Jan. 30, 2015

What do you think?

Pope Francis and Bishop Jugis want your input on the state of the family today, 16-23 January 30, 2015

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Marching onward Local pilgrims, clergy travel to D.C. to stand up for gospel of life, 3, 24

2015 Diocesan Support Appeal encourages ‘Sharing God’s Gifts,’

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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Pope Francis

‘Then slowly opening her hands and leaning towards me, she said to me in a voice vibrating with emotion, “I am The Immaculate Conception.”’ — St. Bernadette Soubirous

Our Lady of Lourdes

Play with your kids, be strong, loving, moral role models

W

hen their lives are all work and no play, men turn their children into “orphans” who lack a father to guide them, show them love and teach them values, Pope Francis said.

“They are orphans in a family because their fathers are often absent, also physically, from home, but above all because when they are home they don’t act like fathers, they don’t dialogue with their children, they don’t fulfill their role as educators, they don’t give their children, by way of their example and their words, those principles, values and rules of life that they need like bread,” he said.

At his general audience Jan. 28, the pope focused on the role of fathers He said in the past, fathers were sometimes too authoritarian, treating their children like “servants” and not helping them take responsibility for forging their own way in life. “However, as often happens, we have gone from one extreme to another,” the pope said.

“The problem today does not seem to be so much the overbearing presence of fathers as much as it is rather their absence, their hiding” from their responsibility as parents, he said.

The world today, especially in the West, seems like “a world without fathers” where men are so focused on their jobs or personal fulfillment that they neglect their families, he said.

The pope recalled how when he served as archbishop of Buenos Aires he would often ask fathers if they played with their kids, “if they had the courage of love to ‘waste’ their time with their children. And their answer was awful, you know. The majority said, ‘Well, I can’t, too much work.’”

Christian communities need to be extra attentive to the crisis of fatherhood in society and how so many young people feel “orphaned” within their own families, he said. So many problems kids have, some of them serious, stem from them not having a decent father figure – a father who is an authoritative, loving guide and role model, he said.

In fact, the more a father needs to work or be away from home, the more important it is he live up to his duty of providing solid, quality guidance, he said.

Another problem, he said, is fathers who seem lost or unsure of what role they are supposed to play in the family and “so, being in doubt, they opt out, they withdraw and neglect their responsibilities, perhaps hiding behind a dubious relationship of ‘equal footing’ with their children.”

While it is true fathers need to accompany their kids, he said, they must not forget they must act like a parent, not a best friend because “that is not good for the child.

Feast Day: Feb. 11 In 1858, in the grotto of Massabielle, near Lourdes in southern France, Our Lady appeared 18 times to Bernadette Soubirous, a young peasant girl.

She revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception, asked that a chapel be built on the site of the vision, and told the girl to drink from a fountain in the grotto.

No fountain was to be seen, but when Bernadette dug at a spot designated by the apparition, a spring began to flow. The water from this still flowing spring has shown remarkable healing power, though it contains no curative property that science can identify.

The Virgin appeared 18 times to the little peasant who would latter become St. Bernadette, but the most important apparition was the 16th: On the evening on March 24th, Bernadette told her parents of the feeling she had that she was being called to the Grotto once more by an interior impulse – she intended to return there in the morning. It had been more than two weeks since the Lady had visited her.

How long that night was – try as she might, the child was unable to sleep. As soon as the first light dawned, she rose and quickly dressed.

Bernadette arrived at the grotto at 5 a.m. with a blessed candle in her hand. Her parents were with her. Even before she reached the rock, she could see the wondrous light filling the niche, in which stood her beautiful Lady.

Bernadette herself describes the conversation and events which followed this moment: “Whilst I was praying, the thought of asking her name came to my mind with such persistence that I

Marypages.com

could think of nothing else.

I feared to be presumptuous in repeating a question She had always refused to answer and yet something compelled me to speak. At last, under an irresistible impulsion, the words fell from my mouth and I begged the Lady to tell me who she was.

“The Lady did as she had always done before; she bowed her head and smiled, but she did not reply.

“I cannot say why, but I felt myself bolder and asked her again to graciously tell me her name; however, she only smiled and bowed as before, still remaining silent.

“Then once more, for the third time, clasping my hands and confessing myself to be unworthy of the great favor I was asking of her, I again made my request.

“The Lady was standing above the rose bush, in a position very similar to that shown on the Miraculous Medal. At my third request, her face became very serious and she seemed to bow down in an attitude of humility.

Then she joined her hands and raised them to her breast. She looked up to Heaven.

“Then slowly opening her hands and leaning towards me, she said to me in a voice vibrating with emotion, ‘I am The Immaculate Conception.’

“She smiled again, spoke

no more, and disappeared smiling.”

In 1862 Church authorities confirmed the authenticity of the apparitions and authorized the devotion of Our Lady of Lourdes.

The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes became worldwide in 1907.

— Catholic News Agency

Your daily Scripture readings FEB. 1-7

Sunday: Deuteronomy 18:15-20, 1 Corinthians 7:32-35, Mark 1:21-28; Monday (The Presentation of the Lord): Malachi 3:1-4, Hebrews 2:14-18, Luke 2:22-40; Tuesday (St. Blaise, St. Ansgar): Hebrews 12:1-4, Mark 5:21-43; Wednesday: Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15, Mark 6:1-6; Thursday (St. Agatha): Hebrews 12:18-19, 21-24, Mark 6:7-13; Friday (St. Paul Miki and Companions): Hebrews 13:1-8, Mark 6:14-29; Saturday: Hebrews 13:15-17, 20-21, Mark 6:30-34

FEB. 8-14

Sunday: Job 7:1-4, 6-7, 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23, Mark 1:29-39; Monday: Genesis 1:1-19, Mark 6:53-56; Tuesday (St. Scholastica): Genesis 1:20-2:4, Mark 7:1-13; Wednesday (Our Lady of Lourdes): Genesis 2:4-9, 15-17, Mark 7:14-23; Thursday: Genesis 2:18-25, Mark 7:24-30; Friday: Genesis 3:1-8, Mark 7:31-37; Saturday (Sts. Cyril and Methodius): Genesis 3:9-24, Mark 8:1-10

FEB. 15-21

Sunday: Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46, 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1, Mark 1:40-45; Monday: Genesis 4:1-15, 25, Mark 8:11-13; Tuesday: Genesis 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10, Mark 8:14-21; Wednesday (Ash Wednesday): Joel 2:12-18, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2, Matthew 6:1-16, 16-18; Thursday: Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Luke 9:22-25; Friday: Isaiah 58:1-9, Matthew 9:14-15; Saturday (St. Peter Damian): Isaiah 58:9-14, Luke 5:27-32

Our parishes

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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Photo provided by Joe Purello

Jennifer Ganser, the new Respect Life program director for the Diocese of Charlotte, hands out prolife stickers Jan. 22 in Washington, D.C.

Ganser named Respect Life program director

Gretchen Filz | Catholic News Herald

Pilgrims from St. Mark and Our Lady of the Americas parishes were among those who traveled to Washington, D.C., for the national March for Life Jan. 22. Check out video testimonies and more photos from their pilgrimage on the Catholic News Herald’s Facebook page.

SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

SueAnn Howell | Catholic News HeralD

descended on the nation’s capital for the March for Life: To do God’s work in proclaiming the value and dignity of all life, and to peacefully call for an end to the tragedy of abortion.

“Quite an appropriate Scripture passage on this day,” he said.

“The Lord brings us together in Washington, D.C., to pray and rally for life. And it is worth noting that the prayer is in the first person singular – ‘Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will’ – so that each of us this morning is making that prayer personally from our own heart. Not just words that someone else wrote, but a prayer each of us sang in our Responsorial Psalm.”

Bishop Jugis also reminded worshippers of the Gospel reading from last Sunday, Jan. 18, taken from John 1:35-42. Upon seeing Jesus, John the Baptist declares, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Two of the men present, Andrew and John, see Jesus and begin to follow Him. Then Jesus asks them, “What are you looking for?”

Jesus poses that same question to each of us who wish to follow Him. “How would you answer the Lord, if He were to put that question to you today? On this 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court decision (legalizing abortion), what are you looking for?”

Bishop Jugis asked.

On the occasion of the national March for Life today, he continued, there are three possible responses: First: “Lord, we are looking for full legal protection for the unborn. No innocent human being should have to suffer the injustice which the unborn suffer, having no legal protection.”

Second: “Lord, we are looking for all we can do to support pregnant mothers, and fathers and families, to help them make the loving decision to choose life. We stand with them so they do not feel alone or without anyone to help them.”

Third: “Lord, we are looking for You to walk with us on this

CHARLOTTE — Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte has hired a new Respect Life program director to replace longtime director Maggi Nadol, who retired at the end of last year. Jennifer Ganser, a special education teacher and parishioner at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Greensboro, started earlier this month.

“I am very excited about this new position, and I hope to carry on the great legacy that Maggi Nadol has left as I work to continue to promote a culture of life throughout North Carolina,” Ganser said.

“I look forward to building relationships with parishes in the Diocese of Charlotte and assisting, guiding and supporting them in the Respect Life Ministry.”

Ganser, her husband and son live in Greensboro, where she works full-time as a teacher of exceptional children. They are originally from Florida, and they moved to North Carolina in 2003, where Ganser attended graduate school at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

“Most of my professional work has been with young children who have special needs and their families,” Ganser explained. “One of my favorite aspects of my work as an Early Intervention Service Coordinator, CBRS Therapist, Itinerant Preschool Special Education Teacher, and Parent Educator was working in homes, where I was able to work directly with and connect with families.

She has been working with young children her whole life, starting in her teens with babysitting and working in her parish nursery until she graduated from high school.

“I have just always loved young children, especially babies! I think that is why the Respect Life/Pro-Life ministry is so dear to my heart, particularly the anti-abortion issue. It’s just black and white to me... ‘A life is a life no matter how small’...

“I guess this is one of the things that also drew me to my work with children with special needs. Every child deserves the opportunity to learn and grow and develop

LIFE, SEE page 28

DIRECTOR, SEE page 28

(Above right) Bishop Peter Jugis blesses seminarians Thomas Rider and Deacon Casey Coleman in front of the U.S. Supreme Court during the march. N.C. Bishops (from left) Jugis and Michael Burbidge offer Mass to thank God for the gift of human life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Jan. 22.

Following Jesus means proclaiming the gospel of life Bishop Jugis preaches at Mass before D.C. March for Life SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C. — “Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will for the innocent unborn. I will not hold back. I am ready for the work.”

That was the rallying cry for North Carolina Catholics from Bishop Peter J. Jugis during his homily for the North More coverage Carolina Mass at the Basilica On page 24: Read more of the National Shrine of the coverage of the 42nd annual Immaculate Conception prior March for Life to the national March for Life in Washington, D.C., Jan. 22.

At www.

The Mass, concelebrated catholicnewsherald. by the two bishops of North com: See video, Carolina, is a traditional photos and more gathering for North Carolina stories about North Catholics before heading over Carolinians who went to the national March for to the national march, Life. This year the national as well as watch video march drew an estimated of Bishop Jugis’ full 500,000 people calling for an homily end to abortion on the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision which legalized abortion.

Raleigh Bishop Michael Burbidge was the principal celebrant of the Mass, and Bishop Jugis was homilist.

Echoing the Responsorial Psalm from the day’s Mass readings (Psalm 40), Bishop Jugis said the liturgy summed up perfectly the mission of the hundreds of thousands of people who

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 OUR PARISHES

Diocesan calendar of events ASHEVILLE — Marriage Encounter Weekend: Feb. 6-8. For details, call 704-315-2144.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis

ST. John Neumann Church, 8451 IDLEWILD ROAD

BELMONT Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events over the coming weeks: Jan. 30 – 10 a.m.

Mass for Catholic Schools Week Sacred Heart School, Salisbury Feb. 1 – 11 a.m.

Holy Mass St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Mercy Heritage Center, 720 Heritage Center Place — Exhibit opening, “Civil War Sisters: Sisters of Mercy Healing the Wounds of the Nation”: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. This exhibit explores an underrepresented topic of American history, the role religious women played in the medical treatment of the wounded and sick during the Civil War. Everyone welcome to attend.

CANTON

Feb. 6 – 8:30 a.m.

Mass for St. Patrick School St. Patrick cathedral, Charlotte Feb. 7 – 11 a.m.

Mass for World Day for Consecrated Life St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

Immaculate Conception CHURCH, 42 Newfound St. — Byzantine Rite Vespers and the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom: 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28. Ukrainian Catholic priest, Father Mark Shuey, will celebrate Vespers and the Divine Liturgy (Mass), in English.

Catholics of any rite are welcome.

Charlotte Catholic High School, 7702 Pineville-Matthews Road — Procession for Life: 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. We will begin with Mass and continue our prayer with Father Matthew Kauth at Family Reproductive Health on Hebron St. The Procession will begin following Mass at the end of Denmark St. across from the clinic.

Sponsored by Helpers of God’s Precious Infants.

FEB. 8 – 11 a.m.

Holy Mass St. Patrick CATHEDRAL, Charlotte Feb. 14 – 8 a.m.

Mass for Carmelite Promises St. Ann Church, Charlotte Feb. 18 – 7 p.m.

Holy Mass for Ash Wednesday St. Patrick Cathedral, Charlotte

— U.S. Navy Band Concert: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18.

The Navy Concert Band will present a wide array of marches, patriotic selections, orchestral and modern wind ensemble repertoire. For tickets, send a selfaddressed stamped envelope to Navy Band Tickets at 9013 Raintree Lane, Charlotte, NC 28277.

Feb. 20 – 10 a.m.

Diocesan Finance Council Meeting Pastoral Center, Charlotte Feb. 21 – 7 a.m.

Mass for Missionaries of Charity Missionaries of Charity Convent, Charlotte

Feb. 26 – 10 a.m.

Diocesan Foundation Board Meeting Catholic Conference Center, Hickory Feb. 28 – 1 p.m.

Rite of Election St. Matthew Church, Charlotte March 7 – 12 p.m.

Rite of Election Immaculate Conception church, Hendersonville

January 30, 2015 Volume 23 • Number 9

1123 S. Church St. Charlotte, N.C. 28203-4003 catholicnews@charlottediocese.org

704-370-3333 PUBLISHER: The Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis, Bishop of Charlotte

— Film series, “John Paul II: The Powerful True Story”: 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 in the Parish Hall. Presented by Father Patrick Hoare. All are encouraged to attend.

Please bring a side dish to share. For details, visit www.4sjnc.org.

ST. MATTHEW CHURCH, 8015 Ballantyne Commons Parkway — Protecting God’s Children Workshop: 9:30 a.m.

Saturday, Feb. 7, in the conference room. All volunteers must attend a workshop. This program is intended to educate volunteers to recognize and prevent sexual abuse. To register, visit www.virtus. org.

— Called to be Mom: 10 a.m.-noon. Thursday, Feb. 12. Called to be Mom supports the vocation of motherhood by strengthening faith through Scripture readings.

St. Peter Church, 507 South Tryon St.

CHARLOTTE

Feb, 22 – 2 p.m.

Rite of Election St. Pius x Church, Greensboro

— Polish Prayer Group: 7 p.m. Meets first Thursday of the month in the chapel. For details, call Evona Cholewa at 704-488-7490.

— Lenten Opening Retreat, “Reflection on the Theme of Transfiguration, Guided Contemplative Prayer, Private Meditation and Sharing”: 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Feb. 21. Light breakfast provided.

— Growing in Faith & Theology Course, “Short History of the Catholic Church in North Carolina”: 7-8:30 p.m.

Wednesdays, Feb. 4, 11 and 25. Presented by Mercy Sister Mary Hugh Mauldin. To register, visit www. stmatthewcatholic.org/GIFT. — Small Ignatian Guided Retreats Group: Feb. 22March 7. 30 minutes of individual prayers using the materials provided. To register, visit www. stpeterscatholic.org.

— Annual Attic and Bake Sale: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, in the Allen Center Cafeteria.

— Charlotte Catholic Women’s Group Evening Reflection with Father Benjamin Roberts: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 2. For details, contact Dina Wilson at ddwilson@ carolina.rr.com.

— “Divine Mercy Holy Hour”: Exposition and readings from the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: 7-8 p.m. every first Friday. For questions, call Paul Deer at 704-577-3496.

— Natural Family Planning Introduction and Full Course: 1-5 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Topics include: Effectiveness of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Sponsored by Catholic Charities. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704370-3230.

St. Vincent De Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Road

ST. GABRIEL CHURCH, 3016 Providence Road — Young Widowed Support Group: 6 p.m. Meets second Tuesday of the month. Group is intended for widowed persons, around 55 years of age and younger. For details, call Sister Marie Frechette at 704-543-7677.

EDITOR: Patricia L. Guilfoyle 704-370-3334, plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org ADVERTISING MANAGER: Kevin Eagan 704-370-3332, keeagan@charlottediocese.org SENIOR REPORTER: SueAnn Howell 704-370-3354, sahowell@charlottediocese.org Online reporter: Kimberly Bender 704-808-7341, kdbender@charlottediocese.org GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Tim Faragher 704-370-3331, tpfaragher@charlottediocese.org COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT/CIRCULATION: Erika Robinson, 704-370-3333, catholicnews@ charlottediocese.org Hispanic communications reporter: Rico De Silva, 704-370-3375, rdesilva@charlottediocese.org

ST. PIUS X Church, 2210 N. Elm St. — Knights of Columbus blood drive: 2 p.m.-6:30 p.m.

Friday, March 27

CLEMMONS HOLY FAMILY CHURCH, 4820 KINNAMON ROAD — Charismatic Prayer Group: 7:15 p.m. Mondays.

Everyone welcome.

HIGH POINT — Pro-Life Rosary: 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at 901 North Main St. and Sunset Drive, to pray for the end of abortion. For details, call Jim Hoyng at 336-882-9593 or Paul Klosterman at 336-848-6835.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 4145 Johnson St. — Scripture Sharing Group: 9:45-10:45 a.m. Meets every Thursday in Meeting Room 1

HUNTERSVILLE ST. MARK CHUrCH, 14740 Stumptown Road — Adult Faith Formation program entitled, “Understanding Marriage as a School of Conversion”: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, in the Family Life Center.

Asci will address some of the pressing issues of marriage and family life that were highlighted at the recent bishops’ synod in Rome. To RSVP, visit www. stmarksnc.org.

MAGGIE VALLEY St. Margaret of Scotland CHURCH, 37 Murphy Dr. — Healing Mass and Anointing of the Sick: Every third Sunday of the month. Individual prayers over people after Mass by Charismatic Prayer Group members.

ST. Thomas aquinas church, 1400 suther road — “Rosary for Life”: Join the Respect Life group to pray each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., followed by Mass at 7 p.m. To participate, contact Gretchen Filz at gfilz10@ ses.edu or 704-919-0935.

ST. ANN Church, 3635 Park road

young children, newborn through early teens. For details, email Susan Rabold at srabold@stpaulcc.org.

— Natural Family Planning Introduction and Full Course: 1-5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31. Topics include: Effectiveness of modern NFP, health risks of popular contraceptives and what the Church teaches about responsible parenting. Sponsored by Catholic Charities. RSVP to Batrice Adcock, MSN, RN, at 704-370-3230.

GREENSBORO St. Paul the Apostle Church, 2715 Horse Pen Creek Road — Family Honor’s Leading & Loving Program: 7-9 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 6. Program is intended for parents of

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MINT HILL St. Luke Church, 13700 Lawyers Road — Anointing of the Sick: 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21.

Anointing is typically presented to those who need healing from physical or mental illness or someone who will be undergoing surgery. Refreshments will be served following Mass. Sponsored by the HOPE Committee. For details, call Mary Adams at 704-5451224.

MURPHY ST. WILLIAM CHURCH, 765 ANDREWS Road — Grief Support Group: 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays in the conference room. “Embracing Your Grief” should be helpful for those mourning the recent loss of a loved one.

Is your PARISH OR SCHOOL hosting a free event open to the public? Deadline for all submissions is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@charlottediocese.org.

contact Advertising Manager Kevin Eagan at 704-370-3332 or keeagan@charlottediocese.org. The Catholic News Herald reserves the right to reject or cancel advertising for any reason, and does not recommend or guarantee any product, service or benefit claimed by our advertisers.

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Queen of the Apostles Parish celebrates 50 years Father Cancro reflects on past, looks forward to jubilee year

SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

BELMONT — For the past five decades, Queen of the Apostles Church has stood sentinel on Main Street, welcoming Catholics to worship in this charming town nestled between Charlotte and Gastonia. It is a place known for being the home of Belmont Abbey and Belmont Abbey College as well as the Sisters of Mercy who, along with the Benedictine monks, helped shape the spiritual landscape in this and surrounding areas since the late 1800s.

Father Frank Cancro, pastor of Queen of the Apostles Church, recently penned a letter to his parishioners, reminding them of the parish’s rich history and encouraging them in their spiritual growth going forward into the parish’s 50th anniversary year.

“Let us give thanks and celebrate this year of Jubilee: a time to renew old ties and to refresh our hearts for what lies down the road,” Father Cancro said. “My hope is that the entire year will be a time to celebrate our history and give thanks for all that has been.”

Queen of the Apostles Church is engaged in a yearlong celebration in 2015, all with the aim of building discipleship.

“The high point of this year-long celebration will be our Pentecost celebration: our annual Mass and picnic.

We will go ‘all out’ this year in prayer, celebration and opportunities to grow as a community of faith,” Father Cancro explained.

Parishioners are encouraged to assist in the spiritual growth of the parish and each other by doing the following this year: praying for the life of the parish, its ministries and its volunteers; praying for the original members of the parish, those still alive and those deceased; re-examining their commitment of time, talent and treasure – their gift of stewardship – to the parish; and assisting in developing additional programs to build on the legacy and firm foundation of faith that reflects the Gospel of Jesus lived out each day at the parish.

Last year, Queen of the Apostles Parish staff attended the annual “Matter Conference,” which is based on the success of the Timonium, Md., Church of the Nativity’s revitalization efforts over the years and documented

by Father Michael White, pastor, and his associate Tom Corcoran in their bestselling books “Rebuilt” and “Tools for Rebuilding.”

In the spirit of moving forward and reaching out to

Father Frank Cancro is pictured at Pentecost last year outside Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont, which is celebrating its golden jubilee this year.

Photo provided by Mark Colone

more people in the community, the Belmont parish implemented a KidZone ministry and has been installing some new technology upgrades at the parish, including live streaming of its Masses each week (see related story below).

A new parish mission statement was also unveiled earlier this month as a way to kick off the Jubilee year and begin the next chapter of the parish’s history by highlighting parish priorities, especially offering hospitality and the varied ministries and outreaches offered at Queen of the Apostles Church. It reads: “With the Blessed Virgin Mary, the first disciple of Jesus Christ, as our example and patron, the mission of Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church is to live and proclaim the Gospel entrusted to us. We strive in our rich diversity to be a community of welcome and hospitality: one with the Risen Christ, each other, and the whole Church.

Through the Word of God and the life of the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we are empowered to engage in a variety of ministries of service to the parish family and the communities where we live.”

“We asked the community by acclamation to recommit itself to it. What a great way to start a 50th year!” Father Cancro noted.

More online At www.queenoftheapostles.org: Learn more about the history of Queen of the Apostles Church, check Mass times and live webcasts, and read more about the 50th jubilee celebrations the parish has planned.

Live webcast of Mass brings church community to a screen near you Kimberly Bender Online reporter

When unable to attend Mass at your parish, technology is making it possible to still experience your church community through live streaming.

While simply watching on a smart device or computer doesn’t fulfill the obligation to attend Mass, two parishes in the diocese are webcasting each week’s services for meditation and learning: Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury and Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont.

At Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury, three Masses are typically recorded each week. That includes 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass, 4 p.m. Mass in the Extraordinary Form, and Sacred Heart School Masses, which are usually at 8:30 a.m. on Fridays when school is in session.

“We occasionally broadcast (online) special events, including parish missions or invited speakers, and even broadcast the school’s Christmas concert,” said Hugo Gareis, computer teacher at Sacred Heart School who is responsible for IT at the parish and school.

Sacred Heart started live streaming the

Mass nearly two years ago.

“Our pastor at the time, Father John Putnam, used to record his homilies after Mass and then they were posted on our website. A parishioner made a donation with the purpose of improving the process and the accessibility of the recordings,” Gareis said.

“At the same time Frank Cardelle, the principal of our school, was interested in making the school Mass available to parents. The idea of live streaming came out of our discussions and the search for options to meet both these goals.”

Sacred Heart has more than 200 Masses archived on its Livestream channel, with some of them garnering hundreds of views.

“We very often get words of thanks and appreciation from our parishioners for the service,” Gareis said. “The viewership, including live and recorded viewing, varies quite a bit from week to week, sometimes a couple of dozen people, sometimes a couple of hundred.”

Sacred Heart uses one camera and a computer to stream Masses and events inside the church. A mobile wireless streaming device, which attaches to the

camera,is used to webcast events outside the church, Gareis said.

“The total cost of the equipment, including a high-end camera which we chose to get better results in the sometimes low lighting conditions in the church, was about $3,000,” Gareis said. “In addition, we pay a $49 monthly fee to the streaming service.”

Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont also recently began webcasting Masses live each week, said Debbie Seeger, parish fait formation director.

“It was Father Frank Cancro’s idea to broadcast (online) the Masses,” Seeger said. “It’s a way for our members who are traveling to connect with us and share in our Masses; it’s for our sick and homebound; and it’s also an opportunity for those out-of-town family and friends to view a special service, such as a funeral service if the family wishes to have it broadcast for others to connect who cannot attend.”

Queen of the Apostles live streams all five weekend Masses and the channel already had more than 1,400 viewers after a couple months of broadcasting.

“We have only one camera that we

More online View their archives and tune in for live webcasts of Masses: Sacred Heart Church in Salisbury: https://new.livestream.com/ accounts/2820360/events/1876582 Queen of the Apostles Church in Belmont: http://ustre.am/17WGN

installed at the back of the church and it connects to our wi-fi,” Seeger said. “The cost is free. You just set up an account with Ustream. You can, however, upgrade your account so no advertisements play before being connected to view the live stream.”

Queen of the Apostles is hoping to reach people where they are, even on their mobile devices. Seeger said they set up a QR code in the bulletin where all a person has to do is scan the code with a smart phone or table and it takes them straight to the webcast. There are also apps for Ustream that can be downloaded for direct access.

6

catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 OUR PARISHES

St. Thérèse Church hosts immigration talk Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

MOORESVILLE — Close to 60 people attended a panel presentation on immigration at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Church in Mooresville Jan. 23. The four speakers were Mercy Sister Rose Marie Tresp, director of justice for the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas South Central Community; immigration attorneys Tanya Powers and Jocelyn DavisSingletary; and Ibis Centeno, diocesan Hispanic Ministry Coordinator for the Salisbury vicariate.

Sister Rose Marie led the panel, pointing out, “One of our priorities with the Sisters of Mercy is immigration – supporting immigrants personally, supporting the better laws for immigrants, supporting everything that will help us become a better country by reforming our immigration system and supporting the immigrants who are here now.”

Powers, who practices immigration law in the Charlotte area and is a parishioner at St. Gabriel Church, answered the question commonly asked by opponents of comprehensive immigration reform: “Why don’t they just get in line?”

“There really isn’t a line for everybody,” Powers said. “There are three broad categories for legal immigration. One is through family members who are sponsoring relatives that are overseas, or outside of the United States; employers sponsoring employees to come to the United States; and a handful of humanitarians reasons.”

“The vast majority of people do not qualify for any of those lines because they don’t have family members that are in the United States to sponsor them.

They don’t have the qualifications for employers to sponsor them, or they don’t qualify for things like asylum to come to the United States,” she said.

Davis-Singletary, from Cornelius,

spoke about humanitarian relief efforts and new immigration visas that are available for some. She emphasized the need for undocumented immigrants “to be prepared for the eligibility requirements in terms of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), deferred action for children and temporary status for juveniles.”

“Also, we anticipated coming in the spring will be DAPA. That will be for the parents who have U.S.-citizen children or lawful permanent resident children. And we are excited about that option,” DavisSingletary added.

Following the panelists’ presentations, they answered questions.

When asked about a concrete way to help undocumented immigrants feel welcome at a parish, Centeno answered, “When you tell the stories about members of the Hispanic community that are undocumented, tell other people that they are human beings who are trying to feed their families and to live a better life, just like all of us want to.

“That would be a great help, especially when confronted with people who approach us with thoughts and feelings against immigration. Especially those who come to us saying things like, ‘Oh, they just come here to have kids, eat our food and take our jobs.’ Just set it right with love and understanding,” she continued.

“In the pope’s 2015 message for Immigration Day, he talks about that immigration is a global issue. And that it’s an issue of human dignity,” Sister Rose Marie added.

“I think we need to educate the priests and the people in the pews to be able to comfortably understand (immigration) issues – which I think a lot of people don’t understand – and to understand the Church’s position, and then to be able to say, ‘What can I do?’ But if we don’t understand it, we are not going to do anything,” Sister Rose Marie concluded.

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Mercy Sister Clara Virginia Kelly, long-time advocate for the sick, poor and elderly, passes away BELMONT — Mercy Sister Clara Virginia Kelly, a native North Carolinian, passed away Jan. 23, 2015, in the Marian Canter at Sacred Heart Convent in Belmont, following a brief illness.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Jan. 27, 2015, in Cardinal Gibbons Memorial Chapel at Sacred Heart Convent. Burial followed at Belmont Abbey Cemetery.

She was a native of Spencer, the second daughter born to Clara and Walter Kelly. Her first association with the Sisters of Mercy was attending Sacred Heart Elementary School in Kelly Salisbury. Little was it known that this would prove to be just the beginning of a long-time relationship with the Sisters of Mercy.

After graduating from Dreher High School in Columbia, S.C., Sister Clara Virginia entered Mercy School of Nursing in Charlotte, where she simultaneously earned a nursing degree and an Associate in Applied Science from Sacred Heart College in Belmont. She worked for two years as a registered nurse at Mercy Hospital when she decided to profess vows with the Sisters of Mercy.

Always eager to improve herself in her nursing skills she earned a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Mount Mercy College in Pittsburgh.

She returned to Asheville where she served as nursing supervisor at St. Joseph Hospital. It was in this capacity that her gifts for innovation, creativity and teaching began to manifest themselves.

She very quickly became involved in the establishment of coronary and intensive care units at the hospital and made provision for the necessary advanced training of nursing personnel. While at St. Joseph, she began to demonstrate administrative skills as she assisted in the planning of a new St. Joseph Hospital.

She also served on the hospital’s board of

directors for 13 years.

During this time, she earned a certificate as a Family Nurse Practitioner at University of North Carolina-Asheville.

This field of nursing provided many new opportunities for service in the health care system. She had a passion to alleviate the pain and suffering of patients and to do all that she could to improve the care they received. She realized that the level of care that was administered by caregivers was directly related to their preparation in specific fields. This understanding led her to assume a position in the Department of Geriatrics at East Carolina School of Medicine. In this role she was involved in coordinating several training programs: Family Medicine Residents, the Home Visiting Program, the Geriatric Evaluation Clinic, and the Nursing Home Program.

In 1994 Sister Clara Virginia moved to Florida, where she served as a nurse practitioner in several clinics, rehabilitation centers and long-term care facilities. She worked for 11 years as a nurse practitioner at Consulate Health Care in Melbourne, Fla. In 2011 after retiring from Consulate Health Care, she learned of the opening a new clinic the Space Coast Volunteers in Medicine Clinic in Viera, Fa., and her passion for serving the poor and the sick led her to join this group. She served as medical director of the clinic until her health began to fail.

During her 59 years as a Sister of Mercy, Sister Clara Virginia’s ministries focused on nursing, health care and education.

Her dedicated service reflected her commitment to advocating for the sick, poor and elderly.

She is survived by her sister Frances Jane Johnson and several nephews.

Memorials may be directed to Sisters of Mercy, 101 Mercy Dr., Belmont, NC 28012, or Space Coast Volunteers in Medicine, 2555 Judge Fran Jamaison Way, Viera, FL 32940.

McLean Funeral Directors of Belmont was in charge of the arrangements.

— Catholic News Herald

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January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

OUR PARISHESI

7

A Christmas miracle:

Quick action, defibrillator help save man’s life SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

HUNTERSVILLE — As he sat surrounded by 1,700 people waiting for Christmas Eve Mass to start at St. Mark Church, Richard Standish abruptly collapsed. His heart had stopped.

The Murphy parishioner and his wife Judy were visiting family for the holiday when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest – right before the Mass in the middle of a standingroom-only crowd gathered for the children’s liturgy the afternoon of Dec. 24.

Judy Standish and other family members called out for help, and within minutes medical professionals who happened to be at the Mass jumped into action.

The area was cleared and an unidentified woman performed CPR on Standish. Someone quickly grabbed the parish’s automated external defibrillator, or AED, and used it to restart Standish’s heartbeat, while others alerted 911 and the police outside. The thousand-plus people who had gathered for Mass prayed silently on their knees for Standish as an ambulance arrived and took him to a nearby hospital.

Standish recovered completely and was able to return home shortly after Christmas.

The Standishes did not know any of the people who helped save Richard Standish’s life that day, so they published a thank you note in the parish’s bulletin. It read, in part, “There are no words to express our sincere gratitude to all who made the miracle at St. Mark’s on Christmas Eve happen. Please pass this along to the wonderful parishioners who unselfishly used their gifts and prayers to save my husband and allow him to continue to spend Christmases with his 11 grandchildren. We are forever grateful.”

Judy Standish also wrote in an email to the Catholic

News Herald, “Through the efforts of the many parishioners, he was brought back to life. I am sending a note of thanks from our family but, most importantly, my mission is to make each parish aware of the life-saving device most churches now have available.

The defibrillator shocked my husband’s heart to restore his heart rhythm.”

AEDs are becoming more commonplace in parishes, schools and ministry offices across the Diocese of Charlotte, to enable people to better respond in emergency situations like what happened to Standish.

When her own parish, St. William, installed an AED and encouraged members to learn how to use it as well as how to perform CPR, Judy PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY STANDISH Standish admits that she Dick Standish and wife Judy, parishioners at St. William Church in Murphy, are now advocates for AED training thought, “I did not want to in their parish after experiencing first-hand how the life-saving device can be. get involved.

“Now, on the other side, I “I believe a wake-up call may be needed for those of cannot stress just how important this knowledge is.” us who are afraid to put ourselves in an uncomfortable She also wants to emphasize how critical a simple, position when asked to learn the technique to use the inexpensive device like an AED can be in an emergency, defibrillator,” Judy Standish said. “I, for one, will now be and she encourages everyone to become more familiar happy to save a life.” with them. At St. William, more CPR training classes are being planned, especially for ushers.

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Licensed Professional Counselor Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte is seeking a part-time Licensed Professional Counselor to provide outpatient professional services to adults, couples and adolescents in the Charlotte Regional Office.

Interested applicants must possess a Masters Degree in Behavioral Science with licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor or Masters Degree in Social Work with licensure as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of North Carolina. A strong clinical skill, the ability to work independently and manage a diverse case load is a must. Position requires fluency in spoken and written English, strong writing skills and intermediate computer and technology skills. Bilingual applicants are encouraged to apply. The position requires 20 hours per week including evening hours.

Cover letter and resume must be submitted electronically to: sbluc@charlottediocese.org by February 13, 2015.

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8

catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 OUR PARISHES

Kennedy lecturer encourages radical discipleship, faith in God’s love Patricia L. Guilfoyle Editor

CHARLOTTE — “I always was a bit strange, a bit weird, a bit odd.”

That was how writer and former missionary Edwina Gateley described herself in her talk, “Discipleship: Giving Birth to God in a Contemporary World,” before an enthusiastic audience Jan. 24 at St. Peter Church. Her talk, filled with personal stories and much laughter that punctuated serious messages, was the 15th Annual Kennedy Lecture, made possible by a gift in memory of Joan and Keith Kennedy from their sons Richard and Thomas.

Gateley, who earned a master’s degree in theology from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, is a writer and poet who founded the Volunteer Missionary Movement, which recruits volunteers to aid the poor around the world. Besides her work as a lecturer and retreat leader, she now reaches out to assist women in recovery from illegal drug use and prostitution in Chicago.

Gateley recounted with humor a farewell party thrown for her in her native England before she moved to the U.S. The fancy dinner party included many priests, religious and lay leaders she had worked with over the years, even two bishops, and colleagues had invited her mother there as a surprise.

“My little mother, they brought her down from the north to London, they brought her into this large room with all these important-looking people. My poor little mother had never set eyes on a bishop in her life before! They brought her up to the front, and they gave her a microphone, and they said to her, ‘Say something significant about your daughter,’” Gateley said, pausing as the audience erupted in laughter. “My mother took that microphone and ... she began to shake and tremble. Then she said, ‘Our Edwina always was a bit queer.’” The audience roared as Gateley went on, “Then she made

it worse by continuing, ‘We don’t know what went wrong. She was never like the other children that we had – she went off to Africa and now she’s going off to America.

She just can’t settle down.’”

Her mother was right, she said: Disciples of Christ cannot “settle down.” Christians are called to be counter-cultural.

The world tells us to value security, power and strength, she said, “and then along comes the Gospel of Jesus, and this is what we hear: ‘Don’t worry about your security, don’t worry about your power.

Don’t worry about everything that makes us feel strong. Take care of the little ones – this is what you must do. The priority must be the little ones, not the great ones.”

“It seems to me that we have a tension between the two messages,” she said. “If we choose the Gospel of Jesus, one way or another at some level we’re going to be a little bit odd, because we’re going to go against the flow, we’re going to be a sign of contradiction, we’re going to have a different set of values and a different set of priorities.”

Gateley felt that call to follow God at an early age, but young unmarried Catholic women in the early 1960s had few ways to serve in the Church. She didn’t feel a calling to consecrated life, which is what her bishop encouraged her to consider. She prayed for guidance, she said, and with a laugh she continued, “And I felt God say, ‘Tell him you will be a volunteer. The Church loves volunteers!”

Gateley went on to work as a volunteer missionary in Africa for three years.

“I knew a lot,” she said with another self-deprecating laugh, “about God, and the Church, and the sacraments – I had studied theology, for heaven’s sake; I have a degree!

– so when I went to Africa as a young lay missioner, I took my God with me. Well, you would, wouldn’t you?” Looking upward and motioning over her shoulder, she continued, “‘Come along, God, I’m going to share you with those folks out there in the boonies. I’m going to tell them all about who you are.’”

THE ORATORY

Center for Spirituality

434 Charlotte Avenue, P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 29731-1586

(803) 327-2097

rockhilloratory.org

rockhilloratory@gmail.com

35TH CARDINAL NEWMAN LECTURE Saturday, February 21 from 9:30 am to 2:30pm Dr. Keith Egan The Newman Lecture is an annual gift from the Rock Hill Oratory to the regional Church to celebrate the life and ministry of Blessed Cardinal John Henry Newman. This year’s talk will be a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church.

Dr. Keith Egan is Professor Emeritus at St. Mary’s College and Adjunct Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame. He is also President of the North American Carmelite Institute.

The Newman Lecture is open to all without cost and includes noon Eucharist, a light lunch and a short chamber music concert. Books and other resources by the speaker will be available for purchase.

Pre-registration is not required, we would appreciate you contacting the Oratory with numbers of participants to help us plan accordingly.

‘God can move mountains – and the mountains that God moves are the ones inside us, the mountains of fear, insecurity and doubt.’

Patricia L. Guilfoyle | Catholic News Herald

Edwina Gateley (right) signs one of her books during a break in her presentation Jan. 24. Gateley delivered the 15th annual Kennedy Lecture at St. Peter Church in Charlotte, entitled “Discipleship: Giving Birth to God in a Contemporary World.”

Still laughing, she continued, “Of course, my God is a white God – didn’t you grow up like that? My God is white and, of course, God is male, we know that. And God, of course, is Catholic. There’s only one Church, and it’s ours, so it must be God’s too.”

As the audience laughed, Gateley paused for the punchline. “And God, of course, is British,” she concluded, and the audience howled louder.

“You see what we do?” she noted, turning serious. “We create idols. We create a notion of the divine in our own image and likeness. So whatever our priorities and value systems are, we attribute that unconsciously to the divine.”

Human beings, with our egos and sinful natures, have a limited, small understanding of God. “The biggest shock I ever got in Africa was the discovery that God got there before me,” she said with another laugh.

Again serious, she said, “God is always already there, soaked in our reality. Our task is not to seek God – who, incidentally, never got lost; we did – our task is to recognize God all around us.”

We have to stretch our hearts and make ourselves vulnerable, discovering God in others and by serving others, she said. In Africa, she discovered God in the hospitality, generosity and humility of the people she had come to serve.

“The God you started out with must not be the God you end up with,” she said.

“Because on the journey of discipleship, on the journey of trying to be faithful, going against all of the odds in our world – we fall and we rise, we fall and we rise – and as we deepen an understanding of God, God gets bigger.”

After three years in Africa, Gateley returned to England thinking “I had done my bit.” She told God, “That’s it now, now leave me alone. You know what? I want to be normal.

“When we do that, when we say to God, ‘Back off, I’ve had enough,’ this great big, compassionate God takes a chair and puts it right next to you. Then this great big, compassionate God says, ‘Have you had enough? Are you tired? That’s all right. I will sit with you. I will wait with you. I will wait for you.’ This great big, compassionate God who never pushes, who never drags and pulls us, but always waits with us, walks with us, moves with us at our own pace.”

Then, when we reach out to God again, He responds, “‘Are we ready?’ – it’s always plural – ‘are we ready?’ I will never leave you, but you must be faithful.”

God waits for us with great love and longing, she stressed. “I think the greatest description of God is ‘the Great Waiter,’ waiting for us to say yes.”

Gateley felt called to return to missionary work, but also bringing along other laypeople like herself – teachers, electricians, carpenters, etc. – who could share their skills to help people in need.

After two years of effort and lobbying Church leaders in England, she launched the Volunteer Missionary Movement. It grew to include more than 500 missioners in more than 20 countries. She was widely recognized for her success and pleased to be accepted and respected for her work.

Then God began “bugging” her again, she said.

LECTURER, SEE page 11

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

For the latest news 24/7: catholicnewsherald.com

In Brief Spend a Holy Hour with the Divine Mercy CHARLOTTE — Pope St. John Paul II said, “Jesus waits for us in this sacrament of love. Let us be generous with our time in going to meet Him in adoration and in contemplation that is full of faith and ready to make reparation for the great faults and crimes of the world. May our adoration never cease.” All are welcome to attend Divine Mercy Holy Hour with Exposition and Benediction, sung Chaplet of Divine Mercy, and readings from the Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska on Friday, Feb. 6, and every First Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 1400 Suther Road in Charlotte.

For details, call Paul Deer at 704-577-3496 or Deacon James Witulski at 704-960-3704.

Special needs nursery now offered at Mass in Huntersville HUNTERSVILLE — A Special Needs Nursery/ Classroom at St. Mark Church in Huntersville is now available to Catholic families during the 9 a.m.

Mass each Sunday in the Parish Hall. It is open to children aged 2-7 who have Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, speech/hearing delays, or any other developmental delay. It is a free service, staffed by certified and qualified professionals in the field of developmental disabilities. These professionals create a fun, loving and nurturing environment for each child, providing an opportunity for families to attend Mass while their

child is experiencing developmentally appropriate faith formation and play. Volunteers or adults with special education training are also welcome. Call Connie Andrews at 704-651-6047 to register, get details or offer to help.

Prepare for Easter with Byzantine rite programs CHARLOTTE — St. Basil the Great Ukrainian Catholic Mission is offering two Saturday morning retreats in preparation for Easter: n “Unclouded Brilliance: Catholic Poetry for Reflection” will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7. Father Deacon Kevin Bezner will read and comment on poems of the Church Fathers and some of his own. n “‘O Holy Pascha’: A Retreat in Preparation for Easter” will be held from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 7. Father Deacon Kevin will read and comment on sections of St. Gregory Nazianzen’s great oration “On Holy Pascha.”

The retreats will conclude with the praying of the Sixth Hour of the Liturgy of Hours in the Byzantine tradition.

Both retreats will be held in the chapel located adjacent to Aquinas Hall at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, located at 1400 Suther Road.

Get ready for CRS Rice Bowl 2015 Next year’s CRS Rice Bowl begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18. Parishes and schools which participated in the 2014 CRS Rice Bowl will receive the same number of materials for the 2015 CRS Rice Bowl with no need to place an order. (Expect shipments to arrive by midJanuary.) Parishes and schools that wish to participate for the first time, or participating parishes and schools which need additional materials or wish to confirm their expected shipment, should call toll-free 1-800-222-0025.

All CRS Rice Bowl materials are free and shipped at no cost to the recipient. Materials are

available in both English and Spanish. Orders for first-time or additional CRS Rice Bowl materials that are requested by Jan. 31, 2015, should arrive in parishes and schools in time for distribution prior to the start of CRS Rice Bowl on Ash Wednesday.

Find Rice Bowl resources at www.crsricebowl. org. Questions? Call 704-370-3225 or e-mail jtpurello@charlottediocese.org.

Lincolnton Knights honored LINCOLNTON — Knights of Columbus Council 8664 of St. Dorothy Church in Lincolnton has earned the distinction of Star Council, one of the organization’s top awards, for the 2013-’14 fraternal year. The award recognizes overall excellence in the areas of membership recruitment and retention, promotion of the fraternal insurance program, and sponsorship of service-oriented activities. The award was presented to the membership by N.C. State Warden J.C. Reiher at a special ceremony Dec. 8.

In announcing the local winner of the Star Council Award, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, president of the international organization, said, “Please accept my sincere congratulations upon attaining this prestigious award. Your dedication to the order is seen in the high standard of excellence you have achieved. At the same time, I encourage you to carry forward this enthusiasm to meet the challenges that will face the Knights of Columbus in the years ahead. May this award be a reminder and an inspiration to the members of

OUR PARISHESI

your council to continue to promote the ideals of Columbianism for the good of the Church, your community and the order.”

According to Reiher, only 9 percent of councils worldwide and 20 percent of the councils in North Carolina receive this award.

“Receiving the Star Council Award is quite an honor for us,” said Grand Knight Gene Courtemanche, head of the local council.

“We’re extremely proud of this accomplishment in recognition of our service to the parish, Lincolnton, and surrounding communities.”

— George Kalivoda

CCHD grant resources available Catholic Charities, through its Office of Social Concerns and Advocacy, sponsors the Local Catholic Campaign for Human Development grant program, which disperses the 25 percent of funds retained from the national CCHD collection to non-profits in the Diocese of Charlotte. Funded projects must target the root causes of poverty and related social concerns. The grant application and guidelines can be found at www.ccdoc.org/ cchdcrs. The postmark deadline for submission of applications in the current 2015 round of grants is Monday, Feb. 23. All grant applicants and projects are reviewed for their conformity to Catholic social doctrine. Many of the CCHD grantfunded projects are implemented by non-profits working in partnership with diocesan parishes and entities, or are projects directly sponsored by diocesan parishes and entities. For details, contact jtpurello@charlottediocese.org.

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 10

Parroquia de Santa Teresa en Mooresville celebra panel de inmigración

Jorge Morel

La Virgen de la Altagracia

L

a Virgen María, bajo la advocación de la Virgen de la Altagracia, es la Protectora de la República Dominicana. El día de la celebración es el 21 de enero. En su inicio se celebraba el 15 de Agosto. Esta advocación tiene dos tiempos y dos lugares distintos en donde tiene su expresión: España desde el siglo VI y la República Dominicana en el inicio del siglo XVI. Virgen de Gracia es el título que le dan en 337 lugares de España, y Virgen de la Altagracia con 6, y su único nombre en la región de Extremadura.

Llegó a la Isla de la República Dominicana, el 15 de abril de 1502, y en 1503 ya se veneraba la imagen en la ciudad de Santo Domingo.

La imagen del cuadro contiene innumerables detalles. Cada color, figura, espacio que tiene el cuadro tiene un significado especial.

No hay nada en la imagen que no tenga su importante significado. El cuadro de Higüey es la perfecta expresión de la Alta-Gracia de María, presentándola con la prerrogativa principal de Madre de Dios.

Fue primero un Bohío en Salvaleón de Higüey, donde fue expuesto el cuadro por los hermanos Trejo en 1509.

El Naranjo: El cuadro que se veneraba en el Bohío, apareció en la copa de un Naranjo, mirando hacia el lugar que hoy ocupa la ciudad de Higüey, en la República Dominicana. ¡Tantas veces se devolvía el cuadro al Bohío, y tantas veces volvía el

Parroquia de San Marcos celebra fiesta de la Virgen de la Altagracia HUNTERSVILLE – Cerca de unas 50 personas asistieron a la celebración de la fiesta de la Virgen de la Altagracia en la Parroquia de San Marcos la noche del 21 de Enero. El evento fue organizado por la Comunidad Pueblo de Dios en conjunto con los Consagrados a Jesús por María de la Iglesia de San Marcos. El evento incluyó rezo del Rosario, música de Jorge Morel y su Banda, y una breve reseña histórica acerca de la devoción a la Virgen de la Altagracia. No se pierdan el video del evento en el canal de YouTube del Catholic News Herald.

RICO DE SILVA | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

cuadro al Naranjo!

La iglesia antigua se edificó en 1541, y esta ha servido de hogar al cuadro milagroso desde entonces. En la década de 1940, Mons. Eliseo Pérez Sánchez lanzó la idea de elevar a la Virgen de la Altagracia y construir una Basílica con su nombre en Higüey.

Además de la Basílica de Higuey, también existen innumerables capillas con este mismo nombre.

En la ciudad de Santiago está el Santuario La Altagracia, en el mismo centro de la ciudad, y en donde cada año, al igual que en la Basílica, visitan cientos de miles de peregrinos.

La mayoría de las mujeres en la Republica Dominicana llevan el segundo nombre de “Altagracia” y un porciento muy elevado de la población dominicana ha recibido un milagro o favor de Dios a través de la Virgen de la Altagracia Quien suscribe también presente hace unos años una producción discográfica completa a La Virgen María de la Altagracia con el nombre de “A Jesús Por María,” entre otras canciones sueltas en mis diferentes producciones, y de otros artistas para quienes he escrito canciones a la Virgen, cada una llena de un contenido Mariano, Cristológico, cultural y expresión de fe.

Jorge Morel, cantante católico de la Republica Dominicana, es miembro de la Comunidad Pueblo de Dios y asiste a la Parroquia de San Marcos en Huntersville.

Rico De Silva Hispanic Communications Reporter

MOORESVILLE — Cerca de unas 60 personas asistieron al primer panel de inmigración en la Parroquia de Santa Teresa, en Mooresville, la noche del 23 de Enero. La presentación contó con cuatro participantes que hablaron de cuatro diferentes temas relacionados con la inmigración de personas indocumentadas en los Estados Unidos.

Los cuatro expositores fueron la Hermana de la Caridad, Rose Marie Tresp, RSM; Ibis Centeno, Coordinadora del Ministerio Hispano del Vicariato de Salisbury, y las abogadas de inmigración, Tanya Powers y Jocelyn Davis-Singletary. Ambas abogadas ejercen en el área de Charlotte y sus alrededores.

“Mucho de lo que hago es trabajo social, dado a las situaciones socioeconómicas de la comunidad hispana en esta área. Tenemos que hacer retiros y reuniones de una manera que las personas no tengan que manejar lejos, o muy a menudo por su situación de indocumentados,” dijo Centeno a los participantes, la gran mayoría Anglo-americanos.

La abogada Powers habló acerca del tema de porque los indocumentados “no se ponen en fila” para conseguir sus papeles. “En realidad no existe una fila para todos. Existen tres categorías amplias para la inmigración legal a los Estados Unidos: La primera es la de una persona (con papeles) aquí en el país que reclame a un familiar en el extranjero; un empleador o compañía que patrocine a empleados a que trabajen aquí en los Estados Unidos y unas pocas ayudas por razones humanitarias (como asilo político o refugiados),” dijo Powers.

“La gran mayoría de las personas no califican bajo ninguna de estas categorías porque no tienen ningún familiar en los Estados Unidos que los reclame, o no tienen las credenciales para que una compañía los patrocine a trabajar aquí, o estas personas no califican para un asilo a venir a los Estados Unidos,” concluyó Powers.

La abogada Davis-Singletary, con oficina en el área de Cornelius, habló acerca de los recursos que ayudan a los indocumentados por razones de tipo humanitario como el TPS, VAWA y nuevos tipos de visas que están disponibles en esas categorías. La abogada enfatizó a las personas a que estén preparadas para los requerimientos necesarios para programas como DACA, que aplica a niños y adolescentes, y en un futuro próximo, DAPA, que aplica a los padres de familia.

La Hermana de la Caridad Rose Marie, quien trabaja para la oficina de Justicia Social de las Hermanas de la Caridad en el área del Sureste y Centro de los Estados Unidos dijo, “La Conferencia de los Obispos de los Estados Unidos tiene una oficina llamada ‘Justicia para los Inmigrantes,’ la cual se encarga de advocar a nivel nacional y estatal para mejorar las leyes de inmigración y una reforma migratoria.

Nosotros apoyamos la reforma migratoria, la cual es un camino justo a la ciudadanía, y que protege los derechos del inmigrante y las personas que ya están aquí en los Estados Unidos.”

Después de las charlas, los participantes tuvieron la oportunidad de hacer preguntas a los panelistas acerca del tema.

Centeno exhortó a las familias hispanas presentes a que se inscribieran en sus parroquias respectivas y pagaran impuestos todos los años para que hubiera así una constancia de que esas personas han residido en los Estados Unidos para que estas personas demuestren que son los que las autoridades de inmigración llaman “personas de carácter.”

“Las personas que están hiendo y viniendo (ilegalmente) a los Estados Unidos se están perjudicando su posibilidad de arreglar su situación migratoria aquí en los Estados Unidos. Así que si ustedes tienen familiares que están hiendo y viniendo a sus países, por favor díganles que no hagan eso,” dijo la abogada Davis-Singletary.

Mas en-linea At www.catholicnewsherald.com: No se pierdan el video-corto con las impresiones del Padre Fidel Melo, Vicario del Ministerio Hispano de la diocesis, acerca de la eleccion de los nuevos cardenales de Latino-America en el canal YouTube del Catholic News Herald.

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

LECTURER FROM PAGE 8

“God is the problem, we are not the problem,” she joked. “God pushes, you know. God always wants more.”

Thinking that perhaps God would leave her alone if she went somewhere and prayed for a while, she said, she went on retreat to Algeria, where she lived in the Sahara desert for three months.

“I loved my work, my foundation, but there was something more than that: I felt the call to stay faithful, even when we gravitate to that which makes us feel more secure and more successful.”

The silence of the desert changed her life, Gateley said. She felt the need to detach herself from the successful ministry she had built up over the past 15 years, along with everything else she knew and loved.

She decided to move to Chicago and study theology, to learn more about the Church she had been serving for so many years.

After earning her degree at the Catholic Theological Union, Gateley assumed she’d go back to London and her old life. “I said to God, ‘Look at this, God: Catholic laywoman with a degree in theology. Beat that!’”

Instead, God was calling her to sit and wait, Gateley said. She felt His voice saying, “I will teach you something else: Why don’t you do nothing?”

“You know, God is so out of touch. You can’t do nothing,” she continued with a laugh, because so many people in this world need help. She said she felt Him reply, “‘I have something to tell you,’ said this big, big God. ‘The world has already been saved.’”

Gateley spent the next nine months

living alone in a trailer in the woods outside Chicago, praying and asking God for direction. She got bored and impatient, she said, and she wondered if her mother had been right all along about her being crazy. She described this time as a period of “gestation,” a period of darkness necessary for her “to hear God’s whispers” and learn to “just hold on” to her faith.

“There cannot be fullness of life without the gestation. There can’t be a resurrection without the tomb experience. The darkness is an integral part of our journey of faithfulness. So we don’t give up – we stay there,” clinging stubbornly to our faith in God’s grace, she explained.

At the end of it, she said, she felt called to help women escape from prostitution in Chicago, helping women on the margins whom society had thrown away. It was not part of her plans and she didn’t know anything about prostitutes, but she trusted in God’s promise: “I will never leave you, but you must be faithful.”

“You have to be blind. Faith is blind,” she said. We have misgivings, worries, and practical questions about how it will all work out, yet we must reach out in faith.

“No intelligent person would” trust in the Holy Spirit, she said, “but we’re not called to intelligence. We’re called to faith. We have to trust in the Holy Spirit.”

Gateley opened a shelter in Chicago for women seeking to escape prostitution, and now she runs a recovery support group, “Sophia’s Circle.”

As she observed the ugly world of prostitution and got to know and help the women she encountered, Gateley said she came to see them as sisters.

“Little by little they took off their masks of anger, violence and hostility. Underneath I found the children, the little girls who had been raped at the ages of 3 and 5 and 7 and 8,” who then dropped out of school and gave up hope and respect for themselves, often ending up in jail or committing suicide.

Through Gateley’s outreach, these women began building new lives for themselves – and their immense joy is “a powerful witness” for the Church, she said.

“They have been to hell and they’ve come back. They know about redemption, they know about suffering. Here is our Church, we (can be) so righteous – but these women are so grateful for salvation, for new life.

They’ve been to hell and back, and they can tell us about salvation.”

Gateley continued, “You see what God can do if we’re a little bit believing and optimistic? God can move mountains – and the mountains that God moves are the ones inside us, the mountains of fear, insecurity and doubt.

‘We’re here to procreate the love of God. We’re not here to build an empire, but to bring about peace and equality, love and compassion, and mercy.’

11

“Most of the time we know what we’re supposed to do, but we rationalize away God’s grace with our brains, our fears, our insecurities, our doubts. We rationalize away the divine impulse within us.

“We’re here to procreate the love of God. We’re not here to build an empire, but to bring about peace and equality, love and compassion, and mercy.”

But of all her work over the years, Gateley told the audience, her most difficult job has been as a mother. While in Chicago, she adopted an African-American baby boy who had been exposed to crack cocaine before birth. Raising a child, she said, was something that as a feminist she never thought she would do.

After becoming a single mother, she said, she has great respect for women called to the vocation of motherhood. “It’s the most incredible, and the most demanding, calling,” she said, adding with a quip, “I’d rather be in the Sahara desert.”

Throughout her talk, Gateley repeatedly encouraged the audience: “Son of God, daughter of God: you must know who you are. You must be faithful to that call.”

Discipleship means taking what we receive in the Eucharist at Mass and bringing it out into the world, shining the light of Christ in our dark and painful world, she said. “It’s difficult because we have a difficult world – in case you haven’t noticed.

Yet, she added, “each one of us is empowered to follow Jesus and to proclaim the Good News at whatever level we are in our lives, whatever we do.”

Those who attended Gateley’s talk praised her as an inspiration for greater discipleship.

“Her message is a powerful one for all Christians,” said Kennedy Lecture committee member Martha Schmitt.

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Our schools 12

catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

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In Brief Erhardt named HP Scholastic Junior All-American by AJGA GREENSBORO — Reilly Erhardt of Greensboro has been named an HP Scholastic Junior All-American, the American Junior Golf Association and Hewlitt Packard announced. Since 1988, the team has recognized 12 young men and 12 young women who demonstrate the ability to excel both on the golf course and in the classroom.

A senior at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, Erhardt scored a 1950 on the SAT and carries a GPA of 5.15. He was recognized as an “AP Scholar with Honor” by the College Board for his Erhardt high AP test scores and volunteers with maCares, which provides school supplies and other necessities to homeless children and families in his community. He earned the Most Valuable Player award for his high school golf team and has led them to several state championships.

During his 2014 AJGA season, the Maryland verbal commit had three top-20 finishes.

To be eligible to apply for the HP Scholastic Junior All-American Team, boys must have placed in the top 10 of an AJGA Open or Invitational, while girls needed a top-five finish.

— Jeff Stoller

OLG students raise money for St. Jude’s GREENSBORO — Our Lady of Grace School students recently participated in the St. Jude’s Hospital Math-a-thon to raise funds for the children’s hospital. This year, OLG students raised more than $3,500. Pictured are several students who raised significant funds: (from left, top row) Nicholas, Patrick and Teresa Graves, and Lead Administrator Celia McMullen; and (from left, bottom row) Diego and Santiago Mendoza, Marian and Noah Waterman.

— Karen Hornfeck

CCHS hosts regional debate tourney CHARLOTTE — The Charlotte Catholic High School Debate & Speech Team hosted the inaugural Queen City Invitational Regional Tournament Dec. 6, during which over 300 students from twenty schools in the Carolinas competed. The tournament covered three main debate events, Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum and Student Congress, and over a dozen speech events.

Several coaches from various North and South Carolina schools took part to run the tournament.

Significant contributors include Mary A. Morales (head coach and tournament director), John McDonald (assistant tournament director), Terri Taylor (media specialist and tournament coordinator), Michelle Kennedy, Amy McDonald, Doris Tan, MaryLouise Gennett, Sherry Akins, Naomi Dickerson, Margarita Chavez and Angelia Schifferle.

— Mary A. Morales We welcome your school’s news! Please email news and photos to Editor Patricia L. Guilfoyle at plguilfoyle@charlottediocese.org.

Asheville Catholic, Scout Troop 91 launch pen recycling effort Patricia Cole Special to the Catholic News Herald

ASHEVILLE — According to the EPA, Americans throw away 1.6 billion disposable pens every year. In an effort to bring awareness to this issue of difficult-to-recycle items, specifically plastic writing instruments, Boy Scout William David of Troop 91 chose to create an education and recycling plan in conjunction with Asheville Catholic School. The effort was his Eagle Scout and Hornaday Conservation project.

Working with Asheville Catholic’s student council, David launched a school-wide education program and recycling collection contest. Using his school’s program as an example, David, along with other Scouts from Troop 91, expanded the recycling program to more than 70 community organizations including schools, universities, libraries, businesses, religious institutions, and other Scout troops. More than 125 pounds of writing instruments have been collected over the past several months.

The collected materials are recycled by mail through the “Brigrade” program at TerraCycle (www.terracycle. com), a company that collects previously non-recyclable or difficult-to-recycle waste. They offer free shipping as well as a donation for each item recycled.

David has also been working with Asheville GreenWorks

Photo provided by Shannon Davis

Members and Leaders of Asheville’s Boy Scout Troop 91 thank the many organizations that participated in the disposable plastic writing instruments recycling project. (ashevillegreenworks.org) and encouraging people to participate in their “Hard 2 Recycle” events. Community members can save their used plastic writing instruments, which includes all markers, pens and mechanical pencils, and recycle them at these quarterly collection events. Asheville Greenworks also collects many other types of items that are difficult to recycle.

Christ the King explores beauty of God’s creation in Bridge Week Gaby Hurt Special to the Catholic News Herald

HUNTERSVILLE — Each January, students at Christ the King High School take a break from the normal class schedule to embark upon an exploration of the relationship between faith and reason, in what they call “Bridge Week.”

This pause provides students with the unique opportunity to experience education as a leisurely pursuit of the truth. Through thoughtful and in-depth explorations in topics of interest to Catholic life, all members of the school community have the chance to view the twin pillars of the foundation for academics in a new and fresh light, according to teacher Michael Smith.

This year, students explored the beauty of God’s creation.

The inspiration for Bridge Week comes from Pope St. John Paul II’s 1998 encyclical “Faith and Reason,” said Principal Brendan Keane.

“During our Bridge Week, we intensely explore a topic that will, hopefully, help our students and teachers better understand the intimate relationship between faith and reason,” Keane said. “Through school-wide seminars with special guests, hands-on activities and field trips, our community learns together and plans for how we might improve our school through the lessons and experiences that come along with Bridge Week.

“This year we focused on the human person and human relationships, and considered especially how we might transform ourselves – individually and collectively – by learning how to

Photo provided by Gaby Hurt

While learning about sustainability during their recent “Bridge Week,” students at Christ the King High School built a chicken coop, where they will house at least 10 chickens this year. put the needs of others before our own needs. Increasing our knowledge of the technical workings of creation proved to be an important strand, too; we heard from a neurologist, a cardiologist, a botanist, and a farmer.”

The week was about learning about the beauty of God’s creation and how we, as Catholics, can be stewards of that creation, said student Gaby Hurt.

On Jan. 5, Jason Barger spoke to students about his “Step Back from the Baggage Claim” movement and his efforts to build houses for families abroad living in poverty.

The next day Margie Vermillion, from Vermillion Physical Therapy, led

students in exercises and spoke about the importance of protecting their health and well-being.

Speakers also included biology teacher Veronica Westendorff, who led a discussion on sustainability and the importance of protecting the environment. To be more sustainable on their own campus, students built compost bins and a chicken coop, where they will house at least 10 chickens this year.

“If the knowledge gained helps us have a deeper appreciation of creation, and if we slow down a bit to appreciate it more, then we will be able to say that Bridge Week 2015 was a success,” Keane said.

Mix

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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several uses of profanity, constant rough and crude language.

CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: R

‘Still Alice’

In Brief

The real depredations of Alzheimer’s disease and its toll on the families of the afflicted are not on display in this flawed drama about a Columbia University linguistics professor (Julianne Moore) who falls prey to the earlyonset strain of the illness shortly after turning 50. Mature themes, including suicide, a few references to body functions, fleeting crass language.

CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13

On TV n Saturday, Jan. 31, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “St. Bernadette of Lourdes.” The story of St. Bernadette of Lourdes and how she changed the lives of many with her visions of Mary is told by a cast of more than 160 Catholic children. n Saturday, Jan. 31, 11 p.m. (EWTN) “Vito Bonafacci.” After a near-death experience and a warning from his deceased mother, a wealthy Italian American man examines the quality of his life and the significance of his Catholic faith. n Tuesday, Feb. 3, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Providence Will Provide.”

