Dear St. Philomena Parish Family,<\/p>\n
Blessings to you all this day! I appreciate so much many well wishes for my family time this past week\u2014it was a great visit! I\u2019m always thankful for my family being understanding and supportive when work in the Lord\u2019s vineyard calls me away from family gatherings. They understand very well that I\u2019ve been ordained to serve the Church and my heart belongs with my parish family. At the same time, they are always thankful for good quality time together\u2014so am I! Thanks again for your prayers\u2026it is great to be back with you all! This week, we continue our review of Msgr. Gray\u2019s book study\u2026<\/p>\n
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Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen\u2026Chapter 11<\/em><\/p>\n As Msgr. Gray notes, \u201cIt was later evident that Sheen suffered greatly because of opposition he had in Rochester, especially from the clergy. How does Sheen speak about the clergy and the laity in Rochester? What does this say about his character? Sheen described the spirit of the 1960s: the shift from the individual to the social and the emphasis on the \u2018me.\u2019 While the world focused on social sins and lost the sense of personal sin, no one can completely ignore the personal struggle against evil in every human heart. Do you believe this an accurate description of the 1960s or even our world today?<\/p>\n Instead of emphasizing his accomplishments (churches or schools built, money raised), Sheen emphasized several of his initiatives that turned out to be failures. Which of these stood out to you and what does this say about Sheen? Describe Sheen\u2019s attitude at age 75 when he retired. Do most people today take the same approach to retirement?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Answers: Sheen is universally positive regarding his interactions with the clergy and the laity in Rochester. He appreciated the bond with his priests who pray for him by name every day in the Eucharistic Prayer. He referred to his priests as a source of consolation.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n Opinions about the 1960s and the world today will vary.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Examples of Sheen\u2019s failed efforts will vary. Of particular note was the gift of St. Brigid Church to provide housing for the poor. Sheen had a noble intention but encountered some of the harshest opposition from the faithful.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Sheen did not \u201cretire\u201d; he \u201cretreaded.\u201d Retirement was not a time to cease activity, but a time to commit himself to different activity. He continued to focus on prayer, the interior life, and those apostolates that were available to him.<\/strong><\/p>\n Recently, someone forwarded me an article about some of the challenges that Blessed Fulton Sheen faced during his years as Bishop of Rochester. I was especially edified by his reflections later on and by his public apology to the priests when he stepped down from his position as Bishop. He apologized to the priests for having sometimes been \u201cmonologuing\u201d when he should have been \u201cdialoguing.\u201d I was struck by the humility of that moment\u2014even though he was world famous and respected as a great Catholic teacher\u2026he still had the humility to admit that he didn\u2019t handle situations as well as he could have\/should have. To me that is true evidence of how grace was at work in his heart!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Treasure in Clay: The Autobiography of Fulton J. Sheen\u2026Chapter 12<\/em><\/p>\n Continuing with Msgr. Gray\u2019s study for Chapter 12, \u201cSheen gave several reasons for making a daily holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament. What reasons impressed you the most? What fruits come from the daily holy hour as described by Sheen or from your own experience? In what way is a priest\u2019s vocation especially preserved by the holy hour? What insight does Sheen give about Judas and how he lost his priestly vocation?\u201d<\/p>\n Answers: The Holy Hour was an act of reparation united to the act of Our Lord. The Holy Hour is an hour of companionship with Jesus, not an hour of activity for him. The Holy Hour transforms us into the likeness of Jesus. The fruits of the Holy Hour are joy, a growth in divine love, like the fire of the burning bush that reinvigorates but does not consume, and personal knowledge of Christ.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>Judas didn\u2019t lose his vocation over greed or avarice, but over the Eucharist. A priest must love the Eucharist if he wishes to preserve his vocation.<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course, whenever I write about time in Adoration and the Holy Hour, I almost always think of Blessed Fulton Sheen. He was famous for his personal commitment to the Holy Hour, as well as his regular exhortation for people to spend that time with Jesus.Personally, I am so thankful that my seminary days had a built-in holy hour every afternoon which helped build a true love for that time spent with Jesus. Truth be told, I have shared before that I think I slept through most of the Holy Hours my first couple of years of seminary!\u00a0 \uf04a\u00a0 Although, I was sleeping\u2026Jesus was not\u2014He was at work helping prepare my heart for service in the Church. I am so thankful for His great patience with us!<\/p>\n One of the great gifts of our parish is our Adoration Chapel. It stands as a testament to the faithfulness and prayer of those who have gone before us\u2014but especially it stands as a reminder of how much Jesus loves us and how available He wants to be for us. After the weekend Masses of Oct 17\/18 we will have signups and access fobs available.\u00a0 Blessed Fulton Sheen would remind us\u2014one of the best ways to spend our time is by regularly being with Jesus in the Eucharist. Know of my prayers for you all during my next holy hour!<\/p>\n In Christ,
\nFather Luke<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"