Scattered Thoughts

Firstly, I am happy to welcome Fr. Matthew Harrington to St. Patrick Parish. Ordained a priest on May 25, 2024, Fr. Harrington grew up in Peabody and after high school entered Our Lady of Providence College Seminary in Rhode Island where he studied Philosophy and Political Science. He then entered St. John’s Seminary in Brighton for one year and then took a few years off from seminary. During that time, he taught at Catholic schools. He returned to the seminary, and after his ordination he spent the past year at St. Edward the Confessor Parish in Medfield and St. Jude Parish in Norfolk. Fr. Harrington reminded me that when he was in kindergarten at St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Beverly, I was assigned there as a priest. After that reminder, I am considering adding a 4:30 am weekday Mass to our schedule and assigning it permanently to him. Today we commemorate the Feast of All Souls. On this day and throughout the Month of November, the Church prays especially for the souls of the faithful departed. One of the beautiful things about St. Patrick Parish is the deeply-engrained seriousness with which its parishioners pray for the dead. When I arrived here, I was surprised to discover how quickly the calendar of Masses is filled up by people having Masses offered for their deceased loved ones. That is evidence of a strong Catholic faith in the power and effectiveness of the Mass. It is also evidence of a true love for the dead, a deep understanding of the communion of saints, and a sure and certain hope in the Paschal Mystery, the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. Every year around this time, I write about the importance of the Funeral Mass for the deceased. Sadly, many Catholics are depriving themselves and their loved ones of the privilege of a Funeral Mass. It is the ancient custom of the Church, at the time of death, to commend her children to the Mercy of God. The prayers, the rituals, and–most importantly–the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass are the most loving things we can do for a member of the Church who has died. In those rituals, the Church accompanies the deceased person to the threshold of eternity. At every Mass, the saving effects of Christ’s death and resurrection are made present. At the Funeral Mass, we ask God to apply those saving effects upon the soul whom we are commending to God. To deprive oneself or a loved one of this salutary grace would have been unthinkable to our ancestors in the Faith. On several occasions throughout my life, I have offered a Funeral Mass where the only people present with me were the funeral director, the organist, the cantor, and the server. Some people might think that such a funeral would be particularly sad because of the lack of mourners, but for me, I found it extraordinarily beautiful. This person whose friends and family were perhaps all gone was not forgotten by the Church. This person had the exact same Funeral Mass that every Catholic receives. In a way, because of the simplicity of those Masses, it was easier to pray more deeply. The only sounds were the cantor and I chanting back and forth. (Last year when I wrote about this, a parishioner wrote back to me and mentioned that they thought Funeral Masses were “extra income” for the priest. It was a respectful letter, but unfortunately I lost the letter and could not reply directly. For the record, when an offering is made for any Mass, the priest who offers that Mass receives a $10 stipend. If a priest were to celebrate three Masses in a day, he would receive a $10 stipend from the first Mass but not for the other two Masses. So, I just want to assure you that I am not encouraging you to have a Funeral Mass as a “get rich quick scheme!” The parish does have to pay various costs involved in a Funeral Mass, so we do ask that those be covered by the family. If, however, there was a financial hardship, of course, we would provide nonetheless.) So, put it in your Will! Tell everyone you know! Wear a sign around your neck: “I want a Funeral Mass!” Even if everyone you know is already long dead and buried. Or, even if your family and friends would prefer just to have a brunch “celebrating your life,” you have the Funeral Home bring you here. If I’m still around, I will offer the most beautiful Funeral Mass I can for you. No soul in Purgatory has ever said, “I wish they didn’t have a Funeral Mass for me.” You are a Catholic. Live like one, die like one, and be buried like one! Your Brother in Christ, Fr. David Barnes

Recently I shared with a friend of mine that I had a series of projects that I needed to work on and that I set aside a good portion of the day to do them. No matter how many times I sat down at my desk, however, my brain just wouldn’t produce. Part of the problem is that as I sat down to work on one project, I suddenly found myself thinking about the other projects. And thinking about everything at once wasn’t helping to get any one particular thing accomplished. I’m sure all of our lives can be like that at times. I recall one of my nuns in grammar school, Sister Rosamond, used to say, “One thing at a time–and that’s done well–is a very good thing, as many can tell.” The image that comes to mind is that of a messy house. When looked at as a whole, it could be overwhelming and paralyzing, but if we look at just cleaning one small area, something gets accomplished and then, we have a sense that the whole thing can eventually be put back in order. One thing at a time–and that’s done well–is a very good thing, as many can tell. In parish life there are always more pastoral and spiritual opportunities we would like to provide. The most important thing, of course, is providing the Sacraments, but beyond that, we want everyone more involved. We want something for everyone and everyone doing something for others. Patience, however, is needed because well, one thing at a time and that’s done well . . . . Another aspect of parish life is all of the administrative and physical plant issues that need to be addressed. By way of update, I wanted to fill you in on some of the nitty-gritty: Since I arrived here, I have received many comments on the poor sound quality in the main church. It seems like sound systems are always an issue in parishes. In any event, a new sound system will be installed in the coming weeks. During the past couple of weeks the Systems Controls for the church and parish offices have been updated. The old system was no longer viable and we had little actual control over much of the building. In the coming weeks, you will see work being done on the steps of what was once the main entrance of the church. They are in rough shape and need some major work. In a way, it kills me to spend money on stairs that almost never get used, but letting them deteriorate further is not really an option. There are always projects that need addressing on our physical plant, and the needs sometimes can seem overwhelming. They cannot all be done at once, but thanks to our excellent staff, these issues are getting addressed methodically and well. After all, one thing at a time and that’s done . . . . Speaking of nitty-gritty, we are aware that the offertory envelopes arrived late for almost everybody. We have communicated to our envelope company our displeasure. Thanks for your patience. If there are ever issues in that regard, you can just use a regular envelope and put your name and address on it. I do not want to use this whole letter only talking about stairs, envelopes, and sound systems. So, let me make one quick spiritual connection: There are times in life when the Lord may put into our heart a desire to grow in the spiritual life or to put our spiritual life in order. Maybe we recognize we have a lot of faults, sins, weaknesses. Maybe the whole thing seems a bit overwhelming. If so, remember that the spiritual life is a life-long event. You don’t have to do it all at once. Just start somewhere. Do one thing. Beyond Confession and Mass, pick one thing. Begin building. Decide to join one of our small groups. Decide to pay a daily five-minute visit to the Blessed Sacrament each day. Decide to pray the Rosary or some part of it each day. Spend ten minutes a day reading the Gospels. Whatever. You don’t have to do all of them. Just pick one and do it well. It’s a very good thing as Sister Rosamond and many can tell. Your Brother in Christ, Fr. David Barnes

It is a rainy Columbus Day afternoon and I am sitting in my office thinking about the days ahead; days which are really jam-packed. I am also thinking about various images from the previous days that keep returning to my mind. When I drafted this letter the first time, I realized it started to sound like a “to do” list. I hope that the second draft has corrected that. I share these “snapshots” with you because they are on my heart, and I hope that they in some way do for your heart what they do for mine. A woman who is new to our parish introduced herself, her husband and their children to me after Mass. She is preparing to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church this year. As I preached last Sunday on baptism, I saw a young man in the congregation who is preparing to be baptized here at Easter. I saw two young boys from our school come into Mass with their parents. I see them at school drop-off each morning. They are always smiling. I saw a little girl at Mass diligently practicing holding her hands in the “prayer” posture. On Columbus day, I showed up five minutes early for our daily confessions. I heard confessions from 11:15am until 11:55am. I had to end so that I could get ready for our daily Noon Mass. I was really struck as I looked around at the Noon Mass on Columbus Day that so many people who had the day off of work, opted to come to daily Mass. Their presence really moved me. After Mass, I went back and heard another thirty minutes of confessions! I will meet with our Vice-Principal and the parents of two of our older students in our school who–on their own volition–have asked to receive First Holy Communion. (Well, by their own volition and by the Grace of God.) I will meet with a couple of seminarians (I still am an adjunct spiritual director for the seminary) and I will also meet with a man who is preparing to become a permanent deacon. I will hear confessions and have a Holy Hour for our Young Adults and then–if I can muster the energy–will join them for their Happy Hour. (I might bail on the Happy Hour. We’ll see.) I will meet with our new priest for a few hours. I will have dinner with a young couple from our parish. I will join some parishioners who invited me to a dinner for a young woman who is becoming a nun. I will preside at a Wedding Mass and offer a Funeral Mass. I mention these things not so that you think I’m busy. (You’re all a lot busier than I am). I mention them because it fills my heart with so much joy when I think about how blessed we are. Those are just a smattering of things that happen here in the course of a few days. Those are just a few things that I actually noticed. Seeing and participating in all of these things this week really encourages me and fills me with a lot of gratitude. I hope in some small way that sharing these snapshots encourages you also. The Catholic life is so beautiful. Your Brother in Christ, Fr. David Barnes PS: Last week we announced that Archbishop Henning has appointed Fr. Matthew Harrington to serve as parochial vicar here at St. Patrick Parish. Fr. Harrington was ordained a year ago and will begin his ministry here on October 29th. We are very happy to welcome him and look forward to his becoming part of our parish family.

A couple of weeks ago, while on the parish pilgrimage to France, we offered Mass at a church in Toulouse. The church was originally the church of a Carthusian monastery, but is now a parish church located near a university. The pastor–ordained only two years–shared with us that in many places in France there has been a revival in the faith of young people. In his parish they are preparing 300 university students to be baptized at Easter! My brief encounter with him reawakened in me a reminder of what is possible and also awakened in me an awareness of the obstacles that stand in our way. A deadly attitude in parish life is to make it “consumer based.” That is, we look upon parishioners as “customers” and we try to please them. This can lull people into living their faith in a very passive way. It becomes about them being entertained, rather than them becoming active disciples of the Lord who are daily growing in holiness and who are on fire to share the gospel with others. When you look around our church these days and see young adults, young couples, young families, and college students, I can guarantee you that they are here not because they are looking to be entertained, looking for a moral life that conforms to this present age, or for a liturgy that is unserious. They are hungering–starving–for Truth, Beauty, Goodness and friendship in Christ. I think it comes as a surprise to many people, but most young men and women who are drawn to the church are not looking for an easy fix, a feel-good experience, or vague religious sentiment. They want to know what Jesus teaches and they want to know how to follow Him. They want to take up the Cross. They want a form of worship that isn’t about lulling them into a warm and fuzzy feeling, but rather lifts them up into the heavenly realms. There has been a decades-long decline in Catholic life. Today, it is quite possible (likely) that many ten year old children, whose families were once Catholic, are now third generation non-practicing Catholics. Maybe the grandparents still had an idea that they should make sure that their children received the Sacraments and got married in the Church. They perhaps came to Mass on special occasions. Their children almost never came to Mass, but maybe still kept the trappings of Faith. Their children may have been (but often are not) baptized. When they enter a church, they are completely unfamiliar with it and can’t make any sense of why they are there because it has nothing to do with their everyday lives. Many young adults–like those who grew up in a very secularized France–are suddenly reawakening to their Faith. They realize that they were deprived of something invaluable. They are experiencing a revival and are being drawn into a converted way of life. They want to hear the full gospel. They want to know how to live a moral life. They want to encounter Mystery. They want the Tradition and the traditions of which they were deprived in their childhood. They are on fire. I am very grateful that so many of you–young, old, and everything in between–have been so supportive of our efforts to grow the parish and to evangelize. These efforts touch upon all aspects of our life: our School, our Music, our Liturgical Life, our Religious Education etc. They involve everyone; our staff, faculty, priests, deacons, and parishioners. Every aspect of our life is always in constant need of renewal. If we are not renewing, we are dying. I am encouraged by all of the volunteers who have committed themselves to building up a parish that is unafraid to risk everything on the Beautiful, the Good, and the True. I am grateful for those who are responding to the needs of our young people in our small youth groups, confirmation program, and in the building up of community (friendship) among young married couples and young adults. I am grateful also to those leading small group bible studies and other formation events. You are not passive consumers. You are active disciples who are sharing the Gospel with others. You are building up the parish and building up the Church. I am grateful for those assisting our small St. Patrick School Choir who sang beautifully at the last school Mass. I hope they come and sing on a Sunday soon! These small little communities are places to encounter Christ. Lastly, please pray for those in our own parish who are preparing to become Catholic (and/or be confirmed) come Easter. There are four people seeking baptism, four preparing to be received into the Catholic Church who were previously baptized in other denominations, and one who is Catholic but is seeking Confirmation. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see them among us. Your Brother in Christ, Fr. David Barnes

As I complete my time with you at St. Patrick’s, I’d like to take this final opportunity to express my gratitude for these past 18 months. While it was an unexpectedly short assignment, it was filled with joys and graces that I will carry with me for years to come. Having arrived here after six years in campus ministry at Harvard, I honestly wasn’t sure what it would be like to return to a more typical parish setting. I was admittedly a bit apprehensive about whether or how God was going to make use of the seemingly specific skills I had acquired; things like campus outreach, forming student leaders, marketing and fundraising, etc… all of these seemed far removed from ordinary parish life. But within a few months, I started to see, once again, that God does not work by human logic, and His plans are far greater than our own. As some of you know, I’m one who values deep, personal relationships. I don’t like conversing in large groups; in fact, I feel quite awkward at public speaking settings that do not involve preaching in church! And so, I quickly recognized and appreciated your sincerity, authenticity, and your hunger for growing in faith alongside each other. My friendship with you has enabled me to see firsthand how some of the most profound movements of the Holy Spirit happen relatively quietly and invisibly. They don’t make news headlines or grab our attention, but they impact us profoundly. Things like cultivating a new habit of prayer, being healed through the sacrament of confession, experiencing Christian fellowship, or a child learning to love God at school and then sharing that at home; all these unfold quietly, and yet they effect nothing less than the transformation of the world around us. Through you, the Lord has shown me how much He works through authentic human relationships, and that all the practical plans we make and human structures we build are always secondary. As I previously wrote, we are called to communion: communion with God and with the “whole Christ”, that is, His entire Mystical Body. And Christ’s Mystical Body – the Church – is manifest most concretely in the parish community: the local family of God assembled by the Holy Spirit to offer itself to the Father. I am reminded of the words of the First Letter of John: Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God; yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is brought to perfection in us. Indeed, amid all your daily trials and struggles with faith, God’s love is being brought to perfection in so many of you, and it has been a privilege for me to witness. I’d like to thank Fr. Barnes for his leadership that has been an inspiration and model for me to follow. I’m grateful to him and Fr. Sijo for welcoming me into their home and for the memorable priestly fraternity the three of us have shared together. I also thank all of the staff at St. Patrick’s who are so joy-filled and hard-working; they share a personal love for the St. Patrick’s community that helps us priests to more effectively minister to you. And finally, I thank Mrs. Schmidheiser and the school faculty for their dedication to attending so well to the spiritual formation of the children, and welcoming my presence in the classrooms each week. I will be moving out on Tuesday and beginning at St. André Bessette Parish right away. Please come visit for Mass anytime at either St. Joseph Church in Amesbury or Star of the Sea in Salisbury. I am deeply grateful for St. Patrick Parish and will miss you all! Yours in Christ, Fr. Patrick