This wonderful image of St. Anselm helps me to focus in these confusing days.

Over the last week, I've been on retreat with kids from a Catholic High School, I've presided at weekend liturgies at our parish, and most recently, I've represented our Diocese at a meeting of regional Liturgical Commissions wrestling with the important issues of how best to prepare our diocese for the soon-to-be-released Roman Missal. Along the way, I've had to preside at several funerals, visit the sick in the hospitals, and helped our Bishop to institute deacon-candidates for their upcoming ministries.

When I look at this image, I'm reminded of the patron of our parish....St. Anselm of Caterbury. Anselm was a monk, an intellectual, a liturgical innovator, and a scholar who helped to renew his community and other communities which looked to his for leadership and inspiration.

I believe that our parish of St. Anselm can continue this necessary ministry. We can continue to help our own people, and those of the local area, toward a more realistic living of the Gospel in our day.

It requires a vision of service, prayer, and ongoing conversion....an openess to new and innovative ways of doing traditional things.

Some people may find this scary and confusing....others may find it heretical....



I think people like Anselm, and John XXIII, and Oscar Romero, and other leaders in a time of radical change, sought to bring folks around to a vision of living this life in the light of the Resurrection of Jesus, and in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

I look to this image of Anselm, and I seek to follow his lead....to the Gospel of Life!!!!