See how they love one another

“See How They Love One Another,” words taken from the Gospel of John about the disciples of Jesus, was the title of a breakout session at the World Meeting of Families 2015 today by a well-known Catholic couple, Dr. Gregory and Lisa Papcok. They had a wealth of good advice about raising kids Catholic, especially to not be afraid to “waste time with your children” and to view family time as THE most important activity on the endless list of activities that make us so busy today.

But from the moment they began to speak, my mind was reliving a number of events from the past week, as we held vigil with our four adult children at the bedside of Greg’s mom, Rosemary, in her final days. Had I come into this room from outside the family, I believe I would have thought words similar to “see how they love one another.” There is perhaps no greater gift that parents can receive from their children than to know that they have grown up to love and support one another, their parents, and their grandparents. Greg and I have reflected deeply in recent days on how gifted we are by four mature, loving, caring, compassionate children and one “blessing” of a son-in-law. Sarah, Ryan, Caroline, Laura, and Taylor – there are no words to express the love in our hearts.

I am struck also about how Rosemary’s Christian “family” grew in those final days and in the preparation of her funeral. First, Greg’s cousins were with us day and night to take care of our every need. Then Father Jim Schwartz who came that first day to offer Rosemary the Anointing of the Sick and Reconciliation – inviting her to have peace in spirit and inviting resolution of all that had troubled her. And the next day, Deacon Peter Dohr (“Uncle Peter” to Caroline and Taylor), who so beautifully and prayerfully offered his own view of heaven, where Rosemary will now be able to be “with” her grandchildren in every moment of their lives.

At the moment of her death, we were embraced by our friends at Jennings, Nulton and Mattle, who directed us in ways we could not have imagined earlier to embrace even this part of the process with love and grace.

Again those words “see how they love another” come to my mind as I think of how our St. Joseph’s Church family came together to prepare a funeral liturgy that was uplifting, comforting, and true to Rosemary’s distinct character. From their support to our children in the ministries they performed, to the music, the homily, and the con-celebrants, it was a gift to our family and a sign of the love shared between our very special St. Joseph’s pastoral staff and family.

With the deepest gratitude. Love is our mission!

Cathy Kamp

The Church of Mom & Dad

It is very exciting to here in “Pope-adelphia” along with St. Joseph’s Faith for Life Coordinator Jeanne Mooney, my husband Greg Kamp, and the Hood family – Chris, Maureen, Aidan, Madeline, and Monica.

Why did St. Joseph’s make this commitment to participate in this World Meeting of Families 2015? The WMOF happens once every three years, this being the first time in the U.S. Before the papal visit was part of this Congress and Festival of Families, we had registered to participate because of our deep conviction that the most meaningful learning in faith happens in the context of family, with parents as the first and foremost teachers of faith for their children. As the year’s events have unfolded and the Roman Catholic Church has placed an unprecedented emphasis on family, we come now also hoping to share the findings of our parish Family Synod survey, especially in light of the upcoming Synod of Bishops in Rome. We have journeyed with rich insights from St. Joseph’s parishioners about how to keep weekly celebration of the Eucharist as a family priority, as well as the need for greater clarity on Church teaching about family and relationship issues.

Today, as we arrived, Greg asked me, “But what can you really do at this meeting about these family concerns?”

The answer to that question became more clear as Archbishop of Philadelphia, Charles Chaput, preached at this afternoon’s beautiful opening liturgy, attended by thousands. He said that the goal of the WMOF2015 is to be renewed in our commitment to our own family life, to love our families more. We are here to learn from each other and to exchange ideas on how Christian family life is best lived in each of our communities. Chaput invited us “to rebuild the temple of the home, the church of Mom and Dad where we learn what Christian love is all about.”

Earlier at the opening keynote address, Bishop Robert Barron said, “The image of God is brought to life in the family where we are taught to be priest, prophet, and king…where basic moral truths are taught and lived.”

And so we look forward to the next three days of the WMOF2015 as the anticipation builds for the arrival of Pope Francis this Saturday! In closing, I share the prayer of Archbishop Chaput, “May God bring to completion the good things begun in us today.”

Cathy Kamp

Am I really willing to serve?

For St. Joseph's Morning Prayer today I had the privilege of reflecting on John 13:1-9:

You’ve got to love Peter. In one breath he goes from, “You will never wash my feet” to “Not only my feet but my hands and head as well!” Peter’s love for his teacher was so great, that we could read his initial refusal in two ways – perhaps he did not want Jesus to perform this lowly task of washing his sandy, dusty feet and drying them with a clean towel. Or perhaps, he was so confident in his faith that he did not see himself as needing this symbolic, ritual cleaning.

But when Jesus says he must submit to the ritual or risk his own salvation, he responds almost comically with “Not only my feet but my hands and head as well!” Is this hyperbole? Or is this Peter asking for the fullness of his Lord’s blessing so that his discipleship will be all-in? His feet might represent any weakness he still has in his attachment to earthly things; his hands perform works of compassionate service; and his head seeks to understand his faith in Jesus and all that Jesus asks of him.

Later in the passage Jesus explains that he has washed his disciples’ feet as a model of the kind of servant leadership he wants them to perform. Today we have the greatest example of that leadership so literally, so beautifully in Peter’s successor, our Vicar of Christ, Pope Francis, who offers his heart, his hands, his head in the service of others. This very day, Pope Francis washed the feet of men and women who are incarcerated in Rome. Prisoners, criminals, the lost, the forgotten, the unclean. You’ve got to love Pope Francis.

On this day when we remember the servant leadership of our Lord and Savior, we are vividly reminded that we too are called to this extreme kind of service. Pope Francis says that he does this because it is what Jesus taught us to do: to help one another, even when we don’t really want to. We serve others because it is our duty but a duty that comes from a clean and willing heart.

Today, we can reflect on the question Pope Francis asks:

“Am I really willing, willing to serve, to help others? Let us think about this,” he suggests, “just this.”

“Am I really willing, willing to serve, to help others?”

Companions in Hope

When we were creating our videos for Rediscovering Catholic Faith at St. Joseph’s, I was fortunate to work on this week’s Sunday celebration of All Souls Day. It doesn’t fall on a Sunday too frequently, and so when it does, it’s a beautiful opportunity to reflect on the question so often asked at times of loss, “What would I do without my faith?”

The subject always reminds me of theologian Elizabeth Johnson, CSJ and what she writes about  the dead and particularly, the Communion of Saints. In Friends of God and Prophets she writes: “…the symbol of the communion of saints bears the pledge that in and through the wrenching of death, terrible at times, an ever so quiet ‘Alleluia’ can be heard. Having arrived at their destiny, the living dead become our companions in hope.” The communion of saints which includes the canonized saints, the souls in purgatory, and our own beloved dead who have died in friendship with God, can become a source of hope and companionship for us in our own journeys of faith.

The Catholic faith gives us a rich storehouse of truths about the Communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. These truths give meaning to the process of grieving a loved one, providing great consolation and, ultimately, hope.

May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, and may we have peace in our hearts knowing they are with God and we will see them again.

Blessings,

Cathy

Confessions of a Suburban Snob

In week three of the “Rediscover Catholic Faith” series at St. Joseph’s, Father Jim Schwartz talks about the “Great Commandment” in this Sunday’s Gospel as the “guts” of Catholic morality: “You shall love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

I believe that, really believe that. And I thought that my recent years’ ministry experiences had gotten me beyond some of the stereotypes and knee-jerk reactions that can lurk in the dark recesses of our suburban hearts when we encounter those living in different circumstances from ourselves. Recent experiences tell me I have a long way to go in living the Great Commandment.

This summer, when we were “between homes” for a few weeks, we were blessed to have an apartment in Rochester available to us, thanks to our future son-in-law, Ryan, and daughter, Sarah. It seemed like an adventure at first—sleeping on a mattress, camp chairs as the only furniture, no cooking utensils—maybe a mini vacation of sorts. But the feeling soon changed when we realized that Ryan’s and Sarah’s upstairs tenants were less than model renters. In the first week we had to call the police twice to break up violent domestic disputes; we listened with sinking hearts to the place being trashed; and I got bit by one of their dogs. I found myself having less-than-Christian feelings toward more than the aggressive canine.

Now we are happily resettled in Webster, the town known as the place “where life is worth living.” We are fortunate to have a charming apartment with beautiful green space, and a spectacular park and walking trails right out our back door. A place that even welcomes our beloved, 87-pound, very lively labradoodle, Cooper.

But guess what? We don’t have model renters upstairs in Webster either. They yell at each other; they are not light on their feet; they have too many cars; they don’t pick up after their dog (when they let the little guy out). I find myself having less-than-Christian feelings toward more than the messy pup.

Perhaps St. Augustine has the best prayer. “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief.” I believe the Great Commandment is the way to live but it’s hard when it’s your actual neighbors testing your Christian values. Help my unbelief!

Blessings,

Cathy

Getting Creative about Rediscovering Catholic Faith

This past Sunday on the cover of our St. Joseph's bulletin, I posted a series of questions we Catholics might struggle with: What is salvation? What are the themes of Catholic social teaching? Which line of Scripture captures the "guts" of Catholic morality? What do we believe about the afterlife? What are the four marks of the Church? What makes a talent a “charism?” (Some people have said these questions are hard.)

We could dust off our Baltimore Catechisms and other documents for the answers, or we could open a Bible. The Sunday Gospels from October 12 through November 16 offer ways to reflect on and respond to each of those questions. The staff at St. Joseph’s has put together a six-week series to explore how the Gospels for these six Sundays address these questions of Catholic teaching and tradition. The Bible is the foundation of all that our Church teaches – spending time with the Gospels is a great way to “Rediscover Catholic Faith,” as we are calling this study series.

Specifically, this week, we read in the Gospel of Matthew about the Pharisees’ trick question to Jesus about paying taxes to the Roman empire. We can ponder how we as Catholics can have a positive influence on our society and culture, even our government, as election time approaches. And how we can repay to God what belongs to God (which is, of course, everything).

It’s been especially enjoyable for me to work with Father Jim Schwartz and our “video team” to create a series of six videos commentaries. Father Jim did three and I did three. It was a great way to rekindle the creative, “Spirit-filled” energy that once felt sparked by the preparation of Sunday reflections. I’m grateful for the creative talents and friendship of Deacon Duncan Harris (videography), Matt Curlee (editing, sound, music), Jim Gulley, and Jeanne Mooney.

This five-minute video commentary is a sample of what the Spirit has inspired us to create, a way for us to return to God all that we have been given.

Blessings,

Cathy

Labor Pains

This morning, before 9:00 Mass began at St. Joseph’s, a parishioner told me that he and his wife had been wondering why I hadn’t preached at Mass in a long time. When I explained that I would no longer be doing that he told me what a loss that was for him and his wife.

That really got me thinking. More accurately, it got my feeling. Recently, that “loss” has been real for me, too, and I have felt unable to put my thoughts together to reflect in any depth on Scripture or my own faith journey. My blog had gone dormant.

But in the space of an hour, this parishioner shared those kind thoughts; I got a sweet “happy half-birthday” text from my daughter Laura; I heard today’s readings again; I spent time with three adults seeking the Sacraments of Initiation; and I heard Fr. Jim’s Schwartz’ homily for a second time which brilliantly brings together the many facets of the parable of the sower and the seed.

In the light of those enriching events, one more line jumped out from the Scriptures that helped bring it all together for me. That is the line in the letter to the Romans, “We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now…”

As a mother, I sometimes feel I don’t have the right to wear the badge of honor that comes with having been in labor. I had the easiest labor and deliveries ever. And we have been blessed with wonderful children who made parenting near effortless.

Yet, like all of creation, aren’t each of us individually still groaning in labor throughout our lives to give birth to our most authentic selves as children of God? Are we not always writhing with the pain of knowing we can do better? To mix metaphors, don’t we always know that our soil can do with a bit more cultivation?

And so on this my half-birthday (my sister Margaret began a tradition of celebrating half-birthdays with my daughters when they were born 17 months apart at opposite times of the year so they would have something to celebrate near the other one’s birthday) I reflect on recommitting myself to the labor and pain of finding new ways to share my reflections on the Gospel. I am deeply grateful for the kind nudge.

Blessings,

Cathy