Wisdom out of the mouth of Berra pondered at Renewal Mass

The Diocese of Buffalo celebrated its fourth annual Renewal Mass with a little advice from Yogi Berra. The New York Yankees catcher, famous for his malapropisms, once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

“I think this quip, upon further reflection, makes sense,” said Bishop Michael W. Fisher addressing the congregation at St. Stanislaus Parish in Buffalo on Aug. 25. “Without choosing, travelers get nowhere and they’d be stuck. They’re stuck at that fork, staring into space. They can only standstill or turn around and go back. What options do you have?”

The Diocese of Buffalo began its Road to Renewal initiative as a way of working with a declining number of priests to serve 160 parishes. Although met with opposition, Bishop Fisher stands by his decision to join parishes as families, and merge dozens of parishes.

The Mass, he said, is a good time to reflect on where they come from and where they want to go.

“We can’t be stuck at the fork in the road. We need to proceed forward,” he said, adding changing the dynamics of the parish community allow a limited number of priest to provide sacraments and to educate children and adults in the faith with less resources.

The day’s Gospel reading from John tells of many of Jesus’ disciples leaving being unable to accept His teachings, yet His 12 Apostles remained close.

“I can tell you brothers and sisters, life is not easy. And what we’re experiencing now in our Church and in our world is not easy,” the bishop said. “Some come with a very shallow faith and some of us also have fixed expectations and just want to hear what we wish. When our expectations are not met, we quit and bid Christ farewell. So, we need to ask ourselves today, how many times have we abandoned God and His Church; especially in difficult moments in life? Those are the times we should be running to Christ and to the Church.”

The bishop encouraged people to take part in Alpha, a 11–session course that explores the core principles of the Christian faith. Bishop Fisher and Father Bryan Zielenieski, vicar of Renewal and Development, commissioned 29 Families of Parishes participating in Alpha this fall.

At the first Renewal Mass in 2021, participants were asked to bring a rope and tie knots of abuse, indifference, mistrust, lack of faith, and isolation. At each succeeding Mass, a knot is untied. At St. Mary Parish in Arcade, the rope stays at the foot of a St. Mary statue.

“We’re praying to her as Mary Undoer of Knots,” explained Diane Woloszyn.

Woloszyn serves as her parish Renewal representative. She called the Mass at the traditionally Polish church “beautiful”

“I liked the way he talked about the fork in the road. We do have to choose one way or the other. We went through a lot of changes with our church in Delevan. But here we are,” she said.

Cecilia LaScala, from St. Jude Parish in Sardinia, agrees.

“It’s always been a wonderful experience. We’re on a pilgrimage you could say. You have to follow the lighted path. We know we have stumbles here and there, but we have to go forward and continue.”