Questions About The Eucharist. Part V

Dear Parishioners,

Here is the final edition of Q & A’s related to the Eucharist.  If you didn’t catch the previous ones, check out my previous blog entries.

Question: “When we receive only the host, should I bow when I pass the minister with the chalice?”

Answer: No. One should make a simple bow of the head when receiving the host or from the chalice. But, there is no such rubric stating that one should bow when passing the chalice minister if not receiving from the chalice. I don’t know where this custom has come from, but I cannot not recommend adding or subtracting from the guidelines, also called the General Instructions of the Roman Missal (GIRM).  Doing so inserts one’s own personal piety in a liturgical moment for the community. Imagine someone stopping and bowing while someone collides with that person. In one sense, the person who collided with the bowing person might be considered rude, yet the person bowing is not following the rubrics of the Church and, instead, is adding an uncalled for gesture not found in the rubrics. This question opens up a larger issue about following the rubrics of the Mass and that of the local bishop. Some people desire to kneel or genuflect when receiving the Eucharist and others desire to kneel during the Lamb of God. The liturgical rubrics and our bishop are clear when and how we are to bow and kneel, and those moments are not among them. All that being said, it is important to be aware of one’s surroundings at Mass in case someone genuflects or stops and bows unexpectedly and you collide or fall over them. People who kneel or genuflect when receiving the Eucharist should not be refused… that has happened and the GIRM expressly calls ministers not to refuse people for this reason. For those who kneel during the Lamb of God, I simply ask them to obey the current liturgical law of the bishop and remain standing. Imagine if I decided to make up liturgical gestures because of my personal piety. People would have a reasonable gripe to challenge me about it. I make an effort to speak to my parochial vicars about this when they first arrive at our parish. I also spend time every year to review the GIRM, for I am prone to form a habit or forget something and reviewing the GIRM keeps me fresh and obedient.  Archbishop Sample recently made it clear to all of us priest that he just wants us to be faithful to the Roman Missal and the GIRM contained therein. In addition, Archbishop Sample will be reflecting more on the gesture at the Lamb of God, and until such time he decides to change the gesture, it is still the determination of the bishop for the people to stand at that time (http://www.archdpdx.org/liturgy/documents/girm-local-complete.pdf). If ever there is a liturgical rubric change, rest assured that I will make it known to everyone.

Question: “I heard that we will no longer be offering the chalice to the elderly?  Is this true?”

Answer: No. This is a misunderstanding of the information that was given to our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion during their latest refresher training. What we will be doing is no longer transporting the chalice to the back of the church for someone who is unable to walk in the communion line. The reason is simple: spillage. We will continue to offer the host to those in the back, for there is little issue therein. I am calling upon those who are lacking mobility and wish to receive both species to sit in the front pews and let the ushers know of their desire to receive the Eucharist. At the Rite of Communion, the mobility-challenged parishioners, a host minister and, if possible, a chalice minister will be directed to such persons to receive the Eucharist. This is not a grand change other than not allowing the chalice to be traveling around the church. This is simply a decision of prudential judgement on my part. We will continue to offer the chalice at Mass as long as our bishop allows it. It is a good thing to be able to receive from the chalice, though not necessary, as the host is available. At Christmas and Easter Masses, sometimes we have people in the balcony.  In those situations, I have directed an additional host minister go to them, but have not done so with the chalice.  Again, the same principle applies.

This concludes my Q & A’s regarding the Eucharist.  I truly hope that these reflections have been helpful.  If you have other questions, please email me or bring your question to the office and I will do my best to answer it either personally or here in the bulletin.


Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Questions About The Eucharist. Part IV

Dear Parishioners,

Here is round four of Q & A’s related to the Eucharist.  If you didn’t catch the previous ones, check out my previous blog entries. This week, there is only one question since the answer is more involved.

Question: “When did the laity first start receiving from the chalice?”

