Passion

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week and next week are called Passion tide because the readings and focus of the liturgy is on the imminent passion and death of the Lord. An ancient custom in the Church has been maintained here at St. John’s, namely the veiling of statues and images. This practice was regulated in the time before Vatican Council II. Today, the practice of veiling images from the Fifth Sunday of Lent to Holy Saturday is optional; all churches are required to veil images from Holy Thursday evening to Holy Saturday evening. We have decided to maintain the older custom because of its sign value.

From the beginning of Lent we have been without flowers and elaborate music, with few exceptions. We want to focus our attention on the Lord’s sojourn in the desert and accompany Him during His temptations with our fasting, prayers, and alms for the poor.

During these last two weeks of Lent, we enter more deeply into the spirit of this season by covering the beautiful statues and images in our church so that we can concentrate on the Lord
Who was taken away, out of the sight of His disciples and the people during the days of His passion.

Let this be a time of prayer and meditation on the Lord’s Passion so that we may come to know better the love of Christ, Who offered Himself as an innocent Victim for our sins. I suggest that you read the Passion of St. Mark and St. John during these days. You will find both of them in the “Celebrating the Eucharist” missalette. The St. Mark Passion is on pp. 114-124; the St. John Passion is on pp. 140-148. Or, you may find them in your Bible: Gospel of Mark chapters 14-15, Gospel of John chapters 18-19.

May the Passion of Christ be in our hearts these days so that we may see His glory at Easter.

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB News

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are some news items that I wanted to share with you. First, we are grateful for the spiritual guidance of Fr. Antoninus Wall, O.P. (Fr. Tony) who preached our Lenten parish mission last week. Fr. Tony proved that age (84 years!) is no deterrent when it comes to imparting a powerful message that speaks to today’s problems.

Our PSA pledges are nearing $100,000. I am very grateful to all of you who have made a pledge so far. Please mark your calendars for our two penance services. This week the Vietnamese/ English penance service on March 26 begins at 7PM. Several visiting priest-confessors who also speak English, will be available for your Lenten confession. Next week on April 2 we have our English/Spanish penance service. Again, several confessors from other parishes will join us so you will have another opportunity to prepare for your Easter Communion.

SJB Festival 2009 News. Yes, there will be a festival for all of you who are looking forward to good food, fun, and fellowship. Our first meeting was held on Friday, and we’re looking for ideas and helping hands to make this year’s festival another success. Please consider being a part of this community-building effort.

Those of you who attend the 9:30AM Mass are aware that we have a large group of English and Spanish speaking Elect and Candidates who will complete their Christian Initiation at Easter. They are in the final stages of preparation for the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist. Please keep them in your prayers during the coming weeks. We look forward to welcoming them into the Church. We have reached the halfway point in our Lenten journey; many graces are coming. Let us continue our practices of prayer, fasting and works of mercy with renewed fervor, mindful that if the Lord Himself suffered temptations during His 40 days in the desert, then we can expect the Enemy to be working extra hard too. Vigilance and perseverance! Ask your guardian Angel to strengthen you.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Modesty

Dear Friends in Christ,

If you have ever visited the great cathedrals in Europe, especially St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, you know that even in summer visitors are required to dress appropriately. There are signs near the entrances that show what types of clothing are suitable for God’s house.

Dress codes are integral to our lives in civilized countries. Service personnel and businesses have uniforms to identify themselves. We wear distinctive dress to mark special occasions and special places. Certain clothing is appropriate for a formal evening. Other clothing is common in an office. Appropriate clothing is worn by hospital workers, construction workers, and restaurant staffs. Each type and cut of clothing has its characteristic appearance that identifies it with some place, event, or work. In general, what we wear sends others a message about how we want to present ourselves.

Modesty is a virtue that shows we know how to dress appropriately as Christians. A person who dresses modestly and in good taste shows personal self respect and security.

In an interview four young college age men were asked their reaction to immodestly dressed girls. They said that a girl who dresses immodestly sends a message to guys that she does not respect herself. This message in turn lowers the guy’s respect for her. They see immodest dress as a sign of insecurity and lack of self-confidence. Those who dress immodestly invite others to judge them according to what they see.

Here’s an objection: Fashions change; shouldn’t we dress according to the current fashion? Thirty or forty years ago the women fashions common today were used by women in the “red light district”, i.e. women of the street. Fashions change, but male psychology doesn’t. What women wear has an effect on men who see them. We could also object that men should have their minds on other things than women necklines and skirtlines, but they don’t. Fallen nature hasn’t changed in thirty years either.

You might ask: What guidelines should I follow to dress modestly, especially in
church?

