St. John the Evangelist Church

510 Jackson Ave.  ¦  Defiance, OH  43512  ¦  419-782-7121

email: stjohn@stjohndefiance.org

Back to top

Back to top

From July 6, 2009
Friends,
Whether you like her or not, this week's announcement by Governor Sarah Palin, of Alaska, was significant for our nation. That she will be resigning her post as governor is important for the people of Alaska who elected her. That she is moving away from the media "spotlight" highlights the unfortunate state of affairs in the United States regarding public debate and discourse of ideas. In short, Governor Sarah Palin was not only a media "lightening rod" for her policies and positions but also was a "flash point" for her personal and family life as well. The attacks have been shameless for such a great nation as ours.
The sad state of public decorum and discourse fell to a new low as Governor Palin visited New York City last month and became the target of media elites, pundits, and internet bloggers. The entertainer David Letterman's sexually charged "joke" regarding Governor Palin's fourteen year old daughter and a prominent New York Yankee baseball player illustrated the sad state of affairs in the media. These types of shameless attacks show how low some people will go to promote their own agenda and ideology - the new low standard of debate and discourse has fallen to the point where it is permissible to "destroy those who do not think like me" either professionally or personally. There is a blatant "double standard" regarding who are "legitimate targets" of these "below the belt," shameless attacks. Typically children of famous and political people in our nation have been "off limits" for observations and comment by the media. Yet, both Governor Palin's personal life and family life have been targets. If these types of comments were made regarding President's Obama's children... well, we know it just will not happen - they are "off-limits" - as they should be... but why should there be such a difference? Governor Palin's life, her family, her service to her nation is no less valuable than that of President Obama....
In our great nation, the America I grew up in, the plurality of ideas (and the civil debate and discourse they generate) was the "hallmark" of free speech and all the civility surrounding it. Honest debate and disagreement showed the world that people of different ideas could share a land where ideas and policies can be critiqued and criticized. My America is a place where politicians were more concerned with serving the needs of the nation rather than being invested in securing the power of a party and its ideologies no matter what cost. Modern media, from the internet bloggers to the twenty-four hour news cycle, have every opportunity to be the place of civility in debate and discourse about the major issues of our day. Catholics, and indeed all people of good-will, have a special responsibility to continue to elevate the public debate and discourse to places where honor and kindness can be seen.
Fr. Todd

Back to top

---

From June 28, 2009

Friends,
Believe it or not, summer is to be a time of resting and relaxation! Yet our faith never takes time off. There are a two important contacts that must be made to our State and Federal Officials:
1) From the Ohio Catholic Conference regarding the State Budget Bill that will make cuts in human service programs and programs to help Ohio students in Catholic schools. Please call or e-mail your Ohio State Senator and Ohio State Representative before Tuesday June 30 seeking your opposition to these proposed cuts from the State Budget. You can read more about it at www.ohiocathconf.org.
2) To the Federal Government, United States Senate, refusing the Obama "tax plan" called "Cap and Trade." This legislation will add thousands of dollars to our energy use. These are unnecessary cost to families, businesses, farms, charitable organizations and churches from "a trickle down effect" from energy companies to you and me. This plan is regarded as a step toward environmentally friendly energy. This, so called, clean energy bill narrowly passed the U.S. House of Representatives and will have an even harder fight in the United States Senate. Contact our federal leadership in the Senate and tell them we are opposed to this harmful, hidden tax on our energy.

Fr. Todd

(Click here for other links about these topics.)

Back to top

---

From May 9, 2009

Friends,
As we draw this Easter Season to a close in the coming weeks, we have many great opportunities to be renewed in our Catholic faith. Our attention begins to turn away from the celebration of the Resurrection toward other celebrations. I think that Mother's Day weekend begins the slow drifting away from our attention on the Solemn Feast of Easter toward more and more of these "family oriented" and "personal celebrations." But, if we think about it, these celebrations of Mother's Day, High School and College Graduations, Baptisms and Weddings all find their context for joy as gifts of God. These personal and family celebrations can participate in Solemn Feast of Easter and resurrected life of Jesus, our Savior. Each life celebrated is one that is seen with the dignity of Jesus Christ. Each accomplishment is made possible by a God who wishes us to have "Life" and "Life to the full." All of our celebrations can find their deeper meaning as we continue to see them within the context of Easter Joy. Mother's Day, birthdays, graduations, weddings and baptisms are joyful moments of our Lord's blessing upon His Redeemed people! As we see these events in our lives as being caught up in the Resurrection of Jesus and continuing the Solemn Feast of Easter, each event can allow us to draw closer to our Lord. "We remember, we celebrate, we believe."
Fr. Todd

Back to top

---

From April 22, 2009

Friends,

The debate continues to grow as President Obama's invitation to speak at the University of Notre Dame graduation is questioned by some Catholics and alumni of the university. I offer a few thoughts:

Mr. Obama holds the Office of President of the United States and by agreeing to be the graduation speaker he honors the the University of Notre Dame. Notre Dame has had a great history of inviting the President of the United States to speak.

