Christmas Homily at Midnight Mass

Good Morning Church,

I didn't have time to post this last night as I was a little tired after Midnight Mass. I wanted to make sure this was available to you on Christmas Morning.

You may find the homily here.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Merry Christmas

May the Blessings and Peace of the New Born Christ be upon you and remain with you this Holy Season.

You will be remembered in my Christmas Mass this night,

Father Paul Bringleson

Christmas Message 2011

Pope Invites Students to Reflect On Meaning Of Christmas

Benedict XVI is inviting university students to ask themselves "What does Christmas mean to me?"

But the question, as the Pope posed it today at a vespers service with university students of Rome, seeks an answer that is anything but trite.

"Is [Christmas] really important for my life, for the building up of society?," he said. "There are many persons in our time, especially in the halls of the universities, who ask whether we are to expect something or someone; whether we must look for another messiah, another god; if it is worthwhile to entrust ourselves to that Child whom we find in the manger between Mary and Joseph on Christmas night."

The Holy Father went on to say, "We do not need a generic, indefinite god, but the living and true God, who opens the horizon of man's future to the prospect of a firm and sure hope, a hope that is rich with eternity and that permits us to face the present in all its aspects with courage. But we must ask ourselves then: where does my seeking find the true face of this God? Or better still: where does God himself come to show me his face, revealing his mystery, entering into my history?"

The Pontiff proposed that Jesus, who "experienced human time, his growth, his immersion in history" is the "sign of the patience of God."

The Holy Father invited the students to rekindle their hope, "because the Word of God reminds us that the coming of the Lord is near, indeed, the Lord is with us and it is possible to build together with him. In the stable of Bethlehem man's solitude is overcome, our existence is no longer at the mercy of impersonal natural and historical forces, our house can be built upon the rock: we can plan our history, the history of humanity, not as a utopia but in the certainty that the God of Jesus Christ is present and walks with us."

Thought for the Day: On Controling Others

Endurance is nobler than strength, and patience than beauty.
  —John Ruskin

It's hard to keep from trying to control the lives of others, especially in a family. We can learn from the man whose friend drove twenty miles to and from work on the freeway every day. "How can you do it?" he asked. "I've tried, and I can't go a mile in such traffic without screaming at the crazy drivers who cut in, go too slow, change lanes. Nobody listens. I'd lose my mind if I had to do it your way." His friend replied, "Your trouble is trying to drive every car around you. I relax and drive only one car - my own."

We have only our own lives to live, and this is usually enough to keep us busy. If we pay too much attention to how others live, we will neglect ourselves.

What acts of others can I ignore today?

Fourth Sunday of Advent Homily

The angel Gabriel was sent from God
to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,
of the house of David,
and the virgin's name was Mary.
And coming to her, he said,
"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."
But she was greatly troubled at what was said
and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her,
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.

"Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you shall name him Jesus.
He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and of his kingdom there will be no end."
But Mary said to the angel,
"How can this be,
since I have no relations with a man?"
And the angel said to her in reply,
"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore the child to be born
will be called holy, the Son of God.
And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,
has also conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God."
Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.
May it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her. (Luke 1.26-38)

This Sunday, the readings invite us to contrast our response to God's call for our lives with that of our Blessed Mother, Mary. The story of the annunciation is a famous one and one in which we are all well aware of.

I have remarked, recently, that we are not only preparing to mark the birth of Jesus in history, at Christmas, but we also preparing to welcome Christ at the end of time.

These weeks of Advent invite us to look at how we mold our lives in the manner in which Jesus lived His life. Look at the example with which he grew up with: His mother's 'yes' to God all those many years ago would shape His life as well.

Mary trusted in the angel's assurance that God would bless her with every grace her life would require if she just trusted in God's will for her. It is astounding. A young women with her whole life ahead of her gave her will and her life over to the care of God and lovingly followed His plan for her. It was her vocation to bring Life into the world in the messiah, her Son, Jesus.

Are we able to imitate that trust amidst our own fears and frailty? Are we able to accept our role in the bringing of the Prince of Peace into the world within our families and within our homes? Are we prepared to help others in recognizing God's call for themselves in this life? Do our actions and decisions contribute to the building up of God's Kingdom here on earth? These are difficult questions which we must ask ourselves.

We are called to trust in God's strength in our lives that we will be able to accomplish God's will for us if we just put aside our own agendas in favor of the One who has called us "out of darkness into his own wonderful light." (Isaiah) 

Let us not be afraid. Let us pray for the grace to imitate Mary's faith and trust in God's promise to her and to our world. We call upon God's Holy Spirit to guide us in the coming days that as Advent comes to a close and we welcome Christ at Christmas we too will also have hearts which are ready to embrace the Prince of Peace when He comes at the end of time.

May God's choicest blessing be upon you and your families as we take the last steps of this Advent Season which will herald for us the new beginnings of Christ's Presence in the world.

Greetings from Snow Lake

Good day, Church

Posting from Our Lady of the Snows Parish in Snow Lake, MB. I'm here for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and just traveled in from Flin Flon, MB on a snow packed highway. Yes, there is a lot of snow in Snow Lake.

Will do my best to get some posts up and running as there is a lot happening in the days ahead.

I had the privilege of speaking at an ecumenical men's prayer breakfast group this morning in Flin Flon. It was very refreshing to gather together with some like minded Christian men to share our faith and to strengthen our commitment as disciples of Jesus Christ. This group meets monthly and I am grateful to have been invited to join them. I will do my level best to promote this group with our parish in the hopes of getting a few men from our parish to join in this fellowship. We have numerous organizations of women who gather to pray within the parish but it was refreshing to gather with the intent of sharing our male spirituality. My thanks to those who welcomed me this weekend.

I'm off to supper with a family here in the parish and am looking forward to getting a good night's sleep this evening.

A blessed evening to one and all.

Third Sunday of Advent Homily

Rejoice, Church!

This is "Gaudete" Sunday. We rejoice this week for the coming of Our Lord in history and the coming of Our Lord's Kingdom is at hand.

Isaiah's words, at the beginning of today's First Reading, invites us all to remember who we are and to whom we belong. I have included my homily for this Sunday for your reflection. At the invitation of a close friend, I will attempt to post my Sunday homilies in audio format for those who would like to listen to them.

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me
because the LORD has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor,
to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
to announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God.

I rejoice heartily in the LORD,
in my God is the joy of my soul;
for he has clothed me with a robe of salvation
and wrapped me in a mantle of justice,
like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem,
like a bride bedecked with her jewels.
As the earth brings forth its plants,
and a garden makes its growth spring up,
so will the Lord GOD make justice and praise
spring up before all the nations. (Is 6 1.1-2a, 10-11)

This Sunday's homily can be found here.

My blessings on your weekend.

Advent Retreat Online

The following are the two parts of the Advent Retreat which I offered here at St. Ann's Parish, Flin Flon, MB. I have found a way to host them online and they will open in a separate media player.

I hope you find them helpful as we journey together during the Advent Season together:

Advent Retreat Part I 

Advent Retreat Part II

On Preparing For Christmas: Second Sunday of Advent Reflection by Pope Benedict

Dear brothers and sisters!

This Sunday marks the second stage of Advent. This period of the liturgical year highlights two figures who had a pre-eminent role in the preparation of Jesus Christ’s entering into history: the Virgin Mary and St. John the Baptist. Today’s text from the Gospel of Mark focuses precisely on the latter. In fact it describes the personality and mission of the Precursor of Christ (cf. Mark 1:2-8). Beginning with externals, John is presented as a very ascetic figure: he is clothed in camel skins, he eats locusts and wild honey and he lives in the wilderness of Judea (cf. Mark 1:6). Jesus himself, once contrasted him with those “who live in the palaces of kings” and “wear soft garments” (Matthew 11:8). John the Baptist’s style should recall all Christians to choose a sober lifestyle, especially in preparation for the feast of Christmas in which the Lord -- as St. Paul says -- “although he was rich, became poor for your sake, that you might become rich through his poverty” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

In regard to John’s mission, it was an extraordinary call to conversion: his baptism “is connected to an ardent call to a new way of thinking and acting, but above all with the proclamation of God’s judgment” (“Jesus of Nazareth,” Ignatius Press, 2008, p. 14) and of the imminent appearance of the Messiah, defined as “he who is greater than me” and who “will baptize in the Holy Spirit” (Mark 1:7, 8). John’s message thus goes further and deeper than a sober way of life: it calls us to interior change, beginning with the acknowledgement and confession of our sin. As we prepare ourselves for Christmas, it is important that we look within ourselves and we sincerely reflect on our life. We must let ourselves be illumined by the ray of light that comes from Bethlehem, the light of him who is “the greater one” and made himself small, the “strongest one” and made himself weak.

All four of the evangelists describe the preaching of John the Baptist making reference to a passage of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice cries out: in the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God” (Isaiah 40:3). Mark also inserts a citation from another prophet, Malachi, which says: “Behold, I send my messenger before you: he will prepare your way” (Mark 1:2; cf. Malachi 3:1). These references to the scriptures of the Old Testament “speak of a saving intervention of God, who emerges from his hiddenness to judge and save; it is for this God that the door is to be opened and the way made ready” (“Jesus of Nazareth,” p. 15).

To the maternal intercession of Mary, the Virgin of expectation, let us entrust our path toward the Lord, while we continue our Advent itinerary of making our heart and our life ready for the coming of Emmanuel, God-with-us.

Dear brothers and sisters!

In the upcoming days in Geneva and in other cities the 50th anniversary of the institution of the International Organization for Migration, the 60th anniversary of the convention on the status of refugees and the 50th anniversary of the convention on the reduction of cases of statelessness will be marked. I entrust to the Lord those who must -- and often are forced -- to leave their own country or are deprived of citizenship. While I encourage solidarity with them, I pray for all those who expend themselves to protect and assist these brothers in these emergency situations, even exposing themselves to great toil and danger.

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today’s Angelus. Today we mark the second Sunday of Advent by a Gospel passage where John the Baptist calls us to conversion. May we heed his call to repentance and ask the Lord to forgive us our sins, so that Emmanuel, God-with-us, may find us ready when he comes. Upon each of you and your loved ones at home, I invoke God’s abundant blessings.

A wish everyone a good Sunday. Have a good Sunday and a good week! Thank you!

Thought for the Day: On Looking Back

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards.
-- Soren Kierkegaard

One of Mark Twain's most interesting writings states we should live life backwards from the age of eighty to the time we were just a gleam in someone's eye. How much more we'd learn, he felt, if we already knew how to live before we had to.

We may fantasize sometimes about going back, with the lessons of life we have learned, to our families, our high schools, or our dating years. It may please us to think of how "together" we would be with such tools, knowing what we know now.

But we can't live backwards. Every year we move along in age, experience, maturity, and wisdom. Sometimes we only see such growth on birthdays, when we look back to a year ago at who we were then and who we are now. As our years advance, so do we. Sometimes we need to take a brief look backward in order to see this.

Today I'll remember that to see my growth all I have to do is look at where I was a year ago. I have advanced in age, but I've also advanced in wisdom and maturity.

A Must Read!

Let me introduce Bishop Howard J. Hubbard of the Diocese of Albany New York.

I recently ran across a pastoral letter that Bishop Hubbard wrote to the faithful of his diocese in which he tackles some key points of interest facing the Roman Catholic Church in his diocese but it is also easily applicable to the faithful in North America.

I found the letter challenging and encouraging as well as invitational for my life as a pastor. It addresses issues surrounding the manner in which the church needs to respond to this generation of Catholics.

I encourage you to reflect on it. You can find it in it`s entirety here.

Bits & Bites

Well friends...it is upon us. The great season of Advent has arrived.

I was traveling these last days - some delays in travel made me appreciate once again, how much I value life in my own home.

Some would beg to differ with me that priests do not 'have' homes of their own but I like to think that where I live becomes a home by virtue of the relationships one makes when we give our lives over to the communities in which we serve.

Regardless of wherever it is you sit - I am indeed happy to be HOME!

This past weekend, The First Sunday of Advent, signaled a new beginning for the universal Church. We have adopted a new and revised manner in which we, as Church, pray at mass.

The Third Edition of the Roman Missal launched throughout the globe this past weekend and we are still getting our minds around that.

Unfortunately, the Missals for our Archdiocese did not arrive on time for this past weekend but they have begun to be shipped out this week. I managed to pick our parish`s Missal in The Pas on Wednesday.

The following begs to be said. This is a turning point for our faith in the english speaking world. This change will demand much of our people and comes at a time when the Church is crying out for a change. I do not believe, however, that this is the change so many North Americans were looking for.

I find it often difficult to balance the teachings of our Church with the lived experience of the people in which I serve. This change in the liturgy comes at a time when our efforts could be better spent examining the manner in which we engage people of this generation. A return to poetic prose in the liturgy may deepen the bonds of intimacy between Christ and some of our faithful but I believe it will speak very little to ordinary people who are simply looking for a comfortable place to pray and a language that is understandable for their children.

In truth, I stumbled a great deal in celebrating mass these last few days. The language of the mass does not lend itself to easy comprehension. I barely understood what I was praying. I cannot believe that our parishioners will have an easy time with this.

Yet, here we are.

I am tempted to ask what would our churches look like if we had funneled as much energy and resources into solid evangelization as we did into the reform of the Missal. If we took the time to clearly look into foundational ways in which we welcome separated and divorced catholics into the faith; restorative justice issues surrounding abuse and victimization; emphasizing dignity for gay and lesbian christians; integrating younger people into our liturgies and church life...all to name but a few.

I feel compelled to support these changes that are ours but I also feel discouraged that we have once again let go of an opportunity for real change. Something that the institutional church will have to address at some point in our lived future.

There....my rant is over. I guess I might be looking at a new job if the bishop see`s this. At the end of the day we are left with an invitation and I will make the most of what this season in our Church`s history has to offer.  It will be a time for teaching and revisiting the manner and language we use to pray and ultimately I believe that we will all grow closer to Christ if we choose too.

Be assured of my prayer for all of us. Yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Good night one and all.

End of the Week

Well friends, I laid to rest a good friend of mine today. I invited those gathered to "reverence" the gift of those we love.

I sit here, quietly in Lorette, MB, reflecting on how humbling it is to watch God work in the various travels of our lives. God does touch us through the lives of others.

I was reminded in today's first reading (Book of Wisdom) that our temporary afflictions are nothing compared to the immensity of what God reveals to us in these experiences.

I guess I'm a little sentimental tonight. I believe I'm just grateful tonight for the people God has blessed me with.

Safe weekend one & all!

Tuesday Night

Good day, Church

Posting from Lorette, MB. I'm trying out posting from my mobile - feel free to comment. I can hardly believe how easy it has become to access people through technology.

It was a God given day in which I saw God clearly revealed in the, sometimes challenging, experiences of life.

I spent the day supporting a grieving family and witnessed, first hand, God's loving embrace.

Often times God reaches out to us in our loss through the very people he has blessed us with by way of family.

It challenges me to remain vigilant to see God's face. At home, at work; these are all altars where I can be embraced by my living Lord.

Just wanted to share.

Good night & God Bless!

Father Paul

Traveling Today

Good morning, Church

Posting from the road. In The Pas now heading to Steinbach for the funeral of a good friend of mine, Marlene Skokun.

Marlene fought a courageous battle with cancer and passed away yesterday afternoon with her family at her side.

I will be in Steinbach, MB until Friday. Will post when I can.

Blessings on your day - pray for safe travels for me as we are pushing snow in these parts.

Take care,

Father Paul

Three Tips for Priests: Pope

Benedict XVI is recommending three conditions for a priest to grow in conformity with Christ, and the first is being fascinated by Him -- His words, gestures and very person.

The Pope offered his recommendations at the celebration of vespers on Friday to mark the opening of the academic year at the pontifical universities.

Mindful of the 70th anniversary of Pius XII's institution of the Pontifical Work for Priestly Vocations, the Holy Father focused his reflection on the priesthood, though he clarified that his words are applicable to others, since it is "important for all, in fact, always to learn more to 'remain' with the Lord."

"There are some conditions for there to be a growing consonance between Christ and the life of the priest," the Pope stated: "the aspiration to work with Jesus to spread the Kingdom of God, the gratuity of the pastoral charge and the attitude of service."

The Bishop of Rome first emphasized that in the priesthood, "there is the encounter with Christ and being fascinated, struck by his words, by his gestures, by his very person. It is distinguishing his voice from many voices. (...) It is like feeling the radiance of the Good and Love that emanate from him, feeling enveloped and involved to the point of desiring to remain with him like the disciples of Emmaus."

The minister of the Gospel is one who is drawn in by Christ, the Holy Father said, "who knows how to 'remain' with him, who enters into harmony, in intimate friendship, with him, that all be done 'as God wishes.'"

Fully fulfilled

Next, Benedict XVI spoke of the priestly calling to be "administrators of the Mysteries of God 'not for personal gain but with a generous soul.'"

"The Lord's call to ministry is not the fruit of special merits but a gift to be received and to which there corresponds a dedication of oneself not to one's own project but God's, in a generous and disinterested way, that he might dispose of us according to his will even if this does not concur with our desires of self-realization," he stressed. "(...) We must never forget -- as priests -- the one legitimate ascent for the ministry of shepherd is not that of success but that of the cross."

Finally, the Holy Father exhorted priests to live as servants, both in the sense of being role models for the faithful and as servants of the sacraments.

"It is one life, then, profoundly marked by this service: from the attentive care of the flock, from the faithful celebration of the liturgy, and from the prompt solicitude for all of the brothers, especially the most poor and needy," he said. "In living this 'pastoral charity' on the model of Christ and with Christ, in whatever post the Lord calls one to, every priest can fully realize himself and his vocation."

Canada Bishops Present Pope With New Translation

The leaders of the Canadian episcopal conference presented Benedict XVI with the first printed copy of the revised Canadian English-language translation of the Roman Missal.

The Pope received the book, with a special dedication to him, at a private audience with the prelates on Monday.

The revised Canadian English-language edition of the Missal was officially launched Oct. 17, during the bishops' plenary assembly. It will go into effect in Canada, as in other English-speaking countries, on the First Sunday of Advent.

At the plenary assembly, the second printed copy of the Missal was presented to Archbishop Pedro López Quintana, apostolic nuncio to Canada. 

Archbishop Richard Smith of Edmonton, president of the conference, also gave the Holy Father a copy of a book marking the opening of a new building for St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton. It is the first volume in a series titled "Lieux sacrés / A Geography of Faith."

The bishops' delegation will continue its visits in Rome with the major offices of the Holy See until Nov. 18.

On Offering Our Lives

Recently a parishioner asked me about a practice which he has developed over the last several years. Upon awakening in the morning after a good night's rest and fitful sleep, he proceeds to offer that night's rest for all people who failed to enjoy a good evening's sleep. I was asked whether or not this was a good practice.

This conversation led to a deeper one in which I explained to this parishioner that this is a long standing Christian tradition: offering up moments of our lives for the good of others.

It is a simple devotion that can enrich all of our lives and it takes such little effort. To be able to see in our lives moments of satisfaction, or even dissatisfaction, as opportunities to unite our joys and sufferings with those of Jesus Christ. Our lives then become living examples of God's Hand and love working in our very midst each and every day.  When we enjoy a blessing in our life we thank God and pray for those for whom this day will be a struggle. Conversely, when we suffer, we offer our suffering up with the sufferings of Christ and we then remember those, who like Christ, need a Simon of Cyrene to help them in carrying their particular cross - whatever that may be.

In this, we help in broadening our understanding of God and of God's presence in our lives. It becomes something we can all do, if we remain mindful and aware, to ease the burdens of our sisters and brothers.

Problems? What problems?

Always remember that no matter what the problem may be, there is an infinity of solutions.
--Marion Weinstein

A girl named Iris was tormented by the boys at school. Whenever she walked by they would make rude noises. Sometimes, when no one was looking, they would block her way and not let her go home. She was too inexperienced at taking care of herself to realize that believing she couldn't do anything made it true. Feeling helpless kept her from thinking about what she might do.

One day she got so scared that she told her best friend what was happening. Together they began to think of all sorts of things she could do. Knowing she could do something took away the helpless feeling, and the boys noticed and stopped teasing her. It wasn't fun for them anymore.

We often feel helpless in situations that seem too much for us to handle. In fact, help is always available - through friends and family, and through God, who helps us see how we can help ourselves. All we have to do is stop being distracted by that helpless feeling and ask for what we need.

Can I see the many solutions to my problems today?

Hello, again...

Good evening, Church...

Posting from Snow Lake, MB at Our Lady of the Snows Parish.  What do you know? There is actually snow in Snow Lake.


It has been a long few weeks and I apologize for the lack of posts.  This blogging can get away from a guy fairly easily.

I had the pleasure of company the last couple of weeks.  Three friends from Dundas, ON: Father James Curtin, Nikki Sjoblom and Gina Furlong.  It was a great visit with a great deal of driving (as is the norm for these parts) and I just dropped them back in Winnipeg for their flight home.


I celebrated our weekly Sunday mass at St. Ann's in Flin Flon this morning and then traveled to Cranberry Portage for 2 pm mass.  I'm rounding off the day with an evening mass here at 7 pm and then hopefully a quiet evening with a good book.

I hope to catch you up with some news of the new liturgy over the next couple of days and please know that I continue to keep you all in prayer.

Blessings on your weekend (what's left of it),

Father Paul

Laughing at Ourselves

If I were given the opportunity to present a gift to the next generation it would be the ability of each individual to learn to laugh at himself.
--Charles Schulz

 

At times in life we learn to laugh at the people we once were. This is a healthy kind of self-ridicule. Above all, we laugh at the person we never again have to be if we learn from the mistakes of our past. To blot out the "me" of yesterday, we have only to follow some very simple guidelines.

At times, obeying the principles, which have been set down for us, may not be easy. But with our realization that we have chosen to stop playing God comes the awareness that difficulties need not be disastrous. If everything in life came easily, we would lack sparkle in our lives.

I am thankful my sense of humor has found freedom. Now I am able to laugh at myself, which is the height of self-conquest.