January/February 2015

FOR SARAH, FEEDING THE HUNGRY IS PERSONAL in the know with Fr. Joe

spiritual fitness

theology 101

Why do bad things happen to good people?

4 steps to ‘getting something’ out of Mass

Mixed and inter-religious marriages

lthough it was just a cold can of corn, it might just as well have been the finest caviar, based on how quickly she was eating it and the look of utter satisfaction that was on her face. It is an image that will stay with me for the rest of my life.

T. Gennara

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

ABOUT of the country’s 78 million Catholics are Hispanic

FIFTY-NINE

PERCENT

OF U.S.

HISPANICS

SELF-IDENTIFY AS

CATHOLIC

of all parishes have a dedicated Hispanic ministry

Family: ©DollarPhotoClub/Andy Dean, Church: ©DollarPhotoClub/Sylverarts

It was a scorching hot Sunday afternoon she had followed her mother’s advice from in late July last year when the phone call years ago. came in on the after-hours line in the rectory. She was obviously weak and tired, so I was still new to the parish and was working I encouraged her to just stay with her at getting settled into the house. Luckily, well-worn car while I obtained the bags of I was able to answer the phone with the food that she sought for her family. It took correct name of the parish. As I listened, the several trips from pantry to car for me to woman on the other end of the line began load everything into her trunk. Between to share her story with me. She had recently my first and second trips, she managed been diagnosed with cancer and had begun to locate and open that can of corn. She her chemotherapy treatments. While the was so hungry that she was gobbling it by treatments seemed to be working, they were the handful as she was seated on her car’s exacting an awful toll on her body. She had doorsill. In 15 minutes, she had food, a gas been feeling awful card, and a couple for several days gallons of milk. She and had not been got in her car, drove able to work. The off and I have not cost of her recent seen her since. hospitalization had In Matthew’s used up her meager gospel, Jesus from the editor savings and she was sets forth his not yet feeling well expectations for us Father Dwight Ezop is editor of FAITH Magazine and pastor of St. John the Evangelist enough to return to as his disciples and in Fenton. Email: editor@FAITHpub.com. work on a regular what we are called basis. Her funds to do. They are the were getting low and she was scared. corporal works of mercy, and they will be At the same time, she remembered that our focus for 2015. As Blessed Mother her mother had told her that if she ever had Teresa of Calcutta often said, “The poor any trouble, the best place she could turn are Jesus in his most distressing disguise.” to was a Catholic church. Her mother had I have no doubt about whom it was that I done so when she was young, and with met on that scorching hot July afternoon. God’s grace and the generosity of those The corporal works of mercy remind us parishioners, they were able to get through that when we meet Jesus in need we are to their challenges. Now, as an adult, she respond to that need as best as we are able, found herself in desperate straits and did even if it is with a few bags of groceries that not know where to go for help. Eventually happen to contain a cold can of corn. And it came to her – find the nearest Catholic so our journey in FAITH continues. church and ask for help. She didn’t know A special note of thanks. Deacon Tom Fenton well, so she stopped at an area and Jo Fogle have been contributors to the business to ask for directions to the local parish – St. John the Evangelist – of which Marriage Matters column in FAITH for many years. Even though they have decided to I was the newly arrived pastor. retire from their role as regular contributors, I had been there long enough to be I take this opportunity to express my thanks introduced to some of the resources in the to them for their faith-filled insights. Through parish – including the food pantry that is operated by our parish St. Vincent de Paul. the years, their wise advice has helped so many couples to enrich or heal their I gave her directions to the proper location marriages. May God bless and keep you and met her there a little while later. Her both in the years ahead! plight was pretty clear and I was glad that

Hispanic Catholics in the United States BY THE NUMBERS

55% of all U.S. Catholics under age 30 are Hispanic

A COLD CAN OF CORN

Liturgical Calendar: Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God Jan. 1 | Ss. Basil the Great and Grego

contents

Jan./Feb. 2015

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J. Luning

yourlife

4 wI’morkleftlifeout of the lunch clique. parenting journey 5 I’m afraid my daughter

has an eating disorder. marriage matters He says: “I want her to use NFP exclusively” She says: “I don’t want to risk getting pregnant right now.” What do they do? culture Serving up dignity

yourfaith

in the know with Father Joe Why do bad things happen to good people? spiritual fitness 4 steps to ‘getting something’ out of Mass. theology 101 Mixed and inter-religious marriages from the bishop Are you saved?

16 T. Gennara

10 12 14

yourstories

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profile of an evangelist For 30 years Lisa has been bringing the Mass home my story Called to witness in Rwanda, Jen sees heroism, strong hearts, selflessness last word Spiritual hunger

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ory Nazianzen, bishops and doctors of the Church Jan. 2 | Most Holy Name of Jesus Jan. 3 | Epiphany of the Lord Jan. 4 | Epiphany of the Lord Jan. 5 | St. André Bessette, religious Jan. 6

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doubt. At least they’re better than twotimers. They’re long-term cronies with a long-term habit. “Every living thing loves its own kind, and we all love someone like ourselves.” (Sirach 13:15) Like you, they’re operating in their comfort zone. Get out of yours. Buddy up with them for a first lunch and surprise them with prepaid desserts on you. Thank them for letting the “new kid on the block” enjoy their company. And feel good about work life your magnanimJim Berlucchi ity – a grand is the executive director for the virtue in which to Spitzer Center indulge. for Ethical Leadership, an If they don’t educator and extend an invite executive coach. reasonably soon, try to join them again. If they keep stonewalling you, redirect your energies. Because you work in a small office, don’t force it. Stay friendly with them, but try socializing and lunching with others. But don’t do it for spite or to create a new clique, unless you want a miserable workplace.

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I’m left out of the lunch clique

I work in a small office, where all of the “oldtimers” go to lunch every day. I feel left out. Isn’t this rude office behavior? Any advice for me?

Join them. I’ve found this maxim to be true – the more I focus on the difficult behavior of others, the more I tend to feel helpless, small-minded and irritable. The more I focus on making a positive difference, the more I feel largeminded, empowered and happy – even if my attempted contribution is a dud. Give the “old-timers” the benefit of the

“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least brothers of mine, you did for me.” These words from Matthew 25 are a call to action. Since childhood, those words were Christ calling me to connect with his hungry children, and a church food pantry gave me my connection. I started packing groceries. Every bag of food is a prayer for the person carrying it home. Each person I serve is my connection to Christ. More than food, there are stories of children and grandchildren, illness and healing, struggles and celebrations. We marvel together at God’s grace and wisdom and share our faith. There are many ways to feed Christ’s children, and your local

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

Catholic Charities agency is a perfect place to learn how. These organizations offer food, drink, shelter and clothes, providing dignity to those they serve. And they can offer guidance on donating time, talent and treasure to legitimate organizations serving the poor. A few suggestions are: • Soup kitchens • Food pantries in your parish or community • Homeless shelters, which often rely on volunteers for meals “It’s always better to work through us rather than around us,” says Mary Stevenson, director of development for Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties. “Ultimately it would be nice to put ourselves out of business, but that’s not likely to happen.” – Mary Kay McPartlin

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A call to FEED THE HUNGRY

St. Raymond Peñafort, priest Jan. 7 | Baptism of the Lord Jan. 11 | St. Hilary, bishop and doctor of the Church

©DollarPhotoClub/Rostislav Sedlacek

I want her to use NFP exclusively

I’m afraid my daughter has an EATING DISORDER

I think my daughter is binge eating and purging. I’ve found empty packages of cookies and candy in her wastebasket, but her clothes are hanging on her. I’m afraid she has an eating disorder – what do I do?

T. Gennara

A 2014 documentary Her family physician needs to on childhood obesity explore the reasons behind her by television journalist Katie substantial weight loss. Couric highlighted problems Expect family involvement in with eating behaviors. Couric’s treatment. Family-based treatinterest in abnormal eating habment encourages the involveits comes from personal experiment of the parents to help ence; she struggled with bulimia restore weight. Cognitive-bein her youth. The havioral therapy is Global Foundation effective, too. Make for Eating Disorders sure that you get reports that positive referrals to health outcomes, such as care professionals those shown by who specialize in Couric, are more eating disorders. parenting Abnormal eating likely with specialized treatment patterns are an journey begun early in the illness and they Dr. Cathleen illness. need to be taken McGreal is a psychology Seek treatseriously. This isn’t professor and ment. Health care a matter of poor certified spiritual director. professionals will choices on the part determine if your of your daughter. daughter has an eating disorder Research shows that genetics, using a formal evaluation system biological factors and environcalled DSM-V. Even if she isn’t ment play a role. Pray together as diagnosed with a disorder, there a family as you seek support and is reason to seek treatment given guidance: “’For I know the plans your observations. Her dentist I have for you,’ declares the Lord, may have noticed that her teeth ‘plans to prosper you and not have the pattern of dental eroto harm you, plans to give you sion caused by the acid in vomit. hope and a future.’” (Jer 29:11) In the last issue of FAITH, the question to Dr. McGreal was edited after she answered and may have caused some confusion. Dr. McGreal was responding to differing parenting styles in a nonabusive situation. As always, should there be any sign of abuse of a child, the appropriate authorities should be contacted.

