THE PASTOR'S BENCH: marzo 2012

viernes, 30 de marzo de 2012

My brothers and sisters, Holy Week is most definitely a very sacred time of the year, for it is now that we will commemorate and remember the last week of Jesus' life on this earth. These are the days leading up to the great Easter Feast. The Lenten season of sacrifice and self-denial is about to come to an end, but this coming week is extremely important for all Christians. The greatest focus of the week is the Passion (suffering) and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the events that led up to it. Historical documents tell us that as early as the fourth century the Church celebrated this "Great Week" with a feeling of profound sanctity. Especially important for Catholics is the Easter Triduum, the three days just before Easter: Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Those who engage themselves wholeheartedly in living the entire paschal cycle (Lent, Triduum and Easter's Fifty Days) discover that it can change them forever. This is especially so of the Triduum that, standing at the heart of the Easter season, is an intense immersion in the fundamental mystery of what it is to be Christian. During these days, we suffer with Christ so that we might rise with Him at His glorious Resurrection. Holy Week is a time to clear our schedules of unnecessary activities. Our minds and hearts should be fixed on Jesus and what He did for us. Let us bear the Cross so that we may be worthy of wearing the crown He wore. The schedule of the ceremonies for the Easter Triduum are in the last week’s bulletin, or by calling the parish office and pressing n. 3 on the main menu ■

Loving God, I am just beginning to realize how much you love me. Your son, Jesus was humble and obedient. He fulfilled your will for him by becoming human and suffering with us. I ask you for the desire to become more humble so that my own life might also bear witness to you. I want to use the small sufferings I have in this world to give you glory. Please, Lord, guide my mind with your truth. Strengthen my life by the example of Jesus. Help me to be with Jesus in this week as he demonstrates again his total love for me. He died so that I would no longer be separated from you. Help me to feel how close you are and to live in union with you. Amen.

Viaje Apostólico de Su Santidad Benedicto XVI a México y Cuba

Domingo de Ramos 2012

Mis queridos hermanos en el Señor, ha terminado la Cuaresma, el tiempo de conversión interior y de penitencia, ha llegado el momento de conmemorar la pasión, muerte y resurrección de Cristo. Después de la entrada triunfal en Jerusalén, ahora nos toca asistir a la institución de la Eucaristía, orar junto al Señor en el Huerto de los Olivos y acompañarle por el doloroso camino que termina en la Cruz. Durante la semana santa, las narraciones de la pasión renuevan los acontecimientos de aquellos días; los hechos dolorosos podrían mover nuestros sentimientos y hacernos olvidar que lo más importante es buscar aumentar nuestra fe y devoción en el Hijo de Dios. La Liturgia dedica especial atención a esta semana por la importancia que tiene para los cristianos el celebrar el misterio de la Redención de Cristo, quien por su infinita misericordia y amor al hombre, decide libremente tomar nuestro lugar y recibir el castigo merecido por nuestros pecados. Para esta celebración, la Iglesia invita a todos los fieles al recogimiento interior, haciendo un alto en las labores cotidianas para contemplar detenidamente el misterio pascual, no con una actitud pasiva, sino con el corazón dispuesto a volver a Dios, con el ánimo de lograr un verdadero dolor de nuestros pecados y un sincero propósito de enmienda para corresponder a todas las gracias obtenidas por Jesucristo. Para los cristianos la semana santa no es el recuerdo de un hecho histórico cualquiera, es la contemplación del amor de Dios que permite el sacrificio de su Hijo, el dolor de ver a Jesús crucificado, la esperanza de ver a Cristo que vuelve a la vida y el júbilo de su Resurrección. En los inicios de la cristiandad ya se acostumbraba la visita de los santos lugares. Ante la imposibilidad que tiene la mayoría de los fieles para hacer esta peregrinación, cobra mayor importancia la participación en la liturgia para aumentar la esperanza de salvación en Cristo resucitado. La Resurrección del Señor nos abre las puertas a la vida eterna, su triunfo sobre la muerte es la victoria definitiva sobre el pecados. Este hecho hace del domingo de Resurrección la celebración más importante de todo el año litúrgico. Aún con la asistencia a las celebraciones podemos quedarnos en lo anecdótico, sin nada que nos motive a ser más congruentes con nuestra fe. Esta unidad de vida requiere la imitación del maestro, buscar parecernos más a Él. Resucitar en Cristo es volver de las tinieblas del pecado para vivir en la gracia divina. Ahí está el sacramento de la penitencia, el camino para revivir y reconciliarnos con Dios. Es la dignidad de hijos de Dios que Cristo alcanzó con la Resurrección ■ P. Agustín, Párroco.

