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Sermon on the Mount

Posted on by Cori Urban

Agnes Lussier of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Charlotte understands when people say they feel closer to God when they are at the top of a mountain.

She attended the Sermon on the Mount on nearby Mount Philo, a Mass for the August Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “It’s so special and so peaceful,” she said of the annual event atop the 968-foot mountain with views of the Lake Champlain Valley and New York’s Adirondack Mountains. “I like to be in the beauty of nature.”

Lussier was one of more than 50 people gathered near the rustic, 1930s lodge for the Mass celebrated by the Our Lady of Mount Carmel pastor, Edmundite Father David Cray.

In his own “sermon on the mount,” he spoke of Mary and the doctrine of her assumption into heaven — the bodily taking up of her into Heaven at the end of her earthly life. Because she was “full of grace,” there was no room for sin so she had no original sin. “If sin is the cause of death coming into the world, this woman with no sin could not die. … She was taken to heaven, body and soul.”

“We know we have her as an intercessor,” Father Cray said. “She is a sign of hope.”

The Sermon on the Mount has been a tradition at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church for nearly 20 years. “High places suggest closeness to heaven,” the pastor said before Mass began. “But I don’t believe I’m closer to heaven because I’m on top of Mount Philo,” he added with a laugh.

Noting the many religious references to mountains — like Mount Carmel, Mont St. Michel, Mount Tabor and Mount Sinai — he said many are seen as holy places, but “God is as close to us at the base as he is up here.”

But there was no denying it was easy to put oneself into God’s presence during the Sermon on the Mount with hymns accompanied by a violinist, a cool breeze, the setting sun, the gentle sound of crickets and the fluttering-by of butterflies.

“This is one of the nicest nights,” Father Cray said.

The Mass was followed by a potluck supper.

—Originally published in the Fall 2019 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.

‘Sermon on the Mount’

Posted on by Mary Regina Morrell

“Important things happen on a mountain,” said Edmunite Father David Cray.

Though noting some of the mountains of Scripture — Tabor, Zion and Ararat — the pastor of St. Jude Parish in Hinesburg and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Charlotte, was describing the experience of the annual “Sermon on the Mount” on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption.

Father Cray was celebrant for Mass on Mount Philo, Aug. 14, a parish celebration of this Marian feast that has taken place annually for almost two decades; Father Cray has been celebrant for this Mass every year since 2004.

“There is a sense of feeling close to God on the mountain,” he said.

Eileen Curtis, chair of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Faith in Action Committee and parish council member, noted that the event draws an average crowd of 80 to 120 people and is followed by a potluck dinner. “It is a phenomenal evening.”

Tricia Sulva, an Our Lady of Mount Carmel catechist, youth ministry coordinator and member of the parish council, agreed. “The experience is spiritually moving, especially on this lovely piece of Earth that God created.”

During Mass, members of the congregation look out across sweeping vistas of the valleys, Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. One year, a strong updraft brought hawks swooping up the mountainside behind Father Cray’s back. Another year, a hot air balloon floated by. This year, the pastor chuckled, two chipmunks running playfully nearby stopped and sat perfectly still when the homily began, as if listening to his preaching. When he was done, they turned and ran off into the trees.

Father Cray, who was recently elected superior general of the Society of St. Edmund, reflected on the value of such a celebration during a time when so many people no longer attend Mass on holy days of obligation.

“A special observance like this provides an opportunity for those who might not otherwise go to Mass to come and learn,” he said, noting that he always reads an excerpt from Munificentissimus Deus, the 1950 Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII defining the dogma of the Assumption.

Sulva, who has participated in the celebration yearly, said the Mass and fellowship afterward are experiences of evangelization, “particularly appropriate for a holy day honoring Mary.”

As a catechist, Sulva looks for unique ways to teach students about the faith and makes connections between a Mass honoring Mary on Mount Philo and Mount Carmel, a coastal mountain range in Northern Israel and home of the Carmelite Order and monastery dedicated to Mary.

She shared an “evangelizing moment” from the Aug. 14 event when she and her daughter, who had invited both Catholic and non-Catholic friends to share the evening, ran into people they knew from town. When asked by their friends why they were there, she said she was glad to be able share about the Sermon on the Mount celebration.

