Tag: faith

Completion, at last

Daniel

My 52 or so weeks on the road was the experience of a lifetime, vastly exceeding my expectations. The only regret happened in Maine, when, due to a misunderstanding on my end, I missed out on the opportunity to accompany Deacon Robert Curtis to the Maine State Prison as he fulfilled his obligations as a prison ministry chaplain.

I rectified that today.

I joined Marty Arlinghaus, director of prison ministry for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and founder of the Serenelli Project on his weekly visit to Warren Correctional Institution in Lebanon, Ohio. It was an amazing experience.

Since we had no priest with us today (a situation Marty hopes will be fully rectified soon, as new Archbishop Casey has appointed someone to serve specifically with the prison population), Marty, an acolyte, offered a communion service. We closed out the service singing Holy God, We Praise Thy Name. If I’ve ever had a more powerful musical experience than adding my voice to those of a dozen or so inmates singing that beautiful song, I can’t remember what it could have been.

Before the service, an inmate informed Marty he wanted to be baptized. And Marty explained that, at his age, he will be baptized, receive Holy Communion and Confirmation all at once, but only after a process that ensures his is a body and soul receptive for the faith to take root, sharing Christ’s Parable of the Sower. Rather than be discouraged by the idea of a lengthy process to baptism, the young man beamed with joy at the prospect.

More of the inmates joined us for a video presentation on St. Maximilian Kolbe and his devotion to Mary, followed by a group discussion. There, Jerome (who has been in prison for 37 years but just received some positive news from the Innocence Project) answered Marty’s question that there is nothing stopping anyone from living God’s will in prison. And, after some lively back and forth, John pointed out that “None of us is in here for doing God’s will.”

Thank you Marty, the Ohio Department of Corrections and the warm and welcoming men of Warren Correctional Facility. I hope to be back soon to partake again in this wonderful ministry.

Am I More Devout Than a Second Grader?

Daniel

The past two weekends I was blessed to be present for First Holy Communion celebrations at two separate parishes. Last week, my wife and I were at our home church, St. John the Evangelist, and this week we attended Mass at the church where she serves as the school principal, St. Vivian.

I was transfixed as the young men and women sat with their families at the front of the churches, all decked out in pint-sized suits and traditional white dresses. They were often joined by their entire extended families, all present for this monumental day. Cameras were out in force, their holders taking snapshots and filming video for eternal preservation.

And I marveled at the excitement obvious in their eyes, eager to fully participate at the Lord’s table for the first time. One young boy at St. John was practically bouncing out of the pew, ready for his name to be called and take his place near the altar. Another lad at St. Vivian was saddled with a broken arm for the special day, but he slung his sports jacket over one shoulder and soldiered on.

When they got to the presiding priests at both churches, the First Communicants proudly held their hands up high, practically begging for the sacred Eucharist to be placed there. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

I envied their enthusiasm and I began to think that every Mass should resemble First Communion. Every time we get to participate in this amazing sacrament, we should do so with the excitement, with the anticipation, with the awe it so deserves. We are blessed to have Christ with us in the Eucharist every single time we attend Mass. May we never take it for granted.

So let’s all of us strive to be a little bit more like those second graders, this week and every week. Let us always be fully present for the Real Presence.

By the way, the accompanying photo was not taken over the past two weekends. Rather, it’s from my daughter Kiera’s First Holy Communion almost 20 years ago. A version of this photo, much worse for wear, has been carried in my many wallets ever since.