SILVER REFLECTIONS
by Msgr. Leo Wleczyk

Journey with me for the next few weeks. I want to share where I have been and what I have learned along the way. You could call this a reflection over the last 25 years of my life. You could also call it, “What’s happening at St. Michael’s and Why?”

As a young Priest, I began to feel that something was wrong. The result of our education process was shameful. Young people were leaving the Church by the hundreds. Parents were begging and bribing their offspring to “just get Confirmed, and my responsibility will be over”. So confirmation became a graduation ceremony - an exit from the Church, not an introduction into a faith-filled community - a community that realized that it is the presence in time of a loving, forgiving, healing, caring, challenging Jesus. Instead of inviting Him into their life in an adult way, and becoming His disciples in their own unique way, many, by either their words or actions said, “I don’t want any part of this—I’ve had enough. I’ve had too much religion stuffed down my throat. ”If I’ve heard that story once, I’ve heard it 500 times.

All sorts of experiments have been tried to address the drop-out syndrome. Some parishes have Confirmation in middle school; some in high school, some at Baptism and others in conjunction with First Communion (the Corpus Christi Diocese is contemplating this new concept).

We seem to keep experimenting, trying to make things better. As parents want to feel that “at last I’ve done my job”, the Church has been striving to say the same thing. We look and observe that the finished product is not finished at all. Maybe the answer is so simple and obvious that we miss is completely. May I suggest that the answer is in the home. Our Bishops, inspired by the Holy Spirit, dedicated the ‘80’s as the “Decade of the Family”. Wonder why they did that?? Do you think that was just an accident—or the act of a bunch of senile old men who are really out of touch with the “real world”?

Let me say a few words about the real world of the eighties. The Gallup Poll, taken recently, says that “There is no longer a difference in the moral values of an atheist, agnostic, and a Christian.” When I heard that, I couldn’t believe it! If that is true, the Church has failed. We have helped create, not a moral majority, but a moral minority. I say that because we sat back and acted as if child pornography—drug addiction was somewhere else, surely not here. And we watched the cause of death among our youth move from natural causes to un-natural. Now the main causes of death among our teens is suicide, murder and accident—before we get to number 4....(something natural, like flu or leukemia).

Pastors, D.R.E.’s and all involved in parish administration, keep wringing their hands saying, “We’ve got to do something...so let’s get a new series of textbooks...they’ve got to have the answer.”

And the cycle continues....
 

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And why?  Because we’ve been looking for the right answers in the wrong places...in books and programs...all Churches, both Protestant and Catholic have tried and tried to put a square peg in a round hole and it just doesn’t fit.  To me it’s utterly amazing and a scandal that we could sit back and watch the average age of the American Priest climb to 55 years...Sisters to 60...and not really wonder what’s wrong?  We were all shocked at the Lynn Bias story...the same thing is happening here, today, in our community...and we don’t wonder why?  Why our churches aren’t doing something to address the real needs of our society?  I firmly believe that what we “want” and what we “need” are two different things...Sometimes I feel we want food and not nourishment.  We’d rather have a quick meal because it satisfies immediately – it’s convenient…less trouble and requires little of me personally. I as a pastor want to give a balanced nourishing meal, that will help us 15...50 years down the line...

Let’s move back in time, about 15 years.  At Notre Dame Church, we had a traditional C.C.D. program...1400 kids...the largest program in the Diocese, at that time.  Because of our facilities, we had to hold eight sessions to accommodate all the children.  Two sessions were on Sunday morning.  I watched parents bring their children on Sunday....then after their children left for class... parents either went back home for an hour or stayed in their car on the parking lot and read the Sunday news.  I’d stop and speak with them, then go off to help at Mass. At first, I thought, “Well they’re going to another Mass, I guess”...After four years of observing, I had to admit that I guessed wrong; they were not going to Mass,...just bringing their kids to C.C.D. and reading the funnies.  I wonder what the conversation was as they drove home before the next Mass started.  I often thought that anything positive that happened during class time was destroyed (not consciously) by the witness of the “Houston Post” parent.  I often thought, “We’re working with the wrong person.”  The non-verbal message was...“When you get to be an adult, you won’t have to worry about this”

...and the cycle continues....

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And you ask why?  ...In my opinion, the whole thrust in Religious Education is in the “Let the little children come to me,” model.  What about moms and dads who are reminded to accept the Kingdom of God like a child?  I think it’s a proven fact that when growth stops....death sets in....and we, the affluent, middleclass, can become impoverished in matters spiritual. Therefore, I believe we can die spiritually and not even see it, or know it.  That’s why many people I have spoken with will say that something is missing in their lives, and not know what....and some don’t know anything is missing at all.

Let me illustrate my point.  Something happened to us humans in the Seventies.  As a Priest, in Port Arthur, Galveston, Baytown and Palestine, I seldom saw people in a hurry on Sunday.  They seemed to enjoy one another.  Then the Shock of the Seventies hit...it was a wave that I didn’t understand.  You could say the 11:00 a.m. Mass on Sunday;  750 people would eventually get there.  Those that came late, left early.  One elderly lady told me that she had colon problems and had to leave Mass early sometimes.  As I began to give Communion, the church door began to squeak.  As many as 200 people would leave Mass after Communion.  No wonder doctors are so rich, because one fourth of the church had colon problems....“Body of Christ”...”Amen”...”Let’s get out of here”...I can remember sitting, in thanksgiving, and almost weeping for those people.

As a Pastor, it’s a hard pill to swallow and a scandal to the young.  Again, the non-verbal message is, “If it’s important, like little league or soccer, we’ll come early and leave when everything is concluded.  But Mass must not be in that category, because we come late and leave early.”

It didn’t take long for this country Priest to figure out that the colon wasn’t the problem...but the heart...In short, their love of the Lord...Love seeks presence...If we’re short on love, we’re short on presence!

.....and the cycle continues.....

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How can this be?  why do so many have “heart problems”?  Let me say that I don’t blame them, but the Church that allowed this to happen, and never asked, “Why?”.  May I offer a partial explanation? Our theology has been minimalistic. “What is the least I can do to maintain my status in the Church?” “Make your Easter Duty!”  The essential Mass was defined as Offertory to Communion. You can miss the scripture, the homily...the first 30 to 40 minutes of the Mass...Just come for the offering and stay until the Priest receives Communion...20 minutes and it’s over.  “Let’s go and beat the traffic jam.  We’ve fulfilled our Sunday obligation...” Sad, but true!

As a Church we have been committed to helping people know about the teachings of Jesus (and we’ve done a decent job with our Thomistic Roman heritage), butI don’t believe we have helped people KNOW Jesus.  KNOWING Jesus leads us to love...seek His presence, to prayer and Communion, not only with Him, but with Him in our Brothers and Sisters.  The very first question we forgot in old Baltimore I, II, or III is:

            Q.         Why did God make me?
            A.         To Know Him.
                        To Love Him.
                        To Serve Him in this life, and to be happy with
                                  Him forever in the next.

 That’s a beautiful answer and I don’t see the word “ABOUT” anywhere.  But if the truth be known, we’d rather know about Jesus, because it’s easier and a lot less challenging.  Knowing about Him is call Catechization.  Evangelization is completely  different; it doesn’t stop above the neck, but goes to the heart.  An evangelized person not only knows who Jesus was, but who He is today, in every facet of their life.

If we know ABOUT Him, and that’s where it stops (in the head), loving and serving doesn’t follow.  What follows is that we will love and serve other things which may not be Godly.  That’s why it’s so easy to serve in the kingdom of matter. But in the final analysis, the kingdom of matter doesn’t matter at all...but we work and act like it does matter.  What happened to...”In the end there are three things that last...faith, hope, love...and the greatest of these is love” (I Corinthians 13:13)?  The problem is the kingdom of matter blinds us, so we cannot see what has happened to us as a Church and as families...  Whatever happened to “I wish you were either hot or cold...for me or against me.”?  We’ve put that one on the back burner because, “Surely a warm fuzzy Jesus did not say that...or if He did, it’s not to be taken literally.”  I believe the Holy Spirit, through the fire of His love, is calling us as disciples in the third millennium to singe the fuzz off Jesus and let Him become real to us.  If we don’t,

.....the cycle will continue.....

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Let’s stop and ask “Where has the kingdom of matter brought us?”  But before we answer that question, I’d like to ask each and every person reading this...Do you believe in prophecy?  If you do, take note of what the Catholic Bishops (those senile men, out of touch with the real world) said in their Pastoral document “ToTeach as Jesus Did” (nota bene 1972).  I quote directly from paragraph thirty-eight; “Technology poses new threats to the dignity of the human person.  It makes possible violence and destruction on a scale hitherto undreamed of.  In our own nation’s wealthy society the immense output of goods and services too often distracts its citizens from awareness of their duty to God and their fellows, without satisfying their deepest needs of stability, friendship and meaning.”....In my way of thinking, the kingdom of matter has taken us away from God...away from one another.  And if we are away from God and people who are we with?....Yes...you guessed it,  with ME...the all important ME...center of the universe...the one who has been canonized by society....I call it “MEISM”.  Our consumeristic society has lead us to canonization in the kingdom of matter, and we stand proud because we don’t need anybody, especially God or Church, they are behind the times...antiquated...out of step with my real world.  If you don’t believe people live and act like this, just read the Houston Chronicle any day...or drive on the Southwest Freeway at 5:00 p.m.  Watch the evening news.

What disturbs me now, and has for a long time, is the fact that we can see these things happening everywhere (yes, in wonderful Brazoria County) and not ask why?...What’s the problem?  The kingdom of matter has blinded us!!!!

And so the prophecy was given in 1972....Did we listen and try to implement?...Honestly...NO.  So, now what has happened? (I want you to know, because I believe it does matter).  Let us first look at the juvenile problem from 1980 to 1987.  During those years, the population of juveniles increased 8.2%...miscellaneous arrests increased 35%....property crime 42%...all juvenile crime, 41%.  Narcotic arrests 57%...and the most horrible of all...violent crimes by 89%.  That’s just in Texas!....Does the name Mark Kilroy and his ritualistic killing by a Satanic cult ring a bell?  I hope so.

Let me call your attention to an article in Liguorian (May 1990), entitled “Who Will Save Our Children”, by Gwen Ratermann, and I quote;   “I am deeply troubled by the plight of children in our society today.  Throughout our country, homes for runaway children are filled to capacity.  City hospitals report a steadily increasing number of babies who are born addicted, because their mothers were drug addicts.  The incidence of sexual and physical abuse is on the rise.  Substance abuse treatment centers are adding additional hospital beds to treat a growing number of adolescent alcohol and drug abusers.”.......Prophecy complete...And if we have been canonized in the kingdom of matter, we will say,  “Who gives a damn...it’s not my problem.  I’m not my brothers’ keeper. Let him keep himself.”

Guess what will continue to get worse......the cycle.

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There are those who will say...”Things have always been this way, since Cain and Abel.  They’re just not going to get better, so you may as well like it, and go with the flow”...When I hear those things, I feel we want to vote Jesus out of Lordship...out of Messiahship.  In other words, He just had an unreal vision that will never be realized...nice, but not very practical...Let’s just dismiss Him and His dreams...”  That’s funny.  The Pharisees and Pilate had the same idea.  “Afterall, who’s going to turn the other cheek...or go with someone an extra mile..or love their enemies or do good to those who persecute them?  That Kingdom of God is is unreal...the kingdom of matter makes more sense.”  And that attitude is what Fr. William O’Malley, S.J., calls “gutting the gospel”.  It’s very necessary that we understand who the original “gutter” was.  (“and if you but worship me, I will give you all the kingdoms of the world.”  [The kingdom of matter is all that matters.])  That’s what Satan said to Jesus as he tried to pull Him away from His mission of evangelization.  “Not by bread alone (matter) does one live, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”.  What a beautiful answer! (Matt. 4:1-11)  Read the whole incident. 

Why did He refuse to fall for the temptation? Wouldn’t it be better to have the best of both worlds?  Have your cake and eat it too?  Evidently not, because of His refusal.  Now and forever, a precedent has been set for His followers. “Seek first the Kingdom of God!”  But do we listen, or do we “have ears, but hear not”? 

The problem is the fulfillment of the 1972 prophecy.  Maybe that’s why Mary, at Medjugorgie, said “the Western civilization has lost God.”  But you know I don’t need a private revelation to conclude the same thing.  (N.B.)  Please do not construe this statement as the Churchs’ approbation of the apparition.  The Church never jumps on the bandwagon during such events.  She is very cautious, for reasons obvious to me...But I have to say I agree with the statement.  There’s just so much evidence all over this country, county, and community.  Anyone who has sat on the parapet of the Temple with Christ and uttered His words, “Not by bread alone does one live” and said NO! to temptation, knows and understands what I’m saying. 

Bishops, Priests, deacons, nuns, D.R.E.’s, school teachers, counsel­ors, police, probation officers..and the list goes on...all are saying the same thing.  I’ve read hundreds of articles...attended workshops...these were given, written or sponsored by people who don’t even know one another...The message is the same, “Something is wrong...we’ve created a monster...we’ve got to do something!!!!”

I’m afraid of the repetitive...cycle...

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