The truth of the matter is that there will always be debate in the public arena regarding a person's religion, faith, and values. This is true whether the person is the President or otherwise.

Secondly, it seems more and more important that we, as a nation, need to grow in our ability to hear and respect another opinion. The history of our great nation allows for people to "agree to disagree" and still call themselves "American."

Finally, our faith tells us that we should have "charity in all things"... Jesus reminds us that these kinds of modern issues need to be put in perspective of eternity. Our work of evangelization may be to change the hearts of those who hold positions that are contrary to God's Divine perspective. We may be the place where the "truth" of God's perspective is spoken. Engaging those who show little knowledge or appreciation of God's perspective is a "hallmark characteristic trait" of the greatest Christian apologists... St. Paul being the most effective. We know St. Paul had his failures as well as his successes in persuading people to follow Jesus Christ. It seems that he never gave up on the ones who needed to hear the "truth" of God's perspective. Without being confronted by the truth, how can we expect a person to have a conversion? Without encountering Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life, how can we expect change?

Fr. Todd

Back to top

---

From April 5, 2009

Friends,

Holy Week is upon us! Easter joy draws ever closer!
As we make the final preparations for Easter we are challenged to make these coming days truly holy. How might we do this? I suggest placing the cross or crucifix that is in your home in a place that may be more prominent. This may allow us to continue to remain focused on the cross of Christ and the salvation won for us by his passion and death. For Christians, these are holy days to continue our fasting, almsgiving and praying.
Our prayers are for the Elect who are in their final moments of preparation to enter into the life of the Church. Our prayers are for those children who will be entering their final weeks of preparation for First Communion. We remember our Engaged Couples who will marry. We remember our beloved dead who share the joy of the Resurrection with God in heaven.
Easter is a time to welcome the Risen Christ who can change our lives forever. The joy of the Resurrection renews the whole world! Let the celebration begin!

 

Fr. Todd

Back to top

---

From March 14, 2009

• 'First, basic research in the capabilities of embryonic stem cells can be and is being pursued using the currently eligible cell lines as well as the hundreds of lines produced with nonfederal funds since 2001.

• 'Second, recent startling advances in reprogramming adult cells into embryonic-like stem cells – hailed by the journal Science as the scientific breakthrough of the year – are said by many scientists to be making embryonic stem cells irrelevant to medical progress.

• 'Third, adult and cord blood stem cells are now known to have great versatility, and are increasingly being used to reverse serious illnesses and even help rebuild damaged organs. To divert scarce funds away from these promising avenues for research and treatment toward the avenue that is most morally controversial as well as most medically speculative would be a sad victory of politics over science.'

"If the government wants to invest in hope for cures and promote ethically sound science, it should use our tax monies for research that everyone, at every stage of human development, can live with.

 

As Catholics we should be gravely concerned about Mr. Obama’s consistent march toward establishing a “lasting culture of death”. Certainly, Executive Orders can be over-turned by subsequent administrations that may hold a fundamental regard for the sanctity of human life and be Pro-Life. There is, however, a major problem that is on the near horizon for those who believe that human life is sacred and defend the Pro-Life culture and agenda. The problem is this: Congress can take action to enact into law these Executive Orders of Mr. Obama thereby making them permanent – the law of the land. No doubt that House Speaker Pelosi (who shamefully claims to be a Roman Catholic) and Senate Leader Harry Reid both will find a way to move Mr. Obama’s march of death forward. Both leaders are extremely liberal and have the necessary votes in each Congressional chamber to enact such laws making these Executive Orders permanent. And we think that the Roe v. Wade decision has been a national nightmare!

Our voices must be heard. Contact President Obama, our Representatives and Senators and let them know that this march toward a lasting culture of death is unacceptable for our great nation and the God loving and God fearing people who are its citizens.

 

Fr. Todd

Back to top

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
BENEDICT XVI
FOR LENT 2009
"He fasted for forty days and forty nights,
and afterwards he was hungry" (Mt 4,1-2)

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

At the beginning of Lent, which constitutes an itinerary of more intense spiritual training, the Liturgy sets before us again three penitential practices that are very dear to the biblical and Christian tradition – prayer, almsgiving, fasting – to prepare us to better celebrate Easter and thus experience God’s power that, as we shall hear in the Paschal Vigil, “dispels all evil, washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy, casts out hatred, brings us peace and humbles earthly pride” (Paschal Præconium). For this year’s Lenten Message, I wish to focus my reflections especially on the value and meaning of fasting. Indeed, Lent recalls the forty days of our Lord’s fasting in the desert, which He undertook before entering into His public ministry. We read in the Gospel: “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry” (Mt 4,1-2). Like Moses, who fasted before receiving the tablets of the Law (cf. Ex 34,28) and Elijah’s fast before meeting the Lord on Mount Horeb (cf. 1 Kings 19,8), Jesus, too, through prayer and fasting, prepared Himself for the mission that lay before Him, marked at the start by a serious battle with the tempter.

We might wonder what value and meaning there is for us Christians in depriving ourselves of something that in itself is good and useful for our bodily sustenance. The Sacred Scriptures and the entire Christian tradition teach that fasting is a great help to avoid sin and all that leads to it. For this reason, the history of salvation is replete with occasions that invite fasting. In the very first pages of Sacred Scripture, the Lord commands man to abstain from partaking of the prohibited fruit: “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Gn 2, 16-17). Commenting on the divine injunction, Saint Basil observes that “fasting was ordained in Paradise,” and “the first commandment in this sense was delivered to Adam.” He thus concludes: “ ‘You shall not eat’ is a law of fasting and abstinence” (cf. Sermo de jejunio: PG 31, 163, 98). Since all of us are weighed down by sin and its consequences, fasting is proposed to us as an instrument to restore friendship with God. Such was the case with Ezra, who, in preparation for the journey from exile back to the Promised Land, calls upon the assembled people to fast so that “we might humble ourselves before our God” (8,21). The Almighty heard their prayer and assured them of His favor and protection. In the same way, the people of Nineveh, responding to Jonah’s call to repentance, proclaimed a fast, as a sign of their sincerity, saying: “Who knows, God may yet repent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we perish not?” (3,9). In this instance, too, God saw their works and spared them.

In the New Testament, Jesus brings to light the profound motive for fasting, condemning the attitude of the Pharisees, who scrupulously observed the prescriptions of the law, but whose hearts were far from God. True fasting, as the divine Master repeats elsewhere, is rather to do the will of the Heavenly Father, who “sees in secret, and will reward you” (Mt 6,18). He Himself sets the example, answering Satan, at the end of the forty days spent in the desert that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt 4,4). The true fast is thus directed to eating the “true food,” which is to do the Father’s will (cf. Jn 4,34). If, therefore, Adam disobeyed the Lord’s command “of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat,” the believer, through fasting, intends to submit himself humbly to God, trusting in His goodness and mercy.

The practice of fasting is very present in the first Christian community (cf. Acts 13,3; 14,22; 27,21; 2 Cor 6,5). The Church Fathers, too, speak of the force of fasting to bridle sin, especially the lusts of the “old Adam,” and open in the heart of the believer a path to God. Moreover, fasting is a practice that is encountered frequently and recommended by the saints of every age. Saint Peter Chrysologus writes: “Fasting is the soul of prayer, mercy is the lifeblood of fasting. So if you pray, fast; if you fast, show mercy; if you want your petition to be heard, hear the petition of others. If you do not close your ear to others, you open God’s ear to yourself” (Sermo 43: PL 52, 320. 322).

In our own day, fasting seems to have lost something of its spiritual meaning, and has taken on, in a culture characterized by the search for material well-being, a therapeutic value for the care of one’s body. Fasting certainly bring benefits to physical well-being, but for believers, it is, in the first place, a “therapy” to heal all that prevents them from conformity to the will of God. In the Apostolic Constitution Pænitemini of 1966, the Servant of God Paul VI saw the need to present fasting within the call of every Christian to “no longer live for himself, but for Him who loves him and gave himself for him … he will also have to live for his brethren“ (cf. Ch. I). Lent could be a propitious time to present again the norms contained in the Apostolic Constitution, so that the authentic and perennial significance of this long held practice may be rediscovered, and thus assist us to mortify our egoism and open our heart to love of God and neighbor, the first and greatest Commandment of the new Law and compendium of the entire Gospel (cf. Mt 22, 34-40).

The faithful practice of fasting contributes, moreover, to conferring unity to the whole person, body and soul, helping to avoid sin and grow in intimacy with the Lord. Saint Augustine, who knew all too well his own negative impulses, defining them as “twisted and tangled knottiness” (Confessions, II, 10.18), writes: “I will certainly impose privation, but it is so that he will forgive me, to be pleasing in his eyes, that I may enjoy his delightfulness” (Sermo 400, 3, 3: PL 40, 708). Denying material food, which nourishes our body, nurtures an interior disposition to listen to Christ and be fed by His saving word. Through fasting and praying, we allow Him to come and satisfy the deepest hunger that we experience in the depths of our being: the hunger and thirst for God.

At the same time, fasting is an aid to open our eyes to the situation in which so many of our brothers and sisters live. In his First Letter, Saint John admonishes: “If anyone has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, yet shuts up his bowels of compassion from him – how does the love of God abide in him?” (3,17). Voluntary fasting enables us to grow in the spirit of the Good Samaritan, who bends low and goes to the help of his suffering brother (cf. Encyclical Deus caritas est, 15). By freely embracing an act of self-denial for the sake of another, we make a statement that our brother or sister in need is not a stranger. It is precisely to keep alive this welcoming and attentive attitude towards our brothers and sisters that I encourage the parishes and every other community to intensify in Lent the custom of private and communal fasts, joined to the reading of the Word of God, prayer and almsgiving. From the beginning, this has been the hallmark of the Christian community, in which special collections were taken up (cf. 2 Cor 8-9; Rm 15, 25-27), the faithful being invited to give to the poor what had been set aside from their fast (Didascalia Ap., V, 20,18). This practice needs to be rediscovered and encouraged again in our day, especially during the liturgical season of Lent.

From what I have said thus far, it seems abundantly clear that fasting represents an important ascetical practice, a spiritual arm to do battle against every possible disordered attachment to ourselves. Freely chosen detachment from the pleasure of food and other material goods helps the disciple of Christ to control the appetites of nature, weakened by original sin, whose negative effects impact the entire human person. Quite opportunely, an ancient hymn of the Lenten liturgy exhorts: “Utamur ergo parcius, / verbis cibis et potibus, / somno, iocis et arctius / perstemus in custodia – Let us use sparingly words, food and drink, sleep and amusements. May we be more alert in the custody of our senses.”

Dear brothers and sisters, it is good to see how the ultimate goal of fasting is to help each one of us, as the Servant of God Pope John Paul II wrote, to make the complete gift of self to God (cf. Encyclical Veritatis splendor, 21). May every family and Christian community use well this time of Lent, therefore, in order to cast aside all that distracts the spirit and grow in whatever nourishes the soul, moving it to love of God and neighbor. I am thinking especially of a greater commitment to prayer, lectio divina, recourse to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and active participation in the Eucharist, especially the Holy Sunday Mass. With this interior disposition, let us enter the penitential spirit of Lent. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, Causa nostrae laetitiae, accompany and support us in the effort to free our heart from slavery to sin, making it evermore a “living tabernacle of God.” With these wishes, while assuring every believer and ecclesial community of my prayer for a fruitful Lenten journey, I cordially impart to all of you my Apostolic Blessing.
From the Vatican, 11 December 2008.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

© Copyright 2008 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Back to top

---

January 9, 2009

Dear Friends,

The New Year brings many opportunities for our prayers.

The first that comes to mind is our call to respect life. The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision has prompted many years of protest with some modest progress. We welcome a new President promising change, some of which will be welcome, one of which could be a serious setback for the progress that has been made in the Pro-Life movement. We must be stead fast as the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is brought before our national leaders. FOCA, by all accounts, will do much to change many of the gains that have been made for the Pro-Life agenda. More on FOCA will be shared with all as the days unfold. We will be looking to the National Conference of Catholic Bishop (NCCB) for their leadership in preventing FOCA to become law. We must remember the words of Pope Benedict XVI regarding the sanctity of life, "And only where God is seen does life truly begin. Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is. We are not some causal and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary."

Another place where our prayers will be necessary is for our national civil leadership. President Bush will hand off the leadership of our nation to President Obama in a truly historic moment. Many scholars will highlight the greatness of our nation's peaceful transfer of power and authority with a sense of national pride. And we should be proud. When other places in our world shed blood to gain power and authority, American democracy shows that there can be another way. We know the work ahead for President Obama will be difficult as the nation's problems are serious. Each president has faced his own challenges and obstacles. It is for these moments that we offer a simple prayer for wisdom and right judgment for President-elect Obama and our Congress to lead in ways that are pleasing to God.

Toward the end of January is our annual celebration of Catholic Schools Week. We value our Defiance Catholic School! Many people have supported Catholic education over the years and realize the importance of educating our children in the ways of Jesus Christ in the Catholic faith. Catholic education is a necessity, not a nicety for the 21st century. When others seem to believe that Catholic education is a way of the past, I see it as a more important way for our future. Catholic educated children become the leaders of our tomorrow. We teach them today how to approach the world that confronts them tomorrow. For example, when good fortune comes to a person, that person has a choice of how to approach that good fortune. Let’s say the person wins the lottery. One way to approach the win-fall is the way that the world teaches - full of greed and excess. Another way is to approach that good fortune the way Jesus teaches - having concern for the poor and needy. Both choices are there. Which one will the person choose? I believe the Catholic educated person will understand that Jesus Christ has something to say about the win-fall and what to do with it. Or another example, suppose a person is treated unjustly. What could that person do? The world might suggest that they can have an "eye for an eye" - seek revenge and do the person damage or injury. Jesus Christ teaches differently, "turn the other cheek" - die to self, be selfless. While I understand that many good Christian teachers in public schools model these lessons of faith by their actions, the Catholic school can teach these lessons without fear and apology but with purpose. There are no other ways superior to the ways of God in Jesus Christ.

Finally, January includes Vocation Awareness Week. I encourage you to pray for vocations and offer support to the men and women in formation for priesthood and religious life. If you want to be more involved, St. Maximilian Kolbe Deanry is beginning a Vocations Team to help pray for and promote vocations. For more information, watch the bulletin. We are a Eucharistic people, centering our lives on the Body of Christ. Let us pray our Lord sends laborers for His harvest as we make our way into this New Year toward our eternal reward.

Fr. Todd

Back to top

November 11, 2008

Dear Friends,

These past few months we have explored the dreaded “S” word — stewardship! Admittedly stewardship is not a familiar topic for most Catholics because it asks us to consider how we truly love our God…how we return to the Lord from the bounty we have been given. It is a annual call to evaluate whether we are using our financial and personal resources in the manner that God (not your pastor) asks of us, and we sometimes are not comfortable with the challenge. We tire of hearing buzz-phrases such as “good stewards,” “returning to God a portion of His blessings” and, worst of all, that overused expression of “time, talent and treasure.”

Some Catholics believe they are already doing their share, and it is the others who need to step us and get with the program. We at St. John have been blessed, for sure. Many are generous. Others may aspire to greater generosity but struggle with the notion of simply giving and trusting that God will provide sufficiently for their personal or family needs especially in these tougher financial times. I want to draw our attention to an article written by James Lamm regarding these economic times and a Catholic response to them:

Listening to the Lord During the Economic Crisis
By James Lamm, Director of Stewardship & Development
St. Louis King of France Church, Austin, TX

As many of us watch the free fall of the financial markets and as the pol­iticians and news media grasp for reasons why and people to blame, now is the time for those who pro­fess their faith in Jesus Christ to lis­ten more intently to His call to em­brace stewardship as a way of life.

While God did not cause the cur­rent crisis, God is certainly not absent during this critical and un­certain time. God is always active in our lives. God uses our life ex­periences to urge us to re-examine how we live our lives through good times and bad. Do we worry more about how much money and pos­sessions we have than how much God is central in our lives? Do we spend more time balancing our checkbooks, scrutinizing our invest­ments, or paying for material things than we spend with God in prayer? Whose counsel are we seeking dur­ing this economic crisis? Is it the government, our financial planner, our stock broker, or the God who provides us with everything we have and need?

It is only human to worry about our financial future, but it is the exercise of good stewardship to look at times like these and see God inviting us to come to Him. Let us use these troubling times to commit to living as generous stewards of God’s gifts. If we are sharing our time, talent, and our treasure according to God’s will, God has promised that we will be even more blessed. God cannot be outdone in generosity.

 

In the coming days you will have a chance to review our Annual Financial Report offered by the St. John Parish Finance Committee and myself. Realize that we are who we are as St. John Parish because of the love of God and the commitment of people like you. We continue to be a people who serve the needs of many and care for each other through our generous sharing of our gifts. May we turn to God and may God continue to bless us!
Fr. Todd

Back to top

---

Home | Parish Information | Liturgy Schedule | Bulletin | Ministries | Calendar | Stewardship | Upcoming Events | G.O.F. | Youth Group | School | Links | Contact Us

Please send feedback to webmaster@stjohndefiance.org.