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Congregation of the
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Publisher: Very Reverend Norman B. Pelletier,
SSS: (440) 442-6311
Editor: Mrs. Jill Mayock (440) 442-6311
By the time you read this message you will probably already have celebrated
Holy Week and Easter. I hope that it was truly a time of prayer and grace for
you and your family members. I know that for some this was a time where illness
was a major preoccupation. Surely the Easter Mysteries and the prayers of the
Christian community were a great comfort and assurance to you and your loved
ones.
For some others, this special liturgical time in the yearly cycle of the Church
was a time of reconciliation and forgiveness. Many returned to the Church and
to the Sacraments in spite of the avalanche of media reports about the Church's
grievous sins and failures. Our belief in the Body of Christ as the community
of believers who each have their own roles but who also share equal responsibility
for the health of the body has encourage many to call one another to account.
This can only brings forth blessings from above.
Thirdly, there are still some of us who realize that nothing will ever be of worthwhile value until we begin the journey towards conversion. But often along the way we think that we need to make it all happen but trying harder and by being more intent in our efforts. However, we must not forget that although we do need to make the effort towards conversion, ultimately, conversion is not something that we do, but rather something that God accomplishes in us. This being the case, let us pray for the grace of conversion so that we, the Church, the Body of Christ, though wounded may continue to be a sign of hope and reconciliation.
This article originally appeared in the Lodi News-Sentinel (Lodi,
CA) on November 1, 2003, and is reprinted with permission.
He's been called the "priest of peace" in his homeland of Sri Lanka.
Fr. Alfred Alexander came to Lodi's St. Anne's Catholic Church three months ago after spending much of his adult years seeking peace with warring fractions in Sri Lanka.
Alexander, 63, will be at St. Anne's for only a few months while he's on sabbatical. He plans to return to his home in Sri Lanka shortly after Easter next month.
Home to 1 million Catholics, Sri Lanka has been embroiled in a civil war for many years. Alexander used his influence as a priest to spearhead a peace movement in the country between two factions, the Tamils and Sinhalese.
It was a 20-year struggle, but the warring factions finally signed a cease
fire two years ago, Alexander said. He said he needed a break after leading
the peace effort for 13 years, so he took a sabbatical in 2002.
Alexander was named regional superior of the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament
in Sri Lanka before moving to Angels Camp and then to Lodi.
Alexander ended up at St. Anne's through a former high school classmate, Fr.
Thomas Mahendran Rajanayagam, now the priest at St. Frances of Rome Catholic
Church in Riverbank.
" He's a very good friend of my brother, who is also a priest," said
Rajanayagam, who was a priest at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Modesto before
moving to Riverbank in 1993.
Rajanayagam approached Stockton Diocese officials and recommended that Alexander
be offered a position. Alexander was assigned to St. Patrick's Catholic Church
in Angels Camp before coming to St. Anne's.
" He understands and gets along with people," St. Anne's Deacon Don
Bo said enthusiastically. "He wasn't able to remain a stranger very long
at all."
For one who needed what appeared to be some rest and relaxation from the stress
endured by his peacemaking efforts in Sri Lanka, Alexander came to St. Anne's
and went right to workCon daily Masses, funerals, weddings and sick calls, Bo
said.
" And he enjoys it, too," Bo said. "He believes, and is absolutely
committed to the priesthood."
Alexander also brings to St. Anne's his love for music, especially the old traditional
hymns, Bo said.
"There are a lot of people in church now who are brought back to their
childhood and early adulthood going back to use of Latin hymns and responses
that are sung within the Mass," Bo said.
" Many people want the tradition of the church and its rituals," Bo
said. "I think it has to do with sense of family."
Except for 10 years in Melbourne and Queensland, Australia, and two years in
Rome during his earlier days, Alexander has spent his entire life in Sri Lanka.
He started the peace movement by taking Catholic leaders away from their offices
and parishes.
" I was able to take the heads of major superiors into the fighting field,
to see for themselves and listen to grievances," Alexander said.
The Tamils constitute a distinct nation, according to the Tamil Eelam Web site.
They formed a social entity with their own history, traditions, culture, language
and traditional homeland.
The Sinhalese, however, comprise about three-quarters of the island's population
of almost 20 million.
After Alexander participates in Easter Masses at St. Anne's, he will return
to Sri Lanka. What he'll do will be determined by the council there.
"I will probably get back to the peace movement and help people live with
dignity," Alexander said. "I want to help people in mental and emotional
trauma in war-torn areas. I plan to go to a place where people were affected
by the war."
Although Alexander is a Tamil, he said he couldn't favor his own people over
the Sinhalese.
" A peacemaker has to be neutral, and I am neutral," Alexander said.
"I seek to work for the values of the Gospel based on justice, peace and
reconciliation."
Violence provokes the other side, Alexander said, so the way to peace is compromise.
" There is no vanquished and victor," he said. "Both are victors.
That's the only way we can find solutions to conflicts."
When life becomes a challenge
And each day seems a chore
Remember I am here for you
Like eagles we shall soar.
An uphill battle everyday
Sometimes is how it seems
Our hopes are often shattered
Out of reach our simple dreams.
Just watch an eagle as it flies
Straight and strong into the wind
So take my hand, hold on to me
We'll do the same, my friend.
The current shall not beat us
For together we are strong
Like eagles coasting on the wind
This battle won't take long!
Author Unknown
It is with great joy and pleasure that the Region of Vietnamese Martyrs shares the news that Rev. Deacons Joachim Nguyen Chi Bang, S.S.S., and Anthony Do Kim Trong, S.S.S., were ordained to the priesthood on February 16, 2004. We thank God for this wonderful gift of two new priests!
Sr. Kay Kay, S.S.S., singer and song-writer on spiritual life, has been blessing listeners in the Waterville area as she performed both her original songs and old favorite hymns. Sr. Kay is a Servant of the Blessed Sacrament Contemplative Religious Community in Waterville, Maine, and has two recorded albums to her credit, To the Edge of Ecstasy and On the Wings of Love. Her songs deal with the spiritual journey on a personal level and she delivers them with vocal and guitar, accepting free will donations [at her concerts] to benefit a cause that she feels so very strongly about: ". . . the older Sisters who have given so much service to the Church in Maine."
Fr. Robert Pittman, S.S.S., reports that several Knights of St. John offered voluntary services to help the youth at the Body of Christ Farm as well as help with their transportation and supervision. He continues to expand the adoration Sundays by adding the third Sunday of the monthCfour Knights committed to adoration and they plan to take responsibility for the third Sunday adoration beginning in March.
Fr. Ernest Falardeau, S.S.S., has recently been invited to be a member of the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. This commission is a locus for multi-lateral theological dialogue on those issue of faith and church order that divide Christians from one another, and has received praise from pope John Paul II. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops sends a team of five theologians to the commission, and the Catholic presence will now be felt even more as Fr. Ernest brings years of experience in this area as he will be representing religious men and women in the USA.
The modern ecumenical movement which began in 1910 at the meeting of Protestant Missionary Societies and Agencies in Edinburgh, Scotland, quickly developed two main thrusts. These are usually referred to as the movement for faith and order, and the movement for life and work. The first movement is the theological thrust, the study of the Christian churches and their similarities and differences in terms of teaching and theology. The thrust for life and work developed because the pioneers in the ecumenical movement believed that theology and teaching divides, but witness to the gospel, i.e. the practical living out of the Lord Jesus' command to reach out to those in need, is the most important thing that Christians can do together. Thus without achieving "corporate unity" Christian churches are able to make visible the unity they share through the living out of the gospel by joint efforts to reach out to the many who are in need.
The Commission for Faith and Order
In the mid 1960's, as a result of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church
joined the ecumenical movement. Prior to the Council, the Vatican was opposed
to Catholic participation in the ecumenical movement. Though the Catholic Church
did not believe it should join the World Council of Churches, it did find it
possible to send official delegates to the Faith and Order Commission of the
World Council of Churches and also to work collaboratively with the World Council
through a Working Group made up of delegates from the World Council and from
the Vatican. In recent years, many important projects in the area of faith and
order and life and work have been organized by the Working Group.
The National Council of Churches in the U.S.A. also has a Faith and Order Commission. Ann Riggs, a Quaker (Friends), is the Director. A few days ago she asked me to serve on the Commission as the representative of Catholic men and women religious in the United States. The Commission has appointed a number of new participants for the coming triennium (2004-2007) and I was pleased to accept the invitation with the permission of my Provincial Superior, Fr. Norman Pelletier, S.S.S. The Commission will meet near Indianapolis, Indiana March 18-20, 2004. I will serve on the Committee on Authority of the Church in the World and I look forward to working with a number of colleagues I have met over the years as well as with many new acquaintances. The other committees serving during the current triennium are on Full Communion and on Justification/ Sanctification.
New York Expression of Life and Work
About two weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. John Hiemstra, Executive
Director of the Council of Churches of the City of New York. I had met him previously
at a gathering of pastors from Yorkville at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian
Church. He gave me his card and invited me to visit with him. My visit to his
office was very informative and we were very happy to exchange information about
the ecumenical movement and our involvement in it both locally and nationally.
One thing Dr. Hiemstra explained to me was that his ecumenical agency was over 100 years old. It has had Catholic participation over the years, though not necessarily of an official kind. The main thrust of the CCCNY is in the area of housing (affordable housing and homelessness). I look forward to working with Dr. Hiemstra and to learn more about what CCCNY is doing to alleviate the problems connected with housing in the City of New York. As you can see, it is easy to become involved in the movement for Christian unity in New York.
Morning has broken and sunrise helps to make our days joyful and happy, but
the news is full of suffering and grieving people. In my adoration, I pray for
them. God, in His goodness and loves, helps those in their grieving. This help
and kindness occurs in Regina Health Center, obvious in the concern for the
feelings of the residents. Here again, it takes time for people to adjust to
their new home and to the staff, and to be happy. It is not all pills and medicineCthere
is the hope which I discover when I make my daily adoration. Jesus calls us
to come close to Him, to contemplate His goodness and plans for us. He calls
us to silence and listening. This is a prayerful place, joyful and happy. Jesus
also calls us to ministry. Prayer for vocations, and for the staff who takes
such good care of us, for the poor, the homeless and the suffering people of
the world. For me, I greet the other residents in the dining room with smiles
and good wishes. No! I don't forget the waiters and waitresses. I try to be
sensitive to the younger among them. Our Lady, doesn't forget us! She helps
us draw close to her Son. And when evening draws near, I try to close with prayer.
Many people to pray for -God wants us to be there to help each other. His sunshine
brightens our spirits!
Whenever I travel long distance by train, I complete reading at least three books. However, when I traveled last time to Mumbai in May 2003, I decided to observe people and relate to them. One group was silent while others were interacting with the fellow travelers. One common sight in the Indian trains is the number of beggars who come asking for money and food. When a young boy turned up in the evening, people started abusing him, thinking that he was a thief. I called him, made him sit by my side and shared my meal with him. The people were shocked, stunned, and surprised. I did this because I believe that poverty cannot remove the dignity of the human person. Eventually, a person who was traveling with me asked me this: Are you a Christian? Happy that the message has reached [him] , I said "Yes" with a smile on my face.
Mumbai, formerly called Bombay in India, is where the Blessed Sacrament Community established its first foundation in India in 1964.
ALL RELIGIOUS, especially those who are ill and suffering that God would bring healing and strength to them.
Greetings from the Sunshine State!
After a glorious winter season which brought us visits from Frs. Dennis Ruane,
Michael Arkins, the Provincial Council Members for their meetings (and taking
advantage of getting some serious golfing in as well); we started off Lent with
vigor.
The members of the LITE team from Houston were here to give an excellent seminar.
The parishioners appreciated the three day process; there were about 50 participants
from the parish. Bill Fickel followed this up as the homilist for all the weekend
Masses and then with giving a wonderful Parish Mission on March 8, 9 & 10.
He spoke for an 11:00 a.m. assembly and again at 7:00 p.m. for those who were
working or preferred the evening. The blend of a talk followed by prayers and
intercessions before the Blessed Sacrament exposed was inspirational - there
were about 300 parishioners in attendance each day. The Community and Staff
are very grateful for all the work put into these events.
On the Second Sunday of Lent, our wonderful DRE, Mrs. Jane Etzel, arranged for discussion among the teen members of our religious education program, after a group of them went to see the Mel Gibson film, The Passion of the Christ. Much to our surprise, that Sunday evening turned out to be an intergenerational gathering and sharing of faith. There was a mixture of 100 young people and adults present to discuss and review the film. It was an evening that Jane had hoped for, "for a long time", that is, getting the young people and adults together for a catechetical event. The announcement made at the Sunday Masses drew many adults to join in the group discussion. It was an evening of pizza and passing the microphone from person to person which lasted for one hour and a half, truly an event to remember. It also showed how much interest the film generated among people of all ages. Bill Fickel was present. Jane and Fr. Mario moderated the discussion.
We are happy to announce that we have one catechumen and seven candidates for full communion in the Church. The RCIA program is under the direction of Robert Dunn, a master catechist. Both Jane Etzel and Bob are very diligent and conscientious persons - in the same line as the energetic Houston Team. We are blessed to have them.
We are looking forward to the Triduum and the Easter Season, our first in Florida; and come to think of it, the palm trees certainly seem to fit in with all the liturgical seasons. Come and see!
There have been so many events here at St. Paschal's! First of all, the new
music minister, Julie Tragon, has brought a new depth to our choir (they've
always been fantastic), as well as to our youth choir, now numbering well over
20 teenagers who provide beautiful music at the Sunday evening Mass. Her insight
and knowledge into liturgical events has been a blessing to our parish.
During Lent, parishioners have again proven their generosity by bringing food
and other non-perishable items to give to those in need - the response has been
overwhelming. The Polka Mass, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the parish
was well attended, as was the recent reception honoring a number of parish ministries.
Our day school has been rewarded for both academic and sport achievement - St.
Paschal Baylon School continues to be highly regarded in this community. Jesus
Day held the attention of our second grade PSR (Parish School of Religion) studentsCone
of the adult Clown Rascals mimed his presentation, showing how a homeless man
found GodCthe children were spellbound!
The Clown Rascals continue to help others, and recently won 3rd place in the annual Cleveland St. Patrick's Day Parade. One rarely-named ministry is that of the Clown Rascal Helpers who give support in a variety of ways to the Rascals. We are so grateful for all of their hard work.
We now have a new ministry in the parish for Child Adoption. A number of parents
who have gone overseas to adopt orphaned children will be sharing their experiences
with those interested in adopting a child. The response has been very gratifying.
Finally, our Youth Group went to see The Passion of the Christ and gathered
afterwards to share their feelings and insights about the movie. This group
continues to be active, both socially and spiritually!
We wish all of you a very blessed and happy Easter!
He has risen and says, Peace Be With You!El ha resucitado y nos dice, La Paz Sea Con Vosotros!
These words of
peace were the central theme of our Lenten parish day of prayer with Fr. Gerry
Kelly, Regional Director for the Maryknoll Missioners in Texas. The day of prayer,
planned by the pastoral staff and council leaders, was designed to respond to
the bilingual needs of our parish families. The day included prayer, reflection,
Eucharistic adoration, an Emmaus Walk, and group discussions about peace in
our life, family, community and church. The day concluded with the bilingual
celebration of Eucharist with Fr. Kelly as presider. Fr. Kelly's 25 years of
ministry in Chile, and as the Area Coordinator for Maryknoll in Latin America,
contributed greatly to our efforts to meet the needs of our multi-cultural,
multi-ethnic faith community.
A retreat is planned for our catechumens and candidates as their initiation into the Catholic Church as the Easter Vigil approaches. Other seasonal celebrations include a one-day retreat for our Confirmation candidates who will receive the sacrament on Wednesday, April 21 at the hands of Bp. Joseph Fiorenza. A few days later, Bp. Fiorenza will return to preside at the 5:00 p.m. vigil Mass with the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, for whom Corpus Christi is hosting their annual meeting.
Opportunities to engage in the life of the parish are not limiting. On Wednesday evenings, approximately 35 members of the Hispanic community gather for Talleres de Oracion y Vida, while classes in Spanish and English as a second language, as well as citizenship classes are held twice a week. Additionally, the major councils of the parish - Pastoral, Education and Stewardship - are in the process of discerning new members.
Our parish is especially pleased to share in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood of Fr. Joseph Thai Tran, S.S.S., on Sunday, April 18, at the 11:00 a.m. Mass. Fr. Thai was ordained in our parish by Bp. Donald Pelotte, S.S.S., in 1994. We welcome Fr. Thai back with open arms, warm hearts, and of course a reception in his honor! His numerous friends in the parish and city will be happy to see him again and celebrate this wonderful occasion!
Other springtime events include our annual (and growing) parish bazaar on the last two weekends in April! This year's Spring Fling involves a two-day garage sale, followed the next weekend by a full complement of bazaar activities, ethnic foods, games, fellowship, and terrific raffle prizes!
While these activities are keeping all of us busy, our parish school is equally
busy with hosting a luncheon for area preschool directors, followed by two open
houses for prospective parents in early April. The students have recently completed
taking the Stanford Achievement Tests, while our 8th graders are carefully watching
the mail for acceptance notices into the Catholic high schools. Meanwhile, the
rugby season for our middle school students ended successfully with Corpus Christi
hosting a city-wide tournament.
For each of our SSS family members, we pray that the blessings of the Easter
season be experienced in the fullness of joy and new life. Alleluia!
Holy Week is unique and it is an important time to participate in worship in the life of the Church. I often wonder how Jesus really felt during that week. He would know the pain of having a final meal with a few of His closest friends. Following the mal, He would know that He would be betrayed. This betrayal leads to His death and finally His resurrection to new life.
There is one
situation in my life that stands out as an example of both life and death. While
studying many years ago at the Jesuit School of Theology in Chicago, I was interning
at a hospital. This work included counseling people who were terminally ill,
their family members, and the families of those who were the victims of sudden
death. I was "on call" on the graveyard shift over one particular
weekend and called to the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) for a woman who
was experiencing cardiac arrest. As a rule, when this happened, people came
running to the spot where the emergency was occurring. It so happened that a
woman, approximately 45 years old, was having a heart attack. The intern on
call appeared on the scene. He looked like he was just awakened from a sound
sleep. He very slowly and patiently worked on her. As the nurses and the other
staff gathered in the small unit, monitors were tripping off left and right.
Everyone was a bit panicked, yet he seemed very intense. Due to the fact that
this patient had a pacemaker, he placed an oddly-shaped cylinder over her chest
and proceeded to work on her. Time passed and more alarms went off. Screens
and monitors were flat-lined.
The intern was oblivious to the noise and continued to patiently work on the
pacemaker. Suddenly, all the alarms went offCscreens beeped the sound of the
patient dying. The screen lines became flattened. Yet the intern still worked.
In the seconds between, the other staff pointed out to him that she had expired,
but he continued to work. One of the nurses placed her hand on his shoulder
in the hope that she would gently encourage him to stop. At the same instant,
there was a beepCand then anotherCand still another.
As you probably surmised, the woman survived . . . I have since wondered where
that woman is today? What did she do with the rest of her life with her family?
Did she ever know that she had drifted from "life" to death and back
to life again? Did she ever know that a young intern gave her the "gift
of life" at 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning? She could probably never imagine
how long and how intensely he worked on her. Each year, as Easter rolls around,
I recall this event of the intern as I reflect on the gift of the Resurrection,
the lesson on "new life."
The Church has images and symbols to celebrate Easter and the Resurrection that
call to mind our spiritual hopes and ideals. Each Easter season, I recall this
event as an example of life, death and resurrection. As we experience all of
the wonderful imagery this Easter Season brings, please don't forget to say
a prayer for me.
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