Family: A Community of Love

“There are four things that are too mysterious for me to understand, an eagle flying in the sky, a snake moving on a rock, a ship finding its way over the sea, and a man and a woman falling in love.”

— Proverbs 30: 18-19

What a tremendous joy it was to have my family visit me here in Coraopolis at St. Joseph last weekend. My nieces and nephews love running up and down the rectory’s long stairwell, building forts, playing hide-and-seek and getting out to play in the snow, as it is not too common in the Carolinas.

With a snowman birthday cake, Hostess donuts, bakery cookies, chocolate milk, candy and sweets, my brother Dan dubbed my home “The Sugar Cane Shack.” When we visited Grandma over at the Little Sisters of the Poor one of the children thought that it would be a pretty dull time, but was surprised that he had the time of his life. The staff at the home had chocolate cupcakes, cookies, and refreshments for the children and allowed them to play with the 10-month old Shih Tzu dog “Joey” who happily licked the sweets from the children’s faces. I was touched as the grandchildren kissed Grandma good-bye and she told each of them, “I love you.” Watching this tender scene, I realized that kids always prefer physical presence to our material presents.

It was good to take in an overtime shoot-out victory of the Penguins over the Canadiens. It was difficult to pry those kids from their box seats at the Energy Consol Center to journey home on the snow-covered roads to the rectory. After having ten in the house for a few days, it certainly got quiet quick.

After a weekend with my natural family, we welcomed 77 couples to St. Joseph for Pre-Cana Instructions this Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Junior’s Restaurant. They come from such states as Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Colorado and Texas. I am grateful for the eight presenting couples from our home-grown potato patch of St. Joseph Parish who share wisdom, faith, road maps and real-life experiences in the sacrament of marriage. Our presenters include couples of 50, 40, 30, 20, 10 years of marriage -- and newly-wed couples as well.

It is wonderful to see these loving and enthusiastic couples descend upon our community, if only for a short time, to share with younger couples the importance of this step in their lives. Making a life-long commitment to the sacrament of marriage is the single-greatest decision they will make; everything else will pale in comparison. In my presentation entitled “Perspective Pathways to Integration and Flourishment,” I reference the Episcopal Church marriage rite which states, ”Marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, deliberately and in accordance with the purposes for which it was intended by God.”

As I spent time with my family last weekend, I was made eternally grateful all the “faith deposits” our parents put into our lives. In my morning prayer of the Divine Office this past Monday, there was a beautiful meditation on the sanctity of marriage and family life that I shared with the couples at our Pre-Cana. I wish to share it with you as well (see below). As these couples join us for 4:00 PM Saturday Mass and the church is filled to the rafters, may this graced-time together be a memorable and meaningful experience for them as they embrace the holy covenant of marriage and our parish family pledges our love, support and prayers for them.

From the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World of Vatican II

(“Gaudium et Spes”, no. 48)

The Sanctity of Marriage and the Family

Husband and wife, by the covenant of marriage, are no longer two, but one flesh. By their intimate union of persons and of actions they give mutual help and service to each other, experience the meaning of their unity, and gain an ever deeper understanding of it day by day.

This intimate union on the mutual self-giving of two persons, as well as the good of the children, demands full fidelity from both, and an indissoluble unity between them. Christ the Lord has abundantly blessed this richly complex love, which springs from the divine source of love and is founded on the model of his union with the Church.

In earlier times God met his people in a covenant of love and fidelity. So now the Savior of mankind, the Bridegroom of the Church, meets Christian husbands and wives in the sacrament of matrimony. Further, he remains with them in order that, as he loved the Church and gave himself up for her, so husband and wife may, in mutual self-giving, love each other with perpetual fidelity.

True married love is caught up into God’s love; it is guided and enriched by the redeeming power of Christ and the saving action of the Church, in order that the partners may be effectively led to God and receive help and strength in the sublime responsibility of parenthood.

Christian partners are therefore strengthened, and as it were consecrated, by a special sacrament for the duties and the dignity of their state. By the power of this sacrament they fulfill their obligations to each other and to their family and are filled with the spirit of Christ. This spirit pervades their whole lives with faith, hope and love. Thus they promote their own perfection and each other’s sanctification, and so contribute together to the greater glory of God.

