Corpus Christi

“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth.”

- Siddharta Gautana Buddha (Founder of Buddhism, 6-4 Century BC)

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, “Corpus Christi,” a Sunday which Mother Church sets aside to accent the importance of this greatest Gift, the Eucharist. St. John Mary Vianney said, “When we receive Holy Communion, we experience something extraordinary — a joy — a fragrance — a well-being that thrills the whole body and causes it to exult.” Ever since I was a little boy, going to church on Sunday was the highlight of my week. My Mom often asked me, “Who did you offer your Eucharist for today? A person making a major decision? A person who is hurting? One who is suffering? One who is sick or dying? A soul in purgatory waiting to see God?” After 23 years serving as a priest, that simple joy of participating the Eucharist remains with me, as I now celebrate the Mass for God’s people to grow in the likeness of God. The Eucharist is the heart of Catholic life and worship.

Last week the American bishops held their Spring conference in Bellevue, WA, near Seattle. They were discussing a fifty-page document on the importance of good and effective preaching. I enjoyed listening to the various bishops offering comments, observations and concerns for this important ministry with which we, as ordained clergy, are charged. I was intrigued by Emeritus Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, retired Archbishop of Washington, DC, who noted three reasons to preach: 1) Biblical preaching - breaking open the Word of God to teach, inspire and move God’s people to conversion. 2) Covenant preaching - to lead God’s people more deeply into a covenant of God’s love. God reveals Himself through the divine traits associated with the Covenant: mercy, steadfast love and fidelity. Thus the table of the Word and the table of the Eucharist, this two-fold table, feeds us as we seek to live this covenant. 3) Preaching which strengthens and increases faith, the divine communion of relationships - for when faith is fortified and nourished, it strengthens belief, witness and action as Christ’s follower.

In article 1374, the Catholic Catechism explains that in the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist, the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the whole Christ, is truly, really and substantially contained. Article 1387 stresses that in order to prepare worthily for this Holy Sacrament, the faithful should observe a one-hour fast before reception of Communion. (This fast is one hour before Communion is received, not before Mass begins.) The Catechism further explains that our bodily demeanor (gestures, clothing, appearance), ought to convey the respect, solemnity and joy of this moment when Christ becomes our guest. Blessed Pope John XXIII said the Blessed Sacrament contains all the splendor of Creation, the Incarnation and the Redemption—the whole life of Jesus. And that priests are to present the Eucharist all to the faithful as their daily nourishment, love, prayer and contemplation.

In the Sacramentary, the book that a priest prays from at the Mass, there are beautiful prayers in Appendix One for preparation for Mass and in thanksgiving after Mass. The following is a prayer attributed to Pope Clement XI, which I thought would be fitting to pray on this feast:

Lord, I believe in you: increase my faith. I trust in you: strengthen my trust. I love you: let me love you more and more. I am sorry for my sins: deepen my sorrow.

I worship you as my first beginning, I long for you as my last end, I praise you as my constant helper, and call on you as my loving protector.

Guide me by your wisdom, correct me with your justice, comfort me with your mercy, protect me with your power.

I offer you, Lord, my thoughts: to be fixed on you; my words: to have you for their theme; my actions: to reflect my love for you; my sufferings: to be endured for your greater glory.

I want to do what you ask of me: in the way you ask, for as long as you ask, because you ask it.

Lord, enlighten my understanding, strengthen my will, purify my heart and make me holy.

Help me to repent of my past sins, and to resist temptation in the future. Help me to rise above my human weaknesses and to grow stronger as a Christian.

Let me love you, my Lord and my God, and see myself as I really am: a pilgrim in this world, a Christian called to respect and love all whose lives I touch, those in authority over me, or those under my authority, my friends and my enemies.

Help me to conquer anger with gentleness, greed by generosity, apathy by fervor. Help me to forget myself and to reach out toward others.

Make me prudent in planning, courageous in taking risks. Make me patient in suffering, unassuming in prosperity.

Keep me, Lord, attentive at prayer, temperate in food and drink, diligent in my work, firm in my good intentions.

