"Fond of beer in swarthy nooks, but happiest among his books!" BOOK RECOMMENDATION!

Here's a review of a book that I posted recently on Amazon; I encourage folks to give "A Stitch in Time" a read! (Hint: Rodrigo Diaz is my online reviewer name, taken from one of the great characters of history and one played so magnificently by Charleston Heston in the movie, "El Cid." The "nom de plume" was made necessary by the strange discovery of my personal email by someone who objected to one of my movie reviews) By Rodrigo Diaz of Bivar Format:Paperback A splendid story in space! This compelling science fiction work transports us to the 25th century as a priest - Father Guerin - joins three other guests and six crew members en route to the planet Xanadu. Aficianados of the 1950's space travel movies will delight in this journey full of personal drama and a terrifying encounter with space pirates. The science is both cutting-edge and believable, but these the fascinating scientific musings do not dampen the narrative pace nor do they swamp the non-scientist into a maelstrom of astrophysics; the characters are the raison d'etre for this book. Father Guerin is a theologically astute polymath who kindly but resolutely shares his faith with his co-travelers. An unabashed and fundamentally religious work, A Stich in Space will immerse readers in Christian apologetics along with intergalactic space travel in a pleasant yet substantive yarn. Hurtling through space via "slipstreams," these passengers confront not only nature's most challenging realities but contend with the eternal questions of life and eternity. The narrative pace here is quick and does not lapse into low gear. Yet the characters, particularly Father Guerin, manage to share spiritual insight throughout in an engaging style that might remind the reader of Dean Koontz' Brother Odd Thomas; few will be able to resist membership in the Guerin fan club! This author has matched - and even perhaps surpassed - his first effort - "Ordinary Superheroes." Interested readers would be well-served to order both of these books off the menu and savor the delightful reading repast. Comment |

Recession, Depression and a Lesson

Few among us today have not experienced the impact of the economic downward spiral of the past two years. Unemployment continues to stay at record levels, housing prices continue to tumble and many, if not most, retirement portfolios resemble crash sites - they are frightening to see. If we haven't ourselves suffered reduced income and financial turmoil, we need only contemplate our family members or our neighbors down the street to witness the situation. No way - or need - to avoid the obvious - times are tough.

For those of us in the business of development and philanthropy, these economic times bring great challenges. Organizations of every sort are fearful. They are reluctant to engage in fund raising appeals and are particularly anxious over the thoughts of a capital campaign. In our 24 hour news cycle, the negative news rebounds to us like a bad chili hot dog - it keeps coming back and is less welcome on each visit.

It never ceases to astonish folks, however, when I tell them, in response to inquiries, that we've actually had success in our recently completed capital campaigns. Not just the quiet success of climbing over our goals, but the banner headline enthusiasm of SHATTERING GOALS! In suburban Columbus a parish raises $4.6 million on a $3.25 million goal! An inner city Cleveland parish reaches 130 % of its goal! Yes, even in these dispiriting times!

This is where you might expect a commercial for how brilliantly we conducted the campaigns; no, while I'm quite proud to have led these organizations to success, it is not about me, or the firm or the plan. It's about trust!

If you've reached into your pocket or purse today you've had occasion to see the phrase, In God We Trust." We all repeat these words at some point in our lives, but the central question is do we really believe it? Consider the parable of the sparrow. How many times have we heard this Gospel passage without fully contemplating its message?

These successful parish efforts came about because of trust! Certainly there was much planning, lots of study, hard work and substantive generosity. Also, and very importantly, there was demonstrated actual need for the fruits of these campaigns - and there was the history of good stewardship to support the effort. However, without the trust that God would provide for us, all would have been lost. To quote Saint Augustine, "Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love and the future to God's providence."

Fear and anxiety are understandable reactions to today's economic and societal situations. They are not, however, strategies for success. Whether we are working as part of a group, a parish or as individuals, we need to focus on the ultimate goal. We can only reach that goal by grasping and embracing the notion of trust. I encourage each of you to step forward boldly and with courage. If there are authentic needs, then you need to address them. Do the homework required, but never lose sight of the role of the Master Builder - Jesus Christ - when planning our next step.

Let me close with the words of Saint Padre Pio, " Pray, trust and don't worry!"

The Church Universal

A feeling of "I've seen it all before" is one of the hazards of acquiring over a decade's worth of experience in church fund raising. This sense is not one of boredom, or apathy or cynicism; far from it! I still love this mission of ours to help parishes secure the financial resources to grasp the future with confidence. If anything, I'm even more enthusiastic about my job - I just love it even more when we fly in the face of economic headwinds and popular convention and succeed!

No, I'm talking about feeling that you've seen virtually every surprise there is to see and that you cannot be shocked by anything people say to you. Well, as the well-worn adage informs us, "you learn something new every day!"

Recently I attended my first Vietnamese language Mass in inner city Cleveland. This was a venerable parish of German roots that had withstood the disruptions of urban decay and suburban flight and had endured the crushing loss of thousands of industrial jobs to stand proudly ready to secure for itself a bright future. The parish was roughly evenly split between the Vietnamese Apostolate of Cleveland, which took this parish for its home and the folks who had long-term roots in the neighborhood and stayed either in the city neighborhood or commuted in from the suburbs to maintain their membership in their historic parish.

There was a visiting priest presiding at this Mass and he focused much of his homily on the PSR (CCD for those of you unfamiliar with this term) children. (Since I understand not one word of Vietnamese, I base this observation on watching him look at the kids assembled in the first few pews.) He spoke animatedly for about ten minutes, whereupon he wheeled around, took a few steps toward me and said in English, "perhaps our visiting friend can enlighten us - can you please tell us what is the last sentence in the Gospel of Matthew?"

