The Most Important Thing I Have Written

Why I am walking away from social media and my smart phone cold turkey:

In 2009, when I was ordained, I despised blogs and Facebook.  But in 2010, in his address for the World Day of Communications, Pope Benedict specifically asked priests to use blogs and social media to help spread the Gospel.  He warned about the dangers, but said at the time that it was his belief that technology/social media are “morally neutral” (meaning it depends entirely on how it is used).

 

So I dove in.  I didn’t expect anyone to care about what I had to say, nor did I care if anyone liked what I had to say.  But I almost immediately saw the power of social media.  Just a few years later, I was flying to New Zealand to address a Eucharistic Congress there about how to use technology in Evangelization.

 

However, in 2015, in his encyclical Laudato Si, quoting Romano Guardini about the inherent dangers of technology, Pope Francis wrote the following: “We have to accept that technological products are not neutral, for they create a framework which ends up conditioning lifestyles and shaping social possibilities along the lines dictated by the interests of certain powerful groups…Technology tends to absorb everything into its ironclad logic, and those who are surrounded with technology “know full well that it moves forward in the final analysis neither for profit nor for the well-being of the human race”, that “in the most radical sense of the term power is its motive – a lordship over all” (Laudato Si, 107-108)

 

So, which Pope was right?  I believe at the time Pope Benedict was asking priests to get involved, there was not evidence about the effect that social media and smart phones have on people because smart phones were just starting to become wide-spread.  2010 was the first year the majority of teens had a smart phone (55%).  By 2015 though, when "Laudato Si" was written, evidence was already indicating a terrifying annual growth in teen suicide rates.  Looking at yearly teen suicide rates, after a fairly consistent level through the 90’s and 2000’s, it jumps up in 2010 and increases sharply up through our own day.  So I think both popes were right.

 

I have discerned that it is best for me to just walk away both from social media and my smartphone cold-turkey.  I am doing this for several reasons.

1) Despite NOT being formed in the era of social media (thanks be to God) I still found, over time, it changing me in subtle ways.  I knew, despite all my efforts to spiritually avoid it, that, over time, I became aware of what topics were more likely to spread around than others, and it was changing me, over the course of years, into someone I didn’t want to be.

2) I think it is wrong, at least for me, to draw people to social media (Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Parler, Instagram, Gab, MeWe, Snapchat and on and on), and that it does real damage to them.  The whole playing field is slanted, not against a particular political party or ideology, but slanted against REALITY!  That was what Guardini so wisely forecasted already in 1950, and we see that playing out in our own day.  Catholicism is meant to be LIVED in real community, and that is how it spreads.  It is one thing to spend some time online learning about Catholicism, it is another thing entirely to try to live Catholicism on social media.  I believe that it can’t truly be lived, long term, online.  And if I have given that impression and drawn people away from real community, I apologize.

3) I also realize I have covered every topic out there.  I have taught EIGHT SEMESTERS of classes online for our high school religious ed program.  I have preached on every topic under the sun in my 11 years as a priest doing online evangelization.  I have gotten lots of letters and emails through the years thanking me for a homily or video that awakened in someone a call to join the Catholic Church.  I am leaving my Facebook page, Twitter page and Youtube channel up in case anyone still wants to share those or revisit them.

4) In a war, I see why the troops in the trenches need to regularly rotate off of the frontlines.  Battle fatigue is a real thing, and it is hard, day after day, to see all the evils in the world and to feel like you have to combat them all.  I have realized that after 11 years in the trenches, I need a break.  There are still lots of troops in the trenches who are continuing to do heroic work online. 

 

It isn’t like this snuck up on me.  I’ve been aware of this change taking place over time, and, in discussing this with brother priests through the years, have expressed that I know this is happening but that I consider it a cross that comes with the territory – a sort of thing to be endured.  And I’ve carried this around for 10 years but consider it time to step aside.

5) I want to recommit to my parishioners.  I don’t think I was as present to my parishioners as I could have been.  It was also easy to blame the fact that I have 2 different parishes 30 minutes apart, and so it was easy to use that as a crutch.  But I think I can be more present to my parishioners and to the poor in our communities vs. spending what amounted to several hours a day in online evangelization.

 

And on my walking away from my smartphone:

The most widely-read thing I’ve ever written was in 2017: “7 Reasons Why Your Smartphone is Like Bilbo’s Ring” (click here to read: https://on-this-rock.blogspot.com/2017/04/7-reasons-why-your-smartphone-is-bilbos.html)  and I am only now understanding its appeal – it was and is becoming even more true.  There is a line by a priestly figure Gandalf when Frodo tries to give him the ring at the very beginning of the movie: Gandalf begs, distraught: “Don't tempt me Frodo! I dare not take it. Not even to keep it safe. Understand Frodo, I would use this Ring from a desire to do good. But through me, it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine."

 

I am not sure if there is a person who can wield a smartphone responsibly.  For my part, I have resolved to step up to the edge of the Fires of Mount Doom, and throw my phone in forever. 

 

I have ordered a new “dumb phone” from charity mobile.  They actually give 5% of their profits to any pro-life organization on their list.  The Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ “Office of Pro-Life Ministry” was on there so I selected them to receive a percentage of my monthly bill. 

 

I invite you to prayerfully consider throwing your smartphone and social media into the fire as well.  And to go out and meet your neighbor (according to COVID regulations).

 

I will continue to post the “Read the Bible in a Year” Podcast on Podbean and my blog until that finishes around Easter.

 

Also, when I return to my parishes around the beginning of June, I plan to preach on this under the title “My Last Homily Online” and will post that everywhere available to me so as to try to reach as many people as possible with my rationale for why I am logging off.

 

In conclusion, we just celebrated the Baptism of the Lord to bring our Christmas Season to a conclusion.  There, Saint John the Baptist (for whom I am named) says “Christ must increase, I must decrease.”  Those, as much as possible, are my own words now as well.  “Christ must increase, I must decrease.”

 

I have lived in Brazil and Greencastle for the past 8 years; I look forward to meeting my neighbors when I return to my parishes this Summer.

Why the Genealogy of Jesus?

 

Christmas During Covid

The importance of Christ coming in human form is something that we are particularly aware of during this Covid lockdown Episode 4 of “A Priest on a Medical Leave of Absence because of Chemo” Podcast

-- Father John Hollowell Fatherjohnhollowell Thursday, December 24, 2020

Episode 4 of "A Catholic Priest on Medical Leave because of Chemo" Podcast

"Catholicism and Social Media in 2020"

“Priest on Medical Leave because of Chemo” Podcast, episode 3: social media and Catholicism in 2020

-- Father John Hollowell Fatherjohnhollowell Wednesday, December 9, 2020

Message for the day after the Election

I was ordained in 2009 and had Mass regularly for President Obama 

I've spent the last 4 years having a regular Mass for President Trump

Whoever ultimately wins this year I will regularly have Mass and pray for them

This isn't saying that we don't fight it out with every thing that we have in the political realm, but it is saying that when the dust settles and a winner is determined, we will regularly pray for him and all our elected representatives!

Marriage Prep

My body, my choice?

 

12 Years a Deacon!

 12 Years ago at St. Meinrad Archabbey, on September 25th, 2008, Archbishop Daniel Buechlein ordained me to the diaconate.

He said, from the Rite of Ordination: 

"Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practise what you teach."  and later "May God, who has begun this good work in you, bring it to fulfillment!"

MUST SEE! Aramaic Chant of Psalm 51

This was mistitled as being "The Our Father" when in reality it is Psalm 51.  MUST LISTEN!

Amazing that this Psalm is also the one sung in Latin by Allegri, titled "Miserere Mei, Deus", also stunningly beautiful in its own right.

God is in control!

 

Have No Anxiety!

 

Sins of Omission

Homily: "Catholic Church as Cultural Critic"

The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail Against the Church - what that means and does NOT mean

Homily: Isaiah prophesies the Catholic Church

Homily: God's Appearance

One of my top 5 favorite Scripture passages is today’s first reading. 

God not in the wind, not in the Earthquake, not in the fire…

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak.

 

Do we want God to be loud?  Do we want God to be earthquakes and fire and wind?

Certainly that is how his appearance is described throughout the Old Testament, most notably on Sinai.  Thunder, wind, earthquakes and fire.  What is going on there?  I have no doubt that there was fire, thunder, terror, fear, earthquakes, smoke etc. 

 

So how is it that God is a whisper?

I think we can safely say that what is happening is perfection coming into contact with sin.

