This has been a most interesting week. Often I'm called upon to have a busy, even hectic schedule, in part because I am a Permanent Deacon. Always, I'm a Permanent Deacon and everything, in a most unique way, is ministry. That is all too often the hard part. I must remember that while at work, in the community, facebooking and blogging, enjoying my hobbies, cutting my grass, even being husband & father is ministry. The grace of ordination, that special gift I received at the moment of the Sacrament of Holy Orders is not something that is turned on/off like a light switch.
In this past week, while surrounded by many graced moments and a full plate of ministry activity I received an email because I'm a blogger. I get many messages often and several emails a week. This email was a first for me; it took issue with my blog. Why? In part because I blog about abortion(I assume he was referring to the large amount of entries recently relative to the HHS mandate) and not about the child molesters in the Church. In fact, I will always post articles and reflections about the horrible sin of abortion. And I stand firmly with people of faith, our Bishops and people who love our United States Constitution against the unprecedented attacks on religious liberty, especially the HHS mandates against the Catholic Church. The writer of my email suggested I spend more time discussing the child abuse clergy scandal and preach more often on the devil amongst us. For the most part, my blog, which begin in 2009, came along long after the clergy sex abuse scandal broke. In point of fact, if I would post anything current events style it may be more about the great growth and progress the Church has made in addressing this horrific sin and working toward a pastoral culture that reaches out to victims and protects future generations from such inexcusable behavior. Like the overwhelming vast majority of Catholics, we declare one case of abuse too much and we offer our love, prayer and support to any one who was a victim of this stain on the Church.
I recognize that for some, the clergy sex abuse crisis is something that a few hoped would take down Holy Mother Church. There is great frustration among the enemies of the Church that this indeed has not happened, and in fact, the Church is as strong as ever as She comes through the other side of this scandal. We who love the Church, while never condoning scandal, know that the Church is protected by the Holy Spirit and the promise of Jesus that even the gates of hell shall not prevail against Her.
What is the point of my blog? Why do I blog? At first this was an exercise in allowing friends and relatives to keep up with my new found identity as ordained clergy; a new Permanent Deacon. Soon, I wanted to add homilies, stories, information about the Saints. Before I knew it, this blog became ministry to me, and hopefully others, and has grown to the point that it is read hundreds of times a day. For that, I am thankful; very thankful! If you browse around the internet to look for a blog that will tear down Holy Mother Church, or misrepresent Her teachings, or cave to the predominant secular media/world that diminishes people of faith and not affirm them; quite simply, you have found the wrong blog.
My correspondent went on to attack the Church for being against contraception; his primary argument so more children could be born to fill up the collection plate. Wow; if that second part could only be true; we can always use more "stewardship". I heard in that email the same tired "new world order" argument that we have too many children; that aborted babies is a far better option that children born poor. I can only conclude: how sad if that is a sincere belief. And another great complaint is that the Church created the "sin" of artificial contraception among others. Hmm, guess he missed that "whatever you bind on earth you bind in Heaven" thing. One of the missions of Church(remember, the Bride of Christ), is not so much to impose as it is to propose. One other interesting statement: the Roman Catholic Church broke away from other churches. Even people of faith that are not Catholic will acknowledge that there is strong evidence of the Church being called "Catholic" since 95-110 A.D. and besides, Scripturally, the Church was founded by Christ upon the confession of Peter.
As I read this letter earlier this week I was struck by how it impacted me. Unlike my prior life where I would want to challenge the author, treat the author with disdain and anger; no such emotion exists. I truly hope that many of the views shared are not in part because we, as Church, may have let this person down. We must acknowledge here, that as Church, we are, in many ways, a human institution. We humans can mess things up! I hope my correspondent, and others who disagree with me, will continue to read my blog and use it as an opportunity to learn. I do, from time to time, gaze at blogs from other faith perspectives and try to learn and find some common ground. I may even find something offensive, but I've never been compelled to attack. Just me, perhaps!
Here are the highlights of my week that was, a small snapshot of this profoundly wonderful, generous, loving and pastoral Church known as the Catholic Church: I witnessed great crowds of Lenten pilgrims at weekend Masses. I had the opportunity to proclaim God's word then preach on John 3:16. I am lifted up daily when I reflect on God's word and then realize that in every time zone of this wonderful earth, everyday of the year without fail, God's word is proclaimed and heard. Monday I witnessed the great gift of time and talent at two St. Joseph Day altars and was reminded of the gift of the communion of Saints, the traditions of faithful devotions and the gift of so much food for not only the visitors but for the poor of the community. On Tuesday I attended an adult faith based program at MHT and took time to realize that on any given day, thousands of these programs are conducted across the world to strengthen and develop the personal faith life of millions upon millions. When I stopped by Church Wednesday I saw the dozens of local children, entrusted to us by parents and families, learning their faith through CCD or PSR programs. Again, a local reminder that universally, this week, across the globe, millions of children, millions; are learning about being children of God at their local Catholic Church. WOW!. When I met with a young couple who sincerely want to receive marriage as a Sacrament of the Church they helped to remind me that, yes, there are many young couples, despite the prevailing culture, who desire marriage as God designed it. And I also took a moment to rejoice that it is the Catholic Church, and just about Her alone now, that remains faithful to Christ's teaching on marriage, procreation, family life, artificial birth control and the role of the family in the Church. And I could go on. Stations of the Cross: a scriptural devotion promoted by the Church to enhance our Lenten journey; local parish fish frys: a chance to add some fellowship to our longstanding tradition of no meat on Fridays. Formation activities because vocations are on the rebound. And this is just my experience, my witness, in just one week.
The Catholic Church is many things, and has endured many, many trials and tribulations. And many of these are self-inflicted. But She endures; She feeds the hungry, clothes the naked, shelters the homeless, preaches to the prisoner, cares for the sick, lifts the lonely, and more. She preaches and teaches the faith of Jesus Christ, handed on to Her by Chirst Himself, and through the Apostles, then the Patriarchs and onward. The Church still has the office of Peter, 264 successors in an unbroken line for 2,000 years in Pope Benedict 16th.
As for me, my blog, will be devoted to my ministry as Permanent Deacon, all things Catholics, Scripture, homilies, the lives of the Saints; and yes, those New Orleans Saints and LSU Tigers too!
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