Love of Enemies

Dear Parishioners,

The focus of Jesus teaching was definitively on Love. First, he told us that the greatest commandment in the Law (Torah) was the Love of God: "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" [Jesus] said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment." (Mt. 22: 36-38)

Then Jesus took a less prominent precept from the book of Leviticus (Lv. 19:18) and placed it beside the commandment to love God: "The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." (Mt. 22: 39-40)

Most reasonable believers would find that this instruction makes sense. The difficulty that almost everyone would have with Jesus' teaching was when He took matters even further: "To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Lk. 6: 27-28) Now He seems to be going too far, too extreme. How can I possible love an enemy?

Truth be told, it is not natural for anyone to accomplish this task. We would have to do something above and beyond that which we are normally capable as a human. We really can't accomplish such things without the aid of God's supernatural grace.

Throughout my lifetime I have encountered parents willing to forgive the person who raped and killed their daughter (Shannon Schieber), a Polish mother who forgave soldiers who brutally beat her son (Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko) to death, and a pope (St. John Paul II) who forgave his would-be-assassin. I read about how St. Maria Goretti forgave and prayed for the person who stabbed her to death. I also heard how Immaculee Ilibagiza survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide in her book Left to Tell and eventually forgave her family's killers. These and many other stories like theirs (from the time of the earliest Christian martyrs, including St. Stephen) show us all that what seems impossible from a human perspective can come to be with the supernatural grace of God.

Jesus showed us from the cross (see Lk. 23: 34) how He was willing to forgive those who put Him to death. Could He not also assist those who experience unbearable and unspeakable tragedies to find forgiveness, peace and healing? I hope and pray so. I have seen examples of it happening.

I also hope and pray that I may never have to face the tragic circumstances that others have had to because of war, crime, injustice or evil. The world is not fair and bad things happen to good people far too often. Jesus is the perfect example of that. Yet, He still challenges us to rise above the difficult and unfair circumstances of life and to continue to love despite it all.

Easy? Absolutely not.

Possible? All things are possible with God's grace.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Holy Family vs. Modern Family

The cast of ABC's Modern Family

Dear Parishioners,

As believing Christians, we are called to look at the Sacred Scriptures for valuable lessons in living our lives. What do we see in the pages of the Bible when we examine the lives of those comprising the Holy Family—Jesus, Mary and Joseph?

First, we see two particularly faith-filled people more than willing to do God’s Will. We hear Mary’s often-quoted response to the angel Gabriel: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” (Lk. 1:38) We also see Joseph’s obedient reaction to angel of the Lord telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife into his home: “When Joseph awoke, he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took his wife into his home.” (Mt. 1: 24) Joseph was also obedient in relocating Mary and Jesus to Egypt (Mt. 2:13-14) and in returning them once again to Israel. (Mt. 2: 19-21) 

As we look further, we see the many difficulties that this couple had to face: pregnancy outside of wedlock (albeit, a miraculous pregnancy without marital relations) (Lk. 1:26 ff), no dignified place to give birth or to live (Lk. 2:7), a threat to the life of the child (Mt. 2:13 ff), substantial distances to travel (Mt. 2:13 & 2:20), and the scare and worry over a lost child (Mt. 2:41 ff). Later, Mary was witness to the brutal torture and death of her Son on the cross (John 19: 25-27). These were not the easiest life experiences to have to face, if you ask me!

Although most details are absent, we can surmise that this family prayed together, went to the synagogue regularly, worked hard and faced the various concerns that go with raising a child in Israel at that particular time.

Contrast this situation with the many bizarre concepts that we have been subjected to in TV sit-coms like Modern Family, Family Guy, The Simpsons or All In the Family, to name just a few. A tagline for Modern Family gives enough information to let us know that we are not dealing with anything resembling a Leave It to Beaver family: “One big (straight, gay, multi-cultural, traditional) happy family.” The Simpsons deals with a “dysfunctional family” headed by Homer, the “oafish, unhealthy, beer-loving father” and including Bart "the ten year old underachiever (and proud of it)." One only has to have a brief glimpse of the irreverent humor of creator and comedian Seth MacFarlane, to know that the content of Family Guy is going to be Offensive—with a capital O. Finally, most people see Archie Bunker (of All In the Family) as an icon for the bigoted, questionably-educated, pseudo-conservative male. Not the best examples of family life to be found anywhere around here, unfortunately.

I close with words from a man much holier and more intelligent than I will ever be, Saint John Paul II:

I wish to invoke the protection of the Holy Family of Nazareth.

Through God's mysterious design, it was in that family that the Son of God spent long years of a hidden life.  It is therefore the prototype and example for all Christian families. It was unique in the world. Its life was passed in anonymity and silence in a little town in Palestine. It underwent trials of poverty, persecution and exile.  It glorified God in an incomparably exalted and pure way. And it will not fail to help Christian families—indeed, all the families in the world—to be faithful to their day-to-day duties, to bear the cares and tribulations of life, to be open and generous to the needs of others, and to fulfill with joy the plan of God in their regard.

St. Joseph was "a just man," a tireless worker, the upright guardian of those entrusted to his care. May he always guard, protect and enlighten families.

May the Virgin Mary, who is the Mother of the Church, also be the Mother of "the Church of the home." Thanks to her motherly aid, may each Christian family really become a "little Church" in which the mystery of the Church of Christ is mirrored and given new life. May she, the Handmaid of the Lord, be an example of humble and generous acceptance of the will of God. May she, the Sorrowful Mother at the foot of the Cross, comfort the sufferings and dry the tears of those in distress because of the difficulties of their families.  (Familiaris Consortio, # 86) 

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

The Holy Family

Coincidences or Signs from God?

 

Dear Parishioners,

For the past two years I have attended priest conferences given by the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. This year I also plan to attend. Priests gather from all parts of the country to listen to talks on the Sacred Scriptures, to pray together, to offer Mass together and to socialize at a resort in Lakeway, Texas (near Austin). We have the privilege of hearing from Dr. Scott Hahn, Dr. John Bergsma, Dr. Edward Sri, and others who bring great insight to the Scriptures and Catholic theology. By having attended these annual workshops, my hope is that my preaching and teaching from the pulpit each week has become more informative and inspiring.

Coincidentally, my first full day in Texas is also the day of the total solar eclipse which will be seen in the early afternoon as the path is directly over us! Moreover, the day is also celebrated as the Solemnity of the Annunciation of Our Lord (transferred from March 25^th because it fell in Holy Week). Let me say that it should be rather interesting to be in Texas during this time.

The Sunday after Easter (this weekend) has been designated as Divine Mercy Sunday.

On April 30, 2000 (Divine Mercy Sunday of that year), Pope St. John Paul II canonized St. Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament and designated the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.

According to the notebooks of Saint Faustina, Jesus made the following statements about this day:

On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment. On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened. Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet. My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity. (Diary of Saint Faustina, 699)

Devotion to Divine Mercy is also associated with an image painted as Jesus wished, based on descriptions by Saint Faustina. The words that accompany the image are "Jesus, I trust in Thee" ("Jezu, Ufam Tobie" in Polish). The rays coming from Jesus' body represent the Blood and Water that poured forth from the wound He suffered when pierced by the lance.

The devotion is practiced by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena to the Divine Mercy—both of which may be prayed at any time, but especially at "The Hour of Great Mercy" – 3:00 PM, the hour our Lord died, and in conjunction with Divine Mercy Sunday. You can find out more about these topics by going to the website for the Marians of the Immaculate Conception (marian.org).

I find it particularly interesting that after working to promote devotion to the Divine Mercy and even writing an encyclical about God’s Mercy — Dives in Misericordia or Rich in Mercy (1980) — Pope St. John Paul II died during the vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday in 2005.

Was this just another coincidence or truly an indication of the hand of God continually at work in our world? 

With all that is happening throughout the globe today, we all need to say and believe: Jesus I trust in Thee!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Divine Coincidence?

Pope St. John Paul II

Dear Parishioners,

When Pope St. John Paul II died, the manner and timing of his death struck me as much more than coincidental.

Let me set the scene: 

• Pope John Paul was a proponent of God’s Divine Mercy. In 1980 he wrote the encyclical Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy). He declared the Sunday within the octave of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.
• The day on which there was an assassination attempt made on his life was May 13th—the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. Pope John Paul credited Our Blessed Lady with saving his life.  He even had the bullet removed from his body placed in the crown of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal. It was from Fatima, the First Saturday devotions came about (as a request for reparation for sins against the Immaculate Heart of Mary).
• John Paul’s life was consecrated to Our Blessed Lady as evidenced by his coat of arms with the motto Totus Tuus (Totally Yours) and an M (for Mary) on the right side at the foot of a golden cross.
• John Paul decried the culture of death that seemed to permeate our society. He held that every life was sacred:  the unborn, the handicapped, the elderly, and the infirm.  He died elderly, suffering from Parkinson’s disease, in the public eye as a witness to the value of every life.
• The miracle leading up to his beatification was a cure from Parkinson’s disease of a sister (whose name happened to be Sister Marie Simon-Pierre of the Congregation of the Little Sisters of the Catholic Maternity Wards).

When did Blessed John Paul II leave this earth? Saturday, April 2, 2005. It was the Vigil of Divine Mercy Sunday and the First Saturday (Fatima devotion) of the month.

Pope Benedict XVI called our attention to some of these facts in his homily during the Beatification Mass:

Today is the Second Sunday of Easter, which Blessed John Paul II entitled Divine Mercy Sunday. The date was chosen for today’s celebration because, in God’s providence, my predecessor died on the vigil of this feast. Today is also the first day of May, Mary’s month, and the liturgical memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker. All these elements serve to enrich our prayer, they help us in our pilgrimage through time and space; but in heaven a very different celebration is taking place among the angels and saints!

I believe that spiritual signs and wonders are all around us calling our attention to God’s Providence ever-present in our lives. With the secular, materialistic, skeptical and unbelieving world in which we live, one might just write off all of this as mere coincidence, if any attention is paid to it at all.

Yet, seeing things with the eyes of faith, I wonder what God has in store for us in the days ahead!

Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor

TOTUS TUUS

Losing Hope

Dear Parishioners,

“Father, I told my children that I don’t want grandchildren.  This world is currently too scary to bring children into it.”

It was not the first time that I heard a comment similar to this.  I actually wonder how many people may silently hold the same belief.

How do I respond to this type of thinking?  After all, as a celibate, I have no children or grandchildren of my own.  However, I do have ten nieces and nephews—and two great-nephews—and I worry about each and every child as if it were my own. 

The above mentality borders on hopelessness and despair.   It is a people without hope that no longer wants to create.  Often they see no future, no opportunity, no purpose or meaning to life itself.

I recall a familiar and often repeated phrase of Saint John Paul II as he quoted words of Sacred Scripture:  Be not afraid!  Do not be afraid!

When he became Pope, these words inaugurated and resonated throughout his pontificate:

Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power.  Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ's power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind.  Do not be afraid.  Open wide the doors for Christ.  To his saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development.  Do not be afraid.  Christ knows "what is in man".  He alone knows it.

So often today man does not know what is within him, in the depths of his mind and heart.  So often he is uncertain about the meaning of his life on this earth.  He is assailed by doubt, a doubt which turns into despair.  We ask you therefore, we beg you with humility and trust, let Christ speak to man.  He alone has words of life, yes, of eternal life.  October 22, 1978, St. Peter’s Square

When a civilization moves further and further away from Jesus Christ and the message of His Gospel, hope is lost.  When prayer is infrequent and the practice of the Christian faith becomes sporadic or minimal, the purpose of life can be severely distorted.

Human civilization has been through some pretty difficult times already.  If the great leaders—especially the holy men and women who were the great saints of their time—threw in the towel, chances are I might not be writing this article today.  It was often a strong faith, a love for Jesus Christ and a determination that comes from God’s inner strength that gave people the courage and resolve to accomplish deeds beyond what the ordinary human can do.  Alone and unaided by God we are bound to fail.

While he certainly had his imperfections like the rest of humanity, Saint John Paul II was a man of great courage because he was man of deep faith.  He faced an assassin’s bullet, lived through the Nazi terror and World War II and battled Communism in his native Poland, just to mention a few challenges during his lifetime.  I think that he may have known what he was talking about.

Be not afraid!

St. John Paul II, please pray for us!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

    

A Tale of Two Churches

 

Dear Parishioners,

It has become more and more apparent to me that the Catholic Church is at a very serious crossroads.  I have witnessed changes in the Church taking place for years now—almost my entire lifetime. However, some of the things I am currently witnessing are absolutely unprecedented.

Let me begin with something as simple as orientation of the priest at Mass.  For centuries, the position of the priest was ad orientem (towards “liturgical” East).  The priest faced the direction of the rising sun to lead prayer and remind us all of the rising of the Son of God.  While some claimed that he had his back to the people, rather, it was the intention of this position in the Mass to face God.  After all, we are worshipping Him, not the people. The focus, slowly and subtly, became more oriented to the community rather than to God. While people became accustomed to this new liturgical position with time, simultaneously the emphasis at Mass tended more toward meal rather than sacrifice.  The community meal seemed to take precedent over the eternal sacrifice of Jesus to His Father.  Then Holy Communion went from reception on the tongue while kneeling to reception in the hand while standing.  Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are now regularly scheduled (not so extraordinary, if you ask me) and are commonly referred to as Eucharistic “Ministers.”  I could go on and on.  These were just some of the many, many liturgical changes that occurred over time.

What the situation in the Church has now morphed into is an attempt to change Church teaching and the very Church itself.  The blessing of gay unions, “sinless” homosexual acts, reception of Holy Communion by divorced-remarried, women priests, a plurality of acceptable, salvific religions and many other questionable/heretical ideas are seemingly on the table.  Popes in the past have warned against the heresy of modernism where truth becomes fluid and relativistic.  Now it appears that modernism is rearing its ugly head right out in the open with seeming consent by various members of the Church hierarchy.

We see various high-ranking Vatican officials and Church leaders (cardinals, archbishops, bishops, a former papal nuncio, a former prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, etc.) openly criticizing what is now happening within the Catholic Church. Wow!

Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen warned of an upcoming, counterfeit Church—an ape of the Church.  Sr. Lucia, one of the three Fatima seers, spoke of a “diabolic disorientation” within the Church and that the final battle between God and Satan would be over marriage and the family.  Pope St. Paul VI spoke of the “smoke of Satan” within the Church.  Our Lady of Good Success, a lesser-known but still approved Marian apparition from Quito, Ecuador, predicted and warned humanity about the sins of modern society and a future struggle within the Church itself.  Pope St. John Paul II admonished us concerning the “culture of death” permeating our society.  There are many others who have given us vital warnings for our time.

I trust God will act in some way to protect the Holy Catholic Church.  I also know that our Blessed Mother will have some vital role in this process as she made it known at Fatima that in the end her Immaculate Heart will triumph.  The exact details are certainly unknown to me and up to God Himself.

In the meantime, we all should be continually on our knees praying fervently.

May God have mercy on us.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

The Mercy of God

Dear Parishioners,

Have you ever taken the time to think about the many times we ask for or refer to the mercy of God in our liturgy?

• May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to eternal life. (Penitential Rite)
• Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.  Lord, have mercy.  (Kyrie)
•  Lord Jesus Christ . . . you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us; . . . you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.  (Gloria)
• To us, also, your servants, who, though sinners, hope in your abundant mercies . . .  (Eucharistic Prayer I)
• Remember . . . all who have died in your mercy . . .   Have mercy on us all, we pray . . .  (Eucharistic Prayer II)
• For you came in mercy to the aid of all . . . Grant, O merciful Father, that we may enter into a heavenly inheritance . . .  (Eucharistic Prayer IV)
• Deliver us, Lord, we pray . . . that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin . . .  (Prayer following the Our Father)
• Lamb of God you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.  (Agnus Dei)
•  May the receiving of your Body and Blood, Lord Jesus Christ, not bring me to judgment and condemnation, but through your loving mercy be for me protection in mind and body and a healing remedy. (Priest’s Prayer in Preparation for Receiving for Holy Communion)

While mercy in our contemporary thinking may be associated with an act of pardon from punishment, in Catholic theology there is much more to it.

 

Divine Mercy is God’s Love reaching down to meet the needs and overcome the miseries of His creatures.   . . . Divine Mercy, therefore, is the form that God's eternal love takes when He reaches out to us in the midst of our need and our brokenness.  Whatever the nature of our need or our misery might be — sin, guilt, suffering, or death — He is always ready to pour out His merciful, compassionate love for us, to help in time of need . . . . (Dr. Robert Stackpole, STD)

The Sunday in the Octave of Easter is called Divine Mercy Sunday.  On April 30, 2000 (Divine Mercy Sunday of that year), Pope St. John Paul II canonized St. Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament and designated the Sunday after Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.  According to the notebooks of Saint Faustina, Jesus made the following statements about this day:

On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open.  I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy.  The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment.  On that day all the divine floodgates through which grace flow are opened.  Let no soul fear to draw near to Me, even though its sins be as scarlet.  My mercy is so great that no mind, be it of man or of angel, will be able to fathom it throughout all eternity.  (Diary of Saint Faustina, 699)

Devotion to Divine Mercy is also associated with an image painted as Jesus wished, based on descriptions by Saint Faustina.  The words that accompany the image are "Jesus, I trust in Thee" ("Jezu, Ufam Tobie" in the Polish).  The rays coming from Jesus' body represent the blood and water that poured forth from the wound He suffered when pierced by the lance.  The devotion is practiced by praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Novena to the Divine Mercy – both of which may be prayed at any time, but especially at "The Hour of Great Mercy" – 3 PM, the hour our Lord died, and in conjunction with Divine Mercy Sunday.  

May the Lord Jesus have mercy on us.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

St. Maria Faustina of the Blessed Sacrament

Homily for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

The Jubilee Year of Mercy

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis has declared a Jubilee Year of Mercy beginning on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, 2015 and ending on the Solemnity of Christ the King, November 20, 2016.

While we will be hearing more about this Year of Mercy and the various spiritual events connected to it within the Diocese of Camden and throughout the world subsequently, let me give a brief introduction to some concepts here.

A Jubilee Year has roots in both Jewish and Christian traditions.  According to the Book of Leviticus (see Lev. 25: 8-13), a jubilee year was a time for the Jews when slaves and prisoners would be freed, debts would be forgiven, and the mercies of God would be particularly manifest.  It would typically occur every fifty years.  In our Catholic tradition, it was in the year 1300 A.D. when we can document that Pope Boniface VIII first declared a holy year.  Since then ordinary jubilees have generally been celebrated every 25 or 50 years.  Extraordinary jubilees also occurred whenever a particular Pope saw a special need.  Many jubilees involve pilgrimages to a Church or sacred site, frequently within the city of Rome.  The forgiveness of sin and God’s mercy are especially emphasized during this holy year.

Allow me to use some thoughts from Dr. Robert Stackpole, STD to elucidate the concept of the Mercy of God.  “Divine Mercy is God's love reaching down to meet the needs and overcome the miseries of His creatures.”  It is much more than an act of pardon or a cancellation of punishment.  Perhaps, it can be seen God’s willingness to experience and share our suffering and to take measures to remedy it.  After all, Jesus and His entire life, including his willingness to suffer and die for us, reveal the “face of the Father’s mercy” as Pope Francis has so beautifully described.

    

We should be familiar with the Greek Kyrie Eleison (Lord have mercy) as part of our liturgy.  This is a request for God’s mercy to be poured out on us “like holy oil from above.”

In the Latin tradition, the principal word for mercy is misericordia, which means, literally "miserable heart." Father George Kosicki, CSB, the great Divine Mercy evangelist, once summed up the meaning of this Latin word as follows:  misericordia means "having a pain in your heart for the pains of others, and taking pains to do something about their pain."

The most comprehensive statement by the Magisterium on the meaning of Divine Mercy can be found in Pope John Paul II's encyclical letter Dives in Misericordia (Rich in Mercy, 1981).  In that encyclical, the Holy Father made two very important statements about mercy.   First, he wrote, "Mercy is love's second name." Secondly, he taught that mercy is "the greatest attribute of God."

I encourage you to read Pope Francis’ Miseracordiae Vultus and Pope Saint John Paul II’s Dives in Misericordia to prepare for the upcoming Jubilee Year of Mercy.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

A Difference in Approach

Dear Parishioners,

When giving various homilies or talks over the years, I presented a number of examples of how Pope Saint John Paul II fearlessly preached the gospel “in season and out of season,” (2 Tim. 4:2) to quote St. Paul.  The Pope was the most travelled Pope ever, undertaking more pastoral trips than all of his predecessors combined.

His often bold and direct approach to various situations is a matter of record.  Let me give a few specifics.  In Africa, he preached the value of monogamy to a continent that has various areas and cultures that practiced polygamy. Noteworthy is his homily in Swaziland where he preached about monogamy in the presence of King Mswati III and his four wives.  I am sure that all advisors would have cautioned him about such an approach, but this is what the Pope said:  “Christians find that a monogamous marital union provides the foundation upon which to build a stable family, in accordance with the original plan of God for marriage.”

Then there was the Pope’s 4^th trip to Sicily where he condemned the mafia publicly.  He urged the people of Catania to “rise up and cloak yourself in light and justice” against the abuses of the mafia.  To the youth in a soccer stadium, after he referenced the fruits of the Holy Spirit, (see Gal. 5:22) he said “When the new generations bring these fruits, corruption is defeated, violence is defeated, the Mafia is defeated.”  (At that time the mafia dumped a lamb with its throat slit on the doorstep of a Catholic prison chaplain as a warning to the priest.)

We also saw how Pope Saint John Paul II stood up against communism by inspiring and encouraging the Solidarity movement in his native Poland, was an outspoken opponent of apartheid in South Africa, and when in America exhorted us all to “defend life.” I quote him regarding our responsibility toward the sanctity of human life:

Respect for life requires that science and technology should always be at the service of man and his integral development.  Society as a whole must respect, defend and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person's life.

For this reason, America, your deepest identity and truest character as a nation is revealed in the position you take towards the human person.  The ultimate test of your greatness in the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenseless ones.

The best traditions of your land presume respect for those who cannot defend themselves.  If you want equal justice for all, and true freedom and lasting peace, then, America, defend life!  All the great causes that are yours today will have meaning only to the extent that you guarantee the right to life and protect the human person:

- feeding the poor and welcoming refugees;
- reinforcing the social fabric of this nation;
- promoting the true advancement of women;
- securing the rights of minorities;
- pursuing disarmament, while guaranteeing legitimate defense;

all this will succeed only if respect for life and its protection by the law is granted to every human being from conception until natural death.

Every human person--no matter how vulnerable or helpless, no matter how young or how old, no matter how healthy, handicapped or sick, no matter how useful or productive for society--is a being of inestimable worth created in the image and likeness of God.  This is the dignity of America, the reason she exists, the condition for her survival-yes, the ultimate test of her greatness: to respect every human person, especially the weakest and most defenseless ones, those as yet unborn.

(Detroit Airport, 19 Sept. 1987)

When Pope Francis visited the USA recently, his approach seemed non-confrontational with his emphasis and priorities differing at times from his Polish predecessor.  Still, the message of the Gospel continues to be preached and taught, perhaps in a different manner, with a different approach.  I can sense the love and compassion both men have for the Church and for all humanity.  They show us, as the Vicar of Christ, in their own unique ways, an expression of the human face of Jesus still present in this world.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

  

Welcome Pope Francis!

Dear Parishioners,

During the course of my life I have had the privilege of personally seeing two popes—St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

The year after I entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia for college, we were told that Pope John Paul II was coming to Philadelphia (1979) and would visit the seminary.  I was already so proud that the pope was from Poland, the land of my family’s heritage.  Then I heard that we would receive him in our seminary chapel!  Wow! I could not believe it. I was even interviewed by one of the local Philadelphia television stations regarding my thoughts and feelings concerning the papal visit.

Later, I saw Pope John Paul II again in Miami (1987) after I was ordained.  All of the newly ordained were invited to concelebrate an open-air Mass with the Holy Father at Tamiami Park.  I almost concelebrated Mass with him. Unfortunately, a lightning storm suddenly came upon us and the Mass (which was already in progress) quickly became a Liturgy of the Word service as the crowds were immediately dispersed from the field where we were situated.  Oh well!

In 1993 Pope John Paul II travelled to Denver for World Youth Day.  I drove across the country with another priest making a pilgrimage to Cherry Creek State Park for an outdoor Mass.  Finally I had the opportunity to concelebrate an entire Mass with the pope with the magnificent Rocky Mountains in the distance.  In subsequent years, I again concelebrated Mass with Pope John Paul II at Giants Stadium (1995) in the Meadowlands, East Rutherford, NJ.  I remember that there was a tremendous rain during that Mass and I was completely drenched by its end.

(For a detailed description of my meeting Pope John Paul II in Rome, click here.)

When Pope Benedict XVI came to Nationals Park in Washington, DC, I was able to concelebrate Mass there with him.  This time the sun shone brightly and I got to encounter him once again.  I had previously  been in attendance with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as he delivered a talk in St. Martin’s Chapel (in the college division) of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary a few years earlier.  Little did I know then that he would eventually become pope.

Now Pope Francis comes to the United States (Washington, New York, Philadelphia) and I, unfortunately, will not be able to see him personally or concelebrate Mass with him.  Sundays involve a number of Masses (5) celebrated here in the parish, besides the time and travel considerations and the security issues required to concelebrate with the pope.  Like many of you, I will be watching the pope on TV and trusting that an optimal view will be provided by the TV cameras.
    

I reminisced how after I had experienced the energetic and enthusiastic seminarians (and faculty/guests) during the visit of Pope John Paul II to the seminary chapel in 1979, I went back to the now deserted chapel.  There I was with the Blessed Sacrament.  I realized that I was completely alone with the Son of God.  Yes, here He was truly present in the Most Blessed Sacrament, no crowd, no noise, just us.   

While it is nice to have the opportunity to see the Vicar of Christ, to me there is nothing better than spending time with Christ Himself.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

“The Time is Yours”

Dear Parishioners,

Back when Andy Reid was still coaching the Philadelphia Eagles football team, he would often conclude his post-game press conference with the following phrase:  “The time is yours.”  In other words, he gave the press a chance to ask some questions and he made himself available to them after his chosen remarks were completed.

This got me thinking about prayer.  (Oh yes! The Philadelphia Eagles and most Philadelphia sports teams usually need lots and lots of prayer, but that is a discussion for another day!)

Consider this.  Sometimes we may approach prayer with our own set agendas.  We may seek out God because we want something or because we feel moved to pray for someone.  Perhaps, we pray because we sense some sort of obligation to recite various prayers that we may have committed to memory long ago.  Perhaps, we may enter prayer frustrated, doubtful, confused, lonely or even afraid.  Quite often I think we would like to tell God just how He should be running His world.

How often, however, to we go to prayer to just be there and listen?  “The time is yours!”  I am giving you my time Lord, so that you can speak to me.

I believe that there is a certain efficacy, and that it is a unique privilege that we, as Catholics, have to pray before the Blessed Sacrament.  I pray with the Lord, in His presence, because I believe that He is truly found in the Holy Eucharist.

I share with you some thoughts on this matter  by our last two popes:

 

In a world where there is so much noise, so much bewilderment, there is a need for silent adoration of Jesus concealed in the Host.  Be assiduous in the prayer of adoration and teach it to the faithful.  It is a source of comfort and light, particularly to those who are suffering.  

Pope Benedict XVI, May 25, 2006, Address to the Clergy of Poland

I heartily recommend to the Church’s pastors and to the People of God the practice of Eucharistic Adoration, both individually and in community.  (67)  

Pope Benedict XVI, February 22, 2007, Sacramentum Caritatis, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation

The Church and the world have a great need of Eucharistic worship.  Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love.  Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world.  May our adoration never cease.  

Pope John Paul II, February 24, 1980, Dominicae Cenae

Pope Benedict XVI also clarifies an objection that was widespread at the time (of Vatican II) where it was argued that the Eucharistic bread was given to us “not to be looked at,” but to be eaten:

In the light of the Church's experience of prayer, however, this was seen to be a false dichotomy. . . . Eucharistic adoration is simply the natural consequence of the Eucharistic celebration, which is itself the Church's supreme act of adoration. . . . The act of adoration outside Mass prolongs and intensifies all that takes place during the liturgical celebration itself. Indeed, "only in adoration can a profound and genuine reception mature.  And it is precisely this personal encounter with the Lord that then strengthens the social mission contained in the Eucharist, which seeks to break down not only the walls that separate the Lord and ourselves, but also and especially the walls that separate us from one another." (66) 

Pope Benedict XVI, February 22, 2007, Sacramentum Caritatis, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation

By a continual growth in the love of and devotion to Jesus Christ truly present in the Blessed Sacrament,  we as individuals and as a parish family have a unique opportunity to give our time to the One who gave His life for us!

                                   

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

A Little Polish Goes A Long Way

Dear Parishioners,

My family heritage is Polish-American.  My paternal grandfather journeyed here from Suwałki, Poland (northeast corner, near Lithuania) in the early 1900’s.  My parents spoke Polish and as a child I picked up words and phrases but never became anywhere near fluent.  I regret that now more than ever.  I knew things like dzień dobry (good morning), dziękuję (thank you), smacznego (the Polish version of bon appétit) and one other phrase that proved to be the most important of all.

I had been to Poland on two occasions.  When I was there (late 80’s, early 90’s) people would inevitably greet priests with this phrase:  Niech będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus! (Praised be Jesus Christ!).  I quickly learned the response: Na wieki wieków. Amen.  (Now and forever.  Amen.)  At the time everybody there seemed to use this phrase with the priests.  The phrase was committed to memory.  (Never know when it would come in handy.)

In July, 1992 I journeyed with a group to Rome and Vatican City.  We had tickets for a general audience with the pope in Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.  People told me to get as close to the aisle as possible because the pope would walk down the aisle and greet the people there.  The best I could do was third person from the aisle.  However, I had two things going for me:  1) I stand 6’6” tall and have a great reach.  2) I knew “the” phrase.

Pope John Paul II (the Great) came down the aisle to thunderous applause.  The audience hall was energized immediately.  As he approached me I stood on top of the seat.  Now I was really, really tall!

In 1979 I had previously missed the opportunity to shake the pope’s hand when he came to St. Charles Borromeo Seminary (Philadelphia) where I was a student.  As I got within a few feet of him there in St. Martin’s Chapel, the secret service got even closer and ran interference.

I was not going to miss him this time!  When the pope was what I thought near enough, I shouted out “the” phrase:  Niech będzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus!  He heard "the" phrase and came over to me!  He looked me in the eyes.  I could see how unbelievably blue his eyes were—like looking into the sky (or perhaps heaven).

The best I could do with all of the pushing and shoving of the crowd was to extend my left hand as far as I could.  I know what they taught me about which hand to use when shaking hands.  Now I was using the wrong hand to shake with Pope John Paul II (see photo above).

We looked at each other.  He squeezed my hand.  Nothing else was said.  I secretly hoped that he would not say anything back to me in Polish.  Starting a conversation in a language that you are not fluent in can be dangerous.  Could I use Bobby Vinton’s phrase:  moja droga ja cię kocham? (My dear I love you.)  Doesn’t seem right to say to a pope.

Standing on a seat three persons away in a crowd is not really conducive to a detailed conversation anyway.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

PS: Moja droga, ja cię kocham!