This past Sunday, I had the opportunity to celebrate a Baptism for a family I have know for a few years.  At the very beginning of the Rite, after asking the name of the child and the intention of the parents to have their child baptized, I said the following words:

You have asked to have your child baptized.  In doing so you are accepting the responsibility of training him (her) in the practice of the faith.  It will be your duty to bring him (her) up to keep God’s commandments as Christ taught us, by loving God and our neighbor.  Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?

As I reflect on those words, it strikes me how significant this moment is, not just in the Rite of Baptism, but in the lives of the parents as they present their child for baptism.  Notice the dynamic of the parents turning to the Church to bring new life to the child, but how the Church, for her part, reminds the parents of the role that they play in nurturing this new gift.  The Church always sees the training of children in the faith as collaboration.  The Church can never replace the role that parents play, thus the words that she gives to them on the occasion of the baptism of their children.

A good priest friend of mine has told the story about his own father and how he has said that when he dies, the very first question the Lord will ask him is this: “Where are your children and your wife in their faith because of you?”  That is a powerful thought to ponder, to be reminded that the Lord will ask us to account for the stewardship we have practiced with regards to the gift of our family that He has entrusted to us.  Therefore, the question posed by the Church on the day of a child’s baptism is a question parents need to be reminded of often: “Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?”

Do not be ashamed if your answer to this question is “no”, or “I’m not sure.” Keep in mind what I wrote above that this task is one of collaboration with the Church.  We stand ready and willing to assist you in your role of helping our families live this mission of growing in discipleship.  Our Family of Faith and our Adult Faith Formation programs are just two pieces of that assistance.  But you may have other questions about various circumstances and challenges you face as you undertake this task, and it can seem overwhelming at times.  Know that you are not alone!  Please reach out to one of us here at the parish (one of the priests or deacons, or Vicki Compton) and we will be more than happy to lend some support to assist you in this demanding, yet incredibly rewarding duty of bringing your family closer to Christ.

For all of our parents (regardless of whether your children are at home or have moved out), I invite you this week to reflect on that question about your role of training your families in the faith: “Do you clearly understand what you are undertaking?”  

Father Alford     

One of the beautiful liturgies that the Church gives to us is the liturgy of baptism. This ceremony, in which the newborn baby is spiritually adopted as a child of God, also gives expression to the expectation of the parents to raise their children in the faith. In fact, this can even be seen in the Sacrament of Matrimony, when the priest asks the couple, “Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?” This commitment to teach children the faith and evangelize them is expressed at this moment of great love in the wedding ceremony. The vow to love one’s spouse unconditionally expresses what kind of family in which children should be nurtured.

The liturgy of baptism makes this even more explicit, when the baptizing minister says to the parents, “In asking for Baptism for your child, you are undertaking the responsibility of raising him/her in the faith, so that, keeping God’s commandments, he/she may love the Lord and his/her neighbor as Christ taught us. Do you understand this responsibility?” In addition, the minister asks the Godparents, “Are you ready to help the parents of this child in their duty?” In some ways, the role of Godparent has become simply a ceremonial or honorary role in our culture, like being a bridesmaid at a wedding. It is true that it is a great honor to be a godparent to a newly baptized member of the Church. However, the Church envisions that Godparents play a vital role in the upbringing of our little Catholics in the faith. 

Godparents can support the parents in encouraging them to bring aspects of faith into their home life and in their travels. When children get to adolescence, it can be hard for them to receive formation in the faith from their parents, because of the stage of life that they are in. However, Godparents can play a crucial role in this time of formation. Being a little more removed from the immediate family, they can continue to foster the life of faith even when the relationship between parents and children is not perfect. Godparents should be included in events celebrating milestones in a child’s life of faith, especially Confirmation, first Eucharist, one’s wedding day, and even milestones like birthdays and graduations. The Church knows that young Christians need as much support from family and friends as they can get. Godparents witnessing to the life of faith is a great way of making this a reality. 

Feast day: September 23rd

A few weeks ago I wrote an article for our Catholic Times diocesan newspaper on patron saints for grandparents.  In some ways it gave me the thought of telling the stories of the saints that led to this weekly column for our bulletin here at the Cathedral.  As it turns out, that article gave me in a roundabout way the specific saint that I want to write on this week: Fr. Pio of Pietrelcina.  One grandfather who read my selection of six patron saints for grandparents called me up and asked why I hadn’t said a word about Padre Pio.  I was a bit perplexed since he was not a grandfather, nor a particular patron for grandparents, but as the man explained the story of this great saint, and then told me about his own personal encounter with the saintly capuchin priest while he served in World War II, I was convinced I needed to do some more digging.

