The Gospel for the weekend contains the famous John 3:16 verse. This will be the jumping off point for our reflections for the day. I look forward to exploring the many ways we experience God's love in our day-to-day lives. I invite all of my Casper readers to mark your calendar for March 14. (That is two months from today.) I hope to see you there.
Each year I visit St. Anthony's Parish in Casper during Lent and Advent to offer a day-long retreat and then preach at the weekend Masses. It has been a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know the parishioners over the last several years with these regular visits.
The Gospel for the weekend contains the famous John 3:16 verse. This will be the jumping off point for our reflections for the day. I look forward to exploring the many ways we experience God's love in our day-to-day lives. I invite all of my Casper readers to mark your calendar for March 14. (That is two months from today.) I hope to see you there.
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Moving from the season of autumn into winter is not a transition that I eagerly welcome. In my mind winter is a season to be endured while waiting for the arrival of spring. The cold wind and blowing snow makes me appreciate the life of a bear. Wouldn't it be great to go into hibernation until spring arrives?
I recently checked out a book from the library by Dr. Denis Waitley entitled, Timing Is Everything--Turning Your Seasons of Success Into Maximum Opportunities. It has given me a fresh perspective on the season of winter. Dr. Waitley expresses the importance of using winter as a season of planning. Obviously, our life cycle may not mirror the actual seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter, but whenever winter lands in our lives it is time for planning. I have been quite active in my planning for the weeks ahead in regard to visiting parishes, leading retreats, presenting parish missions, and preaching at weekend Eucharistic liturgies. Having numerous events scheduled in a short time frame requires diligent attention to preparation long before the events arrive. I remain hopeful that the time spent planning and preparing will empower me to actively sow good seed. I trust the Master of the Harvest to nurture the seed and bring forth good and abundant fruit. I have also been actively engaged in planning with regard to my own spiritual journey. How will 2015 be utilized to grow in holiness? I have made some specific "goals" related to spiritual practices. I realize that I don't want my spiritual quest to be a matter of goals and objectives to be pursued. Instead, I want to create a life destined for a personal encounter with the living God. In order for me to do this well I know I need some parameters within which to work. Having goals tends to support my efforts of productive self-discipline so that I remain constant in my prayer study, and service. (Or at least my lack of self-discipline may not be as visible if I have objectives in place.) As I get older time really does seem to go by faster and faster. There is a sense of urgency that I feel now that I have not always experienced in the past. "The Kingdom of God is at hand" resonates more profoundly with each passing season of my life, and the desire to do my part to build up the Kingdom grows more intense each year. I yearn to walk in grace so that I may grow in holiness myself and to also serve as an instrument of bringing God's love to others. There are still too many occasions when I fail to do this well. Thus, I rely on God's mercy and forgiveness. The pictures above are from October 9, 2014 and January 12, 2015 respectively. The vibrant colors exhibited three months ago have given way to bare limbs with just a covering of ice from the freezing fog which had settled into the area. While I prefer to center my gaze on the colorful picture of autumn, I understand that each season has a purpose and is a gift from God! How are you utilizing the seasons of your life for maximum spiritual growth? I was ordained a permanent deacon on June 5, 1999 for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, Missouri. I never could have imagined the journey that would be in store from that moment forward.
