“Feed my Sheep”

The April 14^th, 2013 Gospel includes the account of Jesus asking Peter how much he loves him and then calling him to “feed my sheep.”   Our shepherds: priests, bishops, and pope, continue to be called to love Jesus above all else and then in turn to feed the sheep entrusted to their care.  Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York recently amazed some journalists just prior to the Papal Conclave.  They asked him what all the cardinals were talking about, expecting to hear stories of politics and intrigue.  Cardinal Dolan amazed the media when he said the most common topic was the Lord Jesus!   The cardinals were simply sharing what they are called to do, love the Lord above all else.

            I have enjoyed reading about the original shepherd of Northern Michigan, Bishop Baraga in “These Very Stones Cry Out:  Stories on the History of the Diocese of Gaylord.”  His life was not easy, but the Lord had called him to feed the sheep of Northern Michigan, and so he embraced it.  From a letter to his sister, Bishop Baraga wrote:

“Our church, schoolhouse and my house are of wood, roofed with tree bark….When it rains I must spread out my cloak over my table on which I have my books and papers, in order to protect them from inundation.  Over my bed I spread my umbrella, and I save myself, as well as I can, in a corner of my small room where it drips the least; nevertheless I am happier in my little room than all the European emperors and kings in their glittering gold palaces.”

He goes on to note:  “…I have already mentioned to you in my last letter how severe winter is in this desolate land, overgrown with immense forests…Some days in January and February were so cold that I almost could not finish holy Mass that was begun.  I brought the cruets, in which I have the wine and water for holy Mass, warm from the stove to the church, and before I came to the offertory everything was frozen so that I had to break up the ice in order to pour the wine and the water into the chalice.  Scarcely had I poured the wine in the chalice when it froze instantly, and when I came to the consecration I had to breathe into the chalice for a long time in order to melt the ice in it a little; even longer I breathed into the chalice before holy communion in order to be able to consume the sacred blood.”   Later on he writes, about snowshoeing from settlement to settlement and sleeping under the winter stars even into his 60’s! 

            What would motivate an individual to do this?  Jesus asked him “do you love me.”   And Bishop Baraga and countless other shepherds said “yes” and then went out and tended the sheep given them by Our Lord, wherever they were.  May God continue to bless and sustain our shepherds!

God bless you!

            Phil Lawson, MTS

            Pastoral Associate

The Sacrament of the New Evangelization

          Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York has spoken of Reconciliation as “the sacrament of the new Evangelization.”  He noted the “irony that despite the call of the Second Vatican Council for a renewal of the Sacrament of Penance, what we got instead was its near disappearance.”  Dolan and the Conference of US Bishops spent time discussing this at their Fall 2012 meeting and in fact concluded their meeting with the bishops themselves going to confession.   

         The Catholic Church is just beginning to see a rediscovery of this great sacrament.  Perhaps surprisingly, part of the increase is being driven by the younger generation.  A staple of every World Youth Day is an area set aside for confessions, where hundreds of priests are available (and made great use of!) by the million-plus young people who attend.  Want more proof?  This year, we added the sacrament of confession to the high school retreats we’ve been holding for the St. Mary’s students.  One of their favorite parts, according to the anonymous evaluations they filled out?  Confession. 

         I taught a session for parents of 2^nd graders.  The students are preparing to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time this spring.  This session was just for the parents, to ensure their own understanding of the sacrament as well as assisting them in their preparing of their own children.  I took the parents through the theology and history of the sacrament.  However, the part they enjoyed the most was when I discussed the practical aspects and questions about Confession.  With that in mind, I wanted to address some of the typical questions here:

How often should you go to confession?

The Church asks that we go at least once a year.  That’s a minimum and essentially “spiritual life-support or maintenance”.  Pope John Paul II used to go every week.  If you want to grow in the spiritual life, a regular practice of confession once a month is a good practice.   We see evidence of that in the lives of the saints, the closer they got to God, the more quickly they wanted to remove anything (even small sins) that would in any way harm that relationship and so they would go to confession with great regularity.  

Can you ask the priest questions in confession?

Yes!  Confession can be a great opportunity to also receive some spiritual direction.  I would caution that if you have many questions, it is better to make an appointment, as there are usually people behind you in line as well.  

Can the priest repeat anything he hears in the confessional?

No.  In fact he can be removed from the priesthood for doing that.  There have been stories throughout the history of Christianity of priests even being put in jail for refusing to reveal what they were told in confession, i.e. the authorities know that a criminal went to confession and want to know what was confessed.  No priest can disclose what was heard in the confessional. 

What will Father think of me, or what if he recognizes my voice?

A priest friend once shared, that far from thinking less of the person after hearing what was confessed, he actually thinks more highly of them.  The fact is we are all sinners.  The difference is the soul who is humble enough to admit it and then seek God’s mercy and healing for those sins.  As this priest described it, he holds those going to confession in very high regard, no matter what they confess.  

What if I haven’t been to confession for a while?

All the more reason to go!  When I came back into the Church as a young adult, I remember going to confession for the first time in a number of years. It wasn’t easy, but it was also beautiful, peaceful, and healing—and therefore completely worth it.

What if I don’t know what I’m supposed to say/do?  

You can find a “step-by-step” guide for how to go at Our Sunday Visitor or search the internet for other guides.  You should also not hesitate to ask the priest to walk you through the sacrament, and they will happily assist.                         

         Pope Benedict, in the opening Mass for the Synod of Bishops on the New Evangelization stated:  “We cannot speak about the new evangelization without a sincere desire for conversion.  The best path to the new evangelization is to let ourselves be reconciled with God and with each other” (2 Cor 5:20).  Amen!

God bless you!

            Phil Lawson, MTS

            Pastoral Associate