Reflection for Holy Mass of the Word of God at Convo 2022

in receiving the Word of God from hearing us, you received not a human word but, as it truly is, the Word of God, which is now at work in you who believe.

You know how it is. Someone tells you something. Then you get that sort of instantaneous feeling and thought – What am I supposed to do with that? You can create some great giphy memes with “Now what am I supposed to do…”

Hand Johnny Bravo a surfboard and you’ll get: “What am I supposed to do with this?” 

Typically, someone shows up – a friend, relative, or even someone you just casually know, and they are dropping all their drama on you. The queen or king of drama has arrived. We are left saying… what do I do with this?

So, the age-old question, What do I do with this?

Here we are, the best and the brightest of our Holy Church, the committed, gathered for a week of training, a week of study, a week of fellowship and fun, for a purpose. What this is all about is giving you the answer to: “What am I supposed to do with this?”

One man who figured out the answer was St. Paul.

The people of Thessalonica came to believe in Jesus and bound themselves together in His Church because of St. Paul’s preaching and teaching; because of Paul’s work. Yet, as it is, people bearing strong witness sometimes attract enemies. Paul got enemies. Those enemies tried to discredit Paul while he was away, especially because of his hurried departure from Thessalonica. Paul’s enemies said he left town quickly because he was a self-serving coward. Paul certainly must have had a moment of “What am I supposed to do with this?” Here’s how he solved it.

The scripture we read today, from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians, was Paul proving himself by pointing back to his own behavior – how he lived and worked, how he bore witness to Jesus. The people knew him, saw him, worked at his side, learned from him. He is reminding them of the fact they are witnesses of his integrity of his character, they are witnesses to the image of Jesus in Paul. The enemies are lying, and you know it.

What Paul did was so impressive. Paul freely appealed to his own life as an example. Paul didn’t have to say, “Please don’t look at my life. Look to Jesus.” Paul did not hide or fade away when enemies rose up. Paul always wanted people to look to Jesus, but he could also tell them to look at his life, because the power of Jesus was real in his life. It was obvious. He lived it. He was the image of Jesus. He carried the likeness of Jesus wherever he went – he wore the face of Jesus.

Now here’s the harder part. When we face the “What am I supposed to do with this?” moment we are given a choice of who we are to be. Do I just stay me, stay wondering, hide, fade away, be a poser, or maybe just laugh or do I grow in my likeness to Jesus? Can we say: Look at my life with the confidence of Paul? Look at my life and see Jesus and His help clearly. See how I overcame who I was and what I worried about because I am confident that Jesus has me. He has me now and forever.

Factually, that is what God constantly charges us with doing. It is our homework, our assignment, career, and lifelong goal – become more like Jesus, bear His likeness, His face before the world, and be confident in Him. We are to solve the problems we and others face, not with philosophies or politics or reaction, but with the very face of Jesus alive in us. The more and more like Jesus we are the less perplexed we will be with the “What am I supposed to do with this?” moment. The parts of us that wanted to avoid: “What am I supposed to do with this?” no longer desire avoidance, but rather to bear the image of Jesus into the problem. When we face anything, do a self-check. Am I the image of Jesus right now?

Confronted by the drama king or queen, we are to be the face of Jesus to them. Help them to see in us, in our lives, the solution to the drama. Confronted by anything in life, let us be as impressive as Paul as we appeal to our own lives as an example. We should never have to say, “Please don’t look at my life. Look to Jesus.” Of course, we want people to look to Jesus, but we must also be able to confidently tell them to look at our lives because we have made the power of Jesus real in us.

Paul leaves us with a clear statement on how we are to become that image of Jesus. We are to be like the Thessalonians who received the word of God, who welcomed God’s word not as just some advice from some guy, but as the very word of God in all its glory and truth. They not only received and welcomed the word they let it effectively work in them. It changed them.

Paul’s confidence in the word of God wasn’t a matter of wishful thinking or blind faith. He could see that it effectively works in those who believe. God’s Word works, it doesn’t only bring information or produce feelings. There is power in the word of God to change lives; to change us into the very image and likeness of Jesus. So let it change us into the image of the One Who gave us the Word.

June 2022 Newsletter – No Matter What

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

I have been thinking about joy, about that state of life where one is at ease no matter what, where one is confident and secure so we might be positive no matter what. No matter what…

This year’s celebration of Easter was perfectly joyful for me. This was a year where I seemed to connect really well with what the apostles and disciples must have felt when they encountered the risen Lord. In June we transition out of the Easter Season into Pentecost, the Solemnities of the Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi, and at the very end of the month into Ordinary Time carried forward by celebrating Word of God Sunday. Further joy for sure and we revel in the wonderful presence of the Holy Spirit and God’s total giving for us. But…

It has also been a weird time for me. I suppose part of it has been my allergies. For some reason my black car is always yellow by the next morning. The pollen seems the worst it has ever been. This has me feeling tired, run down. Then too, our children are getting older and are transitioning in their lives, moving to the next stage which is a happiness, but at the same time a change which is not always easy emotionally. I suppose the worst thing – I’m turning sixty this year!

Here’s where the Word of God and the action of the Holy Spirit steps in. We have a God of hope – which was confirmed on Easter – where even death no longer holds sway. Hope actually does spring eternal. With hope eternal, the Holy Spirit in us as a people, we can take hold of joy, we can have peace no matter what we face. It comes down to this: Do we place our all in the state of life where one is at ease no matter what, where one is confident and secure so we might be positive no matter what. No matter what… or do we dwell in the But what about… If we dwell in the ‘but if only’ things we face we will never find the truth of joy that is our faith. So be filled with hope and joy and believing which overcomes all things.

Welcome to our June 2022 Newsletter. At the start of the month we are busy celebrating the Church’s birth at Pentecost where we live the Kingdom life. We will then mark the Octave of Pentecost with our reflection on the mystery of the Holy Trinity closely followed by the Solemnity of Corpus Christi (our month long discipleship focus).

This summer ahead is jam packed with activities including this month’s Men’s Retreat, July’s Kurs Camp, Convo, our summer picnic, the annual Golf Tourney at the start of September and so much more.

In June we doubly focus our prayer efforts on vocations – for those in discernment, those in formation, and those called that they may respond generously. We celebrate Father’s Day and the growth in our parish’s ministries including a new Women’s Group and CarePortal.

Read about all this and more in our June 2022 Newsletter.

May 2022 Newsletter – Unconditionally Loved

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

We have a God of unconditional love. In John 3:16 quoted above we recall that verse which many of us memorized early in life, or at least we recognize it from sporting events. It may be the greatest verse in the Bible! It tells us about a God who loves us unconditionally. You see, our great God loves us so much, that He was willing to send His only begotten Son to die for us so that our sins be washed away. He gave His all to destroy the barrier that separates us from Him and each other. He loves us so much that He showed us what was to come, that thing we celebrate every Easter, the resurrection of the dead – when we will all appear as Jesus did – in glorified bodies. We also recall that God loves us so much that He did not create any complicated rules, or hoops to jump through, to get to Him. He only asks one thing – faith: To believe in the Lord Jesus by confessing our sins and making Him the Lord of our lives. Then living in His Kingdom community.

We make things complex in this world because it is difficult to grasp the full meaning of what it is to love unconditionally. We place conditions on love. We read in realities in our relationships that are not really present. We need to stop that. The little word ‘so’ in John 3:16 means that God loves us mightily! He loves us with an unconditional love that is not based upon circumstances, wants, or as part of any deal. God’s love is not based upon what we do, what we can do, or what we have done in our life. He only desires that we actively love as He does. Perhaps in a very special and unique way we connect with that aspect of God during the month of May for we reflect on the unconditional way in which Mary offered herself to God’s service and the way our mothers gave of themselves unconditionally for us. God’s mighty unconditional love is what we must both cherish and give; love without reason or excuse. So let us love in God’s way.

Welcome to our May 2022 Newsletter. At the start of the month we are a little less than half-way in our celebration of the Easter Season and our remembrance of the new life we have in the Kingdom, in the resurrected Christ. By the end of the month we will be preparing for the celebration of the Church’s birth at Pentecost where we live the Kingdom life.

The summer ahead is jam packed with activities highlighted herein. There is the Men’s Retreat, the Kurs Camp, Convo, the annual Golf Tourney, and so much more. May itself is filled with the great celebrations of Good Shepherd Sunday, Mother’s Day, May Marian devotions every Wednesday, and the Solemnity of the Ascension on its proper day – the Thursday that is forty days after Easter. We are exceptionally thankful for everyone’s Basket Social support, SwiÄ™conka (Easter) Basket support, and all who worked so hard to make Holy Week and the Triduum deeply prayerful and Easter incredibly celebratory.

All this and more in our May 2022 Newsletter.

June 2018 Newsletter – Now is the time!

I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand.

Jesus spoke those words in His final instructions to His Apostles and disciples, the night of the Last supper. Jesus, in His infinite wisdom and love, knew they were not quite ready for everything He had to tell them. It remains that way today. Jesus has many things for us to understand and to accomplish. He does not just lay it all on us at once, but rather, as we are ready. In the verse after this one, Jesus goes on to say: The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. That is great consolation – that the Holy Spirit would come, has indeed come – to guide us and train us in all of God’s truth and in Jesus’ desire for our future. As parents, grandparents, and family members we hold great expectations for our children’s futures. Obviously, we don’t lay it all on them at the age of two – ‘this is everything I expect you to accomplish.’ It would be too much, and frankly too presumptuous. Rather, we instruct and guide, pave the way forward. We watch as our children evolve. As young people, we come to realize that the expectations of others, and those we place on ourselves, may not often turn out the way anyone expects – but yet in a way we have been prepared for all along. During the month of June we take pause to consider God’s desire for us. We hopefully stop, shut out the noise, and listen to the things He is revealing to us. His revelation is now. Stop, listen, and feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit, His nudge in a certain direction and for a glorious purpose. Jesus puts His desires on our hearts and minds, He leads us by the sending forth of the Holy Spirit. We have to realize that when He says we are ready – we indeed are ready. Jesus and the Spirit are never before the right time, never before we can bear it, but when we are ready. Have we heard Him speak? Will we take up His charge? Having heard, it is time to say ‘Yes LORD.’

The June newsletter offers tons of information on vocations. Read our Bishop’s Pastoral Letter. Pray fervently and diligently for the gift of vocations. Read from the Fathers on humility and sacrifice. Join us on Father’s Day for Holy Mass and breakfast, and pray for the special men in our lives. Check out our list of summer events and happenings. Read up on ‘saints’ who hate us and false apparitions and visions. Jesus is indeed the final word and we should be following His teaching; all that and more in our June 2018 Newsletter.

Bishop Bernard’s Pastoral Letter on Vocations

To read the original version as a PDF file.

June 1, 2018

To the Very Reverend, Reverend Fathers and the Reverend Messrs., and my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus our Lord:

¡Viva el mes de junio! That’s Spanish for “Long live June,” “Hurray for June.” Hurray, indeed! And welcome to the month of vocations in the Polish National Catholic Church: June is Sacred Vocations month for us. June is the month we focus on our great need for priests, and on the need for significant donations throughout the PNCC to be made to the Clergy Pension Plan.

Our need of priests is dire and critical, but I am nonetheless hopeful and optimistic. Even though no Polish National Catholic families have sacrificed even one of their men, young or old, to our altars in the past twelve years, (and it doesn’t look like any family will in the near future), I remain optimistic. Even though our seminary has been empty for that period of time, except for the occasional priest from another Church orienting himself there to work as a priest in the PNCC, I have good reason to hope because I have experienced God’s providence. Our parish in Denver was declining but was pulled back from the brink of closure by an Hispanic priest from Mexico and 90 people of Mexican heritage who now comprise the great majority of that parish. St Francis, Denver, is growing, and is enthusiastically PNCC, and is flying 18 young people and 6 adults to Convo 2018 here next month.

Because Father Alfonso Castillo needs pastoral help there, I enthusiastically agreed to review applications from priest friends of his in Mexico to provide assistance to him, and subsequently serve our American parishes desperate for priests. In our Diocese, two priests, in fine parishes, are retiring next year. I have no one to fill them. A priest in our Diocese is on three parishes in Jersey. Three priests are on two parishes each. And there are ailing and aging priests all over the place! And yet I am hopeful. So I say, ¡Viva México!

With the increase in aging clergy comes the need for our Clergy Pension Plan to support them all. We collect for this vital entitlement throughout the year and especially in the month of June. We need more capital to invest, the interest from which the pension payments are made. From age 70, a PNCC priest can look forward to a monthly check in the amount of $600; and his widow, a check in the amount of $300. Please be generous in this drive. And so I say, in my optimism, ¡Viva el Plan de Pensión del Clero! (Hurray for our Clergy Pension plan!)

I believe God is showing us a potential direction for the future of our Church; and that pathway seems to be presenting itself from south of the border. For the Methodist Church, that pathway is from South Korea, and for the Roman Catholic Church, from India among other sources. In light of all of this, Bishop Hodur has indeed blessed us with a most optimistic motto for our Church when he penned: A través de la Verdad, el Trabajo y las Dificultades ¡Venceremos!

Yours in Christ,

Bishop Bernard

April 2018 Newsletter – Yesterday, Glad You Are Far Away

For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us

April first and we are at Easter. The wonderful thing about this timing is how it all coincides and works together to represent a restart. A new month, a new day, a renewal of our Easter life – if we are willing to take Him up. The passage above from Titus 3:3-4 compares and contrasts what we once were, before Jesus, and what we can become – if we chose Him. St. Paul points out that people were foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hating one another. Paul in writing to Titus had recognized what the world was like. But rather than staying focused on what was wrong with the world, Paul is pointing out how much has changed because of Jesus. Jesus has restarted the world, He has renewed, regenerated, and re-energized the lives of those who choose to believe and are faithful to Him. The key to Paul’s writing is instruction on how life is to be lived. The life we can take up post-Easter is completely different than the life we had before. It is fresh, washed clean, and a call to continued faithfulness. The Easter life can be dangerous and demanding. Easter witness collides with the powers of “the age” that want us to stay stuck in old unredeemed ways. Worldly powers want us to chose a replay or repeat of yesterday – not an encounter with the new day of Jesus. Instead, if we chose Easter living we gain a new saved existence of joy and well-being. We join to build community in worship and work. We reach out to draw-in all who desire to set aside yesterday for today and tomorrow. Will we give up what we know, what we are comfortable with, for a new saved life? The crucified, buried, and resurrected Lord’s offer is so much better. His goodness and loving kindness is for us. Let us take Him up on Easter and leave yesterday behind.

Join us for the Easter Season. A wonderful time of joyful service in our Holy Church. Our Amazing Basket Social is Sunday, April 15th starting at noon at the Rotterdam Senior Citizens Center. Come out and bid on some really amazing (and valuable) baskets.

Our schedule is really filling up. Throughout Spring and into the summer months we are going to be so busy. Be part of it. Events include:

  • The Eighteenth Annual National Mission and Evangelism Conference, April 27th through 29th at All Saints Parish, Carnegie, PA.
  • Men’s Spiritual Retreat sponsored by the National YMS of R from May 17th through 19th in Walmart, PA. More information here.
  • Gospel Concert at Holy Name, Saturday, May 19th from 2-5pm. Come out and praise!
  • The 73rd Annual National Bowling Tournament will be held In Waymart, PA from June 8th through 10th. Check out YMSofR Bowl for registration documents and information.
  • Kurs Encampment being held June 30th through July 7th at the Bishop Hour Retreat and recreation Center in Waymart, PA. This year’s fun theme is “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Sign up forms are available here.
  • Convo 2018 will be held on the campus of The University of Scranton in Scranton, PA, July 23rd through July 27th. This year’s theme is “Anointed Lifeguards.” Application forms are due by May 20th for a discounted price. Registration forms and more information is available here.
  • The United Y.M.S. of R. 4th Annual Golf Outing will be hosted by Y.M.S. of R. Branch 20 at Holy Mother of the Rosary Cathedral, Lancaster, NY. The golf outing will be held on August 18th.
  • The XXV Holy Synod of the Polish National Catholic Church, will be held within the Western Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church.  The dates and site of the XXV General Synod have been set by the Western Diocese as October 1-3, 2018 at Our Lady of the Snows in Belleville, IL, nine miles from St. Louis, MO.

You may view and download a copy of our April 2018 Newsletter right here.

July/August 2014 Newsletter – What’s Happening Tomorrow…?

July 1st and our newsletter is here on-time once again. It is just before midnight, so we barely made it.

July offers us the opportunity to think of the days of relaxation ahead and how Jesus fits in with those days. Summer is also filled with many Solemnities, Feasts, and Commemorations of particular importance. Read all about them. We consider our response to a neighborhood tragedy and pray for our youth and graduates. We invite you to remain in the Lord this summer, right here in Schenectady, and wherever you travel. You may view and download a copy right here — July/August 2014 Newsletter.

this-summer-at-church_2014

Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle Supports Youth Programs

Make February 2014 – the month of love – a month to win in more ways than one!

The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle

2014, will be a big year for the youth of our Church and our parish. This summer we will once again be sending our young people to the annual KURS summer encampment and to CONVO 2014 at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio from July 21st through 25th. The 2014 CONVO theme is “In the beginning….”

We need your support to give our young people a great beginning in 2014. To start them off right we are holding a month long Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle this coming February to support our youth. Each raffle ticket gives the purchaser a chance to win up to $1,180. The Outrageous Valentine’s Raffle will include drawings for $40 daily prizes and a $100 daily prize on Valentine’s Day. The raffle is drawn each day of the month, giving the ticket holder 28 chances to win! Winners are returned to the raffle bucket, making them eligible to win again and again. Your support will help cover our young people’s summer expenses with the ultimate goal of paying their way completely.

Tickets cost only $10 each. Feel free to contact Deacon Jim at 518-372-1992, Stephanie Dominy at 518-369-1346, or any parish member to purchase a ticket.

We thank you for your support of Youth Ministry and the School of Christian Living at Holy Name of Jesus parish in Schenectady and wish you good luck!

February 2014 raffle calendar

CONVO 2012 Photos

Convo 2012: Confirmed to Walk on Water

The Buffalo-Pittsburgh Diocese of the PNCC will be hosting Convo 2012: Confirmed to Walk on Water from July 23rd-27th, 2012 at Niagara University in Niagara Falls, NY. As we hit the one year count-down to Convo 2012, keep all of the youth of the PNCC in your collective prayers.

For more information, visit the Convo website on Facebook or the Convo 2012 website.