(157) The Rite of Confirmation & Its Meaning

*AMDG
           

The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, disciples,

and Mary……160  in all received the first Confirmation.

            It's Confirmation season and we're only a few weeks away from the great feast of Pentecost. Our students at St. Louis Church, Gallipolis, Ohio were confirmed today by Bishop Jeffrey Montforton.  So permit me to share the contents of the class that I gave to the Confirmation students.  It might give a few ideas to Confirmation class teachers and  might also serve  as a refresher and review for all of us.  There’s so much to learn about the faith; it’s a life long process.  If we don’t continually learn through Bible Study, spiritual reading, often referring to the treasury of Church teaching, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, etc., deepen our faith, and mature in it through daily prayer, Sunday Mass without fail and the sacraments, we risk becoming lax and eventually losing the faith.  Almost every extended family has a fallen away Catholic or two. 

  

 THE RITE OF THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION

AND  ITS MEANING

            What a privilege it is for us to be with you to help you grow and to grow ourselves!  Let’s pray.  In the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.  Thank you, Lord for this opportunity!   Please help us to give our students the best preparation possible for the great sacrament of Confirmation.  Dear Holy Spirit, always tell us what to do, what to say, and what to write.  Never let us do anything against your will. 

Before starting, let me ask:  Did you see the two articles that I wrote in the Church Bulletin……. "We are IN the Super Bowl" (Blog #151 at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com) and the one that came out last Sunday, “Blessed José Sanchez……Boy Martyr and Real Soldier of Christ” (Blog #132)?  Only 14 years old, he was a flag bearer in the fight of the Cristeros for religious freedom against the intense persecution of the Mexican Government in the 1920s.  José was captured and they told him:  “Deny Christ and we’ll let you go free”.  He answered:  “Viva Cristo Rey”.  José died a martyr because he refused to deny Christ.  How would you fare in a similar situation?  Can something like that happen here?  We already have a subtle persecution.  Catholic organizations are being forced to provide health insurance that includes abortifacients.  I’d like to ask you to read the articles because my primary motivation in writing them was for you.  It’s all about Confirmation.

            When did the first Confirmation occur?  It was the first Pentecost when the apostles and Mary received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Now let’s backtrack to the Ascension. Imagine that you were at the Ascension of the Lord into Heaven and that you are with the apostles waiting for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  Then during the Confirmation Mass, imagine that you are one of the apostles receiving the Holy Spirit on that first Pentecost.  After all, we are apostles of the Lord.  An apostle is one who is sent and you are sent. 

             What did Christ tell the apostles before He ascended into heaven on Ascension Thursday?  To stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4).  In Acts 1:8 Christ says: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses……to the ends of the earth”. 

             According to Matthew (25:19) He also said:  “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit……”  Did our Lord say all that only to the first apostles?  He said that to us too!  He gave each one of us a special mission to be His witnesses in everything we do, in whatever career we follow, wherever we are.  We are to teach our children ESPECIALLY, our students, our friends, our coworkers on the job, etc.  We have the mission of furthering the Lord’s kingdom.  Remember in the Our Father…….”Thy kingdom come, thy will be done”.  We are called to establish a civilization of love as St. John Paul II asked us to do.  Each one of us by virtue of Baptism are apostles and missionaries (see my blog #5).   Of course as a lay missionary abroad or a priest or nun you would be more deeply involved.

How do we evangelize non-Catholics and fallen away Catholics?  In little ways or in big ways at home or abroad…….by prayer and example, by word and deed.  We can encourage fallen away Catholics to come back home.  At the same time, we are engaged in a tremendous battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil.  Whose side are you on?  As a soldier of Christ, can you engage in that battle by yourself?  You’re going to need all the help you can get.  That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in?  You will receive tremendous graces and gifts in Confirmation.  For the rest of your lives you must develop and nurture the gifts of the Holy Spirit which you will have to tap when the critical moments come and cooperate with the graces. 

Preparation

            What were the apostles doing during their time of waiting for the Holy Spirit?   They were cooped up together, hiding out in probably the upper room…..praying and preparing for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit…..day and night.  In addition, Christ Himself gave them an intense preparation for how long?  Three years.  He taught the apostles all the time…..while walking, eating, resting, etc.  Was that enough?  They were scared and timid.  Since late evening Holy Thursday, they were hiding out and laying low in fear of the Jews.  They needed something more.  That was the Baptism of the Holy Spirit to set them on fire with zeal and fearlessness to spread the good news about our Lord.  They needed the gifts and charisms of the Holy Spirit.

  

              If the apostles needed all that knowledge, preparation, and prayer…..how about us?  Without a good preparation, the Sacrament of Confirmation will not be meaningful to you.  It won’t be effective?  You won’t get much out of it.  If you don’t receive the sacrament of Confirmation with faith, it won’t be effective either.   

How should we prepare for this great sacrament to get the most out of it and obtain the maximum amount of grace?  Confirmation is not a coming out party like a debutante announcing to the world she is of age and eligible for a handsome guy.  This is not like the Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony and party for coming of age and a milestone in their education in the Jewish faith.  If that’s all Confirmation is to you…..a sort of graduation from CCD, a party and gifts, and you don’t have to learn any more about our faith, YOU’RE IN BIG TROUBLE.  Knowing very little about the faith, it won’t make much sense and you’ll fall away.  You might marry a Protestant and join your spouse’s church because all religions will appear to be the same.  One of our former Confirmation students did just that.  

            If you look at Confirmation as a graduation from CCD and not much more, I can almost predict that as a soldier of Christ, you’ll end up as a deserter.  You’ll fall by the wayside especially if your parents are lax in the faith.  If they are faithful, then you’ll fall away as soon as you are on your own in college or move out of the house.  It starts with missing mass occasionally and then it becomes a slippery slope.  Then you use any stupid excuse for not coming to Mass on Sunday…..”I have too much homework; I have a big exam on Monday; my team plays over the weekend; I have a hangover from the party on Saturday night; I’m tired;  I had a tough week and I have to catch up on my sleep; etc., etc., etc.   Then you won’t particularly care whether a sin is mortal or not…..according to the Catechism, it is a mortal sin to miss Mass on Sunday for no good reason; also having sex with your boy friend or girl friend, engaging in porn as the movie “Shades of Grey”, etc.  Finally, you will fall away completely and your immortal soul will be in grave danger. 

           Already I suspect that we’ve lost a few people from our previous Confirmation class.  It breaks our hearts because the members of this Confirmation team put their hearts and souls into this program.  We love you all very much.  Are you going to be faithful?   Remember! Confirmation is NOT the end; it’s the beginning of the adventure with Christ in your adult life. 

            True, we do have the faith that even if you do drift, the graces of Confirmation will be there for the rest of your lives.  You would need extraordinary graces to come back. 

           Holiness. At this point you only have a taste of the beauty, the depth, the richness, and the splendor of the Catholic faith.  Confirmation is just the beginning of your maturing in the Faith.  There’s so much more to learn.  There’s so much more growing to do.  Each one of us has to work on holiness throughout our lives.  In fact, you can’t enter Heaven and appear before the throne of God without being holy.  So you have a choice:  become holy here on earth or become holy in Purgatory and that’s much more difficult.

