St. Joseph Catholic Church

511 North Memorial Drive, Prattville, Alabama
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Ask Father McKenna
 
Submit your questions to Father McKenna, by dropping them in the designated box in the back of the church.  Thank you.

 
Q: Where did you grow up and how old were you when you decided to become a priest?
 
A: I grew up in Derry City, Northern Ireland, and as a small boy my sisters had a magazine distributorship that detailed the lives of Catholic Missionary priests.  In particular, the Irish Columban priests, who went to China and the Kiltegan Fathers, who went to Africa.  Their stories, along with my local parish priests, influenced me to always want to be a priest.
 
 
 
 
 
 
A: If you remember, what inspired me to become a priest were the magazines that my sister sold.  The orders represented were all missionary orders, and I wanted to be a missionary.  I wanted to go to China or Africa, but none of those places needed more missionaries, so when I was offered Mobile, Alabama, which to me was a far away place, I accepted.  I came to Mobile 46 years ago.
 
Q: Where did you go to College and Seminary?
 
 
Q: What do you miss most about Ireland?
 
 
Q: When is your birthday?
 
 
Q: How does the Church come up with the organizational structure that we have today?
 
A: It goes back to Christ Himself.  He chose twelve apostles and gave them authority: "whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven", and He sent them to teach.  The College of Bishops share that apostolic authority to this present day.  
 
We believe St. Peter was given the supreme power with the symbol of the Keys after his profession of faith.  He most certainly was the leader of the apostles.  He died as Bishop of Rome and since then, whoever is elected Bishop of Rome, becomes Pope with St. Peter's authority. 
 
About the year 49 A.D., St. Peter and the church leaders gathered in Jerusalem to deal with the problem of circumcision.  Their response was written in Acts as coming from "we and the Holy Spirit", giving us the basis of authority of Ecumenical Councils, such as Vatican II (1962 - 1965). 
 
Christian communities were formed in towns and villages where presbyters (priests) were chosen to lead and given authority by the apostles with the laying on of hands.  This was the beginning of our parish communities led by priests.  Though changes have taken place, these are still the basic elements of the organizational structure of our church today. 
 
Q: Why don't we use the bells during Mass any more?
 
A: Bells were used to call people to church especially when they didn't have clocks.  As church buildings got bigger and large pillars were built, especially in Europe, as many as two-thirds of the congregation couldn't see the altar nor hear the priest, who spoke in Latin.  There were no microphones, so bells were rung to advise the people that something important was happening at that part of the Mass.  Now churches are built where people can see the altar, where the priest faces the people, speaks in the vernacular and is heard more easily through a sound system.  Thus the need for bells is no longer a necessity.
 
Furthermore, magicians use music and other distractions to highlight their magic.  The Eucharist is not magic but miraculous. So that we may concentrate on the words and miracle of consecration, the possible distraction of bells is more often left out, lest the wonder of the Eucharist be confused with magic.
 
 
A: No!  Episcopalians do not receive communion with us except under very special circumstances.  We consider ourselves to be in communon through baptism with the different denominations in varying degrees according to our doctrinal, moral, and liturgical teachings and standards.  The Episcopal church comes close to us, and so we share a lot in common.  However, the Eucharist is the sacrament where we celebrate "full communion" in our Catholic faith.  Many Episcopalians do not believe in the Eucharist as we do, although some do.  The Eucharist means so much to us as Catholics that it is reserved for those who celebrate "full communion" in our Catholic faith. 
 
 
A: Children's envelopes were available on request at one time.  However, I've been told they were seldom used and are no longer in stock at the church.  We will send for more of them ... just let us know in the office if you are interested. 
 
 
A: Often churches argue that any act of religion should be an act of faith.  We actually agree.  In the case of infants, we anticipate that faith in children and their values comes from their parents, including moral, religious and faith values.  We only baptize children when we receive a commitment from the parents to share those values in a Christian home with their children. Those values are later confirmed in the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist, and even later, Confirmation. In fact, baptism has been a tradition of the Church from the first centuries of Christianity. When Christ spoke of being born again of water and the Spirit (John 3), we believe that just as a mother gives birth to her child (human life), God gives a new birth in baptism (Divine Life). We believe both are related and thus our performance of infant baptism.

Furthermore, water is a strong symbol of cleansing - cleansing from SIN.  An infant may not be capable of personal sin, but it is born into a sinful world and from the beginning we protect our children from evil - the consequences of sin. Christ came to save us from sin and its consequences. Even our infants can only be saved by Christ, and the cleansing waters of baptism wash away sin and its consequences. We often refer to those consequences as Original Sin.
 
Q: When and why did the Church change the reference from Holy Ghost to Holy Spirit?
 
A: If I remember correctly, the change took place with the Second Vatican Council.   The change took place because the term "Ghost" - probably through the prevalence of "ghost stories" and "ghost movies" - failed to construe correctly, and in depth, the profound meaning of the Spirit of God.  The Spirit of God is much more sacred and holy than the popular concept of "Ghost" in the world today. 
 
Q: Please tell me why we don't recite the Penitential Rite lately?  I've been in other Catholic Churches and they do. 
 
A: There is always a Penitential Rite.  We have been using the one on Sundays that has been adopted to the liturgical theme of that particular Sunday.
 
Q: Is there a significant reason why Catholics should be buried in Catholic Cemeteries as opposed to non-catholic or non-denominational cemeteries? 
 
A: Catholic Cemeteries were traditionally built around the parish church and as such were on Consecrated ground.  I presume that this was an expression of our doctrine of the Communion of Saints - the worshipping community remembering in prayer those who have gone before us.  As Catholic cememteries were for various reasons separated from the church building, the ground was consecrated as before.  Some secular cemeteries have sections consecrated as Catholic sections.  However, each Catholic burial service has a blessing for the grave included.  I know of no church rule that says that Catholics have to be buried in Catholic Cemeteries.
 
Q: Is there some rule that determines how the casket faces in the church for the funeral mass, and is it different for the clergy? 
 
A: After much research, it's not so much a "rule" as a tradition that the caskets of lay people are placed with feet towards the altar, while clergy have their head towards the altar.  The tradition is so old that we are not sure why it is that way, but we think it is because the laity celebrated the liturgy facing the altar from the pews, while the clergy were at the altar celebrating. 
 
Q: If you are preparing for marriage, do you have to have the ceremony in the church, or can you have it at a private home, etc., with the priest presiding? 
 
A: It is recommended that all our sacraments be celebrated in a church recognizing that divine institution.  But in the case of marriage, where there is today such a conflict between marriage as a civil institution or a divine instituion, it is required that marriage take place in a church, giving a clearer recognition of God as its author, and not just having a priest bless a civil ceremony outside a church.   
 
Q: Do you have to go to reconciliation before taking part in communion? 
 
A: Reconciliation is necessary only when there is a serious sin.  Even then, if there is a strong desire to receive communion and no opportunity to confess before the service, a good act of contrition is required with a firm commitment to go to confession at the earliest opportunity.
 
Q: Why do you call the priest "Father"? 
 
A: God is our Father.  He created us and He watches over us, protects us, and provides for our needs.  A father in a home not only brings children into the world but he protects and provides for their needs.  In other words, he reflects the fatherhood of God.  So, too, a priest provides for the spiritual needs of God's children and in so doing reflects the fatherhood of God.  In that sense, he's called father.  However, God is the father of all.
 
Q: What is the normative posture for receiving Holy Communion at Mass? 
 
A: In the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, which received a
Recognitio on 3/17/03, it is stated: "that a common posture to be observed by all participants, is a sign of the unity of the Christian community gathered for the sacred liturgy".  The norm for reception of Holy Communion in the dioceses of the United States is standing.  In order to observe the common posture provided by the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, Catholics in the USA should stand to receive Holy Communion.  Pastors need to be attentive in explaining this to their parishioners.  Should an individual choose to kneel, that individual is not to be denied Holy Communion.  In such a case, the pastor should make a sincere effort to explain to that individual the catechesis for standing to receive Holy Communion and the clear provision in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal, that the members of the community of faith should observe the common posture as a sign of the unity of the members of the Christian community.   
 
-Most Reverend Thomas J. Rodi
 
Q: Do the clergy of the Archdiocese have a liturgical/pastoral obligation to begin instructing the laity not to hold hands during the Lord's Prayer? 
 
A: The General Instruction of the Roman Missal provides that priests are to extend their hands during the praying of the Our Father.  It is silent in regard to the posture of the members of the congregation.  Since the General Instruction of the Roman Missal does not describe the appropriate posture of the congregation during the praying of the Our Father, and since the Vatican has not addressed this matter, it would be best if I neither encourage nor prohibit the holding of hands at Mass during the praying of the Our Father. 
 
-Most Reverend Thomas J. Rodi
 
Q: The Bible mentions that Jesus has brothers.  Did Mary have other children?  If so, how can she be the "Immaculate Virgin"? 
 
A: First of all, when we refer to the "Immaculate Conception",
we refer not to the birth of Jesus, but to Mary's birth.  That is, Mary was conceived "Immaculate", which means free from sin, even Original Sin.  She, who was chosen to be the mother of God's son, was never under the power of sin.  The grace of Christ's salvation was granted to Mary retrospectively to her conception.  We deduce this from the greeting of the Angel to Mary before Christ was conceived, "Hail, full of Grace, the Lord is with you".  Mary already had the fulllness of God's grace - she was immaculate.
 
Although the gospel (Mark 6:3) speaks of Christ's brothers and sisters, we believe that it does not refer to Mary's children.  The wider sense of family was accepted among the Israelite people.  In other words, cousins of various degrees were considered to belong to a family or descendents of a common ancestor.  Even in Latin countries today, a first cousin is referred to as "primo hermano", which translated literally says "cousin brother".
 
 
January 1st is actually called "Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God" and has been a major feast day since the early church, and as such, a Holy Day of Obligation.  Holy Days are designated by the Universal Church with the authority vested in the Pope.  The number of Holy Days of Obligation has been reduced over the years.  Some, because of conflicting dates, have been abrogated during a particular year, because of another major celebration.  Some are now celebrated on the nearest Sunday, e.g., the Ascension.
 
 
At the Jewish Passover Supper, there were two Ritual Cups of wine shared by those present - one early in the meal and one later.  Only Luke mentions these two cups.  It was the second cup of wine that was consecrated into the Blood of Christ, which took place after the consecration of the Bread.  See Luke 22:17 and 20.
 
Q: Why is it called "Ordinary Time" when I find my Sundays after Christmas and Easter not ordinary at all but very sacred?
 
A: This is more of a liturgical term.  We look on special events such as the birth (Advent and Christmas), passion and death (Lent and Holy Week), Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and Pentecost (Easter) as being special times.  In the unfolding of the Church's liturgical year, what is celebrated between these special events is called ordinary time.  This time is on "ordinary" in relationship with the "specialness" of the above events.  For liturgical purposes, there are celebrations that are permitted during "ordinary time" that are prohibited or discouraged during some special seasons.  All Sundays during the year are solemnities even during "ordinary" time.
 
Q: If I go to confession and confess my sins, why do I still feel guilty & cannot accept God's deep love and forgiveness for me?
 
A: One of the most difficult exercises of the Commandment of Love is forgiving or even being forgiven.  The more seriously we've been hurt, the more difficult it is to forgive.  This also leads to  doubting the seriousness of the one forgiving.  Forgiveness among humans is often seen as superficial.
 
If we have doubts of the human capacity to forgive, that can easily lead to a doubt about God's forgiveness of us.  Only a deep conviction of faith in God's goodness, love and mercy can counteract such doubt.  Faith in Christ - His life, Teaching and Sacrifice - is the answer.
 
Scrupulosity can also contribute to doubt in the mercy and forgiveness of God. 
 
Q: Can a Non-Catholic spouse have a Catholic Mass/funeral?
 
A: I have often performed funeral services for Non-Catholics, but usually at the funeral home or graveside.  We can offer Mass for the Happy Repose of the Soul of one who is not Catholic, but usually it is apart from the funeral service and is a celebration of faith of the Catholic party.
 
Q: Can a baptized/confirmed Catholic marry a baptized Catholic that was never confirmed?
 
A: I haven't seen anything that says they cannot marry.  However, I have been aware that some pastors require the fullness of the sacraments - Baptism Penance, Eucharist andConfirmation - for the celelbration of a wedding between two Catholics. 
 
Q: What is meant by the 3rd Heaven?  Ref. 2 Corinthians 12:2; Romans 16:7; Acts 22:17. 
 
A: There are three levels of spirituality or levels of spiritual relationship with God.  Most of us never pass the first level.  I know I haven't.  Some of the great contemplatives (saints) have experienced the higher levels.  St. Paul and St. Peter both testify to the experience in scripture.  Many who dedicate their lives to monastic, contemplative life have written of the experience.  I met a young man who was in solitary confinement in prison for many years.  He told me that to keep himself sane he adopted a contemplative daily prayer life.  He spoke to me of a higher level of spirituality that he experienced, which is often referred to as the second or third heaven.