A Parish Update

 

Dear Parishioners,

This week I write to inform you of some current news about our parish.

First, we welcome Bishop Joseph Williams this weekend for my installation ceremony. A parish will typically see their bishop visit a couple times during the year—perhaps at confirmation or some special parish event. We asked that our bishop come for this Mass and installation ceremony after Labor Day when the crowds would be less and we not be rushed during Mass because traffic, parking, etc.

Next, I thank those who have responded to my request to reinitiate an active parish council. I set the deadline for consideration as a member for the end of September. I will now begin the process of contacting and organizing those who showed interest or were nominated for consideration. A parish council serves in an advisory capacity to the pastor as he sees necessary.

Looking ahead, I have asked a friend to preach next year’s parish retreat and he accepted. Captain Francis P. Foley, a priest and pastor of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and former chaplain for the Naval Academy at Annapolis, has agreed to come to St. Thomas next summer. Father Foley brings a wealth of experience and knowledge with 27 years of military service and is known as a skillful orator. Father is currently pastor of St. Timothy Parish in Philadelphia.

Next year we will also have a celebration in honor of the 100-year anniversary of our church building. If you take note of the cornerstone, it reads 1927. So, the plans, at this point, are to combine our parish retreat, church building anniversary ceremony and chicken barbeque into a weeklong celebration for our parish. Please save the date for the week of July 25, 2027, as a special time of celebration for our parish community.

During the next months, I plan to meet with the members of our various parish committees and ministries. It takes time for me to become more aware of all the things going on in the parish, who is responsible for them and how best the people of St. Thomas can be served by them. I have refrained from making any sudden or drastic changes, knowing from experience that it is best for me to see first how things currently operate. With time, I will inevitably make adjustments as I see necessary.

This past weekend, by the change in the attendance at the Masses, I witnessed how the bad weather and the diminished summer crowds can affect the parish. Shore parishes typically tend to slow down in the winter months. It does not necessarily mean, however, that there are no homilies to prepare, no sick or dying to visit and anoint, no weddings, funerals, baptisms, confessions or many other tasks/duties to keep a priest busy. It simply means the pace of life changes for a time. I hope to have more time to read, pray, exercise and get to know all of you a little better.

Please pray for me as I do for you. Together may we grow in holiness.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Thy Will Be Done

Dear Parishioners,

If we pray regularly, we probably recite the words thy will be done quite a few times daily. It is one of the central petitions of the Our Father.

Do you ever stop to think about this prayer-petition? Do we really think that God’s will is not going to be accomplished in the end? I don’t think so. After all, God is, well, God. At God’s command absolutely anything can be achieved before we could even grasp what was happening. 

Do we think that God Almighty actually needs us, needs me, so that He could be more all-powerful, more all-knowing, more all-loving, more all-just, more all-whatever? On the contrary, God would be quite self-sufficient without any of us. God created ex nihilo—out of nothing. There was a time when nothing else but God existed. So, obviously, God could get along quite well without us.

The fact of the matter is that God created out of love. He brought into existence that which previously did not exist—the entire universe, our world and us. His greatest achievement was the creation of the human person, made in His image and likeness.  We were given intelligence and free-will like God. Amazingly, God chose to become one of us as evidenced by the Incarnation of Jesus.

So, when we pray that God’s will be done, we must realize with ultimate humility that in the end we are not in charge. God will always be in charge. Always. His Will is going to be done with or without us. And we, as humans, must conform to His Will, not the other way around. God is creator and we are creatures. Period. End of story.

What is so mind-boggling is that God has invited each of us into a personal relationship with Himself. We can either accept the invitation or reject it. We can believe or not. We can cooperate with His plan or foolishly think that we can do whatever we want without consequences. The choice will always be ours because God willed it so.

With this in mind, my personal prayer consists of a variation of this petition. When I come before the Lord Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament I simply pray: I want what You want. I sit and give my time over to the Lord. I submit my will to His. I realize my place before Almighty God.

Perhaps each of us could ask ourselves a few questions to evaluate where we are before God: Does God really have control of me and my life? Do I love Him with all my heart, mind, soul and strength? Do I desire to do His Will? Do I foolishly think that I am in charge?

In the 1960’s Paul Anka wrote the lyrics to a song popularized by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and various others entitled My Way. I beg to differ with them with a rebuttal composition of my own: 

The Final Exam

“And now the end is near,

And so I face the final curtain”—

But after all life’s tests I’ve had,

Of little or nothing I’m certain!

Yet still, dear Lord, I ask your help

To guide me day to day—

And may the priv'lege be always mine

To say I did it Your Way.

© 1981 Edward F. Namiotka 

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Forgiveness

Dear Parishioners,

Throughout my life, there have been a number of inspirational examples of forgiveness that stand out for me. 

Undoubtedly the first example is Jesus’ words from the cross:  “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”  (Luke 23:34) 

Next, was the example that Pope St. John Paul II showed when he visited his attempted assassin, Mehmet Ali Ağca, and forgave him. 

Third, was the occasion of meeting the mother of a Polish priest, Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko.  He was brutally murdered by three members of the Polish secret police for his activities with the Polish Solidarity movement. When asked about forgiving her son’s murderers she said the following in my presence:  “How could I not forgive when Jesus forgave the thief on the cross?”

Finally, there is the example of Vicki Schieber, the mother of Shannon Schieber who was brutally raped and murdered in 1998 while she was a student at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Mrs. Schieber visited Sacred Heart High School in Vineland while I was principal there.  Rather than demand the death penalty for the person who raped and killed her daughter, Mrs. Schieber (and her husband) said there was no way they could demand the taking of another life. “The death penalty wasn’t going to honor Shannon’s life and it wasn’t going to bring her back . . . I thought about everything we ever taught Shannon to believe—to turn the other cheek, to show compassion and to be forgiving,” Mrs. Schieber said. “If you have a set of principles and then don’t live by them when you are tested, were they ever your principles to begin with?”

Christianity is about love, forgiveness and mercy—not hatred and anger. Whenever people foster attacks and retaliation—an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth mentality—no genuine, lasting good will usually come from the situation. Forgiveness, on the other hand, shows love accompanied by the supernatural gift of God’s grace.

I again reflect on the words of my patron saint, St. Maximilian Kolbe: “Only love is creative.”

When we or those we love are hurt, it may seem difficult or impossible to forgive. It is at times like these that we must pray for the grace of God knowing that all things are possible for God—and for us—when aided by His supernatural grace.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Fr. Jerzy Popiełuszko

Political Correctness vs. Moral Correctness

Dear Parishioners,

Unfortunately, we live, at times, in a politically correct world. The legacy news media and advertising often drive it. We have become so cautious not to offend anyone. We do not want to be cancelled. As a result, we may wind up compromising what we truly believe in the name of tolerance. There have been rumblings among the populus, however, and ever-more people are becoming fed-up with what is going on.

What if the early Christians acted in the same manner? Would they have been so cautious not to proclaim Jesus is Lord in the face of torture and death? I think about how the early Apostles were willing to die rather than compromise their beliefs. How easy it would have been to acknowledge that Caesar was divine (as was demanded at the time) and go on living. Couldn’t Jesus just be acknowledged as one god among many other gods? After all, the Greeks and Romans were polytheistic cultures and would more than likely tolerate one more god. It would be the politically correct thing to do at that time. Instead, the early Christians bravely faced torture and death in their unwavering proclamation that Jesus is the Risen Son of God. For them, there was no other option.

Today, we may not say certain things are objectively wrong for fear of offending someone: 

• Abortion is not killing an innocent human being—dare I say murder?—but a woman’s choice.
• Marriage (the permanent, exclusive, open-to children union between a man and a woman) is redefined not according to timeless, divine principles but as we enlightened humans currently see fit.
• We don’t call co-habitation fornication, but a trial marriage.
• Euthanasia (killing the elderly) is mercy-killing.
• Adulterers are swingers.
• The difference between partial-birth abortion and infanticide is negligible.
• Homosexual acts fall into the category of an alternate lifestyle.
• Artificial contraception is never wrong or sinful in many people’s mind.
• There is no longer a proper understanding that we have a moral obligation to God to attend Mass weekly.   

Wrong becomes right. Right is no longer right. The world is horribly confused. And this confusion does have serious, eternal consequences.

God in timeless wisdom and with apparently incredible patience looks at us and, I suspect, desires that we would listen and obey. There is a law written in your hearts. I sent you the prophets. I even gave you my only Son as my definitive Word. You have centuries of saints and martyrs witnessing to the truth by their lives. My gift of the Holy Spirit continues to guide the Church. Please listen. Don’t delay.

I trust that God is all-merciful. There is frequently an emphasis on His mercy. I also believe that God is all-just. God’s justice is tempered by His mercy. (See James 2: 12-13) Mercy is offered to us so that we admit our sinfulness, desire to change our erring ways and completely conform our lives to the teachings of Christ. Mercy is not like a get out of jail free card. We can’t just continue with our sinful ways assuming God to be some pushover—some lenient parent—who will continually let us do whatever we want without consequences. We are all going to Heaven despite what we do here on earth. Not really. Why would Jesus have suffered and died in such a horrible manner if we all just go to Heaven no matter what we think, say or do? No, if we refuse mercy, if we refuse to listen, if we fail to change, then God remains all-just. We will get what we actually deserve. And it wasn’t because God did not try to get through to us time and time again.

If political correctness blurs our moral correctness then I would suggest that we make the necessary adjustments to our thinking and acting. We need to realize that the truth—the objective moral teachings given by Jesus Christ and faithfully proclaimed by His Church—are the means given us for our eternal salvation.

 And eternal does mean forever.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Reflecting on the Cross

Dear Parishioners,

You will find that I refer to the cross of Jesus quite frequently when I preach. Maybe I have been profoundly influenced by St. Paul: I preach Christ Jesus and Him crucified. (See 1 Cor. 2:2 and 1 Cor. 1:23) 

Typically, I will point to the image of the crucified Jesus. While some churches have an image of the resurrected Jesus in the sanctuary, as did one of my former parishes, I really must confess that I am not quite there yet in my own spiritual life. I relate better to the crucified Jesus who truly knew suffering and experienced death. Intellectually, I know that JESUS IS RISEN, and I certainly preach Him as risen from the dead. However, whether it be in my personal chapel in the rectory, or in the church itself, I look to the crucified Jesus—to the crucifix—more often than not.

Each day I see suffering in the world. When I turn on the evening news, read the newspaper or find an article on the internet, so many of the stories involve tragedy: a plane going down, a hurricane, a wild fire, a flood, war, violence, murder, etc. I see people suffering and dying. I visit the hospital and I find someone extremely sick with family members surrounding him or her in tears. I visit the homebound. I celebrate a funeral Mass. Get the picture?

Jesus knew suffering. Meditating on the sorrowful mysteries of the Holy Rosary, making the Stations of the Cross, reading an account of Jesus’ passion in the Sacred Scriptures, looking at a crucifix, all tell me that Christ can relate to the pain and suffering of humanity.

I ponder the image of the Risen Christ and truly hope to be there someday. I also realize that resurrection and eternal life are still somewhere—with God’s grace and through His forgiveness, mercy and love—in the future for me.

However, I continue look at the crucifix. Maybe I do not receive immediate answers to all my prayers.  Maybe I still have questions and doubts. But what I see is a God who loved me enough to suffer and to die for me. I see Jesus who willingly accepted suffering and experienced it to the depth of his being. I see a humble, vulnerable God who took upon Himself all of our sins—my sins. I see Jesus who died for me, for all of us.

At this point in time, you can see where I am in my personal spiritual life. I see myself at the foot of the cross. I hope someday for resurrection and eternal life. But I am, unfortunately, just not there yet.

. . . Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Mt. 16: 24-25) 

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor   

Why Catholics Continue to Have Hope

Dear Parishioners,

As a Catholic priest I am charged with preaching the Gospel—the Good News.  I can certainly point out all of the things that are confusing or even scandalous in the Catholic Church. However, there are important reasons why true Catholics do not give up hope despite the many obstacles we face. We do not flee when the wolf attacks the sheep. We do not deny Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We remain faithful even if everyone calls us ridiculous, stupid, or out of touch. Remember in the Beatitudes we are told that we are actually blessed when we are unjustly persecuted.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you.  (Mt. 5: 11-12)

Opposition and persecution have been present from the beginning of the Church and continue to this day.

Let me reflect with you on some of my reasons for ongoing hope within the Catholic Church:

• Jesus is victorious over sin and death.  Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross, rather than being a defeat, was a victory.  Jesus rose from the dead. Death has no more power over Him. His Resurrection gives every Christian the hope of eternal life. While we have not yet seen the culmination of all God’s plans, we know Who has already won the victory. Christus Vincit!
• Jesus promised to remain with His Church.  “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”  (Mt. 28:20)  First, Jesus remains with us in the Holy Eucharist.  We believe in His Real Presence on our altars and in our tabernacles. We also have the Sacred Scriptures to guide and inspire us. Through the ministerial priesthood Christ still acts in each sacrament. Christ remains with His Church whenever we gather in His name, but most especially at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. 
• Jesus told us that evil will not prevail.  “And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.” (Mt. 16:18)  Through the centuries, there have been bitter battles for the soul of the Church. We have seen many martyrs.  We have had bad popes, bishops, priests, etc. Attempts have been made to destroy the Church from within and from without.  Despite all such attempts, the Church remains.  And it will remain.
• Our Lady continues to intercede for us, her children.  Devotion to Our Blessed Mother is a sine qua non for any believing Catholic.  I have been especially devoted to the apparitions of Fatima (Portugal) and to the other approved apparitions like Lourdes (France), Guadalupe (Mexico), etc.  According to the seer Sr. Lucia, the message given at Fatima from Our Lady was ”In the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph.” When we pray the Hail Mary, we ask for Our Lady’s intercession now and at the hour of our death. She was given to us at the foot of the cross to be our spiritual mother. She continues to intercede for her children and to care about their eternal salvation as any good mother would.

I continue to have hope. What is going on in the Church and the world still concerns me tremendously.  Yet, we need to remain faithful to the Lord as He is always faithful to us.  

If you have any doubts, look at the crucifix. 

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

     

Homily for the 20th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

The Pastoral (Parish) Council

Dear Parishioners,

When we examine what canon (church) law requires of every parish, we see that a finance council is mandated.  Canon 537 states: In each parish there is to be a finance council which is governed, in addition to universal law, by norms issued by the diocesan bishop and in which the Christian faithful, selected according to these same norms, are to assist the pastor in the administration of the goods of the parish . . . .   This council is established and active here at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish and meets regularly attempting to keep our parish operating in a fiscally responsible manner.

Canon law also states the following (Canon 536):  1. If the diocesan bishop judges it opportune after he has heard the presbyteral council, a pastoral council is to be established in each parish, over which the pastor presides and in which the Christian faithful, together with those who share in pastoral care by virtue of their office in the parish, assist in fostering pastoral activity. 2. A pastoral council possesses a consultative vote only and is governed by the norms established by the diocesan bishop.

Regarding this pastoral council, I wish to re-establish it anew in the fall. I am looking for a select group of people (9 to 12 are recommended) to help advise me with various matters concerning the future of the parish.

According to our diocesan guidelines:  Parish Pastoral Councils provide a way for pastors to consult their people. The Parish Pastoral Council is: "to examine and consider all that relates to pastoral work and to offer practical conclusions on these matters, so that the life and activity of the People of God may be brought into greater conformity with the Gospel." In this description, we find three tasks assigned to the pastoral council: to examine, to consider, and to recommend.

• To examine:  The object of the Parish Pastoral Council's examination, "pastoral work," is left sufficiently un-specified in order to include all that concerns the pastor and his staff in serving the parish. The council identifies issues and studies them either at the request of the pastor or on its own initiative.
• To consider:  The Parish Pastoral Council prayerfully ponders the data it has collected from its examination by trying to discern in what direction God is inviting the parish to go, what is behind the data.
• To recommend:  After the Parish Pastoral Council has examined and considered any pastoral work, it makes a recommendation to the pastor and his staff on what should be done for this parish at this time in its history.

I am looking for dedicated, prayerful people willing to help me. If you are interested or you wish to recommend someone for this task, please let me know in writing or by e-mail by September 30, 2026. (My parish email is Fr.Namiotka@stabrig.org) 

After prayerful consideration, the council will be re-established anew to assist me with the future vision and direction of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish. For those who want more information, the diocesan Parish Pastoral Councils Guidelines in English and Spanish can be found on the diocesan website. 

Please give my request some prayerful deliberation. More information will follow in the months ahead.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

The Assumption and the "Wedding of the Sea"

Atlantic City

Dear Parishioners,

There is a Holy Day coming up next week: the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. This year, because of the way it falls on the calendar on a Saturday, the obligation to attend Mass is removed. However, it does not mean that it is any less holy of a day.

The Assumption celebrates the Blessed Virgin Mary, after her earthly life was complete, being taken up body and soul into Heaven.  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC):

“Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death.” The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians. . . . (CCC, #966)

Growing up in Wildwood, NJ leaves me with many fond memories. One of these was the celebration of the vigil of the Assumption at St. Ann’s Church each August 14^th. When I was young, the Vigil Mass was usually packed (standing room only). St. Ann’s could hold approximately 3000 people and I can recall seeing it year after year wall to wall with people. Unlike the famous celebration in Atlantic City which takes place during the day on August 15^th, the Wildwood tradition was/is a vigil Mass followed by procession down to the beach for the Wedding of the Sea ceremony. Most years, the bishop would preside during this ceremony in both locations.

At many seashore towns, the Assumption has become somehow tied into the Wedding of the Sea ceremony which had an entirely different history and origin. Apparently the custom found its way here from a couple of Venetian historical commemorations and a ceremony in which the Doge (chief magistrate) of Venice would "marry" the sea each year, and throw a blessed ring into the lagoon as a sign of eternal fidelity. (Interestingly, the original Venetian ceremony apparently took place in conjunction with the celebration of the Ascension of Our Lord rather than the Assumption).

The Press of Atlantic City reported a variation of the origin of the custom:

According to tradition, the ceremony commemorates an event in the life of the Bishop of Cervia in Italy, Paul Barbo who later became Pope Paul II. The Bishop is said to have been returning by ship from Venice on the Feast of the Assumption in 1445 when he was caught in a storm. The Bishop, it is said, calmed the storm by prayer and throwing his pastoral ring into the sea. (6/16/10)

Here at St. Thomas the Apostle we will process to the ocean after the 6:30 PM Mass on Friday, August 14^th, the vigil of the Assumption. I hope that you will join us in the public profession of our Catholic faith.

Throughout history, it was not unusual that Christians would attempt to “Christianize” various secular customs and traditions. No matter what the exact origin of the Wedding of the Sea is, as we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, it is more important to recall the honored place that Mary, the Mother of God, has in salvation history and that her life on earth was worthy of an eternal reward in Heaven. Where Mary has gone, we hope to follow! 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Venice

Homily for the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

"Sir, Give Us This Bread Always"

Dear Parishioners,

One of the things I enjoy (in the food category) when I vacation in Europe or in parts of the world influenced by European cooking is the freshly baked bread. When in Europe, I like watching people heading to a bakery or local grocery store to get a baguette, ciriola, or some type of freshly baked loaf. It is definitely not like what we find in most American supermarkets in the typical bread aisle. Many European-style breads are simply outstanding (in my humble opinion). Crispy crust, soft inside, great taste. . . .  Smother a slice in butter with a cup of coffee and I’m perfectly happy for breakfast.

I thought of these things when I read about the multiplication of the loaves (and fish) and feeding the crowd in this Sunday’s gospel (Mt. 14: 13-21). This miracle is found in all four gospels and is theologically seen as a foreshadowing of and anticipation of the Most Holy Eucharist.

Bread is a staple of life for many people throughout history. In Jesus’ time it was part of the everyday meal as was table wine. He used both of these common elements in an extraordinary way when He was at table with his disciples before His death—the Last Supper.

Bread also had some spiritual significance throughout history for the Jewish and later Christian peoples. The Jewish people eat unleavened bread to commemorate their freedom from Egypt when they had to flee before they had time for the bread to rise (Ex. 34:18).  When the Jews were wandering in the desert after their exodus from Egypt, God gave them manna to eat—mysterious “bread from heaven.” (Ex. 16) The Jews also kept showbread or bread of presence—twelve loaves representing the twelve tribes of Israel—before God in the sanctuary of the Temple. Later, Jesus famously multiplied the loaves and fish, to feed the hungry multitudes, as we see in this week’s Gospel passage (Mt. 14:13-21; see also, Mk. 6:34-42, Lk. 9:13-17 and Jn. 6:1-15). The use of bread comes to a spiritual summit in Jesus’ designation of it as His body at the Last Supper (Mt. 26: 26, Mk. 14:22, Lk. 22:19, 1 Cor. 11:23-24). 

In the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 6, we read what is referred to as Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse. It is seen as a commentary on the significance and value of the Most Holy Eucharist. We hear some definitive statements made by Jesus:  I am the bread of life.  .  .  I am the bread that came down from heaven.  .  .  Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you do not have life within.  .  .  Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day.  .  .  My flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  .  . .

The Real Presence of Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist is one of the core teachings of the Catholic faith. We do not believe in some mere symbolic presence, but take Jesus literally—at his word—in our understanding of this mystery. Over the centuries, the term transubstantiation—a change in substance (but not in appearance)—has been used to explain this essential dogma.

When we approach the Most Holy Eucharist, we approach Jesus—our Lord, God and Savior. He deserves our love, reverence and respect.  Like some of the people in the Gospel, our attitude toward the Holy Eucharist should be one of desire, anticipation, thanksgiving and joy: 

“Sir, give us this bread always.” (John 6: 34)

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Setting Some Priorities

 

Dear Parishioners,

As a pastor for many years with numerous previous assignments, I have observed how people often have various ideas regarding how a parish should be organized or operate. We certainly can differ in opinion when asking some important questions: What should a parish's priorities be? What activities or programs should we support? Where should we place our time, energy and resources?

Similarly, people can disagree on their expectation of the role of a pastor. We need a pastor who is a holy, spiritual leader . . . a talented administrator . . . a gifted fundraiser . . . a creative, dynamic shepherd . . . a riveting preacher . . . a brilliant teacher . . . etc., etc. Let me remind everyone that although Jesus was indeed the Son of God and the most perfect man who ever lived, even He did not meet certain people's expectations and was nailed to a cross by His dissenters. Any pastor, with his human flaws and weaknesses, will sadly fall short of people's expectations.

People should know that a priest, by his ordination, is meant to offer the sacrifice on behalf of the people. I was ordained to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for my people. I am not primarily a counselor, social worker, fundraiser, etc. I am a pastor/priest whose primary roles are to preach and teach, to sanctify (administer the sacraments) and to govern (the parish). These are my priorities here or wherever I may be assigned by the bishop. 

So, I want to spell out as clearly as possible how I envision the situation here at St. Thomas the Apostle, having been pastor for only a couple weeks. You should know what I am thinking.

All parishes must emphasize the need for continual growth. To achieve such, we should see a commitment by parishioners to regular Mass attendance, to adequate financial support, and to volunteering. Without younger families, more children and young adults as well as faithful Mass attendance by all, we could head down a dangerous path with a very uncertain parish future.

Priority One. Pray more. Attend Mass weekly (especially, if you are not currently doing so). Go to confession (the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation) regularly. Be an active part of the parish.

Priority Two. Bring people to Christ. We must evangelize! Invite people to Mass. Ask people if they ever thought about becoming a Catholic. Talk about your faith. Any future parish activities or suggestions first need to ask this question: How is my idea going to bring people to Christ and help to grow our congregation? How am I making new disciples for Christ? In my opinion, this will be time well-spent.     

Priority Three. Seek out our lukewarm or inactive Catholics. There are far too many non-practicing Catholics. We need to counter any utilitarian mentality where people come to the Church only when they need something or find it personally convenient. A sad joke that has circulated church circles for years was that people would seek out the Catholic Church only to be hatched (baptism), matched (marriage) and dispatched (funeral rites). We have often labeled inactive members as Christmas and Easter Catholics. The point behind the labels is that too many Catholics no longer practice their faith regularly. Catholics primarily worship through the Mass. The term "New Evangelization" has been used to indicate the task of bringing back those baptized Catholics who no longer practice their faith. This should be important to us all. Start with any inactive family members.

While the above list is by no means complete, we must start somewhere and this is where I think our collective energy currently needs to be spent.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Parables and the Kingdom of Heaven

Dear Parishioners,

Jesus often uses parables to get his message across. Most times I prefer someone to be clear and direct. Tell me exactly what you mean! Don't give me a song and a dance! Give it to me straight! However, Jesus frequently does not do this.  He may answer a question with another question. He may remain silent. He may tell a parable.

A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whereas parables have human characters. A parable is a type of metaphorical analogy.

One thing that parables should make us do is think. At times, we may come to different conclusions or even be left confused. Jesus would explain parables to his disciples privately to help them understand their meaning as he did with the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13: 1-23) or in the parable about the Weeds in the Field (Mt. 13: 24-43). Just because Jesus may use symbolic, poetic or a type of flowery language—make no mistake—even in the use and explanation of his parables, he could be quite forceful when speaking about certain things (like a fiery furnace and wailing and grinding of teeth!)

Next, there is this concept of the Kingdom of Heaven. Living in a nation that does not have a king and even established its unique identity by declaring independence from a king, the idea of kingship may be foreign to many and perhaps, repugnant. I vote! I pay taxes! No one is going to tell me what to do!

Be careful, however, when we refer to God. We are creatures; God is Creator. God is absolutely sovereign. We were brought into being by God's great love and given intelligence and free-will, noting how we were created in His image and likeness. Respect for God (fear of the Lord) and all that God is (omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all-holy, all-merciful, all-loving, transcendent, eternal, etc., etc.) gets lost in a secular society. We suffer from shortsightedness, a desire for pleasure and immediate gratification and an ever-increasing absence and possible disdain for any matters considered religious, sacred or holy. Even the absolute sacredness of human life itself has dramatically and horrendously diminished.

When Pope St. John Paul II gave to us the Luminous Mysteries of the Holy Rosary for meditation and reflection, I initially thought that the third mystery was somewhat ambiguous. Why was the Proclamation of the Kingdom (and the Call to Conversion) so important? With time, I have personally realized a deeper appreciation of this mystery. Allow me to share this descriptive synopsis of the mystery:

The preaching by which Jesus proclaims the coming of the Kingdom of God, calls to conversion (cf. Mk. 1:15) and forgives the sins of all who draw near to him in humble trust (cf. Mk. 2:3-13; Lk. 7:47- 48): the inauguration of that ministry of mercy which he continues to exercise until the end of the world, particularly through the Sacrament of Reconciliation which he has entrusted to his Church (cf. Jn. 20:22-23).

Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God and through His Incarnation Heaven and Earth were united.  

May we do our part to build up His Kingdom here on Earth!

Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor  

Homily for the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Getting to Know You!

Dear Parishioners,

As your new pastor, I think it is important that we get to know each other. Let me begin by telling you a little about myself.

I was born in the City of Brotherly Love, but grew up on the Jersey shore in Wildwood, NJ.  I am the oldest of five children—four boys and one girl.

I am truly the product of Catholic Schools:

• Kindergarten at St. John Cantius School (now part of Blessed Trinity Regional Catholic School), Philadelphia
• Elementary School at St. Ann Regional School (now part of Wildwood Catholic Academy), Wildwood
• High School at Wildwood Catholic High School (now Wildwood Catholic Academy)
• College Seminary at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Philadelphia
• Major Seminary at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD

I have been a priest for 39 years now, ordained in 1987 by the late Bishop George H. Guilfoyle. A significant amount of my priesthood had been involved with Catholic education, primarily at the former St. Joseph High School (now St. Joseph Academy), Hammonton for six years and the former Sacred Heart High School, Vineland for fourteen years.

Now I come to you with enthusiasm, zeal and the desire to build on the strong foundation of my predecessors here at St. Thomas the Apostle. Every priest brings with him his own unique gifts, talents and abilities. I hope to be able to share mine with you. I enjoy writing and, with the encouragement of the parishioners from my first parish as pastor, began writing a weekly column (now a blog www.fr-ed-namiotka.com) for my parishioners to read.  I also have a YouTube channel (Edward Namiotka) with many of my homilies. I invite you to check them out!

I have been involved with Worldwide Marriage Encounter, giving weekends for well over 35 years. If there has been an influence that has truly impacted my priesthood and ministry, Marriage Encounter is at the top of the list.

From my seminary days—especially from my time at Mt. St. Mary’s—I took with me a strong devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and a great love for Our Blessed Lady. Nothing defines my life and my priesthood more than this. I also have great love for the Sacred Scriptures which was my major in the seminary.

Please pray for me as I do for you! Be patient as I try to learn (and remember) your names and backgrounds. Remember there is only one of me to remember but I now have thousands more of you!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Until We Meet Again

 

St. Thomas More

As I sit down to write my final letter as pastor of St. Thomas More Parish, many emotions pass through my entire being.

First is the sadness of not being with my people, my parishioners, on a regular basis. I have become fond of seeing you from week to week, in some cases day to day. I have never been one to display my emotions visibly. You might say I sometimes have a poker face. However, this does not mean I don’t have and experience feelings deep inside. Sadness is real. Separation is hard. Leaving brings things to the surface.

Starting again somewhere new causes me feelings of anxiety and apprehension. I recall when I arrived here in Cherry Hill we were in the midst of a “pandemic.” People were not coming to church, were wearing masks and I knew practically no one. During this time I became gravely ill and was hospitalized. Afterwards, I was very much isolated in my rectory. This was not a great time in my (or anyone’s) life. I never want to go through this type of situation again. Moreover, as an introvert by nature, meeting new people is not easy. Over the years I have worked hard to overcome this, but it is real nonetheless.

But enough about me. I take this time to express my gratitude to all of you for your love, kindness, generosity and support. I have made many more friends and I have enjoyed being your pastor for these past six years. Whether it was at Mass, at dinner, in the confessional, in the hospital, at the grocery store or in some other circumstance, I will miss you. Life is short and every person we meet and situation we experience is meant for a reason. Hopefully, we learn from all of them.

My apologies to anyone whom I may have hurt or offended in any way during my time here. Priests are all too human. We make mistakes. We are not gods, although we should strive to be Christ-like. Please pray for me to become more like Christ every day.

Some priests are very good, timely and regular in saying “thanks.” This has not been one of my better qualities over the years. I put off and forget to send “thank you” notes. I am sparse in my compliments. I admit I am deficient in this area. Period. However, I take this time to thank anyone who has helped me or the parish in any way during my time here. Thank you, thank you, and thank you! I am grateful for all that you have done.

Finally, I thank God for allowing me 39 years of priestly service. (Unfortunately, I will not be here to celebrate a milestone year next year.) I especially thank the Blessed Mother for being my Spiritual Mother during these years. Her example of unselfish obedience to the will of God continues to guide and inspire me.

At the end of the musical Fiddler on the Roof, Tevye (the main character) has to say goodbye to one of his daughters (Hodel) who is leaving for a distant place (Siberia). The dialogue goes something like this: “Papa, God alone knows when we will see each other again.” Tevye then says to her: “Then we will leave it in His hands.”

Fortunately, I do not depart for some distant land. I am only going to Brigantine—a beach town about an hour away. Maybe I will see you there! We will leave that in God’s hands.

Be kind to Fr. Matveenko.

Please pray for me as I will pray to you!

Fr. Ed Namiotka