St. Mary's Church, Roslyn: Pastor's Page

Dear Friends:

On September 8, I reflected on the Feast of the Nativity of Mary. This week, the Church celebrates a companion event, also found in the apocryphal Gospel of James, the Presentation of the Child Mary. According to the story (whose fanciful details still express an important truth), the three-year-old Mary is brought by her parents to the Temple, where she is dedicated to the service of God, and in turn dances before her Lord. As the gorgeous painting by Titian reminds us, one is never “too young” to surrender oneself to the mysterious grace of God, through which one finds true joy, complete contentment, and profound wisdom. Would that we all might be as receptive as she to the infinite grace God bestows on us.

In his wonderful reflection on Titian’s “Presentation of the Virgin,” an online blogger, Dr. F., citing the work of David Rosand, approaches the painting from the perspective of “iconography,” that is, an artistic image that serves as a “window” into heaven. We behold the pious parents of Mary, Ss. Joachim and Ann, whose turn away from the viewer suggests their attitude of humility and self-abnegation. The beautiful young woman at the bottom of the stairs and the young priest at its top may well be Ss. Elizabeth and Zechariah before they were married. The old woman looking away from the Temple seems to represent the Old Covenant giving way to the New. Finally, the child Mary, bathed in divine light, seems to be ascending into the presence of God (a foreshadowing of the Assumption?), advancing from the security of her family to a destiny that is higher, deeper, and wider in scope.

By looking into great art, we also have a glimpse into the state of our own soul. I believe that there is an invaluable lesson in the “Presentation.” No one’s relationship to God is forged, as it were, in a vacuum. Indeed, the very language we use to speak to and about God we receive at our parents’ knees. This is why Catholicism refers to the family as the ecclesiola, or “little church,” for in the context of faith we establish the habits of loving God and our neighbor.

You can probably see where I am going with this. St. Mary’s staff, particularly the religious education team of Mrs. Nora Toal, Miss Kathleen Friend, Deacon Rafal, and I, with our wonderful catechists, want to assist our families with everything they need to pray with their children and speak confidently with them about the greatest gift we can impart to them: our faith. To that end, we strongly urge you (I am not above begging!) to do what only the family can do: come to Church every Sunday, pray together (e.g., the Rosary) every day, talk to your children about their catechism lessons, and finally, try to attend two sessions of the adult Catechism class on Monday evenings (7-8 PM, Msgr. Ryan Hall). They are only one hour in length, and well worth the effort. For those who prefer a more Scripture-based program, we have Bible Study on Thursday evenings (7-8 PM Msgr. Ryan Hall), and will have various Scripture experts come to share their wisdom. We are also preparing an exciting Youth Ministry program for our young people, so they may enjoy fellowship while growing in their faith.

Friends, the divine transformation of our children can only occur if they are prepared for it, namely by religious formation in the home. Together, let us discover the presence of Jesus.

Faithfully,
Fr. Valentine

Dear Friends,

I am biased, but I have a particular affinity for tomorrow’s feast of St. Martin of Tours. He is the patron of the Amityville parish where I was baptized, and I am old enough to remember the sight of the then newly-constructed church, with its gorgeous mural of Martin and the beggar in the reredos. (To say nothing of the intoxicating fragrance from incense and bees wax that lingers to this day.) Moreover, as the patron saint of military chaplains, he is dear to my heart.

It’s difficult to put into words one’s emotions regarding the relationship between Catholic faith and military service. Certainly, there are people of conviction who argue strongly in favor of a pacifist ethic, that no circumstances warrant violence: ever. St. Thomas Aquinas, echoing St. Augustine, reminds us that if war were always and everywhere unjustified, “then the Gospel would forbid soldiering; but it does not.” This is not to rationalize the righteousness of any and all military conflicts, but simply to affirm the prerogative of a nation to protect the lives and rights of its citizens. In fairness, thoughtful pacifists like Stanley Hauerwas argue that those who oppose war don’t simply look away when human rights are violated; indeed, they seek to resolve the conflicts that precede military intervention, certainly a noble endeavor. Yet as Elizabeth Anscombe (the magnificent British Catholic philosopher, scholar, and mother of ten) points out: we live in a fallen world in which unspeakable evil is real. The power behind human law, imperfect as it may be, is its coercive force to respond to injustice, and prevent civilization from devolving into chaos. A nation deputizes a segment of its citizenry with the awesome responsibility of protecting the common good by the use of force. Their task is unpleasant, tragic, and thankless, but these noble men and women in uniform make it possible for the rest of us to live without fear of violence, to pursue the ends for which God created us: the dignity of work, the joy of wisdom, the enrichment of culture, and the blessing of divine communion.

As a veteran, I would ask you in your kindness to keep our nation’s guardians in mind this week. Most Americans can appreciate the danger our military personnel face on a daily basis, particularly when they are on deployment. (I must say that among my most cherished memories as a priest were the years I spent with our young men and women in Iraq: truly.) What I think escapes people’s attention, however, is the impact that a year-long deployment has on a military family. Imagine a year without your Mom or Dad looking out for you and your brothers and sisters: going to PTA meetings, Scouts, and concerts, or supervising homework, teaching life lessons, eating dinner, and tucking you in at night. And whatever problems the family experiences before the deployment will be right there to welcome one back home. In a word: we owe our men and women in uniform an enormous debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they make. Please: pray for their safety and well-being. Heaven knows, we have a number of patron saints for the military who can intercede for them: St Martin of Tours, of course, but also St. Barbara, St. Joan of Arc, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Ignatius of Loyola, just to name a few.

St. Augustine tells us that because Christians are citizens of Heaven, we should be the best of citizens in the earthly city, precisely because we can envision our world according to the pattern of the City of God. May Christ, the Prince of Peace, equip us with the “armor of God”: “the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:13-17).

Faithfully,
Fr. Valentine