Postulador de Maria MacKillop: Franc Paul Gardiner SJ

By Admin

Oct

15

After dedicating more than 25 years of his life to her cause, Australian Jesuit Father Paul Gardiner says Mary MacKillop’s canonisation is a celebration of God in our country, as well as blessing the life of MacKillop. ‘It’s proof to all people that God can do it here’, he says. ‘The achievement of Mary MacKillop in her life was great and wonderful. But the great achievement is God’s achievement in a human soul like Mary’s.’ Fr Gardiner was appointed as the postulator for MacKillop’s cause in 1983. He spent six years researching and digesting the documents prepared about her life, before putting together the case for her canonisation. The case was later published as a book, Mary MacKillop: An extraordinary Australian. He says that while MacKillop did a great deal in setting up schools and working for those in need, what impressed him most in getting to know her story was her deep spiritual life and union with God. ‘She considered herself a contemplative’, he says. The other thing that stood out about MacKillop was her ability to withstand the negative events in her life. When she stood up to the bishops, Fr Gardiner says MacKillop wasn’t – as some might suggest – a rebel against authority, or even a feminist. Her actions were those of someone with a deep respect for the authority of the Church, and were made according to the law and the vows she had taken. ‘There is no one in Australia’s history you could point to, I think, who had more respect for law and authority than Mary MacKillop’, says Fr Gardiner. ‘To try to twist her into some sort of ideology is an abuse.’ Even when submitting to the excommunication, MacKillop acted with respect for the authorities. ‘She was never excommunicated, it was all invalid, but she acted out of respect to the bishop as though she were. She said, “God will bring good out of evil”‘, says Fr Gardiner. ‘The way she handled that, going through it, is a convincing argument to look a bit further at what was driving this woman. How did she do this, was it a natural bent to her soul, or was there something else there? And the something else of course was her close union with God.’ Retiring as postulator in 2008, Fr Gardiner is currently based at the Mary MacKillop Centre in Penola, South Australia. He has travelled to Rome for the canonisation on 17 October, and will concelebrate the canonisation Mass with Pope Benedict XVI. He says he is looking forward to seeing the thousands gathered in the square outside St Peter’s Basilica as the banner of MacKillop is unfurled. ‘What I’m looking forward to is the emotional reaction to seeing it all, remembering Mary MacKillop as the young Australian girl who was visiting Rome on her own, trying to get some sort of approval from the Holy See for her order and frequently visiting St Peter’s. ‘Socially speaking, she was a nobody. Yet here she will be, being proclaimed by the world.’ By Michael McVeigh (first published 3 March 2010)

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The twentieth first Sunday in ordinary time

