The Freshman are fresh off their National Outdoor Leadership School experience.  NOLS is a great program which entails a three week outdoor hiking, camping, leadership skills course in the great outdoors of Wyoming.  I’m told one of the girl’s groups hiked around 90 miles during this time.  It is a tremendous time of bonding for the incoming class, as well as a great experience of team building and learning life-long leadership skills. 

The morning began with a breakfast for all of the students and any visiting family.  The Frassati Center is newly renovated, and will serve as the student lounge and refectory.  From there, preparations began for the Noon Mass.  The school has quite a Latin requirement, which gives great versatility to the school choir, which sang for Mass. 

During Mass, the Faculty made their oath of fidelity and profession of faith.  The Wyoming Catholic College is serious about their Catholic identity, and the faculty and staff are very committed to this foundational component of the college life and learning.  We are blessed by their dedication. 

After Mass, there were light refreshments while the students had their group photo taken.  After this, everyone gathered again in the Church for the matriculation ceremony.  The bishop had to leave for his next appointment of the day, but the pictures tell the full story!  Congratulations, Wyoming Catholic College!  Keep up the good work!

+PDE

+PDE

Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus, Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.  Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every other name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The gatherings provide us an opportunity to share with each other on a deeper level regarding the Church and our priesthood. Besides the three listening sessions, we have time to pray together, share a meal or two and simply enjoy some social time.  It is good to see priests enjoying time with brother priests.

Yesterday, I arrived in Thermopolis for our deanery gathering here.  Both gatherings thus far have had a great turn out. I am am sensing and hearing that they, too, appreciate the opportunity to visit with each other and their bishop.

It is good for any group of people to gather together to share with one another around any topic of faith. Very often, the discussion helps give voice to the deeper insights present within us that otherwise would go unnoticed. Such a process of sharing also leads to deeper appreciation, and also helps to put the challenges we face in the context of our faith and hope and trust in God. It often helps us be more aware of things we can do better or in addition to our present efforts. 

One theme, I’m glad to hear, is the fact that we are God’s Church, and the Holy Spirit is alive and well, and will continue to lead us into the future God has in store for us!

Peace to all!

+PDE

For Mass, we reflected on the Gospel (Matthew 23:27-32).  Jesus is calling the scribes and Pharisees to task for their hypocrisy.  He tells them that they appear on the outside to be good, but on the inside are full of fill and death.  In other words, the challenge for us is to work on our interior disposition. 

St. Paul was speaking of this in the first reading in the second Letter to the Thessalonians (3:6-10;16-18).  May the LORD of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way.  The LORD be with all of you.  This is the interior “Peace” we are to cultivate. 

How many of us wake up to alarms or radios or the first thing we do is turn on the TV or go to the computer to check emails and the latest headlines?  How many of us are aware of the rising of the sun, the Dawn from on High who comes to greet us with His peace?  Do we take time for quiet? for prayer? for recreation?  and in all of this deepen our relationship with Christ who comes with His word to strengthen us and with his grace and mercy to redeem and restore us?

At times, we need to be very conscious about our relationship with Christ.  The beginning of a new academic year is a perfect time to put Christ at the center of the calendar of each day, and to make Christ my priority so that I may live in His peace at all times, in every way.

Evening Prayer with the faculty and staff gave another piece of Scripture for thought: James 1:22-25.  Be doers of the WORD.  The encouragement for the faculty and staff was to see how they are to bring Christ to their ministry.  To serve each student as if he or she is Christ.  To be doers of the WORD is to acknowledge that Christ has taken up His dwelling in each of us, and is longing to speak and act through us for the well-being of others. 

Perhaps you are just getting back into some sense of routine in your own life after a summer break.  Let’s all renew our commitment to put Christ first.  To be Christ for others.  To serve Christ in others.  To cultivate His Spirit of Peace!

+PDE

Yesterday, I had the priveledge of celebrating with the Benedictine and Seminary communities in the beautiful abbey basilica the opening Mass of the academic year.  As is usually the norm, we celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit.

This time of year, almost all of our seminarians have returned to their respective seminaries.  In addition to the four college men mentioned above, we have one man beginning his third year of theology in Louvain, Belgium, one man in his third year of theology at Sacred Heart in Hales Corner, Wisconsin, two men beginning their studies at the North American College in Rome, and two men also beginning first year of theology at St. John Vianney in Denver.

We are blessed with solid candidates pursuing these preparations for priesthood.  I’m also very grateful for the many priests, religious, and lay people who are so dedicated, and selflessly serving in the ministry of preparing men for the priesthood.  Seminary work is a unique ministry, and can be quite challenging.  These men and women take on a great task in preparing our future priests for ministry.  Please keep them in your prayers.

I truly enjoyed my visit to Conception Abbey and Seminary this week.  I enjoyed being with our seminarians.  I enjoyed meeting many other seminarians.  I enjoyed the visit with the seminary faculty as well as Abbot Gregory.  On a personal level, it also reminded me very much of home.  The rolling hills, hard wood forests, and agricultural farm land reminded me very much of the scenes from my own home, and especially of another Benedictine Archabbey; St. Meinrad! 

The trip also gave me some time to visit with our new vocation director, Fr. Bill Hill.  He is quickly “learning the ropes”, and I am impressed with the “homework” he has done in these early days of his new position as well as with his insight and good “instincts”.  I think we will do well with him at the helm of our vocation ministry.

Please continue to pray for all our seminarians.  Pray for those entrusted with the work of their formation.  And please, pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood for our local church!

+PDE

I believe Jesus addresses the issue of minimalism when it comes to our faith in this Sunday’s Gospel:

Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few people be saved?”  He answered them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.”  He even goes on to say to those who claim to have known him; to have ate and drank with him:  I do not know where you are from.  Depart from me, all you evildoers.  (Luke 13:22-30)

Jesus is pretty clear that even though our salvation depends totally upon His grace and the mercy and love of God, we are still to “STRIVE” to enter the Kingdom.  Striving by definition indicates effort. How often in His teaching does Jesus remind us that if we are to be His disciples, we must take up our cross and follow him? 

Even the second reading this weekend from the Letter to the Hebrews gives a similar admonition:  Endure your trials as “discipline”; …all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it.  (Hebrews 12: 7; 11)

We believe that all are called by God to enter into His Kingdom.  We believe that only the Father draws us to the Son.  We believe that the possibility of salvation is certainly extended to all, and it is totally dependent upon Jesus Christ.  However, we have an active role to play in this effort to “STRIVE” for our salvation. 

It is not up to us to judge others and their efforts.  St. Paul tells us clearly in the letter to the Romans:  We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak…Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor.(Romans 15:1-2)  Ours is a two-fold task: to love God and to serve our neighbor.  In each of these efforts we cooperate with the grace of Christ, and continue to strive for the salvation that is achieved only “through the narrow gate”.

So, let us not seek to know (and do) the least, but stive in all things to grow in love. 

Lord, may this Eucharist increase within us the healing power of your love.  May it guide and direct our efforts to please you in all things.   (Closing Prayer, 21St Sunday in Ordinary Time)

+PDE

For the first time since the transition from the Latin texts to English following the Second Vatican Council in the late 60s and early 70s, we have seen in recent years a new translation of the original Latin prayers used for our celebration of the Eucharist.  Even though we have grown quite accustomed to and comfortable with the prayers used in our celebration of the Eucharist, we will begin using these new prayers on the First Sunday of Advent, November 27, 2011.

It is my understanding that these new translations will provide for the first time, a single English translation of the Roman Missal for all English speaking countries.  This will no doubt be a change for all of us, priest presiders and lay people.  Change always carries with it a bit of struggle, but I believe there is a great opportunity before us as we begin to prepare ourselves for these new translations. 

Even though some of our prayers will now include new terms and phrases, which will be awkward for a time, these new ways of praying also provide a moment of grace to gain new insights, and perhaps a greater sense of appreciation for the great gift we share in the Eucharist. This is  a perfect time for us not only to prepare for the new translation, but to reinvigorate our celebration of the Eucharist.   As we prepare for the implementation of the new translation of the Roman Missal, perhaps it is a good time to also pray for the grace to receive this Missal with open hearts and open minds.

Anyone who has followed this issue in recent years knows that it has met with some opposition.  Some ask why?  Some say there are more important issues facing the Church than the language we use in prayer.  Regardless of the concerns and arguments, whether they have “traction” or not, we are now being asked to embrace this new reality.  The Eucharist is the source of unity in the Church.  Let’s prayerfully remember it is Christ Who speaks to us through the Church, as well as through Word and Sacrament.  Let us open our hearts and minds to Christ, and cast aside all fear, and trust in the good things God has in mind with this next chapter of our universal journey of faith.

 In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. 

 He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side with your rod and your staff that give me courage. 

You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Only goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

Psalm 23

Bishop David Ricken; former Bishop of Cheyenne, Bishop of Green Bay presides at Evening Prayer

Carol DeLois, Chancellor of Diocese with Bishop Etienne after Evening Prayer

Archbishop Chaput, Denver with Bishop Etienne at altar during Opening Mass

All pictures courtesy of Matt Potter, Development Director, Diocese of Cheyenne