The Catholic Virginian

January 29, 2007 | Volume 82, Number 7

ABOUT US

Reflections on Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 4, 2007

by Richard Linneberger

I was never a good fisherman. As a child, it meant sitting and having to be quiet.

When I was older, it meant sitting on the bank of a river or pond and rarely, if ever, having even a small catch. Usually I was more frustrated than anything. Unlike the fishermen in today’s Gospel reading, I only had to endure a few hours with no luck!

Can you imagine how frustrating it must have been to “have worked all night and have caught nothing?” Especially when someone just walks up and says “put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”

What did Jesus know about fishing? He was the carpenter’s son! What did Jesus sense?

And yet for some reason, Simon (later called Peter) says “but at your command I will lower the nets.” Simon must have been touched by something Jesus had taught. There must have been something about this man that touched Simon’s heart. Even when it seemed hopeless, Simon said “but at your command I will lower the nets.”

Peter had heard something which moved him to action. The reading begins with Jesus asking Simon to take his boat “out a short distance from the shore” so Jesus could teach. There must have been something about what Peter heard that gave him the “internal push” to later cast the nets.

You and I have been touched by the teaching of Jesus. How have we heard Jesus teach? You and I have been taught by the actions of others. Like Peter, how have we been moved into action?

Think back and remember those who taught you about Jesus — they were the voice and hands of Jesus. What did they say that gave your life new direction, new meaning? Give thanks to God for them.

Think back and remember those whose actions taught us so much about what Jesus preached. Those who have loved us. Those who have forgiven us. Those who have challenged us. What did they do to give your life new direction, new meaning? Give thanks to God for them.

But don’t forget how the reading from Luke concludes: “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” While it is part of our Tradition that these words are directly applicable to Peter, they also have meaning for you and me.

Like Peter, we are told “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.”

Are you afraid to share your faith? Are you afraid to share your love, your forgiveness, your challenging? You and I are called to go out to preach and teach by both word and example.

How have you and I shown by our actions what we have been taught? How has each of us shown love in our life both yesterday and today? How and when have we forgiven another? How have we helped another find new direction, new meaning in his/her life?

Grab your nets and go fishing! Let the sign on your door read: “Gone fishing!”

Gentle persuasion is good tactic for parents

by Mary Hood Hart

Recently, a priest friend let me read his homily based on the Gospel story of the miracle at Cana. I was struck by the phrase “gentle persuasion” which he used to describe Mary’s action.

When the wine ran out, in concern for the newlywed couple, Mary alerted Jesus. Although initially reluctant to begin his public ministry, Jesus responded to his mother’s concern by providing an abundance of premium wine.

Reflecting on that exchange, it dawned on me how many times we mothers are called upon to use gentle persuasion. Of course, my teen-age daughter doesn’t always see it that way. Every morning lately on the way to school, I remind her to see a teacher and a counselor to request recommendation letters she needs for an application due soon.

Every afternoon when she gets into the car at the end of the school day, I ask her if she’s requested the recommendation letters. She shakes her head and tells me no and that she can’t wait until I stop bugging her about this. I tell her that the easiest way to get me to stop bugging her is to request the letters of recommendation. (That answer, though true, doesn’t go over too well.)

Of course, there is a fine line between nagging and gentle persuasion. One of the key distinctions, I think, is that nagging is overbearing, and, often, critical.

Gentle persuasion, on the other hand, is a reasonable, unemotional, request for action. It’s not a command. It’s not a plea. It’s not a bribe. It’s not a threat.

Over time, we mothers discover that commands, pleas, bribes and threats fail to work nearly as well as gentle persuasion. The art of gentle persuasion is something mothers become expert at because we find it most effective.

For example, instead of saying “Share your toys.” We say, “Anna doesn’t have anything to play with. Can you find a toy for her?”

With gentle persuasion, we alert our children to a need, and we suggest action to meet that need.

As our children mature, we develop more sophisticated styles of persuasion, but the tone remains the same.

We recognize, too, that words can only go so far. We gently persuade through our actions which model for our children what we expect, what we value. If we are visibly concerned about the welfare of others, our children will notice our concern and adopt a similar response.

If our children see us acting on behalf of the weak, the poor, the marginalized, it’s likely they’ll come to share our values.

If we exercise our right to vote and remained informed on political issues, they will likely do the same.

If we honor our commitments, they are inclined to follow suit. If we worship and pray, they will understand its importance.

Another time we mothers use gentle persuasion is when our children need encouragement to use a talent or skill. This form of gentle persuasion doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try. First we acknowledge our children’s special talents, and then we gently persuade them to share them with others.

For example, if a child loves to sing, he might be gently persuaded to join the church choir. If he’s a natural leader, he might be encouraged to run for student government.

We gently persuade our children to share their gifts, not simply to increase their chances to get into a good college, but to help them discover the rewards of self-giving.

Even when our children become adults, we can continue to gently encourage them to develop a greater awareness of the many talents they possess. As my friend wrote in his homily: “We can learn from the quiet wife and mother [Mary] whose gentle promptings brought about a complete change in the destiny of so many. Saint Paul reminds us that in the Church there are a variety of gifts, some obvious, some hidden. The power of gentle persuasion is such a gift…”

Revising a ritual

by Barbara Hughes

I have to admit that when the practice of purifying the vessels by a priest or deacon during Mass was first announced, I was somewhat miffed.

I found myself shaking my head and agreeing with many in the pews who lamented that the church hierarchy seemed to be reverting to a pre-Vatican II mentality. It seemed to be a jab at the laity, aimed at drawing a line in the sand between the ordained and the non-ordained. I failed to see the reason for it.

It was hard to imagine why the laity were no longer deemed worthy to purify vessels whose contents only moments ago had been in the palm of our hands and on our lips.

In retrospect, I guess you could say I was viewing the revised rubric from a glass (or should I say chalice) half empty mindset. All I could see was what was being taken away instead of what was being added. Since I usually embrace change without too much difficulty, this was out of character for me, but like so many others I viewed it as a step back.

I’m not proud of my attitude but I own up to it because as the saying goes, “Confession is good for the soul.” However, once the revised rubric was introduced and I’ve been able to experience it first hand, I see it from another perspective.

For two months now, the purification of the vessels has been taking place at the altar and I’ve come to realize that it’s not about taking something away, but about bringing something back.

And it’s not simply for the sake of returning to the old. It’s about emphasizing the reality that Jesus is present in every crumb of bread and every drop of wine. In retrospect, the previous practice of relegating the Guest of Honor to a back room or to a side table away from the ritual action until Mass is over hardly seems appropriate.

With the empty vessels front and center on the altar, the ritual reminds us of the awesome miracle that has taken place. Careful attention to the consumption of what remains in cup and dish and the purification of the vessels that held the precious Body and Blood reminds us to reverence that which we have just received and is now part of who we are. And, it allows us to give proper thanks.

When invited to dinner you wouldn’t think of leaving without saying thank you to the host for inviting you. The same holds true in regard to the Eucharist and the additional minute or two that the revised practice adds to the communion rite allows time for personally thanking God for the invitation to so great a feast.

It provides a moment for quiet reflection following the communal celebration of praise and song. We need such moments lest we fall prey to thinking that which is privilege is a right. Were this to happen, both gratitude and humility would fall by the wayside and we become less than what God is calling us to be.

As I look back, I can only wonder what all the fuss was about. Perhaps we’re a bit too quick to oppose thinking that is different from our own before allowing ourselves time to weigh in on the benefits. It seems to be that given the casual nature of our culture, we can all use a reminder to be more reverent.

Perhaps no one expressed this observation better than Annie Dillard. In her book “Teaching a Stone to Talk,” she wrote, “On the whole I do not find Christians outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it?”

Taking the point even further she suggested, “Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping God may awaken some day and take offense, or the waking God may draw us out to where we can never return.”

I suspect there’s more truth to Annie Dillard’s assessment than we care to admit. It may be that we’ve become so comfortable with the Eucharist that we’ve lost the inclination to marvel and the will to wonder.

Or, we may be afraid that if we do ponder the depth of such an awesome Mystery, we’ll have to change forever the way we see God, ourselves and others.

I’m not suggesting that a priest or deacon purifying the vessels after Communion will change all that, but when we open ourselves to God, anything’s possible. If nothing else, it should make the ordained more conscious of their role as servant.

As for me: it’s made me re-visit a previous bias and confirm the truth that the Holy Spirit continues to guide our Church. Let’s all pray for a heart that can appreciate it.

The following interview between Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo and Steve Neill, editor of The Catholic Virginian, took place Jan. 11.

Q. Has the Diocese come to any final decision on where the new Diocesan Pastoral Center will be located? If not, when will the decision be made known?

A. As it stands now, we are engaged in a due diligence study for a two-story building near Broad Street and Parham Road to see if that particular facility is really feasible to house the Pastoral Center of the Diocese. That due diligence phase is not up yet. We’re doing all our work under the direction of our project manager. When we get all of that information, we will be able to make a final decision.

Q. Can you provide any information on the building that you are considering and its previous use?

A. The building we are considering is a two-story building and has about 58,000 square feet. We had an architect who gathered a verbal design from the committee taking care of this situation. The committee asked the various members of the diocesan Chancery staff for their suggestions as to what space they would need to function well. Each office had input as to their future office space and what its needs would be.

That information was passed on to the architect who then created a rendering which was given to the diocesan Building Commission which reviewed it and also made suggestions. Those suggestions have now been incorporated into a second or third rendering of what the two floors should look like.

This building would not only be a center for pastoral studies, workshops and training. It will also be the site of the central administration of the diocese. There is ample parking and ample space for conference rooms and also provisions for a kitchen service as well.

Q. Is lack of adequate parking space in the current Chancery office the reason for the move?

A. First of all, the people of the diocese have asked to have more continuing education for lay leadership and general religious education for adults. We have no place in the current Chancery for these workshops and classes and we also have a serious problem with respect to parking.

Thirty of our employees have to use a van we offer which picks them up at an off-site parking area. It is very difficult to have meetings without adequate parking space.

Q. With the untimely death of Msgr. William V. Sullivan, how soon do you expect to appoint a successor as rector of the Cathedral and as Judicial Vicar?

A. I have appointed Father Michael Renninger as the acting rector of the Cathedral. We have mailed a letter explaining what we intend to do between now and June in terms of continuity with the programs Msgr. Sullivan had initiated. We intend to continue the initiatives he has made regarding the preservation of the Cathedral as well as his work with a group who would be interested in acquiring the diocesan buildings here.

Father Renninger will be the acting rector until June. In June the priests’ personnel committee will have considered the candidates for the position of permanent rector. They will make those recommendations to me and more than likely I will accept them.

As it stands now, Msgr. Francis Muench is appointed the Judicial Vicar.

Q. With Catholic Advocacy Day set Jan. 29, why is it important for Catholics to participate in lobbying for legislation which the Virginia Catholic Conference endorses?

A. Catholics do not have an option when it comes to exercising their civic responsibilities. As good Catholics, we are expected to be good citizens. Good citizens should always, to the degree possible, make known their particular wishes, hopes and desires for promoting the dignity of the human person in American society.

Whenever we see that dignity being assailed, it’s our responsibility to raise our voices to make sure that laws and institutions within society further and enhance human dignity, not tear it down. Certainly we have to raise our voices for the most vulnerable in our society, whether that’s at the very beginning of life or at the end of life.

Q. Will you be meeting with any of the legislators?

A. Bishop Loverde and I both will be attending Catholic Advocacy Day.

Q. Has the Diocese received a final report from the Meitler Study on diocesan Catholic schools?

A. The Meitler consultants are in the process of wrapping up their study. For the most part, their study suggests that we have many strengths in our diocese regarding Catholic schools. I believe that as far as Catholic mission and identity are concerned, we’re going to continue our main mission and make sure we have a strong Catholic identity. We certainly are making sure that everybody sees Catholic schools are a viable avenue of evangelizing young people. The program that is par excellence for youth ministry takes into account the intellectual, the emotional, the social, the moral as well as religious dimensions of the young person. We want everyone to see this as a value and we need to preserve Catholic schools as a ministry in our diocese.

The next thing we have to do is make sure that Catholic schools are affordable. To that end, there have been some good suggestions as to how we can continue to fund Catholic education that is not tuition-driven, but the parishes make a contribution, that society and businesses are invited to invest in Catholic schools. I think we’re going to see more persons invited to invest in Catholic schools.

Q. Do you have good memories of your own days in Catholic schools?

A. I believe I benefitted personally from Catholic schools. It helped form me intellectually, emotionally, socially, religiously and morally. My parents were the greatest contributors to who I am as a person today, but I also think the schools cooperated and helped them to do their work. They couldn’t do it all by themselves. My parents, as I remember, were very happy with the Catholic education that all three children in our family had. All three children went to Catholic grade school, Catholic high school and Catholic colleges.

Q. With the arrest of Father Rodney Rodis for theft from parish funds, what new steps, if any, are in place to eliminate the possibility of theft?

A. We found out that this is a problem all throughout the country. This is an older problem. When I came to the diocese, people will remember that I said the new scandal coming down the railroad tracks is going to be the issue of employee theft, whether that be from clergy, religious or laity. I said this is a real temptation and a real possibility. You will recall in the last issue of The Catholic Virginian (Jan. 15, 2007 issue, page 2), there is an article on a study from Villanova University funded by the Lilly Foundation. This particular article suggests that four out of five dioceses have had this difficulty.

As you know, before this particular event took place, we strengthened the diocesan finance office by hiring new people, certified public accountants to oversee the parishes as well as the Catholic schools. We are more diligent than ever in overseeing the financial dynamics of schools and of parishes. By and large, I think it’s safe to say that most people, both clergy and laity are very honest and they are persons of integrity. This unfortunate situation can and does take place, not only here but throughout the country.

If you are determined to steal, you’ll find a way. There’s no system that’s absolutely foolproof. Arthur Anderson, the former accounting firm that was one of the top accounting firms in the country, was drawn into a serious problem by Enron. There were other huge corporations that had high profile accounting firms that oversaw them and audited them, yet they were still able to beat the system. Ultimately, though, many of those people were eventually caught and are now serving prison terms.

We are trying to establish in my term here just one standard for all. There is no double standard.

Q. Does the Diocese support the prosecution of priests and laity by civil authorities for theft?

A. If we find there is an irregularity with regard to mishandling money, we’re not going to hide anything. It will be brought to the civil authorities and it is up to the civil authorities to investigate it as they see fit. If we do not do this, people will lose confidence in the Church and its structures. In order to maintain the integrity of the diocese and parishes, I must follow through in this way. I’m strict on this issue because we have been entrusted with the financial resources of good people. Without this, the mission of the diocese cannot go forward. If we can’t be trusted to appropriately handle the resources that are given in good faith, we’re in serious difficulty.

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