50 YEARS OF MERCY

Dear Friends in Christ,

This past week has been a golden week for our parish school as we celebrate 50 years of Catholic education at St. John’s. The celebrations began earlier in the week when we received three Irish Sisters of Mercy who traveled here from the Emerald Isle to join us for this anniversary. They are Sr. Mary, Sr. Annunciata, and Sr. Nora, all of whom taught our children over the past five decades. Sr. Annunciata was the principal just before Sr. Vianney took over. We are blessed to have had such dedicated religious who have shared their faith and formed our children in the likeness of Christ.

On Thursday, we celebrated a Mass with all the school children present and our three guest Sisters were joined by Sr. Vianney and Sr. Rosaline (the provincial superior). During the Mass we unveiled the new stained glass window depicting Mother Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy.

On Friday evening we began with the unveiling of all the stained glass windows. Present were more than 20 Sisters of Mercy from southern California and several priests from St. Michael’s Abbey and other special guests. At the Mass we prayed through the intercession of Our Lady, Mother of Mercy, who is patroness of the Sisters of Mercy. How appropriate that we should celebrate God’s mercy during this year for priests. Priests are dispensers of God’s mercy especially in the confessional where they offer God’s mercy to all who come with a contrite heart.

Since each of our new stained glass windows contains a symbol of one of the sacraments, we thought it proper that Mother Catherine’s window should have the keys, symbol of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which unlocks the font of God’s mercy for us. I hope all of you have the opportunity to spend some time viewing our six new stained glass windows. They are a sign of the communion of saints who surround us as we gather together for divine worship. May they all pray for us and help us to persevere in faith and love until we join them in the kingdom of heaven.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER OF BISHOP AQUILA ON HEALTH CARE

The Dignity of Human Life

Made in the image and likeness of God, each and every human person bears the mark of the Trinity’s own character and life. Because of this inherent dignity, each man and woman is to be reverenced with great care from the moment of conception through every stage of their life. From the right to life flow all other human duties and rights, including the duty to preserve and protect one’s own life and health with the right to the means of achieving this goal.

Any attempt to provide greater access to health care without safeguarding human life from the moment of conception is inherently inconsistent. Pope Benedict XVI shares this great wisdom of the Church in his latest encyclical letter, Caritas in Veritate, when he recalls the words of John Paul II, “A society lacks solid foundations when, on the one hand, it asserts values such as the dignity of the person, justice and peace, but then, on the other hand, radically acts to the contrary by allowing or tolerating a variety of ways in which human life is devalued and violated, especially where it is weak or marginalized”(Caritas in Veritate, 15; Evangelium Vitae, 101).

True health care begins with the unborn child in the womb. Wen a given plan to provide care fails to protect that life, it is no longer animated by a source of truth and justice, this it will not, and cannot, flourish. The killing of unborn children through abortion or as a means to do research has nothing to do with promoting health. Both encyclicals make clear the teaching of the Church that the destruction of human life by abortion and other evils can never be a neutral question or one that is promoted by any faithful Catholic.

Conscience Rights

One of the important developments that resulted from the Second Vatican Council is found in the document on religious freedom, Dignitatis Humanae. “Nobody may be forced to act against his convictions, nor is anyone to be restrained from acting in accordance with his conscience in religious matters in private or in public” (DH 2). In the arena of health care, this statement applies both to those who work directly in health care, as well as to the general public who participate in health care plans through insurance premiums and taxes.

The practice of medicine is a tremendous gift whereby the seemingly endless illnesses and maladies that afflict the human body can be studied, known and healed. This in-depth knowledge which serves the progress of human health can also be used to promote death and destruction. The doctors, nurses and health care professionals who possess such medical expertise are prime candidates for coercion from those who would destroy the most vulnerable human lives. The right to follow one’s conscience, as informed by God, must be guaranteed. It is imperative that health professionals and institutions have the freedom to refuse to perform unethical procedures and even to refuse to refer a patient to another professional or institution for treatments they believe, according to the natural law, are immoral.

