Year of Faith:
A rchdiocese of M ilwaukee
•
O ctober 2012 - N ovember 2013
Sometimes, God Beckons in Song Music makes us move. It sets toes tapping, bodies swaying and faith growing. For two members of the Holy Family Parish choir, music has also brought about conversion. This is the first of two stories from writer Penny Kelsey of Holy Family Parish, highlighting the welcoming power of liturgical music. Jeanne Linnemanstons grew up in the United Church of Christ, a Protestant Christian denomination. A regular Sunday school attendee, she later joined the children’s choir and then adult choir. She faithfully attended Vacation Bible school, and her family attended church together near their home in Jackson, Wis. Jeanne began college at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, but transferred soon after to Idaho State to be with her boyfriend, whom she later married. Not finding a United Church of Christ there, she decided to try out the local Catholic Newman Center for worship. It was there that she was introduced to the Mass and to the music of the St. Louis Jesuits. It was her first step toward learning more about the Catholic faith. Her fiancé, who had been raised Catholic, never pressured her to convert to his faith. They married at a United Church of Christ with a Catholic priest present. Jeanne’s new in-laws asked her
Jeanne Linnemanstons (Photo courtesy of Beth Algiers Manley)
about the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, but at the time, she had no interest. After they married, Jeanne and her husband moved back to Wisconsin, this time settling in Mequon, Wis. Jeanne again searched for a spiritual home, and happened to stop at St. James Parish (now Lumen Christi), where she found Larry
Theiss leading a choir and playing songs of – who could have imagined? – the St. Louis Jesuits. For the first year, she sat in the pews, singing and smiling. Seeing this, a choir member invited her to join the group. She sang with them for a year before deciding that this really was her faith home, and she entered the RCIA program. “Larry’s guitar music spoke to me,” she said. “It helped me worship. I’ve been with the choir since 1988, the year before my daughter was born.” Jeanne, like many of the choir members, followed Larry to Holy Family in 2011. Jeanne, who divorced in 2000, has become a member of her new parish, Holy Family, where music continues to deepen her worship and prayer life. She gives much credit to Larry, who, she says, arranges harmonies in “a range where we can sing our best. You don’t have to be a professional to sing God’s praises.” During the Year of Faith, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee will share stories of our Catholic community members who have converted to Catholicism or left and returned to the Catholic Church. If you are interested in sharing your faith story, please contact the Communication Office at (414) 769-3461 or communication @archmil.org.
Growing as Disciples of the Eucharist in the Year of Faith This indeed is an exciting moment in the Church Year! We have experienced the Risen Christ in the power of the Easter Season, By Archbishop been showered with Jerome E. Listecki the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and celebrated the great mystery of our God as Most Holy
Trinity. Soon we will begin that long and important journey of discipleship through the weeks of Ordinary Time. Between these profound moments of past and future, we celebrate the principle mystery of our faith, namely, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ. At this time of year, Christ’s sacrifice in the Eucharist appropriately becomes the central moment in time. And that is as it should be because the
Eucharist is, and always will be, the center of our faith and the center of everything we do as believers. As the core of our faith, the Body and Blood of Christ hold all mysteries and time together. In receiving Christ under the form of bread and wine, we literally receive the Passion, Resurrection, Pentecost and the fullness of the Trinity. At the same time, See ARCHBISHOP, page 2.
J une 2013
Page 2 Year of Faith
ARCHBISHOP, from page 1.
we receive Jesus’ humanity, mission, teachings about the Kingdom and personal call to intentional discipleship. We receive the fullness of Christ, both human and divine. So the Body and Blood of Christ take us back in saving time and call us forward into eternity. Meanwhile we dwell faithfully in the present moment, receiving Christ to live as Christ more completely in the here and now. Our lives, too, are consecrated and transformed, so that it is no longer we that live, but Christ that lives in us (Galatians 2:20). New in identity and mission, we become disciples of the Eucharist. As disciples of the Eucharist, we are called to be Christ’s real presence in the world. With Christ living in us, it is now our body and our blood that is to be taken, blessed, broken and given for the life of the world. It is our turn to be incarnations of God’s Good News by bringing good news to the poor, healing to the sick, mercy to sinners, a sense of belonging to the outcast and freedom for those oppressed. Seeing with the eyes of faith, Jesus Christ’s real presence becomes recognizable in his Body and Blood that we receive, as well as his presence in us. In this Year of Faith, let us dedicate ourselves fully and intentionally to becoming true disciples of the Eucharist as we LOVE ONE ANOTHER.
Career TOOLS Conference Are you 19 or older and unemployed? Transform and empower your job search at the 2013 Career TOOLS Conference on Tuesday, June 25, 2013! Join us at the Archbishop Cousins Catholic Center, 3501 S. Lake Drive, Milwaukee, 53235, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for this FREE, all-day career event, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Catholic Charities and Cardinal Stritch University. The day includes more than 30 educational sessions and interactive workshops ideal for young adults, mature workers, long-time unemployed or individuals who have recently lost their jobs. Receive helpful feedback during one-on-one resume reviews and interview practice sessions, as well as other valuable sessions including: • Work Smarter, Not Harder: A Wellness Approach to Getting Your Next Job • The Power of Spider Web Networking • LinkedIn for Beginners and the Essentials Supporting organizations include 40 Plus of Southeast Wisconsin, Bell Ambulance, Inc., Direct Supply,
Independence First, Interfaith Older Adult Programs, Manpower, Milwaukee Transitional Jobs Collaborative, Toastmasters (District 35 Speakers Bureau) and Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Many volunteer opportunities are available, and there is a special need for HR professionals! Visit http://tinyurl.com/ToolsVolunteer or contact (414) 758-2285. Pre-registration is required due to limited seating. Admission tickets are available at http://tinyurl. com/2013careertoolsticket The Office of Social Justice Ministry of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee is funded through the Catholic Stewardship Appeal. Your gift to the Appeal will help this office continue in its mission to serve members of the Catholic community of southeastern Wisconsin. Please give generously! For more information and to make a donation to the CSA, please visit www.catholicappeal.org.
J une 2013
Page 3 Year of Faith
What Happens to the Bread and Wine at Mass? Christ wants a deep relationship with each one of us, and tries to get as close to us as he can in all kinds of ways. He comes to us in Scripture, in prayer, in the poor, sick and imprisoned, in the sacraments and in the person of the priest. Christ especially finds a way to get close to us through the gift of his Body and Blood (CCC, 1373), in the sacrifice of the Mass. When the bread and wine are changed into his Real Presence, Christ creates an intimate union with us. When we receive the Body and Blood, Christ comes to us fully and completely. We are intimately joined with Christ in his body, blood, soul and divinity (CCC, 1374). Christ becomes totally united to us as living Lord, Messiah, Savior and friend. The miracle of Christ becoming true Body and Blood for us happens at what is known as the “Consecration.” During the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest calls down the Holy Spirit and prays the sacred Last Supper words of Jesus. At that very moment, the very substances of the bread and wine are changed into Christ’s Body and Blood, so that we may be intimately united with his Divine Life (CCC, 1375 and 1376). This change of the bread and wine is known to us as “transubstantiation” (CCC, 1376). Christ comes to us in intimate fullness
in his Body and Blood, yet we must also do our part in accepting his invitation. He waits and longs for our hearty “Amen” to affirm that we, too, desire a deep, intimate Communion with him. Evangelization is a primary focus during the Year of Faith. Evangelization of one’s own
faith is a critical first step. If we don’t know our faith, how can we confidently share it with others? This column shares what is taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For information on where to access the Catechism, visit www.archmil.org and search “Catechism.”
“C⁴” Yourself!
Learn more about your faith through video. Each week during the Year of Faith, Bishop Donald J. Hying will be featured in a two-minute video to walk you through the Catechism of our Catholic faith. The videos will be posted on www.archmil.org/year-of-faith.htm. Sign up to have a link to each newly posted video electronically delivered to you. Click on the RSS feed symbol on the homepage of www.archmil.org to register for this free service!
This Summer, “Tap” into Something More! Theology on Tap, a young adult ministry of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, returns this summer to connect individuals to their communities and the Catholic faith. Open to single and married adults in their 20s and 30s, TOT is offered at various locations throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Each site hosts weekly sessions featuring different topics and presenters. Running this year from July 8 through
August 1, the Theology on Tap series features a variety of stimulating topics, such as “Religious Liberty,” “Theology of the Body,” “Spiritual, but Not Religious?” and much more! All presentations begin at 7 p.m. There is no cost to attend, and registration is not required. For a complete listing of dates, locations and topics, visit www.johnpaul2center.org.
junio
Page 4 Año de la Fe
2013
Creciendo como Discípulos de la Eucaristía En el Año de la Fe ¡Este es verdaderamente un momento emocionante en el Año de la Iglesia! Hemos experimentado a Cristo resucitado en el poder del Tiempo Pascual, hemos sido bendecidos con el Espíritu Santo en Pentecostés y hemos celebrado el gran misterio de Dios en la Santísima Trinidad. Pronto comenzaremos esa larga e importante jornada del discipulado a través de las semanas del Tiempo Ordinario. Durante estos momentos profundos del pasado y el futuro, celebramos el misterio principal de nuestra fe, conocido como, el Santísimo Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo. En este tiempo del año, el sacrificio de Cristo en la Eucaristía apropiadamente se convierte en el momento central. Y así es como debe ser porque la Eucaristía es, y será, el enfoque de nuestra fe y el centro de todo lo que hacemos como creyentes. Como el centro de nuestra fe, el Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo abarca todo misterio y tiempo. Al recibir a Cristo en forma de pan y vino, recibimos literalmente la Pasión, la Resurrección, Pentecostés y la plenitud de la Trinidad. Al mismo tiempo, recibimos la humanidad, la misión y
las enseñanzas de Jesús sobre el Reino, y el llamado personal al discipulado intencional. Recibimos la plenitud de Cristo, tanto humano como divino. Por esa razón, el Cuerpo y la Sangre de Cristo nos ayudan recordar un tiempo salvífico y nos hacen un llamado a la eternidad. Mientras tanto, vivimos fielmente el presente, recibiendo a Cristo para vivir según Cristo nos enseña de manera más plena en este momento y en este lugar. Nuestras vidas, también, son consagradas y trasformadas, así que ya no vivo yo, sino que Cristo vive en mí (Gálatas 2:20). Transformados con una nueva identidad y una misión, nos convertimos en discípulos de la Eucaristía. Como discípulos de la Eucaristía, somos llamados a ser la presencia real de Cristo en el mundo. Con Cristo viviendo en nosotros, ahora es nuestro cuerpo y nuestra sangre que deben ser tomados, bendecidos, quebrados y entregados para la vida del mundo. Es a través de nosotros que debe darse ahora la encarnación de la Buena Nueva de Dios llevando la buena nueva a los pobres, sanando a los enfermos,
teniendo misericordia por los pecadores, dando un sentido de pertenencia a los marginados y llevando la libertad a los oprimidos. Mirando con los ojos de la fe, podemos reconocer la presencia real de Jesucristo al recibir Su Cuerpo y Sangre, al igual que reconocemos Su presencia en nosotros. En este Año de la Fe, dediquémonos plenamente e intencionalmente a convertirnos en verdaderos discípulos de la Eucaristía a medida que NOS AMEMOS LOS UNOS A LOS OTROS.
¿Qué sucede con el pan y el vino en la Misa? Cristo quiere compartir una relación profunda con cada uno de nosotros, y Él trata de acercarse lo más posible a nosotros a través de varias maneras. Él se presenta a nosotros en las Escrituras, en los pobres, los enfermos y los presos, en los sacramentos y en la persona del sacerdote. Cristo especialmente encuentra una manera de como aproximarse a través del don de su Cuerpo y Sangre (CIC, 1373), en el sacrificio de la Misa. Cuando el pan y el vino se convierten a su Presencia Real, Cristo crea una unión íntima con nosotros. Cuando recibimos el Cuerpo y la Sangre, Cristo llega a nosotros de manera plena y total. Estamos íntimamente ligados a Cristo con su cuerpo, sangre y divinidad (CIC, 1374).
Cristo se une completamente a nosotros como Señor, Mesías, Salvador y amigo. El milagro en el cual Cristo se convierte en Cuerpo y Sangre verdaderos para nosotros sucede durante lo que conocemos como la “Consagración”. Durante la Oración Eucarística, el sacerdote llama al Espíritu Santo y reza las sagradas palabras de la Última Cena de Jesús. En ese preciso momento, la substancia misma del pan y el vino se convierten en el Cuerpo y Sangre de Cristo, para que nosotros podamos estar íntimamente unidos con su Vida Divina (CIC, 1375 y 1376). Esta conversión del pan y vino la conocemos como “transubstanciación” (CIC, 1376). Cristo llega a nosotros íntimamente en
su Cuerpo y Sangre, pero depende de nosotros aceptar su invitación. Él espera y anhela escuchar nuestro “Amén” sincero para afirmar que nosotros también deseamos una profunda e íntima comunión con Él.
Cada semana encontrarán disponible un nuevo mensaje en nuestro sitio web, http://www.archmil.org/Espanol.htm y en el programa de radio “El Mensajero Católico” los sábados de 8 – 9 de la mañana en la Gran D, 104. 7 FM.