We are celebrating Saint Albert's Feast Day a little early. We are having an all-school Mass today and then a quick pep rally to send our volleyball team to state competition. These are exciting times for the players and all of us who support their endeavors. If you want to join us for Mass today, we will be gathering in the high school gymnasium at 1:30 P.M. The pep rally will follow soon after Mass just before the end of the school day.
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When was the last time you truly reflected upon the great gift of freedom we enjoy in this country? Freedom came with a price, and it is a gift that should be treasured and not squandered. I want to take a moment to say "Thank You!" to all of our veterans. I am concerned about the direction our country is headed from a political perspective. Unfortunately, our politics is simply a reflection of our culture, and our culture is a reflection of the primary institutions which shape our ways of thinking and the habits we develop. How have families changed in the last fifty years? How have our schools changed? How have our churches changed? There is no doubt that families have suffered immensely from the changing societal norms over the last sixty years. The end result has been a devastating increase in divorce, infidelity, and an overall lack of respect for one another. Sadly, as the family goes, so goes society. It does not take long to see the lack of decency in much of our political discourse these days, and that applies to both sides of the aisle. If we are unable to respect one another in our own homes, why would we ever expect politicians to respect one another during the course of debates and discussions which focus on the good of our nation? Let us build up and strengthen our families and make a positive difference in the lives of those around us. The concerns about educational institutions, especially at the university level, have been thoroughly covered by many writers. There is no need for me to reiterate those concerns. I simply want to ask the question, "How has this impacted us?" Finally, our churches have changed significantly. Did we water down the Gospel? Did we simply drift away? Did we intentionally allow poor theology, poor liturgy, and poor teaching to overtake the sacred? How did the abuse scandal go on for so long? Why are we surprised when society as a whole lacks upright moral values when we as a Church cannot even demonstrate and model such behavior? Do we truly yearn to be holy? What does all of this have to do with freedom and honoring our veterans? More and more of our politicians are pointing the way to socialism. Before we give away the freedom that has been provided to us by the sacrifices of scores of people through the years, let us prayerfully study history and ask God for divine guidance. Let us have holy families, holy church communities, and educational institutions that build the Kingdom of God in the process of teaching Eternal Truth. The United States Conference of Bishops is meeting this week in Baltimore. Please pray for the bishops so they can be faithful leaders of the flock of Christ.
Also, the bishops of the United States have begun making their ad limina visits to Rome. Pray that these meetings bear fruit in the building up of the Kingdom of God! It was my pleasure to welcome competitors to Saint Albert Catholic Schools this afternoon from seven schools in Nebraska--Humboldt, Humphrey, and five schools from Omaha. Several schools from Iowa in addition to our two teams from Saint Albert also joined us. We had Iowa teams from Villisca, Creston, and Diagonol. I have a lot to learn yet about robotics competitions, but it was fun afternoon watching the talents of our students on display. This was the first time I had ever offered a prayer before the start of a robotics competition. Thankfully, our coach provided me a script. This was an opportunity to learn about the patron saints of some specific disciplines. (As a side note--"Coopertition is an intentional combination of words.) Once again, I extend my gratitude to all of the teachers, parents, and volunteers who make things like this happen. The gift of your time and talent in helping our young people experience new things is noteworthy. Thank you.
National Vocation Awareness Week brings a multitude of activities. Here in Council Bluffs we celebrated with Mass and dinner and an opportunity to meet our new bishop. There were about 200 people on hand to join in on the festivities at St. Patrick Church yesterday evening.
I want to extend a word of gratitude to all who helped prepare the event. The meal was outstanding. The dedication of people working behind the scenes never ceases to amaze me. Speaking of dedication, there are two major events on tap for tomorrow. Yes, I will attend my first robotics competition ever. Saint Albert is hosting this competition on Saturday, and I am looking forward to getting an up-close view of how all of this works. Many thanks to the adults working behind the scenes to make this event possible. On Saturday evening I will be attending a Trivia Night fundraiser. I am going to be a "brain" that people can purchase for a little help during the night. It is my fear that my services will go at bargain basement prices. I am not sure my strong suit is being good at trivia. Years ago I worked with a guy who would frequently say, "My wife says I am a plethora of useless information." He was great at trivia contests. I wish I could tap into him as a resource for this one evening. Once again, many thanks to all who work behind the scenes to make this event possible. Have a blessed Friday and a magnificent weekend! This week took me back to Cheyenne for the first time in over a year and four months. Guess what? It is still windy. Seeing our new granddaughter made the trip across Nebraska worth it. As I admired the military plane coming in for a landing (pictured above), I did not at first realize the height of the snow pile right in front of me. While the weather was relatively nice for the 24 hours I was in town, I will readily admit that I do not miss the cold, the wind, and the snow. Where are the Saint Albert Saintes headed. They are headed to the state volleyball tournament. Congratulations team! There are events and occasions during life in which we sometimes get to travel. That is a wonderful privilege many of us enjoy. Let us not forget the pilgrimage that each of us are on. Where are we heading in our spiritual quest? Are we closer to God now than we were six months ago?
As we prepare to close out the current liturgical year these next few weeks, make plans for the upcoming year. Beginning with the First Sunday of Advent, how will you make 2020 a year of holiness? We sent the Saint Albert Cross Country runners off in style yesterday. A pep rally at the end of the school day on a Friday is a tremendous way to end the week. Our runners performed well today. We congratulate each of them on their accomplishments. I spent my Saturday getting a little professional development and a spiritual shot in the arm. I have long been a fan of Catholic Answers. I had the chance to join about 900 other people today who were also seeking to grow deeper in their faith. We heard five great speakers and it truly seemed like a spiritual pep rally. Listening to Tim Staples through the years, as well as the other apologists from Catholic Answers, has helped me grow in my understanding of the faith. I am grateful for their teaching expertise. This was my first time to hear Tim Staples in person. I had seen Dr. Ray on television on a number of occasions, but I had never seen him person either. His presentation today was a home run. He was dynamic, funny, and had a powerful message. Spirit Catholic Radio is awesome. Organizing this conference was a powerful outreach to the people of Iowa and Nebraska. I look forward to teaming up with the folks at Spirit Catholic Radio whenever the occasion presents itself. That ministry is touching hearts. A tip of the hat to all of the staff members who worked so hard behind the scenes to make today's conference a success. Thank you. Young and old, male and female--we came together to praise the Lord and learn more about our faith. What a great way to spend All Souls Day.
Today is the fourth anniversary of my mom's funeral. I pray for her, my dad, my grandparents, and all my relatives, friends, and benefactors who have died. I encourage each of you to do the same. "Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen. May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen." It was a privilege for me to preach at today's all-school Mass at Saint Albert. I want to thank everyone who works behind the scenes to make these events possible. Turning a gymnasium into a worship space is no small undertaking, but it happens here smoothly on a repeated basis. We are blessed.
The second reading today reminded us that we are all children of God. May that knowledge and awareness spur us on to pursue holiness in our daily lives as we share in the communion of saints. It matters how we live. Let's live in such a way that we build up the Body of Christ in a profound way. The colder weather is not something I enjoy, but I still stand out in the parking lot every morning for the drop-off of students. I have grown accustomed to using this as part of my morning prayer time as well. I pray for the safety of students and their families as they embark on a new day, and I pray that all of us at St. Albert will fulfill our mission well. As the calendar turned to the month of November this morning, I focused some of my attention on praying for all of our deceased relatives, friends, and benefactors. Having a month set aside to pray specifically for the deceased is a wonderful tradition in the Church. I encourage each of you to include prayers of supplication for all of your deceased loved ones throughout the month of November. By the end of the month it will be a part of your daily prayer life to the point that you can then continue it all year long. All Saints Day is today. It is a holy day of obligation. Please make the time to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist. Tomorrow is All Souls Day. It is not a day of obligation, but it is certainly a day of opportunity to remember in a special way all of our deceased loved ones. "Eternal rest grant unto them o Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen." Top photo was taken at 7:43 A.M. Bottom photo was taken at 7:53 A.M.
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