Soul searching

A few Sundays ago, our Society of Saint Vincent DePaul conference held our annual pork chop dinner fundraiser.  It has become a popular event in our town and is well attended.  We season the meat and grill the chops ourselves in the church parking lot.  I am usually in charge of baking potatoes and running the drive-thru pick up area. 

Just before our 11 AM Mass, a car pulled up and parked by the drive-thru which is behind the church in the alley.  A young couple with a baby got out, said it was their first time here, and asked how to get into the church.  It happened at one of our busier moments, but I welcomed them and directed them to the front of the church.  

I watched for them when Mass was over, hoping to exchange pleasantries.  The pork chop line was busy but I started to walk toward them as they were putting the baby in the car seat.  Before I could approach, they hastily got into the car without making eye contact and drove off.  

Later that evening, our priest called me and said he met a couple with a baby for our OCIA class.  They expressed interest in becoming Catholic.  He was surprised to learn I had already encountered them briefly that morning.  He told me he gave them a parish registration form, told them to fill it out, and bring it back the following Sunday.  He did not get their names or contact information. 

Now three weeks later, they have yet to return.  As the OCIA leader, I would have contacted them if I knew who they were.  The form our priest handed them was not for the OCIA class.  The form is for new parishioners.  It asks for information about what sacraments have been received, what name to appear on offering envelopes, and what organizations they may be interested in joining.  If the couple had never attended a Catholic mass before, they may have been overwhelmed.

That initial contact with anyone considering the Catholic faith is so important, whether it be in person or in a phone call.  This is especially true if they are walking into a Catholic church for the first time not knowing what to expect.  If their only experience has been at some non-denominational community, they are encountering something quite different.  They may feel that they are being ignored.  They see people kneeling, standing, and responding in unison.  My fear is that this couple may have been intimidated and frightened off.  

As Catholics, we are accustomed to seeing strangers at Mass.  Catholics can attend Mass anyplace they happen to be.  We also tend to focus on the Eucharistic presence in church more than the people around us.  We remain quiet as to not disturb others who are praying.  Unfamiliar faces may get a nod or a wave.  Ideally. we should have greeters equipped to direct new inquirers if they appear at the door.

I have exhausted all my ideas in trying to locate the couple.  I am giving it to the Holy Spirit hoping that he can lead them back to us.  In the meantime, we need to do better, from our pastor on down, to make sure we are a welcoming parish.  Who knows how many souls could be lost because we missed one opportunity to share our faith?

Feeling Foolish

I don’t pretend to understand modern technology.  Today for the first time, I had to sign in at my doctor’s office on a computer terminal rather than speaking to the receptionist.  I figured out how to enter my name and birthday.  Then up popped a series of yes or no questions.  One asked if I had “multiple births?”.  I’ve been asked if I was born again, but I don’t think that is what they were asking.  I just checked no.   

I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago when I attempted to order a pizza at a gas station convenience store.  Another older woman walked in the same time I did and we both stood by the pizza counter expecting the server to take our order.  After standing there for about five minutes looking like a couple of idiots, the guy at the cash register asked if we were waiting for an order.  The woman said no. We want to place an order.  He pointed us to a little screen where we could enter an order, despite the fact that the pizza lady behind the counter could have much easier listened to us tell her what we wanted on our pizzas instead of us fumbling with the touch screen.

The other customer, who I had never met before, helped me enter my order and then I helped her enter hers.  The options offered on the menu did not provide exactly what I wanted, but I got something close.  Having been humiliated enough, we both went outside to our cars to wait for the pizzas to be done.  I never saw her again after that, but when I went back in to collect my pizza, they gave me mine and hers too.  The pizza lady was surprised that we did not know each other.  Anyway, we got it sorted out and I left with my pizza sort of like I wanted.  

It seems to be that we are relying on computers much more than necessary or desirable.  Especially concerning to me is artificial intelligence.  I have heard fears expressed about AI taking over in ways that are troubling although I do not fully understand all the implications.  I always thought computers could never be smarter than the person who programs them.  But I am becoming very aware of information fabricated by artificial means that is completely fictional.

So many stories that show up on Facebook or Youtube appearing to be factual are not.  We often hear the expression “fake news” where a writer purposely distorts the facts for political gain, but I suspect many postings in social media are now generated by computers via algorithms sourced from no individual human mind.  As these capabilities grow and improve over time, how long before we can no longer discern truth from fiction?  I am already skeptical of much I see on the internet.  Stories that seem ordinarily plausible may or may not be based in actuality.  Even photos are concocted.  With uncertainty comes distrust and that isn’t healthy when misplaced.  Our society, especially young people, are often confused and led astray.  Where are we headed?

I see well-meaning friends sharing articles that I know are not true.  Often the accompanying text is obviously constructed in a tone that seems incompatible with the subject manner.  The author does not speak like a human and probably isn’t.  The language sounds embellished.  A pattern I have noticed lately is postings about celebrities or famous athletes donating huge amounts of money to certain causes or recent tragedies.  Trying to corroborate many of these stories is impossible.  I can only imagine the reason these messages are generated.  There must be a monetary benefit in collecting hits.  I can block clickbait sites that post manufactured stories, but detecting them is becoming more difficult.  It now takes more than common sense to avoid gullibility. 

The internet is a wonderful tool, but it is being muddied by people (and now machines) that misuse it.  I would not want to go back to the days when my World Book Encyclopedia was my go-to source for information, but at least I could be fairly certain that some teenaged hacker sitting in his bedroom didn’t insert a fabricated paragraph.  I want to cite sources I know I can trust and verify.   And just so you know, I am not a robot.

Sow and tell

Our town’s annual festival was this past weekend.  It takes place on the streets by our parish and we take the opportunity to offer tours of our church.  People love to see our beautiful stained-glass windows that were commissioned by the G.C. Riordan company in 1911.  For us, it is a chance to also share our faith with people who would not normally enter a Catholic Church.  We explain the Biblical events depicted in the windows, give short biographies of the statued Saints, and talk about the tenets of the Catholic faith, especially the Eucharist.

I was one of the tour guides.  Most of the people I took through the church were not Catholic.  Several told me they had never been in a Catholic church before.  Others said they had ancestors or relatives who were Catholic or raised Catholic which I assumed meant they no longer practiced the faith.  For some, I was able to engage them in conversation about their spiritual life.  My hope was to plant seeds that might bear fruit someday.  

One woman who came alone spoke of being Catholic but not attending Mass.  She said she could not believe a just God would send someone to hell for missing Mass on Sunday.  She was a spiritual person who prayed and felt confident that God loved her.  She seemed comfortable talking to me and I sensed that maybe she was looking for affirmation that she was in God’s good graces.  I wanted to respond to her in such a way that might cause her to realize she was missing something important without discouraging her or driving her away.  When these opportunities arise, I usually end up kicking myself later for not coming up with the right words to make a positive impression.  I told her I could tell she loved God and God loves her, but she is missing the Eucharist when she does not go to Mass.  

Thinking to myself the three things necessary for a sin to be mortal, I told her missing Mass might not be mortal for her salvation if her conscience truly tells her otherwise, but I suspected her conscience might be bothering her since she brought up the topic.  I wish I had placed more emphasis on the importance of forming our consciences properly.  I did tell her that missing Mass on Sunday would be a mortal sin for me because that is what I believe.  She said she appreciated me being open minded.  I don’t think I am very opened minded, but okay.  

Making an impact is difficult when you have just met a person for the first time, will likely never see them again, and only have a few minutes to interact.  As we parted, I told her to go home and read John, chapter six.  I thought maybe the Bread of Life discourse would open her eyes.  She said she would, and I believe she will.

Habemus Papam

Thursday was going to be a busy one.  Got up early to chauffeur my wife to the hospital for a routine medical procedure. Drove an hour each way through thunderstorms hoping to get home in time to take an early lunch.  I needed to get an early start on some afternoon errands to get back for a two o’clock commitment to move donated furniture from a house to our Saint Vincent DePaul storage building.  Everything was going according to plan.  We got home from the hospital earlier than expected and even had time to turn on the television before going out for lunch.

As we were about the leave for lunch, a news bulletin popped up.  White smoke was scene at the Sistine Chapel.  A new Pope has been selected.   Bells were ringing, crowds of people at the Vatican were cheering and it was all being covered on live television.  I have been alive for the selection of five popes, but I have never had the opportunity to watch the announcement on live tv.  The anticipation was exciting, but some of my errands had to be done today and before my two o'clock appointment.  My wife and I anxiously awaited the appearance of the new Pope, at the same time watching the clock.  

We waited as long as we could and then my wife said we have to go.  I found a radio station that was covering the conclave so we could listen in the car.  As no announcement seemed eminent, they went on to other topics.  We decided to stop for lunch at a nearby restaurant.  My wife laid her cell phone on the table while we waited for our food.  Suddenly, she gasped!  It’s an American from Chicago!  My eyes widened.  All I could think of was CUPICH?  No.  She showed me her phone.  Robert Prevost.  I had never heard of him.  Pope Leo XIV.

At sixty-nine years old, Pope Leo is younger than I am.  Chances are I may never get to watch a new pope introduced for the first time live, and that’s okay.  Now we will be subjected to all of the speculation about what kind of Pope he will be.  He will be praised and criticized depending on perspective of the commentator.  Let us trust in the Holy Spirit and allow Pope Leo to lead us as God sees fit.  

Day 2 thoughts:         (edit)

Will having a Pope from Chicago make him seem a little more human and therefore somewhat less authoritative to us Americans?  Within a couple hours of his introduction, we learned he is a White Sox fan, plays Wordle, and likes cars.  He seems just like one of us, but is that a good thing?  Yes, he is human, but he isn’t just like one of us.  He is the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, the Supreme Pontiff, the Bishop of Rome, the Holy Father, the Successor of Saint Peter.  I am wondering if American Catholics will view him differently than any previous Pope when it comes to respecting his authority.

I just saw a very awkward moment on television when one of his brothers returned a call to the Pope in the presence of local news media with cameras rolling.  The Pope answered and went silent when his brother told him he was being recorded live.  It is obvious that his own family has been caught off guard by all of the attention. 

For whom the bell trolls

An ill wind blew on Laetare Sunday!  Our little town was struck by severe storms that caused some damage to our parish rectory and grounds.  A section of shingles took flight along with some siding from one of the dormers.  A large spruce tree in the parking lot was uprooted.  The church itself sustained no damage other than a gutter downspout that was blown off.  Power was knocked out but that caused no harm at the time because all Sunday Masses were over by then.  The big problem occurred some nine hours later when the power came back on!

It was nearly midnight when electricity was restored to part of the town where the church is located.  For some strange reason that only God can explain, the church bell started to ring.  A power surge?  Lightning?  Who knows?  All we know is that the bell rang, and rang, and rang.  Normally a problem like this would be easily remedied.  Our pastor would hear the bell ringing just a short distance from his rectory bedroom window.  But he does not stay in the rectory on Sunday nights.  Monday is his “day off” and he spends Sunday nights at a house he owns about thirty minutes away.  

The only people close enough to hear the bell ringing were some very angry neighbors who were trying to sleep.  Some of them called the police.  Our little town had one police officer on duty that night.  He attempted to rouse someone at the church, but there was no one there.  He actually gained access to the church by pulling on the front door which someone had failed to lock properly.  Wandering into the basement, he found a breaker panel, but none of them powered the bell.  He started to climb the bell tower but decided that was above his pay grade.  In the meantime, the bell continued to peal.  

In desperation, he awakened the owner of the mortuary that was located behind the church to see whether he knew who to contact.  He gave him my phone number.  Normally, I would be the person to handle any problem with the bell at the church as I am probably most familiar with its inner workings.  But, I managed to sleep through three phone calls.  We still had no power at our house and my phone had not been charging as it normally would overnight.  I later learned that I also slept through the police officer banging on our front door.   

Eventually, the police officer along with the mortician went to the home of another parishioner and were able to wake her and her husband.  Imagine being awakened at three o’clock in the morning to find a police officer and mortician at your front door.  This would put a scare into any normal human being.  In this particular case, the woman had a similar experience years ago when her youngest son was killed in a car accident.  I can only imagine what went through her mind.  She did get them into the church where the breaker panel for the bell was located and they were able to silence the bell.

I still do not know how exactly long the bell rang during the night.  Estimates range from three to seven hours depending on which nasty Facebook comment one reads.  I woke up about 5 AM to find the missed calls and voice messages on my phone.  I immediately got up and went to the church, but the bell had stopped by then, so I would suppose it rang for some three or four hours.  In a later conversation with the poor police officer, he said the county dispatcher received fifteen calls, including three complaints to 911.  

The police have requested that we supply them with a list of keyholders in the unlikely case this ever happens again.  This may be the only time the bell has gone rogue during the night in its 115 year history.  Nevertheless, we have given a list of phone numbers to the sheriff’s office, something we probably should have done years ago.  There could be other emergencies at the church where access was needed. 

We believe that God can bring good from even the worst circumstances.  On this particular Lenten night, some people laid awake thinking about the Catholic Church who otherwise might have just fallen asleep.  Perhaps their thoughts were not the kind that typically inspire converts, but sometimes the Holy Spirit works in mysterious ways. 

Parish, the thought

Our Bishop has ordered all pastors in the diocese to select three “key leaders” from each parish who, along with the pastor, will meet to discuss the current ministerial landscape and explore future strategies for an effective Catholic presence in the area.  This effort is prompted by the challenge we are facing to maintain and staff parishes in our diocese.  As the Bishop points out, numerous priests are going to be retiring in the next few years with a shortage of seminarians to take their place.  Many churches are old and difficult to maintain with reduced revenues and increasing costs.  

He recognizes the need to be proactive and develop a plan to meet these challenges.  Furthermore, I think he wants to get the parishioners involved in making recommendations because many parishes are going to be faced with difficult decisions, reduction in staffing and possible closings. It’s a reality we are facing.  Having parishioners involved in the process helps them accept tough outcomes rather than feeling like they were blindsided.

According to our pastor, prior bishops in our diocese kept parishes open as long as they were financially viable, but this may no longer be an option.  Many pastors now serve more than one parish.  At some point, priests may become so sparse that Sunday Mass might not be available in some churches.  Even financially stable parishes may find themselves facing closure. 

I counted sixty-three Catholic Churches in our diocese spread over four counties.  Our county is the smallest of the four with only four churches and one mission.  Presently, there are three priests serving in the county.  Two of them are beyond retirement age.  I would hope we could support at least two priests in the county for the foreseeable future.  That would still present a challenge in keeping all five sites afloat.  The mission is near the county line and could possibly be staffed part time from the adjacent county.  One parish already shares a pastor with our parish.  One of the other parishes is small and would need to share a pastor if it stays open.  All of this is conjecture at this point.  

The diocese ordained two priests last year and has two more who will be ordained this year.  They are far outnumbered by the priests who will be retiring soon.  The last priest to come from our parish is long retired.  Our sister parish has one young man in the seminary now.  He will be ordained in about three years.  I completely understand why our Bishop is preparing us for some painful decisions coming in the not too distant future.   Please keep praying for vocations.