Lately, I've talked about how we're mostly stable on St. John's campus.  I've also said we'll make adjustments as needed.

     Just in the last couple days, I've noticed that many of our staff and volunteers are exercising some good initiative.  They're figuring out how to make things better at St. John's. There's a fresh dynamism to their actions.

     This new stability has a liveliness to it.  We want people to encounter God in a dynamic, fresh, and lively manner while remaining strong, safe, and stable.

     The expression "dynamic orthodoxy" has been around for more than ten years.  Orthodoxy means "right doctrine".  Orthopraxy means "right practice".  As Christians, we are called to both hold right doctrine and practice our faith rightly.  This believing and living rightly leads to growth, joy, and liveliness.  The word "dynamic" captures this.  With "dynamic orthodoxy" in my mind and saying my prayers in the church, I was struck with the idea of "dynamic stability".  I'm thrilled to see new life at St. John's in the midst of growing stability.

     I just talked with Ryan's mother.  On Saturday, Ryan will be our first baby baptized post lockdown.  Ryan's parents have chosen to keep the number of relatives present to very few.  We're going to livestream the baptism so that extended family can watch from home.  Bishop O'Connell's directives ensure that I will not make physical contact with Ryan.  The rest of us are going to wear masks.  Households will stay six feet apart.  It's going to go smoothly.

     While shopping at Lowe's and ShopRite this morning, I observed many people failing to wear masks properly.  I've also noticed many locals seem overwhelmed.  Perhaps "craziness" is not the right word to describe our local situation.  It's a good word to describe other places.  For us, I'm more saddened by the great need in our community.  Hopefully, our "dynamic stability" will prepare our parishioners to be even more helpful to our neighbors.

     Each year, I'm required to do a five day retreat.  I had planned on going to St. Charles Seminary the last week of July for a retreat.  While I could probably get Msgr. Rusoni and priests from neighboring parishes to cover the sacramental responsibilities at St. John's, I'm reluctant to travel.  I don't want to catch the coronavirus.

     So, as many are opting for staycations, I'm opting to do a stay-at-home silent retreat.  From August 10-14, I'll do my retreat in the rectory.  Currently, I plan to celebrate daily Mass and be available for emergency anointings.  Office work, phone calls, and e-mail will have to wait.  We'll skip confessions August 10-12.

     I'm looking forward to being quiet, praying, and reading.

     Since we are more stable, I will probably write less often.

God love you,

Fr. Jim