My glasses help my eyes see THE COMMANDMENTS HELP OUR SOULS SEE
I
was 10 years old and in the fifth grade when I first began to notice I was having difficulty reading the blackboard at school. At first, I didn’t pay much attention to the fact that my vision wasn’t as clear as it should be. As the school year wore on, though, my grades began to slip. Finally, one afternoon, while having a snack after school, I asked my mom why it was that I could see more clearly through one eye than the other. I got my first pair of glasses a few weeks later and have worn glasses or contact lenses ever since.
T. Gennara
On the ride home from the ophthalmologist’s office, I noticed something rather strange. As I looked out on the world, I could see that trees had individual leaves on their branches – they weren’t just amorphous bunches of green. I was able to see the world in greater detail than ever before and my school work steadily improved. I could see things in the distance that I had previously been unable to distinguish. With the assistance of new lenses, I was able to see the world as never before. The commandments function as kinds of “lenses” for us. Each of them permits us to see the world, our relationship with God and our relationships with one another with a new kind of clarity. The fifth commandment, “You shall not kill,” enjoins upon us a respect for all life, most especially human life from the moment of conception until the time of natural death. from the editor The commandment does not simply Father Dwight Ezop is editor of FAITH mean that murder is forbidden, but rather Magazine and pastor of St. John the Evangelist encourages us to examine more deeply all in Fenton. Email: editor@FAITHpub.com. that we do that either deprives or supports the gift of life. The fifth commandment links together a host of issues – from abortion to euthanasia, capital punishment to the Just War theory, and many more. It weaves them together into a “seamless garment” that seeks to cherish the gift of life from many perspectives. As the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin wrote, the fifth commandment challenges us to form a consistent ethic of life. I first met Dave Hunt and Kim Schneider when I was pastor of St. Jude in DeWitt. At the time, they were engaged to be married and I was blessed to witness their marriage in 2010. They sought me out several years later in the midst of struggles to start a family. I suggested they seek the assistance of specially trained health care professionals who make use of a specialized form of natural family planning to assist couples who are having difficulty conceiving. I was thrilled when Dave and Kim contacted me several months ago to let me know that their first child is due soon. I hope their story can assist other couples in similar situations. Chelsea’s St. Louis Center seeks to serve the mentally impaired and their families by teaching the center’s residents how to live more independently, allowing many to eventually return to their families or to the community. Society often seeks to sweep the mentally impaired under the rug in order to keep them from view. Father Enzo Addari and the other priests and talented staff of St. Louis Center instead seek to help them take their rightful and dignified place in the world. The Fifth Commandment provides us with new ways to see the wondrous gift of life that God shares with us. It also challenges us to be faith-filled stewards of that gift. And so our journey in FAITH continues. 2
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
PENANCE LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING St. Columba (Columcille) Feast Day: June 9
When we hurt someone in some way, the right thing to do is to apologize for our actions. At the same time, saying we are sorry is not the final step to reconciliation or to the restoration of the proper order in relationships that existed prior to the action. We need to make penance. That is, we need to act in order to show our sorrow for a sin or wrongdoing; we need to do something to restore the order. St. Columba (521-597), also known by his Gaelic name of St. Columcille, understood this truth. He was born in Ireland and founded monasteries at Derry, Durrow and Kells. He is known as one of the “Twelve Apostles of Ireland.” According to tradition, St. Columba was involved in a conflict with St. Finnian around 560 over a psalter. He apparently had copied the manuscript under St. Finnian and wanted to keep the copy. St. Finnian objected to this and the dispute actually led to the Battle of Cúl Dreimhne in 561, in which many men were killed. Faced with exile, St. Columba offered to work as a missionary in Scotland to help convert as many people as had been killed in the battle. This work would be his penance – and he would dedicate the remainder of his life to it. He went to the island of Iona off the coast of Scotland. There he built a monastery which was to become world famous, and he eventually spread the Gospel to the Scottish Picts. His reputation as a holy man led to his role as a diplomat among the tribes. In short, his penance looked like something.
Liturgical Calendar: The Ascension of the Lord June 1 | Ss. Marcellinus and Peter, martyrs June 2 | St. Charles Lw
contents
June 2014
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work life I can’t manage when my boss undermines me conflict resolution It’s time for my aunt to move out of her house but she refuses parenting journey Should I allow my child to go to this sleepover? your marriage matters She says: “He’s obsessed with his iPhone.” He says: “I just need to stay connected.” What do they do? culture A recipe for all seasons
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in the know with Father Joe 10 Should we get married in the
Church even if we’re not practicing Catholics? theology 101 You shall not kill spiritual fitness Freely offer forgiveness
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COVER STORY Father Enzo is building hope and home for people with developmental disabilities
Ann Jacob MANAGING EDITOR The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing Volume 15: Issue 5 www.FAITHpub.com Most Reverend Earl Boyea PUBLISHER Rev. Dwight Ezop EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN
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profile of an evangelist ‘By their side At Mother Teresa House my story Kim and Dave are expecting a girl thanks to Creighton NFP special report New North American saints François de Laval and Marie Guyart
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yourlife WHAT DO YOU THINK? Continue the conversation on ©DollarPhotoClub/Petro Feketa
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Q:
My boss criticizes me in front of my subordinates, which makes it harder for me to have credibility in my management of them. How can I get him to stop?
a:
Suggest to him some proverbs from the Solomon School of Management:
• He who belittles his neighbor (or employee) lacks sense. (Proverbs 11:12) • A gracious tongue multiplies courtesies. (Sirach 6:5) • The vexation of a fool is known at once. (Proverbs 12:16) Well, maybe hold back on that recommendation for now. Rather, tell him precisely what you’ve insightfully stated here. His public criticism under4
mines his credibility as much as yours. How do managers succeed? Through the success of those they supervise – which in turn depends on the success of their subordinates. And so on down the line … Be convinced in your own mind that the truth is on your side. Or rather, you are on the side of the truth. Upholding the dignity of the human person is the bedrock of the Catholic approach to human relations. And because the Church is the expert on the human person, her teaching in this area actually works in the workplace.
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
People are more productive when respected. And more resentful when they’re not. He who speaks wisely will advance himself. (Sirach 20:27) Make three simple points. You welcome criticism (sounds like you do). You’ll correct your mistakes (I presume you do). And you request the courtesy of private rather than public admonition – for his, your and your employees’ sake. Your boss’ bad habit is revealing. A man accustomed to use insulting words will never become disciplined all his days. (Sirach 23:15) So he’ll probably push back. But you’ve been smart to give him a fair chance. If his public correction persists, you could try a little psychological jujitsu. “I appreciate you pointing that out boss. I’ll do better the next time.” And, as much as you can, mean it. If nothing else, your employees will observe your selfmanagement and meekness (meekness is a virtue, not a
melaniereyesphotography
I can’t manage WHEN MY BOSS UNDERMINES ME
work life Jim Berlucchi is the executive director of the Spitzer Center, whose mission is to build cultures of evangelization (www.spitzercenter.org).
weakness). Their view of you will not be diminished. If his sniping persists, your options are limited. You can tolerate his coarseness and hope for vindication. You can defend yourself with dignity. Or you can file a complaint with his boss or your human resources department. Be careful, though. All of these actions require shrewdness and foresight, the crown jewel of prudence. Above all, don’t default to inaction – an easy but poor choice that needlessly puts you at the mercy of your circumstances.
St. Barnabas, apostle June 11 | St. Anthony of Padua, priest and doctor of the Church June 13 | Most Holy Trinity June 15 | St. R
Priestly Discernment Dinner with Bishop Boyea and Overnight Discernment Retreat with Father John Linden Sunday, August 17, 2014 (3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) On Sunday, August 17, Bishop Earl Boyea is inviting any man who will be entering his junior year of high school or is older to a Priestly Discernment Dinner with him and many of the priests and seminarians in the Diocese of Lansing beginning at 3:00 p.m. at the Bethany House in DeWitt. It is a great occasion to come and meet men in the priesthood and some on the way to priesthood. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the joy of a call to priesthood. For those wanting to stay and learn more there will be a discernment overnight connected with this dinner that ends on Monday, August 18 in the afternoon also at the Bethany House. Pastors often accompany men for this event so it is encouraged that you ask your pastor about it if you are interested. Even if your pastor cannot come you are still invited.
For more details and to register, please contact the Vocations office at 517.342.2504 or jsessions@dioceseoflansing.org. Also check out our website at www.dioceseoflansing.org/vocations
Romuald, abbot June 19 | St. Aloysius Gonzaga, religious June 21 | Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ June 22 | Nativity of St. John the Baptist June 24 | Most Sacred Heart of Jesus June 27
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Q:
My aunt really shouldn’t be living alone anymore. She can get by with her nieces and nephews helping, but it’s wearing us out. She refuses to move – what can we do?
a:
As we age, our abilities and capacities become more limited, slower and somehow unpredictable. This is difficult for many seniors to accept because it leads to feelings of insecurity and fears about losing independence and autonomy. In addition, throughout our lives, we accumulate memories, photos and details that help us to remain connected with our past and, in one way or another, give meaning to our present. Your aunt’s home may hold special significance for her.
It is important to be sensitive to these issues when you and your cousins begin to discuss your aunt’s current conflict resolution situation and plan for her future wellDr. Gelasia Marquez is a psychologist being. Investigate and family counselor. the possibility of bringing caregivers into her home. This type of decision will be influenced by her needs and financial situation. If the best option is to remove your aunt from her home, make sure she is part of the decision-making process. Engage her in the search for a good location where she can bring her memories and photo albums, and where she can enjoy a similar level of autonomy that she enjoyed in her home. Remember the words of Psalm 71:9, “Do not cast me aside in my old age; as my strength fails, do not forsake me.” S. Kendrick
It’s time for my aunt to move out of her house BUT SHE REFUSES
Should I allow my child to go to this sleepover? My daughter was invited to a sleepover where I don’t know the parents well. I’m a little uncomfortable with this, given all you read in the news. Am I just a mom who is over-reacting?
a:
T. Gennara
In the sleepover scene of the movie Grease, Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) explains to her classmates, the “Pink Ladies,” that she once tried champagne on Christmas Day. Unimpressed, the girls her to parenting pressure drink, smoke and journey pierce her ears. In this scene, there Dr. Cathleen McGreal is doesn’t seem to a psychology be any parental professor and certified spiritual supervision of the director. sleepover – either from a mom or dad! The movie illustrates the importance of parental monitoring and networking. 6
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
What do you think? Follow FAITHpub on Parental monitoring. In order to make decisions about sleepovers, parents need information. Although it may be embarrassing to your daughter, you need to gather information about plans for the sleepover. Make sure a parent is planning to supervise the sleepover, rather than turning over the responsibility to an older sibling. Since coed sleepovers have become more popular in recent years, check to see if this is a “girls-only” event. How will movies be monitored? Discuss the night’s agenda with the supervising parent to see if it fits your family’s values. Network with other parents. Get to know the parents of your daughter’s friends. Plan a potluck with the girls and their parents or arrange to attend a school event together. Do they attend
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Q:
your church? Ask them over for brunch after Mass so the families can mingle. Exchange emails and cell phone numbers so that each parent feels comfortable double-checking on events and plans. Chances are that, as you get to know the parents, you will feel more comfortable about invitations to their home. Whether at a sleepover, a school event or other activities, make sure your daughter knows she can call you if she feels uncomfortable. Encourage her to follow her instincts – if she senses that something just isn’t right, then call and get a ride home. Pray for discernment whenever making decisions about your children: “Unless the Lord build the house, they labor in vain who build. Unless the Lord guard the city, in vain does the guard keep watch.” (Psalm 127:1)
Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Vir
SHE says
HE says
“He’s obsessed with his iPhone”
“I just need to stay connected”
S
Jack says: I admit that I have a fond relationship with my phone, but I wouldn’t call it an obsession. I just need to stay connected. And at Mass, I was using an online worship aid – totally legit.
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Sally says: Jack is absolutely obsessed with his iPhone. It doesn’t matter where we are, he is always pulling it out to check texts, the weather, his email, you name it. He even had it out during Mass the other day! I am tired of taking a backseat to a tiny computer.
What do THEY do?
eldom does the person who exhibits obsessive, compulsive or even addictive behavior recognize it as such. Jack’s response is typical because it is framed as a personal “need” that does not interfere with or affect anyone else. The truth is quite the opposite, however. We can think of no action or behavior one spouse may do or exhibit that would not have a direct or indirect effect on the other spouse. Recognizing that fact is the first step for Jack and Sally.
rgin Mary June 28 | Ss. Peter and Paul, apostles June 29 | First Martyrs of the Holy Roman Church June 30
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your way to please each other, just to see Here is a simple check Jack and the smiles and feel the joy of focusing on Sally can perform to put this issue into each other. Remember how pleasing each proper perspective: Substitute the words other was a priority? Make the time and “another woman” for “iPhone,” and see find the words to do it again. God hears if that changes the dynamics or seriousyou when you call on him and he wants ness of the topic! If that is a bit much, both of you to feel his love through each substitute the word “hobby,” “work,” other. Remember that “God ful“TV” or even “children” in fills the desire of those who place of “iPhone.” The fear him; he hears their point is, when any accry and saves them.” tivity, person or object When any displaces a spouse as (Psalm 145:19) activity, person the primary focus The journey to or object displaces a and concern, the a solution, howspouse as the primary marriage relationever, won’t be easy focus and concern, the ship will suffer. because the beginJack and Sally need ning point may be marriage relationto start communicatencumbered with ship will suffer. ing their feelings and excess baggage. Most work on a compromise “third-party” objects or that will make them both obstacles that creep into a feel understood. marriage relationship start out First and foremost, trust that God as small items that are barely recogwill help you with this situation. Come nizable. Then they become part of the fabtogether and talk about the time when you ric of people’s lives and become a priority. first met and how you would go out of The danger is that these objects/per-
sons/activities begin to take on a higher priority than the relationship, and very quickly the marriage can experience struggles that seem to have appeared out of nowhere! Jack may be thinking, “Where did this problem come from all of a sudden?” while Sally might be your thinking, “This has gone on way marriage too long.” matters Jack and Sally Deacon Tom are experiencing and JoAnne a typical triFogle help prepare couples angle relationship for marriage. where one party (in this case Sally) is being left out in the cold while the other two (Jack and the iPhone) seem to be content with the situation. Husbandwife-children, husband-wife-work or husband-wife-friends are typical triangles that require constant review and proper balance to ensure the husband-wife relationship always remains the priority.
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for this and other recipes
A recipe for ALL SEASONS
It so happens that we celebrate a saint this month whose story exemplifies this dilemma well. St. Thomas More was forced to prioritize his loyalty between two kings – the king of England and his King in heaven. More was a brilliant lawyer and a distinguished judge – so well-known, in fact, that he was appointed lord chancellor of England. But despite the pressures of this title and his courtly duties, he refused to approve King Henry VIII’s request to unjustly divorce his wife, nor would he acknowledge that Henry VIII was the head
of the Church in England, instead of the pope. He was imprisoned and beheaded in London in 1535 for remaining firm and true to the teachings of the Catholic Church. This self-sacrificing saint should be an inspiration to all of us who are forced to evaluate when the laws of the land conflict with the laws of the Church. Before I began writing this, I was in search of a good bread pudding recipe for a special guest we are expecting in a few weeks. But bread pudding is a rather rich, heavy and warm dessert, one best served
T. Gennara
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he news lately seems filled with stories about situations in which religious institutions, business owners and even individual citizens are forced to evaluate when their loyalty to their business or their government is in conflict with their loyalty to their faith. Most likely, this dilemma has been played out in small ways every day across the country, but recent changes in our federal laws have made this a hot topic.
during the winter months, not June. While pondering this English dessert, however, I found a way to take inspiration culture once more from Michelle this English saint, DiFranco is a designer and the whose feast day is busy mom of June 22. two children. St. Thomas More was considered “a man for all seasons.” He was a statesman, a scholar, a politician and a lawyer. His more personal attributes included being a family man, prayerful, quick-witted and a friend to the poor. With St. Thomas More on my mind, I was able to conjure a recipe for bread pudding that features summer berries and ice cream, making it a little more refreshing and lending itself, like the saint we remember this month, to all seasons!
BERRY BREAD PUDDING
S. Folkertsma
6 mounded cups of challah or brioche bread, cubed (preferably a day old) 2 cups fresh mixed berries (plus more for garnish) (blueberries, raspberries, cut strawberries or any combination) ¾ cup sugar (plus more for coating pan) 4 eggs 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon cinnamon pinch of allspice pinch of salt Powdered sugar (for garnish) Vanilla ice cream
If you make this recipe, take a photo and share it with us on
S. Folkertsma
Butter an 8” x 8” pan and coat with sugar. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine eggs, heavy cream, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Beat for 30 seconds or just enough for a smooth consistency. Set aside for a minute or two, to reduce the air bubbles on the surface. Add the cubed bread to the custard mixture and gently toss until all pieces are coated. Add the mixed berries and gently fold until evenly distributed throughout mixture. Add mixture to the sugar coated pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until light golden brown on top and custard is set. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving. Cut into squares and top with fresh berries, powdered sugar and ice cream. Follow FAITH Pub
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yourfaith SHOULD WE GET MARRIED IN THE CHURCH even if we’re not practicing Catholics?
Q: Why did the barber win the race? A: Because he took a short cut.
Q:
Dear Father Joe: My parents are demanding that my fiancée and I get married in the Church, even though we are not practicing Catholics. Why should I get married in the Church?
a: 10
Thank you for your question. It is a rare gift that you are offering here: Some couples, it would seem,
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
enter into marriage in the Catholic Church with little to no intent of ever going to church again and, as a priest, it’s quite sad to see. What you may be experiencing here is something called integrity and that, my friend, is a gift. It may seem odd that my first response isn’t simply “Yes! Get married in the Church!” and, as I hope you’ll see, that is ultimately my goal. However, if I understand you correctly, you don’t want to enter into something that, ultimately, you don’t plan to be part of. What I hope to do is convince you that the vision of marriage that the Church offers you is not only something you should be part of, it’s something you need to be part of. So, long intro, I know – let’s get to your question. What does it mean to get married in the Church? If you get married in the Church, it means that you and your fiancée are entering into an eternal and exclusive covenant of love, a covenant that will imitate God’s love for his bride, the Church. You’ll imitate that love by being faithful, by creating life and by helping each other become holy. God’s love for his bride (that would be us), is a love defined by faithfulness, exclusivity and sacrifice. When you marry in the Church, you commit to imitating that faithfulness, exclusivity and sacrificial love. But wait, there’s more! As humans, we were created for love and by love. Life is a hallmark of love and when two people marry in the Church, they commit to imitating God’s love by creating life. Illustration by Bob Patten
pope watch What POPE FRANCIS has been saying and doing this month
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POPE FRANCIS CANONIZES TWO POPES: On April 27, Pope Francis declared Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII saints before approximately 800,000 pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square and the streets of Rome. Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis celebrated Mass together at the historic ceremony.
? CNS photo/Massimo Sestini, Italian National Police via Catholic Press Photo
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T. Gennara
God loving us (exclusively, faithfully, sacrificially) not only creates life, but it’s such an amazing thing that seeing it in action changes those who see it. When we love like God, God will change and heal hearts through us. This process that you two will undertake will be one that sharpens and refines your love. Simply by being the people God has called you to be, you will grow in holiness and help each other get to heaven. This is a remarkable gift to us, the simple truth that when God requires something of us, it is always something that makes us better people, more loving people – something that will make us holy. This is, in a nutshell, Catholic marriage. Two people, imitating God’s love for his bride by creating life, loving each other faithfully, exclusively and sacrificially, and seeing this life-giving love transform those who experience or witness it. This may be very intimidating, but fear not, through the sacrament of marriage, God will give you grace to live this wonder; you won’t be alone. Since you and your fiancée in the know are entering into this covwith Father Joe enant to imitate God and his bride, you can be sure If you’d like to submit a question for Father Joe Krupp to he will be with you. He will consider in a future column, give you strength; he will fill please send it to: joeinblack@ priest.com. Father Joe is unable you with his love. He will to personally answer questions. walk with you on every step of your married life together, crying with you, laughing with you, leading the both of you and your children to heaven. This is a vision for marriage that goes way beyond companionship or human love and right into the heart of why we are alive: we are alive for love. This is a vision of marriage that has survived the test of time and emerged from thousands of years of thought, prayer and guidance by God – why would we abandon that? So, finally, we come to my answer to your question: I think both you and your parents are right. If you, as a couple, do not accept the vision of marriage that the Church offers, then you should not be married within the Church. But, if I may, why would you reject that vision? What about it isn’t lifegiving and deep in its teaching? What about this vision of marriage is not worth all of your time, effort and energy? I guess it all comes down to this: you should get married in the Catholic Church, not because it’s a pretty place or it’s a family tradition, but because you accept the truth: there is a deep reality to the wonder of marriage that goes beyond companionship and right into the heart of why we exist. Enjoy another day in God’s presence!
DID YOU KNOW?
The canonization of John Paul II is the fastest in modern times LARGE CROWD SEEN IN AND AROUND ST. PETER’S SQUARE: A large crowd is seen in and around St. Peter’s Square.
FROM THE POPE
“WE ENROLL THEM AMONG THE SAINTS.” 11
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ADAM AND EVE MOURN THE DEATH OF ABEL; oil on canvas 1888 painting by William Bouguereau
The Fifth Commandment YOU SHALL NOT KILL
THE FIFTH GIFT: You shall not kill The “fifth word” of the Decalogue primarily reveals to us the sacredness of all human life. The human person is made in the image and likeness of God and, therefore, has an inalienable dignity and worth. However, this sacredness rests fundamentally on the fact that every human person is freely created by God out of love in order to share eternal life in communion with God. In other words, the hu12
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
S. Olson
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n the first three commandments, we receive the gifts of God’s self-revelation to humanity. We also learn what constitutes a proper response to this self-revelation and thereby a proper relationship to God. The final seven commandments are gifts that primarily reveal God’s will for us in our relationships with each other.
man person is sacred because the human person is both made by God and made for God. Consequently, the Catechism, quoting the theology 101 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Doug Culp is the CAO and secretary for instruction Donum vitae, pastoral life for the Diocese of Lexington, Ky. He holds an MA in theology from Catholic teaches us that because Theological Union in Chicago. “God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstances claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being.” This prohibition is always and everywhere obligatory.
The ‘clear-cut’ cases The Fifth Commandment prohibition against killing clearly forbids direct and intentional killing. Murder is always gravely
sinful, regardless of the form it takes. In a similar way, indiThe Ten Commandments rectly bringing about a person’s DEPARTURE OF THE Bible geography facts ISRAELITES, by David death, when done intentionally, Roberts, 1829 is also a clear violation of the Rameses is described in Exodus 12:37 commandment. and Numbers 33:5 as a place the Israelites Of course, abortion is a traveled to during their great exodus from particularly grave offense beEgypt. It also seems to have been one of the cause it involves the direct and settlements built by the Hebrews for Pharaoh intentional killing of the most during their captivity. While scholars still debate innocent of human persons. the exact location of Rameses, a strong case Direct abortion, willed either can be made for the seacoast site of Zoan, an as a means or as an end, is Egyptian city in the eastern Nile delta. An angravely contrary to moral law. cient Egyptian letter contains a description for melons, wheat, onion and sesame, gardens of It is such a serious violation of the “city of Rameses-Miamun” that agrees with vines, almonds and figs.” the prohibition against the dithe account of the land given by Joseph to his rect destruction of an innocent family in Genesis 47:11. Apparently, it was a DID YOU KNOW? human being that the Church very prosperous palace city with a busy harbor, attaches the penalty of excomand is characterized as having “canals full of “Rameses” means “Ra created it” with “Ra” munication to the person fish, lakes swarming with birds, fields of lentils, being the ancient name for the sun. “who procures a completed abortion ... latae sententiae (by the very commission of the offense).” In many dioceses, the some, dangerous, extraordinary or disproportionate to the expected bishop has delegated to his priests the power to commute this outcome can be legitimate.” Rather than constituting an act of excommunication in the confessional. euthanasia, such a decision does not actively cause death, but only Direct euthanasia, or the deliberate killing of disabled, sick or accepts its inevitability. Of course, people who find themselves in dying persons, also is morally unacceptable. This applies to both this situation should consult their priest and/or a moral theologian. acts of commission, where one does something to directly cause the death of the person, and acts of omission, where one refrains What about war? from doing something in order to cause the death of the person. Additionally, since we are not the owners of our life, the direct The Church is insistent in her urging for us to do all we can to taking of our own life through suicide constitutes a violation of avoid war. However, she recognizes that there are times when this commandment. It represents a usurpation of God’s right. It the need for self-defense in the face of an aggressor is unavoidis an act contrary to “the just love of self.” It is an offense against able. The strict conditions for a “just war” are listed in the the love of neighbor because it unjustly breaks one’s relationship Catechism (2309): with family and society. However, it is important to note that the Church continues to pray for those who have taken their own • The damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or comlives and encourages us not to despair of their eternal salvation, munity of nations must be lasting, grave and certain; but rather to trust in God’s mercy. • All other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; The ‘maybe-not-so-clear-cut’ cases • There must be serious prospects of success; • The use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver Since the sacredness of the human person is inviolable, the than the evil to be eliminated. Church affirms the legitimate defense of persons and society – All quotes are from the Catechism of the Catholic Church (2258–2317) even when it means having to “deal (the) aggressor a lethal blow.” In fact, the Catechism states, “Legitimate defense can be THE TEN COMMANDMENTS QUIZ not only a right but a grave duty for someone responsible for The story of the Israelanother’s life, the common good of the family or of the state.” ites’ journey from slavery However, even legitimate defense is not an exception to the in Egypt to the Promised prohibition “against the murder of the innocent that constitutes Land has a large cast intentional killing.” of characters. Test your Because the Fifth Commandment reveals that the human perknowledge of biblical figson must be defended, cared for and healed from the moment ures and name this person: of conception, prenatal diagnosis is morally licit to the extent it pursues these ends. However, when prenatal diagnosis is done Q: This son of Nun took over for Moses and brought the with the thought of possibly inducing an abortion, it is gravely walls down at Jericho. immoral. Of course, the production of human embryos for exA: Joshua (pictured, center). ploitation, in any number of ways, also is immoral. Finally, discontinuing medical procedures that are “burdenShare your FAITH with your friends and followers on
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Read more spiritual fitness at:
A DEPICTION OF THE PENTECOST; painted by Jean II Restout, 1732
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“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you ... This I command you: love one another.” (Jn 15:12, 17)
e recently celebrated the greatest of feasts: Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, which makes all life here and hereafter possible, fruitful and everlasting! Actually we celebrate Easter for 50 days – until Pentecost. It is a life-changing feast, not just for Jesus, but for each of us. On June 8, we celebrate the birthday of the Church – Pentecost. On the first Pentecost after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the apostles were gathered in hiding and paralyzed with fear. But Jesus had promised his followers he would not leave them alone. And so, as they huddled in terror, the Holy Spirit came upon them in wind and fire. We are all familiar with the story of them bursting into the streets, speaking in all the languages of their listeners – telling them the Good News of Jesus Christ. But one of the most amazing gifts from that day was the gift of fearlessness – even though the risks had not changed, their hearts were simultaneously at peace and on fire with God’s love. What an amazing gift – and all due to the love and mercy of God! We must reflect on that mercy when we are wronged. As St. John Paul II taught us in a World Day of Peace message: forgiveness is not the opposite of justice, but is the opposite of resentment and revenge. Justice can be pursued, but it is the opposite of resentment and revenge. When we forgive in our heart, and ask God for the grace not to retaliate in a spirit of resentment, we can pursue legal steps if the occasion justly warrants it. Remember what Jesus taught:
spiritual fitness There is no way around this commandment; the one who Sister Ann Shields is a renowned author and a loves us beyond price has asked member of the Servants of us by the power of his Holy God’s Love. Questions can be addressed to Sister Ann Spirit to love as he loves. It is not Shields, Renewal Ministries, an option – it is a command. 230 Collingwood, Suite 240, Ann Arbor, MI As we celebrate this great 48103. You can order her feast of Pentecost, reflect on new book, More of the Holy Spirit, for $12 at the love and mercy of the Lord www.renewalministries.net. who gave his only Son for us, and then blessed us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. God loves us beyond price and will forgive our sins when we ask for it; in turn we are to extend that same mercy to all who offend us. SPIRITUAL EXERCISE We must meet two challenges in order to reflect on God’s mercy in our own lives. First, we need to recognize that we stand in need day by day of the mercy of God; if God didn’t forgive our sin there would be no eternal life for any of us. But God does forgive when we admit our need. The second challenge is based on Jesus’ command: Love one another as I have loved you! When God forgives, it is done, finished. He doesn’t withhold himself from us. If we refuse to forgive another, we withhold from them what God has so freely given us. We become a hypocrite of the worst kind! Read Matthew 18:23-35.
