Saturday, April 27, 2013

No Fear

Fredrich Cropp said, "There is much in the world to make us afraid", and someone else once said, "The biggest thing most of us fear is the unknown". According to surveys, some of the most common fears are (take a deep breath) ghosts, evil powers, cockroaches, spiders, snakes, heights, water, enclosed spaces, tunnels, bridges, needles, social rejection, failure, examinations, and (my biggest nightmare) public speaking. Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by a perceived threat. We all know that it is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger. Some psychologists have suggested that fear belongs to a small set of basic or innate emotions, which also includes joy, sadness, and anger. The future is almost all unknown, and it can be full of scary "what ifs" that can haunt us and keep us awake at night.
 
Fredrich Cropp went on to say, "There is much more in our faith to make us unafraid". Whether it's a minor life setback or a seriously frightening situation, Christians are called to face it without undue fear, trusting in God. People will whisper behind your back (Joseph) do not be afraid. Storms will toss your boat (disciples), do not be afraid. You shall cross the barren desert (soldiers), do not be afraid. You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way. You shall speak your words in foreign lands (Neale) and all will understand. If you pass through raging waters in the sea, you shall not drown. If you walk amid the burning flames, you shall not be harmed. If you stand before the power of hell and death is at your side, know that I am with you through it all.
 
In other words, do not be afraid even of death. The risen Lord is still saying what he has said before, "Do not be afraid", you shall see the face of God and live. "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but rather that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:17). God is with us. His recurring message throughout the entire Bible is that His people do not need to be afraid of anything. God is our refuge. "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God." God is our help. "I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand". God is our guide. "I go before you always; come follow me, and I will give you rest". Be not afraid. "Peace be with you". "My peace be with you". Clearly the message for us is not to worry about the future.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

God’s Fingerprints

In about 2000 BC, Babylonians were putting fingerprints in soft clay to protect against the forgery of important documents. In ancient China impressions of fingerprints were used as the signatures of those who couldn’t write. Fingerprints were first accepted as valid police procedure in 1901, at Scotland Yard. Prior to the use of fingerprints a system of identification known as the Bertillon system was used. Developed in France in 1883 the Bertillon system used the length and breadth of the skull, the length of each foot, the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger, the length of the middle finger, and the exact size of the ears to identify a person.
 
The Bertillon system failed in 1903 at Leavenworth Penitentiary where two men, one named Willie West and the other named William West, were in custody. Their Bertillon measurements were almost identical although they were in no way related. Only their fingerprints could positively identify one from the other. Today we trust that every person’s fingerprints, which first appear on a fetus at about 4 months, is unique. Not even identical twins have the same fingerprints, and as a matter of fact, no two fingerprints have ever been found to be identical. Even a barely visible (latent) fingerprint is positive physical evidence that a person has been at a given location.
 
Does God have fingerprints? Take another look and the recent post titled Passover and enlarge the image. I think that His fingerprints are everywhere and on everything: He alone is the Master Creator, and His creativity and intellect know no bounds. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse" (Romans 1:19-20). I also think that, as the Body and Hands of Christ, we leave latent (barely visible) spiritual fingerprints on everyone and everything we come in contact with. "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10 NIV). Whose prints are you leaving behind as evidence?

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Program Evaluation

We began this evening with a 20 minute discussion about the Graduation Ceremony. Evidently last year’s graduation was a bit … well … rowdy, and so we were reminded that it takes place in the context of evening prayer. It’s a celebration of and in our local church and we should maintain an atmosphere of prayer. Please, no whistling, yelling, or hooting! No jeans, no ball gowns, and no cell phones.
 
Tonight is our last get together before graduation. It wasn’t a normal class, however, instead we were asked to discuss the ILM program as a whole and provide feedback to the ILM staff. One of the ILM Administrators sent a worksheet so we could prepare, and the discussion was facilitated and recorded by past graduates. We were asked to think about our experience over the last three years and focus on various questions.
 
“What were your expectations coming in to the Institute in September 2010?” Since I came from a Protestant background, my original intent was to learn more about my chosen faith. I wanted to understand as much as I could and I didn’t want to get it from individuals through random conversations. I wanted to learn the Truth from knowledgeable instructors.
 
“Were they met?” Yes. This program is well managed, organized, and delivered. I would recommend this program to anyone interested in the Church. Although (evidently) the ILM program is intended for “leadership” training I would insist that it is also valuable for those who might prefer to fill a secondary “assistantship” role in their Parish.
 
“Did the Institute work for you?” Yes. Even though I attended church regularly as a child and felt somewhat knowledgeable, I know more now than when I began this program; about Catholicism in particular and about Christianity in general. This is an excellent program and I feel privileged to have been part of the class of 2013.
 
“What can you tell us about the content of the courses?” Most of the instructors were very interesting and their lectures were spellbinding. Some of the instructors failed to connect emotionally with the content of their lectures, but the information provided was interesting anyway. Some of the instructors had difficulty keeping my interest, either because they were poorly prepared or it was a repeat of previous lectures. There wasn’t too much emphasis on social justice, but there were too many disconnected sessions on social justice programs. They should keep this focus prominent, but tighten and reorganize this subject to remove the repetition.
 
“Were the methodologies (lectures, Saturday sessions, discussions) successful?” I enjoyed the Saturday sessions; however a lunch period consisting of 45 minutes is insufficient. I would strongly recommend a 60 minute lunch period so that students can interact more. Initially I was uncomfortable about the discussion sessions; because I didn’t want to hear what other students thought; I wanted to hear what the church thought. I certainly didn’t want to waste time hearing myself talk because I wouldn’t be learning anything new. Eventually I discovered that other student’s ideas were interesting to hear, and to trust my ability to discern the value of their comments. Learning to interact with other students was very helpful.
 
“Were we successful at working together and respecting you as students?” Yes. All of the students I met were interesting and friendly, and the staff was friendly and helpful. It might be helpful for the staff (and students) to appreciate the diverse motivations students have in attending the ILM program. For instance not everyone intends to be a leader, yet the benefits for all students are still tangible.
 
“If you could make just one suggestion or say one thing to us, what would it be?” I’ll admit that initially I wasn’t thrilled about writing papers because I didn’t feel qualified to express my opinion, especially after only a few class sessions. However, after some hesitation, I especially enjoyed the 2nd year classes during which we shared our unfinished papers and listened to feedback. At times the guidance regarding the written assignment was poor, leaving the instructor’s expectations undefined and difficult to determine. Having a written description of the assignment and expectations was extremely helpful.
 
I didn’t appreciate the subtle push by some of the instructors against the teaching and norms of the church. Nevertheless, I do see some value in understanding the views of those on the fringe of church teaching. Occasionally we received subtle suggestions that the church should be following the lead of our instructor. One in particular told personal stories of resistance against authority as a novice, and was proud of her personal stand against authority as a sister.
 
A few students that there wasn’t enough information about leadership, or leadership skills. One student mentioned that since we would (presumably) be working in a ministry, that we should have received training concerning the protection of children and vulnerable adults. Another student suggested that all of the classes should be organized like seminars, with more discussion and less lecture. Another student felt that there wasn’t enough emphasis placed on the prayer partner program, saying that it was a great idea but it wasn’t executed very well.
 
We all agreed that the Site Kreator website needed work too. Sometimes the information was wrong, and sometimes it was too late to be helpful. The intermittent availability of the WiFi connection was also a sore point for most of us, but we all agreed that emails from the staff were very welcome.
 
Something else we all talked about during the evening was our friendship. Although we all started out as strangers we ended up as family. I said that I expected the intellectual component, but I didn’t expect the community component. I am a more open person in my personal life as a result of my experience at the Institute for Leadership in Ministry.
 
I also think that most of us were interested in coming to audit one or two of the third classes being offered next year. Most of us think meeting at ILM on the Saturday classes, for lunch would be fun, and one of our facilitators graduated about 6 years ago, and her graduating class still meets every quarter. I like that idea too.
 
“Are you willing to help out with the Institute in the future?” Maybe …
 
“If so, in what ways?” Not sure …
 

Saturday, April 13, 2013

The Joy of Old Age

As I've aged, I've become kinder and less critical of myself. In a way, I suppose I've become my own friend. So many people leave this world too soon, before they understand the great freedom that comes with age. As we get older, it is easier to be positive, partly because we care less about what other people think, but also because we question ourselves less. We've even earned the right to be wrong. So, don't fear or struggle with time, being old is a reward in itself, it can set us free to be the person each of us has become.
 
Like not letting others get in the way if you choose to read or play on the computer until 4 AM, and then sleep until noon. If we want to dance with ourselves to those wonderful tunes of yesterday, just do it, or eat dessert every single day if you want. If you wish to weep about past memories, missing friends, and lost opportunities ... it's OK. The jet set isn't going to care if you walk on the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging body, or dive into the waves with abandon. They're too busy with their own lives and they too are aging too fast. Don't worry if at times you are forgetful, because some of life is just as well forgotten, remember the important things.
 
Sure, over the years our hearts have been broken, like with the loss of a loved one, or when our children suffer, or even when somebody's beloved pet passes away; but broken hearts are what give us strength, and understanding, and compassion for others: It also teaches us to be kind to ourselves. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and it will never know the joy of being imperfect. Sadly, many have never laughed and too many die before their hair can turn silver. I have been blessed with a life long enough to have gray hair, and to have grooves in my face forever etched by laughter and tears. I am not going to live forever either, but while I'm here I am not going to waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Hispanic Apostolate

Tonight we began with a (surprise) task to choose a class representative to speak at our graduation ceremony. The program administrator was there and she wasn’t going to leave until she had a name. She suggested that this person should be a class leader, someone who could speak eloquently, and it must be someone who has completed all of their work.
 
Whomever we chose would be the “Voice of our Class”, and their short speech would have to compress three years of study into a three to four minute presentation. She turned it over to one of the students in our class who facilitated the discussion, nominations, and election. Eight people in our class were nominated, including me. I and one other person declined our nominations, and the first round of voting clinched it for one of the remaining six.
 
After that the administrator left and the instructor began her lecture by asking the question, “How much do you know about the Hispanic Ministry in your parish”? I think she was a bit surprised by how much we did know, although I’ll admit that I didn’t recognize that the Hispanic group is made up of so many cultural distinctions. This ministry includes Mexicans, Columbians, Hondurans, Guatemalans, etc. It’s obvious to me that we need to better understand the various cultures that make up this group, because despite this diversity their faith is deep and from the heart.
 
The American way is to compartmentalize functions and assign tasks; like the Office of Family, Office of Youth, Office of Seniors, etc, whereas the Hispanic way is to combine functions and tasks. Families are one and must be addressed together. Every culture has their own gifts and we are (still) not doing enough to cross over between the various cultural groups.
 
Different parishes have different traditions too, including informational handouts, and sources that are not being equally distributed. There is something new called the “Strong Catholic Families” program that has been successful in Los Angeles. This program was developed as the result of the Los Angeles Bishop’s strong support there, and it’s in the process of being disseminated during this Year of Evangelization.
 
We noted something called “Roots and Wings” in the instructors handouts and asked her to discuss it. It’s an encounter program that brings Hispanic directors together from the different diocese to a weeklong national retreat with lectures.
 
The Hispanic ministry, like so many others, depends on the ADA for its budget, but additional funds are collected through projects. Those involved in the ministry use an idea expressed as conjunto which represents the idea of wholeness; combining tasks. They strive to see, judge, and act: To see what’s going on, to judge what is happening, and to act to make things better. This is a huge task in the US, especially in our diocese, because we’re small compared to some of the other dioceses. Nevertheless, together we can do a lot.
 
For instance, parish life is usually organized around committees, but Hispanic groups do not work well in committees because although small groups represent the whole, it is not the way the Hispanic community works. It often requires education to help people understand the purpose of committees. It is also necessary to inform the parish leaders about this issue. In Latin America the Pastor makes all the decisions, and this is what they, as a culture, know. The Hispanic church needs to learn from the American church in order to organize and take control of their own communities.
 
The Office of Parish Services, or the Hispanic Apostolate as our instructor refers to it, is a ministry that is about two years old. The Mission of the Hispanic Apostolate is "to be a local church that will inspire the people of this valley to live the values taught by Jesus Christ, inspiring them to integrity and action."
 
In order to support the mission of the Hispanic Apostolate the following core values must be understood and lived: 1) Dedication to incorporate liturgy, catechesis, social ministries, community outreach to the community and evangelization: 2) Fidelity to the mission and tradition of the church: 3) Honesty in the ministry that includes a sense of professional ethics: and 4) Working in collaboration with other ministries and cultures.
 
Companionship and cooperation is very important in the Hispanic community; for them being a companion is being a disciple. The model for the Hispanic Apostolate is concentric circles with Jesus at the center. Radiating outward are Liturgy, Education and Catechetics, Outreach and Social Justice, Community building, and Communication and Evangelization.
 
It incorporates the following ministries exemplified in Mark 16:15, Youth and young adult ministry, Movements, Encounters, Popular religiosity, Protection of children and vulnerable adults, and vocations. The mission of the ministries is rooted in the mission of the Gospels and the social teaching of the church. The challenge is to educate, communicate, and develop a pastoral plan in diverse settings according to the Gospel.
 
The short terms goals of the Hispanic Apostolate are: 1) Relationship building with the clergy who are ministering with the Hispanic community; 2) Develop and conduct a survey of all parishes to discover the needs of their Hispanic community so that they can understand how to respond to the needs of each parish; 3) Have a gathering with the pastors who have a Hispanic community to inform them and invite them to be a part of the development of their own Hispanic Apostolate; 4) Bring together all the leaders of the movements to inform and educate them so that they can do their ministry based on the Diocesan Pastoral Plan; and 5) Establish criteria for the Hispanic board.
 
The long term goals of the Hispanic Apostolate are: 1) To establish a Hispanic Apostolate board; 2) To establish a leadership committee to establish relationships between the members and the different groups and movements; 3) To establish polices of professional ethics in the Hispanic leadership; 4) To establish programs of education and evangelization for the leader of the different ministries; and 5) To promote stewardship education in the communities.
 
Obviously this is a new ministry with lots of work to do, and there are openings available on the Hispanic Apostolate Advisory Board. This is the time to get in on the ground floor of a growing ministry.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Staying on Track

Jean de la Fontaine said, "Man is so made that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish". The Dream Test begins with the question, "Are you following your own dream". If not, life will throw obstacles at you at a staggering pace, because life wants you to pursue your own dreams, and will make sure that it does what it can to get you back on track. Ask yourself the question: “How would I really feel if I never accomplished this in my entire life”. If it leaves you hurting and is too hard to accept, then you have found your dream or you are very close to it. If you would accept it and just formulate something else life is trying to teach you a lesson.
 
Maya Angelou said, "I’ve learned that no matter what happens or how bad it seems today, life does go on and it will be better tomorrow". The Priority Test begins with the question, "Are my dreams and goals in perspective". If you put your dream above health, love, family, and friends life will throw obstacles at you. These are often overlooked, partly because they’re ‘soft’ and hard to translate into goals, or maybe because they are taken for granted a little too easy. Life is trying to teach you that you should pursue your dream, but not regardless of everything else! Set your priorities straight. There’s more to life than accomplishing your dream, and living your dream should never be done alone.

Brian Tracy said, "Identify the major obstacle that stands between you and your goal and begin today to remove it". The Skills Test begins with the question, "Do I have the right skill set". Life’s pretty smart when it comes to obstacles, so the ones that will arise are those that will call for these skills specifically. If you don’t have the skills yet, don’t give up, because learning an essential skill is working to accomplish that dream too! Learning a new skill might feel like a mountain to conquer, but experience says that if the skill is necessary to get closer to fulfilling your dream, learning the skill is not that bad. The trick is to get started, take the first step, and have fun learning something new.

Seneca said, "It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness". The Commitment Test begins with the question, "Are you ready to do what it takes". The dream feels right, you’ve got your priorities straight, and you’ve got the skills you need, so all of your ducks in a row. Life is going to start there by testing your endurance and perseverance. It’s going to make it hard on you to test whether you are man or woman enough to deserve to have your dream fulfilled. This is the time to stick to the matter and push-on! Keep going! Make a nice visualization, either using imaginary or by creating something that will help you visualize what you’re trying to accomplish. Stay focused, endure, persevere, and succeed.