St. Benedict Cathedral Newsletter — October 2021

St. Benedict

Cathedral

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

Inside

Approved by Our Chief Cookie Taster, Fr. Godfrey!

OCTOBER 2021

THE COOKIE DISCIPLES MINISTRY

Deliciously Shares Baking Talents to Serve Our Parish

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t’s not difficult to imagine fresh-baked homemade cookies — they smell and taste delicious, and may even melt in your mouth. There is simply no store-bought cookie that can compare.

Thanks to a dedicated group of more than 60 parishioners that make up our Cookie Disciples Ministry, our parish retreats, meetings, and events here at St. Benedict Cathedral are well-stocked with homemade cookies!

The Cookie Disciples started with a group of 12 women but has expanded through time.

Donna Halverson helps coordinate this ministry, while Fr. Godfrey Mullen is jokingly called “chief cookie taster” — he might sneak one or two cookies when they are collected at church!

The Cookie Disciples Ministry made “There’s just something special about cookies for our Parish Picnic and Back to School Bash. homemade cookies,” Donna says. “They’re of all different shapes and ingredients. They smell much better than a store-bought cookie.”

Signing up for this ministry includes a commitment to bake four dozen cookies at least four times per year. Volunteers also receive a letter and prayer, on a recipe card from Fr. Godfrey.

The group had been on a hiatus since there weren’t any large events due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this past August, members jumped right back into the ministry, making 700 cookies for the Back to School Bash and Parish Picnic. There are even a few bakers who make continued on page 5

2 The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching 3 October: A Month

to Turn to Our

Lady of the Rosary 4

Fun Raising Committee Events Bring Parishioners Together

6 Join the Ranks and Honor the Dignity of Life in October 7 A Look at Our Communication Committee: Building and

Coordinating

Our Faith

Community's Message

THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

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hat makes being Catholic, well, “Catholic”?

Things like the Mass, the Rosary, and the Seven Sacraments come to mind.

But there is also an element of Church teaching that’s often overlooked and sometimes misunderstood — Catholic Social Teaching.

Catholic Social Teaching guides Catholics on how to apply the faith to all aspects of life and lays the framework for the Church’s teachings on the dignity and sacredness of human life.

Catholic Social Teaching can be explained with 10 key points.

These 10 principles demonstrate the depth of the Church’s teaching on social justice, and they call Catholics to take an active role in shaping the world in which we live. Catholic Social Teaching, when taken to heart, can become the catalyst that causes positive change in a world that desperately needs it. Consider these principles and strive to apply them in your own life.

Human Dignity Human dignity is the fundamental principle within the Church’s teaching on social justice. A firm understanding of this principle is required so that the rest of Catholic Social Teaching can be viewed from the appropriate perspective. God created us in His image and likeness, so we all are worthy of respect.

Respect for Human Life Whether unborn or seconds away from death, no life deserves to be prematurely ended. The Church sees this principle as crucial to the health of any society.

Association Association holds that social relationships must be developed so that all people may reach their fullest potential. The Church teaches that the family is the basic unit upon which all other elements of society rest. We must uphold the sacredness of the family, and foster the growth of other societal organizations that preserve the well-being of all people.

Participation All people deserve the right to work and to participate in God’s creation.

The joy of accomplishing a task and performing honest labor should be made available to all people.

Protection for the Poor and Vulnerable Society exists in a balance between those with power, and those without it. The vulnerable, those with disabilities, and the poor must be protected from those with power who choose to wield it in an unjust manner.

Solidarity “Love your neighbor as yourself” — this commandment extends beyond the boundaries of any town, state or country. The principle of solidarity encourages all people to reach out to their brothers and sisters in need and to help them, even if they live halfway around the world.

Stewardship Everything we have — even our own lives — is a gift from God. Our talents, our time, and our financial resources are not our own, but God’s.

The same goes for the natural resources we so often take for granted.

Responsibilities and Limits of Government Governments, while created for the common good, sometimes overstep their boundaries. The Church teaches that all governments should seek to operate at the lowest level of organization possible — striving to solve problems at the source, with those who understand them best, and not through oppressive force.

Human Equality God made all humans equal, including those of different ethnicity and race, and in different stages of life. No one person is of more value than another.

Common Good It is especially important in our society to promote the common good — the social well-being and development of the “human group.” If we consider the entire human race as one family, the common good urges us to support our brothers and sisters so that they may reach their full potential.

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A Letter From Our Cathedral Rector

OCTOBER: A Month to Turn to Our Lady of the Rosary My Fellow Parishioners:

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ay by day, our heavenly Father provides spiritual food and graces to His beloved children, nourishing us on our earthly pilgrimage.

October brings us the grace of the Rosary, a prayer buried deeply in the heart of the Church, as one of its most precious treasures.

The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which takes place Oct. 7, is a commemorative feast established by St. Pius V on the anniversary of the naval victory won by the Christian fleet at Lepanto. The victory was attributed to the help of the Mother of God, whose aid was invoked by praying the Rosary.

This victory revealed the power of the Rosary more than ever. Catholics who were open to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit took with deep resolve the Rosary as their link to God. Pope St. John Paul II, in his 2002 Apostolic Letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, writes: “The Church has always attributed particular efficacy to this prayer, entrusting to the Rosary... the most difficult problems.

At times when Christianity itself seemed under threat, its deliverance was attributed to the power of this prayer, and Our Lady of the Rosary was acclaimed as the one whose intercession brought salvation” (39).

Thus, not merely through the Rosary, but more significantly, through the woman behind the Rosary — the glorious Mother of our Savior, Christ the Lord — a wellspring of God’s love has been discovered.

Indeed, the Rosary is truly a way to discover Christ’s infinite love through the tender heart

of His Mother.

“With the Rosary, the Christian people sits at the school of Mary and is led to contemplate the beauty on the face of Christ and to experience the depths of his love. Through the Rosary the faithful receive abundant grace, as though from the very hands of the Mother of the Redeemer” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 1).

A great number of saints, such as Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who had a special concern for the preservation of the Christian family, sensed that its salvation would be through the Rosary. And as Pope St. John Paul II wrote, “Today I willingly entrust to the power of this prayer... the cause of peace in the world and the cause of the family” (Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 39). Our Lady of Fatima, who pleaded with families to pray the daily Rosary, would agree with him!

As our hearts burn with hope, let us give to the Mother of God every concern that we bear, each cross we carry, piece by piece, worry by worry. She will be there to offer everything to our Heavenly Father, Whose care for each one of His children reaches beyond anything we could ever imagine.

Peace,

Very Rev. Godfrey Mullen, OSB Cathedral Rector 3

Fun Raising Committee Events T

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o be clear, the St. Benedict Fun Raising Committee does not raise funds.

It does, however, raise all kinds of opportunities for us to come together in community and to, well, have fun!

Patti Hall coordinates the committee that was organized about two years ago. During the past year, there were very limited activities, but the group has met to begin planning for the next six months.

Before the pandemic, the committee planned for a full year. Activities included bringing in food trucks, parking lot parties, family movies on the cathedral lawn, family walks, yoga, dance, and swing dance.

During Advent, there are crafts and fellowship in the Woodward center after the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass.

There are about 24 parishioners on the committee, but attendance is fluid at the monthly meetings. Each member chooses an event he or she wants to plan. One member, for example, plans music events, while another organizes pickleball games and lessons.

“Everybody kind of does their own thing,” Patti says. “And we’re not a fundraising group.

We just try to get people on our campus doing things, socializing, and building good community togetherness. We’re trying to plan six months out.

We’re looking at cooking, pickleball, container gardening at St. Ben’s. We also think we’ll do a ‘What’s for Dinner?’ thing, a back-to-school type of event.”

The committee tries to plan events for all ages and groups — singles, couples, families, older parishioners.

Since the committee is not raising funds, any expenses are paid either by the activity or from some parish funds.

“For example, with swing dancing, we charged $25,” Patti says. “We may charge if the activity includes a cost, so we just cover the cost.”

No matter what activity is planned, it is sure to be a fun event — with a beautiful benefit. By joining in the activities and becoming part of the

Activities have included cookie decorating and Advent crafts.

Although activities were restricted under the pandemic, the Fun Raising Committee is looking forward to planning more fun activities for the parish.

Bring Parishioners Together parish community, we are able to grow closer to Christ.

“You feel you can see Christ in other people,” Patti says. “That’s what it’s about. You may talk to someone in your activity, and you may not have known them before. This helps you grow closer to each other and through each other, you are closer to Christ.”

Anyone is welcome to join the committee.

“We’d love to have more people,” Patti says.

“Most are very busy already, and they all don’t come to each meeting. This can count toward stewardship and you can choose what you want to do.”

Family walks, of course, include the family dogs!

If you would like more information about the Fun Raising Committee, or to join, please email Patti Hall at pattibhall@yahoo.com.

COOKIE DISCIPLES

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gluten-free treats for events like this.

“I’m always astounded This ministry is easy if you like to bake — there are no meetings by the willingness of and it can be done on your own time. It also fits all ages. Our cookie ministers range in age from their early 20s to bakers in their 70s. these bakers,” Donna Donna appreciates the willingness to help that she sees in all the says. “They all have Cookie Disciples. a wonderful attitude.

“Baking is creative and joyful,” she says. “It’s a way to give back to They are baking for the church on your time.”

In the past, the Cookie Disciples have been called on for events like others, and it’s a way to the installation of Bishop Siegel and Fr. Godfrey’s 25th-anniversary give on their own time. lunch. Volunteers are always ready to bake.

It’s creating. It gives the “I’m always astounded by the willingness of these bakers,” Donna says.

“They all have a wonderful attitude. They are baking for others, and it’s a kitchen a great smell.” way to give on their own time. It’s creating. It gives the kitchen a great smell.” — DONNA HALVERSON

If you would like to get involved as a Cookie Disciple, please call the parish office at 812-425-3369.

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Join the Ranks and Honor the Dignity of Life in October

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ll Catholics are called to action — this month, and beyond.

October is Respect Life Month. We are all summoned to action. An apostolic exhortation by Pope St. John Paul II, titled Ecclesia in America, described the culture's effects on the “powerless” within American society: “I am thinking here of unborn children, helpless victims of abortion; the elderly and incurably ill, subjected at times to euthanasia; and the many other people relegated to the margins of society by consumerism and materialism. Nor can I fail to mention the unnecessary recourse to the death penalty… Faced with this distressing reality, the Church community intends to commit itself all the more to the defense of the culture of life” (Ecclesia in America, 63).

Respect Life Month is the perfect time to prayerfully examine our consciences in light of these critical issues, which directly violate the dignity of the human person. This includes not only the evil of abortion, but also euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, capital punishment, and artificial contraception — all of which are vital contributors to the pervasive culture of death.

So we must individually ask ourselves, “Do I, in my personal, day-to-day choices, respect life? If so, do I boldly proclaim this belief or merely stand idle? Am I known within my home, family, and/or workplace as someone that respects life?”

As with every movement of a Christian heart towards goodness, it is imperative that our efforts begin with a prayerful foundation. The work of the Holy Spirit allows us to receive the zeal necessary to promote the sanctity of human life, even in the face of suffering.

This October, please pray for a revitalization of the culture of life. Every night, as a family, meditate on the prayer from John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae. As you pray, allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with apostolic boldness, and ask the Lord to guide your heart towards ways in which you can personally contribute to the culture of life.

The call is clear, the stakes are set, and all Catholics are summoned to action. How will you respond?

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Pope St. John Paul II’s Prayer for the Revitalization of the Culture of Life O Mary, bright dawn of the new world, Mother of the living, to you do we entrust the cause of life: Look down, O Mother, upon the vast numbers of babies not allowed to be born, of the poor whose lives are made difficult, of men and women who are victims of brutal violence, of the elderly and the sick killed by indifference or out of misguided mercy.

Grant that all who believe in your Son may proclaim the Gospel of life with honesty and love to the people of our time.

Obtain for them the grace to accept that Gospel as a gift ever new, the joy of celebrating it with gratitude throughout their lives and the courage to bear witness to it resolutely, in order to build, together with all people of good will, the civilization of truth and love, to the praise and glory of God, the Creator and lover of life.

—Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae

A LOOK AT OUR COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE:

Building and Coordinating Our Faith Community's Message

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n the 1990 encyclical, Redemptoris Missio, St. Pope John Paul II called for the “new evangelization” — through this, we are charged with the task of finding new ways to reach out to those who have never heard the Gospel, as well as those who have fallen away from the faith. In the decades since the document’s publication, the internet has transformed our world and the spread of information. So, in order to keep up with our culture, having a cohesive way to communicate is essential.

The Communication Committee was formed when the Pastoral Council shifted its focus from communication to stewardship.

Committee members first met in December 2020. Angie Wellmeier leads the Communication Committee and is also our parish and school executive assistant. There are 10 committee members, all parishioners, including parents of St. Benedict’s Cathedral School students and current parish staff.

As Angie notes, it’s important to be able to tell the story of all the good work at our parish and school.

Communications committee members (back row, from left) Angie Wellmeier, Lisa Teague, Bob Wuertz; (front row, from left) Kelley Coppens, Mary Ann Hughes, Patti Hall. (Not pictured — Fr. Godfrey Mullen, Aaron Schmitt, Donna Woehler, Melinda Sloan)

“We always want to be good stewards of the time, talent, and treasures we are given, and communicating how we are utilizing those gifts each and every day should always be a priority,” she says.

Angie has an extensive

background in communications, having earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising, with a minor in marketing. She has worked in various communication roles at Keller-Crescent Co. and Arc of Evansville. continued on back cover

“Each member has a different skill set, knowledge, and personal and professional experiences that they can bring to the table. It’s fun to see it all unfold for a specific project.”

— ANGIE WELLMEIER 7

1328 Lincoln Avenue | Evansville, IN 47714 (812) 425-3369 | www.saintbenedictcathedral.org

COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE In essence, the Communication Committee serves as a resource for administration and parish ministries. It also leverages social media, email communications, and print media, and monitors and evaluates all public parish communications to ensure that the message is consistent with the Sacred Purpose of St. Benedict Cathedral.

Along with monitoring current communications and “freshening up” some items, the committee will also be working to create a virtual tour of

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the Cathedral and a photo directory.

Angie has enjoyed working with everyone on the committee. It’s a blessing to watch people using and sharing their skills to serve our Lord and parish.

“Each member has a different skill set, knowledge, and personal and professional experiences that they can bring to the table,” Angie says. “It’s fun to see it all unfold for a specific project.”

Meetings are currently held in the evenings on the fourth Thursday of each month.

Committee members are asked to commit to a monthly one-hour meeting, for a oneyear term. Anyone interested in joining the St. Benedict Communication Committee may contact Angie Wellmeier or Fr. Godfrey Mullen at 812-425-3369, or send an email to awellmeier@evdio.org or gmullen@evdio.org.

LITURGY SCHEDULE

Saturday Vigil: 4:30 p.m. | Sunday: 8:00 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Daily Mass: Tuesday - Saturday 9:00 a.m.

Confessions: Tuesday through Friday 8:40 - 8:55 a.m., Saturday 9:30 - 10:00 a.m., 3:30 - 4:00 p.m.