Podcast appearances and mentions of jim mcdonough

Artificial intelligence isn't a magic wand… but could AI actually solve the alert triage problem every security operations center faces? In this interview with Jim McDonough from Intezer, we'll talk about how 2023 was a tipping point for the maturity of AI tech, what these solutions actually bring to the table, how SOC teams in the real world are automating their processes with new AI tools, and why MSSPs are driving early adoption. This segment is sponsored by Intezer. Visit https://securityweekly.com/intezerrsac to learn more about them! This interview examines the state and future of cybersecurity. Join the conversation as a cybersecurity expert delves into the failings of current defenses, the relentless tactics of attackers, and the imperative for innovative solutions. Explore how Lumu's latest announcement delivers the innovation that cybersecurity analysts need to operate cybersecurity and meet the demands of the moment. This segment is sponsored by Lumu Technologies. Visit https://securityweekly.com/lumursac to learn more about them! On April 1, Nightwing, formerly a business unit of Raytheon, launched as a standalone company. The company's Vice President of Cyber Protection Solutions, Jon Check, will discuss the transition to Nightwing and its approach to the most pressing cybersecurity challenges, helping customers stay ahead of today's threats. This segment is sponsored by Nightwing. Visit https://securityweekly.com/nightwingrsac to learn more about them! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-362

Artificial intelligence isn't a magic wand… but could AI actually solve the alert triage problem every security operations center faces? In this interview with Jim McDonough from Intezer, we'll talk about how 2023 was a tipping point for the maturity of AI tech, what these solutions actually bring to the table, how SOC teams in the real world are automating their processes with new AI tools, and why MSSPs are driving early adoption. This segment is sponsored by Intezer. Visit https://securityweekly.com/intezerrsac to learn more about them! This interview examines the state and future of cybersecurity. Join the conversation as a cybersecurity expert delves into the failings of current defenses, the relentless tactics of attackers, and the imperative for innovative solutions. Explore how Lumu's latest announcement delivers the innovation that cybersecurity analysts need to operate cybersecurity and meet the demands of the moment. This segment is sponsored by Lumu Technologies. Visit https://securityweekly.com/lumursac to learn more about them! On April 1, Nightwing, formerly a business unit of Raytheon, launched as a standalone company. The company's Vice President of Cyber Protection Solutions, Jon Check, will discuss the transition to Nightwing and its approach to the most pressing cybersecurity challenges, helping customers stay ahead of today's threats. This segment is sponsored by Nightwing. Visit https://securityweekly.com/nightwingrsac to learn more about them! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/esw-362

In this episode of the Check A Pro Radio Show, we talk about an important and sometimes overlooked part of hiring contractors: due diligence. Ensuring that you know who you're inviting into your home for repairs and maintenance can save you from countless potential issues. We chat with Jim McDonough, an expert in the home services cleaning industry, about what you should ask before hiring a contractor. We dig into some common pitfalls homeowners often encounter, such as the over-the-phone estimate, which, unfortunately, can lead to disharmony and even scams. The discussion unveils some insightful recommendations on how to make informed decisions when hiring contractors. For instance, distinguishing between a transactional and a transformational relationship with a contractor is a fundamental step. Alongside this, we discuss the necessity of doing background checks and ensuring that the contractor has an authentic business license and insurance. Preparing yourself with the right questions to ask before hiring a contractor is imperative. Are your contractors' education and experience at the truck level or residing in a remote office? Do they follow a written system or make things up as they go along? What warranties and guarantees are they offering? By doing thorough research and really delving into the contractor's background, you're protecting your family, your future, and your fortune. To help guide homeowners, we discuss our 'Eight Must-Ask Questions Before Hiring a Contractor', a handy tool that outlines the key points you need to consider. Before you hire anyone, remember to do the necessary due diligence and don't be afraid to pay a little extra for a contractor with convincing credentials. After all, your home deserves the best.   For more information about Veterans Cleaning Solutions - log on to www.veteranscleaningsolutions.com or check them out at www.checkapro.com. Visit Us At -www.veteranscleaningsolutions.com You Can Call Anytime: (334) 475-3040 .

"We believe everybody deserves to pull into the driveway to a beautifully clean house." - Jim McDonough,  House Cleaning Expert   Today on the 'The Check A Pro Radio Show', our house cleaning expert, Jim McDonough from Veterans Cleaning Solutions talks with Check A Pro Joe (Jim Klauck).  Jim and Check A Pro Joe discuss - 'Why Should I Get My Roof Cleaned?'   For more information about Veterans Cleaning Solutions - log on to www.veteranscleaningsolutions.com or check them out at www.checkapro.com. Visit Us At -www.veteranscleaningsolutions.com You Can Call Anytime: (334) 475-3040 .

"You can have poor customer service and great results, but it's probably gonna even be a worse service event. And so we combine those two together in our mission statement;  we believe everyone deserves phenomenal service and amazing results." - Jim McDonough,  House Cleaning Expert   On the 'The Check A Pro Radio Show' today, our house cleaning expert, Jim McDonough from Veterans Cleaning Solutions joins Check A Pro Joe (Jim Klauck).  Jim and Check A Pro Joe discuss - 'The Why of Veterans Cleaning Solutions'.   For more information about Veterans Cleaning Solutions - log on to www.veteranscleaningsolutions.com or check them out at www.checkapro.com. Visit Us At -www.veteranscleaningsolutions.com You Can Call Anytime: (334) 475-3040

Jim McDonough spent 26 years in the United States Army and retired as a Colonel. Jim was originally commissioned as an Air Defense Artillery Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School, Class 1-82 on March 11th, 1982. He had combat deployments in both the Gulf War and the invasion in Iraq. In Jim's post military career, he was the Chief Executive Officer of the Veteran's Outreach Center and he is currently the CEO of The Headstrong Project, one of the most notable veteran organizations around. theheadstrongproject.org Support the podcast by supporting our sponsors at www.hazardground.com/sponsors Shop Amazon! As an Amazon Associate We Earn From Qualifying Purchases...You Know The Deal! (Paid Link) Help grow the show! Spread the word, tell a friend!! Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts! Episode Intro Music: “Prelude” by “Silence & Light” (www.silenceandlightmusic.com) Photo Credit: Jim McDonough

Few books have had the impact on generations of young soldiers as Jim McDonough’s Platoon Leader: A Memoir of Command in Combat. First published in the mid-1980s, Platoon Leader remains on military reading lists worldwide and is still included in curriculum for junior officers and NCOs across the joint and combined force. Detailing the events that shaped Jim’s life as a young lieutenant in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in South Vietnam, Platoon Leader is a tale of leadership, followership, and the burdens of infantry combat on the young men and women in line companies. In this episode, Jim joins host Tim Heck to reflect on the formative experiences he had as a young leader in combat, the moral weight of his responsibility, and how he chose to interact with a population and ally in a way that preserved the humanity required to lead in combat.

Want to learn about a little known and lucrative business or add on service for your home services business? Listen to how our good friend, Jim McDonough, of Veterans Cleaning created a thriving business using a little used add on service to propel his business revenues and profits.TITLE SPONSOR: MORNING TECH MEETINGThis episode it brought to you by www.morningtechmeeting.com.  Don't lose money in the field because your service techs are not great at sales, customer service, and communicating with clients.  Morning Tech Meeting has video lessons that can be sent directly to your tech's phones for training.See other great podcasts we enjoy on our Blue Collar Nation Podcast Facebook page.Sponsor:For Information on Building Systems for Your service company, Al Levi's 7 Power Contractor is the place to go. Get discounts on packages using our Blue Collar Nation code:www.7powercontractor.com/bcn

In this episode, Laurie and Ann talk with Mike Thirtle, CEO of the Gary Sinise Foundation, which "serves our nation by honoring our defenders, veterans, first responders, their families, and those in need." We talk with Mike about his 20 years of service in the Air Force, his roles in both the non-profit and for-profit sector, and of course, about Forrest Gump and the life-altering lessons we learn from Lieutenant Dan Taylor (played by Sinise) regarding seeing the value in others.We talk about service and good leadership (hint: smart, good people are the best kinds) and about the power of love. And of course we go into a bit of the good work the team at the Gary Sinise Foundation are doing through their five pillars.In this episode we reference:Darcy Olsen: Using Every Available Means to Give Voice to the Children Unheard and Unseen in the Foster Care SystemChris Fields on Three Decades of Being a Firefighter, the Iconic Oklahoma City Bombing Photo, and Why Trauma Doesn't Have to Have the Final WordCol. Jim McDonough on Lessons on Humility, Vulnerability, and Selfless Leadership Learned from 26 Years in the MilitaryHeromakers can be found on IG @heromakersmovement and on FB @heromakersmovement. You can also visit our website at: https://www.heromakersmovement.com. Mike can be found at LinkedIn or at the Gary Sinise Foundation website. You can watch this and other episodes of the podcast on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuVDFP8jEcv5bdhr8VLzXjA. Like us and follow us today!And share this episode with your friends. Want to support this work we do?? We are on PATREON and would love if you would join our growing community! Check it out here: https://www.patreon.com/heromakersmovement. 

Bob has a long overdue chat with Jim McDonough, the super talented filmmaker responsible for incredible short films such as Manicorn, Tiny Clones, Darling Pet Monkey and many more! Jim gives a verbal sneak peak at turning Manicorn into a feature film, but first the guys walk each other through the ups and downs of early filmmaking life, how they let go of giving power to "view counts" and Jim is kind enough to read a list of negative reviews posted under his movies by all the well-adjusted people on the internet!  You can watch all of Jim's movie on his YouTube channel RIGHT HERE!

EPISODE Rewind: Headstrong Project Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. Talking Nonprofits is joining the national movement to raise awareness about mental health, so we are doing this by rewinding the episode with the Headstrong Project. The Headstrong Project is renewing its oath to the veteran community members they serve with their new campaign, No Mind Left Behind. I chatted with Jim McDonough, the Executive Director of the Headstrong Project, to find out what this campaign means to veterans. We talked about why there is no limitation to the number of veteran visits to the Headstrong Project. Finally, we discussed the expertise of the clinicians in seeing the great veterans of our country. Listen up and Get Headstrong! Website: https://getheadstrong.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadstrongProject/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getheadstrong

Headstrong Project is renewing its oath to the veteran community members they serve with their new campaign, No Mind Left Behind. I chatted with Jim McDonough, the Executive Director of the Headstrong Project, to find out what this campaign means to veterans. We talked about why there is no limitation to the number of veteran visits to the Headstrong Project. Finally, we discussed the expertise of the clinicians seeing the great veterans of our country. Listen up and Get Headstrong! Website: https://getheadstrong.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeadstrongProject/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getheadstrong

In this episode of the Heromakers Podcast, Laurie and Ann wrap up Season 1 of the Heromakers Podcast with an incredible conversation with Col. Jim McDonough (USA, Ret.), Executive Director of Headstrong, an organization dedicated to healing the hidden wounds of war among our active duty military, veterans, and their families. Jim shares lessons he learned from his 26 years of active duty along with other positions he has held in civilian and non-profit sectors. Jim was previously Director of Veteran Affairs for the state of New York. You can find his bio here: https://getheadstrong.org/jim-mcdonough.Jim talks about his time overseas and those who impacted him the most, lessons he learned about working with others and leadership, and the power of vulnerability and failure in becoming a better leader. We talk honestly about suffering in silence and about the power of breaking silence to find healing. Grab a notebook for this episode as you will find lots of great takeaways about everything from selfless servanthood to the difference between being a supervisor and being a leader. You can find Headstrong on IG @GetHeadstrong or on FB at https://www.facebook.com/HeadstrongProject. You can visit their website here: https://getheadstrong.org. Heromakers can be found on IG @heromakersmovement and on FB @heromakersmovement. You can also visit our website at: https://www.heromakersmovement.com. Like us and follow us today!And share this episode with your friends! We are now on PATREON and we would love if you'd become a partner! Check it out here: https://www.patreon.com/heromakersmovement.

Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein of Launch Over share insights into the creative process, discussing and analyzing the movies they watch and the movies they make. Links and annotations at: https://blog.mikeandsophia.com/2020/08/launch-over-podcast-episode-3-with-jim-mcdonough-august-21-2020/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/launch-over/support

Launch Over Podcast: Episode 3 with Jim McDonough. Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein of Launch Over share insights into the creative process, discussing and analyzing the movies they watch and the movies they make. Launch Over Podcast - Episode 3

Jim McDonough director of "I Owe You One Banana And Two Black Eyes" from Boston Underground Film Festival! Jim McDonough

Jim McDonough director of "I Owe You One Banana And Two Black Eyes" from Boston Underground Film Festival! Subscribe to the Without Your Head newsletter to receive weekly updates on our schedule, guests and more! Tracks for this podcast - Original theme song and "Mothman" by The Tomb of Nick Cage! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/withoutyourhead/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/withoutyourhead/support

This week the guys gripe about the MBTA and the weird white cones that have popped up in Evan’s neighborhood – but not for long – because Dave is back in “the studio” and they have a ton of movies to talk about! First, Kris sneaks in a quick review of Tim Burton’s DUMBO (4:15) a movie that tries to tell you what’s fun and fails. Next, Dave and Evan cover JUANITA (7:20) the Netflix film that’s perfectly predictable and nice, although pretty mediocre. After that Dave reviews THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT (15:55), which he describes as two-thirds of a good movie with Jesse Eisenberg and Alexander Skarsgard. Finally, they arrive at the main event: this year’s coverage of the Boston Underground Film Festival aka BUFF (25:40). Kris and Evan share their thoughts on a plethora of entertaining films including the delightful documentary HAIL SATAN?, the Boomers vs Millennials horror flick TONE-DEAF, the coming-of-age war-musical KANARIE, the queer Giallo slasher KNIFE + HEART, the creepy ghost tale THE NIGHTSHIFTER, and the sex-positive 90s indie MARY JANE’S NOT A VIRGIN ANYMORE. They even talk about a few shorts in between like I OWE YOU ONE BANANA AND TWO BLACK EYES by friend of the show Jim McDonough!

Sophia Cacciola & Michael Epstein creators of "Clickbait" and Jim McDonough creator of "I Owe You One Banana and Two Black Eyes" countdown to "The Boston Underground Film Festival! Sophia and Michael opened the show to talk about "Clickbait" and the 2019 Massachusetts premier at Boston Underground Film Festival! Jim McDonough then joined us to talk about his insane new music video short "I Owe You One Banana and Two Black Eyes" which debuted at Boston Underground Film Festival! Subscribe to the Without Your Head newsletter to receive weekly updates on our schedule, guests and more! Tracks for this podcast - Our new theme song by The Tomb of Nick Cage "Broken Heart" from "Night Kisses" by Music of the Month Sophia Cacciola and Michael Epstein! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/withoutyourhead/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/withoutyourhead/support

Sophia Cacciola & Michael Epstein creators of "Clickbait" and Jim McDonough creator of "I Owe You One Banana and Two Black Eyes" countdown to "The Boston Underground Film Festival! Boston Underground Film Festival 2019

The Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University is a key contributor in the support of Veteran entrepreneurs and research on transitioning Veterans. In the past, we have spoken with IVMF's Director, Mike Haynie, and their Manager for Managing Director for Programs and Services, Jim McDonough. This week, we talk with Nicholas Armstrong, IVMF's Senior Director for Research and Policy. Nick began his career as an Army field artillery officer upon graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 2000. In the Army, he served seven years on active duty, including nearly three years deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia with the 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), during which he received two Bronze Star Medals and the Combat Action Badge, among other commendations. In addition, Nick served as a speechwriter to the commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum, NY, as well as aide-de-camp to the division’s deputy commanding general. Nick is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Airborne, Air Assault, and Ranger Schools. Serving in his current role since 2014, Nick developed and leads a multi-disciplinary team comprised of social, behavioral, and data scientists, student analysts, and an extended network of affiliated scholars and experts. He manages a broad portfolio of sponsored research, program measurement, and evaluation efforts to inform the social, economic, wellness, and related policy concerns of the nation’s veterans and their families. In addition, Nick is responsible for the IVMF’s data analytics, quality, and decision support activities that guide the Institute’s operations to serve, annually, more than 20,000 veterans and family members nationwide and abroad. Nick joins Borne the Battle to discuss his experience in the Army, his efforts at IVMF, and some key research from the institute that provides essential information on transitioning Veterans.

Jim McDonough is an experienced and inspirational pianist. His ability to create sound out of silence is a true gift. This week we immerse ourselves in the path he has traveled from directing aircrafts to playing piano in a concert hall and recording well over 15 albums. He is a dear friend and an inspiration, sharing that a shift is always possible. Check out his site https://www.pianofavorites.com/Buy-Online.asp and enjoy this weeks conversation on Sounds and Silence. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/avi-om-experience/support

Fred talks with James McDonough about his career in banking and the unique aspects of 'Community' Banking. They discuss the elements of leadership, changing technology, the continued importance in person-to-person customer contact and the role a community bank can play in small/medium sized towns that benefits not only bank customers, but the community as a whole.

Jill Gevargizian, Chris Knitter and Jordon Rioux the gang behind 42 Counts opened the show! Come and see it debut at the Chattanooga Film Festival! Jim McDonough short film maker will joined us! Jim's recent short #TinyClones played last weekend at The Boston Underground Film Festival! Nasty Neal and Troy finished off the show with: - Boston Underground Film Festival review - Lamageddon - Human Centipede graphic novel coming - Clint Howard in 3 From hell - the final Sharknado - Stranger Things begins producing next month - C.H.U.D. Lives anthology book coming - Commander USA passing away - Blowjob Bear from the Shining becomes an action figure - The Terror on AMC - Tommyknockers remake coming and more! Subscribe to the Without Your Head newsletter to receive weekly updates on our schedule, guests and more! Music of the month Deadite supplying the tunes! Tracks for this podcast - Our new theme song by The Tomb of Nick Cage "The Collector" and "Nightmare" by Deadite! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/withoutyourhead/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/withoutyourhead/support

Jill Gevargizian, Chris Knitter and Jordon Rioux the gang behind 42 Counts opened the show! Come and see it debut at the [url=http://www.chattfilmfest.org/]Chattanooga Film Festival[/url]! Jim McDonough short film maker will joined us! Jim's recent short #TinyClones played last weekend at [url=http://bostonunderground.org]The Boston Underground Film Festival[/url]! 42 Counts & Tiny Clones

The podcast this week is a conversation with Jim McDonough, who is a County Commissioner on the Ramsey County board representing the East Side of Saint Paul. Commissioner McDonough and I sat down in his office a few weeks ago to talk about the recent “public works test” along Maryland Avenue on Saint Paul’s East […]

Summary of today's show: Kevin Kiley has worked for the Archdiocese of Boston for most of his adult life in what he describes as a calling to serve God and the Church. Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell talk to Kevin about his service, including managing the massive move from the chancery in Brighton to the Pastoral Center in Braintree in 2008 as well as shepherding budgets through difficult times and aiding unprecedented financial transparency. Listen to the show: Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell Today's guest(s): Kevin Kiley, Director of Budget and Planning for the Archdiocese of Boston Links from today's show: Today's topics: Kevin Kiley, longtime employee of the Archdiocese, Director of Budget and Planning 1st segment: Scot welcomed back Fr. Mark and asked him what he was up to last week when he was away. Fr. Mark said he was at a board of governor's meeting for the Canon Law Society of America at the airport hotel in Baltimore. Scot said many who work at the Archdiocese serve on national boards and committees in the Church. Scot said this weekend will also be the 5th annual in the North End of Boston on Friday night and Saturday morning. Also next week, there will be seminars at the Pastoral Center for priests and laity on the topic of the Church's teachings related to Women and Sexuality. Find more about the seminars at . 2nd segment: Scot and Fr. Mark welcomed Kevin Kiley to the show. Kevin has worked at the Archdiocese for 20 years when he was 25 years old and newly married. He'd worked a few jobs after college and his last job was sales. One of his clients referred him to a friend at the Archdiocese. He did work a couple of years outside the Archdiocese and came back in 2004 because he missed it. He grew up in Weymouth in St. Albert's parish with his two older sisters. At the time he didn't know how much his faith meant to him, until he came here to interview. His brother-in-law, Fr. Paul Hurley, who is a chaplain with the 101st Airborne, was just entering the seminary at the time. Fr. Mark said Kevin used the word “call” and a lot of people have a calling to work for the Church. Kevin said he's seen a lot of people come and go. Even while he was away working at a for-profit company, he still helped out at St. John Seminary and had a side practice as a parish consultant, so he kept his hand in it. People are drawn to serve the Church. Scot asked Kevin what he missed during his two-year hiatus. Kevin said it's the atmosphere, the ability to go to daily Mass. His prayer life suffered a bit because he wasn't spending time in the moment not being here. Scot said Kevin's worn many hats in his time. Kevin said he started as an accountant. He moved up to accounting supervisor and accounting manager and then assistant comptroller. He grew into a budget role. When he came back, he did more with the budget, and then when Jim McDonough came as chancellor in 2006, he worked in planning and projects. He worked with human resources and then the Pastoral Center project came along. He hadn't had experience with facilities management or construction before, but he determined to form relationships with the right people. Scot said Kevin had a good handle on all the work that was needed for a massive relocation from six locations to here under budget and on time. Kevin said the Pastoral Center building had been a financial services company with 500 people working in it. Tom Flatley sold the building to the Archdiocese for $1 and when Kevin came into the building for the first time, it was obvious there was a lot of construction that was going to need to be done. They had to plan to lay out the whole building. The most challenging part was sitting down with people to determine what they need. He needed to lay out a functional workspace for each department. They brought in three buildings in Brighton, and offices in Dorchester, West Roxbury, and downtown Boston. They built a new chapel. He remembers a few times wondering how it would possibly happen. Everything that good go well went well. When they told other building managers that they would start the move and be done in a week, they got disbelieving laughter. Scot said the plan was to have everything working and open for business in one week: telephones, computers, voicemail, and so on. He recalls the reservations at moving from the center of the Archdiocese to an office park, but when people walked into the building they felt at home. Kevin said they didn't just move, but had brand new telephone system, brand new networked printers, brand new data center and it was a lot of change at once. Everyone had a new workstation and felt like they were moving into a brand new home. It was a place to be proud of. Scot said it's truly a center of pastoral activity because of all the conferences and activity going on here. Scot said in the first year, there 25,000 people to come through for various seminars and trainings. Kevin said the ability to gather together in the full-service cafeteria, which we'd never had, is a whole new atmosphere. Scot asked Kevin about the highlights of the project for him. Kevin said he treasured the relationships he formed, including with Paul Morin, who'd worked with Flatley for many years and came to work with us; people at W.B. Mason; Dan Guerra who was IT manager at the time, and others. The reason the building came to gather they way they did was the relationships. Everybody was on the same page with the same mission. Kevin said they had a very tight deadline with Boston College. We had to be out. Fr. Mark said until they got here, he didn't realize how much they needed to get out of the old spaces. What makes the most difference for how we minister as a Church is the relevance. When you drive down Route 128 and see the glowing cross at night, the Church is more available. It's a more inviting experience. That said the Brighton campus was beautiful, although the buildings on the inside were antiquated. Fr. Mark said one of the best benefits is the amount of work that gets done in the hallways and cafeteria that didn't get done when they were in six buildings. He said there are a lot of people who come from the community to daily Mass every day. Kevin said he's glad they were able to keep the crucifix from the old chapel. Kevin said the monthly staff meetings in the auditorium of the new building are great compared to the old Peterson Hall gatherings which occurred irregularly in a dingy atmosphere. Scot said Kevin's current role oversees many projects in the Archdiocese. He assists the Cardinal in the allocation of resources to all the ministries. Kevin said we don't make widgets and sell them, but rely on donations. He said the size and scope of the Archdiocese, it rivals major corporations that 1,000 people in the home office, while we have a little more than 200. Ten years ago we had 400. Then we had $40 million budget activity and now it's $28 million. The most difficult part of the job is trying to do what needs to be done with less. Kevin said no one takes it personally when he sits down with them to talk about budgets. It's always difficult, especially when reducing staff. Unfortunately the economy is a key driver in how the organization goes. There's a lot of balancing scarce resources and prioritizing. No one thinks they have enough to do what they need to do. Infrastructure expenses take up a lot of resources. While they have had to cut back, a lot of cuts have come from administrative services to reduce the impact on mission services. He said if there was a $20 million Appeal it would be a lot easier. Scot said the Archdiocese is recognized nationally for financial transparency. Kevin publishes the budget annually and there is a lot of detail that wouldn't be available anywhere else. They try to show what the Corporation Sole is comprised of and the Central Ministries. They drill down into each cabinet secretariat, give a brief description of each agency and department's mission. It's pretty comprehensive. Scot said many pages describe how many people work in each ministry. Scot said many offices have just one or two people. Kevin said there's almost 300 parishes, 100 schools, and 50 affiliate organizations, but there's a very small home office to oversee and provide support. Kevin said you have to be as transparent as you can. Scot said people don't often understand how complex the Archdiocese is from a corporate standpoint. It is a Corporation Sole with 4 different groups in it, plus many other related entities, like iCatholic Media, of which TGCL is a part. Kevin said the Corporation Sole is the parishes and schools; self-insurance fund and risk management; a small endowment; and central operations. Within Central Operations is unrestricted operations; restricted funds, reconfiguration fund, and special collections. Unrestricted operations is the Central Ministries activity. The parish and school aspect is not centrally controlled. Kevin said the parishes and schools have done well with transparency. Kevin said he looks at about 100 different budgets, each with about 50 different line items. In the past couple of years, they implemented a new financial system called Lawson. It's been beneficial. Part of the challenge is just trying to find the time to use the system more effectively. In the past there were more people in the Finance office dedicated to those efforts than there are now. Kevin lives in Marshfield and they have four children, three boys and a girl, from 12 years old to 17. They are parishioners at St. Christine's. He loves being able to help out at the parish and all of our parishes need good volunteer help. He praised Fr. Tom Walsh the pastor of his parish. They then discussed what it's like to have his wife's brother as a priest. He recalled when his brother-in-law was a seminarian having so many of them over to the house. Kevin said Fr. Hurley has done a couple of overseas tours and just came back from Afghanistan last year, telling stories that are gut-wrenching. 3rd segment: Now as we do every week at this time, we will consider the Mass readings for this Sunday, specifically the Gospel reading. Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said: “Leaders of the people and elders: If we are being examined today about a good deed done to a cripple, namely, by what means he was saved, then all of you and all the people of Israel should know that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead; in his name this man stands before you healed. He is the stone rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” Second Reading for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 29, 2012 (1 John 3:1-2) Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 29, 2012 (John 10:11-18) Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” Scot said the Gospel of the Good Shepherd is where Jesus owns his decision to lay down his life for us. His favorite line is that Jesus knows us individually by name. Kevin said it's profound and comforting. In these difficult times when people are struggling, knowing we have a shepherd who loves us is comforting. Scot said in the second reading that knowing we are God's children is also a form of comfort. Fr. Mark said any Jewish person hearing this would recall Ezekiel, chapter 34. It speaks of the scattered sheep that God sees. He promises them a shepherd who will bring them back and they will be his. So Jesus assures us he is the fulfillment of that prophecy. We are his flock that he will lead. When the sheep see the shepherd is confident and unafraid, they will be okay. Scot said it's easy for him to feel close to God being described as a child than being described as a sheep. Being a child is God is wonderful. In the darkest days, step back and think about what being a child of God means. He will hears and love us non-stop. Fr. Mark said Scot and Kevin both responsibilities to their own children and they know that if they are faithful, the children will feel safe. Scot said the other sheep Jesus refers to shows how he recognizes how scattered we can be and we should be one flock. Fr. Mark said a lot of people are scattered and wandering outside the flock. We have a mission to spread the Gospel that the Church is less without them. Scot said this Sunday is World Day of Prayer for Vocations. Fr. Mark said it's amazing how many people take it seriously and make a special effort to write to priests and express love and appreciation on Good Shepherd Sunday. Scot said he loves the first reading from Acts. Peter in desperate times proclaims what his mission is. The ending may be the best verse: “There is no salvation through anyone else, nor is there any other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved.” This is why so many prayers end “in Jesus' name.” Kevin said the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone is so profound. He feels bad to for those who don't have faith to be able to turn to the Lord in difficult times. Fr. Mark said it's been a difficult few years for Kevin as the budget guy. He notes how Peter was challenged in the reading too. Kevin has stood up as well to declare what needs to be done.