By Admin

Aug

21

August 22, 2010 The hopeful message of Isaiah’s reading gets twisted when pitted against Luke’s gospel passage. The Lord God tells Isaiah that some people from every nation will come to Jerusalem and see the divine glory and that some of these newly elect will become priests and Levites. The disciples of Jesus ask him if they will be saved as they realize only a few will be allowed into the kingdom. The closest friends of Jesus are unsure about their salvation even though they have listened to him, watched his wondrous miracles, heard his powerful words, and have left family and home to be with him. After all this they still are not assured. They hope and have faith and have practiced great acts of charity, but these very essential questions linger. This is a good disposition to have after all. Do you agree? It is a confusing time to be a Christian because we know we do not have many of the answers or perhaps even the proper questions to many questions about our faith. The beliefs many Christians have about today’s complicated social issues are often at odds with the religious leaders who are trying to teach us, and we understand that a solid pedagogical model incorporates understanding our contexts, prudently choosing our action plan, and then taking the time to ponder and reflect upon the rightness of our choices. All too often the teacher becomes the student as both teacher and student are bound to learn from each other. We recognize that no side really possesses the truth, but the best disposition to have is to strive and pursue the truth as contained in God’s will for me here and now. God’s will is manifested in the here and now. What exists today as truth for me may change tomorrow. Learning and enrichment are so paradoxical because we find out that we know less than we thought we would than when we first began. Like the disciples of Jesus, we may err if we presume to know more than we do. Rightly, they wonder and do not presume that they are among the saved who will enter into the kingdom. The question remains, “Do we know if we are saved?” Who makes it into the kingdom? The words of Jesus may upset us if we pay attention to the criteria he lists in the readings. People who are at the end of the line might get in before us. Merely knowing Jesus is not a qualification; the degree of being his friend however is significant. Those who we have rejected as unqualified might have the better seats than we do. Presuming we are in is an opposing vice to the virtue of hope. Finally, acting with humility and serving others seems to be the key to enter into the narrow gates. Together, these are difficult conditions to accept in today’s climate. What are we to do then? Developing our spiritual life and enriching our prayer experience with Jesus Christ will lead us into making the best choices we can. Our friendship with him will help us make the most prudential, merciful decisions we can because we will know what he wants from us and for us. If we learn to pay attention to both our needs and his, he will take care of us and we will learn to trust his way of being above all other inferior criteria in life. We will find that we like this way of goodness and we will want to be like him to a greater degree. It is just amazing what he will do for you when you realize how much he likes you. Quote for the Week From “The World According to Mr. Rogers” by Fred Rogers I hope you are proud of yourself for the times you’ve said “yes,” when all it meant was extra work for you and was seemingly helpful only to someone else. Themes for this Week’s Masses First Reading: Paul’s 2nd letter to the Thessalonians is inserted into the first reading when he bolsters the courage of the persecuted believers to persevere in prayer and good works. He calls everyone to act in a way that is in order with the imitation of Paul and Jesus so that we can be a model for others to come to belief. In 1st Corinthians, Paul gives thanks for the Greek-based community that is richly blessed by God’s grace. Paul declares that Christ sent him to preach the Gospel and its message of the cross, which is foolishness to those who don’t understand. Paul glorifies the crucified Christ as the power of God. Paul illustrates how those assembled also are foolish in the world’s eyes, but glorified in God’s. Gospel: Jesus unleashes his criticism upon the scribes and Pharisees whose actions mocks God and set the wrong example for discipleship. He encourages the people to be vigilant for the coming of the kingdom of God. They must build a relationship with God and be attentive to the divine will. He likens our disposition to receive the kingdom of heaven to be like the ten bridal virgins who are awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom and have their lamps prepared for his return. He then tells the parable of the man on a journey entrusting his possession to three servants, two of which invested the money, the third hid the talents and received no profit. For to everyone who has, more will be given and this person will grow rich. Saints of the Week Monday: Rose of Lima joined a Third Order of St. Dominic in Lima, Peru, a daughter of Spanish immigrants during the late 16th century. She practiced a life of penance, food deprivation and other harsh austerities, which brought about a few mystical experiences, but great periods of darkness and desolation. She was the first canonized saint from the New World. Tuesday: Bartholomew, Apostle , is one of the Twelve Disciples, but we know little about his identity. The Synoptics link his name to Philip, but John’s Gospel links Nathaniel’s to Philip. All we really know is that he was one of the chosen Twelve who was a friend of Jesus from the beginning and witnessed his resurrection. Wednesday: Louis of France became regent at age 12 and king at age 22 and ruled at a time of peace and prosperity. He is said to have been a fair man who acted justly, with mercy, and with great concern for the poor. He reigned for 44 years until his death in 1270. Friday: Monica is the mother of Augustine who encouraged him to convert to the Christian faith. Previously, he had abandoned his faith in favor of the Manichean tradition, but her prayer and fasting is attributed to aiding his conversion. They lived in North Africa, but Augustine later moved to Milan where he met and was baptized by Ambrose in 387. Ambrose introduced a Milanese Eucharistic rite called the Ambrosian rite. Saturday: Augustine, Bishop and Doctor , was the author of his Confessions, his spiritual autobiography, and The City of God, which described the life of faith in relation to the life of the temporal world. Many other writings, sermons, and treatises earned him the title Doctor of the church. In his formative years, he followed Mani, a Persian prophet who tried to explain the problem of evil in the world. His mother’s prayers and Ambrose’s preaching helped him convert to Christianity. He was named bishop of Hippo and defended the church against three major heresies. This Week in Jesuit History • Aug. 22, 1872: Jesuits were expelled from Germany during the Bismarckian Kulturkampf. • Aug. 23, 1558: In the First General Congregation, the question was discussed about the General’s office being triennial, and the introduction of choir, as proposed by Pope Paul IV, and it was decreed that the Constitutions ought to remain unaltered. • Aug. 24, 1544: Peter Faber arrived in Lisbon. • Aug. 25, 1666: At Beijing, the death of Fr. John Adam Schall. By his profound knowledge of mathematics and astronomy, he attained such fame that the Emperor entrusted to him the reform of the Chinese calendar. • Aug. 26, 1562: The return of Fr. Diego Laynez from France to Trent, the Fathers of the Council desiring to hear him speak on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. • Aug. 27, 1679: The martyrdom at Usk, England, of St. David Lewis, apostle to the poor in his native Wales for three decades before he was caught and hanged. • Aug. 28, 1628: The martyrdom in Lancashire, England, of St. Edmund Arrowsmith. My Return to the U.S. My period of formation called tertianship has come to an end. It has been a very rich time with incredibly happy memories during a period in which I formed strong bonds of Jesuit fraternity. I will miss many of my tertianmates as we disperse throughout the world into the ministries to which our provincials assign us. I am grateful for the terrific hospitality of the Australian province and their colleagues and friends. My prayer life and my heart are much richer for this special time. I am just incredibly happy.

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The eighteenth Sunday of the ordinary time

By Admin

Jul

31

August 1, 2010 Although today’s readings confront our capacity and inclination to obtain more than we actually need, they skim the surface of our attachments to those possessions that we perceive will bring us security. Qoheleth, the author of Ecclesiastes, writes that all is vanity. Another translation of the word vanity is breath, so he is saying that everything is breath. It is passing, transitory, it cannot be grasped and it vanishes quickly. He asks, “Why do we get anxious about those possessions or activities that, in the long run, do not matter so much?” We are seeking to grasp onto something to give us some security, but in the end, the happiness that comes from our wise choices give us peace. Our greed, whether for possessions or security, can become idolatrous. I recall the bumper sticker that appeared years ago, “He who has the most toys wins.” This worldview reveals it is the pursuit, not the actual possessions, that becomes idolatrous. The letter to the Colossians tells us that we have to put to death this insidious type of greed so that we can put on the new self, that is, to put on Christ. Jesus tells a story to one of two brothers who is constrained by his greed. The first brother doesn’t want to share his inheritance and the second one may or may not be too consumed with the inheritance, but he does want his brother to share out of sheer principles of fairness. In the story we learn of the futility of stockpiling and self-centeredness. The rich man builds a sense of security for himself because he will not go hungry, he will not have to rely upon others, and his hard work will surely pay off in the end, but the Lord God appears to him and chastises him for his foolishness. He gets no real benefit from his actions because he dies before he is able to enjoy his possessions. His relative wealth and comfort provides no surety in the long run. We do not want to be like this man even though we want to be hard workers, prudent savers, and wise stewards of the gifts we have been given. It is wise for us to properly understand our relationship to those things in life that we pine for with the backdrop of Qoheleth’s pronouncement that all in life is fleeting. What can we really hold onto? The parable explains our attachment to material possessions because it is easy to visualize, but more often in life we hold onto intangibles like honor, status, influence, appearances, or reputation. We cling to these because they define our character and personality, and it is helpful to remember that we get our sense of security and stability from them as well. Our world becomes shaken when we deal with shame rather than honor, or when our high esteem and status is overturned and we lose our prestige, and so on. We begin to question our identity and our compass in life. These aspects of life are fleeting too and we can’t rely upon them, just like the man in the parable cannot rely upon those possessions he has stockpiled. Take some time this week to examine your personal (intangible) possessions. How many of them are really illusory? Onto what can we really grasp and hold onto during a lifetime that is merely a breath? Until we have it sorted out, let’s follow the advice of Qoheleth who teaches us to live well, to enjoy life, to take matters in stride, and to know we will one day be called back to God. Let’s be generous and giving to one another; generosity has a way of paying back in exponential ways. Loosen up and let go. All is breath. Quote for the Week From The Book of Ecclesiastes : Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! For what profit comes to [one] from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which he has labored under the sun? … This also is vanity. Themes for this Week’s Masses First Reading : King Zedekiah breaks the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah and raises the false hopes of the people because he preached rebellion against the Lord, but Jeremiah prophesies that the Lord has not sent Zedekiah on his mission. The Lord tells Israel that because he has brought calamity upon them because of their numerous sins, but there will come a day when the punishment will be lifted. At the right time, the Lord will show his age-old love for the people once again in fullness. The days are coming when the Lord will make a new covenant with Israel and will no more remember their sin, and the just, because of their steadfast faith, will live. Gospel : When Jesus hears of John the Baptist’s murder, he retires to a secluded place to pray, but many people come to him for healing. He teaches them and since it is late, he provides them with the fish and loaves that satisfy their hunger. He sends the disciples to the other side of the lake and meets up with them by walking on the surface of the lake. A Canaanite woman who knows of the power of Jesus begs him to heal her daughter who is tormented by demons. Jesus pauses to ask his disciples to tell him who they think he is. He declare him to be the Christ. A man begs Jesus to care for his son who is a lunatic. The disciples are baffled by their inability to cure him while Jesus has the greater power to expel the demon and make him sane. Saints of the Week Monday: Blessed Peter Faber, S.J., priest , was one of the founding members of the Society of Jesus. He was an ordained priest when the original companions professed vows at Montmartre outside of Paris on August 15, 1534. He wrote his Memoriale to record the development of his spiritual life. Chosen as a delegate to the Council of Trent, Faber fell ill and died on August 1st. Eusebius of Vercelli, bishop ¸ settled a dispute between the Arians and Catholics in 355 and was subsequently banished to Palestine unti 361 when the emperor died. Peter Julian Eymard, priest , entered the Marists in 1839 and left to found the Blessed Sacrament Fathers in 1856 in an effort to promote devotion to the Eucharist as a model for Christian living. Wednesday: John Mary Vianney, priest , is the patron saint of priests and was called upon last year to intercession during the Year of the Priest. He was a parish priest who became known for his extended devotion to hearing confessions and for pastorally caring for the people of the village of Ars-en-Dombes near Lyons, France. Thursday: The Dedication of the Basilica of Mary Major in Rome is the church were St. Ignatius said his Mass of Thanksgiving a year after his ordination. It is also the church in which Francis of Assisi set up the first Nativity crèche. The basilica was renamed after the Council of Ephesus in 431 after Mary was proclaimed to be the mother of God. It is larger and older than other churches in Rome named after Mary. Friday: The Transfiguration of the Lord appears in each of the Synoptic Gospels when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up the mountain to pray and he was transfigured before their eyes. Jesus was affirmed by his Father in heaven and he was confirmed by his friends to be the Christ. Sadly, we also remember the transfiguring event of the anniversary of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Saturday: Sixtus, II, pope and martyr with companions , died during the Valerian persecutions in 258. They were killed in the catacombs where they celebrated Mass. Sixtus was beheaded while speaking in his presidential chair and six deacons were killed as well. Lawrence, the Deacon, is honored on August 10th. This Week in Jesuit History • Aug 1, 1938. The Jesuits of the Middle United States, by Gilbert Garrigan was copyrighted. This monumental three-volume work followed the history of the Jesuits in the Midwest from the early 1820s to the 1930s. • Aug 2, 1981. The death of Gerald Kelly, moral theologian and author of Modern Youth and Chastity. • Aug 3, 1553. Queen Mary Tudor made her solemn entrance into London. As she passed St Paul’s School, an address was delivered by Edmund Campion, then a boy of thirteen. • Aug 4, 1871. King Victor Emmanuel signed the decree that sanctioned the seizure of all of the properties belonging to the Roman College and to S. Andrea. • Aug 5, 1762. The Parliament at Paris condemned the Society’s Institute as opposed to natural law. It confiscated all Jesuit property and forbade the Jesuit habit and community life. • Aug 6, 1552. The death of Claude Jay, a French priest who was one of Ignatius’ original companions at the University of Paris. • Aug 7, 1814. The universal restoration of the Society of Jesus. Weather Might the worst of the weather be over? The sustained sweltering heat has gripped much of the U.S., so it is reassuring to know that the crest of summer has passed. In the Southern Hemisphere, the increasing amounts of daylight bring relief to many people that the worst of the sustained cold weather is gone. We are over the hump!

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Espiritualidad: General examination 101

By Admin

Jul

21

Whereas the people of the world, that follows the world, love and search with such great honors, fame, and hardly consider of the diligence for a great Earth name, because the world teaches to them, so before that the spiritual life and the Christ truly following our love and intense desire of the gentleman are progressing in all. That is to say, they wish to bundle up with the same clothes and uniforms of his gentleman, due to the love and the reverence that it deserves, to such an extent that where there would not be offense to his divine Majesty and any imputation of the sin to the neighbor, it would wish to suffer injuries, false accusations, and insults, and to be maintained and to be considered like idiots (but without their donor of cualquie occasion for this), due to her desire to resemble themselves and to imitate of certain way to our creator and Mr. Jesus Christ, putting in her clothes and uniforms, since she was for our spiritual benefit that the same clothes as did he it. For him she gave an example us that in all the possible things can be that we look for, through the aid of its tolerance, imitate it and follow, since it is the way that takes to the life.

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Prayer: They give Harrington, S.J.

By Admin

Jul

15

Encounter to God to a large extent in and through the bible. Most of my academic, spiritual life, and pastoral turns around the bible. It is for me the way most important to come to know, to love, and the love of the God.My service for the bible returns a long way. Tardamudeo. I always have, and I conjecture that always. Then a boy young I read I enter the newspaper that Moses tardamudeó. It watched it for above in the bible, and sure in 4:10 of the Moses exodus says enough to God: “Like slow of speech and I slow down to me of the tongue-piece.” But I found much more in the exoduses 3-4. It is the history of the one same-revelation of God to Moses in the Horeb assembly. It speaks of the ardent shrub, the suffering of God Israel people is Egypt, the revelation of the special name divine (“I am who I am”), of the promise of God of the liberation of the slavery, the miraculous energies of Moses, and of the call of God to Moses to speak in God name. I read that history repeatedly, and worked gradually on me so that it has formed my religious sense to this day. Like boy of ten or eleven years of age that I found to God in the bible, and me they have continued doing so since. God of the bible is God of the Jesus Christ. Experiment to its God in and with the bible and my life. It is my privilege like priest of the Jesuit to study and to teach to writing, to proclaim and to preach the God word, and to celebrate the liturgies of the church (which lie down to a large extent in the language of the bible). In means of these wonderful activities (that are my greater joy), tardamudeo from time to time. And this brings to me again to where my spiritual trip with the bible began. Although I am slow of speech and of the tongue-piece like Moses, still I hear the words of the 4:11 of exodus – 12: “Who to deliver speech to mortals? Who does dumb or the deaf one, to see or blinds? Am not I, the gentleman? Now it goes, and I will be its mouth and I will teach to him to which you must speak.”

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Prayer: deGuibert of Jose, S.J.

By Admin

May

27

The conversion of the St. Ignatius was essentially its discovery the one of greatest and more attractive of all the leaders, our Mr. Jesus Christ. Ignatius expressed with great ardor this desire “of being placed with Jesus. ”… Desire and the thirst also trained, I think, a component one doubles that it was the deepest characteristic, more general, constant, and predominant of the espiritualidad of its followers. That characteristic can be expressed thus: in order to be with Christ – to serve it…. From this point of view, it is beyond all the doubt that stops the Jesuits, as far as Ignatius, the center of his spiritual life is truth in that dedication to Christ.

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Article: My occupational danger