God is perfect, unchanging…. He never left us in the sense that He is always sustaining everything that exists, always in every moment willing the existence, but also He can be said to have left in the sense that He’s not present in the world of the Old Testament in the way that He was in the Garden.

and so when He comes back into the story of humanity…that is an epic clash that produces thunder, smoke, earthquakes, lightning, etc.

one analogy: An asteroid travels silently through space, but when it hits the Earth’s atmosphere, there is fire, smoke, thunder and potentially earthquakes and explosions if it makes it to the Earth’s surface.  So is God when he appears in our world.

Or, to use another analogy, just as two opposites air masses colliding can create a thunderstorm so it is when the perfect God encounters the brokenness and sin of humanity.

So although there is smoke and fire and lightning, that is a result of perfection coming back into our atmosphere.  Those things are effects of God drawing near, but God is not in those fireworks.

 

We know that God ultimately has the plan of being able to be in our presence without the accompanying pyrotechnics.  He ultimately takes on human flesh, thus he’s able to walk about and be in our midst in a way that doesn’t produce the accompanying effects that we see in the Old Testament.  God “hides” his glory in human flesh. 

In conclusion, Christ is stillness.  He is peace.  He is rest for the weary.  Let us seek refuge in Him away from the pyrotechnics of our world on a daily basis.

Homily: on being back in the parishes after a recent surgery

Margaret Sanger vs. Frederick Douglass

Racism, Margaret Sanger, Riots, Planned Parenthood, etc.

Saint Paul: “We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now; and we also groan within ourselves as we wait for the redemption of our bodies.”

Translation: We are waiting on Christ’s return, and the world is in turmoil until what we are waiting for happens, when Christ returns at the end of time.

In this homily, I hope to establish 3 things.

1) The Catholic Church could not speak more strongly against racism

2) I want to talk about a racist antiimmigrant who has miraculously escaped mainstream scrutiny for 100 years.

3) And then in conclusion I want to note that a saint has noted that as long as abortion is legal, we can’t expect anything other than violence and turmoil

1) In our own day, lots of people are rightly upset about racism.  The Catholic Church has ALWAYS been against racism, and can’t say it more strongly.  We’ve been against it since the first chapter of Genesis, since God said we are all made in God’s image and likeness

A sampling of teachings through the centuries: since all people have the same dignity as creatures made in his image and likeness…Since something of the glory of God shines on the face of every person, the dignity of every person before God is the basis of the dignity of persons before other persons. Moreover, this is the ultimate foundation of the radical equality and brotherhood among all people, regardless of their race, nation, sex, origin, culture, or class.

Elsewhere (just 2 of thousands of places) “For those who live a new life in Christ, racial and cultural differences are no longer causes of division”

Has every Catholic lived that belief perfectly – absolutely not.  Some today are pointing to the sins of the past, of the Church, Christianity, etc. and we own all of that.  But Catholicism should not be judged by the people who don’t live the faith out.  Hitler, and Mussolini were baptized Catholics.  Yet no one judges Catholicism by those two.

2) So, as we have riots going on around the country about racism, I’d like to talk about the racism of seemingly the one person who has not been targeted: Margaret Sanger who would eventually become the founder of Planned Parenthood.  I’d like to give you a few quotes than because this is probably the most under-reported story of the last 100 years, and I want you to ask “why are we not hearing about these things”

You don’t have to go back through decades of obscure tweets, rereading with a fine tooth comb old social media posts.  These are all in her short, accessible, writings.

In a letter to Dr. C.J. Gamble “We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.”

In a letter concerning the Negro Project she founded in 1939 we read: “The project would hire three or four ‘colored Ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities’ to travel throughout the South and propagandize for birth control, since ‘the most successful educational approach to the Negro is through religious appeal.’ . 

Sanger spoke at a Ku Klux Klan rally in 1926 in Silver Lake, New Jersey. Following the invitation, Sanger describes her elation after receiving multiple speaking requests from white supremacy groups. She writes of the experience on page 366 of her book, An Autobiography:

“I accepted an invitation to talk to the women’s branch of the Ku Klux Klan … I saw through the door dim figures parading with banners and illuminated crosses … I was escorted to the platform, was introduced, and began to speak … In the end, through simple illustrations I believed I had accomplished my purpose. A dozen invitations to speak to similar groups were proffered.”

Do we have a documented case of someone proud to have spoken at a Klan rally who still has streets and awards named after her, and statues still standing?  We have statues being pulled down of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln, but Sanger’s legacy has remained unquestioned for the past 100 years?  How is that possible?

A sampling of her statements on immigrants:

“There were 1.6 million illiterate foreigners in the United States when the 1910 Census was taken.  Do these elements give promise of a better race?  Are we doing anything genuinely constructive to overcome the situation?”         Women and the New Race

“These foreigners who have come in hordes have brought with them their ignorance of hygiene and modern ways of living and that they are handicapped by religious superstitions is only too true”  Women and the New Race

“Civilized nations are penalizing talent and genius, to coddle and perpetuate the choking human undergrowth, which, as all authorities tell us, is escaping control and threatens to overrun the whole garden of humanity.”  Pivot of Civilization

“We are paying for, and even submitting to, the dictates of an ever-increasing, unceasingly spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all.”

She uses “feeble minded” seemingly 2,000 times.  It is chilling.  She means, one can assume, all those not as smart as her, those suffering mental illness and she makes the case, over and over again, that “the feeble minded are notoriously prolific in reproduction.”

She also was supportive of, get this, the FORCED STERILIZATION of these human persons:

“The emergency problem of segregation and sterilization must be faced immediately.  Every feeble minded girl or woman of the hereditary type, especially of the moron class, should be segregated during the reproductive period.  Otherwise, she is almost certain to bear imbecile children, who in turn are just as certain to breed other defectives.  The male defectives are no less dangerous….we prefer the policy of immediate sterilization, of making sure that parenthood is absolutely prohibited to the feeble minded…”

She wrote into the charter of the American Birth Control League “Sterilization of the insane and feebleminded and the encouragement of this operation upon those afflicted with inherited or transmissible diseases”

“The grosser, the more obvious, the undeniably feeble minded should, indeed, not only be discouraged BUT PREVENTED from propagating their kind.”  Pivot of Civilization

And she was for purifying the white race:

“Birth control itself, often denounced as a violation of natural law, is nothing more or less than the facilitation of the process of weeding out the unfit, of preventing the birth of defectives or of those who will become defectives”  Women and the New Race

“Every detail of this sordid situation means a problem must be solved before we can ever clear the way for a greater race in America”

“The mating of a moron with a person of sound stock may gradually disseminate this trait far and wide until it undermines the vigor and efficacy of an entire nation and an entire race.”  Pivot of Civilization

All this just to establish that for one hundred years, the work of Margaret Sanger has avoided scrutiny by people otherwise (and thankfully) looking to uproot any one who has said anything hinting at racism.  A person who spoke at a Klan Rally, was completely focused on rooting out immigrants, and was for a purification of the white race and forced sterilization of people with mental illness…how has she survived scrutiny?

And even SHE HATED ABORTION.  In fact, it seems, from a Catholic perspective, to be the one thing Margaret Sanger got right.

She said: “I assert that the hundreds of thousands of abortions performed in America each year is a disgrace to civilization” Women and the New Race

Planned Parenthood, founded by Margaret Sanger to AVOID abortions, is now the largest abortion provider in our country

Dr. Alveda King, niece of Doctor Martin Luther King Jr., remarked on the error of Planned Parenthood’s abortion-on-demand corporate ideology:

“The most obvious practitioner of racism in the United States today is Planned Parenthood, an organization founded by the eugenicist Margaret Sanger.”

Saint Mother Teresa knew that if a mother could kill her child in the womb, then anyone could do anything imaginable to any other person. 

As long as abortion is allowed, this violence and upheaval that we see is the culmination of 50 years of legalized abortion

Contraception championed by Margaret Sanger has undeniably resulted in an absolute implosion of the family.  And abortion, following in contraception’s wake, has resulted in an absolutely hardened, cold, and cruel world wherever it is practiced. 

At the beginning of the Book of Deuteronomy, God tells Moses the Israelites will be given the authority to wipe out the people living in the Promised Land because the occupants of the land at the time did two things:

1)   Worship false gods

2)  Sacrifice their children to these false gods

In a moment, toward the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, I will say “May this Sacrifice of our reconciliation, we pray, O Lord, advance the peace and salvation of ALL the world.”

Sacrificing children to other gods has never worked, but has only brought destruction on people.  This is the only sacrifice, the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, that can ever bring peace to our broken world.  Thanks be to God for the opportunity to join ourselves to this Sacrifice while we groan in labor pains for the redemption of our bodies and the return of Christ.

The Real Presence