Things I wish I had said to my father.

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS.

Excellent topic for all of us to consider.

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“Adopt An Apostle” Catholic Religious Vocation Campaign

Posted on December 11, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS.

822643p13732EDNMain132041027Salvatorians_822As a nuclear medicine technologist, Michael Johnson has had some difficulty adjusting to religious life. In his second year of formation for the U.S. province of the international Salvatorian religious community, he’s quiet a lot, spending hours in prayer and discernment for his future.

“It’s hard for me to just sit,” Johnson told Our Sunday Visitor in a recent interview. “I’m used to doing things, I’m used to producing. That’s our society here in America.”  Now, though, he is quiet. And he is relying on the prayers —and financial support — of others as he spends this time discerning God’s call for him.

“I have a lot of time for prayer and contemplation,” he said. “It’s a real gift to have the space and the time to really focus on God and see where God’s calling me. I wish everyone in the world could have a year like I have right now where they can just spend time going deeper inside themselves and seeing God inside themselves and inside others.”

‘Blessed problem’
Johnson’s story is not unique. The Salvatorians, who are based in Milwaukee, currently are bursting with vocations — something Father Joe Rodrigues, vocations director and U.S. provincial, called a “blessed problem.”

To learn more about the Salvatorians’ Adopt an Apostle campaign

“Here it is we have men who are choosing to respond to the call,” he said. “The irony is how we are going to sustain them.”

With the high cost of education, housing and formation “it was amazing how [the bills] added up,” Father Rodrigues said. To meet the needs of his growing community, Father Rodrigues recently launched the Adopt an Apostle campaign — a program matching those in formation with financial and spiritual supporters. The seminarians are termed “apostles,” because part of the Salvatorian charism says that all those baptized are to be called apostles.

As the idea for the fundraising effort continued to develop, Father Rodrigues knew he wanted an easy, appealing and personal avenue.  “People like more of a concrete focus when it comes to contributing,” he said. “It’s about relationship. It’s not this theoretical thing they are contributing to.”

Through the Adopt an Apostle initiative, Father Rodrigues said supporters are able to contribute completely to the lives of men in formation. They can pay for them. They can pray for them. They can visit them.

It’s Father Rodrigues’ hope that there is a demographic of faithful Catholics looking for a way to help support the Church as it continues to provide sacraments and ministry within a Catholic context. He sees each measure of support as an investment in the future of the Church and as a way for people to express their faith.

“Each of these men will touch thousands of people throughout their lives,” he said. “By investing in these men and helping sponsor them, they can be a part of that.”

Filling a need
In order to develop the relationship between those in formation and their adopted “parents,” Father Rodrigues encourages the seminarians to write to their sponsors. The Salvatorians update social media so the sponsors will be able to “see the faces” of the men and “be familiar with them and how they are doing.”

Anne Ramsey met Father Rodrigues in 2007 at Most Holy Trinity Parish in Tucson, Ariz., where she was “blown away” by his homilies and his ability to bring the Gospel to life. She began receiving the Salvatorian newsletter, reading the vocations stories and was impressed with the commitment of the men who were considering priesthood and religious life.

“After the passing of my beloved husband I felt alone and lost,” Ramsey said. “Daily I kept praying and asking, ‘What do you want me to do now, Lord? Use me as your instrument. Where can I help?’”

When another issue of the newsletter arrived, Ramsey read about the Adopt an Apostle program and knew she had found her answer. She began to contribute financially every month, while continuing her prayers for the men in formation.

“They will be sent out to continue the Church’s mission to spread truth,” she said. “It will be an uphill battle.”

As a lay Salvatorian, JoAnn Kuphaldt, from Fair Oaks, Calif., also recently started supporting the community through the Adopt an Apostle program. She feels a connection with the community, she said, and attends conferences and visits the men in Milwaukee when she can.

“It just seemed to me that they were in need, so when Father Joe got up and said we’re starting this program, I thought, ‘that’s a really good thing to do,’” Kuphaldt said.

Laying claim to future
Johnson, who grew up in Woodbury, Minn., knows that without the support of those like Ramsey and Kuphaldt, he wouldn’t be able to make it through this year of discernment on his own.

“We’re just indebted to the people who are supporting us,” he said. “It’s something we don’t have to worry about. It’s something that’s not hanging over our heads. We can focus all of our attention on our volunteering and our studies.”  And prayers, he said, are even more important than any financial assistance.

“[The discernment process] is definitely the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “I could never have done this without the spiritual support of friends and family.”  As the Adopt an Apostle campaign continues to take form, Father Rodrigues hopes it will be a model that will pay dividends.

It’s an opportunity, he said, for people to “lay claim on the future of the Church” — and to continue to pray for those in formation as they “give witness in this way to serve the people of God.”
To learn more about the Salvatorians’ Adopt an Apostle campaign

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Second Sunday of Advent, “Monkey See…” (Isaiah 11)

Posted on December 8, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS.

Image“Is it because the sandbox is too small for us or that you just will not give me a little more room.”

Isaiah 11 tells us that the bud is blossoming and that animals of all kinds will be neighbors and that kids will be playing with snakes.  (What’s he smoking?)

Cue Jiminey Cricket and “When You Wish Upon A Star…”  (all verses)

2014 is coming soon and I hope that things have changed if you’re reading this a few years from now.  Divisiveness, separation, smugness and separation is the flavor of the day in politics.  (Is it because he’s black?  No, that’s a liberal position and I can’t say that.)  We define ourselves by labels (either self imposed or given to us) that set us where we need to be during any debate.  It’s not only politics but religion as well.  (Liberal, Conservative in the Catholic Church?  Why are we comfortable with those dividing labels?)

We get narrower and more narrower in our divisions and labels.  “Gay Republicans?”  I’m sure there’s four at best of those guys.  “Compassionate Conservative?”  I have no idea what that means.  At work I’m called not only a liberal but a “psycho-liberal.”  I’m not sure which corner to house myself.  And my favorite of all is “Jews for Jesus.”  (Jees, just get a life!)

“Monkey see as monkey do,” goes the adage and we seem to have a lot of that these days.  I’ve not be one to be down on the media but during these days they’ve presented to us a divided country with divided views and we seem to adapt well to this confusion.  Between MSNBC and Fox News, the conversation is anything but conversing.  The anchors ask a question to a “paid consultant” guest who pauses a moment and then says, “I agree with you.”  (I’d agree with you too since you’re name is on the check.)  This is passing for news, informational and formational news.

I looked up “cynic” and it says someone interested in self interest and independence while another source says, “without knowledge of the why” something is so.  So my conversation with someone begins with, “You’re against unions.” “Yes,” followed by my “Why” question.  “I heard on the radio” or “I heard on TV that,” which doesn’t answer my simple inquiry.  He/she will never admit to me that a personal or informed opinion is not forthcoming.  It’s just a popular statement heard over and over that this and that is wrong.  No information or formation.  We hear the 10 second bite in the media that he/she bit the other night and now re-bites to me.  (This is called “a thoughtful exchange of ideas.”)

I think of those 18-20 years old who are coming of age and will replace us.  Is their mentality cynicism or sarcasm.  I love sarcasm because it presents conflicting views in a humorous way for reflection.  Cynicism only leads to isolation because of self interest and misses the community and those less fortunate.  Cynicism does not breed or endorse hope because it is closed in on itself.  Happily, I’m very sarcastic but never cynical.  There is too much hope in ourselves rooted in this season of hope and anticipation, Advent.

These young folks are subjected to divisiveness and actually enjoying being angry at someone for his/her opinions.  (That’s the smugness.)  They missed the days of Walter Cronkite or Huntley/Brinkley or Eric Sevareid.  In 60 seconds Eric gave us a clear picture of the problem along with opposing arguments and his sensible resolution while looking douringly (not a real adverb) into the camera.  He (and they) made us think, ponder, consider and resolve with always the greater good in mind.

The monkey can see and enjoy the divisive comedy that passes for news each night but the monkey can think for him/herself.  That’s also self interest and independence with a mind toward the community.

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St. Mary’s Birthday (September 8)

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS.

Image“In the beginning” begins the beginning of our beginnings.  Today we honor the birthday of Jesus’ mom, Mary.  (So she was the beginning of our beginnings!)  Well, yes and no.

Why September 8, I’m not sure.  I’m sure the Catholic Church has some planetary reason why Mary was born today, I just hope that it wasn’t based on Pluto.

In such a male dominated church as the Catholic Church is, it only seems right that a woman creep her way into its hallowed, linear structures. (Can women creep?)  I think that we have more Mary honored days in the Catholic Church than for Jesus. That’s hardly “creeping.”  I mentioned that to a priest friend who wisely told me, “But every Mass day is a Jesus day.”

I like the emphasis to this day to be on beginnings.  How better to do it except through the mother.  Through, not because of.  Through, sometimes in spite of.  Through, but sometimes to her credit.  A friend of mine is pregnant with breast cancer and needs to forgo extensive cancer treatment until her baby is born.  Is that love?  Is that something you know not now but somehow find the trust to endure?

The beginning of something is always the end of something else.  One television program that you immensely love is cancelled and a new show begins that you now immensely love.  The life of Jesus gives us the realization of our hopes and promises.  His life ended the drudgery of always drudging up our failings and weaknesses.  The birth of Mary ended the waiting and anticipation of salvation history.

Jesus needed a beginning to begin his beginning.  Through the Holy Spirit, Mary gave it to him.  (Happy birthday Mary and keep jabbing us Catholic to not be afraid of the other gender.)

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First Sunday of Advent (Matthew 24: 37-44)

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS.

ImageJesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In those days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away.   
So will it be also at the coming of the Son of Man.  Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left. Therefore, stay awake!  For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,  he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.  So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” (Matthew 24: 37-44)
You have a product to sell and you consider the ways to get potential buyer’s attention.  You may not think that religion is not a product but it is.  Faith, however, is not a product except it’s the product of your development, exploration, risks and personal discoveries and then normally lived and celebrated within a product called religion.

You discover the best way to set your product above any other is to use fear.  What a great seller fear is.  Your advertisement begins with a fearful proposition and then your product takes that fear away.  And, all for only $19.95, only if you act now.  This offer expires soon, just as we will.

Fear.  Insurance companies lives off of it, and how many warranties and guaranties have been sold without any loss from the merchant’s wallet.  We buy it.  We fall for it.  If we didn’t buy, they wouldn’t sell it.  That bears repeating, if we didn’t buy it, they wouldn’t sell it.  Now.  How about selling something that can’t be proven?  What a market share we’ll enjoy.  We can sell it without proving one inch.  It just is because we say that it is.

And so enters the great realm of religion.  “Can’t prove it, but you need it.”  “We’ll fear them into compliance.”

We know from our own experience what fear yields.  Fear yields nothing.  Fear freezes you in place.  You’re unable to think clearly because this thing looms over you.  You’re immobile to make choices because no choices lie before you.  You’re scared.  

The First Sunday of Advent offers us a fear-filled reading that leaves us wanting to purchase whatever can keep us from pending calamity.  The reading can’t be proven and we’re not even sure if Jesus even said those words but they are given to us this first Sunday beginning the Church’s most glorious preparation period toward its glorious beginning, the birth of Jesus.

I don’t know about you but I love Advent.  Advent is never four weeks in my calendar but it is my life’s calendar.  Life is always about preparation.  Preparation for something of which I know nothing about.  I only have an inkling of it and it doesn’t include the feeling of fear.

I don’t need a Catholic Church’s insurance policy based on my worthlessness, smallness or insignificance.  I’ll put and invest my money in an unknown future that honors my creation by a loving Creator and then will one day weigh me with all my good and all my bad.

You can all begin this sacred season of Advent “moaning and weeping in this vale of tears.”  I, however, will be loving and enjoying and savoring the Advent of these four weeks that gives me a sample and clue about my whole life.   

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Second Sunday of Advent (Isaiah 11:1-10)

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS.

ImageOne that day
(in my lifetime or the next century?)
a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. 

Not by appearance shall he judge
(black, hispanic asian or any flavor that is not the same as my color)
nor by hearsay shall he decide
(MSNBC and FoxNews will merge and then implode together on live television),
but he shall judge the poor with justice
(no more, “it’s their own doing, lazy, selfish”),
and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. 
(“Who are the society’s real poor?  Cyber Monday?  Black Friday, Southridge Mall was open for 26 straight hours!”) 

He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth. 
(Rush Limbaugh told his 15 million listeners that the pope is a socialist.  The Catholic Church is socialist.  He was trying to insult us.  Tell us something we don’t know!)

and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. 
(After someone makes a stupid statement, you just look at the person…I love that one)

Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. 
(You are now armed with compassion, mercy, forgiveness, hopefulness and promises beyond our imaginations.)

Then the wolf (Blitzer) shall be a guest at the Boehner’s household for supper; and those making a living salary will lie down with all the WalMart employees;

browsing together with teenagers who think they know all the answers along with older adults who really do know all the answers… all with a little child to guide and be influence by both of them.

The cow and the bear shall be neighbors
(“You clean up your own dung and I’ll take care of attacking the campers at night. Fair enough?!”)
 
Together their young shall rest
(Is it possible for two semi-conflicting views to merge into one?  We always pray and say, yes.) 

The lion shall eat hay like the ox. 
(A friend just told me that the way politics was done years ago was that U.S. Senators got together at night, had a cigar together and a few brandies, then fell on the floor and found a solution.)

The baby shall play by the cobra’s den. 
(It gets a little tricky here.  “Does my talking to you mean that I’m indeed talking to you or does it mean that I agree with you when I can’t agree because of all the stuff that keeps me talking to you.  This applies not only to statesmen but to all families at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.)

and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. 
(probably the most significant of everything in this Isaiah reading.  Who takes the first step?  Who?  (Another friend of mine uses the image of dance to describe conflicting views.  “Can we dance together?” he asks.  “Who’s gonna to lead and who’s going to follow?”  And is dancing like that really about winning and losing or enjoying the music and uncovering a compromise.)

There shall be no harm or ruin on all my hold mountain. 
(How can either of those things exist when people are willing to talk together, work together, to be seen in the same room together.)

For his dwelling will be glorious.

“Sorry Isaiah.” “Yeah, right.”  “Baa-Umbug.”

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advent_gr“Wait, wait,” the Catholic Church tells us.  “Just wait, it will come.”  Wait – has to be one of the most hated American words right next to its second in growing contention, entitlement.
We misuse these words to our purposes.  Go figure.  Radio’s Christmas music was pushed up, Halloween decorations in my neighborhood appear in August and all the Christmas stuff for my Chapel is stored outside the Chapel because it’s only December 2.

We’re in such a hurry to hurry forth what can only be slowly brewed.  Have you ever watched a cup of coffee brew, staring at it with your early-morning-tired-eyes and wondering why that noise hasn’t stopped yet?  When the noise subsides you the sound of pouring begins you’re able to savor and endure the new day before you.  That first taste.  That first taste that says, “Yes, I am alive and I am here.”  Whether it’s coffee or Coke for you, the meaning is the same.
We can’t just wait.  People hearing me give this little sermon to just can’t wait until it’s over so they’ll be able to eat again, four hours since their last meal.  “Poor things.”  Don’t you wonder how we stay alive?

Whether it’s the bus, the movie, the long awaited niece’s visit, the late promised phone call, the death of a good friend in pain, the whistle to blow, the alarm clock to stop on its own, the friend with this long winded story that I’ve heard already before, the mail to arrive, for my 90th birthday day to finally come, will my son ever leave my home?, for that Christmas package from me to arrive at his house on time, to the season of spring, to my favorite television show, for the nurse to finally call my name after 45 minutes, for the test results to be given to me, will my dinner ever arrive in this place?, when will I awake in either purgatory or heaven?

We hate to wait so what do we do in the meantime?  We hurry things up, events, even Church events to make them happen according to our personal calendars.  We anticipate the end results without living the means.  “I’d thought you’d never arrive,” we say when a friend arrives.  We anticipate the end results without living the means.  Life is a means that will one day result in death.  Life is a means that will one day result in results, however, it may not be the results that you foolishly anticipated.

Advent is synonymous with that dreadful word, waiting.

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS. | Leave a comment

ImageWorld War II in all its 2013-seen glory but not without its ugly gore succeeded because of two handicapped people.

The most two powerful people of the free world were disabled and very much conscious of their frailties.  King George VI of England had a persistent stutter and Franklin Roosevelt had polio.  In a movie capturing the beginnings of World War II, King George is attempting to convince the war-weary president to enter another war.  He stutters and stammers and finally says, “This GD stuttering.”  The president pauses for a moment and then says, “What stuttering?  This GD polio.”

Two influential men who with a pen can send thousands into war’s way show their weakness, either willingly or unintentionally to each other.  Two weak but strong people led us to another victory over totalitarianism in spite of what they thought held them back.  Both feared each other but both needed each other.

Advent.  Admitting to yourself that you cannot always do it alone.  We all put our best faces forward but behind those smiling faces lies disabilities, handicaps and limitations that only show themselves when the need is greatest.

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS. | Leave a comment

Image“Okay, God, we get the joke.  Nice one.  You’ve done the joke long enough, it’s time to move on.  We get the four seasons joke but we don’t like one of them anymore.  It’s this winter thing You keep flinging at us every year.  What you send us is beautiful in its pure white form falling mysteriously from clouds we can’t name but then it seems to pile up and up and then turns grey or gray (we call it slush in Wisconsin) and then it sometimes freezes and then it stays with us until mid-June.

Driving is getting crazy enough without Your “White Christmas” routine for five months.  You must know about the macho 60 and 70 years old who go out and shovel Your stuff and then fall over dead.  Or the poor older woman who slips and falls after leaving the grocery store and her milk mixes in the grey or gray slush.  We all know that you’re old God but don’t you know how cold affects old bones?  It’s not pretty.  Sometimes we even think of using Your name in a disparaging way but luckily we pause.  We probably pause only because there’s an ice patch up ahead and we need to be careful.

You know God that “three” is the perfect number.  You taught us that.  It’s your fault.  What would be so bad, if I may brave a suggestion to You Almighty, if the season of fall just continues to spill over those old winter months and we then segue into spring.  Doesn’t that make sense to You.  You of all people.  “Father, Son, Spirit?”  Summer, Fall, Spring?  Get it?  Not to tell you what you already know but Your Son didn’t spend four days in the tomb, it was well I guess you know the answer.

And Jonah?  Four?  I think not.

Let’s look at this from your perspective.  Wouldn’t more people come to church more often if the weather were a little pleasant.  How many times I’ve heard, “The weather was just too bad for us to attend, Father.”

Making angels in the snow was fun for awhile but then this bone thing began to happen as the years gathered upon us.  Isn’t there some pagan country where you could shift winter for a few seasons, if not forever?

I don’t mean to tell You Your business… or do I.”

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS. | Leave a comment

advent-wreath1It takes hours to prepare and minutes to eat.  You know what I’m talking about.  Whether it’s a Thanksgiving meal or another special occasion, the time invested in getting the meal together boggles my microwave mind.

“Great meal, mom,” is the three word response from hours of toil.  Three words.  Take our Christian tradition and you get the same results.  “Great job, God.”  Centuries have preceded us with the toils and efforts of saints and sinners that have brought us to this day.  “Upon whose shoulders we stand,” we could say to ourselves.  From your favorite saint to saints you’ve never heard of, are united with us each day in the the short minutes we call our lives.  We marvel at 90 years while the centuries build upon and continue building the Kingdom of God.

Advent is always about beginnings.  Our beginnings and going back to the beginnings of how many folks before us.  We don’t always like to think of beginnings because it may mean changing something within us.  And we all know how we feel about that ugly word, change.  Luckily, that’s the season of Lent’s responsibility, reflecting upon our lives toward change.  Advent is simply and beautifully about beginnings – our own and that of others.  Re-root yourselves into the lives of your parents as you entered this world.  Re-root yourselves in the sinners and saints who out date you.  Re-root yourselves in a good book about holiness, trials, sufferings, joys and ecstasies.  My Advent reading this year is Flannery O’Connor, an ordinary writer with extraordinary spiritual insights.

I hope that she brings me back to my beginnings in anticipation of another renewal in the birth of Christ.  It took Flannery a lifetime to write in what I’ll read in just minutes.  “Great book, Flannery” will be my three words when I’m finished.

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Rev. Joe Jagodensky, SDS. | Leave a comment