March Reflections

Because February includes a day set aside as World Marriage Day, my article this month focuses primarily on the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. It may seem that a priest like me is not the one to address this topic. I am not married. I have never been married and do not intend to get married—which does not qualify me to talk about marriage. What I am going to say about the sacrament is drawn from my experience of my parents and the many married couples with whom I have discussed the meaning of the sacrament, including family, friends, and parishioners. Yet marriage is certainly a worthy topic for discussion because it involves embarking on a new life project.

Marriage is a big issue in our culture today. Almost everyone knows that the Catholic Church supports marriage, yet the divorce rate in the United States ranges between 55-65 percent. Varying reports reveal about three fourths of married Catholics remain married. A growing movement today favors making those relationships commonly called same-sex unions the legal equivalent of marriage. This situation certainly challenges Catholics and all who seek the truth—to think deeply about the meaning of marriage, its purposes and its value to individuals, families, and society.

Successful marriage is not so much a matter of finding the right person but being the right person and consistently being open to discovering how one might continue to grow our relationship. There are probably several potential partners with whom an individual could be very happy in a relationship. One of the biggest challenges is knowing when to bend and change yourself verses when to stand up for yourself.

Communication is key and more than central in all relationships. From office staff to empty nesters, from an engaged couple to one that has been married for 65 years, we quickly discover the importance of communication and what one can expect from others when we communicate and know others well. Indeed, how couples learn to dialogue and relate is what marriage is all about—from its romantic beginnings to its difficult ending, when a spouse passes away.

So what is there beyond love that fills in the gaps and makes marriage not only endurable but a joy? The Sacrament of Marriage becomes real when our idealistic love for each other is tested, when forgiveness overcomes annoying habits and poor decisions and when it shares in the sacrificial love of Jesus on the cross. This does not mean that sorrows will not come and that couples will not face serious failings like infidelity or addictions. Marriage requires a great deal of time, many mistakes and much forgiveness over repeated mistakes and large doses of love.

Some time ago, the United States bishops launched the National Pastoral Initiative on Marriage. An energetic web site was established from their efforts, ForYourMarriage.org, a treasure of helpful resources for all married couples. It includes marriage tips and brief videos of on-the street couples answering, “What have you done for your marriage today?” Consider taking a look and answering the question for yourself. Allow me to remind you again, “A wedding is a day. But a marriage is for a lifetime.”

Fr. Brian Danner,
State Chaplain

February Reflections

I just returned from the March for Life in our nation's capital where it was reported another record breaking crowd appeared to tell our country's leaders that we are sincerely interested in reversing the abortion holocaust decision, Roe vs. Wade.  This was my first time in the march's history that I have ever attended it.  What an overwhelming experience!  Besides the immense number of persons attending the march, our unity to defend the most defenseless individuals in our society, the unborn, certainly caused me to pause and reflect upon this nation's landmark decision that affects thousands of people every single day.

Our trip included a visit to two of our state's leaders, Charles Grassley and Steven King, both pro-life advocates.  Both leaders expressed optimism and hope that Roe vs. Wade will be overturned in our lifetimes.  Please keep up you efforts to remain aware and attentive to the issues surrounding pro-life decisions in our federal and state governments.  Every voice, every letter and phone call and March for Life marcher does make a difference!

A person is a person no matter the size.  Life can only come from something that is living.  Please continue to join me in inviting more friends, relatives and neighbors to pray for the pro-life movement.  It is when we band together in prayer for a common cause do we discover its power, its influence and the reality that our efforts CAN make a difference. 

May God's Peace Be With You!

Fr. Brian Danner,
State Chaplain

January Reflections

Every January the Church recognizes the responsibility and dutiful task parents undertake to educate their children through the observance of Catholic Schools Week. All families pass traditions on from one generation to the next. These might be ethnic celebrations of important life events or simply the way we celebrate holidays. Christmas, for example, is one such holiday when families observe specific food choices or gift-giving methods and traditions. Catholic schools ensure that the Catholic tradition is passed on to children, who are not only the future Church, but the church RIGHT NOW!

Catholic Schools Week, typically celebrated every January, recognizes the option available for parents to choose a formation that fosters Catholic Christian leadership. Lay leadership as well as clergy and religious vocations are nurtured in an environment where children and teens are encouraged to live the gospel fearlessly with the expectation that this will be the fabric of their lives. The aim of the Catholic school is to make the gospel message part and parcel of the child’s learning.

As a Catholic school graduate myself, I am well aware of the culture and identity that is distinctly religious, unlike any other. No one would argue or deny that we are living in a world today that is trying to ignore the importance of God in our daily lives. The atmosphere in a Catholic school provides a sound spirituality for the students. It provides every pupil with an opportunity to know that God is a very real and paramount presence in life.

Parents have occasionally questioned whether they can afford to send their children to a Catholic school. My response, like many priests, is another question: “How can you not afford it?” All parents want the best for their children and in many cases, often sacrifice in order to provide it. Catholic school graduates and parents often realize the importance Catholic education provides an individual for a lifetime. “Sacrifice” may be a verb some parents may not want to include in their vocabulary because they already feel “maxed out” by the demands placed upon them. Sacrificing, though, for our young people’s education is a noble task that requires consistent and undivided attention. Parents sacrifice many things for their betterment of their children. Education is one of them. For some parents a Catholic education may require driving several miles to the nearest school. For others the education may require pursuing a second and third job to keep their children enrolled in a Catholic school. Humbling oneself to accept available funds and resources may also be necessary.

I recall a sign prominently posted in the hallway of an elementary Catholic school I taught at a few years ago. It read: “Be it known to all who enter here that Christ is the reason for this school. He is the unseen but ever present teacher in its classrooms. He is the model of its faculty and the inspiration of its students.”

All of us need inspiration. All of us need a hero. We cannot request a better “package” than receiving both an inspiration and hero in our Lord, Jesus Christ. Please join me in praying for the continued success of our state’s Catholic schools.