What is the deal with the changes in the chairs and candles in the sanctuary?   

You may notice things are a bit different this week!  The presider’s chair has moved to the side of the sanctuary opposite the ambo.  The servers’ chairs are gone, and now the servers sit in the front pews on the sides.  The altar candles have moved to spots right next to the altar.  Also, some of the actions of the altar servers have changed, especially the Gospel and exit processions.  So what’s the deal?

We just decided to change things a bit, that’s all.  Nothing was wrong, nor was there an edict from Rome.  What began simply as an in-house revision of altar server actions to be a little more reverent and precise, expanded to our liturgical furniture–chairs and candles.  There were numerous little reasons for the changes, but the overarching goal is to emphasize the sacredness of what goes on at Mass and draw attention to the Eucharist and to the Word and try to remove a little bit of the human distractions in the sanctuary.  Whether we achieve this is probably a matter of opinion, but I hope we can take this change as a reminder of the sacredness and constant need for attentive reverence at Mass which can easily slip in routine if we are not careful.

-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com

What exactly is NFP? Isn’t it just Catholic birth control? Does it actually work?   

Come to the Natural Family Planning Wine and Cheese Evening on Saturday, February 20th at 7pm in the Fr. Burak room and find out!  Let me try to hit a few basic points to excite your interest.

NFP is Natural Family Planning.  It is the way for married couples to plan their families, yet respect God’s plan and intention for marriage and sex.  It is not simply Catholic birth control, because it’s a whole different way of thinking and acting than what our society refers to as birth control or contraception (sterilization, the pill, condoms, etc).  NFP instead involves observing the signs and symptoms of fertile and infertile phases of a women’s cycle.  The two ways, NFP and contraception, might produce the same results in terms of limiting or spacing births, but they use radically different means.  That makes all the difference because NFP is moral and contraception is immoral.  Let me explain.

One of the promises made in the rite of Marriage is, “Will you accept children lovingly from God…?”  Marriage is naturally ordered by God for the couple to grow in love and bring new life to the world.  Sex is the sacred sign of marriage.  It is where everything the marriage is about comes together: love, unity, total giving, and openness to new life.  Once you take one of those things out of the marriage, you are on dangerous ground, and so too with sex.  Contraception does exactly that by removing all openness to life.  It is a redefining of marriage and sex from God’s plan to our own plan.  Never a good idea, because God’s plans are always better than the best of our own plans!  In fact, our own plans can be downright sinful.  NFP on the other hand does not remove the openness to life but cooperates with God’s plan in a way that keeps sex sacred.  A big problem in our society is that we’ve lost our sense of the sacred and of how truly good things can be and we’ve settled for something far less.

If this intrigues you, please check out NFP.  It’s never too late to change.  The Lord is always drawing us nearer to Himself, and that always requires conversion and a change in action and attitude.  And yes, NFP does work; it is 99% effective when practiced correctly to space and limit births, plus it also can be very effective the other way in helping achieve pregnancy too.  Don’t be afraid, check out the NFP night here to find out more exactly what it’s all about.

-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.

What is expected of a Catholic? (Continued from previous weeks.)
  
The past two weeks I wrote about Mass and confession obligations.  A follow-up question was asked: At what age are children bound to go to Mass on Sunday and Holy Days?  The answer is that most of church law (Mass obligation included) is applicable to all Catholics over the age of seven, which is more or less “the age of reason”. 

However, I would really recommend younger children coming even though they are not obliged in order to develop the habit and to let the richness and wonder of the Mass to begin to sink in early.  Don’t forget what a gift it is to give to your children by bringing them to Mass.  You wouldn’t neglect to bring them to the doctor or to school, don’t neglect to bring them to the Lord!  Sometimes they will find such things boring, but hey, I don’t like broccoli, but I eat it because I know it’s good for me.  Also, kids find Mass more interesting the more we teach and explain it to them.  The Catechesis the Good Shepherd program here at Curé is a great example of doing that.  Mothers of Young Children also sponsor Mass demonstrations at various times of the year.

I want to finish off this series about what is expected of a Catholic by briefly mentioning the final three precepts of the Church.  The third precept is to “receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.” (CCC #2042)  This normally is not an issue, because most of us receive communion every time we go to Mass, and we should if we are free from mortal sin and have prepared ourselves to receive.  I guess, years ago, many people felt unworthy and so the Church had to require them to receive at least once a year.

