A View From The Pew

(The following is a guest post from Ginny Ambrose, Director of Music Ministries at St. Joseph.)

Recently I had the opportunity to visit a beach community for vacation. Since my time away included a weekend, I naturally sought out the nearest Catholic church to attend Sunday Mass. I was in luck! Just around the corner from where I was staying was a beautiful church with an architecture that reflected a Spanish mission style. I was excited to enter such a beautiful building and couldn’t wait for the 10:00 AM Mass to begin. The organ swelled, the people stood and the procession began toward the altar. I picked up my hymnal and began to sing as well as my morning voice could. To my surprise not many sang around me. In fact, some even turned to stare. Bashful, and now embarrassed, I felt my voice quiver, and losing all confidence, I ceased my singing. Even though I’d always thought of myself as an active participant in the Mass, the stares were just too much for me to endure. The Mass went on much the same way, with little or no participation from the pews.

I looked around at the gorgeous stained glass, the burning candles, the wonderful homilist and wondered where the life was in this building. I thought about the verse in the song, Christ Be Our Light: “...make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone.”

Maybe it was the fact that the congregation may have been vacationers, maybe strangers to this church themselves…. Whatever the reason, they had decided to remain spectators rather than participants. I thought about our dear parish of St. Joseph. I’ve always thought our congregation was such an alive one -- singing and praying their hearts out! I wondered if any of you ever had an experience like I had, even in our own pews. It made me think about the courage it must take to proclaim the faith even though those around us may not be so inspired. My "view from the pew" was a learning experience for me. There are those who hide their faith from the rest of the world and there are those who proudly proclaim it, praying and singing no matter how they sound. Which are you?

Ordinary Time 24

I vividly recall when I arrived at St. Joseph Parish in July of 2008 a parishioner at the 10:00 AM Mass told me she arrives at 9:30 AM in order to sit in the last pew in church! (Isn’t it interesting we come early to get the last.) She then went on to say she has been sitting in this same pew for 53 years. For the last two weekends as she and her daughter were on a trip to Italy, those two seats have been vacant in church. I guess “pew protocol” is once you’ve been long enough -- it’s like you have squatter’s rights. No one’s going to argue with you. As a parish priest we take comfort in seeing people sitting in their same spot week after week. Just like everyone in a family sits at their spot at the kitchen table, so too, at the house of God everyone gathers at the Lord’s table. But there are no assigned pews; the only passport to entry is that we are a sinner.

Jesus invites us to His table of forgiveness because we are precious and valuable. God’s grace finds us and brings us home and gives sinners new life. In the epistle of St. James it states, “The person who brings a sinner back to his way will save his soul from death and will cancel a multitude of sins” (James 5:20). Jesus is not content just to love the human race as a whole. Jesus loves each of us as an individual. He desires that none ever be lost.

We are more important to God than we can possibly imagine. We often think of the Prodigal Son but we don’t usually think of a Prodigal God. The dictionary defines the word “prodigal” as “recklessly extravagant” and “lavishly abundant”. The shepherd leaves 99 to seek the one, thus recklessly extravagant. A woman holds a party for friends and neighbors over one found coin -- lavishly abundant. And a father welcomes back a son -- all showing that God is lavish, extravagant and profuse in love for each one of us. Our God is a God of unlimited mercy, grace and forgiveness; always open to seeking and finding the lost.

Each Sunday celebration is a homecoming to reclaim our chosen identity as God’s children.

Ordinary Time 23

"We must go to God in His way; we shall only be saints in the measure wherein we adapt ourselves to the divine plan.”

- Blessed Columba Marmion

On September 5th, 13 years ago, Mother Teresa of Calcutta died. She was widely regarded as a living saint. Her simplicity, sincerity, smallness and smile radiated the globe over with the face of Christ’s light. She was the recipient of countless awards including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. Her congregation, the Missionaries of Charity, encompasses 594 homes in 123 countries today. There are more than 3600 sisters, nearly 380 brothers, 13 priests and countless coworkers all committed to living her spirit throughout the world. On the "fast-track" to beatification, she was named “Blessed” Mother Teresa Calcutta in 2003 and most likely will be canonized within the next few years.

