The PBJ – Nine Years Later – A View from Chicago

(Tim Sullivan)

 

It’s hard to believe that the PBJ is coming up on its 9^th Birthday.  I would never have guessed nine years ago on that first Saturday of October of 2002 the PBJ would evolve to what it is today.  From a handful of volunteers that first Saturday to now with a core of dedicated, caring individuals and dedicated volunteers (40, 50 or 60 each week) who show up to care for the “friends” downtown.  I truly miss all of the volunteers and the people downtown who I’ve gotten to know as friends over the last nine years.  Like the old saying, you really don’t know what you’ve got until it’s not there.  By moving to Chicago I’ve gotten a different perspective on the work that the PBJ does each week, week in and week out, 52 weeks a year.  While I was actively involved (I still remain on the Board of Directors) I knew that the work we were all doing was important and Christ-inspired.  Each week to see people actively living the Gospel, actively doing what Christ calls each of us to do is an incredible experience.  What I don’t think I realized though was how absolutely necessary that work is.  The importance goes without saying.  But each week, to see 250 or so people being cared for in a compassionate, loving way it really never struck me how terribly necessary the work that the PBJ does is.

Chicago, like any other big city has a homeless problem.  All you have to do is walk down the street and it’s obvious.  You see people obviously homeless or completely marginalized just like in the Detroit area.  But there is a big difference.  If you look on the scale of who’s better off (and I hate to use that term because none of them are better off) the scales definitely tip toward Chicago.  The number of shelters and programs geared toward the homeless are absolutely incredible.  Catholic Charities (sponsored by the Archdiocese of Chicago) runs 5 soup kitchen where dinner is served.  I’ve worked at one downtown which feeds approximately 150 people each meal (donated by local establishments and grocery stores).  Just the programs run by the Archdiocese of Chicago through Catholic Charities are numerous and widespread.  (See: http://www.catholiccharities.net/get_involved/.)  Outreach is provided by various parishes and in addition to this in well over 100 soup kitchens throughout the city (both governmental and private) providing food and emergency services to the homeless and marginalized.

By serving those on the bottom rung of Detroit’s society the PBJ fulfills not only an import but an extremely necessary service.  There is no one worse off than the people that the PBJ serves.  The homeless from other areas of downtown Detroit look down on the people who are cared for by the volunteers from the PBJ.  The most important thing is not the food, not the clothing but the care and love that is provided week after week.  Without the PBJ these “friends” would be unloved and uncared for.  Food and clothing are needed for the body, but care, concern, conversation and respect are non-quantitative things which no one can do without and which the PBJ offers in abundance.

I would just ask you to consider (if you haven’t already done so) to join the other volunteers some Saturday.  I can promise you that you will receive much more than you can ever give.  Blessings to all,

Mother Teresa

"There is a terrible hunger for love. We all experience that in our lives--the pain, the loneliness. We must have the courage to recognize it. The poor you may have right in your own family. Find them. Love them." Mother Teresa

Deitrich Bohnoeffer (On Church)

The church is the church only when it exists for others. To make a start, it should give away all its property to those in need. The clergy must live solely on the free-will offerings of their congregations, or possibly engage in some secular calling. The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live in Christ, to exist for others.

PBJ OUTREACH UPDATE

For several reasons, financial and personal, the PBJ expansion has been put on an indefinite hold.

DEACON TIM'S COLUMN 6-20-10 (FATHERS' DAY)

In the Gospel today (according to Luke) Jesus tells us “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” When I was teaching at Loyola on Fenkel in Detroit I would periodically take a different route and cut across Fenkel. When I did this I used to pass a store front church which had a sign in the window “The Gospel Made Easy”. I always thought about stopping in and asking “how?” The Gospel isn’t easy. Following it can become easier the more we practice (just like virtue) but it never is easy.

Each of us is continually challenged by the Gospel, challenged to follow Christ. I can only imagine having a conversation with Christ and asking him “was it easy?” I’ve got a pretty good feeling I know what the answer would be. Jesus laid out the two most important commandments, to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves. In his public ministry he further defined these two when he gave us the Beatitudes (eight in Matthew and four in Luke) and the parables about forgiveness and love of neighbor (The Prodigal Son, The Woman Caught in Adultery, The Good Samaritan and so on).

Throughout Church history, the pages are filled with people (women, men and children) who did take up their cross and were concerned more with the life to come than the life in the here and now. These martyrs (both red and white) took up their crosses and often bore incredible hardships and suffering in following Christ.

In the second reading today from the Letter to the Galatians, Paul tells us that “There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free person,, there is not male and female….” We are all one in Christ through our baptism. In this baptism we also become responsible for all of our sisters and brothers (in varying ways). At the very least we are called to pray for our sisters and brothers and not put any impediments in their way regarding their eternal salvation and their temporal welfare (to the best of our ability).

Blessings to all, especially to all fathers, grandfathers, step-fathers, foster fathers and all men who act as father figures.

Deacon Tim 734-502-1818 deacontim@tds.net http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com

www.pbjoutreach.org

IMMIGRATION -- A BIASED VIEW

     With all the talk about illegal immigration, Arizona's new state law giving the police the right to, upon a stop for another crime/incident, check the citizenship status of the individual they stopped, some rumblings in Michigan about adopting something similar, and all the pros and cons regarding these topics I feel compelled to just add a few of my own comments toward this situation.

     First, I have to admit that I'm not an entirely unbiased commentator.  Early in the 20th Century my great aunt (God rest her soul) came into the United States illegally.  She came through Canada with the assistance of an Irish priest in Detroit who at that time was helping Irish immigrants who were fleeing Ireland to enter the United States.  Over the course of her life, I believe that she did ultimately become a naturalized citizen.  She also raised a family alone, after he husband deserted her and her three sons (my second cousins).

     My aunt didn't come to this country on a lark.  She was fleeing Ireland because of the repression of the English occupation force in Ireland at the time and because of her involvement with the Irish pro-independence movement operating in and around Cork.  From 1916 until 1922 an extremely bitter war was fought by Ireland in order to obtain freedom from English rule.  (As a side note, if you're interested, there is a very excellent independent movie which had limited release in 2006 - now on DVD - "The Wind that Shakes the Barley" -- set in County Cork from 1920-1922.)

     Her brother, my great uncle had been captured, imprisoned and tortured for his involvement in the Irish independence movement.  He later emigrated to the United States (Detroit).  This imprisonment and torture left extremely deep psychological scars on him until the day he died.

Homily - 5-2-10 8 a.m. & 10 a.m. - Our Lady of Good Counsel

HOMILY 5-2-10
8 a.m. and 10 a.m.
Our Lady of Good Counsel
Deacon Tim Sullivan

In today’s Gospel (Jn 13:31-33a, 34-35) Jesus tells his disciples that he is giving them a new commandment to love one another as he has loved them. If you search all of the versions of the Gospel, no where will you find that Jesus ever made a suggestion. He gave commands. He didn’t say, love one another as long as you get along with them or if you like them. He was very definite…love one another as he loved them (and as he loves us). On this, Jesus didn’t give us any “wiggle room”. This scene in the Gospel takes place after the Last Supper and after Jesus has washed the feet of the Apostles. We should remember that Jesus washed the feet of Judas also at the Last Supper. Keeping this in mind, when he told us to love one another he didn’t say that we had to like everyone. I imagine Jesus didn’t really like Judas that much knowing that he was going to betray him and turn him over to be tortured and killed by crucifixion. I imagine that Jesus didn’t like Peter’s actions of denying him three times. I also have a feeling that he didn’t like Pilate that much, remembering that Pilate is the one who condemned him to be scourged and crucified. He might not have liked these people but he loved them. He calls us to do no less.
This love was a totally selfless; ask nothing in return type of love. This love that Jesus had for us (including Judas and Peter and Pilate) is the same love that he commanded that we each have for each other.
This love isn’t that warm fuzzy feeling you get from someone. Rather it’s the visible act that shows our relationship with each other as sons and daughters of God. It’s the abandonment of self and the realization that each and every one e of us is special in God’s eyes and therefore should be special in our eyes. We are all family, we are all brothers and sisters. This love that we are called to have is manifested by wishing the absolute best for someone, and the best thing that we can hope for is that they gain eternal salvation and their eventual place in heaven. The way we can do this, especially if we don’t know the person or if we’re having problems with the person is to pray for them.
This “praying for them” isn’t always an easy task. Watching the reviews for the movie out
about Jack Kavorkian I was reminded that when he was at his height of activity, I knew I should
pray for him…so I did. I would pray, Father, I’d like to pray for Jack Kavorkian (and then add) but
you know I don’t mean it. I prayed like that for several years. Then one day while I was praying, I
remember saying “and I want to pray for Jack Kavorkian” and I actually meant it. A harder
situation arose when my youngest daughter was about five years old. Someone tried to abduct her from in front of our house. I was reminded how hard this is when I was talking to a person several years ago. They said that someone had done something very bad against someone in their family and that they couldn’t forgive them. I told them that it might be helpful to pray for them. Their response was “oh I do pray for them, I pray that they die the most horrible, painful, lingering death possible. This person was probably one of the scariest people I have ever met…they had no peace. In effect, they were spiritually and emotionally dead.
One of the biggest aspects of love is forgiveness. There are times when we just have to forgive. The last part of the story about my daughter is that she wasn’t abducted but having the description of the car and of the individual I looked for them for three days. It was only by the grace of God that I didn’t find them. It’s taken me over 21 years to bring myself to pray for that person…and it’s still hard.
After the 8:00 a.m. Mass, something happened as we were processing out. Fr. John looked at me and said “I think God just called your bluff.” To truly be called Christians, followers of Christ we have to love and have to be able to forgive, no matter who the person is, no matter what they’ve done and no matter how much they have impacted us.

PBJ OUTREACH INC.

PBJ (Peanut Butter and Jelly) Outreach Inc. is an diverse group of people volunteering their time and services to provide food, clothing, and basic social services to homeless people as well as those who are below the poverty level, living in the depressed and impoverished areas of the Metropolitan Detroit area, including the Cass Corridor section of inner city Detroit. The services are provided to all, regardless of race, religion (or lack thereof), gender or national origin.

[The PBJ Outreach Inc. is a 501(c)(3) public charity under the Internal Revenue Code.]

The Inspiring Story of PBJ Outreach, Inc.

In October of 2002, Deacon Tim Sullivan and four other faith-filled people began the PBJ Ministry in the heart of the inner city of Detroit. They set up a card table in a vacant lot at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and 3rd St. within the Cass Corridor. They didn’t know who owned the lot, just that there were people in need there. They began making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on site keeping the bees from becoming part of the cuisine. They served approximately thirty people that day and vowed to come back. PBJ Outreach now serves up to 350 people every Saturday morning with anywhere from 40 to 60 volunteers helping between food prep and service.

Seven years later the food preparation is done at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Plymouth, Michigan beginning with an early wakeup call to begin preparations by 5:30AM. The menu now features four meat sandwiches, one peanut butter and jelly sandwich, one jelly sandwich, one tuna fish sandwich, one bag with a loaf of bread and a jar of either jelly or peanut butter and a hot item. Also on the menu is an assortment of pre-packaged snacks and candy, bottled water, juice and coffee.

The team has tackled the management of the process by setting up a queue for the guests to walk through, having runners behind the servers to refill any items that are running low, and having certain items strategically placed. For the handicapped and families with small children, there is a smaller version of the setup on the sidewalk for easy access.

What makes this prep-and-serve group so amazing is how they embrace the needs of the guests and bring their ideas to the ‘party’. There are individuals who bring smiles, conversation and cheer to the people as they walk around offering coffee and juice to those standing in a long line. Others give hugs to people who are considered untouchable. Patient conversations take place with those whose stories are filled with childlike fantasy and color. Young adults entertain the children to help the parents find their way through the line. The candy man hands out lollipops to everyone. He’s found that adults never grow up and everyone has their favorite flavor. Deacon Tim stands in his sandals with his partner waiting for the opportunity to pray with anyone whose heart is open for one. Prayers are not required, sermons are not required. Heart to heart conversations with spiritual guidance and prayers are available for anyone who requests it. One woman walks around with minimal first aid supplies to help bring comfort to those who physically need it. With only the experience of being a mom, there are assorted creams and bandages all distributed with great care. A selection of donated books to help pass the time, edify the soul or educate are all on hand for distribution; a hot item to be sure. With the same great management skills, a free clothing ‘shopping’ experience awaits the guests every second and fourth Saturday of the month. These individuals also bring specialty items at important times of the years. When school starts, along with clothing, there are school supplies, at Mother’s Day, out come the best of the jewelry, purses and shoes gathered over the year. Father’s Day brings watches, hand held video games and sports equipment.

The love of the people of Detroit and this city are palpable. There are servers who show up at the lot who come from the city. They were driving by and saw the great gift of hope taking place and felt the call to help their fellow neighbors. They remind the rest of us who are from the suburbs that Detroit is alive with love, fellowship and promise of better days. Other organizations from within the city and other suburban communities have begun to show up to help as well.

The people we provide for come from a large cross section of the city. There are the guests who have lost their jobs and need temporary help. There are the elderly who are on fixed incomes and need supplemental help, there are single parents trying to make their way on the means they have and find they just need a little more support. There are guests who must be lead by their angels to find their way to us due to their physical and mental disabilities. But in it all, the smiles are there, the laughs are there and the hope is there. When asked how they are, so many respond, “I am blessed.” We serve those who society deems as outcasts, such as the prostitutes, drug addicts and ex-convicts. No one is considered beyond hope or unworthy to this group.

It is with great devotion that PBJ Outreach can say it has fed over 110,000 people and has never missed a Saturday in seven years no matter the weather or if it is a holiday. The people know PBJ Outreach will be there at 8:00AM and have whatever they need that day. PBJ Outreach is currently funded solely by private donors and run by volunteers. We have individuals who give of their time and talent organizing lucrative fundraisers. We are most thankful for those who have given financially, in-kind, and/or of their time. These are remarkable people. Unfortunately, we were informed by the owner of the lot that he is looking to develop there soon. A soup kitchen is going to be required by us in the very near future.

PBJ Outreach, Inc. is currently in the process of expanding. There is a group of people who have the ability and ambition to work but are lacking the skills to provide themselves a living wage. They are at risk of succumbing to the vices, behaviors and beliefs that hopelessness brings. These individuals do not fit the profile of the No Worker Left Behind Program and therefore are in a precarious position. They are pivotal in the rebirth and renaissance of Detroit. With an increase in their self-esteem, there is so much they can offer the city both financially and in the promise of their future that will feed the spirit of Detroit. PBJ Outreach, Inc. is planning to open a facility that will give culinary skills and life skills training to the unemployed. We are hopeful that the combination will translate to a successful new lifestyle for the employee. We are looking to include a restaurant and café/bakery as the lab work and classrooms for the life skills and management training. We would like to incorporate urban farming into our program with the goal in mind of helping stock the soup kitchen. Job placement and healthcare are also in the works.

Although it sounds ambitious, we liken this endeavor to Noah’s Ark. Noah saved good people from destruction and he persevered through persecution, hardships and humble beginnings. We have many experts in various fields who are excited to get working on this project. Our team consists of healthcare professionals, life skill teachers, culinary art professors, small business owners, attorneys, fundraisers and event planners, investors, controllers, marketing and strategic planners, job placement coordinators, participating banks in monetary education, architects, web designers and computer specialists, urban farmers, and organizations that have agreed to work with our employees. The only thing we now need is high level financial backing. Unlike most training programs, we do not qualify for the No Worker Left Behind student scholarships nor do we qualify for federal funds as we do not provide degrees or state-and-federal certifications.

Please visit our website at http://www.pbjoutreach.org to learn more about ways we help the community, what we need, how to get involved and our future plans to help with the growing number of needs in Southeast Michigan. To speak with us directly, please contact:
Deacon Tim Sullivan
President
734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net

Christina Hohman
Program Manager
734-781-5514
chohman08@wowway.com

Repost of July 6 Article - Do Animals Go to Heaven

DO ANIMALS GO TO HEAVEN?
Last week I was asked that question and my answer was yes, I think they do. Now why? Remember God never made “throw-aways.” In Genesis God created man and animals on the same day. “Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.’ And so it happened: God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was. Then God said: ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.’ God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying: ‘Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth." Theologians are split whether animals go to heaven or not. Do animals have souls? Yes. They have material souls—their life force. Are these souls eternal like ours, well, no but—keep in mind a couple of things.
First, none of us know what heaven is like. We know that we will be in God’s presence and that it’s eternal but that’s about it. God will be our main focus. But, that doesn’t mean that we won’t be able to appreciate each other and the beauty of our heavenly paradise. Try to remain open to the possibility that part of this enjoyment might well include our pets.
Peter Kreeft, a professor of philosophy at Boston College tells us that “pets, like everything else in this world, can mediate God’s love and goodness to us and train us for our union with him, or that can distract us from him. In heaven, everything mediates and nothing distracts.” C.S. Lewis, the great Christian writer pointed out that even in our life our pets sometimes become an important part of our lives, almost an extension of who we are. Their association with us elevates them to a higher kind of life than they would have had on their own. In this way it seems to me possible that certain animals may have immortality, not in them selves, but in the immortality of their masters.”
Just a couple of points on a less intellectual level. God wants us to be totally happy in heaven. If our dog or cat or favorite pet will help this process, knowing that God can resurrect us, I have no doubt that he could resurrect a dog or a cat too.
Imagine the seeing eye dog devoted to its master. Think of the cat who is the only friend and companion of an elderly person. Think of the devoted dog or cat that never leaves the side of their chronically and perhaps terminally ill master. I find it impossible to believe that God, who is all loving and all compassionate will not in some way reward this loyalty. And, theologians notwithstanding, God can do anything! (If you are interested in more articles on this topic, just “Google” “Are there Animals in Heaven.”)

October 4, 2009 – Respect Life Sunday

Deacon Tim’s Column
October 4, 2009 – Respect Life Sunday

Today we observe “Respect Life Sunday.” Often we equate respecting life with only the issues of abortion and the other issues relating to conception and the unborn. To be truly “pro-life” we must respect life in all of its stages. In 2005, 1.21 million abortions were performed in the U.S. In 2007, the infant mortality rate in the U.S. was one of the worst in the world with 6.78 infant deaths (under 1 year of age) per 1,000 live births (over 28,000 infant deaths). Approximately 45,000 people die each year because they have no health insurance. In the United States, 3.5 million people are expected to experience homelessness in a given year. Out of this number, 1.35 million of these are children. Approximately 15 million children (one out of every four) live below the poverty level. 22% of Americans under the age of 18 and 25% under the age of 12 are hungry or at the risk of being hungry. Everyday, 2,660 children are born into poverty; 27 die because of it (almost 10,000 per year).
All of us are worthy of respect. In Genesis 1:27 we read “God created man in his image; in the divine image he created him, male and female he created him.” All of us have human dignity because of this and each life is precious and worthwhile. We can’t be selective when we call ourselves “pro-life.” We have to respect all life at all stages. We have unfortunately accepted a culture of death in this country. Whether it concerns abortion, lack of health insurance, poverty, a disregard for life (even at the end stages) we have become hardened to the dignity of life. Each of us are going to have to answer to God for what we have done to foster an atmosphere of life not death. When we are judged, God will tell us “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers (and sisters) of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40b).
May Christ’s peace always be with you and your families.
DeaconTim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com

PBJ Outreach

All of you have been so supportive of this program in the last seven years and it is greatly appreciated. Yesterday, Saturday, October 3 was the seventh anniversary of the PBJ Outreach. Because of your support we have been able to feed and clothe in excess of 85,000 people. Currently we are in the process of expanding our operations. Our mission downtown on Saturday morning will never change. We are looking into ways to help more people and increase the number of days that we can serve as well as the number of ways that we can serve. There are several programs that we are looking at currently. All of them entail developing an enterprise which can be used as training for the homeless and the unemployed and also to (after it’s initial start-up) be self-sustaining and used as a feeder for addional operations , programs and locations to help the homeless, the marginalized poor and the unemployed. This segment of the PBJ will be completely separate from our current operations. It will be funded through grants from the government, foundations and private contriubtors. The success or failure of this enterprise will in no way effect our operations at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in the Cass Corridor. In conjunction with this we are looking at ways to enhance and help the services we provide to our friends every Saturday. Please keep all of us in your prayers. If you would like any additional information or have any questions, please contact me at 734-502-1818.
Deacon Tim

Deacon Tim’s Column
September 20, 2009
25th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s Gospel passage is all too familiar. Jesus is journeying with his disciples and he starts to prepare them for his upcoming passion, death and resurrection. Instead of listening to him they start to be concerned with who is the greatest among them. The disciples actually weren’t looking for earthly fame and fortune. What they were arguing about was who was going to be the best servant. How could you serve the Lord in the best way possible, to be the best servant? Jesus reminded them that the best servant was the one who serves quietly and who appears to be the most vulnerable and need the most amount of care. This is the one who can teach us what it means to be Christ-like. As an example, he takes a little child and places it in their midst and tells them that the person who receives this child in his name receives not only Jesus, but the one who sent him.
Sometimes we can take this idea of being the servant of all and turn it around into something that it shouldn’t be. We try to become what the disciples were arguing about…who’s the greatest servant, how many committees do we serve on, how many programs do we donate our time to, how much time do we spend in prayer? In thinking of this idea of serving, I was reminded of a fairly famous gangster in Chicago from the 1920’s, Al Capone. By 1929 the Great Depression had hold of the U.S. In major cities all over there were bread lines, soup kitchens and desperate taken people. In Chicago, the most notorious gangster of the Prohibition Era, Al Capone set out on a PR campaign. He provided food and started soup kitchens for people in the City of Chicago. I would hope that Mr. Capone did that out of the goodness of his heart and for the sake of his less fortunate brothers and sisters. I’m sure that God took that into consideration when Mr. Capone died. If he truly wanted to be a servant and be Christ-like, chances are he wouldn’t have led the kind of life that he did and have been responsible for the numerous murders which occurred during Prohibition in Chicago (especially the notorious St. Valentine’s Day Massacre).
This idea of being servant of all then is not just all about the externals. So much of our servanthood depends on our interior disposition as well as our motives in serving. In the second reading today from the Letter of James, he tells us that “. . . the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity.” This wisdom he is talking about is an excellent description of of what should be in our hearts when we truly become “servants.”
Come Holy Spirit grant us the Spirit of fear and awe, that we may be filled with a loving reverence toward God and avoid doing anything that may displease him.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com
BLESSING OF PETS – Sunday, October 4, 2009 (the feast of St. Francis of Assisi). At 2:00 p.m. we will have the blessing of pets in the small parking lot next to the day chapel. All pets, dogs, cats, gerbils, rabbits, fish, etc., are welcome.

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
September 13, 2009
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

What an appropriate combination of readings today, the selection from James (Jas 2:14-18) and Mark (Mk 8:27-35). In the Gospel passage, Jesus tells the disciples and the crowds that had followed him “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Sometimes we get are under the misconception that the cross Jesus is talking about is pain or suffering, illness or abuse. The misconception is that we are to bear these stoically because of what Jesus said. The cross he was talking about, the denial he was referring to was the consequences of following him and his teaching. There is nothing Christ-like in a battered woman enduring physical and mental abuse. This is not carrying the cross that Christ referred to. As to pain, suffering and illness, these things can happen to anyone, even non-believers. The “denying of oneself” doesn’t refer to the “giving up of something, for example Lenten fasts. What it does refer to is the spirituality of placing the common good and Christ at the center of our lives and not merely our own desires and wants.
In line with the selection from Mark James very succinctly says “If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body what good is it?” I would imagine that if Mark was writing today, he also might include if a brother or sister has no medical care and you say to them, go in peace, and keep healthy and do nothing to help them, what good is it. (In the United States approximately 48-50 million people are without any kind of health insurance. Of this number close to 10 million are children. – U.S. Census Bureau)
How can we deny ourselves and take up our cross? Are we willing to place economic and social concerns and our own desires second and look out for the common good of all? Are we ready to do that? Is this denial of self concerning the poor and marginalized what Jesus was talking about? He said if we do it for his sake it is. If we want to be his true followers, we absolutely have to follow what he taught in the Gospels. The litmus test of our degree of following the Gospel and of our Christianity is how we treat and care for the least members of our society.
Come Holy Spirit grant us the spirit of piety that we might find the service of God sweet and enjoy showing your goodness to others.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com

BLESSING OF PETS – Sunday, October 4, 2009 (the feast of St. Francis of Assisi). At 2:00 p.m. we will have the blessing of pets in the small parking lot next to the day chapel. All pets, dogs, cats, gerbils, rabbits, fish, etc., are welcome.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
9-6-09 (23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)

The second reading today is from the Letter of James. This letter among New Testament writings is marked by a deep concern for social justice. By social justice is meant a how we navigate through the various social, ethnic, economic, gender and political realities which shape our lives in light of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. When you look at the various New Testament writings, it’s evident that they form a commentary on the teachings of Jesus and are and expansion on what was expressed in the Synoptic versions of the Gospel and the Gospel as written by John. Jesus welcomed all who came to him no matter who they were or where they were from. He cared for all of them and exhorted his followers (both then and now) to do likewise. No one was rejected by Jesus. He welcomed the sick, the lame, the blind, the outcasts (tax collectors and prostitutes), the widow, the orphan and the desperately poor. No one who was marginalized was turned away. In the early Christian Community there was a certain disparity between those with wealth and those who were poor. The situation was serious enough to be addressed in several of the New Testament letters including the one quoted today from James.
Things haven’t changed a lot in the ensuing 2,000 years. There is still a huge disparity between rich and poor. Catholic social justice though demands that we take a hard look at the poor, at health care, at unemployment and immigration as well as any other areas which impact life (in other words, all life issues). James ends today’s selection with “Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?” A little later James 2: 14-17, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,’ but you do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
While it is a highly charged topic now, it’s unconscionable that approximately 50 million Americans have no health insurance. They have no private coverage and don’t for whatever reason qualify for Medicaid. There are some hospitals which help (to the extent that they can) but many won’t because of financial concerns. How can any of us in good conscience call ourselves Christian if we fail at even the basic qualifications of looking after those who are most in need of care. With the current atmosphere so volatile regarding the area of universal health care we sometimes are left asking what the Church’s position is. An excellent source is the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops – www.usccb.org/healthcare. Perhaps surprising to some is that the position of the U.S. Catholic Bishops regarding health care reform is there must be a truly universal health policy with respect for human life and dignity; access for all with a special concern for the poor and inclusion of legal immigrants; pursuing the common good and preserving pluralism including freedom of conscience and a variety of options and restraining costs and applying them equitably across the spectrum of payers. (The USCCB is an excellent resource especially in the areas of Catholic Social Justice, immigration, preferential option for the poor, the just war doctrine, capital punishment as well as all other issues which impact human life.)
In the Gospel selection from Mark today Jesus cures a deaf man with a speech impediment. The people were amazed. Many in the crowd were swayed by flashy signs of God’s reign, i.e., the miracles Jesus worked. They missed the deeper meaning; they missed what these signs meant. Jesus had admonished them to stay silent about these deeds (interesting twist, he opens the ears and mouth of the man but tells the crowd to remain silent). Many in the crowd were not unlike the man who was deaf. They were lacking in the openness of mind, body and spirit which would have enabled them to accept the deeper teaching of Jesus. Let’s hope that we aren’t like the crowds in Jesus’ time, wanting the outward show but having hardened hearts and spirits, unable or unwilling to accept the teachings of Jesus.
Come Holy Spirit grant us the Spirit of Knowledge that we may know God and know ourselves and grow perfect in the image of the Saints.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com

WORKINGS OF THE SPIRIT

During the last few months I have undergone a spiritual conversion, from being mediocre and lukewarm in my spiritual life to being what I can only describe as being "on fire" with the Spirit. During these last three months I have developed and continue to develop and deepen a very close relationship with the Spirit. In part this is through the excellent questions of my spiritual adviser and in a small novena to the Holy Spirit (published by the Apostles of the Holy Spirit - see the links). One prayer that I've found extremely helpful is the following:


Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Jesus, before ascending into Heaven, You promised to send the Holy Spirit to finish Your work in the souls of Your Apostles and Disciples. Grant the same Holy Spirit to me that He may perfect in my soul the work of His grace and His love. Come Holy Spirit Grant me the Spirit of Wisdom - that I may not be attached to the perishable things of this world - but aspire only after the things - that are eternal. Grant me the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten my mind - with the light of Your divine truth - the Spirit of Counsel - that I may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God - and gaining Heaven - the Spirit of Fortitude - that I may bear my cross and that I may overcome with courage, all the obstacles that oppose my sanctification - the Spirit of Knowledge that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the image of the Saints. Grant me the Spirit of Piety - that I may find the service of God sweet and enjoy showing Your goodness to others, the Spirit of Fear - that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may avoid anything that may displease Him. Mark me, dear Holy Spirit - with the sign of a true apostle and make me alive with Your Spirit in all things.
Amen.
From the web site of "Apostles of the Holy Spirit" http://www.aoths.org

22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
8-30-09

In the Letter of James in today’s Gospel passage by Mark we have the true definition of religion. James tells us “Be doers of the word not hearers only, deluding yourselves. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”
In Mark, Jesus quotes from the Prophet Isaiah “This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, teaching as doctrine human precepts.” Jesus warns that it is not external observance or the lace of it that determines our relationship with God, but rather a heart that is being continuously transformed by Christ’s love which manifests itself in our external acts.
We can give lip service to Christ’s teachings, spouting “love your neighbor” but unless we actually do love our neighbor, it’s a sham. We can follow all the pious external trappings but unless our heats have been transformed by the workings of the Spirit, it’s all hollow. When we pray, we must mean what we pray and pray what our transformed hearts really mean.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Fortitude that we may bear our crosses and overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose our sanctification.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com

21st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
August 23, 2009

All of us have options. In the first reading, Joshua asked the people to decide who they would serve, the false gods of their fathers or the one true God. In a similar manner, in the Gospel selection from John, Jesus’ disciples said that his teaching was hard, both about eating his body and drinking his blood but also his teaching in general. Because of this, many of his disciples turned away from him, they just couldn’t make that leap of faith. Peter though, when given the choice said “you have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the holy one of God.
Today we have the same options. We can accept Christ and his teachings or we can reject him. Occasionally we get caught up in the things of this world had lose sight of what path we should be on. In our hearts we know better, but sometimes we get bogged down and while not completely rejecting what Christ taught we kind of put it on hold. I guess that is part of our imperfect human nature.
In thinking about these things, I started to reminisce. Perhaps it’s because we’re getting to the end of the summer and school for many will be starting. I did a fast rewind to about 14 years ago. My oldest daughter left about mid-August to go to college. In my mind, I knew that she couldn’t be going to a better place. The academics were great, the location was incredible (Chicago) and the campus (right on Lake Michigan) couldn’t have been more beautiful. I knew she was doing what she wanted to do and was going to do it at a place that she really wanted to be at. I did fine until it came time to leave her at her dorm at Loyola. Despite the fact that I was thrilled that she was going there, that she was going to receive a great education and that it was truly the start of her adulthood, I had an extremely heavy heart. (Obviously a case of heart over mind.) In fact, after we dropped her off, I think I cried until we got back to Detroit…and then cried some more. After a while though, it started to sink in, talking to her and hearing how she was adapting was also helpful. Despite the fact that I knew I shouldn’t be sad, that I was extremely happy for her, it was hard to overcome those feelings of the first one leaving home.
I think it’s the same sometimes. There are so many times that I know what I should be doing, what I should be thinking but get side-tracked. It seems like the Spirit knows just when to give some not so subtle reminders of what I should be doing. All of us have choices. It’s up to us, though, to make the correct choices. We can’t do that in a vacuum. We need all the help that we can get through prayerful contemplation and by constantly reminding ourselves of what we should be doing, putting aside those personal feelings which conflict with the workings of the Spirit in our lives.
Grace and peace to you and your families.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Counsel, that we may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com

20th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
8-16-09

In last week’s selection from the Gospel according to John, he uses the term “bread of life” but in this early reference this “bread of life” was instruction asking for a response of belief. That was hard enough for the crowed to accept but now he tells them he is the “bread of life” and those who eat this bread will live forever something even harder for them to accept. You have to sympathize with the people who ask “how can this man give us his flesh to eat.” Eating flesh was an act of evildoers and drinking blood was completely forbidden.
In the first reading, Wisdom is personified as a woman, asking that foolishness is forsaken in order for one to live and can advance in the way of understanding. Some of the medieval mystics found a comparison between Jesus and the image of motherhood (where the mother feeds and nourishes her unborn child through her body and blood and continues to nourish and nurture the child after birth). Jesus then nourishes us with his body and blood to those who are born to a new life in him.
Throughout the centuries, theologians have tried to explain the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, to reduce the mystery to mere words, an attempt to explain the inexplicable. Belief in the Eucharist takes faith. We cannot intellectually explain it. This faith calls us to accept the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, his bread for us which nurtures us and makes possible eternal life.
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Understanding to enlighten our minds with the light of your divine truth.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon/blogspot.com

19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
8-9-09

Last week I wrote about being “on fire” with the Spirit. Two weeks ago I made a plea for additional funds for the PBJ Outreach. Talk about being “on fire.” I’d like to say that your response was amazing but I can’t. Nothing this parish family does amazes me any more. In the ten plus years that I’ve had the privilege of serving here, your generosity continues to humble me. Your response to that plea for funds was both humbling and heartwarming—it wasn’t amazing. To be amazed means to experience something out of the ordinary. While this parish family is anything but ordinary, I’ve come to realize on an almost daily basis how much the Spirit words through all of you. When it comes to serving God’s poorest and most marginalized, you are definitely “on fire.”
This past week I was thinking about how “economical” God is. Looking back over the last ten years I have to marvel at what the Spirit has accomplished. I’ve been blessed to be able to minister to the poorest of the poor in Detroit (something a little over seven years ago was the farthest thing from my mind). I’ve been constantly humbled by the volunteers and those who contribute to the success of this ministry, without whom this outreach would not be possible. In a very economical way (obviously very adept at multi-tasking) the Spirit has been able to touch the lives of so many, both those who serve and those who are served and at the same time accomplish wondrous changes in all of our lives.
Some of you know how desperate the people we serve are. There is a warming center on East Jefferson run by the Jesuits (at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish). I know from talking to a friend who volunteers there that the homeless and marginalized poor who use those services look down on the people we serve each Saturday. In the social pecking order, there is no group of people who are poorer or more desperate than the people at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in the Cass Corridor. Without this help in time, talent and treasure (financial contributions as well as food and clothing) so many of Christ’s special ones would be ignored. Thank you!
Come Holy Spirit, grant us the Spirit of Wisdom, that we may not be attached to the perishable things of the world, but aspire only after the things that are eternal.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogsport.com

18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
8-2-09

In the selection from the Letter to the Ephesians, our second reading today, Paul tells us to “put away the old self of your former way of life . . . and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self . . . .” The first reading from Exodus and the Gospel selection by John mirror this need for and a call to conversion. In Exodus, the Israelites grumbled because they were hungry and they were unfamiliar with the food that God provided, manna. In John, Jesus exhorts the crowds by telling them not to work for the food that perishes, but rather the food “that endures for eternal life.”
Both the Israelites and the crowds that followed Jesus had a hard time with change. Obviously the audience that St. Paul was writing for had a similar difficulty.
Just as the Israelites would have preferred to stay in Egypt – enslaved – but in familiar surrounds and the crowds Jesus attracted wanted food they could see not the nourishment that Jesus was to give, we, like Paul’s audiences sometimes find it hard to move out of our comfort zones. It’s so easy to become complacent. It’s hard to break out of the rut that we find ourselves in. We can go for years in a spiritual rut, complacent in our relationship with God. We pray, we give thanks, we obverse the externals, we receive the sacraments but there is still something missing. When we truly open ourselves up, when we start to move beyond the comfort level we have built up, this is the point that we start to go on a journey. Just like any journey, we don’t know everything that we’re going to encounter. When we do encounter new things, when we stretch ourselves, that’s when the trip gets interesting. This spiritual journey that we are all invited on is ours for the asking. The more we travel, the more adept we become with change. The more that we follow the guidance of the Spirit working within us, the more we can accept the accompanying challenges.
Despite being with Jesus, traveling with him and listening to him, the Apostles stayed in a safe place—very complacent (and also very confused). That completely and totally changed on Pentecost. The Spirit came down and set them “on fire” for the Lord. Jesus before the Ascension promised to send the Spirit to be with his Church and to finish his work in the souls of the Apostles and disciples. We’re offered that same Spirit. We’re offered all those same gifts—wisdom—understanding—counsel—fortitude (courage)—knowledge—piety and an incredible awe of God and a new appreciation of his workings in our lives. When we open our minds and hearts to the Spirit, absolutely incredible things happen. We fall deeper and deeper in love with God and more open to God’s love for us. As we deepen this relationship, the Spirit penetrates our weakness with strength. We become protected more and more from the distractions of the “world.” As we deepen our life in the Spirit, many of our doubts dissolve and we experience an incredible, wonderful ongoing healing in our heart, soul and mind. In other words, we become “on fire” with the Spirit just as the Apostles did.
I was talking to a very spiritual friend this week about this feeling of being “on fire.” My friend had a difficult time understanding this because she has always had a very unique and deep relationship with the Spirit for as long as she can remember. When you haven’t had this deep relationship though, when you’ve grown complacent, when the Spirit finally penetrates your outer shell, it is the most incredible, awesome feeling imaginable. Once you start this journey in the Spirit, I can promise you that you won’t want to be complacent. You’re going to want to be more and more Spirit filled and deeper in love with God.
Grace and peace to you and your families.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com
Availability: M-F 9a-10a, W 4p-6:30p, (M-F 10a-6p by appointment).

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deacon Tim’s Column
July 26, 2009

The first reading today (from 1Kings) and the Gospel selection (John) both deal with hungry crowds and divine intervention. The feeding of the hungry crowd was a pre-figuring of the Eucharist. Jesus came to nourish the body and the soul.
We live in a skeptical age. Miracles are so much “fluff” and if they did happen at all it was a very long time ago. Whenever I read the Gospel accounts of the miracle of the loaves and fishes my mind shifts from Palestine 2000 years ago to the 20th and 21st centuries. Some theologians and writers try to explain away the loaves and fishes in ways that are not miraculous. They have a range of theories and explanations. I can tell you that, with all due respect, these theologians and writers are wrong—completely, totally and unequivocally wrong.
If the Spirit can work these kind of miracles today, Christ most certainly wouldn’t have had any problem multiplying the loaves and fishes.
During the Great Depression in Detroit (the first one, not the one now) the Capuchins opened a soup kitchen (still operating today). On at least a couple occasions Solanus Casey acted as a conduit for God. The monastery on one occasion ran out of bread. Fr. Solanus in his mild way wasn’t worried. “God will provide.” Those waiting to be fed joined in prayer with Solanus and when they finished a baker came to the front door with a big basket of food. On another occasion with the ranks of the homeless and desperately poor swelling as the Depression deepened, a bread truck made a delivery at the monastery. There was obviously not enough to feed everyone. Fr. Solanus again prayed and they started to unload the truck. Enough bread was unloaded to feed everyone. The thing is though, that the quantity of bread unloaded far exceeded the capacity of the truck.
In 1972, a Jesuit by the name of Rick Thomas ran a bible study class in El Paso. El Paso, Texas is directly across from Juarez, Mexico and the home to the “Dump People” – people who live in the garbage dump and scrounge for food and usable items that can be sold so they can eke out some kind of a living (as meager as it is). Fr. Rick’s Bible study decided to follow the gospel and prepared Christmas dinner for the men, women and children living in the dump. It was pot-luck. Some brought bologna sandwiches, others some fruit, tamales and burritos, candy and one ham. They had food for about 125 people. When the Bible study group started serving, more and more people appeared. In all, somewhere around 350 people wer3e fed. Everyone got full portions, everyone was able to take bags of food back to their homes and there was more than enough left over to take to two orphanages. The one ham—well, those serving it kept slicing and slicing and everyone of the 350 got ham slices with enough left over to take home and to take to the orphanages.
Christmas 2002 in the Cass Corridor. A complete Christmas dinner was fixed, turkey, dressing, potatoes, gravy, dessert—the works. Enough was prepared for 225 (maybe 250 people if it was stretched). Everyone who came was fed. The last person came, got a full meal and that was the end of the food. Later it was learned that it wasn’t 250 people who were served but around 430 people.
What do these four events have in common with today’s Gospel. Obviously it’s Christ’s love of the poor and the power of prayer and faith.
Peace to you and your families.
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818
deacontim@tds.net
http://shamrockdeacon.blogspot.com


PBJ-In almost seven years this is the first time that I have ever come to you to ask for financial help. I don’t have to be reminded on how bad things are economically. Because of this downturn in the economy our outlay of assistance has been stretched. Of course our primary mission is to feed and clothe the homeless and marginalized poor in the Cass Corridor and in SE Michigan. That will never change. What has changed though is where the requests for help are coming from. At least 95% of those in desperate need of help are in Western Wayne County (Plymouth-Canton-Westland-Northville). The PBJ has turned into a last chance resource. Obviously we are not equipped to handle everyone who needs help. I firmly believe that the people who come to us are inspired by the Spirit. I could give example after example of talking to people, meeting with them, interacting with them only to find out at the very end that they have no place to turn. Up to this point we have been able to help those who most need help. We are now barely meeting our monthly expenses for food and other items that we give out on Saturday morning at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and Third in Detroit. In other words, we are cut down to no “frills.” That means that those individuals who need help the most will not be able to receive it.
This article is the hardest one I’ve ever had to write. I hate asking you to burden yourselves with even more financial outlay than you have now. If there was any other way, I would do it. There isn’t. Please help. If it is impossible to help financially, please pray to the Holy Spirit for help and guidance for this ministry. (Even if you can help financially, please pray too.) In know that through prayers, trust and faith, all things can be accomplished.
In Christ’s Peace
Deacon Tim 734-502-1818

CLOTHES CLOSET: At some point we hope to be moving our operation from the “Gathering Space” to the garage at the old rectory. Until that time, we WILL BE OPERATING FROM THE GATHERING SPACE. I know this isn’t the ideal situation but please bear with us. The clothes we have received are absolutely incredible. ANYONE who needs business clothes (whether you are entering the job market for the first time or re-entering the job market) please give me a call. I’m available most of the time. There is no cost to this service and it is completely confidential. Deacon Tim