Day of jubilee

Thirty-five Jubilarians celebrating 25, 40, 50, 60 and 65 (!) years respectively of priesthood and membership in Maryknoll gather in Queen of Apostles Chapel with family and friends.

Fr. Ed Dougherty, superior general, gave a quick overview on how much America has changed over these years: a gallon of gas was 15 cents and a postage stamp was three cents 65 years ago. (He neglected to add that I was minus one year old.)

With the new configuration of the chapel, the Jubilarians sat in the front row of the main aisle, with their personal guests directly behind them.

Sister Jubilarians, and the Maryknoll Sisters' and Lay Missioner Leadership were honored guests.

Following dismissal vote, Bourgeois says Maryknoll's tone different

Here is the NCR's take on the June 6 meeting between Fr. Roy Bourgeois and Superior General Fr. Ed Dougherty.

Regarding the excommunication, in my understanding Roy incurred the excommunication "latae sentitiae" when he did not recant within the time limit specified in the second warning of dismissal.

To date, Roy remains a Maryknoller and still receives his personal allowance and health coverage.



http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/following-dismissal-vote-bourgeois-says-maryknolls-tone-different


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More priests, brothers express support for LCWR

http://ncronline.org/news/women-religious/more-priests-brothers-express-support-lcwr


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Martin Niemöller quote redux

First they condemned the liberation theologians, but I didn't speak up for fear of being labeled a commie sympathizer.

Then they condemned homosexuals as 'intrinsically disordered' and silenced those who ministered to the GLBT community, but I said nothing for fear of attracting unwelcome scrutiny or suspicion.

Next they forbad discussion of women priests and excommunicated a man for publicly advocating women's ordination, to serve as a warning to others, and it worked: we shut up.

Then they fired a suspected liberal editor whose only transgression was giving equal coverage to opposing views, so we learned not to be fair and not to oppose.

Then they hijacked our Mass and crucified the English language and they tortured our grammar and theology beyond recognition, and we responded, "And with your spirit."

Now they have come for the Sisters, but as God is my witness, I will never be silent again!

(With apologies both to Rev. Niemöller as well as Scarlet O'Hara for their inspiration.)

My epistle to the Maryknoll Sisters

Dear Maryknoll Sisters,

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ continue to reign in your hearts!

Since 1973, I have personally known and worked with you individually, in groups (as with that stellar bunch that was in Korea with me during the 1970s and 1980s) and, of course, as a Congregation, headquartered right across the street from the Fathers & Brothers in Ossining, N.Y.

This current crisis between the Vatican and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious affords me a wonderful opportunity to state publicly what I have long felt and seldom expressed: you are far and away the greatest living representatives of gospel values I have ever encountered.

On this, the Centenary of your founding, it is appropriate to recall how the first Maryknoll Sisters quickly dispelled the doubts and reservations about American women being too weak to endure the hardships of overseas missions. Indeed, our co-founder, Bishop James A Walsh, M.M., quickly conceded our mission work would never succeed until Maryknoll Sisters went overseas as missioners in their own right.

You have more than proven yourselves worthy disciples and missioners in our first mission of China since the 1920s, operating orphanages, medical clinics, sanitariums for Hansen's disease patients, and homes for the elderly poor. When war broke out you went into prison or exile with the people. In the States, you accompanied the Japanese Americans into the internment camps. During the Korean war, you disappeared with many other prisoners on the infamous Death March.

Following Vatican II, you eschewed your distinctive Maryknoll religious habit to remove an artificial barrier between you and the people you are sent to serve: the poor, the oppressed, the marginated, those who "hunger and thirst for justice." You surrendered ecclesial symbolism for approachability and solidarity with ordinary people, just as Jesus did. Knowing first hand the plight of women in a "man's world", you instinctively gravitated toward helping women overcome violence, discrimination, illiteracy, unemployment and health issues.

So great was your identification with the oppressed, that in El Salvador your deaths, among the hundreds of thousands slain, helped awaken the world and especially the people of the United States to the brutality and injustice of our foreign policy in Central America. With this came the dismissive disdain from powerful people in our government.

Through all this, I have known you to be women of deep faith and great joy, welcoming to all, open to differing viewpoints and respectful of diversity. These are the very things that got Jesus into trouble with the religious leaders of his time. So I suppose it is sad but hardly surprising that your actions on behalf of justice and the true gospel of Christ would attract the disapproval of powerful men in our Church today.

Yet, what marks a truly Christian community is not the absence of conflict or controversy, but rather how these are resolved. I have no doubt the bishops acted out of love for Christ and his Church, even as your lives attest to that very same love.

I am happy to number myself among the People of God who will be praying and fasting in the days, months and years ahead that the spirit of wisdom, discernment, knowledge, counsel and understanding might infuse your upcoming dialogue and discussions with the Vatican and that, in all humility, all Christians live out Christ's words: "By this shall all know you are my disciples, if you have love one for another." (John 13:35)

In Christ I remain,

Joseph, your brother

When silence is sinful

I know this blog was originally created to keep Maryknollers in Fields Afar up to speed on goings on here at Mission Central. As such I tried to report what others were saying or doing (at least those things I could report without risking a liable suit). But times being what they are, I decided to violate a basic tenet of journalism by actually creating the buzz instead of just reporting it.

When the Vatican chose to announce a crackdown on the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) on my birthday (April 18, for those who'd like to mark their calendars for next year, under "Significant Dates in History" right after the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere), I knew I had to acknowledge this rather unorthodox (and I use the word intentionally) gift.

I approached the U.S. Regional Superior (just re-elected, congrats, Mike!) asking when Maryknoll, if not the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM), would issue a statement of support. He reported that our counterpart to the LCWR was waiting on the Sisters to respond. In the mean time, I understand he spoke with our Secretary General, Father Ed McGovern, to encourage that the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers at least have a statement ready.

Well, it has now been two weeks since the LCWR issued a statement responding to the situation. To my knowledge (which I concede may be severely limited) neither the men's group nor Maryknoll Society has publicly issued a statement (except for those Franciscan Friar firebrands!)

I remember a quote (just can't remember whose!) that was on the wall in our history class in high school: "To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards of us men." Here, the archaic exclusive language seems sadly fitting. Paradoxically, it's usually us men who tend to act first and discuss later, so this seems an inordinate amount of time for the sound of silence.

Who knows, an official statement may in fact appear in the next few hours or days.

Until such time, I feel compelled to speak out. And, as my disclaimer header explains, I do not represent the Society. This affords me a certain freedom to articulate my own thoughts in support of the Sisters. Please check back to Knollnews in a few hours!

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Car Show Success!

Mr. Don Baisley posted on Facebook yesterday on the success of the first-ever Antique & Classic Car Show at Maryknoll.

According to Don (I was at the Korean church and unable to attend) the show attracted 207 exhibited cars and 2,000 visitors!

I know everyone was nervous in the days leading up to the show with the very unsettled weather pattern we've been in all week. This influences not only classic car owners, but of course families who might be averse to thunderstorms.

Luckily the weather held and the cars and crowds came.

Maryknollers were on hand to greet people and show them around the museum, chapel, gift shop etc.

But the bulk of the work was done by Maryknoll employees who volunteered countless hours to help make this a success.

Pictured is a TR 6 owned by Don Baisley's father.

Huffington Post: Brothers Got Sisters Back: Franciscan Friars Side With The Nuns

 OK. We've waited till the LCWR formally responded. The Franciscan Friars have spoken firmly yet respectfully and acted out of conviction, dedication and appreciation for their Sisters.

Now, what about the Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers, not to mention the CMSM?

		Brothers Got Sisters Back: Franciscan Friars Side With The Nuns
	(RNS) The brothers have come to the sisters' defense. Leaders from the seven Franciscan provinces in the U.S. publicly backed a group of American nuns...

 

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Die loquentes!

OK, I know many of you have been waiting with bated breath for news of what exactly transpired yesterday afternoon between Fr. Roy Bourgeoise and Fr. Ed Dougherty during the "Due Process" mediation for which Roy had appealed as is his (Maryknoll) Constitutional right.

I hasten to scoop NCR on this breaking story:

They talked. Face to face. For a couple of hours.

