Pieta in the Mediation Chapel at The Grotto is a National Catholic Shrine dedicated to Mary, Our Sorrowful Mother, which is a ministry of The Servite Friars – Order of Friar Servants of Mary. Photo (c) 2016 all rights reserved John M.Kingery
I am weeping, my wife weeps, and our nation weeps at the murders in Baton Rouge, St. Anthony and Dallas. God is gathering those tears and those tears will return.
“For there will be a sowing of peace. Do not be fear; let your hands be strong.” Zechariah 12:12-13
Out of Darkness (c) 2016 all rights John M. Kingery
Wear black today. Know that peace will return. We are called to sow peace with love, truth, justice and freedom. Help me this day to show love. Reach out to someone. Through the darkness, we will pass.
Cloud of Witnesses (dog wood tree) – (c) 2016 all rights John M. Kingery
Without a vision the people lose restraint, but happy the one who follow instruction. Proverbs 28:19 New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)
The footnotes state “Vision” and “instruction” mean authoritative guidance for the community. People are demoralized without credible leadership.
As of this Monday, there have been 252 shootings resulting in 98 deaths and 197 injuries. Two years ago, in the United States 51,819 shootings took place with 12,590 were killed and 23,025 injured. Last year, 53,301 shootings took place, 13,433 died and 27,016 were injured.
www.gunviolencearchive.org/last-72-hours
These are not merely numbers; they are parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers. Thru out our country, people are being injured and dying as the result of gun violence. What voices were heard last week, year and over 2,000 years ago?
John Lewis, Georgia 5th District (c) 2016, John M. Kiingery
A notable voice was Rep. John Lewis, Georgia 5th district he began the protest in the House of Representatives –
“We have lost hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence, tiny little children, babies, students and teachers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence, tiny little children, babies, students and teachers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, friends and neighbors . And what has this body done? Mr. Speaker, nothing. Not one thing. We have turned a deaf ear. We have turned deaf ears to the blood of the innocent and the concern of our nation.”
Full speech video –
Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin 1st District (c) 2016, John M.Kingery
Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin 1st district and speaker of the House, was one of many voices in opposition. “This is nothing more than a publicity stunt.” He shut off cameras and then called the House back into session at 2:45 am on Thursday morning. Speaker Ryan dressed in opened the session, but did not remain, instead he left the chamber. Then Steve Womack, Arkansas 3rd district, serving as speaker pro tempore dressed in white eventually closed ended the session. Night had become day; black had become white.
Steve Womack, Arkansas 3rd district (c) 2016, John M. Kingery
Nine months earlier, another individual dressed in white was speaking from the rostrum of the House. That individual was Pope Francis. Speaking to the joint session of Congress, he asked a question and gave an honest answer about the selling of deadly weapons. There is a global arms trade, but also a national arms trade.
Why are deadly weapons being sold to those who plan to inflict untold suffering on individuals and society? Sadly, the answer, as we all know, is simply for money: money that is drenched in blood, often innocent blood. In the face of this shameful and culpable silence, it is our duty to confront the problem and to stop the arms trade.” Pope Francis, Address to the Joint Session, September 23, 2015.
As believers and people of good will, we can no longer be indifferent. “Indifference and lack of commitment constitute a grave dereliction of the duty whereby each of us must work in accordance with our abilities and our role in society for the promotion of the common good, and in particular for peace, which is one of mankind’s most precious goods.” Pope Francis, World Day of Peace 2016
Christ Hands Outstretched – St. Pius X (c) John M. Kingery 2015 All Rights Reserved
When Jesus was being arrested in the garden, what did He say? Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Matthew 26:52
Contact your elected officials, religious leaders to provide leadership. Talk to family, friends and neighbor about heeding the call to put the swords (guns) away. We need common sense responses, not fear and hate driven stockpiling of arms!
On June 16, I participated in a webinar How A Church On the Move Engages the World: Putting Mission and Mercy in Action featuring Joe Paprocki, DMin, National Consultant for Faith Formation for Loyola Press, a Jesuit Ministry in Chicago
This is an important topic in parishes, community, nation and the world today. Christ was on the move during his ministry, and Pope Francis has called the People of God to go out to the margins. That example and call is for all, especially at the parish level.
You can find the full recording of the webinar at the Roundtable of Diocesan Catholic Social Action Directors www.catholicroundtable.org website.