Answer: Here’s a brief history.  The Liturgy in its earliest form always had both species offered to those present up to the late 11th and early 12th centuries. Due to practical and prudential judgement in view of cost, logistics, availability, the age of recipients, and especially the potential of spillage, etc. the offering of the chalice fell out of custom. Afterwards, it gradually became reserved for the priest himself since it was essential for the sacrificial nature of the Mass, though not necessary for others to receive both species since reception of either is reception of Christ’s true presence (Body and Blood). It eventually became the universal practice and even declared church law. In the Council of Trent (1570), it was explicitly forbidden to be given out to anyone other than a priest.  In 1963, the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council allowed a reintroduction of the Precious Blood to the faithful (see the document, Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 55), and in 1970, the Sacred Congregation for Divine Worship allowed the bishops’ conferences to discern its use and practice. Already by that time it had been permitted for a bride and groom at a nuptial Mass or at a Mass for the reception of converts to the Faith. In 1984, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), decided to give the decision to the bishop of each diocese. So, some dioceses allowed it where others did not. Here in the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, it has been allowed and is offered at most parishes. Be mindful, however, that in churches or dioceses where the chalice is not being offered, it is not a violation of anyone’s rights, faith practice, or even of what Christ instituted at the Last Supper since we do receive Him in each individual species. You might remember a few years back when our Archbishop asked us not to offer the chalice due to the outbreak of the H1N1 virus.  The may be times when such a health situation, again, may warrant such a decision.  In developing countries, offering the chalice is impossible due to sheer cost. We can afford offering the Precious Blood, therefore we do. It has been profitable for our faith, and we are grateful for its allowance. For some, as already described in last week’s Q & A, who struggle with alcoholism, they may very well refrain from receiving from the chalice, yet still receive Christ’s true presence in the host.

Hope this helps.  Next week’s question: “When we receive only the host, should I bow when I pass the minister with the chalice?”  Do you think you could answer this one?  Return next week and find out.


Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Questions About The Eucharist. Part III

Dear Parishioners,

Here is round three of questions related to the Eucharist.  If you didn’t catch the previous ones, go to previous blog entries. This week, there is only one question since the answer is more involved.

Question: “If the priest is alcoholic or has Celiac’s disease, how can he offer the Mass? What about parishioners?”

Answer:  If a priest suffers from either of these issue, it is a real issue whether he can offer the Mass since it is required of him to partake of the host and chalice for the sacrifice to be complete.  To be clear, one solution is not to simply use grape juice instead of wine.  The chalice of Christ was truly wine, fermented fruit of the vine of grapes.  So, in order to maintain this reality while also minimizing the effects of alcohol on the priest, something called “mustum” is used.  Mustum is a special grape juice, the result of the crushing grapes allowed to begin fermentation, but then quickly frozen so as to retain some alcohol content, but a very small amount.  So, mustum is not common table wine nor grape juice.  Mustum is something in-between. Grape juice, as we know it, is pasteurized which evaporates any natural fermentation that was present.  That is why we can buy juice at the store and it can last so long before it begins to turn to wine or vinegar.  To be clear, non-alcoholic grape juice was not used during the time of Jesus and therefore not used at the Last Supper.  Wine, fermented grape juice, was used by Jesus, and so we do the same.  Mustum is fermented, albeit only slightly.  I have never heard of mustum being offered to the congregation due to the complexity and pragmatics of such an approach.

In regards to Celiac’s disease, the species of the host always maintains its “wheat-ness,” that is its appearance and qualities of wheat.  This is true even after consecration.  What changes due to consecration is the substance, the what-it-is-ness.  How’s that for a strange new word? This is true about the species of the Precious Blood.  It maintains all the physical qualities of grape wine.  But, due to consecration, both are changed into something substantially, truly, essentially different… the Body and Blood of Christ.  Back to Celiac’s disease.  An estimated 1% of the population has Celiac’s disease.  While that may not seem like a lot of people, think of it as 1 in every 133 people. That means there is at least one or two people at every Mass that struggle with this disease.  Celiac’s disease is a “genetic autoimmune disease that damages the villi of the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food” (celiaccentral.org). That means foods with gluten are a no-no.  Unfortunately, wheat has gluten in it, and is considered constitutive and essential for wheat to be wheat, and bread from wheat is necessary for the host to be valid matter.  Some have proposed the use of non-gluten hosts, but then these are not considered truly made of wheat, therefore invalid matter for consecration.  So what is a priest, and for that matter anyone, to do who has Celiac’s disease? Depending on the priest or person’s physical reaction to the gluten in a host, they can still choose the host regularly offered at Mass and know the consequences of such, or use/receive a low-gluten host.  A low-gluten host is valid matter for consecration, though the pragmatics of its use are very difficult to pull off.  For example, depending on the person, there can be no contamination of the other hosts with a low-gluten host.  For the priest, that would be difficult to do since he has to handle the bulk of hosts during the Mass.  I have pondered on all of the ways to make this happen considering all the complexities of our church, the variety of priests, and its praxis.  I have concluded simply to ask those who struggle with Celiac’s disease to make a personal choice to either receive a regular host or receive only from the chalice. Remember, there is no harm in receiving from one species, for Christ is truly present in either species. This is a very sensitive situation which needs to be dealt with in the most pastoral way.  Different churches will decided differently on how to work with this disease and the pragmatics of their solutions.

Whew!  That was a long response!  Next week’s question: “When did the laity first start receiving from the chalice?”  Do you think you could answer this one?  Return next week and find out.


Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Questions About The Eucharist. Part II

Dear Parishioners,

Here is the second round of of questions related to the Eucharist.  If you didn’t catch the previous ones, go to my previous blog entry.

Question: “Is it okay to just receive the Eucharist in the host or chalice?”

Answer:  Yes.  The Church has always believed that at Mass, the bread and wine become the very presence of Christ’s Body and Blood.  Furthermore, they don’t change afterwards, but remain so.  That is why we have a Tabernacle where we place the remaining hosts and carefully make sure the contents of all chalices are consumed before Mass concludes. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that Christ’s true presences "endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist" (no. 1377).  “Species?”  What is that you might ask?  The term for the two appearances of the Eucharist are each called, “species.”  At Mass, we bring forward bread and wine.  These two are consecrated by the priest and are then considered the “species” of the Eucharist. It is good and permitted to receive both species at Mass, though sometimes it is best not healthy to receive both species depending on one’s situation.  If you are sick, I ask that you receive the host only and in the hand.  Reception on the tongue, while noble and reverent, also introduces the high probability of communicating a virus from toungue-to-hand-to-toungue. In addition, I would recommend not receiving from the chalice.  This is simply in view of prudential judgement and the reduction of scandal for those who are concerned about their health especially during the cold season.  Have you ever noticed that all our Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion sanitize their hands before coming forward for their ministry during the Rite of Communion?  Yes, we are all trying to be good about the reality of communicable diseases and the health of our parishioners, most especially the elderly.

Question: “Is Christ’s body only present in the host and his blood only in the chalice?”

Answer: No. We believe that Christ’s true presence, his Body and Blood, are present in both species.  That means a person can receive either species and know that they have received the fullness of the sacramental presence of Jesus Christ.  Sometimes a person is alcoholic and will not receive from the chalice, but instead receive only the host.  Sometimes a person suffers from Celiac’s disease (is allergic to the gluten in wheat) and will not receive the host, but instead receive from the chalice. This has always been our belief, but it was more formally define in the Council of Trent and reiterated in our current catechism (Council of Trent, Session XIII, Canon III as quoted last week, Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1377).  Another way of viewing this is that Christ’s essence or glorified humanity cannot be divided, but is always one, though found in varied presences.  For example, Christ’s humanity and divinity are two natures, but indivisible in what the Church has described as a “hypostatic union.” That term can be reflected another time. Be assured, though, that Christ’s body, blood, soul, and dignity are found in each of the species of the Eucharist.

Again, I hope this helps.  Next week’s question: “If the priest is alcoholic or has Celiac’s disease, how can he offer the Mass?”  Do you think you could answer this one?  Return next week and find out.


Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Questions About The Eucharist, Part I

Dear Parishioners,

I have an interesting series of questions that are important to understand and will help us at Mass and the Eucharist specifically.  To keep these Q & A’s short and understandable, I will break them up into several weeks.  Here’s the first two:

Question: “Is the Eucharist only a symbol of Christ’s presence?”

Answer: No.  All sacraments are symbols, but not only so.  The word, “sacrament,” comes from the Latin, “sacramentum” which comes from the Greek, “mysterion.”  Sacraments are outward signs, instituted by Christ, to give grace.  How’s that for a Baltimore Catechism response, eh?  But, sacraments, while symbolic, are different in that they point to themselves.  In other words, they do what they symbolize. The baptismal water symbolizes washing, and does truly wash the recipient of their original sin.  The Eucharist symbolizes food and truly feeds us with the presence of Christ.  So, it is not technically accurate to say that the Eucharist is only a symbol.  Rather it is more accurate to say it is symbolic and also, more importantly, substantial in that it contains or holds present that what it signs, that is Christ’s true presence.  Christ is present in the Eucharist not just symbolically, but truly and substantially.  Whew!  I hope that wasn’t too geeky of an explanation.

Question: “Is it required to have both bread and wine present for the sacrifice of the Mass?”

Answer: Yes.  The sacrifice at Mass requires both species to be present for consecration for Mass to be valid. It is essential to the completion of the sacrifice for both species to be consecrated.  Remember Jesus command his Apostles to “do this in memory of me” (Luke 22:19).  The “this” is the consecration of the bread and wine which would become Christ’s Body and Blood. The Council of Trent, again, responding to critics made this clear: “The Eucharistic presence of Christ begins at the moment of the consecration and endures as long as the Eucharistic species subsist. Christ is present whole and entire in each of the species and whole and entire in each of their parts, in such a way that the breaking of the bread does not divide Christ” (Session XIII, Canon III).


Hope this helps.  Next week’s question: “Is it okay to just receive the Eucharist in the host or chalice?”  Do you think you could answer this one?  Return next week and find out.


Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Pope Francis & Declarationist Nominalism

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis has concluded his whirlwind visit to our country. He spoke at a joint session of Congress, addressed the general assembly of the United Nations, helped lead a prayer service at Ground Zero, gave a speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, spoke to thousands at the World Meeting of Families, offered Mass everyday, and has greeted untold numbers of homeless, downtrodden, and various others in need.  

I believe that it is fair to say that Pope Francis’ speeches and homilies were widely received with enthusiasm.  His mere presence was the catalyst for an openness to the Holy Spirit in countless numbers of people.  He is our greatest evangelist.  His joy is infectious, and his love of Christ is clear.

The Pope was very affirming of our country’s history and particularly the saints who have risen from within our churches. He also challenged our culture and spoke plainly about the Church’s teachings on abortion, justice, immigration, poverty, the environment, the family, sexual ethics and abuse, religious liberty, and inter-faith dialogue just to name a few.  He also used some interesting terminology to quickly critique issues.  One that stood out to me was during his address to the United Nations (Read full text here).  He spoke of and condemned what he called, “Declarationist Nominalism.” I had to research this to understand what he was talking about.  So, here’s my best stab at it.

“Declarationism” is the philosophical view that by declaring some thing so, it is such. Our Declaration of Independence is probably the most widely accepted example of this.  By the creation of our Declaration of Independence, we thereby became independent of other countries. What followed was the need to back up this declaration with the blood of many Americans in order to secure this declaration. It was a revolution worth fighting for.  In time, this declaration became the template for many other countries. In a different kind of example, I can declare that I am not in pain even though I am. This kind of declaration does not reflect reality, but instead denies it.  So, declaring something to be so may or may not reflect or effect truth or reality. 

“Nominalism” is a philosophical view which rejects universal essences/terms or abstract objects and claims that only individual concepts are real. Nominalism claims that there are no independent realities apart from the names we give them. Only our verbal descriptors have value.  Another way of understanding this is the claim that universals are merely words, habits, and perceptions of particulars only. This can be contrasted to the philosophy of “realism” which recognizes universals and abstract objects. Realism holds that things exists in their own right wholly independent of our perception or naming of them.  Okay, this may sound still pretty esoteric, and it it is. But, it has serious consequences. Most profoundly, realism, a philosophy which grounds all Judeo-Christian faith, states that God is real, can be known, and that God has created universal laws, values, and order. Nominalism would counter this. Nominalism would claim that God’s law is not universal, but particular to each person. It would further counter that there is any true teleology in the universe. Nominalism would reject any sense that there is a “right order” or morality based on God’s universal law.

Putting these together, Pope Francis leveled a very serious critique of a growing philosophical trend in our world.  Declarationist Nominalism is the philosophy or belief that one can change the reality of something simply by calling it something different regardless of universals. For example, it is Declarationst Nominalism to call someone male or female by fiat instead of recognizing that genders are intimately tied with the universal of biological reality.  Another example in our culture is calling something that is not a marriage a marriage simply by declaring it so. Such a philosophy undermines the revealed truth of God as well as universal realities and substitutes one's personal desire, opinion or sentimentality. Reality and truth are what they are, and no amount of renaming can change them.  The Pope said that Declarationist Nominalism undermines truth and humanity. This insight of the Pope is mind-blowing and prophetic! I just hope I have been able to understand and explain it well.

So, with Pope Francis’ time with us, much has been done and said.  He has shown us and proclaimed to us the Gospel with joy and never wavered under the pressure of political influence.  He is not only our Pope, our Holy Father, our Roman Pontiff (term means “bridge-builder”), or our Vicar of Christ.  He showed us that he is also our brother, an American for the Americas and from the Americas. May his visit continue to resonate in our hearts the message of the Gospel while also challenging us to more fully live it out.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor 

Faith And Astronomy

Dear Parishioners,

From Aug. 11-16, hundreds of geeks and their telescopes will once again descend on Indian Trail Spring in the Ochoco National Forest. I, too, make an effort to join the crowd of stargazers to peer into the night sky until sleep comes upon me or the sun rises in the early morning. This is called the Oregon Star Party.

Why do I do this? Great Question. It is similar to why does the Church spend any time on astronomy in the first place. You might be asking, the Church is involved with astronomy? And the answer is, absolutely! In fact, the Church has two professional observatories, on in Rome and another near Tuscan, AZ. We study to heavens to understand how the heavens go. We study the sky to know more about our place in the cosmos which science is excellent at discovering. We study the heavens to understand more deeply who God is and what he has created. For me, peering through my telescope helps me to more deeply comprehend how small I am and how therefore more great is God's love for me. The following video helps greatly in understanding why the Church is involved in astronomy.

Through my telescope I have been able to see hundreds of galaxies as well as nebula, and all the planets, even the dwarf planet, Pluto. In my desire to become more involved and support the Church's efforts in this regard, I have joined the Vatican Observatory Foundation and attended a workshop for priests and educators by the VOF. I am reminded that in the Scriptures is says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament proclaims the works of his hands (Ps. 19:2).  So, astronomy gives me another avenue to praise God.

Attending the Oregon Star Party also gives me a chance to share the faith amidst a crowd, may of whom are skeptics at best. I have encountered many faith-filled people and I enjoy encouraging them in their faith and hobby of astronomy. Please say a prayer for all who come that they may recover the awe that we all once had and be lifted up in their hearts and mind as well as in their faith.

Blessings,


Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

New Pastoral Associate Hired

Dear Parishioners,

With the news of Joe Trainor's coming departure, we began the search for his successor. We are pleased to announce that Carolyn Trumble will be taking up the good work done by Joe. Carolyn's first day will be July 20th whereby her and Joe can work together, Joe can train her in the details of the work.

Carolyn has many years in pastoral ministry including her most recent work in Brazil as a Marynoll Missioner, preceded by work at St. Cecilia's in Beaverton, and extensive work in youth ministry at St. Pius X in Portland, Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Oswego, and St. John the Apostle in Oregon City. She also was the Director of Events and Evangelization at Fr. Bernard Youth Center in Mt. Angel. Clearly, she comes to us with a wealth of experience. She has a reputation as a collaborative team player and a motivator who is organized, creative, and disciplined. We are very excited to have her on board our ministry team.

She will more formally introduce herself soon after her arrival. Please join in praying for her and her new beginning with our parish community.

Joe will continue to work through this month which means that both Joe and Carolyn will be sharing an office. Please pray for Joe as he begins his new adventure. Thank you, Joe! Job well done!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Vacations & Commitments

Dear Parishioners,

This month of June marks the beginning of summer vacations. It also marks the time for me to remind us all not to take a vacation from our faith. Many of us will be traveling to some wonderful and sometimes remote places. God’s earth is a cathedral of sorts which proclaims his glory. I, too, will take my annual trip to the Oregon Star Party in August. I want to encourage you to make good plans. We’ve all forgotten something from underwear, to towels, to specific foods, to even important medications. This causes stress for what should be a time of relaxation and recreation. But, let us not forget our faith.

First, before you leave, check our website (stannegp.com) which has always had a place on the left of the page to find churches near your destination and between as well as their Mass times. Just type in the name of the city or zip code, and you will be given several options for Mass. Write down or print out that information and take it with you. Of course, if you have a smart phone, you can do this on the fly. This is where technology is awesome! As a child, a great lesson my parents taught me was that camping was optional, Mass was not. Although it was a real sacrifice to drive back into town from a remote location while camping, my parents did it. At the time, I wish they would have not taken out my Sunday play time on the beach, lake, forest, etc. But, it did instill in me the importance and sacredness of our faith and, in particular, the Mass. I am very grateful today for their example. As a young adult and now adult, I found that going to Mass in a foreign place brought me home no matter where I was. The Mass was, essentially, the same everywhere I went. It brought me peace and a sense of groundedness amidst the strange and unfamiliar sites of my vacations.

Another way not to forget one’s faith while on vacation is to continue one's financial commitment to the home parish. Every parish experiences serious financial dips during the summer due to people not making their offering, because of vacations. Yet, we all have to pay our bills. Some of our bills are lower and others are higher simply due to the season.

must, of course, continue to pay our employees who minister all year around. There are several ways to be faithful to one’s commitment. I’ll list them from less ideal to the most ideal way.

• Make up what wasn’t offered upon return from vacation.
• Offer one’s giving prior to leaving which includes the time away.
• Set up an automatic electronic payment system using what is called Automatic Clearing House (ACH). This, by the way, is the most secure way to give to the church.
• The ACH method is very flexible, timely, and secure.

All we need is a voided check and your signature for permission to make the funds transfer. Using ACH is very secure, for it does not create a check which could be intercepted in the mail or somehow mishandled in a myriad of ways, but rather makes a direct exchange from one bank to another bank. Any parishioner can determine if they want their offering to happen on a weekly or monthly basis. One can change their giving amount and or cancel the process at any time with a simple phone call to our business manager, Stephen Voehl. I use this method, and it gives me satisfaction and peace to know that I am giving what I promised and it happens automatically, especially when I am on vacation.

So, please enjoy your vacations! We all need to take a break and to rest. It is part of living out God’s commandments to rest. Within that rest, we are to keep our lives focused on God. So, please do not miss Mass. As much as is possible, arrange your vacations to seek out the beauty and uniqueness of other Catholic parishes. They will inspire you either in what those communities do or in what we do. Either way it is a win- win. Regarding keeping your financial commitment, seek out Stephen Voehl or me for more information about ACH. 
Finally, may God be with you on your travels. May he guard and guide you with his angels. May your summer vacations be full of life, love, and adventure!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Change Time

Dear Parishioners

In my last posting, I welcomed aboard Ms. Colleen Kotrba as our new grade school principal. She will be taking over the ship that has been faithfully steered by Ms. Frankie Bytheway. Well, at this time of the year, there are many changes that occur and in the area of personnel, this continues.

This week, we welcomed on board, Debbie Todor, who will be taking over for Kathy Zahniser who is retiring. The two are both working feverishly in the office this week with Kathy training Debbie the ropes of the job. Beginning next week, Kathy will start to decrease her presence as Debbie feels more confident in the work.

I want to thank Kathy for her 8+ years of ministry as our administrative assistant in the front office. She has been our front line of ministry to all who come to our office each day. Thank you, Kathy! You will be missed. So, if you want to come by before she leaves, this week is the best time. And so as she transitions out, please join me in welcoming Debbie. She comes to us from years of experience in the personnel department of Josephine County. We feel that her skills are very well suited for the work and that we are going to learn a lot from her.

This past week, Joe Trainor notified me that he would need to leave and begin a new venture for his family who live in the Philippines. He will likely stay through July which will ensure that VBS is managed well. So, I have posted our Pastoral Associate position on CatholicJobs.com and invite anyone who believes they are qualified and called to be part of our team to apply. One can do that by clicking this link.

So., yes, change is happening. It can be stressful, but good for us. It reminds me that I am not in control. Furthermore, God's plans are beyond any of ours. So, please set to prayer all four of these fantastic people" Frankie Bytheway, Colleen Kotrba, Kathy Zahniser, Debbie Todor, and Joe Trainor. It is an honor to work with each one of them. May God bless them all!

Blessings,


Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

New Principal Selected

Dear St. Anne Parish and School Community,

It is an honor and pleasure to officially announce the selection of Mrs. Colleen Kotrba as our new principal effective July 1, 2015.  This is an important transition in the history of our school, and I am excited, confident, and  thankful that Mrs. Kotrba will be leading our precious school into the future. This decision caps a year-long process that began when Frankie Bytheway announced her intention to retire after 22 years of selfless service to our school as a teacher and two-term principal.  

When I arrived six years ago, I was immediately given the task of finding a new principal. Frankie did not even apply and was quite content teaching first grade. When it became apparent that she was the one we needed to help steer the school back on course, she was more than gracious to accept my request to take up the helm once again. I will be forever grateful for her selfless dedication to St. Anne Catholic School.

Mrs. Kotrba will be stepping up to succeed Ms. Bytheway, having already taught four years at St. Anne and several years in both private and public schools prior to coming on board with us. She originally came to St. Anne as a Title One Math teacher through Grants Pass School District #7. The following year, we invited her to work additionally with St. Anne as our teacher for language arts. The next year she was brought on even further to teach 7/8th grade social studies and create a language arts/Social Studies block. This year she has been serving as our main middle school teacher focusing on math, language arts, and social studies in addition to her continuing role as a Title One teacher through District #7. This will be her first time serving as a principal. Officially, Colleen will be spending 80% of her time as our Principal and 20% in a teaching capacity. This is a shift from Frankie’s 50-50 role as principal/teacher. I believe this will help Colleen to immerse herself in this new role as well as help us in ways that have not been possible due to previous time constraints. 

Colleen has my full support. And while her new role does not begin until July, we are immediately beginning her transition process to make her first days, weeks, and months as smooth as possible. Colleen has that rare and very important quality of a servant’s heart for children. She is full of ideas and experience that come from being a teacher, wife, and mother of four children. Colleen has a heart for Jesus and is focused on why our school exists. I am very excited about her new appointment, as I believe she will continue to build on our commitment to faith formation, scholarship, leadership, and service according to our Catholic Values which we expect of our school. 

Finally, I want to thank all those who helped in this search process, most especially the critical help of the search committee and the superintendent of the Archdiocese Department of Catholic Schools.  Please share your heart and hopes with Mrs. Kotrba while also thanking Frankie for a job well done.  This year is ending with clarity of focus and hope for the coming years for our families.  Please join me in congratulating and thanking these two wonderful women in our school for their service and dedication.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Lent and Forgiveness

Dear Parishioners,

Prayer.  Fasting.  Almsgiving.  These are called the three pillars of Lent. How are you doing with these observances?  We’re still in the middle of Lent and you can still take some time to concentrate on one of these.  In addition, this week is our chance to attend our Communal Reconciliation service.  At St. Anne's will offer it on Thursday, March 19th at 7 PM.  At St. Patrick of the Forest it will be Monday the 16th at 7 PM.  We will have many priests to assist us.  Lent is a wonderful way to set things straight, repent, and allow God’s forgiveness to penetrate our hearts.

This weekend, we hear from probably the most famous passage of Scripture denoted simply as John 3:16.  But, instead of its context being a football game, we hear it proclaimed in the midst of the assembly at Mass.  God loves all that he has created.  He loves us so much that he gave his only begotten son for our salvation.  We are challenged by the knowledge and testimony of the Scriptures that remind us that while we prefer the darkness of sin, Jesus, who is the light of the world, calls us to live in the light of his truth.  This week’s Communal Reconciliation service is a perfect way to live out this call.  Let the darkness of sin in your life be exposed to the light who is Jesus.  Then listen and experience the forgiveness that can be yours.

For God so loves you that he gave his only Son, so that you who believes in him might not perish, but have eternal life.  Now that is Good  News!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Vatican Observatory Foundation Hosts Clergy and Educators

Dear Parishioners,

Last summer, an invitation went out to the dioceses of the United States to join the Vatican Observatory Foundation for a five day workshop on faith and astronomy for priests and Catholic educators.  This was their first time offering such a workshop.  Among the 60 clergy applied, 25 were accepted, including myself.  As a amateur astronomer, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.  So in late January, I packed my bags and headed to Tucson, AZ.  That’s right, Tucson, not the Vatican.

The Vatican Observatory actually has two large observatories, one at Castel Gandolfo and the other on Mt. Graham near Tucson, AZ.  As it turns out, the mountains near Tucson have some of the best skies in the country for astronomy, thus there are many observatories near by, Kitt Peak National Observatory being the most famous.  Now, the immediate question arises, “Why does the Church have an observatory, let alone two?”  Originally, the Vatican Observatory was founded to help Pope Gregory XII reform the calendar which occurred in 1582. Since the 1930’s, the Jesuits have been given the stewardship of the two current observatory.  The goal of the Vatican Observatory is simply to do great astronomy in harmony with our faith.  To understand the heavens is to come to understand something about our creator.

The Faith and Astronomy Workshop (FAW) included mostly priests, but also deacons and lay teachers. Participants were from all over the United States.  We were led by Br. Guy Consolmagno, S.J., astronomer, author, researcher, former Vatican Observatory Curator of meteorites, planetary scientist, new President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation, and recent winner of the Carl Sagan Medal for Excellence in Public Communication in Planetary Science.  

Each day consisted of a talk by a scientist followed by lively discussions, lunch, and then a trip to a local lab working on an astronomical project. Then we would return to the Redemptorist Renewal Center where we were based for Mass, dinner, and an evening of star gazing through various telescopes.  The labs we visited were working on various satellite missions.  One created a special camera for a satellite currently orbiting Mars and taking optical surveys.  Another group was in the process of designing a space vehicle(called OSIRI-REX) that will be launched toward the asteroid “Bennu,” land on it, and bring back samples.  We also visited the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory Mirror Lab who is currently building the mirrors for the soon-to-be constructed Magellan Telescope.  Due to the distance and snow in the mountains, we did not get the opportunity to visit the actual location of the Vatican Observatory nor any other observatories.

The lectures topics we heard included methods on teaching the constellations to children as well as the philosophy of science in an age of “new atheists.”  Br. Guy gave a talk on the current issue of physics, metaphysics, and cosmology.  A caution he offered revolved around common arguments that involved what he called “the God of the gaps,” whereby we ascribe to God all things in science that we do not yet understand.  The issue is that once we do understand those natural processes, then what does that say about God?  Br. Guy reminded us that we are not Deists who believe in a God who created everything and then backed off to watch everything unfold like a divine watchmaker.  Furthermore, God is not a natural phenomena or power akin to gravity.  God is totally holy, completely other, separate from creation, and supernatural.  Therefore, any attempts to prove the existence of God by scientific means is doomed to fail, for physics cannot and is not meant to make such an explanation. From the earliest times, we have believed that God is supernatural and outside of creation, yet intimately involved in the events of creation and, in particular, involved with us.  So, any perceived conflicts between faith and science are simply erroneous perceptions.  Both faith and science have the same goal: the Truth.  And since God is real, can be known, created all the laws of the cosmos, and is completely consistent within himself, there can be no contradictions or conflicts between faith and science.  Indeed, they collaborate in the search for the Truth.  One asks how to things happen (physics and astronomy) and the other asks from whom they exist and what meaning do they have (theology and philosophy).

