How I prepare my homilies - MAY 12, 2007

In last Sunday’s paper there was an article about how preachers prepare their homilies. I thought you might like to know the process I use. For 15 years I have met every 2 weeks with Fr. Joseph Creedon and Fr. Jack Heaney. We do some preparing ahead of time and then share our insights about the readings. I use various resources such as Connections, Celebrations, Good News. These are all publications with good ideas. On late Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning I take all the data from our study group and begin to craft the homily for the week. I try to be aware of what’s going on in the parish and in the world. The word of God is so often fleshed out in the events of our life. I then try to make a connection between our human experiences and what God’s word means to us today.

This weekend Luke Willenberg is to be ordained a deacon. I pray that as he ponders God’s word he will bring that word effectively into people’s lives. All of us are so proud of Luke and feel honored to have played a part in his formation for ordination.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - MAY 12, 2007

Good Shepherd Sunday - APRIL 29, 2007

This is Good Shepherd Sunday where we reflect on Jesus as the one who leads, protects and loves His people. In the Book of Revelation it says

“The one who sits on the throne will shelter them. They will not hunger or thirstanymore, nor will the sun or any heat strike them. For the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of life-giving water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Today our world needs to hear the voice of the Shepherd. This becomes increasingly difficult when so many other voices clamor for our attention. We live in a world of violence as the tragedy at Virginia Tech reminds us. We live in a world that says “look out for number 1,” the one with the most toys wins, don’t get even, get ahead. In this world we can so easily miss the voice of the Shepherd that urges us “to act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God.”

Next weekend our second graders will receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament for the first time. We pray especially for the parents of these children. May they be true Shepherds to lead their children to God. For the Word of God to be heard we need to create strong communities where the Word of God can be heard and celebrated. We speak a lot today of “safeenvironment” to protect our children. May our parish be one safe environment where the Word of God can grow in thehearts of our children.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - APRIL 29, 2007

Photo of Good Shepard Window from Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Tucson, AZ by Lars Hammer via flickr used with permission under a Creative Commons Licnese

Upcoming Events at St. Luke's - APRIL 22-2007

It was nice to have Luc Willenberg join us for the Easter Vigil. It brought back good memories of the time he spent with us last summer. On May 12 he will be ordained a deacon at the Cathedral by Bishop Tobin.

The next morning here at 11:30 a.m. he will diaconate and preach at the liturgy. Afterwards there will be a reception in the parish hall. Here’s where you can help. We are asking parishioners to help with baking, setting up and with keeping everything flowing smoothly during the reception. If you can help please call Ann Marie at the rectory.

Also we will be instituting Communion under both species on the weekend of May 5-6. If you attended the Vigil you saw the procedure. To institute the practice we need a few instructional sessions. Here are 3 opportunities to come and learn the procedure:
Saturday, April 28th at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 29th at 9:30 a.m.
Monday, April 30th at 7:00 p.m.

Please pick one of these sessions. Thank you!

I’m sure we are all anxious to see how Fr. Matt and our young people made out in Jamaica. In the days ahead we will be hearing from them.
Fr. Bob Hawkins - APRIL 22-2007

A wonderful Holy Week here at St. Luke’s - APRIL 15, 2007

It was a wonderful Holy Week here at St. Luke’s. So many people got involved in so many areas of parish life. A big thank you to the environment committee, Steve Kirby and the choir, the lectors, altar servers and reception committee.

Both on Holy Thursday and the Easter Vigil we offered Holy Communion under both species. We are planning to initiate this practice on a weekly basis starting the weekend of May 5-6. There will be some training sessions for our Eucharistic ministers.

Please keep Fr. Matt and the mission group in your prayers during this week. A big thank you to all who were so generous to this worthwhile cause.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - APRIL 15, 2007

“Let him Easter in us” The Wreck of the Deutschland - APRIL 7, 2007

Gerard Manly Hopkins wrote a poem entitled The Wreck of the Deutschland. It concerned itself with five Franciscan nuns who were on their way to Missouri to do missionary work. Their ship sank in a terrible storm in the North Sea. The young nuns sacrificed their own lives so that others might be rescued. Hopkins ends the poem with this line: “Let him Easter in us,” be a dayspring to the dimness of us.

“Let him Easter in us” that we may live our lives in the light of his compassion and peace, his justice and forgiveness.

“Let him Easter in us” that we may be a people who live the life of stewardship; sharing our time, talent and treasure with others.

“Let him Easter in us” that we may bear our crosses for one another as he bore his cross for us.

Here Easter is used as a verb. In other words Easter is a way we think, we feel, something we do. Simply put Easter is something we “do” every day. Thank you to all who make our Easter celebrations so joyful here at St. Luke’s: to our choirs, altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, environment committee, greeters, ushers. So many people living stewardship make Easter happen for all of us. We pray especially for our young people who will leave for Jamaica with Fr. Matt next week.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - APRIL 7, 2007

The image above, used with permission of the Wheaton Francisons shows a quilt which hangs in the Deutschland Chapel at the Motherhouse in Wheaton, Illinois and serving as a tribute to the five Sisters who perished in the wreck of the Deutschland.

The Shipwreck image by Jody9 via flickr under Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 )

Triduum workshop - Principal Search - Rectory/Office project - MARCH 31, 2007

Thank you to all who participated in the Triduum workshop with Blessed Sacrament last Sunday. The spirit of the day was so joyful as we reflected on the beauty of the Triduum. It is my hope that the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil liturgies be celebrated with great dignity and spirit this year. We will be receiving Susan Grieve and Carol Baggott into the Catholic Church as well as confirming them in our faith at the Vigil.

The search committee for the new principal is well on its way. We have narrowed the candidates down to four. By Easter we will hopefully have an announcement to make. It is very gratifying to know that there are so many talented people interested in Catholic education.

Finally on April 12 there will be a meeting concerning the rectory/office project. William Amberg (trustee), David Loftus (trustee), Paul Languirand (finance chair) and Carol Nelson from the Diocese will be in attendance. Work will begin once we have secured the necessary permits and have evaluated the various bids for the project. A big thank you to all whose contributions make this renovation possible.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - MARCH 31, 2007

Fostering a deeper appreciation of Holy Week - MARCH 17, 2007

Fourth Station of the Cross

On the next two Sundays we will be offering workshops that will foster a deeper appreciation of Holy Week. Next Sunday, March 25, from 3 -5 p.m. there will be a joint workshop with Blessed Sacrament for our liturgical ministries. It will take place in our parish hall and will highlight the key aspects of the Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil services. On Palm Sunday, April 1, after the 11:30 liturgy we will have the “Wonder Trail” workshop in the school hall. This will be sponsored by the young mother’s group in our parish. The purpose of the workshop will be to highlight our Easter traditions. Key symbols of our faith: the Easter egg, lily, the lamb, etc. will be on display. At Advent we had a workshop that centered around the wreath. This was such a success we wanted to offer another growth opportunity for our young families.

A few months back we resurrected the ministry of greeter here at St. Luke’s. The following prayer expresses our desire to be a parish of welcome and hospitality:

“Welcoming God, teach us to be generous in offering hospitality. Help us to be welcoming as you are welcoming with reverence and care, mindfulness and respect. May our greetings be marked by sincerity and our actions be marked by tenderness. May all that we do for ourselves and others invite happiness and promise delight, seek peace and offer healing, encourage simplicity and share affection, acknowledge faith and extend friendship. Enlarge our hearts to embrace all people with love and bless our efforts to be hospitable.”
(Charlotte Zalot, O.S.B., The Fire of Peace)

Fr. Bob Hawkins MARCH 17, 2007

Photo by Caji from Kuwait via flickr under Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 )

