Once more with feeling

The lawn in the Quadrangle had almost recovered from the abuse of putting in the emergency access grid under the grass, Founders Day, Jubilee and the blistering summer drought, when the tents are going up again.

We expect 500+ Haitians here on Saturday for their annual day of prayer, praise and reflection. Our own Father Romane St. Vil organizes this event. IMHO our lawn is a small price to pay to attract life and enthusiasm to this place, not to mention a faith-filled people.

This could be a foretaste of what our main building can become in the future. I know the Koreans from St. Paul's in Flushing could easily fill this place several times a year were it converted into a functional* retreat house and mission center. And that's just from one parish. Haitians, Vietnamese, Filipinos and Hispanics could just as easily spend several weekends here each year. Training other groups for mission, cross-cultural seminars, conferences on interreligious dialogue all could take place here with just a few Maryknollers heading a staff of competent employees. I've seen this at other centers.

My concern is that from where I sit (outside in the Quad watching the tents go up) I don't detect any future thinking except for turning off the lights and locking the door. BIG mistake.

*Functional means grandfathering guys out of the R Wing and letting retreatants and workshop attendees have those floors to themselves. It means putting the word "active" back in retirement. It means not giving in to whoever whines the loudest that all this commotion is disturbing their nap.

"People perish for lack of vision." Ain't it the truth.

Comings and Goings

Yesterday we had a nice, if cramped, welcoming get-together in the Second Floor R-Wing Rec Room for four men who have recently taken up residence here at the Center. Br. John Frangenburg, Fr. Jim Nierkarcz, Br. Al Patrick and Br. Conrad Fleisch have swelled our ranks here to 89. Br. Conrad is especially amazing. He is 99 years old (one month older than our Society, BTW) and he looks and feels marvelous. His mind is sharp, his health is good and he walks regularly. No, I do NOT want to look and act like him when I am his age. I want to look and act like him right now!

To no one's surprise, yesterday Maryknoll and our music director/pianist/organist finally parted company after about a year and a half of a rather awkward relationship that "just didn't fit." Although expected, her departure was sad because she is a very nice person but just didn't have what it takes to lead music for our community. For the foreseeable future we will rely on a list of local talent for funerals and look forward to Ms. Lucille Naughton coming back to direct music for Christmas and the all-important Centenary liturgical celebrations, not to mention Jubilee and the ordination of Rodrigo Ulloa to the priesthood next spring.

Speaking of seminarians, TEN of our TWELVE seminarians will be here this weekend as they gather before their opening retreat in Connecticut on Monday with Fr. Dr. Peter LeJacq directing. The five Newbies: Jonathan Hill, Tony Lopez (another one!), Peter Letouf, Glen D'Angelo and Chase Olinger will join the "older" seminarians: Rodrigo Ulloa, Shawn Crumb, Angel Oswaldo Garcia, Philip Yang and Daniel Kim. Seminarians Dae Kim and Lam Hua are doing their OTP in Bolivia and Kenya, respectively. Not to jinx this sudden influx of new life, but we might have a goodly number joining us next year, so keep those rosaries and Angeluses flowing.

Back with more news

I was away on retreat the first week of August and then was up to my sister's place in the Adirondacks to soften the transition back to life here at Mother Knoll. As you might expect, things continue to happen. In no particular order:

+ One man mentioned that, going on two years into this "new" Council, we have yet to get a copy of the revised and amended Constitutions or directory or any particular conclusions or directions. There are rumblings from various quarters about a "return to an old style of leadership." I find this odd, given the oldest man on the team is only 63. But as Fr. John Meehan, of blessed memory, once observed when he said Korea had no young members (this was back in the 1980s and I rattled off several names), "I'm not talking age."

+ Twenty five Chinese priests and Sisters from the mainland, who are studying here in the States as part of in the Chinese Seminary Teachers & Formators Project organized by Fr. Larry Lewis, are trickling into the Knoll for their yearly retreat and workshop. This will lower the average age in the building to about 35 and will give us a good, lively spirit here in the house for the next two weeks. Larry, IMHO, is an example of the Maryknoller of the future: one man in a critical position playing a crucial role to help develop a local church, in this case, China. To that end, the fifth alumnus from the program has just been consecrated bishop with the full blessing of the Vatican as well as the approval of the Chinese government. Bishop John Baptist Yang Xiao Ting, 46, was ordained coadjutor of the Yulin diocese (Shaanxi Province) last July 15. From 1999-2002 Yang studied sociology at Catholic University in Washington. Yang was ordained to the priesthood in 1991, the first Chinese to be ordained after the seminaries were re-opened in the 1980s.

+ You all remember the notorious ambo whose price would cover a down payment on a house? Well, it's due to make a reappearance after more than 15 years in storage exile. Granted it is WAY too large to be placed anywhere near the main altar, still I agree with those who contend that sound stewardship at this point demands we at least try to use it since we apparently tried and failed to give it away. My suggestion is to put it towards the far end of the main chapel and rearrange the chairs between the altar and the ambo to choral style with the pews in back still facing forward. This would visually balance the ambo and altar and give prominence to the Liturgy of the Word. I expect major kvetching on this in the coming weeks. The ordination of women and suspended funding of the School of America's Watch are out there somewhere, but by golly, nobody rearranges furniture in the chapel and gets away with it.

+ Speaking of down payments on a house, I want to publicly thank Fr. Jerry Hammond of Korea for generously pitching in to help me and another Maryknoller pay for a hand-painted icon of Our Lady of Maryknoll by Fr. William Hart McNichols for our 100th anniversary next year. His offering will be in memory of the Hammond and Barr families, mine will be for the Veneroso and Kindar families (long story!)

Be careful what you pray for

More than ten years ago at one of Maryknoll's many "brainstorming" sessions about how we can once again make Maryknoll a household word among Catholics, the idea surfaced (modesty forbids me from saying from whom) that Fr. Roy Bourgeois and the SOA watch should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. I even blogged about it earlier.

Anyway, thanks to Fr. Roy, Maryknoll is once again becoming a household word though not in the way we had hoped. Then, go to find out, Roy and SOAW have indeed been nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize by the Society of Friends (Quakers) Service Committee. You can read their statement here: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/11/22/

Themselves a Peace Prize winner, the SFSC is only one of many former winners who may be inclined to vote for Fr. Roy. These include Desmond Tutu from South Africa, Rigobertto Menchu from Guatemala and Wangari Muta Maathai from Tanzania. (Kim Dae Jung, another winner and friend of Maryknoll from Korea, passed away in August 2009.)

My point is this: imagine if Roy and SOAW win. The Christian in us should probably rejoice because the causes of justice for Latin America and equality in the Church have come to the fore and public discussion of these following the media attention can only help clear the air. The pragmatist in us realizes we're screwed. No matter how we spin it, no way does Maryknoll come out looking good.

Now more than ever we need an articulate, street-smart, media savvy, professional journalist for our Media Rep who can think on his/her feet and cultivate that kind of relationship with both Catholic and secular press people that will see us through times of both crises and celebration.

Here at the Knoll, reaction to the news about Maryknoll's discontinuing of funding the SOAW has been mostly one of confusion and disappointment---and not a little anger. Many have checked out the video in the link below and concluded that that side of the story has not gotten out and as a result Maryknoll's reputation is suffering. I know for a fact we have lost supporters over this. This only underscores the URGENCY to hire a full-time, experienced, pro-active public media-relations rep, but to date no posting has been made, internally or externally, to fill this position.

Inertia may indeed prove our undoing.

Some still unsettled dust

The following was an anonymous post in a CNS (Catholic News Service) blog on Maryknoll's stopping financial support for the SOA Watch.

Anon, on July 26, 2010 at 5:58 pm Said:
Heidi – I send this to you FYI. http://thechristianradical.blogspot.com/2010/07/fr-roy-soa-primer-2010.html. This video was shot on Fr Roy’s SOAW national tour (information I found on a SOAW press release re: dates/locations for Fr Roy’s national tour, which ended in late May 2010). The tape is dated within the week of the reported May 24 meeting between Maryknoll and Fr Roy about the SOAW funding cut by Maryknoll. My guess is that this is the reason Maryknoll felt they had to cut funding. Listen through to the end of the tapes. Fr Roy has my full faith and support and I trust that he speaks from a place of deep and well-formed conscience. Nonetheless, I am not surprised Maryknoll felt it had to make this decision, based on Fr Roy’s very clear statement that, whenever and wherever he is granted a forum to speak about SOA and SOAW, he will also speak about women’s ordination. In fairness to Maryknoll, I think these videotaped – and thus fully authentic – statements need to be publicized, to flesh out this story and balance the speculation. Again and again, I have read and heard questions – including my own – that ask why it is assumed that SOAW should be held accountable for the personal beliefs of its founder. The tapes answer that question, I believe. I do not write this in critique of Fr Roy or SOAW. I write in the interest of honesty in general and fairness to Maryknoll in particular.

The CNS blog can be read here: http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/maryknoll-ends-financial-support-of-school-of-americas-watch/

Statement by Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers on SOA Watch Funding

Here, without comment or critique, is the official statement crafted last May by the General Council, a hard copy of which I got from Mr. James McCullough, interim media rep.

