My Daily Musing

   Well, actually, that's not true. I do know when we are supposed to be back again. If everything works according to schedule and nothing interrupts our return (like volcanoes spewing ash into the air or anything like that! ), we will be back Monday evening, July 5th.
   In case you forgot, or if you are new to this blog, a group of thirty of us are travelling to Germany this afternoon for a pilgrimage. The spiritual highlight of the pilgrimage is the Passion Play in Oberammergau.
   I do not know if I will have the opportunity to get on the Internet while away. If I can, I will be updating these pages. If not, I will not be able to write another entry until July 6th.
   Please keep all of us in your prayers and know that you are in mine!
   For a full itinerary of our trip, go to June 10th on this blog.
   See ya!

   On these final days of our parish festival — and as I prepare to leave for a pilgrimage to Catholic Germany — I take this opportunity to thank the Festival Committee for their very diligent work on our annual fest. Heartfelt gratitude go out to:
General Chairmen
     Bill and Susan Burke
     Billy Burke
Advertising
     John Gianotti
Amusements
     Jim Foster
     Bob Barkey
Beer Garden
     Tom and Anita Hemingway
     Mike Maloney & Karen Zygmunt
Bingo
     Jan and Pam Helfen
Cash Raffle
     Janet Lowry
Children's Games
     Cathy Hauer
Electrical
     Tim Brown
     Jose Cornejo
Entertainment
     Ed & Deb Pilawski
Finance
     Jean Thornton
     Steve and Steven Thornton
Fire Safety
     Bill O'Brien
First-Aid/Nursing
     Carmen Zoppetti
     Lucy Perz
Mega Pass
     Jeff Lowry
Permits
     Noreen Bickel
Pull Tabs
     Tim and Dina O'Brien
     Dan and Chris O'Brien
Security
     Kurt Matz
Set-up/Sanitation
     Niall McShane
Signs
     Tom Alexander
Table/Tent Clean-up
     Deb Pilawski
     Alyson Pilawski
     Ian Secviar
Ticket Booths
     Mike and Tina Boyle
     Bob and Marchell Barkey
Vendors
     Lauren Brown
Volunteers
     Don and Carol Kopenec
     Cindy McCraw
Wheel
     Dave Kusiak
   Additionally, well over 500 hundred individuals volunteer their time at our festival. Thank you, volunteers, for all that you do to help the festival succeed! Finally, where would all our effort and hard work be without people to patronize our festival. Thank you to all who have come out to enjoy yourselves and to contribute to the festival.
   I hope you all had and have a great time!

   Yessiree!
   Yesterday was sooooo much better than the storm that went through and washed out our festival on Wednesday evening.
   Yesterday the crowds were more like weekend crowds than a weeknight.
   The food vendors were really happy. Many of them made up for their loss from the night before.
   The carny people have to be pretty happy as well. There were many people out there purchasing ride tickets or bracelets.
   It was a really great night.
   Now, if we can keep that momentum going for tonight as well, it will be another great day.
   I am worried about Saturday and Sunday, however. Saturday, they are predicting thunderstorms beginning around noon and going through 9:00 p.m. That will pretty much kill the day if that happens. Sunday does not look much better either.
   But, you know what? We take what we get.
   Purely and simply, we take whatever God gives to us. We are not in control of the weather or our fate or anything else. Part of our "test" here on earth, I believe, is how well we do with those uncontrollables. Do we really allow God to be God or do we try to take over?
   We may not like what happens, but we must remember that we are not in control.
   We take what we get . . . and we thank God for what He has given to us.
   'Nuff said!

   Well, I think today's entry could be: "Our Festival Starts Today."
   Yesterday was supposed to be the opening of our festival. At 6:00 p.m.
   A little before 6:30 p.m. we rushed the people who were on our grounds into our church building because of the storms that came through the area.
   The storm also did major damage, I fear, to our church roof as water was pouring in. We have to have it checked today.
   By 7:15 p.m. or so the carnival operator stated that they were not going to attempt to reopen as another storm was predicted to come through. We sent everybody home and will try this whole venture again tonight.
   We left last night to come to the hotel that we stay at during the festival and could not get into the main entrance because power lines were knocked down in the storm. We had to drive around all sorts of warehouse with very high water in the streets and parking lots just to get back to the hotel.
   I hope that this does not repeat itself any time soon...

Hours of Operation:
Wednesday, June 23: 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Thursday, June 24: 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Friday, June 25: 6:00 p.m. to Midnight
Saturday, June 26: 2:00 p.m. to Midnight
Sunday, June 27: 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Wristband Specials:
Wednesday: 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. $20
Thursday: 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. $20
Saturday: 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. $15
Sunday: 2:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. $22
NO wristbands Friday or Saturday evenings

BINGO
Thursday -- 6:30 to 10:00 p.m.
Friday -- 6:30 to 11:00 p.m.
Saturday -- 4:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Sunday -- 3:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Food Court:
If you do not find something to eat in our food court,
something is wrong! There is “a little bit of everything”
available in the food court again this year. Come out and
enjoy the food. Stay for the entertainment!

Entertainment in the Big Tent:
Wednesday:
Middle of the Road 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Thursday:
The New Invaders 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Friday:
Dick Diamond and the Dusters 7:00 p.m. to Midnight

Saturday:
Rick Lindy & the Wild Ones 2:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
History’s End 8:00 p.m. to Midnight

Sunday:
Ed Blazonczyk’s Versatones 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The Relics 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

   Today is the feast of St. Thomas More, the patron of our parish.
   Thomas More was the chancellor of England during the reign of King Henry VIII. He was called a "man for all seasons." Thomas More was a scholar, lawyer, English gentleman, and father of four. He was also steadfastly loyal to his faith. That would cause him great misery.
   Thomas More believed that no lay ruler had jurisdiction over the Catholic Church. Because of that belief, he refused to approve of the divorce of Henry VIII from Catherine of Aragon in order to marry Anne Boleyn. When the Church refused Henry VIII permission to do so, Henry VIII broke from the Catholic Church and established the Church of England.
   Again, his chancellor, Thomas More, refused to acknowledge Henry VIII as supreme head of the Church in England.
   Thomas More was subsequently jailed in the Tower of London as he waited to be tried for treason. His treason? Not swearing to the Act of Succession and the Oath of Supremacy. When Thomas More was convicted for treason, we bravely went to his death.
   Thomas More was beheaded on Tower Hill, London, July 5, 1535.
   Life is full of strife. It is full of struggle. There is right and there is wrong. It would behoove us to be found on the side of right.
   We do not count what comes to us in this world as reward, only what comes to us in the next. Being on the side of right may not guarantee us that we will never have grief. On the contrary, being on the side of right just may bring grief and pain into our lives. However, the reward for holding firm is eternal life with God.
   On this our parish's patronal feast, I pray that God give you the strength and courage to faith all that comes your way in this world. Hold firm. Eternal life with the Lord is worth any amount of grief that comes our way here on earth!

   A new record was set for Pixar.
   Toy Story 3 took the Number 1 spot with a $109 million opening weekend. It became the third animated film to top $100 million in the first weekend. The other two were Shrek the Third ($121.6 million) and Shrek 2 ($108 million).
   Before Toy Story 3, the best opening weekend for Pixar was The Incredibles ($70.5 million).
   What does this all say?
   Well, to me, it certainly seems to indicate that people are attracted to a "simple life" in the story of toys and what to do with toys once we grow up. It is much less complicated than many a murder mystery or espionage movie -- not that those kinds of movies do not have their place, that's for sure.
   I think that people want to get lost for a while in some pure, innocent fun. Toy Story 3 seems to fill that void for them.
   There is nothing wrong with desiring a simple, more innocent way of life. However, the desire itself seems to be a reflection that we are going about all the wrong things while here on earth. We complicate our lives and our existence too much. God calls us to simplicity but we seem determined to do things the hard way.
   One of the great appeal of many of the saints is that they were able to live their lives in simplicity and trust.
   How much better that is than to live our lives in complicated ways and with huge amounts of distrust.
   Toy Story 3 seems to beg the question: Do I want things to be more simple than they are in my life?
   Hey. Do it!
   Trust in the Lord. He is our help. He is our strength and our shield. It truly is simple as that.

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,

The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,

He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
~anonymous
   Happy Father's Day to all our dads out there. Thank you for "stepping up to the plate" and being an example for your children to follow. You have a tough job but hang in there. Whether or not we tell you we love you and appreciate you, we do!
   And for all of our dads who may have been called to our Father in heaven, we pray that God give them the rest and peace and reward that is their due. For the love that they gave us on earth, may they receive a hundred-fold.
   God bless you dads on your special day!

   Well, a week from today and I will be leaving with a group of 30 for a pilgrimage to Catholic Germany with the highlight of the trip being the Passion Play in Oberammergau.
   In 2010, hundreds of thousands will flock to the Bavarian village of Oberammergau, Germany, to see the famed Passion Play, a nearly 400-year-old tradition. The Passion Play depicts the last five days in the life of Jesus Christ, from Palm Sunday to Easter. Preserved throughout the centuries, the Oberammergau Passion Play was performed for the 40th time in 2000, when nearly half a million visitors came to watch 110 performances of the play. The 41st Passion Play will run daily May through September 2010.
   If there were nothing else happening here, it would be easy to prepare myself to go on the trip.
   However -- and this is a BIG however at that -- our annual parish festival begins next Wednesday. I will be leaving the Saturday of festival week. There will be so much happening here each day that I will not have a lot of time to prepare for the trip itself.
   I am going to be an emotional wreck by the time I board that plane for Germany next Saturday!
   Add to that a nearly nine hour flight. Well, all I can say is, God help the other passengers.

   Yesterday, CatholicCulture.Org made the following report:

The president of the US bishops’ conference believes that the Catholic Health Association (CHA) bears a great deal of responsibility for the passage of health-care reform legislation that expands coverage for abortion.

Speaking at a meeting of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in St. Petersburg, Florida, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago revealed that he and other USCCB representatives had tried to persuade the CHA not to endorse the health-care bill, after a pro-life amendment was defeated. Their efforts were in vain.

When he signed the legislation, President Barack Obama presented the CHA president, Sister Carol Keehan, with a pen used in the ceremony, in recognition of her role in helping ease Catholic opposition to the bill. Cardinal George said that “the Catholic Health Association and other so-called Catholic groups provided cover for those on the fence to support Obama and the administration.”

   This really concerns me.
   We hear, more and more, about "Catholic" universities involving themselves in areas that are against the faith: abortion, same-sex unions, et cetera. Presidents of "Catholic" universities, more and more, are being reported sponsoring a highly non-Catholic and even anti-Catholic agenda.
   What really bothers me about all of this is that it serves to confuse the living daylights out of the typical practicing Catholic. When a simple Catholic hears a teaching coming from a supposed Catholic university, that person assumes that it must be the teaching of the Church. Wrong answer.
   It is the same way with these "cowboys" who run their own show at different parishes. They teach and proclaim things from the pulpit that are against the teachings of the Church and some of their parishioners say to themselves, "It must be true if Father said so."
   We do our fellow parishioner and the world a grave disservice when we do not live the tenets of our faith.
   One should not claim to be Catholic if one does not live as a Catholic.
   I think that the Lord will have a lot to say to that individual soul somewhere down the line.
   Didn't He have something to say about that in the Gospels? Something about it would be better to have a millstone tied around a neck and thrown into the sea than to lead another astray?
   Do not lead anyone astray today. Live the faith. Totally. Completely. As God calls us all to do!
   Live well today.

   If you have read my blog the past couple of days, you know that I came home yesterday so that I can be ready for the Rite of the Reception of the Body for Fr. John (Jack) Winterlin.
   As the dean of this area, it is my responsibility to preside at that service. The service begins with greeting the casket at the front of the church. After it is brought up the aisle, the prayer service continues with song, prayers, a homily, and then, finally, a simple closing. After the closing, the casket is left opened so that people can come and pay their respects.
   It will be a privilege for me to preside at the service later this afternoon.
   I remember Jack fondly from the time I met him almost thirty years ago. He was always a good person, friendly, spirited, and outgoing.
   In short, the kind of person others want to be.
   What a blessing to be so genuine.
   I have been touched by the many greetings left at the online guestbook. The greetings from former students and/or parishioners is really heart warming.
   Do you ever wonder what people will say about you when you die?
   I do.
   Having to make so many decisions as a priest and a pastor, I am bound to ruffle more than a fair share of feathers. Jack knew that in his time as pastor as well. I guess the Lord is the one who knows what is in our hearts during those times.
   I am pretty confident that the Lord saw nothing but goodness in Jack's heart.
   And I pray that he grant him a place in the Kingdom, giving him the reward that is his due as a child of God.
   Rest in peace, Jack. Rest in peace . . .

   A number of people have asked what the retreat house is like.
   Well, I decided to take a couple of pictures with my cell phone to show you my room.
   When you walk in to the room, you come into a small foyer and has the closet. The closet is larger than a typical closet but smaller than a walk-in closet, if that makes any sense. It definitely has enough space for anything that someone coming on retreat would bring.
   There there is the bed. Very basic. Typically squeaks as you toss and turn in bed. Foam pillows (which is why many of us, myself included, bring our own pillows with us) that are not very comfortable. The bed is also on rollers which often causes it to move as one tosses and turns. Because of that, many people bring stops for the beds.

   There there is the "other bed" -- the recliner. Believe it or not, I usually spend more time sleeping in the recliner than in the bed. It is much more comfortable. The night I check in, I usually go downstairs to the laundry and get a set of sheets. I use the contour sheet to cover the chair and then use the top sheet along with the extra blanket that is in the closet to make up the covers. Quite cozy!

   Next to the recliner is the kneeler and crucifix.

   Not pictured is the bathroom. It is a typical bathroom (sink, toilet, shower). The nice feature about the bathroom is that the shower is huge. A few people could shower together in there and never touch. (No, I've never tried that! ) The water from the shower head also shoots out quite hard. It can easily rip off the top layer of skin. Nothing like a defoliating shower!
   The bad news is that the water stinks. There is an awful sulfur odor to the water here. Maybe their want us to get used to the sulfur smell of hell or something, who knows! That is why most of us go to the local store and purchase a case of water to split between two of us. We use the bottled water for all our drinking, brushing of teeth, et cetera.
   While I am at it, I thought I would share with you the prayer that our retreat director gave us yesterday after our morning conference and asked us to pray over for the remainder of the morning. You might like to pray over it as well.

   I return to the parish today after our morning Mass at 11:15 a.m. I'll be back in the afternoon and will continue my "retreat" from my house while I get ready to attend the functions for our deceased retired priest, Fr. John (Jack) Winterlin.
   May you have a wonderful day today!

   It sure has been rainy the past couple of days. (In a way, that is really good. I hope that it's getting it out of its system before our parish festival next week!) The forecast calls for more rain today.
   To add to that gloom, on Sunday as I was leaving for retreat, I heard the news that one of our retired priests, Fr. John (Jack) Winterlin, passed away after a long illness. Jack was a really good man and really good priest. He touched the lives of so many young people during all the years that he taught music at Bishop Noll High School in Hammond. He touched the lives of so many adults (many of them former students) during all the years that he directed the diocesan chorus at all events at the cathedral. He will be missed by many, of that I am absolutely sure.
   His passing away is causing me to change my retreat plans as well. Since I am his dean, I will be expected to be the one to officiate at the reception of his body at St. John Church in St. John, IN on Thursday afternoon.
   For that reason, I am leaving tomorrow after the 11:30 a.m. Mass. I am not really missing anything else tomorrow since Wednesday afternoon and evening is designated as "free time" for us. That way I can be at home tomorrow evening and get a good night's rest instead of fighting the traffic on Thursday morning. Traffic from north of Chicago and either through or around the city can be brutal!
   Kindly keep the repose of the soul of Fr. Jack Winterlin in your prayers. For those of you who are local and may wish to attend any of the services, here is the pertinent information:

Wednesday (St. James Church in Highland)
5:00 to 8:00 p.m. -- Visitation

Thursday (St. John Church in St. John)
2:00 to 8:00 p.m. -- Visitation
2:00 p.m. Rite of Reception of the Body (Celebrant: Fr. Mike Yadron)
7:30 p.m. Evening Prayer (Celebrant: Fr. Keith Virus)

Friday (St. John Church in St. John)
10:00 a.m. Morning Prayer (Celebrant: Fr. Sammie Maletta)
10:30 a.m. Funeral Mass (Celebrant: Bishop Melczek)

Eternal Rest grant to Fr. Jack, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in peace.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.
AMEN!

   We all know how important it is to get our rest, to make sure that we are rejuvenated.
   That is not only important in terms of our physical and emotional states of being, it is also important for our spiritual life.
   The best way to be rejuvenated spiritually is to make a retreat.
   That is what I am doing this week.
   As I mentioned yesterday, I am at Cardinal Stritch Retreat House at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, IL for our annual priests’ retreat. My associate pastor, Fr. Rick, attended the retreat the week of June 6th.
   At these annual retreats, the priests have the opportunity to relax, to hear inspiring presentations that will help them to reflect upon their own spiritual journeys, to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation, and to attend daily Mass.
   This annual retreat is a requirement by Canon Law but I always hope that those who attend it are not attending merely to satisfy requirements. After all, we should all use whatever means are at our disposal to recharge the ol’ spiritual batteries!
   Retreats and Days of Reflection are not a requirement for the laity. But that does not mean that they would not do you good.
   I encourage you to find the opportunity to take a day or two or three and go on a spiritual retreat. There are opportunities available locally for just such a purpose. Going on a retreat or days of reflection will help you to view your spiritual life more clearly.
   And just as important as renewing our spiritual life, make sure that you attempt to find some time this summer to refresh yourself and your family on some type of vacation or family outing. That type of relaxation will help you more than most anything else.
   I know, I know. The economy is still tough and it might be impossible to go away on a vacation. That's okay. Take a vacation at home!
   You do not have to go far away. There are plenty of things to do locally. Our parish has an annual festival and many parishes do. You can always celebrate locally for far less than you would going away.
   The key is to take some time from your regular daily grind to relax and renew.
   I'll pray while I'm on retreat this week that you and yours find some time to get away from the normal routine and recharge your ol' batteries as well!

   To be really honest, I never thought I would make it to today.
   The past couple of weeks have been really tough around here and my stress levels have reached new heights.
   But today.
   Well, today, all of that is about to change.
   Why?
   Because I get to leave!
   After my 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 Noon Masses, I will pack up and leave for Cardinal Stritch Retreat House in Mundelein, IL (on the property of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary) for my annual priests' retreat. I will be joining about 20 other priests in spending a week in fraternity, in prayer, and in relative peace and quiet.
   This is my "recharge week" and it is oh so necessary. After all, next week is our annual festival and the week after that I will be in Germany on a pilgrimage.
   But today and the rest of this week none of that exists. The stress and strain of "the job" are set aside. Planning for festival is set aside. Planning and pre-packing for the pilgrimage are set aside. Everything except my spiritual life and my emotional state of being are set aside. I will have time to myself. To think. To meditate. To pray. To commune with my God.
   I ask you to pray for me and my brother priests that this week be a fruitful and spiritual week.
   I will keep all of you in my prayers.
   Soon and very soon . . . I am going to leave this place!