A feel good story

92-year-old Franciscan Friars end life the way they began it -- together.

One way or another

Bishop Matthew Clark’s Catholic Ministries Appeal 'fell short' about $350,000 this year. However, the targeted amount of $5.6 million will be raised.

The deficit will be made up by the parishes that failed to gather their stated goal amounts. All Saints’ deficit was about $15,000 short of the DOR’s ‘goal’ for our parish, which will now be collected through either our savings or regular parish donations.

Wouldn’t it be better if the DOR characterized the appeal for what it really is – a tax? It can’t truly be called an ‘appeal’ when it will come out of parishioners’ pockets one way or another. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines the usage of the word appeal as ‘an organized request for donations’ or ‘an earnest plea’.

While the DOR may begin each CMA with an earnest plea, an organized plea, it finishes through compulsory compliance. In other words, a tax has been assessed. Let us call it what it is.

Now, it is no secret that the DOR has been suffering a dearth of vocations for some time. Out of 176 dioceses in the USA, the DOR places 175 on the list for vocations. Having suffered this decline for some time, it would seem efficacious to turn attention to this most important of Catholic issues and expend time, effort and money to turn this situation around.

Yet the DOR’s annual budget of $9.975 million spent just under $435,000 to support “Priest personnel, Sabbaticals, & St. Bernard’s School of Theology & Ministry.”

That is 4.3% of the budget.

To then be told via the parish bulletin that there are no ‘additional priests available’ to our parish of 2,500 families, and that funeral masses may be unavailable for our community, gives the impression that vocations is not a priority. Truly a tragedy for our people and parishes. The priesthood is not only a sacred need, it is a basic need for parishes.

St. Vincent's

I attended the 12:10 Mass today at St. Vincent's. The majority of parishioners there were hoary-headed, the retired of our parish. Fr. Breen mentioned St. Vincent briefly during prayer intentions, and I thought to myself, 'St. Vincent so loved children'. And my thoughts went to Sunday mornings and all the children who attend the Liturgy of the Word. And I think, 'Can we not fight for this House of Prayer? If not for ourselves, for the children? For the next generation?'

The Ascension

It's a Holy Day of Obligation today--the Feast of the Ascension. Mass will be said at Saint Mary's at 10 a.m., Saint Vincent's at 12:10 p.m., and Immaculate Heart of Mary at 7 p.m. Oops, I missed the 6:45 a.m. mass at IHM.

Can we say 'Amen!'

A parishioner sent me a link to an article on SpiritDaily.com. SD is a charismatic website that often delves into the mystical aspects of the Catholic faith. The article is titled "From Dancing Nuns To New Age, Time has Come to Save Churches and Turn Back to Sanctity," and here's a snippet:

Mysticism is not welcome. It's the chancellor's job to blunt it. Meanwhile, employees strategize on how to best "consolidate" parishes -- close churches -- without losing appeals to Rome.

This is another great development in the pontificate of Benedict:

In a couple of cases, Rome has sided with laity who had fought closure of church properties. Most recently -- this week -- a Vatican ruling saved St. Mary's Church in Jamesville, New York -- at least as a sacred (if not actively ministered) site.

This is a great and crucial cause that all Catholics should undertake: fighting -- respectfully -- to maintain holy property.

It is improper for consecrated ground and buildings to be destroyed or turned into condos, which has occurred. In Italy, one has become a restaurant (the altar is behind the bar). In Upstate New York, a college fraternity bought another. In still other cases, they have been turned into pentecostal-style churches or Muslim gathering places.

While, due to inner-city population shrinkage, and priest shortages, there is the need to pare down active parishes, sacred ground must remain just that. We urge this because we believe there will be a time in the not so distant future when events will swell the ranks of the faithful -- those who seek refuge in church.

The Church is not dying. It is quiescent. It will rise with force in the difficult times to come.

And it will need to facilities. Let Catholicism be prepared! (And also let us not sell property at a down cycle).

Running the race that is set before us

This, that, and the other

A long post, but there's lots to choose from.

More Catholic tradition is being forsaken in our parish. Were you aware that the young people being confirmed next week will not have the opportunity to choose confirmation names? I asked around about this and was given an answer: 

At baptism we are claimed for Christ through our name, we are called by name and it is the first question asked of the parents “what name do you give this child,” so liturgists suggest that there is no need to choose another name since Confirmation is a deepening of the Spirit we receive at baptism for strengthening for service and mission.  

However, it has been a long tradition in the Catholic faith to choose a saint to help us in our baptismal call to serve.  It is a great opportunity to learn about a saint and have your own personal cheerleader in heaven.  Many times candidates will choose a patron of an occupation they want to go into or a gift they have (like Cecilia for music) to be their guide.  

The diocese recommends candidates don’t choose a name but keep their baptismal name.  However, a candidate can do whatever they choose and no one can stop them. 

If you have a confirmation candidate next Sunday, let them know they may choose a confirmation name. 

Also, the writers at Cleansing Fire have posted about the availability of funeral masses in our parish: You Might Not Get a Funeral Mass When You Die. 

And then Cardinal Burke opines on the tendency to humanize the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. This is commonly done in our parish via lay homilies, films during mass, and so on. A snippet: 

Cardinal Raymond L. Burke delivered a lecture on what he calls a nearly 50-year trend of self-centered liturgy last week at the Thomistic Institute in Washington, D.C.

“In the time since the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, but certainly not because of the teaching of the council, there has been exaggerated attention on the human aspect of the sacred liturgy,” said the high ranking Vatican official in his May 11 address.

To segue off that, here's a priest's take on the mass as a sacrifice: How the Mass is a sacrifice, and why so many deny this doctrine. 

A snippet: 

With utmost clarity, Trent taught that the Mass is a sacrifice, against the protestant heresy. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is truly the Catechism of Vatican II, likewise insists that the Mass is a sacrifice and one with the Sacrifice of Calvary. 

Nevertheless, the fact remains that many people (and even some Catholics) deny this truth. Either through direct rejection of this doctrine (as in the case of heretics) or through an implicit and indirect rejection manifested by external actions during the Liturgy (as in the case of countless Catholics and even some priests), many people deny that the Mass is a true sacrifice.

Lastly, Pope Leo XIII wrote a largely-ignored encyclical that has proven to be prophetic. It is Sapientiae Christianae. A tip of the hat to Todd Hartch's article Born for Combat at The Catholic Thing.

Here's more from Pope Leo's encylical: We are bound, then, to love dearly the country whence we have received the means of enjoyment this mortal life affords, but we have a much more urgent obligation to love, with ardent love, the Church to which we owe the life of the soul, a life that will endure forever. For fitting it is to prefer the good of the soul to the well-being of the body, inasmuch as duties toward God are of a far more hallowed character than those toward men. 

In memorium

 

In honor of those who have fallen in battle

Friends of St. Vincent’s (FOSV) Fundraising

By Susan Miller 

The following are questions I’ve heard and/or ones that are likely on the minds of people who would consider donating to FOSV:

Q: I donated money a few months ago. How was it used?

A: Any money that has been donated, either to SOP or FOSV in the past six months, is being used to fund the canonical appeal. Thank you all for your generosity! Also note that the SOP account is now closed, and the funds have been moved to the FOSV account. 

Q: Where is the money coming from for other costs, such as the newsletter and applying for 501(c)(3) status?

A: The members of SOP have been paying these costs and will continue to do so. Money collected from all other people will be used for the appeal. 

Q: When will you make the appeal?

A: We cannot go forward with the appeal until the bishop officially accepts the recommendation to close and sell St. Vincent’s Church and makes a public announcement. So, we cannot say exactly when the appeal process will begin. However, things change very quickly, and we need to be ready. 

Q: What if St. Vincent’s is saved, and an appeal isn’t necessary? What happens to the money you collected?

A: The newsletter stated the following: “Monies not used in the appeals process will be donated to charities that are at the heart of St. Vincent de Paul’s mission.”

Our first choice, and most likely that of many people who donate, is to use any extra money (or all money if there is not an appeal) to repair St. Vincent’s Church. The best way to do this, in our opinion, would be to write a check from the FOSV account to the contractor to guarantee that the money is used in this way. We owe this to contributors so that their money doesn’t end up in a slush fund. Under the circumstances, however, this may not be possible. In the past, we were told that any fundraising we did would go to the one-church solution. If that remains the case, then all money will go to one or more local charities.

Q: I would like to donate, but I don’t have $100.

A: The $100 Club is just one way to support the appeal. You can donate any amount of money by clicking the Donate button on the right or mailing a check to: 

FOSV
PO Box 56
Painted Post, NY 14870

Dollars to donuts at IHM

With the recent rains, it is no wonder that IHM had several inches of water in the basement. Too bad that the sump pump was the size you would expect for a residential basement. It was many days before the water was finally extracted. The basement stinks. There's no dehumidifier, only a fan.

This is no way to take care of a property. Imagine having to live there.

We hear about stewardship all the time, but when the opportunity to demonstrate it arises, parish leadership falls flat.

Of course, the latest rumor is that a national donut chain is buying part or all of IHM property. Perhaps they will spring for a sump pump.

A victory for St. Mary's parishioners in Jamesville--UPDATE

The Vatican's highest court has ruled in favor of parishioners to keep their church in Jamesville a worship site. The decision was based on the merits of the case, and not just on a procedural move, which is very significant.

Scroll down for the video. Here's another article at the Wall Street Journal.

Don't believe it when you are told "It's a done deal."

Never, ever give up.

UPDATE: YNN has a nice video here.

Wandering in Wonderland

So the cemetery bookkeeper is retiring in July. And instead of absorbing that position in order to save money and help balance the parish budget, another individual has been hired. The cemetery has accounts receivable of $94,000 in 2009-2010, and management of this ginormous sum apparently merits a full-time job.

In some alternate reality it is apparently logical for the parish to run a deficit budget, all the while asking parishioners to dig deeper than ever in their pockets to fund the insanity.

Someone needs to tell the administrator about Quicken.

Prayers needed

Massive twister hits Missouri. Eighty-nine have died. Prayers from us. St. Vincent de Paul, pray for us!

Wouldn't you like to be a priest....err...pepper too....

In case you've been preached to about the priesthood of believers, this article at Crisis Magazine gives a cogent understanding of the truth about it: For the Dissidents, We're All Priests Now.

2009-2010 parish financial statement

The parish financials for last year are online here. You can get to more financial info here.