Pastor's Column, October 26, 2014

There are some people I want to welcome & some I want to say goodbye to this weekend.  First, we welcome some members of the Order of Alhambra who will be at the doors of the church willing to take (but not ask for) donations which benefit the mentally handicapped. Any spare change you may have on you that you can offer them would be appreciated. I also want to welcome Cherise Pacanovsky home from a 3 month stay in the hospital. Cherise is one of our Preschool teachers and her smiles and energy and sincere concern for the children is very much missed. Please continue to keep her in prayer during this time of slow recovery. Remember to pray for the sick whose names are in the bulletin, especially for Jim Roush whom I met & anointed this past week (and who will be coming home soon) and for the mother of Janet Regal whom I also anointed this past week. Lastly we welcome Joshua Trefney, a seminarian who will speak for a couple minutes after Communion.

Now for a couple of goodbyes…we are sad to see any parishioner move away from the parish, but in particular I want to mention Mrs. Rose Pelley who has been a member of the parish for over 60 years! She is now living with her daughter in Pennsylvania and she will certainly be missed. In the very short time I’ve known her, she has touched me with her serene smile and always pleasant disposition. She promised she would keep up on St. Leo’s by reading the bulletin on our website and I promised her our thoughts & prayers. 

Our Music Associate, Mickey Stitt, will be with us this weekend but will not be playing at weekend Masses until the Spring due to the long ride from West Salem in the winter. If you want her back sooner, pray that her house sells so that she can move closer to her daughter & to us. We look forward to seeing her again when the snow melts (I know I shouldn’t even mention that 4-letter word!). 

Next weekend I would like to meet with all the Lectors & Eucharistic Ministers for a few minutes to review procedures we went over in the spring. I’ll meet with them after each Mass next weekend so if you can spare a few minutes, that would be appreciated. We’ll have notes available for those who can’t make it. 

Finally, this is Priesthood Sunday. Pictures of our former Pastors are displayed so that we can remember them all. Those who are deceased have a vigil candle near their pictures. Let us pray for them and thank God for their service at St. Leo’s.

Homily Thoughts for October 26, 2014…Priesthood Sunday

Today the Church in the US celebrates Priesthood Sunday. Many people in our culture these days do not get what priesthoods is all about for us Catholics. They struggle to understand our current & centuries-long tradition of attaching the discipline of celibacy (remaining single) to the ministry of priesthood. 

But the commandment of Jesus to love is the reason for our celibacy. It the way the way Jesus himself, the High Priest, chose to love us in his earthly life. Everyone is called a vocation of love, but we live that vocation differently, some as married & some as single (either by choice or circumstances, such as those who are divorced or widowed). 

Married people live a vocation of exclusive love…they commit themselves to love one person permanently & exclusively. Single people are able to love in a more inclusive way by using their freedom from a commitment to one person to allow them to spend their time & to show their love to many people. We need both kinds of love in our world, both vocations. The call for all of us is to love, but to love differently.

Pastor's Column, October 19, 2014

I was reminded that since we’re going into the time of year when people tend to catch more colds & maybe even the flu, it might be a good idea for all of us to remember to be on guard for our own health & that of others. Please remember that at the Sign of Peace, it is not necessary for you to shake hands with those around you. You are always free to just nod your head and wave your hand (not like the Queen does) in acknowledgement of those around you. You can speak a word of peace especially during those times when you may be coming down with a cold or are especially afraid of catching one from someone else. With regards to Holy Communion too, you are not required to drink from the cup when you are feeling ill or when you are trying to prevent an illness from someone else. Consuming the Body of Christ in taking the consecrated host alone is still receiving the full presence of Christ, though you are always encouraged to receive both the Body and Blood of Christ whenever you are well and able. 

Next month we will provide you with the financial statement of the parish for the 2013-14 fiscal year (teaser: we’re staying within our budget!). But I wanted to ask for your support not only through the weekly collection (which is very much appreciated) but also through parish fundraisers. Two of these fundraisers take place throughout the year: the Gift Card Program and the Great Sweepstakes. The Gift Card program is simple: you can purchase gift cards at face value for a large variety of places where you already regularly shop (like Giant Eagle, BP, fast food restaurants, etc.), and the parish makes a small percentage from each card in return. Because we sell thousands of these cards each year, we receive thousands of dollars in return. Since you purchase these items anyway, it is an easy & great way to help out the parish. We sell them in our rectory office so please stop by & pick some up.

