Charity as defined by the Church, is not equivalent to niceness.

One should never make haste to do a thing which is evil.

"For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood." -Proverbs 1:16

For we must remember that our allegiance is first and foremost to God and not to erring man, no matter who that man may be. Blindly following man can lead us hastily to the abyss of hell.

"Had I but served my God with half the zeal had served my king, he would not in mine age Have left me naked to mine enemies." -William Shakespeare, Henry VIII

"We cannot all be masters, nor all masters can be truly followed." -William Shakespeare, Othello

"And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, Christ." -Matthew 23:9-10 (Douay-Rheims commentary: The meaning is that our Father in heaven is incomparably more to be regarded, than any father upon earth: and no master to be followed, who would lead us away from Christ.)

"No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." -Luke 16:13, Matthew 6:24

In rushing to do what is wrong, we delude ourselves.

"With devotion's visage and pious action we do sugar o'er the devil himself." -William Shakespeare, Hamlet

In serving false masters, we run the risk of losing our very soul.

"What's done cannot be undone." -William Shakespeare, Macbeth

Justice is the treasure of those who serve God. Justice is never the treasure of liars.

"And in the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and shall clothe him with a robe of glory. She shall heap upon him a treasure of joy and gladness, and shall cause him to inherit an everlasting name. But foolish men shall not obtain her, and wise men shall meet her, foolish men shall not see her: for she is far from pride and deceit. Lying men shall not be mindful of her: but men that speak truth shall be found with her, and shall advance, even till they come to the sight of God."  -Ecclesiasticus 15:5-8

Therefore the Lord tells us to "fear not" for He is with us 236 times throughout the Bible. In choosing to do right and resisting evil, He gives us strength against all enemies. No, fear not evil man,

"but I will shew you whom you shall fear: fear ye him, who after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you, fear him." -Luke 12:5

We should fear only God himself, our just judge. He will separate the sheep from the goats. Which side do you choose? Good or evil? There is no middle ground.

So many today, St. Mary's included, are sheep without a shepherd but Jesus the Good Shepherd Himself. We have been left to the wolves, to fend for ourselves.

"Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves." -Matthew 10:16

Yet if we follow in His ways, we will not be led into error.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?" -Psalm 26:1

From the Bulletin:

It's getting to be that time of year again. We especially want this year to be a great success. Let us make it a truly special Feast for Our Lady. Let us put all our heart and soul in it. After all this is Our Tradition, something good to look forward to. Let us work together for Our Lady and Our Church! We all know the deal. We need everyone involved.

• Chicken BBQ tickets will be on sale after each mass.

• 50/50 raffle tickets will also be on sale after each mass. Both BBQ and raffle tickets may be purchased at the rectory.

• We will need baked goods, soda, and water -- name brands only. Look for volunteer sign-up sheets in church.

• Donations for Chinese Auction: Anything you can offer will be appreciated, including money for others to purchase auction items. See Joann Betz or call the rectory to participate. (You can also contact info@savestmarys.net for any of these.)
  

• Feast Talent Show will be August 16th. For sign-ups, please call the rectory or Mrs. Wilson: 609-774-1559. All musicians are required to bring their own instruments and sound equipment.

• We are also hoping for help to organize things like horseshoe tournaments, sack races, and corn or pie eating contests.

Not yet set in stone: By the way, it looks like we may have some awesome professional bands playing this year, from classic rock to bluegrass, including a surprise guest. We also hope to have two local wineries participating and a beer garden in additional to our normal activities. We will be selling tickets for the wine tasting and wine by the glass. Please make plans to come out, to help out, and make this feast the best one ever.

What true shepherd of God would "trouble his own house?" Scripture tells us that "where there is no governor, the people shall fall."

What will happen to the faithful when their churches are threatened, their faith rocked, and controversy and corruption rule the day? Our Lord paints a disturbing picture. Wickedness leads only to spiritual death. It is in Justice, who is the Lord God alone, that we may place our hope, and consequently we are called to live uprightly.

Proverbs 11 in its entirety is a scripture that speaks to our time and circumstance. Truly we must follow God for His own sake and not our own, because He is God the Truth and deserves our total commitment. Through His Word, the Lord teaches us again and again that righteousness is to be pursued for its own sake, because it is His way, not because we can expect righteousness as an end result or because we hope for some special favors in this life. It's as simple as this: Good may never be obtained by doing wrong. That is God's law.

Either make the tree good and its fruit good: or make the tree evil, and its fruit evil. For by the fruit the tree is known. O generation of vipers, how can you speak good things, whereas you are evil? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of a good treasure bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of an evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Matthew 12:33-35

We rise by God's grace and fall by our own doing. We elect not to follow Christ--there are no accidents in this life. We should not be deceived by "the mouth of the wicked;" we must choose to seek out the truth and follow it. Therefore we beg the mercy of the Father and pray never to succumb to wickedness. "The dissembler with his mouth deceiveth his friend: but the just shall be delivered by knowledge." Wickedness comes from only one place, one being, and that being is not God. Be delivered by the uncomplicated Truth.