Here at St. John’s we will soon have signs posted at the entrances and in the vestibule to give you a sense of what is appropriate dress in God’s house. Please take a moment to read them and use them as a guide to your choice of clothing when coming to Mass or for a visit.

Women and men who dress simply and modestly show inner strength and confidence that goes beyond appearance. There is an inner beauty that radiates out to others. Here’s an image that might help. Persons who dress immodestly are like a firecracker that explodes. It grabs our attention for a moment, but then it’s over. Persons who dress modestly are like a candle that glows. It draws attention and continues to shine forth its radiance.

“Let your light shine before all” (cf. Matt. 5, 16).

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Lent

Dear Friends in Christ,

Lent, the season of God’s mercy, has begun. It is a season of opportunity and renewal. We join our brothers and sisters in faith as we accompany Jesus along the way that leads to Calvary. However, we are hopeful because the Lord has already walked this road and encourages us to follow, bearing the sufferings and looking always to the goal of rising with Him at Easter.

Catholics in today’s world must be counter-cultural. We live in this world, but the Lord challenges us not to accept the values of this world. Every Sunday we hear His Word and listen to His teaching us through the liturgy. This Word of His is a gift to us. “I gave them your word, and the world hated them, because they do not belong to the world any more than I belong to the world” (Jn. 17: 14). The gift of the Word is very precious because His Word is life for us. When we listen to Him and follow his way we may find that we must avoid certain ways of living that the world promotes. This is conversion and Lent is about conversion. Conversion begins with small steps that lead to a stronger relationship with Jesus.

Just a few days ago we celebrated the 3rd anniversary of the dedication of our renovated church. At the time of the renovation we noticed how much more beautiful our church had become. It inspires us to lift up our hearts and thoughts in prayer. When we come to church for Mass or for a visit, we are coming to the Lord’s house. The way we act and the way we dress make a difference not only in our own disposition but it also has an affect on others who see us.

The way we dress is an expression of who we are. We communicate to others something about ourselves by our dress. The fashion industry and advertising often dictates to us by pressuring us into specific styles of dress even without our realizing it. Today styles of dress can really compromise our natural sense of modesty, but we fail to recognize it because we have been conditioned to accept what the major clothes companies advertise. I have noticed at weddings
that men dress very formally with coats and ties, while women dress according to fashions that show little or no respect for women. These distracting styles can also be seen in church at Sunday Mass.

This Lent we should examine our attitude toward dress and reflect about our Christian calling to give good example by the way we dress. Modesty is a Christian virtue that guards our purity of heart. Simple and good clothing does not have to be expensive. We can find quality clothing that is modest and still very good looking. Lent is about turning away from sin and being more faithful to the Gospel message. We can begin an interior change by improving the unspoken message we give by our attire.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Lenten Regulations of Fast and Abstinence

Dear Friends in Christ,

As we enter the holy season of Lent, I would like to call your attention to the spirit of this time by reviewing our Church’s regulations and offering some other suggestions for your practice during these 40 Days.

By Divine Law the faithful are bound to do penance. The example of Jesus Himself is the source of the Church’s laws on this subject. Therefore, the Church requires of her members that some form of penance by those 14 years of age and older is to be observed on all Fridays throughout the year. This obligation is in itself a serious one.

Lenten Regulations of Fast and Abstinence

1. Everyone 14 years of age and older is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of Lent. If for some serious reason a person must eat meat on a Friday in Lent, some other form of self-sacrifice should be performed.
2. Everyone who is at least 18 years of age and not yet 60 is bound also to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
a. On these two days of fast only one full meal is allowed. Two other meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals on these days is not permitted, but liquids are allowed.
b. Where health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige.
Other Lenten Observances

3. In order that our love for Christ and identification with Him may be deepened, all Catholics during the period of Lent are encouraged to participate at daily Mass and to receive Holy Communion often; to participate in the devotional life of the Church; to give generously to religious and charitable works; to assist the sick, the aged and the poor; to practice voluntary fast, penance and self-denial, especially regarding alcoholic drink and social entertainment; and to pray more fervently, particularly for the intentions of the Holy Father.
4. Lent is an admirable time to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation or confession, especially in the setting of a communal Penance Service. In this way the social and ecclesial aspects of sin and reconciliation may be underscored.
5. Ash Wednesday falls this year on February 25. Easter Sunday is on April 12 and the Easter Season concludes on the Feast of Pentecost, May 31. Catholics are bound to receive Holy Communion at least once a year, especially within the Easter Season, unless for good reason the precept is fulfilled at some other time.
6. The Way of the Cross and other prayer services should also be publicly celebrated during the Lenten Season. They are celebrated at St. John’s on the Fridays of Lent at 6:15PM in Vietnamese and 7:30PM in English.
7. The Sacred Triduum from Holy Thursday evening to Easter Sunday (April 9-12) is especially recommended as a fitting conclusion to the Lenten Season. Please check our special schedule for these liturgical celebrations.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today we launch our Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009. Your contributions to PSA supports many programs and services throughout Orange County.

10% of PSA funds go to Catholic Charities of Orange County to support their vital programs that serve the poor and those in need. From material assistance such as rentals to other needs such as counseling Catholic Charities serves a wide variety of people who could not otherwise find help.

The Catholic Deaf Community also benefits from PSA funds, which help them to be full participants in special liturgical and social environments. The Church is for all people, including those with special needs.

Jesus said, “I was in prison and you visited me.” Members of our parish also participate in the Catholic Detention Ministry. Using over 400 volunteers, this ministry provides pastoral care to thousands of inmates in eleven facilities at the city, county, and federal levels. There are Bible studies and sacramental preparation for persons in these institutions.

In the current economic climate many agencies and governments are cutting back on services. All of us know that public schools are often subject to these cutbacks. Our Catholic schools have been “an advantage for life” for many Americans, both Catholic and non-Catholic. With the difficult economic times there is an even greater need to support our Catholic Schools. PSA provides grants to schools, mostly those serving parishioners in multiple languages, who have a critical need for assistance for technology, capital improvements, staff and volunteer education programs and other urgent needs.

Vocations to the priesthood must be a priority for the Church because the priest is the minister of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist. Clergy formation for qualified candidates for the priesthood and diaconate receives funds from PSA to assist in seminary tuition for future priests. In addition there are programs of discernment, education and spiritual formation for permanent deacons. We have a parishioner from St. John’s who is currently enrolled in this program.

All of these programs, services, workshops, and education are supported by you when you pledge to PSA 2009. This is your way of showing that you are a part of this Church in Orange County. We are all on this spiritual journey toward God’s kingdom. I encourage you to join us in making this year’s PSA another success, always remembering that by participating you are sharing in the Church’s mission for the salvation of souls.

Fr. Hildebrand

Vocations at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

Recently I received an invitation to the religious profession of a young man whom I had trained as an altar server 15 years ago. He and his best friend are both seminarians in different religious orders today. I keep their photo on my bulletin board. For me it is a great sign of hope for the Church that fine young men are offering their lives to the Lord to serve His people. I am very happy for them and pray that they will persevere in their vocation. Both of these young men come from a Catholic parish like ours and benefited from parish religious education and formation programs that helped them discern the call to the priesthood.

Next month Fr. Cirilo Flores, who was chosen by the Holy Father to become auxiliary bishop of Orange, will be ordained a bishop. Before he became a priest, he used to teach religious education here at St. John’s. Who knows? Maybe he thought of the priesthood when he was teaching here! Now God is calling him to become a bishop! Teaching religious education at St. John’s has prepared him to accomplish one of the primary tasks of a bishop, that of teacher of God’s Word.

Preparing young people to be active members of the Church, reaching out to those in need, evangelizing the community, this fairly describes the purpose of the Pastoral Services Appeal. Next weekend you will hear more about how the Pastoral Services Appeal works to bring the Gospel to the people of Orange County. You can be confident, based on our own experience, that your participation in PSA will make a difference in the lives of fellow Catholics. In this time of economic challenge, you want to be sure that funds are used for good purposes. Please check out the “pie chart” for PSA on the pledge envelope, and you will understand that your money is used wisely.

On another topic, see below if you live in the neighborhood of our FIRST parish home visit!

Kind regards in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Parish Home Visitation Project

Our first home visit will be in the neighborhood just southeast of our church. If you live on the following streets, please contact the rectory, or call 714-540-2214, and you will be told the address, date, and time where we will meet:

• Saint Clair
  
• St. Junipero Dr.
  
• Loreto Av.
• Santiago Rd.
  
• Sutter Way
  
• Portola Dr.
• Velasco Ln.
  
• Serra Way
  
• Drake Dr.
• Sonora Rd.
  
• Eastern Presidio
  
• San Lucas Ln.
• Magellan St.
  
• Francis Ln.
  
• Cortez St.

Parish Home Visitation Project

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our Parish Home Visitation Project is off to a good start. So far four families have volunteered to host a visit. I hope to start these visits this month. This week I will meet with the Pastoral Council to map out the different sectors of our parish, to draw up a format for the visit, and to begin scheduling the first visits. Again, if you would like to host a visit please contact the rectory and you will be placed on the list. My intention is to make two visits per month; at present I am
reserving the second Friday and the fourth Tuesday. The visits will take place in the evening about 7PM and will run about an hour or so. Roughly the structure will include:

• Prayer and Scripture
• Sharing our reflections and questions
• Social time with light refreshments

Here is more information about the Parish Home Visitation Project. The goal is to bring God’s Word to your homes and in that way awaken an interest in developing your “domestic church”. This term refers to the fact that every Catholic family is a cell of the universal Church. Just as the cells in a human body need to function well for the good health of the whole body, so the cells of the Church need to be actively functioning so that the whole Church is alive and healthy. In preparing for the visit, we are dividing the parish into “sectors”. A sector is an area of the parish bounded by major streets. Once we have determined the boundaries of these sectors we will begin by inviting fellow parishioners who live in your area. You may also invite friends and neighbors from your sector to join in the visit.

This project is important for the evangelization of our parish. We are seeking to bring more souls to Christ and build up His Kingdom on earth. Please remember the Parish Home Visitation Project in your prayers.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

St. Paul & Parish Home Visitations

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is a special day in the Year of St. Paul. We join with the Church throughout the world in celebrating the day of his conversion. On this day the Lord Jesus appeared to Saul (his original name). Up to that moment he had been a rabid persecutor of the disciples of Jesus, but his encounter with the Lord brought him to a complete change of heart.

He changed from Saul the persecutor of Christians to Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles. Many of us undergo conversion experiences in our lives; sometimes these are very dramatic, at other times we change gradually over a period of time. Some people drift away from the faith of their childhood. Even among our family members there are some who have given up the practice of their Catholic faith. I know this is true because I talk to people who are grieving over their children, brothers or sisters who no longer go to Mass.

We may also have friends and neighbors who are Catholic but who don’t practice the faith. We cannot be indifferent to this situation. If we truly believe that the Church is necessary for salvation, we should try to draw these people back to Church.

With this reality in mind I wish to announce a new project that we are launching today, the Parish Home Visitation Project. Inspired by the example of the great Apostle Paul who journeyed far and wide to spread the Gospel, I want to ask you to join me in sharing the good news of Christ with your neighbors. During this year I will be visiting homes in different parts of our parish. The purpose of these visits is to meet with you and your friends and neighbors in the area, to pray, share Scripture, and invite those who have been inactive to become active again.

Please pray for this effort, that the Lord will bless it and make it fruitful for the good of souls. If you would like to host an evening visit, please contact the rectory. You will be told how to prepare for the evening, and you will reserve a date for the visit. Visits will take place on weekday evenings (except Wednesdays). Plan to invite other parishioners who live in your neighborhood, as well as neighbors who would like to pray and meet your pastor. You will hear more about the parish visitation in today’s homily.

Let us pray to the great missionary apostle St. Paul for the success of our Parish Home Visitation Project.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Life

Dear Friends in Christ,

In the recent election, Californians voted to protect the natural institution of marriage. God has created this institution for the purpose of continuing the human species. Unfortunately, there are people who don’t believe in this purpose of marriage and who see conjugal relations as recreational only. They separate the unitive function of the marital act from the procreative function. This is why birth rates in some countries have dropped to dangerous levels in recent years. There are other causes for this drop in the rate of births, abortion on demand is one cause, but perhaps the most common cause is contraception. By contraception is meant any act that prevents conception. Pope Paul VI describes it this way:

“The direct interruption of the generative process already begun and, above all, direct abortion, even for therapeutic reasons, are to be absolutely excluded as lawful means of controlling the birth of children. Equally to be condemned is the direct sterilization, whether of the man or the woman, whether permanent or temporary. Similarly excluded is any action, which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation.” (Humanae Vitae, #14)

This is the teaching of the Church; “it is a promulgation of the law of God himself”(#20). That many people disregard this teaching does not take away its binding force. The “contraceptive” mentality so prevalent today has resulted in these lower birth rates and more abortions; because when contraception doesn’t work abortion is chosen as a second option.

In view of this problem of the contraceptive mentality being so prevalent today, some within the Church have given serious thought to promoting the teaching of Pope Paul VI in Humanae Vitae so that it can be better understood. With this in mind we have invited Fr. Matthew Habiger, OSB to preach at all the Masses on Dec. 6-7 on the subject of God’s plan for life. A couple who teaches natural family planning will also be on hand to introduce modern methods of regulating and spacing births. Please pray that this presentation will benefit our parish.

A Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Fr. Hildebrand

CORRECTION

A few weeks ago I wrote about the morality of voting for pro-abortion candidates. I would like to clarify what was written at the end of that letter. When I said, “To vote for a candidate who favors abortion even though he/she may have many other good qualities is to vote in favor of abortion” I was giving what I see as the logical result of voting for a pro-abortion candidate, in my opinion. If a person suppressed his/her own conscience about the morality of abortion when voting for such a candidate, then that person would run the risk of cooperating in immoral behavior, and “that is something a Christian in good standing cannot do.

All Saint's Day

Dear Friends in Christ,

This weekend we celebrate All Saints (Nov. 1) and All Souls (Nov. 2). All Saints is preceded by All Hallows Eve (commonly called Hallowe’en). This celebration, which has degenerated into a commercialized and very secular event, has a Christian tradition.

In the early Church all major feasts like All Saints were celebrated with a vigil the evening before. All of us are familiar with Christmas Eve which precedes Christmas. We also have the vigil of Sunday celebrated on Saturday evening with Masses and Evening Prayer I of Sunday. All Hallows Eve was not always about witches, ghosts, and wild parties. The original meaning, the true meaning of Hallowe’en lies in its connection with the feast of All Saints. Early Christians used to go in procession from one church to another dressed like the Christians who had died for their faith in Christ. These processions would conclude with a prayer vigil that often lasted well into the night. That’s why we have celebrations like Christmas midnight Mass and the Easter Vigil.

It was only later that the pagans, who had a feast at the same time of year, began to incorporate their customs with the Christian celebration. Here at St. John the Baptist School we encourage our children to dress up like their favorite saints on Oct. 31. Prizes are awarded to the best saint costumes. This is an opportunity for all who have children to restore the “holy” to Hallowe’en. Since it falls on a Sunday this year, we all have the opportunity to remember our faithful departed on All Souls Day (Nov. 2). This commemoration reminds us of our mortality and of our connection with friends and relatives who have died. While we may hope that some are in heaven already, we also believe that our prayers, works of charity, and other sacrifices can be offered for their benefit. All who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification. (Catechism of the Catholic Church §1030-1031).

Let us remember all of our loved ones next Sunday at Mass so that they will soon join their brothers and sisters in the Communion of Saints in heaven.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Life Month

Dear Friends in Christ,

October is respect life month. As followers of Christ we are called to respect human life at all of its stages. Jesus showed great respect for all persons. He welcomed little children. He comforted the elderly widow and restored her son to life. He healed the blind man and the paralyzed man. He had a real sense of the value of human life. As the Creator He sought to preserve, protect and restore his creation.

The book of Genesis tells us that when God created Adam and Eve He gave them dominion over the material world. They became stewards of the gift of life. While human beings are responsible for all creation, they are especially charged with protecting human life. In the complementary relationship of marriage, man and woman become one for the sake of mutual love and so that children may be born through that love. Every human being possesses an immortal soul, destined for eternal life with God. Every human life is sacred from the moment of conception until natural death.

As we begin to finalize our decisions in the coming election, we may find ourselves faced with a dilemma. We like a certain candidate, but we are aware that he/she is in favor of abortion. Can we vote for this person in good conscience? In 2004 a group of United States Bishops, acting on behalf of the USCCB and requesting counsel about the responsibilities of Catholic politicians and voters, received a memo from the office of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope
Benedict XVI, which stated:

“A Catholic would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil, and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion, if he were to deliberately vote for a candidate precisely because of the candidate’s permissive stand on abortion and/or euthanasia. When a Catholic does not share a candidate’s stand in favor of abortion and/or euthanasia, but votes for that candidate for other reasons, it is considered remote material cooperation, which can be permitted in the presence of proportionate reasons.”

In other words, the reasons are more compelling in the moral sense. Could a Catholic in good conscience vote for a candidate who supports legalized abortion when there is a choice of another candidate who does not support abortion or any other intrinsically evil policy? Could a voter’s preference for the candidate’s positions on the pursuit of peace, economic policies benefiting the poor, support for universal health care, a more just immigration policy, etc. overcome a candidate’s support for legalized abortion?

In such case, the Catholic voter must ask and answer the question: What could possibly be a proportionate reason (more compelling reason) to vote for a candidate that supports abortion when we consider the more than 45 million children killed by abortion in the past 35 years? Let us pray for those seeking public office; let us ask the Holy Spirit to guide us as we make our decision this November 4.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Election 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

In a little over three weeks we will go to the polls for one of the most crucial elections of our nation’s history. In the next three weeks I hope all of you will take time to seriously reflect on your obligations as citizens to seek the greater good for our country. Presently the media is full of bad news about our economy, but this should not prevent us from focusing on even more important issues that involve the very foundations upon which our American society is built, namely the right to life and the family. There are three propositions on the November ballot that need our attention.

First, there is Proposition Four. Here is an excerpt from the California Bishops’ statement supporting this proposition:

Proposition 4 contains public policy that is both sensible and realistic and which will benefit not only our families but our society as a whole. It is a sensible policy to encourage a minor girl faced with a serious decision like an unexpected pregnancy to go to her parents or family for their love, their wisdom, and their counsel. It is a realistic policy that her parents or family be notified of her request for an abortion whether or not she chooses to consult them. Society will benefit because similar involvement laws in other states have the effect of discouraging irresponsible sexual behavior and teenage pregnancies. In addition, individual rights and unborn babies will be protected because a minor girl will be afforded support in the unfortunate circumstance that she is being coerced to have an abortion.

Secondly, Proposition 6 involves retribution not rehabilitation for criminals. The Bishops of California oppose this proposition. Here is an excerpt from their statement:Communities do have a right to establish and enforce laws to protect people and to advance the common good. At the same time, our Church teaches us to not give up on those who violate these laws. Despite their very different claims on society, the lives and dignity of both victims and perpetrators should be protected and respected. As bishops, we oppose Proposition 6 because it advances a retributive rather than a restorative justice model for dealing with crime. Proposition 6 would create multiple new crimes and additional penalties, some with potential for new life sentences. Proposition 6 could also curtail the participation of nonprofit organizations in community councils that determine county-level policy for juvenile justice. Although Proposition 6 was introduced in good faith by those with legitimate concerns about“ safe neighborhoods,” it offers more of the same criminal justice policies which have failed in the past—and it will cost Californians billions of dollars without increasing public safety.

Finally, Proposition 8, which restores the true definition of marriage, also has our Bishops’ support. Here is what they say: We need to recall that marriage mirrors God’s relationship with us—and that marriage completes, enriches and perpetuates humanity.. We must support traditional marriage as the source of our civilization, the foundation for a society that can be home to all human beings, and the reflection of our relationship with God. We need to remember that we are all children of God possessed of human dignity and that each of us is created in God’s image. Protecting the traditional understanding of marriage should not in any way disparage our brothers and sisters—even if they disagree with us.

God bless you and have a great week.

Modesty Starts With Purification of the Heart

Modesty Starts With Purification of the Heart

Bishop John Yanta of the Catholic diocese of Amarillo, Texas, published this pastoral letter on modesty in dress, especially at Sunday Mass. The following are excerpts:

Immodesty in dress is governed by two citations from God’s Law:

1) The Ninth Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17);
2) Jesus said: “Everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery
with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

To live our daily Faith as children of God (baptism), disciples of Jesus, and temples of the Holy Spirit, we are faced with moral choices constantly, many times a day. Conscience can either make a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law, or on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them (CCC: Catechism of the Catholic Church #1799).

Dressing or putting on one’s clothes is a moral act and wearing them is a moral act. There are different appropriate modes of dress for different occasions, e.g. in the privacy of our home, with our spouse only or with our children in our home, at work or school, in mixed company, at the lake or swimming pool, grocery shopping, at church, etc.

Our condition – all of us are beset with concupiscence. Concupiscence or covetousness: “Human appetites or desires that are disordered due to the temporal consequences of original sin, which remain even after Baptism and which produce inclination to sin” (CCC, Glossary).

The road to modesty starts with the purification of the heart: “Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication…” (Matthew 15:19). Bible beginners should be encouraged to get the basic overview of Jesus’ teaching by starting with the beatitudes in Matt. 5 in Jesus’ first sermon: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). Part of the essence of that teaching is a wholesome, orthodox, first hand appreciation of God’s plan for our sexuality - its sacredness, its fulfillment in marriage, its place in family, Church, and world.

The Catechism speaks next, after the purification of the heart, about “the battle for purity”. We, the baptized and the forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation struggle against concupiscence of the flesh and disordered desires (CCC 2520).

“Purity requires modesty, an integral part of temperance. Modesty protects the intimate center of the person. It means refusing to unveil what should remain hidden (CCC 2521).

“Modesty is decency. It inspires one’s choice of clothing. It is discreet (CCC 2522).

“There is a modesty of the feelings as well as of the body. It protests, for example, against the voyeuristic explorations of the human body in certain advertisements, or against the solicitations of certain media that go too far in the exhibition of intimate things. Modesty inspires a way of life which makes it possible to resist the allurements of fashion and the pressures of prevailing ideologies (CCC 2523).

Yes, we can help the devil in many ways including the way we dress. In the Act of Contrition we promise “to avoid the near occasion of sin”. St. Paul writes about “provoking another” (Gal. 5:26).

The key to all modesty is rooted in our mother and daddy who model modesty for their children, i.e. a strong, but tender St. Joseph-like husband and father who is blessed with a wonderful wife and mother for their children. “Happy the husband of a good wife… choicest of his blessings is a modest wife, priceless her chaste person” (Sirach 26: 1, 15).

When the community of believers comes together for the Eucharist (Mass) let no one be a distraction from Jesus or provide temptation (an occasion of sin) to another because of our manner of dress.

May we cherish and bear witness to the virtues of prudence, temperance, chastity, and modesty for the sake of our own salvation and of others. St. Mary and St. Joseph, St. Ann and St. Joachim, parents and grandparents of their son and grandson, Jesus, intercede for us!

Bible Study at SJB

SJB Presents:

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 2008-2009

A YEAR OF CATHOLIC TRUTHS AND THEOLOGY EACH NIGHT FROM 7-9 P.M.
with Alan John Meister
U.S. Scripture Scholar and Theologian

Truths of the Priesthood & Eucharist From Sacred Scripture

• The Celibacy and the Priesthood

Wednesday September 10, 2008

• The Eucharist: Body, Blood, Soul, & Divinity

Wednesday September 17, 2008

---

Christ as Messiah in the Gospels Series

• The Messianic Gospels of Matthew and Mark

Wednesday October 8, 2008

• The Messianic Gospel of Luke and John

Wednesday October 22, 2008

• The Messianic Gospels: Thematic Approaches

Wednesday October 29, 2008

---

Pauline Theology Series

• Life and Journeys of St. Paul Slide Show

Wednesday November 5, 2008

• St. Paul’s Approach to Theology & Salvation

Wednesday November 12, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Firstborn to Sin/Death

Wednesday November 19, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Resurrection & Redemptive

Wednesday November 26, 2008

• St. Paul’s Salvation Concepts: Mystery & Summary

Wednesday December 3, 2008

"World Youth Day: An interview with Pope Benedict XVI"

(Journalist’s Question): Australia is a very secular land, with low religious practice and much religious indifference. I'd like to ask whether you are optimistic about the future of the Church in Australia, or are worried and alarmed that the Australian Church may follow the European path to decline? What message would you offer Australia to overcome its religious indifference?

Benedict XVI: I will do my best in English, but I beg your pardon for
my insufficiencies in English.

I think Australia in its present historical configuration is a part of the "Western world," economically and politically, and so it is clear that Australia shares also the successes and the problems of the Western world.

The Western world has had in the last 50 years great successes -- economic successes, technical successes; yet religion -- Christian faith -- is in a certain sense in crisis. This is clear because there is the impression that we do not need God, we can do all on our own, that we do not need God to be happy, we do not need God to create a better world, that God is not necessary, we can do all by ourselves.

On the other hand we see that religion is always present in the world and will always be present because God is present in the heart of the human being and can never disappear. We see how religion is really a force in this world and in countries. I would not simply speak about a decline of religion in Europe: Certainly there is a crisis in Europe, not so much in America but nevertheless there too, and in Australia.

But on the other hand, there's always a presence of the faith in new forms, and in new ways; in the minority, perhaps, but always present for all the society to see. And now in this historical moment, we begin to see that we do need God. We can do so many things, but we cannot
create our climate.

We thought we could do it, but we cannot do it. We need the gift of the Earth, the gift of water, we need the Creator; the Creator re-appears in his creation. And so we also come to understand that we cannot be really happy, cannot be really promoting justice for all the world, without a criterion at work in our own ideas, without a God who is just, and gives us the light, and gives us life. So, I think there will be in a certain sense in this "Western world" a crisis of our faith, but we will always also have a revival of the faith, because Christian faith is simply true, and the truth will always be present in the human world, and God will always be truth. In this sense, I am in the end optimistic.

Ecumenical Event

Dear Friends in Christ,

The year of St. Paul has begun and I wanted to share with you my experience at St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church on June 29. Event was a service of Evening Prayer and Bishop Brown and Metropolitan Jerasimos from San Francisco presided. This was an important ecumenical event because it brought together clergy and people from both Catholic and Orthodox churches for prayer and mutual understanding.

During the service we prayed using the Psalms and Biblical readings. Some parts were chanted in the Orthodox style; other parts in a more Catholic style. Bishop Brown spoke about his own experience of ecumenical outreach, and Metropolitan Jerasimos spoke about the life of St. Paul as something for us to study and imitate.

At the end of the service the two bishops exchanged gifts. Bishop Brown presented the Metropolitan with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and Metropolitan Jerasimos gave Bishop Brown an icon of Our Lady. It was clear that both were moved by a real spirit of friendship and dialogue.

We must admit that there has been significant progress in relations between the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, and we can hope for more during this year dedicated to the Apostle Paul. Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI has already met with leaders of the Orthodox Church. He met with the Patriarch of Constantinople on June 29. Here is part of his talk on that occasion:

May the Pauline Year, which will begin solemnly this evening, help Christian people renew the ecumenical commitment, and may there be an intensification of joint efforts on the journey to the full communion of all Christ's disciples. And as part of that journey, your presence here today is certainly an encouraging sign. For this I express again to all of you my joy, while together we raise our grateful prayer to the Lord.

Let us all pray for Church unity.

God bless you all.

Fr. Hildebrand

Prayers

Dear Friends in Christ,

Here are two prayers to St. Paul that you may wish to say during this Year of St. Paul.

Prayer to Saint Paul the Apostle

O Glorious Saint Paul, after persecuting the Church you became by God's grace its most zealous Apostle. To carry the knowledge of Jesus, our divine Savior, to the uttermost parts of the earth
you joyfully endured prison, scourgings, stonings, and shipwreck, as well as all manner of persecutions culminating in the shedding of the last drop of your blood for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Obtain for us the grace to labor strenuously to bring the faith to others and to accept any trials and tribulations that may come our way.

Help us to be inspired by your Epistles and to partake of your indomitable love for Jesus, so that after we have finished our course we may join you in praising him in heaven for all eternity. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Paul the Apostle

Great convert and Apostle of the Gentiles, you became Christlike and knew only Christ Crucified. Though extremely learned, you relied completely on the Wisdom received from the Spirit and taught from the abundance of your heart. Instruct modern evangelists, those who preach Christ to others. Let them realize that their actions speak louder than any words they may use.

Teach them to use their talents in conveying their God-given message but to rely above all on the promptings of the Spirit. Amen.

God bless you all,

Fr. Hildebrand

St. Paul and the Pauline Year

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today begins the Year of St. Paul, which Pope Benedict XVI announced a year ago. Tradition has it that St. Paul was born about the year 8 A.D. and so 2008 marks the bimillenium of his birth. What does this mean, dedicating a year to St. Paul? According to the Holy Father, this year will offer us an opportunity to study the life and letters of St. Paul, which are found in the Bible. In addition, the Holy Father is encouraging ecumenical meetings for prayer and dialogue with other Christians. We know that St. Paul’s letters are widely read by Christians of all denominations, and so this year gives us the opportunity to read and share the richness of St. Paul’s writings with the hope that increased understanding of the great Apostle will help all Christians grow toward unity.

In Rome one of the four major basilicas is named St. Paul outside-the-walls, where St. Paul is buried. Pope Benedict said, "In the papal basilica and Benedictine abbey attached to it, there can take place a series of liturgical, cultural and ecumenical events, as well as various pastoral and social initiatives, all of them inspired by Pauline spirituality.

"Special attention can also be given to pilgrims who from various places will want to go to the tomb of the Apostle in a penitential way in order to find spiritual benefits.” (Homily of Pope Benedict XVI, announcing the year of St. Paul).

However, if you can’t travel to Rome there is a way to make a local pilgrimage here in Orange County. Bishop Brown has designated three churches as pilgrimage destinations for the Pauline Year. They are:

• St. Cecilia, 1301 SE Sycamore St. Tustin (for Mid Orange County), Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano (for South County), and S
• St. Angela Merici, 585 South Walnut Ave., Brea (for North Orange County).
  

In making a pilgrimage you are embarking on a spiritual journey. In order to reap the fruits of this journey there is a “plenary indulgence” offered for those who fulfill the following requirements when visiting these churches:

N20. § 1. To gain a plenary indulgence, in addition to excluding all attachment to sin, even venial, it is necessary to perform the indulgenced work and fulfill the following three conditions: sacramental confession, Eucharistic Communion, and prayer for the intention of the Sovereign Pontiff.

§ 2. A single sacramental confession suffices for gaining several plenary indulgences; but Holy Communion must be received and prayer for the intention of the Holy Father must be recited for the gaining of each plenary indulgence.

§ 5. The condition of praying for the intention of the Holy Father is fully satisfied by reciting one Our Father and one Hail Mary; nevertheless, one has the option of reciting any other prayer according to individual piety and devotion, if recited for this intention.

The Holy Father concluded his homily on St. Paul with these words:

"May he (St. Paul) guide us and protect us in this bimillenary celebration, helping us to advance in the humble and sincere search for the full unity of all the members of the mystical body of Christ."

Guard your people, who rely on the patronage of your apostles Peter and Paul, O Lord, and keep them under your continual protection. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Note from the Pastor

This Sunday we will celebrate the feast of St. John the Baptist at all Masses. Readings and other liturgical texts will all be taken from the Mass of June 24.