mother seton’s feast day celebrations · our high school retreat will take place this month at...

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Twenty-two years ago, on New Year’s Eve, I went on my first date with my husband. Back then I didn’t even know his middle name much less anything about his faith. As it turned out, four years later, I married that man from New Year’s Eve and he just happened to be Catholic. A few years after our wedding, I decided that I too should become Catholic. After all, I had been going to church with my husband ever since our second year of dating and we were raising our daughter in the Catholic faith. Armed with this deci- sion, I started in the RCIA program at St. Gertrude, our parish at the time, and Father George Schommer just happened to be leading the RCIA program that year. As one could imagine, I had many questions about the Catholic faith. These questions were compounded by the fact that I was raised in a strict Seventh Day Adventist family. These two religions do not exactly see eye to eye on certain things, which made for a very confusing year for me while I was in the RCIA program. I felt like I was constantly bringing up questions in our RCIA classes that unnecessarily challenged the rest of the class. Father Schommer was the best though, as he was always there with an answer. Father Schommer offered his time before and after classes for further discussions as well. He knew, that while I believed in the Catholic faith, I still needed to have things explained in great detail about the differences between my child- hood faith and the faith that I was entering into for the rest of my life. He understood what I was going through. Without him there to provide the necessary support and guidance, sharing his wisdom and knowledge, without him teaching me about our faith, I do not know that I would be here as an active Catholic member of this parish today. If I did not have that strong role model to lead me in the right direction, I would still be asking those same questions, perhaps as a non-Catholic. Now I can say with great confidence, through Father Schommer’s guidance, that I am proud to be Catholic. Today I am a member of the Vocations Committee, volunteer at Vacation Bible School, volunteer for the First Reconciliation and First Communion Retreats, a member of the Prayer Co-Op and am even attending classes at the University of Dayton for my Certificate of Catechesis. Most importantly, I can be there by my husband’s side for our three lovely children for when they have questions about our Catholic faith. For all this, I can thank Father George Schommer, the priest who changed my life. Lisa Bough St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish 5890 Buckwheat Road Milford, Ohio 45150 Volume 10, Issue 1 January/ February 2011 Setonotes is a publication of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish and is intended for all friends and parishioners of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Parish groups who wish to submit articles or pictures for publication in Setonotes must submit the information to the parish office by the 15 th of each month for publication the following month. If you have questions or comments regarding Setonotes, please contact the parish office at 575-0119. Editorial/Contributing Staf f Fr. Michael L. Cordier, Pastor Valerie Hofmann Sue Boruszewski Patty Norris Dana Braun Carol Grace Terri Imming Margaret Bergh Catherine Fasano Layout and Design Angela S. Foulks – ASF Creative A Priest Who Changed My Life Mother Seton’s Feast Day Celebrations Join us for Mass on Tuesday, January 4th, in honor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. We will have our usual 8:00am Mass, but also an evening Mass at 7:00pm. Then on Saturday, January 8th, we will have our annual Seton Potluck. Join us immediately after Mass at 6:00pm in the cafeteria. The Knights of Columbus, Men and Ladies of Seton will provide many items, but we ask that you bring a side dish to share. Address Service Requested

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Page 1: Mother Seton’s Feast Day Celebrations · Our High School Retreat will take place this month at the Jesuit Retreat Center. This is a wonderful opportunity for high school students

Twenty-two years ago, on NewYear’s Eve, I went on my first datewith my husband. Back then I didn’teven know his middle name muchless anything about his faith. As itturned out, four years later, I marriedthat man from New Year’s Eve andhe just happened to be Catholic. A few years after our wedding,I decided that I too should becomeCatholic. After all, I had been goingto church with my husband eversince our second year of dating andwe were raising our daughter in theCatholic faith. Armed with this deci-sion, I started in the RCIA programat St. Gertrude, our parish at thetime, and Father George Schommerjust happened to be leading theRCIA program that year.