The fourth precept is to “observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.” (CCC #2043)  This is a big issue since Lent is coming soon.  I won’t go into the details as you can read them always in the Leaven, the Archdiocesan newspaper, around the time of Ash Wednesday.

The fifth and final precept is “to provide for the needs of the Church.” (CCC #2043) It just makes sense that for the Church to operate and continue the mission of Jesus Christ it needs the time, talent, and treasure of its people.  “Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required.” (Lk 12:48)  We are given so much by God!  Let us strive live up to what is expected of all Catholics.

-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.

What is expected of a Catholic? (Continued from last week.)
  
Last week I wrote about the first precept of the Church: “You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.” (CCC #2042).  Instead of moving on to second precept, I think a follow up is in order as many have been asking if this serious obligation holds for the elderly, those sick, in case of bad weather, etc.  When does the obligation hold?  Can a person do something else (such as watch Mass on TV) to fulfill the obligation to attend Mass?

Any obligation of the Church ceases to bind us once it becomes impossible.  God doesn’t demand the impossible.  In the case of Mass, the obligation ceases for the following sort of serious reasons:

1) Illness.  If a person is sick or weakened by illness, they are not obliged to come to Mass (all the more so if they are contagious—please do not come!  There are people with weakened immune systems who want to attend Mass without risking their lives.)
2) Caring for someone sick.
3) Dangerous weather, such as we had on Christmas with the blizzard.
4) Certain occupations for which work on Saturday and Sunday is a must (maybe a doctor, nurse, firefighter, police, soldier on duty, etc.)
5) Traveling in an area where there is no Mass, or the nearest Mass would be very difficult to get to (large number of miles or such).

There could be other reasons, but they must be serious!  Even if you have a valid reason, a bad intention (such as being glad you miss Mass or purposely putting yourself into an impossible situation) can make for sin.  Really if you have a doubt, talk to a priest.  Any priest of the Archdiocese can dispense a person from the obligation to Mass for a valid reason.  A priest can also commute the obligation to another act of worship like going to Mass during the week instead, especially if it is a regular occurrence.  Watching a TV Mass is a great idea!  It does not fulfill the obligation for the general public, but for those who have a serious reason dispensing them from Mass attendance, it is about as close as you can get to the real thing.

There is no true substitute for attending Mass, but God certainly understands the difficult situations many are in.  If you do have a serious reason for missing Mass, don’t feel guilty or confess it as a sin since you have not freely chosen against God.  Instead, realize the gift Mass is, and pray for God’s grace in your life, and pray that all Catholics will recognize the amazing gift God’s gives us at each Mass.

-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.

What is expected of a Catholic?
  
As we begin this new year of 2010, I’d like to begin a new series of answers on a very simple question someone asked me, “What are we expected to do as a parishioner?”  If we don’t know what is expected of us, how can we live up it?  It is hard to know where to begin on this question, so I’ll begin with the relatively unknown “Precepts of the Church”.  (You can find these in the Catechism of the Catholic Church #2041-2043.  I don’t make this stuff up.)

The catechism says, “The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life.  The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth of love of God and neighbor.”

There are five precepts, so today I’ll start with #1: “You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor.”

I think this is one of the best known, yet least followed laws of the Church.  As the catechism says the reason for this rule is to “guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the love of God and neighbor.”  I want to highlight a few words here.  This is “very necessary”.  That means without attending Mass on Sundays and holy days we are missing something critical—kind of like for life, it is necessary to breathe or to eat.  I think sometimes we forget how necessary Mass is!  The best way to kill your spiritual life is to neglect this.  Further, this is also just the “minimum”.  Don’t tell me one hour out of your week is a big sacrifice.  Most of us spend more time watching TV than that.  There are 168 hours in a week; one hour for God is the absolute minimum.

For those who’ve got Sunday and Holy Day Mass attendance down, the hard part is the “rest from servile labor” on that day.  There are lots of opinions on how this is done, but I’ll just quote canon law which says: “to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.”  I’m not sure why we don’t want to do this.  To me, joy and relaxation sound like great things to be commanded to do!  I wish the Church commanded that every day!  I think a good rule then is to avoid whatever is burdensome to you (if it can be avoided), and if you enjoy something and it relaxes you, then do that.  Well, maybe that’s enough for today.  Tune in next week for precept #2.
 
-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.

Father, I heard on Catholic Radio that yoga exercises are against the Church.  Is this true?
  
If you heard it on TV or radio, it must be true!  Than again, perhaps not.  I think it really depends on what you mean by “yoga exercises”.  Certainly it is not wrong to stretch and exercise and practice breathing.  These are neutral actions.  So the physical part of yoga seems innocent enough.  In fact, physical exercise that promotes health and well-being is good.

I think what the concern is all about is the spiritual part of yoga which is tied to Eastern spiritualities such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.  These, quite obviously, do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as Savior, nor do they have the same concept of God and faith.  To that end engaging in the spiritual aspects of yoga (its prayers, theory, meditation, etc.) could actually lead us away from Jesus, who is truly our peace and salvation.  That would be unfortunate!  Of course there are good and true things in other religions, but there are misleading elements too.  And when they are all mixed up together, it is hard to separate the good and the misleading.  So, I would not engage in any spiritual practices of yoga. 

So the question is whether you can do yoga physically without getting into Eastern spirituality?  Some might argue the two are intrinsically linked.  I think one can separate the two, if one is careful.  We Christians have been doing this sort of thing a long time—taking something from non-Christian culture and “baptizing” it to make it Christian.  Just look at the Christmas tree; once a pagan symbol, now a symbol of Christ and hope…at least it should be.  So with yoga just do the stretches and breathing.  Avoid classes and instruction that get into the spirituality.  Instead, bring your own faith into your exercises.
 
-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.

Father, can you suggest some good religious items for Christmas gifts?
 
Great idea!  Christmas is, after all, a celebration of the birth of Jesus!  Here are some ideas:

1. Give a gift to Jesus.  Maybe this could be a gift of time in prayer or service.

2. Give others the gift of Jesus.  Maybe add a note to your Christmas card that you are praying for them.  Or drop by the Curé office and have a Mass offered for them (suggested offering is only $5, but the value: priceless)

3. Religious music.  We have some great CD’s by local Catholic artists here at Curé (in stock in our office and only $15): The Music of Camp Tekakwitha, Fr. Kent’s Musical of Tobit, the Curé Choirs, and CD’s from our excellent cantors Mark Fortino & Ellen Tuttle, Steve Courtney, and Ron Gutierrez.

4. Religious art. Every Catholic home should have reminders and signs of their faith.  Consider a nativity scene, a crucifix, or images of Jesus or the saints. 

5. A good spiritual book.  First of all, every home, and really, every person should have their own Bible.  There are several good Catholic translations out there.  Already have a Bible?  Consider one the many good Catholic books out there.  Check them out at your local Catholic bookstore or online.  I’ll throw out one specific recommendation: I was recently at the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) and saw Jason Evert speak there and blow away the teens! Therefore, I highly recommend his books for teens, such as “If You Really Love Me: 100 Questions on Dating, Relationships, and Sexual Purity.”

Yes, you’ll be going out on limb getting these sorts of gifts.  And yes, the receiver might think they prefer an iPod or a gift card, but in the long run, these gifts will be far more rewarding.  “Keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)

-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.

Our daughter’s once a year dance recital is coming up and I asked my mother who is a devout Catholic to come to it since it meant a lot to my daughter.  She said she cannot come because she had an adoration/prayer gathering with her fellow parishioners that same night   I understand that everyone has different levels of faith and commitment, but how does one differentiate the line between working for your salvation and missing out on important moments of your own life that could mean a lot to you or other people?  Is there such a thing as obsession to your religious devotion that you are ignoring the gifts that God is trying to give you?
 
Tough question!  Life is often a matter of discernment—prayerfully seeking what God is calling to you do at each moment, especially when hard choices have to be made.  Normally, the situation described is the other way around; we continually say “no” to prayer and devotion in favor of a lot of “moments” in our lives and the lives of family and friends.  We often feel or say we are “too busy” to pray more or to go to some faith event and so on.  And yet on the other hand, as you describe, we do have a duty to family, and we cannot take that lightly.  So what is one to do?

I believe this: God is non-competitive.  In other words, giving to God does not mean taking away from family.  In fact, the opposite is true.  Giving to God is giving to family.  We need holy and prayerful parents and grandparents.  What greater gift to children is there than the gift of faith and of prayer?  Yet at the same time, when one truly loves and serves one’s family, they are following their God-given vocation and doing the Lord’s will. 

Avoid the thinking that we need a balance between God and the rest of our life.  That is making God competitive and is a lose-lose situation.  Do not differentiate “between working for your salvation and missing out on important moments of your own life that could mean a lot to you or other people” as you said.  It is the same thing when done correctly.  Everything we do should be done with God and for God, including everything we do for our families.  That is a win-win situation!

So how do we apply that to your particular situation?  I can’t really do so without more details.  Sorry.  We absolutely do need to take time for dedicated prayer to God.  Prayer time rather than taking away from one’s family actually gives one so much more.  At the same time, being with one’s family and serving them and loving them, such as going to a dance recital, doesn’t take anything away from God or our salvation.  On the contrary, for most of you, that is your vocation—what God is calling you to do!  Yes, hard choices need to be made, but it should not be a matter of God vs. family or religious devotion vs. life.  The choice should simply be about how to best love and serve God and neighbor.  That is a matter of prayerfully living out your vocation.

-Fr. Greg

With flu season in full swing, what precautions should we take at Curé?
 
I’d like to take time to remind everyone once again that there are certain precautions we should all take regarding flu and the spread of illness at all times.

First, if you are sick, you are automatically dispensed from your obligation to attend Mass.  There is no sin in such a case.  Don’t spread your illness.  If you are sick enough to stay home from work or school, stay home from Mass.  There are some in our congregation who have weakened immune systems, so please don’t put them in danger by attending Mass when you are sick.  Instead, pray at home, read the readings, or watch Mass on EWTN or something.  If you need to care for someone sick, you are also dispensed from your Mass obligation.

Second, wash your hands and use good hygiene.  We ask all Eucharistic ministers especially to wash their hands and also to use hand sanitizer before Mass (and right before giving out communion if possible) and afterwards.

Third, should a person receive from the cup?  That is your personal choice.  One always receives Jesus fully—body, blood, soul, and divinity—whenever one receives the Eucharist under either form whether Body or Blood.  Receiving both Body and Blood is a “fuller sign” and is encouraged, but you still receive all of Jesus even if you only receive under the species of bread.  If a person thinks they might be sick, they should not receive from the cup.

Fourth, should you shake hands?  Not if you are sick.  Just smile, wave, make a peace sign, nod your head, bump knuckles, or simply just say, “I have a cold.”  Bring your own hand sanitizer if this still bothers you.

Basically, we should make use of common sense precautions and hygiene for our own sake and for the sake of others.  Be understanding of each other.  And, at all times let us not forget to pray for and care for those sick! 

-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.

Why can dogs and little kids see angels?
 
I also received the question: “Why can’t kids and animals see angles [sic] and ghosts?”

First of all, I wouldn’t lump angels (or angles or any other geometric figures) and ghosts in the same category.  Angels play a significant part in our faith.  Ghosts, if they even exist (I don’t know), do not play any part in our faith.  Angels exist.  In the scriptures, angels are mentioned 304 times.  Some of these mentions are accounts of some appearance or action of an angel.  For instance, in the Book of Tobit, the archangel Raphael disguises himself as a human to guide and to help the main characters of that story.

Now as for us, or dogs, or little kids seeing angels, sure, it’s possible.  I don’t think there is a certain age limit or anything like that.  Maybe angels are more willing to appear to the humble, I don’t know.  I’ve never seen an angel, but I believe I may have had at least an experience or two that I must attribute to my guardian angel. 

We just celebrated this last week two feast days for angels.  September 29th was the feast of St. Michael, St. Gabriel, and St. Raphael, Archangels, and October 2nd was the feast of the Guardian Angels.  Now we shouldn’t get too carried away with angels, but this time of year we are reminded of their mission as messengers, as healers, and as protectors.  St. Josemaría Escrivá had a great devotion to his guardian angel and even made the habit of greeting the angels of other people whom he met.  We should have a friendship with our own guardian angel, asking for its help and guidance.  And you never know, you might encounter an angel in disguise for the Book of Hebrews says, “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels. “(Heb 13:2)
 
-Fr. Greg

If you would like submit a question, please write it out and place it in the “Ask a Priest” box in the vestibule or email me at frgreg@kc.rr.com.