Sorry this will be brief.
This past weekend, all the priests decided to emphasize Eucharistic adoration in our homilies, and to encourage folks to be adorers in our 24-hour Perpetual Adoration St. Clare Chapel. My homily was kind of a mess on Saturday, I think it was better on Sunday morning, when I emphasized the first reading, and having strength for the journey.
This past weekend, we also had a new staff member--our parttime Director of Involvement and Development--introduced at the end of all Masses. And we said goodbye to two of our seminarians. And at 9 am Mass, a couple celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Somehow, I had to weave all that into the homily! I got most of it anyway.
Around 2, I stopped by a party for the same couple and visited with the family. After that, I swung by the Bethany Center, having a barbeque to raise money--and picked up the dinners I'd bought for the seminarians and me. They went with me to St. Boniface, where I was on the schedule to volunteer at bingo; the chicken dinners went in the fridge for later. I was home around 7 pm or so. The seminarians and I watched a great movie, "On the Waterfront," which is remarkable for many things, for good writing in general, for some powerful images of redemption and conversion (Terry, Father Barry)and the temporal consequences of sin (brother Charlie), and for a powerful sermon on the cross by Father Barry at the docks. It's so good I've quoted it on Good Friday. What a great image of a priest; however, we'd never tolerate a priest like that nowadays.
5 comments:
When Karl Malden died recently, I watched our OTW tape again. Such a magnificent movie, with great performances by Brando, Steiger, Eva Marie Saint. But Malden's Fr. Barry stood out -- what a priest, and what a man! It is unfortunate that priests like him have become rare -- and more unfortunate that many, like my own pastor, are so afraid of "offending" people that they allow all sorts of stuff to happen which hurts the Church and alienates parishioners who are more interested in worshiping God than getting together to "enjoy church" on Sunday. They don't make many priests like that any more, and more's the pity. OTW is one of my all-time favourites, and I'm glad you like it as well. If the actors had done nothing else in their careers, this would have been a great testament to their talents.
Father,
I tried to find your sermon text...is it on the blog somewhere?
I really want to see it!
I'm thinking maybe you mentioned the Pope's kneeler?
pray for me!
k.c.
KC:
I'm sorry, I failed to explain that I had no text and I cannot not reconstruct it.
Nice to meet you Friday at the Fatima Mass Father. While we must keep in mind that OTW is a movie and Malden's Fr Barry was a script, a little of that would go a long way today, I can think of so many people who would be upset that it would be a joy to behold. Keep up the good work. It is important for people to see that the life of a parish priest is a lot more than saying Mass and Hearing Confession. You guys are BUSY.
You are in my prayers
>>I'm sorry, I failed to explain that I had no text and I cannot not reconstruct it.<<
youre one of those extempore preachers! impressive! I'm the caomponologist guy @ our parish... our preachers don't get off script I get to hear the 'exact same' (redundance) sermon 3-4 times, ugh...
k.c.
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