Avoiding the Pitfalls of Pelagius

Dear Parishioners,

One of the heresies of the early church was called Pelagianism.  It was named for Pelagius, who was thought to have been either a British or Irish monk (an aesthetic), living around the late 4^th or early 5^th century.  His teachings were opposed by St. Augustine and were officially condemned by the Council of Carthage (418-9).   One core error associated with his teaching was the belief that human beings can earn salvation by their own efforts, unaided by God’s grace.  Essentially, the heresy can be remembered this way:  “I can do it all by myself.  I don’t really need God’s help!”

Sometimes people may think similarly about salvation in our contemporary society.  Perhaps there are those who think that if we do enough good deeds, accumulate enough “brownie points” before God, then He has to let us into heaven.  After all, we earned it!  How often have we heard a list of accomplishments—a curriculum vitae—at various occasions indicating how much a person has achieved in his or her life?  Do we really think that we will hand God our resume, show Him our multiple academic degrees or inform Him of our lifelong accomplishments so that we will be let us into Heaven to share eternal life with Him?

The primary focus regarding salvation can never be on us, but has to be on Jesus.  He suffered and died for our salvation.  His death on the cross is the means by which our sins are forgiven and we are given the glorious possibility of eternal life.  It’s really all about Jesus, and not all about us!  Moreover, every good work of ours has its origin in God’s grace, is sustained by God’s grace and is brought to completion with God’s grace.  Yes, we still retain our free-will—but we never do it all alone, like some rugged individual.

Sadly, a typical situation in which this Pelagian thinking manifests itself is in our funeral rites.  The term used today reveals a lot:  the celebration of life memorials!  The focus here is presumably on what the person has done, and not on what Jesus has done for us.  (I unfortunately anticipate that there is going to be some pushback in this regard!)  During funerals, there necessarily has to be an emphasis on Christian hope—with all its encouragement—given to us who are left behind.  This is because Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (see Col. 1:18 or Rev. 1:5). 

However, we can never become so overly presumptuous as to place a person in Heaven automatically.  Only God Himself reads the heart, knows the person’s motivation and understands the human person so completely as to be the ultimate judge of anyone’s salvation.  Jesus died for us sinners, and we need to ask for His forgiveness and mercy for our deceased.  We should never deprive anyone of our prayers and Masses, offered for their eternal salvation.  The Catholic Church’s teaching on purgatory, a period of cleansing or purification before Heaven, can be of great consolation in this matter when it is properly understood.

No, I can’t do it all by myself.  I need Jesus.  I need His grace.  I need His unconditional love, His mercy and His forgiveness—more now than ever!

Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor

St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo

"Doctor of Grace"

Preaching the Sunday Homily

Dear Parishioners,

As I write, I am attending our annual Presbyteral Convocation in Avalon.  This meeting of our priests serves a number of purposes:  it renews our priestly fraternity in union with our bishop, it allows us to relax, to reflect and to pray, and it gives us various opportunities to be informed and updated.  This year the main topic of our conferences is preaching.  There is an emphasis on the effective communication of the Word of God, especially during the Sunday homily.

When thinking about this vital task of every priest, I believe that it may be insightful if I tell my own story.  I used to think (as a child and a teenager) that it would be okay to be a priest—except for the part about speaking in public.  I am quiet, shy and introverted by nature and did not have a lot of self-confidence whenever I had to talk in front of others.  This doesn’t exactly bode well if you may have to preach to others on a regular basis.

God certainly has a sense of humor!  What exactly is it that I have spent most of my life doing?  Try teaching in a classroom in front of teenagers and preaching in front of a congregation on a daily basis!

I remember the first homily that I gave as a deacon at Mass.  I had been up all night tossing and turning, so nervous about the task ahead of me.  When Mass began, I had to make a decision.  I could read what I had written from a text verbatim or I could preach (without reading from the text) from my heart.  With the second choice, I would take the chance of freezing up, of forgetting what I was supposed to say and of possibly looking like a fool.  Maybe I should be a fool for Christ (see 1 Cor. 4:10)?  I chose to go without reading the prepared text and stepped up in front of the altar.  I said a simple, spontaneous prayer which I continue to say each and every time I preach:  “Lord, touch my lips that I may touch people’s hearts.”  The rest is history.

Lest people ever think that there is not some vital preparation for my Sunday homily each week, I begin with prayer and a reading of the Sacred Scriptures.  Then I look to some biblical commentary to shed some light on the text itself.  I think of stories, events or examples to make the biblical text come alive and then try to apply it to contemporary situations or events.  In the entire process, I am open to the Holy Spirit to guide me to speak the words that God wants the congregation to hear.

It’s always a challenge to stay fresh, to be interesting and not to seem repetitive.  It is sometimes intimidating to preach the Gospel in season and out of season (see 2 Tm. 4:2), when the message is popular and when it goes against the tide in society.

Most importantly, the Gospel of Christ, when preached in all of its richness and purity, is truly life-giving!  To a world that is hungering for truth, direction, meaning and purpose, the Gospel has the answers!  Together with the Holy Eucharist, it fills the hungers of the human heart.

I will try to do my best to preach it to you accurately, with love and conviction, as God’s Word to us!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor           

It Isn’t Christmas Yet!

Dear Parishioners,

A couple of weeks ago, on my day off, I went out to dinner with my mom.  Afterwards, we planned to see a movie.  We had some time before the show would begin, and we decided to stop into one of the local department stores to browse.  Lo and behold, I couldn’t believe it!  Christmas decorations! Christmas displays!  Christmas presents!  It was still September!  It was hot outside!  We had been to the beach earlier that day!  I had been in a bathing suit that afternoon soaking up the sun!  Unbelievable!  Simply unbelievable!

Our society is so obviously driven by an intense consumer mentality indicative of a world focused on materialism—things, things and more things!  Buy this product!  You need this beauty aid to look good!  This car will tell everyone how important you are!  This latest smart phone is worth standing outside all night long to purchase!  If you don’t wear these athletic shoes you will not excel among all the competition!  You absolutely must give her this piece of jewelry to tell her how important she is to you!  This television . . . this computer . . . this beer . . .  this candy . . .  this toy . . . will make your dreams come true, will satisfy your every longing, will make you the perfect person, will tell him how much you love him, will show everyone that you understand what it means to enjoy life.

Will it really?  Rather, it will probably just increase the amount of debt that you owe on your credit cards.

Instead, should we not treasure the person over the thing?  Isn’t the time that we can spend listening, helping, consoling, encouraging, teaching, etc., much more valuable than the things we could ever give to someone?  In the end, what do we actually take with us when we die?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing from this material world!

Before Christmas actually arrives, our society celebrates occasions like Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Then the Church asks us to observe the four weeks of Advent in preparation for Christmas.  When Christmas arrives we have an octave (8 days) to celebrate it and an entire season to enjoy it!  (You can tell when you are actually in the Christmas season itself because everything about Christmas is removed from the stores, the after-Christmas sales are over, no more Christmas music is played, the decorations and trees come down, and the focus is on Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Easter!)

All of the stress on things (which can cause a considerable amount of stress in our lives) can eclipse the more important spiritual matters to which we need to be more attentive—the Incarnation and Nativity of Jesus, the Son of God.  This eclipse will happen, however,  only if we let it! 

I’m sorry for ranting and raving here.  I guess there’s just a few things that I had to get off my chest.  Normally, I wouldn’t be writing about Christmas this far ahead of time—in  October.

But I decided to mention these matters before the Easter baskets are put on display.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Remembering Fr. Benedict

Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR  (1933-2014)

Dear Parishioners,

On October 3^rd, the vigil of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, CFR, returned to the Lord at the age of 81.  Many people might remember him from his weekly TV appearances on EWTN, from the numerous books that he wrote or from the many talks or retreats that he gave during his life.

Fr. Groeschel was a true character.  He hailed from Jersey City (which he often compared to “purgatory”) and continually spoke of and witnessed to his love and concern for the poor.  He was most at home with the downtrodden, outcasts and the poorest of the poor.  His unique sense of humor carried him through life, including his ability to poke fun at himself.  (I still remind people of his saying that there are “no U-Hauls in a funeral procession—you can’t take it with you!”)

I attended a number of priest retreats with Fr. Benedict as the Retreat Master at Trinity Retreat House in Larchmont, NY.  As a seminarian at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary, he gave the annual retreat during one of my years there.  He spoke to the priests of our diocese at one of our annual convocations.  I recall his regular presence at the annual March for Life in Washington, DC.  I read his books, listened to his tapes and CD’s, and watched his videos and TV shows.  I certainly admired his love for and fidelity to the Catholic Church.

Leaving the Capuchin Franciscan Friars (OFM Cap) in 1987, Fr. Benedict helped found the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR) because of a desire to embrace poverty more completely.  This new order sought renewal and reform within the Catholic Church by their evangelical witness.  They currently number approximately 120 friars.

Fr. Benedict was hit by a car in 2004.  The trauma of the accident triggered a heart attack and he nearly died.  Remarkably, against all odds, he recovered and assumed many of his former duties.  However, in 2009, at the age of 75, he had a stroke which once again slowed him down by affecting his cognitive abilities and speech.

His legacy of charity, scholarship and other good works (with too many accomplishments to list here) was tarnished and overshadowed by a faux pas in 2012 in a newspaper interview in which he defended some sexual abusers and seemingly blamed the victims.  He subsequently apologized for his statement and any harm that was done by it.  Unfortunately, the incident became widespread in the media and the damage to his reputation was done.  A lifetime of good work was somehow eclipsed by this unfortunate incident.

May our prayers be with you Fr. Benedict.

 

I’m sure that you’ll survive purgatory okay after working in the Bronx and growing up in Jersey City!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

St. Francis of Assisi

Married? How’s your Relationship?

Dear Parishioners,

When I was newly ordained, a couple from my parish asked me to go on a Marriage Encounter Weekend.  As you might expect, my first reaction was somewhat puzzled.  I am obviously not married.  What would be the benefit of me attending such a weekend?

Over a quarter of a century later, I can honestly say that this experience (and its aftermath) had one of the most profound and lasting effects on me as a person and on my priestly ministry.  This is probably not something that I would have chosen to do myself.  It would certainly not even be on my “radar screen.”  Yet, what happened as a result can only be described as life-changing.  And it was thanks to a couple who simply invited me to try such an experience.

For approximately twenty-seven years, I have been presenting the Marriage Encounter Weekend usually twice a year.  Together with a team of three couples, we present a series of talks to couples (and sometimes to priests and religious) with the goal of making good marriages better.  The Marriage Encounter Weekend is not primarily designed for troubled marriages.  It is meant to open up the lines of communication between husband and wife in what is essentially a private experience between the husband and wife.

What it did for me personally was help me understand married couples (and their families) better, help me open up lines of communication, help me better understand my relationship to the Church—the Body of Christ--and also to understand my feelings.  Feelings, in particular, are not something most men know how to deal with or choose to deal with at all

Ladies, have you ever felt that your husband sometimes doesn’t seem to understand you?  Guys, are your wives sometimes still a mystery to you in many ways?  Do you both ever wonder if there is more to life than what you are currently experiencing?  Then maybe it’s time to try a Marriage Encounter Weekend.  You can be newly-married or married for fifty years.  It does not matter.  The weekend can help to make any marriage better.

If you are married and desire more for your marriage, I invite you to consider attending such a weekend.  The next two weekends that I am scheduled to present are October 17, 18 and 19, 2014 and December 5, 6 and 7, 2014 (beginning on Friday evening) at the Golden Inn Hotel and Resort in Avalon.  For further information, you can check out the South Jersey Worldwide Marriage Encounter website (http://wwme-southjersey.org) or call (609) 742-4035.

Many people are afraid of the unknown, afraid of change or may not want to “rock the boat.”  I invite you, and ask you to suggest to your spouse the possibility of attending a Marriage Encounter Weekend. 

I can only tell you from experience that it indeed has life-changing possibilities!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Why a "Second Collection" Each Week?

Dear Parishioners,

The question has been raised to me at various times asking why our parish has a weekly second collection.  Let me take a few moments to explain.

Some collections are simply beyond our control.  They are mandated by the diocese for special causes.  These include the collections for the Church in Central and Eastern Europe, the Catholic Communication Collection, the Retired Religious Special Collection, the Pro-Life Collection, and the Catholic University of America Collection, to name a few.

Then there are times when an unexpected and unplanned need arises and the Bishop asks for our assistance.  The collection to help the Brothers of the Hospitaller Order of St. John of God with the Ebola virus outbreak in Africa, or the collection to help the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines last year (2013) are such examples.

At other times we work with missionaries who make an appeal on behalf of their religious order or their diocese.  Fr. Wilson Paulose recently spoke to our parish on behalf of the people of India and the Diocese of Berhampur in which he works.  The second collection that week went to the missions in India.

 

Locally, we have used the money from this second collection to help with necessary maintenance, repairs and improvements to our grounds and buildings above and beyond what our budget would normally allow.  Have you noticed how recently five ceiling fans have been added to the nave of the church (which circulate the air in the warmer months but, more importantly, will keep the heat down—because heat rises—in the cold months).  Have you noticed that the interior church walls have been repaired and painted, and that the front church doors and exterior pillars are currently being repaired and painted?

What are some of our future needs (for which we could earmark some of our second collections)?  You probably realize that the cornerstone of the church building reads 1956 and I suspect that some of the repairs that we anticipate are a result of the age of this building (nearly 60 years old).

   

Our sound system is old and on its last leg.  While it is currently working, you might notice a black cord that runs discreetly across the sanctuary because the altar microphone died earlier this year.  Our body mic (which the deacon and priests sometimes wear) and handheld mics all need to be replaced.  The amplifier in the sacristy is old (and, incidentally, I am told is borrowed from the man who repairs it).  These repairs/replacements will necessitate a few thousand dollars to do properly.

Next, the heating and air-conditioning chillers (the green, rectangular boxes under the windows) are in need of cleaning and refurbishing.  Needless to say, they are far from energy efficient.  The estimated cost of doing all of these is in the tens of thousands of dollars.

We help subsidize St. Joseph Regional School.  In fact, every parish in the diocese, whether they have a school or not, is required to subsidize some regional Catholic elementary school.  Wouldn’t a special second collection to help with our parish subsidy seem appropriate?  Our current subsidy is about forty-four thousand dollars per year.

Then there is always the unforeseen.  Our current parish savings is approximately forty thousand dollars.  One unforeseen, major repair could wipe that out instantly!

Quite frankly, I wish I never had to take up a second collection.  I wish everyone would electronically tithe each week and we could eliminate most second collections.  (Electronic giving would help us to plan better and to be more assured of a regular source of income.)  I wish more than a quarter of our population went to church each week.  (Those of you reading this column in the bulletin are probably not the ones I actually need to reach.  Thanks for your ongoing support!)  I wish, I wish, I wish!

Until I find the genie in the bottle to grant these wishes, I guess a second collection each week is painfully necessary.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Parish News and Information

Dear Parishioners,

First of all, at the request of Bishop Sullivan and on behalf of the Diocese of Camden our parish will be hosting a young man desiring to be a seminarian (and ultimately a priest) for our diocese.  Mr. Anthony Infanti will live at the rectory and will be working in our parish in various capacities:  visiting the sick in the hospital as well as the homebound, helping in the school, assisting with our religious education program, reading and serving at Mass, and various other tasks.  Please welcome and prayerfully support Anthony so that he will one day serve as a priest in our diocese.

Next, I remind everyone to keep in mind our three basic goals as we strive for the renewal of our parish:  love God, love your neighbor and make disciples.  We will be working to create a welcoming atmosphere, attempt to provide good liturgical music while our priests and deacon will strive to deliver insightful, thought-provoking homilies primarily based on each Sunday’s readings.

I certainly hope that all Catholics would realize the importance of weekly Mass attendance.  The desire to hear the Word of God proclaimed and preached, and a longing for Jesus, the Bread of Life should be at the heart of a Catholic’s spirituality.  Quite frankly, there is nothing more important for parish life and for the life of the universal Church than attendance at and participation during Mass.  I was reminded by today’s reading for daily Mass (Luke 4: 16-30) how Jesus “went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day.”  If it was important for Jesus to have this custom, then shouldn't this be our practice with our Mass attendance?

We continually request volunteers to help around the parish.  There are needs at various Masses for readers, servers, ushers, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and choir members / leaders of song.  Perhaps you can help clean the church, join a service or fundraising committee, oversee parking during weekend Masses, teach religious education, or volunteer your gifts and talents in some other capacity?

A pastor with the clergy and religious can help set the tone for a parish.  Yet, the heart of any parish is its people.  The more prayerful and dedicated we all are to Jesus Christ, the stronger and more vibrant this (or any) parish will be.  The fruit of prayer will be the various good works that will be both inspired and accomplished with God’s grace.

I realize all too well that I can’t do anything without the grace of God and your support.  I hope that you recognize that I hate asking for money, but I comprehend all too well that we can’t pay our bills, maintain our buildings and grounds or continue our many programs without it.  Please be as generous as your means allow.

As our regional school reopens and the presence of our youth once again becomes a daily occurrence, please pray for our students and their teachers, and the administration and staff.

May we work together to build the Kingdom of God!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor     

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

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

"Pray" Like a Champion Today

Inside the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Notre Dame University

Dear Parishioners,

Last week I had the opportunity to be present at a workshop specifically designed for pastors who have a Catholic school in their parish.  The School Pastors’ Institute (SPI) was held at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana.  Over one hundred priests attended, four coming from our Diocese of Camden.  Our diocesan priests attended at the request of Bishop Dennis Sullivan.

There were some exceptional speakers during the week covering topics like the relationship of the pastor and the principal, funding Catholic schools, the mission and “Catholic” identity of a Catholic school, school tuition vouchers, multiculturalism in the schools—just to identify some of the various issues being discussed during the conferences.

I was particularly impressed by the two bishops presenting at the conference:  Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange, California and Bishop Frank Caggiano of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut.  Both bishops showed tremendous support for and expounded on the value of Catholic schools in our contemporary society.  By the end of the week I was once again convinced that Catholic schools are as relevant today as when people like St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. John Neumann worked to establish them earlier in the history of this nation.

Why should we support our Catholic schools—in particular, St. Joseph Regional School?  Is it because of the excellent education?  Is it for the discipline?  Is it because of the morals and values instilled?  Is it because of the “family” atmosphere? 

Yes, and . . .

Most importantly, it is the simple fact that we, as Catholics, are commanded to pass on our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations . . . .” (Mt. 28: 19)  We need to make disciples.  A Catholic education is an education of the whole person—body, mind and soul/spirit.  We can pray and worship, teach and study the faith, put our faith into action (service) and freely incorporate our belief in Jesus Christ into each and every part of the educational day.  We can form people to be “Christ-like.”  Admittedly, no Catholic school is perfect because they involve imperfect human beings at the various levels.  However, I know of no better way for a person/family to be formed, supported and educated in their Catholic faith—to be made disciples—than by a Catholic school true to its mission and identity.

While at Notre Dame, I saw how each dorm had a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament present throughout the academic year.  A priest lives in the dorms with the students.  There is a seminary forming future priests on campus.  All around the campus are the many reminders of everything Catholic—from the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes (where people were constantly at prayer), to the various religious statues, paintings and stained-glass windows, to the magnificent basilica at the heart of the campus.  (There is also the famous “Touchdown Jesus” on the library building facing the football stadium.)

While many may follow the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame because of their renowned football team, deep down it is the Catholic education and spiritual formation offered there and at any Catholic school that can leave the lasting legacy on any person.

After all, our true “goal” in life is to get into heaven.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor      

(P.S., I got to touch the Play Like a Champion Today sign in the locker room!)

The Word of Life by Millard Sheets

Commonly referred to as "Touchdown Jesus"