A look into the life of Mother Mary Lange, who despite cultural hostility established the first religious community of black women

‘The Wedding Ringer’ ‘American Sniper’ Sober war drama based on Chris Kyle’s 2012 memoir (written with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice) about his service as a Navy SEAL during the conflict in Iraq. As Kyle, played

by Bradley Cooper, gains a reputation as an expert sharpshooter, he wins the respect of his comrades, but also becomes a prime enemy target with a price on his head. The Texas native’s insistence on returning to combat through four grueling tours of duty, moreover, predictably exacts a psychological toll and strains his relationship with his wife (Sienna Miller). Working from a script by Jason Hall, director Clint Eastwood successfully conveys the heroic personal commitment that motivated Kyle to protect his fellow fighters. Yet the film avoids any big-picture moral assessment of the specific struggle in which he participated or of armed clashes in general. Stylized violence with some gore, a scene of torture, a premarital situation, some sexual humor and references,

Lacking close friends, a likeable nebbish (Josh Gad) betrothed to a shallow beauty (Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting) engages the services of a best-man-for-hire (Kevin Hart) and a hastily assembled crew of fake groomsmen.

Director and co-writer Jeremy Garelick’s potentially touching comedy bogs down in juvenile nastiness: the script takes supposedly humorous swipes at the clergy abuse scandal and tries to garner giggles by involving a dog in a sex act. Anti-Catholic and irreverent humor, strong sexual content, including depraved activity with partial frontal nudity, a frivolous treatment of homosexuality, about a dozen uses of profanity, pervasive rough and crude language.

CNS: 0 (morally offensive); MPAA: R

Additional reviews:

13

n Thursday, Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Burma: Threshold of Hope.” A presentation of conditions of life in Burma, along with a brief examination of the Church in this developing country. n Friday, Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “A Tiny Piece of Heaven.” Explore the lives and faith of a community of believers in the small coastal town of Magadan, Siberia, which at one time was a slave labor camp. n Saturday, Feb. 7, 8 p.m. (EWTN) “Bakhita.”

Dramatic life of Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese-born slave who became a nun in the Order of the Cannossian Sisters and was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II. Part 1. n Sunday, Feb. 8, 10 p.m.(EWTN) “The Bishop and the Actor.” Bishop Michael J. Sheridan of Colorado Springs, Colo., joins actor Leonardo Defilippis for a candid conversation about the age-old alliance of the Church and the arts. n Monday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Most Holy Mother of God Catholic Church.” Once under the yoke of Communism, a Catholic parish in Russia is reborn with the arrival of American priests.

in the history of the Church. n Wednesday, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Wherever You Are.” Discover God in your work as St. JosemarÌa Escrivá gives instruction on the Christian meaning of work.

n Wednesday, Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m. (EWTN) “Bernadette: Saint of Lourdes.” The life of Bernadette Soubirous, a peasant girl from Lourdes, France, to whom Our Lady appeared in 1858.

The film calls us to find peace of mind and heart, as Bernadette did, even in the midst of chaos.

' ’Blackhat’: CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: R n ’Inherent Vice’: CNS: O (morally offensive); MPAA: R n ’Paddington’: CNS: A-II (adults and adolescents); MPAA: PG n ’Taken’: CNS: A-III (adults); MPAA: PG-13

Principal St. Anne Catholic School, Pre-K-8, in Bristol, Virginia, seeks qualified candidates for the position of Principal beginning June 2015. St. Anne’s is nestled in the heart of the Appalachian region and takes pride in providing 160 children an environment of academic excellence, discipline and Christian values. We are committed to educating the whole child spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically.

If you are a practicing Catholic, have a minimum of 5 years teaching experience and have a strong commitment to Catholic Education, faculty, staff, school board, parents, alumni and the broader community – then this may be the opportunity you are looking for!

We invite you to visit our church and school web sites to see what makes St Anne such a great place to be! Full Job Description and Diocese Application can also be found at these links. www.stannes-bristol.org www.stanneschoolbristol.org

Join us as we celebrate the family and its role in our society, and rejoice in the Holy Father’s first visit the to the U.S.

Diocese of Charlotte Pilgrimage September 23 – 27, 2015 Lead by Father Michael Kottar from the Diocese of Charlotte 4 nights accommodations Roundtrip motor oach from Charlotte to Philadelphia 4 dinners / 4 breakfasts Half day guided tour of Philadelphia Visit two local shrines Daily Mass / Papal Mass … and much more!

For more information or to register please contact: Henry Dennis Mrs. Jean Judge AAA Vacations 800- 645-9650 ext: 14811 hddennis@mailaaa.com

Secretary, St. Mary Help of Christians 704-487-7697 ext: 103 jmjudge@charlottediocese.org

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iiiJanuary 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com

FROM TH

Pay It Forward With Hope, Give Back With Gratitude

‘By sharing our gifts from God, we can bring the love of Jesus to those in our world who need Him most.’

— Bishop Peter J. Jugis

Did you know?

An individual DSA pledge may be paid in up to 10 installments, by EFT, credit card, check, or with a gift of stock. All pledges can be paid by the end of 2015.

Donate online at www.charlottediocese.org/dsa.

For more information, contact Kerry Ann Tornesello, associate director of development, at 704-370-3302 or email katornesello@charlottediocese.org.

Learn more View the 2015 DSA video on the Diocese of Charlotte’s YouTube channel and on www.catholicnewsherald.com.

2015 Diocesan Support Appeal encourages ‘Sharing God’s Gifts’ SueAnn Howell Senior reporter

CHARLOTTE — Now in its 32nd year, the Diocesan Support Appeal raises funds to support 30 agencies that provide more than 50 programs or services throughout the Diocese of Charlotte. By contributing to the DSA, we are actually living the theme of the 2015 appeal, “Sharing God’s Gifts,” as each of us is called to share our gifts in support of the Church. This message is enhanced with the additional message: “Pay it Forward with Hope, Give Back with Gratitude.”

Kerry Ann Tornesello, associate director of development, notes, “This theme incorporates a strong message of stewardship – the idea that all we have is a gift from God and this is one of our opportunities to share these gifts with a sense of gratitude, and to fulfill the mission of the Church.”

We share our gifts first in our own parish, and then in our diocese and the Church throughout the world. Some of the DSA-funded ministries provide services beyond the scope of individual parishes and some exist for the sole purpose of assisting parishes in their own mission to teach, evangelize and serve.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis, in his letter encouraging parishioners to participate in the DSA campaign, reminds us that it “supports the men and women throughout the diocese who share God’s gifts as educators, mentors, companions, and laborers, as they minister to those who yearn to experience the perfect gift, Jesus.”

The Diocesan Support Appeal provides the annual funding for the operations of these ministries and programs. In contrast, the recent Forward in Faith, Hope, and Love campaign funds support

the future needs and growth of the diocese.

Thousands of people across the diocese benefit from DSA-funded ministries, including: 18 seminarians studying for the priesthood; 121 permanent deacons throughout the diocese; children in our Catholic schools; faith formation participants from youth to adults; teens in youth ministry; college students involved in campus ministry; Hispa African-American and Hmong communities through the multicultur ministries; Catholic Charities’ clients seeking financial help, counsel food assistance, clothing, refugee resettlement or immigration assistance; as well as couples in need of marriage preparation, Natur Family Planning training, adoption or pregnancy support services.

This year’s financial goal for the DSA is $5,120,000. To reach this g each parish or mission has been assessed a specific amount. Parish that surpass their assessed goals receive rebates of 100 percent of th amount received over their target. If a parish falls short of its goal, then the shortfall must come from the parish’s operating budget.

Over the next several weeks, parishes will conduct their appea in several different ways. Letters and postcards will be sent from Bishop Jugis and pastors. A DSA video has been produced to showcase the ministries and programs supported by the DSA fro a unique perspective. In this year’s video, we hear from several o our seminarians as they discuss the DSA-funded ministries they had the opportunity to participate in before discerning their call the priesthood, DSA-funded ministries that inspired their vocatio and DSA-funded ministries they look forward to supporting whe they return to the diocese as priests. Parishes will also conduct “ pew” appeals and host speakers sharing their stories of support the DSA.

HE COVER

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.comiii

With Whom We Share God’s Gifts…

31%

8%

als m

om of y l to ons, en “in for

4%

Where does your money go?

The purpose of the Diocesan Support Appeal (DSA) is to help provide the annual funding necessary to carry out the mission of our diocese – namely to fulfill our call to “grow ever more perfectly into a community of praise, worship and witness, and to become a leaven of service and sign of peace through love in the Piedmont and Western North Carolina.” The DSA provides funding for the following:

2015 DSA Funded Ministries Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte................................... $1,809,185

35%

Pregnancy Support, Adoptions Counseling Immigration Food Pantries Clothing Closets Financial Assistance Elder Ministry

Marriage Preparation Natural Family Planning Social Concerns & Advocacy Respect Life Refugee Resettlement Teen Parenting Youth in Crisis

Education

31%

Adult Education/Evangelization........................................................... $87,139 Campus Ministry.....................................................................................$659,041 Faith Formation Office........................................................................$405,508 Youth Ministry..........................................................................................$114,459 Catholic Schools Offices........................................................................ $86,070 Office of the Vicar of Education...........................................................$111,600 Media Resources....................................................................................$104,459

Multicultural Ministries

15%

ral

goal, hes he

7%

35%

1 c

anic, ral ling,

15%

8%

African American Ministry.................................................................... $22,453 Hispanic Ministries................................................................................ $676,207 Hmong Ministry.......................................................................................$55,660

Vocations Seminarian Education............................................................................ $281,149 Permanent Diaconate............................................................................. $97,393

Eucharistic Congress............................................................................$146,225

7%

Housing Ministry.....................................................................................$164,649 Hospital Ministry.......................................................................................$59,194

4%

DSA Campaign Costs................................................................................$239,609

Overall Goal....................................................................................... $5,120,000

PARISH/MISSION Christ the King Christ the King Divine Redeemer Good Shepherd Holy Angels Holy Cross Holy Family Holy Infant Holy Redeemer Holy Spirit Holy Trinity Immaculate Conception Immaculate Conception Immaculate Conception Immaculate Heart of Mary Immaculate Heart of Mary Our Lady of Consolation Our Lady of Fatima Our Lady of Grace Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Lourdes Our Lady of Mercy Our Lady of the Americas Our Lady of the Angels Our Lady of the Annunciation Our Lady of the Assumption Our Lady of the Highways Our Lady of the Mountains Our Lady of the Rosary Prince of Peace Queen of the Apostles Sacred Heart Sacred Heart Sacred Heart Sacred Heart St. Aloysius St. Andrew the Apostle St. Ann St. Barnabas St. Benedict St. Benedict the Moor St. Bernadette St. Charles Borromeo St. Dorothy St. Elizabeth of the Hill Country St. Eugene St. Frances of Rome St. Francis of Assisi St. Francis of Assisi St. Francis of Assisi St. Francis of Assisi St. Gabriel St. Helen St. James the Greater St. James the Greater St. Joan of Arc St. John Baptist de La Salle St. John Lee Korean St. John Neumann St. John the Baptist St. John the Evangelist St. Joseph St. Joseph St. Joseph St. Joseph St. Joseph of the Hills St. Joseph Vietnamese St. Jude St. Lawrence Basilica St. Leo the Great St. Lucien St. Luke St. Margaret Mary St. Margaret of Scotland St. Mark St. Mary St. Mary, Help of Christians St. Mary, Mother of God St. Matthew St. Michael the Archangel St. Patrick Cathedral St. Paul the Apostle St. Peter St. Philip the Apostle St. Pius X St. Stephen St. Thérèse of Lisieux St. Thomas Aquinas St. Vincent de Paul St. William

CITY High Point Kings Mountain Boonville King Mount Airy Kernersville Clemmons Reidsville Andrews Denver Taylorsville Canton Forest City Hendersonville Hayesville High Point Charlotte Winston-Salem Greensboro Bryson City Charlotte Monroe Winston-Salem Biscoe Marion Albemarle Charlotte Thomasville Highlands Lexington Robbinsville Belmont Brevard Burnsville Salisbury Wadesboro Hickory Mars Hill Charlotte Arden Greensboro Winston-Salem Linville Morganton Lincolnton Boone Asheville Sparta Franklin Jefferson Lenoir Mocksville Charlotte Spencer Mountain Concord Hamlet Asheville North Wilkesboro Charlotte Charlotte Tryon Waynesville Asheboro Bryson City Kannapolis Newton Eden Charlotte Sapphire Valley Asheville Winston-Salem Spruce Pine Mint Hill Swannanoa Maggie Valley Huntersville Greensboro Shelby Sylva Charlotte Gastonia Charlotte Greensboro Charlotte Statesville Greensboro Elkin Mooresville Charlotte Charlotte Murphy

15

DSA GOAL $11,267.65 $4,200.29 $19,827.31 $10,754.74 $19,963.01 $72,143.95 $131,485.70 $18,103.53 $4,949.63 $55,094.00 $6,974.28 $3,844.17 $32,077.46 $124,452.94 $19,805.42 $124,908.39 $46,232.82 $8,537.93 $111,407.24 $4,596.64 $47,011.90 $51,187.14 $66,473.14 $29,989.18 $9,073.89 $28,655.30 $44,363.28 $16,240.49 $15,184.94 $22,425.56 $2,609.95 $76,220.89 $49,655.36 $1,776.28 $90,299.28 $7,870.61 $117,291.00 $7,665.27 $84,180.35 $75,044.66 $22,485.41 $13,017.69 $26,539.41 $42,775.66 $29,990.90 $38,518.10 $76,097.06 $7,492.93 $26,559.79 $13,327.35 $27,997.96 $18,136.45 $305,408.39 $4,865.48 $98,652.65 $12,054.19 $24,013.36 $14,270.14 $15,135.47 $95,106.79 $40,762.98 $27,559.98 $27,820.98 $6,852.63 $13,462.16 $21,612.00 $12,017.25 $35,869.09 $15,489.72 $62,809.50 $147,094.28 $6,950.55 $90,927.90 $23,838.97 $17,665.69 $227,170.26 $41,148.79 $23,386.44 $14,600.72 $727,535.49 $68,844.36 $77,017.55 $102,339.82 $113,268.64 $45,218.99 $163,462.54 $13,100.11 $133,108.64 $101,830.10 $112,606.39 $18,336.73

TOTAL $5,120,000

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Bishop Peter J. Jugis

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ear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, At the conclusion of the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, celebrated in 2014 to treat the topic, “The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization,” Pope Francis decided to make public the “Relatio Synodi,” the document which concluded the synod’s work. At the same time, the Holy Father indicated that this document would be the Lineamenta (guidelines) for the XIV Ordinary General Assembly to take place Oct. 4-25 to treat the topic, “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World.”

On these pages you will find a lengthy series of questions to which I ask you to respond. Your answers will contribute to the guidance that the bishops are seeking for their meeting later this year. Before you begin to answer the questions it is important that you review the accompanying document, “Relatio Synodi of the III Extraordinary General Assembly.”

Kindly respond to the survey by Feb. 27 so that I can forward this information to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

I am grateful for the insights you may wish to share as to how to strengthen family life in these challenging times. Please be assured of my prayers as you ask the Holy Spirit for His guidance and wisdom in your own reflection on these important matters.

Bishop Peter J. Jugis leads the Diocese of Charlotte.

CNS | Paul Haring

Pope Francis attends the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican last Oct. 18.

What do you think?

Pope Francis and Bishop Jugis want your input about the state of the family today Catholic News Herald

CHARLOTTE — People of the Diocese of Charlotte are being invited to share their thoughts on the mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world, in advance of a worldwide Synod of Bishops this October.

A series of 46 questions – published on pages 17-22 of this week’s edition – are being posed to Catholics here in the diocese and around the world by the world’s bishops. The questions have been formed out of the “Relatio Synodi,” or final report, that was issued after an earlier preliminary meeting (“extraordinary synod”) of bishops last October. The “Relatio Synodi” is an instrument to ensure “the work of prayer, reflection and fraternal discussion continues with the aim of preparing for the next assembly,” Pope Francis said last fall.

In a letter to Catholics of the diocese (left), Bishop Jugis urges people to reflect on the “Relatio Synodi” and consider answering the questions, just as they were asked their thoughts in 2013 in preparation for the preliminary bishops’ meeting last fall.

The 2013 survey was slightly shorter than this one: 41 questions versus 46. In the Diocese of Charlotte, 302 of the 2013 surveys were filled out and compiled into a report that was sent to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Diocesan officials hope the response to this longer survey is higher. The deadline to participate in the survey is Friday, Feb. 27.

“Our 2013 effort to let people know about the survey was hampered by a very tight schedule that was imposed on us by the Vatican. We had only about a month to place the survey online, gather the surveys and then subject them to an analysis,” said David Hains, diocesan director of communication. “This time around, we have a little more breathing room and that will allow us to advertise

Take the survey ONLINE – Go to www.charlottediocese.org and click on “Survey.” (This method is preferred, as responses can be compiled more efficiently.)

IN WRITING – If you do not have access to the internet, you may respond to the questions in writing. Mail your responses to: David Hains, Director of Communication, Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 S. Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203. You must include your name and a telephone number where you can be reached.

Note: There is no requirement to answer all of the questions. If you are not comfortable with a question, you may skip it.

Deadline: Friday, Feb. 27

it more through the Catholic News Herald, parish bulletins and the Catholic News Herald’s social media outlets like Facebook.”

It is a lengthy survey, but the questions being posed are important for local Catholics to consider.

“When I tell people that taking this survey means reading a 9,000word document and answering almost four dozen essay questions, they appear somewhat intimidated and a little turned off. But when you realize that the document gives lay Catholics the same information that the bishops are working on, then you realize that this is a shared effort and a real education in how our Church works to proclaim the vocation and mission of the family,” Hains said.

Responses to the survey will be compiled and sent to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, where they will be incorporated into the American bishops’ report to the synodal fathers. As with the 2013 survey, the local results will not be publicized separately from what is gathered in other dioceses around the world.

— Catholic News Service contributed.

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

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SYNOD OF BISHOPS XIV ORDINARY GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE VOCATION AND MISSION OF THE FAMILY IN THE CHURCH AND CONTEMPORARY WORLD Preface

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t the conclusion of the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, celebrated in 2014 to treat the topic, The Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization, Pope Francis decided to make public the “Relatio Synodi,” the document which concluded the synod’s work. At the same time, the Holy Father indicated that this document would be the Lineamenta for the XIV Ordinary General Assembly to take place from 4 to 25 October 2015 to treat the topic, “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and Contemporary World.”

The “Relatio Synodi,” which is sent as the Lineamenta, concludes in the following words: “These proposed reflections, the fruit of the synodal work that took place in great freedom and with a spirit of reciprocal listening, are intended to raise questions and indicate points of view that will later be developed and clarified through reflection in the local Churches in the intervening year leading to the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops” (“Relatio Synodi,” n. 62) The Lineamenta has a series of questions aimed at knowing how the document is received and to generate an in-depth examination of the work initiated during the Extraordinary Assembly. It is a matter of re-thinking “with renewed freshness and enthusiasm, what revelation, transmitted in the Church’s faith, tells us about the beauty, the role and the dignity of the family” (“Relatio Synodi,” n. 4). From this vantage point, we have “one year to mature, with true spiritual discernment, the proposed ideas and to find concrete solutions to so many difficulties and innumerable challenges that families must confront” (Pope Francis, Concluding Discourse, 18 October 2014). The results of this consultation, together with the “Relatio Synodi,” will serve as the basis for the Instrumentum laboris of the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of 2015.

For this purpose, the episcopal conferences are asked to choose a suitable manner of involving all components of the particular churches and academic institutions, organizations, lay movements and other ecclesial associations.

Introduction 1. The Synod of Bishops, gathered around the Holy Father, turned its thoughts to all the families of the world, each with its joys, difficulties and hopes. In a special way, the Assembly felt a duty to give thanks to the Lord for the generosity and faithfulness of so many Christian families in responding to their vocation and mission, which they fulfill with joy and faith, even when living as a family requires facing obstacles, misunderstandings and suffering. The entire Church and this Synod express to these families our appreciation, gratitude and encouragement. During the prayer vigil held in St. Peter’s Square on 4 October 2014 in preparation for the Synod on the family, Pope Francis evoked, in a simple yet concrete way, the centrality (of the experience) of the family in everyone’s lives:

“Evening falls on our assembly. It is the hour at which one willingly returns home to meet at the same table, in the depth of affection, of the good that has been done and received, of the encounters which warm the heart and make it grow, good wine which anticipates the unending feast in the days of man. It is also the weightiest hour for one who finds himself face to face with his own loneliness, in the bitter twilight of shattered dreams and broken plans; how many people trudge through the day in the blind alley of resignation, of abandonment, even resentment: in how many homes the wine of joy has been less plentiful, and therefore, also the zest – the very wisdom – for life… . Let us make our prayer heard for one another this evening, a prayer for all.”

1. Within the family are joys and trials, deep love and relationships which, at times, can be wounded. The family is truly the “school of humanity” (“Gaudium et Spes,” 52), which is much needed today. Despite the many signs of crisis in the family institution in various areas of the “global village,” the desire to marry and form a family remains vibrant, especially among young people, and serves as the basis of the need of the Church, an expert in humanity and faithful to her mission to proclaim untiringly and with profound conviction the “Gospel of the Family,” entrusted to her together with the revelation of God’s love in Jesus Christ and ceaselessly taught by the Fathers, the masters of spirituality and the Church’s Magisterium. The family is uniquely important to the Church and in these times, when all believers are invited to think of others rather than themselves, the family needs to be rediscovered as the essential agent in the work of evangelization. Think of the witness of so many families that fulfill their Christian mission.

2. At the Extraordinary General Assembly of October, 2014, the Bishop of Rome called upon the Synod of Bishops to reflect upon the critical and invaluable reality of the family, a reflection which will then be pursued in greater depth at its Ordinary General Assembly scheduled to take place in October, 2015, as well as during the full year between the two synodal events. “The convenire in unum around the Bishop of Rome is already an event of grace, in which episcopal collegiality is made manifest in a path of spiritual and pastoral discernment.” These were the words used by Pope Francis in describing the synodal experience and indicating the task at hand: to read both the signs of God and human history, in a twofold yet unique faithfulness which this reading involves.

3. With these words in mind, we have gathered together the results of our reflections and our discussions in the following three parts: listening, so as to look at the reality of the family today in all its complexities, both lights and shadows; looking, our gaze is fixed on Christ to ponder, with renewed freshness and enthusiasm, what revelation, transmitted in the Church’s faith, tells us about the beauty, the role and the dignity of the family; and confronting the situation, with an eye on the Lord Jesus, to discern the ways in which the Church and society can renew their commitment to the family founded upon the marriage between a man and a woman.

PART I: Listening: the context and challenges of the family The Socio-Cultural Context 4. Faithful to Christ’s teaching, we look to the reality of the family today in all its complexity, with both its lights and shadows. We turn our thoughts to parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, close and distant relatives and the bonds between two families forged by marriage.

Anthropological and cultural changes in our times influence all aspects of life and require an analytic and diversified approach. The positive aspects are first to be highlighted, namely, a greater freedom of expression and a better recognition of the rights of women and children, at least in some parts of the world. On the other hand, equal consideration needs to be given to the growing danger represented by a troubling individualism which deforms family bonds and ends up considering each component of the family as an isolated unit, leading, in some cases, to the idea that a person is formed according to his own desires, which are considered absolute. Added to this is the crisis of faith, witnessed among a great many Catholics, which oftentimes underlies the crisis in marriage and the family.

5. One symptom of the great poverty of contemporary culture is loneliness, arising from the absence of God in a person’s life and the fragility of relationships. There is also a general feeling of powerlessness in the face of socio-cultural realities that oftentimes end in crushing families. Such is the case in increasing instances of poverty and unemployment in the workplace, which at times is a real nightmare or in overwhelming financial difficulties, which discourage the young from marrying. Families often feel abandoned by the disinterest and lack of attention by institutions. The negative impact on the organization of society is clear, as seen in the demographic crisis, in the difficulty of raising children, in a hesitancy to welcome new life and in considering the presence of older persons as a burden.

All these can affect a person’s emotional balance, which can sometimes lead to violence. The State has the responsibility to pass laws and create work to ensure the future of young people and help them realize their plan of forming a family.

6. Some cultural and religious contexts pose particular challenges. In some places, polygamy is still being practiced and in places with long traditions, the custom of “marriage in stages.” In other places, “arranged marriages” are an enduring practice. In countries where Catholicism is the minority, many mixed and interreligious marriages take place, all with their inherent difficulties in terms of jurisprudence, Baptism, the upbringing of children and the mutual respect with regards to difference in faith. In these marriages there can be a danger of relativism or indifference; but there can also be the possibility of fostering the spirit of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue in a living together of diverse communities in the same place. In many places, and not only in the West, there has been a widespread increase in the practice of cohabitation before marriage or simply cohabitating with no intention of a legally binding relationship. In addition to this, there

is often civil legislation which compromises marriage and the family. Because of secularization in many parts of the world, the reference to God is greatly diminished and the faith is no longer shared socially.

7. Especially in some countries, a great number of children are born outside marriage, many of whom subsequently grow up with just one of their parents or in a blended or reconstituted family.

Divorces are increasing, many times taking place solely because of economic reasons. Oftentimes, children are a source of contention between parents and become the real victims of family breakups. Fathers who are often absent from their families not simply for economic reasons need to assume more clearly their responsibility for children and the family. The dignity of women still needs to be defended and promoted. In fact, in many places today, simply being a woman is a source of discrimination and the gift of motherhood is often penalized rather than esteemed. Not to be overlooked is the increasing violence against women, where they become victims, unfortunately, often within families and as a result of the serious and widespread practice of genital mutilation in some cultures. The sexual exploitation of children is still another scandalous and perverse reality in presentday society. Societies experiencing violence due to war, terrorism or the presence of organized crime are witnessing the deterioration of the family, above all in big cities, where, in their peripheral areas, the so-called phenomenon of “street-children” is on the rise. Furthermore, migration is another sign of the times to be faced and understood in terms of its onerous consequences to family life.

The Importance of Affectivity in Life 8. Faced with the aforementioned social situation, people in many parts of the world are feeling a great need to take care of themselves, to know themselves better, to live in greater harmony with their emotions and feelings and to seek affective relationships of quality in the best manner possible. These proper aspirations can lead to a desire to put greater effort into building relationships of self-giving and creative reciprocity, which are empowering and supportive like those within a family.

In this case, however, individualism and living only for one’s self are a real danger.

The challenge for the Church is to assist couples in their emotive maturation and affective development through fostering dialogue, virtue and trust in the merciful love of God. The full commitment required in marriage can be a strong antidote to the temptation of a selfish individualism.

9. Cultural tendencies in today’s world seem to set no limits on a person’s affectivity in which every aspect needs to be explored, even those which are highly complex.

Indeed, nowadays the question of affective fragility is a pressing one; a narcissistic, unstable or changeable affectivity does not always allow a person to grow to maturity.

Particularly worrisome is the spread of pornography and the commercialization of the body, fostered also by a misuse of the internet and reprehensible situations where people are forced into prostitution. In this

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

context, couples are often uncertain, hesitant and struggling to find ways to grow. Many tend to remain in the early stages of their affective and sexual life. A crisis in a couple’s relationship destabilizes the family and may lead, through separation and divorce, to serious consequences for adults, children and society as a whole, weakening its individual and social bonds. The decline in population, due to a mentality against having children and promoted by the world politics of reproductive health, creates not only a situation in which the relationship between generations is no longer ensured but also the danger that, over time, this decline will lead to economic impoverishment and a loss of hope in the future. The development of bio-technology has also had a major impact on the birthrate.

Pastoral Challenges 10. In this regard, the Church is conscious of the need to offer a word of truth and hope, which is based that man comes from God, and that, consequently, a reflection of capable of reframing the great questions about the meaning of human existence can be responsive to humanity’s most profound expectations.

The great values of marriage and the Christian family correspond to the search that characterizes human existence, even in these times of individualism and hedonism. People need to be accepted in the concrete circumstances of life. We need to know how to support them in their searching and to encourage them in their hunger for God and their wish to feel fully part of the Church, also including those who have experienced failure or find themselves in a variety of situations. The Christian message always contains in itself the reality and the dynamic of mercy and truth that meet in Christ.

PART II: Looking at Christ: the Gospel of the Family Looking at Jesus and the Divine Pedagogy in the History of Salvation 11. In order to “walk among contemporary challenges, the decisive condition is to maintain a fixed gaze on Jesus Christ, to pause in contemplation and in adoration of his Face. ... Indeed, every time we return to the source of the Christian experience, new paths and undreamed of possibilities open up” (Pope Francis, “Discourse,” 4 October 2014). Jesus looked upon the women and the men he met with love and tenderness, accompanying their steps with patience and mercy, in proclaiming the demands of the Kingdom of God. 12. Since the order of creation is determined by its orientation towards Christ, a distinction needs to be made without separating the various levels through which God communicates to humanity the grace of the covenant. By reason of the divine pedagogy, according to which the order of creation develops through successive stages to the order of redemption, we need to understand the newness of the Christian Sacrament of Marriage in continuity with natural marriage of the origins, that is, the manner of God’s saving action in both creation and the Christian life. In creation, because all things were made through Christ and for him (cf. Col 1:16), Christians “gladly and reverently lay bare the seeds of the Word which lie hidden among their fellows; they

ought to follow attentively the profound changes which are taking place among peoples” (“Ad Gentes,” 11). In the Christian life, the reception of Baptism brings the believer into the Church through the domestic church, namely, the family; thus beginning “a dynamic process (which) develops, one which advances gradually with the progressive integration of the gifts of God” (“Familiaris Consortio,” 9), in an ongoing conversion to a love that saves us from sin and gives us fullness of life.

13. Jesus himself, referring to the original plan of the human couple, reaffirms the indissoluble union between a man and a woman, though saying to the Pharisees that “for your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so”(Mt 19: 8). The indissolubility of marriage (“what therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder” Mt 19:6), is to be understood not as a “yoke” imposed on persons but as a “gift” to a husband and wife united in marriage. In this way, Jesus shows how God’s humbling act of coming to earth might always accompany the human journey and might heal and transform a hardened heart with his grace, orientating it towards its principle, by way of the cross. The Gospels make clear that Jesus’ example is paradigmatic for the Church. In fact, Jesus was born in a family; he began to work his signs at the wedding of Cana and he announced the meaning of marriage as the fullness of revelation that restores the original divine plan (Mt 19:3).

At the same time, however, he put what he taught into practice and manifested the true meaning of mercy, clearly illustrated in his meeting with the Samaritan woman (Jn 4:1-30) and with the adulteress (Jn 8:1-11). By looking at the sinner with love, Jesus leads the person to repentance and conversion (“Go and sin no more”), which is the basis for forgiveness.

The Family in God’s Salvific Plan 14. The words of eternal life, which Jesus gave to his disciples, included the teaching on marriage and the family. Jesus’ teaching allows us to distinguish three basic stages in God’s plan for marriage and the family.

In the beginning, there is the original family, when God the Creator instituted the first marriage between Adam and Eve as the solid foundation of the family. God not only created human beings male and female (Gen 1:27), but he also blessed them so they might be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28). For this reason, “a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife and the two become one flesh” (Gen 2:24). This union was wounded by sin and became the historical form of marriage among the People of God, for which Moses granted the possibility of issuing a bill of divorce (cf. Dt 24:1ff.). This was the principal practice in the time of Jesus.

With Christ’s coming and his reconciling a fallen world through his redemption, the period begun by Moses ended.

15. Jesus, who reconciled all things in himself, restored marriage and the family to their original form (Mk 10:112). Marriage and the family have been redeemed by Christ (Eph 5:21-32), restored in the image of the Holy Trinity, the mystery from which every true love flows. The spousal covenant, originating in creation and revealed in the history of salvation, receives its full meaning in Christ and his Church. Through his Church, Christ bestows on marriage and

the family the grace necessary to witness to the love of God and to live the life of communion. The Gospel of the Family spans the history of the world from the creation of man in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gn 1: 26-27) until it reaches, at the end of time, its fulfillment in the mystery of the Christ’s Covenant with the wedding of Lamb (cf. Rev 19:9) (cf. John Paul II, “Catechesis on Human Love”).

The Family in the Church’s Documents 16. “Throughout the centuries, the Church has maintained her constant teaching on marriage and family. One of the highest expressions of this teaching was proposed by the Second Vatican Council, in the Pastoral Constitution “Gaudium et Spes,” which devotes an entire chapter to promoting the dignity of marriage and the family (cf. “Gaudium et Spes,” 47-52). This document defined marriage as a community of life and love (cf. “Gaudium et Spes,” 48), placing love at the center of the family and manifesting, at the same time, the truth of this love in counter distinction to the various forms of reductionism present in contemporary culture. The ‘true love between husband and wife’ (“Gaudium et Spes,” 49) implies a mutual gift of self and includes and integrates the sexual and affective aspects, according to the divine plan (cf. “Gaudium et Spes,” 48-49). Furthermore, “Gaudium et Spes,” 48, emphasizes the grounding of the spouses in Christ. Christ the Lord ‘comes into the lives of married Christians through the Sacrament of Matrimony’ and remains with them. In the Incarnation, he assumes human love, purifies it and brings it to fulfillment and gives to the spouses, with his Spirit, the capacity to live that love, permeating every part of their lives of faith, hope and charity. In this way, the bride and groom are, so to speak, consecrated and, through his grace, they build up the Body of Christ and are a domestic church (cf. “Lumen Gentium,” 11), so that the Church, in order fully to understand her mystery, looks to the Christian family, which manifests her in a real way” (“Instrumentum Laboris,” 4).

17. “In the wake of Vatican II, the papal Magisterium has further refined the doctrine on marriage and the family. In a special way, Blessed Pope Paul VI, in his Encyclical “Humanae Vitae,” displayed the intimate bond between conjugal love and the generation of life. Pope St. John Paul II devoted special attention to the family in his catechesis on human love, his Letter to Families (“Gratissimam Sane”) and, especially, his Apostolic Exhortation “Familiaris Consortio.” In these documents, the Pope called the family the “way of the Church,” gave an overview on the vocation of man and woman to love and proposed the basic guidelines for the pastoral care of the family and the presence of the family in society. In specifically treating “conjugal love” (cf. “Familiaris Consortio,” 13), he described how the spouses, through their mutual love, receive the gift of the Spirit of Christ and live their call to holiness” (“Instrumentum Laboris,” 5) 18. “Pope Benedict XVI, in his Encyclical “Deus Caritas Est,” again took up the topic of the truth of the love between man and woman, which is fully understood only in light of the love of Christ Crucified (cf. “Deus Caritas Est,” 2). The Pope emphasized that “marriage based on an exclusive and definitive love becomes the

icon of the relationship between God and his people and vice versa. God’s way of loving becomes the measure of human love” (“Deus Caritas Est,” 11). Moreover, in his Encyclical “Caritas in Veritate,” he emphasizes the importance of love as the principle of life in society (cf. “Caritas in Veritate,” 44), the place where a person learns to experience the common good” (“Instrumentum Laboris,” 6).

19. “Pope Francis, in his Encyclical “Lumen Fidei,” treating the connection between the family and faith, writes: “Encountering Christ, letting themselves (young people) be caught up in and guided by his love, enlarges the horizons of existence, gives it a firm hope which will not disappoint. Faith is no refuge for the fainthearted, but something which enhances our lives. It makes us aware of a magnificent calling, the vocation of love.

It assures us that this love is trustworthy and worth embracing, for it is based on God’s faithfulness which is stronger than our every weakness” (“Lumen Fidei,” 53), (“Instrumentum Laboris,” 7).

The Indissolubility of Marriage and the Joy of Sharing Life Together 20. Mutual self-giving in the Sacrament of Marriage is grounded in the grace of Baptism, which establishes the foundational covenant of every person with Christ in the Church. In accepting each other and with Christ’s grace, the engaged couple promises a total selfgiving, faithfulness and openness to new life. The married couple recognizes these elements as constitutive in marriage, gifts offered to them by God, taking seriously their mutual commitment, in God’s name and in the presence of the Church. So, in faith it is possible to assume the goods of marriage as commitments which are more sustainable through the help of the grace of the Sacrament. God consecrates the love of husband and wife and confirms its indissolubility, offering them assistance to live their faithfulness, mutual complementarity and openness to life.

Therefore, the Church looks to married couples as the heart of the entire family, which, in turn, looks to Jesus.

21. From the same perspective, in keeping with the teaching of the Apostle who said that the whole of creation was planned in Christ and for him (cf. Col 1:16), the Second Vatican Council wished to express appreciation for natural marriage and the valid elements present in other religions (cf. “Nostra Aetate,” 2) and cultures, despite their limitations and shortcomings (cf. “Redemptoris Missio,” 55). The presence of the seeds of the Word in these cultures (cf. “Ad Gentes,” 11) could even be applied, in some ways, to marriage and the family in so many non-Christian societies and individuals. Valid elements, therefore, exist in some forms outside of Christian marriage – based, however, on a stable and true relationship of a man and a woman – which, in any case, we maintain are oriented towards Christian marriage. With an eye to the popular wisdom of different peoples and cultures, the Church also recognizes this type of family as the basic, necessary and fruitful unit for humanity’s life together.

The Truth and Beauty of the Family and Mercy Towards Broken and Fragile Families 22. With inner joy and deep comfort, the Church looks to families who remain

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faithful to the teachings of the Gospel, encouraging them and thanking them for the testimony they offer. In fact, they witness, in a credible way, to the beauty of a marriage which is indissoluble and faithful forever, while always remaining faithful to each other. Within the family, “which could be called a domestic church” (“Lumen Gentium,” 11), a person begins a Church experience of communion among persons, which reflects, through grace, the Mystery of the Holy Trinity. “In a family, a person learns the effort and the joy of work, fraternal love, and generosity in forgiving others – always renewed – and above all divine worship in prayer and the offering of one’s life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1657). The Holy Family of Nazareth is a wondrous model in whose school we “understand why we have to maintain spiritual discipline, if we wish to follow the teachings of the Gospel and become Christ’s disciples” (Blessed Pope Paul VI, “Address at Nazareth,” 5 January 1964). The Gospel of the Family also nourishes the seeds which are still waiting to grow; and serves as the basis for caring for those trees which have withered and must not be neglected.

23. The Church, a sure teacher and caring mother, recognizes that the only marriage bond for those who are baptized is sacramental and any breach of it is against the will of God. At the same time, the Church is conscious of the weakness of many of her children who are struggling in their journey of faith. “Consequently, without detracting from the evangelical ideal, they need to accompany with mercy and patience the eventual stages of personal growth as these progressively occur. ... A small step in the midst of great human limitations can be more pleasing to God than a life which outwardly appears in order and passes the day without confronting great difficulties.

Everyone needs to be touched by the comfort and attraction of God’s saving love, which is mysteriously at work in each person, above and beyond their faults and failings”(“Gaudium Evangelii,” 44).

24. In considering a pastoral approach towards people who have contracted a civil marriage, who are divorced and remarried or simply living together, the Church has the responsibility of helping them understand the divine pedagogy of grace in their lives and offering them assistance so they can reach the fullness of the God’s plan for them.

Looking to Christ, whose light illumines every person (cf. Jn 1:9; “Gaudium et Spes,” 22), the Church turns with love to those who participate in her life in an incomplete manner, recognizing that the grace of God works also in their lives by giving them the courage to do good, to care for one another in love and to be of service to the community in which they live and work.

25. The Church looks with concern at the distrust of many young people in relation to a commitment in marriage and suffers at the haste with which many of the faithful decide to put an end to the obligation they assumed and to take on another. These lay faithful, who are members of the Church, need pastoral attention that is merciful and encouraging and that adequately distinguishes situations. Young people who are baptized should be encouraged to understand that the Sacrament of Marriage can enrich their prospects of love and that they can be sustained by the grace of Christ in the Sacrament and by the possibility of participating fully in the life of the Church.

26. In this regard, a new aspect of family ministry is requiring attention today – the

reality of civil marriages between a man and woman, traditional marriages and, taking into consideration the differences involved, even cohabitation. When a union reaches a particular stability, legally recognized, characterized by deep affection and responsibility for children and showing an ability to overcome trials, these unions can offer occasions for guidance with an eye towards the eventual celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage.

Very often, on the other hand, a couple lives together not in view of a possible future marriage but without any intention of a legally binding relationship.

27. In accordance with Christ’s mercy, the Church must accompany with attention and care the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and lost love, by restoring in them hope and confidence, like the beacon of a lighthouse in a port or a torch carried among the people to enlighten those who have lost their way or who are in the midst of a storm. Conscious that the most merciful thing is to tell the truth in love, we go beyond compassion.

Merciful love, as it attracts and unites, transforms and elevates. It is an invitation to conversion. We understand the Lord’s attitude in the same way; he does not condemn the adulterous woman, but asks her to sin no more (Jn 8:1-11).

Part III: Confronting the Situation: Pastoral Perspectives Proclaiming the Gospel of the Family Today in Various Contexts 28. Discussion at the synod focused on some of the more urgent pastoral needs to be addressed in the local Churches, in communion cum Petro et sub Petro.

Proclaiming the Gospel of the Family is urgently needed in the work of evangelization. The Church has to carry this out with the tenderness of a mother and the clarity of a teacher (cf. Eph 4:15), in faithfulness to the mercy displayed in Christ’s kenosis. Truth became flesh in human weakness, not to condemn it but to save it (cf. Gn 3:16, 17).

29. Evangelizing is the shared responsibility of all God’s people, each according to his ministry and charism.

Without the joyous testimony of married people and families, domestic churches, proclamation, even if done in its proper way, risks being misunderstood or lost in a flurry of words that is characteristic of society today (cf. “Novo Millennio Ineunte,” 50). On various occasions, the synod fathers emphasized that Catholic families, by reason of the grace of the Sacrament of Marriage, are called upon to be the active agents in every pastoral activity on behalf of the family.

30. The primacy of grace needs to be highlighted and, consequently, the possibilities that the Spirit provides in the Sacrament. It is a question of allowing people to experience that the Gospel of the Family is a joy that “fills hearts and lives,” because in Christ we are “set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness, and loneliness” (“Evangelii Gaudium,” 1). In light of the Parable of the Sower (cf. Mt 13:3), our task is to cooperate in the sowing; the rest is God’s work; nor must we forget that, in preaching about the family, the Church is a sign of contradiction.

31. Consequently, this work calls for missionary conversion by everyone in the Church, that is, not stopping at proclaiming

a merely theoretical message with no connection to people’s real problems. We must continually bear in mind that the crisis of faith has led to a crisis in marriage and the family and that, consequently, the transmission of faith itself from parents to children has often been interrupted. In the face of a strong faith, the imposition of certain cultural perspectives which weaken the family and marriage will cause no harm.

32. Conversion also needs to be seen in the language we use, so that it might prove to be effectively meaningful. Proclamation needs to create an experience where the Gospel of the Family responds to the deepest expectations of the human person: a response to each one’s dignity and complete fulfillment in reciprocity, communion and fruitfulness. This does not consist, not in merely presenting a set of rules, but in espousing values that respond to the needs of those who find themselves today even in the most secularized of countries.

33. The Word of God is the source of life and spirituality for the family. All pastoral work on behalf of the family must allow people to be interiorly fashioned and formed as members of the domestic church through the Church’s prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture. The Word of God is not only good news in a person’s private life but also a criterion of judgment and a light in discerning the various challenges that married couples and families encounter.

34. At the same time, many synod fathers insisted on a more positive approach to the richness of various religious experiences, without overlooking the inherent difficulties. In these different religious realities and in the great cultural diversity that characterizes countries, positive possibilities should be appreciated first, and then, on this basis, limitations and deficiencies should be evaluated.

35. Christian marriage is a vocation that is undertaken with due preparation in a journey of faith with a proper process of discernment and is not to be considered only a cultural tradition or social or legal requirement. Therefore, formation is needed to accompany the person and couple in such a way that the life experience of the entire ecclesial community can be united with the teaching of the contents of the faith.

36. The synod fathers repeatedly called for a thorough renewal of the Church’s pastoral practice in light of the Gospel of the Family and for replacing its current emphasis on individuals. For this reason, the synod fathers repeatedly insisted on renewal in the training of priests, deacons, catechists and other pastoral workers with a greater involvement of families.

37. They equally highlighted the fact that evangelization needs to denounce with clarity cultural, social, political and economic factors, such as the excessive importance given to market logic, that prevent authentic family life and lead to discrimination, poverty, exclusion, and violence. Consequently, dialogue and cooperation need to be developed with the social entities and encouragement given to Christian lay people who are involved, as Christians, in the cultural and sociopolitical fields.

Guiding Engaged Couples in Their Preparation for Marriage 38. The complex social reality and the changes affecting the family today require a greater effort on the part of the whole Christian community in preparing those who

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are about to be married. The importance of the virtues needs to be included. Among these, chastity proves invaluable in the genuine growth of love between persons. In this regard, the synod fathers jointly insisted on the need to involve the entire community more extensively by favouring the witness of families themselves and including preparation for marriage in the course of Christian Initiation as well as emphasizing the connection between marriage, Baptism and the other sacraments. Likewise, they felt that specific programmes were needed in preparing couples for marriage, programmes that create a true experience of participation in ecclesial life and thoroughly treat the various aspects of family life.

Accompanying Married Couples in the Initial Years of Marriage 39. The initial years of marriage are a vital and sensitive period during which couples become more aware of the challenges and meaning of married life.

Consequently, pastoral accompaniment needs to go beyond the actual celebration of the Sacrament (“Familiaris Consortio,” Part III). In this regard, experienced couples are of great importance in any pastoral activity. The parish is the ideal place for these experienced couples to be of service to younger couples, with the possible cooperation of associations, ecclesial movements and new communities.

Married couples need encouragement in a basic openness to the great gift of children.

The importance of family spirituality, prayer and participation in the Sunday Eucharist needs emphasis so couples might be encouraged to meet regularly to promote growth in their spiritual life and solidarity in the concrete demands of life.

Meaningful liturgies, devotional practices and the Eucharist celebrated for families, especially on the wedding anniversary, were mentioned as vital factors in fostering evangelization through the family.

Pastoral Care for Couples Civilly Married or Living Together 40. While continuing to proclaim and foster Christian marriage, the Synod also encourages pastoral discernment of the situations of a great many who no longer live this reality. Entering into pastoral dialogue with these persons is needed to distinguish elements in their lives that can lead to a greater openness to the Gospel of Marriage in its fullness.

Pastors ought to identify elements that can foster evangelization and human and spiritual growth. A new element in today’s pastoral activity is a sensitivity to the positive aspects of civilly celebrated marriages and, with obvious differences, cohabitation. While clearly presenting the Christian message, the Church also needs to indicate the constructive elements in these situations that do not yet or no longer correspond to it.

41. The synod fathers also noted that in many countries “an increasing number of people live together ad experimentum, in unions that have not been religiously or civilly recognized” (“Instrumentum Laboris,” 81). In some countries, this occurs especially in traditional marriages that are arranged between families and often celebrated in different stages. Other countries are witnessing a continual increase in the number of those who, after having lived together for a long period, request the celebration of marriage in

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Church. Simply to live together is often a choice based on a general attitude opposed to anything institutional or definitive; it can also be done while awaiting more security in life (a steady job and steady income). Finally, in some countries de facto marriages are very numerous, not only because of a rejection of values concerning the family and matrimony but primarily because celebrating a marriage is considered too expensive in the social circumstances. As a result, material poverty leads people into de facto unions.

42. All these situations require a constructive response, seeking to transform them into opportunities that can lead to the fullness of marriage and family in conformity with the Gospel. These couples need to be provided for and guided patiently and discreetly. With this in mind, the witness of authentic Christian families is particularly appealing and important as agents in the evangelization of the family.

Caring for Wounded Families (Persons who are Separated, Divorced and Not Remarried, Divorced and Remarried, and Single-Parent Families) 43. Married couples with problems in their relationship should be able to count on the assistance and guidance of the Church. The pastoral work of charity and mercy seeks to help persons recover and restore relationships. Experience shows that with proper assistance and acts of reconciliation, though grace, a great percentage of troubled marriages find a solution in a satisfying manner. To know how to forgive and to feel forgiven is a basic experience in family life. Forgiveness between husband and wife permits a couple to experience a never-ending love that does not pass away (cf. 1 Cor 13:8). At times, this is difficult, but those who have received God’s forgiveness are given the strength to offer a genuine forgiveness that regenerates persons.

44. The necessity for courageous pastoral choices was particularly evident at the Synod. Strongly reconfirming their faithfulness to the Gospel of the Family and acknowledging that separation and divorce are always wounds that cause deep suffering to the married couple and to their children, the synod fathers felt the urgent need to embark on a new pastoral course based on the present reality of weaknesses within the family, knowing oftentimes that these are more “endured” with suffering than freely chosen. These situations vary because of personal, cultural and socioeconomic factors. Therefore, solutions need to be considered in a variety of ways, as suggested by Pope St. John Paul II (cf.

“Familiaris Consortio,” 84).

45. All families should, above all, be treated with respect and love and accompanied on their journey as Christ accompanied the disciples on the road to Emmaus. In a particular way, the words of Pope Francis apply in these situations: “The Church will have to initiate everyone – priests, religious and laity – into this ‘art of accompaniment,’ which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf. Ex 3:5). The pace of this accompaniment must be steady and reassuring, reflecting a closeness and compassion which, at the same time, heals, liberates and encourages growth in the Christian life” (“Evangelii Gaudium,” 169).

46. A special discernment is indispensable for pastorally guiding persons who are separated, divorced or abandoned. Respect needs to be primarily

given to the suffering of those who have unjustly endured separation, divorce or abandonment, or those who have been forced by maltreatment from a husband or a wife to interrupt their life together.

To forgive such an injustice that has been suffered is not easy, but grace makes this journey possible. Pastoral activity, then, needs to be geared towards reconciliation and mediation of differences, which might even take place in specialized “listening centers” established in dioceses. At the same time, the synod fathers emphasized the necessity of addressing, in a faithful and constructive fashion, the consequences of separation or divorce on children, in every case the innocent victims of the situation. Children must not become an “object” of contention. Instead, every suitable means ought to be sought to ensure that they can overcome the trauma of a family break-up and grow as serenely as possible. In each case, the Church is always to point out the injustice that very often is associated with divorce. Special attention is to be given in the guidance of single-parent families, so that women who have to bear alone the responsibility of providing a home and raising their children can receive assistance.

47. A great number of synod fathers emphasized the need to make the procedure in cases of nullity more accessible and less time-consuming, and, if possible, at no expense. They proposed, among others, the dispensation of the requirement of second instance for confirming sentences; the possibility of establishing an administrative means under the jurisdiction of the diocesan bishop; and a simple process to be used in cases where nullity is clearly evident.

Some synod fathers, however, were opposed to these proposals, because they felt that they would not guarantee a reliable judgment. In all these cases, the synod fathers emphasized the primary character of ascertaining the truth about the validity of the marriage bond. Among other proposals, the role which faith plays in persons who marry could possibly be examined in ascertaining the validity of the Sacrament of Marriage, all the while maintaining that the marriage of two baptized Christians is always a sacrament.

48. With respect to marriage cases, the streamlining of the procedure, requested by many synod fathers, in addition to the preparation of a sufficient number of persons – clerics and lay people – primarily dedicated to this work will require increased responsibility of the diocesan bishop. This work could be done through specially trained counselors who would be able to offer free advice to the concerned parties on the validity of their marriage.

This work could be done in an office or by qualified persons (cf. “Dignitas Connubii,” art. 113, 1).

49. Divorced people who have not remarried, who oftentimes bear witness to their promise of faithfulness in marriage, ought to be encouraged to find in the Eucharist the nourishment they need to sustain them in their present state of life.

The local community and pastors ought to accompany these people with solicitude, particularly when children are involved or when they are in serious financial difficulty.

50. Likewise, those who are divorced and remarried require careful discernment and an accompaniment of great respect.

Language or behavior that might make them feel an object of discrimination

should be avoided, all the while encouraging them to participate in the life of the community. The Christian community’s care of such persons is not to be considered a weakening of its faith and testimony to the indissolubility of marriage, but, precisely in this way, the community is seen to express its charity.

51. The synod father also considered the possibility of giving the divorced and remarried access to the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist. Various synod fathers insisted on maintaining the present discipline, because of the constitutive relationship between participation in the Eucharist and communion with the Church as well as her teaching on the indissoluble character of marriage. Others proposed a more individualized approach, permitting access in certain situations and with certain well-defined conditions, primarily in irreversible situations and those involving moral obligations towards children who would have to endure unjust suffering. Access to the sacraments might take place if preceded by a penitential practice, determined by the diocesan bishop. The subject needs to be thoroughly examined, bearing in mind the distinction between an objective sinful situation and extenuating circumstances, given that “imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological or social factors” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1735).

52. Some synod fathers maintained that divorced and remarried persons or those living together can have fruitful recourse to a spiritual communion. Others raised the question as to why, then, they cannot have access to sacramental Communion.

As a result, the synod fathers requested that further theological study in the matter with a view to making clear the distinctive features of the two forms and their connection with the theology of marriage.

53. The problems relative to mixed marriages were frequently raised in the interventions of the synod fathers.

The differences in the matrimonial regulations of the Orthodox Churches creates serious problems in some contexts, which require due consideration from the point of view of ecumenism. Analogously, the contribution of the dialogue with other religions would be important for interreligious marriages.

Pastoral Attention towards Persons with Homosexual Tendencies 54. Some families have members who have a homosexual tendency. In this regard, the synod fathers asked themselves what pastoral attention might be appropriate for them in accordance with Church teaching: “There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family.” Nevertheless, men and women with a homosexual tendency ought to be received with respect and sensitivity. “Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided” (Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Persons,” 4).

55. Exerting pressure in this regard on the Pastors of the Church is totally unacceptable: it is equally unacceptable for international organizations to link their

financial assistance to poorer countries with the introduction of laws that establish “marriage” between persons of the same sex.

The Transmission of Life and the Challenges of a Declining Birthrate 56. Today, the diffusion of a mentality that reduces the generation of human life to one variable of an individual’s or couple’s plans is easily observable.

Sometimes, economic factors are burdensome, contributing to a sharp drop in the birthrate that weakens the social fabric, compromises relations between generations and renders a future outlook more uncertain. Openness to life is an intrinsic requirement of married love. In this regard, the Church supports families who accept, raise and surround with affection children with various disabilities.

57. Pastoral work in this area needs to start with listening to people and acknowledging the beauty and truth of an unconditional openness to life, which is needed, if human love is to be lived fully. This serves as the basis for an appropriate teaching regarding the natural methods for responsible procreation, which allow a couple to live, in a harmonious and conscious manner, the loving communication between husband and wife in all its aspects along with their responsibility at procreating life. In this regard, we should return to the message of the Encyclical “Humanae Vitae” of Blessed Pope Paul VI, which highlights the need to respect the dignity of the person in morally assessing methods in regulating births. The adoption of children, orphans and the abandoned and accepting them as one’s own is a specific form of the family apostolate (cf. “Apostolicam Actuositatem,” III, 11), and has oftentimes been called for and encouraged by the Magisterium (cf. “Familiaris Consortio,” III, II; “Evangelium Vitae,” IV, 93). The choice of adoption or foster parenting expresses a particular fruitfulness of married life, not simply in the case of sterility. Such a choice is a powerful sign of family love and an occasion to witness to one’s faith and to restore the dignity of a son or daughter to a person who has been deprived of this dignity.

58. Affectivity needs assistance, also in marriage, as a path to maturity in the ever-deepening acceptance of the other and an ever-fuller gift of self, in this sense, the necessity of offering programmes of formation that nourish married life and the importance of the laity, providing an accompaniment that consists in a vibrant witness, was reiterated. Undoubtedly, the example of a faithful and deep love is of great assistance; a love shown in tenderness and respect; a love that is capable of growing over time; and a love that, in the very act of opening itself to the generation of life, gives an experience of a mystery that transcends us.

Upbringing and the Role of the Family in Evangelization 59. One of the fundamental challenges facing families today is undoubtedly that of raising children, made all the more difficult and complex by today’s cultural reality and the great influence of the media. Consideration, then, needs to be given to the needs and expectations of families, capable of being places of growth in daily life, places of a concrete

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and essential transmission of the virtues that give form to our existence. Parents, then, are able freely to choose the type of education for their children, according to their convictions.

60. The Church assumes a valuable role in supporting families, starting with Christian Initiation, by being welcoming communities. More than ever, these communities today are to offer support to parents, in complex situations and everyday life, in their work of raising their children, accompanying children,

adolescents and young people in their development through personalized pastoral programmes, capable of introducing them to the full meaning of life and encouraging them in their choices and responsibilities, lived in the light of the Gospel. Mary, in her tenderness, mercy and maternal sensitivity can nourish the hunger of humanity and life itself. Therefore, families and the Christian people should seek her intercession. Pastoral work and Marian devotion are an appropriate starting point for proclaiming the Gospel of the Family.

Conclusion 61. These proposed reflections, the fruit of the synodal work that took place in great freedom and with a spirit of reciprocal listening, are intended to raise questions and indicate points of view that will later be developed and clarified through reflection in the local Churches in the intervening year leading to the XIV Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, scheduled for October 2015 to treat The Vocation and Mission

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of the Family in the Church and in the Contemporary World. These are not decisions taken nor are they easy subjects.

Nevertheless, in the collegial journey of the bishops and with the involvement of all God’s people, the Holy Spirit will guide us in finding the road to truth and mercy for all. This has been the wish of Pope Francis from the beginning of our work, when he invited us to be courageous in faith and humbly and honestly to embrace the truth in charity.

Questions Aimed at a Response to and an In-Depth Examination of the ‘Relatio Synodi’ Preliminary Question Applicable to All Sections of the “Relatio Synodi”: Does the description of the various familial situations in the “Relatio Synodi” correspond to what exists in the Church and society today? What missing aspects should be included?

Part I: Listening: The Context and Challenges of the Family As indicated in the Introduction (ns. 1-4), the Extraordinary Synod was intended to address all the families of the world in a desire to share their joys, struggles and hopes. At the same time, considering the many Christian families who faithfully live their vocation, the Synod expressed to them a sense of gratitude and encouraged them to become involved more decisively, as the Church strives to “go out of herself,” and to rediscover the family’s vital character in the work of evangelization, primarily in nourishing for themselves and for families in difficulty the “desire to form a family,” which endures and underlies the conviction that an effective proclamation of the core message of the Gospel must necessarily “begin with the family.”

The path of renewal delineated by the Extraordinary Synod is set within the wider ecclesial context indicated by Pope Francis in his Exhortation “Evangelii Gaudium,” namely, starting from “life’s periphery” and engaging in pastoral activity that is characterized by a “culture of encounter” and capable of recognizing the Lord’s gratuitous work, even outside customary models, and of confidently adopting the idea of a “field hospital,” which is very beneficial in proclaiming God’s mercy. The numbers in the first part of the “Relatio Synodi” are a response to these challenges and provide a framework for reflecting on the real situation of families.

The proposed questions which follow and the reference numbers to the paragraphs in the “Relatio Synodi” are intended to assist the bishops’ conferences in their reflection and to avoid, in their responses, a formulation of pastoral care based simply on an application of doctrine, which would not respect the conclusions of the Extraordinary Synodal Assembly and would lead their reflection far from the path already indicated.

relationships; to fostering social and economic policies useful to the family; to alleviating difficulties associated with attention given to children, the elderly and family members who are ill; and to addressing more specific cultural factors present in the local Church?

2. What analytical tools are currently being used in these times of anthropological and cultural changes; what are the more significant positive or negative results? (cf. n. 5) 3. Beyond proclaiming God’s Word and pointing out extreme situations, how does the Church choose to be present “as Church” and to draw near families in extreme situations? (cf. n. 8). How does the Church seek to prevent these situations?

What can be done to support and strengthen families of believers and those faithful to the bonds of marriage?

4. How does the Church respond, in her pastoral activity, to the diffusion of cultural relativism in secularized society and to the consequent rejection, on the part of many, of the model of family formed by a man and woman united in the marriage and open to life?

The Importance of Affectivity in Life (ns. 8-9) 5. How do Christian families bear witness, for succeeding generations, to the development and growth of a life of sentiment? (cf. ns. 9-10). In this regard, how might the formation of ordained ministers be improved? What qualified persons are urgently needed in this pastoral activity?

Pastoral Challenges (n. 10) 6. To what extent and by what means is the ordinary pastoral care of families addressed to those on the periphery? (cf. n. 11). What are the operational guidelines available to foster and appreciate the “desire to form a family” planted by the Creator in the heart of every person, especially among young people, including those in family situations which do not correspond to the Christian vision? How do they respond to the Church’s efforts in her mission to them? How prevalent is natural marriage among the non-baptized, also in relation to the desire to form a family among the young?

The Socio-Cultural Context (ns. 4-7)

Part II: Looking at Christ: The Gospel of the Family

1. What initiatives are taking place and what are those planned in relation to the challenges these cultural changes pose to the family (cf. ns. 6-7): which initiatives are geared to reawaken an awareness of God’s presence in family life; to teaching and establishing sound interpersonal

The Gospel of the Family, faithfully preserved by the Church from the time of Christ’s Revelation, both written and transmitted through the ages, needs to be proclaimed in today’s world with renewed joy and hope, continuing all-the-while to look at Jesus Christ. The vocation and

mission of the family is fully configured to the order of creation which develops into that of redemption, as summarized by the desire of the Council, “let the spouses themselves, made to the image of the living God and enjoying the authentic dignity of persons, be joined to one another in equal affection, harmony of mind and the work of mutual sanctification. Thus, following Christ who is the principle of life, by the sacrifices and joys of their vocation and through their faithful love, married people can become witnesses of the mystery of love which the Lord revealed to the world by his dying and his rising to life again” (“Gaudium et Spes,” 52; cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1533-1535). From this vantage point, the questions arising from the “Relatio Synodi” are devised to prompt a faithful and bold response from the Pastors and the People of God in a renewed proclamation of the Gospel of the Family.

Looking at Jesus and the Divine Pedagogy in the History of Salvation (ns. 11-13) Accepting the invitation of Pope Francis, the Church looks to Christ in his enduring truth and inexhaustible newness, which also sheds light on the family. “Christ is the ‘eternal Gospel’ (Rev 14:6); he ‘is the same yesterday and today and forever’ (Heb 13:8), yet his riches and beauty are inexhaustible.

He is for ever young and a constant source of newness” (“Gaudium Evangelii,” 11).

7. A fixed gaze on Christ opens up new possibilities. “Indeed, every time we return to the source of the Christian experience, new paths and undreamed of possibilities open up” (n. 12). How is the teaching from Sacred Scripture utilized in pastoral activity on behalf of families. To what extent does “fixing our gaze on Christ” nourish a pastoral care of the family which is courageous and faithful?

8. What marriage and family values can be seen to be realized in the life of young people and married couples? What form do they take? Are there values which can be highlighted? (cf. n. 13) What sinful aspects are to be avoided and overcome?

9. What human pedagogy needs to be taken into account – in keeping with divine pedagogy – so as better to understand what is required in the Church’s pastoral activity in light of the maturation of a couple’s life together which would lead to marriage in the future? (cf. n. 13) 10. What is being done to demonstrate the greatness and beauty of the gift of indissolubility so as to prompt a desire to live it and strengthen it more and more? (cf. n. 14) 11. How can people be helped to understand that a relationship with God can assist couples in overcoming the inherent weaknesses in marital relations? (cf. n. 14) How do people bear witness to the

fact that divine blessings accompany every true marriage? How do people manifest that the grace of the Sacrament sustains married couples throughout their life together?

The Family in God’s Savific Plan (ns. 14-15) In creation, the vocation of the love between a man and woman draws its full realization from the Paschal Mystery of Christ the Lord, who, in his total gift of self, makes the Church his Mystical Body.

Christian marriage, in drawing on the grace of Christ, thus becomes, for those who are called, the path leading to the perfection of love, which is holiness.

12. How can people be made to understand that Christian marriage corresponds to the original plan of God and, thus, one of fulfillment and not confinement? (cf. n. 13) 13. How can the Church be conceived as a “domestic Church” (“Lumen Gentium,” 11), agent and object of the work of evangelization in service to the Kingdom of God? 14. How can an awareness of this missionary task of the family be fostered?

The Family in the Church’s Documents (ns. 16-19) The Church’s Magisterium in all its richness needs to be better known by the People of God. Marital spirituality is nourished by the constant teaching of the Pastors, who care for the flock, and grow through their continual attentiveness to the Word of God and to the sacraments of faith and charity.

15. The Lord looks with love at the Christian family and through him the family grows as a true community of life and love. How can a familial spirituality be developed and how can families become places of new life in Christ? (cf. n. 21) 16. What initiatives in catechesis can be developed and fostered to make known and offer assistance to persons in living the Church’s teaching on the family, above all in surmounting any possible discrepancy between what is lived and what is professed and in leading to a process of conversion?

The Indissolubility of Marriage and the Joy of Sharing Life Together (ns. 20-21) “Authentic married love is caught up into divine love and is governed and enriched by Christ’s redeeming power and the saving activity of the Church, so that this love may effectively lead the spouses to God and may aid and strengthen them in the sublime mission of being father and mother. For this reason, Christian spouses have a special sacrament by which they are fortified and receive a kind of consecration in the duties

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and dignity of their state. By virtue of this sacrament, as spouses fulfil their conjugal and family obligation, they are penetrated with the spirit of Christ, which suffuses their whole lives with faith, hope and charity. Thus they increasingly advance the perfection of their own personalities, as well as their mutual sanctification, and hence contribute jointly to the glory of God” (“Gaudium et Spes,” 48).

