February 5, 2010
The Catholic News & Herald 1
www.charlottediocese.org
Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte
Perspectives Reconnecting with God; Spirit of forgiveness; Contrition before publication
Established Jan. 12, 1972 by Pope Paul VI February 5, 2010
Bishops ask Congress for genuine health reform
| Pages 14-15 Serving Catholics in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Discovering God’s gifts
Call members to set aside partisanship WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) — Three leading U.S. bishops called on members of Congress Jan. 26 to “set aside partisan divisions and specialinterest pressures” to achieve genuine health care reform. “The health care debate, with all its political and ideological conflict, seems to have lost its central moral focus and policy priority, which is to ensure that affordable, quality, life-giving care is available to all,” said a letter signed by Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston and Bishops William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and John C. Wester of Salt Lake City. The three chair the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees on Pro-Life Activities, on Domestic Justice and Human Development and on Migration, respectively. In the two-and-a-half-page letter, the USCCB leaders outlined their “fundamental principles” for health care reform, saying it must: “Protect human life and dignity, not threaten them.” “Respect the consciences of providers, taxpayers and others, not violate them.” “Be truly universal and ... not be denied to those in need because of their condition, age, where they come from or when they arrive here.” “Restrain costs and apply See HEALTH, page 6
image courtesy of the catholic news
& herald
Pictured is the poster for the 2010 Diocesan Support Appeal, which runs Feb. 6 through March 14. Its goal of $4,300,000 provides funds for more than 30 diocesan ministries offering more than 50 programs.
vOLUME 19
no. 12
DSA helps fund diocesan ministries, programs BARBARA GADDY Associate Director of Development CHARLOTTE — In St. Mark’s account of the calling of the first disciples, he asked them to trust and lower their nets for a catch in spite of the fact that they had been fishing all night without catching anything. “This Gospel is about trust. It is about taking risks and ‘casting our nets into the deep’ and discovering an abundance of God’s gifts,” said Bishop Jugis in his letter to parishioners announcing the 2010 Diocesan Support Appeal. He continued, “The DSA is about using our gifts to build up the Kingdom of God.” This year’s campaign, Feb. 6 through March 14, has a goal of $4,300,000, which provides funds for more than 30 diocesan ministries offering more than 50 programs. “I humbly ask you to reflect on your own blessings and return a portion of these See DIOCESE, page 9
Church has rights in public debate, pope says
cns photo by paul haring
Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, center, addresses a press conference in Rome Feb. 1. He and Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff, Wales, vice president of the conference, left, spoke to the media after meeting Pope Benedict XVI Feb. 1 at the Vatican. At right is Father Marcus Stock, general secretary of the conference.
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholic teaching and the truths of the Gospel have a right to be heard in public debate, especially in a country where so many people claim to be Christian, Pope Benedict XVI told the bishops of England and Wales. However, the church must recognize dissent within its own ranks and not accept it as being part of a balanced discussion, he said Feb. 1 in an address to bishops who were making their “ad limina” visits.
The meeting with the bishops, who were at the Vatican to report on the status of their dioceses, took place as Pope Benedict prepares to visit Great Britain in September. Referring to the Equality Bill under debate in Britain’s Parliament, the pope said some legislation designed to guarantee equal opportunity for all people actually would impose “unjust limitations on See DEBATE, page 7
Culture Watch
Around the diocese
In The News
Ricci sainthood cause reopened; Pro-life ad to air during Super Bowl
Working for a common purpose; A lesson in relics; Students celebrate feast day
Stronger relations urged between Catholic college presidents, bishops
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February 5, 2010
2 The Catholic News & Herald
InBrief
Current and upcoming topics from around the world to your own backyard
Vatican making final review of English liturgical translations VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments is pulling together the final version of the English translation of the complete Roman Missal, the book of prayers used at Mass. The Vox Clara Committee, an international group of bishops established to advise the congregation about the translation of the Roman Missal into English, met in Rome Jan. 26-29. A statement released at the end of the meeting said members “reviewed various reports on the steps being taken for editing, coordination of manuscripts and reviews for internal consistency of the English-language translation” of the Roman Missal. Marist Father Anthony Ward, an official of the congregation for worship, said because bishops’ conferences approved the Roman Missal in sections over several years, a final review and minor edits were
cns photo by mike segar, reuters
New Orleans Saints fans celebrate after their team defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship football game in New Orleans Jan. 24.
Archbishop Hannan pulling for Saints to march in NEW ORLEANS (CNS) — Retired Archbishop Philip M. Hannan of New Orleans said “it would be tremendous” if his city’s team, the Saints, beat the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV Feb. 7 in Miami. “As a matter of fact, if it happens, the downtown parish of the city will simply explode,” he told the Clarion Herald, newspaper of the New Orleans Archdiocese. Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond, current head of the archdiocese, and Indianapolis Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein placed a friendly wager on the game. “If we win, he owes me some southern Indiana pork chops, and if they win, I owe him some gumbo,” A r c h b i s h o p Ay m o n d s a i d . “ I t should be fun.” But it was Archbishop Hannan, now 96, who was there at the beginning, when the Saints and their fans were “newly minted,” as editor Peter Finney Jr. of the Clarion Herald recounted in a Feb. 6 column. The archbishop, who headed the archdiocese from 1965 to 1988, even helped name the Saints. According to Finney, the archbishop reassured then-Gov. John McKeithen “that he did not consider the nickname sacrilegious. ‘But I have to tell you,’ he told McKeithen, ‘from the viewpoint of the church, most of the saints were martyrs.’” Archbishop Hannan was invited to
offer the invocation before the kickoff of the Saints’ first game against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 7, 1967, “in front of 80,000 newly minted Saints fans at sold-out Tulane Stadium.” Titled “Prayer for the Saints,” his words are “every bit as fresh today,” Finney said, suggesting the prayer might be something the longsuffering fans of the Saints — playing in their first Super Bowl — would want to recite before the kickoff of the big game: “God, we ask your blessing upon all who participate in this event, and all who have supported our Saints. Our heavenly Father, who has instructed us that the ‘saints by faith conquered kingdoms ... and overcame lions,’ grant our Saints an increase of faith and strength so that they will not only overcome the Lions, but also the Bears, the Rams, the Giants and even those awesome people in Green Bay. “May they continue to tame the Redskins and fetter the Falcons as well as the Eagles. Give to our owners and coaches the continued ability to be as wise as serpents and simple as doves, so that no good talent will dodge our draft. Grant to our fans perseverance in their devotion and unlimited lung power, tempered with a sense of charity to all, including the referees. “May our beloved ‘Bedlam Bowl’ be a source of good fellowship, and may the ‘Saints Come Marching In’ be a victory march for all, now and in eternity.”
Diocesan planner For more events taking place in the Diocese of Charlotte, visit www.charlottediocese. org/calendarofevents-cn. ASHEVILLE VICARIATE SWANNANOA — Parishioners are invited to participate in listening and discussing major themes in Scripture, presented on tape by Father Richard Rohr and facilitated by Deacon Eckoff, at St. Margaret Mary Church. The proposed time is 1 p.m. Feb. 17, and continuing as long as parishioners are interested. CHARLOTTE VICARIATE CHARLOTTE — Regardless of when we have lost a loved one, we still need to share those feelings with others. If you feel that sharing would help you with your grieving, please join us at St. Matthew Church from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 9 in the New Life Center room 132. For more information, call Rita Brennan at (704) 543-7677 ext. 1007. CHARLOTTE — There is a new support group at St. Matthew Church. Meet fellow Catholics “walking in your shoes” raising special needs children. Share success stories,
needed to ensure consistency. For instance, he said, the same Latin prayer may be used in two different Masses and may have been translated slightly differently during the bishops’ approval process. The Vox Clara statement said committee members reviewed the last two sections of the Roman Missal translation to be approved by bishops’ conferences in English-speaking countries: The proper of saints, a collection of specific prayers related to each saint in the universal liturgical calendar; and the common of saints, general prayers for celebrating saints listed in the “Roman Martyrology,” but not in the universal calendar. Most English-speaking bishops’ conferences are preparing materials to introduce and explain the new translation with the hope people will begin using it in parishes at the beginning of Advent 2011. frustrations, new strategies and more. This group is to continue the great support network begun by the SPRED program. The first meeting will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 in the New Life Center room 202. For more information, contact Peggy Wright at gpwright@carolina. rr.com or (704) 904-9399. CHARLOTTE — All are welcome to hear Father Patrick Winslow’s talk, “Walking on Water,” at 7 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Great Hall at St. Patrick Cathedral. Father Winslow is the Pastor of St. John Church in Tryon and the noted inspirational lecturer for Catholic Scripture Study. Light refreshments and fellowship will follow the lecture, sponsored by Catholics United for the Faith. For more information, contact Elizabeth Keating at ewkeating4@aol. com or Mary Sample at marysample5@aol.com or (704) 341-9292. GASTONIA VICARIATE BELMONT — Queen of the Apostles Church will have a Community Breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. Feb. 13 in the MAK Center. Enjoy Walter’s famous pancake and sausage breakfast as well as conversation with your friends and fellow parishoners. GASTONIA — St. Michael’s Church will be showing the 13th Day at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 and at 6:30 p.m. Mar. 13. For more information, contact Theresa Webster at (704) 867-6212, ext. 114. GREENSBORO VICARIATE HIGH POINT — Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School will hold a floating open house from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 9 for parents
february 5, 2010 Volume 19 • Number 12
Publisher: Most Reverend Peter J. Jugis Interim Editor: Heather Bellemore Graphic DESIGNER: Tim Faragher Advertising MANAGER: Cindi Feerick COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT: Denise Onativia 1123 South Church St., Charlotte, NC 28203 Mail: P.O. Box 37267, Charlotte, NC 28237 Phone: (704) 370-3333 FAX: (704) 370-3382 E-MAIL: catholicnews@charlottediocese.org
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February 5, 2010
The Catholic News & Herald 3
FROM THE VATICAN
Taxpayers can take 2009 deduction for Haiti donations WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) — Under a new U.S. tax law, people who have donated to charities providing relief to Haitians since the Jan. 12 earthquake can take a tax deduction for the contribution on their 2009 tax return. The measure was passed unanimously by the House Jan. 20 and by the Senate Jan. 21. President Barack Obama signed the bill Jan. 22. According to an IRS announcement on www.irs.gov, the law allows donors to receive an immediate tax benefit, rather than having to wait until they file a 2011 return. Certain requirements apply: Only cash contributions made to charities after Jan. 11 and before March 1 are eligible. This includes contributions made by text message, check, credit card or debit card. Contributions must be made specifically for the relief of victims in
areas affected by the Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti. Contributions can be deducted on either the 2009 tax return or the 2010 return, but not both. The IRS announcement said that to be eligible, taxpayers must itemize their deductions on Schedule A. Those who claim the standard deduction, including short-form filers, are not eligible. Taxpayers must keep a record of any deductible donations they make. For donations made by text message, a telephone bill will meet the requirement if it shows the name of the organization receiving the donation and the date and amount of the contribution. For other cash contributions, taxpayers must keep a bank record, such as a cancelled check, or a receipt from the charity showing the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution.
