Vesting as an Act of Prayer

It goes without saying that some deacons  take their responsibilities to Christ in the Sacred Liturgy more importantly than others do. In some cases, (and I am basing this on conversations I have had with other deacons, many of them outside of our diocese) this may be because of their formation, wherein they have been formed to believe that the liturgy is not the most important thing that they do. The ministry of every deacon is going to look different than those of his brothers, no two are going to look exactly alike. I think that most people understand that different people have different gifts.

However, for the average person in the pew, they're more likely to see their deacons in the Liturgy than anywhere else, and the liturgical ministry of the deacon is, in that sense, one of the most important things that he does. Therefore, it's very important to know the Liturgy and try to do the things that we are called upon to do as well as we possibly can. We are doing them for Jesus, after all. I know that for me, at this stage in my life and my ministry, the Sacred Liturgy is one of the most important things that I am engaged in. It is extremely important to me, on a spiritual level, to approach this work of God with the solemnity and prayer that it deserves.

Shortly after serving at Mass
Photo: Jason Davis

Nevertheless, there are times when my life can get in the way of a more prayerful attitude when I come to the church to assist at the altar. The responsibilities, and the cares, and the worries, and the concerns, that come with daily ordinary life do not end because I have just walked into the Sacristy. There have been times that I have showed up to assist at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and my heart was there, but my mind was on a million other things. How can you just switch that off? How can you begin to focus in such a way as to really give Jesus an hour of your time when everybody is watching you?

The Church provides assistance for us to begin to focus our minds on the Mass through the Vesting Prayers, prayers which are said as we put on the vesture of service at the altar. I have found that these precious prayers have been particularly helpful to me, especially at those times when I have showed up for Mass with just a few minutes to spare, and I really have to try to focus to ready my heart and mind for assistance with the Sacred Mysteries.

When we put our vestments on, we should remember that each of the articles has both a practical use and a symbolic meaning. When we understand this, it helps us to treat our vestments as both the sacramental holy reminder they are to us as well as the sacramental that they are to the People of God. Praying as I put my vestments on helps me to focus on what it is that I am about to do, and to leave my other concerns to prayer-or even better, to take them with me to the altar and put them before the Lord.

If you are a deacon and you are not familiar with the vesting prayers, here they are with some simple instructions on how to pray them when vesting.

The process of prayerful vesting should begin with the washing of hands. Remember that we are going to be distributing the Holy Eucharist to the People of God, so it is important that we should wash hands at some point beforehand, as we shall hold Christ in our very hands. This is both a practical as well as a ritual act. We begin vesting prayers with a prayer at the washing of the hands:

Give virtue to my hands, O Lord, that, being cleansed from all stain, I might serve You with purity of mind and body.


The amice is great for preventing "ring around the collar" on your alb. It also represents the "helmet of salvation." (cf. Ephesians 6:17)  If the amice is worn, as we put it on we pray:


Place, O Lord, upon my head the helmet of salvation, that I may repel the assaults of the Devil.


The alb represents the purity of our baptism, and as we vest in it we pray for the Lord to restore in us purity of heart:


Cleanse me, O Lord, and purify my heart, that, washed in the Blood of the Lamb, I may attain unto everlasting joys.


The cincture represents chastity, and we pray for chastity as the cincture is fastened:


Lord, fasten the cincture of purity around me and extinguish my earthly desires, that the virtue of continence and chastity may dwell within me.


The stole is the symbol of our office as ordained men and deacons in the Church. It also represents God's promise to restore immortality to us in Jesus Christ:


 Lord, restore the stole of immortality, which I lost through the actions of our first parents, and although I am unworthy to approach your sacred mysteries, may I gain eternal joy.


When we put on our dalmatic, the garment of charity, we pray:


Lord, vest me in the garment of salvation, the vestment of joy. May I always be surrounded by the dalmatic of justice.

By beginning our service at the altar with prayer, we bring our vocation into focus.

Bulletin Column for the Feast of Corpus Christi (6/23/19)

Cardinal Robert Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, has written a series of excellent books in recent years. One of these books was a Christmas gift from Bishop Stika to all of the clergy of our diocese a couple of years ago, The Power of Silence, and reading it had a profound impact on my spiritual outlook. One of the things that Cardinal Sarah talks about is silence in the church itself, especially in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. Of course, unless it's Good Friday, whether it is concealed in the Tabernacle or openly exposed, the Blessed Sacrament is always present in the sanctuary of the church, and within sight of everyone in the nave here at Holy Trinity.


As we celebrate today's feast of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, it might do us well to remember the general importance of an atmosphere of silence in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. It is precisely because of the physical presence of Our Lord in the Sanctuary that, barring an emergency, silence should be observed in the sanctuary and the nave (seating area) of the church prior to Masses, and a general atmosphere of quiet should be observed at all other times within the church itself, including the period after Mass.

This atmosphere of silence and quiet is important to maintain for several reasons over and above the presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, but there are two that come immediately to mind. First, there are people who are a part of our parish community who are only able to visit the church when they can come for Mass on Sunday. Some of them have busy work schedules or other family or personal obligations. I know from personal experience that it can be difficult when you have such obligations to find time for quiet prayer. There is and should be no better place for that kind of prayerful solitude then in the presence of Our Lord in His Sanctuary, in His Holy House. Because of this, we should try to keep in mind those who have come to the House of God for prayer, and maintain an atmosphere conducive to prayer at all times.


In addition, it is especially worth noting that lay people are not the only ones who have come to the Church for Mass and for prayer. Father Patrick, Father Alex, and all of the deacons need some spiritual solitude as well, and the clergy do not often have the opportunity to pray in the church itself before Mass. For this reason, it must be remembered that the Sacristy is more than merely a dressing room or a place where we store the supplies for the Liturgy. At the very least, the priest and deacons say vesting prayers prior to Mass. Often, if time allows, we will use the lead up to Mass as a time to pray our Liturgy of the Hours, or pray a preparation prayer before celebrating or assisting at the Lord's Altar. There is a crucifix and a kneeler in the Sacristy for a reason, and that is because the Sacristy, too, is a place of prayer, and a prayerful etiquette should be observed there. That includes a respectful atmosphere of quiet prior to Mass by those who may be in the narthex near the Sacristy.


Many parishioners may be disposed to ask: "When might we enjoy fellowship with one another? Isn't fellowship with other believers an important part of the Christian life?" The answer to that question is yes, it absolutely is. The Church has another word for this kind of fellowship-communio, and communio is very important indeed. Our love and hospitality toward one another and our welcome of visitors and the stranger is a reflection of who we are, so it reflects poorly on us if we fail to extend that welcome to one another. I will discuss the importance of this in some future column, but it is important to remember that we have two halls (Whitman Hall and Trinity Hall), a pavilion, an outdoor garden, a playground and a walking area between two buildings, all of which can and should be utilized for fellowship and social time among parishioners after Masses.


Scripture tells us of the House of God "my house shall be a House of Prayer for all peoples." (cf. Isaiah 56:7) On this feast of Corpus Christi, let us remember that the real presence of Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist is always with us in the Tabernacle, and treat his Holy House with the reference that is due when God Almighty is present with us.


Note: This is the unedited version of the column that appeared in the bulletin at Holy Trinity Parish this weekend. On occasion, I will "fill in' for Father Patrick in writing the featured column, normally written by him as pastor. This week was one of my weeks to write the bulletin column.

The Liturgy of the Hours and the Diaconate

One of the most important promises that a deacon makes on the day he is ordained is to "celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours, with and for the People of God, and indeed for the whole world."

Somewhere along the line someone seems to have gotten the idea that the promise to celebrate faithfully the Liturgy of the Hours does not apply to deacons in the same way that it does priests. Many deacons will tell you that they are only required to pray morning and evening prayer (Lauds and Vespers), but not any other part of the Divine Office. I don't recall the promise I made at ordination specifying which of the hours I had to pray every day. I promised to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, not "the Liturgy of the Hinge Hours."

Our formation class was very fortunate in that when we had the canonical retreat that is required of all clergy before they are ordained in the Church, our Bishop was our retreat master. Not only did this give him an opportunity to get to know us, and to teach us one-on-one, it gave us a very genuine opportunity to question him with frankness. One of our brothers put the question quite frankly, asking how much of the Liturgy of the Hours we should pray every day. The bishop was very clear that we should pray as much of the Office as we possibly can, we are not limited to Lauds and Vespers and we should do our best to pray as much as possible.

Granted, the Divine Office has been an important part of my personal prayer life for many years, well predating my ordination or even my years in formation, so the idea of increasing the amount I pray the Liturgy of the Hours posed a new challenge because I had to schedule for that, but it has never seemed like a burden. I look forward to praying my Office each day.

I often hear from deacons in other dioceses that they only pray morning and evening prayer, and they feel no obligation to pray any of the rest of the Office. Yet so much of the Office they are missing presents us with such rich scriptural prayer, especially the Office of Readings, (Vigils or Matins), which I find provides me with an excellent opportunity for Lectio Divina.

It is to be understood that there will be days when many of us have family, occupational, and secular obligations that will keep us away from the kind of deep prayer life that those in the religious life or the priesthood should be enjoying. That is going to mean that some days we won't be able to pray the entire cycle of the Office, but that does not mean that we shouldn't try. In view of the promise that all deacons make at ordination, it would be legitimate to say that we have an obligation to do so, if not a direct obligation, certainly a spiritual one.

Our Bishop has been quite clear that he wants us to use the Office as contained in the four volume set of the Liturgy of the Hours. I've heard many brothers complain that this can be an expensive undertaking, and I certainly understand that complaint. I have several liturgical books, including the Liturgy of the Hours, and no, they are not cheap. However, if you are having trouble affording them, technology today really doesn't give many of us an excuse. Applications such as IBreviary and websites such as Divine Office  are accurate as to the liturgical texts and they make the Liturgy of the Hours accessible not only to the clergy, but to all of the People of God.

I want to challenge everyone, but especially brother deacons, to pray more of the Liturgy of the Hours if you're not already doing so. It will make your ministries and apostolates more fruitful, your preaching more effective, and your family and personal life more rewarding. Many of us have the ability to access more of the Liturgy of the Hours today than ever before. It is right that we should take advantage of this, in fulfillment of the promises of our ordination.

The Case of (Father) Jonathan Morris

By now, most of the world of Catholic Social Media, at least in the United States, is aware of the situation regarding (Father) Jonathan Morris. Morris, a former member of the Legionaries of Christ who was released from his vows in that tortured religious order, and later became a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, also became a valued contributor to Fox News for over 14 years. As a result of this, Father Morris developed a well-rounded social media presence, and certainly became one of the most visible priests from his already very visible Archdiocese.

His public announcement some weeks back that he has petitioned Pope Francis to be allowed to be dispensed from his solemn promises as an ordained priest and allowed to return to the lay state caused some of his followers to wish him well, and some to label him a coward who had abandoned his commitments as an ordained man in the Church.

To be very clear, I am not a great believer in the ease with which laicization (which should be more properly referred to as the release from clerical promises or vows) is often obtained by many ordained clerics. Many priests do this so that they can have the freedom to marry after having taken vows or made solemn promises of celibacy and chastity. Many deacons request a return to the lay state in order that they might marry after their wife dies, something the Apostle Paul forbids in ordinary circumstances even in Scripture itself (1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 3:12, Titus 1:5-7) when he says that an ordained man is to be "the husband of one wife" (he wasn't talking about polygamy, no Christian has ever been allowed to live a polygamous life validly or licitly).

Even though clerical celibacy did not become the official rule in the West until the Middle Ages, the practice that no cleric could marry once they were ordained dates to antiquity itself. If a man was already married and sought ordination, his family was thoroughly scrutinized, as Paul himself discusses in Scripture, so that they would not bring scandal upon the Church. This idea that members of the clergy could be released from their promises in order that they may live as they please is a thoroughly modern one. If the release from promises, the removal of faculties, and the return to the lay state voluntarily is too easily obtained, this truly shows an ill regard for the clerical state, and that is every bit as bad as the clergy showing an ill regard for the laity.

I stand by this belief, but it's also clear to me that Father Jonathan's case is far from normal. There are always exceptions to every rule, and we can't be anyone's ultimate judge. The perversion of the Legionaries of Christ under their founder, the late Father Marcial Maciel, is by now very well known to many people. Maciel was an abuser, pedarist, pedophile, and sexual predator, who used the religious society that he founded as a front for much of his perversion. Good holy young men like Jonathan Morris were really "peer pressured" into being ordained, as opposed to being authentically called by the Holy Spirit.

Late last week, Morris revealed that he had agreed to an interview on Fox News, where he had served for so long as Religious Affairs contributor because of his position as a priest and a moral authority. There were a lot of people, including myself, who wondered if such an interview was a good idea. Many of us worried that Morris was merely attention-seeking, trying now to capitalize on his position as a laicized priest. In watching the interview, this is not what I found.

The interview itself was around nine minutes long, hardly much time to grab a lot of publicity or do much "damage." Instead, I found that Morris was far from the media savvy man we often saw on Fox in a Roman collar, and he instead appeared nervous, a little repetitive, and unsure of himself. He clearly wasn't quite in his element, but he was desperately trying to explain to the many viewers who had come to appreciate his counsel what had happened in his life.

He admitted to having a relationship with a woman while he was in the seminary. He was ready to leave then, and was pressured into staying by Mariel Maciel himself. Based on Father Jonathan's description of what happened to him, it can hardly be said that his acceptance of religious life and ordination to the priesthood occurred because of authentic discernment. Jonathan Morris does not appear to have been allowed truly authentic discernment of his vocation.

I will discuss the Catholic theology of Holy Orders and ordination in a future post, but the reality is that there is really no such thing as a "former priest," "former deacon," or "former bishop." Those terms may be used, but they are not theologically correct at all. Ordination is permanent, and that means that Father Jonathan Morris will be "a priest forever." However, he will be a priest who has had his faculties to minister removed (albeit by his own choosing), and thus returned to the practical state of a layman.

We may be somewhat unfair to Morris in saying that he is attention-seeking. He is now cut off from the means of ecclesiastical support normally given to diocesan clergy-but especially priests- who are entitled to pay and pension, and often health insurance. Now he has to fend for himself. I don't know if I can blame him for intentionally snooping around in the media world where he has some experience.

I don't know if he has made the right decision, and it's not our place to say. But I do pray for Father Morris, I know he needs it.

On the Anniversary of My Ordination

Today I celebrate the third anniversary of my receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders as a deacon. As I told one of my confreres the other day at a parish picnic, there is a very real sense in which the day passes as if it is any other day. I have to carry on with the responsibilities of my daily life, and my ministry carries on as well. 

The responsibilities of both ministry and family life are oblivious to the calendar. The next time I assist at the altar during the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass will not be substantially different than it was when I assisted this past weekend. The various formulae for blessing objects and people do not change because I have passed another year in ordained Ministry. There is a very real sense in which I am grateful to God merely to be able to carry on.

I love being a deacon, and I did not love it any less yesterday and did not love it any less on the day I was ordained than I do today. I will love it as much tomorrow and as much next week as I do right now. The one thing I do envy about my brothers who have passed many more years in the ordained service of the Church is that they have the added benefit of greater experience that can only come with time.

I placed my hands in Bishop Stika's hands to promise obedience
(Dan McWilliams/East Tennessee Catholic)

Ontological change happens with the simple act of the Laying On of Hands
(Stephanie Richer/Stephanie Richer Photography)

Just because I understand the reality that the anniversary of my ordination is just another day in both my ministry and my family life does not mean that the significance of the day lost upon me, or than I am attempting to shrug it off. Quite the contrary. There is a reason that those of us who are ordained remember the day that it happened, just as we remember our wedding anniversary. We understand that the day we were ordained we were changed forever.

When we vest, we kiss the cross on our stoles as a reminder of the sacrament and gift of ministry we have received.
(Stephanie Richer/Stephanie Richer Photography)

The change that myself and my brothers experienced that day was an ontological change. We all received a sacrament by means of the laying on of hands, the outward sign of the ontological mark on the soul.

Cardinal Rigali helps me put on my dalmatic, the vestment proper to a deacon, for the first time, along with my wife.
(Stephanie Richer/Stephanie Richer Photography)

The Graces we receive from this sacramental ontological change, however, are Graces which we must be open to and we must accept in order for them to have the effect that they need to have on our lives, our families, and our ministries. I know that I daily must be open to the Graces of God in order for my Ministry to be effective in the lives of the people that I serve.

Receiving the Book of the Gospels from Bishop Stika
(Stephanie Richer/Stephanie Richer Photography)

On the day I was ordained, Bishop Stika said to me (and my classmates): 

“Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”

I truly love to serve, and I hope that I have many more years to continue to do so. pray for me that God will grant me a double portion of humility, that I may be an effective servant, and a far better reflection of Christ to others.

A Marian Memorial of the Holy Spirit

One of the great reforming actions of Pope Francis' pontificate might be the small but spiritually significant reforms to the liturgical calendar and praxis that could actually help enhance her spiritual life.

One of these changes is to mandate the inclusion of St Joseph in the Eucharistic prayer. A far more significant change, in my mind, is the addition of today's Memorial to the calendar of the Church.


Today is the memorial of Mary, Mother of the Church, appropriately held on the Monday following the feast of Pentecost.

This feast day calls attention to one of Mary's most important titles next to the title of Mother of God. it speaks to the reality that Mary is the mother of the Church, and that indeed without Mary saying yes to God, there would be no Church!

It also serves to remind us something reality that Mary was actually present on the Day of Pentecost in the upper room with the disciples. That means that like them, she was a part of the particular outpouring of the Holy Spirit that occurred for the Apostolic College on that day. indeed, the mention of Mary on the Day of Pentecost is the very last direct mention of her in Sacred Scripture.

It is most fitting that we should remember the Mother of the Church on the day after we officially celebrate the birth of the Church

The Gift of Holy Orders

A few days ago, I received a card in the mail from our Director of Deacons here in the Diocese of Knoxville, Deacon Tim Elliott. It was clearly sent to all of us who are commemorating the anniversary of our ordinations this month, but the artwork or iconography on the front of the card spoke to my heart and spirit in a particular way.

It is Christ washing the feet of the Apostles, and in this particular case it reminds me of a homily that I delivered on Holy Thursday, one in which I explained the particular significance of the washing of the feet in the ancient Near East. I also expounded upon the reality that this particular act by Jesus to his disciples was an especially overt diaconal act, a sign of servitude, humility, and abiding service in love.

I know that many of my brothers will be celebrating the anniversary of their ordinations this month, whether in this diocese or other parts of the country. I often wonder how many of us take the time to stop and reflect on what this has meant to our lives, and what the sacramental grace of ordination has brought to our faith life and our service to others. 

Several weeks back I showed up for a Saturday evening Vigil Mass in just enough time to vest. I had not been scheduled to serve that evening, but for some reason I just took to the notion that I needed to go into the sacristy and get vested for Mass. 

When I arrived at the church I saw Father Patrick and two of my brother deacons already vested. Father has an "open Sacristy door" policy, wherein any of his deacons may assist any Mass being celebrated, whether we are scheduled or not. Father Patrick does not mind having two or three or more deacons in the sanctuary during Mass. However, as far as I knew I was the only one who took advantage of this policy regularly, primarily because I personally find that I receive a great many Graces in my own spiritual life when I serve at the altar with frequency. 

When I noticed that two of our three other deacons were already in the Sacristy, the first thought that occurred to me (that I initially had left unspoken) was "I thought I was the only one who regularly did this..." Father Patrick spoke up and announced that he had a cold and he had asked for the help of at least one other deacon. I explained that I did not want to disturb or be in the way, but I just had it on my mind to serve that evening. He said that I certainly had time to vest and should know that I would always be more than welcome, especially under the circumstances. Brother Deacon Jack Raymond helped me to get vested, and I went on to assist the Mass.

Before we left the Sacristy to proceed down the aisle for the Mass to begin, Father Patrick said a prayer, which he began "Lord, we thank you for the gift of Holy Orders!"

That is what we have truly received from the Lord, a gift, and a very special one. I will reflect on my own ordination a little closer to the time that it happened, but I want to say thank you to every deacon and every priest (for they are also deacons) that I know. Thank you for answering the Lord's call, thank you for devoting yourselves in service to the Lord's Church, thank you for your service to the people of God, especially to the poor. Thank you to your wives (those who are married) for saying yes to your yes and understanding your call, and your families for the sacrifice that they make.

Most of all, thank you for the example that you have been to me in my own ministry. Thank you for your love of God and the Church. As you all celebrate and remember the ministry that God has given you in the sacrament of Holy Orders, know that I am praying for you that you will have many joyous years of service. 

Bishop Tobin is Right

Bishop Thomas Tobin

Recently, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island landed himself in hot water with many in the popular culture with this Tweet over this past weekend about some...cultural events...taking place in many parts of the country during the month of June.

A reminder that Catholics should not support or attend LGBTQ “Pride Month” events held in June. They promote a culture and encourage activities that are contrary to Catholic faith and morals. They are especially harmful for children.

— Bishop Thomas Tobin (@ThomasJTobin1) June 1, 2019

Immediately the wolves of our culture came to denounce Tobin for "spreading hate," as they usually do to any bishop, priest, or deacon who speaks out about the moral law, and some even said that he was wrong to say anything because his words would encourage hatred against the "gay community." Even some members of the clergy have gotten in on the act, trying to say on social media that what Bishop Tobin said was not compassionate.

But is the Bishop wrong? Firstly, what is the Church's official statement of its own teaching on this matter? The Catechism of the Catholic Church makes it as clear as possible for us:

2357 Homosexuality refers to relations between men or between women who experience an exclusive or predominant sexual attraction toward persons of the same sex. It has taken a great variety of forms through the centuries and in different cultures. Its psychological genesis remains largely unexplained. Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that "homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered." They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. They do not choose their homosexual condition; for most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

The Church holds, then, that while someone's proclivity to attraction of people of the same sex is not, in and of itself, a sin, that homosexual activity is a sin. The Church calls on us to treat homosexual persons with "respect, compassion, and sensitivity," but the Church is quite clear that this compassion does not extend to acceptance of sinful behavior, and indeed that would not be compassionate at all-it could endanger many souls.

Bishop Tobin also said that that Catholics should not attend events which celebrate "Pride Month." No doubt, some readers will say "but Deacon, doesn't the Catechism say that we should treat gay people with 'respect, compassion, and sensitivity,' so shouldn't we go all out and celebrate Pride Month to support them?


 



Are you also going on public marches or attending public events to support those who have a proclivity to adultery or fornication? Would you do such a thing? If you would, I would question any claim you might make to practice bona fide Christianity. Yes, we are all sinners, but we are still called to avoid sin and the near occasion of sin. Furthermore, if we attend events which promote sin, we are giving our approval to the sin by our presence there, and if we do not approve, we will have given scandal to many other believers by the appearance of giving public approbation to grave sin. At the very least, you are saying you are proud of your concupiscence and that of others. "YAY, I am proud of my human proclivity to potentially commit sin and do evil in the sight of God!"

Sacred Scripture certainly backs up what Bishop Tobin is trying to say:

"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God." -1 Corinthians 6:9-10

What reason would anyone have to attend a rally that supports and promotes homosexual acts and faux "marriage" other than to support those acts yourself? If you don't, why would you attend an event where they do? If you would not support other deadly sins, you shouldn't support "Pride Month" either.

Some on social media are saying that Bishop Tobin "backed down" because of this statement from the Diocese of Providence:

.

A close reading of this statement shows us, however, that Bishop Tobin isn't backing down at all. He is more effectively stating Catholic teaching:

I regret that my comments yesterday about Pride Month have turned out to be so controversial in our community, and offensive to some, especially the gay community. That certainly was not my intention, but I understand why a good number of individuals have taken offense. I also acknowledge and appreciate the widespread support I have received on this matter.

 The Catholic Church has respect and love for members of the gay community, as do I. Individuals with same-sex attraction are beloved children of God and our brothers and sisters. 

 As a Catholic Bishop, however, my obligation before God is to lead the faithful entrusted to my care and to teach the faith, clearly and compassionately, even on very difficult and sensitive issues. That is what I have always tried to do – on a variety of issues – and I will continue doing so as contemporary issues arise.

 In other words, Bishop Tobin is saying "I love you, what I said was true." Indeed, he reiterated to the news media that he stands by his statement.

One of the difficulties with Twitter is that you have so little space in which to express what you are trying to get across to others. Twitter has helped to reduce our society to one in which many people take the entirety of what others say by a few characters.

It is for this reason that I personally do not recommend the use of Twitter as a means of social communication for my brother clerics. When the time comes to address controversial social and moral issues, and one feels the need to address them online (as indeed I have done in this post), other means of internet communication such as Facebook, MeWe, or blogs exist so that we may say all that needs to be said, all that the Holy Spirit might place upon our hearts. 

I would humbly recommend to Bishop Tobin that he consider one of those alternatives when the time comes, as it inevitably does in the time in which we live, to address the state of our society on internet-based social media.

Even though other means might have been better means to convey the message, what Bishop Tobin said is true. "Gay Pride" events promote grave sin. Catholics concerned for the good of their souls and the souls of others should not attend or promote them.

Return to This Blog

It has been 6 years since I have posted on this blog. The chief reason why I have not is because I was asked to take over the official blog of the Diocese of Knoxville to celebrate its 25th anniversary, Life At 25.

I greatly enjoyed that work, and I enjoyed sharing my thoughts with a wider audience, but at the time I did not have the time or the energy to run two active blogs. In March of 2015 my daughter Riley was born. As you can imagine, she has taken up much of the time that I had previously devoted to write.

I was ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Knoxville in 2016, and assigned to the parish of Holy Trinity in Jefferson City.


As time has passed, it has become clear to me that I still don't have time to maintain two blogs, and the original purpose for the diocesan blog I was helping to maintain long ago passed. We just celebrated 30 years as a diocese.

I was extremely proud to do the work, but I think that the diocese is ready to move on from the blog business. The blogs are still on the website and I still have the ability to post to it but there's no direct link to the blogs that were there before.

Posting on my own personal blog again allows me to deliver my homilies to you, but also to post more personal content, which isn't always appropriate for the diocesan website.

It's good to be back. I hope you'll join me on this journey of faith!