Fr. Harry Winter

August 19, 2024

In our July Five ways, I included Bishop Robert Barron’s rejection of the way the Olympic opening ceremony insulted the Last Supper.  Our first item below is from our Oblate of Mary Seamus Finn, giving another view also criticizing the Olympic organizers.

Let us remember that the time from Aug. 15, Mary’s Assumption, to Aug. 22, Her Queenship, reminds us that she is the Mother of Evangelization, Christian Unity, and Interfaith Dialogue.  The website Mission-Unity-Dialogue has a special page about this: www.harrywinter.org.

Attached are three items regarding families where one parent is Catholic, and another belongs to a different Christian Church.  Mine is 9 pages long; the other 3 are much shorter.  I welcome your comments on this increasing trend, which is challenging to many in all Christian Churches.

Including religion as a core part of DEI is the trend

Dear Seamus Finn,

A performance during the Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics triggered a backlash as many saw a sketch meant to promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as being offensive and biased. Many took the sketch to be a parody of the Last Supper of Christ, which organizers denied being the intent.

Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps apologized on Sunday for those offended by the scene. “Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly [the ceremony’s artistic director], we really did try to celebrate community tolerance,” Descamps said. “… If people have taken any offense, we are, of course, really, really sorry.”

Jolly said that religious subversion had never been his intention. “We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together. We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that.”

However, rather than being avant-garde and inclusive, the Olympic organizers appear to be behind the curve when it comes to DEI — what they purportedly were trying to promote. The latest data show a significant surge in Fortune 500 companies including religion as part of their DEI initiatives, which helps them avoid such offensive and COSTLY mistakes (one Olympic sponsor has already withdrawn in reaction to the sketch).

Indeed, the world’s biggest companies are embracing religiously inclusive workplaces at a faster pace than ever before, according to the 2024 Corporate Religious Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (REDI) Index and Monitor, which we released in May. The REDI report finds that 429 (85.8%) Fortune 500 companies now mention or illustrate religion as part of their broader commitment to diversity, more than double the number in 2022 (202 companies, or 40.4%). According to the REDI Index, Accenture and American Airlines are the most faith-friendly Global Fortune 500 companies.

Perhaps the Olympic organizers have some things to learn from companies that are getting DEI.

Interchurch Families: Problem or Gift

1. Winter-Changes in Marriage
2. Connell-Walking the path to Christian Unity 1
3. Vernon-journey
4. Woodruff-Personal Journey

Many thanks to all who commented on the July 30 Five Ways e-letter.

In Christs Love,

Fr. Harry

July 30, 2024

Many thanks to those who commented on the June 21 Five Ways.  First, let us continue with Christian Joy, remembering that the Holy Spirit is the source of joy. A rabbi said to a precocious six year old boy “So your mother says your prayers for you each night?  Very commendable.  What does she say?”  The child replied “Thank God he’s in bed.” (From the late Gil Boucher, O.M.I.).

Secondly, let us look at the changing papacy. The Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity produced a 146-page document, approved by Pope Francis, “The Bishop of Rome,” on June 13, 2024.  Much of it concerns the responses to St. John Paul II’s offer to all Christians  to see if the pope “may accomplish a service of love recognized by all concerned.”  St. John Paul made this invitation in his encyclical Ut Unum Sint (That All May Be One) of May 25, 1995, #95.

Many responses were received and answered.  This document summarizes them and continues the effort to moderate the papacy so it may be of use to other Christians, both the Eastern Churches not in union with Rome, and the Protestant Churches. When our bishops and theologians met at the Second Vatican Council (1962-65), they completed the process begun at the First Vatican Council (1869-70), to promote collegiality with bishops and the pope acting together.  Then the recent effort of synodality means that every baptized Catholic has a role of leadership to exercise with the clergy.

How to keep the best of the essential role of the pope, along with new responsibilities?  Or to put it another way, as Pope Francis did, quoted in #135 of “The Bishop of Rome:”  “Excessive centralization (of the papacy), rather than proving helpful, complicates the Church’s life and her missionary outreach.” As a true reformer (the third of the five ways of Christianity), Pope Francis is committed to keeping what is essential in the role of the pope, and to reaching out to update the papacy according to the needs of the times.  No wonder he asks us to pray to the Holy Spirit for him! More about this document in the August Five Ways.

Thirdly, when we watch the Olympics, let us praise God for the beauty which ultimately comes from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is some controversy regarding what many thought to be an offensive reference to the Last Supper during the July 26 Opening Ceremony. Bishop Robert Barron observed that it is now open season on Christianity (google him for his complete statement).

As the Olympics continue, may see see the miracle of modern technology, enabling us to watch the Olympics on our tv.  Our delight and our ability to enjoy the Olympics is  rooted in God’s power and love which is bestowed on the human race.

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Harry

June 21, 2024

Many thanks to those who commented on the May 20 Five Ways. First, let us continue with Christian Joy, remembering that the Holy Spirit is the source of joy. Dad was listening to his child say his prayer “Dear Harold.” Dad interrupted and asked “How come you call God “Harold”? The little boy replied “We say Our Father who art in Heaven, Harold be Thy Name.” Another child prayed “And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets” (from the late Fr. Gil Boucher, O.M.I.).

Secondly, it is important to pass on to our young people what happened 80 years ago June 6, 1944, D-Day, when 9,837 American soldiers died on the beaches of Normandy, France. Bishop Jacques Habert of Bayeux-Lisieux, whose diocese includes Normandy, said “The church is keen to pass on the duty of remembrance we owe to those who gave their lives at the time of the D-Day landings, especially to young people.” He spent all of June 6, 2024 with young people, listening to speakers.

On the evening of June 5, Bishop Habert welcomed a British delegation to the Bayeux Cathedral, including Princess Anne, sister of the British monarch, for an ecumenical liturgy with representatives of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion. Let us not hesitate to share with our young people what occurred on June 6, 1944.

And finally, we have an ecumenist, Nathan Ammon Smith, declaring that the ecumenical winter is over, an ecumenical spring is developing, bonded with evangelization. Each of the Christian Churches possesses features which the other does not have, and needs. All are on a pilgrimage of hope, led by the Holy Spirit. Smith sees the ecumenical spring because the Christian Churches are now more eager to receive and be transformed by their sister Christian Churches, for the sake of bringing the complete Jesus to our troubled world.

You may find Nathan Ammon Smith’s article “Receptive Ecumenism as Evangelization” on pages 14/70 – 19/75 in the current issue of Ecumenical Trends linked here – https://ecutrends.geii.org/members/Issues_PDF/May_Jun_24/Trends_May_Jun_2024.pdf

In Christ’s love,

Fr. Harry Winter, O.M.I.

May 20, 2024

Please note my e-mail has changed. It seems the old one still works.

On Sunday, May 19, Sixty Minutes interviewed Pope Francis in a very intriguing 20-minute section. If you google “60 Minutes Overtime, Interviewing Pope Francis,” you will find some very important insights about his papacy. I welcome hearing from you about it.

The Gospel for May 19, Pentecost Sunday, explains Jesus breathing on the apostles to give them the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins. Please notice that God breathed on the first human beings and the entire Garden of Eden at the beginning of creation (Gn. 2:7). So, as we repair the harm we have done to our planet, we need the breath of the Holy Spirit to help us ensure a healthy creation all around us.

May 21 is the feast day of St. Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate. May the entire de Mazenodian Family rejoice.

Two humorous items from the late Father Gil Boucher, O.M.I., to continue Easter joy. 1) I had been teaching my three-year-old daughter the Lord’s Prayer. For several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with pride as she carefully enunciated each word right up to the end of the prayer: “Lead us not into temptation,” she prayed, “but deliver us some E-mail. Amen.” 2) Some people are kind, polite, and sweet-spirited until you try to get into their pews or their favorite church parking spot.

Many thanks to all who commented on the April 16 e-letter.

Fr. Winter

April 16, 2024

Although the column below “Five Hundred Years of Misunderstanding” was originally written by Fr. Ron Rolheiser on April 17, 2017, it was republished on our OMI USA website on April 10 (below). It is still very, very relevant, especially during the Easter season when the joy of the Risen Christ unites all Christians and urges us to work for unity among Christians–unity for the sake of evangelization. Fr. Rolheiser’s website on spirituality has many other very interesting columns.

And speaking of Easter joy, here is an item from the May-June Joyful Noiseletter that may bring a smile to your face:  “Three Animals Go to Heaven. A horse, a dog, and a cat die and go to heaven.  St. Peter greets them at the pearly gates and takes them to see God, seated on His throne.

  God asks the horse ‘Why do you think we should let you into heaven?’ ‘I worked hard all my life,’ the horse replied. ‘I broke my back tilling the earth and bringing in the harvest, year after year.’

‘Fine,’ God said.  ‘Come on in.’

‘And you?’ God addressed the dog.

‘I was loyal to my master,’ the dog replied. ‘I hunted with him, protected his family, and lay by his side every day when he was sick.’

‘Good,’ God said. ‘You are welcome to enter.’

God then looked at the cat and asked, ‘And what about you/’

‘You’re sitting in my chair,’ the cat replied.” 

Search for the website of The Joyful Noiseletter for the Fellowship of Merry Christians and more joyful spirituality.

Many thanks to those who responded to the March 20 Five Ways e-letter. May the Forty Days of Easter bring us all closer together.

Fr. Winter

Five Hundred Years of Misunderstanding by Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI

Mar 20, 2024

The Muslim article below is a bit long. At least take a look at the beginning and end, to see that moderate Muslims are very interested in working with other religions to protect our planet.  Fr. Jack Lau, O.M.I., who sent this to me, calls it a sibling to Pope Francis’ Lodato Si, which also begs us to better protect our environment.

On Feb. 29, I was able to take part in a Faith Leaders Conference at the Christian evangelical Gordon College, in nearby Wenham, MA.  This college is to the east coast what Fuller Theological, Pasadena, CA is to the west coast, and reminds us to pay more attention to the missionary efforts of Protestant evangelicals and Catholic charismatics right here.

On Easter Sunday, please notice those who attend, after being absent since at least Christmas.  Gently invite them back for Divine Mercy Sunday April 7.

If Muslims invite you to join them in breaking their fast during Ramadan (until April 9) consider accepting.  If a Jewish friend invites you to their Seder Meal for Passover (about April 23-30), consider accepting.  And if an evangelical Protestant invites you to join them for the Easter Sunrise service, March 31,  consider accepting.

Many thanks to those who commented on the February 21 Five Ways.  And may each of us have a very joyful Triduum and Easter Sunday!

Fr. Harry Winter O.M.I.

Al-Mizan, A Covenant for the Earth

February 21, 2024

Many thanks to those who commented on the January 12 Five Ways e-letter.

Although the attached article from the national Jesuit edited journal America is long, I think you will find it very readable.  The Episcopal Church in the USA (Anglican in other countries) and the Roman Catholic Church were very close following the Second Vatican Council, in 1965.  Then the decision by the Episcopal Church to ordain women priests and bishops, and their approval of certain moral questions seemed to put a roadblock towards further union.

As the America article explains, the symbolic actions by Pope St. Paul VI and Pope Francis, along with the twinning of Episcopalian and Roman Catholic Bishops, indicates that progress is not dead, but still continuing.

I hope to hear from the Oblate bishop in Sri Lanka who is twinned to an Anglican bishop there.

My thanks to former regional counsellor for the USA and Canada, Father Warren Brown, O.M.I., for sending me this article.

As we continue in the first week of Lent, is there an urgent dimension of evangelical ecumenism in Lent? On Ash Wednesday, our churches saw many people come for ashes who do not attend Sunday Mass. And it is more and more evident that many Catholics are no longer marrying Catholics, but members of other Christian Churches. Can we invite these spouses, sometimes non-practicing Eastern Orthodox or Protestants, to join us for Sunday Mass and/or Stations of the Cross during Lent?

The hymns during Lent, the emphasis on our baptism and what it means for spiritual growth, and above all the Cross of Jesus joined to our daily cross, do attract people.  Let us share our experience with those around us, of Jesus carrying our cross.

May our observance of Lent bring us closer to Jesus and each other.

In His love,

Father Harry Winter, O.M.I.

America Magazine – A short history of Catholic-Anglican relations—and the last roadblocks to unity