@Contra Mundum@ Volume XX, Issue 2 September 2017 The Congregation of St. Athanasius A Parish of the Archdiocese of Boston Serving the Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of St. Peter https://congregationstathanasius.com NOTES FROM THE CHAPLAIN: HOW IT ALL BEGAN he Congregation of knew, since he himself had found on weekends would say in TAthanasius will observe its out only that morning. I laughed. my parish. We hit it off. Over the twentieth anniversary on September On the previous evening our course of the next few years I did a 29, 2017. And in all the pleasant younger daughter and I had dined week-long mission in his Kingston, discussions and arrangements at a Chinese restaurant in Quincy. Jamaica, parish, and he was guest which led to the erection of the That restaurant is still there. After preacher twice for me in Boston. Fr. Anglican Use congregation in the dinner came the check with the Aarons became Catholic in 2006, Archdiocese of Boston was an fortune cookie. When I broke was ordained in Jamaica, and served event that took place on a lovely open my fortune cookie open the in just about every capacity in the summer day in 1996. prediction was YOU ARE ABOUT Diocese of Mandeville except as My telephone rang. It was TO EMBARK ON A MOST . He joined the Franciscans, Fr. William Stetson, Cardinal ENJOYABLE JOURNEY. When I came to the United States, and Law’s secretary for the Pastoral told Fr. Stetson, this time we both is in demand as a retreat leader, Provision, and with whom I had laughed. And The Congregation conducting parish missions, and in begun conversations during the of Saint Athanasius is likely to be spiritual direction. He is chaplain of previous fall. Could we have lunch the only organization within the Bishop Moore Catholic High School today? I said yes, and since it was Archdiocese of Boston that has in in Orlando. And on Ash Wednesday, indeed a lovely day I arranged to its archives a little piece of paper 2016, he received the mandate of pick Fr. Stetson up at Arnold Hall found inside a Chinese fortune Francis to be a Missionary of in Pembroke, and took him to a cookie! Mercy for the Jubilee Year of Mercy, restaurant in Plymouth right on one of 126 Americans so named. TWENTIETH the water. I think the place is no ANNIVERSARY EVENTS Fr. Aarons will be our preacher at longer there. But we settled into our Sunday Mass on September 24th and booth and ordered a drink. Then Fr. Two great and good will preacher at Evensong at Stonehill Stetson announced “I have good join us for this happy occasion. College, Easton at 4:00 p.m. that news.” Before he could tell me what The first is Fr. Anthony Aarons, day. it was I told him I already knew. TOR. We first met as Anglicans Then came the news. Cardinal Law in Northern Indiana. I had the And then comes the anniversary had accepted both my petition for parish in Goshen, and Fr. Aarons day itself, which we observe on ordination and that the Anglican Use was taking summer courses in Saint ’s Day every year. congregation would be put in place liturgics at nearby Notre Dame. September 29th is a Friday this year in the archdiocese. So we drank to He came yearly from his own and the Mass is at 7:30 p.m. Our that! Then Fr. Stetson asked how I parish in Jamaica to do this, and preacher is Fr. F. Wilson, Page 10 Contra Mundum a friend of our congregation SURRENDER since the months when we LABOR DAY is a holiday were preparing to be received. EVERYTHING which recognizes the right of He is a native New Yorker BUT YOUR FAITH the laborer to a proper return. and canonically resident in the It also sets our work within the Diocese of Brooklyn for 31 years. s long as we are sheep, context of the common good He has preached many retreats Awe overcome and, though and the rightful aspirations of and parish missions throughout surrounded by countless wolves, other workers. In economic the country in both Catholic we emerge victorious; but if we turn hard times this “day off” ought and Anglican churches and has into wolves, we are overcome, for also to arouse our concern for written for Fidelity magazine, we lose the shepherd’s help. He, those who are out of work. The Wanderer and The Christian after all, feeds the sheep not wolves, Always a Monday, this year’s Challenge. and will abandon you if you do not Labor Day is September 4th. let him show his power in you. Fr. Wilson called me up one fine day in the spring of 1996 and said What he says is this: “Do not be he would be coming to Boston upset that, as I send you out among to join us for Sunday Mass. At the wolves, I bid you be as sheep and that time we were offering the doves. I could have managed things Episcopal mass in the dining quite differently and sent you, not room of my rectory in Ashmont. to suffer evil nor to yield like sheep We were still Episcopalians, but to the wolves, but to be fiercer than that didn’t stop Fr. Wilson, who lions. But the way I have chosen is was right there the next Sunday. right. It will bring you greater praise Later he inquired if we needed and at the same time manifest my vestments and when I said I didn’t power.” That is what he told Paul: wolves—so many wolves!