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

New Years & Christmas Time

Dear Parishioners,

The new year is us upon us, and it is still the Christmas season. We are still celebrating the amazing gift of Christ come in the flesh, the Incarnation. Often people take down their Christmas decorations soon after Christmas day, yet the Christmas season does not end until the celebration of the Solemnity of the Baptism of the Lord, January 9th, 2012. That means there are 16 days of Christmas. The traditional 12 days were intended to mark the period from Christmas to Epiphany (traditionally Jan. 5th), however Epiphany is a movable feast here in the U.S. and as such is placed on the Sunday following January 6th, thus making it 16 days this year. So, you will notice our Christmas decorations in the Church will continue, and I encourage you to do the same in your homes. Pragmatism, however, may dictate taking some decorations down such as the Christmas tree. I know that mine is already getting very dry and is ready to find a new place out of the house.

The date for today's solemnity, Mary, Mother of God, concludes the octave or eight days of Christmas. We have a long tradition of celebrating large feasts with special devotion for eight days. Today, we have simplified the number of these feasts and focus on the biggest ones: Christmas and Easter. Our Jewish heritage did this same thing by extending the celebrations of their liturgical year, the "Feast of Tabernacles" and "Dedication of the Temple" are two fine examples. Constantine followed this tradition by celebrating the consecration of basilicas for eight days. This approach of emphasizing eight days helps us to meditate more, amidst all our distractions, on the mysteries being celebrated.

Whatever your plans during this Christmas season, let us all remember with devotion the reality that God emptied himself in his Son to become one like us. This gift is wondrous indeed. May you spend time pondering on this great gift to us. May the mystery of God's love in this season be poured into your heart to begin a new year full of faith and hope.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Merry Christmas!

Dear Parishioners,

Merry Christmas! It is my prayer that the amazing love of God who gave his only begotten Son to us will rest upon your hearts. By this, may your Christmas be full of the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Among the many things that have blessed us is the presence of our new Coordinator of Youth Ministry, the addition of many new Catholics during the Easter Vigil, a hugely successful Spring Clean-up Day, the creation of a new liturgical Environment Committee, the beginning of a new Grounds Maintenance Committee, and so many other moments where the community came together to help those in need. Again, looking back, I consider it a true privilege to be your pastor.

I now begin to look forward to the, yet to be seen, miraculous happenings of God in our midst as has been the case this past year. Thank you to all who have been part of the incredible things that have been part of the life of St. Anne.

If there is anything I can do, anything that I need to apologize for, anything where I have fallen short, or any way that I can help, please let me know. Let us then pray for each other now that Christmas is upon us. May the remembrance and celebration of the birth of our Savior bring you joy and peace.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Much Ado About Something

Dear Parishioners

New Roman Missal

Well, we did it! We successfully transitioned to the new Roman Missal. Yes, there were goofs and gaffs, and they will continue. But, overall, I think everyone did pretty good with their parts. Please continue to offer up a pray for us priests for whom the bulk of changes effects. Also, please give us an indulgence of patience when we make mistakes too. It will take some time to imprint the new translation in our hearts and minds to the point that we don’t have to be glued to the book.

Immaculate Conception

This coming Thursday is the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Please make an effort to mark your calendars so that you may not miss this important celebration of the Church. I goofed up the time for the morning Mass on our published liturgy schedule. The times should read: 8:30 AM, 12:05 PM, and 7 PM. The morning Mass will include our school children while the evening Mass will be bilingual.

Adoration Chapel

As you should already know, we changed the entrance code to the Adoration Chapel due to some serious security breaches. I implore you not to give out the new code to anyone you do not know. If you are one the persons who enjoy dropping in at the chapel at your convenience and do not have a scheduled adoration time, you must first come to the office during office hours to get the new code. In addition, for those using the chapel after hours, if you have the habit of using the restroom just prior to your time in adoration, please let the current adorer know that you are there and will be right back. It should be considered suspicious activity if someone opens the outside door of the adoration chapel and does not come in to the chapel soon if not immediately. Thank you all for your understanding. Having a 24-7 Adoration Chapel is certainly a gift to us all. Let us all do our part to make sure we can maintain its existence by maintaining security protocols.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

New Roman Missal Preparation

Dear Parishioners,

This month we begin in earnest to learn and practice parts of the new Roman Missal so that by the first weekend of Advent (Nov. 26/27) we will officially implement the entire Roman Missal at all our Masses and Churches.

