Friends,

This past week we celebrated Fathers’ Day during which we honored and prayed for our fathers both biological and spiritual. Thank you for your prayers. Although I had a strong urge to focus my homily on fatherhood, the liturgical impulse to preach on the readings of the day prevailed. In this short article, therefore, allow me to brie$y share some of my thoughts on the significance of fatherhood in the lives of our children. I deem this to be very important because our fathers significantly shape how we handle responsibilities and challenges and view life in general in our adult lives. The way our fathers treat our mothers for instance, will determine how the boys will treat women in general and their wives in particular, as adults.

Dear Friends,

What a great blessing it is for me to be called to serve you here at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel as your pastor at this point in my priestly life. I am convinced that this is not by coincidence, it is by providence. In a month’s time, I will be celebrating my 32nd year of priestly ordination. During these past years, I have no doubt that the Lord has been at work, building, molding, and motivating me just for this moment. While He has done amazing things for me, He has also allowed me to face various challenges over the years in order to purify and strengthen me so that with His help, I may come out a stronger person to serve you. I will share some of these in future articles.

Dear Friends,

So much serious stuff has been going on around us this past couple of months that I would like to lighten the atmosphere a bit with this light article which I write in the place of Fr. Charlie. As I do so, let us continue to pray that Fr. Charlie enjoys his well-deserved rest as he prepares to move onto his new assignment. Let us also welcome Fr. Bitrus Maigamo who will be serving us in this month of June and of course, keep in your prayers Fr. Gabriel Terrill who will join us in July as our Parochial Vicar.

This article was inspired by my recent experience and conversations about aging while on my vacation in Uganda. Many people I encountered there kept on remarking that I look younger than my age and that I don’t seem to age. While I kind of enjoyed those compliments, in reality I feel very different now than ever before and I don’t like it. I recall that when I was young, I looked forward to growing old but no one ever warned me about the other frustrations that come with age such as aching bones, frequent doctors’ appointments, impatience, whining about the present state of affairs, worrying about retirement and everything else. I noticed this even more clearly when I found myself among my fellow “old men” in my village reminiscing about the past good old days and condemning the children of these day.

Dear Friends,

It has been more than 20 years that merchant cards have been sold at OLMC to help fund school expenses. This program, administered by the Home and School Association, has benefitted many teachers and their students over the years. School volunteers standing in their spot selling cards after the Sunday Masses is a sight we are all accustomed to seeing.

Much has changed since the program was "first initiated—especially with the way that so much is done online. Today, schools in our diocese that still have SCRIP programs do all of their transactions online. These online sites allow you to purchase the cards and credit our school account, all from the comfort of your home.

Dear Friends,

Serving as your pastor these last two years have been a gift from the Lord at this late stage in my priestly ministry. As many of you know, OLMC was my home parish for 3 years before entering the seminary. Fr. (Msgr.) McCready, the pastor, was a wise and kind mentor, helping me to grasp a good understanding of the practicalities of the priesthood. He gave me a room in the rectory during vacations and even saw to it that I had a few extra dollars in my pocket.

There were, however a few tense moments when I thought my vocation might be in danger. Like the time I borrowed Fr. McCready’s prized graphite-shaft golf driver without asking permission, only to see the clubhead fly off the shaft on the driving range. That easily could have been the end of my seminary days, but eventually cooler heads prevailed (that I got the club repaired quickly certainly didn’t hurt matters).

Friends,

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers and grandmothers of our parish community. Like many, on this day I reflect on my own mother and the impact she had on me. I always knew I was loved very much by her. She taught me many things: how to speak (albeit Spanish, not English); about God’s love for me and everyone; how to pray; to love my brother and sister; to obey the teachers at school and to apply myself; to be kind to others; to ask forgiveness for wrongdoings; and the joy of warm, homemade food awaiting our return from school. As we grow older and more independent, the importance of our mother’s love begins to wane. That is one reason why this day in which we honor our mothers is so important. The unconditional love of God is reflected in both of our parents, but our mothers who make it concrete and transformational.

Dear Friends,

Dennis Prager, a conservative author and talk-radio host has drawn a lot of attention to himself recently because of his controversial and very problematic views on pornography. At a recent round-table discussion hosted by Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist and author, Prager said “men want variety, so pornography is not so awful so long as it is used as a substitute for adultery.”

Prager, who is in many ways an insightful and moral man, has badly understood the way that the use of pornography harms the user and those around him. If the user is married, single a priest or a nun, he or she is doing violence to the gift of noble sexual desire God has implanted in our hearts. While God’s plan for married love is that spouses would give themselves away completely to each other in selfless love in service to the other. Porn, on the other hand works in the opposite direction, reducing other people to objects of sexual gratification. No, pornography is not a harmless diversion—it is the toxic venom that is destroying the souls of millions of young men and women and causing deep wounds in countless marriages.

Dear Friends,

Many of you are familiar with the proverbial “frog in the hot water”. The way the story goes is that if a frog, a cold-blooded amphibian, is placed in a large pot of cold water on top of a stove, it will relax and enjoy the water. If the heat is slowly turned up, the frog will continually adjust to the gradual rising of the temperature until eventually he boils to death.

This story is often used as a parable depicting what happens when we allow sin or error to penetrate our lives. Initially, we may only embrace it to only a limited degree, but unless checked, over time its hold on us will increase to a point that is fatal.

Dear Friends,

I begin with a word of gratitude and happiness over our Parish Picnic last Saturday. It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves in a variety of activities (or none) and a very real sense of shared community among those present. For many, the highlight of the day was the Blessing of Chapel ground by Bishop Olmsted. There are so many who served in preparation of the Picnic and on the day itself. To all of you, I say “thank you.”

Dear Friends,

I begin by expressing my gratitude to all of you who helped make Saturday’s Parish Picnic a great day. I especially thank Ashley Hall, Jamon Reval, Knights of Columbus, School Dad’s Club, St Therese Group, Boy Scouts, Tim States, Coach Baker, Mrs. Knox, OLMC Jr High students and all who gave their time and talent to facilitate a joyful community day for the parish.

Dear Friends,

Three weeks ago, I announced in this column that Bishop Dolan has asked me to step down as Parochial Administrator (aka, Pastor) of OMLC. In that regard, “thank you” to all who have expressed your gratitude for the service I have been able to offer you over these past months.

Dear Friends,

We have two very special Lenten events coming up this week that I hope you will put into your calendars. On Wednesday, Dcn. Dennis Lambert, an author and Deacon of our Diocese, will come to speak to us about the Real Presence of the Eucharist. For Catholics, the belief that Jesus Christ is truly present in the Holy, Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity is (or should be) a given. This doctrine, above all others, is the bedrock of our Catholic Faith.

Dear Friends,

Three weeks ago, we hosted an exposition depicting some of the great Eucharistic miracles that have occurred throughout the centuries. While the circumstances of every miracle were different, in each case the events had the effect of reminding people anew that Jesus, the Son of God, is truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

It can be so easy for us to grow inattentive or even indifferent to this startling reality. After all, the species still has the appearance of ordinary wheat bread and grape wine even though it really is the Body and Blood of Christ. If we lose sight of this fundamental truth or it no longer moves us, then we are in danger of questioning everything else the Church teaches. The Fathers of the Church described this phenomena with the Latin term, Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi—the way we pray and worship will shape what we believe.

Dear Friends,

It has been two years since Bishop Olmsted asked me to serve at Our Lady of Mt Carmel as interim pastor. Our original agreement was for me to serve for one year after Fr John’s departure until a permanent pastor could be appointed. But it seems the Lord had other plans.

As many of you by now have heard me recount, shortly after my arrival the Lord, in many ways, made it clear that He wanted an Adoration Chapel for the parish. Following that prompting, which was confirmed at each step, and in consultation with Bishop Olmsted, I agreed to continue to serve for as long as it would take to complete the chapel.