All called to live the faith inspiringly

September 14, 2006

PILGRIMAGE TO THE TOMB OF ST. PETER

As I prepare to travel to Rome to meet with the Holy Father and the various congregations and councils, I greet each of you with the promise of my prayers for you at the tomb of St. Peter, our first Pope.

For several years now, Bishops named during the year from throughout the world have been invited to Rome to learn first hand about the Vatican and the governance of the Church. This meeting begins on Sept. 17 and ends on Sept. 25. I will join other newly named American Bishops and others from many countries. I will share more of my experience when I return. Please pray for safe travel.

SACRED HEART PARISH

This past Saturday I spent most of the day with our deacons, deacon candidates and their wives at Sacred Heart Parish Center in Early. As I drove into the parish complex, I was greeted by a flurry of activity. Parishioners were busy on the outside grounds and in the rectory for clean up day around the church. Their pastor, Father Larry Burns was supervising What a wonderful demonstration of a community loving their parish and desiring to keep it up. Young and old were working together to clean and spruce up the parish grounds. Meanwhile students attending a class sponsored by our Christian Ministries Class were gathering for a class on Liturgical History, taught by Father Tim Schott, pastor of St. Lawrence Parish in Carroll. How blessed we are to be able to provide a variety of classes to adults desiring to learn more about their Catholic faith. One of the most important needs in our church today is continuing education in the faith. Our learning never stops and the treasures of our church offer us many opportunities to study and reflect upon them. As we celebrate Catechetical Sunday, please give some thought to your own continuing education in the faith. Numerous classes are offered both in your parishes and in the diocese.

MEETING WITH DEACONS

Each year our deacons and their wives and candidates for the Diaconate meet several times for prayer and study. Tim Murphy from Carroll and David Lopez, Deacon Formation Director for the Diocese, hosted a meeting this past Saturday. We are blessed in the diocese to have many deacons serving in various parishes, giving valuable help to our priests and people. As part of this meeting, I celebrated Mass for them and installed Mr. Bryron Stone from Wall Lake in the Ministry of Reader. His wife Nancy was present with him and his pastor Father John McGuirk concelebrated the Mass with me. Byron is continuing his preparation for ordination as a deacon and this rite is a step along the way. As he received the Bible, our Holy Scriptures, I said these words: "Take this book of Holy Scripture and be faithful in handing on the Word of God, so that it may grow strong in the hearts of God's people." The many people who read the Scripture at Mass for us every day have a very important roll to play in our worship of God. Those formally installed as Readers like Byron, and those who volunteer to read at Mass are gifts to the Church. Their careful preparation to proclaim the Word of God to us helps add to the beauty of our liturgy. Thank the Readers at your parish who volunteer their time and who let the Word come alive by their meditation upon the words of Scripture, as it is read each day. I take this opportunity to thank all our deacons (and their wives and families who support them) for their fine ministry to us. Very soon we will ordain some new deacons for service. Please keep them in your prayers as they continue their preparation.

BRIAR CLIFF UNIVERSITY

Saturday evening I had the privilege to attend a dinner and reception as part of Homecoming weekend for the students and Alumni of Briar Cliff University. The Diocese of Sioux City was honored by being the recipient of the Mother Dominica Award. I was honored to accept the award on behalf of my predecessor bishops and the people of the Diocese. Our first bishop, Bishop Edmund Heelan, gave the land on where Briar Cliff is built to the Sisters of St. Francis who started the University in 1930.

All through the years, our bishops and members of the diocese have benefited from and assisted with the efforts of Briar Cliff to provide quality Catholic higher education to our community. I am grateful for the recognition we have received and promise continued cooperation with the University to provide solid Catholic teaching and excellent academic opportunities for all who attend Briar Cliff. All of these events lead me to a reflection on the importance of growing in our Catholic Faith.

CATECHETICAL SUNDAY

On Sept. 17, the Church throughout the world celebrates the 71st Catechetical Sunday. This is an opportunity, first, to recognize in a special way all those who offer their time and talent in catechizing (that is, " handing down" the faith); and second, for all the faithful to reconsider our baptismal call to holiness.

One of the three sacred duties of a bishop is to teach, and so I feel a special kinship with all the catechists of the Diocese, who willingly sacrifice their time and efforts in this very important ministry. From my heart, I thank you for your service to the Church. Because you are willing to share and pass on the flame of your faith, the light of the Church burns brighter in the world.

In a very special way, all the catechists of our Diocese "hand down" their faith to the youth and adults in our parish religious education and Rite of Christian Initiation programs, in schools, in prisons, and in campus ministry. This work is a vital part of the life of the Church. Teaching the faith starts with teaching the doctrines of faith, but it does not end there. Good catechesis is also modeling the faith. The catechist shows by the moral example of generous, self-sacrificing, Christ-like love and compassion that is possible to live for God despite human sinfulness: possible to hope despite suffering and despair; possible to love despite selfishness and spite. The catechist shows by the social example of solid family life that it is possible to resist temptations to self-destruction; possible to love another unselfishly; possible to have commitment to something larger than ourselves. The catechist imitates Christ so that others may be inspired to want to imitate Him also. Catechesis, then, is about holiness, about living with and for Christ rather than self. Consider some of the outstanding catechists of the Tradition of the Church. Saint Cyprian, bishop of Carthage, converted and catechized many, and was martyred for faith in 258. Saint Ambrose, the fourth-century bishop of Milan, preached heroically to both emperors and paupers. His most famous convert was Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, who preached marvelous sermons every Sunday for 36 years and wrote tirelessly in defense of the faith. Saint Dominic converted tens of thousands of the Albigensians back to the faith, as much by his love of poverty as by his inspired preaching. Saint Francis imitated Christ so well he has been called the only perfect Christian. And Pope Saint Gregory the Great, whose feast day of September 3 we celebrated just last week, taught the faith so well that he is remembered as the patron of all teachers. Our own American saint, Mother Elizabeth Seton planted the seeds of Catholic Schools in our country and witness to her faith in her selfless giving to others. We have "saints- in-the making" among our own Catechists.

The Holy Spirit inspired and strengthened these catechists to hand down their faith. The Holy Spirit equally inspires and strengthens all catechists to hand down the very same faith today. This is the living Tradition of our faith, and they take their noble part in this ongoing ministry. Along with the whole Diocese, I pray that your generosity will be rewarded with God's abundant blessings for you and for these to whom you hand your faith.

But of course, all of the baptized faithful have this same mission to live the faith inspiringly. We may not be catechists in the specific sense of religious education in a parish; but we are all models for someone: our children, our neighbors, our friends, even our enemies. All of us, by the grace of baptism, are called to live with Christ, and as Christ. We are called to be holy, and worthy of emulation. We are all called to be the light of Christ that does not get hidden under a basket, but lights up a whole house (Mt 5:15).

And so I urge all of us to cultivate the holy desire to imitate Christ ever day. Spend time in prayer with your loved ones, and trust that the Holy Spirit will open up the opportunities for the light of our one, holy, catholic, apostolic faith to shine throughout the whole word.

May the grace and the blessings of God our loving Father fill you with joy and peace!

Your brother in Christ,

Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless

Bishop of Sioux City

P.S. Even though I hung up my Bronco flag outside my home, it didn't help the Broncos win their first game (and I heard of other schools who lost as well). But remember, we are people of hope!