Upon ordination I was assigned as a deacon to Immaculate Conception Parish in Old Monroe, Missouri. During this time I continued my secular employment and pursued further academic studies. I eventually received numerous certifications for the administration of religious education programs through the Archdiocese of St. Louis. In July of 2000 I accepted a position as the Director of Religious Education at St. Benedict's Parish in Florence, Colorado. In 2002 I took on the role of Vocation Director/Deacon Director for the Diocese of Pueblo at the request of Bishop Arthur Tafoya. In 2003 my family moved back to Missouri and I became a Theology and Religion teacher at Valle Catholic High School in Sainte Genevieve, Missouri. I also served as the campus minister as well as the varsity boys head basketball coach during this time. In 2005 I accepted a position at Assumption Parish in O'Fallon, Missouri as the Coordinator of Religious Education at Assumption School and the Coordinator of Inter-generational Faith Formation for the parish. These duties proved not to be static. Eventually I was asked to be the principal of Assumption School, and my last role at the parish was to oversee the religious education endeavors for both the school and the parish which impacted nearly 1,000 students. In November of 2009 I began my current role as the Director of Pastoral Ministries for the Diocese of Cheyenne, Wyoming. In August of 2010 I received the additional role of Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the diocese. As a deacon I am assigned to the Cathedral of St. Mary in Cheyenne. At the beginning of November 2014 I decided to mark my five year anniversary in Cheyenne by seeking excardination from the Archdiocese of St. Louis and incardination into the Diocese of Cheyenne. This endeavor became official on December 17, 2014. It has already been announced in The St. Louis Review newspaper and today it was officially announced to the clergy of the Diocese of Cheyenne as well. That official announcement stated the following: "Deacon Vernon L. Dobelmann has been incardinated into the Diocese of Cheyenne. This incardination became effective December 17, 2014. Deacon Dobelmann is the Director of Diocesan Pastoral Ministries and Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Cheyenne. Deacon Dobelmann also serves as a deacon of St. Mary's Cathedral in Cheyenne." Dated January 12, 2015 My diaconal ministry has been a tremendous learning experience during these 15 and a half years. Please pray for me that I may continue to grow in wisdom, grace, and holiness as an incardinated deacon of the Diocese of Cheyenne! On January 12, 2010 a devastating earthquake struck Haiti. I can only imagine the grief and heartache still being experienced by survivors of the quake. Today would be a good day to offer prayers for those still trying to put their lives back together.
The beginning of Spring is always a welcome sight, but this year it will be even more special. I am looking forward to leading a retreat for the women of St. Joseph's Parish in Cheyenne. I have led RCIA retreats at St. Joseph's and conducted catechetical workshops as well, but this will be the first time I go there for a women's retreat. I appreciate the invitation and am looking forward to this new endeavor.
On January 10, 1984, Clara Peller asked a question that continues to stick with many of us, “Where’s the beef?” This simple question resulted in phenomenal opportunities for Clara’s personal career. The advertisement is also credited with boosting the annual revenue of the restaurant “by a whopping 31%.” Apparently, that is what a successful ad campaign can generate.
I read an article today which did not use those exact words, but it was certainly asking the same question. In regard to homilies (and music) at a Catholic liturgy, the author had a desire to know, “Where’s the beef?” The writer of this article wanted to know why so many homilies lack substance. He then proceeded to ask why they had to be so long. Finally, he wanted to know what could be done to improve the way the message is delivered. I guess the word “beef” could be used in two different contexts in this article. He wanted substance (beef). He had a gripe (beef) about the delivery style and length of the homily. I share these concerns with the author. Those who have the privilege of preaching have a responsibility to deliver a message that is well-prepared, and hopefully, composed in a spirit of prayer and reflection. Do homilies inspire, encourage, teach, and provide an opportunity for the hearer to encounter the living God in a more profound manner? How many people have walked away from the Church and stopped participating in sacred liturgies due to the ineffective and lackluster preaching styles of the clergy? It would be difficult to quantify. There are generally numerous circumstances which play into a person walking away from the practice of the faith. However, there is no doubt that poor homilies could certainly be a contributing factor to someone leaving. As one who has the privilege of preaching at Eucharistic liturgies on an occasional basis, I recognize the difficult and challenging task of preaching effectively. The listeners come from diverse backgrounds, and formulating a message which appeals to all of the people sitting in the pews is much easier said than done. It requires extensive prayer, study, and