"When It Rains, It Snows; I Wonder Why..."

After a 13 month drought here in the state of Oklahoma, the morning dawned cold and snowy. Yes, living in rural Oklahoma has taught me the joy with which I should welcome snow: nothing rebuilds the water table and re-hydrates crops more effectively than a thick blanket of snow. So, I thought, like perhaps hundreds of schoolchildren, it was going to be a light day. Well, when it rains, it snows.

I got an emergency call.

One of my parishioners suffers from a series of diseases and has been getting progressively worse over the last several months. I have to say that for someone facing death, she is facing it with an abundance of the virtue of hope. Well, last night, she was taken to the hospital last night and it was serious enough that the family called me to come to the hospital.

Granted, I didn't care for the drive. Driving in the snow is far more pleasant than driving on ice -- that's virtually impossible. It was a tense, slow experience. But even though the woman was much better when I saw her, it was good that got out and did it.

For those discerning a vocation to the diocesan priesthood, take note. You have the same motto as the Post Office: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." The key difference lies in the destination of the one being delievered...

From the rising to the setting of the sun...
Or, Christian leaders of East and West meet in a moment of universal significance.

I just can't help but have this feeling of wonder and the rich sense that I am witnessing something truly fantastic and monumental in the meeting of Pope Benedict XVI with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, coinciding happily with this year's Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, considered by the Orthodox as their great founder. There is a very evident respect shown between them and a sense of fraternal affection. And don't forget the urgency that more work must be done to restore unity between our Churches, already so close in faith and practice. May it be so!

I watched with awe today's Patriarchal Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Ecumenical Patriarch, concelebrated by many other Orthodox bishops, and in the presence of Pope Benedict. It was truly a beautiful sacred liturgy, which beauty was augmented by the personages present. Though there are many things one could highlight about this event, I choose this one. As I was watching the Divine Liturgy on EWTN, I noticed that as the communicants came forward to receive the Holy Eucharist, many of them (I won't say all, but certainly many) paused, turned to Pope Benedict, whom they had to pass to approach the sanctuary, and made a slight bow to him in respect. He, in turn, would reciprocate. And the most precious of all, was when a young Orthodox lad not only turned to bow, but walked up to Pope Benedict to shake his hand. The Pope very joyfully bent down to greet the young boy and arose with a bright smile.

May that joy impel us on to unity. And may the evident mutual respect and affection shown between a Pope, a Patriarch, and a young boy remind us that we have no choice but to make every effort to ensure authentic unity.

Ut unam sint!

Media Hog
Our dear CRM readers are accustomed to Fr. Tharp's media hog status. Sadly, however, his regular radio segment has been discontinued (has Relevant Radio felt the wrath of the economic block that is the readership of Catholic Ragemonkey?). This Friday, December 1, at 6:45 a.m. you can see me, Fr. Hamilton, on our local News Channel 9 morning show. I am sure it will be an embarrassing appearance, edited to much to my discredit, but, oh well. Channel 9 was in town yesterday doing some shots around town about favorite small towns in Oklahoma. I guess Kingfisher is in the running for such a distinction. Anyway, Channel 9 was parked in the church parking lot and I walked over to see what was going on and it turned into a brief interview. The topic? The word that a Wal-Mart Supercenter will be coming to town. Yes, I get all the big interviews!

Always thinking evangelization
With this brief post, I want to honor a brother priest and a great friend, Fr. Shane Tharp. Fr. Tharp truly loves our Catholic faith, which he happily found his way to in his late teens. His love for the truth of our faith and his tendency to be a mastermind work to the benefit of our faith (thanks be to God he's on our side!) by his constant efforts to form the People of God, to further evangelization, and to seek new avenues for the same.

Recently, Fr. Tharp recommended a representative of Lighthouse Catholic Media (a subsidiary of St. Joseph Communications) come to pay me a visit. Lighthouse has a great program of offering brochures and CDs on various topics pertaining to our Catholic faith and the faith's response to common concerns of human life. You can purchase an attractive display case and features these offerings in the back of church. I have previewed the CDs and the brochures and they are excellent. In addition, there are different sets of topics available, so when you run through one set of topics you can order different ones (or more of the same ones). The kick-off for this program of formation and evangelization will be this weekend in my parishes and I am already delighted as I imagine the positive impact I trust it will have.

Another great idea brought to you by Fr. Shane Tharp! Or is that Fr. Evil?!

A stinger for the Kingfisher Yellowjackets
In a town like mine high school football is a significant part of town life. As Pastor I make it a point to attend all the home football games I can. I had the pleasure of receiving the Head Coach into the Church this past Easter, thus joining his wife who was already Catholic. Furthermore, more than simply a tactical decision, I go to the games because I enjoy watching the games and seeing so many people of my parish. If football season is big enough, post-season is even more so. The Kingfisher Yellowjackets won their district championship and then were victorious in round 1 and round 2 of the play-offs. Last night was the semi-final game for the State Championship in Class 3-A against Sequoyah-Claremore. By athletic association rules the game had to be at a neutral site. So, after Saturday evening's Vigil Mass I hit the road to attend the semi-final game in Edmond. I was there for most of the game and it just wasn't Kingfisher's night. Things seemed to go relatively well in the first quarter, but the opponent just kept driving down the field for the rest of the game. So, the state championship eludes Kingfisher this year. But it has been a great season and our guys played hard. It was a hard loss, but the team can be proud for their hard work all season.

Book Review: "Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace" by Scott Hahn

I love it when someone sends me a free copy of a book I was planning to order. Several months back, Mark Shea mentioned on his blog that Scott Hahn had written a book on Opus Dei. Hahn has the credentials to write this subject as he is a member of Opus Dei. Now, I must confess, I find the structure of Opus Dei somewhat confusing so when I say, “Hahn is a member,” I mean that Hahn is involved with Opus Dei. This is a good example of how people are familiar with Opus Dei but don’t have a good grasp on the life and spirituality of Opus Dei. Therefore, when Ms. Davis at Doubleday forwarded me a copy of Hahn’s new work, Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei, I was elated.

The book attempts to do two things. First, Hahn wants to describe the biblical spirituality and theology which grounds Opus Dei for the novice inquirer. Second, Hahn, while not claiming to speak for the Work (the most common euphemism for Opus Dei by those involved in its life) in a formal sense, wants to describe how the Work has affected him. This seems a very beneficial contribution to the literature about Opus Dei. An ecclesial movement can often seem impossible to approach if it is not described in a way which connects the theory and the practice. However, I wish Dr. Hahn would have gone into a little more detail about the personal side of this journey. He peppers the text with anecdotes but it is hard to call this a spiritual journey. This is a minor complaint on my part. I think when you deal with a personage like Scott Hahn, it is normal to fall into the tabloid temptation in which we want all the secrets.

The book is divided into 12 chapters which focus upon the hallmarks of Opus Dei. Most intriguing to me was the discovery of how subtle the ideal is while at the same time how far reaching that ideal is. For instance, in the chapter on secularity, Hahn makes a helpful distinction, drawn from Escriva, about the secular is not opposed to the sacred. Rather the secular is simply different from the sacred. Because of this lack of opposition, it becomes possible to allow the sacred to shape and transform the secular, thus bridging the perceptual gap between them. Hahn also makes the same connection which I and others have made that Opus Dei’s theology and spirituality anticipate many of the observations found in the documents of the Second Vatican Council.

Also, friendship plays a critical role in the Work. On page 82, Hahn writes “St. Josemaria often spoke eloquently about the effects of this apostolic approach: ‘May you sow peace and joy on all sides. May you not say a disturbing word to anyone. May you know how to walk arm-in-arm with those who do not think as you do. May you never mistreat anyone. May you be brothers to all and sowers of peace and joy.’ Yet, as his successor Bishop Javier Echevarria noted, the founder ‘never failed to point out that this Christian coexistence does not mean yielding to error, to false doctrine.’ In true friendship, we have the freedom to speak a word of correction or even reproof. In the wake of prayer, we have the ability to say it in a diplomatic way. Truth can move mountains without employing rhetorical explosives” (emphasis added). Notice how invigorating it is to have friendship renewed in a way commensurate with Blessed Aelred’s contribution many centuries earlier. Notice how the many shades of love for our neighbor can spring from this.

This book would be of interest to anyone who would like to understand the nuts and bolts of the work of Opus Dei. Also, I think that it is a good way to demystify an ecclesial movement which looks to have great influence in the years to come. Dr. Hahn deserves a note of congratulations for providing audiences with an excellent introduction to Opus Dei.

Suspicion Confirmed!

It was on this blog that I recently suggested that one of the hurdles to overcome in Christian-Muslim dialogue surrounds a different understanding of forgiveness.

This article is case in point.

For the last time...

Well, you know how it goes, I am watching the news, reading the newspaper via the internet and then you read reports which suggest the absolute zeroing of IQ points when it comes to reporting about religious topics. The celibacy question is quite controverted in some people's minds because celibacy flies in the face of the general cultural assumption that maturity equals sexual experience. This of course is how people interpret celibacy -- you can't have sex -- which it isn't. Celibacy is a sacrifice of the married state for the greater gift of self to the work of Christ. Because you have given up the married state, it follows that sexual continence comes to the fore.

Anyway, media folks immediately interpreted the conversation between Benedict and the curia about the ongoing Milingo situation as an opening of the door to a married priesthood. However, the truth is far different.

Celibacy has a powerful theological message to communicate to the Body of Christ which suggests why celibacy as the general norm of the Church's practice ought to be maintained. I can suggest a practical reason to maintain celibacy which is not as good as the theological one but immediately clarifies the implication of the question. That reason is money.

Most Catholic parishes don't contribute financially on a par with their Protestant counterparts. To have a married priest as the pastor of the parish would require that contributions would have to at least quadruple. Think about it. House, car, education, insurance, children, it would add up pretty quickly.

Then what about divorce? (Yes, Catholic married priests could make poor choices for their spouses.) Don't you think that a divorced priest would have to be moved because the acrimony (potential or realized) as the parish sides some with the pastor and some with the ex-wife?

I hate to say it, but the push for married clergy (at least to my mind) conceals a resistance to sacrifice. Ordained Sacramental Ministry should require a great gift of self because it is a great and tremendous work. That is not to say that problems don't appear. But a thousand problems do not denude this vocation of its greatness; the problems point up its greatness. A great life in which you are at the service of the salvation of so many is worth giving everyone and it should surprise us that when the stakes are so high, the problems and obstacles are just as high.

To my readers who might be discerning a priestly vocation, don't be afraid. Entrust yourself to the Lord and He will provide all things.

Crashing RCIA
I just finished another action-packed Sunday with Masses in two locations, a quick (and late) lunch, a short nap, lecture preparation, RCIA class and the Teen Bible Study I moderate for our Seniors in high school. It is now 9:32 p.m. But the real special event this evening was that right in the midst of RCIA as I was nearing completion of tonight's topic, Fr. Tharp crashed the class, walking into the hall as I was midstream in lecture.

He was a little embarassed because he thought he would be walking in the door of the hall with everyone in class facing away from him. Instead, everyone was facing the door, so he practically rolled into stage center.

I gave a quick introduction and he sat down as I finished class. It turned out to be good timing because he was able to participate in the answer to a question that was asked. So, he certainly made up for the earlier distraction of those attending RCIA.

I am sort of wondering whether he was intentionally visiting to see if I was really and truly implementing the results of our RCIA Summit this past summer. He now has proof that I am in fact running RCIA according to our agreed upon new direction this year. It is going smashingly and he deserves much credit for that.

Confronting the Inevitable Spinoffs

Confronting the Inevitable Spinoffs

You all knew this was coming.  Howie Mandel’s wild, hit show Deal or No Deal has created a firestorm of shameless fakes being generated for the midseason replacement.  Through the use of my powerful connections in the entertainment industry and my hacker powers, I have a list of the planned spinoffs from Deal or No Deal.  Enjoy.

#1. Veal or No Veal:  On this cooking show, participants try to create delicious veal dishes.  The catch is that only one of 26 pans has veal in it.  All the rest have other things in it ranging from giblets to T-bones.  But the cooks need only one thing and only one question needs answering: Veal or No Veal?

#2. Steal or No Steal: On this ESPN inspired spinoff, the contestants try to decide if their favorite baseball stars can beat the pitching staff back to home base.  They have to choose which pitcher is most unlikely to get them out.  They choose from 26 possible pitchers but who will make it home.  Only the one who chooses correctly on “Steal or No Steal.”

#3. Teal or No Teal:  How is this for a home decorating show?  A home decorating wants to use the perfect color in this home remodel but there are 25 other colors to choose from.  After choosing their can, they have to open one can at a time until they decide what they want.  Of course they could just stick with the color they know is available.  It’s a choice between “teal or no teal.”

It Doesn't Say Much; It Just Says It All

Although I am not that tech-savvy, I wanted to link this site from our favorite convert-chastity advocate-recently published authoress. If you can figure out how to do the coding, let me know.

Well, It Was Good While It Lasted

I got a phone call today from the folks at Relevant Radio. They have decided to discontinue my segment on Morning Air. It was good while it lasted and I was pleased to hear from all those who were helped with my segments. So, if you tune in on Monday, and you don't hear me, you now know.

Things that make you ponder...
I had a rather unique experience with a burial today, which I thought I would share. On Sunday, the local funeral home director told me he had received the body of a 69 year old female who had died at a care facility in a nearby town. Apparently this woman used to live in a similar care facility in this town, until that facility closed and she was moved elsewhere. Word through the grapevine was that she was Catholic, but no one was really sure and no one really knew her. The funeral home director said his information was that the deceased had had six children but no one knows where they are or how to contact them. This poor woman may have even been a ward of the state and in need of some mental care, but that, like all the other information we had on her, was sketchy.

With no next of kin claiming any involvement, the funeral home director kindly agreed to care for the burial himself. He had an extra casket and a burial gown on hand. His wife ordered some flowers and we agreed to meet at the cemetery after my School Mass today for All Saints' Day.

At the cemetery (in addition to me) was the director, and one of his assistants. All three of us had to struggle to get the casket out of the hearse and move it over to the grave. I have never before had to be a pall bearer (one of three, mind you) and preside over the ceremony. Since there was no money for this burial, it was bare bones. There was no (and I don't even know the name for this contraption) committal machinery (the thing that lowers the casket), just two boards over the hole with two sets of rope to lower the casket. So, after placing the casket over the hole, I then vested for the graveside service. The director, the assistant and I offered prayers for this lady and then two cemetery workers showed up to lower the casket and fill the hole with dirt.

There was something very beautiful about this rather sober and bare moment. Even without all the typical and expected formalities of a "normal" funeral, this woman's human dignity and her dignity as a child of God was recalled today. Though apparently leaving the world with nothing and having no other familial relationships present, her dignity impacted at least the five of us involved with her burial. And though there is something beautiful about that, there was also something sad to ponder as we stood there looking at this most simple casket, resting on two pieces of lumber, waiting to be lowered into the earth. Based on the realities of these circumstances, it was as if we were dealing with an almost totally unknown person. There were no family members present and no one who seemed to have been a friend of hers in life. That is hard to imagine -- going through life almost totally unknown. The starkness of this burial scene seemed to invite for me pondering about life, death, and relationships. The scene of any funeral could probably elicit such thoughts, but this one seemed to do so even more than normal. Perhaps that was because none of the typical trappings were present to offer distraction.

Whatever the case, it seemed somehow appropriate to face this woman's seeming isolation, as we focus today on the bond between all the members of Christ's Body, especially the saints and that blessed communion in Heaven we hope to share!