She was born the youngest of 3 children of Albanian parents and her birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She grew up in a multi-ethnic, multi-faith town of Skopje where her father was a successful business man. Her childhood was a happy one. Making her first Holy Communion at the age of five, she was graced with a profound love of souls, a special gift from God that would characterize her entire life. She set sail for India in 1928 and chose the name “Teresa” as her religious name, taken after St. Theresa of Lisieux, the Little Flower, who believed that the way to holiness comes through fidelity in small things and spoke of the immense power of suffering to win God’s grace for others. Mother Teresa would often pray, “Jesus, it is for you and for souls.”

In 2007, a new book called "Come Be My Light: the Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta" detailed Mother Teresa’s relentless surrender to God’s will despite doubts, dry spells in prayer and "dark nights of the soul". A mature spiritual person must experience suffering and pain to be brought into clearer light. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw life as a prism:

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it!

She also espoused the following ten commandments for viewing life and service to people each new day:

1. People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you will make friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.
6. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
7. People really need help but may attack you if you really help them. Help people anyway.
8. Give the world the best you have, and you will get kicked in the teeth. Give the world your best anyway.
9. If you choose to live a life of communion with your people, making them the first priority in your life, you will be judged old-fashioned. Live with your people anyway.
10. When you openly proclaim your love for your people, you will be dismissed as hopelessly idealistic. Proclaim your love anyway.

On this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus clearly spells out the cost of discipleship. At first He may seem too idealistic, too other-worldly, and too harsh for us to take Him too seriously. However, Jesus does not "arm-twist" us to follow Him. He does not cajole, bribe, "brow-beat" or "sugar-coat" the message to be His follower. He tells us from the onset that it will cost us everything!

Jesus is the teacher/leader and we are the pupils, "the learners." He reminds us that we cannot be casual, comfortable and convenient disciples. Jesus reminds us that there is a ‘"hree-fold requirement" of discipleship:

1) ”If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
2) “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
3) “Everyone of you who does not renounce all of his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

The path to discipleship demands a 100% total commitment for the long haul. Following Christ may cost us some natural biological relationships and natural friendships as well as some material comforts and pleasures that we all desire. A follower of Jesus must be prepared to carry his/her cross by making a conscious and willing commitment to Him and His Gospel. Jesus is simply saying we must love Him above all else! Jesus is very clear that nothing, absolutely nothing, can stand between us and following Him. Perhaps we think the cost of discipleship is too high or too demanding. However, Jesus knew it would be hard but He promised to help us. God does not ask to do something without giving us the grace to do it!

As we celebrate Labor Day in our country this Monday, September 6, let us ask the Lord to bless the work of our minds, hearts, hands and lives as seek to do His daily will.

Ordinary Time 22

“There is something in humility that strangely exalts the heart.”

- St. Augustine of Hippo

124 couples came to St. Joseph Parish in Coraopolis from the north and south, the east and the west for Pre-Cana instructions this year! Last Saturday as I went to Streamline Fitness in Kennedy Township early Saturday morning, the church parking lot was empty. And when I returned home, it was wonderful to see every parking spot taken!

On Saturday following the 4:00 PM Mass in which 40 Pre-Cana couples and 9 presenting couples from our parish attended, a couple from our parish who have been married for 65 years, Henrietta and Andy Borden, commented, “Father, it does our hearts good to see these young people in church and going to get married at God’s altar. It is heartwarming and touching. It was good to have them in our church today.”

Many people praised the trumpet playing of Nick Barthen, band director of Moon High School, who played before and during the Mass. His wedding music added to the festivity. His fiancé, Janice Karenbauer, was the cantor for Mass as well. There was a couple following the Noon Mass last week, Della and Joseph Cheski, who asked for a blessing on their 61st wedding anniversary. They were married by Fr. Patrick John Healy here in this church. It seemed so fitting as they walked hand in hand out the church. There was such joy in their spirits and happiness on their faces!

I wish to sincerely thank the presenting couples who shared their personal stories, faith witness, Christian example and marriage "road maps" to assist these new couples on their journey. This is a "big" commitment to give such time and sacrifice to share in this important ministry in the Church. We sincerely thank:

• Dick and Ann Arena
• Anthony and Jeannie Grano
• Mark and Nancy Jarocki
  
• Jim and Elaine Crable
• Joe and Karen Sedmak
• Ed and Anne-Marie Constantine
• Ginny and John Ambrose
  
• Erin and Scott Permar
  
• Karen and Tom Reinsel
  
• Bobbie Agostinelli and Rita Ciccone
  
• Tony Giordano
  

I look forward to these 3 "watering holes" a year to drink in the spirit of Christian love. Both priesthood and marriage are vocations of love. I am inspired to have such a "life-giving" program in our parish to help support and encourage this lifelong commitment in the sacrament of holy marriage. We are blessed to have these couples give their part in making the day an overall powerful and rewarding experience for all. It is nice to see people from everywhere descend to St. Joseph to share in this memorable and meaningful single-day event. We thank Gino Iannamorelli whose catering service provides our lunch, as he has cateried for over 56 years. Gino provided the food for the Granos when they were married over 40 years ago, a point Tony and Jeannie shared in their talk.

Our marriage preparation classes of Pre-Cana instructions for 2011 are as follows: January 29, May 14, and August 27 from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The fee is $75 per couple. Make checks payable to St. Joseph Parish. Registration forms can be found on our parish web site. Spread the word; we got a good thing going here at St. Joe’s! As always, we’re looking for new couples who would like to help and assist us in this ministry, so please let us know if you are interested!

On the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, our readings remind us that we are called to be humble people. Knowing God makes us humble and knowing our self keeps us humble. Humility is a
true estimate of oneself. Humus is a Hebrew word which means dirt or ground -- down to earth, a commoner, one who is not superior or inferior to others. A humble person is one who knows his or her strengths and weaknesses, virtues and vices, true self and dark self, sins and graces. A humble person is not inflated, egotistical, or prideful.

St. Benedict had a Rule entitled “The Twelve Steps of Humility” and the twelve-step spirituality of AA begins with humility. In today’s Gospel, Jesus recommends a table companion list that is marked by the virtue of humility or truthfulness before God and one another. Jesus recommends that those who will receive the places of honor in the banquet of the kingdom are the poor, the lame, the blind and those who cannot repay us. Jesus invites all people and makes no exceptions or conditions and expects no return. There are no special places; in Jesus’ eyes, we’re all special people.

The Eucharist is a thanksgiving feast of God’s mercy and a humble wise disciple realizes that no one is worthy of God’s invitation. It is only through God’s grace that we joyfully can serve in God’s eternal table. The Rabbis had a saying which summarizes the spirit of humility. They tell us: “The best kind of giving is when the giver does not know to whom he is giving, and when the receiver does not know from whom he was receiving.”

Ordinary Time 21

“I count him braver who overcomes his desires, than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.”
- Aristotle

As we begin a new school year, it seems quite appropriate that the key to any successful life is the art of mastering discipline. I am happy that our Saint Joseph School will open its doors for its 58th year to help train, educate, form and discipline the hearts, the minds, the wills, the dreams and the lives of our children. Discipline comes from the same Latin word as "disciple," which means a "learned trainer." One never becomes successful in anything in life unless one masters the art of discipline. The Epistle of Hebrews in Chapter 12 reminds us that the trials of life can be seen as discipline sent by God to purify our hearts, to enrich our minds, and to strengthen our spirits. Discipline and difficulties in life, at times, may seem as great causes of grief and distress, but they may be a catalyst to great opportunities of new growth, change and conversion. One’s mistakes, failures and difficulties in life may become one’s greatest "teachers" if one learns from them.

In September of 1980, I entered my first year as a freshman at Duquesne University. I recall taking a course in Classical Latin from Dr. Stephen Gaichas. He asked the class on the first day, “Does anyone know how many hours the Steelers practice a day at training camp?” He told us the answer was 4 at that time. He then asked the question, “Does anybody know how many credits this Latin course is?” He responded, “That’s correct - it’s 4 credits. That means we meet 4 times a week for 50 minutes. I want all of you to learn and master Latin well, and in order to do it successfully, you must study Latin 4 hours each day.” He was not kidding! He would give us surprise and pop quizzes, unannounced, on any given day, which kept you on the seat of your pants to learn and study Latin. I recall many in the class had disdain for his teaching methodology, and reasoning. But we learned in the end that it was only to make us better students, to master Latin. Latin, like anything in life takes practice.

The author, H. Jackson Brown, Jr. quipped, “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward, backwards, or sideways.” We can be going in a lot of places in motion, and may lack self-discipline.

To learn a musical instrument takes practice. To be a good preacher takes practice. To be a good cook takes practice. To be a good surgeon takes practice. To be a good parent takes practice. Exercising takes practice, dieting takes practice. Writing takes practice. Forgiveness takes practice. To be a good Christian, it takes daily practice of prayer. Any discipline to master a skill, takes hard work and it is a struggle to achieve it.

