From the Pastor July 19/20

The Patriotic Month

It’s the Red, White, and Blue month when buildings and fences sport bunting, flags flap in the wind from every pole, and parades and fireworks celebrate our country. July is our country’s patriotic month. It is when we celebrate its many virtues and accomplishments. Everyone should love their country and celebrate their loyalty to it. July’s the time to be proud to be an American, a citizen of a great country. 

The United States of America is an exceptional country in many ways. We enjoy great freedoms, prosperity, and our workers are amazingly productive and innovative. We also have some exceptionally negative characteristics like a high rate of gun violence, a disproportionate number of incarcerated lawbreakers, and income disparity that sets us off from the rest of the world. 

In many segments of America, there is the belief that our country has been set aside for a special mission and exceptionalism has become a civil religion. In some circles, questioning our country’s superiority is a heresy. It has become delusional arrogance. The incessant chanting of “USA! USA!” at some competitive events, I believe can at times be over the top. 

American exceptionalism is a two-edged sword. It can bring out the best and worst in people. It can spur us to strive to expect we can do great things. It is also misused to encourage an aggressive ideology that tries to bully other countries and promotes our country’s domination of the world scene.

Recently, an essay by Thomas J. Massaro entitled “A Catholic challenge to American exceptionalism” appeared in the Jesuit journal, America. Massaro addressed the question of how faithful and loyal Catholics should address American exceptionalism to help unify and not divide the world. 

A sense of exceptionalism in our country is traced back to a sermon delivered by Rev. John Winthrop, the Calvinist Protestant founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Winthrop preached his “City on a Hill” sermon even before setting foot in America. Winthrop told the Puritans, about to sail to America, they were a special people predestined to go to found a new Israel especially blessed by God.

Catholics have a different analysis. We believe in the equal dignity of every human being. No nationality, or race is more precious to God than others. Recent Papal Encyclicals such as Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutte, “Brothers and Sisters All,” John XXIII’s, Pacem in Terris, “Peace on Earth,” Paul VI’s Populorum Progresso, “Progress of Peoples” all proclaim the need for all nations to work toward the common good of all people no matter what country they call home. Peoples of the world need to work together in mutuality and universality, not pitted against each other trying to exert domination over each other. 

Catholic moral teaching can reshape American exceptionalism, Massaro says, by refocusing it into the desire to be of service to others and to enact a benevolent universalist ethic on the world. He said, “America’s aspirations to play a constructive role on the world stage must embody virtues of humility and self-restraint. It must not attempt to subjugate others.”

Humility and self-restraint are currently in desperate short supply in our country’s interaction with other nations. Our own schoolyard experiences tell us that a bully is only tolerated so far. Eventually, the oppressed join together to take back their rights.

I was a child, but I remember the vision of John F. Kennedy’s world view. It included a sense of humility and self-restraint. It was a world view where American exceptionalism was shared with the other poorer nations through initiatives like the Peace Corps, and other foreign assistance programs that tried to lift up poorer countries and not push them down. Together let's work for a world where God’s blessings are not viewed as a weapon but a gift to be shared to help make God’s Kingdom come. 

Our Lady of Grace Chapel Open

Our summer chapel, Our Lady of Grace, on Meetinghouse Road in S. Chatham, is open for the summer. The Mass Schedule is Saturday Vigil at 4:30 p.m. and Sunday morning at 7:30 & 9:30 a.m. The chapel will be open every weekend until the Labor Day weekend August 30-31. 

Fr. Sullivan’s Walk for the Homeless

Each year Fr. Sullivan conducts his own personal walk-a-thon for Chatham Ecumenical Council for the Homeless. CECH is a local group that raises funds to provide emergency assistance to Chatham residents struggling with homelessness, mortgage payments, and rental support. Over the last eight years he has collected $12,138, by his calculations. His plan is to walk five miles from the church to the corner of Sam Ryder Road and then back on the bike path on Wednesday, August 6. He wouldn’t mind company on the walk. If you would like to join him, sponsor sheets are available on the kiosks by the church doors. 

What A Day!

Tuesday was one of the most impactful days in Holy Redeemer Parish history. Over 160 parishioners resisted the lure of the beach, a day out fishing or golfing, to come together for a day of spiritual growth. We assembled to hear a beautiful organ recital by Kevin DiLorenzo, have our bishop, Bishop Edgar Da Cunha, bless our Allen Organ and Yamaha piano and give us a talk on the Holy Year Theme, Pilgrims of Hope. After lunch, the chance to have a small faith-sharing group experience was offered and those not already in a small group got the chance to join one. It was such a wonderful day.

Parish Council Election Results

Ron Weishaar, Jaqueline Pollock, and Evemarie McNeil were the top vote getters in our recent Parish Council election. They will become voting members of the Parish Pastoral Council at the September meeting. We really respect anyone who volunteers or allows themselves to be nominated for the council. Jean-Baptiste Nadal and Peter Gibson, the other two candidates will serve as associate members. They will be non-voting members of the council but freely share their wisdom and insight with the council. Welcome aboard to everyone.

Catholic Appeal Results

The Fall River Diocesan Catholic Appeal was conducted from May 1-June 30. As of Monday $50,993 was collected from Holy Redeemer Parishioners. Unfortunately, that is $260 less than last year. Hopefully, a few late minute donations will be tabulated and we can go over last year’s total.