Voting Pro-Life - October 4, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Being less than a month away from re-naming our parish hall in honor of St. John Paul II, I have been reflecting a lot on his life. There are countless iconic images of this saintly Vicar of Christ. I recall one image of him celebrating Mass at the Lateran. Holding the Eucharist and gazing lovingly at Jesus, JPII is quietly sobbing. Kneeling in adoration, JPII placed his hand on his forehead, weeping inconsolably. This is my favorite image. We see JPII’s unconditional love of the Eucharist, his pastoral charity for the Church (saints and sinners), and contrition for all sin.

This November as Catholics, we have the duty to participate and make our voices heard in the General Election. As Catholics, it is our duty to vote. Voting is one of the most powerful ways we proclaim the Gospel by making our beliefs heard no matter how broken our political system/candidates are. Conscience is NOT simply our personal opinions or feelings but the power of man’s God-given intellect in judging the rightness or wrongness of moral actions based on Natural Law and the Ten Commandments. With an upright conscience, we cannot follow the initiatives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of human persons, or the teachings of the Gospel. JPII fought for all this.

Initiative 439 is a masterfully wicked plot of the Enemy. It is broad, incredibly vague, and full of guile and deception. The same deceiver in the Garden is now trying to deceive us into another Original Sin: To enshrine abortion as a fundamental right in Nebraska as a “good fruit.” This is a rotten fruit not representative of the Good Life. Initiative 439 allows all persons (women, men, minors, etc.) to obtain an abortion without parental consent or knowledge, takes more tax dollars to support abortion, and enables babies to be aborted into the second and third trimesters based on the dangerous terms “fetal viability” and “professional judgment of health care practitioners.” Such language further enables moral relativism: The one with most power wins.

Why vote for 434? While 434 will keep the 12 week abortion ban in place as it currently stands, it is crucial to note that 434 does NOT directly will abortion but protection for ALL life. Morally, 434 is an initiative that uses a gradualist approach, wholly seeking to protect as many children as possible and working to eradicate abortion, even in medical emergencies and in cases of rape/incest. Moreover, the passing of 434 will safeguard the 50 year health/safety protections and make getting an initiative like 439 on the ballot again very difficult. If both initiatives get enough votes, the initiative with more votes wins. Therefore, it is crucial that we do everything in our power to withstand the great millstone of 439 by prayer, fasting, and voting. St. John Paul II, fearless champion of life and defender of the dignity of all human persons, pray for us!

In His Mercy,

Fr. Brian Wirth, Assistant Pastor

St. Vincent De Paul - September 27, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

We may be familiar with the St Vincent de Paul Society, but fewer of us are aware of St Vincent de Paul himself - a man who swept through seventeenth-century France like a tornado of holiness. During one of his many visits to the galley slaves in the French city of Marseilles, he met one man who seemed sadder than all the rest. Galley slaves were criminals condemned to serve their punishment by forced labor as rowers on board ships.

"My friend," St Vincent asked the man, "what makes you so sad?"

"I have a wife and family far away," the slave replied, "and my heart aches to see them. But it will be a long time before I have that happiness - if I ever do."

St Vincent went to the overseer and asked permission to take the poor man's place. Not recognizing the saint, the overseer agreed. The chains were taken off the slave and put on St Vincent, who was forced to work in the place of the man he befriended. A short time later, however, when it was discovered who he was, the saint was set free. But the love and generosity of this heart had already breathed new life and hope into all the wretched men who were condemned to cruel labor at the oars.

I have said many times, that the two greatest organizations in the Church are St. Vincent de Paul Society and Legion of Mary because their deep spiritual life and work outside the walls of the parish. St. Vincent de Paul Society fulfills the mission to do corporal works of mercy and likewise Legion of Mary does the spiritual works of mercy. Please consider joining these great organizations. 

May God bless and protect the associates of the St. Vincent de Paul apostolate. 

In His Mercy,

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Click here below to check out St. Vincent de Paul Society

Click Here to Check out the St. Vincent de Paul Society

Korean Martyrs - September 22, 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Twenty years ago, when I was on campus at North Dakota State University, an atheist doctoral student named EunSu Lee from South Korea told me that he wanted to be baptized and become Catholic because he told his ex-girlfriend that he would look into the faith. My first thought was “I would never follow through on a promise I made to an old girlfriend,” but I was shocked and edified at his sincerity and quest for pursuing the truth of Christianity. 

EunSu joined a bible study and he was welcomed into the family of God through the waters of baptism at the Easter Vigil in the spring of 2005. Eventually he would bring many Korean exchange students to St. Paul Newman Center and several others converted to Christianity. 

Today is the feast day of St Andrew Kim and companions. For about seventy-five years between 1791-1866, nearly 10,000 Christians were martyred for the faith in Korea and 103 of them have been canonized. St. Andrew Kim’s final words were, “It is for God that I die. My immortal life is on the point of beginning. Become Christians if you wish to be happy after death, because God has eternal chastisements in store for those who have refused to know Him.”

If you desire eternal happiness after death, I encourage you to continue your quest for knowing the Lord. One simple way to grow in your understanding of the faith is to subscribe to FORMED, in which our parish provides free for you. To access, simply...

• Click the button below to get started online
• Enter the Church zip code: 68516
• Select St. Peter
• Enter your name and email

May our witness of the faith draw others to the wellsprings of eternal life just like my friend EunSu Lee and the Korean Martyrs. 

In His Mercy,

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – I hope to see you all at the Fall Festival this Sunday from 1-3 PM.

Click Here to Access FORMED

Click Here to Purchase your Fall Festival Tickets

St. John Chrysostom

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

Today is the feast of St John Chrysostom who was a 4^th century Patriarch of Constantinople, the city where the Roman Emperor resided. St John was famous for his preaching, and has ever since been the Church's patron of preachers. Chrysostom is not his last name but rather nickname which means “Golden Mouth”.  

But not everyone liked his homilies. One Emperor in particular threatened to exile the Patriarch if he didn't tone down his criticism of certain popular sins. The saint answered, "You cannot exile me, because the whole world is my Father's house."

To the threat of death, the saint replied, "You cannot kill me, because my life is hidden with Christ in God."

When the Emperor threatened to take away all his money, he answered, "My treasure is in heaven and my heart is there."

Finally, the Emperor said he would take away all the saint's friends. To that, St John responded, "You cannot do that either, because I have a Friend in heaven from whom you cannot separate me. I will not stop preaching the Gospel. There is nothing you can do to hurt me."

This is the type of courage we need if we want to be the kind of Christians who follow Christ faithfully in an anti-Christian world that tries to water down the Gospel.

In our 2^nd reading this weekend we hear St. James proclaim boldly, “Faith without works is dead” (James 2:17). Our greatest work as a Christian is to have the courage to proclaim the goodness of Jesus Christ to all we meet so that one day, we may reside in paradise with St. John Chrysostom and all the saints in glory.

In His Mercy,

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – Please join me at our upcoming Parish Fall Festival on September 22!

Click Here to Purchase your Fall Festival Tickets

Be Open to The Way

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

At the heart of the Gospel this weekend there is a small but, very important word; a word that in its deepest meaning sums up the whole message and the whole work of Christ. The Evangelist Mark writes it in the same language that Jesus pronounced it in, so that it is even more alive to us. This word is "Ephphatha," which means, "be opened."

This man in the Gospel trusted that either Jesus could heal him or his friends’ word to go to Jesus. He was open to encountering the Christ. Openness (after trust) is the second step to becoming a disciple of Jesus. Maybe you know someone in your life that is open to becoming a disciple and joining His Church. Or maybe you have had a recent conversion and are open to learning more about that faith. Or maybe you are Catholic and have never been received the sacrament of confirmation. If so, I invite you and anyone you know who is non-Catholic to join us for The Way. 

The Way is the set of formation classes and community building events in which one prepares to become Catholic or rediscover the truth, goodness, and beauty of the Catholic Faith. The Way encompasses the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults or OCIA (formerly called RCIA or Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults). Classes will begin on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024 from 7 to 8:15 pm.  The first classes will include a series of group conversations to explore faith and life's big questions. You're invited, no matter your background or beliefs.

Jesus became man so that man, made inwardly deaf and mute by sin, would become able to hear the voice of God, the voice of love speaking to man’s heart. In God’s voice, man learns to speak in the language of love, to communicate with God and with others. It is for this reason, the word and the gesture of '"Ephphatha" are included in the Rite of Baptism as one of the signs that explain its meaning. “The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the mute speak. May he soon touch your ears to receive His word, and your mouth to proclaim His faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.”

In His Mercy,

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – to sign up for The Way please click here.

Doers of the Word

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

It was the early fall of 1993 when a young boy named Jason became excited at Mass.  Afterwards, he asked his mom, “Why did the reader today during Mass say our last name?”  Mary Doher, mother of Father Doher (our former assistant pastor) just laughed. 

The second reading from the letter of James this weekend states, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only” (James 1:22).  Doer is not just a surname.  Doing is an act of love, and love always goes outside of our self to serve God and others. 

To be a doer of the word, we need to become disciples of Christ.  We don’t just come to Mass to be “hearers” of the word.  We come to Mass to be filled with God’s love and give back to Him of our time, talent and treasures.  So, we ask each household to fill out the discipleship commitment card you received in the mail.

And if we approach our day-to-day moments with being good disciples in mind, then we begin to see just how many blessings God has given us. Looking at life through the lens of gratitude helps us to see each moment as a gift with endless opportunities to respond in love by doing.

This is how we ought to live our lives as Christian disciples—by recognizing our lives as a gift and an opportunity to love God in response to how He has loved us.

So, let us look inward at our hearts and ask ourselves why we live our faith the way we do. Let us recommit ourselves to being good disciples by coming to Eucharistic adoration, attending Mass with attention, serving others out of love for God, and recognize just how blessed we are. It is in these simple moments that we love extraordinarily and honor God wholeheartedly.

Jesus Christ wants the heart of sinners, not the words of hypocrites.  Today, let us give Him our heart.

In His Mercy,

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

 Click here to fill out your Discipleship Commitment Card. 

Discipleship is Hard

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

A few years ago, there was a movie entitled “A League of Their Own” starring Geena Davis and Tom Hanks. Geena Davis’s character Dottie decides to leave the all-girl baseball team and tells her coach (Tom Hanks), “It just got too hard.” To which he responded, “It is supposed to be hard.  If it was not hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.”

What was hard for the followers of Jesus? They doubted in His teaching on the Bread of Life, the Eucharist which we hear about in the Gospel this weekend. They said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” (Jn. 6:60) And many returned to their former way of life.

What is hard for us today? It is hard to give of ourselves. But giving is what disciples do. Consumers take, disciples give. Being a good disciple of our time, talents and treasures is what God calls us to give. 

At St. Peter, we ask every family - those who have been here for years, and those who are brand new - to write down commitments using a Discipleship Commitment Card. Discipleship is not a program, but a way of life. It is a spirituality - both for every one of us as individuals and our entire community.  Discipleship is love in action towards God and our neighbor. 

I am thankful for all who have already turned in their commitment card. With your commitment to give of yourselves, you are like Joshua in our first reading this weekend who said, “For me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Jesus said you cannot serve two masters. God is the most exclusive of masters.                                         We either belong to Him totally or not at all. And this is hard. Sacrificial love is hard but Jesus showed us how to sacrificially love. He sacrificed all so that we may be able to sacrifice just 10%.

Like the early followers of Jesus some may say that being a disciple and giving of our self is hard.  They may “go back to their former way of life” (Jn. 6:66). But today, Jesus asks us as He did the early apostles, “Do you also want to leave?” May we echo the words of our patron, St. Peter and say, “Master to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68). 

Is it hard to be a disciple today? Yes!......But the hard is what makes it great!

In His Mercy,

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

 Click here to fill out your Discipleship Commitment Card. 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,  

Have you ever been on a pilgrimage? Maybe you have traveled to the Holy Land, Rome, Lourdes, Our Lady of Guadalupe or some other Catholic site to increase your faith.  

A basic definition of pilgrimage is a journey to sites of particular religious significance. Pilgrimage is a part of many of the great religions of the world, for in religion humanity seeks the answers to the perennial questions of life. Pilgrimage is a common human experience in which one seeks to fulfill a ritual obligation, live an experience of spirituality or ask for particular graces or miracles.  

The Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, speaks of the pilgrim Church that journeys toward the heavenly Jerusalem. In short, a pilgrimage is an outward journey of an inward movement toward God.  

I am pleased to announce that our parish will be doing a fall pilgrimage to New York, Montreal and Quebec City on September 25th through October 1st. We will get to visit the shrines of the North American Martyrs, St. André Bessette, St. Kateri Tekakwitha, St. François de Laval and others. You get to experience the autumn foliage and French culture without having to endure jet-lag.  

Please click below for more details about this wonderful opportunity to grow in your faith and fellowship with other parishioners. Space is limited so I encourage you to sign up soon. I look forward to having you join me on this spiritual journey this fall.  

In His Mercy, 

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Click Here for More Information on the Pilgrimage

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,  

If you look closely at the wall behind the Blessed Virgin Mary statue and below the feet of Jesus in our large narthex window, you will find a cute little mouse which we have affectionately named Simon.  The artist who painted these hidden mice told me the legend of the Church Mouse.  

The Church Mouse by Lori Rodeheaver

Once there lived two mice. One was a poor, cursed mouse and the other was a rich, blessed mouse. The mice were brothers, but they hadn’t seen each other in some time. Church Mouse was always inviting Country Mouse to come over and meet all of his great friends, but Country Mouse felt poor and dirty. He was afraid Church Mouse and his friends would laugh at him and make him feel bad for being so poor.

Finally one day Church Mouse dropped in to see Country Mouse. “You look so shiny,” Country Mouse told his brother. “Do tell me how you became so rich!”

“Thank you,” said Church Mouse. “Do come and see!”

Country mouse thought for a while and finally decided to go to Church Mouse’s home. He still felt quite backward and afraid, but he really wanted to be rich and clean like Church Mouse.

When Country Mouse arrived at Church Mouse’s home, he was met by many other rich mice. One after another they greeted him, all in the same, almost rehearsed manner.

“Hmmmm,” Country Mouse thought. “I wonder why these rich mice are so strange. No one ever talks much to me except other dirty mice. They seem nice, but I wonder if they’re just being polite. I’m sure they don’t really want someone like me here in their perfect, shiny home. I’m so dirty and ragged. They probably want me to leave so I don’t ruin anything they’ve cleaned up so nicely.”

Country Mouse stayed a few days while Church Mouse and his friends served him hand and foot. Country Mouse could hardly believe it! He was being treated like a king by a bunch of mice he didn’t even know!

It soon came to an end, though. Country Mouse had lice. When all the church mice came down with church lice, they stopped being nice to Country Mouse. They became angry at him. The church mice didn’t like suffering. They loved comfort. Country Mouse’s poverty was ok as long as it didn’t affect them. But now their shiny church was dirty and bug-infested. The church mice wanted Country Mouse to leave.

Church Mouse was the leader of all the church mice, though. He couldn’t send Country Mouse away after he’d invited him so many times. He loved his brother despite his filth. He wanted to make his brother clean.

Besides, now all the mice needed cleaned. They were all dirty. Somehow their riches and comfort couldn’t save them from being the rodents they really were underneath.

Church Mouse did not call a meeting. He did not ask for advice. He saw the pain and suffering of his friends and he decided to do what only a very brave and noble mouse could do. Church Mouse sat down at the front of the church and told all the mice to form a line. One by one he sat with each mouse and he washed their fur. He picked the nits out and he spoke softly into their ears about forgiveness and grace until they were only angry at themselves for how they’d treated Country Mouse.

Then the mice were finally actually clean. They were truly shiny now – inside and out. Church Mouse blessed them all individually and told them to play nice with the poor mice they were sure to meet outside. “Invite them all,” Church Mouse instructed. “Don’t be afraid. I will clean them like I cleaned you. I don’t want anyone to miss the feast I’m preparing!”

The church mice listened because they knew their leader loved them. The poor mice became rich and the dirty mice became clean. And they lived happily forever after.

Church Mouse’s name was Jesus.

In His Mercy, 

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

It was ten years ago today (May 24^th) that my ‘nose hit the marble’, as the saying goes for those men who are ordained. The day was kind of a blur as some of you could probably attest about your wedding day. People have asked me what part of the ordination was most impactful. For some, it is when the bishop lays his hands on the head of the one to be ordained, which is the essential action in the ordination rite. For others it is when one’s hands are consecrated with Sacred Chrism. Still others say it is when they are welcomed into the fraternity of the priesthood by the sign of peace from all the priests present. 

For me, it was at the beginning of Mass during the penitential rite when the choir sang “Lord have mercy.” This is because I recognize the great mercy of Christ who has called me, an unworthy sinner, to be His instrument of mercy to others.  Knowing the reality of His infinite mercy, I wept, which is not a common occurrence for me. I give gratitude to God for the gift to participate in the priesthood of Jesus Christ and for the opportunity to serve such a wonderful parish at St. Peter Church.

This weekend Bishop Conley will ordain two men as transitional deacons and five men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Lincoln. One of those men, Deacon Santiago Izquierdo attended our Catholic school. He will have his first Mass at St. Peter Church on Sunday at 2pm. He is our fifth student from our school to be ordained in the past few years.

We are so blessed in our Diocese for the gift of many vocations to the priesthood. May we offer our prayers and support for the newly ordained priest. We should also pray for those places in the world that lack the number of priests to care for souls. I leave you with an exhortation to priest by Saint John Paul II,

“Think of the places where people anxiously await a Priest, and where for many years; feeling the lack of such a Priest, they do not cease to hope for his presence. And sometimes it happens that they meet in an abandoned shrine, and place on the altar a stole which they still keep, and recite all the prayers of the Eucharistic liturgy; and then, at the moment that corresponds to the transubstantiation a deep silence comes down upon them, a silence sometimes broken by a sob… so ardently do they desire to hear the words that only the lips of a Priest can efficaciously utter. So much do they desire Eucharistic Communion, in which they can share only through the ministry of a priest, just as they also so eagerly wait to hear the divine words of pardon: Ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis! So deeply do they feel the absence of a Priest among them!... Such places are not lacking in the world. So, if one of you doubts the meaning of his priesthood, if he thinks it is "socially" fruitless or useless, reflect on this!"

In His Mercy,

Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

If you get the chance to go to St. Peter Basilica in the Vatican, you may notice the beautiful Dove of the Holy Spirit window in the back apse. It was created by Gianno Bernini in 1660 AD and is not stain glass but actually alabaster stone. The dove, from wing tip to wing tip, is six feet wide, which puts into perspective the colossal size of the whole sculpture. The light rays shift from brighter to darker as they move away from the dove, thus illustrating God the Holy Spirit as the source of light. The brightness alternates between light and dark with each division between the amber light rays around the dove, thereby accentuating each individual beam of light without bringing too much attention to any single one. Our stain glass window of the Holy Spirit above our altar is designed after this beautiful masterpiece. 

This weekend we celebrated the feast of Pentecost. It was at the first Pentecost in which the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and Mary in the upper room as tongues of fire. The fire of Divine love equipped them for the missionary endeavors.

The Holy Spirit is given to each of us as forms of different gifts so that we may give glory to God and build His Kingdom. “Whether extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world...It is in this sense that discernment of charisms is always necessary” (CCC 799,801).

“Each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards” (1 Peter 4:10). We are a stewardship parish and every one of us is called by God to give back our time, talents and treasure. What are your spiritual talents, gifts, charisms?  

Like other presents, it is impossible to fully appreciate and make use of our spiritual gifts until they have been discovered and opened. Let us discover our gifts together today so we may allow the Holy Spirit to work through us to help others and build God’s kingdom.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

One thing I learned as a young boy out in the pasture is you do not get between the momma cow and her baby calf. Mothers have the instinct of protecting their children. 

If you walk into our narthex, you will notice a new beautiful, commissioned painting entitled, “Our Lady, Protector of Life.” St. Mary is positioned under an eastern cottonwood tree with St. Joseph by her side. She protects both our Savior, Jesus and our patron, St. Peter under her mantel as the storms rage on a Nebraska prairie and the serpent is crushed under her foot as she reads from the prophecy Genesis 3:15, “He will strike at your head while you strike at his heel.”  

I wish all mothers in our parish and especially my mom, a happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for your protection of life! And thank you Mother Mary, who has protected the Author of Life, Jesus and His disciples. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,       

As you walk into our newly remodeled church, you will see twelve figures from the Old Testament on your left.  The second to last figure is the beautiful Queen Esther.  She was called by God to save her Jewish people from being destroyed in Persia.  Her foster-father and uncle, Mordecai strengthens her by exclaiming that she was made “For such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).  

Often times we may be tempted to believe it would be better if we were living in different times.  Or if we had the perfect job, house, family, etc.  But we are made “for such a time as this.”  And now is the time to give of ourselves out of love. 

With these images in mind, I am excited to begin another year of the Charity and Stewardship Appeal.  This year’s theme is “For such a time as this.” 

As you know, the annual Charity and Stewardship Appeal supports ministries and offices of the entire diocese.  And each of these seeks to live the commandment of Jesus by loving one another as we hear about in this weekend’s Gospel (John 15:12).  The Family Life Office, for example, seeks to love what God intends in marriage and family life.  Likewise, Catholic Social Services brings forth the deeds of love by outreach to the poor and suffering.  Similarly, the diocese cultivates the love of truth through the Evangelization Office and, in a special way, through our many Catholic schools.  Last year, our parish generously pledged $192,000, of which 89% was returned to St. Peter Church.  Our parish goal this year is $200,000 with $27,670 going to support different ministries in the Diocese. 

This year, I ask every household to love one another by generously supporting the Charity and Stewardship Appeal.  All of us are called to love, in one way or another, and to be generous stewards of our gifts.

Brothers and sisters, together may we become the disciples God has called us to be because we were made for this time.  Thank you and may God abundantly bless you and reward your generosity a hundredfold. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

If you travel about thirty miles south of Rome, Italy you will stumble upon the church of Santa Maria run by Augustinian monks.  This church was established in the 5^th century in the town of Genazzano.  It was the financial contributions of people from this village that were given to Pope Sixtus III to build the magnificent Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, which is one of the four major basilicas in the world.  

According to tradition, the story is said to have begun in 1467. By then the little church of Santa Maria in Genazzano was in dire need of repair and lacked funds to repair it. 

In the midst of the festivities for the feast of St Mark (April 25^th), the townsfolk suddenly heard “heavenly music.”  A mysterious cloud was then said to have descended on the unfinished wall of the parish church.  In front of the people, the cloud dissipated and a beautiful fresco, no more than eighteen-inch square, of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child was revealed.  It was widely believed that it had been miraculously transported from a church in Albania just prior to its invasion by Muslims. 

The picture of Our Lady is called Our Lady of Good Counsel and today (April 26^th) is her feast day.  It was this image that was the favorite Marian image of great leaders in the church such as St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. John Bosco, St. Alphonsus Liguori and Pope Pius XII. 

Our vision statement at St. Peter Church, “Abide in Christ & build His Kingdom” is taken from our Gospel this weekend.  Our Lord says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). 

In order to abide in Christ, I encourage each one of our parishioners to prayerfully consider spending a weekend in prayer and relaxation at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House.  Since we value your spiritual journey, our parish will help fund half of the retreat expense for active parishioners.  Please take advantage of this opportunity to draw near to God. 

 “O Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from your Divine Son a great love of virtue, and, in the hour of uncertainty and trial, the strength to embrace the way that leads to our salvation. If your hand sustains us, we shall walk peacefully along the path indicated to us by the life and words of Jesus, our Redeemer; and having followed freely and securely, even in the midst of this world's strife, the Sun of Truth and Justice under your maternal Star, we shall come to the enjoyment of full and eternal peace with you in the haven of salvation.” - Pope Pius XIII

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

The famous modern artist Pablo Picasso was born into a Catholic family in 1881.  But he rejected his Catholic upbringing in his early 20s, mostly because he saw religious morals as an obstacle to the hedonistic fashions of his age.  Picasso never publicly returned to the Church, although a priest was present at the artist's funeral.  Throughout his life, he associated himself with various secular movements, one of them being communism, a violently anti-Christian ideology.

Soon after Picasso became a communist, he made an interesting sculpture called "Man with Sheep."  It was a conscious re-interpretation of a famous and beloved image in Christian art, one we are all familiar with because it is taken directly from the Gospels - the good shepherd. 

In traditional sculptures and paintings of the good shepherd, a tranquil lamb curls gently around the shepherd's shoulders.  This is how shepherds used to teach rambunctious and foolish lambs that would run off on their own and leave the flock.  The shepherd would break one of the lamb's legs, so that it couldn't run off into danger, and then carry the wounded lamb for weeks, until it healed.  By that time, the lamb would have learned that the shepherd is good and trustworthy, and so it would never again stray away from the shepherd into danger.

Picasso's "Man with Sheep" is a complete contrast.  In this bronze sculpture, the shepherd is a stark, distorted man with the bulging eyes and a fierce expression.  He clasps the sheep in one arm, while the animal twists its head away, open-mouthed and protesting, resisting with all its might.  Picasso's figure seems like a butcher bringing a lamb to the slaughter.

That's what happens when we try to understand suffering without Christ - it just doesn't make sense.  But with Christ, all our crosses bring salvation, wisdom, and deeper intimacy with God.

This weekend we celebrate Good Shepherd Sunday.  It is a weekend set aside in the Church to pray and encourage vocations to the priesthood.  In the Gospel, Jesus says “I am the good shepherd.  A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). 

I encourage parents, grandparents and friends to support the young men in our parish to lay their life down for God’s flock by being a priest.  One of the best ways to inspire future vocations to the priesthood is by attending Mass together as a family and encouraging our young boys to serve at the altar.

May we continue to pray, foster and support these boys and young men to hear the voice of God calling them to follow Him so that they may one day lead God’s flock into the verdant pastures of Heaven. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

St. Aspren's intercession is invoked for headaches.  The connection to the medicine may sound like a stretch but read on and decide for yourself.

Tradition has it that St. Peter, passing through Naples on his way to Rome, met an elderly woman named Candida who was very ill.  The apostle, in the name of Jesus Christ, cured her.  After thanking him for the miraculous healing, the woman asked Peter to intercede for the healing of a friend of hers, Aspren, who was also ill.  Both Candida and Aspren, after being healed, converted to the faith and were baptized.

Before St. Peter left for Rome, he left St. Aspren in charge of the church of Naples; he was the first bishop of the city and remained in office for 23 years.  The staff with which Peter is said to have cured Aspren is preserved there in the Royal Chapel of Naples. 

There are two probable reasons why his devotees attributed to the saint the ability to cure headaches.  One is due to the fact that he was beheaded for refusing to deny the faith.  The other is that he was known for doing penance by putting a stone on his head.

It was the German pharmaceutical company Bayer that released Aspirin and named it in 1899.  The official explanation given for the name is that “the ‘A’ comes from acetyl and ‘spir’ from the first part of Spirea ulmaria, a botanical source of salicylic acid.”  That might seem to debunk the theory.  However, it’s also possible that someone at Bayer wanted to reference St. Aspren and found a way to justify doing so by referencing more mundane, scientific reasons.

We’ll probably never know the full truth.  In the meantime, if you suffer from headaches, we can pray to St. Aspren, and if the headaches don’t go away, there is always Aspirin!

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

As one takes a break from the toils of every day ordinary life and enters into prayer and conversation with God through praying midday prayer in the Liturgy of Hours, one may encounter the hymn entitled, “Breathe on me, O breath of God.”  This beautiful hymn was composed by the nineteenth century Englishman named Edwin Hatch. 

Although it is human-like for God to breathe, “A breath is the most immaterial realty we perceive,” as St. John Paul II wrote.  The breath of God is the immaterial spirit which animates life in the soul.  St. Thomas Aquinas furthers this point by stating, “The term ‘breathe’ is not to be taken in the material sense, but as regards the act of God, to breathe (spirare), is the same as to make a spirit.”

The etymology of breath comes from the Hebrew word ‘rauch’ (רוּח) or ‘nesamah’ (נשׁמה), which can be translated into – breath, wind, or spirit.  The word nesamah is used in the creation account.  However, the terms ruach and nesamah are used synonymously as shown in the book of Job.

This weekend we hear about Jesus breathing on the Apostles.  After Jesus conquered sin and death on the cross, He imparted the mission as well to His apostles to forgive sins and bring about new spiritual life. “He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20).  Jesus restored the grace of humanity by granting the apostles the breath of God.  The breath of God is the authority to forgive sins and renew life in the soul.  Christ bestows the gift of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Church so that they may continue the “great work of creating a new race of men.”  Thus the divine eschatological creation through the breath of God is a transformation of the initial creation in the garden.

The action of God breathing life into the nostrils of Adam and installing life into the dry bones are events foreshadowing the breath of God granted in the sacrament of confession.  The Greek word ‘he breathed’ (ἐνεφύσησεν) is the same word used in both Genesis and John.  The Holy Spirit is breathed into humanity during the sacrament of reconciliation in order to renew in the soul the original image and likeness to the Creator.  It should be noted that the effects of sanctifying breath of God in this sacrament is a far greater event than the breath of God during creation.  The reason is because the sanctified soul is eternally glorified while creation will pass away. 

If we find ourselves spiritually dead to eternal life by our sins, may we allow Him to do spiritual CPR and breathe new life into our souls. 

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

A few weeks ago, I was over at a new parishioner’s home for dinner and a house blessing.  They shared with me the story about how their Protestant grandson who was about 6 years old was enthralled with their crucifix.  He was not used to seeing Jesus on the cross, as is accustom in the Protestant world.  He then came to the realization of what the cross meant and why Jesus was on it.

One reason the cross is so hard to understand is that we were not created to live in a fallen world. This is why St. Paul wrote, For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:22-23).

We were created to live in a world where justice, truth, and peace were the norm. But after original sin, injustice, ignorance, and strife have become our daily bread. And so, in our hearts we know this is not the way it's supposed to be.

But then we make the mistake of thinking that it's up to us to make everything right. It isn't. We need a Savior. We don't take away the sin of the world; the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.  And he takes it away with his cross.  By letting us share in his cross, in his suffering and sorrow, he gives us a chance to share in his work of salvation, and to prove that we love the giver of all good gifts (God) better than the gifts.

This is why all the saints love and embrace the cross.  St Margaret Mary Alacoque, who received the revelations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, put it like this: "Trust to the goodness of our Lord in the crosses which He sends you; He will never abandon you, for He knows how to draw good from our ills and His glory from our trials…. What should I do, had I not a cross to bear? ...It is my whole treasure in the adorable Heart of Jesus Christ, and there it is the cause of all my happiness, my delight and my joy." 

Sharing in Christ's cross helps purify our hearts of selfishness. And the less selfishness we have in our hearts, the more room for Christ's love - the true source of lasting joy, wisdom, and peace.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,   

The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates famously said, “I know one thing, that I know nothing.”  This is what we call a paradox.  This word is a Greek word that literally means, distinct from common opinion.  

 In the Gospel this weekend, Jesus proclaims a paradox.  He uses an analogy of wheat.  “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit” (John 12:24).  Wheat is one of the most abundant and versatile food crops in the world.  Each wheat plant can produce 110 other wheat plants.  The death of a wheat stock produces a multitude of others.    

 It is always because great men have been prepared to die that have allowed others to live, for instance the freedom of our country.  Only by spending life do we actually gain life.  The world owes everything to people who recklessly spent their strength and gave themselves to God and to others.  Yes, we live in a world of finite goods, but we are made for a world of infinite goods.  

 Only a human being would ask, “How can someone who loves himself deny himself?” God … says to such a person, “Let him deny himself, if he loves himself.”  By loving himself, you see, he loses himself; by denying himself, he finds himself.  “Whoever loves his soul,” he says, “let him lose it.”…It is a painful thing to lose what you love.

 St. Augustine says, “There is not anyone, after all, who does not love himself.  But we have to look for the right sort of love and avoid the wrong sort.  You see, anyone who loves himself by leaving God out of his life (and leaves God out of his life by loving himself), does not even remain in himself.  He actually leaves his self.  He goes away into exile from his own heart by taking no notice of what is inside and instead only loving what is outside…”

Jesus came to the Jews with a new view of life.  They looked on glory as conquest, the acquisition of power, the right to rule.  He looked on glory as a cross.  “When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to myself” (John 20:33).  Jesus taught us that only by death comes life; that only by spending life do we retrain it; that only by service comes greatness.  This is the paradox of Christianity.  Today, may you and I become more like Jesus Christ, a paradox to the world but a glory…to the name of the Father!

In His Mercy, 
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

It is the time of year for state basketball.  One joyful thing about the tournament is watching the student sections with their school spirit.  These energetic youth show their school unity and support by wearing similar colors or choosing a theme for each game.

Our theme for Mass this weekend is joy, and our color is pink. Actually, the term is liturgical rose.  The 4^th Sunday of Lent is called Laetare Sunday.  Laetare is the Latin word for rejoice, which comes from the entrance antiphon at the Mass, “Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and all who love her.  Be joyful, all who were in mourning…” (Isaiah 66:10-11).

In the days of the Prophet Isaiah, the Jewish people had many hardships.  These sufferings were the consequence of turning their hearts from God.  The indictment of the chosen people by Isaiah would culminate in the destruction of Jerusalem and their exile from the Promised Land into the pagan territories. 

The book of Isaiah ends on a happy note. Eventually the children of God repented, and He saved them from their enemies and restored them to their homeland.  Their return to worship in Jerusalem led the Jewish nation to rediscover joy. 

I know it has been a challenge the last ten months having Mass in Bishop Vasa Hall, but we still have much to be joyful for because God has not abandoned us. He is with us in our families as we pray together.  He is with us substantially in the flesh of Christ at each Mass. And today, we can rejoice, for in two weeks, we will be in our renovated church.    

Brothers and sisters, to rejoice is to rediscover joy, a joy that can be rediscovered amid the sufferings of Lent, a joy this world cannot give nor contain.  This joy can only be found in giving your heart to Jesus Christ.

In His Mercy,
Fr. Eric Clark, Pastor

PS – I look forward to seeing your Christian spirit in your Sunday-best ‘pink’ this weekend!