Rome has spoken: A layperson CANNOT deliver the homily

 

A priest delivering his homily during Mass 

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Vatican Dicastery maintains that a layperson cannot deliver the homily

The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments responds to the request made by the German Bishops, denying their petition for a lay person to preach the homily during Mass, even in exceptional cases, stating that the proclamation of the Word in the liturgical celebration is inseparable from the mission received sacramentally.

Vatican News 

The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has issued a clarifying text regarding who is permitted to deliver homilies.

In a letter dated June 17, 2026, addressed to the President of the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Heiner Wilmer, the Dicastery communicated that it is not possible to grant the indult requested on March 30, 2026. An indult is "a special (and often temporary) favor granted to a physical or moral person by the Apostolic See (or the local ordinary) which confers faculties contrary to or beyond the prescriptions of the law."

The German Bishops had requested "to permit, in exceptional circumstances, a duly commissioned lay member of the faithful to preach in place of the homily during the celebration of the Eucharist."

While the Dicastery expressed appreciation for the pastoral concerns that inspired the request, it reaffirmed that the current discipline cannot be dispensed from by means of an indult, since the reservation of the homily to a priest or deacon is not a merely disciplinary norm but derives from the very nature of the liturgy.

In the text, the Dicastery reiterated that the homily, which forms an integral part of the Liturgy of the Word, is intrinsically linked to the proclamation of the Gospel and constitutes an exercise of the munus docendi entrusted to ordained ministers through the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

It added that the proclamation of the Word within the liturgical celebration is inseparable from the mission received sacramentally and from the unity that binds together Word and Sacrament in the Eucharistic celebration.

The letter also emphasized the importance of promoting the ongoing formation of ordained ministers so that the homily may fully express its pastoral and spiritual effectiveness.

Finally, the Dicastery recalled that the Church's current discipline already provides for numerous forms of proclaiming the Word and preaching that may be entrusted to lay members of the faithful outside the homily and outside the celebration of the Eucharist, in accordance with canon law and the proper nature of these different forms of proclaiming the Gospel.

An All Saints Day Homily from my Homily Archives

 Oh, when the Saints go marching in, oh when the Saints go marching in, oh Lord, I want to be in that number, when the Saints go marching in!

This is more than a fight song we would associate with our beloved New Orleans Saints, who's birthday by the way is indeed All Saints Day.  This song was made famous by our very own Louis Armstrong, and it is a recognition of all those who have gone before us and are indeed in Heaven.

On this Feast Day of All Saints, and as people of faith, we are called to be in that number!

So important this holy day that All Saints is celebrated as a Holy Day of Obligation.  Why do we, as the Body of Christ celebrate a Feast Day in honor of Saints?  And who indeed is a Saint?  Can anybody be a Saint?

Indeed, all of us are called to be a Saint.  In fact, the Church declares that all who have died and gone to Heaven are indeed Saints!  The vast majority of these Saints then would be people unknown to most of us.  Often, the Church, after an exhaustive and prayerful process, declares what is already so, that certain men and women are indeed in Heaven and have been declared Saints.  We can know these Saints by name and devotion by studying the lives of the Saints and following the Church's liturgical calendar which affixes various days of the year to celebrating the lives of the Saints.  But be assured, all who have died in a state of grace and friendship with God and have arrived at eternal happiness in Heaven are Saints.  This is a source of great hope for you and me as we too, following in their example, can indeed be Saints!

The Church therefore declares and emphasizes on this Feast Day the Church in Heaven and the Church here on earth are one.  The Church extends to the Communion of Saints.  This Communion of Saints is a source of unity and strength for the Church.  In paragraph 957 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church we read: "our communion with the Saints joins us to Christ."  There it is brothers and sisters, we are more closely joined to our Lord and Savior with the help of the Saints.  You see it is always to God that we offer worship and to Christ who is our one true mediator between the Father and man.  But these friends of Christ and friends of ours, the Saints in Heaven, both those formally named by the Church and those we yet do not know, can help us with their prayers and support.  Think of it this way, in praying to the Saints it's not so much the word "to" it properly would be through; we pray to Jesus through the Saints.  Said another way, we pray with the Saints!

The practice of naming our children for a Saint is a holy and wonderful thing.  Sadly, I notice, through some of the Baptisms I have presided at over these past 8 years, this practice falling into some disuse.  This is sad.  The help of a particular patron Saint can be a great source of help and hope in the lives of our children.  We all receive a Saint name at our Confirmation.  For us here in this local parish church we attend Mass under the watchful eye of our patron, St. Jane Francis de Chantal.  At our mission Church in Bush, it is St. Michael we count as our patron.  Many of us have special and personal devotions to any number of Saints.  As an example, as a Permanent Deacon I am especially drawn to the witness of St. Stephen, one of the first deacons of the Church as detailed in the Acts of the Apostles.  He went on to become the first post-resurrection Christian martyr, so full was his faith in Jesus!

All Saints Day is followed tomorrow by All Souls Day, so this is a particular time of year to remember our beloved dead.  Many unique traditions in the Church of New Orleans are followed at this time with special blessings of graves and family traditions at our historic burial grounds.  We are called as faithful Catholics to pray for our beloved dead, to remember them and to call upon them for assistance if they too be a Saint in Heaven!

So, we all want to be in that number, when the Saints go marching in.  Since we all know this song, how many of us know how it really starts.  Take a listen to the opening lyric of When the Saints Go Marching In:

We are traveling in the footsteps of those who've gone before
But we all will be reunited on a new and sunlit shore

That new and sunlit shore is Heaven and Heaven we pray will be our eternal home.  May we, like those Saints, go marching in!

A homily for the 1st Sunday of Advent

Hurry up and wait!  Ever happen to you?  Then you've never been to a doctor's appointment, or attended a big concert or sporting event or stood in a long line at Wal-Mart.  Yep, seems like we spend a lot of time hurrying up to wait.

As people of faith are we waiting and watching?  And waiting and watching for what, or who?

Advent seems to sneak up on us every year, yet here it is.  Some of us may actually have been waiting for Advent.  And now that it is here, we have plenty to watch.  The liturgical colors have changed so now we are watching the Advent color of purple.  We watch every Sunday in Advent as we light the Advent wreath; Advent is our “happy new year” in the Church.  Advent is the time we set aside for both preparing for the Christmas celebration we are hurrying up and waiting for but also a reminder of the second coming, which we too should all be waiting for but probably not so much, certainly not in a hurry.

Our Advent celebration this year brings a change from the Sunday Gospel readings of Matthew, which we finished last Sunday, to Mark which we just heard proclaimed today.  In our Gospel we hear a direct command from Jesus: Be watchful, be alert! Watch! Jesus, who taught often in parables from Matthew’s Gospel, offers a short parable today from St. Mark.  He talks to us about a homeowner traveling, the servants and the gatekeeper.  The servants are left to work around the home and the gatekeeper is specifically ordered to watch!  And what is the gatekeeper watching for?  The answer: the return of the homeowner.  And we hear one warning in this short parable; don’t be asleep when the homeowner returns; no, be prepared, stay alert, be vigilant.  Watch!

As we hear this Gospel we may find ourselves asking the question, what does this have to do with the coming of the baby Jesus?  How is this a story of Advent or the coming Christmas celebration?  Well, perhaps it is not; instead this is a story of the second coming of Jesus.  Yes, Advent is about the preparation of our Christmas celebration, where we rejoice in the birth of the babe of Bethlehem, the incarnation of the Word of God.  But Advent is also an important reminder about the second coming of Jesus.  In fact, during Advent, the theme of the Gospels for the first two weeks of Advent is always about His second coming. 

The Church is the household and Jesus is the lord of the house; just as He truly is Lord of Heaven & earth.  The servants are all of us; the members of His Church.  We are to do the work of His Church while we sojourn here on earth; being watchful and alert to His second coming.  The gatekeeper Jesus refers to is our own souls, helping us to be prepared and not fall asleep as we await the Master’s coming(His second coming).  In this Gospel Jesus is preparing us for His second coming by foretelling of the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple; an event that did occur around the year 70 A.D.

How does the Master want us to prepare in this first week of Advent?  What can we do today, and in the next few days to be alert; to watch?  Our first opportunity is right here among us today as we celebrate being truly present to His Word and to His Real Presence.  Do we stay alert and watchful by keeping our focus on Advent, realizing that Christmas is a holy season yet to come, not the ho-ho holidays already here; as the world tries to convince us.  Does our family celebrate with an Advent wreath in our homes?  What a wonderful reminder of the season of Advent and help support our ministries of charity at the same time.  And finally, can we remain alert and watchful by doing something tangible for our brother and sister?  Did you know that while we support the area food bank, the many food items you bring to church are used to help feed people who show up at our door hungry and in need of help.  I've learned firsthand recently that hardly a day goes by without someone presenting themselves for a little help.  Your thoughtfulness with food donations provides that help.  And this is just but one example.  Are you familiar with I-give Catholic, an opportunity to make donations this Tuesday for all things Catholic.  St. Jane will be there, waiting hopefully for your donation which will help support our youth ministry.  

Yes, Advent is a lot about waiting and watching and not just hurrying up and waiting.  Remember, we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ, the newborn King of Christmas, but our our hope and joy coming with glory for our salvation

Don't be asleep, be awake and Watch!

Homily for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Let me tell you a secret about a Father's love; a secret that my daddy said was just between us; daddy's don't just love their children every now and then; it's love without end Amen.

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, grand dads, Godfathers and spiritual fathers out there.  And oh how we should be rejoicing that we enjoy the love of the Father without end.  Amen.  I'm reminded on Father's Day of the special blessings dads receive at every Baptism.  We pray that Fathers, with their wives, will be the first teachers of the child in the ways of the faith.  And not just the first of teachers, but the best of teachers; a powerful responsibility.

On this first Sunday in awhile since we last wore the green, we arrive at the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The words ordinary have perhaps new meaning to all of us as we long for the ordinary.  Not much has been ordinary lately as we have navigated the horror of Coronavirus and the recent events of racial tension.  Through this all, our heavenly Father is with us because He loves us.
Coronavirus kept so many of us away from the Mass and the Holy Eucharist for so long.  Even today we have limitations on attending Mass and we ask things never thought of before; social distancing, wearing masks, and so much more.  And still the Father never abandoned us, he never stopped loving us.  Remember, it's a love without end.  Amen.  

In these last few weeks, ever since the horrific death of George Floyd on Memorial Day we have been faced with the evil of racism.  We know the story, protests have occurred everywhere and sadly we have seen the riots and the violence and devastation too. And still the Father is with us, he has not stopped loving us.

These weeks have forced many of us to perhaps confront the realities of racism head on, in our personal, professional and most importantly, spiritual lives.  How should we respond to the subject of racism?  What are we to believe, what should guide our words and actions?  Quite simply, for us, Catholics of great faith, we should be guided by the example and teachings of Jesus, which means too the example and teachings of Holy Mother Church.

We all acknowledge from a heart of faith and flesh, not stone, that racism is evil because racism is a sin.  Contemplate these words from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, # 1935:  The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it; every form of social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights, on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, language or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatbile with God's design.  In other words, racism is always wrong.  Racism and discrimination are morally wrong and incompatabile with Jesus and the Gospel.

We love God our Father, we love Jesus who came to earth to save us, we love the Gospel,we love the Church, then we love our brother and sister, no matter what.  We love the other, no matter how different from me the other may be.

Saint John Paul II, the great Pope of our lifetime, taught that racism must be overcome by Reconciliation and Penance and went on to teach the following:
We must avoid the 4 ways to be complicit with systemic racism by never supporting or even exploit the evil of racism, being indifferent or complicit thereby becoming an accessory to the sin of racism, never see racism as just unavoidable or even consecrating of sorts, the staus quo concerning racism.  These are not my words in some homily you happened to hear, no these are the words of a great Saint.  St. John Paul II pray for us and for an end to racism.

Back in 2006 we were all recovering from the impacts of Hurricane Katrina.  Our Archbishop at the time, Alfred Hughes, the Archbishop who ordained me, was working hard on a pastoral letter concerning the sin of racism.  He delayed it's release for obvious reasons but it is a thorough and important document that explores racism through the lens of the Church in and of New Orleans.  It is simply titled a Pastoral Letter in Racial Harmony - made in the image and likeness of God.  Please find this on the internet, it will be a powerful read.  In paragraph #59 the Archbishop says: "I pray that we might as a Church and a community become a place welcoming to linguistically, racially and culturally diverse people, a place of beauty and a place of safety, a place of peace, a place of spiritual enrichment and renewal.  God grant us the grace, the wisdom and the courage to realize this vision."
Several years later our current Shepherd, Archbishop Aymond, was moved to compose this prayer, he called it our Family Prayer: " We come to you Father, with Mary our Mother, and ask you to help us in the battle of today against violence, murder and racism.  Give us the wisdom that we may build a community founded on the values of Jesus - which gives respect to the life and dignity of all people."
God indeed loves all His creation, he is "daddy" to us all, and it is a love without end.  Amen.
In today's Gospel, Jesus, always leading us to our Father who loves us, repeats three times: Do not be afraid.  Fear no one.  He loves His creation, even the sparrows.  Jesus tells us, meaning all of us without exception, are worth more than many sparrows.

In these extraordinary days of Ordinary time, we are called to love, to be wise, to acknowledge our total dependence on the Father and Jesus will acknowledge us before our Heavenly Father.  Why?
Because it's all about the secret of a Father's Love, daddy's don't just love their children every now and then.  It's love without end.  Amen.

Pope Francis delivers coforting homily at the great Easter Vigil Mass

Vatican Media Screenshot

Pope Francis at Easter Vigil: ‘The Right to Hope’

‘This year…we are experiencing, more than ever, the great silence of Holy Saturday

April 11, 2020 22:23Jim FairPope & Holy See

Saturday often is the neglected day of the Easter Triduum, a day between the Passion of Good Friday and the joyous resurrection of Easter.

Pope Francis admitted as much in his homily at Saturday’s Easter Vigil but observed that this year is different. Of course, it was different in the obvious sense that the service was celebrated in a nearly empty St. Peter’s Basilica, a result of the cautions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

It was also an extraordinary situation in its reflection of what the followers of Christ experienced on the day between His crucifixion and resurrection. Those close to Jesus were in a moment of suffering; so are Christians today in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Both then and now there is “the right to hope”.

“It is the day of the Easter Triduum that we tend to neglect as we eagerly await the passage from Friday’s cross to Easter Sunday’s Alleluia,” the Holy Father said. “This year, however, we are experiencing, more than ever, the great silence of Holy Saturday. We can imagine ourselves in the position of the women on that day.

“They, like us, had before their eyes the drama of suffering, of an unexpected tragedy that happened all too suddenly. They had seen death and it weighed on their hearts. Pain was mixed with fear: would they suffer the same fate as the Master? Then too there was fear about the future and all that would need to be rebuilt. A painful memory, a hope cut short. For them, as for us, it was the darkest hour.”

The Pope explained that the women who attended Jesus didn’t submit to sorrow and close in on themselves. They did the simple task of preparing the spices to anoint the body of Christ. They continued to love. They maintained mercy. They harbored hope.

“Tonight we acquire a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us: the right to hope,” Francis proclaimed. “It is a new and living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism; it is not a pat on the back or an empty word of encouragement.

“It is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own. Over these weeks, we have kept repeating, “All will be well”, clinging to the beauty of our humanity and allowing words of encouragement to rise up from our hearts. But as the days go by and fears grow, even the boldest hope can dissipate. Jesus’ hope is different. He plants in our hearts the conviction that God is able to make everything work unto good because even from the grave he brings life.”

Following is the Holy Father’s full homily, provided by the Vatican:

“After the Sabbath” (Mt 28:1), the women went to the tomb. This is how the Gospel of this holy Vigil began: with the Sabbath. It is the day of the Easter Triduum that we tend to neglect as we eagerly await the passage from Friday’s cross to Easter Sunday’s Alleluia. This year, however, we are experiencing, more than ever, the great silence of Holy Saturday. We can imagine ourselves in the position of the women on that day. They, like us, had before their eyes the drama of suffering, of an unexpected tragedy that happened all too suddenly. They had seen death and it weighed on their hearts. Pain was mixed with fear: would they suffer the same fate as the Master? Then too there was fear about the future and all that would need to be rebuilt. A painful memory, a hope cut short. For them, as for us, it was the darkest hour.

Yet in this situation, the women did not allow themselves to be paralyzed. They did not give in to the gloom of sorrow and regret, they did not morosely close in on themselves, or flee from reality. They were doing something simple yet extraordinary: preparing at home the spices to anoint the body of Jesus. They did not stop loving; in the darkness of their hearts, they lit a flame of mercy. Our Lady spent that Saturday, the day that would be dedicated to her, in prayer and hope. She responded to sorrow with trust in the Lord. Unbeknownst to these women, they were making preparations, in the darkness of that Sabbath, for “the dawn of the first day of the week”, the day that would change history. Jesus, like a seed buried in the ground, was about to make new life blossom in the world; and these women, by prayer and love, were helping to make that hope flower. How many people, in these sad days, have done and are still doing what those women did, sowing seeds of hope! With small gestures of care, affection, and prayer.

At dawn, the women went to the tomb. There the angel says to them: “Do not be afraid. He is not here; for he has risen” (vv. 5-6). They hear the words of life even as they stand before a tomb… And then they meet Jesus, the giver of all hope, who confirms the message and says: “Do not be afraid” (v. 10). Do not be afraid, do not yield to fear: This is the message of hope. It is addressed to us, today. These are the words that God repeats to us this very night.

Tonight we acquire a fundamental right that can never be taken away from us: the right to hope. It is a new and living hope that comes from God. It is not mere optimism; it is not a pat on the back or an empty word of encouragement. It is a gift from heaven, which we could not have earned on our own. Over these weeks, we have kept repeating, “All will be well”, clinging to the beauty of our humanity and allowing words of encouragement to rise up from our hearts. But as the days go by and fears grow, even the boldest hope can dissipate. Jesus’ hope is different. He plants in our hearts the conviction that God is able to make everything work unto good because even from the grave he brings life.

The grave is the place where no one who enters ever leaves. But Jesus emerged for us; he rose for us, to bring life where there was death, to begin a new story in the very place where a stone had been placed. He, who rolled away the stone that sealed the entrance of the tomb, can also remove the stones in our hearts. So, let us not give in to resignation; let us not place a stone before hope. We can and must hope because God is faithful. He did not abandon us; he visited us and entered into our situations of pain, anguish, and death. His light dispelled the darkness of the tomb: today he wants that light to penetrate even to the darkest corners of our lives. Dear sister, dear brother, even if in your heart you have buried hope, do not give up: God is greater. Darkness and death do not have the last word. Be strong, for with God nothing is lost!

Courage. This is a word often spoken by Jesus in the Gospels. Only once do others say it, to encourage a person in need: “Courage; rise, [Jesus] is calling you!” (Mk 10:49). It is he, the Risen One, who raises us up from our neediness. If, on your journey, you feel weak and frail, or fall, do not be afraid, God holds out a helping hand and says to you: “Courage!”. You might say, as did Don Abbondio (in Manzoni’s novel), “Courage is not something you can give yourself” (I Promessi Sposi, XXV). True, you cannot give it to yourself, but you can receive it as a gift. All you have to do is open your heart in prayer and roll away, however slightly, that stone placed at the entrance to your heart so that Jesus’ light can enter. You only need to ask him: “Jesus, come to me amid my fears and tell me too: Courage!” With you, Lord, we will be tested but not shaken. And, whatever sadness may dwell in us, we will be strengthened in hope, since with you the cross leads to the resurrection because you are with us in the darkness of our nights; you are certainty amid our uncertainties, the word that speaks in our silence, and nothing can ever rob us of the love you have for us.

This is the Easter message, a message of hope. It contains a second part, the sending forth. “Go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee” (Mt 28:10), Jesus says. “He is going before you to Galilee” (v. 7), the angel says. The Lord goes before us. It is encouraging to know that he walks ahead of us in life and in death; he goes before us to Galilee, that is, to the place which for him and his disciples evoked the idea of daily life, family and work. Jesus wants us to bring hope there, to our everyday life. For the disciples, Galilee was also the place of remembrance, for it was the place where they were first called. Returning to Galilee means remembering that we have been loved and called by God. We need to resume the journey, reminding ourselves that we are born and reborn thanks to an invitation given gratuitously to us out of love. This is always the point from which we can set out anew, especially in times of crisis and trial.

But there is more. Galilee was the farthest region from where they were: from Jerusalem. And not only geographically. Galilee was also the farthest place from the sacredness of the Holy City. It was an area where people of different religions lived: it was the “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Mt 4:15). Jesus sends them there and asks them to start again from there. What does this tell us? That the message of hope should not be confined to our sacred places but should be brought to everyone. For everyone is in need of reassurance, and if we, who have touched “the Word of life” (1 Jn 1:1) do not give it, who will? How beautiful it is to be Christians who offer consolation, who bear the burdens of others and who offer encouragement: messengers of life in a time of death! In every Galilee, in every area of the human family to which we all belong and which is part of us – for we are all brothers and sisters – may we bring the song of life! Let us silence the cries of death, no more wars! May we stop the production and trade of weapons, since we need bread, not guns. Let the abortion and killing of innocent lives end. May the hearts of those who have enough be open to filling the empty hands of those who do not have the bare necessities.

Those women, in the end, “took hold” of Jesus’ feet (Mt 28:9); feet that had traveled so far to meet us, to the point of entering and emerging from the tomb. The women embraced the feet that had trampled death and opened the way of hope. Today, as pilgrims in search of hope, we cling to you, Risen Jesus. We turn our backs on death and open our hearts to you, for you are Life itself.

My homily for 5th Sunday in Lent, during this Coronavirus

This morning my Pastor asked me to deliver a brief homily/message after we concluded Mass.  All of this was part of our effort to live stream everything but today we had a rough morning.  For some reason we had broadcast interruptions and buffering which made viewing the 10 am Mass and my homily difficult to watch.  I won't even mention we were also kind of sideways, I guess it happens.  For now I will attempt to recreate my homily so at least you may be able to read it:


Thank you for joining us this morning as I greet our St. Jane family and everyone watching by video.  Live streaming, YouTube channels and Facebook Live have all been a great blessing for us and for the Body of Christ.  Now you know, if you know me that I probably have a song lyric or two to share and indeed I do.  The song is called the Big Yellow Taxi and is best known for the lyric: they paved paradise and put up a parking lot.  That's not the lyric I have in mind this morning.  Nope, instead listen to this: Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til its gone.  Perhaps that is us today.  We are missing many things today, especially our routines.  Kids are missing school, many of you are missing work, most of us are missing opportunities to gather socially and we are most certainly missing our faith gatherings; holy Mass, going to Holy Communion, parish Fish Fry dinners, Stations of the Cross, Bible study classes.  Indeed we miss all of this and more, in so many ways it simply feels "gone".  Yet we know these things are not gone.

Father Ken and Father Charles have made sure we have mass via live stream everyday and we even have now heard from both of them with heartfelt messages and homilies and reflections.  You know in a really beautiful way this separation from our parish church and our liturgies has actually sparked a renewal and increase in our faith.  I hear from many how they are participating in video masses and devotions, are praying their Spiritual Communion and praying for one another, especially those directly impacted by this Coronavirus.  Some, who have admitted their faith was lukewarm or had been taken for granted are now on fire for the faith.  I even saw a story of an avowed atheist proclaiming she needs God!  What I see and hear is a holy desire for the faith and a spiritual hunger and thirst for Jesus, and of course Jesus in Holy Communion.  We are called to stay hungry, stay thirsty and persevere in prayer during this time of separation.

Today we heard the 3rd Gospel in a row from St. John that are Lenten staples: the man born blind, the woman at the well and the raising of Lazarus at Bethany.  All these Gospels remind me of that scene in the move the Passion of Christ, whereby Jesus falls with the Cross on top of him and he sees his mother.  He tells her:  I make all things new.  While the movie took a little license with this saying of Jesus it is in the Scripture but in the Book of Revelation, 21:5.  In these three Gospels I am reminded of this line.  With all things new we are called to rid ourselves of spiritual blindness, we are called to thirst for living water and finally we are called to trust totally in God through His Son, Jesus who can even raise the dead to life.  You raise us to new life, Lord have mercy.

In the days ahead, maybe we can reread these powerful three Gospels.  And by all means remember to pray that Act of Spiritual Communion.  Add an Act of Contrition and perhaps pray the beautiful prayer, Anima Christi.  By all means please pray for one another, for those impacted by this horrible disease, for the souls of those who have died and pray for every doctor, nurse, therapist and first responder out there fighting for all of us; sacrificing themselves so we may stay healthy and safe.

Finally, if you need your parish clergy, contact us through the website, the parish app and Facebook.  We miss all of you greatly but know we are praying for each and everyone of you.

Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til its gone.  Yep, there are many things temporarily "gone" but our faith is not gone, our church is not gone, Jesus is certainly not gone and faith, hope and love is not gone.  Until we gather together again, stand firm, be strong, cling to the faith and pray, and oh yea, wash your hands and social distance.

We love you, God loves you, may God richly bless us all.

Some practical advice if you preach with an eye to current events

How Christian Leaders Should, and Should Not, Speak in This Kavanaugh Moment

How can we spiritually lead our people struggling to respond in a culture charged by political polarization and fed a diet of cable news and social media?

Ed Stetzer

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We’ve all seen them. Accusations. Denials. A nation divided. Social media upheaval.

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It’s not new. In fact, to some it may be getting so disturbingly ‘normal’ that they have tuned out.

This time we are dealing with accusations against Supreme Court nominee and judge Brett Kavanaugh. At a time when the dam continues to break on decades of sexual assault and harassment allegations, the political import of the nomination has taken an already challenging issue and supercharged it with political tribalism.

The result is that many church leaders are unsure how to respond. Yet this is precisely the time when pastors and ministry leaders need to stand with courage in leading their people.

The question is: leading them to where?

So how do we respond? Or, for that matter, should we?

Scrolling through my twitter feed, I see a nation and church divided. Do we speak out on issues such as the accusations against Judge Kavanaugh or in defense of his accusers, Professor Ford or Deborah Ramirez?

Or do we keep silent?

How can we spiritually lead our people struggling to respond in a culture charged by political polarization and fed a diet of cable news and social media?

Let me share just a few considerations for church leaders navigating this issue.

First, you don't have to say anything, and that may be the right decision.

We live at a time that unless leaders instantly respond to current events on social media, they are hiding or ignoring the issue. There is a sense that we have to speak into everything. The truth is we just don't.

You are not a senator. You are a Christian leader. You have a calling to lead your congregation, not to comment on the news. Don’t demean the importance of the former in favor of an impulse towards the latter.

Honestly, what you say about it, one way or another, simply will not make that much of a difference to the vote. However, it may make a difference in your ministry.

For cases when you believe it is necessary to comment, don't buy into the public pressure for immediate reaction. So often things are unclear when news is emerging and we should be cautious of speaking in absolutes.

A deliberate word spoken in due time is infinitely better than a hasty word spoken simply to have the appearance of being culturally engaged. At the same time, be careful of those who use the excuse of “getting all the facts” to disparage or discredit those who come forward with accusations of sexual assault or harassment.

We must, in our desire to not rush to judgment, hold in tension the accusations and the presumption of innocence as simultaneously legitimate.

Conversely, silence is never an option when the accusations or incidents occur in your church or organization. When ministry leaders remain silent in response to the needs of their own people, they are abdicating their obligation to shepherd God’s people with wisdom and courage. They are, as Jesus describes, hired hands who desert the sheep at the first sign of trouble.

And, if the message your church gets from your comments today is that you will mock or dismiss accusations of assault, that’s a message you must not send.

Second, remember that we tend to defend those we support.

If you follow me on social media or know me in person, you know that I tend to be politically conservative. I’ve supported Judge Kavanaugh in writing because I want a conservative Supreme Court. The Atlantic magazine made it clear, quoting my words and support. So, it’s been clear where I’ve stood in regard to the nominee.

But we must always remember how these political biases can shape our reactions, sometimes in ways that subvert our witness and leadership. Right or left, if your immediate reaction is to overlook accusations against politicians you support or to revel in accusations against those you oppose, you need to consider how political tribalism is shaping your worldview.

Put another way: I do, indeed, have an opinion here. But, more important than my opinion in this situation is my responsibility to my congregation. My community comes before my opinion if I am truly a Christian leader.

Instead, we must strive to look past partisan lines when it comes to issues as serious as this.

We need to develop relationships with believers of different communities and politics and then listen first instead of jumping to conclusion. When we do not, our defenses or indictments of public figures are far more likely to be based on our own personal biases.

We must remember that our (and my) impulse to look past the criticisms or faults of our allies can provoke rather than solve difficulties. We’ve seen in the church with the recent example of Willow Creek Community Church, where the failure of leadership to respond effectively to accusations against Bill Hybels caused untold damage. The elders later confessed—all resigning—because their impulse to defend one they supported overwhelmed their need to hear someone from outside.

So recognize that you have biases, assess how they have and continue to shape your thinking, and develop relationships that can help you engage these blind spots.

And, then decide how (and if) you need to respond, considering that impact on your congregation and community.

Third, know that women—and men—in your church are listening and watching how you react.

The church is in uncharted territory as we respond to accusations of sexual impropriety both in and out of the church. So much of this is good and long awaited as sin that had been covered and ignored is brought to light.

Yet there is still so much confusion in the pews and pulpit and no simplistic answer is going to solve the problem.

The women—and men—in your church are looking to you to see how to respond to the news. Sadly, too many are intimately familiar with sexual assault and with how little is done to support those who have been victimized.

This cannot be the case for us as believers. Whether with the accusations against Judge Kavanaugh or in any other case, the allegations must always be heard and taken seriously. President Trump, Kavanaugh, Ford, and Ramirez have all called for an investigation. Yes, there has been debate as to how that is done, but you can (and should) say that all such allegations need to be investigated, in government, church, or wherever.

That’s just common sense. And, you can (and should) say that if you are going to speak.

That does not mean that allegations are simply accepted as true, but they are taken seriously. The accusations need to be heard and considered.

And a quick note on jokes related to issues of sexual abuse, harassment, and the investigation of such: they are NEVER appropriate. In the past few days I’ve seen too many as I scroll through my social media channels. People are taking these very serious subjects too lightly, and it’s time to stop.

Even if you don’t take part in these jokes, it’s important to ask yourself if your silence is helping. You don’t need to get all the facts to know that these jokes are foolish and hurtful to those who have survived sexual assault. Allowing them to go unchallenged hinders the cause of Christ and your integrity as a leader.

Finally, dig deeper for your sake—and the sake of others.

If you haven’t yet, check out all the posts related to #whyIdidntreport. It’s heartbreaking and this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are still countless numbers of people in the church who haven't reported.

When those burdened with this hidden hurt and shame read how people are responding to the allegations against Kavanaugh with jokes and insults, it further solidifies their belief that they can’t share their own stories and that they can’t have the healing and restoration that the gospel offers and that we profess to preach.

This is horrifying to me, and it should be to you, too. If one member in any of our churches has a story they cannot feel safe sharing, we have failed as leaders.

If your words this week cause people to be less confident to come to you in an assault crisis, your words have added to the pain of others— regardless of what Judge Kavanaugh did or did not do.

In the case of Judge Kavanaugh and others, due process should always occur. And, in the church, during that time of due process, both the accused and the accuser should be ministered by the church.

We need to follow that due process now and always. No one should have their name raked through the mud. This goes for pastors as well. There should be a process. If someone brings an accusation, we must take this accusation seriously, but make sure to hear all sides. By doing so, we help ensure due process.

So dig deep. Be patient. Learn. Pray and ask God to give you an impartial heart that allows you to lead well and care for your flock. Only then will we model Christ to our world, and to those under our care.

Your flock needs you. Remember that they are the ones you are responsible to. Don’t disappoint them with casual and flippant comments that undermine their trust in you and the church.