For His Friends

Mother Teresa of Calcutta

There was a nice convergence this week-end in my life which does not always happen when a bishop flits from one thing to another and then to another. On Saturday at the Bethany Center about 250 people gathered who are involved in the various ministries of mercy in 0ur parishes. We get them together once a year to thank them and to share with them not only our own hopes and aspirations but also some “best practices and programs” which are being utilized throughout the diocese. In two hours, max, they leave with a sense of renewed mission, or so they tell me. We also provide them with a nice free lunch. This year the organizers at Catholic Charities brought a welcome new wrinkle to the day by asking representatives of seven parishes to take about ten minutes and visually and verbally share their particular ministry of mercy.

A project initially begun at St. Stephen’s parish in Valrico and now spreading throughout lower counties of the diocese called San Jose Homemakers Ministry recounted how two women responded to a need to furnish an apartment for a homeless or migrant family and now it has become a major ministry. They have grown from collecting and storing furniture in their home garages to two warehouses (soon) with furniture, dishes and flatwear, etc., which are used when someone moves from homelessness to a stable house and has no money or access for outfitting their new residence. It is an amazing story. Prison Ministry in the diocese was presented by a representative from Prince of Peace parish in Sun City Center where their work at the Women’s Faith Based Correction Prison was outlined in detail. Holy Family parish in St. Petersburg shared their story of twinning with a parish in Haiti, helping that parish before and after the tragic earthquake. Espiritu Santo shared their experience running a Sick and Homebound Luncheon Ministry where elderly an physically challenged parishioners can come for Mass, communal Anointing of the Sick, and a lunch and sense of community. Respite Ministry was presented by a lady from Catholic Charities and we were informed of their experience in providing respite for alzheimers caregivers. Parish Nursing is a program in some of our parishes where a licensed nurse visits the homebound whom the system might ignore and checks on their health. All of these various ministries of mercy form an amazing mosaic of  love, kindness and service. I am always so proud of what is done in the name of Jesus.

Those of you in Church this week-end know that two of the readings (the first and the Gospel) focused on the thematic of humility. Both Sirach and Jesus in his parable in the Gospel make it clear that only after we have imitated his love and concern for our brothers and sisters can we expect a place at the heavenly banquet table. Humility suggests that those who work in the shadows seeking neither fame or acclaim have a better chance in heaven than those who puff themselves up and proclaim, look at me and what I do for others. Sirach suggests that humility is not something one assumes in order to become a “casper-milktoast” but there can be genuine strength in humility. Certainly there is strength of character. Those gathered for the convening of the Ministries of Mercy in the diocese on Saturday were living and breathing examples of holy humility placed at the service of others, sometimes demanding great strength and patience.

Finally, I let last week come and go without mentioning the 100th birthday of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. What a week to celebrate the centenary of her birth, when the liturgical readings focus on humility. Make no mistake about it and take it from someone who was in her presence four times in my life, she was no push-over! Yet with unrelenting humility she preached, practiced and lived a life of humble service for God and God’s people. She lit up the world in which she lived even if the owners of the Empire State building refused to light up the sky in her memory. A brief but wonderful tribute to Mother Teresa can be found on the “mother of all church blogs”: Whispers in the Loggia.

Finally, I celebrated two Masses in a parish yesterday which was in need of a priest for that purpose. I thought I had “nailed” the readings in my homily. The pastor inquired of me, “what did you preach about” and I responded “humility and boy was I good!” The pastor appropriately suggested that after that comment, I had better continue to meditate on humility in my own life.

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Bishop Lynch with the Seminarians at the Bethany Center

Our seminarians are about to return to their respective seminaries for the coming academic year and I had the pleasure on Tuesday night to celebrate the Eucharist with them and have dinner as well, all at the Bethany Center. We again have thirty-two seminarians this year matching last year’s number. They attend three seminaries. All of our college seminarians attend St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami and most of our theology students attend the Regional Seminary of St. Vincent de Paul in Boynton Beach. We have one seminarian at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary in Weston. 2011 will be the last time for a number of years in the future when we have no one to be ordained to the priesthood. Two men will be ordained deacons in 2011 and then priests, God-willing in 2012. After 2012 there will be a regular number of ordinations each year and in six years there may be a class with as many as nine to be ordained but that is too far off to begin ordering the invitations. I am impressed, however, by the quality, dedication and generosity of our men who feel called to priestly ministry.

Getting into the seminary at this moment in Church history is not that easy. A rather long application process includes three interviews with members of the Vocations Admissions Board, one with myself and a number with the Director of Vocations, a physical examination by a doctor and a whole battery of psychological tests by a psychologist. Of course, letters of recommendation are required as is promotion by one’s pastor of one’s parish church. A man beginning the path to priesthood entering as a freshman in college can expect a total of nine years of seminary formation. A man beginning his journey after completing college and earning a bachelors or masters degree can expect seven years. At a time when we desperately need priests, the universal Church has lengthened the time required prior to ordination. Each year of formation, the candidate receives an annual evaluation by the seminary formation faculty in which he is analyzed inside and out. Most of our men do very well academically so that is seldom an issue in advancing toward the altar.

I saw a parish bulletin from last Sunday and noted with great interest a reflection by the parish pastor on a seminarian who would be leaving soon to return to the seminary. I was deeply touched by this pastor’s words and reflection and I want to share it with you. “Our seminarian, Joe ______ leaves us on August 10. I have grown very fond of him and will miss him. The fact that he is leaving means that he is returning to the seminary for his final year of studies and priestly formation. We hope and pray for his ordination to the deaconate [sic] in June 2011 and to priesthood in December of 2011. The decision regarding these days is not final. Joe will make a fine priest, one that I can be proud of. He is a hard worker, energetic, and well motivated to serve the people of God. He has a rich prayer life and a solid spirituality. He instantly connects with anyone he meets. He is positive and he is likable. I look forward eagerly to his becoming my brother priest. Hopefully he has touched some lives in our young people to inspire them to look within for a possible vocation to the priesthood or religious life. The halls upstairs will be empty for me and Dusty. God bless you Joe, and thank you for listening to God’s call and responding.” My thanks to Father Dennis Stillwell, pastor of St. Francis Xavier parish in Petoskey, Michigan, for these wonderful thoughts and he did not even know he had a visiting bishop nosing around his parish.

I think most of our diocesan seminarians meet Father Stillwell’s standards and I know I would be proud to serve with almost all of them, if not all of them, were I to share a parish ministry. Each ordination finds me seriously asking myself this question: would you like to have this young man as an associate pastor and colleague and I have always been able to offer myself a resounding yes. So off they go to the seminary again. For those beginning first college, nine years seems like such a long time and it is, except it passes ever so quickly if they feel they are in the right place doing the right thing. In fairness, I would also like to add that there are about four other men from the diocese studying for religious orders, including one for the Society of Jesus (aka Jesuits) who will be ordained soon. God and the Holy Spirit is at work in our diocese planting seeds. Thank you, men, for giving God and priesthood a chance. I think they know how proud of and grateful for them I am.

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Update: Photograph with seminarians added.

This morning (Saturday) we held the annual deacon recommitment Mass at the Bethany Center for our 125 “permanent deacons” and their wives. It is always a very pleasant moment in the life of the diocese and it is followed by a luncheon and a report from Father Ralph Argentino on the state of the diaconate in the diocese. He told me that forty dioceses are represented among our deacons on assignment or with faculties. These men were all trained elsewhere and eventually moved to the central west coast of Florida and sought permission to minister (“faculties”) from the Diocese of St. Petersburg. In addition, we currently have forty-three active deacons who have studied here and been ordained for service here. No matter where they are from, they are an impressive group.

Deacons are members of the Roman Catholic Clergy, hence the teaser in the title. Their wives are an important part of their ministry, both supporting their husbands in their initial choice to pursue the diaconate and in assisting in many instances in the performance of the service which their husbands give to the Church. Some of the wives have taken all the courses that their husbands were taking in preparation for their ordination (and it has been said that the wives would outshine their spouses sometimes on tests and papers). Once ordained the deacons mostly work in parishes, baptizing, witnessing marriages, preaching on Sundays and weekdays, preparing parents for the baptism of their children, adults and children for Christian initiation, and readying confirmation classes. They also preside at wakes, graveside services and really help the priests out in many ways. Some are involved in special ministries such as prison, hospital, port chaplaincy, etc. Roman Catholic ministry in the United States would be generally bereft without these good men.

At the time of their ordination, the deacon understands that should their spouses die, they are restrained by the law and practice of the Church from getting married again so in addition to the sacrifice of time (we ask 10% of their waking hours each week as a minimum) they also must be ready to embrace celibate chastity as well. Our new class ordained last October was present today and all those to whom I had an opportunity to speak reported that they were happy in their ministry. So is the Church of St. Petersburg, gentlemen and ladies, and thanks for the gift of your time and talent in your ministry of service.

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Early reports about Thursday night’s THE LIGHT IS ON FOR YOU are that despite the heavy rain and strong wind throughout the five counties, many people still made use of the opportunity to approach the sacrament of reconciliation, including many who were returning to the sacrament after a long period away. In the Church in which I heard confessions, we were not busy or “slammed” and I thought perhaps that last year’s success was wearing off. But, when outside the sacrament, I would inquire what was the impetus for seeking the sacrament this night , many told me that they had seen the thirty-second spots on TV (especially ESPN) and decided to come home. Today, we have heard from a number of pastors that confessions last night in their Church were steady and extremely worthwhile.

Sunday is Laetare Sunday which is Latin for “rejoice”. We are at the halfway point in Lent and Holy Week and the reenactment Lord’s passion and resurrection are drawing near. It is also the Sunday when we take up in all the parishes and missions around the country the annual collection for Catholic Relief Services. CRS’s work and importance shown once again in their response to the earthquake in Haiti and no Church has a disaster and development program to rival our own CRS. Some of the money also goes to Migration and Refugee Services, the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, the USCCB Committee for International Justice and Peace and to the Holy Father for his assistance to nation’s suffering from disasters, natural and manmade. Please be generous this week-end to one of the best causes for which special collections are taken in the United States.

This afternoon (Friday) I took the occasion to visit the Intensive Care Unit and the fifth floor of St. Anthony’s Hospital which took such great care of me in the days and weeks of my hospital confinement. The reason for my visit which was spontaneous on my part was to thank those wonderful, dedicated women and men (nurses, aids, cleaning people) who took care of me and take great care of all. I would say that they loved seeing me and a number commented that they seldom see people whom they have nursed back to good health after they leave the hospital upon discharge. Many could not believe how much weight I have lost. I had a great time telling of the lady who approached me at the Cathedral to ask if it was really Bishop Lynch standing before her and then commenting on my loss of weight asked me if it was “Weightwatchers” or “Jenny Craig.” Even the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES declared me healed. One could not ask for a better source on the subject!

The Diocesan Pastoral Council meets tomorrow (Saturday) at the Bethany Center and on Sunday I will be celebrating the 1030am Mass at St. Mary’s parish, Lutz, where the pastor has returned to the Philippines for kidney replacement surgery. I wish to assure the parishioners of my concern and prayers for their Father Jude Vera and my concern for them during this time without a shepherd.

Finally, it is not too late to get serious about Lent and preparing for Easter. Starting on Palm Sunday, this space will include a special reflection for each day of Holy Week. I will shut down for the week after Easter and return on “Low Sunday” – a term which I will attempt to explain when the day gets here.

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Yesterday, our Church ordained its 100th priest since its establishment in 1968. John Bailey Lipscomb was ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop John C. Favalora, Archbishop of Miami, at the Chapel of St. James, Bethany Center in Lutz. Father John is the first priest to enter priestly service in our diocese under what is called the “Pastoral Provision” by which married Anglican/Episcopalian priests can become priests of the Roman Rite.  Father John and his wife Marci  made their profession of faith almost two years ago at Nativity parish in Brandon and he has been assigned to be the priest-in-residence and Spiritual Director at the Bethany Center. In this capacity he will be celebrating the sacraments for groups who may be unable to have the presence of a priest, assisting in hearing the confessions of young people on retreat and guiding retreatants during their stay at Bethany. He spent his diaconate months at St. Paul parish in Tampa and will celebrate his First Mass this coming Sunday at St. Paul and then another the following Sunday at Nativity, Brandon.

Since I was uncertain of my ability to preside at the ordination ceremony, I invited Archbishop Favalora to return to ordain Father Lipscomb and he graciously accepted. I was able to preach and if you wish, you can read my homily for the occasion.

100 priests in forty-eight years ordained for this diocese is a milestone of sorts but also an indicator of how desperate we are for vocations from the diocese. With over thirty in the seminary at this time, things look brighter but I don’t count my chickens until my hands rest on their heads at their ordination. What I do count as a blessing is the renewed generosity of young men to try the seminary against the current of popular opinion about the celibate and chaste life and I also pray that the sisters may also experience a growth in vocations.

Congratulations, Father John Lipscomb and we welcome you to priestly ministry in the Church of St. Petersburg.

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Deacon John Lipscomb is presented as a candidate for priestly ordination

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Deacon John Lipscomb stands as he is presented to Archbishop Favalora by Fr. Len Piotrowski (not pictured) as a candidate for ordination to the priesthood.

Pictures by Ray Basett, Maddock Photographers
for the Diocese of Saint Petersburg

Pentecost at the Chapel of St. James, the Bethany Center

Pentecost, 2009. The first reading at today’s Mass, from the Acts of the Apostles, tells us some of the events of that day when as promised, the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete descended upon the apostles, imparting the special gifts of language, courage, wisdom, piety, fear of the Lord, reverence and awe, etc. Often spoken of as the “birthday of the Church” it did indeed mark the beginning of the mission to the world. How did it come about? As Luke says in Acts: “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong, driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.” We, Floridians, know something first-hand about strong driving winds and the power they possess. Wind can destroy but it also can propel, like a sailing ship. That is precisely what it did on that first Pentecost – it destroyed that lethargy and uncertainty that followed the death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord and propelled the apostles out into the world with an energy and courage they had never witnessed or been witnesses to. What happened to them in that Upper Room gave birth to wonderment and amazement to those who knew them. They were dramatically changed, courage replaced cowardice, mission replaced mistakes, and unity of purpose gave new life to the presence of Christ on earth. And the power of that day remains with the Church today. Name me one other hierarchically led institution which has lasted over 2000 years. Through the best of times and the worst of times, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been preached, throughout planet earth and when the Gospel has not been allowed, it has been preached covertly. No one says that the wind of the first Pentecost ushered in or assured smooth sailing. To the contrary, there have been times when the surface of the sea of faith has been storm-tossed, hostile to the good news, placed at risk by its various captains and navigators, but the promise of Jesus that even the gates of hell would not prevail against it remains as true today as when he spoke those words. The Easter Season is fast drawing to a close. For approximately 100 days we have prepared for the events of Holy Week, celebrated Holy Week, spent the last six weeks pondering the resurrected Christ and the last nine days celebrating the ascended Christ while all the time awaiting the arrival of the Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, the strong, driving force that has kept the Church on course throughout the centuries.

My day today began with receiving into the Church a husband and father who began the RCIA program four years ago but whose business responsibilities prevented him from finishing. The wind of the Spirit blew him in my direction and I spent almost ten hours with him since Easter. What a joy to see his face and that of his wife and daughter when for the first time in their family life, they were one at the Table of the Lord. Then I stopped briefly at a reception for Ensign Michael Minkoff, a graduate in 2004 of St. Petersburg Catholic who with his brother Matthew, currently a second year midshipman at the Naval Academy served my Masses at the Cathedral of St. Jude with dedication and generosity. What a pleasure to see two fine young men preparing to serve their nation in the Navy. From there at two o’clock some 150 eighth graders and above from the Cathedral and five other parishes were confirmed in the same Holy Spirit at St. Jude’s. I’m dog-tired and ready for bed but I just want to say that the “strong, driving wind” of this Pentecost propelled me through this day in the Lord’s service. Thank you, Lord, for the twin gifts of Son and Spirit.

Rite of Reception into the Church at Mass

154 young women and men confirmed in the Spirit at the Cathedral on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, 2009