Third Sunday of Lent

March 23, 2019 Column Father De Celles


GO SEE THE MOVIE “UNPLANNED.” Back in October of 2013 our Respect Life Committee brought Abby Johnson, former director of a Planned Parenthood Clinic in Texas, to speak to us about her conversion from being part of the abortion industry to becoming a pro-life activist Catholic. She gave an amazing talk, and explained how “everything changed” when she was asked to assist in an abortion and saw the live ultrasound images of a baby being killed in an abortion. She wrote a book about her story, and now that book has been made into a major motion picture, “Unplanned,” which will be released this Friday, March 29, and will be showing at Regal Kingstowne, AMC Potomac Mills and AMC Hoffman.

We talked about organizing a special parish showing of the film, but thought it might be better to show support by all of us going separately, and paying to see it. You know how this works: if there aren’t a lot of ticket sales in the first weeks of release, the film stops showing. Don’t let this happen: people have to see this movie. Even if you’re already pro-life you should still see it, and bring your friends, as it will remind you, “why we fight.”

The Hollywood establishment doesn’t want this film to succeed, because they know how dangerous it will be to the pro-abortion movement. So, they have figured a way to rate it “R”! Imagine, movies with graphic and gratuitous sex, nudity, violence, gore and bad language get PG-13 ratings, but this good Christian movie is, “Rated R: Restricted – under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.” Actually, there is one violent scene, and one bloody scene. As Abby writes to parents:

“So why the R rating? For two scenes.…The first is a CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) recreation of what I saw on the ultrasound screen when I assisted in the abortion procedure that convinced me of the humanity of the unborn. …You will see the abortion instrument…like a dark line on the ultrasound, introduced onto the screen. You will see the baby struggle against it. You will see the baby first slowly, then quickly disappear into the instrument as it does what it is designed to do…[T]his was a CGI recreation and NOT footage from a real abortion….No one will be able to see this scene and then say they “don’t know” the truth about abortion.

“The second scene …re-creates my awful experience with the abortion pill. …I won’t lie to you; that scene shows some blood. In real life I hemorrhaged so badly I thought I was going to die. The movie captures that without being gratuitous or gory.…”

            See you at the movies!!!!

 

Third Sunday of Lent. As Lent continues I encourage you all to let yourself enter more fully into the holiness of this season. Some of you may not have really turned your full attention to the penitence of the season yet, and some of you may be starting to wane in your sincere efforts. All that is understandable, but we must not let this great opportunity to draw closer to Christ slip away.

In this regard I urge you to pause every night before you go to bed and briefly examine your consciences, thinking both of your sins and of God’s blessings of the day. Also take a moment to consider how you well you “kept Lent” that day.

I also encourage you to carefully review the Lenten Schedule we distributed two weeks ago (go to straymonds.org and click “Lenten Schedule” at the top of the home page) and think about which of the various Lenten liturgies and activities you should take part in—and resolve to make it happen.

Looking over the schedule, I see the daily confessions—have you been yet? And the Friday Stations of the Cross—such a simple but profound devotion (and maybe you could come at 5pm and join in good Catholic fellowship at our Soup Supper). And the Thursday night Holy Hour and with my half-hour meditation on “The Agony in the Garden”—Christ’s final preparation for His Passion. Or maybe you can come to Exposition and Adoration on Wednesday or Friday. Or how about waking up early once a week to come to morning Mass before work or school. Or go to Mass at another church during lunch. Or maybe come to Wednesday Mass at 7pm—you could come early to go to confession, spend time in Adoration, and go to Mass—what a great Lenten evening!

Don’t let this opportunity to grow in holiness, pass you by. Keep the love of Christ Crucified before your eyes at all times, so that your hearts may be transformed every day in Lent.

 

RCIA and RCIC. Please keep in prayer those adults and children who are preparing to enter the Catholic Church and/or be baptized, confirmed and receive First Holy Communion at the Easter Vigil. For the last few months they have been preparing diligently for that great day. Let us pray that they persevere in faith, and be open to all the graces God has in store for them. And may they be an example to the rest of us, reminding each us of our own continuing need for personal conversion in the love of Christ.

 

St. Patrick’s Dinner. It was good to see so many of you at last Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Dinner. I don’t have the final numbers, but somewhere between 200 and 250 parishioners and friends enjoyed good food, good music, good fellowship and the performance of some excellent Irish dancers. These kinds of social events are so important to the life of a vibrant Catholic parish, as opportunities to share the love and joy of Christ together, and to get to know each other better so as to live and work together as the Body of Christ in Springfield. Thanks for all who worked so hard to make the evening a success, especially the Knights of Columbus and Chef Christine Gloninger. May St. Patrick watch over you and keep you in his care.

 

A Note About Parish Dinners/Events. I am always amazed at the efforts folks make to organize, prepare and present parish events like the St. Patrick’s Dinner, Oktoberfest, and the Italian Dinner. But I’m afraid that we are relying more and more on a smaller and smaller group of people to make these things happen, and that in turn produces burnout. It’s a lot of work, but it can also be a lot of fun, as long as you have adequate help. So once again, I’m calling on volunteers to help with these dinners and other events. A lot of these are sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, so if you’re a Knight, are you helping out? But even if you’re not a Knight, you can still help—Christine Gloninger organized the cooking for the St. Patrick’s Dinner last week, and ladies can’t be Knights! Please help us, keep these dinners/events going by volunteering to help. If you don’t know who to contact to volunteer, just call/email the parish office.

 

Oremus pro invicem. Fr. De Celles