Continuity is essential

January 24, 2019

181. Here, continuity is essential, because policies related to climate change and environmental protection cannot be altered with every change of government. Results take time and demand immediate outlays which may not produce tangible effects within any one government’s term. That is why, in the absence of pressure from the public and from civic institutions, political authorities will always be reluctant to intervene, all the more when urgent needs must be met. To take up these responsibilities and the costs they entail, politicians will inevitably clash with the mindset of short-term gain and results which dominates present-day economics and politics. But if they are courageous, they will attest to their God-given dignity and leave behind a testimony of selfless responsibility.

A healthy politics is sorely needed, capable of reforming and coordinating institutions, promoting best practices and overcoming undue pressure and bureaucratic inertia. It should be added, though, that even the best mechanisms can break down when there are no worthy goals and values, or a genuine and profound humanism to serve as the basis of a noble and generous society.

Source : Laudato Si'

Msgr. Michael Souckar

St. Andrew Church

Taking Pride in Our Catholic Youth and Young Adults

Dear Parishioners of Saint Andrew:

I believe we can and should be very proud of our Catholic young people, both within our own parish and the Church universal. Living in a culture which so often dismisses religion, Catholic youth and young adults have to make an intentional choice to live the faith. So many are finding that life is far more meaningful and fulfilling when lived in relationship with Jesus Christ and within the loving communion and helpful guidance of the Catholic Church. I am often edified by young Catholics’ commitment to the faith and their genuine joy at being Catholic. While it is true that some young people in our society are identifying themselves as “spiritual but not religious”, we cannot and should not overlook the many young Catholics in our families and parish who are very serious about their spiritual lives.

As happens regularly throughout the year, on a recent Sunday morning at 6:30 am, a group of approximately 25 young people of our parish (along with 10 adult-chaperones) met in the grotto, prayed together and headed to downtown Fort Lauderdale to distribute food to the homeless, including sandwiches they had prepared the night before. The young people not only share food with the less fortunate. More importantly, they share Christ whom they recognize in those whom they serve. As so often happens when serving in the name of the Gospel, these young people are themselves transformed by this experience. They affirm our common humanity, our shared vulnerability, and that we are loved by Jesus, who is the face of the merciful God. Through the parish Youth4Christ ministry, the youth of our parish participate in weekly Bible study and Eucharistic adoration. At Sunday “Youth Nights”, they also gather for fellowship and to study about the faith.

At the recent Annual March for Life in Washington, DC, tens of thousands of Catholic young people from across the country courageously stood up for the sanctity of human life. Young people have a particular sensitivity to justice. They realize that all life is sacred and that the most vulnerable and innocent must be protected. Many Catholic youth are proud to call themselves the “pro-life generation”. This is a cause for encouragement as we pray and take concrete steps to ensure that our nation’s laws and systems will affirm the violable right to life, from conception until natural death.

Finally, this week hundreds of thousands of Catholic young adults from approximately 140 countries have traveled to Panamá for the 34th World Youth Day. The highlight of World Youth Day is the pastoral visit of Pope Francis, who accompanies these young people in their faith journey and leads them in prayer, especially at the holy Mass. The theme of this year’s event quotes the Blessed Virgin Mary who accepted her unique role in God’s plan of salvation by telling the Archangel Gabriel: "I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Mary’s “yes” to God’s plan stands in contrast to the “no” of Eve and Adam who rejected God’s instruction. Please join me in praying that young people everywhere will follow the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary and say “yes” to God’s call in their lives. May many of them respond with a generous heart to the Lord’s invitation to embrace a life of service in the name of the Gospel as priests or consecrated women or men religious. Should you sense in your heart this invitation of the Lord, please speak with me or one of the priests of the parish.

Please join me this week to pray in thanksgiving for and in support of our Catholic young people. I suggest that this week you personally encourage a young Catholic in his or her practice of the faith and, if it be God’s will, their religious vocation.

May the Lord continue to bless you and your families with His love!

Monsignor Michael A. Souckar