Let my conscience be clear, my conduct without fault, my speech blameless, my life well-ordered.

Put me on guard against my human weaknesses. Let me cherish your love for me, keep your law, and come at last to your salvation.

Teach me to realize that this world is passing, that my true future is the happiness of heaven, that life on earth is short, and the life to come eternal.

Help me to prepare for death with a proper fear of judgment, but a greater trust in your goodness. Lead me safely through death to the endless joy of heaven. Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I will be away studying from June 26-July 1 at Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, MD for continuing education through the International Institute for Clergy Formation of Seton Hall University.

Trinity: Relationships of Love

“To love God you need three hearts in one: a heart of fire for Him, a heart of flesh for your neighbor, and a heart of bronze for yourself.”

- St. Benedict Joseph Labre

What a memorable Pentecost Sunday it was with five “tongues” speaking French, German, Italian, Spanish and Gaelic, all together proclaiming the Gospel of the Holy Spirit from the Acts of the Apostles last Sunday. I mentioned in my homily that I was a “Spirit Baby,” as I was born in 1962, the year Vatican Council II was convened by Blessed Pope John XXIII. A parishioner who later asked me for a blessing mentioned that she, too, was a “Spirit Baby” since Pentecost was her birthday. To see the banners and the candelabra, (a set of 7 candles, sign of perfection), in the sanctuary reminded us it was Mother Church’s birthday, with the Holy Spirit, the Power of God, burning out evil from our hearts, minds and lives. It was wonderful to see many in the assembly who remembered to wear red for the occasion.

I found it heart-warming when a 10 year-old little girl wrote a note saying, “I can’t wait to go to church on Sunday.” That excitement and enthusiasm fanned into flame my desire to preach the Word of God, so that as we trace three crosses on ourselves at the Gospel, Christ may be in our minds, on our lips and in our hearts. And that through embracing the words of the Holy Gospel, all our sins might be blotted out.

Fr. Ronald Lewinski, a pastor of St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Mundelein, IL, gave an address at the annual meeting of the Pontifical Mission Society, whose purpose is to promote the universal missionary spirit among all Catholics. His talk was entitled, “Rekindling the Spirit of Mission in Parishes.” He notes that we should not take our faith and Church for granted. We need to transform “parishioners” into “missioners." He notes that in our culture today there are many forces which make it difficult to hear God’s Word and build community such as relativism, secularism, excessive individualism and narcissism. These dark realities make us lifeless. But God’s people are hungry for more of what He has to offer so we must fan into flame the gift of faith which lies dormant in the hearts of our sisters and brothers. The mission of the Gospel is to make Jesus a part of our everyday living, thinking, acting and being. And through the gift of our preaching, the Gospel must serve as a catalyst for engendering a missionary spirit.

Fr. Lewinski remarks, “The parish is not an end in itself. It is meant to be a greenhouse that grows disciples. It’s meant to be a mission school preparing missionaries for service in the world.” In addition to preaching and teaching, our parishes need to provide bold witness through strong, vibrant and exemplary and effective Catholic parishes. There are many parishes that are doing marvelous and beautiful things. The problem is, however, that oftentimes, no one knows about them. Did you know that on April 23 we welcomed 6 people into full communion with the Church through RCIA here at St. Joseph? And that there are 10 more persons registered to enter the RCIA in the fall? Did you know that our Pre-Cana is already full of 45 couples coming on August 27? Did you know that every week we meet the material needs of those disadvantaged of our community through the St. Vincent de Paul Society? Do you know that great donations are given to beautify St. Joseph Cemetery as a work of mercy for the deceased? Did you know that through St. Joseph School, for 58 years, we sent disciples into the world with a foundation of faith in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit? Did you know that we have 21 cantors, 33 Eucharistic Ministers, 55 servers, 17 lectors and 21 homebound ministers? Did you know that there’s a devoted battalion of money counters who forge relationships of faith for the well-being and continuance of good works in our community? What wonderful servants we have who weekly volunteer time to clean the church and decorate it for our many feasts and celebrations. Did you know that from June 6-12, 311 tuned into our parish web site? Did you know that for 120 years our little parish has served as a beacon of light?

On Pentecost Sunday I met people from Canada, India, New York, Ohio, Ireland and Argentina. It is enriching to see the global Church in a little town of Coraopolis. I was excited to interview a couple for marriage and see that they signed up to help at our parish festival. The couple said that after being members here for just six weeks, they already feel at home.

We don’t have to go to Haiti, or Nigeria or China to carry out Christ’s mission. There is a fertile field in our own family and parish of St. Joseph. I am grateful for the missionary spirit and apostolic zeal of so many individuals that work together through sacrifice, commitment and service, to animate and make this place so very special.

Someone once said, “Reality is God’s home address.” Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. Some may think of the Trinity as “up there” or “over there." But the Trinity is really here among us. The Trinity is our home address. Through Baptism, we enter the mystery of the love of the Triune God, (Father-Love, Son-Grace, Spirit-Fellowship). Our God is united to us through grace, love and fellowship, working for our redemption and sanctification. Our God desires to share eternal life with us. The Holy Trinity is Three Persons in One God, a God of relationships, calling us to enter into the sacred relationship of His being. Love is our highest calling. May God bless our fathers on this Father's Day.

Pentecost Reflection

“Remember that you have received...the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and strength, of knowledge and Godliness, the Spirit of holy fear. Preserve what you have received. God has sealed you; Christ the Lord has confirmed you and has given you the guarantee of the Spirit in your heart.”

- St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan

This week I baptized three new infant boys, Rocco Salvatore Chenet, Luca Samuel DiCicco and Zachery Peter Teramana, and will soon have completed three funerals: Barbara Chioda (89), Rosina Beam (92) and William Carbino (62). The three newborns are just beginning their walk with Christ in being a Christian, a Church member and a child of God. And the three who have gone before us marked in faith, whose lives have ended on earth, are entrusted to the Lord to receive the fullness of His love in heaven. All of us have this pilgrimage and journey of faith to make, but we do not make it alone. We are members of Christ's family, the Church, both living and deceased. What a marvelous gift the Church is. We celebrate that for 2000 years the same Spirit who filled the upper room in Jerusalem, breathed on the apostles, and filled them with the Holy Spirit is the same Spirit who lives in the Church to this day. The Holy Spirit energizes the Church's faithful to proclaim the Good News to all people.

I recall Sr. Marilyn Hoeying, the former pastoral associate of St. Scholastica in Aspinwall, and long-time diocesan advocate for parish pastoral councils, always reminding us that the Church is a gift, and in order to serve the Church with love, grace and joy, we must pray for it daily — so that the vision of Jesus will be our vision, the teachings of Jesus will be our teachings, the commandments of Jesus will be our commandments and the life of Jesus will be our life. As disciples of the 21st century we have inherited the message and the mission of Jesus. And we must communicate that love to others.

St. Paul, in the 12th chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians, reminds us that not everyone can do everything and not everybody can reach everybody. The gifts and talents that Christ entrusts to us are for the benefit of the whole Church and to build up the unity among all. So if your gift is to sing, sing. If your gift is to cook, cook. If your gift is computers, do computers. If your gift is to work for the poor, serve the poor. If your gift is work with the young, serve as a camp counselor. If your gift is to listen, give your friendship to a longing world. If your gift is to write poetry, share that language. If your gift is to preach, share the Word. If your gift is to be a prayer-warrior, go to daily Mass. If your gift is to be generous, help those in need. If your gift is to garden, enjoy Mother Nature. If your gift is to be a peacemaker, bring forgiveness and calm to others. If your gift is to lead, guide others. If your gift is to teach, instruct others. If your gift is to tinker with your hands, be a Jack of all trades. If your gift is to play hockey, win the Lord Stanley Cup for your city and fans! No matter what gift God has blessed you with, it's not fully a gift until it's shared for the benefit of another. No matter what your gift is, don't stay too long out of your gifted area, or you'll be an unhappy camper.

