Fr. Tom Albers, continued from page 5
associates from women’s and men’s communities who
claim the name and charism of the Precious Blood;
and a spirit of collaboration with these communities
that led to the founding of the Precious Blood
Leadership Conference.
During Tom’s tenure as servant leader we started
the Human Development Fund to tithe our ordinary
income to support programs engaged in justice
issues, and, in Tom’s words, “dedicated our center to
providing sanctuary for undocumented people and
refugees who needed it.”
Even in the last few years when his body began to
fail, his spirit for community and our ongoing renewal
never did. Just three months ago when I was here
for the feast day celebration, I had a long visit with
Tom and he was asking about the progress of the new
creation. He loved his family, he loved the community,
he loved the church, he loved being a priest. Whether
it was betting on the ponies or playing poker or just
sitting on the porch in the quiet of an evening, he
enjoyed being with those he loved.
So, I can hear Tom whisper to us today as he echoes
the words of St. Paul, “I consider the sufferings of this
present time are as nothing compared with the glory
to be revealed for us. For creation awaits with eager
expectation the revelation of the children of God.”
Though Tom suffered greatly these last couple of years
and especially these past few months, he is now whole
as his wait is over for what Paul called “the redemption
of our bodies.”
As the book of Wisdom reminds today, “The souls
of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment
shall touch them.” Rest in peace, friend, brother, uncle,
Missionary of the Precious Blood, priest, and servant
leader. “As gold in the furnace,” God proved you. In
the time of your visitation, you shined. For you trusted
that God’s promises would be fulfilled “and the faithful
shall abide with God in love.”
Enjoy the fullness of the new creation, Tom, and
from your new vantage point, intercede for us and give
us the courage, compassion, and commitment we need
to become a new creation in the Risen Christ.
6 • The New Wine Press • November 2018
Editor, continued from page 2
The question “What would Mr. Rogers do and say
about what is happening today?” is posed to several
people at the end of the movie. His wife says, “I think
he would be trying to mend—mend the split. He
would be trying to find some way to find something
positive.” But the final response is: “What would Fred
Rogers do?” is not a question that you can answer.
The most important question is, “What are you going
to do?”
Leadership, continued from page 3
is to speak a message of justice in our world today.
Our news commentators have a greater effect upon
many of our parishioners than does the Sunday
Gospel. Trying to connect the Gospel message to
what is being reported these days is no small task,
and when done, we can usually expect some type of
“push-back.” It is not uncommon for people to object
to our interpretation of the Scriptures if it seems
to contradict what they heard on one of the TV or
radio stations. (This is one reason why I write out my
homilies these days, so I can document what I said in
a homily.) How might we help our parishioners know
that who we used to think of as the minority are soon
becoming the majority? The tables are beginning to
be turned up-side-down and how will that affect our
ministries?
Bob Dylan wrote a song in the 1960 s entitled
“The Times They Are A-Changin’.” Well, our times
are a-changing more quickly than we would like.
We are called to respond. But is our response one
of “circling the wagons” or are we open to view
reality in this new context? The conversations we
are having about the new creation hopefully will
open our minds and hearts to new expressions
of our spirituality and community life within our
ministries. From what I have observed and heard,
there are some life-giving conversations taking place
and new possibilities are being considered. Our
community came to this country to minister to the
German immigrants. Perhaps Gaspar and Maria
are calling us to a new expression of responding to
those who speak a different language, hold a different
cultural perspective, and have lived stories that do
not connect with what has been our past experience.
How might we be called to converse with others who
have come to the “well” to satisfy their thirst?