PathToHoliness

It’s a cold day in Missouri on Gaudete Sunday. We just had our first snow of the season and the wind is howling. Hopefully the roads won’t be any problem going to Mass in a short while

Here’s an excerpt from today’s second reading that I thought I’d share. Besides the whole concept of being patient, which is one I need to work on constantly, I like the reference to farmers!

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. (Jas 5:7-10 Reading 2)

I enjoyed Mass this morning at the Cathedral of St. John The Baptist in Savannah, GA. It was held in the undercroft chapel. Tomorrow’s Mass will be held in the Cathedral though. I’m looking forward to that.

The Cathedral traces its roots back to the late 1700’s when it started as a small frame church. You can read the history here.

I’m attending an agricultural aviators convention. It was billed as being in the balmy south. However, we’ve had near record cold temps. My 20 min. walk to the Cathedral was in 16 degree wind chill. That was chilly!

According to an AP story in the Washington Post, Pope Benedict would like a solar powered popemobile. It’s nice to see a story about our Pope that doesn’t criticize him!

Anyone have a fast, solar-powered electric popemobile for his holiness?

The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI would gladly use one as another sign of his efforts to promote sustainable energy and take care of the planet, but one has yet to be offered.

Here’s how EWTN defines Advent:

The word Advent is from the Latin adventus for “coming” and is associated with the four weeks of preparation for Christmas. Advent always contains four Sundays, beginning on the Sunday nearest the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, (November 30) and continuing until December 24. It blends together a penitential spirit, very similar to Lent, a liturgical theme of preparation for the Second and Final Coming of the Lord, called the Parousia, and a joyful theme of getting ready for the Bethlehem event.

The traditional color of Advent is purple or violet which symbolizes the penitential spirit. Religious traditions associated with Advent express all these themes.

I used a relatively warm day yesterday to put up our Christmas lights and Nativity Scene. I would love to see more yards with a Nativity Scene in them. Can’t say I’m a big fan of blow up Santas and assorted animals.

At the end of Mass yesterday our Associate Pastor, Fr. Ben Nwosu, sang what he calls the Jefferson City Song. Fr. Ben is from Nigeria where life is very different than we can imagine here in the USA. When he was assigned to our diocese he fell in love with our community so he composed a little song that he started singing after Masses. He says that when he has been back home he’s taught it to his family and friends and they sing it there too. I caught part of the song on my phone to share with you.

The Zimmerman family had a wonderful Thanksgiving day and meal. I can tell you that what I’m most thankful for is my faith and my family. All the rest is just “stuff.”

Speaking of stuff. I am still stuffed. We are so blessed in this country to have so much. I heard on the radio this morning that people were lined up in the freezing cold 12 deep at local retail outlets to get Black Friday savings. I can’t do that and just plain won’t.

Let’s hope that as we prepare for the Christmas season people remember why we celebrate.

After several weeks on the road I’m getting caught up. Can’t believe how long it has been since I posted here. Since we’re about to celebrate Thanksgiving I thought I’d share a post that my wife Cindy did on our AgWired website. We’re so blessed here in America with so much food so it’s a great time to thank all the people who produce it. This includes the farmers as well as everyone else in the food chain that bring it to our tables. As usual, our Holy Father says it well. Here’s Cindy’s post:

Pope Benedict calls agriculture an “indispensable resource for the future” that is not given enough importance today.

During an address on November 14, the Pope reflected on the importance of agricultural work in light of the global economic situation. “In this context a strategic re-launching of agriculture appears decisive. In fact, the process of industrialization has often overshadowed the agricultural sector, which, while also drawing benefit from modern technologies, has nevertheless lost importance, with notable consequences, even at the cultural level. I believe that this is the moment for the reevaluation of agriculture, not in a nostalgic sense, but as an indispensable resource for the future.”

The Pope called for “a truly unified way to a new balance between agriculture, industry and services, so that development be sustainable, and no one go without bread and work, and so that air and water and the other primary resources be preserved as universal goods.”

Something to think about this week as we “give our thanks to God for the fruits of the earth and the work of man.” Amen!

Daughter Chelsea is featured in a YouTube video for Catholic Vote called, “We Are The Catholic Vote.” You can see her at 1:07 in.

CatholicVote.org is a community of patriotic Americans who believe our nation’s founding principles are good and true, and worth fighting for.

BTW. Her Mom, Dad and sisters are the Catholic Vote too!

Please exercise your right to vote and be a voice for the unborn who can’t.

I attended Mass this morning at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Memphis, TN. I’m here to make a presentation at a luncheon.

So, why do I post church photos? Because it’s part of my path to holiness. I believe daily Mass is an integral part of my life and am trying to show that you can make it to Mass even if you travel a lot.

This morning my Knights of Columbus Council #12992 held one of its monthly breakfasts. These are important for several reasons.

To start with, we raise funds to use in our community service projects. Additionally, it’s a really nice way for members of the Parish to enjoy a good healthy meal and visit with each other after Mass. If you haven’t been to a KofC breakfast then watch the video to see what you’re missing.

I don’t get to attend a lot of our events due to work travel but when I do I get some photos and add them to our website and online photo album.

Traveling? Need to know where to find a church and what time Mass will be? Then make sure you’ve got Masstimes.org bookmarked. You can look up churches anywhere in the world. The service is totally dependent on donations too so please help them if you can. Here are some other options to use their service.

Automated Church Lookup: 1-734-794-2100

If the Live operator is not available when you call please leave a message and she will call you back. You can also email the live operator.

We’re getting closer to the release of the movie, “There Be Dragons.” This is the movie poster. It sure looks like it will be a good one.

Roland Joffe, the director who brought us the highly acclaimed and deeply spiritual film The Mission has returned to his roots with the epic movie There Be Dragons, a powerful story of war, tragedy, love and redemption. Featured in the NY Times, the $35 million Dragons is rated PG-13 and planned for release in theaters worldwide in Spring, 2011. Set during the turmoil of the Spanish Civil War (early 1900s), Dragons tells the story of two childhood friends who become separated during the political conflict to find themselves on opposite sides as war erupts. One chooses the path of peace and becomes a priest while the other chooses the life of a soldier driven by jealousy and revenge. Each will struggle to find the power of forgiveness over the forces that tore their lives and friendship apart.

Recently my wife, Cindy, and I were out of town in different states. We of course went to different churches for Sunday Mass but had very similar experiences.

I would classify them as “weird.” In my case I attended Mass in Lexington, KY at Mary, Queen of the Rosary. I knew something was different when I had to ask an usher where the Tabernacle was. Turns out it’s not in the church proper or anywhere near the altar. It’s in a separate room across the hall. It’s a very tiny room with a couple kneelers in it. Kind of makes it hard for very many to visit with our Lord. And maybe even more telling was the fact that before Mass no one was in the little chapel with Jesus. Most people were yakking in and outside of the church.

Otherwise the church appeared pretty normal. But then we got to the Mass. Let’s just say that there were a several things that I found very distracting. First was the sign language dude right in front of the altar to one side. He was in to it with lots of waving of hands and arms and, well, you get the picture. Now, I could understand this if there were people seriously in need of this service. However, best I could tell, no one was watching him. Except me because it was new I guess. It gets better though. Prior to the readings the priest asked all the kids to come forward before being led away. I’ve seen this before and think it’s a travesty for those children. But he sits down on the altar steps with them I guess tried to pretend to be one of them for a couple minutes. Next up is his sermon after the Gospel. I knew it was going to be strange when he pulls a stuffed monkey out from underneath him and wraps it around his neck and starts telling a story about monkeys in the jungle. He wore it throughout his sermon. He put it away at the end with the comment that monkeys aren’t Catholic! Okay.

So while I was attending Mass in Lexington, Cindy was attending Mass in Plano, TX at Prince of Peace church. I think the design tells a story in and of itself with the round structure and flying saucer shaped disk suspended from the ceiling.

I’m going to ask her to add to this post with her experiences. Let’s just say, her story trumps mine.

*Post Update from Cindy*

I don’t know if it was the most unusual Mass I ever attended, but I have been to literally hundreds of Catholic churches all over the world and POP-Plano is by far the strangest church I have ever entered in my life. It was like walking into a piece of “modern” art – which makes it really hard to describe. Like art, I may not know much about it, but I know what I like and this was not it. You can get a general impression from the photo, but it was the stainless steel poles surrounding the perimeter and the donut hanging from the ceiling that really made it unlike any other church I have seen. They are very proud of their “award winning church,” according to the POP website, which gives a guided tour of their worship space. Apparently they have gotten some questions (no doubt) about the design and felt it necessary to explain them. Here’s an excerpt:

“Art and Environment in Catholic Worship” points out to us that what a church building looks like is not important as long as it facilitates the liturgical actions of the Community. When a design promotes good liturgy, it is successful. When it also includes beauty and simplicity it is a major event. We feel that we have combined both. This has been recognized by professional organizations and publications.

We present this “tour” with the prayer that it will help you understand the reasons behind some of the decisions made in the design process. We believe that our church reflects the wisdom that flows from the liturgical renewal affirmed by the Second Vatican Council.

About the “donut” floating on the ceiling – according to the website, “The canopy or “cloud” over the raised platform reminds us of the cloud that was a sign of God’s presence as the Israelites were led through the desert after their release from slavery to the Egyptians.” Ohhhhhhh, now I get it!

As far as the liturgy itself, it was of the normal liberal Catholic variety, nothing I really hadn’t seen before – but the church design itself will be hard to top in the “weirdest ever” category in my book. It’s also important to note that this was the closest church I could find to where I was staying near Dallas, in a new town called Prosper, and it was 18 miles away!

Everyone I know refers to the Basilica of St. Louis, King as the “Old Cathedral” in St. Louis. It may be old but it’s still going strong. The Basilica sits right off I-70 under the St. Louis Arch so it can’t be easier to find or get in to. There is a weekday, including Saturday, Mass at 7am and my wife and I have attended a number of times over the years.

I did so yesterday on my way to Lexington, KY for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. That’s my home away from home for a couple days. I’m getting ready to decide on which church to attend Mass this morning and will probably feature it here later this week.

The history of the Old Cathedral and the early history of the City of St. Louis are intertwined. The Old Cathedral Museum, located on the west side of the Cathedral, contains many artifacts and relics from the early days of the Catholic Church in St. Louis and also historical information. When Pierre Liguest Laclede and his First Lieutenant Auguste Chouteau founded the City of St. Louis in 1764, Laclede dedicated the square just west of where he built his home, to church and graveyard purposes. The first Catholic Church in St. Louis built on this site, was a small log house built in 1770. St. Louis IX, King of France, is the Patron Saint of the City and of the Church. In 1776, the mission of St. Louis became a canonical parish and the second log cabin church was built. Its bell, the gift of Lieutenant Governor Don Piernos and enriched by 200 Spanish silver dollars in its casting, can be seen today in the Old Cathedral Museum.

Here’s a charitable organization we support that I thought I’d bring to your attention. It’s the Merida Foundation. At Mass this morning Rudy gave me their current update letter to save postage. That shows you how committed they are to using donations carefully! Rudy and Dorothy just got back from a trip to Mexico and had a good trip with Fr. Fred Elskamp, who has been a Pastor at our church. They make about 3 trips a year and bring about 1,200 pairs of eye glasses with them to distribute to the poor with vision problems. That’s just part of the good work they’re doing. Here’s a description:

The Merida Foundation is a charitable corporation originally founded and funded by Dorothy and Rudy Lemke in December 2003 to benefit the descendants of the ancient Mayan people of Mexican’s Yucatan Peninsula. Since 1982, now retired optician, Dorothy Lemke has been providing eye glasses to the poor, visually impaired people in the rural villages surrounding the city of Merida.

Since its inception, the Merida Foundation has also funded nutrition projects for undernourished school children in the region. Today, the foundation is feeding approximately 350 hungry children at six nutrition sites.

Here’s where you can find information about making a donation.