As one could imagine, I had manyquestions about the Catholic faith.These questions were compoundedby the fact that I was raised in astrict Seventh Day Adventist family.These two religions do not exactlysee eye to eye on certain things,which made for a very confusingyear for me while I was in the RCIAprogram. I felt like I was constantlybringing up questions in our RCIAclasses that unnecessarily challengedthe rest of the class. FatherSchommer was the best though,as he was always there with ananswer. Father Schommer offeredhis time before and after classes forfurther discussions as well. Heknew, that while I believed in theCatholic faith, I still needed to havethings explained in great detail aboutthe differences between my child-hood faith and the faith that I wasentering into for the rest of my life.He understood what I was goingthrough.

Without him there to provide thenecessary support and guidance,sharing his wisdom and knowledge,without him teaching me about ourfaith, I do not know that I would behere as an active Catholic member ofthis parish today. If I did not havethat strong role model to lead me inthe right direction, I would still beasking those same questions, perhapsas a non-Catholic. Now I can saywith great confidence, throughFather Schommer’s guidance, thatI am proud to be Catholic.

Today I am a member of theVocations Committee, volunteer atVacation Bible School, volunteer forthe First Reconciliation and FirstCommunion Retreats, a member ofthe Prayer Co-Op and am evenattending classes at the Universityof Dayton for my Certificate ofCatechesis. Most importantly,I can be there by my husband’s sidefor our three lovely children forwhen they have questions about ourCatholic faith. For all this, I canthank Father George Schommer,the priest who changed my life.

Lisa Bough

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St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish5890 Buckwheat RoadMilford, Ohio 45150

Volume 10, Issue 1January/

February 2011

Setonotes is a publication of St. ElizabethAnn Seton Parish and is intended for allfriends and parishioners of St. ElizabethAnn Seton. Parish groups who wish tosubmit articles or pictures for publicationin Setonotes must submit the informationto the parish office by the 15th of eachmonth for publication the followingmonth. If you have questions or commentsregarding Setonotes, please contact theparish office at 575-0119.

Editorial/Contributing Staff

Fr. Michael L. Cordier, PastorValerie HofmannSue BoruszewskiPatty NorrisDana BraunCarol GraceTerri ImmingMargaret BerghCatherine Fasano

Layout and DesignAngela S. Foulks – ASF Creative

A Priest Who Changed My Life

Mother Seton’s Feast Day CelebrationsJoin us for Mass on Tuesday, January 4th, in honor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.

We will have our usual 8:00am Mass, but also an evening Mass at 7:00pm.

Then on Saturday, January 8th, we will have our annual Seton Potluck.Join us immediately after Mass at 6:00pm in the cafeteria.

The Knights of Columbus, Men and Ladies of Seton will provide many items, but we ask that you bring a side dish to share.

Address Service Requested

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Setonotes • January/February 2011Setonotes • January/February 20112 15

Dear People ofSt. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish,

My prayer and my hope is that everyone has had a Holy and Merry Christmas and a HappyNew Year. Christmas may have come and gone, but the Christmas season is celebrated untilSunday, January 9th, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Enjoy!

During this Christmas season, we also enter the New Year a year older and, hopefully, ayear wiser with high hopes and many promises and plans. I pray that we all grow in ourfaith, hope and charity this year.

I want to thank the parish staff for all their hard work and dedication this past year. We aretruly blessed to have such a great staff, and also many dedicated parish volunteers!!!! I hopeand pray that through their hard work and dedication, this New Year will also help theparish grow in many ways, especially in spiritual ways.

As we begin our new year, we are also blessed to be able to celebrate our patronal feast,that of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Please join us if you can on Tuesday, January 4th, at7:00pm, as we celebrate a special Mass in honor of Mother Seton, and ask for her prayers.

There are many other church and school activities these next few months. Please check theparish and school calendars for more information.

There are several significant events that will happen this year. On June 30th, we will endour Campaign to Reduce the Parish Debt. We have made good progress so far. Thanks to allwho have contributed. On Thursday, October 6th, we will also celebrate our 35th year as aparish. We will study how to celebrate this. We have scheduled to have pictures taken for anew Parish Picture Directory, the 35th anniversary edition. Also in the late summer or earlyfall, we will begin to introduce the new Mass prayers. We will use these for the first time onthe First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011. Also this year, we will begin to study andplan for a statue of Mary and Joseph for our church. Hopefully we will be able to make thisa reality later in the year. So this promises to be an exciting year for our parish.