thought to develop an inspirational and theologically sound homily which can potentially lead to a mystical experience for the one who hears. I would encourage parishioners to pray for the one who is preaching. Ask the Holy Spirit’s anointing upon the individual getting ready to break open God’s Word as well as upon all who hear the message. May each of us be touched by grace in the process! I had the privilege of being the guest speaker last night for the monthly Bishop's Guild meeting. It is always a pleasure to join the ladies for a good meal, fellowship, and fun. The title of my talk was, "Calling All Rescue Rangers." In preparation for the pro-life activities coming up I focused my thoughts on Proverbs 24: 10. "If you remain indifferent in time of adversity, your strength will depart from you. Rescue those who are being dragged to death, and from those tottering to execution withdraw not." It is important that we do not allow ourselves to become apathetic or indifferent to the moral challenges facing us in modern society. If the Christian people are unwilling to be the light of Christ to others, how can we expect to effectively build up the Kingdom of God? Complacency cannot be an option. I invited all of the ladies last night to be involved in some way as we strive to nurture a culture of life. It is my hope that we have hundreds of people here in Cheyenne on January 24 to celebrate life as we march from the Historic Depot to the State Capitol building at 12:00 noon. We must continue to be a witness to the sanctity and dignity of each human life from conception through natural death. As I reflect upon the many people I meet in my travels across the state, it is inspiring to know that there are a lot of wonderful individuals striving to build up the Kingdom of God. The dedication and commitment of people giving of their time, talent, and treasure to serve God and the Church is simply beautiful. The members of the Bishop's Guild fall into that category. Thank you for your work. More importantly, thank you for your prayers and faithful witness to Jesus Christ! The parish mission at Immaculate Conception Parish in Green River last year was simply amazing. There is no other way to describe it. The number of people who turned out for the mission each night was phenomenal, and the prayer event on the closing night was nothing short of spectacular. I was truly blessed by the experience.
I am grateful and humbled by the invitation to return again this year. I extend an invitation to all my readers in the Green River and Rock Springs area to consider joining us for this year's Lenten Parish Mission. The Gospel for the weekend is the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus. I am confident we will be touched by the love of God profoundly during these days, and we will be transformed and transfigured by that abundant love. Lent is a great time of year. Yes, I realize we are still in the Christmas season. However, planning is an ongoing endeavor and my Lenten calendar is showing the results of that advance planning.
I am thrilled to be presenting a parish mission at my home parish--the Cathedral of St. Mary in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I will be preaching at all six of the weekend Masses and then the three nights of the mission. The topics chosen for the homilies each night are coming straight from the scripture readings of the day. It will be exciting to break open the Word and experience the power of the Holy Spirit moving within our midst. I invite all of my readers from the Cheyenne area to mark your calendars and plan to join us each night. You don't even have to cook on these evenings. Join us for the soup supper to be physically fed, and then stay for the mission to be spiritually fed. It was on January 6, 1994 that ice skater Nancy Kerrigan was attacked by Tonya Harding's bodyguard. "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" took on a whole new dimension with this episode. Tonya Harding did go on to win the U.S. Female Figure Skating Championship the next day.
Accusations of cheating in sports have been going around a long time. Check the bat. Check the ball. How much pine tar is legal? The accusations in football are making the circuit again even as I type. Winning at all costs seems to be an acceptable mode of operation for some people. It is easy to sit and point fingers at people who are trying to achieve prominence utilizing unfair methodologies. The world of big money in collegiate and professional sports could certainly be an enticement to wrongdoing. The Hollywood elite are not immune to engaging in questionable tactics to further a career in the world of glitz and glamour. Politicians--well, we have all heard a variety of insinuations about what many of them will do to maintain power and notoriety. I certainly will not condone behavior which intentionally exploits other people. However, before I cast the first stone, I want to be examining my own conscience to see the many ways I fall short in building up the Kingdom of God in my day-to-day actions. God invites us to holiness. That is a standard for which I will be spending a lifetime pursuing. REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How important is winning? How do I define winning? In what ways do I use words to build myself up at the expense of someone else? |
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