After two consecutive 11-page Communio’s, we fall back to a more manageable page length this issue. It’s been a busy couple of weeks for me, so this is a welcome break. Note that our next issue is Aug. 3 with a deadline of July 27.

Important news: The Somali refugee family is now expected on July 3. Many needs have been met, but there are still a few opportunities left to contribute to this effort. They will need a couple of box window fans. And sSee the Community Newsletter preceding Communio for more details.

I still could use more reprinted articles that I can hold for future issues. But I’d like to encourage everyone to look toward sources that are not readily available to the readers of Communio. To be more specific, I personally would prefer not to reprint items from the Universe Bulletin or Plain Dealer, although I will use these when presented to me. There isare a multitude of publications in this world. Let’s hear some different voices.

Congratulations and good luck to our new Council leadership. Kay Vine is now President and Terry Hayes is the new Vice President. Please keep both of them in your prayers. Thanks to John Lucic for writing up the Council Meeting Highlights and getting them to me so soon after the meeting last Sunday.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer.

Checking my messages on an Internet news group, I came across the saddest note. Writing to a group concerned about abuse of clergy, a clergyman recounted comments made to him the previous Sunday after church.

Two blasted his sermon, one made a snide comment, one jabbed him for leaving a wedding early, and one said he should "watch his back" because a recent visiting priest made him look inadequate.

Clergy hear many such comments and worse. So do the lay leaders who expose themselves to abuse by running religious education programs, chairing events, planning new facilities and raising money. Many can imagine this pastor’s knotted stomach and bewilderment.

Abuse of leaders is rampant, of course. Ask anyone who has served on a school board or run for office what it’s like to be a public servant.

But abuse of religious leaders springs from a unique sickness, which is not only making their lives miserable —-- causing burnout, early retirements and declining seminary enrollments —-- but is holding congregations back. It’s not just rudeness, to which we could respond by offering instruction in basic civility. It is warfare between self and God.

Many have decided to trivialize God (thereby disempowering him) by making God’s faith communities a consumer transaction, in which some are shoppers (and therefore always right) and a few are providers (and therefore not to be trusted, as in "caveat emptor.") They come to church or synagogue to get their self-defined needs met. And they fight, as only a righteously indignant shopper can fight for their "right" to satisfaction.

While congregations need to be responsive to members, that doesn’t excuse or exalt a consumer mentality. It is an illusion to think that God wants us to be happy shoppers. God’s desires for us is far deeper. We have been "called in righteousness" not to be ecclesiastical shoppers or to keep ecclesiastical shopkeepers in line, but to be a "covenant to the people, a light to the nations," to liberate the captives.

Faith communities aren’t in business to please people but to transform them. And that, of course, is the problem. We want the benefits of faith without the cost. We want accepting, friendly communities; we want assurances that we are loved and forgiven; we want to be fed. But we resist the demands.

We resist, I think, because we sense deep down that the cost of faith is more than financial contributions or active participation. We would like faith to be that easy. I think that’s why we give so much to churches, hoping it will be enough. But the cost of faith is loss of control. The cost of faith is loss of life as we have known it. The cost of faith is repentance.

So we insist upon being pleased. That puts us in charge, not God, and it puts the burden on service providers to change their behavior. We take surveys, monitor rumor mills, harvest discontent and use lay leaders as an indirect way to corral the clerics. We withhold our financial support, change congregations when displeased, write angry letters and figure it’s our right to use any public setting for complaining.

Tough luck for churches, some might say. But this trivialization of God carries over into everything we do. Education, for example, ceases to be about learning and focuses instead on pleasing parents (demonstrable results), pleasing children (entertaining) and pleasing future employers (useful skills). Neighborhood ceases to be about community, mutual support and shared responsibilities, and focuses instead on status and resale value. Democratic politics ceases to be about shared decision-making, and focuses instead on getting one’s ears tickled by soothing poll-scanners. Marriage ceases to be about sacrifice and forming a new creation, and focuses instead on getting one’s needs met.

We like to say these are leadership problems, and if we just had wiser, better trained, more team-centered and inclusive leaders, all would be well. Frankly, I don’t think leaders are the problem. We are.

When we stop behaving like consumers and spoiled children, our religious congregations will get healthier. And so will our schools, our politics and our homes.

Lord, we have heard your words and we have been astounded. We have pondered your marvels and we have fainted. As your Word descended, our hearts have been melted and our innermost being, trembling, has been laid bare to him... You poured out, O Father , the tenderness of your love upon us and you could no longer contain the multitude of your mercies. You shed light in the darkness, dew upon the dryness, and in the bitter frost you kindled a raging fire.

The judge is judged and is silent; the invisible is seen and is not confounded; the incomprehensible is grasped and is not indignant at it; the immeasurable is contained in a measure and makes no opposition; the impassable suffers and does not avenge its own injury; the immortal dies and complains not; the celestial is buried and bears it with an equal mind. What, I say, is this mystery? The creature is transfixed with amazement.

Council met on Sunday, June 22, 1997. After the main business, the outgoing Council members were dismissed and the new Council members went through a process of Discernment to determine leadership for the coming year. This process established Kay Vine as our new President and Terry Hayes as Vice President. Highlights of the business meeting follow:

FINANCE: The proposed ‘’97-’98 budget, which was published in the June 8 newsletter, was amended by Council by increasing disbursements for the Spiritual Development Committee from $1200 to $2000. With this change, Council accepted the budget. Additionally, Council passed a motion to donate part of the ‘’96-’97 budget balance to Urban Community School ($1500), West Side Catholic Center ($1500), Malachi House ($750), FutureChurch ($750) and the Somalian Refugee Family ($1000).

SOCIAL ACTION: 34 people attended the June 11 Welfare Forum. The largest changes in Welfare reform are reportedly expected after Oct. 1, 1997. At the Forum, Committee Chair Lois Dingman distributed a petition asking for insurance companies to increase benefits for the treatment of mental illness. Boycotting products made by "sweat shop labor" also was discussed. One source reported that the people in Central America who work in these shops do not want their products boycotted. Instead they want pressure put on their companies to provide better wages, benefits and working conditions.

MEMBERSHIP: Approximately 450 names have been entered into the Community Roster, which is 10% less than last year. The new roster is expected to be distributed in late July.

PRESIDENT’S REPORT: On Project AFFORD, flyers are being circulated to announce the new efforts to rehab houses in addition to building new houses. Call 631-6872 for more information. Council President, and other Council members met on June 1 to orient incoming Council members.

PASTOR’S REPORT: Donna Rego completes her term as the Chair of the Central West District (which consists of the parishes and Catholic institutions on the Near West Side). Sister Reeann Coyne, SND, will be new Chair. The following major capital projects for this summer are: church roof repair, stained glass window repair, renovation of two school classrooms, and rebuilding of stairs to attic storage in the school. If you can help with any of these and/or other minor projects, such as painting and plastering, please call the rectory. The Diocesan Sesquicentennial Celebration on the Mall is Aug. 17 from 3:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets for the liturgy are on a first-come, first-served basis. Look for the ticket request form at the doors of the church or attached to this newsletter.

The next Council meeting is scheduled for July 2013, 1997. All who are interested may attend.

HOPE: Ruth Cave, 88, claims to have found the secret to a happy life. Her formula doesn’t involve an elixir. , rRather, the magic effect of friendly words spoken daily by her friends at Catholic Charities’ Adult Day Care Program in Akron. "I’ve got friends and staff greeting me with big smiles that say more than, `‘Good Morning’. Their warm greetings and friendly gestures say, `‘We love you, Ruth, y. You are an important and valuable person and we’re glad you came today.’ " Your gift to the 1997 Annual Appeal enables Catholic Charities to bring hope to Ruth and 600,000 other older adults, children and families, hungry and homeless, and people with disabilities throughout the eight counties of the Diocese. Please give generously ... give HOPE.

HOPE: "My mother tells our relatives, `‘We are so proud of Joe.’ " Mrs. Kastelic and Catholic Charities have many reasons to be proud. A nine-year veteran of the Printing and Mailing Department at the Diocese, Joe is responsible for routing numerous day-to-day office supplies to personnel throughout several buildings on the Cathedral Square campus. Born with Downs Syndrome, Joe, age 31, has gained the skills to hold a job through the loving support of his family a. And through his friends at Catholic Charities Continuing Adult Education Program at OLA/St. Joseph —-- one of the only programs in Cuyahoga County that provide education beyond high school for people with disabilities. Your support of the 1997 Annual Appeal enables Catholic Charities to bring hope to Joe and 600,000 other people with disabilities, older adults, children and families, and hungry and homeless throughout the eight counties of the Diocese. Please give generously ... give HOPE.