Basilica Response to Coronavirus

March 18, 2020

Schedule Changes Due to COVID-19

A message from Fr. John Bauer, Pastor

Find Your “Why”

March 17, 2020

A few weeks ago, my husband sent me a link for a quiz he found in his work with undergraduate students. I’m generally skeptical of these black & white quizzes but it was a slow day at work….

The quiz was called “The Four Tendencies” and it focuses on what motivates people and how understanding that can help you get more done. 

After only a few minutes of clicking, my results were in. Apparently, I’m an Obliger: “I do what I have to do. I don’t want to let others down, but I may let myself down.” My husband was surprised, he thought for sure I’d be a Questioner: “I do what I think is best, according to my judgment. If it doesn’t make sense, I won’t do it” or a Rebel: “I do what I want, in my own way. If you try to make me do something—even if I try to make myself do something—I’m less likely to do it.” 

I wasn’t particularly surprised by my results. While I tend to come across as constantly questioning the status quo (my mom used call me “Contrary Mary”), I find that unless I have someone depending on me to produce, I procrastinate.

This is where you come in. I care deeply about the welfare and longevity of our Basilica and our Catholic Church in general. However, I can get overwhelmed with the amount of work to be done and exhausted by all the competing priorities in my life. But knowing that you, the parishioners of The Basilica and the members of Deanery 13 have elected me to be your voice, motivates me to show up. 

So whether you are an Upholder who wants to know what should be done, a Questioner who wants justifications for actions, an Obliger who needs accountability or a Rebel who wants freedom to do something your own way—I encourage you to find that why and put it to use for the good of our home, The Basilica. 

We will soon be accepting nominations for Parish Council positions—consider if you (or someone you know) may be ready to take their experience in the pews to the next level as a Parish Council Representative. Parish Council members serve as an advisory group to the Pastor and assist with strategic planning, creation of effective communication structures, policies and procedures, and educating parishioners about biblical stewardship. They bring concerns of parishioners to the attention of Fr. Bauer and help direct the focus of parish departments. 

Are you worried that you don’t have enough experience or the right skills to participate?

I urge each of you search your hearts and consider if you might be ready to take the humbling step of becoming a volunteer in any capacity! Council members and other parish volunteer leaders will be available after weekend masses in the back of church. Please come and say hi, ask about how and why they serve or let them know if you have questions or concerns.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration of this call to leadership and please continue to pray for the wisdom and humility of all those in leadership positions. 

Mary Gleich-Matthews
Parish Council Secretary
The Basilica of Saint Mary

PARISH COUNCIL NOMINATIONS
Parishioners are invited to nominate excellent candidates to represent the Liturgy and Sacred Arts and Christian Life areas to the Parish Council by April 15. Submit the form online at mary.org/pcnominations. 

For this Sunday’s readings click on the link below or copy and paste it into your browser.

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/032220.cfm  

“What’s the matter?  Are you blind?”   I would guess most of us have used this phrase at some point in our lives.  Usually it’s when someone has missed something obvious, or nearly harmed someone.   Not noticing something is one thing.  Physical blindness is another.   In our Gospel today, for the 4th Sunday of Lent, Jesus healed a man “blind from birth.”  Unfortunately, since Jesus had healed the blind man on a Sabbath, some of the Pharisees criticized Jesus because “This man is not from God, because he does not keep the Sabbath.”    Others, however, said: “How can a sinful man do such signs?”  As a result, “there was division among them.”    In an effort to resolve the issue the Pharisees asked the blind man about Jesus.  He responded:  “he is a prophet.”   The Pharisees (or at least some of them) obviously didn’t like his answer because they replied:  “You were born totally in sin, and are you trying to teach us?” (At the time of Jesus, misfortune or hardship were thought to be a punishment from God for some personal sin or the sin of one’s relatives.)  “Then they threw him out.”   When Jesus heard what happened he sought out the blind man and informed him that he was the “Son of Man.”  We are told that the blind man then worshiped Jesus.    

Our first reading this weekend is taken from the first book of Samuel.   In it Samuel is sent to “Jesse of Bethlehem for I have chosen my king from among his sons.”   Jesse then brought 7 of his sons before Samuel, but the Lord rejected all of them.  Then Samuel asked Jesse: “Are these all the sons you have?”   Eventually David, the youngest son, who was tending sheep, was presented.  The Lord said:  “There --- anoint him, for this is the one!” 

The message of both the Gospel and the first reading is clear.   God “sees” things differently than we do.  

Our second reading this weekend is taken from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians.    In it Paul urges the people of Ephesus to “Live as children of the light………”

Questions for Reflection/Discussion:

1.  In the New Testament, physical blindness if often a metaphor for spiritual blindness.   Can you recall a time when you were spiritually blind?   How did you come to see?

2.   Has someone or something ever caused you to see things in a new way or to see things from God’s perspective?   

3.   What do you think Paul meant when he invited people to live as children of the light?