From the Pastor: 9.26.10

FROM THE PASTOR: September 26, 2010 When asked to summarize the essence of Ignatian spirituality, many people would probably say: “Finding God in all things.”  The answer is true enough; but it is neither original nor unique to Jesuits and their lay partners.  As Colleen Mary Carpenter notes this week in an article in the online version of “U.S. Catholic” (“Read Into It: What Books Can Reveal to Us About the Presence of God,” 9/18/10), the habit of seeking God everywhere comes naturally to all Roman Catholics, whether Jesuit-influenced or not. Ms. Carpenter:...

Homily: 9.26.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia 26th Sunday in OT-C – 9-26-10 Today’s parable begins by clearly establishing the contrast between the lot in life of the rich man versus that of Lazarus.  The rich man’s purple mantle and his fine linen undergarment are unapologetic outward signs of his economic and social status; their equivalent today would be clothes designed and custom tailored by Gucci or Giorgio Armani.  Jesus also lets us know that this rich man dines “sumptuously” every day, and that he lives in a gated mansion, since...

Homily: 9.19.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia Missioning Sunday (25th OT-C) 9-19-10 5:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil; 10:30 a.m. “Special” Mass If it’s true that parables are meant to confound and puzzle us and make us think, then today’s parable of the dishonest steward is a jim-dandy, isn’t it?  Apparently, the consensus of biblical scholars on this one is that it definitely poses more questions than answers, and there is no one simple interpretation.  To pose just a few of its hanging questions: How can a dishonest steward be praised by his...

From the Pastor and OSJ Archives: 9.19.1...

FROM THE PASTOR (ARCHIVES): September 19, 2010 Not long ago, I had the “pastor’s car” in the shop for an oil change.  I drive an aging Honda Accord which originally came to OSJ with our dear departed Fr. Joe McGovern.  Happily, while the car is more than ten years old and has its share of bumps and scrapes, it seems to run quite reliably and is blessedly free of problems. I thought of this recently when our wonderful archivist, Maryjane Green, passed along to me an article which she found in the “Woodstock Letters” about how some of my early Jesuit predecessors...

From the Pastor: 9.12.10

FROM THE PASTOR: September 12, 2010 It was great to see that so many of you came out over the Labor Day weekend to celebrate Ramadan with our Turkish Muslim brothers and sisters from the Dialogue Forum.  On each of three successive nights, our Muslim friends offered food, music, art, calligraphy, hospitality, and education to all comers at no expense to Old St. Joseph’s.  Under a beautiful tent on our north lawn (corner of Walnut and Fourth), our hosts generously invited 150 to 200 guests each evening to join them in breaking the day’s fast at an “Iftar”...

Homily: 9.12.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia 24th Sunday OT (C) – 9-12-10 – 9:30 & 11:30 a.m. When I was studying at Fordham in the early 80s, there was a chain of electronics stores in the New York city area called “Crazy Eddie’s.”  Each commercial featured a pitchman who talked fast and loud with a mad look in his eyes who would make the “Crazy Eddie’s” pledge: “Crazy Eddie will NOT be undersold.”  And at the end of each ad, looking mad as a hatter, he would say: “Crazy Eddie’s prices are IN-SANE!!!”  I bring this...

From the Pastor: 9.5.10

FROM THE PASTOR: September 5, 2010 Back when I was in “gradual” school – and believe me, in a doctoral program, it can feel VERY gradual! – I did a study of the preaching at a particular Sunday liturgy in a particular parish over a period of about six weeks.  The point of the research was to record and assess what “Good News” the regular congregants at this particular Mass would have actually heard during this brief “snapshot” period of time.  The results were a little unsettling, particularly since the parish was very popular – well liked  and well...

Homily: 9.5.10

Fr. Dan Ruff, S.J. – Pastor Old St. Joseph’s Church, Philadelphia 23rd OT-C (9-5-10)   7:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m. “Whoever does not carry her or his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”  How on earth can that be “Good News”?  The very thought of the cross is naturally troubling to us.  The temptation is to dismiss this Gospel as the product of Jesus’ having a bad day.  “He obviously didn’t really mean that!” we could rationalize.  Except, of course, that we know that all four Gospels pass through Calvary on their way to the new life...

Basic Catholicism

Stephen Paesani will conduct a course on the Catechism for people who feel a need to expand their education on the basics of the Faith beyond what they learned up to and including their Confirmation. The book: Bishop Donald Weurl’s The Catholic Way: Faith For Living Today, which is a primer on the Catechism. The format: two sessions per month starting mid September and extending through the year.