The Faith and Astronomy Workshop, hosted by the Vatican Observatory Foundation, will be held again, beginning on January 16, 2016.  We need to encourage more clergy and Catholic educators to take advantage of this new opportunity being offered by our Church.  We, as Catholics, need to truly understand the theological, philosophical, and scientific fields being discussed in today’s culture.  We need to enter into the cultural debate and help assist in the quest for the Truth. After all, as the now long canceled TV show The X-Files would say, “the truth is out there.”  We Catholics simply need to encourage more of the faithful to take up physics, astronomy, as well as theology and philosophy.

For a astronomy geek like me, it was an amazing experience.  I look forward to sharing the work of the Vatican Observatory in my preaching and other public speaking opportunities.  It was truly a thrill to be able to meet Catholics doing serious astronomy and spend time with clergy and laity who are as passionate about this science as I am.

For more information, go to vaticanobservatory.org and vofoundation.org

Much Ado About Ash Wednesday

Dear Parishioners,

Ash Wednesday is coming soon. As such, I believe it timely to make clear an incorrect theological/liturgical statement that was in the Jan.25th bulletin entry entitled, “Treasures From Our Tradition.” In that segment on the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick there was a parenthetical comment that was not accurate. Trying to parallel the Anointing of the Sick with the sacramental of placing ashes on our heads on Ash Wednesday, the article stated, “For the same reason, they [children] do not receive ashes on Ash Wednesday” (Bracket is added by me for clarification of context). Plain and simple, no such rubric exists. Furthermore, there is no good reason that I can think of to reject anyone who comes forward to receive ashes on Ash Wednesday, regardless of age or Christian faith tradition, In fact, the rubric in the Roman Missal for the distribution of ashes clearly states, “…the Priest places ashes on the head of all those present who come to him….” From the standpoint of the giver of the ashes, good faith should be assumed on the part of the receiver.

It is not generally the practice to offer children the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick who are under the age of reason and have not previously received Reconciliation. This is because the Sacrament of Reconciliation is intimately wrapped within the anointing itself. Placing of ashes on children, however, has no such conditions placed upon it. Furthermore, the placing of ashes is not a sign of communion, as Eucharist is. Children under the age of reason have no need to repent due to their lack of culpability. However, I would never recommend the withdrawal of offering ashes to children or anyone else just as I would never discourage someone from learning the sign of the cross, praying a rosary, or attending Mass. The reception of ashes can be a way to teach our children one of the many sacred traditions of our faith. The reception of ashes is open for the good of the faithful which can help them in their spiritual walk and may very well mark the beginning of repentance of some particular sin in their lives. Repentance is something everyone should learn and practice.

In expectation of a common question about Ash Wednesday, the rubrics found in the Book of Blessings states, "This rite may be celebrated by a priest or deacon who may be assisted by lay ministers in the distribution of the ashes. The blessing of the ashes, however, is reserved to a priest or deacon.” In addition, the help of lay ministers is critical in the offering of ashes to those in nursing homes and other locations where needed.

For the really geeky liturgist, Ash Wednesday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, but what the 1962 Missal describes as a First Class Ferial Day (derived from the Latin “feria” meaning “free day”) which out ranks any other feasts that may coincide with that date. The current General Instructions to the Roman Missal (GIRM ¶59 §2) does not give a title for this kind of liturgical observation, but its ranking and precedence over other potential memorials or feasts is the same as in the 1962 Missal. Holy Week also has the same liturgical ranking. All the faithful, of course, are highly encouraged to fully participate in all of these profound liturgical celebrations which are special in their uniqueness in the liturgical calendar. If that is totally confusing, check out my brief explanation of the principle of “Progressive Solemnity” at frbill.org/liturgicaldefs.html.


Finally, some folks have asked in the past about the variations of placing ashes on the faithful. When watching papal Masses on TV, people have noticed that the Holy Father sprinkles ashes on the tops of the heads of those coming to him while we rub the ashes on people’s foreheads in the sign of the cross. The rubrics do not offer any explicit help here. Instead, it is a matter of cultural custom. For example, most English speaking countries have the ashes marked on their foreheads while Spain, Italy, and several Latin American countries sprinkle the dry ashes on the crown of the head. There may be even other local customs that dictate how this ritual is done. The most important thing to remember is the meaning of this ritual. The Directory for Popular Piety may be of great help here:

"The act of putting on ashes symbolizes fragility and mortality, and the need to be redeemed by the mercy of God. Far from being a merely external act, the Church has retained the use of ashes to symbolize that attitude of internal penance to which all the baptized are called during Lent. The faithful who come to receive ashes should be assisted in perceiving the implicit internal significance of this act, which disposes them towards conversion and renewed Easter commitment.”

May this coming Ash Wednesday and all of Lent bring you new grace from God to help us all repent of those things that are obstacles to God’s love.

B;essings

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor