Dealing with Change

Dear Parishioners,

People have asked me at various times why our priests are moved so often.  They say that just when they are getting used to a particular person, then he is transferred to another assignment. 

In the past, some of our diocesan priests spent a long time at one assignment.  Msgr. Joseph Stoerlein, who died this past year and was previously assigned to St. Joseph Church, had been pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Vineland for 32 years.  Chances are we will not see a similar situation again with the policy that is currently in place in the Diocese of Camden.  Pastors can usually expect to spend a term of six years at a particular assignment with the possibility of being renewed for another six years.  While there are sometimes exceptions made, this is now the common expectation.

Regarding parochial vicars (associate pastors) and various special assignments like hospital chaplains or teachers, the duration of assignment can vary widely.  I had been in the education apostolate for 20 years prior to coming here.  Fr. Larry Polansky was with us just about two years as hospital chaplain.

Now our parish faces additional changes.  With the reassignment of Fr. Larry to St. Peter Church in Merchantville, some adjustments had to be made.  Fr. Christopher Onyeneke, who is one of the Missionaries of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary (M.SS.CC.) from Linwood, will serve part-time as hospital chaplain and part-time as my parochial vicar.  Fr. Christopher is from Nigeria and will officially begin on August 1^st.  We welcome him to St. Joseph Church!

Additionally, Fr. Alvaro Diaz who is serving the Hispanic community both in Ocean City and here in Somers Point (as well as assisting with some Masses in English), will no longer be assigned to St. Joseph Church as of August 1^st.  The simple truth is that our parish cannot afford the salary/benefits of two part-time priests without depleting the remainder of our meager savings.  Fr. Alvaro will continue to live and minister at St. Damien Parish in Ocean City.

Our seminarian, Mr. Anthony Infante, will leave us in the beginning of August to continue his studies at Seton Hall University.

On behalf of our parish, I extend my thanks to Fr. Alvaro and to Anthony for the time that they spent at St. Joseph Church.  Our prayers and best wishes are with them as they continue doing the Lord’s work.

We must all remember that we are on a pilgrimage through life while here on this earth.  Our true home is intended to be in Heaven with God.  The many changes that we experience in life remind us constantly that we are not meant to be here forever.  Christians should not become too complacent with their situation in this life.  Recall a parable from the Gospel:

Then (Jesus) told them a parable. “There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest. He asked himself, ‘What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?’ And he said, ‘This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?  Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”  (Lk, 12: 16-21)

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Making the Same Mistakes . . . or Even Worse

Dear Parishioners,

It was the 20th century philosopher and author George Santayana who is noted for the quote:

 “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

All of us who are Christians as well as our spiritual ancestors, the Jewish people, are able to refer to sacred, inspired texts—the Torah or the Holy Bible—reminding us of important lessons from salvation history.  These lessons of Scripture are timeless and must be understood as relevant for every age because God’s truth never becomes insignificant or out-of-date.

At various times in the history of the Jewish people, the covenant with God was broken.  The people worshipped false gods, led immoral lives and failed to heed the warnings of the prophets.  Because of their rebelliousness, they often paid a most severe price.  They were exiled from their land, enslaved or even killed.

In the Second Book of Kings (Chapter 22 f.), we read of the reign of King Josiah (641-609 BC) and how the Book of the Law was rediscovered in the Temple during his time. Unfortunately, the people had become oblivious to their obligations concerning the covenant with God. “When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his garments.” (2 Kg. 22: 11)  The tearing of one’s clothes is an ancient tradition among the Jews, and it is associated with mourning, grief, and loss.  The King realized that he and his people had not been living up to the covenant and he feared the consequences of their infidelity.  He began a series of religious reforms.  He set himself to the task of cleansing the land from idolatry.  He wanted to make it right again before God.

Why do I make reference to this story?

I think that if we forget to draw upon the teachings of the inspired Word of God, we will repeat the mistakes of the past and wind up suffering the consequences of our actions.  We have to remain faithful to our part of the covenant with God.  This covenant with God has to be seen through the Person of Jesus Christ.  . . . For this is the chalice of my Blood, the Blood of the New and Eternal Covenant . . . .  We hear these words of consecration at every Mass.  Jesus established this covenant and sealed it in His own Blood.

