Month: April 2019

Anyone who recites the Apostle’s Creed or the Nicene Creed, says the phrase “He descended to Hell” have you ever wondered about that?

This ancient homily is a part of the Liturgy of Readings for every Holy Saturday.

The Lord’s descent into the underworld

There was something so familiar about the name of the Firefighter Chaplin in Paris  – Father Jean-Marc Fournier. I kept thinking I know that name and I know Kentucky has Catholic history with that name and I was bound and determined to find it.

You can read about the chaplin here – https://aleteia.org/2019/04/16/he-made-straight-for-the-relics-firefighter-chaplain-saves-crown-of-thorns/?utm_medium=aleteia_en&utm_campaign=english_page&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1Vst4rx5QMKxTN2E0uO40_JyhrKjV2hB8K5sOMM_qtVIBr1-Gtc_vwHEU#Echobox=1555439598

Most of the missionary priests that God blessed the wilderness of Kentucky with in her early days were refugees from the French Revolution. For no matter how romantic you want to make the French Revolution sound the truth of the matter was if you were a Catholic priest you had the choice of taking an oath of allegiance to the government, which meant you left any allegiance to the Catholic faith behind, or to be exiled, jailed, killed or perhaps all three!

The first ordained priest in the United States was one of those refugees Divine Providence sent our way – Father Stephen Theodore Badin and his story in the Kentucky wilderness is definitely worth the read, but right now I want to introduce you to another refugee sent our way.

So much we take for granted and never give a thought to those who came before us who held the faith and passed that faith on to us – unscathed and whole!

This comes from the beginning of Chapter 5 in a very interesting read written by the Right Reverend Bishop Martin J Spalding. Keep in mind, this was written in the 1800s so the style is a bit different. The M. in front of the priests name is for Mister Reverend and many words are spelled the old English way.

SKETCHES OF THE EARLY CATHOLIC MISSIONS OF KENTUCKY; FROM THEIR COMMENCEMENT IN 1787, TO THE JUBILEE OF 1826-7

EMBRACING A SUMMARY OF THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE STATE; THE ADVENTURES OF THE FIRST CATHOLIC EMIGRANTS; BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF THE EARLY MISSIONARIES; THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE PRINCIPAL PROTESTANT SECTS IN KENTUCKY; WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE EPISCOPAL SEE AT BARDSTOWN, OF THE VARIOUS RELIGIOUS SOCIETIES, AND OF THE GENERAL STATE OF THE CATHOLIC RELIGION IN KENTUCKY.

COMPILED FROM AUTHENTIC SOURCES, WITH THE ASSITANCE OF THE VERY REV. STEPHEN THEODORE BADIN

THE FIRST PREIST ORDAINED IN THE UNITED STATES.

BY M. J. SPALDING, D. D. 

CHAPTER V

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Arrival of other Missionaries – From 1797 – 1803

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Rev. M. Fournier – Traits and facts of his early life – His arrival in Kentucky – His stations and labours – His character – His sudden death – Rev. M. Salmon – His zeal and labours – Humorous incident – His tragical death – His Epitaph – Rev. Mr. Thayer – Anecdote of Franklin – Mr. Thayer’s conversion – His labours in Boston – In Kentucky – And in Limerick – His death

For about three years M. Badin had been alone, desolate in heart, and weighed down with labours. At length, Divine Providence took compassion on his loneliness, and sent other labourers into a harvest now become much too extensive to be cultivated by one man. The new missionary recruits were from among those illustrious clerical exiles from France, to whose apostolic zeal America is so greatly indebted, and without whose generous aid our infant missions could scarcely have been sustained.

The first of these who arrived in Kentucky, was the Rev. M. Fournier, in the year 1797. He was a native of the Diocess of Blois in France; and, when driven from his native country, by the French Revolution, he took refuge in England. In London he taught French language for about four years, in order to obtain a subsistence. Weary of this manner of life, and panting for a field of action more congenial to his zeal for the salvation of souls, he sailed for America, which he reached towards the close of the year 1796. He immediately offered his services to Bishop Carroll, who gratefully accepted them, and immediately sent him to Kentucky to the assistance of M. Badin, of whose melancholy condition he had been already well apprised.

Fournier, after a long and painful journey, in the dead of the winter, reached Kentucky in February, 1797. M. Badin received him with open arms, and extended to him for several months the hospitality of his own log cabin of St. Stephen’s. M. Fournier soon purchased one hundred acres of ground, on the Rolling Fork – the site of the present Holy Mary’s – and, after having erected a temporary hut, removed thither in 1798. He then took charge of a portion of M. Badin’s stations. He attended the congregations situated on the Rolling Fork, on Hardin’s Creek, on Cartwright’s Creek, on Rough Creek in Hardin County, with those at Danville, and in Madison county. When we reflect that a distance of at least one hundred and twenty miles intervened between the two extreme points of this circuit, we will probably come to the conclusion, that, like his fellow-labourer in the same field, he was certainly in no lack of employment.

He was an excellent priest; pious, zealous, laborious, and punctual to all his appointments. He was of ordinary size, but had a thin visage, furrowed with care, but still beaming with habitual cheerfulness. His manners were extremely popular; he soon caught the spirit, and adapted himself to the manners of the country; and he had not one personal enemy. He spoke English remarkably well, and preached sermons which had the triple merit of being solid, short, and intelligible to the meanest capacity.

When not engaged in his missions, he was almost constantly laboring on the little farm adjoining his residence. His death was caused by the rupture of a blood-vessel through over exertion in raising large beams of wood, to be sawed into plank. It was so sudden, that his friend, M. Badin, arrived only in time to assist at his funeral. His body was interred at the church of Holy Cross. He had not yet reached his fiftieth year.

So I wonder if both of these priests, one from the 18th century and one from the 21st century, who both have so much zeal for the Catholic faith they profess, confess and preach, are from the same family lineage. No matter what Kentucky and France have both been blessed by Divine Providence with the courageous priests named Fournier!

May God give us all the courage, faith and zeal that both of these priests give us example of. Give us the fire of faith to set the world on fire with You, Lord! For we do not want to be found lukewarm! Inflame our hearts with your Love so all can see it’s you! And only You!

Imagine living when Jesus lived. You hear about this teacher and are drawn to listen. When you are close enough to meet Him, close enough to touch Him, you see the most loving of eyes. He looks at you like no one ever has before. You know the love He has for you is indescribable. You know He, with one look, knows more about you than you probably know about yourself. And you know, you can feel, in your very core, that His love for you is unconditional. You feel a love you have never felt before and you want to stay in that love.

Back to today, look for that teacher. Close your eyes and listen to Him. Look into His eyes as He speaks. Feel His love for you – that unconditional love that has always been. Feel that indescribable love. Know He loves you no matter what and He is always waiting to gaze into your eyes.

Imagine the house with the upper room where Jesus had shared the Last Supper with His apostles. Mary is there on this Sunday morning looking out a window and gazing at the cave that held her Son’s lifeless body.

She sees Mary Magdalene speaking to a man Magdalene thinks is the gardener and smiles thinking, “oh Mary, don’t you see? It is Jesus! He is alive! Wipe your tears and rejoice!”

Our Blessed Mother ponders the last few days. The bond between mother and son is so strong that she felt His pain. She felt the absolute sadness and isolation He felt when He was abandoned by His friends. She felt His sorrow as He hung on that cross and was taunted by His creatures. She felt His love He had for each and every one of us even though we were cheering for His death.

Much like when she felt His lifeblood begin at the Incarnation, she felt His lifeblood leave Him on the Cross. But, she also knew, this was not the end.

Now imagine the scene when Jesus comes to Mary in His glorified body! I believe that she was the first, and I believe that for a few reasons. The bond between a mother and a son is like no other, and Jesus and Mary were no exception.⁹

Mary was the first Christian. She was His first disciple as well as being His first teacher. Even though we don’t hear much about her during His 3 years of ministry, I believe Mary was right there with Jesus.

She was the tabernacle of the Lord. Only she held His Body & His Blood. She was the Ark of the New Covenant. And all of Jesus’ humanity came from one person – Mary.

Mary called Jesus to start His ministry at Cana when she told the wedding servers ” Do whatever He tells you”.

She was His mother. Back to this because there is no greater reason. She is His mother and is His Queen Mother.

I just can’t find the words to convey the joy, the love, the glory that was in that scene when Jesus, in all His glory says, “Mother”. Suffice it to say, I don’t think we could even come close to the experience on this side of Heaven.

The Garden of Gethsemane is a beautiful place, filled with ancient olive trees and large, dark, if not black rocks. It overlooks the City of Jerusalem and at that time the temple.

Numerous pictures go through my head when I ponder and pray on Jesus’ agony in the garden.

As I see Jesus prostrate on a large rock, praying, crying and sweating blood- I wonder but also know it’s because of me. Did He, in those few hours, see me? Did He see all of the mess that would be my life? Did He see me turn my back on His Father and on Him? Did He cry for me?

I see Jesus pleading that this cup, filled with our sins, pass him by, and I see Him accept the will of the Father, for the sake of all of us who caused this to be.

And I wonder was this garden a place where He and his parents would go during their pilgrimages to the Holy City? Did they have picnics on this very rock?

Did Jesus play hide and go seek or tag with his cousins, friends and family in this garden?

Did Joseph carry Jesus on his shoulders through the garden?

Did He and Mary gather flowers to make crowns for each other?

And was Mary nearby now, watching her son in agony and knowing she could do nothing but pray and love Him.

So many images of family, of obedience, of faithfulness, of sorrow and of joy.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, I love you, save souls!

Father, this morning I wish to praise you and give you thanks for all the gifts you have bestowed on me!

Thank you for the gift of life, how marvelous to ponder that you knew me and loved me before I was formed in my mother’s womb! Help me love others knowing how worthy they are of your love.

Thank you for the gift of speech, let me use it to praise you and to lift others up.

Thank you for the gift of hearing, let me open my ears to hear the wonderful sounds of life you have surrounded us with. Let me truly hear what others have to say.

Thank you for the gift of smell, let me stop to smell your roses along the way and marvel at your creation.

Thank you for the gift of walking, let me walk the path you have laid out for me.

Thank you for the gift of motherhood. What a gift that keeps on giving in the gift of grandchildren. Help me be worthy to guide these young souls to you.

Thank you for the very breaths I take and let me appreciate each one as a gift.

Thank you for the gift of work. Let all I do have you at the center and please give success to the work of my hands.

Thank you for the aches and pains in my life. Help me to remember to offer them as a prayer for others.

Thank you for the gift of creation you have surrounded me in, help me to recognize your hand in all the miracles around us.

Thank you especially for the gift of faith and the gift of being Catholic. Please help me grow stronger in my faith so I am comfortable and confident living in your shadow. I long for others to see you when they see me and for me to see you in others.

Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!

Mary, undoer of Knots, pray for us!