Homily: 7.31.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia, PA Feast of St. Ignatius Loyola – Saturday, 7/31/10 – 5:30 p.m. Happy feast day!  Iñigo Lopez de Loyola – who would later change his name to Ignatius – was born in 1491 and died on July 31, 1556.  Like many other great innovators and visionaries, St. Ignatius straddled two historic eras – in his case, the late Middle Ages and the early Renaissance.  He was, as a result, thoroughly steeped in the theology and piety of the medieval Church; but he was also very much shaped by the powerful...

From the Pastor: 7.25.10

FROM THE PASTOR: July 25, 2010 The July 5-12 issue of America magazine, borrowing from a 6/14 lead story in the “NY Times,” reported in a news brief entitled “Dream Daddies” on recent primatology research which shows that adult male macaques (a breed of monkey) carry their infants on their back in order to acquire social status and to bond with other males.  Apparently, “infant cuddling is a nonthreatening way for male adults to interact in groups; it enhances social networking.”  If this is front-page news, it is because it remains a rarity in the animal...

Homily: 7.25.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia 17th Sunday in OT (C) – 7-25-10 – 9:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. I have always loved the way our Jewish ancestors in faith pray.  They seem to have truly understood two of the real hallmarks of their God – who is also ours – and of God’s way of relating to them.  First off, they know that the God of Israel is one.  If, at times, their neighbors regard this as an impoverishment, the Jews know better.  From their viewpoint, there IS only one true God, and being eternal and all-powerful, He more...

From the Pastor: 7.18.10

FROM THE PASTOR: July 18, 2010 One of the guest “experts” who presented to us at the recent Jesuit “Superiors’ School” was Fr. Robert Ballecer, S.J.  A “30-something” Jesuit, Fr. Robert is a member of the California Province.  He currently serves as Director of the Center for Apostolic Technology, and also as Director of National Vocation Promotion at the Jesuit Conference in Washington, DC.  Put those two jobs together and you just might guess that Fr. Robert’s main role in vocation promotion is supporting the “on-the-ground” Jesuit vocation...

From the Pastor: 7.11.10

FROM THE PASTOR: July 11, 2010 Probably all of us were asked at some point to write an essay on “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.”  This column doesn’t quite fit that description; but I thought it might be fun to reflect with you about “What I Learned at Jesuit Superiors’ School.” First off, a little lesson on Jesuit internal governance.  Every community of Jesuits has a local “superior” who is assigned by the Provincial.  (A Provincial is the head “honcho” for a geographic region – in our case, the Maryland Province, which extends from...

Homily: 7.11.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church – Philadelphia 15th OT (C) – 7-11-10 I wouldn’t have been on that road from Jerusalem to Jericho at all, if family business had not required it.  I had no illusions about its dangers.  A highwayman couldn’t ask for a better work environment if he had it tailor made!  The road runs along the floor of a steep, rocky gorge.  Thus, there is no escape for a traveler under threat but to go straight ahead or else back from where he came…  And the brigands have plenty of lovely crevices in the rocks above the...

From the Pastor: 7.4.10

FROM THE PASTOR: July 4, 2010 When you read this, we will be celebrating our nation’s 234th birthday.  While the 4th of July remains an important holiday nationwide, we who live and worship in Olde City Philadelphia are perhaps more conscious than most Americans of the history of Independence Day.  After all, Old St. Joseph’s was already here when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence a few streets away; and the Continental Congress approved and signed that historic document literally around the corner from us. We often hear the claim that America...

Homily: 7.4.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia 14th Sunday O.T. (C) – 7-4-10 As many of you already know, St. Ignatius Loyola had a rather “worldly youth.”  Until he was nearly 30, Ignatius dreamed only of earthly fame and fortune.  He was an indifferent student and, like many of his peers, a lukewarm sort of Catholic; he preferred wine, women, song, and the occasional duel with a sword. In fact, you will sometimes hear Ignatius called the “soldier saint”; but I always caution people to think more of Don Quixote than of Operation Iraqi...