Homily: 7.31.09

Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola July 31, 2009 – 12:05 & 6:30 p.m. Masses Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia Fr. Daniel M. Ruff, S.J., Pastor The first thing to stress about St. Ignatius of Loyola is that most of his pictures don’t do him justice.  To me, at least, they always make him look cool, calculating, cerebral – a bit intimidating.  That may fit a popular stereotype for  Jesuits, but it doesn’t do justice to the passionate little man whose greatest mystical gift was the gift of tears.  Anyway, I’ve brought my own personal favorite image, and I...

From the Deacon: 7.26.09

FROM THE DEACON: July 26, 2009 The old joke in Jesuit formation was that ordination was a reward for a life well-lived.  Prior to the 1960s Jesuits entering out of high school would normally spend thirteen or fourteen years in formation before being ordained to the priesthood.  (One was ordained a deacon for all of a day before being ordained a priest.) Along the way they would spend two years of novitiate, two years of mostly classical studies, three years of philosophy, three years of regency (usually teaching in a high school), and four years of theology.  (One poor...

From the Pastor: 7.19.09

FROM THE PASTOR: July 19, 2009 This is not the sort of column I enjoy having to write, but I feel that I would be remiss in my duties as your pastor if I failed to inform you about where we stand financially.  As you know from an earlier letter sent by myself and the Finance Committee, Old St. Joseph’s, for the first time in recent memory, projected a budget deficit for fiscal year 2010.  This resulted principally from a falling off of revenue in our “special” collections – the Christmas collection, the Easter collection, and the annual Outreach/Social Justice...

From the Pastor: 7.12.09

FROM THE PASTOR: July 12, 2009 This weekend we are blessed to welcome Rev. Mr. Paul Rourke, S.J., who will be with us for most of July and August.  Paul is a Jesuit of the Maryland Province who has been studying theology in Rome.  He is currently a deacon.  As many of you may already know, deacons are a third “order” (or rank) of clergy along with bishops and priests.  These days, deacons come in two varieties – transitional and permanent.  Paul is a transitional deacon – i.e., for him diaconate is the last “stop” on the way to ordination to the priesthood...

Homily: 7.12.09

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – July 12, 9:30 a.m. Pastor, Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B Well, it sounds like the Twelve have just graduated, doesn’t it?  Like Jesus has taught them everything they need to know; and now he gives them final marching orders and sends them off to spread his message and carry out his mission on their own.  Only one problem – we are only in chapter 6 of Mark’s Gospel.  Just a bit more than a third of the way in.  At this point, the Twelve have heard a few parables and witnessed a few miracles, but...

From Outreach Program Director: 7.05.09

FROM THE DIRECTOR of our OUTREACH PROGRAM: July 5, 2009 Since this July marks my first anniversary as Director of the Outreach program at Old St. Joseph’s Church, I thought it would be fitting to reflect on some of my experiences from this past year.  Some of my responsibilities as Director include ordering food, creating menus, developing programming, coordinating volunteers and navigating my way through the world of social services, while always keeping in mind our primary focus—that being, to provide a hot, home cooked meal to the homeless and hungry poor of our...

Homily: 7.05.09

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia 14th of Ordinary Time B – 7-5-09 – 9:30 & 11:30 a.m. The Year of St. Paul has ended, but the continuing relevance of his teachings has not.  As for my own reaction to St. Paul’s writings, I might freely adapt what Mark Twain is supposed to have said concerning his father: “When I was young, St. Paul was so ignorant that I could hardly stand to hear what the old man had to say, but now that I’m older, I am astonished at how much the old man has learned in those intervening years!”  I...