Now, as someone who prides himself on his poise, I didn't immediately scream and jump out of the pew. I did however, swallow hard, try to smile and think, and then after a few very dramatic seconds of silence, finally blurt out a line ("That the Father and I are one.") that he happily told me was part of the Gospel of John, not the last line of Matthew! He then turned back to the congregation and told them in Vietnamese and in English what the last line was. (just in case my loyal readers are in a forgetful moment, the last line in Matthew is, "Teach them to observe all the things I have commanded you; and behold, know that I am with you, even to the end of time." )

After the Mass, my public humiliation complete, I spoke with the priest, joking about how I enjoyed his sermon! He was pleased that I was not really angry but in our discussion he revealed to me why he, as a young priest, had virtually memorized the New Testament.

He mentioned his grandfather, who was a Catholic during the worst years of the Vietnam War; he mentioned how they were persecuted -first in the South by fellow countrymen, and then later truly oppressed by the Communists once the North took over the country. Often the people in his family were not able to worship in public and they were usually without printed materials which were both scarce and dangerous to possess. His family, like all those families in the pews with me that day, came to America to escape the Communists. This young priest told me that he spent much of the homily reminding the young people that their faith would always need to be guarded and passed on, just as their parents had passed it on to them. Further,he implored them to treasure the chance to not only learn the faith, but to study it, share it and preserve it. There will be challenges to their faith in this country also - not like the governmental oppression like Vietnam, but from the secular culture. In many ways this challenge can be even more deadly, because it is subtle. I told him that while my linguistic skills did not include Vietnamese, I could tell by watching the faces of the young people that his energetic homily has captured their attention.

We had a very successful campaign meeting that day, so I felt that sense of accomplishment, but I was also touched by how eagerly folks from a culture so different from my own had embraced the faith and the challenge of the future. As I gazed around the church I was struck by the images - a beautiful pipe organ and several finely-crafted statues -all from Germany. There was a lovely image, too, of Our Lady of Guadeloupe along with an icon of the Blessed Mother and Child (Theotokos) and of course a plethora of bulletin board notices/announcements, evenly split between English and Vietnamese. In short, a visual image of a Church universal, Eastern and Western Europe, North and South America and Asia.

As I drove home I marveled at the these physical gifts in this church representing a hundred years of faith and every corner of the world. I also noted with awe the emotional and spiritual gifts of faith so strongly present among those worshiping alongside me - and how I had absorbed my own lesson from the priest right along with the grade schoolers who were there to watch it all unfold before them.

Moving Movie for a Blizzard Weekend

People who know me well often tease me about my complete ignorance of pop culture, particularly concerning modern movies. "Hey Harry, they make movies in color now!" is a phrase I'll encounter on occasion, too, given my preference for old classics.

Given these proclivities I'm not one to recommend movies very often, but I'm making an exception here - I strongly urge you to consider buying or renting the DVD, "Katyn." For those not historically inclined, Katyn is the location in Poland where the Soviets massacred 20,000 Polish officers in World War II and then blamed the Germans. This ruse worked for far too long, but eventually facts overcame the propaganda and in the post-Soviet era the Russian government admitted the culpability and expressed remorse.

This film version is not a documentary but instead a deftly-done movie that weaves personal romance into the factually accurate story. It's very poignant and is certainly a story that needs told more widely. I mention it here not only because it is quite important historically and masterfully done, but it also is profoundly Christian. Duty, honor, family, faith are all integral components of this film.

A couple of cautions about this film; this is not the type of movie one sits through munching snacks and quaffing your favorite beverage - it is somber and explicit. It's not gorey or sickening, but it is, after all, a story of mass murder. Also, it's in Polish with subtitles in English. I enjoy foreign films in original languages with subtitles, but I know some people find them difficult to watch. Those who choose to give this film a shot, however, will find the experience informative and enlightening.

Fond of Beer in Swarthy Nooks, but Happiest Among his Books!

Many of you have probably read Alexander Solzhenitsyn's award-winning book, "The First Circle," which was smuggled out of Soviet Russia decades ago. You may not be aware that this version of the great novel was not the one Solzhenitsyn himself wanted to have published. He had actually was not finished editing that book when a "samizdat" or underground copy emerged and was published first in Europe.

It has taken all these years, but recently Solzhenitsyn's true version was released and now after his death has finally been translated into English with the proper title, "In the First Circle." . This novel is a breath-taking glimpse into the dark world of the atheistic Hell that was the Soviet Union. (Hence the title's use of Dante's circles of Hell).

While the Gulag Archipelego is rightly considered the indispensible description of penal life under Communism, it is after all, not a novel, and thus lacks the narrative flow and suspense of the novelist's genius. Solzhenitsyn is a profoundly Christian writer whose ability to see evil and describe it from the perspective of faith in Christ is unparalleled.

Punxsatawney Phil just forecast six more weeks of winter this morning; filling some of these cold evenings curled up with one of the 20th century's greatest writers would be time well spent.

A Course with No Name... or Some Musings on Catholic Parishes Today

Thinking about the future of parish life can be a most challenging proposition! In much of the USA, demographic patterns have presented serious dilemmas to bishops and pastors and lay leadership alike. In many cities of the industrial heartland, we have beautiful church edifices occupying land where once large numbers of immigrant Catholic families lived; yet these folks have largely dispersed -to the suburbs in some cases, but to distant towns in even more cases.

Then we have surging Catholic populations in areas of the Sun Belt that once harbored few if any Catholics and who have quickly outgrown existing an even recently built facilities. Often the larger distances between clusters of folks make parish life more complicated. The tightly-grouped, large ethnic parishes have dwindled to a precious few. No longer is the parish the fulcrum of life for families who once worshipped, but also played, socialized and studied among fellow parishioners.