17. What initiatives can lead people to understand the value of an indissoluble and fruitful marriage as the path to complete personal fulfilment? (cf. n. 21) 18. What can be done to show that the family has many unique aspects for experiencing the joys of human existence?

19. The Second Vatican Council, returning to an ancient ecclesial tradition, expressed an appreciation for natural marriage. To what extent does diocesan pastoral activity acknowledge the value of this popular wisdom as fundamental in culture and society? (cf. n. 22) The Truth and Beauty of the Family and Mercy Towards Broken and Fragile Families (ns. 22-27) After having considered the beauty of successful marriages and strong families and shown appreciation for the generous witness of those who remain faithful to the bonds of marriage, even when abandoned by their spouses, the Pastors at the Synod asked themselves – in an open and courageous manner but not without concern and caution – how the Church is to regard Catholics who are united in a civil bond, those who simply live together and those who, after a valid marriage, are divorced and remarried civilly.

Aware of the obvious limitations and imperfections present in many different situations, the synod fathers assumed the positive outlook indicated by Pope Francis, according to which “without detracting from the evangelical ideal, they need to accompany with mercy and patience the eventual stages of personal growth as these progressively occur.” (“Evangelii Gaudium,” 44).

20. How can people be helped to understand that no one is beyond the mercy of God? How can this truth be expressed in the Church’s pastoral activity towards families, especially those which are wounded and fragile? (cf. n. 28) 21. In the case of those who have not yet arrived at a full understanding of the gift of Christ’s love, how can the faithful express a friendly attitude and offer trustworthy guidance without failing to proclaim the demands of the Gospel? (cf. n. 24) 22. What can be done so that persons in the various forms of union between a man and a woman – in which human values can be present – might experience a sense of respect, trust and encouragement to grow in the Church’s good will and be helped to arrive at the fullness of Christian marriage? (cf. n. 25)

Part III: Confronting the Situation: Pastoral Perspectives In examining Part III of the “Relatio Synodi,” it is important to be guided by the pastoral approach initiated at the Extraordinary Synod which is grounded in Vatican II and the Magisterium of Pope Francis. The episcopal conferences have the responsibility to continue to examine this part thoroughly and seek the involvement, in the most opportune manner possible, all

levels of the local Church, thus providing concrete instances from their specific situations. Every effort should be made not to begin anew, but to continue on the path undertaken in the Extraordinary Synod as a point of departure.

Proclaiming the Gospel of the Family Today in Various Contexts (ns. 28-37) Because of the needs of the family and, at the same time, the many complex challenges that are present in the world today, the Synod emphasized making a renewed commitment to proclaiming the Gospel of the Family in a bold and more insistent manner.

23. How is the family emphasized in the formation of priests and other pastoral workers? How are families themselves involved?

24. Are people aware that the rapid evolution in society requires a constant attention to language in pastoral communication. How can an effective testimony be given to the priority of grace in a way that family life is conceived and lived as welcoming the Holy Spirit?

25. In proclaiming the Gospel of the Family, how can the conditions be created so that each family might actually be as God wills and that society might acknowledge the family’s dignity and mission? What “pastoral conversion” and what further steps towards an in-depth examination are being done to achieve this?

26. Are people aware of the importance of the collaboration of social and civil institutions on behalf of the family? How is this actually done? What criteria are used to inspire it? In this regard, what role can be played by family associations? How can this collaboration be sustained even in a bold repudiation of the cultural, economic and political processes which threaten the family?

27. How can relations between family, society and civil life be fostered for the benefit of the family? How can the support of the State and the international community be fostered on behalf of the family?

Guiding Engaged Couples in Their Preparation for Marriage (n. 38) The Synod recognized the steps taken in recent years to facilitate an effective preparation of young people for marriage, stressing, however, a need for a greater commitment of the entire Christian community in not only the preparation but also the initial years of family life.

28. How is marriage preparation proposed in order to highlight the vocation and mission of the family according to faith in Jesus Christ? Is it proposed as an authentic ecclesial experience? How can it be renewed and improved?

29. How does the catechesis of Christian initiation present an openness to the vocation and mission of the family?

What practices are seen as most urgent?

How is the relation among Baptism, Eucharist and marriage proposed? What emphasis is given to the character of the catechumenate and mystagogy which is often a part of marriage preparation? How can the community be involved in this preparation?

Accompanying Married Couples in the Initial Years of Marriage (n. 39) 30. Does marriage preparation and

accompanying couples in the initial years of married life adequately value the important contribution of the witness and sustenance which can be given by families, associations and family movements? What positive experiences can be reported in this regard?

31. The pastoral accompaniment of couples in the initial years of family life – as observed in synodal discussion – needs further development. What are the most significant initiatives already being undertaken? What elements need further development in parishes, dioceses or associations and movements?

Pastoral Care of Couples Civilly Married or Living Together (ns. 40-42) The Synod discussed diverse situations resulting from a multiplicity of cultural and economic factors, practices grounded in tradition, and the difficulty of young people to make lifetime commitments.

32. What criteria in a proper pastoral discernment of individual situations are being considered in light the Church’s teaching in which the primary elements of marriage are unity, indissolubility and openness to life?

33. Is the Christian community able to be pastorally involved in these situations?

How can it assist in discerning the positive and negative elements in the life of persons united in a civil marriage so as to guide and sustain them on a path of growth and conversion towards the Sacrament of Matrimony? How can those living together be assisted to decide to marry?

34. In a particular way, what response is to be given to problems arising from the continuity of traditional forms of marriage in stages or those between families?

Caring for Wounded Families (Persons who are Separated, Divorced and Not Remarried, Divorced and Remarried, and Single-Parent Families) (ns. 43-53) Synod discussion highlighted the need for a pastoral based on the art of accompaniment, “the pace of (which) must be steady and reassuring, reflecting our closeness and our compassionate gaze which also heals, liberates and encourages growth in the Christian life” (“Evangelii Gaudium,” 169).

35. Is the Christian community in a position to undertake the care of all wounded families so that they can experience the Father’s mercy? How does the Christian community engage in removing the social and economic factors which often determine this situation? What steps have been taken and what can be done to increase this activity and the sense of mission which sustains it?

36. How can the identification of shared pastoral guidelines be fostered at the level of the particular Church? In this regard, how can a dialogue be developed among the various particular Churches cum Petro and sub Petro?

37. How can the procedure to determine cases of nullity be made more accessible, streamlined and possibly without expense?

38. With regard to the divorced and remarried, pastoral practice concerning the sacraments needs to be further studied, including assessment of the Orthodox practice and taking into account “the distinction between an objective sinful situation and extenuating circumstances” (n. 52). What are the prospects in such a case? What is possible?

What suggestions can be offered to

resolve forms of undue or unnecessary impediments?

39. Does current legislation provide a valid response to the challenges resulting from mixed marriages or interreligious marriages? Should other elements be taken into account?

Pastoral Attention towards Persons with Homosexual Tendencies (ns. 54-55) The pastoral care of persons with homosexual tendencies poses new challenges today, due to the manner in which their rights are proposed in society.

40. How can the Christian community give pastoral attention to families with persons with homosexual tendencies?

What are the responses that, in light of cultural sensitivities, are considered to be most appropriate? While avoiding any unjust discrimination, how can such persons receive pastoral care in these situations in light of the Gospel? How can God’s will be proposed to them in their situation?

The Transmission of Life and the Challenge of a Declining Birthrate (ns. 56-58) The transmission of life is a fundamental element in the vocation and mission of the family: “They should know they are thereby cooperators with the love of God the Creator, and are, so to speak, the interpreters of that love in the task of transmitting human life and to raising children; this has to be considered their proper mission” (“Gaudium et Spes,” 50).

41. What are the most significant steps that have been taken to announce and effectively promote the beauty and dignity of becoming a mother or father, in light, for example, of “Humanae Vitae” of Blessed Pope Paul VI? How can dialogue be promoted with the sciences and biomedical technologies in a way that respects the human ecology of reproduction?

42. A generous maternity/paternity needs structures and tools. Does the Christian community exercise an effective solidarity and support? How? Is it courageous in proposing valid solutions even at a socio-political level?

How can adoption and foster-parenting be encouraged as a powerful sign of fruitful generosity? How can the care and respect of children be promoted?

43. The Christian lives maternity/ paternity as a response to a vocation. Is this vocation sufficiently emphasized in catechesis? What formation is offered so that it might effectively guide the consciences of married couples? Are people aware of the grave consequences of demographic change?

44. How does the Church combat the scourge of abortion and foster an effective culture of life?

Upbringing and the Role of the Family in Evangelization (ns. 59-60) 45. Fulfilling their educational mission is not always easy for parents. Do they find solidarity and support from the Christian community? What suggestions might be offered in formation? What steps can be taken to acknowledge the role of parents in raising children, even at the socio-political level?

46. How can parents and the Christian family be made aware that the duty of transmitting the faith is an intrinsic aspect of being a Christian?

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Synod’s history: Bishops gather to discuss faith, morals, discipline In the ancient Church, only the emperor could convoke an ecumenical council, with the first emperor to do so being Constantine the Great. However, VATICAN CITY — The word “synod” the validity of the decrees issued by the derives from the Greek word “synodos,” councils always depended on their approval meaning “to walk together.” by the bishop of Rome, whose primacy In the early Church, especially in the in the See of Peter was never seriously East, the word was used to describe any questioned in the Church of the first special gathering of bishops to decide millennium. important matters of faith, morality and The Catholic Church has invited Eastern Church discipline. Synods always have Orthodox religious leaders and leaders been a privileged place for the development of other ecclesial communities to attend of the local churches in Eastern synods and councils (as at Vatican II and Christianity. Still today the election of many synods since then) although they do Eastern Orthodox bishops takes place in so only as auditors, possessing no right to synods. vote. It is interesting to observe that the Protestant Reformers were even invited to the Council of Trent, an invitation they rejected.

Often, after the conclusion of a synod of bishops a final document, known as a “post-synodal apostolic exhortation,” is issued by the pope.

The synod of bishops serves to foster greater communion and fraternity within the College of Bishops and to deepen the bonds of bishops with the pope, the Successor of Peter and visible head of the universal Church.

Synods afford the world’s bishops rare opportunities to pray together and to consult one another on important issues affecting the life of the Church. However, the primary role of bishops at synods is to offer their counsel and expertise to the pope, bringing to the synod his own knowledge, ideas, pastoral experiences and the concrete concerns of the local Church he represents and governs.

The pope encourages the bishops to hold frank and open discussions, demonstrating respect for each CNS | Paul Haring others’ views on any given topic. At the conclusion of a synod, the fruits Bishops and cardinals attend the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican of the bishops’ discussions are most last Oct. 13. clearly manifested in the pastoral and practical applications of timeless under the leadership of Sts. Peter and A debt of gratitude is owed to Pope Paul Catholic teachings which the bishops VI because in 1967 he established the Synod James – decided that Gentile converts to Christianity need not follow certain dietary communicate to their collaborators, of Bishops in the contemporary Catholic the priests, and through them to the lay and other laws prescribed in Jewish law.

Church. faithful.

Local diocesan synods or councils and According to the 1983 Code of Canon While the Catholic faith remains one meetings of the world Synod of Bishops Law, there are two forms of synods: the and the same for all Catholics in every are different from councils, like the Second Synod of Bishops and a diocesan synod. generation, the synod members strive Vatican Council, which are described The majority of those who participate in to demonstrate through a series of as being “ecumenical,” which means an a synod of bishops do so “ex officio,” that presentations and small group discussions international gathering of all the bishops is, they are present in their capacity as precisely how immutable Catholic doctrine in communion with the pope, the bishop of heads of Vatican offices and as presidents and moral principles must be transmitted Rome. of bishops’ conferences. A minority of with compassion and full understanding The first ecumenical council in Church other participants are personally invited to for the real life pastoral needs of their own history took place at Nicea in 325; it attend by the pope as he reserves the right priests and lay faithful living in varying clarified doctrine about the divinity of to invite non-bishop participants such as circumstances and conditions around the priests, religious and lay faithful, especially Christ, and formulated what is now known globe. as the Nicene Creed. if they are regarded as having a special The Church’s view of the importance The first seven ecumenical councils took competence or expertise in the topic under of the Christian family can be seen in the place before the Great Schism between the discussion. fact that a synod in 1980 already focused Christian East and West in 1054, and the While non-bishop participants at synods on it; and the world Synod of Bishops seven are the only councils recognized by may make presentations upon invitation, convoked for Oct. 4-25 will continue the both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. only the bishops themselves – and a few discussion.

The last of the seven was Nicea II held in priests – have the right to make direct 787, when the bishops defended the use of interventions and to vote.

Father Nicholas Gregoris is a member of the Priestly icons against the iconoclasts, those who Furthermore, there is a distinction Society of Blessed John Henry Newman and is managing destroyed icons because they considered between an extraordinary synod and an them graven images and objects of idolatry. editor of “The Catholic Response.” ordinary synod, which meets at regular Father Nicholas Gregoris Catholic News Service

intervals.

Presently, under the leadership of Pope Francis, the Church is holding a synod on the family, which will culminate in October.

The work of the synod also will be highlighted by the World Meeting of Families to be held in Philadelphia Sept.

22-27, which Pope Francis will attend.

The word “synod” is, in effect, synonymous with the word “council.”

The prototype of all Church synods and councils is the Council of Jerusalem, which took place about 48 A.D. and is described in the 15th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles.

At that council or synod the apostles –

23

Pope Francis reviews preliminary synod talks Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — The October extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family was not the scene of “a clash between factions, but of a debate among bishops,” a work that will continue with the 2015 general synod “for the good of families, the Church and society,” Pope Francis said after the conclusion of the extraordinary synod.

The pope insisted Dec. 10 that no one at the extraordinary synod “called into question the fundamental truths about the sacrament of marriage: its indissolubility, unity, fidelity and openness to life.”

“Some of you might ask me, ‘But, Father, didn’t some of the bishops fight?’ I wouldn’t say ‘fight,’ but they did speak strongly, that’s true. This is the freedom that exists in the Church,” the pope said.

“I asked the synod fathers to speak with frankness and courage and to listen with humility – to say everything that was in their hearts with courage,” he said. “There was no pre-censorship at the synod. None. Everyone could, or better, had to say what was in his heart, what he really thought.”

Pope Francis told people that no one should be surprised or scandalized that the bishops at the synod had different opinions on certain issues; that is part of Christian history, he said.

Pope Francis thanked the news media for the “abundant” coverage of the synod, but he also said that “frequently the view of the media was a bit in the style of sports or political coverage: There was much talk of two teams, for and against, conservatives and progressives, etc.”

Instead, he said, every bishop spoke from his heart and his experience; “it was edifying” to see how everyone listened.

The synod’s midterm report – which raised controversy for how it seemed to seek out positive values in the relationships of people living contrary to Church teaching, for example, those cohabitating or in same-sex relationships – was just “a draft,” the pope said.

In small groups, the bishops worked on rewriting the draft – and their reports were published to ensure “transparency,” he said. The reports were the basis for the final report (the “Relatio Synodi”), which kept the midterm report’s framework: “listening to reality, looking at the Gospel and making a pastoral commitment.”

The final report, the shorter message to the Church and the pope’s own final speech, he said, are the only “official documents” from the synod.

Our nation 24

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In Brief U.S. House OKs restricting taxpayer funding of abortion WASHINGTON, D.C. — After members of the U.S. House scuttled plans Jan. 22 to vote on a measure to prohibit abortion after 20 weeks, they passed a bill to restrict taxpayer funding of abortion. Called the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, or H.R. 7, it applies the principles of the Hyde Amendment to federal health programs, including the Affordable Care Act. Since 1976, the amendment has prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars to fund federal subsidies of any part of a benefits package that includes elective abortions. H.R. 7 passed by a vote of 242 to 179. The action came as tens of thousands of people from around the country gathered on the National Mall for the annual March for Life marking the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe V. Wade decision legalizing abortion virtually on demand.

Supreme Court agrees to take up same-sex ‘marriage’ cases WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court Jan. 16 agreed to hear four cases over the constitutionality of same-sex “marriage,” tackling the questions of whether the 14th Amendment requires states to allow such unions and whether it requires them to recognize same-sex “marriages” licensed in other states. In brief orders, the court accepted petitions from Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky and Ohio, consolidating them into one hearing that will be held probably in late April, meaning a decision would likely come before the end of the term in late June. As of Jan. 16, 36 states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex “marriage,” either under court rulings or state laws. In the other 14 states, they are prohibited, but those bans are all under legal challenge.

— Catholic News Service

CNS | Leslie E. Kossoff

March for Life participants make their way up Constitution Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington Jan. 22. Hundreds of thousands took part in the annual event, which this year marked the 42nd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion across the nation.

It’s up to young people to ‘end the scourge of abortion,’ says speaker Nate Madden Catholic News Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On a chilly and cloudy morning on the National Mall in Washington, crowds gathered Jan. 22 for the annual March for Life, this year marking the 42nd anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion virtually on demand.

Hundreds of thousands gathered first to hear a lineup of speakers, before marching from the Mall up Constitution Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill. Marchers like Levi Fox, a volunteer and a graduate of Liberty University, said they were there because, “half of our generation is missing.

Sixty million have been killed since Roe v. Wade, which is why I am dedicating my time to the March for Life.”

Early in the day, Pope Francis showed his support of the prolife gathering by tweeting the theme: “Every Life is a Gift” with the hashtag #marchforlife.

After a musical opening, Patrick Kelly, the chairman of the March for Life board, told the crowd they were attending “the largest and most important human rights rally in the world,” and noted the march is becoming “bigger and younger every year.”

Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., the president of the U.S. bishops’ conference, opened the rally with prayer alongside priests, bishops and patriarchs of the Greek Orthodox, Orthodox American, Antiochean Orthodox and Serbian Orthodox churches, in a show of what the archbishop called “a sign of Christian unity.”

The archbishop called the marchers to not only “be joyful witnesses to the gospel of life,” but also to be “loving and welcoming” to those in dire circumstances.”

Jeanne Monahan-Mancini, director of the March for Life, addressed the marchers, congratulating them for making a “pilgrimage” before focusing on this year’s theme.

“Every Life Is a Gift” emphasized that every life is a gift, regardless of a person’s difficulty or disability, and also was meant to emphasize that everyone has a call and a mission – and a role to play creating a culture of life.

A large congressional delegation in attendance emphasized the importance of the Health Care Conscience Rights Act before yielding the floor to a passionate address by Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who said the defense of life was “the responsibility of every single person in America.” The conscience bill would implement a broad religious exemption and conscience protections for private employers who oppose the federal contraceptive mandate that is part of the Affordable Care Act. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., told the crowd, “There have never been more pro-life lawmakers in Congress than we have today.”

In discussing the Knights of Columbus’ ultrasound initiative, which has just donated its 500th ultrasound machine, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson said, “Women have a right to know the truth.”

Julia Johnson, a senior at Shanley Catholic High School in Fargo, N.D., said it was up to the youth of America to “end the scourge of abortion.” As a member of “the pro-life generation,” she said she was proud to have come alongside “400 pro-life warriors,” referring to the school bringing its entire student body on the 1,300-mile journey to the march.

The president of Students for Life, Kristan Hawkins, discussed the gift of her son’s life despite a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.

Hawkins said, “I have personally witnessed the push in our culture to create ‘perfect’ babies.” she said.

The remarks echoed those of the other speakers and marchers in declaring that “we are the pro-life generation.”

After the rally, the crowd left the Mall for Constitution Avenue and marched up to the Supreme Court.

The night before the march, evoking a phrase long associated with the Civil Rights Movement, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston told an overflow crowd of more than 11,000 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington that “we shall overcome” in the fight against abortion. During the opening Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life, Cardinal O’Malley said, “The Church cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for a better world.”

“We shall overcome indifference only by love,” he said. “We must press on with the full assurance that we shall overcome.”

Our world

January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

Persecuted for faith, Christians are united in bloodshed, pope says

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In Brief Pope says marriage annulment process should be free

Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — Christians are united in bloodshed as they suffer from violence and persecution in various parts of the world, Pope Francis told Christian leaders.

Today’s martyrs are men and women, who through their witness to Jesus, are “persecuted and killed because they are Christian,” the pope said Jan. 25 during an ecumenical prayer service marking the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Those who persecute them make no distinction about “which denomination they belong to. They are Christians and for that (they are) persecuted.

This, brothers and sisters, is the ecumenism of blood.”

With Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and other Christian representatives present and reading some of the prayers, Pope Francis presided over the service at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.

The service began with Pope Francis, Orthodox Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy and Anglican Archbishop David Moxon, the archbishop of Canterbury’s representative in Rome, bowing in prayer before the tomb of St. Paul on the feast of his conversion.

Closing the Jan. 18-25 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the pope said Jesus showed that encountering those who are different “from us can make us grow.”

Basing his homily on the Gospel story of Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well, the pope said the encounter is marked by dialogue, patience and respect, showing people today that “to understand each other and grow in love and truth we have to stop, welcome and listen to each other.”

Unity comes about by journeying together, the pope said; nothing comes from standing still.

In fact, “Christian unity will never be the fruit of refined theoretical discussions in which each one will try to convince the other of the validity of one’s opinions,” he said before asking: “Will the Son of Man come and find us still having talks?”

Christians must recognize that “we need each other, to come together and face each other under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who harmonizes diversity and overcomes conflicts,” he said.

Because of the Holy Spirit, “we have become one with Christ” and loving children of God, he said.

“This mystery of love is the most profound reason of the unity that binds all Christians and is much greater than the divisions that occurred throughout the course of history,” he said. That is why the closer each Christian draws to Christ in humility, the closer “we will draw to each another, too.”

So many people in the world are tired and thirsting for truth and meaning, the pope said.

All churches and Christian communities, being called to evangelize, can do so more effectively by not being self-enclosed, exclusive or bent on “imposing uniformity according to purely human calculations.”

“The common commitment to proclaim the Gospel permits overcoming every form of proselytism and temptation to compete. We are all at the service of the one and same Gospel,” he said.

Among those attending the prayer service were men and women belonging to Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant religious orders; they had taken part in a three-day meeting on their role in ecumenism.

25

(CNS | Paul Haring

Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives to celebrate Mass in Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines, Jan. 18.

Pope, at Mass with millions, tells Filipinos to protect the family Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service

MANILA, Philippines — Pope Francis told a crowd of an estimated 6 million gathered in a Manila park to protect the family “against insidious attacks and programs contrary to all that we hold true and sacred, all that is most beautiful and noble in our culture.”

The pope’s homily at the Jan. 18 Mass also reprised several other themes he had sounded during the four-day visit, including environmental problems, poverty and corruption.

Despite continuous rain, the congregation in Rizal Park began to assemble the night before the afternoon celebration. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of Manila canceled other Masses throughout the archdiocese to enhance turnout. The crowd was so dense in spots that people passed hosts to fellow worshippers unable to reach priests distributing Communion.

The government estimated total crowd size at 6 million to 7 million people.

According to the Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, that would be the largest number of people ever to gather to see a pope. A Mass with St. John Paul II in the same place 20 years earlier is believed to have drawn 4 million to 5 million people, often described as the largest live crowd in history.

The Mass was celebrated on Santo Niño Day, or the feast of the Holy Child Jesus, one of the most popular feast days in the Philippines. Many of those who walked great distances down closed roads to get to Rizal Park held statues of Santo Niño.

For his final scheduled public talk in the country, Pope Francis stuck to his prepared English text and did not improvise in Spanish, as he had done at several emotional points during the visit. Yet his voice rose with emphasis during the passage about protecting the family.

Those words echoed his warning, during a Jan. 16 meeting with Filipino families, against “ideological colonization that tries to destroy the family” through such practices as same-sex “marriage” and contraception.

In his homily, Pope Francis said Christians “need to see each child as a gift to be welcomed, cherished and protected. And we need to care for our young people, not allowing them to be robbed of hope and condemned to life on the streets.”

The pope praised the Philippines, whose population is more than 80 percent Catholic, as the “foremost Catholic country in Asia,” and said its people, millions of whom work abroad, are “called to be outstanding missionaries of the faith in Asia.”

Yet he warned the developing nation, one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies, against temptations of materialism, saying the devil “hides his snares behind the appearance of sophistication, the allure of being modern, like everyone else. He distracts us with the promise of ephemeral pleasures, superficial pastimes. And so we squander our God-given gifts by tinkering with gadgets; we squander our money on gambling and drink.”

VATICAN CITY — Addressing the Vatican tribunal primarily responsible for hearing requests for marriage annulments, Pope Francis said all annulment processes should be free of charge. “The sacraments are free. The sacraments give us grace. And a matrimonial process pertains to the sacrament of matrimony. How I wish that all processes were free,” the pope said Jan. 24, at a meeting to inaugurate the Roman Rota’s judicial year.

Pope Francis also said that, because contemporary culture portrays marriage as a “mere form of emotional gratification,” people often marry without a true understanding of the sacrament, meaning many such marriages might actually be invalid. “The judge, in pondering the validity of the consent expressed, must take into account the context of values and of faith – or their presence or absence – in which the intent to marry was formed. In fact, ignorance of the contents of the faith could lead to what the code (of canon law) calls an error conditioning the will. This eventuality is not to be considered rare as in the past, precisely because worldly thinking often prevails over the magisterium of the Church,” he said.

Pope: Confession is time to meet God, not a dry cleaners VATICAN CITY — While people must be honest and specific about their sins when they go to confession, they will miss the sacrament’s key grace if they are “completely mechanical” about listing their sins, Pope Francis said. Confession is not a time for judgment, but for an encounter with the merciful God who is always ready to forgive those who seek pardon, the pope said Jan. 23 during Mass. He said parents, priests and catechists need to teach people how to “confess well, because going to confession is not like going to the dry cleaners to have a stain removed. No! It is going to meet the Father, who reconciles, forgives and celebrates” the sinner’s return. “God always forgives. He never tires of forgiving. We are the ones who tire of asking forgiveness, but He never tires of forgiving us.”

— Catholic News Service

ViewPoints 26

catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

Dr. Kamila Valenta

‘We have to seriously consider the consequences of our actions when we exercise this great freedom, when we decide to test it and push its limits, or even when we support the people who do.’

Freedom of speech: A great gift and a great responsibility F

irst recognized by the democratic ideology of ancient Athens in the 5th century B.C., the freedom of speech is one of the most fundamental rights necessary for the functioning of a democratic society. In recent weeks, this freedom that we have enjoyed in America for more than 200 years has come to the forefront of the news in view of the events in Paris related to the terrorist act against the Charlie Hebdo cartoon magazine by an extreme Islamic group that left 12 people murdered, because the magazine published disrespectful pictures of the prophet Muhammad. This action was followed by an attack on a Kosher market in Paris by the same group that left another four people dead.

Immediately, these heinous crimes were rightly denounced by the vast majority of world leaders, organizations and churches, including many mainstream Muslims. Protests and marches supporting the magazine and freedom of speech in general were quickly organized throughout France, and in many major European and American cities, including Washington, D.C. The protests included not only a firm rejection of violence and the reaffirmation of the right to free speech, but also a strong identification with the publishers of the Charlie Hebdo magazine that was mostly expressed by the slogan “I am Charlie” (the English version of the French “Je suis Charlie”). This slogan was also widely used on the internet and social media, and embraced by a large segment of the population, including many Catholics, despite the fact that the magazine had previously published cartoons that were extremely offensive to the Catholic faith.

While our Holy Father Pope Francis has rejected the violence, he also pointed out that treating other people’s faith with such disrespect provokes retaliation. His statement was criticized by politicians and media, but security in most of the Western world was heightened in expectation of a possible backlash from Islamic extremists.

However, what many do not realize is that not only are we likely to face retaliation when we insult, but that other innocent

people around the world might have to bear the costs of this backlash.

In order to “reaffirm” the fundamental right to free speech, and express the support for the Charlie Hebdo magazine, the French government chose to subsidize the next edition of the magazine (with

struggled to coexist in peace for centuries.

On Jan. 16, at least two people were killed and several injured during protests in Pakistan, which has a history of violent reactions to the insults on the Muslim faith, and where Christians and other nonMuslims already live in fear. In the Middle

about 3 million copies distributed – more than 50 times its typical circulation), which again featured a disrespectful picture of the prophet Muhammad on the front cover.

This new issue was reprinted by most mainstream media in Europe, the United States and Latin America, and triggered protests and violence in many parts of the world, especially in places where Christians, Muslims and Jews have already

Eastern countries, where any resemblance of peace has always been extremely difficult to achieve and maintain (such as Lebanon, Syria and Egypt), the new magazine cover further polarized Muslims against Christians, promoted and stirred hatred, as a result of which violence is now expected to rise.

Yet the continent that has suffered by this controversy the most is Africa, a continent

that already shares a disproportionate burden of the world’s poverty, conflict, disease and other hardships. Nigeria has struggled with vicious attacks by the extreme-Muslim terrorist group Boko Haram against mostly Christians. These attacks have claimed many lives; most recently, about 2,000 people were killed during massive attacks in the northeastern town of Baga in the first week of January.

The cartoon controversy further ignited anti-Christian sentiment among Muslims in this already torn country, which resulted in the torching of churches and looting of Christian shops with several fatalities as a response and immediately following the printing of the new issue of the magazine.

Similar protests have been observed in other African countries that contain significant Muslim populations, such as Algeria, Senegal and Mali among others.

In the central African country of Niger, at least 10 people were killed, 45 churches torched, and many Christian homes looted during protests in response to the new Charlie Hebdo publication of the prophet.

Violence in all forms and regardless of the insult that triggered it must always be condemned, and freedom of speech, which is intrinsic to democracy, cannot be curtailed. However, we have to be aware that this freedom is a great gift that we have inherited in a democratic society.

With this gift comes a great responsibility, which in a global and inter-connected world extends far beyond the borders of our own country.

We have to seriously consider the consequences of our actions when we exercise this great freedom, when we decide to test it and push its limits, or even when we support the people who do. Are we being respectful towards our faith and other people’s faiths? And, most importantly, are we contributing to peace in the world through our words and actions?

Dr. Kamila Valenta is a member of St. Gabriel Church in Charlotte and is a part-time professor at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, where she teaches ethnic conflict.

Most-read stories on the web Through press time on Jan. 28, 13,109 visitors to www.catholicnewsherald.com have viewed a total of 24,669. The top 9 headlines in January were: n Charlotte Catholic: Retired teacher can’t work now as substitute after he announces gay ‘marriage’ plans......................................................................................................................................................5,011

n Father Torres appointed to St. Mark Church in Huntersville.................................................................225 n Our Lady of Grace School welcomes new principal...................................................................................178

n Following Jesus means proclaiming gospel of life......................................................................................781

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January 30, 2015 | catholicnewsherald.com catholic news heraldI

27

Consecrated life

The Poor Clares

Reflections on the Year for Consecrated Life:

H

Self-emptying love: The gift of poverty

oly Mother Church calls us this year to turn our gaze, our focus and our prayers towards one of her greatest treasures: the vocation to the consecrated life. In this state, a member of the faithful is closely united to Christ by living a radical gift of self. Countless charisms and varieties of religious orders have sprung up through the ages by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Each has been called forth in order to give witness to the primacy of God, to be a living sign of the Kingdom of Heaven, and to give fruitful service in the Church.

The most basic common denominator among all men and women religious is the total consecration of all that encompasses one’s person through the profession of vows (or similar sacred promises) to God. These vows are links between the religious and Our Lord, which involve commitments and promises of fidelity in pursuing and embracing a life patterned after His own.

These comprise what are traditionally known as the evangelical counsels: poverty, chastity and obedience; and are vowed either directly, or implied through other formulas.

We see in the Gospels that Our Lord lived a life of total obedience to the Father’s Will, of virginal chastity and of simple poverty.

These counsels not only draw us closely to Christ, but also serve as antidotes to the three main sources of temptation: the world, the flesh and the devil.

All Christians are, in fact, called to express these Gospel values in their own lives, but those called to the consecrated life are given the privilege and freedom to take them a step further: living them in a concrete, external manner and binding themselves to a greater responsibility before God for their fulfillment.

When we turn to Scripture, we find many examples of Our Lord calling someone to follow Him. These accounts form our earliest examples of religious vocations, and portray the reality of some being set apart in order to belong totally to Christ, to be with Him in a particular way, and to work closely with Him in fulfilling His mission.

What do we find Our Lord asking in these intimate invitations? Does He first say, “Leave behind all thought of marriage and dedicate your chastity to Me?” Or does He command, “Come, obey all the rules I will recount to you.” No. He says, “Sell what you have and give to the poor, then, come follow Me.” Or, even when it appears that He did not directly demand it, we find the first response of the one called described along the lines of “…and he left everything and followed Him.” Our Lord is well aware that material possessions often greatly weigh down the soul and encumber the desire to unite ourselves more fully to Him. Things – passing and insignificant as they may be – can serve as so many distractions, obstacles to the gift of self. In order to answer His call, we must first let go of all that we cling to.

The value of evangelical poverty as preached by Christ during His public

ministry marks one of the most dramatic shifts between the Old and New Testaments.

The Old Covenant focused on prosperity and the bounty of material goods as a sign of God’s favor and blessing. A lack of these things was viewed as a curse.

We see Christ, however, reinforcing again and again that it is not easy for the rich to enter Heaven, that misers labor in vain to store up fleeting treasures, that we should be no more concerned than the birds about the necessities of life. He continually teaches us to trust in God’s provident care.

The average Christian cannot cast away all his money and possessions with the dramatic flair of a St. Francis of Assisi. Neither is the counsel of poverty a call to destitution. It is, rather, an invitation to detachment.

Consecrated religious renounce whatever belongings, small or great, they have called their own in this life, and they depend upon their religious community and the generosity of benefactors for the meeting of their needs.

Nothing truly belongs to them as individuals as their own personal property after they profess the vow of poverty. Everything they do receive is given for their use.

Their preferences, likes and dislikes, are conformed to the communal, where literally “all things are held in common,” as in the first community of Christians in the Acts of the Apostles. A simplicity is embraced which is reflected by every part of daily life: common meals, a living atmosphere which fosters the call to poverty, the wearing of a religious habit, undertaking a work of some kind for the support of the community, and so on.

Religious receive with humble thanksgiving the alms offered by those who wish to give out of love for God and His Church, often making many sacrifices to do so. They learn to accept peacefully whatever may be lacking which they might deem “necessary,” and also to discern ways to share of their own abundance.

Poverty levels, in the evangelical sense, cannot be reckoned in monetary figures.

It is essentially a work of the heart.

Regardless of how little one has, it is possible to become attached to anything, even a favorite pen! There are always new opportunities to grow in this virtue so dear to the heart of God. True poverty of spirit gives birth to an incredible joy of soul. In the words of St. Clare, “What a marvelous exchange: to leave the things of time for those of eternity, to choose the things of heaven rather than the goods of earth, to receive a hundred-fold in place of one, and to possess eternal life!”

Consecrated religious stake their claim on heavenly treasures, despising the things that this world says are critical for happiness. The religious is not afraid to give up what is in reality only transitory for the sake of gaining the “pearl of great price.” One who embraces the vow of poverty is a living sign that Gift, SEE page 28

On the Feast of Christ the King in 2014, Pope Francis declared the Year of Consecrated Life, beginning on the first Sunday of Advent (Nov. 30, 2014) and continuing through Feb. 2, 2016.

Each year on Feb. 2 a World Day of Consecrated Life is celebrated by the Church on. However, for this year Pope Francis emphasized the need for those living a consecrated life to evangelize and “wake up the world.” He encouraged a wide variety of efforts to support those in consecrated life, including prayer and activities to foster and recognize this vocation. To this end he called the Church to shed light on the meaning of consecrated life today.

Consecrated life is defined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (914-933) but it is so much more. Consecrated life is a more intimate way of living out one’s baptismal promises. Men and women who choose the consecrated life have been called by God and moved by the Holy Spirit to follow Christ more closely in total self-giving, professing the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and living lives of service to promote the kingdom of God. Do we recognize the groups of men and women who live a life of total INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED consecration in our LIFE AND SOCIETIES OF Church today? Who APOSTOLIC LIFE are they? What kind of life do they live?

In the Catechism the forms of consecrated are described as; “one INSTITUTES OF SOCIETIES OF great tree, with CONSECRATED LIFE APOSTOLIC LIFE many branches.”

Church law defines their distinctive characteristics.

EREMETIC

ORDER OF VIRGINS

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES

SECULAR INSTITUTES

Adapted from “The Catholic Formulary: In Accordance with the Code of Canon Law, Vol. 2,” by Father Peter Akpoghiran

Institutes of consecrated life Institutes of consecrated life are recognized societies in the Church with either diocesan or pontifical rights, meaning that their approval must be confirmed by either the local bishop or the Holy See. Although religious life and secular institutes are major broad categories of institutes of consecrated life, the eremitic life and the order of virgins still exist. The consecration of members of institute of consecrated life is through the profession of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, or other sacred bonds in accordance with the laws of their individual institutes. Institutes of consecrated life may be comprised of clerics (priests) or laity, or both.

Lay institutes include women in the religious life or secular institutes.

Religious Institutes

This is the most common and well-known form of consecrated life. Members of religious institutes live in common and usually take public vows. They can be of diocesan or pontifical rights, and their lifestyle and work conforms to the mandate of their particular rules and constitutions.

Secular Institutes

Secular institutes are orders of men or women popularly referred to as the silent witnesses of Christ in the world. They do not live a common life or wear a habit. Many members continue to live with family members and they do not detach themselves from the world as religious.

Secular institutes trace their roots to the 16th century and St. Angela Merici and her Company of St. Ursula, or the Ursulines. The birth of secular institutes as a new form of consecrated life became inevitable because of the transformations in European Christianity and the growth of atheism and anticlericalism during the second half of the 19th century.

Priests or religious with habits were prevented access to many places where charitable work was needed, but secular institutes such as Missionaries of the Kingship of Christ (in the Franciscan tradition) could.

On the 25th anniversary of “Provida Mater Ecclesia” in 1972, Pope St. Paul VI focused on the two major roles of secular institutes in the Church: (1) “full consecration of life according to the evangelical counsels, and (2) full responsibility for a transforming presence and action within the world, in order to mold it, perfect it, and sanctify it.” To add, Pope St. John Paul II described secular institutes as “the new reality of consecrated life; for they become life-giving leaven so as to change the world from within” (Madrid, 1982).

Eremitic Life (Hermits)

Men or women who withdraw from the world for the sake of serving God in solitude, penance and intense prayer live the eremitic life. They are under the direction of their bishop or they operate under the leadership of a specific religious institution.

Order of Virgins

These are mostly women who devote their life to building the kingdom of God, betrothed mystically to Christ (CCC 922-924). They are consecrated in a liturgical rite approved by the bishop. Although members live alone, they can be associated together.

Societies of Apostolic Life A different form of consecrated life is the society of apostolic life. It consists of members who do not profess religious vows, but focus on their specific apostolate (CCC 930). At times, the vows of members of societies of apostolic life are renewable every year. Members of societies of apostolic life are required to live a common life and they can be male or female, clerics or lay.

St. Vincent De Paul is regarded as the father of women societies of apostolic life, and St. Philip Neri is the father of male societies of apostolic life.

— Submitted by the Missionaries of the Kingship of Christ, a secular institute.

Learn more about them online at www.simkc.org.

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catholicnewsherald.com | January 30, 2015 CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD

GIFT:

DIRECTOR:

LIFE:

FROM PAGE 27

FROM PAGE 3

FROM PAGE 3

to their fullest potential, and I am honored to try to help them (and their families) in that process.”

Ganser has also been active in the SPRED Ministry (Special Religious Development) at her parish for several years.

“This Special Religious Development program for individuals with special needs is a wonderful opportunity for these individuals to develop a sense of the sacred within their faith community,” she said. “I am continuously amazed at how the Lord works through this program and these children.”

Joseph Purello, director of Catholic Charities’ Office of Social Concerns and Advocacy, said he is pleased to welcome Ganser.

“She brings a great deal of educational and pro-life ministry experience to her new position as Respect Life program director, through which she will provide resources to the parishes and parishioners of our diocese to work for the protection of all human life, especially the most vulnerable and voiceless of human lives – the unborn.”

“Jennifer’s organizing and educational experience will assist Catholics in our diocese to implement the U.S. bishops’ ‘Pastoral Plan for Pro-Life Activities,’” he added.

Ganser said she hopes parishes and parish Respect Life coordinators will call on her for assistance and information as needed.

For more information about Respect Life programs in the Diocese of Charlotte, go to www.ccdoc.org/respectlife or contact Ganser at jmganser@charlottediocese.org or call 704370-3229.

road. Only by uniting ourselves to You will there be a change in the culture. You are the Lord of life. You proclaim Your Gospel of Life through us and we are Your faithful servants, eager to do Your will for the unborn.”

In each case, Jesus’ response might not be much different than what He told Andrew and John when they asked to follow Him, telling them, “Come and you will see.”

That’s because “there is no better place to be than with Jesus,” Bishop Jugis said.

Likewise, we place these three responses – these three petitions – at the feet of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the basilica dedicated to her Immaculate Conception, Bishop Jugis said. We also ask for her assistance “to stay close to the Lord in this work,” he said.

“We place these petitions at the feet of our Blessed Mother because she is Virgin Most Powerful, Mother Most Chaste, Mother Most Amiable, Queen of Families,” he said.

And “To Our Lord this day, each one of us says, ‘Here am I, Lord; I come to do Your will.’”

At the end of the North Carolina Mass, Bishop Burbidge thanked all of those who had traveled to the March for Life and aided in the planning. He asked for a show of hands of how many North Carolinians were in the congregation, and both he and Bishop Jugis marveled at how most of the people present were from their dioceses.

Priests, deacons, seminarians and altar servers from both dioceses participated in the Mass. There were approximately 20 Diocese of Charlotte priests at the Mass, both active and some retired.

After the North Carolina Mass, both Bishop Jugis and Bishop Burbidge headed to the March for Life to join up with their parishioners and march up Constitution Avenue to the U.S. Supreme Court building, where they prayed the rosary.

renunciation leaves one not sad or empty, but radically fulfilled.

Again, poverty is not a goal in itself; it is pursued as a means to a great end: total union with Christ. St. Francis and St. Clare were ardent lovers of poverty because they found in it a way to reflect in their own lives the poverty chosen by Our Lord in His birth in a humble stable, raised in the simple home of a carpenter, and upon the Cross, stripped of everything which this life offers for our satisfaction. Self-emptying love is what Christ espoused for our

‘One who embraces the vow of poverty is a living sign that renunciation leaves one not sad or empty, but radically fulfilled.’ sakes, and this is what true poverty of spirit leads us towards.

This Year for Consecrated Life leads us to admire those who show forth the great joy and freedom found in embracing evangelical poverty. It is also a call for us to expand our efforts in stripping ourselves of all we fear to loosen our grasp on. If we work to unclutter our hearts, we will discover new joy in placing God first in our lives and looking to Him for the true fulfillment of all our needs. We then learn – on a deeper level – to appreciate all the gifts, from the smallest to the greatest, that God so graciously bestows on us each day.

Sister Marie Thérèse of the Divine Child Jesus is professed with the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration St. Joseph Monastery in Charlotte. This is the first of her commentaries on the Year for Consecrated Life, which is being celebrated by the universal Church until Feb. 2, 2016. Learn more about the Poor Clares at www.stjosephmonastery. com.

Take the Survey!

In preparation for the Synod on the Family later this year the bishops of the world are seeking your input on issues that affect individuals and families.

This is an opportunity to grow in your faith and share your thoughts with the bishops.

Please visit www.charlottediocese.org (click on the SURVEY link on the homepage).

Read a summary of the Synod meeting that took place in 2014 and then answer the questions.

Allow yourself several HOURS to complete the survey.

Photo by Catholic News Service