Swine flu and the Mass

If you've wondered about the safety of things we do at Mass, such as drinking the Precious Blood from the shared Communion cup, this article is for you:

http://www.olaclaremont.org/resources/flu2009.html

Saturday, April 27, 1968

I almost forgot . . . today's the 41st anniversary of my ordination.

Liturgical Ministers' Dinner and "My Way"

The reason for my previous post ("Their Way") is that that the OLA Liturgical Minsters hosted a wonderful dinner party for me, the first "farewell" of the "season," at Casa de Salsa last Friday evening,  It was a wonderful evening.  (You can see some really great pictures here.)  During it, the mariachi band serenaded my table with a lengthy performance of "My Way," one of my least favorite songs in the whole world.  It got me to thinking of a parody that appeared on "Prairie Home Companion" while I was still in Campus Ministry that lampooned the academic types with which I hobnobbed in those days.  It was such fun that I stayed up late a few nights after the first broadcast to record a repeat broadcast, and then transcribed it, and put it up on a joke website, which can still be found almost twenty years later.  (See for yourself, Google "tom welbers their way" and you'll find it.)

"Their Way"

THEIR WAY (Sung to Frank Sinatra's "My Way," of course.)  

I came, brought all my books, lived in the dorm, followed directions. 

I worked, I studied hard, met lots of folk who had connections. 

I crammed, they gave me grades, though may I say, not in a fair way. 

But more, much more than this, I did it their way.  

I memorized all sorts of things, although I know I'll never use them. 

The courses that I took were all required; I didn't choose them. 

I learned that to survive it's best to act the doctrinaire way. 

And so I buckled down, and did it their way.

  
But there were times, I wondered why I had to walk when I could fly. 

I had my doubts, but after all, I clipped my wings, I learned to crawl, 

I learned to bend, and in the end, I did it their way.  

And so, my fine young friend, now that I am a full professor, 

Where once I was oppressed, I've now become the cruel oppressor. 

Like me, you'll learn to cope, you'll learn to climb life's golden stairway. 

Like me, you'll see the light, you'll do it their way.  

For what can I say, what can I do? Open your book, read chapter two. 

And if to you, it seems routine, don't speak to me, go see the dean. 

As long as they give me my pay, I'll do it . . . their way!  

(Words by Bob Blue, sung by Michael Cooney on Prairie Home Companion, April 18, 1987. Transcribed from broadcast by Tom Welbers.)

Religion vs. Religiosity

Today's LA Times' Calendar section featured a review of a new book on Mark Twain by Tim Rutten, in which he makes an observation that has put me into pondering mode:

Twain, though an unbeliever, was one of the first American cultural observers to intuit that the country's great propblem was not religion per se, but a surfeit of religiosity.

As I ponder more, I may have a few more thoughts about light that this distinction may shed on the dialogue (or better, the rant-and-rage-filled lack thereof) that characterizes our religious / political / social interactions these days.

It should be obvious I like the word "ponder" (see some translations, e.g., KJV, of Luke 2:19).  If you check what the online Merriam-Webster has to say about it, it should also be obvious why.

The more I read Tim Rutten, the more I'm grateful that the LA Times seems to value him.  I haven't seen such perceptive wisdom (not to mention courage) there since the great Paul Conrad retired.

Meanwhile, enjoy the following post.

Who can resist this?

Faith Seeking Understanding

St. Anselm, whom we celebrate today, has always been somebody dear to my heart.  In the mid-seventies, I was sent to study liturgy at the Pontifical Liturgical Institute, which was a part of the Benedictine University and Monastery of Sant' Anselmo in Rome, atop the Aventine Hill, overlooking the Tiber and the Vatican (as well as the very interesting "Monte Testaccio" in the other direction).

Anselm himself was an amazing man: monk, abbot, scholar, 

multi-national diplomat, archbishop--an amazing intellect combined with an overwhelming and rare charm.  He lived at a time (1033-1109) when Europe was just coming out of the so-called "Dark Ages," and had to navigate in the middle of bitter and divisive church-state controversies.  (Since Constantine in the fourth century, most rulers felt they needed to control the church to achieve national unity, but this too often meant weakening faith and fragmenting the church.  That's why the papacy had to become so authoritarian and monarchical. That's an oversimplified version of what was a very complex situation.)

In his own pursuit of learning, which was guided by his motto, "Faith Seeking Understanding," he is considered the father of the scholastic movement through which univiersities began to develop and flourish over the next several hundred years.  I think he holds a special relevance to us today as we seek to make sense of our heritage of faith in the midst of a fast-paced changing world or conflicting values.  Here's a wonderful quote from one of his writings:

" Come now, insignificant man, put aside your business for a while, take refuge for a little from your tumultuous thoughts, cast off your cares, and let your burdensome distractions wait.  Take some leisure ofr God; rest awhile in him . . . put out everything [from your mind] except God and whatever helps you to seek him. . . . Say now to God with all your heart, 'I seek your face, O Lord, your face do I seek.'" (Proslogion, 1)

Easter "Day"

The church doesn't know how to let go of a good thing. Beginning on Easter Sunday, the Preface for Easter refers to the whole week as "Easter Day." One eight-day-long DAY!  Isn't it marvelous?

The eighth day (or octave) of Easter, which is now also Divine Mercy Sunday, concludes this one great Day with the giving of the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins on Easter Sunday night. Seven, as in the number of days in a week, symbolizes earthly, human, natural completeness and fulfillment.  The eighth day is the day which opens up to etenal perfeection, the day without end.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday, the day of emptiness and stillness of the tomb.  The Sabbath day of rest; Jesus work is finished, and awaiting the promise and fulfillment of "the eighth day."

Wait, wait with the Lord.  Feel the emptiness and stillness.

No matter what you must do today, don't let yourself get "caught up" in activity, or anesthetized by it.

Pastor of 90210

Just today the letter came.  

I've been assigned, effective July 1, as Pastor of Good Shepherd Church in Beverly Hills.  It's a good assignment, and one of those I applied for.  Of course, there's a much longer story, but that's for another time.  Watch for more information in my open letter to all parishioners that will be available at OLA at the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday) services.  

Also, Fr. Charles Ramirez, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Monrovia, has been assigned as the new pastor of OLA, and Fr. John Tran will be remaining for at least another year.  Fr. Charles, of course, is no stranger to OLA, having served here when I first came as pastor back in the 1990s.

Now that the new pastors have been assigned -- I understand that the Clergy Personnel Board had to deal with a final total of 61 parishes needing new pastors or administrators (not an easy task!) -- they will now take up assignments of associate pastors.

I've already been nicknamed "Beverly Hills Pop" (after "Beverly Hills Cop," of course).  Yes, it's the church of old-time celebrities, but not too many are left.  You might enjoy visiting Gary Wayne's "Seeing-Stars" site.

Tale of Two Presidents (revised)

The President of Turkey is Abdullah Gül; Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is the Prime Minister, as was pointed out by a reader commenting on my former post.

Here are some links to articles, including several which were sent to me by Aydın Eroğlu, our wonderful guide on our Early Christian World Pilgrimages.

Obama arrives in Turkey

Turkey's president welcomes U.S. President Obama (with photos)

Turkish-U.S. aliance shines with Obma's landmark visit

Obama encourages U.S.-Turkey collaboration

Obama encourages Armenian dialogue, seeks a "model with Turkey

There are a lot more articles in the Turkish press, and link to them on their pages.  You can keep up-to-date as events of this historic visit by visiting both Today's Zaman (a news agancy that strongly suppports the current AK party's government) and Turkish Daily News (the English-language arm of the news agency Hurriyet, somewhat more "left-leaning" in supporting secularist views).  It's fascinating to compare . . .

Legacy Lectures on the Passion of Jesus

I finally got the recordings of my "Legacy Series" lectures on the Passion of Jesus in St. Paul and the Four Gospels, which I presented here at Our Ladyof the Assumption on March 12 and 26, up on YouTube.  Click here to go directly to the playlist to listen to them.  (YouTube policy requires that they have to be broken up into ten minute chunks, but the playlist organizes them in succession.)

You can download a copy of the Scripture readings, with the Gospels arranged in parallel "synopsis" format, here.  

You can also watch and listen to the presentation I gave at at the end of February at

 the Religious Education Congress, Crossing Paths with Paul.

I'm still learning the system, but hope to have the complete series, and more, up soon.

A Tale of Two Presidents

Tomorrow (Monday morning, Turkish time; Sunday night ours), President Obama is scheduled to arrive in Turkey and will meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.  (Note: I'll give a free amulet to protect you from the evil eye to the first person -- non Turkish -- who can pronounce his name correctly without looking it up; on your honor, no cheating.)

There's already a fair amount in our news about hopes and goals for the trip, for example in the LA Times, for example, an opinion piece by Jack Miles, and news reports from Istanbul and Washington.

But if you want to know what the Turks themselves think, the best place for such opinion is Today's Zaman.  Take some time following Obama from the international perspective.  It's worth your while.