Blog Archives - Articulating Hope

Visit a Cemetery From Nov. 1 to 8 to Pray for the Dead

10/31/2017

Halloween is not my favorite "holiday" of the year. While some people have accused me at times of simply being against any type of fun, I attempt to bring a little clarification to my concerns. It worries me that many significant religious celebrations in the Christian tradition are hijacked by secular endeavors. The birth of our Lord (Christmas) has Santa Claus. The resurrection of our Lord (Easter) has the Easter bunny. Trick or treating, or even more sinister antics of one kind or another, has usurped the focus of All Hallows Eve. Do we spend as much time praying for the faithful departed as we do preparing our home for Halloween? Do these things coincide with one another?

Catholics believe that we have indeed been redeemed by the blood of Christ. His passion, death, and resurrection has set us free from the bondage of sin. We are truly blessed by God's amazing grace and mercy. That blessing demands a response from us. We are called to be holy.

Some people criticize Catholics for trying to "earn" their way to heaven. I simply consider myself in good company if I join St. Paul in "working out my salvation in fear and trembling." (See Philippians 2:12) Jesus makes it clear that there are expectations for our behavior. "You are my friends if you do what I command." (John 15:14) So what happens if we fail to live our lives in holiness and die in a state of sin? Is there a purification process before entering heaven since nothing unclean can enter into God's eternal dwelling? If so, what does that purification process entail? Is it beneficial to pray for the dead? I encourage you to invest some time in study, prayer, and meditation on these very serious aspects of life and death. Here are some specific suggestions.

I invite you to spend some time reading the Catechism about this topic.
www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a12.htm

A little refresher course on indulgences, especially for the faithful departed during the month of November, can be found here:
www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1178

Finally, I would suggest reading a brief article to gain further insight into Catholic teaching especially based upon the Book of Maccabees.
www.catholicjournal.us/2016/11/02/maccabees-prayers-dead/

Is the contrast between the secular observance and religious observance of All Hallows Eve as clear as black and white?

Okay, I'll have a little treat after I spend time in prayer. Candy apple? I think I shall have one.

Remembering the Faithful Departed

10/30/2017

I had the opportunity to go to Florence, Colorado on Friday so I could be at St. Benedict's Church on Saturday morning for the funeral of Bertha (Bert) Snell. Bert was influential enough in my life that one of our conversations was detailed quite thoroughly in my book. I was happy that my books arrived in time last week for me to take a copy along and give one to Bert's husband. I wish that I would have written my book a few years ago so Bert could have read it, but I know she realizes how much she impacted my life. Bert will be missed by many.

St. Benedict's was the first parish I worked full-time after ordination. It is difficult to believe that 15 years have passed since my time in Florence as the Director of Religious Education for the parish. It was great to see so many parishioners that I had not seen since then. It was also good to spend some time with my brother and his wife during my brief visit to the area.

Today marks the second anniversary of my mom's death. As I looked back through the photos of the trip mom and I took in October of 2014, just one year before she died, I am truly grateful for the memories. As I prepare to preach at an All Souls Day Remembrance Service at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Cheyenne on Thursday evening, I am well in tune with the grieving process. I pray that my words will touch the hearts of those who are immersed in missing loved ones who have died during this past year. May we all find strength and comfort in God's amazing grace!

Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Alabama (October 2014)

October 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee

A stop at my favorite restaurant had to be on the agenda--Steak 'n Shake

"May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace."

"Are You Still Praising God?" ~Bert Snell

10/26/2017

"Are you still praising God?" This was the question posed to me by Bertha "Bert" Snell when I was diagnosed with a heart problem back in 2003. I had expressed my frustration to her after finding out I was going to need open heart surgery just two years after a major cancer surgery. After listening to my tale of woe, she cut to the chase and asked, "Are you still praising God?"

That question has followed me ever since, because I had to admit to her that I was NOT praising God. I may have known from an intellectual standpoint that I needed to praise God, but it had definitely not made it to my heart.

Bert's question prompted me to change the way I pray. It challenges me to look for God's grace and blessing in the midst of any struggle or challenge and to give glory and praise to God regardless of the circumstances. Do I find it easy to do? Absolutely not. However, it has certainly raised my awareness of choosing to walk humbly with my God on a daily basis. I do not accomplish it well all the time, but I am at least a work in progress. Some of the growth I have experienced in my spiritual journey is because of people like Bert.

