Feed My Sheep

Dear Parishioners,

This Sunday’s Gospel is a magnificent moment in the life of Peter who had betrayed Jesus. Before Simon was able to even apologize, Jesus called him to himself and asked him three times if he loved him. Each time, Simon said, yes, thus restoring him and his relationship with our Lord since Simon’s three denials. With each affirmation, Jesus then commissioned him to feed his lambs, tend his sheep, and feed his sheep. Then he shared with Simon that in his coming ministry, Simon would suffer and ultimately die for the glory of God.

This episode was not just for Simon. It is for us as well. We are all being called to lay down our lives in order to tend to the poor and the downcast, to feed the young and old with the saving message of the Gospel. We often might cringe at such a prospect, especially knowing how obstinate our culture is to the Christian Faith. But, it is the path that we are all called to walk.

For me, I receive the words of our Lord in the context of my coming departure and reassignment. I am dedicated to the mission here at St. Anne until the last moment of my ministry here, and yet I know that I am being called to leave, something that brings sadness to my heart. I have spent much time in prayer and thought about this coming transition, and I trust that my own “death” to my role as your pastor is part of God’s plan, part of what will give him glory. I have heard from many of you, of your mutual sadness and desire for me to stay. Thank you for your love and care in this regard. Please pray that I will be able to fulfill the new calling I have received.

It was critical to Christ’s mission that he sent out his Apostles, and by extension, us, into the world so that others may come to know him. In time, you will receive a new pastor. I can only imagine the stress he must be feeling knowing that he is being called to move from his current parish. One thing that he does not know, but I believe he will discover very quickly, is how welcoming and loving you all are. So, just as I am being sent away, he is being sent here. Please pray for him, though we know not his name at this writing. Pray that God will prepare you to welcome him as we would Christ (Benedictine motto).

I know how much you love the Lord, and I am excited for whomever the new pastor will be, because he will encounter you whom I love so much. May we all take to heart the commission that Simon received as our own. May we pray for all our priests who will be moving next month. Let us all cast our nets, metaphorically speaking, to receive the amazing gifts that God has in store for us here as well as in heaven.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Being Reassigned

Dear Parishioners,

It’s with sadness that I report I will be leaving at the end of June and have been reassigned to a new parish. But, have no worries. St. Anne and her missions have been listed as “open” for a new pastor. This means that the Archbishop with counsel from the Clergy Personnel Board have been working to discern who will be succeeding me. That priest has yet to be chosen, but I trust that the Holy Spirit has got this, and despite our mutual sadness of this change, I encourage you all to entrust your hearts and thoughts in the same Holy Spirit. God is not anxious like we are. He’s got a plan that we often know nothing about. So, let us let go of our fears, and simply trust.

It’s been 13 years of joy filled and dynamic ministry here. You have all touched me helped me grow into the person I am today. I hope that I have done similar for you. Knowing that the Archbishop has been looking at moving me since late last year, I have been engaged in my own extended Lenten observances. But for many of you, this is possibly unexpected news. Saying goodbye is hard, but it is also a statement of faith, expressing that God be with you and that we have confidence that we will will see each other again.

In the meantime, I remain active as always and I continue my duties as normal. As time gets closer to the end of June, however, my availability for meetings will become more difficult. So let’s make these next three months even more dynamic in faith, hope, and love!

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Ministry Personnel Opportunities

Dear Parishioners,

In the past several months, we have been working hard to lift up our ministry staffing in the parish office. As such, Carol Scherf recently move from our Bookkeeper position to our Parish Manager position, replacing Stephen Voehl who moved on to other employment late in 2021. Carol’s move left a hole in our Bookkeeper position which we have been working to fill. This is an important aspect of our work to serve our parish, our missions, and our school. From the foundations of financial stability and accounting comes healthy pastoral ministry for the church. If you or someone you know would like to join our team as a part-time bookkeeper, please email a resume and cover letter to BookkeeperSearch@stannegp.com or come by the office and give them to Carol.

