I had been discharged from the Army, in between Basic Training and Advance Infantry Training. My knees, already messed up with my teenage attempts at baseball and football, reacted negatively to the work of becoming a soldier. So, in the fall of 1971, I received a medical discharge from the Army; and soon afterward, I reconnected with my university studies. Two things happened after my short stay in the Army and my renewed dedication to studies: (1) I changed my major, from “pre-med” (I was following in the footsteps of my father) to philosophy, and (2) I was introduced to the majesty and mystery of the ancient, ever-new Roman Catholic Church. Both in my study of philosophy and in my study of Catholicism, I devoured book after book. As I have mentioned before, my conversion to Christianity and my love affair with Catholicism began as an intellectual operation. I was one of those 20 year olds way too serious for my own good.
Still, there was another dimension of this conversion that over time became a doorway into the life of the Lord. During the years of my conversion experience (1972 -1975), my experience of liturgical prayer captured my heart (and my head). During this period of conversion, all my new friends were Catholic; and importantly, I was dating a Catholic girl! So, I frequented daily Mass, a lot. At first, I went to be with them, to be with her. But slowly, the liturgy of Eucharist opened my heart to the love of God… and the Presence of God. As I have said before, I believe that I was assigned to St. John Neumann for a specific purpose: I am here to join with you and lead you in what God is asking of us…a spiritual renewal, a new conversion of mind and heart. We are being called by the Lord God, to live holy lives, right here, right now. We are being called to live the life of the Lord.
Our Building a Legacy of Faith campaign is one dimension of this renewal. And our campaign is progressing well (more news in a few weeks). Another dimension of this “call to renewal” is the Lord’s plea to us, that the parish family of St. John Neumann will become a place for beautiful liturgy, for powerful liturgical prayer. I hope to dedicate myself to this call, by enhancing and strengthening how we celebrate holy Mass and the other Sacraments and liturgies of Christ’s Church. To that end, I am asking everyone reading this column to be aware of a few points for enhancing the beauty and solemnity of our liturgies:
A. On those rare occasions that you happen to be a bit late for Mass, please know that our ushers will ask you to remain in the Vestibule, until there is a proper moment to enter the worship space. We will ask this of the late-comer, so that those seeking a seat will not disrupt the corporate prayer of the assembly or the proclamation of God’s Word.
B. We are all part of Christ’s prayer… the Divine Liturgy. So please, sing and proclaim and participate. Sitting as uninterested by-standers is not the Way of the Lord for any of us. The Lord Jesus invites. We are called to respond, with active participation. This hour of prayer should become the heart of your week.
C. I ask that you remain with all of us until after the closing song is completed. Leaving us immediately after receiving the Eucharist is not the way to spiritual renewal, for part of this renewal is the fellowship of the parish, as family, as “related” to one another… in and through Christ the Lord. Remember that at the end of holy Mass, we are commissioned by the Lord… we are sent out into the world… to proclaim what we have just worshipped and received. As the Body of Christ of St. John Neumann, we leave the parking lot, fired with love and the sure knowledge that God is with us. And with God, nothing is impossible.
AMDG
Msgr. David Talley
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