Hence, with parents leading the way by example and family prayer, their children — indeed, all within the family circle — will find it easier to make progress in natural virtues, in salvation and in holiness. Husband and wife,, raised to the dignity and the responsibility of parenthood, will be zealous in fulfilling their task as educators, especially in the sphere of religious education, a task that is primarily their own.

Children, as active members of the family, contribute in their own way to the holiness of their parents. With the love of grateful hearts, with loving respect and trust, they will return the generosity of their parents and will stand by them as true sons and daughters when they meet with hardship and the loneliness of old age.

Life Is A Mystery — And It Is Beautiful

“True peace is born of doing the will of God, and bearing with patience the sufferings of this life, and does not come from following one’s own whim or selfish desire, for this always brings, not peace and serenity, but disorder and discontent.”

— Blessed John XIII

The month of January affords me the opportunity to hit the pause button and read all the Christmas cards, messages and letters. It is good to spend quiet time in thanksgiving for the wonderful people who have graced my journey of faith through the years. One can never take for granted all the lives that touch and grace our life.

As a child growing up in a family of seven children where Mom and Dad struggled to make ends meet, my youngest brother Dan and I always received the same gift at Christmas: to go to three Penguins games per year accompanied by Dad. We sat in the rafters of the Civic Arena in Section D, but that didn’t matter; we were together. This Christmas I received the ultimate family gift: eight tickets in a box at center ice to enjoy the Penguins-Canadiens game on Friday, January 20 at the Consol Energy Center. I immediately called my family to mark their calendars for this date. They were thrilled and made immediate plans to head north to Pittsburgh. Coincidentally, two of my nephews will be celebrating their birthdays this same weekend. This is a particular gift we will all cherish, sharing this precious time together.

My brother Dan, his wife Kelly, and their three children -- Daniel Patrick (8), Alex (6) and Samantha (5) -- will drive 430 miles from Greensboro, NC. My sister Karen will fly in with her son, John Michael, from Charleston, SC (650 miles), for the game as well. And my brother Dave will fly with his daughter Lexi (13) 743 miles from Minneapolis, MN. Friday is Alex’s 6th birthday and Sunday is John Michael’s 14th. They are on cloud nine to come in the wintry month of January to Pittsburgh to be together as a family. There is plenty of room in the “St. Joseph’s Inn” with inflatable beds for the children. They look forward to visiting Grandma at the Little Sisters of the Poor, ice skating on the South Side, taking in the Penguins game and enjoying family time together.

I am always struck that my nephew, John Michael, was born on the anniversary of the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade (1973), a day now reserved by all U.S. dioceses as a day of prayer for the legal protection of unborn children. It is also the day on which hundreds of thousands travel to Washington DC to “March for Life.” 2012 marks the 39th anniversary of the tragic decision to legalize abortion in our nation. This decision precipitated the development in our country of what Pope John Paul II called “the culture of death.” On March 25, 1995, Pope John Paul II wrote his 11th encyclical entitled Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life). This encyclical was the single most authoritative pronouncement of the inviolability of human life, condemning abortion, murder, euthanasia and capital punishment. We are called to be “champions of life” and to serve the least, the lost and the little. The Church must always give attention to a pastoral plan for life in four major areas:

1) Public Information and Education — to deepen the understanding of the sanctity of all human life, whether at its beginning or end, witnessing to and serving all human life.

2) Pastoral Care — to reach out to those women who have problems related to pregnancy or have been involved in an abortion, or those who are disabled, sick and dying, their families and caregivers and those who have lost loved ones due to violent crimes and those in prisons, sentenced to death.

3) Public Policy — to restore legal protection to the lives of unborn children and those vulnerable to the pressures to end their lives by assisted suicide.

4) Prayer and Worship — to encourage people’s participation in the sacramental life of the Church, especially through Mass, sacrament of Reconciliation and programs that promote communal and individual prayer that foster life.

I am presently reading the book, A People of Hope, by Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan of New York, in conversation with John L. Allen, Jr. Cardinal-designate Dolan will celebrate his 62nd birthday on February 6. He is the oldest of five children. His parents were Irish Catholic. His dad, Robert, was a factory foreman and his mom, Shirley, was a stay-at home mom. I like what Cardinal-desginate Dolan says of his family in talking about his childhood. He says, “Faith is the greatest supernatural gift you can have, but the second natural gift anyone can have, is a happy, loving family. I was lucky enough to have both.” I concur with those sentiments.

This week I celebrated a funeral for a still-born baby who was to be born on Monday, and a day later, I had a funeral of an 88 year-old woman. Life is certainly a series of contrasts: birth and death, suffering and salvation, cold hands and warm hearts, aridity and rain, snow and sunshine. Life is a mystery and despite all human knowledge, learning and good intentions, we must humbly accept the fact that we are finite, limited, mortal human beings and God knows what is best!

In this week's Gospel, Jesus calls the first disciples to follow him whole and single-heartedly, rejecting other options with their joys and sorrows. There is a price tag on following this call — they are to leave behind their families, jobs, town and country and finally, life itself. They understood the choice was worth the cost, and so must we. Repentance means realigning our priorities toward spiritual transformation so that our lives will be directed to God completely.

In Difficult Times

Consoling God, be a source of serenity for me when struggles and difficulties threaten to overwhelm me. God of hope, assure me of your unconditional love when I doubt myself or question the worth of my life. Truth-bringing God, encourage me to embrace you during those times when I get lost in the lies of my weakness. Compassionate God, hold me to your heart when I feel helpless in the face of the world’s pain. Light-filled God, keep me ever close to you during those moments when bleakness surrounds my life. Comforting God, shelter me under your wings when I am engulfed in sadness and overcome with distress. God of peace, you are the center of my life, a strong refuge of peace in the whirlwind of my pain. I look to you for strength and a constant assurance of hope.

- Joyce Rupp

Discipleship: The Call of A Lifetime

“O God, tell me what you want me to do and give me the grace to do it!”

- Anne Mueller

On Friday, January 6, I journeyed to Our Lady of the Angels Parish on 37th Street in Lawrenceville, the home of the Capuchins, to attend the funeral liturgy of Nina DeNinno, age 82. She was the mother of Fr. Dale DeNinno, pastor of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Pleasant Hills. I was Fr. Dale’s successor at Mercy Hospital, where he graciously showed me the ropes of hospital ministry for which I am eternally grateful. Ginny Ambrose served as organist, accompanied by Terry McGuire, a cantor from our parish. I noticed on the cornerstone that the church was founded in 1899. I thought as I looked up, entering the church, “Now this is Pittsburgh.”

I traveled down one-way roads to get there, across cobblestone streets, passing row houses that shared flower pots on porches, to be greeted by the warm hospitality of Franciscan brotherhood, offering me coffee and breakfast rolls when I arrived. It was a prayerful setting as we waited for the caravan of mourners accompanying the hearse that carried her body.

Retired Auxiliary Bishop William J. Winter attended along with sixteen Capuchin Franciscans and seven diocesan brother priests. Atop the door of the church was "20+C+M+B+12," fitting for the Feast of the Epiphany, the traditional day for the blessing of homes when chalk is marked over doorways consecrating the new year. These initials remind us of the legendary names of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior, Balthazar, and the Latin motto Christus Mansionem Benedicat, (“May Christ bless this house.”)

Nina had just attended Christmas Eve Mass and had everything ready for Christmas. All the gifts were wrapped, her house was decorated and her meal prepared, only to suffer a heart attack at 1:00 AM on Christmas Day. None of the family members had opened gifts yet as they kept vigil at the hospital in hope, prayer, and love. In my remembrance card to Fr. Dale, I mentioned that his mom gave him three great gifts: life, faith and love, for which he can be eternally grateful and for which her spirit will live on in sacred memory.

As I worshipped in that cathedral-like church adorned with beautiful stained glass windows, the Crèche and all the lights, I was touched when Fr. Dale mentioned in his closing comments that his mother received the ultimate gift on Christmas — being called home to God in heaven to join his father and brother who preceded her in death. He thanked those in attendance for giving the DeNinno family the gift of their presence and prayer through this dark time in their family history. With confidence the mourners sang “Blessed Are They” as her body was brought to Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Penn Hills.

From January 9 through 14, we celebrate a time of National Vocation Awareness, answering God’s call to follow Him is the work of a lifetime. A vocation is not partial or temporary; rather it demands a lifelong commitment which encompasses one’s very identity and meaning of one’s entire life. The call of God demands mind, heart, feelings, ambitions, body, soul and spirit to the mission and the ministry of Jesus Christ. To discern a vocation, we must remember that God cannot drive a “parked car.” It is rather through the interior freedom which He gives us that we encounter His grace, desire, love, and pursue His friendship more than anything else.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls two sets of brothers, Andrew and his brother Simon, James and his brother John, and asks the $64 million question, “What are you looking for?” We, too must answer that same question. Are we looking for financial success, social position, a great wardrobe, the perfect person, a chance to clinch the best paying job or to discover the ideal place to live? Are we looking to do just the minimal to get by? Or, are we looking to learn from past mistakes, grow in a life of virtue, seek a deeper intimacy in prayer with the Lord, or help to get closer to family in the work of reconciliation?

While I was greeting people after Mass last week, a 34 year-old radiologist at Children’s Hospital told me that the previous week he was in India with his parents for Mass. He mentioned that my long-time friend Victor Rocha, who inspired me to be a priest, sent his regards and blessings for the new year. At a very young age, at Sts. Simon and Jude in Greentree, I was invited by Fr. Victor to serve more at God’s altar and to consider more seriously the call to a vocation and prayer, to seek God’s will in my life.

God gives us radical freedom. He doesn’t force us to follow Him. Jesus invited His first followers to “come and see”, not just where He resides, but where he abides, dwells and remains. As we journey through life, we can be half asleep, inattententive, unaware and blind to God. As young Samuel was roused from the dead of night and Andrew and Simon Peter were called in the middle of the afternoon to answer the call of God, one must answer that call daily for a faith-response to be activated.

I was delighted to receive a phone call this week from Bishop Zubik’s secretary telling me that Bishop Zubik would like to join our parish for the Stations of the Cross on Friday, Feb. 24 at 7:00 pm, and for a fish fry that same evening. Immediately I thought that with the closing of the school I’d better call people in order for the fish fry to happen!

Did you ever wonder how many calls come into the rectory on a given day? Morning, noon and night we answer calls for a myriad of needs: to register for Pre-Cana, have a child baptized, anoint someone in the hospital, register to join the parish, have a Mass offered, and so on. We try to respond to the call to serve God’s people with compassion and grace each day.

God’s call is mysterious;

It comes in the darkness of faith.

It is so fine, so subtle,

that it is only with the deepest silence within us

that we can hear it.

And yet nothing is surer or stronger,

nothing is so decisive or over-powering as that call.

This call is uninterrupted; God is always calling us.

— Carlo Carretto

Epiphany: Light in Darkness

“We are meant to shine, as children do. We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.”

— Marianne Williamson

Recently a man named John Kralik, who wrote a book entitled A Simple Act of Gratitude, was highlighted in the national news. In this book and others which he wrote, Kralik expresses the importance of conveying thankfulness in a meaningful way. Though we are inundated with communication, our often paperless world of Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, etc., can leave us in a void of the impersonal and indifferent. Kralik counters this by stressing the personal touch to thanking others. I recall Mom telling us as children that there was nothing more important than to render thanks to the one who bore us gifts.

John Kralik states that there are four simple steps to thank others in a meaningful way:

1. Grab a pen and paper. Hand written notes make people feel special — it’s almost as if the person is in the room with you.

2. Be specific. Thank the person by identifying the gift and be sincere about what you specifically liked about it. For instance, “You must have known that Harold’s Inn was my favorite restaurant when you gave me a gift card there!”

3. Dig into the past. In addition to those close to you from day to day, perhaps there is someone who helped you at a critical junction in your life in years passed. For instance, a doctor who relieved your pain after consulting many other physicians. Or parents, whose many sacrifices are appreciated by a young adult in college. Sending a note even many years after the gift can be a special blessing to another.

4. Keep it short. The message you convey doesn’t need to be complicated or eloquent. Just three or four sentences will do fine. Keep the focus on the thank you and the other person’s kindness and goodness.

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany (meaning “revelation”). On this twelfth day of Christmas we remember the Magi or Wise Men who were led by a star to the birthplace of the Christ Child, as they bore gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh in thanksgiving. The Wise Men rejoiced with uncontainable joy and broke out in profuse gratitude in offering their precious gifts. They gave the best gifts for God: Gold is a symbol of royalty. Incense conveys the perfumed aroma of Christ from the small hidden grains of aromatic material placed upon burning charcoal. (Similarly, we incense the altar, the Gospel book, the Cross and the Crèche during this holy season. And certainly, we use incense for funerals.) The Kings presented myrrh because Jesus took on our human weakness and was burdened with our sorrows. Myrrh reminds us of the passion of the Lord, when on the Cross, He was offered wine, mingled with myrrh. I can remember growing up that if there was a particular food we as children did not like, an event we preferred not to attend, or a prolonged sickness that we found unpleasant, Mom would always say, “Offer it up!” Mortification, if it is well received, purifies us like gold in the fire.