It’s important, said Sulva, to let others know, “We are here to celebrate our faith. This is what our faith looks like, this is what we do for our faith, and we do it out of love for God and as a community.”

September saint: St. Robert Bellarmine

Posted on by Kay Winchester

St. Robert Bellarmine must have been doing something right. Although one of the most brilliant and lauded Roman Catholic theologians of his day, whose opinion was sought by many, he nonetheless managed to kindle the ire of kings and popes alike. The process for his canonization was begun in 1627; however, politics intervened, and it wasn’t until 1930 that he was finally declared a saint by Pope Pius XI. The following year he was also declared a Doctor of the Church.

Robert Bellarmine was born in the Tuscan town of Montepulciano in 1542 and was the third of 10 children whose mother, Cinzia Cervini, was a niece of Pope Marcellus II. Raised during the time of the Reformation in a household dedicated to Catholic piety, it came as no surprise that he became an outstanding scholar of both Church history and scripture. Educated by the Jesuits, whose order had received papal approval a mere two years before he was born, Bellarmine began to write. His work was characterized by a spirit of moderation and rationality in an age otherwise embroiled in bitter controversy.

Although his father had hoped he would use his intellectual gifts to benefit the family’s fortunes, it was his mother’s wishes that prevailed. Bellarmine joined the Jesuit Order in 1560 and pursued studies in philosophy and theology. At the end of his training, his focus turned to an emphasis on refuting what he saw as the errors of Protestantism. Ordained in Belgium in 1570, he became the first Jesuit to teach there at the University of Louvain. In 1576, at the invitation of Pope Gregory XIII, he began to teach polemical theology at the new Roman College (later the Gregorian University).

Over the next 11 years, he would hold several different positions in the Church, including being made a cardinal in 1599. But his most important achievement was a monumental work entitled “Disputations on the Controversies,” which was a three-volume defense of the Catholic faith.  His writing was directly concerned with the political, religious and social issues of his time, and it was often these opinions that got him into trouble. He declared, for instance, that the theory of the Divine Right of Kings was essentially indefensible, and he admonished his friend, Galileo, not to put forward his theory that the Earth revolved around the sun, known today as the Copernican theory. Even saints can make mistakes.

Despite his elevated positions in the Church, he himself remained a very austere individual. Though he occupied apartments in the Vatican, he died essentially penniless, having given almost all of his money to the poor. In one situation, he pulled down the beautiful hangings in his room to clothe the needy, remarking that “the walls won’t catch cold.” At another time, he ransomed a soldier who had deserted from the army. Although frugal with his own life, he always cared for other’s needs.

He died in 1621. The patron of catechists, his feast day is celebrated on Sept. 17.

Sources for this article include:

catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=101

catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-robert-bellarmine-366

franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-robert-bellarmine/

ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-voices/16th-and-17th-century-ignatian-voices/st-robert-bellarmine-sj/

Schreck, Alan. “Catholic Church History from A to Z.” Michigan: Servant Publications, 2002.

 

 

September saint: St. Gregory the Great

Posted on by Kay Winchester

In the 21st century, we are accustomed to the pope referring to himself as “the servant of the servants of God,” but the title itself was first promulgated in the sixth century by Pope St. Gregory I, also known as St. Gregory the Great. Pontiff during a turbulent time not unlike our own, his personal character and leadership have led him to be included among the four great Latin Doctors of the early Church.

Born about the year 540 into a wealthy and prominent Christian Roman family, Gregory’s exemplary talents led him to be named a prefect in Rome before the age of 30. He had that office for only five years, however; somewhat abruptly, he left his position to become a Benedictine monk, establishing seven monasteries on his family’s extensive property.

Although content to live a contemplative life, Gregory nonetheless obeyed when Pope Pelagius II asked him to become one of his seven deacons; later, he also served as the pope’s representative in Constantinople.

Rome at the time was beset by tremendous difficulties both within and without. Invasions continually threatened the Western Church, while Islam was becoming a serious issue for the Church in the East. Major flooding, coupled with an outbreak of the plague in Rome, wreaked havoc in the city itself, resulting in, among other things, the death of Pope Pelagius in 590. Elected pope in his place by popular acclaim, Gregory reluctantly accepted the position, becoming the Church’s 64th pontiff and the first monk ever to sit in the Chair of Peter.

Despite his ill health and preference for the monastic life, Gregory embarked on his new vocation with all the energy and zeal he possessed. He laid particular emphasis on the Church’s missionary work as well as the care of the poor. It was Gregory who dispatched St. Augustine of Canterbury to what was then “Angle-Land” (present day England) to preach the Christian faith to the people there; indeed, the conversion of King Ethelbert of Kent led to the Christianization of the rest of that country.

Gregory also increased the number of deacons in the Church to specifically care for the needs of the people. He was known to replace any clergy who were reluctant to go among the poor and, during a famine in 590, he ordered that the assets of the Church be used to aid the needy and starving. In an act that reminds us of our current pope, Gregory also made certain to dine with a dozen poor people at each meal.

Though disputed by some (who credit this to Gregory II), it is believed that he was also responsible for establishing “cantus planus,” which we know today as Gregorian Chant. Closely associated with medieval monasteries, it remains the oldest original music that exists in the Church to this day.

Pope St. Gregory died in 604 and was immediately proclaimed a saint by popular acclaim. Venerated by Anglican and Lutheran Christians as well as Catholics, his feast day is Sept. 3.

Sources for this article include:

americancatholic.org

catholiconline.org

Huddleston, Gilbert. “Pope St. Gregory I (“the Great”).” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909.

“Pope Saint Gregory the Great.” CatholicSaints.Info. March, 25, 2018.

 

September saint: St. Cyprian

Posted on by Kay Winchester

St. Cyprian of Carthage was born to pagan parents around the year 190 AD. As the son of a wealthy senator, he enjoyed all the privileges associated with that position. Highly educated, he became known as a famous and persuasive orator as well as a teacher of rhetoric and literature. Like his father, he was also a prominent civic leader.

Consequently, when he converted to Christianity in the year 246, it came as a bit of a shock to his contemporaries. Not only did he embrace this new religion, but he gave his considerable fortune away to the poor. Despite this turn of events, Cyprian did not stop his teaching and preaching work; instead Cyprian now used his gifts in service to the Church. Within a year he had been ordained a priest and shortly after that — against his will — he was raised to the position of Bishop of Carthage.

When the emperor Decius began a systematic persecution of Christians in 249, Cyprian found himself guiding his flock from a place of hiding, instructing and encouraging them through a series of letters. His critics maintained that he did this in a spirit of cowardice, refusing to stand up for the faith in the face of death, but Cyprian felt that he was of more use to his people alive.

When the persecution came to an end, the schism of Novation followed. It centered on the question of whether those who had denied the faith during this time of suffering — thereby committing the sin of apostasy — could now repent and be readmitted to the Church. Both Cyprian and Pope Cornelius maintained that there was, in fact, a way back into the community for these people, but another priest, Novation, strongly disagreed. It was his contention that only God could forgive such a serious sin and that the Church had no authority to do so.  Ultimately, Cyprian and Cornelius’ position became the official teaching of the Church, and the understanding of what we now know as the Sacrament of Penance was advanced. As for Novation, he was excommunicated in 251.

When Pope Cornelius died, Cyprian found himself at odds with the succeeding pope, Stephen, over a question of the validity of baptism conferred by heretics and schismatics. But before this could erupt into an open breach, another wave of persecutions began under Emperor Valerian.  At first, Cyprian was exiled from Carthage by the emperor then subsequently brought back to the city for trial. This time, Cyprian did not go into hiding. He, along with Pope Stephen, was martyred in Carthage in 258. Before he died, Cyprian blessed all present and even gave 25 gold coins to his executioner.

The first North African martyr, St. Cyprian is also the patron saint of North Africa. In the Western Church, his feast day is celebrated on Sept. 16.

Sources for this article include:

catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=6198

catholicsaints.info/saint-cyprian-of-carthage

franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-cyprian

Schreck, Alan. “Catholic Church History from A to Z.” Michigan: Servant Publications, 2002.

stcyprian.com/saint-cyprian-bishop-of-carthage

 

Seminarians as students

Posted on by Cori Urban

Deacon Gregory Caldwell explained the difference between college and seminary studies succinctly: “It is not just academics; it is not really about the grade. The goal is to form priests, not merely theologians.”

For him and the other seminarians of the Diocese of Burlington, their studies are not about an avocation, but about their vocation — to become priests.

“One way this is seen is that in seminary formation looks at using the four dimensions of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral,” he said. “Many educational experiences are focused almost exclusively on intellectual formation, but in seminary that can’t be the case; these other dimensions are at least as important.”

He pointed out that St. John Paul II called human formation the fundamental dimension of formation that the others build upon.

Deacon Caldwell, 31, a transitional deacon in his fourth theology year at St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology in St. Meinrad, Indiana, and three other seminarians — all with different backgrounds — fielded questions about being seminarians — about being students. The other three are Brandon Schneider, 42, who completed seminary training at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., and will spend the current school year in pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Burlington; Cale Bombardier, 21, a senior at Our Lady of Providence Seminary; and Giang Dinh Vu, 27, a first-year theology student at St. Meinrad Seminary’s.

“Seminary formation is built upon four pillars: human, intellectual, spiritual, and pastoral,” Schneider also emphasized. “Theology can be studied on its own, but in seminary, it is also closely related to your prayer life and your ministry assignments. Each pillar builds upon and reinforces what you are learning in the others. You can really start to see and articulate how God is actively working in your own life and in the lives of others.”

A 1996 graduate of U32 Middle and High School in Montplier whose home parish is St. Augustine’s there, he received a bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University in history and Russian in 2000 and a master’s from Georgetown University in Russian History in 2002.  He worked in the Admissions Office at Georgetown University School of Medicine where he was assistant dean for admissions for almost five years before entering the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). After leaving the Dominicans, he worked at Northwestern University before entering formation for the Diocese of Burlington in 2020.

Deacon Caldwell, was born near Endicott, New York, and moved to Vermont when he was five. He graduated from Essex Highschool 2008 and used to attend Essex Alliance Church. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 2011 with a degree in computer science and worked as a Software Engineer in Ann Arbor from 2012-2016. He was received into the Church at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Ann Arbor in 2013.

Though he enjoys studying and learning, Deacon Caldwell said the biggest challenges he faces as a student and a seminarian are “due dates, due dates, due dates.”

He continued, “There are lots of things that need to get done, and they all have deadlines: homilies, evaluations, formation workshops, formation meetings, liturgy assignments, ministry assignments — all in addition to normal school work.”

He recognizes that there comes a point when a task just needs to be done. “To quote a former spiritual director at St. Meinrad: ‘There is one thing better than a perfect paper — a done paper!’”

Vu, a native of Vietnam, graduated in 2016 from Electric Power University in Hanoi with a degree in information technology. He came to the United States in 2017 and became a seminarian for the Diocese of Burlington.

He likes being a student because he can acquire more knowledge and make more friends, but because English is his second language, it is especially challenging for him to learn philosophy in English. “I do not hesitate to ask the teacher to clarify for me. In addition, I ask my classmates for help. Furthermore, I have learned more vocabulary every day. This can help me to improve my reading and writing skills,” he said.

He misses his family in Vietnam, but he calls them every weekend to talk.

Bombardier, of Williston, graduated from Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg in 2018 then spent a year at Norwich University as a cadet before he felt God calling him to the priesthood. “While the idea of being in school for eight years after high school can be a bit daunting, in my experience it is very necessary,” said the parishioner of Christ the King /St. Anthony Parish in Burlington. “Being a student means that this is the time that I can dedicate fully to Christ, and preparing myself to be the best that I can be to serve Holy Church. While it has its ups and downs, I do enjoy being a student, I have the phenomenal opportunity to study, and the Lord will use that knowledge to bring people to Himself through me.”

He addresses the challenges of burnout by turning to prayer. “I pray for the peace of Christ to come upon me as well as the opportunity to know Him more in my mind and love Him more with my heart,” he said. “When I pray this prayer, I receive the graces necessary to go on and look not at the schoolwork but rather the end goal, which is serving Christ in His holy priesthood.”

Asked how Vermont Catholics can support seminarians as they study for the priesthood, the seminarians asked for prayers. Deacon Caldwell also asked parishioners to help build vibrant parishes. “In the summers we are often assigned to parishes. What type of parish life do you want seminarians to experience?” he said. “It is also the life in the parish that led most of us to come to seminary. When we visit parishes, we see why we went to seminary. And seeing vibrant parishes is encouraging to us.”

—Originally published in the Fall 2020 issue of Vermont Catholic magazine.