The Confirmation Retreat is Underway

Confirmation Candidates and their sponsors are gathered at the church this morning. The activities are designed to get the two of them to interact discussing their faith.

It also has them consider what to pray

 for and allows them to pray together.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered. 

They also paint together. Each painting is full of symbolism both as a teaching tool and a reminder of the event.

Pray for our candidates and their sponsors, 

this morning in their retreat and 

as their prepare for Confirmation.

Alessandro Serenelli

Although Alessandro was only 19 years old, he had become addicted to pornography. Wanting to live out his fantasies he attempted to molest an 11 year old girl. As she yelled out, "No Alessandro, it is a sin..." he became enraged and stabbed her 14 times. Although she made it to a hospital and received Communion as Viaticum, she died.

Alessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Although he was aware that Maria, the girl, had forgiven him on her deathbed (even saying she wanted to be in heaven with him) he did not feel remorse. Then he had a dream -- which was surprising in and of itself because Alessandro did not typically dream.

In this vivid dream, the prison walls and bars fells away as his cell became a sunlit garden. full of flowers. He was surprised to see a peasant girl dressed in white since they wear dark colors. Then he realized it was Maria. She was walking among the flowers, smiling and not as all fearful. He wanted to leave but couldn't. Maria picked white lilies and handed them to him saying, "Alessandro, take them!"

One by one he accpted the 14 lilies. As he took them, each lily transformed into a flaming light. There was one lily for each of the times he had stabbed her. Then Maria smilingly said, "Alessandro, as I have promised, your soul shall someday reach me in heaven."

The dream changed him. For the first time he understood the light of God's grace and mercy. From that time on, he looked to reform his life.

Because of his good behavior, he got out of prison after 27 years. For a time he wandered as a farmhand, but them he became a brother in a Capuchin monastery.

Finally, 31 years after the trial, he went to visit Assunta Goretti, Maria's mother. Begging Assunta's forgiveness, she placed her hands on his head, caressed his face and gently said, "Alessandro, Marietta forgave you, Christ has forgiven you, and why should I not also forgive. I forgive you, of course, my son! Why have I not seen you sooner?"

The next morning Assunta, with head held high and tears falling, took Alessandro by the hand and led him to Mass. Side by side they took communion. From that day on he was welcomed into the Goetti family as "Uncle Alessandro."

Assunta and Alessandro were also side by side when St. Maria Goretti was canonized.

First Reconciliation

Between two services today, our parish's second graders had their First Reconciliation today. Fr. Dave invited the kids to come forward.

He asked them to name some of the sorts of sins people commit and wrote them on a paper.

With the sins written and symbolizing the sins, one young lady held a candle symbolizing Christ as the light of the world.

When the sins were brought to Jesus and they disappeared in an instant. And so it is with our sins brought to Jesus.

Congratulations to everyone who

 received their First Reconciliation!

Reconciliation in the Year of Mercy

Sometimes God has a way of aligning things in our lives so perfectly and poignantly.

I've thought of this when eighth-graders in our parish have received the sacrament of Confirmation on Pentecost -- and in our individual lives, when birthdays, Baptisms, weddings or other events happen at just the right time, often without the aid of our own plans.

This year God's timing seems perfect for our second-graders, who will soon meet Jesus in the sacrament of Reconciliation for the first time during this year's Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. What a perfect time to experience God's mercy in the confessional, for the first time, or the thousandth.

"Reconciliation is the heart of the Gospel," Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles wrote back in 2007, when he was archbishop of San Antonio. "It is the meaning and purpose of Christ’s work, the work He continues today through the ministry of His Church. 'God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ,' St. Paul tells us (2 Cor. 5:9)."

Here are some other excerpts from the archbishop's message:

"I can testify from my own life to the healing power of this sacrament received regularly. I invite you too, my brothers and sisters, to experience this for yourselves. Regular celebration of this sacrament will help you form your conscience; it will give you strength in your daily fight against sin; and it will help you to gain the full freedom that is yours as children of God.

"I especially appeal to parents: take your children regularly to confession; as they confess their own sins, let them also see you going to confession. This will have a tremendous impact on their formation as young Christian men and women, and it will yield many blessings of generosity and understanding in your family life."

"The sacrament is a remedy for what ails us. And what ails every one is sin. Our hearts hunger for His forgiveness, for the peace that comes with knowing that we have been pardoned and reconciled to God, for the assurance that we have been given a clean slate and a fresh start. This peace and assurance can only be granted to us through our encounter with the Lord in the sacrament.

"We need personal confession to keep us honest about ourselves. As our Lord showed us, often we are not the best judges of our own character. We find it much easier to judge and find fault in others than to take stock of our own failings before God (Luke 6:37, 41– 42). Often our pride gets in the way, rendering us prone to make excuses or to justify ourselves before God (Luke 18:9–14).
Only in the confessional are we 'exposed to the eyes of Him to Whom we must render an account' (Heb. 4:13). In the confessional, He looks upon us with love, calling us to an ever-deepening discipleship: 'You are lacking in one thing. . . . Come, follow me' (Mark 10:17–22).'

"What you will discover is that surprise of grace that St. Ambrose of Milan described so well in meditating on the parable of the prodigal son: 'See, the Father comes out to meet you . . . and give you a kiss, the pledge of love and tenderness. . . . You are afraid of hearing words filled with anger, and He prepares a banquet for you.' "

May you find God's grace, healing and forgiveness in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Let nothing keep us from God's mercy!

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Our Parish Penance Service

It was wonderful to welcome so many people to our parish penance service Monday night. Fr. Dave gave a short homily before everyone went to reconciliation with one of the eleven priests on hand.

Afterwards, people came to the Social Hall to celebrate with wine, cheese, cookies & hot chocolate. It seemed that everyone had a smile on their face as they came for their wine.

It was a great event.

Reconciliation or Confession ??

“You like potato and I like potahto

You like tomato and I like tomahto

Potato, potahto, Tomato, tomahto.

Let's call the whole thing off.”

In the church we have a sort of potato-potahto, tomato-tomahto conundrum, but it’s with choosing the right word, not the right pronunciation.

We have a sacrament that is called different names by different people. It’s either penance, confession or reconciliation, depending on whom you ask. So which one is right?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church asks the same question, under the title:

I.                   WHAT IS THIS SACRAMENT CALLED?

And here is the response:

1423 It is called the sacrament of conversion because it makes sacramentally present Jesus' call to conversion, the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin.

It is called the sacrament of Penance, since it consecrates the Christian sinner's personal and ecclesial steps of conversion, penance, and satisfaction.

1424 It is called the sacrament of confession, since the disclosure or confession of sins to a priest is an essential element of this sacrament. In a profound sense it is also a "confession" - acknowledgment and praise - of the holiness of God and of his mercy toward sinful man.

It is called the sacrament of forgiveness, since by the priest's sacramental absolution God grants the penitent "pardon and peace."

It is called the sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the life of God who reconciles: "Be reconciled to God." He who lives by God's merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord's call: "Go; first be reconciled to your brother."

So, it turns out, there are five names for the same sacrament. And all are right.

Whatever you choose to call it, you can receive it tonight from 5 to 7 p.m, – and on Thursday evenings throughout Lent, as part of an archdiocese-wide initiative to make the sacrament more accessible during this season that’s all about conversion, penance, confession, forgiveness and reconciliation.

There’s also a Lenten Penance Service scheduled for 7 p.m. March 25 – as well as the regular reconciliation times Saturday afternoons from 3:30-4:30 and from 5 to 5:20 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays.

Let us dare to be like the leper who approached Jesus and said: “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

And we can receive the same response: “He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.”

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

2015 Will Be Exciting

"Grant, we pray, almighty God,

that the newness of the Nativity in the flesh

of Your Only Begotten Son may set us free,

for ancient servitude holds us bound

beneath the yoke of sin."

2015 will be an exciting year.

That's not a prediction, but my New Year's resolution, based on the prayer above, the Collect from the Mass for Dec. 30.

"God does not like boredom," I heard a priest say, reflecting on the prayer. "He is eternally new."

It's sin that's old and boring, he said. At first, our sins might seem exciting and new. But after a while, as we become ensnared, we realize our sins are just old and predictable. How many of us go to Confession and repent of the same sins again and again?

But we are not to give up on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In fact, we need God's grace to break free. He's always there for us, wanting to set us free from our bondage, the priest said.

That is why God sent His Son to us.

So my resolution for 2015 is to go to Reconciliation as often as I can.

I'm bored with sin. I'm ready for the excitement Jesus offers, His eternal newness and happiness that we can experience in its fullness in Heaven.

Good riddance sin. Happy New Year!

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

The Ulitmate Evil

Sometimes we take for granted words and concepts we've known and grown accustomed to.

We hear the words, but they no longer have meaning for us.

One such word for me is "sin."

Blessed John Henry Newman set me straight, though. I found his thoughts on sin in a meditation in the prayer publication Magnificat and was jolted back to reality.

The saint noted all the evils he saw in the world: war, famine, sickness, death. They bring about immense, indescribable suffering, yet they are nothing compared with sin, he said. They are mere fruits of sin, he wrote, effects of sin, "shadows of it, but nothing more."

Sin itself is far worse. "All these dreadful pains of body and soul are the fruits of sin, but they are nothing to its punishment in the world to come," the saint wrote. "The keenest and fiercest of bodily pains is nothing to the fire of hell; the most dire horror or anxiety is nothing to the never-dying worm of conscience; the greatest bereavement, loss of substance, desertion of friends, and forlorn desolation is nothing compared to the loss of God's countenance. Eternal punishment is the only true measure of the guilt of sin."

The famous preacher helped me realize the horror that Jesus saved us from, perhaps why He had to suffer so much on our behalf and why we should hate sin and be moved to tears by it.

Sin is real, the ultimate evil. But another Magnificat reading reminded me of our victory over sin in Christ. God "is more powerful even than that most terrifying of enemies, death, which prowls the world seeking to devour all the living. Life, not death, has the last word."

We have an opportunity to receive God's life-giving forgiveness and grace tonight at a 7 p.m. reconciliation service, part of the parish's mission week.

Let's pray with Blessed John Henry Newman, asking God to teach us what sin is. "And, not only teach me about it, but in Your mercy and by Your grace, remove it."

Inspired by the Year of Faith, Susan Szalewski began writing weekly columns for us. Although that year is over, we liked them so well that we asked her to keep writing. Thankfully, she said yes. So watch for these on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

How Do I Go to Confession?

With our Parish Reconciliation Service 
Thursday at 7 p.m., this might be helpful:

Sacrament of Reconciliation

How do I go to Confession?

Sign of the Cross
I make the sign of the Cross and say, “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Introduction
Say, “Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been (length of time) since my last confession.”

Confession of Sins
The priest listens as I explain my sins, how I have hurt God, others, and myself. End with, “For these and all my sins I am truly sorry.”

Penance
The priest asks me to say a prayer or do an act of goodness.

Act of Contrition
I tell God I am sorry for my sins. I say a prayer of sorrow:
O my God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you, whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with the help of your grace, to do penance, to sin no more and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. Amen.

Absolution
The priest says a prayer in the name of the Church, asking God to forgive my sins. With this prayer, all my sins are forgiven.

Dismissal
The priest says, “Your sins are forgiven, go in peace.”
I answer, “Thanks be to God.”

Alessandro Serenelli

Although Alessandro was only 19 years old, he had become addicted to pornography. Wanting to live out his fantasies he attempted to molest an 11 year old girl. As she yelled out, "No Alessandro, it is a sin..." he became enraged and stabbed her 14 times. Although she made it to a hospital and received Communion as Viaticum, she died.

Alessandro was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Although he was aware that Maria, the girl, had forgiven him on her deathbed (even saying she wanted to be in heaven with him) he did not feel remorse. Then he had a dream -- which was surprising in and of itself because Alessandro did not typically dream.

In this vivid dream, the prison walls and bars fells away as his cell became a sunlit garden. full of flowers. He was surprised to see a peasant girl dressed in white since they wear dark colors. Then he realized it was Maria. She was walking among the flowers, smiling and not as all fearful. He wanted to leave but couldn't. Maria picked white lilies and handed them to him saying, "Alessandro, take them!"

One by one he accpted the 14 lilies. As he took them, each lily transformed into a flaming light. There was one lily for each of the times he had stabbed her. Then Maria smilingly said, "Alessandro, as I have promised, your soul shall someday reach me in heaven."

The dream changed him. For the first time he understood the light of God's grace and mercy. From that time on, he looked to reform his life.

Because of his good behavior, he got out of prison after 27 years. For a time he wandered as a farmhand, but them he became a brother in a Capuchin monastery.

Finally, 31 years after the trial, he went to visit Assunta Goretti, Maria's mother. Begging Assunta's forgiveness, she placed her hands on his head, caressed his face and gently said, "Alessandro, Marietta forgave you, Christ has forgiven you, and why should I not also forgive. I forgive you, of course, my son! Why have I not seen you sooner?"

The next morning Assunta, with head held high and tears falling, took Alessandro by the hand and led him to Mass. Side by side they took communion. From that day on he was welcomed into the Goetti family as "Uncle Alessandro."

Assunta and Alessandro were also side by side when St. Maria Goretti was cannonized.

Light of the World

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Heavenly Father."

Many people at St. Columbkille remember Father William O'Leary, a Jesuit priest who passed away Monday in Wisconsin. He taught at Creighton Prep for four decades and offered Masses at parishes across the Omaha area, including St. Columbkille.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Father nearly nine years ago for an article in The Omaha World-Herald. The occasion was a surprise party for his 75th birthday. The party had to be a surprise, organizers said, because otherwise Father O'Leary would not have allowed it. He lived humbly, not drawing attention to himself. But in the course of living out his Catholic faith, people noticed him and were drawn to him. In other words, his light shined.

I didn't know Father O'Leary personally, but I was inspired by his simplicity. I learned that when he received gifts, he often gave them away. He is said to have owned just three pairs of pants and three shirts. He drank water without ice and gave what money he had to pay for lunches for underprivileged students or for their families' utility bills. Father didn't travel by airplane; he preferred the bus because it gave him time to minister to fellow passengers and even offer them the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The light Father O'Leary shared is Jesus, the Light of the World. We, too, are called to let Him radiate through us. May Jesus, our Perpetual Light, shine on Father O'Leary and all the souls of the departed.

Inspired by this Year of Faith we will be posting columns like this from Susan Szalewski about exploring and/or deepening our faith. Watch for it on Thursdays and see the Year of Faith Blog here.

Wearing Out the Confessional Chairs

It seems that we've been so busy with so much Reconciliation this lent that we've worn out the chairs in the confessionals. Here are before and after pictures in both confessionals.

Tonight is the last night of "Leave the Light On" where every parish in the diocese is to offer Reconciliation from 5:30 until 7 p.m. tonight. And you can do it tonight with a new chair.

Pope Francis' First Angelus

Pope Francis began speaking at the window of the papal study just before noon in Rome — the usual time for a weekly papal address. He spoke in Italian and off the cuff.

He told a story, of an elderly widow he encountered during a Mass for the sick celebrated in connection with a visit of the image of Our Lady of Fatima. “I went to confession during the Mass,” he said, “and near the end – I had to go to do confirmations afterward, and an elderly lady approached me – humble [she was] so very humble, more than eighty years old. I looked at her, and said, ‘Grandmother,’ – where I come from, we call elderly people grandmother and grandfather – ‘would you like to make your confession?’ ‘Yes,’ she said – and I said, ‘but, if you have not sinned…’ and she said, ‘we all have sinned.’ [I replied], ‘if perhaps He should not forgive [you]?’ and, sure, she replied, ‘The Lord forgives everything.’ I asked, ‘How do you know this for sure, madam?’ and she replied, ‘If the Lord hadn’t forgiven all, then the world wouldn’t [still] be here.’ And, I wanted to ask her, ‘Madam, did you study at the Gregorian (the Pontifical Gregorian University, founded in 1551 by St Ignatius Loyola, the oldest Jesuit university in the world)?’ – because that is wisdom, which the Holy Spirit gives – interior wisdom regarding the mercy of God. Let us not forget this word: God never tires of forgiving us,” he repeated, “but we sometimes tire of asking Him to forgive us.” Pope Francis went on to say, “Let us never tire of asking God’s forgiveness.”

He ended his remarks saying, "Buon pranzo" which means "Have a good lunch."

Parish Reconciliation Service

"The New Evangelization

begins in the Confessional"

Pope Benedict XVI

Tonight we will have Reconciliation starting at 5 p.m. like usual. It will continue during the 6:15 Mass as if has been in Lent. Our Parish Reconciliation Service will begin at 7 p.m. led by Fr. Larry Gillick, SJ. Then we will have more confessors available.

Keepin' The Light On

The snow doesn't matter, we'll still have

 Reconciliation tonight from 5 to 7 p.m.

We're Leaving the Light On Tonight

Each Thursday during Lent we will offer reconciliation in the church from 5 to 7 p.m. Because this is the first Thursday of Lent, we begin tonight.

Other churches in the diocese will begin this next Thursday (and until March 21st) from 5:30 to 7 p.m. We are starting at 5:00 because we already offer Reconciliation Mondays through Thursdays starting at 5 p.m. And yes, this does mean that we will have one priest in the confessional while another celebrates Mass at 5:30 p.m. tonight.

First Reconciliation

Today Fr Vogel led a Pennance Service before many of our second graders received their First Reconciliation.

After the short service, families lined up for Reconciliation.

Families would introduce their child to one of the seven priests, then leave their child to receive the sacrament.

Congratulations!

We're Proud of you!

How many priests does it take...

Q: How many priests does it take to hear confessions at our Parish Reconciliation Service Thursday?
A: Eleven will be here.

Q: Who instituted the Sacrament of Penance?
A: Jesus himself instituted the sacrament of Penance when he showed himself to his apostles on Easter day and commanded them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Nowhere did Jesus express more beautifully what happens in the sacrament of Penance than in the parable of the Prodigal Son, or as Blessed John Paul the II called it, the parable of the Forgiving Father. We go astray, we are lost and can no longer cope. Yet our Father waits for us with great, indeed, infinite longing; he forgives our sins. Jesus himself forgave the sins of many individuals; it was more important to him than working miracles. He regarded this as the great sign of the dawning of the Kingdom of God, in which all wounds are healed and all tears are wiped away. Jesus forgave sins in the power of the Holy Spirit, and he handed that power on to his Apostles. We fall into the arms of our heavenly Father when we go to a priest and confess. (YOUCAT, 227)

Q: When is our Parish Penance Service?
A: Thursday, December 13th at 7:00 p.m. in the church.