Another issue confronting all of us who work with and care deeply about our parishes is the "age factor." Because older Catholics give more regularly that younger generations on the whole, even parishes with growing populations do not see a concomitant increase in their collections because new arrivals are less likely to use envelopes as consistently as those who have departed the "Church Militant." I have a couple of priest friends with whom I share the slightly irreverent term, "burying an envelope," when describing the death of older, long-time parishioners with a history of committed stewardship -stewardship that will likely not be replaced.

I've painted a rather sobering portrait it seems. However, to quote a famous general who once was surrounded by enemy forces, "Great! We've got then just where we want them!"

No, I haven't taken leave of my senses, but I do believe that great dilemmas promise great opportunities. Perhaps the example of Saint Francis of Assisi, one of the handful of the most popular saints, is most instructive. We do well to recall the circumstances he faced when Our Lord said to him, "rebuild my Church." This came at a time when wars were rampant, the plague was wreaking havoc with the population and when corruption and worldly concerns infected much of the clerical leadership. His era was at least as complicated as our own. Yet he placed his faith in God above his fears and doubts and founded the Franciscan Order, one of the mendicant orders that transformed the Church -and that renewed Church transformed the world. (Read the works of Thomas Woods and George Crocker about the indispensability of the Church to what we call Western Civilization.)

We have Christ's assurance that the Church will prevail against the gates of Hell. That does not mean, of course, that the Church in America will always be here! We need to collectively take up the challenges we face in our time, just as Francis did in his. We each need to think about how we can take concrete steps to help the Church in America last for the ages. Just as with Saint Francis, the first step is transformation of self. Just as in volunteering, others will follow where a leader will go. We must accept that the future is also in our hands, not just the bishop's or our pastor's. In the movie "Thirteen Days," which told the story of the Cuban missile crisis, there is a scene in which General Curtis LeMay outlines the strategic situation for the president, then says smugly, 'Mr. President, you're in quite a fix." President Kennedy turns to him and says, "In case you haven't noticed General Lemay, you're in it with me!" That's how I feel when I hear fellow Catholics mention how this bishop or that pastor needs to do something!

Yes, some of the ways and methods we built parish families with in the "glory days" of post-war America are lost to us. But we've got other and potentially powerful mechanisms to rebuild our foundations. We can utilize, for instance, the emerging technology of the past decade and a half to communicate more fully and more often to our people the life-changing, ever- ancient, ever-new faith of our fathers. Francis was not a clergyman. Nor did he wait for a clergyman to act. Instead he chose to act in simple ways and to believe that with God all things are possible. I won't claim for an instant that I've got all the solutions, but I would urge us all to follow in the footsteps of the this simple man who saw opportunity and clasped it tightly to his faith. We have been given much. Now is our chance to hand on something as our legacy. In subsequent posts I'll be sharing some thoughts on some specific issues alluded to here, but in the meantime I welcome your comments and thoughts!

"The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found difficult, and left untried."
G.K. Chesterton

When Times are Tough, the Tough Get Going!

When Times are Tough, the Tough Get Going!

Unless you have been on a deserted island – for the past year or so – you are well aware of all the gloom that envelops any discussion of our economy. Newspapers, magazines, books, blogs and “hot” media such as TV and radio are flush with tales of woe outlining how poor the job market is, how sluggish the economy is, how fragile the stock market is and how miniaturized our retirement accounts have become.

While there is certainly some truth in these statements the endless news cycle does cluster around bad news at the expense of good, so one of the unfortunate by-product of all this is the indecision it spawns. We become afraid to do what we know needs done, deciding to wait for the “proper” moment to act. This malaise affects parishes in the same way. Countless parishes with real needs are postponing necessary repairs, restorations and construction awaiting this “magic moment” when, like the all-clear horns after a tornado warning, we'll know that it's time to move forward.

Of course, there are no such horns to sound for people or for parishes. Economic fortunes will ebb and flow for as long as we occupy this world we know as the church militant. We can share with you some good news, however! Several parishes have indeed launched successful capital campaigns into the face of this recession dragon, and have won the battle! Yes, parishes as disparate as large, affluent suburban parishes in Pittsburgh, to small, rural parishes in upstate New York to older, center-city parishes facing demographic turmoil have all conducted wide-reaching campaigns this past year -successfully!

How is that possible, you say? Was there a special situation involving each parish? No. However the one element linking all of these parishes was a commitment to follow in the Gospel-based advice of the late Pope John Paul II -”be not afraid!” Despite the uncertainty, these parishes realized that their existing, very real needs were greater than their nebulous, ephemeral fears. They stepped forward boldly with faith that God would be with them in their endeavors to build and sustain his church on earth. They are all very happy they did so now.

Many of you are live in or have roots in the industrial cities of the East and Midwest where the enormously successful Catholic school systems were built in the middle of the 20th century; during these times that saw the Great Depression and World War II, two cataclysmic events that dwarf any of our tribulations and conflicts of today, Catholic parishes built churches and schools that educated many of us and still stand proudly today. Our forebears knew that faith conquers fear. We should learn from their example and act with prudence, planning and prayer and not be held captive by anxiety, pessimism and frustration.

The Parish Offertory – Ten Ways to Improving Giving in Your Parish.

It is in times of distress that churches need more of our help, not less. This is because the material, emotional and spiritual support they provide us all will be needed all the more. I would humbly suggest that we think less about the economy's impact on our trips to the mall and a bit more on how fewer trips to that mall might enable us to discover a better use for our dollars. I promise to do such thinking myself! We've all heard the adage about the lighting a candle rather than cursing the darkness. It might also behoove us to reflect upon Saint Paul's admonition in his letter to the Galatians (6:2-3): "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, deceives himself." Harry Colin – Consultant to Catholic Parishes.

