The Sacred Readings

MOST HOLY TRINITY PARISH

10,000 PHEASANT RD.

EL PASO, TEXAS 79924

FR. TOM O’MAHONY, PASTOR FR. PAUL D. O’TOOLE, ASSOCIATE

PARISH OFFICE HOURS:
MON-FRI 8:30-5:00 P.M.
MRS. VIRGINIA REYNOLDS
PARISH SECRETARY

FIFTH SUNDAY OF EASTER
MAY 1, 1983

SATURDAY EVENING MASSES
5:30 p.m. (fulfills Sun. obligation)
SUNDAY MASSES
7:30 9:00 10:30 12:00 and 6:00 p.m.
WEEKDAY MASS (MON-FRI)
8:00 and 10:00 a.m., Sat. 8:00 a.m.
FIRST FRIDAY
8:00 and 10:00 a.m.; 6:00 p.m.
HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION
8:00 and 10:00 a.m.; 5:30 & 6:30 p.m.
SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
Sat. 2:00-4:00 & 6:30-8:30 p.m.
SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM
9:30-9:55 a.m.; 5:30-5:55 p.m.

PERPETUAL NOVENA IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL
Twice monthly. Arrangements must be made in advance at rectory.
Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. followed by Benediction.
Rosary is publicly recited each Sun. before the 10:30 a.m. mass.

“The faithful have the right and the need to receive the message of Christ in its truth and in its integrity, in conformity with the Magisterium of the Church.” — POPE JOHN PAUL II, 18 February 1983, To the Bishops from Yugoslavia.

“We wish to ensure that this year, which in the history of humanity is marked with the sign of the anniversary of the Redemption, will become for us, day by day… the Acceptable Year of the Lord (Luke 4: 19).” — POPE JOHN PAUL II, 25 March 1983.

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THE SACRED READINGS (C)

Acts 14, 21-27:
(a) Last Sunday we saw in Chapter 13 that Paul and Barnabas were forced to flee from Antioch to Pisidia (Asia Minor). Their missionary journey took them to Iconium (80 miles east and south of Antioch) and then to Lystra, twenty miles from Antioch. In this last town the Jews and Gentiles tried to stone Paul to death. They left him for dead, but his disciples discovered that he was alive and in frightful pain. In spite of this he had to flee the city and go to Derbe (thirty miles distant). While recuperating there he founded a new community of believers (church).

Paul now decided to return to his missionary base, which was Antioch in Syria, but before doing so he retraced his steps and so revisited Lystra, Iconium and Antioch in Pisidia (Asia Minor). The purpose of the second visit was to organize these new churches or communities by appointing elders to rule, teach and perform the Eucharistic Liturgy. This means that they were ordained to the priesthood.

Though the words “presbyter” (elder) and “episcopos” (Greek word for overseer”) appear to be used interchangeably in Chapter 20 of Acts, it is evident from Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus (I Tim. 3, 2 and Titus 1, 7) that the “episcopos” held a special position of authority. Later on “episcopos” came to mean “bishop”.

(b) Notice that “prayer and fasting” accompanied the ordination of “elders” (presbyters). It is typical of Luke to remind us of the importance of prayer. Read his gospel and see how often he mentions Our Lord praying before the principal events of His life and look up the following places in Acts where he underscores the necessity of prayer as basic to a truly Christian life — Chap. 1, 14 and 24; 2, 42; 3, 1; 6, 4; 9, 11 and 13, 3.

(c) Paul finally arrived back in Antioch of Syria about 49 A.D. and, as today’s reading tells us, the Christians rejoiced at the success of his four-year missionary journey.

We must never forget that these journeys of Paul covered a vast number of miles and entailed walking in blistering sun and freezing cold, besides sleeping on the roadside at night. But Paul never forgot that his Master was a crucified One and so he patiently bore all the hardships — “The disciple is not above his Master.” Only love could make a man endure so much. Hence, the obvious conclusion is that if we are unwilling to deny ourselves in order to do God’s will, our love is very weak, and where love of God is weak, self-love, the root cause of sin, is in the ascendent. The cure is prayer, because as man and woman cannot fall in love and remain in love with each other unless they meet, talk and be in each other’s company constantly, so neither can we love God without meeting personally with Him every day.

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Apocalypse (Revelation) 21, 1-5:
(a) The last part of this book begins with a vision of the new Heaven and new Earth. The New Jerusalem (the Church) came from heaven on to this new earth. According to Hebrews 11, 10; 12, 22 and Gal. 4, 26 this new Jerusalem is a city “whose builder and maker is God”. By “Jerusalem”, both here and in the Old Testament is meant God’s people. Thus the whole passage means that God had established a NEW covenant and chosen a NEW people for His own.

(b) “The sea” — in ancient times the sea was regarded as the abode of a monster, later identified with the devil.

(c) In Apocalyptic literature the rich imagery of the Old Testament was used, and this is the reason why so many people do not read this book as the images are not clear to one not acquainted with the Old Testament. Note how John uses interchangeably the Old Testament images of “city” and “bride” when speaking of the faithful people of God.

(d) This passage was intended to encourage the early Christians to persevere in their sufferings and trials as a great reward was in store for them. God would triumph over evil, and we can do so in Him.

John 13, 31-35:
(a) Beginning with Chapter 13, 31 John gives us the extremely touching farewell of Christ to His apostles. It ends with Chapter 17, 26. The whole discourse has the character of a last will and testament.

(b) “Now” — Christ is referring to His immediate passion, death and glorious resurrection.

(c) “In Judaism man’s love for his neighbor and for God as well as God’s love for man are frequently treated. . . . yet here as in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19, 18) one’s ‘neighbor’ is always a fellow Jew, or someone closely connected with the Jews, such as a ‘resident alien’ or a proselyte, but never a non-Jew as such. . . . only after the second Christian Century did the Rabbis begin to recommend love for all men, the non-Jew as well as the Jews” – Encyclopedic Dict. of the Bible by A. Vander Born).

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In his DICTIONARY OF THE BIBLE Fr. John L. McKenzie under the heading “stranger” or “sojourner” shows that in Old Testament times, though a resident alien or non-Jew was kindly treated, he was prevented by many laws from full participation in community life, seeing that he was not a member of the “chosen people”, even though he accepted the religion of Judaism. Consequently, says McKenzie, “The attitude of the primitive church toward the foreigner was revolutionary, and the large number of foreigners who joined the community soon outnumbered the Jewish members.” (p. 849)

For Christ “neighbor” included everyone without exception, even our very enemies. Of course, love as understood here, is not a pure emotional love, for it is psychologically impossible to “feel” love for everyone, especially enemies. It means love of the will, which is a spiritual faculty. To love, then, means to wish another well, to be willing to assist, comfort and console him in his troubles, out of the love of God.

Finally, this love of the Christian springs from the supernatural gift of charity (love), which was infused into our souls at baptism, is lost by mortal sin, but recovered by repentance. It is a sharing in the love of the Father and Son for each other, which is personified in the Holy Spirit. Consequently, Christian love for others springs from the activity of the Holy Spirit within us.

PSALM 145:
Among the literary forms of the Psalms, this is listed as a hymn or psalm of praise. The literary structure consists of (1) an Introduction: intention of praising God; (2) Main Section: motives of praise; and (3) Conclusion.
REFLECTIONS:
The readings today are a revelation of God’s love for all men without exception. Christ died for all men and His church has the mission of bringing knowledge of His teachings to every nation and tribe.

Particularly is the love of God for the sinner manifested in the gospel. In demanding that we love our very enemies, Christ is reminding us that God loves His enemies also. He gives them every opportunity to repent.

In view of the grave violations of Christian charity which are perpetrated both publicly and privately every day, Catholics should concentrate heavily on the practice of this virtue. It is the hallmark of sanctity and a sign, as Christ said, that you are truly His disciple.

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Therefore, every Catholic should refuse to listen to or pass on vicious gossip, whether true or false. It is a sin and cannot be forgiven unless one is fully resolved to make reparation. This is something we forget. Just as the thief or vandal must make restitution, so it is with the gossip and scandal-monger, because the latter steals the most precious gift of all, a person’s reputation.

NEXT WEEK’S READINGS:

  1. Acts 15, 1-2 and 22-29
  2. Revelations 21, 10-14 and 22-23
  3. John 14, 23-29
  4. Psalm 67

A guy was mugged in the Bronx and he didn’t have any money on him. The mugger was going to beat him up, so the guy said to the mugger, “Can I give you a check?” But the mugger said, “Think I’m stupid? I don’t even know you!”

Taking it with you isn’t so important. The problem is to make it last until you’re ready to go.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION:

THE BISHOPS’ PASTORAL LETTER

Representatives of the U. S. Bishops’ Conference met in Rome on January 18-19, 1983, with representatives of the European bishops and Vatican officials to discuss the second draft of the Pastoral Letter on Peace and War. The meeting was closed, but a synthesis of the discussion was prepared by Reverend Jan Schatle, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission on Justice and Peace.

Though couched in polite and seemingly mild language, the Synthesis, published in ORIGINS, N.C. documentary service on April 7, 1983, shows the second draft was thoroughly criticized on numerous points.

Here is a brief summary of it:

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“When bishops propose the DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH, the faithful are bound in conscience to assent. A serious problem arises … when bishops propose OPINIONS based on the evaluation of technical or military factors. The faithful can be confused, their legitimate freedom of choice hindered, the teaching authority of the bishops lessened … .”

“When differing choices are equally justifiable, bishops should NOT take sides.”

“The (second) draft mixes different levels of authority and it will be difficult for the reader to make the necessary distinctions. Hence grave questions of conscience will arise for Catholics. A clear line must be drawn between the statement of principles and practical choices based on prudential judgments.”

“The participants in the meeting are of the opinion that clearer distinctions are called for in the text with regard to the FIRST USE (of nuclear weapons) in order to avoid any misunderstanding and ambiguity.”

The scriptural section, which tries to give a biblically grounded theology of peace, was poorly written. In fact, it distorted the evidence of scripture.

“Several participants remarked that the draft Pastoral Letter, in speaking about non-violence and just war, seems to propose a DOUBLE Catholic tradition: a tradition of non-violence and a tradition along the lines of the just war theory.” But “participants indicated that non-violence has NEVER been seen in the Church as an alternative to the just war theory.”

Again, “the affirmation in the draft that ‘the witnesses to non-violence and to Christian pacifism run from some Church Fathers through Francis of Assisi to Dorothy Day and Martin Luther King’ is factually incorrect … .”

In fact, the synthesis says that it is NOT “clear from the writings of leading theologians in the first four centuries that ‘there was a certain level of opposition to military service based upon particular gospel passages’, as the second draft states.

“… there is only one Catholic tradition: the just war theory.”

Moreover, it was pointed out that the second draft goes way beyond Vatican II (GAUDIUM ET SPES) when it states: “One characteristic of contemporary Catholic teaching on War and Peace has been the re-emergence of support for a pacifist option in the teaching of Vatican II.” In fact Archbishop John W. Whealon of Hartford, Conn., had already told the U.S. Bishops that the second draft was wrong precisely because of its ordering of moral choices — putting pacificism in first place and defense in second”, which, he said, “is actually not in accord with Vatican II.” Archbishop Philip Hannon added: “The Bishops fail in this letter to maintain clearly the difference between the optimal pacificism of an INDIVIDUAL and the duty of a STATE to defend its citizens. This is pernicious.”

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The reference to Dorothy Day in the draft shows the influence of the PAX CHRISTI movement. This lady was a well-known activist, who equated peace with non-violence and pacificism, which has never been the teaching of the Catholic Church. The well-known pacifist, Archbishop Dom Helder Camara of Brazil, who “has called for a synthesis of Marxism and Christianity”, is a member of PAX CHRISTI INTERNATIONAL.

By way of conclusion, here are a few quotes: (1) The late Cardinal Feltin, Archbishop of Paris, France said: “Be peaceful and not pacificists”; “Pacificists are ready to abandon everything through cowardice. The peaceful … want peace that will respect people’s rights” (N.C., June, 1959); (2) Pope Paul VI: “It is to be hoped that the exaltation of the ideal of peace may not favor the COWARDICE of those who fear it may be their duty to give them life for the service of their country and of their own brothers, when they are engaged in the defense of justice and liberty …. Peace is not pacificism, it does not mask a base and slothful concept of life, but it proclaims the highest and most universal values of life.” (January 1, 1968).

THE MOVIE, “GANDHI”

Though the movie GANDHI has received many accolades, students should beware of accepting the story as representing reality. In fact, the government of India provided at least one-third of the financing and checked and re-checked the screenplay before release.

In the March, 1983, issue of COMMENTARY Richard Grenier examines the film and debunks the myths surrounding Gandhi, thus showing the movie to be nothing more or less than a paid political advertisement by the Indian government.

Gandhi is presented in this travesty as a pacificist, a holy man, and an enemy of discrimination. But his policy of non-violence, if followed, would have governments surrender quietly to aggressors, while in the case of his own enemies he approved of violence; as regards prejudice his words and actions prove that he was not very consistent; as regards holiness, his standards definitely were not very high.

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PARENTAL NOTIFICATION

In a syndicated article Dr. Walter E. Williams, a well-known Black scholar, has taken to task New York’s U.S. District Court Judge Henry F. Werker who recently barred the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from putting into effect a procedure requiring federally funded birth-control clinics to notify parents when their dependent (under 17) teenage daughters receive contraceptives.

PLANNED PARENTHOOD, fearful of a reduced demand for its services, is highly in favor of the judicial decision, but as Dr. Williams points out, this is a grave intrusion into private family life and will inevitably lead to the undermining of the family.

That this judicial decision is “an attempt to nationalize the family” and represents another unprecedented intrusion into family life, says Dr. Williams, is clear from previous widely accepted decisions, which were in accordance with the ethos of the country. For example, state and local laws require parental NOTIFICATION and PERMISSION for children to have their ears pierced; to go on school trips; to participate in school sports and many other activities. If in such matters community standards require parental notification and consent, surely in the serious matter of contraceptives it should all the more be required, as drugs, diaphragms and intrauterine devices are not totally safe and may cause serious injury.

Another offensive aspect of the decision is that parents are forced to pay, through taxes, the salaries of those who give these devices to their children, even though they are morally opposed to them.

This should be recognized for what it is — an attempt by elitists to subvert family authority. Parents should rise up and oppose it, and demand that Congress put a stop to this intrusion.

FOR YOUR BOOKSHELF

THE NEW BIBLICAL THEORISTS: RAYMOND E. BROWN AND BEYOND by Msgr. George A. Kelly, SERVANT PUBLICATIONS, P.O. Box 8617, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48107; 224 pp., $12.95, cloth, 1983.

This is the third of a series by the same author of an analysis of the Church in the United States. His first two books were a great success and this one will undoubtedly enjoy a similar popularity as it is written for the non-specialist.

Modern revisionist scripture scholarship has long been an ivory tower. Though many fine scholars have attacked it, they have not been able to penetrate the ramparts due to the support given by publishers and Bishops to Brown and his peers. Let us hope that this fine book will warn those in authority with regard to the fatal basic presuppositions of these self-styled exegetes.

CHRISTIANITY CONFRONTS COMMUNISM, by Fr. Charles McFadden, OSA, FRANCISCAN HERALD PRESS, 1434 W. 51st Street, Chicago, IL 60609, 423 pp., $12.50, cloth, 1982.

LIBERATION THEOLOGY, by Fr. James Schall, S.J., IGNATIUS PRESS, P. O. Box 18990, San Francisco, CA 94118, $10.95.

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THE CATHOLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK OF AMERICA (CTNA)

For the past four years a special collection has been taken up in all U.S. parishes for a new national bureaucracy — THE CATHOLIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK OF AMERICA (CTNA). So far it has cost $4.5 million and the programs are made available to dioceses. Each diocese has to pay $5,000 affiliation fee, $15,000 for three years of programming per day, and $7,000 for equipment, plus of course, additional costs in salaries, extra programming and incidentals.

The programs at present available are of poor quality and have caused a good deal of controversy. For instance, in Rhode Island the Catholics were shocked at the program SPIRITUALITY IN THE EIGHTIES in four parts because the priests interviewed were none other than Hans Kueng and Edward Schillebeeckx. Nothing was said on the program that Kueng was NOT “a Catholic theologian”. Unfortunately, protests of the local Catholics went unheeded and Bishop Gehneau, CTNA Chairman, refused to comment.

So far only 34 dioceses, one-fifth of the U.S. dioceses, belong to CTNA, and of these, only 14 have finished work on their satellite dishes. It is estimated that to be self-sufficient the network needs 85 dioceses to be affiliated, but in view of the poor quality of the content and production of the programs available, it looks as if CTNA will be a permanent beggar at the parish doors.

Are there any other Catholic TV programs available? Yes; there are many groups producing sound Catholic programs which, for a reasonable fee, are produced on Cable TV. Fr. Miceli, S.J., produces very fine shows, and Mother Angelica and her nuns in Alabama transmit by satellite truly Catholic programs. These local efforts get NO help from the CTNA.

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MORALLY OFFENSIVE MOVIES

“FORTY-EIGHT HOURS”
“LIANNA”
“SCANNERS”
NEWS AND VIEWS:

1. President Reagan’s speech before the 41st Annual Convention of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS at the Sheraton Twin Towers Hotel, Orlando, Florida, on March 8, 1983, was, in the opinion of many well-known journalists, a fine theological rebuttal to nuclear-freeze advocates. It was printed in full in HUMAN EVENTS, April 2, 1983.

    2. Fr. Vincent Giese, editor of OUR SUNDAY VISITOR, stated in the March 20, 1983 issue that he was most unhappy with the Pope for criticizing the Sandinistas during his short visit to Nicaragua. In the editor’s opinion, the Pope should have approved the participation of Catholics in the Revolution (presumably, the five priests in government offices), and he proceeded to warn the Pope that his opposition could lead “many sincere Catholics” to become alienated “from the institutional church”. All in all, the Pope bungled the whole affair, according to Fr. Giese.

    Father Giese is also of the opinion that Christianity and Marxism are compatible in spite of papal statements to the contrary. Here is the pertinent passage from his editorial: “I had a feeling that the ideological battle lines might have been more correctly drawn between Socialism and Capitalism, with a stress on how Christianity might be compatible with either system.”

    3. Fr. George MacRae, S.J., who teaches New Testament at the HOWARD DIVINITY SCHOOL, was reported in the N.C. REGISTER, February 6th and April 10th, 1983 as stating that “you can favor abortion and be a good Catholic”!

    4. The new President of the LATIN AMERICAN BISHOPS’ COUNCIL (CELAM), Bishop Antonio Quarracino of Avellaneda, Argentina, condemned Cuba as “the sharp presence of a dagger at the throat of America and with a church that is muzzled, humiliated and submissive”. He is particularly worried about Marxist influence in Nicaragua and El Salvador, and “the aggressive politicization in circles of the clergy and other pastoral agents”, and the inroads made by Protestant missionaries among the traditionally Catholic population of Central America.

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    5. The Pope has criticized a proposal by the Socialist government of France to nationalize Catholic schools.

    6. A Bulgarian defector, Jordan Mantarou, has told French authorities that the plot to kill the Pope was drawn up by the KGB under the direction of the present head of Soviet Russia.

    7. CBS NETWORK is in serious trouble with over 50 libel suits pending against the corporation. Most appear to be against the 60 MINUTES program headed by Dan Rather. As exposed by ACCURACY IN MEDIA, INC. in its monthly Reports, evidence was suppressed and the stories faked by CBS.

    This is a sad commentary on present-day journalism which has neglected its ethical standards, and, at the same time, a warning to TV watchers not to accept reporting on that or any other medium as objective.

    For your information, ACCURACY IN MEDIA, 1341 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 10005 is a watch-dog over the media. Its monthly newsletter costs $15.00 per annum.

    FROM THE CCD OFFICE

    Saturday, May 7th, our Second Grade children will receive First Holy Communion at the 9:00 a.m. mass. There will be no CCD Classes on Saturday, May 7th.

    Registration forms for September have been given to our CCD children. If your children do not attend CCD classes now, you can obtain a registration form at the Parish Hall during class periods, Monday 7-8 p.m.; Thursday 4-5 p.m.; Saturday 8-12 a.m. Registration is $10.00 per family until May 21st.

    THE BLOCK ROSARY. The Breviary is the prayer of priests. The Rosary is the breviary of the Laity. During the month of May, you may wish to offer your Rosary with your neighbors through the Block Rosary. Any questions call Joseph Matt at 755-8024, or Jo Ann Drollinger at 751-9805.

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    MASS INTENTIONS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 2 THRU MAY 8:

    MON:

    TUES:

    WED:

    THURS:

    FRI:

    SAT:

    SUN:

    This coming Friday is the FIRST FRIDAY of the month. Masses in this church will be at 8:00, 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. with Confessions thirty minutes before the 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. masses. Adoration will begin immediately following the 6:00 mass with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at 8:00 p.m.

    This coming Wednesday, May 4th, the monthly class on the SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM will be held at 7:00 p.m. at the Parish Hall. This is for parents and godparents and necessary for baptism in this church. The class lasts approximately thirty minutes so please be on time. Baptism dates for the month of May will be the 8th and the 22nd.

    ADDITIONS TO THE PARISH FAMILY

    The sacrament of Baptism, through which we are made “partakers of the Divine Nature (St. Peter)” and so become children of God with right to heaven on the title of inheritance, was conferred on: