Perspective on 3-in-1: The Holy Trinity by Mike Nuzzo

If asked, could you coherently describe the Holy Trinity to someone?  The Holy Trinity is a simple, yet powerful, part of our faith that is misunderstood by many people (including myself until recently).   The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls it “the central mystery of Christian faith and life”, yet it is so often glossed over, and we are left with “blind faith” alone, or just confusion.  Even the Nicene Creed glosses over the Oneness of God.

The Trinity is as follows: God is one in nature and substance,  yet appears in three distinct persons to us: Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit.

I believe it is in our human nature to instinctively reject things that we cannot prove or visualize.  To go beyond our human nature and expand our spirit and faith,  we must disconnect from the limitations of our imagination.   We can understand and visualize each “person”: God as our creator, Jesus as the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit as the Love of both the Father and the Son.  But once we try to see the three persons as One, we go beyond the capability of our imagination, and we must let go a little.  We must now use our intellect to understand.  Our intellect focus on what is possible, or impossible,  without the limitation of having to visualize it.  With rational thought, and the knowledge of our faith, we can begin along the path of understanding.

The differentiation between intellect and imagination is what really got me while reading “Theology and Sanity” by Frank Sheed.  I always thought I had a great imagination, and was proud of being able to visualize issues & concepts.  I never thought that it could be a limiting trait when exploring ideas at the edge of our understanding.  Now that I am aware, I am (sometimes) able to stop my imagination when it gets in the way.

Why do we have such trouble believing God can be so much more than human? Perhaps this is because of our inability to grasp the full concept of God, and thus this is one of the key mysteries of our faith.  Pray today about this concept, and when your imagination starts flashing pictures, stop, backup, and  meditate on an intellectual journey to come closer to God.

A Roadmap for Catholics: Intro to catechism by Fr. Bob Weighner

Now and then a parishioner will ask me some question regarding the faith.  Sometimes, I just answer them, but often I will refer them to the Catechism of the Catholic Church(CCC).  What is a catechism?  The online etymological dictionary tells us that it means “instruction in Christian principles,” from Latin, catechismus “book of instruction,” and from Greek, katekhizein, “to teach orally”.  Some of us old-timers remember the Baltimore Catechism, which was a simplified question-and-answer form.  Throughout the centuries, many catechisms have been written.  Major catechisms were written for the clergy, theologians and Church leaders, as an aid to their work, and the minor catechisms were written for the lay faithful.

Pope John Paul II commissioned new catechism in 1986

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) chaired commission

In our modern age, a new catechism was commissioned by Pope John Paul II in 1986.  Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) chaired that commission, and completed the work in 1992.  This is a comprehensive work, a universal Catechism, which is envisioned as a “reference text” for use by bishops, priests, catechists, and the lay faithful.  It is a great treasure for the Church today.  Pope John Paul II considered the Catechism to flow from the work of the Second Vatican Council, whose overarching goal was to make the faith more accessible to modern man.  He was convinced that, without proper tools, such as an up-to-date Catechism, it is not easy to teach our faith.

The 4-Legged Table of our Catholic Faith

The Catechism is meant to address the whole range and experience of the Catholic
faith.  To accomplish this, it is divided into four main parts – a 4-legged table, so to speak: faith, liturgy, morality and prayer.  Each of these sections is viewed through a particular inheritance of the faith:

Part I:  What we Believe – studies the Apostles
Creed/Nicene Creed as a synthesis of Catholic teaching.

Part II: How we Celebrate – studies the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church.

Part III: How we Live – the study of Christian morality through the life of Christ and
the Ten Commandments

Part IV: How we Pray – examines the “perfect prayer” given us by Jesus:  the Our Father.

This is a comprehensive approach to the faith, and a fitting way to organize our blogging
page.  Through these pages, we hope to clarify what the Church believes, deepen our appreciation for the liturgy and sacraments, address moral issues in the faith, and lastly, learn better how to speak with our Lord.

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We are only 10 days away from the Second Annual St. Anne social, which is on Friday February 10th at Bristol Oaks Country Club.    We have over 160 reservations and are at about 70% capacity.  Please remember to drop off or mail in your reservation by Tuesday, 2/7.  The team will also be taking reservations/payments after Masses this weekend.   We have a great list of live and silent auction items and a terrific evening of parish fellowship, music and dancing planned.

We look forward seeing you there!

Fr. Bob

HHSletter-20120131docx2

All bishops of the United States have been asked to communicate the seriousness of this decision.

Many additional resources are available through the archdiocesan website: http://www.archmil.org/News/Bishops-Vow-to-Fight-Coercive-.htm

I love fresh starts!  New semesters!  Brand new beginnings!  First fruits! 

First fruits are mentioned in the Bible at least 34 times. “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with first fruits…then your barns will be filled…your vats will overflow.” Proverbs 3:9-10.  First fruits refers to the very best we have to offer God right now. First fruits refers to the very best we have to offer God before our utility bill-paying, before tuition is due, before planning that next vacation, before rent/mortgage and spending money get allocated elsewhere.  First fruits are not our leftovers or our discretionary income. Learning to give from our need, not from our abundance, requires a genuine willingness to recognize that everything we have comes from God in the first place and ought to be returned to Him with love and trust.  Giving our first fruits away can be a way of saying “Thank you” to God who makes us able to pay our bills, our tuition, our mortgage, etc.  Giving our first fruits away can be a way of saying to God, “I trust you, Lord, to take care of me just as you do of the flowers of the field.”  Scripture says, “…Learn from the way the wild flowers grow…Will He not much more provide for you…?” (an excerpt from Matthew 6:26-33)

First fruits can be the next offertory gift you place in the basket at St. Anne’s or the next check you write to the Flowers of the Field Campaign or another charity of choice that serves God and His people.   Have you taken the time to pray and consider how good God has been to you?  Is your cup at least half full or perhaps running over? First fruits, tithing, stewardship, charitable giving, sharing with those less fortunate…all worthy pursuits…all worth an investment of time to learn more about the deep spiritual meaning of each.  As I open my heart to hear what the Lord wants me to know about Himself and how to please Him I pray you’ll do the same.  The Flowers of the Field Campaign is awaiting your thoughtful consideration and a one-time gift or a monthly pledge.  It’s not too late.  It’ll never be too late.  St. Anne’s is a place where the ordinary can become extraordinary, where a fresh start on your faith journey can become a lifelong journey of faith.  It is also a place where your stewardship matters, where you have an opportunity to shape the kind of parish we are and will be well into the future.  Thank you, in advance, for your prayer, your pledges, your first fruits! We’re nearly halfway to our goal!  It is a Happy New Year, indeed!

Adam has finished shoveling the driveway.  Now, there are little puddles of water from his shoes on my hardwood floor.  Ah well, tomorrow is another new beginning.  I think I’ll make a fruit salad and write some more thank you notes, a special one to my shoveler.

Saturday, March 3, 9-5 p.m., Men of Christ Conference at Milwaukee Theater: Join Archbishop Listecki, Auxiliary Bishop Hying, men and their sons at this conference, where you will witness the richness and power of our Roman Catholic Faith.  Unite with fellow Christian men with taking the light of Christ into our homes, communities and places of work.  The day will be an inspirational and enriching experience for what it means to be a strong Catholic Christian man. Groups of five or more can receive an early bird rate — be sure to use the (St. Anne) Men of Christ Registration Code: “SAPP” for 10% discount.  Go to www.menofchrist.net for more information or to register. You may also contact Joe Durbin at (262) 206-1253 or via e-mail, josephdurbin@msn.com.

Sunday, March 4, Behold,  3-5 p.m. at St. Anne: This event is for all families and parishioners and will include music, Stations of the Cross and Eucharistic Adoration. It will be a time for reflection and prayer — a time to immerse yourself into the Passion of Our Lord. All are encouraged to attend and experience this wonderful evening with our Lord.

Wednesday, March 21 through Friday, March 23: A special Lenten Mission, on “How to Live Our Faith in a Challenging World.”  Each evening will offer a talk by Fr. Richard Gill of New York. The last evening will begin with a meatless soup/bread dinner and conclude with Mass.  A concurrent children’s program will take place, featuring special segments of the movie The Lion King. All families and parishioners are encouraged to attend this mission.

Friday, April 20, Date Night for Married and Engaged Couples: We are blessed to have Bishop Don Hying join us for our first Date Night of the year!  The evening will begin with Mass at 6 p.m., along with short renewal of wedding vows and dinner and cocktails at Bristol Oaks Country Club. Cost for the evening is $25 per person.  Contact the parish office, 262-942-8300 to secure your reservation early or e-mail margie.mandli@gmail.com.

[DATE PENDING IN JUNE], Night out with St. Anne: Dr. Mollie Marti is author of a newly released book, “Walking with Justice…Uncommon Lessons from one of Life’s Greatest Mentors.”  Dr. Mollie is an international speaker who trains in the areas of leadership resilience, servant mentorship, life design, and business ethics. She thrives on learning from – and with – brilliant, compassionate people dedicated to making a positive impact in the world. All are welcome to attend and hear an inspirational talk and witness story by our own Fr. Bob’s sister, Dr. Mollie. Cost for the evening is $25 per person. Autographed books will be available for a discounted price prior to that event.  Date Night will begin with Mass at 6 p.m., followed by dinner and cocktails at Bristol Oaks Country Club. Contact the parish office, 262-942-8300 to secure your reservation early or   e-mail margie.mandli@gmail.com.

Wednesday, March 21 & Thursday, March 22:

5:30  Daily Mass (optional)

6:30  Evening prayer

6:45  Talk* by Fr. Gill

6:45  Concurrent children’s program, ages 4-10 based on the movie, The Lion King

7:45  Conclude

Reconciliation throughout

Friday, March 23

6:00 p.m. Meatless Soup/Bread dinner

6:45  Talk* by Fr. Gill

6:45 Concurrent children’s program, ages 4-10 based on the movie, The Lion King

7:45  Conclude with Mass

Reconciliation throughout

*Each talk will be different and will build on the previous one.

Similar to the first Behold event, all youth, families, young adults and parishioners are encouraged to attend this Lenten event.  The event will include:

• Stations of the Cross…prayed in a way that actively involves our youth
• Reflections during Stations given by religious education directors and youth coordinators from both Kenosha and Racine area
• Eucharistic Adoration
• Praise/worship music by our newly formed band, which now has named itself “Adoro” — James Antonacci, David Augustine,  Michelle Metallo, Anna Nuzzo, David Rudd, Richard Sosa  along with Taize music during Stations (i.e., “Jesus Remember Me”)

No registration is required, but be sure to mark your calendars.  For more information, contact Margie Mandli at margie.mandli@gmail.com.