I want to start this off by saying “Thank you” to everyone who contributed to the Diocesan Appeal. We surpassed our financial goal by a +30% and we also exceeded out participant goal. The dollars raised stay within our diocese and support its efforts. These efforts make the parish shine brightly among the diocesan parishes. However, I must keep before you how perilous our future may be. Parishes will continue to close or be consolidated as the shortage of priests continues. (We are blessed with 8 seminarians, the most in over 30 years with more coming next year. But it will be 10 years before this increase will help the situation.) St. Libory’s is experiencing growth. We frequently register new families and have many baptisms. But we are still the smallest parish within a 20 minute or less drive to 5 other parishes. If you have 6 people running from a hungry bear, all that 5 need to do is run faster than the sixth. We are the sixth. And in terms of numbers, we are way behind the other five. Before closing a parish, the Bishop will confer with the area pastors. This is cold realism, but they will primarily see closing us as a benefit to them by receiving us into their numbers. This is a frequent topic of my prayer and meditation before the Lord as pastor. I love this parish. It’s loving, faithful and fruitful. I really do not want it to close. But my prayer always takes me back to, Lord what do you want? I do believe His will is for us to thrive in the same sense that it is His will that His faithful thrive in His grace. But I also know His permissive will allows for the other, as when the people of Israel failed to enter the promise land even though it was His perfect will that they should. I have ideas, but I am only willing to pursue God’s will. Perhaps we could make our interior too beautiful to close. Perhaps we could offer our parish to provide the traditional Latin Mass, which has a growing popularity, especially with younger generations. Perhaps we could enthusiastically promote Catholic education of our children by throwing our support behind G.I. Central Catholic which is rapidly reclaiming its Catholic identity. (This would make us an asset to the Grand Island parishes as we would be helping with their burden of school support and therefore less inclined to desire our closure.) Perhaps we could become a center for adult Catholic learning. We have a hall that would certainly lend itself well to the need. (The pandemic has helped to produce an abundance of programs available via the internet.) Perhaps we could organize to be a vibrant outreach to the surrounding community with the redeeming message of our Lord. Perhaps we could do all of these and more. I realize that I’m dreaming here, but that’s where it starts. What’s your prayer for our parish? What’s your dream? Are we willing to say like Blessed Mary, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” Jesus said, “With God, all things are possible!” Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

This Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the holy season of Lent. Here is a rundown on how it will go down. Ashes will be distributed in the traditional manner of the smudge on the forehead. Rome has also authorized another form of distribution that avoids any physical contact, the sprinkling of a pinch of ash on top of the head. So, there will be myself and another distributing by smudge and a third available for those who prefer the sprinkle of ashes. As for Confessions, there will not be a Penance Service. I will however offer extended time in the confessional. Starting the first Saturday of Lent I will be in the confessional beginning at 3 PM till 4:15 PM. I will also be available on Wednesdays after the evening Mass till 7:30 PM or as long as needed. Lent is a particularly good time to do meaningful examination of conscience. It is not for the purpose of making us feel guilty. The purpose is healing. Sin always injures us in some manner. Confessing our sins to the Lord and seeking forgiveness is the application of healing Grace to our wounds. This in turn moves us toward being the person we were created to be, made in the image of God. Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

In a little more than two weeks the Holy season of Lent will begin. Ash Wednesday will be different this year. Rome has given permission to apply the ashes by sprinkling them on your head so as to avoid direct contact from person to person. I’m not sure the ladies are going to appreciate that. What I am anticipating doing is offering both, the traditional ashes on the forehead and the sprinkled ashes. Please be aware that it is not required to receive ashes. This is not a sacrament. There would be nothing wrong with coming to Ash Wednesday Mass and abstaining from the reception of ashes. This is a really good opportunity to reflect upon why we receive ashes. It is an act of penance. The Gospel message is introduced with the imperative declaration, “Repent!” It means to turn, to turn from our sins and toward God. That is what Lent is all about, doing an examination of conscience and going to confession, all in preparation for our holiest of days, Easter. Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