Next, we are looking for someone whom God is calling to be our part-time Coordinator of Youth Ministry. If you or someone you know may be qualified for such an important ministry position here at St. Anne, please encourage them to apply. The details for applications in this regard are found in this bulletin. If this is not you, then let us all pray that God will bring to us just the right person who help lead and inspire our teens in their faith with Christ.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Lent - Fasting and Feasting

Dear Parishioners,

Blessed Lenten season! This time of year offers us encouragement to engage in a deeper way the traditions of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. For some, it is a time to give up something. For others it is a time to add something. In countries outside of the U.S, the latter is more their custom than the former. In our culture, giving up something is synonymous with Lent. If you are not sure what you might do in this holy season, may I offer some suggestions.

Prayer

There is no lack of need of prayer for the situation in the Ukraine. I think all our hearts are broken as we stand in solidarity with the people of the Ukraine. Pope Francis encouraged the world to fast on Ash Wednesday, specifically for the tragedy unfolding and the people being impacted by the violence. If you fulfilled that papal request on Ash Wednesday, wonderful! Might I then invite you to extend your intentions of prayer and fasting throughout the six weeks of Lent of peace and conversion of hearts? In addition, please ask Mary, the Queen of Peace and Our Lady of Kyiv, to intercede as she asked us to pray for the conversion of Russia so many years ago. Another Saint you may want to seek out is St. Vladimir I of Kyiv, a convert from paganism who eventually removed all semblances of idolatry in his kingdom and promoted Christianity. The patron saint of the Ukraine is St. Olga of Kyiv. She is considered one of Eastern Orthodox’s greatest saints. Her story is quite dramatic, and I’ll leave it to you to search for her and her story. But, let’s just say that she was no pushover when it came to those who wished evil. You can read more by clicking her link, above.

Fasting

We typically confuse fasting with abstinence. Fasting is the reduction of something while abstinence is the total removal of something. But, sometimes, as I mentioned above, we might focus only on reducing or removing something and forget about adding something. So, consider fasting and feasting in ways that are complimentary. May I recommend fasting from speaking hurtful words or committing violent actions and then feasting on acts of charity especially towards those who have hurt or injured you? Commit to reducing the amount of talking you do and listen more. Stop swearing and offer compliments and blessings instead. When in tribulation, fast from evil thoughts and harsh attacks and instead assume the best of the other, for their behavior may very well have a source of deep suffering, and then offer them comfort and a gentle word of compassion.

Almsgiving

Almsgiving can be a sore point for some. Some cling to or are captured by their wealth or are greedy with their time and talent. Instead of simply offering lenten observances that only impact oneself, maybe consider donating each week or once a day some of money to charity. Maybe give of your time to someone who needs help, a neighbor or maybe a total stranger. Maybe offer transportation to someone or fix something that your neighbor cannot. Maybe you might consider making a donation to Catholic Relief Services for the people suffering in Ukraine.

Whatever you do for Lent, be sure it is done out of selfless love and not self-serving motivations. Remember, this whole season is intended to prepare and train us to celebrate the most important event of all history, Christ’s Resurrection. If you decide to go to daily Mass once a week dedicate it not just for yourself, but for the intention of others. By letting go and removing the obstacles to God while also giving of yourself for the good of others, this Lent may very well change everything.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt 3: Synodal Primer: Scriptures & Questions

Dear Parishioners,

We are just under a month until we host our synodal gatherings (see last two week’s bulletins for details). As such I would like to share with you the Scriptures and questions upon which we will be pondering. These will be the focus of our prayers in adoration as well as our reflections in the discernment time which will follow. This is just a primer so that you can bounce these scriptures and questions around in your heart, asking the Holy Spirit to help you be open without any agenda, have an openness to the synodal process, and be given a joy of anticipation for our time together.

SCRIPTURE 1
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Question 1: What in the church fills me with life? How is the Holy Spirit working in my life to deepen my faith and inspire me to be a better disciple and witness of Christ’s love to others?

SCRIPTURE 2

Hebrews 10:21-24: Since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works.

Question 2: As a community of believers, what experiences of the Catholic Church have brought joys or revealed wounds? And how can these experiences help us grow together in faith and offer the hope and healing of Christ to the greater community in which we live?

SCRIPTURE 3

1John 1:1-4: What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life — for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us — what we have seen and heard we proclaim now to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; for our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing this so that our joy may be complete.

Question 3: As a Catholic community, we are expressly enjoined to invite others into a life-giving relationship with Jesus Christ. When we dream about how best to accomplish this, what steps is the Holy Spirit inviting the Church in western Oregon to take?

All participants will be given a handout with these Scriptures and questions as well as guidelines for the “Table Conversations.” So, you will not need to remember these items or bring a copy of this letter to the Synodal gathering you choose to attend. Again, my hope is that you would use these for prayer and preparation in the Holy Spirit until we gather together on March 3rd or 12th.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger

Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt. 2

Dear Parishioners,

In our last bulletin, I wrote about the Synod which has been called forth by Pope Francis. I explained what a synod is and is not. The theme of this synod is, oddly enough, synodality. Yes. The way by which we journey and discuss what it means to be Church are front and center. Again, the topic is also the process. It is a synod on synodality. So, the destination is also the journey. In my conversations with Archbishop Sample, he believes that the Holy Father desires to teach us a way to journey, discuss, and be Church through this new Apostolic Age (see previous bulletin letter). A handbook called the Vademecum has set out guidance for us as we do our part in this synodal process. It describes three points or dimensions for us to pray about between now and our coming discernment gatherings in early March: Communion, Participation, and Mission.

COMMUNION By his gracious will, God gathers us together as diverse peoples of one faith, through the covenant that he offers to his people. The communion we share finds its deepest roots in the love and unity of the Trinity. It is Christ who reconciles us to the Father and unites us with each other in the Holy Spirit. Together, we are inspired by listening to the Word of God, through the living Tradition of the Church, and grounded in the sensus fidei that we share. We all have a role to play in discerning and living out God’s call for his people.

PARTICIPATION A call for the involvement of all who belong to the People of God— laity, consecrated and ordained—to engage in the exercise of deep and respectful listening to one another. This listening creates space for us to hear the Holy Spirit together and guides our aspirations for the Church of the Third Millennium. Participation is based on the fact that all the faithful are qualified and are called to serve one another through the gifts they have each received from the Holy Spirit. In a synodal Church the whole community, in the free and rich diversity of its members, is called together to pray, listen, analyze, dialogue, discern and offer advice on making pastoral decisions which correspond as closely as possible to God’s will. Genuine efforts must be made to ensure the inclusion of those at the margins or who feel excluded.

MISSION The Church exists to evangelize. We can never be centered on ourselves. Our mission is to witness the love of God in the midst of the whole human family. This Synodal Process has a deep missionary dimension to it. It is intended to enable the Church to better witness to the Gospel, especially with those who live on the spiritual, social, economic, political, geographical, and existential peripheries of our world. In this way, synodality is a path by which the Church can more fruitfully fulfill her mission of evangelization in the world, as a leaven at the service of the coming of God’s kingdom.

Once again, mark your calendar to participate in one of the two gatherings in March:

Wednesday, March 3 @ 6 PM

Saturday, March 12 @ 8 AM

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

The Synod on Synodality Pt. 1

Dear Parishioners,

Pope Francis called for a worldwide synod of the Church which will involve all Catholic parishes in our Archdiocese and throughout the world. The goal of this process is to help our bishops prepare for the “Assembly of the Synod of Bishops” in October 2023. This may also include other groups with whom our parish interacts and ministers. This may be the first you have heard about it, so I hope this bulletin letter will help explain what a synod is and what it is not as well as a sneak peek at what we plan to do in order to join the synodal process.

What is a Synod? The word comes from two Greek words, one meaning “together,” and the other meaning “road” or “way.” The term connotes a quality about how the Church is to accomplish its mission. In the early Church, the term was used to describe how the people of “the Way” (earliest term for Christians) would purposely come together and form permanent communities. Eventually, this term was used to express a gathering of the Church locally, regionally, or globally. So it expresses a way of gathering with a sense of being on a journey together.

Today, it describes a type of gathering of bishops by which they discern how the Lord is calling them and the rest of the Church to follow Jesus. This word is the root of two other related words, “synodal” or “synodality,” both of which express the style of this gathering. How to pronounce these words is a challenge. Try “sin-ah-d,” “sin-ah-dal,” and “sin-ah-dal-ity” respectively. 

The gathering is intended to reflect on how the Church carries out her mission, journeying together in order to more effectively proclaim the Gospel. This is an ancient approach to “being” Church. The gathering (Synod) is a way of gathering and discerning what the Holy Spirit is calling the Church to do and be. Another way of describing it is a mode-of-being. Archbishop Sample taught that this Synod will be about how to be Church, how to be synodal. This is why the current topic of this Synod is precisely about synodality. So, it is a “Synod on Synodality,” a gathering where the Church journeys together to discover and experience what it means to be a pilgrim people called to proclaim the Gospel.

What this Synod is not. It is not a gathering to determine doctrine or settle theological issues. Some pundits have already called for warning, noting the German Bishops who erroneously called their recent gatherings as a “synodal way” which was used to tackle the hot topics of their culture. Cardinal Marc Ouellet, prefect of the Congregation for Bishop in Rome challenged the German bishops, writing that that their make-up was “not ecclesiologically valid.” The German bishops’ approach has been more akin to a “Particular Council” or a Council of the Catholic Church in Germany. A “Council” is, technically speaking, a meeting of bishops given authority to make law for their region or country, but only under direct authority of Rome who approves the agenda. None of that happened. Pope Francis weighed in as well and warned them writing, “Every time the ecclesial community has tried to resolve it problems alone, trusting and focusing exclusively on its forces or its methods, its intelligence, its will or prestige, it ended up increasing and perpetuating the evils it tried to solve.” So have no worries, Rome has responded and offered a correction. This is not the process or goal of the current “Synod on Synodality.”

Archbishop Sample’s own reflection and commentary, in preparation for our part in the synodal process, recognized that we live in unique and challenging times and that we are no longer living in a time where Christian faith guides the minds and hearts of our culture. Instead, we are in a new Apostolic time where few express Christian faith. He recognized that how we used to do things as Church doesn’t work anymore. This is not an issue of doctrine, but an issue of evangelization and outreach to those who have left the Church and those in our world who are lost and don’t know Jesus Christ and his Gospel (cf. Opening comments, Synodal Workshop, January 20, 2022). He further shared that The Pope wants to “lead us in a process that will help us all together, in the universal church, to walk together.…to learn how to be the Church in a new way, a way of mutual discernment… guided by the Holy Spirit, absolutely soaked in prayer, so that we can truly discern what the Holy Spirit…is asking of us today in our time and in our archdiocese.”

This last Saturday, January 29th, parishioners gathered for a time of adoration in our church in order to increase our zeal of the Eucharist and pray for divine guidance for the Synodal process, a deeper appreciation of the dignity and sacredness of human life, an end to abortion, and a renewed spirit and light for all parishes and parishioners in the Portland and Baker Dioceses. 

I will write more about the Synod in the weeks to come. In the meantime, if you wish to participate in our local synodal discernment process, save one of these two dates: March 3rd at 6 PM or March 12th at 8 AM. Each of these dates will host a gathering which will begin with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament followed by a time of gathering for discernment about the coming Synod of the Church.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Download the Prayer card for the Synod by clicking here.

Reflecting Back On The Good News in 2021

Dear Parishioners, 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Every year, we publish a multiple-week bulletin during the holidays. As such, I have encouraged our staff to write a reflection about the good news that happened to them and the ministries this year. One might assume that the pandemic obscured our vision and abilities to minister to the community, but I am proud to say that just the opposite was true. Of course, there were roadblocks and obstacles. But, that just meant we had to let go of old paradigms, our need to control, and just let Jesus take care of everything (cf. Surrender Novena). So, I hope that you will find this bulletin a source of encouragement and joy.

As for myself, I look back and have the fondest memories of spending Wednesday’s giving away boxes of food for whomever drove up into our parking lot. All said and done, we gave away 36,820 boxes of food and 2,400 gallons of milk to those in need. It was such a bright spot in a dark time of our year. When we finally ended, it had been over a year since we gave out our initial food boxes. I am so grateful for meeting new people, working together as a team, praying with people who either asked or seemed to need it, reassuring those who came to us in tears that God would provide, and the laughter and joy that came with just giving oneself away in service. The parish staff also stepped up to support this event with a clear sense of mission.

I am also grateful for the teachers and staff of our school. The hurdles that were set before us, unexpectedly, required us to pivot several times, and they did! Our school population is the largest since I arrived (see Colleen’s reflection therein). Through adversity, we have found a focus and dependence on Jesus. 

I am grateful for the presence of Anthony Hoangphan, our pastoral year seminarian. Having another person in the house can create issues. Yet, Anthony was flexible and charitable the whole time. I didn’t know if we would have enough things for him to do given the COVID shutdowns. But, alas, there was no shortage of things for him to do in ministry. In addition, we learned new skills in woodworking, and even build a children’s shelf/seat for the school auction.

Finally and possibly most potently, the Surrender Novena was a huge gift. My mother, Helene, passed in  September of 2020. A year or more prior to her passing, she began praying this relatively unknown novena over and over, possibly completing it over 30 times. My brother-in-law stumbled upon it in a Catholic bookstore in Denver. He showed it to my sister, Carolyn, and they then gave it to my mother. She shared it with the rest of my siblings, and I preached about it at her funeral. Archbishop Sample was present at her funeral and, long story short, he began to pray it. From there, it was reproduced and given to all the priests of the Archdiocese. Since then, it has gone out to countless people who have found profound solace and hope praying the novena. At last tally, we have ordered over 3,000 cards and I expect to run out of those in several months. I was recently told that the archdiocesan Office of Divine Worship had given out almost 20,000 of these novena cards! Praise God!  I have mourned my mother’s passing, but it is most certainly pierced by the light of this legacy of prayer which she championed in her last year of life, and I believe continues to do so from heaven.

So, as we say farewell to 2021, I want to leave you with the prayer refrain from the Surrender Novena. I believe it to be a key to our true joy in Christ now and into our future:

“Oh my Jesus, I surrender myself to you. Take care of everything!”

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Thanksgiving, Repentance, and Prayer

Dear Parishioners,

Thanksgiving

I hope this letter finds you amidst the joys and peace of being with family and/or friends on this Thanksgiving Day weekend. If you find yourself suffering from “Tryptophan poisoning” induced by your Thanksgiving Day turkey dinner, then rest assured, you are not alone. I may end up asleep watching football, a tradition that I like to participate in on this day of gratitude. Seriously, It is wonderful that our country has enshrined a day for us to be mindful of all the amazing things we have in our lives here in the U.S. Maybe we could all offer a prayer that we would be open to an attitude of gratitude in the days that follow and well into the new year.

Advent

This weekend also begins our preparatory season of Advent. In this season we are being encouraged by the Church to prepare our hearts not only for the celebration of the first Advent of Christ (Christmas), but also for the Second Advent of Christ (The End Time). Both events call us to be people of repentance. We see this in the color of purple amidst our environment as well as an encouragement to participate in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Fr. Stephen and I will be making confessions more available by offering a daytime block during one of the weekdays of Advent (date to be announced) as well as adding an hour to our Saturday confession times. So, that means we will begin hearing confessions in the church on the Saturdays of Advent an hour earlier than normal: 2:30 PM instead of 3:30 PM (Dec. 4, 11, 18).

Prayer

Beginning on the First Sunday in Advent (Nov. 28), our Parish Leadership Team (PLT) will begin offering time to be prayed with at St. Anne after the 11 AM Mass each Sunday. This will be a new outreach to our parishioners and anyone else who attends the 11 AM Mass to know that God desires to comfort us, help us, and lift us up. Our Team, myself, Fr. Stephen Kenyon, Sandra Lopez, Kathy Nelson, and Bill Bailey, will be available to you for such prayer. All they will ask is your name and what you would like them to pray about. They may ask if they can put their hand on your shoulder in order to help you feel the comfort of your loving family here at St. Anne. This is certainly a new approach of outreach out to our community, so too it is for our PLT. Please keep the PLT in your prayers, as we continue to discern our own role as parish leaders following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. In time, we hope this may expand to the other Masses on the weekend.

I am so thankful for the communities of St. Anne, Our Lady of the River, and St. Patrick of the Forest. Let us be ever mindful of the gifts that God has given us, ever aware that our Lord’s return gets closer each day, and respond as stewards, giving of our time, talent, and treasure.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor

Our Bazaar & November Remembrance

Dear Parishioners,

Thank You

A big thank you needs to go out to all those who participated in this year’s annual Bazaar. While I don’t know the financial results, it was a huge success as far as participation is concerned. Many people have been waiting for two years either building up a storehouse of crafting goods to be donated to the Bazaar or waiting to go shopping for that perfect hand-made item that they will enjoy for years. A shout out and thanks to this year’s coordinator, Susan Finley. She joins a lineage of people who have shouldered the burden and joy of putting it together. A thank you is needed to all those who have been meeting continuously over the past many months to make the amazing crafts possible! Thank you also to the kitchen crew who offered us cinnamon rolls and turkey dinner! I also want to thank our Evangelization Team who hosted our Open House which accompanied the Bazaar. It, too, was a huge success.

November, A Month of Remembrance

We are now well into November, kicked off by our celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Traditionally in the Church, the whole of the month of November commemorates those who have died. Our culture, unfortunately, prefers a more antiseptic approach to death which often finds families not offering funerals for their loved ones. And while we certainly should be celebrating the lives of our deceased loved ones, it is highly problematic to either ignore or pretend that we are mourning. It is not a bad thing to mourn, but rather a healthy part of healing. We don’t like mourning and would prefer avoiding it. But, if we don’t properly mourn, then that unresolved loss can come out in unexpected ways such as fits of anger and lashing out at others, all of which are defense mechanisms to keep us far from our deep-seated hurts. 

The Church, in her wisdom, knows that it is important to mourn and say goodbye. We Christians mourn with hope (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13). It is with this understanding that the Church ritualizes the process of mourning in her beautiful rites of a funeral Mass. I personally find great consolation through every funeral in which I participate. They are not merely sad gatherings, but events that challenge us to hope, seek counsel, and understand how great the gift of salvation is for those who die in the friendship of the Lord. The funeral Mass is ultimately our prayer to the Father for our beloved dead through the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ which conquered death and opened up the possibility for heaven.

Through the month of November, we are encouraged to pray for our beloved dead, for many are on their journey of being purified by the grace of God (a.k.a. purgatory) and could use our help as we accompany them on their way. To this end, I want to encourage you to consider writing the name of a deceased loved one in our Book of Remembrance which is located near our votive candles on the south side of the church. I also want to encourage you to consider attending any of our funerals regardless of whether you knew the deceased or not. It is a great spiritual and corporal work of mercy to pray and bury the dead.

Blessings,

Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor