Author: yuengerwv

Pope Francis is a Jesuit, what is the difference between a Jesuit and a Franciscan?  What order are you?

There are hundreds of different religious communities for men and for women which vary mostly by charisms and ministries.  The Jesuits were founded by Ignatius of Loyola to serve in the defense of the church against heresy and are typically educators and scholastics.  The Franciscans were founded by Francis of Assisi to serve the poor and to set a spiritual example of the connection between God and the poor.  Both communities have priests and lay brothers (non ordained men) who serve in their ministries.  Some communities have only lay members, and some communities have only ordained members. 

I am not a member of a religious order; I am a diocesan (or secular) priest.  Members of a religious community make a promise to the community to serve the community for the rest of their lives.  They promise obedience to the community’s superior (elected leader).   In the case of the Jesuits they also take a vow of obedience to serve the Pope.  Where and how they serve depends on the community’s missions but can be anywhere in the world.  As a diocesan priest I made a promise to serve the people of my Diocese for the rest of my life, thus under normal circumstances I would never serve outside there.  My promise of obedience is to the local bishop and his successors.

Most religious communities take a vow of poverty and as such do not get paid directly.  Monies earned through ministry go to the community to provide for everyone in the community.  Diocesan priest do not take a vow of poverty and are paid directly.  Most members of a religious community then would not pay taxes as they have no legal income.  Diocesan priest, on the other hand, pay income taxes and if they choose they may pay into Social Security but they pay 100% of the social security taxes.

When a member of a religious community retires the community takes care of them for living expenses.  When a diocesan priest retires he is typically on his own with the monies he has been able to save to live on.  (Like others in our world, some are thrifty and others are not.) This is why my diocese has the PHRA (Priests Health and Retirement Association) to help provide retired diocesan priest with medical and retirement support, otherwise some would have no medical assistance when they retire.

Where does the term consubstantial in the Creed come from and what does it mean?

The wording goes back to an early Christian debate as to who Jesus is.  Some said Jesus was human but not divine; some said he was divine but not human.  We have remnants of those fights with us still today. 

Please keep in mind that the original Nicene Creed was written in Greek about the year 351.  In the prior translation of the Creed the English phrases “of one being” and “one in being” were used to translate the Latin word consubstantialis, which is a translation of the Greek word homoousios.  The term homoousios comes from Greek metaphysics and is used to clarify that while Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit are different persons there is only one God, and that God, regardless of the person, is a single being.  Thus, the term consubstantial means of the same substance or same essence.

As a trivial note… have you ever heard the phrase there isn’t one iota difference?  It goes back to this debate.  The competing term at that council was homoiousios meaning “similar essence”; it was favored by the moderates among the Arians, the Semi-arians. Because of how close these two words are in the Greek, it has been said that there was only “one iota” of difference between them.  (http://orthodoxwiki.org/Homoousios)

I have thought over the years of being a Lector at the mass or an Extraordinary Minister of Most Holy Communion (EM), what are the requirements for such?

The requirements for those ministries are simple.  One must be a Catholic who is 16 or older and in good standing in the parish community.  For each ministry there is a short training to ensure the Lectors and EMs have a knowledge of what to do and the expectations of their ministry.  In addition the EMs are required to be commissioned by the Bishop.  This commissioning is for a period of three years.  While the Lector primarily serves at mass, there are two kinds of EMs one is to assist at the mass and the second is to bring Most Holy Communion to the homebound.
Both the Lectors and the EMs who serve at mass are scheduled on a rotating basis.  The EMs that visit the homebound do so according to their schedule and the needs of the community.

If you have considered either ministry, I invite you to speak with your Pastor.  We would love to have you assist the community.

One of the pleasant things of being a priest is being asked to bless people, their homes, businesses and things they hold dear.  Although they are different, the giving of a blessing is not limited to a priest or deacon.  In times past it was quite common for children to ask for their parents’ blessing.  Isaac blessed his sons, as did Jacob and many others. 
                In the play/movie “Fiddler on the Roof” there is a scene where the main character asks the rabbi if there is a blessing for the czar.  The rabbi responds, “There is a blessing for everything.”  Truly there is.  The “Book of Blessings” has composed blessings for just about everything imaginable from people to animals, from crops to trade tools, from businesses to political gatherings. 

While we often pray with others who are ill or having difficulties, we seldom offer our personal blessing.  I remember a physician, who did such regularly as he believed it was an integral part of his healing ministry to do as Jesus did and bless others.
I invite each member of the parish to consider the practice of blessing each other in the family.  I have included a few ideas below from Scripture and the church’s Book of Blessings. 

From the book of Numbers: The LORD bless you and keep you! The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!  The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

Blessing of children: Father, inexhaustible source of life and author of all good, we bless you and we thank you for brightening our communion of love by your gift of children.  Grant that our children (child) will find in the life of this family such inspiration that they (he/she) will always strive for what is right and good and one day, by your grace, reach their (his/her) home in heaven.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.   Amen   (Trace the sign of the cross on the children’s forehead.)

Blessing of parents: Father, inexhaustible source of life and author of all good, we bless you and we thank you for your gift of our (my) parents.  Grant that our (my) parents (mother/father) will be the best of parents (mothers/fathers) and find in the life of this family such inspiration that they (he/she) will always strive for what is right and good and one day, by your grace, reach their (his/her) home in heaven.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.   Amen   (Trace the sign of the cross on the parents’ forehead.)

Blessing of Travelers: All-powerful and merciful God, you let the children of Israel on dry land, parting the waters of the sea; you guided the Magi to your son by a star.  Help these, our brothers and sisters, and give them a safe journey.  Under your protection let them reach their destination and come at last to the eternal haven of salvation.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen

Blessing of Pets:  Oh God, you have done all things wisely; in your goodness you have made us in your image and given us care over other living things.  Reach out with your right hand and grant that these animals may serve our needs and that your bounty in the resources of this life may move us to seek more confidently the goal of eternal life.  We ask this through Christ our Lord.  Amen

Some people say that science says there is no God
                   how does one respond?

We should respond lovingly, carefully and prayerfully.  First it should be remembered that many scientists have stated that science has drawn them closer to God.  As they see the order, the magnitude, and the diversity of creation they cannot help but to see there is a God.
The Catholic Church teaches that inherently people search for God.

“The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for:

The dignity of man rests above all on the fact that he is called to communion with God. This invitation to converse with God is addressed to man as soon as he comes into being. For if man exists it is because God has created him through love, and through love continues to hold him in existence. He cannot live fully according to truth unless he freely acknowledges that love and entrusts himself to his creator.[1]  CCC#27
This search for God leads to the various responses and expressions that we see today.  Some, unfortunately, reject a relationship with God with a decision they make. Atheism is from our perspective a relatively recent invention flowing from the enlightenment.
But this “intimate and vital bond of man to God” (GS 19 # 1) can be forgotten, overlooked, or even explicitly rejected by man.[3] Such attitudes can have different causes: revolt against evil in the world; religious ignorance or indifference; the cares and riches of this world; the scandal of bad example on the part of believers; currents of thought hostile to religion; finally, that attitude of sinful man which makes him hide from God out of fear and flee his call.[4] CCC#29

As one can see, there are many reasons why a person could reject the idea of a God.  This is where we should respond as I stated above — lovingly, carefully and prayerfully, as we share our own experiences of God with those who find it difficult to believe. 

I heard someone say that Catholics believe that: outside the Catholic Church there is no salvation; hence all Protestants are going to hell.  What is the truth?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church addresses this issue in paragraphs 846-7: 
How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?  Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:

Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.

This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:
Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience – those too may achieve eternal salvation.

The above statements in the Catechism make it clear that the Church does not imply or state that all non-Catholics will go to hell.  It is the hope of the Church that ALL peoples go to heaven, even though scriptures are clear that some may not.  At the mass we pray for all peoples of the world, especially for those whose faith is known to God alone.

What is the difference between a pastor and an administrator? 

The difference can be large or small depending on the directives of the local bishop.  If you recall, when Fr. Moore was ill, this parish had one administrator while Fr. Moore remained the official pastor.  Under most circumstances there is virtually no difference in terms of what he can or cannot do.  According to Church law:
When a parish is vacant, or when the parish priest is prevented from exercising his pastoral office in the parish by reason of imprisonment, exile or banishment, or by reason of incapacity or ill health or some other cause, the diocesan Bishop is as soon as possible to appoint a parochial administrator, that is, a priest who will take the place of the parish priest.

The parochial administrator is bound by the same obligations and has the same rights as a parish priest, unless the diocesan Bishop prescribes otherwise.   The parochial administrator may not do anything which could prejudice the rights of the parish priest or could do harm to parochial property.   When he has discharged his office, the parochial administrator is to give an account to the parish priest.

Thus while in Church law there is a difference between a pastor and an administrator, as a parishioner there is essentially no difference that anyone would notice. 

This past fall many people became aware that Pope Francis had tweaked some of the regulations regarding petitions for a Declaration of Nullity, commonly called an annulment.  This “Ask the Pastor” is being written to help clarify some of the changes.

First: In the past those who had been divorced who petitioned for a Declaration of Nullity could do so only in a location that had jurisdiction, namely 1) where the marriage was performed, and 2) where the respondent (spouse of the petitioner) lived.  The regulations were changed to permit the petitioner to file the petition where they live regardless of where the marriage took place or where the respondent lives. 

While this may not seem like a big deal, in a time when people move around the country or migrate internationally this is an important change.  No longer does someone living in West Virginia have to go to Hawaii or to New York to file a petition.  No longer does someone living in West Virginia have to go to Mexico or to Slovakia to file a petition.  The local diocese can now handle these petitions.

Second: In the past if a tribunal made an affirmative decision, approving the petition, the decision was automatically appealed to another jurisdiction to ensure the original ruling was not faulty.  The regulations were changed to eliminate the automatic appeal.  This means that the amount of time required to process a petition is reduced by as much as several months.

These two changes can make a difference.  While Pope Francis also said there should be no charge for the petition to be processed, this did not affect our diocese as for many years there has been no fee charged for a petition to be processed.  In some diocese the fees attached where high leading people to think they were buying an annulment.

If you are not able to receive the sacraments because of a divorce and remarriage, please come to see me or another priest to explore the possibility of petitioning for a Declaration of Nullity.

You recently received several people into the Catholic Church at a Sunday mass.  In the past, pastors have always done such only at the Easter Vigil.  Why did you change the normal pattern?

I did not change the normal pattern.  What you considered to be normal, under a prior pastor, was actually abnormal and not in conformity with the Catholic Church’s directives.  The normal pattern IS for such previously baptized Christians to be received into the Church prior to the Easter Vigil, especially prior to the beginning of Lent.  The following is from the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s Liturgical Guidelines regarding the sacraments of initiation:

And: According to the Forward in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults the combined rite is included “for use in those situations when pastoral circumstances warrant the integration” of the two rites. This combined rite is not seen as the norm. The Norm would be for such persons to be received into the Church prior to the beginning of Lent, so that they might fully participate with the local community our most holy of days.

There was no pastoral reason to delay the reception of these Christians into full communion with the Catholic Church until the Easter Vigil.  I thus followed properly the directions of the universal Church and the Diocese.

You recently received several people into the Catholic Church at a Sunday mass.  In the past, pastors have always done such only at the Easter Vigil.  Why did you change the normal pattern?

I did not change the normal pattern.  What you considered to be normal, under a prior pastor, was actually abnormal and not in conformity with the Catholic Church’s directives.  The normal pattern IS for such previously baptized Christians to be received into the Church prior to the Easter Vigil, especially prior to the beginning of Lent.  The following is from the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston’s Liturgical Guidelines regarding the sacraments of initiation:

And: According to the Forward in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults the combined rite is included “for use in those situations when pastoral circumstances warrant the integration” of the two rites. This combined rite is not seen as the norm. The Norm would be for such persons to be received into the Church prior to the beginning of Lent, so that they might fully participate with the local community our most holy of days.

There was no pastoral reason to delay the reception of these Christians into full communion with the Catholic Church until the Easter Vigil.  I thus followed properly the directions of the universal Church and the Diocese.