Rejoicing Amidst Tragedy

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! ...Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.” - Phil. 4:4-7

At this time of the liturgical season, we are being encouraged to set our hearts on the joy that comes from God. Yet, joy and rejoicing may very well be the last thing on some of our minds. The stress. The politics. Personal losses. Financial stresses. Family drama. The loss of a beloved friend or spouse. And more poignantly, the news of tragedy of the horrific events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Netown, CT. How can we possibly rejoice? How can we possibly be free of anxiety when some of us are, honestly, full of these things?

In one sense, I have no complete answer. But, with God in our lives, all things are possible. So, therein lies what I know. It’s not about an intellectual thing. It’s not about being able to solve all the problems. Rather, it is about being in right relationship with our Lord Jesus.

You see, he came knowing that we are a deeply troubled people. Our Father in heaven is not ambivelant or ambiguous about these horrible problems in our world. He wants to be our Shepherd through the thickets of our life. He wants to be the healing for those who are brokenhearted.

He will guard your hearts and minds (cf. Phil. 4:7). He will pour grace upon you if you just ask. Yet, sometimes we simply don’t ask. Often we fear letting go and letting God harvest us and bring us to himself. I wonder if we fear that we will be treated like the chaff which is burned in the unquenchable fire (cf. Lk. 3:17) because we feel our sins or pains are too great or that our Father is some kind of angry God. It is true that sins keep us away. It is true that our suffering is a temptation to walk away from God. But, do not fear! Love, and love will be returned. Let yourself go into the loving arms of our God who knows the fullness of our ills and pains. He desires to heal us. He was with each of those children and teachers at their moment of need, and he is active even now in their eternal destiny. God is not deterred by the evil of our world. He is not thwarted by such evil schemes. Yet, we all suffer when even one of us are harmed (cf. 1. Cor. 12:25-26). Our Lord Jesus has also suffered and can certainly sympathyze with us (cf. Peter 2:21).

I cannot fully explain the "why's" of the tragedies of life and especially the horrible events this past week in Newtown, CT. There is no way for us to heal ourselves completely of our pains. God, too, is saddened by these things. Yet, it is our faith that gives us the perspective of God’s providence and his desire to make all things new (cf. Rev. 21:5). The record of God’s mercy in the Bible is very clear. He has righted many wrongs, and he will continue doing so until the final day when his son comes again, and all will be made right in the justice of God. On that day, God will wipe away the tears from our eyes. On that day, we will be able to be glad and exult with all our hearts, for the Lord will have removed the judgement against us, turned away our enemies, and will have no more misfortunes to fear (cf. Zeph. 3: 17).

"Merciful Lord, turn toward us and listen to our prayers: open the gates of paradise to your servants and help us all who remain to comfort one another with the assurances of faith until we all meet in Christ and are with our brothers and sister for ever" (§175 Prayer of Commendation from the Order of Christian Funerals).


And so, we give you thanks for giving us these little ones and adults whose lives and deaths have caused us to pause.  Thank you for the joy and love which they brought to the world.  We praise you for you are great and have conquered death.  We ask you to take these beloved souls to you where they may also rejoice in your mercy for all eternity.

So, rejoice in the Lord who heals the broken hearted. I say again, Rejoice!



Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Dear Parishioners,

In a small town in Mexico in the year 1531, a newly converted Christian peasant man, named Juan Diego, was walking from his village in the area we now know as Mexico City, when he was met by an apparition of a woman surrounded in light.  She appeared to be a teenager and spoke his native language.  She asked him to go to the archbishop with the instructions to build a church on that very site.  The archbishop, Juan de Zumárraga, told Juan to return to the woman and ask for a sign that would prove that the vision was real.  Juan Diego as he was asked.  The Lady appeared to him again upon his return and instructed him to pick some roses that were nearby (The roses shouldn’t have been in bloom nor were they native to that area).  Juan Diego returned to the archbishop with these roses tucked neatly in his tilma (think poncho).  Upon returning to the archbishop and unfurling his tilma with the roses, a miraculous image of the Lady had been imprinted on the tilma.  This tilma, which should have deteriorated long ago is still on display at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The miracle of the apparition and tilma-image of the Virgin Mary, now called Our Lady of Guadalupe, was responsible for the conversion of over 9 million people within the first eight years after the apparition.  That’s three thousand people every day for eight years!  The Franciscan missionaries were astounded at the number of native people who were coming to be baptized and receive the other Sacraments.  It was also the greatest force for unification of the Spanish Conquistadors and native people of Mexico.  Even today, I think it is safe to say, that the image of our Lady of Guadalupe is synonymous with the Mexican people and more a symbol of their identity than their national flag.  The Basilica where the tilma is on display is one of the most visited shrines in the world. Our Lady of Guadalupe is considered the patroness of all the Americas and was declared by Pope John Paul II to be the patroness of the unborn.  Juan Diego was canonized in 2002. The apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe is the oldest approved marian apparitions in the Church.

