Dear parishioners,

Who or what are saints? Many of you will have a relatively strong idea of how to answer that question but might be surprised by the flexibility of the word within our Church. The term simply refers to those who tried to live a holy life. Saints were normal people, just like us. They exhibited traits I would hope most of us try to exhibit; being kind, gentle, merciful, an active listener, joyful, peaceful, faithful, or hardworking towards the needs of others. Saints work to love in specific or broad capacity. All those who are in heaven are called saints. You’ll hear Fr. Steve refer to our congregation as saints. He’ll greet you at the beginning of Mass or even this column when he pens it saying, “the saints of God, the Lord be with you!”

The less ambiguous version of the title will likely have been your answer to this question. Saints are officially recognized, after their death, by the Church for what God has done in the life of that person when they were alive. Through a lengthy process involving an in-depth investigation of the person’s life and verifying at least two miracles through that person’s intercession, the Church will move toward beatification, and later, canonization.

We often associate saints with martyrdom, famous deeds, or courageous acts, but there are so many that would not fit that mold. Saints don’t have to be from a religious order, either. There isn’t a need to be priest, nun, brother, etc. There are lay people of all sorts who lived a saintly life, including many who may have experienced difficulty within their lives. There are saints who were disliked or shunned in their time. There are saints who had an unfaithful spouse or were orphaned. There are saints who left the Faith and later returned. There are saints who were homeless, illiterate, neglected, or poor. You get the picture. Very often it is a holiness found just as easily within our next-door neighbors as with those more famous figures. You might call them “the middle class of holiness.”

Saints are not superhuman, nor were they born perfect. They are like each of us. They are people who, before reaching the glory of heaven, lived normal lives with joys, sorrows, struggles, and hopes. What changed their lives? It was the experience of God’s love. They spent their lives giving to others, they endured suffering and adversity without hatred and responded to evil with good, spreading joy and peace.

Even the most famous of saints did not lead lives that were distant or unreachable. On the contrary, they are people who lived with their feet on the ground. They experienced the daily toil of existence with its successes and failures, finding in the Lord the strength to rise again and again to continue their journey. A true saint finds God in the present; the here and now. We memorialize saints not to forget the realities of the earth, but to use their example and face what is in front of us with greater courage and hope.

Peace and all good,
Friar Henry

The following are a selection of modern saints recognized by the Church for the lives they lived:

St. Katharine Drexel is the second American-born saint to be canonized by the Catholic Church. Born in 1858 as an heiress to a large bequest, Drexel became a religious sister and a brilliant educator. Following the passing of her stepmother, and later, her father, Drexel involved herself in aiding Native and African Americans both financially and spiritually, going so far as to consult with Pope Leo XIII, who suggested she become a missionary. In 1891, Drexel established the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, whose members would work for the betterment of Native and African Americans. Using her inheritance, Drexel opened dozens of missions and schools, including a mission for the Navajo tribes of Arizona and New Mexico that was aided by the friars of the St. John the Baptist Province. St. Katharine Drexel was beatified in 1988 and canonized in 2000.

Saints Louis Martin and Zélie Guérin, a pair of French saints, are the first couple to be canonized into sainthood (2015). Louis, trained as a watchmaker, desired entry into the religious life, but his inability to speak Latin saw that desire unfulfilled. After moving from Bordeaux to Normandy, Louis met his match. Zélie, a skilled lace maker, also found disappointment attempting to enter the religious life. The two married and raised five girls. Following Zélie’s death in 1877, Louis moved his family to Lisieux, where his youngest daughter entered a monastery at just 15, later becoming St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus.

Dear parishioners,

This past week, the friars took the opportunity to have a short retreat at the Franciscan Center. It was a time for the four of us to come together and talk about our fraternal and ministerial life here at Sacred Heart. It was a time to reflect and to get away, even though it was only a few miles up the road. Monday morning, we celebrated the Eucharist with the
Allegany Franciscan Sisters. It is always great when we can get together with other Franciscan groups.

We started off the ministerial part of the day with this prayer.

Loving Father, help us to celebrate and serve the people of many races, languages, and ways of life You have gathered to Yourself to form Sacred Heart Parish.

May we be signs of your welcome as we greet people as they gather.

May we encourage them to pray always as contemplative friars in ministry.

May we bless their generosity by being generous ourselves.

May we love them through loyal service, a faith that is fearless, compassion, and mercy.

May we share their joys and their hopes, their griefs and their anguish, their laughter and their tears.

Together as friar servants to the People of God, recognizing that we are all united in Christ and guided by the Holy Spirit, may we journey towards Your kingdom each in our own way, proclaiming Christ’s message of salvation, using words only if we must.

In one of our discussions on the retreat, the friars and I focused on Pope Francis’ Instructional on “The pastoral conversion of the Parish community in the service of the evangelizing mission of the Church.” In this document, dated to just under two years ago, in July 2020, the pope highlights a struggle many parishes face when making determinations for the level of services or sacraments that can be provided to potential or current parishioners. His premise is largely fueled by the impasse of needing to respect parish boundaries vs. destination parishes, and how the number of registered parishioners vs. unregistered can impact a parish. After a few minutes of healthy discourse, one friar said, “Are they baptized? If so, we are called to serve them!” We all readily agreed to that summary. In our discussion, we were pointing out the many hurdles people are required to jump over, and how we can make it easier for people to live out their faith within our own parish. The image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was brought up, with His Arms and Heart being open to all people. It is a wonderful and fitting image for our parish.

We had many productive conversations over the two days we spent at the Franciscan Center, and I feel we accomplished a lot of reorganization and planning. We had the opportunity to talk about our fraternal life together, our prayers, our shared time, and our commitment to each other as brothers. We also had the time to talk about our lives with Sacred Heart. We discussed our parish’s various ministries and with the addition of Fr. Steve to our group, we made new assignments on which friars will be involved with each particular ministry, and how best to help them. I and all the friars are always willing to help out with any of the ministries whenever needed. We also discussed how we can best serve the parishioners here at Sacred Heart. We will bring the conclusions from those conversations to the staff for their input in the coming days.

The days weren’t all work. After all, this was meant to be a retreat. We did get to have a meal at a few different restaurants, and ended the evenings with a card game. Fr. Steve gave us the instructions as we played. I remembered back to a time when both Fr. Steve and I were both working together in Raleigh, N.C., and he ran the card games there as
well. What I remember most, however, is that I didn’t win either time. I wonder then about the common denominator. The most important things about the retreat are that the friars
enjoyed their time together, and we all feel recharged.

Peace and all good,
Fr. Mike

Dear parishioners,

The Catholic Church has a history of social teaching that goes back centuries and provides a compelling challenge for living responsibly and building a just society. Modern Catholic Social Teaching, rooted in Scripture and articulated through a tradition of written documents, has evolved over time in response to the challenges of the day.

It is said that Catholic social teaching originated in 1891 with the encyclical letter “Rerum Novarum.” Since then, a wealth of teaching continues to bring to life the Scriptures and shape the Church’s response to our modern world. It is from the Catholic social teaching documents the encyclicals we get theses seven core principles.

The first is dignity; that God created every human person in his image and likeness. This gift we share as fellow human beings. We are all loved by God. Every one of us is unique and beautiful and God is present in each one of us human beings, regardless of religion, culture, nationality, orientation of economic standing.

The second is solidarity. Solidarity arises when we remember that we are our brother’s and sister’s keeper. Solidarity happens when we stand with those living in poverty. In our interconnectedness, we are invited to build relationships—to understand what life is like for others who are different from us.

The third principle is community and participation. We are encouraged to stand side by side with others, especially those living in poverty. We should help whenever and however we can, thinking both about our local and global neighbors.

The fourth principle is one of preference, in option for the poor. Jesus’ words come alive when He says “you will always have the poor among you.” This principle is a moral test of how our most vulnerable members are faring. Our tradition instructs us to put the needs of poor and vulnerable people first. This option reminds us of God’s love for the poorest and most vulnerable people. God is love, and His love is universal. He does not side with oppressors, but loves the humble.

Our next principle is Peace. The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Today, our world is still in need of peace. In the Ukraine, as an example, thousands have died following the Russian invasion. The conflict has destroyed tens of thousands of homes and have displaced millions of residents of the Ukraine. We pray peace be restored.

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of the principle of creation. Pope Francis has invited everyone on earth to consider how our actions and behaviors actions are the earth and the poorest among us.

Finally, Catholic social teaching has long upheld the dignity of work. The well-being of the human person should always come before the pursuit of profit.  The worker should always have a just wage, spend time with their family and rest. Everyone should be given a chance to work and participate.

John 13:35 is one of my favorites. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love another.” I believe this sums up Catholic social teaching in a nutshell.

Peace and all good,
Friar Henry

Dear parishioners,

Saints of God, the Lord be with you!

Two weeks ago on the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Church had us focus on the Holy Spirit: the Divine Love who abides within and among us so as to encourage and empower us to “follow in the footprints of Christ.” With the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the Church is given its mission to preach and be the presence of Christ in the world. In the Gospel according to John, the Church is born from the spear split side of the crucified Christ from which gushes forth water and blood (signifying the great sacraments of Baptism and the Eucharist).

Last week, the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, the Church proclaims the Mystery of All Mysteries in which Christians profess and celebrate that God is in God’s very Self a relationship of Love. From this relationship we are created in and for Love, nourished and redeemed by Love enfleshed in Christ Jesus, and sustained and sanctified by Love through the Holy Spirit. As God is a Personal relationship of Creative, Self Sacrificing, and Abiding Love, we in our everyday lives are called to imitate this love in our own finite way.

Today we focus on the mystery that in the Holy Eucharist, the Risen Christ is truly and fully present under the appearance of bread and wine. Meditate on this. The Risen Christ is not only seated in glory at the right hand of the Father, but in all humility comes into our hands to be touched and tasted. Christ comes to us not only to nourish our souls but our bodies as well.

Each time we receive the Risen Christ in the Holy Eucharist, we are once again dipped in the waters of Christ’s baptism of solidarity. Our identity as disciples of Christ is strengthened and our mission to each other is renewed. As St. Augustine wrote, “Rejoice, O Christian! For by your baptism, you are more than a Christian, you are Christ Himself.” We receive Christ in the Eucharist so as to become more like Him. Seen in this light, the Holy Eucharist becomes food for our journey through life, not a reward for good behavior.

Today I am reminded of that great prayer of St. Theresa of Avila:

“Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which He looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good. Yours are the hands through which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, yours are the eyes, YOU are His body. Christ has no body now on earth but yours.”

So today, as we leave our beautiful church and head back into our beautiful and broken world, let us remember that we take Christ with us. Our call is to make Christ visible in the world, and we do this best through simple acts of charity. And to all of us who are the Body of Christ, I give a resounding “Amen!”

Peace and all good,
Fr. Steve

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. I think we can all agree the understanding of the Holy Trinity is one greatest of all mysteries of our faith: the One and Only God is a unity of Three Persons. In attempts to define the Trinity, we often hear it explained as a three-leaf clover, all being part of one stem. We’re also referred to the physical states water can take, as either liquid, ice, or steam, yet are all still water.

Perhaps you are familiar with a story from the life of St. Augustine on The Trinity:

It was around the year 415 A.D., and St. Augustine was walking along the beach on a bright, sunny day. He was frustrated, having taken a break from working on what’s become known as one of his greatest contributions to the Church, “On the Trinity.” The subject matter had left him bleary-eyed and in need of fresh air, so he went for a walk on the beach.

It was in this moment, as the frothy tide rushed out, that a little boy caught St. Augustine’s eye. He was a freckle-faced child who had a determined, furrowed brow. He was clearly up to something, running back-and-forth, back-and-forth, between the sea and a tiny hole in the ground.

“My son,” St. Augustine called over the crashing waves, “What are you doing there?” The boy held up the pink shell he was using to move water, “I’m trying to fit that great big ocean into this tiny hole,” he yelled, pointing assertively at the sand. St. Augustine smiled, charmed by the child’s innocence. He then followed the boy to kneel beside the hole, watching him spill out a few meager drops.

“My child,” the bishop of Hippo started, as he attempted to break the news gently, turning the boy’s shoulders to face the sea. He then spread his own arms wide, “You could never fit this great, magnificent ocean into that tiny hole!” The child didn’t flinch, but responded quickly: “And you could never possibly understand the Holy Trinity.” Then in a flash, the boy disappeared.

In our Franciscan tradition, the fact that God is Triune is not simply a dogma for the intellect. The Trinity should have meaning in all of our lives. Scripture and tradition establish key things. First, God is love. Second, as Trinity, God is in loving relationship with Godself. Finally, we are created in the image and likeness of a loving and relational God; this means we are most human when we are in loving relationship with God and one another.

Although the hidden life of God remains a mystery inaccessible by reason alone, professing God as Trinity is not meant to distance us from him. Through the Son’s incarnation and the sending of the Holy Spirit, not only are we capable of understanding the eternal  relationship of intimate loving communion that is the Holy Trinity, we are able to share in it. This is why we were created, why every human heart cries out to be loved. The revelation of God as a relationship explains what it means to be human. Let us always pray inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives for the understanding of what it means to be in true relationship with God, each other, and all of God’s creation!

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Zack

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis, in his homily at Mass on the Solemnity of Pentecost, May 24, 2015, said the following:

“The world needs men and women who are not closed in on themselves, but filled with the Holy Spirit. Closing oneself off from the Holy Spirit means not only a lack of freedom; it is a sin. There are many ways one can close oneself off to the Holy Spirit: by selfishness for one’s own gain; by rigid legalism — seen in the attitude of the doctors of the law to whom Jesus referred as ‘hypocrites’; by neglect of what Jesus taught; by living the Christian life not as service to others but in the pursuit of personal interests; and in so many other ways.

However, the world needs the courage, hope, faith and perseverance of Christ’s followers. The world needs the fruits, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul lists them: ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.’ The gift of the Holy Spirit has been bestowed upon the Church and upon each one of us, so that we may live lives of genuine faith and active charity, that we may sow the seeds of reconciliation and peace.”

In looking out into our parish it is wonderful to see how parishioners are willing to use their gifts for the betterment of our parish. As we celebrate this Pentecost Sunday, I would like to provide you, our parishioners, with an update on just how I have seen the Holy Spirit moving within our parish of late, and where I expect more things to progress as we head into the summer months.

More and more ministries are starting up again, not to mention new ministries in development. There is a group of women starting up a Women’s Prayer Group, to complement the existing one for the men of our parish. A committee on racial justice within our parish community is also forming. There are still more ministries that could use people’s gifts and talents. The staff and I plan on providing an updated ministry fair for late August.

This weekend we welcome Fr. Steven Kluge, OFM, who will be joining our parish staff. Fr. Steve and I were ordained together in 2001. Alongside the friars, I welcome Fr. Steve and look forward to having him in our local fraternity and sharing in our ministry to Sacred Heart. Over the summer Fr. Steve will be looking at what ministries he will be getting involved in.

Our Maintenance Committee has been hard at work, and we have several projects that we hope to complete this summer. In the church, we will be working with a restoration company to reinvigorate and fortify our front doors, along with the side entrance, handicap doors. In our alcove featuring the spiral staircase leading to the choir loft, a glass enclosure will be installed to create a more private confessional.

Up at the North Campus, two buildings are set to be renamed. The library will be renamed “Alumni Hall,” in memory and recognition of the alumni of the school. In an effort to make the space more useful for our ministries, the space will be redecorated, including painting and adorning the walls with photography and images that depicted life at Sacred Heart Academy while it was open. Our docents will be assisting with this venture.

Also slated for a name change is the old Pre-Kindergarten building, which will be renamed “St. Bonaventure Hall.” The restoration of electricity to the building is still scheduled for an early summer completion. Once restored, we can investigate if the air conditioning unit will also need replacement. We will also have to look at updating the bathrooms in that building as well. Our goal is to get it up and running for the Fall so that ministries can start using it for additional meeting space, reducing potential timing conflicts.

We’ve had initial talks about a way forward in updating the kitchen within the North Campus cafeteria. We are in the preliminary stages on this, trying to determine what the project would entail, and what functionality is of most need. It is then that we would be able to get an estimated cost to fundraise toward.

I look forward to providing you more updates as these exciting additions to our parish continue to come to fruition.

Peace and All Good,
Fr. Mike