The good news is that despite the difficult economy parish offertory giving has only slipped few percentage points in most Catholic parishes. The bad news, parishes can ill afford even a slight drop, as expenses continue to increase, as facilities age and require repair and as the Church continues to meet the demanding needs of a 21st century congregation.
Fortunately, we can exercise a theological virtue here - Hope! There are tangible steps that a Catholic parish can take today to plug the slow leak in the weekly stream of revenue and perhaps even enhance the flow.


Discuss the Christian Principles of Stewardship
Often in Catholic parishes giving money is treated as at best a necessary evil; something to be ignored until a major physical plant need demands attention. This misperception can be effectively evangelized by sharing the solid Biblical principles that should undergird each parishioner's giving decisions. These principles can be broadly summarized as two components - (1) giving in proportion to our blessings and (2) giving from our substance not our excess. Many pastors have effectively blended these principles into homilies.


Have an Annual Conversation About Giving

You should be having at least one full conversation about giving with your parishioners every year. This conversation should include pulpit remarks and handouts. Well-informed parishioners will feel a greater sense of ownership in the parish financial situation and respond favorably to the need to be pro-active in their giving.

Challenge parishioners to be intentional in their giving
Without discussing specific levels of regular support, ask all supporters to be “Intentional” in their giving – to give of their “first fruits.” By reflecting on stewardship and making a plan instead of just reacting to the passing of the collection basket, parishioners will enhance their stewardship experience and feel a greater sense of belonging.

Introduce and promote electronic giving

Every parish in America will have an electronic giving option with three to five years. Envelopes are an integral component of parish collections but they are no longer sufficient. As a parish you must meet people where they are not where they were. Many parishioners want to give monthly, to give via their credit card or to give directly from their checking account. An astutely designed electronic giving program will enable parishes to receive the necessary levels of support regularly. Weekend and vacation absences to visit friends or take vacations will no longer impact the parish collections so dramatically and parishioners will be able to access their giving plans on-line to adjust as necessary.

Provide A Monthly Donor Option

Many parish members do not attend Mass each week in their own church. Some worship elsewhere and some are at home. By offering a monthly donor option a parish can capture by mail a significant level of support that would otherwise be lost because there is no mechanism to collect it.

Adjust Your Envelopes!

Believe it or not, some parishes still have $1 and $2 options printed on their envelopes! This is likely because no changes have been made since families were grouped around the TV watching the astronauts step on the moon in 1969. Printed options are powerful suggestions, so consider beginning at $10 or even $15 per week on your envelopes or $40 for a monthly option. Folks who actually need to go lower can still easily do so in keeping with the principle that it is much easier to fall than it is to jump!

“Chart” your Progress

Let's say a parish collection has been running at a level below where it needs to be on a weekly or monthly basis to survive and prosper. One way to focus attention on that is to create a couple of charts that can be emplaced at the doors of the church. After you announce that our challenge between now and Thanksgiving is to bump our collection from $12,000 per week to $15,000, just show the increases each week and allow people to become excited over the goal. Visual images are important and can serve as powerful motivators.

Conduct an Annual Time and Talent Initiative

Many folks in the pew are unaware of just how much the parish could use their talents and enthusiasm. Sharing the needs and asking for help is a solid method of capturing energy for productive activities. A parishioner who feels needed will in turn feel a stronger need to give.

Embrace the Technology!

Email, blogging and people-connecting systems such as Face Book and LinkedIn are here to stay. Explore ways to connect with more people and you will have opened fresh avenues for potential support.

Conduct a Professional Offertory Enhancement Program

There's an old adage among sales people that says "ignore your customers and they'll go away;" a similar thought could be expressed about parish collections. Don't just leave them to chance. A professionally-directed program to enhance parish collections should be a regular feature of a parish's long-range plan. Habits die hard, and often the only way to change them-in this case the "habit" of having your offertory gifts stay dormant for years, is to replace the habit with a new one.

Just What is Stewardship?

Stewardship is a word that engenders a multitude of images in the minds of those who hear the word itself. Some hear stewardship and think of the need to take good care of what has been given to them – both material goods and the natural environment. Others hear this term and think of providing alms to those unfortunates among us who lack proper clothing, housing and food. Many indeed will hear talk of stewardship and immediately think that someone wants them to give them money!

Actually, each of these images is correct. However, they do not by themselves, or even when lumped together, provide a completely full description of what stewardship means to the Christian. These are but still frames of the moving picture of authentic Christian charity.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “ To the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount it is fitting to add the moral catechesis of the apostolic teachings such as Romans 12:15, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Colossians 3:4, Ephesians 4:5, etc. This doctrine hands on the Lord’s teaching with the authority of the apostles, particularly in the presentation of the virtues that flow forth from faith in Christ and are animated by CHARITY, the principal gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Catechism 1971)

Stewardship then is the logical extension of that charity the Holy Spirit commands us to practice. Stewardship in its fullest sense encapsulates charity into an action plan for our lives; it establishes a framework from which that charity can operate. That structure acknowledges that God is the source for everything we have in our earthly existence and that we are called to not only be thankful for our blessings, but we need to both share them and be accountable for how we use them ourselves and how we give them to others. As Saint Paul instructs us, ‘Let charity be genuine… love one another with brotherly affection… Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer, contributor to the needs of the saints and practice hospitality.” (Romans 12:9-13)

Sacred Scripture provides much guidance about charity and stewardship. These myriad verses are best summarized in the venerable triple dimensions of Christian stewardship: time, talent and treasure. The application of these dimensions can be further culled into these two principles:

1 Give in proportion to the blessings we have received.
2. Give from our substance, not our excess.

Stewardship is not a destination, but rather a journey. It is an integral component of faith, not an adjunct or something we can choose to participate in or not, like some hobby or pastime. Stewardship begins in our hearts, is infused by what our minds teach us about our faith and extends with our hands as we reach out to others in our families, parishes and communities.

Tome Ranger Strikes Again!

The latest in a occasional series of book recommendations...

