December 2013

saved from abortion Jesse and Joseph find a home after their birth mother changes her mind

INSIDE: A look at the first major document of Vatican II: Sacrosanctum Concilium

AND The centennial anniversary of St. Mary Cathedral

A warm welcome for Christ A warm welcome for us

D

uring these weeks of Advent and the days of Christmas that follow, we will be speaking and hearing a familiar word over and over: “Welcome!” During these festive times, we will be opening our homes to receive family members, friends, co-workers and strangers as our guests for gatherings and parties. Whenever we receive guests and visitors, we open the door, we greet them and welcome them into our homes, our places of business, all the places where life takes us. During these holy times, we will welcome guests with excitement – perhaps it’s been some time since we last saw them. There will be hugs and handshakes, kisses and pats on the back. As we invite our guests in, we encourage them to rest a while. We likely will offer refreshments and snacks. Perhaps a meal will be shared. As all this is taking place, stories are shared – stories of life and love. These are all actions that speak of welcome.

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Even when the situation is reversed, and we are the visitor or guest, the same actions will likely be repeated: words of welcome will be spoken; greetings of friendship and affection will be shared; there will be encouragement to enter into a home, to enter into a life; stories and memories will be recalled and savored; there will be refreshments and perhaps even a meal.

These are all actions that speak of being welcomed.

As we prepare for the great feast of Christmas, we will gather and rejoice as we welcome the Christ Child in many of the same ways. We are hopeful that there from the editor will be warm greetings at the doors of the church and we will be made to feel Father Dwight Ezop is editor of FAITH Magazine and pastor of St. John the Evangelist welcome in our parish home during one in Fenton. Email: editor@FAITHpub.com. of the busiest and most beautiful times of the year. That sense of welcome should be especially evident as we make room for those who are not a regular part of our parish communities – those whom we may see only at Christmas or Easter. To me, it makes no sense to grumble or to become frustrated when the church might be standing room only and the parking lot is filled and overflowing. Perhaps warmer welcomes might make this happen on a more frequent basis, for it is in the act of offering warm welcome that we can be the face of Christ to a sister or brother who may feel separated or distant from the community of the Church at other times of the year.

As we welcome one another and the Christ Child at Christmas, we might easily overlook another welcome that is taking place: Christ welcomes us! He welcomes us to enter into his life more deeply – a life of simplicity, vulnerability, peace and heavenly joy. He welcomes us into his kingdom, where our struggles, questions and even doubts can find meaning, answers and quiet assurance. As Christ welcomes us into his kingdom, he encourages us to join with him in the struggle for peace, to work with him for justice, to partner with him to put an end to violence and banish war. In the quiet Christmas greeting of humanity by divinity, we find healing, strength, mercy and forgiveness – virtual impossibilities if we do not permit the Christ Child to greet us, to welcome us, to guide us into a holy encounter between God and the human race. Welcome!

And so, our journey in FAITH continues.

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Be Courageous St. Lucy Feast Day: Dec. 13

The moral virtue of courage, or fortitude, enables us to stand firm in times of difficulty and to persevere in doing good. It is that virtue which allows us to resist temptations, overcome obstacles and conquer fear.

St. Lucy (283-304) shows us what this virtue looks like. Legend provides us with an account of her courage in defense of the faith. She had vowed to live a life of service committed to Christ. However, her mother had other plans and arranged for St. Lucy to marry a pagan. Although St. Lucy convinced her mother to relent – after praying for the cure of her mother’s long illness at the tomb of St. Agatha, which was miraculously granted – her problems with the bridegroom were just beginning.

According to the story, the rejected bridegroom, acting out of anger, reported that Lucy was a Christian (a crime during the Diocletian persecution) to the governor of Syracuse, Sicily. The governor ordered her to sacrifice to the emperor’s image.

When she refused, she was sentenced to be defiled in a brothel. When the guards came to get her, she was stiff and heavy as a mountain and could not be moved. A dagger was then plunged through her throat and she was finally killed.

St. Lucy’s life and death witness to us the importance of developing the virtue of courage. On the path to holiness, we see once again that what is impossible for humanity is only possible with God.

Liturgical Calendar: First Sunday of Advent Dec. 1 | St. Francis Xavier, priest Dec. 3 | St. John Damascene, priest and doctor of

contents

December 2013

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yourlife

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work life Does my right to free speech end at my workplace? parenting journey I feel cheap when my sister overspends.

conflict resolution Can men and women be just friends?

your marriage matters She says: “Our daughter needs to learn what it means to be a parent on her own.” He says: “We should do whatever we can to help raise our grandchild.”

What do they do?

culture Hecho en México

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CNS photo/Erik De Castro, Reuters

Cover story

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Cathedral Anniversary: 100 years of prayer in this house of God

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Special report: Typhoon Haiyan

Rev. Dwight Ezop EDITOR AND CHAIRMAN

in the know with Father Joe 10 Why should we pray to saints?

Shouldn’t we go directly to God?

fitness 12 s Ifpiritual you don’t pray every day, start this Advent.

101 14 t Aheology roadmap for our life in Christ The Beatitudes, part II.

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profile of an evangelist

Parents the second time around.

my story From Anglican priest to Catholic priest.

Diocese of Lansing Archive Photo

Most Reverend Earl Boyea PUBLISHER

yourfaith

yourstories

Ann Jacob MANAGING EDITOR The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing Volume 14: Issue 10 www.FAITHpub.com

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

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Bob Patten CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR 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.

f the Church Dec. 4 | St. Nicholas, bishop Dec. 6 | St. Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the Church Dec. 7 | Second Sunday of Advent Dec. 8 | Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Dec. 9

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yourlife Does my right to free speech

end at my workplace?

Q:

Our employer has told us that we are not to voice our political opinions at work – no literature on our desks, no bumper stickers on our cars in the parking lot! I feel as if my right to free speech is being abrogated – can they get away with this?

a:

melaniereyesphotography

No bumper stickers? Seriously?

There are fine lines to be drawn in workplace expression, but this approach, if not illegal, is certainly extreme. I would first try to understand your employer’s rationale. Is he just paranoid about politics? Is this prompted by some horrible past incident? Is your work environment politically polarized?

Politics is, by nature, polarizing. It’s about the body politic, or the polis – how we, as social beings organize our lives together under shared values. Like the subject of religion, it deals with the higher things, about which people disagree, and brings passion, because these things matter greatly.

The workplace should be focused on the common mission of the enterprise. work life That’s why the subjects of religion and politics are better Jim Berlucchi is the executive director of the not explored or debated there.

Spitzer Center, whose Unless there is unanimity of mission is to build cultures of evangelization political viewpoint, discussion (www.spitzercenter.org). will more often stir dissension and hard feelings. Employers don’t want that dynamic. And neither do most employees.

They’re savvy enough to be discreet and politic (pun intended).

No literature on desks is not altogether unreasonable. It’s at least inappropriate and distracting for the work setting.

But bumper stickers? Who’s out there monitoring? And how do they affect performance and teamwork? Admittedly, they could impact an employee’s favor with the higher ups and promotion potential. So it’s prudent to be aware of that unfortunate reality.

Maybe the employees can object by proposing equally bizarre alternatives, like having designated parking areas by politics.

But first, seek to understand. “The purposes of a man’s mind is like deep water, but one with understanding will draw it out.”

(Proverbs 20:5) The explanation would at least give you a basis from which to argue for a better approach for the same end.

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com St. Damasus I, pope Dec. 11 | Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 12 | St. Lucy, virgin and martyr Dec. 13 | St. John of the Cross, priest a

how do you celebrate?

CNS photo/Mike Crupi, Catholic Courier

It’s Christmas We asked our Facebook followers: “What do you do to make Christmas special?” Here are some of the ways they keep Christ at the center of their celebrations:

“The Lego Church Project display at St. Helen’s parish in Saginaw. For over a decade I’ve brought my annual project as part of their Christmas decoration. It’s become such an important part of the community here that people ask about it every year when I’m bringing the next season over.”

“Midnight Mass”

“We light a blessed candle on Christmas Eve and keep it burning all night – a light to welcome the Christ Child.”

“Only three gifts just like Jesus received three gifts.”

“Decorating the house on Christmas Eve (the Advent wreath is replaced by the tree which is blessed). Decorations remain until the Solemnity of the Baptism of Our Lord.”

Did you know?

St. Francis is popularly credited with the first crèche, or nativity scene.

After returning from a trip to the Holy Land, where he visited Bethlehem, Francis staged a living scene of the birth of Jesus. Traditional crèches usually contain figures of the holy family, the Magi, shepherds and farm animals.

95% 51% of Americans celebrate Christmas

of Americans who celebrate Christmas describe it as ‘strongly religious.’

©iStockphoto.com/kimikodate

KRIS KRINGLE – What does that word mean?

