Praised be Jesus Christ!
 
Well, here we are at the beginning of July… what I suppose is for many the end of the graduation party season.  Having gone to commencement ceremonies and graduation parties, I’m reminded of what an exciting time it was for me when I graduated from high school.  (For the record, that was 16 years ago, not three or five, as some would presume!)  I remember then having dreams of being an architect, and in many respects having my life pretty well planned out: going to college, earning my bachelor’s and master’s, beginning my career, family, etc.  Then, by my second year of college, things completely changed and I ended up in the seminary.  You all know what came of that change of events, and the story continues on.
 
At this major turning point in their life (i.e., graduating from high school and going on for further education), many young people can feel a lot of anxiety.  Many up to this point have filled their lives with a variety of courses and extracurricular activities.  Many have identified and exercised numerous talents, skills, and interests.  But yet, not a few are still asking themselves, “Who am I and what am I going to do with the rest of my life?”
 
I recently came across an interesting newspaper editorial that identified this common question among young people, and attributed the anxiety in large part to a cultural notion that we must go out to discover and then accept who we are.*  The authors of the article I think rightly suggest that such a notion has led many astray.  Then, they go on to recommend looking to the wisdom of Chinese philosophers such as Confucius and others who saw the human sense of identity as something unstable and in flux.  Based on such wisdom, the authors say that it is unwise to lock ourselves into our own identified skills, interests, and plans for the future, for things in life do not always go according to plan.
 
While I found the authors’ suggestions and the wisdom of the Chinese philosophers, as they had summarized it, to be very good in many respects, I still felt there was something lacking and unsatisfying.  These days, there has been growing interest in Eastern philosophies and religions, such as Buddhism and Confucianism, in our culture.  This article certainly reflected that.  But in my own limited study of these things, I have found the wisdom of our own Catholic Christianity far more refreshing and satisfying.  Many in our post-Christian culture have become so “over-familiar” with the Gospel message that they don’t really know it at all, and as a result go searching the world for other “wisdom.”
 
To the anxiety of a searching post high school young person, our faith (if we actually look to it) provides us with the best answers and truths about who we are and who we can become.  We don’t need to go out on a quest to find out who we are in a world that offers lots of conflicting and confused answers.  God has already given us our identity in our baptism by making us his beloved and cherished son or daughter.  Only when we have a relationship with God can we fully receive and appreciate that identity.  And once we know our identity through our relationship with God, God gives us our mission.  That mission is ultimately to be a disciple and witness of Christ.  The ways we live that mission are as unique and varied as there are persons in the world.  With God there are no failed plans or missed opportunities in life.  When we commit our lives to him, the opportunities and possibilities for fulfillment and realizing the best version of ourselves are endless.  Our best witnesses of this are the lives of the saints.  The saints did great and amazing things with their lives not because their lives were well planned out or because they matched their skill set with the right job, but because they were generous with the God of infinite possibilities.
 
 *Puett, Michael and Christine Gross-Loh, “The College of Chinese Wisdom.”  The Wall Street Journal.  Saturday/Sunday, April 2-3, 2016, C1.

Praised be Jesus Christ!
 
Following the mass shooting tragedy in Orlando just a couple weeks ago, I wanted to share with you below the last posting from Bishop Callahan’s blog.  Father Burish
 
Hope in the Midst of Sadness
 
A few years ago, my sister Bobbie and I took a trip down to Orlando, Florida. This was a trip to Disney World for two kids in adult bodies. It was planned to a tee; our visit to the “happiest place on earth” (as Disney claims such trademark!). It was a great experience for the two of us—who enjoyed being kids with a bunch of other “pretenders.”
 
Sunday morning the news from Orlando was horrifying and anything but happy. Again the ugliness of terrorism has reared its head and we all shiver in our frozen humanity as evil lays claim to the destruction of happiness and attempts to darken our vision. Evil is a powerful force in our world. Even though we people of faith know that ultimate evil has been destroyed by the ultimate sacrifice of love on the Cross on Golgotha Hill, the Prince of Darkness continues to defy Goodness by seducing humanity with bankrupt promises, devoid of any hope or dignity.
 
The brutal murder of innocent human beings fills us with sadness and disappointment with ourselves. We miss the point of making connections with others of our species in failing to remember that we are all quite fragile and complex creatures with different ideas and sets of traditions. The tragedy of deaths and numerous casualties is amplified by attempts to answer the basic question of “why?” I believe there is no simple answer to that question; nevertheless, politicians and social commentators all have their points of view and are hardly reticent in offering opinions and definitive reasons why such calamities occur.
 
All of us whose lives, at one time or another, have been affected by such overwhelming events must remember that evil is still present in the world. For reasons unknown to most of us—perhaps even to the perpetrators—people will still do horrible things. People of faith are once again called to offer prayers for those who have been killed or injured and for their families who must face the emptiness of death and pain. It is further necessary for us to offer prayers for one another as a support and a blessing, to remember that we still do believe in a God who loves us and does not will evil for anyone.
 
Ultimately, it is God who will settle our minds and hearts in the eternal embrace of His love and the unconditional security of heaven. For now, please pray for those who have been affected by actions of violence and death. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.
 
Most Rev. William Patrick Callahan, OFM Conv.
Bishop of La Crosse
 
You can read Bishop Callahan’s Blog, entitled “There is a River” at http://blog.diolc.org/?p=325

Praised be Jesus Christ!
 
Happy Father’s Day to all of you fathers!  I’m reminded of the special prayer of blessing on the father of a child in the Rite of Baptism, which follows immediately after the prayer over the mother.  It goes like this: “God is the giver of all life, human and divine.  May he bless the father of this child.  He and his wife will be the first teachers of their child in the ways of faith.  May they be also the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
 
How much more our culture needs fathers to fully embrace this role of being their children’s first teacher in the faith… both in word and example!  Fatherhood has suffered greatly in many ways in American culture over the last several decades, and this is especially true with regard to passing on the Catholic Faith.  It was not long ago that fathers were seen as primarily responsible for the religious education, as well as the spiritual and moral well-being, of their children.  The father was to teach his children their basic prayers, lead prayer together as a family, and bring them to church on Sunday.  Of course, both mother and father did these things, but the father had the leadership in matters of religion.
 
While there are fathers who faithfully assume this role in their families, many fathers today, succumbing to the pressures of our culture, have abdicated their role in the faith formation of their children, or at least have taken a back seat.  I recently came across the results of a study conducted in Switzerland in 1994.  The study produced these statistics about the connection between the faith of fathers and the faith of their children:

• When a mother and father attend church regularly:
  • 33% of their children will end up attending church regularly
  • 25% of their children will end up not attending church at all
• When a mother attends church regularly, but the father does not attend church at all:
  • 2% of their children will end up attending church regularly
  • 60% of their children will end up not attending at all
• When a father attends church regularly, but the mother does not attend church at all:
  • 44% of their children will end up attending church regularly
  • 34% of their children will end up not attending at all

Of course, these are statistics from many years ago in another country, but I think they reveal some general truths about the role of the father in the faith of the children for our own time and culture as well.  What is especially interesting to note is that when the father alone is a churchgoer, the rate of faith retention for children is even higher than when both parents are churchgoers.  This does not mean that mothers should stop going to Mass.  Rather, it points to the fact that when fathers are the most committed and active in the faith, the children follow.  With regard to religion, in general, if the father leads, the children follow.  If the mother leads, they might follow.
 
I’d like to share one final observation I heard recently from a father who also happens to be a deacon in the Church.  He noted how most American men enjoy adventure in one form or another: hunting, camping, etc.  However, when it comes to the adventure of the interior life of our relationship with God, most American men are afraid of this.  Many climb mountains so as to avoid having to go inside.  The father must strive to penetrate these depths, for then his children will follow him there.  May we honor our fathers this day, especially those who have sown the seeds of faith in our life.  And may we renew our own commitments to be our children’s first teachers in word and example.

Praised be Jesus Christ!
 
Have you been troubled by what is happening in America?  The truths revealed by God about man, woman, marriage, sexuality, and respect for life are increasingly labeled as “bigotry” and “hate.”  People who seek to live and work in conformity with their religious convictions are increasingly intimidated and penalized.
 
It is true that there are glimmers of hope, such as the recent Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Little Sisters of the Poor.  But we have seen repeated mandates and “guidance” from the White House pushing a radically secular ideology of “reproductive health” and gender.  Most recently, legislation has been introduced that would gut the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed in 1993 (RFRA).  This is the sobering backdrop for the fifth “Fortnight for Freedom” called by the U.S. Bishops. 
 
Each year dioceses around the country arrange special events to highlight the importance of defending religious freedom.  The Fortnight for Freedom is from June 21st (the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More) to July 4th, Independence Day.  The theme for this year is “Witnesses of Freedom,” which focuses on 14 powerful witnesses and invites us to imitate their fidelity and courage in the face of adversity.  Some of these witnesses include the Little Sisters of the Poor, Sts. John Fisher and Thomas More, the Coptic Martyrs, and St Kateri Tekakwitha.  Brief summaries of the witness given by these individuals and groups can by found on the USCCB website at http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/fortnight-for-freedom/index.cfm.
 
It is very important that we as Catholics join together in prayer for the protection of our religious freedom.  We should never underestimate the power of prayer when done together.  Bishop Callahan will be celebrating a Holy Hour on June 21st at 6:30pm at Blessed Sacrament Parish in La Crosse (… FYI – that’s one of Fr. Raj’s current parishes).  Throughout the diocese we are invited to simultaneously celebrate a Holy Hour with the Bishop.  Please join me in prayer and adoration before the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesday, June 21st at 6:30pm at St. Mary’s in Auburndale as we pray for the preservation of our religious freedom.

Praised be Jesus Christ!
 
Last weekend, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of the Lord, a.k.a, Corpus Christi.  This feast serves to remind us just what the Lord does for us every time the Mass is celebrated.  The Lord gives himself to us in sacrifice, and we give ourselves back to him.  The whole Church gathers on Sunday (or Saturday evening) to celebrate the Eucharist because it is the Lord’s Day, the day of the Resurrection.  Our whole faith centers on the Lord’s Day and this celebration of the Eucharist.  For that reason, the first precept of the Church, as stated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, says: “You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.”  By being faithful to our Sunday Mass obligation, we are in effect saying that worship of the Lord is the most important thing in our life.  Regular Mass attendance is not something the Church has just made up.  This has always been the sense of the Faith.  It is evident in the writings of the early Church, and is supported by the Scriptures.
 
As we now enter into the summer months, many of you will be traveling and taking some vacation time… and so will your pastor!  I love this time of year!  While many of you may be traveling in the coming months, I thought I would take a moment to offer a couple reminders.
 
First, it’s important that we not forget our Sunday Mass obligation.  Certainly, one may have good reason to miss Mass on Sunday.  Being ill, being frail due to old age, caring for someone who is sick, and the danger due to inclement weather are serious and legitimate reasons that excuse one from our obligation.  Also, if there is no Catholic Church in the area you happen to be travelling, or if when you arrive at the church, it is closed, or unbeknownst to you the Mass time has changed – these are also legitimate excuses.
 
That being said, simply going on vacation (or travelling for work) does not excuse one from Mass attendance.  If you are traveling, plan ahead.  The internet makes it very easy these days to find Catholic Church locations and Mass times.  If you are traveling with non-Catholics (or non-practicing Catholics), be sure to state your intentions to get to Mass before traveling.  Many people tell me that they feel awkward about leaving the group to go to Mass during a trip when they are the only one giving it consideration.  Don’t be discouraged by this or tempted to skip Mass.  Think of what a great witness of faith it gives to state your intentions about getting to Mass on Sunday ahead of time.  You might be surprised about who decides to join you!  If you are planning to be away and believe that you may have no opportunity to attend Mass, talk to your pastor about it beforehand.
 
Secondly, I would ask that you not forget to support your parish throughout the summer months while you are away.  As you can see in the bulletin, weekend collections go way down in the summer.  This is understandable if parishioners make up for it at other times of the year… however, we do not stop paying bills during the summer!  Therefore, I’d like to take this opportunity to ask you once again to consider signing up for online giving.  This insures that our offering is regular, even when we are away.  Please see the parish website for more information.
 
Blessings to you and your family this summer.  May your time of rest and relaxation be an occasion for growing closer to the Lord.