Christ Is Moved with Pity

The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde on Sept. 27 at St. Mary Church in Alexandria during a Mass for the International Federation of Catholic Alumnae.

It is a great joy for me to gather with you, the members of the International Federation of Catholic Alumnae, for the Eucharistic Sacrifice with which you have chosen to begin your annual convention. I invite you to consider with me three scenes.

The first scene is from our Gospel reading and is a moving portrayal of Jesus surrounded by the multitudes who followed Him. We are told: "At the sight of the crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd." Indeed, Jesus had crowds following Him wherever He went. He was sought out by the sick, the lame, those discouraged by life, those aware of their sinfulness and those searching for God. It was the needy who sought out Jesus, and He responded by teaching, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom and curing every disease and illness.

The second scene I would like for us to consider is the life of St. Vincent de Paul whose feast we celebrate today. St. Vincent grew up in France during a time when formation for the priesthood was in shambles and there was a tremendous vocations crisis in the Church. It was also a time of great poverty, and many of his countrymen were barely surviving. St. Vincent de Paul met these problems by starting 10-day conferences for ordination candidates which would round out or complete their formal seminary education as well as inspire them with enthusiasm for the Church and their work as ministers of Christ. By initiating these 10-day conferences and beginning a community of priests whose purpose was to train future priests, St. Vincent de Paul began to solve the problem of poorly formed clergy and a lack of vocations to the priesthood. The enthusiasm that was created by these conferences and by the example of his new community inspired men who were about to be ordained, and their enthusiasm in turn motivated other men to join the priestly ministry. St. Vincent also met the terrible problem of poverty that was plaguing his country by setting up soup kitchens and by founding a female religious community, the Daughters of Charity, to dedicate their lives to the alleviation of the suffering of the poor. It is interesting to note that St. Catherine Laboure eventually joined that community, and it was to her that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared, asking that a medal be struck and dedicated to her under the title of the Immaculate Conception. It was this medal that came to be named "the miraculous medal," because of the extraordinary graces obtained through our Lady’s intercession under this title. It is Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal who has been chosen as the patroness of the International Federation of Catholic Alumnae.

The third scene I would like to propose for our consideration is the scene I see before me: women from across our nation who are dedicated to meeting the needs of today through the promotion of Catholic education. Our Holy Father reminds us that "Catholic education aims not only to communicate the facts but also to transmit a coherent, comprehensive vision of life, in the conviction that the truths contained in that vision liberate students in the most profound meaning of human freedom. … The greatest challenge to Catholic education in the United States today, and the greatest contribution that authentically Catholic education can make to American culture, is to restore to that culture the conviction that human beings can grasp the truth of things, and in grasping that truth can know their duties to God, to themselves and to their neighbors" (Ad Limina Address to the U.S. bishops of Region VII, no. 3).

By affirming the primacy of God in life and education, supporting and promoting the values and continuance of Catholic schools in full accord with the Magisterium of the Church, working as liaisons with philanthropic organizations, lobbying federal and state legislatures to oppose all attempts to import a godless education in our nation’s public schools and granting scholarships to teachers and those training to be teachers either in Catholic schools or parish based education programs, you are meeting the problems facing the Church and the world at the dawn of the third Christian millennium.

"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few." This is as true today as it was in the day that Jesus Christ walked the earth and St. Vincent de Paul founded his religious orders. God is choosing you in this moment to meet today’s needs through focusing on Catholic education. How are you to respond this great invitation from the Lord? By becoming holy, and fulfilling this mission.

Our Holy Father Pope John Paul II gives us a road map for all pastoral initiatives as we begin this new millennium. He tells us: "First of all, I have no hesitation in saying that all pastoral initiatives must be set in relation to holiness. … It is necessary … to rediscover the full practical significance of chapter 5 of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, dedicated to the ‘universal call to holiness. … This ideal of perfection must not be misunderstood as if it involved some kind of extraordinary existence, possible for a few ‘uncommon heroes’ of holiness. The ways of holiness are many, according to the vocation of each individual" (Novo Millennio Ineunte, 30-31). All of our pastoral initiatives must be rooted in holiness. It is only in authentic Christian living, which was modeled for us in the life of Christ, and, by those who have followed His example, disciples like St. Vincent de Paul and St. Catherine Laboure, that our attempts to meet today’s challenges will be truly effective. Authentic Christian living, holiness, is the foundation from which we will meet the problems of today while providing for the needs of future generations.

Our third scene does not end with this Mass. You are the apostles of the third Christian millennium, and, therefore, your mission continues. Be not afraid to be the saints of the new millennium! Be not afraid to meet the challenges faced by our Church and our world at the dawn of this new day. Christ is for us, so who can be against us? Courageously work for the promotion of authentic Catholic education. If you do, you will help to shape the future of humanity to the glory of God. Amen.

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