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Of Reindeers and Grudges....

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MONSIGNOR MORONEY'S NEW BLOG

A New Blog and some New Videos

My dear brothers and sisters:

In just another couple of weeks, as you read in my last posting, I will be completing my term as Cathedral Rector. For that reason I will be leaving this blog to my successor, Monsignor Johnson. If you would like to continue to follow some of my homilies, talks, and other news, however, I invite you to visit my new blog:

Dignumetiustum.blogspot.com

I will be "double posting" on these blogs for the next two weeks. After that point, I will be posting only on the dignum et iustum blog.

I also wanted to let you know that videos of four of the presentations from the Cathedral Conference for Life are now available as streaming video:

Cathedral Conference for Life Streaming Video

The presentations by Susan Wills (The Measure of Love is to Love Without Measure), Richard Doerflinger (Legislative Issues), Bishop Robert McManus (USCCB Healcare Directives) and Monsignor James Moroney (Praying for Life).

Pax et Bonum,

Monsignor Moroney

A New Year

My dear brothers and sisters:

If there's one lesson I've come to learn more and more it's that life is always changing around us. The seasons remind us of this, both the seasons of nature and the seasons of the Church's year. The one thing that remains constant is Gods infinite love for us and the sure footed shepherding of his Holy Church. But so much else changes.

Three years ago I was given the grace of being made your rector. It has been an honor and a joy. The perduring faith of the folks who gather around the Cathedral with the help of Saint Paul is one of the things that from generation to generation never seems to change.

But, as I'm sure you have noticed, the Cathedral has not been the only ministry to which the Church has called me. For these past several years I have also taught all of the Liturgy courses to the seminarians at Saint Johns Seminary and served as Executive Secretary of the Vox Clara Committee and responded to the calls of Bishops all over the United States and Canada to teach their priests about the new Roman Missal. It's been a lot.

It is for this reason that I began discussions with Bishop McManus several months ago in order to figure out how best this aging cleric can balance these multiple responsibilities. I am deeply grateful to Bishop McManus, to Bishop Kennedy, and Cardinal Pell for their kind support and guidance in this discernment process.

I am therefore happy to let you know that Bishop McManus will announce this week that, effective January 24th, that he is appointing me to the faculty of Saint John’s Seminary and to service as Executive Secretary of the Vox Clara Committee. While I will dearly miss the wonderful folks who go to make up the Cathedral Parish, my heart will never leave the Cathedral. This is the place I was ordained and the Church of my Bishop, and the Church of you, who will always remain close to my heart.

I am also delighted that Bishop McManus will be appointing Monsignor Johnson as Administrator of the Cathedral. You will be in very good hands, indeed.

Over the next several weeks there will be much more to say and many more opportunities for us both to prepare for this transition. In the meantime, as always, let us keep each other in prayer.

In the Lord,

Monsignor James P. Moroney

Rector

A Light in the Darkness

Homily

Epiphany 2011

In the very beginning it was dark. So dark that chaos enveloped the earth. But with the breath of God, Fiat Lux, the sun warmed the day and the moon and the stars guided the night.

And each day since, we have been a part of a never-ending struggle between darkness and light. The darkness seeks to vanquish the light...the powers of darkness seek to return us to the primordial chaos from which God has delivered us.

But God’s creative love perdures. As a pillar of light leading us into the promised land.

And in the fullness of time, a star leads wise men to him who is the light of the world, who through the blinding light of his paschal dying and rising vanquishes the darkness of sin, and even of death. So that we never need be afraid of the dark, ever again.

That light found a home deep within each one of us on the day of our Baptism and we will be judged some day on how well we have kept that light burning. He who is light will look deep within our hearts to see if that flame has survived the onslaughts of those dark forces with which we do battle every day and whether our lamps are still burning brightly with his love.

For if they are, our souls will be joined to the lights of heaven to illumine a shining city on a hill for all to see we. If are illumined by his truth and let his mercy shine on all who hate us, then the powers of darkness and death don't stand a chance.

For in the end, when there will be no more need for the sun or the moon or the stars, the Son of God will be our light, as the heavenly Jerusalem, our final home, gleams in his reflected splendor for all eternity.

Light dispelling darkness is our hope, our choice, and our destiny.

Monsignor James P. Moroney

Rector