May 2017

I NSIDE

FROM THE BISHOP:

The Blessed Mother points us to Jesus DISCERNING GOD’S WILL:

Priesthood or marriage? + Jacob trusts in discernment process + Tyler is in his first year of seminary SPECIAL REPORT:

Our Lady of Fatima 100 years of grace

FROM THE BISHOP

BISHOP EARL BOYEA

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

Carlson Productions

THE BLESSED MOTHER POINTS US TO JESUS

AS CATHOLICS, it is good for us to reflect upon Mary since May is dedicated to her, and we are in the midst of the 100th anniversary of Mary’s apparition at Fatima this year.

First, it is always important that we emphasize that we do not adore or worship Mary.

We honor her even as her son, Jesus, honors her. She is his mother and our mother given to us by Jesus on the cross. We also pray to her – that is, we converse with her as we would with any close friend, as we would with our mother, which she is. We know she loves us and cares for us. We all can benefit from that love.

GETTY IMAGES

There are many topics one could develop about Mary. What I would like to reflect on with you today is Mary and the Church. St. John Paul often talked about the “Petrine” and the “Marian” aspects of the Church. Now both Peter and Mary are saints and, therefore, holy, Mary is certainly the great model of holiness for the Church. This role of Mary reminds us that the major reason for the Church and for us belonging to the Church is be holy – that is, to get to heaven. And just as we hope that Mary will not only model this journey for us, but also walk with us and assist us on the pilgrimage back to our heavenly homeland, so we, imitating her, should seek to model this very travel for others. That is our role in the Church.

“Mary’s role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly from it.” (CCC #964) The scene which always touches my heart is the wedding feast at Cana where Mary tells Mary models for the Church the stewards to do whatever Jesus tells them. She points to Jesus.

Thus, Mary is really showing us what the Church should always be how the Church is to be mother doing, and, by extension, what we should always do – that is, point to the faithful, to nourish to Christ. We Catholics are not very good at this. We are rather priGod’s people, to form and vate about our faith. We really have to get over that and do more pointing to Christ. Jesus must be the pivot on which our lives turn. instruct them, to comfort and Mary was there until the end, supporting her son, Jesus, as he accompany them.” fulfilled the Father’s will and gave his life for us on the cross. Perseverance and fidelity are the marks of such a model. So must our Church be, and so must we be as members of the body of Christ.

Of course, we all fail. We are all sinners. I think that is why Jesus fell carrying his cross; it was to show us what to do when we fall – we get back up and keep going, to the end.

Finally, just being Jesus’ mother fulfills such a blessing for all of us. She models for the Church how the Church is to be mother to the faithful, to nourish God’s people, to form and instruct them, to comfort and accompany them. We need to let the motherhood of Mary appeal to all of us, to reach into our hearts for those motherly instincts as we comfort, accompany and help form one another in the Church. This is not some generic love, but a deep-felt care for those in need. Mary usually has appeared to the poor, such as at Fatima. This reflects her deep heart, but also clearly that of her son, Jesus.

As we dedicate this month to Mary, let it be a time of rededication on our part to be holy, to point to Jesus, to be faithful and to care for those in need. Then we will be true sons and daughters of the Church, as well as of Mary.

3

FROM THE EDITOR

FAITH HELPS

THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK God’s sacramental medicine at work

T

T.Gennera

HE CONVERSATION USUALLY BEGINS something like this: “Father Dwight, would you pray for me this week? I’m having surgery.” I usually respond, “Certainly, I will remember you in prayer. Since you’re preparing for surgery, would you like to receive the anointing of the sick?” “Oh no, Father Dwight – I don’t think I’m that sick.” It’s a very common response to my suggestion about the anointing of the sick. Unfortunately, many folks still equate the anointing of the sick with the celebration of the Last Rites, and even if they are clear about the sacrament’s significance, there seems to be a sense of somehow not being worthy to receive it.

FATHER DWIGHT EZOP

is the editor of FAITH Magazine and pastor of St. Mary Parish, Charlotte and St. Ann Church, Bellevue Email: editor@ FAITHpub.com.

Times of illness can shake our faith. The anointing of the sick is a beautiful sacramental means by which our faith can be strengthened.”

4

When illness – either chronic or acute – becomes a part of our lives, it can create a number of varied feelings in us. When we get sick, sometimes we just don’t feel or act like our best selves. There can be a sense of despair, wondering if we will ever feel well again. There can be a short temper, since pain or discomfort can cause us to lash out at those who are closest to us as they seek to ease our suffering. When we become ill, we often feel as though we become disconnected from those around us. We see family or friends less frequently, we may have to be absent from work for some period of time, and we usually are forced to give up activities that we normally enjoy while we convalesce from our illness. If the nature of the illness is serious, we may often wonder where God is in the midst of our pain, and we can begin to think about our own mortality.

Whether one’s illness is acute or chronic, the sacrament of the anointing of the sick is an avenue that brings God’s healing and strengthening grace into a situation where it is desperately needed. My love for the sacrament of the anointing of the sick has grown and deepened through the course of my priestly ministry. It is a moving and emotional experience to bring God’s own sacramental medicine to a sister or brother in faith who is ill, anticipating surgery, or who feels the burden of advancing years weighing them down.

The anointing of the sick offers the opportunity for family or friends to gather around a loved one who is sick and surround that person with prayer and the assurance that they are not alone. Because the anointing of the sick involves the laying on of hands by the priest and the physical touch of anointing the sick person’s forehead and hands with the Oil of the Sick, these simple actions often help one who is sick to let go of their stress and tension and help them to feel connected to the much larger realities of God and the Church.

If you or one you love are sick or anticipating surgery, or if you feel the burden of advancing age, do not be afraid to request the anointing of the sick. If possible, make sure that family and friends can be present with you for the celebration of the sacrament. Most importantly, allow the grace of the sacrament to work in and through you, to bring a sense of healing and deeper connection to God and those around you. Times of illness can shake our faith. The anointing of the sick is a beautiful sacramental means by which our faith can be strengthened, our burdens can be shared, our hope can be renewed, and our trust in God can be deepened. And so, our journey in FAITH continues.

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

DISCIPLESHIP

For personal reflection or small group discussion Parenting Journey

1. Why is your faith important to you? Think about what events or situations in your life prompted you to value your faith as you do.

2. Have you ever shared your faith story with your son/ daughter?

Spiritual Fitness

1. What scripture readings, activities, prayers or devotions renew your sense of joy about your faith?

2. How can you include these in your daily or weekly routine to keep your joyfulness fresh?

Cover story

1. Talk about how your faith and your prayer life have sustained you through difficult times.

Feature: Tyler Arens

1. Do you think you can spend more time listening to God in your life, and making him a higher priority?

Feature: Jacob Kanclerz

1. How do you discern God’s call for your life? Prayer?

Scripture? Spiritual reading?

2. What formal or informal groups could you participate in to help you become more intentional about discerning God’s plan for you?

FIND MORE ONLINE GO TO FAITHPUB.COM TO FIND ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AND RESOURCES

INSIDE MAY

COVER STORY ‘I WILL BE READY’ GORDON WAITS FOR GOD TO CALL HIM HOME P. 14

YOUR LIFE

6 marriage matters

She says: ‘I want to go to his high school reunion.’

He says: ‘I want to go by myself.’ What do they do?

7 work life

Do I have to hire my boss’ nephew?

parenting journey

My son is home from college and won’t go to Mass

8 goodlife

It’s summertime – Do I volunteer or get a job?

P. 3

YOUR FAITH

9 spiritual fitness

Lectio Divina – Praying through the year with Scripture

10 in the know with Father Joe Should we baptize our grandchildren in the kitchen sink?

12 theology 101

What do you say when …

Someone asks why we have to confess our sins to a priest?

P. 9

YOUR STORIES

18 my story

Priesthood or marriage?

Jacob trusts in discernment process

FOLLOW FAITH PUB SHARE YOUR FAITH WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND FOLLOWERS

20 my story

Learning to trust God’s call – Tyler is in his first year of seminary

PLUS 24 culture A recipe leads to Fatima

30 popewatch SPECIAL REPORT

Our Lady of Fatima – 100 years of grace P. 22 5

YOUR LIFE

MARRIAGE MATTERS

HIGH SCHOOL YEARS are usually filled with drama WHAT DO and angst, and reunions can THEY DO? bring it all back. Adding your spouse to the mix can introduce more stress to an already high-pressure situation. Most people do show up to reunions with their spouses, but some don’t.

HE SAYS:

I want to go to his high school reunion

I want to go by myself

Joe’s high school reunion is coming up and I was looking forward to meeting all his former classmates and their spouses. He wants to go to the reunion by himself, though, and I’m hurt that he doesn’t want to take me.

I think Melissa will be bored with all these people she’s never met. And I’ll be worrying about whether she’s having a good time, so I won’t be able to relax and enjoy myself. I think we could spend this one social occasion apart.

GETTY IMAGES

SHE SAYS:

6

Many people feel insecure about their high school years, although Joe is not flat-out admitting that. People get labeled as the geek or the jock, the most likely to succeed or the one with the best smile. It’s hard to handle all the old expectations. Opening up to Melissa about his high school years might make Joe feel more comfortable including her at the reunion.

