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By Fr. David DD PART IV “‘…we must learn anew how to relate religiously as fully human beings.’ What needs to be done to facilitate our encounters with the risen Lord in the Liturgy? Pope Francis quotes an influential liturgical theologian, Romano Guardini, to offer this insight: “‘…we must learn anew how to relate religiously as fully human beings.’ This is what the Liturgy makes possible. For this we must be formed. Guardini does not hesitate to declare that without liturgical formation ‘then ritual and textual reforms won’t help much.’” So Francis suggests two aspects for consideration: formation for the Liturgy and formation by the Liturgy. The first depends upon the second which is essential” (#34). How can this be begun, if not fully achieved?

By Fr. David The essence of Liturgy, according to Pope Francis, is that it is grace—it is not “…the fruit of an individual interior searching for Him, but it is an event [the encounter with God] given” (#24). It is the Lord who seeks us, for us to encounter Him, to receive the Lord into our hearts and souls in the Eucharist, to become part of Christ-Church (= Mystical Body, Head & members). The goal is community (us) rooted in unity (Christ the Head). if this is what Liturgy is all about, I wonder why we don’t wonder?

By Fr David Tokarz When I left off last week, I mentioned Pope Francis’ comment about wanting to preserve and safeguard the “truth and power...the beauty” (#16) of the Liturgy. He has desires; he also has concerns. He is worried that liturgical celebrations can be (and, frankly, have been) co-opted “…in service of some ideological vision, no matter what hue” (#16). He will be explicit later on in the Letter, but in the meantime, I can observe that he is making a critique both of alt-right and far-left “styles” that privilege “politics” over prayer. We don’t need “spiritual worldliness,” as he puts it, thinking that it’s all on our efforts or all and only about me. Liturgy, Francis observes, is always about “we,” not “me,” and it’s all a response to a prior invitation, not my own initiative, as though I were somehow doing God a favor by coming to church (##17-20).

DD, PART I By Fr David J. Tokarz No, this won’t be a series of essays on “Dungeons and Dragons”! But it will be some explications and reflections on a recent Apostolic Letter from Pope Francis, Desiderio Desideravi, on the Liturgy. The Latin title, by the way, comes from the Vulgate version of Luke 22:15—“With [great] desire I have desired to eat the Passover with you, before I suffer.”

 FIESTA SIEMPRE!! By Fr David J Tokarz     This weekend we gather to celebrate the long-standing relationship we have had with San Francisco de Asis in Temascalapa, Mexico.  Please come to eat, learn, and enjoy!   Our sharing has really taken a blow these last few years, as have so many other things, thanks to COVID.  For two years we were unable to make the trip to Mexico because of travel restrictions and health concerns.  Meanwhile, we learned that our once-thriving program “Keeping the Kids in School” was suffering because of deaths, families leaving the area, children forced to drop out of school to work, and so on.  We were reduced by about a third.  It is heart-breaking.

A “FORGOTTEN” APOSTLE By Fr David J Tokarz This week we celebrate the Feast of St Bartholomew the Apostle. We know the names and activities of many others of the Twelve—Peter, James & John, Andrew & Philip, Thomas… but it seems that Bartholomew is rather on the outside. I want to fill in some of the gaps in various ways (Scriptural, artistic, current).

by Fr David J. Tokarz This is the beginning of the wonderful antiphon that takes the place of the Angelus during the Easter season. Here is the original Latin, and my English translation follows: Regina Caeli, Laetare, Alleluia Quia quem meruisti portare, Alleluia Resurrexit sicut dixit, Alleluia Ora pro nobis Deum, Alleluia. Rejoice, O Queen of Heaven, Alleluia Because the One you were made worthy to carry, Alleluia Has risen as He said, Alleluia Pray for us to the Father, Alleluia (in some parts, freely translated)

by Fr David J. Tokarz (This is an edited version of an older essay, but it says what I want to say today.) The 20th century composer Arnold Schoenberg wrote a beautiful piece entitled Verkärte Nacht—“The Transfigured Night.” Originally it was a chamber piece for string sextet, later expanded to be played by a full string orchestra. I know you don’t care, but my recordings of these pieces are

by Fr David J.Tokarz Yes, it’s the 18th Sunday of the Church year, Cycle C. But it’s also (to me, anyway) the Memorial of St Ignatius Loyola. As the pope, Francis has added the name of St Joseph to all the Eucharistic Prayers, and he has elevated the Memorial of St Mary Magdalene to the level of a Feast. I’m waiting for him to declare Ignatius’ day a Solemnity!

Things will get heavy soon enough—it’s time for a bit of a break. To start this off, I refer to a text my cousin Tim sent me, that the problem with people is that they don’t read enough science fiction. Herewith, and in no order of importance, I offer some choice options—enjoy!

This title actually comes from the Letter to the Hebrews (13:2)— “Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels” (Revised New American Bible translation). And the allusion is to Genesis 18, the story of the 3 Visitors welcomed by Abraham. He gave them rest, bathed their feet, and gave them a banquet feast. It was, the Scripture tells us, the LORD and divine companions who were so regaled. It was on this occasion that God promised that a son would be born to him and Sarah, and although Sarah laughed at the idea, she did indeed bear a son—Isaac (whose name, in popular etymology, means “to laugh”).

This line is taken from the fourth verse of hymn #840 in our Journeysongs hymnal. Its message is an important one for today, especially given the recently published Apostolic Letter of Pope Francis, Desiderio Desideravi (with great desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you—Lk 22:15). In this document he is teaching us the connection between liturgy and mission—evangelization by witness and word.

This article is designed to make everyone angry with me… This is a collection of random thoughts and ideas in the wake of the Dobbs decision. It has been a long time since I’ve seen the amount of smug self-righteousness on Facebook (on both sides of the issue).

I was startled Saturday evening when walking toward the kitchen—a spider darted across in front of me. It wasn’t a huge one, but also not a tiny one—perhaps an inch in size. But it was the biggest spider I’d ever seen inside the rectory.

These words come from the First Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation, and they are prayed just after the Consecration. We ask: “Be pleased to keep us always in communion of mind and heart, together with Francis our Pope and Thomas our Bishop.” This is not always so simple as it seems.

We are told that there likely are multiple “universes” beyond our own, some of which might be “parallel universes,” with all the different choices of our own place being made and followed through. We learn that there are possible “wormholes,” portals through which we might be able to travel virtually instantaneously from one portion of our universe to another, or perhaps from one universe to another (I think of the travels “Between” as described in Ann McCaffery’s novels, or the Wood Between the Worlds from C S Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew).

The celebration of Pentecost is the celebration of the birth of the Church. The outpouring of the Spirit was the driving force that empowered the beginnings of evangelization of the Good News of salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Oh, the joy!

This was actually the title of a wonderful course in Scriptural/Sacramental theology that I had when I was in Rome, at the Pontifical Atheneum Sant’ Anselmo, while doing my advanced degree. The professor, Fr Odasso, was a gentle and effective teacher, and all of us were grateful for him (and for a large number of the other professors we had).

The 25th of most months is a day of importance to me (and often to many others). Everyone knows the 25th of December, of course. And the 25th of April is my birthday. The 25th of March is the Solemnity of the Annunciation. January 25 is the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul (and the publication date in 1841 of John Henry Newman’s famous “Tract 90,” written while still an Anglican, to show that a catholic-leaning Anglican could still swear allegiance to the “39 Articles” of the Church of England (yes, he got into huge amounts of trouble for this one!).

Everyone knows (or should know) the three “theological virtues”—Faith, Hope, and Love/Charity. They are highlighted by St Paul at the end of I Corinthians 13. I personally love the way St Francis of Assisi prayed for them: “Give me right (correct) Faith, certain (confident) Hope, and perfect Charity.” You are probably also familiar with the “iconography” of these virtues: the Cross, the Anchor, and the Heart. The first and last are pretty self-explanatory; Hope is represented as an anchor because of a passage from the Letter to the Hebrews (6:18b-20—you can look it up!).