A Poem from my past, "Sailing Nowhere"

SAILING NOWHERE

I was placed in my boat of reed,

And placed in a river run smoothed.

I drifted past Moses’ landing place,

Nestled amongst the rushes,

Past Peter’s boat and fishing nets,

Past reformed basilicas and black minarets,

And factories of manufactured creeds and needs.

All, whose only purpose is to clean the streets,

Tattoo feet, and recycle old shoes and dirt.

I sailed, past them all,

Into the unknown of the ocean.

I wrote this poem back in 1971, during my sophomore year at the College of St Thomas. As you can tell from the poem, I was questioning everything.  It was at a time when, as a society we discovered that all the authorities we trusted had duped us. The government fired on and killed protesters at Kent State University, Nixon ordered the secret bombing of Cambodia, and free speech was gradually being more and more suppressed. Trust in anything institutional became a very rare commodity. As it can be noted in the poem, this distrust included all institutions, even religious institutions.

In Fowler's study of faith development, there comes a time when the myths in which one believes, begin to be questioned. This questioning begins around the age of 12, when a person begins to think abstractly. It intensifies around the age of 18 years as one breaks free from home and encounters more and more of the world. "Sacred cows make the best hamburger," Mark Twain once noted, and all sacred cows are questioned unconditionally and examined. Fowler also notes that there does come a time in a person's life when he or she will return to a former system of belief. The big difference is that the person doesn't believe because he or she is forced or told to do so from outside authority. Quite the contrary, the person now believes only because he or she accepts the belief on his or her own terms. It is important that a person must own the belief as his or her own. 

It was no different for me. Though I did not accept that which I was taught, I continued to go through the motions. I did not skip Mass on Sunday, and I continued to follow the rules, though I was not sure that it was not just another fairy tale. Little by little, I began to reconstruct my faith. I learned to separate faith and belief from what can be at times a very human, sinful institution of the Church. The history of the Church is not the "perfect society" which I was taught when I was young, but fraught with deception, avarice and greed, murder, and all other sins connected to human behavior. As an institution, the Church is in need of conversion just as much as I. While I no longer placed my faith in a very human institution, which was bound to disappoint, I placed all of my faith in Jesus. My study of Church history showed that Jesus never has abandoned the Church, but raises new leaders to replace the weak, and inspires others, most often the least of people, to heroic heights. Long should have the Church fallen, but never has. The other thing I discovered was Vatican II and a new vision for the People of God.

The cynicism of that time in my life did reveal one truth. When one has no belief in anything, it is a journey to nowhere. The Beatle's expressed this in the song, "Nowhere Man."

"He's a real nowhere man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody.

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere Man please listen,
You don't know what you're missing,
Nowhere Man,the world is at your command!

 He's as blind as he can be,
Just sees what he wants to see,
Nowhere Man can you see me at all?

Nowhere Man, don't worry,
Take your time, don't hurry,
Leave it all till somebody else
lends you a hand!

Doesn't have a point of view,
Knows not where he's going to,
Isn't he a bit like you and me?

Nowhere Man please listen,
you don't know what you're missing
Nowhere Man, the world is at your command!

He's a real Nowhere Man,
Sitting in his Nowhere Land,
Making all his nowhere plans
for nobody."

We are encountering a time in the life of our local Church where people are as disillusioned as I was back in 1971. Folks have lost trust in the institutional Church in which they were raised. They feel betrayed and are outraged, ready to jettison everything. Perhaps the lesson to be learned is that their trust has been misplaced. As us baby boomers have found, human insitutions are bound to disappoint. It is only in Jesus that one can place full trust. Jesus is the center of all our belief.

 

Bulletin article for December 8, 2013, "The Advent Paradigm"

THE PARADIGM OF VIRTUE

 



The word “paradigm” (pare a dime), describes an existing structure or a model. There are scientific paradigms, political paradigms, philosophical paradigms, and religious paradigms.  For example, the paradigm of American democracy is the office of the President and Vice President, the Senate, the House of Representatives, all who are elected officials. There are checks and balances built into the government with power distributed over the executive, legislative, and Judicial branches. When a paradigm is proven false or is no longer valid, a major shift occurs and a new structure or understanding is created. Our scriptures tell about major paradigm shifts. Isaiah prophesizes that in the future when this shift occurs, God’s chosen one will be filled with wisdom and understanding, justice and faithfulness, his weapons are his words which will silence and defeat the worst of his foes. The natural world will be turned upside/down, with lions, bears, wolves, leopards, and cobras living in peace with kids, lambs, cows, and children. In the Gospel, John the Baptist warns the Jewish religious authorities that their religious paradigm is about to be radically changed. In their arrogance, they believe that only the Jews are God’s chosen ones. Because of their hardness of heart, God is creating a new paradigm of “chosen” that is inclusive of all people, including those who are not Jewish. In Paul’s letter to the Romans he writes that the paradigm shift, that John the Baptist warned would occur, has happened. All people regardless of religion, culture or nationality are now united in harmony and peace as God’s children through the power of Jesus Christ. Paradigm shifts occur in our lives, too. Leaving the single life to marry is a major paradigm shift. When children are born another major shift occurs. A change in job or occupation creates a paradigm shift. A serious illness, an accident or injury can bring about a paradigm shift in our lives. Divorce, or the death of someone we love is a major paradigm shift in our lives. The scriptures tell us that as God has accompanied humanity through the major paradigm shifts of the past, so God will continue to be with us in our present and future paradigm shifts. How has God been present during these shifts in our lives? Are we aware of God’s presence during these times? Have we thanked God for supporting us during these major changes?



