasonable assurances that they are not liable to place a child in any danger or questionable situation.  Therefore, we embrace the two-fold program instituted in our Diocese.  All staff and volunteers must have, on file in our offices, either an Application for Employment or Volunteer Services that includes verifiable reference contacts and a criminal history background check.  Each person is required to attend a three-hour training program offered here at OLPH and in many other locations throughout the diocese.  There is absolutely no excuse for not attending.  I want all of you to know that we are working toward 100% compliance and I will accept nothing less.  The cooperation of every person involved in the whole scope of volunteer practices is necessary.  By diocesan standards anyone who is not registered as a volunteer and had the appropriate background check and/or has not completed the “Virtus Training Program” may not work for us or volunteer their services to us, most especially when it involves contact, chaperoning, driving, and, of course, teaching our children.  Our Catholic School and Religious Education offices are constantly keeping this training updated.  We also have a program for our students to provide our youth with a tool kit for self-protection from sexual abuse.

The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc. (National Catholic) developed this Model Code of Pastoral Conduct For Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers, Administrators, Staff, and Volunteers (Code of Pastoral Conduct).  I share with you the following introduction:

I. Preamble

Priests, deacons, pastoral ministers, administrators, staff, and volunteers in our parishes, religious Communities/institutes, and organizations must uphold Christian values and conduct. The Model Code of Pastoral Conduct for Priests, Deacons, Pastoral Ministers, Administrators, Staff, and Volunteers (Code of Pastoral Conduct) provides a set of standards for conduct in certain pastoral situations.

II. Responsibility

The public and private conduct of clergy, staff, and volunteers can inspire and motivate people, but it can also scandalize and undermine the people’s faith. Clergy, staff, and volunteers must, at all times, be aware of the responsibilities that accompany their work. They must also know that God’s goodness and grace supports them in their ministry.