When Clergy Preach Heresy..... If they don't believe what they represent, they should go!

I was taught that once I was ordained, I was making not only a personal commitment, but also a public commitment to the church, and that as of that day, my personal opinion didn't matter and really shouldn't even be heard. It was the opinion of the church that I was to represent and to portray, and if I wasn't willing to do so, I should not be ordained. That was my instruction prior to ordination.

Yes, at times my personal opinion might slip through, but I honestly try to project only church teachings when it comes to faith and morals, especially when it comes to the teachings of the faith and the church. 

Any clergy who willingly teaches false doctrine and blatantly proclaims ideas contrary to the Church and the faith is only working against the church and the people of faith. Much of the crisis that we are dealing with originates from within and it won't be until we clean house will the true faith be echoed each day and without confusion. 

It is wonderful that we have a diverse church, but diversity doesn't mean opposition to the core tenets of the faith. That would more closely resemble a Protestant. The 70's and 80's brought about much confusion in the church and in society in general. And the 90's and 00's appears to have fostered an independence that represented "Army's of One" (i.e. people feeling entitled to proclaim their own guidelines for the Church and what other Catholic's should believe, even if the church teaches the opposite.

Christ didn't leave the church to be guided and ruled by the many, He entrusted the Church to Peter, the Pope, and his successors. It wont be until we return to Rome, submissive to the authority of Rome, that our church will be united and "One" again.

However, do not be dismayed, this new generation (The Youth), although unique in some approaches, and surely technological, have a deep desire and longing for tradition, orthodoxy, commitment, loyalty, and rituals. Truly the youth will nourish and repair the damage done to His church, Our Church, the Bride of Christ, lets just not get in their way.......

God Keep You..... Deacon Pat
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Year of the Priest

Pope Benedict XVI declared a year of the priest in an effort to encourage "spiritual perfection" in priests.

During this jubilee year, the pope will also proclaim St. John Vianney to be patron saint of all the world's priests. At present he is considered the patron saint of parish priests.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the death of this 19th-century saint who represents a "true example of a priest at the service of the flock of Christ," the pope said.

St. John Vianney is widely known to Catholics as the Cure (parish priest) of Ars who won over the hearts of his villagers in France by visiting with them, teaching them about God and reconciling people to the Lord in the confessional.


In his address, Pope Benedict said the priestly ministry consists of total adherence to the ecclesial tradition of participating "in a spiritually intense new life and a new lifestyle which was inaugurated by the Lord Jesus and which the apostles made their own.

"Priestly ordination creates new men who are bestowed with the gift and office of sanctifying, teaching and governing, he said.

The pope underlined the necessary and "indispensable struggle for moral perfection which must dwell in every authentically priestly heart."

The pope said he was calling for the special year for priests in an effort to foster the priest's yearning "for spiritual perfection, upon which the effectiveness of their ministry principally depends."

"The awareness of the radical social changes over the past decades must stir the best ecclesial energies to look after the formation of priestly candidates," the pope said.

This means great care must be taken to ensure permanent and consistent doctrinal and spiritual formation for seminarians and priests, he said, specifying the importance of passing down, especially to younger generations, "a correct reading of the texts of the Second Vatican Council, interpreted in the light of all the church's doctrinal heritage."

Priests must also be "present, identifiable and recognizable -- for their judgment of faith, their personal virtues and their attire -- in the fields of culture and charity which have always been at the heart of the church's mission," he said.


"The centrality of Christ leads to a correct valuation of ordained ministry," he said, adding that, without priestly ministry, there would be no Eucharist, no mission and even no church.

Therefore, he said, it is crucial to make sure that new bodies or pastoral organizations are not set up "for a time in which one might have to 'dispense with' ordained ministry based on an erroneous interpretation of the rightful promotion of the laity."

"This would lay the foundations for further diluting the priestly ministry, and any supposed 'solutions' would dramatically coincide with the real causes of the problems currently connected with the ministry," he said.

Ordination Pictures - What Memories!

It has only been 5 months since my ordination but in many ways it feels like years.

Father Vincent Juan just sent us these pictures from the ordination and the memories are brought right back from that very special day.

Here is my beautiful wife congratulating me after the ordination.

Liz had asked for my first blessing as a cleric to be given to her.

So here I am giving her my blessing.

Liz is the best wife a man could ever have, I am so blessed.

Liz and Me.

Here are my 5 brothers along with Father Vince.

I asked for Father Vince to vest me during the rite of ordination.

He is a very special and holy man, and very specal to us.

Here are the 6 brothers.

I am the handsome one in the middle.

Can you pick me out of the group?

Just Kidding.

Catholic Deacon - Is he the parish activist or something else?

I recently received an e-mail from a man in the United Kingdom. He appears to be a good, intelligent, and spiritual man, but stated that he really didn't understand the role of a deacon, or at least had a bad experience or two with a deacon, and asked me to elaborate what I thought the role of a deacon was.

Sooooooooooooooooo, here are my thoughts.

A Deacon is a Man caught in two different worlds.

This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your point of view.

I am a member of the clergy, but I don't look like one. At least not most of the time. I only wear special clothes when serving at Mass, otherwise I look just like the laity.

This is a good thing. I am able to live and interact in places that the clergy cannot so easily enter. I hold a secular job, and interact with people in a setting away from the church. The majority of my ministry is held within my life in the secular world......

From the beginging of the church, the apostles found it necessary to identify a few men, men of good character, and full of the spirit, to tend to the needs of the widows and orphans so they could be free to preach and have Mass.

Yes, I am allowed to assist with some Sacraments (i.e Marriages, Baptisms, Funerals) and assist at Mass and preach homilies, but my main ministry is meant to be with the people where they live, in their homes, their work, their schools, their jails, and their hospitals.

The life of a deacon is to be the face and spirit of Jesus and a servant. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. Diakonia, service, is the ministry of Jesus, and the Deacon represents that service.

I AM NOT A PRIEST, I don't look like a priest, I might have some similarities in my actions, but they are not the actions of a priest, but rather the actions of Jesus.

Don't misunderstand. I have the highest regard for priests, they have dedicated their lives for the service of the Lord. That was their calling, mine was to be a Husband, a Father, and a Deacon......Much Different.

I am to be a bridge between the secular world and the world of faith, religion, and the church.

I have met some deacons that are exactly what I have been discussing, and I have met others who in my opinion have confused their roles with a priest.

I am thankful for the work that I am allowed to do at the parish, but it is only through my work away from the parish that gives life and meaning to what I do at the parish.

I was once told that if the deacon doesn't have a dedicated and active life of service to the poor, the sick, and the marginalized, he has no business preaching at the parish.

What would he have to say that would contain any significance if it wasn't related to his personal experiences of service.

The priests are far better trained in theology, philosophy, and catechesis than are deacons. It is only through real life experiences as a deacon, a servant, who may also be a husband, and a father, that brings special meaning to his actions while also in service at a parish.

A deacon can live his whole life without participating in any activity in a parish and could fulfill his calling. He has been called to be a servant to the children of God, to evangelize, and to be the face of Christ to the world.

I myself, had no desire regarding the activities of a parish, not that I dislike them, but I see myself as a reserved and introverted person. I enjoy one on one converations and have a little difficulty with large groups.

However, I do find a desire to serve those who are not actively involved in a parish.

I hope to be a positive Christian representation to those individuals, and to hopefully bring them to a relationship with Christ. It is often without any preaching that I am told is my most influential tool, that my relationships in my work, coaching kids, and making friends, that the evangelization begins and seeds are palnted.

It is then through those external relationships, that friendships develop, maybe in Redding California, maybe in San Lucas Toliman Guatemala, maybe in Ohio, maybe in Honduras, that there are clear messages that become apparent, and then those messages and experiences develop a larger meaning, and then those experiences can be shared at a parish.

OK enough said.......

As you can tell, My idea of a deacon is to be a humble servant of the Lord. Not one to be held up on a pedestal, but rather to assume the position of servant. The reward is meant to happen in heaven, not here on earth.......

It is the deacon that willing accepts with gratitude the work and opportunity of working with and serving those who have the greatest need, and those who have the greatest suffering while at the same time providing for my own family.

I am a brand new deacon, a baby deacon, a deacon with little experience and I have no illusion that I posses the answers to how to live this life.

I do know that God has given me a wonderful wife, a wife who has a spirituality far greater that I posses, a wisdom and faith much superior to my own, and I have been given 3 great children to raise, to mentor, and to parent.

God has implanted in me a quiet, yet deep desire to work for him. He has lead me thus far through a life of such great love and joy, although allowed trials, and failures, and growth, all in what I believe to be preparation for a much great mission.

I am not sure where God will take our family, but our eyes and ears are open, and we are willing to follow his desires.

OK, the end.

See if you ever ask me again for my thoughts about "What is a Deacon."

Pope John Paul II, Ordination Present

Our friend, Judith Brown, Iconographer, painter a beautiful Icon of Pope John Paul II, for an ordination present for Benjamin in Guatemala.
We will hand deliver the gift to Benjamin while we are in San Lucas......

My First Mass and Homily as a Deacon

What a transition, The routine of a Mass seemed very simple

until the day came that I had a specific role to play.

So am I in deep prayer, or am I trying to think about what is next in the Mass.

The Gospel Of the Lord

Proclaiming the Gospel of the Lord.

What a privilege it is to participate in the Holy Mass at the table of the Lord.

The special role of the deacon in the preparation of the gifts.

Presenting the Lord to the Father.

The precious blood of Jesus.

I am so very blessed to be assigned to a parish with a priest (Father Hebda) who has embraced my diaconate journey, supported me and my family, trusted in me, allowed me to exercise my ministry, and always considers my role of Husband and Father first as my primary voacational responsibility.

After the Mass, the parish coordinated a reception and was attended by 100's of parishioners. They made me feel so loved, accepted, and appreciated. Ordination has allowed me entrance into so many people lives and has multiplied the size of our family 1000 fold.

The Journey has only begun.

My first Homily - Boy was I nervous!!!!

Ordination at the Cathedral (Blessed Sacrament - Sacramento)

Preparing for the Rite of Ordination

All 17 of us prostrate on the ground during the Litany of Saints.

The Bishop, laying his hands on my head, completing the tradition of "The laying on of hands by the Bishop," that can be traced back all the way to the apostles (2000 years ago), keeping the unbroken succession present only in the Catholic Church.

He we are walking back to our wives so they can vest us with

the Deacon Stole.

Here is Liz making sure that the stole is in the right place. Then my friend Father Vince vested me with the Dalmatic.

I am then sent back to the altar for the completion of the ordination ceremony.

After to Ordination Rite, the deacons of the church come one by one to welcome us to the church as co-ministers.

The Altar Boy of the left, holding the candle is my son Sean.

He was able to participate in the ordination ceremony, what a gift that was.

(Can you see me behind Sean, Kinda Like Where's Waldo!)

Mackenzie and Liz

Deacon Pat

After the reception, All 5 of my brothers and their families, joined our family for Pizza and a cold beer. I truly enjoyed sharing the ordination with my family.

Thank You to all the parishioners, friends, and family that were present for the ceremony and celebration.

Pre-Ordination Retreat (South Lake Tahoe)

Liz and I had a great spiritual retreat for the week prior to ordination. The retreat was held in beautiful Lake Tahoe.

This is a picture on the Tahoe center where all 17 couples stayed. It was on the edge on the lake. Each room had a great view of the lake.

Early morning on the lake.

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful wife, partner, and best friend....

My Beautiful Wife

The sunsets were spectacular and spiritual...

Each morning, before Liz awakened, I either went on a mountain bike ride or a hike. This was a special time for reflection and meditation.....

The Paddle Wheel boat making a journey across the lake.

I enjoyed sitting on the dock and just enjoying the water, it was soooo beautiful.

Liz and Me

The dining hall. We ate like royalty.

Good thing we had time to exercise to burn off the calories.

Each night we took turns meeting in each others rooms for time of fellowship, drinks, story telling, jokes, and more.

Great margaritas Benito, Thanks.....

Mass each day overlooking God's creation....

Mass

The ambo, the outdoor liturgy was breath taking.

I meet many friends during my times of reflection.

I caught you Liz.

She couldn't help herself.

Texting!!!!

One of my special spots for reflection and prayer.

Mass next to the conference room.

You could feel the presence of God on these holy grounds.

Just Me.....

Quick take to picture, I have to breath.

The best part of my life......My Wife

Our Class, the day prior to ordination.


Click Here

to see more beautiful picture of the retreat.