Avoiding arrogance.
We never know…
“Reflect that many are called but few are chosen [Mt. 22:14] and that, if you are not careful, your perdition is more certain than your salvation, especially since the path to eternal life is so constricted [Mt. 7:14].”
“Do not rejoice vainly, for you know how many sins you have committed and you do not know how you stand before God; but have fear together with confidence.” - John of the Cross
Adoration at Annunciation
Today is the day my parish has adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. As I left this morning, I noted a woman with a chapel veil present. I have never seen a woman with a chapel veil in this Church before - so I assumed it was someone who read my post last week about this opportunity for adoration in So. Minneapolis. I was very pleased to see someone from outside the parish there.
Our guest Celebrant.
Our pastor is on retreat, so we have a guest priest celebrating Mass for us. It is Fr. DeBruycker from the Church of St. Joan of Arc. I chuckled when I first heard he would be there, thinking of all the criticism Father and St. Joan’s gets around the blogosphere and from more conservative parishes in town. I think everyone at Annunciation is grateful to have a priest celebrate Mass instead of having to make due with a Liturgy of the Word and Communion service.
I haven’t had a chance to speak with Father, he probably wouldn’t remember me after so many years anyway. He’s always been a very humble guy, and friendly. His celebration of Mass was perfectly fine, and his homily quite good. He devoutly exposed the Blessed Sacrament after Mass, which is the main reason I didn’t try to speak with him. I never expected less of him, I knew he would celebrate Mass just as he always has done. My interior smirk when I heard he would be with us was because of how so many ‘think’ they know all about him - being that he is the pastor of a notoriously ’dissident’ parish.
The Source and Summit of our faith.
We really can never know the interior life of another. Yet I am convinced that in the Eucharist we encounter the reality of what St. Paul wrote about in his letter to the Colossians: “In Christ there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.” In other words, at the epicenter of our faith in Christ - truly present in the Eucharist, there is no liberal or conservative, trad or neocath - what have you - but Christ is all and in all.
I am so grateful for Fr. DeBruycker and all of our priests who act in persona Christi.
August 8th, 2007 at 11:52 am
Tell it, brother!
August 8th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
I am very glad you posted this because a good many blogs out there will have you believe this man is a two-headed beast. I still have trouble with all the pro-gay stuff at SJA but I have seen with my own eyes how hard it is for our priest to rein in some of our own parishioners. Father deB. needs our prayers.
August 8th, 2007 at 1:58 pm
It’s good to hear you were pleased with Fr. DeBruycker. I don’t know him at all and have only heard about the things going on over there at SJA (I don’t even know where the parish is unless I got out a map…I tend to stay on my own side of the river!). It’s hard sometimes to see Jesus in everyone, but that is what we are called to do (which is not to say we should confirm someone in their sin). Nice post.
August 8th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Was invited to & attended a healing mass for the first time this past Friday…
It was very different than what I am used to at my parish, but it was very reverent, & an experience I won’t soon forget.
August 8th, 2007 at 6:00 pm
I also thank you for acknowledging Father DeBruycker who besides SJA, also is pastor of St Leonard of Port Maurice in South Minneapolis.
He has a very difficult job and he is being monitored very closely by high officials in the Chancery.
August 8th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Father isn’t the problem at SJA - the parishioners are. Never underestimate the power of people in large groups. That’s why they don’t send in the “big guns”…they’d be villified, crucified, hung out to dry, burned in effigy, etc.
Fr. DeBruycker is a priest sent into the lion’s den…please pray for him. Only God knows what he is going through.
August 9th, 2007 at 7:42 am
Father DeBruycker is perfectly capable of celebrating a Mass perfectly and with reverence. I’ve seen him do this with my own eyes at St. Olaf’s downtown.
The $1 million dollar question is WHY doesn’t he do it “right” at SJA?
Answer: He’s not strong enough to stand up against the liturgy director, the council, and the people who really run the show at SJA. The ones who print out a program of what to do and what to say for every “Mass”
I pray for Father regularly. He is literally being pulled in 1/2. The Chancery should have put him at SJA with an strong new Associate (he will get no help from the Associate there now). He has absolutely no backup at SJA. Though, he has made some changes, they have either been overturned, not implemented or they are minor.
August 9th, 2007 at 8:21 am
I wasn’t at Fr. D’s Mass this AM so I missed talking to him. Every priest has a lot on their plate - and they are pulled in many directions. I think he does a good job and he is very sincere and patient. He understands people’s limitations and weaknesses. He needs our prayer. His assistant is sort of a free agent (yes, I know him) and he can’t expect much help from him s far as liturgy, spirituality, or doctrine.
SJA is one parish in particular that has held dissident status for at least 30 years - everything takes time and patient endurance.