There are a lot of depressing things in our life brought about by the virus. I thought I would use this space today to point out some positives that have come about. -We are spending more time with those closest to us. -We have come to appreciate the relationships in our life because we miss them. -Due to the anxiety of these times, folks are spending more time in prayer. -We are doing more creative thinking which has been brought about by restrictions to our normal habits of communication and work. -Since we cannot express our affections by our presence, we are expressing it by saying it, like “I love you.” -Due to social distancing, the front pews of the church are getting usage. Humor aside, folks have had to break away from a routine of sitting in a particular place. This gives us a different experience of Mass and an opportunity to be closer to different people in the parish. -In spite of the downside of smartphones, many seniors are discovering the marvel of being able to communicate with their children and grandchildren quickly and easily by such applications as Facetime or Snapchat. There are a lot of things for which to be thankful. In the midst of this medical crisis, we are going through, try to imagine how many lives have been saved by health care providers and their access to the most recent discoveries of medicine. For example, think of the ventilator, it is a fairly recent development. By this one machine, thousands and thousands of lives have been saved. So, when you say your prayer, remember to be thankful. Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.

Our first and second readings for Mass this Sunday are warnings. The first concerns the prophet Jonah warning the city of Nineveh that they are about to be destroyed for their sinfulness. In the second, St Paul declares, “…time is running out…because the present world is passing away.” In the Gospel reading, Jesus says, “Repent and believe in the gospel.” It is really easy for us to look at the news or social media and declare, “There’s the problem.” And yet, the message of salvation is always very personal. We are all called. We are each responsible to heed the call and live the Gospel. We are indeed living in very confusing times. We hear contradicting voices of influence telling us we should do this or that. But as Christians we have a place of refuge, an inner peace that nothing and no one can take away; our faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. So, whatever you are listening to, be sure you give priority to the message of the Gospel, read your Bible, read your Catechism, and use solid daily devotional practices. Do this first, give priority to these first and, “The peace that passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”(Ph. 4:7) Yours in Christ, Fr. Sid.

I have been getting questions about the Covid vaccine that is now being distributed. The first question concerns the morality of how the vaccine was produced. There have been reports that aborted fetal tissue is used in the production of the vaccine. This has been investigated and here is the information as best as I can describe it. The two available vaccines out are made by Pfizer and Moderna. It’s my understanding that no fetal tissue was used in the manufacturing of these vaccines, but Pfizer did use such tissue in the testing of their vaccine. This is not moral and shows a disrespect for human life. The moral issue being considered is am I participating in that sin by reception of the vaccine? This is a worthy consideration, and it needs prayerful consideration. What we have here is a confrontation with two paths of which there is evil to consider on both paths, secondary participation is the disregard of human life by reception of a scandal tainted vaccine or disregard of human life by being a potential carrier of the Covid virus to a person for who it will be deadly. Catholic moral teaching says that in this type of situation you choose the path that serves the “greater good”. By greater good the Church does not mean numbers but the higher moral principle. In this case, the avoidance of carelessly exposing someone to death would be the higher moral principle. Now, this is not saying that it is immoral to not receive the vaccine, but one is still morally responsible not to carelessly spread something that could be deadly. This can be done by other means, good hygiene and looking out for others that are vulnerable. In my vocation of working regularly with vulnerable people, I have elected to receive and have received the first dose of the vaccine by Moderna. Other than the morality of receiving the vaccine there are also health issues to consider. There are potential side effects. Please keep in mind that these vaccines have been fast tracked and have not undergone the normal two-year process. The reason for the two years is that sometimes it takes months for adverse side effects to show up. This lengthy part of the trial has not been done. There could be bad side effect yet to be discovered. I advise you to do some research on your own and by all means, ask questions of your health provider. I am not indorsing that everyone gets vaccinated. I don’t think there is enough quality information available to make that call. Pray about it and remember, you have the Holy Spirit to guide you. Fear is not from the Lord. He will give you peace in your decision. Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

All for the Bridegroom Ascetical practices are a form of sacrifice, but they are never enough for a deeper spiritual life…. They may strengthen spiritual discipline, but this is too narrow a view of sacrifice, missing its essential purpose. Self-denying mortifications can be managed simply by will power alone and lack love, without which sacrifice falsifies its name. What our crucified Lord Jesus would prefer from us is something more serious in love than the customary renunciations that are part of any good life. He wants sacrificial acts in the inner life that can unleash a fire within the undercurrents of our soul. He desires us to step over the edge, as it were, in offering ourselves to him in the privacy of interior prayer. He waits for bold, irreversible acts of surrender in prayer that cannot be taken back, like marriage vows, dissolvable only in death, yet repeated continually in life. Every intense sacrificial offering of this kind stretches love into the buried depths of the soul. These acts inflame our soul’s passion for God; afterward, inevitably, they compel actions of generosity for others…. All radical love for God may hide its deeper mystery within such private offerings made in the quiet of prayer. Unknown but to God himself, these acts pronounce a willingness to sacrifice everything for love of him as our beloved Lord and God. FATHER DONALD HAGGERTY

A great big welcome to 2021! 2020 will live on in infamy. Good riddance. I have some hopes for the future. Our parish is growing. In spite of the difficulties of 2020, we grew in registered families, baptisms and professions of faith. We have about 160 registered families and of them, about two thirds could be considered active. That is pretty amazing considering that most parishes are hardly claim 25% active. During the pandemic our attendance has been stable and we have seen an increase of visitors. I want to encourage you to make contact with visitors. Introduce yourself and invite them to return. A friendly parish is the number one attraction to those seeking a home parish or looking to return after a long absence. I must remind you that the future of our parish is precarious at best. We are the smallest of six parishes in a 15-mile radius. There will be parish closings in the future. Unfortunately, numbers matter. To survive into the future, we must grow! Yes, we have grown but we must continue. We are seated in a growing population area. (Just notice the new homes being built.) Consider inviting someone. And most important, pray for your neighbors. Our world desperately needs Christ, just like we do. Remember, you are the Lord’s instrument. Let Him work through you. Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

I doubt that any years in our lifetime will be recalled with the loathing that the year 2020 has fostered. It has been a crazy, confusing, and disruptive series of events. It has produced sadness, loneliness, depression, frustration, anxiety, fear, irritability, to name a few. We sometimes feel like we are hunkered down just waiting for the next bad event. If you are reading this, it is probably because you are or have turned to the Lord for help. Psalm 121 says, “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth!” If you are familiar with the salvation story as recorded in Holy Scripture, you are also aware that the Lord speaks to us from the “storm clouds”. His message is always pointing out the path of salvation, the Good News. I invite you as we conclude this year to renew your commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ. Invite him into your soul and give Him permission to reveal His saving Truth to you as it applies to you in a very personal way. We will only get to know our Creator to the extent that we come to know our self. We only get to know our self to the extent that we allow the Lord to shine His Light of Truth in our soul. He is always waiting to come closer. Invite Him! Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid

First, I want to remind everyone again about our Christmas Eve schedule. Masses will be offered at 3 pm, 4 pm and 5:30 pm. Our time between the 3 and 4 pm Masses are very short. If you come for the 4 pm, please wait until the 3 pm lets out before entering. Also, if you are concerned about social distancing, please consider attending the 5:30 pm or Christmas Day Mass at 9 am. I anticipate that these two Masses will have lighter attendance. We will also attempt to stream the 5:30 pm Mass on Facebook and also post a recording on our Facebook page for you to watch at home. Next, I would like to remind everyone as they celebrate this Christmas that adversity does not need to be an impediment to the holy joy of the celebration. The grace of God shines brightest in the midst of darkness, just like the star of Bethlehem. If you cannot be present with loved ones, make a special effort to speak to them by phone and other methods of messaging. Let people know that you love them and are thinking of them. Finally, I want to wish each of you a very blessed and holy Christmas! Your is Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid

I have some important information to bring to your attention, our Christmas Eve Mass schedule. This year, due to the virus, we will have three Masses offered, one at 3 PM, one at 4 PM and one at 5:30 PM. On Christmas day the Mass will be at 9 AM. Normally a Vigil Mass may not be offered until 4 PM or later on the Eve of a Holy Day but Bishop Hanefeldt has granted permission for an earlier time due to the pandemic. The hope here is to spread folks out and reduce crowding. Historically, people have attended the earliest Mass in the greatest numbers. The first one has always been packed and sometimes overflowing. Due to the limited seating, I anticipate the 3 and 4 PM Masses to be full. If you are concerned about having adequate social distancing, I strongly recommend that you try to attend the 5:30 PM Mass or the 9 AM Christmas day Mass. In the past the Christmas day Mass has had very light attendance. I strongly encourage you to wear a mask. As this is being written, there is not government mandate to wear a mask in Howard county. This could change by Christmas Eve. If it is mandated, we will post it at the door and have mask available as they always have been in the past. I know there are strong feelings about both sides of the mask issue. Both make strong arguments. I simply ask you to think of others in the choices you make. Please remember, it is Christmas! Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

We are now into the season of Advent. Although we will not have a penance service, I will be offering additional time for confession on Wednesday evening 6:30 – 7:30 pm for the Wednesdays of Advent. There will be a Mass offered at 5:45 and at the conclusion I will be available in the confessional till 7:30 or as long as needed. I am observing that many are in a deeper way turning to their faith in God. This is very good. A great way to do this is a regular examination of conscience and confession. You might ask, do I really need to do that? That is a popular approach that usually means, I’m not going to do it. Perhaps asking our self this question instead might give better perspective, why shouldn’t I go? I know that admitting our sins can be embarrassing. That is one of the reasons the Church offers confession anonymously from behind a screen. This is offered at our parish and it is supposed to be offered at every Catholic Church. If you haven’t been for a while and have forgotten how to proceed, grab a brochure from the entry or simply tell the priest you would like some help. It happens a lot and we are very happy to assist. Your confession is held under the “seal”, which means the priest is not to divulge the content even under threat of death. It’s Church law! (If you have good reason to believe this has been violated, it should be reported.) The most helpful thing is to keep in mind that ultimately you are confessing to the Lord. The priest is just the “phone connection” if you will. The absolution the priest says to you comes from the Lord. Receive it from the Lord. Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.

This Sunday marks the beginning of the new church year with the first Sunday of Advent. For that reason, I will be returning to offering the Mass “ad orientum”, which means I will face the same direction as the congregation during the prayers of the Eucharist. The Mass has been provided in this manner for two millenniums and it is only in very recent history that priest faced the congregations. The symbolism of ad orientum is that we are journeying toward the “kingdom of God”. We are all to be heading in the same direction. We are all turning our hearts, minds, and bodies toward God. The prayers of the Mass offered by the priest are offered to God as well as by the people. Rather than the priest and the people looking at each other, we look to God the Father, through Jesus the Son by the Holy Spirit. Since I as the priest will be turned in the same direction as you, please take this opportunity to fix your eyes on our beautiful crucifix (it is an inspired work of art) as you listen and participate in the prayers. In every Mass you and I are mystically transported to Calvary, to the One Sacrifice offered once for all time. The sacrifice that atones for our sins and redeems our lost soul. By the mystery of the Mass you and I participate in the here and now in that One Sacrifice. When you hear the old hymn, “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?” Our answer should be, “Yes I am! At every single Mass!” I invite you to ponder this reality as you make your spiritual journey through the Holy season of Advent. Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid

This is the last Sunday of our Church year as we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. We will also be observing our national holiday of Thanksgiving. This will be a Thanksgiving like no other in our lifetime. Many may feel there isn’t much to be thankful for. I would like to put a line that I believe comes from Shakespeare before you. “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” We have had a lot of absences in our lives this past year. I’m sure you can name several mostly brought about by the virus and the effects it has on all small and great events in our lives. We now long for those many everyday activities like a simple handshake. Our heart longs for the missing affection expressed by personal presence and touch. Last week I wrote about humility as the antidote for evil pride. I want to talk today about the antidote for jealousy. Jealousy is one of the capital sins (also known as deadly sins) that bears bitter fruit in many unperceived ways. Like evil pride it can lurk deep within the soul undetected without serious self-examination. A way to get it to raise its ugly head is to intentionally express words of gratitude, especially gratitude for the gifts that another possesses. I challenge us to put it to the test this week. Make a mental list of gifts, yours and others and thank God for those gifts. If you realize you have been jealous, acknowledge it and confess it to the Lord. Christ the King will forgive you! Here is a healing penance. If you cannot be with family this week, call them and express something about them that you are thankful for. Jealousy will be vanquished! Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

In two weeks, it will begin the Holy Season of Advent and the beginning of a new Church year. What a crazy year this has been, the virus, the election, the confusion, the controversies, and the forced changing of many of our favorite pastimes and activities. Change is always difficult. But times like these do not have to always result in something bad. Changes make us look at things differently, reappraise our values and sometimes discover something new and even wonderful. For example, the Covid restrictions on social activities has caused us to realize how important our community activities are to us. Our relationships have taken on an appropriate higher value. When Mass was restricted, it became very obvious how important it was to our weekly and daily routine. One of the parish activities we will not be having is the Advent Penance Service. Instead, all of the area parishes will be offering additional opportunities for individual confessions. Here at St. Libory’s I will be offering Confession times on the Wednesday evenings of Advent after the evening Mass until 7:30 or longer if needed. Also, you should find attached to next week’s bulletin a schedule of the Confession time of the neighboring parishes if perhaps those times work better for you. One of the overlooked benefits of Confession is that it helps us grow in the virtue of humility. Recognized or unrecognized our chief and most dangerous sin is evil pride. The remedy is the virtue of humility. A good examination of conscience humbles us. Admitting our sin out loud humbles us. With all the craziness of this past year, we all agree it feels really good to know we are moving closer to the Lord. A super way to do that is to go to Confession. Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

Statement by Bishop Hanefeldt on Pope Francis’ comments in a documentary film. Recent unofficial comments by Pope Francis in a documentary film that was released in Italy entitled Francesco, has gained wide attention. The full context of the interview in which the Holy Father talked about same-sex civil unions is unclear. From what has been reported, we sense Pope Francis’ desire to reaffirm the dignity of all who are created in the image and likeness of God, including those who experience same-sex attraction. This would affirm the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s teaching that “persons with homosexual tendencies must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided (CCC #2358).” Pope Francis’ comments as presented in the news are not an official pronouncement, and certainly not an expression of doctrinal teaching. No one should believe that unscripted comments expressed by the Holy Father in a media interview for a film can be taken as an official and authoritative exercise of the papal teaching office. Pope Francis’ comments in the interview that has been inserted into the documentary must be evaluated alongside official magisterial teachings. Previous papal statements and official teaching must not be misinterpreted or compromised by unofficial comments presented through various media sources. Not knowing the full context of the Holy Father’s comments and his intent, let us continue to pray for him as the Vicar of Christ and pastor of the universal Church. Rev Joseph Hanefeldt, Bishop of Grand Island.

I want to use this space to address a statement by Pope Francis made in a recently released documentary. It seems that he voiced support for civil unions for same sex couples. Initially there were commentators who said he was misquoted but later clarifications seem to indicate that yes, he did say this. If you follow Catholic news you know that Pope Francis is accustomed to making inflammatory statements and sometimes, they are contradicting. I have tried to understand him, but I confess my confusion. I would simply remind Catholics that not even the pope can “change” the deposit of faith. They can clarify and/or elaborate but they cannot change it and to do this requires a very specific process with guidelines. When Pope Francis is giving an interview or responding to reporter questions he is not speaking from the authority of his office. These are his personal opinions. They are not binding upon the faithful. Granted, it is distressing when they go counter to the Faith and Tradition. All Catholics are mandated by our faith to pray for the Pope. It would seem that it is more important right now than ever. Please, please pray for him. Yours in Christ, Fr. Sid.

This next weekend we will observe All Saints Day at part of our regular Sunday Mass and All Souls day on Monday evening. I want to use this space to encourage you to remember the faithful departed in your prayers and particularly on All Souls day. It has become a popular misconception of our Catholic Faith to assume that all the faithful souls go straight to heaven when they die. Not true. In fact, probably most of us will need the preparation of Purgatory. Purgatory should not be conceived as punishment but rather a final cleansing. When we do a good examination of conscience, we realize we still have some “issues” with sin, a weakness that hampers our holiness. (Holiness is simply doing God’s will.) This will not magically go away when we die. Our perfection and purification requires the consent of our will. The Lord will not force it upon us. We must cooperate. The souls in Purgatory are being purified. Part of this is their prayers. But they cannot pray for their self. That is where you and I come in. The Church prays for them, (Every Mass.) the saints pray for them, and we pray for them. The souls in Purgatory desire this. It is for them like a drink of cool water on a hot day. Exorcist confirm that what many people experience as a paranormal or “ghost” experiences is but a sad soul longing for prayer. You could think of this as paying it ahead. The souls we pray for now will be praying for us now and after our death. Someday they will thank you and you will thank them! Yours in Christ our Lord. Fr. Sid.

This Sunday afternoon a new group of our youth will be Confirmed by Bishop Hanefeldt. It is unfortunate that Confirmation has come to be seen as a type of graduation at the end of an educational experience, leading those who are Confirmed to think, “I’m good, I’m done, I’m out of here!” It is very prevalent and very unfortunate. Confirmation is a sacrament like Holy Orders. It is not a “graduation” but an empowerment by the Holy Spirit to serve the Lord with supernatural grace. If that sounds overstated, it absolutely is not. We should rightly expect the supernatural experience of the Holy Spirit to be active in our lives via the sacraments. But our wrong thinking and bad attitudes get in the way. St. Paul said, “Knowledge puffs up”, makes us prideful. If you don’t believe that hang out with a group of college professors, even seminary professors. It’s the natural and unholy progression and possession of knowledge that causes us to we have arrived at some place of sufficiency and superiority. When Confirmation is seen as a “graduation”, that’s what happens. The attitude of self-pride totally blocks the working of the Holy Spirit. Many Catholics today lament their lack of knowledge and understanding of the faith. They believe that someone failed to teach them, or they fail to expose their mind to the truth. That’s not the problem. The problem is always a lack of proper humility. Jesus made it very clear that a child can understand his truth. So, let us take this occasion to humble ourselves before the Lord and pray for our youth who are to be Confirmed and let us each ask the Lord for a renewal of our own Confirmation. It is only through the lens of our personal weakness that we will see the ever present and supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. We need His help more than ever right now and our youth desperately need it. So, please pray! Yours in Christ our Lord, Fr. Sid.

I want to use this space to address my “brush” with the virus. I have tested negative of the virus and cleared to resume public activity. I am very aware that this worldwide event has been steeped in controversy and misinformation. This has been magnified by its use as a political football to advance agendas on both sides of the political spectrum. I want to make a very simple appeal. THINK OF OTHERS. The virus is real and people I know have died from it. There are others who have been deathly ill from it. And, there are those who have had very minor symptoms, hardly a bad cold, even people with other serious health issues. What is clear is there is a lot about this virus that is still unknown. We do not yet know why some individuals are more vulnerable than others but it does seem evident that closeness and the length of time to exposure increase the probability of contracting the virus and how bad it will get. The dose of exposure seems to be having a direct correlation to seriousness of the symptoms. So be careful! Number one, pay attention to your hands. The mask is the most visible protection. But the most important invisible protection is clean hands and not touching your face. As Christians our faith required duty is to put others first before our own needs and desires. Unless we are being asked to sin, we are all obligated to help and protect others, particularly the weakest. The weakest in this case is the unknown person out there who neither they nor us know to be vulnerable to the virus in a deadly way. Think of them and act accordingly. Yours in Christ, Fr. Sid.