The consciences of participants in health care plans must also be respected. In no way should taxpayers or policy holders be forced to participate in plans, whether private or public, which fund procedures that violate the moral precepts of the faith. In his August 11, 2009 letter to the House of Representatives, Cardinal Justin Rigali addresses this very issue as he writes, “By what right, then, and by what precedent, would Congress make abortion coverage into a nationwide norm, or force Americans to subsidize it as a condition for participating in a public health program?” The protection of the freedom of conscience is a concern not only for those directly involved in medicine, but for all members of society.

Health Care Reform

Dear Friends in Christ,

The following is an excerpt of a letter from Bishop Samuel J. Aquila of Fargo, North Dakota. In it the Bishop points out some basic principles about the current Health Care Reform legislation.

At this time in our nation’s history, we continually face new challenges as we witness to the Gospel in an ever increasing secularized society. Currently our civil leaders are discussing different proposals to provide greater access to health care in our country. Indeed, the Church has officially manifested her teaching, since Pius XI to Benedict XVI, in the recognition of the great importance of ensuring that all peoples have access to health care.

In principle, the Church ought to always promote wider and more complete access to health care; however, that does not mean that in practice the Church ought to support each and every plan which is proposed by civil leaders. At this time, I want to offer you some key principles that should always be used when evaluating the moral value and justice of a given plan to provide health care. The following is a brief summary of these principles, after which I will offer further explanation and application:

1. Any provisions for actions which deny the dignity of human life, especially abortion, euthanasia, whether passive or active, and embryonic stem-cell research must be excluded from all health care plans.
2. The freedom of consciences must be safeguarded. The moral voice of individual doctors, nurses, health professionals, as well as the general public, deserve reverence and respect.
3. Access to health care ought to be available to all people, including the poor, legal immigrants, the handicapped, and especially the elderly and unborn members of society.
4. The means of providing access to health care should be governed by the principle of subsidiarity, being reasonably and equitably distributed among members of society.

Let us pray for our legislators as they work for health care reform.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB's 50th Anniversary

Dear Friends in Christ,

During the past several months our 50th Anniversary Committee has been meeting to plan and execute the events of our parish’s 50th Anniversary. We are a community of faith and so these events are divided into two categories, community-building and spiritual. Of the community building events, we have already had some movie nights and other events are planned for the next several months.

This weekend we are holding one of our spiritual events, the consecration of our parish family to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Let me explain briefly what this means. Mary is the mother of Jesus who is God, the only-begotten Son of the Father. Therefore the One who is son of Mary is also the Son of God because He is one Person. Therefore the Council of Ephesus in 431AD declared Mary to be the Mother of God. With such an exalted position Mary is greatly favored by God. We recall that the angel called her “full of grace”. The intimate relationship Mary has with God makes her especially capable of helping us. Even though she is now in heaven body and soul, she continues to be watchful over the children Jesus entrusted to her as He died on the cross. We can think of the great Marian apparitions over the past centuries, Guadalupe, Lourdes, Fatima. Mary’s message in these different places is one of maternal care and a call to prayer and penance. She has shown herself a true Mother who looks after her children and leads them directly to her Son.

St. Maximilian Kolbe was a Franciscan priest from Poland who died a martyr of charity in the concentration camp of Auschwitz in 1941. St. Maximilian was a true spiritual son of Mary Immaculate and promoted devotion to her through the “Militia Immaculatae” which he founded
in 1917. Through communities called “cities or villages of the Immaculate” he consecrated entire groups of people to Mary as her disciples. The mission of these groups, which exist in all parts of the world, is to assist Mary in spreading the Gospel for the salvation of souls. One of the ways to achieve this is through consecration to Mary. Consecration makes us dedicated disciples of Mary who leads us to Jesus and forms Jesus in us through her powerful intercession. In this way we become apostles sent out to lead more people to Christ and advance the triumph of the Sacred Heart on earth.

May our parish consecration to Mary bear much fruit for the greater glory of God and for our salvation.

Sincerely yours in Christ and His Mother,

Fr. Hildebrand

Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our Pastoral Services Appeal for 2009 continues to be very successful. We have surpassed our $80,000 goal and have been receiving rebates for a few weeks. I have sent thank you cards to all the addresses we have. However, since we may miss someone, please accept our sincere thanks for your gifts and know that the rebates are being put to good use (See bullet points below).

More good news on the parish finances: Our Parish Festival 2009 is the best in recorded history! This year’s festival netted over $75,000! Congratulations to all who worked hard to make this event so successful. Many people from our parish gave of their time and talents over the three day period. People enjoyed the great food, rides, and entertainment. It was a family event which built community among our parishioners.

Thanks to your support of the festival our parish debt will be greatly reduced. Once the debt is paid, we will be able to move forward with projects to improve and expand our overtaxed facilities.

Meanwhile, during the summer some improvements have been made. Here is a list of them:

• New wood fencing along rectory wall to provide outdoor lunch and gathering area for staff and guests,
• Remodel of rectory front office to accommodate third office station,
• Remodel of former youth ministry office to make a new hall meeting room for different groups (including youth),
• Remodel of some rooms in the convent (this was long overdue) including the convent chapel and dining room, Installation of new cabinets in school classrooms.
  

May the Lord reward you for your continued support of our parish.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB Project's Progress

Dear Friends in Christ,

This week I am happy to report more progress on our stained glass windows. Conrad Schmitt Studios has begun cutting the colored glass that will go in to making these magnificent “sermons in stone”. Today I would like to share with you more about the themes in two other windows.

St. Patrick Window

St. Patrick, patron of the Irish, represents the first major ethnic group in the history of the parish, and indirectly, all those of white European ancestry. This window is the primary “dedication” window of the stained glass donor – dedicated to the memory of Msgr. Daniel Brennan who brought him into the Church. He is donating all the windows in the Church in gratitude for what this Irish priest of our parish did for him.

St. Patrick will be wearing the vesture of a bishop – mitre, crosier, ring (with a green chasuble and the white pallium covered with crosses hanging over the chasuble. He will also be shown administering the Sacrament of Confirmation to the donor, who is kneeling at his feet.
St. Juan Diego Window

St. Juan Diego represents another large cultural group in the history of the parish, the Mexican and/or Latin American community. He is known as the one to whom Our Lady appeared in 1531 and who received the miraculous image on his cloak or tilma. In the window he will be holding the tilma in front of him with roses spilling out and showing the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. St. Juan Diego was on his way to seek the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick for his uncle who was seriously ill when Our Lady appeared to him.

Therefore, included in this window is a flask of the oil of the sick to remind us of the importance of this Sacrament in the Church.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

SJB Stained Glass Window Project

Dear Friends in Christ,

Now that the poster explaining our stained glass window project is up, some of you have come to me very excited about this new addition to our church. Several have expressed that they look forward to the enhancement of our church with this beautiful stained glass. However, I have also heard some objections to the project. This week I would like to address these questions, which I will number below:

1. Why are we buying windows when we need to reduce our debt?

First of all, the donor has a right to restrict his donation to a specific project. In this case the donor wants to donate stained glass windows. We often receive smaller donations that are also restricted. For example, some donations are given for flowers or for the school. We want to respect the wishes of every donor. Now, reducing the debt is also necessary and when we receive unrestricted donations I will usually apply them to reduction of our debt. This year our debt has shrunk from about $230,000 to about $175,000 due to some generous donations. To those who think the donor should donate to the debt I would challenge to match his donation with a donation to reduce the debt or fund another project. Generosity is a virtue and deserves to be imitated.

2. Is the donor just trying to make a name for himself?

As I said in an earlier letter, the donor wishes to remain anonymous. I don’t see how he can make a name for himself if he doesn’t want his name to appear in any acknowledgement. This is what Jesus asked us to do when He said, “Don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.” We’re in a recession. Isn’t this bad timing to make such a large gift? Ironically enough fund-raising specialists tell us that hard economic times are often better for non-profit organizations than prosperous times. People begin to think more seriously about how they use their money and want to use it for good causes.

In general, generosity breeds more generosity. If you are unable to match the donor’s dollar amount, what about volunteering to offer your time and talent? Here’s a practical suggestion: I’m looking for a couple of new members for our pastoral council. Are any of you interested in joining us, or do you know of a good candidate?

Blessings on your summer vacations.

Fr. Hildebrand

Mother Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy

Dear Friends in Christ,

Last week I introduced the general program for the stained glass window project. This week I would like to begin a series on the saints depicted in the windows and why we chose them.

Mother Catherine McAuley and the Sisters of Mercy

On the school side of the church one window will show Mother Catherine, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, who have been teaching in our school from the beginning. Mother Catherine began her work in Dublin in 1827 by opening a home for poor and underprivileged girls and women. The Archbishop saw the great value of her work and asked her to start a congregation of sisters. Catherine and two companions formed the first community in 1831. By the time of her death in 1841 there were 10 houses in England and Ireland with 150 sisters. In 1843 the sisters were invited to Pittsburgh and in 1854 they had houses in New York and San Francisco. From there they spread to other parts of the country, including southern California. Today more than 4100 Sisters of Mercy serve in the British Isles, the Americas, the Caribbean, and Pacific rim countries.

Mother Catherine recognized the Sacrifice of the Mass as the heart of the Catholic Christian life. That is why she is shown looking toward the altar. She had compassion on the poor, oppressed and uneducated and so lived the works of mercy. For this reason she is shown with the crossed keys, symbol of the Sacrament of God’s Mercy (Confession).

Next week we shall look at another saint depicted in the windows.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Natural Family Planning Awareness Week

July 19th, 2009 - July 25th, 2009 SJB will be participating in the Diocese's NFP Awareness Week. On Tuesday, July 21st, 2009, there will be Eucharistic Celebration at 7:30pm in SJB. Father will celebrate Mass with the intention that couples will live God’s plan for their union, and for a strengthening of marriages and families. For more information, see the flyer below for more details on Diocese's daily NFP events. NFP Awareness Week Event Flyer PDF Learn more about NFP

Stained Glass Windows Project at SJB

Dear Friends in Christ,

Last week I introduced you to our special 50th anniversary project of new stained glass windows, initiated by an anonymous donor to enhance our worship space.

Here is the overall program for the windows:

We will use an artistic style that blends well with the existing artwork/décor in the church. Background colors will emphasize the elements of creation: water, land, sky, birds, plants, animals, and fish; also the heavenly sphere with angels and the Holy Spirit as a dove.

The large windows will depict saints: on the school side, saints dedicated to education, Mother Catherine McCauley, St. Elizabeth Seton, and St. Herman Joseph. On the opposite side, saints representing the major ethnic groups of the parish, St. Juan Diego, St. Patrick, and St. Andrew Dung Lac. Their positions in these large windows remind us that they accompany us in our journey through this world to God’s kingdom. In the bottom panes there will be shields of our Orange county bishops, our Norbertine abbot, and our donor’s membership in the Knights of Malta and the Order of the Holy Sepulcher.

The large window at the front of the church will depict the Holy Spirit hovering over the waters, the scene of Jesus’ Baptism by John (on our bronze doors). The coloring of this window focuses on light and water.

As we cross this threshold we are reminded of our own baptism in the Spirit that began our Christian life. Simple symbols of the other six sacraments are incorporated into the six saints windows with a special connection between the saint and the sacrament.

In the sanctuary, the eight small windows will show angels facing the altar and demonstrating different postures of reverence and adoration. The colors used will connect with the lighter tones of the Holy Spirit window at the rear.

To get some idea of the first phase of the project (the six saints windows), please stop to look at the poster set up in the church vestibule.

Please remember to pray for our anonymous donor, who has so generously funded this project.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

50th Anniversary Parish Project

Dear Friends in Christ,

Over the past several months I have been involved in a top secret project with one of our priests and a parishioner (donor) who desires to remain anonymous. This is a very special project which is related to our recent church renovation. Let me give you a bit of history.

When our project for renovating the church was planned out a few years ago, we planned to renovate the sanctuary, church interior, and add the chapel of adoration. Part of the plan included stained glass windows, but after we calculated the costs, we decided to wait until a later time to do the stained glass.

Some time late last fall Fr. Robert gave a homily at which our anonymous donor was present. Fr. Robert mentioned stained glass in the homily and the donor looked at our present windows, noticing that they were not too remarkable as stained glass. As a result the donor contacted me and proposed to fund a project to replace the present windows with beautiful stained glass. What a great way to celebrate our parish’s 50th anniversary!

To start this project we formed a small committee composed of the donor, Fr. Norbert (who had worked on a similar project for St. Michael’s Abbey several years ago), a project manager who had helped in building the school security wall, and myself. This project will be done in two phases during our 50th anniversary year.

The first phase is due to be installed in late September 2009. This will include the six windows on both sides of the church. They will depict saints and holy persons who are dear to our community of St. John the Baptist.

The second phase to be completed in the spring of 2010 for our 50th anniversary celebration will include the eight small windows above the sanctuary, the windows on either side of the main entrance, and the large window in the choir loft.

Color posters with sketches will be shown in the vestibule in the coming weeks. Please keep this project in your prayers, and especially remember the anonymous donor who has so generously funded this project.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

The Sacrament of Holy Orders

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I have told many who ask me about my 25 years as a priest, I can still remember the hands of Cardinal Timothy Manning of Los Angeles as he laid them on my head on June 16, 1984. That was an unforgettable day when the priesthood of Jesus Christ was conferred on me so that I
could participate in His eternal priesthood. For this I will always be grateful.

The Sacrament of Holy Orders that confers this power on men is given for the service of others. The priesthood is not for the benefit of the priest but for the good of the Church.

Over the past 25 years I have served in a number of different assignments.

My first assignment was Our Lady Chapel in downtown Los Angeles, which closed in 2001 when the new Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels opened. I used to commute to the chapel from Pasadena two or three days a week. The principal ministry at the chapel was confessions because thousands of people commute to Los Angeles daily.

In 1991 I was made associate pastor at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Silver Lake (east Hollywood). That parish had a large Latino population with a good proportion of Filipinos. For the first time I had to work with three different ethnic communities in two languages. We celebrated Simbang Gabi with the Filipino community and Las Posadas with the Latinos. In 1999 I became pastor of St. Francis.

In 2001 I was transferred to Santa Paula in Ventura County, where I was made pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe parish. There my Spanish really had a workout because the parish was almost all Mexican with all the Masses in Spanish except one. I enjoyed the fiestas, the pageant of Our Lady of Guadalupe on December 12, the “Jamaica” (parish festival), and the other celebrations of the community. At certain times of year the migrant workers would add to our congregation during the fruit and vegetable harvest.

In 2003, after having discerned with my spiritual director a more monastic vocation, I transferred to St. Michael’s Abbey of the Norbertine Fathers. I spent about a year learning about the Norbertine way of life. Then in August 2004 I was assigned here to St. John the Baptist. I am grateful first of all to God for my vocation, but I must also thank many others, my parents, priests who have guided me through the years, and many others who have worked with me and who have prayed for me. Please continue to pray for me as we all move forward to spread God’s Word in north Costa Mesa and serve God’s people.

Thank you for your kindness and continue to keep me in your prayers. We are about to celebrate our parish’s 50th anniversary. Let’s keep going ever forward with God’s help to continue His work.

Fr. Hildebrand

Graduation

Dear Friends in Christ,

On Thursday our parish school graduated its 8th graders. To prepare for their graduation ceremonies I asked the students to write a short paragraph about their wish for their future. I thought you would like to read some of their thoughts.

“I think it is very sad that many people don’t have a home and a warm bed to sleep in. I want to dedicate my time helping out at a homeless shelter since I don’t think it is enough just to give money.”

“I would like to use my success for (a) good (purpose). I will go to Mass every Sunday and give donations to the less fortunate. I want to be a good faith-filled husband that can provide for my family.”

“Since I was young I had dreamed of doing missionary work…I would like to provide education to those children who cannot afford to go to school…I would like to build a school for the children, hospitals for the sick.”

“I vision my future using my talents in a good and positive way. I would like to work for a company that helps better my community and the world around us.”

“I hope that I will be able to bring the example of Christ wherever I go…I know that God has a plan for me and I am willing to accept any path that He chooses.”

“The most important gifts that God has given me are my family and friends. I have been blessed with a loving family…They allow my siblings and I to attend a Catholic school to help guide our faith. My friends also help me in many situations. They give me advice and the laughter I need to continue each day.”

“My greatest hope for the future is to become a nurse for third world countries…to help children who have cancer or other diseases…I would like to encourage them to know that they should never give up on their faith, because with God everything is possible…I would like to be a nurse when I grow up to reflect God’s power working through me to save others.”

“My talent is that I can sing and I think God gave me this talent because he wants me to sing in churches…Although it is abnormal for a lot of eighth graders to sing in church I believe it is a great, important necessity…I intend (to use) this talent to help people believe in the good
news of God.”

“Most of all I want to do whatever God has planned for me.”

These are truly words of wisdom from our 14 year old graduates. Let us pray for them as they grow toward the full stature of adults in our Church and in our world.

God bless you all.

Fr. Hildebrand

Parish Home Visitation Project

Dear Friends in Christ,

Our Parish Home Visitation project has been reaping good fruit this month. We visited a Spanish speaking home on May 15 and an English speaking home on May 26. There were interesting conversations and questions; I was able to meet parishioners whom I had only seen briefly at Mass. If you live in the north Costa Mesa area you may want to schedule a visit at your home.

The next home visit will take place on June 12 in the north central area of our parish. There is a subdivision with streets named after places in Ireland. It is bounded by the Baker St. on the south, Harbor Blvd on the west, Gisler Ave. on the north and Fairview Rd. on the east. The streets included are:

Gisler Ave.
Chemin de Fer, Deauville Pl.
Dublin St
Shamrock Ln.
Watson Ave.
Shannon Ln.
College Ave.
Galway Ln.
Killybrooke Ln.
Royce Ln.
Warren Ln.
Donnybrook Ln. Fernheath Ln.
Murray Ln.
Loren Ln.
Dorset Ln.
Stonefield Ct. McCormack Ln. Garlingford St.
Belfast Ave.
Conway Ave. Londonderry St.
Sharon Ln.
Limerick Ln.
Killarney Ln.
Kerry Ln.
Cork Ln.
Bray Ln.
Parnell Pl. Donegal Pl.

If you live on any of these streets, please call the rectory (714-540-2214) to find out the address of the host family and plan to join us for prayer, conversation, and light refreshments. You’ll be surprised how many fellow parishioners are your own neighbors!

Have you signed up for a holy hour with the Lord in our Blessed Sacrament Chapel? What are you waiting for? An invitation? Consider this a personal invitation. The rewards are out of this world!

Have a good week.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Congratulations to the Newly Confirmed on May 19, 2009

Holy days of obligation

Dear Friends in Christ,

Holy days of obligation are really equal to Sunday in terms of the requirement to attend Mass. Unfortunately not everyone understands this. Of course we all go to Mass on Christmas, which is one of these holy days. Nevertheless, there are other days which have very high rank as solemn feast days and which are also days when we must attend Mass.

Over the past several years there have been some changes in laws regarding these holy days of obligation. I am providing you with this information so that you will have it for future reference.

The following brief description of Holy Days of Obligation in the dioceses of the United States of America is designed to provide some clarification:

• January 1 (Mary, the Mother of God) is a day of obligation only when it falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Sunday. It is often dispensed in the Diocese of Orange.
• Ascension Thursday (for most of the United States) is observed on the Thursday of the sixth week of Easter, and is a day of obligation. In the western states, however, the solemnity is observed on the seventh Sunday of Easter, and the previous Thursday is not a day of obligation.
• August 15 (the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) is a day of obligation only when it falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Sunday.
  
• November 1 (All Saints) is a day of obligation only when it falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Sunday.
• December 8 (Immaculate Conception) is always a day of obligation, except in years when December 8 falls on Sunday and the solemnity is observed on December 9.
• Christmas is always a day of obligation.
  

Let us remember all of our Confirmation candidates in our prayers as they receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit this Tuesday.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

"I am the vine, you are the branches"

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today is Thursday, May 7, 2009. In today’s Orange County Register the article about the swine flu is still not very optimistic. There has been progress in determining the origins of the virus, but the number of those infected has increased. As a result, we are continuing to suspend Communion from the cup until the danger to our children and parishioners is clearly past. However, the question arises: Are we being deprived of the fullness of Communion by receiving under the form of bread alone?

Most of us remember about 30 years ago when few if any parishes provided Communion from the cup. This was the common practice for centuries, especially after the Protestant Reformation. Many of the Protestants had begun to teach that Communion had to be distributed under both forms for it to be valid. The Church responded by explaining that the presence of Christ in the Eucharist did not depend upon the outward appearance but on the inward reality. This is true of all sacraments, which are outward signs instituted by Christ to give grace. The outward sign of the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is the bread and wine. When the priest says the words of consecration, This is my Body….This is the cup of my Blood, he is speaking on behalf of Christ Himself, in persona Christi, is the theological term. During the Eucharistic Prayer the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ. This change is very mysterious, but still very real. Many miracles of the Eucharist down through the centuries have confirmed the Church’s teaching that this is indeed the Body and Blood of Christ. The Church also explains how Christ is present in this Sacrament.

The creed tells us that after his resurrection Christ “ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father”. He is living in His glorified state, body, blood, soul, and divinity, the whole Christ perfectly sound. Therefore, his presence in the Eucharist cannot be divided. Therefore, when we say the Eucharistic bread has become the Body of Christ, His blood, soul, and divinity are also present by concomitance, that is by the very fact that He is one integral person in heaven’s glory. When we receive the Body of Christ we receive the whole Christ. When we receive the Blood of Christ we receive the whole Christ. When we receive under both species we receive the whole Christ.

At this time let us pray for those who are sick with the flu virus. Let us pray for an end to the spread of the disease. Above all, let us thank the Lord for the gift of the Eucharist, the bread of angels.

A very happy Mother’s Day to all of our mothers, both living and deceased. How grateful we are that they gave us life and the possibility of eternal life!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Hildebrand

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Dear Friends in Christ,

Recently I visited Grade 2 in our school. I usually visit them before their First Communion to give them the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. I have found that many people don’t know about the scapular and so I thought I would dedicate this first letter of May to explain its meaning in our relationship to Mary. Like holy water, rosaries, and other religious objects, a scapular is a sacramental. The Catechism defines sacramentals as “sacred signs instituted by the Church. They prepare men to receive the fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life.”(§1677). Unlike Sacraments, which give grace just by the fact of being administered, sacramentals give grace according to the devotion of the person who uses them.

Scapulars are pieces of cloth worn around the neck and hanging down the front and back. They form part of the religious habit of different religious orders and come in different colors. For example, the scapular of the Norbertines is white, that of the Benedictines is black. The brown scapular belongs to the Carmelite Order and has an interesting history.

The Carmelites are especially devoted to the Virgin Mary under her title Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. In 1251 St. Simon Stock, an English Carmelite, received the brown scapular from Our Lady. She encouraged all those devoted to her to wear it and so the religious men and women of the Carmelite Order have the large brown scapular as part of their habit. However, for those lay persons who wish to benefit from the devotion to Our Lady by wearing her scapular, a much smaller version was developed that can be worn under ordinary clothing. This smaller version consists of two small squares of brown cloth with an image of Our Lady on one of them. These two squares are joined by two cords or string that make it easily worn around the neck.

A person who wears the brown scapular must first be enrolled and receive the blessed scapular from a priest. Any priest has the faculty to bless and impose the brown scapular.

Once enrolled, a person enjoys the spiritual benefits of the Carmelite Order and wears the scapular as a sign of his/her devotion to Our Lady. If the scapular is lost or wears out the person need not go through another enrollment but may simply replace the scapular.

In 1917 when Our Lady appeared to the three children at Fatima she especially encouraged people to wear the brown scapular. She promised that those who wear it faithfully and with true devotion would not suffer eternal punishment. This great promise holds as long as a person truly remains devoted to Our Lady and lives a good Catholic Christian life.

May God bless you and Our Lady protect you always.

Fr. Hildebrand

Third Sunday of Easter

The Gospel is from St. Luke 24:35-48. Our Lord's glorious resurrection is the crowning miracle of his sojourn on earth among men. It is the foundation and cornerstone of our Christian religion. His death on Calvary proved that he was really human; his resurrection proved he was also divine. During his public life he had claimed to be God. Had that claim been untrue God the Father could not have raised him from the dead. By his death he made atonement for the sins of the world — "he nailed them to the tree of the cross"; by his resurrection he opened the gates of death for all men and made them heirs to the eternal life.

We need hardly delay to prove the fact of the resurrection of Christ, for without it there would have been no Christianity, no Christian Church. In the story of the appearance which precedes today's Gospel, we are told how two of Christ's disciples were so depressed and disorientated by his death that they were giv- ing up all interest in the dead Master and were returning home at the first opportunity (the Sabbath, Saturday, had intervened and they could not travel on that day). The Apostles were no better since Good Friday. They had remained behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. They had no hope left. They too would have left Jerusalem that Sunday were it not for the story brought by Mary Magdalene that Christ's body had been taken from the tomb. When the risen Christ appeared to the ten Apostles (Thomas was absent) they thought he was a ghost, so far were their thoughts from a possible resurrection.

Of the fact of the resurrection we can have no doubts; Christianity is inexplicable without it, and Christianity has existed for almost two thousand years. A more important point for consideration today is what this resurrection means to us. "If Christ has not risen," says St. Paul (1 Cor. 15:17), "vain is your faith, for you are still in your sins." But "Christ has risen from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." Our faith then is not in vain, for the founder and foundation of our faith is the Word of God who cannot deceive or be deceived, and his resurrection is the guarantee of our resurrection. He is the "first fruits," the earnest of the full harvest that was to follow after our earthly death. We shall all rise again, in glory if we have been faithful during our time on earth, in a less pleasant state, if we have not followed Christ here below.

With St. Paul then, we may well sing out today: "O death where is thy victory, O death where is thy sting?.thanks be to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15 : 55-57). Yes, Easter time is a time of rejoicing for every true Christian. It is a time for Alleluias, for praising and thanking God. Our happy future is within our reach. Our eternal happiness has been won for us by Christ and is within our grasp, if only we hold fast to the true faith of Christ, taking the rough with the smooth, going through our lesser Gethsemanes and Calvaries as Christ went through his great ones. If we do this we can hopefully await the angel who will roll back the stone from our grave one day, and allow us to enter into the glory of the eternal Easter in heaven.

Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.