In the Christmas classic, Miracle on 34th Street, Santa Claus goes by the name, Kris Kringle. Where did he get that name? It’s an American mispronunciation of the German Christkindlein, or Christ Child. In Germany, the Christkind is the bringer of gifts at Christmas. He usually is portrayed as a sprite-like child.

Wikipedia / Square87

Source: Gallup 2010

Are you making any New Year’s resolutions?

We want to hear about them – find a survey link on our Facebook page facebook.com/FAITHmag.

and doctor of the Church Dec. 14 | Third Sunday of Advent Dec. 15 | St. Peter Canisius, priest and doctor of the Church Dec. 21 | Fourth Sunday of Advent Dec. 22 | St. John of Kanty, priest Dec. 23

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©iStockphoto.com/omgimages

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a present that fits their developmental levels and their interests. Is her motivation to bring joy? You don’t need to spend an equivalent amount on her children to express your love. Instead, focus on the unique interests and abilities of your nieces and nephews. Is there a gift that would be a good fit? You may not spend as much money as your sister, but your love can be expressed in just as powerful a way.

Tailor your gifts in a creative way. Is parenting your niece completjourney ing sacramental preparation for Dr. Cathleen McGreal is first Communion? a psychology Give a gift of your professor and certified spiritual time, along with the director. materials from a craft store to decorate a cross for her room. Or check out the Web for ideas from FAITH magazine’s Michelle DiFranco. For example, after pointing out that holy water fonts for the home can be quite expensive, she provides detailed instructions on how to make one at tinyurl.com/culture-HWFont “Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) Celebrate the joy of our Savior’s birth by allowing your sister to be a cheerful giver and, in turn, giving your own love to her family.

I feel cheap when my sister overspends

Q:

My sister spends too much on Christmas gifts for my kids – way more than I can afford to spend on hers. My kids love her gifts, but I feel cheap.

a:

It is challenge to find Christmas presents for one of our close family friends because he has the means to make those purchases that are important to him. One year, I noticed that he had to shuffle through many keys to unlock his door. A trip to the hardware store led us to the perfect present – plastic key covers

in various colors. The cost was under $5, but, to our surprise, he said that it was one of his favorite gifts! Perhaps there is a way to reframe your own expectations toward holiday giving so that you don’t feel cheap.

What is the motivation behind your gift exchange? In economic exchanges, we look for equity. Is the house I want to buy worth the amount that the seller is asking? Will this washing machine last longer, thereby justifying its higher price?

But the celebration of exchanging gifts goes beyond this concept of an even exchange. What is your sister trying to express through these gifts? Since your children love the presents, it is likely that she knows them well enough to find

Q:

Can men and women just be friends? Or was Billy Crystal right in When Harry met Sally when he says that it’s not possible without romantic feelings getting in the way?

a:

Psychologist Linda Sapadin wrote about this topic: “The belief that men and women can’t be friends comes from another era in which women were at home and men were in the workplace, and the only way they could get together was for romance. Now they work together and share sports interests and socialize together.”

A valued friendship can be summarized in these terms: the

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

tendency to desire what is best for the other; being honest even in situations where it may be difficult for others to conflict resolution speak the truth; the ability to go to each Dr. Gelasia Marquez is a psychologist and family counselor. other for emotional support; and, more important, the ability to be yourself, express your feelings and make mistakes without fear of judgment. “A friend loves at all times ...” (Proverbs 17:17a).

What is the difference between a romantic relationship and a friendship? While a valued friendship must be an important component of a loving relationship, a loving relationship also consists of a profoundly tender, passionate affection between two persons.

S. Kendrick

Can men and women be just friends?

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The Nativity of the Lord Dec. 25 | Feast of St. Stephen, first martyr Dec. 26 | Feast of St. Joh

sHe says

He says “We should do whatever we can to help raise our grandchild.”

Sherry says: Our daughter, who is 19, got pregnant with her boyfriend. They have no intention of marrying, so I want her to give the baby up for adoption, or figure out how to be a parent on her own, not saddle us with a baby to raise.

Evan wants us, and that means me, to “help” with the baby.

Evan says: : I know Sherry is upset with our daughter, but I don’t see why we can’t help take care of our new grandbaby, regardless of her birth circumstances.

Our daughter is still in school, and Sherry is retired, so she should be the perfect day care. I don’t get why she is being so unloving.

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©iStockphoto.com/art-4-art

“Our daughter needs to learn what it means to be a parent on her own.”

What do THEY do?

e are wondering if Evan would be willing to give up his retirement and become a “perfect day care” if he was the one retired, instead of Sherry. There are several opportunities facing Evan and Sherry, their daughter and the boyfriend in this situation.

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Evan and Sherry would be doing their relationship harm by making unilateral decisions. We are reminded of our Christian conduct noted in 1 Peter 3:8, which says, “Be of one mind, sympathetic, loving toward one another, compassionate, humble.” This is a situation that requires calm when sharing feelings with each other.

We are aware of several families who have faced this situation.

There is not a single answer, as each situation is unique. We The daughter and her boyfriend have the primary responsiknow of several grandparents who have taken on the “parent” bility to determine how their baby will be raised. The soonrole in rearing their grandchildren. Those who have done so sucto-be-grandparents may have input when asked, but they are cessfully have a common trait; they have discussed it thoroughly not the ultimate decision-makers and should not automatically between themselves first, before committing to a plan of action. assume the principal role of child-rearing. We unOften what appears to be workable to one spouse is derstand grandparents’ need to become involved in not acceptable to the other spouse. Jointly, and with the health and welfare of their grandchildren, but mutual agreement, the boundaries of their assistance not necessarily to become the primary care-givers. can be established. Keep in mind the agreement will A more appropriate role for Sherry and Evan is need to be revisited often, as all parents know how to become an advocate and assistance provider to fast daily life scenarios can change. their daughter and her boyfriend. Encourage them As Evan and Sherry begin having a dialogue to accept their new parent status and offer to help your about all the “what ifs” of a possible second round them get established in setting up their new family of child-rearing, it would do them well to share marriage unit. Pregnancy of a teen who is still in school does insights on how they could become more creative matters not automatically render the new grandparentsin maintaining their own relationship. Couple time Deacon Tom to-be the primary role of rearing the baby. There would not be the same. Free time may not seem and JoAnne are many questions to ask of the new mother and Fogle help free. Your feelings honestly shared with each other prepare couples father (married or not) concerning their role as about this event will bring your relationship to for marriage. new parents, and Evan and Sherry together can new heights and deeper love. help guide those discussions.

Having a new grandbaby is a blessing from God Of primary concern is the effect this new situation has on and should be viewed in that light; viewed in love and not adverEvan and Sherry’s marriage. Rightly so, the focus is extersity, viewed as gift and not as a burden, viewed as a new family nal (the daughter, the boyfriend and the new baby) but the unit and not as a broken relationship. Whatever their daughter parents’ relationship (Evan and Sherry) cannot be neglected. decides – to adopt or to raise her baby herself – we need to praise Without coming to a mutual understanding and direction, God for the decision to welcome new life into the world.

hn, apostle and evangelist Dec. 27 | Feast of The Holy Innocents, martyrs Dec. 28 | The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph Dec. 29 | St. Sylvester I, pope Dec. 31

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Hecho en

México Celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe with this delicious Mexican chocolate cake

Read more culture at:

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Photography by Shane Folkertsma

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here are three Mexican imports that I love: the cuisine, Our Lady of Guadalupe and chocolate. And December is that time of year for the Mexican people when all three are featured together rather nicely a couple of weeks before Christmas.

Mexican chocolate cake Cake:

• 4 squares (4 ounces) unsweetened baker’s chocolate • ½ cup (or one stick) softened butter • 1 cup hot water • 2 cups flour • 2 cups cane sugar (or white) • ¼ teaspoon salt • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon • pinch of Cayenne pepper (optional) • ¹/3 cup buttermilk • 2 eggs, beaten • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing:

• 1 package (or 1 pound) confectioner’s sugar • 2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened bakers chocolate • ¼ cup softened butter • 8-10 tablespoons milk • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon • Sliced strawberries for garnish

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(dear to my heart and stomach) Mexican food. And all of it is centered upon the one woman to whom they have a special devotion, Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the patron of the Americas.

And now, for the third element of my favorite Mexican-import trio: chocolate.

The Central American climate is wonderful for culture growing cocoa.

Michelle The product DiFranco is a designer and the manifests in a lot busy mom of of ways in the lotwo children. cal cultures, especially in the many wonderful drinks and desserts. Here is one that is, in a word, delicious. It honors Our Lady, it’s authentically Mexican and did I mention it contains chocolate? Enjoy!

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bishop. When Juan removed the roses to On a December night in 1531, on Tegive to the bishop, a miraculous image peyac Hill, just outside of Mexico City, a of the Virgin was permanently left on poor Aztec, Juan Diego, heard a woman’s the tilma. The bishop fell to his knees voice calling him from that hill. He and a church was built on the climbed it to see who it was. spot of the apparition.

The woman stated to Juan And, just as Our Lady that she was the Virgin foretold, more than 8 Mary, and she told Today, millions million converted to him to ask the bishof believers from all Catholicism under op of Mexico City over the country travel by the influence of the to build a church foot to visit that image of Our miraculous image. on the hill so that Lady at the Basilica de GuadaToday, millions millions would lupe in early December. And, of believers from turn to Christ. on her feast day, which is all over the coun Well, the bishop Dec. 12, the partying try travel by foot to wasn’t buying Juan’s begins. visit that image of Our story. He wanted a Lady at the Basilica de sign from Our Lady, Guadalupe in early Deso Juan returned to the cember. And, on her feast day, hill, and, miraculously in the which is Dec. 12, the partying begins. middle of winter, roses appeared. Juan gathered them and placed them in his With processions and fiestas, the faithful enjoy plenty of music, dancing and cloak, or tilma, and then returned to the

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.

Set aside. In a medium saucepan on high heat, melt the butter and chocolate in the water. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat. Slowly add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and mix well with an electric mixer. Stir in the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Pour into a greased 13”x9” pan (or two 8” pans for two smaller cakes) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until fork comes out clean.

Cool for 15-20 minutes before adding the icing.

For the icing, melt ¼ cup butter and 2 squares of chocolate in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and add ¾ of the box of powdered sugar, 8 tablespoons milk, vanilla and cinnamon.

Beat well. You may have to add more confectioner’s sugar or 1 or 2 additional tablespoons of milk, so the icing easily pours over the cake.

Pour the icing over the cake and garnish with sliced strawberries.

for this and other recipes

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yourfaith T. Gennara

in the know with Father Joe

Q: Why did the computer go to the doctor?

If you’d like to submit a question for Father Joe Krupp to consider in a future column, please send it to: joeinblack@priest.com. Father Joe is unable to personally answer questions.

A: Because it had a virus!

me? Why not just go to God? Doesn’t that violate the idea of going directly to God? Not at all. We ask each other to pray for so many reasons, but let’s start with the most important reason: We ask people to pray for us because Scripture requires it. Let’s look at I Timothy 2:1-6: First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.

This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and the human race, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as ransom for all.

Why should we pray to saints?

Shouldn’t we go directly to God?

Q:

Dear Father Joe: My friends who are not Catholic say we should only pray to God and that praying to saints is idolatry.

Why should we pray to saints?

a:

This is a great question and can really lead us to some good ideas, so let’s get right to it!

First, let’s be clear about something – when we pray to saints, we are not offering

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them the worship due to God. We are asking the saints to pray to God for us.

Now that we’ve established that, let’s look at the importance of asking anyone to pray: Why do that? Why ask my friend to pray for

FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Since God’s command to pray for each other is followed by the reminder that Jesus is the only mediator, we can be at peace that these two ideas are not mutually exclusive: Jesus is the only mediator and we are commanded to pray for each other. Scripture is filled with commands from God for us to pray for each other and we never hesitate to do that (I hope!).

We also ask each other to pray because doing so unites us as Christ’s body on earth. When I know what you need, when I know what you are struggling with and what is causing you pain, I am with you in a way I can’t be otherwise. When I take your prayers into my heart and offer them to God, you are in my heart – your need or hurt becomes a part of me. By asking each other to pray, we are allowing the Holy Illustration by Bob Patten

and living in the presence of God in a way Spirit to strengthen the bonds between us. that we cannot yet do. Since we believe that, Another reason we ask each other to pray is found in the Gospel of Luke. In Luke 18:1- we ask them to pray for us.

To be clear, questioning the prayers of the 8 (look it up!), Jesus gives us a unique and saints is a rather new thing in Christianity. rather funny parable about how we should In the first 1,600 years of our beautiful faith, be tenacious in our prayer; we should, in a the practice of seeking the intercession sense, pester God with our needs and of the saints was not questioned petitions. By asking others to and was a common practice. pray for us, we can “storm Some would even say it the gates of heaven” and We ask each is a core practice of the do just what Jesus has other to pray for so us do: multiply the Church. It is a relatively many reasons, but let’s new thing that anyone requests to God who start with the most important is questioning it. The loves us and wants to reason: We ask people good thing about hear our voices. to pray for us because this new challenge to There are many Scripture requires it.

Christianity is that it is more reasons we ask causing us to pause and each other to pray, but I look at the why. In so dothink we’ve got the point: ing, we grow in thanksgiving We pray for each other all for our faith. the time and rarely hesitate to Let’s look at Scripture. Does Scripture forask others to pray for us. The issue for some appears to be a rather key tenet of bid us praying to saints? Quite the opposite!

Christianity: the resurrection of the dead.

There are a few places in Sacred Scripture As Catholics, we believe in the resurrecthat offer us some affirmation about asking tion of the dead. We believe that, through the saints to pray for us, the most obvious the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, being in the Book of Revelation. Check out there are people in heaven that we call Revelation 5:8: In this passage, the Apostle John has a vision of heaven. In that vision, he saints. We believe they are alive and active

saw the saints in heaven holding our prayers in their hands and letting those prayers rise up to God! Beyond that, in Revelation 8:3-4, we see more images of the saints offering the prayers of the faithful to God. A bit earlier in this article, I wrote about how praying for each other unites us to each other. I invite us, in this moment, to see that the same principle is true when we ask the saints to pray for us. It is a beautiful and life-giving gift from God. In seeking to have our needs met, we also receive the presence of that saint’s pure, unfiltered love for God into our soul. When we ask a saint to pray for us, our prayers and needs place us firmly in their hearts, and their hearts firmly in ours. This blessed interchange is a gift that we should receive with joy.

We believe asking each other for prayers is important, necessary and even commanded

by God. We believe in the resurrection of the dead. These two ideas come together and guide us to understand that not only are we allowed to ask the saints to pray for us, we are required to do so.

Ask the saints to pray for you – God commands it and we need it!

Enjoy another day in God’s presence!

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To grow in faith is to place ourselves in the presence of God, when we rise in the morning, as we go about our responsibilities, as we live the daily circumstances and as we lay down at night.

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if you don’t pray every day

start this advent

FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

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e are in the Advent season and I have a proposal to make. The Year of Faith ended with the Feast of Christ the King – ended, but, in another sense, has just begun. I would like you to use this Advent season to begin to practice what a life of faith would look like. There is a book that has had a deep effect on my life and I want to introduce you to it – if you have not already read it – as a way to look at this Advent.

T. Gennara

Writing in The Essence of Prayer, Sister Ruth Borrows, OCD, states, “Faith is not a thing of the mind; it is not an intellectual certainty but a felt conviction of the heart. It is a sustained decision to take God with utter seriousness as the God of my life. It is to live out each hour in a practical, concrete affirmation that God spiritual is Father and he is ‘in heaven.’ It is a decision fitness to shift the center of our lives from ourselves Sister Ann to him, to forgo self-interest and to make his Shields is a renowned interests, his will our sole concern.” author and a For faith to be an active part of our daily member of the Servants of life, it needs to grow. If it doesn’t, it will God’s Love. wilt, then fade, then die. A key to growing Questions can be addressed in faith is to practice daily having God in to Sister the center of our thoughts, our conversaAnn Shields, Renewal tions, our work, our emotional reactions, Ministries, 230 the development of our relationships, our Collingwood, Suite 240, trials and crosses, our failures and our Ann Arbor, MI triumphs, our joys and pain of everyday life.

48103 In short, to grow in faith is to place ourselves in the presence of God, when we rise in the morning, as we go about our responsibilities, as we live the daily circumstances and as we lay down at night.

Spiritual exercise – How do we do that?

•A sk the Holy Spirit to give you the grace to remember, as you move to each new thing each day, to ask God to prompt you to consciously say: “Be with me, Lord, as I meet this client.” “Be with me, Lord, as I bathe and care for my children” “Be with me as I cook and clean.” “Be with me as I move from meeting to meeting.” And so on.

You get the idea. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to form a habit to stop for even five seconds before you start something new.

• Give this time, whatever each segment is, to God. “Lead me, Lord, teach me, speak to my heart. Give me wisdom or patience or courage or strength or hope or love. …” As you persevere in building this habit, your soul will become more attuned to what I call the whispers of the Holy Spirit.

He will lead anyone who puts him dead center in the most mundane and the most important events of the day. As you do, you will experience being less alone. It takes practice, but, after a while, you will find the rewards – more peace, more wisdom, more courage, more trust. Your faith becomes real. God is with you. You are not alone.

Advent is the most wonderful time to begin to practice putting your faith in action in your daily life. Advent is a time of silence, of quiet, of waiting ... What comes out of that is the greatest gift God could ever give us – his own Son, in the flesh.

Use this Advent season to invite the Lord into every part of your life. God’s presence and assurance and peace will come, even in some of the most troublesome areas of your personal or family life.

Put all your trust in him.