Introduction: We are one family
Our church is in crises and dealing with the consequences of the sexual abuse scandals and in a sense political crises. How does the Church engage the world again or more effectively and authentically? That engagement and going out will take place at parish level. Joe described parishes as the “ground level place for mercy to move out.”
At the parish level, we are one family that is always reaching out. We are called to invite others to our family and banquet. They all have place at the table. As the song says, “All are welcome in this place.” We may have differences and disagreement, yet we are united by the love of God.
Mercy is always extended. Thomas S. Rains in “Autopsy of a deceased Church” notes Jesus’ ministry was one of gathering and sending out. All dead churches are inward instead outward focused. Bringing the Good News and the Kingdom of God to the marginalized is forgotten; replaced by minutia and fear of reaching out.
How does the Church especially at the parish level be relevant and focus upon bringing Jesus to the people?
Develop a sense of urgency and engagement
Know the people in our parish and community through building relationships. Know who is suffering and their pain. Reach out to them with a sense of urgency. As a parish, we are called to be on fire. We should review our media content – bulletin, website and social media. Is it a means of reaching to the parish and wider community? Does it reflect that reaching out?
Acknowledge our brokenness
We are not perfect, but we are broken. Our lives are not spent looking down, but lifting up and healing. Scrap generic and stale mission statements. Replace them with following – We recognize our brokenness. We have found healing in Jesus. We invite you to join us and do the same. We go out into the world.
Be full of joy
We are free because we are healed. God’s mercy is so great and as source of our joy! Our work in Social Action and Social Justice should be fueled by joy and not merely righteous anger. Anger cannot sustain a positive attitude. The journey has its trials.
I received a parting gift at the end of lay ministry retreat in May at the Griffin Center. Attached was slip of paper –
Consequently, an evangelizer must never look like someone who has just come back from funeral! Let us recover and deepen our enthusiasm, that “delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow… Pope Francis, Joy of the Gospel. #10
Rejoice in the Lord always, I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Phil 4:4-5
Break down the barriers. Do not presume to know who is coming. Are we getting the word out? Remember that mercy is always welcoming.
Commitment is required
What are you going to do and how can you help? Parishes have pledge cards – time, treasure and talent. Consider discipleship cards – what will individuals do to spread the Good News and build the kingdom of God. “Pay, pray and obey” is no longer is sufficient.
Mercy is our lived out belief. My thoughts – Eucharist is the gathering of the People of God to receive God’s mercy, love and strength. Pope Francis suggests examining the Eucharist with three questions. How does that impact our lives? How do we look at others? Do we experience the grace of forgiveness and are we ready to forgive? How is our community affected?
Integrate and not indoctrinate
Get involved in with faith formation. Our faith is the way of love manifested in the sacraments lived out in the world. Help our young people to learn, lead and do the work of Kingdom. Faith formation is more than memorization. It is sharing the knowledge and acting upon it.
Focus on the Poor
Identify and meet the needs of the poor at St. Juan Diego and beyond.
Choose Life
Promote a consistent ethic of life through all stages of life – conception, birth, childhood, adulthood and end of life. It does not mean all are equivalent, but we are called to address them consistently.
POLITICS May 24, 2016
Amazing
Ignoring the past
Coming back to haunt the USA
Slavery/ genocide/civil war
The devil is in the details
The earth cries
The sound is deafening
Where were you on Mother’s Day? I was eating brunch at the Muslim Educational Trust. There I met Karim from Yemen and Noel from Jerusalem. The food was excellent and the conversation was life giving. Karim had lost his mother. My mother died on Mother’s Day in 2013. Noel has some of the same health issues I do. We shared our human frailty, need for prayer and belief in a merciful God.
You might say we celebrated being brothers and sisters in the Creator’s family. In the cafeteria where I ate, there was a plaque about family on the wall. The kind of plaque you would find at craft store.
Our Family
Laughs and Learns
Argues and Apologizes
Plays and Protects
Gives and Grows
Chaotic and Close
United and Unselfish
Loves and Lives
Happily Ever After
Isn’t that what we all want? Isn’t that what God wants for us? We should all be crafted into a family.
I am just finishing Pope Francis’ newest book – “The Name of God is Mercy”. In the final chapter on Living the Holy Year of Mercy, he poses the following questions –
A place to sleep. (c) John M. Kingery All rights reserved
What should we do for the homeless man camped in front of our house?
What should we do for the poor man who has nothing to eat?
What should we do for the neighboring family who cannot make it to the end of the month due to the recession, because the husband lost his job?
How should we behave with the immigrants who survive the crossing and who land on our shores?
What should we do for the elderly who are alone, abandoned, and who have no one?
Journey With Us (c) John M. Kingery All rights reserved
Pope Francis answers and calls us to respond. Reach out, know how to listen, advise them, and teach them through our own experience. By welcoming a marginalized person whose body is wounded and by welcoming a sinner who soul is wounded, we put our credibility as Christians on the line.
Over today and over the next week, pray on how you would respond to the questions Pope Francis poses and how you can be more welcoming. After you have prayed, then each day try live out those responses aided by the Holy Spirit.
About a month ago, I met Tyner who is in the picture. He had been sleeping on the door step at work. Our office was opening up. I work him and noticed he had Boston Red Sox cap. We talked about his situation. He worked in Boston during the record setting blizzard a few years ago. For the last three years, he has had no home. Tyner indicated he had been told he was “housing challenged”. A few days later he was getting into transitional housing. I helped gather his belongings, shook his hand and we smiled as we said good bye. I have not seen him since. My prayer is he has found housing.
My friend Tyner. (c) John M. Kingery All Rights reserved
I could not provide him housing, but I could recognize him as a human being. Today, recognize the humanity in the marginalized in your community and reach out your hand and heart.
Flags of honor and solidarity. (c) 2016 John M. Kingery – all rights reserved.
We all aware of the tragedies that have taken place over the past 6 months in Paris, San Bernardino and Brussels. Lives have been lost and forever scarred. We can respond with despair or resolve.
A few weeks ago after the events in Brussels, flags of state, county and city offices were taken to half mast. I thought to myself, is there something more that could be done to honor and be in solidarity with the victims? If government offices lower their flags, why don’t businesses and places of worship do the same?
On my lunch hour, I went to various hotels and banks in downtown Portland to see what they are doing. Some of the establishments did have their flags at half-mast and some did not. I am only on a single person with only so much time.
As the apostle Paul wrote – “If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.”
Sixteen years ago, over 230 religious leaders gathered in Assisi to pray for peace. The result was a pledge for peace. The first declaration is:
“We commit ourselves to proclaiming our firm conviction that violence and terrorism are incompatible with the authentic spirit of religion, and, as we condemn every recourse to violence and war in the name of God or of religion, we commit ourselves to doing everything possible to eliminate the root causes of terrorism.”
Consider sponsoring 3 Days in May for flags of honor and solidarity in your communities. The lowering of flags to half mast would take place at houses of worship, businesses and neighborhoods. Violence affects us all.
Last month, I became the community director for the St. Juan Diego Knights of Columbus Council #15729 and spoke at this month’s meeting on the topic of community.
The Love of Christ Impels Us:
For the love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 2 Corinthians 5: 14 -15
A few weeks ago, we had a fellow parishioner Paula who needed help moving into her new home. She had to put in 500 hours of sweat equity to qualify for this Habitat for Humanity home. Gary, Walter, and Larry came through she was able to complete moving in by Friday morning on January 29th. Ron, Bruce, David and Roger, and I were waiting in the wings and I know supporting the effort with prayer.
On Saturday, I attended the district officers meeting. We had the biggest turnouts of all with Roger, Gary and David attending. Part of the meeting dealt with the various programs. After hearing about awards, points and forms; I turned to Bruce and said, “Is this why we do acts of charity? I hope not.” Bruce replied, “No that is not why he volunteers and that is not why we volunteer.” Yes, it is the love of Christ that impels us.
Justice is who are as Catholics:
Catholic social teaching is a central and essential element of our faith. Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God’s special love for the poor and called God’s people to a covenant of love and justice.
Community is our faith community, our neighborhood, city, state, nation and the whole world. We all have a part in carrying out that covenant of love and justice. Our faith is calling us out as Catholics and Knights into the wider world.
Muslim Educational Trust (c) John M. Kingery All Rights Reserved
In December, I attend the opening of Muslim Educational Trust’s grand opening in Tigard. They have waited 20 years to move into their building; we waited 8 years. We are concerned with adding meeting areas; they are concerned with getting donations for bars and bullet proof glass for their classrooms. The Washington County Argus had a story about the Crescent Islamic Montessori School with a signing announcing they were enrolling students. They took it down on December 2nd; they feared a backlash from that event. The school has 32 students from ages 3 to 12.
Our community is vast and we are called to protect all who are vulnerable and be in solidarity with them.
The Assisi Pledge had its 14th anniversary in January 24. The pledge was the result of over 200 leaders from the Catholic, Christian, Jewish, Islamic and other traditions answering the call of St. John Paul II. The outcome was a pledge to work for peace.
Article 2: We commit ourselves to educating people to mutual respect and esteem, in order to help bring about a peaceful and fraternal coexistence between people of different ethnic groups, cultures and religions.
On the January 27th of this year, Muslim leaders from 120 countries around the world gathered in Marrakesh, Morocco. There were Chaldean Catholics from Iraq, government officials along with the religious leaders attending. The outcome was the Marrakesh Declaration defending the rights of religious minorities in predominantly Muslim countries. Education is mentioned the declaration.
Urge Muslim educational institutions and authorities to conduct a courageous review of educational curricula that addresses honestly and effectively any material that instigates aggression and extremism, leads to war and chaos, and results in the destruction of our shared societies.
These are mere words on paper if we do not live them out. Let’s help put that into practice. Ann and I will be going to a potluck this Saturday from 5:00 pm to 7:30 at the MET – 10330 SW Scholls Ferry Road, Tigard, OR 97223
Called to Serve:
As Catholics and Knights we are called to be servants as Christ was.
“For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
There are many opportunities to serve the community through the Knights, individually and other groups.
Head Bowed Down (c) John M. Kingery All Rights Reserved
I work downtown for Outside In and take the MAX downtown every day. This morning as I walked to work, I saw a number of homeless. They were bent over, looking at the ground and shuffling along their way. I tried to look into their eyes; they kept their heads bowed down. Christ’s head is bowed down on the crucifix. These homeless and all in need are part of our community. We are called to serve them with charity and justice service impelled by the Love of Christ.
Did you know Pope Francis has called for “24 Hours for the Lord” from the evening of Friday March 4 to the evening of March 5? He is calling us to a time of prayer, reconciliation, works of
Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Basilica (c) John M. Kingery – All Rights Reserved
mercy and service.
Pray and let Christ’s Love impel you! Be changed and build our community at St. Juan Diego and beyond.
… Do not turn your face away from the poor. From the needy do not turn your eyes. Sirach 4:4-5
In charity and justice, do we at times turn our gaze away?
Open our eyes:
I was talking with my wife Ann a few weeks ago. She can’t get the homeless off her mind and heart. She had heard about the Safe Harbor Church of the Nazarene in Vancouver and their attempt at providing tiny homes for the homeless. Those homes were to be on the church property. The following quotes from the 12/16/2015 the Vancouver Columbian article – http://www.columbian.com/news/2015/dec/16/vancouver-church-backs-out-of-homeless-village/
The federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act says local governments are limited in their ability to regulate religious land, said Jonathan Young, assistant city attorney for Vancouver. Because the city’s regulation of church property stops at serious health and safety issues, religious institutions are the only establishments that legally could provide a place for the homeless to camp without first amending city zoning codes, he said.
The plan was delayed by the threat of a lawsuit. Resident Mandy Eguma wrote, “This type of temporary housing project MUST be located outside the city limits, improving the temporary housing options for homelessness is a message to Clark County residence (sic) that we support homelessness and will build more housing options. … Other counties may see this as an invitation to bus their homeless population here.”
Open our hearts:
Pope Francis in his World Day of Peace 2016 message Overcome Indifference and Win Peace notes two ways in which indifference to our neighbor is manifested.
Some people are well-informed; they listen to the radio, read the newspapers or watch television, but they do so mechanically and without engagement. They are vaguely aware of the tragedies afflicting humanity, but they have no sense of involvement or compassion. Theirs is the attitude of those who know, but keep their gaze, their thoughts and their actions focused on themselves.
In other cases, indifference shows itself in lack of concern for what is happening around us, especially if it does not touch us directly. Some people prefer not to ask questions or seek answers; they lead lives of comfort, deaf to the cry of those who suffer.
The Lord, Pope Francis and my wife are helping me to open the eyes of my heart.
Open the eyes of my heart mediation. Words used from song written by Michael W. Smith.
