Prayer | (Was a) Deacon's Blog

A Message from Fr. Jim – Transfiguration 2023

My dearest family in Christ,

As many of you have heard, I was hospitalized at Ellis last Saturday evening (July 29th) with severe abdominal pain. That physical pain was compounded by the fact that I was inhibited from celebrating Holy Mass for and with you on Sunday. A partially completed bulletin was still on my computer at home.

I informed our Bishop as well as members of the Parish Committee and they reached most of you. We had hoped for a last-minute fill-in for Holy Mass but that could not be accomplished on such short notice.

On Sunday morning as you each prayed in your own ways, I underwent surgery at 11am. I remained in hospital through Wednesday afternoon. I am now at home continuing recovery. I have another procedure to undergo Monday morning and then on to the rest of my healing.

I made it through by God’s abundant blessing and the presence of Christ (thank you to Ellis’ ministry team), with the great support of my wife Renee and children, Adam and Victoria. Victoria took me to the hospital and stayed with me until 4am. Adam sat with me most nights – nearly around-the-clock. Renee took care of all that needed doing – she was there for me in every way she possibly could have been. I am also grateful to my daughter Stephanie and sister Andrea who kept in contact and kept my spirits going. Thank you to Paul, Larry, and Pete who informed you on Sunday. Thank you to everyone who visited, sent cards, texted, brought balloons, and most especially prayed.

Thank you to the entire Ellis team. They were phenomenal! Dr. Sanchez, the 3rd floor A nursing team, especially TerryAnn, Hadiye, and Jennifer, all the Techs, who worked so hard in the face of terrible staffing shortages. They are dedicated men and women who deserve our respect and support.

I thank God for those I was able to minister to while I was in hospital – God opens doors.

Speaking with Bishop Bernard, I so wanted to celebrate Holy Mass for the Solemnity of the Transfiguration, but he in his wisdom urged me to fully heal and not take risks. Thank you to Deacon Michael for coming out to minister on the Solemnity (he is wonderful).

Indeed, experiences like these if understood in light of God’s abundant mercy are transformative. They help you to understand things anew, to correct ways that have veered off, and to see things in clearer light. May God’s grace continue in transfiguring each of us into His image.

I expect to return next Sunday, August 13th. Weekday Holy Mass will resume August 14th. I love you all and miss you dearly. May Almighty God bless you for your goodness and compassion and your resolute faith.

– Fr. Jim

8 August 20238 August 2023

PNCCPrayer

Rt. Rev. Ś+P Jarosław “Jerry” Rafalko

I am deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected death of the beloved Bishop of the Western Diocese of the Polish National Catholic Church. On behalf of myself and my family we offer prayer for the repose of his soul and for Jesus’ comforting presence among all who grieve — his wife Leslie, the people of the Western Diocese, and all in our Holy Church.

His obituary from the Nelson Funeral Home:

Right Reverend Jaroslaw Rafalko, Bishop Ordinary of the Western Diocese, Polish National Catholic Church, Pastor of All Saints Cathedral Polish National Catholic Church. Beloved husband of 33 years to Leslie ‘Wieslawa’; cherished son of the late Wanda and Jan Rafalko; loving brother of Elzbieta (Jozef) Wasilewski and the late Janina (Stanislaw) Serwin; dearest uncle of Anna (Dominik) Dym, Artur (Cortney Johnson), Piotr (Wioletta) Gryko, Michal (Iwona) Gryko and Grzegorz (Beata) Gryko; great-uncle of Aleksander Dym, Damian Johnson Wasilewski and Piotr Gryko; dear son-in-law of Eugenia and the late Stefan Czaban; loved brother-in-law of Barbara Czaban and Alicja (Mikolaj) Gryko. Jaroslaw was ordained to priesthood, June 8, 1980 in Bialystok, Poland. Appointed Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish PNCC in Kewanee, IL in 1990. Appointed Administrative Senior of the Northcentral Seniorate of Western Diocese PNCC in August of 2016. Elected Bishop of the Western Diocese PNCC October 25, 2019. Consecration as Bishop at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Cathedral, Scranton, Pennsylvania on Sept. 14, 2020 and Installed as Bishop at All Saints Cathedral Parish in Chicago, IL on October 3, 2020. Lying in State, Sunday, July 23, 2023 from 3 to 7 p.m., Monday, July 24th from 2 to 8 p.m. with Holy Vespers celebrated at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, July 25th from 9 a.m. until time of Mass, 10:30 a.m., at All Saints Cathedral PNCC 9201 W. Higgins Ave., Chicago, IL 60631. Interment Private. In lieu of flowers, donations will be used to benefit a future scholarship in the Bishop’s name or a donation to the Youth Fund of the Polish National Catholic Church would be appreciated.

Eternal rest grant unto Thy servant O Lord and may the perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed rest in peace.

Wieczny odpoczynek racz im dać, Panie, a światłość wiekuista niechaj im świeci.
Niech odpoczywają w pokoju. Amen.

16 July 202316 July 2023

Christian Witness, Homiliesheartfelt, passion, Passiontide, Prayer

Reflection for Passion Sunday 2021

Working to change.

In the days when Christ Jesus was in the flesh, He offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and He was heard because of his reverence.

So far in Lent we have focused on the change and reform necessary in our lives. We have been focusing on the various Lenten disciplines, the means and methods by which we achieve conversion, change and reform. These disciplines help us become more ardent and faithful livers of Jesus’s gospel way.

The subjects of fasting, sacrifice (or giving), and study have been covered thus far. Next week we continue with the consideration of proclamation. Today, we focus on prayer.

This year we study from the Gospel according to St. Mark. In the first chapter of that Gospel, we hear that Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Prayer was a regular part of Jesus’ life. In Mark 11 we hear of Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations.’ In the same chapter Jesus reminded His disciples of the power of faithful and right prayer: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

Jesus’ time on earth was a time of “prayers and petitions.” These two words portray a life of constant and persistent supplication. Not only did Jesus pray constantly and persistently, He prayed fervently. “Fervent cries” could also be translated “loud crying” or even “powerful shouts.” It makes us think of Jesus in Gethsemane, where He was “very sorrowful even to death”: And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And He said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray…” And going a little farther, He fell on the ground and prayed.

Yet all this still does not exhaust the agonizing depth of Jesus’ prayers, for He prayed “with tears.” Jesus sobbed as He prayed. He threw Himself completely into prayer.

Jesus knew every facet of human suffering. He groaned under the depth of it. Through all this agony, Jesus learned something: He learned what it was like to obey as a suffering human in a fallen world and for that faith He was heard.

We are called to the same constant discipline of prayer that Jesus lived. Our prayer must be faithful and right. Our prayer must not be limited. Our prayer, heartfelt even when it groans without words, must call out to God. With prayer, like Jesus, we learn and are given just what we need to endure and cross into glory.

20 March 202120 March 2021

Christian Witness, Current Eventscovid19, Prayer

A Litany Prayer for Our Time

O Jesus Christ, my Savior and healer, You traveled through towns and villages “curing every disease and illness.” At Your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience Your protection, providence, and healing.