Emily Morris

Galatians 6

Posted on by Emily Morris
James 1:12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love

Paul’s last chapter to the Galatians has some advice. Many people feel they have the need to and obligation to correct the church or others in the Church, be it priests, bishops or laity. It is good to remind the faithful and its priests to correct “Gently” (1). When people are correcting another, it is very easy for pride to rear its head. 

The person could be in a mode of “I know better, listen to me.” The one receiving the correction will naturally challenge, at least in their mind. It is easy to judge motives in these situations. Correcting should always be done in prayer. Correction is more about the virtue that is needed than the vice. We must all practice the virtues and be attentive to them. That is why Paul is proposing for the faithful to regularly do an examination of conscience (4). Everything starts with ourselves and making sure we ourselves have nothing the devil can turn around on us with. Our enemy is the devil, not merely other humans. Good people do bad things. Always presume the best of intentions. Do not assume ulterior motives, you do not have the ability to read minds or souls. Just because somebody does something does not mean that the results were their intentions.

Some people may pretend to have good intentions. What do you do then? Paul reminds us that though they may deceive humans, God can never be deceived (7). Justice is God’s in the end and they will be repaid for their misconduct. Moreover, the fruit of their actions will come about. Evildoing will always be revealed by its fruit and ends in eternal shame. It will be known for all to see for all eternity.

That is why it is more important for those who believe to persevere in their efforts to always do good (9-10). Our good works will be our crown of glory, but only if it comes from our faith in Jesus Christ as our expression of love for Him. Empty works will be a shameful reminder how we tried to do things by ourselves and made a mess of things in this life. As the old adage says, “If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.”

Paul concludes by warning them of the hypocrites who wanted the Galatians to circumcise, yet they themselves would not live by the law, whereas Paul gives a simpler path while himself boasting of the cross of Christ (14). But it is not a pointing out to Christ as other, but Paul himself assumes the suffering he endures as associated with Jesus’ suffering by stating, “Through it the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.” Paul in fact mentions what many believe to be the stigmata in verse 17, “…for I bear the marks of Jesus in my body.” All Christians are called to suffer in this life. As long as there is sin in this world, we are guaranteed to suffer.

But Paul as an Apostle and leader of the Church that Jesus Himself founded is called to suffer in a particular way. It is a particular gift to those closest to Jesus. It is a sharing of the inner dynamics of the heart of God while He suffered for the world (14).

Father Barr

Diocese of Rockford Lifts Dispensation for Mass

Posted on by Emily Morris

Bishop David Malloy advised priests of the Diocese of Rockford in a June 11 letter, that the dispensation from the obligation of attending Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation (per canons 85 and 87 in the Code of Canon Law of 1983) will be lifted July 1, 2021.

Bishop Malloy granted the dispensation on March 17, 2020 at the beginning of the COVID outbreak. The unprecedented action was taken in view of the guidance of health authorities to stem the spread of the virus and was to be a short-term, provisional measure.

“Little did we know of the course and toll the virus would take on the health and well-being of our society, thus requiring a longer time of dispensation for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters in Christ,” Bishop Malloy said.

In his announcement, Bishop Malloy asked priests of the diocese to help make this full return to the Mass, “a joyful moment and one to thank God for His blessings in seeing us through the pandemic and in lessening its impact among us. It will also be a time during the Mass to pray for those who have suffered so much and even lost loved ones.”

“We must never lose the essence of our Eucharistic faith which is to meet Christ personally in the Blessed Sacrament, especially in the worthy reception of Holy Communion as part of Mass,” Bishop Malloy said.

As the dispensation is lifted, Catholics are reminded in the days and months ahead to use their consciences for any decision about not attending Mass or continuing to follow it virtually and to ask for pastoral guidance from their parish priests if needed.

Come back to church, we miss you!

Pro Life Corner

Posted on by Emily Morris

(Presented by Stephenson Co. Right To Life)

We have treated the loss of our unborn babies as a theoretical loss, a sad-but-necessary loss, as of civilians in wartime. We have not yet realized that the offspring lost are not the enemy’s, nor our neighbor’s, but our own. And it is not a loss of inert, amorphous tissue, but of a growing being unique in history.

PATRIS CORDE

Posted on by Emily Morris

PATRIS CORDE

of the Holy Father Francis

on the 150th Anniversary
of the Proclamation
of Saint Joseph as Patron
of the Universal Church

After Mary, the Mother of God, no saint is mentioned more frequently in the papal magisterium than Joseph, her spouse. My Predecessors reflected on the message contained in the limited information handed down by the Gospels in order to appreciate more fully his central role in the history of salvation. ‘…Patron of the Catholic Church, …. Patron of Workers, … Guardian of the Redeemer…patron of a happy death…’

‘…Now, I would like to share some personal reflections on this extraordinary figure, so close to our own human experience.’

A WORKING father

An aspect of Saint Joseph that has been emphasized from the time of the first social Encyclical, Pope Leo XIII’s Rerum Novarum, is his relation to work. Saint Joseph was a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family. From him, Jesus learned the value, the dignity and the joy of what it means to eat bread that is the fruit of one’s own labour. 

In our own day, when employment has once more become a burning social issue, and unemployment at times reaches record levels even in nations that for decades have enjoyed a certain degree of prosperity, there is a renewed need to appreciate the importance of dignified work, of which Saint Joseph is an exemplary patron. 

Work is a means of participating in the work of salvation, an opportunity to hasten the coming of the Kingdom, to develop our talents and abilities, and to put them at the service of society and fraternal communion. It becomes an opportunity for the fulfilment not only of oneself, but also of that primary cell of society which is the family. A family without work is particularly vulnerable to difficulties, tensions, estrangement and even
break-up. How can we speak of human dignity without working to ensure that everyone is able to earn a decent living? 

Working persons, whatever their job may be, are cooperating with God himself, and in some way become creators of the world around us. The crisis of our time, which is economic, social, cultural and spiritual, can serve as a summons for all of us to rediscover the value, the importance and necessity of work for bringing about a new “normal” from which no one is excluded. Saint Joseph’s work reminds us that God himself, in becoming man, did not disdain work. The loss of employment that affects so many of our brothers and sisters, and has increased as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, should serve as a summons to review our priorities. Let us implore Saint Joseph the Worker to help us find ways to express our firm conviction that no young person, no person at all, no family should be without work! 

~St Joseph, pray for us.~

Religious Freedom Week Ends June 29

Posted on by Emily Morris

We continue to pray, reflect, and take action on religious liberty, both here in this country and abroad.

The Church’s promotion of religious freedom expresses her solidarity with all people who seek the good and hope for fulfillment in the truth.  As Pope Francis teaches:

Hope speaks to us of a thirst, an aspiration, a longing for a life of fulfillment, a desire to achieve great things, things that fill our heart and lift our spirit to lofty realities like truth, goodness and beauty, justice and love… Hope is bold; it can look beyond personal convenience, the petty securities and compensations which limit our horizon, and it can open us up to grand ideals that make life more beautiful and worthwhile (Fratelli tutti, 55).

Have you read Fratelli Tutti yet? Pope Francis’ encyclical letter provides a starting point for renewing our commitment to caring for our neighbor and a global society built on justice and the common good. A study guide is also available at USCCB.org.

First Freedom Podcast

Looking for a new podcast? Check out the First Freedom Podcast, a series of conversations about a variety of issues related to religious liberty, including challenges to our first freedom, Catholic social teaching, and more! Available on Sound Cloud.

Copyright © 2021, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.

Galations 5

Posted on by Emily Morris

In chapter five, Paul is concluding his argument. He talks about the “Law,” but then reminds us
of the particular issue at hand. This issue is circumcision. He is not negating the blessing that
come from the circumcision, but is referring to the curse to those who do not abide all the
requirements of such a covenant. Circumcision pre-dates Moses. It goes back to Abraham. I
suppose that is why he refers to Abraham as proof of his faith. He circumcised himself and his
family as an act of faith.
So in circumcision is a blessing, yet it does not save. It is no longer required. Circumcision is
merely an outward expression. What Abraham did in circumcision was a physical expression of
faith. It was faith that was fulfilled in the act. Yet so many people will do actions with no faith as
the motivating force. It is an empty act that has no interior disposition of faith. It was therefore
not the fulfillment of faith, but merely an act of the flesh that Paul talks about. The circumcision
or having it is not so much the evil, but rather the empty act that is out of fear and
manipulation (v6) as Paul says, “In Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor the lack of it counts for
anything.” It is, therefore, the interior disposition that is the matter at hand.
To come back to what was previously discussed, faith and love always go together as Paul
expresses this reality in verse 6, “…only faith which expresses itself through love.”

By this very fact, nobody can say by faith alone can one be saved. Love must be expressed for faith to be
fulfilled. Some people look skin deep. They want to keep things simple, but the human heart is
complicated by sin. How easy it is to twist meaning around so that we can justify our actions.
The twisting of definitions corrupts the real simplicity of truth (7) and preoccupies the intellect.
This allows the soul to be misled by giving “new” meaning to the life of Christ, what He taught,
and the Word of God. Quip little sayings that contain solid wisdom become twisted as they get
taken out of context. It ends up making the people fruitless as if they have been spiritually
castrated (12). This fruitlessness would be the most catastrophic thing that could happen to the
Church. Jesus came to establish His Church precisely so that she would be fruitful and full of
meaning. It is the fruitfulness of the Church and all its members, including each of you, that is
its purpose, meaning and fulfillment. Our fulfillment is in faith, not the flesh.

Our fruitfulness is not in living in the flesh with its “lewd conduct, impurity, licentiousness,
idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, bickering, jealousy, outbursts of rage, selfish rivalries, dissensions,
factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like” (19-21). These things tear down a free society
and are a cause for eternal shame. A society and all its people must stand on the solid rock
foundation on the fruits of the Holy Spirit, which is “love, joy, peace patient endurance,
kindness, generosity, faith, mildness, and Chastity” (22). These are the things that bring
fruitfulness years after we have passed from this world. It is through these fruits that many
generations will praise God as we all meet Him in our final happy destiny.

Father Barr

Religious Freedom Week Begins June 22

Posted on by Emily Morris

All people desire to enjoy communion with God, and this desire gives rise to the search for religious truth and finds expression in the formation of religious culture. Even people who claim no religious affiliation cannot help but need ritual, belonging, and truth. Why? Because we all long to know and love the One in whose image we are made. “For God formed man to be imperishable; the image of his own nature he made him.”

The Church’s promotion of religious freedom expresses her solidarity with all people who seek the good and hope for fulfillment in the truth. As Pope Francis teaches:

Hope speaks to us of a thirst, an aspiration, a longing for a life of fulfillment, a desire to achieve great things, things that fill our heart and lift our spirit to lofty realities like truth, goodness and beauty, justice and love… Hope is bold; it can look beyond personal convenience, the petty securities and compensations which limit our horizon, and it can open us up to grand ideals that make life more beautiful and worthwhile (Fratelli tutti, 55).

Join us throughout the week as we pray, reflect, and take action on religious liberty, both here in this country and abroad.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

Posted on by Emily Morris

On Father’s Day weekend, please join us in offering
a spiritual bouquet to St Joseph. As we celebrate the gift of fathers and honor
St Joseph, we also recognize that Father’s Day can be a difficult holiday for many. We hope this spiritual bouquet provides an opportunity to pray for the intentions brought to your heart by the occasion.

~Dinner Theatre Trip~

Posted on by Emily Morris

The Fireside will resume their regular schedule in July. We have reservations on Wednesday, October 6, for JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT.

Please watch the bulletin for further details as we receive information regarding any changes in pricing, etc. I hope you are looking forward to this marvelous musical and the whole Fireside experience once again.

Call Mary Koppi at 815-232-4687 if you have any questions.