Gospel Reflections for July 5 2015
People have come to this country from around the world for centuries seeking a fresh start and new opportunities. What kind of people were they?
You have to be fairly brave, energetic, and optimistic to leave behind what is familiar in the “Old Country” and travel a long and arduous journey to the Americas to build a new life.
It was those people who made July 4th, 1776 happen. The colonies had suffered for years under autocratic kings who were corrupt, greedy, and cruel. Americans imagined a new world based on freedom and courageously set about to make that happen.
They saw the good that happened when enterprising settlers, far from the reach of any King, cleared land by their own efforts and developed prosperous farms and industries. They saw the good that happened when people in a free market learned to trade goods honestly in order to attract and keep customers. Our founders recognized the innate God given abilities of the human person free to pursue his or her own happiness, free to join with others in a free market, and free to accept the risks and rewards of their own labor, and how that pursuit of happiness benefited everyone.
They also recognized this happened in a vast frontier country without any police force anywhere to maintain order. How would citizens behave? Our Founders needed people to be honest and virtuous for this new nation to work. Government cannot do it. They intelligently recognized that it was in churches in local communities that people learned the virtues of respect for others, honesty, fidelity, and compassion, so they placed in the very first sentence in the Bill of Rights our right to the free exercise of religion. Since they would never establish a European style police state, they protected churches to ensure that the United States had people and families with good solid character. That is still true today.
I have recently arrived in a “New Land” at St. Rose of Lima parish in Simi Valley, California, a parish that I know is filled with great people. I am especially glad to serve alongside the Pastor, my classmate and good friend, Fr. Joe Shea, and the other great priests here.
I will be here in residence for one year, during which time, at the request of Archbishop Gomez, I will help spread the University Series adult education program throughout the Archdiocese (see UniversitySeries.org). Every year during the season of Lent in our area of Ventura County, this program offers over 90 different adult Catholic education sessions that attracts over 11,000 people.
These sessions are precisely designed to help build strong and faith-filled Catholic parishes with informed Catholics who know and live their faith well, just as the founders of our country hoped would happen.
Happy July 4th!
Fr. Dave
Thank you For Dave you for continued Insights into to Gospel. Happy Independence Day..and Welcome. Back. To St Rose. We look forward to hearing your sermon’s again. God Bless. Rodger
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Another thoughtful reflection. Thanks Fr Dave. Congrats.
You are most welcome!
Dear Fr. Dave,
Again I enjoyed your “Reflections” for Sunday. This weeks brings to mind my Grand parents and Great
Grand parents who came to this country filled with Faith, and hopes for a better future. They worked hard
and passed down a strong Catholic faith to all their children. I am in my mid 80’s and worry about my Grand and Great grandchildren as it seems so much of the world has turned their back on religion as we know it.
I thank God that you are in this world at this time to give us hope.
With Love & Prayers,
Rita
Please be assured of my prayers for your grandchildren and great grandchildren. I am sure at some point they will come around.
A most beautiful Fourth of July to you Father Dave!! So happy you and your lovely group are safely home from Israel!!! It must have been a beautiful, faith filled trip of joy!!
Our country is a precious country founded with our God at it’s heart!!Our freedoms to believe and become the persons God created us to be are so valuable!! As you say so eloquently, the people who have come and built our country were so courageous and filled with dreams of freedom to make a better world!!! Now we must continue to be the difference we want to see in the world and in our lovely America by continuing to establish the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!!!! A world that is pro life!! A world where our freedom of Religions are protected!A world filled with God’s love!!
We are thrilled you will be with Father Joe Shea so close to us!!! We hope to see you more often!!!We love the University series and your spreading it to many parishes is a gift of Love!!!You are a precious blessing from our God to us!!!! Soooooooooooooooooohappy we share life with you!!!
Love, Franca and Dick
I wish you a very happy fourth of July!
How important today’s reflection is. For so long so many of us American’s have taken for granted what our forefathers struggled to achieve; it was just as a matter of fact that what they built for the people would be always here – now we are at a crossroad – may God grant the people a renewal of faith that we can remain strong and fervent in our belief and love for one another and that the Church will continue to enjoy the freedom we have had so long. God bless you and God bless the USA.
I join you in those prayers for our country!
Happy 4th to you Father Dave. It was wonderful seeing you today and being so close that we can keep in touch.
Thank you God for you!
Happy fourth of July!
Welcome home to you and your pilgrims! I hope you have a happy 4th! Thank you for your reflection on this great holiday. God willing, our country will retain it’s freedom for all those who want to work and create and honor life.
Happy fourth of July!
Thank you Father Dave for your inspiring words. We must never forget the reasons for the founding of this country, with God at the center of our lives, we worked hard to achieve our dreams and goals. My father earned an hourly wage of $1.17 when he came to this country and raised a family of 11 who also worked hard at various jobs, dishwashing, restaurants, bagging groceries to make ends meet. He lelieved if you worked hard, you achieved. We give thanks for freedom and we must remember that we must protect this country with God foremost!
Thanks for sharing the inspiring story of your father. He must have been an impressive man, and just the person who helped to build our country.
Fr. Dave,
Glad your back from what sounds like a spirit-filled and inspiring Holy Land pilgrimage. I hope and pray that your reflection is understood and embraced by those generations that follow us (before irreparable secularism sets in and causes an implosion of this beautiful country and society we make Home)!
Can hardly wait for your University Series to be launched in the San Pedro Region.
As a by-the-bye, similar to our annual clergy day event, we hosted our first gathering for Women Religious and in Consecrated Life in our SP Region (vespers & dinner) and honored over 100 of them – an amazing experience that we have promised to continue annually!
+Blessings
Hello!
Yes, I am very glad the Holy Land trip went so well, with great weather and a great group of wonderful people.
I am impressed at all the events you help sponsor, both for the area priests and also women religious. That is so great! Thanks for all that you do.
.
The University Series is such a blessing to us. Our Ministry “Defenders of Life” is comprised of people interested in respect life ministry in the Ventura area parishes. We support, encourage and offer transportation during the University series. Defenders are active in political issues such as Physician Assisted Suicide, public prayer at Planned Parenthood, end of life seminars, and much more. We are guided by Pope Francis’, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, our Archbishop Jose Gomez, and our parish priests. The intent is for many parishes to work together on issues and events. In this manner, parishioners everywhere get the same message and in working together we become more effective. The University Series is great opportunity to come together, study, and learn. Thank you for the work you have done. We pray for more people to become aware of the University Series. Carol Bohner Defenders of Life (Scribe) Our Lady of the Assumption parish Ventura.
Hello! Thanks for the update on this wonderful program. I am sure we can find a place in the University Series next year to showcase the universal appeal of respect life issues, Thanks for letting me know about the program and thanks for all that you do there!
Father the best at St. Rose in Simi, would love to know your mass schedule so my husband and I could attend a few of your masses in the future before another change occurs. Thank you.
I believe that St. Rose will soon place the priest schedule on the parish website.