By Admin

May

3

A few summers ago when I was watching a baseball game at Boston’s Fenway Park, my friends, Paul and Karen, thought it necessary to buy me a new baseball cap. After my usual initial protests claiming reasons of my Jesuit vow of poverty, I yielded to their demand. We hustled over to a concession stand where I excitedly selected a classic cap – dark navy blue with a bold emblazoned red “B.” Karen boldly instructed the concessionaire to “put that back and give him the red one.” At this I protested even more loudly, “I can’t wear red. I have red hair,” but Karen would not budge. “Father John,” she said, “I’m going to give you a lesson in colors.” After Karen bought me my vibrant new cap, she took my palm into her hands and examined it. “Father John,” she said, “you must wear warm colors. Go, buy a Boston subway map, which is designed with primary colors, and take it shopping with you to Filene’s Basements. You will know what to buy. It will jump out at you. And, Father John….never wear white and avoid black if you can.” I was in a dilemma. How do I avoid wearing black as I am a priest? I appreciate its slimming qualities and I know that black clerics are an important symbol of the priesthood. Its solemn tone communicates a deeply ingrained respect for a life of wholehearted discipleship and radical service in the midst of countercultural movements of society, but is the color of these medieval black garments the only color that communicates something special about the priesthood or religious life? My first challenge was when I ordered a new alb at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. The tailor-monk would not sell me a white alb; only a cream alb with a hood would do. He was right. I vanished when I tried on the white alb. This might be taking humility to an extreme. Fair-skinned people are at a disadvantage when purchasing garments as we are a small market share of the fashion industry. Earth-tones, winter burgundies, classic tans and pastels just do not energize a fair-skinned person. While distrusting my own shopping choices, I looked at my drab wardrobe and decided to take Karen’s advice With subway map in hand I entered Filene’s Basement and immediately while my eyes landed upon a shirt that screamed out to me – a fresh lime green shirt with brilliant dark sky blue and thin calypso orange burst stripes. I felt paralyzed as I reasoned I ought to buy a classic blue shirt. I deliberated for a while because I never selected anything so bold before, but I offered it up and bought my first colorful shirt. I have not purchased a dull shirt since. St. Ignatius tells us that one must always seek confirmation for decisions in the spiritual life. I heeded his advice and wore my shirt on a train ride from Boston to New York the following week. A young woman plunked herself right next to me and said, “I just have to sit near a man who is confident enough to wear such a bold shirt,” to which I replied, “not bad for a Catholic priest, huh?” lest she think I was available. Though I proudly clothe myself in black clerics each day, I find that I can accessorize by wearing a flashy Polo Ralph Lauren sunburst yellow baseball cap or bright carrot stick orange socks. It adds just enough pizzazz to keep my spirits high, especially in the land of the long winter to which I am missioned. Maine by rights ought to be following the Atlantic Time Zone. The winter darkness, for a man who comes alive in the sight of tropical color-bursts, is never-ending and can be a downer for a person’s mood. In order to remain buoyant in spirit, I have to make eye-catching adjustments. If bright color in clothing makes me feel alive, would it also work by painting my living space? The sunburst yellow walls with trim work of blood red and tangerine orange in my office brightens up the short winter days, while the triple shade of summer blues metaphysically transport me to the sun and fun of a Caribbean beach. As I continue to discover new color patterns, I am pleasantly surprised that choosing the right color makes me feel so cheerful or sets a vibrant mood that helps me throughout the day. One might have thought I would have learned my lessons years ago when I worked full-time to pay for college. In those days, I dyed for a living – a useful skill when you are in the resurrection business. I have even learned how to see colors when I pray. Previously I would contemplate a scripture passage and everyone was dressed in drab grayscale shades. As you would expect, conversations with the characters were not all that thrilling, but when I inserted color into my composition of place, the intensity of conversation increased and I felt that I was fully present in the contemplation. Now, when I get stuck in prayer, I often tell Christ the color that I am feeling and I point to the hue of color at which I would like to arrive. On a recent retreat, one directee told me that her music instructor asks her to sing a certain color in order to reach the proper pitch. This works for me too! I am reminded of Karen’s happy insight to me whenever I watch the Home and Garden network or slowly scan the many make-over shows that dot the television landscape. I marvel at the world Karen opened up for me. I see it as my “Wizard of Oz” experience when all my senses become awakened to a dazzling new reality. My soul conforms to that new world by making simple adjustments in my life. On that sunny day at Fenway Park, I officially became a man of color.

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Article: My occupational danger

