HOLY and COMPETENT

"GOOD" and "GOOD AT IT"
"Holiness" and "Know-How"

I used to walk over this seal on the steps leading up to the main door of the seminary building at Saint Meinrad Seminary almost every day from 1964-1970 and again from 2004-2014. I hardly noticed it, much less what it said, until a few years ago. Yes, it says "pax," "peace," in the center, but the other two words are more important to me because it lists the two most important qualities a priest should possess. A priest should possess "sanctitatae," "holiness" for sure, but he must also balance that with "scientia." The important thing to note here is the choice of that last word. It does not use the word "sapientia." "Saphientia" means "wisdom." "Scientia" means "practical knowledge," as in "know how." A priest must possess "holiness," yes, but he also needs to possess "know how." He must be a holy man who is not just smart, but a holy man who knows how, and has the ability, to lead people to holiness.

In the gospel story about the "Good" Shepherd, there are two possibilities in Greek for "good" - "agathos" and "kalos." The word "agathos" means "morally good" (sanctitae). However, that is not the word used. The word "kalos" is used. It means "good at" (scientia) So the "Good Shepherd" is one who is "good at" shepherding. A good shepherd is one who is not only personally holy, but one who is good at leading others to holiness.

This is the story of why I subtitled my book, The Spiritual Leadership of a Parish Priest: On Being Good and Good At It. Just as a good shepherd must know where the grass is, how to find water and how to keep the wolves away, a good priest must possess certain spiritual leadership skills, not merely possess a life of personal piety. He must be holy and competent.

My New Guest Room

NO WONDER I DON'T HAVE MANY TAKERS!

After living alone for many years, its hard to have someone else in the house, especially overnight.  My mother used to call people like us "set in our ways."

Bishop Jason Gordon was my first guest to use the new guest room. Even though I left this cartoon in the room for him to see, maybe I didn't scare him off from coming back some day. He did come back, in fact, and will probably come back again! 

After three days, all guests are moved into the "other" guest room until they are ready to leave. 

A LESSON FOR OUR PARTISAN WORLD

THE BATTLE OF EITHER/OR CAN, IN MANY CASES,  BE RESOLVED BY BOTH/AND

"I have heard it said that heroism can be redefined for our age as the ability to tolerate paradox, to embrace seemingly opposing forces without rejecting one or the other just for the sheer relief of it, and to understand that life is the game played between two paradoxical goalposts: winning is good and so is losing; freedom is good and so is authority; having and giving; action and passivity; sex and celibacy; income and outgo; courage and fear. Both are true. They may sit on opposite sides of the table, but underneath it their legs are entwined."

Gregg Levoy in "Callings"

LESSONS FROM SCRIPTURE FOR A PARTISAN WORLD

In the Genesis creation story, God made us male and female.

In the great Prodigal Son story in the gospel. God loves both sons - the one who stayed home and followed the rules, but also the son who left home and got down with the pigs!

In the story of the vineyard workers in the gospel, those who started early morning and those who came to work close to quitting time all got a full days pay.

The shepherd in the gospel story loves the ninety-nine good sheep who stayed together, but also the one who stayed away and got lost.

In the great story about the wedding feast, the good and bad alike are invited to dinner.


Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jew and Moslem
Catholic and Protestant
Democrat and Republican
Straight and Gay
Black, Brown, Yellow, Red and White
Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota
Native-born and Immigrant
Clergy and Laity
Chocolate and Vanilla
Women and Men
Heads and Hearts
Desktops and Laptops
Cell Phones and House Phones
Eat-in and Carry-out
Meat and Potatoes
Dogs and Cats

SALUTE #2

Periodically, I Intend to Salute Special People in My Life

TOM AND REA (GARDNER) ) CLARK



Rea and Tom in Jack's Coffee Shop at Saint Meinrad Seminary. They are so much fun and so supportive of me and my ministry.

Myself, Rea's mother Marea and Tom. If you look closely, you will see that Rea is actually in this panoramic photo twice - there behind her mother and to the right of my head! I have no idea how this happened! We used to gather at Marea's house every Sunday, when she was alive, for brunch. We still get together quite often!

Tom and Rea (on the right) at my dinner at Volare's Restaurant here in Louisville in honor of Bishop Jason Gordon of Barbados and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.



From left to right, Tom and Rea's two talented and wonderful children, Thomas and Meghan.
Between parents and children is another great friend, Pat Patterson. 

WORLD YOUTH DAY - SVG - PART VI

YOUTH FROM THE DIOCESE OF KINGSTOWN 

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

PART SIX

From Auschwitz

On the way to London, we passed and visited the Nazi concentration camp and prayed for the souls who died there.

Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940–1945) World War II #Killed: 1.5 million mostly Jews

Location: Auschwitz, Nazi Germany
Notable inmates: St. Maximillian Kolbe, Otto Frank, Victor Frankl

The fortified walls, barbed wire, platforms, barracks, gallows, gas chambers and cremation ovens show the conditions within which the Nazi genocide took place.

A very somber experience. 

Father Rex prays. 

From the Airport on the Way to London 

WORLD YOUTH DAY TRIP - SVG - PART V

YOUTH FROM THE DIOCESE OF KINGSTOWN 

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

PART FIVE
FROM THE CITY OF KRAKOW, POLAND

VIGIL 
AND 
CLOSING MASS WITH  POPE FRANCIS

1.6 MILLION PEOPLE

They walked 10 kilometers to Camp Miserecordia, the venue for the night vigil and closing mass. Tired, they slept overnight in the field.

These photos bring back memories of my backpacking days to Taize, France, of the 1970s. You have to be young to do that! 

I remember exactly how they felt - exhausted, but feeling so good about having the opportunity! 

Pope Francis celebrating Mass, top right, surrounded by photos of SVG youth in attendance.

The Pope announced that the next WORLD YOUTH DAYS will be held in Panama. 

That will be a lot closer to home, so maybe a lot more SVG youth will be able to attend!