Are we faithful to the covenant or have we abandoned it?  Are we committed to worshipping the true God?  Do we seriously keep His commands?  Do we know and live the words of Sacred Scripture?  Do we pray daily?  Do we buy into the ways of the world around us and wind up compromising our Christian values?  Do we seek to do the will of God in our lives?

The call of the prophets was for the people to return to the Lord and to be faithful to the covenant with God.

Be modern-day prophets and get this word out to the people around us!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Losing a Friend

Fr. Lange at his priesthood ordination (1986)

Dear Parishioners,

I received some bad news yesterday (5/4/15).  One of my close priest-friends from my seminary days died.  Fr. Robert Lange, a priest of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, had been suffering with cancer for some time now.  His bladder was removed last year.  The cancer continued to spread and his chemotherapy was eventually discontinued.  Fortunately, I was able to spend some time with him on a few occasions prior to his death.  May he rest in peace.

I met Fr. Lange at Mt. St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland.  We were different in so many ways.  He was from Richmond, Virginia with a bit of a southern drawl (“sho nuff, y’all”).  He reminded me on various occasions that the Civil War was more correctly referred to as the war of northern aggression down South.  He entered the seminary later in life, after he left a real estate job.  He admittedly led a wild life in his younger days as explained in a book that he wrote in 2013, Windows into the Life of a Priest (available from Loreto Publications).

There are a few events from my travels with Fr. Lange that will be forever etched in my mind.  The most notable was a time when we both almost drown in the Atlantic Ocean off Sandbridge Beach, Virginia.  I have written and spoken of this experience on numerous occasions.  I really thought that I was going to die.  I probably would have if it were not for some miraculous intervention by what might have truly been my guardian angel. You can find this story on my blog:  www.fr-ed-namiotka.com/2011/04/facing-death.html.

Fr. Lange convinced me to join him on a trip to Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina (formerly Yugoslavia) back in the 1980’s.  We met and talked to all the visionaries.  While I respectfully yield to any official decision made by the Catholic Church on the authenticity of the alleged apparitions occurring there, I did witness some great acts of faith, some strange phenomena and numerous powerful conversions in the confessional during my time there.  Fr. Lange was greatly devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

While we did not visit frequently because of the distance between us, whenever we got together it was like we never missed a beat.  We picked up wherever we left off.  Priests—especially those who were in the seminary together—share a special bond that no one else can quite understand.  We heard this mysterious call from God, answered it, and once ordained, are privileged to minister to God’s people in persona Christi.

I visited Fr. Lange prior to Easter.   I suspected that it may be the last time that I would talk to him or see him alive on this earth.  So did he.  His words to me before I left were simple.  He assured me that he will be there to greet me on the day I die. 

I’m sure he will be.  I look forward to that day. 

Just not right away.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Fr. Lange in Medjugorje

Weekend (Parish) Update

Dear Parishioners,

I write this week to update you on some of the current happenings at St. Joseph Church.

First, during his visit here on Holy Thursday, Bishop Dennis Sullivan officially re-accepted Mr. Anthony Infanti as a candidate for the priesthood for the Diocese of Camden.  Anthony will continue his seminary training at the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ.  Anthony will remain at our parish until later this summer when he will begin his theology classes.  In the meantime, Anthony has been given permission to give some reflections during daily Mass.  While this is not officially a homily as a priest or deacon gives, these reflections will be part of Anthony’s preparation for the very important task of preaching in the future.  Anthony also represented our parish as he ran in the iRace for Vocations 5K last Sunday in Sewell, NJ.

Next, we are in the midst of some very important sacraments for our young people.  Confirmation of our youth (and one adult) was conferred by Bishop Sullivan on April 18^th.  We congratulate our students on completing their sacraments of initiation.  This weekend, as well as last, we are privileged to see our children receive their First Holy Communion (during the 5:30 pm Saturday and 10 & 11:45 am Masses on Sunday).  The large number of children is a very positive sign for the future.  I take this opportunity to remind parents that they are the first and (hopefully) the best teachers of their children in the matters of our Catholic faith.  It is the parents’ responsibility to be sure that their children attend Mass weekly, go to the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation (confession) on a regular basis, pray in the home, be taught to love God and our neighbor, etc.  There is nothing more important than the imparting of our faith in Jesus Christ to our children.

Our parish business manager, Ellen Hyatt, has decided to lessen her workload and retire from the parish portion of her job.  She will continue to work for the elementary school, as needed.  We are currently accepting applications to fill this part-time position.  Applications can be sent to me via the parish office.  We thank Ellen for her hard work and dedication to our parish over the years.

Fr. Alfred Onyutha, who was assigned to St. Joseph Parish a few years ago, is celebrating his 25^th anniversary as a priest this year.  Coming from Uganda, Africa (Catholic Diocese of Nebbi) he has only minimal friends and family here from his home country to help him commemorate this milestone.  Fr. Al will be the main celebrant at the 11:45 am Mass on Sunday, May 24, followed by some light refreshments (courtesy of our Knights of Columbus).  Please come to be a part of Fr. Al’s family away from home as we pray and celebrate with him.

Finally, in case you are wondering about the status of our parish pastoral council, it was unfortunately put on a back burner temporarily.  My hope is that it will be functioning soon.  I will keep the parish informed of any progress.

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I continue to seek the Lord’s strength and guidance as your pastor.  In my weakness, sinfulness and sometimes disorganization, God somehow mysteriously uses me and works through me.  Miracles never cease.  I am living proof.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Fr. Alfred Onyutha and me

“Who Do People Say that I Am?”

Dear Parishioners,

Now Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi.  Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” (Mk. 8:27)

At a certain point during his ministry Jesus asked His disciples what people thought about Him.  I’m pretty sure He was not concerned about public opinion in a manner that a politician might question his or her current approval rating.  He, more than likely, wanted to know if people (including his disciples) understood that He was the Christ—the long awaited messiah.  Peter seemed to get it right—“You are the Messiah.” (Mk. 8:29)—but unfortunately was not able to keep to this conviction when the pressure of persecution surrounded him.  Others who may have perceived Jesus as messiah might have had a distorted concept of what the messiah was actually supposed to be.  Certainly, he was not to be a suffering messiah.

 

I am pretty sure Jesus knew who He was and understood His purpose in this life.

 

Unfortunately, people still question, comment on and speculate about Jesus’ identity.  Some see him as a prophet, a wise teacher, a holy man or a philosopher.  Others will proclaim His true divinity like the centurion at the foot of the cross, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mk. 15:30) or the apostle Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn. 20:28).

We all must question who Jesus is at some point or another.  Christians believe that He is the Son of God, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity.  Therefore, what He has to say matters more than any mere philosopher, teacher, or holy person.   Bold statements in Scripture affirm Jesus divine authority:

“I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6) 

“Again the high priest asked him and said to him, “Are you the Messiah, the son of the Blessed One?”  Then Jesus answered, “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’” (Mk. 14: 61-62)

"They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.  Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him.  After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.  When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”  Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.  Who but God alone can forgive sins?”   Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?  Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?   But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”—he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”  He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone.  They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.” (Mk. 2: 3-12)

Bluntly stated, we cannot remain simply indifferent about Jesus and His teaching.  Even worse, we are making serious, potentially deadly mistakes (grave sin) when we knowingly defy His ultimate authority and teaching as the Son of God.  

Jesus’ words and teaching are life-giving.  He came to save us from eternal death.  He died for our sins and our salvation.

  

Jesus is Lord, God and Savior.  

Other lesser designations or descriptions are woefully deficient.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Guess Who’s Coming for (Holy Thursday) Supper?

Dear Parishioners,

I received a call recently from Bishop Dennis Sullivan’s priest-secretary, Fr. Michael Romano, informing me that our bishop desires to celebrate the Holy Thursday Mass in our parish.  Naturally, I welcomed the opportunity and invited the bishop (and his entourage) to dinner at the rectory beforehand.

A priest or deacon necessarily works in conjunction with his bishop.  The bishop is the chief shepherd—chief teacher, preacher, administrator—of the diocese.  We pray for him (and the pope) by name at every Mass celebrated in his diocese.  We look to him for guidance and direction as the chief spiritual leader of our local (diocesan) church.  We know all too well that bishops are imperfect sinners like the rest of us, and they need our continual prayers to assist them in the difficult task of shepherding God’s flock.

F. Y. I., Bishop Sullivan is also scheduled to be with us to administer the Sacrament of Confirmation on Saturday, April 18^th at 10 AM and 1 PM.  (Just a reminder: there will be no 8:30 AM Mass that Saturday morning.)

Holy Thursday is a most important day for priests.  We commemorate it as the day the Holy Eucharist was instituted—the first Mass, so to speak.  Also, we realize the intimate connection between the ministerial (ordained) priesthood and the Holy Eucharist:

The intrinsic relationship between the Eucharist and the sacrament of Holy Orders clearly emerges from Jesus' own words in the Upper Room: "Do this in memory of me" (Lk 22:19).   On the night before he died, Jesus instituted the Eucharist and at the same time established the priesthood of the New Covenant . . . .   The Church teaches that priestly ordination is the indispensable condition for the valid celebration of the Eucharist.  Indeed, "in the ecclesial service of the ordained minister, it is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, High Priest of the redemptive sacrifice." Sacramentum Caritatis, Pope Benedict XVI

Additionally, we are reminded of our call to Christian charity and service as Jesus’ disciples by the foot-washing ceremony (mandatum).  As Jesus washed the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper (John 13: 1-20)—something only a Jewish slave would do—we are given a command or mandate to Christian charity and service, in imitation of him.

Finally, we are given time at the conclusion of Mass to keep watch with Christ (see Mt. 26: 36-46), truly present in the Holy Eucharist at a side altar-shrine in the repository.

Please try to join us for this Mass (Thursday, April 2 at 7 PM), as well as the liturgy on Good Friday (April 3 at 3 PM) and for the Easter Vigil (Saturday, April 4 at 8 PM).

Holy Week and its ceremonies are especially beautiful and grace-filled.  Please come!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Bishop Dennis Sullivan

  

50 Shades of "Insanity"

Dear Parishioners,

No, I did not read the book.  No, I have no intention of seeing the movie.  Really, I would rather not bring attention to this insanity at all.  However, before viewing another film (The Imitation Game) on a recent guys night out, the trailer for a soon-to-be released—just in time for Valentine’s Day!—movie appeared.  The coming attractions for 50 Shades of Grey, in and of themselves, made me quite nauseous.  This trailer unfortunately led me to investigate things that I would rather not even think about—ever.

I read a synopsis of the book.  I discovered that it was part of a trilogy.  I had to put  together only a few pieces of the puzzle to realize that I was dealing with the glorification of abusive relationships and extreme sexual perversion.  I was encountering things so dark and demeaning, so sexually distorted and offensive that I dare not describe them here.  Ironic, isn’t it, how President Obama and a victim of sexual abuse, Brooke Axtell, recently appeared during this year’s Grammy Awards to denounce violence against women?  Meanwhile, a novel like 50 Shades of Grey sells over 100 million copies worldwide and is translated into 52 languages.  Global insanity?  You betcha.

Today’s culture has so many radical distortions of the true beauty and meaning of human sexuality.  Do we remember at all that God is the author of life and of the very manner in which we reproduce?  Sex is part of His plan and it is holy and good in its proper context—marriage. 

What’s the big fuss about sexuality, Father?  The Church needs to stay out of the bedroom!  After all, you priests are part of the problem!  Clean up you own act first!

Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa. (Sin is still sin no matter who commits it.)

The crux of the problem, as I see it, is that the bedroom is far from private these days.  It is literally in our faces.  It is seen explicitly on television, On Demand, in the movies, in books and magazines, on the internet, etc., etc.—in the most graphic and obscene ways.  More and more perversion, deeper and deeper darkness, the glorification of sin and recreational sex, no traditional moral guidelines, further and further down the rabbit hole . . . .  How bad is it going to get?  I thought that we hit rock bottom years ago!  Foolish me.  (And it severely damages the entire culture—including its priests and religious.  We do happen to live in the same world, don’t we?)         

   

A few years ago, when I talked to a Trappist monk, Fr. John Eudes Bamberger, OCSO, the retired Abbot of the Abbey of the Genesee (Piffard, NY) while on retreat, he said something to me that I ponder regularly:  “Our world is gravely sick with perversion.”  He was well aware of this fact even from behind the cloistered monastery walls, living as a hermit!  The cancerous cells of sin have a strange way of attacking—seeking to damage and ultimately to kill any and all organs of the body—even within the mystical Body of Christ!  

Ash Wednesday begins another season of Lent.  It is a time of repentance and a call to follow the Gospel.  

Jesus brings sanity and healing to our world.  He brings truth, clarity, and meaning to our lives.

Hopefully, we all will realize it before it’s too late!

Fr. Ed Namiotka, Pastor

An "Unusual" Experience at the Movies

Dear Parishioners,

A well-done work of art has the ability to provoke thought, to inspire, to elevate the mind and the heart, to stimulate the emotions, and to bring out the best in humanity.  This is true whether it is a painting, a song or musical composition, a play, a sculpture, a novel or poem, an architectural wonder or a movie.  There is definite value to good art.

Last night I went with another priest and his dad to see “American Sniper” at the movies.  I don’t pretend to be a film critic, but I can tell you that I thought the film was done superbly.  Five Stars.  It definitely made me think and question.  It pulled at the heartstrings.  It made me realize what soldiers sacrifice to defend our nation and its values.  It detailed the tragedy of war.  It showed us that evil definitely exists in our world.  It made me proud to be an American.  At the end, I witnessed everyone in the theater remaining seated for a few moments speechless in an eerie, deafening silence.  I have seldom experienced this reaction by an entire group of people in a packed theater.

What follows is a synopsis (by Jeremy Wheeler) of the film by director Clint Eastwood.  It is a:

Biopic of Chris Kyle (Bradley Cooper), the most-celebrated sniper in American military history. In the aftermath of 9/11, Kyle decides to serve his country by becoming a Navy SEAL. But with each tour of duty, he grows more detached from his wife and children.

As the story opens, we meet carefree brothers Chris and Jeff (Keir O'Donnell) as they work the Texas rodeo circuit. They're cowboys through and through, and despite being notably older than the usual enlistee, Chris pays a visit to his local recruitment office and decides to become a Navy SEAL. Later, at the firing range, he draws on his hunting lessons with his stern father to become an expert marksman. A booze-fueled barroom chat with pretty brunette Taya (Sienna Miller) soon leads to wedding bells, and following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Kyle is deployed to Iraq for his first tour of duty. There, his reputation as a sniper who never misses makes him a legend among his fellow troops, and earns him the moniker "The Devil of Ramadi" from his enemies.

With a substantial bounty on his head, Kyle makes it his personal mission to take out a sadistic Iraqi soldier known as "The Butcher," as well as an elusive enemy marksman with a skill to rival his own. The closer he gets to achieving his goals during repeat tours of duty, however, the more fellow soldiers he sees die, and the further he drifts from Taya and their two children back home. It all leads up to a tense rooftop gunfight in a raging sandstorm -- one that convinces the sniper once and for all to make his family his top priority. Unfortunately, all is not well as Kyle struggles to make the transition back to civilian life, but he discovers that helping his fellow veterans is an effective way to do good and make peace with his wartime experiences.

If you decide to see the film, I caution that it is not for children or for the faint of heart. War and killing is a very difficult topic to digest, even in our much desensitized world.  We are reminded how every time, place and generation seems to encounter evil as it rears its head over and over and over again.

Personally, I thank God for the brave men and women who defend and protect our nation and who allow us to sleep safely each night.  May we never forget them or the difficult lives that they inevitably face when they choose to serve in our military throughout our troubled world.  

May our prayers always be with you!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

      Chris Kyle

“There is No Vacation from God”

Miami Beach (as seen from the ship)

Dear Parishioners,

As a teacher I told my students hundreds of times that there is no vacation from God—especially during their summer and holiday breaks.  Now I find myself with my mom on a brief Caribbean cruise while trying to maintain some semblance of a prayer life.  Last year I took a cruise while working as a chaplain for the ship.  Mass was built into the daily schedule as an option for the passengers during their cruise vacation on that particular cruise line.  However, this year I am simply another passenger on another cruise line that does not offer their guests the opportunity of a Catholic Mass each day.