By Admin

May

3

A few summers ago when I was watching a baseball game at Boston’s Fenway Park, my friends, Paul and Karen, thought it necessary to buy me a new baseball cap. After my usual initial protests claiming reasons of my Jesuit vow of poverty, I yielded to their demand. We hustled over to a concession stand where I excitedly selected a classic cap – dark navy blue with a bold emblazoned red “B.” Karen boldly instructed the concessionaire to “put that back and give him the red one.” At this I protested even more loudly, “I can’t wear red. I have red hair,” but Karen would not budge. “Father John,” she said, “I’m going to give you a lesson in colors.” After Karen bought me my vibrant new cap, she took my palm into her hands and examined it. “Father John,” she said, “you must wear warm colors. Go, buy a Boston subway map, which is designed with primary colors, and take it shopping with you to Filene’s Basements. You will know what to buy. It will jump out at you. And, Father John….never wear white and avoid black if you can.” I was in a dilemma. How do I avoid wearing black as I am a priest? I appreciate its slimming qualities and I know that black clerics are an important symbol of the priesthood. Its solemn tone communicates a deeply ingrained respect for a life of wholehearted discipleship and radical service in the midst of countercultural movements of society, but is the color of these medieval black garments the only color that communicates something special about the priesthood or religious life? My first challenge was when I ordered a new alb at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts. The tailor-monk would not sell me a white alb; only a cream alb with a hood would do. He was right. I vanished when I tried on the white alb. This might be taking humility to an extreme. Fair-skinned people are at a disadvantage when purchasing garments as we are a small market share of the fashion industry. Earth-tones, winter burgundies, classic tans and pastels just do not energize a fair-skinned person. While distrusting my own shopping choices, I looked at my drab wardrobe and decided to take Karen’s advice With subway map in hand I entered Filene’s Basement and immediately while my eyes landed upon a shirt that screamed out to me – a fresh lime green shirt with brilliant dark sky blue and thin calypso orange burst stripes. I felt paralyzed as I reasoned I ought to buy a classic blue shirt. I deliberated for a while because I never selected anything so bold before, but I offered it up and bought my first colorful shirt. I have not purchased a dull shirt since. St. Ignatius tells us that one must always seek confirmation for decisions in the spiritual life. I heeded his advice and wore my shirt on a train ride from Boston to New York the following week. A young woman plunked herself right next to me and said, “I just have to sit near a man who is confident enough to wear such a bold shirt,” to which I replied, “not bad for a Catholic priest, huh?” lest she think I was available. Though I proudly clothe myself in black clerics each day, I find that I can accessorize by wearing a flashy Polo Ralph Lauren sunburst yellow baseball cap or bright carrot stick orange socks. It adds just enough pizzazz to keep my spirits high, especially in the land of the long winter to which I am missioned. Maine by rights ought to be following the Atlantic Time Zone. The winter darkness, for a man who comes alive in the sight of tropical color-bursts, is never-ending and can be a downer for a person’s mood. In order to remain buoyant in spirit, I have to make eye-catching adjustments. If bright color in clothing makes me feel alive, would it also work by painting my living space? The sunburst yellow walls with trim work of blood red and tangerine orange in my office brightens up the short winter days, while the triple shade of summer blues metaphysically transport me to the sun and fun of a Caribbean beach. As I continue to discover new color patterns, I am pleasantly surprised that choosing the right color makes me feel so cheerful or sets a vibrant mood that helps me throughout the day. One might have thought I would have learned my lessons years ago when I worked full-time to pay for college. In those days, I dyed for a living – a useful skill when you are in the resurrection business. I have even learned how to see colors when I pray. Previously I would contemplate a scripture passage and everyone was dressed in drab grayscale shades. As you would expect, conversations with the characters were not all that thrilling, but when I inserted color into my composition of place, the intensity of conversation increased and I felt that I was fully present in the contemplation. Now, when I get stuck in prayer, I often tell Christ the color that I am feeling and I point to the hue of color at which I would like to arrive. On a recent retreat, one directee told me that her music instructor asks her to sing a certain color in order to reach the proper pitch. This works for me too! I am reminded of Karen’s happy insight to me whenever I watch the Home and Garden network or slowly scan the many make-over shows that dot the television landscape. I marvel at the world Karen opened up for me. I see it as my “Wizard of Oz” experience when all my senses become awakened to a dazzling new reality. My soul conforms to that new world by making simple adjustments in my life. On that sunny day at Fenway Park, I officially became a man of color.

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The fifth Sunday of Passover

By Admin

May

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May 2, 2010 Love is a choice. Love is patient. Love is always outwardly expanding. We see the effects of love in the readings today and we can realize that love makes others do what is good in life. In Acts, we hear of Paul’s and Barnabas’ soaring spirits as they preach Jesus Christ to many cities and towns and win new converts. After their travels, they return to the place where they received their mission to bring reports back to the community who rejoice heartily in the favor the Lord has bestowed upon the church. They celebrate the good they have accomplished and marvel that the Lord has opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. Their persevering hard work and lengthy prayers have paid off. In John’s Gospel, we are left with a paradox to ponder – the betrayal by Judas will lead to God’s glorification of Jesus. It doesn’t seem to connect, but what we see plainly is the love to Jesus to extend his hand of goodness to others – even to those who want to harm him. I am sure that Jesus felt the sting of betrayal and the hurtful rejection by Peter and the Twelve, but he made a choice to extend his hand in friendship to them regardless of their actions. He knows that his invitation will not be accepted in the immediate timeframe, but he is patient enough to know that friendship is a process. Love does not give up on another, but can endure the many bumps and bruises that are a part of relationships. Our minds and hearts need time to process the many demands of life and the loving person realizes this and holds out hope that the gentle, loving invitations are accepted or at least considered. When we experience this as a model, we are able to extend this type of invitation to others. It is good for us to learn what it means to love one another in the way that Jesus commands us. We are not Jesus and we may not be able to do what he has done, but we can learn how to love in our own unique, particular way. I’ve often seen a person try to perform a loving action because Jesus would have done so, but it comes off as awkward because this person is doing an action he or she does not really want to do even though it is a noble aspiration. Love has to flowingly emanate from our outwardly-directed attitudes that are based in freedom. It has to just natural erupt from our sense of rightness and goodness and care for the other – even if we know the recipient cannot receive our actions. We have a lifetime to learn how to learn to act freely. Let’s be patient with ourselves. Let us learn to choose the right actions that pull us out of ourselves and into the lives of others. You’ll innately sense the rightness of your choices and your actions will be generated by love. Quote for the Week From The Confessions of Saint Augustine: Two loves build two cities; the city of the devil is built by love of self growing into contempt of God, and the city of God by love of God growing into contempt of self. Themes for this Week’s Masses First Reading : Judaizers, the opponents of Paul’s theology, present great trouble for him and the new church, but it caused the community to come together to report what God has done with them and to show how God opened the door to the Gentiles. The church members head to Jerusalem to speak with the disciples and elders about the necessity of circumcision as a requirement for entrance to the faith, but the disciples decide no further burdens are to be placed on them. They are to be welcomed into the community as they respectfully observe the essential aspects of the worship life. Gospel : John’s Supper Discourse continues as the Twelve wonder where Jesus is going after his death. Jesus wishes them the type of lasting peace that is rare in this world so that they can continue to be with him in faith. He describes the way that they will remain together as he is the true vine and they are the branches. Discipleship, for John’s Jesus, is to believe in him and by doing so to keep his commandments – the greatest one being love of each other in the way the Father loves Jesus. Beware, though, that many people will persecute them because of the name of Jesus. Hold steadfast as God is steadfast. Saints of the Week Monday: Philip and James, Apostles , are little known disciples of Jesus. Philip is known to have had several conversations with Jesus in John’s Gospel though none of the conversations are very descriptive of his identity. James is called the Lesser in order to distinguish him from James, brother of John of Zebedee. James the Lesser is mentioned in Mark’s Gospel and may be younger than the other James. Tuesday: Joseph Mary Rubio, S.J., priest , was a Jesuit priest who worked in Madrid, Spain as a pastor, confessor, and spiritual director in the early 20th century. He showed great sensitivity to the poor and the elderly and was dubbed “the Apostle of Madrid” by the bishop. He was known as a man who cared about the development of a person’s spiritual life of prayer. This Week in Jesuit History • May 2, 1706. The death of Jesuit brother G J Kamel. The camellia flower is named after him. • May 3, 1945. American troops take over Innsbruck, Austria. Theology studies at the Canisianum resume a few months later. • May 4, 1902. The death of Charles Sommervogel, historian of the Society and editor of the bibliography of all publications of the Jesuits from the beginnings of the Society onward. • May 5, 1782. At Coimbra, Sebastian Carvahlo, Marquis de Pombal, a cruel persecutor of the Society in Portugal, died in disgrace and exile. His body remained unburied fifty years, till Father Philip Delvaux performed the last rites in 1832. • May 6, 1816. Letter of John Adams to Thomas Jefferson mentioning the Jesuits. “If any congregation of men could merit eternal perdition on earth and in hell, it is the company of Loyola.” • May 7, 1547. Letter of St. Ignatius to the scholastics at Coimbra on Religious Perfection. • May 8, 1853. The death of Jan Roothan, the 21st general of the Society, who promoted the central role of the Spiritual Exercises in the work of the Society after the restoration. Plans for the Week I am in my second week of directing the Retreat in Daily Life to the faculty and staff of Xavier Catholic College in Hervey Bay. The retreatants are doing well and are very open to the movements of God’s Spirit. Please continue your prayers for them and pray for me, their director.

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