Pastor's Message

February 27, 2000

GETTING THE MESSAGE

Most of my brothers and sisters are on Internet. Consequently, we all communicate with each other through e-mail. That helps a lot considering that we live in eight different states. E-mail is a wonderful way to keep someone informed of what is going on.

Nevertheless, there are times I simply want to get on the phone and talk to a sister or brother. Visiting them in person is even better. Our conversations are no longer simply to convey information. Instead, they are a sharing of thoughts and feelings, often telling one another about hopes and concerns.

I sometimes fear that the art of conversation is getting lost. It is true that this is called tghe information era. But information is not enough. We can know a lot about someone or that person’s life with really knowing that person. Personal knowledge takes a serious investment of self.
The same is true for our relationship with Jesus. It is not enough knowing about Jesus or even about a church or religion. We must go beyond that level and come into a relationship with Jesus. Like all relationships, that will take a serious effort on our part.

- Fr. Herb

Pastor's Message February 27, 2000 GETTING THE MESSAGE Most of my brothers and sisters are on Internet. Consequently, we all communicate with each other through e-mail. That helps a lot considering that we live in eight different states. E-mail is a wonderful way to keep someone informed of what is going on. Nevertheless, there are times I simply want to get on the phone and talk to a sister or brother. Visiting them in person is even better. Our conversations are no longer simply to convey information. Instead, they are a sharing of thoughts and feelings, often telling one another about hopes and concerns. I sometimes fear that the art of conversation is getting lost. It is true that this is called tghe information era. But information is not enough. We can know a lot about someone or that person’s life with really knowing that person. Personal knowledge takes a serious investment of self. The same is true for our relationship with Jesus. It is not enough knowing about Jesus or even about a church or religion. We must go beyond that level and come into a relationship with Jesus. Like all relationships, that will take a serious effort on our part. - Fr. Herb

February 20, 2000 PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER A woman recently told me about the power of parish prayer. When her daughter became seriously ill, she called various members of the parish and asked them to call others, so that many would be praying. Shortly after, the daughter’s fever broke, and she started her return to full health. There are many such testimonies to the effects of prayer. What I have been thinking about for a long time is the power of people praying for each other. Often someone asks me to pray for a family member who is undergoing a difficult time or preparing for something special. I always agree to pray, and I take it quite seriously. Priests are not the only ones who can pray for others’ needs, however. It would be so powerful to know that lots of others in the parish is praying for your well-being. We don’t always know what someone else is going through. In fact, those who seem to “have life easy” may be suffering tremendously. What I am asking for is that you simply say a prayer each day for other parishioners, known and unknown. Commit them to the love and graciousness of God. All of us will be better as we learn to really pray for each other. - Fr. Herb February 13, 2000 WHERE’S THE SHAMPOOR? A Baptism was underway. The mother was holding the infant over the font, and the priest was ready to pour the water. At that moment the baby’s three-year-old brother asked loudly, “Where’s the shampoo?” Children know that cleansing rituals require certain accouterments like shampoo or soap. Those items help clean and restore vitality to one’s body. Baptism, however, is more than a mere cleansing. It is a new birth. Water, the symbol of washing, is also the symbol of life. Life’s freshness and newness also has to be restored. This Sunday at our liturgies you have a second opportunity to sign up for this lent’s season of RENEW 2000. The RENEW program, like a good shampoo, can help bring back a newness of spiritual life and enthusiasm about one’s faith. None of us gets Baptized more than once in our lives, but we often renew that event and recommit ourselves to the faith first received when we were children. Please take home a RENEW small-group registration form and consider joining us this year. Thanks. - Fr. Herb February 6, 2000 HELP ME WELCOME PEOPLE I don’t mean this to be a scolding so much as a request for help. I received the following e-mail this week and think that we need to take the message to heart. A young woman wrote to me, saying, “I’m 18 years old. I’m writing you today because there is something that has really been weighing on my mind, and I’ve finally decided to contact you about it. “Last summer my cousin and I came to St. Peter’s. It was our first time at a Roman Catholic Mass and I was considering becoming Catholic. No one attempted to help us with the liturgy; no one showed us books that have the readings in them. We didn’t receive as much as a ‘hello.’ When we left, it was as if no one had even noticed we had been there.” This young woman wrote more, but I have shared this much to remind all of you how important a welcome can be to someone who is new or visiting. Actually, a welcome is also important for those who have attended here many times before. Who are the potential welcomers? All of us. The priest cannot do it alone. Having friendly ushers to greet people is important, but the real welcoming has to come from others in the pews. Please say hi to those near you. If they do not want to talk, respect that. But if they seem lost and uncertain, offer to help them. Welcoming others is also part of what Jesus taught. Thank you very much for taking this to heart. - Fr. Herb