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Sister Nancy and the migrant workers of Colorado

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ne of the great benefits of having attended Mundelein Seminary in Chicago is the wonderful diversity of chapels that were available to us for prayer throughout any given day. As I recall, there are roughly a dozen chapels of various sizes sprinkled through the many buildings that comprise the seminary. Among all of them, my favorite is the one called the Deacon Chapel, which happened to be located in the residence hall in which I lived for my five years of seminary.

The Deacon Chapel is noted for its graceful simplicity and beautiful acoustics. It was by no means the largest of the chapels on campus, but I have always thought of it as one of the most beautiful. Its pale-colored walls exude a gentle, peaceful feeling and its beautiful stained glass windows include the usual variety of inspiring saints. Since it was located just down the hall from my room, it also made a very convenient place to pray.

Over the chapels altar are the words, Caritas Christi urget nos. Taken from St. Pauls second letter to the Corinthians, these words, The love of Christ urges us on, seemed, at the time, very appropriate for any of us who were patiently making our way through the system of formation that would lead some to priestly ordination and others away from the seminary into deeper, different ways of serving God in the church. Our shared desire to be of service – as laity, deacons or priests – was an expression of our love for Christ. That we would sense such a call was an experience of Christ’s love for us.

Ten years after priestly ordination, I have come to recognize an entirely new sense to those challenging words – a sense of urgency, of being driven – as well as a sense of the fount from which my priesthood springs. Christ’s love for me is central to my priestly ministry, and I pray that my ministry as priest and pastor is some small expression of Christ’s love for all of us. I have come to understand that I am able to love and serve others to the extent that I know that I am loved by Christ. The urgency that I sense seems to stem from a desire to want to share with others what I have sensed in my own life – Christ’s profound love for me. I cannot keep this gift to myself, but must share it, and so the love of Christ urges me on, just as those words in the Deacon Chapel said.

As Christ’s love urges me into a new decade of priestly ministry, Christ’s love compels many of us to do things that, to some, make no sense. Why would Sister Nancy leave Lansing and give up a promising career in neurosurgical nursing to feed and clothe Hispanic migrant workers in Colorado, if not for the love of Christ? Why would John Wooden, with his wife Mary, give up so much of their well-deserved and well-earned time in retirement in order to feed the hungry of Lenawee County, if not for the love of Christ?

Why would the people of our diocese undertake the difficult and challenging process of reconfiguring our parish communities for the future, if not for the love of Christ?

Knowing that we are loved by Christ makes it possible for us to love others in Christ, to share Christ’s love in ways that cause us to grow and stretch and change. Like any gift, Christ’s love for us must be shared with those around us, even if that means we may eventually move across the country or seemingly have to give up a good portion of something for which we worked so hard. The love of Christ urges us on. And so our journey in FAITH continues.

Christs love for me is central to my priestly ministry, and I pray that my ministry as priest and pastor is some small expression of Christs love for all of us. I have come to understand that I am able to love and serve others to the extent that I know that I am loved by Christ.

The love of Christ urges us on Caritas Christi urget nos

– Father Dwight Ezop is editor of FAITH Magazine and pastor of the Catholic Community of St. Jude.

FAITH Magazine

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They are not ‘illegals’ they are people – and I will feed them Sister Nancy Crafton left Lansing for Colorado and a life of service to the poor. Find out more about how she helps immigrant families deal with finding food, clothing, medical care and help with the legal system – and discover what prompted her to give all to God’s most vulnerable.

– Nancy Schertzing

inside

what you’ll get out of this issue in the know with Fr. Joe 6 Dear Fr. Joe: What’s the difference between mortal and venial sin?

– Father Joseph Krupp

work life 9 I had a great boss – he left now what?

– Tim Ryan

your marriage matters 10 He says: I want my mother to move in. She says: I don’t. What do they do? – Deborah McCormack

the parenting journey 11 Grandparents as mom and dad. What to do when you are raising your grandchildren. – Dr. Cathleen McGreal c u l t u r e

Did Jesus feed tilapia to 5,000 at the Sea of Galilee?

Find out how to make delicious “Peter’s Fish.”

– Michele DiFranco

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theology 101

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w o r d s o f w i s d o m What do I know? John Wooden’s mission to feed the hungry John Wooden has a single mission – to feed the hungry. From soldier to Seeker of Justice Award winner, find out what John has learned along the way. – Kevin Duffy s p e c i a l r e p o r t In 2005, the Diocese of Lansing began addressing the pressing issues of a clergy shortage and the shifting demographics of its faithful. During the next several months, you will see the evaluations, studies and recommendations announced. These questions and answers address this process.

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Liturgical Calendar: St. Justin, Martyr

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| Ss. Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs

12 What does John mean when he calls Jesus “The Word”? A conversation about Christology with seminary professors – Elizabeth Solsburg

spiritual fitness 20 Let the river of generosity run through you; how to have a generous spirit – Father Bill Ashbaugh

the last word 27 The power of generosity – Father Charles Irvin | Most Holy Trinity

| St. Boniface, Bishop and Martyr

| St. Norbert, Bishop

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The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing

Most Reverend Carl F. Mengeling PUBLISHER

Rev. Charles Irvin FOUNDING EDITOR

June 2007 • Volume 8: Issue 5

Happy Anniversary!

Priests in the Diocese of Lansing celebrate their 25th and 50th anniversaries

Rev. Dwight Ezop EDITOR IN CHIEF

Patrick M. O’Brien MANAGING EDITOR/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Elizabeth Martin Solsburg ASSISTANT EDITOR

Patrick Dally ART DIRECTOR/WEB DESIGNER

Jillane Job SUBSCRIPTIONS/SECRETARY

FAITH extends anniversary wishes to the following priests of our diocese, who are celebrating major anniversaries of their priestly ordinations during 2007.

We thank them for their years of service to the people of God in the Diocese of Lansing and we wish them many blessings.

Happy Anniversary!

Sylvia Ranspach GRAPHIC/WEB DESIGN INTERN

Lindsey Walter EDITORIAL INTERN

Rev. William Ashbaugh Michelle Sessions DiFranco Kevin Duffy Elizabeth Grodi Marybeth Hicks Shanon Hoffman Rev. Joseph Krupp Tom and JoAnne Fogle Bob Horning Cathleen McGreal Rick and Diane Peiffer Tim Ryan Jan Rynearson Nancy Schertzing Theresa McWilliams-Wessels

1957 - 50 years Father Kenneth McDonald - senior priest, DeWitt Father Richard McLernan, OSFS - Jackson Bishop Carl F. Mengeling

McDonald

McLernan

Butler

Eberle

Schwermer

Stevenson

1982 - 25 years Father Thomas Butler, St. Anthony, Hillsdale Father Richard Eberle, OSFS - Sacred Heart, Hudson Father Paul Schwermer - Holy Rosary, Flint Father William Stevenson, St. Andrew, Saline

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Derek Melot Margaret Perrone PROOFREADING

Tom Gennara James Luning (cover) Phillip Shippert CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Wayne Case Michael Eichhorn Mary Jo Gillilland Diane Nowak Margaret Perrone Rev. Bernard Reilly James Rhadigan Ricardo Rodriguez Dcn. David Rosenberg Rev. James Swiat Peter Wagner Sharon Wimple ADVISORY BOARD

FAITH Publishing Ser vice Rev. Dwight Ezop CHAIRMAN

Patrick M. O’Brien PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Enomhen Odigie Abby Wieber GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Patricia Oliver SECRETARY

InnerWorkings PRINT MANAGEMENT FAITHPublishingService.com FAITHTM (USPS 01993) is a publication of FAITH Publishing Service, Catholic Diocese of Lansing, 300 W. Ottawa, Lansing, MI 48933. The Diocese of Lansing edition is published monthly except for February and August. National and parish editions are published bimonthly. To purchase a subscription for the Diocese of Lansing edition, log onto FAITHmag.com or to purchase a subscription for the national/parish edition, log onto FAITHcatholic.com. If you have a change of address, please contact your parish.

Periodicals postage paid at Lansing, MI or additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: FAITHTM, 209 Seymour Ave., Lansing, MI 48933. © FAITH Publishing Service. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Publishing Service.

You are in our prayers, Bishop Mengeling On Thursday evening, April 26, Bishop Mengeling was admitted to the hospital for surgery and was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. We ask everyone in the diocese to pray for Bishop Mengeling’s successful recovery. Our thoughts and prayers are with him as he recuperates. Get well soon, Bishop!

St. Ephrem, Deacon and Doctor

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| The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

| St. Barnabas, Apostle

| St. Anthony of Padua, Priest and

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Saint Romuald how a duel sent him into solitude Saint Romuald Birthplace: Ravenna, Italy Feast Day: June 19

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Overprotective?

Who me?

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he light from the bathroom cast a green glow across the room, which otherwise was pitch black. I sat up in my hospital bed, my eyes fixed on the shaft of light that fell across the tiny face of my newborn daughter, committing her perfect features indelibly to my memory.

She had fussed, then nursed, then napped in my arms. I would have let her stay with me until sunrise if I had been a less experienced mom, but I knew my opportunity to rest was waning.

The next day we would be going home, leaving behind the staff of nursery nurses and their roundthe-clock assistance.

Reluctantly, I pressed the call button. Soon enough, the door opened and a shadowy figure approached my bed.

“Ready to send your sweetie back to the nursery?” she asked.

“Who are you?” I asked her, searching for the hospital ID that should have been affixed to her scrubs.

She wasn’t the nurse I had expected to see.

“I’m Nicole, an aide.

I work the night shift.”

She reached toward me

to take my baby in her arms.

Suddenly, a potential headline flashed across my mind: “Mom gives baby to phony nurse’s aide; kidnapping confirmed.”

“Um, thanks anyway, Nicole. I think I’ll keep her with me.”

Hey, call me overprotective, but at least you won’t be reading about my misfortune in the Sunday paper.

That incident pretty much defines my approach to parenting.

For nearly 17 years, I have made decisions with regard to my children that are intended to eliminate the possibility that a chipper news anchor can ever begin a story about my life with the phrase, “And here’s one that will baffle you moms and dads.”