God’s greatest gifts often come in silence and quiet waiting. He will not fail you. May this be a most blessed Advent and, as a result, may you know the beauty and the power of God’s silent presence in your soul. May you walk then in newness of life – in him and with him and for him; that is living faith. May it be yours this Christmas!

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.

DECEMBER 2013 – In thanksgiving for all that God has accomplished in this diocesan Church Heavenly Father, from age to age and in each pilgrim Church, you have made visible the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.

You have called the Church of Lansing to be a sign and instrument of your salvation.

Gathered together by the Spirit, and led by Christ our head, people of every nation, race, and tongue, have been called to these 10 counties of Michigan.

Here, the waters of baptism have overwhelmed the shame of sin.

Here, our prayers have sought the intercession of the saints.

Here, we have sought justice, fought prejudice, and worked for peace.

Here, we have formed our families and taught our children your truth.

Here, we have rejoiced at new life and mourned our dead.

Here, your servants have formed parishes, schools, hospitals, orphanages, and organizations to build up your kingdom.

Here, your word has been preached and your story has been shared.

Here, your children have gathered around your altar and have been fed at the table of the Lamb.

And we did none of this without you.

We give you thanks and praise, O Lord, for your abiding presence and your abundant grace and for all you have accomplished in our midst! Amen.

Follow Sister Ann Shields on Twitter @srannshieldssgl

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It is only when we are “right” with God, i.e., that we seek to do only God’s will, that the desire for our greatest good, which is God’s will, emerges from our inmost being and overtakes us.

Parable of the Good Samaritan: Oil on canvas by Jan Wynants (1670)

A roadmap for our life in Christ The Beatitudes, part II

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n the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us a roadmap for being his faithful followers. How do we best navigate this roadmap?

Here are some guidelines:

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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

Hunger and thirst are powerful states.

They indicate a need that demands to be satisfied. They are incessant, calling out for our attention continuously and in ever greater intensity through discomfort and

FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

pain. Ultimately, the price for failing to satisfy our hunger and thirst is death.

Our souls also need the spiritual food and drink of righteousness if we are to enjoy eternal life in communion with God. In Matthew’s Gospel, righteousness has to do with the saving activity of God. To fulfill all righteousness is to submit to the plan of God for the salvation of the hu-

Year of FAITH – Year of PRAYER

Catholic News Service

Highlights of Vatican II

ArchBishop Gregory Aymond: Chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Mercy is only conceivable when a relationship exists in which one party has power over another. And, as Christians, we are called to be merciful in our own exercise of power – but what does this really mean?

Throughout our tradition, one of the attributes that has been assigned to God is that of omnipotence (all-powerful).

We read in the Old Testament how the prophets often approached the Divine with fear and trembling in deference to this power. In fact, so great is the power of God that when Moses asked to see the Lord’s glory, God answered, “I will make all my beauty pass before you. ... But my face you cannot see, for no one sees me and still lives.” (Exodus 33:19-20) An implication would be that in order for us to exist, God must withhold or protect us from the sheer power of his being – otherwise, we would be com-

pletely consumed. In this way, we are at the mercy of God, for God has all the power. That God exercises this power by constraining rather than asserting it may seem peculiar or contradictory to worldly thought. Yet, this is precisely the key to teaching the proper spirit and use of power for Christians.

In Christ, God chose to not only exercise his power by constraining it so that we might have life, but God then emptied himself and submitted to death so that we might have life more fully with God. This is the ultimate good. Thus, as Christians, we are to mirror this example in our own lives and in all of our relationships where we hold some measure of power whether physical, emotional, political, economic or social. However, this is only possible if we center our lives on God rather than on ourselves.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Several issues ago now, we learned, as St. Paul tells us in Romans 10, that faith comes from hearing the Word of God. Once we hear the Word of God, we then must believe the word. For it is by believing, as St. Augustine teaches, that we are made obedient to God; by being obedient (from the Latin “to listen to”) to God, we live a good life; by a good life, we obtain purity of heart; and with a pure heart, we understand the things we believe. And “[t]he promise [of seeing God] surpasses all beatitude ... In Scripture, to see is to possess ... Whoever sees God has obtained all the goods of which

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S. Olson

man race. Our model for what this looks like is, of course, Jesus Christ.

If we are to be of the “same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing” (Ph 2:2) as Christ, which is the point of the beatitudes, we, too, must empty ourselves of the false ego, that sense of self that glories in separateness from God. It is only when we are “right” with God, i.e., that we seek to do only God’s will, that the desire for our greatest good, which is God’s will, emerges from our inmost being and overtakes us.

Archbishop Gregory Aymond of New Orleans, the chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Divine Worship, offered some of the highlights of the document Sacrosanctum Concilium, in his “10 ways Vatican II shapes the Church today,” from the USCCB: • It called the Eucharist the source and summit of the faith. In the Eucharist, Catholics encounter the person of Jesus Christ.

• It reformed the liturgy of the Mass, calling for “full and active participation” of the laity, which resulted in the language of the Mass being translated into the vernacular, or local, language.

theology 101 Doug Culp is the CAO and secretary for pastoral life for the Diocese of Lexington, Ky. He holds an MA in theology from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

he can conceive.”

This means that this greatest good of seeing God is only possible if we are of the “same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing” with God, i.e., we must be in communion.

This communion is possible only through our keeping the commandments.

– Quotes from the Catechism (1691-1729, 2548) unless otherwise noted.

Catechism Quiz Faith, hope and charity are known as ... a. the human virtues b. the theological virtues c. the cardinal virtues d. the ecclesial virtues Answer: (b) the theological virtues. The theological virtues are the foundation of Christian moral activity. There are three: faith, hope and charity. (CCC 1813)

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Sacrosanctum Concilium: Through the liturgy, especially in the divine sacrifice of the Eucharist, the work of redemption is accomplished and the faithful “are enabled to express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church.”

The first major document of Vatican II:

Sacrosanctum Concilium

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n Dec. 4, 1963, Pope Paul VI promulgated The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum Concilium). Liturgy had been the first topic debated and Sacrosanctum Concilium became the first document ratified by the Second Vatican Council.

The choice made sense for many reasons, not least of all because the preparation draft on the liturgy was in fairly decent shape at the start of the Council. However, more importantly, the goals of the Second Vatican Council dictated that special 16

FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

attention be paid to the liturgy. These four goals were outlined in the introduction of the document:

1 2 3 4

o impart an ever-increasing vigor to the Christian T life of the faithful; To adapt more closely to the needs of our age those institutions which are subject to change; To foster whatever can promote union among all who believe in Christ; and To strengthen whatever can help all mankind into the Church’s fold.

The Council fathers understood that it was through the liturgy that the four goals of the Second Vatican Council might most readily be achieved. Through the liturgy, especially in the divine sacrifice of the

By Doug Culp | Photography by Don Quillan

Eucharist, the work of redemption is accomplished and the faithful “are enabled to express in their lives and manifest to others the mystery of Christ and the real nature of the true Church.” The liturgy builds up those in the Church and increases their power to preach Christ and show forth the Church to those outside until there is “one fold and one shepherd.” In short, the liturgy is “the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed; it is also the fount from which all her power flows.”

listic limits on artists, stating the Church “has not adopted any particular style of art as her own.” At the same time, the requirement that art and furnishings bring reverence and honor to the sacred buildings and rites remained in force. The Council also supported the practice of placing sacred images in churches for veneration by the faithful. It did, however, counsel that the number be moderate.

The central aim

Sacrosanctum Concilium promoted full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy in many ways. For example, it encouraged the people to take part in acclamations, responses, psalms, antiphons, hymns and gestures. It likewise established general norms to simplify the rites, to normalize the sermon, to encourage Bible services and to allow limited use of the vernacular (this norm was applied to the sacraments and sacramentals). It recommended that the faithful receive Communion (the more perfect form of participation in the Mass) and under both forms. It continued the restoration of the divine office by reinstating the traditional sequence of the hours and by supporting the already begun revision of the psalter with additional direction.

• The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy was promulgated by a majority of 2,147-4.

Fostering participation through formation/training

Sacrosanctum Concilium repeatedly called for the formation and training of not only pastors and clergy in general, but of other liturgical leaders and the whole of the faithful.

Consequently, seminaries and other institutes were to appoint professors of liturgy and the study of liturgy in • The 16 documents of seminaries was to receive Vatican II are divided more emphasis by becoming into four constitutions, compulsory. The constitution nine decrees and three also restored the catechumedeclarations. nate for adults in order to provide time for the suitable • The first meeting of the instruction and to provide Second Vatican Council was opportunities for sanctificaadjourned after only tion through the sacred rites 15 minutes. “to be celebrated at successive intervals of time.”

The same attention was given to the importance of sacred music, sacred art and sacred furnishings. The teaching and practice of music in seminaries and other Catholic institutions and schools was to receive more importance with the accompanying need for carefully trained teachers and the establishment of higher institutes of sacred music.

In the same spirit, composers and artists were encouraged to “serve God’s glory in holy Church” through their talents in order to edify the faithful and foster their piety and formation. This encouragement was manifested in the fact that the Council placed no sty• Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani, who was speaking for those opposed to changes in the liturgy, had his microphone turned off to resounding applause when his speech ran over the allotted time.

Regulation of the sacred liturgy It is true that Sacrosanctum Concilium called for reform, restoration and promotion of the liturgy in its many facets. At the same time, it is important to note that it also clearly stated that the regulation of the sacred liturgy “depends solely on the authority of the Church, that is, on the Apostolic See, and, as laws may determine, on the bishop.”

Consequently, “no other person, not even a priest, may add, remove, or change anything in the liturgy on his own authority.”

Blessed Pope John Paul II on the 40th Anniversary of Sacrosanctum Concilium “Forty years later, it is appropriate to review the ground covered. I have already suggested on former occasions a sort of examination of conscience concerning the reception given to the Second Vatican Council.

Such an examination must also concern the liturgical and sacramental life. ‘Is the Liturgy lived as the “origin and summit” of ecclesial life, in accordance with the teaching of Sacrosanctum Concilium?’ Has the rediscovery of the value of the Word of God brought about by liturgical reform met with a positive confirmation in our celebrations? To what extent does the Liturgy affect the practice of the faithful and does it mark the rhythm of the individual communities? Is it seen as a path of holiness, an inner force of apostolic dynamism and of the Church’s missionary outreach?”

Catholic News Agency

The reforms promoted by Sacrosanctum Concilium must be understood in light of a central truth: The liturgy can only produce its full effects when the faithful participate fully, consciously and actively.

In fact, the constitution stated that “the full and active participation by all the people is the aim to be considered before all else, for it is the primary and indispensable source from which the faithful are to derive the true Christian spirit.” Given this reality, it comes as no surprise that the majority of the decrees issued in the document were concerned Fun facts with how best to achieve • The debate on the liturgy this goal. lasted for 15 days.

Fostering participation in the liturgy

– Apostolic Letter, Spiritus et Sponsa, Blessed Pope John Paul II (12/4/2003)

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Building up the household of faith

A call to evangelize

C

ome Holy Spirit! Well, we have finished our Year of Faith and our Year of Prayer.

We have been praying the prayer to the Holy Spirit for over a year now. What’s next? The most obvious answer to this question is whatever the Spirit has in mind. That is why we have been praying this prayer for the past year in our diocese – to seek the Holy Spirit’s help and to open our hearts to God’s will for us as a diocese.

Carlson Productions

We have had this Year of Prayer as a result of the pastoral letter Go and Announce the Gospel of the Lord, which was issued Holy Thursday 2012. We have been asking God to guide us from the bishop as we try to carry out Christ’s mission to proclaim the Gospel.

Bishop Earl Boyea is the We know that this will involve fifth bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing building up our Household of Faith, that is, equipping all of Read Bishop Boyea’s pastoral letter, Go and Announce the us who are regular attendees at Gospel of the Lord, at tinyurl.com/BishopBoyeaPastoral Mass with the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we can do God’s work more effectively. It also will involve reaching out to our wandering beginning of the Gospel of Luke and she became pregnant with the brothers and sisters who have left the regular practice of the faith, our Son of God. The Spirit has been hovering over us, as well.

Lost Sheep. It will ultimately involve our reaching out to our society Your parish council has been one of the major players in this and culture so as to transform the way our society conducts work of the Spirit. They have been studying the pastoral education, health care, business and politics, so that all letter, assessing the current work of the parish and this is more like Christ’s way of doing things. We praying for guidance from the Holy Spirit. In the call this entering into the Court of the Gentiles. course of two meetings this year with the presi Following the direction of the pastoral letter, dents of the parish councils, we have gathered What then has we are planning a diocesan assembly in Nothe experiences of our parishes. This will been the fruit of this vember 2014, with a focus on the Househelp us understand where the Spirit is Year of Prayer in our parhold of the Faith. We will have another in blowing in our lives. Should you have ishes? We have prayed. We have fall 2016 that will center on reaching out to suggestions, please do not hesitate to share asked the Holy Spirit to hover over the Lost Sheep. Finally, in fall 2018, our task them with your parish council members. us, just as the Spirit of God did over will be to challenge ourselves to enter the In the meantime, continue to pray. the chaos at the beginning of the Court of the Gentiles and, so, transform our That hovering of the Holy Spirit led to Book of Genesis, eventually world. Of course, all of these things are, in the presence of the very Son of God in our leading to creation itself. reality, going on every day in our parishes. That midst. The Spirit’s hovering over us and our is the work of the Holy Spirit. parishes, especially during these Advent and What then has been the fruit of this Year of Christmas seasons, is a divine grace that can set Prayer in our parishes? We have prayed. We have asked us all on fire with Christ’s love and draw us to become the Holy Spirit to hover over us, just as the Spirit of God did friends of Jesus and, thus, his disciples and messengers to the over the chaos at the beginning of the Book of Genesis, eventually ends of the earth. leading to creation itself. The Holy Spirit hovered over Mary in the A blessed Advent and Christmas to you all.

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Follow Bishop Boyea on Twitter @BishopBoyea

yourstories Profile of an

EVANGELIST

PARENTS the second time around

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om and Angie are raising their three grandchildren – Kierstin, Kendra and Jacob – in Dexter. The family is part of St. Mary’s Parish in Chelsea. We asked Tom and Angie how their faith is helping them navigate parenthood the second time around.

“Tom and I have always felt that God only gives you as much

as you can handle,” Angie says, “With the help of family, friends and the St. Mary’s community this certainly rings true.”

“My mom had a saying posted in her kitchen that pretty much sums up how we get our strength every day. ‘Good morning, this is God, and I will be handling your problems today,’” says Angie.

“To see how much the girls have grown spiritually and socially just makes it all worthwhile. Getting out of bed in the middle of the night at our age is hard. But, seeing that smiling face means we are doing the right thing.”

Read more at www.FAITHpub.com

By Mary Kay McPartlin | Photography by Tom Gennara

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Jesse and Joseph find a home after their birth mother changes her mind

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

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This story begins and ends with joy.

After the birth of their son Joshua, Kathleen and Chris Smith knew their family was not yet complete. But, after four failed pregnancies, Kathleen began to question whether God had a different plan for them. After much consideration, she and Chris decided to explore fostering young children, with the option to adopt if that seemed like God’s will for their family. Kathleen shares their story: “As Chris and I were finishing our foster licensing process through St. Vincent Catholic Charities, I got pregnant again.

This time was different from the last four. I wasn’t anxious about losing this baby. I just loved her so much from the moment I knew. I felt joyful and free of worrying about whether this pregnancy would come to term.

“Our home is nestled on a street with many big families, and every time a mother gets pregnant, her kids run to the neighbors and announce it. On Christmas Eve, we told our kids and they ran around to our neighbors to share the news of our Christmas gift! We had many friends and prayers welcoming this new life from the very beginning.

“When January rolled around, though, 22

the familiar symptoms crept in again. I miscarried, just as I had with the earlier four. But there was something different this time. Instead of falling into the same despair, I somehow felt at peace. I think I was able to go through the normal grieving process for her because I knew I had loved this baby every minute she was with us.

“About a week after the miscarriage, I went to adoration. As I sat before the Lord in thanksgiving for this child, God gave me the most amazing gift! I could see thousands of people welcoming her into heaven. I got to watch her pass through bathed in such love. I knew then that we would name her Joy. “A bit later, I heard about the 40 Days for Life campaign, and I signed up. One cold February day, I bundled up my three

FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

kids and headed to an abortion clinic to pray. As we stood outside, my children, Glorianna and Josh, told me to look at the sun. ‘It’s spinning and turning colors, Mom!’ they said. I couldn’t look at it, but I told them maybe that was a sign our prayers had saved a baby today.

“Pretty quickly, life returned to its normal routine. A few times, someone from St. Vincent called to see if we could foster children, but each time we had a major commitment that prevented us from taking another child into our home. I felt terrible, but the workers told me not to worry. There would be other chances.

“On Aug. 13, our chance came when St. Vincent called again. They had 6-week-old twin boys who needed a home. We had agreed to take older chilBy Mary Nancy Schertzing | Photography by Jim Luning

dren, not infants, but something inside me knew these babies were for us.

“Praying about it, I consulted the sacred readings that day and opened the Bible to Ezekiel 16:8, where God says to Israel: ‘I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord, and you are mine.’ That was all it took. Chris and I agreed that we would foster them.

“We had nothing for infants because

ing the same time we had been praying outside of the abortion clinic! She said she was grateful that Shared Pregnancy had helped her through it all. During one of the visits, she broke down crying and asked us if we would adopt the babies.

“As they grew and her life went on, the birth mother began missing parenting appointments and failing drug tests. Eventually she just stopped coming for her sched-

“They complete our family and bring joy to everybody. I tell them all the time, ‘I’m so glad I got to keep you!’ After three years of their being with us, the joy has never gone away...” our kids had outgrown that stage, but, as our children ran around the neighborhood announcing the great news, baby items – cribs, clothing, bottles and more – started flowing in. Two hours after we got the call, our family and neighbors were finally able to welcome little ones into our home, and we celebrated together.

“The babies had been born six weeks premature in June – the month that Joy was due. They spent their first weeks in the hospital. Their birth mother tried to manage taking care of them and her other children, but she was very young and bringing home preemie twins can be overwhelming. They ended up in foster care after a few weeks.

“As the babies’ foster parents, we brought them to St. Vincent Home for required parenting visits with their birth mother. This gave us a chance to learn more about her life. She had no job and had dropped out of high school after one of her earlier pregnancies. At different points, she had been homeless. I didn’t know people lived like that right here in our community while we live so comfortably! She had so many challenges just trying to live her life.

“We found out that she had scheduled abortions two different times, but just couldn’t do it. I realized that those abortions would have been scheduled dur-

uled visits. After a time, her parental rights were terminated. On Oct. 13 – the anniversary of the miracle of the sun at Fatima – we adopted Jesse and Joseph as our own.

“I could not love them more. I have no question that, from the beginning, they were conceived to be with us. Suffering the disappointment of losing life through all those miscarriages, I can’t imagine that Jesse and Joseph could have been destroyed.

“They complete our family and bring joy to everybody. I tell them all the time, ‘I’m so glad I got to keep you!’ After three years of their being with us, the joy has never gone away, even though I haven’t slept through the night since they arrived!

“Chris likes to say that God is never outdone in love, so we can’t give too much to someone else. I agree. We’re very concerned about the unborn, but how concerned are we really when we turn our backs on a pregnant mother or her child?

We need to live who we say we are.

“There are tons and tons of people thinking about foster care. I would urge them to learn more about it. We shouldn’t be afraid to step out of our comfort zones to show love for someone else. Being willing to open our home for a short time to a child in need was like stepping out on a scary limb for the love of God. But when we stepped out, we received so much joy!”

Are you interested in becoming a foster parent?

St. Vincent Catholic Charities (STVCC) Foster Care Program provides temporary foster care services for abused and/or neglected children (birth through 18 years) petitioned for out-ofhome placement by the local Family Court. STVCC Foster Care works with the child, their biological family and foster family toward empowering the biological family to establish a safe and loving home so the children can return to their care.

Foster parents can be married or single, and may own or rent their own home. To foster a child, you and members of your immediate family will need: • Adequate bedroom space (approximately 40 square feet per child per bedroom); • References from people other than relatives; • Successful interviews; • A criminal background check and fingerprinting; and • Required training to help empower and support you as a foster parent/family.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, contact Stephanie Wilcox at 517.323.4734 ext. 1601 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or visit St. Vincent Catholic Charities’ website at www.stvcc.org.

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Although Father Dave is working for God in a way both unexpected and challenging, he is happy to finally be a part of the Church that Christ created more than 2,000 years ago.

From Anglican priest to Catholic priest

Father David Reamsnyder and his congregation converted to Catholicism

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ather David Reamsnyder’s faith journey began with a knock at the door. By answering that knock and accepting a simple invitation to a Bible study, Father Dave ended up a married priest for St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Hillsdale.

“The journey started when I was in the Army,” Father Dave remembers. “I was literally feeling sorry for myself. The Army had 24

FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

not turned out to be all I thought it would be. I prayed one night, ‘God, if you’re there, give me a life and friends, basically turn my life around from where it is right now.’ The next morning, one of the men from my platoon knocked on the door to wake me up, and he asked me if I was a Christian.”

Father Dave said he was, and received the Bible study invitation. “I accepted the invitation, but I have to say I was a bit reluctant,” he says. “I didn’t really want to do that, but I also felt that God had really done something for me in that moment, which I wasn’t going to turn down.”

“I learned that the idea of doing the right thing wasn’t enough,” Father Dave said of his experience with the Bible study group.

By Mary Kay McPartlin | Photography by Tom Gennara

“There had to be an internal transformation.”

As his relationship with Christ grew, Father Dave struggled with the Calvinist emphasis found in much of what he was learning.

Study and mediation on free will versus determination is how Father Dave began his journey towards Catholicism.

He decided to leave the Army for Spring Arbor College to begin work toward becoming a minister. “It was a fruitful time for me,” Father Dave remembers. “I was deep in Scripture and learning the history of theology, and getting a good foundation in philosophy.”

Upon his graduation, Father Dave was mobilized to Iraq for 14 months. Here, deep in the culture of the Middle East, away from his wife and newborn son, Father Dave was touched deeply by his worship at a Chaldean Catholic Church.

“Even though everything was being said in Arabic, I could understand what was going on,” he remembers. “Here was this very reverent style of worship, but for me, more importantly, I started to see this universal Church.”

After his return home, still not ready to commit to Catholicism, Father Dave and his family began to worship at an Anglican church. “It was the Eucharist Family as a support system: Father Dave every Sunday, the Liturgy with with his wife, Beth, and the readings, the Gloria,” Fatheir children, ther Dave explains. “It had all Charles, 9, and the elements of Catholic worCora, 18 months. ship, but none of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. It was the perfect stepping stone into the Catholic Church. It was the bridge between being a Protestant and a Catholic.”

His parish sent Father Dave to the seminary. Accompanied by his family, he studied and lived in community at an Anglo-Catholic seminary, Nashotah House, in Wisconsin. The focus in seminary on Catholic tradition along with daily liturgy strengthened Father Dave’s call to Catholicism. “By the time I was ready to graduate from seminary, I felt I really wanted to be in the Catholic Church – but there was not really an open door for that,” says Father Dave.

“The pastoral provision has existed for more than 20 years,” he explains “but is only for mature priests in the Episcopal Church.”

The stringent requirements mean very few Episcopalian priests can make the transition to Catholic priesthood.

After ordination, Father Dave and his family moved to Baltimore, Md., for his first curate assignment. During the first six months, Father Dave prayed to God to provide a way to follow his heart to the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict answered his prayers with the announcement of the personal ordinariates for Anglicans.

“He put out this beautiful constitution for us to enter the Church,” Father Dave says.

His congregation voted to join the Catholic Church and entered together on Jan. 22, 2012. Father Dave was ordained a Catholic priest on June 9, 2012. Although his prayer to become a Catholic became a reality, Father Dave lost his positions as

a hospice chaplain and parochial vicar of his parish. With no possibility of working for either the Diocese of Baltimore or the Diocese of Washington, D.C., the Reamsnyder family returned to Father Dave’s hometown of Hudson to live with his parents and regroup. His wife, Beth, found a job as a kindergarten teacher in Hudson, and Father Dave started work for an automotive component factory.

That job lasted only two weeks. “The diocese called me up and they said, ‘We have a situation where we need a priest, and you’re a priest and you’re in a situation,’” Father Dave says. “Bishop Boyea said, ‘It’s obvious that God has done all this and brought you here.’

It was at that moment that it felt like I was home.”

With the support of Father Joe Krupp of Sacred Heart Parish in Hudson, Father Dave has been able to navigate the management of a parish 10 times the size of his parish in Baltimore.

“The response of the Diocese of Lansing has just been wonderful,” he says. Parishioners have been welcoming and supportive of Father Dave and his family as they adjust to busy and demanding parish life.

“I think Beth has found the community is very welcoming of her,” Father Dave says of her unique position as the priest’s wife. “A lot of the ladies have reached out.”

Family is an important part of Father Dave’s support system. Not just his wife, Beth, and their children, Charles, 9, and Cora, 18 months, but also his family and Beth’s family, who are all close by.

“Definitely having a family has forced me to find ways to grow in holiness,” says Father Dave. “I definitely look to St. Joseph for that.”

He acknowledges the challenge to find the balance between serving his parish family and supporting his wife and children. “The demands of the parish can only be met by one person,” Father Dave says. “And, likewise with my family, they only have one dad. There’s a huge tension there. It has increased my reliance on God to get my day scheduled.”

Looking back on their faith journey, the Reamsnyder family appreciates God’s love and guidance. “Anytime we talk about being here, it’s that God has put us here,” says Father Dave.

“What I’m doing right now is not the intention of the personal ordinariate. I was not ordained to take over a regular diocesan parish,” Father Dave says of his unique position. “The personal ordinariate has a mission to allow Anglicans to come into the Catholic Church and hold onto some of their liturgical practices.

We really have a mission for the conversion of the Anglican people back into the Catholic Church.”

Although Father Dave is working for God in a way both unexpected and challenging, he is happy to finally be a part of the Church that Christ created more than 2,000 years ago.

“I definitely feel blessed to be here,” says Father Dave. “It is reinforced every day.”

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yourcommunity things to do: All you can eat Mexican Buffet, every first Sunday of the month from November 2013 through April 2014, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. at Cristo Rey Church, 201 W. Miller Road. Cost is $10 per person; $5, age 8 and under. Hope to see you there!

St. John Church and Student Center, East Lansing, will have the following Advent offerings, all are welcome to attend: Dec. 1, 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., McDevitt Hall, Advent

Pilgrimage April 5-12, Lourdes – Paris – Nevers –Lisieux: Join Father Gordon Reigle, chaplain Lansing Catholic, for a spiritual journey to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes; St. Bernadette; Shrine of the Miraculous Medal and St. Catherine Labouré’s incorrupt body; the Notre Dame Cathedral and much more. Cost $3,499 per person, includes everything except lunch. For specific details, visit pilgrimages.com/krisak, email skrisak@people.com or contact Suzanne at 248.931.0194.

Retreat, sponsored by the Senior Ministry; and Dec. 2, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m., a Labyrinth Walk for the Advent season.

Owosso’s Altar Society Cookie Sale with delicious homemade cookie, candies and bars – only $4 per package.

Dec. 1, 8 p.m. and Dec. 2-4, 7 p.m., Rev. Paul Nomellini, a retired priest of the Diocese of Marquette, will present a mission entitled “The Year of Faith: A Renewed Conversion to the Lord” at St. Martha Church,1100 W. Grand River Ave., Okemos. For more information, contact Larry Leece, at lleece33@ ameritech.net or 517.204.2682.

Jan. 17-19, a Retrouvaille of Lansing weekend for troubled marriages at St. Francis Retreat Center, Bethany House in DeWitt. If you have questions, email 3053@retrouvaille.org. For registration, call 517.290.0314 or retrouvailleoflansing. catholicweb.com.

St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing, will have the following Advent offerings, all are welcome to attend: 6:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Fridays during Advent, Vespers in the chapel; Dec. 6, 10 a.m.noon, Father Mac Hall, Advent Activity Morning for moms, preschoolers and homeschoolers.

December café events: Dec. 1, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., St. Joseph Shrine, Brooklyn, will have Catechist Topic 17: Key People of the Old Testament. For information or to register, contact Diane Dover, ddover@ frontiernet.net or 517.467.2106.

Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-11:45 a.m., St. Thomas Aquinas Church has Bible Study: Gospel of St. Luke in the Conference Room. Study guides are available for $10 at the session. All are welcome to join. For more information, contact Carol Ann Wilkinson at 517.351.6841.

Dec. 7, 9:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. and Dec. 8, 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m., the Church of the Resurrection, 1531 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing will have its annual St. Nicholas Bake Sale in the parish hall with a wonderful variety of homemade baked goods. Join us for this festive occasion.

Dec. 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St. Michael School PTO is hosting its annual Christmas Craft Show and Bazaar, 345 Edwards St., Grand Ledge. Many crafters and concessions throughout the day featuring good things to eat. Craft space is available. Contact Kellee at stmichaelcraftbazaar@gmail.com.

Dec. 7, noon to 6:30 p.m. and Dec. 8 following 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon Masses, St. Paul,

Retreats Weber Retreat and Conference Center, weber.adriandominicans.org or 517.266.4000 Dec. 1-5, Sunday, 7 p.m. to Thursday, 1 p.m., Advent Retreat – “O Come Emmanuel”– a look at the infancy narratives and how the magi, shepherds, angels, a star and Emmanuel become a deep spiritual Advent experience … a blessed Christmas.

Franciscan Life Process Center, lifeprocesscenter.org; 616.897.7842 or email bporter@lifeprocesscenter.org Dec. 7, How Do Men Pray? Walking, building, professing with Pope Francis; begins at 1 p.m. and concludes with 4 p.m. Sunday Vigil Mass.

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

Toward Healing: Coping with the Death of Your Child, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., Mondays, beginning Jan. 20 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. To register, call or email Pat at 517.676-4232/ info@masonfirst.org or Rose at 517.6765513/stjamesros@gmail.com.

Jan. 24-26, Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend at St. James Catholic Church, 1010 S. Lansing St. in Mason. You can sleep at home or make a reservation at a nearby hotel and attend presentations at the church. For information, contact Paul and Vicki Horak at 989.593.3002. To register, visit wwme.org.

Feb. 8, St. Mary Magdalen Church in Brighton will host the fourth annual Marriage Enrichment Conference – Marriage … Our Sacred Vocation. Deacon Harold BurkeSivers, one of the most dynamic and sought after Catholic speakers in the church today, will be the featured speaker. Cost is $60 per couple, which includes breakfast and lunch.

For more information and to register, visit www. idoforlife.org.

Feb. 11, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., Protecting God’s Children Awareness Sessions for Adults will be held at St. Mary Church in Westphalia. For more information, contact Sally Ellis at 517.342.2551. Preregister for a session at virtus.org. Please do not contact the parish to preregister.

Attention Catholic single women and men – mid 30s-60s – would you like to meet new people?

Lansing Catholic Singles brings together friends for fellowship and fun in a faith-filled

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environment. For information and a calendar of upcoming events, visit lansingcatholicsingles. com or call 517.321.7886.

Parish Listening Ministry: A listening ministry is a parish-based program with trained compassionate listeners offering spiritual and emotional support to parishioners experiencing transitions, illness or loneliness. If you would like to start a parish listening ministry, contact the Diocese of Lansing, 517.342.2471.

2014 Smart Steps Schedule: • March 22 the Smart Steps for Step Families class will be held at Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties office, 199 N. Broad St. in Adrian.

• Sept. 20, the Smart Steps for Step Families class will be held at the Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties office, 1522 Joy Ave. in Jackson.

To register for either class, call 517.782.2551.

2014 Engaged Encounter weekend schedule for the Diocese of Lansing: Location: Holly; Feb. 22-23, registration closes and payment must be received by Feb. 7; and April 26-27, registration closes and payment must be received by Apr. 11.

Location: DeWitt: June 21-22, registration closes and payment must be received by June 6; and Sept. 13-14, registration closes and payment must be received Aug. 29. For registration information, call James and Beth Sabin at 517.750.9898 or email register@ lansingcee.org.

Catholic Charities Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County, www.csswashtenaw.org. or 734.971.9781 ext. 421 Dec. 6, 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. and Dec. 7, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., We C.A.R.E. marriage preparation class at St. Joseph Parish, 9425 Whittaker, Ypsilanti. For registration form and information, link is csswashtenaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/WECAREbrochure-2013-2014-4.pdfrbor.

St. Vincent Catholic Charities, stvcc.org or 517.323.4734 Dec. 6, 6 a.m.-10 a.m., St. Vincent Catholic Charities is hosting its 31st annual Radio Appreciation Open House in the Children’s Home Gymnasium, 2828 W. Willow St. in Lansing. This event is free to the public. Come listen to 99.1 WFMK’s Danny Stewart and Monica Harris’ live broadcast while enjoying a hot breakfast.

St. Vincent Catholic Charities, stvcc.org or 517.323.4734 Feb. 1 and 8, 9 a.m.-noon, a We C.A.R.E marriage preparation class at Cristo Rey Community Center, 1717 N. High St. in Lansing. Registration forms are available on St. Vincent’s website. For information, call 517.323.4734 ext. 1700.

Catholic Charities of Jackson, Hillsdale and Lenawee Counties, www.catholiccharitiesjacksonlenaweehillsdale.org or 517.262.0466 Jan. 10, 6 p.m.-9 p.m. and Jan. 11, 9 a.m.-noon, We C.A.R.E. marriage preparation class will be at Queen of the Miraculous Medal Church, Seton Hall, 606 S. Wisner St. in Jackson. Couples must attend both Friday and Saturday of the same weekend to complete the class.

Diocese of Lansing’s Youth Jamboree

St. John the Evangelist parishioner – Eagle Scout Jonathan Fay is a member of Troop 212 in Fenton, a school alumnus and parishioner at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. He recently became an Eagle Scout – the highest rank in Boy Scouts.

Fay’s project provided a much-needed, stamped-concrete pathway connecting the old stone church entrance and the columbarium. The project included more than 450 hours of leadership, collecting donations and construction – with help from family, fellow Scouts, friends and parishioners. Father David Harvey blessed the completed project, and a plaque honoring Fay’s achievement and donors was posted.

Around 700 teenagers and adults gathered at the Lansing Center for the annual Youth Jamboree. Chairperson Sue Parker said that “An amazing group of kids” helped to plan the event. She went on to say, “We have amazing leadership in Pat Rinker and Margaret Grima from the diocesan office. Pat is the most generous, faith-filled man I have met.”

The keynote speaker was ValLimar Jansen. Her incredible voice filled the room whether speaking or singing. Her husband Frank accompanied her on the piano.

ValLimar told those gathered: “We must first recognize we are created in the image of God.” She asked everyone to touch their face and reminded them that they are made in God’s own image. Then she asked them to look at their hand and remember that they are rare, unique and special.