With the new translation coming to our communities, we priest feel that it is a fantastic opportunity to teach the faithful about the Mass. We will take the time normally reserved for the homily to teach about the theology and praxis (think liturgical gestures and behaviors), the new actual new responses and other changes due to the new Roman Missal, and allow the music groups to teach the musical arrangements using the new translation. The U.S. Bishops have allowed parishes to begin implementing the musical settings beginning in September which means if you travel around the country, various parishes will be at different stages of learning and implementation. No worries.

For our part, you should notice that the new music books are already in place (a month earlier than normal) and a laminated pew card with the common responses in the new translation will be in the pews as well to help you. When Advent comes, the missalettes will be changed out, and we should be ready to go.

I highly recommend that if you want to learn more about the new Roman Missal that you go to my web site, mysteriesofthemass.com, on your computer to listen to talks and discussions from Fr. Jeremy Driscoll, O.S.B., a monk and priest of Mount Angel Abbey and a member of the Vox Clara Committee who was instrumental in the actual job of translating the texts from the Latin.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

Challenges To Religious Freedom

Dear Parishioners,

Today, I want to make sure that you are aware of some of the current issues facing the Church which threaten, as never before, our liberty to practice our faith. I have had many vital conversations with parishioners on these topics, and I feel that it would be good to write to you about them in this forum. Furthermore, this month where we are being called to respect life it is a good time to raise your awareness of the encroaching challenges to our faith and belief in the respect and dignity of the human person from natural conception to natural death. The issues are many, but I would like to bring to your attention just a few of them. These unprecedented attacks on our ability to live out our mission of the corporal works of mercy and the sacredness of our Sacraments are ones that we must send to prayer and act on as God calls each one of us.

One issue surrounds medical ethics and government funding. Today, there are serious attempts at legislation to force Catholic health care systems and hospitals to offer services and procedures that we believe to be immoral and in direct violation of our faith including contraception and steriliization. The debate pits current government will against the religious liberty of Churches to practice their faith. Another unprecedented issue has come from the Department of Justice itself in its increasing attacks on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), calling it an act of bigotry instead of the protection of a unique, essential relationship and institution, one that has been given to us by God and which is unalterable by us. The Sacrament of Marriage predates all human laws and has always been defined as between one man and one woman. A third issue challenging the Church has gone to the Supreme Court. This issue is about the Church’s right to choose who can serve and/or work in their name without government interference. This one would seem like a no-brainer, but it is also being attacked by the Dept. of Justice. At risk here is our ability to hire people who share our faith in positions where living out that faith is a prerequisite. Finally, another issue concerns Catholic Relief Services, one of the largest and most effective relief agencies in the world. Herein, the Dept. of State is trying to require CRS and other agencies to provide reproductive services as part of their efforts in international relief and development programs, something that need not be part of relief efforts in order to be effective. I argue that CRS has done more to help people than any other institution and such a requirement is unnecessary for the efficacy of CRS’s efforts to help those in need.

It seems to me that we live in a time, today, when secularism is, ironically, the new religion to the exclusion to other religions. Is it too bold to say that the ideology of secularism is threatening the very substructure of our founding fathers and that there may be a movement towards the repression of other faiths in preference to that of the evermore secularized State? This reminds me of the old political ideology of Erastianism which asserts the supremacy of the State over the Church even in ecclesial matters.

As a nation, we are proud of our pluralism and freedom. Yet, might these issues demonstrate attempts to remove pluralism and subjugate as not only irrelevant, but erroneously label them as dangerous, the religious institutions that have been the backbone of our families, culture, and country? I wonder if our previously well understood sense of religious liberty may be changing into a “secular priority” over that of the 91% of our people who hold to a faith in God (cf. 2004 BBC Poll). I leave that for your own reflection.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops recently wrote a letter to the bishops outlining these issues at hand. I highly recommend you read it. Read it by clicking here or go to our office for a hard copy.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

More on the New Roman Missal

Dear Parishioners,

This past week, Fr. Dominic and I joined the rest of the priests of the Archdiocese for our annual Priest Convocation in Newport. While there we had the opportunity to, once again, listen to Fr. Jeremy Driscoll, O.S.B. a priest and monk of Mount Angel Abbey. Fr. Jeremy is part of the Vox Clara Committee who was directly involved in the new translation of the Roman Missal, also known as the Sacramentary. This is the big red book that the priest uses to proclaim the prayers of the Mass. In his talk, Fr. Jeremy discussed the basic principles of the translation and walked through thethird Eucharistic Prayer as well as answered questions from the priests.

It is important that we all study and become familiar with the Sacred Liturgy of the Mass and the upcoming new translation. As such, I will be offering another Catholicism 101 on the new Roman Missal which will take place this month on the 23rd between the Sunday Masses. In addition, we are putting special inserts about the new missal and the translation for your further study.

If you would like to listen to Fr. Jeremy's talks, you can go to www.mysteriesofthemass,com or subscribe via iTunes by searching for my last name or "mysteries of the mass" in the search bar. Also, I will make available some CD for check out at the office.

I am very excited about this upcoming change. It will be like hearing the Mass anew yet old. I also ask for your prayers for all us priests who will bear the greatest burden of making sure we offer the Mass in this new translation in a way that maintains its beauty and dignity. Please forgive us when we mess up because the previous wording is so ingrained in our memories. Until then, may the Lord be with you...

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Getting Involved In Your Faith

Dear Parishioners,

We are well underway for the school year. As such, it is a time to ask, as a family or individual how you are going to grow in your faith. Well, we here at St. Anne’s have a myriad of opportunities in which to learn and grow in your faith.

Children’s Faith Formation, formerly known as Religious Education or CCD, meets almost every Sunday between the two Masses. It is open to children from grades K through 5th grade. Faith Formation speaks more directly to the mission than previous titles. It is not enough just to have intellectual knowledge of the faith. It is also important to have that faith living in one’s heart. If your child is in second grade, this is the time to enroll them in preparation classes for First Reconciliation and First Communion. Those classes will begin meeting in October every other Wednesday in the evening. See the “Faith Formation” section of our bulletin or talk to Terry Knouff for more information.

Youth Ministry is intended for our young people grades 6th through 12th. Our Middle School students meet each Wednesday evening while the High Schoolers meet each Sunday evening. If your teen is a sophomore, then this is the time to make sure that they sign up for preparation classes for Confirmation. They will be meeting between the Masses on Sundays like last year. See the “Youth News” section of our bulletin or talk to Natalie Scott for more information.

If you have a child who is almost seven years of age and has not received any Sacraments or has only received baptism, we have special classes for them which will help integrate them into their peer community while also helping them grow in the special areas they need in order to receive the sacraments they need. Depending on their age (described above), seek out either Terry or Natalie.

If you know a family who has been away or is unaware of these wonderful offerings for their children, please make an effort to let them know about what they are missing. It seems that every year there is someone who approaches us near the end of the school year who realizes that they had forgotten to enroll their children in sacramental preparation. Who knows? You may be the one who can remind them and help them before it is too late in the year.

For our adult parishioners, keep your eyes peeled to the bulletin and listen to the pulpit announcements for some amazing opportunities this year which include Catholicism 101, The Great Adventure Bible Study, the ACTS Retreats, a Mission with John Michael Talbot, and much more. Maybe consider giving your time to a ministry such as Faith Formation or youth Ministry. If you speak Spanish, seek out Esperanza Robles, our Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry, who is always open to having more people to get involved.

Finally, if you are an adult who desires to join the Catholic Faith or are a Catholic in need of any of the Sacraments of Confirmation, Reconciliation, or Eucharist, please seek out Terry who can help you connect with a wonderful group of other adults who are journeying in the same way.

St. Anne’s is a wonderful place where many things are ongoing. It certainly isn’t stagnant nor boring. Take a moment and ponder on how God is calling you and your family to grow in the Faith. Hopefully, some of these things mentioned will give you inspiration to make some decisions, if you haven’t already, to get involved.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor