May 2015

UNRAVELING

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

A victim in plain view.

It took an unlikely meeting

to change Anna’s life.

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Draw closer to the Blessed Mother this May

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BISHOP EARL BOYEA

is the fifth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing @BishopBoyea

OUR CATHOLIC PRESENCE IN FLINT IS QUITE VIBRANT. Our Catholic Charities and the N.E.W. Life Center have incredible ministries to the very poorest in our name. In addition, our parishes in the city are contributing in diverse ways to this kind of service. Powers Catholic High School is now located in the city of Flint, and many students are involved in various forms of service as well. We have a small but solid grade school at St. John Vianney, where many who are unchurched are successfully invited into membership in the Catholic Church. We have a small Newman ministry at St. Michael’s.

In addition, Father Fred Taggart and the Augustinian Fathers, who will, by the way, remain as residents at St. Matthew’s, have been wonderful participants in the priestly ministry of this diocese. We are glad that they will remain among us as senior priests. Father Santhiyagu, MSFS, who will be returning to his religious community in India in October, has served St. Mary’s so well over these years. Deacon Michael Dear has also served so well as administrator of St. Michael’s. The changes in all these assignments have opened a door for a new style of ministry in Flint.

While there is a vibrant presence and ministry in Flint (including services offered by the other parishes in and near the city), there is also a need to move beyond maintenance in some of our parishes in Flint.

An ad hoc committee has met several times to discuss this. Conversation also took place with the priests of the diocese at our last convocation. The consensus reached was that we need to do something different. We need to shift our focus more to mission. Part of that different focus will require a team approach.

With this in mind, I have asked Father Tom Firestone, pastor of St. John Vianney, to serve also as pastor of St. Mary, St. Michael and St. Matthew. For the time being, these four parishes will remain independent parishes with one pastor. Father Tom will have as his assistants: Father Daniel Kogut, who will remain as chaplain at Powers Catholic and will oversee the Newman chaplaincy in Flint; Father James Mangan, who will be returning from Rome where he will have completed his licenciate in sacred theology; and Father Zach Mabee, who will be a newly ordained priest this June. This is quite an investment of young priests by our diocese as we seek to proclaim anew the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this area of Flint.

Father Tom asked me not to design a plan for how all this will work out. Instead, he asked that he be allowed, with the help of his three associates, to determine how best to become missionary disciples and how best to help our Catholics to become missionary disciples.

One thing is clear, however, and that is that Father Tom will need the support and cooperation of all of us in this entire diocese to accomplish this good work of the Lord. The word “team,” does CHECK OUT not just refer to the group of priests assigned there. Rather, it refers to all of us in this diocese.

NEXT MONTH’S This is our mission as disciples of Jesus Christ. Jesus, at the very end, told his followers: “Go ISSUE OF FAITH therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Perhaps we cannot leave our own neighborhoods, MAGAZINE FOR where his mission is also important, but, at least by prayer, we can lift up this new mission in AN IN-DEPTH Flint. And, of course, we know we are never alone as Jesus assures us, “Behold, I am with your LOOK AT FAITH always, to the close of the age.” (Matt 28:19-20) IN FLINT 2

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COVER STORY UNRAVELING HUMAN TRAFFICKING P. 16

FOLLOW FAITH PUB P. 5

P. 14

P. 20

YOUR LIFE

YOUR FAITH

YOUR STORIES

6 m arriage matters

She says: ‘He won’t take his depression meds.’ He says: ‘I don’t like the side effects.’

What do they do?

7 w ork life

How long do I have to do my co-worker’s job as well as my own?

7 parenting journey

10 in the know

with Father Joe How can I care for the sick?

12 spiritual fitness

Draw closer to the Blessed Mother this May

8 aging

Make sure you tell your kids …

9 goodlife

Catholic and FREE at public university

20 feature story

‘After 50 years, joining the Catholic Church was ‘worth the wait’

22 concecrated life

Serving her patients and the Church

14 theology 101

New interpretations of what is considered a human right

Does prom have to be a 24-hour party?

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28 culture

Making the case for a Rosary

[The Church] is the house of Jesus and Jesus welcomes.

– At morning Mass on March 17 in Rome.

POPE WATCH P. 30

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CHAPEL DEDICATION

FAITH HELPS

DISCIPLESHIP

For personal reflection or small group discussion

D. Quillan

D. Quillan

1 2

D. Quillan

3 BLESSING OF SAINT JOHN PAUL THE GREAT CHAPEL AT LANSING CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL On Wednesday, March 25, 2015 – the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord – Bishop Boyea, joined by Bishop-emeritus Carl Mengeling and several priests from the Lansing area, blessed the newly built Saint John Paul the Great Chapel at Lansing Catholic High School. The chapel, constructed over the past 11 months, is part of the Heritage 2 Campaign under way at Lansing Catholic, a campaign that has raised $3.19 million for construction of the chapel, renovation of the auditorium, a second music classroom and practice rooms, and a weight room.

About 300 people were present for the dedication, many of whom had played a role in bringing the project to fruition. In 2005, this beautiful new chapel was just a dream for Tom Maloney, president of advancement, and Fr. Joe Krupp, former chaplain at the high school.

Lansing Catholic has been blessed with many generous donors, who have given gifts ranging from $2 to $200,000. It is this generosity that has allowed Lansing Catholic to erect this beautiful structure.

Blessing the new altar during Mass, Bishop Boyea said, “Here the sacrifice of Christ is enacted.”

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4 5

Profile of a Disciple

1. Do you think faith and sustainability can go handin-hand?

2. How do you, as a Christian, protect God’s creation?

Marriage Matters

1. Do you know someone suffering from depression?

If so, how have you been able to help them cope with their illness?

2. Can you recall Scripture passages in which Jesus had compassion for others?

Spiritual Fitness

1. How can you incorporate Mary into your daily routine?

Devotions? Simple prayers?

2. At what times in your life have you turned to Mary for guidance? Were you comforted?

Cover story

1. Were you surprised to discover that human trafficking exists so close to us? Does Anna’s story inspire you to help?

2. How can we become more aware of the poor and vulnerable in our midst?

Culture

1. Why do you personally find your rosary so comforting?

2. What other prayers do you turn to in stressful situations?

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YOUR LIFE

PROFILE OF A DISCIPLE

JANE ‘GOES GREEN’ FOR HER FAITH Faith and sustainability are a good fit

BY MARY KAY McPARTLIN PHOTOGRAPHY

BY DON QUILLAN

READ MORE OF JANE’S STORY ON YOUR TABLET. SEARCH FOR THE FAITH PUB APP.

Jane Esper Vogel believes attention to climate and stewardship of the earth are interchangeable, and also part of her Catholic faith. This belief draws her to connect the nonprofit Michigan Interfaith Power and Light (IPL) with her parish community at St. Francis in Ann Arbor.

“It’s really as a mother that I’m concerned about the changes in our climate system,” Jane says. “I really work hard on the narrative about why this attention to the changes in our climate system is important ... we are all called to be stewards of God’s creation.”

MAKE AN IMPACT In anticipation of Pope Francis’ upcoming encyclical on the environment, FAITH spotlights this sustainability project in our diocese. Check your local parish for similar efforts near you.

5

SHE SAYS

YOUR LIFE MARRIAGE MATTERS

HE WON’T TAKE HIS DEPRESSION MEDS Jim has been diagnosed with depression, and has been prescribed medication to treat it.

But Jim won’t stay on the meds long enough to find out if they work. Does “sickness and health” also include stubbornness?

HE SAYS

I DON’T LIKE THE SIDE EFFECTS

©DollarPhotoClub/pololia

I tried the medications, and I didn’t like the physical side effects, which are apparently pretty common. I can try beating this on my own, if Lindsey will just be a little more patient.

JIM AND LINDSEY’S PROBLEM is a common one. As many as 1 in 10 U.S. adults suffer from depression. It is a serious, but treatable, WHAT DO THEY DO condition, and most adults see improvement from medication, therapy or both. As it says in Scripture, “The Lord created medicines out of the earth, and the sensible will not despise them.” (Sir 38:4) Jim is right that anti-depressants commonly have side effects, including weight gain and low libido.

But Jim can ask his doctor to prescribe a different medication, which might help. For infections, people take antibiotics; for diabetes, people take insulin; and for depression, people take anti-depressants. There’s nothing shameful about it, and no need to reject the medical help that’s being offered.

Watching a loved one struggle with depression can be very hard on a spouse. It’s tempting to blame a depressed spouse for his symptoms or to slip into a caretaker role, but neither is a good reaction. With Jim’s permission, Lindsey can go with Jim to his next doctor’s appointment; they might want to discuss 6

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2015 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

whether seeing a psychiatrist would be a better choice. Ultimately, however, the treatment plan is up to Jim and his doctor. What Jim needs most is Lindsey’s encouragement, trust and emotional support.

Both Lindsey and Jim may be feeling anger, frustration and sadness, but they can take it to prayer rather than taking it out on each other. In a relatively calm moment, Lindsey can explain which of Jim’s symptoms or behaviors worry her the most. Jim can explain why he finds the side effects of the medication so bothersome. It will also help if the two of them choose to view the depression as an outside force CHECK OUT threatening the marriage. A husband and wife need to fight the depresPAGE 4 FOR sion together, not fight against one DISCIPLESHIP QUESTIONS TO another.

BE USED FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION OR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

Note: Nothing in this column is meant to provide psychological or medical diagnosis, treatment or opinion.

DR. MANUEL P. SANTOS AND KAREE SANTOS

are co-authors of a Catholic marriage advice book to be released by Ave Maria Press in 2016.

YOUR LIFE WORK LIFE

YOUR LIFE PARENTING JOURNEY

How long do I have to do my co-worker’s job as well as my own?

Q

My co-worker has been diagnosed with a nebulous-sounding ailment that involves her taking a lot of time off. I have been picking up much of the slack for her work.

How long is it reasonable for me to do one-and-a-half jobs for the price of one? Shouldn’t management be replacing her, or getting extra help?

DOES PROM HAVE TO BE A 24-HOUR PARTY? ©DollarPhotoClub/bst2012

Q

A

AROUND HERE, PROM SEEMS TO HAVE TURNED INTO A 24-HOUR-PLUS PARTY. My daughter is begging to attend all the prom activities, because “everyone else is.” I think it’s too much partying and she should come home right after the dance – am I being overly protective?

You’ve already answered your own question. You’re unconvinced that her sickness is legit. And whether it is or not is irrelevant. You’re tired of picking up the slack.

How long is it reasonable to do one-and-a-half jobs for the price of one? Apparently, as long as you’re agreeable.

If you’re paid on an hourly basis, it’s clearly not reasonable.

If you’re a salaried employee, it’s less clear:

A

When I was growing up in Southern California, my friends and I wanted to have an after-prom beach party to watch the sunrise. We never were able to negotiate that option! But the parents were able to arrange satisfying compromises.

“And lead us not into temptation …”

Many parents feel comfortable extending curfews for special occasions. This can be an opportunity to brainstorm healthy alternatives when “everyone else” wants to party in a way that can lead to poor choices. Use prom planning as a chance to communicate with your teen about possible responses to temptation. Alcohol is linked with many high-risk consequences, including traffic deaths and poor sexual choices. Sleep deprivation is another concern to discuss since that also is associated with risks, especially when driving.

1. Get clear on what you want.

Extra help, extra pay or less work?

2. Be soberly mindful of your perceived status as an employee. The greater your value, the more your leverage.

3. M ake your case with intelligence and tact. You’re a team player. You’re requesting resolution.

Suggest some possible options.

T. Gennara

T. Gennara

May your just cause be resolved fairly for the benefit of all parties.

Planning safe post-prom activities

JIM BERLUCCHI

is the executive director of the Spitzer Center.

DR. CATHLEEN MCGREAL

is a psychology professor and certified spiritual director.

Join other parents to explore what options are available in your community. For example, our local high school had a “lock-in” post-prom party at an athletic club. Another option would be to sponsor your own party with plenty of food, games and movies. Talk to the high school administrators to see what activities have been effective in the past.

It can be tempting to try to shelter our teens.

But giving them the opportunity to make positive choices in various situations while under our guidance is a useful life skill for early adulthood.

Pray Psalm 71:17.

7

AGING

BY THE NUMBERS

©DollarPhotoClub/michaeljung

Influence of

MAKE SURE YOU TELL YOUR KIDS …

A

s we age, we reflect on our own mortality, and the meaning of the Resurrection and eternal life. We’ve modeled faith to our children, and as we approach the last part of our lives, we have an opportunity to do that again, and also to give them some practical help for the time after our deaths.

Here are some things to do, and conversations to have, with your family or your heirs.

GO ONLINE VISIT TINYURL.COM/ MCC-ENDOFLIFE FOR THE MICHIGAN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE’S GUIDELINES ON END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS.

1.

Talk to them about what kind of care you want when recovery is no longer possible. Do you want palliative care only – ordinary care? Or do you want every possible measure taken to extend your time – extraordinary care? Consider establishing a medical durable power of attorney so that your instructions are followed.

2.

Tell your children you want to receive the sacrament of anointing of the sick (formerly Last Rites) if you are close to death and unable to speak for yourself.

3.

Make sure your heirs know you want a Catholic funeral.

Discuss whether you prefer cremation.

4.

Make sure your estate is in order: talk to an attorney about setting up a will or trust. If it’s the latter, make sure to follow the instructions to populate the trust.

5.

Let your children or heirs know how to find the things they’ll need after you die: your will or trust, titles for cars and real estate, the keys for your safe deposit box, your online passwords. Don’t forget the answers to all those pesky security questions – your children may not know the name of your favorite elementary school teacher.

Nothing will eliminate the grief your family will feel, but taking these steps can ease the confusion and stress that accompany death. It can become your final gift of faithful love.

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CATHOLIC SCHOOLS Weekly Mass attendance among millennials:

34 39 5

THOSE WHO ATTENDED A CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

THOSE WHO ATTENDED A CATHOLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL

THOSE WHO NEVER ATTENDED A CATHOLIC SCHOOL

“Very important” factors in choosing Catholic schools: • Quality religious education • Safe environment • Quality academic instruction • Sense of community Source: Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate

YOUR LIFE GOODLIFE

CATHOLIC AND FREE AT PUBLIC UNIVERSITY LEAVING HOME FOR COLLEGE is a big step for Catholic families. Promote

©DollarPhotoClub/Andres Rodriguez

your independence and reassure your parents by being FREE:

Find community. One great part

Reconcile. It isn’t realistic for

about college is choosing your own friends. Strategize by focusing on those who share your desire to grow in Catholic faith. Having a support group is important when it comes to any lifestyle commitment. Locate a Catholic or Christian student group on campus to meet and socialize with. Find a friend with whom you can attend Mass regularly.

anyone to think you will attend college without regrets. But these mistakes are another opportunity for us to grow closer to God through the holy sacrament of reconciliation. Overcome your weaknesses and use them to grow and strengthen your relationship with him through confession and forgiveness.

Explore with God. College

BY EMILY LENHARD

is all about learning, growing, and discerning your path. By exploring college life with God, you don’t have to limit yourself on new experiences. Keeping him close will allow you to discern the greatest experiences and assure that you haven’t missed anything valuable.

GO ONLINE

Evolve.

Ultimately, we go to college to advance. We want to master our skills and prepare ourselves for what comes next, be it career, more schooling, military, or something else. Our goals are an important component of how God will shape us as unique Catholics. By keeping God at the center of our hearts, we can succeed with Him as the driving force.

VISIT TINYURL.COM/ FM0514GOODLIFE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON CAMPUS MINISTRY

9

YOUR FAITH

HOW CAN WE HELP? CONTACT YOUR PARISH TO ASK ABOUT MINISTRIES TO CARE FOR THE SICK

How can I CARE FOR THE SICK? IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE

Q

DEAR FATHER JOE: My Father was sick and recently died. I was touched by how the people in his parish came by during his illness and now I want to do that at my own parish. How do I get involved?

T. Gennara

A

FATHER JOE KRUPP

is a former comedy writer who is now a Catholic priest.

10

God bless you for your question! Beyond answering it directly, I want to point out that, in this situation, you are allowing God to do something beautiful: heal your pain by helping others. Let’s dive right in!

There are many ways you can help your priest or your parish care for the sick. First and foremost is prayer: prayer for those in your parish who are sick. As a side note, I always crack up when, at Mass on Sunday, I hear us pray “for the sick of the parish.” I start to wonder what made them sick of our parish.

But to get us back on track, it’s important for us to remember that being a member of a parish family means that every day we take time to pray for those who are sick and ask God to restore them. This binds us to their fate and allows the power of the Holy Spirit to unite us in God’s heart and mind. Praying this way can also help us to expand our horizons and see and experience a world that is bigger than our pain or circumstances. If you can, pull a name or two off the list of those in the parish who are sick and pray for them whenever you do your meal blessing.

Beyond prayer, I’d check with your parish and see

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©DollarPhotoClub/Melpomene

what they need. There are, as far as I can think of, three ways your parish may minister to the sick.

The first one is home or hospital visits. Some folks are in hospitals and others are home and not able to go out because of their health.

Often, these folks could use a friend, and God may very well be calling you to be that friend. Bring over cards or checkers or a book.

Bring pictures of your family and ask to hear about theirs. Ask them about their conditions and see if they have needs you can meet.

During that visit, there are also things you can do to help the sick or homebound feel connected to the life of their parish family. Bring them a bulletin, tell them about what is going on in the parish (avoid gossip!), buy them a raffle ticket for the parish event that is coming up – anything like that is a gift and lets them know that the people of the parish have not forgotten them.

There are There is another way you can help minister to the sick: bring many ways them Communion. At many you can help parishes, the first Friday of the your priest or month is when we ensure that your parish the hospitalized and homebound have the opportunity care for the to receive Communion. This sick. First and is quite a task, and the more foremost is people who do it, the better it prayer: prayer is. See if your parish needs volunteers to take Communion to for those in the homebound or those in the your parish hospital. Ask to be trained and who are sick. get on that list! You can and will find a special joy in bringing the presence of Christ through the gift of the Eucharist into the lives of those who are ill.

I know for many, the sticking point is time. In our culture, it seems to me that time is one of the most expensive things for us. In between work and social

into two groups. To one of the groups he says, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father: inherit the Kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world.” Why does he offer that group the promise of heaven? “[Because] I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you took me in; I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to me.”

B. Patten

obligations, school functions and sports, we are all pulled in so many directions. I invite you to think of time the way you think of money: something that has a great deal of value and that you are called to sacrifice. Don’t give of your time only when it is easy: give of your time all the time. Our time on earth belongs to God and sacrificing that time in order to serve his people is a statement about what is important in life and what our priorities are.

If your parish doesn’t have these ministries, you can offer to create them. I don’t think I can adequately explain what a blessing that would be to most priests. A lot of priests (this one included!) have a list of responsibilities and worries that are a mile long. I think of something Bishop Carl told me the day I was ordained. He said, “Every day, write down the seven things that absolutely have to get done and know that you probably will have to cross off four of them.” I’ve found that to be true: I’m a big guy, but I haven’t figured out how to be everywhere people need or want me to be. Often, the great comfort I have in those moments is knowing that God’s people are out there taking care of those people I can’t.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus talks about our judgement day. He describes God dividing everyone

The People he offers Heaven to are surprised. They ask him:

Q: HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE A SPACE PARTY? A: YOU PLANET!

“Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?

When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?”

The answer is a great challenge and blessing: “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to me.”

Enjoy another day in God’s Presence!

11

YOUR FAITH SPIRITUAL FITNESS

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DRAW CLOSER TO THE BLESSED MOTHER THIS MAY

SISTER ANN SHIELDS

MAY IS TRADITIONALLY THE MONTH in the calendar year set apart for special devotion to Mary. But as you can see from the list of feast days below, almost all of the months celebrate some aspect of Mary’s life. What a way to honor our heavenly mother! But, sadly, I find that most Catholics can usually only name one or two feasts out of so many. This means that Mary does not play much of a part in our daily lives.

That is a mistake that needs to be rectified.

The traditional morning offering dedicates our day to the Lord through the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Pray this prayer every morning; Jesus, your Lord and Savior, hears every word. And his mother, in her quiet, simple but powerful way, will lead you closer to God. O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world. I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart: the salvation of souls, the reparation for sin, and the reunion of all Christians. I offer them for the intentions of our bishops and of all Apostles of Prayer, and in particular for those recommended by our Holy Father this month.

The rosary, which is the prayer given to us to intercede through Mary for all our needs and our crosses, is very powerful. As a good mother, Mary hears the prayers of her children. Are we too “sophisticated” to pray the rosary? Some will say, “Oh, that was for my childhood, but now that I am an adult, I don’t need to go to my mother!”

What a sad mistake.

Let’s take a look at Scripture.

The mother of God had to learn to submit her will to God’s plan and it was not easy. But once she knew clearly what God’s will was, she embraced it, as we hear in Luke 1:38: “Be it done unto me according to thy word.” Sometimes, when we see what needs to happen in our lives, we don’t like what we see and we try to avoid making any decision, or we make the decision we would like to make and ignore

asking God what his will is for us.

Come to your mother. Ask her to help you make the right decision.

She will. And you will know peace and happiness.

Sometimes, when we have sinned grievously, we are so embarrassed that we try to hide or excuse ourselves or just try to ignore it. That is no way to happiness. Ask the Blessed Mother to pray for you; ask the Holy Spirit to give you courage to be honest with yourself, with God and with others, as needed. A mother’s prayers are delicate and simple and Mary, our mother, will never stop praying for you to repent of your sin, to be set free and to become more and more her Son’s disciple. There is plenty of help for conversion, for repentance, for wisdom, for courage. Your mother, by her prayer, will guide you to the source of all help.

Mary, our mother, knew what it was to carry the cross of suffering: hardship; exile; loneliness; the agonizing, horrible death of her Son; the taunts; the gossip; the hatred directed toward her Son …

She can teach us so much about the way to carry our cross. Will you draw close to her so she can teach you?

T. Gennara

HONOR YOUR MOTHER AND ASK HER TO LEAD YOU CLOSER TO HER SON. SHE WANTS NOTHING MORE THAN TO HELP YOU DO JUST THAT.

is a renowned author and a member of the Servants of God’s Love. @srannshieldssgl

CHECK OUT OUR CULTURE COLUMN ON PAGE 28 TO MAKE A CASE FOR YOUR ROSARY

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO SISTER ANN SHIELDS: RENEWAL MINISTRIES, 230 COLLINGWOOD, SUITE 240, ANN ARBOR, MI 48103.

One way to grow in your relationship with Mary is to look at the feast days listed here. Choose one or two or three.

Make them special days this year in your personal life. Honor your mother and ask her to lead you closer to her Son. She wants nothing more than to help you do just that.

Jan. 1: The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God* Jan. 8: Our Lady of Prompt Succor Feb. 2: Presentation of the Lord in the Temple Feb. 11: Our Lady of Lourdes March 25: Annunciation

May 13: Our Lady of Fatima May 31: Visitation June 27: Our Mother of Perpetual Help Aug. 15: Assumption* Aug. 22: The Queenship of Mary Sept. 8: Birth of Mary Sept. 12: The Most Holy Name of Mary

Sept. 15: Our Lady of Sorrows Oct. 7: Our Lady of the Rosary Nov. 21: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception* Dec. 12: Our Lady of Guadalupe *Holy day of obligation

13

YOUR FAITH THEOLOGY 101

THE BASICS According to the United Nations’ Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, human rights are rights inherent to all human beings “whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, color, religion, language or any other status.” Human rights are universal and inalienable (which means they can only be taken away in specific situations according to due process). Furthermore, every human being is equally entitled to his or her human rights without discrimination, for, according to Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.”

Excessive individualism is a mind-set that asserts the prime duty of the individual is to make the most of one’s own life, rather than

SO WHAT’S THE ISSUE?

contribute to the good of

The final report of the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops points to the root problem:

©iStockphoto.com/SensorSpot

others.”

New interpretations of what is considered

A HUMAN RIGHT CONTINUING THEOLOGY 101’S EXPLORATION OF THE CHURCH’S TEACHING ON MANY OF THE THEMES BEING CONSIDERED BY THE TWO SYNODS ON THE FAMILY, THIS MONTH WE EXAMINE THE “NEW INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT IS CONSIDERED A HUMAN RIGHT”

“… equal consideration needs to be given to the growing danger represented by a troubling individualism which deforms family bonds and ends up considering each component of the family as an isolated unit, leading, in some cases, to the idea that a person is formed according to one’s own desires, which are considered absolute.” (5) Then, following the synod on Nov. 25, 2014, Pope Francis addressed both the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. In his speech to the European Parliament, Pope Francis both echoed and elaborated upon what the Extraordinary Synod was referring to in both its preparatory document and final report:

S. Olson

DOUG CULP

14

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.

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“Today there is a tendency to claim ever broader individual rights … The essential and

QUOTABLE QUOTES: We are building a dictatorship of relativism that does not recognize anything as for certain and which has as its highest goal one’s own ego and one’s own desires.” – Pope emeritus Benedict XVI (2005) Concern with the idols of power, profit and money, rather than with the value of the human person, has become a basic norm for functioning and a crucial criterion for organization. We have forgotten and are still

CATECHISM QUIZ

• whatever is legal is moral; • feelings should trump reason when it comes to moral decision-making; • morality consists of whatever is acceptable to the culture at a given time; and • might makes right.

Also, in such a system, pragmatism generally gains influence.

Pragmatism holds that whatever works for the individual is true.

The right and the duty of parents to ________________ are primordial and inalienable.

A. care for the sick B. claim reproductive rights C. educate their children D. renegotiate and/or nullify the marriage contract

Answer: (C) educate their children (CCC 2221).

The phenomenon of excessive individualism can be linked to the philosophy of relativism, which dominates much of Western culture. The essence of relativism is that points of view have no absolute truth or validity – only relative, subjective value. This means that all truth is “relative” to the individual.

The problem is that relativism is, in fact, a philosophy that is predicated on the denial of objective truth, or at least our ability to know objective truth – which amounts to the denial of the revealed truth of God, of faith in the God of revelation and, ultimately, of God. It also stands in stark contradiction to, and finally renders meaningless, any notion of the universality and inalienable nature of human rights. In short, relativism is about what we, as individuals, want. It leaves us susceptible to false notions such as

Test your knowledge of the Church’s teaching on the family by answering the following:

The catechism goes on to state, “As those first

THE LINK TO RELATIVISM

responsible for the education of their children,

In other words, as in the case of last month’s discussion on the culture of non-commitment, excessive individualism is the primary driving force behind this concern.

Again, excessive individualism is a mind-set that asserts the prime duty of the individual is to make the most of one’s own life, rather than contribute to the good of others. It is a mind-set that undermines marriage, with its invitation to total self-giving reciprocity, and

creates, as the synod reminds us, “a mentality against having children.”

parents have the right to choose a school for

It also needs to be kept in mind that apart from the pursuit of truth, each individual becomes the criterion for measuring himself and his own actions. The way is thus opened to a subjectivistic assertion of rights, so that the concept of human rights, which has an intrinsically universal import, is replaced by an individualistic conception of rights. This … favors that globalization of indifference born of selfishness.

Political authorities are obliged to respect the fundamental rights of the human person. They will dispense justice humanely by respecting the rights of everyone, especially of families and the disadvantaged.”– Catechism of the Catholic Church (2237)

them which corresponds to their own convic-

Pope Francis then told the Council of Europe:

Address to the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation (5/25/2013)

tions.” (2229)

complementary concept of duty no longer seems to be linked to such a concept of rights. As a result, the rights of the individual are upheld, without regard for the fact that each human being is part of a social context wherein his or her rights and duties are bound up with those of others and with the common good of society itself.”

forgetting that over and above business, logic and the parameters of the market is the human being.” – Pope Francis,

In other words, we cannot know whether something is true or not until we do it and see if it works.

Naturally, a mind-set of “the ends justify the means” generally accompanies relativism and pragmatism – though the ends are constantly changing.

This reality of constantly changing ends is what is so problematic about relativism. When our ultimate standard and guide of conduct is desire cut off from the transcendent, we are ultimately left with no standard at all because human, earthly desires can change and be disordered.

CHECK OUT THE NEXT THEOLOGY 101 ON DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE

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FAITH Magazine | MAY 2015 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

UNRAVELING

HUMAN TRAFFICKING

A victim in plain view.

It took an unlikely meeting

to change Anna’s life.

BY ERIN LOOBY CARLSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH MOORE KUSCHELL

Editor’s note: To protect Anna’s identity, FAITH has changed her name for the purpose of this story.

F

OR YEARS, ANNA BRAIDED HAIR BY DAY and scrubbed dishes by night. Her workday began at 9 a.m. and concluded sometime after 2 o’clock the next morning. The grueling hours would have been difficult for any adult to maintain.

But Anna was just a child.

She remembers, “A lady brought me (to the United States in 1995) when I was 11. I was living with her from when I was 11 until I was maybe 18.

She was a family friend; back home she lived next door to me.”

The neighbor convinced Anna’s parents to allow Anna to travel with her from their native country of Senegal, in West Africa to Baltimore, Md., where Anna, she promised, would receive an education. Upon arrival in Baltimore, Anna was thousands of miles from home, but anxious to begin school.

“I was excited,” Anna says. “Usually people are happy coming (to the United States). When I was telling my uncle I was coming here, my uncle was so happy. He was saying ‘The United States is so good. You can just go to a machine and get a sandwich.’ I was happy.”

The happiness was short-lived.

Just one month after Anna arrived in Baltimore, the friendly neighbor who lured her from West Africa was revealed to be a “different person.”

Anna was never taken to school, not even for a day, and the reason she was brought to the United States became clear. “(The lady) had a house and a baby boy. At first, like the first week, I was just taking care of the boy. Like a month later we started doing hair, going to the shop, doing hair and stuff,” Anna remembers.

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YOUR STORIES

D

AY AFTER DAY, HOUR AFTER HOUR, Anna sat in place and was forced to braid hair. The small girl was never questioned by clients about why she was working all day, rather than attending school with other children her age. She was a prisoner within plain view; she had no time for school, sports, friends or fun.

Her life was braiding hair, and there did not appear to be a way out. Her little

hands were busy all day, completing at least two micro braids and a cornrow in nine hours. She was told she was good at braiding and earned up to $500 a day. The money she made was never hers, though. About one year after Anna began braiding hair in the shop, the lady bought a restaurant and Anna’s days grew longer.

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After the restaurant opened, Anna was forced to travel there each night when the hair shop closed. Her hungry stomach growled and the smell of hot food all around made her mouth water, but the child was not allowed to eat, sometimes going two or three days without food. Again, her plight remained invisible.

“I was very, very scared of (the lady). When I (saw) her, I have the chills in my body. That is how scared I was. And, sometimes, I (was) very, very hungry (and) I am thinking like, ‘Maybe if I eat she will know.’ She would punish people, so we would not eat.”

Anna says there was one occasion when she was hit and several times when she was threatened with voodoo. But most often she was punished by having to live and sleep in the empty apartment that the lady rented. Inside the apartment, the air and water temperatures were turned down as low as possible; there was no food, no furniture, no bed or blankets.

While the exhaustive work load and punishments were difficult to bear, what was almost as hard was enduring it alone. Anna was occasionally allowed to speak with her parents over the phone, but they did not believe her.

Anna continued to bear the burden of her life alone; and when she was 18, she ran away. She had no money, no family and no place to go, but for Anna, life on the street was a better life than the one she was living. On the street, she was free. She was alone, but unafraid.

Anna found work braiding hair, and in 2007, at age 22, she moved to Michigan for another braiding job.

In a new city and state, and without someone to trust or a safe place to live, she acted on a tip and reached out for help. Through a contact at the Catholic Church, she met Pat Hathaway.

Pat, who worked at a local aid center and thrift store, still remembers the day Anna walked through the doors.

“When I saw her standing there,

“She was touching people every day; she was not shouting for help behind a door. She was physically seen by people every day,” I thought ‘I wonder what she would want help with?’ She had on this real beautiful scarf and these beautiful sunglasses, and she just looked like a model standing there.”

Behind the confident outward appearance, however, Pat found a young woman who was abused, cheated out of her adolescence and desperate to be believed.

After a lengthy conversation, Anna told her about the woman who brought her to the United States from Senegal when she was 11, about the jobs she was forced to work for seven long years and the cruel punishments she endured.

Pat had a hard time believing what she was hearing.

“I thought, ‘This doesn’t happen here. It’s not happening in my back yard.’”

What happened next left an enormous impression on Pat. “l told her, ‘I (am) so sorry that happened to you, Anna.’ And, tears started coming down her face. Anna said not to feel sorry for her, she was crying because I was the first person to believe her story. That just touched my heart so much. She had been through so much,” Pat says.

Overwhelmed by Anna’s story and moved with compassion to help, Pat connected with Bridgette Carr, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. Bridgette heard Anna’s story and took her case pro bono.

“Sadly, Anna’s story is not unique,” Bridgette says. “I’ve done about 10 to 15 hair braiding cases. It is a story we know well, a child brought from West Africa to the United States to braid hair.”

Perhaps equally distressing is that the child was able to work from the morning until the middle of the night and no one seemed to pay attention or take action.

“She was touching people every day; she was not shouting for help behind a door. She was physically seen by people every day,” Bridgette says.

According to Bridgette, the same is true for most trafficking victims.

They are living in big and small communities around the world, in the United States and here in Michigan. They are within plain view, and most often go unnoticed.

“There are tons of Annas encountered all over the state and very few people will do what Pat did ... ask the

extra questions, have the knowledge and make a call,” Bridgette says.

Bridgette asked Anna whether she wanted to return home or remain in the United States. Anna said she would like to live in the UnitPat and Anna ed States, in share a hug during their large part due to recent visit. the power of the trafficker who had returned to her home country (and to date has never been charged or prosecuted).

Bridgette began working with Anna right away, making calls and connecting with authorities who could help.

“Our Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was fantastic,” Bridgette says. “He believed Anna and worked on her case, while we worked on her immigration application.”

Similar to what is provided to refugees, some cash and medical assistance is available to victims of human trafficking for a short period of time while they pick up the pieces of their lives. Thankfully for Anna, she also had a full-time advocate in Pat, who helped her avoid becoming a victim again. “(Pat) wanted to help me very bad,” Anna said. “She was making all of the phone calls and driving me everywhere. There is no description for her. She is just the nicest, nicest, nicest….she is like a mom to me.

Meeting her changed my life.”

And, meeting Anna changed Pat’s life, too.

“Our family has been so blessed by Anna. She was here for many Christmases and the kids all love her.”

“She is like a daughter,” Pat says.

Today, Pat has great joy in knowing that Anna, who became a permanent resident of the United States in 2013 and lives in New York City, New York with her husband and daughter, overcame tremendous adversity with both grace and courage.

As Pat compassionately reached out to help Anna, Anna hopes to one day be a nurse, reaching out and helping others who are in need.

CHECK IT OUT FOR INFORMATION ABOUT CATHOLIC REFUGEE SERVICES, VISIT WWW.STVCC.ORG

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YOUR STORIES FEATURE STORY

AFTER 50 YEARS, JOINING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS ‘WORTH THE WAIT’

Historian impressed by Church teachings

I

n 50 years, what will you accomplish? Will you get married?

Have kids? Grow in your career?

Seventy-four-year-old James Davis, of Dexter, has done all of that. He and his wife have two daughters, and he was a history professor for about half a century. And throughout those 50 years, James – who was born and raised Presbyterian – familiarized himself with the history and beliefs of the Catholic Church, ultimately leading to his conversion in 2014.

LEARN MORE FOR INFORMATION ON BECOMING CATHOLIC, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL PARISH

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“I tend not to rush into things. I don’t make rash decisions, and this certainly was not a rash decision,” James says, laughing. “I obviously looked into it for many years. I prayed about it earnestly and, in the end, decided that this was the best thing for me. I have no regrets.”

James came into the Church Easter Sunday 2014 at St. Joseph Parish in Dexter. And while he knew the conversion would be “impressive,” he could not imagine by how much or how he would feel.

James was able to describe his conversion in three short words – joyous, uplifting and sacred.

Entering the Catholic Church was all he had hoped it would be.

But what makes James’ story unusual is that he cannot pinpoint one moment or one specific event that called him to the Church. James was “impressed” for 50 years by the teachings of the Catholic Church and the role it plays in this world.

His passion for history led him to understand that humankind is capable of “wonderful, noble and selfless actions,” he says. On the other hand, James saw that humans are also capable of terrible and selfish acts.

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“It became clear to me that every single person on earth sins and not just makes mistakes.

Nowadays, we have the current word ‘mistake’ to describe what rightfully should be called sin,” James says.

A mistake doesn’t necessarily involve a right and a wrong, but sin does, he stresses.

One factor that attracted James to the Church 50 years ago was learning that even the pope has, and recognizes a need for, a confessor. To him, that was the Church admitting that all humans sin, fall short and need forgiveness, he says.

And as he continued to study the Catholic Church, James learned that laws – including divine and natural – exist as guide and instructor.

“Just as there is a physical universe, there is a moral universe. Astronomy and physics enlighten us about the physical universe, and natural law helps us understand the moral universe. A gift from God, natural law is universal and unchanging. It impresses on the hearts of everyone a sense of right and wrong, of good and evil.

Sacred Scripture, tradition and the magisterium – with the Holy Spirit – teach, guide and correct.

Being an historian, James sees things in terms of centuries, and he often takes the “long view” on issues, which is similar to how the Church perceives matters.

“As an outsider, looking at the Church for decades, I was very impressed and comforted by the fact the Church does operate clearly and boldly in the world … It has founded … great universities, wonderful hospitals, orphanages and asylums.”

Despite how marginal or weak a person may appear, the Church takes a stance that every person has “God-given, inalienable, irreducible worth.” And if a person is mistreated, God is mistreated, he feels. This stance contributed to his journey to conversion.

Time and time again, the Church continued to “impress” James, and even when he visited Rome and the Vatican as a Presbyterian, he saw the “splendor of the Church and the glories of the Church in terms of architecture, music and art.”

“I don’t think I had an ‘on the road to Damascus’ moment when something suddenly hit me.

But there were significant moments, and taken together, they were certainly more than sufficient to consider the Catholic Church and ultimately to join it,” James says.

Though it took him 50 years, joining the Catholic Church was “worth the wait.” And, he says that his only regret was that it took him so long to convert.

“If I were to live another 100 years, it would still be, in a sense, one of the great standouts of my life,” James says.

BY CARI DELAMIELLEURE-SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

“As an outsider, looking at the Church for decades, I was very impressed and comforted by the fact the Church does operate clearly and boldly in the world.”

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SERVING HER PATIENTS AND THE CHURCH 22

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2015 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

Sister Jane Mary, M.D. focuses on healing

BY EILEEN GIANIODIS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

W

hen Sister Jane Mary Firestone, RSM, M.D., one of four children, told her father

CONSECRATED LIFE

she wanted to leave home at age 15 to enter religious life, he did what any

parent would do.

He called in reinforcements, asking the priests he knew what should be done.

“I met several priests, and one of them suggested that I speak to his cousin, who was a Sister of Mercy. She was a nurse and a religious woman, and this was very attractive to me. After meeting her, I decided to enter the Religious Sisters of Mercy,” says Sister Jane Mary. She joined the order at age 17.

For most people, the rest might be history. But this is just where Sister Jane Mary’s story begins.

Twenty years into her religious life, she and seven other sisters began a program of renewal, and received permission to continue this as a community in Alma, Mich. The community of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma was established in 1973 in response to the call for renewal in the Second Vatican Council, continuing in the tradition of Mercy. Sister Jane Mary now serves as the vicar general for the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma.

The Religious Sisters of Mercy are health care professionals, teachers – or, as Sister Jane Mary describes them, “Highly educated to serve the Church, and very intent on their religious vocation.”

Sister Jane Mary attended the Michigan State University (MSU) School of Medicine, and felt very accepted by her class of almost two dozen doctors. After graduation and a residency at Sinai Hospital in Detroit, she became board-certified in internal medicine.

In 1982, she started practicing in Alma at the Sacred Heart Mercy Health Care Center – a Catholic health care clinic. The center was established by the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma to provide health Religion and medicine care for a community in need, and has served countless patients over are very similar. They both the past 30-plus years.

Over the years, Sister Jane Mary also has served as chief of staff at Grainvolve meeting people where tiot Community Hospital and as the medical director of St. Francis Nursthey are in order to establish ing Home in Saginaw, Mich. Three years ago, she was called to become the local superior in the Religious Sisters of Mercy Convent in DeWitt in a relationship, and then the Diocese of Lansing, and so she commutes to Alma three days a week encouraging them to make to see her patients.

At the clinic in Alma, the sisters provide an environment where life those choices which are good at all stages is reverenced, and the particular needs of patients and their for themselves and for others.” families are respected. Sister Jane Mary enjoys working with the elderly, attending to their medical needs. The charism of the Religious Sisters of Mercy is focused on the mercy of God and the misery of humankind.

The care of the sick is very intimate to the religious vocation.

“It’s important in to meet people where they are, and to speak to them in their language,” she says. She sees tremendous courage in her patients.

“They do more healing than they are healed,” she says. “It’s a blessing to be around patients.”

She’s learned a lot from them, too.

“It is important that our patients trust us,” she says. “They have to trust that relationship to know us and that we will meet them where they are and assist them to enter into the changes that will bring about healing in some way.”

In that way, Sister Jane Mary says, religion and medicine are very similar. They both involve meeting people MAKE AN IMPACT where they are in order to establish a relationship, and then encouraging them to make those choices which For more information on discerning a vocation to the priesthood or are good for themselves and for others. consecrated life, contact Father In other ways, she says the two are different: “What you John Linden, director of vocations, learn when you get to be an old doctor like me, is that at 517.342.2507, or Dawn Hausmann, what’s absolute in medicine, won’t be absolute in 10 years. director of consecrated vocations, at That’s not how our Church is; there are absolute truths 517.342.2506, or visit www.dioceseoflansing.org/vocations. that remain the same no matter how many years go by.”

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YOUR COMMUNITY mation, call Anna at 810.599.8888 or visit www.iconclasses.org.

THINGS TO DO May 12, Lansing Catholic High School will host its 31st annual Father Mac Scholarship Dinner at the Kellogg Center on the campus of Michigan State University. Cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed at 7 p.m. with dinner and program. Tickets are $125 per person. For more information, contact Colleen Murray at 517.267.2109 or colleen.murray@ lansingcatholic.org.

May 15, 4-11 p.m., May 16, noon-11 p.m. and May 17, noon to weekend wrap-up: St. Peter Catholic Church in Eaton Rapids’ annual Ox Roast Festival and Carnival, with live entertainment everyone can enjoy from Fantasia Ballet Folklorico to the Sea Cruisers; all your favorite festival foods; big prize raffle drawings; and Schmidt Amusements rides. Tickets are available Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the parish office. For information, call 517.663.4735.

Lansing Catholic Singles invite all singles mid-30s and up to their May events: May 15, 5:30 p.m., Happy Hour at R Club in Delta Township.; May 22, Singles Dance at Hawk Hollow Golf Course in Bath Township.

Meet at 8 p.m. and look for table with balloon and LCS sign. Cost: $13 (cash only) payable at the door includes light snack buffet, soda refills and entry for door prizes. Cash bar available. For more information, please call 517.321.7886 or email lansingcatholicsingles@live.com. New members always welcome.

June 1 and for the next seven weeks, Catholic Community of St. Jude’s grief support group will begin a new session “The Journey from Grief to Hope.” It will meet in the Community Center. Pre-registration is required by calling 517.669.8335, ext. 18 or visiting the parish website: stjudedewitt.com. Call for more information.

June 1-6, St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Brighton will have a Byzantine icon workshop. Attendees will complete an icon during the six-day workshop. No prior art experience needed. Small group. Cost of $750 includes tuition/materials. For infor24

June 10-11, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and June 12, 9:30-11:30 a.m., St. Francis of Assisi Parish will have its annual rummage sale in its school gymnasium, 2250 E. Stadium in Ann Arbor, For more information, visit stfrancisa2.com or call 734.769.2550.

June 13-14, Engaged Encounter Weekend, an in-depth, private, personal marriage preparation experience within the context of the Catholic faith and values, will be held at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt. Cost: $235 per couple, which includes meals, supplies and overnight stay. Registration will close on, and payment must be received no later than, May 29. To register, visit www.lansingcee.org.

June 20, St. Mary Parish, 807 St. Mary Blvd. in Charlotte will have Pig Palooza, which will include: carnival games, craft show, tethered hot air balloon rides, a live and silent auction, music, beer tent, pulled pork dinner, $10,000 raffle and more. i.d. 916 Lansing — forming young adults into intentional disciples of Jesus Christ. What is i.d. 916? It is a community for Lansing-area young adults in their 20s and 30s — with children or without, in any vocation — who are seeking to become intentional disciples of Jesus Christ.

We seek this through monthly talks, small groups and more, which are focused around four pillars: conversion, communion, orthodoxy and mission. For more information about our events or if you would like to join, find and join our Facebook group, i.d.916 Lansing, (www. facebook.com/groups/id916Lansing/); email id916lansing@gmail. com; or go to www.id916.com.

MAY CAFÉ EVENTS June 25, St. Joseph Parish in Pewamo will have “Theology of the Body” with Christopher West, a Catholic author and speaker. For information on registration and tickets, call Therese Simon at 517.927.7248.

First and third Tuesday, 7 p.m., St. Francis of Assisi Chapel Ann Arbor will have Lectio Divina an ancient form of prayer or sacred reading. It can be practiced alone and privately, or in a group.

Open to all adults. You do not need to sign up ahead of time. For questions, please contact Rita Kieras at ritakieras@gmail.com or 734.761.7796. conquering challenges with God’s might and power. To register, call Pat Friedline at 517.546.0090.

SUPPORT A PARISH RUMMAGE SALE

JOURNEY FROM GRIEF TO SUPPORT

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL June 22-26, 9 a.m.-noon, Vacation Bible School “Everest” will take place at St. Michael Parish in Grand Ledge. Children from age 4 to fifth grade are invited to attend. Cost: $25. To register, call Jennifer Nelson at 517.627.8493. Deadline is June 5.

June 22-25, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Joseph Catholic Church in Howell will have Vacation Bible School “Everest,”

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GOLF FOR A CAUSE

GOLF FUNDRAISERS May 16, 9 a.m., St. Michael Parish School in Grand Ledge will hold its 23rd annual Golf Outing at Centennial Acres in Sunfield. Shotgun start at 9 a.m. To register, call St. Michael Parish School at 517.627.2167.

June 12, Lansing Catholic High School will host its 27th annual Cougar Classic Golf Outing at Forest Acres West at Michigan State University. Shotgun start at 10 a.m. Player fee: $135. For more information, contact Colleen at 517.267.2109 or colleen.murray@ lansingcatholic.org. The Cougar Classic sells out quickly, so be sure to register early.

June 19, registration 7:30 a.m., shotgun start 9 a.m., Cristo Rey Community Center’s “Golf Fore Giving” at Wheatfield Valley Golf Club.

Registration or sponsorship form available at www.cristoreycommunity.org/events/. For information, email Allen Lopez at rlopez@cristoreycommunity.org.

Aug. 21, Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties will have its Golf Scramble and Golf Ball Drop at Lakeland Hills Golf Club, Jackson. For information, call 517.782.2551.

RETREAT CENTERS

PILGRIMAGE

ST. FRANCIS RETREAT CENTER, DEWITT, STFRANCIS.WS or 517.669.8321 May 29, a marriage enrichment evening, “To Love and To Honor: The Heart of Marriage.” Presenter: Tony Sperendi. Cost: $75/couple, includes dinner and materials. To register, contact www.stfrancis.ws or 517.669.8321.

Nov. 8-17, join Father Mark Rutherford and John and Marjorie Jeter on a 10-day Catholic Family Pilgrimage to Italy. Pilgrimage includes roundtrip airfare from Detroit to Rome, daily Mass and professional Catholic European tour escorts. Some of the daily sightseeing includes Assisi, the National Shrine of St. Maria Goretti in Nettuno, the eucharistic miracle of Orvieto and the Sunday noon Angelus with Pope Francis. Space is limited. Call Corporate Travel Service at 313.565.8888, ext. 121 or 150, or visit www.pilgrimagesbycts.com for reservations and information.

WEBER RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER, ADRIAN, 517.266.4000 or WEBERCENTER.ORG July 7-9, Growing Whole, Not Old, deposit $10; July 20-24, Private Directed Retreats, deposit $25; July 25, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Day of Contemplative Prayer — Mediation and Mindfulness Practice, cost: $35 (includes lunch); and July 26-31, Paths of Beauty and Compassion, deposit $25.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES ATTEND A PILGRIMAGE

Foster care orientation classes are the first and third Monday of each month for those who want to learn about becoming a foster parent. Dates: May 4 and 18. Cost: none, but an RSVP is required by contacting Amanda at 517.263.4960, ext. 143.

WE C.A.R.E. WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation classes: Registration and prepayment are required.

May 8-9 at St. John the Evangelist in Fenton and June 12-13 at Holy Family in Grand Blanc. Registration: $75.

Call 810.232.9950 for information or registration.

May 23, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., a WE C.A.R.E. 2 class for married couples who wish to refresh their communication skills will be held at the Livingston County Catholic Charities office. For information or to register, call Jaynee at 517.545.5944.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SHIAWASSEE AND GENESEE COUNTIES, 810.232.9950 or CCSGC.ORG MARRIAGE PREP CLASSES

Volunteer with Catholic Charities this summer. Call 810.232.9950, ext. 143 or email givehope@ccsgc.org.

Loving foster families are urgently needed. Please consider opening your heart and home to a child in need. For more information, call the Catholic Charities Children’s Services Department at 810.232.3418.

June 6 and 13, 9 a.m.-noon at Diocese of Lansing’s Madonna Hall, 228 N. Walnut St., Lansing. Registration: $75. Call 517.323.4734 for information or registration.

June12, 6:30-9 p.m. and June 13, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at St. Andrew the Apostle, Saline. Registration: $95. Call 734.971.9781, ext. 421 for information or registration.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF JACKSON, LENAWEE AND HILLSDALE COUNTIES, 517.782.2551 or CATHOLICCHARITIESJLHC.ORG

ST. VINCENT CATHOLIC CHARITIES IN LANSING, STVCC.ORG or 517.323.4734

RUN A 5K TO SUPPORT REFUGEES

June 20, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., at Livingston County Catholic Charities, 202 E. Grand River, Ste. 104, Howell.

Registration: $75. Call 517.545.5944 for information or registration.

You are invited to join us on June 20 for Welcoming the Stranger 5K Family Fun Run sponsored by Meijer; packet pickup/registration is 7:30 a.m.; race start time is 9 a.m. at Hawk Island Park, 1601 E. Cavanaugh St. in Lansing. Register online at runsignup.com/WelcomingTheStranger5k. The race is free. STVCC asks that you please bring a new or gently used household item to donate in support of its Refugee Resettlement Program.

Items needed include: pots/pans, sheets/blankets and pillows. For more information, contact Marissa Nalley at 517.323.4734, ext. 1424 or nalleym@stvcc.org.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY CATHOLIC CHARITIES, 517.545.5944 or LIVINGSTONCATHOLICCHARITIES.ORG A foster care orientation class is held the third Tuesday of each month at the LCCC office from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for people interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent. For information, call Christine at 517.545.5944.

C E L E B R AT I N G 2 0 Y E A R S

1993 – 2013

Find a Catholic Church anywhere in the world

CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OF WASHTENAW COUNTY, 734.971.9781 or CSSWASHTENAW.ORG May 12-14, 8:30 a.m., Nurturing Parenting — three-day seminar at CSSW’s office. Registration required; deadline is May 4. For information, call 734.971.9781.

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YOUR COMMUNITY LOCAL NEWS

SUMMER SCRIPTURE DAYS Summer Scripture Days will begin Aug. 18 at Bethany House, St. Francis Retreat Center, in DeWitt. Jean Schaub, a parishioner at St. Mary on the Lake, Manitou Beach, will be this year’s guest speaker. This year’s focus will be the women of the New Testament and their influence on the community of their time.

The Summer Scripture Days event was begun in 1994 by the diocesan ministry on aging for senior parishioners. The program is sponsored by the Diocese of Lansing, St. Francis Retreat Center, the Area Catholic Council on Aging and the Knights of Columbus, Michigan.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Diane Arzberger at 517.342.2465 or darzberger@dioceseoflansing. org. There will be an announcement in the diocesan parish bulletins in early summer.

NEW PRIEST ASSIGNMENTS Bishop Boyea announces the following pastoral appointments effective Wednesday, July 1, 2015.

• Rev. Paul Erickson, from parochial vicar of St. Gerard Parish, Lansing, to chaplain of Lansing Catholic High School.

• Rev. David Fisher, from pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Owosso, to senior priest status.

• Rev. Roy Horning, from pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine, Flushing, and Good Shepherd Parish, Montrose, to pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, Flint.

• Rev. Jonathan Perrotta, from administrator of Holy Family Parish, Grand Blanc, to administrator of St. Mary Parish, 26

CATHOLIC CHARITIES LINEN CLOSET PROGRAM READ MORE FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS ON YOUR TABLET, SEARCH FOR THE FAITH PUB APP.

Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties provides a building for the Linen Closet, which has a working relationship with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The program MAKE AN IMPACT itself is completely funded by IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN donations, and the staff is made VOLUNTEERING OR DONATING ITEMS up of about 20 volunteers. The TO THE LINEN CLOSET, Linen Closet serves about 225 CALL 517.782.4616 OR VISIT WWW.CATHOLICCHARITIESJLHC.ORG/ people a month.

PERSONAL-NEEDS/.

The volunteer staffers come from parishes in Jackson, Clarklake and Concord. The Linen Closet provides people with personal hygiene and cleaning products, as well as bedding and bath towels.

Durand, and St Joseph Parish, Gaines.

• Rev. George Puthenpeedika, from pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, Flint, to pastor of St. Peter Parish, Eaton Rapids.

• Rev. Thomas Firestone to pastor of St. Michael Parish, Flint; St. Matthew Parish, Flint (effective July 1); and St. Mary Parish, Flint (effective Oct. 1, 2015).

Father Thomas remains pastor of St. John Vianney Parish, Flint.

A team of associates also will be appointed to serve these Flint parishes.

• Rev. Michael O’Brien to pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Owosso.

Father Michael remains pastor of St. Paul Parish, Owosso.

• Rev. Anthony Strouse to pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Adrian. He was previously administrator.

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2015 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

ST. GERARD SCHOOL EIGHTH-GRADERS TAKE PART IN ESSAY CONTEST Each year, eighth-graders from St. Gerard School take part in an essay contest sponsored

by Farm Bureau. This year, the theme involved writing about a hero in their lives. Congratulations to Natalie Endres, Bri Haarer and Audrey Morris for placing in this year’s competition. The essay from Bri (pictured in the middle) will move on to the next level, where she will compete against other eighth-graders in Michigan.

POPE FRANCIS ANNOUNCES HOLY YEAR OF MERCY Pope Francis announced an extraordinary jubilee, a Holy Year of Mercy, to highlight the Catholic Church’s “mission to be a witness of mercy.”

“No one can be excluded from God’s mercy,” the pope said March 13, marking the second anniversary of his pontificate by leading a Lenten penance service in St. Peter’s Basilica. ”I frequently have thought about how the Church can make more evident its mission to be a witness of mercy,” he said during his homily; that is why he decided to call a special Holy Year, which will be celebrated from Dec. 8, 2015, until Nov. 20, 2016.

The biblical theme of the year, he said, will be, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”; an admonition that applies “especially to confessors,” the pope said with a smile.

Traditionally, every 25 years the pope proclaims a holy year, which features special celebrations and pilgrimages, strong calls for conversion and repentance and the offer of special opportunities to experience God’s grace through the sacraments, especially confession. Extraordinary holy years, like the Holy Year of Mercy, are less frequent, but offer the same opportunities for spiritual growth.

Pope Francis said he asked the Pontifical Council for Promoting New Evangelization to coordinate preparations for the year so that it would be “a new stage in the Church’s journey in fulfilling its mission of bringing the Gospel of mercy to each person.”

LIFETIME DISCIPLESHIP PLAN Father Joe Krupp welcomed St. Mary on the Lake, Manitou Beach and Sacred Heart, Hudson parishioners to St. Mary on the Lake for the “Lifetime Discipleship Plan” parish assembly.

The focus was on evangelism and discipleship programs for parishes. Father Joe explained that people will be divided into small groups to discuss several topics. Booklets for the Year of Marriage and the Lifetime Discipline Plan were given to those in attendance.

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PAM PEREZ RETIRES AFTER 34 YEARS

ST. JOSEPH, DEXTER, 175TH ANNIVERSARY 1840-2015 To commemorate 175 years of Catholic presence in the Dexter community, Bishop Earl Boyea presided at the Liturgy on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19. Celebrating with the Bishop was Father Brendan Walsh, pastor, Father David Rosenberg, Father Terry Dumas, Deacon Romolo Leone and Deacon Randy Desrochers. During the Offertory Procession, parishioners presented items significant to the history of the parish. The Liturgy was celebrated in the village church, which had served the parishioners of St. Joseph from its construction in 1872 until 2008, when the new “Country Church” was dedicated.

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The Catholic Charities office in Jackson was decorated with well-wishes for Pam Perez’s retirement after 34 years as the director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). The director coordinates adult volunteers age 55 and older to use their life experience and skills to assist seniors in the community. RSVP volunteers donate their time to drive individuals to medical appointments and to pick up and deliver prescriptions. Those attending the retirement party agreed that Pam “from day one has been a loyal and true friend to all.”

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CULTURE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANE FOLKERTSMA

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FAITH Magazine | MAY 2015 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

If you ever feel distressed during your day – call upon Our Lady – just say this simple prayer: ‘Mary, Mother of Jesus, please be a mother to me now.’ I must admit – this prayer has never failed me. –Blessed Mother Teresa A YEAR BEFORE I MET MY HUSBAND, I had hit a low point in my life. I was feeling anxiety and distress from calling off a wedding. Work was busier than ever, with much travel back and forth between the East and West Coasts. It was the perfect storm of emotional anxiety mixed with intense work stress.

And if that wasn’t enough, there was a frightening

T. Gennara

incident with one of my flights.

MICHELLE DIFRANCO

is a designer and the busy mom of two children.

There was a loud boom as my plane took off. Panicked, I grabbed my carry-on and fished for my rosary. As I was pulling it out of the bag, it got snagged on something.

I remember feeling frustrated with myself for not putting it in a case, and thinking that a snagged rosary was the last thing I needed when my plane was about to go down. I just held onto it for dear life inside the bag as the noisy plane shook.

Later, after we returned to the airport for an emergency landing, I learned that there had been a dangerous mechanical problem. In the moment it was happening, however, I knew nothing since I called upon the Blessed Mother to be with me. I felt peace and comfort as if I were holding my mother’s hand, and my mind was no longer on the plane, but with her son, Jesus.

What is it about our relationship with the Blessed Mother that we Catholics find so effective and comforting? And why does the rosary mean so much to us? Well, the physical item of the rosary is no talisman. It has no magical properties, so clutching it tightly does not make a failing plane fly any better. And we also know that the Blessed Mother

Tin rosary case You will need: • Craft or spice tin with clear top (big enough to fit rosary) • Printed image of the Blessed Mother • Craft knife • Decoupage glue Trim image to fit inside window of tin case. Apply decoupage glue to back of image and adhere to window.

Apply coat of decoupage glue over the image to protect it. Allow case to dry before use.

doesn’t really respond to our prayers directly, but through her son, Jesus.

Yet we know well the power and importance of the rosary.

Of course, theologians can respond to these questions better than I ever could. But I do think I have one part of the answer. In a simple and humble way, it has to do with our humanity. None of us has ever met Jesus here on earth the way the apostles did, so it is a challenge to fathom what that would be like. But we are all born to feel a natural bond with our own mother, so we do know what that is like, and that gives us a glimpse into how she sees us as her spiritual children.

Whatever the cause, and regardless of the explanation, I can only account for results. In moments of stress, I turn to the rosary. And unlike any other meditation or exercise I know, it brings peace in the most chaotic and unsettling of circumstances. Did merely having my rosary in hand account for my safe landing in a damaged aircraft?

Who knows! But did turning to our Mother bring me peace and place me closer to Jesus? Absolutely.

And lest my rosary should get tangled once more in a moment of urgent need, I will be more mindful to use a case, going forward.

CHECK OUT PAGE 4 FOR DISCIPLESHIP QUESTIONS TO BE USED FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION OR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION

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CREDITS

The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing MAY 2015 VOLUME 15: ISSUE 4

www.FAITHpub.com Most Reverend Earl Boyea PUBLISHER

Rev. Dwight Ezop

Pope Francis reacts as he is greeted by cloistered nuns at the Duomo during his pastoral visit in Naples.

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Patrick M. O’Brien

Tackling corruption in Naples and keeping church doors open

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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.

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POPE WATCH WHAT POPE FRANCIS HAS BEEN SAYING AND DOING RECENTLY

“How much

CORRUPTION there is in the world ...

A CORRUPT

SOCIETY

STINKS!”

On a day trip to Naples on March 21, Pope Francis spoke out against the city’s mafia presence and history of corruption. He addressed young people in a poor neighborhood dominated by mobsters, encouraging them to resist the temptations of organized crime and seek honest work instead. In his homily in Naples’ main square, he exhorted the faithful to hold on to their hope.

Pope Francis also ate lunch with more than 100 inmates at a Neapolitan prison.

ON KEEPING THE CHURCH DOORS ALWAYS OPEN At Mass on March 17, Pope Francis said the Church is the “house of Jesus” and must always keep its doors open. Addressing parishioners who may be unwelcoming to others returning to Mass, he said, “Who are you to close the door of your heart to a man, to a woman who has the will to improve, to re-enter the people of God because the Holy Spirit stirred their heart?”

– Criticizing the mafia and corruption in Naples, Italy, on March 21.

“Even the bars of a

PRISON cannot separate you from God’s love.”

– Addressing inmates at the Poggioreale prison in Naples.

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IN NAPLES, ITALY

Pope Francis reacts as he is surrounded by children in the impoverished area of Scampia, Naples.

SAINT OF THE MONTH

LAST WORD

T. Gennara

VISITING THE SICK

FATHER CHARLES IRVIN

is the founding

MERCY – THE BEST PATH TO TRUTH St. Pope John I | Feast Day: May 18 During last October’s Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz said, “[W]e don’t have any false divide between mercy and truth. They are one. In other words, mercy is the best path to truth, and mercy without truth is not mercy.”

St. Pope John I clearly understood this truth in 523. At the time, Theodoric the Goth ruled Italy, and he subscribed to the Arian heresy, which espoused that Christ was not the Eternal Word, but rather the greatest and first creature made

by God. When Justin I, a Catholic emperor of the Byzantine Empire, enacted an edict against the Arians to compel them to surrender churches they occupied to Catholics, Theodoric threatened war.

Ultimately, Theodoric decided to attempt a negotiation instead, and coerced Pope John to head a delegation to Constantinople with instructions that the pope pressure Justin I to withdraw his edict and facilitate the return of converted Arians to Arianism.

However, Pope John would not use his position as head of the Church to encourage the emperor to favor heresy. His commitment to the truth of the Catholic faith was too strong to jettison in the name of a false peace that would enable and justify untruth. He also counseled Justin I to use gentleness and discretion when it came to the Arians. In other words, he advised the emperor to be merciful in the only way possible – truthfully.

Unfortunately, Theodoric arrested and jailed him upon his return to Italy and he died soon thereafter. Yet his witness to the inseparableness of mercy and truth is a lesson that can serve us well on the path to holiness.

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE A editor of FAITH SPECIAL GIFT to the elderMagazine and is retired. ly, especially to those living alone in their homes or in retirement homes. Senior citizens who live in retirement homes may be lonely, even though they live among others. Some of them suffer from an emotional “sickness” wherein they may be tired of all the challenges in their lives.

Visitors, especially young people, can help alleviate this “sickness.” Visitors of all ages can give senior citizens a precious gift – the gift of your time and your interest in them.

Are you not sure what to talk about? Just talk about what’s going on in your own life. This allows the elderly to take a trip back through time to the days when they were younger. That journey takes them away from what hardships they may be experiencing now, and may have a “healing” effect.

‘Blessed are I urge you to visit your friends or the merciful, relatives who may be in the hospifor they shall tal for a while, or recuperating at be shown home from an illness or injury. I invite young people to consider sitting mercy.’ with a kid in the school lunchroom Visiting who is all alone and likely feeling those who quite lonely, or adults to think about feel like they a co-worker who seems to be left out of office camaraderie. Young have been people and adults can suffer equalforgotten ... ly from the sickness of loneliness. can be a sort Spend some of your time with them. of medicine, Remember the Eight Beatitudes Jesus taught us? The seventh, is, a type of “Blessed are the merciful, for they healing that shall be shown mercy.” Visiting you can offer.” those who feel like they have been forgotten, who feel like no one cares, who feel like they’re “outsiders,” can be a sort of medicine, a type of healing that you can offer. As for yourself, “Happy are the merciful …”

Would Jesus be pleased? What do you think?

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Carlson Productions

CONSIDERING PRIESTHOOD?

Priestly discernment dinner with Bishop Boyea and overnight discernment retreat with Fr. John Linden On Sunday, August 16, Bishop Earl Boyea is inviting any man who will be at least entering his junior year of high school to a Priestly Discernment Dinner with him and other priests, along with many seminarians in the Diocese of Lansing. It begins at 3 p.m. at Bethany House in Dewitt. This is a great occasion to come and meet men in the priesthood and some on the way to priesthood.

There is an optional overnight at Bethany House connected with this dinner, which ends on Monday, August 17 in the afternoon. For those interested in either or both events, please contact the Vocations office for more details and registration information by calling 517.342.2504 or email tjasko@dioceseoflansing.org Also check out our website at www.dioceseoflansing.org/vocations

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