{"id":1580,"date":"2007-07-15T17:40:00","date_gmt":"2007-07-15T17:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/deaconsbench\/2007\/07\/pan-s-vami.html"},"modified":"2007-07-15T17:40:00","modified_gmt":"2007-07-15T17:40:00","slug":"pan-s-vami","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2007\/07\/pan-s-vami.html","title":{"rendered":"“Pan s vami”"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a> That Czech phrase means “The Lord be with you,” and when I spoke it today at mass, it marked my first attempt to serve as a deacon in a language other than my own. <\/p>\n

I was invited by the Czech priest in residence at my parish, Fr. Anthony<\/a>, to serve and preach before his little flock in Astoria, Queens. (That’s the good Fr. A. on the left there…) Every week, anywhere from 50-100 Czech and Slovak-speaking Americans gather in a church basement for mass; they converge from Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island with one simple desire: to hear the mass celebrated in their own language. My grandparents had come to this country from Slovakia nearly 100 years ago, so this event had special poignancy for me. I was, in a profound way, touching my roots. <\/p>\n

It was a stirring, and humbling, experience. I didn’t screw up too badly (or so I was told, at least) and I could tell from the scattered chuckles that people appreciated my lame efforts. I only spoke a handful of key phrases in Czech, but proclaimed the gospel and preached the homily<\/a> in English. (I did make a point to thank the good people gathered there for being patient with the way I butchered their language. They laughed. A good sign, I think…) <\/p>\n

Since Fr. Anthony is returning to the Czech Republic next month, after eight years in America, this marked his “farewell mass,” and was followed by a reception in the church hall across the street. <\/p>\n

I don’t know when I’ll have an opportunity to repeat that liturgical adventure. But it helped me to experience the faith in a way it is lived, and celebrated, by countless foreign-born priests who find themselves on our shores, suddenly having to master a new language, and a new way of praying. (At one point in my homily, I cracked to Fr. Anthony: “Now I know how you<\/i> feel when you celebrate mass at my<\/i> church!”) <\/p>\n

We are a catholic church (small “c”), but one made up of many cultures and tongues. The hour I spent serving mass in Astoria made that simple fact a reality for me — and gave new resonance, as well, to the parable of “The Good Samaritan” in today’s gospel. <\/p>\n

“Who is my neighbor?” He is one to whom I say today, and every day, in the language of the heart: “Pan s vami!”<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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