February 5, 2012

 

Dear Parishioners,

            Greetings! I write this weekly message with a heavy heart. I have been very discouraged by the recent assaults on religious liberty in our country. Make no mistake about it, religious liberty is under direct attack by the current administration in Washington D.C. On Friday January 20, 2012, the Department of Health and Human Services issued the mandate for all private health insurance providers to include access to “Preventive Services” such as sterilizations, contraception and abortifacient pills. As Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops stated, “never before in history have Americans been forced to purchase something that violated their conscience”. Cardinal Wuerl of Washington D.C. called the situation “outrageous”. Our own Bishop Joseph Bambera stated: “simply put, as Catholics, we cannot comply with this unjust law. People of faith cannot be made second class citizens.”

            Please take action! Contact our U.S. Senators from Pennsylvania (Pat Toomey @ (202) 224-4254 and Robert Casey @ (202) 224-6324) and ask them to co-sponsor the “Respect for Rights of Conscience Act” (S-1467). Contact our U.S. Representative Lou Barletta (District 11 – Washington phone  (202) 226-6250 or Hazleton phone (570) 751-0050) and ask him to co-sponsor the “Respect of Rights of Conscience Act” (H.R. 1179).

            When asked what you are calling for, convey this simple message: “Please co-sponsor the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179, S. 1467). This measure ensures that the rights of conscience of all participants in our nation’s health care system will be respected”.

            This is serious business! I did my best in my homily last weekend to convey the importance of standing with the Church at this critical time in our nation’s history. More than the external show of support however, is the necessary internal conversion needed to embrace a culture of Life! Sound sexual morality is at the heart of the political battles on contraception, abortion, and other health care issues. God has given us the healthy and holy path to follow in the use of our bodies. We must recover the virtue of chastity and strive to live in a way pleasing to God. There are temptations against chastity everyday for young and old alike. The devil, as it says in Scripture, is always prowling about like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. We must resist him, solid in our faith!!

            Isn’t it interesting that there are people who cry foul at even a hint of religion crossing over into politics, yet see no problem when politics overtly plunges itself into religion! That is what is happening in our country. The more we push God out of our public discourse, the more impoverished we will become. There is a serious threat to the religious freedom established in our U.S. Constitution and we have an obligation to come to its defense! We are being smothered by secular forces and political agenda’s aimed at a kind of social engineering bent on destroying the very foundations of both religion and freedom. It is time to fight back and not be ashamed of age old wisdom and truth!   

God bless!  Fr. Walsh

 

 

January 29, 2012

 

Dear Parishioners,

            Greetings! I want to share with you the good news of our journey to Washington D.C. for the “March for Life”. 15 of us from St. John’s joined other young people from St. Matt’s and Notre Dame High School. All 56 of us traveled to a parish just outside of D.C. for a Youth Rally sponsored by the Salesian priests of St. John Bosco. While there, 500 young people enjoyed a dance party, pizza, recreation time and deeply moving spiritual time – Holy Mass, Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration, confessions etc. We finally settled down at midnight and slept on the floor. Morning came early. Most people began to stir by 5:30am so we could grab something to eat at the McDonald’s across the street and be on our bus by 7:00am. Priests were assigned to sleep in a separate room and I personally did not get much sleep because a few of my brother priests snored all night long! Anyway, not getting much sleep, not showering and being uncomfortable is all part of the sacrifice which makes the experience fruitful for the kingdom!

            We participated in a wonderful mass at the D.C. Armory. We arrived at 8am and the mass started at 10am. For the two hours prior to the mass, the congregation was treated to very uplifting live Christian music and speakers who gave testimonies about their Pro-Life experiences. I was happy to walk down the center aisle of the Armory with hundreds of other priests and bishops from around the country. Our own Bishop Bambera was there as well! Cardiinal DiNardo from Galveston/Houston was the main preside and a young priest from the Archdiocese of Washington was the homilist. The 10,000 people at the Armory were linked via a large T.V. screen to the 20,000 people celebrating mass with Cardinal Wuerl at the Verizon Center. It was powerful to know that 30,000 people were at mass praying for the culture of life at the same time. Many confessions were being heard and many people were hearing the messages of the dignity and sanctity of human life – not only in the womb but at every stage of life! Both faith and reason ought to compel us to speak out against the injustice of abortion and every other threat to life! We were challenged to be “Prophets” of Life, Love and Joy!!

            The March itself is quite an experience! We were dropped off near the National Mall where the March begins. We joined the March as all kinds of groups went by carrying banners and signs. It is a remarkable sight and feeling! It feels like a bond of unity for a just cause! It strengthens a conviction that is held in private and then puts it out there for all the world to see! The Pro-Life movement is perhaps the most important cause of our times. As one of the speakers said “ we may be doing a lot, but we need to do more!” We can never tire from working toward the overturning of Roe v. Wade and establishing an authentic culture of life. In order to do this, everyone needs to take stock of the moral choices that are made regarding the gift of human sexuality. The temptations toward lust and pornography, contraception and divorce have all weakened the institutions of marriage and family. Society will go by way of the family. The family will by the way of marriage. Marriage will go by way of fidelity to God’s plan for marriage. We need to support each other and we need to constantly trust in God and his Church as the ultimate source of support!        

God bless!   Fr. Walsh

 

 

January 22, 2012

 

Dear Parishioners,

            Greetings! Sorry I missed the “From the Pastor’s Desk” message last week. I was on a retreat at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville, Pa. I look forward to a retreat once a year and enjoy going to different retreat centers. I most often go on retreat to the Hermits of Bethlehem in Chester, N.J., but have also been to retreat houses in Morristown, N.J., Allentown, Philadelphia and Dalton, Pa. I wanted to go to Wernersville this year to be close to my favorite priest – Father Walter Ciszek S.J. I prayed at his grave (he died in 1984) and truly felt his presence. Fr. Walter is the priest who survived his experience of the Russian Gulag during WWII and taught the lesson of accepting God’s Providence in all things. As I prayed at his grave, I looked over to another tombstone and noticed another familiar name. Fr. Joe Simmons, who died in 1993, was my former spiritual director and the priest who first planted the seed of a priestly vocation in my life, while a student at the University of Scranton. So, I felt blessed to be reminded of these two great priests who continue to inspire my desire for priestly ministry.

            While on retreat this year, I felt called to fast on bread and water for three days. I have done the one day fasts before, but this was a new challenge. It certainly was not easy and it filled me with awe at the way many people in the world must suffer from hunger. When you are hungry, it seems like all you think about is your next taste of food and it alters your thinking patterns. Anyway, it was a small sacrifice that helped me appreciate what Father Ciszek experienced for years in Russia. He describes his meager meals and hunger pangs over the course of 15 years in his book “With God in Russia”. On retreat, I also took the time to do some journaling. I find it helpful to write out my thoughts because it helps to articulate the movements of the Spirit. I have decided to journal everyday for the rest of this year 2012. At the end of each day, I will just try to recapture what took place during the day and my feelings about it. Journaling is a healthy thing to do both psychologically and spiritually.

            I had a good experience celebrating our national holiday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday 1/16. I was asked to give the invocation at the annual breakfast honoring Dr. King at East Stroudsburg University. I had the opportunity to sit next to the keynote speaker who was a woman from Mississippi. She was at the famous marches and rallies and knew many of the civil rights leaders from the 1960’s. I also enjoyed meeting other community leaders and hearing the messages of peace, justice and equality which we should all strive for each day. Next on the list of activities is the March for Life in Washington D.C. Our group of 13 is leaving Sunday 1/22 for an overnight in D.C. and the March on Monday. I am so encouraged by our young people and their willingness to stand up for what is right and just. Abortion and other human rights violations are the defining cause of our day and age and we must seek God’s justice to prevail in our land!

            Have a wonderful week and may God bless you and your families!

Fr. Walsh

 

 

January 8, 2012

 

Dear Parishioners,

            Greetings! Welcome to 2012 – ready or not, here it comes! There is certainly a lot to look forward to in the new year. God always seems to encourage us to look forward instead of backward. I often think of the story in the scriptures of how the farmer needs to keep his eyes ahead as he plows the field – otherwise the field will be crooked. When we look behind too much, our lives can become crooked. This is an important spiritual insight especially in regard to the sacrament of reconciliation. Once forgiven, we do not need to look back on those sins because they have been cleansed. The devil is the one who tries to keep us stuck in our past sins. Christ wants to liberate us and give us the freedom to look with confidence to a future filled with his divine grace. As we begin this new year, let’s keep in mind that God is with us in every moment and will sustain us!

            I am personally looking forward to being at St. John’s and share in the joys and sorrows, the ups and downs of our parish community. In addition to the daily and weekend masses (the heart of our faith), I enjoy being part of the various fundraisers and social events of our families. We will, once again, have our Valentine Dance and St. Patrick’s Day Dinner coming up in February and March. The March for Life in Washington D.C. will include 10 members of St. John’s standing up for the dignity and sacredness of life! We will continue to nurture the members of the R.C.I.A. as they prepare for the Easter Sacraments in April. And I am sure there will be many other activities where we can build up the body of Christ! Everyone is welcome to volunteer and be a part of the planning of our parish events and participate in them. We always welcome new ideas and encourage people to be involved.

            I am also personally looking forward to a retreat next week in Wernersville, Pa. The Jesuit priests have a beautiful old seminary that now serves as a retreat house. I chose to do my annual retreat in Wernersville this year because I want to spend more time with Fr. Walter Ciszek, who is buried there. I find it inspirational, like many people, to pray at the grave of this holy priest. I want to re-read his spiritual classics and continue to draw inspiration from his heroic virtue. A retreat is also a good time just to rest and get away from the hustle and bustle. It is amazing how worn out we can get without even realizing it. We tend to push ourselves to the limit in so many ways – emotionally, spiritually, physically, etc. I know it is a privilege to have this time for retreat. I know parents and busy working people would love to have the opportunity to “get away” like this, but just can’t. So, I will remember everyone at St. John’s in prayer during the retreat! I will be your surrogate “get-away-er”.

            Again – Happy New Year! Let’s see what God has in store for us and may we be ready and eager to cooperate with his grace and governance of our lives!

                                                                                                God bless!  Fr. Walsh