Blog Archives

Cory's Top 3

12/30/2014

Cory's Favorite Three Catholic Articles of the week.

The Weekly Francis

Pope Francis: Large Families ‘Represent Hope for Society’ The Holy Father addressed members of Italy’s National Numerous Family Association Sunday.
Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/pope-francis-large-families-represent-hope-for-society/#ixzz3NPCgIVJG

Seasonal Selection

Christmas, Xmas, and Yuletide: 5 things to know and share
Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/christmas-xmas-and-yuletide-5-things-to-know-and-share#ixzz3NPHKbdei

.... And another one I enjoyed

Alice von Hildebrand on Fleeting Fads and Eternal Truth. The Catholic philosopher offers a solution to today’s ‘severe moral crisis.’
Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/alice-von-hildebrand-on-fleeting-fads-and-eternal-truth/#ixzz3NPFJMThj

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Homily: The Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph

12/29/2014

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Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.

- Col 3:12-15

Sunday was the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph. This great feast honors the Holy Family, the model for all Christian families. The readings for this feast are beautiful reflections on the virtues of holiness found in family life. Go here for the readings.

This feast is all about lifting up families and teaching families how to be holy. But what is it that makes a family holy? With all of the attacks on the family in today's world, how can a family even be holy? I attempt to answer these questions in my homily. Check it out below.

On a side note; yesterday Pope Francis gave a big shoutout to large families and the crucial role that they play in contributing to the richness of society. Check it out over at Crux here.

- Fr. Jeff

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The Nativity of the Lord

12/29/2014

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"Today is Christ born; today the Savior has appeared; today the Angels sing, the Archangels rejoice; today the righteous rejoice, saying: Glory to God in the highest. Alleluia!"
- Antiphon from I Vespers for the Nativity of the Lord

I'm sorry that this wasn't posted earlier, but things have been a little bit hectic around here, but anyways, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

While most of the country has already taken down their Christmas tree, put away their decorations, and put another Christmas behind them, we Catholics do nothing of the sort. In fact for us Christmas only began on the 25th. While secular culture celebrates Christmas, it seems, from the day after Halloween until Christmas Day, the Church begins the celebration of the Christmas Season on Christmas Eve and it lasts until the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which falls on January 11th. The following clips are some highlights from St. André Bessette Parish's Christmas celebrations including my homily for Christmas Day.

Up first is a recording of me singing Minuit Chrétiens (Oh Holy Night) with the Parish Choir at Midnight Mass.

Next is a recording of me singing the Christmas Proclamation. This is a beautiful proclamation of the birth of Jesus Christ that traditionally precedes the Midnight Mass. Here is the text so you can follow along.

The Twenty-fifth Day of December,

when ages beyond number had run their course
from the creation of the world,

when God in the beginning created heaven and earth,
and formed man in his own likeness;

when century upon century had passed
since the Almighty set his bow in the clouds after the Great Flood,
as a sign of covenant and peace;

in the twenty-first century since Abraham, our father in faith,
came out of Ur of the Chaldees;

in the thirteenth century since the People of Israel were led by Moses
in the Exodus from Egypt;

around the thousandth year since David was anointed King;

in the sixty-fifth week of the prophecy of Daniel;

in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;

in the year seven hundred and fifty-two
since the foundation of the City of Rome;

in the forty-second year of the reign of Caesar Octavian Augustus,
the whole world being at peace,

JESUS CHRIST, eternal God and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to consecrate the world by his most loving presence,
was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and when nine months had passed since his conception,
was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judah,
and was made man:

The Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.

Finally, here is my homily for Christmas.

The Crèche (Nativity Scene) at Sacred Heart Church, St. André Bessette Parish in Laconia, NH.

Merry Christmas!!!
Joyeux Noël!!!

- Fr. Jeff

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Everything Leads to Liturgy

12/26/2014

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Ministry Tip of the Week

by Seth Evangelho

Subjective experience is critical to the depth in which we encounter the Lord. How hollow experience becomes, however, when it ceases to direct our gaze of faith into the objective reality behind it all. The presence of God in the world is not due to the disposition of believers.

