A last chance to say goodbye.    I’ll be around after the 930am Mass this Sunday June 17th, in the St. Faustina Room for one last goodbye, one last hug, one last smile, and one last profound Thank You to all the people and parish who have been so good to me these last 11 years. 

If you would like, there will also be a pot luck in the school gym beginning around 1130am that is open to everyone.

St. Peter’s will always be a part of me and will remain in my daily prayers each night.  Please keep my family and I in your prayers as well!

God bless you!

Phil Lawson

Phil’s Notes & Tidbits

                                    “Corpus Christi”

            As we celebrate Corpus Christi, the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, we perhaps do well to consider Who we consume in the Eucharist. 

            Katrina was a 16 year old when I met her.  She had just returned from a Steubenville Catholic Youth Conference.  At these conferences the young people often come to a deeper realization of Jesus’ Presence in the Eucharist.  Katrina shared with me that after the conference, her knees would shake as she would go up to receive Communion.  She KNEW who she was receiving.

            A few years ago I saw another young lady, a freshman in high school.  She had just exited the Church on a Wednesday evening after spending some time in Eucharistic Adoration.  As she walked through the inner church door, she looked back one last time at the Monstrance and blew a kiss to Jesus.   I was amazed.  For she KNEW the one who was present in the Eucharist, Jesus our Lord.

            A long time ago, the King of France, St. Louis IX would serve Mass on his knees on the bare floor.  One time a servant offered him a kneeler, but the king responded, “At Mass God offers Himself as a sacrifice, and when God sacrifices Himself, kings should kneel on the floor.”  He KNEW before whom He was kneeling.

            One of the few things I remember from 2^nd grade was this tidbit from Sr. Mary Ella Francis, “when you go up to Communion, repeat to yourself, ‘My Lord and my God’ for that is who you are receiving.”  You may note that those are the words of St. Thomas upon seeing the Resurrected Christ in John 20:28.   You know what?  I still repeat those words to myself every time I go up to Communion some 27 years later!  Sr. Mary Ella Francis KNEW who she was introducing us too. 

At the recent training session for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion I shared with those present that when I first began assisting in the distribution, my hands would tremble at what I was doing, and Who I had in my hands.  I KNEW who I was giving to others in Communion.  I try never to lose sight of that reality and encouraged the Extraordinary Ministers of Communion to do the same. 

Pope St. Pius X famously said, “Holy Communion is the shortest and safest way to Heaven.”  And why wouldn’t it be as the same Lord we KNEW in this life in the Eucharist is the one who escorts us and grants us access to Heaven in the next. 

May we all come to KNOW the One we adore and receive in the Eucharist. 

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                     

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

Phil’s Notes & Tidbits

                                    “Saying Goodbye”

I suppose the number of tears shed is directly proportional to the depth of the relationship present.   11 years ago God called me to Stevens Point.  I could never have envisioned the joys, challenges, growth and gifts that would transpire in that time. 

At various points over the years, I have been asked if I would be leaving my position, and my response has always been the same, “wherever God calls.”   Now it has become apparent that God is calling my family and I to serve Christ in a new way.  I have accepted a position as Pastoral Associate at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Gaylord, MI.   My last day present at St. Peter’s will be June 14^th. 

It would not be overstating matters to say this was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.  Let me clarify, one of the hardest discernments; the decision is a given when one determines what direction God is pointing.   (There’s not a real good track record of success in running away from God!)   Trust me, I looked for reasons to say “no” to this position and came to see that to say “no” to this was to walk away from where God is leading.  I’ve spent more time in prayer on this discernment than perhaps any other.  And it has become very clear that this new position is where God is calling. 

            For roughly the past year and a half, there has been a growing sense that I was perhaps called to do something more for Christ and the Church. Last fall I was asked to consider a diocesan position in LaCrosse and this spring I was approached by the Madison diocese about teaching in their Lay Formation Program.  The St. Mary’s Pastoral Associate Position will be an expansion of what I currently do at St. Peter’s, and on a much larger scale as it is the Mother Church of their diocese.  The position also includes a large role in forming the Catholic identity of the K-12 Cathedral School.  The Cathedral is the model parish for the diocese, and in a certain sense, what is done there, then gets done everywhere else.  I will have the opportunity to bring many of the ideas/events we have done at St. Peter’s these past 11 years to them, things like the JPII Retreat, DTS, Men of Christ, Theology on Tap, our very fine marriage preparation program, Café’ Cana, etc.  It’s a very exciting opportunity.

            St. Peter’s has been very good to me and my family.  You first welcomed me in as a single man, and then continued to welcome me upon my marriage to my beloved wife.  The ladies of the parish even threw a baby shower for us upon our first pregnancy!   I’ll never forget such acts of kindness.  I have received much love from this parish and hopefully I have been able to return it in equal measure.  Much of the man I am today is due to the influence of the priests, families, and parishioners who have touched my life here.  How can I express sufficient gratitude for all that? 

In Baptism and Confirmation we die to ourselves and ask Christ to live and work in us.   We pray in every “Our Father” that “Thy will be done”.  God’s ways are not our ways.  I love St. Peter’s and always will; one of the reasons this is so difficult.  But God does not call us to a life of comfort and ease, but to a life in His Service, and although that can be difficult, it is where we find our ultimate peace and fulfillment.          

            I’ll be honest, this moves scares the heck out of me.  They say Pope John Paul II, when he first found out he had been named a bishop, quickly found a Eucharistic Chapel and spent the next 8 hours there in prayer asking for the strength to do that which he was being called to do.   I feel like doing the same thing!   Nonetheless, with confidence that “His grace is sufficient” (2 Cor. 12:9) we push forward.  St. Peter’s will remain in my prayers and I humbly ask you to keep my family and I in yours. 

With much love, affection, and heartfelt gratitude, God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                   

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

Phil’s Notes & Tidbits

                                    “Among my Heroes”

            Whenever I conduct Communion services at any of our area nursing homes, I refer to the residents as some of “my heroes.”  When I look out at the residents gathered to receive our Lord in the Eucharist, to receive him as “food for the journey” in the Eucharist—they inspire me.  I hope my faith is as strong as theirs when I’m 75, 80, 90+ years old!   During one visit a few years ago, there was one resident, 100 years old.  Because of her physical condition, she couldn’t come to the Service, but the resident staff made sure I visited her with Holy Communion.  She was sleeping when I arrived, but the staff knew how important receiving Jesus in the Eucharist was to her and so they stirred her awake.  She looked up as I gave her Holy Communion, received It, smiled, and said, “now I’m ready to go” with a great look of peace upon her face.  Wow!   I don’t know that I’ll ever forget that encounter. 

            During another recent nursing home visit I was talking to a couple who had been married over 60 years.  And while I was technically there to bring Christ to them, and indeed we said some prayers, I was happy to sit and listen and learn from their experience and modeling of a lifelong commitment to Christ and each other!  

            My wife’s grandfather, “Papa” as he was called, recently passed away, at the tender age of 102!  (Living in San Diego may have had something to do with that!)  Even well into his 90’s, he still would walk to daily Mass early each morning.   In fact, he would never miss it.  His passing reflected the “holy death” that we pray for each time we say the “Hail Mary”. 

            Pope John Paul II wrote a Letter to the Elderly in 1999, writing “as an older person myself”.  The document can be found on the Vatican’s website www.vatican.va or by simply doing a Google Search.  It is a beautiful reflection on the dignity of our older brothers and sisters and the gifts they have to offer.   A few years ago, I even assigned this papal letter to my junior high and high school students.  Far from being a “burden” as society would sometimes castigate them, these folks are amongst the heroes of life. 

The late Pope John Paul II concluded his letter to the elderly with this:

“Despite the limitations brought on by age, I continue to enjoy life. For this I thank the Lord. It is wonderful to be able to give oneself to the very end for the sake of the Kingdom of God!   At the same time, I find great peace in thinking of the time when the Lord will call me: from life to life!”

So to all our older parishioners, I say thank you.  And my prayer is that all of our faiths’ be as strong when we also reach the twilight of our lives! 

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                     

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

                                          “The Gospel and the Digital Age”

             Pope Benedict has spoken a number of times of the need for the Church to engage the digital world with the truths of the Gospel.  In fact, the Vatican even hosted a conference for bloggers, especially Catholic ones in 2011. 

            St. Peter’s is blessed to have a substantial presence online via our parish website:  http://www.saintpetercatholic.com/        and our Facebook Account.  Special thanks to parishioners Jason & Darcy Bunn who both set up and maintain the website and Facebook account!   Unlike most of my generation, I’m not the most savvy with regard to the “New Media” so they’ve helpfully made it simple enough for even me to upload material!    

            Some time back I received an email from a parish in Florida who had come across our website.  They were impressed with the Eucharistic Adoration we have at St. Peter’s and the resources on the website in regard to it.  So they asked if they could use our material as they sought to implement Adoration at their parish.  We happily agreed to do so!  Similarly, every year we get requests from all over the country (and even the Philippines!) for our Vacation Bible School materials, all of which our very talented parishioners have created from scratch.  

            As I’ve written previously, Stevens Point held its first ever 40 Days for Life Prayer Vigil this past Lent.  St. Peter’s, and our own Jennifer Dunnett, were a huge part of making this a success.   Pro-Life Wisconsin wanted to put together a short documentary on the experience of 40 Days for Life here as a tool to encourage other communities to take up the effort.   Virginia Zignego, Communications Director for Pro-Life Wisconsin recently spent a day at St. Peter’s doing video interviews of the participants.  Since, St. Peter’s Parishioners were such a huge part of the effort, it seemed natural to do the filming here—and we were only too happy to cooperate!  I’ll be sure to let you know when the finished product comes out! 

It was the first time Virginia had been to St. Peter’s and she was awed by the beauty of the church, so much so that she took lots of pictures and then posted them on a statewide blog she’s a part of, The Badger Catholic.   More good (and free) press coverage for our beautiful church!   You can find the link either off of the Parish Facebook account or at:  http://badgercatholic.blogspot.com/2012/05/st-peter-stevens-point.html?spref=fb         

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                     

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

Phil’s Notes & Tidbits

                                    “The Brown Scapular”

            Last Sunday, our 1^st Communicants were enrolled in the Brown Scapular.  This is a tradition that goes back centuries.  In fact, it was a gift given to St. Simon Stock in the 1200’s.   Mary appeared to him and gave him a brown Scapular, urging him to wear it as a sign of her favor and his devotion, promising her intercession for him.   She promised:  “Receive my beloved son, this Scapular of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor…he who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and a pledge of special peace and protection.” 

            The Scapular is a sacramental, i.e. a sacred sign which resembles the sacraments, and by which spiritual effects are gained.   When I’m explaining the Scapular to young people I use the analogy of a sports jersey. Most young people have an Aaron Rodgers or other Packer jersey.  Why do they wear it?  So that they can show their support of the team.  It represents their beliefs.  Wearing the Brown Scapular demonstrates a person’s love of Mary and the Church.  Significantly however, whereas wearing an Aaron Rodgers jersey won’t make me zip passes like him, wearing the Brown Scapular results in the prayers and intercessions of Mary in Heaven.  Nor is it a superstition or lucky charm, for in order for it to have any effect, the individual must be living a life in fidelity to the Commandments. 

            Numerous miraculous events have been associated with the Brown Scapular, including: 

“In 1845 a ferocious storm came upon the English ship, King of the Ocean.   The water was lashing the ship and threatening to capsize it.  A minister and his family, not Catholic, came on deck and saw the situation.  They were afraid and begged God to save the ship.  One of the sailors on the ship was a Catholic named John McAuliffe from Ireland. He saw how close the ship was to sinking, opened his shirt and took off his Scapular. He made the sign of the Cross with it over the sea and then threw it into the sea.  At that very moment the wind stopped and became calm.  Only one more wave lapped over the deck.  With it, came John McAuliffe’s Scapular right back to his feet.  The protestant minister, named John Fisher saw all this happen.  He and his family would convert to Catholicism.” (Source:  Garment of Grace:  The Brown Scapular).

            Interestingly enough, once you’ve been enrolled in the Brown Scapular, for instance at your 1^st Communion, you never need to re-enroll.   Even if you haven’t worn one for many years, you can simply pick one up at the local Catholic bookstore, “By the Cross” and begin wearing it anew.  

From the Prayer of Enrollment in the Scapular:

“…wear it as a sign of the motherly protection of the Virgin and of your pledge to imitate her.  May the Mother of God help you to be clothed in Christ. May He abide in you to the glory of the Trinity and to dedicate yourself to the Church for the good of your brothers and sisters.”

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                   

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

                                                 “Food for the Journey”

            A warm congratulations to our young people who received their 1^st Holy Communion on Sunday!  

One way of referring to the Eucharist is as “viaticum” or “food for the journey”. In fact, viaticum is what the Eucharist is called when given near death.   I’d like to reflect a little on this theme of the Eucharist as “food for the journey.”

  Consider that Jesus first instituted the Eucharist at the Last Supper, in part so that the Apostles would have the sustenance to persevere in their journey through the coming passion of Christ.  Consider also that it was in the “breaking of the bread” that the disciples recognized Jesus and then promptly began a journey back to Jerusalem.   Every aspect of our spiritual journey begins with the Eucharist, the sustenance for it.  When our teenagers go on the various Catholic summer trips like Steubenville and Adventure Camp, it always begins with a Mass.   The Annual pilgrimage to the March for Life in Washington, DC begins with a Mass. 

            In a certain sense, the most important life step for the majority of us is our wedding day.  What was included in our wedding Mass?  The Eucharist of course—food for the journey.  And what married couple can say they haven’t needed to rely on the ongoing strength that comes to us in the Eucharist?  

            There is a beautiful story that comes from the life of St. Vincent de Paul.  He had a very difficult mission to send his priests on, but before telling them the assignment, he asked if they had celebrated Mass and received the Eucharist that day.   After all of them had indicated they had, “‘Then,’ responded the Saint, I can now tell you what this entails.  You must abandon your country, family, friends and go into exile in a strange land in order to speak about God to the savages and afterwards certainly die, miserably.”  Having received the Eucharist, the food for the journey, all the priests courageously said ‘yes’ and offered themselves in this mission to save souls.  (Source: Jesus:  Our Eucharistic Love by Fr. Stefano M. Manelli, FI)

            Miraculously, a number of the saints have even lived off the Eucharist alone, not taking any other form of food or nourishment.  The list is pretty impressive including St. Catherine of Sienna, St. Lidwina (lived the last 19 years of her live without any food except the Eucharist), St. Joseph of Cupertino, St. Rose of Lima, St. Juliana of Cornillon, St. Nicholas of Switzerland, St. Mary Ann de Paredes, St. Catherine of Genoa along with numerous others.  One more recent example, a lay woman in Germany, Therese Neuman, lived the last 36 years of her life on nothing but the Eucharist.  She died in 1962.  Over the years numerous doctors, diocesan officials, and scientists examined her life and concluded the only thing keeping her alive was Holy Communion. 

            Our young people have received their first taste of the Eucharist, their ‘food for the journey.’  May they be sustained continually as they make their way through life and toward their Heavenly home at its conclusion!  Every time we say the “Our Father” we ask for our “daily bread”.  May we continue to take advantage of this great gift offered to us in the regular reception of the Eucharist!

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                     

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

                        Phil’s Notes & Tidbits

                                    The Fruits of Prayer

            During Pope Benedict’s recent visit to Cuba he had a very special encounter.   On Tuesday, March 27^th, he celebrated  a private Mass at the contemplative Congregation of the Missionaries of Charity.   Each Missionary of Charity prays for the needs of the world, the strength of the Church and the perseverance of the faithful.  In addition, they pray for certain specific persons.  20 years ago, Sr. Teresa, MC had been assigned to pray for a certain priest named Joseph Ratzinger.  Every day without fail she has included him in her prayers, even though she had never met him.   On this Tuesday in Cuba, this missionary sister from India, Sr. Teresa, was privileged to meet the priest she had prayed so long for, now Pope Benedict XVI.    God alone knows how this precious sister’s daily prayers have sustained, protected and guided the priest who would go on to become the Pope!  (Source:  Paloma Rives, www.Zenit.org)         

            I was recently thanked by a friend for my prayers on her behalf, as she indicated things had been getting better.  I responded that “I make no guarantee on the efficaciousness (results) of my prayers!”   However, we do know that God allows the prayers of others to assist in providing the graces to persevere through whatever situation we find ourselves in.   St. Paul tells us “…in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God.  Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 4:6-7)   We do not know the results of our prayers, but we do know God’s faithfulness in answering our petitions for the greatest good.  As the Catechism reminds us, “If our prayer is resolutely united with that of Jesus, in trust and boldness as children, we obtain all that we ask in his name…” (CCC #2741)

            Keeping with the theme of prayer; an update on Father Kevin C. Louis, our former pastor.  He is doing much better.  I’ve had a number of occasions to see him lately, including at the Chrism Mass and during the deacon formation weekends.  His health has improved to the point where he has resumed his role as Director of Spiritual Formation for the Deacon Formation Program.  He indicated to me that he really pushed himself this past Lent, work-wise, and suffered no ill effects.  He says that he feels like he’s “finally turned the corner.”  He always asks me to relay his profound thanks and gratitude to the many who have prayed for him over these last few years.  In his words, those prayers are what sustained him through the numerous set-backs, surgeries, illnesses and dark periods. 

            Let us continue to pray for each other! 

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                   

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

            Phil’s Notes & Tidbits

                                    “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty”

            The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty just released a statement on religious liberty, entitled “Our First, Most Cherished Liberty”.  You can find the document on both the diocesan and parish websites or here:  http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/our-first-most-cherished-liberty.cfm

            It is a 10 page document that summarizes the current situation, as well as a litany of other “red flags” concerning religious freedom in our country these past few years.  It quotes our country’s founding fathers, Martin Luther King Jr,, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, Pope Benedict XVI, and our current bishops.  The document ends with a call to action, specifically for “A Fortnight for Freedom” to be observed from June 21^st-July 4^th of this year, more on that to come! 

            For this week, I simply want to highlight a few of the concrete examples they give of the current challenges to religious freedom.   From the document: 

Religious Liberty Under Attack—Concrete Examples

Is our most cherished freedom truly under threat? Sadly, it is. This is not a theological or legal dispute without real world consequences. Consider the following:

• HHS mandate for contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs. The mandate of the Department of Health and Human Services has received wide attention and has been met with our vigorous and united opposition. In an unprecedented way, the federal government will both force religious institutions to facilitate and fund a product contrary to their own moral teaching and purport to define which religious institutions are “religious enough” to merit protection of their religious liberty….
•  State immigration laws. Several states have recently passed laws that forbid what the government deems “harboring” of undocumented immigrants—and what the Church deems Christian charity and pastoral care to those immigrants. Perhaps the most egregious of these is in Alabama, where the Catholic bishops, in cooperation with the Episcopal and Methodist bishops of Alabama, filed suit against the law:

It is with sadness that we brought this legal action but with a deep sense that we, as people of faith, have no choice but to defend the right to the free exercise of religion granted to us as citizens of Alabama. . . . The law makes illegal the exercise of our Christian religion which we, as citizens of Alabama, have a right to follow. The law prohibits almost everything which would assist an undocumented immigrant or encourage an undocumented immigrant to live in Alabama. This new Alabama law makes it illegal for a Catholic priest to baptize, hear the confession of, celebrate the anointing of the sick with, or preach the word of God to, an undocumented immigrant. Nor can we encourage them to attend Mass or give them a ride to Mass. It is illegal to allow them to attend adult scripture study groups, or attend CCD or Sunday school classes. It is illegal for the clergy to counsel them in times of difficulty or in preparation for marriage. It is illegal for them to come to Alcoholic Anonymous meetings or other recovery groups at our churches.4

• Catholic foster care and adoption services. Boston, San Francisco, the District of Columbia, and the state of Illinois have driven local Catholic Charities out of the business of providing adoption or foster care services—by revoking their licenses, by ending their government contracts, or both—because those Charities refused to place children with same-sex couples or unmarried opposite-sex couples who cohabit.
• Discrimination against small church congregations. New York City enacted a rule that barred the Bronx Household of Faith and sixty other churches from renting public schools on weekends for worship services even though non-religious groups could rent the same schools for scores of other uses. While this would not frequently affect Catholic parishes, which generally own their own buildings, it would be devastating to many smaller congregations. It is a simple case of discrimination against religious believers.

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                   

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization

Phil’s Notes & Tidbits

            “Boy, you guys have a lot of kids around here.”

That was a comment said by a recent visitor to the parish following the Sunday morning Mass.  The number of Baptisms a parish has is a good indicator of the “youthfulness” of a parish and the spiritual vitality of the parish.  Out of curiosity, I went all the way back to 1995 and counted the number of Baptisms we’ve had at St. Peter’s each year up through 2011.  We averaged 25 Baptisms a year with a high of 37 (in 2008) and a low of 15 (1998 and 2004).

Last summer, while visiting another parish, I got roped into helping move a few items around in the Sanctuary—one of which was actually the Baptismal font.   As the priest and I slowly moved it, he noted the dust and commented, “it’s never good to have a dusty Baptism font. “  In other words, it hadn’t been used in a while.  Thanks be to God we don’t have any dust on ours!  

This Easter we’re blessed to add 3 more names to our Baptismal Register as Yvonne Stanke, Joelle Koelzer and Martin Rakacolli are Baptized, receive their 1^st Holy Communion and are Confirmed.  Each has been preparing over the course of this last year to enter into union with Christ and His Catholic Church through the RCIA Process.  They have each made a remarkable journey.  Please keep them in your prayers and warmly welcome the newest members of our Church!

God bless you!

Phil Lawson                                                                                     

Director of Catechesis & Evangelization