Blog Archives - Articulating Hope

National School Choice Week / Diaconate Formation

1/30/2016

I had the privilege of being one of the speakers yesterday afternoon at an event for National School Choice Week held at the Laramie County Library in Cheyenne, Wyoming. As Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Cheyenne it is a pleasure to highlight the benefits of Catholic education.

This morning I switched hats and spoke briefly at a deacon information meeting. We are preparing to begin another formation class and today was the first information session offered in the diocese. It was exciting to see a good number of men and their wives seeking more information. Will they go down this road? I don't know. That is what discernment is all about. Those who are admitted to the aspirancy year will begin a possible five-year journey toward ordination. As a member of the formation board I will be walking with this group of men and their wives during those years of education and formation.

Wearing multiple hats in my role at the chancery office reminds me of one very important thing. I need to stay rooted in prayer. It is with the grace of God that these good works will be brought to fulfillment.

Who Performed The Best At Last Night's Debate?

1/29/2016

I chose not to watch the debates last night. My frustration at the process runs across the board. I am tired of the candidates, the media outlets, the political pundits, the lies, the cover-ups, the conflicts of interest, and the games. A question I heard on the radio this morning affirmed my frustration. A commentator was asked, "Who performed the best in last night's debate?" Wouldn't it be refreshing to hear the question, "Which candidate laid out the best plan for America's future?" The content of a debate seems to mean very little. It is simply a performance that deprives the voters of real substance.

Style is a big deal in today's political climate. Say what you want, but having been a reality TV star seems to have prepared the front runner on the Republican ticket with a solid background to be a politician. He is "performing" well and drawing large audiences. He didn't even show up at the debate and still commanded an undue amount of attention. That is no accident.

I continue to pray for our nation. We are in desperate need of a solid leader filled with integrity and wisdom to guide us in these complex times. Do any of the candidates currently running fit that description? I don't know. I need more time to look past the performance and into the substance. I wish we had an objective media to help in that endeavor, but I won't hold my breath waiting for that to happen.

Parish Mission: Our Lady of Fatima--Casper, Wyoming

1/29/2016

We are just five weeks away from the Parish Mission at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Casper, Wyoming. I am looking forward to preaching at the weekend Masses and spending three evenings delving into the topics of faith, hope, and mercy. The pastor of Our Lady of Fatima has graciously invited parishioners from all three parishes in Casper to join us for this Lenten experience. I hope to see you there.

Thirty Years Since The Shuttle Disaster

1/28/2016

Time marches on. Today is the 30th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger ripping apart shortly after take-off. Anniversaries such as this remind me of the fragile nature of life. We do not know the day nor the hour. The more alarming part of this self-awareness is recognizing that a significant portion of my life has passed.

I was a young man in my twenties when the Challenger disaster occurred. I was also less than six months away from being diagnosed with cancer the first time. A lot of water has run under the bridge since that time. We will each come to the end of our days on this earth at some point. Hopefully, it will not be tragically as the astronauts experienced. I pray that we are in constant union with God so that we are found ready when we are called home.

On another note, my mom would have been 92 today. It is just under three months ago that she was called home to the Lord. I am grateful to all the ladies who made her 90th birthday a very special day. Each of you were a tremendous blessing to my mom. Even though mom is no longer here on earth, I continue to be grateful for each of you and the loving care you provided to her. God bless you for your kindness and friendship.

How Do We Tell The Good Guys From The Bad Guys?

1/27/2016

The ranchers against the federal government illuminates the tip of the iceberg of confusion, anger, and discontent in this country. The lack of objective reporting makes it difficult to analyze the issues and know who is right and who is wrong. Unfortunately, governmental leaders have created an atmosphere of distrust among the people they have been called to serve. This results in volatile situations which typically do not end well. The case in point looks to be repeating past precedent.

In another example the taking of life is celebrated by many supporters of Planned Parenthood. Instead of being prosecuted for murder and the selling of body parts, Planned Parenthood is exonerated and honored. The individuals connected with exposing the atrocities of Planned Parenthood are instead targeted for indictment. Really? The conflict of interest in the prosecuting attorney's office is extraordinary if reports by LifeNews.com are accurate. LifeNews.com reports that Lauren Reeder is a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s criminal family law division, and is listed as a non-compensated Director on the 990 Tax Form for 2014 filed by Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast. No conflict of interest there, right? Once again, who are the bad guys and who are the good guys in this travesty?

Romans 8: 26 reminds us that we don't know how to pray as we ought. I am finding that passage more and more relevant in these days of strife and confusion. I am going to trust the "inexpressible groanings" of the Holy Spirit on my behalf. In addition to praying for an increase of the theological virtues of faith, hope, and love, I sometimes just want to pray for some good-ole common sense for our world.

You Are Now Entering Mission Country

1/26/2016

How brightly is the flame of faith burning in your life? Is it shining so brightly that you can't hardly wait to be sent into mission territory? An exit sign at a church summed it well as it said, "You are now entering mission country."

At the end of each celebration of the Eucharist we are sent forth with a missionary mandate to bring the Good News of salvation to all we meet. How well are we fulfilling that component of our baptismal calling?

Complacency, apathy, and indifference are descriptive words I hear too frequently in regard to the life of the Church. How could we allow anything connected with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords to become mundane? As C.S. Lewis pointed out, "If Christianity is true, it is of infinite importance." Our walk with God cannot be dull and lifeless.

Each of us bears responsibility for nurturing our faith life. We cannot simply rely on being spoon-fed by the Church, by the pastor, or anyone else. There needs to be initiative and ownership of each baptized individual to eagerly seek out God's grace through prayer, study, and action. We depend upon the leadership of the Church to strengthen us in that journey, but we can never delegate our responsibility for spiritual growth to someone else entirely. We are a child of God walking in faith. When is the last time we asked God for an increase of that faith?

When we leave the church building and enter into mission country, are we thrilled and excited about the possibilities? Sharing the Good News should bring us immense joy. If we are reluctant to be faithful witnesses out in the world about what Jesus Christ has done for us, what is holding us back? Do we recognize and understand the many ways that God has moved in our lives? Are we aware of God's presence in our interactions with others?

Entering into mission territory fully equipped means that we have to understand our own relationship with God. If we just know about God, without really knowing God, it will be difficult to communicate a message that truly conveys the infinite love and mercy of God. My hope and prayer is that each of us will personally experience God's love profoundly. As we experience that love may we then grow in wisdom, understanding, and grace!

Mission Country--Here We Come!

Deacons--The Worst Experiment Of Vatican II

1/25/2016

The restoration of the permanent diaconate in the Catholic Church came into effect after Vatican II. In 2017 we will mark the 50th anniversary of the order being restored. Fifty years is not a long time in the life of the Church. Thus, it is not surprising to find that the Church still does not really know what to do with us. I don't expect that confusion to end any time soon. The range of emotions about diaconal ministry is quite wide within the diaconate community itself, but especially outside the ranks from both the laity and presbyters alike.

On June 9, 2011, Most Reverend Alexander K. Sample, Bishop of Marquette, (now Archbishop of Portland, Oregon) issued a Pastoral Letter entitled,
The Deacon: Icon of Jesus Christ the Servant. This 19-page letter gives a tremendous amount of material upon which to reflect for deacons, and indeed, all the priests and the faithful of the Church as well.

Bishop Sample expressed his sadness after the Pastoral Letter was promulgated that most media outlets focused their attention on one item in the 19-page letter. Deacons should preach less frequently at the Eucharistic liturgy. The comments that swirled around that specific component of the letter were all across the board. Some celebrated that comment with gusto. Others were very much dismayed. Overall, it reignited the broader question of what to do with the deacon in his ministry.

