Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As you know, the Church prays for all the deceased in a special way during the month of November. We will continue our reflection on the funeral rites of the Church throughout this month. Last week, we were reminded that the funeral serves a twofold purpose: to pray for the salvation of the deceased person and to help those who mourn offer thanksgiving, find hope, and recall the promise of the resurrection. With that in mind, it is worth reflecting on how the Catholic Church’s funeral rites are structured. The Rite of Christian Burial is a three-part liturgy.

The liturgy begins with the Vigil for the Deceased, commonly called the wake. While a wake usually lasts several hours, the liturgical prayer offered during that time is very brief, and serves to set the tone for the evening. “We believe that all the ties of friendship and affection which knit us as one throughout our lives do not unravel with death.” (Vigil for the Deceased—Rite of Christian Burial 71). Reminded of this truth, during the wake we have an opportunity for friends and family to come together to pray, remember the life of the deceased, and prepare for the funeral Mass the next day. The wake is a moment to pay respects, to share memories and stories, and to comfort one another.

The Mass of Christian Burial ordinarily takes place the day after the wake. In this Mass, the Church reminds us of our hope that those who have faith will share in the Resurrection of Jesus. Rooted in the symbolism of baptism, the casket is sprinkled with holy water, covered with a white cloth, and placed before the Easter candle. The Scripture readings point us to God’s mercy and remind us that Jesus has triumphed over sin and death. A homily serves to focus our attention on the fact that, for the Christian, death is not the end, but a new beginning of life, and thus we, as a community of faith, have a responsibility to pray for the eternal salvation of the deceased. The proper title for a funeral Mass is “Mass of Christian Burial”—other names (e.g. celebration of life, mass of resurrection) should not be used.

The Rite of Committal follows the Mass and takes place at the cemetery. Burial reflects our Catholic belief in the dignity of the body, and our anticipation of the resurrection of the dead. Short prayers are said at the graveside and mourners are able to say a final goodbye to their loved one. The burial of the body provides a visible moment of closure and an end to the funeral rites of the Church.

These three liturgical moments are vital in the Church’s ministry and pastoral practice. They provide structure and guidance for our prayer when faced with death, allow us to properly entrust the soul of our beloved deceased to the mercy of God, and give us comfort in the familiarity of ritual. Next week’s reflection will use this foundational explanation of the structure of the Rite of Christian Burial to explain other elements of how the Church prays for the dead and ministers to the grieving.

Peace,

Fr. Sam

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the wake of the attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh we are confronted with the horror of violence and hatred and come face-to-face with the depravity of man. It goes without saying that anti-Semitism is to be condemned in any and all forms. In this particular context, we stand in solidarity with the members of that synagogue as well as with our Jewish neighbors here in the greater-Fairfield area. As the month of November begins, we Catholics are called in a special way to lift up prayers for the dead. We celebrate the solemnity of All Saints and the great feast of All Souls and in this way begin a month dedicated to carrying out one of the most important Christian responsibilities related to the end of life. As this month begins, let us pray for those men and women who lost their lives in Pittsburgh and commit ourselves to peace.

When death is before us, we experience a variety of emotions, some conditioned by the nature of our relationship with the deceased. Grief is always an appropriate response to death, though we sometimes fear the sadness entailed in the grief process. Grief over death is natural and healthy. At the same time, we may experience anger, frustration, or relief. The emotional response to death is as varied as the people who are confronted with death. There is, however, a proper Christian response that the Church calls us to offer in the midst of this grief. That response is hope-filled prayer, the carrying out of the spiritual work of mercy, to pray for the dead.

This spiritual work of mercy is vital. Regardless of the faith of the deceased, we who live are called to pray for them. There are countless prayers for the dead that we may use. Naturally, spontaneous prayers for those who have died are also an excellent way to carry out this spiritual work of mercy. When the deceased is a Catholic, the Church provides us with a particular liturgical expression of our prayer, the Order of Christian Funerals. In this powerful rite “the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end nor does it break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting word of God and the sacrament of the Eucharist” (Order of Christian Funerals 4).  Thus we see the purpose of the funeral—we who are Catholic are charged with the responsibility of interceding for the salvation of the deceased. In our grief, the Church accompanies us in prayer and sacrament.

Additionally, the celebration of a funeral Mass is an act of thanksgiving for the life of the deceased. Indeed, the word “eucharist” comes from the Greek word meaning “thanksgiving.” During the funeral Mass, we not only give thanks to God for the gift of life, the Church also “commends the dead to God’s merciful love and pleads for the forgiveness of their sins” (OCF 6). The Church seeks to balance the full range of emotions and realities that come up in the face of death. For example, when I die, I sincerely hope that people will remember me in a positive light and will be grateful for my life. At the same time, I am well aware of my sinfulness, my need for God’s mercy, and that my imperfections are very real. I also know that people (at least some) will be sad. Fortunately, the funeral allows for all of these realities. In the funeral it is possible to pray in thanksgiving for what is good, to pray for forgiveness for what is bad, and to pray for comfort in sorrow—to the Church, none of these prayers are mutually exclusive. “While proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessing to Christian hope in the resurrection, the funeral rites also recall to all who take part in them God’s mercy and judgment and meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis” (OCF 7).

Remembering our beloved deceased and all those who have died, let us raise up our prayers for their peaceful rest and entrust their souls to God’s abundant mercy. We will continue our reflection on the nature and purpose of the funeral liturgy in the coming weeks.

Peace,

Fr. Sam

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Thank you all for your generosity and support last weekend as we began our final push for the We Stand With Christ campaign. You pledged over $300,000—a truly incredible show of sacrificial giving! Over 200 families have participated in the campaign and many more are prayerfully considering a gift. I can never adequately express my gratitude for what you are all doing for our parish community, but let me again say thank you! Some people have expressed concern about committing to a pledge over 3 to 5 years, and have shared with me that they are worried they cannot participate in the campaign as a result. Please allow me to clarify: every gift is gratefully received, whether a multi-year pledge or a one-time offering, and everyone in the parish is invited to participate in this extraordinary endeavor in the way that is best for them. We Stand With Christ is not about equal giving, but about participation. We, the parish community of St. Pius X, are all in this together. I do not want this effort to become a reason for anyone feeling excluded. Again, I thank you all for your goodness and for the generosity that you show again and again.

As we move into the month of November, we enter a time that the Church has traditionally observed as a time to remember those who have gone before us in faith. We begin the month with the great solemnity of All Saints, followed by the feast of All Souls. The Church invites us to reflect on those heroes of the faith whose virtue and holiness is known to all, the saints whose example teaches us what it means to follow Christ with our whole hearts. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation. On October 31 (Halloween – All Hallows Eve), the vigil Mass for All Saints will be celebrated at 5:30 PM. On November 1, Masses for All Saints Day take place at 8:30 AM, 5:30 PM, and 7:30 PM. This last Mass of the day will be a Solemn High Mass celebrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, that is, in Latin. We look forward to celebrating this great solemnity with you as we remember the communion of saints.

Please mark your calendars for our annual Mass of Remembrance on November 14 at 7PM. During this Mass, we pray for and remember those who have died in the last year and we pray for their peaceful rest. I am struck each year as I read the names of the deceased, many of whom I buried and whose families I know well. It is a reminder that, as we say in the funeral Mass, “life is changed, not ended” and we look forward in hope to the day of the Resurrection.

Over the next few weeks, I will use this space to reflect on what we as Catholics believe about death and the prayerful response of the Church to the reality of death. In particular, I will offer a catechesis on the Rite of Christian Burial, the Church’s liturgy in a time of grief. The funeral is an often misunderstood element of the Church’s pastoral ministry, and I hope that the reflections offered here will help to clarify any confusion and give us all a healthy spiritual perspective for facing the challenging reality of death and grief. Our hope remains always in Jesus Christ, the one who conquers sin and death and promises us the gift of eternal life in heaven!

Peace,

Fr. Sam

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

James and John exhibit their typical boldness in the Gospel this weekend. At first glance, their request to sit at the right and left of Jesus in His kingdom may seem to be motivated by a desire for position or prestige. But if we read carefully, we see that they make this request out of love for Jesus. Remember, these same disciples were outraged that Jesus was rejected by the Samaritan town and wanted to call down fire from heaven to consume the place (cf. Luke 9:54). Seeing Jesus rejected causes them great offense and pain. James and John love Jesus and have a profound faith in His promise of eternal life. In their great zeal, they do not understand what they are asking, and so our Lord explains that their salvation and place in the Kingdom will come through suffering like His, through the conformity of their lives to His. Hearing this, the other Apostles are upset because they interpret the request as one for prestige, privilege, and power, instead of as it is genuinely intended (though with a lack of understanding). And so Jesus teaches the true meaning of power. Power, greatness, authority, are not to be wielded for their own sake, nor are they to be lorded over others. Rather, power and authority exist for service. “For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45).

Power and authority present a great challenge and temptation if we lack a proper Christian understanding of how they are to be used. Jesus tells us that authority or power is not to be lorded over others, but rather placed at their service. His intention and desire is that in the Church, “power” be used, not in a worldly way, but for the good of the whole community. The true power of the Church is sacramental, that is, it brings God’s true power to bear on the world, the power that sanctifies, blesses, inspires, heals, and saves. Sometimes authority or power must be exercised to correct behavior or clarify teaching. This is not authority for the sake of authority, but for the sake of truth. For example, a math teacher who allows students to believe that 2+2=5 fails to exercise legitimate power and authority that should lead to truth. A parent who allows their child to throw rocks at the neighbor’s child fails to exercise legitimate power and authority that should lead to right behavior (and safety!). A priest or pastor who remains silent, refusing to speak about important issues or questions fails to exercise the legitimate power and authority that should lead to the salvation of his community. Jesus undoubtedly gives power and authority to the Apostles. But this power and authority is not for their sake, but for the salvation of the whole Church, for those who are powerless and in need.

The existentialist philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche believed that the “will to power” was the driving force operative in all people and institutions. For him, the will to power inspired in people the desire for prestige and high position. This philosophical outlook colors the way in which we, today, interpret power and authority. We tend to view it in secular terms, which leads many to worship the false idol of political power. In an ecclesial context, this understanding can lead people to view leadership roles (such as bishop and priest) as the highest goal of the Catholic, or as the only way to have influence. This attitude did not originate with Nietzsche, of course, as we can see it present throughout history in various ways both secular and religious. Jesus teaches an understanding of power and authority that is directly opposed to the will to power. Especially within the Church, all power, all authority must be exercised only for the sanctification, guidance, and service of the whole community. The priesthood, episcopacy, and even papacy are not offices to be served, but are rather offices that exist to proclaim the love and mercy of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ who came, not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life for the salvation of the world.

Peace,

Fr. Sam

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The familiar story of the rich young man which we hear in the Gospel this weekend provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our own lives. Rich or poor, how do we approach Jesus? Is there anything in our lives that stands as an obstacle to a living, vibrant relationship with our Lord?

Jesus makes it clear that it is hard for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God. This is true for several reasons. A person of wealth can easily grow accustomed to having things their way, to obtaining whatever they desire – though money can never buy happiness, it can buy material comfort. It is also possible for people who have a degree of wealth to be given preferential treatment in certain (or even most) situations. In contemporary parlance, we call this privilege, and that word is rarely uttered with a positive connotation. Put another way, it is possible for those who are rich in material things to adopt an attitude of entitlement, which can lead to a lack of humility and an increase of pride.

The rich young man, though, is sincere. He truly wants to go to heaven and have a relationship with God. When Jesus tells him to keep the commandments, the man answers truthfully that he has observed the commandments religiously his entire life. His heart is in the right place. Jesus looks at him with love because He can see the young man’s genuine desire for a life of union with God. But our Lord knows that following the commandments is not the sum total of a relationship with God. Again and again, Jesus calls us not only to fulfill the commandments, but also to go with Him. The young man finds himself unable to follow Jesus, not because the commandments are too hard, but because he is too attached to his material wealth. He does not believe he is capable of living without his stuff. Perhaps more, the rich young man is used to a certain lifestyle and to the deference shown him because of his wealth. Now, he is asked to follow, to associate with the poor, to forsake privilege. This, it seems, is a bridge too far, and he goes away sad, knowing that he has been invited to something great, but is not able to accept the invitation because he is unwilling to humbly change his life.

It is no secret that Fairfield is a fairly wealthy community and that attitudes of entitlement and privilege exist, most often with negative consequences. Do we see these attitudes in ourselves? If so, do we recognize that they are obstacles to a life of discipleship? Are we willing to let go of our privileged attitudes and our tendency toward self-sufficiency in order to listen more carefully to Jesus? Let us today reflect on the obstacles to Jesus that exist in our lives, remembering that Jesus looks at us with love and never withdraws His invitation to be His disciples.

Peace,

Fr. Sam