November 2013

food for the table, food for the soul Randy and Debbie minister to the migrant worker community

Inside:

spiritual fitness: How can you really give thanks at Thanksgiving? / theology 101: The Beatitudes / in the know with Fr. Joe: What is the Anglican Rite and why can there be married priests? www.FAITHpub.com / November 2013 / $2.50

Remember this for life have an attitude of gratitude

St. Charles Borromeo

D

uring my years as pastor of the Catholic Community of St. Jude in DeWitt, Father Larry Delaney, the director of St. Francis Retreat Center and Bethany House, was my neighbor. Through the years, I’ve been able to attend a number of retreats or parish missions led by Father Larry. I always have found his leadership to be a wonderful blend of humor and faith-filled insight. He has plenty of jokes that can lighten the mood of any room and he also has a collection of well-used, if not memorable, one-liners. “Remember this for life!” is what Father Larry says when there is some important quote or idea he wants retreatants to take away. In speaking about reconciliation and healing, Father Larry often observes, “You can become bitter or you can become better.”

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During several retreats, I have heard Father Larry reflect that each of us is called to work on fostering an attitude of gratitude. I know this always has rung true for me.

When I was young, I remember Mom and Dad teaching me and my brother to recite our prayers at night. After praying the Lord’s Prayer, they encouraged us to name out loud the things for which we were thankful during the day just passed. It seemed like such a natural thing to do.

As we grow older, though, our adult selves can become jaded at times, forgetting the source of the blessings that we know. Those blessings include the beautiful created world in which we live and move, the ingenuity and creativity that enliven our minds, the skills that flow from our hands and the love that is in our hearts. Blessings also include the people who are a part of our lives – those who surround us with love and those who challenge us to grow because their perspective differs from our own. The simple fact that we can walk into a room, flip a switch and thereby have light is a blessing. That safe drinking water issues forth from the from the editor kitchen faucet is a blessing. The abunFather Dwight Ezop is editor of FAITH dance and variety of food that nourishes Magazine and pastor of St. John the Evangelist our bodies is a blessing. That we live in in Fenton. Email: editor@FAITHpub.com. a nation that allows us to worship as we choose, when we choose and where we choose, is a blessing. These are but a few that come easily to mind.

Our nation sets aside one day every year in November as our Thanksgiving Day. It is our national way of pausing and giving thanks. Given the many blessings we enjoy, I can’t help but wonder if one day of giving thanks is sufficient. With so much to be thankful for, I think Father Larry is right – we need to form an attitude of gratitude and nurture it daily. One simple way to do so is to take time every day to sit down with paper and pen and list a few of the blessings we have been aware of that day. Then, after listing those blessings, we can take time to prayerfully and wholeheartedly thank God for them, God who is the ultimate source of each and every gift and blessing we know and enjoy.

There is a thankful word in Greek that can sound a little odd to our English-speaking ears: eukaristo. It means “to give thanks.” In English, we say, “Eucharist.” Each time we gather for the celebration of the Eucharist, we give thanks to God for the blessings we know and share. We thank God for the gift of Jesus Christ, and Christ’s total self-gift to us on our behalf for our salvation. As we partake in the Eucharist, we pledge to live the gift that we receive, mindful that all we have is just that: a gift from God. And so, thankfully, our journey in FAITH continues.

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Stay the Course

FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Feast Day: Nov. 4

Creation is hard work. It often takes a sustained effort over a long period of time.

Patience and perseverance are absolutely critical.

St. Charles Borromeo (1538-1584) knew this truth all too well. After playing an important role during the Council of Trent, he was ordained a priest in 1563, and was consecrated bishop of Milan the same year. In 1564, he was formally appointed archbishop of Milan and made his official entry in 1565.

Milan had been without a resident bishop for 80 years. During this time, its 3,000 clergy and 800,000 people had grown lax and had drifted from Church teaching. Indulgences and Church positions were regularly sold, and the monasteries were described as full of disorder and debauched. St. Charles made it his mission to reform his diocese.

He established seminaries, colleges and communities for the education of candidates for the priesthood.

He founded a fraternity for secular priests who devoted themselves to the Church, and his work with the youth initiated the work of the Confraternity for Christian Doctrine and the first Sunday school classes. He increased systems to support the poor and needy, preached against an ever-encroaching Protestantism and called lapsed Catholics back to the Church.

However, he encountered a tremendous amount of resistance, even from religious orders. One order even conspired to kill him and shots were fired at him in the archbishop’s chapel.

Despite all this, St. Charles stayed the course and transformed Milan into a model see. Though he died at the age of 46, he is remembered as a prominent figure of the Catholic counterreformation, a patron of learning and the arts, and, most importantly a saint.

contents

November 2013 Volume 14: Issue 9

yourlife

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work life I don’t get the good assignments because I’m not young and pretty conflict resolution Do we have to put our dog down because it bit a neighbor’s child?

parenting journey Do grandparents have visitation rights?

your marriage matters She says: “We pay child support – that’s enough.”

He says: “I want to give my children whatever they need.”

What do they do?

culture European seeds, American harvest

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18 cover story

26 Special report:

Poverty in America Cynthia Vandecar MARKETING MANAGER The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing Most Reverend Earl Boyea PUBLISHER Rev. Dwight Ezop EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN www.FAITHpub.com

yourfaith

www.FAITHcatholic.com Patrick M. O’Brien PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Elizabeth Martin Solsburg DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING/ EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Patrick Dally ART DIRECTOR Michelle Hildebrandt WEBMASTER Jillane Job EDITORIAL ASSISTANT InnerWorkings PRINT MANAGEMENT

10 12 14

in the know with Father Joe What is the Anglican Rite and why can there be married priests?

spiritual fitness How can you really give thanks at Thanksgiving?

theology 101 A roadmap for our life in Christ – The Beatitudes

yourstories

19 m Wyhystory Liliane feeds the hungry in Adrian

story 24 f Seature ister Helen brings Christ

to ‘dead men walking’

Jim Berlucchi | Michelle Sessions DiFranco | Kevin Duffy | Doug Culp | Dcn. Tom and JoAnne Fogle | Bob Horning | Rev. Charles Irvin | Paul Jarzembowski | Rev. Joseph Krupp | Dr. Gelasia Marquez | Dr. Cathleen McGreal | Nancy Schertzing | Sister Ann Shields CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Derek Melot PROOFREADING Carlson Productions | Shane Folkertsma | Tom Gennara | James Luning (cover) | Don Quillan CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Bob Patten | Chris Sushynski CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS Most Rev. Carl F. Mengeling FOUNDING PUBLISHER Rev. Charles Irvin FOUNDING EDITOR For advertising information: Call 517.853.7600 For subscription information: Call 1.866.76.FAITH

FAITHTM (USPS 019993) is a publication of FAITH Catholic, Diocese of Lansing, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing, MI 48906-5550. FAITHTM is a membership publication of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing and is published monthly except for February and August. To purchase a subscription, log on to FAITHmag.com. If you have a change of address, please contact your parish. Periodicals postage paid in Lansing, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to FAITHTM, 1500 E. Saginaw St., Lansing MI 48906-5550. ©2013 FAITH Catholic. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Catholic.

Liturgical Calendar: Solemnity All Saints Nov. 1 | All Souls’ Day Nov. 2 | St. Charles Borromeo, bishop Nov. 4 | Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome Nov. 9

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yourlife I don’t get the good assignments because I’m not young and pretty

Q:

I feel as if one of my co-workers gets all the “plum” assignments. I am pretty sure it’s because she is a very attractive young woman, and I am a mid-30s guy. I don’t think this is fair; how do I address it?

melaniereyesphotography

a:

deeper into that hole with that approach. You can never prove your hunch. And guess who looks small-minded, impotent and sniveling in the trying? How could that possibly work to your advantage?

Nonetheless, your complaint may well be right and your aggravation understandable. Youth and good looks have their advantages.

And bosses can be fickle and unfair. So what to do?

In a good setting, let your boss know of your interest in certain types of assignments.

Don’t hide your enthusiasm. Cite specific examples and what skills you would bring to bear. Get a feel for how willing he/she is work life to accommodate. Then, see if they materialize. If not, a diploJim Berlucchi is the executive director of the matic reminder wouldn’t hurt.

Spitzer Center, whose You could even volunteer for an mission is to build cultures of evangelization anticipated future opportunity. (www.spitzercenter.org).

In the Spitzer Center programs, we teach about “The Comparison Game.” It’s natural to descend to a win, lose or draw perspective in the workplace. As a Christian professional, you’re better than that.

Your success ultimately depends on your competence and character. Focus on great performance and avoid the “Comparison Game.” It’s a distraction leading to the dead end of envy and low self-esteem. Instead, play the “Contributive Game.” Let the Lord give success to the work of your hands. (Psalm 90:17)

Let’s imagine a version of that conversation:

You: “Boss, I don’t mean to complain, but it seems that Donna gets a lot of the better assignments around here and I’m wondering …”

Boss: “You’re wondering what? Are you suggesting that I’m being partial to Donna?”

You: “Well not exactly. I just have this hunch that because she’s young and cute that …”

Boss: “So you have a hunch? Do you know all the factors that go into my decisions? Or maybe you think I just unfairly toss the best jobs to the young and the beautiful?”

You:“Oh no, no! I just kind of noticed she seems to get some plum assignments …”

Boss: “So please help me, what exactly are you saying … or, should I say, accusing me of?”

Good luck with your next answer. You’ve got nowhere to dig but Read more work life at:

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FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

St. Martin of Tours, bishop Nov. 11 | St. Josaphat, bishop and martyr Nov. 12 | St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin Nov. 13 | St

What’s important to you about being Catholic?

According to CARA, the Center for Applied Research on the Apostolate, U.S. Catholics identified the aspects of Catholicism that are most important to them as:

73

%

Jesus’

Helping the poor

Mary, mother of God

Sacraments

Prayer

67%

64%

resurrection

63%

46%

We asked our readers the same question, and they said:

44% 24% 32%

Jesus’ resurrection

Sacraments

Other

Want to make your voice heard? Follow FAITHpub on Facebook and take the survey.

Did you know?

That in the early Church, the liturgical year began on Dec. 25, the Nativity of our Lord. In the 900s, the first Sunday of Advent became the new start of the Church’s year.

What does that word mean?

Why do we call the prayer we say before Thanksgiving dinner (and other meals) ‘grace’?

The word comes from the Latin gratiae or ‘thanks.’ So remember to say grace before you pass the gravy!

t. Albert the Great, bishop and doctor of the Church Nov. 15 | St. Margaret of Scotland Nov. 16 | St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, virgin Nov. 18 | Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Nov. 21

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S. Kendrick

conflict resolution Dr. Gelasia Marquez is a psychologist and family counselor.

We are hosting a party for co-workers.

Do I have to go out of my way to accommodate a vegetarian co-worker?

Q:

a:

Vegans and vegetarians may differ in how strictly they adhere to their chosen restrictions. For example, lacto vegetarians eat non-meat animal products and honey, but no fish, chicken, meat or gelatin. Vegans avoid eggs, dairy products, honey, meat and gelatin. Scripture offers several vegetarian restrictions; Genesis 1:30 is one example. However, there are no proscriptions in Catholic teaching against eating meat, excepting times of abstinence in Lent.

You may consider having your vegetarian co-worker cook with you.

You may also consider ordering some food from a local vegetarian restaurant.

Make sure when ordering that your coworker’s dietary restrictions are met. Tell the restaurant your needs and they will steer you in the right direction.

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Q:

Our son and daughter-in-law recently got divorced. Our son has no visitation rights, but now we feel as if we never see our grandchildren.

Is there a way we can get grandparent visitation from our daughter-in-law without resorting to court?

a:

When Roots: The Saga of an American Family aired as a television miniseries, Americans were riveted to their seats as they followed the generational stories shared by Alex Haley. He expressed his feeling about his own four grandchildren in a vivid way, writing “Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.” His words capture the desire of a grandparent to make the lives of the grandchildren special.

Your question expresses the same longing.

Sprinkle stardust, not blame. Since your son has no visitation rights, it is likely that there were aspects of his behavior that the court system found challenging. These behaviors likely brought you pain, just as they did his wife and children. Make sure that your interactions with your daughter-in-law don’t focus on blame or other negative emotions. Try to adjust your lens so that you are able to see how her life has changed due to the divorce. Think of ways that you can “sprinkle stardust” to ease some of the stress the entire family system is experiencing.

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One of my coworkers informed me that, not only is she a vegetarian, it is unacceptable for her if her veggie burgers are cooked on a grill that has cooked meat, or with utensils that have touched meat. How far do I need to go to accommodate these requests?

Do grandparents have visitation rights?

parenting journey Dr. Cathleen McGreal is a psychology professor and certified spiritual director.

Offer instrumental assistance. If you figure out ways to help your daughter-in-law adjust to being a single parent, then the grandchildren benefit, too. For example, shopping with children can be a hectic, tiring task. If she emails you the list of groceries, could you shop and drop the purchases by her house? It will take some time to renegotiate your relationship with your daughter-in-law; remember that, despite the hurt of the divorce, you are on the same team when it comes to wanting the best for the children.

Consider court as a last resort. As your relationship with your daughter-in-law improves she may become open to more frequent interactions. If not, the law varies state by state regarding third-party visitation.

Pray for guidance and insight in this difficult time: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr Nov. 22 | Blessed Miguel Austin Pro, priest and martyr No

sHe says

He says “I want to give my children whatever they need.”

“We pay child support – that’s enough.”

Nicki says: Paul’s ex-wife gets generous child support from us, but doesn’t appear to use it to provide for the children. They show up with old clothes and worn-out shoes when they come for visitation. I don’t think we should spring for new winter coats and boots while they are with us – it’s costing a fortune.

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Paul says: I understand Nicki’s concerns, but these are my children, and I am not going to have them wandering in the snow with holes in their boots. Yes, the child support should be covering that, but I can’t control my ex. I want to give my kids whatever they need.

What do THEY do?

hildren deserve to have their basic needs met, and providing for them is our responsibility as parents and adults.

When a man and woman decide to marry and they bring children into the marriage from a previous relationship, often there are unanticipated dynamics within the blended family unit that need to be addressed. In a perfect world, Nicki, Paul and his former spouse would be cordial toward each other, communicate well and have the children’s best interests at heart. The reality, however, is often very different and the children get caught between warring parents. Children of divorced parents are often treated as pawns and bear the brunt of parents lashing out against each other.

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It would do Paul and Nicki’s relationship well if they are able In this case, it appears only Paul is bringing children into to share their innermost feelings and expectations with each this new union with Nicki. Consequently, it is up to Paul to other; describing and exploring each other’s wants and desires prepare Nicki by explaining what his responsibilities are to his for the children. We don’t believe either Nicki or Paul wants children. Not just what the courts may have ordered, but that the children to suffer, but want only the best for he still has responsibilities to his children in this them. However, Nicki needs to understand Paul’s new arrangement. Sharing feelings about “parent urgency and actions and Paul needs to understand responsibilities” is not a one-way street; in fact, Nicki’s frustration over this situation. Paul has a this is at least a three-way intersection – Paul, the responsibility not only toward his children but, to children’s biological mother and Nicki. All three Nicki as well. have a stake in the welfare of the children and all Paul’s prayer for wisdom in this delicate situthree will have a great impact on the health and your ation – “For the Lord gives Wisdom (Proverbs 2:6)” welfare of the children. The greatest gift all three (or more) adults can give the children is to be civil – will help him articulate his feelings in private to marriage toward each other, respect boundaries and keep Nick. He should not speak of this in front of the matters the welfare of the children paramount in their children. Young children do not have the maturity Deacon Tom communications. Children are not pawns – they to distinguish the nuances associated with feeland JoAnne Fogle help are human persons with dignity too! ings and should not be made to feel “they” are a prepare couples Even though Paul pays support to his children’s problem between parents and step-parents. Paul for marriage. mother, he is right in saying he cannot directly and Nicki, on the other hand, should rationally control how she uses the support she receives. discern what the best solution for this issue is in Regardless, no responsible parent likes to see children improprelation to their marriage and immediate family. erly dressed and poorly cared for. This situation, however, is We recommend Paul and Nicki come together in the privacy more about the communications between Paul and Nicki than of their home, hold hands and openly pray to the Holy Spirit, it is about the actions of the children’s biological mother, which asking God for wisdom and guidance. Praying in this manner neither can control. will bring the two of them comfort, understanding and peace.

ov. 23 | Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe Nov. 24 | St. Catherine of Alexandria, virgin and martyr Nov. 25 | Feast of St. Andrew, apostle Nov. 30

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Europeanseeds, Americanharvest

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European holiday, the part most cherished by children were St. Martin’s horsehanksgiving is one of the most purely and authentically shoe cakes or cookies. These little cookies American of holidays. Outside of the United States, it is resemble a horseshoe covered in snow, very seldom recognized. And yet, with its origins tracing to to remind us of the legend of Martin the the earliest of European settlers, there are elements of the soldier riding through the snow and helpThanksgiving harvest that stem from European customs that have been ing a poor beggar. The legend goes that Martin, riding on his white horse, came going strong since the Middle Ages. across a poor man unclothed in the frigid cold. Martin drew his sword and cut his cloak in two and gave half of it to the arguably be called the Thanksgiving Day The most notable link between the New cold, poor man. of the Middle Ages, with harvest World holiday of today and the customs So, as we prepare for the feast traditions that carried of ancient Europe relates to the feast of St. upcoming holiday that is on even after the ReformaMartin of Tours, held on Nov. 11.

Thanksgiving Day, let’s tion. So sustained were Martin, a Roman soldier, is renowned These little also give a nod to the these customs that the for a single, bold act of charity that landcookies resemble a man who planted the pilgrims would evened him a special place in the hearts and horseshoe covered in seed for the holiday tually take the roast minds of Europe’s faithful. For centuries, snow, to remind us of the in the first place. Let goose idea and run Europeans celebrated his feast day from legend of Martin the solus be inspired toward with it all the way to England and France to Germany and dier riding through the humility by the chariNew World, contribHungary. The custom was to attend Mass snow and helping a table act attributed and then devote the remainder of the day uting, in part, to the poor beggar. to him – an act that is to parades, games and a big feast, which customs of Thanksgivremembered through the includes drinking St. Martin’s Wine from ing Day here in America. centuries and memorialized the grape harvest and eating a traditional While eating goose and in the sweet and festive horseroast goose. drinking St. Martin’s Wine were shoe cookies.

St. Martin’s Day, or Martinmas, could the most popular manifestation of the

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culture Michelle DiFranco is a designer and the busy mom of two children.

Almond horseshoe cookies 2 sticks unsalted butter 2½ cups unbleached flour 1½ cups brown sugar ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 egg, beaten 1 cup almonds, lightly toasted and finely ground 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract ½ teaspoon almond extract ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting In a medium bowl, combine flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Stir

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FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

in beaten egg, vanilla extract and almond extract. Slowly stir in flour mixture. Knead the dough on a floured surface and then form into a

ball. Divide into two pieces and roll individually in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove dough from plastic wrap. Scoop tablespoons of dough and roll into balls.

Then roll balls into 3-4” long tubes onto a floured surface.

Place on a cookie sheet in the shape of a U. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden brown on edges. Transfer to a cooling rack and dust cookies with powdered sugar when cool. These are great with coffee or tea.

Photography by Shane Folkertsma

Read more culture at:

Follow FAITHpub on

9

yourfaith Q: What does a pirate drive when they get to port?

A: A Carrrrr!

What is the Anglican Rite and why can there be married priests?

Q:

Dear Father Joe: I hear there is a new Anglican rite, along with married priests. How does this work?

10

a:

You’ve got it right: there is a new Anglican rite in our Church that brings some married priests into our mix.

How this happens is a testament to our belief in the power and beauty of truth – and it’s great stuff.

We start in November 2009, when Pope Benedict gave us a document called

FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Anglicanorum Coetibus. This document explains how and why Pope Benedict established the Anglican rite and is the one that made it possible. In this answer, we will focus on the why much more than the how, as learning the “why” will teach us a lot about the Church.

So, we’ll skim Anglicanorum Coetibus right now, but I invite you to look it up and read it for yourself. It’s not too long, and my summary of it will miss a lot, simply because of space and time limitations (mostly in my head). Side note: In this document, Pope Benedict quotes Lumen Gentium a lot, which points us toward the importance of reading that document, as well.

So, with that, let’s get right to it!

In Anglicanorum Coetibus, (called an apostolic constitution), Pope Benedict begins by building on our teaching that Christian unity is a part of Jesus’ goal for us. When we look at the life and prayer of Jesus during his earthly life, we see his desire that his followers show the world our love and commitment for Christ through our unity. We are called to work together within the structure that Christ Illustration by Bob Patten

A n n u a l

e v a n g e l i z ati o n

a p p e a l

• Televised Outreach Mass • FAITH magazine in every home • National Evangelization • FAITHpub.com

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gave us through the Holy Spirit. We know following the truth? What kind of Catholics would we be if we didn’t believe that the infighting among different Christian the Catholic Church is what Jesus intended groups is a source of scandal to the world while he was on earth? We aren’t saying and a point of sorrow for our Savior. that, as a Church, all our actions have been The pope points out that we Cathoperfect and that everyone but us is going to lics believe that we are the Church God hell. We are stating our conviction that the intended. Our structure, governed by the Church is Jesus’ gift pope and the bishto us as the way he ops in communion intended for people with him is, in fact, to know him. not our structure nor our idea, but After Pope Benedict points to our the intent of the conviction that the Holy Spirit at work Church is the best in the world. in the know way to know, love Some people get with Father Joe and serve the truth, very upset at this: If you’d like to submit a question for Father Joe he also acknowlThey consider this Krupp to consider in a future column, please send it to: joeinblack@priest.com. Father Joe is edges that there are teaching a form of unable to personally answer questions. “many elements arrogance or spiriof sanctification of tual elitism. I will truth outside of her readily admit that there are those in the Church who take visible confines.” this belief to dark places, but I also want That said, truth is so powerful that we to point out that it doesn’t have to take us find ourselves longing for it. there. Of course, we believe we are right – A little bit is never enough for us – once it would be illogical to say we believed in we have even a bit of the truth, our souls something wrong. What kind of Church hunger for more. The elements of holiness and truth in institutions outside of would we be if we didn’t believe we were

the Church are the very elements that pull people toward it.

In Anglicanorum Coetibus, we read this line: “The Holy Spirit has moved groups of Anglicans to petition repeatedly and insistently to be received into full Catholic communion.” This is our cue that Pope Benedict saw the Holy Spirit at work in the desire of some of our Anglican brothers and sisters to become Catholic. He, as pope, felt compelled to respond to that desire and work to make it possible.

Once this was established, the Holy Father next sought what the law permitted, and acted accordingly. With that, we had the Church open the doors to this new (for us) reality of some of our priests being married.

Does this mean that the Church is changing its teaching on married priests?

In my opinion, no. However, we need to remember the Church’s teaching on priestly celibacy is a matter of practice, not of dogma.

What this means is that God can and will continue to surprise us and meet our needs in unexpected ways – and, for that, we always should give thanks!

Enjoy another day in God’s presence.

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Too many of us have come to a point where we think of ourselves as the source of our good – our talents, our money, our intelligence. That can be a fatal error and can lead to great misery. God is the source of all the good we have in life.

Read more spiritual fitness at:

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FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

How can you really give thanks at Thanksgiving?

O

Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

(Psalm 30:13)

We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks; we call on your name and recount your wondrous deeds. (Psalm 75:2)

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Are the thoughts reflected in these psalms common, rare or nonexistent in your everyday life? For example, do you express thoughts like these throughout your day whether at work or home?

spiritual fitness Sister Ann Shields is a renowned author and a member of the Servants of God’s Love.

Questions can be addressed to Sister Ann Shields, Renewal Ministries, 230 Collingwood, Suite 240, Ann Arbor, MI 48103

• Thank you, God, for your kindness to me today.

• Thank you for wisdom and insight.

• May you be praised, O God, for forgiving my sins.

• May you be praised and thanked, O God, for the blessings that have come to me today.

I want to encourage you to take some time this month to

evaluate your thoughts and your speech.

Our minds do not like a vacuum; if we are not thinking constructive or grateful thoughts, our minds (and hearts) will be filled most often with petitions and complaints, anxiety or anger, gossip and lies.

In regard to our petitions, of course, God wants us to bring our needs to him – every day – but if that is all we do, we have only completed the first part of our prayer. Do you remember the passage in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 17 where 10 lepers ask Jesus to heal them and he does.

However, only one returns to give him thanks. The rest go on their way rejoicing, ignoring (forgetting) the need to always render thanks to those who have done us a good service. They ignored the one who had restored them. How often we do that.

We pray for a good thing and, when we receive it, forget to render thanks to the source of all our good and to those who have helped us. As Christians, we need to handle this area of life better than we usually do – in relation to God and to others.

We have so much today; we take so much for granted. The more we have, it seems, the more we lose a sense of gratitude and actually develop an attitude of entitlement. It seems sometimes that gratitude has not only been dropped from our speech, but even more from our way of thinking. Too many of us have come to a point where we think of ourselves as the source of our good – our talents, our money, our intelligence. That can be a fatal error and can lead to great misery. God is

the source of all the good we have in life.

We need to restore this understanding to our way of thinking – and acting.

God has given us life. He has made possible the sacraments to gift and free and heal, to equip us to live our vocation as disciples of Christ. He has made possible the true hope of eternal life. He forgives our sins – always.

All of us have had struggles in life; yet we know that he hears all our prayers and answers them according to what will most lead us (and those we love) to heaven. Why do we so frequently fail to return to him with thanksgiving in our hearts? Has God been moved out of first place in our lives? Who is in first place? Are we guilty of idolatry?

Let us consider making a personal commitment to make thanksgiving prayers a daily part of our morning or evening prayer “He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me; to him who orders his way aright, I will show the salvation of God.” (Psalm 50:23)

Dinnertime tips for a thankful Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a marvelous way to keep all things in balance with truth as our foundation. Consider using some time around the Thanksgiving meal or in another part of the day to ask each person to name something for which they are particularly grateful this year and then have the host bring all that gratitude into a Thanksgiving prayer on behalf of the whole family. Such a tradition can help your children, grandchildren and one another to be a family marked by gratitude to God and to others.

Year of FAITH – Year of PRAYER

The Apostle Paul reminds us to “pray unceasingly.” (1 Thess 5:17) Certainly, we all have concerns we bring to God in prayer. But during our diocesan Year of Prayer, we invite everyone in the diocese to focus on a particular intention for an entire month.

Remember it in your private prayer. Ask the intercession of Mary and the saints when you participate in devotional prayer. Offer your daily labor or a day of fasting. Add an intercession to those you offer in your liturgical celebrations. Use these prayers to begin a parish meeting, class or the school day. Or simply take the time each day to recite the prayer, perhaps adding an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be.

NOVEMBER 2013 – for those in prison Father of Mercy, you alone are the just judge and the secrets of all hearts are known to you alone.

You sent your only Son to proclaim liberty to captives and release to prisoners; Follow FAITHpub on

and he promised salvation to the repentant thief.

Hear our prayers for those in prison.

Give them the grace of true repentance, give them patience and endurance, and give them the light of your hope in the midst of darkness.

Comfort the families whom they have left behind and may our communities be a source of reconciliation and hope. Amen.

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The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus’ preaching ... They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and resurrection.

The Sermon on the Mount: Oil on canvas by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834–1890)

A roadmap for our life in Christ – The Beatitudes

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s we now move into the “Third Pillar” of the Catechism, we will learn that the new dignity we discover in Christ calls us to lead a new life that is “worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”

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This new life is the life of communion with God, or beatitude. Because this is the end for which humanity was created, this pillar of the Catechism explores both beatitude and the ways of reaching it.

The Beatitudes, Part I “The Beatitudes are at the heart of Jesus’ preaching ... They express the vocation of the faithful associated with the glory of his Passion and resurrection; they shed light

FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

on the actions and attitudes characteristic of the Christian life; they are the paradoxical promises that sustain hope in the midst of tribulations; they proclaim the blessings and rewards already secured, however dimly, for Christ’s disciples ...”

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

In the Garden of Eden, we know our first parents succumbed to the suggestion of the serpent that there was somehow a lack in their relationship with God and that there was something they could do about it. Rather than being of the same mind, love and heart of God, our first parents chose to take matters into their own hands in order to “fill themselves” with what they lacked.

In order to restore the proper relationship with God, Jesus, who is Love,

Year of FAITH – Year of PRAYER

S. Olson

– a message that many of us would rather demonstrated to us through the witness of not hear. Like a baby, we must trust that his life the proper attitude we must adopt.

God will hear our cries and will understand In short, we must be like Jesus, “who, though he was in the form of God, did not their meaning. We must trust that God will regard equality with God something to be penetrate through the tears to the undergrasped. Rather he emptied himself, taklying need, i.e. reconciliation or removal ing the form of a slave, coming in human from all that seeks to separate us from God, likeness; and found human in appearance, whether we are aware of this or not. he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:6-8) Blessed are the meek, To re-enter communion with God then, for they shall inherit the earth. we, too, must turn from a disordered ego and its self-reliance to the attitude The word meek connotes patience, of Christ. One rich in the spirit of the mildness, gentleness, kindness and disindisordered self will forever be blinded to clination towards anger and resentment. the one true thing Meekness is both a it really lacks: natural outgrowth love. Instead, of poverty of spirit he or she will and an essential constantly grasp ingredient for for that which is poverty of spirit. beyond his or her Only one who has theology 101 reach, will seek to emptied himself or remake the world herself of the false Doug Culp is the CAO and secretary for in his image and ego can exercise pastoral life for the Diocese of Lexington, Ky. He holds an MA in theology from Catholic will demand that patience and kindTheological Union in Chicago. everyone else conness because these forms to her way of require a person viewing the world. The challenge for us to not put his or her own self with its today continues to be to empty ourselves demands as primary. of pride, of a false sense of own divinity.

Meekness, simply put, is a fruit of the Spirit and therefore only blossoms to the Blessed are those who mourn, extent that we participate in the life of the Spirit. To be meek then is to be like for they shall be comforted.

Christ, which is only possible when the mind of Christ wells up within us.

Words can manipulate. Words can be double-edged or have multiple meanings. – Quotes from the Catechism (1691-1729) unless otherwise noted.

Words also can be a source of great pride.

Our society values and praises those who are never at a loss for words. We are moved by talented writers and inspired by our great orators.

Which of the following is In contrast, all genuine tears and cries not a source of the morality are the recognition of limits; that we are of a human act? no longer in control. Tears come when words fail us. Tears are pure because they a. the conscience of the actor come from the depths of a person’s being b. the object chosen to express a need and desire that cannot c. the end or intention be expressed in words. The tears that d. the circumstances of the action originate from a deeply felt hurt, loss, affliction or need leave no doubt in the Answer: (a) the conscience of the hearer as to the existence of the pain or actor. The object, intention and cirneed. In this way, true tears hide nothing; cumstances make up the sources, they have no hidden agenda. or constitutive elements, of the Crying also affirms our dependence on morality of human acts. (CCC 1750) something or someone other than ourselves

Catechism Quiz

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A view from inside the Second Vatican Council Franz König (1905-2004) served as archbishop of Vienna from 1956 to 1985, and was elevated to cardinal in 1958. He was the last surviving cardinal elevated by Pope John XXIII and he was the second-oldest and longest-serving cardinal worldwide at the time of his death.

On combating the decline of Christian Churches: “The primary concern of the Christian churches, of every church, but particularly of the Catholic Church, in whose name, I speak, cannot first and foremost be its public image. Its primary concern must always be to pass on the Gospel message with its partly adaptable and partly unalterable standpoint. And so I am faced with the question: How do I fulfill my task of conveying my message in the world as it is today? It is not an easy task and requires – much more than it used to – honest cooperation between bishops, priests and laity. Here, too, it was the Second Vatican Council which repeatedly pointed to the necessity of such co-operation.

As Lumen Gentium 33 says, ‘Now, the laity are called in a special way to make the Church present and fruitful in those places and circumstances where only through them can it become the salt of the earth.’

“This means that it is not enough to discuss the word of God and comment on it. We must above all carry it out and bear witness to it by the way we live. The churches, the faithful in the churches, must be credible interpreters, witnesses of God’s love for mankind. That is the secret of a Mother Teresa or a Father Maximilian Kolbe, who changed the world around them. And so Christianity and its churches do not have to invent anything new. They must simply go on proclaiming the same Gospel, not so much with words, but through bearing loving witness to the way they live.”

– “ The pull of God in a Godless Age,” The Tablet, 9/18/1999

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In the fight against abortion, our role is to offer mercy

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omeone gave me a book on the history of 40 Days for Life, a pro-life movement.

The book is written by its two directors, David Bereit and Shawn Carney. Their purpose in being present at abortion clinics really struck me: “Our presence on the sidewalks is powerful in two critical ways – we are the last sign of hope for the mother and baby when they arrive, but also the first sign of mercy to the women as they leave.” Thus they offer an opportunity for conversion, but also “the opportunity to find the mercy of God at a time when they feel they’re beyond mercy.”

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FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Carlson Productions

To me, this says it all. Our role is to offer mercy. Now there is one important way which is not mentioned in their purpose statement: It is to offer real alternatives, to accompany women who feel so beset that there is no real choice for them. A good number of our folk are seriously engaged in pregnancy assistance programs and they dedicate a good amount of their time, energy, and resources to present a real-life choice, even if it is not always used. These sisters of ours need our loving support and compassion. So, too, do the children within.

This is another reason why we should be supporting programs that assist the poor, which help them to help themselves, which provide them with living wages for their work, which seek to reduce the level of poverty in our society. It is not my aim to advocate any particular methods to achieve these goals, but certainly there is enough creativity in our society to seek changes that will truly benefit those in need. Of course, any policy that is promoted or law that is passed must respect the human dignity of all and must strengthen the ever-weakening family structure. Healthy families help people rise up from poverty. Policies and laws to the contrary are to be opposed.

Then those who witness at the doors of abortuaries are able to look with love and mercy on our sisters who feel driven to such drastic measures. We do not condemn them. Rather, we pray that God, who clearly has had mercy on us, will shower his mercy on those engaged in this commerce and bring about a change of heart. We also express, by our presence and prayer, a deep love for this woman and for this child. Perhaps that child will be loved by no one else before he or she departs from this life. But that child will be loved by those present as they witness to God’s love.

from the bishop Bishop Earl Boyea is the fifth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing

Finally, mercy is the last gift those who pray on the sidewalks offer to the adults as they leave behind another life. We are not there to yell or scream or rant.

We are there to pray, to love and to beseech God for his loving mercy. For we know, from our own personal experience, that no one is beyond God’s mercy.

Rachel’s ministry had engaged me when I was living in Columbus, Ohio. What a grace-filled work that was to offer healing and forgiveness and welcome to adults who had been themselves so wounded by the death of their aborted children. They named their children and prayed to them. It is a powerful and moving experience.

Finally, we need to continue to teach in the public forum the immorality of recourse to abortion. As a prophetic voice, we can never let our society become complacent in accepting this evil. We seek changes of heart, conversions of souls. We also seek those societal changes that will give some less cause to seek such a drastic solution to their personal dilemmas. We ourselves must never be content simply to let abortion and abortion funding become a normal part of our lives. And, at the root of everything, we need to promote the sacred human dignity of all, at whatever state of life they are, for that is the ultimate foundation, based on God’s gift of life to each one of us, which will provide the solid grounds upon which will be built the full life of each of us, from the womb to our grave.

yourstories

learn more: For more information about Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Lansing, visit www.dioceseoflansing.org/ catholic_charities

Why Liliane feeds the hungry in Adrian

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iliane coordinates the food pantry at St. Mary Parish in Adrian. For 20 years, hungry clients have been able to visit the pantry and “shop” for enough food to feed their families for three meals. We asked Liliane to tell us why she spends so much of her time at the pantry.

“For me, it’s important to give back to the community. It is important to make the world a better place. We don’t want people to be hungry in the world. I’m putting my energy where it is needed.”

Read more at www.FAITHpub.com

By Mary Kay McPartlin | Photography by Tom Gennara

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ministers to the migrant worker community: Since 2007, Deacon Randy and Debbie Coffelt have enjoyed ministering to the migrant community of their home parish, St. Mary in Pinckney.

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FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

food for the table, food for the soul

Randy and Debbie minister to the migrant worker community

rocery produce sections glow with the colors and scents of fresh gifts of the earth. Strawberries, carrots, cilantro, peppers – colors and flavors that shine light and flavor into graying autumn days. Have you ever stopped to think about how these gifts arrive in our stores and on our tables?

Deacon Randy and Debbie Coffelt know thousands of the stories behind these gifts of the earth.

They are the stories of the people who harvest and help bring food to our stores and tables – migrant farm workers who come each May from warm-weather states to work the rich Michigan fields until October frosts pull a blanket over the growing season. Then, workers pack up their families and return to their warm-weather homes.

Since 2007, Randy and Debbie have enjoyed ministering to the migrant community of their home parish, St. Mary in Pinckney. Over these summers, they have watched families grow up and workers grow older. In the process, they have found their own beliefs and attitudes mature.

“I used to have kind of a hard edge on immigration,” Deacon Randy confesses. “I bought into some of the migrant stereotypes we have in our heads. But when you sit with someone and really learn about their life, it changes you. Now that I know their stories and what these workers go through – immigrant and citizen alike, I understand that we have to let dignified people come here to do dignified work.

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“The people we work with are not those stereotypes,” he says emphatically. “These folks are hard-working men, women and children who love their families, live joyfully and pay their taxes like everyone else. Their faith runs deep in their hearts and is central to their lives. You’d be hard pressed to find a more loving, hard-working group of people.”

Debbie nods: “These people are down-to-earth, dignified and spiritual, with an extremely high work ethic. They live modestly, but happily here in the housing that the farm provides. Randy and I have come to think of them as family.”

Next to her, Blanca Guillen touches Debbie’s hand and smiles.

She has come in early from the field to share in the supper and talk with Debbie and Randy. In her native Spanish, Blanca says, “The work is hard in the fields all day – rain or sun, hot or cold.

Sometimes, we work until we can’t feel our fingers. We pick cilantro or parsley, radishes and celery. Usually we are cutting down one patch and planting another until the growing season becomes too short for the crops to mature.

“But lots of families in my situation feel blessed. Our children start work here and learn what it takes to make a living. They understand that if they work hard, they can buy what they need. Our son paid for his first two years of college with his summer wages and our daughter hopes to go to college in Boston next year.”

Blanca’s husband, Jose, translates for Blanca and adds, “I am proud to be a migrant farm worker. I make a lot more working on oil refineries from our home in Texas, but every summer we come here as a family. If they were at home, our kids would be wandering the streets or lying around. It’s very difficult when they don’t have another way to earn money.

“Getting paid by the piece or crate, our children learn the value of hard work. Our kids know that if they hustle, they can do almost anything. They look forward to coming to Michigan so they can earn money for what they want – clothes, electronics, college tuition.”

Blanca nods: “Family always comes before money. The most beautiful thing as a mother is to get up and cook breakfast for them and to have a hot supper to share at the end of the day. We come back here every year to teach our children the values of life.”

Randy interjects: “Many of these families can’t get services from their home parishes because they are away from home half the year, so part of our ministry is sacramental preparation. We have worked with some of these families three summers to get their sons and daughters to first Communion. I remember one May when we made our first visit to the camp for the season, little Chico came running out of his house and jumped into my arms yelling, ‘You’re back!’

“Chico made his first Communion this summer, and his mother threw a huge party. She was so proud and so determined that he would be fully prepared! When he finally earned the privilege, she

the value of hard work: Jose and Blanca Guillen are proud to be migrant farm workers.

rented a moonwalk and made little decorations as party favors. It was a high point of the summer for many of us.

“Another high point is Mass with the bishop when he does confirmations here in the migrant community. We try to offer Mass every Sunday, if we can get a priest to come out, but the bishop’s Mass is really something special our friends look forward to every year.

“I really enjoy Wednesday evenings when we gather in the court-

There are

Did you

Know?

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There are

49,135 45,032 migrant farm workers in Michigan

FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

household members accompanying the farm workers

By Nancy Schertzing | Photography by Jim Luning

Follow FAITHpub on Randy and Debbie do here. We are able to have the sacraments for yard outside the family houses for a little supper and Bible study.”

Debbie laughs. “The little ones really love it when we bring our children and young adults. And the bishop comes here once pizza! The first time they were so excited, we let them go first. a year,” she adds, smiling.

Debbie tips her head, smiling But then there was nothing left along with Blanca. “It’s as much for the adults to eat! Now we Lots of families in my situation feel a blessing for us as it is for them. make sure the children take blessed. Our children start work here and These people are our friends. their turn along with the adults so we can all share,” she says. learn what it takes to make a living. They Heck, we’ll probably keep coming out here until we die. When Randy jumps in: “Sometimes understand that if they work hard they can you love what you do so much the single guys hang out with us that everyone benefits, that’s and start to develop a faith life, buy what they need. Our son paid for his too. Remember Lorenzo?” Ran- first two years of college with his summer how you know you’re doing s work!” dy asks his friends. “He was 24 wages and our daughter hopes to go to col- God’Laughing, years old and had, shall we say, these friends presome ‘adventures’ in his youth. lege in Boston next year.” pare to set the table as children He started hanging around with gather for the Wednesday night us Wednesday evenings and ended up joining the Church.” supper. People and food fresh from the fields glow with the beauty Blanca says, “Everyone comes here with hope and faith to make and bounty of God’s gifts of the Earth. A little food for thought for something out of the season. We are very content with the work your next trip to the grocery store.

68 of farm

The number of migrant and seasonal farm workers

%

workers in Michigan are migrant workers.

grew

7.3

percent

since 2006

The number of

farm workers

in Michigan

is not

enough to meet the

farming needs

For information about migrant ministry in the Diocese of Lansing, visit www.dioceseoflansing.org/diocesan_migrant_ministry

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CNS photo by Dianne Towalski, St. Cloud Visitor

Sister Helen brings Christ to ‘dead men walking’

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FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

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he calls it annunciation – the invitation from God to bring Christ into the world.

One of Sister Helen Prejean’s annunciations came as she meditated on the daily reading from Matthew 25: 36 – “I was in prison and you came to me.” Those simple words set her on a journey through Louisiana’s Death Row and launched her into the national spotlight as an activist, author and spiritual guide to inmates condemned to die.

CNS photo/Rick Musacchio, Tennessee Register

“I always thought God called us to be nice,” Sister Helen explains.

“We must be nice to our families, nice to our neighbors, even nice to those who do us harm. I was a young nun in the order of Sisters of St. Joseph teaching in New Orleans when someone invited me to become a prisoner pen pal. I thought it would be a nice thing to do, so I began exchanging letters with Patrick Sonnier on Death Row. “It seems silly now, but I was surprised at his humanness. All the media stories and details of death row inmates’ crimes made me expect a monster. Instead, I found myself exchanging letters with a man – a lonely man in great need. It was his humanness and his need that made me come to him.

“I remember my first visit, walking through endless hallways, hearing gates and doors clang shut behind me as we moved deeper into the prison. I was fighting back the urge to turn and run away when the guard finally opened that last door, and Patrick looked up in wonder. He said, ‘You came. Sister, you came.’

“That was the moment I realized God doesn’t just call us to be nice. God calls us to make annunciations incarnations – to bring Christ into our humanness. It was like a current from a lightning bolt and it set me on fire.

“All of us get annunciations from God all the time. They are invitations that most often we don’t acknowledge or recognize because we’re too busy or too scared. But invitations from God always match our desires. Whether we recognize it or not, each of us has a deep and sacred call to be in communion with God – a yearning for all loves and experiences of life to come together.

“Like a lightning bolt, it looks like it strikes from above. Yet if you talk to anyone who’s been near a lightning strike, they will tell you they could feel the electricity flowing around them an instant before the bolt struck. Scientists actually have pictures showing fingers of electricity reaching up from the ground to meet the bolt extending from the sky.

“I answered my annunciation by becoming Patrick’s spiritual advisor and accompanying him to his execution. I was often amazed by his inherent dignity and moved by his transformation as he faced death.

“I walked with him as, shackled, he shuffled down the hallway to the electric chair. Moving down that long corridor, he said, ‘Sister, pray that the Lord will put strength in my legs to carry me to the end.’ Of course, he made it. After I witnessed his execution, I walked out and threw up.

“I saw the suffering and I let myself feel it ... I saw the injustice

and was compelled to do something about it. I changed from being a nun who only prayed for the suffering world to a woman with my sleeves rolled up, living my prayer.

“I wrote Dead Man Walking about that journey with Patrick, and I have accompanied six convicted criminals to their deaths. Being with these human beings in the last hours of life, I saw courage, faith in God, remorse, sorrow. I’ve seen what turning your life over to God really is.

“As each was being killed, I told him to look at me. I wanted them to see a loving face when they died. I wanted my face to remind them that they, and every one of us, are worth more than our most terrible acts. I wanted them to know that God has a heart so wide, we can’t even imagine it!

“During his visit to St. Louis in 1999, Pope John Paul II grouped the death penalty with pro-life issues in the Catholic Church. He called us to be ‘unconditionally pro-life,’ saying ‘the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil.’

“I have learned about the evil these men did by talking with their victims’ families and with other victims in support groups I founded in New Orleans. I’ve learned just how alone many of them feel. The murder of their loved one is so horrible and their pain so great that most people stay away. In a way, they are also imprisoned. These victims also need people to visit, to listen and to care. Imprisoned or free, the best gift we ever give each other is our presence.

“My annunciation compels me to draw attention to these truths we try to avoid by literally and figuratively locking them away.

Execution is a secret ritual done behind prison walls, and I am a witness to it. I’ve got to tell the story.

“In my writings and speaking, I try to tell stories about the struggle for dignity, the SISTER isolation and the suffering that goes on in PREJEAN: Sister Helen speaks during our prisons behind locked doors. It took me until my mid-40s to realize that we all a press conference in Tennessee. need to be aware. As long as suffering is invisible, our capacity for empathy is low, but I see reason to hope.

“In 1996, 78 percent of Americans supported the death penalty and 80 percent of American Catholics supported it. In 2011, 64 percent of the US public supported the death penalty and just 59 percent of U.S. Catholics supported it. So we’re making progress.

“The American people are good people, just disconnected. Connecting them with the stories and reminding them of the value and dignity of each human life, I make my annunciation incarnate.”

To learn more about how you can help, visit the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty www.ncadp.org/ or the Catholic Mobilizing Network to End the Use of the Death Penalty at catholicsmobilizing.org/. See more of Sister Helen’s speeches and interviews at www.sisterhelen.org/.

On her website, you can also purchase copies of her books, Dead Man Walking and The Death of Innocents. Watch also for Sister Helen’s soon-to-be-released book, River of Fire, that chronicles her spiritual journey to Death Row.

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By Nancy Schertzing

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I

CNS photo/Gregory A. Shemitz

NUN CHATS WITH MAN OUTSIDE NEW YORK SOUP KITCHEN: Sister Mary Maloney, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, chats with "Brother" Guy Hargett after Hargett ate lunch at the CHIPS building in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Poverty in America

n September 2012, the U.S. Census Bureau released a report, “Income, Poverty and Health Coverage in the United States 2011.” To say the figures were troubling is an understatement. In 2011, the report indicated that a staggering 46.2 million people (15 percent of the U.S. population) lived in poverty (and every indication is that these numbers have continued to grow). The percentages were even higher for the following groups: children (21.9 percent), African Americans (27.6 percent), Hispanics (25.3 percent), the disabled (28.8 percent) and women (16.3 percent). Additionally, according to a July 28, 2013, report by Hope Yen of the Associated Press, 4 out of 5 U.S. adults struggle with joblessness and near-poverty for at least a portion of their lives.

How has this happened in the “land of prosperity”? How can such poverty exist side-by-side with such incredible wealth?

The Centre for Social Justice (based in England) has identified five pathways to poverty that transcend national boundaries: educational failure, economic dependency and unemployment, addiction, serious personal debt and family breakdown.

The social teaching of the Catholic Church has long highlighted the “preferential option for the poor.” In short, the Church has advocated that preference should be given to the poor and powerless since Jesus 26

FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

taught that each person will be asked on the Day of Judgment what he or she did to help the poor and needy. (Mt 25:31-46) In practice, this means that each person should show solidarity with, and compassion for, the poor through his or her words, prayers and actions.

One of the organized ways the Church responds to poverty is through Catholic Charities. Catholic Charities USA supports local, especially diocesan, Catholic Charities “as they provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people each year, regardless of religious, social or economic backgrounds.”

By Doug Culp

The response of Catholic Charities In response to the growing poverty crisis, Catholic Charities USA has launched the “Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America.” The program is a multi-year, multifaceted approach to alleviating poverty. The goals of the program are: To call upon the government to improve public policies that strengthen and support families.

To educate policy-makers and the public about the struggles of those living in poverty and the good work of those who serve them in local communities.

To engage those who are most impacted by government policies to be active participants in developing solutions to reducing poverty.

To work with individuals and organizations across the country to address poverty in our country.

The work of diocesan Catholic Charities across the nation also contribute to the mission of reducing poverty through adoption, housing, family-to-family partnering, pastoral counseling, outreach, student performance enhancement, healthy eating, financial counseling, job training and immigration service programs – just to name a few. For more information or to learn how you can help, visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/.

The Breakdown of the Family and poverty “The family is the original cell of social life … Authority, stability and a life of relationships within the family constitute the foundations for freedom, security and fraternity within society.” Catechism of the Catholic Church (2207) The Centre for Social Justice explains that stable, healthy families are at the heart of strong societies. “It is within the family environment that an individual’s physical, emotional and psychological development occurs. From our family, we should learn unconditional love, understand right from wrong and gain empathy, respect and self-regulation. These qualities enable us to engage positively at school, at work and in society. Yet, tragically, half of all children born today will experience family breakdown by the age of 16; this breakdown is particularly acute in the most disadvantaged communities.”

Other findings that affirm the relationship between the breakdown of the family and poverty include:

CNS photo/Jim West

• White, single-mother families in poverty stood at nearly 1.5 million in 2011, comparable to the number for blacks. Hispanic single-mother families in poverty trailed at 1.2 million.* • The share of children living in high-poverty neighborhoods – those with poverty rates of 30 percent or more – has increased to 1 in 10, putting them at higher risk of teenage pregnancy or dropping out of school.* • The poverty rate for children living with cohabiting parents is five times that of children with married parents. The poverty rate for children living with single mothers is seven times that of children with married parents.** • Children who grow up with only one of their biological parents are three times more likely to have a child out of wedlock, 2.5 times more likely to become teenage mothers and 1.4 times more likely to be out of school and unemployed.** • Children who grow up with one parent are twice as likely to drop out of high school than kids with both parents at home.**

VOLUNTEERS SREVE FOOD AT MICHIGAN SHELTER: Volunteers serve breakfast to the needy at a shelter in Mount Clemens, Mich., Jan. 17. U.S. poverty, joblessness and deficits have slowed down economic recovery.

* S ource: Hope Yen, Associated Press (7/28/2013) with analysis by Mark Rank being published by Oxford University Press. ** Source: Hunter Baker at American Reform Club tinyurl.com/ARC-poverty (12/29/2005)

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yourcommunity November café events: 8 p.m., Servants of Charity and Daughters of St. Mary of Providence Prayer Nights with Eucharistic adoration, “Clubbing with Jesus,” every third Saturday of the month. For information, visit www.dioceseoflansing.org/content/vocation-events

things to do: Nov. 2, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Holy Rosary Parish Scrapbooking Day, cost is $35, which includes snacks, beverages, lunch, dinner and dessert. To register, contact Kim at kimkall@comcast.net or 810.744.9228.

Attention single men and women mid30s-60s: Looking to meet new people?

Lansing Catholic Singles brings together friends for fellowship and fun in a faith-filled environment. For more information and a complete calendar of upcoming events, visit lansingcatholicsingles.com or call 517.321.7886.

Nov. 13, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Paul of the Cross Retreat Center, 23333 Schoolcraft in Detroit, will have Crossroads: The Midlife Journey. Come and explore the impact of life transitions on women in middle adulthood from physical, emotional and spiritual perspectives. Cost is $50. To register, call 313.535.9563. For information, contact Janene Ternes at 734.429.7754 or visit prayer-in-motion.com.

Nov. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Martha Catholic Church, 1100 W. Grand River, Okemos, in the parish hall, will have Holiday Heaven Arts and Crafts Collection, featuring a large variety of vendors with artisan items perfect for your holiday shopping season.

Please join us for a fun and a relaxing time with lunch and snacks available.

Nov. 8, 6 p.m., Nov. 23, 6 p.m., St. Thomas Diocese of Lansing’s come join us for a Aquinas Parish prime rib strolling School Faith and liturgies for the deaf: dinner, live auction Fundamentals • 9 a.m., Mass, St. Thomas the Apostle, and live Celtic Celebration at East Ann Arbor, the first three Sundays of music by the band Lansing Marriott at every month.

“Crossbow.” It’s University Place. The sure to be a great event includes silent Contact the following parishes for time at St. Peter and live auctions, information and their schedule: Parish in Eaton Ss. Joachim and Rapids. Tickets are Anne Service Award •H oly Redeemer, Burton, $20 each at the door. and Golf Ball Drop 810.743.3050 – ball closest to the •C atholic Community of St. Jude, Nov. 23, 9 a.m.-3 pin wins $5,000.

DeWitt, 517.669.8335 p.m., St. Gerard, To purchase balls, •S t. John the Evangelist, Fenton, 4437 W. Willow email Golfball@ 810.629.2251 Hwy., Lansing, will FaithFundamentals.

•S t. Gerard, Lansing, 517.323.2379 have its annual info. For more Fall Craft Show information or to in Father Weber purchase tickets, visit Hall, sponsored by the Women’s Guild www.FaithFundamentals.info and the Queen of Angels Circle. For more information, contact Sheri Robeson at Nov. 9, Dexter Knights of Columbus will 517.622.3021. host a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater at 8265 Dexter-Chelsea Rd. Social hour Nov. 24, after the 10 a.m. Mass, St. Mary is 6 p.m.-7 p.m. and dinner is 7 p.m.-9 Catholic Church in Flint is having its annual p.m. Only 150 tickets available, cost is Christmas Fair. You can purchase lunch, $50 each or a table for 8 for $360. All are raffles tickets and gifts at great prices. And welcome. Call 734.426.5558 or visit www.

Santa arrives at 1 p.m., with a gift for all dexterkofc.org. children present.

Nov. 6, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Holy Rosary Nov. 24, 5 p.m., St. Mary Cathedral, Parish Craft and Vendor Show, 5191 Lansing, is having a Solemn High Mass for Richfield Road in Flint. Admission $1. Table Blessed John XXIII, with music performed rentals still available. Email Kim at kimkall@ by the Assumption Grotto Choir, directed by comcast.net or call 810.744.9228.

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FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Catholic Charities Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and Genesee Counties, www.ccsgc.org or 810.232.9950 or 989.723.8239 Unplanned pregnancy? You don’t need to face this difficult time alone. Catholic Charities provides counseling, as well as adoption services. For more information, call 810.232.3418 or email givehope@ccsgc.org.

Join us in prayer the third Thursday of every month. All are welcome to celebrate the liturgy with us in the chapel of St. Michael Church, 609 E. Fifth Ave. in Flint, as we offer Mass at 8:45 a.m. for the prayer intentions of Catholic Charities’ clients and staff.

Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale counties, 517.782.2551 or www.catholiccharitiesjacksonhlenaweehillsdale.org Nov. 15, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and Nov. 16, 9 a.m.-noon. WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation class at Queen of the Miraculous Medal in Jackson. Registration is four weeks prior to the class St. Vincent Catholic Charities, www.stvcc.org or 517.323.4734, ext. 1700 Nov. 16 and 23, 9 a.m.-noon, a WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation class will be held at the Church of the Resurrection in the rectory basement on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Rumsey.

Register four weeks prior to the class.

Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County, www.csswashtenaw.org. or 734.971.9781 ext. 421 Nov. 8, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. and Nov. 9, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., WE C.A.R.E. marriage preparation class at St. Thomas the Apostle, 530 Elizabeth, Ann Arbor. For registration form and information, link is tinyurl.com/CSSW-1113 Father Perrone from Detroit. Please come and enjoy hearing the choir sing the rich and beautiful music of the Mass. The event is free.

All faiths and ages are welcome.

Lansing Catholic High School cordially

invites you to attend its Madrigal Dinner and enjoy an evening of medieval feasting and Christmas celebration Dec. 7, 6 p.m. and Dec. 8, 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and $35 per couple – includes dinner, music and entertainment. Proceeds will benefit the Music Department.

Reservations must be made by Nov. 26.

To order tickets, contact Colleen Murray at 517.267.2109 or colleenmurray@ lansingcatholic.org Dec. 7, noon-6:30 p.m. and Dec. 8, after all Masses, St. Paul, Owosso’s Altar Society Cookie/Bake Sale will have a large variety of homemade cookies and other goodies. Proceeds from the sale help provide all candles, hosts and other supplies needed at Mass.

Dec. 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Robert Bellarmine, Flushing, will have a Craft Bazaar on Saturday Dec. 7 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For information, contact the parish at 810.659.2501.

Toward Healing: Coping with the Death of Your Child, 7 p.m.-9 p.m. Mondays beginning Jan. 20, 2014, at St. James Catholic Church, 1010 S. Lansing St. in Mason. Ten-week grief support group for parents coping with the death of a child of any age. No church affiliation necessary; no new members after the second session.

Call or email Pat at 517.676-4232 or info@masonfirst.org; or Rose at 517.6765513 or stjamesros@gmail.com to register.

2013-2014 Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekends – Sign up for a Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend to make your good marriage great. Saginaw Center for Ministry, Nov. 8-10; St. James Parish, Mason, Jan. 24-26, 2014; and St. Mary Parish, Pinckney, Feb. 14-16, 2014.

For information or to register, contact Harry and Karen Porter at 888.628.7433, hrporterhouse@hotmail.com or visit www. wwme.org.

Natural family planning DVD – The introduction DVD is for engaged couples who want to learn more about natural family planning. It is available in English or Spanish. Cost $5. For information, contact the diocesan NFP Office at 517.342.2587 or email nfp@ dioceseoflansing.org.

At our retreat centers St. Francis Retreat Center, DeWitt, 866.669.8321 or stfrancis.ws Dec. 6-8, Married Couples Retreat – a time to spend with us, with each other and with God. Presenters: Father Larry Delaney, Jarl and Pat Nischan.

A friend of FAITH returns to the Lord

I

have only written to the readers of FAITH magazine a few times – when Bishop Povish died, when Bishop Mengeling retired and for FAITH’s 100th issue. I’m writing again to honor another giant, a man many of you may not know.

I first met Patrick Gribben about seven years ago. After introducing myself as the new CEO of FAITH, I got up the courage to ask Pat if he would give me some advice and a few minutes of his time. I knew his history as the CEO who took Delta Dental from eight employees to 800. At the time, FAITH had eight employees and we wanted to grow. Of course, he didn’t have to give me the time of day.

But he ended up changing my life.

We had lunch almost every month. He said when he was in my shoes, a 1910 version of himself had helped him. So he was happy to do the same for me. It would cost me, though. I had to buy his cup of soup! Lunch with Pat was my business school. He had a ton of great stories. I’d ask about what to do with a financial challenge or whether to take a risk. More than anyone, Pat provided me a safe place to explore ideas and learn. Years ago, he served as chairman of another company that our diocese owned, Liturgical Commission Publishings (LCP). When FAITH and LCP merged to become FAITH Catholic, he suggested we get a plan, which we did.

The plan worked. FAITH Catholic is now one of America’s largest and fastest-growing Catholic publishing companies. For every five Americans who receive a diocesan publication, one is receiving a magazine from FAITH Catholic. A third of U.S. parishes use our products. Our publications, websites and apps reach millions of people.

However, our success isn’t just about the growth of a company. It’s about our mission to connect people to Jesus and his Church. That success is due to many people – our board, staff and contributors. For whatever role I’ve played in this growth, I give credit to Patrick Gribben. Pat returned to the Lord Sept. 11. I will miss him. He was more than my mentor. He was my friend.

– Patrick O’Brien is the president and chief executive officer of FAITH Catholic

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St. Elizabeth celebrates Senior Day of Reflection St. Elizabeth, Tecumseh, hosted the Senior Day of Reflection for the Lenawee/Hillsdale Vicariate. Father Daniel Wheeler celebrated the Mass with area priests and deacons concelebrating with him.

Father Wheeler said, “God never intends for us to retire. We can do prayer ministry to the very end. You are the models for the next generation in your

passion for serving Jesus.”

He continued that God would not keep people on earth if he didn’t have a worthwhile ministry for them. Father Wheeler

Catholic Social Services awarded $10,000 grant

Prayer Vigil for Peace

Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County (CSSW) is pleased to announce a $10,000 grant from the Jim Harbaugh Foundation, which was established in 1994 to aid youth organizations in Southeast Michigan. These funds will be used to support two children’s programs of Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County: the Father Patrick Jackson House Program (FPJH) and the Washtenaw Child Advocacy Center (WCAC).

The Father Patrick Jackson House is a nondenominational residential program for pregnant and parenting adolescents and their children. Most FPJH residents are either homeless or estranged from their families. The program is committed to the health and well-being of teenage parents. The average age of a mother staying at FPJH is 16; the average age of their child is only 9 months. While living at the house, each resident must work to complete her high school diploma or GED, as well as participate in independent living skills educational sessions.

The WCAC is a child-focused program providing coordinated investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse cases at one site. In 2012 alone, 246 children, their siblings and care-givers received services – including crisis counseling and court advocacy To learn more about how you can make a donation, please contact 734.971.9781, ext. 313 or visit the agency website at csswashtenaw.org.

Pope Francis called for people around the world to pray for peace in Syria on Sept. 7. At St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing, Msgrs. Bernard Reilly, George Michalek and Steven Raica led those gathered in prayer and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

Mary, Queen of peace, pray for us, was repeated during the rosary and for the intercessions. Singing showed the solidarity with Let There be Peace on Earth and Make Me a Channel of your Peace. – Jan Hoffbauer

Lansing Catholic has 3 National Merit Semifinalists

Livingston County Catholic Charities recently held its semiannual training for volunteers who work in its care-giver program or Be Our Guest adult day care. Speakers from Vina and Gleaners enlightened the volunteers and staff about Vina’s dental services and Gleaner’s community garden.

Suzi Snyder, the director of senior services at LCCC, worked with volunteers and staff to simulate daily living activities with limitations and difficulties seniors encounter due to the aging process and medical issues. Examples included: attendees were asked to wear gloves to simulate decreased sensation in their fingers; to wear glasses to simulate diminished vision from cataracts and glaucoma; to use shoe inserts to simulate difficulty walking due to neuropathy or arthritis; and breathe through a straw to simulate breathing problems. Then attendees were asked to complete a series of tasks: to copy a number from the phone book; to pick a specific color pill from a pill box; to button a shirt; and to walk to the end of the room.

Three Lansing Catholic seniors, Stephanie Brown, Philip Harrison and Robert Maudrie, were named National Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The seniors were among a pool of 1.5 million juniors who entered the scholarship program by taking the preliminary SAT or National Scholarship qualifying test, both of which serve as an initial screening of program entrants.

As semifinalists, these three seniors are among students who represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, including the highest-scoring entrants in each state. They may continue in the competition to be among the 8,300 students who earn $32 million in scholarships for college.

Stephanie is the daughter of Jim and Wendy Brown of Lansing; Philip is the son of Jeremy and Laura Harrison of Okemos; and Robert is the son of Steve and Tracy Maudrie of Fowlerville.

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donated rosaries from the Shrine of the Infant Jesus of Prague and St. Elizabeth parishioners Lois Duhan and John Vestick were fortunate recipients. Annette Magda from St. Anthony, Hillsdale, won a lunch with the bishop. She said her mother previously had won the award.

Twenty-five volunteers from the parish and the Knights of Columbus provided a delicious lunch for those gathered. Father Paul Ruddy, 91, sacramental minster, was recognized for his long devout service to the diocese – Jan Hoffbauer

FAITH Magazine • November 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Livingston County Catholic Charities volunteer training

General Motors employees volunteer to build Peace Park at Catholic Charities The second week of September, Catholic Charities welcomed General Motors volunteers for the second annual TeamGM Cares Week. Volunteers battled the heat as they worked to build a Peace Park on Chippewa Street in downtown Flint.

The park will provide a gathering and resting place for people seeking services at Catholic Charities and other neighborhood agencies, as well as for local residents and passers-by. Just north of downtown, the park is sited next to the historic St. Michael School building, now Catholic Charities Center for Hope.

The park was funded in part through the Flint Area Association of Realtors’ “Lighter Quicker Cheaper Challenge,” which supports low-cost, high-impact projects that bring about community change.

“Every day I see people who are struggling to survive. People who feel defeated,” commented Vicky Schultz, president and CEO of Catholic Charities. “Here at Catholic Charities, we strive to provide a safe and welcoming atmosphere where people can come to find hope. I feel the Peace Park will add to the positive things going on here in our neighborhood and in the city of Flint.”

Poverty is not just economic

A

ll of us are aware of the various kinds of economic poverty that afflict so many – not only in our own country but in other parts of the world. But there are other kinds of poverty, and I want to talk about these here.

T. Gennara

It was once pointed out to me that we should see poverty as “the inability to access power.” Powerlessness is a form of poverty. Think of those poor souls who suffer under addictions without help and are held hostage by whatever addiction holds total control of them. To be sure, there are numerous recovery programs, but many addicts simply don’t want to be helped. They live in self-imposed powerlessness.

They are impoverished.

In our day there are many (and their number is increasing daily) who live in spiritual poverty.

They regard God as irrelevant, reject any and all forms of organized religion, and opt only for their own self-made and ultimately selfcentered religious expression. They end up condemning the beliefs of last word others and eventually find they have only themselves to worship. Isn’t that Father Charles Irvin is the exactly the description of Satan? It’s founding editor a devilish form of poverty. of FAITH Magazine and is This is why prayer isn’t simply retired something that is merely “nice.”

Prayer is vitally necessary in order for us to receive God’s power and allow it to work in our lives.

Prayer, you see, isn’t something we employ to change God’s mind. Prayer is the channel through which we receive God’s presence, power and love in our hearts and souls. Prayer allows us to access power, not just any power, but God’s power.

God’s power is there in each and every moment of every day in our lives. God does not want us to live in any form of poverty. Rich in love and mercy he wants us to receive, like the prodigal son, all that he offers us in our powerlessness.

That is why the first three of the famous Twelve Steps call us as follows: (1) We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable. (2) Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (3) Made a conscious decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him.

Could it be that the rich really are poor and the poor really are rich? Judge for yourself! In his second Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul declared: “for when I am weak, then I am strong.” Because of Jesus we need no longer live in the poverty of powerlessness. It’s all a matter of letting him in.

Catholic Charities golf outing Many of the 54 golfers and guests gathered to watch the hot air balloon after the Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties’ golf outing at Lakeland Hills Golf Course, Jackson. Tom Bergeon, St. James, Mason, was the pilot of the balloon.

It was used to drop numbered golf balls in a closest to the pin competition.Terry Karl won the top prize of a balloon flight, given

by RE/MAX. Ben Cipra, development director for Catholic Charities, Adrian, dropped the golf balls from the balloon. – Jan Hoffbauer

Marriage Encounter St. John, Davison, hosted a nonresidential Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend. Fifteen couples took part in the daytime event. Three couples and Father Tom Thompson, DeWitt, presented.

John and Julia Nelson are leaders for the Lansing, Saginaw and Gaylord Dioceses. Julia said, “The nonresidential weekend meets people’s needs more. They do not have to stay overnight.”

This is the 45th year for Marriage Encounter. Couples are encouraged to join a group after the weekend. The Flint Sharing Group prepared everything for the weekend. Presenters were Tony and Many Schwerin from St. John, Davison, and two other couples from outside of the diocese. – Jan Hoffbauer

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notes:

JAMBOREE 2013

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