and students interested in learning more about kindergarten through the eighth grade. The open house will be held on the school campus at the corner of Montlieu Avenue and Centennial Street. Also, from 9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 11, a floating open house will be held for IHM’s kindergartenreadiness program, the Eagles Nest. This open house will be held in the childcare wing of IHM Church on the corner of Johnson Street and Skeet Club Road. For more information, please contact Carrie Vest, admissions, at (336) 887-2613.
a.m. Feb. 8 or 6:30 p.m. Feb. 25. There will be a special middle school program at 9:30 a.m. Mar. 4. For more information or to set up an appointment with the principal, call (336) 275-1522.
GREENSBORO — A Resume Overhaul Workshop will be held at St. Pius X Church. Meredith Gubler and Kathleen Martinek of Right Management Inc. have some strategies to help you increase your edge in this competitive job market. You’re invited to the workshop from 7 to 9 p.m. Feb. 9 in the Kloster Center. Workshop format will be presentation and small group work. Bring your best resume to the event and get feedback. Please pre-register by calling the parish office at (336) 272-4681. GREENSBORO — A Matter of Balance will be sponsored by St. Pius X Church Senior’s Ministry and presented by Abbotswood at Irving Park. It will be from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and Fridays, Feb. 24 through Mar. 19 at Kloster Center. This four-week program, involving eight two-hour sessions, is designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels of older adults who have concerns about falling. Space is limited to 15 participants. Call the parish office to register, (336) 272-4681. The deadline is Feb. 19. GREENSBORO — Open House at Our Lady of Grace School: find out why we say, “We’re not just a school… we’re a family.” Please join us for one of the following open houses: 9:30
Episcopal
SALISBURY VICARIATE MOORESVILLE — Liturgical Minister’s Retreat at St. Therese Church. Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, ushers, altar servers and music ministers are invited to participate. This retreat will begin with Mass at 9 a.m. Feb. 20. It will be facilitated by Father Don Ward. MOORESVILLE — The Holy Spirit Prayer Group at St. Therese Church will host the Catholic Update’s “Scripture from Scratch Series” on Monday nights at 7:30 p.m. starting Feb. 8 in room 16. The DVD series lasts 16 weeks. “Scripture from Scratch” is an experience of God’s Word for all Catholic adults who want to know more about the Bible but don’t know where to begin. No previous Bible study experience is needed.
Is your parish or school sponsoring a free event open to the general public? Deadline for all submissions for the Diocesan Planner is 10 days prior to desired publication date. Submit in writing to catholicnews@charlottediocese. org or fax to (704) 370-3382.
calendar
Bishop Peter J. Jugis will participate in the following events:
February 6 – 7:15 a.m. Mass for Candidates in Deacon Formation Program Catholic Conference Center, Hickory February 13 – 10:30 a.m. Sacrament of Confirmation St. Gabriel Catholic Church, Charlotte
February 19 – 10:00 a.m. Diocesan Finance Council Meeting Pastoral Center February 21 – 2:00 p.m. Rite of Election Holy Family Catholic Church, Clemmons
cnc photo by bob roller
Lamise Felix feeds her 4-month-old baby, Estelle Simeon, outside their tent on the Petionville Club golf course in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Jan. 31. An estimated 50,000 people were living at the camp after the Jan. 12 earthquake left up to 1 million homeless.
Caritas workers in Haiti supply aid to at least 50,000 people VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The major Catholic aid agencies in Haiti continued to step up their assistance to the devastated country, feeding tens of thousands of people as the rebuilding effort begins. Caritas Haiti and the U.S.-based Catholic Relief Services were delivering nearly 100 tons of food to Port-auPrince during the week of Jan. 25 to feed at least 50,000 people in one of the city’s biggest camps, Petionville Club, Caritas Internationalis said in a statement Jan. 28. Caritas said the church agencies had already brought food, water, medicine and other supplies to more than 25,000 people in the two weeks following the earthquake Jan. 12 that flattened Portau-Prince. It said serious challenges remained in logistics, communication and security. People were becoming more desperate for food, but the aid was getting through, it said. It said that as of Jan. 26, donors worldwide had contributed more than $63 million to Caritas for relief efforts in Haiti. Before the distribution began in large camps, such as Petionville Club, relief partners needed to make sure the sites were safe, and that those most in need — the injured and elderly — would receive help first, the statement said. To ensure the safety of both
beneficiaries and staff members, Caritas distributed colored tickets to people depending on which part of the camp they lived in. Food and supplies were given to assigned quadrants each day according to ticket color. CRS emergency response leader Donal Reilly said that to avoid confusion, recipients need to be told exactly what is happening, what they will receive and when. “Communications with beneficiaries is so important in distributions like this,” Reilly said. Caritas workers said the policy has worked effectively to maintain order in the distribution of supplies and food in the camps. Meanwhile, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, permanent representative of the Holy See to U.N. agencies in Geneva, said the rebuilding effort in Haiti demands respect for basic human rights. “In the case of Haiti, the right to life, to food, water, health, development, an adequate life expectancy, the right to decent work, among others, were already largely absent,” Archbishop Tomasi told the Human Rights Council Jan. 28. “The recent tragedy is a call to the solidarity of the international community to respond immediately to these requirements of the Haitian people and to place these human rights at the base of a healthy plan of reconstruction,” he said.
4 The Catholic News & Herald
February 5, 2010
AROUND THE DIOCESE
Working for a common purpose St. Thomas Aquinas celebrates
students on feast day
courtesy photo
The directors of faith formation of the Atlanta Province recently met to create common goals for catechist certification, faith formation curricula and other policies. The Atlanta Province is composed of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the Diocese of Charlotte, the Diocese of Savannah, the Diocese of Charleston and the Diocese of Raleigh. Pictured from left are Immaculate Heart of Mary Sister Rose Marie Adams, Executive Director of Catholic Education and Evangelization for the Diocese of Raleigh; Ann Pinckney, Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Savannah; Dr. Cris Villapando, Director of Faith Formation Programs for the Diocese of Charlotte; Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary Sister Pamela Smith, Ph.D., Director of Catechesis and Christian Initiation for Parishes and Schools for the Diocese of Charleston; and Dennis Johnson Jr., Director of the Office of Formation and Discipleship for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.
A lesson in relics
courtesy photo
Members of St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Charlotte celebrated for the first time the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas with a vigil Mass Jan. 27. St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron of all universities and students, so the celebration focused on the parish’s students. The vigil Mass was organized by the Liturgy and Worship Commission, headed by Annette Morales and began with a procession of students from the parish, nearby UNCC campus ministry members, altar servers and Knights of Columbus and squires. The special liturgy was celebrated by Capuchin Father Remo DiSalvatore, pastor, and assisted by Deacon Mark Nash. A reception prepared by the Faith Socials Ministry followed the special liturgy.
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THE ORATORY 434 Charlotte Avenue, P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 2973-1586
(803) 327-2097
rockhilloratory.com
30th Cardinal Newman Lecture 9:30 am – 4 pm Saturday, February 20 Keith Egan
courtesy photo
Youth group members gather around the altar as Father Pat Hoare, pastor of St. John Neumann Church in Charlotte, explains the significance of relics. The church’s relics are from St. John Neumann and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton.
The Newman Lecture is an annual gift to the regional church to celebrate the life and ministry of Cardinal John Henry Newman. The schedule includes noon Eucharist and a chamber music concert, and it is open to all without charge or pre-registration. For more information, contact The Oratory.
February 5, 2010
The Catholic News & Herald 5
around the diocese
Archival Anecdota Historical Bishops of North Carolina
Year for Priests Interviews with priests around the diocese
FATHER PATRICK DANIEL TOOLE
FATHER PATRICK DANIEL TOOLE Parochial Vicar St. Matthew Church in Charlotte Place of Birth & Home Parish – Born in Voorhees, NJ; St. John the Beloved Church, McLean, VA
BISHOP VINCENT WATERS
BISHOP VINCENT WATERS, 1945-1974
Early in the episcopacy of Bishop Waters, the spirit of optimism moved through the Catholic Church. It rose out of a defensive immigrant status and merged with the American mainstream. While Catholics grew in number, power and patriotism, the legacy of racial segregation began to be illuminated. The movement of integration became a major issue for Bishop Waters. Events in his life as a priest led him to question the prejudices of his younger days and the morality of the race-based structure of the diocese. Concerned for souls which have neither “race nor color,” he desired to create one universal Church in the image of the universal Body of Christ. In the early 1950s, Bishop Waters stood alone as an American southern bishop against segregation. His radical message and incisive methods were aimed at uprooting deeply-embedded beliefs and behaviors. Bishop Waters inadvertently
unleashed a racial storm May 31, 1953, when he drove to Newton Grove to enforce the integration of two churches. The assimilation resulted in the virtual collapse of the first desegregated church, the closing of two parochial schools, and the withdrawal of Redemptorist priests and Mercy sisters. Although the outcome at Newton Grove was heralded as progressive, it resulted in the loss of something precious for all Catholics, regardless of race. The events at Newton Grove revealed that the method of eliminating segregated facilities was not as simple as it may have appeared. Nevertheless, media and civil rights leaders found Bishop Waters’ message revolutionary, and many across the nation sang his praises. Many considered Bishop Waters’ tough, uncompromising spirit appropriate for the time and place. He stood on a bridge between worlds — segregation and integration and later, pre and post Vatican II.
Former priest of St. Therese Church remembered in Mass Feb. 5 Jesuit Father James V. Keogh, died Friday, Jan. 29, in Wernersville, Pa. A memorial Mass was celebrated at St. Therese Church at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5. Keogh served at St. Therese from 1992 to 2009. Prior to coming to St. Therese, Father Keogh served as a missionary in India from 1947 until 1992. A wake and a funeral Mass were held Feb. 3 at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville, Pa. His ashes were interred at the Jesuit Novitiate Cemetery, Mango, Jamshedpur, India.
Notes of condolence may be sent to his nieces and his nephew:
Sarah M. Dunn 4507 Hanover Ave. Richmond, VA 23221 Hannah (Skip) Grier Ridgewood Cove Niceville, FL 32578 Gordon (Miki) Dunn 42 Scott St. Hanover, PA 17331
High School – Bishop Denis J. O’Connell High School, Arlington, VA College/University – Belmont Abbey College; Catholic University of America Seminary – St. Charles Borromeo Seminary Date of Ordination – June 2, 2007
What assignments have you had since ordination? Parochial Vicar - St. Matthew What have been some of the greatest joys for you as a priest? Working for God’s people; teaching and praying with the students at St. Matthew School; being there for people at the hospital and nursing homes; traveling out to Weddington, NC and celebrating the weekly vigil Mass held at St. Margaret Episcopal Church. Who influenced you most to consider the vocation to priesthood? Bishop William Curlin; Abbot Placid Solari and Father John Allen. What was your background before you entered seminary? I was a student at Belmont Abbey College. What would people be surprised to know about you? I am a huge fan of the odyssey of Jack Bauer on the television show 24.
What are some of your hobbies? Reading at local bookstores; watching movies and TV shows with friends; socializing with my family and friends. What are some of your favorite books/ spiritual reading/magazines? I enjoy reading Time, Newsweek, and the Economist on a regular basis. I am currently reading American Sketches by Walter Isaacson and trying to subject the daily Mass crowd to a dosage of random U.S. and World History trivia. Who is a hero to you? My brother Sean who is a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy, currently serving in Iraq; he has a beautiful family with his wife Christy and children Nicholas, Noah and Sophie. What are some ways that we can help all people/families understand their role in promoting and supporting vocations? Talk about the priesthood and priests who have been a part of our lives, i.e. the ones who baptized us, the ones who married us, who took the time to talk with us and listen to us; talk about the reality of the priesthood in the world today and how it is a joyful way of living. What advice would you give a young man who is contemplating a vocation to the priesthood? Talk about it with your family and friends who know you the best and talk with your pastor of your parish; talk to God about it by going to Adoration and spending time in quiet where you can pray and ask for God’s help. If God calls you to the priesthood, don’t react to the “emotions of the moment,” but begin to build up your confidence and understanding of yourself and trust that God will show you the way.
6 The Catholic News & Herald
FROM THE COVER
February 5, 2010
Bishops request new bill
Outline fundamental principles of health care reform
HEALTH, from page 1
them “equitably across the spectrum of payers.” Although the letter did not refer specifically to the Jan. 19 election of Republican Sco t t B r o w n o f Massachusetts to the U.S. Senate, the bishops said “political contexts have changed” but “the moral and policy failure that leaves tens of millions of our sisters and brothers without access to health care still remains.” Brown’s election broke up the Democrats’ 60-vote supermajority in the Senate, leaving the future of health reform legislation up in the air. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said no action would be taken on health reform in the Senate until after Brown is seated. In their letter, the USCCB leaders repeated their criticism of health reform bills passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both bills, they said, “leave between 18 (million) and 23 million people in our nation without health insurance.” “Although recently passed legislation in the House and Senate may not move forward in either of their current forms, there are provisions in the bills that should be included in — and some that should be removed from — any proposals for health care reform,” they added. The bishops called for extending Medicaid eligibility to people at 133 percent of the federal poverty level (about $29,300 for a family of four, under 2009 guidelines that have been extended at least until March 1) and said “the best affordability elements” of each bill should be included in any final legislation. They faulted both bills for failing to protect the conscience rights of health care providers, insurers, consumers and
institutions beyond the abortion issue and said the Senate bill “violates the long-standing federal policy against the use of federal funds for elective abortions and health plans that include such abortions.” “We believe legislation that fails to comply with this policy and precedent is not true health care reform and should be opposed until this fundamental problem is remedied,” the bishops said. The letter also reiterated the bishops’ support for allowing undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance through the proposed health exchanges with their own money. The Senate bill prohibits such purchases. “To proactively prohibit a human being from accessing health care is mean-spirited and contrary to the general public health,” the USCCB leaders said. They also called for removal of the five-year ban on legal immigrants accessing federal health plans such as Medicaid, saying that those who “pay taxes and are on a path to citizenship should be able to access programs for which their taxes help pay.” In his State of the Union address Jan. 27, President Barack Obama urged Congress to step up its efforts to achieve health care reform this year. “Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close,” Obama said. “Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people.” Sister Carol Keehan, a Daughter of Charity who is president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association, affirmed that message in a Jan. 28 letter to members of Congress. “We understand the political realities and concerns with passage of such important and far-reaching legislation,” she wrote. “But we firmly believe that now is not the time to let those concerns derail what may be the last opportunity of our lifetime to address the continuing shame of allowing so many individuals and families in our nation to go without access to affordable health care.”
cns photo by brian snyder, reuters
Republican Scott Brown, newly elected U.S. senator from Massachusetts, celebrates with his wife, Gail Huff, in Boston Jan. 19.
Some think Scott Brown is pro-life Catholic, but it’s not so WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) — The positive views expressed by some Catholics and pro-life advocates following the election of Republican Scott Brown to the U.S. Senate led many to believe that Brown is a Catholic who takes a 100 percent pro-life stand. Neither is the case. Brown and his family attend New England Chapel in Franklin, Mass., part of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, which has roots in the Protestant Reformation. And although Brown opposes partial-birth abortion and supports parental notification before a minor can receive an abortion, he believes the decision on abortion “should ultimately be made by the woman in consultation with her doctor,” according to his campaign Web site. “I believe we need to reduce the number of abortions in America,” the Web site adds. “I also believe there are people of good will on both sides of the issue and we ought to work together to support and promote adoption as an alternative to abortion.” In the Jan. 19 special election to fill the Senate seat occupied since 1962 by Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, Brown defeated Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, a Catholic who supports legal abortion, by a 52 to 47 percent margin. C.J. Doyle, executive director of the Catholic Action League of Massachusetts, said Brown’s views were closer to the church’s teachings on abortion than Coakley’s were. Victor Pap III, executive director of Catholic Citizenship, an educational and advocacy organization based in Woburn, Mass., said in a news release that Brown’s “unlikely victory demonstrated in a very clear, real way that candidates who take a center-right approach to abortion politics (i.e., vocal opposition to public funding, strengthening informed consent and maintaining the ban on partial-birth procedures) can ... appeal to independents and many Democrats who oppose abortion.”
Although he did not refer to Brown’s position on abortion, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston said he found it “refreshing that the people of Massachusetts have voted independent of their party affiliation.” Brown’s church, New England Chapel, was founded in 1998 when a “core group of people set out to have a different kind of church for people in today’s culture, showing God’s love in ways they could relate to,” according to the church’s Web site. “NEC is a place to feel accepted even if you have questions and doubts,” the Web site says. “It is a place to find God in your own time, at your own pace.” Although they are not Catholics, Brown and his wife, television reporter Gail Huff, have a special relationship with the 48 Cistercian nuns who live at Mount St. Mary’s Abbey near the family home in Wrentham, according to a report in The Boston Globe. “Brown raised money to buy a special golf cart to transport elderly sisters” and the couple “has assisted efforts to raise $5.5 million needed to replace the order’s 50-year-old candy factory with an environmentally friendly plant, complete with solar panels and a wind turbine,” the Globe reported. Mount St. Mary’s, founded in 1949 and believed to be the first monastery of Cistercian nuns in the United States, supports itself through the sale of its Trappistine candies and fudge. “It has turned into a beautiful friendship,” the Globe quoted Sister Katie McNamara as saying. “We pray for them every day.” Brown told the newspaper that “when you have nuns praying for you three times a day and you’re not Catholic, anything that anybody can do or say about me, it’s Teflon. It bounces right off.” For more on this topic, read Father Roger Landry’s take on the Massachusetts Senate seat race, “Taking back the people’s seats from monopoly rule,” in Perspectives on page 14.
February 5, 2010
The Catholic News & Herald 7
From the Cover
Britain’s House of Lords Pope urges church backs church concerns involvement in public debate Passes amendment protecting church rights in Equality Bill LONDON (CNS) — Britain’s House of Lords rejected government proposals that the Catholic bishops said could have forced the church to accept women, sexually active gays and transsexuals into the priesthood. Members voted 216-178 in favor of an Equality Bill amendment to protect the existing rights of churches to insist that clergy and high-profile lay employees live consistent with Christian moral teaching. Two attempts by the government to reverse the vote later were defeated during the Jan. 25 debate. The successful amendment deleted a paragraph that said an exemption would apply solely to those people who spent most of their working time in leading worship and teaching doctrine. Catholic, Anglican and evangelical church leaders said the paragraph would narrow the definition of a ministry so radically that no clergy would be able to qualify for an exemption. They said priests spent the majority of their time involved in pastoral work, private prayer and study, administration and
building maintenance. The Catholic bishops said the bill meant the churches could be sued by anyone who was turned away as a candidate for the priesthood on grounds of gender or sexual lifestyle — and that they would be powerless to stop priests from entering into legally recognized same-sex unions, leading promiscuous lifestyles or having sex-change operations. Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff, Wales, had encouraged members of the House of Lords to vote for the amendment to preserve the status quo. The archbishop, chairman of the bishops’ department for Christian responsibility and citizenship, said in a mid-January statement that “the only prudent course” was to support the amendment to delete the paragraph. “That is the only sure way of guaranteeing this bill neither widens nor narrows the scope of the current exemption,” the archbishop said. The government has not yet said if it intends to challenge the amendment when the bill returns to the House of Commons later this year.
