Stirring the Flame of Faith

June 3, 2010

2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12

“For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.”

At first glance at the words above from St. Paul to Timothy, it was if St. Paul were speaking direct to my heart at a time that I needed it the most. The words are a reminder that 8 years ago I experienced the “imposition of laying on of hands” from a wonderful Bishop who admonished me to always trust in God. And now, I was being again admonished…that in my Diaconal Ministry, God expects me to boldly bear witness to Him with the spirit of empowerment…that my armor is a spirit of love and self-control. In my Diaconal Ministry, I am called to be a living testimony to Christ and must bear any hardship for the Gospel…because the indelible seal of the Holy Spirit will provide me all the strength necessary. Yes, these words spoke direct to me personally…and it is my hope that my brother Deacons and all Ordained Ministers embrace these words and accept, as I have, the admonishment in a spirit of love and dedication to ministry.

My friends in Christ, whether Ordained or Laypersons, regardless of our faith tradition or Christian affiliation, today’s Scripture is a reminder that each of us has been given a gift from God that must be “stirred into flame.” As people of faith, we are lovingly admonished by Jesus that He has empowered us to love and live with self-control…to boldly proclaim the Gospel, accepting both the hardships of service and strength provided by the Holy Spirit.

Today, will you join with me in stirring the flame of our faith…and to proclaim with courage that hope, joy, and peace is attainable only through accepting the love offered by Jesus Christ? GRH

GHarper

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Welcome brothers!

May 16, 2010

Eight men… a single calling:  to serve God and His church through “tasks of practical charity”. And so we welcome these eight who have answered that call–”welcome, brothers!”

The emotions ran deep as each was ordained to the order of Permanent Deacon.  Outside the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, family, friends and dozens of well-wishers gathered to congratulate our new deacons. These men and their wives completed a rigorous 6 years of preparation and formation.

Today, they entered their ministries with full hearts and a commitment to service that was clear to the hundreds who participated in the Ordination Mass. They join over sixty deacons whose outreach encompass ministries in health care, for the elderly, schools, community programs for those in need and prisons.  They are preaching the Gospel news in word and deed each day in communities throughout the Diocese of Syracuse.

Welcome!

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Posted by tmcnerney

Pray for us…

May 9, 2010

My brothers in Christ, it seems like yesterday when I started my formation journey, two years of Formation for Ministry and four years in Deacon Formation….It has been a long 6 year journey.

My journey to Ordination as a Deacon is quickly drawing to its conclusion.

With only eight days remaining, I am beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as an Aspirant in my final 4th Year of the Deacon Formation Program, Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, New York, USA. Along with seven other men and our wives, we are fulfilling a journey of spiritual growth, faith and fellowship as we prepare to move into ordained ministry in our parishes.

I ask that you keep me, as well as my classmates, in your thoughts and prayers as we go before the Bishop on May 15, 2010.

Peace, Love & Joy
Donnie

Posted on Saturday, May 08, 2010
Donald Mula, Candidate for Ordination
Permanent Diaconate

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Posted by tmcnerney

Gathering as Men

February 22, 2010

“Many of the men that attend regular meetings of parish fellowship meeting have had an
encounter with the person of Jesus Christ at some point in their lives. That encounter, as it has been told in thousands of meetings, is as varied and diverse as life itself. For many it marked a milestone event – a significant moment in which the man giving witness came
to know the reality of the living Christ as he has never before experienced. For some the encounter was the defining moment – a moment of pure grace that made faith in Jesus Christ a compelling belief. For others the encounter with Jesus was a gradual commitment, a combination of many moments of grace that joined to make an undeniable mosaic of God’s goodness.”

“Why Men Get Together” (From Catholic Men’s Fellowship Cincinnati)

Saturday, February 27, 2010 men from all over the Diocese of Syracuse will gather to share, pray and experience the fellowship of being a Catholic man. Ignite 2010 Catholic Men’s Conference will offer three nationally acclaimed speakers:  Jesse Romero, Fr. Larry Richards and Sean Forrest as well as our own Bishop Robert J. Cunningham.

Plan to attend and be part of a day-long experience geared for men, enriching our faith experiences and helping to build God’s Kingdom!

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Centering on Jesus

February 17, 2010

As we enter the season of Lent centering our lives on Jesus enables us to enter into a renewal of faith… a conversion of heart opening us to the salvific act of Jesus.

Deacon Tim McNerney’s homily at St. Paul Church in Norwich, New York on the Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time is based upon Jeremiah 17:5-8 and the Gospel of Luke, Ch 6:17,20-26. If you’d would like to listen to Dc. Tim’s homily, click the link below.

SERMON ON THE PLAIN

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Posted by tmcnerney

At the epicenter…

January 20, 2010

NOTE: In November 2008 Deacon Greg Cross began an active ministry with their twinned church, Immaculate Conception Parish in Haiti.  We asked Dc. Greg to share a bit on how his ministry began and the developments since last week’s earthquake.  This post begins with a few excerpts from his notes while on mission.

Dc. Tim McNerney, Webmaster

Looking Back:

November 13-14, 2008 – We arrived in Haiti, then traveled the mountain ranges 35KM from Port-au-Prince to Chauffard, Haiti with Fr. Julien from Immaculate Conception Parish.  Roads are comprised of two elements:  rocks and ruts!

November 15-17, 2008 – We continue our fact-finding mission in Haiti, detailing the incredible need that his mountain village of 1,500 people has for food, medical, education and spiritual support.

Field Notes:

- Regroup committee to determine augmented programs St. Michael & St. Peter can provide.
- Try to purchase batteries for solar power storage asap; perhaps a small refrigerator also.
- Establish interest in annual or more frequent visits
- Send e-photos taken and mail printed photos of students

November 4-10, 2009 – Three MD’s, three nurses, my two daughters, Emily and Catherine, and I arrive back in Chauffard, Haiti to setup an on-site medical clinic for the residents, many of whom have never seen professional medical practitioners in their lifetimes!  Because shipping to Haiti is so problematic, the team hand carries all medical supplies on-board the planes to Haiti.  The medical supplies where made possible by the generous donations from St. Michael & St. Peter parishes in Syracuse, NY.

Today:

Our news from Chauffard, Haiti (the epicenter) is mixed.  Thankfully, our pastor survived as did our main church, school, and rectory.  However, two of our mission churches were totally destroyed, and three were severely damaged.  The death toll is unknown yet.  We understand there are likely to be many homeless also.

In Port-au-Prince, Matthew 25 House and its resident missionaries are all fine; they are operating an emergency medical clinic  and shelter out of the house.  Our young interpreters from our November mission are also fine, although one’s home collapsed around her in the quake.  She said she felt God carried her outside the house to safety.

I am hoping to go to Chauffard next month to find out more and to adjust plans for how we help them in light of all this.  In the meantime, we keep them all in our prayers, and we can send money to meet the incredible need there.

————————
Anyone wishing to contribute to our mission church in Chauffard Haiti may do so by sending checks to: St. Michael & St. Peter Church – Haiti Mission, 4782 W Seneca Turnpike, Syracuse, NY 13215.

Greg Cross

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Posted by gregorycross

The wisdom of the Church…

January 11, 2010

Can. 1039 All candidates for any order are to make a spiritual retreat for at least five days in a place and manner determined by the ordinary. Before the bishop proceeds to ordination, he must be certain that the candidates properly made this retreat.


The upcoming Canonical Retreat for the 8 men in their final year of diaconate formation and their wives at Christ the King Retreat House, Syracuse, N.Y. confirms the wisdom of the Catholic Church in prescribing, by Canon Law, that all candidates for ordination set time aside.

SUN photo Paul Finch / July 16, 2003

Time to complete a final discernment… time to pray… to laugh… to learn… to enjoy good food and great company. The canonical retreat will be a spirit-filled time in an environment designed to provide space to reflect on four years of growing together and the changes about to occur as each of these couples takes their place in a ministry that is still being defined!

May the Holy Spirit fill their time with a peaceful resolve to serve God’s people and the courage to fully embrace their vocational call.

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Welcoming a brother from the south…

January 6, 2010

One of the true “miracles” of modern technology with the Internet underpinning the torrent of data in our lives is the connections we’re able to make with those hundreds… thousands of miles away.  And so it is today with Deacon Gayden Harper, our guest contributor from the Diocese of Biloxi, Mississippi.

I asked Deacon Harper for a bit of background on himself.  He was ordained in July 2006, retired from his work in 2007.  He’s been a busy deacon!  Director of the Diaconate and Pastoral Pastoral Services for the diocese, while deacon at St. Mary Parish, Deacon Harper is married and up to the many challenges of the Gulf Coast, still rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina.

We welcome his homily on Ephipany Sunday and encourage others to reach out, connect and evangelize!

Dc. Tim McNerney
Diocese of Syracuse

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Said the night wind to the little lamb

January 6, 2010

The day after Christmas, I was driving across I-10 listening to music (rather than ESPN Radio) when this song came on. I had heard it thousands of times, but all of a sudden I had tears in my eyes and knew there had to be a message in this song and began researching its origins. The night before the Epiphany Vigil, it finally came together.

[Link to Ephiphany Sunday Homily]

Deacon Gayden R. Harper
Diocese of Biloxi

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Posted by deacongayden

Proclaiming His birth… some musing on Christmas 2009

December 24, 2009

The comfort provided by the liturgical structure of the Roman Catholic Church often surprises me.  When our pastor mentioned my reading (or singing) the Proclamation of the Birth of Christ at the Midnight Mass this year, I just considered it another aspect of my liturgical participation as Permanent Deacon.  Hmm…

Today, as I gathered everything for tonight’s liturgies, I searched for the proclamation on the web. “USCCB proclamation” in the Google search bar yielded exactly what I needed:  the 1994 revised proclamation translation by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops based upon the traditional proclamation in the Roman Martyrology.  Here’s a link to the new translation in PDF form:  christmasproclamation

As I read over the directives for use and practiced reading it, I was so much at peace…  comforted by the simplicity and beauty of the words and confident in its use for tonight’s liturgy.  That’s when I backed up to the Google search page on my browser and noticed this page:  The Christmas Proclamation,  Comparative analysis by Fr. Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D. What a thoughtful document!  Here’s a PDF of the chart: Christmas Proclamation Analysis

As I reread the new translation and compared it to the older ones, I reflected on the wisdom of the Church:  slowly, carefully bringing new life to well-grounded liturgy in a thoughtful manner.  Christmas 2009 just became a bit more special!

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