Great Series with Fr. Hock! Please read and attend.

Year of faith – What do we believe?  A Profession of Faith

This year, on the 50^th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has declared a year of faith.  All the faithful have a great opportunity to grow in faith and understanding of the teachings of the Catholic Church.  In this first teaching, Fr. Hock will lead a 7 week series on the Nicene Creed:  1) I believe in God the Father, 2) I believe in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, 3) I believe in the Holy Spirit, 4) I believe in the Holy Catholic Church, 5) I believe in the forgiveness of sins, 6) I believe in the resurrection of the body, and 7) I believe in life everlasting.  The study will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, repeated on Thursday lunch hours from 12:05pm to 12:55pm.  The series begins on Tuesday October 30^th (repeated on Thursday November 1^st).  Handouts will be provided and placed at the main entrances of the church on the Sunday prior.  No registration or commitment to attend all sessions is required.  Just come with an open heart, lots of questions and a smile!  For clarifications, call Fr. Hock at the church office:  532-0942 or e-mail: frhock@st-pats-online.org.

As we remember 9/11 tomorrow I offer this reflection from The Aeneid:

We first meet Aeneas in a shipwreck, when he is very much the personal man, wishing himself dead.

O terque quaterque beati,
quis ante ora patrum Troiae sub moenibus altis 
contigit oppetere!“

“O three and four times blessed, those who happened to meet death beore the altars of their fathers under the high walls of Troy!”

Everyone is fessus–tired.   The Trojans are tired.  The ships are described as tired.

But when Aeneas  and only seven of his 20 ships reach the shores of Libya, he must be strong and says (Fagles translation)”  “My comrades, hardly strangers to pain before now, we have all weathered worse.”

And he delivers one of the most famous lines of The Aeneid:

forsan et haec olim meminisse iuvabit. 

“Perhaps one day it will be a joy even to remember these things.”

He has lost his wife, friends, and many relatives in the war.  Does he believe what he says?  He knows how to say it.

And doesn’t this remind us all of sadness and disasters we have overcome?

How families deal with mental illness . . .

Mental illness has touched nearly everyone in some way. Often we don't know what to do or who to turn to. This link is to a documentary run on our local public television station. It was produced by a young woman who grew up with a dad suffering from mental illness. Please take twenty minutes and watch it. It really helped me get a look in to a world that many people deal with every day, including some of my students.

Peace,
Kevin

My Dad's Mental Illness

8th Grade Students Answering, "If I were Pope for a day I would . . ."

I asked all my classes to answer the question, "If I were Pope for a day I would . . ." Here are some of the responses from the eighth grade students.

• I would reveal the location of the Ark of the Covenant and the Aliens because we all know that the Pope is the only one who knows about those tow things.
• I would go to a baseball game. It would be a night game and I would throw out the first pitch.
• I would move to Australia and ride kangaroos in a race and then go to the beach in which I would learn to surf in my vestments.
• I would go to the poorest parts of the world and do what I could do to help.
• I would throw a big carnival with a bunch of roller coasters and ferris wheels and a lot of fun games and stuff. They would all be free to play, everything but the food and drinks.
• I would try to end hunger and make sure everyone has a home with food and water and after I get done with that I will celebrate with a big party and invite everyone.
• I would  go mess around with the Popemobile and play hide and seek at St. Peter's Basilica with the priests because I would know all of the secret hiding spots.

More to come from the eighth grade soon. Thanks for reading!

I asked all my students to take five minutes to answer this question: If I were Pope for a day I would  ...

Here are some responses. I will do other grades in the days to come.  Have fun!

Seventh Grade Students:

“Have a ceremony with all people. I would have junk food and ride horses and decorate the churches in bright colors to celebrate new members.”

“I would go around town in that Pope-mobile. I would use the pole thing with holy water in it and sprinkle it over everyone. I would do lots of masses and for the people that go I would give presents and gifts for coming to my mass.”

“I would go to Rome and walk around and make sure I had my body guards ‘cause people would go crazy. But I would see people and take pictures with them.”

“I wouldn’t do much. I would probably do normal Pope things. I would bless people, talk about God, help people, things like that.”

“I would probably fly to Rome. Then I would bless crippled people on the streets. Then I would go and eat some pasta, then drink some grape juice. I would go to Africa, bless some people. Go to Bahamas, bless people and build some houses.”

“I would take a limousine to go to a nursing home and visit the sick. Then to a hospital and heal the sick, after that I would buy them lunch. After that I would stop at a daycare center and visit the children and play a game with them or read them a story. After that I would play a beach volleyball game with the other priests and nuns, of course my team would win!”

“I would go to the Bahamas and get away form everyone, just relax. Take in the fresh air. Swim with the dolphins. Pretty much just have a great time.”

“Catholic schools would get steak every single day.”

“I would like to get a waterbed." Even a moose gets a waterbed.

We are all Olympians to God

 This was sent to me today and I think it teaches us a lot. Peace.

The "Right" Religion

Isn't it interesting that Christianity, Islam and Judaism are three religions that claim to hold the truth, the way, the possibility of going somewhere after death. Do Eastern Religions focus on this? Or do they focus on harmony, balance and living fully in the present? Where does peace come from in all this? Where does unity come from? Can I be Catholic and not believe my religion is the best religion or the religion that points the way for everyone else. Jesus was Jewish and tried to help his fellow Jews think bigger and more broadly and more inclusively. What does this mean for Catholic Christians today? How should I lead as a Catholic Christian? Give me some feedback on this one if you get a chance. Thanks!

PS. I have been studying Venn Diagrams this summer and I thought this one looked interesting. Many of my students have been talking a lot about Zombies and Vampires this past year. Hmmm.

Gay Marriage

I find this topic so controversial. People, including me, are really struggling with Gay Marriage. To me it seems that there are two parts: How do I deal with my own uncomfortableness with my sexuality and how does that limit me from being able to understand other perspectives. I have been raised in the United States to believe sex and sexuality is bad or something not to be talked about except in seventh grade health class, the locker room or behind closed doors with the one I love. Therefore, I have really struggled to understand homosexuality from Jesus' perspective. Jesus loved those on the periphery. He loved the outcast, the sinner, the person that was untouchable by society. I think these may be homosexuals today. As a modern society we have made homosexuals second class citizens. We think we are better than them, we won't give them certain rights, we talk about them in a way that makes sure they are never our equal. This is not what Jesus was about.

 I think my fear of allowing gay people to marry has really been a fear of me admitting that I don't understand myself fully. I think it has to do with my fear of loss of control, of a "this might lead to that" mentality, of some power I have over someone different than me.

The Catholic Church is really caught in a tough position on this issue. She has to talk about each relationship being open to unity and creation. That is her theology. Is creation helping children grow? Is being a co-creator helping "parent" many children. Can unity be formed through intimacy in a variety of ways? These are tough questions.

I have much to learn, think and pray about. I hope you will join me. Also join me in loving one another as Christ has loved us.

Peace

PS. Here is an interesting website that might be informative for us as we move forward: http://gaymarriage.procon.org/

Today I have received some feedback about my new blog. It is motivating. People really do want to talk about faith and life. I read a letter to the editor today. You can find it posted on my blog. Apparently there are people who do not find God believable. That is incomprehensible to me. The church is founded on the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God that has been God forever and forever will be God.

Many of my students ask me when I speak about holy sites in Israel, "Mr. Fuller, how do you know that is really the site where it happened." My response is always, "I don't." Then I tell them, and this is where faith comes in, that for thousands of years people have been coming to this site to remember this event. Their footprints are carved in to the stone. What makes this site a holy site is not whether I believe it is the actual site that the holy event took place. What makes this site holy is that for thousands of years people have known and believed this site to be holy and have venerated it and made it so. Now that is faith
.

Freedom from religion - North Platte Nebraska's Newspaper: Letters To The Editor

Freedom from religion - North Platte Nebraska's Newspaper: Letters To The Editor: In response to Mr. Eckhoff's letter, July 3:

I have blogged at different times over the years. Some days I am a big fan and other days I think it is odd for people to share their thoughts or streams of consciousness on the web. Today I am beginning a new blog with a new purpose. I am going to write about my perspective of the Roman Catholic Religion. I want to do this for a few reasons. First, I love being Catholic and I love my faith. Second, I want to help my students (I am a teacher) have the opportunity to work with me on this blog. Some days you may see ideas and posting from them on here. Be gentle please. Finally, I think it is time I speak rather than observe. So, here we go. Hang on and enjoy the ride. Peace, Kevin