Self-discipline is the foundation for success – it comes through self-mastery, determination, perseverance, sacrifice, and creativity. I recall as a child a plaque in my mother’s house that read:

Take time to think: it is the source of power.
Take time to play: it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read: it is the fountain of wisdom.
Take time to pray: it is the greatest power on earth.
Take time to love and to be loved: it is a God-given privilege.
Take time to be friendly: it is the road to happiness.
Take time to laugh: it is the music of the soul.
Take time to give: it is the way to love.
Take time to work: it is the price of success.
Take time to do charity: it is the key to heaven.

The gift of time trains us to be well balanced, focused, and disciplined, and to live fully each day. Our "teach-ability" is a prerequisite for conversion. Jesus never expected to launch a mass movement where the majority would follow his message.

On this 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, in Luke 13:22-30, as Jesus was making his way to Jerusalem, someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?” God wills that all people should be saved. However, the path to salvation is very narrow, and once one gets off that path through a non-disciplined life, it is hard to find that path again. The broad road to destruction is vast and wide and leads one to spiritual destruction.

The Kingdom of God is present and the door is opened for all. But salvation depends on God’s favor and our honest struggle to follow His ways. Salvation is not something we earn, merit, or deserve. It is a gift totally from God. We must receive it in faith and be converted.

Years ago, the Wall Street Journal held a contest to determine the best definition of the word money. And the surprising winner was, “Money is an article which can be used as a universal passport to everywhere except heaven, and as a universal provider in everything except happiness.”

Socrates noted that "undisciplined" and "unreflective" lives are not worth living. Often times, we have a tendency to move around a lot to try to avoid hard times. We move from spouse to spouse, job to job, house to house, friend to friend, unconsciously searching for a "problem-free situation." However, this restless changing indicates that we are running from life and running from ourselves. Thus, we will never find ourselves.

Suffering is part of our training, formation and discipleship. Suffering can purify our soul and transform our character. Suffering is a necessary ingredient to be a mature Christian. Suffering is part of the human condition and God allows us to suffer, yes, but only so that a greater good can come from it. Our pain is to bring us closer to Him by experiencing His power and love. The trite expression is, “No pain, no gain.” None of us wants to swallow the pill of suffering, but without it, we cannot ripen and grow fully in Christ. One is compassionate to others to the degree that one has suffered gracefully.

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.

Ordinary Time 19

"Think well.  Speak well.  Do well.  These three things, through the mercy of God, will make a man go to heaven."

- St. Camillus de Lellis

Last Sunday, I baptized Joshua Thomas Day into our faith community here at St. Joseph’s, and there were about 50 family members for the Christening.  It is always wonderful to see the different generations coming together to celebrate this "gateway of salvation" through water and the Holy Spirit.  One man told me that he was 90 years old and that he was an altar server in 1926 (that is, 2 years after our church was built!)  I was delighted to meet this "Abraham–like" figure!

On August 3, 1946, my parents, Mary Jane Divita and David William Jones were married at St. George Church in Lisbon, Ohio.  Dad died after 40 years and told Mom she would have to enter the Promised Land alone.  My parents were my "faith-models" in my life.

Dr. John C. Maxwell is a favorite leadership author of mine.  I have over read 25 of his books.  In one of his works entitled "Developing the Leaders Around You", he discusses a five-step process to lead and train others.  I think it is critical to learn in any walk of life.

• Step 1 – I model.  Whether in a family, staff, or parish, we must model what others are to follow.  When people see a task performed correctly and completely, it gives them something to duplicate.  In order to be trained in anything in life one must have a model of -- whether a coach, a teacher, a parent, a saint, or a friend.
• Step 2 - I mentor.  It is important in training a person, I walk alongside them and assist in the process.  I must explain not only the how, but also the why of each step.
• Step 3 – I monitor.  When a trainee performs a task I assist and correct.  It is important during this phase to be positive and encouraging.  It is important to have feedback and evaluations in order to grow.
• Step 4 — I motivate.  The poet Thoreau said, "Nothing great ever happens in life without enthusiasm."  One must support, encourage, and motivate to help one to fully develop.
• Step 5 – I multiply.  Once a leader does the job well, it becomes their turn to teach others how to do it.  Like the multiplication of the loaves and fishes there is more sharing and caring in working and growing together.