Tuesday, February 2

The Feast of the Presentation of the Lord commemorates the purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the presentation of Christ in the temple, which took place 40 days after his birth as Jewish law required. According to Mosaic law, a mother who had given birth to a boy was considered unclean for seven days. Also, she was to remain 33 days "in the blood of her purification." Luke tells us, quoting Exodus 13:2,12, that Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Jerusalem because every firstborn child was to be dedicated to the Lord. They also went to sacrifice a pair of doves or two young pigeons, showing that Mary and Joseph were poor. Once in the temple, Jesus was purified by the prayer of Simeon, in the presence of Anna the prophetess. Simeon, upon seeing the Messiah, gave thanks to the Lord, singing a hymn now called the Nunc Dimittis:

Lord, now you let your servant go in peace,
your word has been fulfilled:
My own eyes have seen the salvation,
which you have prepared in the sight of every people:
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.

Simeon told Mary, "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against, (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that thoughts out of many hearts may be revealed." Simeon thus foreshadowed the crucifixion and the sorrows of Mary at seeing the death of her Son.

The name Candlemas (“Candle Mass”) comes from the activities associated with the feast. In the Western Church, a procession with lighted candles was popular, and beeswax candles are blessed and may be saved for later use in your home. After an antiphon, during which the candles held by the people may be lighted, there is a procession into the church which commemorates Christ's entrance into the temple. Since Vatican II, the feast is officially designated “The Presentation of the Lord.”

Blessed are you who are poor,
for the kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man. (Lk 6:20-23)

It’s hard to argue with the joy that we’ve experienced over the last week. I still have a hard time saying it without laughing: The Saints Won the Super Bowl!!

It seems that since Katrina, we have needed a symbol for the “renaissance” of our city. It could have come from the outpouring of support we received from people living outside of the state, or even from the revamping of our own city government. It could have come from the outside businessmen, artists, musicians, actors, and celebrities who have taken an interest in our home. But it is fitting that the symbol of our renaissance is one of our own. It’s the team that was never supposed to win. It’s the team that lost its home to the storm. It’s the team that traveled like refugees for a year, like so many of our friends. And as you’ve heard all week, they did it for us, and they did it with us, especially our prayers and our noisy help.

But as we head into the season of Lent, we should be reminded that the saints in Heaven got there through the same hard work that enabled the New Orleans Saints to win a Super Bowl ring. Now, I’ve written about the heresy of “Pelagianism” before, the mistaken belief that man is saved by his own goodness and efforts, rather than by Jesus. So I’m not saying that the saints in Heaven got there “on their own.” And, in fact, many commentators (and friends) have attributed the success of our football team to “Divine intervention.” I can promise you that I said my share of prayers this season!

But still, the New Orleans Saints began this season with a goal, and they worked hard to achieve it. And the saints in Heaven had a goal, and they worked their entire lives to achieve it. The paths are similar. The football time worked hard, sacrificed, prepared, supported each other, and believed that God would help them. And the saints in heaven worked hard (in whatever vocation they had), sacrificed (fasting & abstinence), prepared (by confessing their sins and seeking purity of heart), supported each other (by communal prayer and Mass) and believed that God helped them. Lent is a time of particular preparation for Heaven - following the sacrificial practices of the saints. We are joyful that our team won, but that joy is just a glimpse of the everlasting joy Heaven. Let Lent allow us to keep our eyes on the prize. Let the success of the New Orleans Saints inspire us to aspire to the success of the saints in Heaven

Rev. Msgr. Christopher H. Nalty

In the summer of 64 A.D., a fire started on one end of the Circus Maximus in Rome, and it quickly spread throughout the Eternal City. By the time it was extinguished, it had burned for a week and destroyed 80% of Rome. While it was burning, the Emperor Nero remained at his summer home in Anzio, deservedly earning the taunting phrase "Nero fiddled while Rome burned." When Nero returned to Rome, the populace greeted him with anger and derision. In order to avoid a political disaster, Nero decided to blame the fire on a small but growing religious group of then-pagan Rome: the Christians.

Over the next three years, until his death in 67 A.D., Nero arrested as many Christians as he could find, and put them on trial for arson. Unable to convict them of arson (they had nothing to do with the fire), he convicted them of treason when he discovered they refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods of Rome, instead worshipping Jesus Christ as God. The penalty for treason was death, and for these Christians, it was a public execution. They were brought to Nero's Circus, across the Tiber River from Rome, and killed in terrible ways. The most notable person killed in these persecutions was a man originally known as Simon Bar-jonah, who Jesus renamed Peter. In October of 64 A.D., St. Peter was killed in the Circus for the enjoyment of the crowds and buried in a small graveyard on the Vatican Hill.

In 325 A.D. the first Basilica was built over St. Peter's tomb, but excavations undertaken in the 1940's located the Apostle's grave, as well as his mortal remains, directly underneath the altar in St. Peter's Basilica.

Since the late 1970's these excavations (the “Scavi”) been open to very small groups lead by expert guides. For nine years, Msgr. Nalty was one of those guides. During that time, Msgr. Nalty was also given special permission to photograph parts of the excavations.

On Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 7:00pm (during RCIA) in the Rectory, Msgr. Nalty will give a special slide show explaining the search for the Bones of St. Peter.

The Christmas Season officially concluded on the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord last Sunday, and Monday we began “Ordinary Time” with the colors of the vestments and altar furnishing returning to green from the violet of Advent and the white of Christmas. What’s so “ordinary” about it? Actually, “Ordinary Time” is the English translation of the Latin Tempus Per Annum (“time throughout the year”) and gets its name from the word ordinal, meaning "numbered," because we begin to count the weeks rather than the seasons. Ordinary Time, depending on the year, runs either 33 or 34 weeks, and makes up the time in the Church calendar that does not fall within the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter.

The Church celebrates two periods as Ordinary Time. We just entered the first period, which runs until the evening of Mardi Gras when Lent begins. The second periodbegins on the Monday after Pentecost and runs until Advent begins. This period includes Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of Ordinary Time.

The use of the term “Ordinary Time” was used before the Second Vatican Council, but it was not until after the council that the term was officially used to designate the period between Epiphany and Lent, and the period between Pentecost and Advent. The older names for those seasons were the “Season After Epiphany” and the “Season After Pentecost.”

Ordinary Time celebrates the mystery of the life of Christ in all its aspects, and contains many important liturgical celebrations, including, Trinity Sunday, Corpus Christi, the Assumption of Mary, he Exaltation of the Holy Cross, All Saints, All Souls and Christ the King. In addition, the Church continues to celebrate other feast days of Mary, feasts of many saints, and the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul.

Bishop Shelton Fabre, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans authorized a special second collection for victims of the earthquake in Haiti. The money is being sent to Catholic Relief Services.  THANKS to all of the donors from our parish, who contributed nearly $6,000 to the relief so far, including one donor who gave $1,000.

Those wanting to make a donation directly to CRS may do so online at www.crs.org. If the server is down, please call toll free 1-877-HELP-CRS or text RELIEF to 30644 and following the instructions.

After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”
Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.”

When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. (Lk 4:4-11)

You have to put this encounter between Simon Peter and Jesus in context. First of all, Simon was a professional fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. And the way fishing was done in that area and at that time was by throwing a cast net over fish in shallow water during the night. So when Jesus arrives and tells him to go throw a net into the deep water during the middle of the day, it would be like telling a Louisiana fisherman looking for speckled trout to take their boat out to the blue water of the Gulf at night! It didn’t make sense. But there was something compelling about Jesus, and despite the protestation, Simon goes out. Now imagine that Louisiana fisherman’s shock if he limited out on 6 pound specks in 10 minutes in the middle of the Gulf at night. Peter knew it was impossible, and only God can do the impossible. Knowing that Jesus is from God (he calls him “Lord,” which is generally a “post-resurrection” title for Jesus), Simon realizes that God has chosen his boat and him, and he becomes deeply aware of his unworthiness. This is a characteristic of Jeremiah in the first reading and St. Paul in the second. And it’s also a characteristic of most priests, including your pastor.

God chooses each of us to “put out into deep water” in a different way. It may be by engaging in volunteer work to help those less fortunate. It might be to teach the faith to others. It might be to help the poor and the Church through charitable offerings. And it might be to pray for those who need prayer. We might resist it at first, and feel out of our “comfort zone,” but once we become aware that God is guiding our life and our mission, we begin to see the miracles happening. It might be a miracle that we became friends with someone poorer than us. It might be that someone unconnected to the faith ends up becoming a priest or a religious. It might mean a newly renovated church or a medical miracle. But putting out into deep water for the Lord means to trust ourselves entirely to His mission. And that’s symbolized in the reading when Simon leaves everything behind to follow Jesus.

Rev. Msgr. Christopher H. Nalty

Since I’m on retreat this week, I’m trying to give myself a little break from writing bulletin articles. Instead, I include below an email from a friend who only became Catholic last year at Easter. Over the course of the last couple of years, she has devoted a large amount of her time in prayer and in trying to grow in her awareness of what the Church teaches. Right now she’s learning a great deal about the Sacrament of Confession. She knows it isn’t easy, but she understands it pretty well:

This week I've had a couple friends come to me with things they are struggling with. They know that I'm not one who is easily surprised and am not one to be judgmental no matter how crazy their situation... not much phases me. I'm a good listener. So anyways... two different guys (both Catholic) have come to me and told me how they feel like such hypocrites. When I hear that I always laugh and reply “Well, who isn’t? We are human!” That tends to get a laugh out of them and opens the discussion up. The discussion seems to lead to the Sacraments. The Sacraments are really cool. There often seems to be this idea out there that we have to be "good enough" before we can come to God. Yeah, good luck with that one! That's just not realistic. That's what's so cool about the Sacraments... we aren't expected to be held up to some unrealistic standard... we are being helped every step of the way if we are willing to accept it. Of all the things I don't understand about protestants... this is the big one. Why would anyone want to protest the Sacraments? It makes no sense to me.

And all spoke highly of Jesus and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. (Lk 4:22 & Lk 4:28-30)

What happened here? These are two different parts of the 4th chapter of Luke’s Gospel separated by only 5 verses. In the first section, the people are rapt by the beautiful words of Jesus, and in the second they are so angered as to want to kill Him. What provoked that? What caused their attitude to change? Actually, it was a strong statement of Jesus about what had happened with prophets that had come before Him. The people didn’t want to hear that. And that change in attitude reminds us of the changing attitudes of the people of Jerusalem from Palm Sunday (when He is praised) to Good Friday (when He is crucified).

Is it any wonder that the Church faces the same attitudes? As long as the Church is engaged in charitable activity, then it is extolled. When the Church is giving food to the poor, visiting the sick and sheltering the homeless, there’s no problem. But when the Church begins to preach the Gospel of Christ, it gets into the same trouble that Christ got into. People want it to go away. Many in society don’t want to hear how abortion is wrong, and how marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman. Many in society disagree with the Church on birth control and don’t see a problem with extra-marital intercourse. Many don’t have a problem with divorce and remarriage. Many want the Church to change its position on an all-male priesthood and priestly celibacy. Many don’t appreciate a Church that abhors war and rejects the death penalty in most cases.

The truth is that all of us are in need of conversion. When we hear a teaching of the Church with which we disagree, it should make us think that perhaps that is the area in which Christ is calling us to convert. Although the Church is heavily engaged in the corporal works of mercy (feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, sheltering the homeless, visiting the sick, visiting the imprisoned & burying the dead), the Great Commission given by Christ to the Apostles was to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt. 28:19-20). And that is the activity in which the Church is engaged. It preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ – in and out of season. And sometimes it is criticized for doing so. But we shouldn’t ever be surprised by persecutions of the Church. Our founder is Jesus Christ, the persecuted Son of God. But we should always be careful to avoid being one of the persecutors!

Rev. Msgr. Christopher H. Nalty

Family Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
“Let the little children come to me!” - Mt. 19:14

Sometimes it gets so difficult to take time out for prayer, especially for a family with small children. There are so many things to do in the evening, and afterwards, everybody just wants to “plop down” in front of the television.
Next Tuesday, make a commitment to do something about that pattern! As we prepare to enter into Lent, come for an early evening of education, prayer and fellowship. Come and join us to help strengthen your family, clear you mind, restore your faith and commit to loving Jesus more deeply in the New Year!

Schedule

5:00 pm - Meet in the rectory to watch a video on Eucharistic Adoration. Coloring and crafts for the little ones, and the older children may join Adoration in church.

5:15 pm - Todd Amick (head of the Archdiocesan Office of Eucharistic Renewal) will give a short “how-to” on Adoration with small children

5:30 pm - Families with small children will join in the church for Eucharistic Adoration

5:45 pm - Benediction

6:00 p.m. Mass followed by a short talk and Q&A with Msgr. Christopher Nalty

6:45 p.m. Return for pizza in rectory

Please RSVP by January 25 (if possible)

Take a night off from cooking to adore Jesus in the Holy Eucharist! Bring everyone!

I always loved Christmas when I was growing up. It wasn't just the gifts, the lights, the holly or the music. It was the magical feeling of awaiting the Birth of Christ. In our house, we always had a crèche scene, an Advent calendar and a Christmas tree with a star on top. But every year, December 26th seemed like such a let-down! Sure, we still had the tree and decorations, but the excitement, the sense of joy, and the feasting gave way to empty wrapping paper and leftovers.

One problem is that Christmas has become an isolated feast day, excised from its place in the liturgical year, especially Advent, Epiphany, and the Baptism of Our Lord. Just as we often ignore the hopeful and quietly expectant mood of Advent, we also forget about the feasting and joy of the full Christmas season. But if we pay attention to those “Twelve Days of Christmas” falling between December 25 and Epiphany on January 6 (even though we celebrate Epiphany on January 3 this year!) we can continue to sing the carols, read the Scriptures and experience the joy of the birth of our Lord for the whole season! Instead of one isolated Christmas day, the joy and festive spirit of Christmas can permeate the entire “Twelve Days of Christmas!” That’s the story behind the traditional song and the daily gifts!

During the Twelve Days of Christmas and Christmastide the Church also celebrates other major holy days including those of our patron St. Stephen, St. John the Evangelist, the Holy Innocents, and the Holy Family. St. Stephen and the Innocents were martyred for the faith, and St. John suffered. The Holy Family was driven from their homeland into Egypt. The Church places these feasts in the midst of the season of Christmas to remind us that the mystery of the Incarnation is more than just the Lord’s Birth: it is also about His suffering and death! As followers of Christ, our celebration of Christmas is more than just trees and presents. It’s about our obligation to lead radical Christian lives that say that we would be willing - like St. Stephen and the Holy Innocents – to give up our lives for Christ!

“ ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.’
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, ‘Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.’ ”
(Lk. 4:16-21)

Imagine being present in the synagogue when this dramatic scene took place. All the eyes are on Jesus and He reads this dramatic reading from Isaiah 61, and then succinctly explains that the passage refers to Him. There are three important Greek words in this passage to help us to understand the drama. The three words are (“echrisen”), “aposteilai” and “evangelizesthai”. I know, I know – not more Greek! But understanding these words helps us understand the importance of the scene.

The first word – “echrisen” – means “anointed,” and is related to the word “Christ,” the anointed one. In other words, Jesus is telling people that He is the Christ! He is declaring His identity by announcing that He is the fulfillment of this prophecy. The second word – “aposteilai” – means “sent,” and is the verb from which we get the word, Apostle, “one who is sent forth.” Jesus is announcing that He is the one who has been anointed and sent forth from the Lord. But why is He sent forth? The answer is in the third Greek word – evangelizesthai – which means to “evangelize.” Although we define “evangelize” as “spreading the Faith by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” the Greek sense of the word is to “announce something wonderful.” And what is that something? It’s actually more than a something; it’s a “someone.”

The wonderful thing is that God has humbled Himself to come down to Earth to walk among His creation and free us from the things that keep us from being in total communion with Him. The wonderful thing is that He loves us. The wonderful thing is that He forgives us. The wonderful thing is that He can heal us – body, mind and soul. And the wonderful thing is that He liberates us from a slavery to sin so that we can live in peace and harmony with Him and with each other. But the most wonderful thing not contained in this passage from Isaiah is how Christ is going to accomplish this “wonderful thing.” And that’s the mystery – the Paschal Mystery. Jesus Christ is going to accomplish a “re-union” between God and man by offering Himself – His divinity and our humanity – on the cross. And the wonderful thing is that He gave us a real, substantial way to enter into that Paschal Mystery here on Earth. We achieve “re-union” with the Father through Holy Communion with His Son in unity with the Holy Spirit. And the wonderful thing is that it happens at every Mass.

Rev. Msgr. Christopher H. Nalty

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Pray for us! Feastday January 4

Elizabeth Bayley Seton was the first native born American to be canonized by the Catholic Church.  Born two years before the American Revolution, Elizabeth grew up immersed in New York society. She was a prolific reader, and read everything from the Bible to contemporary novels.

In spite of her high society background, Elizabeth's early life was quiet, simple, and often lonely. As she grew a little older, the Bible was to become her continual instruction, support and comfort; she would continue to love the Scriptures for the rest of her life.

In 1794, Elizabeth married the wealthy young William Seton, with whom she was deeply in love. The first years of their marriage were happy and prosperous. Elizabeth wrote in her diary at first autumn, "My own home at twenty – the world – that and heaven too – quite impossible."

This time of Elizabeth's life was to be a brief moment of earthly happiness before the many deaths and partings she was soon to suffer. Within four years, Will's father died, leaving the young couple in charge of Will's seven half brothers and sisters, as well as the family's importing business. Now events began to move fast - and with devastating effect. Both Will's business and his health failed. He was finally forced to file a petition of bankruptcy. In a final attempt to save Will's health, the Setons sailed for Italy, where Will had business friends. Will died of tuberculosis while in Italy. Elizabeth's one consolation was that Will had recently awakened to the things of God.

Consecration to the Holy Family

O Jesus, our most loving Redeemer, who having come to enlighten the world with Thy teaching and example, didst will to pass the greater part of Thy life in humility and subjection to Mary and Joseph in the poor home of Nazareth, thus sanctifying the Family that was to be an example for all Christian families, graciously receive our family as it dedicates and consecrates itself to Thee this day. Do Thou protect us, guard us and establish amongst us Thy holy fear, true peace and concord in Christian love: in order that by living according to the divine pattern of Thy family we may be able, all of us without exception, to attain to eternal happiness.

Mary, dear Mother of Jesus and Mother of us, by the kindly intercession make this our humble offering acceptable in the sight of Jesus, and obtain for us His graces and blessings.

O Saint Joseph, most holy Guardian of Jesus and Mary, help us by thy prayers in all our spiritual and temporal needs; that so we may be enabled to praise our divine Savior Jesus, together with Mary and thee, for all eternity. Amen.

Say the Our Father, Hail Mary & Glory Be 3 times.

Proclamation of the Birth of Christ
From the Christmas Martyrology
(traditional version read at Midnight Mass)

 The twenty-fifth day of December.
 In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year of the creation of the world from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens & earth;
 the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood;
 the two thousand and fifteenth year from the birth of Abraham;
 the one thousand five hundred and tenth year from Moses and the going
forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;
 the one thousand and thirty-second year from David's being anointed king;
 in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;
 in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
 the seven hundred & fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome;
 the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
 the whole world being at peace,
 in the sixth age of the world,
 Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed  since his conception,
 was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary, being made flesh.
 The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.