As we begin the New Year, it’s good to be reminded that coming to Mass on Sunday is the best way we can thank God for the good gifts he gives to us, namely: Himself, life, family, friends, sacraments, Church, faith, love. At Mass, time and eternity intersect. It is part of God’s plan for our salvation that we are able to meet Him directly and receive His grace through His sacraments to grow in holiness, virtue, integrity and union with Him.

Fr. Patrick Peyton, the great rosary priest, instructed the world with his motto, “The family that prays together, stays together.” He advocated making a rosary daily. In growing up with a family of seven children, going to Mass on Sunday was about as optional as breathing. To miss Mass was to stop breathing. It is a sure path to spiritual asphyxiation. The way we celebrate Mass will affect the way we live the remainder of the week. And it is the mark of our Christian identity from generation to generation. There are places in the world today such as Egypt, China, North Korea, Iraq, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and countless other areas, where Catholics risk their lives and travel hours to attend a Sunday Mass. Thankfully we are not put in jeopardy when we worship and attend Mass at our local parish. By and large, the vast majority of us can walk down the street or make a short drive to our beloved parish. Recently, Cardinal Lavada who took over the then Cardinal Ratzinger’s position as the Prefect for the Congregation of the Faith, stated that if he could say one thing to the whole world, it would be, “Without Sunday, we cannot live.”

I loved what San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer said in his homily on Christmas Midnight Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral. He said that the deepest kind of homelessness is the homelessness of unbelief. Through unbelief, we stumble along blindly, lost; we are consumed with ourselves. He continued, “We cannot receive or return God’s love unless we share daily and concretely with one another, especially with those most in need of our loving. ... When we stand up to profess our faith we will not declare that our deepest faith is in the President, or the Congress, or the state legislature, or the stock exchange, or the cost-of-living-index, or the armed forces, or social security. Instead, we will proclaim that our deepest faith is in the Father who created us, in the Son, born at Bethlehem and crucified and risen at Jerusalem who redeemed us, and in the Holy Spirit, who fills us with the life of the Father and the Son and unites as a living Church.”

There is no doubt with our Pittsburgh Steelers playing a Wild Card game with the Denver Broncos, and having been victorious with six Vince Lombardi trophies, victorious Super bowls, with parties and parades, we certainly know how to celebrate. But wouldn’t it be great if people could say of Pittsburgh that we know how to celebrate the greatest victory of all -- Jesus’ victory over sin and death? Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, has designated October 2012-November 2013, marking the 50th anniversary of Vatican Council II, the “Year of Faith.” Our presence at Mass is a sign to each other of the gift and importance of family in our lives. Christian discipleship is never a “solo flight.” It is a life-long family pilgrimage. To find our way to God’s house each Sunday brings immeasurable blessing to us and others.

Happy New Year!

“All the mistakes I ever made were when I wanted to say ‘no’ and but said ‘yes.’”

- Moss Hart (1904-1961)

Happy New Year ... tabula rasa — a clean slate! May the marking of a new year bring new beginnings in your faith journey. I recall at my first parish assignment there was on the mirror in the bathroom the following prayer:

Oh Jesus, in union with Your most Precious Blood poured out on the Cross and offered at every Mass, I offer You today my prayers, works, joys, sorrows and sufferings for the praise of Your Holy Name and for all the desires of Your Sacred Heart, in reparation for sin, for the conversion of sinners, the union of all Christians, and our final union with You in heaven.

It always seemed the perfect way to start each day by looking in the mirror and offering that prayer. Through the years I have memorized it and made it my own. I recently received in an email some advice for the new year that I thought I’d share with you:

1. Pray.

2. Go to bed on time.

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.

4. Say no to projects that won’t fit into your time schedule or that will compromise your mental heath.

5. Delegate tasks to capable others.

6. Simplify and unclutter your life.

7. Less is more.

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don’t lump the hard things all together.

10. Take one day at a time.

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can’t do anything about a situation, forget it.

12. Live within your budget. Don’t use credit cards for ordinary purchases.

13. Have backups: an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent enormous amount of trouble.

15. Do something for the kid in you everyday.

16. Carry a spiritually enlightening book with you to read while waiting in line.

17. Get enough rest.

18. Eat right.

19. Get organized so everything has its place.

20. Listen to a tape/CD while driving that can help improve your quality of life.

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.

22. Everyday, find time to be alone.

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don’t wait until it’s time to go to bed to try and pray.

24. Make friends with Godly people.

25. Keep a folder of favorite Scriptures on hand.

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good “thank you, God!”

27. Laugh.

28. Laugh some more!

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.

30. Develop a forgiving attitude, “Most people are doing the best they can.”

31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).

32. Sit on your ego.

33. Talk less; listen more.

34. Slow down.

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.

36. Every night before you go to bed, think of one thing you’re grateful for that you’ve never been grateful for before. God has a way of turning things around for you. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

I am sure all of us have thought about some resolutions or changes in our lives that we wish to make. But as the familiar saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” If we form good habits we make a good character. Matthew Kelly, in his book, Rediscovering Catholicism, expresses that self-knowledge is the key to finding your place in God’s plan and being yourself and perfectly yourself. In a Christmas card that was given by the Christian Mothers of our parish of St. Joseph, they said, “Dear Father, Thanks for being who you are.” Matthew Kelly writes, “The best thing you can do for yourself is become the best version of yourself. The best thing you can do for your spouse is become the best version of yourself. The best thing your can do for your children is become the best version of yourself. The best thing you can do for your friends is become the best version of yourself. The best thing you can do for your church is become the best version of yourself. The best thing you can do for your nation is become the best version of yourself. The best thing you can do for God is become the best version of yourself.”

May Mary continue to guide us on our pilgrimage of faith as we seek to do God’s will in serving others in the new year. Wishing you a holy, healthy and happy new year in 2012!

For God, every day is New Year’s.

Every day the sun rises is His act of confidence

that Creation continues.

Every baby born is an act of hope that humanity goes on.

Every marriage is His trust that love is stronger than hate.

Every morning brings a new chance.

Every prayer, a new hope.

Every blocked path, a new route.

Every sin repented, a fresh burst of grace.

Every mistake, a lesson learned.

Every death, a new life.

We have a God who relishes in fresh starts,

new dreams, trying again, resolutions made.

He is the Lord of second chances.

He never tires of giving us another opportunity.

— Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan

P.S.  I would like to thank all parishioners who sent notes, cards, baked goods, baskets, gift cards and gifts to me this Christmas season. I am humbled by your generosity and blessed by your love. I pray the Child Jesus bless you and your families with grace, peace and every good thing from above this new year. 

Christmas Message 2011

“From home to home, heart to heart, one place to another, the warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to one another.”

- Emily Matthews

One of the greatest blessings of life is to share love with others, especially at Christmas. Love is a gift that brings life to both giver and receiver. As I share this message with you, let us remember that it is not the "excesses" that makes Christmas but the "essentials" — presence, spirit and love! Atop my desk is a reflection that I wrote in loving memory of a dear friend Fr. Nick Pesanka, whom God called home on January 21, 2011. Near the reflection is a candle that burns in his memory and a plaque that reads, “Faith.”

I’ve served St. Joseph Parish for the past three and a half years. It is a self-contained community, where one can easily walk to a bank, a pharmacy, a restaurant or a grocery store. The parish is just nine miles away from my mom who resides at the Little Sisters of the Poor. Thankfully, my 2006 blue Subaru Outback Sedan helps to get me up and down Pittsburgh’s hills of snow and ice!

There are 1,550 families that belong to Saint Joseph Parish. This year our parish family celebrated its 120th anniversary. I am grateful to have been just a small part of its history. I love visiting the sick, homebound and hospitalized. We host Pre-Cana Instructions three times a year with couples preparing for the Sacrament of Marriage. It is a joy to have our couples’ witness and wisdom-road maps to help new generations.

Fr. Gerry Rogala, a retired priest friend from Chicago, came to visit April 18-25. He assisted during Holy Week and the Triduum. On Easter Monday, April 25, the Diocese was blessed with the installation of the new Auxiliary Bishop, William John Waltersheid, who came to us from the Diocese of Harrisburg. He serves as Vicar for Clergy.

