February 20, 2005

In the Gospel today we heard the account of the transfiguration of our Lord Jesus.  This is a familiar story to us.  We could call it the “good news” of baptism.  This is a vision of the coming glory of the resurrected Christ being revealed to the apostles.  It is the transformation that takes place in us at baptism and reaches its fulfillment in the resurrection we hope to share with Jesus.

In the reading from Genesis today, the LORD said to Abram, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you.”  This is more good news.  That great nation is the Church, the family of believers that we are called to be part of in baptism.

Then there was the second reading.  St. Paul told Timothy “Beloved: Bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God.”  This is what we could call the “bad news” of baptism.  Remember that when we are baptized, we are configured into the life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus.  The way to the resurrection and salvation is always through the cross.

We are in for a life of struggle.  There are constant temptations to take us away from a life rooted in Christ and turn us to a life rooted in the way of the world.  We are tempted not just to give up on our Lenten sacrifices, we are tempted at times to give up even on the Church and on our Faith.  This is the way of the spiritual life.  We are called to holiness and Satan tries to take us from our path to holiness.   The path to holiness and Lent in particular is one of self-denial.  True self-denial is bad news for the old self.  It is a stripping away of what doesn’t belong in us if we are to live a life in Christ.  It hurts.

Right now our Church seems to be going through all of this at the same time.  We are STILL, after these past years, struggling with the stain of scandals in the priesthood.  We do have a real need for purifying the Church and God is doing that.

There is a real temptation going around to join the world in gossip, rumor, and cynicism about the Church and especially about the clergy.  It has brought us to a general climate of mistrust and disbelief.

Most of you have probably heard the announcement from our bishop this past week.  He has called for an independent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct by clergy of this diocese.  He also sent a letter out to the priests.  I thought I would share some of that letter with you.  Bishop wrote:

“I ask your full cooperation with this investigation, if you are contacted by investigators.  If you have information that would be helpful to them, please offer it.  Encourage your people to do the same.

Our diocese is to be blessed this spring with the ordination of seven new priests.  I want them to know that they are joining a presbyterate that is recognized for its virtue and integrity.

This is a moment of grace for all of us.  I believe we face a future full of hope in the Lord as we cooperate with grace.”

Bishop also said earlier in the letter that all of you deserve the truth.

If you know of actual specific facts of inappropriate behavior by a priest, or of scandal – please, please report them to the investigative board.  If there is any truth to it, it needs to be dealt with.  This stuff has to stop.  Frankly – I’m sick of it!

At the same time, if any of us are participating in gossip, or rumor, or cynicism, its time to put that away.  It doesn’t help a thing.  It only does harm.  It begins to swallow all of us like a cloud of smoke until we can’t see anyone clearly anymore.

Whether rumor or gossip has done it, the bishop says there are even allegations against him.  I still can’t put words together for a response to that.  So I’ll tell you what I know of our bishop.  When I was going through the process of entering the seminary, I was told to visit Mundelein and Kenrick seminaries and decide which place I would like to go.  When I visited Kenrick, I was very pleasantly surprised.  I had lived in St. Louis a few years before and knew that Kenrick had a reputation for needing some changes.  When I visited this time, I realized that it had become a place of very good formation for priests and had the ability to instill some real virtue in its candidates.

During my visit I was invited to meet a man who was greatly responsible for these changes, the Rector of the seminary, Msgr. George Lucas.  After only a few minutes, I realized I was talking to a holy man.  I knew that I could do very well training for the priesthood under Msgr. Lucas.  So I reported that I wanted to go to Kenrick – of course I was sent to Mundelein.

During my third year of studies at Mundelein, Msgr. Lucas was named Bishop of Springfield.  It was one of those special moments in life when you can remember every detail.  I was elated.  I knew our diocese was being truly blessed.  I know several priest friends who trained under Msgr. Lucas.  They all speak very highly of him.  I am proud to have him as our Bishop.  It is obvious in every discussion I have with Bishop Lucas that he knows what he is about, he keeps his focus on Christ, and he lives a life of holiness.  He truly is an inspiration to his priests.

Even so, the cloud of suspicion has grown so much in our diocese that no one is safe from it.  It’s gotten ridiculous.  Now according to gossip and rumor, it seems like there are accusations against almost all of our priests, with the possible exception of 1 or 2 of the ones in the grave.  This is the work of Satan. 

The last thing Satan wants is a good priest.  He doesn’t care if he destroys a bad priest, especially if he can take 1 or 2 good ones with him.  If Satan can’t destroy a good priest, he would love to render him ineffective.

It seems that none of us are trusted in the world today.  Just a couple of days ago Msgr. Vann and I went out to dinner with a couple of friends.  At one point Msgr. excused himself to use the restroom.  On his way there he was stopped by a man who had been talking with his friend.  He asked Msgr. if he was a Catholic priest.  Msgr. said he was and the man sneered, “Oh, we were just talking about you people.  We know what you are like.  You just keep walking Father – don’t stop here.”  We’ve both gotten phone calls that sound like attempts at entrapment or just plain harassment.

It’s gotten so bad that this year it seems Msgr. has been spending all his time chasing ghosts and rumors.  Some may be true, I’m sure most aren’t – I don’t know.  It’s his job to deal with that as Vicar for Priests, not mine.  However, when he is busy with that job, I have to fill in for his.  That means there is a lot less of the two of us available to go to the hospitals and be in the school.  If this continues, it threatens to take us off message.  We need to be here, serving as priests, not out there chasing rumors.

Seeing all this, I think our bishop has finally just said – okay YOU check it out.  Its time that we turn over every rock and see if there really is anything that needs to be brought to the light for healing.  It’s a courageous move.  He’s not afraid of the truth and he says you all deserve that much.  It’s time for a moment of grace and healing.

Like a surgeon, we may have to cut a bit to heal – this may hurt.  This is the right time and the right season to do this.  As we go through this investigation, we join ourselves to Christ in His walk through the Passion to the resurrection.  There are too many years of darkness and rumor – its time to let the transforming light of Christ shine for all to see.  It’s a time for grace and mercy.  I believe it will come through this bishop and this investigation.

Grace and mercy, by the way, is the Bishop’s motto.  His name George is also no small act of providence.  That makes his patron St. George the dragon-slayer.  It is a sign of strength and protection for the Church against the attacks of the dragon, Satan.  And lets make no mistake about it, the Church is under attack from Satan – it always is.  Let’s also remember that we have the promise from Jesus that the gates of hell will  not prevail against the Church.

Satan has been puffing his smoke around this diocese long enough.  It’s time to clear that smoke.

This requires a lot of our prayers – a lot of your prayer.  It seems the faithful are always caught in the middle of these struggles.  Every time an accusation or rumor comes up my heart sinks and I wonder, how much more can all of you take.  I thank you for your courage, your strength, and your prayers.  And, I pray for all of you.  I pray that God will protect you and keep you strong in your faith.

So lets pray ourselves through this “bad news” of baptism, the struggle against the world, and into the glory of the resurrection as we have seen in the transfiguration of Christ.  We can begin with the psalm from today, “LORD let your mercy be on us as we place our trust in you.”

Many of you may remember that the old rite used to pray the prayer of St. Michael the archangel at the end of Mass.  Michael is the defender of the Church against evil.  Msgr. and I pray for his protection every night as we finish night prayer.  I suggest we all make it part of our daily prayers for our Church.  If any of you remember it, please pray it with me now.

“St. Michael the archangel, defend us in battle.  Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.  May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou o prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell, Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl through the world, seeking the ruin of souls.  Amen.”