Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church

Dear Folks,

“Prayer is, at root, simply  paying attention to God.”

— Dr. Ralph Martin,  The Fulfillment of All Desire, p. 121.

Such a wonderful image: paying attention to God. Imagine that, so simple, yet so often overlooked. Haven’t we all been involved in one sided conversations that we look to escape? It is good that the Lord is patient with us. I sometime describe recollection (which is the necessary preparation of the soul for prayer) as letting the mind settle and quiet down.

We must live Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” This “paying attention to God” struck me as the opposite of the TwitterSphere—a place where everyone strives to tweet out pearls so that “followers” can reap their wisdom and wit. Twitter strikes me as the soul crying out to the world, “Pay attention to me—but I don’t want to hear what you have to say!”

On the other hand, technology can be a great assist. Years ago I visited a man in the hospital. Upon his passing, his wife gave me a little painting that he painted of an angel. I snapped a picture with my phone, and set the angel as the lock screen that I saw every time I looked at my phone. Thus I remembered and prayed for this man and his grieving wife every day for several months.

I began to change my phone picture every 3 months or so— as soon as I would stop noticing the picture there. This got me thinking, why not use this changing image as a daily or weekly reminder of the specific feast day, or special intention of the day or week. Now I can turn every time I glance at my phone into a moment to remember the Lord, and you.

This week I set my phone to a picture of the Holy Cross Academy Staff. Thus I will see, and remember our school every time I turn on my phone for the next month!

There are countless ways throughout the day where we can take a moment and pay attention to God and countless ways we can remember one another. Momentary aspirations, a quick thought sent heavenward, a look of love.

I am going to use my phone to pay better attention to God and you. And that is a prayer.

Pax et bonum,

Fr. Mosimann

Dear Folks,

You may notice that I always sign my bulletin note or emails with Pax at the end. It is a little odd and a little humbling to see other folks pick up and use this greeting in emails as has happened in parishes where I have served. Also, last week it was the header above my bulletin note. So where does it come from?

The phrase “Pax et Bonum!” was used by St. Francis of Assisi as his common greeting to those he met during the course of the day. It can be translated as “Peace and Goodness.” This is a rich theological phrase whose depths are not just reduced to “peace, bro.” God is the Summum Bonum—the supreme good. Or in the words of Our Lord, “No one is good but God alone” (Mk 10:18). Such a greeting is really wishing abundant blessings upon the person encountered.

The depths of this phrase struck me in 2000 when I was leading a group of pilgrims to World Youth day in Rome. I had never had a devotion to St. Francis prior to this trip. The St. Francis that was presented to me growing up in the 70’s seemed to be a wimpy projection of a number of secular values of that era. However, when I  talked in the same cobbled streets where St. Francis walked in Assisi, heard his words, and prayed at his tomb, I encountered a very different saint. This man loved God with  is whole heart, mind, and soul holding nothing back. Because he had forsaken riches to serve the Lord, he was able to wondrously recognize the providence of God in all of his created works. Hence we know him as the lover of animals.

So when I sign my email with Pax, I do this as an abbreviated nod of the head to St. Francis. Sometimes I will use other language variants of Pax (Latin) such as Paix (French), Pace (Italian), Pax (Spanish), and Shalom (Hebrew).

Pax (et Bonum!),

Fr. Mosimann