A great part of our parish family was lost in the closing of our school in June. We are grateful for the 58 years that this institution shaped the minds, hearts and the lives of tomorrow’s Catholic leaders. On June 16, there was a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated by Fr. Harry R. Bielewicz, alumnus from the class of 1974, along with Region III Vicar, Fr. Samuel Esposito. Past principals, teachers, Felician Sisters and other alumni were in attendance.

I continue to strive to be a "life-long learner." I attended two weeks of continuing education through Seton Hall University’s International Institute for Clergy Formation: one held in Lutz, Florida from January 9-14, the other in Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, MD, from June 26-July 1.

On September 9, I took a group to see Joel Osteen (TV Evangelist from Lakewood Church in Houston, TX) speak at the Consol Energy Center for a "Night of Hope." That weekend was the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 which made it ever more important to be engaged in prayer. I was also glad that Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo came to speak November 19 in Pittsburgh on the gift of priesthood, “Consecrated and Sent.”

From October 16-20 I made a retreat to the Villa Maria Spirituality and Education Center which was given by Fr. James P. McCloskey, C.S.Sp. His theme was love and was based on 1 Corinthians 13. He spoke of eight various facets of love: 1) love sees, 2) love hangs in there, 3) love puts all its eggs in one basket, holds nothing back, 4) love lets go, 5) love tells it like it is, 6) love worries and it doesn’t worry, 7) love says, “Thanks” and 8) love never fails. He filled us with a new passion for our vocation, ministry and life itself! Breathing love into a soul brings us back to life! “Just as you were more determined to turn away from God, now turn back and serve Him with 10 times more determination” (Baruch 5: 28).

On October 21, I flew to Hilton Head, SC to marry Evona Marie Huminski and Justin Vance at Holy Family Catholic Church. There was a reception on the sand dunes and instead of the traditional unity candle, there was a sand-pouring ceremony. I baptized Evona at my first parish assignment of Our Lady of Fatima in Hopewell Township.

On March 11, 2012, I will reach the milestone of my 50th birthday. Wow, it’s hard to imagine celebrating half a century of life with five decades "over the dam!" One certainly is made aware how precious and special it is to treasure each new day. Through life’s twists and turns, wears and tears, complexities and challenges, opportunities and losses, crosses and resurrections, the constancy of Christ’s presence as Emmanuel, “God with us,” remains steady. To find one’s "niche" in life is to find one’s significant place.

It is a great blessing to serve as pastor of St. Joseph Parish. It keeps me humble and regularly "on my knees." Making decisions, balancing budgets, collaborating with Pastoral Care members, consulting with advisory committees and listening to the pulse of the people, to serve them more joyfully, sacrificially and tirelessly is the challenge of such a vocation. It is humbling to have been called by God to faithfully proclaim the greatest message the world will ever hear, that Jesus Christ came to earth to bring hope to a lost and dying world. I remember my mother signing her cards, “P.S. Remember, you’re loved!”

I celebrate my 24th anniversary to the priesthood on May 21, 2012. I know far better now the price and cost of discipleship than on my ordination day. In the words of St. Catherine of Siena, “Be willing to do without material things rather than lose the spiritual, especially in the dear holy work that God has put into your hands.”

I still enjoy watching Pittsburgh’s sports teams. I’ve had some setbacks in my running on the Montour Trail, having suffered shin splints and plantar fasciitis. But I love being 1/2 mile from the trail and enjoy riding my bike on it. I think Fr. Nick must have had a hand in my getting a key from the owners of the gym so that I can workout any time! Striving for balance and perspective in life is critical at any age. Log on to our web site to enter our St. Joseph Parish world. There you will find video homilies, reflections and our parish activities:

My Christmas prayer is that you continue to follow the Lord with a clear mind, an unburdened heart and a joyful spirit. May we get to know Him better every day, and perhaps without even realizing it, our life in the world will come to be a reflection of His.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to all!

A Time for Celebration, Salvation and Reconciliation

"A soul that has believed has conceived and both bears the Word of God and declares God’s works. Let the spirit of Mary be in each of you, so that it rejoices in God."

— St. Bede the Venerable

Last Christmas I received as a gift from a friend the book, The Purpose of Christmas, by Rick Warren. It took me eleven months to finally read this gift, but I’m glad I finally did. Christmas is the largest celebration around the world. And billions of people set aside normal routines to decorate homes, send out greeting cards, buy gifts, go to Christmas parties, attend church services, see Christmas pageants, sing Christmas songs, watch Christmas specials and travel long distances to be home with their families. The birth of the peasant-boy over 2000 years ago in the Middle East, has created such commotion that His birthday causes traffic jams today in places like New York City, Tokyo and Rio de Janiero.

God’s Christmas gift to us is matchless and priceless. He sent His Son Jesus to show us the way to love. What greater gift can we possibly receive than to share the greatest story of love that lasts forever. The gift of faith is extremely practical. We can use it everyday for the rest of our lives. Warren notes that the angels announce three purposes for the birth of Jesus that first holy silent Christmas night: 1) Christmas is a time for celebration, 2) Christmas is a time for salvation and 3) Christmas is a time for reconciliation.

A time for celebration — Birthdays are natural occasions of celebration. When we greet one another with saying, “Merry Christmas,” it reminds us of God’s wonderful news that causes us great merriment and rejoicing. It is a universal celebration for all people. Through the Incarnation, God became one of us and knows the human being story from the inside out — our hopes and dreams, our challenges and crosses and our joys and tears. God communicated best to us when He became one of us. God’s love for each of us is unconditional and God’s love is constant, steady and continuous throughout our lives. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with Us. And no matter what we face in life, it is comforting to know He is with us.

Jesus helps us to face the inevitable problems of life: cancer, death of a loved one, unemployment, addictions, marriage problems, family conflicts, financial difficulties, personal setbacks. Generations come and go but Jesus, His grace and His love remain.

A time for salvation — Jesus came to save us from sin, selfishness and death. It is natural and easy to be self-centered — however, it takes grace to be unselfish. Who can save us? Not the latest gadgets, flashier cars, buying bigger houses, acquiring academic acumen, getting plastic surgery, taking mind-altering drugs. It must start in our heart and only Christ can transform our hearts from within. Christ wants to free us from our sin, regrets, bitterness, expectations of others, addictive habits, fear of death, insecurity, powerlessness and meanness to others. Jesus has redeemed us from this slavery to sin and evil and through His amazing grace helps us to be His followers. Rick Warren notes, “The answer is not in a place, program or pill. The answer is a person. It’s Jesus.”

A time for reconciliation — Human beings aren’t very good at living in peace with one another. We are better at disagreeing, fighting, feuding and cheating. The purpose of Christmas is that the Prince of Peace would restore peace in order that we can be at peace with God, others and within our own hearts. What a powerful miracle the gift of peace is! Sometimes we live in a world in which aggression, belligerence and rudeness rule rather than unity, kindness and consideration. Our culture conditions us to be cynical, sarcastic, gossiping and even demonizing as conflict broods. We complain and we blame others for our unmet needs. There are many symptoms of this disturbed state of being: irritability, a quick temper, impatience, arrogance, boastfulness, holding grudges, the tyranny of the flesh... all barring us from peace. The good news of Christmas is that Jesus came to bring peace where there is brokenness, to restore relationships that are strained and to heal our hearts from self-destructiveness. “Jesus” means “God Saves!"

Warren concludes his book with a Christmas prayer:

Dear God,

Thank You for sending your Son, Jesus,

so I could get to know You.

Thank You for loving me.

Thank You for being with me all my life,

even when I didn't know it.

I realize I need a Savior to set me free

from sin, from myself,

and from all the habits, hurts and hang-ups

that mess up my life.

I ask You to forgive me for my sins.

I want to repent and live the way You created me to live.

Be the Lord of my life, and save me by Your grace.

Save me from my sins, and save me for Your purpose.

I want to learn to love You, trust You,

and become what You made me to be.

Thank You for creating me

and choosing me to be part of Your family.

Right now, by faith,

I accept the Christmas gift of Your Son.

Fill me with Your peace and assurance

so that I can be a peace-maker,

And help me share this message of peace with others.

In Your Name I pray.

Amen.

As we come to the home-stretch of the craziest and busiest time of the year, it is good to catch our breath, pause, reflect and pray, on where our life has been (in the past), where our life is now (present) and which direction our life is heading (in the future). May we savor the gift of stillness and silence as God calls us to the intimacy of His love.