Father John A. Kiley
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A statement of faith that passes through the lips of Roman Catholics and many other Christians Sunday after Sunday acknowledges the vital mission of the Holy Spirit in salvation history. “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.” This brief creedal formula confesses the Holy Spirit to be truly Divine. He is Lord and Life-giver. These words also admit the Spirit to be worthy of honor and praise equal to the other two Divine persons. The Holy Spirit’s revelatory role in making the mysteries of God fathomable to believers is likewise professed. But in the midst of these tributes to the Spirit of God are three English words “and the Son” (which are actually one Latin word: “filioque”). For reasons both political and doctrinal, this miniscule phrase has divided Eastern and Western Christianity officially for a thousand years and theologically for maybe fifteen hundred years. more
The four Gospel accounts from Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written perhaps thirty, forty, even fifty years after the events which they relate actually occurred. These four accounts were written possibly in Jerusalem, maybe in Syria, perhaps in Rome or elsewhere. One or two of these narratives were destined for Jewish readership; the other two were destined for Greek, Roman and Gentile circulation. more
It is often reported that young adults don’t go to church, don’t marry and don’t vote. Any pastor can relate that young people disappear shortly after their Confirmation and return when it is time to get married or, more likely today, when they want their first baby baptized. The latest Pew Survey found that while church attendance is off, generally “the main reason for the decrease was due to millennials (18 to 35 year olds) leaving the church.” Pew researchers offer a similar bleak statistic regarding marriage: “If current trends continue, 25% of young adults in the most recent cohort (ages 25 to 34 in 2010) will have never married by 2030. That would be the highest share in modern history.” And the data from the US Census Bureau on voting is not much more encouraging: “In every U.S. presidential election from 1964 on, 18 to 24-year-olds voted at lower rates than all other age groups. In contrast, Americans 65 and older have voted at higher rates than all other age groups since the 1996 election.” more
The sad news from Pew Research Associates that the percentage of Rhode Islanders who claim to be Catholic has diminished to 42% is matched by the equally distressing information that the number of Rhode Islanders who have no religious affiliation at all has increased to 20 percent. more
The solemnity of Pentecost was a Jewish feast day long before Christians began to commemorate the powerful arrival of the Holy Spirit on the Church community at Jerusalem. And truth be told, the Jewish observance of this early summer festival certainly had agricultural roots in the fulfillment that farmers experienced as their early spring plantings came to fruition. This spring planting would have occurred seven weeks earlier around the time of the Jewish feast of Passover and the later Christian observance of Easter. Then the next two months would have coincided with the farmers’ anxious witness of the first sprouts, the lengthening stems, the hardy stalks, the ripe kernels and the successful harvest of sweet rye, wheat, and barley. From a human perspective, the festival that later became Pentecost was a celebration of natural fulfillment, completion, accomplishment. more
The four Gospel accounts from Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written perhaps thirty, forty, even fifty years after the events which they relate actually occurred. These four accounts were written possibly in Jerusalem, maybe in Syria, perhaps in Rome or elsewhere. One or two of these narratives were destined for Jewish readership; the other two were destined for Greek, Roman and Gentile circulation. more
Father Joseph Egan was a long-time dogmatic theology professor at St. Bernard’s Seminary in Rochester, New York. It was always his contention that St. Luke wrote Acts of the Apostles in order to justify the missionary activity to the Gentiles by St. Paul in light of the prior if somewhat limited outreach to the Gentile world by St. Peter. By the time St. Luke was writing Acts, St. Peter’s stature within the Christian community was acknowledged and respected enough that any precedent St. Peter had initiated could justifiably be cited as reason for other followers of Christ, like St. Paul and St. Barnabas, to venture out into similar even if more extensive challenges and apostolates. Accordingly, St. Luke devotes an entire chapter of Acts to the conversion by St. Peter of the Gentile but God-fearing centurion Cornelius and his household. more
Believers are certainly not surprised to hear Jesus’ words proclaiming love as a principal pillar upon which the Christian life rests. Nor is the believer surprised to read the words of the sacred authors of the Gospels and epistles joining Jesus in his demand that love be central to all Christian activity. St. James writes, “However, if you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.” St. Paul joins him while writing to the Galatians, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one statement, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” And again the Apostle confirms this belief in writing powerfully to the Romans: “…whatever other commandments there may be, are summed up in this saying, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.” The Gospel accounts of Saints Matthew, Mark and Luke are unanimous and unequivocal in placing love at the heart of the Christian message. St. Mark writes for all three when he records: “Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And for the Christian love is to be understood in its broadest sense: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” more
In the front vestibule of St. Joseph Church in Pascoag there is a small stained glass window depicting a bishop in liturgical attire, staff in hand, attended by servers. Perhaps unique in stained glass artistry, his Excellency is wearing eye-glasses. The episcopal motto featured below his likeness reveals the historical accuracy of the bespeckled prelate’s unusual portrait. more
Every Sunday Catholics through the world along with a number of other Christians solemnly professes the venerable words of the Nicene Creed: “For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” more
Perhaps no sacrament has evolved (or maybe the word should be devolved) over the centuries like the sacrament of Penance. And canonically it still is the sacrament of “Penance.” The official publication of the Catholic Church for the instruction of ministers confecting the sacrament is entitled “Ordo Paenitentiae,” i.e., the Order of Penance. The modern term “Reconciliation” is a mid-twentieth century application that ordinarily connotes equality between offending parties. more
As good and faithful Jews, Jesus and his closest disciples made careful preparations for the celebration of the Paschal meal – which, of course, would sadly be Jesus’ last supper. Joining St. Matthew and St. Mark, St. Luke carefully observes, “He sent out Peter and John, instructing them, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” A man they would meet would show them “a large upper room that is furnished.” They should make the preparations there. “Then they went off and found everything exactly as he had told them, and there they prepared the Passover.” When the four Gospel accounts of this Last Passover are read, along with St. Paul’s recollections, all of the traditional elements that even today comprise the Paschal Meal are mentioned. more
Recent articles have described St. Mark’s version of the Gospel as “a Passion account with an extended introduction.” One reference came from Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher to the papal household and the other came from the lectors’ workbook published by Chicago’s Liturgy Training Program. With such diverse observers sharing the same perspective on St. Mark’s brief Gospel account, a closer look at the Passion of Christ according to St. Mark, which forms this coming Palm Sunday’s lengthy Gospel reading, is clearly in order. more
The prophet David was the first king to rule over all twelve tribes of Israel centered around the city of Jerusalem. But the unity enforced by King David did not endure very long. After the death of David’s son Solomon, David’s grandson Rehoboam enforced a very severe regime. Eventually, ten of the northern Israelite tribes separated from this tyrannical king and chose for themselves Jeroboam, from the tribe of Ephraim, as their king, establishing a new kingdom which they called Israel. The other two tribes, Judah and Benjamin, remained with the dictatorial Rehoboam and formed the Judean kingdom. more
The Jews endured seventy years of exile in Babylon about five hundred years before the birth of Christ. The first reading at Mass this Sunday celebrates the release of these Jews from this exile by the noble king Cyrus. A number of Scripture scholars have understood that this alien existence of the Jewish people actually led to the origin of the synagogue system and to the formulation of the Bible. Since the Jews had no temple in which to worship, it makes sense that they would gather in their alien neighborhoods to pray, reflect and sing the praises of God. Such neighborhood gatherings would have led to the synagogue system known today throughout the world. Also while in exile, it is plausible that the Jews might choose to write down the prophecies and note the prodigies that had marked their history. These reminiscences of course would be the beginning of the Bible. Certainly these events could have all happened. more
If I were to mix chemical A with chemical B in my cellar in Woonsocket, there would be a definite reaction. The chemicals might lie there inert with no result, the chemicals might explode with dangerous consequences, or the chemicals might bubble over and eat away the work shelf supporting my experiment. more
Jesus lived daily with the unhappy prospect of being rejected by many of his own Jewish people and of being tortured and crucified by the local Roman authorities. Three times during his public life Jesus predicted his rejection by the Jews and his suffering by the Romans. The triple citations in St. Mark’s Gospel are very easily remembered: Mark 8:31, 9:31 and 10:33. more
Saints Matthew, Mark and Luke all locate Jesus’ temptations in the wilderness immediately after his baptism at the Jordan by the Baptist. Some Biblical commentators see a constant Scriptural theme in this juxtaposition: commitment is always followed by testing. The Jordan baptism signaled Jesus’ commitment to public life. He would no longer be the reclusive carpenter at home in Nazareth with his widowed mother. more
The infectious Ebola disease has made headlines recently as a scare for many throughout the world and as a tragedy for many on the African continent. more
The Christian world is rightly concerned about personal morality. Christians should not cheat on their spouses, cheat on their taxes nor cheat at the neighborhood card game. Character, integrity and honor have been the quest of Christian believers and the mark of Christian saints in every age. Francis of Assisi and Charles de Foucauld leaving aside their youthful naughtiness come readily to mind. The Christian community has also been involved since Biblical times with social justice. The outstretched hand of the least brother or sister has been readily grasped by the strengthening embrace of a benevolent Christianity. Vincent de Paul and Louise de Marillac rescuing Parisian newborns and paupers have left a still vibrant legacy. And the Christian community has a proud heritage in education and certainly in liturgy, worship and prayer. more
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