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Daily Mass:
Thursdays at 9 AM
Sunday Mass: 
Saturdays at 4:30PM and Sundays 7:30 AM and 10AM 

Reflecting on this the celebration of the Independence of our United States of America 245 years ago, I find in the 1970s movie “A Man For All Seasons” some relevant wisdom connecting the readings today calling us to be a prophetic people and the lives of two men who served as Lord High Chancellor of England under Henry VIII, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and his successor, St Thomas More.

Both considered themselves faithful servants of the King. The one Wolsey, neglected his role as Archbishop of York to give his life and energy to the King supporting him in his conflict with the Church.

His dying words, at his lonely end coming suddenly on the road away from all his comforts were: “Had I but served my God half so well as I have served my king, He would not have left me to die in this place.”

The other, Thomas More, was no less loyal to Henry but principled in his opposition to Henry’s conflict with Rome and his dying words before his execution were: “I die the king’s good servant and God’s first.”

As citizens and as a faith community, we find in Thomas More the capture of what it means to be people of faith, who live our lives in a public space with its duties and obligations. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has guidance for us on both accounts.

“The love and service of one’s country follow from the duty of gratitude and belong to the order of charity” and; 

“The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the direction of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel.”

The church on the basis of its timeless teaching claims a place in the public square, a voice in the civic conversation and a role in the history of what it means to be free, equal and a member of a civic community.

Fundamental to our Christian faith is the dignity of every human being as a child of God offered redemption by the total giving of the Son of God. This is a foundation that predates by far derivative assurances in the French Revolution of 1789 and subsequent Enlightenment that underlie our own“…inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

The readings today and their three prophetic figures, Ezekiel, Paul and Jesus remind us that we are a prophetic people enobled by God and challenged to pursue a higher purpose than our own self-interest.

Thus we celebrate the sacrifice, the generosity, exemplary humaneness of so many who stepped up to help in the pandemic. We are proud that our government has committed millions of vaccine doses to poorer countries.

“God bless America, Land that we love…”

Thus we speak up when lies or “alternative facts” become the currency of discourse for so many of our citizens, when public policies display cruelty and when innocents are gunned down in our midst repeatedly.

“America, America, God mend thine every flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in Law.”

There are those who think that the church should confine itself to the sanctuary.  Yet in the first reading today, we find God urging Ezekiel to exercise his prophetic role in confronting those who have rebelled against God: “ But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord! And whether they heed or resist-for they are a rebellious house- They shall know that a prophet has been among them.”

Taking up the challenge to speak out takes great care in discerning our role as prophets and not allowing our message to be co-opted or appear to be for other purposes. In our own country, our Evangelical brothers and sisters pursued a narrowly driven moral agenda in a political alliance called the “Moral Majority” in the  1980’s.  More recently they have pursued that agenda even if it means they accept or disregard behavior that violates values that they have always espoused. Unfortunately, our bishops are in danger of falling into that trap.

But we are Catholics, Universals. Not so much because we inhabit geography throughout the planet but more because we stand for universal values like human dignity, freedom that expands the soul because it reaches out to others and the resulting creation of a community that cares, that empathizes and that rejoices in the well-being of others no matter who.

Thus we engage as a conversation partner in the public discussion over our human and national future even if our input is rejected like Jesus’ was in today’s gospel by friends and neighbors in his own town. Our voice will contribute to the social, cultural, political and economic life of our local and national communities.

Catholic Social teaching codified by Pope Leo XIII in the 19^th century and developed by subsequent popes commits us to the rights of workers, initially in the face of Marxist dehumanization and currently today’s industrial exploitation. Refugees and migrants are children of God. Income inequality and crushing poverty are the kind of injustice that inhibit peace. Care for the sick and the elderly, education of the young and the protection of life for everyone from conception to natural death, we stand for these Gospel values and will assert them in the public square.

Culturally, we stand for art and music, education and custom which elevate the soul, transcend the mundane, reject utilitarian purpose and call the human spirit to a higher plane.

Politics and governance must be motivated by justice, equality and the common good. We reject division, racism, discrimination and anti-semitism as tools in the struggle to get and maintain power.

The search for economic equity is the key to world peace. We have the capacity to destroy ourselves by economic injustice, weapons of mass destruction and climate disaster. These are not issues alien to the dignity of man but central to it and if the community of the children of God will not speak out in the face of these threats, who will?

Given the nature of our world today. Many of these threats are global ones. In our history, America has shown great acts of generosity and we need to continue now more than ever.

In the personal stories of many of us, we have experienced the blessings of liberty, opportunity and freedom. We must ensure that all our citizens will do so as well.

Our Church has grown in America, almost exponentially since the founding of the Republic and despite halting acceptance, we have been able to get beyond bumps in the road so that we have been and are now one of the largest religious denominations. We need to ensure that this blessing is available for all believers.

Abraham Lincoln, arguably our greatest President and our most biblically based one, in a splendid irony called us “…the almost chosen people.” This great man who led us away from self-destruction and enshrined freedom for all at a terrible cost challenged us to pursue “…the better angels of our nature.”

Let us celebrate America this weekend, accepting Lincoln’s challenge by committing to continue the drive for human dignity, equality and freedom, confident in the words of another President John F. Kennedy that “Here on earth, God’s work must truly be our own.”

May God bless us all and these United States of America.

~ Fr. Frank

We have received a donation of a baby grand piano in memory of Shirley Gould. The piano will be moved to the sanctuary in the week of July 5. Under the direction of Dr Cha, our music director some tuning etc. will be done there. I’m told that adjustments in sound, aesthetics, location etc. take some time. During the summer we invite you to offer comments on any aspect of this addition to our worship space.

There are many service opportunities. Please click HERE to see what ways you can help your community. 

Sick:

Anna Fratello, AJ Quetta, David Bowlby, Sarah Glover, Andrew Conneely

Deceased:

Fr. Jerry Hogan, Fr. Vincent "Vinnie" Doolan, Nelson Rebello, Sarah Danca, Gerardine Young, Mary Nelson

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Click HERE to view our Annual Report.

All are welcome to join our Zoom Bible Study on Wednesday from 10am to 11am. 
The group, which meets weekly, includes and welcomes sisters and brothers of other faiths. Our examination of the biblical text honors the bible in both the Hebrew and Christian traditions.We are currently reading Exodus.

For more information email Lynn Jacobs at the parish office at ljacobs@olossharon.org.

9-22-2020