January/February 2011

A Pentecostal mom brings her children

â&#x20AC;&#x153;homeâ&#x20AC;? to St. Pius School in Flint

2 T. Gennara

A time of change a time of renewal

from the editor

Father Dwight Ezop is editor of FAITH Magazine and pastor of the Catholic Community of St. Jude. E-mail: editor@FAITHmag.com.

wice a year, usually during autumn and again during Lent, I have been offering six-week-long Bible studies for adults in the parish. Over the last several years, we have studied each of the Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and the book of the prophet Isaiah. On average, each of these series has had about 50 people in attendance. That changed this fall when I led a study of the book of Revelation. Suddenly, there were nearly 80 folks in attendance. The interest was high and our discussions were even more lively and insightful than usual. From these experiences, I have learned that, contrary to the opinions of some, adult Catholics are indeed interested in learning more about their faith. Providing opportunities that are convenient, engaging, and which require a limited time commitment all seem to make this an appealing combination for parishioners whose lives are busier than ever. Like all priests in the United States, I’m in the process of preparing for a key ecclesial event that will occur later this year. On the First Sunday of Advent 2011, we will welcome the newly-translated Roman Missal, which will guide our prayer at Mass for many years to come. The new translation is the result of many years of work, rendering the Latin original into English. When we begin to pray using this new translation, many prayers that we have known in English for more than 40 years will sound a

Haiti one year later

Haiti – one year later January marks the first anniversary of the earthquake that devastated Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries. Recovery has been slow, and the situation was exacerbated by this year’s hurricane and subsequent cholera outbreak. Much remains to be done to help the people of Haiti, many of whom are still living in tent cities and scraping by to get the necessities of life. However, Catholics from the U.S. and around the world have stepped up to provide aid.

bit different, while others will remain in the form we now use. There will be new music to be learned and a number of other riches to be mined from the implementation of the new translation. The implementation of the newly-translated Roman Missal provides a wonderful opportunity to delve deeply into the celebration that is at the very heart of our faith. Beginning in Lent and continuing into the Easter season, I will be leading a parish study of the Mass. As with anything that we

Catholic Relief Services helped … • 900,000 People provided food in the early months following the earthquake • 100,000 Children in more than 370 schools, orphanages and child-care centers received food • 215,000 People received emergency shelter materials • 400 Transitional shelters constructed immediately • 100 Additional shelters built per week • 947 Emergency medical operations

• 64,000 outpatient consultations The Diocese of Lansing helped … • The people of the Diocese of Lansing donated $559,667 to assist the

know well and experience often, I suspect that all of us can fall into a sort of “auto pilot” mode from time to time when we come to Mass. The current words, actions and gestures have become so familiar to us that we can forget the much deeper realities that they help us to celebrate. Taking time to help folks to understand the mystery of the Eucharist more deeply will provide all of us with an opportunity for deepened knowledge of and appreciation for that which is both the source and summit of our faith. As the old saying goes, change is not easy. It can either be a source of angst or we can see it as a time for renewed understanding and growth. I choose to see this as an opportunity for a deeper appreciation of the central mysteries of our faith. I’m hoping that all of us will do likewise and take full advantage of the many opportunities that will be available to us in parishes around our diocese in the coming months. And so our journey in FAITH continues.

victims of the earthquake in Haiti. For more about Haiti, read FAITH’s bonus digital content: Haiti – one year later, only on www.FAITHmag.com

Liturgical Calendar: The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God Jan. 1 | The Epiphany of the Lord Jan. 2 | Most Holy Name of Jesus Jan. 3 | St. Elizabeth Ann Seton,

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing

Most Reverend Earl Boyea PUBLISHER

Rev. Dwight Ezop

EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN

Jan./Feb. 2011 • Volume 12: Issue 1

20 Patrick M. O’Brien

PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Elizabeth Martin Solsburg

DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING/ EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

20 Teaching in a Catholic school inspired Sheila to become Catholic | 22 Belonging is believing – Participation in faith increases knowledge | 24 Maintenance to mission: transforming our Catholic schools

Cynthia Vandecar

what you’ll get out of this issue

MARKETING MANAGER

Patrick Dally

ART DIRECTOR

Lynne Hsu

GRAPHIC DESIGNER/WEBMASTER

Jillane Job

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

InnerWorkings

PRINT MANAGEMENT

– Bishop Earl Boyea

5 work life – Nick Synko 6 parenting journey – Dr. Cathleen McGreal

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

7 marriage matters

Derek Melot

PROOFREADING

– Tom and JoAnne Fogle

Carlson Productions | Tom Gennara | James Luning (cover) | Don Quillan

8 in the know with Fr. Joe

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bob Patten | Chris Sushynski CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS

– Father Joseph Krupp

FAITHTM (USPS 019993) is a publication of FAITH Catholic, Diocese of Lansing, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48906-5550. FAITHTM is a membership publication of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing and is published monthly except for February and August. To purchase a subscription, log on to FAITHmag.com. If you have a change of address, please contact your parish. Periodicals postage paid in Lansing, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FAITHTM, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing MI 48906-5550. ©2011 FAITH Catholic. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Catholic.

A Pentecostal mom brings her children “home” to St. Pius School in Flint

Shawn Ochs is not Catholic, nor is her husband. But when Shawn brought her children to St. Pius School in Flint for the first time, she felt as if they had come home. Find out why this Pentecostal mom thinks a Catholic school is the best fit for her family.

Most Rev. Carl F. Mengeling FOUNDING PUBLISHER

Rev. Charles Irvin FOUNDING EDITOR

For advertising information: Call 517.853.7600

T. Gennara

Who was your best schoolteacher?

Elizabeth Solsburg is editorial director of FAITH Magazine. She can be reached at esolsburg@FAITHcatholic.com

ost of us have a favorite teacher. When we’re actually in school, it may be the teacher who is “easy” and doesn’t demand a lot of work. Or the teacher who is just plain fun. But, sometimes, with the perspective of time and experience, we realize the fun teacher wasn’t necessarily the one who taught us the most. I had many great teachers. But the one who really had a huge influence on my life and career was Sister Patricia O’Toole. Sister

Pat taught freshman religion at St. Thomas High School in Ann Arbor. When you got out of that class, you were never going to

9 spiritual popcorn – Paul Jarzembowski

10 culture – Michelle Sessions DiFranco

12 spiritual fitness – Sister Ann Shields

14 theology 101 – Rita Thiron 31 last word – Father Charles Irvin

forget the books of the Pentateuch – ever. (For those of you unfortunate enough not to have had a class with Sister Pat, those are the first five books of the Bible.) But Sister Pat taught more than dry facts. She had a love for Scripture and theology that was contagious – these words had really shaped her life. When she left St. Thomas, she went on to become a pastoral associate at St. Pat’s in Whitmore Lake. She modeled a life of ministry in the Church that affected my decision to become a director of religious education – at the same parish in which I’d attended high school. I had lost touch with Sister Pat until a few years ago, when I was lucky enough to visit her in the IHM motherhouse and get a chance to thank her for being the best teacher ever. If there’s a teacher like Sister Pat in your past, you might want to look him or her up and say, “Thanks!”

religious Jan. 4 | St. John Neumann, bishop Jan. 5 | St. André Bessette, religious Jan. 6 | St. Raymond Peñafort, priest Jan. 7 | Feast of the Baptism of the Lord Jan. 9

table of contents

4 from the bishop

Why

Catholic schools? Bishop Earl Boyea is the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Lansing.

from the bishop

hy Catholic schools? Alexis de Tocqueville, a Frenchman, visited America in the 1830s and commented on practically everything. He said this about public schooling: “It cannot be doubted that in the United States the instruction of the people powerfully contributes to the support of the democratic republic; and such must always be the case, I believe, where the instruction which enlightens the understanding is not separated from the moral education which amends the heart …” There is the issue – the separation of the intellectual and moral formation of our young people. Today, in most of our public education, it is almost impossible to provide a solid moral formation to go along with the textbook learning that is taking place. That is why, today more than ever, our Catholic schools play a critical role not just to prepare Catholic leaders for the future, but also to prepare solid citizens whose amended hearts will help to lead our country along right paths.

D. Quillan

The third council of Baltimore in 1884 noted: “… it can is truly inspiring. Still other parents make use of our parish hardly fail to happen that the young, steeped in the secucatechetical programs (which on average instruct and form lar spirit from childhood, generally become by degrees our young people for 30 hours a year) and then make and without their being aware of it, not only lovers of the great efforts to supplement that parish work with additional blind world, but by that very fact also haters of Christ and formation at home. Parents are to be highly congratulated opponents of the Church.” That is why that same council for fulfilling this solemn duty so admirably. You are trying to urged all parents to do everything they could to send their keep the mind and the heart of your child in union with the children to Catholic schools. mind and heart of Christ. Clearly, parents have the responsibility to provide for the In the Diocese of Lansing, we have our own duties. One education of their children, is to make sure that all of us not just so that they may in this diocese see that the earn a living in the future, Catholic education of the but so that they will be well next generation is the reformed as they make their sponsibility of us all. That is way to heaven. Where will why every parish that does parents find that combinanot have a school is being tion of intellectual and moral taxed a small amount to fund formation? It really takes a partial need-based scholarlot of sacrifice on parents’ ships to attend our Catholic parts to provide this for their schools. Another duty is to children. make sure that our schools Some parents make great are striving to become ever sacrifices to transport their more Catholic, by seeking children at a distance and excellence in every arena forgo other things in order and by becoming every day to pay for the tuition of a community of disciples of their children in a Cathothe Lord Jesus. lic school. Others engage Please pray for the in the amazing journey of ongoing daily reform of our providing home schoolCatholic schools and for ing for their offspring. The the blessings of a Catholic Bishop Boyea gives his homily during the Catholic Schools dedication and sacrifice education for all our young Mass at St. Mary Cathedral in January, 2010 involved in that enterprise people.

St. Hilary, bishop and doctor of the Church Jan. 13 | St. Anthony of Egypt , abbot Jan. 17 | St. Fabian, pope and martyr Jan. 20 | St. Agnes, virgin and martyr Jan. 21 | St. Vin

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

My boss is a great guy, but not a great can I fix his erers without embaresing him? speller. I’ve seen things go out under his signaNick Synko is a professional career and workplace issues coach. ture that are filled with For more information, visit SynkoAssociates.com and CareersThroughFaith.org. grammatical errors. as a team and utilize each other’s skills. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 Is there any way to tactfully correct him without makes a related point: Now the body is not a single part, but many… making him resent me? if an ear should say, “Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the

My boss canot spell

FAITH Books’ new release: Happiness: Only in the Next By local author David Paul Eich

T. Gennara

The easy answer: In today’s world, most everyone is using a computer to write correspondence. With built-in software that automatically corrects or flags most misspelled words, letters and e-mails with such mistakes are readily correctable, unless a person simply is choosing to ignore those flags, or has not turned on the software’s automatic grammar and spell checker. First, cover these bases. Challenge alert: From the way you asked your question, I assume spelling is a personal strength of yours. Since you also mentioned he is a “great guy,” you obviously respect him for his other positive qualities. That is a great start in realizing we all possess a mix of strengths and weaknesses and that we need to work

Said otherwise, to optimize organizational performance, we need each other’s uniqueness and individual strengths to make the whole “body” complete. No one of us is as capable as all of us. In the final analysis, deciding whether to bring up the issue of how your skills can improve your boss’ correspondence depends upon whether he has previously been open to input from you. Is there evidence that he understands that teams optimize their performance when they rely upon each other’s strengths? If so, then test the waters by suggesting a few edits on a document he has recently produced. However, unless you are fairly certain he will be open to your suggestions, let it go – for the moment. In the meantime, wait until he asks for your editing input; you will then have the opportunity you are seeking. Once he understands the “value add” of your skills, I bet he will take notice and use them to enhance the “whole body” – or, in this instance, the organization.

work life

body,” it does not for this reason belong any less to the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God placed the parts, each one of them, in the body as he intended. If they were all one part, where would the body be?

Your question reminds me of one of my favorite Mark Twain quotes, “I have no respect for a man who can spell a word only one way.” His perspective, although funny, is not one usually smiled upon in a professional environment. From the tone of your question, I take it that you understand that correspondence represents both the writer and the organization. Therefore, grate grahmer and correct spilling is indeed importent. Okay, enuff. [sic]

Inspired by the movie, The Song of Bernadette, this book reminds us that we can spend an eternity trying to figure out how to be happy in this world or make choices that will enable us to experience eternal happiness.

On sale now www.FAITHCatholic.com

ncent, deacon and martyr Jan. 22 | St. Francis De Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church Jan. 24 | Feast of St. Paul, apostle Jan. 25 | Ss. Timothy and Titus, bishops Jan. 26

6 How can I find my birth mother T. Gennara

without hurting my real mom?

Dr. Cathleen McGreal is a psychology professor and certified spiritual advisor.

parenting journey

I was adopted when I was just a baby and raised in a wonderful family. Although I consider my adoptive parents to be my ‘real’ parents, I would like to meet the woman who gave birth to me. I have so many questions! However, my adoptive mother seems apprehensive about the idea of me meeting my birth mother. Is it wrong for me to do this? If not, how can I minimize the hurt to my adoptive mother?

When I was little, I would ask my Grandma Esta to tell me her “whole name.” Orphaned early in life, she was adopted by her mother’s best friend, who changed her first and last names. Her story was heart-tugging, but she ended up in just the right family, with just the right name. Your desire to know about your own story is natural; you and your mom may be able to provide emotional support for one another since you don’t know where the answers to the questions will lead. Reasons behind apprehension. As children reach the end of the teen years and enter young adulthood, parents need to do a lot of letting go. They say

what gets my goat

One of my friends keeps tagging my photo on Facebook. I don’t want my picture all over the Internet. How can I get her to stop without damaging our friendship?

goodbyes at college or help children adjust to “real” jobs. A significant person enters your life and they watch you fall in love. Parents feel a sense of satisfaction “launching” children into the world, but

also a sense of loss that they are not needed in the same way. Your desire to seek the woman who gave birth to you adds another layer of change during this time of transition. Mom will always be Mom. There are some things in life that go without saying – but why not say them anyway! Your mom carried you in her heart through all the minor events in your life (“No, you can’t see that movie or you’ll have bad dreams all night!) and the major traumas (“Mom will be right there when you wake up after Dr. Jones fixes that broken bone.”) One way to minimize the chance for hurt is to focus on what the two of you share. Don’t become too preoccupied. Remember to devote time to your parents while you are searching for your birth mother. Continue your family rituals and favorite activities. Keeping your mom in the loop will be of mutual benefit; she may be able to provide useful information regarding specific details of your birth and will feel less apprehensive about the process. Whatever the outcome of your quest to find your birth mother, you have your mom, who will be there for you with the memories of your childhood stored in her heart, following the example of Our Blessed Mother: “She kept all these things, pondering them in her heart.” (Lk 2:19)

I don’t want to be on Facebook

how do I keep my friend from putting me there? Dr. Gelasia Marquez is a psychologist and family counselor.

The unauthorized publication of photos in the different social networks of the Internet is becoming more and more a concern. Many people believe it is a matter of common courtesy and common sense to request permission before publishing any information about another person online. All social networks on the Internet have privacy policies to be followed by their members and that are enforced by the social network organization. So, first of all, you should

familiarize yourself with Facebook’s privacy policies. After that, you will be ready to sit down with your friend, not only to discuss your feelings regarding your photos being exposed in the Internet, but also to firmly request that she move your photos to a private category. I don’t believe your friendship will be damaged by doing so, but, if it happens, remember that you have the right to have your personal integrity respected – having unauthorized photos of yourself published on the Internet falls into that category.

St. Angela Merici, virgin Jan. 27 | St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church Jan. 28 | Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Feb. 2 | St. Blaise, bishop and martyr; St. An

He said She said

T. Gennara

what do they do? Deacon Tom Fogle and JoAnne Fogle help prepare couples for marriage.

your marriage matters

“He wants my e-mail password – that’s private!” Sandy says: Sam has been bugging me to give him the password to my email account. I often chat with friends via e-mail about things in their lives I’m sure they’d rather Sam not read. And I do believe I should be able to have some privacy. My refusal to give him access to my e-mail is causing a rift between us.

“What is she keeping secret?” Sam says: We’re married – and so we share everything. That’s my philosophy. Does Sandy not trust me to keep her friends’ secrets? I’m not planning to sit and read her e-mail every night; I just don’t think we should be locking each other out of parts of our lives. Maybe the first question asked should be, “Is this the only instance where privacy is demanded, or are there other areas? For example, do Sam and Sandy open postal mail and packages addressed to each other, or is that considered private? Do they have individual bank accounts, individual credit cards, etc.? If e-mail is the only “privacy” issue and the other areas are shared, we can understand why Sam is confused with the inconsistency in the rules. To start, Sam and Sandy should talk about the feelings involved. How does Sandy feel about Sam’s request? How does Sam feel when Sandy does not wish to share it? Then each of them should answer the question, “why” do I feel that way? It appears that trust is at the root

of this issue. If Sandy has Sam’s e-mail password, then it would be appropriate for Sam to have hers – if you trust each other, why does it matter? On the surface, it appears that Sam does not trust Sandy; he needs to know her every detail about her life. Likewise, it appears that Sandy does not trust Sam with the conversations she has with her friends. It looks like there is a lot of distrust going on in Sam and Sandy’s relationship. One way to successfully discover the root of the problem is to approach it together and to do so prayerfully. Take a lead from Scripture, James 1:19-20: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry …” Sharing your deepest thoughts and feelings with each other requires each to listen without interruption. After listening, gently para-

phrase back what you heard and, if needed, let the one speaking clarify any misperceptions. Then switch roles and repeat the process until both people understand the other’s feelings. During the process, Sandy and Sam should be mindful of the respect and honesty owed to each other. They will experience a deeper level of trust in their relationship and discover their communication skills will improve on other topics as well. We believe the lack of trust is a result of some deeper issue that is not being dealt with; the e-mail is only a manifestation

of the deeper problem in their relationship. It might be best if both Sandy and Sam were to reflect on the “real reason” this has become an issue and then share it with each other. Is it that Sandy is afraid Sam will not approve of the discussion Sandy is having with her friends? Is Sam afraid Sandy is keeping secrets or talking about their relationship “out of school?” Sam and Sandy would best serve each other out of love and consideration by reflecting on the trust as it relates to their relationship; e-mail is only the medium, trust is the heart.

A Marriage Enrichment Conference Presented by St. Patrick’s “I Do For Life” Marriage Ministry St. Patrick Catholic Church, Brighton Feb. 12, 2011 8:30 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 a.m.) Conference rate: $65/couple For more information and registration, go to: www. idoforlife.org

nsgar, bishop Feb. 3 | St. Agatha, virgin and martyr Feb. 5 | Blessed Pius IX, pope Feb. 7 | St. Jerome Emiliani, priest; St. Josephine Bakhita, virgin Feb. 8 | St. Scholastica, virgin Feb. 10

8 Dear Fr. Joe:

Is it OK to parish shop? T. Gennara

Send your questions to: “In the Know with Fr. Joe” FAITH Magazine, 1500 E. Saginaw, Lansing, MI

@ 48906 Or: JoeInBlack@priest.com

The pastor of a local church told us we were not allowed to “shop” for a new parish. Is that true?

in the know with Fr. Joe

OK, this may not be the answer you wanted to hear, but ... it depends. First of all, you are allowed to go to Mass in any Catholic church in the world. The word “catholic” means universal, and that is part of the beauty of our faith – that we can walk into a Catholic church in any country and take part in the Mass. Now, in some areas, you are allowed to register at any parish you wish. The Catholic Diocese of Lansing, for example,

allows people to choose their parish affiliation. However, in some dioceses, although you can go to Mass wherever you choose, you may only register in your geographic parish. In some of these cases, geographic boundaries may affect your ability to participate in other sacraments. What’s a geographic parish? The world is divided up into lots of geographic zones by the Church. For example, here in Michigan, we have seven different areas called “dioceses.” These dioceses are divided into regions, which are then divided into parish boundaries. When you moved to wherever you live, that is what placed you in your parish. It’s based on geography. The word itself comes from a

derivative of a the Greek word for neighbor – it essentially defines your neighborhood. In fact, in Louisiana, a parish is the equivalent of a county. As a Catholic, the parish in which you live is assumed to be “your parish.” It is hoped that you will register there (everyone should register at a parish!) and actively involve yourself in your community, offering your gifts and talents and receiving the gifts and talents of the community. The high point of the community and the source of its unity are the eucharistic celebrations that are held there. Not going is a big deal – we need the Eucharist and the Eucharist needs us. However, to be clear, if you reside in a parish’s boundaries

and it’s “not working,” there is nothing wrong with looking for a Catholic church that does, in fact, work for you. You need to spend some time prayerfully considering why it is that the parish is “not working” for you. Are you being motivated by a real desire to more fully experience the reality of God’s kingdom here on earth, or are you acting out of anger or pride or a desire to be among people who are more “socially acceptable” to you? If you are leaving because the pastor is cruel or not preaching the word of God, make sure you have explored all the options open to you short of leaving. Have you spoken to the pastor to make sure you just haven’t misunderstood him? Have you asked

A french fry walks into the bar and says to the bartender, “Hey, could I get a soda please?” The bartender looks at him, shakes his head and says, “No, we don’t serve food here.”

B. Patten

Our Lady of Lourdes Feb. 11 | St. Cyril, monk and St. Methodius, bishop Feb. 14 | The seven founders of the Order of Servites, religious Feb. 17

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

On sale now www.FaithCatholic.com

Now available for your Kindle at www.amazon.com

All you need is love Read more of Paul Jarzembowski’s thoughts on www.spiritualpopcorn.blogspot.com.

rom dates to drive-in movies to films about young lovers, romance and cinema have gone together for well over a century.

Perhaps you might remember watching Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman’s characters saying their goodbyes while standing on a fog-swept tarmac at the end of Casablana (1942). Or maybe you were caught up in the evolution of a friendship to committed love with the titular characters in Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan’s romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally (1989). A number of great movies over the years have had a way of capturing the mystery and anticipation of romantic love, not to mention the fallout from relationship crises, the ebb and flow of everyday life and the struggles that emerge from sickness, age or death. Unfortunately, there also are many other films that have painted a false picture of what love and commitment can, and should, look like. They showcase relationships built on foundations of sex and physical attraction, but fail to acknowledge the true depth of self-sacrificial love. “No greater love is there than this,” Jesus reminds us, “than to lay down one’s life for one another.” (John 15:13) The movies tell us “love” is many things, but rare is the film that captures the vocation of sacrifice and selflessness that we, as Christians, believe is central to every successful relationship. When reviewing all the romantic movies ever produced, many of them include levels of intimacy that we know are not depictions of God’s vision for marital relationships. However,

they do have moments where we see true love: Rose and Jack surrendering the life they once knew for the sake of the other in the epic Titanic (1997); Linus Larabee struggling to put aside his massive fortune just to be with the love of his life in Sabrina (1954, remade in 1995); and Duke and Allie sharing a truly sacrificial love across time and memory despite the growing darkness of Alzheimer’s in The Notebook (2004). And for couples who have lost the connection with each other, a good romantic movie also can be a catalyst for the rich intimacy that God calls all married couples to share. Seeing love grow and flourish in films such as West Side Story (1961) or Sleepless in Seattle (1993) can be a great way for all of us to shout like Solomon: “With you we rejoice and exult. We extol your love – for it is beyond wine. How rightly are we to be loved!” (Song of Songs 1:4)

7 | St. Peter Damian, bishop and doctor of the Church Feb. 21 | The Chair of St. Peter, apostle Feb. 22 | St. Polycarp, bishop and martyr Feb. 23

spiritual popcorn

him to clarify his preaching? If you have done so, and did not receive a helpful response, then you may need to find a new spiritual home in a different parish. If you are leaving because the community is cold or distant or in some other ways is not welcoming, that’s understandable, too. A word of caution with that, however: Do you see a possibility of being the person who takes the parish out of cold and distant and into the wonderful land of welcoming and warm? Maybe that is what God is calling you to do. If you are leaving because you just don’t like what the pastor is saying – maybe his homilies make you a little uncomfortable – perhaps you need to think deeply before walking away. Sometimes, what we need to hear and what we want to hear are two different things. Maybe you need to be challenged? If you leave because what the priest is preaching is what the Church teaches, you should absolutely take this to prayer. Whatever your parish situation, remember that the parish is made up of other people like you – that we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord. Together, in the love of Christ, we are called to build up his kingdom on earth. Enjoy another day in God’s presence!

What I learned

from a pretzel

strips of dough and formed them into what resembled a child’s arms crossed in prayer. His fellow brothers caught on and began using the twisted little breads as a way to reward children when they learned their prayers. The monks called the little bread a pretiola, Latin for “little reward.” The pretiola later became brachiola, Italian for “little arms.” Eventually, the famous little bread made its way to Germany, where it was called the brezel or pretzel. I even learned that within the Catholic Church, pretzels have maintained a religious significance and a spiritual meaning through their ingredients and shape. They were once made with only flour, water and salt and could be eaten during Lent at a time when Christians were forbidden to eat dairy products, lard and eggs. The pretzel’s clas-

sic shape, with the three holes, represents the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. How fascinating it is that a decision made by a monk so many centuries ago, to help educate children about prayer, would still have its intended effect hundreds of years later in the technological world of today on a family thousands of miles from his origin. But it did. I turned to my daughter, explained this faith-confirming origin of the pretzel’s shape, and added my own twist, telling her, “Every time you eat a pretzel, you should say a prayer for your mommy.” So long as she remembers that, I’ll keep buying pretzels. Even better, I will teach her how to make them, similar to the ones those monks made centuries ago. And maybe, just maybe, those prayers will help make my days less hectic!

By Michelle Sessions DiFranco | Photography by Philip Shippert

Soft Pretzels For this project, you will need: • 2 packets active dry yeast (roughly 4 teaspoons) • 1 teaspoon white sugar • 1 ¼ cups warm water (110-115 degrees) • 5 cups all-purpose flour • ½ cup white sugar • 1 ½ teaspoons salt • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • ½ cup baking soda • 5 cups hot water • ¼ cup kosher salt (for topping) In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand for 8-10 minutes or until mixture begins to foam. In a large bowl, mix together flour, ½ cup sugar and salt. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and oil. Mix and form into flexible, slightly tacky dough. If it feels too dry, add two tablespoons or more of water. Knead the dough until smooth (about 7 to 9 minutes). Place the ball of dough in a large bowl lightly coated with vegetable oil. Turn and coat the dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water to a boil and dissolve baking soda. Keep a lid on saucepan and reduce heat to a simmer. In the meantime, turn dough out onto a lightly oiled surface and divide into 10-12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ½ inch rope and form into a pretzel shape (see photo reference). Using a flat spatula, dip each pretzel (one by one) into the boiling water for a couple of seconds and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Top off with melted butter or enjoy with a favorite dipping sauce.

culture

T. Gennara

will never forget the afternoon God spoke to me through the Google search engine on my computer. It was one of those chaotic days with three deadlines, a house turned upside down and a 5-year-old relentlessly chattering on about the dinosaurs she learned of at school. Amid this frenzy, I did what many women do when they are stressed: I ate something. I dumped a bunch of bite-sized pretzels into a bowl and set them down, high enough for my arm’s reach, while low enough for my daughter to share. The intended effect was realized. Her monologue abruptly left the prehistoric realm. Through a mouth stuffed with a brontosaurus-sized portion of pretzels, she asked, “Why are pretzels shaped like a twisted heart?” A plume of dry pulverized pretzel left her mouth as she spoke, settling on her chest, lap and the floor before her. She barely noticed, and I barely heard the question. “I don’t know honey,” I droned dismissively, returning my attention to my computer. But I soon felt guilty for blowing her off like that. And, of course, the guilt lead me to realize I probably don’t spend enough time teaching my children, especially at an age when they are so eager to learn. I decided to “Google” the origin of the pretzel. And what I discovered hit me like a ton of bricks. It was as if God confirmed what I was feeling about my kids. It is said that around 610 A.D., a humble Italian monk baker took his remaining

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

forgive? Why should you

hy should we forgive each other? Aren’t some things simply unforgivable? Forgiveness is one of those issues that no one wants to talk about because few think they really can live a life of genuine forgiveness. We think we can forgive the small stuff – an unkind remark that was carelessly given, an oversight on a guest list, a failure to return a very small amount of borrowed money, a generous deed not acknowledged by the recipient. But it’s hard to imagine forgiving the bigger things – our name or reputation seriously damaged by false rumors, a job lost or denied due to false gossip, money lost through unfair business practices, divorce, death of loved ones due to slipshod medical practice, fatal car accidents, murder. How could we forgive things like those? God to treat you the way you have treated others when you have been offended, ridiculed, betrayed? This is where the true disciple gets separated from the “camp follower.” Camp followers are those who call themselves Christian, but the Gospel they follow is their own. They

Spiritual exercise: Let me give you two passages to pray about and apply to your personal life: Matthew 5:23 “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens, you have gained your brother.” There is much to teach in these two passages and you can find a more complete teaching in a booklet I wrote called, Why Forgive? One copy of the booklet is available to you free by calling 1.734.662.1730 Ext. 129. But,

want to be part of the Christian people, but they want to follow their own rules or to choose which of God’s commandments they like and which they wish to ignore. Remember, when the Lord asks you to forgive, he has already forgiven us a lot. He has taught us to do it by first forgiving his enemies – those who slandered him and persecuted him and insulted him publically again and again and again. Even in the midst of the most extreme torture and agony, he asked the Father to forgive those who “do not know what they do.” But, secondly, the Lord has, every time we come to him in repentance, forgiven us completely and, even more, forgets our sins! Did you know that? Look at this passage from Isaiah: “I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake

and I will not remember your sins.” (Is.43:25) Where would we be if God did not forgive us so completely? We would be doomed. Who could carry the load of his or her sins? Not one of us could. But Jesus forgave and banishes our sins. We are set free by his death on the cross. But, first, we need the humility to acknowledge our sin and seek forgiveness. Once that is done, God wipes away our transgressions and we can begin again. Then he tells us: “Now that you are forgiven, forgive one another as I have forgiven you.” That act of forgiving those who have offended us becomes our act of faith and gratitude in Christ’s death and resurrection. But, you may say, there is just no way! That’s too hard. And it is, if you try to do it under your own strength. So try this:

1. Come to God humbly and thank him for his mercy. 2. Ask for the grace and the power to forgive others and he will give them.

for now, I want you to notice something about these verses I quoted: In the first, if you have sinned, you go. That is, you take the initiative. That, I think is something easily understood. But, look at the second passage: It tells us that if you have been sinned against (in other words someone has hurt you badly) we are still to take the initiative to bring about reconciliation. (Don’t wait in a corner, pouting, thinking that it is the other person’s responsibility). In short, if you have sinned, you go and try to initiate reconciliation; if you have been sinned against, you go and try to initiate reconciliation. There’s no wiggle room. And God never asks something of us without giving us the power to exercise it. So, the first thing we do when we have been hurt in some way is to ask God for peace and the wisdom to take the

initiative. (And, if it really works, both of you should meet one another along the way.) That’s the ideal. Frankly, brothers and sisters, I want to experience God’s forgiveness. If the price for that is that I forgive others, then God will give me the grace to do that.

spiritual fitness

Jesus taught us to pray (in part) “… forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In other words, this is what we are asking God every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer: “Lord, I want you to forgive me as I forgive others.” Do you? Do you want

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

I am sure this article generates a lot of questions about particular situations. So, I suggest, first of all, to read my booklet and then send your questions to me at ashields@ renewalministries.net or Renewal Ministries, 230 Collingwood, Suite 240, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. “Forgiveness is not the opposite of justice, but it is the opposite of resentment and revenge” – John Paul II.

T. Gennara

Sister Ann Shields is a renowned author and a member of the Servants of God’s Love. Questions can be addressed to Sister Ann Shields, Renewal Ministries, 230 Collingwood, Suite 240, Ann Arbor, MI 48103

The new English translation of the Roman Missal is seen at its presentation to Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican April 28.

T. Gennara

Translating the Roman Missal

Rita Thiron is director of the Office of Worship for the Catholic Diocese of Lansing and a member of the board of the Federation of Diocesan Liturgical Commissions.

or more than 2,000 years, the Church has paid careful attention to how our prayer is composed and recorded. After all, the words of our prayer express the words of our belief – words matter. The Roman Missal is the book that contains the words used at our Mass. In 1969, Pope Paul VI promulgated the first edition of the Roman Missal after Vatican II. A slightly revised second edition appeared in 1975. In 2000, Pope John Paul II promulgated the third edition. (Not a lot changed, but there were new texts for the many saints whom he had canonized.) As usual, this liturgical book was released in Latin and then conferences of bishops all over the world began to translate it into various languages.

Who does the actual translating from Latin to English? In 1963, the bishops of the United States joined 10 other English-speaking countries and formed a group of linguistic scholars called the International Commission on English in the Liturgy (ICEL). They prepared translations for the Missal, the Liturgy of the Hours and all our sacramental rites. Their work was guided by a document Comme le Prévoit (issued by the Consilium and Congregation for Divine Worship, Jan. 25, 1969). This guideline permitted translators to use “dynamic equivalence” – not word-for-word translation, but phrasing that better suited the cadence of each vernacular language. ICEL never ceased to work on the missals and other liturgical texts. But when the third edition of the Roman Missal was released, it was quickly followed by a new set of guidelines for the translators – Liturgiam Authenticam: On

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

the Use of Vernacular Languages in the Publication of the Books of the Roman Liturgy. This guideline required a more literal translation. Some key points in Liturgiam Authenticam are worth noting:

Symbol of the month – Unicorn According to legend, no hunter could take a unicorn by force, but it could be captured by trickery. The hunter was required to lead a virgin to a spot the unicorn was known to frequent, where she was left alone. The unicorn would sense her purity and run to her, falling asleep in her lap. The unicorn is thus a symbol of purity and of feminine chastity. It has been used as an allegory of the Annunciation and of the Incarnation of Christ, who was born of a virgin. It is most often used as an attribute of the Virgin Mary. Guided by these stronger norms, the conferences and ICEL divided the new Roman Missal into 13 manageable sections – the Order of Mass, Proper of Seasons, Proper of Saints, etc. From February 2004 to November 2009, ICEL submitted each translated section to the bishops. At each stage, words were debated and refined, amendments made, and drafts went back and forth. Finally, the United States Conference of Bishops (USCCB) approved each section and sent the text to the Holy See for a recognitio, or final approval. Meanwhile, other countries around the

For the complete history of the liturgical books, go to www.FAITHmag.com and click on Theology 101.

Who is St. Gregory Nazianzus (330-390) St. Gregory Nazianzus is the Doctor of Theologians. He was the bishop of Constantinople and is widely considered the most accomplished rhetorical stylist of the Patristic Age. He is famous for his writings and sermons on the Trinity, which continue to influence theologians today. He is also noted for his contributions to the field of pneumatology (the theology concerning the nature of the Holy Spirit), as he was the first to use the idea of “procession” to describe the relationship between the Spirit and the Godhead. Along with St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Gregory Nazianzus is known as one of the Cappadocian Fathers. His feast day is Jan. 2.

world were submitting their texts to Rome in English, French and German. Still other language groups continue to translate texts. The USCCB received the first recognitio for the Order of Mass in June 2008, then the 12 remaining sections received a recognitio on March 25, 2010. Now the painstaking task of making sure that every line is perfect is underway – all punctuation, capitalization, and word order. Soon, the texts will be sent to publishers who will create worthy books for our use at Mass. It takes a long time to do such holy work. Words matter. The words of prayer matter even more.

theology 101

• Scriptural allusions should foster a correspondence between biblical and liturgical texts • Appreciating a word chosen by the early Church Fathers in the context of their debates • Appreciating “sacral language,” that is, we don’t address God in everyday speech • Using a consistent manner of rendering an expression throughout the text • Carefully ordering words, subordinate and relative clauses and preserving parallelism • Translation of terms as in the original – same person, number and gender • Using a rich variety of theological vocabulary, especially in titles addressing God • Using a masculine pronoun for the Holy Spirit; a feminine pronoun for the Church • Certain expressions in the Church’s patrimony are to be respected, for example, et cum spiritu tuo and mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa • Exclude any prejudice or unjust discrimination • Respect literary and rhetorical genres – speeches, poetry, narratives, etc.

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Northwest regioN: Clinton/Shiawassee Vicariate Most Holy Trinity School, 4-8 Principal: Anne Hufnagel 545 N. Maple St., Fowler, 48835-0349 Phone: 989.593.2616 E-mail: anneh@mhtparish.com Website: www.mhtparish.com/ School St. Paul School, K-8 Principal: Merry Jane Robertson 718 W. Main St., Owosso, 48867-2612 Phone: 989.725.7766 E-mail: principal@spsowosso.org Website: www.spsowosso.org St. Joseph School, PK-6 Principal: Tomi Ann Schultheiss 201 E. Cass, St. Johns, 48879-1834 Phone: 989.224.2421 E-mail: tas@stjoecatholic.com Website: www.stjoecatholic.com St. Mary School, 1-6 Principal: Raymond M. Rzepecki 209 N. Westphalia, P.O. Box 270, Westphalia, 48894-0270 Phone: 989.587.3702 E-mail: rmrzepecki@ stmaryschool.us Website: www.stmarychurch.net Eaton/Ingham Vicariate St. Mary School, K-5 Principal: Linda Yeager 905 St. Mary Blvd., Charlotte, 48813-2217 Phone: 517.543.3460 E-mail: stmaryprincipal@ sbcglobal.net Website: www.stmaryschool charlotte.catholicweb.com St. Thomas Aquinas School, K-8 Principal: Rod Murphy 915 Alton Rd., East Lansing, 48823-2749 Phone: 517.332.0813 E-mail: rmurphy@elcatholics.org Website: www.stthomas aquinasparishschool.org St. Michael School, PK-8 Principal: Mitzi Luttrull 325 Edwards St., Grand Ledge, 48837-2110 Phone: 517.627.2167 E-mail: mitziluttrull@stmichaelgl.org Website: www.stmichaelgl.org Immaculate Heart/ St. Casimir School, K-8 Principal: Angela Johnston 3830 Rosemont, Lansing, 48910-4525 Phone: 517.882.6631 E-mail: johnstona@ihmlansing.org Website: www.ihmlansing.org Resurrection School, PK-8 Principal: Jack VonAchen 1527 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing,

ach school day, Shawn Ochs and her children, Sam and Sarah Goldman, pile

into the family car for the 25-minute drive to school. Beginning their journey in the quiet suburb of Fenton in Genesee County, they meander across Grange Hill Road to the expressway, then north to Flint Township, to the place that Shawn says, “Felt like home from the minute I walked in the door.” That place is St. Pius X Catholic School, a small parish school with 216 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. In the 20-mile radius around her home in one of Flint’s quaint bedroom communities, there are dozens of other elementary schools Shawn could have chosen for her children. In fact, she looked at several of them, and even enrolled Sam in two different schools in her effort to find the right place. “But when I visited St. Pius, I felt in my heart that was where we should be,” she recalls. “In fact, I’ll never forget getting in my car after I toured the school, because I just sat there crying. But they were tears of joy because I finally found the place where we belonged.”

By Marybeth Hicks | Photography by Jim Luning

cover story

ostal mom

Diocese of Lansing Catholic Schools by Region

cover story

18 If there’s a word to describe Shawn’s emotional “homecoming” to St. Pius X, it is “unexpected.” Shawn and her husband, Matt Ochs, are Christian, but not Catholic. Her former husband, Michael Goldman, is Jewish, and Sam and Sarah haven’t been raised in an organized religion. Yet Shawn’s impression of Catholic schools always was positive. “Growing up, my stepbrothers went to Catholic schools and I think they had an advantage because of that. I wanted that traditional, strong education for my children.” She also wanted an atmosphere of nurturing love, something she hadn’t seen in the public and charter schools in which her son had been enrolled. “Sam started in the public kindergarten near our home, but I was very unhappy with the setting. After the first semester, I decided to homeschool him for the remainder of the year.” The next year, Shawn chose a charter school for Sam, but still struggled with the lack of personal attention that she observed. Spending most days as a classroom volunteer, it was only a matter of weeks before Shawn concluded she had to keep searching for the right school. “As a parent, you want to feel when you leave your child for the day that he is surrounded by people who genuinely care about him and have his interests at heart. In both the schools I had enrolled my son, I just didn’t get that feeling that people cared about him personally.” Shawn had other concerns as well, which prompted her to engage in an urgent, full-fledged search for a new educational home for her children. A former public high school English teacher, Shawn knew what she was looking for – a solid academic program, a positive learning environment, kind and nurturing educators, and commitment on the part of teachers and administrators to the students in their care. But in visit after visit, Shawn questioned the rigor of schools’ academic curricula and the quality of teaching she observed. She also was troubled by the lack of discipline and seriousness in some schools, and felt disheartened by the low enthusiasm among many of the teachers she met. That is, until the day she toured St. Pius X Catholic School. Then-principal Sister Kathy Avery welcomed Shawn and led her around the facility, greeting each student by name along the way. “She wasn’t the only one,” Shawn says. “Every adult in that building seemed to know every student by name, and that’s been the case in all the years we’ve been there.” Shawn enrolled Sam and Sarah at St. Pius X in November of Sam’s first-grade year. The next year, Sarah began kindergarten there. The children are now in the seventh and fifth grade, respectively, and are growing up in the secure setting of a small Catholic community.

48912-2239 Phone: 517.487.0439 E-mail: resprincipal@comcast.net Website: www.resschool.com St. Gerard School, PK-8 Principal: Michelle Piecuch 4433 W. Willow, Lansing, 48917-2138 Phone: 517.321.6126 E-mail: mpiecuch@stgerard.org Website: www.stgerardlansing. org/School/StGerard/Home.aspx Lansing Catholic Central HS, 9-12 Principal: Thomas P. Maloney 501 N. Marshall St., Lansing, 48912-2397 Phone: 517.267.2100 E-mail: maloney@ lansingcatholic.org Website: www.lansing catholic.org St. Martha School, PK-8 Principal: Frances R. Herring 1100 W. Grand River, Okemos, 48864-3015 Phone: 517.349.3322 E-mail: schoolprincipal@ st-martha.org Website: www.st-martha.org St. Mary School, PK-5 Principal: Suzanne Penn 220 N. Cedar, Williamston, 48895-1125 Phone: 517.655.4038 E-mail: spenn@ stmarywilliamston.com Website: www.stmarywilliamston .com

southerN regioN: Jackson Vicariate Queen of Miraculous Medal School, K-6 Principal: Liz Hartley 811 S. Wisner St., Jackson, 49203-1577 Phone: 517.782.2664 E-mail: lhartley@ queenschurch.com Website: www.queenschurch.com St. John the Evangelist School, PK-6 Principal: Kathy Tarnacki 405 E. North St., Jackson, 49202-3350 Phone: 517.784.1714 E-mail: ktstjohns@yahoo.com Website: www.jcsstjohn.org St. Mary Star of the Sea School, PK-6 Principal: Julia Hurlburt

Mom’s favorite day Wednesdays are Shawn’s favorite day of the week. On Wednesdays, rather than drop her children at St. Pius X and head back home or to work alongside her husband Matt at his Grand Blanc office, Shawn stays to attend all-school Mass. “I love going to church with my kids every Wednesday morning,” Shawn says. “I feel it helps them develop a sense of spirituality in their lives. With me growing up as Pentecostal and their father being Jewish, it is so important to me to provide them with the exposure to a strong faith. And the priests are so wonderful because they direct the homily toward the children. It gives us some great things to talk about in the car together at the end of the day.” That sense of spirituality is growing in Shawn, too. “For the first few years, during Communion, I would stay in my seat. But now I go up for a blessing and it’s great. I feel included, just as I know my kids do.” After Mass, it’s not unusual to find Shawn chatting in the parking lot with the close group of mothers with whom she attends the liturgy. “They know I’m not Catholic, but they have been so welcoming and so accepting of me. They are really supportive.” In fact, as Shawn points out, there are many non-

19 116 E. Wesley, Jackson, 49201-2341 Phone: 517.784.8811 E-mail: stmaryschool@tds.net Website: www.jcsstmary.org Jackson Catholic Middle School, 7-8 Principal: Anthony Shaughnessy 915 Cooper St., Jackson, 49202-3396 Phone: 517.784.3385 E-mail: tonyshaughnesy@ hotmail.com Website: www.jcsjcms.org

Catholic students along with her children in the school community. Principal R.J. Kaplan says working with the 32 non-Catholic students at St. Pius X offers the opportunity to evangelize by simply living out the Catholic faith to which the school is committed. “As a Catholic school, our mission is to prepare our children to be full and active members of our Church,” Kaplan says. “But we also welcome nonCatholics; they simply do not receive the sacraments. They do go through the formal studies of the prayers and sacraments like every other student and, in this way, they gain a richer understanding of our faith.” While students are made to feel included, Shawn agrees there’s no pressure for non-Catholics to convert simply because they attend a Catholic school. “My kids are learning about Catholicism on an intellectual level, and it’s wonderful for them to see faith in action and to incorporate prayer into their daily lives. But at 10 and 12, they don’t talk about converting. They’re normal kids – they complain just like anyone about sitting through church. “I feel I’m doing something wonderful for my children by sending them to St. Pius X,” Shawn says. “It’s an environment where they tie everything back to God, whether its behavior issues or discipline or just the struggles that kids have. And I also love that the various holidays are actually celebrated religiously. It’s an atmosphere where Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and, in the spring, we have Easter vacation, not spring break.” The Catholic school environment also helps Shawn to hold the popular culture at bay, giving her kids the gift of childhood innocence. Despite spending 50 minutes each day in the car, Sam and Sarah don’t watch movies or wear headphones on the way, but spend the time talking with their mother about the events of the day. “Sometimes in the afternoons when I pick them up, I take the dog and get to school a little early. Those days are great because the kids all gather around to pet the animal. “It’s so worth the drive,” Shawn says. “St. Pius is part of our family.”

Lumen Christi High School, 9-12 Principal: Patrick Kalahar 3483 Spring Arbor Rd., Jackson, 49203-3686 Phone: 517.787.0630 E-mail: Pkalahar@hotmail.com Website: www.jcslumen christi.org Lenawee/Hillsdale Vicariate Sacred Heart School, PK-7 Principal: April McCaskey 208 S. Market St., Hudson, 49247-1320 Phone: 517.448.6405 E-mail: april.mccaskey@gmail.com Website: www.laforestnet.com/ church/school.htm

easterN regioN: Livingston Vicariate St. Patrick School, K-8 Principal: Jeanine Kenny 1001 Charles Orndorf Dr., Brighton, 48116-2308 Phone: 810.229.7946 E-mail: principal@stpatschool.org Website: www.stpatschool.org Holy Spirit Catholic School, PK-8 Principal: Anna M. Loewe 9565 Musch Rd., Brighton, 48116-8841 Phone: 810.231.9199 x214 E-mail: holyspiritschool@ holyspiritbrighton.com Website: www.holyspiritrcs.org St. Joseph School, PK-8 Principal: Kathleen M. Freeman 425 E. Washington, Howell, 48843-2346 Phone: 517.546.0090 x 200 E-mail: freeman@ stjosephhowell.com Website: www.school. stjosephhowell.com St. Mary School, PK-8 Principal: Veronica Kinsey 10601 Dexter/Pinckney Rd., Pinckney, 48169-8950 Phone: 734.878.5616 E-mail: mrskinsey@ stmarypinckney.org Website: www.edline.net/pages/ St_Mary Washtenaw Vicariate St. Francis of Assisi School, PK-8 Principal: Sara J. Collins

How has St. Pius School grown? For three straight years St. Pius X Catholic School in Flint has done what many public and charter schools have struggled to do. They have grown. On July 1, 2008, I walked into my office for the first time as the new principal. I turned to my secretary, said good morning and asked one question: What is our enrollment?” Secretary Criss Laurin replied, “132 students enrolled as of today.” Today, enrollment at St. Pius X stands at 215 – including pre-school and a new toddler program. Enrollment management is something that the staff cares deeply about, but it is our Catholic identity and curriculum that are major goals. We at St. Pius X in Flint are working on meeting the needs of students and parents, both today and in the future. Our staff is putting several initiatives in place that will add to the educational experience of our students. In response to the changes in the algebra requirements for high school students by 2011 made by the state of Michigan, for example St. Pius X has created a new math program for

our 8th-grade students. The science curriculum also has been adjusted to meet current high school standards. One change that students have been most excited about is the addition of an interactive white board called The Promethean Board. One change parents have been most excited about is the use of a grading program that sends parents up-to-date information about students’ academics. Many families are turning to us because they know how successful Catholic education has been for children since the creation of the educational system in the United States. – By R.J. Kaplan, principal of St. Pius School

Teaching in a Catholic school

my story

inspired Sheila to become Catholic

s Sheila Hunter traverses the long, light-filled hallways of Brighton’s St. Patrick School each day, she always ends up where she belongs—in her classroom. It’s been the same throughout her life, she says. Over the years, the Nashville, Tenn., native has experienced the joy of raising her own children, the challenges of serious family and personal illnesses, the love of community, a conversion to Catholicism and 32 years in Catholic education. FAITH talked with Sheila about her life as a Catholic schoolteacher. I always wanted to be a teacher. When my parents dropped me off for my first day of school, they said I walked into the classroom and never turned back. Never said goodbye. It was just that instant, “this is where I belong” kind of feeling. I went to Middle Tennessee State University and finished in three years. I was in a hurry. I wanted to get out into the classroom. My first job was in a public school, but, after a few years, I left to have children. By the time my daughters were 2 and 4, I was ready to go back to work. I took a position at a day-care center and became very good friends with one of

2270 E. Stadium Blvd., Ann Arbor, 48104-4825 Phone: 734.821.2200 E-mail: scollins@stfrancisaa.org Website: www.stfrancisa2.com/ school

the other preschool teachers. Her name was Suzanne, and she was Catholic. She left to take a job at the local Catholic school, Holy Rosary Academy in Nashville. She loved it, and we stayed in close contact.

St. Thomas the Apostle School, PK-8 Principal: Anthony Moskus 540 Elizabeth St., Ann Arbor, 48104-1222 Phone: 734.769.0911 E-mail: tmoskus@ stthomasannarbor.org Website: www.saintts.com

After she’d been there a couple of months, she invited me to visit and to meet the principal, Sister Mary Colman Burns. I was being set up – I just didn’t know it. When I went to visit, I stopped in to say “hello” to Sister. We chatted about the school, and I thanked her for letting me come.

Father Gabriel Richard High School, 9-12 Principal: Brian P. Wolcott 4333 Whitehall Dr., Ann Arbor, 48105-9395 Phone: 734.662-0496 E-mail: bwolcott@fgrhsaa.org Website: www.edline.net/ pages/Fr_Gabriel_ Richard_HS

Northeast regioN Genesee Vicariate St. John the Evangelist, JK-8 Principal: Katherine White 514 Lincoln St., Fenton, 48430-1808 Phone: 810.629.6551 E-mail: kwhite@stjohnfenton.com Website: www.stjohnfenton .com/1/255/index.asp St. John the Evangelist - PK-K Director: Lori Peppin 505 North Dayton Street Davison, 48423-1334 Phone: 810.652.0304 E-mail: preschool@ stjohndavison.org

Then she called to offer me a job. I said, “But I’m not Catholic. I was raised as a Southern Baptist.” She said, “We want to form our children into good Catholics, but, most of all, we want to teach them to be little Christs for one another.” That made such an impression. I said I would be willing to try. I went in to teach fourth grade, and I was nervous. I was afraid I would make a mistake or offend someone. Shortly after I started teaching, Pope John Paul I passed away. I panicked because Sister came on the intercom and said, “Teachers, today I want you to pray the rosary for the election of the new pope.” And here’s little Southern Baptist me, expected to pray a rosary. So I looked around the classroom and I said, “OK, boys and girls, who would like to lead the rosary?” Fortunately, four hands went up, and I said, “OK, Steve, you may lead the rosary.” And he did a lovely job.

by Margaret Ann Cross | Photography by Tom Gennara

21 The next year, I moved to sixth grade. When the fourth-graders I taught caught up to me in sixth grade, we had a priest from a monastery working in the parish. He would come around and do classroom Masses. By that time, I was comfortable going to Mass. The only part I regretted was that I had to stay in my seat when everybody else went to Communion. I loved Ash Wednesday because I could get ashes, too. The other big influence was that my husband was diagnosed with a very severe mental illness, and it totally changed our lives. For some reason, I couldn’t talk to the people at my church about it. If I tried to, the impression I got was that, “Oh, we don’t talk about things like that.” No one seemed willing to listen to me or to calm my fears. But at school, it was totally different. I would be called to the phone, and he would be having an episode and would need to go to the hospital. Once my friends found out, it was, “Do you need to talk about it? Is there something I can do?” That was a community gathering around. It spoke volumes to me. During those years when he was so sick, I began to truly enjoy my time at Mass. I went with the children every day, and I looked forward to the beauty of the ritual and the calm, peaceful feeling that I received. Soon, it began to mean more to me than when I would go to my own church, in which I was very active. I never felt any pressure to convert, but one day, my close friend Mary, another teacher, asked me if I had ever thought about going through RCIA. I said not really, that I had always been Baptist. Then she asked me, “Do you hunger for the Eucharist?” And I just stopped and said, “Of course.” She said, “Eh, you’re ready. I’ll be your sponsor.” So she and her husband sponsored me and my husband and my two daughters, who were in the fourth and sixth grades at the time. It was 1985 when we decided to go through RCIA, and the girls were very excited. They had never been baptized, so at the Easter Vigil that year, they were baptized. We all entered the Church at that time. I have never, ever regretted it. Not once. Sadly, my husband and I divorced. When my older daughter moved to Michigan for graduate school and got married, I decided it was time for a change. I sent my resume to St. Patrick School on a Thursday. On Monday, I got a phone call from the principal. She said she didn’t know how long the resume had been sitting on her desk, but I was just the person she needed. I came up to inter-

Website: www.stjohndavison.org Holy Rosary Elementary School, K-8 Principal: Deborah Hodges 5191 Richfield Rd., Flint, 48506-2114 Phone: 810.736.4220 E-mail: hrschool@comcast.net Website: www.holyrosaryflint.com St. John Vianney School, PK-8 Principal: Kathleen Slattery 2319 Bagley St., Flint, 48504-4613 Phone: 810.235.5687 E-mail: stjohnvianney@comcast.net Website: www.sjvkids.org St. Pius X School, PK-8 Principal: R. J. Kaplan G-3139 Hogarth Ave., Flint, 48532-5129 Phone: 810.235.8572 E-mail: rkaplanspx@yahoo.com Website: www.saintpiusx parish.com Father Luke M. Powers Catholic HS, 9-12 Principal: Thomas H. Furnas G-2040 W. Carpenter Rd., Flint, 48505-1098 Phone: 810.591.4741 E-mail: tfurnas@ powerscatholic.org Website: www.powers catholic.org St. Robert Bellarmine School, PK-8 Principal: Susan C. Sharp 214 E. Henry, Flushing, 48433-1551 Phone: 810.659.2503 E-mail: SRSoffice@aol.com Website: www.strobertschool.com Holy Family School, PK-8 Principal: Michele Jahn 215 Orchard St., Grand Blanc, 48439-1374 Phone: 810.694.9072 E-mail: mjahn@hfsgb.org Website: www.hfsgb.org

view, and she gave me the job. I started teaching here in the fall of 2000, and I love it. Last year was difficult for me physically. I had a stroke and was lucky to have a full recovery. I also had heart surgery, and I snapped right back from that. “When someBut it shook me up a one chooses little, and I had some to teach in sort of a faith crisis, as we all do. I was able a Catholic to talk to our pastor, school, they and by him just listenknow they ing and saying a few things to me, it made won’t make all of the difference.

as much money. But we receive countless treasures.”

When someone chooses to teach in a Catholic school, they know they won’t make as much money. But we receive countless treasures. And we’re able to have such a big impact on the children. It’s not just in religion class that we try to instill those beliefs and values in our students. They listen. Sometimes, we wonder if they are listening, but they do. It’s been an interesting ride, but the whole time I have been in Catholic schools, I have never felt that I needed to be anywhere else.

St. Mary School, PK-8 Principal: Dennis R. Winchester 11208 N. Saginaw St., Mt. Morris, 48458-2005 Phone: 810.686.4790 E-mail: YoWinch@aol.com Website: www.saintmarys catholic.com Private/Other: St. Joseph Academy, PK-8 Principal: Sister Patricia Fischer, OP Huron Valley Catholic School, K-8 Principal: Tim Kotyuk Spiritus Sanctus Academy (Ann Arbor) K - 8 Principal: Sr. John Dominic, OP Spiritus Sanctus Academy (Plymouth) K - 8 Principal: Sr. Maria Guadalupe, OP For contact information visit www.FAITHmag.com

For information on Catholic schools, visit www.dioceseoflansing.org

Belonging is believing

Participation in faith increases knowledge

he Catholic Church is catechetical by nature and mission. Pope John Paul II, in the apostolic exhortation Catechesi Tradendae, explained that “Quite early on, the name catechesis was given to the totality of the Church’s efforts to make disciples, to help men and women believe that Jesus is the Son of God so that believing they might have life in his name, and to educate and instruct them in this life, thus building up the body of Christ.” Over the years, the term catechesis has come to refer specifically to “an education in the faith of children, young people, and adults which includes especially the teaching of Christian doctrine imparted, generally speaking, in an organic and systematic way, with a view to initiating the hearers into the fullness of Christian life.” (CCC, # 5) Yet, whether one subscribes to one understanding or the other, the purpose of catechesis remains the same: to pass on or echo the teachings of Christ and to assist those who would follow Christ in living out these teachings. In other words, catechesis seeks to impart orthodoxy (right belief) so that followers of Christ might engage in orthopraxis (right action). How effective has the Church been in executing this mission? A Sept. 28, 2010, survey on U.S. religious knowledge conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion and Public Life suggests that the Church has

not been doing very well. The survey consisted of a nationwide poll of 3,412 Americans conducted from May 19 through June 6 of this year. While the headline that dominated the survey’s release focused on the fact that atheists/agnostics were among the highest-scoring groups, the survey unwittingly affirmed the existence of a troubling catechetical reality in the Catholic Church. The Pew survey asked 32 general religious questions. Americans, as a whole, answered 16 correctly. Catholics, as a whole, averaged only 14.7. Perhaps even more surprising was the performance of Catholics on questions that concerned the Bible and Christianity specifically. Mormons, Protestants and atheists/agnostics all scored better than Catholics, as a whole.

On confusion and disconnects While the confusion over the real

presence of Jesus Christ in the bread and wine of the Eucharist is particularly disturbing, other disconnects are brought out by these various polls. For instance, 60 percent of American Catholics in general indicate a desire to learn more about their religion. One could surmise that American Catholics might demonstrate a comparable commitment to their religion since it is an important factor in fulfilling this desire to grow one’s knowledge. Yet the CARA survey on sacraments reported only about 23 percent of adult Catholics fulfill their obligation to attend Mass every week. Another example of confusion among Catholics concerns the statistics about the relativity of morals. A disturbing 63 percent of American Catholics in general and nearly half of practicing Catholics (46 percent) believe morals are relative. This stands in stark contrast to the teaching of the Catholic Church. The Church holds there are absolute and unchanging moral truths. For example, there are some acts that, by their very nature, are incapable of being ordered to God and, therefore, are incapable of being ordered to the good of the person. These “intrinsic evils” are always and everywhere immoral and include such acts as abortion, euthanasia and in vitro fertilization. When asked about this, Sal Della Bella, director of faith formation for the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky., suggested that these so-called disconnects are not that surprising. He describes today’s culture as one where personal autonomy is in ascendency. “People are making decisions based on their personal feelings and beliefs and not simply on what the Church teaches. In other words, while people may articulate a desire to know what the Church teaches on a particular subject, it does not follow that they will necessarily agree with or act in accordance with it.”

What can be done? At the core of the issue seems to be a distrust of everything. In this information age, people seem acutely aware of the misinformation or the “bias” behind every piece of knowledge. Della Bella speculates that this translates into a distrust of organizations in general, whether corporate, political or religious. By Douglas Culp

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

Average number of 12 questions answered correctly about the Bible and Christianity Mormon 7.9 Atheist/Agnostic 6.7 Protestant as whole 6.5 Catholics as whole 5.4

The “Practice” Effect The factors that the Pew survey enumerated as increasing religious knowledge all suggest that religious knowledge is closely related to one’s practice of the religion. It seems obvious that someone who reads Scripture and other books, is committed to their faith, shares and talks about their faith, and participates in parish life and education programs would know more about their professed religion – and the numbers bear this out. The February 2010 Marist Poll, a joint undertaking by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion and the Knights of Columbus, contrasted the beliefs of American Catholics in general and practicing Catholics and found among the results:

Desire to learn about their religion American Catholics

Practicing Catholics

Very interested

19%

32%

Somewhat interested

41%

52%

Not very interested

29%

14%

Not at all interested

11%

Consider themselves spiritual, not religious American Catholics

Practicing Catholics

Very true

13%

Somewhat true

48%

36%

Not at all true

34%

55%

Believe morals are relative American Catholics

Practicing Catholics

Relative

63%

46%

Unchanging

37%

54%

7 factors that contribute to religious knowledge The Pew study identified the following as factors that seem to increase the level of religious knowledge: 1. Level of education – the single participation as child 6. Private school – however, those best indicator 2. Reading Scripture attending private religious school 3. Talking about religion with friends score no better than private nonreand family ligious school 7. Reading of books on religion other 4. High levels of religious committhan Scripture (48 percent seldom ment read other books or visit websites 5. Regular attendance at religious education classes or youth group about own religion) The survey also found that a full 45 percent of Catholics do not know the Church teaches that the bread and wine are more than mere symbols, but actually become the body and blood of Christ. It is a finding that was substantiated by an earlier poll on sacramental belief and practice among U.S. Catholics commissioned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) in 2008. In that study, 43 percent of Catholics polled stated that the bread and wine are only symbols of Jesus. These results are all the more stunning since the Catholic Church teaches the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist is both the source and summit of the faith. For more information, visit www.cara.georgetown.edu

special report

If this is true, the real challenge of catechesis according to Della Bella is addressing the question, “How do you build trust in such an environment?” The primary purpose of catechesis is to build a relationship with Jesus Christ. “Trust is at the foundation of this, as it is with any, relationship and it takes time to build,” Della Bella states. Catechesis, therefore, must be patient and must “begin not necessarily with the presenting of facts and information, but with an encounter of Love.” Della Bella added, “Catechesis must focus on helping people to appreciate the Church’s teaching by considering and presenting the ‘why’ and not just the ‘what’ of the Catholic faith.” The Pontifical Council on Culture, in its concluding document of the 2004 plenary assembly, echoed this sentiment by pointing to the need to bring the saving message of the Gospel into dialogue with people in moments of joy and hope, grief and anxiety. The council identified these as the “anchor points for handing on the faith.” And how does the council propose that faithful Christians enter into these moments in order to most effectively catechize? It directs us to the “better way” of which St. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13: the witness of charity. “The great saints of our time, especially those who have offered their lives for the poor, united with the host of saints of the Church, make up the most eloquent argument to evoke in the hearts of men and women the questions about God and to offer an adequate response: it is Christ the Beautiful…” In other words, a personal, living witness to the truth of the Gospel, in communion with the entire faith community, as people face tremendous suffering and experience overwhelming joy becomes the key to winning their trust. This trust can then give rise to the reasons for hoping and living that make up the very foundation of our earthly pilgrimage.

Maintenance to mission:

transforming our Catholic schools

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

wo months before Father Steve Mattson took on his new role as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Lansing, FAITH Magazine had a special issue devoted to Catholic schools (May 2009). In it, Bishop Boyea made clear his commitment and vision for Catholic schools: “Illuminated by faith,” Bishop Boyea wrote, our Catholic schools are places for “an unfolding of our baptismal grace and our baptismal promise.” They “help parents help their children get to heaven.” In the present age, our Catholic schools seek “to graduate students who will bring a new order to our culture so that the salvation won for us in Jesus Christ can be shared by our society and the world.”

Magazine, September 13, 2010)

Father Steve is grateful for the many excellent principals and teachers in our schools, and yet knows there is room for improvement. If any of our schools are not as effective as they might be in evangelizing and forming disciples of Christ, he says, the response of the faithful cannot be to abandon them. “Faith demands that we transform them in ways that please our Lord. The Church cannot afford to have any of our children graduate from schools without a firm grounding in the truth that sets them free.” On Dec. 8, Bishop Boyea sent out a letter to priests and educators with a report that calls for transformational change in our schools. The document is entitled, “Maintenance to Mission: Transforming Our Catholic Schools.” (www.dioce-

seoflansing.org) It underscores the urgent practical and spiritual reasons for the call for change, and outlines a bold vision for Catholic education in our diocese. Father Steve has been meeting with principals and teachers, and will soon be meeting with priests to talk about this exciting endeavor. “Catholic We are beginning the schools should strategic planning process be doing what to help make real the vision for transformational change. every Christian Father Steve knows transforshould be doing mational change demands – helping time and a lot of hard work, but says he is eager to begin. children learn “Part of the process is seekto love their ing the ideas and suggestions God and their of parents, parishes, school leaders, clergy, consecrated faith. It has men and women, and all the to be about laity, as well as gathering relJesus.” evant data that will form the basis for recommendations for change. Not everything can be changed at once, and our efforts will take time to bear fruit. But we are committed to making every effort to transform our schools into missionfocused ministries for the glory of God.” Planning teams will soon be formed that will be charged with reviewing current practices, exploring best practices in dioceses across the country, and developing recommendations for changes to be made to the myriad systems that influence life in our parishes and schools. The planning teams will focus on the following issues: 1) leadership and mission; 2) academic excellence and faith integration; 3) Catholic identity and culture; 4) evangelization and enrollment; and 5) stewardship, governance, and finance. The charge statements for the planning teams will be finalized after Father Steve meets with pastors in January 2011. Then, on Bishop Boyea’s behalf, Father Steve will invite members of the Catholic faithful to serve on the various planning teams. By June 2011, these teams will be asked to present their findings and recommendations to the strategic planning team, which will be made up of individuals who possess the skills, commitment, and energy needed to lead the change effort. The expectation is that a formal strategic plan will be developed within a year. Father Steve is energized by the challenge. “Rather than a hospice approach,” he says, “we choose bold action. By enacting bold initiatives, born of prayer, the possibilities for our schools (and the souls who inhabit them) are limitless. We need transformational change and the time is right to pursue it. We simply cannot afford to wait.” Father Steve Mattson is Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Lansing. Contact him at smattson@dioceseoflansing.org.

special report

In that issue, Father Steve added his own voice: “Catholic schools should be doing what every Christian should be doing – helping children learn to love their God and their faith. It has to be about Jesus.” He described the challenges we face, which include “evangelizing families in our parishes to help them come to a deeper faith and ... make fundamental connections between their faith and Catholic education.” He acknowledged the tremendous challenges of funding and affordability, and stated his commitment to helping every Catholic appreciate the ways our Catholic schools “serve the common good.” Last summer, Father Steve gathered with seven other educators, religious, clergy, and interested members of the laity to prayerfully consider a path forward to address the very real challenges facing our schools and parishes, and to chart a course for transformational change. He has been encouraged by the commitment of Bishop Boyea and other bishops who have recently made powerful statements about the importance of Catholic schools. Archbishop Timothy Dolan, for example, reflecting on the situation in New York, stated the case boldly: “It is time to recover our nerve and promote our schools for the 21st century. The current hospice mentality – watching our schools slowly die – must give way to a renewed confidence.” (America

26 – Peace University by David Ramsey. For information on sessions and registration, contact the parish at 517.323.2379.

Catholic Charities St. Vincent Catholic Charities, 2800 W. Willow, Lansing, 517.323.4734 or www. stvcc.org – Feb. 26, Smart Steps for Stepfamilies is a Lansing Diocese marriage prep program for remarriage couples. For information and to register, call 517.323.4734.

Jan. 22, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi will have its 4th Parish Common Conference. Keynote presentation by Dr. Jerry Galipeau on Faith Fitness: Living the Sacraments; more than 30 different topics for adults and teens. Children’s program – Pre-K through 5th grade – offered. For more information, contact Marty Lucas at 734.821.2125 or mlucas@ stfrancisa2.org.

Livingston County Catholic Charities, 517.545.5944 or www.livingstoncatholiccharities.org – An Alzheimer’s Support Group meets the second Tuesday of each month, 6:30 p.m. at Independence Village in Brighton. It is for people providing care for a family member with any forms of dementia. No fee. Catholic Outreach, 509 N. Grand Traverse, Flint, 810.234.4693 – Serves Genesee County residents of all religions. Assistance for food is on a walk-in basis, Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:15 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Join in partnership to support our work by making a donation to Catholic Outreach, P.O. Box 815, Flint, 48501. Cristo Rey Community Center, 1717 N. High St., Lansing, 517.372.4700 or www.cristo-rey.org – It has an Employment and Training Program designed to prepare workers for employment and to ensure their job retention through services and participant support. For information, contact the center and talk to the coordinator Bob Vogel.

For information about Rachel’s Vineyard Retreats in the Lansing Diocese, contact Beth Bauer at 734.369.3470. Be assured that you will find a compassionate and non-judgmental person who can assist you in your journey toward healing.

Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties – Feb. 12, Smart Steps for Stepfamilies is a Lansing Diocese marriage prep program for remarriage couples. For information and to register, call 517.782.2551.

community

things to do: Jan. 2, 3 p.m., What was the Star of Bethlehem? Was it a unique spiritual event provided by God to mark the coming of the Messiah? Come hear Rick Larson as he presents his theories in a multi-media show at the Brighton Center for the Performing Arts, 7878 Brighton Rd. Tickets: $10 adults and $5 for students 1218. For information, contact Holy Spirit Church at 810. 231.9199. Jan. 8, all persons with disabilities in the diocese and their families are welcome to attend the Christmas celebration and program at Madonna Hall, 228 N. Walnut St., Lansing. RSVP is required. Please call the disabilities office at 517.342.2497 or e-mail jdavis@dioceseoflansing.org before Jan.3. Lansing Catholic Singles invites all singles age mid30s-50s to join us for our upcoming events: Jan. 9, 9:30 a.m. Mass at Resurrection Parish in Lansing and brunch following; Jan. 29, euchre party and game night. Call 517.321.7886 for more information or e-mail lansingcatholicsingles@live.com. Visit our website, www.lansing-

Jan. 22, 4:30 p.m., St. Pius X, Flint will have a Mass of Appreciation for the Military. Please e-mail the name of your soldier to spxdre@comcast.net and attach a photo.

2011 Retrouvaille of Lansing weekend retreat dates at St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt: Jan. 21-23, April 1-3, Aug 5-7, Sept. 30-Oct. 2. For more information, call 517.290.5596 or visit their website, www.retrouvailleoflansing.catholicweb.com. catholicsingles.com, for more winter events. Jan. 16-18 at 6:30 p.m., St. Francis Xavier, Otisville will host a parish mission directed by the Redemptorist priests from Chicago. All are welcome to attend and invited to the hospitality each evening following the presentation and prayer. For more information, call 810.631.6305. Project 2o3: Join the Revolution – If God is for us, who

can stand against us? Sundays, 5:30 p.m.-8 pm. Upcoming events are: Jan. 16 at Good Shepherd in Montrose, Feb. 20 at St. Matthew in Flint and March 20 at St. Mary in Mt. Morris. All high school teens are welcome to experience the revolution. Pizza, fellowship, 2o3 band and more. For more information, contact Amber Zelley at alzelley@gmail. com. Jan. 19, St. Gerard will begin the debt reduction and financial management program

January/February Café events Queen of the Miraculous Medal, Jackson on Wednesdays has middle school and high school youth group from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. in the upper rooms; adult and young adult faith sharing from 7 p.m.-8 p.m. in the parish library. Current study is the

Jan. 21-23, the Most Romantic Gift Ever – a Satisfying Marriage. Retrouvaille is a Christian peer ministry designed to help heal troubled marriages. Join us at the next Retrouvaille program weekend at St. Francis Retreat Center. For more information, call 517.290.5596 or visit our website at www.retrouvaille oflansing.catholicweb.com. Jan. 30, noon, the Italian American Club of Livonia presents “Be A Guardian Angel for Our Adults and Children” in support of St. Louis

great adventure – the Gospel of Luke. St. Michael, Grand Ledge has a Bible Study of the Gospel of Matthew, Thursdays, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. from Jan. 6-March 24 in the Conference Room. St. Joseph, Adrian has a Morning Prayer Group Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. For more information, contact the parish office at 517.265.8938.

Feb. 26, 4 p.m., A Milestone Wedding Anniversary Mass will be celebrated at St Mary Cathedral, 219 Sey

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

2011 Catholic Deaf Mass schedule for St. Mary Cathedral, 219 Seymour Ave. and St. Gerard, 4437 W. Willow Hwy. Jan. 9, 4 p.m., St. Mary Cathedral; Jan. 22, 4:30 p.m., St. Gerard; Jan. 30, 4 p.m., St. Mary Cathedral; Feb. 13, 4 p.m., St. Mary Cathedral; Feb 26, 4:30 p.m., St. Gerard; March 13, 4 p.m., St. Mary Cathedral; March 26, 4:30 p.m., St. Gerard; April 10, 4 p.m., Location TBA; April 24, 9 a.m., St. Gerard; May 7, 4:30 p.m., St. Gerard; May 15, 4 p.m., St. Mary Cathedral, Jun. 4, 4:30 p.m., St. Gerard; and Jun. 12, 4 p.m., St. Mary Cathedral. 2011 Flint Deaf Mass schedule for St. John the Evangelist, 600 N. Adelaide St. Jan. 2, 10 a.m., Chapel; Jan. 23, 10 a.m., Church; Jan. 30, 10 a.m., Chapel; Feb. 20, 10 a.m., Chapel; Feb. 27, 10 a.m., Church; March 9, 5:30 p.m., Chapel; March 13, 10 a.m., Church; March 20, 10 a.m., Chapel; April 17, 10 a.m. Chapel; April 21, Holy Thursday, 5 p.m., Chapel; April 22, Good Friday, 4 p.m., Chapel; April 24, Easter, 10 a.m., Chapel; May 8, 10 a.m., Chapel; May 22, 10 a.m., Church; May 29, 10 a.m., Chapel; Jun. 5, 10 a.m., Chapel; and Jun. 26, 10 a.m., Chapel. Center, a caring community for residents with developmental disabilities. This event is a culinary extravaganza with appetizers, desserts and a soup and salad bar. To register or volunteer, call 734.953.9724 or e-mail mail@ stlouiscenter.org. Feb. 4-5, Holy Redeemer, Burton’s Council of Catholic Women is holding a Spring Scrapbooking Crop. Registration deadline is Jan. 28. For information or to register, call Beth Clark at 810.250.6012 or e-mail theclarkconnection@ yahoo.com. Feb. 5, 6 p.m.-10 p.m., 5th annual Rainbow Homes Silent Auction and Dinner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 9815 S. Cedar in Lansing. Dinner tickets are $30 per person and can be reserved by calling 517.740.0293. To donate items for the auction, call 517.699.8454 or e-mail rainbowhomes@sbcglobal.net. Feb. 11, St. Mary School in Pinckney will present an anti-bullying program to the students. Marcia McEvoy will be the presenter. For information, contact the school office at 734.878.5616. Feb. 12, 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m., a Marriage Enrichment Conference presented by St. Patrick, Brighton’s “I Do For Life”

Marriage Ministry. Cost: $65 per couple. For information or to register, visit www.idoforlife.org. Feb. 12-13, mission rosary makers from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 3815 S. Cedar St. in Lansing, will hold a Valentine’s bake sale and religious gifts sale after the 4:30 p.m. Mass on Saturday and all Sunday-morning Masses. Lots of pies, cakes and candy, as well as beautiful, hand-crafted gift rosaries and faith-building gifts. All funds do-

nated will be used for mission rosary supplies. Feb. 16, 5:45 p.m.-7 p.m., IHM-St. Casimir will host a preschool/kindergarten carnival for children who will be within the ages of 3-5 by fall. You and your preschool and kindergarten children are invited to come and join in the fun. Small snacks will be served. Feb. 19, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Praying with Body, Mind and Spirit: A Call to Hope will be at St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center, 23333 Schoolcraft, Detroit. Engage your whole self in prayer by using your body, mind and spirit along with movement. For more information, contact Janene Ternes at 734.429.7754 or visit her website, www.prayerin-motion.com. Feb. 19, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Christ the King, Ann Arbor will hold a Holy Spirit Seminar. Cost: $15, includes lunch and materials. A set of talks on the Holy Spirit and personal prayer. For information or to register, call 734.426.5514 or ortiz4519@earthlink.net. Feb. 23, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., a retreat day for persons who are sight-impaired/ blind at the diocesan center in Lansing. Fee is $10. Registration required. Contact Joann Davis at 517.342.2497 or jdavis@ dioceseoflansing.org.

Retreat centers

Feb. 26 – Attention All Ladies, “A Call to Holiness, A Life Journey” – This Lenten season prepare yourself for Easter. Guest speakers will touch your hearts with their message of God’s love and renew your spirit. Followed by Mass at 4:30 p.m. Hosted by St. Mary, 807 St. Mary’s Blvd., Charlotte. Tickets $10, include lunch. Week of the event $15. Questions and reservations, contact Denise Droscha at 517.543.6647 or denise. droscha@gmail.com. March 5, come unmask the possibilities at Mardi Gras – hosted by the St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School Educational Trust Fund at the Four Points Sheraton in Ann Arbor. Enjoy dinner, entertainment and an auction. Contact Colleen Pierce at 734.821.2208 to register or information. Or visit ww.stfrancisa2.com/ school/etf11/. St. Jude, DeWitt – Breakfast Bible Study is back on the menu! All high school youth are invited to join us Friday mornings at 6:30 a.m. in the Community Center for a breakfast and an opportunity to discuss the Sunday readings with friends. We conclude by 7:05 a.m. to give you time to get to school. If you plan to attend, please contact Sue at 517.669.8341 ext.20 by 5 p.m. Thursday.

Weber Retreat Center, Adrian, 517.266.4000 or www.weber.adriandominicans.org Feb. 25-26, Committed: Can we stay? How do we wish to grow? A retreat for married couples.

Bread of Life Retreat Residence, 4901 N. Dixboro Rd., Ann Arbor, 630.417.1984 or www. eucharisticlife.org/retreat_residence.html Jan. 16-Feb. 13, Oblates of the Virgin Mary, directing the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius for men and women – eight-day retreats, presenter Father Dennis Brown, OMV.

St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt 866.669.8321 or www.stfrancis.ws Jan. 13, Healing from a Broken Place: Exploring the Role of Pastoral Care for Trauma Survivors. Presenters and speakers are experts on medical diagnosis and mental health providers together with clergy. Jan. 21-23, Retrouvaille Weekend Retreat for troubled marriages. For information, e-mail 3053@ retrouvaille.org. To register, call 517.290.0314. Feb. 11-13, Singles Retreat. March 18-2, REFLECT Catholic Singles Retreat for Mid-Life Singles – You are invited to register for a life-changing weekend retreat. For rates and details, call 989.450.0993 or visit www.reflectretreat.com or e-mail us at reflect. retreat@gmail.com.

Dominican Center Marywood, Grand Rapids, 616.643.0371 or register online at www. dominicancenter.com Thurs., Jan. 13-March 3, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., Spirituality for men – listening for God knows what. Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., Living in the meantime: A gathering of ladies-in-waiting. Wed., Jan. 19-Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m., Grief: When mourning dawns. Jan. 29, 2 p.m.-5 p.m., Letting go of stress. Jan. 29, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., Spirituality for Women – Women of God: Making a difference; Tues., Feb. 8-Feb. 22, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Parenting: peaceful, harmonious family life. Thurs., Jan. 6-Feb. 24, 7 p.m.-8:15 p.m., Beginning Yoga; and Thurs., Jan. 6-Feb. 24, 5:30 p.m.-6:45 p.m., Continuing Yoga.

ymour Ave., Lansing. For more information, contact the diocesan Family Life Ministry Office at 517.342.2470.

28 Catholic Charities launches new community center partnership

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St. Joseph Parish Summer Festival benefits Catholic Charities and Bishop Albers Fund The proceeds of the summer festival from St. Joseph Parish in Adrian benefitted the parish’s boiler fund, as well as Catholic Charities of Lenawee and Jackson Counties and the Bishop Albers Fund to help defray the cost of tuition for undergraduate seminarians. In the photo, Bob Matejewski and Father David Hudgins present checks to Father Tom Wasilewski for the Albers Fund, and to Sue Lewis for Catholic Charities.

To love and serve the Lord Bishop Earl Boyea, Bishop Emeritus Carl Mengeling and several priests celebrated the rite of commissioning with six lay ecclesial ministers on Nov. 6. Sharon L. Hardenbergh, Todd D. Gale, Lisa A. Dubinski, Glenna C. Diskin, Janet M. Cassidy and Deborah K. Amato have reached a standard set by the diocese for academic formation, represented themselves to be spiritually and pastorally directed and demonstrated a willingness to carry out their ministerial work conscientiously, zealously and diligently. – Deborah Amato

Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties has taken on the ownership of the St. Michael School of Choice Program building and launched an ambitious community center project that brings together a full spectrum of human service agencies. “This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time. The opportunity was too great to pass up,” said Vicky Schultz, president and CEO of Catholic Charities. “We are now able to both extend our mission of providing help and creating hope, and safeguard the legacy of St. Michael Parish … We are excited to be joined in this project by two of the area’s most vital organizations – Resource Genesee and Genesee County Community Mental Health.” Kristie Schmeige, director of substance abuse

services at CMH, is calling the concept a “recovery supercenter.” CMH will offer recovery services from the new community center. “It will truly offer everything. It will be possible for someone to come in, take a shower, wash their clothes, receive personal needs items, complete a resume, eat a hot meal, read a book, play cards or a game of basketball, or nearly any other service they might need.”

Bishop Boyea visits new leadership of Adrian Dominican Sisters Bishop Earl Boyea paid a visit to the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ campus in November. The pastoral visit was his first opportunity to meet formally with the General Council of the Congregation since new members took office. Bishop Boyea’s last formal visit to the Adrian Dominican campus had been in February 2010, when he celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit to open the congregation’s 2010 General Chapter. These formal gatherings are opportunities for delegates to elect new leadership and to set the direction of the congregation for the next six years. It was during this General Chapter that the current leadership team was elected.

Judge Eileen Jaramillo completes doctorate Eileen Jaramillo, one of the judges in the tribunal, has successfully completed her doctorate at the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit.

Jackson Students for Life Students at Lumen Christi High School collected more than 10,000 diapers for the Pregnancy Resource Centers. Thirtythree members went to Washington, D.C., last January for the annual March for Life and are making plans to attend again. For information, contact Kathy Potts, 517.262.746, or Cindy Smith, 517.937.6786, the adult advisors, or www. jacksonforlife.org. – Jan Hoffbauer

Her dissertation is entitled: Teaching Canon Law in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing. Approval of her dissertation was given by Dr. Anneliese Sinnott, OP, Msgr. Ricardo Bass, JCL, Dr. Urias Beverly, D.Min., and Chaplain Kimberly Yancy.

Thirty-two people attended the doctoral defense. Most were Catholic laity, clergy and religious from the Diocese of Lansing. Pastors from the Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian and Orthodox churches also were present.

FAITH Magazine / January/February 2011 / www.FAITHmag.com

Knights of Columbus raise money to save lives The Knights of Columbus Councils in Jackson were the first in the state to raise funds for an ultrasound machine to save unborn babies from abortion. So far, 25 lives have been saved through the use of this life-saving device at the Center for Women in Jackson. The Jackson Area Knights of Columbus placed fourth out of more than 13,000 councils worldwide in an international competition based on this fundraising effort. Lumen Christi alumnus Stephen Artz spearheaded the effort to raise money and purchase the ultrasound machine. During Mass in October, the award was presented to the Jackson Knights of Columbus by the Knights’ state representative, Paul Thorne. To support the Knights of Columbus ultrasound initiative, contact the Knights Council at your parish or e-mail State Program Director Paul Thorn at p.thorn@mikofc.org.

Sister Elaine’s 50th anniversary

Contractors broke ground on a new Administrative/ Conference Room addition for St. Louis Center’s residential campus for persons with developmental disabilities. The newest addition will provide for a redesigned public entrance, additional office space and private conference rooms for parents and counselors to meet with residents. According to Father Enzo Addari, SdC, administrator, “This new addition will enhance our work and allow us to better organize our new services in the future. As programs for our special population evolve, we will have to be able to work with new technologies and this has become difficult for us to do in a 1960s-era building. By restructuring our facilities, we will be able to provide therapeutic services for our residents that will allow us to work closer with the families we serve.” For more information about St. Louis Center, visit www.stlouiscenter.org. – Joseph Yekulis

St. Francis Camp celebrates 25 years St. Francis Camp, located in Jerome on Goose Lake, was founded by the International Order of Alhambra, a Catholic fraternal organization dedicated to assisting the cognitively impaired. Dick Sosin, president of St. Francis Camp for the last nine years, said, “We could never have stayed in existence without the financial help of the Knights of Columbus. In the last seven years alone, the various councils and the State Council have provided more than $200,000 to assist in operations and maintenance.” If any individual is interested in sponsoring a camper or make a donation, please e-mail Mike Carpenter at mike_ carp@sbcglobal.net.

New ministry website Noelle Garcia McHugh, music director at Most Holy Trinity in Fowler, and her husband, David McHugh, youth ministry coordinator of St. Patrick in Portland, have launched their new ministry website. Noelle and David travel all over the country speaking to audiences of all ages about the Catholic faith through testimony and music. Noelle has two CDs through World Library Publications that she and David co-wrote, Flight into Egypt and Set the World on Fire. For information on how to bring their ministry to your parish, visit www.mqministries.com.

Log on to www.FAITHmag.com for extended local news coverage, including: • CSSW partners with Huron Valley Ambulance to reduce non-emergency 911 calls • WITH Housing joins Catholic Social Services

• St. John Vianney Catholic School and the Flint River • St. Pius X’s mobile pantry a huge success • And More!

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St. Louis Center in Chelsea breaks ground for next 50 years of service

Sister Elaine La Bell will celebrate 50 years as a Dominican Sister March 6. She celebrated her reception into the order of St. Dominic in Grand Rapids in 1961. She has a BA degree from Aquinas College, Grand Rapids; a certificate of theology from St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wis.; and a master’s in pastoral studies from Loyola University, Chicago. She taught high school for 14 years in the cities of Traverse, Mt. Pleasant, Bay City and Manistee. She founded and directed the Bay City Vicariate Youth Ministry Program; held positions in pastoral ministry for youth and then adults in Cheboygan and Beal City; and served as pastoral associate in Carrollton. Sister Elaine is currently serving as pastoral coordinator at St. Francis Xavier Parish, Otisville.

What in the world?

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The top 10 Catholic news events this month

Relationship between Cuba and the Church improving – Cuban President Raul Castro attended the inauguration of the first new Catholic seminary in more than 50 years in Havana.

2 CARA board appoints Jesuit priest as new executive director – Jesuit Father Thomas P. Gaunt was named executive director of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.

Bishop Boyea celebrates funeral Mass for victims of abortion

n Nov. 20, Bishop Earl Boyea celebrated a funeral Mass at St. Mary Cathedral for 17 victims of abortion – children who had been discovered in a trash receptacle behind an abortion clinic in Lansing. About 1,000 mourners packed the cathedral. And Monica Miller, PhD., director of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, stated, “It is a testimony that abortion is very real – that we really represent an army, a contingent of soldiers who are called by God to reverse the injustice of abortion.” On Feb. 26, 2010, Chris Veneklase, who has prayed outside the Woman’s Choice abortion clinic for the past 2 years, discovered that employees were throwing trash in a common waste re-

ceptacle. Curious that a medical waste truck remained absent from the clinic, Veneklase retrieved a bag that didn’t belong with your “everyday” garbage. The large storage bag marked “Janu-

Pro-life group reported babies saved from abortion during campaign – Campaign Director Shawn Carney for the group 40 Days for Life announced at the end of the 2010 fall campaign that more than 500 babies were saved from abortion during the event.

Church responds to growing numbers of Hebrew-speaking Catholics – The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem published the first catechisms in Hebrew to assist in teaching religious education to the children of the seven communities of Hebrewspeaking Catholics in their vicariate.

ary 2010” contained individual bags of terminated innocents. After contacting Miller, they returned to the clinic where, Veneklase states, “We didn’t discover more babies in bags of that nature, but all medical waste and instruments of abortion were being thrown out in these common bags.” During his homily, Bishop Boyea said that a funeral testifies to what God can do: “God can raise the dead. God can change our lives.” Lansing police rerouted traffic and blocked streets for parking and the procession to the cemetery. The Knights of Columbus led the line of vehicles in a bus donated by Dean Trailways. “In addition to serving the Mass, we also wanted to be at the cemetery to present the final farewell salute, which

New audio version of the Catholic Bible is endorsed by the Vatican – “Truth & Life Dramatized Audio Bible New Testament” consisting of 18 CDs, was endorsed by the Vatican and has a special foreword by Pope Benedict XVI.

Dogma is 60 years old in 2010 – Crowds thronged St. Peter’s Square in 1950 to hear Pope Pius XII give the Church its most recently proclaimed dogma – the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Catholic Charities USA presented centennial medals to Catholic schools of social work – Thirteen Catholic schools of social work were honored for their dedication to the field of social work and the mission of Catholic Charities during the organization’s 2010 Centennial Celebration.

Bishop martyred by communists beatified in Romania – Archbishop Robu of Bucharest said the honoring of the Latin-rite Bishop Szilárd Bogdánffy from Romania’s Hungarian minority will focus attention on the fate of Christians from various ethnic and religious backgrounds under communism.

Attack on Iraq church an example of intolerance toward Christians – Archbishop Francis Chullikatt said the incident underscores the need to ensure that all religions and all believers have “the most basic right to religious freedom and worship.”

Pope Benedict XVI makes his mark on the Sacred College – The pope announced 24 new members of the College of Cardinals – 20 are younger than 80 and, therefore, eligible to vote in a papal conclave.

top ten

How much do you know

about what you believe? T. Gennara

Father Charles Irvin is the founding editor of FAITH Magazine and is retired.

f you were in a group of people talking about religion and were asked a question about an important point in Catholic teaching, would you be embarrassed to say that you didn’t know the answer – that you didn’t know why Catholics believe as they do? If some in the group were ridiculing an important Catholic teaching, would you want to be able to effectively respond?

Photography by Don Quillan

Communion, our answer to the question is both personal and communal. The next question that inevitably follows is, “Why do you believe that Jesus Christ is truly and really present in the consecrated host?” Your answer to that question is of great importance. The content of your answer is a precious moment that can bring the soul of your questioner into contact with Christ. This is of weighty significance far beyond just sharing your personal faith. There are other questions dealing with why we hold Mary our Mother in such high regard, why we venerate the saints, why we champion the unborn, why the Catholic Church has a pope, and so forth. Perhaps the questions are not as important as our belief about Holy Communion, but they are important nevertheless. Do you have some learning to do? Your knowledge of our Catholic faith isn’t just for your own benefit; it is for the benefit of others as well. That’s why we’re here for you in FAITH magazine.

last word

we call the bridge,” said Dennis Henderson, master, fourth degree knight, for Father Louis Hennepin Province. “Even though their last bus was scheduled for another run, the Kellie Dean family made it available to us to carry up to 52 knights at no charge.” “This grave is not only a place of healing for women who have had abortions, but it also, in some ways, is an indictment of our country to allow this slaughter to continue under the law,” said Miller. “What you’re looking at here is the tiny remnant of 50 million-plus innocent human beings who have lost their lives in our legalized slaughter. It’s a tragedy, it’s a sorrow.” As the coffin was lowered, a white dove was released as a reminder of our destiny to a life with God.

When I was in high school, a nonCatholic school, I was challenged in that manner on a number of occasions – all of which prompted me to find answers that made sense to me. After high school, when I was in college, the questions were of a deeper and more extensive nature. Somewhere along the line, I came to realize that in such discussions I was not simply representing myself. I was representing the Catholic Church. Perhaps my questioners were talking about their own personal questions and beliefs, but when they were questioning me, I was not. If you are Catholic, you hold a shared belief, not just your own personal opinion. Each one of us bears a shared faith, a faith handed on to us by our family of faith, a belief that comes down to us through 2,000 years of our Catholic tradition. It’s important for you to know and understand the reasons for our beliefs. For instance, when we are asked if we believe we receive the true and real body and blood of Jesus Christ in holy

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