When Bishop Sample issued his letter in 2011, I followed many of the articles written about his letter. I also read a good portion of the the comments made online following these articles. It was fascinating to see some of the words of encouragement and support for deacons contrasted with the many negative comments about deacons as well. The one that stuck in my mind most is what I captured in the title of this blog post. "Permanent deacons are the worst experiment of Vatican II." Can you feel the love?

Last week the clergy of our diocese gathered for a three-day institute centered upon discipleship. Our speaker was Sherry Weddell, author of the book, Forming Intentional Disciples. At one point after she had referred to the "clergy" a few times but only meant the priests and the bishop, she corrected herself and casually commented, "The Church doesn't know what to do with the deacons." She verbalized what many of us already knew. Will it take another fifty years to better grasp the role of the deacon?

Sherry Weddell said time and time again during her presentation that there was a need to "build bridges of trust" to help people in their spiritual seeking and conversion. Each time I heard her repeat that phrase I was grateful for the many ways that I see deacons fulfill that role. We aren't priests, but we are ordained for a life of service that effectively builds bridges. We are instruments of God's love leading people to conversion. That doesn't seem like a bad "experiment".

Years ago a religious sister was visiting with my pastor. I was standing nearby and heard her make a negative comment about deacons. My pastor asked her, "How could you make such a comment when my deacon is standing right there?" She said, "I like him as a person, but his role as a deacon is irrelevant." In my nearly 17 years since ordination as a deacon I have become accustomed to such comments. There has never been a doubt as to where the deacon falls on the hierarchical structure of the Church, or as to how we are viewed by some of the priests, religious, and laity. That is okay. I simply strive to live out my calling as best as I am able utilizing the gifts and charisms that have been entrusted to my care for the building up of the Kingdom of God.

We are preparing to begin another formation class of deacons in the Diocese of Cheyenne. If all goes as planned we will have a diaconate ordination in the year 2021. Quite a number of current deacons will be moving into the retirement years by then. My prayer is that men discerning a call to the diaconate will be guided by the grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit in their prayerful reflection.

There have been many discussions and plans established for the formation of this next group. Information sessions have been planned and will begin to take place all across the diocese starting this Saturday. We will continue to learn and grow in our diaconal ministry. I was appointed to the diaconate formation board last year by the bishop, and I will have the privilege of walking with these men (and their wives) for the next five years of their lives as they go through the inquiry phase, aspirancy, and candidacy for Holy Orders.

The role of the deacon has been front and center in my mind during recent months because of all of these preparations. (The policy manual for the already ordained deacons has been revamped and updated as well.) I hope and pray that I fulfill the responsibilities of my own calling with faithfulness, fervor, and zeal. I know there are times when I fail to love as Jesus did, but overall, it is my intent to be a beacon of Christ's light in a world sometimes enveloped in darkness. Otherwise, I guess I am just part of the "worst experiment of Vatican II."

Pro-Life March In Cheyenne, Wyoming

1/24/2016

It was 55 degrees and only light winds. It doesn't get much better than that in January in Wyoming. Nearly 300 people from all across the state came to Cheyenne to stand up for life. We also had a few guests from Colorado and Nebraska join us as well.

I walk away from these events with two emotions generally prevalent. The first is a sense of gratitude for all of the faithful who continue to stand up for life after 43 years of repercussions from a horrendous U.S. Supreme Court decision which trampled upon the unalienable rights of the unborn child. The second emotion is a sense of sadness. Why do so few join us in being a witness to the sacred dignity and value of each human life?

Cheyenne is not a large city and Wyoming is the least populated state in the country. However, getting less than 300 people to attend an event like this is truly disheartening. The fear that takes abode in my heart is that we have become a church that is complacent and apathetic to the plight of the unborn. There were numerous Christian denominations present at the march, and I am grateful to each church that promoted the event and encouraged members of its congregation to get involved. I saw people from all four corners of the state and many towns in between as well, plus the few folks from out of state. Why do I mention this? It begs a simple question. Where were the people of Cheyenne?

