Tuesday, July 30, 2024

Friar Timothy Patrick Dore, OFM Conv. -- About Me and My Blog . . .

Friar Timothy Patrick Dore, OFM Conv. (Baltimore, Maryland, United States).

On September 3, 1962, I was born at Mercy Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland; I’m the second of seven children: I have an older brother and four younger sisters; they each married terrific spouses and now have families of their own; one sibling, a younger brother who my mother named Joseph, died at birth.  In all, I have fourteen wonderful nieces and nephews, as well as a grand-niece and a grand-nephew, both of whom are absolutely beautiful.  My mom, +Carolyn Marie Winterling (d. 09-13-18), was born and raised in Locust Point, South Baltimore, and was of pure German descent; during her professional life she was a Registered Nurse; my father, +Eugene Anthony “Gene” Dore (d. 07-21-24), was born and raised in Irvington, West Baltimore, and was of Irish/Swedish descent; he spent much of his professional career as a salesman within the heavy construction industry. My immediate and extended family members have always been very dear to me!

I spent my earliest school days as a student in both public and parochial schools: first at Beechfield Elementary, P.S.#246, Irvington (grades K-2), then at St. Joseph's Monastery, Irvington, (grades 3-5) and finally at the Catholic Community School of South Baltimore, (grades 6-8). For high school I attended Baltimore's great Calvert Hall College (a Christian Brothers' school locally known as “the Hall).  

As a child, my family and I were always very active in our parishes (both at St. Joseph's Monastery, in West Baltimore where I lived until the age of eleven, and in later years at Our Lady of Good Counsel, South Baltimore).  I was a member of the boy scouts, an altar server, choir member, youth groups, church cleaner and part time youth parish office receptionist.  As a child, my Catholic faith and my parish identity were always very important aspects of my personal and family experiences!  

After graduating from Mount Saint Mary's College (now “University”), Emmitsburg, Maryland in May of 1984, I entered religious life in August of that year as a novice with Conventual Franciscan Friars (OFM Conv.). I completed my Theological studies at the Washington Theological Union in Silver Spring, Maryland in May of 1992. After a six month period as a transitional deacon, on October 17, 1992 I was ordained to the priesthood at St. Casimir Church, in my home-town of Baltimore, Maryland, by Baltimore's then Auxiliary Bishop +William C. Newman.

For seventeen years of my priesthood (in two non-consecutive terms between ‘92 and ‘14), I was assigned to Most Holy Trinity--St. Mary in Brooklyn, New York. Both my Franciscan and my priestly identities were greatly “formed” during my years in Brooklyn!

In addition to 
Brooklyn, I served as a parochial-vicar at St. Philip Benizi, Jonesboro, Georgia, and at St. Stanislaus Basilica, Chicopee, Massachusetts. In August of ‘14, I began a year-long assignment at Pastor at Assumption Church in Syracuse, New York. Years earlier in ministry, I also spent time teaching young people in schools at St. Francis High School in Athol Springs, New York (‘87-‘88), at St. Francis Primary School, San Jose, Costa Rica (‘98-‘01), and at Archbishop Curley High School in Baltimore, Maryland (‘01-‘03). Later, and in the Archdiocese of Baltimore (‘15-‘18), I was Pastor of two wonderful Parishes of St. Ann and St. Wenceslaus, in Baltimore City, Maryland.  Then I was Pastor of St. Michael the Archangel, Annunciation, and St. Clement Mary Hofbauer, a three parish “Pastorate” in Baltimore County, Maryland (‘18-‘22). 

I’ve always had an “itch” to be a missionary friar.  Although I have never really pursued such a calling, I did have several opportunities in my life to travel and to live abroad in countries where people live in poverty and in great need.  While still a seminarian in 1991, I did a “missionary internship” for three months in Ghana, West Africa where I lived and worked with our friars who ministered to people with leprosy.  Later, after my ordination to the priesthood, I spent three months in Honduras, Central America, where I studied Spanish and further discerned a “missionary calling.”  I’ve returned to Honduras for shorter visits at least ten times over the years, and I still wonder if someday I should return there for a longer commitment.  In 1998, I began a two-and-a-half year assignment in Costa Rica where I taught English to children in our friars’ St. Francis Primary School in San Jose and also to adults in an evening language institute there called the Instituto Interamericano de Idiomas (Intensa).  My experience in Costa Rica was wonderful!

Most of my ministerial experiences have been as a parish priest.  Parish work has always been at the core of my priestly ministry, and over many years I feel I've been greatly blessed by the wonderful people of the parishes I've met along the way!  See a short reflection I wrote about the life of a parish priest here on my blog entitled This is the Life of a Parish Priest(https://www.frayteo.us/2014/04/this-is-life-of-parish-priest.html).

I think one of my most passionate desires within ministry has always been to enthusiastically serve and to work with Christian outreach efforts done for the poor, the marginalized, and to those who are different.”  I believe this desire is fundamentally rooted in my identity as one who hopes to live in accord with the teachings and example of the Lord Jesus, and as a Franciscan Friar, a follower of Il Poverello,St. Francis of Assisi.

Currently, I am stationed at the Shrine of St. Anthony, Ellicott City, Maryland, and there I am one of the friars in the community of the Friary of St. Joseph Cupertino. These days, I divide my time as a friar-chaplain at St. Joseph's Nursing Home, Catonsville, as well as at the Shrine of St. Anthony.

Thanks for visiting my blog. I hope the posts you find on it are both thought provoking and spiritually uplifting!   Peace, Timothy

Praised be Jesus Christ!
Now and Forever!  Amen!

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Friar Timothy Patrick Dore, OFM Conv.

My Curriculum Vitae:

EDUCATION

12/99 - 12/00:  The Mesoamerica Spanish Language Program (at the Institute for Central American Studies-"ICAS"),
Intensive Spanish Program and Tutoring.  Guadalupe, San Jose, Costa Rica, Completed: December 2000.

Fall 1998:  Centro Lingüistico Latinoamericano, San Antonio de Belén, Heredia, Costa Rica, Certificate, Intensive Spanish Program. Completed: November 1998.

1988-1992: Washington Theological Union, Silver Spring, Maryland, Master of Divinity, Graduated: May 1992.

1985-1987:  Saint Hyacinth College and Seminary, Granby, Massachusetts, Pre-Theology Certificate in Philosophy, Completed: May 1987

1984-1985:  Saint Joseph Cupertino Friary, Ellicott City, Maryland, Novitiate Program, Completed: August 1985.

1980-1984:  Mount Saint Mary's College (now University), Emmitsburg, Maryland, Bachelor of Arts  (Majors: History and Theology), Graduated: May 1984.

1976-1980:  Calvert Hall College, Towson, Maryland, High School Diploma, Graduated: May 1980.

WORK & INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCES

06/22-Present:  Pastoral Associate, (chaplaincy at St. Joseph's Nursing Home, Catonsville, and pastoral ministry at the Shrine of St. Anthony, Folly Quarter), St. Joseph Cupertino Friary, Ellicott City, Maryland.

08/18-06/22:  Pastor, St. Michael the Archangel, Annunciation, & St. Clement Mary Hofbauer Churches, Baltimore County, Maryland.

08/15-08/18:  Pastor, St. Ann & St, Wenceslaus Churches, Baltimore City, Maryland.

08/14-08/15:  Pastor, Assumption Church, Syracuse, New York.

06/04-08/14:  Parochial Vicar, Most Holy Trinity Church, Brooklyn, New York.

06/03-06/04:  Parochial Vicar, St. Stanislaus Basilica, Chicopee, Massachusetts.

08/01-06/03:  Secondary School Teacher (Intro to Spanish I & Intro to Spanish II), Archbishop Curley High School, Baltimore, Maryland.

06/02-08/02:  Mission Volunteer, Helping Hands for Honduras, La Paz, Honduras, Central America. 

01/01-08/01:  Parochial Vicar, Saint Philip Benizi Catholic Church, Jonesboro, Georgia.

03/00-12/00:  English as a Second Language Teacher (Conversational–for adults), Instituto Interamericano de Idiomas (Intensa), San José, Costa Rica.

12/98-12/00:  Primary School Teacher (Middle School Religion, Second Grade English), Saint Francis Primary School, Moravia, San José, Costa Rica.

01/94-04/94:  Mission Internship, Conventual Franciscan Friars, Campamento, Honduras, Central America.

06/92-09/98:  Parochial Vicar, Most Holy Trinity Church, Brooklyn, New York.

06/91-08/91:  Mission Internship, Franciscan Community Services, Ankaful Leprosy Camp and the Ahotokurom Village, Ghana, West Africa.

09/90-05/91:  Supervised Ministry in Pro-Life Advocacy, Human Life International (H.L.I.), Gaithersburg, Maryland.

09/88-05/92:  Supervised Ministry in a Parish Setting, Saint Mark Church, Catonsville, Maryland.

09/87-05/88:  Secondary School Teacher, (Freshman Social Studies, Sophomore Religion), Saint Francis High School, Athol Springs, New York


Monday, July 29, 2024

A Prayer for Patience

 


 As a follower of Jesus of Nazareth I say:  

Love everyone, even those who follow a different path, and let God take care of the details!” ❤️🙏


With this in mind, I really dislike the expression “love the sinner, hate the sin” (sorry St. Augustine!).  Let’s be honest: truly such a strategy is humanly impossible (and perhaps is actually an underhanded and self-righteous excuse to hold in contempt those who are “different”).


Here’s a nice prayer I recently discovered that I believe resonates quite well with the thought I first stated above:


A PRAYER FOR PATIENCE


O Lord hear my prayer for patience and perseverance in all situations.


Purify my intentions and correct my thought patterns.


Help me to try my best 

and sincerely to pray for myself,

for those for whom I have great love, 

as well as for those with whom I disagree!

 
Bless me with the light of understanding, 

kindness, compassion and forgiveness.


Help me to trust others, 

to give them "the benefit of the doubt" 

and to rely upon your grace daily 

as I give myself to you 

and in the service and care of others.


O Lord mold my life 

after the pattern of your own patience, 

after your mercy, 

and after your never-ending unconditional love!


Amen.

 

 

 

 

Sunday, July 7, 2024

The Meaning of “Blessings”

 

My Thoughts about the Meaning of Blessings

Very frequently in my ministry I pray for blessings upon all kinds people who are facing important life decisions, or trying to discern God’s will, or who are in emotional distress, or dealing with sickness, or who are trying to let go of anger, or who are facing illnesses or medical procedures, or who are women expecting a baby, or those who are celebrating significant life moments, or for struggling people who simply want to feel a sense of God’s love (and for many other reasons for which often I’m not given an explanation by those who are seeking God’s blessing).  Often I'm even asked to bless objects such as food, religious articles, rings, houses, places of business, boats, cars, and even animals, especially beloved pets!

I believe it’s not I who “give” the blessing, but it's rather an action of prayer to God done by myself and the one, or group of people (and/or for the objects), who/that is/are being “blessed.”

I don’t ask those seeking blessings to submit a “qualification certificate” before I pray with them.

My assumption is that those seeking blessings from God have a true desire to conform their lives to the divine will of God–our God who loves each and every one of us more than we can possibly imagine!  And in the case of the blessing of objects, that such things may in some way remind those who possess them of God's desire for them, and for all people, to be happy, safe in their endeavors, and to prosper according to God's will in this life. 

It’s as simple as that.

A marriage (for example, and by contrast) is by its nature a much more formal act that requires lots of paper work, conformity to civil laws, obedience to the Scriptures and to the teachings of the church (and is always done at a specific time scheduled in advance, and usually with a lot of fanfare).  The 
Nuptial Blessing done during a wedding is also a prayer of petition directed not to the couple, but for them to God.”  We could say the words of the prayer are a form of pleading to God asking for special graces for the coupleincluding for their lasting fidelity, the blessings of children, and that they may have many happy years together.

Actually if we are clear about this, then we can understand that a “blessing” is not actually by its nature a “stamp of approval” but rather a petition for God’s grace.  I’ll leave it up to God to work out the details.

I don’t think my thoughts on this can be any clearer than that.


There are three things that last: FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE, and the greatest of these is LOVE.
  ❤️  1 Corinthians 13:13

Friar Timothy