Maybe if Joe looks more closely at the planned activities, he’ll discover that bringing Melissa makes sense. Reunion weekends often schedule one party for alumni only, one event for alumni and spouses and sometimes a family picnic for people who want to bring their kids. Joe could get the time he wants to spend alone with his friends, while including Melissa in the weekend also.

If Joe contacts his friends ahead DR. MANUEL P. SANTOS AND of time, he might find out that most KAREE SANTOS of them are bringing their wives. At are co-authors a lot of reunions, the wives enjoy of The Four Keys meeting each other and chatting to Everlasting about the major thing they already Love: How Your have in common – their husbands.

Catholic Marriage The husbands don’t have to worry Can Bring You too much about entertaining Joy for a Lifetime their wives. On the other hand, if (Ave Maria Press, Joe’s friends have decided not to 2016). bring their wives, Melissa might feel uncomfortable and therefore happier about sitting this one out. But if Joe’s real reason for going alone is to re-enact some youthful indiscretions, then maybe Joe ought to stay home, too.

Unless Melissa has real concerns about Joe’s underlying motivations, she should feel OK about letting him go without her. As Pope Francis recently advised spouses, “We do not have to control the other person, to follow their every step.” He went on to say, “There comes a point where a couple’s love attains the height of its freedom and becomes the basis of a healthy autonomy.” (Amoris Laetitia, 115, 320) Note: Nothing in this column is meant to provide psychological or medical diagnosis, treatment or opinion.

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

DO I HAVE TO HIRE MY BOSS’ NEPHEW? Q

QUESTION 3: JUDGMENT You: Righto. I plan to hire the best person for the job. Is that how you see it?

Boss: Of course.

Even with that perfect scenario, he won’t like your decision, so prepare yourself for negative consequences.

More likely, he’ll balk at one of the three questions. Here are your options:

My supervisor wants me to hire his nephew for the summer.

We have other, more-qualified applicants – this doesn’t feel

right. Is there a way I can say no? Should I go over my boss’ head?

A

T. GENNARA

Don’t go over his head. Get into his head.

Diplomatically ask him three questions. If he gives perfect answers, it will go like this:

JIM BERLUCCHI

is the executive director of the Spitzer Center for Visionary Leadership.

QUESTION 1: AUTHORITY You: Boss, I need your direction on this hiring decision. Is it my responsibility to hire for this job?

Boss: Of course. You have the authority.

QUESTION 2: AUTHORITY You: Is it unconditional? Or would you like prior approval?

Boss: Like I said, it’s your call.

Q1. If he claims authority to hire, simply hand the decision back to him. Conscience clear.

Q2. If he requires prior approval, propose your best candidate and work your way down till he approves. In effect, he’s deciding.

Conscience clear.

Q3. If he values factors other than qualification, like friends or relatives, you have a disagreement.

Now it boils down to your candidate or his candidate. If you select yours, your conscience is clear but your job might be in jeopardy. If so, you have a good case for appealing higher up.

If you go his way, your conscience might be compromised. That’s a matter only you can navigate. But at least you’ve earnestly tried to chart the right course.

My son is home from college AND WON’T GO TO MASS

Q

My son came home for the summer after his first year at college, and announced that he was no longer going to attend Mass, including when he is

home. How do I talk to him about this without resorting to, “You have to go because I still pay your bills,” which would probably do nothing but lead to resentment?

YOUR LIFE PARENTING JOURNEY

T. GENNARA

GETTY IMAGES

YOUR LIFE WORK LIFE

DR. CATHLEEN MCGREAL

is a psychology professor and certified spiritual director.

A

In early adulthood, Iñigo Lopez de Oñaz y Loyola concentrated on courtly life and attracting women. A leg shattered in battle remained ugly, so he had it re-broken and reset. His recovery period led to conversion; St. Ignatius of Loyola eventually founded the Jesuits. God makes crooked paths straight. (Lk 3:5)

Rend your hearts, not your garments. (Jl 2:13) God longs for us to return with our

whole hearts. (Jl 2:13) If your son attended Mass through coercion, his mind would be “on vacation,” rather than focusing on the eucharistic celebration.

Talk to or have a conversation? “Talking to” could imply a one-way communication. Instead, have a conversation with him. What is motivating his proclamation regarding Mass? Try not to be defensive as you listen. Pray for guidance, and pray for your son.

Your witness and prayer are the best things you can do.

Walking the road to Emmaus.

We don’t know what lies around the next bend of our faith journey. The men didn’t recognize Jesus as they walked to Emmaus, but later at table their eyes were opened. As C. S. Lewis wrote in Surprised

by Joy, “The hardness of God is kinder than the softness of men, and His compulsion is our liberation.”

The fruits of the Spirit are inviting to others. In interactions with your son remember that, “Since we are living by the Spirit, let our behavior be guided by the Spirit.” (Gal 5:22-23, 25)

(Lk 24:13-35)

7

Sometimes, parents and teens disagree about how to spend the lazy summer months. Kids may see that time as an opportunity to explore an interest area, while parents understandably might be looking for their child to start bringing in some cash.

WHAT TO DO?

IT’S SUMMERTIME DO I VOLUNTEER OR GET A JOB? GOODLIFE

DO I VOLUNTEER OR GET A JOB?

BY CYNTHIA KAAN

FOLLOWING ARE SOME THOUGHTS TO CONSIDER AS YOU DISCUSS THIS TOGETHER. •E xperience matters. If the volunteer position is in an area of interest for a future career, this type of experience would be invaluable.

• Financial responsibility matters. Is it possible to

8

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

•F amily responsibility matters. What about helping out in ways that are not financial? Extra chores? No new clothes or nights out? You might have to make some sacrifices.

Parents, you’ve clearly done an amazing job of modeling volunteer work. And kids, kudos to you for wanting to spend your summer volunteering rather than hanging out at the beach or the mall.

GETTY IMAGES

•F aith formation matters. If the position is one that will expose you to other Catholics who are living their faith in the “real world,” this will help create a heart for Jesus in all things.

volunteer as well as have a part-time job? It may be a sizable sacrifice of time between the two, but it would certainly be a memorable summer!

YOUR FAITH YOUR FAITH SPIRITUAL FITNESS T. Gennara

SISTER ANN SHIELDS

LECTIO DIVINA Praying through the year with Scripture

Gospel for May 28 – The Ascension of the Lord:

And he said to them, “Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And [behold] I am sending the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Then he led them [out] as far as Bethany, raised his hands, and blessed them.

As he blessed them he parted from them and was taken up to heaven. They did him homage and then returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple praising God. (Lk 24:46-53) After you have read these verses, pause and ask God to show you what he wants you to see. As we come to read this section of Scripture which deals with several of Christ’s encounters with his disciples after his resurrection, you can imagine they are still somewhat confused and disbelieving.

is a renowned author and a member of the Servants of God’s Love. @srannshieldssgl Prior to this passage in Luke, Jesus appears to them, shows his wounds from the crucifixion and then tells them he is hungry and asks for something to eat. The line immediately before our reading says: “Then, he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.” Jesus speaks to them about the Messiah from the prophets and the psalms.

Then Jesus tells them, “You are witnesses of these things.” In other words, Jesus is telling them: You’ve seen my life, my death and now you are witnesses to the truth of my resurrection. They are probably overcome with joy, but still feel somewhat confused.

But before Jesus leaves them, he tells them to stay in the city. In other words, don’t go running around, telling stories, asking questions. He tells his disciples: Stay here, at home; stay in familiar territory, wait and pray “until you are clothed with power from on high.” In other words, wait on the Lord, pray, wait on me, listen for my action.

Don’t start making your own plans. You don’t yet understand how God wants to use you, or where or when – so wait on God’s call, God’s action.

Just as God sent his Holy Spirit to equip the disciples for the work they will be called to do – to evangelize, to preach, to lead people to faith in the Messiah – so will he do for you. That means daily time with God in prayer, reading Scripture daily and receiving the Eucharist as often as you can.

Take time this Easter season to thank God for the gifts he has given you. Then ask him to bring alive the gifts he gave you in baptism and confirmation.

If you don’t know your gifts, then ask God to show you. Ask him to activate those gifts he wants you to exercise now in your family, parish or workplace, so that God may be glorified – through you. Yes, you.

Finally, read Acts 2:14-42. Look what God did with uneducated fishermen, who finally put all their trust in God. Look how he used them! Do you not think God is looking for new disciples to bear witness to his love and his truth? He teaches. He equips. He looks for our willingness.

Take notice. The Scripture says that after Jesus left them, they worshipped him, then returned to Jerusalem with great joy! Then it says they continually went to the temple to worship and praise. The power of the resurrection and the work of the Holy Spirit were already evident in their lives. So can it be in ours. Learn from what the Scripture teaches us.

He is risen. Alleluia!

9

T. Gennara

SHOULD WE BAPTIZE OUR GRANDCHILDREN IN THE KITCHEN SINK?

