INTO THE LIGHT
Bob Kaintz of VOTF St. Louis writes of Christmas Eve Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church where six board members and the new parish priest were excommunicated by Archbishop Burke.

Christmas Day 2005, St. Louis, Missouri –
On a rainy Christmas Eve in St. Louis the people spoke. They came and came and came from all directions – hundreds and hundreds of people. They filled the church. They stood in the church. They filled the Polish Cultural Center and then stood in the Cultural Center attending Mass by closed circuit television. Fr. Marek’s homily was the story of a Russian prince who was respected, honored, admired and feared by his people but was unloved and lonely. This prince went out into his kingdom among his subjects on a beautiful horse with the sun shining on his gold and silver clothes looking for their love and they kissed his ring and honored and respected him. But he returned as he left – unloved and lonely.

There was also a poor doctor in the kingdom who lived among the people, ate with the people, and cared for the people with little recompense. But the doctor was loved by the people. It turned out that the doctor had also once been a prince, lonely and unloved. Our God was respected, honored, admired and feared until one day he loved us so that he came to us as a baby in a manger to be loved by all.

The homily was delivered, part by part, in Polish and English. Communion went on and on and on for at least 25 minutes. It was like the loaves and the fishes. Fr. Marek thanked the congregation for their support and applause but said he did not come to St. Stan’s for applause. He came to live among us, eat with us, laugh with us and cry with us. He told us that rules and regulations were not the Church but that we were the Church. He told the non-parishioners that they were welcome. He told the non-Catholics that they were welcome, despite what they might have been told elsewhere. He said if we were told we were too short or too tall or too fat or too thin or too far this way or too far that way, we too were welcome. Finally he prayed for Archbishop Burke. He prayed that one day our leaders would come back to us and shepherd us like they should have been doing all along. Peace on earth and good will to all. Bob Kaintz

COMMENTARY

• “It’s Still About Healing” – Fr. Tom Doyle

• “Parish Closings: The Right Way” VOTF Boston, Sharon Harrington

• “Hold Hands, Look Both Ways, and Cross Together”– one e-mail exchange on one day in VOTF

• “Into the Light”– VOTF St. Louis, Bob Kaintz, Christmas Eve at St. Stanislaus Kostka

• “Epiphany Vigil” – Dick Taylor, VOTF Philadelphia

Reflection and Prayer

• St. Theresa’s Prayer
• Novena Prayer for Victims of Sexual Abuse –VOTF Central Washington

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