Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Giving Up on "Organized Religion"



Dear Parishioners,

These days we often hear people say something like:  “I am a spiritual person, but I don’t associate with any particular religion or denomination” or “I don’t go to church, but I pray.”  It seems as though certain people have given up on organized religion and no longer faithfully “practice” the faith that they may have been baptized into, or any organized faith for that matter.  They may say that they are “Catholic” but it means no more to them than belonging to a club or organization.  It is not a way of life and they certainly do not consider themselves primarily as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Some parents may rationalize or even justify this thinking for their teenage or adult children by saying things like:  “Well at least they believe in God” or “I hope they come around someday because right now other things are more important to them.  It’s probably just a phase that we all have gone through.”

What are we observing regarding certain formerly accepted Catholic Church practices are the following: 

  • Some parents are not necessary getting their Children baptized as the Church recommends.  Canon (church) law actually states the following:


Parents are obliged to take care that infants are baptized in the first few weeks; as soon as possible after the birth or even before it, they are to go to the pastor to request the sacrament for their child and to be prepared properly for it. (Canon 867)

  • Numerous marriages are not taking place according to Church requirements.  Cannon 1108 reminds Catholics that: 

Only those marriages are valid which are contracted before the local ordinary, pastor, or a priest or deacon delegated by either of them, who assist, and before two witnesses . . . .

Yes, there are times when certain permissions or dispensations are granted for specific circumstances, but a marriage is supposed to take place ordinarily within the church (a sacred place) before the properly authorized persons (usually a priest or deacon).


  • Overall weekend Mass attendance is down below 25% of registered parishioners in our area. Besides the general interpretation of the Ten Commandments that the Lord’s Day is meant to be holy ["Remember the sabbath day—keep it holy" (Ex. 20: 8)], the Precepts of the Catholic Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2042) teach the following:


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.

  • I add the absence of other important practices like receiving the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation regularly, because of the mentality that I don’t need to go a priest, but I can go directly to God.  Jesus words to His disciples, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained,” (Jn. 20: 23) seem to be pretty clear to me.


The words of this week’s Gospel (Mt. 16: 13-20) remind us that Christ built a Church upon a weak, impetuous sinner named Simon whom he renamed Peter (the Rock).  The Church consists not of the perfect or of the sinless, but rather of sinners in need of the mercy and love of God.  I concur with the sentiment of Peter when He admitted to Jesus, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (Jn. 6: 68) The Catholic Church may not be perfect because it consists of imperfect sinners, but it is still has Christ as its Founder and Head, and I choose to go nowhere else to find spiritual nourishment.


Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor


Friday, August 1, 2014

Breakfast and More at "The Green Monkey"



Dear Parishioners,

As I write this reflection, I am still on vacation in the Caribbean—the final full day, in fact.  By the time you read this in the church bulletin, however, I should be home again at the parish.

I spent most of the two weeks with two priest-friends whom I have known since college.  We have vacationed (and gone on retreat) together for many years now.  They departed a few days ago, leaving me with some days of minimal activity and much treasured solitude.

I finished celebrating Mass this morning.  It was the memorial of St. Alphonsus Liguori, bishop and doctor of the Church—a Redemptorist saint.  It is a great privilege to be able to offer Mass each day, even while on vacation.  I travel with a “Mass kit” enabling me to make each vacation location into a place of prayer and worship.  There is no vacation from God.  How many times I have reminded others of that!  Practice what you preach, Fr. Edward!

After Mass, I took a walk to the neighboring building complex where there stands a small food establishment hidden from public view serving an American-style breakfast—The Green Monkey.  The place was much more crowded than the last time I was there, earlier in the week.  One table was occupied by three medical students from the nearby university discussing the situation in Israel and Gaza and questions on an exam.  A flat screen TV had CNN on, reporting news from the Middle East.  Most of the remaining table area was filled with some “islanders” from Trinidad and Tobago, as I would come to find out.  They told me that it was their first time on the island of St. Maarten/Martin.

One of the women from this large party passed me by, and, seeing me sitting alone, stopped and said, “Hey, you’re cute.  Are you married?”  Did she just make a pass at me?  If she only knew!

I watched this group as they gathered together around a single table prior to eating their meals.  “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.”  Catholics? The sign of the cross was followed by an extended prayer of praise and thanksgiving led by one of the women.  The medical students seemed a little uncomfortable at this point.  Then something quite beautiful happened.  The group broke into various harmonies while singing some hymns and psalms. The flash concert included members of the group offering a sign of peace to everyone present in the restaurant.  “Peace be with you!”
 
After the large group left, the medical students, the waitress and I joked about having attended Church this morning.  The waitress later apologized for this spontaneous eruption.  No apology was necessary.

It seems that my newly-found friends from the islands had no embarrassment or hesitation witnessing publicly to their faith.  

God was obviously with them on vacation.

"Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father."  (Mt. 10:32)

How beautiful and inspiring!


Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor