My World of Religion, Politics, Entertainment and Social Issues

Dear Blog Visitors: I want to take this opportunity to wish my Jewish friends and relatives a very blessed Yom Kippur. I continue to be grateful that I grew up in a wonderful religious environment, with Catholics on my mother's side of the family and Judaism on my father's side. One of my fondest memories is celebrating Yom Kippur, a day that is set aside each year for fasting, prayer and forgiveness. Something I continue to find very special about Yom Kippur is the relationship that is defined between God and human beings. An image often depicted is that of God keeping track of our deeds, both good and bad, on a slate. By celebrating Yom Kippur in its fullest sense, there is an opportunity to erase bad deeds from God's slate. This involves a process of apologizing to those we have wronged the prior year. Synagogue prayer on Yom Kippur also is inclusive of multiple prayers for forgiveness. I included two photos above that were taken of me in the holy city of Jerusalem ...

Dear Blog Visitors: Due to the pressures and time-constraints of my secular job, and much of my other time being divided between family, ministry, routine errands, etc., I don’t spend as much time on the web as I would like. However, when I do get time to browse, I always make an attempt to feel the pulse of Catholicism in general. One of the raging debates on Catholic blogs/websites concerns liturgical practices. This is certainly a topic that needs to be thoroughly discussed if there is to be a Vatican III council. For those like myself who are old enough to remember, the period immediately preceding Vatican II (late 1950s) was punctuated with discussions and movements that either advocated for strict adherence to the Latin Mass, or an entirely different direction, which would essentially evolve into the Mass in its present form. Although I have occasionally been at odds with Catholic traditionalists, especially in the area of gender-based discussions, I nevertheless respect th...

Dear Blog Visitors: I want to take this opportunity to congratulate the City of Rochester on the occasion of its 175th anniversary. In conjunction with this celebration, in the video that follows, I not only mention this milestone for Rochester, but I also highlight the fact that part of the city's legacy is the long history of service from both the Sisters of Mercy and the Sisters of St. Joseph. Both local orders of sisters, and indeed all orders throughout the world, are experiencing a shortage of vocations, much in the same way the priesthood is in the midst of a shortage. In the video, I mention the fact that I was reminded of the dwindling numbers in the Sisters of St. Joseph when I officiated at a baptism in Nazareth College's chapel. This chapel used to be the spiritual home for the Sisters of St. Joseph. (The sisters have since moved to a smaller location near the Nazareth campus.) In any event, I want to wish the City of Rochester well on its 175th anniversary, and...

TO WEAR A COLLAR OR NOT A reflection by Rev. Ray Grosswirth To wear or not to wear; that is the question (a variation on William Shakespeare). Since being ordained as a married priest, I have worn a Roman collar for either official functions or occasional videos or blog-posts. Obviously, Roman Catholic bishops would prefer that married priests not wear collars, due to the hierarchy’s fear that the public-at-large might perceive these persons to be celibate, diocesan priests. The Roman collar can be seen in a variety of circumstances today. There is even a variation on collar styles, so as to separate Christian denominations. For example, Anglican/Episcopalian clergy have a distinctive circular collar. However, it is not uncommon to see some evangelical clergy or members of the Lutheran and Methodist clergy wearing the Roman collar. I have received all kinds of advice concerning the question of whether or not I should wear a Roman collar. Some married priests, like myself, avail t...

Dear Blog Visitors: I was saddened to learn that Erich Kunzel died yesterday. He was the director of the Cincinnati Pops, and I had the privilege of singing under his direction twice when he was the director of the Rochester Pops. In addition to his extremely fine musicianship, Maestro Kunzel was known for his sense of humor. While concert rehearsals can often be tense experiences, Kunzel created an atmosphere of fun, and yet he was still able to achieve the respect of musicians who worked with him. Prior to pursuing a theological path, music consumed much of my life. I am extremely grateful to have met such musical masters as Erich Kunzel. Another master I was privileged to meet was Leopold Stokowski, who told me if I wanted to be a symphony orchestra conductor, I needed to be equally proficient with the piano. I could never master the piano, although I had moderate success with the conducting baton. If there is such a thing as a heavenly pops orchestra, I can picture Erich Kunzel...

Dear Blog Visitors: On occasion, there is a glimmer of hope from the Vatican concerning the plight of married priests. Whether we are speaking of canonical priests who left their active ministries for marriage, or married persons such as myself, who were ordained as married priests, it is nevertheless encouraging that Pope Benedict XVI's secretary urged him to widen the parameters during this special 'Year of the Priest.' You may recall that following the consecraton of four married archbishops (just prior to my ordination as a married priest) in 2006, the pontiff called a hasty meeting with Vatican cardinals for a discussion on the celibacy issue. The meeting concluded with a decision to reaffirm mandatory celibacy for priests. However, I am nevertheless encouraged by the news from the Vatican this morning. Those close to Benedict XVI have urged persons such as myself not to give up hope on the issue of optional celibacy for priests. At the very least, he has shown a w...