DEBATE, from page 1
the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs.” Catholic bishops have said the bill means churches could be sued by anyone who was turned away as a candidate for the priesthood on grounds of gender or sexual lifestyle. A recent vote in Britain’s House of Lords, however, supported an amendment that protected the existing rights of churches to insist that clergy and high-profile lay employees live in a manner consistent with Christian moral teaching. ( See story at left.) Pope Benedict urged the bishops to continue defending church teaching in the public realm. By being vocal participants in public discussion, the bishops are maintaining Britain’s long-standing tradition of freedom of expression. “When so many of the population claim to be Christian, how could anyone dispute the Gospel’s right to be heard?” the pope asked. “Fidelity to the Gospel in no way restricts the freedom of others — on
Anglican leader honored with Jesuit prize NEW YORK (CNS) — For his writings that span theology, lives of saints, religious identity, poetry, the 9/11 terrorist attacks and contemporary television themes, Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, England, was presented Jan. 25 with the 2009 Campion Award for Achievement in Christian Letters. In an informal ceremony at America House, a Jesuit publishing company and residence, Father Drew Christiansen, editor-in-chief of America magazine, noted that the event fell most appropriately on the last day of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the modern ecumenical movement among the churches of Scotland. Though the award recipient was chosen months ago, Father Christiansen said Archbishop Williams was unable to be in New York until late January, causing the ceremony to be held on St. Edmund Campion’s birthday, the feast of the conversion of St. Paul and the end of Christian unity week. Recalling some of the recent efforts toward Christian unity such as recognition of both Protestant and Catholic martyrs by both the Church of England and the late Pope John Paul II, Father Christiansen said the Campion award to Archbishop Williams is a further step on that path. “It is an ecumenical event blessed and guided by our martyred forebears,
cns photo by paul haring
Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, England, head of the Anglican Communion, speaks during a vespers service at Rome’s Caravita oratory Nov. 20. The archbishop was honored for his writings with a Jesuit prize Jan. 25. both Anglican and Catholic,” he said. “It is also a celebration of our common ministry of the word.” “In his prolific career as a scholar and writer, Archbishop Williams has shared in the ministry of the word at which St. Edmund Campion excelled and to which the Society of Jesus is committed.” The Campion award is named for the 16th-century English Jesuit who boldly defended Catholicism in his writing. He is honored by both the Catholic Church and the Church of England as one of the 40 martyrs of England and Wales. In accepting the award, Archbishop
Williams said he considered the “quite unexpected honor” of receiving the prize “an act of ecumenical generosity and fellowship.” Archbishop Williams has headed the Diocese of Canterbury since 2003, when he also became head of the Anglican Communion and primate of all England. His prolific writing covers the gamut from poetry to “Wrestling With Angels: Conversations in Modern Theology,” “Faith in the University,” “Teresa of Avila,” “Peacemaking Theology” and “Writing in the Dust: Reflections on 11 September and its Aftermath.”
the contrary, it serves their freedom by offering them the truth,” he said. To bring a coherent, convincing message to the people, the church must ensure the Catholic community speaks with one voice, he added. In a culture that encourages the expression of a wide variety of opinions, the pope said, “it is important to recognize dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate.” The bishops must prepare the laity to convey church teaching accurately and comprehensively, he said. Pope Benedict also asked the bishops “to be generous in implementing the provisions” of his recent apostolic constitution, which established a special structure for Anglicans who want to be in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church while preserving aspects of their Anglican spiritual and liturgical heritage. The pope also said his upcoming visit to Great Britain would be an opportunity to witness firsthand the “many signs of living faith and devotion” among Catholics and to help them strengthen and confirm their faith. Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, told the pope that his visit would offer encouragement not only to Catholics, “but to all our fellow citizens.” “We are confident that your presence and teaching, with its consistent and reasoned appeal to all people, will be warmly received,” he said. The Vatican has not officially announced the dates or cities the pope will visit in Great Britain in September. In an interview with the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, Jan. 31, Archbishop Nichols said the pope’s “brief, but effective” trip to Britain would concentrate on the role of faith in a secular, democratic society. He said the British government and Queen Elizabeth II, the supreme governor of the Anglican Church of England, were “extremely in favor of this visit” and that church leaders were working closely with government ministers and officials to flesh out the details of the papal itinerary. The archbishop said the pope will also be meeting with Anglican Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, England, and that the meeting would play “a prominent part of the (papal) visit.” However, he said, it was not yet decided if the meeting would take place in Canterbury or elsewhere. Concerning the apostolic constitution, the archbishop told the Vatican newspaper that it was still not clear how many Anglican communities were going to take advantage of the new provision. But, he said some members of the Church of England planned to make their response to the Vatican provision public on Feb. 22, the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, which symbolizes the authority and unique ministry of the pope.
8 The Catholic News & Herald
Parish goals for DSA 2010
2010 DSA MINISTRIES BUDGET CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES DIOCESAN MINISTRIES
CHURCH / mission
Family Life Office Elder Ministry Natural Family Planning Marriage Preparation Respect Life
$227,724
Office of Justice and Peace Office of Economic Opportunity
$146,977
CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICE ADMINISTRATION Refugee Resettlement Office Regional Services—Adoption, Hispanic Services, Counseling, Pregnancy Support
$342,755 $73,922
Western Regional Office — Asheville
$192,695
CHARLOTTE REGIONAL OFFICE
$297,423
Piedmont Triad Office — Winston—Salem
$290,115
HOUSING MINISTRY
$121,362
MULTICULTURAL MINISTRIES African American Hispanic Ministry Hmong Ministry
$41,200 $631,856 $50,085
EDUCATIONAL MINISTRIES Campus Ministry Catholic Schools Administration Education Office Evangelization & Ministry Formation Faith Formation Media Resources Young Adult Ministry Youth Ministry VOCATIONS Permanent Diaconate (Includes Prison Ministry done by Deacons) Seminarian Education CAMPAIGN EXPENSES
$494,972 $106,487 $59,663 $80,815 $310,996 $87,073 $68,188 $106,672
$116,699 $261,969 $190,351
TOTAL
$4,300,000
For more information on this year’s Diocesan Support Appeal, visit www.charlottediocese.org/developmentoffice.html.
Projected allocation of funds Campaign Costs 4% Vocations 8%
February 5, 2010
DIOCESAN APPEAL fromSUPPORT the cover
37% Catholic Social Services
Educational Ministries 31% 3% Diocesan Housing Ministry 17% Multicultural Ministries
City
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church Charlotte St. John Neumann Catholic Church Charlotte Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church Charlotte St. Ann Catholic Church Charlotte St. Gabriel Catholic Church Charlotte St. Patrick Cathedral Charlotte St. Peter Catholic Church Charlotte St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church Charlotte St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church Charlotte St. Luke Catholic Church Charlotte St. Mark Catholic Church Huntersville St. Matthew Catholic Church Charlotte St. Joseph Vietnamese Catholic Church Charlotte St. John Korean Catholic Church Charlotte Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church Albemarle St. James Catholic Church Concord St. James Catholic Church Hamlet St. Joseph Catholic Church Kannapolis Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Monroe Sacred Heart Catholic Church Salisbury Sacred Heart Catholic Mission Wadesboro Our Lady of the Americas Catholic Church Biscoe St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church Mars Hill St. Barnabas Catholic Church Arden St. Eugene Catholic Church Asheville St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church Candler Basilica of St. Lawrence Asheville Sacred Heart Catholic Church Brevard Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Hendersonville St. Jude Catholic Mission Sapphire St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church Swannanoa St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Tryon Divine Redeemer Catholic Church Boonville St. Elizabeth Catholic Church Boone Sacred Heart Catholic Mission Burnsville St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Jefferson St. John Baptist de La Salle Catholic Church North Wilkesboro St. Frances of Rome Catholic Mission Sparta St. Lucien Catholic Church Spruce Pine Queen of the Apostles Catholic Church Belmont Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Forest City St. Michael Catholic Church Gastonia Christ the King Catholic Mission Kings Mountain St. Dorothy Catholic Church Lincolnton Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Mission Marion St. Mary Catholic Church Shelby St. Helen Catholic Mission Spencer Mountain St. Joseph Catholic Church Asheboro St. Joseph of the Hills Catholic Church Eden Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church Greensboro St. Benedict Catholic Church Greensboro St. Mary Catholic Church Greensboro St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church Greensboro St. Pius X Catholic Church Greensboro Christ the King Catholic Church High Point Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church High Point Holy Infant Catholic Church Reidsville Our Lady of the Highways Catholic Church Thomasville St. Aloysius Catholic Church Hickory St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Lenoir St. Therese Catholic Church Mooresville St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church Morganton St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church Statesville St. Joseph Catholic Church Newton Holy Redeemer Catholic Church Andrews St. Joseph Catholic Church Bryson City Immaculate Conception Catholic Mission Canton Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Mission Cherokee Prince of Peace Catholic Mission Robbinsville St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Franklin Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Mission Hayesville Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Mission Highlands St. Margaret Catholic Church Maggie Valley St. John Catholic Church Waynesville St. Mary Catholic Church Sylva St. William Catholic Church Murphy St. Stephen Catholic Mission Elkin Holy Cross Catholic Church Kernersville Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church Lexington St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church Mocksville Holy Angels Catholic Church Mount Airy Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church Winston-Salem St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church Winston-Salem St. Leo Catholic Church Winston-Salem Holy Family Catholic Church Clemmons St. Bernadette Catholic Mission Linville Holy Spirit Catholic Church Denver Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Charlotte Good Shepherd Catholic Mission King Holy Trinity Catholic Mission Taylorsville Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Mission Winston-Salem
goal 44,174 68,612 39,827 54,366 249,106 80,654 74,589 95,455 106,399 76,354 161,026 519,588 19,050 15,560 22,482 81,477 10,592 14,918 48,789 76,112 2,968 22,077 7,115 73,384 65,344 20,123 53,794 51,774 111,205 18,919 21,679 33,793 9,301 31,573 7,940 11,164 12,019 6,511 7,956 56,175 21,675 59,894 5,522 19,513 9,421 27,002 4,615 34,446 9,432 118,253 20,750 33,834 114,954 102,667 15,684 104,065 18,358 15,166 105,727 24,264 126,526 39,436 38,042 20,057 4,546 4,959 3,598 2,364 2,663 25,490 19,170 13,338 21,749 20,665 15,733 20,566 8,618 61,755 15,556 18,032 19,993 63,642 11,567 130,072 112,118 21,133 41,055 41,555 11,468 6,711 8,637
February 5, 2010
diocesan appeal fromsupport the cover
The Catholic News & Herald 9
DSA helps fund ministries, programs in diocese
Don’t forget to smile
DIOCESE, from page 1
gifts to help your brothers and sisters in our diocese who are served by our ministries, programs and services,” added Bishop Jugis in a video presentation to the diocese.
