Saturday, November 01, 2008

All Saints...

Happy Solemnity of All Saints!

Fr. Stephen Koeth, CSC has posted thoughtful homilies for the Solemnities of All Saints and All Souls on his blog. I was especially impressed by Flannery O'Connor's line, “this action by which charity grows invisibly among us, entwining the lives of the living and the dead, this is called by the Church, the Communion of Saints."

Mass was celebrated this morning by Cardinal James Francis Stafford, Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary. I was reminded this afternoon that it was he as archbishop of Denver who was instrumental in the success of the '94 World Youth Day, an event that was certainly formative in my and other's vocation to religious life and priesthood.

Afterwards, the house enjoyed a midday social followed by a festive lunch. I am grateful for the good conversations on politics, theology, liturgy, ecclesial life, etc (and fraternal banter) that goes on here at the house during and after meals. It is a blessed time.

1 comment:

Fr. Stephen M. Koeth, C.S.C. said...

Michael -

Thanks for your supportive comment on my blog and the links here on yours.

I don't know alot about Cardinal Stafford other than what you mentioned here, but earlier this summer he wrote an article about the 40th anniversary of Humane Vitae, and the really awful experiences he endured as a young priest at that time.

He wrote: “The contemporary obedience of disciples to the Successor of Peter cannot be separated from the poverty of spirit and purity of heart modeled and won by the Word on the Cross.”

I thought that was marvelous, especially as it spoke to experiences I have already had in parish ministry.