the Sabbath

A few days ago I read at Catholic Exchange this summary of Pope Benedict XVI's homily while in Austria:

Pope Benedict on Sunday called on Catholics to keep the Sabbath a day set aside for reflection on their faith and the fate of the world and not surrender it to "the mad rush of the modern world". The Pontiff made his call on the last day of a trip to Austria during a Mass in Vienna's majestic St. Stephen's Cathedral whose colourfully patterned tiled mosaic roof and 136-metre high (445 feet) tower are the city's main landmark. The Pope said Western societies had transformed Sundays into days where leisure activities had eclipsed the traditional Catholic meaning of the day -- to devout time to God. "Give the soul its Sunday, give Sunday its soul," he said, quoting a phrase coined by a German bishop in the 20th century.

Now as Bishop Baker's time in the diocese of Charleston is winding down, I also recall his letter to the faithful of the diocese of Charleston at the beginning of our "Year of the Family":

I invite all parishes in the Diocese of Charleston to begin the celebration of the Year of the Family by reclaiming the Sabbath for God and family. Because we have become distracted, overworked, and overcommitted to outside activities, Sunday has become just another work day. I challenge each of you to restore Sunday as a gift from the Father for the family to appreciate one another. We have lost the peace that God created for our day of rest, and we all should actively seek ways to invite God into the center of our families.

Some ideas to make this a reality:

*Once a month, pray a parish family Rosary, followed by a covered dish with fun activities for youth and children.
*Plan a pilgrimage to one of your favorite religious sites, such as the Shrine to Our Lady of Joyful Hope of South Carolina in Kingstree or Mepkin Abbey in Monck’s Corner.
*Allow a member of the family to share fifteen minutes of scripture reading.
*Refrain from any labor, shopping, and any private activity that conflicts with prayer or family involvement on a Sunday.
*While your children or youth may be involved in faith formation on Sunday, try organizing activities with other parents and adults to enrich your faith and friendships.

Sunday is the day which recalls in grateful adoration the world's first day and looks forward in active hope to "the last day," when Christ will come in glory (cf. Acts 1:11; 1 Th 4:13-17) and all things will be made new (cf. Rev 21:5). Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Letter, Dies Domini.

I am happy to proclaim each Sunday in this diocesan Year of the Family a Day of Prayer for the Family.

One of the beauties of Bishop Baker is that he often gives practical examples of how you can live the Faith. You read something like this and are motivated to take some of these ideas to heart. But unless you get on it right away, it fades away amongst the business of everyday life. (In the Screwtape Letters I recall, wasn't it said that the hardest point of every endeavor was to convert inspiration to action. This is where the devil likes to attack.)

We can personally vouch for the spiritual benefits of making a pilgrimage to Our Lady of South Carolina Shrine in Kingstree (not that anyone would take my word over Bishop Baker's).

Our diocesan rosary celebration is coming up quickly (it will be held at the shrine) on October 13th. I may have more (exciting) news on this soon. The Curley's are certainly going to be there.

One final thought from Bishop Baker (from an interview on his move to Birmingham, AL):

Bishop Baker said he hopes to be remembered here for his emphasis on Mary. He established the Shrine of Our Lady of Joyful Hope in Kingstree and worked with the Vietnamese community to create a shrine o Mary in Greer. “’When the Blessed Mother is remembered, many blessings come to the diocese,’ he said. Bishop Baker hopes devotions to Mary flourish through Our Lady of Joyful Hope.”

Oremus pro invicem!