PASTOR’S NOTES

Last week as I returned to the Rectory listening to the radio the program was interrupted with a bulletin. My heart stopped for a moment. Six months ago the same thing happened: An earthquake had destroyed Haiti. Our brothers and sisters had experienced such a loss of life. With all of their homes destroyed those who survived walked the streets in search of any basics of life.   Or I thought perhaps some significant occurrence had taken place in the war-torn lands where our young people are in harm’s way. The violence of war has taken its toll on so many families in our country and community. Unfortunately, our society has had so many serious disruptions in our time it was hard to imagine what might be so significant that could not wait until the next scheduled news broadcast: an assassination of a world leader, an economic disaster or a natural catastrophe. It was none of these reasons that caused the media to interrupt its normal efforts. The electrifying announcement with which the world would be a much better place was that LeBron James would be going to the Miami Heat. What? (I will freely admit to not being an NBA fan. In fact, I was surprised that I recognized the name of the team.) For days prior to this much heralded announcement more speculation took place in the press and on television and radio, never mind the internet about this sports figure and his future than on any other topic. The millions affected by the oil spill were replaced by the millions this one person would earn. Have we all fallen down the rabbit hole of Alice’s Wonderland? Our faith demands that we protest this example of what we see too often: the confusion of moral values, economic power, and celebrity status.

This coming weekend our parish will have a wonderful opportunity to witness to what is really significant to people of faith. Annually, the Archbishop permits each parish to be visited by either a representative of the Propagation of the Faith or a representative of a religious organization working in foreign lands. This year we have been asked to host Father Benny Thekkumkattil of the Missionaries of Compassion. This young community is a religious and charitable institute established canonically in the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, India. Its founder desired that he and those who joined him would “bring solace and comfort to the destitute, aged, homeless children, the disabled, and the incurably sick like the victims of leprosy, Aids, cancer, etc.” When one reads of their work one immediately appreciates the fact that these committed people embody the intention of Christ to bind up the wounds of the most vulnerable and proclaim faith by acts of pure love. The conditions they observe they quickly attempt to change. As in our country we recognize the place of education in a person’s development, so they have begun seven schools which teach over 4,500 children. Certainly, these efforts offer great hope to the participants that they can not only enrich their lives but support as well the members of their extended families.

Many times we take for granted very basic needs of humanity which are always available to us. In a community where the A&P is fully stocked and fast foods are plentiful it is hard to imagine going days without any sustenance. To the Missionaries of Compassion the challenge is present to feed hundreds in their soup kitchens. Men and women of all ages wait on line hoping for the meal that will give them strength to live. In Dutchess County we are blessed with many health care facilities that care for the sick and provide a pleasant atmosphere for our elderly population who can no longer live independently. As in the case of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and her sisters, this community of men minister to those abandoned by society as not worthy of concern. Water is pure and plentiful as we go to the tap to relieve ourselves of the heat or cleanse ourselves. Fr. Benny and his brothers will tell you that this is a mere dream to those whom they serve. Additionally, they have the barest of living quarters which themselves lack proper sanitation and therefore, breathe disease and pestilence. Our brothers and sisters need us. Our Lord requires us to respond.

It was inspirational to read the Order’s communications and hear that the seminary they run has more than 200 young men contemplating the priesthood. Our Archdiocese has less than a quarter of that number. We must support their vocations for their sake and ours. Why do I say that? When I was a child I heard of the Church’s evangelization of the Third World; when I was a student at Cathedral College, I worked with the Maryknoll Fathers; and now as a priest I have the privilege of working side by side with men who have come from the nations taught by missionaries and supported by our parents and their parents. This faith community is benefiting now from the seeds planted by God and nourished by generous men and women in what we call today the Third World.

As Fr. Benny speaks to our hearts and solicits our spiritual and financial support let us recognize that our response cannot be a momentary one, but must be ongoing. Of course, next week we focus our attention on him and his religious community’s needs in caring for the People of God. However, we must also remember our missionaries throughout the world in prayer. They have left the comfort of the homes to relieve the burdens of others and in doing so demonstrating the power of the Gospel and the joy of faith. Pray that many of our young people might pursue a priestly or religious vocation in the missions. (Some young men and women might make a temporary commitment to Maryknoll or Jesuit Volunteers as lay missioners.) Of course, by our Baptism we are all called to be “laborers for the harvest.” By our words and example, we can evangelize others. Tragically, we know so many of our friends and family who have wandered away from our beloved Catholic Church. There are others who ill-informed as to our teachings could use some gentle instruction. And finally, there are those placed in our midst by our Almighty and Loving Father who could well benefit from experiencing faithful witnessing.

Please welcome Father next week and continue to care about God’s work here and abroad.

Vivat Jesu

Fr. Brian