DECISION TIME -- L'HEUR DECISIVE -- HORA DECISIVA

The hour of Truth has arrived. 

Yesterday we attended the ordination of a new bishop for the Diocese of San Diego. It was a touching and moving ceremony.  The church abounded with people of Good Will.  
After the ceremony while waiting outside the church as we prepared to leave the parking lot we spied some of the seminarians who are preparing to go home for the summer. These are seminarians who are at the college level of their educational stage. We spoke to one of them when we recognized him from our daily mass attendance. We wished him the best of everything. He announced to us  that he was leaving the program. I wished him the best of everything and assured him of our prayers. I encouraged him to remember that all is not lost and that his life had been made better and would continue to improve in the spiritual Arena as well as the human one because of the way the godhead protected him during his Seminary days.  I am writing this to you because I am inviting all of you to pray in a very special way for the seminarians like him and like those who are continuing towards the day of ordination.  All of must know that they are being supported in Prayer by the community in which they live. Former seminarians are essential collaborators in the Church's mission.  These people who are leaving are going to be very important to our Christian Community.  Dare I say, "As important as those who will stay?   It will be a different importance. It will be a different element but it will be something that God and the church need very very much. Please join us and pray for all seminarians so that they will persevere in the service of God and the church, ordained or not.

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Hier, nous avons assisté à l'ordination d'un nouvel évêque pour le diocèse de San Diego. C'était une cérémonie touchante et émouvante. L'église abondait avec des gens de bonne volonté.
Après la cérémonie en attendant a l'extérieur de l'église alors que nous nous préparions à quitter le parking, nous avons rencontre certains séminaristes qui se préparent à la maison pour l'été. Ce sont des séminaristes qui sont au niveau collégial de leur stage éducatif. Nous avons parlé à l'un d'eux lorsque nous l'avons reconnu lors de notre participation a la messe quotidienne. Nous lui souhaitâmes le meilleur de tout.  En ce moment il nous annonça qu'il quittait le programme. Je lui souhaitai le meilleur de tout et je l'ai assuré de nos prières. Je l'ai encouragé de se rappeler que tout n'est pas perdu et que sa vie a été améliorée et qu'elle continuera à s'améliorer dans l'arène spirituelle aussi bien que dans la vie seculiere en raison de la manière dont la divinité l'a protégé pendant ses jours au Séminaire. Je vous écris parce que je vous invite tous à prier de manière très spéciale pour les séminaristes comme lui et comme ceux qui continuent vers le jour de l'ordination. Tous doivent savoir qu'ils sont soutenus dans la prière par la communauté dans laquelle ils vivent. Les anciens séminaristes sont des collaborateurs essentiels dans la mission de l'Église. Ces gens qui partent seront très importants pour notre communauté chrétienne. J'ose dire: «Aussi important que ceux qui resteront,"  Cela aura une importance différente. Ce sera un élément différent, mais ce sera quelque chose que Dieu et l'Église auront beaucoup besoin. Merci de vous joindre à nous et de prier pour tous les séminaristes. Qu'ils persévéreront dans le service de Dieu et de l'église, ordonnés ou non.

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Ayer asistimos a la ordenación de un nuevo obispo para la Diócesis de San Diego. Fue una ceremonia conmovedora. La iglesia abundaba en gente de Buena Voluntad.
Después de la ceremonia mientras esperábamos fuera de la iglesia mientras nos preparábamos para dejar el estacionamiento, vimos a algunos de los seminaristas que se preparaban para irse a casa para el verano. Estos son los seminaristas que están en el nivel universitario de su etapa educativa. Hablamos con uno de ellos cuando lo reconocimos basado en nuestra asistencia diaria a las misas. Le deseamos lo mejor de todo. Nos anunció que se iba del programa. Le deseé lo mejor de todo y le aseguré nuestras oraciones. Lo animé a recordar que no todo está perdido y que su vida se había mejorado y seguiría mejorando tanto en el area espiritual como en el humana debido al modo en que la divinidad lo protegía durante sus días de Seminario. 
Les estoy escribiendo esto porque les invito a todos a orar de una manera muy especial para los seminaristas como él y como aquellos que continúan hacia el día de la ordenación. Todos deben saber que están siendo apoyados en la oración por la comunidad en la que viven. Los antiguos seminaristas son colaboradores esenciales en la misión de la Iglesia. Estas personas que están saliendo van a ser muy importantes para nuestra comunidad cristiana. Me atrevería a decir: "Tan importante como los que se quedarán.  Será de una importancia diferente, será un elemento diverso, pero será algo que Dios y la iglesia necesitan mucho. Que perseverarán en el servicio de Dios y de la iglesia, ordenados o no.

EARLY DECEMBER CHRISTMAS IN BETHLEHEM

Bethlehem Manger Square Christmas Tree Lighting Festivities

We are getting ready to go celebrate early Christmas in Bethlehem, the place were Jesus Himself was born. (Nov. 29 though Dec. 9) The red rectangle on the right of the Christmas tree is the stage where choirs perform for the large gathering in the Square. This year, one of those choirs will be composed of singers from Southern California (Inland Empire area, mostly) led by Joemari and Ning Manahan.

The choir is but a part of the group that is being organized to visit the Holy Land for a few days of pilgrimage in other holy places in the Holy Land after the Christmas Tree lighting celebration.  There are many non singers who are joining the group many of them attracted by the $150.00 discount granted to those who make an early reservation.  
(Down payment of $350.00 made by May 31.)

The special nature of this pilgrimage is marked by the fact that the participation of a choir from this area is due to the fact that the mayor of Bethlehem herself invited people from this area to participate.  She came to know of us because we have been there several times.  She wants the people of Bethlehem to know that Christians from around the world care about them and respect their privilege of living in such a holy place.  This attitude is important for us and drives us to encourage people to accompany us to the Sacred Land of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

This, therefore is an invitation to you to join us. You can save $150 per person if you join by May 31, 2017.  There is a document with complete information awaiting your click on the picture of the olive tree in the right margin.  Or, you can just click here

By the way, for those of you who are not familiar with this blog, let me announce that once you have read this you are committed to not shed tears at my funeral.  If you want to know why I require that, join me in Bethlehem in December. ($2,699-$150.= $2,549)

PRIESTS MAY COMMENT ABOUT POLITICS, STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES

The question of the place of the Catholic priest in the sphere of politics came up on a social Q&A site called Quora.  I am a contributor on this site.  The question was 

"Does the Vatican permit Catholic priests in the Philippines to comment about politics, state affairs or government policies?"

Given the political environment in which we are presently living, I answered the question pretty much as appears below.  The changes that I make to accommodate the audience of this blog appear in red.

Politics are not out of bounds for Catholic priests. In many instances the priests are the bulwarks of political morality, not only in the Philippines but around the world. It is the conscientious duty of Catholic priests and other ministers and pastors to enlighten the faithful about the political situation in which we all live.  The Vatican (Holy See) is more of a good example of what priests are expected to do in the world of politics than it is of a direct manager.   

Priests are forbidden to run for and hold public office by the Catholic Church. That does not prohibit them from being honest, neutral brokers of actions taken for the public welfare in the public square. You only have to look to the Vatican itself for examples of that. In my lifetime alone we have the involvement of Pius XII during World War II; John XXIII about women's rights and Francis about the protection of the earth and then some.  Priests are not only permitted to follow that example, it is expected of them.  Bishops often lead the way.  In our day we have seen the assasination of Bishop Romero of El Salvador because he dared oppose the repressive government.  More recently we have Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio [now Pope Francis] at loggerheads with the president of Argentina.  He also was instrumental in the rapprochement of Cuba and the USA.

I have an example. Some 2+ years ago, I was present in a “town hall meeting” where the local bishop (USA) was having a lively give and take with the flock (+/- 300 in attendance.) One person challenged the bishop with the question, “When are you going to stop being involved in politics?” The bishop shot back: “Never. Get used to it.”

Being involved in politics is an integral part of the ministry of the Church.  So says I, bishop and either way the readers feel about it, it will be a good reason to not cry at my funeral.

PENTECOST, EASTER, GOOD FRIDAY, LAST SUPPER, MISSION, TEMPTATIONS, BAPTISM, CHRISTMAS

How come it took almost 80 years to understand that without Pentecost, etc, there is no Christmas?  Think about it.  How many rural children from small towns have been born in the history of humankind, in caves and in tents and in the humble house of the midwife and never had more of a reputation than that of the star who grew to be the king's valet?  

Isn't it true that we come to know the story of the valet only after he has developed a reputation of rendering topnotch service while living an exemplary, virtuous life for the benefit of one and all?

It is therefore because God, the Father of Jesus, made sure that there was someone to walk beside Jesus, to listen to Him, to see His life unfold, to laugh and to suffer with Him and finally to announce His Story to the world in Word and in Deed that we can truly know the story of His birth, Christmas.  

Today we stand before His crib so that tomorrow we can protect Him from the sword of Herod.  Today we stand before Him in full view of those who are too "busy" to pay Him heed. Today we stand with Him and the Angels, the Shepherds and the Magi, the Apostles and the Believers who know what the span of His earthly presence has wrought and who participate in it in fulsome willingness.

To you all, from Paul, Belle, Jo-El, Marc, blessings of peace and joy for continued life, constant in the presence of the Loving and Merciful Savior.

WHERE ARE MY GLASSES?

Two days ago I got this email from a friend who sends me a lot of material that is meant to remind me that I am older then he.

Yesterday my daughter e-mailed me again, asking why I didn't do something useful with my time. 

“Like sitting around the pool and drinking wine is not a good thing?” I asked.

Talking about my "doing-something-useful" seems to be her favorite topic of conversation. 

She was "only thinking of me", she said and suggested that I go down to the Senior Center and hang out with the guys.

I did this and when I got home last night, I decided to play a prank on her.

I e-mailed her and told her that I had joined a Parachute Club.

She replied, "Are you nuts? You are 78 years old and now you're going to start jumping out of airplanes?”

I told her that I even got a Membership Card and e-mailed a copy to her.

She immediately telephoned me and yelled, "Good grief, Mom, where are your glasses?!

This is a Membership to a Prostitute Club, not a Parachute Club.”

"Oh man, I'm in trouble again,” I said, “I really don't know what to do. I signed up for five jumps a week!!”

The line went quiet and her friend picked up the phone and said that my daughter had fainted.

Life as a Senior Citizen is not getting any easier, but sometimes it can be fun.

I didn't really think that this was particularly funny, but it did make me think about life in our house.  I mean, real life.  So, as we used to say 70 years ago, I put pen to paper and described my daily life to my younger antagonist this way:

I don't know about you, but I spend about 10% of every day looking for my glasses.  Then I spend another 10% looking for my coffee cup.  I move from there to spending another 10% scouring the house looking for my wallet. I finally find it before I start spending the next 10% over-turning everything that is not tied down or glued in a search for my car keys.  All of the above happens before or after [I can't remember which] I have begun working at my computer for the day.  At that moment I start spending 10% of the day looking for the electronic files that I carried over from yesterday.  Finally, I have just spent 10% of my day scouring my memory for the completed items that I can remember are the fruit of my daily travails.  This is the detailed description of a typical day in the life of Puttss Dion.  I can't remember on what day I did this but the fact that I can see it in front of me means that I have found my glasses and have remembered to do it.  I didn't have to remember who sent it to me because his name is right up there at the top of the paragraph.  (Deleted to protect his anonymity)

I think I have accounted for about 70% of every day {I can't remember exactly how much}.  The reason I can't remember what I do the other 30% of the time must be because I am sleeping on the couch then.  It's easier to find than my bed!

After reading this, you'll know that crying at my funeral would surely be a giant waste of time... I will have forgotten who you are.  

You heard it here first, remember that!