Fr. Larson

Some unexpected news at Mass at SS Peter and Paul this past week. Fr. Larson made this announcement:

At  this time I need to make an important and difficult announcement. For over a year I have been experiencing great difficulties in trying to live out the vocation of a priest. Certain aspects of my ministry have proven more difficult than I anticipated, and it has also become clear that I made a mistake in ignoring difficulties that I faced in seminary in dealing with lonliness and isolation. I have done much to try to deal with these struggles as seriously and thoroughly as I can.

I have spoken about them in depth with my most trusted friends from seminary. For qauite some time Bishop Sartain and Fr. Milota have been working with me as I have dealt with this. My spiritual director has been of tremendous assistance to me throughout this whole process. I spent five days on retreat last fall in an effort to sort through the questions I had about my vocation. I have spent significant amounts of time in thought, prayer and conversatio nseeking to discern God’s will for my life, and as a result of all of thes I have come to doubt that the life I am living now, as a priest, is the best way for me to serve God.

As a result of all fo this I have made the decision to leave Sts. Peter and Paul Parish. I am considering different options when it comes to the direction fo my life. As one step in this process on Monday I will be leaving to spend some period of time on retreat at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver, Colorado. Currently there are no plans in place for me to return to active ministry after this retreat. Because of recent scandals in the church I do feel to state clearly and plainly that I am not leaving as a result of any scandalous behavior or because of any inappropriate relationship.

I am extremely grateful for the support, friendship adn encouragement that so many of you here at Sts. Peter adn Paul have given me over the last three years. In particular I would like to thank the Sts. Peter and Paul parish school families for their tremendous support. I know that this unexpected announcement undoubtedly raises many questions in peoples’ minds. I wish that i did have the opportunity to discuss this witih all of you in greater detail. I wish I could discuss every vocational difficulty I have faced adn every sense of God’s guidance that I have experienced. Unfortunately it is just not possible to do so in this short amount of time.

It is certanily my desire to keep the parish informed in regards to what is going on in my life. Following my retreat some sort of announcement will be made to the parish concerning where things are at for me at that point. Mail sent to the parish in my name wil lbe forwarded to me. Because of the retreat I will be making it will likely be several weeks before I am able to start really responding to any emails or letters that I receive. Please keep me in your prayers. You will be in mine as well.

Sincerely,

Fr. Ryan Larson

“Pray For This Old Priest”

This past Sunday an old friend said the 8pm Mass at SS Peter and Paul – Fr. Jim Nowak… He was the pastor at Holy Trinity who cut us a deal and let us be married at his church on relatively short notice! He was later the Pastor at SS Peter and Paul when we first moved here. He retired last year and is now living at St. Patrick’s home right next to St. Thomas parish here in Naperville. He’s got to be nearly 80 now. He had regularly said this mass but I’ve not seen him there for a while.

I enjoy the 8pm masses.. Seems to have a different atmosphere than morning masses.. for a bunch of reasons.. During the morning the big stained glass windows light up the place and give a real vision of what heaven must be like… at night these windows are dark… perhaps it’s because the Confessions that start at 7pm continue on with long lines through mass… something rarely seen these days.. Perhaps it’s because it is a guitar mass.. many of the songs are ones I sung and played during my high school and college days… It also seems somehow like it’s a different crowd… a few familes with kids – but lots of college kids.. single people… night-shift people… and folks that I imagine have had a rougher life… Fr. Robert Griffin did an “Urchin’s Mass” for years at Notre Dame for little kids… I imagine this as more of a “rag-tag” Mass…

ArchBishop Dolan formerly Milwaukee, now New York has a promo that plays on Relevant Radio once in a while…
“You only have to read one page of the Gospels to see who were the favorites of Jesus… the sick, the suffering, the sinner, the searching, the forgotten, the struggling, the maginalized.. those by the side of the road.. THOSE are the favorites of Jesus… Therefore… they should be our favorites as well!”

Fr. Jim kind of works the room during his homilies.. He has the wireless microphone and wanders up and down the aisles talking to folks…

In his final blessing that night he listed a whole bunch of folks that he wanted to pray for – and ended by asking us all to “Pray for this old priest”…

Lolek – One Man Play about Early Life of John Paul II – SS Peter and Paul – October 23

The one man drama about the inspiring young adult life of Pope John Paul II. Friday, October 23rd, 8PM. Tickets $8.00/each.

Lolek is a two act drama about the fascinating and heroic young adulthood of Pope John Paul II growing up in Nazi Occupied Poland during WWII.

Where is the Naperville Catholic Presence on Ustream.tv?

I recently ran across ustream.TV… the new, free streaming video site. With Ustream.tv – all you need is a webcam and an internet connection to stream your video live, for free online!  It seems that not too long ago this kind of live streaming video was a very costly proposition. 

I was surprised to not find very much Catholic content at Ustream yet.  It seems like a perfect tool for the New Evangelization?  Some parishes have put up their own streaming video links to their Sanctuary or Adoration chapels… It would be great to have a whole array of streaming Catholic content from Naperville parishes at Ustream… Fr. Roderick of SQPN has a live stream always on in his studio. His ustream page has become a community meeting place. Perhaps streams of adoration chapels in Naperville, masses, retreats, sports events, concerts, etc. Could a streaming feed be created of the Latin Mass at SS. Peter and Paul parish?  I’d bet lots of folks would tune in to watch.

We will start building a list of links to Naperville Catholic streaming video on the NaperCatholic.com site – if you have any suggestions or some favorites – be sure to let us know!

Fr. Pat Mulchay’s Blog – St. Raphael

Visit Fr. Pat’s blog to read his homilies and lots of other great information!

Development Director Wanted – St. Raphael

Responsibilities and Qualifications: St. Raphael Parish and School seek a Director of Development to create and implement a parish and school development plan which includes stewardship, recruitment and endowment. Must have computer database skills, be able to write publications and speak knowledgably, articulately and enthusiastically about all aspects of development. Requirements would include a bachelor’s degree and experience with working with volunteers and multiple organizations. Preferred experiences include work with major gifts, comprehensive campaigns, planned and deferred giving, corporate and foundation solicitation and event planning. Essential is the ability to balance multiple priorities and work with parish and school administration. The successful candidate will be a high energy person of poise and dedicated to the mission of the parish. This is a full time position with benefits. Send resume to St Raphael Catholic Church, Development Director Search Committee, 1215 Modaff Road, Naperville, IL 60540

Sal Solo leads worship during Evang-A-Ganza at St. Thomas the Apostle

Sal Solo leads worship during Evang-A-Ganza during Confirmation Retreat at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Naperville, IL on October 28, 2007

Sliva Quartet Plays Handel at Holy Spirit Parish

Sliva Quartet plays: A) Mark J. Sliva: Quartet 1 Movement 2; B) George F. Handel: Glory to God from Messiah. Sliva Quartet, all siblings, is half of the Sliva Brothers and Sisters – see http://www.psliva.com/concerts/ . Mark J. Sliva (born 1988) is the composer of the first piece and he plays the first violin and stands on the left hand side on the recording. The composer of the second piece is Georg F. Handel (1685 – 1759). The live recording was made during the concert by Sliva Sisters and Brothers with Glimcos in the Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Naperville, IL, USA http://www.holyspiritnaperville.org/ on January 4, 2008.

Were the first Christians delusional when they said Jesus had risen from the dead?

Tools for the New Evangelization from SS Peter and Paul priests!  More listings are here

Latin Mass at SS Peter and Paul – Sundays at 5:30pm

SS Peter and Paul parish now offers the Latin Mass according to the 1962 Missale each Sunday at 5:30 PM. For more information about this Rite see www.sanctamissa.org