If you have not already, you will soon be receiving a letter in the mail from me regarding our annual Season of Stewardship, of which I wrote in last week’s bulletin.  With that said, those who read this bulletin article may not be receiving a letter, either because you are just visiting or because you are not officially registered at the Cathedral.  So if you do not receive a letter, you are not off the hook!

One of the themes that I have presented to the parish over my time here is the notion that we are a family of faith.  Although this is the title of our catechetical program for our grade school and high school students and their families, it is more than just a program, more than just a title.  From time to time, I have people asking me where home is.  I always struggle to answer this – I grew up in Troy, IL (southern part of our diocese), my family moved to Wisconsin when I was in college, my parents now live part time in Wisconsin and part time in Texas, and pretty much all of my family lives outside of the diocese, with the exception of a few distant relatives.  A common reaction to my trying to explain this is empathy for how difficult that must be, not being able to see family very often, not being able to spend holidays with them.  Can it be difficult? Absolutely!  But am I sad?  Not a bit.  For my entire priesthood, home has always been where I have been assigned, and I believe that has been a great grace that has enabled me to be more attached to a parish family than if I had the presence of my own family close by.  Don’t get me wrong, I would love to have my family closer, but I do not feel disappointed at all with the situation that I have.  Each parish has welcomed me into their family, and I have done my very best to be a good member of that family, such that I have tried to be generous with my time, the gifts God has given me, and yes, even my money.  And I have been very joyful in being able to give of these because when they are given for those we love, the cost it not really an issue.

Why do I share this with you?  Because I want you to know how thankful I am to be a part of our Cathedral Parish family.  I love it when I get to celebrate Mass and see all of you, sharing the one person I love more than anything else, Jesus Christ!  It’s why I do my best to be around to distribute Holy Communion at masses that I am not celebrating and greeting you after as many masses as possible.  It is because I love being around you, and I love being able to serve you.

My great prayer for this parish is that we see one another as a family.  It is my prayer that you love being around this family we have here.  You all have your own families, and I know you want what is best for them.  As your spiritual father, you are my family, and I want what is best for you, to have a sense of belonging, an awareness of being loved by Jesus, and a desire to be more fully invested in this family.  Many of you are indeed invested in this parish family, and that brings my heart so much joy.  But I want more for our family.  When I appeal for us to pray about our stewardship, my prayer is for you to be here, to make that commitment to pray with your parish family, and to pray for your parish family.  If all that came from this appeal for the Season of Stewardship was having more of you here to celebrate each Sunday as a family, I would be a very pleased spiritual father.  And just by showing up, realizing what a gift it is to be a part of this family, I have no doubt you will authentically desire  to share yourselves more generously with your family whom you love and who loves you, for we are all united together as brothers and sisters in the one love of God Himself for us as His beloved sons and daughters.

Father Alford

In our previous bulletin we have been discussing on the theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity(love). These theological virtues put us in contact with God, enabling us, to know Him, trust in His promises and goodness, and love Him. As we reflect on theological virtues, there need for additional, moral virtues which concerns self-control and our relationship with others. There are many moral virtues but there four cardinal virtues under which all other moral virtues may be classified as: Prudence, Justice, fortitude, and temperance. Many times, in our daily activities, whether we are at home, workplace, or Church, we have used this word, Prudence, knowingly, or unknowingly when we are conversing or making the decision.  

Today we are going to discuss one of the four Cardinal Virtues, which is Prudence. Among these, Prudence is a mother of all other virtues. What is Prudence? I do recall my mother telling me always before you act or make any decisions, be prudent. So, the Catechism of the Catholic Church defines prudence as follows: “prudence disposes the practical reason to discern, in every circumstance, our true good and to choose the right means for achieving it.” (CCC, 1835). 

Additionally, St. John Paul II, in his Papal audience, explains Prudence by saying that “the prudent man, who strives for everything that is good, endeavors to measure everything, every situation, and his whole activity according to the yardstick of the?  moral good. So, a prudent man is not one who as is often meant can wangle things in life and draw the most significant profit from it; but one who is able to construct his whole life according to the voice of upright conscience and according to the requirements of sound morality” (Pope St. John Paul II, General audience, Wednesday, 25 1978).  

Prudence is known to be the mother of all virtues because it is the first step towards working to be a good human being.  According to Josef Pieper claims that none but the prudent man can be just, brave, and temperate, and the good is a man who is able to make the right decision; he or she must be able to know what is good and what is not good. So, Prudence is being able to recognize what is good and always being able to act in a good way. 