God’s presence revealed in burning bush experiences - MARCH 11, 2007

In today’s reading from Exodus we encounter Moses and the burning bush. For Moses this is a deep religious experience as God reminds him that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We all have had burning bush experiences in our life; the birth of a child, our wedding or ordination day. Lent is a good time to slow down enough to notice the signs of God’s presence and love all around us. Maybe it’s a matter of enjoying a sunset or delighting in a snowfall. Maybe God’s presence is revealed to you through family and friends. Maybe it’s a matter of setting time aside for prayer to listen to the voice of God. Whatever your burning bush is, don’t pass it by. Let it reveal God to you. Then your life will be changed. Then you will at least begin to reform and better reveal God’s presence to others.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - MARCH 11, 2007

Burning Bush Photo from Lenthall Chapel by Gill Poole via flickr

Thank-you - Twice MARCH 3, 2007

As I write this brief note on Wednesday morning, I have just finished sorting through a mountain of mail. Most of the mail these days consists of sympathy cards. I never knew there were so many types of sympathy cards. Yet what all of them have in common is how lucky I am to have so many friends. Last year I received a thank you after attending a funeral. This note expresses the thoughts of my family.

“Perhaps you sent a lovely card, or sat in a chair.
Perhaps you sent us
beautiful flowers. If so, we saw them there.
Perhaps you spoke the kindest
words that any friend could say.
Perhaps you were not there at all, just
thought of us that day.
Whatever you did to console our hearts,
We thank you so much, whatever your part.”

Thank you to all who attended Father Creedon’s mission this week. Please keep me in your prayers as I preach a mission at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston. Also, the search committee will meet for the first time this Thursday. Please keep that as well in your prayer intentions.
Fr. Bob Hawkins - MARCH 3, 2007

We minister best when we are in touch, FEBRUARY 24, 2007

There is a powerful story told about Damien the Leper who brought the Gospel from Belgium to the Hawaiian Islands. In his early days as a missionary he would often say, “you lepers” as he addressed the infirmed. Then one day as he was bathing he noticed no feeling in his legs. He realized he too had contracted leprosy and so from then on always said, “we lepers.” He now could better identify with their pain and situation. Dealing now with the loss of my mother I know I will now be even more sensitive to those who grieve significant losses in their lives. We minister best when we are in touch with our own wounds and losses. I give thanks to God for having a mother filled with wisdom, integrity, warmth, humor and above all faith. My family is indeed blessed. Please remember my dad in your prayers. His care of my mother
in her long battle with Alzheimer’s has been nothing short of heroic.

Fr. Bob Hawkins- FEBRUARY 24, 2007

We begin our Lenten journey - FEBRUARY 18, 2007

This week we begin our Lenten journey toward Easter. Here at St. Luke’s we try to promote ample opportunities to grow in our faith. Each Lent we add a 12:05 p.m. Mass Monday through Friday. On Fridays after Mass we pray together the Stations of the Cross. This Lent we will provide a Lenten booklet entitled, “From Darkness to Light” by Father Joseph Creedon. He will be a Mission retreat speaker from February 27 to March 1. His topic is “Faith Comes Alive – Revisiting Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist and Forgiveness.” All the sessions will begin at 7 p.m. and on Thursday evening there will be the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I am asking all of you to keep in your prayers our search committee for a principal at St. Luke’s School. This will be going on throughout the Lenten season. During Lent I will also be giving a mission at Immaculate Conception Church in Cranston.

Lent is an old English word that means Spring. In Lent we take a fresh look at our faith in the hopes that it can better shape our lives. Let us pray for one another as we journey out of darkness into the Lord’s light.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - FEBRUARY 18, 2007

Lenten Mission at St. Luke's Feb 27, 28 & Mar. 1 will feature Fr. Joseph Creedon from Christ the King

Presently I am on vacation in Florida with my father. When I return he will be coming with me to spend time close to my mother in the nursing home. I am looking forward to some quiet time before the busy season of Lent. Put aside February 27 and 28 and March 1 for our Lenten Mission. Fr. Joseph Creedon will be here as our speaker and he will not disappoint you.

A big thank you to Mike Sever and our marketing committee who did such a great job on the open house. The Mass went off perfectly as a packed church saw our school at its best. Please keep our principal search process in your prayers. Looking forward to seeing you all back here next weekend.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - February 3, 2007

Portrait of Love Personified - JANUARY 27, 2007

At 80% of the weddings I preside at today’s second reading is chosen. It is the famous reading where Paul says, “love is kind, patient, not jealous, it is not rude or selfish…It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Walter Burghardt has pointed out that if ever a four-letter word could cry out against its abuse, that word is love. Love is the total gift of husband and wife to one another in marriage, but it is also used of a one night stand after a casual meeting in a single’s bar. Love describes a growing experience that never ends, as well as the fleeting experiences of doubling one’s pleasure with Doublemint Gum or enjoying a beer at the beach. We say we love one another, but we also say we love popcorn, pepperoni on pizza, our pets, our Patriots, our cars etc. Paul today challenges our abuse of this special word as he sets before us the verbal portrait of love personified. This love came alive in Jesus; it is this love to which each believer must aspire so as to be able to be his disciples.


Today we welcome all to our School’s open house. The purpose of St. Luke’s School is to share the love of Jesus. It is this love that we seek to teach and share with our students. Come and see the good things going on in our school. This week is also Catholic School Week. May the Lord bless our teachers, staff, aids, and benefactors.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - JANUARY 27, 2007

An important year for St. Luke School - JANUARY 20-2007

This present year is an important one for St. Luke’s School. In June Julia Signore will step down as our principal and a search committee will be formed to find a replacement. Please pray that a competent leader can be found to continue our tradition of academic and spiritual excellence. Next Sunday we will have a special School Mass at 11:30 to begin Catholic Schools Week (Jan 29-Feb 3, 2007). Our Open House will follow the mass. Come and visit the School. Our marketing committee has done a great job in publicizing this event.

Fr. Bob Hawkins JANUARY 20-2007

Epiphany journey toward God - JANUARY 6, 2007

This feast of Epiphany reminds me that all human beings are on a journey toward God. This God calls us all to a special intimacy with Him. It is out of this intimacy that we sense our connectedness to all human beings. This reality is hard to realize in a world so divided between rich and poor, Shiite and Sunni, Jew and Palestinian, Protestant and Catholic, Hutu and Tutsi. Our world is in desperate search to find solutions to our many divisions. The Epiphany calls us to ponder many questions:

How do we overcome barriers and obstacles to God’s love?

What word can I say that will overcome misunderstanding or alienation?

What gesture can I make to allow another to feel wanted?

What apology can I make to end a rift?

How can I move out beyond my comfort level to reach out to the alienated?

How can God’s love which is beyond borders be translated into my life?

Fr. Bob Hawkins - JANUARY 6, 2007

Just for Today - DECMBER 31, 2006

On this Holy Family weekend that ushers in the new year I have some suggestions for resolutions. They come under the title of, “Just for today”.

Just for today I will strengthen my mind and will learn something useful.
I will not be mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
Just for today I will be unafraid. Especially I will be unafraid to be happy to enjoy what is beautiful, to love and believe that those I love really love me.
Just for today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself; and in the half hour I will give thanks to Almighty God for the abundance that is mine.

As the year ends I give thanks to all of you for your generous gifts, encouraging words and numerous prayers. May God guide St. Luke’s parish in 2007.
Fr. Bob Hawkins - DECMBER 31, 2006

Discover God in our Human Experience - DECEMBER 24, 2006

For years we have heard the saying, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” In many ways this is a difficult task due to the crass materialism all around us. It’s hard to keep Christ in Christmas when we are surrounded by war, brokenness, and despair. Yet not only are we challenged to keep Christ in Christmas we also must take Him out of Christmas. By this I mean we must take His values to the world. Christ left the manger in Bethlehem, so must we. Christ went about doing good, so must we. Christ dedicated Himself to non-violence, so must we. Christ lived a life of service, so must we. Christ gave His life so that His Father’s love could come to the world, so must we. Christmas is about an incarnate God taking on our humanity. May we discover our God in our human experience.

A big thank you to all who help us celebrate Christmas here at St. Luke’s: Steve Kirby, David Lauria and the choirs, our lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, our environment committee, our Vincent DePaul society. Our Advent has been one of watching, waiting and serving. Now we are ready to celebrate the love of Christ in our midst.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - DECEMBER 24, 2006

Finding God in our midst - DECEMBER 16, 2006

In the first reading this weekend of Zephaniah the prophet proclaims: “The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior, he will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in His love.” The Advent season calls us to a responsive attentiveness to this presence of God in our midst. Where will you encounter God today? Where will I? How shall we draw near? A modern prophet, Archbishop Oscar Romero, reminded the world that there is one rule we can use if God is near or far away from us: the measure of our concern for the poor. Those who have concern fore the lowest and least ones know the God who is close at hand. What we do to the poor we do to God. The way we look at them is the way we look at God. The crowds today ask John the Baptist, “What might we do?” John’s answers are customized to the particular circumstances of the questioners. In a sense John is saying bloom where you are planted. Bear the good fruit of loving and caring for others within your local circumstance. May we hear and respond to the challenge of finding God in our midst.

Fr. Bob Hawkins - DECEMBER 16, 2006

We are Called - DECEMBER 9, 2006

As I write these reflections on Sunday afternoon I have just come in from the Advent wreath workshop in the Church hall. What a joy it was to see over 50 families making Advent wreaths. The family is the Church in miniature. Our goal at St. Luke’s is to strengthen our parish by strengthening family life. It is important to especially pass on seasonal customs that can foster Catholic identity. A big thank you to Kim Andsager and Victoria Sever who organized the event with other members of the young mother’s group.

This weekend members of our parish’s finance committee will give the annual report. I believe we have been wise stewards of the treasure shared with the parish. Financial donations provide us with the resources needed to develop ministries here at St. Luke’s.

During the Advent season we are called to be mindful of the needy. Here is a reflection from the Office of Community Services and Advocacy here in our Diocese:

“As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, let us remember all the children who are born to us somewhere in the world every day who suffer from poverty, hunger, and disease, who are our sisters and brothers, who are the least among us, whom Jesus taught us to love.

Christ was born into a marginalized community, a child whose family had no voice in the economic and political structures of that time and place. Advent can be a time to reflect on this fact and on the ‘option for the poor’, which is so central to Catholic teaching.

Where do we hear the voices of the poor and marginalized today, the victims of global economic forces that can inflict terrible suffering? Can we accept the challenge to spend at least part of our Christmas preparation time considering the plight of those in poverty in the contemporary world?

Are we willing to look more deeply into the plight of the poor, or do we dismiss them by giving a few ‘holiday’ donations and then turning back to our exclusive communities to ‘celebrate’ Christmas?

How can we authentically celebrate Jesus’ birth by listening to and welcoming those outside of our usual communities? How can we grow in understanding about the structures that must be TRANSFORMED, as Catholic teaching declares, to bring justice to those?”

Fr. Bob Hawkins - DECEMBER 9, 2006

A new Liturgical Year - DECEMBER 2, 2006

This week we celebrate the beginning of the liturgical year. We begin as always with Advent where we both celebrate Christ’s birth and anticipate the second coming. This powerful season celebrates a truth about God. We believe that through the revelation of God in human and divine infant, all of creation is reconciled to God. The words of the Advent hymn “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” speak our story. We long for ransom from the shackles that bind us to certain ways of living. We long to be saved as a community and a nation from oppression and the lure of cultural seductions that place us in exile from God’s love and friendship.
During Advent we offer many opportunities to live our faith. Giving Tree donations, toy drives, Advent visits to homes, the Sacrament of Penance, the Cantata on December 18 are just some of the events we offer for us to prepare the way of the Lord in our lives. Notice the richness of God’s word during this season. I end with one of my favorite biblical quotes, “The Lord, your God is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness and revere you in His love.” (Zephaniah 1, 5)

Fr. Bob Hawkins - DECEMBER 2, 2006