miércoles, 28 de marzo de 2012

jueves, 22 de marzo de 2012

To Mexico and Cuba!

What does it take to prepare for a papal visit? More than you may think: One hundred fifty-thousand communion wafers? Check. Campsites for 350,000? Check. Three hand-embroidered papal souvenir sombreros? Check. Official song? Check... It takes a lot to prepare for the coming of the pope and the 3 million people the host Archdiocese of Leon says he is expected to draw. Facades must be spiffed; campgrounds must be sprayed for dengue-bearing mosquitoes. The visit of Pope Benedict XVI, his first to Spanish-speaking Latin America, begins in just a week in Mexico’s central state of Guanajuato, where he will spend three days and give an outdoor Mass for some 300,000 people before heading to Cuba on March 26. In the Bicentennial Park in nearby Silao, hammers and heavy equipment pound out the contours of a massive stage large enough for a Madonna concert. The religious order of the Capuchin Poor Clares in San Isidro is making 150,000 Frisbee-sized hosts for the Mass, though it won’t require vats of wine. While the masses eat bread, only the officiates will sip a mere 2.5 gallons (10 liters) of consecrated wine on stage. Maria de la Luz Yepez of nearby San Francisco del Rincon is overseeing the stitching and stretching of faux suede and velvet on three artisanal sombreros that will be given to Benedict. Each took three weeks to decorate by hand. One has an embroidered face of Benedict inside the cap and features a map of Mexico on the brim. Another shows the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico’s patron saint. She said the whole community, a suburb home to tennis shoe factories and makers of the black, spangled sombreros sold in airports and tourist stalls, wants to chip in. “Even to make the boxes to pack the sombreros,” said Yepez, whose 55-year-old family business, Sombreros Salazar Yepez, made the signature Mexican hats for popes Paul VI and John Paul II as well. “They want the sombrero to carry a little bit of everyone here in San Francisco.” ■

Fifth Sunday of Lent

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, quite often people complain about the immorality of the TV series and movies, but it is true that there are good productions. Perhaps in the days of Holy Week, as well as dedicating time to the liturgical ceremonies, there is also a time of rest and entertainment. Here are some ideas based on the Christopher Awards, an award created in 1949 and presented to writers, producers, directors and illustrators whose work affirms the highest values of the human spirit. Here are some of the winners of this year. Feature Films. Buck Brannaman, the real-life “horse whisperer” who transcended a childhood with an abusive father to become a gentle healer of troubled horses and human beings, is the subject of the Cedar Creek Productions documentary, Buck. From DreamWorks Pictures and Touchstone Pictures, The Help gives a voice to African-American housemaids in 1960s-era Jackson, Mississippi, who struggled to maintain their self-worth and human dignity in the face of bigotry and humiliation. Jim Henson’s charming, wise-cracking characters are introduced to a new generation in Walt Disney Pictures’ The Muppets which reunites Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang to save their old theater, while learning lessons about the importance of laughter and the enduring power of friendship. Sony Pictures Classics’ Of Gods and Men dramatizes the true story of French monks in Algeria torn between their desire for safety and their commitment to serving the medical and social needs of the local populace during the nation’s civil war. From DreamWorks Pictures, War Horse revisits the courage, sacrifice and devastation involved in World War I through a story about the unwavering devotion between a young man and his horse. In ARC Entertainment’s The Way, an American doctor discovers his need for faith, community and forgiveness while completing the historical pilgrimage, called the Camino de Santiago, in honor of his late son. TV & Cable Non-violent activism in the face of racial injustice rests at the heart of the Emmy Award-winning American Experience: Freedom Riders (PBS/WGBH) about the courageous black and white Americans who endured mob violence to desegregate interstate travel in the South in 1961. For viewers of all faiths, Rev. Robert Barron’s 10-part mini-series, Catholicism (PBS/Word on Fire Ministries), travels around the world to explore the history, beliefs and practices of the Catholic Church through insightful spiritual commentary and breathtaking visuals of artistic treasures. Friendships with his old rabbi and an inner city minister awaken author Mitch Albom’s long dormant quest for God in this Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of his best-seller, Have a Little Faith (ABC-TV) ■ Fr. Agustín, Pastor.

V Domingo de Cuaresma (B)

Queridos hermanos en el Señor, la Iglesia, para comunicar el mensaje de salvación de Jesús a la humanidad, ha recurrido al arte, la arquitectura, la danza, la escultura, la música, la pintura, la literatura y también al cine, un medio estupendo para representar y evocar lo trascendente, para provocar y convocar a una reflexión sobre el mundo, el hombre y Dios; para reconocer y comunicar valores humanos y cristianos, para tener una experiencia espiritual que nos mueva e inspire. Cuando vamos al cine o vemos una película en casa, entramos en relación con alguien que nos quiere contar una historia y con unos personajes que sueñan, luchan, padecen, gozan, se pierden o se redimen como nosotros. Sí: al ver una película podemos descubrir los valores de ésos personajes y captar lo bueno y humano que hay en la película. El Papa Juan Pablo II afirmó hace unos años algo muy interesante: “En las películas es posible encontrar auténticos valores humanos, una concepción de la vida y una visión del mundo abiertas a la trascendencia… El cine es un medio particularmente adecuado para expresar el misterio inefable que rodea al mundo y al hombre” . El cine, queridos hermanos, es como una ventana que nos lleva a otros mundos –reales o fantásticos- culturas, tiempos, lugares y personas. Pero a la vez es un espejo donde nos reflejamos y nos encontramos con nosotros mismos. Lo que le preocupa, inquieta, piensa o apasiona a quien nos cuenta la historia puede también puede inquietarnos o emocionarnos a nosotros. El cine es, pues, un maravilloso mundo de reflexión y aprendizaje. Yo los invito, a lo largo de los días de la Semana Santa, a que además de acudir puntual y amorosamente a los Oficios de la Semana Santa que se celebrarán en nuestra parroquia, a ver alguna película en familia, una película que anime al diálogo, a la conversación, a la sana discusión; a pensar y a reflexionar. Muy recomendable son, por ejemplo, la película La Pasión (Mel Gibson), Jesús de Nazareth (Franco Zefirelli), La Vida es Bella (Roberto Benigni), La Misión (Roland Joffé), y un largo etcétera. Un buen sitio con buenas recomendaciones, de películas para la familia éste: http://jesucristoenelcine.blogspot.com

Ver una buena película en familia y hacer un rato de oración juntos son dos cosas que ayudan a construir la comunicación, la convivencia, la alegría, “de la vista nace el amor” dice el refrán. Quizá con una buena película éstos días nuestro espíritu se encienda un poco y camine más rápido hacia nuestro Señor que nos espera para celebrar los misterios de Su Pasión. ■ P. Agustín, Párroco.

viernes, 16 de marzo de 2012

Bishops must strengthen their bonds of unity in order to evangelize the world, San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller said in a March 15 homily at the tomb of Saint Peter. “In this work towards New Evangelization, our unity is an imperative,” the archbishop told over 20 of his fellow bishops from Texas and surrounding regions. On March 15, they began their “ad limina” visit to discuss the state of their local churches with Pope Benedict XVI and Vatican officials. “In the supercharged environment in which we minister today, my brothers, let us not allow others to divide us – to set us against one another,” the Archbishop of San Antonio told his fellow participants in the pilgrimage to Rome. “Here in the 'Eternal City,' let us renew our commitment to the bond of charity with one another, and with the entire college of bishops, under the headship of the successor of Peter, Pope Benedict.” Archbishop Garcia-Siller said the task of evangelization – especially the “New Evangelization” of Western countries where Christian faith has been lost or weakened – would require “unity with the Lord himself, in the person of Peter. And also unity among us.” This, he said, was Christ's own will and prayer for the Church: “'That they may be one, as you, Father, and I, are one, so that people will come to believe.'” The celebration of Mass at St. Peter's tomb is a traditional part of the bishops' pilgrimage “to the threshold of the apostles,”and is done every five years. The bishops of Texas, as well as parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas, are the tenth U.S. group to make the trip in recent months. In his homily at St. Peter's tomb – located underneath the high altar of St. Peter’s Basilica – Archbishop Garcia-Siller noted Jesus' words in the day's Gospel reading: “Every kingdom divided against itself, will be laid waste.” But Christ himself “has been victorious over the forces of evil. That, we fully believe.” On March 14, Pope Benedict's Wednesday audience focused on the Virgin Mary's role in the Church, during her earthly life and beyond. Archbishop Garcia-Siller stressed the same theme in Thursday's homily, invoking the help of the “Mother of Apostles” to keep their successors united in brotherhood. With Mary's help, the archbishop said, “many more will come to believe that Jesus is Lord” – and that “the truth he lived and proclaimed” is taught by his Church today ■

miércoles, 14 de marzo de 2012

Ad Limina Apostolorum*

My brothers and sisters in Christ, our beloved Archbishop Gustavo is Rome, the eternal city, on a visit ad Limina with the Holy Father and other bishops. Let us raise our hearts in prayer for them both -Archbishop Garcia and Bishop Cantú- and their intentions:

Heavenly Father, we pray for your guidance, wisdom and support as our shepherd, Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller and Bishop Oscar Cantu conduct their Quinquennial Meetings in Rome. May they engage in meaningful discussion, united in God’s will. Fill their meetings with your grace as they pursue the path to your greater honor and Glory. May they return to us safely and renewed by your Holy Spirit. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior. Amen

...

Nuestro querido Señor Arzopbispo y Mons. Cantú, obispo auxiliar de nuestra Arquidiócesis de San Antonio, se encuentran Roma, la ciudad eterna, en visita ad Limina con el Santo Padre. Elevemos nuestro corazón en oración por los dos, y por sus intenciones:

Padre Celestial, te pedimos Tu sabiduría y apoyo a nuestro pastor, Mons.Gustavo García Siller, y a Mons. Oscar Cantu al llevar a cabo sus reuniones quinquenales en Roma. Llena sus reuniones con tu gracia, ya que seguir Tu camino es su mayor honra y gloria. Que vuelvan a nosotros con seguridad y renovados por el Espíritu Santo. Te lo pedimos en el nombre de Jesucristo, Nuestro Señor y Salvador. amén

....

*In the Roman Catholic Church, a quinquennial visit ad limina or more properly, quinquennial visit ad limina apostolorum or simply an ad limina visit means the obligation of residential diocesan bishops and certain prelates with territorial jurisdiction (such as territorial abbots), of visiting the thresholds of the [tombs of the] Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul, and of meeting the Pope to report on the state of their dioceses or prelatures. In 1585 Pope Sixtus V issued the Constitution Romanus Pontifex, which set forth the norm for visits ad limina. On December 31, 1909, Pope Pius X stated in a Decree for the Consistorial Congregation that a bishop needs to report to the pope an account of the state of his diocese once every five years, starting in 1911. The first documented visita ad limina is contained in Saint Paul's Epistle to the Galatians (1:18): "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."

Fourth Sunday of Lent (B)

My brothers and sisters in Christ, after Jesus cleanses the temple (last Sunday gospel) and says prophetically he is replacing that sacred place, Nicodemus comes to see him by night. He’s a Pharisee, an important person in the city, and no doubt worried what people would think if they saw him with Jesus by day. But despite coming to Jesus in the darkness, Nicodemus is not a slave of the dark. He’s looking for light. An honest questioner, searching for the truth. Jesus does not point to his miracles, his healings, the crowds he draws, to establish his credentials. It’s not success stories he tells Nicodemus. It’s a story of a tragedy turned into victory. Nicodemus would have recognized the account of the Jews in the desert bitten by snakes because of their unbelief and infidelity. Then, when the serpent is lifted up on a staff, they are healed at the sight. It will not be Jesus’ successes that cause Nicodemus to believe in him. He saw Jesus one day lifted up on a cross, and by the gift of God’s grace he came to believe. God’s mercy was there before him, healing all who needed forgiveness. The Pharisee, a leader in Israel, doesn’t hide in the dark now; Nicodemus boldly goes to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body and buries it in his own tomb nearby. The mystery of the Cross brought him to believe.

My brother, my sister, let us sped more time in reflection and recollection; there is a beautiful prayer that could be useful for our prayer time this weekend; I invite you all to use it and enjoy the conversation with Our Lord.

We go to you through questions, Lord,

sometimes in our doubts.

Like Nicodemus we often go to you in the night,

but you do not mind receiving us then.

For with you “the night itself is like the day.”

As long as we do not love the darkness, you listen and reach out.

For God so loved the world

that he gave his only Son,

so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but might

have eternal life

■ Fr. Agustin, Pastor.

IV Domingo de Cuaresma (B)

Queridos hermanos en el Señor, nuestro Señor nos hace saber de muchas maneras que nos ama, que nunca se olvida de nosotros, pues nos lleva escritos en su mano para tenernos siempre a la vista[1]. Jamás podremos imaginar lo que Dios nos ama: nos redimió con su Muerte en la Cruz, habita en nuestra alma en gracia, se comunica con nosotros en lo más íntimo de nuestro corazón, durante estos ratos de oración y en cualquier momento del día. Dios nos ama con amor personal e individual. Jamás ha dejado de amarnos, ni siquiera en los momentos de mayor ingratitud por nuestra parte o cuando cometimos los pecados más graves. Su atención ha sido constante en todas las circunstancias y sucesos, y está siempre junto a nosotros hasta el último instante de nuestra vida. ¡Tantas veces se ha hecho el encontradizo! En la alegría y en el dolor. Como muestra de amor nos dejó los sacramentos, “canales de la misericordia divina”. Nos perdona en la Confesión y se nos da en la Sagrada Eucaristía. Nos ha dado a su Madre por Madre nuestra. También nos ha dado un Ángel para que nos proteja. Y Él nos espera en el Cielo donde tendremos una felicidad sin límites y sin término. Pero amor con amor se paga. Y decimos con Francisca Javiera: “Mil vidas si las tuviera daría por poseerte, y mil... y mil... más yo diera... por amarte si pudiera... con ese amor puro y fuerte con que Tú siendo quien eres... nos amas continuamente”[2]. El Señor espera de cada hombre una respuesta sin condiciones a su amor por nosotros. Nuestro amor a Dios se muestra en las mil incidencias de cada día: amamos a Dios a través del trabajo bien hecho, de la vida familiar, de las relaciones sociales, del descanso. Todo se puede convertir en obras de amor. Cuando correspondemos al amor a Dios los obstáculos se vencen; y al contrario, sin amor hasta las más pequeñas dificultades parecen insuperables. La señal externa de nuestra unión con Dios es el modo como vivimos la caridad con quienes están junto a nosotros. Pidámosle hoy a la Virgen que nos enseñe a corresponder al amor de su Hijo, y que sepamos también amar con obras a sus hijos, nuestros hermanos ■ P. Agustín, párroco.

[1] Isaías 49, 15-17

[2] Decenario al Espíritu Santo

miércoles, 7 de marzo de 2012

Parish Mission 2012

My dear parishioners, the time of the Mission of Lent has come and gladly I want to introduce to you Mr. Cliff Knighten, who we will lead us in reflection, prayer and meditation from Sunday March 11th to Tuesday 13th at 7PM in the Parish Hall.

Cliff oversees the new online Master of Arts in Spirituality program at Oblate School of Theology. He is also an active spiritual director, retreat leader, and teacher in the areas of prayer, spirituality, mysticism, and Scripture. He has taught extensively in Oblate’s Tepeyac Westside program, most recently on Ignatian spirituality and St. John of the Cross-. He earned a Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies from Denver Seminary and recently completed a Master of Arts in Spirituality at Oblate School of Theology. He also is a graduate of the Spiritual Director Preparation Program at The Center for Spiritual Growth and the Contemplative Life here in San Antonio.

Cliff made the full Ignatian Spiritual Exercises in daily life in 2009. Since then he has studied Ignatian spirituality and the Spiritual Exercises with Fr. Joe Tetlow, S.J. at Montserrat Jesuit Retreat House in Dallas and with Dr. Renata Furst here in San Antonio. He is also a member of Spiritual Directors International, the Society for the Study of Christian Spirituality, and the American Academy of Religion. Cliff and his wife Susan have been married for 31 years and have two grown children. They are expecting their first grandchild in March.

I am very grateful with God for this opportunity that we're going to have in these days of Lent to deepen the life and thought of one of the saints that have most influenced the history and spirituality of the Catholic Church: St. Ignatius of Loyola, and with Cliff for his time and availability. On the back of these lines you will find a brief biography of St. Ignatius. I invite you to pray for the Universal Church and for the intentions of His Holiness Benedict XVI, for our parish community, and for Cliff and his intentions. May the Spirit of God help us all on this journey towards Easter!

With love and gratitude,

Fr. Agustin

Saint Ignatius of Loyola

Saint Ignatius of Loyola, also known as Íñigo Oñaz López de Loyola, was of noble birth and was reared in the household of a prominent courtier. In 1517 he left his life at court to enter the army. During a convalescence (1521) from a serious wound, he was converted through reading a life of Jesus. He went to Montserrat, where he was confessed and absolved, and from there he went to Manresa. In 1523 he set out for the Holy Land. Prevented from entering Palestine, he returned with the decision to secure an education. He studied at Barcelona (1524-26); at Alcalá (1526-27) at Salamanca (1527-28) and at Paris. He and six followers, among them St. Francis Xavier and Diego Lainez, together took vows of poverty and chastity. This group was the nucleus of the future Jesuits. They planned to go to the Holy Land and live in imitation of Christ, working to convert the Muslims, but the Turkish wars intervened, and they went to Rome instead. They were ordained (1537) and received by the pope (1538), who set them to work in Italy. In 1539, Ignatius drew up a Formula for a new order and secured (1540) papal approval. It served as the basis for the later Constitutions, published at his death, by which Jesuits have been governed ever since. Ignatius was elected (1541) general of the order and remained its leader, with headquarters in Rome, until his death. Although the Jesuits became a major force in the Counter Reformation, the society was not founded particularly for that purpose. Ignatius's great interests seem to have been the foreign missions and the education of youth. Many schools were opened in Europe during his lifetime, and missions were begun in Japan, India, and Brazil. He was dominated all his life by a deep desire to imitate Christ. His Spiritual Exercises, written over a number of years, are a series of reflections, examinations of conscience, and prayers, grouped according to a traditional set of four steps leading to mystical union with God. The spirituality identified with St. Ignatius is characterized by emphasis on human initiative. His little book is a classic of Christian mysticism and is much used by devout Catholics. It is probably true that the picture of Ignatius that most people have is that of a soldier: stern, iron-willed, practical, showing little emotion - not a very attractive or warm personality. Yet if this picture is exact, it is hard to see how he could have had such a strong influence on those who knew him. Luis Gonçalves de Camara, one of his closest associates, wrote, "He (Ignatius) was always rather inclined toward love; moreover, he seemed all love, and because of that he was universally loved by all. There was no one in the Society who did not have great love for him and did not consider himself much loved by him.” He is buried in the Gesù at Rome, and he was canonized in 1622 ■

Happy Anniversary!!

They held a few days ago the anniversary of the Altar Society.

They, and many other ladies, take care of cleaning the altar of the parish and the things that we use for divine worship, indeed they do the same work that the Blessed Virgin, and they do it with love and tenderness.

I am so grateful for the work they do and love as they do.

Thank you very much, my dear Ladies Altar Society!