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Dear Friends, Welcome to my website! |
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February 22, 2009 Dear friends in life and in ministry . . . Well my friends, this might have been a pivotal week in my life. Last week, I was chosen to be part of a three member team representing the Corning YMCA in the 2nd annual Magic FM Weight Loss Challenge. Three teams, each representing an area physical fitness center, compete to lose the most weight over the next twelve weeks. Each team member receives a three month membership to the gym and the assistance of a personal trainer/team coach along with diet and nutrition counseling. This past week I've begun kick-boxing class (3 days a week), treadmill walking (2 miles/2 times wk) and have tried some spinning on a stationary bike and even wight lifting. The challenge is to burn more calories than you consume. My goal will be to lose 50 lbs. before I retire at the end of June and predict that I'll have lost 8 - 10 lbs. by our first weigh in tomorrow. In the words of Bloody Mary in South Pacific . . . "Ya gotta have a dream . . . or how you gonna make a dream come true." A Step Closer If you've wondered how this process works within a least one Catholic diocese, I'm including the "cover story" from our parish bulletin as part of my weekly Sent to Serve column. Unabashed Promotion of our Cruise If you might be interested in traveling with us, email or call (607-426-1100) and I'll send you a brochure. May God abundantly bless you and those you love during the holy season of Lent. February 22, 2009 St. Mary's Pastoral Leader Opening Announced by Diocese After he has reviewed each recommendation, the Bishop will either: accept the recommendation and personally contact the person he has chosen for the assignment, reject, or seek further conversation with the PPC on the recommendation which may push the position into the 2nd Round of Openings which will be announced in late March. This might also occur if no priest of pastoral administrator pool member applies for the position during the first round of openings. Because of the anticipated clustering of St. Mary’s and St. Gabriel’s in July 2010, the position was advertised as an opening for either a parochial administrator or a temporary pastoral administrator. Unlike a priest pastor which typically enjoys a six year term renewable to a maximum of twelve years, a parochial administrator is a priest who leads a parish for a limited time - typically during a transition period. A pastoral administrator is a deacon or lay person who has been selected by a diocese as capable and fully credentialed to lead a parish. To be selected for the Pastoral Administrator Pool, a person must have at least a Master’s degree in theology or pastoral ministry, seven years of ministerial experience (typically as a pastoral associate or other parish leadership position) and at least one unit of clinical pastoral education in a hospital or other health care facility. Before being selected for the Pastoral Administrator Pool, candidates must also complete a rigorous interview process and successfully complete a battery of psychological testing. A full term for a pastoral administrator is typically four years renewable twice for a maximum of twelve years. In addition to St. Mary’s, several other 1st Round openings were posted for parishes in Elmira, Auburn, Livingston County (Geneseo), and Chili, a suburb of Rochester Lenten Series Will Focus on Traditon, Scripture and Prayer Our Ash Wednesday program is entitled “Lenten Memories.” To prepare us for table sharing of our own Lenten memories, several parishioners will present short personal reflections on the impact of Lent on their spiritual growth as Catholics. The evening will conclude with prayer by 8:30 p.m. On Wednesday, March 4, St. Mary’s Lenten Dinner and Discussion Series will be expanded to include Catholics from throughout the Central Steuben Catholic Parishes. The presenter will be our own Fr. Jim Jaeger who will speak on the “History and Traditions of Lent.” A major theme of the remainder of our Lenten Series was inspired by the both our diocesan Spirit Alive emphasis on the Gospel of Mark and the documents produced at the recent Synod of Bishops in Rome. The Bishops recommended that Catholics develop a greater knowledge of sacred scripture because it is through the scriptures that God personally speaks to us. Lectio Divina, an ancient practice of prayerful meditation on the scriptures was specifically recommended for Catholics both as individuals and small Christian Communities. I’ve invited my friend, classmate and spiritual director Deacon George Welch and his wife Paula to speak on March 11 and 18. They’ll teach us how to use Lectio Divina as a way of prayerfully listening to God. George and Paula practice Lectio as their own personal prayer and give presentations on the practice to clergy and parish groups throughout the Diocese. Both are skilled practitioners of contemplative prayer and have attended numerous retreats, workshops and training sessions presented by nationally recognized teachers such as Fr. Thomas Keating and Fr. Richard Rohr. Following these sessions, we will continue the practice on the remaining Lenten Wednesdays. The insert included with this bulletin provides information and schedules on the many sacramental, devotional and educational opportunities that are available during Lent. Have a good Lent. Serve each other well. Deacon Ray
Lands of the Bible Cruise On November 11, 2009, you are invited to join Deacon Ray and Pat Defendorf and pastoral leaders from throughout the Diocese on a twelve-day Cruise to the “Lands of the Bible”. Our itinerary includes an over-night flight to Athens where we will visit the Acropolis and the biblical city of Corinth before boarding the mv Cristal, a new 471 passenger cruise ship. We’ll dock at Port Said for a visit to Cairo (the Egyptian Museum and the Pyramids at Giza) then on to the port of Ashod in Israel. For two days we’ll visit sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem returning to the ship each evening for dinner and overnight. Our next port is Haifa where we’ll disembark to tour the Galilee with stops at the Mount of the Beatitudes, Tabgha (the site of the miracle of the loaves and fish), a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and renew our baptismal vows at the Jordan River. After a day at sea we’ll visit the Isle of Patmos where John wrote Revelations and then to Ephesus, Turkey where St. Paul established a Christian community on his first missionary journey. After a visit to Piraeus we’ll return to Athens for our return trip home. The price of this journey of a lifetime(including roundtrip airfare, chartered cruise ship, guided shore excursions, daily breakfast, lunch and dinner while aboard ship, study guide, entrance fees and deluxe motorcoaches), starts at $2398 plus taxes, tips and fees. Follow this link to download our itinerary: This cruise is expected to sell out so early reservations are very important. For more information and a brochure, please contact me by email or phone (607-426-1100). Serve one another well!
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Over the years, God has blessed me with many wonderful opportunites to minister. As a Roman Catholic permanent deacon of the Diocese of Rochester, New York, (ordained 1982), I have served in a wide variety of ministries. Whether I am ministering to my parish, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, travel or retreat groups (e.g. Cursillo, Walk to Emmaus, Koiniania, Pre Cana, Youth) - music has played an important role in opening doors and hearts.
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This website is an extension of that ministry. Here you'll find the lyrics to many of my prayer-songs and, if you like, purchase from a collection of CDs I've recorded. There's also information about tours and pilgrimages that my wife Pat and I occasionally host and links to web sites I've found interesting. |
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I pray that you will enjoy this visit,
and if you like,
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