"Let us speak frankly of those who want to kill us."

I debated whether or not to re-post this editorial to my blog.

***

The violence against Christians in Iraq continues though. Christian homes are being bombed. It is a religious determined genocide.

***

After re-reading the editorial, I decided to re-post. The author refrains from stereotyping, but rather offers a frank commentary on the violence committed by Islamic-extremist against innocent Christians.

***

If the situation was reversed, where let's say innocent Muslims were slaughtered in prayer by Christian extremist, we know the media machine would be all over this. But now they are silent. Where they are not silent, they are mis-leading. Most of the innocent Christians were killed before the police entered. The survivors confirm this.

***

This type of violence is a most extreme violation of human dignity. Which god will praise these men for this? Which god is glorified by this act?

***

This type of violence should not be hidden under the dark shadow of polite "tea talk," nor should it be hidden within the coward's den of "political correctness." It must be called in plain language what is it: sense violence committed against innocents by extremists.

***

Does the author in fact seem angry? He certainly does. For this reason I was thinking of withholding this post. But we cannot forget that in the face of such horrific injustice, anger is the appropiate response. Only a man with a cold dead pathetic heart would not get angry in response to the massacre of the innocents.

***

A brief quote from the author, "Let us speak frankly about those who want to kill us. 'Allah akbar,' (God is great!). So those Catholics on Sunday heard the jihadists shout in the church. Can there be any greater sacrilege than to kill the innocent at prayer, while shouting that God is great?"

Deacon Ordination.

There are two essential parts of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. If either of these parts is missing, there will be no sacrament. If either of these parts is missing the man does not become a deacon (or a priest). Thanks be to God that both parts were clearly present (they usually are). The first which is pictured above, is that the bishop will lay his hands on the head of the soon to be deacon (or priest). The second is the prayer of ordination in which we ask God, through the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the very being of the man into a deacon (or priest).
Immediately after the prayer of ordination is finished, the men, who just a moment before were not deacons, rise, and they are now new deacons. Since they are truly deacons, and will be for the rest of their lives, they can function as deacons immediately. I was one of the two fortunate new deacons, to be able to assist as a deacon for the rest of the ordination Mass. Above you will see new-Deacon James Dodson and myself assisting Bishop Hebda with the incensation of the altar.
*****
Below you see a number of my classmates, including myself, as newly vested deacons.
Immediately after the prayer of ordination is finished, the first liturgical action is the vesting of the new deacons as deacons. Just as all Christian "put on Christ" in their baptism, the deacons (and later the priest) "put on Christ" in a particular way at their ordination. This is what this part of the ordination mass symbolizes. In the prayer of ordination Christ configures the men to himself, makes their very being "look" like him in his servant-hood. This is an invisible change. By putting on the vestments of the deacon, the new deacons make the invisible change visible to others.

I have posted more pictures on Facebook if you would like to check them out.

How can one hate such a kind, gentle, and yet BRAVE man?

My heart has been suffering no lack of distress over the recent media attacks on the HOLY FATHER. At this point it is please that the New York Times and SNAP no longer care so much about truth. They do not even care about the victims at this point. They only care about hate. They hate the Church, and they want us to hate also. They oppose the man who bravely proclaims, Deus Caritas Est GOD IS LOVE. So please read this article AN OPEN LETTER TO HANS KUNG. So do you chose to hate or do you chose to cooperate with the love of Christ?

*

Pray for the Pope.

St. Anselm: Why study theology?

Today's saint is St. Anselm. I doubt that many have a strong devotion to him, but he is highly important. I write on him in relation to my studies. Why study theology? Or perhaps a better question: How is the study of God even possible?

*

St. Anselm saw theology as simply Faith seeking understanding. The mysteries we believe in -- the Trinity, the coming of Christ into the world (Christmas!), the Sacrifice on the Cross, the Resurrection -- are mysteries. All Christians are called to kneel before them in contemplation. But we can also inquire into them - this is not an impossible task. They remain mysteries, since they are deeper than the mind dig, but our faith seeks to be understood by us. The fact that the Ask Father Box at most parishes is full almost every week indicates this.

*

But is it not pride that we seek to understand these mysteries that are so far "above" us? Yes and no - if we see these mysteries as an object of scientific inquiry, than yes that is pride -- this is not a physical science. However, we are not only called to know God, but to love Him. We see the person we love the most and we seek to know Him better. You would never put your spouse through the rigors of scientific inquiry, that just doesn't make sense, but over the years of marriage you come to know him or her very deeply. This is the knowledge that our faith seeks about God. It is not pride, because God has made us to know and to love him. He made us in His image and likeness, so we are "like unto God" in a certain way of speaking, and hence can learn about him.

*

So why does the seminarian spend so much time studying theology? Because our callings to follow Christ as one of his priest springs from His love for us, and our response to love him in return. Just like the spouse seeks to know his beloved in love and even to contemplate her; the Christian soul on fire for the love of God seeks to know Him and to contemplate Him.

Holy Hour

Today is the third in a series of Holy Hour homilies that my seminary class has been sponsoring as part of our preparation for diaconate ordination. The basic concept is that during the normal time of exposition, which on other days is reserved for silent private prayer, our class invites a priest to preach on a particular topic relating to the sacrament that we will be receiving in October. The sermons have already covered the Promise of Obedience, and another one that was supposedly on prayer. Today's sermon will be delivered by Fr. Bob Barron, of Word on Fire Ministries, and will be on celibacy.

*

The reason that the homilies on the life of a deacon are given in the context of a preached holy hour is simple: to highlight the importance of prayer in living the life of a deacon and later the life of a priest. In fact, prayer is important for any Christian that wishes to seriously live the Christian life. Christian claim to love Christ. Prayer is spending time with Christ. How can any serious Christian claim to love Christ, if he never spends any time with him?

*

Prayer is part of each day. Each day there is Mass and Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer as a seminary community, along with a prolonged time of private prayer (usually about an hour). During walks to lectures I pray the rosary, and other prayers.

*

I try to pray each morning, but when sleep seems to win the battle in the morning, I pray in the afternoon. What blood is to the life of the body, prayer is to the life of the soul. The body will not live long without blood, so the spiritual life of the soul will quickly be drained without the infusion of prayer. It is never to late to begin praying.

Five Years Ago Today: Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum! Habemus Papam!

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum! Habemus Papam! (I announce to [all of] you great joy! We have a Pope!). These are the words, that rang over the great "gathering space" of the Universal Church, St. Peter's Square five years ago today. It is a message with great joy. Like joy in our heart as the deacon announces to us the great joy of the Alleluia at the Easter Vigil.

*

On his recent pastoral visit to Malta, he noted the dark cloud over Europe. This was in reference to the volcanic cloud from Iceland, but could also be the dark cloud of the decaying European culture. Five years ago today, a ray of light shone through this darkness. I voice that is a great voice, not because he announces himself, but rather that he announces He in whom all things were made and have their being, Jesus Christ. The voice of moral truth in a world that prefers the darkness (cf. John 1:5 and 1:10-1).

*

As he testifies to the light, so that all may believe.

Lord, source of eternal life and truth, give to your shepherd, Benedict, a spirit of courage and right judgment, a spirit of knowledge and love. By governing with fidelity those entrusted to his care, may he, as sucessor to the Apostle Peter and Vicar of Christ, build your Church into a sacrament of unity, love and peace for all the world. Amen.

Let us pray for Benedict, the Pope.

May the Lord preserve him, give him a long life, make him blessed upon the earth, and not hand him over to the powers of his enemies.

May your hand be upon your holy servant.

And upon your son, whom you have anointed.

Pater...

Ave...

Gloria...

Peter, do you love me?

In today's Gospel we hear Jesus ask Peter three times, "Simon, do you love me?" Three times the Peter says, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you!" And Jesus responds, "Feed my sheep." There are two things that we can learn from this. First is the mercy of the Lord - yes the mercy of the Lord. We remember that Peter denied Jesus three times, and now Jesus gives better three opportunities to redeem those denials. Each time that we have denied Jesus with our sins, He calls us through the sacrament of confession, "Bill Brunner, do you love me?" And by confessing our sins, we say, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you!" Since we will not let our sins keep us from the love of Jesus for us - but we need to respond to that invitation to "un-do" that sin.

This Sunday is also the Sunday of the "Primacy of Peter." Since the Church looks at this Gospel as the time when Jesus gives Peter the first place among the apostles. After all, Peter, and only Peter, is the only one that Jesus told to "feed my sheep." This primacy continues to this day through the ministry of the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI.

In the Holy Land, on the shore of the sea of Galilee, there is a little church called the "Primacy of Peter Church." Re-read the gospel again, and look at these pictures. This church was built on the spot that tradition holds that today's Gospel took place. In the upper picture you can see the inside of the church. In the center is a large rock. This is the rock on which Jesus served his disciples the breakfast of fish. It is just off this shore that Jesus directed them to the miracle of the large catch of fish. It is hear that Jesus, in his mercy, invited Peter to re-affirm his love of Jesus, and those reverse the denials. It is also here that we can enter in prayer, and respond to Jesus when he invites us to do the same.

The lower picture is one of me standing on the sea-shore just outside the church.

Reflection for the Third Sunday of Easter

The priest at today's Mass will pray these words over the gifts of bread and wine that we offer. Receive these gifts from your Church. May the great joy you give us come to perfection in heaven.
*
The prayers that are said over the bread and wine always contain a little "theological nugget," and if you want to understand what we as Catholics believe about the Eucharist, meditate and reflect on these little prayers.
*
Reflecting on today's prayer, we see the basic "back and forth" of each Mass. We give God something, joined to the sacrifice of Christ; and God looking down on His Son and our offering, gives us so much more back, so much more!
*
Receive these gifts... What do we give to God? We give Him our very lives. Each morning I pray: Accept O Lord, through the Immaculate Heart of your Mother, this day with all its prayers and works; joys and sufferings... We give our lives by giving God all our prayers and works -- and also all our struggles. This could be the struggle of not gossiping about a co-worker behind her back. It could be the struggle of going one day of not committing that sinful habit that we have been struggling with. It is also offering Thanksgiving to God for all the many gifts He gives us each day. So the gifts are not only bread and wine, but our very selves.
*
We give these things because God originally gave them to us. We give them because these struggles have value when joined to the sacrifice of Christ. We given them because of the great promise of God - that He wants to give us a great gift of joy here on earth and perfect and complete joy in heaven. Just a little cooperation with God, and He responds with so much more.
*
Since we are still celebrating Easter, this joy on earth is the fore-taste of the resurrection we will experience in heaven. So in the closing prayer, we pray: Lord... bring us to the glory of the resurrection...

Back from Lent and Easter!

This week marks a return to the "normal daily schedule" at the North American College. Lent is over, so there the station churches have finished up for the year. Holy week was beautiful. The post-Easter travels to Fatima have lefted me refreshed, both bodily and spiritually - I am now ready for the final push to the end of the year - to finish my STB degree at the Angelicum, and return home in June.

The refectory is all set for the 2010 Rector's Dinner!

This week is also marked by the annual Rector's Dinner. This is the yearly fundraising dinner for the North American College. It also presents us, seminarians, to offer our gratitude to the generous benefactors of the college, who provide the material possibilities for us to be formed in the heart of Rome - in the heart of the Church.

Fresco painting of the Conversion of St. Paul in the Cappella Paolina in the Apostolic Palace. Painted by Michelangelo in 1545

Connected with this dinner is also the Papal Foundation's annual trip to Rome. This foundation provides the Holy Father with much of the funding for his works of social charity. We cannot forget that the Holy Father and the Vatican is the largest charitable organization in the world. These people make that possible. Part of their trip includes their daily Mass. I was very honored to be asked to serve for their Mass today in the Pauline Chapel (Cappella Paolina) in the Palace of the Pope.

Thislittle chapel is decored with two massive fresco paintings by Michelangelo, and has recently been restored. What a treat! It is just a beautiful chapel, and after Mass the servers and choir, all seminarians from the North American College were invited to join the Papal Foundation for their tour of the Sistine Chapel and part of the Pope's Palace.

On the left: Archbishop DiNoia, the celebrant of today's Mass

In additional treat of being invited to serve for this Mass was that Archbishop DiNoia was the celebrant and gave the Foundation a brief talk after the Mass. Archbishop DiNoia gave the college a great lecture on preaching to young adults last year, and he has been to the college a number of times - including celebrating the Easter Vigil for us.

The Archbishop's talk was a short word about liturgy and the new translation of the prayers for Mass. He remarked that every religious tradition has "a sacred language" for their acts of worship. The Hindi uses Sanskrit. The Muslims use Arabic. The Jews use Hebrew. And up until 1970, Catholics only used Latin as their "sacred language." So allowing Mass to be celebrated in English was (and still is) quite a "new thing." So we are still learning how we should be doing it, and we have learned much more since 1970 about theology, and translating, so that is why we need a new translation of the prayers of the Mass.

For the glory of God and the aid to his faithful here on earth...

Five more saint! The Pope recently approved the canonization of five men and women, so that they can be invoked as saints of the Church. Remember that saints are our friends in heaven, the holy men and women, who with their prayers help us to join them too in heaven.

Two of particular interest:

Brother Andre Bessette - the founder of the Oratory of St. Joseph in Canada. Have you ever buried a statue of St. Joseph so that through his prayers your house may find a buyer? He started this custom.

Mary of the Cross (Mary Helen MacKillop) - foundress of the sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart. She is the first Australian to be invoked as a saint. May she be the first of many.

A feast to honor a chair?

It seems strange - a feast of the Church to honor a chair? Today is the feast of the "Chair of Peter." Of course a physical chair is not meant, but rather the chair serves as a symbol of the teaching and caring authority of Peter and his successors. The feast today honors that commission and reminds us to pray for the Pope, who is called the sucessor of Peter and for our own bishop, who has his own chair in the cathedral - since he too shares in the teaching and caring authority of the Church.

The inside of the Church of Peter's Primacy, where the Apostle Peter received "his chair" - the great commision from Christ "to feed my sheep." The large rock that occupies most of the sanctuary is the rock on which Christ served the disciples fish cooked over a charcoal fire after his resurrection.

The goal of Christ is to get us to heaven. But as we read yesterday at Mass the road to heaven is filled with many stumbling blocks -- we call these temptations. So it makes sense that if God wants us to be happy with him in heaven, he will provide us with a guide so that we can avoid those stumbling blocks. He has done this in the Church and in a particular way in the person of Peter - and his sucessors - the Popes. This gives the Pope great authority -- but this authority is not a power trip, but rather one of care - remember what Christ says be not like the pagans who laud their authority over them - but be rather the servant.

The exterior of the Church. It is built right on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Can you recognize Brian Romportl, another seminarian fro the diocese of Green Bay, and my friend Adam Verona, from the diocese of Pittsburgh?

Christ gave this primacy to Peter on the shores of the Sea of Galilee after the resurrection when he told Peter feed my sheep (read John 21). There is a church building on that spot to commerate this event. It is because Christ entrusted his sheep - his flock - which means us and his Church - that we honor the memory of St. Peter and respect his sucessor - the Pope.

In Saint Peter's basilica the second most important altar is the "Altar of the Chair." On this day it is decorated with candles and of course Mass is celebrated there. It is a visible reminder for us to worship God and thank him for providing us with the Church and the Pope to guide on the the path of Christian life towards happiness with him in heaven. Incidently, this will also be the altar where I will be ordained on October 7, 2010.

This is also one of the few days that the famous statue of St. Peter is vested. This is a particularly beautiful devotion in the city of Rome.

To understand this better I would suggest reading the homily the Pope gave when he was installed as the Pope: Mass for the Inauguration of the Pontificate (24 April 2005).

First Sunday of Lent - in the Holy Land

As the pilgrim group left Galilee we entered into the deserts of Judea. We wondered how this could be called the "Promised Land." It was in a landscape like this that Jesus would have been tempted.

Today we join Christ in the mystery of his temptations in the desert. The deserts in Judea were the first deserts that I have ever seen, and they are stark and lonely. This is were Christ entered into the struggle with and triumph over the evil one, the Father of Lies. How could Christ be tempted? After all he was God -- but he was also man, and it is in his humanity that he was tempted. He allowed himself to be tempted, so that we could see that the one who tempts us, the Devil, can be overcome. The Church proclaims this reading at the beginning of Lent to remind us of the struggle that we enter into by living the Christian calling of our baptisms. Christ has triumphed, so that we too can triumph.

Here I am swimming in the Dead Sea

What is a temptation? Imagine walking through the desert, being lost in the desert for days. The land starts to fall away, and you approach a large lake. Imagine your thrist. Imagine how much you would want to drink the water. Imagine cupping your hands in the water, lifting it to your mouth and taking a big drink. Instead of sweet fresh living water, you taste the burn of saline water -- dead with so much salt. The "lake" you have found after wondering through the desert is the "Dead Sea." It is the only water on earth that brings death and not life. The water of this sea is what you thought you wanted, but instead it brings death. This is the image that shows what a tempation is. A temptation is that which looks like what we want -- like the water in the desert, but which actually is what brings death --.

Holyland reflection for the fifth Sunday after the Epiphany: “Depart from me Lord…”

Between Capernaum and the German retreat house that I stayed at in Galilee is a little bay called the "Bay of the Parables." Ancient devout tradition holds tihs is where Jesus taught the crowds from a boat, as we read in todays Gospel. The shore rises up around the bay to create a little natural amphitheatre, allowing the whole crowd to hear the parables.

At the bottom of this entry I have included a link to today's readings from Mass and a good homily from my former teacher at Mundelein, Fr. Bob Barron. I have been juggling the best way to share the Holy Land experience with you, my friends and family. I think the best way is to bring in the pictures and my personal experiences as we move through the "year of grace" - the liturgical year, since through the flow of the liturgical year we together enter into the mystery of Christ's life here on earth.

We even tested out the theory at the bay of parables - here are some of my friends from the North American College reading the parables. The level of the sea has dropped since Christ's days, it used to be above the dried reeds in the picture.

I spent Christmas day this past year walking along the shores of Lake Gennesaret (a.k.a. Sea of Galilee), where the story from today's Gospel takes place. At first it seems like two days Gospel is an odd link between the unrelated episodes of Jesus teaching the crowds, and the call of Peter. Why does the Church put these two episodes together in today's lectionary? The first part does not even tell us what Jesus taught the crowds, "The he sat down and taught he crowds from the boat." If we want to find out what Jesus taught we actually need to go to the Gospel of Mark (4:1-41). What the Church wants to emphasize here is not so much the what of Jesus's teachings, but rather who the teacher is.

***

Is Jesus just like "every other wise man and great teacher" or in him do we find some one unique and amazing? This is a very important question - if Jesus is simply one of many "wise men and great teachers," we can simply disregard his teachings when the become too difficult, or unfashionable. This is what many actually are trying to do: Jesus say he who divorces his wife causes her to commit adultery, and if you wish to be called my disciple take up your cross and come and follow me. These teachings, among others are hard - the world wants to live in all sorts of adultery; the world does not want to pick up the cross. The world wants to ignore these teachings precisely because they are hard and unfashionable. Jesus however is not just "a wise man and a great teacher."

***

Look again at the readings. In Mark the teaching of the parables is immediately followed by Jesus calming the storm at sea. In today's reading from Luke immediately after Jesus taught the crowd he directs Peter to a miraculous catch of fish (Peter here represents the world, who resists the direction that Christ gives), forgives his sins, and calls him to now be catching men. Are these not all things that only God can do? The first two are genuine miracles that show the Jesus is Lord even over the weather and the animals (the heavens and the deep), and the forgiveness of sins and the calling of men is reserved to the power of God. By connecting the two we are supposed to see that we should strive to follow the teachings of Christ and his Church, because there in Christ we find something more than "a wise man and a great teacher," but rather we find God himself teaching us - so we follow the teaching not because it is easy or fashionable, but rather because they are the words of a Father who dearly loves us as his sons and daughters, and wants what is best for us.
So what did Jesus teach the crowds from the boat? We are those crowds that he teaches, and he teaches us the love of God the Father for us, but also he teachs us what we do not want to follow. Just as Peter did not want to listen to the direction that Christ wanted to give him, but when he did listen and responded to the word, he was richly provided, in fact he received more fish than he could even receive - so too with us - when we listen to the teaching of Christ, we too will receive abundant blessings and rich rewards.

The man in this picture is my friend Matt Libra from Portland in Oregon. This is the only waterfall on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Fishermen come here to wash out their nets, just like in the days of Christ. I even saw a fishman come in to wash his nets while praying here one day. There is a good chance that this is where Jesus found his first four disciples, Peter and Andrew, James and John, since they would have come ashore here to wash their nets.

Now the last part of the story is really quite a mystery. Why does Peter follow Jesus? Why did Jesus decide to call Peter? In these two questions I see my own vocational call. Why do I follow Jesus? Why did Jesus decide to call me to be a priest? Venerable Servant of God, Pope John Paul II, even ponders over this own call to the priesthood in the book Gift and Mystery. Peter would find it to be a great gift that God has called him to be his disciple, and I am finding it to be a great gift to be called by God to be one of his priests - configured to his bleeding heart. I eagerly look forward to October when I will be ordained a deacon in Rome, and to next year when I will be ordained a priest back home.

***

Yet - I do not know why Christ has called me. Yes - with Peter there was the amazing catch of fish, but is that enough for Peter to give up his income, his family, all that he knows - in order to follow this mysterious man Jesus? Could it be that while Jesus was speaking, "...now you will be catching men," Peter's heart was tuned to the heart of Christ that was speaking literally "heart to heart" in a deep mystery of prayer and contemplation? God has arranged it so that I would met the right people to help me hear the call, learn to pray, grow more solid in my faith - yet was this enough for me to hear the call? What can I point at in myself to say, "God called me for this reason?" I do not know, but deep from within my heart, during times of prayer, I have not so much heard, as felt a pull towards the priesthood - and this was the heart of Christ breaking though my hard heart and pulling me towards him.

Today's readings from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

The homily of Fr. Bob Barron, from Word on Fire Ministries

Well apparently I wasn't the only one who couldn't resist...

Apparently I wasn't the only one who couldn't resist the draw of Il potere e la grazia, i patroni dell'Europa. This is the exhibit that I promise I will write more about...but now this breaking news from Catholic News Service:

Pope Sneaks Out to See Exhibit

VATICAN CITY -- Twenty-five years ago, it wasn't unusual for Pope John Paul II to sneak out of the Vatican in the winter to go skiing.

Pope Benedict XVI left the Vatican unannounced last evening to visit an art exhibit, according to reports today from Vatican Radio and L'Osservatore Romano.

Yesterday marked the end of the four-month run of the exhibit, "The Power and the Grace: The Patron Saints of Europe," at Rome's Palazzo Venezia Museum, and Pope Benedict was amoung the last of the more than 100,000 people to visit the show.

The Vatican newspaper said the pope arrived at the museum about 6:30 PM with his two private secretaries and four lay women who care for the private papal household. The women are members of the Communion and Liberation's Memores Domini Association.

While the public was held at bay for thirty-five minutes, the pope and his entourage were shown the more than one hundred works on disply by the curator of the exhibit, the Italian ambassador to Italy and an undersecretary of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government.

For the last month of the exhibit, the Louvre in Paris loaned the museum Leonardo Da Vinci's painting of Saint John the Baptist. Other works on display included Jan van Eyck's painting of Saint Francis of Assisi with the stigmate, Caravaggio's Saint John the Baptist, and El Greco's painting of Saint Louis IX of France.

It's not every day that I make it in the newspaper

Biography?

Well I am pretty sure that is not what most of you were expecting, but I must admit that he has quite a good name.

Exams are going well, two down, four to go -- including a double header on Wedensday (Sacraments and Ecumenical Theology). Then it is on to Belgium for a relaxing week at the American Seminary there.

Hope all of you find a little something to bring a smile to your face today.