Where is Father?

We had no priest for morning Mass yesterday. It's normal for Fr. Dave to fly in at the last minute, but by ten after seven, it was clear that he would not be coming. The silence in the church was heavy, not sweet, perhaps because there was an underlying sense of worry. Was he sick? Hurt? Hasn't the news been full of stories of priests who didn't show up for Mass only to be found (dead) afterward? I can't believe I actually let that ugly thought out of my head and onto this computer! Never have I prayed for Fr. Dave so much as I did on that Friday morning in church! My prayers were answered in the sweetest way, as Fr. Dave was not dead, he simply failed the check the Mass schedule upon his return from retreat. Thankfully, Sr. Doris was there to lead us all in a prayer service.

Communion Service

Discomfort filled my soul
as I stood at the Ambo,
Lectionary in front of me,
page turned to the Gospel.

"Read it," she had said.

"How can I read these words,
that belong to the priest?"
I wondered.

I scanned the faces in the pews,
look of hunger for God's word
lay heavily upon each.

Two smiling little faces in the front pew
gleamed with pride for their mother.

"They shouldn't be smiling," I thought.

I swallowed my worry
and proclaimed His words.

At the end of the communion service
I prayed that we would never be without
a priest again.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send laborers into the field." Lk 10:2

The Last Leaf

What inner pain causes the last leaf of autumn to cling so tightly to the branch of the tree? What deep-seated fear impels it to hold on so desperately?

Is it worried that the winds will carry it far away from the security of the tree that it has known and loved throughout the seasons of the past?

Or perhaps it is the decay of death that repels it so.

Whatever the reason for the anguish of the leaf that causes it to be so very needful, it can't possibly know that the bitterness of a cold winter is just around the corner, or that the sturdy condition of the branch to which it helplessly lingers, is no match for the weight of the ice and snow that is sure to come.

Release yourself to the sweet surrender of God's love, lonely leaf. Let go in trust. Let your horizons expand like those of the sun rising above the lake.

Faith Empowering and Engaging Teens (FEET)

“How can nominal Catholics demand obedience and respect from their children when they extract from their children’s hearts, especially by means of their bad example, what the catechists have worked to plant in the young hearts? These Catholics are the same ones who complain about the youth of today and blame other people for this state of affairs. Could not the children of these Catholics say-though with a different meaning-to their parents the words that the child Jesus said to his Mother in the Temple: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”(Lk 2:49)
Blessed Franz Jagerstatter
Letters and Writings from Prison

There has been an intriguing discussion in the blog world about teenagers living their faith. Both Judy at Benmakesten and Karinann at Daughter of the King have had some very thought provoking posts on the subject. I can’t resist joining in!

As a teenager, I was pretty wild and gave my parents more than plenty to worry about. I came from a very devout Catholic family, the youngest of nine children. I was the product of a Catholic grade school and a public high school. Although I had never left my faith, I didn’t get a lot of support in the world of my public school peers during my teen years, and more often than not, I felt the sting of ridicule from my non-Catholic friends.

Recalling how difficult those years were for me, I really dreaded the day when my own children became teens, thinking I would be in for more of a challenge than I could cope with. The news is always filled with teenagers in trouble, the malls are filled with teenagers acting rowdy, and the WIC clinic where I work is always filled with teenagers having babies. So it makes me wonder why God chose to bless me with such beautiful children who are so wonderfully different than how I remember myself as a teenager. We have our trouble to be sure, but for the most part, my children are respectful and kind and they seem to be drawn to other children of the same nature, so I am very grateful to God and I pray that it remains this way.

We are a pretty close-knit family and enjoy spending time together. I always laugh about how anytime someone in our family is involved in an activity like basketball, the whole family comes along to show support. Where one Bender goes, more are sure to follow! We move around in a pack like wolves! But I think this is what helps us to stay close and connected and aware of what is going on in our children’s lives.

But the time that they spend at school is another story. It is then that Paul and I have to trust that the efforts we’ve put into instilling our faith and our values into our children is really paying off. We pray that they will choose their friends wisely, will be treated kindly by others and will treat others kindly as well. Here’s where it gets a little sticky, because we can’t control what other children do, we can only enforce a little muscle with our own.

However, in the world of school and work, friends are important. They help us to feel loved, accepted and normal. I'll never forget the one time in my life where I leaned heavily on the friendships of others. When my children were small, I felt isolated and lonely for adult company during the day while my husband was as work. Our parish offered a "Mom's Group" where mothers and their infants and toddlers gathered together weekly to pray and socialize. I don't think I could have survived all of those temper tantrums and childhood illnesses if I didn't have friends to commisserate with and show me that all families suffer through those difficulties. It was also a great place to share the joys of mothering small ones as well. Today, I continue to share the friendship of many of these fine women. Our families continue to get together to celebrate life. We joyously greet one another with smiles at Mass. The "Mom's Group" has been a wonderful blessing in my life.

Our teenagers also need friendships outside of the family. They need to be able to choose friends that share their values, their difficulties and their joys. They need to spend time with these friends in a safe environment away from the pressures that are placed on so many teens to dapple in drugs and sex.

My husband and I, along with a group of several other adults and parents in our parish, have begun to offer a youth ministry program called FEET, which stands for Faith Empowering and Engaging Teens. We’re trying to follow up on a program that was begun last year by some college students working on an internship. We did lots of advertising and promotion, and held our first meeting this past Sunday. I was very nervous! I had no idea how many kids might show up, what we might say to them, or how enthusiastic they might be. But in my heart, I knew that it was very important to offer a safe place for our youth to gather together and share their faith.

My sons John and Justin were both involved and we were thrilled to see that over 25 other teenagers from our parish attended the meeting. This wasn’t something that their parents forced them to do, and it wasn’t part of a catechism class or confirmation preparation. This was just meant to be a program where teens would feel comfortable praying together and sharing their faith in a fun and friend-filled atmosphere. The program wasn’t meant to separate them from their families or the adults in their lives, but rather, it was meant to enhance the faith that has already been established in their households, and to help the teens develop a sense of community with one another.

Now that the first meeting has passed, it seems that my nerves were unwarranted. Our session was actually judged by all involved to be very successful! The group listened intently as Fr. Don Hying, the Rector of St. Francis de Sales Seminary spoke with them about the importance of their faith during these crucial years of their life and shared a story of his time in the Seminary. He told the group that even though he and his classmates were rambunctious, they were blessed to be free to share their faith with one another. His story caught the spirit of the FEET Program perfectly!

The participants warmly welcomed those teens who seemed a little shy and hesitant to join in the socialization.They readily volunteered to help with the first service project this December. And, they all joined in prayer with loving hearts. Many of the teens asked if we could meet weekly instead of monthly! I was so impressed with these wonderful teenagers and am so grateful to be a part of something that will help to keep them grounded in their faith.

Through this FEET Program I am reminded of the classic adage "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) And I echo the words of Blessed Franz Jagerstatter , our children belong in their Father's house, with their families and with the community of their friends, for both are important. God bless our youth!

All Things Are Possible With God! Meet Christopher Klusman

Christopher Klusman, a seminarian in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, WI, will be ordained to the priesthood in 2011, God willing. Christopher’s beaming, radiant smile seems to be without limit. Wherever he goes he exudes a joy for life and for God that will easily translate into an outstanding priest.

Christopher was deaf at birth. His early years of life were filled with the love and support of family. He has many happy memories of laughter and play with his parents, siblings and grandparents. He is a big fan of Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. He enjoys playing classic Nintendo games, attending theatre and museums, travel and reading. But most of all, he loves and cherishes time spent with family and close friends. It’s easy to see that the love and confidence with which he was formed at home, has lead to his openness to listen to God’s voice when He spoke to Christopher’s heart.

“The first people that I told about my call to the priesthood were my parents. I can't think of how many sleepless nights I've endured, as I tried to come up with words that could break the news with great ease. It was as if I was trying to think of a perfect proposal for the woman of my dreams. I swear I came up with over 100 ways. When I broke it to my parents, ironically, it wasn't what I planned. It came straight from the heart, since I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me. My parents cried, but they were tears of joy. Later, when more people found out, they were like, "I'm not surprised. It is a great fit." I didn't expect that they felt that way. If I only knew, I wouldn't have put myself through such agony!”

On October 2nd, the Annual Rector’s Dinner was held at the Hyatt Hotel in Milwaukee. Christopher stood before a crowd of over 500 supporters of our St. Francis de Sales Seminary and shared his call story. The crowd held their breath in awe of Christopher’s beautiful call story and he put a smile on everyone’s face when he shared the particular story of how his mentor, Monsignor Glenn Nelson of the Diocese of Rockford, IL “popped the question,” that is, he asked Christopher, “Have you thought about the priesthood?” According to Christopher, “Monsignor Nelson is like a superhuman because he amazingly handles his many roles.” Along with Fr. Michael Depcik of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, Monsignor Glenn Nelson has helped to form and shape Christopher’s understanding that “nothing is impossible with God” (Lk 1:37). Through their examples, Christopher has found that there are no obstacles through which God cannot break through to use us as He sees fit.

Life at St. Francis de Sales Seminary is very busy, not at all as Christopher had imagined it to be. His days are filled with prayer to be sure, but there is also much work involved in the training for the priesthood. A typical day usually includes: Morning Prayer at 7 am, Mass at 7:15 am, breakfast at 8 am, carpool to Sacred Heart School of Theology for a full day of classes in intellectual formation, one of the four pillars of formation for Seminarians, then back to St. Francis de Sales Seminary for Evening Prayer at 6 pm, and dinner at 6:30 pm. In addition to these activities, time needs to be made for homework, meetings, and chats with friends, classmates and faculty, jobs, exercise and errands. The life of a Seminarian also includes one day a week that focuses on the other three pillars of formation: human, pastoral and spiritual. For Christopher, one of the highlights of his time in the Seminary is theology 24/7!

Last summer he had the opportunity to spend some time in Boston learning the role of hospital chaplain. Although it was hard for him to be away from home for the whole summer, he knew it would be a great learning experience. He appreciated this experience because “I learned so much about suffering and how that is related to us being connected to Jesus’ suffering on the Cross. I can’t say enough how much people truly appreciate even one visit! It is what Jesus said, ‘For I was …ill and you cared for me.’ (Mt. 25:35-36).

Looking ahead to April 24, 2010, Christopher will be ordained to the transitional diaconate. He is optimistic about his vow of celibacy as an opportunity to be exclusive to not one person, but to all people. He hopes for the chance to minister at his home parish with the proclamation of the Gospel, giving homilies and baptizing infants during the summer of 2010.

From there, the next step will be ordination to the Priesthood in 2011! “How beautiful it would be to be Jesus’ vessel in which He acts through me! It overwhelms me to anticipate the humble moments when Jesus changes the bread and wine to His Body and Blood through me and forgives sins of others at confession through me.”

Regarding the specific challenges that being deaf may bring to the priesthood, Christopher says,
“I am still amazed to this day on how well I can communicate with the deaf and hearing communities. I feel the ability to do that comes from my family's faith in me and from God. It is truly a gift from God. Statistics found that the best lip-reader can only read up to about 30 percent, only because there are limited numbers of lip-shapes that can be made. Just try watching a TV show without any sound! Imagine that I can never turn the sound back on, ever! I've learned that communication is a two-way street where it helps if we both come half-way to try to make each other understood in a way that is respectful to each other. As for schooling, interpreters ensure that I receive 100%. That is important because then I can pass on what I've learned, especially through future homilies, for example. Everything I learned is not just for my own gain, but also for all the others' gain! In groups of 2 or more people, lip-reading becomes more challenging because it becomes like a game of "Hot Potato." Ears can track where auditory cues occur. Since my deafness doesn't pick much auditory cues, I would often have to look to who is talking next. I learned from my parish internship that meetings, like Parish Council, are accessible with interpreters. Gratefully, I am blessed with the ability to speak, which is unusual for a deaf person. I could do Mass as a presiding priest without an interpreter, but if I attend Mass, an interpreter makes it more accessible (only if the priest doesn't sign). In the future, there are several situations that can be done with an interpreter and several that do not necessitate an interpreter. But, there is one thing that will never change and that is that I will never have an interpreter during the Sacrament of Confession. The one exception that I have to make is that I won't be able to use the grill or divider, for I'll need to be able to see the person's face to lip-read (not to see who s/he is!). The most exciting thing about my working with the deaf and hearing communities in the future is that I hope to help bridge the two communities more deeply than before. Isn't that what Jesus calls us to do. . . to unify more of his members into the one and unified Body of Christ united to Him as the Head?”

Let’s all unite in prayer for Christopher as he works through his final years in Seminary, as well as keep all of the seminarians and those discerning a call to the Priesthood and religious life in our prayers. As for Christopher, he really does hear perfectly well; he heard the voice of God calling him to be a priest and he answered “yes”! In any language, that’s a beautiful conversation and a reminder that “all things are possible with God!”

(To learn more about Christopher and all of the fine seminarians studying at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee, WI, visit http://www.thinkpriest.org/ )

This story can also be found at: A Vocation to be a Priest

Grotto

He sits on the bench,
fingers working beads,
lips silently mouthing prayer.

He is alone with God.

Hidden angels peek
through the canopy of leaves
in the trees that surround him.

He is oblivious to everything
but the presence of God
and his longing for Him.

A child, finding him on the bench,
impulsively runs
to wrap him in a hug.

He warmly welcomes her
into his sacred prayer.

The angels sing for joy
causing the vibrant-hued leaves
to shower down to the earth
in their own prayer of praise.

If I were an artist
I would paint a picture
of that scene…

-the priest, the child,
the angels and the leaves-

so I would forever be reminded
of that wondrous moment,
deep with reverence
for life,
for love,
and for God.


HAPPY WORLD PRIEST DAY! (October 25) If your life has been touched by a priest, please say thank you! Where would we be without these good and holy men who care for our souls?

Another Birthday Boy-Jack!

Jack Thomas is 11 years old today!

Jack Thomas, aka...

Slam
Sha-sha
Skittles
Baby Jack
Sweet Baby Jack
BJ
JT
Jackie B

and I should now probably add: King of Alias's!

But of course, my favorite name for him is Jack Thomas. When I was pregnant with Jack, Paul and I let John, who was 5 at the time, choose Jack's name. His first choice was Michael, but, considering we already had three sons whose names began with the letter "J", we didn't want the new baby to feel left out, so we asked John to think of something else. His next choice was Jackson, which we thought was a very nice name, but we knew we would never call him that, so we whittled it down to Jack and everyone was happy! His middle name was a nod to "Thomas the Tank Engine" who was quite popular in our house at that time.

Why all this focus on the birthday boy's name? Because my favorite story about Jack has to do with his lovely name. In our family, we celebrate the Saints Feast Days of our children's namesakes. We usually do something very simple like have a favorite dessert after supper. Since we don't know if there is a St. Jack (fill me in please if you know of any) we choose to celebrate the feast day of St. Thomas which falls on July 3rd, as Jack's namesake Saint.

My children and I are in the habit of attending daily Mass during the school year. Not wanting to be pushy about the faith, I allow the kids to slack off and sleep in during the summer months and I attend Mass alone. But last year, on July 3rd, as I was backing the van out of the garage, I heard a little voice call out "Wait Mom! Don't leave without me! It's my feast day, I'm coming to Mass with you!" Well let me just say that hearing that sweet little voice speak those sweet little words made St. Thomas' feast day a true feast for me as well as for Jack!

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Jack! May the dear Lord bless you!

Taize' Prayer-A Pilgrimage of Trust

Darkness envelops the spacious yet intimate church. Then, one by one- beginning at the altar- the lights of hundreds of candles begins to cast a warm glow, banishing the dark and bringing about the light of the Risen Christ. Groups of candles draw attention to hand-painted icons portraying Jesus, Mary, and the Saints, each brush stroke a prayer by the painter. The church remains beautifully silent as all gather in peace. Our unified hush is a poignant prayer in itself, a prayer of love and worship. Quiet voices begin to chant, emphasizing a recurrent refrain, alongside chanted verses of Scripture. Silence resumes allowing the words of our chant to hover in the air and fill our hearts. Scripture readings are gently spoken followed by reflective silence that permits the Word to be immersed into our souls. This sequence of silence, song, scripture- with meditation and icons is the substance of the liturgical prayer from the Taizé monastery.


Taizé is the name of the village in Burgundy, France in which Brother Roger Schutz settled in 1940. Here, beginning in a plain farmhouse, he offered hospitality to refugees- particularly French Jews- suffering the hardships and dangers of WWII. By the end of the war, he began a common life of prayer with 6 other men who were committed to celibacy and a life of community. Their basis was the Rule of Saint Benedict, which Brother Roger greatly respected. Brother Roger devoted his entire life to the unity of all Christians. Although he had been a Protestant pastor, he entered into full communion with the Catholic Church, and every Pope has admired his foundation of a monastery that included Protestant and Catholic monks since the community’s beginnings. He died during evening prayer in Taizé on August 16, 2005.

Today the village of Taizé draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, seeking the community offered through prayer for all Christians. Led now by Prior Brother Aloïs Löser, Taizé brothers travel the world to encourage Christian unity in what they call “A Pilgrimage of Trust.” A strong Christian witness that crosses denominational lines, ages, and nationalities, is considered “a parable of communion,” extending reconciliation and the love of Christ to all.

Taizé Prayer is a beautifully peaceful time to contemplate God’s love and to allow His voice to be heard in the silence of your heart. A typical worship service includes: one or two opening songs, a psalm, a song of light, scripture readings interspersed with more song, a time of silence, a prayer of intercession or adoration, the Lord’s Prayer and a concluding prayer.


Taize’ Prayer is a “don’t miss” prayer occasion, a chance to escape from the busyness of the hectic pace of life and spend some quiet time with God. For more information about Taize’ visit: the Taize' Community. A special thank you to Speculator at La Vie Graphite for your helpful expertise in this story! Merci!