Although Roy was accompanied by his canon lawyer, Fr. Thomas Doyle, Ed had no such legal representation, nor was there any need for it. This was not a canonical procedure. Instead, with Fr. Wayman Deasy as mediator, the two men spoke about their respective positions. They spoke and listened.

I did not presume to ask what, precisely, they talked about, but rather asked each man his impression of the exchange.

Roy seemed delighted. "We talked, openly and honestly. There were no threats or ultimatums." He gave Wayman high marks for keeping the discussion moving and on point. Roy was not asked to utter the two words he said he could never say: "I recant."

Doc, too, said they had a cordial and frank exchange.

So to answer some questions that have, indeed, been circulating over the salad bar:

Nothing was decided.

Roy is still a member of Maryknoll.

He still receives his personal allowance and health coverage from the Society (Sr. Joan Chittester and other advocates' published assertions notwithstanding.)

The School of Americas Watch recently received a $10,000 grant from the U.S. Region.

Roy has not been silenced (to my knowledge) by Maryknoll, although I did confide to him that my personal objection to his very public actions and speeches have less to do with content and everything to do with our Society being dragged into an ecclesial controversy which we had not discussed, agreed to nor prepared for.

I doubt any of this will get out to those people who withdrew support for Maryknoll, denounced us or think less of us because of perceived injustices. But here in all its unadorned glory is the truth.

Dies irae autem dies spei?

Even as I post, Fr. Roy Bourgeoise and his high-powered attorney, Fr. Tom Doyle, are meeting with Superior General Fr. Ed Dougherty in a "due  process" session, mediated by Fr. Wayman Deasy. As far as I have been able to ascertain, Doc won't be accompanied by a canon lawyer. This may be just as well, since this is not a judicial hearing or trial or negotiation or arbitration. It is, rather, an opportunity afforded Society members by our Constitutions when they feel they have not been treated fairly or ethically by leadership.

Absent a fly-spy on the wall, I am not sure if we will learn what exactly was discussed, but the very fact that Roy and Ed are meeting and talking face-to-face is itself an accomplishment, according to Bourgeoise, who claims there has been neither dialogue nor discussion between the two in the past three years.

I confess I cannot imagine what else can come out of this "due process" process, since there is, in fact, not much that can be reversed or undone. There is also a certain disadvantage for Doc in this kind of situation since the Vatican has made it quite explicit that not only are Catholics forbidden to talk about [DELETED] but we are to refrain from even thinking about [DELETED].

What we have here in microcosm is the same dysfunctional dynamic plaguing not only us here at the Center but, in fact, the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. To wit: one side sees its authority and power eroding, perhaps irreparably, so it clings desperately to what little power it has. It appeals to blind obedience and to habit (if not tradition) and calls for strict adherence to anachronistic laws or policies; on the other side we have free spirits willing to enter into discussion, dialogue and process to reach some sort of mutually acceptable understanding and conclusion.

This strikes me as being at the heart of the apparent overreach by the Vatican regarding the Conference of Leadership of Women Religious (not to mention the Girl Scouts!). This likewise reverberates through our dining room when somewhere dare suggest moving pizza to another day. It's "Who Moved My Cheese" writ large. Our actions seem to shout: "We can't control our situation, by God we can control this!" and so we pounce for no better reason than that we can.

Age, disease, decreasing numbers force us to confront our limitations and mortality; as individuals, as a Society and as a Church. So what is the knee-jerk reaction? Come down hard on any individual or group you deem vulnerable but whose very actions underscore the embarrassing truth that the emperor lost his clothes decades ago.

Asked what he hoped would come from today's "due process" meeting, Roy replied: "Hope."

Not a minute too soon!

From Facebook, some points to ponder

Maryknoll Alums Gather

About 60 former Society members are gathering tomorrow for a reunion.

Some came from quite a distance and arrived today, but most are coming in tomorrow. Society members are invited to join in their morning coffee break as well as the noon BBQ. They will have discussions during the day.

Also coming up next SUNDAY, June 10, is the much publicized and first ever Maryknoll Classic and Antique Car Show here on the grounds (the soccer field, to be precise). Advertized as "fun for the whole family" there will be raffles and tours, as well as judging of the vintage autos. This gathering is not just a fundraiser for the Society, but will hopefully introduce Maryknoll and our mission work to a whole new audience.

