Our Lady of Pilar

Our Lady of the Pillar is a title for Mary, based on her appearance to James in Zaragosa, Spain on October 12.

Supposedly, after Pentecost, James went to the ends of the earth to proclaim the Gospel, as Jesus instructed. His journey lead him to the Iberian Peninsula, where he hoped to spread the Gospel,  but his efforts were not welcome.

During prayer, he spoke of his despondency and Mary appeared to him atop a altar made of jaspar carried by angels. She was holding a statue on a pillar that she gave to James. She asked him to build a church on the site and to bring the statue into the church. It was the first church in history to be dedicated in honor of Mary. In later centuries, the chapel was replaced with a Basilica.

James was called by Mary to return to Jerusalem, but he was martyred by Herod in 44 A.D. James was denied burial in Rome so his friends brought his remains to Compostela, Spain. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela contains the remains of James. Compostela is the destination of many pilgrims who walk the Camino from southern France to the west side of Spain. The Camino is the second most visited pilgrim site in Christianity. The walk can take as little as five weeks to a couple of months to complete.

Columbus Day: A National Holiday

October 12th is the traditional day for celebrating Columbus Day, though the holiday always falls on the second Monday of October. Columbus is now criticized for having the prototypical attitude of the European sailing captains and merchants who explored and exploited the Atlantic in the 15th century. He was a man of unusual ambition. He also takes the brunt of the criticism lodged against the European colonizers for the harsh treatment of the native populations of the Americas.

Four hundred years after Columbus' first voyage, President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed a national holiday to honor the landing in San Salvador. Harrison wanted to set aside a day that recognized both Native Americans and the many immigrants, including Italians, who were flocking to the U.S. in record numbers. This holiday would be the first one that was not a religious holiday or one that honored the Founding Fathers. It was to be a day that celebrated the ordinary people who were part of American history. It was planned to be a tribute to democracy as well: universal public schooling was recently instituted - a hallmark decision for democracy because it was designed to include everyone, not just the wealthy governing elite.

The first parade was held in New York City and its marchers were primarily 12,000 school children from each constituency. Public high school students led the way, followed by Catholics, then other private and national schools. The Native Americans were included in the procession. The parade was an attempt to universally unite every group who called themselves Americans.

Nothing ever happens in a vacuum. Two years before the national holiday was declared, U.S. troops massacred 200 Lakota Sioux people at Wounded Knee because of an unfortunate misunderstanding. The U.S. government acknowledges the tragedy of the soldiers actions. In a separate incident ten weeks later, eleven Italian citizens were lynched in prison. The Italians were put to death because of a public fears. Italians were almost as unpopular as the Native Americans. President Harrison was saddened by the events. It is conceivable that Harrison wanted to instill a spirit within the American people who could move beyond their own prejudice and to recognize the great contributions of its many diverse peoples.

The idea behind the holiday is much deeper than most Americans realize. The goals of Harrison are certainly admirable. Columbus' landing was a momentous step in a world that would see monumental changes within a short period of time. Such a discovery rarely has happened in human history and for that alone, it is a holiday worth remembering.

Feelings on the Pope's visit:

proud. joyous. gratitude. humbled. elated. inspired. peaceful. empowered. compassionate. friendly. loving. engrossed. entranced. fascinated. intrigued. stimulated. amazed. awed. wonder. animated. astonished. enthusiastic. giddy. invigorated. passionate. lively. vibrant. exhilarated. thrilled. exuberant. enthralled. blissful. appreciative. moved. thankful. touched. hopeful. expectant. encouraged. optimistic. delighted. glad. jubilant. pleased. tickled. centered. equanimous. quiet. relieved. satisfied. serene. tranquil. trusting. refreshed. enlivened. rejuvenated. renewed. restored. revived. happy. content.

Early Fall in Central Massachusetts

To see photos of early fall in Central New England, click on the link below:

1. The Canal District

2. Early Fall

3. The Pond

4. The Heron

5. The Beaver's Craft

6. Lake Foliage

7. Beachside

8. Berries

Conversations Do Matter

Since boyhood, I've always enjoyed all things Dutch. I did reports on Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg for class projects in grade school. I was fascinated with their empire-building and maritime history and the development of reclaimed lands. I paid special attention to the ways the Dutch were involved in World Wars I and II and their colonization of East Asia. The Dutch settled Manhattan and sold it for $24.00 to the English. Windmills seemed to be part of my consciousness as photographic subjects and engineering marvels. I have rooted for the Dutch in their World Cup soccer competitions and I love the color orange. I've alway been curious and proud of my Dutch heritage.

Well, tonight, my father was talking about his parents and grandparents. He told me of my grandfather's death in a mining accident in Montana and his involvement in the military skirmishes in 1914, a century ago. Then he said that his mother, a woman of red hair, compare from the Pennsylvania Dutch Amish region. I asked him to repeat what he said. Yes, she is Pennsylvania Dutch, which is not Dutch at all, but German. Deutch is the name for German, but as it became Anglocized, it was easier to pronounce it Dutch. Oh, no. My whole life's belief about my origins is changed in the slip of the tongue. What do I belief now?

The year is underway

The new academic year is underway and it has opened very well. Free time is elusive. I have come to appreciate the tremendous dedication of so many faculty and staff members to their faith and to Catholic education.

I find myself repeatedly saying, "Priesthood keeps getting better and better." People are sincerely searching for the divine in their lives and they continue to seek the love of God within the church. It is quite awesome.

Tonight we celebrated a mass for liturgical musicians. I was very pleased with the quality and volume of singing. Over one hundred people came to the liturgy and reception. It is always great to recognize that many parents truly appreciate the formation experience that Jesuits and our colleagues offer.

I baked over 80 cookies for the Spanish-speaking parish on Sunday. They were eaten within five minutes. Typically, they only have white bread after mass, so I replaced empty carbohydrates with tasty carbohydrates.

The parishes speak to me in long sentences in Spanish. I can hear the language better, but they often drop their voice in volume to me and they are inaudible. I guess I'm improving in my language pronunciation, but my comprehension is still lacking. They have very many requests for the sacrament of reconciliation.

I laughed when two young girls asked me if I could speak in English once in while as they know no Spanish whatsoever. What a relief.

Pope Francis is welcoming people back to the church and to the sacraments. Many in the Spanish speaking community do not come forward for communion, so I invited them to come for a blessing. Nearly everyone in the church came forward. I was so happy.

We blessed a baby and presented her to the church this week. She was two weeks and a few days old. I asked her is she wanted a blessing. She stretched out her two hands and covered her eyes. The congregation roared.

Priestly life is sacred and rather fun.

Plimoth Plantation

I visited the Plimoth Plantations this week and enjoyed the historical site a great deal. It showcased a 17th Century English village and fort and a replica of a Wompanoag homesite. The museum is a living, interactive one in which the actors only speak in the terms and knowledge they have from the 1600s.

The museum is spelled Plimoth, even though the modern-day town is spelled Plymouth because most of the 17th century vocabulary was phonetic. There were multiple spellings and the colonists had not agreed upon standards by that time. They were called Pilgrims because of its religious devotions. These colonists departed from a church in Leiden, Holland to the New World. They referenced Hebrews 11:13-16 to call themselves a people on a spiritual and religious journey.

The First Thanksgiving: Harvest festivals are part of every culture. After a year of sickness and scarcity, a bountiful harvest was celebrated in the fall of 1621. People gave thanks, like in a Eucharist, in the three-day festival that were joined by the Massasoit. In the mid-1800's, commemoration of this feast began and it soon evolved into our Thanksgiving holiday.

I had a few observations about my experience.

The language parents used to answer their children's questions were disturbing. An inquisitive child would be told, "No, that's not the answer. That's silly." And the parents would laugh without offering an informative answer. Or they would be given a generalized non-answer the parent made up. It seems that the greater emphasis for the parents were the entertainment value rather than educational. I remember those days when I looked at my parents and were amazed that they knew everything, but I'm not sure the children of today are getting the same appreciation for knowledge.

It might be much better for other park visitors if children are brought there with school groups, which are more orderly. Teachers enforce civic virtues like forming single-file lines, staying to the right, raising your hand to be called upon, and waiting your turn. It is good for society if we learn to interact in a way in which the smooth functioning of society is advanced. If everyone does what they want on their own terms, then they create a chaotic society devoid of wisdom and orderliness.

Some people have little awareness that they negatively affect the flow of traffic. They stop right in the middle of a pathway and talk on the phone or with a neighbor. It would be far better to move to the side of the path so that others do not have an obstacle course. It is all about awareness and realizing that "I am not the center of everyone's universe."

The attitudes underneath one's interaction with society is the point of today's Sunday scriptures. If one disregards the norms in society, we develop a "me-first" or a "me-only" mentality. Society needs to help others recognize the need for a common good that is balanced with personal freedom and responsibility. It cannot just be about "me" and "my claim that others respect me." It has to be about awareness that I am one small part of society and it is far better to contribute to its smooth operation than to always agitate by demanding respect for "self."

In the Gospel, Jesus says that those things that defile do not come from outside of us, but from within us. It is our attitudes that determine whether we bring forth evil or good.

I can tell many people are hurting and unhappy and are overly occupied with their demands for respect. They will not get it by asserting themselves in  distasteful ways. I think they will get it when they turn charitably towards the other and recognize him or her to be brother or sister, and then have concern for their well-being. We have to teach adults who teach our children about loving ways to construct a better society. In the absence of authority that promotes these laws, we have to model it so others desire it.