• Fr. Jeffrey R. Keyes
    • Psalms
    • Catechism Quizes
    • The Roman Catholic Priesthood
  • Blog
  • CV
  • St. Gaspar Del Bufalo
Omnia Christus est Nobis

The Year in Review 2015

12/14/2015

4 Comments

 

January

Picture
Walk for Life

February

Picture
Prepare for Ash Wednesday

March

Picture
Parish Lenten Mission  with Fr. Brian Mullady, OP

April

Picture
Preaching, Holy Thursday

May

Picture
First Holy Communion

June

Picture
Highlight of Departure Dinners: Swans

July

August

September

October

November

December

2015: This has been a year like no other.

It was a year of triumph when we welcomed to St. Edward an array of gifted speakers, all designed to increase the faith formation of the parishioners and the many people who come to us from throughout the Diocese.  In January we featured Sr. Marie Paul Curley, FSP who is the author of “Soul of Christ.”  In March during an eventful second week of Lent, we welcomed Fr. Brian Mullady, OP, EWTN presenter, author and gifted Mission speaker. In May we welcomed Raymond Arroyo, EWTN host of the “World Over.” Many good people simply do not know their faith well enough.  We had a 20 week series from Symbolon with a series on knowing your faith and another series on the practice of faith.   I had parishioners tell me that they were surprised they knew so little of their faith and they were grateful for the series.

It was also a year of trial when lies and accusations ended a wonderful ministry at an amazing parish.  On March 5 I received a letter from my provincial removing me as Pastor.  He described me as a man of prayer, knowledgeable in Theology, who enjoys being a priest.  He said I was known as a good preacher with a strong emphasis on faith formation. He stated that I preside at liturgy with reverence and dignity and that I strive to be present to the people.  But he said that the liturgy was a source of contention and he criticized me for putting an end to Charismatic abuses of the Eucharist and the liturgy.  He said that I had worked hard to pay off the debt but that he doubts my administrative abilities.  He also said I refused to collaborate with the heterodox and the naysayers on “common goals,” in spite of the fact that I could never share their goals.

So, effective July 1, 2015, they removed me as Pastor and sent me on a yearlong sabbatical; and what a sabbatical it has been!

In July I attended the Church Music Association Colloquium in Pittsburgh, PA. Then I flew to Germany and took a little vacation in the Rheingau region visiting the monastery wineries.  From there I flew to Italy to attend the Roman Forum at Gardanone, Italy.  After that I went to Rome for two more weeks of vacation.  I ended July by taking a retreat at Silverstream Priory, Stamullen, Ireland.  In August I went to Oxford, England for a summer course in English Catholicism.   We began by studying recusant England after the Reformation and the story of Edmund Campion.  We toured priest holes, and walked the path of English Martyrs.  We had a marvelous presentation on the hidden beliefs and the coded politics of William Shakespeare and attended a performance of As You Like It at the Globe Theater in London. We visited the Tower of London and visited the tombs of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More and many other English Martyrs. We studied Tolkien and C.S. Lewis and visited sites associated with them.  We also spent time at the College of Littlemore and learned about the Conversion of Blessed John Henry Newman.  While at Oxford I enjoyed typical English lunches at the Eagle and the Child, a pub frequented by Tolkien, Lewis and others and which they affectionately referred to as the Bird and the Baby.
August ended with a short stay back in Germany, participation in a conference for the Royal Order of St. George, staying in an ancient Convent, then a whirlwind trip to Wyoming to visit Wyoming Catholic College and interview for the position of Chaplain.

From Wyoming I flew to Rome for a marvelous three months at The Institute for Continuing Theological Education at the Pontifical North American College.  Anything that begins with a retreat from the Preacher of the Papal Household and ends with a retreat given by the Papal Theologian is nothing short of topnotch. The tours and explanations by Dr. Elizabeth Lev were exceptional. We visited Assisi for a week long immersion in Christian Art and Spirituality. We also spent a week in Malta for an immersion in the experience of St. Paul. We did a week in the Theology of Preaching from Fr. Peter Cameron, and then several days in study of the Advent Scriptures from Fr. Craig Morrison from the Pontifical Biblical Institute.  We ended with a week of presentations on the New Evangelization from the Catholic Leadership Institute.  It was an incredibly rich experience.  The highlight of the experience for me was presiding at a sung liturgy at the Altar of the Borghese Chapel in the Basilica of St. Mary Major on the Feast of St. Gaspar.

November I flew back to Germany to spend Thanksgiving with Harry and Bev, true angels, both of them. For the first time in my life, I cooked the turkey and dressing. I celebrated Mass each day in a Medieval Church of St. Martin, and then after Thanksgiving, flew to New York to begin residence at St. Mary in Norwalk.

I will be here at least until March.  This place is just this side of heaven. Six Masses each Sunday, one of them Extraordinary Form, and two in Spanish; All Masses are ad orientem, facing the same direction as the congregation; Three priests are in cassock every day; it is everything I hoped to bring to my former home but was rejected, but now I am in a place where Catholic culture is embraced and celebrated.
​
        Once Jesus had the opportunity to comment on the horrible things happening in his time, a natural disaster and events fostered by Roman terrorists.  Our times are not much different. There Jesus challenged our interpretation of the events and pointed everything back to us and asked how we are changed.  Day by day we strive to be changed into what he is.  “That which he was, that he remains, being very God. That which he was not he has assumed because of his love for us.” That remains the essence of what we celebrate in this season.  Whatever changes or conversion we are called to, he is with us through them all.  May the feasts you celebrate in this season be a sign of the feast of the Kingdom to which he has called us.  You will all have a special place in Masses and prayers this Holy Season. Merry Christmas!
 
4 Comments
Lilly
12/16/2015 11:26:31 pm

Dear father I'm crying for us as we are trying to adjust to a new parish , this holidays are bittersweet for us , but sweet because you found a place where people are humble , devoted and willing to give to our lord , bitter because we miss all the good that you did and seeing our church crumble to pieces hurts , but nothing that we can do , just pray to our lord , he will take care of that in his own time. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR 2016 .

Reply
Jim Colvin
12/16/2015 11:54:39 pm

Hi Father Jeff. Thank you for keeping your recording archives of your past homilies. They are a treasure. We enjoyed getting to travel to Europe with you via your blog and look forward to hearing your future endeavors. Merry Christmas.
From
The Colvin family.

Reply
Eric & Leilani
12/19/2015 08:49:32 am

Hello Father Jeff,

We miss you Father Jeff and your faith formation class. If you ever come to CA again we will come to see you. We had no idea what you were going through at Saint Edward's. I wish there was something more that we could've done. You handled all of this with grace. We are sorry you had to deal with all of that. Please know that you did a lot of good for Saint Edward's. We hardly go there anymore because without you, it doesn't feel the same. The Church is not even decorated for Christmas. It looks sad. Also, our St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Milpitas, Pastor Fr. Richie Bueza, said he met you in Italy and learned a lot from you. We sometimes go to St. Edward's just to check if you're back, but when we find out from Father Jay that he doesn't know when you're coming back then we decide to go to St. John's in Milpitas and Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Santa Clara. You are the best teacher for non-Christians and Catholic Christians that are uneducated about their faith. Leilani and I, even our 15 year old son, Royce, love that and miss that about you. Especially me, because I used to be an atheist and was converted by my wife and you into Catholic that never wants to stop learning. I love being a Catechist and a RCIA teacher. Thank you for all the Godly knowledge you have taught me, my wife and our son. We will continue to keep in touch with you on this blog our whole lives. We will keep you updated with the charitable stuff and works of mercy that we do to help the poor, the CCD kids, the sick, and our evangelization of non-Christians in RCIA. Thank you again. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. From Eric, Leilani, and Royce.

Reply
John Kelleher
1/9/2016 08:53:11 pm

Coincidences are odd things. I was rereading Kipling the other night, to include my favorite of his: If... and you came to mind. I looked you up and, well, it seems like this past year has been an "If..." year for you. I'm pleased to see that your response has been to fill each unforgiving minute with sixty seconds' worth of distance run. (And don't forget the Rhein-Hesse vineyards on your next Deutschland trek. My old stomping grounds, so to speak.) Get in touch.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Omnia Christus Est Nobis

    Christ is everything for us!

    Picture

    Archives

    July 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012

    Categories

    All
    Daily Homily
    Holy Matrimony
    Priesthood
    St. Gaspar
    The Liturgy
    Travel

    RSS Feed

    Incoming Missal
    Explanation Coat of Arms
    Dinner with Fr. Keyes 2015
    The Women Speak
    An American Priest in Ireland
    Bringing the "Catholic" back.
    Burying the Alleluia
    Sacristy Art I
    ​
    Sacristy Art II
    ​
    Sacristy Art III
    Sacristy Art IV
    Sacristy Art V
    Sacristy Art VI

    Years in Review
    2015
    2016
    2017
    2018
    2019
    ​
    Decade in review
    ​2020

    Author

    I am a Roman Catholic Priest from California. I spent 13 wonderful years years as a member of the Province of the Pacific in the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. The outline of my life can be traced here. 

    Friend's Blogs

    Melissa and Andrew Steele
    ​
    Fr. John Hogan OCD
    Joan from Rome​
    Fr. Joseph Illo