Perhaps the single greatest community event each year comes in June when we have our parish festival, which takes people of all types to work together with our minds, our hands, our hearts, our spirits and our lives for this annual celebration. As we look at the red and white canopies of the booths, we are reminded of the red of sacrifice and white of new life. Our various contributions to this gathering breathe fresh enthusiasm into the community's living. It's good to see familiar faces and new faces. We each have a special role to play, here in the parish and beyond.

Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our lives so we can live more fully and faithfully as disciples of Christ, who labor each day to renew the face of the earth. St. Bernardine of Siena gives us these encouraging words, “There is a general rule concerning all special graces granted to any human being. Whenever the divine favor chooses someone to receive a special grace, or to accept a lofty vocation, God adorns the person chosen with all the gifts of the Sprit needed to fulfill the task at hand.”

There was a Baptist leader, Minister Spurgeon, who was once asked why he always preached that we all needed to be filled with the Holy Sprit and he simply replied, “Because we leak.” The truth is, sometimes even our Christian work, ministry and outreach is done in the power of "self" and not in the power of the Spirit. One of the occupational hazards of full-time ministry is burn-out. One must tend the flame of the fire within so that it is not extinguished by apathy, indifference and laziness. St. Padre Pio said, “Go ahead! Courage! In the spiritual life one who does not go forward goes backward.”

Let us go forward then, with the song of the Spirit in our hearts. Let us cry out to Him who is our life and breath, “Come Holy Spirit, come!”

Fire of God, undying flame,

Sprit who in splendor came,

Let your heat my soul refine,

Till it glows with love divine.

Breath of God that swept with power

In the Pentecostal hour,

Holy breath, be now in me

Source of vital energy.

Strength of God, your might within

Conquers sorrow, pain and sin;

Fortify from evil art

All the gateways of my heart.

Truth of God, your piercing rays

Penetrate my secret ways;

May the light that shames my sin

Guide me holier paths to win.

Love of God, your grace profound

Knows not either age or bound;

Come, my heart’s own guest to be,

Dwell forevermore in me.

Easter 7

“Once while preaching in a parish, I suddenly caught sight of a young mother with her child, and you could see the love between them. I was terribly tempted to say to the congregation: 'Forget what I am saying and look over there, and you will see what we mean to God.'‟

- Cardinal Basil Hume

USA Today recently featured a Life Way Research survey which asked 1,000 Americans, “How often do you read the Bible?” The responses were: 53% at least once per month; 22% rarely; 24% never; and 1% didn’t know. The Bible is a love story between God and us. And God wants to tell us about who He is, who we are and the great plan that awaits us. Our Bible study resumes Monday, June 6 at 7:00 PM in Church. Bring a Bible and invite a friend! “Direct my steps by Your Word” (Ps 119:133).

I thought you might enjoy the following article which demonstrates the power of God’s Word to communicate itself with strength despite the humble messengers who bear it.

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The Best Sermon I Never Heard

(Reprinted from Catholic Digest, June 2011)

By Rick Hermann

I had thought the old priest’s sermon was terrible. But apparently, I had missed something.

As soon as the old priest started his sermon, I knew it was going to be boring. He began speaking with a faltering voice and proceeded to tell an obscure story that made no sense to me at all. I was quickly lost and distracted.

This was not my usual church. I was traveling and had just dropped in for evening Mass. But I knew right away that this sermon was going to be one of the worst ever. The priest seemed unprepared, vague, and detached. So I tuned him out and started fuming inside my head. Why didn’t he prepare better? Don’t they train these guys in seminary? Here we are, after 2,000 years of Church history, and our priests still haven’t figured out how to give a decent homily! No wonder our faith is so weak; it’s because the sermons are so bad!

I seethed in silent protest, stupefied and resentful. After what seemed like an eternity, the priest finally ended his sermon. I do not remember a single word he said. It was that boring. Unfortunately, for the rest of the Mass my mind wandered aimlessly along dark paths of indignation and disgust.

After Mass ended, I walked to my car. No longer able to contain my protest, I complained to a man walking beside me, “What did you think of that sermon?”

He gave a gentle reply, “That was the most beautiful sermon I ever heard.”

I was stunned, and looked up at him. His face was tear-stained, and his eyes glistened in the twilight. Suddenly embarrassed, I asked what he meant.

He responded with a smile, “I’ve spent most of my life estranged from God, going my own way and doing my own thing. Last year I found Him, or rather He found me, and now I find Him speaking to me in the most wonderful ways. Like that sermon we just heard. It was all about waking up, and listening, and hearing God in new ways. That describes my life, and the love I have found.” I was speechless. I shook his hand sheepishly and thank him. He may not speak to me, but He speaks to thee, I thought.

As I drove home, I marveled at how God could use such a dull and ordinary priest to speak in such an extraordinary way to one of his beloved. What is meaningless for me to hear, and a cross for me to bear, may be the fruitful words of life to a person sitting near.

Now I am a more humble and appreciative listener. Ever since that experience years ago, I cannot hear a boring sermon without imagining that someone, somewhere out there in the pews, may be wiping a tear from their eye and smiling.

They may be hearing the voice of God speaking directly into their heart, with healing words raining down on them like a spring shower on a dry and thirsty desert.

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I am reading Fr. Jonathan Morris’ new book entitled, "God Wants You Happy: From Self-Help to God-Help." I would recommend this book as a gift for a graduate or anyone. Fr. Morris serves as news analyst for Fox News Channel and also as parochial vicar for St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. You can visit him online at http://www.fatherjonathan.com/. Fr. Morris writes, “We are created by God out of love. He gave us freedom in order that we might choose what’s best for us, to live in friendship with Him in this life and for all eternity. Genuine human flourishing, then, almost always has something to do with our good choices (positive self-help) and always has everything to do with God’s grace (God-help). Any effort to divorce one from the other is a dangerous detour into philosophical narcissism (pursuing self-help without recognition of God), or religious irrationalism (expecting God to do what He wants us to do for ourselves).” God wants us to be holy, healthy and happy -- do our choices reflect that?

A Blessing for Graduates

Before you were even formed, God knew you. While in your Mother’s womb, God named you. At your birth, God’s breath filled you with life. Today we celebrate what you have become at this moment in time. And so we pray: God of our beginnings, we thank You for the gifts of these graduates; their excitement, their awesome wonder and curiosity, their open speech and encouraging words. Their contributions have blessed and challenged us, and we have become a richer and more diverse community because of them. As they step forward into the world that awaits, comfort their fears with the full knowledge of your divine presence. Strengthen their resolve to walk in the footsteps of Jesus as modern-day disciples in a world that needs their spirit. Guide their feet as they move through life, protecting them from the pitfalls of darkness while they help to lead future generations into the warmth and promise of Your light. We ask this blessing upon each of them, in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Rocco Calbretta: A Knight to Salute

“The world and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but he who does the will of God lives forever.”

- 1 John 2:17

A crowd of 250 mourners, 8 pallbearers and the Honor Guard of the Knights of Columbus gathered as Rocco Calabretta was buried in his Knight‘s uniform, having been a Knight for 36 years. When speaking of her husband‘s Christian Funeral Mass of Thanksgiving on Saturday, May 21, Rose Calabretta joyfully remarked, “The funeral couldn’t have been better send-off even if it had even been for a pope!”

In 1951 Rocco graduated from Coraopolis High School with the reputation of being a fine football offensive tackle. He coached little league football and became the commissioner of the league. He served his country in the US Air Force for four years. Rocco and Rose were married 52 years. Rocco worked for 39 years as an ingot molder for Shenango Steel. He took under his wings neglected children from Holy Family Institute and cared for them. He was a daily communicant who greeted everyone at morning Mass with a "sunburst smile." Although the last several months of his journey were quite bumpy, it was a grace visit Rocco in hospitals and rehab centers and witness his undying faith. I recall that at my last visit with Rocco, he mentioned to me what a special and humbling privilege it was to distribute the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for over 35 years as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion. He noted that he never felt any higher or closer to God!

When I arrived to St. Joseph three years ago, Rocco was one of the first persons to invite me to breakfast after Mass. He told me then that he was here to help and support me in every possible way. He was a former parish council president. He had great respect for the bishops and priests in our Church and sometimes he even prayed four rosaries before Mass began at 8:30 AM. It was fitting that on the night of his funeral, the Knights of Columbus sponsored a "Knight at the Races" in our cafeteria and many of his brother Knights commented to me there that Rocco was their mentor, model and example. Near the end of his life he had to give up being the treasurer for the Knights; his treasure now is in heaven.

Rocco was a fixture and pillar of our faith community for a long time. Whether spinning the wheel for our festival, cooking burgers for our picnic, assisting his wife with visitation to the sick, organizing Christmas gifts for needy families, sharing his hobby of photography with new brides or repairing as a handy-man at Twin Oaks Manor Condominiums, his spirit and dedication was unprecedented. He loved his Eucharistic Adoration at his 10:30 AM slot on Wednesdays.

Rocco was born in Clarksburg, WV. And since my brother Dan‘s wife, Kelly, is from Beckley, WV, I felt a closer bond with Rocco in understanding his mountaineer language. It seemed more than coincidental that the day of Rocco‘s funeral was an "Easter-like" day amidst the stormy season of April and May. God called him home on the birthday of Blessed John Paul II, calling him by name at 7:00 PM at UPMC Passavan Hospital in McCandless.

Rocco Calabretta Jr, was born on October 23, 1932 and died May 18, 2011. He was buried at Resurrection Cemetery next to his parents Rocco, Sr. and Anna. I must admit that before his passing it was inspiring to see him carry his own oxygen to daily Mass; nothing would keep him back from the Eucharist. Perhaps at times I was hoping against hope that this constant figure who sat near the fifth station, where Simon helps Jesus carry the cross, would return back in his pew. However, God had other plans and He called him to the eternal banquet in His Kingdom.

The prayer which I said at the cemetery interment seemed fitting, "As Rocco was nourished with Christ’s Body and Blood Here on earth, may Christ grant him a place at His table in His heavenly Kingdom.”

Rocco was a "God-fearing" man. He had reverence for his God and respect for everyone else. Rocco was a like a rock. He was always there -- steady, faithful, reliable and trustworthy. He enjoyed mixing and mingling with others and his passion for the Church gave him such life.

Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote, "It is not possible to live and grow in the faith without the support of a group, of a Christian community. It is here that you will learn together to build a better world.” The tremendous outpouring of people both at funeral or calling hours was a testimony of the countless lives Rocco touched.

As Rocco labored to catch his breath on his last day on earth, I thought of the anointing words of St. Maximillian Kolbe, "You must be prepared for periods of darkness, anxiety, doubts, fears, and of temptations that are sometimes very, very insistent, of sufferings of the body and, what is 100-fold more painful, of the soul…. If there were no trials, there would be no struggle. Without a struggle, victory would be impossible. And without victory, there is no crown, no reward.”

I‘ll keep in my breviary in loving remembrance his prayer card from the funeral home. May Rocco‘s rock-like faith encourage us to live our faith. His prayer card reads:

I’m free

If my parting has left a void,

Then fill it with remembered joy.

Of friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,

Ah, yes, these things I too will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow,

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.

My life‘s been full, I savored much,

Good friends, good times,

A loved one‘s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;

Don‘t lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share with me,

God wanted me now, He set me free.

Honoring Mary, Mother of God

“Try to be at peace with everyone, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it.”

- Hebrews 12:14

Prior to our "Evening in Honor of Mary" this past Monday, as I was getting a pizza at Anthony Junior's with some of the parish staff, I ran into a couple, Lisa and Joe, whom I married at Our Lady of Fatima in Hopewell Twp. As we were exchanging memories, I inquired how their daughter was doing. They mentioned she was a fifth grader at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School. They had asked her recently if she wanted to go to the public junior high school for sixth grade and the girl simply said, “Mom and Dad, I don’t want to go to a school where I can’t learn about Jesus and Mary.”

Last Saturday 45 couples came to our parish for our all-day pre-Cana marriage preparation. Six couples assisted me with the presentations. One couple who spoke on the subject of communications, Allen and Michelle Veeck, told the group that they live in Sewickley and travel 20 minutes to get to St. Joseph Parish. They begin the rosary in their driveway and complete it by the time they pull into the parking lot here at St. Joseph for church. Their four children believe that praying the rosary and attending Mass is the "complete package deal" for church on Sunday!

During the recent season of Lent, I gave a day of reflection at a parish in our diocese, and in gratitude, the priest gave me a large book on the life of Blessed Pope John Paul II. In that book a story is recounted of the Holy Father distributing rosaries to pilgrims visiting him. The Pope‘s aid inadvertently handed him two rosaries instead of the usual one, and as the person attempted to return one of the rosaries, the Pope joyfully and jokingly said, "You must need two!"

The above are just some of the stories I shared on Monday at our night to honor Mary, the Mother of God, in this month of May (though the weather felt more like the month of October, which is also a month that we honor the Blessed Mother). There were 100 people in attendance. The prelude music included "Czarna Madonno" (Polish), "Santa Vergine" (Italian) and "Ave Maria" (Latin) and other favorite Marian hymns. We prayed the evening prayer for the Blessed Mother antiphonally, left and right sides of the church taking turns, listened to the sung "Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary", heard a Gospel reading from John 19: 25-27, had a homily, and watched three second grade First Holy Communicants crown Mary, Queen of Us All.

I mentioned in my homily that on the second Sunday of every May (May 8th this year), we pause to celebrate the gift our earthly mothers on Mother‘s Day. And that evening we were pausing in May to honor Mary, the Mother of God and Mother of the Church, seeking her intercession for protection, counsel, wisdom, prudence, holiness, humility, obedience, trust, fidelity and love.

There is a special Sacramentary entitled "Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary." From this book a priest may choose to offer a Mass in honor of Mary from an amazing array of titles:

Advent Season

• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Chosen Daughter of Israel
• The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Annunciation of the Lord
• The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Christmas Season

• Holy Mary, Mother of God
• The Blessed Virgin of Mary, Mother of the Savior
• The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Epiphany of the Lord
• The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Presentation of the Lord
• Our Lady of Nazareth
• Our Lady of Cana

Lenten Season

• Holy Mary Disciple of the Lord
• The Blessed Virgin Mary at the Foot of the Cross, I & II
• The Commending of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Reconciliation

Easter Season

• The Blessed Virgin Mary and the Resurrection of the Lord
• Holy Mary, Fountain of Light and Life
• Our Lady of the Cenacle
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Apostles

Ordinary Time

• Holy Mary, Mother of the Lord
• Holy Mary, the New Eve
• The Holy Name of the Blessed Virgin Mary Holy Mary, Handmaid of the Lord
• The Blessed Virgin, Temple of the Lord
• The Blessed Virgin, Seat of Wisdom
• The Blessed Virgin, Image and Mother of the Church, I, II & III
• The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of All Creation
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Mediatrix of Grace
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Fountain of Salvation
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Teacher in the Spirit
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Good Counsel
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Cause of our Joy
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Pillar of Faith
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Fairest Love
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Hope
• Holy Mary, Mother of Unity
• Holy Mary, Queen and Mother of Mercy
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Providence
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of All Consolation
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians
• Our Lady of Ransom
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Health of the Sick
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace
• The Blessed Virgin Mary, Gate of Heaven

One of my favorite speakers throughout my life is Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston, TX. At every retreat he gives to priests, he always emphasizes the importance of the Eucharist, prayer, the Cross, repentance from sin, the gift of the Holy Spirit and devotion to Mary. It is his firm belief that we cannot live faithfully without these key ingredients. Mary our Mother and Model, pray for us!

Good Shepherd, Faith Hero: Fr. Thomas F. Carey

“Share with all the Word of God you have received with joy. Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practice what you teach.”

- Rite of Ordination

Recently, after the Noon Mass on Mother's Day, I was speaking with grandparents who flew almost 1400 miles from Manitoba, Winnipeg to attend the First Holy Communion and celebration of their grandson. The grandfather said to me, “Father, keep feeding your sheep with His Word and continue to teach them by His example - guiding them to follow His way of life, with kindness, compassion and love.”

Traditionally the 4th Sunday of Easter is called “Good Shepherd Sunday." I am humbly grateful for the tremendous trust and call of Christ, the Good Shepherd, to serve as priest to His people. At the entrance of our church there hangs three pictures: Pope Benedict XVI (265th successor of St. Peter, universal pastor and father to Catholics around the globe -- 25% of the earth’s population), Bishop David Zubik (the 12th Bishop of Pittsburgh), and myself (the 12th pastor of St. Joseph Parish). Should you see these pictures in the narthex of the church, please say a prayer for pope, bishop and priest, that we can serve God’s people faithfully, joyfully and lovingly, in imitation of Christ the Good Shepherd. After all, our vocation as priests is a vocation of great love. May Christ the Good Shepherd, with St. John Vianney, patron of parish priests, assist all priests to never fail in leading the flock to Christ.

Sometimes I just want to shout that priesthood has to be kept the best-kept secret in the world! As a priest we must never lose sight of our priestly character and must not forget that we are not “laborers for hire” or “professionals pursuing a career” but that we are sharers in the very priesthood of Jesus Christ. In this third millennium of Christianity, I like how the recently beatified Blessed Pope John Paul II, in looking at the landscape of our world, called for a new springtime of evangelization with new tools and new instruments to fashion the mission of Christ. It is our duty to bring our world to Christ and Christ to our world.

At the start of Chrism Mass on April 20 of this year, Bishop Zubik invited those present to think of one priest in our journey of faith who has graced and blessed their lives. Immediately I thought of my long-time pastor of SS Simon and Jude, Fr. Thomas F. Carey, who baptized me, heard my first confession and was present for my first Mass (May 22, 1988, Pentecost), and who was called home to God on September 9, 1999. Fr. Carey was a faith-hero in my life. His style was unique. He was a paratrooper in the US Army and a chaplain for Mary’s Blue Army. He had his own vocabulary and characteristic way of expressing himself. Some of his favorite phrases were: “You birds better fly right!”, “Now dry up”, “I don’t want to hear from your trap when you’re in God’s house”, “When I’m at the pulpit, I roar like a lion, but when you meet me in the confessional, I’m as gentle as a lamb” and “Don’t forget to bring your children to confession; I’ll be looking for them!”

Fr. Carey walked the parish grounds and entered the classrooms, but his passion was looking out for the sick, the suffering and the dying. Every Tuesday, Mom and I attended the St. Jude Novena together and he would often then remark that the real “treasures” of the parish are the poor, those in difficulty, those suffering, the sick and all in whom the Holy Spirit has poured out His gifts. When Fr. Carey died, there were over a thousand people in attendance for his funeral. Fr. Carmen D’Amico delivered the homily and remarked that Fr. Carey was a God-fearing man, a dedicated and faithful priest, and a disciple who changed the world in which we live as he gave his heart to Christ the Good Shepherd each new day of the journey. So when Bishop Zubik asked us to think of that one special priest at the Mass of Chrism of 2011, Fr. Carey easily came to my mind. How appropriate to remember him at the Chrism Mass because during my eight years in the seminary, he would always pick me up to go with him to get the sacred chrism oils that would be used throughout the year as a sacramental sign to make God’s people holy.

I’m sure many of you have your own memories of priests in your walk of life. Below is a list of all the priests who have served St. Joseph Parish the past 120 years as pastor or parochial vicar/assistant. I feel as one small link in a small town with a long history for carrying the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ to God’s people. Last Sunday on Fr. Ron Lengwin’s “Amplify” radio show hosted on KDKA AM 1020, Fr. Albert Hasse, OFM Cap, was interviewed. Fr. Hasse mentioned that in September 2012, he will be going to St. Joseph Parish in Coraopolis to give a parish mission. It never ceases to amaze me how small the world is when you come to know the big name, “Jesus," the Savior of it all!