Pastor's Corner, August 25, 2013

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

I’m returning to our catechesis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit with a reflection on the gift of understanding. This gift of the Holy Spirit provides us with a deeper insight into the divine truths we believe by the virtue of faith.

Some truths that we accept by faith, such as the belief in the Trinity, are not easy to grasp. By way of this gift, the Holy Spirit helps our weak minds to penetrate more deeply and easily these truths. It gives us the ability to move beyond the surface of our faith and really perceive things in a way that our human mind alone could not grasp. It also helps us see the hidden meaning of spiritual realities and shows the providential hand of God working behind the scenes of our life, even in the most difficult aspects of our suffering and trials.

In a very real way the gift of understanding brings the virtue of faith to perfection. Thus, as St. Thomas says, “In this very life, when the eye of the spirit is purified by the gift of understanding, one can in a certain way see God” (Summa theologiae).

In Christ,

Msgr. Baker

Pastor's Corner, August 18, 2013

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

Today a great grace has come to our parish. Today a woman from our parish, Jen McLarin (a former cantor and choir member), will officially enter into religious life with a community of contemplative Benedictine Sisters at Regina Laudis monastery in Bethlehem, CT. You may remember the news story from the AD Times which featured Jen’s vocation journey from Director of Alumni Relations at Muhlenberg College to the monastery.

I’m also pleased to write that another young woman from our parish, Beth Wenck, will be joining a religious community called the Sister of Life on August 31. Beth grew up in our parish and has been working as a nurse at Lehigh Valley Hospital this past year. The Sisters of Life is a contemplative/active religious community of women founded in 1991 by John Cardinal O’Connor for the protection and enhancement of the sacredness of every human life. They primarily work in New York and Connecticut.

I do not know when the last time a woman from our parish entered religious life but this is a great blessing for them and a double blessing for all of us… and both are entering their respective time of discernment and formation in the same month! Let us pray for more vocations to the religious life and to the priesthood.

In Christ,

Msgr. Baker

Pope using hosts made by woman prisoner

Pope Francis is using hosts at his daily Mass made by a woman in prison in Argentina. After meeting with the prison chaplain and a local pastor, the woman - who is know as "Gaby C." - was trained by Benedictine nuns on how to make hosts for Mass. Gaby says that the work gives meaning to her life behind bars. She wrote a letter to Pope Francis and sent him some hosts. The Pope wrote back saying, “I thank you for confiding in me...and for the hosts. Starting tomorrow I will celebrate Mass with them and I assure you that I am moved. Your letter made me think, and it has led me to pray for you...but it gives me joy and assures me that you are praying for me.”
Once again Pope Francis is teaching us to reach out to people in the "periphery" of life and see Jesus.  

Read more: http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/Vatican.php?id=8274#ixzz2c8gBrJDW"

Pastor's Corner, August 11, 2013

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

A few weeks ago Pope Francis visited Brazil on the occasion of World Youth Day. One of the biggest headlines about the event came from a response he gave to a journalist on the plane ride back to Rome. Headlines proclaimed: “On gay priests, Pope Francis asks, ‘Who am I to judge?’”

The New York Times implied that Pope Francis contradicted Pope Benedict who taught that homosexuality is a strong tendency ordered toward an intrinsic evil.

Pope Francis was doing no such thing – if you actually read what he said. Here is the lesson all Catholics need to learn in the world of the new media: journalists don’t always read what people say and sometimes they don’t understand what is being said.

The Pope was answering a question about a particular priest who had been accused by an Italian magazine that he was involved in a homosexual lifestyle as a young priest. Pope Francis said that an investigation into the matter did not find any truth to the accusation. He then went on to say that if anyone does commit sin and repents, “the Lord forgives, and when the Lord forgives, the Lord forgets and this is important for our life.” He went on to say that “if a person is gay and searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge.” Here the Pope is reiterating the Church’s constant teaching and practice – homosexual tendencies are not sin and if someone has these tendencies and seeks to live a good life, we should not judge them. This is sound theology and pastoral advice coming from our Holy Father.

In Christ,

Msgr. Baker