I feel, my brothers and sisters, that I need to make a few points of clarification about my homily yesterday at the 10:00 a.m. Mass. I hope and pray this helps:
Firstly, I was in no way being supportive of President Obama in most of what he has stood for and decisions he has made in his presidency. I hope nobody would argue that his words and actions, for instance in the area of the right to life and religious freedom have been extremely contrary to our Church's teaching and has been very bad for our country and devasting to the lives of unborn children, their mothers and others.
In my homily, I was trying to convey that President Obama's recent actions or at least intentions when it comes to prison reform is in line with what our Pope has said about the need for prison reform and reflects the love and mercy of God which we are called to have and share toward everyone, including those who are in prison.
Given what happened to Jesus in His ministry, when some wrongly rejected Him and everything He said and did, to their detriment and ultimately to His death, we must, be careful about totally rejecting someone and everything they say and/or do unless everything they say and do is contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even then, we should follow the example and teachings of Christ and not reject or worse hate them, but pray for them and for their conversion. To act as if anyone or anything is hopeless is to try to close the door on God, which we in truth cannot and should not try to do.
I pray that those who are upset with me over what I said in my homily, will reflect on the points I have made here and bring them to prayer. Please pray for me as I pray for all of you every day.
God bless you!
Fr. Bill
Firstly, I was in no way being supportive of President Obama in most of what he has stood for and decisions he has made in his presidency. I hope nobody would argue that his words and actions, for instance in the area of the right to life and religious freedom have been extremely contrary to our Church's teaching and has been very bad for our country and devasting to the lives of unborn children, their mothers and others.
In my homily, I was trying to convey that President Obama's recent actions or at least intentions when it comes to prison reform is in line with what our Pope has said about the need for prison reform and reflects the love and mercy of God which we are called to have and share toward everyone, including those who are in prison.
Given what happened to Jesus in His ministry, when some wrongly rejected Him and everything He said and did, to their detriment and ultimately to His death, we must, be careful about totally rejecting someone and everything they say and/or do unless everything they say and do is contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Even then, we should follow the example and teachings of Christ and not reject or worse hate them, but pray for them and for their conversion. To act as if anyone or anything is hopeless is to try to close the door on God, which we in truth cannot and should not try to do.
I pray that those who are upset with me over what I said in my homily, will reflect on the points I have made here and bring them to prayer. Please pray for me as I pray for all of you every day.
God bless you!
Fr. Bill
While I write this pastor's column, I have just opened the box which contains the material for the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal 2016 which will be kicked off next weekend in our parish and throughout the diocese. A message and plea will be given from Bishop Taylor and an opportunity to give to CASA through an envelope that will be passed out by the ushers to every family as they arrive for Mass. I have every reason to be confident (given past history) that at least 300 families will respond in mercy, and some in great generosity, to support the many ministries and activities in our diocese that are unable to fully, or even in part, support themselves. There are so many who benefit from the help of people through the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal, that I don't want to single any one of them out. From school age children at the grade school level through colege-age students, who need religious education and the influence of Christ-like people to combat the secularism of our time, to seminarians who need formation to be priests of tomorrow, and retired priests who need care in their declining years, to families who are poor or who face tragic circumstances and who need assistance from Catholic Charities to many others, the list is long and the needs are great.
This year, there is a great need for funds for a major restoration of Fletcher Hall, one of the buildings at St. John's Center in Little Rock that is used to house young people and adults for retreats, priests for continuing education, deacon candidates who are being prepared for ministry, and others who gather for diocesan meetings or events. I realize that is is much easier to get people to give money that will be used directly for the benefit of people, but practically speaking, we need good, strong facilites to host people for gatherings that will benefit them and those they serve.
I am putting out a special plea to those who have not given anything to this appeal last year and/or in the past years, to give at least SOMETHING to support CASA this year. While we have been blessed in and through the generous gifts that have enabled us to reach and surpass our goal of around $58,000 in previous years (and I pray this appeal will say to our diocese, our bishop, and FIRSTLY to God, that MANY, if not most, Sacred Heart Parishioners are kind, merciful and willing to help in some way whether that gift is as little as $5 or as much as $500 or more. Thanks in advance for making the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal a record year here at Sacred Heart in money given and ESPECIALLY in numbers of people that give. GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
This year, there is a great need for funds for a major restoration of Fletcher Hall, one of the buildings at St. John's Center in Little Rock that is used to house young people and adults for retreats, priests for continuing education, deacon candidates who are being prepared for ministry, and others who gather for diocesan meetings or events. I realize that is is much easier to get people to give money that will be used directly for the benefit of people, but practically speaking, we need good, strong facilites to host people for gatherings that will benefit them and those they serve.
I am putting out a special plea to those who have not given anything to this appeal last year and/or in the past years, to give at least SOMETHING to support CASA this year. While we have been blessed in and through the generous gifts that have enabled us to reach and surpass our goal of around $58,000 in previous years (and I pray this appeal will say to our diocese, our bishop, and FIRSTLY to God, that MANY, if not most, Sacred Heart Parishioners are kind, merciful and willing to help in some way whether that gift is as little as $5 or as much as $500 or more. Thanks in advance for making the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal a record year here at Sacred Heart in money given and ESPECIALLY in numbers of people that give. GOD BLESS YOU!!!!
Among the many prayer's and activities that we can do during this "Jubilee Year of Mercy," I would strongly suggest praying the "Chaplet of Divine Mercy" as given to us by the Lord through St. Faustina. I must say that I have been surprised at a number of venues (like a person's deathbed) when I have prayed the Chaplet and discovered that some of the family members of the sick person don't know how to pray the Chaplet. In case some of you might fall into that category, I will summarize how it is prayed using the rosary beads.
After making the sign of the cross, you say, (in this order) one Our Father, one Hail Mary and the Apostles Creed. In the places where you would normally pray the Our Father's throughout the rosary, instead you pray: "Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and the Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ," (RESPONSE) "In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world." In place of the "Hail Mary" beads, you say: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion." (RESPONSE) "Have mercy on us and on the whole world." After you pray this for the last time, you conclude by praying the following three times: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." The Chaplet takes, on average, only ten minutes to pray (unless you sing it), and it gives us the wonderful opportunity to truly turn to the Lord of Mercy, pleading for mercy upon us and upon the sinful world in which we live. We are praying the Chaplet EVERY Friday at the end of the morning Mass. Come join us!
After making the sign of the cross, you say, (in this order) one Our Father, one Hail Mary and the Apostles Creed. In the places where you would normally pray the Our Father's throughout the rosary, instead you pray: "Eternal Father, I offer you the Body and the Blood, Soul and Divinity of your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ," (RESPONSE) "In atonement for our sins and those of the whole world." In place of the "Hail Mary" beads, you say: "For the sake of His sorrowful passion." (RESPONSE) "Have mercy on us and on the whole world." After you pray this for the last time, you conclude by praying the following three times: "Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One, have mercy on us and on the whole world." The Chaplet takes, on average, only ten minutes to pray (unless you sing it), and it gives us the wonderful opportunity to truly turn to the Lord of Mercy, pleading for mercy upon us and upon the sinful world in which we live. We are praying the Chaplet EVERY Friday at the end of the morning Mass. Come join us!