Finally, keep us in your prayers, and we will pray for you, and have a blessed New Year.

God bless you,

Fr. Michael L. Cordier

Fromthe Pastor’s Desk...

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Setonotes • January/February 2011Setonotes • January/February 2011 314

Alyssa Rain Court, daughter to Jeffry and Johnell

BaptismsNorah Wyatt

Mary Cervantes

Victoria Polimeni

Dustin and Beth Carter

Andrew and Kristin Schur

Anthony and Kathy Bohman

Anthony and Susan Edwards

New Parishioners

Madonna Ruth Holden

Leo Vincent Muldoon

Deaths

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The Parish is so blessed to have the generosity of somany volunteers willing to serve the church. We calla group of ladies almost every week to stuff our bul-letins, prepare the Setonotes for the mail and manyother special mailings. Throughout the summer, wehave a mowing crew that keeps the grass cut andtrimmed. A special thank you to Paul Luehrmann whowatered the church outdoor planters and flowers eachweek, and spent countless hours pulling weeds, trim-ming and keeping the church grounds looking beauti-ful. The church sacristans, who work behind the scene

to keep the linens clean, flowers fresh and minor clean-ing of the church. The list goes on to those of a muchlarger group like the volunteers of Bingo, Festival,Ladies of Seton, Men of Seton, Scrip and WreathSales. You are priceless!

Valerie Hofmann

Thank You to All Our Volunteers

Setonotes • January/February 2011Setonotes • January/February 20114 13

Using Sunday Contribution EnvelopesAs many of you have noticed, we have received ourSunday contribution envelopes and they are locatedin the back of the church for pick up.

So, why did we go to yearly envelopes and whyshould I use contribution envelopes anyway?

First and most easily answered, we decided to startusing a yearly box of contribution envelopes becausethe manufacturer had troubles getting our envelopes tous on time. Since the envelopes arrived late on threeseparate occasions this year, we decided it was timefor the yearly box. Also by doing the box set, we savemoney on the printing cost and postage!

Secondly, why should I use contribution envelopes?More difficult to answer than the first, but the mainreason is to give back to God's Church from whathe has given to you.

• Some may think that we use them primarily to“track” your attendance at Mass. To some extent thatis true, but it is primarily to help us to determine ifyou are an active Catholic and a witness to our faith.It is a witness to our spouse, our children and to oth-ers around us by giving to our Church.

• Those who contribute through EFT may not feel aneed to use envelopes, but again it is a public witnessto those around us that we support and give to ourparish.

• We have many families who want to have their babybaptized or a child confirmed and they choose a rela-tive or friend to be a godparent or a sponsor. To be agodparent or sponsor, normally one should be anactive Catholic. One of the ways for the office to trulyknow that you are active is to place your envelope inthe basket when you attend Mass. If you are asked tobe a godparent or a sponsor for a relative or friend outof this parish, the other parish may request us to send“a letter of good standing.” What they are requestingis a letter signed by the pastor stating that you are anactive Catholic. We cannot send the letter in goodconscience attesting to your Sunday attendance if yourenvelope is not recorded.

• Finally, your contributions are tax deductible and theenvelopes are one of the ways the office records yourcontributions. You may request a statement of yourcontributions at the end of the year for your taxes.

Please pick up your family contribution envelopesfrom the back of the church if you have not alreadydone so to further reduce our expense of having themmailed, and please use the contribution envelopeseven if you are an EFT contributor. Thank you.

Valerie Hofmann

Financially Speaking…

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas andHappy New Year! Hopefully schedules aren’t sohectic anymore and you’re getting back into theswing of regular routines.

Our High School Retreat will take place this monthat the Jesuit Retreat Center. This is a wonderfulopportunity for high school students to meet newfriends, continue relationships with old friends, andwork on their relationships with God. The cost of thisretreat is $50. Please do not let the cost keep youfrom attending. Scholarships can be made availableon an as needed basis. Call the Youth Office if youhave any questions or if you would like to registerfor the retreat.

Cast Your Nets is also this month! This is anArchdiocesan event open to all high school students.It is a high-energy event focusing on vocations. Visitwww.catholiccincinnati.org/youthmin/CYN/ for moreinformation.

The Junior High and High School ski trips have beencombined this year. We will go skiing on Monday,February 21st, at Perfect North. More informationwill be available closer to the date. We will be travel-ing by bus but chaperones will still be needed.

Catherine Fasano

SMILE News

January2 SMILE Meeting, St. Andrew Church Hall10 Game Night at Homeless Shelter16 SMILE Meeting, St. Andrew Church Hall20 Game Night at SEM Villa21-23 High School Retreat, Jesuit Retreat Center 30 Cast Your Nets, Good Shepherd Parish31 High School Retreat follow-up meeting,

St. Andrew

February6 Pancake Breakfast, St. Andrew Parish Center

SMILE Meeting, St. Andrew Church Hall11 Junior High Dance, Seton Cafeteria14 Game Night at Homeless Shelter17 Game Night at SEM Villa20 NO MEETING21 JH & HS Ski Day at Perfect North Slopes27 Family BINGO, St. Andrew Parish Center

Upcoming SMILE Events

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Setonotes • January/February 2011Setonotes • January/February 201112 5

January 2011 is almost here and Seton preschool stu-dents will be preparing for the winter months aheadby decorating their classrooms with snowman, mittensand snowflakes. The start of a new year also meanspreschool registration for 2011/2012 will be held.This year our registration for the 2011/2012 schoolyear will be held on Sunday, January 30th, 11:30am –2:30pm in the preschool office. January 30th will alsobe our Catholic School Open House, so you will notonly be able to register for the 2011/2012 school year,but will also be able to visit the preschool classrooms,talk to the teachers and tour the rest of the schoolbuilding.

During the month of February, the preschoolers willhave a chance to play “Heart” bingo (weather provid-ing) with their dad/special friend while they enjoycookies and punch (red and pink of course!).

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank allof our preschool parents for giving so generously toour St. Vincent de Paul families during the Christmasseason. The families were very much appreciativeand overwhelmed by your generosity.

The preschool staff and myself wish everyone a safe,healthy and happy 2011. God Bless you all!

Terri Imming

Seton Preschool Prepares for the New Year

The First Reconciliation + First CommunionCommittee (FR+FCC) are working hard to finalizepreparations for First Reconciliation which will takeplace on February 28th. This is an exciting time forour second grade children and their families! Pleasekeep them in your prayers.

The Parent Meeting for First Reconciliation is sched-uled for Thursday, February 3rd, at 7:00pm in thechurch. The First Reconciliation Retreat will be onSaturday, February 26th. Many great activities andlearning opportunities await our second graders at thismorning retreat.

If you have a child, grandchild or friend preparing tocelebrate these sacraments this year, consider joiningthe First Reconciliation + First Communion Committee(FR+FCC). Our next meeting is January 18th at7:00pm in the Fr. Wenzel Room. Contact MargaretBergh, Laureen Bingham, Julie George or Jill Corbettfor more information.

Margaret Bergh

Second Grade Sacramental Preparation and FR+FCC Activity

The Welcome Committee of St. Elizabeth Ann SetonParish is not a new committee, but we have undergonea period of growth and revitalization over the pastyear. Our mission is to reach out to new parishionersto let them know they are a welcome addition to ourparish family and to help them get involved in ourparish life. When a person or family joins the parish,a welcome committee member contacts them andoffers to visit them in person. This gives them afamiliar face and a person to contact should theyhave questions concerning any aspect of the parish.Over the past year the welcome committee has grownto twelve members, including three members whodecided to join during their home visits by committeemembers!

The welcome committee has been busy planning avariety of activities. Hopefully, most of you were ableto attend one of the monthly "Donut Sundays" held inthe pavilion during the warmer months. These weresponsored by the welcome committee as a way for allof us to join in fellowship together. They will beginagain in April, once the warm weather returns, so planto come join us. In February, the welcome committeewill host our annual Welcome Breakfast for all parish-ioners who have joined Seton parish over the past 12months.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish is a wonderful, warmcommunity to belong to and the welcome committeewants to offer new and old parishioners an invitationto do just that. If you are interested in becoming partof the welcome committee or any other ministry atSeton call Kathy Herriott at 722.4227 or SueBoruszewski in the parish office at 575.0119.

Kathy Herriott

The Welcome Committee

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Setonotes • January/February 2011Setonotes • January/February 20116 11

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul passes on alittle catechetical formula, which he himself receivedfrom the early Church: “I delivered to you as of firstimportance what I also received, that Christ died forour sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he wasburied, that he was raised on the third day in accor-dance with the scriptures.” (1 Cor 15:3-4)

The theme of Christ crucified looms large in Paul’spreaching. In fact, he tells the Corinthians: “I did notcome proclaiming to you the testimony of God in loftywords or wisdom. For I decided to know nothingamong you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”(2:1-2)

Why does the cross of Christ play such a prominentpart in Paul’s preaching? Because he understands thecross, not as scandal, but as the testimony of God, theultimate sign of His love. As he says in his little cate-chetical formula, Paul knows that the death of the Sonof God on the cross has a meaning and purpose: to freeus from sin. As Pope Benedict XVI stated in one of histeachings on St. Paul, “The crucified one is wisdom,for he truly shows who God is, that is, a force of lovewhich went even as far as the cross to save men andwomen.”

But, Paul does not simply look at the mystery of thecross in a universal sense. He also speaks of a personaldimension: “The life I now live in the flesh I live byfaith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himselffor me.” (Gal 2:20) It is this personal dimension thatmakes all the difference for Paul: God loves me. Hisson dies for me. Paul considers all else as loss next tothe knowledge of this love, and it is the driving forceof his preaching.

Throughout the centuries, saints have spoken and writ-ten about the centrality of the cross in salvation historyand the spiritual life. Among them is St. ThomasAquinas, who spoke as the sufferings of Christ as the

remedy for sin and an example of how to act. Manymen and women have become saints because they havefollowed Jesus’ example of forgiveness, mercy andlove towards those who persecute them also.

When we love one another as Christ loved us – a loverevealed in the mystery of the cross – we become likemirrors, magnifying the love of God and radiating itoutward. The best way to appreciate the power of thecross is to follow in the footsteps of St. Paul, never los-ing sight of the truth that the Son of God died not justof us, but for me. That is how far the Good Shepherdwas willing to go to save our souls – to save my soul.

We adore You O Christ and praise You, because byYour holy Cross You have redeemed the world.

Fr. Michael Cordier

The Purpose of the Cross

It has been a busy fall semester for the children in thePRP program. They have been learning, celebratingtheir faith through prayer experiences, and helping tocare for others.

We have close to 240 students this year, and 25 teenand adult volunteers overseeing the growth. Novemberand December were busy months with an Adventprayer service honoring Mary, partnering with theSASEAS School on Operation Christmas Child, andthe annual Advent Food Drive to benefit St. Vincentde Paul.

The program will be on Christmas Break fromDecember 26th through January 2nd. Classes willresume on January 9th with many more opportunitiesto learn and grow! Please keep our young people inyour prayers. Volunteers are always needed. CallMargaret Bergh 646.2348 to see how you can help!

Margaret Bergh

PRP Update

Mark Your Calendars…

February 12th ~ Knights of Columbus Valentine Day Dinner Dance

February 19 & 20 ~ Women’s Christ Renews Your Parish Retreat

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Vacation Bible School – VBS 2011 Planning Begins

Even though the weather is cold and snowy, it’s timeto start planning for summer fun! Remember lastyear’s VBS program Sonquest Rainforest? We hopeto repeat the good time we had with the help of manyvolunteers and children this year! You won’t want tomiss this opportunity for a week of fun, fellowship,and learning at the end of June!

The VBS leadership team will be meeting in Januaryto review themes and set the date for 2011. Many vol-unteers are need for a successful VBS. If you areinterested in being a part of this fun program please

contact Margaret Bergh. All parishioners are wel-come! You don’t have to have a child participatingto get involved!

Come join the FUN!

Margaret Bergh

Setonotes • January/February 2011Setonotes • January/February 201110 7

All boys and girls, ages 10 to 14 as of January 1,2011, are invited to participate in the local level ofcompetition for the 2011 Knights of Columbus FreeThrow Championship. This free local competition willbe held on Saturday, January 10th, at 6:30 pm in theSt. Elizabeth Ann Seton School gym. Check in time(with parents) is 6:00 pm.

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championshipis held annually, with winners progressing throughlocal, district and state competitions. Internationalchampions are announced by the Knights ofColumbus International Headquarters based on scoresfrom the state-level competitions. All boys and girls10 to 14 years old are eligible to participate and willcompete in their respective age divisions. Last year,more than 179,000 sharpshooters participated in over3,000 local competitions.

All contestants on the local level are recognized fortheir participation in the event. Participants arerequired to furnish proof of age and writtenparental consent. To sign up, contact the St.Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish office at 575.0119.

The Knights of Columbus is an international Catholicfamily fraternal service organization with nearly 1.7million members in over 12,500 local councils. Lastyear, Knights donated 60 million volunteer hours and$130 million to charitable and benevolent causes,sponsoring projects to benefit their church, councils,communities, families and youth.

Bob Brookens

Local Knights of Columbus SponsorFree Throw Contest

We are very happy to announce a new parish groupforming for parents of children with disabilities. Theorganizational meeting for this group will be Tuesday,January 11th, at 7:00pm in the Fr. Wenzel Room.We have great hope that the group will provide theopportunity for information sharing, fellowship andsupport for families of children with disabilities.Parents of older children who would like to share their“wisdom” and parents of young children looking totalk with other parents going through a similar experi-ence are invited to join.

The parish has a plan supporting children with disabil-ities in learning and growing in their faith. PRP class-es and sacramental preparation is available for them.As stated in the National Directory of Catechesis,

“Persons with disabilities, especially children, are par-ticularly beloved of the Lord and are integral membersof the Christian community.” We invite families whohave children with disabilities, cognitive, developmen-tal, learning or physical, to contact Margaret Bergh,CRE at 646.2348 or [email protected] for moreinformation.

Margaret Bergh

NEW Parent Group Forming!Parents of Children/Youth with Disabilities

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saints and you my brothers and sisters to pray forme to the Lord our God.

With everyone around us, I confess that I am a sinnerand I take personal responsibility for my personalsins. Then I repeat three times that it is my own faultand I strike my breast as an act of humility not justonce, but three times. The liturgy requires us to dothis to drive home that we all sin from the heart andthat heart needs to be healed. This is as shocking tosome people today as Jesus’ action of physically driv-ing the moneychangers out of the temple was in histime. We are sophisticated and proud, and it is certain-ly at least a little humbling to be striking our breast ina public act of penance. St. Paul tells us that we arethe temples of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus tells us thatwe have to keep that temple clean. We live in an agethat is very concerned with self-image and how weappear to others. We are even told that if we correctour children, we may damage their self-image andgive them a guilt complex. In an age where personalresponsibility is often avoided by blaming others it isa good time to recall that when we stand before God,we can’t strike our breast and say: The devil made me

do it, the devil made me do it, you better believe thedevil made me do it. Nor can we say that our parent’slack of parenting skills made me do it, or our hus-band’s laziness made me do it, or the neighborsannoying behavior made me do it. We are temples,marred with sin. Only when we recognize this do weturn to Jesus and then in mercy and tenderness He willheal us and cleanse us from our sins. Fr. ThomasKocik, in his book Loving and Living the Mass, saysthat Jesus might say in our contemporary language,“Better to enter heaven with a guilt complex than toenter Gehenna brimming with self-confidence.”

The Church gives us another opportunity to see theMass with fresh eyes and to see ourselves as God seesus. He knows us through and through and loves usanyway. It is this understanding that opens our heartsto the cleaning out we all need to make room for theOne who wants to fill us with His life.

Patty Norris

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa (continued)

Continuing with our discussion of the translationchanges in the Mass, I would like to look at one of theoptions for the Penitential Rite, which will take placeon the first Sunday of Advent 2011. This is form A inthe Roman Missal. Before we look at the new transla-tion, I think we should look at this part of the Mass ingeneral.

What is the Penitential Rite and why do we beginevery Mass with one of these prayers?

The simple answer is, because Jesus taught us thatbefore we can make a sincere offering of ourselvesand our gifts to God, we must be reconciled to anyonewe can recall has anything against us. He says that ifwe bring our gift to the altar, and there recall thatsomeone has anything against us, we should leave ourgift and be reconciled with our brother. (cf. Matt 5:23-24) The Catechism of the Catholic Church tell us that“the first movement of the prayer of petition is askingforgiveness…it is a prerequisite for righteous and pureprayer.” (CCC2631) On another occasion Jesus wasinstructing his disciples about what kind of prayer andpersonal disposition must be present to achieve anoffering pleasing to God, he points out two men. Oneproud and self-righteous, standing in the front of thechurch telling God what a great person he is, theother, a hated tax collector, in a place in the back,beating his breast and begging God for mercy. Heholds the tax collector’s humble acknowledgement ofhis sinfulness and need of God’s mercy as the modelfor an honest dialogue with God and pre-requisite fortrue worship.

Jesus also showed the necessity of this penitentialaction after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem onPalm Sunday. He went to the Temple, which waspacked with pilgrims there to celebrate the Passover,and proceeded to turn over the tables of the moneychangers and those who were selling animals for theritual sacrifice. In the Gospel account, we see Jesus,not meek and mild, but angry and wild. Why did hedecide to take on this common practice at that time inhis mission? He was about to institute the NewCovenant by his passion, death, resurrection andascension and change the world. He was going to bethe new sacrifice to be consumed by those whobelieve in Him… the new temples of the Holy Spirit.He told them they were making His Father’s house

into a den of thieves. He knew that he was about toshatter all convention and understanding of true wor-ship of God and sacrifice. He was about to redefinethe very definition of the Temple, as He was about tobecome the temple that would be destroyed and berebuilt in three days. St. Paul would later remind theearly Christian that “we are temples of the livingGod.” (2Cor. 6:16) Salvation was coming to His peo-ple by His one true sacrifice and He needed them tounderstand that all that was profane needed to becleaned away for them to grasp what was about tohappen. His Body and Blood were going to be givento them as food. They would have to acknowledgetheir need for a savior to wipe away their sins to beable to accept this greatest of all gifts. So it is for us.

Through Sacred Scripture, we have the privilege ofreading these events with the eyes of faith and 2000years of fidelity entrusted to the Church. In the questto faithfully convey this message in Word andSacrament, this new translation affords us the oppor-tunity to put ourselves, the temple of the Holy Spirit,in order so that we can with full and conscious partici-pation offer ourselves in the Holy Sacrifice of theMass. Our demeanor must be of total dependence onthe mercy of God, who gives us Himself as food. Wecome recognizing our need for healing and restora-tion, we come with outstretched hand to receive a giftnot grab a prize we have earned by our own effortsor merit.

In the current translation of the Mass, we are familiarwith what many of us know as the Confiteor (the firstword of the prayer in Latin).“ I confess to AlmightyGod and to you my brothers and sisters, that I havesinned through my own fault. In my thoughts and inmy words, in what I have done and in what I havefailed to do, and I ask the Blessed Mary, ever virgin,all the angels and saints, and you my brothers and sis-ters to pray for me to the Lord our God.” It is a per-sonal prayer. We use the word “I” not “we.”

The new translation begins in the same way: I con-fess to Almighty God and to you my brothers and sis-ters, that I have greatly sinned in my thoughts andin my words, in what I have done, and in what Ihave failed to do through my fault, through myfault, through my most grievous fault. ThereforeI ask blessed Mary ever Virgin, all the angels and

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.Through my fault, through my fault, through my mostgrievous fault…

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