HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

This article is, entitled Called to Serve featured in the latest issue of our dioscean paper, the Catholic News & Herald. It's hard, I believe to overstate the importance of the content - or the importance of it being published so prominently (teaser on the front page) in the paper!

Called to Serve

CHARLOTTE — Have you noticed more young people wearing

albs, cassocks and surplices serving at Mass? It’s not just a fluke – it’s a trend that priests around the Diocese of Charlotte are encouraging. More and more young people in the

diocese are expressing willingness to serve their parishes through

the privilege of altar serving.

St. Michael Church in Gastonia particularly has been graced with a growing number of altar servers over the past several years. It is not uncommon for the church to have more than 10

boys every Sunday at the 10 a.m. Mass. Father Roger K. Arnsparger, who is St. Michael’s pastor as well as vicar of education for the diocese, welcomes the growing popularity of altar servers and said he hopes to encourage vocations.

“We have had a great interest from young men wanting to serve at Holy Mass,” Father Arnsparger said. “The young men are filled with a humble appreciation of the opportunity and the privilege

of serving Holy Mass. The fraternal bond between them has been a great help to them in their spiritual lives and in their growing love of the Mass and the Church.

“They show great responsibility, leadership and loyalty. They encourage each other, teach each other, learn from each other and enjoy the process. They are a small faith group leading each other in excellence in Catholic worship and in their Catholic lives.”

Father Christopher Roux also has been stoking the fires of service among young men since his arrival as rector of St. Patrick Cathedral in 2008. “It is my firm hope that by keeping the boys closely associated to the altar throughout their early years, if they have a vocation to

the priesthood, the call will be awakened and encouraged,” Father Roux said.

At St. Ann Church in Charlotte, Father Timothy Reid has the same intention.

“The Church has looked upon altar serving as a means of generating vocations to the priesthood for many generations precisely because it introduces boys and young men to the most important aspect of priesthood: offering the holy sacrifice of the Mass. So the more often our altar servers

have a chance to serve, the more exposure they are given,” he said.

Canon law and Church teaching also allow girls to serve at the altar, because altar servers assist at Mass in much the same way that readers and extraordinary ministers of holy Communion do. Even if vocations are not the primary aim, for both boys and girls serving at Mass can be a way of

becoming involved as lay people, particularly in smaller churches or where there is a pastoral need.

Altar servers act as cross bearers, acolytes, incense bearers and torch or candle bearers. Some servers also assist the priest by holding the sacramentary at Mass as the various prayers are read. When serving Mass for a bishop, even more servers (called “vimps”) are assigned to hold his crozier and his miter.

In most parishes, altar server training is overseen by a deacon. If you know of a young person interested in becoming an altar server, contact your parish’s office for details.

The Powerpuff Girls

Blossom, Commander and the Leader
Bubbles, she's the joy and the laughter
Buttercup, she's the toughest fighter
Powerpuffs save the day!!!

(Note: this post has not a thing to do with the mass or the catholic church, it's just a Father bragging.)

I am blessed enough to have not only a beautiful wife, but three beautiful children. A friend of my wifes once said, "Oh, just like the Powerpuff Girls!!!" And she (unknowingly) hit it right on the head. Allow me to explain...

First, we have soon to be six year old "Blossom" (see middle character above) - though I call her princess. Since an incredibly early age she has been creative, intellectual, and always wanting to direct things. When we play she says things like "you stand here, and say___" She still is that way. Only now she spends as much time "mothering" and teaching her little sisters as she does telling me how to play. Definitely the Commander and the Leader! Daddy already has her pegged to be a nun - or more of a Mother Superior.

Second comes three year old "Buttercup" (on the right above), whom I nicknamed "Wild Thing". Strong willed, strong physically, VERY physical, and absolutely fearless. And with a pain threshold almost beyond belief. Since she was about 6 months old we called her "the bowling ball", based on her seeming indestructibility and penchant for ramming in to and knocking over things. The toughest fighter indeed!!!! I can easily see her, wearing a flight suit, helmet in hand, on the deck of an aircraft carrier, climbing into the cockpit of an F-18.

Third comes "Bubbles" (on the left above) - nickname "Cherry Pie". She's beautiful beyond all reason. Never seen a child smile and laugh so much. Of course now that she is almost two, the smile and laugh times are contrasted sharply with the insufferably moody ones, but she is still a sweetheart most of the time. I can't imagine the exact career choice for this one, but her love of dancing and music, combined with her looks, means that all of the ones I do imagine scare the heck out of me. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll be the next Danica Patrick, on the cover of Sports Illustrated with good reason, and good looks, rather than just the latter.

Or maybe I am just a crazy dad with crazy ideas for his girls....

One Amazing Priest

For some time now, 10 months or so, I have been more or less addicted to reading Catholic blogs and news. I have read, and continue to read nearly every post from the blogging Priests of the world - at least the more traditional minded ones. They all have a their own wonderful perspective, from the amazingly knowledgable Father Zuhlsdorf to the funny and humble Father Joe. I freely admit I love them all.

Of all these, however, one stands out in my mind. That is Father Martin Fox, of Bonfire of the Vanities. Somehow Father Fox manages to strike a balance between the intellectually though provoking, and the touchingly human. His posts range from "a day in the life" journal entries, to reflections on Sacrementam Caritatis, to straightforward challenges about current affairs, like the current credit crisis. Add to that the fact that he publishes his Homilies in his blog for all to see and be blessed by! He manages to balance the intellectual side of life with the faith side of life and seems to enjoy it all.

This man, and his blog, provide such a good, interesting insight on life as a priest that I sincerely believe that his blog should be required reading for any man thinking about the priesthood - especially adult men thinking about the priesthood.

Thanks for being there, Father Fox.

Vocations Follow-Up

At the risk of (though surely not the intention of) sounding like I'm blowing my own horn, I would like to bring attention to something that was said in an interview with The Remnant by Father Berg, Superior General of the FSSP. Apparently the good Father read my earlier post on vocations, and worked it into his own interview ;)

Here is an excerpt from the interview (my emphases):

Q: During a time in the Church in Western Europe and the U.S., when there are entire dioceses that frequently have no priestly ordinations each year, there have been 153 men request applications to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in the United States January through March 2007. Why do you think so many young men are attracted to vocations to the traditional priestly societies?

A: If one looks at the diocese and institutes where they are attracting a strong number of vocations, the young men are receiving a very strong priestly identity—one that really underlines the supernatural side of the priesthood. This is not true only of the Fraternity, but also of places like St. Gregory’s in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Sometimes I think we end up short-selling the youth and thinking what they really want, what is going to attract them, is this type of life or that—as if the priesthood is nothing more than being a social worker or a counselor. That is just not going to attract vocations. Men can go ahead and do that in other areas [without the sacrifices of the priesthood].

But in the end, it is the strong priestly identity that attracts them. Yes, they will end up doing a lot of natural things that are good—and they will end up needing to have a lot of natural virtues—but the priest’s job is about the supernatural life with the sacraments and everything else.

We’re fortunate enough to have a number of things [in the FSSP] that emphasize those elements, such as the priestly identify at the altar which is so stressed by the rite, and Thomistic theology which sees the priest’s fundamental act as offering sacrifice. It clearly underlines what the work of the priest is—what his essential work is. And that finally is the element which is most attractive about the priesthood: being able to deal with the things that are holy all the time; with the things that are most essential.

Having been a priest now for 10 years, I can’t imagine being a man and getting up every day and working 10 hours in a secular job on what is not most important. And I know there are men who have to do that according to their duty in state. But the priesthood is always dealing with the absolute essentials—with salvation.

That’s one thing that I think is fortunate about the way we form priests. It is centered around preaching and the sacraments: being dispensers of the mysteries of God as St. Paul says, is what is essential. Fortunately, the rite we use really emphasizes that role of the priest within the sanctuary, which a lot of men are looking for as well.

I would say that I couldn't have said it better myself, but in truth, I couldn't have said it nearly as good myself. I highly recommend that you read the whole interview. It is impressive in the extreme.

Thoughts on Vocations

I'd like to put fort a bit of theory on one of the reasons for the deart of priestly vocations nowadays. I may step on some toes here, but I believe that my theory is worth examining. This factor is something I have thought about for years, but now, thanks to this blog, I get to "publish" it - in a sense, anyway.

This post is prompted by an outstanding post today on Simon-Peter's Blog regarding the mathematical analysis of priestly vocations. The post, or repost of the original article form Seattle Catholic shows in painful detail how priestly vocations basically vanised in the mid-to-late '60's. I am absolutely convinced that the influence of Vatican II is at the heart of it, but the question is, how and why???

You see, the fact is that becoming a priest is a career choice. Yes, I know it's a calling. And I am not discounting that, but just because men are called to the priesthood doesn't mean that they become priests! If a man is drawn to (called to) the priesthood, he can still say no.

It is simply not reasonable to believe that the Holy Spirit would call 1/10th of the men that he did just 40 years ago. Therefore the only possible explanation is that they are simply saying "no, thanks" in overwhelming numbers!

I believe that the main reason for this is simply the perception of what and who a priest is. Prior to around 1965, priests were looked upon by the laity as awesome characters, almost fearsome. Priests were, simply put, the most respected people in their communities. When a priest walked into a room, the whole atmosphere changed. They were, by virtue of their position (they got to touch GOD HIMSELF!!!) and their attitude (strong, firm, wise) sole possessors of an almost God like aura.

Then, in a span of just a few years, all of that was intentionally discarded. The mass was no longer ancient, mystical, powerful - it was "a gathering". Priests were no longer expected to act like they were special - priestly, if you will. All of a sudden they were everybody's buddy. "Hi, I'm Mark!, Thanks for coming!" They went from being the mortar that bound the bricks of the church together to being the coffee pot at the K of C pancake breakfast - something you visit to make you feel warm and comfy. "Would you like cream and sugar with your mass today, Sir?"

Who the hell want's to be a coffee pot?

And THAT, that change of persona, is what was and is wrong! Being a preist is tough, emotionally demanding work that pays very little money. Once upon a time those things were offset by the strength of the position, the respect you were given, as well as the sure knowledge that you WERE the mortar and that you WERE helping the church, and more specifically the souls therein, from "the loss of heaven and the pains of hell". That belief, no, that KNOWLEDGE, that by being a priest, you were saving people in a real, sacramental, concrete way, combined with the knowledge that you would because of that, be respected and treated well, helped many many men make that career choice - to take the Holy Sprit's offer. And until that respect returns, there will be many who will say "thanks, but no thanks". And the church, lacking it's mortar, will get more and more fragile and less and less able to weather the rapidly gathering storm that it MUST weather to survive.