"Fond of beer in swarthy nooks, but happiest among his books!"

Just arrived in my mailbox (actually on my front doorstep) - the hefty BIBLE DICTIONARY, edited by Scott Hahn. Flipping through it last night revealed a treasure-trove of great insight that will be helpful for anyone who is interested in enhancing their Bible reading and study. Dr. Hahn does not write a book each week -it only seems like it! Would make a great gift for yourself, a family member or your favorite priest.

Also, Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor by Brad Gooch. This most Catholic of authors certainly deserved a newer biography of her remarkable life. Her novels and short stories are profound and distinctive, but even more impressive is her great witness to the Faith despite her desperate illness. A powerful role model for those of us who think we're having a bad day when the cell phone drops a call or our DVR cuts off a program before it has ended! Talk about authentic Christian perseverance!

The Death of A Pope by Piers Paul Read The great English novelist has penned another sensational novel. If you haven't read anything by this man (What a name for a writer!) you will benefit by reading any of his works that include non-fiction accounts of Chernobyl, an Andean Mountain airplane crash and novels on many topics.

Summer time and the living is... without church?

One of the dangers of writing a blog is the ubiquitous impulse to vent on one's pet peeves. I have, I believe, successfully dodged this temptation so far but I'll ask your indulgence for this topic, particularly if I humbly offer a suggestion or two along the way.

The issue? Summer church attendance in our parishes! Talk to any priest who's not pastoring a summer resort parish and he'll tell you that attendance drops off significantly in the summer. In fact, the drop begins usually in May after the First Communion class partakes of the sacrament, gains momentum after Memorial Day and surges to its peak after the Fourth of July. They usually stay away in droves until after Labor Day.

While I would not presume to possess any profound theological insight, I have managed to assemble a rather significant personal library containing many Bible translations, books on religion and foundational volumes such as the Catechism, Bible Dictionaries and such. In none of them have I found any dispensation from our Mass attendance requirements! Now perhaps I need to read more extensively and to explore textual analysis more deeply, but I'm guessing there aren't any!

So, why do so many of us stay away in the summer? The reasons I usually hear given are these: travel, heat indexes, the suspension of religious instruction classes (CCD, PSR, etc) and the appeal of being elsewhere on warm, sunny morning or late afternoons. Throw in golf, yard work and your everyday, garden-variety lethargy and there you are.

Most of the time, parishes simply adjust to these realities and decide to live with them. Certainly, just wishing it wasn't so won't make up for lost collections and fewer liturgical volunteers to act as lectors and Eucharistic Ministers. However, might I suggest that we attempt to counter this cultural trend with a little stimulus package of our own?

I would greatly like these humble suggestions to trigger the creative juices among blogreaders to build a stronger package of ideas to keep our people in the pews, but everything has to start somewhere so here I go with my four-point plan:

1. Anticipate the upcoming drop and address it from the pulpit and with bulletins/newsletters beforehand. Most folks think they won't be missed in the summer, so let's make them aware that we can see them in the pews and miss them when they are not there. Explain that the parish is always there when they need it, so it always needs to love and support of her members.

2. Sponsor a Youth Day/Weekend whereby parents and students can meet the teachers they will have in school/CCD in the fall. Perhaps then try to capture the energy by engaging each class in some fun summer project around the parish , particularly at Mass. Why not have the 5th grade students -of both parish school and CCD - hand out bulletins after Masses one weekend? Maybe the eighth graders could lead the rosary before Mass on a certain weekend. Get the kids and you get the parents!

3. Share with the parish a graph showing your monthly income streams juxtaposed alongside monthly expenses. Folks will understand that just because they aren't there in July, doesn't mean the electric company won't be there in July demanding payment! Encourage people to use their envelopes each week even if they are away visiting another parish. Better still, encourage your parishioners to select an electronic giving option so that they can easily have their donations sent to the parish on whatever schedule they like. It's easy and no need to worry if you are away. If you don't mind this shameless plug - the Cunneen Company offers an intentional giving program that makes giving -to the the parish, the diocese, the special collections and campaigns -quite simple. No cost to the parish! How nice is that! (OK, commercial over!)

4. Find them where they are at. Why not energize the copier and produce some inexpensive flyers to give to the parishioners who are there to distribute at the town baseball fields, the senior centers and the like? This would be the time to employ some humor and creativity; I've always wanted to do something like that and have it announce: "Big day this coming Sunday at Saint Mary's Parish! At all the Masses this weekend, you'll be offered --- Holy Communion! (What, you think you need anything else!!!)

Well, there you have it. Why not think of some ideas and share them?

"An atheist is a man with no invisible means of suppport."
Bishop Sheen

Trenchant tidbits...

Quotable Quotes...


“Christianity has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found difficult, and left untried.”

G.K. Chesterton

“Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.”

Mark Twain

“The service we render to others is really the rent we pay for our room on this earth.”

Sir Wilfred Grenfell

“ We're on a Role... Model! Saint Catherine of Siena Shows Us the Way

“ We're on a Role... Model! Saint Catherine of Siena Shows Us the Way



Few would argue that we live in challenging times. The global onslaught of economic challenge continues to beleaguer us. Many are faced with the chilling residue of terror and violence and natural disasters – of disease and destruction – seem to increasingly crowd their way onto the front pages and the news headlines.

Each day another story seems to emerge that paints a gloomy landscape and drives many of our neighbors and friends, and even ourselves, to despair. However, if we want to be true to our faith, we need to resist the temptation to be disheartened. Sacred Scripture warns us against hardness of heart and the damage it can engender, “they have become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness. You did not so learn Christ!” (Ephesians 4:19-20). We are instead called to practice the Christian virtue of hope and to always be ready to give an account for the hope that is within us.

Fortunately, Our Lord provides for us in many ways in times of trouble, particularly in His saints. It is often said, “the saints show us Christ.” A good role model for us in times such as these is one of the great Doctors of the Church, Saint Catherine of Siena.

Saint Catherine knew tough times indeed! She was born on the Feast of the Annunciation, March 25th, 1347, which in that year was also Palm Sunday. Her twin sister died at birth. Catherine was the 24th of 25 children, yet from what we know only eight of these children survived early childhood. By the time Catherine was of school age Siena, the city of her birth, had already lost 80,000 people to the Black Death which was sweeping Europe at the time.

Young Catherine could have been depressed, fearful and sullen yet she was known in her neighborhood as “everybody's joy.” She was so joyful and merry that relatives often “borrowed” her for a time because she shared her joyfulness and love so abundantly. She was a natural leader among her young friends and cousins, and she was captivated by the Dominicans. She so loved to watch the Dominicans walking about in the parish area that she often walked with her brother around the church. One day as she was walking she noticed a bright light above the church. There she saw a vision of Jesus Christ, seated on a throne, clothed in priestly garments and wearing the papal tiara. Smiling upon Catherine, He blessed her in the manner of a priest. She then looked away from the vision and burst into tears. At that early age, she knew that her path in life was set.

Catherine continued to be a light to all but in her teens she had her bout with worldliness – attending festivals and dancing. But the death in August of 1362 of Saint Bonaventure brought her to tears and cemented her decision to enter the Dominican order.


Catherine's contributions to peaceful resolution of conflicts, of the training of fellow religious and to spiritual contemplations were profound. But never did any of her other activities deter her from her fundamental mission – her care of the poor and the sick. She gave all she had in time and energy.

She was not content to just offer material help but often tended to the sickest and most neglected, including lepers. Though her family was very generous, even they were amazed -and often concerned – that she was so unfailingly generous with anything she had. Catherine, however, cheerfully explained that everything belonged to God and that she was there to help share every blessing. Many stories also abound with how often Catherine, praying for her patients as she administered to them, was able to intercede with God to cure those thought incurable.

As with many saints, Catherine was tormented through much of her life by demonic forces. She had terrifying visions and many temptations for much of her life. Yet she resisted all these temptations, and joyfully went about the Lord's work. Her faith sustained her and her commitment to that faith strengthened her for a life of giving -and sharing. What a fine model for each of us as we negotiate the minefield of modernity and all its challenges.

Spring Forward

“Love is in the air, everywhere I look around!” These words from a popular song of yesteryear still resonate with us today. Spring is often the impetus for poets, musicians and authors of prose to write -and sing - of love. Perhaps its the scent of fresh flowers, the enduring rays of the sun or the warm breezes that so often usher in the magical sunsets of May. Maybe it's the thought of impeding vacation or time off -or simply a grateful reaction to a seemingly endless winter. Whatever the cause, the linkage of spring and love is undeniable.

Shakespeare, whose remarkable canon contains so very many scenes focused on virtually every aspect of love, gave Julia in the play “Two Gentlemen of Verona” perhaps the most insightful reflection of love when she utters, “They do not love that do not show their love!”

Indeed, this line reflects an axiom that we do well to consider as our summer season approaches -actions speak louder than words! Shakespeare himself, well-versed in the classics of Greek and Latin, would also understand that our English translation of the word love is not always understood to convey “charity” as, for instance the Latin “caritas” does. Our brief reflection here will focus on the charity as the Church understands it – encompassing all aspects of affinity, affection and service to others.

A good way to begin discussing charity is to consider what Saint Bernard of Clairveaux says about it: “True and sincere charity, I must say, must proceed wholly from a pure heart, a good conscience, unfeigned faith, by which we love our neighbor's good as much as our own. For he who loves himself most, or solely, does not love the good purely, because he loves it for his sake, not for its own.” Tough words in our modern society but this great saint goes further, saying that someone can praise God because He is powerful, because He is good to him or simply because He is good. Saint Bernard describes the first of these as the attitude of a slave to a master, the second of a mercenary hoping for more profit for himself, while the third way -praising God because He is good – is the way a son praises a father. That must be our path.

So, if we take this approach, what should we do as a practical matter? It might be useful to recognize that spring and summer usher in periods of great challenge for many, if not most parishes. So focusing on our spiritual homes for a moment, we can suggest an action plan that will SHOW our love of parish in some tangible ways that will also enable us to grow in our spiritual lives.

Since Sacred Scripture has always used the number seven to symbolize perfection and good things, we humbly extend seven ideas for you consideration as ways to display and share your time, talent and treasure.

1.Take a newly-confirmed youngster to Mass with you. Talk to a CCD/PSR director or teacher and chances are they will tell you that one of the largest challenges facing them is retaining the interest of young people once confirmed. While formal classes will probably be winding down, why not invite your newly-minted confirmand -or several of them from your parish – to some fun activity AFTER you all attend Mass together. Even better, visit a shrine or a special church as part of a larger itinerary to show the youth that the faith is an everyday component for everyone every day.
2.Seek out an elderly shut-in and make a visit. Parishes are getting older; the increased life expectancy is a good thing. The tougher, flip side to that good news is that our corps of folks needing help outstrips the ability of a parish's full-time staff to fully serve. Coming over with a nice meal, a tasty dessert or simply a nice visit can be a simple but powerful way to assist the parish mission.
3.Write a letter to your pastor thanking him for his service to you. Our parishes have grown larger while our priest shortage continues. Take a couple of moments to just thank your pastor for his work, his homilies, and most of all his dedication to bringing you the sacraments. An unusual idea you think? It is -that's why it would be so nice!
4.Pray the rosary. May is a Marian month. What better way to observe that connection than to pray the rosary daily. If you already do so, maybe you can buy a rosary for a friend. Then together you can pray -maybe for an end to the vocation shortage we mentioned above!
5.Read a good Catholic book. The good weather often prompts folks to think of some good reading done outside -on the porch or the beach. Skip the latest nail-biter this time for a book that will nurture your faith in the same way the water will nurture your garden. Looking for an idea? Try Pope Benedict XVI's “The Yes of Christ.” It's a brief, but powerful book on the spiritual exercises of faith, hope and love.
6.Attend Mass regularly. You do already of course, but somewhere out there are the folks that are missing from the pews in the warmer months. This is a fact any pastor not in a resort area will tell you. Take a friend to occupy the empty space next to you!
7.Don't forget the collection basket! As above, these empty pews in summer also reflect emptier baskets. Our faith isn't seasonal, so try to remember to be generous over these lean months. Even if you are visiting another parish, remember where you came from!

The Tome Ranger

"Fond of Beer in Swarthy Nooks, but Happiest Among his Books"

An intermittent recommended reading list...

Father Walter Ciszek

Father Ciszak was a Jesuit priest who grew up in a mining town in Eastern Pennsylvania.

Following his call to the priesthood he was ordained. His initial formation left him with the strong impression that much good could come from suffering and tragedy as long as one lived in abandonment to Divine Providence and never ceases to trust God's will. Father volunteered to study Russian in hopes of being a missionary there but instead found himself in Poland when the Red Army invaded Poland. He was incarcerated in solitary confinement for five years in the notorious Lubyanka Prison in Moscow and also served 15 years in Gulag at hard labor.

Finally in 1963, after 24 years in captivity he was released in a prisoner exchange. He used his remarkable faith journey to author two classic accounts that deserve a space on every Christian's bookshelf, 'With God in Russia” and “He Leadeth Me.” Lent marks a perfect time to deepen our faith by taking up one or both of these timeless treasures.

Timely Tidbits in Times of Turbulence

As an omnivorous reader and an unabashed lover of inspirational snippets, I'm planning on regularly sharing a few items of both book/reading suggestions and brief stories designed to inspire and broaden our minds. I hope you enjoy them!


A visitor to a desert monk once asked why the monk was sharing food with him instead of fasting as was the custom. The monk replied, “ Fasting is always possible but you will not be here forever. Fasting is useful and necessary, but God's law demands perfect love. When I receive you here I receive Christ, so I must do all I can to show love. When we have said goodbye, I can resume fasting. 'The sons of the bridegroom cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, when he is taken from them then they can fast.'”(Matt 9:15)

Has God Stopped Giving to You?

Has God Stopped Giving to You?


Recently a very thoughtful gentleman, let's call him Bob, whose love for his parish was almost legendary, was taken aback when one his friends, also a member of that parish, reacted quite bitterly to an invitation to attend a fund raising event. Bob asked his colleague why he was so adamantly against the idea of the church's attempt to raise money.

His friend then launched into a monologue that outlined the many reasons he was upset - the pastor had not chosen the correct projects to focus upon, the priorities for parish were askew, the homilies were uninspiring and the music was awful. He listed several other complaints before taking a deep breath.

Bob, instead of arguing with his friend about this laundry lists of issues and slights simply nodded his head and said, “I understand you are not happy. But let me ask one question, “Has God stopped giving to you?”

This man, expecting a good argument, was rendered speechless by this simple question. After a few moments, he decided after all, to join Bob at the event.

This question - “Has God stopped giving to you?”, is one we would do well to ask ourselves in these turbulent times and this season of Lent.

Has our economic situation -real or perceived – changed our commitment to perform the corporal works of mercy our faith requires? Are we less willing to share whatever we have with the hungry and ill-clothed? Do we try to save some dollars by scrimping when the collection basket passes?
The core of these corporal works is compassion- a reaching out to assist those who are perhaps destitute or vulnerable.

One of the often forgotten elements of our greatest prayer – the Our Father – is the linkage between our own forgiveness and God's forgiving of us. Each day we pray, “and forgive us our trespasses, as WE forgive those who trespass against us.” So we are asking Our Lord to link his generous absolution with our own. Unless we ourselves are forgiving, we cannot ask God to look the other way at our transgressions and failures.

Can you imagine how truly difficult our lives would be if God withheld his bountiful blessings to us on every occasion when we disappointed him? As a loving and perfect father, he does not. He calls us, instead, to repent and to forgive.

As we go through this great season of Lent, we have hopefully taken firm steps to more deeply develop our spiritual selves - more prayer, more study, more devotion and greater focus on our outreach to others in our lives and our parishes. If we have not yet begun to treat Lent as a special time or renewal and sacrifice, it's not too late. Perhaps we've meant to give up those desserts or those special foods we love so much, but have fallen short of our goal. It's then a good time to re-double our efforts to make these sacrifices and achieve the fulfillment that will be ours when we reach the joyful celebration of Easter and can enjoy them again after having given them to God for all these weeks. After all, God hasn't stopped giving to us!

All of our time, talent and treasure comes from God and we're called simply to give some back. Our sacrifices are but a tiny offering back to God for his goodness to us. Collectively, our stewardship and our sacrifice are but means to achieve an even greater good; the great Saint Seraphim of Sarov says it most eloquently -”as for fasts, vigils and prayer, almsgiving and every good deed... are only means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God. To welcome this Guest into our hearts will lead us to ultimate union with God and toward that unity of the human race wherein all shall acquire the peace and joy God promised through his Son.”

Am I getting enough daily “Fruits” in my Life?

A priest friend of mine, an erudite man of almost astonishing insight, once was asked if he was familiar with fruits of the Holy Spirit and whether he could perhaps do some research on them and speak about it at a conference. He replied with his characteristic dry wit, that if one needed to look them up, then they were not an important enough component of our daily lives!

This gracious servant of God was not being contentious or arrogant (he spoke brilliantly on the topic) but was making a point. Now we know our readers won't need to consult their research volumes to bring these fruits to mind but in the interest of refreshing ourselves let's review our catechism: “The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1832)

A major function of this blog is a dedication to to the stewardship of time, talent and treasure. The aim is to advance, in some small way, our understanding of the many ways in which we can provide stewardship to our parishes and churches. When we look at these fruits of the Holy Spirit, we can see that, as always, we cannot out give Our Lord. When we consider that God always gives us much more than we need, it becomes clearer that the challenge is ours to use the fruits we are provided in our daily spiritual lives to make an impact on our parishes and churches.

As is customary in Christian tradition, whenever there are lists provided, the first one is the most important or at least the first among equals. That is certainly the case with our fruits here. Charity is superior to all the virtues. It is the first of the three theological virtues,: “So faith, hope and charity abide, these three. But the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Cor 13:13)

Scripture goes further, saying charity, “binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Col 3:14) Certainly, we can see how charity binds time, talent and treasure together. Charity is the animating energy that moves us to give of ourselves in every way. It enables us to reach out to our fellow man and share God's love with them and enmesh ourselves in the good works of our faith here on Earth. Turning again tho the catechism, we see how charity, “upholds and purifies our human ability to love and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love.” (Catechism, 1827.)

But, as with any abundant fruit basket, the Holy Spirit's basket is overflowing with gleaming and fulfilling nourishment. Let's look at some of the others.

Joy is the second fruit. The Saints show us how joy is a two-fold component . Read virtually any account of the saints, especially the martyrs, and see how they joyfully gave of themselves, even when it required their very lives. They also received joy back, because they were satisfied in a special way that Our Lord had allowed them the privilege of serving Him and modeling for us who follow them.

Peace, patience, gentleness – Does anyone living today not wish they could offer more of these fruits to our fellow man -and to ourselves? As Lent approaches, perhaps it's a good time to contemplate how we can, in even small ways, make these a daily staple of our diet.

Kindness, goodness, generosity – In our busy lives, we are often startled, in a very positive way, when someone shares some of these fruits with us. How can we pass along a morsel to someone else today?

Faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity. Modern society has made these fruits among the most challenging to bring to our table. We know they are good for us, but just like the donut is more convenient on a rushed morning than an apple, so is self-interest more readily obtainable in a business deal than modesty; it's easier to seek attention and self-promotion than it is to peel the fruit of self-control.

Lent arrives next month. Why not make for this visitor a basket of “fruits” to welcome it into our presence?

A Light From the East - A Touch of Byzantine Catholicism

Often I'm met with much curiosity when I mention that I attend a Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Parish. Perhaps the most common question is, "Are you under the Pope?" I always smile and say that yes, not only are we "under the Pope," but that our Divine Liturgy - our Mass - has six occasions of prayer for the Holy Father during the service!

I decided I would occasionally share some insight into the Eastern Church, but instead of a lengthy piece that might seem overwhelming to those with interest in this topic, I thought I would sprinkle in some glimpses of the Eastern Churches from time to time.

Today I wanted to share our Communion prayer that is recited just before the distribution of Holy Communion at each liturgy. This prayer spoke to me most powerfully the first time I heard and it still does when each time I recite it.

"O Lord I believe and profess, that You are truly Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Accept me as a partaker of your mystical supper, O Son of God, for I will not reveal your mysteries, nor will I give You a kiss like Judas, but like the thief I confess, Remember me Lord, when you shall come into your kingdom, remember me, O Master, when you shall come into your kingdom, remember me O Holy One, when you shall come into your kingdom. May the partaking of these Holy Mysteries be not for my judgment or condemnation, but for the healing of soul and body.

O Lord I also believe and confess, that this, which I am about to receive, is truly your most precious body, and your life-giving blood, which, I pray, make me worthy to receive for the remission of all my sins and for life everlasting.

O God be merciful to me a sinner, O God cleanse me of my sins and have mercy on me, O Lord, forgive me, for I have sinned without number."

I find this prayer to speak most directly to our need for Christ's saving grace. Especially in a era when personal sin seems to be spoken of less frequently, it is a reminder that, as the hymn says, "all peace begins with me." I think we need to be reminded that our troubled world can only really be healed from the inside out -and it truly does begin with me.

"Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight, the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice. Set a watch O Lord, before my mouth and a door round about my lips. Incline not my heart to evil words, to make excuses in sin." (Psalm 140: 2-4, Douay-Rheims edition)

Fireside Christmas verse

A few years ago, thanks to reading the books of author Joseph Pearce (whose biographies I heartily recommend!) I became familiar with the poetry of Father Robert Southwell, an English Jesuit. Father Southwell was put to death for his faith in the hysterically anti-Catholic times near the end of the 16th century. Although only 34 years old when martyred, he managed to pen some remarkable lines of verse. One that is particularly focused on Christmas is entitled, "New Prince, New Pomp," and I thought I would share it here.

Behold, a seely tender babe
in freezing winter night
in homely manger trembling lies;
Alas, a piteous sight!
The inns are full, no man will yield
This little pilgrim bed,
But forced he is with seely beasts
In crib to shroud his head.
Despise him not for lying there,
First, what he is enquire,
An orient pearl is often found
In depth of dirty mire.
Weigh not his crib, his wooden dish,
Nor beast that by him feed;
Weigh not his mother's poor attire
Nor Joseph's simple weed.
This stable is a prince's court,
This crib his chair of state,
The beasts are parcel of his pomp,
The wooden dish his plate.
The persons in that poor attire
His royal liveries wear;
The prince himself is come from heaven;
This pomp is prized there.
With Joy approach O Christian right,
Do homage to thy king;
And highly prize this humble pomp
Which he from heaven doth bring.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful poem and I wish each of you a very blessed and fulfilling Christmas season!