The Redemptoris Mater Gala

After a bit of ill health, I'm on the road to recovery, as tonight I took part in the Redemptoris Mater Seminary annual Gala, at which it was announced that Cardinal O'Malley has approved the building of an expansion of Redemptoris Mater at its present site in Brookline.  Our congratulations and prayers accompany all our brothers at Redemptoris Mater!  

It was a magnificent evening with song, film and the presentation of the Evangelization Award to Dr. Robert George (who gave a stirring keynote) and Mr. John Zofchak, whose acceptance was faith-filled and beautiful.

Here, Dr. George, Cardinal O'Malley and Father Medeiros, Rector of Redemptoris Mater, listen to Mr. Zofchak's words of acceptance.

Worcester Presbyteral Days in Falmouth

My diocesan brothers and I have just finished three days of Conferences with the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management.  It is always so good to be home with old friends and fellow priests from the Diocese of Worcester!  

Vox Clara Meets in Rome

The Vox Clara Committee met last week in Rome.  Here's the Press Release we sent out at the conclusion of the meeting.

VOX CLARA COMMITTEE

PRESS RELEASE

May 25-26, 2015

The Vox Clara Committee met from May 25-26 in Rome. This Committee of senior Bishops from Episcopal Conferences throughout the English-speaking world was formed by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments on July 19, 2001 in order to provide advice to the Holy See concerning English-language liturgical books and to strengthen effective cooperation with the Conferences of Bishops in this regard.

The Vox Clara Committee is chaired by Cardinal George Pell (Prefect for the Secretariat of the Economy). The participants in the meeting were Bishop Thomas Olmsted, First Vice-Chairman (Phoenix); Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Second Vice-Chairman (Bombay); Bishop Arthur Serratelli, Secretary (Paterson); Cardinal Justin Rigali, Treasurer (Philadelphia, Emeritus); Archbishop Alfred Hughes (New Orleans, Emeritus); Archbishop Michael Neary (Tuam); and Archbishop Terrence Prendergast, S.J. (Ottawa).  Cardinal John Tong Hon (Hong Kong), and Bishop David McGough (Birmingham, Auxiliary) were unable to be present.

Also assisting the meeting were Monsignor James P. Moroney (Executive Secretary), Reverend Jeremy Driscoll, O.S.B (expert), Reverend Dennis McManus (expert), Monsignor Gerard McKay (advisor), Reverend Joseph Briody (special assistant) and Reverend Gerard Byrne (special assistant) and Abbot Cuthbert Johnson, O.S.B. (advisor).  The Congregation was represented by Monsignor Thomas Fucinaro.

The members and staff of the Committee noted with sadness the recent death of Cardinal Francis George, a member of the Committee since its inception.  His Eminence’s important contributions to the work of translation and his deep understanding of the principles upon which the instruction Liturgiam authenticam is based will be sorely missed. As a member of both Vox Clara and ICEL his role was especially significant.

The Committee heard reports on scheduling, future publications and other practical considerations to improve the efficient working of the group.  The members expressed their appreciation for the close collaboration of the Executive Secretaries of the International Commission on English in the Liturgy and the Vox Clara Committee which has greatly facilitated their common work.  

Following the conclusion of the meeting, members of  the Vox Clara Committee and the ICEL Executive Committee participated in a joint meeting with the superiors of the Congregation in order to build on this relationship.

The Committee spent the greatest amount of time on a review of the ICEL Green Book of various liturgical texts for the feast of Our Lord Jesus Christ the Eternal High Priest.   A number of suggestions and questions for clarification of this excellent text were submitted to the Congregation.

Finally, the Committee approved a revision of the Ratio Translationis for the Missale Romanum for the English language, having incorporated examples from the recently approved Roman Missal.

On the second morning of the meeting the Committee welcomed Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation and Archbishop Arthur Roche, Secretary of the same Congregation.  

On behalf of the members, Cardinal Pell welcomed Cardinal Sarah to his first meeting with the Vox Clara Committee.  The Prefect in turn expressed his happiness in meeting with the Committee particularly in light of his recent meeting with Pope Francis.  Cardinal Sarah reported that the Holy Father was quick to state that “Vox Clara must remain because its work is very precious for the English-speaking Conferences in the world  So tell them they must continue the work.”  The Prefect continued that he was “very glad to convey the encouragement of the Holy Father” and that he looked forward to working with the Vox Clara Committee in the years to come.

The next meeting of the Vox Clara Committee is scheduled for January of 2016.

Archbishop Hughes, Cardinal Pell, Cardinal Sarah, Cardinal Rigali and Archbishop Roche.

At the conclusion of the meeting, representatives of the Vox Clara Committee and ICEL met with the superiors of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

An Anniversary, A Canvas Wrap and A Candidacy

I was honored to celebrate my Thirty-Fifth Anniversary as  priest just a couple weeks before the end of the semester.  

Here's an ingenious take-off from one of our canvas wraps taken at the Closing Picnic 

(just before the Eschatological Bocci Tournament!)

Bishop Edyvean was the celebrant for our Candidacy Celebration for seventeen of our men.

Softball with our Brothers at OLP

Here's our Softball Team who recently played against Our Lady of Providence Seminary.

Eschatalogical Bocci Tournament

I'm a little late in posting the results of the Eschatological Bocci Tournament which ended the spring semester at SJS and marked the beginning of the summer months.  Congratulations to this year's champions: Joseph Kim, Brendan Rowley and Joseph Brice.                     

Thirty-Five Years...

Thirty-five years ago this spring I was ordained a Priest.  I reflected on this anniversary at Mass today.  Here's my homily.

I remember the day I was ordained as if it were yesterday.  And yet it was before most of you were born.  I was a nervous wreck as we walked into the Cathedral Church.  But God knew, and in the first manifestation of his sense of humor turned out all the lights when the procession got half-way down the aisle.  The organ died, the MC got a panicky look on his face and the older priests just smiled knowingly.  And we picked up the song and went on.

A few minutes later I was laying face down on the old yellow carpet as they sang the litany of the saints and, still very nervous, I started to get dizzy, which gave way to panic, until it occurred to me that this was probably the best moment to faint, since I would have the least distance to fall.  At which I laughed to myself and was finally able to relax somewhat and pray.

I have been trying to relax somewhat and pray ever since: to let go of my pre-occupations and plans and just to fall into God’s loving embrace and do the will of his only-begotten Son.  

It is a great adventure, and one which for thirty-five years has brought me more joy than I could ever have imagined.  Sadness, sorrow and tears too, but each tear has been but a promise of the joy that awaits on the other side of the Cross.  It’s always been true.

For thirty-five years I have tried to decrease, that he might increase.  Some days, and many of you were there, I did a pretty good job.  And on other days, and you were there too, I really messed it up.

But on each day, I have tried to take up the cross, as best I am able,and to follow him who is alone worth following. And the thing that’s made it easiest, is I have never been alone. You were there, and so were so many others who were so much better at this task than I was.

And Christ was there, as he ever will be, inviting us to die with him,urging us to rise with him,and ever seeking to ignite our hearts with his own unquenchable love.

Christ, our great High Priest who offers the perfect sacrifice from the cross.  Who invites you in this and every Mass to join the pains, the joys, and the sacrifices of your lives with his Paschal sacrifice as a perfect oblation to the Father.  For each act of holiness, each forgiven wrong, each virtuous act and patient moment are mixed with bread and wine and placed upon that altar as Christ placed his body upon the cross.  And the Father receives our sacrifices and transforms our gifts into his own body and blood, which he feeds us that we might continue to offer the sacrifice of praise in each moment and every struggle of our lives.

As I look out at you my brothers and you our guests from parishes I have served, I am reminded that this sense of Priestly ministry is expressed so beautifully in that ancient prayer of ordination prayed over this head so many years ago (when it had so much more hair).  The final words of that prayer describe the work God has given to me and will soon, by his mercy, pass on to so many of you:

And so may the full number of the nations, gathered together in Christ, be transformed into your one people and made perfect in your Kingdom.

All made one in Christ, all made branches joined to the one vine, all grafted onto him and onto one another.  None separated by pettiness or jealousies, resentments or suspicions.  Ut unum sint!  All made one.

And if I’ve learned anything in these years of Priestly ministry, it is that such unity in Christ is not accomplished by sterling sermons or the latest brilliant pastoral initiative.  Such unity is accomplished only by the offering of the Paschal Sacrifice by which Christ grafted us to himself, root to marrow: this holy Eucharist by which we are so healed of our sin, so utterly transformed that it is no longer we, but Christ Jesus in us, ever becoming the Body of Christ, his own Flesh and Blood.  For only thus is “the full number of the nations, gathered together in Christ,

…transformed into [his] people and made perfect in [his] Kingdom.”