I would estimate that there were a minimum of 100 people present from outlying areas. Thus, that would give an estimate of about 200 people from Cheyenne in attendance. The three Catholic parishes in Cheyenne average nearly 3,000 people each week that participate in the Sunday liturgy. That is not how many registered members there are. This is the actual number of people who actually show up on a weekly basis. It represents about 30% of the entire registered parishioners for the three parishes. Even if there were no participants at the march coming from different Christian denominations, one would think we would have greater attendance just based on the number of Catholics in the city. There was no great distance to travel, no snow, no ice, and no excuse for a significant portion of Christian believers.

Matthew Kelly has suggested from the research at Dynamic Catholic that about 7% of Catholics are actively involved in their faith. I was shocked when I took my calculator out and divided 200 by 3,000. The result is 7%. Some of these people at the march from Cheyenne were not Catholic. Thus, we had less than 7% of Catholics participate. Remember, this number reflects 7% of actual weekly church-goers. If we divided 200 by the total of all registered Catholic households it would be an even more dismal number. Are that few of registered Catholics in Cheyenne truly pro-life and willing to take a public stand and declare their pro-life position? Obviously, some people have health issues and other legitimate reasons for not marching. However, that is a small percentage of the group. My heart is grieved at the lack of response. There is a lot of work to be done in building a culture of life.

This is the Mass held at 9:00 A.M. on Saturday morning to kick-off the events of the day. Next year, let us fill those empty pews to the brim!

PRAISE GOD!

If Activity Leads To Holiness--I Have a Chance

1/22/2016

Signs are helpful to maintain order, ensure safety, and to provide pertinent information. I am wondering if my calendar has the adjacent sign implanted into my schedule. There hasn't been much down-time this week.

I spent the holiday on Monday at the Abbey of St. Walburga with the administration, faculty, and staff of St. Laurence O'Toole Catholic School for a day-long retreat. Only a couple of the people had ever been to the abbey prior to this gathering. It is an amazing opportunity to pray with the sisters.

On Tuesday I headed to Casper for the annual Clergy Institute. We had Sherry Weddell for our presenter from Tuesday through Thursday. Her insights into forming intentional disciples gave us plenty of information to digest and ponder.

Today, I am back in Cheyenne preparing for the Holy Hour this evening at the Cathedral of St. Mary plus all of the activities tomorrow. Unlike Washington D.C., it appears that our weather will be quite cooperative for the march. We don't gather thousands of people in Cheyenne, but we attempt to make a statement with a few hundred. Wherever you are, I hope you will get involved in building a culture of life.

Resist The Devil And He Will Flee From You

1/17/2016

The snowfall last night gave me an opportunity for some exercise this morning. (See how I turned shoveling snow into a positive event.) After I finished shoveling the driveway I realized I had a fairly good size wall of snow. A couple more snowfalls and I will be tempted to turn it into a fort. Yes, I may be getting old, but there is still a little kid in me that wants to hide in my fort and surprisingly smack someone with a snowball.

As I was shoveling I was reflecting back on Friday evening in Fort Collins with the Northern Colorado Men's Forum. That gathering was a real shot in the arm for my energy and zeal. It was the first presentation of the new year for me and it really kicks my speaking schedule into high gear for the next ten weeks. Even though I didn't specifically reference this passage Friday night, these words from Sacred Scripture keep reverberating in my mind today. "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."
(James 4:7)

What actions have I taken in my spiritual journey to submit to God and resist the devil? How do I resist temptation to sin? I can't simply build a fort and hope to keep the devil out. It requires an abundance of God's grace and my cooperation with that grace. Subsequently, do I immediately turn to prayer and seek God's grace when facing temptation? If not, why not? Do I believe in the power of prayer? Do I truly believe that God has called me to sanctity?

Have a blessed Sunday!