I have come to a fuller understanding of the Church’s understanding on birth control, and I want Allison to stop taking the pill and use NFP exclusively.

HE says

I don’t want to risk getting pregnant right now Easy for Matt to say – he isn’t the one who will get pregnant. We agreed to use the pill before we got married and I see no reason to change now. I don’t want to risk getting pregnant any time soon.

SHE says

What do THEY do?

ometimes you have to compromise in marriage, but not when it comes to sin. Matt has come to believe, rightly, that contraception is a “morally unacceptable means” to regulate births, according to the catechism (CCC 2399), and so Allison shouldn’t try to force him to act against his conscience. But, likewise, Matt shouldn’t try to force his will upon her. Since this leaves them at a marriage standoff, they need to go back matters to the drawing board. • If Allison and Matt need to avoid getting pregnant, modern methods of natural CONTINUE THE family planning (NFP) are CONVERSATION at least as effective as the ON most effective forms of contraception. • N FP is all about Follow understanding and living in FAITH Pub harmony with the monthly cycles of your fertility. Contrast this with the pill, which is all about intentionally messing up a perfectly natural, beautiful and healthy process of the body. • N FP couples commonly make use of their 20 days for sexual relations at least as often as other couples do. Matt is on the right track here, but he needs to adjust his attitude. This is not about what he wants Allison to do or not do. This is about what God wants and doesn’t want for the marriage. And this is not just about her learning and using NFP. It is a couple’s shared responsibility. Try this: Attend an NFP class together to learn more about the amazing gift of fertility and how to live with it in harmony with God’s will. – Steve and Bridget Patton hold master’s degrees in theology and counseling and serve as family life ministers for the Diocese of Sacramento.

h Jan. 13 | St. Anthony of Egypt, abbot Jan. 17 | St. Fabian, pope and martyr Jan. 20 | St. Agnes, virgin and martyr Jan. 21 | Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children Jan. 22

DIGNITY

hen it comes to feeding the hungry, I think of our neighboring soup kitchens and the caring volunteers who work there, selflessly bringing simple but critical nourishment to those in need. Not too far from where I live, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, a ministry of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph, tends to the needs of Detroit’s homeless. But in the area of food, it’s not your typical soup kitchen. It’s managed by a culinary expert who brings to Detroit’s most needy what is normally reserved for the most sophisticated of palates.

Shane Folkertsma

Like most executive chefs, Alison Costello the same values. God just knew where to plant has had a passion for fine food her whole life. me,” she says. The Michigan native studied at the Institute For Alison, it’s not only about who she is of Culinary Education in New York, and has serving, but what she is serving. To provide a trained with sustainable and some of the culturally nourmost renowned ishing kitchen, chefs in the cushe works with linary industry. local farmers, Alison’s career wholesalers and has included co-ops to purpositions as chase seasonal an executive and organic chef in fine ingredients, as restaurants, a much as pospersonal chef, sible. And as a culinary site manager consultant and and execuas a corporate tive chef, she caterer. holds true to But despite a her philosophy successful and vibrant professional of creating “made-from-scratch” career serving the wealthiest and culinary experiences for those she most discerning of clients, a differserves. “In order to create lives of ent type of hunger plagued Alison. dignity to those who are chroniShe found herself relentlessly cally poor, broken, addicted and drawn back into her Catholic faith homeless, I wanted to send home culture and compelled to apply her worldthe message that people, no matter Michelle class skills for a different type of who you are, deserve fine food,” DiFranco is a client: the homeless. Alison says. designer and the busy mom of “I was very burnt out from With a passion for applying three children. the secular cooking world and her culinary gifts to a ministry of found the job with the Capuchins serving those in need, Chef Alison through a headhunter. It was the right fit at has found a way to simultaneously exercise and the right time. I was able to be a real mom to challenge her culinary skills, respond to the my kids, spend more time with my husband calling of her faith and provide nourishment and and work with like-minded people who shared dignity to the hungry in her community. T. Gennara

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

Shane Folkertsma

Serving up

Alison’s squash gratin with blue cheese and sage (Serves 6-8)

• 5 cups cubed, peeled hubbard squash (acorn squash or pumpkin is fine, too) • ½ cup bread crumbs • 4 tsp. olive oil • 2 cups thinly sliced onion • 1-2 tbs. chopped sage and thyme • ½ tsp. sea salt • ¼- ½ tsp. fresh black pepper • ½ cup or so crumbled blue cheese (I like Salemville Amish gorgonzola or Maytag Blue) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Steam squash until tender. Mix breadcrumbs with 2 teaspoons olive oil. Sauté onions in the rest of the oil until translucent. Put in bowl with squash, sage, salt and pepper. Gently combine. Lightly grease baking dish and pour mixture in. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Crumble cheese on top, then sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake until cheese melts and crumb (gratin) topping is light, golden brown.

St. Vincent, deacon and martyr Jan. 23 | St. Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church Jan. 24 | Ss. Timothy a

Read more culture at: Shane Folkertsma

and Titus, bishops Jan. 26 | St. Angela Merici, virgin Jan. 27 | St. Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church Jan. 28 | St. John Bosco, priest Jan. 31 | Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Feb. 2

yourfaith T. Gennara

Q: What do sea monsters eat?

in the know with Father Joe

A: Fish and ships.

If you’d like to submit a question for Father Joe Krupp to consider in a future column, please send it to: joeinblack@ priest.com. Father Joe is unable to personally answer questions.

B. Patten

a simple reason: they don’t address the core of the issue, which is, “I hurt and I don’t like hurting. If God loves us and is all powerful, why does he let us hurt?” Dr. Peter Kreeft put it best in his article, God’s Answer to Suffering. In it, he points out that our problem is answered, “not so much by explanations as reassurances and that is what we get: the reassurance of the Father in the person of Jesus.” Think of it this way: Is there really any answer that could be provided that would make us look at the horrors and pains of life and say “Oh! OK! That makes it all better!”? It seems that we hope there is some answer that will make the hurt stop. I invite you now to purge that concept from your hearts and minds. Even if, for a moment, the heavens were opened and we got a “because” to our “why,” would it mitigate the pain? Does knowing how you broke your leg make the leg stop hurting? Your hurt, my hurt, their hurt – none of it is soothed by an explanation of why we were hurt, but what will help is knowing how we can carry that hurt. God’s answer to our pain is, in the words of Dr. Kreeft, not a philosophy, but a person and that person is Jesus. His answer to our pain is his presence. As humans, we tend to avoid other people’s pain. When I talk to families who’ve lost a loved one, they often tell me of feelings of abandonment by friends who wonder when they’ll “get over it.” People who were extremely supportive during the funeral and for a couple weeks afterward begin to slowly fade away and even avoid them. In his book, A Grief Observed, C.S. Lewis wrote about this experience after his wife died:

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Dear Father Joe: So many good people I know have suffered horribly in the last month and I’m really struggling to hold on to my faith. Why do good people suffer? How do I keep my faith in these times?

I’m sorry that things are so hard for you and your loved ones right now. As a priest, it’s not uncommon for me to experience first-hand the great suffering that many people, good and bad, go through. Struggling with our faith at times like these is not something we should shy away from. I think too often we look at the sorrow and pain that we and others experience and we try to theologize about it. We get a bit defensive or angry with God and try to defuse our defensiveness or anger with ideas we think might help us cope. We attempt consolation with clichés: “God will never give me what I can’t handle”, “That which doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.” In my experience, all of these attempts at consolation fail for 8

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

An odd by-product of my loss is that I’m aware of being an embarrassment to everyone I meet. At work, at the club, in the street, I see people, as they approach me, trying to make up their minds whether they’ll ‘say something about it’ or not. I hate it if

St. Blaise, bishop and martyr; St. Ansgar, bishop Feb. 3 | St. Agatha, virgin and martyr Feb. 5 | St. Paul Miki and Comp

they do, and if they don’t. Some funk it altogether...I like best the well brought-up young men, almost boys, who walk up to me as if I were a dentist, turn very red, get it over, and then edge away to the bar as quickly as they decently can. Perhaps the bereaved ought to be isolated in special settlements like lepers.” That is the human response to pain: we avoid it. We avoid our pain, we avoid others’ pain. But this is not the divine response, not at all. The response of God to the inevitable pain of we humans living in a fallen world was and is to immerse himself into it. We are in the Christmas season right now, the season when we celebrate that act of unspeakable love: God took on the human experience. In his birth and in his person, Jesus joined together the human and divine and forever changed what it means to be human. There is no longer any human experience outside of sin that is not a divine experience as well, and this includes our tears. To continue to quote Dr. Kreeft, at Jesus’ birth, “human tears became divine tears.” Beyond the overt beauty of God himself joining in our sorrow, we recognize that he also offers to sanctify it – making our suffering not just about the pain of living in a fallen world, but about helping him save it.

When we recognize God’s presence with us in our sorrow, we can also say to God “I join my suffering to yours” and in that simple surrender, we join Jesus in his suffering and help him save the world. Dear reader, we hurt and, so often, we hurt because we love. There is no love without suffering, and there is no suffering without love. The question for us is, will we take both realities? Our God did. He loves us, he hurts with us. His invitation to us in our pain is “If you love me, hurt with me.” This is remarkable love. This is relentless love that hell itself cannot stop. In the end, the battle cry of our God and his answer to our pain is not an explanation – it is an entrance. He lovingly, powerfully and gently enters into our wounds with us. He cries out, “You are not alone!” He takes our suffering and draws it into himself so that our tears and wounds are not just consequences of living in a broken and fallen world, but a divine experience. Whatever pain, whatever sorrow, whatever loss we experience will be redeemed in heaven. There, when we see love face to face, all that has been separated or lost will be joined and reunited. Weep and let God weep with you. You are not alone.

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“I

don’t ‘get much’ out of Mass.” “I really wonder why I go.” “I go because I have to.” Do any of those sentiments reflect your own mind-set on Sunday morning or on holy days of obligation? It is not God’s intention for those he loves to remain in that way of thinking. I am going to propose several steps to take in order to create the right “soil” so that God can touch your heart and mind and lead you into true worship.

We believe that the holy sacrifice of the Mass is the re-enactment of Christ’s death on Calvary – the unbloody sacrifice. The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us this: “The Eucharist is the source and the summit of the Christian life ... It is the culmination both of God’s action sanctifying the world in Christ and of the worship we offer to Christ and through him to the Father in the Holy Spirit.” (CCC #1324-1325) If this is so, and it is, then we need to prepare for Mass.

Slowly reflect, by using a missalette, on each reading for the upcoming Sunday – read slowly, ask yourself how this applies to you. Ask God for grace to change or to repent for some wrongdoing or to grow in the area the Gospel addresses. The word of God is living, active, sharper than any two-edged sword. It conveys the grace that will help you to convert in a particular area or give you strength to fight a stronghold of sin in your life. Try to find the time to read the readings out loud. Ask God to show you what he is asking of you. What he asks always leads to greater life, freedom and peace. He always walks with us through the battle of sin to victory. God’s word is a powerful weapon against the devil and personal sin.

STEPS Read more spiritual fitness at:

Take time on Friday or Saturday of a given week and examine your conscience; ask for greater freedom from the bonds of sin. Take advantage of God’s invitation and forgiveness for the sins of the past week. Often, the sacrament of reconciliation is available on Saturday afternoons or Sunday mornings. If you have offended God in a serious way that week, or been away from the sacraments for a while, take advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation. Remember, God never condemns. He seeks to be merciful and to extend forgiveness, but we need to humble ourselves and ask for it.

Before Mass begins, kneel before the Blessed Sacrament and ask God to open your heart to receive all he wants to give you during this liturgy.

T. Gennara

to ‘getting something’ out of Mass

spiritual fitness 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. You can order her new book, More of the Holy Spirit, for $12 at www.renewalministries.net.

Read the opening prayer. It’s the first prayer the priest prays after the penitential rite. That prayer indicates the intentions of all Catholics all over the world during the celebration of that Sunday Mass. Open your heart to receive those graces. Most of the time we don’t even hear the prayer because we are arriving late, we are distracted or we are talking to someone. If you have any of those habits, begin right now to change them. Otherwise, you are not praying with the mind of the whole Church and the grace (God sharing himself with us) can go right over your head, so to speak. We need to put our will behind what we pray. Just saying words is acting like a Pharisee, and you know what Jesus said to them! Take these steps and I guarantee that Mass will open your heart and mind to the goodness and mercy of God. You will meet a Shepherd who wants to bring you safely home to him – follow him! Follow Sister Ann Shields on Twitter @srannshieldssgl

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

Ash Wednesday Feb. 18 | St. Peter Da

Ask God to show you what he is asking of you. What he asks always leads to greater life, freedom and peace. He always walks with us through the battle of sin to victory. God’s word is a powerful weapon against the devil and personal sin.”

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amian, bishop and doctor of the Church Feb. 21 | First Sunday of Lent Feb. 22 | St. Polycarp, bishop and martyr Feb. 23

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theology 101 Doug Culp is the CAO and secretary for pastoral life for the Diocese of Lexington, Ky. He holds an MA in theology from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Definitions At its most basic, a mixed marriage is any marriage between a Catholic and a nonCatholic. In practice, however, a mixed marriage generally refers to a marriage between a Catholic and a baptized nonCatholic (a member of a church or ecclesial community not in full communion with the Catholic Church). In contrast, an inter-religious marriage is a marriage between a Catholic and a member of a non-Christian religion, such as Islam, Hinduism or Buddhism. The Code of Canon Law calls this a marriage with a disparity of cult, or a marriage between a Catholic and a non-baptized person.

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The end of marriage

MIXED AND INTER-RELIGIOUS MARRIAGES

he Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Family, held in October 2014, and the upcoming Ordinary Synod on the Family in October 2015 have made reflection on the vocation and mission of the family, both in the Church and in the modern world, very timely. Over the next year, therefore, Theology 101 will explore the Church’s teaching on many of the themes being considered by the two synods.

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

In order to understand the Church’s teaching on mixed and inter-religious marriage, it is necessary to first understand the meaning or purpose of marriage. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches the end of marriage is twofold: “the good of the spouses themselves and the transmission of life.” Further, since married couples have the mission to transmit human life, they also have the mission to educate their children.

The Church’s teaching As one might guess, the Catholic Church discourages mixed marriages because of the difficulties that may arise in the relationship due to the couple not sharing the same religious beliefs. Christian disunity in the heart of the home over differences about faith and, especially, over the education of children can introduce significant tension into and put tremendous strain on the marriage. Perhaps even worse for the life of faith, the couple might be tempted to religious indifference as a way of avoiding such tension. At the same time, the catechism states that a difference of religious confession between

the spouses does not represent “an insurpermission of Church authority in order mountable obstacle” to the marriage. For for the marriage to be valid. For the Cathoexample, the couple can successfully navigate lic entering into an inter-religious marthe dangerous waters of a mixed marriage riage, a dispensation is required because by focusing on what they share in common the act of marrying a non-believer actually about belief in Christ and by their willingrepresents an impediment to the validity of ness to respectfully learn from each other the marriage. how each seeks to live in fidelity to Christ. Of course, the difficulties and temptations Current concerns inherent in mixed marriages can be further aggravated in inter-religious marriages beThe topic of mixed and inter-religious cause notions of faith, marriage and worldmarriages was covered in the preparatory view can be significantly different. Consedocument, the midterm report and the quently, the Church calls for even greater final report for the Extraordinary Synod of pastoral care in the case of an inter-religious Bishops on the Family. While the bishops marriage in the hope that the pitfalls can be noted that such marriages can encouravoided and that the Catholic spouse can ful- age greater ecumenism and inter-religious fill his or her specific task as delineated in the dialogue, they were primarily concerned catechism: through about the pastoral sincere married love, challenges that often CATECHISM QUIZ the humble and accompany these patient practice of unions. The formaThe vocation and mission of the the family virtues, tion of children in family in both the Church and the and perseverance the Catholic faith, modern world is at the center of the in prayer to prepare in particular, stood Synod of Bishops. Test your own the non-believing front and center as knowledge of the Church’s teachspouse to accept the an issue. ing on the family by answering the “grace of conversion.” More specifically, following: the Vatican News The Christian family is both a Ecclesiastical reported the conspecific revelation and realization permission? versation on mixed of ecclesial communion and should and inter-religious therefore be called a(n) marriages primarThe Code of Canily arose within the on Law (1059) asserts, A. alternative church context of a debate “Even if only one B. domestic church on the Church in party is Catholic, the C. apostolic church the Middle East and marriage of CathoD. privileged church in North Africa. For lics is governed not only by divine law example, the bishops but also by canon were concerned law …” This is imabout the state of portant because the Christian spouses code goes on to state in Canon 1066, “Before and their children involved in inter-religious a marriage is celebrated, it must be evident marriages with Muslims in Muslim countries that nothing stands in the way of its valid where Christians do not enjoy equal rights and licit celebration.” with Muslim citizens. The fact is that marriage is a sacrament, The bishops also were concerned with and therefore a liturgical act which should cases in which civilly divorced Catholics, be celebrated in the public liturgy of the unable to obtain a declaration of nullity, leave Church. Further, marriage introduces the the Church for another Christian confession couple into an ecclesial order, creating in order to remarry in that church. Irrespecrights and duties in the Church between tive of the specific issue, the bishops clearly the spouses and toward their children. It is were calling for constructive responses to a state of life in the Church requiring the these challenges so that they could be transconsent of the spouses and their lifelong formed into opportunities “to walk towards commitment. Consequently, marriage should the fullness of marriage and the family in the reflect ecclesiastical form. light of the Gospel.” For the Catholic entering into a mixed – All quotes from Catechism of the Catholic Church 16341637, 2363, & 2367 unless otherwise noted. marriage, this means he or she needs the

AT A GLANCE:

Catholics in the United States In October 2007, the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA) at Georgetown University published the results of “Marriage in the Catholic Church: A Survey of U.S. Catholics.” CARA had been commissioned to conduct the study by the Committee on Marriage and Family Life of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Here is some of what CARA discovered about mixed and interreligious marriages among U.S. Catholic respondents:

Is your spouse Catholic?

Answer: (B) domestic church (CCC 2204)

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72% Catholic 21% Protestant or other 7% No religion .1% Jewish

Spouse considering becoming Catholic? 94% No

6% Yes

ARE YOU SAVED?

Christianity finds its roots and foundations. Even though most of the Jewish people did not accept Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, we know that God loves them and is faithful to his promises to them. The bishops also condemned any persecution of the Jewish people or any anti-Semitism. Instead, we are to imitate Christ whose love, even to his death on the cross, is the model for our behavior. The bishops then concluded: “We cannot truly call on God, the Father of all, if we refuse to treat in a brotherly way” all others, each of whom is created in the image of God. There are no grounds for any discrimination between us and followers of these religions because we all share a common human dignity. (NA 5) Now, to go back to the opening question, where does this lead us as Catholics? Another document of the Council called Ad Gentes, about the missionary work of the Church, has this to say: “Although in ways known to himself, God can lead those, who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men.” (AD, 7) So, let us all give witness to our love of Jesus and so make him known to all, bringing the fullness of truth to their searches for the meaning of life. In this way, we are truly providing bread for the world.

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

Pope John XXIII leads the opening session of the Second Vatican Council in St. Peter’s Basilica Oct. 11, 1962. The council’s four sessions and 16 landmark documents opened dialogue with other churches and non-Christians, amongst other things.

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We begin with the truth that all come from God and all are being called back to communion with God. Each religion seeks to answer the ultimate questions about humanity’s origin, purpose and end: “What is the meaning, the aim of our life? What is moral good, what is sin? Whence suffering and what purpose does it serve? Which is the road to true happiness?” (NA, 1) Each non-Christian religion tries to address the yearnings of the human heart “by proposing ways comprising teachings, rules of life, and sacred rites.” (NA, 2) Whatever is true and holy in these matters, the Catholic Church reveres, because whatever is true is a reflection of Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. (Jn 14:6) Thus, the bishops urged all of us to engage in dialogue, in prudence and love, with followers of other religions. The bishops especially cited our relationship with Islam, recognizing the many truths and values held by Muslims. They concluded: “Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Muslims, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.” (NA 3) Of course, the bishops recognized our special and particular relationship with Judaism where

CNS photo/L’Osservatore Romano

“A

re you saved?” How many times have you been asked this question? And how many times have we thought this very same question about others who do not share our Christian faith? Fifty years ago, the bishops of the world gathered in Rome for the Second Vatican Council and dealt with this second matter in their decree, Nostra Aetate, on the relation of the Catholic Church to non-Christian religions. This decree started from the line in Lumen Gentium, “Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related in various ways to the People of God.” (LG,16)

from the bishop Bishop Earl Boyea is the fifth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing

Follow Bishop Boyea on Twitter @BishopBoyea

yourstories Profile of an

EVANGELIST

Each Sunday, the Diocese of Lansing airs the televised Outreach Mass. The Mass airs at 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on WLAJ Lansing TV3 and at 10 a.m on WBSF-TV Flint Channel 46 (CW Network)

FOR 30 YEARS Lisa has been bringing the Mass home

n 1984, Lisa Whiting Dobson volunteered to oversee the inaugural taping of the Outreach Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing on Christmas Eve. “I came in and helped put it on the air,” Lisa says. “And I’ve never left.”

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That was 30 years ago, and Lisa has not missed the taping of a televised Mass since then. When Lisa began taping the outreach Mass, she was not Catholic or a member of any denomination. But her role in the Outreach Mass opened Lisa’s eyes to the practice of the faith, the Gospel message and the Eucharist. In 1989, after five years of outreach Masses, Lisa realized the words she had heard week after week had begun to sink in. She converted to Catholicism. Lisa and the production crews see the Mass differently than parishioners in the pew. “My favorite shot in the Mass is of the priest holding the Eucharist up. We have to shoot from over his shoulder and the Eucharist fills the screen and it’s just so powerful.” By Marybeth Hicks | Photography by Tom Gennara

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By Rose Robertson | Photography by Jim Luning

Knife and fork: ©DollarPhotoClub/mylisa, Plate: ©DollarPhotoClub/karandaev

“HOLY GROUND” IS NOT A TERM you would normally imagine when viewing a small, institutional, beige room, dotted with a few card tables and bakers’ shelving. But there isn’t a better way to exemplify the food bank located at St. John the Baptist Church in Ypsilanti. It is truly holy ground. “I can’t tell you how much I feel God here,” exudes Sarah Scholl, food bank coordinator. “I know it’s him because it all feels good. Even when things get crazy there is something that comes along that says, ‘I got this,’ and I know it’s the Spirit. When we do prayer I get a little electric charge about 95 percent of the time.”

“I WORK IN THE PANTRY AS A WAY TO PAY BACK. I CAN’T TAKE ANYTHING IF I AM NOT GIVING ANYTHING.”

For information on volunteering at a food pantry or soup kitchen in your area, contact your local Catholic Charities agency: Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee & Hillsdale Counties www.catholiccharitiesjlhc.org 517.263.2191 18

Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County www.csswashtenaw.org 734.971.9781

Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties www.catholiccharitiesflint.org 801.232.9950

Livingston County Catholic Charities www.livingstoncatholiccharities.org 517.545.5944

St. Vincent Catholic Charities www.stvcc.org 517.323.4734

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SARAH’S SENSITIVITY TO THE NEEDS of the poor comes from first-hand experience. “We lived in a Salvation Army for a bit when I was a little kid. There used to be a cereal with peanuts and I remember rancid peanuts with sour milk. That taste has never left. And then when I had small children and lived in Texas, we received food boxes. I work in the pantry as a way to pay back. I can’t take anything if I am not giving anything.” Sarah wears her compassion like a scarf draped around her neck. She speaks of a client who does not have any electrical power and uses a bike for transportation. “He is a very sweet guy. For him we look for things that don’t need power to prepare. The year we gave him gloves and a scarf, he thought it was a treasure. Often, someone will come in tears needing this service and they ask you for one more thing and you end up having several things that will make their life better. That’s when I thank God for sending them and for my ability to be here. Many won’t leave until they hug you. The last few months I’ve been the one who stands at the door and says ‘God bless you. Have a good night.’ Most of them light up and that’s such an amazing grace.” Grace is something Sarah feels an abundance of these days. Raised Episcopalian, she always felt a spiritual connection, but was drawn to the Catholic Church because “The Episcopalians were becoming too secular for me. On some things you have to follow what is real.” Sarah and her husband went through the RCIA process and were received into the Church in 2006. Since then she has received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Siena Heights. Sarah is now in a spiritual direction program, and her husband is in the diaconate formation program. “It has been a wild and crazy ride. I have had a blast being part of the Catholic Church. I love that it is so full of Christ.” The food bank is not new to St. John’s, but the organization has been revamped. In 2007, Sarah, perplexed at the inaccessibility of the food bank, began to ask questions, digging for a way to provide more accessibility to the clientele. In 2008, Sarah, knowing the current coordinator was resigning, invited others interested to join her in a brainstorming session on how to improve services. She was joined by two other women, one of whom is Shirley Green, co-coordinator, who remains as dedicated to the mission as Sarah. “We opened on Holy Thursday in 2008 and no one came. We literally sent a man out with a sign that read ‘Do You Want Food?’ The pantry that had been here was not really giving out food so it had lost its credibility. I think the next week, we got five people. We had to completely rebuild the program.” Together, and over time, they formulated a well-functioning system. Today, the food bank serves as many as 40 families on a weekly basis, which can represent more than 120 people. Families must present valid Washtenaw County ID, and are allowed to visit the food bank once a month. A card catalogue on site tracks when food is picked up to ensure the regulation of distribution. Each family receives up to three bags of food, depending on what is in stock at the time. One bag will contain canned goods and side dishes, a second bag produce and, if available, a third bag has meat.

What is available depends partially on food donations from the parish, but mostly on what Food Gatherers, Washtenaw County’s primary food bank, has to offer. This food must be purchased. Each year, Sarah applies for a grant that comes directly from Food Gatherers and indirectly from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The parish supplements what the grant does not cover. “You order from Food Gatherers and if you order USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] or program foods, they will deliver. They deliver on Thursday and we distribute Thursday night. Night was a very specific choice because I have known too many people with part- time jobs who can’t get here in the daytime. We are open one evening a week and for one hour from 6:30 to 7:30. When the doors open, clients are invited to come in and take a seat. Most food banks make them wait outside.” Sarah currently works with about 20 other volunteers to make the St. John Food Bank a success. Three or four volunteers come in early Thursday afternoon to unload the food delivery, and another crew will bag the food between 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. An additional 12 volunteers are available during the distribution hour to gather the bags and carry them for the clients. Shirley Green covers Thursday afternoon, handling paperwork and overseeing the volunteers, while Sarah comes in later. “When people ask me, ‘How does the pantry run?’ I tell them God does his thing. These volunteers are so wonderful. He wants us feeding his sheep. If we don’t feed them physically, we can’t feed them spiritually. When you don’t know where your next meal is coming from, how do you hear his voice? “We pray before we start every week. In prayer, we ask that they see Christ in us and we see Christ in them. To be Christ for them. People need to know that we love them as they are or at least feel it,” she says. And feel it they must. A prayer box is available for any of the clients to submit their intentions. Prayers range from the usual plea for a job, to the alcoholic struggling for recovery or the parent requesting prayers for a child battling cancer. “You don’t get to see this side of people generally, but this situation opens the spiritual door. We divvy up the prayer cards and the volunteers take them home to pray for them and their specific needs,” she says. When asked what she hopes her children and grandchildren have learned from her experiences, Sarah, without hesitation, says, “Love. Love of God. Love of self. Love of neighbor. And that God never fails.” Her love of God exuberantly spills from her demeanor. As for her feelings regarding the food pantry, her face lights up like the fireworks on the Fourth of July. “This is my baby. It is very loved. God graces me to be here,” she says.

“We lived in a Salvation Army for a bit when I was a little kid. There used to be a cereal with peanuts and I remember rancid peanuts with sour milk. That taste has never left.”

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Called to witness in Rwanda, Jen sees HEROISM, STRONG HEARTS, SELFLESSNESS

never experienced true darkness until I went to Rwanda. There I seemed to sit on top of the world looking at the thousand hills from which the country receives its nickname. In the still and the quiet the moon cut through some clouds, but even that did not cut the absolute darkness. Only the lights of the Marian Shrine at Kibeho and a few cooking fires in the distance disturbed the blackness. With all that I had seen in the past few days, the darkness was both a comfort and disquieting.

Rwanda is a place of contradictions for me. We arrived after dark to the cacophony of a town heading out to enjoy a Saturday night. The next morning, a bit more rested and able to take an impression of the country, left me associating light, life and music with this people. The sun streamed in at full force by 6 a.m., and for the next several hours the only sounds were church choirs. Multiple Catholic parishes within hearing distance of the retreat center provided incredible music thanks to four or five Masses each, staggered throughout the morning. When we ventured into the city, we saw familiar sights. Construction of new office buildings, groundskeepers in parks, shops and restaurants and all the other activities that make you understand some things about day-to-day life are universal. Suddenly that familiarity is lost. A large floral arrangement is handed to us to carry. On it a ribbon, which states, “Genocide, Never Again. CRS.” As the scent of roses permeates the van, the reality that this beautiful, bustling country was immersed in a

Allow me to back up and explain how I came to spend a dark night at a retreat center in a small African nation. Last spring, I applied to the Called to Witness program of Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Every few years, CRS takes a few youth ministry professionals to a country in which CRS operates to learn, experience and be challenged spiritually. Upon return, we are asked to share our stories and experiences, and create youth ministry events and resources. More than a fair trade in my opinion. 20

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

By Jennifer Delvaux

horrific genocide just 20 years ago intrudes. Then there are the people. The three boys only a few years old, whose names I never learned, who taught me generosity and selflessness. These boys, who exist in a village that teeters just on the healthy side of malnutrition, quietly, slowly and with great care fed each other, making certain the youngest, who had not yet mastered the spoon, received his share. There is the business student, studying in order to bring his dreams of creating his own business to fruition. His ultimate goal, so humbly stated, is to make the community stronger, to put his business and financial gains to use for the common good. The teens on the youth Peace and Reconciliation Council who brought their community together when post-genocide fallout was too much for the adults. These youths saw the fact that their community could not survive fractured – full of hate and fear. They found ways to slowly bring the parish and community back together until finally their elders realized there was a way to move forward. There are names and faces that I will carry in my heart, honored at the privilege of meeting them. Jean Vie is an agronomist with CRS Rwanda. He was able to convey the heart and soul of a discussion, not just the literal translation. He knew every inch of the land and what one could grow in that inch that would most help the community. He listened to everyone and could make even the most staid and sober elder smile. Then there was Pascasie. For months, I saw her name on paperwork and knew she would be important; after all, she was the one carting us all over her country. I did not anticipate how much she would truly give us. Not only did she open the country to us, she opened

her heart. She made it possible for us to learn to love the people, places and stories as she did. With her, I remember the small things. The breakfast conversation about strong hearts that could be understood properly only when you learn she held her newborn in hiding for two weeks during the genocide before being able to flee to the jungle. I will remember her embracing victims and perpetrators with equal warmth and compassion. That night at Kibeho, as I stood overlooking the dark of night, unpolluted by streetlights, I sat silently and reflected. St. Augustine cautioned us all those years ago, “People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.” In Rwanda, I saw all that I or any human being could be. I was faced with the heartless cruelty that could lead to the slaughter of a million people in just three months. I was astounded by the acts of bravery to protect neighbors and strangers. There was abject poverty, malnutrition and disease. There was a growing economy, educational opportunities and people committed to serving all of God’s children. In that darkness, I came to wonder what sort of person I could grow to be. I came to wonder how I could follow in the footsteps of kind little boys, heroic women and peaceful youths. The Called to Witness program of Catholic Relief Services offers global experiences for youth ministers to help them learn about the work of the Church around the world. For more information on Catholic Relief Services, visit www.CatholicRelief.org.

Three children at the nutrition site sharing a plate of food.

Jean Vie helping with translation at a local school.

Teens on the Peace and Reconciliation Council.

A boy at the refugee vocation center.

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Marybeth Hicks and Craig Pohl kick off the diocesan assembly, Announce the Gospel.

Called to announce the Gospel!

astors and parish leaders gathered for two days, Nov. 19-20, to become energized by the Holy Spirit and to hear speakers explain how to engage in the New Evangelization. This Diocesan Assembly was the culmination of a year of prayer in response to Bishop Boyea’s pastoral letter, Go and Announce the Gospel of the Lord, and was the first of three assemblies that will continue our call to discipleship and evangelization. Participants left with some key points: • First and foremost, we are all called to prayer. The bishop asked that every person pray for our diocese, for evangelization and that we all become intentional disciples of Jesus Christ. 22

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

• Parishes are being asked by the bishop to present at least two encounter opportunities, such as Christ Renews His Parish, Life in the Spirit, Cursillo and others. • Pastoral teams are encouraged to create a structure for discipleship groups in the parish to which all parishioners can be invited and welcomed to join. • Every parish is unique and has its own set of circumstances. This process is not a program and therefore depends on the discernment of the pastor and his team. Each parish will decide how they are going to engage in this. Approximately 850 people heard speakers that included Deacon Ralph Poyo, Sister Ann Shields, Dr. Dan Keating, Claudia Sailsman, Ileana Iglesias, Father Michael White and Brian Crook. The next assembly will occur in 2016 and all Catholics in the Diocese of Lansing will be invited to participate. For more information about the New Evangelization, contact Craig Pohl, director of the Office of New Evangelization, cpohl@dioceseoflansing.org.

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Photography by Don Quillan

yourcommunity things to do: Jan.14, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., the Respect Life Ministry at St. Patrick Parish in Brighton will host Al Kresta for a talk on the “Cultural aftermath of Roe v. Wade and how can we instill change.” There will be an opportunity for Q&A. All are welcome. Free-will offering. Contact respectlifestpat@gmail.com for more information. Jan. 23-24, Retrouvaille Weekend Retreat in Spanish at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt for couples experiencing problems. Cost: $250. For information, contact Melvin and Silvia Morales at 3053@retouvaille.org. Jan. 23-March 27, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., a Divorce and Beyond Support Group, for those who are divorced or have filed for divorce, will help participants understand what they are going through. It is held at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Brighton. For information or to register, contact Sister Maryetta Churches at 810.229.8624. Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m., Lansing Catholic High School (LCHS) will host its winter community information evening. It is open to families with children of all ages to learn about what LCHS has to offer. Families will be taken on a school tour, attend breakout sessions and attend a Q&A session. Registration is not required, but is appreciated. Please contact Karen Gavin at karen.gavin@lansingcatholic.org or 517.267.2102 to register.

lansingcee.org or www.lansingcee.org. Feb. 11, 6 p.m., Resurrection School will have its Kindergarten Round-up. To register, call Resurrection School at 517.487.0439. Feb. 20-22, Project Rachel Retreat offers a supportive, confidential and non-judgmental environment where women can express painful post-abortive emotions to begin the process to heal. For information or to register, contact Sandy Buza at 800.453.2081 ext. 652 or sbuza@ dioceseofsaginaw.org. Feb. 21, St. Martha Council of Catholic Women one-day retreat: Enjoy a day away with other women to re-charge your batteries, hear encouraging speakers and engage in discussions and relaxing activities at St. Martha Catholic Church, 1100 W. Grand River Ave. in Okemos. For information and to register, visit the parish website at www.st-martha.org or call the parish office at 517.349.1763. Feb. 28, 6 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School’s 14th annual Educational Trust Fund Benefit, “Goin’ to Graceland” at the Sheraton Hotel, Ann Arbor. For more information, call 734.821.2208 or email cpierce@stfrancisa2.org. March 20, Livingston County Catholic Charities

Feb. 7-8, a Catholic Engaged Encounter Retreat for marriage preparation within the context of Catholic faith and values will be held in Holly, Mich. Cost: $235. Registration and payment must be received by Jan. 23. For information or to register, contact Sue and Wayne Fransted at 810.588.4181, info@

Lenten Fish Fries

Catholic Community of St. Jude’s Knights of Columbus Council 7237: Fish fries are served Fridays, Feb. 20 to March 27 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cost: $8 seniors, $9 adults ($8 early bird special until 5 p.m.), $5 children 12 and under, and $30 family special. Takeout dinners are $8.

Queen of the Miraculous Medal, Jackson’s Knights of Columbus Council 609: Fish fries are served Fridays, Feb. 20 to March 27, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Drive-through and takeout available. Credit cards accepted. For information, call 517.783.2748.

Most Holy Trinity, Fowler’s Knights of Columbus: Fish fries are Fridays, Feb. 20-March 6, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

St. Agnes, Fowlerville’s Knights of Columbus 8605: Fish fries are served Fridays, 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. from Feb.

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will host its annual Salute to the Stars featuring a celebrity dance competition and celebrating 30 years of service in Livingston County. For more information, contact Catholic Charities at 417.545.5944 or visit livingstoncatholiccharities.org. March 20-21, Michigan Catholic Young Adult Conference will be held at St. Gerard Parish, 4437 W. Willow Hwy., Lansing. For ages 18-39, married, single, those in religious life, those searching – all are welcome. For information or to register, visit micyac2.org. March 20-22, REFLECT Weekend for mid-life singles, mid-30s to 50s, at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt. Cost of $160 includes meals, lodging and materials. Take a chance and get involved. For information and to register, call 989.450.0993, write to reflect.michigan@ gmail.com or visit www.ReflectRetreat.com. Attention Catholic single men and women mid-30s and older: Looking to meet new people? Make a New Year’s resolution to check out Lansing Catholic Singles, bringing together friends for fellowship and fun in a faith-filled environment. For more information and a complete calendar of upcoming events, visit lansingcatholicsingles.com, email lansingcatholicsingles@live.com or call 517.321.7886.

POST AND SEARCH CATHOLIC EVENTS IN YOUR AREA. FREE. QUICK. SIMPLE.

20 to March 27. Cost: $10 adults, $8 seniors and $6 for children 10 and under. Stations of the Cross will be at 6 p.m. in the church.

Friday, Feb. 20 to March 27, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Activities Center. Cost: $10 adults, $9 seniors (62+) and $5 children 6-11. Takeout available.

St. Anthony, Hillsdale’s Knights of Columbus: Fish fries begin Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18 to March 20, 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. followed at 7 p.m. with Stations of the Cross, including Good Friday.

St. Joseph, Gaines’ Knights of Columbus Council 12186: Friday Lenten fish and soup dinners from Feb. 20 to April 3, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the parish hall, 12145 Ray Rd. Cost: $10 adults and $8 children 6-12. For more information, call 810.429.1261.

St. Francis of Assisi, Ann Arbor: Fish fries begin Ash Wednesday, Feb. 18, and continue every

St. Joseph, Howell: Fish fries

Catholic Charities Livingston County Catholic Charities, 517.545.5944 or livingstoncatholiccharities.org Two WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation seminars will be held: Feb. 7, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Livingston County Catholic Charities, 2020 E. Grand River, Ste. 104, Howell; and Feb. 23, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 pm. and Feb. 24, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. at St. Patrick, Adult Faith Formation Center, Rm. A, 730 Rickett Rd., Brighton. Cost: $75. Registration forms available at http://livingstoncatholiccharities. org/?page_id=104. Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County, 734.971.9781 or ccsswashtenaw.org Two WE C.A.R.E marriage preparation seminars will be held: Jan. 16, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. and Jan. 17, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Catholic Social Services, 4925 Packard Rd., Ann Arbor; and Feb. 20, 6:30 p.m.-9 p.m. and Feb. 21, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at St. Andrew the Apostle, 910 Austin Dr., Saline. Cost: $95. Registration forms available at http://csswashtenaw.org/counseling/marriage-preparation/. Interested in becoming a foster parent? Our agency offers foster care for children who have been separated from their birth families for reasons of abuse and/or neglect. Foster care orientations are Jan. 8, 5:30 p.m. or Jan. 22, 9 a.m.-noon at 4925 Packard Rd, Ann Arbor. For information or to RSVP, please call 734.971.9781 ext. 448. There are no fees associated with becoming a licensed foster parent. Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, 810.232.9950 or catholiccharitiesflint.net Two WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation seminars will be held: Jan. 9, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and Jan. 10, 9 a.m.-noon at St. John the Evangelist, Family Center Rm. 201, 404 N. Dayton St., Davison; and Feb. 6, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-noon at Holy Family, Adult Ed Room, 110 Bush St., Grand Blanc. Cost: $75. Contact Catholic Charities for information and to request a registration form.

Available in Flint, free meals for those in need: • North End Soup Kitchen, 735 E. Stewart Ave.: hot meals are served seven days a week, 365 days a year, Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. • Holy Angels Soup Kitchen, 517 E. Fifth Ave., located in the lower level of the Center for Hope, formerly St. Michael School: hot meals are served Monday through Friday, noon to 1 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. • South Flint Soup Kitchen, 3410 Fenton Rd., in Lincoln Park United Methodist Church: hot meals are served Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to noon. Free clothing also is available. • Daily Sandwich Program prepares and distributes sack lunches at three community locations: Bread of Life, 2608 Maplewood, Flint; My Brother’s Keeper, 101 N. Grand Traverse St., Flint; and One Stop Housing Resource Center, 605 N. Saginaw St., Ste. 2, Flint For more information about Catholic Charities meal programs, call 810.785.6911. Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties, 517.782.2551 or catholiccharitiesjhc.org A WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation seminar will be held: Jan. 23, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and Jan. 24, 9 a.m.-noon at Queen of the Miraculous Medal, Seton Hall, 606 S. Wisner St. in Jackson. Cost: $75. Pre-registration and payment are required. For information and to register, call 517.782.2551. March 21, Smart Steps for Stepfamilies seminar for couples remarrying will be held at the Catholic Charities office, 199 N. Broad St. in Adrian. For information and to register, call 517.782.2551 St. Vincent Catholic Charities, Lansing, 517.323.4734 or stvcc.org Two WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation seminars will he held: Feb. 7 and Feb 14, 9 a.m.-noon at the Diocese of Lansing, Madonna Hall, 228 N. Walnut St., Lansing; and Feb. 21 and Feb. 28, 9 a.m.-noon at Cristo Rey, Guadalupe Hall, 201 W. Miller Rd., Lansing. Cost: $75. For information, call 517.323.4374 ext. 1700. For a registration form, visit www.stvcc.org.

Jan./Feb. café events Monday evenings, beginning Jan. 12, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., Alpha for Catholics at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, East Lansing in Father Mac Hall. Alpha is intended for those wanting to grow in understanding and faith, for those who are new to the Christian faith. Each of the 10 weekly sessions begins with a simple meal, followed by a short talk looking at a different aspect of the Christian faith. For information, contact Al Weilbaecher at 517.351.5460 or al@elcatholics.org. Jan. 20, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and Jan. 25, 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m., a new group of people wanting to learn about the Catholic Church will be starting the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults process at St. John Church and Student Center, 327 MAC Ave., East Lansing. Contact Pete Ries for information, 517.351.5460 ext. 1328 or pries@elcatholics.org. Jan. 25-28, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Livingston Vicariate Mission 2015, “The Lord is Risen, Do You Believe?” with Deacon Ralph Poyo at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Brighton. For information, email livingstonvicariate@gmail.com.

are served Fridays, Feb. 20 to March 27 from 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. There is a children’s plate and a senior discount. Dessert and takeout available. For more information, call the parish office at 517.546.0090 ext. 105.

begin Feb. 13 and continue every Friday of Lent until March 27, 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the parish hall. Cost: $9 adults and $4.50 children 5-16. Early bird, 4:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Stations of the Cross to follow in the church at 7 p.m.

St. Michael Parish, Grand Ledge: Fish fries every Friday, Feb. 20-March 27, 5 p.m.-7 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Cost: $9 adults, $7 seniors 65+ and $6 children 6-12. Family rate $32. Takeout is available.

St. Patrick, Ann Arbor: Lenten fish fries are at the parish hall, 5671 Whitmore Lake Rd on Fridays, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Cost: $9 adults, $8 seniors and $6 children 5-11. Beer and wine available/donation.

St. Joseph, St. Johns’ Knights of Columbus 328: Fish fries are served at 1180 N. U.S. 27 in St. Johns on Fridays from Feb. 20 to March 27, 4 p.m.-8 p.m. For early bird discount, come before 4:30 p.m.

St. Mary, Pinckney, Men’s Club: Fish fries are served on Friday during Lent from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. New individual cheese pizzas. Cost: $10 adults, $9 seniors and $5 children under age 12, with a family (immediate only) plan available at $35. Takeout available.

St. Paul, Owosso’s Knights of Columbus Council 1139: Lenten fish fries are at 1259 E. Main St. beginning Friday, Feb. 20 through Good Friday, April 3 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This is takeout only. Meals are $8.50 and include three pieces of fish, fries and coleslaw.

St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing: Fish fries are served Fridays, Feb. 20 to March 27 in the parish school gym, 955 Alton Rd. from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Options: dine in, takeout or drive through. Credit cards accepted. For information, call 517.351.7215.

St. Mary, Charlotte: Fish fries

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Sister Rita Wenzlick, OP, special assistant to Bishop Boyea and delegate for Consecrated Life, speaks at the gathering of Lansing women religious.

Diocese of Lansing women religious gather in Brighton Sixty sisters from around the Diocese of Lansing gathered on Sept. 20, 2014, at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Brighton. In addition to meeting and greeting one another, the women wanted to get to better know one another because they are all about the same thing – building up of the Kingdom of God. The day included prayer, process and Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Earl Boyea. According to Sister Rita Wenzlick, OP, special assistant to Bishop Boyea and delegate for Consecrated Life, more than 20 different religious communities were represented at the conference. Sister Rita says, “We have wanted to gather for more than two years – it had been over 10 years since we last gathered. We are really about the mission of the Church, even though we have distinct charisms in approaching that mission.” Sister Attracta Kelly, Prioress of the Adrian Dominican Sisters, led the process for the day, which put each individual in touch with her spirituality and provided the opportunity to share pieces of that spirituality with one another. The opening reflection was on the poem God’s Game, which reads:

“God of boundless horizons, I reach toward you. What words are there? I long, I pine, I ache, I desire, I thirst, even demand … God is my every breath.” Several of the day’s reflections centered around the sisters’ spirituality. One exercise from the “Beginning Well” was to pair up with another person for a brief conversation about spirituality. Another was based on asking the question, “What experience shaped your spirituality?” Another part of the day was a spirituality café, where the sisters linked their experience to the global reality, and remembered to respect each person’s unique perspective. They were asked to take action for justice, both individually and collectively. Sister Attracta Kelly closed the morning reflection with the poem Trasna:

“While you search your heart’s yearning: What am I seeking? What is my quest? When your star rises deep within, trust to its leading. You will have light for first steps. This is Trasna, the crossing place. Choose!” Several sisters have met since the conference to plan for the Year of Consecrated Life. In addition to other activities, there will be a diocesan-wide celebration of consecrated life on Sunday, Oct.4, 2015 at 2 p.m. at St. Mary Magdalen parish in Brighton for religious priests, sisters, religious brothers and consecrated virgins in the diocese. The public is welcome. 26

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

Those in attendance were: • Adrian Dominicans • Grand Rapids Dominicans • Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist • Servants of God’s Love • Religious Sisters of Mercy, Farmington • Religious Sisters of Mercy, Alma • Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, Joliet • Sisters of Saint Paul de Chartres • Congregation of the Most Precious Blood • Congregation of Sisters of Saint Joseph • South-Central Community of Mercy Sisters • Sister, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary • Amityville Dominicans • Congregation of the Passion • Sisters of the Living Word, Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence • Sisters of Atonement • Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Third Order of Saint Francis • Sisters of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary • Order of Saint Francis, Sisters of Charity • Servants of the Lamb of God

Photography by Don Quillan

FAITH is 15! On the feast of the Immaculate Conception in 2000, FAITH magazine began in the Diocese of Lansing. It was a millennial gift to the diocese from Bishop Carl Mengeling, and it started with three employees – a designer, a writer/ editor, and an administrative assistant. FAITH’s mission is rooted in the New Evangeliza-

tion – to connect people with Jesus and his Church. Thanks to the vision of Bishop Mengeling and our current bishop, the Most Rev. Earl Boyea, FAITH has grown. In addition to the original FAITH magazine for the Diocese of Lansing, we now publish 34 titles with 1.3 million readers. In 2009, Bishop Boyea merged FAITH with the

diocese’s other publishing company, Liturgical Commission Publishings, to form FAITH Catholic. We provide commentaries and homilies to more than 11,000 subscribers, most of whom are priests. FAITH Catholic also produces liturgical products and diocesan websites – and manages MassTimes.org and CatholicEventFinder.com. As we look forward to

the next 15 years, we ask for your prayers to help us spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

‘Called to the Collar’, a CNN documentary featuring the Diocese of Lansing, aired in November 2014

T. Gennara

Called to the Collar, an investigative program on CNN that highlighted vocations to the priesthood in Fowler, Mich., aired on Nov. 16 at 10 p.m. This was the latest program in the CNN documentary series, This Is Life with Lisa Ling, which focuses on “ordinary people with extraordinary lives.” Lisa Ling traveled to the Diocese of Lansing to find out more about why there are so many vocations to the priesthood coming out of the small rural town of Fowler. She interviewed a number of priests and seminarians in the diocese, including Fathers Gary and Todd Koenigsknecht, 26-year-old twins who were ordained in June. During the broadcast, Ling commented on a social media feed that she was really impressed with the priests’ humility. Another interview was with a younger Koenigsknecht brother, Lee, who is currently a seminarian. The twins, along with other priests from the diocese, spoke of the joys and challenges of the priesthood. Parents Agnes and Brian Koenigsknecht expressed pride that their sons chose the priesthood as their vocation, as did a group of mothers whose sons are seminarians. Keep watching your television schedule for information about when it will be aired again.

Diocese of Lansing Pilgrimage to the World Meeting of Families and Papal Mass, Philadelphia, September 2015 Includes: conference (Sept. 21-28 • Hotel package only) • Round trip motorcoach • Admission to Gianna transportation to Molla’s testimony Philadelphia • Three dinners • Registration fees for • S EPTA pass for weekend World Meeting of Families commute to Mass September 21-28, 2015 $2,034 per person double occupancy

September 24-28, 2015 $1,134 per person double occupancy

Triple and quad occupancy available For more information, or to find out about the early registration discount, contact Chris Shewchuck: 810.333.2945 or visit ctscentral.net

C. Asadian

Parishioners turn one mustard seed into 100,000 meals

Jan. 16 and 30, and Feb. 13 and 27, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing will have Destination Marriage, a special marriage enrichment program that invites married couples to begin the new year by taking some quality time for themselves. Join us on four Friday evenings for food and social time and presentation/discussion in Father Mac Hall. Child care provided, but requires advance request. For information, contact Deacon James and Karen Kasprzak at dcnjim@elcatholics.org or kkasprzak@elcatholics.org. Registration is available at www.elcatholics.org. Feb. 7, St. Patrick Church in Brighton will host the fifth annual Marriage Enrichment Conference, “Marriage ... Faith and Finances.” Randy and Therese Cirner and Thomas Zordani will be the featured speakers. Cost is $65/couple including breakfast and lunch. To register and for more information, visit www. idoforlife.org. March 20-22, a Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend in Lansing is an opportunity for married couples to get away from the rest of the world and really focus on each other. For information, contact Harry and Karen Potter at 888.628.7433 or apply online at www.wwme.org.

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

C. Asadian

Fridays in January at 6:30 p.m., St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Brighton, will host “The Marriage Course - 8 Great Dates” for couples. For just-married, to family-busy, to empty-nesters and beenmarried-forever couples. Child care provided. For information or to register, call Sandi Phillips at 810.229.8624.

C. Asadian

Year for Marriage events

“These are my hands. It’s a day I will use them to serve. I will use them to feed families around the world and around the corner.” Those are the words more than 350 volunteers from St. Mary Magdalen in Brighton recited on Nov. 1 before packaging 40,000 meals for adults and children suffering from malnutrition around the world. Teaming with Kids Against Hunger Coalition, a humanitarian relief organization, volunteers got to work early on Nov. 1, the first of multiple packaging days. The parish will, in total, put together about 100,000 meals over the coming year. After Father Dave Howell urged parishioners to “pay it forward,” Ron and Peggy Weingartz approached him about working with the nonprofit organization. And what started off as a mustard seed sprouted into a congregation-wide mission to fight world hunger. An anonymous donor contributed $4,000 in “seed money,” which was then passed out to parishioners in denominations of between $20 and $100, according to Peggy. Parishioners of all ages used their talents – whether it was holding a lemonade stand or auctioning off gourmet meals – to turn $4,000 into about $40,000. The original seed money was

returned to the donor. “This is the first … parish-wide thing that I’ve been involved in in quite a while,” Peggy says. “No one can deny the need. It’s not politically charged; it’s just a good thing to do.” Volunteers filled two large halls at St. Mary Magdalen, and each person was assigned an ingredient to add to the food packages. It took less than two hours for parishioners to make 40,000 meals. One bag – which costs $1.68 to make – feeds six adults or 12 kids, and the meals are designed to provide a rich source of protein, carbohydrates and vitamins. They contain white rice, crushed soy, a blend of six dehydrated vegetables and 21 vitamins and minerals. “Every one of these ingredients basically gives the meal its powerpacked punch. The soy is 52 percent protein. It has the equivalence of three pieces of red meat without the fat,” says Michael Burwell, executive director of the coalition. “The chicken seasoning, though it has a high sodium content, actually helps retard tapeworms in Third World countries’ kids’ intestines.” One-third of the packages are sent to about 20 different countries, one-third are shipped to local area shelters and one-third are held for natural disaster relief. – Cari Ann DeLamielleure-Scott

New book on consecrated life Dr. Eileen Jaramillo, a judge in the Tribunal for the Diocese of Lansing and a consultant to religious communities, has published a new book, Evolving into a Vibrant Religious Institute: When Charism Harmonizes with the Catholic Church. This small book seeks to foster a stronger understanding of consecrated life. It includes an overview of the solitary and communal forms of consecrated life, and the stages involved in forming a new religious community. Using a variety of sources, it also paints a picture of the new communal forms that are developing in the United States and other countries. Since the Year of Consecrated Life began on the first Sunday of Advent, Nov. 30, 2014, and continues until the World Day of Consecrated Life on February 2, 2016, the book comes at an appropriate time. Dr. Jaramillo’s book is available from www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com

Book by Parenting Journey columnist Cathleen McGreal The Cave: Hearing God’s Voice, by Cathleen Erin McGreal, PhD, is a story embracing our spiritual journeys based on the verse from Scripture, “If today you hear God’s voice, harden not your hearts.” The process that transforms a rock to a cave is one that symbolizes the transformations that open our own hearts throughout our lives. Whatever your age and wherever the voice of God has led you, the story of The Cave will lead you to ponder how letting go can lead to growth and fulfillment. Dr. McGreal’s book is available from www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com

ACROSS

DOWN

2 Generally a diocese that includes a major city or population center 5 An acronym for prayer and a history of the apostolic age 8 From the Greek for “sojourning in a foreign land” 9 The Mass related to Trent 10 “Golden-mouthed” saint who said, “A comprehended god is no god.” 13 A.k.a. bishopric or episcopal see 15 One of two names for Moses’ father-in-law 16 Members of the priestly tribe of Israel 17 Originally the name of one of the divisions of the Roman Empire 18 From the Latin for character, manner or proper behavior 19 Zeal for this is one of the six dimensions of faith formation 20 A saint from Tours who is the patron of the U.S. Quartermaster Corps

1 Honorary title given to the best of the Church’s teachers 3 Instruction by word of mouth 4 Fishing village on the Sea of Galilee 6 Canticle John of the Cross’ mystical love story 7 He was the first U.S. bishop 11 Revealing last book of the New Testament 12 Some claim centering prayer is a Christian form of this 13 Official title of the Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation 14 “I believe”

Consumers Energy donates computer equipment worth $3,800

outdated equipment, our time spent with maintenance and troubleshooting is significantly reduced and staff can focus on what they love to do, helping others.” According to Sue, “Through grants, equipment donations and, of course, encouraging their staff and retirees to volunteer and serve, Consumers Energy has long been an essential partner of Catholic Charities.”

Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee & Hillsdale Counties received a generous donation of electronic equipment valued at $3,800 from Consumers Energy. “These computers, monitors and keyboards are a welcome gift,” says Sue Lewis, executive director. “By replacing

See answers on page 31

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The pope in Turkey making strides toward unity

In Istanbul on Nov. 29, Pope Francis released a dove into the air before celebrating a Holy Mass at the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis visited Turkey in late November to meet with political and religious leaders to begin building bridges between Islam and Christianity. The pontiff had a busy agenda over the course of three days, including holding a special Mass for the small Catholic population in Istanbul and condemning violence against religious minorities in the Middle East. He called for political, religious and academic leaders to condemn the violence carried out in the name of Islam as against the Quran. One of the biggest issues on the table was Ecumenical making peace between Islam and Christianity, Patriarch Bartholomew I two religions that were able to coexist in peace blessed Pope in the past. Both Pope Francis and Ecumenical Francis during Patriarch Bartholomew I, the leader of Orthodox prayer at the Christians, called for dialogue with Islam based Patriarchal on “mutual respect and friendship.” In their comChurch of St. George in mon declaration, the two leaders said that ChrisIstanbul on tians and Muslims are “called to work together Nov.29, 2014. for the sake of justice, peace and respect for the dignity and rights of every person.” Another important area of concern while the Pope was in Turkey was the relationship between the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Pope Francis and Bartholomew participated in an ecumenical liturgy, and Pope Francis bowed to Bartholomew at the end of a joint prayer service to ask for the leader’s blessing “for me and the Church of Rome.” The pope’s visit and the relationship between the two religious leaders has provided hope that the schism that has existed between the two churches for almost 1,000 years can be healed.

“I prayed for Turkey, I prayed for the mufti, I prayed for myself because I need it, and I prayed above all for peace and an end to war.” – During a moment of prayer in

Reuters

Istanbul’s Blue Mosque

– On working with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I while in Turkey

FAITH Magazine • January/February 2015 • www.FAITHpub.com

Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran (right) greeted the pope outside of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul on Nov. 29.

I sincerely believe that you cannot say that all Muslims are terrorists just as you cannot say that all Christians are fundamentalists; every religion has these little groups.” – On his flight to Rome from Turkey

Reuters

“ Together we signed a declaration, renewing the commitment to continue along the path of the restoration of full communion between Catholics and Orthodox.”

Reuters

What POPE FRANCIS has been saying and doing recently

Reuters

pope watch

In Ankara on Nov. 28, 2014, Pope Francis walked in front of the honor guard with Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan at the presidential palace. Follow FAITH Pub on

PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS St. Genevieve | Feast Day: January 3

LPLT/Wikimedia Commons

Answers for page 29

e are all aware of the hunger that plagues our world, and the struggle of many to access clean water. We should give generously to agencies that bring food, water and vital supplies to those who hunger and thirst. But there are others who hunger and thirst in their hearts and souls. We shouldn’t neglect them either. Teens, for instance. They hunger for recognition. They thirst for love and attention. They want to be taken seriously, and have respect shown them. How do we relate to them? Then there are the elderly who spend lonely days and nights alone or in nursing homes waiting for visits from children, grandchildren and friends. They, too, hunger and thirst. Are you the owner of a business or do you supervise others in the company where you work? Try to be aware of those employees under your watch who are perhaps longing for a good word from last word you, waiting for your appreciation Father Charles for their dedication and efforts. Irvin is the Spouses need to hear a “good founding editor of FAITH word” from one another from Magazine and is time to time. A spouse can never retired. be told enough that you love him or her. The same for your kids. Your mom and, yes, your dad may be hungering and thirsting for your appreciation of all they do for you, and to hear those magical words “I love you” fall from your lips. Hugs don’t hurt either. And don’t forget priests, the parish secretary and others who minister to you in your parish. They hear plenty about what’s wrong in the Church. You have no idea what a good word or two can do for them. Your good word may inspire them to strive even harder to preach well and to serve you better. Those who hunger and thirst are all around us, some much closer than we may think. Certainly, we all are busy and concerned about many things. But let’s you and I spend a moment or two thinking about those we know and love who may be hungering and thirsting for some love and attention we can give them. Remember that when we die and meet Jesus, he is going to take the measure of us. He’s not going to measure our heads; he’s going to measure our hearts. T. Gennara

PUSH is an acronym for “Pray Until Something Happens” and St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, certainly did “PUSH.” St. Genevieve (approximately 422-512 A.D.) was born near Paris. She became a nun at 15 and was admired for her austerity, constant prayer, fasting and devotion to works of charity. However, she is perhaps best known for her response to Attila’s Huns as he was marching toward Paris in 451. The people of Paris were in a state of panic, and the city was preparing to evacuate, when St. Genevieve persuaded them to instead stay and begin fasting and praying. In short, she wanted them to “PUSH.” They did and, suddenly, the Huns changed the direction of their advance and Paris was spared. Although St. Genevieve was not able to protect the city forever, when Paris was conquered a few years later, in 464, she acted as an intermediary between the conquerors and the city. In this role, she was able to collect food for the citizens and convince the conquerors to release some of their prisoners. Fasting, for which St. Genevieve is known, helps us acquire mastery over our instincts and a freedom of heart as we wean ourselves from unhealthy dependencies. In prayer, our hearts are transformed through the personal encounter with God, and our prayer is transformed, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, into “the life of the new heart.” So, as we face challenges and obstacles along the path to holiness, let us remember St. Genevieve, the citizens of Paris and “PUSH.”

SPIRITUAL HUNGER

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Applications are available at DioceseofLansing.org/schools or your school office • Application Deadline is March 16, 2015 • Eligible grades are 6th-11th at any Diocese of Lansing Catholic school

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