            We are preparing for the great sacrament of Confirmation.  We’ve been coming to class every Sunday for almost two years.  We’ve learned a lot, but is that enough?  Absolutely NOT!  It barely scratched the surface.  It’s only something to build on.  So let’s be specific.  How do we prepare for this great sacrament?

·                      Mass every Sunday without fail.  That’s a bare minimum.  The Eucharist is like Power Ade.  We need that constant nutrition.  Furthermore, we have readings from the Bible.  Attending Mass every Sunday, we cover the highlights of the entire Bible.  Fr. Tom gives good in depth homilies.  We sing.  The sacrifice of Calvary is brought to us.

·              Learn about the Faith as you are now in this Confirmation class.  In addition Read – the Bible……a little each day.  You can read the daily Mass readings which are taken directly from the Bible.  You can get the readings on www.ewtn.com and the booklets in the back of the church.  You can read books by great spiritual authors.  There’s the Catholic newspapers in the back of the church.  At least read our parish bulletin every week.  Ms. Dovyak has tried to get you in the habit.  We can’t evangelize or defend the faith if we don’t know it ourselves. 

·                        Prayer – What’s the first thing you should do upon jumping out of bed in the morning?  Pray a morning offering:  “Lord, I offer this day to you.  Help me make this day pleasing to you”; talk to the Lord during the day.  Monthly adoration before the Blessed Sacrament is a tremendous opportunity to get closer to God.  At least stay for a little while.  An hour is generally recommended.  Offering your daily crosses, setbacks, defeats, and sufferings is a very powerful prayer for peace, for sinners, for the Church, the missions, and a better world.   

·                      Confession during Advent and Lent is a bare minimum.  The Church requires once a year.  Mother Angelica, a feisty nun on EWTN, asked the question:  “Do you take a bath once a year?”  We need frequent confession for examining how we are doing and obtain the graces to conquer our faults and sins.  Spiritual directors recommend once a month.  I cannot emphasize enough the importance of going to Confession before receiving the sacrament of Confirmation.  You’ll take a good shower before the prom, right?  You want your soul to be spic and span for the sacrament.  You must be in the state of grace to receive the sacrament of Confirmation and should profess and know well the truths and duties of our faith.  People tell all to a shrink, but are afraid to confess to a priest who is under the very strict Seal of Confession…….so strict that he must die first or face excommunication. 

·                    Charity.  Helping others. Being patient and kind with people.  Also consoling, encouraging, and counseling.

            May this Confirmation class develop virtues and habits that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.  We have to continue this spiritual growth in this quest for holiness until the day we die. We are called to holiness.  We are called to be saints. 

The Rite of Confirmation and Its Meaning

         First of all, what is a sacrament?  It is an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace. 

          What is Baptism?  Baptism is the sacrament that gives our souls the new life of sanctifying grace by which we become children of God and heirs of heaven.  It cleans our souls of original sin and other sin.  It gives us sanctifying grace which is divine life in the soul.  We are born again of water and the Holy Spirit.  It is our initiation as members of the Church.  We are anointed with chrism as a member of Christ who is Priest, Prophet and King.

           What is Confirmation?  Confirmation is the sacrament through which the Holy Spirit comes to us in a special way and enables us to profess our faith as strong Christians and soldiers of Jesus Christ.  Confirmation makes Baptism more complete.  It’s a deepening of Baptism in which we receive the life of the Holy Spirit in a deeper way.  It gives us the graces to mature in the faith in our adult lives and the strength to be faithful to the Church and its teachings and to defend it.  We receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit which we must develop and draw from when needed.  We must cooperate with these gifts and graces and the Holy Spirit will guide us in our lives.    

           Confirmation not only helps us to keep the faith, but to spread it as witnesses of Christ who reflect His goodness and love, His light of truth, and His life of sanctifying grace. In Confirmation the Holy Spirit gives us a certain power and helps us to be good soldiers of Christ in carrying out our missions in the battle between good and evil.  The Holy Spirit fills our hearts with the love of God. We become more firmly established as members of the Church which is the Body of Christ.  By Confirmation we share more completely in the mission of Christ.  We are called to be Christ’s instruments under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give our lives in the service of God and His people.

           Confirmation increases sanctifying grace, gives special sacramental grace to help us utilize the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and imprints a lasting mark on your soul to identify you as a soldier in the army of Christ.  The sacramental grace of Confirmation helps us to be loyal to our faith and to profess it courageously.  We are strengthened against temptation and the dangers to salvation.  We are confirmed in our faith with the Holy Spirit. 

           Confirmation is really the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  That term is often used in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.  The Prayer Group prays over a person to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.  That is simply a reinforcement or deepening of Confirmation and people are often transformed with inner healing or physical healing or a gift of the Holy Spirit.  I’ve seen Charismatic Catholics with the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy.  It’s so eloquent that you would think that the Lord himself is speaking…….For example, “My people, come to me and receive my love and my mercy”.  How authentic?  I don’t know.  I’ve seen a healing and a prophecy in tongues translated by someone with the gift of interpretation.  They take first Corinthians 12:8 literally.  The Charismatics pray with mind, body and soul as raising their arms.            

           What is the outward sign of Confirmation?  The holy chrism.  When did Christ institute it?  He sent His Holy Spirit on the first Pentecost.  What can you expect in the ritual?  I t will probably go like this:

1.   After the Gospel, our pastor will present each candidate and you will move toward the altar before the Bishop with your sponsor, the same as when you receive Holy Communion.

2.  The Bishop gives a homily.

3.  Then you will be asked to renew the Baptismal Promises that parents and your godparents made for you at your Baptism as an adorable little baby.  It’s really a creed.  Now you’ll make the promises for yourself.

4.  The Bishop and our pastor will lay hands on all of you by extending their hands over you.  Laying hands dates back to St. Paul and the early Christians.  It symbolizes invoking the Holy Spirit.  The priest lays hands during the consecration at Mass and during all the sacraments.  During the Anointing of the Sick and Holy orders, it’s actual contact. 

         At the same time the Bishop sings or says the following prayer:

All Powerful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by water and the Holy Spirit you freed your sons and daughters from sin and gave them new life (i.e., in Baptism).  Send your Holy Spirit upon them to be their Helper and Guide.  Give them the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence.  Fill them with the spirit of wonder and awe in your presence.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  And you answer AMEN which means?  So be it; YES! 

        These are really the gifts of the Holy Spirit…….wisdom (the ability to recognize and follow God’s will); understanding (where the other person is coming from); counsel (right judgment to make good choices); fortitude (courage); knowledge (ability to learn more about God); piety (reverence); and fear of the Lord (wonder and awe).  We need these gifts to be effective soldiers of Christ.   They perfect the other virtues.

         Those who consecrate themselves to God and resign themselves completely to the will of God with complete trust in Him will reap the fruits of the Holy Spirit to at least some degree…  They are a consequence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  There’s 12……charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty (in dress so as not to tempt people), self-control, and chastity (purity – sex only within marriage).  Except for joy and peace, these are basic virtues that we all have to work on.  As defined by St. Thomas Aquinas, “a virtue is an operative habit essentially good that guides our conduct”.    

5.  Anointing.  Our pastor will bring the Holy Chrism to the Bishop.  He will present each one of you by the Confirmation name.  The Bishop will dip his right thumb into the chrism and make the sign of the cross on your forehead.  He will say: Confirmation Name, be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.  And you say?  AMEN.  Then the Bishop will say:  Peace be with you.  And you answer?  And also with you.  Why in the form of a cross?  It indicates that the confirmed must be ready to profess his/her faith openly and to practice it fearlessly.  It also symbolizes that the recipient receives strength to bear crosses for the love of God.  We must take up our cross and follow Him even if we must die for our faith.

6.  How is the congregation involved in all of this?  They also renew their baptismal promises; they pray for you; and give witness to their faith to give you a boost.

When I received the Sacrament of Confirmation, the Bishop gave us a slap on the face to demonstrate that we may have to suffer and even die for the faith someday.  We were scared as to how hard we would get slapped.  Actually it was only a tap.  We used the name, Holy Ghost, but that was changed to Holy Spirit which is more precise for the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.. 

The Outward Sign of Confirmation – the Holy Chrism

        Why does the Church use anointing?  There are three oils that the Bishop blesses on Tuesday of Holy Week at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Assumption in Marietta.  I’ve been all over the world and I think that the Basilica in Marietta is one of the most beautiful……..the invaluable stained glass windows, the paintings imported from Italy, the murals.  The Chrism Mass is beautiful and a delegation from our parish goes every year. 

        Over the centuries oil was used to heal, to comfort, and to give life.  In ancient times athletes used to anoint their bodies with oil to limber up their muscles.  Thus the oil used in the sacraments symbolizes strength of soul and the diffusion of the light of grace into our souls.  There are three kinds of oils.

1.   The Oil of the Infirm (Oleum Infirmorum = OI) is used for the anointing of the sick.  It’s simply olive oil.

 

2.  The Oil of the Catechumens (Oleum Sanctum = OS), also olive oil, is used for a blessing in preparation for Baptism for strength against any evil in them and courage to profess the faith.  It also symbolizes the need for God’s help.  In the photo below it apparently is also used for anointing the sick.    

3.   The Holy Chrism (Sanctum Chrisma = SC) is olive oil mixed with Balsam Oil to give an aromatic perfume like flavor.  The balsam in the chrism symbolizes that our lives should give off the aroma of Christ.  It also expresses freedom from corruption and the sweet odor of virtue.  The Holy Chrism signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit.  It is used for Baptism after the pouring of the water, in Confirmation, and in Holy Orders as a sign of consecration to God. 

          Anointing with these oils has its origin in the Old Testament which is the promise of the Messiah or Redeemer in salvation history.  The New Testament is fulfillment.  They used oil to anoint 1) priests who offer sacrifice; 2) prophets who proclaimed the word and were spokesmen for God as His instruments.  Often in the First Reading on Sunday you will hear “Thus says the Lord”.  3) kings who are placed by God to rule the people.  Their authority comes from God.  Samuel actually dumped a bottle of oil on young David’s head  upon anointing him king.

          Christ Himself was anointed as priest, prophet, and king by the Holy Spirit when he was baptized by St. John the Baptist.   As priest, He offered Himself to the Father at Calvary.  As prophet, He taught and spoke for the Father according to His will.  He is Christ the King.  Viva Cristo Rey.  That was the rallying cry of Blessed Miguel Pro and Blessed José Sanchez in the Cristero War in the fight for religious freedom during the intense persecution by the Mexican government.  For more detail on them go to my Blogs #42 & 132. 

           In a sense we are also priests, prophets and kings.  In fact at Baptism you were anointed with chrism as a member of the Mystical Body of Christ who is Priest, Prophet and King.  How are we priests?  Together with the priest, who is another Christ (persona Christi), we offer Christ, the great sacrifice to God the Father.  Today the father of the family is a priest as in the Old Testament until God took away that role when the Jews adored idols in the desert.  Only the Levites remained faithful and retain that privilege.  It’s the father’s job to be the spiritual leader in the family, to lead family prayer, to make sure every kid is raised in the faith and every member of the family makes it to Sunday Mass and other devotions.  The ordained priest shares in Christ’s role of teaching, sanctifying, leading the people, and of course being another Christ in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and in the administration of the sacraments.

          How are we prophets?  We must proclaim the word.  We must defend the truth with courage.  We must be witnesses for the faith.

         How are we kings?  We are a royal people.  We belong to Christ the King.  The kingdom is our inheritance as adopted sons of God through Christ.  

         The first Confirmation on Pentecost set the apostles on fire for the Lord.  They received the gifts of the Holy Spirit and their consequent fruits.  They suddenly had a tremendous zeal to fearlessly spread the faith all over the world and die for Christ if necessary.

          How will you be feeling upon being confirmed?  Tongues of fire won’t appear over your heads.  Every person is different.  You may not feel anything out of the ordinary.  If you are well prepared for Confirmation you might feel a great peace, perhaps a greater zeal for the Lord.  You might feel God’s love in a special way or feel a great love for Him.  I don’t know.  But I do know that you will have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be developed and used when you need them if you remain faithful to God and cooperate with the graces of Confirmation.  You will be stronger in the faith if you remain close to Jesus Christ through prayer, going to confession monthly, never missing Mass on Sunday, etc.  

           In summary, Confirmation confirms one in the faith by binding one more closely to Christ and His Church.  It confirms, deepens, and energizes Baptism.  It equips us for that special mission that God gave to each one of us.  It is your personal Pentecost.  Always be a faithful soldier of Christ, not a deserter.  Strive to become holy, learn more about the faith, do good works, and pray always……..all for the greater glory of God.

APPENDIX

More on Preparation (taken from a class I gave in 2007)

         Parents and Sponsors.  Are you going to be faithful after Confirmation?  Are you always going to be faithful soldiers of Christ?  Parents and sponsors, you have a huge responsibility to guide the person you are entrusted with for the rest of their lives.  You should know whether he or she is still faithful.  Keep in contact at least once or twice a year.  I don’t care where he or she is or where you are.  International calls are now quite cheap today, especially be Skype.  Parents and Sponsors, pray for them at every Mass you attend, especially if they start to drift.  Sponsor, if you consider being a sponsor as simply an honor and nothing more…..it would be better not to accept this big responsibility.

            Sunday Mass is a grave obligation and according to the Catechism, “those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin” (#2181).  The only excuse I can see “you’re sick as a dog and might spread the flu bug or it’s physically impossible”.  I can remember only twice in my life.  Why is Sunday Mass so important?  It’s a bare minimum.  You find time to nourish your body three times a day with food even if it’s the drive through at McDonald’s.  Can’t you nourish your soul once a week on Sunday?   We receive the word of God in the readings and the Gospel.  Over a three year period, we cover the essentials of the entire Bible.  The sermon explains the word of God and we have the faith that the priest is inspired by God.  Most important of all is receiving the Eucharist…..the body and blood, soul and divinity of Christ…..Communion with the infinite. 

            Once you really understand and appreciate the Mass, it will not be boring, but fascinating.  Remember that the book states that by Baptism we are priests, prophets to spread the word of God, and kings in our dominion over creation.  The Jews in the Old Testament offered a lamb to God and then consumed it.  We as priests together with the ordained priest offer the unblemished Lamb of God…..Jesus Christ Himself to the Father in atonement for our sins and that of the whole world.  Then we consume the Eucharist in the Communion with the infinite.  In reality, the sacrifice of Calvary is brought to us in an unbloody way that transcends time.  For God time does not exist.  He is not limited by time.  It is only the perfect sacrifice of Christ Himself that could make reparation for the sins of Adam and Eve and all the sins that followed in order to open the gates of heaven for us.  Of course, we are free to accept or reject God and union with Him for eternity.  Father Bill says that in the Mass, the reality of the Last Supper, the sacrifice of Calvary, and the Resurrection comes to us.

           Reading. Let’s get back to my original question.  What preparation should we have?  Is coming here once a month for a couple of hours enough?  What else should we do?  Faithfully reading your two textbooks, studying for the monthly quizzes, and doing the little assignments are a bare minimum.  Your two textbooks are excellent and easy reading.  The red book gives a very good summary of the essentials of the faith and beautifully explains them.  I got some wonderful insights reading your assignments for today.  I would suggest that you keep these two texts as part of your personal lifetime library.  Refer to them and review them from time to time. 

             What two books are musts in any personal family library of a faithful Catholic?  The Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.  It explains all of the teachings of the Church in detail with references to the biblical texts.  The red handbook of yours makes constant references to the official Catechism.  We have about 10 copies of the official Catechism which you can borrow from the CCD Office next door.  The Apostolate of Family Consecration out of Bloomingdale, Ohio (www.familyland.org 1-800-FOR-MARY) publishes a detailed two volume edition of the Catechism with more explanation and illustrations for families.  They have excellent family retreats of fun and prayer…..pray and play.  The Catholic Almanac is also excellent for a personal and family library.  It is a mini-encyclopedia full of facts, history, and other data.  You can obtain the almanac and the official catechism from Our Sunday Visitor at www.osv.org  or 1-800-348-2440.

            This may be your last chance to take a course which deepens your faith.  The average Catholic in the pew knows very little about the faith.  Keep learning about the faith or you’ll lose it.  Let this course be a good start for a life of learning about the faith through discussion, reading Catholic newspapers, magazines, books, sermons, EWTN Catholic Television via satellite, etc.

         Prayer. What else can you do to get the most out of this wonderful sacrament of Confirmation?  Pray, pray, and pray some more as the apostles did for 10 days.  Prayer is simply communication with God.  We converse with Him and we listen to Him through His word in the Bible and through inspiration.  St. Paul in one of his epistles, exhorts us to pray always.  How is that possible?  That includes reading the Bible for 10 – 15 minutes each day. 

            You can say a little morning offering when you get out of bed in the morning:  Lord, I offer this day to you.  Help me to make this day worthy of you.  Good enough.  I like to add; “Dear Holy Spirit, tell me what to do, what to say, and what to write today.  Don’t let me do, say, or write anything stupid.”  You can say a short prayer while walking down the street or between classes.  Literally walk with the Lord. “Lord, help me in this exam coming up; help me to deal with this person in a Christian way.”  “Lord, I lost my patience again.  That was a mean thing for me to say.  I messed that one up.  I’m sorry about that.  Help me to do better”.  “I’m really upset; help me to get through this.  Give me peace.”  Thank you, Lord, for helping me to do well on the exam.  Glory to you, O Lord.” 

           You know, our parish has something very special one Sunday a month that many parishes don’t have.  That’s Eucharistic Adoration.  We have to thank Bruce Davison and Father Bill for that.  What was his role?  He had to guarantee that there would always be someone with the Blessed Sacrament.  Once or twice a year we have all night adoration.  He has the stamina and endurance to pray their all night long.  Isn’t that boring?  Does he fall asleep sometimes?  What does he do all night?   You really should spend at least a half hour to an hour in adoration.  I think that you’ll find it very satisfying…..just peacefully talking to God about your problems, dreams, goals, examining your life, thanking Him, glorifying Him, etc.  The knights of old would spend a whole night in front of the Blessed Sacrament on the night before being knighted.

             

         With this kind of preparation, we get the more graces and more out of this wonderful sacrament.  After the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, they were on fire to spread the good news.  With a good preparation you’ll be on fire for the Lord…..if not now, then later when the graces of Confirmation take hold.  That’s our goal…..that the Holy Spirit set you on fire to do your part so that His kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven or does that scare you?  Then when you die, the world will be just a little bit better because of you and you and you.

What is Confirmation All About?

                Why is this sacrament so important that it demands such an intense preparation?

       On Fire.  Some people are enthusiastic and on fire about the faith and eager to share it. Confirmation has a part in that.  It was James Davison who first organized the beautiful rosary in the park in 2008 while still in high school.  It was in commemoration of Mary’s last appearance in Fatima.   Her message was to repent and pray the rosary for peace in order to avoid a second world war and even a third one.  About 50 people showed up.  It took a little courage to ask Father Bill if he could do it.  You know such witness and example from a young person often is more effective than the same thing from an old guy me.  

             

           Be bold.  A few years ago, I shared with Bruce Davison about my getting into trouble in the University of Rio Grande.  In a general way at the beginning of each course, I said a prayer so general that even a Muslim or Hindu could accept it.  It was simply asking God to help me to serve the students well and help them get the most out of the course.  The first semester I had no trouble, but the next semester, somebody reported me.  One administrator was horrified.  “He prayed in class; that’s against the Constitution”.  Actually, I continued to fight and the University lawyer said that a silent prayer was permissible.  Anyhow, Mr. Davison told me, ‘Paul, be bold; be bold.”  I’ll never forget that for the rest of my life.  That’s what Confirmation is all about:  “Be bold”; to do what’s right, despite the risk, despite the consequences.  .

            Put you faith and the teachings of the Church in practice.  Pam, you were a nurse at the Holzer Hospital and a very good one.  Your boss tells you to administer the morning after pill which is an abortifacient which aborts any human life which may be conceived.  You might lose your job?  What would you do?  Pam, be bold.

            Soldiers of Christ.  Bruce Davison is as tough as nails and on fire for the Lord.  He was a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army in Viet Nam.  He was an elite Airborne-Ranger, the best the army has…..trained to jump out of airplanes and survive off the land behind enemy lines.  He led combat missions and patrols to find out where the enemy is.   After getting out of the army he became a soldier of Christ.  He’s a pillar of the parish today.  It was he who persuaded Fr. Bill to have a monthly Eucharistic Adoration.  He had to guarantee that there would always be a person present.  He’s kept his word and has stayed all night for all night adoration.

* Being a soldier of Christ means fighting for what is right even if it means being shot at…..i.e., being smeared, accused of wrongdoing, defamed, lied about, sued, etc.

 

* Being a soldier of Christ means fighting for the poor, the oppressed, and the unborn.

* Being a soldier of Christ means having the courage to defend the Church when it is being attacked or falsely accused when the easiest thing to do is to keep your mouth shut and stay out of trouble.  In order to do that, you must know your faith and that’s why we are here.

            Bringing Christ’s love to others.  Christ often manifests His love to others through us…..our kindness, generosity, our love in helping others.

         Missionaries.  On Ascension Thursday, Christ commanded His apostles to teach all nations (Matthew 28:19 and Mark 16:15).  Is that only for the apostles?  It’s also for us. 

            Don’t just keep the faith; spread it.  We must be alert for opportunities to evangelize…..to help to establish the Lord’s kingdom and to share the good news that Christ suffered and died for our sins in order to make reparation for our sins and open the gates of heaven.  All we have to do is follow Him and His teaching.

            Briefly how do we do this?  By prayer, by example, by word, by deed.  Don’t force the gospel down people’s throats nor impose yourself.  But don’t be timid and afraid either.  Wait for little opportunities and pounce on them.

            Being a missionary includes helping others to grow in the faith, love of God, and knowledge of Him and His Church.  This includes our relatives, siblings, friends, and classmates.  How many of you have fallen away Catholics in your extended family?  I bet that we all do.

            Every one of us reaches a point where we become physically helpless or incapacitated, old, and sick.  Can we still be missionaries?  We can unite our crosses with the cross of Christ and offer them to God as a dynamic prayer for our loved ones, the Church, the missions, and a better world.  That sick person may be more valuable than the president.  That’s the great fallacy of euthanasia.  We don’t know how God works in a person to prepare Him for eternity.          

                         

 ** At the very top of the first page is “AMDG”.  It is the abbreviation for the Latin “Ad majorem Dei gloriam” which translates to “For the greater glory of God”.  St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, originated this

phrase for his priests, brothers, and students in their excellent high schools, colleges, and churches.  However, some professors in Jesuit colleges have deviated from Church teaching.  St. Ignatius Loyola was originally a soldier in the Spanish army in the 16^th Century.  He was badly wounded and became one of the best soldiers of Christ in the history of the Church.  He had a prominent role in the Counterreformation that reformed the Church.  May you, as new soldiers of Christ, also do everything for the glory of God.  The medallions above are from Jesuit high schools and colleges.

                                                       

(156) A Life Changing Mission Trip of a College Student to Haiti

Naomi Sebastian, a Nursing major at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, plays with some orphans at their school in Haiti.

Editor’s Note:  Many students of Franciscan University of Steubenville go on mission trips in the USA and Central America during Spring Break.  My daughter Naomi Sebastian, a Sophomore Nursing student there and a member of St. Louis Church, Gallipolis, Ohio chose to go to Haiti in March as part of a group of 18 Franciscan students.  The young college students got more out of the experience than they could give in six days.  Yet these college kids were able to give the people they encountered a little bit of help and a lot of love which was reciprocated.  The young energetic students helped with a labor intensive construction of a building for the elderly, visited old people, and played with the orphans.  The lives of the students were changed; someday the orphan children will certainly have fond memories as adults of these young Americans who refused to be indifferent to the poor and the suffering in an underdeveloped country. Hopefully, Naomi’s story will give us all greater mission awareness.  Notice the great dignity and simplicity of the people of Haiti who can enjoy the little things of life.  They can teach us too.

 

Naomi Sebastian grew up as a faithful member of the parish; attended CCD through eighth grade; was a member of the YACHT Club (the parish youth group); and helped at our Vacation Bible School last Summer.  The generous donation by one of our parishioners will go into constructing the buildings for the orphans and the elderly that Naomi describes below.  You’ll enjoy her story.

A LIFE CHANGING MISSION TRIP OF A COLLEGE STUDENT TO HAITI

By Naomi Marie Sebastian

            I remember sitting on the airplane going to Haiti, having no idea what to expect or what even caused me to go-- it was all so crazy.  I didn't know why, but I just knew without a doubt in my mind that I had to go.  I said a silent prayer: "I give myself to you, God. Do with me what you will".

            No words could possibly describe my time in Haiti.  I found true happiness there- living simply with joy, peace, and love.  My heart is full and my eyes are opened.  I feel God in a whole new way.  I did not have culture shock in Haiti, but I did coming back to the U.S.  I am desperately clinging on to my memories of Haiti as I feel myself slipping back into "normal" life.  Everything is put into perspective and what is truly important in life. The people there have something we do not have and in that sense are rich. 

                We stayed at the orphanage where I felt privileged compared to the rest of the country's living conditions (Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere).  I had a bed to sleep in with food and clean water to drink- thanks to the $400 filters.  We walked to the nearby river where we bathed each day. At first, it didn't seem like we were getting clean, but after a day of physical labor in the hot sun, this soon changed.  Everyone in the village uses this river (including the animals) to bathe and wash their clothes.

The Franciscan University students enjoying their new friends at the orphanage.

            Movin' With the Spirit is a Catholic organization that built an orphanage, school, a home for the aged, and is in the process of building a clinic and second home for the elderly.  They plan to provide meals at the school since most children have to try and learn on an empty stomach.  I helped to build the complete foundation of the second elderly home Haitian style with no machines.  One man was digging a huge pit for the waste with a shovel.  He was extremely fit which made gyms seem pointless.  We transferred the dirt in big buckets and carried them on our shoulders up the hill to the construction site.  Also, a line of people tossed what I thought were heavy rocks, one to another to the site where the stones were pieced together like a puzzle to form walls.  I thought I was in shape from the swim team, but that proved to be very wrong as my body became quite sore.  After all of that, the rice and beans we ate became so satisfying.  It was an amazing feeling to see a week's worth of work completed by my team in just two days.

Labor intensive construction.

The construction crew of students and Haitians.

            A Beautiful Old Woman. The new elderly homes will house the most deserving and humble people I ever met.   We made several visits to the elderly in their current one room huts with their future coffins above them, ready made for their deaths.  One old man said he always prays for "his whites" and thanked us for visiting.   Many families do not care for their elderly because each one is another mouth to feed, yet are unable to contribute.  One old woman was physically dragged by her family to the river after she used the bathroom in her bed.  We gave her some comfort by massaging her arms and legs.  These visits made a great impact on me, particularly the first. 

The wise and saintly old woman.

We all squeezed into the hut of an old lady who said through a translator how happy she was that we came to visit her and wished she had something to offer us.  We gave this woman her only meal of the day.  The old woman lamented “I don’t know why I’m still alive, but God still needs me on earth.”  We asked her for words of wisdom and I wish I could remember exactly what she said because they were powerful: “Love your neighbor and don’t fall into the temptation of gossip.  Most important don’t despair; live completely for God.”  I felt an overwhelming holiness emanating from her; I loved her from the first moment of the visit.  She was there to change me and teach me how to love.  This woman is a vivid example of the importance and beauty of every human life.  Each member of my team kissed her humble feet and that was an unforgettable moment.  I started to cry uncontrollably from that unbelievable sense of what could only be divine love. 

All the people I encountered were so full of joy, smiling and waving as we traveled through the beautiful mountain villages.  The orphans were among the purest and sweetest kids I have ever met.  While playing with them, I was surprised at just how unimportant the language barrier is.  Some fell asleep in my arms.  I remember being led to a shack where they smoothed out a piece of cloth for me to sit on to make as comfortable as possible.  I listened to stories of how some of them lived or were mistreated before coming to the orphanage.  Katie, a graduate of Franciscan University, is like a mother to these 33 children.  Having lived in Haiti for 5 years now, she quickly became fluent in Creole, which is a mixture of French and other languages, (it’s funny that God sent her to Haiti even with her 6 years of Spanish).  Katie explained to our group the reality of Voodoo and the devil in Haiti and the rest of the world for that matter.  We should be constantly praying to St. Michael the Archangel for his protection.  The orphanage has a chapel blessed by the Holy Eucharist.  However, due to a serious shortage of priests, going to Mass is extremely difficult.  After six days there, I was so thankful that the sacraments are so readily available to us at home.

Washing clothes on the river.

            Our last day was spent at the most beautiful beach where some people were poking us and laughing because they did not understand why we would just lay in the sun.  We gave the rest of our food to the children who lived nearby and their excitement was like no other.  They used their hands to devour the food in seconds.  I did not want to leave Haiti.  I left part of my heart there until I have the chance to return.  I can see myself being a nurse at the elderly home I helped build.  We find true fulfillment in life by making this world a better place (no one can replace you); we are all called to do this in many different ways.  The most important in life is God; everything should be centered around Him and His love as we spread it to others.  That's why we live.  My daily problems mean very little now.  We are given so much and we must use it to help others.  Taking a real shower for the first time in over a week, I didn't realize just how dirty I was.  I am forever grateful for this leap of faith and what it did to me.  I will carry this experience with me always.  F.A.M.I.L.Y. --- which stands for “Forget About Me, I Love You”.

(155) How About a Lenten Confession?

St. John Vianney, Patron of Parish Priests and Confessors

        Lent is incomplete without confession.  When Holy Week comes and goes and Easter comes, you might feel as though something is missing.  How much we get out of the Mass every Sunday and Lent depends upon how much we put into it. 

          Lent is both penance and transformation……progress in the quest for holiness, without which we cannot present ourselves at the throne of God.  Each one of us must make a choice:  become holy here on earth; become holy in Purgatory which is much more difficult; or have no desire, even refuse to ever become holy……thus risking our souls.  Then the result may be…….a tragic never.

         Is confession also for those who have not committed any serious sin?  Pope John Paul II went to confession every week and he was canonized a saint.  Frequent confession must have had an important role in helping him become a saint of the Catholic Church.  If this saint felt a need for weekly confession, how much more do we need this sacrament of mercy in our quest for holiness and salvation at least during the twice a year Penance services, first in preparation for the coming of the Messiah and later for His passion and victorious resurrection?  In fact going to confession at least once a year is a Church law.  Reconciliation gives us the opportunity to examine how we are doing on our spiritual journey and focus on things we have to work on and improve in our quest for holiness.  Below Pope Francis shows us the example.  Does he need to confess?  WE ALL DO.

Pope Francis, showing the example and confessing his sins

        Confession is all about God’s contrition, repentance, resolve to conquer our sins with the help of His grace,  mercy, forgiveness, graces to strengthen us against temptation and conquer ourselves during the journey to eternity.  It is an opportunity to ask questions and seek counsel.  The comic strip below is very illustrative.  We are afraid to confess to a priest, strictly bound by the Seal of Confession, but will pay big bucks to a shrink and tell all.  

Repentance: Sincere Contrition and a Firm Purpose of Amendment 

          Although psychiatric counseling and medication may also be necessary, there is no substitute for Confession which gives spiritual direction and counseling and much more……God’s mercy, forgiveness, graces to conquer our sins, etc.  A good confession is also therapeutic and healing.  Ultimately, going to confession is a true act of faith.  By so going we show that we truly believe in God’s unconditional mercy and love.  DON’T MISS OUT THIS LENT.  You’ll have a more meaningful Lent and a happier Easter. 

Forgiven

          The Universal Call to Holiness. Chapter 5 of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church or Lumen Gentium of Vatican II in 1964 emphasizes the universal call to holiness.  In other words every one of us is called to holiness.  Regular confession is essential in that quest.  Most spiritual directors recommend monthly confession as a big help to avoid sin, develop virtue, become holy and thus close to God.  Then victory is ours……Heaven……everlasting happiness with God, His angels, and His saints. 

(154) Any Council of the Knights of Columbus that Honors a Pro-Abortion or Pro Gay Marriage Politician Should Be Disciplined, Censured, Reorganized, Placed on Probation, or Expelled

 AMDG

      Since 1967 the Norfolk, Virginia Knights of Columbus Council 3548, has sponsored and organized the annual St. Patrick's Day parade that has been a wonderful community service over the years.  However, this year, the Council honored Terry McAuliffe, the Governor of the State of Virginia, by naming him the Parade Marshall, ignoring the fact that he is openly pro-abortion and pro gay marriage.  By honoring the Governor, Council 3548 is ignoring the pleas of their local pastor and flaunting the teachings of the Church.  Fr. Dan Beeman, with the backing of his Bishop, wrote an eloquent letter below in condemnation of the action of Council 3548 and severed the relationship of his parish, Holy Trinity Church.  The letter and further links below are taken from Deacon Greg Kandra's blog at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2015/03/virginia-parish-severs-ties-with-knights-of-columbus-over-plans-to-honor-gov-terry-mcauliffe/.

A Very Lame Excuse.  The K of C Virginia State Council responded that it "deeply regrets the violation of this policy."  The state deputy said that the selection of Gov. Terry McAuliffe to lead the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade does not imply approval of his views.  So what?  Damage is being done. Can't they understand that Council 3548 is helping the governor's future political aspirations by providing honor, prestige, photo ops, publicity, and a platform from which to speak?  Many people will believe that the Knights approve of his work, his views and his policies.  Withdrawing the invitation, although awkward at this late date, still is an option.

Suppose for the sake of argument that a governor favored the legalization of homosexual relations between an adult and a consenting 14 year old adolescent.  Would Counsel 3548 invite this hypothetical governor to be the Grand Marshall of their St. Patrick’s Day Parade?  Of course not.  Then why invite a pro-abortion governor?  Aren’t they both evils?  Where is the consistency in their principles?  The way our society is heading, some day this example may not be so far fetched.  For the time being much of society accepts the one evil, but not the other.

        An essential prerequisite for any man to enter the order and become a fledgling 1st Degree knight in the first place is to be a faithful practicing Catholic.  The Grand Knight of Council 3548, the District Deputy, and the officers of the Knights of Columbus at the state level are generally 4th Degree knights and should know better. The State Council at first did decide to name another Grand Marshall, but then in a cowardly manner bowed to expediency and reversed their decision.   With such moral principles, it is very questionable whether these men should ever have been accepted as 1st degree members of the Knights of Columbus.  This is as bad as Notre Dame inviting pro-abortion, pro gay marriage President Barack Obama to be their commencement speaker and on top of that, giving him an honorary degree. 

         All of this would make our saintly founder, Fr. Michael J. McGivney (1852-1890) turn over in his grave, not to mention St. Patrick himself.  This action of Council 3548 is a betrayal of the ideals upon which Fr. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus.

The shame of this scandal reflects upon me as well as on all of my brother knights, not to mention the National organization of the Knights of Columbus and all its faithful councils.  It lessens the credibility of our Supreme Knight, Carl A. Anderson as our principal spokesman and author. People tend to generalize to the entire organization.  Such a black mark upon our order may discourage new members from joining this eminent organization and even cause some members to sever their ties with the Knights of Columbus.   

Furthermore, it diminishes much of the great work the Knights of Columbus are doing all over the country and the world.  The national website, kofc.org would give the reader a good overview.  My blogs #145 & #153 at http://paulrsebastianphd.blogspot.com give a good idea of what my own local Knights of Columbus Council 3335 is doing.  Blog #39 has a “Knight’s Prayer”, #126 is about Christopher Columbus, and #146 honors the 60^th Wedding Anniversary of our former grand knight to promote long lasting marriages. 

   

We knights are democrats, republicans, and independents.  We are brothers all........and Catholics faithful to the truth.  As an organization, we are apolitical.  We do not use the order for political ends.  We serve local parishes and the community, but no political party.  We only get involved in an issue when social justice, and church teachings are being violated because we are defenders of the faith.  We are defenders of Christ the King and His Church.

Therefore, the National Knights of Columbus in New Haven Connecticut should consider disciplining, censuring, forcing a reorganization of Council 3548, placing it on probation, or even expelling it as a last resort.  Brother Knights, please make your thoughts known to me at paulrsebastian@yahoo.com and the Supreme Council through

<communications@kofc.org>,

“Andrew Walther (203-824-5412) Public Relations” <andrew.walther@kofc.org>,

“Joseph Cullen (203-415-9314) Senior Communications Specialist” <joseph.cullen@kofc.org>, <CommunicationsDept@kofc.org>, 

        We are waiting for the reaction of our Supreme Knight Carl Anderson and the Supreme Council.  May it reaffirm in detail the principles and ideals of which our order was founded and every counsel should follow.    

Virginia parish severs ties with Knights of Columbus over plans to honor Gov. Terry McAuliffe

March 11, 2015 by Deacon Greg Kandra

Governor of  the State of Virginia, Terry Mcauliffe

Lifesite News has the scoop:

A Virginia Knights of Columbus council is pressing forward with plans to honor pro-abortion, pro-homosexual “marriage” Gov. Terry McAuliffe by having him as grand marshal of its St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In response, the parish priest has strongly reproached the council and cut ties.

Norfolk Knights of Columbus Council 3548, which has organized the Norfolk Saint Patrick’s Day Parade since 1967, had secured McAuliffe as grand marshal, apparently keeping the choice from the pastor of Holy Trinity Parish, where the council is based. When Father Dan Beeman took it up with the state council on the advice of his bishop, he was told by the state council that another grand marshal would be chosen, a decision that was reversed ten days later.

“Governor McAuliffe stands contrary to the Catholic Church in not one but many of the most essential teachings of the Church in the political arena,” the Norfolk pastor wrote in a March 5 letter to parishioners, distributed at Sunday Mass on March 8. “He himself promised to be a ‘brick wall’ against restrictions on abortion, has taken away commonsense protections for women in abortion facilities and lowered safety standards, and consistently takes money from pro-abortion lobbying groups.”

Read more. 
The full text of the pastor’s letter:

Dear Parishioners,

I write to alert you to an unfortunate situation which I have done my best to avoid, but to no avail.  As you are aware, each year Norfolk is home to the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.  The local Knights of Columbus Council #3548 have been the sponsors and originators of the parade since 1967.  As a Catholic men’s fraternal organization, the Knights of Columbus sought to bring a celebration in honor of one of our Church’s greatest Saints to the people of Norfolk.  Each year, the Knights pay special honor to one particular “Grand Marshall” who is given the title, is honored at an annual Emerald Ball, and is then given the charge of leading the parade.

It had been the custom to honor a local resident or community member with that title for a number of years.  Last winter, I wrote to the Knights of Columbus at the request of the Bishop’s Vicar for the East, advising them that it would be best if we allowed the parade to remain a non-political event.  I asked them not to honor any political candidate, office holder, or former office holder above the city level, as politicians at those levels often make decisions about issues which Catholics hold as non-negotiable to our Catholic faith.  It was our strong urging that they not honor any political persons, but that if they did, they should not honor anyone who stands in opposition to the teaching of the Church on issues of life, marriage, or religious liberty.  I wrote that letter at the request of our own Bishop to be sure that the Knights understood this is an important part of distinguishing our Catholic identity in public forums and awards.

After receiving the letter in the winter of 2014, two members of the Knights of Columbus parade committee met with me because they had already chosen a Grand Marshall last year who did, in fact, stand publicly against the teaching of the Church and who had, in fact, campaigned specifically on positions against the Church.  I met with the committee members and after extensive conversation, they agreed to name a new Grand Marshall for last year’s parade.  They chose an excellent second option, the Chief of the Norfolk Police, and I was relieved to be able to participate in the Emerald Ball and Parade.  In that meeting they specifically agreed to avoid political persons going forward as it could send a very mixed message for a Catholic organization to honor someone who stands in opposition to the Church’s teachings.  They gave me their word they would not do this again.

I was saddened and shocked to learn only two weeks ago that the Knights of Columbus had, again, decided to give the honor of Grand Marshall to a politician.  Going against their word to me last year, this year they decided to honor Governor Terry McAuliffe.  Governor McAuliffe stands contrary to the Catholic Church in not one but many of the most essential teachings of the Church in the political arena.  He himself promised to be a “brick wall” against restrictions on abortion, has taken away commonsense protections for women in abortion facilities and lowered safety standards, and consistently takes money from pro-abortion lobbying groups.  Further, he not only favors the re-definition of marriage, he himself performed a gay “marriage” as soon as a court overturned the law of the Commonwealth.  Marriage and Life are two of the foundational efforts of the Knights of Columbus as a national organization, so it is dumbfounding how the Knights could then decide to honor the Governor.

The council kept the decision from me until just a few weeks ago, when I was informed via a bulk mailing.  At that point, I followed the advice and counsel of the Office of the Bishop. He asked that I refer the matter to the State Council of the Knights of Columbus and to also advise the National Office.  I was told immediately by the State Deputy that the Knights would name another Grand Marshall.  Ten days later, the State Deputy informed me that the Knights had reversed their decision and have decided to leave Governor McAuliffe as the Grand Marshall of the parade.

Bishop DiLorenzo believes strongly in the Catholic principle of subsidiarity – that decisions in the Church should be made at the lowest level possible.  I agree with him that this decision should be handled internally within the Knights of Columbus as an organization.  While it is a sad and unfortunate thing that the Knights would decide to allow this to continue against our request, I have to consider that I have done my part as the pastor to teach the Truth of the Church and allow them to operate in freedom.  It is the clear teaching of the Bishops of the United States in Catholics in Political Life that, “the Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles.  They should not be given awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions” (emphasis in original text).   There is a difference between respecting the Office of Governor and allowing the Governor to march in the parade and honoring the Governor by naming him the Grand Marshall and official host of the parade.  The Knights have chosen to act on their own, against the clear advice and teaching of the Church.As a result of their decision, the parish will not support or participate in the parade.  I will not attend the Emerald Ball or Parade.  Sadly, this also unnecessarily severs the relationship between Council #3548 and Holy Trinity parish.

Again, it is unfortunate that the Knights have decided to make something that should be a community event into something that is political.   I am aware that some members of the Council disagreed with this decision, and that there are some who had nothing to do with the decision.  I am grateful to those men for the support of what is right, and to Knights who are active members of the parish who stand for the truth.  In a time where things of so much more importance exist, I am sad that this much energy has been devoted to something of this nature.  Please pray for unity in the Church.

Faithfully in Christ,
Father Dan Beeman
Pastor

Knights of Columbus responds: “The State Council deeply regrets the violation of policy…”

March 12, 2015 by Deacon Greg Kandra

The latest on the St. Patrick’s Day parade story: 

On Thursday afternoon, the Knights of Columbus Virginia State Council posted an updated statement to its website:

It said the state council “reaffirms the longstanding policy of the Knights of Columbus not to invite or bestow honors on public officials who do not support the legal protection of unborn children. … The State Council deeply regrets the violation of this policy by a council in Norfolk for its St. Patrick’s Day Parade. We are conducting an investigation to determine how and why this occurred, and we will ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.”

The state deputy for the Knights of Columbus says the selection of Gov. Terry McAuliffe to lead the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ocean View does not imply approval of his views.

The Knights prefer to keep politics out of such celebrations as a general rule, wrote Steve Burnley, and usually discourage inviting politicians.  But other governors as well as political and civic leaders have served as grand marshal in the past, he wrote.

“The parade is a nonpartisan, apolitical civic event that is open to the public…” Burnley wrote. “The Governor’s participation should be understood in that sense alone.”

Read more of Deacon Greg Kandra's blogs by going to: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/deaconsbench/2015/03/knights-of-columbus-responds-the-state-council-deeply-regrets-the-violation-of-policy/#ixzz3UO6OkQOW 

(153) A Typical Month of Activities of a Small Town Knights of Columbus Council in Gallipolis, Ohio

AMDG

MARCH 2015

NEWS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ST. LOUIS COUNCIL 3335

(Apologies for not sending this last week; my internet was out.)  

(It did appear as an insert in the St. Louis Church Bulletin March 7-8)

        The highlight of February was the annual special olympics type activity that the knights held at the GDC gymnasium for the developmentally disabled children and adults of the Rehabilitation Center (formerly Guiding Hand School).  It consisted mainly of basketball free throws.  Each of the approximately 50 participants received a t-shirt and a medal as a prize.  Jim Ryan, a past Grand Knight, has been coordinating the event for many years.

           The Lenten Friday Fish Fry.  The knights and many others are doing their part in organizing, buying the food, cooking, washing dishes, and cleaning up.  It all helps to bring the parish together as workers and/or diners.  At the same time the Fish Fry is a great ecumenical outreach to the community.  People of all faiths come for delicious food and great fellowship.  Join them.  Let them meet the wonderful people of our parish.

March Activities and Announcements

            

1.    K of C Benefit Breakfast - Sunday March 8 after the 8 am and 10 am Masses (2nd Sunday of each month) for St. Louis K of C Council Charities.  It will be great fellowship and delicious food with a lot of love added to it to strengthen our parish community.  Bring your family and friends.  Every breakfast benefits one of the Knights of Columbus charities or scholarships for deserving students of the parish.  The December Breakfast raised $300 for the March for Life Pilgrimage January 21-22. 

We need help to setup and prepare the food at 7 am, washing dishes, and cleaning up after each of the two breakfasts.  Our response for the last breakfast was better, but we still need all the help we can get especially before the 8 am Mass.

2.    Eucharistic Adoration - Sunday March 8 after the 10 am Mass.  The Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament will conclude with Vespers at 4 pm.   It would be great to have a Knights of Columbus Honor Guard there.  Brother knight, if you come for adoration, please kneel/sit in the front row for as long as you desire, be it only 15 minutes or more.  You don’t have to be in regalia.  Bruce Davison usually occupies the first row on the right for most of the time, including the all-nighters.  You can do spiritual reading; converse with the Lord; and share your innermost thoughts and concerns with Him. One simple person said: “I look at Him and He looks at me”…….i.e., listening to His inspiration.  In medieval times squires would keep all-night prayer vigils before the tabernacle in preparation for being dubbed as new knights the following morning.  The knights of old would protect their kings; today we protect Christ the King in the Blessed Sacrament with our lives if necessary.  After all, more than once in modern times has the Eucharist been desecrated as a group of radical gays did a couple of years ago in St. Patrick's Cathedral New York City.

                                             

3.  1^st Degree Initiation - Sunday March 15 for new knights in Churchtown is a very impressive ceremony.  All men of the parish who are faithful practicing Catholics are invited to join the Knights of Columbus.  There’s great fellowship and many opportunities to serve God and His people.  Men, make a difference for the Church, the Parish, and the Community and grow spiritually too; join the Knights of Columbus.  Furthermore, it has a life insurance program which rates with the most financially solid insurance companies in the world.  Besides giving generous rebates, the profits don’t go to the stockholders, but to Knights of Columbus charities.  Contact Grand Knight Mike Haas at 740-645-1646.

4.    2^nd & 3^rd Degree Initiation – Sunday March 22 in Marietta for active members of the Council.  Advance in your knowledge of the Knights of Columbus and strengthen your commitment.  Contact Grand Knight Mike Haas at 740-645-1646.           

5.     Monthly Business Dinner Meeting - Monday March 23 at 6:30 pm.  We have great fellowship at dinner and the input of every knight is most valuable at the meeting as we make decisions about future activities.  Our Council is as strong as each knight makes it.  We will pray the rosary before the meeting inside the church at 5:45 pm.  We cannot be an effective Council without the Lord’s help and guidance.

6.   Knights of Columbus Fifth Sunday Mass – Sunday March 29 at 10 am.  The 4^th Degree knights will process in full regalia and make the Mass more beautiful and impressive than it already is.  The knights will do it all; Fr. Tom is also a knight.  Since it is Palm Sunday the 4^th degree knights will meet at the church at 9:15 am and join the ecumenical celebration in the Gallipolis City Park by 9:30 am.  Let’s all show up in force.

7.     Super Cash BONANZA Raffle Tickets – $108,000 in Prizes; 1^ST Prize $49,680.  $5.00 per chance may be purchased from any knight.  Better than the lottery.  The St. Louis Council has a good chance of receiving $4.60 from each ticket if turned in by April 1.  That money will be used for scholarships for the students of our parish.

8.    The Knights continue to sponsor and lead the rosary 25 to 30 minutes before the Masses of the first Saturday and first Sunday of the month.  For March it’s Sunday March 1 and Saturday March 7.  The next one will be the week-end of April 4-5. 

9.   Prayers Needed.  John Payne is done with his radiation and quimo for cancer.  He continues to attend the meetings and cook for our breakfasts, fish fries, and dinners.  Oscar Bastiani is recovering from neck/back surgeries.  Now he comes to Mass on Saturday evenings, attends our meetings, and collects money for the breakfasts and fish fries.  They both attended our Men’s Conference.  These guys are unsinkable; nothing keeps them down.  Please continue to keep our brother knights in your prayers.  Sadly, three brother knights have seen their families break up.  Pray for reconciliation & more stable marriages in our parish.

Knight Family Notes. On March 8 Naomi Sebastian, recipient of the 2013 $250 Knights of Columbus scholarship and a sophomore nursing major and member of the swim team at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, will be leaving for a week long mission trip to Haiti.  She will be working in an orphanage run by the “Movin’ With the Spirit” apostolate and has been raising money for the trip.  That includes $1000 as a donation from each student to finance a new building for the orphanage.   Please pray for the people of Haiti, the orphans and their orphanage as well as for the safety of Naomi and her fellow students.  While college students live it up in Florida during their Spring Break, many Franciscan University of Steubenville students go on mission trips.  Franciscan University is one of the few Catholic colleges that are truly Christ centered and take very seriously its original mission…….to form its students to change the world for Christ and His people.  Give us news of your family.     

          The strength of our Council depends so much on you.......your participation, your volunteering your time and effort to serve God and His people.  Thank you for all of your help.

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      Lord, help the Knights of Columbus be a force

       for the renewal of the parish and ourselves too.

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