Francesco, his baptismal name, was born in 1887 in the insignificant town of Pietrelcina, Italy.  He had one brother and three sisters (and two siblings who died as infants).  He grew up working on the family farm, but early in his life found his call from the Lord as a Capuchin, entering the novitiate at the age of 15.  Struggling through bouts of sickness, he made it through the years of preparation for his vows and then on to priesthood ordination, but by then was given permission to return home with the hopes that he would recover.  After some months at home, he was assigned to the little friary at San Giovanni Rotondo where he would remain for most of the rest of his life, and become famous for his holiness, piety, insight in the confessional, and numerous miracles.  

I do not mean here though to focus on the marvels God’s grace worked in his life.  Nor the crowds that grew over the decades, flocking to a man widely known for his closeness to Christ, manifested even by a visible stigmata, bearing in his own body the wounds of Christ.  Nor even his suffering-humility when the Church asked him to cease all his public ministry for years, asking his obedience more than his miracles.  

No, today I want to focus on what allowed all of that to happen through him and in him.  It started very simply: his family was devoted in their attendance at Mass and recited the rosary daily, meditating on their own participation in the mysteries of Christ’s life.  And, because they were generous in having kids, and limited in their earthly means, they lived simply.  Prayer, and poverty, combined in the all-too-normal life of a family. There is nothing magical about it.  But those are the normal, humble, ways that God has sanctified His world since the beginning.  It was those basic realities that marked the passing on of His covenant and blessings through so much of the Old Testament, and it was precisely those things that marked the life of Joseph and Mary as the were entrusted for their own child the Son of God.

What has Padre Pio to do with raising our children Catholic?  Well, if you need a miracle, or a spiritual father, you know who to talk to.  And, if you’re looking for a simple way to holiness, look to the foundations of his sanctity: generous parents, humble means, simple prayers, and God did the rest.

– Fr. Dominic Rankin has a twin sister and a younger brother.  A threesome was not as exciting as his cousins, who were from a family of 12, but it was the perfect number to say the family rosary.  Dad led the opening bits, each member of the family got one decade, and then it was a battle to see who could lead the concluding prayers.  Mystical contemplation did not happen every time, but the seeds of God’s Word were sown little by little, and He did the rest.

Earlier this week, I came across a quote from Pope Francis which came during his most recent Sunday Angelus address in St. Peter’s Square. Commenting on the Sunday Gospel, he noted how easy it can be for us, when noticing the faults of others, to tell others about it. He then issued this very strong statement: “Please, brothers and sisters, let’s make an effort not to gossip. Gossiping is a plague worse than COVID.”

The Holy Father was not intending to downplay the significance of the current pandemic and the legitimate damage it has done, but he wants us to know how destructive gossip is to our relationships with one another and to the Church. When we speak poorly of others, the virus spreads to the person to whom we share our words, which often results in their forming a negative opinion of others. Left unchecked, a person’s reputation can easily be ruined because of gossip.

You may have heard the story that has been told about St. Philip Neri, of how he responded to a person who had confessed the sin of gossip. As a penance, he told the penitent to take a feather pillow to the top of a bell tower, rip it open, and let the feathers loose over the city of Rome. The saint then told the penitent to go and pick up all of the feathers. In exasperation, the penitent said that trying to find every feather was impossible! St. Philip used that example to demonstrate the serious nature of gossip, how once we let those uncharitable words leave our mouth, they can scatter about and it will be impossible for us to take back what has been said.

The theme we are focusing on this month is the role of parents in education. One of the documents of the Second Vatican Council points out one of the most important lessons to be imparted by parents to children: “In the family parents have the task of training their children from childhood on to recognize God’s love for all men.” (Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, 30). An important way of transmitting this lesson is to set the example of never gossiping about people but speaking of others in a way that respects their dignity. Even though we may be painfully aware of the weakness of somebody, we can use that as an opportunity to pray for them, that the Lord will touch their lives and bring them to a place of conversion.

While this lesson is particularly important for parents, it really applies to all of us. We all probably know people who are good about fighting back gossip. There is something attractive about those types of people and they really challenge us to try to imitate their charity when it comes to speaking of others. May we all pray for the grace to be the type of people whose words about others are always used to build up and never to tear down. When we do this, we make a substantial contribution in slowing the spread of the deadly virus that is gossip and building a culture in which all come to recognize God’s love for His people.

Father Alford is the Rector of the Cathedral and serves in the diocesan curia as the Vicar for Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today. Drill them into your children. Speak of them at home and abroad, whether you are busy or at rest. Bind them at your wrist as a sign and let them be as a pendant on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.”

(Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NAB)

“Drill them into your children,” as it is rendered in the New American Bible, is quite the forceful phrase! This section of scripture, commonly called the “Shema” (meaning “hear” in Hebrew), is one of the keystones of the Hebrew Scriptures. This instruction to “drill” God’s words into one’s children speaks to the importance of passing on what God has spoken to us and previous generations.

The main message that children need to receive about God is the same one they receive from their parents – that they are loved! God’s story of how he loves us is found all through the Scriptures. This passage from Deuteronomy is in the context of reflecting on the Exodus from Egypt, and the receiving of the Law from God after this great event. We are called to return this great love from God by following the commandments he has given us.

There is a false understanding floating around our society that has caused a great deal of harm regarding religious education. This myth is that young children should not be given any guidance in religion so that they can make an unbiased choice when they are older. This logic does not hold up if we see religion as a living relationship with God and the Church. When a child is born, we give him or her both a first and last name, a home address, and before too long, enroll him or her in school. It would be absurd to wait until they were older to ask if they want to be a part of the family – that’s just who they are! In the same way, we do not need to hesitate to bring children into a living relationship with our loving Father in heaven and the family of the Church.

Father Dominic Vahling is a newly ordained priest. He serves as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and as co-chaplain of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School.

I keep choosing the hardest saints to tell stories about. Unlike St. Anne, we at least have St. Joseph’s name in scripture, and a couple scenes that show him in action, but we only get the outlines of his character from those passages, and no words that he spoke at all. Well, that’s not quite right, we do know one thing that he said:

“behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel.” (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.”

(Matthew 1:20-25)

“Jesus”. We may know none of the other words that Joseph spoke, but we know that on one particular world- changing day 8 days after his birth, Joseph named the little baby that he held in his arms “Jesus”, meaning God- saves. All the fears in the face of Mary’s pregnancy, all the trials of bringing his pregnant wife to Bethlehem, all the frustration of not being able to provide a place to stay in his own ancestral home, all the wonders and glories of that night above all nights faded away as he spoke that name. The heavenly hosts marveled as a carpenter held the little, mighty, Son of God in his arms. Mary smiled as her husband held his new, eternal, baby boy. Joseph trembled as he embraced the life he was now entrusted to love, protect, and raise. And the registers of Caesar’s census added a new name to their list:

Jesus, son of Joseph, of Bethlehem.

Joseph’s word that day did not just pass on his genealogy to Our Lord: making him a son of David and member of the tribe of Judah. Nor did his action simply incorporate Jesus into the historical, Roman, empirical, world:

welcoming him into a particular place and a particular time. No, that name, announced by the angel, had to be vocalized by the carpenter of Nazareth. Joseph was entrusted to be the first human to announce to a fallen and messy universe that, ready or not, God was invading and He had a plan to save His world, and that divinely chosen plan entailed a little baby boy, a young maiden, and a carpenter.

St. Peter’s is a story for another day, but as we continue to reflect on the role of parents raising their children in the faith, St. Peter’s words after Pentecost only reiterate what Joseph has taught all of us by the only word we know he said: “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

All you fathers and dads out there. You have a hard vocation these days. It has never been easy to be an icon of God the Father! But let St. Joseph be a model, and an intercessor for you: like him, call upon the name of Jesus in your every battle in defense of your families, in every struggle for holiness, in every fight for God’s presence in your home and heart, in every struggle to love your wife and children like God the Father loves all of us.

Father Dominic Rankin has been a son of his biological father, and his Heavenly Father, for 27 years, 4 months, and 4 days. He has been a spiritual father for 2 years, 3 months, and 18 days. How about you?

