Holy Cross Vocations United States Province // Holy Cross Vocations United States Province

Never Bored

2012-05-21T01:00:00-04:00

Several weeks ago I commented to our parish secretary, Gail, that I have never been bored as a priest. Gail thought that comment would make a good topic for one of my vocation blogs, and so I’ll focus this, my last blog post, on that reality in my life as a priest.

This experience includes my 10 years outside of parish ministry as Vocation Director and as Director of Campus Ministry. As Vocation Director, there were, fortunately, many young men interested in the Congregation of Holy Cross with whom I was in contact, keeping me fairly busy. Between my campus ministry work and living in a residence hall at Stonehill College, my life was sometimes a bit too hectic, but at the same time exciting and enjoyable.

I must say, however, that parish ministry has been the most fulfilling and enjoyable ministry I have experienced as a priest. In my parish work, I interact with people from birth to death and every moment in between.

I share in the joy of young couples preparing for the sacrament of Christian marriage, baptizing their firstborn in the Christian faith, or participating with their child in his or her First Communion. I so much enjoy the opportunities I have to interact with our parish children in their religious education classes or in summer vacation bible school, and with our teenagers in their confirmation preparation or in youth ministry. I also have many opportunities to be present to the adults of our parish in the programs and activities in which so many of them participate: having breakfast with the Forever Young group, lunch with the widows and widowers, or dinner with our Friends in Faith group; visiting the Bible study group; or working with parishioners in the commissions and committees that sponsor so many activities in the parish.

It is a privilege to be with individuals and families in times of difficulty: counseling a parishioner, married couple, or family; visiting those ill in the hospital or the elderly in the nursing home; celebrating the sacrament of the sick with someone anticipating surgery or nearing death; meeting with a family to plan the Mass of Christian Burial for a loved one.

Of course, among the most rewarding aspects of the life of a priest is celebrating the Eucharist. Doing so in the midst of a parish community as a pastor or parochial vicar enhances the sense of fulfillment that this sacramental ministry brings to a priest.

Along with the exciting and diverse ministry of the parish priest is an equally important reason why I have never found myself bored: when I do find myself with some unexpected free time, especially during the summer when the parish schedule slows down a bit, I can devote that time to theological and spiritual reading or to extra prayer. One who knows how to pray is never without something to do with unexpected free time.

It has been a pleasure sharing my experience of parish ministry for the past year through this blog. I pray that God’s grace will guide you in your discernment of His will and direction in your life.

Fr. Jim Fenstermaker, C.S.C., is Pastor of Holy Cross Parish in South Easton, Mass. He has been a monthly contributor this year to the Spes Unica Blog, reflecting on the work of Holy Cross in parish ministry. We are thankful for his posts and more important for his vocation as a Holy Cross priest. Learn more about the work of Holy Cross priests and brothers in parochial ministry as we seek to bring hope to the Church and world.

Living Among the Saints

2012-05-15T01:00:00-04:00

I remember looking forward to coming to Rome but not being super excited about it. I had not stopped to take the time to learn what Rome had to offer. Since coming here, however, my faith has been inspired in a completely different way than it had been in the United States, specifically through the lives of the saints.

For the English-speaking community in Rome there are what are called the Station Churches during Lent. Each morning, Mass is offered in an ancient church that houses an important relic or has played some other historical role in the history of the Church. One morning we were having Mass over pieces of Jesus’ manger and then a week later over the bones of St. Cecilia, an early Christian martyr. At the same time that we were journeying through Lent to Easter Sunday, we were making a pilgrimage to the churches of saints like St. Laurence and Sts. Phillip and James on our way to Easter Vigil Mass in St. Peter’s.

As Catholics we pray to the saints in order to come closer to Christ. We pray for their intercession on our behalf and for the strength to model our lives after theirs. In the United States, we typically do not have the same devotion to the saints that they do here in Rome. A priest who has lived in the Eternal City for over 20 years jokingly once told me, “Saints are a dime a dozen here.”

Having such a strong cult of the saints gives the faith a concrete aspect I had not experienced before. There are so many examples of people who have lived their lives and given their lives for the sake of the Gospel. Living in a city where their relics seem to be on every street corner has slowly built up a fire in me to be a more faithful and devout Christian.

Through living amongst the Communion of Saints, which is so physically present in Rome, I have been encouraged to be strong in the faith of the Church, similar to the way in which my brothers in Holy Cross give me the strength to live as a seminarian. “Our community life refreshes the faith that makes our work a ministry and not just an employment; it fortifies us by the example and encouragement of our confreres” (Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross, 4:33).

By living in community we encourage each other to continue to grow deeper in faith. Though we are still part of the Church Militant and will probably spend some time as part of the Church Suffering, we hope to one day be in the Church Triumphant.

Mr. Bryan Williams is in his third year at Old College Undergraduate Seminary on the campus of Notre Dame. He and his fellow Old Collegians write a post each month for the Spes Unica Blog, sharing on their life and formation in Old College. He and three of his classmates have been studying in Rome this semester, as a study abroad experience which is part of formation for Old Collegians. Read about the experience of the men who studied in London in the fall semester.

And meet the current Old Collegians who are in formation for priesthood and religious life in Holy Cross.

Stonehill Heroes: Frs. Lockary and Sullivan

2012-05-14T01:00:00-04:00

Dr. Chet Raymo, Professor Emeritus of Physics at Stonehill, recently wrote a piece for the college’s alumni magazine on the first two people he met upon arriving at Stonehill on Holy Thursday, 1964. By God’s Providence, they were two Holy Cross priests – Fr. Tom Lockary, C.S.C, and Fr. Richard Sullivan, C.S.C. – who would go on to have a major impact on his life.

Fr. Lockary, Raymo writes, “was not the most organized guy in the world; I’ve seen landfills that were neater than his desk. But his soul was tidy. And his loyalty to the College, his students, and his colleagues was unfailing.”

And “Fr. Sullivan was and remains one of my lifetime heroes. He had the most capacious soul of any man I ever met.”

Check out the article entitled “Remembering Two Great Men” to let Dr. Raymo introduce you to these two Holy Cross heroes.

Mysterious Signs of Divine Providence

2012-05-11T10:00:00-04:00

Mathematics and religious life have both brought with them one fringe benefit that I had not really considered when entering into either vocation: international travel. In fact, this June will mark the fourth summer in a row that I’ll be making a trip to Europe, and each of the last three has brought me in touch with a mysterious sign of Divine Providence.

In 2010, I traveled to Portugal for an annual meeting in mathematical logic. Now Portugal is not an obvious hotbed for mathematical research, but this particular meeting rotates through various nations of Europe, and Portugal was simply next in turn. It was a country I had never seen, so I was very excited to go. I was, however, a little disappointed when I realized I’d still be overseas on July 4. It’s only natural for an American to want to be home on Independence Day, and most years I enjoy going to fireworks with family or friends.

So I wasn’t thrilled that I’d be in a place where nobody cared about the day. But then I realized I was wrong: July 4 is the feast day of St. Elizabeth of Portugal. The only place other than America (that I know of) where this day is special, and there I was. Lord willing, I will be in the States to celebrate many Independence Days. But how many times would I get the opportunity to celebrate St. Elizabeth of Portugal in Portugal?

Last year, the local University of Portland community blessed me by sending me to LeMans for the program in Holy Cross history and spirituality. I’m pretty sure it takes place about the same time each summer (except when the Marianite Sisters, who run the program, convene their general chapter). Last year, because Easter was so late, the program ended on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.

This devotion to our Lord obviously had great significance to Blessed Basil Moreau, since he chose the Sacred Heart as the patron of the priests. Moreover, this devotion began in France with the visions of St. Margaret Mary, and fittingly, the most important shrine to the Sacred Heart, Sacre Coeur, stands in Paris. Since the conference ended on that Friday, I celebrated the Solemnity’s morning Mass in LeMans, the cradle of our Congregation, and traveled that afternoon to the airport in Paris, the Sacred Heart’s “own city” (but, of course, the whole world belongs to Him).

This year, that same mathematical logic conference takes place June 18-23 in Cambridge (England), the alma mater of Alan Turing, one of the most important logicians of the 20^thcentury, who was born June 23, 1912. The dates and the place of the conference were chosen for obvious reasons, and I am very fortunate and glad that I will be there to remember a tremendous figure in my chosen field of study. But, for me as a priest, the significance of time and place has a whole added dimension. For June 22 is the feast day of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More, who, 477 years ago, gave their lives in loyalty to Christ’s Church during the reign of Henry VIII. What a joy and honor to think that, Lord willing, I will be at their earthly home to remember the day they entered our true homeland.

These seemingly small, symbolic gifts from God mean a great deal to me. I chose to make these trips for reasons that were my own, but He made them occasions for me to celebrate with Him and His saints. We make many choices in our lives for very practical, sensible, and even somewhat selfish reasons. We do not always know how God uses those choices for His own designs, to bless us and those around us in ways we never imagined.

Fr. Charlie McCoy, C.S.C., is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Portland. He is a monthly contributor to theSpes Unica blog, reflecting primarily on the work of Holy Cross in education. Learn more about the work of Holy Cross priests and brothers in the field of education to bring hope to the Church and world.

The Easter Cross

2012-05-09T12:10:00-04:00

It may seem strange to open the page to a reflection on the Cross when Easter is still in our hearts and on our lips and we proclaim that the cross has been conquered by the Lord. But in fact, the cross is very present in the lives and liturgies of Peruvians during these days. In Chile, México and Perú, we’ve just celebrated – and in some places continue to celebrate – the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross.

Throughout Perú wooden crosses – usually large and very heavy – are carried in hours-long processions through the hills and on the streets all over the country. With eagerness, respect and profound devotion, people wait their turn to carry or help carry the enormous cross along its route. It’s estimated that in the Southern city of Tacna alone, more than 300 of these large crosses are carried in procession from outlying areas to the cathedral in the center of town.

In the parish this past week-end more than 20 such crosses were carried in long afternoon and evening processions, which attracted the young and old, healthy and infirmed. And given the rugged rocky hills that dominate the parish landscape, they were more rigorous (and potentially dangerous) hikes than easy walks. The crosses belong to the neighborhoods and are kept in local chapels to be brought out on this occasion.

True to the title of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, the processions, accompanied by brass bands and firecrackers, seek the high ground as their destination. The crosses which come from different directions converge on hillcrests to be exalted – raised on high – and to be seen by all.

The crosses are elaborately decorated with flowers to reflect the festive nature of the occasion and the great devotion to the Cross. But even more so, the flowers symbolize the faith the people have in the new life that the Cross of Jesus promises.

This would not have been a particularly unusually celebration of the day of the Cross for me if it had not been for a brief conversation in the sacristy that Sunday morning just before Mass.

“My daughter’s in bad shape,” Carmen said, just before her tears began to flow quickly and profusely – but briefly – because she had to get in line with the other ministers who were about to begin the entrance procession. Those few words were all it took to bring back to my mind her story which I was painfully aware of – about a daughter who vacillated between hope and failure in what seemed a life-long battle against a drug addiction, and now once again had fallen. Carmen didn’t need more than those few words to communicate the tremendous anguish that completely overwhelmed her that brief moment in the sacristy.

That would be one of those occasions when I would learn so much more than I was going to be able to teach. I think I gave a decent homily that morning, but she was the teacher that day. She knew so much about the Cross and the hope it carries, and she shed a brilliant light on what our Constitutions have to say about the Cross of our Hope.

After she had done the reading, directed the communion “traffic” and helped clean up after Mass, she headed off to the procession of the crosses, where she would walk for hours helping others carry the cross just as she carried hers so much of her life – head held high and as if the Cross and she has become life-long companions. There were perhaps few others there who could carry the Cross with so much authority.

She, faithful to the gospel, took up her cross daily and followed Him (Constitutions of the Congregation of Holy Cross, 8:112). She encountered and accepted suffering … and so could move without awkwardness among others who were suffering and looked to her for support (8:118). And drawn by the Cross of Jesus into the Resurrection, she walked by Easter’s first light which made her long for its fullness (8:119). She knew the Cross very well. It was her Hope.

Fr. Don Fetters, C.S.C., is a member of the District of Peru, one of several foreign missions overseen by the United States Province. He is a monthly contributor to the Spes Unica blog reflecting on the work of Holy Cross in the missions. Learn more about the missionary work of Holy Cross priests and brothers to extend the Good News of Jesus Christ across “borders of every sort,” including Peru.

The Host of the Mass

2012-05-07T17:40:00-04:00

This weekend I had the joy of traveling to the Chicago area to celebrate my nephew’s First Holy Communion. Anticipating my visit with my sister and her family, I was excited to see them as well as to see my parents and others who would be there for the celebration.

On the way there, I also spent time reflecting on how different the celebration of the Mass at André House is compared to the celebration of the Eucharist with all of the excited/nervous/fidgety/pious but distracted children who would receive the tremendous gift of the Body and Blood of Christ for the first time. I also started to think about the different things that have happened at Mass that were not covered in the seminary, not even in the class about how to celebrate Mass.

At André House, we celebrate Mass outside in our parking lot Monday through Thursday at 9:30 a.m., immediately after opening the gates at the Main Hospitality Center and settling the guests who come for either clothing, to do laundry, make a phone call, or to get a blanket. On the first Friday of the month and on holidays, we have Mass at our transitional houses outside before a potluck. Twice a year we have Mass inside our dining room.

Some of the things that I have encountered at our André House Masses but were not discussed in class include:

Offerings. Sometimes more than bread and wine get offered at Mass. Several times we have had people leave something on our altar before or even during Mass (and not necessarily at the offertory time). One woman who we called “Rosary” would come almost daily and leave flowers on the altar with a small note. Often she would hand them to me after Mass and say, “Give these to Jesus.” A couple of times on the way back from the Food Bank an hour before Mass we have seen her in different yards collecting her gifts for the Lord.

We have had several grapefruit offered, as well as someone who literally gave the shirt right off her back (as the rest of us gave thanks that she had something on underneath). She very ceremoniously made her offering in the middle of the intercessions. Fr. Duane Balcerski, C.S.C., was presiding at that Mass, and he did not skip a beat. He simply said, “We pray to the Lord,” and we responded, “Lord hear our prayer.”

One day a man from India came with a donation before Mass for the soup line, but then decided to join us for prayer. We could tell this may be his first Mass, but he was quite respectful. Around the offertory time, he left the benches by the altar and went to his car. I thought he might have had to leave and so continued with Mass. Quickly I noticed he was preparing something in his car. Just about the sign of peace, he came over with “fresh” flower leis (and their accompanying fresh flies) that he proceeded to put around our necks.

At André House I have also learned that there are interruptions and there are interruptions. In many churches I have encountered people mimicking the hand gestures of the priest during Mass. This has a very different feel when the one mimicking is a child in a large congregation compared to an inebriated adult sitting in the bench directly across from you. Delayed responses of “Amen” no longer faze me.

Nor does it faze me as much when a guest who has been waiting for us to open starts to get unruly and lets his or her feelings known using the “vernacular.” Suffice to say that people who have to be asked to leave usually do not say, “Oh, thank you for pointing out my errors.” Even in the guests’ casual conversation while waiting for Mass to finish so we can open the building one can hear a word beginning with “f.” They use it even more when asked to leave. And we continue to pray on.

What have been the most distracting things, for me, during Mass? Three come to mind: 1) One person, who sat on the ramp into the building behind the altar, decided during the Eucharistic Prayer at the words “This is my Body,” to shout: “That’s not literal! That’s not literal!” I had to ask him to let us pray without interjections.

2) During the sign of peace one of the guests decided to pick up the chalice, and it looked like he was about to drink from it. We asked him to wait to drink, but he decided to leave instead.

3) Trying to drink the Precious Blood at the sign of peace was better than the man who, also during the sign of peace on a different day, decided to pick up the chalice and start walking away. I assure you that it is most appropriate to stop Mass and shout, “Sir! The cup needs to stay here!” He stopped and quietly returned our chalice without spilling any of the Precious Blood. On both of those occasions we stopped the person very quickly as we take seriously the sacredness of the Eucharist.

In case you were wondering, no, there were no such distractions during my nephew’s First Holy Communion. There was a nice offertory, good singing, and appropriate responses. We had a beautiful and wonderful celebration.

I also find the unmasked and very simple celebration of the Eucharist at André House very beautiful.

At the end of the day, it does not matter where you celebrate the Mass – in a gothic church (like my sister’s parish), in a basilica or cathedral, or in a more simple setting such as a country chapel or the humble parking lot of André House. What makes the Mass beautiful is not the singing, the correct responses, the distractions or the lack of distractions. Good proclamation of the Word, full and active participation, well-chosen and prepared music all serve great functions to help raise our hearts minds and souls to God.

But the most important thing is what my nephew focused on this weekend – the host. At the Mass, Jesus is the host. He welcomes us, and even gives us the gift of prayer. As long as we focus on Him, and perhaps even re-capture the excitement of receiving Him as those children receiving First Holy Communion did on Saturday, then we will receive grace upon grace. That is literal … and amazing.

Fr. Eric Schimmel, C.S.C., is the Director of André House of Hospitality in Phoenix, Arizona. He is in his second year as a monthly contributor to the Spes Unica blog. Learn more about the missionary work of Holy Cross priests and brothers to extend the Good News of Jesus Christ across “borders of every sort,” including a new video documenting the work of Holy Cross to carry the Gospel to those in need of its hope.

A Community Transcending Time and Space

2012-05-04T01:00:00-04:00

Last November I was at Notre Dame for a meeting and I was invited to join the Holy Cross community for Mass at Fatima House. It was All Souls Day and my Holy Cross friends assured me that, even if I was the only non-Holy Cross person there, I was more than welcome. And of course, when I worked my way to the back of the packed chapel one of the priests jumped up from his seat and offered it to me. Holy Cross hospitality is more than words on a page.

Maybe it’s a guy thing, but there is something that has always moved me about a group of men, united in purpose and labor, bonded by a shared life, shared sacrifice and shared joy. For me, there is a swelling of pride. A sense of strength. A silent understanding.

I first felt it as a young man whenever I got together with my father and brothers. I felt it with my teammates when I rowed in college, and again when I spent months on a hilltop in Vietnam with a company of men. But that day at Fatima House? I felt it so deeply that it moved me to tears.

There were old brothers and priests in cardigan sweaters who had to be helped into their chairs. And there were young seminarians who laid their backpacks next to their feet. And all of them, together, joined in prayer and song with a deep powerful resonance. Even though I was an “outsider” I couldn’t help but feel part of the family.

After Mass, we all lined up outside the chapel and in a long column of pairs slowly walked to the nearby Holy Cross cemetery. We chanted the Litany of the Saints as we walked. When we arrived at the gate, we each went our own way and carefully moved among the gravestones, pausing, pausing, pausing, to remember the men whose names will always be part of our own private litanies.

The men who processed that day, I knew, return to the cemetery throughout each year to lay newly deceased friends and brothers to rest. But on this one day they were gathered in silent spiritual communion, the living and the dead, to be united in a way that only those who have carried the Cross together can fully understand and feel.

A few weeks ago, right before Fr. Matt Kuczora, C.S.C., was ordained, he and his good friend Fr. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., walked together to that same cemetery to spend some time with the members of the Holy Cross community who would not be able to attend Fr. Matt’s ordination. It was not autumn. Not the end of a season or a year or a life. It was spring. Easter was just past. Life could be seen celebrating all around. I wasn’t there, but I imagine those two shared a swelling of pride that day. A sense of strength. A silent understanding.

People sometimes say that once Holy Cross gets hold of you, you are part of the community forever. There are rituals and traditions that remind us that true community transcends time and space. And the older I get, the more comforting I find that thought.

Mr. John Soisson is the Special Assistant to the President at the University of Portland in Portland, Ore. He and Mr. Rob Curtis, the Pastoral Minister at St. John Vianney Parish in Goodyear, Ariz., team up to contribute to the Spes Unica blog the perspective of our lay collaborators in Holy Cross. Our lay collaborators not only join us in what we do, but they also help make us who we are. It is impossible to imagine our lives, our mission, or our vocations without them, and so to help those discerning with our community, we include their voices on our blog as well.

A Home for Studies

2012-05-02T01:00:00-04:00

Not so long after I bragged about the ministry of Holy Cross in our Parishes in Tanzania – Kitete and Kambi ya Simba – I took a turn to do advanced studies at the University of Notre Dame and live in residence at Moreau Seminary. What a change of life!

After six years of being away from anything close to serious academic activities of the theological nature, especially anything systematic, I can attest that this was not a smooth ride. It was made more difficult when I lost my best friend and prayer buddy, my 94-year-old grandmother, four days after I arrived here. This was a challenge of a lifetime.

Then came the challenge not only of refreshing my mind about different philosophers and theologians, but also catching up with what has been happening in this academic area since I finished my studies about seven years ago. Some of my professors could see my concerned face in some classes and had to talk to me.

Leaving family and very close friends that I had made in the years in Kitete and Kambi ya Simba, and beginning a new life with a new circle of friends in a different society was a tough thing to do. It was not easy to leave my home in Tanzania. Tears were shed and the exchange of hugs and gifts proved the love we have accumulated for each other for that long time together.

But if you recall what I said while in Kitete, I found a rather soft landing at Moreau Seminary. I found a community, not just a residence. I found family, not just community members. And I found a home, not just a house.

I have met young men in different stages of formation, aspiring to live religious life in Holy Cross. I have attended some of their classes with them and shared prayers and Eucharistic table with them. We also have shared meals, told the stories of our lives, and enjoyed social events.

I have found fellow Holy Cross religious who have possibly seen more than I have in religious life. I keep learning day-by-day how to live in American society, but there has not been a day that I have not thanked the Lord for the beauty of the community that I am experiencing here. I could not ask for anything more.

One other experience not to forget is American Football! Being a lover of soccer and a fan of the mighty “Arsenal” Gunners, American football was anything but “football.” I once described it as “a bunch of strong men trying to carry the ball across the field to the other end, and another bunch of strong men trying to stop them.” But, tell you what, I grew up to love the game, learning some of the rules but mostly, I learned: “Go Irish!”

I got home sick sometimes, but I had somebody sensing and asking and offering a word of encouragement. I felt confused and overburdened with academic work at times, but there was never a day that I missed the question: How does your school day look or how was your school day? And of course all these are followed by a word of courage … and thus continued proof that we are men who are walking side by side following the Lord!

I am about to complete a full year of studies, and there is no way of saying how much I appreciate the community that I have here and the studies that I am getting so much into now. And, of course, I owe this to no one else but the Congregation of Holy Cross that I am blessed to be part of.

If I felt working in the parishes in Tanzania was very fulfilling and leaving them was not the best thing in my life, then I guess there is more to experience in religious life in Holy Cross. Our spiritually rich Constitutions teach us, “Similarly Peter became the Lord’s true and reliable disciple not during the days he followed in Galilee but after he disowned his Lord and wept and was given the opportunity not to become as he once was but to serve as he never had served” (6:78).

Fr. David Eliaona, C.S.C., is a Holy Cross priest from the District of East Africa, which is a mission of the United States Province. He was ordained to the priesthood on January 26, 2008. After having spent the first years of his priesthood in our parishes in Tanzania, Fr. David came to the University of Notre Dame to work on a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) in the area of Systematic Theology. He hopes to use his studies to teach in the future. Fr. David is one of over a dozen Holy Cross religious in the United States Province, including several from East Africa, who are pursuing advanced degrees to better serve as educators in the faith. Hear from some of the other Holy Cross religious in advanced studies.

Childlike Curiosity and Theological Study

2012-04-30T01:00:00-04:00

I’m a naturally curious person. I think we all start that way. As babies, we play with our fingers, with toys, with the cheeks of our parents as they try to rock us to sleep. We play because we want to understand how the world around us works and what our place in it is. When we get old enough to discover the joy of words, we ask, “Why?” There are probably few parents who have not at some point gotten tired of a child’s incessant questioning.

At some point, most people grow out of that curiosity. I never did, and that’s why I love studying theology. I like to play with things. I like to take a text and dissect it, to try on reading after reading, like a child plays dress-up, until I find something that fits just right. I like to take an idea and bounce it around with professors and classmates like a child with a new ball. Sometimes I get to delight in seeing an idea lift off and take on a life of its own, like a child who’s been given a balloon. I’ve never gotten tired of asking why, and our heavenly Father doesn’t seem to have tired of it yet either.

Like the child, I want to understand the world and my place in it, but I have some extra data. I know that the world is not randomly put together, but that it was created and is redeemed and sustained by the God who wraps me in His arms.

I know that my place in the world is not to be alone, but to be part of a pilgrim people that I believe I’m called to serve as a priest as we walk along together. And so it’s not just my place in the world that I want to understand, but rather our place, our journey and our destiny. I know I never will fully understand it, but also that I’m not saved by understanding but by faith.

I’d be the last to deny that our theological studies are useful for ministry. The MDiv degree that we study for at the University of Notre Dame provides us with top-notch preparation for professional ministry in the Church. But, our studies are not just of utilitarian benefit. I also can’t deny that studying for that next test can’t sometimes get a little stressful or even tedious. Studies definitely have a role to play in teaching us discipline. But, that’s not their primary value either.

Ultimately, through theological studies we’re helped to go back to being that curious little child that Jesus beckoned to come unto Him.

Mr. Adam Booth, C.S.C., is in his second year of temporary vows and is studying theology as a seminarian at Moreau Seminary on the campus of Notre Dame. He and other seminarians at Moreau write a post each month for the Spes Unica Blog, sharing on their life and formation at Moreau. Meet our other men in formation, and learn more about seminary life in Holy Cross, and specifically about the Candidate Program at Moreau Seminary, which constitutes the first year of religious and priestly formation in Holy Cross for college graduates and Old College seniors.

49th World Day of Prayer for Vocations

2012-04-27T01:00:00-04:00

This Sunday, April 29th, in union with the Universal Church, the Congregation of Holy Cross celebrates the 49^th World Day of Prayer for Vocations. This year, our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, has invited us to reflect on the theme of Vocations, the Gift of the Love of God.

In Holy Cross, our Constitutions speak to this beautiful reality that our vocations come to us as a gift of God’s love for us. They remind us that our religious vows “as an act of love for the God who first loved us” (5: 43).

Together with Pope Benedict XVI, we echo then that “we need to open our lives to this love. It is to the perfection of the Father’s love (cf. Mt 5:48) that Jesus Christ calls us every day! The high standard of the Christian life consists in loving “as” God loves; with a love that is shown in the total, faithful and fruitful gift of self. … It is in this soil of self-offering and openness to the love of God, and as the fruit of that love, that all vocations are born and grow.”

And so we invite you to join us in continuing to pray for vocations, especially to the Congregation of Holy Cross, in this prayer adapted from the Congregation’s Directory of Devotional Prayer.

God our Father,
we thank you for having called us to be your son and daughters,
to work together as brothers and sisters for the mission of Christ.
Transform our minds and hearts,
and guide us along the pathways of Truth.

Lord Jesus,
let us experience the peace and joy
of your presence in our midst.
Make us faithful disciples,
educators in the faith,
servants who are sensitive to the poor and needy.

Holy Spirit of God,
enlighten and strengthen us
in living and proclaiming the good news of salvation,
so that the witness of our lives as disciples
may inspire young men and women today
to lay down their lives in service of you
especially as priests, brothers, and sisters in Holy Cross.

Hear this prayer,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.

Discerning by discussing

2012-04-24T01:00:00-04:00

Discernment is difficult. One particularly tough part of discernment is answering the question, “Why do you feel called to the priesthood?” This question is simple, yet deceiving. I discovered this first hand.

On a Sunday night in January of last year, I stood in my kitchen talking with my mom about the coming day. This night was particularly special because I had just decided that I would apply to Old College. As I talked with my mother, I felt nervous because I could not seem to articulate why I felt called to the priesthood. “Well,” I thought, “there are so many reasons I feel called to the priesthood.” Yet for some reason, I could not name one.

After about 20 minutes of fragmented thoughts, I had a few reasons why I felt called, but none of my reasons seemed to be as concrete as they had been in the months leading up to my major decision. At this point, I had some major doubts. Was I supposed to be applying to the seminary? Had I made the right choice? Was all of my prayer based on some emotion that I no longer feel?

As you might imagine, my frantic thoughts were disheartening. However, there came a point when I had to go to bed, go to school, and tell my friends about my decision. At first, I experienced difficulty, but after talking with a few of my friends, I seemed to feel more comfortable and convinced that I had made the right choice.

This example brings me to my main point. Discussing your discernment is difficult. I think this question, in particular, is so tough to answer because discernment is not science and it is not empirical. While there are definitely reasons that we choose to discern the priesthood, there is some level of irrationality about it. There is just something about the priesthood that is attractive to certain men. Maybe it is because some of our discernment is based on emotions, and is thus difficult to explain. All in all, this question is difficult to answer.

However, I would say that talking with others about your reasons for discerning the priesthood has probably been one of my most important and helpful ways to discern. Whether talking with a parent, a friend, or even a priest, discussion is one of the best ways to flesh out your reasons for discerning the priesthood. I have found this true both before I entered the seminary and after.

The most recent time that discussion helped me to continue my discernment was while I attended the freshman retreat. It was there that I met many freshmen who did not know about the Old College program. Naturally, many of my new friends wanted to know why I felt called to the priesthood. By discussing with them, I was able to articulate some feelings that I had not been able to name in the past.

For many reasons, discussion is a great tool for anyone discerning their vocation. As you continue to discern, be sure to reach out to others. If you have difficulty at first, do not worry because discernment takes time.

Mr. Michael Marshall is in his first year at Old College Undergraduate Seminary on the campus of Notre Dame. He and his fellow Old Collegians write a post each month for the Spes Unica Blog, sharing on their life and formation in Old College. Learn more about seminary life in Holy Cross, and specifically Old College Undergraduate Seminary. And meet the current Old Collegians who are in formation for priesthood and religious life in Holy Cross.

Made the Hands of Christ

2012-04-19T12:00:00-04:00

To close our coverage of the Ordination to the Presbyterate of Fr. Matt Kuczora, C.S.C., we share a reflection from Mr. Jarrod Waugh, C.S.C., a third-year temporarily professed seminarian. He and his classmates are now in the on-deck circle as they will, God willing, take Final Vows and be ordained deacons in August. Not surprisingly, his experience of the Ordination Mass this past Saturday hit close to home.

First of all, I want to say how happy I am for Fr. Matt, for his family, and for our whole Congregation. I wish once again to extend to him congratulations on his ordination to the priesthood. As I know Fr. Matt would attest, the formation process for religious life and priesthood can be a long road, filled with many challenges and even more blessings.

With Fr. Matt’s hands now generously anointed with Sacred Chrism, there is no longer a “class” in the U.S. Province’s formation program left ahead of my own. Now Brian Ching, C.S.C., Mark DeMott, C.S.C., and I are the furthest advanced in the program, and Fr. Matt’s ordination is the last Holy Cross ordination that I will witness before, God willing, the three of us attend our own Diaconate ordination Mass in August.

It makes the whole ordination liturgy even more powerful when you know that your own is now likely so close. This allowed me to see the whole thing with new eyes, even though I have witnessed several Holy Cross Ordinations before.

The Preface to the Eucharistic Prayer used at Ordination Masses (the same as is used for the Chrism Mass) states that men ordained to the priesthood “give up their lives for You (God) and for the salvation of their brothers and sisters.” For me, this is most powerfully displayed at two moments in the liturgy: the procession past the Baptismal Font, full of the Easter water in which new Christians were so recently initiated, and secondly, when Fr. Matt lay prostrate on the Basilica floor, praying silently while the assembly sang the Litany of the Saints.

Religious Vows and Ordination of course require many “deaths to self” in ways small and large, obvious and hidden. Fr. Matt was truly laying down his life for the service of Jesus’ Body, the Church, so that as a priest he can administer to the faithful that selfsame Body and Blood in the Eucharist.

I was struck by the thought that, very soon, it will be my classmates and me processing in, then laying there. It will be my family in those front pews – probably my mom crying – and my own heart beating against the Basilica floor as the names of the saints – my friends, patrons, and intercessors in Heaven – are sung from the choir loft, from the mouths of my friends, family, and brothers in Holy Cross, and from the grateful hearts of Brian, Mark and me.

Those will be my hands in the lap of the bishop … but really just mine briefly, because through the grace of Holy Orders, I pray, they will be made the Hands of Christ, and my heart made more like His.

Learn more on the Spes Unica Blog about the vocation to priesthood in the Congregation of Holy Cross, as well as all that goes into the celebration of Ordinations.

Social Outreach at Holy Cross Parish

2012-04-17T01:00:00-04:00

Saint James reminds us in his letter that faith without works is dead. St. Paul, while realizing that our good works cannot earn us salvation, reminds the early Christians of the necessity of putting their faith into practice, exhorting them to care for the widows, orphans, and those in need, and even taking up collections to assist the needy in other churches.

I have been impressed in my four years here at Holy Cross Parish by the level of social outreach offered by our parishioners. Our social ministry is coordinated by our Social Action Commission chaired by a very active and committed parishioner involved in a number of parish activities.

The first weekend of each month is designated as Outreach Sunday when parishioners are invited to donate food, clothing, and other items that are sent to several social agencies in the area, such as a women’s shelter and MainSpring Homeless Shelter located in the nearby city of Brockton, the local Birthright, and My Brother’s Keeper, a ministry constructed on C.S.C. land next to Stonehill College that provides furniture and clothing in southeastern Massachusetts. A number of Holy Cross parishioners (along with many Stonehill students) volunteer on a regular basis at My Brother’s Keeper.

Our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society provides food vouchers for those coming to the parish center looking for assistance. Members of the society will visit the home of someone seeking help with rent or utilities to ascertain the extent of their need and to offer the appropriate assistance. The collections from all the Holy Day masses in the parish (well, minus Christmas!) are dedicated to our St. Vincent de Paul Society, and the excess not needed by them funds small scholarships for our parish teens entering college.

Holy Cross Parish is twinned with Lord of Hope Parish in Canto Grande, Peru, a parish of over 200,000 people staffed by the Congregation of Holy Cross. The mission appeal here each summer is given by a Holy Cross religious and is taken up for our sister parish. In addition, many parishioners make a donation for the people of Canto Grande as part of our Giving Tree, which collects several hundred Christmas gifts every year for those in need.

The annual Catholic Charities Appeal is an important means by which the parish supports the outreach efforts of the Diocese of Fall River. A number of parishioners sign up each month to provide dinner for MainSpring Homeless Shelter in Brockton. Our Respect Life Committee has been active in offering liturgical services and educational programs for the parish. Those parishioners who belong to the Easton Knights of Columbus participate in many service projects through the Knights. The parishioners of Holy Cross also have been very generous in the past few years when special collections have been taken for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, the tsunami in Japan, and other recent natural disasters.

God has blessed Holy Cross with many committed and generous parishioners through whom the parish puts its faith into practice, helping to “make God known, loved, and served” among those most in need.

Fr. Jim Fenstermaker, C.S.C., is Pastor of Holy Cross Parish in South Easton, Mass. He is a monthly contributor to the Spes Unica Blog, reflecting on the work of Holy Cross in parish ministry. Learn more about the work of Holy Cross priests and brothers in parochial ministry as we seek to bring hope to the Church and world.

Touched by Christ through Our Senses

2012-04-15T12:15:00-04:00

Moments ago in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Fr. Matt Kuczora, C.S.C., with the Holy Chrism on his hands less than 24 hours old, preached the homily at his First Mass. Although Mass is still going, we have for you as part of our exclusive Ordination Week the text of his homily. In a few hours, on the ND Prayercast website, you will be able to watch Fr. Matt’s first Mass as well. It is clear that Fr. Matt will be a great priest for Holy Cross and for the Church!

We don’t see the beard, the loving smile or the patient eyes; we don’t see the wounded hands and side, but Christ touches us every day.

Easter can be a very profound time when we encounter Christ. Today we mark the next step of our newly baptized Christians in their journey out into the world. Last Saturday night, they felt the waters of forgiveness wash over their heads, and they heard their names called, baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Today they return with their white baptismal robes and celebrate as full members of the Church.

Yesterday, in this same Basilica, I was ordained a priest. During the Ordination, I felt Bishop Rhoades anoint my hands with the Chrism oil. As he did, I smelled its perfumed fragrance and later in the Mass I saw my brother priests gather and felt their reassuring touch on my head as they laid on their hands in an ancient sign of blessing.

As Catholics, we often experience our faith, our encounters with Grace, through our senses. Look around you. The murals and paintings of the Basilica we see; the beautiful Folk Choir music we hear and sing along to – all testify to that. We feel the warm hands of our neighbor at the sign of peace, and in the Eucharist, we taste the bread and wine changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. We smell the aroma of fresh flowers … and sometimes the not so fresh smell of our neighbor who rushed out of the house before he could brush his teeth.

If then we Catholics experience our faith through sight, sound, taste and touch, the Apostle Thomas we read about in the Gospel, was no exception. Thomas asks to see the Lord, to touch His hands and side. When he gets his chance, Thomas is overwhelmed and exclaims in a burst of joy, “My Lord and my God!”

My Lord and my God. Our lives are often burdened by the heavy hand of illness or the bitter taste of disappointment, frustration and defeat. That is true. But Christ’s touch, our experience of His sacrifice and victory at Easter, and His gentle, healing touch in the sacraments – this assures us that we are loved, that we are special to Him. He assures us that after the Cross, after our suffering, there is light and joy and peace in Him. This Easter season we may very well be filled with a desire to say along with Thomas, “My Lord and my God.”

Now this same Thomas is probably more famous for his doubt rather than his faith. He doubted that Christ had defeated death and risen to new life. And like the rest of the Apostles, he was filled with fear after the crucifixion and ashamed that he had abandoned Christ during his trial, torture and execution.

But despite all these disappointments, after experiencing Christ in that locked room, Thomas was so filled with zeal that he traveled to the ends of the earth, telling others what he felt and about the promise of forgiveness and eternal life that Christ brings. Thomas went on to do great things.

Last Christmas I had the privilege of seeing Thomas’ tomb – not near Galilee where he had spent most of his life or even in Rome, but on the eastern coast of India, in a town called Chennai, thousands of miles from Jerusalem, further from home than any other apostle. There, in India, Thomas preached the Gospel, healed the sick and comforted the lonely. In return he was chased, tortured and murdered. But in the process of his ministry he brought many people to Christ, and today thousands of Indian Catholics trace the roots of their faith back 2,000 years to him. And today his tomb is venerated by Christians, Muslims and Hindus alike.

Though Thomas doubted and was filled with fear and shame, he went on to do great things. My brothers and sisters, in Thomas we have an example for our lives. No matter how we may suffer and how we might fail or feel we have failed, Jesus rose from the dead on Easter to heal those failings, so that we like Thomas, can do great things.

Today, be very Catholic. Allow Christ to touch you through your senses. Listen to Christ’s voice in the words of our prayers. Taste the bread and wine that are His Body and Blood. See Him in your neighbor, both in the pews and then wherever you may go from here.

Christ says, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” At the Mass we are fed at the table of the Word and the Altar. We experience Him in the Mass, not only to heal our broken hearts, but also to strengthen us to go out into the world, to live our lives well and do great things.

Now, our great things may be to leave our homes and preach the Gospel in foreign lands. Working at a parish in Mexico, I assure you, we could use all the help we can get! But leaving home or not, for all of us, the daily greatness we are called to is to live as good friends, forgiving spouses, loving parents, helpful children – brothers and sisters in Christ.

Of course this is no easy task, and so Christ has breathed the Holy Spirit on us as He did those first disciples, so that we might have His strength to accompany us on our journey. Through the Holy Spirit, through those we meet in our daily lives, through the Eucharist, Christ touches us every day. Thoughtful words, experiences of prayer, extending a helping hand to those who are oppressed and in need – these are the ways that Christ touches us, helping us experience Him and believe … though we do not see Him the way that the first disciples did. But blessed are we who have not seen, we, who feel His touch and believe.

Today we continue to celebrate Easter, the victory of Christ over the world and it’s death, its suffering and sin. As the John the Evangelist writes in the second reading, in our faith we are united with Christ and together we have conquered the world. We need not be afraid. “Peace be with you,” He says to us. May His peace rest upon us today and all the days of our lives.

Scattering the Word, Dispensing Mercy, Nourishing with the Eucharist

2012-04-14T15:45:00-04:00

Thanks to the generosity of the Most Rev. Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, who presided at the Ordination of Fr. Matt Kuczora, C.S.C., today, we are able to share with you all the amazing homily that he gave at the Mass. It is a powerful reflection on the ministry of an ordained priest. A huge thanks to Bishop Rhoades for sharing it with us so we could share it with you.

Today we celebrate the priestly ordination of a young man, chosen by the Lord like the apostles and all their successors in the priesthood throughout the ages. The Lord Jesus will consecrate Deacon Matthew to be His priest, to speak and teach in His name and to act in His person. The Lord will consecrate him to continue His saving mission and will send him, as He sent the apostles, to bring His Gospel of grace to the men and women of today.

This mission was explained by Pope Benedict in a homily at the ordination of new priests in Rome a few years ago. He said the following and I wish to address these words of the Holy Father to Deacon Matt today: “The Sacrament of Orders, which you are about to receive, will make you a sharer in the very mission of Christ; you will be called to scatter the seed of His Word, the seed that carries in itself the Kingdom of God; to dispense divine mercy and to nourish the faithful at the table of His Body and Blood.”

To scatter the seed of God’s Word; to dispense His mercy; to nourish the faithful with Christ’s Body and Blood – these are three aspects of the priestly mission that I wish to reflect on with you in this homily.

#1 – The mission to scatter the seed of God’s Word, the seed that carries in itself the Kingdom of God. Already as a deacon, Matt has exercised the ministry of the Word. The first task of priests is to preach and teach the Catholic faith, to bring the Gospel of Christ to others. The Risen Jesus said to the apostles in today’s Gospel: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”

Again, allow me to quote our Holy Father speaking at an ordination of new priests: “This is your mission as priests: to bring the Gospel to everyone so that everyone may experience the joy of Christ … What can be more beautiful than this? What can be greater, more exciting, than cooperating in spreading the Word of life in the world, than communicating the living water of the Holy Spirit? To proclaim and to witness joy; this is the central core of your mission.”

Matthew, the proclamation of the Kingdom of God was at the heart of the mission of Jesus and the apostles. It is at the heart of the mission you receive today. Think about the bold and courageous preaching of Saint Peter and Saint John in today’s first reading. When ordered by the Sanhedrin not to speak or teach in the name of Jesus, they replied that it was impossible for them not to speak about what they had seen and heard.

When we think about the priest’s ministry of the Word, we know that it necessarily involves not only teaching sound doctrine, but also living the Gospel, witnessing to it through one’s deeds and actions. To effectively preach God’s word, the priest must first live on the Word of God in his own life. This necessarily means the priest is a man of prayer.

Notice how the leaders, elders, and scribes in our first reading recognized Peter and John as “companions of Jesus.” This must be at the heart of our life and ministry as priests: our identity as companions, as friends, of the Lord Jesus. Our ministry only bears fruit if we abide in Christ, as Jesus himself told the apostles at the Last Supper: “abide in me,” “remain in my love.” Our priestly ministry is totally connected to our abiding in Christ and in His love. Otherwise, we can become consumed in frenetic activism, lose our evangelical zeal, and no longer produce good fruit.

This abiding in Jesus was a favorite theme of Blessed Basil Moreau as he reflected often on the image of the vine and the branches. Your holy founder applied the figure of the vine and the branches to the Holy Cross community. We must also apply it to priestly life and ministry. Jesus said: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who lives in me and I in him, will produce abundantly, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

The time we spend in prayer is not wasted time. It is the most important time of our day. We have so many wonderful means that help us to abide in Jesus every day: daily Mass, the Liturgy of the Hours, lectio divina, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the holy rosary, etc. The divine grace we receive in prayer is what makes our ministry fruitful. Yes, we are called to scatter the seed of the Word of God. That seed must first sprout and be watered in our souls through prayer!

#2 – The priestly mission to dispense divine mercy. This was the core of the mission that Jesus received from the Father: the salvation of the entire human family through reconciliation and forgiveness of sins. These gifts come to us from the merciful heart of our Redeemer. Saint Paul described this priestly mission when he wrote: “God … has given us the ministry of reconciliation. … This makes us ambassadors for Christ, God as it were appealing through us.” Paul went on to implore the Corinthians: “In Christ’s name, be reconciled to God!”

Matthew, today you are consecrated for this ministry of reconciliation. It is hard for me to put into words the beauty and the power of this ministry of reconciling sinners to God. The love of Jesus Christ prevails in the struggle between good and evil present in the human heart when, through the priestly ministry of reconciliation, sinners are converted by the power of God’s grace.

In your priestly ordination today, the Lord imparts to you the sacred power to forgive sins in His name. He says to you as He said to the apostles on the first Easter night: “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them.” Through ordination, you are configured to Christ, the merciful and compassionate High Priest, the Good Shepherd who left the 99 to seek and find the lost sheep. Jesus makes you His instrument in the diffusion of God’s mercy, in imparting the forgiveness that drives away evil and restores grace.

“In persona Christi,” in the person of Christ, you will say to sinners in the sacrament of Penance: “I absolve you from your sins.” By God’s grace, these words are efficacious. They bring to the person peace and hope and joy, the fruits of God’s merciful love. Matthew, I encourage you to devote much time and energy to your holy task as confessor. In so doing, strive always to imitate the love and compassion of the Good Shepherd and to seek out those who are alienated from God and from His Church. Then, welcome with open arms the prodigal sons and daughters who seek to return to the Father’s house.

#3 – The priestly mission to nourish the faithful at the table of Christ’s Body and Blood. Matthew, today in the rite of ordination, you receive the awesome gift and sacred power to celebrate in the Lord’s name and in His person the sacrament of the most Holy Eucharist. This is the most awesome gift of the priesthood and will be the center of your identity as a priest.

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for his sheep. On the cross, He loved us to the end. This sacrifice for the salvation of the world becomes present on the altar by the power of the Holy Spirit and the word of Christ spoken by the ordained priest. Matthew, this great miracle of love will be renewed in your hands, the hands that I will anoint with the sacred chrism today.

At Mass, you will take up the bread and the chalice of wine and repeat the gestures and words of our Lord at the Last Supper. The gifts of bread and wine will become Christ’s Body and Blood. At that beautiful and awesome moment, you will then genuflect in humble adoration at the mystery made present through your hands.

How important it is that we priests celebrate Holy Mass in a spirit of fervent prayer, that we truly contemplate the mystery we celebrate! We must never seek to take center stage when we celebrate Mass. We are servants when we celebrate the Eucharist, servants of the liturgy who point to the great High Priest, to Jesus, who gives himself to us ever anew in the Blessed Sacrament.

Matthew, the Eucharist is our school of life. It teaches us, priests, to make of our lives a total gift of self, as Jesus did, to our Bride, the Church. Every time we stand at the altar, break the bread, and lift up the chalice, we learn from Christ the meaning of our vocation: to give our lives; to be men of self-giving, sacrificial love, men of the Eucharist!

Matthew, in a few minutes you will become an ordained priest of Jesus Christ. God calls you to follow him in a new way as he makes you the living instrument of his Son, the Eternal High Priest. May the Immaculate Virgin Mary, the mother of priests, the woman of the Eucharist, intercede for you always!

Learn more about the Rite of Ordination and the vocation of priesthood in the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Asking for God's Strength and Grace

2012-04-13T21:45:00-04:00

Tonight, in preparation for Matt's Ordination, Fr. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., presided over Lucernarium. He shared his homily with us. Fr. Gerry was ordained in 2010 and serves at the University of Portland as the Vice President of Student Affairs and Assistant Vocation Director.

If you ask a Holy Cross Priest about the most memorable parts of his Ordination, I would venture that, at some point, he would talk about lying prostrate on the floor of the Basilica. I can still remember what it felt like to lie down in the main aisle of the church, my heart thumping in my chest, as the choir began singing the Litany of the Saints. It is a gesture that is packed with meaning—a gesture that calls together the prayers of those gathered in the Basilica as well as those who have gone before us in the faith; a gesture that speaks of a person’s complete unworthiness for the ministry that he is entering into and the need for God’s assistance in his work; and finally a gesture that speaks about the role of the priest as a servant—as one who lays down his life for those he serves.

While Matt is the one who is being ordained tomorrow, we know that he has not traveled this road alone. In reality, there were a lot of people involved in his preparation and support. The presence of so many people here tonight and all of the people who will attend tomorrow’s Ordination is a wonderful representation of the breadth of people involved in such a moment. It began with Matt’s parents who first introduced him to the faith—who taught him how to pray and to value the tradition that he was raised in. I know firsthand the influence that Matt’s parents and his sisters have been on him. Paul and Pam, it is because of your faith, because of your dedication and good example, that Matt has the courage to make this remarkable step tomorrow.

Matt’s friends have also been essential in this process—helping him to know the love of God through the love and support that they showed to him. Finally, the Holy Cross community has played a critical role in this day. Holy Cross has provided Matt with brotherhood and support and has helped to form and prepare him for the life of service he is entering into. It is a beautiful reality that the voices of all these people will blend together into one voice tomorrow during the signing of the Litany. Matt, as you lay prostrate on the floor of the Basilica, it will be all of these voices that will be there praying for you as you prepare to be ordained. Draw strength from this reality and allow it to serve as a support for you.

During this moment of the Ordination, we also call down the prayers of those who have gone before us in the faith—the holy men and women who are declared saints by the Church and those not officially recognized but who are members of the Communion nonetheless. It is sometimes easy to forget that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. But this moment of the Ordination liturgy is a reminder of this fact. Matt, tomorrow you will not only be connected to the Church here on earth—but to the Church that has existed throughout history. Tomorrow, you will follow in the footsteps of many who have gone before you, men in Holy Cross and others who have walked this way before. Their example and their prayers are with you as you begin your own life as a priest. Every day of your priesthood, you will call upon the Saints as you celebrate Mass. Trust that they will continue to serve as an example and source of strength for you.

Lying prostrate is also a sign of our limitations as human beings—a reminder that we cannot do the work that we are called to on our own. As we look at our lives, we realize that we are limited people; we are prone to weakness and failings. We learn over time that we have it within ourselves to hold back. Matt, I imagine that some doubts might be swirling around in your mind. You might worry that you are not worthy to live the life that God is calling you to—that there is no way you can do this on your own. The gesture of lying prostrate is an acknowledgment of this fact. When you lie down on the floor of the Basilica, Matt, it is a sign of your own unworthiness—but also a sign of your openness to God’s grace. You are asking God to give you the strength to live the life that He is calling you to.

This is something we see throughout the history of the Church. Think of the Apostles, who continuously found themselves falling short, catching a glimmer of the truth but also getting it wrong most of the time. Their failure was seen most clearly when they abandoned Christ in His time of most need—when they ran from the Cross in order to avoid His apparent failure. And yet, it was in their moment of greatest failure—when they were huddled away alone in the upper room—that Christ entered into the room and into their lives. It was then that Christ breathed His Spirit upon them and gave them the strength to go out and proclaim the Gospel and even die for His sake. The Holy Spirit allowed them to overcome their failures and their limitations and to become true disciples.

Matt, lying on the floor of the Basilica is the opportunity to acknowledge your own need for God—to call on His strength as you begin your life as a priest. As you stand up after the litany and proceed to the sanctuary for the laying-on of hands, know that the power of the Holy Spirit will descend upon you. That the same Spirit that enlivened the hearts of the Apostles will come to rest in your heart—giving you the strength to overcome your limitations and to preach the Good News of the Gospel. The Holy Spirit enables you to serve God fully and worthily as a priest.

Finally, the gesture of lying prostrate is a powerful sign of the true nature of priesthood. A priest is someone who lays down his life in service to others and our model for the priesthood is Christ the High Priest. In his letter to the Philippians tonight, St. Paul speaks about the love that Christ showed through his death on the Cross. Although Jesus was of the same nature as the Father, he humbled himself and gave himself over to death for our sake. It was a love that was completely self-giving—a love that was focused on others. And it was through this self-gift that Jesus brought salvation to the world.

Matt, as a priest you are called to that same love. You do not claim your life as your own, but rather willingly hand it over to others. There is much that is demanded of you in this life. You have already seen this in your year as a deacon in Monterrey—in serving the people there with great zeal and dedication. But there is also a transformation that comes about in living your life for others—in turning your life over to God.

And this service—this laying down of your life for others—is manifested in a concrete way in the celebration of the Eucharist. Matt, through your ordination, Christ consecrates you to God forever, so that you can offer men and women a service that comes from God and leads to Him. This is the profound gift that you offer to the people that you serve. Every time that you celebrate the Mass as a priest, you help people to participate in that once and only sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. You lead people to that gift that Christ offers to the entire world, and you do so because you yourself have followed His example and have laid down your life for the sake of your sisters and brothers.

Matt, as you lie prostrate on the floor of the Basilica tomorrow, know that all of our voices will be joined together in prayer for you. Know that, despite your limitations, God is working in you—giving you the gift of His Spirit so that you can carry out the work that you are called to do. Finally, know that there is great joy in the life that you are being called to. Trust that it is in service to God’s people—in laying down your life and following the example of Christ—that you help people experience new life in Christ.

Matt, may God bless you and bring to completion the good work that He has begun in you.

Lining up the Chasubles

2012-04-12T01:00:00-04:00

Continuing our exclusive Ordination Week coverage, the Spes Unica Blog interviewed Mr. John Zack, University Sacristan at Notre Dame. Last year, we interviewed Ms. Patty Scharlb, the Liturgical Seamstress at the Basilica, about her work making the vestments for the ordinandi. We also spoke with Mr. Ralph Pieniazkiewicz, the Head Chef at Moreau Seminary, about all the preparations for the meals Ordination Weekend.

This year Mr. John Zack lets us into the sacristy at the Basilica to learn about how they make sure the Ordination Mass runs smoothly each year. On to the interview:

How many years have you been helping in the sacristy with preparing for the Ordination Masses?

This will be my 25th Ordination, although I have not been the University Sacristan for that long, but I was working in the sacristy.

What are your main chores in getting ready for the Ordination Mass?

First of all, we need to make sure we have enough albs and chasubles – pressed and steamed and ready to go. We will probably bring up about 100 to make sure we have enough.

How many chasubles does the Basilica have?

One hundred and twenty five of the white set. If we have more concelebrants than that, we will have to bring out the stoles! That is actually our biggest challenge – guessing how many concelebrants will be here. Now that the provinces have merged, we have seen larger numbers of concelebrants, and we need to be ready for that.

What else do you have to do to get ready for the Mass?

We also have to make sure all the flowers from Easter are reset and re-freshed. Then we have to make sure all the chairs are set up as well as all the other elements for the Mass.

How long did it take you to set up the Easter decorations?

We started at roughly at 8 p.m. on Good Friday, and I finished up with the floors at about 1 in the morning. We had about five people helping. They did not all stay that long, but it is a good deal of work.

And as for the work for the Ordination Mass, who takes care of that?

Most of the work is done by myself and Ed, our assistant sacristan. But on the day of the service, we will have two or three more students come and help us to make sure everything is ready to go. We do not want to miss anything or run out of anything.

Have you ever forgotten the lemon for the bishop to clean his hands after anointing the ordinandi?

No, we have never forgot the lemon, but one year Brother Dennis Meyers, C.S.C., went out to check before the start of Mass and he discovered that I had forgot to put the chrism out. So luckily he caught that!

What is your favorite part of the Ordination?

My favorite part of the Ordination is when they put the vestments on and turn and face the people, and everyone begins clapping. That might not be officially when they becomes priests, but that is when it becomes “official” for me because they are beaming and excited. That is the high moment.

When do finally catch your breath?

Normally after the Offertory. At an Ordination Mass – like at the Easter Vigil in many ways – all the major parts are before the Offertory. So if we made it through the Offertory, I know we are most likely safe!

Mr. Zack and his staff are only a few of the many people, mostly lay men and women, who make Ordination Weekends in Holy Cross possible. Without them, these weekends would not be the great celebrations that they are. Similarly, for those of us who are blessed to be priests and religious in Holy Cross, our priesthood and religious life would not be the great service to God that it is without the countless lay people who support us and empower us both in our community and in our apostolates.

Without them, we would not be able to do all that we do. In a word, then, all the help and support they give us in celebrating these weekends is just the seed of all the help and support they give us in carrying out our ministry. And so our heartfelt thank you goes out to all of them.

Greater Priestly Service through Brotherhood

2012-04-11T01:00:00-04:00

Fr. Ken Molinaro, C.S.C., the Assistant Provincial and Vicar of the United States Province of Priests and Brothers, continues our Ordination Week coverage on the Spes Unica Blog, offering his reflections on the upcoming ordination of Deacon Matt Kuczora, C.S.C.

The Congregation of Holy Cross recently celebrated the canonization of our first official saint recognized by the Church: Saint André Bessette of Montreal! His canonization was a cause of great joy in the Congregation for it stood in public testimony that our life in Holy Cross opens us to a path of holiness recognized by the Church.

This week is another occasion of great joy and celebration for the Congregation as we gather to witness the Ordination to the priesthood of our brother, Matthew Kuczora, C.S.C. This is a wonderful moment for our Holy Cross Community as our religious travel from near and far to be present for this significant event for the Province, the Congregation, and the Church.

In Matthew’s Ordination, we are reminded once again of God’s Providential Love watching over and blessing us. For his presence among us stands in testimony that our life and witness in Holy Cross has caught his attention, captured his imagination and beckoned him to follow in service to God’s people.

In Matthew’s commitment to serve the Church as a priest of God, he does so within the context of the Congregation of Holy Cross. Our religious life in Holy Cross gives special character to our priesthood, uniting us in a brotherhood that nurtures and nourishes our faith, leading us into ever greater service to those to whom we are sent.

Matthew’s Ordination – like each and every Profession of Final Vows and Ordination – reminds us over and again that the good work begun by Blessed Basil Moreau continues through each one of us.

At the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict asked the priests assembled, “Are you resolved to be more united with the Lord Jesus and more closely conformed to him?” That inner resolve lies at the heart of who we are as religious and priests of Holy Cross.

As we stand with Matthew at his ordination, his “yes” reminds us once again of that inner zeal that animates our life and ministry in Holy Cross. My prayer for Matthew is that he might see in us, his brothers in Holy Cross, a call to faithfulness to who we are and a resolve to be ever more united with one another in the Lord Jesus, the One who kindles the zeal within.

After the rite of Ordination, Matthew will take his seat among his brother concelebrants as Bishop Rhoades continues the Eucharistic Liturgy. In this gesture, he falls in step with the great band of men who live by their vows, walking side-by-side in their following the Lord, sharing in the life and work entrusted to us: To be men with hope to bring…making God known, loved and served!

May God, who began this good work in him, bring it to perfection!

Learn more about priestly ministry in the Congregation of Holy Cross.

A Blessing for Others

2012-04-10T01:00:00-04:00

Fr. John Britto, C.S.C., was ordained a priest last year on April 30 together with Fr. Paul Ybarra, C.S.C. As we prepare for this year’s ordination of Deacon Matt Kuczora, C.S.C., Fr. John kicks off our Ordination Week coverage on the Spes Unica Blog by reflecting on his first year of ministry as an ordained priest. He has served this past year at Sacred Heart St. Francis de Sales Parish in Bennington, VT – a parish sponsored by the United States Province of Holy Cross.

“Thou Shall Be a Blessing to All” (Gen 12:2) was the motto of my ordination. I had an inexplicable fascination for blessings ever since my childhood. Several factors probably contributed to this uncanny fascination even before I became conscious of its implications, including the culture and the etiquette in our family ever so diligently fostered by my parents, the all-pervading positive influence of the French Missionary who was the pastor of my village parish, and the gentle presence of the nuns in the area.

Over time I felt that this dream of mine to be a source of blessing could eminently be achieved as an ordained minister of the Word and Sacrament. Pedro Arrupe’s words rang true in my life, namely: “What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.” And it did.

In the process of achieving what profoundly touches the deepest chords of your heart, you might have to overcome insurmountable struggles, be ridiculed, and perhaps pay a heavy price to realize what breaks your heart. And when you realize it, it is like finding the pearl of great treasure. It is worth making all those sacrifices to offer the Sacrifice.

The first year of my priesthood at Sacred Heart St. Francis de Sales Parish in Bennington, VT, was engagingly fulfilling, especially as the motto of my ordination was put to use practically every day. While visiting one of the nursing homes in the town, I read a poster that read: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.” I literally lived these breath-taking moments every day.

Here I had the opportunity to materialize what I always wanted to be: “to be a blessing to all.” Apart from the gift God has given to each one of us to be a source of blessing to all, as a minister of the sacraments, all you are and all you do is to be a conduit of that blessing. As a priest I saw before me various avenues to directly touch the lives of the faithful.

In our abundantly consumerist society in which many spend for themselves, a priest is invited to spend himself for others. This year provided me ample opportunities every day to think of the ways in which I have been a blessing to many. In the wake of this reality, the most dominant feeling was the unfailing recognition of my unworthiness in the face of such an awesome grace lavished upon me. I was moved to tears on several occasions, especially as I celebrated the Eucharist, to know that through my actions I could channel blessings – to bring to life the Body and Blood of Christ.

I was rudely shaken out of my stupor on many of my visits to the sick and the dying to see how their faces lit up even at those critical moments when they saw the unknown priest standing in front of them. I was touched by the kind words of gratitude uttered by those quivering lips even as they lay feeble, struggling to express the inexpressible joy at having had the last encounter with Christ in the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

Many times I was overwhelmed hearing the confessions, the “dialogue of salvation,” of many well-meaning faithful who shuddered and stuttered to list the numerous times they felt they were unfaithful in answering the loving invitation of our God to remain close to Him. Even as the people plunge into the “flood of divine mercy,” I sat there thinking of how close they come to reminding me of my own struggles to recognize the radical, loving invitation of our God “to be holy as I Am holy.” Yet even in this graced moment, to think that I could be a channel in bringing the reconciling, healing, nourishing gift of God to the people makes me feel like a debtor who is deeply sunk in his debts that he is unable to pay back.

At this grandeur of a gift and the monumental task given to me, I can hardly muster adequate vocabulary to thank God sufficiently. St. Augustine captures perhaps the sentiments of my burning heart when he said: “I have tasted you, now I hunger and thirst for more.”

What a blessing it is to be a blessing! You, too, can be a blessing if only you would let God work in you freely. Be a blessing!

Learn more about priestly ministry in the Congregation of Holy Cross as well as our pastoral ministry in parishes.

Holy Week: Among the Living Forever

2012-04-07T22:00:00-04:00

When I was first ordained a priest, I was assigned to a parish with a large grade school. One day early on in my time there, I was celebrating a funeral Mass when outside on the playground recess began. Peals of laughter suddenly permeated the church as the children began to run around and play games.

The sound of such joy outside seemed to clash with the sadness inside the church. I remember wincing to myself, thinking: “We should have kept the kids indoors. Their laughter is inappropriate for the funeral.”

I looked apologetically over at the family of the deceased and saw not anger but almost a sense of appreciation. Perhaps the sound of children at play in the fields of the Lord was not discordant to them after all.

Our pain and suffering are certainly real, especially when we grieve the death of a loved one. Our faith tells us that when we weep our Lord weeps with us. But our grief, our sadness is never the final word. We know and believe that all that is sad will one day come untrue. Our crosses, large and small, will end in gladness because of Christ’s victory over all sin and death. His dying and rising destroyed death forever and assured for us an eternal lifetime of joy.

And so the laughter of the children on the playground that day, invading a moment of great sadness for a family, may well have been the laughter of angels saying over and over to us inside, “Trust, trust. The one you mourn is not among the dead, but the living—forever.”

Fr. Pete Jarret, C.S.C., is the Superior of Moreau Seminary. Prior to this assignment, he had served four years as the Superior of the Holy Cross community at the University of Notre Dame. Fr. Pete wrote this refletion originally as part of the book The Gift of the Cross published by Ave Maria Press. Today we post it as a part of our series of Holy Week homilies and reflections on the Spes Unica Blog. Read other homilies and reflections by Holy Cross priests and brothers.