PLEASE join us in praying that the eratic weather pattern breaks and a sunny, warm but not humid day inspires many to come out to the Car Show.

*******************

[Blogger's note: the reasons for my own eratic postings in here are:

1) Nothing of interest was said or done;
2) Nobody tells me anything worth repeating;
3) Nobody tells me anything I dare repeat;
4) I am busy
5) I am lazy
6) All of the above

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Munchkinland

Emerald City (a.k.a. Mother Knoll) transformed into Munchkinland this afternoon when 800 (!) Munchkins from Brookside School across the street staged an emergency evacuation drill for their students K-2nd Grade.

This has been in the works for quite some time as our people and their people negotiated details of the drill. Should (God forbid) a natural or human-caused disaster require the school to evacuate the students, they and their teachers and support staff would be escorted here to Maryknoll to the R-Wing Ground and First Floors to await buses, parents or further instructions.

Ossining Police participated in the drill, which effectively closed off Pinesbridge Road in front of our Center for about an hour. Fr. Ed Szendrey, internal auditor and an official observer, reported that many Maryknollers commented to him on how quiet and well-behaved the students seemed. No doubt this was an exciting diversion for them to finally get to see the inside of this great Chinese building that looms over them. For Maryknoll's part, it is just one way we are trying to be good neighbors and actively participate in the local community.

Gathering of Musical Eagles

The Sound of Music

The three biggest names in Catholic liturgical music in the (endangered) Post Vatican II Church in the United States will be in our main chapel (Queen of Apostles) this coming Sunday, May 20, 2012 from 2:00-3:30 p.m. for a "Festival of Music for Worship."

MARTY HAUGEN ("Eye Has Not Seen", "All Are Welcome", "Gather Us In", "Taste And See", "Shepherd Me, O God," "We Remember") will team up with

DAVID HAAS ("You are Mine", "The Servant Song", "We Are Called", "We have Been Told", "Wherever You Go", "Magnificat") and last but certainly not least

MICHAEL JONCAS ("On Eagles' Wings", "We Come to Your Feast", "I Have Loved You", "Come To Me", "We Come To Your Feast" and of course, the Missa Ad Gentes commemorating our Society Centennial).

This celebration is part of the Maryknoll Sisters' Centennial and is open to the public and free of charge, although free-will offerings will be accepted.

More than 600 people are expected to jam our main chapel, as well as the Lady Chapel and Spellman Room to hear these giants of contemporary Catholic worship together in ONE PLACE.

Channel 15 will be recording this for guys at St. T's or for those with agoraphobia in their rooms here and hopefully we will soon have a DVD available for others.

Speaking of which, (how's this for a segue?) Today, more than 200 Society employees gathered in the Asia/Africa rooms for a "Thank You"party for all the good work they did to make our own Centennial celebrations a success last year.

Ms. Leah Mahnken has put together a most excellent 5-minute DVD presentation of all the celebrations last year around the world with voice overs from Fr. Dougherty and Cardinal McGarrick. She showed this to the assembled employees. The DVD will also be shown next week at our U.S. Regional Assembly and Fr. Bob Jalbert says he hopes to also have it posted to our Maryknoll Society website in the near future.

Some video (I hope)

Joyous burden

Our Lady of She San procession

Vicarious gathering

From Monday of this week until this afternoon, 18 vicars for clergy personnel from dioceses around the northeast gathered here at Maryknoll for their biannual meeting. You can imagine the serious nature of their discussions and deliberations, given the current state of the clergy, parish consolidations and closings. Yet the men seemed most amicable and mingled with us at meals, happy hour and attending our daily liturgy.

Rev. Mr. Stephen De Martino from our vocations office was instrumental in getting the vicars to have their meeting here at the Knoll. It seems that he alone is taking seriously the direction of the last Chapter that called for closer cooperation between Maryknoll and the Church in the United States.

Of course that's on the official level. Unofficially there was a lot of cooperation last Sunday as about 900 Chinese Catholics held a procession through Flushing, Queens, complete with live band, acrobats, float and huge statue of Our Lady of She-San (China). The procession started at St. John Vianney Church, wound its way toward St. Paul Chong Ha-Sang Korean parish on Parsons Blvd, then to St. Michael's farther down parson before ending up back at St. John Vianney's for benediction. Haitian Bishop Guy Sansaricq was aboard the float and blessed those gathered in front of St. Pauls

The Maryknoll connection? I was still at St. Paul's Sunday afternoon, getting ready for the Confirmation Mass, when the Chinese came calling. Hearing the band, I and the confirming prelate, Vincentian Bishop Alfonso Cabeza from Colombia went outside to see what was up. There, among the gathering throng, was none other than Maryknoll Fr. Ray Nobiletti who came with a contingent all the way from Transfiguration parish in Chinatown.

So, from grassroots to diocesan vicars Maryknoll is forging bonds with the local Church.

Mary, Queen of Apostles & Mission

Yesterday St. Joseph the Worker got bumped in favor of a solemn liturgy honoring Mary, Queen of Apostles in the Maryknoll main chapel bearing that name. True, the regular feast of MQOA falls on the Saturday following the Ascension of the Lord, but in recent years the May Crowning of the statue of Our Lady of Maryknoll in the Spellman Room has become increasingly popular, especially among our employees.

Plus since Monday we have been honored to have 28 Missioners, educators and diocesan workers in attendance from around the country to discuss ways to rekindle the spirit of mission in the Church in the United States. This conference was organized by Fr. Jerry Kelly and Fr. Dave LaBuda. So we moved our daily liturgy to 11:15 a.m. and held it in the main chapel, as the Lady Chapel could not accommodate so many visitors plus our regulars.

Following the Mass, the main celebrant (moi) led the congregation out to the Spellman Room while chanting the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Once regathered there, we read the dedication to Our Lady of Maryknoll by Bishop James E. Walsh. Then as we sang "Bring Flowers of the Rarest" Ms. Susan Aniello, supervisor of our health services, did the honors of crowning the larger-than-life statue. Susan was chosen partly in thanks and recognition for the wonderful job all our nurses and assistants did during the Nora-virus crisis. Our ceremony ended with the chanting of the Regina Caeli.

Here, for your reflection and meditation and hopefully edification, is the homily I delivered: 

++++++++++++++++++++

HOMILY IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF MARYKNOLL

It is good to celebrate Mass in honor of Mary, Queen of Apostles in Maryknoll's main chapel dedicated to Mary, Queen of Apostles. Bishop James A. Walsh wisely put us under the patronage of both the Blessed Mother and the Apostles who were the first sent out into the world to announce the Good News of the Risen Lord.

For from this very chapel, wave upon wave of modern Missioners would follow their example. Of course, in recent years those waves have been reduced to a dribble but we should be inspired by the example of the Apostles who did not let the threat of extinction stop them from their ministry to announce the good news to all nations. 

Apostles, like Missioners, are ones who are sent. In this regard, Mary is also the Queen of Missioners, all the more so for us who bear her name. Mary is more than a monarch, she is our mother and role model. We show ourselves as beloved disciples of the Lord when we take the Blessed Mother into our homes and lives.

We do this by doing what she did:

Submit completely to the will of God.

Receive the Holy Spirit into our lives.

Treasure the word of God in our hearts.

By our actions, our words and our lives, give flesh to that word.

Give the Word-made-flesh to the world.

Point to our Lord and say, "Do whatever he tells you."

And then perhaps the hardest part of all: stand at the foot of the cross as we watch those we love suffer and die.

To do all these things, we must make Mary's Magnificat our own:

Our souls must magnify the Lord, which means our lives, our very beings must shine forth the forgiveness, mercy, compassion and love Jesus has for the world.

Our spirits must rejoice in God our savior, which means joy, deep, irrepressible joy should be the bedrock of our lives, even when we feel sad, discouraged or even depressed.

As Maryknollers we seem to have readily taken to the part in the Magnificat about casting down the mighty from their thrones and lifting up the lowly.

And in a few minutes we will all go down to the dining room where God will fill the hungry with good things. Now we must also be believers in the promise made to our father Abraham. We too have left family and homeland to sojourn in foreign lands. Like the Apostles, we too face an uncertain future, but under Mary's patronage, God willing future Maryknollers will number more than the stars of the heavens or sands of the sea.