Saint Mary, Saint Michael & Saint Kilian Parishes
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  • Home
  • About
    • Homilies
    • Pastor's Column
    • Parish Histories
    • Cemetery Rules & Regulations
  • Bulletin
  • Mass Schedule
  • Religious Education
  • Resources
  • Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • Sacrament of Penance
    • First Communion
    • Confirmation
    • Holy Matrimony
    • Becoming Catholic
  • Online Giving
  • Contact Us

Islam and the Catholic Response Part II (1/31/2016)

1/27/2016

 
Praised be Jesus Christ!

Picking up from last week’s column, I continue to address key differences between our Faith and Islam, and comment on the concept of jihad and the ISIS interpretation of the Qur’an.

As Christians, we cannot rightfully refer to Mohammed as a prophet.  If we obeyed the teachings of Mohammed unconditionally as Islam requires, we would be denying key beliefs of our own faith.  Unlike our Catholic faith, Islam is not centrally organized.  Therefore, interpretation of the Qur’an may vary widely depending upon the emphasis given by different groups and individuals.  Since there is no central authority in Islam, there is a generally accepted plurality of ideas.  The Catholic Church, on the other hand believes she cannot err in teaching in matters of faith and morals, and that her teaching has continuity with the teaching passed down from the apostles through the guidance of the Holy Spirit promised the Church by Christ.  The Holy Spirit guides the official teaching of the Magisterium (the teaching body of the Church consisting of the Pope and bishops) to pass on the Gospel faithfully and apply it to our own contemporary situations.  This notion is supported by the Scriptures.

The Qur’an speaks of the concept of “jihad,” which essentially means “struggle,” as in “struggle on the path of God.”  It does not necessarily refer to military fighting.  It is the struggle against our own waywardness and against those who spread corruption on the earth.  Jihad must be practiced whenever non-believers attack Muslim territories or prevent Muslims from practicing their prescribed acts of worship.  In this sense, jihad serves as a defensive act of war.  Historically, the political teaching of Islam required that jihad be waged until the whole world would be under Islamic rule.  However, this mandate concerned more political rulers than it did individual Muslims.  History also shows us that the mandate for aggressive war on non-Muslims was not always put into practice.  There have been long periods in history in which states (both Muslim-ruled and non-Muslim-ruled) have lived peacefully with much economic and cultural exchange.

While some might argue that the approach of ISIS (i.e. war and terrorism) is not consistent with true Islam, it cannot be denied that it is rooted in an interpretation of the Qur’an that has been practiced at various times in history.  Since Islam has no central authority, and therefore no definitive authority for interpreting the Qur’an, it is difficult to make the case that the approach of ISIS is not truly Islamic, even when perhaps most Muslims throughout the world would not share the same interpretation of the Qur’an. 


Islam and the Catholic Response (1/24/2016)

1/20/2016

 
Praised be Jesus Christ!

With the rise of ISIS and the recent terrorist attacks in Paris back in November, many people have been curious to understand more about Islam and how we as Catholics respond are to it.  I thought I would use my column this week and next to give a little background about Islam and attempt to offer a Catholic response to the phenomenon of Islamic terrorism.

As we know, Islam, along with Christianity and Judaism, are the three major monotheistic religions of the world, each of which find origin in Judaism and the God of Abraham.  Islam, whose followers are known as Muslims, is one of the world’s largest and fasted growing religions.  It stems from the prophet Mohammed, born around 570 A.D, who is considered by Muslims to be the last in a long chain of prophets to preach unconditional submission to God.  Mohammed’s mission was to teach Islam not only to his own Arab people, but to all of humanity.  Islam is radically centered on God and Mohammed’s role is only to convey God’s final revelation.  Muslims would be considered “servant-worshippers” of God.

Today, there are two main groups within Islam: Sunni, which makes up 85-90% of the world’s Muslim population, and Shia (also known as Shiites).  These two separate groups formed around a dispute in leadership succession soon after the death of Mohammed in 632 A.D.  The primary source of Islamic faith comes from the Qur’an, which is believed to contain the revealed statements of God himself, exactly as they were communicated to Mohammed through the angel Gabriel.  These revelations to Mohammed did not occur all at once, but over the course of 23 years.  The Qur’an teaches that the Jews falsified the original text of the Torah and hid some of its passages; and that both Jews and Christians concealed passages in the Scriptures that contained evidence of the truth of Mohammed’s mission.

Allah is the name given to the one God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed.  While Jesus is honored as a great prophet, he is not believed to be the Son of God. 
One important difference between Christianity and Islam is Islam’s rejection of the belief in God as Trinity, and the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth for humanity’s salvation. Muslims see this as moving too far in the direction of polytheism and idolatry.  From the Islamic perspective, one is able to know God adequately through his attributes and through his creation.  Another significant difference is that while Muslims believe that God manifests his will and directs the lives of humanity, he does not communicate his own self in the profound way Christianity conceives of him.  Such self-communication, according to Islam, is not consistent with God’s transcendence.  Islam also rejects the idea of redemption, believing that bearing the sin of another is not consistent with God’s justice.

According to our Christian faith, God elevates the human person to communion with himself.  In a special way, God makes himself accessible to us.  God formed a covenant with his Chosen People (the Hebrews), from whom come the Jews, with the ultimate intention of one day bringing all of humanity, through them, into communion with himself.  In the person of Jesus, God fully reveals himself to us as love – love in which one gives of one self, and forgives.  For us, belief in God as Trinity in no way lessens the oneness and unity of God.  Our Creed affirms this.

Next week I will speak a bit more about the differences between our Faith and Islam, and the notion of jihad.​

Doctrine and Discipline (1/17/2016)

1/13/2016

 
Praised be Jesus Christ!

Not long ago, someone approached me with a great question:  “Father, why does the Church change its rules?”  Many people have seemingly lost their faith or become disenchanted with the Church over the years because to appears to have changed its teachings or “rules.”  Most notably, this occurred with many of the reforms that followed the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s.  Many changes took place, not only in the Mass, but in many other aspects of living the Faith as well.  Things that were once an obligatory part of living the Faith were no longer.  As a result, many lost their faith in the institution of the Church and broke away, either joining splinter groups, or wandering away from the Faith altogether.  

Here are few examples of some “rules” that have changed throughout the Church’s history:
  1. Priestly celibacy: in the days of the early Church, many married men were ordained.  Only since the early Middle Ages was priestly celibacy uniformly required in the West.  In the Eastern Church still today, with the exception of bishops and monks, clergy are permitted to marry.
  2. Eating Meat on Fridays: While all Catholics must refrain from eating meat on Fridays in Lent, it used to be that such a prohibition applied to all Friday’s throughout the year.  Today, while one need not be abstain from meat on Fridays outside Lent, all Catholics are to make at least some act of sacrifice.
  3. Eucharistic Fast: Today, we are to fast for at least one hour before receiving Holy Communion.  Prior to the Second Vatican Council, one had to fast from midnight until receiving Holy Communion.

What are we to make of such changes?  Isn’t the Church supposed to be infallible in her teaching?  In order to understand such changes, an important distinction must be made – a distinction between doctrine and discipline.  

Doctrine is a teaching of the Church that pertains to faith or morals.  The foundation for such teaching comes from what Christ revealed, and passed on by the apostles through the Tradition of the Church.  Over time, our understanding and expression of such teaching or doctrine can deepen and develop, but since it is part of what God has revealed to us, it cannot change.  Discipline, on the other hand, consists of practices that are “man-made” and subject to change by those in rightful authority depending on time, place, culture, etc.  The three “rules” mentioned above are all examples of disciplines in the Church.  While disciplines within the Church are “man-made,” the authority the Church has to institute them come from God (Cf. Matthew 16:19,  “…whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”).

For faithful Catholics, the challenge lies in learning to identity what falls under the area of doctrine and what falls under the area of discipline.  Two things commonly confused with regard to this are priestly celibacy and the ordination of women.  As mentioned above, priestly celibacy falls under discipline.  Priestly ordination being reserved to men alone, on the other hand actually falls under the area of doctrine.  This is because the theological meaning of the priesthood and what is inherent to it is a matter of faith (as in faith and morals) passed on from Christ and the apostles.

Year of Mercy Parish Events (1-10-2016)

1/13/2016

 
Praised Be Jesus Christ!

Now that the Christmas season has reached its end and that we are well into the Holy Year of Mercy, I thought I would make you aware of a few upcoming parish events:
  1. Tri-Parish Pilgrimage:  We are planning a day tri-parish pilgrimage to La Crosse on Thursday, May 5th, 2016.  We will depart via coach bus from St. Mary’s parking lot at 7am and return around 5pm.  The first stop will be the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman where we will have a guided tour.  By late morning, we will then head to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Both the Cathedral and Shrine churches have Holy Doors for the Jubilee Year.  We will have Mass at the Shrine and there will be opportunities for confessions prior to Mass to obtain the Holy Year Indulgence.  The cost for the pilgrimage is $35 per person.  This includes coach bus transportation and a buffet lunch at the Shrine.  If you are interesting in going, call St. Mary’s Parish Office at 715-652-2806 to reserve a spot.  There are 48 spots available on the bus.
  2. Talk on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy by Father Burish: Learn about how to put them into practice in your own life.  Date and time to be decided.
  3. Tri-Parish Work of Mercy Service Day: Give of your time in service to a local charitable cause/organization with your fellow parishioners.  Date, time, and location to be decided.
I hope you will consider joining us for the pilgrimage in La Crosse, or making a mini-pilgrimage on your own to any one of the many Holy Door churches throughout the Diocese.  Please stay tuned for details about the presentation on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, as well as the Tri-Parish Work of Mercy Service Day.

Praying the Daily Examen (1/3/2016)

1/13/2016

 
Praised be Jesus Christ!

On New Years Day, we celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.  In my homily I spoke about how Mary, as our spiritual mother, is always reflective and helps us to meditate and reflect on how the Lord is at work in our lives.  I also spoke about the importance of praying the Rosary as a great tool that Mary gives to aid us in our meditation.  

Those of us who took part in the 33 Days to Morning Glory retreat this last Fall would remember that we talked about another great tool for meditation and becoming more aware of how the Lord is working in our lives and blessing us.  This other tool is called the “daily examen.”  The daily examen is not the same as merely examining our consciences to become aware of the sins we have committed throughout the day.  The daily examen begins with reminding ourselves of God’s loving presence and calling to mind the Lord’s blessings, both big and small.

There are many different variations of the daily examen.  In a nutshell, it goes like this:

1. Recall God’s presence with you; His gaze of love upon you.
2. Review your day – its events, encounters, conversations, ups and downs, etc.  Pay attention to the blessings and spend a few moments giving thanks – even if it’s just for small things.
3. Pay attention to your emotions.  Why have you felt the way you have felt?  Is it coming from the Lord or not?
4. Choose something that stands out from the day to bring to the Lord and reflect on.  Is there something the Lord is saying to you?
5. What is the Lord asking of you?  What about tomorrow?

The examen is a great way to end your day.  It only takes a few minutes of silence.  It can be done in the middle of your day as well, even while you’re driving in the car.  If you’d like to learn more about the daily examen, here is a website I’d recommend:

http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  May the Lord continue to bless you and your families!

USCCB on Pornography and Family (12/27/2015) 

1/13/2016

 
Praised be Jesus Christ!

This Sunday the Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  As you know, there are so many issues affecting the family today.  One such issue, perhaps not as widely addressed, is the use of pornography.  According to a recent newspaper article, there have been more than 1.8 billion online searches for pornography since the beginning of 2015.  One in five mobile searches is for pornography.  This industry brings in $13 billion in revenue each year!  The use of pornography is a serious sin.  Because it is a selfish act, it destroys our capacity for genuine love, and it can destroy a marriage and a family.  That being said, pornography is also highly addictive, and many people feel trapped in it clutches.  Therefore, the Church wishes to extend a hand of help, mercy, and compassion to those who struggle with pornography, or are affected by it in some way.

Back in November, the bishops of our country collectively issued a document pastorally addressing this topic.  The document was entitled, “Create In Me A Clean Heart: A Pastoral Response to Pornography.”  According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ November 17, 2015 press release, “the formal statement provides a basic catechesis on human sexuality and chastity, an explanation of why the production and use of pornography is a sin, an overview of its effects in our society, a closer look at its effects on men, women, children, young people, marriages and families, and a word of hope and encouragement to those who have been harmed by pornography use or in its production. The statement's main audiences are Catholic leaders and parents, but it is also intended to be helpful for those who struggle with pornography use and all people of goodwill who want to work together for a culture of purity and respect for all women and men.”

I would highly recommend that parents of children have a look at this statement, as well as anyone else affected by pornography in some way.  The full text of “Create In Me A Clean Heart” is be available online at www.usccb.org/cleanheart, along with other great Catholic resources.  One other excellent list of resources may be found at http://www.foryourmarriage.org/help-for-men-and-women-struggling-with-pornography-use-or-addiction/.

I pray that the Lord continue to bless and keep you and your families this Christmas season.


Advent Hope (12/20/2015)

1/13/2016

 
Praised be Jesus Christ!

You may remember last weekend, I wore rose vestments for Mass… yes, that’s rose, not “pink.”  Well, maybe Fr. Martin wears pink, but I wear rose.  The rose-colored vestments, just like the rose-colored third candle on the Advent wreath signify hope.  While Advent is a season of penitential preparation for the coming of the Lord, it is also a season marked by great hopefulness and anticipation.

You may recall that hope is one of the Theological Virtues, along with faith and charity (love).  These supernatural virtues are given to us at baptism and must be nurtured and cultivated throughout our life.   Faith is the virtue by which we firmly believe all the truths God has revealed.  Charity is the virtue by which we love God above all things for His own sake, and our neighbors as ourselves for the love of God.  Hope is the virtue by which we firmly trust that God, who is all-powerful and faithful to his promises, will in His mercy give us eternal happiness and the means to obtain it.  Hope is necessary for salvation.

The season of Advent, leading us into Christmas is a dark one.  The greenery of the summer has turned grey and brown.  The temperature has dropped.  The days have gotten shorter.  Winter is upon us.  Similarly, the world in which we live is dark, and depending on how you look at it, it may be growing darker.  There is the threat of terrorism in our world from radical Islam.  Our nation still struggles to deal with issues of race and public safety.  We still experience senseless violence in schools and other public places, often due to mental illness.  Innocent human life continues to be taken shortly after its natural beginning and before it’s natural end.  The stability of the family continues to be threatened.  And in many respects, we still face much economic uncertainty.

One sure thing about the darkness of winter is that we know, eventually, the light and warmth of spring will come.  The same must be true as we confront the darkness of our world and the difficulties we experience personally in our lives.  Our world is very much in need of hope.  We as Christians have good reason for hope and should be able to show it and speak about it to those around us.  God is faithful, and in the end, He has the power to take the evil that surrounds us and bring great good from it.  Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in the darkness that surrounds us, we neglect to see the Lord right there with us in the midst of it.  Hope is not letting go of this truth.

The opposite of the virtue of hope is the sin of despair.  Despair is when we essentially give up on God, his love for us, and his willingness to forgive our sins.  Often despair creeps in when we have fallen into serious or mortal sin.  One sin leads to another, and we drift away from the Lord and the Church.  The Evil One traps us in a downward spiral.  Hope and the call to conversion is the answer.

Indulgences and the Jubilee Year of Mercy Indulgence (12/13/2015) 

1/13/2016

 
Praised be Jesus Christ!
In my column at the beginning of Advent I spoke about the Jubilee Year of Mercy as an opportunity for and call to deeper conversion.  During such a Holy Year, the Church offers an indulgence when one makes a pilgrimage to an established Jubilee church.  I thought I would use this weekend’s column to offer an explanation of indulgences.

We believe that we receive forgiveness for our sins in the sacrament of Penance.  But in addition to the eternal punishment from sin forgiven in this sacrament, there remains a temporal punishment of sin, which is our unhealthy attachment to things of the world rather than God himself.  We experience this in ourselves on some level when, even after we go to confession, we often still feel the temptation to sin again. For our entrance into heaven, God wants our souls perfectly purified of all such attachments.  After our death, we are freed or purified from any remaining temporal punishment in Purgatory.  However, while still in this world, we can and should work to purify our souls, conditioning our hearts for eternal life in heaven, thereby reducing the amount of purification (in Purgatory) that would be necessary.

This purification while still in the world may happen through the practice of indulgences.  Indulgences are organized, recognized, and encouraged acts of love for God and others.  By the indulgenced act we pray for others, share and receive the love of God, and grow together in holiness in the Church.  Indulgences draw from the treasury of merit and charity existing in the Church from Christ and the saints.  Since the Church is Christ’s Body in the world, it can tap into these merits for the spiritual good of her members who seek such indulgences.

The Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy brings with it an indulgence particular to itself.  One of the Jubilee Year’s main features in the Diocese of La Crosse is the pilgrimage to the Cathedral of St. Joseph the Workman or to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and entering through the Holy Door, or “Door of Mercy.”  Jesus calls himself “the door,” and “if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and find pasture” (John 10:9).  To pass through the Door of Mercy is thus a prayer and communion with Jesus, “the face of the Father’s mercy” (Pope Francis, Misericordiae vultus).  In addition to passing through the Holy Door at the Cathedral or Shrine, the Jubilee Indulgence is associated with visiting one of the twelve pilgrimage churches throughout the Diocese.  Sacred Heart Church in Marshfield is the closest such church to our parishes.

Along with the journey to a Holy Door or other pilgrimage church, there are four other conditions required to obtain the indulgence:
  1. Receiving the sacrament of Penance (as near as possible to the pilgrimage);
  2. Participating in the Mass and receiving Holy Communion (as near as possible to the pilgrimage);
  3. Making a profession of faith (i.e., praying the Apostles’ Creed or Nicene Creed);
  4. Praying for the Holy Father and for his intentions (i.e., praying an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be)

The sick and the homebound, even if unable to make a pilgrimage, can also receive the indulgence “living with faith and joyful hope in this moment of trial, receiving communion or attending Holy Mass and community prayer, even through various means of communication” (Pope Francis’ letter on the Jubilee Indulgence).

The Holy Father has also attached the Year of Mercy Indulgence to performing the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy (along with the usual four conditions, as mentioned above).
    Pastor's Column
    Posted here is the weekly column featured in the bulletin of Saint Mary, Saint Michael & Saint Kilian parishes.

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