Advent Journey

1. I know this picture doesn’t look very Adventy. It is from my pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago in 2018. The readings for the Second Sunday of Advent tell us of Isaiah’s prophecy that God will come to His people in exile and take them on a journey back to the Promised Land. During the journey of the Advent Season, we prepare ourselves to receive Christ anew, with purity, humility, and longing. The parish has many means of helping you prepare between now and Christmas, including additional confession times on Fridays at 6pm, the Simbang Gabi Novena of Masses, the Las Posadas celebration of the Holy Family seeking lodging, and more. For the full Advent calendar, click here. While many festive celebrations take place during Advent, we should practice some penance such as fasting and devote more time to prayer.

2. Tomorrow morning (Dec. 1) between 7 and 8am Pacific time, lawyers will be making arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on whether a new Mississippi law restricting abortions after 15 weeks is constitutional. Here is a good summary of the case. Please pray that the Court does the right thing and determines that there is no constitutional right to an abortion.

3. Donuts and coffee after our first two morning Masses have facilitated wonderful gatherings and helped forge parish friendships. Unfortunately, we have had some problems related to this. I have received numerous reports of people leaving before the final blessing to get donuts, of children running to get donuts and knocking other children out of the way, and of children cutting in the donut line. We will soon be asking for volunteers to assist with distributing the donuts. When this invitation comes, please be open to serving. If we do not get enough volunteers with our initial request, we may need to suspend provision of donuts until we do.

4. I’m often asked about how/why I became a priest. You can listen to my vocation story here, which is a recording of a talk I gave shortly before priestly ordination.

Pro-Abortion Politicians and Communion

St. Ambrose barring the Emperor Theodosius from entering the cathedral of Milan.

The bishops of the United States recently voted to approve a document on the Eucharist. The genesis of this document was partially in response to the fact that President Joseph Biden professes to be a faithful Catholic while aggressively supporting abortion rights. However, the final statement completely avoided this controversy. Like many Catholics, I am disappointed with the silence of our nation’s bishops on this scandal. I agree with the commentary of Phil Lawler, that this silence is harmful to the Body of Christ.

Below is a homily I preached on September 6th, 2020, which explains some of the issue involved.

All Are Welcome?

“All are welcome.”  The Church is inclusive.  Well, this is partially true, of course.  Jesus reached out to sinners and to Gentiles as part of God’s plan to gather the entire human race into one family in Christ.  But Jesus speaks in other places about exclusion, even ultimate exclusion.  For example, he says that those who call him Lord and do miracles in his name will go to hell if they do not do the will of the Father.  This will hear Jesus say to them in the end, “Depart from me you evildoers.  I never knew you.” (Matthew, 7:23) 

Today, Jesus speaks about a process of excluding someone from the community of disciples. This process is known as fraternal correction.  He talks about a brother who is sinning.  First, you discuss the fault with him in order to help him repent.  If that doesn’t work, you bring a couple of people with you to talk to him.  If that doesn’t work, you bring the issue to the Church.  If he refuses to listen to the Church, “treat him as you would a Gentile or tax collector,” (Matthew 18:17) which is to say, an outsider. 

This passage and others are the basis for the Church’s discipline of excommunication.  Another important passage is 1st Corinthians, chapter 5, in which St. Paul addresses the situation of a man living with his father’s wife who was still included in the church community.  St. Paul writes that “The one who did this did should be expelled from your midst.” (v. 2)  “You are to deliver this man to the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” (v. 5)  Paul anticipates that this man’s exclusion would lead to suffering which would help him to repent and be saved for eternity. 

Excommunication is medicinal.  Someone who persists in grave sin while externally going through the motions of a being a member of the Church, being accepted and welcomed by the Church, is likely to harden in their sin.  Their conscience will become dulled.  Excommunication, which follows attempts to explain and reconcile, is designed as a wake-up call. 

It is also for the health of the Church community as a whole.  When others see someone who is living in public and serious contradiction to the Gospel, and see this person welcomed and treated as a member in good standing, they are liable to conclude that the sin which the person commits is not really a sin at all, that the church doesn’t regard it as such.  This may make it more likely for them to fall into sin.  This is what is known as scandal, becoming an obstacle to other’s salvation. 

Excommunication is still on the books.  It bars someone from receiving sacraments and participating in church ministry.  It is not a judgment of person’s soul, but of his words and actions.  It does not mean a person is damned and will go to hell.  Joan of Arc was excommunicated by a bishop; but we know that condemnation was unjust, and later Joan of Arc was vindicated.  Formal excommunication involves due process for the accused in a court of canon law.  Sometimes, certain acts incur an automatic excommunication because they are judged to be so serious.  Abortion is one those sins.  A Catholic who performs, obtains, or is an accessory to an abortion is excommunicated if they are 18 years old, aware of the canonical penalty, and not acting from grave fear.  Later, if they are sorry for their abortion and repent of it, a priest can remove the penalty of excommunication along with giving them absolution.  Interestingly, there is no automatic excommunication for murder generally, perhaps because abortion is by far the most common form of murder (about 1 million a year in our country alone) and society has accepted it. 

Canon 915 applies beyond those who have been formally excommunicated or incurred an automatic excommunication.  It forbids the administration of Holy Communion to those who persevere in manifest grave sin.  For decades, there has been a divide among American bishops as to whether this should apply to Catholic government officials who advocate and vote for legal abortion.  

In 2004, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (who became Pope Benedict XVI) wrote a letter to the American bishops stating that politicians who consistently campaign and vote for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws do fall under the purview of canon 915.  About a year ago, Joe Biden, a self-professed practicing Catholic, went to Mass in South Carolina, and the pastor recognized him and refused to give him Holy Communion due to Biden’s support of legal abortion. The Archbishop of New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, addressed the controversy, saying he would not refuse someone communion, but rather would talk to them privately and if they do not change their support of abortion, tell them not to present themselves for communion.  I am on the side of the priest from South Carolina, and I would refuse to give Biden communion if he showed up at our parish.  Cardinal Dolan does have a point.  It’s best if the pastors of the pro-abortion politicians try to correct them privately.  But if they continue in their manifest grave sin, the minister is obligated to refuse to give them communion.        

Exclusion can be an act of love for the offender and for others who can be led astray by the offender’s example.  In the 1940s, the schools in Missouri were segregated, blacks and whites attending different schools.  In theory, segregation was supposed to treat everyone equally, but in fact, schools for blacks were not as well funded as schools for whites, and the system of segregation was one that promoted the false and wicked notion of the superiority of whites.  Sadly, the Catholic schools also practiced segregation.  That changed through the courageous actions of the Archbishop of St. Louis, Joseph Ritter.  In 1947, he desegregated the schools of his diocese, which accounted for 25% of all school children in St. Louis.  A group of pro-segregationist Catholics threatened to sue him, saying his actions violated the segregation laws of the state. He wrote a letter saying that any Catholic who sued the bishop to stop integration would be excommunicated.  No threatened civil suits materialized, and Rome backed the Archbishop in his decision to integrate Catholic schools.

A threat of excommunication meant something back then, even to racist Catholics.  Cardinal Dolan says that excommunicating pro-abortion politicians would only make them more popular and able to play the victim card.  Perhaps.  But I think we would all benefit from drawing lines more clearly.  We are playing let’s pretend too much.  You can’t be a faithful Catholic and support abortion.  In our first reading, God appoints Ezekiel a watchman, who must warn the wicked to repent; failing to do so meant that he would share their punishment.  It is better for the Church to treat those who persist in their support of abortion as Gentiles and tax collectors (which, by the way, are still the object of the Church’s love and solicitude), than for them to experience eternal exclusion.  It is better for them to hear from the Church, “Sorry, you can’t receive communion until you repent,” than for them to hear Jesus say “Depart from me, you evil doers.”   

Exploring Education Alternatives

I have had dozens of conversations with parents who are concerned about the schools which their children attend. The concerns that they have raised include the following:

• Mandatory vaccination for their children

• Mandatory mask wearing for their children

• Indoctrination in sexuality and gender ideology that contradicts the truth revealed by God

• Teaching of Critical Race Theory

These concerns partially explain why there has been a large increase in homeschooling families across the nation and why many are contemplating alternatives to public education. We have a homeschool ministry at the parish which includes about 80 families. Other parents, for whom full-time homeschooling is not an option, have contacted me about the possibility of grouping together to hire teachers. With this in mind, I would like to have a discussion with interested parents. The purpose would be to hear the concerns of parents and to discern together about the alternatives to public education. Some homeschooling parents will be on hand to answer questions. The parish itself will not be making any arrangements for the education of the children, but is simply helping parish families to connect with each other for their own discernment and to make their own arrangements.

EDUCATION ALTERNATIVES MEETING
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10TH @ 7PM
OLMC PARISH HALL

Why I Will Not Force Children to Wear Masks

The Diocese of San Diego has a policy that children and teachers must wear masks during their faith formation classes. I will not enforce this policy and instead will leave whether to wear a mask up to the parents of our children and individual catechists. My reasoning is summed up in an article published on the University of Southern California website, written by Neeraj Sood, PhD and Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD., which states,

“The benefits of masks in preventing serious illness or death from COVID-19 among children are infinitesimally small. At the same time they are disruptive to learning and communicating in classrooms. They may be partially effective in shielding adults from COVID, but since when is it ethical to burden children for the benefit of adults?”

Children are at less risk for serious illness and death from COVID than they are from the flu. For the 2018-2019 flu season, the CDC estimates that 480 children died from the flu. The CDC reports a total of 470 deaths of persons under the age of 18 attributed to COVID as of September 1st, eighteen months since the disease came to our country. There are 68 million persons under the age of 18 in the United States. To help put the risk into perspective, here is a chart created by the New York Times.

David Zweig, writing for the New York Times Magazine Intelligencer, did a deep dive into the studies used by the CDC in support of their guidance on masking schoolchildren and corresponded with numerous experts in pediatrics and epidemiolgy. Below are some excerpts from his article:

The study published by the CDC was both ambitious and groundbreaking. It covered more than 90,000 elementary-school students in 169 Georgia schools from November 16 to December 11 and was, according to the CDC, the first of its kind to compare COVID-19 incidence in schools with certain mitigation measures in place to other schools without those measures. Scientists I spoke with believe that the decision not to include the null effects of a student masking requirement (and distancing, hybrid models, etc.) in the summary amounted to “file drawering” these findings, a term researchers use for the practice of burying studies that don’t produce statistically significant results. “That a masking requirement of students failed to show independent benefit is a finding of consequence and great interest,” says Vinay Prasad, an associate professor in University of California, San Francisco’s Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “It should have been included in the summary.” “The summary gives the impression that only masking of staff was studied,” says Tracy Hoeg, an epidemiologist and the senior author of a separate CDC study on COVID-19 transmission in schools, “when in reality there was this additional important detection about a student-masking requirement not having a statistical impact.”

After the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics issued their student-mask guidance last month, I contacted both organizations asking for the evidence or underlying data upon which they had based their recommendations. The AAP did not respond to multiple requests. The CDC press office replied that since children under 12 cannot be vaccinated, the agency “recommends schools do universal masking” and included links to unrelated materials on vaccines and a recent outbreak among adults. Over the course of several weeks, I also corresponded with many experts — epidemiologists, infectious-disease specialists, an immunologist, pediatricians, and a physician publicly active in matters relating to COVID — asking for the best evidence they were aware of that mask requirements on students were effective. Nobody was able to find a data set as robust as the Georgia results — that is, a large cohort study directly looking at the effects of a mask requirement. (The closest is a study published in Science, based on a Facebook survey, that was suggestive but not conclusive of a marginal benefit of student masking.One doctor, who is on TV regularly and has around 100,000 Twitter followers, sent me two studies where masks were required of all students so there was no way to determine the effect; the authors of one of the studies explicitly noted, “​​we were not able to examine the impact of universal masking owing to nearly 100 percent adoption of this intervention,” and authors of the other study wrote, “it was not possible to determine the specific roles that mask-wearing played in the low rate of disease spread.” )

“A year ago, I said, ‘Masks are not the end of the world; why not just wear a mask?’” Elissa Schechter-Perkins, the director of Emergency Medicine Infectious Disease Management at Boston Medical Center, told me. “But the world has changed, there are real downsides to masking children for this long, with no known end date, and without any clear upside.” She continued, “I’m not aware of any studies that show conclusively that kids wearing masks in schools has any effect on their own morbidity or mortality or on the hospitalization or death rate in the community around them.”

The whole article is worth a read. So what are some of the “downsides” of children wearing masks? Here is an article which weighs the pros and cons. In addition to increased heart rate, fatigue, deeper and more frequent breathing, the author focuses on how masks impair communication and block emotional signaling. The human face is expressive and contributes greatly to what is communicated between two people. Children are learning the connection between words spoken, tone of voice, facial expression, and other body language. To deprive them of the fullness of human communication is, in my view, a substantial harm.

What will be the long term damage done to our children from years of mask wearing? Only God knows. It may end up being substantial and irreparable. It seems to me that public policy makers are not sufficiently weighing this.

Since the pandemic, I have had tens of thousands of interactions with several thousand different people, some as brief as a greeting after Mass, others, hour-long sessions of pastoral counseling. Often times people have come into my office wearing a mask, and I let them know that they don’t have wear it if they don’t want to. Speaking with people and seeing their faces, I notice a significant and immediate positive difference in our ability to connect and communicate. It is hard for me to understand why this isn’t obvious to everyone.

I conclude with a short reflection on the theological significance of the face. In the third chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul discusses how after Moses spent time with the Lord, he had to wear a veil over his face because it glowed with a divine radiance and people were afraid to see it. In the New Covenant, we can look upon the glory of God with unveiled faces. While this shouldn’t be used as a proof text to say that wearing a mask is a sin, it is worth pondering. “Therefore, since we have such hope, we act very boldly and not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not look intently at the cessation of what was fading.” (2 Cor. 3:12-13) “All of us, gazing with unveiled face on the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:18).” When we behold the face of Christ, we are able to see the glory of God. But also, the face of the human person, who is made and redeemed in the image of God, is a reflection of that divine glory.

Go forth!

Good Mood
I’m in a particularly good mood this morning. Perhaps this is due in part because I went on a run. Perhaps it is due in part to having just reviewed the 2020-21 income/expense report and seeing how much we better we did than the prior year. Thank you for that. Perhaps it is due in part to having completed our three-part series on the Eucharist. (If you missed it, you can listen here.)

Fall Faith Formation
Last Sunday, I preached about how the Mass fuels and forms us for mission. While the fun never stops at OLMC, things kick up a few notches in the Fall. We are looking forward to resuming in-person faith formation for our children. You can register here.

We need volunteers to assist with our faith formation program, especially for pre-school and elementary aged children. To instruct in the faith is a work of mercy, and the one who teaches often receives more than they give. Please consider volunteering. More information is here.

We hired a new Coordinator of Young Adult Ministry, John Barnes, and he will host his first event on August 15 for those ages 18-29. I’ve be giving a talk about how the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary indicates the special value of the human body in God’s plan. John will share his witness. If you have friends or family members in this age range, please invite them to come. More information and RSVP for this event is here.

Also, we are currently meeting with those interested in becoming Catholic. We have an excellent RCIA program. If you know anyone who is interested, please direct them here.

Built on Rock
We have had four capital campaign gatherings and they have been a blast. Good food and drink, delightful conversations, and a celebration of what God is doing at OLMC. The attendees have been excited about the plans for our new Discipleship Center and Parish Center and have asked great questions. There are spots open for six future receptions. Be sure to reserve your space by click here.

COVID
I think this is something that will be part of our landscape for a very long time, and it is hubris to think we can eradicate it. Human kind has survived much deadlier diseases in the past. My life is in God’s hands, and I am very much at peace knowing that. “For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Romans 14:8). If I’m thinking about COVID more than I’m thinking about Christ, something is askew.

Changes

Last week Bishop McElroy informed pastors that he was lifting COVID restrictions on parishes. Masks are no longer required. For the near term, we will keep the speakers on and chairs outside for those who would be more comfortable praying outside during the Mass and receiving Communion outside. Also, if you want to attend an uncrowded Mass, Sundays at 4:30 is our least attended one. Further, the Bishop has restored the obligation for Catholics to attend Mass every Saturday evening or Sunday. His letter doing so can be found here. I addressed these changes in light of the Sunday readings in my homily last weekend, which can be found here.

There will be a number of changes to our staff. Deacon Noel Rivera, who has been a parishioner at OLMC for 26 years and a deacon for 15 of those years, was asked by the incoming pastor of Nativity Parish to serve there. They do not have an associate priest nor a deacon, and so in consideration of their greater need for diaconal ministry, Deacon Noel agreed to be assigned to Nativity Parish. He will no longer serve as a deacon at OLMC except for the monthly Encounter. He has faithfully and fruitfully served our parish and his ministry here will be missed. We will be offering a special prayer of gratitude and blessing for him at our Feast Day Celebration on July 16th.

Kylie Armstrong will be the new Director of Youth Discipleship for OLMC. The process of replacing Theresa Inoue led to a restructuring. Kylie will be responsible for Middle School and High School ministry. Our current Coordinator of Middle School Ministry, Kenneth Manyari-Magro will no longer be working at OLMC as of the end of this month. And as of now, there is no staff member designated to lead Young Adult Ministry. Our cantor, Alyssa “Nikki” Lucero has also decided to leave her employment here. And longtime facilities assistant Cody Gower will also be moving on.

I can assure you that each person has discerned a new path forward for different reasons, and that there is no general dissatisfaction with the working conditions at the parish. I was very happy with our staff and so these changes cause me sadness. But I take comfort in knowing that God is good, all the time, and that the new members He sends to join our team will continue the excellent pastoral care you have come to expect and which you deserve.

Seeking a Director of Youth and Young Adult Discipleship

Our Director of Youth and Young Adult Discipleship, Theresa Inoue, has accepted a teaching position at Cathedral Catholic High School. We are grateful for her time with us and pray for her to flourish in her new position. We are looking to hire someone to build upon the new direction in ministering to our teens and young adults that began two years ago. Below is a description of the job. Please share with anyone you think would be interested and qualified.

Position Title: Director of Youth and Young Adult Discipleship

Background: The Catholic Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (13541 Stoney Creek Rd. San Diego, CA 92129) has approximately 2,900 active parish families, including a large number of youth and young adults.

Summary:
The Director of Youth and Young Adult Discipleship (DYYAD) is responsible for teen (14-17) sacramental preparation, teen discipleship formation, discipleship formation for young adults ages 18-25, and supporting ministry to young adults ages 26-39.

The goal of this ministry is to empower young people to live as life-long disciples and apostles of Jesus Christ. Unlike most other youth ministries, the focus is not large group events (although we have some of these); the emphasis is the creation and support of small discipleship groups with trained mentors as described in the book The Art of Forming Young Disciples by Everett Fritz.

Education, Experience, Skills and Qualities:
Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree, at least three years’ experience leading or assisting with a parish youth ministry, and at least a Master Catechist certification. Graduation from a Cardinal Newman Guide college and/or experience as a FOCUS missionary is a plus. Experience in mentoring and training mentors is valued.

Applicants should excel in communication, relationship building, critical thinking, and organization. They should be able to speak and write about the faith in an intelligent and engaging way. They should be able build strong and fruitful relationships with multiple people in the ministry.

Applicants must be engaged, practicing Catholics that joyfully keep the teachings of Jesus Christ and His Church and have a personal relationship with God. They should be practicing regular habits of a missionary disciple: frequenting the sacraments, daily prayer, regular study, fasting, generous service, intentional virtue growth, fellowship, and evangelization.

Applications should familiarize themselves with our website content for high school ministry, which can be found here: https://www.olmcsandiego.org/high-school.

Duties:

• Make teens into life-long missionary disciples of Jesus Christ and meet their pastoral needs: to be understood, to belong, for transparency, for critical thinking, and for guidance.

• Form and support small discipleship groups for teens with trained adult mentors in cooperation with parents as the principal means of achieving the above-stated goals.

• Plan and implement High School Confirmation preparation and preparation for teens who also need Baptism, Reconciliation, and/or First Communion

• Help youth to be engaged in weekly Sunday Mass, especially the 4:30pm Mass.

• Form teens in the habits of a missionary disciple.

• Plan and implement effective Confirmation classes and Youth Nights.

• Plan some opportunities for teens to engage in service and connect them with the many service opportunities that exist in the wider parish community.

• Plan and implement one-day retreats for youth.

• Recruit and train teen leaders, adult mentors, and other support volunteers.

• Keep teens engaged post-Confirmation and help prepare them for the challenges of staying faithful to Christ in a university/college setting.

• Provide pastoral counseling to teens in distress.

• Communicate regularly and effectively with teens, their parents, volunteers and the pastor. Keep the wider parish informed of what is happening in youth ministry.

• Provide opportunities for fellowship and faith formation for adults 18-39 years of age.

• Form discipleship groups for adults 18-25 years of age.

• Support and grow the Young Adult Ministry leadership team.

• Conduct administrative tasks in support of the ministry, such as calendaring, budgeting, and record keeping.

Terms and Conditions:

• This is a full time position, 40 hours per week.

• Work week is Sunday – Thursday (with flexibility for any necessary meetings or events).

• Must submit all identification and paperwork for a background check and pass check.

How to Apply: Interested and qualified applicants should e-mail a cover letter and resume to the Administrative Assistant to the Pastor, Maria D’Amato at MDamato@olmc-sandiego.org .

Acts of the Apostles

Throughout the Easter Season, the first reading at Mass comes from the Acts of the Apostles. Our first reading for this past Sunday describes what is known as the Gentile Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Roman centurion Cornelius and his family and friends. Fr. Anthony preached about the Acts of the Apostles and two important themes found there: the kerygma (proclamation of the basics of the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ) and the action of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost is two weeks away. You are encouraged to read two chapters of Acts per day in preparation for Pentecost, which is two weeks away.. Remembering what God did at the beginning of Church history will help us understand what He wants to do through us now.

To listen to Fr. Anthony’s homily, click here.

Fr. Anthony’s version of the kerygma can be found in The Secret of Happiness booklet, which you can read here.

Easter Greetings

A blessed Easter to all of you. Last Sunday, Divine Mercy Sunday, concluded the Octave of Easter. We continue to bask in the joy of the Easter Season and unpack the significance of the Resurrection. In his homily, Fr. Anthony considered this question: “Why doesn’t Jesus appear to every person on the planet so that everyone can believe in the Resurrection?” You can listen to the homily here. Also, we are singing a beautiful chant at Mass, the Regina Caeli. Out music ministry has made a video to help you learn it, which can be found here.

1. Fr. Ignatius is on his way back to Kenya for much deserved time off and to reconnect with his family and friends back home. Please keep him in your prayers. During his absence. Fr. Rich Perozich, a retired priest of the Diocese of San Diego, will be filling in. Make sure to welcome him.

2. We are restoring the proper order of when you receive Communion at Mass. It will take place before the final blessing. That means that once you have received Communion, you should return to your seat for a period of thanksgiving prayer and for the conclusion of the Mass.

3. On Wednesday, April 14 at 7pm, Fr. Anthony will be giving a presentation to the Adult Confirmation students on abortion, contraception, homosexuality, and transgenderism. All parishioners are welcome to log on. The link can be accessed through the parish Mighty Network. The talk will be recorded and made available on Mighty Network by the end of the week.

Covid Vaccine Questions

For a long time, I have been meaning to put together some thoughts about the COVID vaccines and to share them with you.  Recently, our Bishop has written to all Catholics in the Diocese urging them to take the vaccine.  What I share here is my own personal and very limited reflection.  Please, form your own conscience about what is best for you, your family, and our society, and act accordingly.     

I want to make explicit some of my background conclusions that influence the way I think about the vaccine. 

(1) Public health officials, government leaders, the media, and Church leaders have made serious mistakes in imposing COVID mitigation measures without weighing the full and long-term cost of those measures.  I find the focused approach of The Great Barrington Declaration https://gbdeclaration.org/ to be superior to the approach that, for lack of a better term, I will call “the mainstream establishment” approach.   I think comparing COVID policies and overall flourishing between California and Florida is a real-world vindication of the focused approach. 

(2) The stifling of dissenting voices makes me somewhat skeptical of the mainstream establishment.  An important example of this regarding Dr. Scott Atlas can be found here:  https://stanfordreview.org/scott-atlas-the-last-word. 

(3) We have been given advice from authorities that is inconsistent and conflicts with earlier advice given by the same authorities. 

(4) The lack of credibility of the mainstream establishment has fostered a climate of conspiracy theories which proliferate in social media and alternative news sources.  Most conspiracy theories lack solid evidence and do not stand up to scrutiny.  I try to distinguish between credible dissenting voices, important unanswered questions, and unfounded conspiracy theories.    

Is it Morally Acceptable to Take the Vaccine?

There has been a lot of concern expressed by leaders in the Catholic pro-life movement that the vaccines have some connection with a cell line that was derived from the remains of an aborted child decades ago.  You can find a summary of this debate here:  https://www.ncregister.com/news/covid-19-vaccine-ethics-sorting-out-the-statements

I do not believe that taking the vaccine is sinful participation in abortion.  This is the judgment of the vast majority of bishops in the world and is a matter that is firmly within their teaching competence.  Many Catholic moralists have analyzed this as an example of remote material cooperation with evil, meaning that the cooperator does not share the evil intention and cooperates in a manner that is not essential to the evil act.  In this approach, the cooperation can be justified by sufficient reasons. 

A better way to think about this is not as cooperation but as benefiting from a past evil act.  In some cases, this would be wrong, such as if your roommate steals a TV and you watch it.   I think a closer analogy would be the morality of donating a murder victim’s organs to save the life of another.  Most of us would see the act of the next of kin to make the decision for the organ donation, the act of the doctor transplanting the organ, and the receiving of the organ by the person in need as a great good which is contrary in every way to the evil of the murder. 

Some say that accepting the vaccine would encourage future abortions for research purposes.  Of course we should fight against abortion in every circumstance and for whatever reason, but if researchers are using a cell line from an abortion that occurred decades ago (and not more recently), it does not seem that this is an ongoing issue, or if it was, that refusing the vaccine is the best way to address it. 

Is it Morally Obligatory to Take the Vaccine?

When Church leaders try to answer this question, they operate outside their area of competence.  It requires the making of a heavily fact-specific cost/benefit analysis for the individual and for society based on medical and public health data.  Church leaders rely on what they are told by authorities in these fields.  How much deference should these authorities be given?   

As a layperson (when it comes to science), I am impressed with the numbers that have been reported of upwards of 95% efficacy in preventing severe cases of COVID.  The percentage of serious adverse side effects is very low.  Although I am somewhat skeptical of the mainstream establishment, I have not found credible dissenting voices that contradict the vaccine research statistics, and so I accept them as accurate. 

But I have yet to find answers to certain important questions.  What are the long-term risks of the vaccines?  Experts cannot answer this question because the vaccine is so new.  Why are people who are vaccinated still required to wear masks and distance?  I’ve read that this is because it is unknown to what extent those who are vaccinated might still spread the virus.  How long does vaccine protection last?  How does vaccine protection compare with natural protection of those who have already been infected with COVID? 

For the time being, I have decided to not take the vaccine.  This could change. I realize that the flu and vaccines for it are very different, but my own experience has been that I have been healthier in those years that I have not taken the flu vaccine.  I am relatively young and in good health and do what I can to maintain a healthy immune system.  And during this pandemic, I have pastorally ministered to thousands of people without having symptoms of COVID. 

It seems to me that for people who are at high risk from COVID, the cost/benefit analysis weighs in favor of taking the vaccine.  I have recommended to my dad that he take it, but he refuses.  I’m not going to pressure him or lose sleep about it.   

Given the level of uncertainty, I think it is presumptuous to say every single person is morally obliged to take the vaccine.  I think that humility about the limits of our knowledge and a proper respect for human autonomy mean that people should make their own informed decisions regarding the vaccine.

This blog post will be published on the parish Mighty Network.  If you have any thoughts or comments, or have reliable sources to which you can refer me, that would be greatly appreciated.  

Cleansing of the Lepers

Audio of Fr. Anthony’s Homily

The homily looks at leprosy as a metaphor for sin. What leprosy does to the body, sin does to the soul. It eats away, disfigures, and ultimately kills the soul. It isolates us from each other. And it can be contagious, as when one person’s sins influence others. When becoming man, the Son of God accepted to endure the effects of sin for our salvation. Jesus cleanses our souls and reconciles us to God and His people when we approach Him with humility and trust, especially in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

For more on the relationship of Oscar Wilde and Catholicism, click here.

For more on St. Damien of Molokai, click here.

Religious Liberty

Last night, the Supreme Court vindicated our religious liberty rights. They ruled that California’s ban on indoor worship violates the First Amendment. The Court upheld the use of churches up to 25% capacity, which for our church, is 275 people. That is the number of people that can fit within our church while observing a six foot distance between families. The state cannot restrict us more than they do retail businesses. This is the result I predicted long ago and matches our diocesan plan for reopening churches from May of 2020.

Effectively immediately, all Masses will move indoors with the exception of the 9:45am and 11:30am Sunday Masses, which will remain outdoors. For indoor Masses, anyone arriving after we reach 275 people will be asked to sit outside where they can still hear the Mass, pray along, and receive Communion. And anyone who feels more comfortable remaining outside can choose to do so.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 3pm to 6pm, will resume. Also, the Encounter, baptisms, weddings, and funerals will move indoors.

Confessions will now be heard the courtyard in front of the church.

The Feb. 7, 4:30pm Mass is cancelled due to our experience of very low attendance as people watch this football event known as the Super Bowl.

Starting on February 14, the livestream time will be Sundays at 8am instead of 11:30am, since the 8am Mass will allow for a better livestream quality as it will be indoors.

Let us give thanks to the Lord for this small victory. His mercy endures forever.

Discerning God's Call

Audio of Fr. Anthony’s Homily

The readings today are about God’s call. Young Samuel is called by God to become a great prophet and guide Israel from a collection of tribes to a kingdom. He becomes an adviser to King Saul and anoints David as the future king. Two disciples of John the Baptist begin to follow Jesus. One is Andrew, and the other, though unnamed, is most likely John the evangelist. Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus. This was the beginning of their call to be disciples and apostles, to be the pillars of the worldwide Kingdom of God.

You might think that God only calls a few, special people. But in the Book of Acts, the apostles interpret the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as a fulfillment of a prophecy in Joel that the ability to hear God would become common. God is speaking, but most of His people are not listening, or they don’t know how to listen.

The homily mentions that our Catholic tradition has many resources to help us listen to God and to discern the voice of God from other voices. One of the most influential guides is St. Ignatius of Loyola. An overview of his rules of discernment can be found here. St. Ignatius paid a lot of attention to what we might call “spiritual emotions,” which he puts into two main categories, consolation and desolation. He offers advice on how these spiritual emotions can reveal whether the Spirit of God, or the spirit of the enemy is exerting influence on us. He also discusses what to do in times of desolation and consolation so as not to lose hope or become inflated with pride. Read more about Discernment of Spirits here.

The homily reviewed Fr. Mike Scanlon’s book What Does God Want? in which he provides a five-part test to apply to an inspiration that you believe may be from God.

The Five C’s

1. conformity to God’s revealed will

2. contribution to ongoing conversion

3. consistent with the way God has led you in the past

4. how or whether it is confirmed

5. degree of conviction in your heart

Does it Conform to God’s Will?

• What are the relevant commandments of God and teachings of the Church?

• What existing commitments and “calls” that bear on the decision?

Does it Encourage Conversion?

• Will the proposed decision lead to growth in holiness?

• Does the proposal involve an unnecessary occasion of sin?

Is it Consistent with How God Has Spoken to You Before?

• Who? Does the Lord typically act through other people in your life—a spiritual director, close friends or family members, a cherished spiritual writer or speaker?

• What? Is your life with God following a pattern of a certain kind of work? Have you been acquiring skills and experience that point in a particular direction?

• Where? Do you hear God in certain places—in church, on long walks, by the ocean, in your study?

• When? Do you feel guidance from God on an annual retreat, in silent prayer after communion, during Lent, or other times?

• How? Do you “hear” the Lord in personal prayer or through the words of others, “see” His word in scripture or in spiritual reading?

What Confirms It?

• Is it confirmed by those who are involved in the proposal?

• Is it confirmed by people who know me and are in a position to give godly direction to me?

• Is it confirmed by circumstances?

• Is it confirmed by the fruits of the Spirit? by signs?

Conviction: Does Heart Say “Yes”?

• Do I “know” inside this is the right way?

• Consider conviction about past decisions. Does the heart feel the same way now as it did when you made decisions that you believe were right? If not, what is the quality of the difference?

• Ask in prayer, “Lord, is it your will that I do this?” “Lord, is it your will that I not do this?

Worship of the Magi

Audio of Fr. Anthony’s homily

Epiphany celebrates the the visit of the Magi, the wise men, from the East. They are the first fruits of the Gentile nations who would later come to worship Jesus as Lord. Worship has three elements: adoration, submission, and offering.

“For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose.” — William Temple

“The Prayer of Prostration” by Fr. Derek Sakowski

Little Drummer Boy by Pentatonix

Hidden Work of God

Audio of Fr. Anthony’s Christmas Homily

The most widely celebrated birthday in history is that of Jesus. But when he was born, his birth was almost completely unnoticed by the world. It took several centuries for Christianity to grow before a large portion of Europe and the Middle East celebrated the birth of Christ. In the middle ages, Christmas was celebrated with boisterous street festivals. Protestants in England banned Christmas, and the Puritans who came to America continued that ban. In the middle of the 19th century Christmas began to be celebrated more in the U.S. and at the same time became commercialized. You can read more about that here.

We live in a culture of media-hyped stories. But the real heroes and most important events happen away from the spotlight where God does His hidden work. Fr. Emil Kapaun was a U.S. Catholic priest who served as an army chaplain in the Korean war. He drove in a Jeep thousands of miles to provide sacraments to the troops on the frontline. He also risked his life to rescue wounded soldiers. When he was captured, he cared for, prayed with, and inspired his fellow prisoners until his death. They loved him so much that a Jewish marine pilot spent weeks secretly carving a crucifix to be used by the soldiers in prayer after Fr. Kapaun died. That crucifix is pictured here.

The sanctity of Fr. Kapaun was formed in a hidden way as he grew up on a farm helping his immigrant parents and being taught by religious sisters in a Catholic school. Many of our parishioners are doing this work of God during the pandemic by making such important life decisions as getting married and having children. Society at large is reacting differently. Read here about the predicted upcoming COVID baby bust.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus beat in his little body in Bethlehem. When we follow Jesus in faith, doing God’s hidden work, that same heart will beat in us.

Video on Fr. Emil Kapaun

Promises Kept

God promises David a kingdom that would last forever. From the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonian army in the 6th century B.C., it seemed as if that promise had failed. But when Gabriel announces to Mary of Nazareth that she had been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah and she says “yes,” that promise is fulfilled. Jesus is the Davidic king who reigns eternally.

In the Bible, God makes many promises. They can be summed up in one word: Emmanuel, God with us. In some ways, the promises of God change our lives to the extent that we believe in them.

“Do not fear what may happen tomorrow. The same loving Father who cares for you today will care for you tomorrow and every day. Either He will shield you from suffering, or He will give you unfailing strength to bear it. Be at peace, then, and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings.” — St. Francis de Sales

Audio of Homily from 4th Sunday of Advent

Online Bible study through the lens of covenant promises made and kept by God

Angelus prayer, which commemorates the encounter between Gabriel and the Blessed Virgin Mary

Withdraw or Engage?

About 150 years before the birth of Jesus, a group of pious Israelites read the passage in Isaiah which has appeared in the Gospels for the past two Sundays of Advent: “a voice cries out in the desert, prepare the way of the Lord.” This prompted them to found a proto-monastic community in the desert east of Jerusalem known as Qumran, part of the larger movement known as the Essenes. Recent scholarship has shown that this movement had a greater influence on Christianity than previously thought, and that it is likely that John the Baptist was a member of this community before beginning his public ministry.

Fr. Anthony discusses this interesting connection and its implication for us today in the 21st century. He believes that like 1st century Jews, we live in a place and time that is increasingly far from God, suffering from failed religious and political leadership. Only an extraordinary intervention from God can renew society. But in the meantime, God is forming a remnant of the faithful. Each of us needs to discern how, and to what extent, we withdraw from society to ensure our own faithfulness and that of our children and to engage society to make disciples of Jesus.

Here are some resources:

Audio Recording of Fr. Anthony’s homily for the 3rd Sunday of Advent

First Episode of Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls

Talk by Rod Dreher on his book, The Benedict Option

Christmas Can't Be Stolen

Many of us will experience a Christmas unlike any we have experienced before. With the stay-at-home orders issued by the government, and the general concern regarding the spread of COVID, our ability and willingness to gather with others has been significantly diminished. Yet nothing can stop us from commemorating the birth of our Savior.

We will continue to have outdoor celebrations of the Eucharist. Confessions will be moved outdoors. The Dec. 12 celebration of Our Lady of Guadalupe will include an outdoor rosary, singing, and a Mass, but no food or socializing. Similarly, the traditional Filipino celebration of Simbang Gabi will be limited to the normally scheduled Masses and a prayer said shortly before each of these. For more information on these, as well as our Christmas Eve and Day schedule, click here.

At a recent Zoom meeting with all parish pastors, Bishop McElroy voiced grave concerns about the spread of COVID. He has asked that parishioners not socialize after Mass. He has allowed us to keep our church buildings open for individual private prayer and for live-stream events, but not for anything else. That means that we will not be having exposition and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as we have been doing. Also, if it rains, Mass will be cancelled.

Our faith formation classes continue, including small discipleship groups of teens that meet in person. Various ministries, such as Crafters, Mental Health, and Food for Families remain busy. We have taken literally tons of food to the Trinitarians of Mary (a women’s religious order) for them to distribute to the poor.

The parish office remains open and the staff is working. If you need our assistance, phone or email. We will be having a group of volunteers calling all registered parishioners to check in on them.

Know that you are in my prayers. I appreciate all of you who have given of your time, talent, and treasure, especially in this most unusual year. I pray that you not succumb to discouragement and experience the presence of the Lord who is truly with us.

Mighty Network Changes

Several months ago we launched a parish social media platform through Mighty Network. While there has been some very worthwhile interactions on the platform, we have noticed that many of you don’t use it very much. We’ve spent some time getting input and thinking about how to improve user experience of and engagement in our Mighty Network. Here are a few things we will be implementing starting today.

(1) All group members can do a quick post in their group. That means you can post an article, video, link, image, or text. If you haven’t joined any MN groups, please review the groups that are available and click “Request to Join.” Also, if you have an idea for creating a new group based on shared interests, please message Maria D’Amato with your idea.

(2) We will have more posts that help parishioners to connect as human beings. These will encourage sharing of important life events, interests, and humor. Our recent post on Thanksgiving recipes generated a lot of activity. While our faith is the most important bond that unites us, connecting in other human ways is important to experiencing holy friendships.

(3) One of my principal duties as pastor is to teach the faith. One of the main ways I do this is through the Sunday homily. I plan on having a weekly post that includes an audio of the homily with links to resources for further thought/study. For example, sometimes I reference a book or movie, and I could include a link. Also, sometimes I make a brief point for which there exists reference material and/or articles with more in-depth explanation. Also, there will be questions for discussion.

(4) Initially, we didn’t want the MN to become addictive and cluttered like Facebook, so we didn’t post very often. However, it may be that we have too little activity to keep people logging in every day. Ideally, we’d like our parishioners to spend 10-15 minutes a day catching up and interacting digitally with their parish family.

In case you haven’t joined the OLMC Mighty Network yet, here is the page with the link and explanation: https://www.olmcsandiego.org/mightynetwork.

Also, make sure to check the website home page for information related to Thanksgiving Masses and modified holiday church and office hours. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever!

Faith Formation for Children and Teens

Faith Formation registration for children ages 3-17 will begin on August 26. Classes/meetings will begin the week of September 20th, with parent meetings scheduled the prior week. Most of the formation will be virtual. We have made this decision due to the current governmental restrictions on in-person instruction. While some schools have applied for waivers to allow in-person instruction, we don’t know if we could apply, and even if we could, the regulations are very burdensome.

Teaching the children the faith is one of the most important things we do as a family of parish families. Staff and volunteers will be working hard to make sure this will be done without putting too much of a burden on parents. Parents are the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith, but we understand that parents are in different situations regarding their own faith journey and the time and competence they have to teach the faith.

Below is a brief preview of what to expect. More information will be provided on August 26.

1. Children Ages 3-5: These are eligible for our Catechesis of the Good Shepherd program, which WILL be in person. We are able to comply with state COVID guidelines regarding daycare.

2. First to Fifth Graders: Instruction will be via an interactive online learning platform with oversight and support from staff and volunteers. It will be the Faith & Life curriculum we have been using for many years.

3. Middle Schoolers: Kenneth will lead ZOOM sessions about every other week. He will be adapting his previous methods to an online format, with a mix of large and small group interaction.

4. Teens: Youth Nights and Confirmation Classes will be via ZOOM. Teens are also eligible to participate in an alternate program which we call Discipleship Groups. These small groups are led by a trained adult mentor. It may be possible for some of these meetings to take place in person.

We are aware of the limitations of virtual learning and the need for real human contact. We may be scheduling supplemental, non-mandatory, in-person events, as conditions allow. Thank you for your patience and understanding.