Saint Joseph Parish:
Receipts for parish purposes: $889.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $104.00 from the second collection (plate); $30.00 from the Dues envelopes; $113.00 from the loose. Total: $1,136.00
Receipts for non-parish purposes: — 0 —
Analysis: When one deducts from the total of the parish receipts ($1,136.00) our weekly financial obligation to the Diocese, i.e. assessments ($290.08), plus our weekly premium for property and casualty insurance ($444.49), plus our weekly subsidy to Trinity Academy ($358.17), the sum total of which is $1,092.74, one sees that $43.26 is available from this collection for operating the parish.

Saint Vincent DePaul Parish:
Receipts for parish purposes: $1,007.00 from the Sunday envelopes; $113.00 from the second collection (plate); $97.00 from the loose. Total: $1,217.00.
Receipts for non-parish purposes: — 0 —
Analysis: When one deducts from the total of the parish receipts ($1,217.00) our weekly financial obligation to the Diocese, i.e. assessments ($183.92), plus our weekly premium for property and casualty insurance ($267.81), plus our weekly subsidy to Trinity Academy ($250.98), the sum total of which is $702.71, one sees that $514.29 is available from this collection for operating the parish.

Every Catholic seven years of age or older who is not impeded from doing so by reason of infirmity or occupation or some other grave reason is morally obliged to assist at Mass on a Holyday of Obligation.
No true Catholic lightly exempts himself (herself) from the fulfillment of this obligation.
To fulfill this obligation is tantamount to saying to God: “Here I am, I come to do Your Will!” Needless to say, this is immensely pleasing to God.
Deliberately to shirk this obligation is tantamount to saying to God: “Bug off! You’re a royal pain! Don’t tell me what to do! I’ll do or not do whatever I please!” Needless to say, this is immensely displeasing to God.

AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BASED ON THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS

by Fr. Dylan James

PRIDE (ST II-II q162)
Pride is the mother of all sin. It is a craving for excellence beyond what is reasonable. It makes a person hate being equal to others, and hate being less than God.
Have I refused to admit my own weaknesses?
Have I dwelt on the failings of others?
Have I judged others, in my thoughts or words?
Have I ranked myself better than others?
Have I borne hated for another?
Have I refused to learn from others?
Have I been stubborn? Refused to admit I was wrong? Refused to accept that another person had a better idea?
Have I been arrogant?
Have I held others in contempt?

Pusillanimity –the opposite of pride: False humility fails to use our gifts.
Have I neglected to use the talents that God has given me?

VANITY (ST II-II q132)
Vanity is excessive concern about manifesting my glory before others
Have I been overly concerned about what others think of me? Have I allowed this to motivate my actions?
Have I lied or exaggerated to make myself look good?
Have I wasted undue time and money on clothes and appearance?
Have I been content with my lowly position, or have I resented the role that Christ asks of me?

LUST (ST II-II q.153; CCC 2351)
Lust is disordered desire for sexual pleasure, isolated from its procreative and unitive purpose (CCC 2351).
Custody of the Eyes: “Whoever looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28)
Have I viewed other people as mere sexual objects rather than as persons to be loved?
Pornography: On internet? On TV?
Impure Thoughts: Have I entertained impure thoughts?
Impure Acts: Alone, or with another?

ANGER / WRATH (ST II-II q158)
Anger is undue desire for vengeance -undue in cause or in amount.
Have I harbored resentment, grudges, and hatred in my thoughts?
Have I nurtured imaginary angry conversations?
Have I been slow to forgive?
Have I lost my temper?

Impatience: How have I carried my cross?
Have I been impatient with people, family, events, sufferings, sicknesses?

COVETOUSNESS / AVARICE (ST II-II q118)
Avarice is the excessive love of possessing things
Have I been overly concerned about my own comfort and well-being?
Have I been resentful of my lack of money?
Have I been generous in giving? Have I given with a cheerful heart?
Have I cheated, stolen, or failed to pay my bills on time?
Have I used people for my own ends and advantage?
Have I wasted money?

ENVY (ST II-II q36)
Envy –is sadness at the happiness of another
Jealousy–is coveting what belongs to another
Have I envied or been jealous of the abilities, talents, ideas, good-looks, intelligence, clothes, possessions, money, friends, family, of another?