God has taken center stage.

He comes to us in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and nowhere does this happen more fully than in the context of liturgy. The Sacramental life of grace flows out of the objective, albeit invisible, reality behind the Paschal mystery we celebrate at every mass (the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ). "What was visible in the life of our savior has passed over into his mysteries" (St. Leo the Great, CCC 1115).

The liturgies of Word and Eucharist we celebrate in every Catholic Mass are a mysterious encounter, a physical encounter, with Christ’s redeeming act of perfect love on the cross. The visible signs - that is, the Sacramental rituals of liturgical celebration - offer us tangible access to a participation in the death and resurrection of Jesus. We come into full communion with the
Resurrected Christ through liturgy!

Catechesis deepens our grasp of this truth.

What is taught in the classroom or from the pulpit should, therefore, equip students and parishioners with the tools they need to enter more fully into the Mass. If we fail to connect our teachings to the living mystery of liturgical celebration, we cripple the faith of our listeners and effectively deny them entry into the source of grace. We limit their ability to access the power necessary to live out the teachings.

Moreover, the liturgy itself catechizes.

The Mass is designed to teach as it reveals. The mysteries of Faith animate our rituals, and in every liturgical act the Truth is proclaimed. The more we understand and reflect upon what takes place here, the more we come to know the Faith God has revealed to us in Christ.

Catechesis outside the liturgy should draw upon the actual prayers and actions of the Mass whenever possible. They're familiar to everyone, and drawing upon them makes the Church's teachings more relatable.

In addition, if we use, for example, Eucharistic Prayer 1 when we teach on the doctrine of the Eucharist, or the Prayer of Absolution when we teach on Confession (an extension of the liturgy), we bring to life the subjective experience of those rituals the next time we partake in them.

In other words, we seek to grasp the content of our worship.

Catechesis and liturgy are not simply complementary aspects of the Faith. They're two sides of the same coin. We ultimately catechize about the mysteries of the liturgy, and the liturgy then becomes, ever more, a lived experience of those same teachings.

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Eat Food. It's Part of Evangelization.

12/19/2014

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Ministry Tip of the Week

by Seth Evangelho

There's something about sharing a meal. It serves as one of the easiest and quickest ways to establish solidarity. It breaks the ice, if you will, so that even deeper avenues of personal communion might arise.

I think the Romans understood something of the connection between eating and the bonds of friendship. The word companion literally means "one who breaks bread with another," and I wonder which is meant to come first, the friendship or the breaking of bread?

In my experience in parish ministry, table fellowship is a catalyst for community. Each year, we run a 7-week series that begins with dinner, and those who sit down acquaintances generally report deepening bonds of friendship, while those who come as strangers almost always leave the experience with newfound "companions" on their journey of faith. The program has proven successful in a number of ways but, year after year, I'm always surprised to find the dinner/community experience to be the most appreciated by participants.

Sometimes food might seem a peripheral detail, but I suggest it be given a more central part, regardless of any specific area of ministry. Too often it's the first to be sacrificed when the budget gets strained, but maybe we should rethink this move and make sure enough funds are allocated. The wisdom of table fellowship is at the heart of our human condition, and it opens the door to genuine avenues of evangelization. Besides, God himself has elevated "the breaking of bread" to source and summit of the Christian faith (CCC 1324-1327).

As the Christmas season fast approaches, may we pray for the grace to bridle any unruly appetites, that we might truly delight in the food we share with our friends and family. And may we experience it as the sacramental sign that it is: a delicious reminder of God's abundant goodness.

"Taste and see the goodness of the Lord." (Psalm 34:8)

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A Monthly Children's Holy Hour!

12/18/2014

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Today was our first children's Holy Hour up in the Conference Center Chapel. It was kind of a spontaneous occurrence this month at the request of some of the home school families, but... it went so well that we are now planning on making this a monthly event: the third Thursday of every month at 9:30am. All children (w/ their parents, of course) are welcome to attend!

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The Closing High School Confirmation Session

12/17/2014

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Audio by Seth Evangelho

Our last High School Confirmation session of the Fall semester focused on the need to be intentional in our walk with Christ. Confirmation is a strengthening for the mission but, if we're to bring the grace and truth of Jesus Christ to this world, we must start first with ourselves. We cannot give what we don't have.

In this talk to 35 of our high school students, Seth lays out the Church's teachings on evangelization, three ways to adhere to the Gospel, and a particular challenge for today's teens to evangelize in the modern world.

When the audio reaches 19:45, press pause and watch the video below. Then press play on the audio to continue.

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Inside RCIA - A Presentation on the Confiteor

12/17/2014

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with Audio Talk by Seth Evangelho

THE CONFITEOR
People: I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.

Priest: “May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.”
People: Amen.

This year's RCIA catechumenate follows the structure of the Mass - all Church doctrine will be drawn out and seen through the lens of particular parts of the Mass. This past week, we focused on the "Opening Ceremonies," specifically the Confiteor we pray (in one form or another) at the beginning of every Mass. Listen in as Seth opens it up:

At the 26:00 mark, pause the audio and watch the Youtube Video below:

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Homily: 3rd Sunday of Advent "Gaudete Sunday"

12/16/2014

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Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. Lord, you have blessed your land; you have turned away the captivity of Jacob.

- Introit: 3rd Sunday of Advent (Philippians 4:4–6; Psalm 85:1)

Rejoice!

The above quote is the Introit for this past Sunday, from which it received the nickname "Gaudete Sunday." Gaudete means rejoice. We have reached the midpoint of Advent, and we rejoice in the good news of the coming of our savior at Christmas. This is why the rose candle is lit—that's right, rose not pink, and the priest wears rose vestments. The penitential character of Advent is relaxed as we anticipate the Nativity of Jesus Christ. We're almost there, and joy fills our hearts. So don't be a Scrooge as we approach Christmas. Testify to your faith with JOY!

Here is a clip of the Introit for the 3rd Sunday of Advent (the proper chant for the entrance procession at Mass). This is the beautiful and ancient Gregorian version in Latin:

Here is another beautiful version of the Introit in English, from the Simple English Propers.

Finally, here is the audio of my homily. Enjoy!

- Fr. Jeff

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Cory's Top 3

12/16/2014

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By: Cory Johnson

The Weekly Francis

Did Pope Francis say animals go to heaven? Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/did-pope-francis-say-animals-go-to-heaven#ixzz3M42z7qxu

For further reading.... http://www.ewtn.com/library/theology/bergoglio2012interview.htm

Seasonal Selection

The Catholic Man’s Guide to Christmas (Good for all, Not just for men) Click here to read the article

Another... Couple Articles I Enjoyed

Ok, Ok, so i know this is my top 3 and this makes it 4 (technically), but these two articles are interrelated I think. One from a males perspective and another from a females perspective. They address the recent emphasis on the "Feminine Genius" by our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and his predecessors. I find both of these articles saying the same thing, just in different ways (As it should be when the Masculine and Feminine Genius' unite). The thesis seems to be this: We absolutely need to look at the Feminine Genius and how the unique gifts, talents and wisdom that women possess can build up the Body of Christ, but if we singularly concentrate on femininity and how it can be used for the betterment of Christ's Church, we run the risk of making masculinity the normative form of human existence, so to speak, and see women as "special" in an awkwardly wrong sense. To address this lopsided emphasis (the writers claim), we need an equally penetrating and comprehensive look into what masculinity can do to strengthen Christ's Kingdom on earth as well. Only by looking at both of the normative forms of human existence, which share the same dignity with full equality, can we then better understand the complementarity of both sexes and how they can work in tandem to "make disciples of all nations" (Matt 28:19). Thus we will better model how God fashioned things "In beginning" when "in His own image and likeness... male and female He created them" (Gen 1:1, Gen 1:27). That's just what I gathered from the articles below, read them and form your own opinion, then let me know what you think!

The females point of view - Click to read

The males point of view - Click to read

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