I recently saw a meme that had great insight into the role that parents play in teaching their children. It said this: “To my children: Never make fun of me for having to help me with my phone. I taught you how to use a spoon.” The entirely of a child’s life is spent learning – how to eat, how to talk, how to be fair with siblings and friends. Parents help their kids learn by experience – the first few times using a spoon are always a disaster. But with humor and patience, everybody learns how to use a spoon. Parents are the first teachers of their children in every respect – especially when it comes to the faith. Parents are the first catechists of their children and the first ones to teach them what it means to

live in relationship with God. The unconditional love of a child’s father and mother is the first experience of God’s love in the family.

Unfortunately, many parents feel unequipped to be the first catechists of their children. Through no fault of their own, maybe they did not receive a good catechesis from their own parents or during their upbringing. However, even if there is still room to grow in knowledge of the faith, this is no excuse to abdicate this responsibility. It is never too late to learn about prayer and the teachings of the Church. Most important is the witness of faith that parents give to their children. This means prioritizing one’s relationship with God throughout the day by interspersing moments of prayer in the morning, and regularly talking about faith matters during meals and conversations. Attending Sunday Mass as a family may be the best witness that parents can give to their children. Prioritizing Sunday Mass above sporting events and other entertainment teaches children, without even using words, that keeping holy the Lord’s Day is a commandment from God meant for our own happiness and for the glory of God.

When parents help their children to grow in holiness, this is not a one-sided exchange. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains in paragraph 2227, “Children in turn contribute to the growth in holiness of their parents. Each and everyone should be generous and tireless in forgiving one another for offenses, quarrels, injustices, and neglect.” Children can also teach parents what it means to be generous and loving, usually just by being themselves! A child’s love and trust teaches us how to become like children so that we can enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 18:3).

Father Dominic Vahling is a newly ordained priest. He serves as parochial vicar at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and as co-chaplain of Sacred Heart-Griffin High School.

Have you ever stopped to contemplate the statues around our Cathedral? One month into lockdown, as one more afternoon rolled by and the strangeness of the silent church sunk a bit deeper, I was taking the chance to slowly wander around. This time, like never before, I was struck by the statue of a mother and daughter back at the southeast corner of our church. The mother is depicted as serene, beautiful, even elegant, yet what strikes even more profoundly is her love. Her demeanor and posture radiate love and delight in her young daughter whom she gently holds close and earnestly points out some detail

written upon the scroll held in her daughter’s hands.
It is the perfect icon to begin our hearing here the stories of the saints.

Not because we know heaps about St. Anne – for the woman is St. Anne, and the young girl clasping the scroll in our statue is her child is Mary – and we know almost nothing about Anne. The Gospels do not even tell us her name, much less any historical details about her life or how she and Joachim raised Mary. We get a few anecdotes from the ancient “Gospel of James”, but otherwise we are left with the insights of a few mystics, and our own prayer, to imagine the characteristics, personality, and bearing of the woman carved into stone at the back of our Cathedral.

Nor also because I have some tremendous devotion to Anne. I spoke above of “our” hearing the stories of the saints, and I mean it! I am not an expert on the saints, nor an eloquent story-teller, nor even someone who feels their friendship keenly and constantly. Yet I want to be all of those things, and it is in learning their stories, walking in their shoes (or sandals), studying their words, and imagining them living out ordinary human lives with the extraordinary grace of God, that allows us to reach the same destiny and joy that they did.

Nor, lastly, is it because Anne is the most applicable or approachable of all the saints. She is the mother of Mary, how can any of us find camaraderie with someone of that significance?!

Yet still, this statue seems the perfect place to start because it depicts a real moment not only in Anne’s
life, but in all of ours. Anyone reading this who is a mother has told stories to their children. Probably anyone reading this has told stories to someone: a sibling, a niece, a grandchild, a friend… So did St. Anne. Yes, she was entrusted with the child who would be the mother of God. Yes, she was given a grace and dignity because of that role and call. And yet, she cared for that child the same way any mother would: she told Mary the stories of her relatives, her ancestors, her history … and so she told Mary about God.

You see, to evangelize is not nearly as hard as we make it out to be. It might just be clasping a friend on the shoulder and really showing that you care about them. It might just be telling a story to a wide-eyed little girl or boy that communicates to them the truths about who they are, about who have come before them, about who God is, and how God has been a part of those stories. It might just be staying serene when storms are on the horizon and you are caring for precious cargo. It might just be pointing out to someone a word of God that you needed one time in your life when things were crazy.