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell Today's guest(s): Msgr. Robert Deeley, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Boston Links from today's show: Today's topics: 2012 Catholic Appeal Summary of today's show: This weekend marks the launch of the 2012 Catholic Appeal, the primary fundraising effort for the central ministries of the Archdiocese of Boston. Msgr. Robert Deeley joins Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell to discuss the importance of the Appeal to the work of the Church, not just for those that are directly funded by it, but for all Catholic parishes and apostolates that depend on the support of the central ministries, as well as the work of Cardinal Seán and the other bishops. Scot and Fr. Mark then consider Cardinal Seán's homily for this coming Sunday in which he considers God's call for us to be transfigured and how our response to that call can take shape. Fr. Mark also notes that his work on the Tribunal over the past 11 years has positively affected the lives of many people and supported the work of priests and pastoral associates. He said it would not have been possible without the generosity of donors to the Catholic Appeal. 1st segment: Scot and Fr. Mark discuss that this weekend is the kickoff for the 2012 Catholic Appeal. Fr. Mark said its important every year. Scot said it was moved from a May start to a March start a few years ago to coincide with Lent and give Cardinal Seán an opportunity to preach on Lent in a video or audio recorded homily throughout the Archdiocese. They will discuss the homily in detail in the third part of the show. Scot welcomed vicar general Msgr. Robert Deeley to the show and said it's his first Catholic Appeal as vicar general. Scot said this is a big deal for every ministry in the Archdiocese whether it receives money directly or not because it undergirds the central ministries. Msgr. Deeley said its the most important effort to raise funds every year. The Catholic appeal is the foundation for all the work we do. It enriches our parishes because it is the instrument by which we help priests, deacons, and pastoral associates. We also work to strengthen families, inspire the next generation of Catholics, and aid our leadership here in the Church. Campus ministry is an important part of our ministry. He recently celebrated Mass at the chapel at MIT and it was standing-room only with students excited to be there. In the brochure for the Appeal is a picture of Stephen, a young man at MIT who has been served by campus ministry, and Msgr. Deeley was able to speak with him about how he has been helped by the ministry. Fr. Mark asked how money helps with evangelization of Catholics. Msgr. Deeley said the Cardinal has asked Bishop Kennedy to head a special initiative for evangelization over the next year. We hope that in our parishes there can be evangelization, which is supported by the ministries at the Archdiocese. Scot said the materials for the Catholic Appeal look great. The theme this year is “The Good Samaritan is You.” Msgr. Deeley said that is not only this year's theme, but is also a new way to look at the Catholic Appeal. It reminds us that the work of the Church is about each of us individually. As Jesus speaks of the Good Samaritan, he teaches that when we serve one another we serve the Lord. The Good Samaritan is the perfect exemplar of what Jesus was calling us to be. Being Church is about each of us in our own way and able to afford, provide what we can for the needs of others. This is fundamental to what we are as Catholics. Scot said last year about 44,000 families contributed to the Catholic Appeal. How does he answer someone who asks why they shouldn't just support the parish? Msgr. Deeley said the parish can't exist without the Archdiocese. The Catholic Appeal is foundation of any other ministry happening. It is the offertory of the Archdiocese. Fr. Mark said some pastors hate asking for money, but if you believe in the good use it goes for, you should be able to stand up and ask for what you need. Msgr. Deeley said taking care of the Church and the poor the Church serves is part of our Christian responsibilities. It may not be comfortable to preach on, but it is a duty. Scot said pastors said having the Appeal launch in Lent ties in with the almsgiving of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Why is it important all Catholics in the Archdiocese to come together? Msgr. Deeley said the strength we have by the collective gifts we can use to further the mission of the Church makes it possible for other programs to exist. He offered the example of Catholic Charities, which has its own sources of fundraising, and turns to the Archdiocese for a lot of help. Scot said there's a lot of information online which offers a transparency. Chancellor Jim McDonough concludes his service to the Archdiocese today. Msgr. Deeley said its hard to overstate what Jim has accomplished. He's been a tremendous help to the Cardinal in moving the Church of Boston forward. Fr. Mark added his agreement. Jim McDonough gave both an outsider and insider perspective as both a former banker, but also a Catholic with a great love of the Church. Scot said both Msgr. and the cardinal will be on the road this weekend. Msgr. Deeley will be preaching at three parishes within about a 10 mile drive of the cathedral where he lives, while the cardinal will have about a 50-minute drive. Msgr. Deeley will be at St. Eulalia's, Winchester; St. Brigid, Lexington; and Sacred Heart, Cambridge. Cardinal Sean will be at Holy Family, Amesbury, and Sacred Heart, Middleboro. Monsignor said the goal was to have them cover all five regions and the cardinal got first choice. Msgr. Deeley lived at St. Brigid's for a number of years when he was working on the tribunal. Those Masses are intended for anyone who would like a live kickoff to the Appeal. Everyone else will hear a video or audio homily from Cardinal Seán. Msgr. Deeley would like everyone to think about we can never do anything alone. We are strengthened by our common bond in the Church. It helps us to speak and act in ways that no one of us can do alone. The Catholic Appeal is our way to be the Good Samaritan and to make the Church stronger. 2nd segment: Every Friday we discuss the readings for this coming Sunday. Because we want to preview Cardinal Seán's homily for this Sunday, we want to read them now to give the context for what he says. God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.” When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD's messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. Again the LORD's messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing- all this because you obeyed my command.” Gospel for the Second Sunday of Lent (Mark 9:2-10) Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant. Scot said we hear these readings every Lent on the second Sunday. The first reading prefigures the crucifixion of Christ and the transfiguration helps the apostles understand why God would send His only son in a bloody sacrifice on the cross. Fr. Mark said both readings have a returning, an unbelievable moment of God and then a return. The first reading is one of the most striking stories in the Bible. Abraham is never the same again. In the Gospel, Peter, James, and John are terrified. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience of God and then a return to normal. Most of our life is lived in those moments of “return”. Scot said we are called to be listening and responding. We will now hear what Cardinal Seán said about this first reading about Abraham's call: The History of Salvation began with a call. God Calls Abraham by name. He was an unlikely choice. God's choices often surprise us. Abraham was too old, he was childless, hardly the right person to be the father of a great nation, but what Abraham lacked in human attributes, he compensated for by his great faith. A faith that allowed him to trust in God completely, to hope against hope, to obey even the hardest command ever imaginable: to sacrifice the son of the promise, Isaac who was born when Abraham was 80 years old. This was the son whose descendants would be as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore. Abraham's faith in God is of such magnitude that he felt God would be able to resurrect the slain Isaac in order that His prophesy might be fulfilled. Such faith in God's word and in His promise lead this Old Testament passage to be regarded as incredibly significant and exemplary one. Isaac carrying the wood for his own sacrifice prefigures Jesus carrying the Cross up the Mount of Calvary to be sacrificed. The ram or the male sheep that Abraham is to substitute for his son as the sacrifice, points to Christ the Lamb of God, a substitute for humanity. And Abraham's willingness to give up his own son Isaac is seen as a foreshadowing of the willingness of God the Father to sacrifice his Son. This powerful passage has been an inspiration to Christians, Jews and Muslims who all claim to be spiritual descendants of Abraham. To us Catholics there is a powerful Eucharistic symbolism but the story also speaks to us about faith and sacrifice. We too are being called to be a part of God's holy people, to journey towards a promised land and to fulfill a mission in this world. God is calling each of us by name. Scot said the Cardinal began and ended by saying the history of salvation began with a call to Abraham and to us. The response is to model Abraham and Jesus by responding with faith and a generosity that recognizes all our gifts come from God. Part of our duty is knowing we can return it in love to God. Fr. Mark said a call is not necessarily a call to something that's fun or easy. The call of Abraham, Isaac, and Jesus was a call to something difficult and hard to understand. Yet we have to listen to that type of call too in our lives. So many people listening have been called to carry the wood of the cross through illness or financial burdens or needs of their families. We're all called to carry the cross. We're not always called to something to jump for joy about. Scot said there are many levels of call. The Latin word is vocare from which we get vocation. From all of time we were created with a purpose for own lives that will return us to heaven. Then there is a call which is a substantial path to heaven that we call our personal vocation: religious life, married life, priesthood, etc. Beyond all the other good things we can do, our main path in life is to be the best husband or priest or religious. Sometimes our job vocation and personal vocation conflict, the calling to be a good husband or priest or religious takes precedence. Then there are the daily calls, the competing demands and requests and the ways we can respond each day in prayer. This is the call Cardinal Seán is talking about this weekend: How much am I being asked to sacrifice financially for those in need here in the Archdiocese of Boston. For some it might not be a lot, even if it's just the widow's mite for someone who can't afford much. Certainly we are all called to holiness. Fr. Mark said it takes everyone of us. He recalled a recent example in his own life of a man who stepped up to help Fr. Mark communicate with a deaf man. It took their combined gifts to reach this deaf man. Lent is a time for us to reaffirm our faith and our willingness to embrace the sacrifices a life of discipleship demands of us. Lent is about making time and space for God, going into the desert, climbing the mountain. We need to step back from the routine, the noise, the distractions that prevent us from seeing what is really important in life. Lent is a communal retreat that all Catholics are making together. Our Lenten sacrifices and prayers prepare us to renew our baptismal vows at Easter and to walk closer to Christ and our fellow disciples. The geography of lent begins with the first Sunday in the desert and now the second Sunday finds us on the mountain. I can never hear this gospel without recalling my own visit to Monte Tabor, the place of the Transfiguration. I was making retreat with a group of priests from Massachusetts. We were staying at a retreat house on the mount of the Beatitudes. In the mornings we had prayers and conference, and in the afternoon we visited the holy places. To get to Mount Tabor we went in buses to the foot of the mountain, but the mountain was so steep that the buses could not make the climb. They took us up in some old Mercedes taxicabs with kamikaze drivers. The hairpin turns and the sheer cliffs were terrifying. When we arrived at the top I felt like St. Peter. I wanted to kiss the ground and say: “how good it is to be here. Let's build some tents and stay because I'm not getting in that cab again.” The views from the mountain are spectacular, but what the apostle saw in that secluded place is much more stunning that the view of the valley; for they glimpsed the glory of God. The apostles needed to know that Jesus is much more than a persuasive rabbi or a great miracle worker. They needed to be assured that the scandal they would soon find in the cross is not the end, that it is necessary, and that all will end in glory for the Lord and for themselves. The mystery of the Trinity is made visible. A bright cloud overshadowed them, it is the shechinah, the luminous cloud that covered the Israelites during the exodus. That represents the Holy Spirit, and the voice of the Father is heard: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him”. Our Lord is strengthened and confirmed as to his unique sonship, his necessary cross, and his glorious future beyond, and because of it. The lesson for us can hardly be different. Carrying our daily cross, in imitation of Jesus, is our own prelude to glory. Transfiguration also means there is another level to our Christian lives that is yet to be. And what blessed one it is! On Mount Tabor were present the three persons of the Trinity, the three apostles and the two prophets. Heaven and earth meet in this event. At our Sunday Eucharist God's glory is hidden but present. The community helps us to climb the mountain and glimpse Christ's loving presence among us. Here we find the strength and motivation to continue on our journey of faith and to fulfill the mission that Christ has entrusted to us. Scot said he loved that the transfiguration is for us a sign of how heaven and earth meet which is similar to how heaven and earth meet at every Mass in the Eucharist. The partaking in the Eucharist as a community strengthens and motivates us to continue in our faith with the mission entrusted to us. Fr. Mark said no one us will encounter Christ like the apostles did in the transfiguration, but all of us get glimpses of God. He said a new father showed him the photo of his newborn baby and God is part of the pulse of that miraculous child. Scot said his wife and son were on the Mount of the Transfiguration this past Tuesday in the Holy Land and she described what it was like to go up there on the very high mountain with a beautiful view. It's not difficult to imagine that if God was going to give his voice from heaven on a cloud, it would be on top of this mountain, not just because of its beauty, but because it can be seen from miles away. As we look out from these mountains, we are often struck by the wonder of creation, which is a glimpse of God. We're all called to be aware of how we will be transfigured if we respond to Jesus' call to us. Just like the apostles didn't really understand, we're not going to understand exactly how heaven is until we're there. Fr. Mark said he's never been to the Holy Land, but everyone he knows who's been, it's been a lifechanging event. You never look at the Bible the same again. The lifechanging event is a transfiguration. But Cardinal Sean also points out that lifechanging events begin in the desert with quiet and solitude. The desert is a challenging place. But to truly be transfigured, we must start with prayer and penance and fasting. It is during this Lenten season that I come to remind all of the Catholics of the Archdiocese that our mission of evangelization, our works of mercy, and our service to the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, the formation of priests, deacons and lay leaders, our outreach in campus ministry, the youth, our apostolate to immigrants, and the countless services and activities of the faith community depend upon your participation, your generosity, and spirit of sacrifice. Each year we turn to our Catholic faithful to ask for your help to be able to carry on our mission. We ask for your prayers, your time, treasure and talent. We know that many grandmothers in nursing homes are our prayer warriors. They join us each day for Mass and rosary on Catholic Television. We have thousands of volunteers who carry on so many acts of community service, works of mercy, religious formation of our young people and so many other ministries . On my own behalf and on behalf of the wider community, I thank each of you sincerely. We are also profoundly grateful for the monetary support given through the Catholic Appeal from many Catholics throughout the diocese. I know that it is your faith that allows you to make this sacrifice as did the Good Samaritan who stopped to care for someone he didn't even know. Let us continue to work together to carry on the mission joyfully and generously so that the Gospel will be known and loved. Each of us must do our part. We are not alone but surrounded by a cloud of witnesses who urge us on together through the forty days of spiritual renewal to the joy of Easter resurrection. Know that you are ever in my prayers. Scot said we each one must do our part so that the everyone can hear the Gospel. Fr. Mark said he's been a priest for 21 years and worked in Central Ministries for over 11. He thinks what he's done in the Tribunal for 11 years has helped heal a lot of people and helps priests and parishioners fulfill their vocations. This is possible through the Catholic Appeal. He knows without a doubt that God works through him and that dollar in the Appeal in part funds him and every other person in the building and throughout the Archdiocese who have a direct effect on the lives of people. He knows the effect and wants to say Thank You for allowing him to do what he does. Scot said the person who gave to the Appeal 30 years ago or 25 years ago, investing in everyone who worked for the Church, have left this legacy so Fr. Mark can minister to people today and for many more years. And those investments 25 years ago in him lead to his current and future service. Scot spoke of Bishop Kennedy's upcoming new role starting in July as the vicar for the New Evangelization. We all know someone who isn't practicing their faith anymore and we all know we can do a better job in proclaiming the faith and reaching out to them. We want the biggest family reunion in heaven ad that's really the work of the Central Ministries of the Church. While The Good Catholic Life isn't directly funded by theCatholic Appeal, it wouldn't be possible without the Catholic Appeal. Every gift makes a difference. Scot said he spent his first 4 years at the Pastoral Center in the development office and he knows that the every gift matters, no matter how much. We are a much stronger family works together.

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Susan Abbott Today's guest(s): Fr. Roger Landry, executive editor of The Anchor, the newspaper of the Fall River diocese; and Antonio Enrique, editor of The Pilot, the newspaper of the Boston archdiocese Links from today's show: Some of the stories discussed on this show will be available on The Pilot's and The Anchor's websites on Friday morning. Please check those sites for the latest links. Today's topics: Chancellor steps down; HHS ruling and religious freedom; Proposed pastoral clusters; Mass. Citizens for Life on assisted suicide Summary of today's show: Scot Landry and Susan Abbott are joined by Fr. Roger Landry and Antonio Enrique this week to discuss the headlines in The Pilot and The Anchor, including the resignation of Jim McDonough, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Boston for the past six years; the release of the proposed list of parish clusters as part of the continuing pastoral planning process; the US bishops react to the unprecedented attack on religious freedom via the Health and Human Services regulations related to Obamacare; the Mass. Citizens for Life annual assembly addressing assisted suicide proposals; and the retirement of a popular priest from our largest parish. 1st segment: Scot Landry and Susan Abbott discussed the birth of her eighth grandchild, Louise Sinead Cavanaugh, 8lbs 8oz. this past week. Scot said Rico and Ashley Ciricola had their first child, Isaac, this week. Rico works in the Pastoral Center and this is their first child. Scot said today is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord and for many years it was ordination day in the Archdiocese so for many priests ordained in the 50s and 60s, this is their anniversary. 2nd segment: Scot and Susan now welcome Antonio Enrique and Fr. Roger Landry. Scot said the top story is the resignation of Jim McDonough as chancellor for the archdiocese and John Straub will be succeeding Jim as interim chancellor. Antonio said Jim became chancellor six years ago. Last year, he renewed his five year commitment, but told the Pilot that it was not a good idea to leave his office vacant at the same time as the vicar general was changing. Six months after Msgr. Deeley came as vicar general, now is the right time. Scot said that even though John is interim chancellor, Msgr. Deeley said he expects John will be named permanent chancellor. They hope to use this interim status as a time for John to listen to the voices of the constituencies and perhaps in six months the title of interim will be dropped. Susan said the announcement was a surprise in the Pastoral Center. She said she loved how he said that at 61 years old he thinks he has another game in him and if he waits too long it will be cribbage. She was also touched by his interview with the Pilot. Scot said the chancellor is one of the top three leaders in the Archdiocese with the cardinal and the vicar general. The chancellor is the chief financial officer. During his tenure, he addressed the clergy pension funding and recommended the creation of an independent board to oversee its implementation. He also oversaw the move of the archdiocese's central administration from the former Brighton campus to the Pastoral Center in Braintree in 2008. He also was able to balance the central ministries' budget. John Straub said his focus will be on helping parishes realize the sorts of savings as they have found for central ministries as well as help with pastoral planning in parishes. Fr. Roger said in Fall River, the chancellor is a priest who is also a pastor as well as dealing with financial matters and canonical requests. Scot said Boston has had lay chancellors for about the past 25 years and John Straub, if he's appointed, will become the sixth lay chancellor. 3rd segment: Scot said over the past two weeks the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Commission has been charing throughout the archdiocese proposed groupings of two, three, or four parishes that would share one pastoral service team and one pastor. Scot said the aim is to get feedback on the groupings. Antonio said Msgr. Fay told the Pilot that this is the third phase of the consultation process and they emphasize that this is just a proposal, not a decision and it is definitely not mergers. In the next phase they will meet with all vicariates, parish staff, pastoral councils and finance councils. “The key point of all of this is what we are looking at is really managing the life of the parishes in very constructive ways to be able to strengthen evangelization in the diocese and to build up the Church mightily, and strongly for the future,” Msgr. Fay said. “The first phase was to lay out a proposal—and that is all it is— from the APCC,” Msgr. Fay said. He said the second phase took place in January as the APCC presented more detailed proposals on pastoral collaborative groupings at regional meetings through the archdiocese. “The purpose of phase two was to say, ‘Now that you understand the proposal, here is what we suggest the collaboratives might look like,” Msgr. Fay said. Scot and Susan emphasized that people shouldn't listen to anyone else about what the proposals are, but should read it for themselves (at the link above). 4th segment: Scot said there has been much coverage in the media about the actions taken by the Dept of Health and Human Services that would curtail Catholics' religious freedom and the reaction of the US bishops. Fr. Roger's editorial this week was dedicated to this topic. He said this is all part of the Obamacare bill that was passed last year that mandates that contraception and abortifacient morning-after pills and sterilization would have to be covered under mandatory preventative care by every private health care plan. The new regulations do not allow for a religious exemption for institutions that hire or serve people who are not part of their religious belief system. Most Catholic institutions would be forced to pay for these in violation of our conscience. Fr. Roger said this rule violates the law passed by Congress that put a condition on such regulations in that it had to prove a compelling need to violate consciences. Nearly every US bishop has voiced his disapproval. The reaction of Catholic leaders to the trampling of conscience has been swift and strong, not only by Catholic bishops but also by people like Sister Carol Keehan. president of the Catholic Health Association, and Father John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame, both of whom have defended President Obama and his initiatives in the past. Perhaps the most powerful response of all, however, come from Pope Benedict himself in a very strong January 19 address to a group of U.S. bishops making their ad limina visits in Rome. Just four years after citing President Washington and praising America on the White House Lawn for our country's promotion and defense of freedom, he lamented that “powerful new cultural currents”, opposed to core moral teachings of the Judeo-Christian tradition and increasingly hostile to Christianity as such” were eroding our nation's respect for liberty. This culture is based on a “radical secularism,” an “extreme individualism” that is seeking to promote “notions of freedom detached from moral truth.” Of particular concern, he declared, are “certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion. … to deny the right of conscientious objection on the part of Catholic individuals and institutions with regard to cooperation in intrinsically evil practices. … to reduce religious freedom to mere freedom of worship without guarantees of respect for freedom of conscience.” Antonio said there are some very liberal voices at work in the administration that want to reshape how we believe as Catholics. We need to defend our religious rights and conscience rights. Scot said many believe that this is about the push to redefine marriage and normalize same-sex relationships, pushing religion out of the public square in order to advance this message. Scot said Cardinal Seán has read a letter to the faithful of this Archdiocese and read it on the air. (See the link above.) Fr. Roger said Cardinal Seán repeats that this letter forces our conscience. That is unprecedented in our nation. Fr. Roger said the agenda is to copy what the Church has done with school and social services and the like, then to force the Church out of the work unless she is going to compromise herself. This has already happened with adoption services. Scot said once you lose your rights, you don't get them back. Now is the time for all Catholics to stand up for their rights. Susan quoted Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan's column in the Pilot: The Amish do not carry health insurance. The government respects their principles. Christian Scientists want to heal by prayer alone, and the new health-care reform law respects that. Quakers and others object to killing even in wartime, and the government respects that principle for conscientious objectors. By its decision, the Obama administration has failed to show the same respect for the consciences of Catholics and others who object to treating pregnancy as a disease. 5th segment: Scot said the Massachusetts Citizens for Life annual assembly strongly condemned physician-assisted suicide as proposed in Massachusetts. Wayne Cockfield was a guest on The Good Catholic Life last Friday before his address to the assembly. HE was quoted as saying: “Once people get used to killing, the pool of death always expands.” Antonio said we have examples of this from other countries, like the Netherlands, where the killing has grown beyond the original group. The law is supposed to teach and when it becomes deformed, the society forgets. In the Netherlands, it is now legal to kill children with deformities after birth. This would have been unthinkable before legalized euthanasia. Antonio notes that in Oregon where assisted suicide is now legal studies have shown that people are killing themselves, not because they are suffering unbearable pain, but to not be a burden on others. Scot said there is also a column in the Pilot by Drs. David and Angela Franks called “Love never abandons the suffering.” They ask whether we should be trying to eliminate suffering or the sufferer. Susan said there was a presentation at the Pastoral Center on assisted suicide by Fr. Michael Sheehan and Peter Cataldo this week and it was wonderful. Scot said an edited video of the workshop will be placed on very soon.

Today's host(s): Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor Today's guest(s): William McIvor, headmaster, and John Robinson, music director of the Archdiocesan Choir School; and Fr. Michael Drea, pastor of St. Paul Parish, Cambridge Links from today's show: Today's topics: Catholic Schools Week: The Boston Archdiocesan Choir School Summary of today's show: Boys' choir schools are an ancient tradition in the Church going back hundreds of years and the Archdiocesan Choir School is the only choir school left in the United States. Scot Landry and Fr. Chris O'Connor talk with Fr. Michael, William McIvor, and John Robinson about the unique school and how it prepares boys with an excellent education and musical skills that put them ahead of even college-level freshman in most instances. 1st segment: Scot and Fr. Chris caught up on their past week. Scot said there was a big announcement today in the Archdiocese. Jim McDonough, the chancellor for the Archdiocese for the past 6 years, is retiring as of March 2 and he will be succeeded by an interim chancellor, John Straub. Scot said this news will be discussed on our Thursday news show. 2nd segment: Scot welcomed today's guests and asked how the Archdiocesan Choir School started 49 years ago. Fr. Michael Drehe said the school started with 25 boys in 1963 with a primary focus on music. They area choir with a school in that the music is the lifeblood of the choir. But academics are not given short shrift. The founder was Dr. Theodore Marier. John grew up in England and he said choir schools in that country are very common, but St. Paul's is the only Catholic choir school in the US. He said that focus on music helps with academics. The discipline and hard work of music train them in the skills needed to succeed in education and Catholic formation helps that. Bill said the boys sing Mass every day of the week at St. Paul's. You can't help having that part of your everyday life but it will affect your faith. It becomes a platform for their formation. The school is currently grades 5-8 and they will be opening a grade 4 next year. Bill said he came from public education where he worked for 40 years and working at the choir school is a delight. Fr. Chris asked about the unique role of the pastor in the choir school. Fr. Michael said it is the opportunity to be with young people and to present the love of the priesthood and share it with them, to see men who are happy in serving the Lord and the Church. This is an important aspect of his ministry. He also works with Bill and John on the administration: academics, finances, music, and more. With only about 40 students, it has unique challenges and requires a lot of work to maintain. When the boys graduate, they have the opportunity to attend some of the best schools in Massachusetts. Fr. Chris asked John how he imparts a love for music and for liturgical music to the young boys. John said he's amazed how the boys coming to the music for the first time find something intrinsic to it that they love. He believes it's some of the greatest music in the world and these boys are coming into contact with it and carrying on a tradition literally thousands of years old. Fr. Michael said he hears from some of the students when they go away on vacation and come back, their comments when they come back is that they are happy to be able to sing the music they can at Mass. They understand the beauty of the music and how it elevates the soul in worship. Scot asked Bill what it means for them that they're the only boys choir school in the country. Bill said it gives them a sense of pride in that they have this unique school. Some of the staff have been at other schools and they have come together to realize what a true treasure they have. Because they are involved every day of the week in the parish and school, it becomes a part of their life. He said they are also proud that their academics are strenuous and they believe the students to be studying a grade ahead. Every student takes French every year and in 7th and 8th grade they study Latin. Every boy studies music theory and they all study piano and are graded on performance, in addition to the recorder and handbells. He said he often hears from Catholic high schools looking for more graduates of the school. John said the 4th and 5th grade will sing together and then 6th, 7th, and 8th grade will sing together. It works perfectly that there will be 20-25 among them. In the upper grades the boys voices can start changing. Once their voices change, they don't sing in the choir anymore, but then serve the Mass. They use the same amount of training and study for that service as they do in singing. Fr. Chris said there is a major commitment by the family to the choir school. John said they try to tell prospective families that it is quite rigorous. The days start with a 7:50am choir rehearsal and the day ends at 3:30pm, although some boys stay later a couple of days for vespers or to practice for Sunday morning. Fr. Michael said one of the hallmarks of Ted Marier's founding is the working scholarship. While the basic tuition is about $5,000, the cost is about $15,000 and so the boys work off their costs through various performances and fundraising activities involving the parents. Bill said the decision to expand to 4th grade came from John. He said in England choir schools start at 4th grade because of how long it takes to train a boy before his voice changes. For the boy to enjoy it more, you start earlier. They don't have as rigorous schedule as the older boys but the musical foundations begin. Fr. Chris asked what they are looking for when they audition. John said they are looking for potential, not a finished product. They're looking for a musical ear, for the ability to hold a tune. Fr. Michael said at a recent audition a young boy came who had prepared with Gregorian chant and it was beautiful. 3rd segment: Scot said you can get their CDs by purchasing them on their website. John said the aspiration when they graduate is for them to pick up a piece of music and to be able to understand and perform the music. When they begin, most have never read music so the first year is music theory, understanding the nuts and bolts, especially if they go on to become composer or arrangers. In the sixth grade they sing different liturgical music every day and they have to be able to read music. He said the music theory course by the time they leave is the equivalent of a first-year college course. The boys actually achieve far beyond the ability of most adults, including musical performers. John said he thinks they're the only choir school that insists all students learn piano. It helps them to hear music, especially when there are multiple notes. He said the bells are wonderful because it's challenging to play them all together as one. Bill said there is a transference from learning to read and write music to all the other subjects and they use the three styles of learning—auditory, kinesthetic, and reading. Some of the eighth graders are taking algebra. All of the kids are very good writers. It teaches them to stay on task and focus, to look and read critically. More importantly, it lays a foundation for decision-making which comes into the spirituality. and because they serve at so many Masses, they hear homilies from four excellent priests on a daily basis and have in them marvelous role models. It makes a formation for a solid Catholic and dignified young man. The music alone and the kinds of experience they get means the eighth graders are at a college level of music. Scot asked Fr. Michael about what it's like to sing the Mass among all these great singers. He deferred to John's assessment. John said Fr. Michael have a lovely, strong singing voice that is very holy. Fr. Michael said the new Roman missal presented a new challenge because he didn't know how to read the new music and so John has helped him to read music and understand it as a priest and appreciate the new setting in a much better way. Fr. Michael said Fr. Bill Kelly of St. Mary in Dedham and Bishop Peter Uglietto as alumni of the school. Fr. Michael said when he came back to celebrate the alumni Mass after being ordained bishop picked it up like he'd never left. They also have a seminarian at St. John Seminary as well. Fr. Michael said they also have a number of lawyers and businessmen and politicians in Boston who are alums as well. They also have some other alums who have come back and joined the Men's Schola which performs on Sunday mornings, which is a good witness to the boys. Fr. Chris asked John who is his favorite composer and why. John said he always says he can't bear to choose, but he's always amazed by J.S. Bach and how he would compose a sonata each week. He also thinks of the 16th century composers and Palestrina and how they illustrate how faith can affect their music. Scot said single-sex schools are rare today and asked Bill how it helps the boys. Bill said the boys are just driven so much by the music and academics and service without all the other distractions. He said keeping that legacy has had tremendous benefit for them. Fr. Michael said studies show boys love to be challenged academically and to be called to excellence. He said in a single-sex school that the distractions that boys encounter in adolescent years aren't present. It allows them to dig deeper in discovering God's gifts and not be shy about expressing them. Fr. Michael said they reinforce the Catholic identity in the school by celebrating the sacraments with the boys regularly and coming into the school for events such as question-and-answer. He hopes someday to be able to teach a religion class, particularly with the eighth graders. Bill said as the boys leave the school, they find the students are going into second and third year French and they hope to do that with Latin as well. They also have new technology, including Smartboards in the classrooms and a website where parents can go and see what homework assignments have been assigned. There are auditions coming up for boys in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade. On Feb. 4 at Immaculate Conception, Malden; Feb. 11, Quincy Catholic Academy; and Feb 25, St. Julia's, Weston. All are from 10am-noon or by appointment. Tuesday through Friday at 12:10pm the boys sing the Mass. Wednesdays at 5:15 they sing Vespers. Sunday at the 11am, they sing the solemn Mass with the Men's Schola and on Saturday at 5pm, the 5th grade sings the Mass. All Masses are at St. Paul in Cambridge. In May they have their principal fundraising event of the year, their Gala dinner. This year it will be at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. There will be a live and a silent auction, dinner, and performance by the boys.

**Today's host(s):** Scot Landry and Fr. Mark O'Connell**Today's guest(s):** Fr. Richard Erikson, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Boston, and Colbe Mazzarella, founder and organizer of the Way of the Cross for Life on Good Friday.    * [Archdiocese of Boston's Annual Report for 2010](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/annualreport)* [Life Matters TV show](http://www.lifematterstv.org/)* ["Way of the Cross for Life tradition continues" (The Pilot, 4/2/2004)](http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=1603)* [Way of the Cross for Life - Meetup](http://www.meetup.com/Way-of-the-Cross-for-Life/)**Today's topics:** Fr. Richard Erikson's role as vicar general and moderator of the curia; the Archdiocese's balanced budget; and the Way of the Cross for Life**A summary of today's show:** Fr. Erikson tells Scot and Fr. Mark what the vicar general and moderator of the curia does and then talks about the milestone of the Archdiocese's balanced budget, which is a foundation for the future of the church in Boston. Colbe Mazzarella discusses her founding of the Way of the Cross for Life as a spiritual component of the pro-life movement. Then a discussion of the first Gospel for Palm Sunday.**1st segment:** Scot welcomes Fr. Mark back to the show. Fr. Mark was in Washington DC with the Canon Law Society of America. He is a member of the board of governors. There are thousands of members. Tomorrow, as the judicial vicar, he is the chaplain of the Catholic Lawyers Guild, and on the Saturday before Palm Sunday they have a day of recollection. Fr. Ed Riley will lead the day. All Catholic Lawyers and judges are welcome at the Pastoral Center tomorrow. Scot asked why the annual Mass for lawyers is called the Red Mass. Fr. Mark said it has medieval origins. It connects with the robes that the priests wore during that Mass, which were red.**2nd segment:** Scot and Fr. Mark welcome Fr. Richard Erikson to The Good Catholic Life. Scot asks what Fr. Richard's job entails. He was asked by Cardinal Sean to take on the job five years ago and even then he didn't have a full understanding. Vicar comes from the word vicarious. So his job is to take Cardinal Sean's vision and make it reality. His job is to reflect the mind and the heart of the bishop. He said Cardinal Sean has an enormous mind and an enormous heart. He has the heart of a shepherd. There are a number of vicars general in the Archdiocese. The auxiliary bishops are also vicars general and Fr. Mark says that Fr. Rich's role is unique because of his job as moderator of the curia. The curia are all those who work in the Archdiocese, those who work in the Pastoral Center and all the priests. He is the pastor for them.Fr. Mark asked what are the privileges of his role. Fr. Rich said he has the privilege of working in Christ's name to bring Christ to others, to build the kingdom of God in the Archdiocese. It is also a responsibility of leadership as well.Scot said that on his first day of work, Fr. Rich talked with him about the ministry of development, and Fr. Rich talks about the ministry of administration. Fr. Rich is also an Air Force chaplain. What does it mean to have a ministry of administration? He says it's difficult not to be a parish priest. He had imagined he would spend his life in parishes. Everything we do in the Pastoral Center i service to others, to parishes, to hospitals, to others in carrying out the mission of Christ. Even though he spends a lot of time in meetings and writing memos and looking at budgets, all of it is service to Christ and the Catholic community. Scot noted that he was astounded when he learned how big the Archdiocese is, how many ministries there are, how many organizations. Fr. Rich said what even more impressive than the scope of the operations is the dedication of the people on the staff and the hours people spend and the devotion and commitment. He didn't know before he became vicar general that there were 144 communities in the archdiocese. His parish encompasses 1.8 million people. He's learned that there are wonderful people who devote their lives to Christ and the Church with great sacrifice, day in and day out. It includes people who also work in administrative positions.Fr. Rich had enumerated four pillars he hoped that all ministries would embrace: Service, outreach, communication, and coordination. The most important person in the archdiocese today is the person who will ring a doorbell looking for a priest, a prisoner seeking ministry, a child receiving First Communion. In outreach, we are about what happens outside this building in the parishes of the archdiocese. Communication: To get the message of Christ, we make the best use, particularly through the Catholic Media secretariat using modern means. Coordination: The Archdiocese is very complex with a need for many different departments, like benefits, payroll, legal, etc., plus coordinating with the five regions of the archdiocese and all the vicariates and parishes within them.**3rd segment:** For the first time in Cardinal Sean's tenure, the Archdiocese has achieved a balanced budget for central ministries. Fr. Rich said its extraordinary given the challenges Cardinal Sean had. He began with a $15 million deficit. The Knights of Columbus had given loans to help, but the loans had up to $3 million in interest payments. To get here has required a great deal of sacrifice. First, there is the generosity of the people of the Archdiocese of Boston, sticking with the Church through the darkest hour of our history. Second, there is the great work of the staff in the Annual Catholic Appeal, which is to the archdiocese what the weekly offertory is to parishes. Third, the work of Jim McDonough, the chancellor, and his staff, bringing the best practices of finances and administration to the archdiocese. The sacrifices have included most painfully reductions in staff. The people in the Pastoral Center are doing more with less. Fr. Mark asked about future signs of hope. Fr. Rich said he sees the balanced budget is something to be built on. We have made remarkable strides in evangelization over the past few years through the [Arise](http://www.bostoncatholic.org/ARISE.aspx?pid=464) program and [Catholics Come Home](http://www.catholicscomehomeboston.org) and the [The Light Is On For You](http://www.thelightisonforyou.org). These wouldn't happen if we didn't have our financial house in order and didn't have t he generosity of our people.Scot said one of the headlines for him that he didn't see in the secular coverage is the amount of information that's there and how transparent there is. No other diocese comes close. Fr. Rich said trust is so important in a diocese so devastated by the abuse of minors and what the Church did not do in relation to those crimes. Transparency is one more indication of the Cardinal's desire to earn the trust of the people of the Archdiocese.Fr. Mark said both the cardinal and the chancellor speak with optimism of the Improved Financial Relationship Model. Fr. Rich said Scot had the vision of a new relationship in terms of finances and stewardship between central ministries and the parishes of the archdiocese. Scot saw that the model for fundraising in the archdiocese needed improvement. The model is to increase offertory giving at the parish level--which has already seen great success--and then to have a fair share by each parish in its contributions to the central ministries. It's not about increasing what central ministries receives. It's about dividing the pie more fairly. It's not about money, but it's about relationships. The 30 parishes in the first phase have a far greater connection to central ministries and far greater sense of the Universal Church.Fr. Rich has [written about Holy Week](http://pilotcatholicnews.com/article.asp?ID=13236) in the Pilot this week. It's about Palm Sunday. As a priest he looks forward to next week for the opportunity to focus on our journey with Christ. The article looks at the Passion of the Lord and the fact that the Lord is with us. He encourages everyone to make the time to be with Christ next week.**4th segment:** Scot and Fr. Mark are joined by Colbe Mazzarella. She started the Way of the Cross for Life. Back in the 80s she heard about a Walk for Life on the West Coast and 24 years later it continues. There are three processions: one in Boston with Cardinal Sean; another in East Boston; and the original that used to start in Brookline. they used to walk between three different abortion clinics, but they've all since closed. That procession is now in Allston in front of Planned Parenthood. They all start at 9am.The Boston route starts at Government Center and all the stops are at churches. The Paulist Center is next to the State House, St. Anthony Shrine, St. James in Chinatown, and Holy Cross Cathedral. They saw two stations per stop and do readings.This is not a protest. There are no signs or anything. They carry a cross and a statue of Our Lady.Fr. Mark said when he did this in Rome, there is something invigorating about crossing the street with a big crowd of people witnessing to Christ. Colbe said it's about making reparation, like Jesus walking through the streets of Jerusalem, getting mixed reactions, being a witness. East Boston starts at Most Holy Redeemer. The Allston way stays in front of Planned Parenthood. The East Boston procession ends at the Madonna shrine in Orient Heights.At the cathedral, Cardinal Sean leads the last two stations and leads a consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The procession at the cathedral ends at noon and people usually stay for Good Friday services.Scot asked about the pro-life movement not being just about politics, but is about prayer and sacrifice as well. Colbe said politics is a means to an end. They're trying to help mothers and fathers and babies live a good life and end up in heaven. They're concentrating on the spiritual side of things. On Good Friday, Christ is pierced for what we do wrong. It's not just about women who've had abortions, but for all of us who may have failed to help someone in a crisis pregnancy or otherwise were silent. It has the spiritual goal to be in union with God. Christ asked us to take up His cross and follow Him.Fr. Mark noted that Colbe has eight children. This is a family friendly event. They take two hours to walk what would normally take 20 minutes. There are people with strollers and others walking with a cane.Scot asked how people could do something like this in their town? She said they've had others who've done Ways of the Cross for Life as far as India. She has a booklet that she can send or email anyone. Email her at [ccmaz@aol.com](mailto:ccmazz@aol.com).Colbe said that after 24 of these Ways of the Cross for Life, she knows that she has served Christ. It's not a great burden to organize it. Pick a time or place and invite others. Emphasis is on prayer, not on confrontation.**5th segment:** Scot, Fr. Mark, and Colbe consider the Gospel for Sunday. Because the Palm Sunday includes all of the Passion which is very long, they will consider the first Gospel that is read at the beginning of Mass.April 17, 2011 Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, Gospel of the Procession of the Palms (Matthew 21:1-11)>When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.' Then he will send them at once.”>>This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, “Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” >>The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” >>And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”Holy Week begins an understanding of Jesus as king, connecting to the Old Testament. Fr. Mark said he connected it with Colbe feeling sent to do something. Likewise, the disciples are sent and the result is the glory of Jesus. We do our part for the Lord and and Christ does the rest. We lead people to ask the question, "Who is this Jesus?"Colbe says she loves that we are in different roles within the crowd of different roles at different times in our lives. Scot said that in the Holy Father's new book, Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance Into Jerusalem To The Resurrection, he dictates it to the entrance to Jerusalem. He says hosanna is understood that it is connected to the coming of the king. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord would fulfill the messianic promises. Kings of the day controlled the means of transportation. The people understand that Christ at least believes he is the new king, but he is a king unlike what they were expecting, a king of peace, of simplicity, of the poor. Fr. Mark said they were ready to cheer the king they thought he was, but they abandoned him when he wasn't what they thought.The Holy Father also says the Palm Sunday is an anticipation of what the Church does each day in her liturgy. The Church sees the coming of Christ again and again in the bread and wine. The Church greets Him as one who continues to come. As a pilgrim, He comes to us and take us in His ascent to the cross and resurrection to the New Jerusalem.Fr. Mark said it is a perfect time to come home to the Church, to walk with Christ into the glories of Jerusalem. Don't wait for Easter. Come Palm Sunday with us on the journey.