Ready or Not...

The time has come for us to begin using the new, 3rd edition of the Roman Missal.  MANY years in the making, tomorrow at 4pm will be the first time use officially use the new translation.  These are the most sweeping changes to the liturgy since this translation was introduced in 1973.  I must admit, I am feeling a bit nostalgic about the current translation - it's what I grew up on - it's what helped me grow in my on faith all of my life.  Yet at the same time I am excited about the new translation - SO beautiful - sometimes very technical, but always theologically more accurate.  So, get ready - because when you come to Mass this weekend - it'll all be new!

Thanksgiving Message from Bishop McFadden

Catholic Thanksgiving History

The history books will tell you that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the pilgrims in 1621. Not true.

An interesting bit of trivia is that the first American Thanksgiving was actually celebrated on September 8, 1565 in St. Augustine, Florida.  The Native Americans and Spanish settlers held a feast and the Holy Mass was offered.

The Catholic origins of Thanksgiving don't stop there.  Squanto, the beloved hero of Thanksgiving, was the Native American man who mediated between the Puritan Pilgrims and the Native Americans.  Squanto had been enslaved by the English but he was freed by Spanish Franciscans.  Squanto thus received baptism and became a Catholic.  So it was a baptized Catholic Native American who orchestrated what became known as Thanksgiving.

All that being said, Thanksgiving is traditionally Protestant and marks the tradition of religious toleration (something in which the Puritan pilgrims did not actually believe - they set up a "theocracy").

It all started with Richard Clyfton who was a Church of England parson in Nottinghamshire in the early 1600s.  Clifton sympathized with the Separatists of that era.  Separatists were Calvinistic non-conformists to the doctrine and liturgy of the Church of England.  The Hampton Court Conference held by King James I (1604) condemned those who would not conform to the more outwardly Catholic usages in the Church of England (e.g. robes, candles, bowing the head at the name of Christ, processions).  The result was that Richard Clyfton was “defrocked” and stripped of his clerical status in the Church of England.  Shortly thereafter Richard Clyfton went to Amsterdam and was followed by his disciples: the Pilgrims.

These Pilgrims moved around a bit until finally coming to America in 1620.  An interesting bit of trivia is that one child was born on board the Mayflower while at sea.  The child was given the rather lame name: “Oceanus”.  Poor child.

In 1621, the Pilgrims allegedly celebrated a happy meal with the Native Americans and the rest is history. 

The penal laws of England regarding non-conformists affected not only the rigorous Calvinistic Puritans in England, but also the English Catholic recusants.  The Pilgrims shared the same lot as the Catholic faithful of England.  Interestingly enough, the Catholics who lived in Nottinghamshire where the Pilgrims originated were persecuted mercilessly.

So while Thanksgiving may celebrate the Calvinist Separatists who fled England, Catholics might remember the same unjust laws that granted the crown of martyrdom to Thomas More, John Fisher, Edmund Campion, et al. are the same injustices that led the Pilgrims to Plymouth.

Another bit of trivia is that the truly “First Thanksgiving” celebration occurred on American soil on April 30, 1598 in Texas when Don Juan de Oñate declared a day of Thanksgiving to be commemorated by the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

And let everyone remember that “Thanksgiving” in Greek is Eucharistia. Thus, the Body and Blood of Christ is the true “Thanksgiving Meal”.

Saint Andrew School Marches in Greencastle Parade

Saint Andrew School children in the Greencastle Parade

It was a beautiful, crisp morning as members of our Saint Andrew School family gathered in Greencastle for the annual Christmas (I suppose they call it a "holiday") Parade.  With Mary & Joseph and the baby Jesus leading us with an angel nearby, our school children carried the Saint Andrew School banner which, as you can see, suffered some damage within the first few hundred feet of the parade - somehow having kids carry a paper banner didn't work out that well - oh well, lesson learned!  :-)

Anyway, Saint Andrew S.... (which later became Saint Andre...) made a great appearance.  No matter the tears and rips in the banner, the smiles and waves from people along the parade route told us that our message was out.  Now, with some knowledge gained, this afternoon we're off to the Waynesboro parade!

