Safe Environment – Attention all volunteers

The Archdiocese of Miami, and the National Conference of Catholic Bishops have three requirements for all employees or volunteers.

If :You are 18 years or older, and you are volunteering for
anything at St. Maurice, or you are volunteering for anything for
Country Fair, you must comply with these three requirements:

1-You must have had your fingerprints taken within the last 5 years.
If not, then you need to have your fingerprints taken right away.
Please register online at: www.adom.sofn.net. Print the Bar Code that comes
up at the end of the process. Then, go to the fingerprint center that you chose,
at the appointed time, with your Bar Code and the ID you used for the
registration process. The Archdiocese of Miami will pay for the fingerprinting
process.

2-You must have attended a Virtus Workshop for Adults.
If you have not, then, please take note of these 2 dates for a workshop at
St. Maurice: October 22, at 9:30 A.M. in Spanish
October 29, at 9:30 A.M. in English

You must pre-register by going to www.virtusonline.org, press the tab for
Registration, and follow the instructions that come up. If you wish, click to
watch the Brief Tutorial on the pre-registration process, before you start,
if it will make you more secure. If the dates or times of the St. Maurice
workshops are not convenient for you, then, please choose a workshop at
another location that is convenient for you. When you attend the workshop
chosen, be sure to sign in. Then, after the session has been recorded by the
Archdiocese, go back to www.virtusonline.org, and print your Certificate.

3.You must have signed the Code of Conduct.
If you haven’t, then call the Office at 954-961-7777, to make arrangements
for you to sign it.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO A COMPUTER, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE AT 954-961-7777, ASK FOR LUCY, WHO WILL ARRANGE
TO HELP YOU WITH THE PROCESS

ATENCION VOLUNTARIOS

La Arquidiócesis de Miami y la Conferencia Nacional de Obispos Católicos
tiene tres requisitos para todos sus empleados o voluntarios.

Si tienes 18 anos de edad, y eres voluntario para algo
en San Mauricio, o eres voluntario para algo en “Country Fair”, deberás cumplir con estos tres requisitos:

1.Tienes que haberte tomado tus huellas digitales dentro de los últimos 5 anos.
Si No , entonces tienes que tomarte las huellas digitales inmediatamente.
Por favor inscríbete en-línea en: www.adom.sofn.net. Imprime el “Código de
Barra” que sale al final del proceso. Entonces, ve al Centro que escogiste, en el
día de la cita, llevando contigo el “Código de Barra” ya impreso, y la
identificación que usaste para el proceso de inscripción. La Arquidiócesis de
Miami pagara por el proceso de las huellas.

2.Tienes que haber asistido a una sesión de Virtus para adultos.
Si no lo has hecho, entonces toma nota de las dos sesiones que se van a celebrar
en el templo de San Mauricio: 22 de octubre, 2011, a las 9 A.M. en espanol
29 de octubre, 2011, a las 9 A.M. en ingles

Deberás inscribirte en línea, de antemano, en: www.virtusonline.org.
Presiona la tecla de “Inscripción”, y sigue las instrucciones. Si las
fechas, o las horas de las sesiones de San Mauricio no te son convenientes,
entonces escoge una sesión, de entre las que se ofrecen en otras localidades.
Cuando asistas a la sesión de Virtus, asegúrate de firmar la Hoja de Asistencia.
Así, luego de que La Arquidiócesis haya entrado la información de la sesión a la
computadora, podrás imprimir tu Certificado, entrando de nuevo a
www.virtusonline.org, y siguiendo las instrucciones pertinentes que te ofrecen.

3-Tienes que haber firmado el Código de Conducta.
Si no lo has hecho, entonces llama a Lucy, a la Oficina, al 954-961-7777, y
coordina con ella para que lo firmes.

SI NO TIENES ACCESO A UNA COMPUTADORA, POR FAVOR LLAMA A LA OFICINA, AL 954-961-7777, Y PROCURA POR LUCY, QUIEN HARA ARREGLOS PARA AYUDARTE CON TODO ESTE PROCESO.

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Render to Caesar what is Caesars, but to God what belongs to God.”

We have all heard it said, “God works in mysterious ways.” How often have you thought you had God figured out only to receive an answer to a prayer that was totally unexpected? We pray and we believe God will answer our prayers. However, so often that answer isn’t the one we wanted and the answer we received was a cause for more confusion than understanding.

Let me share with you a personal series of events. When I was in college/seminary and wanted to novitiate, a year of intense discernment about being called to religious life and priesthood, I asked to go out of sequence. The norm was to go after you graduated college. However, I felt the Lord was calling me a year earlier, so I put in my application stating my reasons. It was rejected out of hand because I was asking for something that had not happened before. Eventually with the help of my spiritual director I was given permission to go and took my First Vows as a religious on August 8, 1975.

Another example is even more compelling when it came time to ask to go on our overseas training program for two years. Once again, I had requested to go one year earlier than the norm, after second year of graduate school. When my supervisors received my request, once again they rejected it out of hand – “it’s just not done this way.” Are you beginning to see a pattern emerging here…? Strangely enough, I have always found myself marching to the sound of my own drum, which has always been the drum beat of the voice of God. I have never made a major decision in my life without first praying long and hard about it and only then when I believe God has given me an answer do I move ahead with it.

The long and the short of this story is, I had to write a letter to our Superior general in Rome with my request to go to Papua New Guinea, which of course was hardly even done. A few weeks later we received a letter from the Superior General granting me permission to go. Once again, God acts in strange and mysterious ways. My Superiors in Chicago couldn’t understand how I made it through. My 30 years of priesthood has always been listening closely to God’s call to discipleship which has always put me out of step with the norm. The key is listening and following God’s call even when it puts you up against the norm or expected ways of doing things.

We see this in our first reading when the Prophet Isaiah tells us how God was using the Persian King Cyrus to release his people Israel. We also read this in the Prophet Jeremiah who convinces the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar to free God’s people from slavery. God is the God of all and can use even his enemies to bring about good.
We have also heard it said, “God can write straight with crocket lines.” That which is a tragedy can be turned into a blessing in time, if we have the faith and belief that God is really in charge, even when we don’t see it or understand it at the time.

I watch a lot of news these days and wonder many times, “Lord, why are you allowing these terrible things to happen?” There is never an adequate answer to the question “why,” so in faith we need to move on to the real question, “What am I supposed to learn from this experience? In this way, we open ourselves up to allowing God to work in our lives and can then experience His true love for us.

In the Gospel today from Matthew, the leadership was trying to trip-up Jesus. However, Jesus’ non answer takes himself out of the no win situation they were trying to entrap him in. I think today more than ever as we approach the 2012 elections we can find ourselves in a no win situation if we allow the politicians to lead us around by our emotions, especially FEAR which began under President Bush and that we are still living under today. We find ourselves caught between politics and faith.

Faith must take president over party and politics. It doesn’t matter which party we say we are part of, there is too much at stake to be one issue voters; even our Bishops have told us this. Taxes have to be paid at a fair share by all for the greater good of the many. In Jesus’ words, “Love one another as I love you.” It’s not every man, woman, and child for themselves or survival of the fittest. Recall how the early church “held all things in common,” as we read in THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. How far we have moved away from that way of living in community and caring for each other?

Jesus wouldn’t allow himself to be caught-up in a fight over allegiances. We call ourselves Christians, followers of Jesus Christ. Then it is incumbent upon us to act as Jesus would, look after the poor, the homeless, the sick, and justice for all. It’s not a matter of party affiliation but rather of living up to our baptismal commitment to reach out to those who are less fortunate than us. If we want peace and prosperity for all, then we must have justice for all, where God’s law of love comes first above party or party allegiance.

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today we begin a new journey for our St. Maurice Family with our first FIRE IN THE LORD contemporary mass focusing on our youth and young adults of our parish and community. I can’t tell you how excited I am as we begin this new chapter for our parish. I don’t know what it’s like to give birth to a baby, though I helped to deliver a baby, which was scary enough; but I believe the launching of FIRE IN THE LORD has been a project in the making for a long, long time and I for one, am happy that today we are giving birth and bringing new light, hope, and joy to our parish family as we welcome, support, encourage, and rejoice with our young people, the future of St. Maurice parish.

Our first reading today from the Prophet Isaiah points to a new beginning with a bright future. The story opens with a festive scene of joy and celebration, one that we might see at a wedding or a graduation which looks toward the future with great promise and hope. Even in our darkest moments, we can’t give into despair but rather always believing that God is on our side and will bring about the necessary changes to make a brighter day. It is true, we are living in hard times you parents understand this and you’re worried for your children. For generations parents have always worked hard in the hope and promise that things would be better for their children. Today we are not so sure this will happen.

The Prophet Isaiah went through a very long and rough period with the people, today he reassures them that God has not abandoned them; that in fact, God has been with them in their journey of suffering and reassures them that God is about to change everything. As he says, “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from every face…”

St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians shares his own story of struggle between having plenty and having little and has learned to be content with either. The key to this type of living is to live a balanced life. In our day to day living, I think that means knowing the difference between having my needs met while understanding that not all my wants will be met. So what’s the difference between needs and wants? I heard it stated in President Obama’s speech given at the United Nations a few weeks ago when he said, “freedom from want is a basic human right.” What I believe he was saying was this, it’s a basic human right to have our needs met, to be free from the want of clean water, free from the lack of a daily meal, free from the lack of basic health care.

Again, St. Paul gives us a remedy for this grave problem and injustice. Living a balanced life between needs and wants is the way to justice, peace, and happiness in our world. That means we may have to give up some of our much desired “wants” so that those who’s basic human needs will be met. Various groups of youth and young adults around the country have responded to the needs of their global brothers and sisters who don’t have a tenth of what they have. It’s a matter of getting our priorities straight, and parents you are the prime motivators in helping to promote and build a balanced outlook on life for your children. Perhaps it’s not necessary to have all the latest technology or the latest in fashions. Perhaps what was used and worn last year will be just fine in order to promote a more balanced outlook on life that takes into consideration the prime needs of other young people who have no desk to sit in, no books to take home to aid them in their homework, and far too often go to bed hungry.

I believe and you know that you can make a difference in other young people’s lives. We see on T.V. projects that are started by youth groups across this country that are making a difference in the lives of other young people, like yourselves whom you will probably never meet. You are important, you are talented, and you can make a difference.

St. Matthew’s Gospel story of the wedding feast makes this point clear. So many were invited to the feast, the celebration of new life, new beginnings that a wedding points to. However, many were too taken up with their own private little lives and narrow minded vision that they could not be bothered with getting involved in this celebration of life. We need to be careful not to get overly concerned about our own satisfactions that we can miss out on creating and sharing in others celebrations of joy and happiness.

You, the youth of our parish family are bright, intelligent, concerned and caring people that have a vision that looks outward and upward to a brighter future. You may not have all that you want today, but know this for sure, that our God is a loving God who is always looking after you, like your parents, who only want the best for you. We begin a new in Christ today focusing on our young people who look to us, the old folks to encourage, support, and inspire in them new hopes and dreams. To dream the impossible dream is not impossible.

FIRE IN THE LORD, was the title chosen by our young adults on the committee because it spoke to them of something new, bright, and exciting that they wanted to be a part of. This is a new day in the life of St. Maurice, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Let me hear the church say AMEN. AMEN.

