Today’s column is just a
collection of odds and ends. First of all, Happy Memorial Day! This is the
weekend we remember the great sacrifice made by the men and women of our Armed
Forces in the defense of our liberties. The best way to honor and celebrate
them is not with parades, bands and picnics, but a renewed resolve to protect
and promote the liberties for which they fought and died. We still have much
work to do to insure “liberty and justice for all.” Living up to the ideals on
which our nation was founded is by far the best way to honor our fallen heroes.
Happy Memorial Day!
This weekend traditionally marks
the end of the school year. This past Thursday our 8th grade class
from St Austin Catholic School graduated. The University of Texas at Austin
held commencement last weekend. High schools in our area are celebrating
graduations. Congratulations to all the graduates, to all the teachers, and
especially to all the parents who shepherded and guided the students through their
academic labyrinths.
And this weekend we host Mr. Sam
Bass, a seminarian for the Diocese of Austin, who will be with us to tell us a
little about the vocation program of the Diocese, and to thank us for our
support. Please make Sam feel welcome.
This may be a good opportunity to
explain a little about the relationship between the Paulist Fathers and the
Diocese of Austin. Not everyone is familiar with how our relationship works. The
Paulist Fathers are a religious community similar to the Jesuits, Franciscans,
Benedictines, Dominicans, Augustinians, Holy Cross Fathers, and about 1,000
other groups. Each group has its own particular works, style and “charism” (gifts). The Paulists were founded rather
recently, just over 150 years ago, here in the United States, and so have a
more American flavor. For example, we popularly elect our “president” (as opposed say to a “Superior General” for
the Jesuits). The Paulists came to Austin in 1908 to serve the needs of the
University of Texas community. Basically we are sub-contractors working at the
pleasure of the Bishop. The Bishop of Austin is the chief liturgical officer of
this Diocese, and he contracts with us to operate this parish and the
University Catholic Center for him. The Paulists are free to leave if they
should ever choose to do so, and the Bishop is free to send us packing if he
should ever choose to do so. About 2 years ago we were disinvited from the
Diocese of Minneapolis for reasons we still have not discovered. And this year
we chose to withdraw from our parish in Portland, Oregon. So it does happen.
The Paulists train our own
seminarians, and over the years you have seen novices, seminarians, pastoral
years students, spend part of their training with us in the parish. Mr. Sam
Bass is a seminarian for the Diocese. He will be ordained by the Bishop of
Austin, and most probably spend his entire priestly career in this Diocese. That
is the ordinary form of priesthood.
The Paulists and the Diocese of
Austin have a long, mutually beneficial, and very positive relationship. We
support the local diocesan priesthood, and they support us. For example, next
week each of the Paulists here will be spending time at the Diocesan Priests
Convocation to check in, fraternize with, and support the local clergy. We
derive mutual support from each other. We try to cover for them when they can,
and they for us. It is a positive relationship.
God Bless,
God Bless,
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