Ordinary Time 25

“Children not only get their names, their food and clothing from their parents; they get their characters, their morals and their habits.”

- Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, 1895-1979

On Saturday, September 11, I had a Christian funeral Liturgy of Thanksgiving for Brigid "Marie" Burke who was born on January 29, 1912 and died in her own home on September 7 -- just shy of 99! When we went to our St. Joseph Cemetery after the Liturgy, her son John asked if her grandson Chad from Florida could offer a few words. I thought his sincere, humble, real and kind words were most memorable. He said:

I thank you Grandma, for walking me through the rain, ice and snow and holding on to my hand as you took me to St. Joseph School. I thank you for taking me to church and making sure I received the sacraments to help me along in my faith. I thank you for taking the time to say prayers with me that focused me on God in my daily life. I thank you for helping to raise me and teach me right from wrong. And even when my life would take a bad turn I know your steady, tender and compassionate ways would see me through. I thank you for teaching me the greatest lessons in life: to always be honest, truthful, respectful, appreciative and faithful.

As he extended his right hand over her casket in profound gratitude, the mourners were deeply touched and comforted through this gracious gesture of goodness. It was fitting that the Irish blessing was on her prayer card from the funeral home which read:

May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. May the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand. Amen.

This Sunday, we celebrate Catechetical Sunday and I extend my generous thanks and prayers for all who serve the Church as catechists. I thank most especially all grandparents, Godparents and parents whose irreplaceable example is the foundation of later knowledge, virtue and holiness. I’m grateful for all my brother priests and deacons and all religious sisters whose dedication to the service of the Church has served as a banner of hope for others’ lives. I am grateful to our dedicated teachers here at St. Joseph Catholic School and to the catechists of our religious education and sacramental preparation programs -- for your loving faith, example, devotion and commitment. I pray that your own faith will be strengthened and increased by sharing it with others as we celebrate this year’s theme for Catechetical Sunday, “Marriage, Sacrament of Enduring Love."

My parents were married at St. George Church in Lisbon, OH on August 3, 1946 and Dad was called home to the Lord on February 8, 1986. My father was Presbyterian and attended First Presbyterian Church downtown near the former Gimbels on Sixth Street for fifty years. A month prior to his death he converted to the Catholic faith and asked for the pastor of St. Simon and Jude Church in Scott Twp., Fr. Thomas F. Carey, to hear his confession and anoint him. Dad wanted his death to unite the family, not divide it. I feel so deeply blessed and grateful to have such mentor and model parents along my faith journey. Dad would often remark that his grandfather was a religious man. A little over six years ago I placed Mom into the Little Sisters of the Poor Home on Benton Avenue in the North Side. I recall a question asked in the interviewing process, “What is your greatest accomplishment in life?” And Mom humbly and simply said, “Raising a family of seven children and teaching second graders to prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion for 27 years.” Faith examples make a big difference in one’s life and are never forgotten.

Catechist’s Prayer

Great Teacher, how can it be September already?
It seems just yesterday that my last class ended.
You know how busy and filled with rush my days are,
How often I run without remembering your nearness.
Keep me more faithful to those quiet times with you
And more alert to your presence amid my activities.

As I anticipate teaching another class this year,
There’s a part of me that’s fearful and anxious,
Doubting that I’ve faith enough to be the one to share it.
Take that doubt, Companion of Love, and change it.
Help me to see that I do believe, that my faith is deep,
If I but take the time to touch it with prayerful reflection.

There’s a part of me that’s uncertain and concerned,
Wondering if my hard work will be worth the effort.
How will I know if my ministry has made a difference?
Take this concern from my troubled heart, Peaceful One.
Help me to recognize that you never leave me.
It is your compassionate presence dwelling within me
That will call to young hearts and lead them home to you.
You will do so in a way that may never be known to me.

Divine Life-Giver, when I become tired and drained,
Be the energy and aliveness that I need.
Grant me the grace of enthusiasm,
So the love I have for you will shine through me.
Most of all, Sacred Echo of Happiness, be joy in me.
Do not let me give in to the demon of discouragement.
Rather, remind me often that I am your instrument,
Blessed with the gift of wanting to share my faith
And privileged to be in communion with your loved ones.

I need only to open my shaky heart to you.
I need only to surrender my spirit in trust.
I need only to cry out to you in prayer.
You will be there, you will hear my needs.
You will walk with me each step of the way,
Touching all those who are entrusted to my care.

- Sr. Joyce Rupp, "Out of the Ordinary"

Assumption of the BVM

"Let us allow Mary to do in us and through us whatever she desires, and she will surely accomplish miracles of grace, and we ourselves will become holy, great saints, very great saints, because we shall succeed in becoming like her, and by means of us she will win over the entire world and every individual soul."

-St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe

Last Sunday afternoon, I had lost my cell for several hours -- what panic!  "Oh no," I thought, "all those names, all those numbers, and all the messages I am missing."  My world seemed lost, empty, and "out of touch".  After trying to recall and retracing my footsteps, I frantically searched for it ... up and down the steps, in an out of various rooms, searching through dresser drawers and pockets in pants, back to the car and asking others if they saw it but to no avail.  I then tried to call my cell phone number but could not even remember the number.  Then, I thought of what my dear mother would do and say.  I knew well what Mom would ask -- "Did you say a prayer to St. Anthony, patron of missing things?"  Lo and behold, within an instant an upside down, chaotic, "uncertain" world became calm, peaceful, and connected as I retrieved found my cell phone again.  There were 3 messages on my lost cell phone during those hectic 4 hours:

• "Fr. Rich, I just wanted to get ahead of the game and send out your homily to our web site.  Which Mass recording did you want me to send off to our webmaster?"
• "Hey, Fr. Rich, where are you?  Fr. Victor is here and the family is all sitting around the dinner table waiting for your arrival to say the prayer and eat.  I hope you don’t sleep in on us again like last Sunday."
• "Fr. Rich, I have a parishioner from St. Joseph that passed away and the family would like to make arrangements for a funeral."

When I found, my cell phone I called the funeral home immediately.  The funeral director said that the lady who died was Dorothy Farrell, 79 years old.  It hit me like a ton of bricks -- I was crushed!  Then I recalled the Gospel on Sunday proclaimed early that day: "One does not know the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come."  Namely, our Christian lives must stand on the promises of God.

Dorothy was often a daily communicant here at St. Joseph.  Dorothy had heart surgery of aorta value at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh.  She had waited eagerly for weeks for this surgery.  We had lined up all the care-givers during her absence together to take care of her husband suffering with Alzheimer’s.  All she wanted to do was get this surgery over so that in a 3-4 weeks time she could get back to caring for her beloved husband of over 50 years.  There were various complications following the surgery and she died.  If there was anyone ready to meet the Lord, it was Dorothy.  She was "anointed"!

Dorothy sat in the second or third pew for daily and weekend Masses here at St. Joseph.  Dorothy had a "sun-burst" smile, a "fire-cracker" personality, a "can-do" winning attitude, an "innocent" pure joy presence, and a "cheerful" disposition.  She was a "humble" disciple and a "devoted and loving" wife, mother, and grandmother.  The family respected her wishes to have no obituary in the paper and no public calling hours in the funeral parlor.  As I offered the private service in the funeral home, her husband sat in the wheelchair in front of her casket weeping and praying.  After the prayers, her husband and others asked to kiss my hands for giving her Jesus in the Eucharist, which was her daily strength ... a simple gesture of gratitude and long that I soon will not forget.  A daughter-in-law said, "Father, I think that you lost one of your greatest fans!"  Dorothy truly lived every day of her life with purpose, with passion, and with prayer.

As I journeyed in silent prayer in my own car to Resurrection Cemetery in Moon Twp. to offer the prayers of internment for Dorothy, it was so fitting that we placed her body into the Mausoleum Chapel of St. Anthony!  To lose a cell phone is one thing, St. Anthony found it!  To lose a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, daily communicant, and fan is totally another.  Thank you, St. Anthony, for your powerful intercession in our lives of faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  As I kissed her white casket, I silently said a pray for us all.

On Monday evening, August 9, a friend took me to have dinner at center ice and tour the new Consol Energy Center, the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins!  All the employees of SMG (Sports Marketing Group), Aramark, and the Penguins were allowed to bring one guest.  I ran into many people I knew from the various assignments in my priestly ministry.  A couple from St. Patrick’s in Canonsburg remarked that they missed me and wondered if I could come back. They asked, "How would you like to preach in this $321 million Consol Energy Center"  I told them, I’d do it for free (jokingly, of course)!  I then tried out the new restrooms.  It was good to go in the suites, locker room and the Mario Lemieux #66 room that can be used for $10,000 per game.  As one continues to ride the escalators (I myself got a headache and light-headed), it was like you could reach out and touch the UPMC building (old US Steel building -- 66 stories).  To see the sights of Pittsburgh was my favorite part of the tour ... especially seeing the statues of the saints perched atop Epiphany Church.  I’d like to retire when my days are done next to the Consol Energy Center!  I guess I am "old-fashioned" because I’d rather be in the old Civic (Mellon) Arena where my Dad took my brother Dan and I as kids -- the memories, the intimacy, and the history.  I guess I mean it was less corporate and more individually based.

On Monday, August 16, we will have a Bible Study picnic in the white tent next to rectory from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  All are most welcome!  Please contact the Rectory at 412.264.6162 if you plan to attend.  Come join us for good food, good fun, good friends, and good faith sharing.

We are pleased to welcome our new parish secretary, Judene Indovina, who starts on Monday, August 23.  We thank Louise Muzik who has filled in for the interim.

We have 3 new doors from Ohio Valley Lumber (Ambridge) in the rectory.  On the front door there is frosted cross etched with the name St. Joseph completed by Rex Glass in McKees Rocks.

A note of thanks to Carol Accetta who played the organ the past two weeks.

Bishop David A. Zubik will be around our neighborhood. On Sunday, August 15, he will celebrate the St. Rocco Day Mass (in Italian) at St. Titus in Aliquippa at 9:00 AM and the Installation Mass of Fr. Andrew Fischer at St. Margaret Mary in Moon Twp. at 12:30 PM.  Bishop Zubik will also celebrate the 100th Anniversary Mass of St. Catherine of Siena in Crescent Twp. on Sunday, August 22 at 11:30 AM.