FATHER JOE KRUPP

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

YOUR FAITH IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE

When we celebrate a sacrament, we recognize that it binds us to keep our end of the deal in the covenant.”

GETTY IMAGES

Q

DEAR FR. JOE: My wife wants to baptize our grandkids in the kitchen sink. I think we should not interfere with our children’s parenting. What do we do?

A

Greetings in Christ! I’m glad you asked this question – in every parish I’ve been assigned to, I’ve run into this. It seems to be something many people are really struggling with.

I’d like to walk us through some of the teachings of the Church on baptism in order to help you.

The first step I invite you to take is to break out your Catechism of the Catholic Church and take a look at paragraphs 1213-1284. That sounds like a lot of reading, but it’s not – and what is in there should be really helpful to you.

What you’ll see is an affirmation of your desire for your grandchild, because baptism is a beautiful gift. Let’s look at what is accomplished in the baptism of a child: •T he child dies to sin and is reborn as an adopted child of God. • The child will receive grace to receive God’s teachings and love into his or her heart.

• The child “puts on Christ” in baptism.

(Gal. 3:27)

•T he child is protected and liberated in a special way from any evil power.

• The child is set free from original sin.

When the baptism is celebrated in church, you’ll see numerous signs and symbols that back up each of these points. Not only that, you’ll hear the child’s parents make significant promises to God in

10

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

the presence of the community that they will work hard to teach their child the faith.

They commit to showing their child how to live out baptismal promises in words and deeds.

And that, my friend, is where the trouble with a kitchen baptism can come in.

As Catholics, we understand a distinction between magic and sacraments. Magic in this case being the idea that, “If I do this, then the Lord has to do that,” or “If I don’t do this, the Lord can’t do that.” Magic is an attempted manipulation of the divine.

What we have as followers of Jesus is faith, which is different than magic. We don’t believe God is bound by our sins or the sins of others.

We don’t believe that, if we “do” baptism that we force God’s hand. When we celebrate a sacrament, we recognize that it binds us to keep our end of the deal in the covenant.

If we do a kitchen baptism, we recognize that God is going to honor the promises of that covenant and we also recognize that we are promising to teach the child to keep his part of the covenant. In order for that to happen, there simply has to be follow-through. We have to teach the child daily, through word and example, what it means to be a child of God. We need to teach him or her about our beautiful faith and how to live it in a fallen world. We do this to ensure that, as the child grows in age and wisdom, he or she is able to respond to the baptism and keep the promises that are made.

The short way to think of it is this: Jesus tells us that we are either with him or against him; there is no middle place. When we baptize our children, we are promising to raise them to “be on Jesus’ side” for the rest of their lives. If we make that promise, but fail to show them how to live that promise, we are setting our children up for significant spiritual failure.

So, what do we do then? I’d suggest that, after the first step of reading the section on baptism in the catechism, you talk to your kids. If you want, share this article with them (Hi, guys! Hope this helps). Share your hunger to have your grandchild baptized. Share your love of our faith. Share how your faith in Jesus and life in the Church has made your life better; how it has challenged and blessed you. If they still say “no,” ask if you can take spiritual leadership. Ask if you can take their child to your parish for baptism and then assume spiritual responsibility – taking him or her to church every week, to catechism classes, etc. until he or she is old enough to drive to church alone. If, after this, your son and his wife still say “no,” then you must take this to prayer and listen honestly to what God wants from you.

To be honest, I can’t imagine a scenario where the Lord is going to tell you to disregard the parents’

wishes and do what you think is right for someone else. Among other things, consider this: if you unilaterally usurp the parents’ rightful authority over their child, you may cause a family rift with far-reaching consequences. You may find yourself without any relationship at all with your grandchild.

Now, I always try to leave room in my heart for God, for wonder, for humility and for openness to God doing something unusual, but that’s the only reason I don’t flatout type that I don’t think you When we baptize our children, should do this. we are promising to raise them Do make sure you pray daily to ‘be on Jesus’ side’ for the for your grandchild. Pray that Jesus protects this precious rest of their lives. If we make child and leads him or her to that promise, but fail to show God. Pray that God softens the them how to live that promise, hearts of the parents and open we are setting our children up them up to the wonder of faith.

As this precious baby gets older, for significant spiritual failure.” share your love for God and the Catholic Church.

Know this: the Lord loves your grandchild more than you or his or her parents ever could and, he will lead this child to himself.

I will pray for you.

Enjoy another day in God’s presence.

11

Pope Francis confesses as he leads a penitential service in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.

YOUR FAITH THEOLOGY 101

What do you say when …

REUTERS

SOMEONE ASKS WHY WE HAVE TO CONFESS OUR SINS TO A PRIEST?

In 2017, Theology 101 is focusing on the topic of evangelization. Specifically, the task is to offer some ways of approaching various questions Catholics may encounter from co-workers, family and friends regarding the practice of the faith. Of course, we must remember that nothing can replace the power of witnessing to the Good News through our own actions and words, combined with our willingness to accompany others on their faith journey.

THE QUESTION: What do I say when someone asks me why we have to confess our sins to a priest? They want to know why we can’t go directly to God.

S. OLSON

HEALING THE WHOLE PERSON 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.

12

Often, the best way to engage this kind of question is to ask a question of your own that will help to ground your eventual response in shared experiences. For example, you might ask the questioner if they have ever known someone who wanted to avoid visiting the doctor when they were ill, or the dentist no matter how much their tooth hurt? Perhaps such a person might have reasoned with themselves, “God knows what is wrong with me. I can go directly

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

to God, who can heal me should it be his will. After all, it is God alone who can heal anyway.”

While this is certainly true, the person might actually be avoiding healing because they are really scared of going to the doctor for fear of the pain of the treatment and what it might mean for their life. This fear keeps them from acknowledging the truth that, while God can directly heal them, God is offering to heal their physical body precisely through the vocation of the physician and all those in the medical profession – because this is what they need as human beings, a body and a soul.

AND SO WHY A PRIEST? If you can get the questioner reflecting on this experience, you can then begin addressing their question. You can point out that, as in the case of healing a physical ailment, only God can forgive sins. However, in the same way that God offers healing to the body through the physician, God forgives us (heals us and restores us to communion) precisely through the vocation of the priesthood – because this is what we need as human beings – a soul and a body.

Jesus Christ, by virtue of his divine authority, has given this power to some to exercise in his name because of his desire that the Church be “sign and instrument of the forgiveness and reconciliation that he acquired for us at the price of his blood.” (CCC 1442) To this end, Jesus entrusted the power of the absolution of sins to his apostles. This power passed principally to the bishops, who are the successors of the

FOR FURTHER REFLECTION

THAT FOR WHICH WE WERE MADE The motivation for this is not based on any need God has, but our needs given our reality and destiny. For instance, the first paragraph of the prologue to the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that God created us freely and out of love for eternal life in communion with God. In other words, we are made for communion with the Blessed Trinity. The implication is clear: if we were made for communion, then we will only be whole (healed) if we live in harmony with this end.

One way we have come to understand what this means practically is by using the image of the mystical body of Christ.

Christ, who is in perfect communion with the Father, is the head of his body, the Church. The Church, to be healthy or whole, must remain in communion with Christ, her head. She can only do this because of the indwelling Spirit, who is in perfect communion with the Son and the Father.

Finally, each of the members of the Church are called to remain in communion with the Church through the same power of the Spirit, who carries the Church into communion with the Son and the Father.

THE PROBLEM OF SIN

Consider prayerfully reading the following passage from the Gospel of John (20:19-23): On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. [Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you.

each other to which we are all called. For sure, sin breaks our personal communion with God. Consequently, going directly to God for forgiveness of sin is a good and should always be encouraged.

However, at the same time, sin damages our communion with the Church, thereby impacting the body’s communion with her head. This is because sin never is simply personal in its impact.

Sin always has a social consequence as well. Consequently, the healing of this rupture requires both reconciliation with God and Christ’s body, the

As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

REFLECTION QUESTION: 1. What does this passage have to teach us about the connection between peace (wholeness, healing, communion) and the role of the priest in hearing confessions?

2. How might this passage help you explain why we have to confess our sins to a priest?

Church. Hence, our need for the sacrament of reconciliation, which expresses and accomplishes liturgically this forgiveness of God and reconciliation with the Church.

In other words, try explaining it like this: We must be careful that our going directly to God for the forgiveness of our sins does not become a way of our avoiding responsibility for the damage caused by our sinfulness – of keeping our sin secret and in the dark so as not to be discovered, as though this somehow erases the very real consequences of sin.

God offers healing to the body through the physician, God forgives us (heals us and

EVANGELIZATION QUIZ Which saint said the following?

Go to your confessor; open your heart to him; display to him all the recesses of your soul; take the advice that he will give you with the utmost humility and simplicity. For God, who has an infinite love for obedience, frequently renders profitable the counsels we take from others, but especially from those who are the guides of our souls.

A. St. Augustine B. St. Faustina

restores us to communion) precisely through the vocation of the priesthood.”

C. St. Francis de Sales D. St. Thomas Aquinas Answer: (C) St. Francis de Sales

apostles and the visible head of a particular Church. Priests, who are a bishop’s collaborators, are able to exercise this power in Jesus’ name “to the extent that they have received the commission either from their bishop (or religious superior) or the pope, according to the law of the Church.” (CCC 1462)

Sin, of course, is a rupture of the communion with God and 13

YOUR STORIES

14

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

COVER STORY

Gordon Terwilliger is knocking on heaven’s door.

Perhaps lightly tapping would be a more apt description, as Gordy’s physique and strength are fragments of what they used to be. In the early months of 2016, Gordon,

BY ROSE ROBERTSON PHOTOGRAPHY

BY JIM LUNING

full of life and energy, was traveling with his wife, Margaret, helping a brother-in-law build an out-building, exercising regularly and working his maintenance job at St. James Parish in Mason. Everything in 68-year-old Gordy’s world seemed fine – except for the shortness of breath and swollen ankles he was acutely aware of. Thinking possible pneumonia, he called his doctor, who recommended Gordy go immediately to the emergency room. After four days of testing, with no definitive answers, the couple were bewildered when the doctors sent them to a cancer center for further testing.

The “c” word had never entered their realm of possibility.

15

The final diagnosis was totally unexpected: multiple myeloma, a weakened heart and atrial fibrillation. Gordon slowly shares, “We sat there and stared at each other. I went from working out on a treadmill to learning I only

lived because of the spiritual assist by their parish, St. James/Sts. Cornelius had a few years left.” Margaret adds, “We were dumbfounded. I’m the one who’s supposed and Cyprian. Gordon says, “I had to be sick, not Gordon.” Margaret has lived with multiple sclerosis for the last 22 years. been told how many at church were praying for me, and I asked God if I The summer of 2016 was spent in and out of the hospital could divvy up those prayers to use as I needed. I used a for chemo treatments, during which Gordon fell four times, portion to transition home.” Gordy meted the remainder and recognized he wasn’t making progress. In September, to achieve his other two goals: to attend a Mass at his another jolt pierced their world. “The doctor came in and parish and to sit outside on his deck. All three goals were told me there wasn’t much they could do for me. Now, successfully achieved the first two months at home. Those LEARN MORE instead of years, they gave me months. I wanted to spend prayers may also be the source of grace he has drawn from them at home,” he says. to endure his circumstances.

CONTACT An optimistic person by nature, Gordon carved three The five children of their blended family helped care YOUR LOCAL PARISH FOR goals to accomplish in the time he had left. The first, to go for Gordon on weekends. Despite their help, along with INFORMATION ON home, was achieved soon after the devastating blow had visiting nurses, and a social worker, the bulk of his care BEREAVEMENT come. But it wasn’t an easy transition. “I was scared that fell on Margaret. The stress of the 24/7 schedule took a toll OR CARING first night home. It’s like a skydiver who has everything he on her already fragile health, and the care team made the FOR THE SICK needs in the plane until he jumps. Then he’s on his own. decision to move Gordy to a hospice center. Because vision MINISTRIES It was the same for us to come home without all the tools issues prevent Margaret from driving, the health team of being in a hospital,” Gordon says. The Terwilligers were worked to find a hospice that would allow Margaret to stay about to freefall. with him. Mother Teresa House in Lansing became their Gordy and Margaret are certain their panic was short- respite. They made the move in December 2016.

16

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

Margaret is conflicted because her illness is what prevents them from being in their own home for hospice care, something Gordy really would like. The move to their temporary residence, however, has allowed her to rest and regain strength, knowing others provide her husband with compassionate care. It has also brought many unexpected blessings. Margaret says, “They have nights here where members of our families come to relieve the care-givers on Thursday and Sunday. My family has actively participated, so we get to see them more than if we had kept hospice at home.

Gordon has been able to have heart-to-heart talks with our siblings. We have been blessed with many visits from friends.

I take advantage of the chapel upstairs, pray daily, and we receive Communion each day. By far, the biggest blessing of Gordy’s illness, though, has been how our marriage has absolutely flourished.” Gordon nods in agreement.

Gordy’s speech is especially labored, and he is quite weak physically. What hasn’t weakened for him is the faith he wears to combat any despair. Gordon never succumbed to anger or depression as he grappled with his reality, and cannot imagine how he would begin to accept his destiny without faith. “This has really taught me God is in charge,” he says. Doubt and anxiety did try to wrap their tentacles around him, but between medication for anxiety and prayer for doubt, he has kept it at bay. He says, “I don’t have a specific prayer I fall to. I simply pray about a situation itself. I enjoy hearing Scripture and inspirational readings.” As he clutches a rosary, he continues. “Lately, I have been praying the rosary more because I feel almost like I am praying to my mom. She had always been the strength in my life growing up.”

Eyes brimming with tears, Gordy takes a long pause before he continues. “The hard part, now, is simply waiting; I can no longer physically do anything. I wonder when death will come and what it will be like. TV dramatizes a heart attack and someone writhing in pain. They make it look so horrible and that makes me afraid. When my mother died, there wasn’t any agony. She went to sleep and never woke up. I want a peaceful death like that.”

“Gordy’s speech is especially labored, and he is quite weak physically. What hasn’t weakened for him is the faith he wears to combat any despair.”

While he’s waiting for his knock to be answered, Gordon hopes to accomplish one more thing: “I don’t know what it is about the church, but it’s a draw. It’s like a magnet to me. I want to go back to St. James, rest in the garden and listen to the bells.” Tears easily flow now. “And to sit inside St. James. That’s my home.”

Gordy has recently been having dreams about friends and relatives who have already made heaven their eternal home. They have joyfully greeted him, shared how glad they are to see him and invited him to join them. Gordy affirms how those dreams bring him comfort. He says, “Sometimes I sit here and hear Jesus say, ‘I got this place I want to take you to and it will be great.’ So I go with him and when we get to the door he says, ‘You wait here a minute, I got something to do.’ So I’m out here waiting for God to come back and say, ‘Hey, Gordon. I got your room ready.’ But he hasn’t come back yet. I don’t even see him in the distance, but I know he is coming back.

And when he does, I will be ready.”

Mother Teresa House welcomes all forms of service to support its mission of loving the dying WANT TO GIVE? Any donation level is appreciated!

• $100 provides one day’s care for one guest.

• $1,000 will cover one guest’s entire stay at Mother Teresa House.

MAIL CHECKS TO: Mother Teresa House P.O. Box 13004, Lansing MI 48901, or call 517.484.5494

WANT TO SERVE? • Caregivers are needed for shifts all hours of the day and night!

• Internships are available either living on-site or off.

• New quilts and comforters for guests are always welcome.

For more information or support opportunities: visit WWW.MOTHERTERESAHOUSE.ORG 17

YOUR STORIES MY STORY

PRIESTHOOD OR MARRIAGE? Jacob trusts in discernment process

J

ACOB KANCLERZ ALWAYS THOUGHT he would get married and have a family. Then, after he graduated from Michigan State and saw the witness of other young adults, he started to wonder if he might be called to the priesthood. The road to discovering his true vocation proved to be more winding than Jacob expected, yet he’s certain that God led him each step of the way.

BY MARY GATES PHOTOGRAPHY

BY TOM GENNARA

The Foundation helped me learn that my heart was not in the priesthood.

And as it turned out, God’s desire on my heart was more obvious than I expected.”

18

“I didn’t really take ownership of my faith until college, when I started to want intellectual answers to questions surrounding the faith. After I graduated from Michigan State, I looked for young adult groups and sought out intentional ways to get involved.”

It was the witness of other young adults that struck Jacob’s heart and encouraged him to consider more fully God’s will in his life.

“A major source of conversion for me has been seeing friends live a life in Christ. They were very influential. I went on a retreat with i.d.9:16, which got me on a different path of really living with God at the center of my life and having everything flow from there.” (i.d.9:16 is a group that exists to form young adults into intentional disciples of Jesus Christ.)

The ongoing experience of conversion challenged Jacob to take into account not only his own desires, but ultimately God’s call and desires for him.

“Naturally, from the conviction of intentional discipleship came the question of what I was meant to do with my life. Until this point, I had put a lot into my job as a journalist, but as I backed off of my career a little, I began to wonder if I could be called to the priesthood,” he says.

Jacob continues: “I took baby steps to being more open to the idea of pursuing the priesthood. I was afraid to bring it up to Catholic friends, thinking they may encourage me to pursue it, and I was afraid to bring it up to non-Catholic friends, who might not understand why I would consider giving my life to God in this radical way.

Getting over the hump of acknowledging that it was on my mind was a big step. I eventually talked to a priest about it, and he encouraged me to pursue Jesus. He explained to me that the more I pursued my first call of holiness and grew in my relation-

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

ship with God, the more I would find my vocation.

“I pursued my vocation in a very practical way. I explored avenues little by little, and eventually took the leap toward the discernment group after dating a girl and really enjoying it, but feeling restless with the possibility that I hadn’t fully given myself to discerning priesthood. I broke up with her with the intention of figuring out God’s plan, and that same week the discernment group had a meeting, so I jumped in.”

Meetings with Father John Linden and The Foundation discernment group proved invaluable to Jacob, who found the fellowship and mutual pursuit of holiness encouraging.

He says, “The discernment group was great because it provided me an opportunity to be with guys who were considering the same thing I was. It was a no-pressure situation that really gave me practical ways to learn a lot about what the priesthood is and what it isn’t. It was a chance to listen to other guys, in discussions that were really guided by the Holy Spirit, tell their stories and explain where they were at and how they got there. Just hearing other people helped me understand where I was at.

“I went regularly to the group, I visited the seminary, applied to seminary and was accepted. Yet the way I received being accepted to seminary was telling. I realized my heart was not full of joy in that news.

“All throughout this time, I was good friends with the girl I had broken up with to focus wholly on discerning God’s will. She had also discerned religious life, so she had, as a friend, checked in with my process. I realized over the course of these events that we had fallen in love outside of a dating relationship. I learned through prayer, and through conversations with people near to us, that my heart was drawn to this woman. After a long conversation with her, and after sharing the news that I was not going to seminary with Father John and others, it was affirmed time and time again that this was God’s will for my life.

And we are engaged now.

“The Foundation helped me learn that my heart was not in the priesthood. And as it turned out, God’s desire on my heart was more obvious than I expected. For me, the discernment group was one part of the equation, part of many things to do to discern. Being in the group is really a part of giving yourself to God, and allowing him to point you in the direction that will bring you personal happiness.”

Looking back on his discernment, Jacob identifies The Foundation as an important step on his journey of pursuing holiness, discerning his vocation and coming to trust in God and his plan.

“Had I not joined the group, I wouldn’t be where I am today, not only having discerned priesthood, but also having discerned marriage in a very intentional way. It all worked out.

And it all worked out in his time,” he says.

“FOR ME, THE DISCERNMENT GROUP WAS ONE PART OF THE EQUATION, PART OF MANY THINGS TO DO TO DISCERN. BEING IN THE GROUP IS REALLY A PART OF GIVING YOURSELF TO GOD, AND ALLOWING HIM TO POINT YOU IN THE DIRECTION THAT WILL BRING YOU PERSONAL HAPPINESS.”

19

LEARNING TO TRUST GOD'S CALL Tyler is in his first year of seminary

BY MICHAEL SPATH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

S

EMINARIAN TYLER ARENS is like most Catholics.

That’s the first thing he wants you to understand. He always felt God calling out to him, but not in a “part the Red Sea, cast seven plagues” kind of way.

YOUR STORIES MY STORY

He attended the University of Michigan, took a job after graduation in 2008 in the Office of Financial Aid at Michigan State, bought a house, stocked it with cultural comforts and generally enjoyed his social life.

Tyler regularly attended Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in East Lansing, and was involved in a number of young adult groups, including i.d.9:16 (a group that exists to form young adults into intentional disciples of Jesus).

DISCERNMENT GROUP CAN HELP YOU HEAR GOD’S CALL

I

He felt he was doing good work for the Lord within the societal norms expected of him. But something continued to pull at Tyler beyond his current ministry.

“As someone a little older, I’m 30 now, you have more attachments, more relationships that you build up over your career, but there has been something persistent working at me my entire life,” Tyler says.

Was it the priesthood? The challenge for Tyler was deciphering God’s message for him, but before he could fully interpret that message, he needed to make a few changes in his relationship with the Lord.

“I wasn’t at a place with God that I could really trust and know how he was calling me,” Tyler says. “I think that’s a challenge for all of us – are we truly committed

N AUGUST 2014, Father John Linden, director of seminarians and chair of the Department

of Vocations, welcomed men to the annual Bishop’s Discernment Dinner, during which any interested man in the diocese has the opportunity to meet Bishop Boyea and some priests and seminarians from the diocese. After that dinner in 2014, Father John hosted an overnight discernment retreat, creating an opportunity for further discussion among peers asking themselves what God is calling them to do.

20

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

Father John Linden

to our relationship with God? “About two years ago, there was a pivot for me. I made the decision to be more intentional about my faith. That was a beginning for me of really striving for a deeper relationship with the Lord. And it was through that relationship that I was able to understand his will and the way he was calling me.

“I don’t pretend that was easy. I know how daunting it can be, especially when you’ve been out in the world after college, and you’ve got friends, and a house, a car and the things you like – and that’s why you must really ask for his intervention.

“The Lord gave me the grace to start changing the way I looked at my own life, and I was able to put him at the center of my life. Instead of focusing on what I would be giving up, he allowed me to see all I'd have to gain, even if it couldn't be fully understood yet.

“That’s a huge change in your mental and spiritual approach, and I only got there because of God’s grace and patience.”

Tyler attended discernment groups with Father John Linden, the director of seminarians and chair of the Department of Vocations. He also joined a discernment group with Father Dan Westermann (then parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas) because, even though Tyler was drawing closer to God and the path set before him, he needed further direction and conversation.

“I think there’s a myth that you have an ‘A-ha’ moment where you’re hit on the head by lightning and you just know that you’re supposed to be a priest or you’re supposed to join the seminary, but it rarely happens that matter-of-factly,” Tyler says.

“I needed to talk about it.”

There is another misconception about discernment groups: that they exist to talk men into becoming priests.

“Never once did I feel any pressure – you have to be there of your own accord,” Tyler says. “If you were to drop in on one of these meetings, and didn’t know what it was about, you would have thought this was a discussion amongst men seeking to Out of this event, The Foundation was created as a monthly Saturday morning gathering at the St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Ann Arbor and the Catholic Men’s House in Flint.

“There is so much good that comes out of being with a group, not the least of which is knowing that you are not alone,” Father John says. “There are all these great guys thinking just like you, and it lends legitimacy in a man’s mind that, ‘This is not just me.

grow in their identity as Christians.

“It’s simply a chance to get together with like-minded individuals who have the same questions you do about faith, about your relationship with the Lord, about what he’s calling you to do, about how to respond and about the fact that road may not ultimately lead to the seminary and the priesthood.”

Tyler grew closer and closer to God and to his final decision, but first he needed to cross one more hurdle – overcoming the fear of self-doubt.

“I think with millennials we want to be so sure we'll get it right, and we're afraid of taking risks sometimes," Tyler says. “We want to know how the end is going to look, but if you really focus in on Scripture, the Lord never said, ‘This is how it’s going to be, this is what to expect.’ He basically kept coming back to ‘trust, trust, trust. Trust me.’

“That describes my discernment in a nutshell, which is that I had to grow to a place of trust with him to ask the question, ‘How are you calling me?’ Then, I needed to be in a position to say yes. So it comes down to this: be not afraid. Those are the words St. John Paul opened his pontificate with, and they appear so frequently in the Bible.

“No matter what challenge we’re facing in life, no matter what question we are asking and being asked by the Lord, if we trust in him, we will not allow fear to hold us back.”

Tyler is presently in his first year of seminary, learning to become a priest, but also learning more succinctly what it means to be a true disciple of and partner with Christ.

“I think people have this idea of seminary being all these guys who have everything already figured out, and if you come into the seminary with that min-dset, that’s going to be quickly corrected,” Tyler says.

“The end result may be ordination, but it’s that focus on your relationship with the Lord that comes first, because it’s truly through that relationship and understanding his voice better in your life that you can minister to others like he is calling each of us to do in some fashion.”

There is something real about this internal dialogue I’m having.’”

Only some of the men who attend The Foundation will ultimately pursue seminarian life, and fewer still will become priests, but everyone benefits from the support and encouragement of peers.

“It’s a low-key, no-pressure atmosphere,” Father John adds. “The reality is, even though most of these guys won’t ultimately be ordained, they will come out of these discernment

No matter what challenge we’re facing in life, no matter what question we are asking and being asked by the Lord, if we trust in him, we will not allow fear to hold us back.”

INTERESTED IN PRIESTHOOD? CONTACT FATHER JOHN LINDEN AT 517.342.2507

groups more open to the help of God and others in their decision-making, and will be more able to help others realize God’s call, too.

“The No. 1 killer of vocations is fear, fear of commitment, and that’s not just in discerning priesthood – that’s true for marriage and for anything in life we are called to do. And this is a place where you can discuss that fear with others, and overcome that fear.”

– MICHAEL SPATH

21

Our Lady of Fatima 1 0 0 Y E A R S O F G R AC E

S P E C I AL R E P O R T

T

HIS YEAR MARKS the 100th anniversary of the appearance of Mary to three young visionaries in the town of Fatima in Portugal. This report is excerpted from Fatima, 100 Years of Grace by the World Apostolate of Fatima, U.S.A. — Our Lady’s Blue Army. If you would like to read an in-depth account of the miracle, its history and the lives of the children, accompanied by historical photography, visit giftshop.wafusa.org.

T he story

“ D o not b e a f r aid.

I am t he a n g el of p eace. Pr ay w i t h m e.”

During World War I, Pope Benedict XV made repeated, but forlorn, pleas for peace. Finally, in May 1917, he made a direct appeal to the Blessed Mother to intercede for peace in the world. Just over a week later, Our Lady began to appear at Fatima, Portugal, to three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, age 10, and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto, ages 9 and 7. However, it was in the previous year, 1916, that the children had their first supernatural encounters with an angel as a means of preparing them to receive the Queen of Heaven.

T he a ng el of Portu g a l In the spring of 1916, as the three shepherd children tended their sheep in a property called Old Chousa, a drizzling rain began to fall, so they 22

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

climbed the hill to find shelter in the crevices of a rock. Suddenly, a strong wind began to shake the trees. They looked up and saw coming toward them a dazzlingly beautiful young man, seemingly made of light, who told them, “Do not be afraid. I am the angel of peace. Pray with me.”

Kneeling on the ground, he bowed down until his forehead touched the ground and had them repeat three times: “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love you. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love you.”

Then, rising, he said, “Pray thus.

The hearts of Jesus and Mary are attentive to the voice of your supplications.” Leaving them absorbed in a supernatural atmosphere, the angel disappeared.

The angel appeared to them again later in the summer and in the fall, encouraging them to pray and to make sacrifices for the reparation of sin.

T h e fi r s t a ppa r i t i o n o f Mary On May 13, the three children took their flocks out to pasture in the area known as the Cova da Iria. After lunch and the rosary, they suddenly saw a bright flash of light, followed quickly by another flash in the clear blue sky.

They looked up to see, in Lucia’s words, “A lady, clothed in white, brighter than the sun, radiating a light more clear and intense than a crystal cup filled with sparkling water lit by burning sunlight.” She said, “Do not be afraid, I will not harm you. I come from heaven.”

She asked them to come to the Cova for six months on the 13th day of the same hour She ended the visit by saying, “Say the rosary every day to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war,” and began to rise serenely towards the east until she disappeared.

Mo nt h ly a ppa r i ti o n s Mary continued to appear to the children throughout the months, and encouraged the children to pray the rosary for the reparation of sins and the conversion of Communist Russia. As word spread, large crowds gathered to witness and pray.

(L-R) Lucia dos Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto.

T h e t hr ee sec r et s The children said they had been told a three-part secret. Lucia wrote down the third part of the secret at the order of her bishop, but it was not divulged until 2000, just after the beatification of Jacinta and Francisco.

THE VISION OF HELL “As she spoke these words, she opened her hands. The light seemed to penetrate the earth and we saw, as it were, a sea of fire. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened and burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves, together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in huge fires, without weight or equilibrium, amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repellent likeness to frightful and unknown animals, black and transparent like burning coals. Terrified and as if to plead for succor, we looked up at Our Lady, who said to us so sadly: “‘You have seen hell, where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done,

many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that He is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father.

THE REQUEST FOR THE CONSECRATION OF RUSSIA “To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of Reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.’”

THE CALL TO PENANCE Obeying an order from her bishop, Sister Lucia wrote the last part of the secret on Jan. 3, 1944: “At the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an angel with a flaming sword in his left hand;

flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire, but they died out in contact with the splendor that Our Lady radiated toward him from her right hand. Pointing to the earth with his right hand, the angel cried out in a loud voice: ‘penance, penance, Penance!’ We saw an immense light that is God, something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it, a bishop dressed in white (we had the impression it was the Holy Father) and other bishops, priests and men and women religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork tree with the bark. Before reaching there, the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins, and, half trembling with a halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met along his way. Having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big cross, he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other bishops, priests, men and women religious and various lay people of different ranks and positions.

Beneath the two arms of the cross there were two angels each with a crystal aspersorium in their hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.”

SPECIAL REPORT

PORTUGAL Fatima SPAIN

LEFT PHOTO: Statue portraying the angel of peace apparition.

RIGHT PHOTO: Holm oak tree where apparition appeared at Cova da Iria.

23

24

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

CULTURE

A RECIPE LEADS TO

Fatima A

SHORT TIME AGO, I met up with a couple of friends for coffee at a small café, and ordered an egg tart. I wasn’t too excited about my choice, but it ended up being really tasty, so I went home to search online for recipe ideas to make my own. I came across a woman’s food blog, which featured a delicious-looking Portuguese egg custard tart. But my attention turned quickly from food to the place where she discovered it – in a small town just outside of Fatima, Portugal. I’ve always been moved by the story of Fatima, so I put the recipe searches aside and spent a large part of my afternoon watching online documentaries on that significant event that took place nearly 100 years ago.

T. Gennara

On May 13, 1917, Mary first appeared to three shepherd children in a field near the town of Fatima. It was the first of six apparitions where Lucia, Jacinta and Francisco were visited by a beautiful lady dressed in white. She told the children she was from heaven, and requested they reMICHELLE cite the rosary every day and return to the same place each DIFRANCO month at the same time for the next five months. Over the is a designer and course of that time, she made a loving but firm plea for the busy mom of reparation, penance and recitation of the rosary for not three children. only the salvation of souls, but for peace in the world. Our Lady came with a message from God for all of humanity and promised peace if her requests were heeded.

Fatima is one of the most significant of Marian apparitions, and is venerated with a feast day. And this year is extraordinary since it is the 100th anniversary year. Now, I typically view feast days in the Catholic Church as celebratory, since they are often marked with food, activities, crafts or special prayers. But this one comes with a sobering message from Our Lady about the need for repentance and prayer. Fatima elicits mixed feelings for me. Joy for the love of Our Lady and her devotion to the simplest of God’s children, but alarm for all that her message portends.

I have since revisited the Portuguese egg custard tart (pastel de nata) recipe and created a simple variation to try. Since it’s more of a dessert, it isn’t at all like the egg tart I had at the café, but it’s every bit as scrumptious. Aside from its origin tracing back to a monastery, it has no religious significance to the story of Fatima. But for me personally, it will always have an association, since its discovery led me to a deeper familiarity with one of the most significant Marian apparitions of the last century. I have made them on a couple of occasions and with each instance, I’ve found myself pondering those poor, simple children experiencing that world-changing encounter with Our Lady.

I encourage you to try the recipe and, more importantly, read about and spread her message to all.

PASTÉIS DE NATA (Portuguese custard tarts) 1 package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets) 1 tablespoon butter 1 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1½ cups half and half 6 large egg yolks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 small piece of lemon rind 1 cinnamon stick ground cinnamon Lightly grease bottoms and sides of two standardsized muffin pans (with butter) and set aside.

Thaw pastry sheets enough to unfold. Using a rolling pin, slightly roll out each sheet just enough to smooth out the folds. Starting at the short end, roll each pastry sheet into long cylinders. Carefully cut into 10-12 one-inch pieces.

Turn each piece spiral side up and flatten using the palm of your hand. Roll out into 3 ½” – 4” (in diameter) disks. Place a disk in each greased muffin cup and gently press into the bottom and up the sides (lining each cup), leaving 1/8” of space at the top. Set aside (in a cool place) and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium saucepan on low to medium heat, combine half and half, cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon stick and lemon rind. Using a whisk, stir gently until mixture thickens (about 3-5 minutes).

Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon rind and lower the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks. Slowly add part of the hot milk mixture into egg yolks and whisk until combined. Gradually add the egg yolk mixture back to remaining milk mixture in the saucepan, stirring gently on low heat. Continue to stir for about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Pour custard into each pastry cup to three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and custard shows amber and brown spots. Allow tarts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes. And then cool outside of the pan for another five minutes. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and serve warm.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANE FOLKERTSMA

25

YOUR COMMUNITY THINGS TO DO

CATHOLIC CHARITIES

The first Friday of every month, 1-3 p.m., the For Pain Sake group meets at St. Mary Magdalen, Brighton.

Everyone is welcome. For more information, contact the parish office at 810.229.8624.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF JACKSON, LENAWEE AND HILLSDALE COUNTIES, CATHOLICCHARITIESJLHC.ORG, JACKSON: 517.782.2551, ADRIAN/HILLSDALE: 517.263.2191 • The Violence Prevention Program is a 12-week anger management program designed to address the issues of appropriate expression of feelings, respect, accountability and effective stress management. The program is open to men and women who want to enhance their relationships, communicate effectively and respond appropriately to stressful situations. For information, contact the Jackson office at 517.782.2551.

May 3, 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., two basket weaving classes will be offered in the parish center at St. Mark the Evangelist, Goodrich.

Class cost is $24 and beginners are welcome. To register, call the parish office at 810.636.2216.

May 5, St. Casimir Church, 815 Sparrow Ave., Lansing, will host Rock ‘n Roll for Refugees featuring Frog and the All-Stars. Doors open at 7 p.m., with concert at 8 p.m. – half of the proceeds will be donated to St. Vincent Catholic Charities Refugee Services program.

On May 8, the, 33rd annual Fr. Mac Scholarship Dinner: Keynote speaker Matthew Leonard, internationally known Catholic author and speaker, and Community Service Award recipient Father Steven Mattson. For information, contact Colleen Murray at 517.267.2109 or colleen.murray@ lansingcatholic.org; or Paula Wilcox at 517.267.2121 or paula.wilcox@ lansingcatholic.org.

May 11, 6:30 p.m., St. Casimir, Lansing will have its annual card party in the Holy Family Center. Activities include card and board games; door prizes and raffles during the evening; lots of desserts and beverages; and a top prize of $500. Tickets are available at the door at 6 p.m. For more information, call the parish office at 517.482.1346.

May 13, 9 a.m., with 10 a.m. shotgun start, the 7th annual Tom Jakovac Memorial Golf Outing at Wheatfield Valley Golf Course, 1600 Linn Rd., Williamston; cost is $80 per person and includes 18 holes of golf, cart, lunch, gifts/prizes and dinner. For information, call 517.655.6999; register at jakovacmemorial.com.

May 13, 10:30 a.m., the Diocese of Lansing’s ordination of permanent and transitional deacons will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas, 955 Alton Rd., East Lansing.

26

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SHIAWASSEE AND GENESEE COUNTIES, CCSGC.ORG, FLINT: 810.232.9950 or SHIAWASSEE: 989.723.8239 • This summer, CCSGC has a variety of volunteer opportunities for individuals, families, businesses and groups of all faiths and ages. It is happy to accommodate large groups, field trips and service days. For information, contact 810.232.9950, ext. 43 or astart@ccsgc.org.

• Help CCSGC put Hope in a Box for those in need by donating bar and hand soap and everyday items such as toiletries and cleaning items not included under Bridge Cards and other forms of assistance to the Community Closet. If you, your organization or group would like to join the Hope in a Box program, contact 810.232.9950, ext. 143 or givehope@ccsgc.org.

CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OF WASHTENAW COUNTY, CSSWASHTENAW.ORG or 734.971.9781 • The professional and caring staffers at Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County provide personalized therapy to individuals, couples and families experiencing problems such as depression, stress, martial relationship, substance abuse and many more. Most insurance plans are accepted; sliding scale fee for unninsured. Open Mon.-Thurs., 8:30 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri., 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Sat., 9 a.m.-3 p.m. It also has mental health services in Spanish. For information, call 734.926.0155.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY CATHOLIC CHARITIES, LIVINGSTONCATHOLICCHARITIES.ORG or 517.545.5944 • Substance abuse counseling is available to assist the client toward recovery. Treatment is designed to deal with issues that hinder a person from moving forward in their life and to develop healthy daily function. LCCC participates with many major insurance companies, managed care and specialized grant programs; as well as providing a sliding scale fee is provided for those who are uninsured. For information or an appointment, call 517.545.5944.

ST. VINCENT CATHOLIC CHARITIES, 517.886.1150 or STVCC.ORG • May is Foster Care Awareness Month. With more than 13,000 Michigan children in foster care waiting for a permanent and loving home, please consider opening your home to a child in need. To begin the process, attend a foster parent and adoptive parent orientation, offered the first and third Tuesdays of every month 6–8:30 p.m. To RSVP, call Chicquita Hannah at 517.323.4734, ext. 1612.

• For summer, donations of tickets and gift cards to local baseball games, movies or other local activities are always welcomed to help provide normalizing activities for the children in St. Vincent Children Home. For more information, contact Josh Lown at 517.323.4734, ext. 1356 or lownj@stvcc.org.

May 14, St. Agnes, Fowlerville’s Knights of Columbus will host a Mothers’ Day breakfast after the 8:30 a.m. Mass until noon in the Lothamer Parish Center.

SHARE YOUR FAITH FOLLOW FAITH PUB ONLINE

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

May 16, 7 p.m. or May 21, 2 p.m., a new group of people seeking to learn about the Catholic Church will begin meeting at St. John Church and Student Center, 327 M.A.C. Ave., East Lansing. Individuals can choose which class they want to attend.

For information, contact Pete Ries at 517.351.5460, ext. 1328 or pries@ elcatholics.org.

May 20, 5 p.m.-midnight, Holy Family School, Grand Blanc’s auction will be held at Genesys Conference and Banquet Center, 805 Health Park Blvd., Grand Blanc.

Cost is $40 per person. Tickets can be purchased at Holy Family School or online at hfsgb.org.

May 18-21, St. Peter, 515 E. Knight St., Eaton Rapids will host its annual community festival and carnival.

All are welcome to come to this fun, family-friendly weekend with free parking and many events. No cost to participate. For festival schedule,

visit SPCEatonRapids.org.

May 19, 7 p.m., St. Mary Queen of Angels Parish, 4413 Morrish Rd., Swartz Creek will host a euchre tournament fundraiser sponsored by its Knight of Columbus Council. For more information, call 810.635.3684.

May 21, 1:30-4 p.m., the Council of Catholic Women is hosting a Spring Tea at St. Mark the Evangelist, Goodrich. Speaker will be Vickie Schultz, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties. For more information/registration, contact Cindy Bell at cabsandkids@aol.com.

June 10-11, Catholic Engaged Encounter of Mid-Michigan will be held in DeWitt. It is a marriage preparation ministry based on Catholic teachings and values, and emphasizes the relationship of couples in terms of their sacramental commitment. For more information or to register, contact Sue and Wayne Fransted at 517.740.4132 or email info@lansingcee.org or visit lansingcee.org.

June 16, 10 a.m. shotgun start, Lansing Catholic High School’s 29th annual Cougar Classic at Forest Akers West-MSU. Player fee: $135.

Directly benefits 500 students at high school. Be sure to register early. For information, contact Colleen Murray at 517517.267.2109 or colleen.murray@lansingcatholic.org.

June 17-23, a pilgrimage to Montreal, Quebec, with Rev. Francis Mossholder, pastor, St. Andrew the Apostle, Saline to visit some of the most famous holy places in North America, including: St. Joseph Oratory, Kateri Tekakwitha Shrine, Cap de la Madeleine Shrine (the largest Marian shire in North America) and much more. For more information, call Nancy Carter, at St. Andrew, 734.429.6114, or visit the parish website, standrewsaline.org, for the trip brochure.

June 19-24, an icon painting workshop at St. Thomas Aquinas, 955 Alton Rd., East Lansing.

Beginners will complete an icon and receive basic theoretical and practical knowledge for their spiritual and artistic journey. Class limited to eight students. Register early at contact@inconclasses.org.

June 26-30, step back in time at St. Joseph Parish, Dexter’s Vacation Bible School “Rome: Paul and the Underground Church” at its country church campus, 6805 Mast Rd. – the school will delve into sacred Scripture, praising God through song and getting to know each other. Registration opens April 24 at stjos.com. For information, contact the Religious Education Office at 734.426.2674.

July 31-Aug. 4, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Mary, Chelsea, 14200 E. Old U.S. Hwy. 12, will have Vacation Bible School – theme is “Cave Quest,” following Jesus, the Light of the World for children 4 years old through seventh grade. For information or to register, contact Beth Ewald at smcch@aol. com or 734.475.7561.

July 7-9, Ann Arbor Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat. The pain of abortion runs deep and long, but the unconditional love, mercy, forgiveness, hope and healing of Our Lord is available to all who seek him. If you are experiencing the grief of abortion, you are invited to attend the Ann Arbor retreat. For information or to register, contact Beth at: lpbbauer@yahoo.com or 734.879.0427.

Aug. 11-13, Lansing Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat. For post-abortive men and women in the Diocese of Lansing, this retreat offers spiritual and psychological healing after abortion.

For information, contact the New Life Center at 517.993.0291 or newlifecenterlansing.org.

Registration is open for the 20172018 school year – schedule a tour during the school day. St. Mary Star of the Sea Elementary School, 116 E. Wesley, Jackson, offers your family an affordable, faithbased education in a safe, secure downtown location, featuring small class sizes and adjacent child care.

Enrolling now for preK through grade 6. Families of all faiths are welcome. For information, call 517.784.8811 or visit jcsstmary.org.

St. Thèrése of Lisieux, 102 W. Randolph St., Lansing, has opened a free Tutoring Center for the children of North Lansing, staffed by volunteers and retired teachers who taught at the school before it closed. For information, contact Deacon Dave Borsenski at 517.487.0478.

YOU ARE INVITED to an open house To celebrate and honor fr. Charles Irvin and Fr. James Swiat’s 50 years of service to God’s people Sunday June 4, 2017 Catholic Community of St. Jude 801 North Bridge Street DeWitt, Michigan 1:00 p.m. – Mass of Pentecost Reception immediately following thereafter in the Parish Hall 3:00 p.m. – Reflections 4:00 p.m. – Buffet Kindly RSVP via email to ccarlson@faithcatholic.com

MAY CAFÉ EVENTS Summer Scripture Days 2017: Aug. 15-17, St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt will host Summer Scripture Days to help you discover how to “live to inspire” as we attempt to gather the “lost sheep.”

Registration is open until Aug. 4. Space is limited.

Brochures are available in church vestibule or contact Sheila Rogers at 517.669.8321 or srogers@ stfrancis.ws.

RETREAT CENTERS ST. FRANCIS RETREAT CENTER, DEWITT, STFRANCIS.WS or 517.669.8321 July 16-22, an Ignatian silent directed retreat built on the elements of Lectio Divina and the Examen prayer of St. Ignatius.

WEBER RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER, WEBER.ADRIANDOMINICANS.ORG or 517.266.4000 June 17, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Evolution, Ecology and God, cost of $45 includes lunch.

July 9-15, a Dominican retreat based on Scripture aimed at deepening rootedness in the word of God and renewing a passion for preaching.

27

NEW PRIEST ASSIGNMENTS

LIVINGSTON COUNTY CATHOLIC CHARITIES’ DANCE COMPETITION RAISES MONEY

Bishop Boyea announces the following pastoral assignments and transfers, effective July 1, 2017, unless otherwise noted.

In March, Livingston County Catholic Charities’ 13th annual fundraiser, “Salute to the Stars and Celebrity Dance Competition,” was held at Crystal Gardens in Howell.

The event raised more than $17,000 to help support Livingston County Catholic Charities programs, including senior outreach, which serves both the homebound and low-income seniors. To view a video of the dance competition, visit the agency’s Facebook page.

YOUR COMMUNITY LOCAL NEWS

SHARE YOUR NEWS SEND YOUR LOCAL NEWS STORIES TO EDITORIAL@ FAITHPUB.COM

MORE NEWS FOR UPDATED NEWS AND PRIEST ASSIGNMENTS, GO TO FAITHPUB.COM

28

NEW LIFE CENTER’S RACHEL’S VINEYARD RETREAT In February, the New Life Center in Lansing held a Rachel’s Vineyard retreat for healing after an abortion. If you would like to volunteer or receive information about the New Life Center, contact the center at 517.993.0291 or nlc@resurrectionlansing.org. The next weekend retreat will be held in August, and registration is open.

ST. ANDREW’S YOUNG APOSTLE MINISTRY VISITS CONCORDIA In February, St. Andrew’s Young Apostle Ministry attended a Concordia University women’s basketball game in Ann Arbor to cheer on the Cardinals, against their opponent, and to show support for Corky the Cardinal mascot. Corky is a member of the Young Apostle Ministry who attends Concordia University.

The Young Apostle Ministry formed in 2012 at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Saline. The ministry is open to all young adults, but there is a primary focus on young adults with special needs. Along with the goal of entering into parish life, there are three areas of focus: faith formation, fellowship and service.

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

• Rev John Bosco, from pastor of St. Mary Parish, Morrice to senior priest status.

• Rev. Thomas Firestone, to pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Flint. Father Firestone continues as pastor of St. John Vianney Parish, St. Mary Parish, St. Matthew Parish and St. Michael Parish, all in Flint.

• Rev. Roy Horning, to pastor of St. Mary Parish, Mt. Morris.

Father Horning continues as pastor of Holy Rosary Parish, Flint.

• Rev. James Lothamer, SS, to pastoral administrator of St. Mary Parish, Morrice, for one year • Rev. Zachary Mabee, from parochial vicar of St. John Vianney, Flint to chaplain of Camp Sancta Maria, Gaylord until Aug. 20, 2017. In late September, Father Mabee will return to the Gregorian University in Rome to finish his licentiate in sacred theology (STL).

• Rev. Tom Nenneau, from pastor of St. Mary Parish, Mt. Morris to senior priest status.

• Rev. Karl Pung, from pastor of St. Patrick, Brighton to rector of St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing.

• Rev. Bernard Reilly, from rector of St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing to senior priest status.

• Rev. Pieter vanRooyen, returning from studies in Rome, to the faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit and weekend sacramental ministry to St. Joseph, Ypsilanti • Rev. Bill Wegher, to parochial vicar of Holy Rosary Parish, Flint and St. Mary Parish, Mt Morris.

• Deacon Stan Kukla, to remain as administrator of St. Joseph, Ypsilanti.

FREEDOM TO SERVE VIDEOS HIGHLIGHT SERVICE ROLE OF CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MICHIGAN Television commercials commissioned by the Michigan Catholic Conference now running across Michigan are highlighting the Catholic Church’s freedom to serve others through its charitable, health care and educational entities. Whether through the Catholic charitable organizations that provide essential services, the Catholic schools that prepare students to achieve their dreams or through the Catholic health care system that saves lives and nurtures health, the Catholic Church has a vibrant impact on communities.

Catholic entities include schools, hospitals, hospice, food pantries, meal programs, personal needs closets, employment training, immigration and refugee services, foster care and adoption services and counseling.

SCHOOLS 44

178

HIGH S CH O O L S

E L E M E N TA RY S CH O O L S

15,453

H I G H S CH O O L STUDENTS

36,994

E L E M E N TA RY STUDENTS

HEALTH CARE 11

22

H E A LT H CARE CEN T ER S

C AT H O L I C H O S P I TA L S

5,566,089 PAT I E N T S S E R V E D A N N U A L LY

1,119,367

PAT I E N T S S E R V E D A N N U A L LY

CHARITABLE CARE 88

Visit WWW.CATHOLICSSERVE.COM to view the films and the commercials on television.

73

S P ECI A L CE N T E R S FO R S O CI A L S E R V I CE S

479,319 INDIVIDUALS A SSISTED A N N U A L LY

S P ECI A L I Z E D HOMES

5

RESIDENTIAL CARE FACI L I T I E S

650

CH I L D R E N SERVED A N N U A L LY

71,035 A SSISTED A N N U A L LY

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF MICHIGAN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE. SOURCE: 2016 OFFICIAL CATHOLIC DIRECTORY, P.J. KENEDY & SONS.

29

CREDITS

IN S IDE

FROM THE BISHOP:

The Blessed Mother points us to Jesus

The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing

DISCERNING GOD’S WILL:

Priesthood or marriage? + Jacob trusts in discernment process + Tyler is in his first year of seminary SPECIAL REPORT:

Our Lady of Fatima 100 years of grace

MAY 2017 VOLUME 17: ISSUE 4

www.FAITHpub.com Most Rev. Earl Boyea PUBLISHER

Rev. Dwight Ezop

FIND US ONLINE AT FAITHPUB.COM

EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN

CONNECTING PEOPLE WITH JESUS AND HIS CHURCH WWW.FAITHCATHOLIC.COM

Pope Francis waves to confirmation candidates at St. Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, March 25, 2017.

Patrick M. O’Brien PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Elizabeth Martin Solsburg VICE PRESIDENT/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Ann Jacob MANAGING EDITOR

THREE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD CONFESSOR

Cynthia Vandecar DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Marybeth Hicks MARKETING DIRECTOR

Patrick Dally ART DIRECTOR

Jillane Job EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Jim Berlucci | Doug Culp | Michelle DiFranco | Mary Gates | Cynthia Kaan | Rev. Joseph Krupp | Dr. Cathleen McGreal | Rose Robertson | Dr. Manuel and Karee Santos | Sr. Ann Shields | Michael Spath

POPE WATCH WHAT POPE FRANCIS HAS BEEN SAYING AND DOING RECENTLY

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Carlson Productions | Shane Folkertsma | Mike Frieseman | Tom Gennara | Sarah Moore Kuschell | James Luning | Gretchen Mathos | Don Quillan CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bob Patten CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Most Rev. Carl F. Mengeling FOUNDING PUBLISHER

Rev. Charles Irvin FOUNDING EDITOR For advertising information, contact Tom Gaskin Call 517.853.7648 or email tgaskin@faithcatholic.com For subscription information: Call 1.866.76.FAITH

FAITHTM (USPS 019993) is a publication of FAITH Catholic, Diocese of Lansing, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48906-5550. FAITHTM is a membership publication of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing and is published monthly except for February and August. To purchase a subscription, log on to FAITHmag.com. If you have a change of address, please contact your parish. Periodicals postage paid in Lansing, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FAITHTM, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing MI 48906-5550. ©2017 FAITH Catholic. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Catholic.

On March 20, during a meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, the Holy Father “implored anew God’s forgiveness for the sins and failings of the Church and its members” during the genocide against the Tutsi ethnic group in 1994. He asked that this recognition of the failings of that time “may promote, in hope and renewed trust, a future of peace, witnessing to the concrete possibility of living and working together once the dignity of the human person and the common good are put at the center.”

“The word of God helps us to open our eyes to welcome and love life, especially when it is weak and vulnerable.”

Mar. 15, 2017

FAITH Magazine | MAY 2017 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

GETTY IMAGES

30

APOLOGIES FOR ROLE OF CATHOLICS IN RWANDAN GENOCIDE

In an address on March 17, Pope Francis said that a good confessor: • “Is a true friend of Jesus the Good Shepherd.

Without this friendship, it will be difficult to develop that fatherliness so necessary in the ministry of reconciliation.”

• “Does not act according to his own will and does not teach his own doctrine. He is called always to do the will of God alone, in full communion with the Church, of whom he is the minister, that is, a servant.”

• Is called to evangelize. “Indeed, there is no evangelization more authentic than the encounter with the God of mercy, with the God Who is Mercy. Encountering mercy means encountering the true face of God, just as the Lord Jesus revealed him to us.”

maximize your business potential with one of mid-Michigan’s largest magazines

Contact Tom Gaskin to learn more about advertising in FAITH Phone: 517.853.7648 | E-mail: tgaskin@faithcatholic.com | www.FAITHpub.com

FAITHPUB.COM | FOLLOW FAITH PUB