Thrifty Priests

Why do we need priests that are thrifty?

In my days, I have come across a number of priests with a very good business sense and a number who just can't handle money prudently to save their lives. Which one is better?

Firstly, it's important to note that there is a difference between being cheap and being thrifty. Being cheap is almost like money hoarding as opposed to being thrifty which is being careful with where and if you should spend money. Thriftiness is a way in which we live out the virtue of prudence. It is prudent to make good investments just as it is prudent to save money.

A parish near my home was once in over a million dollars worth of debt. When the 7 digit mark was reached, the local bishop immediately proceeded to put a new pastor in charge of the parish. This pastor had taken his previous parish out of debt and on a road to a healthy future. The bishop expected this priest to do the same.

Luckily, with this priest's good business sense, his ability to discern his priorities as well as his abilities to find ways to save money the parish is now on a road to recovery from debt and into the black.

But isn't it a non-profit organization? Yes, but in order for any organization to stay afloat and continue to provide its services it needs to at least break even in the end and in order for it to improve upon itself it needs to make some sort of money to afford those improvements.

Christ founded His Church 2000 years ago. Since then, it has extended everywhere from the catacombs to the palaces of great kings and queens. In the wake of the post-council  chaos, the faithful have abandoned the Church in droves. Such is not good for keeping the organization afloat. Seminaries closed, churches closed, and effects of this are still felt today.

Christ entrusted his Church with the care of his people. In order for the Church to better bring  the people back to Christ she must, with the help of the people, build beautiful environments in which to celebrate the sacraments.. Everything about our churches should direct our attention to Our Lord, in his presence as our Father, in his physical presence in the Eucharist, and in presence in the Grace he gives to us.  This is why we improve our churches. New sound systems, shrines, statues, re-facing, restorations, new artwork all help reveal to us the God who is ultimate beauty.

So why do we need thrifty priests? To keep the Church alive and well so she can minister to the people of God until the end of time.

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

The novena to Our Lady of Mount Carmel ended with a procession and a visit from the Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio. It was a bittersweet goodbye to Fr. Ryan Erelenbush. I feel as if this novena, for me, has been a time of spiritual retreat. 7:15 pm Rosary and 7:30pm Mass had become the high point of my day, and it was an absolute grace to participate in the novena.

I hope everyone had a blessed Feast Day!

Here's a picture of me and my good friend at the procession.

At the Foot of Mt. Carmel

This past week I've spent a lot of time at the Carmelite Monastery in Highland Park, Brooklyn. There has been a nightly novena there to Our Lady of Mount Carmel which is going to end tonight in honor of her feast day.

The novena Masses have been said by Fr. Ryan Erlenbush from the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, Montana. What a holy priest! Fr. Ryan is a very eloquent speaker and is incredibly knowledgeable. It has been an absolute blessing to hear this series of conferences.

Fr. Ryan Erlenbush writes for a blog called The New Theological Movement. His writings there are equally as eloquent and orthodox. He is a most trustworthy source of information about the faith because of his unfailing fidelity to Catholic teaching. His sermons and conferences are most profitable to listen to.

Fr. Ryan is a traditional priest who says the Mass with a degree of reverence and solemnity to an extent beyond any other priest I've met.  He says both the Extraordinary Form and the Ordinary form of the Mass with piety and reverence.

I pray that in the future we are blessed with more priests like Fr. Ryan Erlenbush. My friends in the seminary, please learn something from this wonderful priest.

Some Sermons I've heard from Fr. Ryan...
How to say the Rosary most profitably
Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Joyful Mysteries
Luminous Mysteries
Sorrowful Mysteries
Glorious Mysteries
"An effective Imitation of Christ begins where Christ began... in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary"
Ages of the Interior Life and St. Teresa's Seven Mansions with Analogy to the lives of the Apostles


Fr Ryan's Go-to Things (and must read books)
Scripture
Stations of the Cross with St. Alphonsus Liguori
St. Alphonsus Liguori in general
Summa Theologiae of St Thomas Aquinas
St. Thomas Aquinas in general
St. Josemaria Escriva in general
The Holy Rosary with St Josemaria Escriva
Interior Castle St. Teresa of Avila
Three Ages of the Interior Life by Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, OP
Dark Night of the Soul St. John of the Cross

The Tridentine Mass

Informational Video about the Tridentine Mass. 

Feast of Corpus Christi

Recently, I obtained a key to the local Perpetual Adoration chapel which is luckily located in the next town over from me. I was thrilled to be able to say my breviary before the Blessed Sacrament and to spend time with our Lord.

Today, spend some quiet time with the Lord.

Photo from Our Lady of the Angels Monastery Hanceville, Alabama

Check out this online live stream of a chapel of Perpetual Adoration: www.stmartinoftourschurch.org

5/24/13

"If we really understood the Mass, we would die of joy."

--Saint John Vianney

Wherein I rant! : Bad Catechism and Confirmation

In plain English.....

It is incredibly sad that many students see the sacrament of Confirmation as a sort of "graduation" from catechism class. After all, they receive gowns, certificates (diplomas) get to walk across stage (along the altar rail), get dressed up, celebrate with family, get to take pictures at the end, and never have to report with their catechism books and pencils ever again. After Confirmation, the Confirmation "CLASS" never again is required to attend "mandatory" class Masses, do homework about the Sunday Scripture, write essays about their "favorite" saints who most of them have no devotion to other than they share a name with a family member, or think about going to church. After all, no one is going to go after them if they don't go to church, and if someone does, they're a "Jesus freak" that is a loser for wasting time on Sundays when they should be hanging out at the local varsity football game. 

Throughout their catechism careers as students, these kids week after week (for the most part) fought their parents on going to class. Excuses being that they don't need any extra schooling, it's boring, and it's irrelevant to everyday life. However, most parents, though they themselves agree with those claims, force their kids to go to catechism for a number of different reasons. Common reasons are:
1. To get that picture of your son/daughter in a red gown that everyone else has in their living room.
2. I suffered through it; they should too.
3. What would happen if my mother (who goes to daily mass and is head of the Rosary Society) found out that I didn't send my kid to catechism.
4. Everyone else is forcing their kids to do it.
 and the mother of all reasons,
5. I want my son/daughter to be able to get married in church.

Since too many parents tend to agree with the idea that catechism, God  and church aren't important things in life, they let their kids treat Confirmation as a graduation and therefore an end of something rather than what it truly is, a beginning of something even greater. 

Confirmation can be summed up in 3 letters: GAP.
G  ifts of the Holy Spirit received- consecration to the Holy Spirit
A  dulthood spiritually- take complete responsibility in conjunction with sacramental grace
P  romises of Baptism renewed and made your own

All three of those points us to a new life in Christ, a spiritual adulthood if I may call it that. Confirmation gives us the tools to handle that spiritual adulthood. Those tools are the sacramental grace of the  7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit:

• Wisdom

• Understanding

• Counsel

• Fortitude

• Knowledge

• Piety

• Fear of the Lord

Yes, these are VERY important for someone to have!!! Therefore, it is very important that you take your Confirmation seriously because it's your life not mine, and these tools are gifts from above to make your life and the lives of others BETTER! 

It is with these very important tools, that I pray all confirmandi go out into the world and do God's will. Confirmation is the start of a new chapter of your life in which YOU have the reigns to steer your soul on the course of your choosing. Let that course be one in accordance with God's will. I pray that your life story and mine ends with heaven as our eternal epilogue. 

Congratulations on your Confirmation, and may the Lord's work be ever done through your hands.

May God bless and reward you!