Fr. Bateman walks with the chaperones

Parish 40 Hours Eucharistic Devotions

Our parish is currently in the midst of its annual retreat: her annual Eucharistic Devotions - commonly called "40 Hours."  Why is it called "40 Hours?"  To honor the forty hours that the body of Christ rested in the tomb, the Blessed Sacrament is solemnly exposed for this period of time, during which public services, private meditation and prayer take place.  This devotion developed in the 16^th Century.  The exact period of forty hours' exposition, in practice, is not strictly adhered to.  The Holy See granted an indulgence to those who take part.

History of the Devotion

A chronicler from Milan describes the custom which began in May, 1537. He gives details as to the church with which it started. Less than two years later, Pope Paul III granted an indulgence to anyone who participated in the devotion.  

The practice without doubt spread rapidly. Already before the year 1550 this, or some analogous exposition, had been established by St. Philip Neri for the Confraternity of the Trinita dei Pellegrini in Rome; while St. Ignatius Loyola, at about the same period, seems to have given much encouragement to the practice. As this devotion also commonly lasted for a period of about forty hours, it seems to have been given the name "Quarant' Ore"; and under this name it is still maintained in many places.

St. Charles Borromeo speaks as if this practice of praying for forty hours was of very ancient date; and he distinctly refers it to the forty hours our Lord's Body remained in the tomb, seeing that this was a period of watching, suspense, and ardent prayer on the part of all His disciples.

St. John Neumann, Bishop of Philadelphia, advocated the devotion here in the United States.  Visiting his parishes in the 1850’s he noted with sorrow that few people took time for a private visit to the Blessed Sacrament.  In 1853 each parish in his Diocese was to hold a Forty Hours Eucharistic Celebration.  Since at that time, we were part of the Philadelphia Diocese, the parishes in our area would also have begun the devotion.  We continue that tradition today with our parish’s annual celebration of Forty Hours.    

 

You are invited to come, spend some time with the Lord in prayer during these days.  Each evening there will be a closing service at 7pm.  Our guest homilist this year is Fr. Keith Carroll from Corpus Christi Parish in Chambersburg.  Some of you may remember him - while attending Mount Saint Mary's Seminary in Emmitsburg, he was twice assigned to our parish - to our school and our religious education program.

Catholic Witness publishes article on Fr. Bateman

In the most recent edition of the Catholic Witness, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Harrisburg, there was an article about Fr. Bateman and his recent commissioning in the PA Air National Guard.  You can view the article on the Diocesan website (you have to allow the entire document to download, then scroll to the last page).  You can view the article by clicking here.

SB 1 - Call-In your questions to PCN tonight!

PCN’s (Pennsylvania Cable Network) Call-In program airs Monday – Thursday evenings from 7 PM to 8PM. The hour-long interactive call-in program allows PCN viewers to speak directly with government officials, newsmakers and other knowledgeable parties on current Commonwealth issues.

On tonight's Call In Program, we will examine proposed school voucher legislation. Senator Anthony Williams, Senate minority whip and a main sponsor of SB 1, will be one of the guests during the program.  

Craft your questions, and join the conversation starting at 7:00 p.m.

PCN’s toll-free number – 1-877-PA6-5001 (1-877-726-5001)
 

PCN Call-In Program : The Official Website of the Pennsylvania Cable Network

www.pcntv.com

The Official Website of the Pennsylvania Cable Network

Commemoration of All Souls

Often overshadowed by the two days preceding it, Halloween (October 31) and All Saints Day (November 1), All Souls Day is a solemn feast for us which commemorates all of those who have died and now are in Purgatory, being cleansed of their venial sins and the temporal punishments for the mortal sins that they had confessed and atoning before entering fully into Heaven.

The importance of All Souls Day was made clear by Pope Benedict XV (1914-22), when he granted all priests the privilege of celebrating three Masses on All Souls Day: one, for the faithful departed; one for the priest's intentions; and one for the intentions of the Holy Father. Only on a handful of other very important feast days are priests allowed to celebrate more than two Masses.

On All Souls Day, we not only remember the dead, but we apply our efforts, through prayer, almsgiving, and the Mass, to their release from Purgatory.  There are two plenary indulgences attached to All Souls Day, one for visiting a church and another for visiting a cemetery.  (The plenary indulgence for visiting a cemetery can also be obtained every day from November 1-8, and, as a partial indulgence, on any day of the year.)  While the actions are performed by the living, the merits of the indulgences are applicable only to the souls in Purgatory.

Praying for the dead is a Christian obligation.  In the modern world, when many have come to doubt the Church's teaching on Purgatory, the need for such prayers has only increased.  The Church devotes the month of November to prayer for the Holy Souls in Purgatory, and participation in the Mass of All Souls Day is a good way to begin the month.

And this we did tonight at our parish... remembering all the following members of our parish family who have died since the last All Souls Day:

• Raymundo Velazques, Jr (November 16, 2010)
• Joan Felix (November 17, 2010)
• Noel Piel-Cruz (November 22, 2010)
• Joan Murphy (December 18, 2010)
• Elizabeth Lange (December 19, 2010)
• Joyce Scott (December 19, 2010)
• Henry "Hank" Lininger (December 25, 2010)
• Georgina "Gina" Camuso (January 10, 2011)
• Irwin Kneasel (January 12, 2011)
• Michael Anthony Clement (January 2011)
• Gerald Marcavitch (January 18, 2011)
• Ernest Angle (February 12, 2011)
• Bernadette Butler (March 12, 2011)
• Judithann "Judy" Clement (March 17, 2011)
• Joanne Schoonover (March 19, 2011)
• William "Bill" Trace (March 20, 2011)
• Patricia Auchenbaugh (March 24, 2011)
• Thomas Tolley (April 11, 2011)
• Suzanne "Suzi" Trobaugh (April 25, 2011)
• Barry Bowser (June 6, 2011)
• Salvatore Marsiglia (August 12, 2011)
• Raymond Bercaw (August 19, 2011)
• Carole Sanders (August 29, 2011)
• Ben SanFellipo (September 20, 2011)

Here is a wonderful prayer, coming from the Byzantine Church, we can offer for them and for all the faithful departed:

By Thy resurrection from the dead, O Christ, death no longer hath dominion over those who die in holiness. So, we beseech Thee, give rest to Thy servants in Thy sanctuary and in Abraham's bosom. Grant it to those, who from Adam until now have adored Thee with purity, to our fathers and brothers, to our kinsmen and friends, to all men who have lived by faith and passed on their road to Thee, by a thousand ways, and in all conditions, and make them worthy of the heavenly kingdom.

All Saints Day

Just about every day in the Church calendar has the celebration of a saint, but today, the Solemnity of All Saints, is when the Church honors all the saints, known and unknown.  This is kind of like the American holidays Veterans Day and Presidents Day, where many people are honored on one day.  While we have information about many saints, and we honor them on specific days, there are MANY unknown or unsung saints, who may have been forgotten, or never been specifically honored.  On All Saints Day, we celebrate these saints of the Lord, and ask for their prayers and intercessions.  The whole concept of All Saints Day is tied in with the concept of the Communion of Saints.  This is the belief that all of God's people, on heaven, earth, and in the state of purification (called Purgatory), are connected in a communion.  In other words, Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe that the saints of God are just as alive as you and I, and are constantly interceding on our behalf.  Remember, our connection with the saints in heaven is one grounded in a tight-knit communion.  The saints are not divine, nor omnipresent or omniscient.  However, because of our common communion with and through Jesus Christ, our prayers are joined with the heavenly community of Christians.  St. Cyril of Jerusalem (AD 350) testifies to this belief:

We mention those who have fallen asleep: first the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, and martyrs, that through their prayers and supplications God would receive our petition... (Catechetical Lecture 23:9).

The Catholic Catechism concisely describes this communion among believers, by which we are connected to Christ, and thus to one another:

"Being more closely united to Christ, those who dwell in heaven fix the whole Church more firmly in holiness... They do not cease to intercede with the Father for us... So by their fraternal concern is our weakness greatly helped."

"...as Christian communion among our fellow pilgrims brings us closer to Christ, so our communion with the saints joins us to Christ, from whom as from its fountain and head issues all grace, and the life of the People of God itself: We worship Christ as God's Son; we love the martyrs as the Lord's disciples and imitators, and rightly so because of their matchless devotion towards their king and master.  May we also be their companions and fellow disciples (CCC 956, 957)!