— have a green set, he promptly My grace is enough for you, for in what can it accomplish? However ordered a set from the Almy weakness my power is made perfect. great the innocence of the dove, company. And one fine summer “I intend,” he says, “to deal in the what good does it do him, with so day several cartons of steaks same way with you.” For, when many hawks swooping upon him? packed in dry ice arrived with Fr. he says, I am send­ing you out like To all this I say: Cleverness and Wilson’ s note instructing us to sheep, he implies: “But do not innocence admittedly do these have a Parish cookout! therefore lose heart, for I know and irrational creatures no good, but am certain that no one will be able they can help you greatly. Fr. Wilson will also be our to overcome you.” preacher at Sunday Mass, Oct What cleverness is the Lord 1st and be our keynote speaker The Lord, however, does want requiring here? The cleverness of at a catered luncheon following them to contribute something, lest a snake. A snake will surrender Mass. everything seem to be the work everything and will put up no of grace, and they seem to win great reistance even if its body We are grateful to these two their reward without deserving it. is being cut in pieces, provided wonderful priests who are so Therefore he adds: You must be it can save its head. So you, the much a part of our story and who clever as snakes and innocent as Lord is saying, must surrender are visiting Boston to help us with doves. But, they may object, what everything but your faith: money, our anniversary observance. And good is our cleverness amid so many body, even life itself. For faith is I know you will want to join me dangers? How can we be clever when the head and the root; keep that, in welcoming their visits in late tossed about by so many waves? and though you lose all else, you September. However great the cleverness of will get it back in abundance. Father Bradford the sheep as he stands among the The Lord therefore counseled the Contra Mundum Page 11 disciples to be not simply clever seventy missionaries, and the other or innocent; rather he joined the half say the number was seventy- two qualities so that they become two. The difference is in the ancient a genuine virtue. He insisted on manuscripts of the text, which are the cleverness of the snake so that equally divided. Some say 70 and deadly wounds might he avoided, others 72. and he insisted on the innocence of These numbers are significant the dove so that revenge might not because they call to mind the seventy be taken on those who injure or lay elders whom God commanded traps for you. Cleverness is useless to help bear the burden without innocence. of governing and instructing the Do not believe that this precept of any necessity, whether of essence people. You can read about that in is beyond your power. More than or of knowledge or of will, but out the Book of Numbers. of a sheer freedom which is not anyone else, the Lord knows the And when you read that Old moved—much less constrained—by true natures of created things; he Testament story, you learn about anything external.’ In creation God knows that moderation, not a fierce two ancient Israelites named Eldad is determined only by himself. God defense, beats back a fierce attack. and Medad, and who didn’t show creates solely out of his goodness. Saint The idea of the world has its basis ¶ This excerpt is taken from a homily on not in the essence but in the will HOLY CROSS St. Matthew’s Gospel. John Chrysostom of God. The might and freedom of (c.349–407) was Archbishop of Constantinople. Feast day is Wednesday, God must be defined not only as DAY September 13th. the power to create and to produce ¶ The Feast of the Exaltation of but also as the absolute freedom the Cross is Thursday, September not to create. God creates out of 14th. Masses in Saint Theresa the absolute superabundance of his of Avila Church are at 6:45 a.m. DIVINE FREEDOM mercy and love. and 4:00 p.m. he world exists. But it George Florovsky Tbegan to exist. And that means: the world could have not existed. ¶ Fr. Florovsky (1893-1979) was a Russian Orthodox and one of the There is no necessity whatsoever for most influential Orthodox theologians of the existence of the world. Creaturely the mid-20th century. This excerpt is taken existence is not self-sufficient from Collected Works, Vol. 3, published by and is not independent. Creation Nordland Publishing, Belmont, Mass. by its very existence witnesses to and proclaims its creaturehood, it proclaims that it has been produced. But unexpectedly it is precisely in ABSENCE HAS its creaturehood and createdness CONSEQUENCES that the stability and substantiality of the world is rooted. ne of the interesting approaches to Bible study God creates in perfect freedom. O This proposition is framed with is to assemble about six different remarkable precision by the ‘subtle translations of the text and compare doctor’ of the western Middle Ages, them. If you did that with today’s Duns Scotus: ‘The creation of gospel you would find half the things is executed by God not out translations say Jesus appointed Page 12 Contra Mundum up at the Tabernacle when Moses and a syllabus is available. summoned them. The story goes on Ñ Congratulations to Fr. Arthur to say that although these two were Mattox on his ordination as absent in the camp meeting, they a priest on The Solemnity of were nevertheless filled with the the Sacred Heart. Fr. Mattox, Holy Spirit Who works when and a former Episcopal priest, is a where He wills. Joshua wanted to pastoral provision priest in the punish Eldad and Medad, but Moses Archdiocese of Milwaukee. He only said he wished the Divine Spirit once assisted Fr. Bradford in All had filledall the people. ’ Church, Boston. Our very SOLEMN Eldad and Medad make the number best wishes to Father Mattox, his EVENSONG 72. We are never told why they wife Lydia, and their three sons. didn’t show up. But their absence, & SERMON The Ordinariate Congregation willful or otherwise, is the source of Ñ of Saint Gregory, whose members Sunday, September 24, 2017 the confusion. If there is a moral in joined in fellowship and worship 4:00 p.m. all of this it is that when God calls with St. Athanasius last fall, us, not to obey is not only bad for Chapel of Mary, Stonehill observes its Feast of Title on us but causes confusion among College September 3rd. the faithful. And once upon a time North Easton, MA that confusion included even the Ñ We begin using the Healy Fr. Anthony Aarons, TOR, translators of the Holy Bible itself. Willan Mass setting on Sunday, preacher September 17th. This setting is Father Bradford ¶ This is our joint annual service with found in The Hymnal 1940, nos. St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Brockton, ¶ This sermon was preached on September 710–713. observed on the Sunday nearest the 30, 2004. memorial of Our Lady of Walsingham. Ñ Our summer altar flower chart A reception will follow this service. is winding down with the growing season. There are a few dates remaining. You may sign up the OUR DESTINY chart at Sunday coffee hours. Ñ Parishioner Peter Kreeft will IN GOD SHORT NOTES be keynote speaker at the Mass esterday, September 24, Ñ There is an ongoing Friday Citizens For Life annual banquet Ythe church commerated “Our evening book club meeting in October 26th. You will remember Lady ofWalsingham.” The history of the home of Cindi and Kevin our parishioner Eva Murphy the devotion to Mary at Walsingham McDermott in Groveland, Mass. served MCFL as legislative liason goes back to the year 1061. In that Anyone may attend. Contact for several years. year Lady Richeldis, a widow of Corrine Paige at 781-879-2583 for Ñ Abbot Xavier, OSB has invited a nobleman in Walsingham, had a more details and Kevin or Cindi for the congregation to vespers and vision of Mary. In her vision she directions. dinner on Sunday, November was taken by Mary to Nazareth and Ñ Father Bradford offers adult 12th. This is in honor of our 20th shown the house in which Mary inquirers’ classes every year in anniversary and recalls the festive lived. Mary asked Lady Richeldis the fall, at a time and place to be dinner given us at St. Benedict to build an exact replica of her determined by those interested in Abbey, Still River, when we house in Walsingham. The vision learning more about the Catholic initially came into the Catholic was repeated three times. Lady faith. Classes are structured on The Church. Details to come, but save Richeldis was obedient to the vision Catechism of the the date now. and constructed the simple wooden Contra Mundum Page 13 structure she had been shown. This and considered in her mind what is how Walsingham became known sort of greeting this might be. And as England’s Nazareth. For many the angel said to her, “Do not be years Walsingham was the most afraid, Mary, for you have found popular place of pilgrimage for favor with God. And behold, you Christians in England. In 1538 King will conceive in your womb and Henry VIII destroyed the house and bear a son, and you shall call his the image of Mary and Jesus and name Jesus. He will be great, and the monastery which surrounded it. will be called the Son of the Most There was no shrine in Walsingham High .... And Mary said to the for almost 400 years. In 1897 the angel, “How can this be, since I Roman Catholics in Walsingham have no husband?” And the angel restored what had been known as said to her, “The Holy Spirit will the Slipper Chapel. It was known as come upon you, and the power of such because in years past pilgrims the Most High will overshadow would take off their shoes at this you; therefore the child to be born chapel and walk the last mile to the will be called holy, the Son of God Holy House in Walsingham in bare .... And Mary said, “Behold, I am feet. In 1922 the Anglican Vicar of the handmaid of the Lord; let it be Walsingham initiated the remaking to me according to your word.” of Nazareth in Galilee in northern Israel. Mary was reflective. We of a statue of Mary and Jesus in the In her humble, ordinary home image