St. Anne, mother of Mary, tell us the stories of God’s grace written in human lives, just as you told those same stories to your little girl. Amen.

Father Dominic Rankin serves as the Master of Ceremonies and Priest Secretary to the Bishop and as an Associate Vocations Director for the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois. Father Rankin resides at the Cathedral.

Late summer / early fall is always a time of new beginnings for young people engaged in any form of study. Without a doubt, this new school year is unlike any other! Some of our students are back in school in person (though with certain modifications), others are in class virtually, while still others are in some hybrid form of education. Whatever the case may be, the common sentiment is that “the show must go on”, meaning that the pandemic cannot be a reason not to continue with something as important as education.

The same is true with the practice of our faith. While we felt the need to suspend public masses for a time, we knew that continuing along that path was not tenable. While we can be sustained for a short period with making a Spiritual Communion, doing so long-term is virtually impossible except in rare circumstances. While we know the Eucharist to be the source and summit of our lives as Catholics, we also need other ways of practicing our faith and growing in our understanding and appreciation for our faith.

With that in mind, we are trying to be more intentional here at the Cathedral in presenting all of you with ways to stay engaged and to keep moving forward, even during these challenging times. One of the ways that we hope to do that is through our Cathedral Weekly. Beginning with this issue, we will be implementing a slightly new format. We will be returning to our larger 8-page issues in order to provide some more content for all of you in your efforts to continue to grow in your faith. Each month will be dedicated to a particular theme. Those themes have been chosen to coincide with the themes we will be using this year in our Family of Faith program here at the Cathedral. The overall theme for this year is the Sacraments. In each issue, you will find content on the monthly theme with articles written by clergy and laity in the parish. We will have a weekly focus on one of the saints of the Church whose story will hopefully inspire us as we continue on our path of discipleship. Overall, it is our hope that this will be a weekly resource that continues to sustain you throughout the week.

The theme that we will be focusing on this month is The Role of Parents in Education. Even if you do not have children, or if your children are grown up and out of the house, I think you will still find the content helpful. And if it does not apply to you personally, I can bet that you know somebody to whom it does apply and you can share the content with them.

While our young people are heading back to school, let us see the opportunity that lies ahead for all of us to recommit ourselves to this lifelong task of formation in our Catholic faith. Keep your eyes and ears open for other opportunities for growth that will be available soon, both virtual and in person. As I mentioned earlier, “the show must go on”, and it is our hope that this “opening act” of introducing a new bulletin format will entice you to stay tuned in for what lies ahead.

Father Alford is the Rector of the Cathedral and serves in the diocesan curia as the Vicar for Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations

This past week we had the privilege of celebrating the feast day of a mother and her son. On Thursday, August 27, the Church celebrated the feast of St. Monica. On the following day, the Church celebrated her son, St. Augustine. St. Augustine is recognized by many as one of the greatest and most prolific writers in the nearly 2000-year history of the Church. In fact, there is a saying that if someone claims to have read all of his writings, they would be lying.

But the Church would not have a St. Augustine without a St. Monica.
And that fact is true both on a natural level (which is obvious) and on a spiritual level. You see, St. Augustine was far from a saint in his early years. His mother saw that he was living an immoral life, but she supposedly had a vision that he would come back to the faith one day. With the hope given from that vision, she dedicated herself to prayer and fasting for her son. Finally, after 17 years of prayer, St. Augustine was finally baptized in Milan by another future saint, St. Ambrose.

There is a moving passage from the Confessions of St. Augustine, his spiritual autobiography, where he recounts a conversation he had with his mother as the end of her life drew near. He records the following words from his mother:

Son, as far as I am concerned, nothing in this life now gives me any pleasure. I do not know why I am still here, since I have no further hopes in this world. I did have one reason for wanting to live a little longer: to see you become a Catholic Christian before I died. God has lavished his gifts on me in that respect, for I know that you have even renounced earthly happiness to be his servant. So what am I doing here?

One of the greatest struggles faced by parents is the sadness they experience when their children have left the practice of the faith. If you, or somebody you know, is in that situation, I encourage you to ask the intercession of St. Monica for their loved ones. Her powerful prayers on earth helped to bring about one of the most important conversions in the life of the Church. From her place in Heaven, her prayers to the Lord on our behalf are even more powerful!

St. Monica, pray for us!

Father Alford is the Rector of the Cathedral and serves in the diocesan curia as the Vicar for Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations.