Five Rules of Engagement

In my Preaching I class we are beginning to practice giving homilies on readings from the Lectionary. This has been a very rewarding experience. Today I gave a practice homily on this Sunday's readings. I may post it here... Anyway, next Sunday is recognized as Laetare Sunday in the old liturgical calendar and so I mentioned in the beginning of my homily what that meant. I said Laetare is a Latin word for "Rejoice!" taken from the first word of the Entrance Antiphon. I mentioned that in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass one could hear this antiphon chanted toward the beginning of the Mass. This got me thinking about the Extraordinary Form and I remembered a wise post by Fr. Z in regards to the run-up to the motu proprio back in June. He called it Five Rules of Engagement or, rather, how to best approach the document. I wholeheartedly agree with these so to make sure I don't lose it I'll post them here:

Fr. Z’s 5 Rules of Engagement for after the Motu Proprio is released:

1) Rejoice because our liturgical life has been enriched, not because "we win". Everyone wins when the Church’s life is enriched. This is not a "zero sum game".

2) Do not strut. Let us be gracious to those who have in the past not been gracious in regard to our "legitimate aspirations".

3) Show genuine Christian joy. If you want to attract people to what gives you so much consolation and happiness, be inviting and be joyful. Avoid the sourness some of the more traditional stamp have sadly worn for so long.

4) Be engaged in the whole life of your parishes, especially in works of mercy organized by the same. If you want the whole Church to benefit from the use of the older liturgy, then you who are shaped by the older form of Mass should be of benefit to the whole Church in concrete terms.

5) If the document doesn’t say everything we might hope for, don’t bitch about it like a whiner. Speak less of our rights and what we deserve, or what it ought to have been, as if we were our own little popes, and more about our gratitude, gratitude, gratitude for what God gives us.

update from the sick bed

Ugh... sniffle...caugh... since I've had the flu since Thursday and its still going strong, I figured now is the best time to update the 'ol blog. Several people asked me about it over Christmas break so I want to reassure you that I am still in formation (!) and am still interested in keeping the blog going.

Because I haven't posted since September '07 I wanna share a few of the more memorable moments of the end of last semester.

First, Loaves & Fishes. This is a community service the seminary offers on a monthly basis. Friday afternoon several guys help assemble hundreds of sandwiches. Then on Saturday afternoon a group of 3 or 4 guys goes out in a van with the sandwiches, large containers of soup, and a huge load of clothing collected over time. We then just simply go where the homeless are in Baltimore and give it all away. I had wanted to to this for a while but just never got around too it. I'm glad I finally did because it was a very valuable experience and opened my eyes to the extent of homelessness in downtown Baltimore. One of the 4T deacons went with us and I'll never forget him giving away the hat and gloves off his own body to the homeless when we ran out of them.

Second, a Lifeteen Mass at St. John's, Westminster here in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Now, personally, this isn't the type of Mass that I prefer. But, I wanted to go for a few reasons. One, who knows, I could be assigned when, God-willing, I'm ordained to a parish in Louisville that offers this kind of Mass. Second, I've been a fan of St. John's since I've been in seminary here in Baltimore: they have a saintly monsignor as pastor, a beautiful new construction, and are known for good liturgy. And Third, one of my best friends Dan Hoffman is the head of a team of guys assigned to that parish as part of our pastoral formation program.

I have to give the Lifeteen movement credit. They were reprimanded for being a little too loose with the liturgy and have really worked hard to correct themselves while still maintaining their core, youth-oriented, identity. I was impressed by this Mass. The hymns were contemporary and utilized a band but there was no sense of performance and everything was very tastefully done. The church was filled with high schoolers and young adults who sang loudly but were also very reverent: purposefully genuflecting toward the tabernacle, bowing at the proper time during the Creed, kneeling in prayer after receiving Communion, etc. It was a model lifeteen Mass.

Third, during the first week of my Christmas vacation I went on a Charismatic men's retreat! My younger brother Andrew, praise be to God, over the last few years has really grown alot in his faith. Since becoming the D.R.E. at his parish in Owensboro he has worked very hard with his pastor in developing this retreat. He was very excited about it and really wanted my twin brother and I to go and I wanted very much to support him. Again, I typically don't identify with the charismatic movement but it has been affirmed by the Vatican and is a good movement. It too has undergone reform, here to avoid Pentacostalism. So I thought "hey I'll give it a try".

It was actually a very good retreat, led by the pastor of my brother's parish and several of the young adults involved in the retreat's development. My brother even gave one of the talks and I was very proud of him. The retreat centered around the book Wild at Heart by John Eldredge and what they call "the battle over men's hearts." The talks and many excellent scriptural reflections focused on the obstacles men encounter that keep them from becoming authentic men after Jesus Christ.

One memorable activity: There were about 20 guys who participated and we were each given "clay pigeons" on which we wrote obstacles to true Christian masculinity - laziness, anger, lust, etc. We then took them out to a field behind the retreat center where they were loaded in a thrower. The one manning the thrower would yell out the obstacle written on the loaded clay ("Lust!") and pull the trigger. Then two men armed with shotguns would blow them out of the air... very gratifying. It took me about 8 shots before I could hit one of the clays, but then, I must say, I turned into a bit of a crack-shot ;)

By way of prayer there was a chapel with the Blessed Sacrament exposed, much praise and worship music, and a "prayer ministry" in which the guys would lay hands on one who came forward and pray for and with him as he vocalized his intentions before God to overcome obstacles in his life that kept him from being a Christ-like man. I didn't feel comfortable participating in the "prayer ministry" part of the retreat but I admit it was a pretty powerful experience. Oh... and at the end of the retreat we each got for-real swords to symbolize the spiritual warfare in which all Catholic men are engaged... suhhh-weeet.

Next time I'll post a bit on my Christmas break and on planning the seminary's trip to the recent Vigil Mass, Holy Hour, and March for Life in D.C.

ugh...sniffle...caugh...

In Jesu, per Mariam,
Matt1618

On St. Michael

St. Michael is my Confirmation Saint and therefore my favorite one. He has inspired me much over the years and no doubt provided much protection. So I was thrilled to read this reflection by Fr. Euteneuer, President of Human Life International, on St. Michael on this the Feast of the Archangels. Enjoy:

Who Is Like Unto God?

Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of the holy Archangels, Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Each year, this feast gives us a golden opportunity to renew our friendship with the angels who are given for our spiritual benefit and are eager to assist us in our battle against the principalities and powers of the world of darkness. We need only to ask their assistance and their guidance on our way to heaven.
Let us take a moment to reflect on the glorious prince of the heavenly host, St. Michael the Archangel, the most potent of all God's helpers. We start with his name: "Michael" is of Hebrew origin and, literally translated, means, "Who Is Like Unto God?" It is actually a composite of three little Hebrew words that form one phrase: "Mi" (pronounced "mee" and meaning "who?"); "cha" (pronounced "ka" and meaning "like"), and "el" (the Hebrew name for "God.") The phrase, "Who is like unto God?" is not a statement about this angel being so close or similar to God - no one can claim that. Rather, it is a rhetorical question. It is what Michael uttered in his disbelief that someone would claim to be like God. That someone was another angel named Lucifer.

Tradition has it that Lucifer, the sublime Seraphim, ranked highest in the order of angels and proudly asserted that he wanted to "be like the Most High" (see Isaiah 14:14 for this). One faithful angel of a lower rank, unable to countenance the impudence of a creature thinking he were equal to God, courageously stood up in the divine assembly to defend the rights of God with a rebuke that issued from the depths of his being as a question something like: "And just who could possibly claim to be like God?" And so "Mi-cha-el" became his name.

Michael then cast Lucifer out of heaven with all his rebellious companions. No creature that rejects the sovereignty of God could ever remain in heaven. Michael is thus the defender of the rights of God and the one who manhandles the strongest of the demons. We have him to thank for showing us that proud Satan can actually be defeated and that the rights of God can be vindicated against all blasphemers.

Does God really have rights? You better believe it! The Lord of Heaven and Earth has, above all, the supreme right to be worshipped by all creation. God doesn't need our worship in an absolute sense, but all creatures need very much to worship Him and keep Him in the first place in our lives because that is how the order of the universe is maintained. When creatures replace Him with idols or arrogantly suppose that they, as creatures, are gods, then all things fall apart and man loses the very meaning of his life. God is the divine center that holds all things together and, as such, He has an absolute right to be worshipped by His creation.

Today we need St. Michael's aid more than ever. Never in the history of humanity has Satan convinced so many people to set up false idols to replace the worship of the True God. Never has Satan been so successful in getting people to abandon the worship of God and obedience to the moral law on such a massive scale. In the same way, never have we seen so much blasphemous conduct disseminated with such intensity throughout the human community by the power of modern communications; nor have we ever seen the glorification of Satan given such pride of place in the entertainment business.

We need a powerful and glorious angel to teach us to defend the rights of God again. St. Michael has been doing this since before time began and is eminently equipped to teach us to make sure that God remains as the absolute center of our lives and our society. Let us turn to St. Michael on his feast day and thank him for defending God and us against "the wickedness and snares of the devil." Let us invoke his protection over our loved ones and renew our friendship with him again on his feastday.

Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer,
President, Human Life International

Thanks to my friend Dave for the drawing of St. Michael

A Different Kind of Sacrifice

Here is an excellent Op-Ed by my former Rector, Fr. Robert Leavitt, in yesterday's Baltimore Sun:

A Different Kind of sacrifice

By

Robert F. Leavitt

The seminarians studying at St. Mary’s Seminary in Roland Park today really impress me by their strength and spirituality. After serving 27 years as president-rector of the seminary, it’s the one legacy I wanted to leave. They have received a religious calling that some scorn, many overlook, and not a few members of their own church struggle to appreciate.

The Seminary Class of 2007, recently ordained as priests, entered St. Mary’s just as the clergy sex abuse scandals hit the papers, first in Boston and then in other cities. They began their work to become priests under a huge cloud, but they were exemplary in their courage and determination to learn from this adversity and move beyond it. Moreover, they have gracefully faced the understandable suspicion they encounter nowadays. That’s just how it is. No complaints. They know they have a reputation to rebuild for society at large and for those who follow them. Only time will tell if they can. But, merely in entering the seminary and priesthood, they are sacrificing much more than I did.

When I came to St Mary’s in the early 1960s to begin studies for the priesthood, my family and friends were bursting with pride. A unique mixture of religious awe and social prestige enveloped the priesthood. My paternal grandfather, a Protestant freemason, didn’t understand Catholicism much less like it. But, he thought my calling special. His outsider vote counted more for that.

Youths pursue callings and careers because people they respect – family, teachers, friends -- think those occupations are socially significant. Personal aptitude, interest, and making a good living matter. But, the perception that one is engaged in work that is influential and consequential – this counts most of all.

The young don’t need to guess what we really respect. We tell them. Many told me. It’s a small, but real reason I wanted to be a priest.

A steady erosion of social admiration for the priesthood as a way of life was underway for three decades or more before the recent scandals broke. It explains why religious ministry in general, I think, suffers on the career scorecard. For Catholics, it explains more about the vocations downturn than individual factors such as celibacy.

For now, the scandals have summoned the Church and the priesthood back to some spiritual basics -- wholesome human character and sacred promises. That’s what’s happening now. I’ve seen it in the new men entering St. Mary’s.

People naturally wonder today if seminaries might be accepting unqualified candidates to fill the ranks. I tell them it’s just the opposite. Only stronger souls will risk the new scrutiny. The strictures are tighter than ever to get into the seminary and to stay there. There’s psychological screening, criminal background checks, annual extensive evaluations, tough academics, close supervision of seminarians in parishes and schools.

Becoming a priest today is swimming upstream start to finish. Staying a priest at this time in history requires fidelity and heavy lifting. But, here’s the good part: That’s what builds character and strong men. It’s just what the priesthood needs. The church needs it and society needs it too.

At a tribute in my honor held at the seminary last April three seminarians spoke. Their comments were necessarily about me, but their character and their courage stole the show. That spoke louder than anything they said. In the receiving line afterwards, a Protestant couple, friends of mine, spontaneously said, “We’d take any one of them for our pastor in a heartbeat!”

Recently, I asked a student at Food For Thought Tutoring Center what he wanted to do when he grew up. He wrinkled his forehead and answered, “Either the guy that makes the wedding cakes or a priest!”

I didn’t mind his 3^rd grade career dilemma. He saw a chef do an amazing multi-tiered creation on the food channel. But, then again, he’d also met some of our best seminarians. These guys impress him too.

The Reverend Robert F. Leavitt recently stepped down after 27 years as the president-rector of
St. Mary’s Seminary & University in Baltimore. His e-mail is professor@stmarys.edu

rockin the Trid

Hello again dear readers,

When I said "wait for it" on Sept 13 I was referring to the next day, Sept 14 when Our Holy Father's Summorum Pontificum (or here), issued motu proprio ("on his own initiative") went into effect. But, alas, I missed posting on that day... I tend to get bogged down in the minutiae of seminary life and all its various obligations... but that's another post...

Just for completion's sake, here's some helpful links.
Not to take anything away from the "very nice" statement by His Excellency, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz on the motu proprio, but Fr. Z contends that Bishop Burbidge of the Diocese of Raleigh has one of the best statements by any diocese. You can read it, along with Fr. Z's commentary, here. It's very helpful for learning the proper way to embrace and approach this document, both from the bishop's point of view and ours.

And don't forget Fr. Z's 5 Rules of Engagement.

There were many celebratory "Solemn High's" across the country on the 14th, including one right here in Baltimore at St. Alphonsus downtown. But, Msgr. Bastress made one demand: "I won't let you all get away with chanting the Te Deum without chanting the Magnificat too!" I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately though, I wasn't able to make the Missa Cantata at St. Alphonsus because I was helping direct the annual Bocce tournament here at the seminary. I wasn't able to defend my crown from last year, but my Italian comrade and I came in Second place.

There was also a Solemn High Mass, the first ever, on EWTN that morning. Did you catch it? If not you can order a copy of the Mass on DVD (definitely one to check out, if you've never been exposed to the now-called "extraordinary form" of the Latin Rite before). Or you can watch it online. And the very informative and inspirational homily that was given is available too (audio here). Another must-see is the Missa Solemnis narrated by Fulton Sheen, of blessed memory. You can watch a large chunk of it here. The theological explanations he gives during various parts of the Mass are very edifying.

Finally, for your P.O.D. Shot of the Week, here's Bishop Burbidge rockin' the Trid:

Sursum Corda
Habemus ad Dominum

"Lift up your hearts."
"We have lifted them up to the Lord."

...wait for it...

...wait for it...

enthused and positive

As you can see, I've been on a little blogging hiatus. But Rocco has snapped me out of it with this little post of his, which mentions His Excellency, Archbishop Kurtz.

Snippet:

The praises of lay ecclesial ministry have been sung mightily over the summer… and not from the usual chorus of liberal activists, either. Unless you happen to count Pope Benedict’s recent high-profile appointees in the States among that group. But a few days after the weather gods set Louisville ablaze to welcome him – the mercury hit a record-high 103 degrees on his installation day – Archbishop Joseph Kurtz told the hometown CoJo that “the baptismal call is a call of leadership.” While most of that is fulfilled in the ad extra world, the archbishop noted that “there are a number of (lay) individuals who are called to ministries in the church.” The pan-vocational rainmaker told the newspaper that although lay ministry “does not take the place of the call (to the priesthood)… I see these calls to be moving side-by-side.” He also noted that, in the absence of priest-pastors of its parishes, “there have been, from what I understand, very fine people who have served faithfully as pastoral ministers or pastoral associates within the archdiocese.” (Need anyone be reminded that Kurtz is still very much the Overbrook alum, let it be told that, just before his mid-August installation Mass in Derbytown’s Gardens arena, the archbishop’s request for an amice reportedly sparked a bit of a frantic (but successful) rummage through the closets of the Cathedral of the Assumption… and, even despite the crippling heat, during the post-installation reception in an adjacent tent, Louisville got its first sight of a violet choir cassock in quite some time.) After only three weeks in the Kentucky post, Kurtz has already been blazing trails across his new turf, and the response has been uniformly enthused and positive.

This pic shows the Archbishop's cassock as he hugs a woman who embodies the "uniformly enthused and positive" response to His Excellency by the faithful of the Archdiocese of Louisville.

retreat

On a silent retreat till Thursday, pray for me.

plug and welcome

Peter Smith, Religion reporter for the Courier-Journal, picked up my article in a recent post on his faith blog at the paper's website. Thanks for the plug Peter... and welcome C-J online visitors!

My name is Matthew Hardesty and I'm a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Louisville. I have just entered 2nd Theology at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, MD ("Roland Park"). This blog has been established as a way for friends and family to keep up with me, my discernment, and formation. I also like to share all things Marian and various events and moments in my life. Recently I've been covering the celebrations of and reflections on the 25 years of ministry of our former (wow..."former") Archbishop Thomas Kelly and the gear-up for and activities since our new Archbishop Joseph Kurtz's Installation.

order DVD of Archbishop Kurtz's Installation

In the latest issue of the Record, there's a little blurb about Channel 19 re-airing Archbishop Kurtz's Installation because of so many requests. There's also this bit of exciting info:

DVD copies of the installation service are also available through the Archdiocesan Communication Center for $14.95 plus $2 for shipping and handling. To order, send a check to the Archdiocese of Louisville Communications Center, 1200 S. Shelby St., Louisville, Ky. 40203, or call Jeanette Bond at 636-0296, ext. 1230.

I'm going to order a copy and then if I have gobs of time on my hands (!) I'm going to try to listen to it and transcribe the Archbishop's homily and post it here... it really should be saved and shared with all of the faithful in Louisville and beyond. I asked one of the M.C.'s if Archbishop Kurtz had a text of his homily and he said he saw it but it had notes written all over the margins, so what he delivered probably wasn't exactly what he had typed.

today's seminarians and tomorrow's priests

When I wrote about this summer's Presbyteral Assembly a couple months ago, I noted I wanted to share with you some of Fr. Knott's presentation which focused in one part on what today's seminarians "look like." Following is an article I wrote for The Record that satisfies this desire and also encourages our fellow laymen... er, laypeople... to promote vocations from a proper understanding of aforementioned seminarians.

A look at today’s seminarians and tomorrow’s priests

Matthew Hardesty
Matthew Hardesty attends St. Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore.

It was my honor recently to join the priests of the Archdiocese of Louisville for their annual presbyteral assembly. As a seminarian for the archdiocese, I was glad to have the opportunity to join their discussions, liturgies and fraternity. This year’s assembly centered on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ program for promoting a culture of vocations, “Fishers of Men.” (Mt. 4:19-20)

I was excited to see what the bishops’ program had to offer and how I could work with our priests to promote vocations in our archdiocese.

At the assembly, Father J. Ronald Knott — who is on the St. Meinrad School of Theology faculty — gave a presentation on “Caring for the Calls We Get,” which dealt with the “process of welcoming new priests into a presbyterate.” I have his permission to share with you some excerpts from that presentation that focused on what today’s seminarians “look like.”

As he said, “To reach them, you have to know and understand from where they are coming.”
Most of our priests have this information from Father Knott, but I would like to pass it on to you as well so that we laypeople can join them in this most important work. As our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, reminds us in his document on priestly formation, Pastores Dabo Vobis:

‘I hope that we laypeople can move forward to promote vocations using methods that will inspire today’s young men to discern and follow the call to priesthood.’

“The priestly vocation is a gift from God. … The church, therefore, is called to safeguard this gift, to esteem it and love it. She is responsible for the birth and development of priestly vocations. Consequently, the pastoral work of promoting vocations has as its active agents, as its protagonists… every part of the People of God.”

Before Father Knott began, he warned us that seminarians “do not all fit into one stereotype,” and “there are, of course, many atypical exceptions to the trend.” The presentation did not necessarily represent his personal opinions but rather the findings of two studies: one from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate and the other from the research of Father Paul Stanosz of Milwaukee.

That said, Father Knott explained that seminarians today “arrive with a radically different set of needs, presumptions and expectations than in the past,” and “for many of them, priesthood is definitely a counter-cultural lifestyle.”

Also, in reaching out to them, Father Knott said he has “worn more collars, attended more eucharistic holy hours and quoted Pope John Paul II more since I have come back to the seminary (as a professor and administrator) than I have since my ordination.” This gives us a glimpse into the sensibilities of today’s seminarians.

Father Knott noted that “many have been away from the church for years before having a conversion experience at a religious retreat or youth rally.”

I have found that this conversion often brings with it extensive reading and research, a zeal for apologetics, a love for the church and fraternity with other like-minded young adults. We should keep our eye on young adults who have these experiences and traits and not hesitate to invite them to the priesthood. All of these come together to grease the wheel of intellectual, spiritual, pastoral and human formation.

Upon ordination, today’s new priest “identifies strongly with Pope John Paul II, owns a cassock, has a strong devotion to Mary, never misses a papal youth rally, favors traditional piety and prides himself on his theological orthodoxy,” Father Knott said. The seminarian is also “drawn to theologies that exalt the status and distinctiveness of the clerical role and often consider the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a primary source for clear answers.”

They are also passionately pro-life and personally “healthy and open to learning.”

Who and what encouraged them to join the seminary?

• Most were influenced by Web sites and EWTN rather than commercials, radio, billboards or other vocation advertising.
• Most were encouraged by priests, friends, parishioners or mothers. Parish contacts gave more encouragement than family members. Personal invitation was very important.
• Most were involved in parish ministries, especially as servers or lectors.
• Among parish programs, retreats and devotions were most effective, followed by youth ministry, then Boy Scouts, Knights of Columbus, campus ministry and pro-life activities.

Father Knott concluded by saying, “Personally, I found most of them fascinating. This year’s class seemed to be outstanding in the eyes of the staff.”

On a personal note, I am thankful for Father Knott’s courage and excitement toward calling men to the priesthood. Armed with his example and the research, I hope that we laypeople can move forward to promote vocations using methods that will inspire today’s young men to discern and follow the call to priesthood.

Join us in promoting a culture of vocations by calling Father Jeff Shooner, associate vocation director for the archdiocese, at 636-0296. Please pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life and for our nine seminarians. In addition to myself, they are Michael Wimsatt, Stuart Priddy, David Carr, Chris Rhodes, Steve Henriksen, Chris Lubecke, Shayne Duvall and Nick Brown.

articles still comin

Ugh... it's muggy and hot, 80 degrees overnight here in Baltimore... dang harbor.
But, we find relief from another wonderful article in The Record on Archbishop Kurtz. This time I post in full this piece on his pastoral visit to St. Joseph's Proto-Cathedral and Minor Basilica in Bardstown, KY - the place where it all began:

Archbishop celebrates Mass at historic St. Joseph

Marnie McAllister
Record Staff Writer

The new archbishop celebrates Mass in Bardstown, where the diocese first set its roots

BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz celebrated his first public Mass since his installation last week in Bardstown, Ky., where the Catholic roots of Kentucky first took hold. The Aug. 18 celebration filled the Basilica of St. Joseph-Proto Cathedral with parishioners as well as members of other area Catholic churches.

Archbishop Kurtz told members of the congregation, “What a joy it is to be with you and to begin my service as your archbishop.”

It was his second visit to the area, he said. The first was in July 2001 when he traveled to Bardstown “to see St. Joseph and to visit the beautiful Holy Land of Kentucky, which enriches all of us through the whole United States.”

He added, with a touch of mirth, “I experienced the same warm weather then.”

Archbishop Kurtz also recognized and thanked the priests, deacons and laypeople who serve at St. Joseph and other rural area parishes.

He spent little time talking about his installation as the new leader of the Archdiocese of Louisville — a sign, perhaps, that the time for speeches has passed and that his pastoral work has begun.

Demonstrating that he is already invested in the day-to-day life of the Archdiocese of Louisville, the archbishop noted that Father Joseph Batcheldor, a retired priest who resides at St. Joseph, was celebrating his golden jubilee as a priest. He also recognized the first anniversary of Father Pablo Hernandez’s ordination. Father Hernandez is associate pastor at St. Joseph.

Then, he began his homily, urging the faithful to “pray for the gift of fire in our lives.”

Quoting a Jesuit martyr, Archbishop Kurtz noted that for people, “Bread is important. Freedom is more important. But most important of them all is unbroken fidelity and faithful admiration” of the Lord.

People spend most of their time getting “bread,” he said. “Even deeper than any material possessions we have is freedom — freedom to say yes to God. But even deeper is that fire that allows you and us to be unbroken in our fidelity to God and faithful in our admiration.

“We need fire in order to do that,” he said, denoting three purposes of fire.

First, fire purifies, enabling one to live virtuously.

Fire also gives people the zeal to “live our faith perfectly.” And finally, “the fire Jesus spoke about in the Gospel is Pentecost — the fire that gives us energy. How can I do the things God asks me? The gift of baptism gives us energy.”

In closing, he said, “God calls us to renew the face of the earth and to start with ourselves.”

Before Mass ended, Father William Hammer, pastor of St. Joseph, presented Archbishop Kurtz a portrait of Bishop Benedict Joseph Flaget, the diocese’s first bishop. It was a birthday gift for Archbishop Kurtz who turned 61 on Aug. 18. The choir led the congregation in singing “Happy Birthday.”

Father Hammer also presented the archbishop a few other “gifts” to help him adapt to life in Kentucky. He counseled that “three syllable words are contracted to two syllables, such as Luh-vall, Naz-reth and Leb-nan.”

He gave the archbishop a map of Kentucky that has both blue areas and red areas, and depending upon where he is, he should say either, “How ’bout them Cats” or “How ’bout them Cards.”

He also presented him with a set of keys. The set included a key to the church, the bell tower, the school and keys to the city, county and My Old Kentucky Home, Father Hammer quipped.

“And here,” he said, “the biggest key of all is the key to our hearts.”

Archbishop Kurtz said he plans to celebrate Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption, 433 S. Fifth St., this Sunday, Aug. 26, at 9:30 a.m. He also plans to celebrate Masses at the Little Sisters of the Poor, 15 Audobon Plaza Drive, Aug. 30 at 10:30 a.m.; St. James Church, Edenside Avenue and Bardstown Road, Sept. 2 at 11 a.m.; and Our Lady Help of Christians, 13512Dixie Highway, Sept. 16 at 11 a.m.

Archbishop Kurtz, the retreat, etc.

Can't type much...gotta pack... leaving for the 10 hour drive to Baltimore with the three guys that are joining me there (!) at 6am tomorrow.

The C-J had two more articles on Archbishop Kurtz when I was on the end-of-summer retreat for seminarians. We have 6 new guys for the Fall, which puts us at 9. That's cause for much joy!

An opinion piece: A new archbishop
Sit-down with Peter Smith: City's new archbishop sees few big changes in first year
A recent entry from Peter's blog: Archbishop hopes for long stay gives more excerpts from his interview with His Excellency than the above article could include.
Reminder: Check out Peter Smith's blog for several recent entries on Archbishop Kurtz.

The retreat was awesome, the best one I've been too so far (this is my third). It was a great opportunity to get to know the other seminarians better. We prayed morning and evening prayer together and had daily Mass. And the priests on the "Vocation Team" gave talks which were helpful, encouraging, and supportive. In our free time we played Cornhole and "Hillbilly Golf" which was a blast. Oh... and we watched Becket one night... gotta love that excommunication scene!

Archbishop Kurtz spent the last day of the retreat with us. We all had breakfast together and he talked with us for about an hour before celebrating Mass. I was again impressed by his kindness and zeal. He even informed me that someone had referred him to my blog! That's OK :) I admit that the links I provide in the sidebar give a wide-open indication of my preferences on things and where I'm coming from... nonetheless, I hope he approves. I really do carefully consider each post before I click "Publish Post" because I know my vocation director checks in on me here from time to time as well. Plus, seminarians at St. Mary's who have blogs have to submit the address to the administration. I would act appropriately if any of the above expressed concern over this blog.

Anyway...after the retreat we had an annual luncheon with the Serra Club which provided further support and comraderie. Then off to St. Louis Bertrand for our group and individual photos. Beautiful setting... I was glad we had them taken there.

All-in-all an awesome week and I'm excited to return to St. Mary's with new diocesan brothers. Oh...wait... I think I owe you all (many?) my impression of the Installation. Here's a brief comment... I really gotta pack!

Archbishop Kurtz's homily was the highlight for me. It was beautiful. It is not very often that you hear a homily that comments on the second Mark of the Church (holiness), and that quotes the Catechism, Deus Caritas Est, Sacramentum Caritatis, and the first verse of the Magnificat in Latin to boot. He even honored our beloved Bishop Maloney and the history of our Archdiocese. It made a lasting impression.

Happy Birthday Archbishop Kurtz!

Today, Saturday, August 18th is Archbishop Kurtz's 61st birthday! Happy Birthday, Archbishop Kurtz!

With filial respect and humble gratitude, in our Savior I am Your Excellency’s devoted son,
Matthew Hardesty

**oooh, gotta like the sound of that!** ;)

First Letter from the Archbishop

Not counting his statement (here and here, with analysis here) on the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum - which was actually issued to the faithful in Knoxville but published in The Record as well (acting as Louisville's official statement) - here is Archbishop Kurtz's first letter to the faithful of the Archdiocese of Louisville:

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:

This weekend we will take up the annual Peter’s Pence Collection in support of the works of our Holy Father. The proceeds from this collection fund emergency relief assistance to those who suffer from war, oppression, disease and natural disasters. Through works of charity, Catholics provide a powerful witness of love and deeds to empower the weak, the defenseless and the voiceless, and to sustain those who suffer.

The theme for this year’s collection — “Let us make sure that none of God’s children ever feels alone” — is based upon a September 2006 homily given by Pope Benedict XVI in which he discusses the solidarity of the baptized. As we participate in this special appeal, we join more than 1 billion Catholics worldwide in a loving expression of solidarity. We share in the concern of the successor of Peter for the many different needs of the universal Church and for the relief of those most in need around the globe.

I ask you to consider contributing to the collection this year, and I am grateful for your generosity. Together let us ask the Lord to bless our Holy Father, as well as those in need through-out the world.

Sincerely yours in Our Lord,

Most Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D.
Archbishop of Louisville

Archbishop Kurtz article round-up

As I mentioned, here are the latest articles on Archbishop Kurtz's Installation from the online edition of The Record. These have been out for a couple days but... this cold's been killin me.

Archbishop Joseph Kurtz installed as fourth Archbishop of Louisville
snippet:

But he offered special thanks to his predecessor, Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly.

“To you, Archbishop Kelly, who for the past almost eight years has called me friend and indeed been a father, you have been so good and gracious in welcoming me to your home of 25 years,” Archbishop Kurtz said. And he noted that his installation was taking place on the 30th anniversary of Archbishop Kelly’s ordination as a bishop.

It was a moment that produced prolonged applause from the congregation. The new archbishop also delivered remarks in Spanish, and had thanks and praise for the late Bishop Charles Maloney, calling him “a lover of all, especially the most poor.”

“I pray that he will be remembered on this occasion,” he said, “and God willing, will be interceding to the Lord for all of us.”

Friends of new archbishop flock to ceremony from afar
snippet:

Archbishop Kurtz’s sisters, Theresa Bakos and Patricia Cameli, described their brother as studious and holy. But Cameli added, “Of course, he’s silly as heck, too. He has a wonderful sense of humor.”

When it comes to family and friends, his sisters said, he’s no less dedicated than he is to his pastoral duties.

“He’s never missed a baptism in the family,” said Bakos. “He’s such a good brother and uncle.”

Archbishop: prayer ‘draws us together’
snippet:

The new archbishop told the priests, bishops and deacons and their spouses that it was fitting that their first meeting would be a gathering for prayer.

“To pray the Liturgy of the Hours reminds us not only of our call to pray for all the faithful, but to pray for the world,” Archbishop Kurtz said. “And so there is not a more deeply symbolic gesture of gathering, save for the Holy Eucharist itself, that draws us together.”
...
The new archbishop — the fourth in the history of the archdiocese and its ninth ordinary — also pleased those gathered to hear him by properly pronouncing the name of his new city of residence.

“Lou-a-vull,” he said. “Did I say that right? I just say it the way they do in Tennessee. I know there’s a T-shirt available that has all the right and wrong ways to say it.”

But the applause from his audience said Archbishop Kurtz had no need of the shirt.

Family, youth among archbishop’s greeters
snippet:

Lauren Hemker, also a member of the youth board and a senior at Sacred Heart, said before the installation ceremony that she was looking forward to telling Archbishop Kurtz “what a great Catholic school system we have” in the archdiocese.

“I’d like for him to get to know the Catholic grade schools and high schools in the archdiocese,” said Hemker, a member of Holy Trinity Church. “Catholic education is really important to me. I really appreciate how much my parents spent on my education.”

Choir represented about 50 parishes
snippet:

Shortly after he was named Archbishop of Louisville in June, Archbishop Kurtz received a congratulatory telephone call from Father Ben Brown, who called from aboard the USS Bataan. The ship was on duty in the Adriatic Sea at the time, and Father Brown, a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, said he would guess that his call was the “longest long-distance call” the new archbishop received from a priest of the archdiocese.

Father Brown, who is a commander in the Navy, was awarded the Bronze Star in 2006 for “meritorious achievement as chaplain” in Iraq the previous year.

And one more from the C-J, where Peter Smith does an uncharacteristic dip into the negativity that the C-J loves to pour on the Church:

Kelly looks to the future
snippet:

"My primary and only priority is to enter the life of prayer" with his fellow Dominicans, Kelly said. "It's a house I know well, where I'm pretty comfortable. Life is pretty austere. I hope I can get through that all right."

They get up early and spend hours each day in prayer on stiff benches, he said.

"I thought of many actions -- palm trees, the Amalfi Coast (in Italy), but this is what I would rather do more than anything in the world," he said.
...
Kelly said he's encouraged by a recent trend in which nine young men are now in seminary.

"I'm enamored of the quality of the vocations we're getting, and the numbers are now looking more hopeful," he said.

P.O.D. Shot of the Week

Ladies and gentlemen, as I try to pick my P.O.D. Shot of the Week from a current event, this week's selection seems most appropriate:

Here, Archbishop Kurtz - rockin' the purple episcopal cassock with fascia and zuchetto - blesses a rosary of one of the hundreds of faithful gathered at his post-Installation reception.

biretta tip to Matt Stone, C-J photographer. See more photos here.

oh...and...have I said, "check out that crozier!" yet? hehe :) That's a "thing of beauty" as Fr. Paul would say...or better yet... "that's Primo del Rey!"

Kurtz gallery

The Gallery I mentioned can be accessed here. You can also access it from the C-J's homepage or the "More Galleries" page (for now). Enjoy!

Kurtz's new Kentucky home

My reaction later (I've got a terrible cold...), but for now, here's the C-J on the Installation of Archbishop Kurtz yesterday.

Louisville welcomes new archbishop

Oh, and check out that crozier! ;)

Also coming soon: more pics (the C-J's slideshow that is associated with the article seems to not be working, if the pics show up for you, let me know) and articles from The Record when they're published online. You can also check out Peter Smith's blog. He's the Religion Reporter for the Courier-Journal. He's got about six posts on the Installation (look under "Previous Posts" on the right-hand side).

One more thing, here's a Q&A the C-J published in case you're wondering, "What's an installation? Will Kelly still be an archbishop? etc.

Correction: Gallery working here

welcome Whispers visitors

Welcome, all you visitors from Whispers in the Loggia! And thanks Rocco for the link. My name is Matthew Hardesty and I'm a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Louisville. I'll be entering 2nd Theology in a couple weeks at St. Mary's Seminary & University in Baltimore, MD ("Roland Park"). This blog has been established as a way for friends and family to keep up with me, my discernment, and formation. I also like to share all things Marian and various events and moments in my life. Recently I've been covering the celebrations of the 25 years of ministry of our former (wow..."former") Archbishop Thomas Kelly and the gear-up for our new Archbishop Joseph Kurtz. His Installation yesterday really was amazing in many ways. I'll post my own reflection with pics and articles soon.

In Jesu, per Mariam,
Matt1618