27th Sunday in Ordinary time

Yahweh’s chosen people, the House of Israel had it all until they squandered it by turning to the ways of the people they were living among; thus the people of Judah forfeited their special status with their God who had chosen them to be a holy nation, a people set apart.
It appears that throughout history this pattern keeps repeating itself. For a few decades we have enjoyed prosperity unlike anything we have experienced since following the tremendous growth and prosperity after the 2nd WW. For most Americans but not all, this type of prosperity has led us to be a nation of excess and greed. That which was supposed to produce an endless crop of good grapes has produced a crop of wild grapes of loss of jobs, loss of homes, tremendous debt that has been caused by living outside our means has led our nation into a deep anxiety and a feeling of hopelessness that we have never known before. That which was once believed would produce an endless supply of good grapes, has yielded a crop of poverty at levels that modern America has never known. Thousands of children go to bed hungry because the bounty of the land has been deprived to them, stolen by the few.
In our second reading, St. Paul is writing to the Philippines also living in a time of great hardship. Nevertheless, he reminds them and us, to remain true to the honorable, the holy, and be gracious in all that you do, then in spite of the hard times we are experiencing, the peace of God will keep us steady in the ways of the Lord who is ever faithful and true to us. This is the way out of the darkness we find ourselves in today.
The parable we read in Matthews gospel today is a reminder of the warning that the Prophet Isaiah gave to his people several thousand years earlier. The Israelites had been given all they needed to have a life of prosperity and peace but they squandered it and fell on hard times. Perhaps much like we are experiencing today. Matthew reminds us Jesus’ same promise of prosperity in this story of the rich vineyard owner; however, the situation presented in the gospel turns from bad, to worse, to a complete disaster, to murder. The owner of the vineyard is God who provides for the people all they need to have a life of peace and prosperity. God never abandons His people, but sooner or later we find ourselves; often times not by any fault of our own, fallen on hard times.
For some, we are victims of destructive actions taken by others that has terrible consequences, like the servants in the parable that are only doing what has been asked of them, but suffer the loss of their lives at the hands of those who hold the temporal power, the tenants who have turned away from God, the vineyard owner. We speak of the great wealth, opportunity, and the freedoms that come from a Democratic society and a country that, at least in name, is overwhelmingly Christian; but in truth, are we really? What is our behavior really saying about us as a nation?
When for example, a young immigrant grows up here, goes to school, volunteers to fight in a war for the freedoms and values for which this country stands, dies in battle and only then, having given his life, his everything, his all, the United States congress grants him citizenship in the grave.
What about the working poor who are only able to provide the basic necessities for life, while children go without health insurance because their mother cannot afford it? Are we really: one nation, under God, with liberty, and justice for all?
In today’s gospel the tenants who had leased the vineyard would not settle for their share of the proceeds from the sale of the harvest, but rather became greedy they wanted it all. After all, the owner of the vineyard was away and who knew when or even if he would return, so they thought. Their thinking however was flawed, having it all doesn’t necessarily make you rich. It may buy you some comfortable time but God’s justice will prevail in the end.
In the Acts of the Apostles we read, all things where held in common in the early church. Jesus’ command to love your neighbor as yourself meant to care for your neighbor when they are in need, these are not empty words. Our country has fallen on hard times, and perhaps those who have been blessed with the greatest abundance would be wise to heed the Lord’s command to care for their neighbor in their time of need.
There are many in our nation who are in need of help and relie on some of our most important societal institutions such as: education, Social Security, Welfare for the poorest among us, police and fire fighters, teachers and many others, are in need of some share in that great wealth that the very few have accumulated. But it seems like they are willing to let some people die, rather than share their wealth.
We have all heard it said, while the rich grow richer, the poor grow poorer. Having all the wealth does not belong to the wealthiest Americans alone but sharing it with all of us, the servants who work in the vineyards is the way of the gospel. Christ calls all of us to share equally in the sacrifice it takes to care for our neighbor. Our gospel story ends with a warning to the people of Matthew’s time and for us as well:
“Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away
from you and given to a people that will produce [good] fruit.”

In the Eucharistic Prayer, just before the consecration we pray: you are a blessed people, a chosen race, a holy nation, a people set apart. Then I say, it’s time once again that we act like it. Amen.