What happened to Advent? Did we skip it this season?

 

ADVENT IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT IT SEEMS …

Take a look at the picture above. The first time I saw this on Facebook, I had to look twice … then I read the caption and had a good laugh. What I thought I saw was what the comedian Pauly Shore called “cheek chillers,” in a movie (He was wearing cowboy chaps). Then I looked again and saw that the woman is carrying  a beige colored neck pillow. Things aren't always what they seem to be.

I think that it is important that we look at Advent just as carefully. Just as there is a right way and a wrong way to carry a beige colored neck pillow, there is a right way to prepare for Christmas and a wrong way to prepare for Christmas. Back during the Great Depression of the 1930’s, President Roosevelt declared that the time from the Friday following Thanksgiving Day (what we now call “Black Friday”) to Christmas Day would be called the “Christmas Season.” He did this so that people would go out and buy things, thus stimulating the economy. This economic move was successful and gradually the American economy recovered. The downside to this was that from that moment on, American society has confused the time of Advent with Christmas. Religiously, this time is far from being Christmas. Advent is a time of preparation. We are really about preparing for the second coming of Jesus, and, while we do this we remember the first coming of Christmas. In our society, however, Advent has become a time of celebrating Christmas long before it happens. We have Christmas parties galore. We exchange gifts long before Christmas Day. Our celebrations are so grand that when Christmas Day occurs it becomes anti-climatic and ho-hum. Christmas Day becomes a let down. We have put our Christmas cart before the horse, to adapt an old adage.

When my wife, Ruthie, was growing up with her family on the farm, all the Christmas decorations and the Christmas tree were put up on Christmas Eve. While the decorations were going up, Ruthie’s mom was busy baking all the Christmas cookies and other wonderful treats for Christmas. Christmas began for Ruthie’s family on Christmas Eve. In my family, which contrastingly was very urban from Ruthie's rural setting, we set up the Christmas tree on the 1^st Sunday of Advent, however, to emphasize that we were preparing for the birth of Jesus, there was an empty crèche that held a place of honor underneath the tree. The figures of Mary, Jesus and Joseph gradually traveled from table to table, throughout the house, to the fireplace mantle and so on until Christmas Eve night, when the holy family figurines were finally placed inside the crèche. While my brother, sister and I slept Christmas Eve night, it was then that the presents were placed underneath the tree for us to find on Christmas morning. For both of our families, Christmas did not begin until after the first Mass on Christmas. Then we "kept" and celebrated Christmas until the Baptism of the Lord.

I don't mean to sound like a Scrooge about Christmas. There is nothing wrong about putting up Christmas decorations and bedecking the house in lights. What I am encouraging is that we "keep" Advent as a time of preparation for Christmas, so that when Christmas Day comes, we can then "keep" Christmas. The Christmas Carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" sings about 12 days of partying following Christmas.  I think that is a great idea, and far better than what we do in our society.

Bulletin Article for November 24, 2013

In the Gospel this weekend, we are provided a highly unfamiliar image of what we normally would think when it comes to the word “King.” Hanging in agony, naked, beaten, and bloody, Jesus redefines what a King is. Historically, a King was about a self-centered, self-absorbed despot whose sole purpose was to acquire great power and wealth. In our modern era, the word King or royalty brings to mind ribald headlines in supermarket tabloids of the misbehavior of spoiled, pampered, pompous brats. However, Jesus reveals that a King is about the total giving of oneself in love and service to others. The gold thrones, rich tapestry, the bejeweled crowns of precious metal, and the opulence of many possessions stand in stark contrast to a throne of cruel wood from which Jesus rules with his head crowned by a circlet of sharp thorns. The awesome power of monarchs who command vast armies pales in comparison to the power of Jesus’ greatest weapon, mercy and love. The bravest of Kings remembered in human lore are but meek cowards in comparison to Jesus, who vanquished the power of Sin in the world forever. Paradoxically, it is the cross not a crown that is the greatest sign of royalty. As St Cyril of Jerusalem writes about the cross, “It is a sign for the faithful and a terror for the demons. On the cross, Jesus triumphed over them; and so, when they see it, they remember the crucified: they fear Him Who crushed the heads of demons.” St Cyril continues, “Let us not be ashamed of the Cross of Christ, but even if someone else conceals it, do you carry its mark publicly on your forehead, so that the demons, seeing the royal sign, trembling, may fly far away. Make this sign when you eat and when you drink, when you sit down, when you go to bed when you get up, when you speak, - in a word, on all occasions.” Upon bearing this most royal of signs of Kingship, may we pray as did St Francis of Assisi to carry on the royal mission of Jesus, who is Christ the King, “Most High, glorious God, enlighten the shadows of my heart, and grant unto me a right faith, a certain hope and perfect charity, sense and understanding, Lord, so that I may accomplish Your holy and true command.”

Fr Kevin Clinton's statement/homily for November 17, 2013

Pastor's Statement on Clergy Sexual Abuse

October 12, 2013

[Fr. Kevin Clinton, our pastor, has asked me to share this message with you.]

This week a parishioner who was born, raised and has been actively Catholic all her life called me to seek some perspective on her relationship with the larger Catholic church. 

She was very confused, deeply trouble and struggling with feelings of betrayal by Church leadership.  I know her well.  She is intelligent and passionate about her family life and the children of our community.   As she started to speak it was evident that she was out-raged by events in the upper echelon  of our Archdiocese. 

However, the early minutes of our conversation had to be interrupted. The parish receptionist informed me that the Chaplain of our hospital had a family in the emergency room with a 76 year old person dying.    They wanted me to come immediately.   I excused myself and  immediately left to do the prayers for the dying with the family at the hospital.  When I was done I called the parishioner back and we began our conversation again.   

Our conversation and my prayers for a dying man helped each of us get a better perspective on who we are and what is important. 

These past three weeks I have been meeting with the 17 people who form the Parish Coordinating Council of the St Wenceslaus church site.    We are hearing a series of reports from all the sectors of our parish's life.  There's lots of wonderful things that we do.  All of us come away feeling grateful for the health and the activity of this faith community.   We will continue our meetings and talk about how we can keep the ministries of our parish going as well as strong and healthy. 

A few weeks ago I spoke at the end of Mass about how alarmed I was to hear a detailed report on my radio about the misjudgment and mishandling by Archdiocesan leadership of another sexual violation of children by a priest.  I got out of bed that morning remembering the life of our local catholic community and the many good things that happen here at the grass roots.  I regarded the chaos and disclosures within Archdiocesan administration

as a "storm" over my head.  I asked myself and suggested to you, that we focus on keeping our faith community healthy and strong and not let the storm over our heads get us down. 

However, the events of the past week reveal to me that it is not a storm over our heads, 

it is more like a Archdiocesan hurricane and the eye of the hurricane at this time

is over New Prague!   I couldn't imagine that things could get worse--but they did this week. 

In the bulletin you will received this week, is a request from the Archdiocese that if there is anyone abused by Fr. Clarence Vavra when he was here as a priest for 11 months in 1979 or at any other time, you are to call the indicated phone number.    I am sorry, but that requested is late in coming--by 34 YEARS.    And to be fair, church authority did not know of the behavior until 1995--so maybe it is 18 YEARS late. Nevertheless, I am embarrassed and shocked to pass that request to you at this time. 

In our parish bulletin there is also an important message from the Archdiocese with detailed information about the problems of the church associated with Fr. Clarence Vavra.  The message also directs you to the website of the Archdiocese for even more detailed information.    

Both you and I need to sort ourselves out and be accurately informed by facts as we receive them.  While I say that, I am not going to tell you not feel what you feel--especially when it includes feelings of betrayal and out-rage.  However,  my vocation is to serve the life and the ministries of our parish community.     There are many issues that I can give myself to and my life gets wrapped around the issue's axel.  I have  to be careful of how I react to things above me, or far away from me that I cannot control. It may be the functioning of the federal government or how the Vikings are not winning.  Being a priest of this Archdiocese along with over 200 priests and 170 deacons makes an Archdiocesan hurricane very hard to deal with.     

But even though I am a priest of the Archdiocese, I am first and foremost to pastor our parish at St. Wenceslaus and the Western Catholic Community.  This is where the grass roots of the church are--rooted in the lives of people living in this faith community.    This is where the grace of God is personally and actively present in the day to day real lives of people.  This is where my head and my energies are to be largely spent.    This is where God especially touches you and me in the life of a grounded worshipping community.  These days I am working to keep my feet on the ground of our parish.  The overhead hurricane is blowing away the illusions of a medieval church authority culture.   Vatican II taught that the church is the "people of God" and the "people of the church form the Body of Christ" in the here and now.  

I do not know what the end result will be of the hurricane, but I want our feet  to stay on the ground where the grass roots of faith are alive.    Jesus himself had great trouble with the dynamics of the faith community he was part of.  But he did not give up on it.  He did not abandon his roots. He was passionate in challenging it to do what it was suppose to do.    The gospel today said to us:  "By your perseverance you will secure your lives."    I ask you to recognize the need we have to care for each other and to protect and care for our local parish community and persevere in asking for  appropriate reform of  church authority.    The  hurricane above us is will rearrange things. We need that authority to function better than it has .  

While at the hospital this week doing the prayers for the dying, a family member asked that our parish community also remember during Mass at St. Wence their  dying loved one as well as a recent spouse who died.  I said of course we would.    Despite the hurricane above, the faith continues in the grass roots.