courtesy photo
The microphone on the cassock of seminarian David McCanless is adjusted by photographer Mark Martindale during the video shoot for the 2010 DSA video. A portion of the video was taped in November at the St. Charles Borromeo seminary in Philadelphia. Some DSA funds are used to support seminarian formation. The DSA video, in English or Spanish, can be watched online by clicking on “Development Office” on the diocesan homepage of www.charlottediocese.org.
DSA-SUPPORTED AGENCIES AND MINISTRIES Catholic Social Services Diocesan Offices Family Life Office Elder Ministries Marriage Preparation Natural Family Planning Respect Life
704-370-3228 704-370-3220 704-370-3228 704-370-3228 704-370-3229
Office of Justice and Peace Office of Economic Opportunity
704-370-3225 828-835-3535
Catholic Social Services Administration Refugee Resettlement Office
704-370-3262 704-370-3262
Catholic Social Services Regional Offices Offering: Adoption—Hispanic Services—Counseling—Pregnancy Support CSS Western Regional Office CSS Charlotte Regional Office CSS Piedmont Triad Regional Office Casa Guadalupe, Winston-Salem Casa Guadalupe, Greensboro
828-255-0146 704 370-3262 336-727-0705 336-727-4745 336-574-2837
Housing Corportation
704-370-3248
Multicultural Ministries African American Affairs Ministry Hispanic Ministry Hmong Ministry
704-370-3267 704-370-3269 828-584-6012
Educational Ministries Vicar for Education Campus Ministry Catholic Schools Administration Evangelization Faith Formation Lay Ministry Training Media Resources RCIA Young Adult Ministry Youth Ministry
704-370-3210 704-370-3212 704-370-3270 704-370-3274 704-370-3244 704-370-3274 704-370-3241 704-370-3244 704-370-3243 704-370-3211
Vocations Permanent Diaconate Seminarian Education
704-370-3344 704-370-3353
Where does the money go? “God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and talents,” said Jim Kelley, diocesan director of development. “Some of us are called to use those gifts through direct service as social workers, counselors, priests and permanent deacons, catechists, youth ministers, and lay ministers,” he said and added that “one way we can all use our gifts to help build up the Kingdom of God is through a contribution to the DSA.” The DSA directly funds Catholic Social Services, housing, educational and multicultural ministries, and vocations. CSS ministries are funded in part by the DSA and serve the most vulnerable among us, from the unborn child to individuals and families in need of the basic necessities of life. Regional offices provide counseling, adoption, pregnancy support and Hispanic services. Their programs serve families, engaged couples, the elderly and the poor. Educational and vocational ministries provide services that reach parishioners throughout the diocese. Training for catechists, youth ministers, lay ministers, and adult facilitators is available to every parish. The Diocesan Media Center provides resources used by catechists in parishes from Hamlet to Murphy. DSA funding also helps educate the 16 seminarians in the Diocese of Charlotte who will one day serve as parish priests. Making “dollars and sense” of the DSA Each parish and mission in the diocese is assigned a target, or “its share of the overall goal of $4,300,000,” said Bill Weldon, chief financial officer for
the Diocese of Charlotte. Parish targets represent a proportionate allocation of the overall goal, determined primarily as a function of offertory giving. “If, through parishioner contributions, a parish exceeds its target, the excess is rebated to the parish,” continued Weldon. “If a parish falls short of its target, the parish is expected to make up the shortfall from its budget.” Last year, 45 parishes exceeded their targets for the DSA and, as such, received distributions from the 2009 DSA to augment parish programs and ministries. The 2010 DSA provides funding for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Establishing the goal for the DSA is an extensive process, which starts with the development of budgets for each program and ministry that receives DSA funding. The diocesan budgeting process includes projecting expenses based on program services, on an account-byaccount basis. Outlined on page 8 is the amount budgeted for each ministry. Since the diocese is “very much aware that these are challenging economic times,” said Weldon, “additional measures have been taken to contain costs, without significantly impacting program services.” “We are committed to the highest standards of fiscal responsibility and accountability,” said Weldon. “There are procedures in place to direct the disbursement of funds in accordance with donor intent and to ensure that all financial activity is accounted f or properly.” Each fall, the diocese publishes a complete financial report for the previous fiscal year as a supplement to The Catholic News & Herald. The report includes a breakdown of actual DSA funding by ministry. Diocesan financial reports for the past five years can be found on www.charlottediocese.org under Annual Financial Report. The number of people who will eventually be touched by one of these ministries may reach into the thousands. “Someday,” said Kelley, “You or someone you know will be helped by one or more of the DSA-funded ministries.”
How You Can Share Your Gifts
• Pledge Make a pledge that is payable in up to 10 equal installments. You will automatically receive monthly reminders until your gift is completed. • Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) Have your monthly gift installment taken directly out of your checking or savings account. Fill out the withdrawal authorization on your pledge card and be sure to include a voided check. Electronic Fund Transfers will begin on the 15th of each month once we receive your pledge card and authorization materials. • Credit Card Payment This is possibly the easiest method and you may benefit from rewards on your card such as airline miles or cash back, and you can enjoy the ease of no paperwork. Fill out the credit card authorization on your pledge card. Be sure to include the type of card (Visa or Master Card) and expiration date. Credit card debits will be taken on the 15th of the month once we receive your pledge card and authorization. • Online Giving You can give online with any major credit card at our diocesan Web site. No hassle, no paperwork, no mailings… www.charlottediocese.org/giving. • Stock Donation Make a donation of publicly traded securities and receive the tax benefits for giving appreciated stock. A stock donation form and instructions can be downloaded from www.charlottediocese.org/giving.
February 5, 2010
10 The Catholic News & Herald
Culture Watch
A roundup of Scripture, readings, films and more
Leaked dialogue text examines the historical role of pope
cns photo by misty mcelroy, reuters
University of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow looks to throw a pass during the NCAA Sugar Bowl football game in New Orleans Jan. 1. Focus on the Family said it has purchased a 30-second spot on CBS during the Super Bowl to air a pro-life ad featuring Tebow and his mother, Pam.
Pro-life ad to air during Super Bowl NEW YORK (CNS) — An ad scheduled to air on CBS during the network’s broadcast of the Feb. 7 Super Bowl has generated criticism from groups such as the National Organization for Women because of its pro-life message. The 30-second spot will feature recent University of Florida graduate Tim Tebow, the Gators’ star quarterback who graduated in December. The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner led his team to victory in the Sugar Bowl Jan. 1. Sponsored by Focus on the Family, a Christian advocacy group based in Colorado Springs, Colo., the ad reportedly will highlight Tebow’s mother, Pam, who decided against medical advice not to abort him. Pam suffered from a dangerous infection during a mission trip to the Philippines, and doctors recommended that she terminate her pregnancy, fearing she might die in childbirth or the child might be stillborn. A spokesman for the organization said the theme of the ad is “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life,” but he would not comment on the content of the ad. Several women’s groups have complained to CBS about the ad, urging it not air, but the network released a statement Jan. 26 saying it was standing behind the ad. The network said it has revised its policies on advocacy ads in recent years as have other media outlets. NOW and other women’s groups, such as the Women’s Media Center,
East-West common ground
an organization that says it works “to make women visible and powerful in the media,” have called the ad divisive and inappropriate for the setting. They also complained that in previous years networks have banned issue-oriented ads sponsored by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, MoveOn.org and the United Church of Christ. The Tebow spot is the first Super Bowl ad sponsored by Focus for the Family. A statement on the group’s Web site by Jim Daly, the group’s president and CEO, said the “chance to partner with the Tebows and lift up a meaningful message about family and life comes at the right moment in the culture, because families need to be inspired.” He said money for the ad, said to cost about $2.7 million for 30 seconds, came from donors who specifically wanted to support the project. Tebow, who was home-schooled until college, is known for outwardly expressing his Christian faith. He puts references to Scripture passages on his eye black, patches football players wear under their eyes to prevent glare. He discussed the ad with reporters in Mobile, Ala., Jan. 24 where he was playing in the Senior Bowl, a college all-star game. The football player said he knows some people won’t agree with the ad’s message but he hopes they can “at least respect that I stand up for what I believe.” He’ll enter the National Football League’s draft in April.
VAT I C A N C I T Y ( C N S ) — A draft document being studied by an international Catholic-Orthodox commission has highlighted historical common ground on the thorny issue of the role of the pope. The text noted that in the first 1,000 years of Christianity, although believers in the East and West had different understandings of the role of the bishop of Rome, that diversity did not destroy the unity of the church. “Distinct divergences of understanding and interpretation did not prevent East and West from remaining in communion,” it said. Their unity was based on shared theological principles that were viewed as more important, such as continuity in the faith handed on from the apostles, the interdependence of primacy and conciliarity, and an understanding of authority as a service of love, it said. The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity said Jan. 26 that it was disappointed the text was published on an Italian blog site Jan. 25. It said members of the international Catholic-Orthodox dialogue commission had agreed the text would not be published until it had been fully and completely examined by the commission. “As yet, there is no agreed document
and, hence, the text published has no authority or official status,” the pontifical council said. It said the draft was basically “a list of themes to be studied and examined in greater depth, and has been only minimally discussed by the said commission.” Dated Oct. 3, 2008, the draft is part of the Catholic-Orthodox commission’s ongoing discussion about the role of the pope and the understanding of primacy in the church — one of the key differences dividing the Catholic and Orthodox churches. At their meeting in Cyprus in October, the commission began a discussion about the role of the bishop of Rome in the undivided Christian community of the first millennium. The draft document said that in the West, the emphasis was placed on the link between the bishop of Rome and St. Peter, who was martyred in Rome, and on St. Peter’s special place among all the apostles. “In the East, this evolution in the interpretation of the ministry of the bishop of Rome did not occur. Such an interpretation was never explicitly rejected in the East in the first millennium, but the East tended rather to understand each bishop as the successor of all the apostles, including Peter,” the draft said.
The Catholic News & Herald 11
February 5, 2010
Ricci sainthood cause reopened MACERATA, Italy (CNS) — More than 25 years after the Vatican approved opening the sainthood cause of 16thcentury Jesuit missionary Father Matteo Ricci, the diocese of his birth formally reopened his case. Bishop Claudio Giuliodori of Macerata said that although the cause stalled almost immediately after it was opened in 1984, “these 25 years have not passed in vain because the Lord has given us clear signs of a deeper understanding of the prophetic intuitions of Father Matteo Ricci.” The bishop presided over a Mass in the Macerata cathedral Jan. 24, which was followed by the solemn swearing in of the promoters of Father Ricci’s cause, members of the diocesan tribunal and members of the historical commission charged with investigating Father Ricci’s life and writings. Father Ricci entered the Jesuits in 1571, was ordained a priest in 1580 and entered China in 1583. He immersed himself in Chinese language and culture and in 1593 began writing a catechism
cns photo by nancy wiechec
An illustration depicting Jesuit Father Matteo Ricci in a traditional Chinese robe hangs in the Beijing Center for Chinese Studies in Beijing, China. An Italian diocese has reopened the cause for sainthood of the 17th-century missionary to China. in Chinese. His insistence on respecting Chinese culture and customs, and even tolerating forms of ancestor veneration by Chinese who had been baptized, placed him at the center of a huge church debate on culture and religious practice. In a message to the Diocese of Macerata inaugurating commemorations of the 400th anniversary of Father Ricci’s death in Beijing in 1610, Pope Benedict XVI wrote that it was Father Ricci’s great respect for Chinese traditions that “distinguished his mission to search for harmony between the noble and millenary Chinese civilization” and the Christian faith. Francesca Cipolloni, a spokeswoman for the Diocese of Macerata, said Father Ricci’s cause did not run into any substantive difficulties in 1984; its stagnation was simply a matter of no one pushing the cause and prodding those involved to do the work. The task should be easier now, she said, since several long, serious studies have been made of Father Ricci’s life and work.
The Fatima Peace Pilgrimage: A Pilgrimage Like No Other Join Father John Putnam and Father Christopher Roux Fatima, Portugal and Santiago de Compostela, Spain July 20 – August 3, 2010
With side trips to: Lisbon – St. Anthony of Padua’s birthplace; Obidos – medieval walled city; Santarem – Holy Miracle of Eucharist; Roman ruins and much more in Portugal and Spain! Cost: $2600 from Newark – includes air fare, meals, accommodations - Taxes are additional.
Registration deadline: March 15
Info: Carol Stefanec (804) 346-3049 (Richmond, Virginia) or Te Deum Foundation (336) 765-1815.
Our pilgrimages support seminarians and foster vocations. (This is a privately-sponsored pilgrimage, not affiliated with the Diocese of Charlotte.)
cns photo by l’osservatore romano
Pope John Paul II leads the Stations of the Cross at Rome’s Colosseum on Good Friday in 2002. In a new book about the late pontiff, Msgr. Slawomir Oder, postulator of his sainthood cause, said Pope John Paul practiced self-mortification “to affirm the primacy of God and as an instrument for perfecting himself.”
Pope John Paul practiced selfmortification, postulator confirms VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope John Paul II always took penitence seriously, spending entire nights lying with his arms outstretched on the bare floor, fasting before ordaining priests or bishops and flagellating himself, said the promoter of his sainthood cause. Msgr. Slawomir Oder, postulator of the late pope’s cause, said Pope John Paul used self-mortification “both to affirm the primacy of God and as an instrument for perfecting himself.” The monsignor spoke to reporters Jan. 26 at the launch of his book, “Why He’s a Saint: The Real John Paul II According to the Postulator of His Beatification Cause.” Earlier in the day, two Italian news Web sites reported that an October date had been set for Pope John Paul’s beatification, but Msgr. Oder said nothing could be confirmed until physicians, theologians and cardinals at the Congregation for Saints’ Causes accept a miracle credited to the late pope’s intercession and Pope Benedict formally signs a decree recognizing it. Msgr. Oder’s book, published only in Italian, is based largely on what he said he learned from the documents collected for the beatification process and, particularly, from the sworn testimony of the 114 people who personally knew Pope John Paul and testified before the Rome diocesan tribunal investigating his fame of holiness. Because of the reticence surrounding the process, the witnesses who served as the source for particular affirmations in the book are not named, although some are described loosely as members of the papal entourage or the papal household. “When it wasn’t some infirmity that made him experience pain, he himself would inflict discomfort
and mortification on his body,” Msgr. Oder wrote. He said the penitential practices were common both when then-Karol Wojtyla was archbishop of Krakow, Poland, as well as after he became pope. “Not infrequently he passed the night lying on the bare floor,” the monsignor wrote, and people in the Krakow archbishop’s residence knew it, even if the archbishop would mess up the covers on his bed so it wouldn’t be obvious that he hadn’t slept there. “As some members of his closest entourage were able to hear with their own ears, Karol Wojtyla flagellated himself both in Poland and in the Vatican,” Msgr. Oder wrote. “In his closet, among the cassocks, there was a hook holding a particular belt for slacks, which he used as a whip and which he also always brought to Castel Gandolfo,” the papal summer residence south of Rome. In the book, Msgr. Oder said Pope John Paul firmly believed that he was doing what St. Paul professed to do in the Letter to the Colossians: “In my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.” He also said the pope, who had a notorious sweet tooth, was extremely serious about maintaining the Lenten fast and would lose several pounds before Easter each year, but he also fasted before ordaining priests and bishops and for other special intentions. Msgr. Oder’s book also marked the publication for the first time of letters Pope John Paul prepared in 1989 and in 1994 offering the College of Cardinals his resignation in case of an incurable disease or other condition that would prevent him from fulfilling his ministry.
12 The Catholic News & Herald
February 5, 2010
IN THE NEWS
Closer relations urged between college presidents, bishops WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNS) — After a year of public clashes between bishops and some Catholic colleges, U.S. Catholic university presidents have been urged to forge stronger relationships with their local bishop. During his plenary address Jan. 31 at the annual meeting of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C., Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick told college presidents they should reach out to their bishops for more than just good will. The 79-year-old retired archbishop of Washington — a former college president himself — told the presidents they would get better cooperation from their dioceses and experience less friction with the hierarchy if they welcomed their local bishops onto campus and included them in the academic fold of their institutions. Though he never mentioned the 2009 controversy over the commencement address by President Barack Obama at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, Cardinal McCarrick alluded to it in his address. He said it is “naive” for college presidents to believe they can invite campus speakers who advocate divisive positions on abortion and same-sex marriage contrary to church teaching and expect a productive debate. The decision of Holy Cross Father John I. Jenkins, president of Notre Dame, to invite Obama to deliver the May commencement speech and present him with an honorary law degree set off a firestorm of criticism by at least 70 U.S. bishops, and ignited a national debate on the university’s status as a Catholic institution. Critics said Obama’s support of legal abortion and embryonic stem-cell research made him an inappropriate choice to be commencement speaker at a Catholic university. Bishop John M. D’Arcy, the recently retired bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Ind., the diocese which includes Notre Dame, boycotted the commencement. It was the only one he missed during his long tenure as leader of the diocese. Other public disputes between a bishop and Catholic college included criticism by now-retired Bishop Joseph F. Martino of Scranton of Misericordia University’s decision to invite a gay rights advocate to speak on campus. Also, the University of San Francisco angered some Catholics by giving Irish President Mary McAleese an honorary degree. She has publicly supported gay rights and women’s ordination in the Catholic Church. Cardinal McCarrick, who from 1965 to 1969 was president of the Catholic University of Puerto Rico, said the nation currently has a polarized “partisan society.” But the U.S. bishops should be optimistic about Catholic higher education, he said, and if they are not, they “don’t know what is going on” academically or spiritually on the campuses. But he also said the college presidents should be making an effort to include the local bishops in the campus community. They would find the bishops to be formidable advocates if they felt like they belonged, he said.
Father Jenkins told Catholic News Service Jan. 31 that Cardinal McCarrick was absolutely right on this point and set the “right tone” with the college presidents. The priest said he was laying the foundation for a solid relationship with newly installed Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend. “Our bishop is coming to campus Feb. 8 and 9 — it was the earliest date we could get him — and we’re going to have a Mass at the basilica with our Holy Cross community and I will speak with him at that time,” he said. “I think we will make every effort to build those bridges, to deepen that dialogue, to strengthen what is a common goal. Father Jenkins acknowledged his relationship with Bishop D’Arcy had been strained in the last months of his tenure over the Obama controversy. But he also said they still agreed on more topics than they disagreed. He said he regretted the dissension the Obama address created. But he is convinced the president left Notre Dame with a deeper appreciation of the pro-life movement and that a small step may have been made in dialogue on the issue of abortion. Other Catholic college presidents agreed that it’s in their best interest to create meaningful relationships with the bishops of their dioceses. They said the 2009 public quarrels between university leaders and bishops — most notably Notre Dame — was the topic most discussed at the Jan. 30-Feb. 1 ACCU meeting. Mary Pat Seurkamp, president of the College of Notre Dame of Maryland in Baltimore, said her institution had been confused with the Indiana university during the Obama controversy and received many angry e-mails about it. But she expressed confidence that any acrimony between the bishops and Catholic academic world will dissipate with time and that allegiances would flourish in the future. “I think (all) of us know that when you are in highly charged arenas and when there are difficult issues to be discussed, the more public they are the more difficult it is to work through them,” Seurkamp said. “So, if you can create the environment where people can really have serious conversation, where they are focused on trying to find a solution, that’s what was needed in (the University of Notre Dame) situation. Not to have all of this public attention and outcry on both sides, that really didn’t serve to help fruitful discussions in any way.” Richard A. Yanikoski, president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, said one lesson learned in 2009 is to keep frustration about political outcomes in its proper forum. Internal Revenue Service restrictions bar tax-exempt organizations, including churches, from speaking publicly about candidates in a campaign, though they can talk about issues, he explained. “So, in a way,” he said, “the situation that arose at Notre Dame created the first national flash point for a whole lot of people who wanted to comment specifically on Barack Obama to do that at the expense of the commencement at Notre Dame.”
cns photo by nancy wiechec
Oblate Father Thomas B. Curran, president of Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo., delivers the homily during Mass at the annual meeting of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities Jan. 31 in Washington, D.C.
PRINCIPAL POSITION AVAILABLE Our Lady of Peace is a K3 to 8 Catholic school drawing students from the Central Savannah River Area, four counties in South Carolina and Georgia. The school is currently seeking a principal for next school year. The successful candidate must be a practicing Catholic, hold at least a master’s degree in educational administration or the equivalent, and have a minimum of five years’ teaching experience. A knowledge of Spanish would be helpful. Submit resume by March 15, 2010 to: Search Committee Our Lady of Peace P.O. Box 6605 North Augusta, SC 29861
PASTORAL ASSOCIATE and COORDINATOR OF LITURGY AND ADULT FORMATION St. Andrew’s Parish, an active Catholic faith community of 1700 households in Roanoke, Virginia, is seeking two full-time ministers to join our collaborative staff: - a pastoral associate who would strive to engage all parishioners in the wide range of parish ministries, requiring skills in pastoral presence, recruitment, organization and communications; - a coordinator of liturgy and adult formation who would resource the parish liturgical ministers and oversee opportunities for adult catechesis and evangelization, requiring knowledge and skill in both areas. Full job descriptions are available by sending a resume’ to Kathy McDaniel at St. Andrew’s, 631 N Jefferson St., Roanoke, VA 24016 or email: kmcdaniel@standrewsroanoke.org.
February 5, 2010
The Catholic News & Herald 13
in our schools
Students from Charlotte Catholic, Holy Trinity make honor bands CHARLOTTE — Thirteen students and two alternates were chosen for membership in the 2010 District Band. Three students from Holy Trinity Middle School were selected for the Middle School Honor Band. In total there were 1,816 students from six counties who auditioned. MACS students claimed the largest contingent from a single school district in the honor band program. The students performed Jan. 30. Nationally-renowned conductors served as clinicians for the event. Those who qualified included Holy Trinity Middle School students Faith Kressner, Kevin Acken and Elizabeth Hayes, as well as Charlotte Catholic High School students Patrick Bryan, Ellen Petryna, Christian Bailey, Daniel Martinec, Maria Barrell, Kyle Burns, Andrew Desmond, Bridget Wasowski,
Sending cheer for overseas troops
A n n H ar o u n y, L i l y C r a w f o r d , Anthony Roulier, Angela Small and Lindsay Russell. Alternates included Caitlin Cristante and Anthony Pallilo. Seven Charlotte Catholic High School students participated in the Charlotte Youth Wind Ensemble sponsored by UNC at Charlotte. These seven students included Christian Bailey, Daniel Martinec, Angela Small, Patrick Bryan, Kyle Burns, Andrew Desmond and Caitlin Cristante. Membership in this group is very selective and by audition only. The group has a 20-year tradition of musical excellence. Students rehearse at UNC at Charlotte on Tuesday evenings and will perform three concerts Feb. 17, March 1 and March 9. These students were instructed by Ken Rudd, Tracy Shoff and Alan Kaufman.
courtesy photo
Members of Bishop McGuinness High School’s TSOT Club (Teens Supporting Our Troops) recently collected numerous non-perishable items to send to troops stationed oversees for Christmas and Easter. The club also has been sending letters to overseas soldiers. The club is organized by Bishop McGuinness students Casey Bray, Chelcie Ferguson, Meredith Bennett and Melissa Spriegel. BMHS students in the Raising The Bar Club and the Roses Club also recently raised $424 to replace donations to the N.C. Salvation Army which0 were robbed shortly before Christmas.
DIRECTOR – INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Diocese of Charlotte The Diocese of Charlotte is accepting applications for a Director of Information Technology. This position is responsible for designing, implementing and maintaining the diocesan technology plan; for all aspects of the computer networks at the Diocesan Pastoral Center and at all Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools; for the diocesan-wide email system; IT budgeting and procurement; software evaluation and installation; IT continuity planning and supervision of IT support staff.
Partners in Hope
A Triad Event to benefit the work of Catholic Social Services with offices in Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point
Saturday, February 20 Old Salem Museum & Visitor Center Winston-Salem 7pm – 10pm
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field and a minimum of five years’ related experience, with a minimum of two years in a supervisory capacity. EOE. Send resume and salary history by February 22, 2010 to: CFO, Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church Street, Charlotte, NC 28203.
Director of Development: Family Honor, Inc. Family Honor, Inc., a Catholic organization whose mission is family-centered chastity education, has a unique opportunity for a development professional. Candidate must have a bachelor’s degree and minimum 3-5 years experience, plus: successful track record in obtaining major gifts; ability to manage cash gifts, stock donations, bequests; knowledge of database evaluation and management; experience with budget development.
Enjoy an evening with friends, cocktails, hearty hors d’oeuvres, music and a silent auction. Keynote address will be offered by The Most Reverend William G. Curlin, DD, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Charlotte.
Tickets: $50 per person $350 table of eight
Send resume with salary requirements by February 26 to: Family Honor, 2927 Devine St, Suite 130, Columbia, SC 29205. Questions? Send e-mail to: bcerkez@familyhonor.org or call 803.929.0858.
your local Catholic Charities Agency
For tickets or information: Tammy at (336)727-0705 x228 or email tmwatkins@charlottediocese.org
February 5, 2010
14 The Catholic News & Herald
Perspectives
A collection of columns, editorials and viewpoints
Taking back the people’s seats from monopoly rule Scott Brown’s victory over Martha Coakley in the special election for U.S. Senate has not only massive national ramifications but perhaps even more pronounced statewide implications. Jan. 19 was a bold declaration of independence by Massachusetts voters against a one-party system, both in Boston and in Washington, that has acted as if it prefers to ignore rather than heed their opinions and to presume rather than earn their electoral support. Scott Brown’s victory — or perhaps more precisely, Martha Coakley’s defeat — was particularly welcomed by those Massachusetts citizens who support authentically Catholic values on marriage, abortion, conscience protection, and various other cultural and moral issues. In recent years, especially after the members of the Massachusetts legislature repeatedly thwarted their attempts to give voters a chance to overturn the Supreme Judicial Court’s redefinition of marriage, values voters have felt increasingly disenfranchised and politically depressed. A victory by Coakley — who as attorney general sued the federal government to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act to open the way to samesex “marriages” nationally, who used to do free legal work to help girls get abortions without parental knowledge and consent, and who far exceeded Sen. Kennedy’s “personally opposed” support for abortion by making the most radical positions in favor of abortion a centerpiece of her campaign — would likely have been the equivalent, at least psychologically, of nailing shut their political coffin. For that reason, Brown’s election has been received by them as a sort of resurrection, filling them with hope that the attempts of the radical left to force their immorality on everyone else may not be as politically inevitable as members of the radical left wanted everyone else to believe. The Boston Globe, in a refreshingly balanced and blunt Jan. 24 editorial, said that Brown’s victory “told a broader story about Massachusetts politics and of voters’ hunger for options in a state that has often offered only one meaningful choice.” It welcomed the fact that his triumph “created the potential for improvement in the state’s political culture.” It “will almost surely be more competition for seats in the U.S. House as well as the Massachusetts House and Senate” and enable “forces of reform” within the Democratic party to “gain traction.” A couple of days after Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston wrote on his blog, “It is refreshing that the people of Massachusetts have voted independent of their party affiliation… [and looked] at issues rather than just
Guest Column FATHER ROGER LANDRY guest columnist
vote party-line,” the Globe basically concurred, giving strong reasons for why voting the party-line for so long has harmed the commonwealth. “Singleparty dominance leads to stagnation,” the editorial continued, in words that can be applied not just to Beacon Hill but to Capitol Hill, where the Democratic majority has cut Republicans totally out of health-care discussion and has awarded not just pork but whole pigsties to buy votes in Louisiana and Nebraska. “Supermajorities in state legislatures often breed political bosses and corruption. In Congress, representatives who are too confident of their re-election can become politically tone-deaf and complacent, even if they otherwise work hard on legislation. When times get tough, and voters look skeptically at all incumbents, those signs of arrogance loom large.” The Globe also suggested that Martha Coakley was a symbol and product of the arrogance of one-party rule. That point leads to what was perhaps the biggest contrast in the Senatorial campaign. It wasn’t the stark policy differences over the present health care bill, the economy and jobs, Afghanistan and whether we should defeat or defend terrorists like the Christmas Day bomber. All of these policy divergences were important and clearly played some role in Brown’s victory. The biggest gap of all between the candidates, however, seemed to be how they approached the ordinary hard-working men and women of the commonwealth. Brown made a lot out of his debate one-liner that he was campaigning for “the people’s seat.” Jan. 19, the people of the Commonwealth demonstrated that they consider such a seat theirs to give and put other politicians, locally and nationally, on notice: unless they regard the people’s seats they presently occupy with humility rather than as an entitlement, unless they begin to listen to the voice of the people and serve their legitimate interests, the people will rise up to fire them, take the seats back, and offer them to those who will. Father Roger Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford, Mass., and executive editor of The Anchor, the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River.
WORD TO LIFE
Sunday Scripture Readings: FEB. 14, 2010
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time Cycle C Readings: 1) Jeremiah 17:5-8 Psalms 1:1-4, 6 2) 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20 3) Gospel: Luke 6:17, 20-26
Reconnecting with God JEFF HENSLEY cns columnist
My wife Susan and I wandered away from our church affiliations during our college years. We began reconnecting with God and the church after serving for a year with Volunteers in Service to America. Through the grace of God and the witness of our rural neighbors we were reintroduced to the value of faith. On our return, we started attending church, irregularly at first, then committing to regular attendance at Mass. Next came attending charismatic prayer meetings and involvement in the Catholic charismatic renewal. The combination brought us to a lively and active faith. At the same time, my wife was entering into her career teaching poor children. In those first years she taught reading to mostly poor black children who lived in housing projects near downtown Fort Worth. For the last
20-plus years, she has taught English as a Second Language to high school students from every corner of the world while also providing a classroom home for them as they adjust to a new culture. In working with disadvantaged and immigrant students, she became, like the Scripture in Jeremiah describes, one who trusted in the Lord and found her hope in the Lord, and we always found God faithful to his promise — the promise, as Jeremiah put it in today’s readings, that those who do trust in him will not become distressed in the year of drought, but still will be able to bear fruit. When Susan had cancer surgery in December of 2008, a woman who had taught with her decades earlier “happened to be” tutoring in her classroom. The woman was a master teacher, so when my wife was unable to stand for very long at a time, much less take full charge of teaching her classes, her “tutor” rose to the occasion. She was, quite literally, a “Godsend,” fruit of my wife’s diligence in following God in her vocation to serve and love the poor. This outworking of God’s economy, in which we give to others in one form and it comes back to us in another, shows us that when Jesus says in the beatitudes, “Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh,” he doesn’t mean only after reaching heaven. God’s principles begin to work in the here and now as well. Questions: Have you seen God blessing the giving that others have done with goodness in their own lives? How might God be calling you to invest your love in the lives of others?
WEEKLY SCRIPTURE SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 7 — FEBRUARY 13 Sunday (Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Isaiah 6:1-8, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, Luke 5:1-11; Monday (St. Jerome Emiliani, St. Josephine Bakhita), 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13, Mark 6:53-56; Tuesday, 1 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30, Mark 7:1-13; Wednesday (St. Scholastica), 1 Kings 10:110, Mark 7:14-23; Thursday (Our Lady of Lourdes), 1 Kings 11:4-13, Mark 7:24-30; Friday, 1 Kings 11:29-32, Mark 7:31-37; Saturday, 1 Kings 12:26-32, 13:33-34, Mark 8:1-10. SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 14 — FEBRUARY 20 Sunday (Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time), Jeremiah 17:5-8, 1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20, Luke 6:17, 20-26; Monday, James 1:1-11, Mark 8:11-13; Tuesday, James 1:12-18, Mark 8:14-21; Wednesday (Ash Wednesday), Joel 2:12-18, 2 Corinthians 5:20ó6:2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18; Thursday, Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Luke 9:22-25; Friday, Isaiah 58:1-9, Matthew 9:14-15; Saturday, Isaiah 58:9-14, Luke 5:27-32.
February 5, 2010
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Throwing the cast net Have you ever thrown a cast net? My sister lives on the river outside Charleston, South Carolina, so I’ve had a number of opportunities to throw a cast net. If there is one thing I have learned, it is to be prepared for just about anything! During one visit, my niece Laura tossed it into a small pond at the house. She caught a large and rather ugly eel. Needless to say, that was the last day any of our children went swimming in the pond. On other occasions at their dock on the river, we caught absolutely nothing, much like the first apostles in St. Mark’s gospel. When we baited the spot, we often got an abundant catch of shrimp, much like the first apostles after their encounter with Jesus. The “bait” for the disciples was their trust in Jesus. Recall Simon Peter’s reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” Jesus was calling Peter to take a leap of faith—to go out into the deep. I think he challenges us to do the
same — to cast our own nets deeper to reap an abundant catch. When we ask Jesus to come with us in “our boat,” we must be prepared for the challenges that accompany that invitation. Like Peter, we may be asked to do something that requires a deep trust. Peter went from being a professional fisherman to being a “fisher of men.” Some people respond to Jesus’ challenge by using their professional skills and talents to serve in God’s Kingdom. They might be priests and deacons serving in the parishes. Others, like Cris Villapando, Frank Villaronga, Mary Wright, and Paul Kotlowski, use their expertise to provide programs for faith formation, lay ministry/evangelization, campus ministry and youth ministry. Maggi Nadol, Catholic Social Services respect life coordinator; and Sandra Breakfield, Catholic Social Services elder ministry coordinator, are talented professionals serving God’s Kingdom from the beginning of life to the twilight years. There are many more people working in our diocese who have
Contrition before publication “Bless me, Father, for mistakes were made — and the book comes out next week.” Not exactly the formula for penance that we learned, but pretty typical of what we hear today. Apologies — to say nothing of contrition — are not what they used to be. We have a former candidate for vice president of the United States confessing to fathering a child out of wedlock days before a book was to be published. Then there is the Senate majority leader who is sorry about making racial references about the president of the United States some 18 months after making them, but within days of those remarks being published in a book. It’s not just politicians; it’s also baseball players. Most seem sorry only if their misdeed is publicized. Then there is the qualified, conditional apology, “I’m sorry if anyone was offended by my action.” No, you’re sorry because it was discovered. Confessions today happen several news cycles after the first reports are published. There is a series of denials,
and then finally a full admission as the jig is up. There have been many jokes over the years about “Catholic guilt.” Still there is something to be said for emphasizing personal responsibility in a culture that shies away from that. “Sorry” is about taking responsibility for one’s actions, not regret for a bad choice. Now, saying “sorry” for bumping into someone is almost not uttered without being first vetted by an attorney. The problem is another example of relativism in that the offender believes personal conduct has little connection with others. However, actions break up a community, be it a marriage or other relationship. It’s not just senators; it’s sluggers as well. Five weeks before baseball spring training camps open, Mark McGwire finally admitted he used performance enhancing steroids. McGwire’s admission contrasted notably with his testimony before a House committee in 2005, when he repeatedly deflected
Spirit of forgiveness Georgiana Penn’s column “Penance begins with compassion” in the Jan. 22 issue was beautifully and prayerfully written. It bespeaks understanding, compassion, and the spirit of charity and forgiveness about which the author so effectively writes. This is so important on this particular subject, one so fraught with emotional
and spiritual reverberations for all of us who care. Ms. Penn’s appeal for action to substantiate our profound concerns for the unborn and their mothers is a clarion call to follow Christ in loving our neighbor. The compassionate appeal of this piece is at sweet variance with some other opinions on life issues that reflect
Guest Column BARBARA GADDY assistant director of development
responded to Jesus’ call and become “fishers of men.” When these people “cast their nets,” the abundant catch is brimming with catechists and students; lay ministers, youth ministers and teens; campus ministers and college students; parish seniors and newborn children. All of these are touched in some way by one or more of the ministries funded by the Diocesan Support Appeal. I am confident that God is asking all of us to “cast our nets” deeper. One way to participate in the abundant catch is to make a contribution to the Diocesan Support Appeal. When we “bait” our nets with an unwavering trust in Jesus, we can be assured of the rewards associated with building God’s Kingdom. There is one sure thing—we have to cast the net in order to catch a fish.
Guest Column STEPHEN KENT guest columnist
Priests must live what they preach The Pope Speaks POPE BENEDICT XVI
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The key to a priest’s efforts to evangelize is to live what he preaches and to resist the temptation of careerism, Pope Benedict XVI said Feb. 3 at his weekly general audience. In the church, just as in society, he said, the good of the community is harmed by leaders who work primarily for their own interests. The pope’s audience talk focused on the life and mission of St. Dominic, founder of the Dominican order. Before setting out to preach the Gospel across Europe, the young Dominic was elected a canon of the cathedral in Osma, Spain. While he could have used the position to increase his prestige in the church and in Spanish society, the pope said, “he did not interpret it as a personal privilege nor as the beginning of a brilliant ecclesial career, but as a service to render with dedication and humility.” Here is the text of the pope’s audience remarks in English.
questions about his own steroids use by saying, “I’m not here to talk about the past.” Jack Clark, former four-time All Star slugger with the Cardinals, hit the nail on the head with his comment: “They’re not really a man’s man. They’re just whimpering little boys who are just sad to watch. They try to put it off on somebody else.” The necessary elements remain: contrition, seeking forgiveness and a firm purpose of amendment. Stephen Kent, retired editor of archdiocesan newspapers in Omaha and Seattle, can be contacted at Considersk@comcast.net.
Letter to the Editor harsh and condemnatory positions that I believe have no place in our rhetoric in support of life. Cynthia N. Opderbeck Union Mills, NC
Today I wish to speak of the great contribution made by Saint Dominic to the renewal of the Church in the Middle Ages. As a priest of the Spanish diocese of Osma, he was sent on missions throughout Europe, which drew his attention to the need for sound and zealous preachers to bring the Gospel to the people. He was entrusted with the task of refuting the heresy of the Albigensians, who denied the incarnation of Christ, the resurrection of the body and the value of marriage and the sacraments. Embracing a life of poverty, Dominic dedicated himself to the task of preaching the Gospel, and with a band of followers he established the Order of Preachers, also known as Dominican Friars. Adapting the rule of Saint Augustine to the needs of the apostolic life, Dominic placed emphasis on theological study, prayer and community life for his friars. Thus fortified, they would be sent out on missions as itinerant, mendicant preachers. Hence the Dominican motto, contemplata aliis tradere – to hand on to others the fruits of contemplation. One important way in which the Dominicans did this was by promoting the prayer of the rosary, a beautiful means of contemplating, through the eyes of Mary, the truth revealed in the mysteries of the life, death and Resurrection of her son.
February 5, 2010
in the news
The Catholic News & Herald 16