Gossip: Have I judged others in my thoughts?
Have I damaged the reputation of another person by my words, attitude, or looks?
Have I repeated accusations that might not be true? Have I exaggerated?
Have I failed to defend the reputation of others?
Have I failed to keep secrets?
Do I despise others of different race, class or culture?
Lies: Have I lied or exaggerated?

SLOTH / APATHY (ST II-II q35)
Laziness, especially laziness in the things of God. Sloth is a sorrow in the face of spiritual good -it makes a person lethargic and want to do nothing.
Have I sought God above all else, or have I put other priorities ahead of him? (e.g. friendships, ambition, comfort and ease)
Have I got so caught up in the things of this world that I’ve forgotten God?
Have I risked losing my faith/piety by bad company, bad reading, cowardice, or pride?
Have I trusted God, especially in times of difficulty?
Have I attended Mass each and every Sunday?
Have I neglected to say my daily prayers?
Have I entertained distractions in prayer, or failed to give God due concentration in prayer or in the Mass?
(Note: Not giving God the effort he deserves in prayer is a sin, but it is not the same thing as involuntary weakness in mental distractions.)
Have I made a prayerful preparation before Mass and a good thanksgiving after Mass?
Have I received Holy Communion while in a state of serious sin?
Have I neglected to seek Confession before Holy Communion?
Have I taken the Lord’s name in vain? Or used other foul language?
My Neighbor: Have I been lazy in helping others?
Have I been attentive to the needs of my Neighbor, the needs of my family?
Has my conversation been focused on my own pleasure, or on others?
Has my humor been insensitive to others?
My Family: Have I been more focused on myself than on the needs of others?
Have I spent time with my family? How have I manifested my concern for them? Have I been forgiving and tolerant of them? Have I scandalized them by a bad or lazy example?
Punctuality and Discipline: Have I sinned against my Neighbor by being late?
Have I sinned against God and the congregation by being late for Mass?
Have I gone to sleep on time?
Have I made good use of my time, or have I wasted time needlessly? E.g. TV or internet?
Have I planned good use of relaxation and recreation, knowing that I need to rest well?

GLUTTONY (ST II-II q148)
Gluttony is the inordinate desire for food.
Have I eaten more than I need?
To how serious an extent?
Have I spent excessive money on food?
Have I drunk alcohol excessively?
Have I smoked marijuana?
Have I taken harmful or illicit drugs, e.g. heroin, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy, meth?
Have I abused prescription medication?
Have I driven after drinking or after using mood-altering drugs?
Have I eaten greedily and with little consideration for the presence and needs of those at table with me?
Have I given money to help the poor and hungry?
Have I regularly practiced fasting and self-denial, especially on Fridays?
Have I always fasted an hour before receiving Holy Communion at Mass?

Suggestion: You might want to bring this with you to Confession.

On the Church calendar, today (6 December) is the Memorial of Saint Nicholas. Because 6 Dec falls on a Sunday this year, St. Nicholas is liturgically passed over. However, this is still a good day on which to relate the following story about him:

In AD 325 Emperor Constantine convened the Council of Nicaea, the very first ecumenical council. More than 300 bishops came from all over the Christian world to debate the nature of the Holy Trinity. It was one of the early church's most intense theological questions. Arius, from Egypt, was teaching that Jesus the Son was not equal to God the Father. Arius forcefully argued his position at length. The bishops listened respectfully.

As Arius vigorously continued, Nicholas became more and more agitated. Finally, he could no longer bear that what he believed to be essential was being attacked. The outraged Nicholas got up, crossed the room, and slapped Arius across the face! The bishops were shocked. It was unbelievable that a bishop would lose control and be so hotheaded in such a solemn assembly. They brought Nicholas to Constantine. Constantine said that, even though it was illegal for anyone to strike another in his presence, in this case, the bishops themselves must determine the punishment.

The bishops stripped Nicholas of his bishop's garments, chained him, and threw him into jail. That would keep Nicholas away from the meeting. When the Council ended, a final decision would be made about his future.

Nicholas was ashamed and prayed for forgiveness, though he did not waver in his belief. During the night, Jesus and Mary his Mother appeared, asking, "Why are you in jail?" "Because of my love for you," Nicholas replied. Jesus then gave the Book of the Gospels to Nicholas. Mary gave him an omophorion, so Nicholas would again be dressed as a bishop. Now at peace, Nicholas studied the Scriptures for the rest of the night.

When the jailer came in the morning, he found the chains loose on the floor and Nicholas dressed in bishop's robes, quietly reading the Scriptures. When Constantine was told of this, the emperor asked that Nicholas be freed. Nicholas was then fully reinstated as the Bishop of Myra.

The Council of Nicaea agreed with Nicholas' views, deciding the question against Arius. The work of the Council produced the Nicene Creed which to this day many Christians repeat weekly when they stand to say what they believe.

Moral of the story: Never, never, never slap the face of a fellow Catholic who publicly denies or attacks the Catholic Faith — unless, of course, you have a really good reason to do so or, at least, a pretty good reason to do so or, at the very least, you promise to say you’re sorry afterwards.

It was Sunday evening, the twenty-ninth of November. I was puttering around in the sacristy of St. Joseph Church, setting a few things up and putting things away. I was all by myself. No one was around — except, of course, for God, Who has a way, so it seems, of always being around.
I was surprised to see a bag of licorice sitting on the vesting counter. “That’s strange” said I to myself. “What is a bag of licorice doing in the sacristy?” The bag had already been opened, but was mostly filled. The delicious aroma of the licorice wafted its way to my nostrils and, from there, to my brain. I was simultaneously confused and enchanted.
I was confused because it was no part of my experience to find licorice in a sacristy and, as a former altar boy and long-time priest, I am not at all unfamiliar with sacristies. Licorice has no place in any Catholic liturgical or para-liturgical action of which I have any knowledge.
I was enchanted because I have a particular liking for licorice — good, strong, chewy bittersweet licorice. As a child, my enthusiasm for Holy Week had always been mingled with the expectation that there would be an abundance of licorice jellybeans in my basket by the time we got to Easter Sunday and received our baskets. I would gladly trade any red, yellow, orange, white, blue, green or pink jellybeans for the licorice ones. Licorice is my bête noir. “I am black, but I am beautiful” says the Song of Solomon. Amen! So it is! The word of the Lord!
But I digress. Let me return to the bag of licorice on the counter in the sacristy. It looked and smelled to be a rather expensive variety of licorice, probably imported from some exotic shores — not a brand you would find in a supermarket or in Rite-Aid. This made the confection all that more desirable to me!
There came into my head a schoolyard chant from childhood days: “Finders keepers, losers weepers!” A voice whispered in the ears of my soul: “Hey, man! It’s your lucky day! It seems to me that someone left this bag of licorice here just for you! And even if wasn’t left there for you, it’s yours now! You’re the pastor of this establishment, aren’t you? You’re the main man around here, aren’t you? Take it! No one’s looking! Take it home and enjoy it!”
Then the chant picked up tempo and volume in my brain: “Finders keepers, losers weepers! Finders keepers, losers weepers!! FINDERS KEEPERS, LOSERS WEEPERS!!!
I was just about to succumb to the siren chant and stuff the bag of licorice into the copious side pocket of my cassock when a voice spoke to me: “Man of God, get a hold of yourself! What kind of a priest is it who would steal licorice from his own people? Isn’t it obvious to you that some poor soul in your parish — probably some long-suffering soul who has a malady of the throat or of the stomach that can be assuaged only by frequent recourse to high-quality licorice — is hoping to retrieve the bag of licorice that he or she inadvertently abandoned in the pew during Mass earlier today?”
Struck to the quick, I put the bag of licorice back on the counter, fled from the sacristy and tried to forget that it was even there.
The next morning (Monday), I answered the phone in the Rectory. It was a man who had been to church on Sunday morning. He did not identify himself by name nor did I ask him his name. He told me that he had left a bag of licorice in the pew and wondered if anyone had found it. I told him that there was a bag of licorice in the sacristy. He asked if he could retrieve it. I told him that it would be in the sacristy waiting for him the next time he came to church and that he was welcome to walk into the sacristy and claim it. He seemed grateful, but did not say anything about a reward. I thought it would be gauche of me to ask him to give me any of the licorice as a “finder’s fee”.
Moral of the story #1: Never underestimate the power of God’s grace over the wiles of licorice or, for that matter, over other temptations of the flesh!
Moral of the story #2: Never argue with illicit licorice. Flee from it!
Moral of the story #3: If licorice is not your passion, feel free to substitute whatever is.