Voting Has Started

I had a post a few weeks back concerning CI-128. I spoke about my experience when dealing with women who have had abortions. While abortion is often portrayed as such, it is neither an easy answer, nor a painless answer.

I'd like to speak to a few thing in relationship to CI-128 in particular. (My friends and family in South Dakota may find similar concerns about South Dakota Amendment G.)

• Voting "no" will not end abortion in Montana.
• Voting "yes" will take away a parent's right to be involved in the health care decisions of their children.
• This also opens the door to an increase in child sexual abuse.
• It could also lead to more human trafficking in Montana
• Voting "yes" will introduce vague language into the constitution that will be litigated for many years and will cost taxpayers.
• Voting "yes" will eliminate reasonable protections built into current law to protect women.
• Voting "yes" will open the door for unsavory healthcare professionals to offer services.
• "Healthcare professionals" does not equal Medical Doctors

Listen to the Lawyer's perspective. 

Amendments to state constitutions which are not good for women.

With proposed amendments to the state constitutions in Montana and South Dakota dealing with abortion on the ballot, I notice that some people seem to imply that women are in favor of abortion and men want to save the life of the unborn. They say that men must not have a say. That it is because of men that abortion is not a norm in their states, or in the United States. There are many women who are pro-life. There are many women who have learned that the abortion that they had damaged them spiritual, emotionally and sometimes even physically. 

Being a priest who had spoken to many of these women in the confessional, I can tell you many wish that there were a few more roadblocks in the way. They regret their decision because they were not informed about all of the risks. They were not informed about the options which included support for them and their baby after birth. 

These women are reminded of that pain every year when the projected anniversary of the birth of their child comes around and they see other children and wonder where their child might have been today had they not made the choice to abort them. They ask themselves, "how would they be celebrating the birthday now?" 

I want to encourage you to vote against Montana CI-128 and against South Dakota Constitutional Amendment G. Do it for the life of the child. Do it for the spiritual, emotional and physical well being of the mothers. 

There are some who would bring up the health of the mother. The Catholic church allows for treating a problem pregnancy. There are treatments that do not intend to cause the death of the unborn child, but may put the life of that child at risk. It is not the intention to kill the child. I would refer you to the article from the National Catholic Bioethics Center

Protecting the innocent?

In light of the recent shooting at a church in South Carolina, I've heard the following from various politicians.

According the the Huffington Post online, President Obama said the following:

"Any death of this sort is a tragedy, any shooting involving multiple victims is a tragedy," he said. "There is something particularly heartbreaking about death happening at a place in which we seek solace and we seek peace.
"I've had to make statements like this too many times. Communities have had to endure tragedies like this too many times," he continued. "Once again, innocent people were killed in part because someone who wanted to inflict harm had no trouble getting their hands on a gun. ... We as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries."

Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, again according to the Huffington Post, said the following:

"We can have common sense gun reforms that keep weapons out of the hands of criminals and the violently unstable while respecting responsible gun owners," she said. "The stakes are too high, the costs are too dear, and I am not and will not be afraid to keep fighting for common sense reforms, and along with you, achieve those on behalf of all who have been lost because of this senseless gun violence in this country."

As I have asked before after shootings, where is the outrage for the 3,000+ babies aborted every day, most of whom are black?

Thoughts on the President's visit to Georgetown

Yesterday, President Obama was part of a forum at Georgetown University. He made several comments that I feel I need to address.

The first is in his reference that Catholics and Evangelicals should spend less time talking about abortion and do more for the poor. As I posted on my facebook wall:

How many hospitals and schools are supported by the Church that benefit the poor? Maybe the president should care more about rooting out the reasons people are poor and do not move up: fatherless families, infidelity, and a lack of respect for life. Abortion and "same-sex marriage" are about selfishness, not about charity and caring for others.

I guess he does not see the selfish nature of these actions.