of the seal of the medieval see this in this passage from Luke in Nazareth, a replica of which as we are told, “she considered in monastery that King Hemy VIII now stands in Walsingham, Mary had destroyed. In 1931 the replica her mind what sort of greeting” heard God’s word to her and she the angel gave to her. We see of Mary’s home in Nazareth was discovered her destiny. She began rebuilt and the statue placed inside. this in the stable at Bethlehem to understand the purpose of her where, after the shepherds’ visit, Today over 10,000 pilgrims visit life. She found out why God had Walsingham every year. we are told, “But Mary kept all made her. And what a destiny it was these things, pondering them in What drew people to a replica and is. God created her, chose her to her heart.” Mary was joyously of Mary’s home in Nazareth in bear His only Son, Jesus. She is the obedient to God. She responded to medieval times and what draws , as theologians call her, ’s message, “Behold, I am them today? Certainly not the the God bearer, the mother of God. the handmaid of the Lord; let it th replica itself. The structure is As St. Augustine wrote in the 5 be to me according your word.” exceedingly simple and plain. It is century, “Him whom the heavens And she couldn’t contain her joy not the house that attracts so many, cannot contain, the womb of one when she visited her kinswoman but the knowledge of what happened woman bore. She ruled our Ruler; Elizabeth and proclaimed, “My soul there in Nazareth over two thousand she carried Him in Whom we are; magnifies the Lord, and my spirit years ago. Luke tells us. she gave milk to our Bread.” rejoices in God my Savior, for he “The angel Gabriel was sent from Why did God choose Mary? What has regarded the low estate of his God to a City of Galilee named gifts did God give Mary to qualify handmaiden.” Mary: a woman, a Nazareth, to a betrothed to her for her utterly unique call and Jew, born at the right time and in a man whose name was Joseph, of work? We certainly don’t know the the right place, reflective, obedient, the house of ; and the virgin’s complete answer to these questions, joyful. None of it an accident; all name was Mary. And he came to but we know something. Mary was by God’s design. Mary: perfectly her and said, “Hail, O favored born a woman. Mary was born a Jew. created for her God-given task, one, the Lord is with you!” But she Mary was born about 14 or 15 years which no one on earth could even was greatly troubled at the saying, before Jesus in the nondescript town imagine. Page 14 Contra Mundum

Why do pilgrims go to you? Mary learned this in her home the Faith in those countries. Walsingham? We do we come here in Nazareth through the message of What particularly impressed me to sing Evensong, every year now the angel Gabriel. May we continue in that last talk with the retired for the last ten years or so, in honor to learn this as well, as we seek to Cardinal, was the loosened joy, the of Our Lady of Walsingham? fulfill our destiny in God, following inner joy, and the confidence he had Mary’s example of joyful obedience Pilgrims might articulate various found. We know that this passionate and aided by asking for the help of reasons. We might as well. But one shepherd and pastor found it her prayers. Amen. reason, clearly articulated or not, difficult to leave his post, especially is that pilgrims come, we come, to Thomas M. Morris at a time in which the Church remember the moment in the house ¶ This sermon was preached at evensong in stands in particularly pressing need in Nazareth when Mary discovered the Chapel of Mary, Stonehill College, on of convincing shepherds who can her destiny in God. We remember and September 25, 2016. resist the dictatorship of the spirit of we come near to her to pray, and to Fr. Morris is the assistant priest in St Paul’s the age and who live and think the ask her to pray for us, that we might Anglican Church, Brockton. faith with determination. However, also discover our destiny in God. what moved me all the more was Mary was made by God uniquely that, in this last period of his life, he for her unique task. We are too. One learned to let go and to live out of a of my favorite verses in Scripture is TO LIVE OUT OF deep conviction that the Lord does Ephesians 2:10. Paul writes, “For DEEP CONVICTION not abandon His Church, even when we are his workmanship, created the boat has taken on so much water T THIS HOUR, when the in Christ Jesus for good works as to be on the verge of capsizing. which God prepared beforehand Achurch of Cologne and faithful Two things in recent times which that we should walk in them.” We from further a field gathered to pleased him more than anything: don’t create ourselves; we don’t say goodbye to Cardinal Joachim create our lives either; we discover Meisner, my heart and thoughts (1) On the one hand, he has always them as we seek to obey God day by are with you also, and gladly told me the deep joy he experienced day. Mary fulfilled God’s purpose accepting the invitation of Cardinal in the Sacrament of Penance as for her when she heard, received Woelki, I wish to address a word of young people, especially young and gladly obeyed His word. We are remembrance to you. men, experienced the grace of to do the same. As Mother Theresa When I heard of the death of forgiveness—the Gift they have said, “Obedience transforms Cardinal Meisner last Wednesday, I found, the life that only God can small, commonplace things and did not want to believe it. The day give. occupations into acts of living before we had talked on the phone. (2) The other thing that has always faith, and faith in action is love, His gratitude for the fact that he touched him and gave him joy was and love in action is service of the had been on vacation after he had the quiet growth of Eucharistic loving God. Obedience lived with participated in the Adoration. At the World Youth Day joy creates a living awareness of of Bishop Teofilius Matulionis in in Cologne this was a central point the Presence of God.” This is the on Sunday before (June for him—that there was Adoration, joy that overflowed from Mary in 25) was clear in his voice. The love a silence in which only the Lord the Magnificat. for the Church in the neighboring spoke to the heart. Some Pastoral Do you know that you are God’s countries in the East, which had and Liturgical experts felt that workmanship, created in Christ suffered under the Communist such silence in looking at the Lord Jesus for good works, which God persecution, as well as the gratitude cannot be achieved with such a prepared beforehand that you for withstanding the sufferings of huge number of people. Some were should walk in them? Do you know that time, shaped his life. And so it also of the opinion that Eucharistic that God created you uniquely for is no coincidence that the last visit Adoration, as such, was overtaken the work which He has prepared for to his life was one to a Confessor of by the Mass, since the Lord would Contra Mundum Page 15

SAINT MICHAEL’S DAY The Congregation of Saint Athanasius SAINT MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS The Revd. Friday, September 29, 2017 Twentieth Anniversary Mass Richard Sterling Bradford, SOLEMN HIGH MASS & SERMON Chaplain Father Joseph F. Wilson, preacher Saint Lawrence Church 7:30 p.m. 774 Boylston St. A reception will follow the Mass. Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Parking lot behind church.) Sundays 11:30 a.m. Sung Mass Fellowship and Coffee in the Un- dercroft after Mass Rectory: 767 West Roxbury Pkwy. Boston, MA 02132-2121 Tel/Fax: (617) 325-5232 congregationstathanasius.com be received in Eucharistic bread the goodness of God. Lord, we and not be looked at. But that this thank thee for the testimony of ANGLICAN USE Bread cannot be eaten like any food, thy servant Joachim. Let him be SATURDAY MASS and that the Eucharistic sacrament an intercessor for the Church of 8:00 a.m. “welcomes” all dimensions of our Cologne, and for the whole earth! at the Marian altar existence—that reception must Requiescat in pace. Saint Theresa’s Church be worship, has now become very Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI clear. Thus, the time of Eucharistic ¶ This message was delivered by Adoration at the Cologne World Archbishop Georg Ganswein at the Youth Day has become an interior funeral of Joachim Cardinal Meisner, in event, which remained unforgettable Cologne Cathedral, 15 July, 2017. to the Cardinal. When, on his last morning, Cardinal Meisner did not appear at Mass, he was found dead in his room. His Breviary had slipped out of his hands; he was praying The Parish will conduct an as he died, looking at the Lord, Every Member Canvass for talking to the Lord. The death support of its parish program that was given to him shows once in 2018. During the month again how he lived: looking at the of October you will be asked Lord and talking to him. So we can to support the work of the confidently recommend his soul to congregation for the next year. Page 16 Contra Mundum

St. Lawrence Church, 774 Boylston Street (Route 9). Park in the church parking lot behind the Church, off of Reservoir Rd. Directions by Car: From the North or South: Chestnut Hill Route 128 to Route 9. At signal for Reservoir Channing Road Road, take right; Church parking lot is a short Eliot St. distance on left. Av e From Boston: From Stuart/Kneeland St., turn left onto Park Plaza. Drive for 0.2 miles. Park Plaza Boylston St. (Rte 9) becomes St James Avenue. Drive for 0.3 miles. Lee St. Brookline Turn slight left onto ramp. Drive for 0.1 miles. Go Reservoir straight on Route-9. Drive for 3.5 miles. Turn left Reser onto Heath Street. Drive for 0.1 miles. Go straight voir Rd Heath St. on Reservoir Road. Drive for 0.1 miles. Parking . lot is on your right. Directions by Public Transportation: From Ken- more Square station board Bus #60, which stops in Low front of the Church. Alternatively, the Church is a ell Lane 15-minute walk from the Cleveland Circle station on the Green Line C-branch. St Lawrence Church Heath St.

Contra Mundum The Congregation of St. Athanasius 10 St. Theresa Avenue West Roxbury, MA 02132