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from the pastor…Fr. McHugh

Lenten Catholic Update Series

Throughout the Lenten season, we will have inserts from St. Anthony Messenger Press in our bulletin. I planned to have a blend of practical and intellectual topics. In Rediscovering Lent, Matthew Kelly, who appeared here locally, lists what he believes are the pillars of the Catholic faith and then lists scriptural passages related to the topics. Kelly lists Confession, Daily Prayer, the Mass, the Bible, Fasting, Spiritual Reading, and the Rosary as foundations of Catholicism. Susan Vogt, in Lent – Have You Given Up on Giving Up?, talks about the need to divest ourselves of possessions – an excellent article that applies to hoarders like me. I am ashamed to say I hardly ever use the Public Library. Although I am an avid reader, I have such a collection of books, I don’t need to go to any library. Thomas Rickstatter’s Opening the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is especially relevant since we have Confirmation coming up shortly. The article examines the sacraments and The Holy Spirit and the seven traditional gifts of the Holy Spirit. Father Paul Boudreau’s article Keys to Forgiveness deals with a subject we all have to face. He discusses forgiving ourselves and others who have hurt us deeply and the pain of not forgiving. Fr. Raymond Brown, my favorite Scripture scholar, offers Lenten stories from John’s Gospel. He treats the gospels of “Johannine Lent”, Sundays 3 through 5 of Cycle A. Fr. Brown discusses the Samaritan Woman at the Well, the Man Born Blind, and the Raising of Lazarus and the corresponding themes of Water, Light, and Life. Fr. William Shannon, in The Resurrection: How Do We Know It’s True?, examines the appearances of Jesus after His resurrection and the resurrection as a faith experience and some ways we experience the Risen Christ.

Lenten Fasting Regulations

Abstinence from meats is to be observed by all Catholics 14 years and older on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent, including Good Friday. Fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by all Catholics who are 18 years of age but not yet 59. Those who are bound by this may take only one full meal. Two smaller meals are permitted that are necessary to maintain strength according to one’s needs, but eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.

Scripture Series

I will offer Scripture sessions on five consecutive Thursday mornings beginning February 23rd at 9:00 AM. Possible times and dates for evening sessions will be listed in future bulletins.

• Week 1 – Feb. 23: Fr. Joseph Marie Lagrange, the father of modern Catholic biblical studies, including the historical-critical method (the method I employ in Scripture presentations and biblical homilies). We will examine how Fr. Lagrange persevered in his studies despite many obstacles such as censorship, lack of freedom to publish, closed-minded church officials, attacks on his character and other difficulties.
• Week 2 – March 1: The Resurrection Narratives of Mark and Matthew. I will use the works of Ray Brown, but not confine myself to this alone.
• Week 3 – March 8: The Resurrection Narratives of Luke and John. We will show similarities and differences in all of the Resurrection Narratives which, unlike the Passion Narratives, are quite different from one another. We will treat the material added to the original endings of John and Mark, compare the people present in the Resurrection Narratives, the reactions to the Resurrection and to announcements of the Resurrection.
• Week 4 – March 15: The Passion Narrative of Mark. We will treat the Passion which will be read on the Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, Palm Sunday. We will look at the unique characteristics of the Passion narrative, which is the bleakest of all Passion Narratives.
• Week 5 – March 22: The Biblical Perspectives of Hospitality. We will examine the history of hospitality in Scripture. This is a very important quality in the Bible and the scriptures give it substantial treatment. If we do have to cancel any sessions due to weather or illness, March 22 could be employed as a makeup date for a previous topic, as could March 29, although this is close to Holy Week and our Confirmation. I may offer a couple of evening presentations but not the full program. I appreciate your wonderful support of this program in the past, and I do not use the word wonderful loosely. This motivates me to attempt to offer more than you could get elsewhere. You are asked to register for the program.

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Theme: Forgiveness – The first reading from Isaiah expresses God’s forgiveness of His people despite their having wearied Him with their sins and unfaithfulness. The compassionate God is willing to allow His people to have a new beginning by wiping out their sins. God’s generosity is really dependent on His extravagant compassion. In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus cures the paralytic but only after forgiving his sins. Usually Jesus will heal first, and then forgive sin. Since Jesus claims to forgive sins, He is really claiming to be God because only God can forgive sins. The scribes complain that Jesus is blaspheming and reject His claim to forgive sin.

Books I Plan to Read During Lent

Fr. Raymond Brown – A Risen Christ at Eastertime: This examines the Resurrection Narratives of each Gospel. This is actually a re-read for me, and a book I highly recommend. It treats the resurrection accounts of each Gospel and makes comparisons. It also treats the added endings of Mark and John. Fr. John O’Grady – Throughout These Forty Days We Pray: Fr. O’Grady is a former teacher of mine; a very creative thinker who has authored 19 books. In the book, he treats repentance, Ash Wednesday, the Seven Last Words of Jesus, the Triduum and Easter. The Guild can get this book for only $9.95. Clarence Enzler – My Other Self: I will be using Enzler’s Everyone’s Way of the Cross; in my opinion, a wonderful stations book. Enzler uses the “Conversations with Christ” approach that he employed in Everyone’s Way of the Cross. The book also includes some beautiful prayers. Another book I am currently reading is Kristine Setting Clark’s Undefeated, Untied, and Uninvited, which is a documentary on the University of San Francisco Dons football team who rejected playing in the Orange Bowl because the Bowl committee insisted that they leave their two African-American players home. The team is the only one to boast 8 players who went on to the NFL, including Ollie Matson, the great running back, Gino Marchetti, and Bob St. Clair; all three of whom became NFL Hall of Fame players. This is an absolutely wonderful football book, well-illustrated and presented in an attractive format. Pete Rozelle, perhaps the most powerful Commissioner in any sport, was the team’s publicist.

Baptisms

Because we have six Baptisms to date slated for February, I made an exception for this month and will offer Baptisms on both the second and third Sundays of the month. Couples were given the choice of either Sunday after the 10:00 AM Mass. This will help eliminate the Baptisms from becoming impersonal and to avoid families being spread throughout the church. February 19th is the last day for baptisms until the Easter Vigil. There will be no Baptisms on Easter Sunday itself. We thank David and Noreen Jacques for offering Baptismal classes. The next Baptismal Prep class is April 15th at 1:00 PM. Again, just a reminder that you don’t have to wait until your child is actually born to come to Baptismal class.

Office: (570) 788-3141 | Fax: (570) 788-2916 87 South Hunter Highway Drums, PA 18222