As we enter our 71st year of the existence of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish, we have so much to be grateful for, and many people to pray for, including our long-time members, some of whom who cannot always get to church because of weakness or illness. We also have people whose lives were deeply affected by their Catholic education in our parish school in past years, many of whom have gone on to be successful in different areas of the state or country, yet, who continue to proudly reflect the benefits of being a member of our parish. We are particularly grateful to those parishioners, friends and visitors who take the time, effort and resources to support our parish and its school in numerous ways: the Ferrer Fund, our Annual Parish Festival, the Auction/Dinner-Dance and our Golf-Tennis Tourney, to name just a few. For all who help “keep us going,” we say “THANK YOU!!” Now, we are entering the final days of our preparation for the festival – our 45th one! The many hands and hearts that make this possible are a great blessing to our parish school and its children - - YOUR children - - OUR CHILDREN! In order for this enterprise to be a financial success, we still need to sell those $100 raffle tickets. Our kids are counting on us! So, for the last few weeks before we hold the $50,000 worth of prizes drawing (with a $25,000 Grand Prize going to the 1st place winner), let’s see if we can pool our resources (already successful in the preliminary drawing in January) and purchase the remaining tickets to make it all work!

This weekend is COMMITMENT SUNDAY for our annual DSA (Diocesan Services Appeal), and if you haven’t filled out your pledge envelope yet (or forgot it, or didn’t even get it mailed to you), there will be plenty of envelopes available for you via our Ushers and Ministers of Hospitality. As we prayerfully reflected this past week upon the sacrificial commitment that Bishop Barbarito asked us to make, may our response be one that expresses our gratitude to God for all that He bestows upon us. Even if you are a guest here, your gift still counts! Many men and women, who have reached out to us over the years as members of our Catholic Faith in a “Circle of Friends” and “extended family,” help us grow closer to the Lord by service to His people everywhere. Here is our chance to make an effective response in gratitude.

What a wonderful “collection of celebrations” we had during CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK. Among the ones that especially touched me, was the performance of our children on Grandparents’ Day and their loving display of their God-given gifts in the Talent Show that took place in conjunction with the Annual Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday night. They really exploded with joy and exuberance as they put forth their best efforts to entertain and demonstrate how well they are maturing in the right ways because of their Catholic school education. These are our precious children and the hope of the future for the Catholic Church in America. I pray they will continue to use their God-given talents to develop their minds as Christian men and women leaders in years to come. Let’s thank their teachers and administrators, too.

Yet, there is a deep concern I have for our young people if their parents don’t bring them to church on Sunday to worship God. The rationalizations that are poured forth for not being in the House of God on the Sabbath read like classic dribble from a godless author, or an anti-Christian polemic on why we don’t need God in the 21st century. Growing up in a Catholic household, where expected participation at Sunday weekly worship was a “given,” and not an option, we took seriously the clear command, found in the third of the Ten Commandments: “to Keep Holy the Lord’s Day.” If our children are not shown a good example in this area of their lives through the undoing of week-long efforts of teaching in our Catholic schools, what can we expect of them when faced with other challenges once they leave school? I apologize for the scandal also given by those who walk out of Mass early each weekend. It’s not really reflective of the majority who stay for God’s blessing. Jesus saw one of “His own” do that, and He warns us of the consequences of giving scandal to “little ones.” He’s quite blunt, and didn’t mince His words.

We were privileged to have our shepherd, Bishop Gerald Barbarito, celebrate the annual Anniversary Mass for Married Couples in our church this past Saturday for those who have been married for 25, 40, 50 or more years. There were several of our parishioners among these honored. It’s nice to see the large number who made and continue to make the great effort to live out their wedding vows, supporting one another and building up in each other the love of Christ. They and their families are the “little church” that the last two popes have spoken of so glowingly, and serve as a fitting example of real commitment.

This past week afforded me two special privileges. On Monday, I was able to concelebrate Mass with Stanislaus Cardinal Dziwisz, Archbishop of Krakow, Poland, and long-time secretary of our late pope, Blessed John Paul II. My friendship with Cardinal Dziwisz goes back to Rome, in June of 1967, when he was a young priest-secretary of then-Cardinal Wojtyla (the future Pope John Paul II) and I was a young seminarian. I didn’t even suspect that his “boss” would one day become the great spiritual leader of our Church, though the recollection of our meeting then should have been an indication of the possibility of his future greatness. I still remember those days fondly, and cherish the souvenir photos of that time.On Wednesday, I was in Tallahassee for the annual “Catholic Days at the Capitol,” and offered the prayer for the opening session for the Florida Senate, thanks to the kind influence of our local Catholic State Senator, Maria Sachs. It wasn’t the first time I’ve offered the prayer in our capitol (County Tax Collector and parishioner, Ann Gannon, first offered it to me several years ago), but each time it is a cherished opportunity to lead legislators in prayer to consider the needs of our state and nation. The week in Tallahassee is also a time as concerned Catholics to express our concerns for upcoming legislation and to lobby local leaders to respect and consider the Catholic point of view on those issues that have direct moral implications affecting our lives and those of many others. Among those who assist us in the lobbying are the members of the Florida Catholic Conference, including our former parishioner, Sheila Hopkins, who directs much of the legislative program that assists us in our visit. May our civic leaders be sufficiently inspired to lead us closer to our God-directed destiny!!

Very Rev. Canon Tom

This weekend, besides being “Super Bowl Sunday,” is also the official “kick-off” weekend for the 2012 Annual Bishop’s Appeal.  It begins the opportunity to pledge our special support of our Bishop in his efforts to promote the work of charity throughout our five-county diocese. In sponsoring a number of institutions and programs that help those in greatest need, we foster a sense of “ownership” of these organizations and programs and help them carry out the work of God through us. How can you help?  By making the pledge that best indicates your desire to assist Bishop Barbarito in reaching our diocesan goal, as well as once again making our parish goal ($199,000). Encourage your little ones to help, too.

Our young people will also be showing their concern for the homeless of our region by holding out their soup pots for your generous donation that will support the “Family Promise” program that’s HQ’d on our campus. Several of them will also spend a day in makeshift cardboard shelters, trying to fathom, if only for a day, what it might be like to be homeless and dependent upon others for food and shelter.

Thank you for the efforts you made last week to show your continued support of our Catholic school. The Knights of Columbus gave a generous gift of $1,000, the result of several fund-raising efforts on their part, including last week’s fun-filled “Knight at the Races,” Pancake Breakfasts, Fish Frys and 50-50s. Our observance of Catholic Schools Week, with its theme of “faith, academics and service,” is highlighted by the Spaghetti Dinner fund-raiser that brings us together as a family, enjoying food and fun together. Thank you to Mrs. Delgado, the staff and all the parents who worked so hard to make all these great things happen for our kids. Our students are God’s special people and are certainly worth it! Now let’s keep the momentum going with the upcoming $100 raffle ticket sales. It helps keep our school going.

This week, I want to share some further thoughts on the theme of the dignity of human life that we’ve been promoting in these past few bulletin letters. Admittedly not mine, these thoughts come from the new President of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Catholic Bishops. I found them to be “right-on.” In a recent address at Fordham University, Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan of New York said that “Natural law is a concept of objective truth, not religious preference; and reliance on natural law and human rights will move the culture and its laws in the direction of authentic respect for human life.” The most effective way, according to him, to engage in conversations about human life with people who disagree with the Church's position is to "untether" discussions of natural law "from what might be thought of as unique Catholic confessionalism," and reference the writings of non-Catholic authors. After all, it's not really a ‘Catholic’ thing; it's a natural thing; it's a human thing!

"Our society has caricatured natural law as some medieval tool the Church is using to justify its own unique and antiquated system of teaching. Of course, the opposite is true," he said. "Natural law theory is not uniquely Catholic; it's human! Some of the greatest exponents of the natural law, like Aristotle and Cicero, never heard of the Catholic Church. These things we teach are not true because they happen to be taught by the Church. We teach them because they happen to be true.” This pre-dates the Church.

Blessed John Paul II's encyclical "Evangelium Vitae," described the culture of death as one that denies the basic solidarity inherent in the human person, and is obsessed with efficiency and convenience, waging a war of the powerful against the weak. The Cardinal asks, "Can sustained human rights, girded by law, survive in such a culture? The pragmatic, utilitarian world view depends upon sand to construct a system of laws protecting human rights, particularly, human life itself, since everything is constantly being re-negotiated, based on drifting dunes of utility, convenience, privacy, and self-interest."

An important proposition of the Gospel of Life is "that the dignity of the human person and respect for inviolable human rights are not just based on divine revelation, but on an objective moral law which, as the 'natural law' written in the human heart, is the obligatory point of reference for civil law itself.”

A strange feature of modern political and legal theory is that only neutral, utilitarian principles can provide a basis for public policy discussions and law; so, appeals to transcendent values, such as religion, cannot legitimately be presented. “The Gospel of Life proposes an alternative vision of law and culture, one that provides an antidote to the pragmatic nihilism that produces a culture of death. It seeks to recapture the essential relationship between the civil law and the moral law, and to foster a culture in which all human life is valued and authentic human development is possible. The Gospel of Life calls us specifically to offer a clear, faith-based view of humanity as a basis for human law. Christians propose that truth can only be known and freedom truly exercised by recognizing that they are a gift from God."

Dolan continued, "A reliance on the natural law and human rights will enable us to move the culture, and thus our laws, in the direction of authentic respect for human life. It will be a gradual, incremental process ... and require compromise and acceptance of intermediary steps."

He described pragmatism, utilitarianism and consumerism as a trinity of related culprits that chisel away at the culture of life and "seem to be ascendant in culture and normative in making laws." From this point of view, "A baby is useless and impractical from a raw, pragmatic, utilitarian or consumerist view" and is seen by some in the culture of death "as a commodity, an accessory.  We have babies, if at all, to satisfy our desires, not to sacrifice for theirs; to fulfill our needs, not to invite us to spend the rest of our lives fulfilling their needs; to reward us, not because we want to give to them."

"To this culture of death, the Church boldly and joyfully promotes the culture of life," he said. “People can promote the culture of life by living, speaking and teaching the truth in love. Usually, we will attract more people by the compelling nature of our love and, in the end that will be what most hypnotizes and magnetizes people."

Very Rev. Canon Tom

As we get closer to our 45th Annual Parish Festival, you’ll continue to hear our priests and committee members “push” the event at our church, particularly by selling the $100 raffle tickets that account for a major part of our all-important fund-raising effort for our school. Though the economy has not been the best, we’re still offering the same amount of prizes that we had offered in more prosperous times. If you and your friends, family-members or co-workers get-together and consolidate your donation for the purchase of the ticket, you’ll be one of those who stand a chance at winning gifts that will more than cover your expenses for the ticket. Again, I thank our volunteer Moms and Dads who will man the tables outside of church to bring us the opportunity to take home one of the cash prizes. They do make nice gifts for any number of occasions. Buy a ticket and help support Catholic education in our parish school!

Did you notice the new Baptismal/holy water font at the front entrance of our church? It’s quite heavy, weighing half-a-ton, and with its richly sculptured white marble will enhance the entrance and add beauty and dignity to our church and to the Sacrament of Baptism. It replaces a temporary wooden piece that has served that same purpose for several years. We still have a little gold-leaf embellishment to add as a touch-up for the font to finish the project that was commissioned in our 70th anniversary year by our Parish Pastoral Council. If you are interested in being one of the donors for the font, please contact Deacon Bruce or me for that possibility. Ten donors at $1,000 a piece, or four at $2,500, or two at $5,000, or even one at $10,000 will ensure your remembrance in that gift.

Were you as puzzled as I to see the very poor coverage that the media gave to this past week’s annual “MARCH FOR LIFE” in Washington, D.C.? Yet, why should we be surprised? The current administration is overtly commandeering the media in its attempt to get its anti-life, “pro-choice” (read: “pro-abort”) propaganda out to the public in order to obscure the valiant efforts of the faithful to promote respect for life in all forms. Additionally, our news reported that under new federal regulations, most Catholic institutions will have to get “in-step” with the rest of the country’s industries and organizations to offer medical “benefits” (as they call them) that will include many that are antithetical to Catholic teachings and traditional moral practices. What have we done to ourselves in allowing these challenges our basic Constitutionally-guaranteed “freedom” of religion to go unchecked?

Recently, Pope Benedict XVI spoke with a group of bishops from the U.S. telling them that at the heart of every culture is a consensus about the nature of reality and [the] moral good. In America, that consensus was grounded in a worldview shaped not only by faith but a commitment to certain ethical principles deriving from nature and nature's God. Today that consensus has eroded significantly in the face of powerful new cultural currents which are not only directly opposed to core moral teachings of the Judeo-Christian tradition, but increasingly hostile to Christianity as such. To the extent that some current cultural trends contain elements that would curtail the proclamation of these truths, they represent a threat not just to the Christian faith, but also to humanity itself, and to the deepest truth about our being and ultimate vocation: our relationship to God.

He said that the Church's defense of a moral reasoning based on the natural law is grounded on her conviction that this law is not a threat to our freedom, but rather a 'language' which enables us to understand ourselves and the truth of our being, and so to shape a more just and humane world. “She thus proposes her moral teaching as a message not of constraint but of liberation, and as the basis for building a secure future.” He explained that the Church's witness is “of its nature public: she seeks to convince by proposing rational arguments in the public square. The legitimate separation of Church and State cannot be taken to mean that the Church must be silent on certain issues, nor that the State may choose not to engage…. the voices of committed believers in determining the values which will shape the future of the nation." He also stated that it is "imperative that the entire Catholic community in the United States come to realize the grave threats to the Church's public moral witness presented by a radical secularism, which finds increasing expression in the political and cultural spheres. Of particular concern are certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion."

The pope noted concerns about the right of conscientious objection on the part of Catholic individuals and institutions with regard to cooperation in intrinsically evil practices; and a tendency to reduce religious freedom to mere freedom of worship without guarantees of respect for freedom of conscience. "Here … we see the need for an engaged, articulate and well-formed Catholic laity endowed with a strong critical sense vis-àvis the dominant culture and with the courage to counter a... secularism which would delegitimize the Church's participation in public debate about the issues which are determining the future of American society. The preparation of committed lay leaders and the presentation of a convincing articulation of the Christian vision of man and society remain a primary task of the Church in your country; as essential components of the new evangelization, these concerns must shape the vision and goals of catechetical programs at every level."

Benedict XVI lauded the bishops' efforts “to maintain contacts with Catholics involved in political life and to help them understand their personal responsibility to offer public witness to their faith, especially with regard to the great moral issues of our time: respect for God's gift of life, the protection of human dignity and the promotion of authentic human rights." He stated that anyone who looks realistically at the issues he described will see "the genuine difficulties which the Church encounters at the present moment."

Very Rev. Canon Tom

It’s the weekend for Respect Human Life, and I have a twist on our annual observance. Everybody has a hero, it seems, though what type of hero and what is the source of that admiration seems to play differently to the vast audience of hero‐worshippers. Some admire “heroes” from the spiritual realm, others are to be found in Hollywood on the celluloid or other make‐believe stages of the entertainment world. Others are war or civic heroes, true to form. Still, some are found among the vast array of political, sports or financial entrepreneurs. A current one for me, believe it or not, is a sports hero, too. His name: Tim Tebow!

In spite of the Broncos loss last weekend, the question still will be asked whether Tim Tebow will end up an NFL great, like fellow Bronco, John Elway? That remains to be seen. I could probably get as many opinions as the number of people that I ask. But what is certain is that Tim has become a special person in my book (though I’m not known to particularly favor the Broncos) because he’s not afraid to live and proclaim his Christian faith. He’s a walking, living pro‐life testimonial, going back even to before he was born. When he was still in‐the‐womb, his mother courageously chose to carry him to term despite doctors’ recommendations that she abort him.

Even before he went pro, a Christian family group commissioned an innocuous TV ad that ran during the 2010 Saints‐Colts Super Bowl game. It briefly told the story of his family’s struggle about Tim’s impending birth. The word “abortion” wasn’t even mentioned, but all it took to rock the liberal “anti‐life” movement was a positive portrayal of child‐bearing. Radical feminist groups (some call them femi‐Nazis), media‐types and liberal pundits went haywire even before the ad ran. The vice president of The National Organization for Women (NOW) told ABC News that Tebow’s story of survival was “really quite offensive… This ad is hate masquerading as love!” she barked. But guess where the real hate was? You see, Tim wasn’t dismembered alive and scraped in pieces from his mother’s womb. The New York‐based Women’s Media Center launched a failed censorship petition drive to pull the ad, framing it as an “attack on choice.” Yet, Tim’s mom did make a “choice,” only it wasn’t the right choice for them, and she dared to make it known publicly.

As Tim Tebow’s claim to fame has grown exponentially, so, too, has the left’s hatred for him. This is due in large part to his very open Christian faith. After each game, Tim begins by thanking God: “First and foremost, I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” The new expression known as “Tebowing” is about his dropping to one knee in prayer. Then there’s Tim’s favorite Scripture verse, John 3:16, (also found on Notre Dame’s Library wall facing their football field) which he’s known to wear painted in black swaths under each eye. After the Broncos’ recent electrifying playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime, John 3:16, was reportedly the most popular search term on the Internet. During that game, Tebow coincidentally passed for precisely 316 yards and averaged 31.6 yards per completed pass. As the television viewing audience for the last 15 minutes of the game was 31.6 percent, to add this to his mystique.

The attention that Tebow’s bold faith has drawn to the Gospel message has secular “progressives” and other Goddeniers furious ranting as raving lunatics. American Atheists, a New Jersey‐based group that promotes religious cleansing from the public sphere, says that Tebow is “full of cr*p.” “Tebow takes religion and injects it into the mix and divides the fan base,” complained David Silverman, the group’s president. “[Religion] injects the divisive force into football,” he continued. “Why in the world are we talking about religion when we are talking about football?” he demanded (because, leaving out religion, then football is just a touchy‐feely snuggle fest). Of course, Tebow is merely doing what Jesus asks of his followers: “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32) 

The problem is that secular “progressives” don’t want Christ acknowledged before anyone ‐‐ period! They endeavor to shut down or mock anybody who tries. For example, during the Broncos’ regular season loss to the Buffalo Bills, socalled “progressive” anti‐Catholic and pseudo‐intellectual funnyman Bill Maher tweeted about the game, capturing the left’s visceral hatred for Tim Tebow in 140 characters or less: “Wow, Jesus just [expletive deleted] TimTebow bad! And on Xmas Eve!! Somewhere in hell Satan is Tebowing, saying to Hitler ‘Hey, Buffalo’s killing them.’”

Jesus addressed the Bill Mahers of the world — past, present and future — on more than one occasion. In John 15:18‐20, for instance, He reminds His followers: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” Those who belong to the world do indeed hate Tim Tebow. He stands for much of what our post‐modern popular culture despises: sexual purity within the bonds of natural marriage, the sanctity of human life, selflessness, personal charity, humility and much, much more. After all, Tebow has never even been arrested for drug possession or sexual assault, for Pete’s sake! We simply can’t allow children this kind of sports’ role model now, can we?

So, even if God doesn’t care about who wins NFL football games, He unquestionably cares about those who play, watch and love football. Win or lose, no matter what happens with the rest of the football season, one thing is for sure: people will keep talking about the Broncos’ Tim Tebow. And when people are talking about Tim they can’t help but talk about the profound faith that drives him both on and off the field.

Very Rev. Canon Tom

Our annual diocesan Catholic Men for Jesus Rally will take place Saturday, Jan. 28th, from 8 am to 1 pm, in the Cathedral of St. Ignatius Loyola, 9999 N. Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens. It’s open to all men from ages 14 and up, and breakfast and lunch will be served. The closing liturgy will be celebrated by Bishop Babrbarito, and our featured speaker will be author and nationally syndicated radio host, Allen Hunt, a convert from Methodism. He is now associated with Matthew Kelly’s Dynamic Catholic Institute. Last year, we sold out, so please register early. Our parish rally coordinator is Jamie Lesane, at 752-4278. It’s a great uplift for all men who want to be good Catholic men, husbands and fathers.

It has been 39 years since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion in the U.S. So, on Monday, January 23rd, the annual Palm Beach Diocesan observance of the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade decision of the Supreme Court will take place across the street from the County Court House (in front of the old court house), with Bishop Barbarito leading the Rosary, beginning at 11:00 a.m. I invite you to join in this peaceful, prayerful demonstration against the unjust taking of human life by abortion, and to pray for the Holy Spirit to guide those women facing the loneliness.

The results of our election last weekend of a new member to the Parish Pastoral Council shows that the majority vote went to Kit Johansen. Congratulations to Kit, and to all who exercised their right to vote in the election. These men and women are an important source of information and help in guiding me with the administration of our parish and planning its future.

The winners of the Early-Bird Special Raffle of the hundred-dollar raffle tickets for the 45th Annual Parish Festival are: Pat Fuller, Anna Powell, Larry Clarke and “The Ten of Us” (% Pat Scarpino). Each of these lucky ticket holders win $500 now, and have a chance to win again in the Grand Prize Drawing on February 26th. Congratulations! Thank you to the sellers of our tickets outside the church doors on the weekends. I appreciate your support of the festival; it is a blessing for all the parents who want to keep our school as the best one in town and beyond!

Our annual Men’s & Women’s retreats at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center in North Palm Beach are fast approaching. This year’s theme is “Handing on the Faith.” The retreat will be a reflection both on receiving the Faith, and our Baptismal call to hand it on and make it known through our lives and words to others in this world. The men’s retreat will be held February 3-5, and the women’s on March 16-18. For more info and registration, the website address is: http://www.ourladyofflorida.org/programs.htm. Our parish coordinators are: (Men) David Henninger (251-2866) or David Schmidt (665-1107); (Women) Deborah Dowd (276-3991). This is a great way to launch our adults into the spirit of the Lenten season.

As we draw closer to the weekend of our 45th Annual Parish Festival, I thank all the members of the Parish Festival Committee, under the leadership of Geraldo Olortegui, for exercising their stewardship of time and talent for the sake of our parish, especially our school. Also, the parents and students who sell the tickets on the weekend are a big plus in our efforts to promote the event. My prayer is that all of our parents will participate in volunteering for the festival (“volunteering” really means doing it without counting the cost or seeking a personal reward or “perks”). This helps us to save on the costs involved in educating our kids in a Catholic setting, and that’s what makes the difference! God bless our volunteers!

We’ve officially closed the Christmas season last Monday afternoon, with the Feast of Jesus’ Baptism. During the Christmas celebration this year, I was asked this question more than once: “Is missing Mass on Sundays and Holy Days still a mortal sin that has to be confessed; and if so, why?” I think they must have been visitors, because I think our parishioners already know the real answer. But in case there may be some doubt, let’s consult the law. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we learn that, “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin (CCC 2181)[emphasis mine]. That directive is quite emphatic in its own right. So, I just wonder how many are failing to exercise this serious obligation, and then proceed to receive the Holy Eucharist (unworthily?), as if nothing serious happened in their responsibility and obligation to keep holy the Lord’s Day. The Code of Church Law (CIC #1247) says, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” Notice, it doesn’t say just “go to Mass.” Thank God, we have the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. Now, if we could just get those who regularly walk out of Mass early (and miss God’s blessing at the conclusion) and think they still are pleasing God because they “came to church,” --to rethink their heresy……

Very Rev. Canon Tom