Kepha (and other things)

A couple days ago I mentioned that CMQ was posting 'in-between issues' articles at their website. At that time I had not read the the first one, which is a meditation on the Eucharist by Brent Zeringue. Here's a taste:

Six hundred boys were present one morning at the oratory for Mass with Don Bosco. Since the ciborium in the tabernacle only had about 20 hosts, the sexton prepared another ciborium for consecration. But at the last moment he forgot it in the sacristy. At communion time, Don Bosco uncovered the ciborium from the tabernacle and a look of distress came over his face. The altar boys observed that he lifted his eyes to heaven, quietly prayed, and then advanced to give communion. One row after another of boys came forth and at the end all were able to receive with as many hosts left over as when he had started. The news of the multiplication of the Bread of Life spread and the boys crowded around him after Mass: “Miracle! Miracle! Don Bosco is a saint!” Don Bosco said in all humility, “Are you sure?” Then he added, “When you think of it, boys, isn’t the Eucharist always a miracle?”

This recalls to me Msgr. Rowland (then of St. Joseph's in Columbia, SC) preaching one day: (NB: this is a paraphrase, not a quote): "Many of you travel regularly to Conyars (GA) to see someone claiming to get messages from God. Yet this Church is empty everyday-but our Lord is waiting for you here!" I will never forget these words.

Now, who is Brent Zeringue? Well he heads up Kepha. I had never heard of Kepha before, but now want to learn more. From the website it appears it is a organization of fathers and sons who pray together regularly and also have fun together. From their website:

Kepha is the Aramaic word for "Rock", the word with which Christ renamed a smelly fisherman before entrusting him with the keys. We also call ourselves the Brotherhood of the Iron Will. Ours is a high octane Catholicism that tempts men and boys to a holy manliness and contradicts a life of spiritual laziness and moral compromise.

Kepha is Catholic to the core. Our shirts bear the words, "Where Peter is, there is the Church." We ally ourselves with the Pope and do not apologize for our fidelity. Our shirts also bear the words, "Roma locuta, causa finita est" (that’s Latin for, "When Rome speaks the matter is settled."). Expect to find all the men and boys in purple truly believing in the Real Presence, the right to life of unborn children, the permanence of marriage, the openness to life through natural family planning, the reality of Hell, the promises of Heaven, and the efficacy of confession.

Kepha is made of ordinary boys and dads doing together what none of us would do alone. One time, before proceeding to a day hike along a rustic trail with waterfalls, we stopped at the Missionaries of Charity Soup Kitchen. We served meals, brought 500 cans of food and mingled with the homeless. As the hungry and abandoned ate, we sang them songs. Now, let me hasten to add that a requirement of being in Kepha is that you have to be able to sing…badly. A homeless boy sat silently and sadly. We asked him to join us. A smile came across his face and he proceeded to sing with us. You could feel the chills run up your spine when he told us his name – "Trinity." But why were we surprised? Mother Teresa of Calcutta, one of our three patrons, told us we meet Christ in the distressing disguise of the poor. With hiking and waterfalls waiting, we allocated a rushed 5 minutes for prayer in the chapel. But for the next 25 minutes the boys kept offering prayer intentions.

It appears from their brochure that they have chapters (or members) in FL, LA, MS, NY, OK, and TX. (The singing part impressed me. I am a believer that singing on earth is a preparation for singing in Heaven.)

Oremus pro invicem!