The official date for this celebration is December 12.  Please make sure to review the flyer in today’s bulletin for our calendar of events surrounding the celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  Most everything will be bilingual.  I hope to see you at any or all of the events surrounding this important festival which has a special place for our Hispanic parishioners.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Homily: “Will You Give?”

Homily: 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Yr. B “Will You Give?”

by Fr. William Holtzinger

Nov. 11, 2012

The Sacred Scriptures give us examples of people giving yet doing so with hope and expectation of God’s providential care. The widows in the first reading and the the gospel gave their last -- all they had. As I was pondering and praying about these texts, questions came to mind that I found myself trying to answer. Maybe you, too, might find some insight for yourself.

Do you have a generous countenance or do you hoard? Do you let go or must you always control? Are you courageous or too scared to go forward? Do you hope or do you despair? Do you recognize the abundance in life or can you only see the scarcity? Do you put your trust in Jesus or in politicians? Do you lend a hand or are you always looking for a handout? Do you know how gifted you are or are you overly self-critical? Are you generous at collection time or do you calculate why you need it more than God’s church? Do you invite people to Mass or are you always waiting to be invited? Do you love people or are things your treasure? Do you love or live in fear? Do you know that you are precious or do you think you are junk? Do you take time to notice things or are you in too big of a hurry to care? Do you look people in the eye or stare at the ground as you pass? Do you celebrate life or is it total misery? Do you see life as a great adventure or is it all about fate? Do you know God or just know about God? Do you go the extra mile or skip corners when nobody is looking? Do you give when ever you can or withdraw with a false excuses? Do you say yes to people and then say no later? Do you trust or are you suspicious of everyone’s motives? Do you listen or are you always talking? Are you humble when you make a mistake or do you get defensive when anyone notices that you goofed? Do you listen to and obey the sacred teachings of the Church or do you ignore the truth when it is difficult? Do you critically analyze issues with assent to the Faith or do you reject a teaching simply because you don’t want anyone to tell you what to do? Do your actions demonstrate that you value and respect the dignity of life or are you guilty of placing your own personal desires ahead of the most vulnerable? Do you stand for the truth even when unpopular or do you cower to peer pressure? Do you take people at face value or are you always scheming to find how they are trying to manipulate you? Do seek the Sacrament of Reconciliation when you are guilty of serious sin or do you shrug it off? Do you know that God has won the war or are you overcome by the battles? Can you laugh at yourself or are you always serious? Do you listen to God or just yourself? Do you assume the best or assume the worst about others? Do you bless the stranger you encounter or avoid them in fear? Do you give with no expectations or with strings attached? Do you know God’s forgiveness or feel that your sin could never be forgiven? Do you speak well of others or do you spread gossip which destroys? Do you praise God in all things or always complain to him? Do you strive to do heroic things or do you frequently play the victim? Do you use your power in order to give it away or do you lord it over everyone in order to subdue those around you? Do you seek solutions or must you be right and others be wrong? Do you treat others with the dignity they deserve or do you mistreat them. Are you living your life to the full or are you afraid inside?

These comparisons are meant to prick your conscience. Maybe they reveal who you are and how God wants you to be. The two women in the Scriptures today demonstrate radical trust in a loving God and were thereby open to encounters with God’s presence in the persons of Elijah and Jesus, both of whom revealed something about God. It may appear that these encounters were not all that important, however the fact that we are still talking about them thousands of years after the events demonstrates that they are most certainly important to the life of the faithful. Those people truly lived and their deeds are recounted for others who wish to live. Will you give yourself for others regardless of reward? Will you be willing to sacrifice so that others may have the freedom to live abundant lives in faith?

I know many people have done just that. Today is veteran’s day. Today we are reminded of all those men and women who have faithfully offered their lives in service to our country. In many ways, they also exemplify the qualities of our Catholic Faith. They were called and stepped forward in response. They were challenged not to bend to their own whims especially when things got tough, but to be faithful in the calling they had received, to discharge their duties with honor and valor, even to sacrifice their lives if need be. Today we honor our veterans. But, let us also be reminded of our own calling from God not to cower under pressure, but to stand righteous before God in service to our neighbor with charity as our first ideal. May the Eucharist you receive today lift you up and give you the grace to do and be, like the widows in the Scriptures today, a person of faith trusting even when things are difficult.

Year of Faith

Dear Parishioners,

In light of this Year of Faith I would like to recommend that we all make some conscious effort to do something new in order to more deeply grow in our faith.  Three such opportunities of which I would like you make you aware are upcoming retreats, Catholicism 101, and our series of movie showings.

Regarding a retreat,  our community has the opportunity to participate in Cursillo and ACTS retreats.  Both of them are similar in structure and have the intent of building up and deepening one’s faith.  Please watch the bulletin for the dates for these two retreats. I believe it to be the case that going on a retreat is a profound way to deepen one’s faith.  I know that is the case for me, for my annual retreat is an essential part of my spiritual growth.  Again, see the bulletin for details about these retreats.

Some of you may already know that I have been offering a monthly series called “Catholicism 101.”  Coincidentally, many parishes have encouraged to show Robert Barron’s “Catholicism” DVD series which we have been already doing.  I have been offering this once a month in the Parish Center between the 8 AM Mass and 11 AM Mass.  The actual dates vary due to my rotation in the liturgy schedule.  But we do our best to make sure that is advertised appropriately in the bulletin and in our online calendar.  I find these videos to be excellent.  In fact, I cannot think of a better video series, yet published, that presents the Catholic Faith in such a holistic way.

The third area that I would like to recommend is our showing of movies of faith.  The first movie will be “For Greater Glory.”  This feature film illustrates the historical struggle of religious freedom in Mexico via the Cristero War.  Mostly downplayed in history textbooks, the events of the movie reflect the sacrifice of some 90,000 people against the anticlerical Mexican government of the time.  Pope John Paul II canonized over two dozen saints and martyrs of the cause.  More recently, Pope Benedict XVI beatified  José Luis Sanchez de Rio who is characterized in the movie.  Make sure to see the bulletin for details on dates and showings.  Make sure, also, that you recognize the language in which the movie will be shown, for there will be English and Spanish showings of the movie.  Also keep in mind that this movie is geared for adults.  Any children or teenagers who wish to be present must be accompanied by their parent/guardian or express permission must be given by such guardian for the minor to be present.  Other future movies may not have such a caution attached to them, and will be more oriented towards younger people.  Ultimately, our hope is that families will be able to attend as a group.  As it turns out, many of our teenagers have already seen the movie, and the story of Blessed Luis Sanchez de Rio has also been discussed at youth nights.  As such, our teens desire to help promote this movie.  So, do not be surprised to see some of our teens wearing black T-shirts with an image of child Blessed José and the acclamation, “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” which means “Long live Christ the King!”  They will be selling them as a fundraiser for youth activities.  If you have any suggestions regarding possible movies to show, please talk to Jessica Bubien, our Pastoral Associate.

May this Year of Faith encourage you to seek out opportunities to grow in your faith.  May it help you to proclaim the Gospel with your life.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Stewardship & Evangelization

Dear Parishioners,

Today we all make our commitments of Stewardship (Time, Talent, Treasure, and Tradition) during Mass. Thank you for your generosity to the community of St. Anne's.  I hope the brochure that was sent to you was helpful in your discernment process.  Next week, we will repeat this process, but in an abbreviated form for those who were gone this weekend or were not yet ready to make a commitment this weekend.

I have noticed an amazing outpouring of parishioners getting involved in many aspects of the parish which warms my heart.  The time and talent that people have given over the years has been truly inspirational.  I sure love being your pastor and hope that I will be able to grow even more with you in the years to come.  

In my homily last week, I felt that I didn't explain as much as I had hoped regarding our sharing of our Traditions. The homily was long enough, eh?  So, if I could encourage you to ponder on this, please consider sharing the greatest tradition we have been given: our Mass!  Maybe you know someone who is Catholic and has been away for a while.  A recent study done by the Pew Research Center (pewforum.org) has shown a decrease in people who affiliate with church (-5% in Protestant Churches and -1% in Catholic Churches) and and large (+4.3%) increase to make up 20% of our population of people who believe in God, but not in any religion.  These are called "unaffiliated."  I wonder how many of these "unaffiliated" were Catholics at one time.  While the percentage of Catholics have seen a smaller down-turn than other traditions since 2007, -1% is actually a large number of people, and I'll bet you know a few yourself.  

So, we have to be aware of the issue that there are a lot of fallen away Catholics who have possibly disassociated themselves from any church connection.  This is a problem that we need to take seriously.  This year, Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed a Year of Faith where we need to concentrate on what is called a "New Evangelization."  Evangelization is something that we Catholics have a hard time with, no?  But, if we don't proclaim our faith in the public square or share our faith with the people closest to us, then we should not be too surprised to see how secular or unchurched we have become as a society.  Evangelization doesn't need to be hard.  But, it must begin with ourselves.  What do we believe and how does our life and words show it?  What example do we make in our work?  

St. Anne's, as I mentioned earlier, is an amazing community with a wealth of faith and love.  We have something great to share and proclaim.  Do not be afraid.  Seek out someone you know who has been away from Mass or church in general.  Let them know of the Good News of Jesus found here at St. Anne's.  Encourage them to connect with a Bible Study, or Welcome Home Catholics program, or simply to join you at Mass the next time you go.  It doesn't have to be difficult.  Remember that we have all been called to go out and proclaim the Good News of Jesus!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Some Liturgical Changes

Dear Parishioners,

In the past several weeks, Fr. Manuel, Jessica, and I have been pondering upon and experimenting with some ideas and ways to adjust our liturgy.  Beginning this weekend, we will be implementing two changes, one for Sunday celebrations and Holy Days of Obligation and one for daily Mass.

On Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, we decided to change the way the vessels will be purified after Communion.  Going forward, the cup ministers will return their chalices to the Credence Table while the host ministers will continue to return their bowls to the Altar.  The vessels will still be purified by the priest or deacon, but in two different locations, expediting the clearing of the Altar.  To do this, the servers are being retrained to make sure that the Credence Table is mostly free of other items used earlier in the Mass such as the lavabo (the bowl for the priest to wash his hands) and other items used in preparation for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.  Also, the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are being trained to follow this new process.  This will also allow the sacristans to clean or prepare the vessels for the next Mass if they wish.  The clearing of the Altar is not a separate Rite in the Mass but a procedure in a transitional phase from the Communion Rite to the Concluding Rite.  However, due to the number of vessels, this procedure has been taking so much time so as to appear as a formal rite in and of itself.  This change will clarify and simplify this part of the Mass.  The General Instructions to the Roman Missal directs that the purification of the vessels can be done at their location. (GIRM 163).

On weekdays, we have decided to emphasize a greater unity with the Universal Church and increase awareness of the principle of Progressive Solemnity.  This term, Progressive Solemnity, is the principle where by the Mass ebbs and flows according to the state or “level” of celebration in the Mass.  When Mass is being offered on a day in Ordinary Time and there is no saint of whom we memorialize nor is there any feast or solemnity, the Mass should take on a very basic form.  This kind of day is called a “ferial celebration” or “ferial day”  The term comes from the Latin, feria, meaning “free day.”  On these weekday Masses, we will forego singing at the beginning and end of Mass and, instead, replace the entrance song with the universal antiphon which the Church is expressing all through the globe.  This is called the Entrance Antiphon.  The procession of the priest leaving the Sanctuary will be done in silence.  This small change will let us experience the change of a seasons via memorials, feasts, or solemnities in contrast to those days where none of these are prescribed.  So on ferial days, the Mass will be much simpler.  When a saint is to be memorialized, singing at the entrance and recessional of the Mass will return.  On feast days, as the Church prescribes, the Gloria will be said or sung.  On Solemnities, the Creed will be added.  So, depending on the kind of day the Mass lands, there will be more or less things happening.  We hope that this very small shift will allow our daily Mass goers to experience more the variations or the progressiveness of the sacrifice of the Mass while also bringing more harmony with the Masses offered throughout the world.

Are these important or critical changes, no.  But, I do believe that these small changes will aid us in more clarity and intelligibility of the actions, meanings, and sense of progression within the celebration of the Mass.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Called to Protect

Dear Parishioners,

As I write this bulletin letter, I am on vacation. By now you come to hear or read about the alleged sexual assault of a young boy by Fr. Angel Perez who was once stationed here at St. Anne's as a seminarian. The news is most certainly disturbing. Yet, I would caution us all to resist judgement upon any person in this situation since we have little information and the reports that have been circulating are untrustworthy. So what should be our response? How are we to react?

First, I must share that I personally struggle with mixed feelings of anger, sadness, mistrust, a desire for the truth to be made clear, and healing. It cannot be understated that our children are precious and must be protected. It, once again, convinces me that we must be ever vigilant to create and maintain systems that create a safe environment for our young ones even if they are inconvenient. Sometimes, I have received flack from our own parishioners about being paranoid or creating hoops to jump through when it comes to volunteers' background checks and safety training. I can assure you, we do our best to keep our children safe, and have, on occasions, not allowed some people to volunteer with our children to the anger of said potential volunteers. But, in light of these events, I hope people will understand why we are so stringent in this regard. We simply cannot risk the safety of our children in favor of the desire of an adult to do ministry. Ministry is a privilege while safety is a right which trumps all others. The "Called to Protect" program that the Archdiocese demands of us to implement is good and works. Problems occur when it is not followed. Whether Fr. Angel is innocent or guilty of abuse, it appears that the rules for safety were not being followed. Consequently, at multiple levels, the whole Catholic community, ours included, has been hurt.

I know Fr. Angel and consider him a friend. So, I write this letter in a state of shock and sadness. I am very aware of humanity's propensity to sin. I pray that the allegations are false or mistaken. Without knowing the real facts of the events, we need still pray for justice and healing. If you have access to the Internet, I would encourage you to read Fr. Mike's blog with whom I share his feelings: http://shepherdcatholic.com/?page_id=74

Finally, we must continue to commit ourselves to the safety of our children. Please pray for the boy and his family who must be going through a most difficult time, for Fr. Angel and the turmoil in which he now lives, for us priests who live with the collective accusatory stares that come upon us, and for all of us Catholics who have been shaken by these events.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Jesus, Fill Our Hearts

Dear Parishioners,

It's great to be back from vacation.  Apparently, Fr.  Manuel invited you to come visit me, but I must have somehow missed you since I saw no parishioners the whole time.  Darn!  We could have had so much fun. Even though you didn't join me, I can report that I had a great time doing what I love the most: camping.  I began by spending a couple days as Crane Prairie Reservoir, followed by five days at Beverly Beach just North of Newport, and then returned to Central Oregon for a couple days at Hosmer Lake (a kayaker's paradise).  In all, I am so appreciative of God's amazing creation here in Oregon.  

While I was gone, I prayed for our parish and missions and thanked Him for all the amazing things happening at our communities. Specifically at St. Anne's, I was so appreciative of all those inspired to give of their time and talent to make Vacation Bible School the great success it was. Specifically, I want to thank Nancy Trahern and her army of volunteers.  Thank you!  You inspired me.  While I was gone, Natalie Scott took a band of adults and teens to Steubenville NW at Gonzaga University.  While away, she texted me with reports of the amazing things God was doing.  One word: Wow!  If you are fortunate enough to attend the right Mass where a teen was able to offer their testimony this weekend, you will know exactly what I'm talking about.  Thank you to all who made this event a possibility for our teens!

Two weeks ago, after a very involved process, we selected out new Pastoral Associate, however we are running into many road blocks with the process of immigration since she is a native of Canada.  I've never been personally involved with these processes nor are all of the steps well spelled out. What we were hoping would take a couple weeks is now, as I write this, looking to take much longer.  So, I ask you to please pray that God will clear the path so we can move forward.  When such clarity and finality is made, I will make every effort to introduce her to you.  In the meantime, please pray!

Finally, I want to proclaim that God is moving and the Spirit is inspiring many people.  I hope you can see and join in this movement wherever you see it.  A renewal of people seeking out His heart is evidenced by a stunningly large number of people who attended our last RCIA Inquiry gathering.  It can't be explained by anything other than God's work.  

Come Lord Jesus!  Fill our hearts and make us new according to your plan.  Heal our wounds and lift us up to be people of joy.  May all our thoughts and and actions be submissive to your will.  May we give you all the glory! 

Thank you all for responding to the Spirit.  Let us be afire with the love of God!


Blessings,


Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Welcome Fr. Manuel Campos

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we officially welcome our new parochial vicar, Rev. Fr. José Manuel Campos Garcia (or Fr. Manuel or short), who was recently ordained with nine other men by Archbishop Vlazny. I encourage you to invite him to your homes and share your lives with him.  In his time with us, he will be learning about the day-to-day workings of parish life.  He will become more comfortable in his celebration of the Sacraments.  He will learn from your generous love about how great the life of a priest truly is.  And for this I want to thank you all ahead of time for such love.  It is important to support our priests, especially those who are newly ordained.

As per all our previous parochial vicars, Fr. Manuel will take the latter part of Thursday and all of Friday as his personal time off.  During the week, Fr. José and I will trade off being on call for emergencies as they arise.  He will be staying in the same apartment as Fr. Dominic, but hopefully will be transferred to a difference residence once we are able to secure the needed loan and purchase a place that we do not have to rent.

Fr. Manuel hails from the state of Michoacan in Mexico which means that he is fluent in Spanish.  I can testify, and you will soon learn for yourself, that he is also very fluent and clear in English.  Being Mexican, I am sure that many of our Hispanic parishioners will be encourage by his example of faith and ability to minister to them in their native language.  However, he is not coming just for our Hispanic community, but for all our community.  I believe you will find him to be kind and welcoming to everyone.  He is a very kind-hearted man.  

It will take some time for him to get adjusted to the Grants Pass area, but your openness to helping him in this transition will be very important.  Thank you for your love and let us welcome aboard, Fr. Manuel with our typical St. Anne’s enthusiasm.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Golf Tourney Success!

Dear Parishioners,

Last week, our parish held our first annual golf tournament friend-raiser. Yes, it was also a fundraiser, but first it was our chance to come together as fellow parishioners and strengthen our bonds of friendship. The weather was great and we had some 40 participants including Bishop Kenneth Steiner. He was on my team which I thought would be a guaranteed win. Well, our team shot –10 par ...an experience of golf of which I have never experienced personally. But, another team shot –12 par and took the prize for first place. Wow!! I just counted myself fortunate for only losing a net of two golf balls during the entire 18 holes of the game. Talk about miracles. We played best ball or scramble rules where each series of shots takes place from the best previous ball placement. That meant that I did a lot of cheering, but rarely was my shot good enough. No matter, because we all had a fantastic time, and that was the first and foremost reason for the tournament.

I would like to offer my thanks to Joe Flaim who was the lead coordinator of the tourney and not only organized things, but also found sponsors. Also, I want to express my thanks to John Williams for his help in coordinating with Dutcher Creek Golf Course and Kathy Zahniser for handling all the registrations at the office and miscellaneous transactions when we arrived at the golf course. If you think you could be of assistance in this endeavor for next year, contact Kathy at the office or Joe personally. While it wasn’t a labor intensive project, it still involved a fair amount of work for just a few people. Remember, many hands make light work. So, consider being a part of next year’s golf tournament planning team.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

New Adoration Tabernacle Coming

Dear Parishioners,

As of this writing, the structure of the tabernacle for our Adoration Chapel has been completed by Dick Zahniser, and the final touches are being put on the icons which were the labor and prayer of Pati Sorge.  Once the tabernacle is ready (which may be the case by the time this go to press), we will install it immediately.

Why have we built a tabernacle for the Adoration Chapel you might ask?  Well, it is very simple.  Sometimes, people on the schedule for adoration are late and even sometimes miss their slot, leaving the person assigned for the hour prior to them in a dilemma.  Should they stay or go?  Often people have stayed an extra hour and even sometime two extra hours.  Also when there is a need for a substitute and one cannot be found, Rex Titus has personally taken their spot, a saintly thing to do, but something that nobody should ever have to do.  So, with the installation of the tabernacle a person can simply close the doors at the end of their hour of adoration and leave if the next person didn’t show up.  Once the next person arrives, they simply approach the tabernacle and open the doors.  Of course the recommended gesture prior to approaching the tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament is that of a simple genuflection.  

With this new tabernacle installed, a whole lot of stress will be taken off Rex and his successor in the process of keeping the chapel open 24-7 for our community.  Please keep your eyes peeled to the bulletin for more information about the tabernacle’s icons and their meaning and purpose.  Thank you Pati for your iconographic skills and Dick Zahnizer for the construction of the tabernacle.  It has been a long process, but one that has been a labor and prayer of love.  Thank you!


Blessings,


Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Changes & More Changes

Dear Parishioners,

Things just keep changing.  Remember I said that this is a time of change?  Well, as it turns out, Deacon Rodel de Mesa’s assignment has changed.  As of this writing, he will be going to Holy Trinity Parish in Bandon as their new pastor.  Fr. Dominic is still on for St. Michael’s in Sandy.  For us here, we are supposed to receive José Manuel Campos-Garcia.  He is fluent in Spanish and English.  He is a native of Mexico, entered seminary in Mexico City in 2003. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 2007. He just completed his studies at Mount Angel Seminary and his training has included a pastoral year St. Alexander Parish in Cornelius.  He is scheduled to arrive on July 2nd, God willing!

On July 1st between the Sunday Masses, we are going to have a congratulations and goodbye party for Fr. Dominic.  In that same party, we will also offer our thanks to Fr. Fister who will be officially retiring.  Going forward, we will still see Fr. Fister and he plans to help us out once a week as he is able.  Please continue to keep them both in your prayers.


In addition to a new parochial vicar, I recently created a new position in our pastoral staff, that of Pastoral Associate. This will be a full time position and potential applicants can get more informatiaon by clicking this link here.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Dear Parishioners,

It is a time of change, something that many find sad or stressful, and for good reason. Yet, it is a time when doors close so that others may open.

Last week, I received word that Fr. Dominic will be reassigned to St. Michael's parish in Sandy along with it’s two missions. We have all come to love Fr. Dominic and the gifts that he has brought to our parish and are sad for his leaving. I am sure he will do a fantastic job, though I will worry about the amount of snow that Sandy receives and Fr. Dominic’s safety therein. Yet, I trust he’ll learn how to put on and drive with chains.

Also last week, I learned that we will be receiving Rodel de Mesa who will replace Fr. Dominic. On June 9th, Deacon Rodel will be ordained to the priesthood and will begin serving here on July 2. When I asked the Archbishop about Rodel, he immediately began to rave about the fantastic qualities he possesses. I look forward to his presence in our parish communities. Congratulations, Rodel!

With sadness, we offer our well wishes to Terry Knouff as she ends her tenure as our Coordinator of Faith Formation (CFF). She has been here at St. Anne’s organizing VBS, RCIA, and many other adult education events for many years. I wish her the best and encourage you to offer her your thanks for her selfless giving over these past years. With her departure, we will be looking for a new CFF as soon as possible. (See the ad in another section of this bulletin).

Finally, we say goodbye to Curt Healey. With almost 40 years of volunteer work as the former leader of music ministry in the past and as the current leader of the 11AM Music Group, Curt has decided to step down and pursue other ventures. His musical flair will be sorely missed.

Again, this is a season of many changes. But, I believe deeply that God has things in store that we know not, and that reality gives me reason to hope for the future. Please, when you see any of these people, make sure to let them know of your appreciation of their time and talent they have given to our faith communities and wish them well.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

There’s a Time to Read - 1 Hesitations 3:16

Dear Parishioners,

Last week I was taking some time off for a vacation. While relaxing, I had the opportunity to do some reading. I read two good books that I recommend: “Sinner: The Catholic Guy’s Funny, Feeble Attempt to Be a Faithful Catholic” by Lino Rulli and “Catholics Next Door: Adventures in Imperfect Living” by Greg and Jennifer Willits. I found both fun, educational, and inspiring.

Lino has a way of being brutally honest about his imperfections and sinful nature, thus the title. This is not a book of piety, but of refreshingly honest personal introspection. It is another version of Augustine’s Confessions, but done in a much easier and conversational way of writing. Lino, however, is no St. Augustine. He readily admits that. He knows he is still work in progress. This book is intended for the young adult. It is relatively short; I read it in one evening.

Greg and Jennifer’s book is also very contemporary, funny, and also very revealing of their successes failings as parents. While they recommend it for all, I think it is best suited for parents or parents-to-be. It is not a how-to book, but an back and forth dialogue about a Catholic couple who struggle to live their lives as Catholic parents. Their book is full of anecdotes, confessions of failed attempts as a couple and parents, heart-warming testimonies of the faith, and creative ways to live out one’s Catholic faith in a culture set against being a Catholic family. At times they lifted up my hope and other times I found myself praying for Greg and Jennifer and their family. The truth is that being a Catholic family is hard. Greg and Jennifer are honest with the successes and failures. I know them a bit from our shared podcasting expereiences and can attest that they are not faking their way through this book.

If you are looking for additional Catholic reading that is funny yet strives for faithfulness, I recommend these books. Of course, I hope you are reading Matthew Kelly’s “Rediscovering Catholicism” which, through generous donations, have been made available for free the last two weeks after Mass.

By the way, if you were wondering why you couldn’t find the book of Hesitations referenced in the title of this article, it’s because you need to read another important book more... your Bible... there is no book of Hesitations! Enjoy!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Christ is Risen!

Dear Friends,

Happy Easter! I hope you and your family are together enjoying a wonderful day celebrating our Lord’s resurrection. As Catholic Christians, Easter is actually a season. Even more so, Easter is our point of reference for our entire life, for we believe that since Jesus died and rose again, we too, can overcome our deaths in our life and ultimately rise with him. Christ’s resurrection has opened the gates of heaven for those who believe.

Easter is also a time when we recognize that we can be forgiven for our sins. It is a time when we also recognize that we have sinned against other people and need to seek out forgiveness. As a church, we wish to express our heartfelt sorrow for any wrongdoing we may have done. As the pastor, I too, wish to ask for forgiveness if I have hurt you in any way. The Catholic Church is your home. It is here that you should be able to find healing through Christ.

If you’ve been away for some time, please consider returning back home to your family of faith. Each year at this time, we begin a process called “Welcome Home Catholics.” It’s a process, whereby people who have been away for awhile are reintroduced to the church, her sacraments, and most especially, can have answered any questions they have without criticism or judgment. We simply want to welcome you home for Easter.

So, may the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ bring you deep and everlasting joy!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Conscience Protection Still At Risk

Dear Parishioners,

Last week, a change was made by the Obama administration that would not require religious-based organizations to directly pay for sterilization and contraceptives, including abortion-inducing drugs, and instead push that responsibility to their insurance carriers. Please do not be confused by this obfuscation. This shift does not change the moral and legal issues for which the Church objects.

Many dioceses self-insure themselves, thereby still requiring them to offer these so-called services. Secondly, if a religious organization isn’t self-insured, but contracts out through insurance companies, like the Archdiocese of Portland, we will still be in violation of our conscience for contracting with a carrier who is being required to offer immoral procedures that the Church cannot have direct or indirect involvement. Furthermore, there is no protection for exceptions for religious and secular for-profit employers, secular non-profit employers, for religious insurers, and for individuals.

Do not let the argument of cost misdirect you either. More important than cost is that of morality, conscience, ethics, and a reinterpretation of the Constitution. This mandate and its supposed “compromise,” does not remove any of these objections. All people of faith should be challenging the attempt to impose a belief system of a secular power over the rights of religious freedom by groups who have moral objections to such requirements. Broader than the violation of an individual’s conscience is the seeming violation of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. If this mandate by the Federal Dept. of Health and Human Services is allowed to stand, then a serious crack will have occurred in the foundation of the Constitution, thereby opening the dam for other mandates that will be required of citizens whose religious beliefs and consciences will be violated.

Don’t get sidetracked. The current administration is trying to redefine who is entitled to a religious exception unprecedented in the history of our country. Prior to this issue, the Obama administration has been trying to speak of “freedom of worship” rather than “religious liberty.” This slight-of-hand wording speaks only of our freedom to gather in our Churches, but does not secure our freedom to practice it in our world. Indeed, this mandate by the HHS is a direct result of this thinking.

The current administration has little concept of how the Catholic Church works. It is an essential part of our faith to be feeding the poor, clothing the naked, and lifting up the needy. Yet, it seems that even the Catholics involved in legislating and supporting this mandate and it’s recent change are ignorant of our fundamental belief to live out these Gospel values. It has even effected our ability to form the consciences of our service men and women when the Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Military Archdiocese was not allowed to have his own letter, challenging this ruling, read at military pulpits without changing the wording for fear of civil disobedience. Again, where is the right to religious liberty for even such a high ranking Church member? An unjust law must not go unchallenged.

Now, you may be saying that the Church should stay out of politics. That’s great in one sense: You will have more pleasant conversations with your friends. However, it is our responsibility to proclaim the Gospel, which means that we are to not only have a personal relationship with Jesus, but also transform the world in light of the Good News. Remember that faith without works is dead (James 2:20, 26). The Good News is not always convenient or easy to proclaim. But we must do it. The early Church was persecuted and many times martyred for their commitment to the Faith. Remember also, Jesus stood against the corruption of the powers of his time. We too must do nothing less for the salvation and love of all people of conscience.

Finally, as your pastor, I ask that you to write your elected officials and share your concerns. A phone call or actual written letter mailed is the most effective. Here is a quick link to that information: usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml. Also, spend this coming Lent in special prayer and fasting so that wisdom and justice may prevail.

Sincerely,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Numerous Blessings

This new year will be one to remember! This past week we had the honor of hosting John Michael Talbot in three days of mission to deepen our faith. Thank you to Dave and Terri Currie who spear-headed the project as well as the numerous volunteers who were recruited to make sure that it was successful. I know I will never forget those days. John Michael’s music has been an inspiration to me since I was a child. What a blessing!

But, that’s not the end of the amazing opportunities. If you missed seeing John Michael Talbot, he will be back in Southern Oregon at the end of the month, specifically Sunday the 19th for a ticketed concert and Monday the 20th for a free evening of inspirational music and motivational speaking at St. Joseph in Roseburg. Tickets for the concert can be purchased by going to http://tickets.umpqua.edu or call (541) 440-7700. They will be $8 pre-purchased or $10 at the door.

But, there’s more! Coming on April 28th, world renowned Catholic author, Matthew Kelly, will be coming to Medford for a day-long conference. Tickets are available for purchase at our main office. I’d like to thank the community of Our Lady of the Mountain for sponsoring this ministry so that we may all rediscover Catholicism in our own lives. More details of this event will be forthcoming.

Finally, in order to continue your opportunities for spiritual growth, the Southern Oregon Vicariate will continue to host more ACTS retreats for men and women in the coming months. Keep your eyes peeled to the bulletin for more.

This year has started off with amazing opportunities for us all. The Spirit is moving in our midst. Take advantage of all the opportunities you can to grow in your faith.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Proclaim The Good News Of Life

This weekend, specifically this Sunday, we observe the 38th anniversary of a tragic Supreme Court decision in our country to legalize abortion. Since then, nothing has done more to polarize our country and be the cause of death for the most poor and vulnerable. Nothing has done more to dehumanize men and women and uproot the sacred trust that every child should have in their parent. More children have died in our country through abortion than the sum of all of our wars. This is an atrocity that must end.

Let us be clear, all human life is sacred. Even in the milieu in which we live, the alleged right to have an abortion is outweighed by the right for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for the unborn child. No argument of defect or quality of life for the child is effective. No argument regarding the potential tragic context of conception (ie.rape) outweighs this inalienable right for the newly created child. Our Scriptures and Sacred Tradition are clear and unambiguous. We express and promote a preferential option for the poor and strive to seek out the most vulnerable. Nobody is more poor or vulnerable than a newly conceived baby in the womb.

Until the day that this law is changed and even after that hopeful day, we as Catholics must do what we can to support women and men, who find themselves in situations wherein an abortion is something they seriously consider, to choose life for their child. We need to support all agencies and churches who seek out to help those whose lives have been damaged by abortion in one way or another. We need to teach and support our teens as well as engaged couples about the grace and joy of natural family planning as well as the heroic decisions surrounding adoption. It is not enough to simply say no to abortion. We need to be people who lift up and change our culture to create support structures that will imbue the value of every human life from natural conception to natural death.

Our world is graced with so many amazing people who have changed our world due to the choice of adoption rather than abortion. One popular example is that of the Denver Broncos quarterback, Tim Tebow. Within our own community are amazing people who are with us because of the choice for life. I can even testify that I have met people who are the result of miracles, for they survived either being aborted or the attempt to be aborted. Each one of these persons have gone to do great things for the Church and humanity as a whole. In their presence, I am speechless yet grateful to God for their presence in our midst. Who knows who has not been allowed to change our world because they never got the chance? But, even then, the argument of human accomplishment as the value of embryonic or adult human life is not as strong as the value that every human life is given no matter what their situation or condition because they are a creation of God.

This Sunday (Jan 22, 2012), we have the opportunity, as we do every year, to let our feet do our talking. Join our fellow Christians and people of good will who want to end abortion in our country. Join us at 1PM for the annual March for Life, which begins in front of the Court House here in Grants Pass. Pray for an end to abortion. Pray that our country will turn back to God and recognize the preciousness of life in every person. And until that day comes, let us continue in hope loving each other and proclaiming the Good News of Life.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor