--- FrDavidLReagan@... wrote:
> (Father Reagan - please forward this to your
> contacts on your address book). 
 To all my brother clergy, and devout brothers
 and sisters in the  Anglican laity:
> I guess it is better for someone to think of Jesus
> as their "homeboy" than > not think of Him at all.
> It's a start. 
-------------------------------


Fr. Reagan+

Thank you for forwarding Fr. Loftus' letter; he seems to see the problem clearly.

St Paul's, Cincinnati and Good Shepherd, Indianapolis are working on mission statements.

At St. Good Shepherd we had a very long Saturday session and some shorter meetings on 2 Monday nights in which we have prayerfully looked at mission and just what we can do in addition to the Sunday Mass.

The core group are well educated and committed, but have not found ways to communicate the faith or even to successfully announce the presence of the church in the community. 

I'm not dispensing cheap grace in these meetings by prescribing quick fixes for out reach.  My intent is to have this core group reflect seriously on what the call to discipleship means to them and to give vital meaning to words they have taken for granted that they understood.  The goal is for each to find more ways to serve.

Monday last I asked each of  the half dozen gathered at the discussion table after evening prayer the question, “Are you in the apostolic succession?”  I looked each one in the eye as I asked that question.  Some attempted an answer by starting with “no” and proceeded to define apostolic succession.  Some avoided the question altogether. 

It was an interesting exercise, as were the other questions relating to what is a bishop and priest and what are their primary duties?

At the end of the hour, they were still chewing on or around the question, so I left  as homework the question:  Are you in the apostolic succession?  

Try that question on your flock and see what kind of answers you get.

An event happened the very next day which I intend to carry back to our next Monday night meeting in which we will examine the meaning of succession and mission.  This is the event.

Tuesday evening I was called to the bedside of a man who was dying, barely able to nod when I asked if he could hear me.  Gathered around him were grown sons in their 50’s and assorted nieces and nephews.  These good folk were Christians, of assorted backgrounds.

The nurse who had summoned me on the family’s behalf did so because the gentleman had long been in a nursing home and had lost touch with his home church, which was also many miles away.

His pulse rate was down to 54.  The nurse told me he had perhaps only two hours before his departure.  

After briefly greeting the family, I went to his side and grasped his arm just above the wrist and held it throughout the visit.  As I recited portions of various Psalms, he gave an occasional nod and I could feel his pulse grow stronger.  There was a physical response at the Lord’s prayer.  Though he was weak, he had recognized his family, and I believe he recognized some of the Psalms and prayers.

Later I related to the family the physical response I felt he gave to the Scripture and prayers.  He had gripped my hand at times.  The family affirmed that he was a person of faith.   Both they and I were comforted that he was departing in peace.

On the way home I was grateful that some Christian minister and teachers of whatever denomination had served as channels of grace to this man in times past. What a black horror my ministrations at that hour could have been had there been no response, no knowledge of our blessed Lord.

I remember well a hospital visit to a man who was dying of throat cancer.  He was in his 40’s, I in my early 20’s.  When I introduced myself to him at his bedside, he turned his face toward the wall and cursed. 

Unfortunately, in recent years the churches who talk of apostolic succession have waned in influence.  The squabble over geography is nearly meaningless in terms of the ability of the church to effectively reach the mass of humanity around them.  Even JPII, with all the clerics available to him, affirms that the laity must fulfill its apostolate if the Kingdom is to come on earth. 

 “How will they hear without a preacher?” 

Charles+