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On May 24, 2010 Father Edward Dougherty, Superior General of the Maryknoll Society, met with Father Roy Bourgeois to discuss the Society's decision to discontinue financial support to the School of Americas (SOA) Watch.

Given Father Bourgeois central role as founder and public face of the SOA Watch, Society leadership has determined that it cannot continue its financial support of that organization without giving the impression that it also supports the actions of its leader concerning the issue of women's ordinations. (Those actions led to his automatic excommunication [Latae sententiae] by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2008.)

This decision is not intended to be punitive and is not designed to put pressure on Father Bourgeois, or on the SOA Watch organization and its activities. Maryknoll continues its solidarity with the people of Latin America and the Caribbean, and is unambiguous in its support of the goals of the SOA Watch.

Maryknollers pull SOA Watch funding | National Catholic Reporter

Maryknollers pull SOA Watch funding | National Catholic Reporter
http://ncronline.org/blogs/ncr-today/maryknollers-pull-soa-watch-funding

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Sent from my iPad

Thanks to my Catholic Press Association colleague, Ms. Heidi Schlumpf, author of the above blog, for giving me a heads-up on the above story via Facebook.

I, and I trust most Maryknollers, were blind-sided by this. There are problems on many levels.

1) Absent any media relations person (a replacement for Ms. Betsey Guest who retired last month has yet to be hired) calls from the press get bounced around giving the impression of an organization in disarray.

2) Maryknollers find out about this from outside sources. Granted it doesn't have to be via this blog, but it might have been classy to let the membership know that this very public action was taking place. Talking points would have been nice.

3) As Heidi pointed out to me in a later post, Maryknoll shouldn't be surprised when this results in bad press for us and even more loss of support.

4) We will lose more friends and not placate our detractors by one iota. So who are we trying to impress? (I know the answer, but I need my Prudence Chip now more than ever.)

5) Sources here would neither confirm nor deny details of this story and then, WHAM, it appears in NCR. What happened to transparency and better communications?

6) The Acts and Motions of the Eleventh General Chapter are effectively dead. In the paragraph about our relationship with the Church in the U.S. we said that actions on behalf of justice were necessary "even when they result in a loss of support." The word "prophetic" peppered that same document. Sounds nice, but this present action belies that stance.

7) What in the name of justice does the righteous work of closing WHINSEC (School of the Americas) have to do with the "attempted ordination of women"?No matter what you think of the latter, (and last week we know exactly what the Vatican thinks of this) the SOA Watch seeks to give voice to the voiceless and bring peace to Latin America.

8) SOA Watch has already issued a fund raising letter and will no doubt replace the funds cut.. The ultimate loser in this sorry case is Maryknoll.

Firetruck access lane

The north quadrangle gets plastic surgery. The lawn will make a comeback. We hope.

Young people

More than 30 young adults from around the country have gathered at Bethany for a two-week orientation to overseas mission workshop. Maryknoll Lay Missioner Joe Regotti is fascilitating the program for these lay missioners, most of whom are Salesians. None is from Maryknoll.

These young people are going to some serious mission territories such as Rwanda, Guyana, Bolivia and China. It is very refreshing to have young Catholics bubbling over with enthusiasm for overseas mission, theology and the Catholic Church. They will be joining us for lunch on Thursday (tomorrow.)

A big thank you to a fellow Maryknoller who wishes to remain anonymous and who contacted me with a donation of $1,000 to offset the cost of the commissioned icon of Our Lady of Maryknoll. I know this money could have been given to the poor but I firmly believe Maryknoll's refunding (Ha! Talk about Freudian slip! That should be REFOUNDING) starts with our spirituality and prayer life, and these ought to be rooted firmly in devotion to the Mother of God.

On a more mundane note, new emergency vehicle access lanes, such as the ones now under the lawn on either side of the kiosk in the main quadrangle, are now being laid in the north quadrangle. Hopefully the lawn will recover despite the hottest weather on record and Day 17 of the current heatwave of 90 degree weather in July alone.

Keep cool, everyone!

Our Lady of Maryknoll

Nicely lit.

No lift

We are now into the fourth week with the F-Wing elevator (the oldest and the newest) out-of-order. Go to find out, during renovations 15 years ago the car and shaft were replaced but the original motor, built ca. 1930, was kept. At first this seemed a wise move since the newest elevator on M-Wing seemed to have all kinds of problems, adding credence to the argument that things were just made better back in the old days. Well, now the motor of the F-Wing elevator has finally given up the ghost and there are no spare parts to be had. The replacement motor is supposed to be in place and running by week's end.

The beautiful statue of Our Lady of Maryknoll, gift of the Huber and Huvane families, that graces the Spellman Room and is visible from the Rotunda, has finally gotten the proper lighting (thanks to Mr. Tom Dunstan of physical plant) to focus on the statue without those unsightly eye-shadows that made Mary & Jesus look like Zorro's family, if not Rocky Raccoon's.

Speaking of OLOM, I have received the contract from iconographer Father William Hart McNichol's for a hand "written" 18" x 24" 23-karat gold leaf and acrylic traditional icon of Our Lady of Maryknoll in time for our opening liturgy on January 25, 2011. I am prepared to pay the entire cost myself, in which case it will be given in memory of the deceased members of the Veneroso family. However, I am more than willing to share the honor and the expense with fellow Maryknollers if anyone cares to donate. I do not want to be so crass as to reveal the entire cost, but if five other Maryknoller's each contributed $1,000 we could all share equally in this project. You do the math. Personally I figure the singular event of Maryknoll's 100th anniversary deserves nothing less.

Fr. John McAuley is in town, ostensibly to get his new visa that will allow him to teach in China. Tomorrow evening he will gather for dinner with whatever former Walsh Building cohorts remain. Unlike with previous meals, he no longer requires a food taster. I'll let you know if this was a wise move.

Weekend update

Responding to the "clarification" by the Vatican that lumped "the attempted ordination of women" as a "grievous sin" on par with the sexual abuse of children, our own prophet-in-exile Roy Bourgeoise issued a statement. In it he merely observed that to date not one convicted pedophile priest or bishop has been excommunicated. Protestations to the contrary notwithstanding, it does seem that by this punishment some in the Vatican must think ordaining women is actually worse that abusing children. Hard to argue with this logic. But as with most things from the Vatican these days, logic is not the issue.

I erred in an earlier post when I wrote the mission exposure trip to Honduras was already underway. Actually four men depart for Central America tomorrow, Saturday the 17th. Deacon Steve DeMartino will accompany Pablo Talavera, Sean Farry, Richard Rivera and Ryan Danaher. (Yes, they pay their way down and back and enjoy Maryknoll hospitality in between.) Please pray the Holy Spirit guide their discernment but that they apply to Maryknoll anyway. (I couldn't resist.)

Having celebrated the Mass for the community this past week, I had the opportunity to fan some sparks into flame---in a good way, I hope. It is my contention that Maryknoll is not dying, but we might very well kill it with our indifference. I see the two greatest threats to our survival as a Society as apathy and inertia. We no longer want to try new things and take risks that might upset our comfortable routine. Fr. Ernie Brunelle said we apply the "lowest common denominator." Today's first reading from Isaiah for the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel spoke of the dying Hezekiah who turned facing the wall to pray and weep at his imminent demise. God heard his prayer and granted him 15 more years. If we could only cultivate an equally fervent spirit of prayer, I am confident Maryknoll will enjoy many more years of mission service.

This weekend at the Knoll we welcome parishioners from St. Michael's Church in Jersey who are on retreat.

Similarly, tomorrow all day in the Asia room there will be the School for Vibrational Healing Meditation. Seriously. (Thank you, Prudence chip, but I never pick low-hanging fruit.

Renewal and reform

On this great and glorious feast of St. Bonaventure, Seraphic Doctor of the Church, several things converge. Bonaventure is one of 33 Doctors of the Church. You'd think by now it would be cured.

Alas today we have yet another self-inflicted wound as the Vatican issued a "clarification" that only confused people more. In it they stream-lined the procedure for defrocking pedophile priests, bishops and even Cardinals, put lay people on the judicial panel reviewing these cases and added child pornography to the list of things that could get a cleric booted. Still strangely silent is any mention of disciplinary action against bishops whose duplicity and/or incompetence perpetrated the scandal for decades (unless you consider being appointed to a plum position as pastor of one of Rome's major basilicas a punishment.)

Worse, that same document elevated the "attempted ordination of women" to the category of "grievous sin" on par with sexually abusing a child. Hello? A Vatican spokesman hastened to clarify the clarification that one was a moral sin while the other a sacramental sin. Huh? Advocates for Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (S.N.A.P.) were outraged as were women's groups and ordinary people with consciences. But of course these are a small minority of those real Catholics who come to church and pay their offering and shut their eyes, ears and mouth, so who cares what they think, right?

Enter St. Bonaventure. He was the eighth Minister General of the then still young Franciscan movement. He strove to link the heart of Francis of Assisi with the intellect of his contemporary, Thomas Aquinas. He opined the more one loves God, the more one would want to study about God; and the more one studies about God, the more one would love God.

It was both a logical and emotional wedding of two trends in Catholicism, so naturally he was vehemently opposed by those in his Order as well as those in the Church.

We here at the Center mourn the passing of the spirit of Vatican II. We give lip service to the reformation of the Church and the renewal of Maryknoll, both of which must take place if either is to survive.

But we are the Church. And even more so, we are Maryknoll. Want to renew the Society? Then do it. Be the Maryknoller you think the Society needs you to be. Want to reform the Church? Good luck with that. But renewing Maryknoll would reform the Church!

Today's gospel gives the solution: "Come to me all who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart."

Ultimately, the renewal of Maryknoll and reformation of the Church are God's work. If we do our part and it is God's will, it will succeed. If we don't and it isn't, it won't matter.

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

On this great and glorious feast day of the Lily of the Mohawks, I give special thanks to Fr. John McAuley, in transit from Taiwan to the States, for this wonderful link. Blessed Kateri was always dear to me, since my hometown of Amsterdam, NY, is only seven miles from her birthplace in what is now Fonda, and across the river from Auriesville Shrine of the North American Martyrs. I am happy to share her story now with the Maryknoll world.

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[Pronounce: Gah-deh-lee Deh-gah-quee-tah]

The blood of martyrs is the seed of saints. Nine years after the Jesuits Isaac Jogues and John de Brebeuf were tortured to death by Huron and Iroquois Native American nations, a baby girl was born near the place of their martyrdom, Auriesville, New York. She was to be the first person born in North America to be beatified. Her mother was a Christian Algonquin, taken captive by the Iroquois and given as wife to the chief of the Mohawk clan, the boldest and fiercest of the Five Nations. When she was four, Kateri lost her parents and little brother in a smallpox epidemic that left her disfigured and half blind. She was adopted by an uncle, who succeeded her father as chief. He hated the coming of the Blackrobes (missionaries), but could do nothing to them because a peace treaty with the French required their presence in villages with Christian captives. She was moved by the words of three Blackrobes who lodged with her uncle, but fear of him kept her from seeking instruction. She refused to marry a Mohawk man and at nineteen finally got the courage to take the step of converting. She was baptized with the name Kateri (Catherine) on Easter Sunday.

Now she would be treated as a slave. Because she would not work on Sunday, she received no food that day. Her life in grace grew rapidly. She told a missionary that she often meditated on the great dignity of being baptized. She was powerfully moved by God's love for human beings and saw the dignity of each of her people. She was always in danger, for her conversion and holy life created great opposition. On the advice of a priest, she stole away one night and began a two-hundred-mile walking journey to a Christian Native American village at Sault St. Louis, near Montreal.

For three years she grew in holiness under the direction of a priest and an older Iroquois woman, giving herself totally to God in long hours of prayer, in charity and in strenuous penance. At twenty three she took a vow of virginity, an unprecedented act for a Native American woman, whose future depended on being married. She found a place in the woods where she could pray an hour a day and was accused of meeting a man there! Her dedication to virginity was instinctive: She did not know about religious life for women until she visited Montreal. Inspired by this, she and two friends wanted to start a community, but the local priest dissuaded her. She humbly accepted an "ordinary" life. She practiced extremely severe fasting as penance for the conversion of her nation. She died the afternoon before Holy Thursday. Witnesses said that her emaciated face changed color and became like that of a healthy child. The lines of suffering, even the pockmarks, disappeared and the touch of a smile came upon her lips. She was beatified in 1980.

Excerpted from Saint of the Day, Leonard Foley, O.F.M.

Patron: Ecologists; ecology; environment; environmentalism; environmentalists; exiles; loss of parents; people in exile; people ridiculed for their piety; World Youth Day.

Symbols: lily (a symbol of her purity); a cross (a symbol of her love of Jesus Christ); or a turtle (a symbol of her clan).

Cruising Manhattan Island

Eleven guys set out on a cruise around Manhattan Island this morning. Ms. Kathy Brophy from our Assisted Living office, is driving the van. Safe trip to all. We can only pray there is never a recurrence of the infamous Boat Ride Up The Hudson some years back when 30+ Maryknollers got stranded in Croton when the ship pulled into the dock listing at a 45 degree angle. We picnicked in the park that day. Of course that was a blessing. Can you imagine the chaos if the boat started taking on water with us on board and half way to West Point?

Thank you, Fr. Joy Tajonera, for getting back to me so soon about having some local people design and make stoles and vestments for our Centenary.

Speaking of which, I have contacted noted iconographer Fr. William Hart McNichols, to "write" an icon of Our Lady of Maryknoll in time for our opening Mass in January 2011. Bill wrote the famous icon "Mother of God--Light in All Darkness." commissioned by the U.S. Catholic AIDS Network. Google him. His work is inspired and inspiring.

I am also happy to report that three weeks into our 100th year, the Angelus has become a daily habit before Mass here at the Center. The reader leads the community in it's recitation just prior to beginning the liturgy, which makes for a nice reminder of the Incarnation flowing into the Eucharist.

Several young men are participating in a mission-exposure-discernment trip to Honduras even as we speak. Some 35+ young people are scheduled to descend on Maryknoll at the end of the month for two days of prayers, discussion and discernment about serving in the different Maryknoll entities. Please keep all of them in your prayers.

Maryknollers on the move

I'm not sure these have been officially announced yet in the (very retro hard copy of the Council Bulletin), but since multiple sources all seem to discuss this in our dining room, I figure it's OK to share them with you.

Fr. Jim Madden is in to take over as head of Maryknoll F & B Vocations Office starting September 1 from Fr. Dennis Moorman. Dennis is itching to get back to Brazil but has agreed to hang around to assist in the transition. Dennis is even as we speak in Tanzania with the two winners of the Explore My Mission contest.

Fr. Jack Northrup is back from our now closed Border Project in Juarez. He turned off the lights but Fr. Juan Zuniga has gone back to lock the doors. This was a valiant and noble effort over more than 20 years and not only helped the people on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border but also helped many vocation prospects discern whether or not mission was for them. The violence has gotten totally out of hand in recent years to the point where our presence might inadvertently make things worse for the people we are trying to help. "You got to know when to fold 'em" as the gambler says.

Fr. Stephen Taluja will assist Fr. Ray Nobiletti in Chinatown for about a year starting September 1. To explain all the machinations that took place since his ordination last year would make the Byzantine imperial court look like the Salvation Army. Rather than read between the lines, ask Stephen yourself.

Fr. Tony Brodniak, formerly of Japan, now assists OSP in offering spiritual direction to the members here. He is using the office of the late, great Fr. Al Schiavone, right next to my room R-203.

On another liturgical note, plans are afoot to replace those concelebration stoles (You know, the red/white reversible ones with the red yarn fringe from back in the1970s) with new ones in honor of our 100th. Fr. Joy Tajonera, if you are reading this, please contact me if you are able to get us a good price on some quality, handmade stoles from any of your contacts. Absent this, ironically both Fr. John Kaserow and Super G Ed Dougherty thought it would be nice to have them made overseas, preferably by some "XXXXX ALBINO XXXX in XXXXXXXX. (My prudence chip once again got the better of me.)

Speaking of a throw back to the 1970s, IMHO I think it's past time to throw back our 1970s theologies and ecclesiologies. But that is grist for another blog mill.

Mid July Bits of Liturgical Tid

Greetings from a sweltering Maryknoll.

My hiatus (no, not a hernia) in blogging stems from multiple reasons. Mostly not much exciting to report. Other times I may be away from the Knoll or am actually busy working (rarely, to be sure). More often then not there are REALLY juicy tidbits that prudence, one of my weakest virtues, forbids me from posting. That being said, in recent days I have gleaned some interesting snippets to share.

The Liturgy Subcommittee for Maryknoll's Centenary, of which I am co-chair with U.S. regional Superior Fr. Mike Duggan, has selected January 25, 2011 to formally open festivities.

Why this date? Early December is taken up with rehearsals and performance for the annual Advent/Christmas concert, usually the second Friday. That leaves precious little time to prepare for an opening liturgy in which we will introduce the Missa ad Gentes, composed by Michael Joncas of "On Eagle's Wings" fame for our 100th. Christmas-New Years is down and away time at Maryknoll. Towards the end of January, we have on January 25 the Solemnity of the Conversion of St. Paul, with various themes all of which virtually SCREAM Maryknoll. so there it is.

This will be followed by a joint day of reflection with the other Maryknoll entities.

Our Subcommittee is entrusted in preparing three such liturgies: one at the beginning; THE 100th Foundation Day on June 29; and a closing Mass sometime either in December 2011 or January of 2012 during which we shift gears to focus on the 100th of the Maryknoll Sisters.

According to Br. Kevin Dargan, Maryknoll's answer to Google, this is slightly misleading since that would be the centenary of the Teresians, the lay women secretaries of the early years who did not receive their canonical "recognition" (here's an example of my prudence kicking in) to become the Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic until 1921. But hey, Brothers mark their time in Maryknoll from their first oath, so who are we to quibble? Besides, Hawaii has every right to celebrate the Fourth of July along with the original 13 States.

Also marking their 35th anniversary this year are the Maryknoll Lay Missioners, with Archbishop Timothy Dolan presiding at the Mass in our main chapel on August 28.

I have much more to share but you could not bear it now. Check back in about 12 hours.

Habit vs Custom vs Tradition

I am happy to report the Angelus was indeed recited before today's community Mass at 11:30 at the Center. If this does successfully evolve into a custom and then a tradition (that is, something done around Maryknoll more than three times in a row), this most excellent reminder of the Incarnation and devotion to Our Lady may rekindle the smoldering embers of our quickly fading spirituality.

And not a moment too soon. In an earlier post I already kvetched about priests who sat in street clothes amidst the congregants and then raised a hand during the consecration under the mistaken impression they were concelebrating, in violation of two distinct liturgical rules.

Now I focus my crosshairs on those who vest for concelebration and think that's all that is required of them. Um, no.

Nothing is more distracting during a liturgy than concelebrants who don't realize they are now "on stage" and can be clearly seen by everyone. Liturgical and prayerful "presence" require more than the minimal sitting and standing at the correct time.

As a graduate of the same high school alma mater as Isador Danielovitch, a.k.a. Isador Dempsky, a.k.a. Kirk Douglas, I know from stage presence, especially for extras, i.e. actors not in lead roles. Every gesture, every glance must add to the scene or it will diminish and distract. In recent liturgies the body language of some concelebrants bordered on disrespectful.

One maintained the classic "padrone stance" (hands behind his back) throughout the entire Mass, while he checked out various people in the congregation. News flash: we can see you. What's more, we can see exactly what and whom you are looking at. Cut it out!

Another kept his arms crossed in front of his chest. This is the classic self-defense pose, nonverbally seeking protection ( lest the Word of God upset you?)

Some held onto the hymnal for security even when no hymn was imminent.

Many maintained a minimalist pose: hands folded but lowered, as if praying apologetically.

Now to their credit, those concelebrants who do maintain a respectful prayer stance all seem to be from Asia. (But I could be prejudiced). To dissect further: the most prayerful stance seems to be of guys from Japan, Taiwan and Korea in that order. (Demerits to two old Korea hands, however, whose posture indicated boredom or a desire to be elsewhere.)

A suggestion: if you are that uncomfortable or embarrassed to be seen praying in public then do not concelebrate.

I just returned from Istanbul where, let me tell you, Muslims know how to pray with their bodies. I have seen Buddhists---and Maryknollers---express reverence during prayer in a Buddhist temple. Pictures in Maryknoll magazine of people at prayer leave no doubt what they are doing. A snapshot of Maryknoll concelebrants would leave most people scratching their heads.

If the Eucharist is our central prayer and if we are privileged to concelebrate, shouldn't our bodily posture reinforce this? How can we proclaim the Incarnation yet be reluctant to pray with our bodies? But will it take more than the recitation of the Angelus and this petulant post to whip us into shape liturgically????

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A sending forth

US Regional Father Mike Duggan leads the congregation in blessing the winners of the 2010 Explore My Mission contest sponsored by our vocation department.

Katherine Dzida of Costa Mesa, CA and Daniel Wozniczka of Chicago won this years competition in which they submitted three-minute videos of their ministry. These and other entries can be viewed at www.2010exploremymission.org

For winning, today, June 30, they and Fr. Dennis Moorman leave for a mission visit to Tanzania. Francisco Suarez (seen above in left corner) and Karen Cooper from Maryknoll Media Production will document the entire trip.

The 99th Foundation Day Mass was a joyous event, beginning with the recitation of the Angelus. (Y'all got the email, right?) Whether this becomes a tradition remains to be seen.

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Storm before the quiet

A storm with sudden hurricane-strength winds and possibly a tornado slipped past Maryknoll yesterday afternoon with only a 20-minute downpour and then slammed full force into Bridgeport, Conn., causing considerable damage.

The Korean Perpetual Help Sisters were enjoying some ice-cream in our dining room when the heavens opened. While this postponed by a few minutes their planned visit to the grave of their founder, Msgr. John Morris, the respite afforded them time to peruse the photo albums of Fr. Ray Sullivan, who regaled the Sisters with stories and treated them to chose a souvenir from our Gift Shop.

We dodged a weather bullet and the rain broke the humidity for now.

On again, off again and on again local Korea superior Fr. Gerry Hammond and I had time to catch up over breakfast, reminisce about back in the day when as a Peace Corps volunteer I spent six months at his place in Su Dong. We also chatted about the situation up North ( and I don't mean Canada) on this, the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. Gerry is here for his 50th. Ad multos annos!

Fr. Rich Augustin, here for his 25th from Korea, brought encouraging news about how our men in the Seoul house draw topics for breakfast table conversation from Knollnews. (Hi guys!) I apologize to all my faithful readers for the two-week hiatus whilst I was galavanting around Greece and Turkey the first two weeks in June. Had I known you guys actually read my ramblings, I'd have been more conscientious in posting.

Even when nothing noteworthy is going on here, I can always rant about liturgy, the tower bells, the hierarchy, the lowerarchy, vocations and cassocks, so I promise to do better. If you never want to be mentioned by name on this blog, my P/A number is 1846

Would you believe SEVEN TENTS?

The quadrangle filled with large and small tents and connecting canopies begs the question: where are the clowns? (In the trade this is known as a "soft-ball pitch".)

June visitors

Several Perpetual Help Sisters are visiting Maryknoll today from Korea. They will start at the MK Sisters Motherhouse for a tour and lunch. After that, Yours Truly has been asked to show them around the Knoll and then take them for prayers at the grave of Fr. John Morris.

As happens every June, the Center has filled up with visiting Maryknollers,  jubilarians and guests. This weekend things get REALLY crazy when 800+ guests are expected. 

The housekeeping and physical plant people have been hard at work getting everything ready, especially setting up tables and chairs under the SEVEN tents that are needed to work around the emergency access paths. The Lady Chapel and Spellman Room too have been reconfigured with seats and TV monitors to focus attention on the main Chapel.

And last but not least a word of praise for our Sodexo Food Service who go the extra mile to accommodate this sudden influx of meal guests.  

Maryknoll very intense

Four smaller tents have been erected for next week's jubilee
celebration. Because of the newly installed emergency access paths,
the tents had to go up to the side and back of the OLOM kiosk and
departure bell. Grass above the access paths has failed to thrive,
despite extra watering. Not to worry. After seven days under these
tents, our entire quadrangle will be brown and dry.

Re-interment for Br. Tom McCann

Maryknoll Brothers, Sisters, Fathers and Lay Missioners gather for the
graveside service of Maryknoll's first Brother whose remains were
moved from Los Angeles.

A Brother comes home

The remains of Br. Thomas McCann, the first Maryknoll Brother, who passed away in 1922 and had been buried in Los Angeles, will be re-interred at Maryknoll, N.Y. on Friday, June 18th, following a special Mass.

A place of honor will be afforded Brother Thomas under the Celtic Cross at the entrance to the upper cemetery. The cross once stood atop the Old Farmhouse that served as the Brothers Formation House back in the day. Br. Thomas joined the Auxiliary Brothers of St. Michael in 1912 and later worked at the Japanese mission in Los Angeles.

This translation and re-internment of Brother Thomas's earthly remains mark the unofficial countdown to the centenary celebration for the Maryknoll Brothers as well as the culmination of efforts going back several years.

"We didn't want to move the body here just for the sake of moving it," says Brother Kevin Dargan who has eagerly followed the process over the years. "There is precedence." Father Price's body was brought back from Hong Kong after the completion of the seminary building, Kevin said, and Mother Mary Joseph's body was moved from her original grave here at the Fathers and Brothers cemetery across the street to the Sisters once their cemetery was created.

Speaking of the Maryknoll Sisters, several shared stories of the old days when Br. Thomas would pull up to the loading stone (that huge, flat piece of granite behind the Price Building used to assist riders in getting in and out of horse-drawn carriages) to transport Sisters to and from the convent and Ossining.

Superior General Father Ed Dougherty will be the main celebrant at the special Mass with Br. Kevin Dargan reading the biography and Br. Wayne Fitzpatrick offering what would normally be called a homily if he were a priest but must be called a reflection because he is not. Brothers will also act as honorary pall bearers.  The difference between an honorary pall bearer and an ordinary pall bearer is that too many declined to volunteer if any heavy lifting was involved.

With this, we unofficially declare our Centenary celebration open!           

The Daily Show

This just in from Father Joe LaMar:

Just an advisory that our segment on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart will most likely run TODAY at 6/17 at 11:00 PM on Comedy Central.

For you'se folks who are not aware, I, Joe La Mar, with Cathy Rowan, Seamus Finn and Barbara Aires will be featured for our activities in challenging the banks on financial issues. The program was taped just prior to and immediately after the Goldman Sachs shareholders' meeting.

They took 4.5 hours of taping and had to squeeze it into 3 to 5 minutes of show time.

Here is our notice of the program coming on, hopefully, this Thursday.

Joe La Mar

The Centenary Committee Report

Father Bob Jalbert, head of MEPD, showed a PowerPoint presentation starting with a quote from the 12th General Chapter. He told us we need to mindful of other celebrations: 40 Years for Orbis in 2010, 35 for the lay missioners as well as 100 for the Sisters in 2012.

In broad strokes, here is what's planned next year.

In January 2011 a Mass will open the Jubilee Year
In February we will co-sponsor a mission trip overseas for PMUSA diocesan directors.
In April Father Dougherty will address the PMUSA Diocesan Directors
The May MISAL meeting is postponed to October
June 1-4 missiologists will lead us in reflections on new directions in mission.
September ALUMNAE WELCOME HOME will have two keynote addresses.
OCTOBER 6-8 mission symposium at CTU
October 30 Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral
November National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis. (Attracted 20,000 in 2009)
December formal closing liturgy

I noted in the Q & A that I noticed nothing was scheduled for our actual Foundation Day of June 29th, not even a cake. Bob said (yet another) committee will soon be formed. I offered a suggestion we as Maryknollers recite the Angelus every noon from June 29, 2010 to June 29, 2011. It would cost us no money, is incarnational, and focuses on the BVM. And it just may rekindle the fires of our Maryknoll spirituality.

Throughout 2011 MEPD there will be sponsors events at Center and local events with the magazines and media

The Alumnae "Welcome Home" weekend will have two keynote addresses
*Facing 21st century of mission
*Missio Dei and other breakthroughs

Plus ecology, spirituality, prophetic witness and social justice issues will be addressed.

For the symposium in Chicago there will be one of two topics: "To the Peoples: Maryknoll, the Church and future of mission"
Or "The church in mission: affirming the past, charting the future."

The goal is to reach as large an audience as possible with these programs.
Exam the trends impacting mission today.

Our four mission centers around the U.S. will contact their dioceses to organize events to commemorate our 100th. Various Benefactors Appreciation Days are planned.

Regions overseas: Africa will have a regional retreat with Mr. Robert Ellsberg giving talks on our Founders. There will be symposia in Nairobi in April.
In June a gathering of Africa bishops will focus on the Maryknoll presence.

In Asia Society Members will gather at Stanley for events and then make a pilgrimage to China. There will also be an All-Asia Society assembly

Latin America will celebrate in Cochabomba.

There will four books by Orbis for our centenary and both magazines will commemorate our 100th.

We will try to foster a spirit of collaboration and closer partnership with the other Maryknoll entities.

Between 2011-2012 there will be four reflection days and retreats with the Fathers & Brothers and Sisters.

There will be an event in Washington, D.C. With the Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns.

Eight committees are humming away as we speak.

Various and sundry other proposals have been received from the membership and are under consideration. These will all be made accessible and communicated to the membership via very high tech media.

A Logo expressing "The Gift of Mission" has been designed by the art department. It met with mixed results.

Bob ended with a quote for Fr. Patrick Byrne's departure in 1923 about the seed dying etc.

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Sex scandal

(There. did I get your attention?)

Dr. Claudia Koblenz-Sulkov, clinical pyschologist in our OSP, addressed the assembly about the on-going Praesidium program for dealing with the clergy child abuse crisis.

She pointed out that the past two years have shown the crisis is not limited to the United States. The good news is that since they began collecting data in 2004 there have been NO new accusations of abuse against minors by clergy in the United States. The number of offenders and the cost have also decreased.

She then gave various statistics of outcomes of allegations, removal or return to ministry after investigation, and the amount spent on all theses cases.

Abuse victims and families are now getting compassionate and financial support.
What have we learned? The injury to the victims is greater than we had ever imagined. Easy answers are not valid. Catholics have been hurt by the moral failings of their priest but more outraged by the inaction or mishandling by the bishops. We need to stop circling the wagons in defense of the indefensible. We've learned a lot about the denial and self-deception by abusers who expressed a deep concern for the welfare of the children they abused. We, the Church, continue to suffer the effects of this betrayal of trust.

Fr. John Moran then gave the bad news. The media have given extensive coverage of the worldwide problem of abuse and by mishandling by even Cardinal Ratzinger. The problem is pervasive.

In Dublin, sexual abuse was reported by half of the witnesses: rape, voyeurism and other violations. These people reported abuse by clergy, teachers, lay volunteers and many who had isolated access to children on camping trips, sports events etc.

The hypocrisy of bishops who preach so forcefully against other sins of a sexual nature but who remained shamefully silent in the face of systemic clergy abuse remains the gaping wound of our Church.

John paraphrased the pope's statement at Fatima that the greatest suffering and persecutions come from sin within the Church. John told us to brace ourselves to a new wave of criticism here in the Stares as a movie is erased chronicling the way the seculars media (Washington Post and Boston Globe) exposed this ugly secret and forced the bishops and Church in the U.S. to acknowledge and address this issue.

They then showed us a DVD of heart-wrenching testimony by victims and witnesses, both men and women whose faith, not just in the Church but in God, was shaken or destroyed.

John asked what do we, as Maryknollers whose mission is conversion--of institutions no less than individuals--do to address this pressing issue in our Society, Church, nation and world.

Clericalism, privilege and entitlement foster this unhealthy environment in our Church.

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Father General

Father General Ed Dougherty gave his State of the Society talk this morning session of the U.S. regional Assembly.

He introduced the new world area leadership, whose superiors will gather for the ELB next month.

He called for "all hands on deck" for next years' centenary celebration over and beyond what the committee has planned, which Bob Jalbert will tell us about later.

Dougherty gave us an update on the causes (for canonization) for the founders. Bishop Walsh's cause will be taken up by New York and he expected Fr. Price's cause to be taken up by North Carolina with the blessing of their priests' council.

Shawn Crumb and Philip Yang will take their first oath later today. Lam Hua will renew his temporary oath and Rodrigo Ulloa will take his permanent oath to the Society. At 28 years of age, Rodrigo's entry into our ranks as a permanent member will no doubt lower our median age (from 75.9 years to 74.2).

Dougherty then gave a VERY brief version of our finances, basically saying the budget remains the same for next year.

Some "hiccups" in providing needed healthcare for our members in the past year will be fixed, Doc said. (One hopes by doing more than holding our breath and then drinking water.)

Doc then quoted an essay from Fr. Jim Kroeger some years back that whatever we do, we should do "with a missionary heart."

Doc referred to Fr. Finch and Fr. Sivalon wanting to see this place as "Mission Center" even though it will continue to be a place of retirement and assisted living.

Maryknoll Magazine and Revista will be cut down to six issues a year. How this will impact the successful and effective school bulk program spearheaded by Managing Editor Ms. Marge Gaughan remains to be seen.

At the behest of the bishops, Maryknoll will sponsor two Vietnamese seminarians who will study English and then attend maybe attend Mundelein seminary.

Fr. Emile Dumas was once again welcomed back to the Center as he assumes his new role as the Pastoral Coordinator of St. Theresa's.

Some stateside positions are opening up for any member who might be interested. He noted specifically media relations, from which Ms. Betsey Guest is retiring at the end of next month.

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Regional Assembly Day 2

Men in formation and all members at the Center and St. T's were
invited to attend and participate in this session.

Tuesday's focus on vocations

A Culture of Vocations

Today's session was directed by the Vocation Team (Fr. Dennis Moorman, Fr. Dave LaBuda, Br. Tim Raible, Deacon Steve DeMartino).

Dennis started by explaining the three responsibilities of the vocations office are to accompany prospects, the associate priest and brothers program and the short-term mission volunteer program.

Maretta McKenna not present) is the point person for the short-term volunteer program.

Vocation Office does outreach, accompanies men, visits prospects' homes, runs Come and See programs, retreats.

Forty inquiries month come in, mostly through the Internet.

The CARA study of 2009 said that if you look at formation programs over the last ten years there has been no significant change in numbers. Last year religious communities saw a 4% increase.

Twenty percent of religious communities who have one or more men in formation have five or more. By comparison we are in the top 20%.

Are young guys attracted to a community with so many older members? The answer seems to be age is not as important as enthusiasm and an active prayer life.

A study was done by National Religious Vocations Conference was presented by Dave LaBuda to address the issue of what attracts men to religious life.
* Those that follow a traditional style of religious life
* Members that live together in community, participate in daily Eucharist, Divine Office, and engage in devotional practices together.
* Members wear habits, work together in common apostolates and are explicit in their support for the Church and the Magesterium.

In the month of May we have 382 hits on our new vocation website, most from overseas.

In January they will sponsor a mission immersion trip to Petén, Guatemala where participants pay their travel

The Holy Week retreat will be held here at the Center next year

In May a "Come and See" weekend at the MM Formation House in Chicago.

The goals are to provide a cycle of activities to expose prospects to the membership and ministries of Maryknollers.

Reflection on Maryknoll's mission identity was focused on our prayer, liturgy, mission charisms, reflection on Maryknoll as a mission community.

The Vocations team's concrete priorities: pray, invite, accompany, experience and mentor.

To view a new mission video shown to the assembly, see: http://
www.maryknollvocations.com/bednarczyk.htm

There is a Maryknoll Youtube video (that we cannot view at the Center because it is blocked but don't get me started...) that has had more than 1,000 hits without being advertised.

Discussion focused on these questions: 1) Do we want vocations to the Maryknoll Society?
2) What am I willing to do to promote vocations? 3) What are we as a Society willing to do to promote vocations?

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After the break...

Fr Ray Nobiletti then shared an incident while concelebrating Mass with Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros at Huntington seminary in Queens. The bishop recounted the feeling of humility he experienced in that same chapel years before when he prostrated himself before that same altar when he was ordained.

This comment caused Ray to reflect on his own ordination when there was no feeling of humility but rather how now he was a missionary priest sent to set the world on fire. He went to Hong Kong and was still in language school when circumstances at a local parish necessitated his becoming pastor. His first funeral Mass caused panic. He wasn't fluent in Cantonese; he wasn't sure of his theology of death and resurrection. He wanted to back out. A Maryknoll Sister brought him back to reality.

"Ray, they are not interested in your theology," she said. "They want you, their pastor, to be with them in their sorrow. You will say that Mass." Then as a parting shot she added, "And your Cantonese stinks."

He came to realize it's not what we say but what we represent that is important. Ray had so much time on leaning language, liturgy, the "mechanics" of priesthood without concentrating on cultivating those pastoral skills that enabled him to be more present to the people.

Humility, according to Ray, is built into a mission vocation. Going to a different culture and learning a new language should be humbling. Our foreign mission charisms may not always be understood or appreciated by others.

The priesthood has changed; the brotherhood has changed; and mission has changed.

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Afternoon session

This afternoon Larry Lewis presented a talk on renewal. We talk about it because our centenary is approaching. People also talk about renewal in times of crisis and we are in crisis. We have a lot to worry about and a lot to celebrate. We have 432 members and our median age is 76. We face a crisis of numbers. We face our mortality. If we had large numbers coming in we wouldn't even be having this all-important conversation.

We always were fragile, we always were inefficient. The greatest spiritual threat of our time, according to Thomas Merton is not lack of prayer or charity, but "Efficiency".

We won't and can't go back to the past. We've strategized about reformation. We need now to talk about renewal from our position of fear and vulnerability. According to Lewis, "We can't be in a better place."

Like Peter, when we as a Society were young we went about freely, but now as we grow older God has taken us to places we do not want to go.

Without doing mission with an awareness of our vulnerability, without accepting this fragility, no matter how many churches or schools we build overseas, we arrogantly go about destroying hearts.*

Will we pretend everything is OK? Or will we openly embrace this diminishment in and through which true renewal lies?

Dare we wait for God? We can renew on a level we could never have before. This is a time of grace for us.

*Larry shared this quote from Noel O'Donoghue, OCD, from "Heaven in Ordinaire"
..."for the heart is made for God and the wild glory of God's love and all that means of divination and fulfillment. Or to put it another way: the human psyche has within it an immense energy of self-receiving, of loving and of being loved, of sacrifice and aspiration. And it is this challenge in the depths of himself the anti-mystic has to meet in confronting the mystic, and the only alternative to accepting its motivation is to destroy it utterly. And once I choose the way of the invulnerable heart there is hardly any limit to my self-righteousness and destructiveness. Even when I build churches and schools I am still in the business of destroying the heart."

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Live! From the U.S. Regional Assembly!

We opened with morning prayer taken from the breviary! (Not one tree was hugged, nor kumbaya sung.)

R.S. Mike Duggan gave a brief state of the region, which now has 68 members and is arguably the largest MK region. We have 83 members in residence here in the Center including retirees. Triennial visitations are already underway. Next year members with faculties in the NY archdiocese will need recertification through the Praesidium program (which exempts us from having to attend the otherwise mandatory gathering at Dunwoodie seminary next month.)

The overarching theme of the assembly is "Renewal in the context of being a Maryknoller."

Creation of a Mission Center here, long under discussion, will go forward facilitated by Frs. Dave LaBuda, Bill Boteler and Gerry Kelly. They have been visiting bishops around the country and see the Center as helping diocese and parishes around the country in twinning with places overseas.

Concern was raised by members that we are already behind the curve or may be duplicating efforts already underway by USCMA and Propaganda Fide. Several dioceses are already doing this. The men suggest we communicate with mission offices not just bishops. Global solidarity is already being promoted by groups like CRS and they would welcome us but don't want or need us to tell them what to do. We need to be humble in this, it was suggested, because we do have a good reputation in the mission field but we are no longer the only game in town.

Br. Wayne, first assistant, then gave a preview of what the "Open Space" dynamic will be later in the assembly on Thursday, to afford opportunities to raise and discuss topics of concern to men that have not be adequately addressed.

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House meeting

House meeting minutes for May 19, 2010

Twenty two of the 85 residents attended this last house meeting before the all-important US Regional Assembly which runs Monday evening through Thursday noon next week. A special Mass at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, will celebrate temporary oaths of seminarians who will be here following their retreat this week in New Jersey.

May 25, 26, 27 jubilees will be celebrated by 39 Maryknollers with some 800 guests expected.

On Thursday June 3 there will be the Employees Awards luncheon following a prayer service at 11:00.

June 7-18th the ELB (Extended Leadership Board) will meet.

On June 14th there will be a "Karibu Cafe" of African food and music during lunch.

Foundation Day as usual will be celebrated the weekend of June 29

Three years ago Michael Joncas, prominent Catholic composer ("On Eagles Wings"), agreed to compose a special Mass for our centenary. After much dialog, he has completed the "Missa ad Gentes" (subtitled: On the Centenary of the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers) and will cut a CD in a Chicago recording studio to be made available at the liturgical musicians convention this summer in Detroit. The music will also be included in the new hymnals published by GIA Sacred Music Publications and yes, it will be the new "improved" translation of the Mass.

Reminder of dress code especially in the dining room as the summer months approach: no cut-offs, short shorts, gym clothes, tank tops or hats.

Once again Br. Kevin Dargan pleaded with the men not to take periodicals out of the reading room especially NCR, but given the small attendance at the meeting it is likely the persons responsible might not get the message.

Food committee: There will be many groups coming through in May and June like the 150 postal workers who came through yesterday. This raises the question: Do we continue to welcome outside groups who have no connection to mission or religion or education?

This set off a lively discussion. Some said it helped get Maryknoll's name out. Others wondered what financial benefit was in it for Maryknoll, as our physical plant people are used to set up the extra tables and chairs. A more basic question was: Does Maryknoll have any say as to who comes in? The house committee will meet with Nancy Kleppel and Barbara Delph to review policy towards outside groups. A general feeling was that a Maryknoller should have input, if not the final say.

Large screen TV is gone from 4th Floor Rec Room after it was reported as out-of-order and supposedly unfixible. This is also an example of decisions being made without the knowledge or approval of a Maryknoller in charge.

For all this, the meeting only lasted 45 minutes.

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Needed: A new Maryknoll "mythiology"

A COLLOQUIEM OF MARYKNOLL MISSIOLOGISTS gathered again here at Mother Knoll this week, as they are wont to do from time to time, to theologize and come up with a paper or two on mission. Fathers John Gorski (Bolivia), Jim Kroeger (Philippines), Kevin Hanlon (USA) and Bill LaRousse (Philippines) have been hard at it since Monday but no word yet as to when and what we can expect from their deliberations.

In the meantime, I got to doing some musing of my own. When we held our annual May crowning a few weeks back, we prayed the prayer Bishop James E. composed to Our Lady of Maryknoll in which he asks the Blessed Mother's intercession for Maryknoll as we minister to "the poorest and most despised."

Would that this were true! This type of expression permeates many of Maryknoll's mission statements, documents and prayers and we blithely repeat it but, with literally only a handful of exceptions, simply is not the case. Oh, even I helped out a poor person from time to time when I was in Korea, but "the poorest and most despised" simply were not the emphasis nor purpose of my ministry.

Who are the most despised today? Well, at least in the Unites States and unfortunately in a growing number of countries around the world, without a doubt and with no competition, it would be pedophile priests, accused, convicted or just suspected. How many of us would even speak of them in sympathetic terms much less minister to them?

Ah, but there is a group that did, and without fanfare. Not ten miles north of us, the good Friars of the Atonement (Graymoor), back in 2002 when accused priests were being tossed out of rectories and had no place to turn, opened an entire wing of their friary to these "most despised." They discussed and voted as a community to offer hospitality, with strong restrictions, to these men until they could figure out where they might go and live.

Now, to be fair, Graymoor has experience dealing with men in recovery (or at best rehab) through St. Christopher's Inn. And we here at the Knoll have the logistical problem of Brookside Elementary School being right across the street.

But to my knowledge the question never even arose at a house meeting or regional assembly or general council meeting. One might argue that our focus is overseas mission, but I counter that our duty as missioners does not end just because we crossed the US border. Another unfortunate factor in recent years and especially since 2002, is the veto power lawyers and insurers have over our public activities, especially here in the States.

A Maryknoller could never be the Good Samaritan here because our lawyers and insurers would caution against getting involved and fellow Maryknollers would remind us we can only live the gospel overseas.

So we continue in our increasingly set ways, not permitting outside realities to disturb us, and content to repeat prayers about ministering to the poorest and most despised.

While I encourage our Maryknoll missiologists to come up with something new and inspiring in the realm of overseas evangelization, I see a chronic need for us to purge our prayers of pious platitudes and replace them with realistic and contemporary expressions of just what exactly it is we Maryknollers do. Or better yet, how about reflecting on the words of our founders as well as the giants in our Maryknoll pantheon: James E., Francis Ford, Considine and Nevin, and discuss what we can do—even here in the States and in our present aged condition—to make these a reality and make an effort to live up to our self-inflicted myths.

Now THERE'S something to commemorate our centennial!

Taking off our training wheels (The Ascension of the Lord)

One of the big moments in a child's life comes when she trades in her tricycle for a two-wheeler bike with training wheels. Soon enough the day arrives to remove even these. Self-confidence and independence come from experience, from trial and error, and above all from overcoming the fear of falling or failing. An anxious but proud parent's guiding hand helps maintain balance for awhile but then comes the moment of truth when the parent lets go and the child rides all on her own. "Mom! Dad! Look what I can do!" This small step on the road to maturity demands a willingness on the part of the parents to let go.

Among other things, the Ascension of Our Lord marks the removal of our spiritual training wheels. Unless we experience Jesus' absence, we will never grow up. Unless we learn to make our own mistakes and learn from them, we will not develop a sense of balance, compassion and justice. More importantly, unless Jesus leaves us we will never experience much less appreciate the power of God within us: the Holy Spirit.

That awkward time between the Ascension and Pentecost was necessary to remind the apostles---and us--that without God we can do nothing, but with God there is nothing we cannot do.

The Ascension also celebrates the holiness, not just of humanity but of all creation. When Jesus ascended into heaven he took his glorified human body with him. His human, albeit resurrected, body was made from the elements of the world around him. Even after rising from the dead, Jesus is recorded as having eaten bread and fish. In other words, God continues to interact with the material world of nature.

The Ascension of our Lord into heaven completes the mystery of the Incarnation when God became human. When the Holy Spirit descended on the Blessed Virgin Mary and she conceived Jesus, her humanity did not explode. You might say that humanity, created from the beginning in the image and likeness of God, was designed specifically to receive the Holy Spirit. Conversely, from all eternity God was prepared for the ultimate marriage between divinity and humanity which was consummated when Jesus ascended body and soul, humanity and divinity into heaven. The Trinity did not implode when he ascended with his human nature into the Godhead. This says as much about God as it does about us. Christmas celebrates God with us; The Ascension celebrates us with God.

Jesus came to earth to take away our sin, that is, our alienation, not just between humans and God but also between humans with one another and between all creation and our Creator. Through the incarnation and ascension of Jesus, all creation participates in the life of God. As such, we must be as deferential and respectful of creation as we are of the bread and wine that become the body and blood of Christ.

Church law mandates that the bread must be made of pure wheat flour with no yeast, that is, no corruption. The wine, too, must be made from grapes with no preservatives and at least 12 percent alcohol.

If we are so careful to safeguard the purity of the material that, through the words of consecration and the Holy Spirit, will become the Body and Blood of Christ, shouldn't we be equally careful of the elements of the world around us that participate in the reign of God and the new creation?

At the Ascension two angels appeared and asked, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand there staring into the sky?" Yes, Jesus has disappeared from our sight but he has not left us. What's more, we have a lot of work to do here on earth. People deserve to know the Good News of what Jesus has done for us. People are literally dying to know their sins are forgiven. People have a right to hear that Jesus saved the world.

If you truly believe Jesus has saved the world, now is the time for all people of faith and good will to do our part and save the earth.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is only the latest outrage against the environment. Our air is polluted, our rivers contaminated, our oceans dying, our rain forests disappearing. As disciples of Christ who believe God became human on this planet and who consecrated the earth by his presence, we have an obligation to clean up the various messes we humans have made.

We honor God when we take care of the world God made and gave us. We can still save our environment by being mindful of how we live on the earth and of our impact on it. And we can hold individuals as well as companies responsible and accountable for their actions. Let us do our part to clean up our world so one day we, too, as sons and daughters of God, can point with pride to our earth and pray, "Our Father in heaven, look what we can do!"

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Deacons & Wives in Mission

From Friday, May 7 till Monday, May 10, several permanent deacons and their wives will come to Maryknoll from around the country to pray, reflect, share and strategize ways to be more involved in mission.

Seated above, from left to right, are Rev. Mr. Baldwin and Mrs. Ellen Powell, from Jamaica, West Indies; Rev. Mr. Joe and Patty Symkowick, from Sacramento, CA; and Ray and Jean Knoll, from the diocese of Santa Rosa, CA.

Deacon Baldwin wanted to give a shout out to Father Leo Shea to assure him he was indeed working.

Deacon Joe also works for CRS (I'm not sure what he does in his spare time) and his wife Patty is a Maryknol Affiliate.

Deacon Ray and Jean coordinate mission appeals in their diocese and have been encouraged by Bishop Daniel Walsh to give priority to Maryknoll Father & Brothers, Sisters and Lay Missioners. (Now if Jean would only change her name to Mary, that would be sooo cool.)

According to Rev. Mr. Steve DiMartino, coordinator of Maryknoll's vocations ministries and co-facilitator of this weekend's retreat with Deacon Matt Dulke from our promotion house in the Bay area, some nine deacon couples from every region around the States are gathered here for the weekend.

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Why was Jesus killed?

Why was Jesus killed?

Throughout their history, the Jews not only contended against hostile neighbors, but even more so against vastly superior empires who threatened both their way of life and their survival.

In the gospel of Mark, the cosmic battle was described as between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan played out in each individual and in the community of believers.

This battle comes to a head when, on the first day of Passover week, Jesus makes an entry into Jerusalem with a demonstration of support by his followers sure to attract Rome's attention. By riding on a donkey, Jesus entry was anything but triumphalistic. A conqueror enters either on a war horse or chariot, Jesus enters on a lowly beast of burden in fulfillment of Zachariah.

Jerusalem was a city of violence and empire, as well as the Temple Herod the Great had decorated with eagles, a symbol of Roman power. This stuck in the craw of pious Jews as it was a constant reminder of their subjugation even in their holiest place.

Jesus then performs another prophetic act, the so-called cleansing of the Temple (actually symbolizing the destruction of the Temple) since it was built by the unholy alliance between Rome and the religious leaders.

Jesus action was an affront to both the Jewish authorities and their Roman masters. It was a protest emanating from the very heart of Judaism. It was a permanently valid protest for all ages against collusion between religion and worldly politics.

Each prophetic sign takes place at the entrance: of Jerusalem and of the Temple.
Mark implies that the populace was totally on Jesus' side, since the Jewish authorities wanted to arrest Jesus but were afraid of the people's reaction. They feared instigating a riot. So far, Jesus is safe.

Judas, however gives them an opportunity to arrest Jesus at night and have him dealt with before the people become aware of what is happening. (Bear in mind this was millennia before texting and Twitter.)

The charges brought against Jesus was sedition against the Temple, sedition by urging nonpayment of taxes and also blasphemy, a serious offense to the Jewish leaders but which Rome cared little about. The term "Messiah" certainly caught Pilate's attention. Pilate despised this untenable dilemma they had thrust upon him.

Their scheme was as insidious as it was brilliant: if the crowd caught wind of the plot, the Jewish leaders could always blame the Romans. At the very least they'd be rid of this pesky Jesus; at best they'd undermine Pilate as well, and maybe get him transferred out of Jerusalem.

For his part, Pilate sought to stick it to the Jewish leaders by forcing them to choose between freeing Jesus, a seemingly unthreatening prophet and preacher from the sticks, as opposed to freeing Barabbas, a notorious murderer and revolutionary.

Mark alone identifies the charge against Jesus as a being a serious threat against the Temple/Rome alliance. Once Barrabas' followers out shout those of Jesus, his fate is sealed. Or so they thought.

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Jesus and the new covenant

The covenant of Moses came in three steps:

1) God says, "I did something for you

2) Here are the rewards if you obey me

3) Here are the punishments for disobedience.

Through the Beatitudes Jesus takes these and turns them upside down. Here are the curses--mourning, poverty, meekness, persecution--but now they are the sources of blessing.

The standards set forth in the Sermon on the Mount are in direct opposition to the way the world operates and the common understanding of religion. "You have heard that it was said....but I say..."

Jesus says that those who live out his commandments will lead solid, stable lives. Those who do not face instability and ruin. There are the curses that befall those who reject the new covenant.

Building one's house on rock was a symbol of faith as understood by the Jews. A rock is dependable, strong, immovable and unshakable by wind and rain.

Like Ezekiel, Jesus called for a new heart to contain this new spirit. We are to maintain our hearts as pure temples into which nothing profane or vile or sinful must be allowed to enter. Only in this way can we live lives of holiness and justice, that is, proper relationships with others in equality and respect, not through manipulation, exploitation, submission or subservience.

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More on the world of Jesus

The following are some highlights from the second lecture by Fr. John Mueller to the Maryknoll residents May 5-6.

Rome wanted to conquer the known world. In 333 B.C. Rome, Babylon, Persia and Assyria were vying for control of the Middle East, with Judah and Israel as pingpong balls. Greece was good at imposing culture but couldn't hang onto its territories.

Rome easily took over the Greek dominion. Northern Europe, however, proved problematic. Caesar Augustus therefore set two boundaries: the Danube River and the Rhein River in the north, and the Tigris and Euphrates to the east. All else belonged to Rome.

Ideologically, Virgil's Aeneid passes the destiny of Hector onto Aeneus with the blessings of the gods to rule the world from Rome because the Greeks had failed.

Horace, a friend of Virgil's, pointed out that unlike other emperors who attained divinity after death, Augustus became a god which still living. Ovid goes further by claiming Augustus is Jupiter incarnate, the sun god, the god of gods, who rules the world by divine mandate.

The victories in war proved the gods ratified Roman rule.

According to stele in the area, Augustus's birthday was considered the beginning of a new creation, for through him chaos is ordered aright and all now bask in the imperial glow.

Meanwhile. Jewish Wisdom literature proclaimed holy Wisdom instructed kings and emperors alike and called to account those who abused their power. This implied a power higher than any secular ruler. This contradicted what Rome was trying to establish. Wisdom held the lowly up to equality with the powerful. Very seditious stuff, bubbling just below the surface on the remote edges of the empire.

Josephus, a captured Zealot, was taken to Rome where he embraced his conquerors and the new world order. Roman power was absolute and all-pervasive. He wrote that without God's aid so vast an empire could never have been built. He assumed Judaism had ended with the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem.

Military, economy, politics and religion were one, united and intertwined force sustaining the Roman empire. No opposition was allowed. Into such a culture, Jesus was born.

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God and empire

A two-day workshop on the underpinnings of Catholic social justice teachings in the synoptic gospels and their implications for overseas mission started this morning at Maryknoll.

Father John J. Mueller, S.j., professor of historical and systematic theology at St. Louis University, began the workshop with a meditation on the following poem:

To live with the Spirit, by Jessica Powers (1905-1988)

To live with the Spirit of God is to be a listener.
It is to keep the vigil of mystery
earthiness and still.
One learns to catch the stirring of the Spirit
strange as the wind's will.

The soul that walks where the Spirit blows
Turns like a wandering weather-vane toward love
It may lament like job or here ya
Echo the wounded hart, the mateless dove
It may rejoicer in spaciousness of meadow
That emulates the freedom of the sky.
Always it walks in waylessness, unknowing;
It has cast down forever from its hand
The compass of the whither and the why.

To live with the Spirit of God is to be a lover.
It is becoming love, and like to Him
Toward whom we strain with metaphors of features:
Fire-sweep and water-rush and the wind's whim.
The soul is all activity, all silence;
And though it surges Godward to its goal,
It holds, as moving earth holds sleeping noonday,
The peace that is the listening of the soul.

Jesuits and Maryknollers share a common goal of trying to discover God in our world.

Something forgotten in our time: the world of Jesus was dominated by the empire. It permeates the gospels and Paul's writings.

We will see that the social justice component in the Church can be traced back to the teachings of Jesus.

The life of Jesus comes into a different focus since we have imposed our post-Enlightenment understanding.

They had no problem with one simple concept: politics, economics and religion were all one.

In those days, a new emperor meant good news. As the son of God, Lord and Savior, he ushered in a new age. His coming established a kingdom of justice and prosperity, peace and security to all nations. He therefore deserved obedience and loyalty, thanks and worship.

All these attributes were later appropriated by Christians to announce a counter-kingdom inaugurated by Christ. They had no doctrinal theology but by using these terms they set themselves up as rivals to Rome's absolute power.

Sources of Rome's power: military, economic, political and ideological. They were not into nation- building but province-building. Roads and infrastructure in the colonies was an integral part of the military, along with suppressing rebellion.

These roads in turn developed local economies. Roman currency dominated. They built economies that would flow into Roman coffers. An elite aristocracy held sway. Roman imperial secular "theology" explained and sustained the internal power structure so the people accepted, believed and supported it.

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God and Empire

Father John J. Mueller, S.J., will present a two-day workshop May 5-6, 2010 in the Asia Room on the Christian origins of social justice in the synoptic gospels and their implications for global mission.

The workshops will run from 9:00-11:00 and 2:30-4:30 both days.

Mueller is a professor of historical and systematic theology at St. Louis University.

This workshop is offered by the Office for On-Going Formation, headed by Br. Wayne Fitzpatrick.

I and my new electronic toy (iPad!) will attempt to blog live from the scene.

Voices of the A-Bomb Victims

Br. John Blazo, our resident techie and official greeter, was able to get the overheard projector working just in time for tonight's presentation by three survivors of the atomic blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

A ten-minute video showed a reenactment (I hope) of the bombing of Hiroshima with filmed testimony by other survivors. They described the light, shockwave and heat of the explosion. Anyone out in the open was vaporized or carbonized. Next came the sound wave that demolished glass and concrete. A rolling black cloud spread over the mountains and surrounding land.

Tens of thousands of people near the fireball vanished in a second. Those who survived were either trapped under rubble and/or badly burned. Survivors described seeing the closest thing to hell on earth. The morning sun vanished behind a hideous cloud. The film ended.

Personal testimony: A woman who was 15 years-old at the time then described to us about her going to work that fateful day at the Mitsubishi factory that had made the turbines used in the attack on Pearl Harbor.

"August 9, 1945 was a very humid day. Suddenly I saw a red, yellow, white and blue light coming towards us. I must have passed out but when I woke I was covered in ash and rubble. On the way to get help I saw a human-like creature stand up, its skin hanging from its bones. Afterwards a soldier on horseback announced a new weapon had been used. That's when I first learned about the atomic bomb.

"...It was a miracle I survived that day.

"Young men who had gone to the epicenter on the 11th to bury the dead returned with bleeding gums, their hair falling out. One by one they all died."

A second women then gave her witness. She was two miles from the epicenter. She was weak as a child and had many difficulties. As it was widely known that the bomb survivors ran a risk of bearing deformed children and decided not to marry. Amazingly a man approached her and offered to help "carry the burden together."

"I suffer from anemia and nosebleeds and assumed I would never have a child," she said. "What joy I felt when I became pregnant, but then miscarried." She later bore three sons, two of them healthy. The doctor told her the radiation would have only effected the firstborn. She realized that was the baby who had miscarried.

The third person to speak addressed a few words to us in English. Quoting President Obama's vision of a world without nuclear weapons, he and all survivors felt encouragement. He was one kilometer from the epicenter and 14-years-old when the bomb dropped. He was trapped in his collapsed housed with his mother and three younger siblings.

"I will never forget that scene after climbing out. All the houses were flattened and smoke was everywhere. Fire was in the distance. I thought the entire city had been destroyed. I didn't see any mushroom cloud because we were under it."

He tried to rescue his family but his sister was badly wounded and the fire was coming closer.

Many buildings around the city hall had been quickly demolished to try to contain the spreading fire, fanned by a strong wind. They dove into the water repeatedly to cool off from the intense heat, not realizing this water might be contaminated or radiated. They drank the water but it made them vomit.

Clumps of his hair started falling out, as did his family's hair. He regrets not keeping that damaged hair as a reminder. His mother died in less than a month and his father prepared funerals for them all. At the time there was no treatment or remedy for radiation poisoning. He needed blood transfusions every other day. His younger sister died six months later. Despite various diseases he and his brother survived. In 1984 his brother, now a doctor, died of liver cancer.

In spite of this he still considers himself lucky because he was together with his family members after the blast, unlike most who never saw their families again.

A question and answer period followed. Of the approximately 60 people in attendance tonight, five were Maryknollers.

This gathering at Maryknoll tonight coincides with the opening of the world nuclear arms conference taking place at the United Nations.

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Voice of A-Bomb Victims

Hibakusha

TONIGHT May 3 at 7:30 survivors of the atomic bomb blasts in Hiroshima and Nagasaki will speak in our Asia Room.

They will present a short video, describe their experiences and engage in discussion with us.

This event us co-sponsored by the Ethical Society of Northern Westchester and the Briarcliff-Ossining Ministerial Association.

All are invited.

I will live blog the presentation.

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Confutatis maladictis

Dies irae

If this doesn't fill you with the fear of God, I don't know what will.

Kyrie eleison

Mozart's Requiem

Members of the Westchester Choral Society and Orchestra rehearse in the main chapel for two performances of Mozart's Requiem and other works.

The concert is tonight at 8:00 p.m. and again tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students. Maryknollers may still get one of 25 complimentary tickets available for today's performance. Tomorrow's have already been given out.