We find all sorts of paradoxes the longer we live. Along those lines, I encourage you, in the light of the Gospel, to make some really clear observations; expand your horizons. The state, nation and world are a lot bigger than southern Buffalo County. For example, the solar eclipse on Monday. In the wake of civil protests which indicate a lot of disunity, did you notice, at least for a few moments, the national unity around this lunar event? In other words, we really did come together as a nation. We were buying glasses, watching news, talking about and observing the eclipse…together! We really can be unified, it’s possible, and unity happened.

While visiting my parents on a recent “day off,” I was setting outdoors perusing YouTube listening to somesongs which bring back good and pleasant memories. My dad who is 71 years old, sat down next to me andinquired as to what I was doing. “You can find those songs on your phone?” he asked. “Sure, and I can showyou how to find them on your phone.” So I did. By no means is my dad technologically advanced, but he hasdone a pretty good job mastering text messaging with my siblings and I. So, after a few steps with his phone hewas listening to songs which helped him reminisce about his younger years. The time together was delightful.

Our current Staff members have been holding things together over the past several days in my vacation absence. Among them is Amanda Burrow, our Coordinator of Religious Education. She graciously agreed to composethe bulletin articles, focusing on Confirmation. While she was busy writing, I was busy reading, praying andquite simply relaxing. I took advantage of doing some reading about Pope Francis. In my reading, I wasreminded by a priest friend to not only learn about his mind, but also to learn his heart. I like that concept whenthinking about our pope, to learn his heart. Hopefully Pope Francis, like any good shepherd, will lead us todiscover an ever deeper relationship with the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Greetings Confirmation Students, Parents and Parishioners,

Is it almost August? How many parents and students are thinking about the return of school? The fall season also brings Confirmation to two groups of students. We have students preparing for Confirmation in October and students who will be at the beginning of their journey towards to the sacrament of Confirmation. We pray for our students and Catechists to share and learn about the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Either I should read more books, or the ones I’m reading are really good. I’ve experiences some reawakening following myread of The Great Reformer: Francis and the Making of a Radical Pope by Austen Ivereigh. My read of his book, coincidedwell with my anniversary of ordination. The timing also fell along with our annual Priest Unity Days and our Diocese of LaCrosse priesthood ordinations. All of that lead in is to suggest that I’ve been reflecting upon 18 years of priesthood andeven back into the 8 years of studies before being ordained. And, to push back a little further, I’ve been reflecting upon myexperience of American Catholicism throughout my life. I join many people in realizing that our Church has changed; andwill continue to change. Each of us ought to be asking the question about how we are also changing and being faithful tothe one who called us from our Baptism.

Over the years I've been more motivated to grow things from the earth, like Cain in the Old Testament, and more disinterested from nurturing animals, like Abel in the Old Testament. And, in my decades of experimenting with various types of both indoor and outdoor plants, I'm settling on growing grass (the turf type). Nurturing turf also affords me to operate power equipment including a string trimmer, lawn mower and leaf blower; I do enjoy the hum of a fine-tuned engine! I also made a conscious decision over the winter to focus my energy on turf simply because, in some small and dramatic ways, I'm trying to reduce the busy distractions in my life. I really want to focus on fewer things and focus on them more clearly. Included in those things I'm more focused on is my own spiritual life, my priesthood and how I' m called to me a little more effective in serving the people of God.

I have become intrigued about our current Pope Francis. Some of my curiosity stems from the opinion of some people about his radical, progressive and liberal ideas. Some of my curiosity stems from his decision to depart from his Jesuit upbringing and, rather than embrace a Jesuit saint for his name, takes on the name of Francis, the founder of a different religious congregation. Some of my curiosity stems from his election as the first non-European pope in Catholic Church history; he's from Argentina in South America. Some of my curiosity is a consequence of his formative years in Argentina, his ordination class, his lived experience; a good portion of his ministry has been lived post Vatican II (1965).

Memorial Day weekend is among us. Many of us have mowed our lawns several times; some hay has already been cut(and harvested). Flowers have been purchased and planted and we are enjoying their beauty. Even some beauty of theflowers of spring has passed. Despite the regular rainfall and less than favorable temperatures, new life springs from theearth. Fields have been tilled and seeds have been planted (is there a rain resistant variety of corn/beans?).

Samuel McCarty concluded his twelve week internship on Friday 12 May. Some have asked, which causes me to presume some other are wondering, what I have learned from the Pastoral Internship experience. In an attempt to thoroughly answer those wondering thoughts, I need to revisit some recent history. Late in autumn, perhaps more like early winter, I was invited to consider being a pastor to provide an internship experience for one of our seminarians. I distinctly remember praying thoroughly about the matter, and praying specifically for Samuel who I knew was going to be the candidate.

It isn't often that we're given the chance to take a step back and recognize the many things we should be grateful for. The Lord is so good to us, and yet we rarely take a moment to say a simple thank you. Luckily for me, I've been given an opportunity right now to reflect on my semester internship and to acknowledge the multitude of graces I've received. Since gratitude is on my mind, I figured I would offer a brief encouragement on it.

Every year the month of May celebrates Mary, our dear mother. It offers us an opportunity to reconnect with Our Lady and return to, or perhaps discover a devotion to her.

This time of year we recognize earth's motherhood. All around us in nature we see new life – fresh faced flowers, robins' eggs, lambs and calves. Creation reminds us about the cycle of life and death, that all things are renewed ("See, I make all things new" Revelation 21:5). We turn to Mary because it is in her womb that our new life takes shape: her motherhood provides the gentle help we need to live our identity as children of God.