Really it is not that big of an issue for my mom and me.  I inevitably pack a small “Mass kit” which enables me to offer Mass no matter where I am.  Mass this past Sunday was celebrated privately in our cabin, as it was the other days of our cruise.  However, I thought about the other guests on board—approximately 4000 of them—and realized that there was no such opportunity for them while at sea to attend even Sunday Mass.  (I did note, however, that an “Episcopalian Mass Service” was listed in the itinerary for Sunday.)

Maybe I’m strange, but if I were not a priest, this would be an important consideration for me as part of my vacation.  I would want to travel where God was not something of an afterthought.  If one cruise line offers a Catholic chaplain daily and another does not, I should probably consider choosing the one offering me the possibility for some spiritual nourishment.  After all, no matter what cruise line, there is inevitably plenty of food to eat, enough excursions to keep a person constantly on the go, entertainment galore, and an immense ship providing just about every amenity that you can imagine.  Would it be too much to ask that a Catholic chaplain be provided as part of the cruise, when possible?  Various cruise lines have obviously found a way to do this since I had participated in such a program just last year.  In fact, I witnessed sincere gratitude by passengers and crew who were both glad that I was there to offer Mass for them.

 

I am also sad to report that I could not locate even an interdenominational chapel on this newest of cruise ships as I have found on other older ships and on other cruise lines.  My current ship boasts of a seemingly endless number of possibilities available to keep a person on the verge of being gluttonous, pampered and entertained.  To me this is a sad indication of the secular, materialistic world in which we live.  Apparently, there is simply no place and very minimal time (if any) for God.

If we want to be a seriously devout, prayerful Catholic (Christian), it involves basic things such as starting and ending each day with prayer, praying during meals, finding sometime during the day to be quiet and reflective, reading the Scriptures, and attending Mass minimally each Saturday evening / Sunday—even on vacation.  I can see, however, how hard it can be even for a priest to maintain something of a prayerful routine while on vacation.

Be assured that even when I am away, you are remembered in my thoughts, prayers and Masses (in the cabin!).

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Making Sense of Holy Days

Dear Parishioners,

With the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception coming up next Monday (December 8th), I thought that this article might be helpful.

“Why do we have to attend Mass some years on a particular holy day, and on other years there is no obligation to attend Mass?”

Holy Days of Obligation often generate confusion and need clarification. In the universal Catholic Church there are ten of these days. However, each individual country is allowed--through its conference of bishops (the USCCB in America)--to decide which days are to be observed and how they are to be observed.

In the USA, the conference of bishops chose to move the observation of a number of these Holy Days to Sunday (such as Corpus Christi and the Epiphany). Still, six are retained on their actual calendar dates:

• January 1--The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
• August 15--The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• 40 days after Easter--The Ascension of Our Lord (Ascension Thursday)
• November 1--All Saints Day
• December 8--The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• December 25--Christmas

What is perhaps one of the most confusing aspects for almost everyone is the question: “why are we obliged to attend Mass some years and not others?” Basically, when the Holy Days fall on a Saturday or a Monday—being so close to Sunday—the bishops of the USA removed the obligation to attend Mass on those days.

This is true except for the Immaculate Conception (the Patroness of the USA) and Christmas. We observe these days no matter when they occur.

[Please note, this year (2014) there is no vigil Mass on Sunday evening for the Immaculate Conception. The evening Mass on Sunday is for the 2nd Sunday of Advent.]

Now that you are thoroughly confused, I want to make a few important points for you to consider.

First, if the universal Catholic Church has considered these days holy, then they deserve our attention, consideration and observance no matter when they occur (or whether or not we are required to attend Mass).

Second, I hate to see people become so legalistic that we are constantly looking to observe the bare minimum that we could possibly do for God. We should develop an attitude of generosity toward God and not an attitude resembling something like a minimum daily requirement. What if God had that type of attitude toward us?

Finally, these holy days should be a reminder for us to try to bring the sacred into our daily routine.

There are so many things that can distract us from God in the world today. Recalling and observing these sacred days and the events that they represent are a good way for us to Christianize our lives, family and world.

I hope to see you in Church at Mass on these days because you want to be there, not because you sometimes are obliged to do so.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor