October 2016

my story:

‘Everyone has Christ in them’ – Brady’s mission trip to Flint was a humbling experience work l i fe:

How can I make the most of my internship? i n t he k now with Fat her J oe:

Why is there so much violence in the world?

H

BISHOP EARL BOYEA

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

Carlson Productions

BE A ‘FAITHFUL CITIZEN’ THIS NOVEMBER

OW TO BE A FAITH-FILLED CITIZEN in this or any election can be difficult. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a document called Faithful Citizenship two years ago to help us. This complements the

Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church.

That text reminds us that the most important principle governing any decision we should make is our FROM respect for the sacred dignity of all human life, and the imperative to avoid attacking that life, especially if THE BISHOP it is innocent life. This teaching is not just an opinion, but is the truth of who we are as human beings, and it is noteworthy that our Declaration of Independence sees it as the foundation of all other rights – “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Thus, we cannot shirk our responsibilities both as faithful Christians and as citizens to speak and act in the public forum, and especially by voting, to protect and promote life.

This text also calls us to follow our moral convictions more than a party or an interest group. These convictions are not to be the result of feelings but of the voice of God speaking in our hearts – hearts attuned to what is right and what is wrong, hearts attuned to the truth that the end does not justify the means, and that we cannot do evil in order to do good.

Some three basic principles, in addition to the respect for human dignity, can assist us in having a wellformed conscience. These are promoting the common good, subsidiarity and solidarity.

The promotion of the common good stems from respect for the dignity and unity and equality of all people. It is when we promote, in common, what allows both individuals and the community to reach their fulfillment. Thus, we recognize that what we do as a society is both with and for others. We are not loners, and we are all in this together. In fact, the only reason we have a political system is to promote and defend the common good. But notice, it is always to serve the human fulfillment of the members of society. It is not just to have a political system for its own sake. And this human fulfillment is not just about material well-being. Rather, it is how society, and the political structures which serve society, help us to be fully human, especially in our spiritual nature, our God-given nature. There are many, especially the poor, who need more assistance in reaching their human fulfillment and we, as members of this society seeking the common good, must serve to help them.

Subsidiarity is not something we hear much about. Basically, this principle means that what can be done at a lower level of society should be allowed to be done there and even assisted by the political structures to do so. For example, the education Some three basic principles, of children belongs primarily to parents. When states or federal governments take on this role, rather than assisting parents to be responsible for their own role, this in addition to the respect violates subsidiarity. Bigger is not always better. This same principle would apply to for human dignity, can assist local communities, to organizations and to the states. It is often said that Catholic us in having a well-formed organizations, such as hospitals and charities, are much more efficient than the conscience. These are federal government in achieving the common good. Efficiency is not the only important factor, however. When human beings can actually be of help to other promoting the common good, human beings, the closer they are to the need, and are allowed to respond to that subsidiarity and solidarity.” need, respects subsidiarity.

This easily leads to the principle of solidarity. We are never alone. God did not make us to be alone. We are in this journey together, and we are and ought to be interdependent on one another. We can sometimes think this is limited to our own country. However, we are one with all other human beings on the face of this earth. This is not just a feeling of compassion which we have. It is rather a determination to seek the common good of all, as we say, from the womb to the tomb.

Just as Jesus poured out his life for every human being, so our love and actual care can never be limited.

Clearly, these principles can sometimes be in conflict in the real world. Our duty, as faithful Christians and as faithful citizens, is to strive to bring them together and to heal the fractures of our society and our world.

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INSIDE OCTOBER COVER STORY MIDDLE SCHOOL CAN BE ROUGH – THEN REBECCA FELT THE PRESENCE OF GOD AT HER CONFIRMATION RETREAT P. 16

YOUR LIFE

YOUR STORIES

5 g oodlife

12 my story

9 work life

14 our story

parenting journey

20 feature story

Catholics care. Catholics vote

How can I make the most of my internship?

I want my younger son to step out of his brother’s shadow

Singing is praying twice

Standing up for right – even when it’s not convenient

‘Everyone has Christ in them’ P. 6

YOUR FAITH

10 in the know with Father Joe Why is there so much violence in the world?

DOES GROWTH HAVE TO BE PAINFUL? T

hrough the course of the summer months just passed, we have been journeying with Jesus in Saint Luke’s Gospel.

Each of the Gospel selections we have heard recently form a kind of handbook from Jesus that helps us to understand the nature and the cost of discipleship. When summer began, we witnessed Jesus sending the disciples out into the surrounding countryside.

As they made their way from town to town, they received their first taste of what it would mean to minister in the Lord’s name.

They discovered both the joys and the challenges of proclaiming the Good News. Some folks were willing to listen, while others

T.Gennera

rejected both the message and the messengers.

FATHER DWIGHT EZOP

is the editor of FAITH Magazine Email: editor@ FAITHpub.com.

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In sharing the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus would teach about the need to be compassionate, and that God’s goodness can be found in places and in people we might discount or simply count out because they do not fit our preconceived notions of who can act in the name of God. Jesus teaches us to be persistent in our prayers, and that our lives must be a healthy mix of sitting at his feet – taking the time to learn from him – and putting what we have learned into daily loving action.

As the Sundays of summer wound toward their conclusion, Jesus offered some of the most profound challenges to each of us who choose to follow him – especially in the context of the culture and time in which we live. Through the prideful experience of a rich man, Jesus challenged us to think about how we understand the

FAITH Magazine | OCTOBER 2016 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

role of material goods in our lives. Are we possessed by our possessions, or are we able to see them as God-given gifts that can be used for the good of others and for building up the kingdom of God? Jesus also urged us to examine our human relationships and our relationship with God. Do we see our relationship with God and our choice to follow Jesus as the most important relationship and choice in our lives, or do we act in ways that show a different reality?

I think if we are honest with one another, the Gospels of these summer Sundays should leave us squirming in our seats and feeling a bit overwhelmed by the costs and the challenges of growing as disciples of Jesus. Yet, if there is one thing we know, it is that growth can be an experience that is both painful and beautiful. Growing in faith can be painful, because we recognize how often we fall short of the model set for us by Jesus. At the same time, it is beautiful because we recognize that left to our own efforts and devices, we can never grow in the ways Jesus calls us to grow. We need his grace and mercy for this task. This is true for all of us, no matter our age.

As we share with you this year’s Teen issue, we do so as a way to encourage people of all ages. The growth in faith experienced by the young people you will meet in this issue is emblematic of the spiritual and faithful growth to which each of us is called, regardless of age.

Our summer walk with Jesus in Saint Luke’s Gospel has been all about Jesus’ patient encouragement to grow daily in our love for him, and how that love is manifested in our daily lives. We naturally expect our young people to be open to such growth and to be living models of it. In truth, this growth in faith and love of God is meant to be a reality for each and every one of us, as we continue to walk with Jesus. And so, our journey in FAITH continues.

YOUR LIFE

FAITH HELPS GOODLIFE

DISCIPLESHIP

For personal reflection or small group discussion Parenting Journey

1. What interests or strengths do you observe in your children?

2. In what ways can you affirm your daughter’s/ son’s strengths, especially those qualities that reflect Christian kindness and charity?

In the Know with Fr. Joe

Feature Story (‘Singing is Praying Twice’)

1. What are some ways you might be able to share your talents in your parish?

2. Contemplate Psalm 96

Cover Story

1. When have you felt a sense of God’s presence in your life?

2. What are some ways that allow you to develop a strong connection to God? 3. Do you discuss your feelings about God with your peers?

GETTY IMAGES

1. Do your attitudes about others ever contribute to tension or division?

2. When can you include prayer in your day to become “more loving, more helpful, more understanding and more forgiving” – to become the saint you are called to be?

Catholics care. Catholics vote.

Welcome to autumn! It’s the season of colorful trees, hot apple cider, football, and this year, a presidential election. Since the last presidential election in 2012, there are 16 million new eligible voters, according to Pew Research. Going to the polls can be intimidating for both seasoned and new voters, so here are some frequently asked questions and answers as we all strive to live out our faith – even through politics.

Why should I bother to vote?

• According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): “Catholics care.

Catholics vote.”

• Pope Francis says: “Sometimes we hear: a good Catholic is not interested in politics. This is not true: good Catholics immerse themselves in politics by offering the best of themselves so that the leader can govern.” Therefore, it is our duty as Catholics to make sure the voice of the Church is heard through our votes.

Any advice for first-time voters?

• It’s not just about the president. Make sure to educate yourself about local races. For example, judges matter. You are more likely to have direct personal contact with a judge than any other candidate for whom you vote. Know who you’re voting for.

• For the Catholic perspective on voting, visit the websites of the Michigan Catholic Conference (micatholic.org) and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (usccb.org).

What should I consider when choosing candidates?

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

• There are five issues the Church considers non-negotiables in relation to political law and society: abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning and homosexual “marriage.”

• Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, these five issues are intrinsically evil and work against the common good of all. – Cynthia Kaan 5

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FAITH Magazine | OCTOBER 2016 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

ESSAY WINNER

What you face when you are the face of mercy

HOW ONE GIRL'S TRAGIC STORY TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE MORE MERCIFUL

BY EMMA MATHESON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOM GENNARA

SAT ON THE FRONT PORCH of an old house on the east side of Flint, sorting shoes that were wearable vs. trashed.

A lady stood in the doorway across from me, obviously deep in thought and holding back tears. It was the first work day of the Mission: Flint: a week of service that my youth group attends every year. I was assigned to help at the East Side Mission, and my first task to complete was sorting through donations and seeing which could be used. Although this was my third year participating in the Mission: Flint, I knew that God had something new in store. That first day proved it. The lady started her story,

I

“This girl was a straight-A student, cute girl, cheerleader, about to finish high school. She got kicked out of her house with her sister because her mom was an alcoholic, and she came up to this porch looking for help. I answered the door and told her to stay right there; I just had to run inside and grab some things for her.

But by the time I got back, I saw her standing on the corner, getting on the bus. She came back a few months later to this porch and told me that she had been in Florida. She’d been taken in by a pimp, had been living at a crack house. But she didn’t stay here, she left with him again.”

The lady telling the story was an employee at the East Side Mission. She’d worked there for several years, and it seemed like she’d seen the unimaginable. Although I was in awe of how kind she was to everyone she came in contact with, I was even more shocked at how moved she was by the young girl’s story, at how much mercy she showed through her words.

At the beginning of the story, this nameless girl sounded a lot like the people I know. She went to a good school, kept her grades up, and was involved in after-school activities. She seemed normal, likeable, someone I could’ve been friends with. However, as the story went on, my thoughts started to change: “Why didn’t she just stay on the porch? What made her get kicked out in the first place? Was it her own fault? Why would she do that to herself? She should’ve known better than to go with some guy.”

As I snapped out of my own thoughts and focused on the lady, I noticed a stark difference in our attitudes. Her tone of voice was not condemning or mad; she was simply sad for the girl. She had empathy and love towards her. She immersed herself in the girl’s

THE QUESTION FOR THE 2016 ESSAY: When have you seen mercy in action and what lesson did you learn from it?

life and in her pain. Misery loves company, and she was willing to share in that girl’s company. In the few short minutes it took for this lady to tell her story, I realized that mercy is just that: being willing to share in one’s misery.

I understood that this woman’s job was, in essence, to have the face of mercy to everyone that walked up onto the old porch. She was willing to submerge herself into each person’s grief, guilt, and heartache so that they wouldn’t feel so alone. Yes, she provided people with new clothing and shoes, but I could tell from the story that her presence and ear to listen were just as great a gift to people as the goods she gave to them.

The Mission: Flint has never failed to teach me new lessons each year. However, the nameless girl’s story taught me a lesson I would have never thought about. The girl had a seemingly good life at first. She went to a good school in a good district, and she seemed like the perfect student. But as we hear about all too often, suffering knows no boundaries. It hits those who are completely innocent. Her mom was an alcoholic. She was kicked out of her home. She ended up being the object of another man’s desires. I learned that if suffering and misery know no limits, then my mercy shouldn’t either.

I used to try to determine who was worthy of receiving my help. I had a hard time rationalizing helping someone who I thought had gotten themselves in a bad situation by their own doing. I would think, “How could you make such a bad choice?

I wouldn’t have done that!” The thing is, I haven’t had to think about what I’d do in certain situations. I haven’t had to face that kind of tragedy and pain.

Suffering knows no limits. I could wake up tomorrow without my health, my home, or my family. It’s impossible to know where God will have me tomorrow. However, I now know that I am able to show mercy to others today, simply by sharing in their hurt. I might not be able to always give someone what they need physically, but that woman taught me that I can be the heart that shares in their pain; the face of mercy.

Every year, FAITH awards a $1,000 scholarship to a high-school senior in our diocese, based on an essay on a topic related to life in the Church. Our goal is to promote insightful thought and excellent writing, and to encourage careers in Catholic journalism. There are many ways to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, and good writing is one of them. We hope you enjoyed this year’s essay by Emma Matheson, a parishioner at St. Robert in Flushing.

T. Gennara

THE 2016 FATHER CHARLES IRVIN ESSAY CONTEST WINNER

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CULTURE

SLOW-COOKER CHILI

SLOW-COOKER CHILI

ORE THAN EVER, there is a great need for healing in our world.

So much so that Pope Francis declared 2016 as a Jubilee Year of Mercy. Our pastor recently encouraged everyone in our parish to fast and pray every Wednesday until the end of the year. The purpose is to pray for the Lord’s mercy upon our nation.

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Fasting is a sacred and powerful exercise that can transform ourselves and the world, spiritually and otherwise. But fasting MICHELLE taught my husband to DIFRANCO enjoy something that he is a designer and previously would not the busy mom of accept. He was, indeed, three children. changed.

Our pastor explains how fasting, combined with prayer, is a recipe for heightened, transformative meditation.

When we lack what we want or need, we value it more. When we deny ourselves something and endure the discomfort of its absence, we come to appreciate it more and, most importantly, we come to love and appreciate more the God whose divine providence supplies us everything we need.

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T. Gennara

My husband and I embraced this charge.

And on the first day of fasting, we didn’t just get our feet wet; we dove in. We went full-force – no food, just liquids. If the nation needs healing, we are here to fast it into shape!

It was brutal.

By late afternoon, my husband’s disposition had deteriorated to an unpredictable and volatile state, like a domesticated grizzly bear that has missed several meals.

Earlier that morning, I threw together a crockpot of chili to have ready when we returned home from Mass. Now, my husband is not a fan of slow-cooker food. He insists that the expression “that’s a crock” is an etymological derivative of the crock pot. But upon returning home from Mass after not having eaten all day, he inhaled every morsel of it.

I recognize that the purpose of fasting is not to get your spouse to accept certain foods.

S. FOLKERTSMA

M

TO BREAK A FAST

• 1 yellow onion, chopped • 3-4 garlic cloves, minced • 1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped • 1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped • 2 pounds lean ground beef • 2 tablespoons chili powder • 2 tablespoons ground cumin • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika • 1 teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper • ½ cup white wine •¼ cup Worcestershire sauce • 2 beef bouillon cubes • 1 tablespoon brown sugar • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained) • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes • 1 15-ounce can dark red kidney beans (drained) • 1 15-ounce can black beans (drained) • Additional salt and ground black pepper to taste • Chopped cilantro • Shredded cheese • Sour cream In a skillet, brown and drain ground beef. Combine ground beef and all remaining ingredients in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, stirring once or twice midway (to evenly distribute dissolved boullion). Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Top off with cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream when serving.

YOUR LIFE WORK LIFE

How can I make the most of my internship?

Q

I just got an internship in the career field I most want to pursue, and my

in training me. How can I make the most of this opportunity?

Be determined. If you are willing, my son, you will be taught, and if you apply yourself you will become clever. If you love to listen you will gain knowledge, and if you incline your ear you will become wise. (Sir 6:32-33)

T. Gennara

A

JIM BERLUCCHI

GETTY IMAGES

manager is too busy and not very interested

I WANT MY YOUNGER SON TO STEP OUT OF HIS BROTHER’S SHADOW

Q

MY YOUNGER CHILD is about to enter high school and will be in the same school as his older brother, who is an A student and a star athlete. How do I help the younger sibling, who is not as strong a student and enjoys quieter pursuits, not feel he is in his brother’s shadow?

is the executive director of the Spitzer Center.

A but the entire family supported each pursuit.

Our children had diverse interests in high school,

Since your boss is busy, ask what you can do to lighten his/her load. Don’t be a pest, but be pleasantly persistent. Be observant and look for opportunities. Seek advice and perspectives from experienced co-workers. “Pursue wisdom like a hunter, and lie in wait on her paths.” (Sir 14:22)

BE CHEERFUL. Just as surely as God loves a cheerful giver, the workplace loves a cheerful intern. And since you’re young, make the most of being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

“Rejoice in your youth and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth.” (Ecl 11:9) STUDY THE ANT. “Go to the ant … consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer or ruler, she prepares her food in summer and gathers her sustenance in harvest.” (Prov 6:6-8) Congratulations on this opportunity! and I’m sure you’ll make the best of it. May the Lord give success to the work of your hands.

T. Gennara

BE DILIGENT. Do an excellent job with everything you’re given, and do it quickly. Solve little problems; make little improvements; do extra. Pretend your job is a sustained interview in which you want to shine. “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.” (Col 3:17)

YOUR LIFE PARENTING JOURNEY

DR. CATHLEEN MCGREAL

is a psychology professor and certified spiritual director.

For example, we all celebrated when Erin became our high school’s first delegate to have a resolution passed through the General Assembly at Model U.N.! Shannon, a member of the golf team, was cheered on each hole by family members riding in a golf cart. Healthy high school pursuits, whether quiet or bold, should be encouraged.

Different gifts but the same spirit. Life would be boring if we all excelled at the same tasks. Our culture highlights extroversion, but key contributions are made in quiet ways. Generations after the death of St. Teresa of Ávila, we gain great insights from her hours of contemplation by reading The Interior Castle. Your younger son may not be a star athlete, but he doesn’t need to live in his older brother’s shadow. Instead, his path is to grow in his own talents.

Refocusing the family spotlight. Parents know the expected “script” for many high school activities.

When a child is on the soccer team, we note the match dates and snack schedule. But we don’t have detailed scripts for quieter pursuits. Adolescents fascinated by astronomy, for example, may require more active parental engagement. We are willing to travel for outof-town games, but do we scout out special exhibits to encourage an interest in space? The cliques may focus attention in high school, but at home, families gain by delving deeper into their diverse interests.

Read Romans 12:2. Conforming to what the crowd values is tempting. As parents, however, you can encourage your younger son to discern his own gifts rather than to emulate the path that is best for his brother.

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YOUR FAITH IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE

Q

DEAR FR. JOE: I am deeply troubled by all the violence around us. Why is this happening?

T. Gennara

A FATHER JOE KRUPP

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

READ MORE VISIT FAITHPUB.COM TO READ FATHER JOE’S COLUMN: “WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?’ FROM JAN. 2015.

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I write this article with a heavy heart.

We live in violent times. Some will say that things have always been this violent, and that may or may not be true. What is objectively true is that we’ve never been able to observe and process the present violence in the way we can now. Social media have, for better or worse, revealed our interconnectedness in a way that has never been possible before.

If you are like me, each event of great violence prompts feelings of sadness, fear and powerlessness.

Sadness, because people were killed.

Fear, because we seemed to be heading to a dark place as a country.

Powerlessness, because no matter how much we want this all to stop, nothing seems to help.

In this moment, I invite us all to remember that within our hearts is God’s very Spirit: that Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead.

Our problem is not a lack of power, it’s that we use our power badly.

Each act of violence, I see people storm social media in order to comfort themselves.

We see these horrid events as evidence that we are right and others are wrong. We hear of a tragedy; we learn of great injustice or horrors, and we immediately respond by wrapping ourselves in the warm blanket of our opinions. We pile on social media and fill public

FAITH Magazine | OCTOBER 2016 | WWW.FAITHPUB.COM

places with our opinions and politics. We seemingly can’t wait to tell everyone how these horrible events and those like them are the fault of this person, that person, those people or their politics.

We respond with our voices, and those voices become shrill. We respond with our opinions. and those opinions become doctrine that we wield to crush those who disagree with us.

And this is why it is getting worse.

We have made this about what those To solve the people need to do.

But those people are not the probproblems of lem that you are to address. Others violence in our exist for you to serve, not fix. To country, we solve the problems of violence in our need to adcountry, we need to address the core of the issue. And, to paraphrase G.K. dress the core Chesterton, I am the core of the issue. of the issue.

I am the problem.

And, to para I am the problem because I give phrase G.K. way too much credence to ideological comfort and I give way too much Chesterton, I room to sin in my heart. am the core of I am comfortable with what I the issue. I am think. I like my politics. I’ve spent the problem. years dividing the world into good guys and bad guys. I have my team.

How about you? When bad things happen, I know whose fault it is. This way, I am never challenged. I never have to reevaluate what I think or believe.

Sin? I tragically am much too comfortable with it in my heart. I’ve made friends with some of my sin. I’ve not been

vigilant to what I let live and breathe in this beautiful heart that God gave me.

If enough of us embrace these ideas, and clearly we have, society becomes a loud, rage-filled and divided reality.

But today, I invite you to join me in saying, “Enough is enough.”

Today, I invite you to join me as I declare war on sin: not the sin in society or the Church or in this group or that group, I declare war on the only sin that I truly have control over: the sin in me.

Today, I invite you to join me in saying “I was made to be a saint” and to quit pretending that being one is impossible.

And we must pray. I’ve seen something in the last year that looks like this: A tragedy happens and someone posts that they are going to pray. Inevitably, someone responds by telling the person some form of, “Prayer is nice, but we have to act”.

The complete and utter lack of self-awareness implicit in a statement like that is simultaneously horrifying and comical. Of course we have to act. Our problem isn’t that we lack the conviction to act, the problem is we don’t pray first, we simply look for the quickest and most convenient solution.

Has anyone ever looked at us as a group and thought,

“Gosh, those people just pray too much.”? Our problem tends to be precipitous and knee jerk reactions that don’t solve the problem and I suggest to you that prayer is the answer to that.

We will find that this internal war and this dedication to prayer begin to alter the way we act and live. We will push ourselves to be more loving, more helpful, more understanding and more forgiving.

You and I are to be holy. We are to purge our hearts and minds of the vile spirit of divisiveness and anger. We are to purge from our hearts and minds the hunger to appear to be right. We need to become obsessed, not with being right, but with being made right by God. By becoming obsessed with holiness, we make God’s law a visible thing. God’s command to love becomes something others can touch when they touch us. God’s directive to love with all we have answers the prayers of the multitude who cry out and ask God to “do something.”

And so we will be saints. We will forgive. We will love. We will reconcile. We will challenge our thoughts and preconceptions. We will fight the darkness in our own hearts with the very power that raised Jesus from the dead.

We will be saints.

PRAY LET US PRAY FOR THOSE AFFECTED

BY ACTS OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. AND MAY WE STRIVE TO BE “MORE LOVING, MORE HELPFUL, MORE UNDERSTANDING AND MORE FORGIVING.”

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YOUR STORIES

‘SINGING IS PRAYING TWICE’

Ciara’s trip to sing at St. Peter’s Basilica F

or Ciara Ferris and her family, 2016 began on a high note that is still

gracing their lives. As an eighth-grader at St. Francis of Assisi school, Ciara traveled with her choir to sing at St. Peter’s Basilica for the 2016 New Year’s Day Mass, and her parents and younger sister got to go along.

BY EMILY LENHARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE FRIESEMAN

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MY STORY

“Every five years, we get invited,” says Ciara.

The well-respected choir participated in the 40th International Congress of Pueri Cantores, an organization that brings together Catholic youth choirs from around the world.

Because the St. Francis Choir of about 50 students is known to be well-behaved, easy to work with and talented, it is always asked back to Rome.

And for Ciara, it couldn’t get any better than that.

“All my life, I have been known to sing, and I just love singing,” she says.

Ciara and her family arrived in Rome on Dec. 23, 2015, which gave them some time to relax and regroup while taking in all that Rome and the Vatican had to offer.

“It was really awesome. The churches were all really beautiful. There were pictures and paintings on all the walls,” says Ciara. “I really enjoyed the basilica and going through all the Holy Doors.”

The Holy Doors, normally sealed, are opened by the pope to begin a jubilee year. On Dec. 8, 2015, Pope Francis had opened the Holy Doors to inaugurate the Year of Mercy. They will close and be sealed on Nov. 20, 2016.

The Holy Doors were an especially important experience for Ciara and her family.

“I went through the Holy Doors, and I know that they gave me grace,” Ciara says. “Just being able to look at all those religious churches and everything, it just made me realize how amazing being Catholic is, and how I am really blessed and grateful.”

Singing at the New Year’s Day Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica was an amazing experience for Ciara and her family, including the rehearsal, where the pope was present. “[At the rehearsal], everybody was there,” Ciara says. “We were in the front row, and then the pope made a surprise appearance. He was like five feet away from us.”

The Mass on New Year’s Day was spectacular, and something that Ciara will never forget.

“For the Mass, we got to be really close up, which was really nice. We had an amazing view, and there were so many people there from different choirs,” Ciara says.

Almost a year after the event, Ciara is still feeling the spiritual effects. She said that her experience interacting with people who were so

kind has encouraged her to put sincere effort into treating others the best she can.

“There’s so much,” Ciara says. “Everyone was really nice, and I remember thinking that I should try and be nicer.”

Ciara said the trip to Italy also had a lasting impact on the choir as a whole. Their singing skills improved, and they have come to learn the spiritual value of the gift they have to offer.

“I think that we have a better feel for singing.

Now we know how much it impacts other people and how they enjoy it and (it) opens their hearts to God more,” Ciara says. “It opened our hearts to God more, because singing is praying twice.”

Ciara wasn’t the only one in her family to walk away with grace after their trip. Her younger sister Keirsten made her first Communion there.

Months later, Ciara reflects on the importance of music in her relationship with God. “I like to pray by singing,” Ciara says. “It’s really coming from your heart, and that’s just my favorite type of prayer. It’s really fun for me to sing.”

I like to pray by singing.

It’s really coming from your heart, and that’s just my favorite type of prayer.”

FOR INFORMATION ON ENROLLING IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN THE DIOCESE OF LANSING, VISIT DOLCATHOLICSCHOOLS.COM

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STANDING UP FOR RIGHT – EVEN WHEN IT’S NOT CONVENIENT

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RACE BENZ HAD HEARD ABOUT THE MARCH FOR LIFE from her older siblings, and she couldn’t wait to experience the annual event firsthand with her eighth-grade class from Spiritus Sanctus Academy (SSA) in Plymouth. But she got more than she bargained for when the group wound up in the middle of a snowstorm that delayed their return – and allowed Grace to trust God in a whole new way.

BY KARLA DORWEILER

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Stranded on the highway for life

“I thought I knew what to expect, but it definitely turned out differently than we planned,” says Grace, a student at Father Gabriel Richard High School in Ann Arbor and a member of Christ the King Parish. “I didn’t even realize how much it affected me until after we were home for a few days.”

The group boarded the bus for Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20, 2016, even though a snowstorm was being forecast for the East Coast. Although other schools and groups from Michigan had canceled their pilgrimage to the March for Life marking the anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, Grace’s group arrived in D.C. the day before the march.

“I was excited, knowing I’d be standing up for the unborn even when there’s a blizzard on the way,” says Grace.

On Jan. 22, the day of the March for Life, Grace and

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her class walked the route for the march and then quickly boarded their buses for home, knowing the storm would arrive a few hours later.

While stopped at an exit in Breezewood, Pa., the group learned that the freeway was closed and they would have to spend the night. They were fortunate to snag the last remaining hotel rooms. Grace saw this as part of God’s plan during this Year of Mercy.

“We had a place to sleep, when many people were stranded on the freeway in their cars. God took care of us – he had mercy on us,” Grace says. “He even helped us get to Mass so we could receive him in the Eucharist.”

An accident on the freeway forced the SSA group to stay a second night – a Saturday. The principal of the school, Sister Maria Faustina, OP, spent time praying that

MAISA HADDAD

Grace Benz (back right), some of her classmates and chaperones pause during a walk in the snowstorm that delayed their return to Michigan after the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

NATHALIE CORBETT

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2

SYNTHIA KARPACK

BRIAN WINSAUER

YOUR STORIES OUR STORY

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afternoon about how to get the children to Mass that evening for the Sunday liturgy. (All the roads were closed and the nearest Catholic church was five miles away.)

As the students and their chaperones played cards at a convenience store near the hotel, Sister Maria Faustina bumped into a priest she knew from Chicago. He was there looking for candles to celebrate Mass at another hotel with his group of 150 teens, the Crusaders for Life, who were also on their way home from the march.

“God is so funny,” says Grace. “I was there when Sister saw Father Nathan Caswell, SJC, and all of us had tears in our eyes because we knew God had put our two groups together.”

Late that afternoon, 200 people crowded into a hotel bar to celebrate Mass together. Grace was moved at seeing high school students praying and chanting fervently in Latin. Many of the prayers at SSA’s daily Mass are also recited in Latin.

“To see all these teenagers who believe what I believe was really inspiring,” Grace says. “They were all so happy and wanting to fight for this cause. I loved being able to share faith with these kids I just met and seeing other people love the Lord because he deserves that.”

That evening, the Crusaders for Life teens invited the SSA students to join them in an impromptu talent show. Grace and her friends sang “O Holy Night,” which they had recently sung together for a school Mass. Others presented skits, songs and even dances.

“It just proves that it’s fun to be with other people

who share your faith,” says Grace. “Some people think loving the Lord isn’t fun, but it’s really the best fun of all, because when you follow what he asks of you, you have joy in your life, without the negative consequences.”

Meeting the group from Chicago made it clear to Grace that God's providence is powerful. “God really does bring good from bad situations and he’s working for us all the time, even if we don’t see it right away,” Grace says.

Grace says she’ll always remember the trip and its lessons.

“You have to stand up for what’s right, even when it’s not convenient,” she says. “You can’t stay in a bubble and say, ‘I love the Lord, but I don’t have to do anything about it.’ You have to go through the hardship of it, and you might get some criticism from people who don’t agree, but you have to go out.”

The irony of the experience isn’t lost on her either.

“I went on the trip to pray for God’s mercy on others, and it turned out God had to have mercy on us.”

1. Grace Benz (front center) and students, parents and chaperones with Spiritus Sanctus Academy pose for a photo with the Crusaders for Life, a prolife youth group from Chicago, after celebrating Mass together along the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

2. Students from Spiritus Sanctus Academy wait for Mass to begin at the Sky Bar in Breezewood, Pa., with a prolife youth group from Chicago.

3. Grace Benz (top row, second from right) and her classmates at the March for Life.

LEARN MORE THE 2017 MARCH FOR LIFE WILL BE HELD IN WASHINGTON, D.C., ON FRIDAY, JAN. 27. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PRO-LIFE ACTIVITIES, VISIT THE MICHIGAN CATHOLIC CONFERENCE WEBSITE AT WWW.MICATHOLIC.ORG/.

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F

OR REBECCA BERKEMEIER,

still waters run deep. Any given day might find this rising Jackson Lumen Christi freshman playing saxophone, running cross country, checking Pinterest, watching Netflix or hanging out with close friends.

In her last year of middle school, she participated in music ministry and Builders’ Club, and earned the Service Award for her class. The youngest of a musical family, Becca especially loves worship music because it opens channels to a deeper connection with God.

“

Her favorite song, “Oceans” (Where Feet May Fail),

by Hillsong United, helps her go deeper in her faith when she gives herself to the music. And though she has loved it a long time, the chorus of “Oceans” holds an even deeper meaning since the confirmation retreat when she and her classmates found safe harbor in the presence of God: And I will call upon your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in your embrace For I am Yours and you are mine “Middle school is incredibly stressful,” Becca says frankly. “Wishing we could fit in and wanting to be perfect, we set standards really high. Then if you can’t live up to those standards, you secretly feel like a failure. We act like nothing bad’s happening, but we get caught in this undertow trying to keep others from finding out. We sit next to each other in class and never let on. Even at a Catholic school, some kids tend to be like, ‘Oh, faith’s not cool,’ or ‘All this stuff is so lame,’ when we secretly need that lifeline.

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BY NANCY ROSEBUSH SCHERTZING | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM LUNING

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O WHEN OUR CONFIRMATION PREPARATION included

YOUR STORIES COVER STORY

a retreat with other middle school kids from around Jackson, I worried. What if they found out how much my faith really means to me? I cry at every Disney movie

ever made. How was I going to keep my cool through two nights with more than 100 other kids? I wouldn’t even have my family to help me.

“Of course I went, and things unfolded pretty much as I expected. We had small-group discussions about things like the beatitudes and, ‘What’s one thing we would ask Jesus if we could talk to him?’” Becca says that some of her classmates didn't seem to want to share personal feelings, however.

“After dinner on the last day, we gathered in the parish hall, where the organizers had the lights down low and Christian music playing. They had eucharistic adoration and four priests (one in each corner of the room) ready if we wanted to go to confession.” Becca explains that a number of adults stood ready to pray over anyone who requested it, but some kids just sat there making fun of the retreat.

“Adoration gives me a sense of peace, so I headed straight to it. Sitting before the Eucharist with the music playing softly and lights low, I could feel the presence of God. It was so strong, I felt stressed out. I was afraid others could see how emotional I was getting.

“In tears, I headed to the back corner for confession and told about all the things I do just to fit in. I talked about wanting to be perfect and to belong, but never feeling good enough, never measuring up to the others. When I finished, I could feel God’s embrace even more powerfully, so I headed straight to the bathroom, where none of the others could see me cry all over myself.

“It wasn’t that I was sad. I can’t really put into words what I was feeling. Powerful, amazing, indescribable are as close as I can come. God’s love just overwhelmed me so that all I could do was sob. After a few minutes, I got it under control enough to head back into the hall. Immediately I knew something had changed.

“God had touched them, too.

“I think a lot of people weren’t aware of what was

LEARN MORE CHECK WITH YOUR PARISH TO FIND OUT WHAT IS OFFERED TO PREPARE FOR THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION. A RETREAT IS OFTEN A PART OF THIS PREPARATION.

“ THE CLOSER I AM WITH GOD, THE BETTER I AM BECAUSE I’M AT PEACE – THE KIND THAT COMES FROM FEELING SAFE AND LOVED.” happening, because it’s not anything we feel every day.

It seemed that everybody felt the presence of God go through us. Almost all the kids were crying. There were lines of students waiting for reconciliation and prayers. I think I got prayed over five times, and I kept bringing more people with me. At one point, we had 30 kids in a circle of blessing.

“Kind of like getting hugged by God, it made us feel very safe and united. Middle school sometimes seems like a competition, but that night we realized that we have a lot more in common than we think. We hear that all the time, but sharing an experience like we did that night, you actually begin to believe it. I never thought many of the people I was with could go through something like that. But we did. Together.

“The next day at school, we all knew what happened. We told our teachers about it. Some cried retelling it, some were excited.

It was kind of weird actually, because others denied that they had cried at all. Some still deny the impact of that night, but many of us grew in our faith from the experience. The mean teasing went down a bit. We had popular kids standing up for people who were vulnerable. Maybe it helped them know it’s the right thing to do.

Now it isn’t so much about ‘Will they like me or not?’ We just do it because we know it’s right.

“I’m becoming a better person because of this. It put things in perspective and helped me want to build my faith into my daily life. The closer I am with God, the better I am because I’m at peace – the kind that comes from feeling safe and loved.

“Keeping faith in my everyday life doesn’t have to be something crazy or this massive goody two-shoes stuff.

It can be praying for help with a challenge, going to bed listening to a worship song or stopping at adoration for a few minutes with my mom. Little things that kind of keep my faith in my everyday life can keep my head above the waves, like the song says.

“Even things I used to think were so lame make me feel better about myself, because it makes me feel like I’m doing something right. I used to feel really intimidated by music ministry. Going in front of my whole middle school and singing made me embarrassed. But now I do it because God needs a choir and it’s the right thing to do.

“I always want to be doing something right. It’s not like I’m donating $5,000 or moving to Africa to help build houses, but this is kind of my mini-way of helping the world keep its eyes above the waves. The small things we do every day can add up to so much when God’s presence is holding us up.”

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YOUR STORIES FEATURE STORY

‘EVERYONE HAS CHRIST IN THEM’ Brady’s mission trip to Flint was a humbling experience

H

umble. A simple, nuanced word was the term 17-year-old Brady Falor relied on to describe the impact of his most recent mission trip. “I’ve changed. I

am humbled knowing I have more than the basic necessities of living. I’m very privileged to have a home and food. I don’t complain anymore.”

Brady has traveled to Detroit and

BY ROSE ROBERTSON PHOTOGRAPHY

BY TOM GENNARA

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Kentucky with his youth group in past years. As part of the leadership team planning for 2016, however, the group decided they didn’t need to travel far to help someone in need. They embraced the diocesan initiative, Faith in Flint, and about 30 youth traveled from St. Johns, making Christ the King parish in Flint their home for a week. Each day, the mission trip members reported to the Center for Hope to

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receive their assignments.

“We helped clean up the area around the center, weeded, and distributed water. Some of our group sorted a ton of donated clothing. For most of the week, I helped make laundry soap. Eric, the person in charge, showed us how to melt Ivory Soap and laundry soap to become a liquid laundry detergent. We poured this mixture into empty water bottles; each bottle can wash two loads

of clothes. We made close to 250 gallons of liquid detergent to be distributed from their food pantry.”

Their work detail also led them away from the center and into the community. “The Center for Hope has lists of people needing help who are elderly or incapacitated in some way. We went to their homes to paint, cut grass, do yard work or whatever help they needed.

There is also a neighboring home for foster children and we did yard work there, too. After all these interactions, I see the needy for who they really are: they are people who hurt. Now I find that when people talk disparagingly about the poor, I point out that

the staff we worked with and those we served showed me the light of Christ. They helped me see that all life and all people are precious.

We should do everything we can so everyone has a chance at happiness and survival.

“I am now more accepting of others. I have more empathy – understanding they have grown up in situations I never will and I should give them a chance at being my friend, or giving them my friendship. For example, I heard stories about people who lived across the street from the Center and how they had problems with drugs and things like that. But then an alleged drug dealer came to help my team distribute water and struck up a conversation with me. He was very friendly and caring. It showed me everyone has Christ in them.”

Not every moment at the Flint work camp was positive. Brady shared how the Youth Group ate the same meals at the center that were prepared for the hungry.

Mealtime was very humbling … and not as appetizing as their usual fare. “The first two days we tried not to be wasteful, and halfheartedly tried to eat the meal.

By the third day, the food actually tasted better. I am not sure if we got used to it or if it really was better. But by that third day, having most are trying to do better.” heard peoples’ stories and getting Without hesitation, Brady will to know them, we understood just tell you this mission experience in how important this meal was Flint has been his most to them. It changed my compelling. Kentucky focus.”

“I think and Detroit, while With his three purposeful, younger sisters, the people who integrated lots of Brady and work and volunteer physical labor his siblings at the Center for Hope but virtually no thrive in an deserve recognition. interaction with active Catholic the residents. household I don’t think they Flint, on the where faith realize what they other hand, was formation is accomplish.” rife with people part of its essence. encounters. “On this Brady says he has trip I could actually see always been into church and hear directly how much the activities “but when I went to people appreciated our help. Both Diocesan Youth Leadership Camp,

YOUTH GROUP FROM ST. JOSEPH IN ST. JOHNS GOES ON MISSION IN FLINT The diocesan Faith in Flint initiative has inspired many to dig deep and donate money, goods and services to the people of Flint. So, instead of heading off across the United States to do a parish mission, 24 teens, under the guidance of St. Joseph Parish Youth Minister, Nancy Poff and co-mission director Sue Parker, headed to Flint to work at Catholic Charities Center for Hope in July.

The group made enough laundry detergent to fill 2,000 bottles; sorted through hundreds of bags of clothes, shoes and houseware; helped the clients at checkout; stocked the floor with items; handed out more than 350 cases of water a day; and helped outside the center with weeding, painting and repairing. But the most important thing they did was listen to the stories shared by the homeless and needy, while offering a smile, a hug and a presence that said “we care about you.”

I started being more impressed with God. I had more faith-filled experiences at Jamboree and other youth events. I feel like my faith’s grown since I entered high school.

This mission trip, and getting to actually interact with the people, was so powerful for me.

“I think the people who work and volunteer at the Center for Hope deserve recognition. I don’t think they realize what they accomplish.

They showed me no matter who you are or what you believe, you can still make a difference. I encourage others to give their time; it won’t hurt them. It’s the little things that make a big difference. It’s all very humbling.”

LEARN MORE WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MISSION TRIPS OR ENCOUNTER OPPORTUNITIES? VISIT FAITHPUB.COM AND SEARCH FOR ‘LOOKING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE NEXT SUMMER?’ FOR A LIST OF YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN OUR DIOCESE.

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WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A HIGH SCHOOL PRESIDENT TOM MALONEY,

J. LUNING

Lansing Catholic High School, Lansing

Tom’s passion for the mission of Lansing Catholic reflects his personal loyalty to the school as a 1988 alumnus. “As a student, the school was a perfect fit for me, and gave me the foundation and friendships I still rely on today,” he says. “I appreciate that our diocese, under the leadership of Bishop Boyea, acknowledges the complexity of these realities and has allowed this model to move forward.”

Previously, Tom served in the roles of principal, assistant principal, teacher and coach at the school. “The president/ principal model is an acknowledgment that, in this day and age, for a Catholic high school to be successful, there is a need for an administrator who focuses on the internal, day-to-day operations of the school, as well as a need for someone to tend to the external, community building, fundraising and business aspects of things,” Tom says.

Lansing Catholic has been fortunate to improve its campus, adding a new chapel and updating its football stadium, in recent years thanks to targeted fundraising and generous donations.

Tom received his bachelor’s degree in education from Alma College. He and his wife, Michelle, have four children and are members of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in East Lansing.

MICHAEL KENNEY,

Father Gabriel Richard High School, Ann Arbor Having spent more than 18 years as an educator and administrator, Michael Kenney, J.D., LL.M., is well-suited to traverse the halls of Catholic

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VER THE COURSE OF THE PAST YEAR, Bishop Earl Boyea appointed the following

individuals as the first presidents of our four Catholic high schools when the Diocese of Lansing adopted the president/principal leadership model.

Their role is to provide visionary leadership to the school, assuring the success of its organization, fund development and enrollment management.

FAITH spoke to each president.

ELAINE CROSBY,

Lumen Christi Catholic School, Jackson Elaine Crosby knows the importance of leading with a steady hand. As a veteran golfer and two-time winner of the LPGA, Elaine has brought her clear-cut focus to her role as president of Jackson Lumen Christi Catholic School “My main duties are to handle the fundraising, facility management and overall business management of Lumen Christi,” she says “This allows the principal to fully focus on the education and well-being of our students.”

The Jackson native concentrates on involving the community in the development of a three- to fiveyear strategic plan for Lumen Christi and the rest of the Jackson Area Catholic Schools, and re-igniting the relationship between Lumen Christi and its many alumni.

“We have more than 10,000 alumni living all over the country that we have not connected with in many years.

Engaging with these alumni is an important goal,” she says.

A graduate of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Elaine also served as the Jackson Area Catholic Schools coordinator since 2011 and was the interim advancement director for Lumen Christi High School in 2014. She is an active member of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish in Jackson.

education as president of Father Gabriel Richard High School.

“Our school has an extraordinary history and a bright future due to the dedication of the principal, the faculty, staff, parents and students,” Michael says.

“I am dedicated to engaging the local community, serving students and their families and striving with the faculty to enable Father Gabriel Richard High School to be recognized as a national model of excellence,” Michael says.

BY DAWN DOERR

Monday, Sept. 26, 2016

Announcing the 31st Annual

Red Mass of the

St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing Red Mass, Bishop Earl Boyea Presiding, 5:15 p.m.

Catholic Lawyers Guild, Diocese of Lansing

of

Dinner, featuring presentation St. Thomas More Award, 6:15 p.m.

Invoking God’s blessing on the courts of our state and honoring

RANDY HACKNEY

Founding partner of Hackney Grover Graduate of University of Detroit Law School Father of four beautiful children

Introduction of Award Recipient by FATHER MICHAEL MURRAY Moderator of the Curia and legal counsel for the

Diocese of Lansing

For more information or to RSVP, send an email to lclguild@gmail.com or call Andrew J. Moore at 336.406.0930.

RORY MATTAR,

responsibility of operating our schools.”

Before becoming president, Rory served as dean of students and assistant executive director at Powers, as principal and assistant principal of Carman-Ainsworth High School and as a teacher at Swartz Creek, Bentley and St. Robert elementaries. He has also coached throughout his teaching career. With his extensive experience as an administrator, teacher and coach, Rory knows what it takes to garner community support and provide excellent educational experiences.

Rory attended Mott Community College and received his bachelor’s degree from Evangel University in Springfield, Mo. He also received a master’s degree in early childhood development and exercise science from Michigan State University. He and his wife, Bonnie, have five children and are members at St. Robert Parish in Flushing.

Powers Catholic High School, Flint

From kindergarten until the present day, Rory Mattar has felt the positive pull of Catholic schools. Rory is eager to support the mission of his alma mater, and be part of assuring

Michael holds both bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Notre Dame, and a master of law degree from the George Washington University School of Law. Michael and his wife, Mary Claire, have seven children and are members of Our Lady of Sorrows School and Parish in Farmington.

He previously served as vice president for planning and enrollment management at Madonna University, and in the development office at the University of Notre Dame.

G. MATHOS

its future success.

“I’m excited to be giving back to the system which helped shape my life,” Rory says. “The president’s role is essential in establishing a faith-filled school environment, creating high expectations for the entire school community and acquiring resources to support the fiscal

FOR INFORMATION ON ENROLLING IN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN THE DIOCESE OF LANSING, VISIT DOLCATHOLICSCHOOLS.COM

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TOM GENNARA

FORMING OUR FAMILIES

Deb Amato:

HELPING PEOPLE HAVE ‘AN ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS’ Let’s do it!

Let’s use this stuff, instead of maybe just opening a book.

Let’s use the technology that’s available to us to do some of our ministries.”

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F

AITH FORMATION. Most of us remember attending Sunday School and catechism classes during our early years. In fact, it’s a staple for every Catholic child.

While parishes continue to offer these classes, the foundation for one’s faith starts in the home.

But, what happens when the families are not prepared?

“We have a couple of generations of people who have not been well catechized. Now, they are raising children, and they’re not really feeling well-equipped to answer questions and be part of the formation process of their children,” says Deb Amato, chairperson for the Department of Evangelization and Lay Formation for the Diocese of Lansing. “We are recognizing we need to step into that.”

Through the diocesan-wide Witness to Hope campaign, $2.7 million will be used for faith formation for adults and youths. These funds will be able to provide

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each parish in the diocese with resources, including media and online material.

An example is FORMED.org, which is a one-stop shop for all your Catholic content, including movies, e-books, CDs and study programs. Produced by Augustine Institute, in conjunction with Ignatius Press, Lighthouse Catholic Media and others, FORMED.org allows parishioners to sit in the comfort of their home and grow in their faith, Deb explains.

“People are hungry,” she says about parishioners wanting to grow in their faith. In addition to these materials providing faith formation, they are also allowing people to have an encounter with Jesus, she adds.

With the subscription to FORMED.org, every parish will receive an access code, which is then shared with parishioners. But what is great about this tool isn’t just that the material can be accessed anywhere; it’s that it can be used for evangelizing, Deb says.

“I can share a movie or CD with one of my Catholic family members who have fallen from the faith,” she explains. “It’s not just head knowledge. The material really wants to engage the whole person and help people have an encounter with Jesus.”

In addition, the material can be used in the parishes to help with ministries. The Beloved series, for example, is designed for marriage preparation, and Symbolon: The Catholic Faith Explained was developed for use with the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

Deb says it’s time for the parishes and parishioners to “come into the 21st century” and take advantage of state-of-the-art technology.

“Let’s do it! Let’s use this stuff, instead of maybe just opening a book,” she says. “Let’s use the technology that’s available to us to do some of our ministries.”

Because the Church is sensitive to cultural diversity, the material is also available in Spanish.

“It’s a challenge for some of our parishes because they don’t have Spanish-speaking priests or lay ministers, but they do have Spanish-speaking parishioners.

This is a way for us to help them,” she says.

Deb says that the Witness to Hope campaign is necessary because, at $1,600 per parish for one year, subscriptions are not cheap. However, while it sounds like a lot of money, the material is made available to hundreds of thousands of people.

“It’s a lot of money, and (for) some of our parishes, that’s huge when they look at their budget. For some of them, their religious education budget is only $4,000$5,000 for the year … Money will not be a deterrent for any parish who wants to have this,” she says.

– Cari Ann DeLamielleure-Scott

FORMING OUR YOUTH

Sean Costello:

EDUCATING ‘THE WHOLE CHILD’ IN THE FAITH

T

HE COST OF A CATHOLIC EDUCATION can be a a huge barrier; for some, it’s an insurmountable one.

An intent of the campaign ‘is to get to a point in which no child gets turned away because of financial need.’”

But, through the diocesan-wide Witness to Hope campaign, barriers are being lowered, and the dream of a Catholic education is becoming more attainable by the day.

With the goal of $12.5 million for a Catholic school financial aid endowment, Witness to Hope will radically change support for Catholic schools within the Diocese of Lansing.

Sean Costello, superintendent of schools for the diocese, says that parish schools now provide as many scholarships as possible, but it’s not nearly enough to meet the entire need of the families.

“This amount from the capital campaign is going to help us march closer to meeting all the financial need in providing Catholic education to children,” Sean says. In addition to helping new families, the campaign will assist

those families with children already in Catholic schools who are facing hardships.

So, what separates a Catholic education from a public education?

Why should parents choose to send their kids to a Catholic school?

There are four things that make our diocesan schools fundamentally Catholic: encounter opportunities, integrating the faith, the witness of our teachers and staff, and how everyone responds to our students.

Catholic school students are given the chance to have an encounter with the Lord every day by attending Mass and retreats, and just by being given the chance to pray.

These opportunities aren't available in public schools.

Sean says that he believes more families would choose a Catholic school if cost wasn’t a factor because Catholic institutions have the opportunity to “educate the whole child.”

“Every discipline, every contact area has faith integrated into it,” he says. When the history of the United States is taught, for example, kids don’t just learn about George Washington – they see how the Holy Spirit has interceded throughout that period of history, he explains.

Faith is more than attending church on Sundays. To be a faithful Catholic involves living in the faith, The capital campaign will remove some financial barriers for parents, thus empowering them to provide a Catholic education for their children. But reaching these financial goals is a marathon, not a sprint, Sean says. The intent of the campaign “is to get to a point in which no child gets turned away because of financial need,” he says.

Besides providing financial aid, the campaign, he explains, will give teachers who are catechists the opportunity to grow in their faith through new programs and resources.

“This is going to have a huge impact on our Catholic culture,” Sean says.

Most of the teachers who enter the diocesan schools have been trained to be public school teachers, Sean says; however, the difference is that diocesan teachers are not only required to know about the Lord, but to know him personally.

“Catholic school students are no better than public school students,” he stresses. The difference between them, however, is how we respond to them, whether it’s in the classroom or on the sports field. Discipline, for example, is seen as “an opportunity to grow in virtue, an opportunity to move to a different path,” he says.

With the diocesan-wide campaign, Sean says the diocese is giving each and every parishioner the chance to participate in the common good.

“I can guarantee the sacrifice they make to contribute to this is helping everybody,” he says.

– Cari Ann DeLamielleure-Scott

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YOUR COMMUNITY THINGS TO DO 40 Days for Life fall campaign: Sept.

28 through Nov. 6, you are invited to join other Christians to stand and peacefully pray during a 40day vigil in the public right-of-way outside Planned Parenthood, 3100 Professional Dr. in Ann Arbor, and also to help spread the word about this important community outreach.

For information or to volunteer to help, please contact Sandie Weathers, campaign director, 40 Days for Life Ann Arbor, at 40daysforlifeannarbor@ gmail.com or 734.657.1936. Join us: 40daysforlife.com/annarbor or www. facebook.com/40daysforlifeannarbor.

Oct. 1, registration at 8:30 a.m. start at 9:30 a.m, Shared Pregnancy Women’s Center is hosting a fourperson scramble at the beautiful and challenging Forest Akers West at Michigan State University. It includes: continental breakfast, grilled lunch, gift bag and prizes for the top finishers.

Registration is $85 per player, or $340 for a foursome. To register, 517.622.3267 or aimeekillingsworth@ sharedpregnancy.org.

OCTOBER CAFÉ EVENTS Oct. 25, 6:30-8 p.m., all are welcome to attend the East Lansing Catholics Network meeting (a local affiliate of NETWORK, advocates for justice).

It meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday at St. Thomas Aquinas in East Lansing. For more information, contact Ed Welch at welche@msu. edu or Al Weilbaecher at al@elcatholics.org or 517.351.5460.

Nov. 3, the Hesburgh Lecture “Race, Perseverance and Catholicism: Post-Racial Society?” (evidence from the National Black Catholic Survey) presented by the Notre Dame Club of Lansing will be held at St. John Church and Student Center, 327 M.A.C. Ave., East Lansing.

CELEBRATE ST. THOMAS AQUINAS PARISH’S 75TH ANNIVERSARY

Oct. 1, 4:30 p.m., Bishop Boyea will celebrate St. Thomas Aquinas Parish’s 75th anniversary with Mass at 955 Alton Ave. in East Lansing.

Oct. 1-2, an Engaged Encounter weekend will be held in DeWitt.

Cost is $235 per couple and includes meals, supplies and overnight stay. A free will donation is asked at the end of the retreat. Registration will close and payment must be received no later than Sept. 17. For information, visit lansingcee.org or register@ lansingcee.org.

PARTICIPATE IN A PEACEFUL PRAYER CHAIN WITNESSING TO THE SANCTITY OF LIFE

Oct. 2, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Lansing’s 25th annual Life Chain – a peaceful prayer chain witnessing to the sanctity of life – will be along Grand River Avenue from Abbot Road to Williamston. Meet at Abbot Road, Brookfield Plaza, Summit Bank near Okemos Road, St. Martha Church or Main Street in Williamston near St. Mary Church to thank God for babies saved, ask his blessings on pro-life counseling centers and their staffs and pray for the success of lifeaffirming initiatives.

Oct. 5, 4:30-8:30 p.m., the Knights of Columbus will host a Catholic College Night at Cleary University, 3725 Cleary Dr., Howell; information seminars, 5-7 p.m., include financial and scholarship information, keynote speaker and free pizza. To learn more and register, visit CatholicCollegeNight.org.

RETREAT CENTERS ST. FRANCIS RETREAT, DEWITT, 866.669.8321 or STFRANCIS.WS •O ct. 25-29, “Your Word is my Delight,” a Catholic writer’s retreat. Come and delight in God’s word and sacrament. Delight in writing in a beautiful and serene setting; and meet and share with other Catholic writers. Register online at St. Francis’ website.

WEBER RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER, 517.266.4000 or WEBER.ADRIANDOMINICANS.ORG •O ct. 8, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., the “Challenge of Living Lightly: Fossil Fuels and Our Carbon Footprint” will explore the myriad ways we use fossil fuels in our American lifestyle and some of the justice issues involved. Cost: $25, includes lunch.

•O ct. 15, 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., “Day of Contemplative Prayer – Meditation and Mindfulness Practice”; cost is $35 and includes lunch.

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Oct. 9, 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., St. Elizabeth, Tecumseh/St. Dominic, Clinton will host its 62nd Roast Beef Dinner in the parish center at 512 N. Union St., Tecumseh. The menu includes Amish-style roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, coleslaw, rolls and dessert. Cost: $11 for adults and $7 for children 6-12. For information, call 517.423.2447, ext. 5.

Oct. 9, 2 p.m., All Faith Ministry for Disabilities, serving all persons with birth or life-incurred disabilities and their families, invites you to a Special Needs Mass at the St. Francis Retreat Center Chapel, 703 E. Main St. in DeWitt. Mass will be followed by light refreshments. All religions are welcome. Please RSVP by Oct. 3 to Cathy Blatnik, program director, at lcblatnik@juno.com or 517.381.1410.

Oct. 15, after 4:30 p.m. Mass, the Fowlerville Knights of Columbus Council 8605 will have its fifth annual Oktoberfest at St. Agnes Parish, 855 Grand River Ave. It will include a delicious Polish dinner catered by Halana’s and dancing with music by the Misty Blues band. A donations bar will be available. Tickets are $20 per person and are limited to 250 people. To reserve your tickets, call Gene Gierlach at 517.294.2605, Jerry Corbat at 517.474.2002 or the parish office at 517.223.8684.

Oct. 22, St. Elizabeth Parish, Tecumseh will have an Arts and Crafts Bazaar in its parish center. For information, contact the parish office at 517.423.2447, ext. 5.

Oct. 27, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., St. Michael Parish, Grand Ledge will hold its annual fall rummage and bake sale at Fellowship Hall in the church’s basement.

Oct. 29, 7-9 p.m., St. Mary Magdalen Parish, Brighton will have a “Haunted Barn and Trunk or Treat.” Call 810.229.8624 to make a reservation for “Trunk or Treat.”

Nov. 5, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. Gerard’s Autumn Craft Show in Father Weber Hall, behind the school, 4437 W. Willow Hwy., Lansing, will include wonderful crafters and food available all day. For information, call Pat Albright at 517.230.3245.

Nov. 18, 8 a.m. to Nov. 20, 5 p.m., a Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat for

anyone who has struggled with the pain of an abortion will be held in Ann Arbor. For more information, contact Beth Bauer at 734.369.3470 or ipbbauer@yahoo.com.

The New Life Center, 1601 E. Grand River, Lansing, has an eight-week post-abortion confidential recovery program, “Forgiven and Set Free,” for anyone who has struggled with the pain of an abortion. All materials are provided at no cost and child care is available. For more information, call 888.456.HOPE or nic@resurrectionlansing.org.

Mother Teresa House, Tour of Peace: Tours of the house are conduucted to spread the mission of love for the terminailly ill. These informational, one-hour tours

include stories of our service and do not include requests for donations.

Tours are normally scheduled the first and third Wednesday of each month. To obtain a listing of tours and to sign up, visit www. motherteresahouse.org or call 517.484.5494.

Pilgrimage: Aug. 17-28, 2017, St. John the Evangelist, Davison presents “Discovering Poland.” Join Father Andrew Czajkowski on a 12day trip to Warsaw, Black Madonna, Jasna Gora Monastery, Krakow, Auschwitz, Wroclaw, Torun, Gdansk and more. Masses will be offered.

Book by Feb. 17 and save $200 per person. Brochures are available at www.stjohndavison.org in the news module. For information, call the parish office at 810.653.2377.

JOIN FATHER ANDREW CZAJKOWSKI ON A 12DAY TRIP TO WARSAW, BLACK MADONNA, JASNA GORA MONASTERY, KRAKOW, AUSCHWITZ, WROCLAW, TORUN, GDANSK AND MORE.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SHIAWASSEE AND GENESEE COUNTIES, CCSGC.ORG/CONTACT-US or GENESEE 810.232.9950 or SHIAWASSEE 989.723.8239 Are you raising a relative’s child? The Kinship Caregivers Program offers individual support and workshop opportunities for grandparents or other family members who are raising a relative’s child. This program is free and available to residents of Genesee County. Kinship groups are meeting now. For information, contact CCSGC at 810.232.9950, ext. 377 or hgist@ccsgc.org.

Bring your gently used school uniforms to our Center for Hope Community Closet. Donations are welcome, Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OF WASHTENAW COUNTY, CSSWASHTENAW.ORG or 734.971.9781 Join us Oct. 2, 4-7:30 p.m., for Cooking for a Cause 2016 at The Valley at Frutig Farms, 7650 Scio Church Rd., Ann Arbor, as professional chefs from 10 local restaurants team up with community leaders to create delicious cuisine and compete for the coveted title “Top Chef Team.” Enjoy scrumptious food and cocktails, live auction and raffle - all for a great cause. $150 per person, with all proceeds benefitting programs and services of Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County. For more information or to RSVP, 734.926.0153 or csswashtenaw. org/2016cookingforacause.

Marriage preparation program: Two We C.A.R.E. classes for engaged couples, sponsored by CSSW and the family ministry program of Catholic Charities, will be held Oct. 7-8 and Nov. 11-12.

For information or to register, call 734.971.9781, ext. 421 or visit csswashtenaw.org.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY CATHOLIC CHARITIES, 517.545.5944, WWW.LIVINGSTONCATHOLICCHARITIES.ORG LCCC is hosting a free “Creating Confident Caregiver” series for six weeks by AAA1-B and the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Michigan Chapter for caregivers who are caring for persons with dementia-related illnesses. It will be at Be Our Guest Adult Day, 2020 E. Grand River, Ste. 103, Howell, 4-6 p.m., Thursdays, starting Oct. 6. To RSVP call Area Agency on Aging 1-B at 800.852.7795. On-site respite care for participants is provided for free. For information, call LCCC at 517.545.5944.

ST. VINCENT CATHOLIC CHARITIES, 517.323.4734, WWW.STVCC.ORG October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The second most common cancer for women, the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer can be difficult for the entire family. To assist the coping and healing process, St. Vincent Catholic Charities offers Seasons – Supporting Families through Serious Illness” support groups for all members of the family. To begin healing today, contact our counseling services at 517.323.4734, ext. 1700 to schedule an appointment.

To assist newly arrived refugee families, St. Vincent needs donations of new twin sheet sets, blankets, kitchen tables and chairs and both bath and hand towels. If you want to help, donations can be dropped off during the week at our office, 2800 W. Willow St. in Lansing, or call 517.323.4734, ext. 1050 to schedule a donation pick-up if larger items are involved.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR VICTIMIZED BY SOMEONE REPRESENTING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH Please believe in the possibility for hope and help and healing. We encourage you to come forward and speak out.

Every diocese in the United States now has a victim assistance coordinator who is available to obtain support for your needs, to help make a formal complaint of abuse to the diocese and to arrange a personal meeting with the bishop or his representative, if you desire. The victim assistance coordinator for the Diocese of Lansing is: Cheryl WilliamsHecksel – 1.888.308.6252 or cwilliamshecksel@ dioceseoflansing.org.

Oct. 27-30, the Catholic Bar Association is having an inaugural general assembly in Kansas City, Mo. All Catholic attorneys, judges and politicians are invited to attend. This is an opportunity to unite Catholic legal professionals into one organization, both nationally and internationally. To register, visit www.cbaconference.com.

To learn more, please contact Joshua McCaig at JMcCaig@ Polsinelli.com.

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YOUR COMMUNITY LOCAL NEWS

SISTER CAROL WEBER, OP, CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE

CATHOLICTV PRESIDENT FATHER ROBERT REED ORDAINED BISHOP IN BOSTON Several counties in the Diocese of Lansing are able to watch CatholicTV on cable and other devices. On Aug. 24, Father Robert P. Reed, president of the CatholicTV network and CEO of iCatholic Media, was ordained a bishop, along with Bishop Mark O’Connell, JCD. The Ordination Mass was celebrated at Boston’s Cathedral of the Holy Cross, with Cardinal Seán O’Malley as its principal consecrator, and was broadcast live on CatholicTV. There were approximately 1,500 people in attendance at the Mass.

In his homily, Cardinal O’Malley spoke about a bishop’s apostolic mission to serve the people, even to the point of martyrdom. He encouraged the newly ordained bishops to shepherd their flock, saying, “As bishops born in the Jubilee of Mercy, may you have a special love for the lost sheep, who was Jesus’ priority. And may your ministry allow many to glimpse the merciful face of the Father and the tender love of the Good Shepherd, Jesus of Nazareth.”

Bishop Reed has long embraced the use of Catholic media to spread the faith, and has directed CatholicTV since 2005. CatholicTV Monthly is published by Faith Catholic, the publishing company of the Diocese of Lansing.

Sister Carol Weber, OP, co-founder and co-director of St. Luke’s N.E.W. Life Center in Flint with Sister Judy Blake, CSJ, is marking her 50year Jubilee as an Adrian Dominican Sister this year.

A reception in her honor was held on Sunday, Aug. 21 at St. John Vianney Parish after the 11 a.m Mass.

Sister Carol holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Siena Heights College (now University) in Adrian in 1973, and a master’s of divinity from Saints Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Orchard Lake, in 1981.

After several years of teaching and parish ministry, Sister Carol and Sister Judy began doing street ministry in Flint, taking used clothing and meals to people in need.

According to Sister Carol, “The N.E.W. Life Center was founded in 2002, after seven years of street ministry in Flint. I realized the plight of women and children after a woman needed clothes for her unborn baby. We found her clothes. Forty-three other women then came to us. We received a challenge: ‘Go follow your dream.’”

Today, the center offers a literacy program, employment preparation, a life change program, and a sewing business that enables women to make a decent living while learning a useful skill. The N.E.W. Life Center now has programs for men as well, and serves more than 3,000 people a month with food and meals.

NEW PRINCIPAL AT LUMEN CHRISTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL

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Stephanie Kristovic is the new principal at Lumen Christi Catholic School beginning this academic year. Stephanie graduated from Lumen Christi in 2004 as the valedictorian of her class. She earned a BS in mathematics and statistics and a BA in English literature from Miami University, an MAT with a focus in special education, from National Louis University in Chicago, and a master’s in education administration from Dominican University.

Stephanie participated in the Teach for America program, where she was placed in an urban Chicago charter school, serving as a math teacher, school initiatives leader, math instructional leader, principal and math network specialist.

Stephanie said, “Growing up in Jackson, the Queen's and Lumen Christi community impacted my mission in life tremendously, igniting my passion for learning and education. I am honored and blessed to have the opportunity to return to the Jackson community with my family. I am thrilled to build upon the traditions of Lumen Christi and create a school and community that is an even greater asset to the students and families of the Jackson area.”

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Back row, from left to right, Carina Handal, Mayra Handal, and Maireen Handal and their father Nidal and mother Rima Handal from Bethlehem spent four weeks at St. Mary Catholic Church in Chelsea and loved every minute of it.

MOTHER RETURNS HOME TO SHARE EXPERIENCE WITH FAMILY Five years ago, Rima Handal, a teacher from Bethlehem, came to America with five students from the Catholic schools there as part of the Children’s Peace Program.

This past July, Rima, 50, wanted to have her family, her husband Nidal, 55, and daughters Maireen 20, Mayra 17 and Carina, 12, to share her special once-in-a-lifetime experience.

With the help of Canon William Turner of St. Mary Catholic Church in Chelsea, and the parishioners of St. Mary, Rima’s dream became a reality.

“Since 2011, we have become good friends with Father Turner,” says Rima. The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation, based out of Washington D.C., helped to bring Bethlehem students to Chelsea for four weeks during the summer of 2011.

“It is really an amazing place and we have met so many wonderful friendly people,” says Rima, adding that the family has enjoyed American cuisine like hamburgers, ice cream, doughnuts and deli meats.

“We love everything. We don’t have a McDonald’s back home,” says Maireen, who attends Bethlehem University while her sisters attend St. Joseph Girls High School, also in Bethlehem.

“We are so blessed to be here and have the opportunity to live as a family,” Rima adds.

“St. Mary Parish has been like a Guardian Angel for us.”

Each summer, Father Turner visits the Holy Land for a few weeks, and he notes it was very interesting to see and meet people who are descendants of the people who knew Jesus Christ during his time here on earth.

“This family now has the ability in our country to feel free, with no barriers, walls or checkpoints. They can come and go as they please,” says Father Turner, who adds that their younger daughter, Carina, asked where the checkpoints were while on on a four-hour car ride to Boyne Mountain.

“We have no checkpoints. There is freedom here, and that is an amazing thing for them,” says Father Turner.

Parishioners from St. Mary generously provided dinners for the family during their four-week stay. Parishioners also covered visits to sites in the area and to Cedar Point with the parish youth group.

The Handals returned to Bethlehem on July 19. – By Dan McAvoy

REQUIESCAT IN PACE Lawrence J. Voight, president of Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw, died unexpectedly on Aug. 18.

Larry became president of Catholic Social Services in 1997, and was known as a major community influence and collaborator. He received his master’s degree in social work from Wayne State University.

The agency grew significantly under his leadership. Larry strongly believed in providing the support that good programs needed to continue. He developed and supported innovative programming to those most at risk in our community, and especially was committed to those who had nowhere else to turn. Larry also had a special passion for educating the next generation of social workers, both locally and internationally.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES IN JACKSON MOVES TO NEW LOCATION Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties moved to the new Jackson location at 3425 Francis Street in August. Staffers from both the Joy Avenue and Mechanic St. facilities are now located there.

The phone numbers remain the same, which includes the main office line of 517.782.2251. Also, all services in Lenawee and Hillsdale counties will remain the same.

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“Never abandon prayer, even when it seems pointless to pray.” @Pontifex 18 August

In his Aug. 14 message to the pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis spoke of the need for “the fire of the Holy Spirit” to be active in our hearts if the Church is to fulfill its mission in the world. Without this zeal, the Church can become “cold or lukewarm.” He went on to say that the Church does not need “bureaucrats and managers, but passionate missionaries.” The pope quoted Jesus’ words from the Gospel of Luke when he said, “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (12:49) The courage the Holy Spirit kindles in us “is like a fire that helps us overcome walls and barriers,” and allows us to “offer hope to those we meet.”

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A SECOND VISIT TO ASSISI Pope Francis’ visit to Assisi in September will be his second pilgrimage to the town of his namesake in two months. At his private trip in August, he prayed at a small church within the St. Mary of Angels Basilica. Plans for the September visit include participating in a gathering of religious leaders and the closing of a World Day of Prayer for Peace.

Father Mauro Gambetti of the Assisi friary said that it always is “a great joy for the Franciscan family” to host the Pope.

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Pope Francis hears confession in St. Mary of Angels Basilica in Assisi.

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