The second fundraiser is our Great Sweepstakes. This is not just a year-round fundraiser for the parish, but it’s an opportunity for YOU to win money. Every week we pull a ticket & someone wins $100. Then there are special drawings & super-drawings where you can win either $200 or $1000! You can win multiple times throughout the year. These too are available in the rectory office. Why not consider even giving them as gifts? These are easy ways to help us pay our bills and continue to provide our services to you & others. Thanks so much for your help!

Homily Thoughts for October 19, 2014…Religious Meanness

Jesus’ great one-liner, “Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar but give to God what belongs to God” is well known. What lead him to make this statement? The meanness of the Pharisees who tried to trap Jesus and make him look bad to one group or another.

Many religious people are mean-spirited like the Pharisees who demanded that Jesus & others see things their way. We don’t just try to convince others of our religious views, but we try to destroy them. Just look at some religious websites where even religious people fight against religious people. 

The message of Jesus? You can’t serve a loving God by hating other people. Are we religious people but also mean people? What do we do in the name of religion that is not a reflection of Christ? Give to God what belongs to God. Give to others what belongs to them: the respect of someone made in God’s image.

Pastor's Column, October 12, 2014

Thanks to everyone who came for our Pet Blessing last Saturday. As predicted, Michaela & Abby were probably the most well behaved, but the other dogs, cats & guinea pigs (yes, we even had guinea pigs!) did pretty well themselves. You can see pictures of all the beloved creatures on our website & in our mobile app. Take a look at the Blessing Prayer that is there too…some nice words the Church provides which remind us of the wonders of God’s creation. 

Also on our website is a request from our St. Vincent de Paul Organization asking for your help. We are very low on a number of food and toiletry products and so call on your generosity to help us stack our shelves. Whatever you can do would be very much appreciated.

This past week we celebrated two funerals: one for John Kocab who served in the United States Marines and one for Mary Blum who had a great devotion to the rosary (we celebrated the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary this past week). Each of us, through service and through prayer, offer to God and to the Church whatever gifts we have been given. May Mary, whom we call our Holy Queen, show unto them the blessed fruit of her womb, Jesus. Please note again that we list the names of all those who are buried from our church on our website (and mobile app) with a link to their online obituary if available. 

Our own Father Vesely celebrated an anniversary of sorts last weekend. He has been here at St. Leo’s for 9 years as of last Saturday. He’s a great help to me and to the whole parish by his willingness to celebrate Mass and help with confessions, and his presence too is enjoyed by all. Michaela has taken quite a liking to him as she jumps in his lap to be scratched & petted (especially when I’m not around). So we hope he will be with us at least another 9 years and we look forward to celebrating his 60th anniversary of ordination in December. More details on that to come…

Our PSR students are back for their Monday evening sessions & it’s good to have them here learning more about our Catholic faith. My thanks especially to those who spend their time & effort as their catechists. They all do such a great job with the children and we are blessed to have them give witness to their own faith. May God bless all of our children & all who teach them.

Homily Thoughts for October 12, 2014…White Garments

Do you know how to cause a lively discussion (or argument) among people of faith? Bring up the topic of how people come dressed to church! Some argue that many do not dress appropriately, & perhaps they even dress scandalously. Others say that God doesn’t care how we dress for church…only that we’re there. 

There are valid opinions on both sides of the issue. But there is one thing that cannot be denied: the Scriptures do in fact speak of coming before God appropriately dressed, at least in a symbolic way. If you respond to the invitation to God’s wedding feast (the marriage of God with humanity) but do not come properly dressed, you may not be welcomed inside. 

At our baptism, we wore a white garment. The priest said, “See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. Bring it unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.” When we die, a funeral pall or white cloth is placed over our casket, again as a sign of how we were clothed in Christ. What are you wearing to Mass this weekend? What attitude are you clothed in? Do you wear joy, helpfulness, gentleness? Or are you wearing anger & harshness? Are you properly clothed for the wedding feast?

Homily Thoughts for October 5, 2014…Dead Man Walking

The nun who’s real-life story about befriending a death row inmate became a movie called “Dead Man Walking.” When told of the death-row inmate’s fear of death, she told him to keep looking at her through the (witness’s) window so that the last thing he would see on this earth would be the face of someone who loved him.

Jesus himself died by capital punishment even though God said, “They will respect my Son.” 

As Catholic’s, we side aside this month of October to remember all whose life is threatened by abortion, the destruction of embryos used in medical research, the disregard of elderly people & those facing the death penalty. Let us not allow others who leave this world fail to see in us the face of someone who loves them.