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Freely offer FORGIVENESS
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
@srannshieldssgl
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year ago, Bishop Boyea promulgated his pastoral letter, Go and Announce the Gospel of the Lord. In it, he addressed the decline in Mass attendance, and called us to respond with new fervor to the New Evangelization. Now, he has written a follow-up: Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going. FAITH asked Bishop Boyea to tell us more about his hopes for the Diocese of Lansing, and for the Household of Faith.
‘Where we have been and WHERE WE ARE GOING’
Your recent letter is titled Where We Have Been and Where We Are Going. Can you tell us where we have been and where we are going? For the past year, we have been praying to the Holy Spirit, asking for guidance. My deep hope is that everyone has used this time to develop a deeper relationship with Jesus, and that we are now going to be very open and attentive to what the Spirit is telling us. I want to tell you that I don’t know what that is – it may not be clear and it may not be right away. That is why we need to continue our prayerful listening – so that we can discern the direction God wants us to take. Can you refresh our memories on the three sections of your pastoral letter? First is the Household of Faith – our brothers and sisters who are active members of our parishes, whose faces we see at Mass on Sundays. We need
to build up our community of believers, and we need to equip others to deepen their own relationship with Christ so they can reach out to those who have left, and those who have never heard the Good News. As disciples, we must call others to Christ and welcome them. The second part of the pastoral focuses on the Lost Sheep – those members of our family who have wandered from the faith. We must be witnesses for Christ to them – through our prayer, example and encouragement. Then there is the Court of the Gentiles, those who have not heard the message of Jesus, or who do not believe. We must witness to them, and to all of our society. We are not to be separate from our culture; we are all called to conversion. And through our own conversion and deepening relationship with Christ, we help society to be its best. 15
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You have outlined several actions that we should take as the Household of Faith – what is involved in each of them? • Equipping the saints really means that we are continuing to help the family of faith to pray, because prayer is a doorway to a deeper relationship with Christ. We need to understand that we are members of a band of disciples; we are part of a community. Remember that Jesus never sent people out alone – they always had a companion on the missionary journey, and a community who were praying for them. This also means that we need to have the zeal of the Holy Spirit to go forth and be missionaries. • Pray. We have just had a whole year of prayer! But that needs to be a cornerstone of our lives – it is through prayer that we come to a relationship with the One who made us, and who calls us to himself in love. Prayer opens us to be changed by God so that we abandon ourselves to his will and learn to seek the treasure of heaven. We need to continue our prayer, listening carefully to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. • Parish involvement is critical because I believe wholeheartedly that the New Evangelization is the work of the laity. And our parish councils have a key • Service and evangelization are inrole to play in this – they are our parherent in our Christian life. The easiest ishes’ leaders. What greater role could and best way for us to evangelize – to they have than engaging with Christ be missionaries – is to help somebody. and spreading the Gospel in a missionIt really is true that those who give of ary way? Our parish councils should themselves gain themselves. It is the demonstrate what it means to be a paradox of Christian love – to band of disciples, and I hope give up one’s life to gain they will see my pastoral eternity. letter as a guideline for their focus and The diocesan Who are you hoppurpose. All of our assembly this fall is ing will attend parish leaders, for the leadership groups the assembly for and really, all of Church workus, are called of every parish, our Houseers that is being to evangelize hold of Faith ... We want held in the fall? by virtue of our to train people to go What are you baptisms. from maintenance hoping will be • Study is required to missionaries! the outcome? for anything you The diocesan want to know. In assembly this fall is for order to have a relathe leadership groups of tionship with Christ and every parish, our Household to love him, we must know him of Faith. That means priests, deacons, – we must know what he has done. To consecrated religious leaders, finance do that, we should study Scripture and councils, parish councils, directors of rethe Catechism. We need to really know ligious education (DREs), pastoral workChrist and his Church.
ers – everyone who is involved in parish leadership. These are the people who are on fire for the Church, and we want to help expand that. We want to train people to go from maintenance to missionaries! In 2016, we’ll reach out to those who are members of our faith communities who are no longer with us and invite them back to the celebration of the Mass and the sacraments that are the life of our Church. We are going to focus on how we are calling them back, and how we welcome them when they return. Then, in 2018, we shall reach out to the Court of the Gentiles, those who have never heard the Gospel, or who are unbelievers. Can you give us a look ahead to the other sections of the pastoral? What are the plans to address them? Honestly, I am not sure where all this is going, but I do know that the Holy Spirit wants us to do what we are doing this day and tomorrow. We need to rely on him to guide us – our task is to be open to following where he leads.
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The four aspects OF DISCIPLESHIP
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parishioner at St. Mary’s in Westphalia, Craig Pohl serves as the director of New Evangelization for the Diocese of Lansing. Over the next few months, he is leading the charge to introduce four aspects of discipleship into Catholics’ everyday lives to help them grow in holiness for the work of the New Evangelization.
know your faith, the more you fall in love with it. The more you fall in love with it, the more you want to know about it. Every disciple is then called to a community, to build relationships with fellow believers and to support one another in the ways of holiness and the mission of Christ. Christ says loving our neighbor is one of the two greatest commandments, but, practically speaking, we need one another. We need to support each other and really grow together. And finally, with service and evangelization, one of the ideas that has really been proven throughout history is that when we put ourselves out there to serve others, God supplies the grace we may not have had before to meet the need in the moment. It’s through service and evangelization that many people experience the most growth in their spiritual lives; it is growth we simply cannot experience in any other DIRECTOR way. God has given each of us our OF NEW own “mission field,” and each day we EVANGELIZATION: Craig Pohl can choose to respond to his promptings, while being confident that he will supply us with all we need in the moment. What is the goal of bringing these four aspects of discipleship into our Catholic communities? As the director of New Evangelization for the diocese, I am acutely aware of the fact that true and lasting evangelization only can be done effectively through committed disciples. The Holy Spirit is the primary agent of evangelization. Therefore, the more open our lives are to the work of the Holy Spirit, the more fruitful our evangelization will be. True evangelization depends on intentional disciples. How will you implement this discipleship across the diocese? There are many steps, but right now we’re creating a little booklet, called the Lifetime Discipleship Plan. It has recommendations for people on how they might plot a course for their spiritual lives. As we know, having a plan is important whenever we try to get from one point to the next. Although many of us don’t actually take the time to sit down and map our spiritual course, we do this type of planning with almost everything else in our lives. It’s vital to the success of our evangelization efforts that each of us first maps a plan for growing in holiness.
What makes the four aspects of discipleship – prayer, study, community and service/evangelization – so critical to our role as Catholics? Beginning with prayer, every intentional disciple has a relationship with Christ, not just on Sundays but every day. Really effective evangelists and followers of Christ have a prayer life every day. They have a time they set aside for the Lord to just pour their hearts out to him. That’s the first and most important component. DISCIPLESHIP BOOKLET The research I’ve done shows that every organization This fall, in an effort to foster each individual’s growth in the in the Church that focuses four aspects of discipleship, local parishes will make available jouron helping people grow in nals with daily reminders, tips and the space to log entries. Like the daily their walk with the Lord has a Advent and Lenten books, the journals will help Catholics in our diocese lifelong study of the faith as a navigate their efforts toward enhancing prayer life, study, community central component. Disciples involvement and evangelization. learn their faith constantly, There will be challenges along the way as we continue to grow through books, CDs, DVDs, closer to Christ, and the Lifetime Discipleship Plan aims to keep us on movies, lectures. task, providing the tools necessary to become the very best of who we There is an important conare in fulfilling God’s intentions in our life. nection between study and prayer – the more you get to
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Bishop Boyea calls for A RESPONSE TO DECLINES IN PARISHES
Statistics for the Diocese of Lansing from 2003-2013
Population change %
Mass Attendance change %
Shiawassee
-5%
-32%
Clinton
14%
-21%
Ingham
0%
-27%
Eaton
2%
-10%
Washtenaw
5%
-20%
Livingston
7%
-19%
Hillsdale
-2%
-5%
Lenawee
-2%
-35%
Jackson
-1%
-29%
Genesee
-6%
-26%
Total Diocese of Lansing
0%
-23%
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he Diocese of Lansing is not alone in facing declines in Mass attendance and the reception of sacraments. More than numbers on a chart, these statistics represent people who are no longer active in the life of the Church.
T H E
P A S T
MASS ATTENDANCE from 2003 to 2013
CLINTON/SHIAWASSEE VICARIATE
18
Eaton County
Ingham County
Genesee County
-26%
-32%
-27%
EATON/INGHAM VICARIATE
JACKSON VICARIATE
Jackson County
-29%
SOUTHERN REGION
Lenawee County
Hillsdale County
-35%
-5%
out of 81
LENAWEE/HILLSDALE VICARIATE
LIVINGSTON VICARIATE
EASTERN REGION
Livingston County
-19% WASHTENAW VICARIATE
Washtenaw County
-20%
Diocese of Lansing
-23% First Communions
CONFIRMATIONS
-20%
RCIA
-10%
INFANT BAPTISMS
0% FIRST COMMUNIONS
First communions Decreased by 34% Infant Baptisms Decreased by 39% RCIA Decreased by 55% Confirmations Decreased by 26% Funerals Decreased by 4% Marriages Decreased by 36%
Shiawassee County
-10%
D E C A D E :
GENESEE VICARIATE
Clinton County
-21%
only 3 parishes grew
Diocese of Lansing 2003 to 2013
NORTHEAST REGION
NORTHWEST REGION
MARRIAGES
I N
conducted 36 percent fewer weddings, received 55 percent fewer people into the Church through RCIA, and baptized 39 percent fewer infants. In response, Bishop Boyea wrote a pastoral letter, calling us to a Year of Prayer, and is gathering Church leaders for a conference in November titled Announce the Gospel. The goal of the conference is for parish leaders to be renewed so they can better help parishioners become disciples, who then evangelize.
FUNERALS
In 2003, more than 90,000 people attended Mass in the parishes in the 10-county Diocese of Lansing. In 2013, fewer than 70,000 attended Mass, a decline of more than 20,000 over the past decade. Over this period, only three of the diocese’s 81 parishes parishes had an increase in Mass attendance – an increase of only 119 individuals. The rest of the diocese’s 78 parishes reported a combined total of 21,374 fewer people attending Mass. Additionally since 2003, parishes in the diocese
Baptisms (Infant) RCIA (Received into full comm.)
-30%
Confirmations
-40%
Funerals
-50%
Marriages
-60%
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
Statistics corrected and updated 5/23/14
yourstories Profile of an
EVANGELIST
GUESTS OF MOTHER TERESA HOUSE ARE FROM EVERY ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND. “This home can be a place of peace on many levels,” says Karen (left). “We respect the person’s conscience and faith.
BY THEIR SIDE
At Mother Teresa House
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aren Bussey finds in the midst of dying there is precious life. At Mother Teresa House in Lansing, she and her staff love those who are alone at death, regardless of religious affiliation, and help them transcend into eternal life.
“I love to think of this time of life as the culminating point, the summation of your whole life,” says Karen. Read more about Karen’s ministry at www.FAITHpub.com
The Catholic Church sees dying as a special time where the focus is on future life with God. People worried about taking care of basic needs can’t experience peace and reflection special to this time of life. “That’s why the Church is there for the poor,” Karen says. “They are in situations that do not support their dignity. The Church especially wants to care for the sick at the end of life. The poor shouldn’t be deprived of the presence of God.” To take a tour of Mother Teresa House, or for volunteer opportunities, please call the house at 517.484.5494. By Mary Kay McPartlin | Photography by Tom Gennara
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FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
UPGRADE, UPDATE AND UPLIFT: St. Louis Center is aiming to raise $10 million through its current Legacy Campaign to “Upgrade, Update and Uplift.� With ongoing support, the St. Louis Center will move forward with its plans to expand and accommodate the needs of an ever-aging population of adults with developmental disabilities.
By Rose Robertson | Photography by Jim Luning
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ind eyes are what you first notice as Father Enzo Addari speaks with loving compassion for the disvalued of society. Before long, his gentle smile, calm Spirit-filled presence and thick Italian accent enwrap you like a warm blanket. Spending time with this unassuming, humble man enables you to understand why Joe Yekulis, public relations director for the St. Louis Center, a nonprofit residential care facility for boys and adult men and women with developmental disabilities, tells you, “Nobody says no to Father Enzo.” 22
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
Watch more of Father Enzo’s story on
Born in Corcumello, Italy, Father Enzo was ordained in 1976 to the Servants of Charity Congregation, based in Rome. Their mission is to promote life through service to the poor throughout the world. Father Enzo says, “We are like soldiers. We go where we are sent.” Two years after ordination, he arrived in the United States to begin his particular ministry – a ministry that is Spirit-fed, not an assignment. Father Enzo’s first nudging emerged from the discomfort he felt as a young boy when he witnessed the disparaging way a disabled youth in his village was treated. Another nudging came about because of the location of his seminary – adjacent to a home providing for the needs of those with a disability. Daily interaction with the residents was the norm for him. As a member of the Servants of Charity, he chose to work among those with developmental disabilities. Father Enzo is now the administrator of St. Louis Center, located in Chelsea, Mich., a role he filled from 1991 to 1997 and then resumed in 2008. The mission of the center is clear to him: “It is to be a lighthouse in a world that doesn’t consider people with disabilities to have value. Everything about the center is to promote the life of these people. They have an integral dignity because of who they are. They are made in the image and likeness of God and the mystery of redemption is true for them as well.” The St. Louis Center began in the 1960s with the creation of the St. Louis School for Exceptional Boys when Washtenaw County was part of the Archdiocese of Detroit. In 1958, Cardinal Edward Mooney requested that the Servants of Charity operate a new boarding school for 60 cognitively disabled boys beYouTube.com/FAITHpub
tween the ages of 6 and 18. When mainstreaming into the public schools became commonplace in the 1980s, the school added a growth plan for its residents, some of whom were then 18 and would need continuing care as adults. Under the original plan, boys would need to relocate at age 18. This new vision of including adults meant the St. Louis Center needed to increase its physical space and shape a new identity. In the early 2000s, a residential home for cognitively disabled women in Northville, then under the direction of the Daughters of St. Mary Providence, was closed. St. Louis Center opened its arms to these residents, converting a section of the facility to accommodate 10 adult women with developmental disabili-
Twenty adult men and women are on the center’s waiting list. As its vision is achieved, the center will offer a partnership with parents to provide the legacy of a loving home for their adult children when the parents are no longer able. The St. Louis Center, on 180 acres, is more than a facility to Father Enzo and its 50 residents – it is their home. In addition to 70 staff members who cycle through various shifts each day, four Servants of Charity priests live on-site full-time. Father Enzo credits this permanent living situation as the most stabilizing factor in providing safety, security and love at all times. “We are an essential part of their lives and it works both ways. We are a family,” he explains. The familial power and love that unite this St. Louis Cen-
The Knights of Columbus organization is a strong supporter of the St. Louis Center. On a national and international level, the Knights have raised and donated hundreds of millions of dollars to programs for people with intellectual and physical disabilities, including the Special Olympics and the Global Wheelchair Mission. For more information on related programs, or to join the Knights of Columbus in your area, please visit www.mikofc.org. feed the whole person – physically, mentally and spiritually. Both “Bread and Lord” are essential to one’s existence. For Father Enzo, these three words are a constant guiding principle in the operation of the center. Naming God’s call to the priesthood as his proudest moment and following the Gospel of Luke for his direction, Father Enzo adds, “This life is challenging, beautiful
daily Mass and use its gym services. In a soft voice filled with wonder and awe, Father Enzo shared how powerfully the residents unintentionally evangelize: “Individuals often tell me they have come back to God’s embrace or had a conversion experience simply by their brief encounters with the residents.” When people tell Father Enzo how burdened they are by life, “I invite them to share Mass with
The mission of St. Louis Center is clear to Father Enzo: “It is to be a lighthouse in a world that doesn’t consider people with disabilities to have value.” ties. These changes were the catalyst for the center’s shift in mission to youth and adult care, from serving only youth, in order to meet the ongoing needs of an aging baby boomer population. The center is home to 15 males under age 18, and 35 adult men and women. Statistics show that 75 percent of adults with a cognitive disability live at home under the care of their parents. The obvious question is: If and when something happens to their parents, where will they go? St. Louis Center is aiming to raise $10 million through its current Legacy Campaign to “Upgrade, Update and Uplift,” which will give the center the ability to be that solution for more adults.
ter family are demonstrated in two poignant stories shared of young men, ages 26 and 11. Both were scheduled to be relocated to another center or private home, yet the young men refused to get in the car to leave. Tears flowed freely as they declared St. Louis Center their family, the only home they had known. For Father Enzo, moments like these reinforce the center’s power in working with and valuing those who are mostly disvalued by society. This power he attributes to God’s love. Father Enzo also believes in an expression espoused by the founder of his order, St. Luigi Guanella, which is to share “Bread and Lord.” Living by these words enables one to
and rewarding for the things we can accomplish together for the people God has entrusted to our care.” The city of Chelsea and several southeastern Michigan communities not only offer financial support to the center, but also embrace the residents as viable, contributing individuals. In addition, many Knights of Columbus councils and Italian-American clubs have become staunch supporters. Father Enzo stresses how important the support of these organizations and communities is to the center. Reciprocally, the residents give back to the larger community. St. Louis Center opens its facilities to the local community to attend
us at the center. Inevitably, they leave with a new perspective on how much they have been gifted with, rather than by, their burdens.” Father Enzo Addari sums up ongoing growth in faith this way, “By being active in service to others, every day we deepen God’s call in our lives and are able to see more. God calls. It is discipleship. God continues to speak to all of us through the events of our life. If we listen, we find ways to move ahead and contribute to those in need.” With ongoing support, the St. Louis Center will move forward with its plans to expand and accommodate the needs of an ever-aging population of adults with developmental disabilities.
The dedication and blessing of the new Father Guanella Hall by Bishop Boyea will be Sunday, June 8, 2014, beginning with Mass at noon. Share this story with your friends and followers on
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FOR INFORMATION ON NFP, please contact Christine Backlund, the diocesan coordinator for natural family planning, at 517.342.2587.
KIM AND DAVE ARE EXPECTING A GIRL! thanks to Creighton NFP
W
hen Kim and Dave Hunt faced the struggle of infertility, they sought out the advice and counsel of an unlikely expert: Father Dwight Ezop.
“We had been through so much at that point. The fertility center was talking about IVF (in vitro fertilization), but before we got into any of that, we decided to talk to Father Dwight,” Kim says. “I just remember what an emotional meeting that was and how wonderful he was.” It was the early spring of 2013. Kim’s father had passed away several months before, and Father Dwight, who had married the couple three years earlier, was aware of the challenging time the couple had gone through. He also understood their desire to seek a natural solution to their infertility issues, which had nearly consumed the first three years of their marriage. The Hunts’ medical odyssey began several months after their June 2010 wedding. “We knew we wanted to start a family right away,” says Kim, 33. “We tried, but nothing was happening. Less than a year into trying, I was put on the fertility drug Clomid. My blood work showed I was ovulating, and other tests showed there was nothing wrong, but I still wasn’t able to conceive.” “The most frustrating thing was that all along, they couldn’t 24
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
find anything wrong,” says Dave, 37. “All the tests showed that Kim was fine; I was fine, so there wasn’t any reason they could point to as to why Kim wasn’t able to get pregnant.” Kim’s doctor referred the couple to a fertility clinic in Grand Rapids, where the tests they already had endured were repeated, with the same inconclusive results. “They were talking about IVF, but we were not ready to get into all of that,” Dave says. The months of trying to have a child became years filled with disappointment and confusion. Like most couples who suffer from infertility, Kim and Dave faced the well-meaning but difficult questions from friends and relatives. “When you’ve been married a couple of years, everyone wants to know when you’re going to have a baby, when are you going to start a family,” Kim says. “It’s so hard because you’re practically crying on the inside.” “I reminded her that people didn’t mean to be insensitive,” Dave says. “But I wanted to keep things quiet because it was hard enough, even though you know everyone really does care about you. People had no idea how hard it was for us, or how heartbreaking.” Father Dwight appreciated the couple’s desire to become parents. Though Kim and Dave had undergone an introduction to natural family planning (NFP) as part of their marriage preparation, they didn’t know that NFP also is a solution for those experiencing infertility. He told them about the Creighton Model, and offered to find a consultant for them in Michigan. The Creighton Model, so named because it was developed at By Marybeth Hicks | Photography by Tom Gennara
the Creighton University School of Medicine by Dr. Thomas W. with her Lansing obstetrician, the Hunts have seen Dr. Bazger Hilgers, is a natural fertility tracking system that collects reltwice during the pregnancy to follow the baby’s progress. evant data allowing couples to achieve or avoid pregnancy. More The baby is a girl, due July 16, 2014. recently, the Creighton Model has been used with NaProTECH The process that led the Hunts to this point was marked by NOLOGY, or natural procreative technology, a new system that medical and scientific concerns, but, in the end, it’s all about the helps women reach their optimal state of reproductive health. child who will soon take up residence in her pink nursery, The Hunts learned more about the system through surrounded by Minnie Mouse accessories chosen Georgia Schmitz, a Creighton Model instructor especially for her by her already-doting parents. based in Lowell, Mich. “The first time we met Dr. Bazger, she men “We met with Georgia on Mothers’ Day. tioned that we speak in scientific terms, but Though Kim She is a nurse and also uses the system, that there is something greater at work in and Dave had underand she was just amazing and so helpful. this process,” Dave says. “We can clearly gone an introduction to It’s a little bit complicated to understand see that God has brought us to this natural family planning (NFP) and takes a lot of commitment to use point.” as part of their marriage prepathis system, but she let us call her at Baby Hunt – her name remains a all hours to ask questions as we got secret until her birth – will join a large, ration, they didn’t know started,” Kim says. loving family. “She will be the third that NFP also is a solu Georgia also referred the couple to grandchild on my side, but the first girl,” tion for those experiDr. Nickole Bazger, an obstetrician and Dave says. encing infertility. gynecologist in Southeast Michigan, who “She’s number 10 on my side,” says Kim. completed a one-year fellowship in Medical Their families will help them with child care and Surgical NaProTECHNOLOGY, and whose when Kim returns to teaching in the fall. practice includes teaching and advocating for natural “We already look back and laugh,” Kim says, “when methods of family planning and optimizing fertility. we realize that the solution was so simple.” Kim and Dave began working with the Creighton Model to track “All it took was connecting the dots for us,” says Dave. her physical symptoms. Initially, Dave’s job was to handle the chart- And in the end, connecting those dots created the picture of a ing, “but I was fired,” he jokes, thanks to conflicts in his schedule child designed by God especially for Kim and Dave. as the managing partner in a family-owned restaurant business. “I wasn’t always home in time to record the information.” For more information about the Creighton Model and NaProTECHNOLOGY, contact Dr. Nickole Bazger, 248.693.0543, or After a few months of tracking but no pregnancy, Dr. Bazger Georgia Schmitz, 616.822.6347, gschmitz.cm@gmail.com. recommended that Kim undergo a laparoscopy to rule out possible causes of infertility. But Kim had recently begun a new position with a local school district, where she teaches physical education and works in school counseling. She delayed the procedure until the fall of 2013, scheduling it for November. During the interim, Dr. Bazger and the Hunts agreed to begin medical therapy with cooperative progesterone replacement. “I had gone through the whole pre-operative registration process on the phone, and then I mentioned to the nurse that I happened to have taken a home pregnancy test that morning and got a faint pink line. She told me to hang up and call Dr. Bazger right away,” Kim recalls. Sure enough, Kim was pregnant. Further tests showed she needed continued progesterone support to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Coordinating care Share this story with your friends and followers on
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CNS photo/Bob Mullen
NEW NORTH AMERICAN SAINTS FRANÇOIS DE LAVAL AND MARIE GUYART First bishop of Québec and pioneer educator St. François de Laval
O
n April 3, 2014, Pope Francis signed the special decree proclaiming the canonization of two new North American saints: François de Laval de Montmorency and Marie Guyart, also known as Marie of the Incarnation. The two missionaries will be the first saints ever with direct ties to Québec City, which was their home base.
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FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
CNS photo/Art Babych
Did you know? The Archdiocese of Québec was the first see in the New World north of Mexico. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, the Diocese of Québec “comprised all North America, exclusive of New England, the Atlantic seaboard and the Spanish colonies to the West, a territory now divided into about a hundred dioceses.” That means that many of our dioceses have St. François as one of our bishops’ predecessors.
Born into an illustrious family, St. François de Laval (1623–1708) walked away from a life of wealth in order to dedicate his life to the service of the Lord. CANADA’S EventuFIRST ally, he was BISHOP: A statue of St. ordained a François de Laval bishop and is seen near the appointed Notre-Dame de the apostolic Québec Basilicavicar of New Cathedral in Québec City. France in 1658. At the time of his arrival, Québec had barely 500 inhabitants and there were only about 2,200 French in all of Canada. Fifteen years later, in 1674, he became the first bishop of Québec when it was made into a diocese, which, according to
St. François in his own words: Rest assured that, being sent to work for the conversion of the world, you have the most important task in the Church, which obliges you to be worthy instruments of God. The Spirit of God asks for a peaceful, collected heart, not a worried, drifting heart. We should have a joyful and modest face, avoid mockings and upsettings and as a general rule all that is contrary to a saintly and joyful modesty. But in the heart of all this turmoil, we must not be demoralized; if men have the power to destroy, Our Lord’s hand is infinitely more powerful to build. We need only be faithful to him and let him work. A nasty word, an impatient act or an unwelcoming face can often, in one moment, destroy all that we have built. We must be loved for our gentleness, patience and love. All that the hand of God does serves us wonderfully, though we do not immediately see the results. For many years Providence has led this Church, and therefore us, by tiresome and crucifying paths for both the spiritual and the temporal.
St. Marie Guyart St. Marie of the Incarnation (1599–1672) was an Ursuline nun, theologian, spiritual adviser, mystic and businesswoman. She founded a convent and school that educated the daughters of the French settlers THE VISION OF ST. MARIE OF THE and the aboriginal INCARNATION: A window depicting the peoples together. vision of Blessed Marie de l’Incarnation in the chapel at the Convent of Sisters of St. Joseph She spent 33 years of Saint-Vallier in Québec City. of her life teaching, catechizing, leading the other nuns and working to find the funds to keep the community functioning in New France. St. Marie is also remembered for her mastery of several of the native languages in the New World, which she made use of in teaching native children, in compiling catechisms and prayers in Huron and Algonquin and in assembling dictionaries in Algonquin and Iroquois. In addition, she composed more than 10,000 letters that serve as an important source for Canadian history. In 1672, she died at the monastery she had built. She was beatified on June 22, 1980, by Pope St. John Paul II. CNS photo/Bob Mullen
Most Reverend Paul-André Durocher, president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, consisted of most of what is now Canada, much of upper New England and all the Mississippi Valley, extending even to the Rocky Mountains. Despite the sheer size of his diocese, St. François established a parochial system and visited each parish, often either on foot, sometimes wearing snowshoes, or by canoe, in and out of season. He never missed a Mass or a day of fasting, even as his health began to decline. He is most noted for his work in defending the native population from exploitation, for his work with the poor and for his commitment to education (he founded both a major and minor seminary). Ultimately, he succumbed to an ulcer, which took his life on May 6, 1708.
Did you know? St. Marie Guyart was married, gave birth to a son and was widowed, all by age 19. When she entered the Ursuline monastery in Tours, France, her distraught son (12 at the time) tried to storm the place with a group of his classmates. Later, this same son became the Benedictine monk Dom Claude.
Did you know? The special decree used by Pope Francis was established in the 18th century by Pope Benedict XIV (right). According to L’Osservatore Romano, an “equivalent canonization” takes place “when the pope enjoins the Church as a whole to observe the veneration of a Servant of God not yet canonized by the insertion of his feast into the liturgical calendar of the universal Church, with Mass and the Divine Office.” It usually occurs when the saint has a long, well-established history of being venerated, but, for whatever reason, the formal canonization process has not been completed.
Fun facts: • A granite sculpture of St. Marie of the Incarnation stands outside Québec’s National Assembly and her name graces Québec City’s tallest skyscraper. • The Ursuline Convent of Québec City, founded by St. Marie, has been
a national historic site since 1972 and is credited as North America’s first institution devoted to the education of women. • St. François de Laval has his name attached to both Laval University and the 370,000-person Montreal suburb of Laval, Québec.
DID YOU KNOW: The Diocese of Lansing was once part of the Diocese of Québec?
• Québec now has 14 saints to its name while the rest of Canada has none. • The Archdiocese of Québec was the first see in the New World north of Mexico. • New France, at its peak in 1712, comprised an area of 3,088,817 square miles.
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yourcommunity things to do:
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
June 7, 8 a.m., St. Patrick Catholic Church, 711 Rickett Rd., Brighton will host its 12th annual St. Patrick Shamrock Festival 5K Run/Walk. Registration is $23 online, until June 4, 11 p.m. at www.GoRaceGo.com or $25 mail-in/drop-off/St. Patrick Church, Attn: Shamrock (parish address) by June 4, 11 p.m. Questions? Call the parish office at 810.229.9863.
June 23-25, 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m., Immaculate Heart of Mary, Lansing will have Vacation Bible School. Children 3 years old to grade 6 are invited to attend. June 25, 5:30 p.m., a family potluck will be held in the Family Center. For information, contact JoAnn Angers, director of religious education, at 517.393.3033.
Lansing Catholic Singles invite all singles mid 30s-60s to their upcoming events: June 6 – Happy Hour at Champions Sports Bar & Grill in Holt at 5:30 p.m.; June 21 – fourth annual Statewide Singles Picnic from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Burchfield Park’s North Bluff Picnic Shelter in Holt. Bring a dish to pass, your own beverage and a chair. Cost: $7 plus park entrance fee. Games, bonfire, food, fun and fellowship all in a faith-filled environment. Please RSVP by June 18. For more details and to RSVP, call 517.321.7886 or email lansingcatholicsingles@live.com. New members always are welcome.
June 23-27, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Agnes, Fowlerville will host Vacation Bible School and explore how Jesus’ love is one-of-a-kind. For information, contact Marie Sheridan, director of faith formation, at 517.223.9740.
June 9, 8 a.m., check-in/9 a.m. shotgun start, for a fun-filled day of Chip-In Fore Children at Travis Pointe Country Club, 2829 Travis Pointe Rd., Ann Arbor. It benefits Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County’s Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center and Father Patrick Jackson House. Cost: $135/ golfer and $540 per foursome – singles welcome. Fee includes breakfast, cart, light snack, luncheon, prizes, raffle, contests and more. For information, call 734.971.9781, ext. 331, email development@csswashtnaw. org or visit csswashtenaw.org. June 11-12, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. and June 13, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., St. Francis of Assisi
June 23-27, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Michael, Grand Ledge will have Vacation Bible School. Open to all 4-year-olds through next year’s fifth-graders. The cost of $25 includes a T-shirt. Come and enjoy an amazing week of faith and fun. For information, call 517.627.8493.
June 23-27, 9:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., St. Robert Bellarmine, Flushing will have Vacation Bible School. This year’s theme is “Weird Animals: Where Jesus’ Love Is Oneof-a-Kind.” To register, call the Religious Education Office at 810.659.8556, email hturchi@parishmail or visit www.strobertparish.org. July 21-25, 9 a.m.-noon, St. Elizabeth, Tecumseh/St. Dominic, Clinton will have Vacation Bible School. The theme is “Crocodile Dock, Where Fearless Kids Shine God’s Light,” for children 3 years old to grade 5. Cost: $15 per child. For more information, contact Kim at 517.423.2447, ext. 7. Parish will have its annual Rummage Sale in its school’s gymnasium, 2250 E. Stadium in Ann Arbor. For more information, call 734.769.2550 or go to www.stfrancisa2.com. June 13-15, Rachel Vineyard Retreat at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat Center in Livonia. For information or to register, contact Beth Bauer, 734.369.3470 or lpbbauers@yahoo.com. To see the facility, visit passionist.org/stpauls. June 14, St. Mary Church, 807 St. Mary Blvd., Charlotte will have “Pig Palooza,” which includes carnival games, live music, barbecue pork dinner, a beer tent, live and
CATHOLIC CHARITIES Livingston County Catholic Charities, 517.545.5944 or livingstoncatholichs.org • June 20, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. and June 21, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., We C.A.R.E. class at Catholic Charities’ office; cost is $75 and the registration form is at livingstoncatholiccharities.org/wp-content/ uploads/2013/06/WeCarenew13-14.pdf. Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County (CSSW), csswashtenaw.org or 734.971.9781 ext. 421 • June 6, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. and June 7, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., WE C.A.R.E marriage preparation class at St. Andrew the Apostle, 910 Austin Dr., Saline. • June 7, registration 8:30 a.m., event begins at 9 a.m., Paws in
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FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
silent auctions, a craft show and more. All are welcome to attend. June 19, July 17 and Aug. 21, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., St. Thomas Aquinas Church in East Lansing will have Intergenerational Faith Formation and Fun in Father Mac Hall. All ages are welcome. For information, contact Deacon Al Weilbaecher, 517.351.5460 or al@elcatholics.org. June 25-27, St. Joseph Church in St. Johns will host a Rummage Sale. Donations will be accepted June 22-23. June 20, 10 a.m. Shotgun, the 26th
the Park, CSSW’s first annual fun-run/walk at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor. You and your animal companion can register to walk and raise money for any of CSSW’s programs while having a fantastic time. Registration is just $20 per individual or $75 per team. Live music, fun food and fun contests are all part of the event. For more information or to register, visit csswashtenaw.org/pawsinthepark2014. Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, 810.232.9950 or ccsgc.org • Unplanned pregnancy? You don’t have to face this difficult time alone. There is help for today and hope for tomorrow, both for you and your baby. Call or text Katie at 810.701.5949. Calls are confidential. •W E C.A.R.E. marriage preparation classes will be held at Holy Family in Grand Blanc, June 13 and 14, and at St. Robert Bellarmine in Flushing, July 11 and 12. Registration is $75. Call 810.232.950 for more information.
annual Cougar Classic Golf Outing sponsored by Lansing Catholic High School will take place at Forest Akars West, Michigan State University in East Lansing. Player fee is $135. Your support directly benefits more than 500 students at the high school. For information, contact Colleen at 517.267.2109 or colleen.murray@ lansingcatholic.org. June 22, 5 p.m. to June 29, 10 a.m., “Silent Guided Retreat: Awake, My Soul!” at Lial Renewal Center, 5908 Davis Rd., Whitehouse, Ohio. This silent, guided retreat will provide means and opportunity to recapture our joy and open ourselves to draw nearer to God. To register, call 419.877.0432. For information, contact Janene Ternes of Prayer in Motion, LLC at 734.429.7754.
Olympic medalist visits Pinckney students Olympic silver medalist Nick Willis recently shared an important message with students at St. Mary Catholic School in Pinckney: “I believe every single one of you was given an incredible gift from God. Every single one of you was specially made. However, we’re not all given the gift to do everything. My dream was to be in the NBA.” Willis, from New Zealand, won the silver medal in the 1,500 meter run in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He has competed in three Olympics, and continues to train in Ann Arbor, where he attended the University of Michigan. Willis’ athletic journey also has been a journey of faith. Willis’ mother died from cancer when he was in kindergarten. This left him “confused, and angry at God.” He said he has since learned that “although tough times happen, God is always alongside you to help.”
June 25-27, St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Johns will host a Rummage Sale. Donations will be accepted June 22-23. For more information, contact Claire Church at 989.224.8994. July 19, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. John Catholic Church, 2099 N. Hacker Rd., Howell, will be hosting its fifth annual Car Show. General admission is $2 per car. Show car entrance fee is $20 per car. This event includes a silent auction, 50/50 raffle and a lunch and bake sale. For information or questions, please call the parish office at 517.546.7200.
Summer Scripture Days 2014 – Evangelization based on the Gospel of Mark will be the study of this year’s Summer Scripture Days. Join us as Bishop emeritus Carl F. Mengeling opens our eyes and hearts to grasp the love of Christ in our everyday lives. Attend Aug. 12-14 at St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt. Register before August 2, 2014. Space is limited. Brochures are available in the church vestibule or contact Diane at 517.342.2465 or darzberger@ dioceseoflansing.org.
Editors gather at FAITH Catholic! FAITH Catholic Publishing and Communications, the country’s fastest-growing Catholic publisher, held its annual gathering of editors and content evangelists May 6-8 at the Radisson Hotel in Lansing, Mich. FAITH Catholic began as a single magazine for the Diocese of Lansing in 2000. Today, the company comprises 31 magazines for dioceses and Catholic organizations. As a result of its merger with the Diocese of Lansing’s other publishing house, Liturgical Commission Publishings, FAITH Catholic also produces Homilies and Commentaries, which are used in many parishes throughout the world. This year’s meeting was a blend of roll-up-your-sleeves editorial planning, facilitated peer-to-peer discussions and inspirational speakers who challenged us to achieve excellence in digital and print media and to evangelize with the “missionary spirit” of Pope Francis. Keynote speakers included Andrew Davis, author of Brandscaping, and Rocco Palmo, blogger of Whispers in the Loggia. Invited guests included Most Rev. Carl F. Mengeling, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Lansing and Msgr. Tom McSweeney from the Diocese of Erie.
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T. Gennara
Aug. 7, St. Mary, Williamston’s Knights of Columbus Council 7545 will have its 13th annual Charity Golf Outing in memory of Mike Pitlanish at Wheatfield Valley Golf Club in Williamston. For information, contact Rich Baldwin at 517.339.9871 or Bernie Kazyak at 517.655.8972.
T. Gennara
July 26-27, St. Joseph/St. John Church, 705 N. Waterloo St. /711 N. Francis St. in Jackson will have its annual Polish Heritage Festival. Beginning with a Polka Mass at 4 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, with the festival immediately afterward until 12:30 a.m. Sunday, July 27, the festival begins at noon and ends at 7 p.m., with raffles and drawings. Come and enjoy Polish food, music and refreshments; children games and activities; and bingo and free entry.
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Diocesan Cursillo weekend Debbie Spicer, a parishioner at St. Rita Parish, Clarklake, attended a Cursillo weekend, which helps people to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to be fully Catholic. It is an encounter with Jesus. Spicer said, “The best thing I learned was that God wants to hear us say, ‘I love you.’” Another word she learned was sacrifice. She was impressed with the sacrifice made by the team members and the kitchen workers who prepared all the food for the 24 people in attendance. “The Holy Spirit really touches you during the weekend,” she explained. There are small group reunions for Cursillo participants and an Ultreya
meeting with larger groups once a month. The next Cursillo weekends are Oct.16-19 for women and Oct.
Holy Family library
Theology of the Body sessions
Wren and Douglas Spangler, parishioners at St. Anthony, Hillsdale, started the Holy Family Library in 2009 as a way to keep Catholic literature in circulation. The couple has recycled Catholic books from closed schools in eight states, including seven schools in the Diocese of Lansing. They have almost 30,000 books available. The Spanglers share these resources – some of which are very rare – with the Catholic community. They have loaned hundreds of books to the schoolchildren at Sacred Heart School in Hudson. The couple bought a bookmobile several years ago. Though not currently operational, it is used to store rescued books. If your church or school would like more information about book loans, contact Wren at bookmobile@holyfamilylibrary.com.
During Lent, Doug and Carol McMillan shared with parishioners of St. Joseph Shrine, Brooklyn eight sessions of Theology of the Body on CDs prepared by Christopher West. West travels worldwide teaching and promoting St. John Paul II’s teaching on the meaning of human embodiment as male and female, especially as it calls them to become “one flesh.” McMillan said, “We are called to love as God loves.” He continued, “We are only bitter toward God’s law if we want to break it.” He explained that people wait for redemption in their bodies and Christian ethos is transformation of the human person’s conscience and attitudes. At the end of each session, study questions are discussed. People have an opportunity to see, understand and believe that their bodies are holy – and made in God’s image. – Jan Hoffbauer
– Jan Hoffbauer
Diocesan Middle School Youth Rally Anna Loar, parishioner at St. Mary on the Lake, Manitou Beach and student at Sacred Heart School in Hudson, attended the Middle School Youth Rally at Lumen Christi High School, Jackson. She went with two sixth-grade students from Sacred Heart, Amber Czeiszperger and Bailey Cramer. Loar said, “I had tons of fun there. The theme was ‘God is my shield. He is marvelous!’” She met singer ValLimar Jansen and was amazed by her singing and the inspiration she shared with the hundreds of students who attended. Loar thought the Youth Rally helped her grow in her faith. Jansen led the youths into motion with both fun and spiritual moments as they praised the Lord in song. The girls especially enjoyed hearing from Dawn Hausmann, director of consecrated vocations, and Father John Linden, director of vocations and seminarians and Formation Department chair. – Jan Hoffbauer 30
23-26 for men. Both will be held at Camp Dainava, Manchester. For more information, contact Jackie Rowe at 734.429.5675. – Jan Hoffbauer
FAITH Magazine • June 2014 • www.FAITHpub.com
40 Days for Life national speaker in Lansing Steve Karlen, the North American outreach director of the peaceful, prayerful, effective 40 Days for Life project, spoke at a special gathering of 40 Days for Life/Lansing supporters on April 2 about this groundbreaking effort in Lansing to end abortion. “People in Lansing have made extraordinary sacrifices to expose the abortion industry and to protect pre-born children and their mothers from abortion,” Karlen said. “I’m honored to be able to join these folks in prayer. Their efforts illustrate why we’re seeing historic changes – more mothers choosing life, more abortion workers experiencing conversions and leaving the abortion industry, and more abortion centers closing their doors for good.” Lansing is one of 253 communities around the world that conducted simultaneous 40 Days for Life campaigns beginning in March. Sign up for parishioner E-news at FAITHpub.com
The Church and the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
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Catholic Church. Other churches have serious concerns about what is at stake. Our challenge isn’t simply about providing “free” access to contraceptives, as many opinion columnists shape the narrative. Sterilization and abortion are likewise involved and should be included in discussions about the Affordable Care Act. The big question is this: Who decides what constitutes the exercise of a church’s religious tenets and beliefs, the U.S. government or the religious practices of a body of believers? Stated another way: Is the exercise of religion confined to what believers say and do in church on Sunday or can they exercise First, the Catholic Church is not seeking to deny its employtheir faith in public apart from Sunday worship services? Are ees access to these services. The Church objects to the fact beliefs to be held only in private, or can they be actualized in that it is required to directly or indirectly pay for and provide public activities free from state regulation? those services to employees working in Catholic social service The Catholic Church’s challenge to the ACA mandate is not agencies. Under the ACA mandate, the government decides being made simply on its own behalf. Our Church’s challenge what is and is not an expression of religion by the is on behalf of all Americans – those of faith and exemptions it allows or does not allow. Catholic those who do not practice faith. The issue is one of parishes are exempt but the Church’s schools, hosconstitutional law, not religious zealotry. One of the pitals, charities and publishing houses are not. The purposes of the U.S. Constitution was to protect Church holds that the government should not be religion from control of the state, to protect citizens able to dictate what is and is not part of a denomifrom a state-established religious denomination. If nation’s religious expression by punishing some the Supreme Court holds that governmental policy last word Church institutions with fines and holding others has value that trumps the free exercise of religion, exempt. Failure to observe the mandate’s requirea very dangerous precedent would be established Father Charles Irvin is the ment would result in heavy fines. – one that negates what the First Amendment was founding editor At issue is our understanding of the First Amenddesigned to protect. of FAITH Magazine and is ment, which protects the very reason religious There are many voices today proclaiming the retired people fled from so many European nations, espestate should be free from religion, a position far recially England. The free exercise of religion is the moved from our nation’s founders, who held to the first of our Bill of Rights. Congress, it declares, shall make no position that religion is to be free from state-imposed regulation law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the of its expressions. The Church believes the Affordable Care free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of Act should not be involved with how churches express in public the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and what they profess on Sundays. Free exercise of religion occurs to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. outside of Sunday professions of faith made inside houses of Second, this isn’t just about government control and the worship.
ith regard to the mandate in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that requires employers to provide insurance coverage for employees seeking contraceptives, abortion and sterilization medical services, several misconceptions abound concerning the position of the Catholic Church.
T. Gennara
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