Bishop Kevin Farrell

The Chief Shepherd of the Catholic Diocese of Dallas

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Vocation Awareness Week…A Time of Thanksgiving and Hope

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Next week (Jan. 9-17) is National Vocation Awareness Week, a time of thanksgiving and of hope. Thanksgiving for the priests, deacons and religious with which our Diocese has been blessed. I continue to be amazed at the selfless service of the priests and those in consecrated life who staff our parishes, schools and institutions. I pray for them constantly and ask that you do the same.

We are especially thankful for the 44 seminarians in formation for the priesthood in our Diocese. It is the largest number in many years, a tribute to the work of Vocations Director Father Rudy Garcia and his staff.

And we are thankful for the fathers and mothers, who have nurtured vocations by creating a true Catholic culture in their homes, no easy task in the midst of our secular society.

It is also a time of hope, hope that an increasing number of young men and women will hear and respond to God’s call to serve not be served. Young people today are responding with faith, courage and generous hearts.

Take time next week to show your gratitude to our priests and religious who serve your parish. If you have a seminarian in your parish, encourage him and support him in his response to God’s call.

Finally, please pray for vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

To Be Catholic is To Be Pro-Life

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This January 22 marks the 37th anniversary of the Roe vs Wade ruling that has resulted in the tragic deaths of untold millions of unborn babies. Catholic pro-life groups work untiringly not only to reverse Roe vs Wade but to protect the unborn through a myriad of programs and by cooperating with others in creating a culture of life in our diocese and our nation.

Bishop Kevin Vann of Fort Worth will join me and other priests in celebrating a Mass in the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe on Saturday January 16 at 10 a.m. in memory of the millions of unborn babies who have been aborted and their parents wounded by abortion. The Mass will be followed by a rally and March for Life.

I challenge Catholics who participated in the 2009 anniversary to return this year and bring a friend to make it 10 in 2010. On January 16, let’s have 10,000 Catholics praying and marching in 2010.

Thousands of others will be participating in the Texas Rally for Life in Austin on January 23 and the Youth for Life March in Washington that same weekend.
To be Catholic is to be Pro-Life.

A Move Toward Healing an Ancient Division

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Reconciliation is in the air in relations between the Russian Orthodox and the Catholic Church. There was little note in the media of two recent events that signaled a thawing in relations with the Moscow Patriarchate.

On December 9 Russia and the Vatican announced the establishment of diplomatic relations with a Russian ambassador to the Vatican State and a Papal Nuncio in Moscow. The development followed a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and Russian president Dimitri Medvedev.

Previous to the meeting between the Holy Father and President Medvedev, the Moscow Patriarchate published a book containing the speeches made by the Pope over the past ten years as cardinal and Pontiff.

The Moscow Patriarchate is the largest among the Eastern Orthodox communion and has previously been very cool toward outreaches by the Vatican. The Russian Church can be a powerful ally in the struggle being waged by the Holy Father against European secularism.

Healing of the ancient division between Rome and the Eastern Patriarchates was a great hope of Pope John Paul II. It appears that reconciliation may be one step closer to reality. God’s grace is clearly at work.

Labels: Vatican-Moscow

New Year’s World Day of Peace

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As the nations of the world struggled to find agreement and a solution to global warming and the devastation that it is wreaking, I couldn’t help but recall the words of St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans “We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now.” Rom:8:22.

Paul sees creation as struggling for redemption and sharing in the fallen state of humanity and that, with us, “creation awaits with eager expectation the revelation of the children of God.”

Our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI directly addressed the issue in his New Year’s World Day of Peace message when he called for “a cosmic vision of peace,” explaining “respect for creation is of immense consequence,” not least because “creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works”,[1] and its preservation has now become essential for the pacific coexistence of mankind.”

In his message Pope Benedict linked the need for reconciliation among nations to reconciliation with creation and ultimately reconciliation with God, a connection first made in the Genesis creation account. (Gen 3:17-19)

Clearly we are called to stewardship of creation not domination and demolition

Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion

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Austerity and simplicity are the marks of the Good Friday liturgy as is appropriate for the commemoration of the death of the Lord. No sacraments may be celebrated on this day except for the Sacrament of Penance and the Anointing of the Sick. In accordance with ancient tradition, no Mass may be celebrated. No musical instruments or bells are permitted.

Good Friday is nonetheless a time of celebration, celebration of our Redemption as noted in one of the opening prayers: “Lord, by the suffering of Christ your Son you have saved us all from the death we inherited from sinful Adam.” Ideally the Good Friday liturgy is celebrated at three in the afternoon, the hour of Jesus’ death, but it may be celebrated early in the evening at a time more convenient for working people.

The liturgy consists of three elements. The Liturgy of the Word, the Veneration of the Cross and Holy Communion.

In silence the priest and other ministers enter the Church and prostrate themselves before the stripped altar. This prostration symbolizes grief and sorrow and the submissiveness of man in the presence of God.

In the first reading from Isaiah, we reflect on the Messianic prophecy of the Suffering Servant. “…he was pierced for our offences, crushed for our sins: upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we are healed.” The second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews picks up on Isaiah and reminds us that “Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of salvation for all who obey him.”

Once again the Passion is read, this time from John which is used every Good Friday. John alone tells us of Jesus placing his mother in the care of the Beloved Disciple: “He said woman, behold, your son,” and then to John, “Behold, your mother.” It is also John who anticipates Pentecost when he tells us that at the moment of his death the Lord said:”‘It is finished.’ And bowing his head, he handed over the Spirit.”

Following the Passion and a homily, a series of up to ten special intercessory prayers are said emphasizing that Jesus’ death was for the salvation of the world.

Then follows the unveiling and the veneration of the cross as the priest gradually takes the covering from the crucifix while singing three times “This is the wood of the cross, on which hung the Savior of the World.” The cross is then venerated by the priest and ministers and individually by members of the congregation as the ancient reproaches are sung recalling the history of salvation in which God cries out “My people, what have I done to you? How have I offended you? Answer me!”

The cross is left for veneration while a simple Communion service, beginning with the Lord’s Prayer, is held, at which the Eucharist concecrated on Holy Thursday is distributed.

There is no closing ceremony as the priest and ministers depart in silence. Only the cross and four candles remain, inviting us to reflect on Jesus in the silence of the tomb.