Prudence in our daily life activities has to shape us. So, how and when can we know that a person is prudent? A prudent person looks at the concrete reality of a situation with apparent, honest objectivity; references and applies the moral truths for example, the Ten Commandments or the precepts of the Church. Moreover, Prudence also seeks to accomplish the action in a good way doing what is right in a good way. Prudence helps us prudently to care of others through counsel we give. Moreover, thanks to the virtue of Prudence, one is able to judge rightly and reads the signs of his/her time. Prudence helps the intellect see the right thing to do and to choose the right means for achieving it. Wise choice involves taking good counsel while acquiring knowledge from the past and present. In the same line, we are not simply or only acting individuals, but we need good and prudent friends to help us with counsel, choices, and decision making. 

In short, in order to know what to seek and avoid, Prudence is needed to be applied in our daily life as Christians. To pursue the common good for all, Prudence is necessary.  Prudence helps us to see what aids the human salvation and what limits our progress.   As the book of proverbs puts it: “The heart of wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instructions (Prov 16:23).

For further reading on the four Cardinal virtues by Josef Pieper can be found on online: fourcardinalvirt012953mbp.pdf.

Feast Day: October 22^nd | Patron of Popes, Families, Youth, Laborers, Actors, Athletes, Human Life, Poland, the Elderly, and those with Parkinson’s 

This week, I recall Pope John Paul II’s famous words at his homily during the Mass for the inauguration of his pontificate (by the way, isn’t it awesome that so many of the substantial moments of our Catholic life are situated within the Holy Mass!  Tells us something about where the Church draws its strength and center.):

The new Successor of Peter in the See of Rome, today makes a fervent, humble and trusting prayer: Christ, make me become and remain the servant of your unique power, the servant of your sweet power, the servant of your power that knows no eventide. Make me be a servant. Indeed, the servant of your servants. Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid to welcome Christ and accept his power. Help the Pope and all those who wish to serve Christ and with Christ’s power to serve the human person and the whole of mankind. Do not be afraid. Open wide the doors for Christ. To his saving power open the boundaries of States, economic and political systems, the vast fields of culture, civilization and development. Do not be afraid. Christ knows “what is in man”. He alone knows it.

And now an explanation JPII gave of these words in Crossing the Threshold of Hope:

When on October 22, 1978, I said the words “Be not afraid!” in St. Peter’s Square, I could not fully know how far they would take me and the entire Church. Their meaning came more from the Holy Spirit, the Consoler promised by the Lord Jesus to His disciples, than from the man who spoke them. Nevertheless, with the passing of the years, I have recalled these words on many occasions. The exhortation “Be not afraid!” should be interpreted as having a very broad meaning. In a certain sense it was an exhortation addressed to all people, an exhortation to conquer fear in the present world situation, as much in the East as in the West, as much in the North as in the South. Have no fear of that which you yourselves have created, have no fear of all that man has produced, and that every day is becoming more dangerous for him! Finally, have no fear of yourselves! 

Why should we have no fear? Because man has been redeemed by God. When pronouncing these words in St. Peter’s Square, I already knew that my first encyclical and my entire papacy would be tied to the truth of the Redemption. In the Redemption we find the most profound basis for the words “Be not afraid!”: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (cf. Jn 3:16). This Son is always present in the history of humanity as Redeemer. The Redemption pervades all of human history, even before Christ, and prepares its eschatological future. It is the light that “shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (cf. Jn 1:5). The power of Christ’s Cross and Resurrection is greater than any evil which man could or should fear.

Finally, I leave all of us with the reflection John Paul II had prepared for Divine Mercy Sunday of 2005, though he died on the eve of that feast, (with his final words being the whispered prayer: “let me go to the house of the Father”) and so this, his final message, was given after the Mass said for the repose of his soul:

Dear Brothers and Sisters! The joyful Easter Alleluia resounds also today. Today’s Gospel page of St. John underlines that the Risen One, on the night of that day, appeared to the Apostles and “showed them his hands and his side” (John 20:20), that is, the signs of the painful Passion printed indelibly on his body also after his Resurrection. Those glorious wounds, which eight days later he made the incredulous Thomas touch, reveal the mercy of God “for God so loved the world that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16). This mystery of love is at the heart of today’s liturgy, Sunday “in Albis,” dedicated to the worship of Divine Mercy. To humanity, which at times seems to be lost and dominated by the power of evil, egoism and fear, the risen Lord offers as a gift his love that forgives, reconciles and reopens the spirit to hope. It is love that converts hearts and gives peace. How much need the world has to understand and accept Divine Mercy! Lord, who with [your] Death and Resurrection reveal the love of the Father, we believe in you and with confidence repeat to you today: Jesus, I trust in you, have mercy on us and on the whole world.

– Fr. Dominic Rankin has found these simple words “Jesus, I trust in You” to be perhaps the most potent prayer he can say. No matter what is happening – a fear or worry, a suffering or loss, a sleepless night or lengthy marathon, in Adoration, on Amtrak, in my office … – every single one of those moments is clarified, sanctified, and filled with peace simply by surrendering it to Jesus with that phrase: “Jesus, I trust in You.”

Over the next few weeks, you will be receiving information about our annual Season of Stewardship.  Perhaps you are asking – What is that?  Don’t worry too much if that term sounds new to you, as it is only really two years old, which in Church time, might as well be brand new!

Defined simply, Season of Stewardship is the opportunity for each parish household to pray and discern their commitment to stewardship as a way of life.  Although I cannot read minds, I am fairly confident that as you see that word “stewardship”, many of you are thinking that this is about asking for money.  If I could humbly, yet firmly push back on that, I would say that if that is what you are thinking, then your understanding of stewardship is unfortunately limited.  But thanks be to God that you are reading this to understand more clearly what stewardship is in reality!

One of the best definitions I have ever heard on stewardship comes from the Diocese of Wichita, and they define it succinctly:  Stewardship is the “grateful response of a Christian Disciple who recognizes and receives God’s gifts and shares these gifts in love of God and neighbor.”  Notice the first word in this definition – grateful.  Gratitude to God for the gifts that He has given to us must be the beginning of any discussion about stewardship.  Every gift that we have in our lives is just that, a gift.  A gift that has been received, not one that we own.  This is where we as Christians should be different from the rest of society.  It is easy to see that what we have – our time, our talents, our bodies, our possessions, our career, our money – is something we have earned, something that we deserve, something that we own.  And while it is true that we may have worked hard to achieve and acquire things, all is a gift from God.  If it were not for God’s grace and His willing us into existence, we would not have any of what we have.  As Christians, perhaps we know this is what we should believe, but do we really believe that?  Perhaps we should make that prayer of the Apostles from the Gospel a few weeks ago: “Increase our faith!” (Lk 17:5)

In the brief definition of Season of Stewardship that I give above, I say that this is an opportunity for all of us to pray and discern our commitment to our parish.  It is not accidental that we start with prayer.  And the beginning of that prayer is what I just mentioned – gratitude.  So for now, I am not going to say anything more about discerning what your stewardship to our parish might look like.  I simply want you to start with prayer – specifically the prayer of gratitude.  Spend some time personally praying about the gifts that are in your life.  Write them down if it helps.  As you reflect on those gifts, thank God specifically for each item.  Maybe keep that list for the next couple of weeks and go back to it every day or two, repeating the process of thanking God for each gift, adding new gifts as you become aware of them.

As an added challenge if you are willing to accept it, pay careful attention to each time you use words such as “my” or “mine” and consider, at least in your mind replacing that with “God’s”.  Whether it’s “my day”, “my time”, “my schedule”, “my plan”, “my money”, or “my life.”  When we see these things not as mine, but God’s, it might cause us to consider them differently.  Perhaps it will make us feel uncomfortable initially, but staying with that thought, it can open the door to an awareness of how all of those things we consider “mine” are in fact gifts from Him, gifts for which we can and should give Him thanks, for as we say at each Mass, to give Him thanks is “right and just.”

Father Alford

Feast Day: October 22^nd | Patron of Popes, Families, Youth, Laborers, Actors, Athletes, Human Life, Poland, the Elderly, and those with Parkinson’s 

This week, St. Pope John Paul II on finding the Holy Father wanted him to become a bishop, from Rise, Let us be on Our Way:

The year is 1958. I’m on a train traveling toward Olsztyn with my group of canoeists. We are beginning the vacation schedule that we have been following since 1953: part of the vacation we are to spend in the mountains, most often in the Bieszczady mountains, and part on the lakes in the Masuria region. Our destination is the Łyna River. That’s why—it is July—we are on the train bound for Olsztyn. I say to our so-called admiral— as far as I can remember at that time it was Zdzisław Heydel: “Zdzisław, I’m going to have to leave the canoe because I have been summoned by the Primate [since the death of Cardinal August Hlond in 1948, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński was the Primate] and I must go to see him.” The admiral said: “That’s fine, I’ll see to it.” And so, when the time came, we left the group to go to the nearest railroad station, at Olsztynek. 

Knowing that I would have to see the Primate during our time on the Łyna River, I had deliberately left my good cassock with friends in Warsaw. It wouldn’t be right to visit the Primate wearing the old cassock I brought along on our canoe trips (on such trips I always brought a cassock and a complete set of vestments so that I could celebrate Mass). So I set off, first in the canoe over the waves of the river, and then in a truck laden with sacks of flour, until I got to Olsztynek. The train for Warsaw left late at night. I had brought my sleeping bag with me, thinking that I might be able to catch a few winks in the station and ask someone to wake me when it was time to board the train. There was no need for that in any event, because I didn’t sleep. 

In Warsaw I arrived on Miodowa Street at the specified hour. … As I entered the office of the Primate, he told me that the Holy Father had named me an auxiliary bishop to the archbishop of Kraków. In February of that same year (1958) Bishop Stanisław Rospond had died. He had been auxiliary bishop of Kraków for many years during the reign of the prince archbishop of Kraków, Cardinal Adam Sapieha. Upon hearing the words of the Primate informing me of the decision of the Holy See, I said, “Your Eminence, I am too young; I’m only thirty-eight.” But the Primate said, “That is a weakness which can soon be remedied. Please do not oppose the will of the Holy Father.” So I said, “I accept.” “Then let’s have lunch,” the Primate concluded. …

At the conclusion of this audience, of such great importance for my life, I realized that I could not return immediately to my canoeing friends: first I had to go to Kraków to inform Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak, my Ordinary. While waiting for the night train to Kraków, I spent many hours in prayer at the chapel of the Ursuline Sisters in Warsaw on Wiślana Street. … The next day I went to see Archbishop Eugeniusz Baziak at 3 Franciszkańska Street and handed him a letter from the Cardinal Primate. I remember it as if it were today. The Archbishop took me by the arm and led me into the waiting room where there were priests sitting, and he said: “Habemus papam”—“We have a Pope.” In the light of subsequent events, one might say that these words were prophetic. When I said to the Archbishop that I would like to return to Masuria to join my friends who were canoeing on the Łyna River, he answered: “I don’t think that would be appropriate.” Somewhat troubled by this reply, I went to the Church of the Franciscans and prayed the Way of the Cross. I often went there for this purpose because the stations are original, modern, painted by Józef Mehoffer. Then I went back to Archbishop Baziak renewing my request. I said, “I appreciate your concern, Excellency, but I would still ask you to allow me to return to Masuria.” This time he answered: “Yes, yes, by all means. But I ask you, please,” he added with a smile, “come back in time for the consecration.” 

So that very evening I again boarded the train for Olsztyn. I had with me Hemingway’s book The Old Man and the Sea. I read it all night. Once I dozed off. I felt somewhat strange . . . When I arrived at Olsztyn, my group was already there. They had canoed down the Łyna River. The admiral came for me to the station and said, “So, did Uncle become a bishop?” To this I said yes. He said: “That is exactly what I imagined in my heart, and what I wished for you.” As a matter of fact, shortly beforehand, on the occasion of my tenth anniversary of ordination, he had wished me this. When I was named a bishop, I was hardly twelve years a priest. 

I had slept little. When I reached my destination, I was tired. First, however, before going to rest, I went to church to celebrate Mass. The church was under the care of the university chaplain, Father Ignacy Tokarczuk, who was later named a bishop. After a short rest, I awoke and realized that the news had already spread, because Father Tokarczuk said to me: “Oh, the new bishop. Congratulations.” I smiled and went to join my canoeing friends. When I took the paddle, I again felt somewhat strange. The coincidence of dates struck me: The date of my nomination was July fourth, the anniversary date of the blessing of Wawel Cathedral. It is an anniversary that I have always cherished in my heart. I thought this coincidence must have some special meaning. I also thought maybe this was the last time I could go canoeing. Later though, I should mention, it turned out that there were many opportunities for me to go swimming and canoeing on the rivers and lakes of Masuria. As a matter of fact, I continued until the year 1978. 

– Fr. Dominic Rankin has also found that some of the most beautiful moments of his priesthood have happened outside: spontaneous requests for confession, Masses in rugged “cathedrals” of trees and rocks and sunshine, conversations while hiking or running, sublime prayer next to streams or lakes.