“…whoever believes in me will do the works that I do,
and will do greater ones than these,…”
jN 14:12
Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles
In recent homilies Bishop Patrick J. Zurek has put forth the Encyclical of Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, as the standard for love and unity in our diocese. Today, let’s reflect upon paragraph #202 in that regard:
CHAPTER SIX
DIALOGUE AND FRIENDSHIP IN SOCIETY
SOCIAL DIALOGUE FOR A NEW CULTURE
The Latin phrases are: “Custos Redemptoris” (Protector of the Redeemer); “Serve Christi” (Servant of Christ); “Minister salutis” (Minister of salvation); “Fulcimen in difficultatibus” (Support in difficulty); “Patrone exsulum” (Patron of refugees); “Patrone afflictorum” (Patron of the afflicted); and “Patrone pauperum” (Patron of the poor).
202. Yesterday was United Catholic Appeal (UCA) Pledge Card Sunday at my parish. It was said our, “Goal” was a little less than last year at $162,000.
How can it be a goal when it is imposed on us by Bishop Zurek, and he will take measures to ensure that the “Goal” is paid?
Is it not rather a lack of dialogue, which means that in these individual sectors people are concerned not for the common good, but for the benefits of power or, at best, for ways to impose their own ideas.
They (Bishop Zurek’s brother priests) are here to satiate your hunger and to quench your thirst.
A Reflection on Christian Life, Bishop Patrick J. Zurek
One such idea imposed on us is that without the UCA there would be no priests, and without priests there would be no Mass, no baptisms, no confirmations, no marriages, no confessions and no Sacrament of the Sick.
Bishop Zurek has led us to believe that Holy Orders is the Source and Summit of our Faith, and without the UCA there would be no Holy Orders.
Round tables thus become mere negotiating sessions, in which individuals attempt to seize every possible advantage, rather than cooperating in the pursuit of the common good.
However, by being threatened from the Ambo with no Eucharist unless we pay a UCA “Quota”, Bishop Zurek has seized every possible advantage, rather than allowing us to cooperate in the pursuit of the common good with our “Pledged Amount”.
The ambo is not “a functional piece of furniture, but a place that is in keeping with the dignity of the word of God, in correspondence with the altar,” which is why the ambo is reserved for the readings, the singing of the Responsorial Psalm and the Easter Proclamation.
“The homily and the intentions of the universal prayer can be delivered from it, while it is less appropriate to use it for commentaries, announcements or for directing singing,”
How about doing a United Catholic Appeal?
The heroes of the future will be those who can break with this unhealthy mindset and determine respectfully to promote truthfulness, aside from personal interest.
“No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes what we teach is true; unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.”
When that time comes in our diocese we will realize that Jesus in the Eucharist, not priests in Holy Orders, is the source and summit of our Sacramental life; a life that no UCA “Quota” can provide!
God willing, such heroes are quietly emerging, even now, in the midst of our society.
“Fill with hope those who are troubled by the uncertainty of the future and the consequences for the economy and employment.”
Farmers Mass In Hereford May 13
Hereford—St. Anthony’s Church will host a Farmers Mass Thursday, May 13 at 6:00pm at the barn of Ray and Charla Schlabs and Tom and Joyce Schlabs at 4334 US-385, 6.4 miles or eight minutes north of St. Anthony’s Church.
The Mass will also celebrate the Feast Day of Sts. Isidore and Maria, which is traditionally celebrated on May 15.
Those planning to attend are encouraged to bring seeds, dirt and water for a blessing. Hamburgers and hotdogs will be provided by CHS, Inc., and St. Anthony’s parishioners are requested to bring side dishes. Social distancing will be encouraged.
According to the National Catholic Rural Life Conference, Sts. Isidore and Maria are the Patron Saints of Farmers. Isidore was born in 1070 to a peasant family near Madrid. He was baptized “Isidore” in honor of the famous archbishop of Seville.
Isidore the farmer was actually a day laborer, working on the farm of the wealthy John de Vergas at Torrelaguna, just outside Madrid. He married a poor girl, Maria Torribia. Their only child, a son, died in infancy.
The couple took a vow of continence to serve God. Isidore’s life is a model of simple Christian charity and Faith. He prayed while at work. He shared what he had with the poor, even his meals. He often gave them more than he had for himself.
A story told about St. Isidore, whose feast day is May 15, is that he often came later to work in the fields than other laborers because he would first attend Mass in the morning. Yet his work never suffered and he always met the chores required of him. It was said two angels, one on either side of Isidore, appeared and joined their pious companion in plowing the fields.
St. Maria, whose feast day is Sept. 9, always kept a pot of stew on the fireplace in their humble rural dwelling. She knew that her husband Isidore would often bring home anyone who was hungry. One day he brought home more hungry people than usual. After she served many of them, Maria told him that there simply was no more stew in the pot. He insisted that she check the pot again, and she was able to spoon out enough stew to feed them all.
In representations, St. Isidore is portrayed as a peasant with a sickle or staff, and sometimes with an angel or white oxen near him. He died in 1130 and was canonized in 1622.
After Isidore’s death, Maria became a hermit, but she too performed miracles and merited after her death the name of “Santa Maria de la Cabeza”, meaning Head, because her head (conserved in a reliquary and carried in procession) has often brought rain from heaven for an afflicted dry countryside. Her remains are honored by all of Spain by pilgrimages and processions at Torrelaguna, where they were transferred in 1615. She was beatified in 1697.
For additional information about the Farmers Mass, please call the parish office at St. Anthony’s Church at 806-364-6150.
We find ourselves living in extremely challenging times.
Bishop0 Patrick J. Zurek, UCA 2021-2022 UCA Brochure
Saints Phillip and James, pray that in these “extremely challenging times”, in the Diocese of Amarillo, as we do the works that Jesus did, we do not bound ourselves to our own ideas with a “Quota”, but rather “Abound in Hope” with the greater works that Jesus expects, by way of our “Pledged Amount”.
