Human Resource Strategies

Twice a year, Cy stands before the congregation and talks about the parish dinner. Cy is the right man for the job. He takes his responsibility seriously. He knows how much our parish depends upon successful sausage dinners. And he impresses that message upon us.

Today, after Cy said a few words and returned to his seat, my husband leaned over to me and said, "In the business world, when we have someone in a key position, we plan for that person's replacement. It's called Succession Planning. We look around, while there is time, and begin to consider (and groom) a replacement."

Then, my husband nodded toward Cy. "He's good at this. Somebody needs to think about who might take his place. Somebody needs to be groomed and made ready."

If secular business recognizes the necessity for Succession Planning, how much must Our Lord work to prepare those who will take the place of our bishops and holy father when they pass into eternity? From the beginning, the Church has been blessed with Divinely Inspired Succession Planning. We call it Apostolic Succession. God always raises up successors. He never leaves us without key shepherds to lead His Church.

In this Year For Priests, it is good to remember that today's seminarians are being groomed. God is actively engaged in Succession Planning. Some will lead parishes. Some will lead ministries and lay organizations. Some will go to other countries to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And some will be lifted up and named a bishop or a pope.

Apostolic Succession is real. The Holy Trinity coined the phrase. It works so well, businesses follows this model.

Pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send more workers into the fields. And to those who answered the call, Blessed Year For Priests. We are so very thankful that you answered the Call.

Human Resource Strategies

Bringing it Home, through Catholic Radio and Catholic TV

Photography by Jerry Naunheim Jr. and Lisa A. Johnston (St. Louis Review)

Yesterday, I had a plan. Get to the store, finish the errands, get back in the car by 2:00, and home as quickly as possible. My grown son and his wife were coming for a visit, and I had a list of things to do before they arrived.

Just minutes after 2:00, I closed the trunk on the groceries and my daughter and I climbed in the car and headed home. Immediately, the sound coming from my radio reminded me of what day it was, what time it was, what profound thing was happening just an hour away.

The Installation Mass of Archbishop Carlson to the Archdiocese of St. Louis.

I listened as I drove. I could almost imagine the beauty and splendor thanks to the sounds coming to me through the blessing of Catholic radio.

As soon as I arrived home, I dashed inside and quickly stuffed groceries into the refrigerator and pantry. Then, I grabbed the remote and turned on the television. There it was. Living proof that Our Lord has preserved His Church, through the miracle of an unbroken line of Apostolic Succession, and St. Louis - indeed the entire world - is the beneficiary of this gift.

Archbishop Carlson began his homily. By now, my daughter and husband had joined me in the living room, and we watched together. Soon after he began speaking, the camera scanned a group of priests - and there was our parish priest! What a thrill.

All of the connections were there. A representative from the Holy Father. Those shepherds who had come before Archbishop Carlson to care for the flock in this archdiocese, the new Archbishop, and the priests and faithful. Yes, even my priest. To whom I confess. To whom I go to receive Our Eucharistic Lord Jesus Christ.

One Body in Christ.

It is good to have a new Archbishop. It is good to be one Family. It is good to know I have a place at the Table.

Bringing it Home, through Catholic Radio and Catholic TV

Peter, numero uno?

For 40 years I never thought of Peter as having a higher position than any of the other apostles. He was one of the 12. That is all.

Then I became Catholic.

As with all those things that run counter to Protestant theology, I had to dig in and figure out why the Church talked about the Primacy of Peter. Why should we consider him the first Pope?

I reread the text - and clearly, Peter is the Rock. Upon this Rock, Christ has built the Church.

Then I read passages in which Peter clearly is leading the way. A careful reading of the Acts of the Apostles proves this.

But I missed something obvious, something I should have seen even as a child.

I did not realize that every Gospel list of the 12 Apostles always has two things in common. Judas Iscariot is dead last.

And St. Peter is always, always first.

Clearly, the Primacy of Peter is everywhere in Holy Scripture. This Apostle becomes a kind of Prime Minister of the Church, like Eli'akim in Isaiah. Even the passages describing Eli'akim and Peter are all too similar to be dismissed. Peter holds the keys.

In college fine arts classes, every painting we studied had Peter holding the keys. There is a reason for this. Time out of mind, Peter has been numero uno, the Rock, the Prime Minister of the Church, the Keeper of Kingdom Keys. The greatest artists of all time merely reproduced on canvas what the Church throughout time has known and taught. Peter is the first pope.

I still don't know how I missed it for four decades. But I did. Not any more. I read Holy Scripture with my eyes wide open.

Peter, numero uno?

Unity in the Seat of Peter and Apostolic Succession - Part One

I used to wonder why so many pages of the Old Testament were dedicated to the lineage of the Fathers of Israel. Why was it a good use of space – all those pages dedicated to tracking genealogy, all those lists of how this one begot that one? Even the New Testament starts out that way:

Here it is, folks. Before we tell you about the Messiah, let’s get the record straight. First there was Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Judah, and Perez, and Hezron and on and on. Then David, that’s right, King David. And Solomon, and on, and on. Fourteen generations from Abraham to David and fourteen from David to the Babylonian Exile, and fourteen more and there He is. Jesus, the Son of the Living God. God keeps His promise to Israel!

Doesn’t it seem like a waste of paper? Why not have a few more uplifting verses in there instead? Why not describe the early years of our Lord’s life instead of giving us the Family Tree?

And then it begins to make sense. The clear line of succession, the evidence of the Plan – all of it – every single human link to Christ matters.

Then Jesus Christ is born in Bethlehem, dies on a cross, rises from the dead, and ascends into heaven. And the rest of history is one great muddle.

Or is it?

For a God who loves the details, shouldn’t there be a continuation of leadership? A new list of Fathers? Shouldn’t there be a new lineage, a clearly defined succession of holy men (and some not-so-holy individuals, too, just like the Old Testament lineage), and the Lord Jesus Christ Himself as the One to connect the Old and the New? If the Old Testament prepares for the Messiah’s birth by preserving the lineage, and the New Testament announces the Messiah’s birth by reviewing the lineage, what would logically come next?

Then, Jesus proclaims, “I say you are Peter and on this Rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Clearly, Jesus is declaring a new lineage. He’s specifically announcing the beginning of a list of those who will prepare for His return by preserving the message of Jesus Christ and passing it on to each generation.

Maybe you’ve never seen the list of Holy Fathers. If you’re like me, you didn’t know there is one. And if there is one, you’re not so sure you should care. But you should care. It proves that Jesus Christ cares about His Church. He breathed on Her, and carefully placed Her in the hands of Peter, and She grew.

Take a minute and check out the list of Holy Fathers: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

Stop by tomorrow and read the second part of today's post.

Unity in the Seat of Peter and Apostolic Succession - Part One