I received word today that Bert was called home to the Lord on Tuesday. I can only imagine the praising of God that she now does.

St. Benedict's Parish has lost a prayer warrior from their community. My condolences go out to all of the family and friends of Bert. May she rest in God's eternal peace!

Is Your Spiritual Life Showing Signs Of Disrepair?

10/25/2017

There is an old gasoline station right on the Nebraska-Wyoming state line that appears to be more than a little run-down. The number of pumps would indicate that it had a brisk business at one point in time, but that is certainly not the case today. Multiple circumstances may have contributed to a decline in business, but the interstate highway going around the town rather than directing traffic right through the town was probably one of the main factors.

This scene really captured my attention. While I understand that conditions change in business and in life, I could only imagine what the owners of this station must have experienced as they witnessed those changes.

What happens to a vacant property? Numerous possibilities exist, but the end result is usually the same. Weeds grow. Paint chips off the buildings. Rust appears on metal surfaces. The property basically goes into disrepair and the value of the property decreases.

What happens when you do not tend to the spiritual needs of your life? Do you see your prayer life getting rusty? Have the weeds of sin and vice taken over your actions causing you to bear very little good fruit rather than producing 30, 60, or 100 fold the way God desires? If there are signs of neglect in your spiritual journey, what are you going to do to change course?

Spending A Day Off Seeing Local Sights

10/24/2017

I had seen the advertisements on television but had not yet visited the new Scheels Store in Loveland, Colorado. Today seemed like a good day for a short road trip. The premises are beautiful just as they appeared on TV. While I enjoyed perusing the store and admiring the statues, the taxidermy, the aquarium, and of course, the Ferris wheel, the real impressive component was the staff. I have to give a tip of the hat to the person responsible for the training and development of the sales floor staff. Even when I was just passing by a department, I was always greeted by a friendly smile and courteous hello. Some other retail chains could take a lesson from what I observed today.

I have no vested interest in Scheels, but today was impressive enough to make me reflect on my own "customer service" attitude. Am I doing hospitality as well as what these individuals are?

St. Paul's Council of Catholic Women--Pine Bluffs, WY

10/22/2017

Margaret and I celebrated our wedding anniversary today by heading to St. Paul's Church in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming. We attended Mass and then went to the annual Fall Dinner sponsored by the Council of Catholic Women. It was a wonderful turkey dinner with all the trimmings. I wish I had thought of taking a picture of the dessert table, but I was too busy searching for just the right piece of pie for me. Everything was excellent.

It still fascinates me to realize that I can now pretty much go to any church function throughout the whole state and visit with people I know. Pine Bluffs is only about 35 miles from my house. However, I was still surprised that I knew more than twenty people at the dinner. It was good food and good company.

Margaret and I took time to visit the shrine in Pine Bluffs while we were there. It was a pleasure to see some visitors from Missouri enjoying the shrine. I asked what part of Missouri they were from and I received a hesitant answer that simply stated, "about an hour west of St. Louis." I asked a follow-up question inquiring about the actual name of the town. They finally answered, "Warrenton." They were surprised when I told them I grew up in Old Monroe. It really is a small world at times.

Enjoy the pictures.

Stained glass window above the choir loft.

A Little Saturday Humor

10/21/2017

Going back to the St. Louis area usually means a stop at Steak 'n Shake at some point during the visit. I tend to take a picture while I am there to send to my daughter so she can be jealous of the fact that I am there and she is not. She repaid the favor to me today from a Steak 'n Shake in Colorado Springs. She included a great caption as well: "When your book goes to cooler places for lunch than you do..." I knew she was going to be visiting with my brother and some of his family so I asked her to give him a copy of my book. She obviously made use of the book before delivering it. Now I'm hungry!

What Does It Mean To Be A Catholic School Leader?

10/20/2017

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. ~Warren Bennis

I enjoy a good challenege. What do I want to accomplish? How am I going to make it happen? This is even more exciting when it moves into the realm of leadership. What do WE want to accomplish? How are WE going to make it happen? Motivating and inspiring others in the journey of life is part of my passion. I want all of us to truly live our lives with the abundance that God has promised us through His Son Jesus Christ. "I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10: 10)

The statistical data being released about the Catholic Church in our country does not typically paint a pretty picture. Parishes are closing or merging, Catholic schools are closing or struggling to maintain viability, the number of priests serving our parishes is declining, etc. How do we turn the tide? How do we manage decline while striving for renewal?

Some would argue that there is no easy answer to such a complex question. Could it be that there is not a single definitive answer, but instead, a compilation of a multitude of factors to be addressed? The topic could certainly be discussed at length in regard to how we move forward.

Today, I simply want to look at a particular clue given in the Sacred Scriptures. What amount of our time, energy, and effort is focused on building relationships? How did Jesus interact with Peter, James, and John? What was significant about the relationship between Jesus and the woman at the well, or between Jesus and the woman caught in adultery? How did Jesus interact with those whom he healed of a particular infirmity? How did Jesus interact with Mary and Martha? What was his relationship with Lazarus? What do many of the parables demonstrate in regard to building relationships? What does it mean to have a proper wedding garment? When we hear about the banquet prepared and the fattened calf killed in the story of the prodigal son, what runs through our minds? What is communicated about the relationship between Jesus and the "good thief" hanging on the cross next to him?

My dear friends, it is important that we do things well in ministry. We organize programs, develop great music for liturgy, train hospitality ministers, recruit catechists, and on and on the list goes. These are all relevant things to have within the structures of our institutions. However, we can never forget the purpose behind having these things. It is about the people with whom we are sharing the love of Jesus Christ.

Someone recently asked me about the differences I have experienced working in the Catholic school system in St. Louis (where the archdiocese has one of the largest enrollments in the country) and Cheyenne (where the diocese has one of the lowest enrollments). The obvious difference is population. There are more people in the St. Louis metropolitan area than what we have in the whole state of Wyoming. A lack of population also correlates to a diminished access to a multitude of resources.

Given these differences, there are still many similarities. The purpose of a Catholic school is to proclaim the Kingdom of God. We educate and form students to be faithful disciples and evangelizers. It does not matter where the school is located. The perpetual mission of our Catholic schools is to make saints.

With that being said, how do we most effectively do that in our Catholic school systems? What are the necessary structures? In my opinion, it begins first and foremost with solid and effective leadership. This includes being a spiritual leader.

Different models and methodologies have been utilized to attain such success. A principal is typically the leader in many of our Catholic schools. The duties are far-reaching and can include a variety of tasks not seen in the job description. More than once I cleaned up the vomit in the hallway when a child didn't quite make it to the restroom. I did not see that listed anywhere in my principal job description. Raising money was insinuated in my description but not to the level of the actual expectations to do so. It did not take long to realize that the last category of "other duties as required" was a huge catchall phrase in the job description.

Some of the larger schools utilize a president/principal model. This allows the principal to really focus on academics and and the supervision of the faculty while the president can focus on big-picture visioning, fundraising, relationship building, marketing, etc. Other terms may be used to delineate some of these different roles. Deans may be appointed for specific responsibilities of leadership. Boarding schools will utilize terms such as Headmaster to depict the leader of the school.

Schools may choose to hire personnel for development offices, marketing departments, enrollment specialists, and so forth. The possibilities are quite lengthy, but the bottom line is that each of these departments, or more specifically the people in these positions, will need to build relationships. Raising money is made possible by building strong relationships with donors. Marketing a school and developing a solid brand takes time. A quality product must be delivered, but relationships must also be nurtured if the brand is to have longevity. Enrollment specialists strive to recruit and retain students. This is a necessary goal, but recruitment of students becomes much easier when positive relationships have been built.

The leader sets the tone to make all of this happen. Whether that is the pastor & principal, the president & principal, the headmaster & dean, or whatever other combinations you may derive, effective leadership is a necessity. This means that someone who is able to create a vision, build relationships, and communicate to all involved constituents the value of sharing that vision, will have the capability of nurturing a school environment that truly proclaims the Kingdom of God. Who wouldn't want to get on board for that endeavor?

Is any of this easy? Not really. It did not take me long to find out when I became a Catholic school principal that not everyone was going to get on board with the vision I had for the school to be an institution of excellence. Some liked it the way it was because he/she had power in a particular niche of the school. Others just did not seem to like anything. Thankfully, some embraced my vision for being a school of excellence and worked with me in an attempt to bring it to fruition.

There are many opinions about how to run a school. Getting everyone on the same page is quite the challenge. I don't like using the word "stakeholder" because it sounds like a very secular term. However, there are a multitude of stakeholders when it comes to the Catholic school.

As principal, there are two key players immediately present. Obviously, in a parish school, the pastor is the person with the canonical responsibility of this ministry. Thus, the relationship between pastor and principal is key for the vision of the school to be communicated consistently and similarly. Do the pastor and principal share the same educational philosophy? The second stakeholder is the school advisory board. Most enter into this role with a generous spirit, but dare I say, that some members of the board have their own personal agendas that they are striving to promote? How do you create a board that is cohesive and intent on guiding the school toward excellence in cooperation with the school leadership?

The next category is the faculty and staff. How does a principal build a team that strives for excellence? Thankfully, most teachers want to do a good job. Unfortunately, teachers can get worn down from the circumstances surrounding life in the classroom. Complaints from parents, a difficult principal, students with behavioral issues, or excessive demands in regard to extra-curricular responsibilities can all lead to burnout. How does a principal promote a culture of excellence if burnout and apathy are present? How does healing take place? How do you pursue excellence if mediocrity has been acceptable in the past?

Parents are one of the school's greatest assets. However, there are exceptions to this. Parents send their children to Catholic schools for a variety of reasons. I would like to think it was for an excellent CATHOLIC education. The reality is that some parents simply want a private education. I remember creating a newsletter focusing on the saints one year. It was the week when the Church celebrates the Feast of All Saints. A parent criticized me for dwelling on that particular topic. Interesting. What does the phrase "communion of saints" mean to you when you profess the Creed on Sundays at Mass? I was quite stunned by this particular complaint.

Some parents are critical of school leadership when they perceive that the school is not Catholic enough. How do you reach that fine line between being a rigorous academic institution and a very religious one at the same time? There are only a certain amount of hours in the school day to meet academic requirements in addition to all of the other activities that are typically present in our schools. Catholic identity needs to shine through all components of the school--not just during times of prayer. On the flip side, what about those parents whose primary interest is the sports program?

Let us not forget. The students themselves have certain ideas about what life at school should be like on a day-to-day basis. Does your school have a uniform? How does a leader get everyone to abide by the dress code? Yes, I know it sounds pretty simple at face value, but ask most principals who have had to deal with it and see what they say.

Finally, the parishioners have a vested interest in the school since some of their Sunday contributions are utilized to keep the ministry of the school going. How do we effectively build that relationship so the school is viewed as a vital asset rather than a financial drain to the parish? It takes a very intentional outreach to make that relationship a vital link between parishioner and school.

You probably get the picture. There are a lot of dynamics at work in the life of our Catholic schools. Navigating these choppy waters is no easy task. It takes solid leadership for our Catholic schools to thrive. Let us pray that those leaders step forth when God calls them into such a position.

I am grateful for all of the administrators, faculty members, and support staff who strive to make our Catholic schools beautiful institutions that celebrate the faith in a profound manner. Thank you also to all of the parents who entrust your children to the care of the Catholic school. Thanks also to all who give of their time, talent, and financial resources to make our Catholic schools strong. It takes all of us working together to create the best possible means of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom. May each of you be blessed abundantly for your generous heart!

Are You Spiritually Healthy?

10/19/2017

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
~J. Krishnamurti

I came across this quotation today while reading a book by Tim Ferriss. That statement seems very applicable to our life in today's society. It has the potential to make people of faith pause for a moment to ponder their own spiritual journey. Are we, as individuals, more influneced by the Church or by the culture that surrounds us? Is the Church transforming culture, or is the culture transforming the Church?

It is evident that there is a great divide among people here in the United States. That divide is currently being expressed in a public way each Sunday through the National Football League. Unfortunately, it seems that division among the people of this land has infiltrated almost every aspect of society. The consequences of a nation being divided are being felt in numerous ways. If we are adjusting well to this new reality, it may not be a good sign for our own personal health and well-being.

The relevant question to be asked is a simple one. How will we stay faithful to Christ and His Church in a world that strives to entice and lure us into sin?

Catholic Schools Week Begins On January 28, 2018

10/18/2017

I just received my poster today from the National Catholic Educational Association announcing Catholic Schools Week. I have been involved with Catholic Schools Week for a lot of years now, and it is always exciting to see the creative ways that schools celebrate their unique identity. We have three months and ten days to plan. Let the brainstorming begin.