Mom celebrates her 67th birthday today.
Blessings!
Mom’s big birthday!
Category: PAZ & Friends
Friars of the Renewal keep tradition of wine making
Where else would a seminarian and a priest be doing on a rainy, Thursday afternoon in
the middle of prep work for midterm exams & papers? If you guessed wine
making then you answered correctly. Taking a break from an afternoon of
meetings, paper writing and exam prep, Father Philip (from Burma) and I took a
ride over to Saint Leopold Friary to see what the good Franciscan Friars of the
Renewal are doing with their wine making project. Brother Giuseppe Maria is
spear-heading a Franciscan making effort for two years. This second try seems
to be off and running well.
Sacred Scripture supports wine drinking (and wine making, of course). Can one ever think of true Christianity without wine? If you
don’t believe me look at 1 Timothy 5:23 which says: “No longer drink only
water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent
ailments.” If you want more holy Scripture, try on Revelation 6:5-6 for size:
When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!”
And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in
his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living
creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley
for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!”
Looking into the spiritual
tradition you can see monks and friars making wine and beer for medicinal
purposes. Let’s just look a the Benedictine tradition for a second. In chapter
40 of his Rule for Monasteries, Saint Benedict doesn’t think wine should be
served to monks but he concedes that it may be served to the
sick and those who
can’t be persuaded otherwise. Saint Benedict writes: “However, with due regard
for the infirmities of the sick, we believe that a half a bottle of wine a day
is sufficient for each. And then he says: “We read it that monks should not
drink wine at all, but since the monks of our day cannot be convinced of this, let
us at least agree to drink moderately and not to the point of excess, for
“wine makes even the wise fall away” (Eccles. 19:2). OK, so tradition
is a beautiful thing and so let’s enjoy a little bit of life. Just for the
record, Mount Angel Abbey has a Festival of Arts and Wine.
So it is no wonder Brother Giuseppe and his Franciscan brothers are making
wine. This IS serious work!
Here are some photos of step two in making homemade wine.
Our Lady of
Cana, pray for us.
Happy 69th birthday, Dad
Happy 69th birthday, Dad!
Abundant Blessings
(photo from a celebratory dinner last Saturday)
Meeting an icon: Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety
You never know who will bless a house. Today, a friend’s house was blessed by his uncle, Archbishop Peter Leo Gerety, emeritus archbishop of Newark. The Gerety’s nephew, Phil, was a most gracious host today.
The archbishop is the sometime bishop of Portland in Maine and the once a upon a time founding pastor of Saint Martin de Porres Church, New Haven, CT. His parish work in New Haven is legendary given that his ministry was among the African American Catholics for 24 years (his only pastorate until he was nominated bishop in 1966). Archbishop Peter is a well-known prelate of the Church for his many years of service to the same in an era of great upheaval. At the moment he’s the oldest living bishop in the US (he turned 97 on July 19th) and the 12th oldest bishop in the world. His anniversary stats this year include being a priest for 70 years and a bishop for 43. In addition to his daily routine of prayer and living, Archbishop Peter reads about two books a week and periodically celebrates the sacrament of Confirmation but he does have to nurse a sore hip.
A delightful part of the afternoon was had over a delicious lunch talking about the archbishop’s seminary training with the Sulpician Fathers in Issy-les-Moulineaux, France.
Say a prayer for Archbishop Peter’s continued health of mind and body. He’s a very delightful person with a great heart and good humor.
What do ducks do all day?
Visiting the wildlife….
Prayers for those who really need them
Yesterday morning my mother called me with the startling news that a second cousin on my father’s side had died. Deborah was 42; because of a complicated family system I don’t recall meeting her. Deborah’s father is my father’s cousin and we would see him every now-and-again. Deborah’s death was kept a secret from family and friends; a proper Mass of Christian Burial with the prayerful solidarity of the family and friends is not happening. The ministrations of the Catholic Church were sidelined. The cross of addiction on which Deborah hung –which is known to many in this world– was quite heavy, probably too heavy, for Deborah and for her family to carry. I am presuming that Deborah’s death is and will continue to be for years to come an unfathomable puzzle –full of incredible pain and sorrow– for the family and friends who survive. My also think that God mourns the loss of His daughter.
Where is God in the circumstances of Deborah’s pain and ultimately in her death at 42? Looking at the history of humanity from the Christian perspective, suffering and death is not part of the divine plan. We are not made for suffering and death but we are faced with these things. The question of evil and suffering is known by Christianity as a struggle with the rebellious powers that enslave the world, like drug addiction, and the power of God’s love. What God permits because of the supreme gift of our personal freedom often runs contrary to His will. Since we live in a biological world and our biology has natural limits and can’t be sustained if it’s oppressed by exterior forces (disease, addiction, diabetes, cancer, etc). Our human freedom is God’s supreme gift to us and it allows us to say “Yes” to God or “No” to Him; God allows for the possibility free will to run contrary to what He wants for us. Sadly, we have made our autonomy a god and we would sacrifice anything for it on the altars of selfishness; sometimes our actions say we love death more than the gift of life. Man and woman love the word “No” in the face of living life to its fullest potential in God (and the Church). When the Church says drugs are bad for you, we say “let me use them.”
As a Christian I believe that Deborah’s life, not her death was tragic. Today she knows the fullness of who God is, today she knows His mercy and healing and today she knows intimately the embrace of His love.
Pray for those who struggle with addiction and for those who bear this cross alone. Pray that the community of faith will assist those left behind to know that they are loved by Jesus and by others. Pray that we use our freedom wisely. Pray for Deborah’s peace for her family who survive to make sense of life now.
Give eternal rest, O Lord, to Deborah and let her share your glory.
J. Augustine DiNoia ordained bishop
Since you have purified
yourselves by obedience to the truth for sincere mutual love, love one another
intensely from a pure heart. (1 Peter 1:22)
Today, a most beautiful DC day, with great joy and fanfare
the Church ordained Father Joseph
Augustine DiNoia, O.P., 66, a bishop. The setting was the beautiful Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The drama of the Liturgy couldn’t come together in your theological imagination better than when you read the words in dome over the sanctuary which reads, in part: “Jesus has pored forth His Spirit you see and hear.” Right, the Lord poured forth his Spirit upon Father Augustine ordaining him a bishop.
He was appointed by the Holy
Father the titular archbishop of Oregon City. Even more to the point, he’s the
archbishop secretary of the Congregation
for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments; this office
is part of the Roman Curia so Archbishop DiNoia works for the Pope.
William
Cardinal Levada was the consecrating prelate with the assistance of Archbishop Thomas Cajetan Kelly, OP and Archbishop Donald W. Wuerl. Antonio Cardinal Cañizares Llovera was supposed to be here but he forgot his passport at home and didn’t have time to run back to the Vatican to get it and make the flight. Easily 250 priests and a handful of bishops including three other cardinals.
The image to the right is of Fra Angelico’s Coronation of the Virgin (at the Convent of San Marco) was used for the invitation, worship aid and remembrance card. Talk about theology and Liturgy!
When the Papal Bull was read by the Dominican Provincial Father Dominic Izzo you heard the Pope say of DiNoia: you are a beloved son, suitable for the office of bishop because you manifest gifts of mind and heart, piety, diligence, experience and prudence; you are now asked by the Church to use these gifts for the up-building of the Church through the work of Liturgy and the sacraments.
In the context of the Eucharist, family, friends, colleagues (past and present) and others who thought it best to attend, gathered to pray for the Spirit to come down upon Father Augustine so that he receive the gift of the fullness of Order, i.e., a bishop. We were reminded by Cardinal Levada that following ancient belief and practice the mission given to the apostles through Holy Spirit and imposition of hands the Tradition is preserved until today. The action of the Holy Spirit and the Church Father Augustine was conformed to the three-fold work of Christ as teacher, shepherd and priest not for himself but to join with Saint Peter and the apostles, Pope Benedict and the entire college of bishops in communion with the pope. Therefore, the doctrine is that a real “communio” exists with Augustine and the Pope and with every bishop in the world. So our Catholic belief here is that Father Augustine lives as Christ’s vicar because of his episcopal character having particular care and solicitude for all the Church.
The notion of episcopal solicitude means that a bishop builds up the body of Christ not only at the local level but worldwide. How is this done? Going back to the point of calling on the Spirit to come down upon the person to be ordained and the anointing with oil. Delving deeper into this dramatic Liturgy we notice that the Church invokes the Trinity, the saints and angles to come upon Father Augustine who abandons himself to Christ in humility in an act of humility seen in his prostration before the altar. Moments later the cardinal imposed hands (with the other bishops) and poured oil on the head and gave the visible ornaments of the bishop’s office (ring, mitre and crosier). Capping the ritual off was the seating of the bishop and the sign of peace. BUT, I think we need to reflect on the cardinal’s words when said we are all to look to the “destiny of divine embrace” as all of heaven gazes down upon Augustine. Here we realize the promises of Christ. And to that, the saints and angels lift Augustine’s gaze heavenward while the Trinity gives the grace to preach the gospel with constancy and faithfully.
Cardinal Levada reminded us of the tall order DiNoia was called to: to live and teach Gospel in truth. As a point in history he renews his commitment to the truth of Gospel. Remember: truth is not a thing but a Person. Truth, you will recall, makes us free for the service of Christ oriented toward the liberation of the world.
A nice point of continuity with Dominican history is that Archbishop DiNoia used the crosier of Father Benedict Edward Fenwick, OP, founder of the Dominican Province of Saint Joseph and bishop of Cincinnati. Other points of continuity were the presence of the archbishop’s chaplains Dominican Fathers Gabriel B. O’Donnell (JAD’s ordination classmate & my spiritual father) and Romanus Cessario. One can’t overlook all of the Dominican family and friends who travelled long distances to support him.
Archbishop DiNoia’s episcopal motto is In
Oboedientia Veritatis. The explanation given comes from a papal homily:
“A
beautiful phrase from the First Letter of St. Peter springs to my mind. It is
from verse 22 of the first chapter. The Latin goes like this: ‘Castificantes
animas nostras in oboedentia veritatis.’ Obedience to truth must ‘purify’ our souls
and thus guide us to upright speech and upright action. In other words,
speaking in hope of being applauded, governed by what people want to hear out
of obedience to the dictatorship of current opinion, is considered to be a sort
of prostitution: of words and of the soul. The ‘purity’ to which the Apostle
Peter is referring means not submitting to these standards, not seeking
applause, but, rather, seeking obedience to the truth…This is the fundamental
virtue for the theologian, this discipline of obedience to the truth; it makes
us, although it may be hard, collaborators of the truth, mouthpieces of the
truth. For it is not we who speak in today’s river of words, but it is the
truth which speaks in us, who are really purified and made chaste by obedience
to the truth. So it is that we can truly be harbingers of the truth.” (Pope
Benedict XVI, Redemptoris Mater Chapel, Apostolic Palace)
Finally, the whole ecclesial event was a wonderful grace for Archbishop DiNoia and in that my own friendships were renewed by seeing so many very friends, plus making new ones.
Father’s Day 2009
Mom, Dad, Lauren and Aunt Gloria attended Mass today at Saint Rose of Lima Church and then we had a festive dinner a local Italian eatery: Father’s Day 2009. Happy to have them visit me where I am living and working for the summer and to celebrate Dad. Peace!
Julius J. Zalonski: RIP on the 22nd
Today is the 22nd anniversary of death of my paternal grandfather, Julius Zalonski. He died after nearly four months of serious health issues. In 1987, Grampi was the first of my grandparents to go to the Lord. His death, like all deaths in a family leave a hole the heart, even 22 years later.
I find the fact that I had four grandparents as a part of life for my first 18 years is in fact a singular grace. He was a strong, quiet, serious, faithful man. The countless times I spent with my grandfather are still very present to me. My grandfather was a steel worker and a farmer, a brother, a husband and father of 4, and a grandfather of 6.
Lord God, almighty Father, You have made the cross for us a sign of strength and marked us as Yours in the sacrament of the resurrection. Now that you have freed our brother Julius from this mortal life make him one with Your saints in heaven.
Helen Kawa Zalonski, the 6th anniversary of death
Today is the sixth anniversary of death of my paternal grandmother, Helen Kawa Zalonski. He died on the afternoon of Ascension Thursday in 2003. She is very much missed. May her memory be eternal and may the Good Shepherd keep her in His presence.
(the picture is from my cousin’s wedding in 2002. Gram is in the center of the motley crew.)