Respect Life Sunday relfections

I started to work on this a while ago in October and just remembered that it was here in the edit pile, so I'm attempting to see what I remember out of it.

This past Sunday was Respect Life Sunday, it also happened to be the annual Communion Breakfast for the Rosary Society of which my mom is a member. So when she greeted me with, "but it's Fr. Geno" I couldn't really say no. Fr. Geno was the priest who ran the youth group while I was in high school and he has been quite influential in my life. FG, as he is more commonly known to me and others, happened to be saying the 8:30am Mass so I opted to go as breakfast followed Mass.

FG began Mass by talking about Msgr. Joseph Brestel, who served St. Anthony's as pastor and the Diocese on some level as well, though I am not 100% sure in what capacity he served on the Diocesan level. Msgr. Brestel who as Fr. Geno said "no matter how he felt or what his health was would get up and say Mass, this Mass each week." I had the privilege of becoming a reader and read at the 8:30 Mass and even in high school noticed how traditional Msgr. Brestel was, as in he was "old school" and said "pray brethren vs. pray my brothers and sisters" and even back then I liked that. Now I can see the graces that God gave me by placing this man in my life, and maybe I should start asking him for some prayers for the success of the new translations.

Knowing it was Respect Life Sunday, I was interested to see what the priests were going to talk about. Fr. Geno surprised me as I was expecting the classic younger priest with a soft hitting homily, and that is not what I got. I don't know if it's because FG and I have gotten older or if I just pay attention more to what is said than I did in high school. Fr. Geno's homily did focus on marriage and that is between one man and one woman. I don't remember the homily anymore, that's what happens when you let 2 and a half months go by with out blogging.

I picked up a fellow young adult and brought her to the Rosary Society Communion Breakfast, we were a touch annoyed that seats were assigned so that we couldn't sit next to each other but we worked around that. Fr. Geno was the guest speaker and spoke of how looking around the room he was reminded of how many people had lost loved ones since he was last at St. Anthony's. He mentioned that it is always hard for a priest to come back to a parish he has been at, as you're worried about who will be offended if you show up to something or not show up to something. He spoke about his new project that Bishop Serratelli lined up for him. It was a good explanation of the vow of obedience. Long story short Papa Arty sent Fr. Geno over to Rome for his doctorate and now Fr. Geno is in charge of the Diocesan office of Evangelization and the first and only Catholic evangelization center St. Paul Inside the Walls, a nice play on St. Paul Outside the Walls.

During his speech Fr. Geno reminded me of why I was attracted to him and youth group in high school. He knows how to reach out and bring someone to the Church. Maybe not in the traditional manner, but it works. More on FG in a later blog.

I might have been on as Extraordinary Minister at the 6pm Mass so that could explain why I was back for a second Mass. At the 6pm Mass Fr. Brian gave an excellent homily and I told him as much after Mass too. Fr. Brian had typed his homily and did not seem like his normal self, but that didn't stop the usual homily. (i know now why, all I'm saying is say a prayer for his overall health, nothing major, just a few extra prayers. Said health issue has been resolved, but he could still do with some prayers.)

Fr. Brian focused more on the marriage aspect than respect because as you know with marriage brings kids. Both priests mentioned the two becoming one though I think Fr. Geno focused more on it than Fr. Brian did. Fr. Brian does win for best line: "it's like chocolate and peanut butter, you put two different things together and get a resses peanut butter cup... chocolate and chocolate is still chocolate, it doesn't change or make something new" I paraphrased, but you get the point. He gave a few other similar examples. I thanked him after Mass for his homily and said, it's nice to hear it from the pulpit. He responded with something that I can't remember now, but it was along the lines of being a heavy hitter with the truth vs. being soft.

What stayed with me is that Fr. Geno seemed stronger in his defense of the Church than I would have expected from him while I was part of youth group. Granted he was newly ordained back then and I wasn't nearly as don't mess with the Church as I am now. Fr. Brian has only been ordained 5 years or so to Fr. Geno's 16, but both are around the same age and maybe that's the difference. We're all older, I tend to pay attention to what the priest had to say and making sure it's correct. ;) Either way I was happy with what I heard on Respect Life Sunday. :)

Prayer for Priests

My parish handed this out a few weeks ago when the relic of St. John Vianney came to visit the parish. People have complained that it's too long, but I think it's fine and beautiful when you thing about what is being said.

Prayer for Priests

Father, we praise and bless Your Holy Name, for by Your Holy Spirit, You have anointed Your only Son, born of the Virgin Mary, our great High Priest of the new and eternal covenant.

In Your love, You graciously give to all the baptized a share in His one priesthood.

And, from these, Christ Your Son calls some men to share in His priesthood in a special way, making them stewards of the Mysteries of God.

We joyfully thank You for our priests who answer His call each day with their lives of generous service to all of Your children. They are a most precious gift of Your Divine Mercy.

Strengthen them in their ministry of Word and Sacrament. Lift them up when they are cast down. Forgive them when they fail.
Enlighten their minds with the Truth of the Gospel. Inflame their hearts with love for Your Holy Church, and fill them with the overflowing joy of Your Grace.

Through the intercession of St. John Vianney, patron of all priests, we humbly ask You to make our priests true shepherd, each one willing to lay down his life for his flock after the example of Your own Divine Son who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.

Most Rev. Arthur J. Serratelli

September 11th

The above picture is one I took at the St. Patrick's day parade in March of 2009. It's at an odd angle as I was trying to take the picture of all the flags, which never really happens. Each year I tend to blog about the same thing, my memories of Sept. 11, 2001 and the days that followed afterwards. This years brings some interesting memories along with it. 10 years ago we all getting ready for my brother's wedding, as he decided that since 9-1-1 was a Saturday, it would be silly and no one would forget their anniversary; 8 years ago in August my family and I were in Ireland. This year we are preparing to celebrate my brother and sister-in-law's 10th anniversary, and this past August my family and I returned from a vacation to Ireland.

I remember 8 years ago flying to Rome in May for a class with Seton Hall and then flying in August for the vacation to Ireland, my gradfather was 90 years old that August, while I was happy to with friends and family, I couldn't stand being on the plane or flying. That was not like me I never had any issues flying or being on a plane. I could never place my finger on why I was so nervous about flying, but I got my answer looking back, somehow, someway I had a feeling deep down that something bad was going to happen.

Sept 11, 2001 went like this:
I was in my last semester at Seton Hall, long story short I was 12 credits short for graduating in May of 2001 like I was supposed to, so I had an added semester of classes, which became me just showing up for classes as I was commuting. So that's how 9-11 begins, I was at home sleeping like most college students would have been, when my mom came in to say " a place hit the twin towers." I thought what dumbass hits a building, assuming it was a little plane, not a jumbo jet. So I took my time getting up and decided to wash my car. What I think really happened was the Holy Spirit took me away from the tv, so I didn't have to see the towers fall, I've watched the replays and it always makes me cringe and cry. I turned on the radio in the car and turned on WPLJ. Scott and Todd, who are the morning DJs, were very somber in their broadcast, normally they are goofballs trying to help the drivers cope with their commutes. I will not forget how somber and solemn they were, it was strange and not normal. While I was washing my car, PLJ allowed ABC to break in and the news that a second plane hit was given. Almost every one in America and probably around the world saw that place hit, I can see the tv coverage in my head as I type this. My neighbor came out shortly afterwards and said, "one of the towers collapsed." That was it, I went inside, watched tv, tried to get on the internet to find my friends, of whom most were at Seton Hall.

Most of my family lived in NY at the time, and my father worked in the Bronx and my brother in Manhattan, both no where near the towers. It would take my dad nearly 4 hours to come home, as the George Washington Bridge was closed, so he had to figure out a way to get home. I don't remember how my brother got home as he usually took the train in. Thoughts ran through our heads as to who worked where and wondering if they were ok. All the family members were fine, and eventually we learned of friends of the family that had near misses that day, and eventually we heard that John and Dennis were among those that had died. More on them later. ;)

I remember finding my "Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do" shirt. Again a prompting of the Holy Spirit. My parish had a prayer service that night as we found out one of our parishioners had died in the Towers. I remember my mom and I walked over and I remember sitting in one of the pews, and watching Fr. Kevin go to a few people asking them to read, each said no. Before Fr. Kevin could get over to me, my mom said, "you're next, don't say no." Honestly, being a lector and having read in public quite a few times, I said yes, and I also thought, well at least people will read my shirt. What was done was an evil act, but those men were lead to believe that what they were doing was correct, it is not my place to judge them and yes we are called to forgive. Anyway I read at our service and eventually went home.

The next few days played out in a normal manner of going to school, retreat meetings, and other such things.

Driving to Kearny from SHU, prayer service, John's Mass, Dennis's wake.. all these things are to come, but alas I must get some sleep as I have to work in the morning.

Obama's speech

My issue is not with the president giving a speech, it was attaching lesson plans to it. Seriously, was there a mention of saving the babies, yes if kids stay in school they will learn, but what are they learning. My mom thinks I'm crazy when I say I don't want my kids, if I have any in public school and I don't want them in a Catholic school that doesn't know how to be Catholic. Oh and Obama probably did change his speech, but hey if he simply said "stay in school." so be it.

go vote...

As Fr. Z asked to have it placed on blogs, I shall. I also posted it on facebook we shall see what happens.

Go to Fr. Z's blog for the story or straight to the page to vote.

Walk to Run

Since I own an iPod and I got it to use with the Nike+ stuff, I've finally started using it again. I've started a "coaching program" on nike.com and it's guiding me through a 3 month or 12 week plan to go from walking to running. So far so good, two 15 mins walk and one walk some run are done. As long as I actually stick with it, it should work. The only thing I miss is a treadmill so I could do it at home later at night vs. having to rush, well run, out when I get home from work. I guess I could always do it before work too. We shall see how running works this week and possibly add in daily Mass next week. :)

Ireland

So my parents and I spent 3 weeks in Ireland, we were gone from July 13th - Aug. 3rd. I had a wonderful time, and it's nice when you cousins actually do stuff with you. Granted the cousin that did most of the entertaining was the cousin that was out visiting with his family last October and was in essence returning the favor, but I have a feeling he would have done it anyway.

We spent most of the time visiting family, and as my dad got a standard shift car, I couldn't drive. I don't blame him as it was cheaper, but he doesn't like to drive at night, so that can put a damper on things despite it not getting dark until 10:30pm. He also didn't want me driving on the roads over there, which maybe I wouldn't have been so damn freaked out if my father didn't have me thinking my side of the car was going to be in a wall every time he pulled over. I had to laugh when my cousin drove over there and didn't budge when the on coming traffic came. Long story short despite not seeing the Guinness factory like I wanted to, again my dad won't drive to Dublin, and any relatives that live in Dublin were away, but if I had the car I might have ventured it, oh well, I will just have to add that to the plans for a future visit.

My family always asks me would you live in Ireland, and I almost always say, no, I'd need a city, considering where I come from. Though I have thought about this question since returning and maybe it's just the memories of drinking in my cousin's living room and laughing and having a good time, but I'd venture to say I would try it. I don't know how long I'd last living over there, but at least it's an English speaking country.

Last time I was over in Ireland I was in my last year at Seton Hall, so I got asked the what are you going to do question, I don't remember how I answered it, but I was a religion major after all, so that probably stopped any further questions. This time I had to deal with the "what do you do question?" and I usually answered teacher,babysitter/nanny. Which is what I was doing, I stayed away from the oh the kids are going to school full time in September so I don't know what I'll be doing answer. I felt bad as I was in essence lying to my family, but I wasn't, however I noticed that most of then could really care less. I am for the most part "more educated" or shall I say further educated than my cousins. I speak of the older cousins as the younger ones and those my age have probably had a University education, though I could be mistaken.

My cousins Brendan and PJ are a carpenter and a mechanic and I noticed that despite the schedules they keep, Brendan who works for himself has added on 2 weekend jobs and PJ has a repair shop on the side are happy and their families are happy. They make time to go out with each other, granted it's for a few pints, but it got me thinking. I began to think it would be nice to have what they have, a family that doesn't seem to judge them. I mean so I have a BA in Religion, what am I going to do with it, who knows. Everyone is so relaxed and laid back over there, there was no rushing out the door to get somewhere, no one trying to better the other. Maybe it's because of where my dad's family is from in Mayo, and that's where we spent most of our time, but even in Galway City they didn't seem to be rushed, granted Dublin might be a bit different, but it's still not the NYC area.

For so long I've sought that youth ministry, religion teacher, church ministry job and I've watched it slip away or seen it go to someone else, all the while I'm thinking "there I go again being too conservative for the Church." There is something wrong with that statement, I'm not too conservative for the Church, just some of her members and you know what I'm tired of that. I'm tired of being the one who follows the Church, who knows she will be judged more harshly by God than those that didn't know. I want to work for the Church but find that most of those positions are taken by "liberals." When my parish got our new deacon, whom I met once and haven't seen since then, I saw myself thinking, oh there goes my shot at this position, and then it hit me, he's the one who should be doing these jobs, he's the one about to be ordained. It's nice that the laity can work for the Church, but after a while, there gets to be too many people running the Church.

Now I find myself accepting a new retail job at a camera store, and it seems like a great opportunity for me. As I can work for a year or 2 while going to school for my Master of Arts in Teaching from a local school, I am leaning towards Montclair State, but one never knows. I've found myself the more I try to pull away from teaching the more I get sucked into it. I enjoy teaching the CCD classes that I have, and I like the idea of summers off and other such days. I realize that had I actually gotten an education major I probably would still at the 1st school I worked at. All that is missing from me teaching religion is how to make a lesson plan and discipline. I know I'm a softy, I don't like yelling at people. I will tell a child to behave if I see them misbehaving and maybe that's what I'm called to do, to teach the little ones.

This blog turned away from Ireland fairly quickly and into something else. I'm off to go look at local colleges and Post Baccalaureate education degrees. :)

It's probably the beer talking...

or the fact that I don't feel like going to be yet. There's honestly nothing I want to blog about, unless I get on the topic of the transitional deacon my parish has received. He is AWESOME! He was officially introduced to the parish over the weekend and he preached every Mass. My parents come from the 8:30am Mass (I usually go to the 12pm) and my mom said "I don't want to tell you, but you'll like him." Now when Mom says that I'm going to like the guy, she's usually right.

Let me tell you, I nearly cried tears of joy during his homily. A young man with a few years on myself came out swinging, talking about No Salvation Outside the Church, which threw me a little, but we do have the fullness of truth. He compared the questions asked about Jesus and His "brothers" to people asking about the Church and what they don't like about the Church. The homily was a tad heavy with theology, but I was in love. He spoke about Mary's perpetual virginity, how abortion is an intrinsic moral evil (he won me over with that one, and I had an ear to ear grin and tears in my eyes)and how brothers in the Gospel meant cousin or friend, and how Faith without works is dead.

It was refreshing to hear that from the pulpit. Another thing that struck me was his "conservative" behavior. I use conservative, but it's probably more traditional than conservative. Our new deacon studied at the North American College in Rome and it's easy to see his influences. I know he's a good 20 if not more years younger than our permanent deacons, so to see him kneel at the altar vs. stand next to the priest for the Consecration was a change. I also noticed he received Communion on his tongue. He also sings which is a change from our two priests who don't. When this young man is ordained at the end of August, I pray that he keeps his fiery spirit and runs with it. I hear rumors of him returning to Rome for his Masters for two years and then returning to our parish, however those are just rumors, but it would be a blessing for our parish to have him.

It was a refreshing change from hearing people on the liturgy committee complain about how conservative things are. When our new pastor first arrived he commented on how "more conservative" our liturgies were compared to what he was used too. I don't want to know what went on at his old parish, but I see nothing wrong with our liturgies, as they are from the actual rubrics, which is how it is supposed to be.

I just don't like being lumped into the category of conservative because I like Mass the way it's supposed to be said. I like that our Tabernacle is back in the middle of the altar. Yes it's at the back altar, but it's the focal point of the Church as it's supposed to be. For years it was off to the side and people didn't even know it was there. It was at the "Sacred Heart altar" but it was on the side and most people weren't respectful of it. So our last pastor took the initiative from Rome and moved it back. Someone was complaining that the laity can't go near the Tabernacle any more and blah blah blah. Guess what, the laity shouldn't be up and near the Tabernacle, as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, I an very conscious of how special a ministry it is. I know that I am not worthy to distribute Communion to people, but God has let me, Jesus lets us eat Him, enter into our skanky bodies. I'm not afraid to go near the tabernacle, but we need to remember that the Blessed Sacrament is in there and that we should take care when going to it and in all honesty why would the laity being going near the Tabernacle. I am a woman in the Church and I do not feel powerless because I am a woman, rather I try to model my life after the great disciple, Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

I do not want to be or feel the need for woman priests, and it pisses me off when I hear priests talk about how one day maybe women will be at the altar. NO, as our new Deacon so nicely preached and said, in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. It is no longer Father whatever, but Jesus back there, hence why he says and we hear, this is MY body... this is MY blood. Jesus was a man, I am a woman I can not be in persona Christi. Rather I'd love to find a good Catholic man to marry and give birth to sons who enter the priesthood. I often laugh when I hear Bishop Serratelli say, pray for vocations, give us one of the boys of the parish, give us one of your sons, I often thing to myself find me a Catholic man to marry and you can have all the sons you want. ;)

Oh well, I think our new deacon will be a wonderful addition to our parish and I wish him all the best for his upcoming ordination and subsequent priesthood. He will be one of the good guys, he sticks me as the type who would learn how to say a Latin Mass, which would be interesting. :)

Back but not for long

I spent the past two week teaching at my parish's "Summer Religious Education Program." I love being able to pass on the faith, but it breaks my heart that a 4 year old knows the "rules" of being Catholic better than most of the 6th graders that I thought.

All that has been on the news over here is that Michael Jackson died, mind you Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and now Billy Mays all died too, but MJ is all over the news. I get that he was a great influence to music and the MTV generation, but I'm not in tears over the man's passing. He was strange to say the least. He needs prayers has he did live a strange and troubled life. Farrah seemed to live a normal life as did McMahon, and well Billy Mays despite his infomercial personality seemed to a private and decent man. May they all rest on peace.

In roughly 2 weeks my parents and I will be off to Ireland for 3 weeks, that means the next two weeks will be spent shopping for stuff, like transformers, clothes (there's apparently a heat wave over there), and other such stuff. It's also the 4th of July over here, which means BBQs and fireworks, if your town isn't too cheap to have them this year.

Oh well that's where I've been and will be. ;)

Where oh where have I been...

Life has been a bit crazy for the past few weeks, meaning I'm not on my normal/regular schedule for babysitting. My mom's sister-in-law (who lives in Ireland) died unexpectedly last week from a massive brain hemorrhage so that threw everything off. I helped my dad with babysitting my niece and nephew. Kerri and Sean, my niece and nephew, loved it as they always love when I do stuff with them. Mom got back from Ireland this evening. She started talking to me about the funeral and the Mass and other things on the way home and I half paid attention.

It's only 5 weeks before I join my parents for a 3 week vacation in Ireland and my brother, sis-in-law and the kids are joining us for the last week. This week should be just as crazy as I'm babysitting tomorrow and Tuesday and on Wednesday I take my Nurse Entrance Exam aka the SAT for nursing school. Then it's the parish feast, which means I spend most of my time, more so this year than in the past, with the youth ministry Ice Cream booth. "The Feast" is the parish's biggest fundraiser with carnival rides, booths and of course the food, the food is mostly home cooked or as close to it as possible. A lot of work goes into it including the time spent behind the tables in the booths.

So I might go missing for a while again, but I'm working on it. ;)