May God help us in this time of trial! God bless all of you, and please continue to pray daily for the bishop and all those working with him. Offer up a little prayer or sacrifice for his conversion and for the many countless souls who will likely perish as a result of this unholy de-evangelization. Even without church closures, the "last nails in the coffin" have been hammered for many who have already left the Faith or would never again entertain the thought of returning. Many of us have, unfortunately, witnessed this in our interactions with disgusted friends, family, and neighbors. Sadly, even good, practicing Catholics have begun to have doubts of all kinds. The faith of so many have been shaken by this crisis. But let's not forget that what's at stake is the dethroning of Christ. Christ must be seated on the throne of our hearts. He must be enthroned within our Diocese also, or else it is a house built on sand.

At length he appeared to the eleven as they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again. And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned. Mark 16:14-16

At last, here are some pieces from Proverbs 11:

3 The simplicity of the just shall guide them: and the deceitfulness of the wicked shall destroy them. 4 Riches shall not profit in the day of revenge: but justice shall deliver from death. 5 The justice of the upright shall make his way prosperous: and the wicked man shall fall by his own wickedness.

6 The justice of the righteous shall deliver them: and the unjust shall be caught in their own snares. 7 When the wicked man is dead, there shall be no hope any more: and the expectation of the solicitous shall perish. 8 The just is delivered out of distress: and the wicked shall be given up for him. 9 The dissembler with his mouth deceiveth his friend: but the just shall be delivered by knowledge. 10 When it goeth well with the just the city shall rejoice: and when the wicked perish there shall be praise.

11 By the blessing of the just the city shall be exalted: and by the mouth of the wicked it shall be overthrown.14 Where there is no governor, the people shall fall: but there is safety where there is much counsel.

17 A merciful man doth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel casteth off even his own kindred. 18 The wicked maketh an unsteady work: but to him that soweth justice, there is a faithful reward. 19 Clemency prepareth life: and the pursuing of evil things, death. 20 A perverse heart is abominable to the Lord: and his will is in them that walk sincerely.

23 The desire of the just is all good: the expectation of the wicked is indignation. 24 Some distribute their own goods, and grow richer: others take away what is not their own, and are always in want.

28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the just shall spring up as a green leaf. 29 He that troubleth his own house, shall inherit the winds: and the fool shall serve the wise.

Like many Catholic churches, St. Mary's has an annual feast for the Assumption of Our Lady. But the feast at St. Mary's is the church's very special feast and it actually predates the church itself. Below is the information about this year's feast:

This letter was sent by St. Mary's parishioner and historian William Sansalone. I thought it was worth publishing here:

Most Reverend Joseph Anthony Galante, D.D., J.C.D.
Bishop, Diocese of Camden
631 Market Street
Camden, NJ 08102

Dear Bishop Galante:

St. Mary's of Malaga is a treasure--and I ask that you keep it a free-standing parish. My letter is motivated, primarily, by a desire to ensure that you have more information regarding this church. I frame my request around four points:

• St. Mary's is an established faith community. About 100 immigrant families established this rural church 86 years ago. (For details about St. Mary's origins, please see the enclosed commemorative booklet.) Many descendents of these early settlers still live in Malaga, and their family histories are deeply rooted in the baptisms, confirmations, etc. that have taken place at St. Mary's. The disppearance of this church would have a soul-searing effect on them.

St. Mary's is also the spiritual home to families that began to move to Malaga after the Second World War. Working together, parishioners (old and new) established a Praesidium of the Legion of Mary during the postwar years. Many residents have been--and are being--brought back to the Church through the legion's visitations.

• St. Mary's is in solid financial condition and has a pastor in place. The parish is in sound fiscal condition owing to its long-time conservative mode of operation. About 35 percent of registered parishioners use envelopes for their weekly contributions. This is a respectable percentage, considering parishioners' modest incomes. Structurally, the church, rectory, prayer garden, and outdoor Stations of the Cross are in good condition. Much of the maintenance is performed by parishioners at no cost. In short, St. Mary's has never been the cause of financial problems for the Diocese of Camden, nor will it be in in the foreseeable future.

Our pastor, Rev. Jerome Romanowski, has been in place 11 years and is in good health. He promulgates traditional Catholic values that Pope Benedict underscored during his recent visit to the United States. Father Romanowski is a spiritual comfort to his parishioners. 

• St. Mary's is situated in a unique location. Because St. Mary's sits at the intersection of two major highways, travelers to and from Atlantic City (Route 40) and to and from Cape May (Route 47) frequently visit the church and its outdoor prayer sites. For this reason, then Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio designated St. Mary's a Shrine Church almost 10 years ago. If this historic landmark were to disappear, it would diminish the impact--regionally as well as locally--of Pope Benedict's recent message of hope and renewal.

• St. Mary's future plans. Under the leadership of the pastor and parish council, the Legion of Mary is implementing a plan with the following aims:

- expand the number of registered households (great potential exists in Malaga),
- increase the number of current registrants at Sunday Mass, and
- encourage vocations.

Pursuit of these aims started on Mothers Day weekend and will continue through spring and summer. On May 24 when I visited St. Mary's and spoke with Father Romanowski, he told me the above initiative had already yielded positive results.

As you probably know, New York Times writer Laurie Goodstein selected St. Mary's to illustrate the problem of church closures in the United States. (Her article appeared on the front page of The Times on the eve of Pope Benedict's arrival in the United States last month.) St. Mary's must have caught the eye of Ms. Goodstein's editors as well. Both photos accompanying her story show striking views of the church. This article attests--albeit from a secular perspective--to St. Mary's singularity.

We prayerfully hope you can view historic St. Mary's as a treasure--one that should be preserved.

                                                                            Sincerely Yours in Christ,
                                                                            William R. Sansalone
                                                                            (Native of St. Mary's Parish
                                                                            and author of St. Mary's of
                                                                            Malaga: 1922-1997)

cc: St. Mary's Parish Council Chair (Malaga, NJ); Pastor of St. Mary's (Malaga, NJ); His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I. (sent to the USCCB, Washington, DC); Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States (Washington, DC); and Cardinal William Joseph Levada (Vatican City)

Enclosure (St. Mary's of Malaga: 1922-1997)

True Motivation of the Merger Process:
It's Financial
by An Anonymous Contributor
(hey, if the Catholic Star Herald can have anonymous writers, so
can we!)

The Catholic Star Herald recently published the following Q&A on
its webpage further explaining the merger process as Galante
would have it happen. 

Read it here. 

What the answer fails to include, however, is that the Bishop
is ordering these "Priest Conveners," as their very first
duty upon appointment, to take an ENTIRE INVENTORY OF THE
PARISH. He's apparently concerned with preventing theft.
(Seriously, this is the exact reason he provides for ordering
these inventories!) This is ironic since he keeps saying the
mergers are about "vibrancy," but his very first directive
with respect to the mergers is clearly MATERIAL in nature.

As if we're too simple to see past his patronizing one-
dimensional answers, Galante has brushed aside our concerns by
explaining that parish assets don't belong to the diocese. Well
if it's not his plan to have his new parish priests sell all
the assets and funnel the $$$ back to the diocese to create the
ultimate legacy (of his ego), then why is he so concerned with
trying to protect his (OUR!) possessions from theft by the
faithful? Which concern is, in itself, so telling about his
notions of spirituality!

__________________________________________________________

6/22 Editorial Note:
Although it may be true that Canon law makes necessary the
inventory of all material goods of a parish, the point of the
above writer is well-taken. The material aspect of this
"reconfiguration" is over-emphasized.

On multiple occasions the bishop has spoken about the assets
of particular parishes and emphasized his role as being over
the entire diocese. A parish with significant funds and/or
property will eventually be "merged" with another parish that
does not. After that time, the first parish will cease to exist
as an entity, but because it was "merged" rather than suppressed,
the money is still usable.

In other words, it is clear that assets of parishes not in
arrears will be used (at least in part) to "bail out" parishes
that are. Take for example the case of Our Lady Queen of Peace
in Pitman and Our Lady of Lourdes. Bishop Galante wishes to 
merge these two churches. The former parish has significant
assets, the latter is in debt. While the bishop may be
concerned about theft from the diocese on some level, what's
really going on is pure and simple theft from parishes by the
diocese. The bishop wishes to legitimately seize
assets from parishes for the benefit of the diocese. If the
church doesn't have cash assets, they may be strategically
located on potentially valuable real estate. I can think of
many such parishes off the top of my head. In the end, who knows
what will really happen to these funds.

Further we see multiple rationales given for the
"reconfiguration"--an eventual priest shortage,
demographic shifts [evidence please ???], lack of funds, and a
need for slick, paid "ministries," the need to strengthen or
"revitalize" the diocese, whatever happens to be the
"rationale du jour. Financial difficulties are often on
the list. The bishop and Msgr. McGrath still are able to dig deep
and find--without apparent problem--five MILLION dollars to buy
land for a new high school that will cost tens of millions of
dollars.

Meanwhile, he shutters our beloved churches and schools 
and ups the "Appeal" goals for most parishes to astronomical levels.
He makes demeaning comments in a television interview quipping
that parents want a "quality" education for their children, 
clearly implying that the schools he chose to close did not
provide "quality" educations. Those poor teachers must feel
horrible to receive such a put-down for their years of service.
But to Galante, the more money you can throw at a school or parish,
the better the "quality."

The point? Money's a huge motivator. Unfortunately that old
saying my dad used to quote all the time still holds true:
"Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." It's
such a shame that this is happening in the Church Christ founded.
No, in fact, it's embarrasing.

Vision of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerick, April, 1823:

I saw many pastors cherishing dangerous ideas against the Church. . . . I saw among other things. . . the Church under N___________. In all the rooms lay his children (that is, his plans), a full collection of his views. . . . He had set fire to the house, and I with others had to save the goods and convey them to the sheepfold. They built a large, singular, extravagant church which was to embrace all creeds with equal rights; Evangelicals, Catholics and all denominations, a true communion of the unholy with one shepherd and one flock. There was to be a Pope, a salaried Pope, without possessions. All was made ready, many things finished; but, in place of an altar were only abomination and desolation. Such was the new church to be, and it was for it he had set fire to the old one; but God designed otherwise.