The other comment deals with private schools. President Obama seems to imply that those who put their children in private schools are being separated from the poor. I guess he also does not realize how many poor kids are in a lot of the private schools sponsored by the Catholic Church. I posted this comment on the White House facebook which had the video of the president's comments:

I wonder why he doesn't support schools like St. Aloysius in Harlem. It is not made up of rich students. Most of the students are poor, or disadvantaged, but the president has not done much to help out these schools who are educating the poor at less cost than the public schools in the area and doing a much better job. Maybe we need wise use of education dollars instead of more dollars going into education. We also need less trying to create an us vs them mentality. I am guessing it is the money from a lot of the rich white folks that are paying to keep St. Aloysius open. Most of those folks are also paying taxes to support the public schools in their area as well.

I think included a link to with an article about St. Aloysius and a link to the school's webpage.

The Cost of Catholic Education

Having spent a number of years working with Catholic Schools, I am often surprised by number of people who do not understand the cost of sending their children to a Catholic school.

Many parents seem to think that the cost of education is the price charged for tuition. There is often a misunderstanding that families are being asked to pay the cost for the children to be educated.

In reality, parishes with parish schools, and other Catholic schools, are being supported by the local parish, possibly the diocese and the fundraising efforts of the school. Many times, the tuition that is being requested is less than 50% of the cost of education.

Families need to realize the benefit of the "scholarship" (while not listed as such) that is being offered though low tuition rates, in addition to other scholarships that are being offered. In the case of my current parish assignment, the cost of educating each child is a little over $9,000. This cost is high because of our low enrollment. We are charging $4,125 for tuition. This amounts to a $5,000 scholarship to every student enrolled in our school. When I was on the School Advisory Committee for Great Falls Central Catholic High School, the gap was even more.

I mention this so Catholic school families and benefactors realize the importance of continued support over and above the perceived cost of education indicated by our tuition rates.

Please remember to be generous in supporting Catholic Education in our Catholic Schools.

8th Grade Graduation Homily

8th Grade Graduation Homily 2014 from Leo McDowell on Vimeo.
This was an attempt to record a homily using my GoPro camera. I had planned on the camera being at a slightly different angle, but it did not want to stay there when I placed it just before I began.

Fighting for the faith

After a heads-up from LifesiteNews I just finished watching this video (graphic, viewer discretion is advised) about an attack late last month on the Cathedral of San Juan in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A group of men, mostly young, stood several deep, arm-in-arm, to keep a group of radical women from desecrating the cathedral. The women, several having bared their breasts, were promoting abortion and lesbianism. The women drew on the Hitler style mustaches on the faces of the men. They sprayed paint on their faces and crotch areas. They performed lewd acts in front of the men who continued to pray in front of the cathedral. The women later burned an effigy of Pope Frances.

Now that I've described what took place, I have a question that causes me concern. If we were to get word that a similar event were about to take place at a cathedral in the United States, could we find enough men ready to humble themselves to stand strong against such an attack? I know there would be some who would protect the Church, but whereas we do not make up a huge majority of the population, would the minority have the courage to stay strong? Would other Christians stand by us, be indifferent, or stand on the side of the protestors? Some Christian groups are opposed to some of the teachings of the Catholic Church.  If you were called to stand in the face of such violence, would you be there?

What do people believe, anyway?

As a parish priest, I have had the opportunity to observe the practices of various ministers and of the faithful at Mass, Benediction, Funeral Vigil services and other liturgical events in the life of the parish, or Catholic school.

There are times when I wonder if those participating even know what it is that they are doing, or why they are doing it. I've also asked myself if they know what the priest is doing, or why the priest is doing things at different points of the celebration?

I have a feeling that many of those in the pews, or surrounding the altar (some priests included) lack belief in many of the basics truths we hold as Catholics.

I've noticed ministers who look like they are tolerating the Eucharistic Prayer. I've noticed sacristans, EMHC's and altar servers who treat the corporal more like a table cloth, scattering crumbs around the altar. I've noticed when I've tried to mention some of these issues in homilies, the ones most likely to be the offenders appear to be ignoring what is being said.

While the liturgical elements are sometimes more obvious, the signs of unbelief are not limited to strictly liturgical issues. Where are the majority of Catholics when we have our "40 Days for Life" each year? Are they praying for an end to abortion at the abortion clinic or at home, or are they not praying for the end to abortion? Where are Catholics when we are talking about a push to recognize gay relationships as marriages? Are they standing strong for the true meaning of marriage as a covenant relationship between one man and one woman? Have a lot of Catholics fallen away from a true understanding of marriage as a sacramental covenant? What about the whole issue of contraception that seems to be in the news today? I keep hearing that 98% of all Catholic women are using contraception. That statistic is not accurate as can be seen in this article, but it raises another question. Are Catholics striving to understand what the Church teaches and are they willing to stand up for those teachings? Are they willing to live out those teachings?

Will there come a day when all those who claim to be Catholic will actually practice what the faith of the Church professes? I think Francis Cardinal George makes a good point as it relates to what is happening on the political stage today.

"This is the first time in the history of the United States that a presidential administration has purposely tried to interfere in the internal working of the Catholic Church, playing one group off against another for political gain. What isn’t always understood is that the Bishops of the Church make no attempt to speak for all Catholics; they never have. The Bishops speak for the Catholic and apostolic faith, and those who hold that faith gather around them. Others disperse."-Francis Cardinal George, Archdiocese of Chicago

I guess a question I have is really this, when it comes to the end, will we be believers in the Church established by Christ, or in ourselves and our favorite cause? If we are not believers in the teachings of the Church, why do we stay?

Third Sunday Ordinary Time Homily Jan 22, 2012

We are living in interesting and challenging times. And yet, as we look at our scripture readings today, almost any generation can talk about the challenges that they have face. The real challenge before us deals with our response to the times in which we live. If we take a moment or two to look at the news we’ve seen a variety of issues that are in the headlines this weekend.

As Catholics, we often have to remind ourselves that we are not to conform our selves to the culture around us, but to be counter cultural. We need to challenge the culture with the truths of the gospel message. Let’s take a closer look at the story of Jonah and his travels through Nineveh. God first spoke to Jonah to send him on the task of proclaiming His message and Jonah’s response was to head the other direction. He got on a ship bound for Tarshish. As the ship became engulfed in a storm the others on the onboard realized that Jonah was the cause of their distress. It was not long before Jonah found himself in the belly of a whale. After his three days, we was spit out onto dry land and the Lord called him again to get his butt to Nineveh to call them to repentance. Jonah came to realize that God was serious when He said He wanted repentance preached. The people of Nineveh realized the error of their ways and publicly did acts of penance.

How does this apply to each of us? I think we can all see ways in our lives that we have been like the Ninevites, and also like Jonah. Let’s start with the Ninevites. We need to look at each of these questions as it applies to our individual lives and to our society. Are we truly living our lives in a moral way as presented by God through the Church? Are we open to life, or do we use contraception in our marriages? Are our marriages sacramental? Are we in relationships that we treat like marriages, but which are not truly marriages? This ranges from living like a husband and wife, even when not married, to promoting same sex marriages. With the anniversary of the Roe vs Wade decision coming this week, we need to ask do we promote a respect for all innocent human life from the moment of conception until natural death? Fundamentally, this is innocent human life. After we have developed that respect for innocent human life in our lives and our society, we can carry it to the next level which would include respect for the not so innocent life which would include the issues of capital punishment and, as necessary, just war theory. Sodomy, adultery, fornication, murder, sacrilege, where do these sins have a hold on us and our society? The message of Jonah to the Ninevites to repent is a message we need to hear today. The big question we have to answer is, “how will we respond?” Will we like the Ninevites put on sackcloth and ashes? Will we realize our sin and turn our lives back to God?

Ok, enough about being like the Ninevites, how are we like Jonah? There are some who would argue that Jonah was afraid to go visit because they were a cruel people. They argue he was afraid of losing his life in the process of challenging them to repent. Others argue that he did not want to go to Nineveh because he wanted them to die. He did not want them to experience God’s mercy. He knew they would hear the message he was sent to proclaim and that they would change their lives. Why do we not want to call others to repentance? Are we afraid that they’ll react in a harmful way towards us? Do we not love them enough to want them to change? Let’s throw another possible answer into the mix. Perhaps we are afraid to call others to repentance because we realize that we have yet to repent of our sinful ways. I’m going to let those thoughts resonant for a few moments while I take a look at some current affairs.

What is in the news? First, in case you have not heard, it was announced Friday morning that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that all new and renewed insurance plans will be required to cover contraception. As Grace-Marie Turner writes at National Review Online’s The Corner blog:

The Obamacare regulation gives faith-based institutions, like Catholic universities and hospitals, the choice of violating the fundamental tenets of their faith by covering the federally mandated coverage in their employee health plans, or of dropping health insurance for their employees — in which case they would be fined for violating the employer mandate.

Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, had this to say in a press release.

“Never before has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience. This shouldn’t happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights,” Cardinal-designate Dolan said.

How has this come to happen? Perhaps we’ve been like Jonah when sent to the Ninevites. We’ve found excuses not to stand up for our faith. Perhaps in part because of our own inclination to sinful activity. Perhaps because we’ve not really studied the issues and realize the greater ramifications that a ruling such as this has on our ability to practice our faith as it is taught. Many of the contraceptives they expect to cover cause abortions as a last means of preventing a birth. :(

That being said, the other big news issue from a Catholic perspective is the anniversary of Roe vs Wade. Monday will be the 39th March for Life in Washington, DC. Among the activities taking place is a youth rally that was held last night and the Mass for Life celebrated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception tonight. When we look back at Jonah, those marching for life are in many ways like Jonah walking the streets of Nineveh. They are a challenge, not just to the government, but to our society to look at ourselves and the destruction our sin is causing in our nation. They are making the call to repent.

Let us listen one more time to the words of Paul from our second reading today:

I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out.
From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,
those weeping as not weeping,
those rejoicing as not rejoicing,
those buying as not owning,
those using the world as not using it fully.
For the world in its present form is passing away.

The world is passing away and the Kingdom of God will be what remains. In the Gospel we heard:

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the gospel."

We are all called to repent. We must not give up hope in the fact that God can take us from where we are today to do great things with us. As we heard in the last part of today’s gospel, Jesus called fishermen to be the beginnings of his Church. In the Gospel of Luke we hear:

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.”

Yet, Peter did follow Christ and was made the head of his Church.

Our own need for repentance should not stop us from answering the call that is before each of us. We are called to be a part of the Church that Christ established. We are called to take the truth of the gospel as handed down through the Church to the ends of the world. This starts, right here and right now.

The news stories of this weekend are only a beginning point for our call to be Jonah’s in the world, calling the Nineveh that we live in to repent. Do not run of to Tarshish to avoid the task. Step forward with courage and conviction. If, at the moment your life resembles that of the Ninevites more that of Jonah, follow their example of doing penance and repenting of your sins and perhaps, making today’s psalm your prayer:

R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice
and teaches the humble his way.
R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

40 Days for Life

This Lent, I took part in the 40 Days for Life campaign in Great Falls. While we were in front of the Planned Parenthood center, we had a variety of responses. We had people honk their horns and show us a thumbs-up. We had others raise a different digit on their hands. Some people drove by and hollered, "Good job!!!" Others shouted, "Get a job!!!" By far the positive responses were much more prevalent than the negative. I did have a car with two young girls create a bit of a laugh. The window on the passenger side was rolled down and the driver attempted to throw a paper dish of ice cream at those of us on the side walk. It hit the top of the window and spilled on the street.

As we read the Lord's Passion on Passion Sunday, the idea of being spat upon and ridiculed took on a different meaning this year. The Lord tells us that we need to take up our cross and follow him. Sometimes when we take a stand for the truth of innocent life, it does become a cross. The truth sometimes puts us at odds with society, our neighbors, our friends and sometimes even our families. We need to take seriously the challenge to, "Be not afraid" when it comes to promoting life from its very beginning.

To wrap up the 40 Days for Life in Great Falls we had a short walk for life from the Holiday Village to the Big Flag Overlook Park. The 70 or so people that took part in the walk were a witness to the truth. We had participants from 2 years of age through their 80's. The example of these people and families to take up their crosses in the cause of life is to be applauded. I want to encourage each and every one of you to make supporting life in a visible way a part of your life.

Precepts of the Catholic Church, part IV

Again this week, I’d like to continue with the series about the precepts of the Catholic Church.

The following inset quotes are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.

There was a time when people, instead of going to confession and trying to change their lives would stay in the state of sin and not go to communion. There were others who were so conscience of their sinfulness that they never felt worthy to  eceive our Lord in communion. Most people have no problem with receiving communion once a year today. There is more of a tendency to go to communion while in the state of mortal sin. This, too, is a serious matter. See last week’s
comments.

2043 The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.

The rules for fasting and abstinence were in the bulletin last week and again this week. Fasting helps us learn to control our desires for a greater good.

The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.

This precept ties in greatly with the whole idea of almsgiving. While the requirement is to give to our ability, we need to be careful that we don’t under estimate our ability. Often times we have the ability to support the church to a greater degree, but we tend to keep the money for activities that we enjoy. When we look at where our money goes, it gives us a sense about our priorities.

The sixth precept that is often added is to follow the laws of the Church in regards to marriage.
This precept would dictate that we would be married in the Church. If there are impediments to our marriage, we would take care of those as quickly as possible so as to allow us to be married in the Church. If there are issues that stand in the way of meeting this precept, I encourage you to come in and talk with me.

My goal by posting these precepts and comments is to help all of those in the parish reflect a little bit upon what we should be doing as we live out our faith. In addition to these basic precepts, we also need to be looking at the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Former Olympic speed skater now Franciscan sister

This is another great story from the Catholic News Agency

A former U.S. Olympic speed skater is now a Franciscan sister and says she has “no regrets” about her decision to commit to a life of service to God and the poor.

Kirstin Holum at the age of 17 placed sixth in the 3,000 meters speed skating event at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. Observers predicted a great future for Holum, whose mother was a 1972 gold medalist in speed skating.

But despite loving the sport, she told Yahoo Sports, “I had this incredibly strong calling that it was time to move on and take a different path in life.”

She decided on her calling while on pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal.

Holum is now known as Sister Catherine and is a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, whose mission is to work with the poor and the homeless and to evangelize.

“It is funny now to think of how different my life is now,” she told Yahoo Sports. “I had the wonderful privilege of being able to compete as an Olympian, and now I am blessed to able to serve God and help those less fortunate.”

Be sure to read the complete story.

NARAL report suggests Pro-Life are making a difference

This is from the Catholic News Agency.

Washington D.C., Feb 12, 2010 / 08:07 pm (CNA).- A pro-abortion group’s 2009 report giving a “D” grade to the United States on abortion suggests pro-life progress at the state level. The report’s description of a murdered late-term abortionist as a hero may even be a sign of desperation, pro-life leaders say.

NARAL Pro-Choice America’s report, “Who Decides: The Status of Women's Reproductive Rights in the United States,” laments the decreasing number of abortion providers in the country. It claims various states enacted 29 pro-life laws but only passed 21 “pro-choice” bills.

According to the report’s analysis of governors and state legislators, states are pro-life by a 2 to 1 margin.

Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, told CNSNews.com that the report shows the failure of efforts to make abortion acceptable.

"They can't take the stigma out of abortion, even if the legality of it is protected," Fr. Pavone commented. "As a result, they face a shortage of practitioners."

Check out the whole story here

Precepts of the Catholic Church, part III

Again this week, I’d like to continue with the series about the precepts of the Catholic Church.

The following inset quote is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.

I think for many of us it is too easy to think of our selves as not having any serious sin to confess. In our society, we’ve gotten to the point where many of us think like the title of an old book, “I’m OK, You’re OK”. It is easy to not realize the harm done by some of our sinful behavior.

When we kill someone, or steal something, it is usually pretty easy to know who has been hurt by our actions. What about when we miss Mass on Sunday, or engage in consensual, but immoral, sexual activity? Is someone hurt by these actions? YES. First of all, we’ve hurt God by turning our back on Him whom we should love above all things. We’ve put some pleasure in place of honoring God and following the directions he has given us by which we are to live. When we miss Mass, it hurts the rest of the gathered assembly. Each of us has a part to add to the celebration, even if it is just our presence. Many times when we engage in immoral sexual activities, we develop a sense of pride, or an attitude that we know better than the Church. Instead of trying to struggle with understanding what the Church, instituted by Christ, is teaching on the matter, we choose to do our own thing.

Some may argue that the Second Vatican Council talked about following our conscience. The document in question was addressing the rights of people to follow their faith without government intimidation. For example, if you are Catholic living in a Muslim country, you should have the right to practice your Catholic faith. It has nothing to do with being able to act in an immoral way just because in your conscience you think that it is ok.

The Church also speaks of a rightly formed conscience. She expects her followers to truly study the teachings of the church from the standpoint of the Magisterium. Often times our consciences seem to be formed by those who disagree with the official teaching of the church. People like Fr. Richard McBrien, and publications like the National Catholic Reporter, become our source because we like what they say. When they disagree with the Magisterium, and imply that our immoral acts are not sins, we see that as an excuse to continue living life as we want, not in conformity with the teachings of Christ as passed through his bride, the Church.

It is also easy, when we are not in the state of grace, to let some of the effects of sin affect our lives. It is much easier sometimes rather than go to confession, to hold on to anger, and let it be expressed at inopportune times. Our guilt/anger/resent, might make itself evident when speaking with our spouse or children.

Thus we can see the need to confess our sins at least once a year. It is preferable to take advantage of the sacrament even more frequently. We may not need to go to confession every week, as was the practice years ago, but we do need to go to confession on a regular basis. Monthly reception of the sacrament of reconciliation would be most appropriate.

Peace and prayers until next week

Fr. Leo

Precepts of the Catholic Church, part II

To follow up on my comments on the precepts of the Catholic Church.

The following is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

2042 The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.

For most of those who are reading the bulletin, the importance of Sunday Mass attendance is probably already evident.

One thing to keep in mind is that the obligation is to attend Mass. After 9/11 I was mobilized and was away from my parishes for 11 months. During part of that time, priests from the neighboring parishes were helping provide Mass on Sunday. Each of the three communities had Mass at 4:30 in the afternoon. Some in one of the parishes asked if they could have word and communion at 9 am instead of Mass at 4:30. It is a clear sign that for some, the importance of Sunday Mass has been lost.

I do not take lightly my responsibility of trying to provide Mass on Sundays and Holy Days. Mass can not always be offered at the most convenient time for everyone, but we should make the effort to work our schedule around Mass instead of trying to work Mass into our schedule. I have heard of cases where some priests have down played the importance of Holy Day Masses by arbitrarily moving them to another day during the week. This is a disservice to all involved. It is possible for many Holy Days to have a vigil Mass and I will try to make that available when the opportunity presents itself. There are a few exceptions, such as those that fall on a Monday.

That being said, I was asked about Ash Wednesday Mass in Geraldine. I don’t know where the idea originated, but there is no vigil Mass for Ash Wednesday. I will be in Geraldine to say Mass on Tuesday evening like I normally am when I’m not traveling, and I’ll be back to say Mass on Ash Wednesday in the morning. Ash Wednesday is not a holy day of obligation.

I’d like to go back to the obligation of attending Mass on Sundays. I do realize that at times people are required to work on Sunday, and it may interfere with Mass attendance. When there is a legitimate reason for missing Mass, you could consider attending Mass some other day during the week. When I am here, we generally have Mass every day. There are some days when the time gets changed because I have a conflict, or we are at the Bluffs or hospital, but there are opportunities most weeks to attend a weekday Mass. It is also important to remember that if you miss Mass intentionally, i.e., you wanted to sleep in though you were not sick, you went hunting, it did not work into your schedule, it is a mortal sin. You should refrain from communion until you have the chance to go to confession. It is permissible to miss Mass if you are truly sick (hangovers don’t count since you knew you’d have Mass the next day), you have to work (if it takes all day to feed the livestock in the winter I understand), or you are impeded by such things as snow drifts.

The obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is not to be taken lightly. As a leaven in the world, it is the responsibility of the laity to live out the precepts of the Church, and to challenge others to do likewise.

Peace and prayers until next week

Fr. Leo

Precepts of the Catholic Church, part I

I am beginning a discussion of the Precepts of the Catholic Church in my parish bulletin.

This is the entry for Jan 31st.

Watch for more in the upcoming weeks.

Fr. Leo

As we approach the season of Lent, it is good to reflect upon these precepts. It is a chance for us to ask ourselves how we are doing when it comes to living out our life of faith.

The following is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church

2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042 The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, in which the Christian community is gathered, and by resting from those works and activities which could impede such a sanctification of these days.

The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.

The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.

2043 The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.

The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability.

The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his own abilities.

Another precept that is often added, but is not found in this section of the Catechism, is to follow the laws of the Church regarding marriage. I hope to address all of these over the weeks of Lent.

May God keep you all safe during the next couple of weeks while I am visiting seminaries and seminarians.

Fr. Leo

Preparing for Friday

I've included the following in my parish bulletin:

This coming Friday is the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision of Roe vs. Wade, which struck down many of the state laws which placed limits on abortion. As a result, the bishops of the United States have designated January 22nd “shall be observed in all dioceses of the United States as a particular day of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion, and of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right of life.” That being the case, I will be back from the Priest’s Assembly on Thursday night so I can say Mass at 8 am on Friday morning in Fort Benton, followed by Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament with Benediction at 9:30.

Since the day is set aside as a day of penance, we should be thinking about sacrifices we can make. It would be appropriate to abstain from meat on January 22nd (not only is it a day of penance because of Roe vs. Wade, but it is a Friday), and also maybe to fast as a sign of penance for the sin of abortion which exists in our country. If you are unable to come to Mass that morning and spend some time in adoration, perhaps you can stop by a church during your lunch time to pray.

Prayer to the Spirit of Truth

Holy Spirit, You are the promised Spirit of Truth, constantly revealing the splendor of truth to Your people, and leading us deeper into the Mysteries of our Faith.

Come to us today, and deepen in our minds and hearts the truth about life: its greatness, its dignity, its reflection of the eternal God. Make us appreciate ever more the truth that life is always a good, and that every life is of equal dignity, despite all the different characteristics people have, or the different circumstances under which they come to be.

Come, Spirit of Truth. Free all Your people from the falsehoods that lead to the evil of abortion. Free them from the false and harmful ideas which make a god out of their own choices, or which fail to recognize the right to life of children in the womb.

Come, O Holy Spirit, and as You immerse us in Your truth, so make us effective witnesses of that truth within our families, among our friends, and to all the world. Amen.

Living our baptism means staying united to the Church, Pope counsels

Another from Catholic News Agency

Pope Benedict XVI touched on the importance of the Sacrament of Baptism on Sunday, saying that “living our Baptism means remaining firmly united to the Church, even when we see her face darkened by certain shadows and stains.”

Speaking at the parish of St. Anthony in Concesio, Italy, where Pope Paul VI was baptized, the Holy Father recalled the words of his predecessor on the human tendency to dismiss the faith as useless or antiquated. There is “a temptation to believe that the faith is a tie, a chain to be thrown off, something old and outdated which serves no purpose,” Benedict quoted, adding that man can falsely begin to believe that “economic and social life is enough to respond to all the aspirations of the human heart.”

Priest’s new book challenges men to learn ‘true manhood’ by following Christ

Another story from Catholic News Agency

San Francisco, Calif., Nov 6, 2009 / 06:17 am (CNA).- Pennsylvania Catholic priest Fr. Larry Richards, aiming to clear up “gender confusion” and to challenge men to pursue holiness, has released a new book titled “Be A Man: Become the Man God Created You to Be.”

In the book, Fr. Richards recounts his own efforts to learn “true manhood” and shares inspiring stories from men he has counseled and served in his decades as a priest, a press release from Ignatius Press says.

He encourages men to appreciate the differences between men and women, to set the right goals in life, to acknowledge personal faults and limitations, and to be masculine without being “macho.”

“Would you take a bullet if someone was raping your wife?” is one of his provocative questions to men.

Be A Man looks at King David, St. Paul, and Jesus as role models for men.

“Jesus Christ Himself reveals to us what it is to be a man,” Fr. Richards said. “It is about taking the one life that God has given us and give it away. When men are invited to die for others, they put others’ needs above their own. To be like Christ, and like all great men, will cost men their very lives.”

“There is a difference in the way men and women were created,” he remarked. “Men are not called to be women and vice versa. We are different – not better, but different – and men are called to be fully men. This needs to be dealt with up front because it’s a problem – in the Catholic Church and in the world itself.”

Fr. Richards said he encourages men to become men of “true love and wisdom” and to pursue holiness and find strength in faith and love. Each chapter of his book ends with a list of tasks that must be accomplished and questions for discussion and reflection.

“Read the book. Accomplish the tasks at the end of each chapter, no matter how hard or how “hokey” you may think them to be,” Fr. Richards urged. “I guarantee that if a man commits himself to each task and challenge, in the end his life will be changed forever!”

Be A Man is published by the San Francisco-based Ignatius Press.

Our Youth

I submitted the following for our state Knights of Columbus newsletter:

How many of us have gotten excited because we've got tickets to the big game? Our favorite NBA team, NFL team, college is playing and we can't wait to be there in person. We are excited about sports. We don't personally know any of the players, but we know all about them because we've followed the news of our favorite teams. Tickets to the big game are a real highlight. The teams use the proceeds from the sale of our tickets to pay big money to the players and to build huge, expensive edifices to honor their teams and major donors.

How many of us, other than parents of the players, get that excited about our local sports teams? We often think a $5.00 ticket is expensive. Some of us might argue that we don't know any of the players, but the question might have to be asked "Why don't we know the players?" They are the children of our neighbors. We live in the same town and in some cases our kids attend the same schools. We should have a closer connection to these kids than we have with any professional or college team.

We read in the Gospel of Matthew:

The disciples approached Jesus and said,“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.”

As Knights of Columbus, we make it part of our mission to reach out to the youth of our communities. I ask the question, are we doing our part as individuals? Are we supporting the efforts of our schools to assist these young men and women to excel, not only at athletic events, but school plays, concerts and other activities. The presence of carrying people, such as the Knights of Columbus, can have a great impact on our youth.

Until next month, God bless each of you

Fr. Leo