– Marybeth Hicks

Find out what happened with Marybeth’s overprotectiveness, along with other essays, features and news briefs only on FAITHmag.com. st and Doctor

| Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

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| Immaculate Heart of Mary

| St. Romuald, Abbot

Claim to fame: Born to Italian nobility, Romuald enjoyed the pleasures of his family’s wealth and position during his early years. His life shifted dramatically, however, after he watched his father kill a relative in a duel over property. Overcome with shame by his father’s actions, Romuald withdrew to the monastery of St. Apollinare to serve penance for his father’s sin as if it were his own. There, Romuald embraced the monastic life and sought an even more austere existence than the one practiced by the Benedictine monks. After several years of devoted study and prayer, he was made an abbot. But when he attempted to impose his stricter discipline on the monks, they strongly resented his reforms. Romuald left to wander the mountains in solitude.

Why he is a saint: After establishing several small hermitages, he embarked on a mission to evangelize the pagans of Hungary. But his journey was interrupted by sickness. Convinced his illness was a sign that God wanted him to remain in Italy, Romuald returned to his homeland.

He traveled extensively through the country’s central and northern regions, establishing hermitages and attracting disciples along the way.

Best quote: In 1005, Romuald went to Val-di-Castro for about two years. When he left, he prophesied that he would return to die there alone and unaided.

How he died: He built more hermitages in the mountains before retiring to his cell at a monastery he had founded in the Val-di-Castro. As he predicted, he died alone in his cell on June 19 in about the year 1027.

Prayer: Dear Father, as St. Romuald searched for solitude in which to serve you, may I always make quiet time in my busy life to serve you, too. For you are the great Creator, and the one who will bring me peace. May I do your will in my everyday life, and through my deeds, show your love to others. For you are our salvation. Amen.

– Jan Rynearson | St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious

| Ss. Paulinus of Nola, Bishop

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Dear Fr. Joe What’s the difference between mortal and venial sins

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K, first we need to establish the fact that there are a lot of different types of sin. The Bible, as well as our catechism, is filled with examples of how we sin (as is television!) The catechism sums it all up nicely in section 1853: Sins can be distinguished according to their objects, as can every human act; or according to the virtues they oppose, by excess or defect; or according to the commandments they violate. They can also be classed according to whether they concern God, neighbor, or oneself; they can be divided into spiritual and carnal sins, or again as sins in thought, word, deed, or omission. The root of sin is in the heart of man, in his free will, according to the teaching of the Lord: “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a man.” But in the heart also resides charity, the source of the good and pure works, which sin wounds.

That’s a pretty helpful summary. Through it, we see that sin can be classified by what it attacks and how and why it attacks the good. We can sin by doing something; we can sin by not doing something.

The catechism makes clear that our hearts are the problem, as is our abuse of free will. The cool thing is, and this is classic God, the heart is a place where hope is – as Jesus, who redeemed us, lives there.

Now, in general, all sins fall into one of two categories: mortal and venial. What is the difference? The difference tends to be manifested most clearly in the consequences of our actions (or inaction)!

When we commit a mortal sin, we damage our soul in a very specific way: We wound our hearts’ ability to repent and receive mercy. The damage we do is real and intense, and the catechism tells us that it takes a special initiative of mercy on God’s part to heal us. (1856) So, what are the mortal sins? Well, it’s easier to describe how a mortal sin is committed than what specific sins are mortal. Here is an easy way to remember it: C.I.A. That acronym works like this: C – Circumstance: We have to be completely free to choose to sin or not.

I – Intent: We have to know that it is a sin, be free not to do it and do it anyway.

St. John Fisher, Bishop and Martyr

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| St. Thomas More, Martyr

One morning, a certain American senator instructed his attorney to notify him as soon as a judgment was handed down in a case concerning his involvement in an influence-peddling scheme. Early that afternoon, he received a fax: “JUSTlCE HAS PREVAILED. “He immediately faxed back: “APPEAL AT ONCE!” A – Action: The sin needs to be of a serious matter.

If we commit a sin and all three of these things are simultaneously true, then we have committed a mortal sin. The consequences are that we should not receive Communion without either going to confession or making sure that we are going to go to confession as soon as possible.

So, then, what is venial sin? Venial sin is, simply, all the rest. Venial sins are those sins that damage our hearts and souls, but still allow God’s love to live and work within us. The danger of venial sins is that they are a choice we make toward something less than God and what he wants for us. According to the catechism, venial sins also have the ability to

| Nativity of St. John the Baptist

condition us to commit a mortal sin.

You know how it goes, the more we sin, the more open we are to sinning and the more difficult it is to recognize the sin and repent.

I hope this is helpful; the key to all of this is to remember the power and consistency of God’s mercy. There is nothing we can do that God can’t forgive; we need to remember to ask.

Enjoy another day in God’s presence. – Father Joseph Krupp

Send your questions to: “In the Know with Fr. Joe” FAITH Magazine 209 Seymour Ave. Lansing, MI 48933 Or: JoeInBlack@priest.com

| St. Cyril of Alexandria, Bishop and Doctor

| St. Irenaeus, Bishop and Marty

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Ann Arbor students experience homeless life

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Nancy Gibson to retire after 35 years in Catholic Education After 35 years of service to the Diocese of Lansing, Nancy Gibson will retire from Resurrection School at the end of this school year. Nancy has taught at St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing, St. Mary School in Charlotte, St. Michael’s School in Grand Ledge and Resurrection School in Lansing. She met her husband, Gregg Gibson, at Michigan State University in 1969 and they have been married for 35 years. During her career, she taught her sons at St. Mary in Charlotte and her granddaughter, Sophia, at Resurrection.

St. John Vianney Catholic School in Flint sent its symphonic band to Michigan’s district band festival in March, where the band played three pieces they had prepared and sight-read two pieces under the direction of Amy Tennis. They received a superior rating.

St. John also held an Academic Fair on March 15. Projects included science fair displays by sixth-and seventh-graders, research papers and a host of math projects from grades Pre-K to 4. Some of the math projects also encompassed art, science, social studies, Spanish and German. | Ss. Peter and Paul, Apostles

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The Diocese of Maine consecrated the first African-American bishop in the history of American Catholicism, James A. Healy, on June 2, WHAT YEAR? Flag Day originated June 14, WHAT YEAR? While in Sarajevo, Bosnia, Archduke Ferdinand and his wife were assassinated by a Serbian nationalist belonging to the organization known as the ‘Black Hand.’ This event, which caused an immediate uproar leading to World War I, occurred on June 28, WHAT YEAR? Following Virginia’s secession from the Union, 40 of its western counties did not secede and, instead, formed their own government. This act formed a new state, West Virginia, which officially entered the United States as the 35th state on June 20, WHAT YEAR?

61%

of Rhode Islanders are Catholic, giving tiny Rhode Island the highest percentage of Catholic residents in the U.S.

FAITH asks: How have people been generous to you?

We asked children in Christine Rolak’s fifth-grade religious education class at St. Joseph Shrine, Brooklyn about their experiences with generosity.

Nick

Flint’s St. John Vianney excels in music, science

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What year was the first AfricanAmerican bishop consecrated?

Thirteen University of Michigan students from Ann Arbor’s St. Mary Student Parish spent the night at Detroit’s Warming Center, which is located in downtown Detroit behind SS. Peter and Paul Jesuit Church on St. Antoine Street. The urban plunge retreat was developed so students could reflect on “what is church” and its mission for social justice. The Warming Center is unique from other shelters and soup kitchens because it is not a direct service agency. Rather than rush the patrons in and out due to funding issues, the Warming Center allows them to take a shower, eat a meal, get counseling and get support. Brother Jim Horgan, S.J., and his staff of eight operate the weekday ministry. Horgan told the U-M students that one-third of the guests of the center have lived on the streets for decades, another third are semi-regulars and some are seen once and never again. After spending the night at the shelter, the students rode a bus to a shelter and soup kitchen the next day and worked in the clothing closet at Crossroads Social Services.

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Nick My friend Hunter – he gives me a whole bunch of stuff he doesn’t use any more. Even a Gameboy game!

Matthew A friend bought me something.

It was just because he was being nice. It was a book I’ve been reading. We like to read together.

Mary Caitlyn When I sprained my ankle, people held the door open for me.

| First Holy Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church

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what in the world? the top-10 Catholic News events this month

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Supreme Court upholds ban The U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to uphold the partial birth abortion ban that President Bush signed into law in 2003.

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Youth beckoned to Sydney event World Youth Day 2008 is expected to attract 500,000 pilgrims and will mark Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to Australia.

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Campus shootings – “senseless tragedy” The pope sent condolences to the university community of Virginia Tech after an armed student left 32 dead on April 16 in what the pope called a “senseless tragedy.”

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Nun dies saving AIDS patients from fire Sister Anne Thole, 35, died while rescuing AIDS patients from a burning hospice, the Maria Ratschitz Mission, outside of Dundee in South Africa.

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Catholic students more likely to finish university The study by the Australian Council for Educational Research said students who attended Catholic schools had a higherthan-expected university completion rate (88 percent) compared with other students.

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More young women choose ‘radical’ lifestyle Helped by aggressive recruiting, media campaigns and Web sites, Roman Catholic convents across the country say they are experiencing an upturn in new nuns for the first time in decades.

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114-year-old Taiwanese woman baptized Hsu-Song Ai-ren,114, became the oldest person to be baptized in the Taiwan Catholic Church with her baptism on Easter Sunday.

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Pope’s book already a best seller Benedict XVI’s book, Jesus of Nazareth, sold 50,000 copies in Italy in one day. Its publisher has called it “already an extraordinary editorial success.”

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Catholic Charities of Illinois to close foster care Catholic Charities is closing one of Illinois’ largest foster care programs, leaving the state and other agencies to absorb its Chicago-area caseload of more than 900 children.

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Washington to play priest Grey’s Anatomy’s controversial Isaiah Washington will play a formerly sexually abused priest who investigates a murder in the film, The Least of These.

FAITH Magazine

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Sanctity began early for John Paul II

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ope John Paul II’s intense relationship with God was already profound in his youth said Cardinal Camillo Ruini at the close of the diocesan phase of the pontiff’s beatification process.

Cardinal Ruini presided over the closing session of the diocesan investigation at the Basilica of St. John Lateran on the second anniversary of the death of John Paul II. The solemn opening of the diocesan phase took place June 28, 2005, less than three months after the pope’s death.

The Vatican phase will now begin under the guidance of a relator of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes.

In his homily during the closing ceremony, Cardinal Ruini, the vicar of Benedict XVI for Rome, commented on John Paul II’s intense spiritual life.

The cardinal said that Karol Wojtyla’s spiritual life was “already strong, intimate and profound in his boyhood, and that [it] never ceased to develop and grow stronger, producing fruits in all dimensions of his life.”

Cardinal Ruini added that God never sheltered Wojtyla from the trials of life, but rather was constantly “associating him ever and anew to the cross of his Son ... giving him the courage to love the cross, and the spiritual intelligence to see, through the cross, the face of the Father.”

The cardinal continued “In the certainty of being loved by God and in the joy of returning this love, Karol Wojtyla found the meaning, unity and aim of his own life.

“All those who knew him, from near or only from afar, were struck by the richness of his humanity, by his complete fulfillment as a man. But even more illuminating and important is the fact that such fullness of humanity coincided, in the end, with his relationship with God, in other words, with his sanctity.” – ZENIT

8 June 2007 | www.FAITHmag.com 5/1/07 4:43:59 PM

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Destroying embryos isn’t progress, says Cardinal Rigali Cardinal Justin Rigali is urging the U.S. Senate to reject legislation that allows for federal fundCardinal ing of stem-cell research that Justin Rigali destroys human embryos.

The archbishop of Philadelphia said in a letter to the Senate that the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007 would “encourage deliberate attacks on innocent human life in the name of medical progress.”

Cardinal Rigali, who is the chairman of the Committee for Pro-life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, emphasized that the stem-cell issue is not a matter of supporting versus opposing progress. “It seems virtually every by-product of live birth – amniotic fluid, amniotic membrane, placenta, cord blood and the tissue of the umbilical cord itself – contains stem cells that may rival embryonic stem cells in their flexibility.” – ZENIT

Thousands joined Catholic Church in U.S. at Easter Tens of thousands of people in the United States joined the Catholic Church on Holy Saturday through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

According to numbers released by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, some 1,294 catechumens were baptized, confirmed and received the Eucharist for the first time in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the nation’s largest archdiocese.

Additionally, nearly 1,500 candidates – those who have been baptized in the Catholic Church, but hadn’t received further formation, or those who have been baptized in other Christian churches – became full members of the church.

The Archdiocese of Detroit welcomed 612 catechumens and 913 candidates, and the Diocese of San Diego welcomed 851 catechumens and 1,036 candidates.

The Official Catholic Directory also reported that 80,817 adults were baptized and 73,684 came into full communion in the Catholic Church in 2006.– ZENIT

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I had a great boss – he left now what?

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Tom worked for Ken for four years and thought he was a great boss.

om says: Ken was my boss for about four years; he was probably the best manager I ever worked for. He was supportive, yet firm. Everyone seemed to like him; there was just something about his demeanor that drew people to him. He got things done; he was able to direct his team’s activities without being overbearing. We simply wanted to do quality work for him. He had a presence that was peaceful and inviting. He was a kind man, and people respected him. I was disappointed the day he announced he was taking early retirement. I’ve often felt that if he hadn’t retired, I’d still be working for him.

The expert says: You experience these people in the workplace every once in a while. They are people to whom others are drawn; people you never hear anyone say anything negative about.

They seem to peacefully go about their business and get things done without a lot of fanfare. Ken is a person who was close to achieving what is referred to in the Fifth Discipline Fieldbook as “personal mastery.” “In mastery, there is a sense of effortlessness and joyousness. This feeling stems from the ability to understand and work with the forces around you” (Art Kleiner, p 194).

We all have a personal vision for our lives and career.

Frustration occurs when we don’t achieve our vision quickly enough due to our current circumstances. This frustration often translates into turfism, politics and power struggles because we’re trying too hard.

“Personal mastery” reflects one’s ability to “have a sense of deliberate

patience – with themselves and the world” (Fieldbook p 195).

When this happens, there is a greater enthusiasm, which ultimately translates into tangible results.

Another term we often use for people such as Ken is “salt of the earth.” That term comes from Matthew’s Gospel, in which Christ refers to us as salt of the earth. “If salt loses its flavor it is no longer good for anything” (Mt 5:13). If we allow our current circumstances to diminish our sense of purpose, vision, or enthusiasm, we cannot positively change.

So how do we establish and maintain our personal vision in the face of the work we do?

• Base your personal vision on God’s plan of serving one another, not selfish desires for money or power.

• Recognize the characteristics of personal mastery reflect the gifts of the Holy Spirit (i.e. peace, patience, kindness, joy) and thus, pray for grace to receive those gifts.

• Do not expect to achieve personal mastery overnight; trust God to guide you over time. – Tim Ryan

5/1/07 4:44:05 PM

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When going to church, we may not always be mindful of how our marriage sacrament is alive to others. If possible, avoid sitting in the pew as “bookends,” separated with your children between the two of you. Sit next to each other, side-by-side.

Hold hands as you pray and sing together. money

Acquaint yourself with your finances Both partners in a marriage should know the ins and outs of the joint finances. Make sure you know what’s in your accounts, what your household debts are, and where all the important papers are. Consider a folder labeled “important stuff” containing account numbers, passwords and insurance information.

FAITH Magazine

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awn and Sam have been married for 15 years. They have three children under the age of 14. Sam’s mother is widowed and has some health problems. Sam wants her to move in.

I want my mother to move in Sam says: My mom is a diabetic and I worry about her living alone now that my dad is gone. I believe families should stick together and take care of each other, so I’d like her to live with us. We have room, as long as two of the kids share. This is my mother we’re talking about; I can’t believe Dawn doesn’t understand why we should ask her to move here.

He said She said

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The couple that prays together …

what do they do?

I don’t Dawn says: Sam’s mom is not an invalid, and could live on her own quite easily. And we hardly have any time to ourselves as it is, after we’ve taken care of I know Sam loves the kids.

I know his mother, but Sam she is not the easiest woman to loves his get along with ... mother, but she is not the easiest woman to get along with, believe me. I don’t think I can deal with two women in the same household.

Intergenerational care-taking is becoming a hot topic in many families. We have all heard about the “sandwich generation” – those who have elderly parents and are still caring for children.

In a family, the core unit is the marriage – it is the heart and stabilizing force. Couples should prioritize this important relationship always. This is easier said than done. Often, we take our spouse for

granted and assume he or she is self-sufficient.

In caring for elderly parents, we always need to talk to our partners and listen to their thoughts, feelings and needs.

So, first and foremost, Sam needs to listen to Dawn’s concerns: What are the problems and challenges she sees? What are the benefits?

How will this decision impact their home life and their children? Sam can talk about his concerns for mom and his feelings now that his father is

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p a r e n t i n g

– Deb McCormack

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com m uni ca ti o n

Grandparents as Mom and Dad how to cope with raising your grandchildren.

Good marriage While it’s important to do things as a couple, you also need to develop interests of your own. By spending time on your hobbies, reading or community activities, you enrich your creativity and gain something new to talk about with your spouse! time

It’s about time..!

Make loving memories, not misery. Spouses make a choice each time they are together.

It is either a choice to make loving memories of how God has blessed you with your spouse, or it is a choice to focus on the rough and bumpy road behind us, with us, and stretching out in front of us.

God gave us a free will to make the choice. Loving memories take less effort to maintain.

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not there to care for her. I would also encourage Sam to talk to any other siblings in his family who could help ensure their mom’s safety and well-being. It’s possible that some of his brothers or sisters may feel the same worry and together they can ensure Mom’s health and safety and not overburden one child/ family. Having a relative move in to your household is not a decision to be taken lightly. Dawn’s concerns of getting along and two women in a household are very valid and need to be discussed thoroughly. Is there a solution to this issue that will create a win-win solution?

Helping his mom at the cost of a marriage does not seem like a win-win answer. It’s important that the couple work as a team.

Remember, the marital relationship is priority.

Another very important step is to talk to Mom. What is she thinking and feeling? Does she think she needs help? Often, elderly people do not agree with their families about what should be done for them. They want to remain independent for as long as possible. Often, with a minimal amount of support from us, our loved ones can remain independent and are usually happier. The first step is to do an objective assessment of what Mom needs help with.

She should be included in this assessment. It is not helpful for Mom to feel overlooked or ignored in this process. She will be more willing to accept needed help if she is respected in this process, and this means treating her like an adult. She should make her own decisions if possible.

There are many alternative answers to this issue without Sam’s mom moving in with Dawn and Sam.

j o u r n e y

A time of life that was to be spent on adult pursuits suddenly becomes a time for supervising homework and giving baths.

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stroller was positioned next to the minivan’s sliding door. I watched as a silver-haired man swung a toddler from car seat to stroller, heading quickly toward the Epiphany Cathedral, diaper bag in hand. The event would have slipped quickly from memory had I not received a copy of the Catholic newspaper after Mass.

The issue included a story by Bishop Nevins (retired, Diocese of Venice) saluting “all grandparents who are ‘alive with love’”, especially grandparents raising their grandchildren. He asked: “What can our society do to be more helpful?”

“Grand” households – In the United States, 4.5 million children reside with grandparents. According to Amy Goyer, coordinator of the AARP Foundation Grandparent Information Center, this number represents a 30 percent increase from the 1990 Census. The National Center on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (Georgia State University) notes the 10 states with the highest number of these households: California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and North Carolina.

An unanticipated role – Grandparents become primary caregivers of their grandchildren for many reasons. Adult children may be abusing drugs or alcohol. Sometimes they are in prison. Grandparents assist young families when military parents are deployed overseas. In some cases, grandchildren are orphaned. Whatever the situation, it is normal for grandparents to grieve the loss of the expected role. Raising grandchildren involves personal sacrifice. A time of life that was to be spent on adult pursuits suddenly becomes a time for supervising homework and giving baths.

Support groups – There might be feelings of guilt about long-ago parenting decisions or anger at the adult child for having been placed in this position. Legal concerns about the grandchildren’s welfare add to the stress. Many individuals find grandparent-support groups useful in order to share these common feelings and learn about available resources. The AARP Web site has links to find these groups and helpful information: www.aarp.org/ families/grandparents/. We may discover that Christ uses the hands and hearts of others to answer our prayers.

Society’s help – Under some conditions, grandchildren, and even step-grandchildren, can qualify for Social Security benefits when a grandparent retires (1.800.772.1213).

In 1998, the GrandFamilies House opened in Boston, providing affordable housing in 26 apartments.

Intergenerational safety designs were included, such as ramps and grab bars for grandparents and child-proof outlets for grandchildren. The YWCA offers an on-site preschool and after-school program. Many other states are building similar projects. – Dr. Cathleen McGreal

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t h e o l o g y

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Jesus as the theo lo g ian o f the m o nth

Why is that one of his titles?

Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 298-373)

Athanasius was the patriarch of Alexandria in the fourth century.

He is famous for his defense against the heresy of Arianism, which some theologians believe almost prevailed. Athanasius countered Arius’ teaching that there was a time when God existed, but Jesus did not.

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his year, FAITH is exploring Christology – the study of Jesus Christ. We asked several eminent seminary professors some questions about Jesus. Their answers are enlightening and thought-provoking.

Meet the professors Father Acklin

Father Muller

Father Stevens

Father Thomas Acklin is a monk of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pa. He is a graduate of Duqesne University, St. Vincent Seminary, The Catholic University of Louvain and Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Institute.

Father Earl Muller is The Bishop Kevin M. Britt Professor of Theology/Christology at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit. He formerly taught at Marquette University in Wisconsin.

Father Gladstone Stevens is on the faculty of St. Mary Seminary in Baltimore.

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June 2007

Q

FAITH: What does John mean when he calls Jesus “The Word”? How is that relevant to us?

Father Stevens: There are so many ties to the Old Testament in this. The Jewish people became a nation after the Exodus, but it took more than just this event. The absence of slavery is not freedom. People need a shape, a form for their lives. The Torah did this for the Israelites – it gave them the Word. The giving of this word establishes the people. The Jewish imagination moved from that experience to the recognition that everything came from the word, debar. We are not created out of God’s struggle with demonic forces,

Athanasius attended the Council at Nicea, where the famous creed was developed, and he is one of the doctors of the church.

Athanasius is the first person to identify the canon of the New Testament as being the 27 books we use today.

Athanasius was originally buried in Alexandria; his body was then transferred to Italy. In 1973, Pope Shenouda III (Coptic Orthodox Church) met with Pope Paul VI and Athanasius’ relics were restored to Egypt.

What is exegesis? ĕk'-sә-jē´-sĭs It means to draw out meaning from a text. Exegesis attempts to explain s 5/1/07 4:44:39 PM

WHO

IS

CHRIST?

A Y E A R - L O N G C O N V E R S AT I O N W I T H T H E O L O G I A N S

Heresy!

Arianism: Jesus not human or divine This is the granddaddy of the early church’s heresies about the nature of Jesus Christ. It was pervasive, with a huge following – some scholars think it almost carried the day. Arianism is a system of thought based on the teachings of Arius of Alexandria. Arius believed that God the Father embodied the only true divine nature.

He was too pure to appear on earth – and so he created Jesus as the first and best of all things in the cosmos. Like the adoptionists, Arius held that the Son was not of the nature of the Father, he was adopted. Some of his followers also believed that the Son created the Holy Spirit in the same way.

This heresy occasioned the first great ecumenical council, that of Nicea, in 325, where Arianism was condemned. Its chief opponent was St. Athanasius. The statement of beliefs that was developed at Nicea is recited the world over at Sunday Mass – it is called The Nicene Creed. vealed as persons. The Word, not a people built on the body as we find out in John’s Gosof a slain dragon, but rather the pel, is the son of God. Through loving creation of God’s spoken him all things are made. In the word. Whenever God speaks, Old Testament,the he creates something spirit of the Lord new. When he speaks John makes it particularly descends upon a to a prophet, that clear that the prophet or king. But person becomes a Word is the son in the New Testament, prophet. The word who comes from it is revealed that the from which everyHoly Spirit and Jesus thing came is not an the father. this are individual and impersonal word – it is the mystery divine persons. John is the Word, the son of the Trinity – God is, in himmakes it particularly of God. self, a commuclear that the Word is the Son who comes Father Acklin: There nion of love. from the Father. This are three personificais the mystery of the Trinity – God tions of God in the Old Testais, in himself, a communion of ment: word, wisdom and spirit. love. Our one God is a commuThey are not yet fully re-

w h a t d o e s th a t symbol mean?

Fish The fish is probably the oldest symbol used by the early Christians.

The symbol derives from the letters of the Greek word for fish, ichthys, which are the first letters of the statement, Iesous Christos Theou Ouiou Soter (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior).

Bible Quiz Judge, prophet, composer. who am I? I am one of the famous Judges of Israel (you know, the ones the book in the Bible is written about) and I was famous for my prophecies. I called forth General Barak to lead the Israelites in battle against the opposing general, Sisera. But I knew Barak

wouldn’t be responsible for the final victory – another Israelite took care of that while Sisera slept.

My song is one of the oldest parts of the Bible, and I think it’s beautiful poetry.

Unlike judges today, who have to sit in stuffy robes in a stuffier courtroom, I delivered my judgments beneath a palm tree in Ephraim. And, oh, yes, sometimes I am called the “mother of Israel.”

Who am I?

nion of three individual hypostases. There are three individual divine persons, whose self-giving love to each other is totally given to the other in their respective ways: the Father eternally begetting, the Son eternally begotten and returning all to the Father, the Spirit saying nothing he does not hear from the Father and Son. The interpenetrating love is so total that they are perfectly one.

Father Muller: This particular identification of Jesus only occurs in the prologue of John’s Gospel. It contains the echoes of the Old Testament’s constant refrain: The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, to Isaiah, to all the prophets. If you look at the Septuagint, the Greek for that Old Testament experience is translated as, “The word became.” It’s that language that John picks up in his Gospel. In saying this, I differ from what some older scriptural exegetes saw: an infusion of Hellenistic philosophy. I think John is summarizing and integrating the Old Testament in his reference to the Word. “The Word became flesh” is an interesting statement, because the first mention of flesh in Scripture is the story of Adam and Eve – “flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone.” It’s as if John is saying that Jesus entered into a nuptial relationship with his people.

– Elizabeth

Turn to page 27 for the answer

Solsburg

ain scriptural passages. An exegete is one skilled at exegesis.

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c o v e r s t o r y

By Nancy Schertzing Photography by Jim Luning

FAITH Magazine

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orn at the end of the Great Depression to a Lansing family with 11 kids, Nancy Crafton knows both poverty and generosity. Her parents worked long hours just to feed and send their children to Catholic schools. “They knew how to make a meal from nothing and how to put used clothes on us kids,” she recalls. “We used to ask my father to stop the Dodge Rambler a couple blocks from church every Sunday so we could get out and walk to Mass,” she laughs.

“With 13 people crammed into a little car two and three deep, we needed time to brush out the wrinkles!

We were never supposed to know about our father’s soft spot for small animals because caring for them put such a strain on our family budget.

Yet we’d see him out with his flashlight many nights calling, ‘Here kitty, kitty, kitty.’ It was Mom, however, who always brought home the ‘strays’ – people that is! She’d find someone alone on the street or living in a car and the next thing we knew they’d be on our couch.

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“The thing about growing up in poverty is we didn’t know we were poor! There was love, happiness and lots of activity, so our world revolved around our family. Neither Mom nor Dad had the luxury of growing up in loving households where they felt valued as children,” Nancy explains. “I think that drove them to work so hard to make sure we had a real family life.”

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fter graduating from St. Mary High School, Nancy left home to join the Sisters of Charity and eventually earn a master’s degree. When she went to Colorado, she carried the lessons of her loving family wherever she went.

“In the 1980s, I was working as a clinical nurse specialist for my order, and Father Gallagher was our hospital chaplain,” Sister Nancy recalls. “I loved having Sunday dinners with him and other priests and nuns at Sacred Heart’s Parish House. The food and company were wonderful! The only problem was that Father Gallagher kept getting up from the table to answer knocks at his back door. He would disappear for a while and then return without any explanation.

“After a few times, I followed him to the rectory door to see what he was doing. An immigrant family stood there, hungry and poor, asking for help. Father went to his cupboard and closet to help them as best he could.

“He continued to do this for years, and the number of people kept growing. About 12 years ago, I decided he needed to be organized,” she laughs. “He couldn’t keep feeding them his own food! So I wrote a grant and got money to buy small amounts of nonperishable food, and I began helping on a regular basis.

“The immigrants and their families who came to him were desperately poor. They had nothing to eat or wear, and most didn’t speak a word of English. But, oh, did they work! They did jobs no American would do, though they didn’t earn enough to pay their rent or feed their children. And if they needed health care, they were completely on their own. When families got behind on their bills, they would bring us the legal documents they couldn’t read and ask us what to do.

“I continued to write grants and watch as the need grew until I knew I had to make a change. I left my work in neurosurgery and entered into full-time service to the poor immigrant population in the area.

FAITH Magazine

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Sister Nancy at El Centro de Los Pobres

“In 2000, we opened El Centro de Los Pobres (The Center for the Poor) on the grounds of Sacred Heart Parish. Many Americans might balk at the idea of coming to a center for “the poor,” but our families don’t.

They know they’re poor! They earn very little working in the fields during growing season. In the winter, they earn even less at odd jobs or menial labor. But even from this, they send money home to the families they left behind. They’re grateful for the help and always ready to give back in any way they can.

“We do everything by word of mouth – no advertising because the people we serve are reviled by most of society. The Colorado Legislature has passed a number of

laws to keep illegal immigrants out.

But they trap our families in a cycle of poverty that never ends. For example, in our state you cannot get a driver’s license without a Social Security number. Of course, Social Security numbers are available only to American citizens and immigrants with official work papers, so most immigrants can no longer drive from farm to farm or state to state to pick crops.

“Though they can fix anything mechanical and keep their old cars running like tops, they must now stay in one place or risk being caught driving without a license and being imprisoned or shipped across the border like cattle. Many have begun to work their winter jobs all

Los Pobres welcomes nonperishable food items, clothing in good condition, over-the-cou

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They’re leaving behind tarpaper shacks and hunger pains to follow the dreams they see on American TV shows. Many of our families tell me they wish they could take our running water or adequate plumbing back to their families at home.

r e s o u r c e

What does the church say?

es

year round. But winter work varies and depends on the weather, so the poverty level rises exponentially.

“Yet they keep coming to the U.S. because they face even greater poverty at home. They’re leaving behind tarpaper shacks and hunger pains to follow the dreams they see on American TV shows. Many of our families tell me they wish they could take our running water or adequate plumbing back to their families at home. I know that’s true because we really work with our children, retraining them to put their used toilet paper in the toilet rather than throwing it away. They don’t flush it because their sewers at home get plugged by paper, so we always have big garbage cans in

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has called for comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. The bishops remind all of us of the Gospel mandate to welcome the stranger among us. They expressed their opinion that the immigration system is morally unacceptable because it accepts the labor and taxes of millions of workers without offering them the protection of law. Specifically, “this must include a workable and viable path to citizenship for the undocumented, a temporary worker program which protects the rights of all workers, family reunification, and enforcement measures which are humane.”

Visit www.usccb. org for more information.

our restrooms.

“Under NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), only the rich benefit. Small farmers can’t compete when their countries are flooded with cheap American grain. Wealthy families own most factories and contract with international companies, so that local tradespeople are priced out of the market. Competition is no longer part of the equation, so the poor get poorer until all they have are their dreams.

“Through Los Pobres, we provide food, used clothing, some utility and legal assistance, as well as basic health services to more than 2,000 immigrant families in our area.

Every week, we buy and distribute 1,000 pounds of pinto beans, 600 pounds of rice and 720 cans of vegetables like corn or tomatoes.

Occasionally, we get wonderful donations, such as the semi-truckload of flour that had many bags broken, or the load of jalapeños I drove out in my truck today. These kinds of gifts help our families so much!

“We have an all-volunteer staff, with about five key local citizens working 30 to 35 hours a week.

Plus, we have about 40 farmworker families we rely on for regular help. Those who receive our help are those who give back.

This kind of bottom-up organization helps us to always know the needs of those we serve.

“When we need labor, all we have to do is put out the word and we have all the help we need. The

truckload of flour, for example, arrived on a frigid night – so cold we opened the center at 1 a.m. so the women and children wouldn’t freeze while the men unloaded the bags of flour. They worked all night, and by sunrise that huge truck was empty and the bags had all been distributed.

“So often we consider generosity a luxury of the rich, and we see ourselves through a lens of poverty. But the families of Los Pobres, who really know poverty, look at the common good. They recognize that by giving generously they become richer.

Christianity is built on this truth.

“As humans, once we become rich and powerful, we want to protect our wealth and power and not give it up. So we build walls and pass laws that dehumanize those who have less and punish them for dreaming of having more. Yet our faith impels us to recognize we are one human family and that our home stretches beyond our houses or even our borders.

“The families of Los Pobres, Father Gallagher and my parents taught me that, in its purest sense, charity simply means love. True charity is love for ourselves that calls us to invest generously in ourselves and recognize that what is best for us is also best for our brothers and sisters. Their example invites me to reach out to my human family with the same love and care I would want for myself.

That makes me richer than I could have ever imagined.”

e-counter medicines and monetary donations. Contact Sister Nancy Crafton, S.C. at: Los Pobres Inc. Phone: 719.564.2996 Email: barbnan@amigo.net

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John Wooden’s mission to feed the hungry

FAITH Magazine

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June 2007 | www.FAITHmag.com

By Kevin Duffy | Photography by Tom Gennara

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ohn Wooden has traveled the world for more than 50 years with a single mission: to feed the hungry. Those travels brought him to his current home in Adrian.

John and his wife, Mary, were recently named the recipients of the Seeker of Justice Award for Lenawee County for their work at the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry in Adrian. A humble man, John Wooden doesn’t take full credit for the award. “I’ve accomplished only what I have through the support of 38 wonderful volunteers and Father Dave Hudgins.”

After five years in the in the Army, including tours of duty in China and Korea, John taught as a professor at various colleges and universities. He retired 19 years ago and moved to Lenawee County four years later. John and Mary have logged countless hours volunteering their time with the poor. “I have a wonderful wife who stands in support of what I do, and contributes as much, if not more, than what I do.”

What does the Seeker of Justice Award mean to you?

It’s very special to me. It represents the fact that people need help in Lenawee County. But it also represents the fact that people recognize that need, and they’re responding.

What would you have liked to have told a younger you?

That Corinthians 13:13 is the way to go. Everything is about faith, hope and charity – and the greatest of these is charity.

and we show them how to make the world better. Hopefully it sticks.

What do you hope people say after they meet you? That I’m easy to get along with.

What is the best thing your parents did for you? They raised me in the Christian tradition.

What do your friends mean to you? Everything.

What question do you believe people should ask themselves every day? What have I done to help others?

What is it about children that you want to imitate? Their ability to see the world in an innocent sort of way.

When have you seen true justice? I’ve lived over much of this country and in several other countries, and I have yet to see true justice in action.

When have you seen true love? On the 28th day of August, in 1954, when I married my wife, Mary.

When have you seen true wisdom? From an old history professor of mine, who once said, “Some people in the world should never be given the authority to say ‘whoa’ to a horse.”

What has been your biggest surprise? That I was still alive after 495 days of combat in China and Korea. the

What is most interesting thing you have learned about people?

Inherently, they’re very good. You’ve just got to make them realize it.

We bring people in as volunteers and we show them how to make the world better. Hopefully it sticks.

How about your greatest joy? My kids.

What do you hope God says to you when you reach heaven? I just hope he opens the door.

What is it about Jesus that you most want to imitate? His compassion. What I would like everyone to know about Jesus is that he is extremely compassionate and that we should all be compassionate.

What question do you want God to answer?

Why, as a merciful being, does he permit the suffering that goes on?

When were you the most angry at God? Never. I only get angry at the things I can cure.

When you look back on your life, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Oh, I don’t know. It’s been a long life.

I’d say the suffering I saw in Asia.

When have you felt the presence of God the most? Right now, ’cause I’m still alive.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned about people? Inherently, they’re very good. You’ve just got to make them realize it. We bring people in as volunteers

Has there been a time when you felt the presence of God the least? No, never. Well, there were times when the artillery was coming in that I wondered.

For more information about Catholic Charities, please go to www.dioceseoflansing.org/catholic_charities.

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Well, the neighbor atheist overheard her prayer and had an idea.

He would show the woman how silly it was to pray to God. He went out and bought her some groceries and put them on her doorstep. The next day, when she came to the door and saw all the groceries, she lifted her hands to heaven and shouted out, “Praise the Lord!”

The atheist neighbor who had waited for this moment with much glee stepped out from the pine tree in her yard and said, “There is no Lord to praise, hahaha! I bought those groceries myself and put them on your doorstep!” The little old lady, with an even larger smile on her face, raised her arms to the sky and said, “Praise the Lord! You sent me groceries and even made the devil pay for them!”

Let the river of generosity run through you

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nce upon a time, an atheist moved in next to an elderly woman of deep faith. She was known for her generoshow to have a generous spirit ity to the poor and her gratitude to God. Whenever she walked outside, God’s generosity comes to us she would lift her hands to heaven and say, “Praise the Lord!” in many different ways, even and followed the praise with much thanksgiving. This is how through unbelievers and grouchshe always started her day, and she spent her day doing good for es! Yet we must acknowledge that others whenever she could. “Praise the Lord” was always on her it is far more beneficial to us if we willingly cooperate with God lips. This irritated the atheist very much. Every time he heard than to remain stingy, selfish or her say this, he would yell back, “There is no Lord!” She was not in unbelief. Many times, people refrain from doing good to others discouraged. She kept praying and praising the Lord.

One day in the winter, she went outside and praised God for the snow, but she added, “Dear God, I thank you for your constant goodness to me.

I know you take care of all my needs. I am havFAITH Magazine

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ing trouble getting my groceries this week with all this snow but I trust you will send me what I need. Thank you Lord!”

because they do not trust God enough. If they put themselves out, they worry about what will happen to them. Generosity may jeopardize their security. Jesus

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God’s generosity comes to us in many different ways, even through unbelievers and grouches! Yet we must acknowledge that it is far more beneficial to us if we willingly cooperate with God than to remain stingy, selfish or in unbelief.

told us not to worry. “Your Father in heaven knows what you need before you ask him.” (Mt 6:8) God invites us to join him in offering ourselves to others as a gift. Generosity is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. (cf Gal 5:22) There are great graces in the river of generosity. When we jump in, we may find it uncomfortable at first; the current might be strong, and the water cold.

We will be more vulnerable, less secure. But we are actually discovering that we were living in an illusion. Our security was being placed in things or in our bank accounts. Real security is in God. In time, as we grow in generosity we grow in trust. The more we give, the more we receive. God is even more present to us, for by the very act of giving we become more united to God who is perfect gift. We are not in the river, but are one with the river! We become one of the many currents and streams of this glorious river of generosity from God that gives life and healing to the whole world.

There are many generous people in the world. Some people have been blessed with great material wealth. Much is expected of those to whom much has been given.

Some people do not have a lot of money, but they make a sacrifice of their time to be with others. I know some young people who gave up a few years of time and went on missions to help spread the Gospel across the United States and in other countries. Every parish has its saints who are fountains of generosity and service. Day in and day out they serve the needy, the homebound, the ill, those in prison, the troubled and the lonely. They give one of the most precious gifts God has given us – time.

God has promised if we give him time, he will give us eternity.

How to grow in generosity of Spirit

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enerosity is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit, so we must acknowledge clearly that it is a work of God’s grace within us. However, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit. We let the river of grace flow through us. We remove the debris and clutter that can dam up the river, and then dive in. Don’t hold back. Let go and jump in! You will find it a joyful swim.

Points to consider about generosity: • When you perform an act of generosity, do not be sad about it. “Do away with miserliness and counting the cost.” (St. Gregory Nazianzen) • Be ready to be generous at all times – especially when it is inconvenient. Many saints have said that it is a good thing to interrupt a routine, or drop what you are doing – even if it is prayer, to help someone in need.

• Err on the side of generosity.

Sometimes people will demand things of us, and even be ungrateful, and may be taking advantage of us. I remember the time when I bought a homeless man and woman a sandwich, chips and a Coke. When the man tasted the Coke, he grimaced. “What is this – diet?” Later on, he pulled out his cell phone, and seemed to be arranging his next meal. I had to laugh, for I am like that with God sometimes. There will be times when people will take advantage of us.

Still, Jesus has told us to go the extra mile. Do good to others, who cannot do good to you. We should never expect any return if we are being truly generous.

• Watch out for pride. Don’t pat yourself on the back, or look for praise. You will have already received your reward.

Exercises In this initial exercise, get in touch with the real truth concerning your practice of generosity. How

Choose to be generous with the gift of your time, money, or abilities and do something today, even immediately after reading this. his

do you show generosity in your life? Do you do things expecting a return? Do you really let go and experience the joy of giving, or is there an attachment that remains that causes sadness? How frequent are your acts of generosity? Is there a flow of generosity coming from you? What blocks the flow? Is there fear? A love of money or things? Is there a lack of trust in God that God will provide for you? End the exercise by reading Matthew 6:19-34.

• Choose to be generous with the gift of your time, money, or abilities and do something today, even immediately after reading this. Give to the poor. Donate your time. Go the extra mile for someone in your life who already is demanding much of you. We will never grow in generosity if we do not practice it.

• Choose any of the following passages and meditate on them. Dive in and enjoy the swim! Read Mark 6:34-44; Luke 6:38; 2 Cor 8:2-21; 2 Cor 9:5-15; Ps 112.

• Concluding prayer: Lord, everything I have is a gift from you. Help me to make a generous offering of all that I am, and all that I have back to you. Give me the grace to say “yes” to you, whatever you may ask. May I discover joy in sacrificial giving and look at each moment of the day as a gift from you that opens up many opportunities to be generous in return. Let your river of generous love flow through me to others. I ask this in the name of Jesus my Lord. Amen.

– Father Bill Ashbaugh

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By Michelle Sessions DiFranco | Photography by Phillip Shippert

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t’s Saturday evening and I reach into the fridge for last night’s leftovers to feed the family. To my dismay, I realize we don’t exactly have a lot left over – two pieces of pizza just isn’t going to cut it for the three of us. My finger-tapping on the fridge and wondering what we’re going to have is interrupted by a loud knock on our front door. It’s Andy, my husband’s best friend.

Great. Make that four of us. Now we really have a dinner dilemma, since I have nothing thawed and don’t exactly want to order a pizza for the second night in a row. I think of the miracle of the loaves and the fishes and an idea pops into my head: tilapia.

The tilapia fish goes as far back as ancient Egypt and was the fish that Jesus used to feed the 5,000 folks at the Sea of Galilee. One of its common names is “St. Peter’s Fish” since it was what the Apostle Peter caught as a fisherman. And how apropos, since generosity and sharing (one of the key takeaways from Jesus’ miracle of the loaves and fishes), is exactly what I need to remind myself of to overcome the frustration of Andy’s ‘timely’ arrival at our door.

But the best part about

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tilapia – or any fish for that matter – is that it cooks very quickly.

Even if frozen, individually wrapped fillets thaw within 15 minutes in a bowl of cool water.

The following recipe for blackened tilapia (our favorite) is the one I use often and it is as gourmet in taste as it is quick to cook.

My recommendation is to try it on June 29, the feast day of St. Peter. Just before you take your first bite, consider the wonderful reality that this is the same fish our Lord ate with his followers 2,000 years ago.

You will need: • 2 tablespoons garlic powder • 2 tablespoons salt • 2 tablespoons paprika • 1 tablespoon onion powder • 1 tablespoon black pepper • 1 tablespoon dried oregano • 1 tablespoon dried thyme • 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste (I like it hot) • 4 tilapia fillets • ½ stick of melted butter or a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil • 1 lemon, cut into wedges • small bunch of fresh parsley

Directions: In an empty spice jar or small bowl, make the blackening seasoning by combining all of the above dry spices. Set aside. Heat a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) on high for a few minutes. Coat the fish fillets with melted butter or oil and generously sprinkle the blackening seasoning on both sides of tilapia fillets (remaining seasoning can be stored for later use). Sear fillets in hot skillet for about 2-3 minutes on each side (until they are blackened and cooked through). Give them a squeeze of lemon and garnish with chopped fresh parsley for extra flavor and serve over a bed of cooked rice and veggies.

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What to do if you have been abused If you have been abused or victimized by someone representing the Catholic Church, please believe in the possibility for hope and healing. We encourage you to come forward and speak out. Every arch/diocese/eparchy in the United States now has a victim assistance coordinator who is available to obtain support for your needs, to help you make a formal complaint of abuse to the arch/diocese/eparchy, and to arrange a personal meetings with the bishop, or his representative, if you desire. The victim assistance coordinators for the Diocese of Lansing are: Msgr. Michael D. Murphy, moderator of the curia, 517.342.2450 and Msgr. Steven J. Raica, chancellor, 517.342.2454.

Si has sido victima de abuso por alguien que representa la Iglesia Catolica, por favor, cree en la possibilidad de esperanza, y de ayuda y sanacion.

Te exhortamos a presentar y declarer. Cada (arqui) dioceses/eparquia en Estados Unidos tiene ahora un coordinator o coordinadora de asistencia a las victimas a quien puedes acudir para que te apoye en tus necesedades, te ayunde a hacer una denuncia formal de abuso anta la (arqui) dioceses/eparquia, y a solicitar una reunion personal con el obispo o su representente, si asi lo deseas. El coordinador o coordinadora de asistencia a las victimas en la Diocesis de Lansing: Msgr. Michael J. Murphy, al moderador de la curia, 517.342.2450 o Msgr. Steven J. Raica, al capellan, 517.342.2454.

Servants of Charity celebrate Centennial Anniversary March 24, 2007, was a day of celebration for the Catholic Order of the Servants of Charity, as they prepared to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of their order in 2008.

A community service was held at St. Louis Center in Chelsea, which included a morning Mass and breakfast. The Servants of Charity is a worldwide order of priests and brothers founded in Como, Italy by Blessed Fr. Louis Guanella, who began the order to care for the “poorest of the poor.”

Locally, the Servants of Charity care for persons with disabilities at St. Louis Center and minister to the spiritual needs of the suffering and dying at the Pious Union of St. Joseph in Grass Lake. For more information on the order, please see www. servantsofcharity.org.

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Priest Transfers The following priest assignments have been announced by the bishop’s office:

Rev. Tim MacDonald from pastor of Most Holy Trinity, Fowler, to pastor of Holy Redeemer, Burton (effective May 9, 2007)

Rev. Kenneth Coughlin from pastor of St. Mary, Pinckney, to pastor of Holy Family, Grand Blanc (effective June 27, 2007)

Rev. Vincent Van Doan from pastor of St. Peter the Apostle, Blissfield, to pastor of Immaculate Conception, Milan (effective June 27, 2007) Rev. Robert Roggenbuck (photo not available) from chaplain at Fr. Luke M. Powers High School, Flint, to pastor of Transfiguration Parish, Ypsilanti (effective July 18, 2007)

Smallest parish to get new church St. Ann Parish, Bellevue, is building a new church after an anonymous donor donated the difference between the $176,000 already pledged and the $1.025 million needed to construct the new 46'-by-65' new worship space. The current structure is 30'-by-60' and only seats 100 people; it was originally built for 25 families. The new parish will be handicap-accessible; the parish plans to turn the existing worship space into a social hall and the existing social hall into classroom and office space.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held April 29.

Sharing the Wealth The Pastoral Planning Office has seen a wealth of good ideas come to life as the work of pastoral planning goes on in our parishes. Since March, we have been featuring one of these ideas each month via the “Sharing the Wealth…” link on the diocesan Web page. We have fleshed out each idea in an article that tells you everything you need to know, including contacts who will help you get started. As we add one each month, it’s becoming an impressive array of success stories. There are 14 articles there now. Check them out to see if there is one your parish can adopt and adapt.

Have you ever watched the television program Dancing With The Stars? If you have, then you probably realize that ballroom dancing can be very elegant, a great stress reliever, and a good cardio workout! But did you know that it can also become a religious experience as well? A group of people from Sacred Heart Parish, Flint, didn’t know that at the outset, but now they are convinced it can have that kind of impact and they have the experience to prove it. Their interest in ballroom dancing has grown into a wonderful ecumenical activity and a very creative way of reaching families, youth and young adults of all ages! Visit www.dioceseoflansing.org to find out more.

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Using an “IRA Distribution” to make a gift to DSA 2007 is the last year to take advantage of this tax benefit!

• Only direct distributions to charity qualify as tax free.

There are some limitations: • This benefit applies only to individuals age 70½ or older.

• It applies to distributions made in 2006 and 2007.

• Qualifying distributions to charity are limited to $100,000 in each of those years.

• Only distributions from traditional or certain Roth IRAs are tax free.

Even though it has its limitations, the Pension Protection Act of 2006 eliminates previous unfavorable results of IRA distributions.

The new law also benefits individuals who do not itemize deductions but instead claim the standard deduction on their tax returns. Not including the IRA distribution to charity in taxable income is equivalent to a charitable contribution deduction.

Michigan’s individual income tax law does not provide a deduction for charitable contributions. Under the new law, Michigan residents can make direct distributions to charity from an IRA in excess of this limitation without increasing taxable income.

If you’re considering making a direct gift to the Diocesan Services Appeal, you should consult with your IRA custodian about the proper procedures or call your tax advisor.

Ways to Give to the Diocesan Services Appeal

Consider a Pledge

Matching Gifts

Making a pledge to the DSA enables you to give a more generous and affordable response to the needs of the church. You may make your pledge with an initial payment at appeal time if you so desire and then complete your pledge with six additional monthly payments July through December 2007. Monthly payments can be mailed to your parish office or placed in the offertory basket at Mass.

The table below illustrates the installment payments for a range of pledge amounts.

You can double and, in some cases triple, your gift to the Diocesan Services Appeal by taking advantage of your company’s matching gift program. If the company you work for participates in a matching gift program, it means they will donate a gift that matches your contribution. Each company has its own guidelines as to how much and in what time frame they will donate.

Be sure to learn the specifics from your employer. To find out if your company participates in a matching gift program, contact your human resources department. Your human resources department can provide you with the appropriate form and tell you how to fill it out. Then, send the completed form to Attn: Development Office, Diocese of Lansing, 300 W. Ottawa Street, Lansing, MI 48933-1577.

For more information, contact Patricia O’Hearn at 517.342.2503.

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 allows taxpayers who are 70½ years of age or older to donate money to charity directly from their IRA accounts without having to report the distribution as taxable income.

Gifts of Cash Outright gifts of cash are the simplest and most common way to give to the Diocesan Services Appeal. You can make a quick and easy gift by writing a check or making a cash donation.

In addition to supporting the DSA, your gift may be made in memory of a family member or friend, in honor of an individual, or in recognition of a special occasion such as a birthday, an anniversary, a promotion or some other special event. Your gift will still provide much needed support for the DSA. Families or recipients are notified of your gift by way of a letter. The amount of your gift is kept confidential. When making a memorial/honorary/recognition gift, please be sure to include the name of the next of kin or the honoree you would like noti-

fied, so appropriate acknowledgments can be sent.

Credit Card Gifts Many people prefer the convenience of using a MasterCard or VISA to make their contribution to DSA. You may choose this option by completing the appropriate information on the pledge form of your pledge envelope. This year there is one new requirement for credit card contributions. All gifts to DSA made with a credit card must have the CVV2 code entered on the appropriate line of the pledge form. The CVV2 code is the last three numbers on the back of your credit card.

Your credit card gift CANNOT be processed without this number. Please be sure to fill in this section on your pledge form this year.

Monthly payment (6) Total Amount Pledged $500 – $3,000 $400 – $2,400 $300 – $1,800 $100 – $600 $75 – $450 $50 – $300 $40 – $240 $30 – $180 Gifts of Appreciated Stock

An excellent way to donate to the DSA and realize potential tax savings is to give stock that has appreciated in value and that you have held for more than one year. Gifts of long-term appreciated stock (held for more than one year) are a very popular type of non-cash gift. The donor will receive a double tax benefit: a charitable income tax deduction for the fair market value of the stock on the day that it is donated, plus there is no capital gains tax on the appreciation.

For example:

Cash Gift

Stock Gift

Gift amount

$5,000

$5,000

Charitable Tax Savings*

$1,750

$1,750

Capital Gains Tax

N/A

$ 600

Net Cost of Gift**

$3,250

$2,650

*Note: Tax bracket x value of gift = charitable tax savings ** This example does not show the additional savings that may result from avoiding (1) state capital gains taxes and (2) the transaction costs of selling the securities.

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une 28 is the annual Senior Priest Appreciation Day. It will be held at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt beginning with Mass at 10:30 a.m., followed by lunch and social time together. All priests are invited and encouraged to attend to honor the men who have reached senior status. The following priests will be honored and welcome mail from their friends and former parishioners:

Lansing Region Reverend Joseph Aubin 402 East Madison #B DeWitt, MI 48820 Reverend Eugene J. Beiter 402 East Madison #D DeWitt, MI 48820 Reverend Stanislaus Czarnota 401 East Madison #C DeWitt, MI 48820 Reverend C. Peter Dougherty P.O. Box 14062 Lansing, MI 48901

Genesee Region Reverend Paul Cummings (active) Holy Redeemer Church 1227 East Bristol Road Burton, MI 48529

Lenawee Region Reverend Louis A. Komorowski, OSFS 320 Division Street Adrian, MI 49221

Reverend Donald Eder 6092 Oak Creek Drive Swartz Creek, MI 48473

Livingston Region Reverend Brendan K. Ledwidge The Village Woodland 7533 Grand River Ave., Apt. 201 Brighton, MI 48114

Reverend Francis Faraci 2214 Blackthorn Burton, MI 48509 Rev. Msgr. Richard Groshek 4381 Springbrook Drive Swartz Creek, MI 48473

Outside the Diocese Reverend Neil Cornelli 505 Broome Street Fernandina Beach, FL 32030 Reverend D. Philip Dupuis 13280 North Friendly Drive Wolverine, MI 49799

Rev. Msgr. Sylvester Fedewa 120 N Willow Street P.O. Box 412 Westphalia, MI 48894

Reverend Robert Kolenski 3375 N. Linden Road, #205 Flint, MI 48504

Reverend Jake Foglio P.O. Box 4098 East Lansing, MI 48826

Reverend Marian Lesniak 2497 Redwood Drive Flushing, MI 48433

Reverend Charles Irvin 402 East Madison #A DeWitt, MI 48820

Reverend Eduardo Lorenzo 6073 Ballard Flint, MI 48505

Reverend Richard Kropf Star Route #1 Box 629 Johannesburg, MI 49751

Rev. Msgr. Robert Lunsford 401 East Madison #A DeWitt, MI 48820

Jackson Region Reverend Paul Grehl, OSFS 1131 Ventura Brooklyn, MI 49230

Reverend Robert McKeon 10018 Lehring Rd. Byron, MI 48418-0132

Reverend Francis Martin 4437 West Willow Lansing, MI 48917

Reverend Francis J. Murray 2146-3 Robinson Road Jackson, MI 49203

Reverend Matthew Fedewa St. John Vianney Seminary 2115 Summit Avenue, M#5024 St. Paul, MN 55105-1095

Reverend James Novak 16269 W. Starry Sky Drive Surprise, AZ 85374

Reverend Thomas McDevitt Saint Francis Retreat Center 703 East Main DeWitt, MI 48820

Reverend Paul Ruddy, OSFS 1131 Ventura Drive Brooklyn, MI 48230

Reverend Roger Prokop The Oratory of St. Philip Neri P.O. Box 11586 Rock Hill, SC 29731-1586

Reverend Kenneth McDonald 401 East Madison #D DeWitt, MI 48820

Washtenaw Region Reverend Thomas Brennan 468 Lancaster Court Saline, MI 48176

Reverend Donald P. Rusch Box 399 East Pointe, MI 48021

Reverend Douglas Osborn 402 East Madison #C DeWitt, MI 48820

Reverend Terry Dumas 2150 Frieze Avenue Ann Arbor, MI 48104

Reverend James Schmitt 215 Banberry North Lansing, MI 48906

Rev. Msgr. Vincent Howard 1849 Pierce Road Chelsea, MI 48118

Reverend Francis Williams 401 East Madison #B DeWitt, MI 48820

Reverend Benjamin Werner 1020 Wing Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48103

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Reverend Tom Thompson 10317 Lakeside Drive Perrinton, MI 48871 Reverend Bernard Tyler 3201 Havenwood Drive Johannesburg, MI 49751 Canada Reverend Leo Ramer 235 Quebec Street Goderich, Ontario N7A 2H2

things to do: Camp Sancta Maria in Gaylord, a Catholic camp for boys aged 8-16, welcomes campers for the 2007 summer season.

One- and two-week sessions are offered; financial aid is available. For more information, please see www. campsanctamaria.org or call 248.822.8199.

St. Joseph Shrine in Brooklyn will host its rummage sale June 13-15. Call the parish office for more information, 517.467.2183.

St. Robert School in Flushing is open for registration. Please see www.strobertschool.com for details.

John Linden will be ordained June 9 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing. Parishioners in the diocese are welcome to attend this special Mass and congratulate Father John.

June café events St. Joseph Shrine in Brooklyn will offer a six-week series entitled “Catholics Returning Home” beginning Wednesday, June 6 in the Café room of the Family Center. These sessions are for non-practicing Catholics who are seeking answers to questions about returning to the church. If you know of someone who has left the church, please invite them to join us. For more information, call Sue Wilson at 517.467.2183.

June 2007 | www.FAITHmag.com 26announce To events in the Sept. issue of FAITH e-mail esolsburg@FAITHpublishingservice.com by July 11.

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At the Weber Center The Weber Center in Adrian will present The Living Flame of Love of John of the Cross, June 1-3. The retreat will begin Friday at 7:30 p.m. and will end Sunday at 1 p.m. The presenter will be Mary Meegan, OP, an Adrian Dominican Sister, who ministers as a group spiritual director in the permanent diaconate program of the Diocese of Joliet, Ill. Single occupancy is $200, double is $125 per person and there is a non-refundable deposit of $50. For more information, please see www.webercenter.org or call 517.266.4000.

At St. Francis Retreat Center The 2007 Summer Scripture Days are scheduled for Aug. 14-16 in Bethany House at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt. The Days are co-sponsored by the Department of Catholic Charities, Area Catholic Councils on Aging and St. Francis Retreat Center. Msgr. Robert Lunsford, former chancellor of the Diocese of Lansing, will be the presenter for the three-day program based on the theme Wisdom and Proverbs Lighting Our Path. Scriptural presentations will be combined with liturgies, creative activities, prayer, recreation and fun. Full registration is $150 per person; commuters pay $90 or $110 depending on their meal choices. Scholarships are available, thanks to several Knights of Columbus councils, parishes, individuals and organizations. For more information, call Linda Kolanowski at Catholic Charities at 517.342.2465 or email lkolanowski@dioceseoflansing.org.

May Readings Sunday, June 3 Most Holy Trinity Prv 8:22-31 Ps 8:4-5,6-7,8-9(2a) Rom 5:1-5 Jn 16:12-15 Sunday, June 10 Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Sunday Gn 14:18-20 Ps 110:1,2,3,4(4b) 1 Cor 11:23-26 Lk 9:11b-17

Sunday, June 17 Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time 2 Sm 12:7-10,13 Ps 32:1-2,5,7,11 Gal 2:16,19-21 Lk 7:36-8:3 or 7:3650 Sunday, June 24 Nativity of St. John the Baptist Is 49:1-6 Ps 139:1b-3,1315(14a) Acts 13:22-26 Lk 1:57-66,80

The power of generosity how it produces new life

We are not talking here about nice feelings; we are talking about something that comes from one’s heart and generates hope, even new life.

It is, quite evidently, at the opposite pole from selfishness.

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t sometimes helps to go back to the Latin meaning of a word. Generosity is one of those words. In Latin, generosus means “of noble birth, noble, excellent in kind, of superior quality.” It’s related to the verb genero, which means, “to beget, produce, bring to life, generate.”

With those ideas in mind, we can see that generosity is a virtue, a power, which goes far deeper than being kind, charitable or thoughtful. Generosity is something that issues forth from one’s heart, not simply from one’s kindly feelings. We are not talking here about nice feelings; we are talking about something that comes from one’s heart and generates hope, even new life. It is, quite evidently, at the opposite pole from selfishness.

The Parable of the Prodigal Son uses the word “prodigal.” We can associate it with generosity. In the parable, we see that the son was wastefully extravagant and rash in spending his father’s money; money that was supposed to come to him when his father died and the estate was divided among the sons. The son, the younger of two, was in effect saying to his father, “As far as I’m concerned, you’re dead.

Give me my inheritance now.” After the son wasted it all away, we find that his father was lavishly generous to his son when the boy returned home. The father was nobly generous in that he gave his love to his son beyond all human measure.

The Dutch painter Rembrandt has masterfully painted the scene is his famous work entitled, The Return of the Prodigal. Note, however, that Rembrandt depicts the boy as if he is returning to the womb, there to be born again. Perhaps the parable should be renamed The Parable of the Prodigal Father, for certainly the son was being regenerated into a new life because of his father’s generous and excelling love.

The question being asked of us is, “Can we be as generous?” Can we give of our hearts without conditions, without limits, and as generously?

One of the main elements of God’s love is that it is always generous and produces new life. By his incarnation, God has impregnated our humanity with his love in the hope that we, with him, can love so as to always and everywhere generate new life with the generosity of our love. It is God’s way of loving that should inspire us to be always as generous in both loving and in forgiving. If we all did that we would have the power to change the world!

– Fr. Charles Irvin

Answer to Bible Quiz (p13) Deborah

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n 2005, the Diocese of Lansing began addressing the pressing issues of a clergy shortage and the shifting demographics of its faithful. During the next several months, you will see the evaluations, studies and recommendations announced. The following questions and answers address this process.

What is the current status of the diocesan planning process for the future of parishes and schools?

We are more than halfway through the process. Most parishes have completed self-evaluations.

The information from these evaluations now goes to a regional review process. Each of the 10 counties of the diocese has a regional review committee consisting of at least one member from each parish in the region. By September, these committees will make preliminary recommendations for improving your parish, interparish cooperation, parish closures, mergers and clusters.

In October, the regional recommendations will be forwarded to the Diocesan Coordination Commission (DCC) – a 20-member commission appointed by Bishop Mengeling in the fall of 2005 to provide a thorough assessment and proFAITH Magazine

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vide recommendations for parish closures, mergers and clusters. The commission will review all of the regional recommendations and draft a preliminary diocesan plan. During this phase, the bishop’s consultaDIOCES E OF LANS I NG

PLANNING tomorrow’s churches The parish evaluations measure many components.

Primarily, they are: teaching the faith, sanctification of souls, evangelization and parish leadership.

Definition of terms

tive bodies (finance council, college of consultors, presbyteral council, council of vicars and pastoral council) will review the recommendations and provide feedback. The DCC’s final recommendations will be sent to the bishop in mid-2008.

Parish: As a general rule, a parish is territorial – it comprises all the faithful within a specific geographical territory. However, personal parishes can be established by the bishop based on rite, language, nationality or some other factor.

Merged parish: A parish joined with two or more parishes into a single new or consolidated parish.

Clustered parish: Grouping of two or more parishes served by one or more priests. The parishes retain separate identities but collaborate in the sharing of ministries and resources.

Closed parishes: A canonical declaration by the bishop of Lansing, in consultation with the presbyteral council, that a parish ceases to exist. Parish members join one of the neighboring parishes. This can happen at a designated or later date.

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Where are we in the process?

Parish/Faith community evaluation Regional Review Committee discernment and evaluation Regions formulate recommendations Parish assemblies (town hall meetings) Recommendations forwarded to the Diocesan Coordinating Commission (DCC) DCC reviews recommendations and prepares draft recommendations DCC sends draft to the regions for review Bishop’s consultative bodies review recommendations DCC forwards final recommendations to the bishop for his decision and actions. improving their parish, interparish cooperation and – in some cases – parish mergers, closures and clusters. For the latest information, log on to www.diocesoflansing.org and view the “pastoral planning” section.

What are possible parish structures?

Some parishes may be affected in the following ways:

What did the parish and school self-evaluations measure?

The parish evaluations measure many components. Primarily, they are: teaching the faith, sanctification of souls, evangelization and parish leadership. School evaluations took into account 12 criteria such as Catholic identity, enrollment trends and projections, teacher turnover and instructional programs. For a complete listing of each evaluation tool, please see the sidebars on page 30.

Is it too late to have my voice

heard in this process?

The official time for parishes to provide their internal reviews took place during the past five months.

All parishes and schools were encouraged by the diocese to involve as many constituents (parishioners, parents, teachers, staff, lay ministers, students) as possible. However, there will be another opportunity for parishioners to be heard. In the fall, there will be a town hall meeting at each parish. At these meetings, parishioners will review their own parish’s recommendations and the regional recommendations for

Parish Evaluation Inventory (PEI): An evaluative inventory instrument completed by all parishes within the Diocese of Lansing to assist each parish and the regional review committees to determine a parish’s and region’s opportunities, challenges and parish sustainability.

Diocese of Lansing numbers (2005)

Resident parish priests

Merger: Your parish may merge with another parish.

This means that your parish or school will join with two or more parishes to form a new or consolidated parish or school.

Parishes

School Evaluation Inventory (SEI): An evaluative inventory instrument completed by all schools within the Diocese of Lansing to assist each parish/school and the regional review committee to determine each school’s and region’s opportunities, challenges and school sustainability.

Active diocesan priests by 2010

Canonical policy: Codified body of general laws governing the Catholic Church.

Catholic population

Procedural policy: A policy determined at the diocesan level.

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220,216 6,218 Square miles

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Cluster: Your parish may become part of a cluster. Each parish would maintain its individual identity, but may be grouped with one or more parishes that would share a priest and would collaborate to provide pastoral care and other resources to its faithful.

For more, go to www.DioceseOfLansing.org, click on Pastoral Planning.

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Improving every parish Parish Evaluation Inventory Section 1: Worship and sacraments: statistics about each faith community’s Mass attendance, congregation, sacraments celebrated, etc.

Section 2: Staffing and ministry: parish staffing; programming for youth, young adults, adults and family life; Christian service; adult ministry Section 3: Leadership: parish council, finance committee, use of parish resources, stewardship, religious education, etc.

3

Parish closure: Your parish may close. The sacramental and pastoral needs of your parish would be addressed by neighboring parishes. Parish boundaries would be redrawn.

Who is making these decisions?

All parishes were asked to offer opportunities for parishioners to give input throughout the process via their own parish evaluation committees, including completing the parish self-evaluation. Each of the six regions will

Currently, eight of the diocese’s 97 parishes are without a resident priest. By 2010, that number will grow.

provide recommendations based on their geographic, financial and pastoral needs. These recommendations will be forwarded to the DCC. The DCC will review the regional recommendations to ensure consistency and compliance with the seven guiding principles of the process. Then the DCC will forward the recommendations to the bishop’s consultative bodies for review, prior to providing its final recommendations to the bishop.

The bishop will then make the final decision. It is important to note that by both canon and civil law, a diocesan bishop has ultimate authority over parishes and parish properties.

How will the DCC make its recommendations?

The recommendations will be based on each parish’s evaluation inventory, the regional review

and adherence to the seven guiding principles.

At 75, bishops are required to submit their resignations.

What will happen if the pope accepts Bishop Mengeling’s resignation before this process is complete?

Bishop Mengeling is 76. If the pope were to accept Bishop Mengeling’s resignation, this process will be put on hold pending the decision of the new bishop.

I come from a strong, vibrant, suburban parish. This won’t affect my parish at all, will it?

Every parish in the diocese will be affected. This process was implemented to assist each parish in assessing its own strengths and areas where improvement is needed. For some parishes, this will mean working toward

Improving every school School Evaluation Inventory • Catholic identity • Enrollment trends and projections • Financial trends, projections and criteria • Enrollment criteria • Administrative criteria • Staffing criteria • Instructional criteria • Facility criteria • Parent/community involvement • Teacher turnover FAITH Magazine

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Seven guiding principles

1

We will openly communicate our efforts to the people of the diocese and strive to ensure that all the work of this commission will be characterized by mutual respect and honesty.

2 3 4 5

Full sacramental ministry will be available to all our Catholic people in every geographic area of the diocese.

Competent pastoral ministers (lay, religious or ordained) will serve in every geographic area of the diocese.

We will have a special concern to meet the needs of the poor and marginalized.

We will engage all of our individual faith communities in planning for their future. Every faith community will evaluate its communal, spiritual and sacramental life, its faith formation programs and its financial stability.

6

We will seek to be creative in our efforts to reconfigure our diocese for an era with fewer priests and shifting population.

7

Any reconfiguration of the diocese will respect the needs of both the people and the individual minister.

growth in inter-parish cooperation. For some, it may mean changes to the way programs are developed or administered.

In some cases, the results of the self-evaluation may suggest that a cluster of two or more parishes, served by a single pastor, could best meet the needs of the region. For example, your large parish may be paired with a smaller parish.

In other situations, a single parish may meet the needs of an area now served by multiple parishes. So, your pastor might serve your parish and another one.

This might affect your Sunday Mass schedule.

For each parish, the goal is to work toward becoming a stronger and more vibrant community of faith – people of God who strive to serve the Lord, the poor and marginalized, and each other.

Is there a potential that the current priest who has served our parish for years may not be serving us in the future?

Yes, that is a reality. Currently, eight of the diocese’s 97 parishes are without a resident pastor. In the coming years, that number will grow.

Why does the process take so long?

From the start, the DCC knew the process must be driven by parishioners. They recognized that no single person, nor a group of people alone, could make such a complex decision.

As the process began to take

Diocese of Lansing numbers (2005)

Population Growth Forecast for the 10 counties of the Diocese of Lansing through 2020: Clinton 34% Eaton 26% Genessee 8% Hillsdale 24% Ingham 13% Jackson 12% Lenawee 8% Livingston 52% Shiawassee 1% Washtenaw 27%

Process timeline

shape, it became apparent the best starting point was for the parishes and schools to become involved. The internal review process is where the majority of the time has been spent.

Over the next year, the input parishioners have provided will be reviewed by three diverse panels to ensure the process does not single out a particular parish or region as privileged or disadvantaged.

With the involvement of so many, it is important that the process is thorough, but not overly burdensome.

Is there a special review panel looking at schools, or is that included under the DCC’s responsibility?

Every parish and its activities – including education – will be reviewed in this single process.

Final recommendations will be submitted to the bishop regarding both parish and school.

Completion dates:

Process activities:

Completed

Parish/faith community self-evaluation

Aug. 2007

Regional recommendations for closures, mergers and clusters due DIOCES E OF LANS I NG

Sep. 2007

Parish town hall meetings begin

May 2008

DCC makes final recomendations to the bishop

June 2008

Bishop decides

PLANNING tomorrow’s churches

In the next report: Parish statistics by region and a look at parish leadership roles

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Congratulations to Bishop Carl F. Mengeling

50 years of priesthood

notes:

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