Bishop Boyea concelebrated Mass. Activities available for those attending included: workshops, service projects, reconciliation and Eucharistic adoration. – By Jan Hoffbauer Photography provided by Katie Eichler

Find Catholic events in your area: FAITHpub.com | CatholicEventFinder.com | MassTimes.org

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Diocese of Lansing Archive Photo

100 years of prayer in this house of God the centennial anniversary of St. Mary Cathedral

I

n 2013, the Diocese of Lansing joined the universal Church in its celebration of the Year of Faith. Lansing also commemorated its 75th anniversary with a diocesan Year of Prayer. The conclusion of the joint Year of Faith/Year of Prayer coincides with the 100th anniversary of St. Mary Cathedral in Lansing.

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

The close of the year of prayer and the 100th anniversary of St. Mary Cathedral will be celebrated with a Mass at the cathedral on Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. A reception will follow in the Cathedral Hall, and all are warmly invited and encouraged to attend.

The first Mass in Lansing was celebrated in fall 1854 in the log cabin of Thomas and Eleanor Saier. In 1859, the Saiers donated two lots to Bishop Peter Paul Lefevre and he laid the cornerstone for the city’s first church. In fall 1864, the first St. Mary Church building was dedicated.

In 1872, Father Louis Van Driss opened a school at St. Mary’s, and the Sisters of Charity ran it from 1874 to 1969, when it closed. The parish also had a high school from 1902 to 1963.

When Father Lafayette Brancheau was pastor of St. Mary (1891-1915), the parish moved to a location one block north of the State Capitol. A school was built on Walnut Street in 1902, and a temporary church and hall were constructed a year later. The permanent church was consecrated on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, 1913. Bishop Edward Kelly, auxiliary bishop of Detroit, presided.

In 1937, St. Mary Church became the cathedral for the newly formed Diocese of Lansing.

A new parish center was built under the pastorate of Msgr. James A. Murray. It was dedicated by Bishop Kenneth J. Povish in July1995. On Jan. 27, 1998, Msgr.

James A. Murray was ordained bishop for the Diocese of Kalamazoo and Msgr.

Michael D. Murphy became rector of the Cathedral Parish.

On June 21, 2009, Holy Cross Parish in Lansing closed and merged with St. Mary Cathedral. Effective July 1, 2009, Msgr.

Murphy retired and Msgr. Bernard Reilly was named rector for St. Mary Cathedral.

In December 2012, the Cathedral Parish began a year-long celebration for the 100th anniversary of the consecration of this cathedral building.

For more on the Diocesan anniversary, visit FAITHpub.com

Retiretnent Fund for Religious To donate: National Religious Retirement Office 3211 Fourth Street NE Washington DC 20017-1194 Make your check payable to Retirement Fund for Religious.

Or give at your local parish.

www.retiredreligious.org

O

n November 8, 2013, the massive typhoon Haiyan slammed the Philippines packing sustained winds of 195 miles per hour and gusts of up to 235 miles per hour. The damage done to the nation’s central islands by one of the most powerful storms ever recorded has been nothing short of catastrophic.

Entire villages were swept away, leaving several thousand people dead and injured.

Entire towns in the path of the storm in the southern part of the country were destroyed completely. In the wake of such utter destruction, a health crisis has ensued. The stricken areas are facing a scarcity of clean water and food, the loss of electricity, and deadly illnesses such as dysentery.

The typhoon came on the heels of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Bohol, Philippines, just 60 miles to the south of where Haiyan made landfall, on October 15, 2013. The earthquake had already displaced approximately 350,000 people, according to Catholic Relief Services.

The weakened storm hit Vietnam and made its way to China on Monday, Nov. 11, causing heavy rains and wind.

Damage was reported in these countries, but they were spared the type of destruction seen in the Philippines.

and offered “encouragement to the civil authorities and emergency personnel as they assist the victims of this storm.” He also invoked “divine blessings of strength and consolation for the nation.”

In addition, the Vatican announced on Monday, Nov. 11, that it was donating $150,000 in emergency aid in response to the storm.

According to a Vatican statement, the aid “will be distributed through the local Church in the areas worst hit by the tragedy” and will be “used to support aid operations for displaced people.”

Pope Francis led tens of thousands of people in prayers on Sunday, Nov. 10, for the people of the Philippines and urged Catholics worldwide to provide help to this third largest Catholic country in the world (after Brazil and Mexico). During the noon blessing the Holy Father expressed “his closeness to the people of the Philippines and of that region.”

The Vatican’s Response Pope Francis sent a telegram of condolence to the president of the Philippines

The U.S. Bishops’ Response The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offered their

Typhoon Haiyan: By the Numbers

78%

of Philippines population is Catholic – Catholic Directory of the Philippines

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FAITH Magazine • December 2013 • www.FAITHpub.com

CNS photo/Wolfgang Rattay, Reuters

Special report: Typhoon Haiyan

TYPHOON HAIYAN: A priest stands in the partially destroyed Metropolitan Cathedral in Palo, Philippines, Nov. 15 in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan.

solidarity and support to the people of the Philippines in a letter to the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, according to Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the USCCB. The U.S. bishops will take up a special collection to aid the immediate relief efforts. Collection funds will also be used to support the “long-term need to rebuild the Church” after such widespread devastation.

In the letter of solidarity, Cardinal Dolan writes that “Together with the Catholic faithful throughout this country, we assure you of our prayers for the victims of this disaster and for the survivors as they struggle to rebuild their lives.”

The letter went on to say that “we join with the Holy Father in his expression of solidarity with the people of the Philippines.”

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) was already deployed in the Philippines in response to the Oct. 15 earthquake in Bohol. According to a CRS staffer on the ground, the organization is in the process of mobilizing resources to help the government and the most affected areas respond to the devastation of the typhoon. In particular, CRS is prioritizing emergency shelter, water and sanitation, household relief items, potable water, and toilets.

To donate to Catholic Relief Services, please visit www.crs.org.

76 500,000

milli o n Estimated number of Catholics in the Philippines as of 2013

Estimated number of survivors Catholic Relief Services plans to help with shelter, water and vital living supplies

– Catholic Directory of the Philippines

– Catholic Relief Services

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Second annual Friends of the Poor Walk

Our family, the Church

This year’s theme was “Walk a mile in my shoes: How can we serve those unless we walk along with them?” The event took place at Burr Park and attracted some 50 walkers, who helped raise funds to feed the impoverished in Adrian.

St. Joseph, Adrian’s food pantry is a recipient of the “Walk.” It serves all of Lenawee County. In one month, the church and the Society of St. Vincent DePaul Conference fed 800 individuals.

If interested in getting involved, contact Denise Borkowicz at 517.263.3017. – Jan Hoffbauer

W

ith Christmas and Epiphany approaching, my thoughts center on the parallels between what it means to belong to our own families and to the family of faith that is our Church.

The parallels are significant, particularly during these times when what it means to be a family and what it means to be a Church are being questioned.

Right to Life – Life Chain

Michigan Child Protection Registry Are your children safe while online? Michigan families, especially minors, are being inundated with advertisements from alcohol, tobacco, pornography and gambling marketers through different Internet and cell phone inboxes. Thankfully, the state of Michigan offers a free program to stop adult advertisements from reaching emails, mobile phones (text messaging ads) and instant messenger IDs. The Michigan Child Protection Registry is a free do-not-contact service for Michigan’s families and schools and is located at protectmichild.com.

As a strong supporter of this registry, the diocesan Office of Child and Youth Protection encourages you to sign up your family for the registry and inform your friends and colleagues about how they can protect children and families from unwanted adult advertising. Also, organizations can participate in this important program by doing the following: First, help spread the word through a written communication and encourage families to register; and, second, add the ProtectMiChild.com button to your organization’s website for easy access to the registry.

I can’t help but note that we use words like “father,” “mother,” “brother,” and “sister” to describe particular members of our Church family. We, as Catholics, gather for our family meal each Sunday around our family table to share our common union. There, we are fed the Bread of Life. There, we are strengthened by our Father’s word and the Spirit he has given us in the life of his Son. I am concerned about how well attended they are. What is last word our commitment to them? What is our sense of belonging to them?

Father Charles Irvin is the It’s no secret that all is not well in founding editor many of our families and in the family of FAITH Magazine and is that is our Church. Attempts are being retired made to redefine both. Clearly the idea of what it means to be family is questioned these days, and just as clearly there are tensions in trying to understand what our Church is all about. The two are interrelated.

Both families, our personal family and our Church family, are those significant places in which we find the formation of our values, the shaping of our characters; they are where we learn to treat others well, and learn to love others as God our Father would have us. They are the places where we learn to forgive and to be forgiven, to care for and be cared for. As members of each we contribute to the life and well-being of our brothers and sisters, our fathers and our mothers. Responsibility means “the ability to respond” and it’s in both of our families, our Church family and our personal families, that we learn how to be responsible.

Forgiveness? Compassion? Helpfulness? Cooperation? All of these virtues, these essential components of our characters, are cultivated in our personal families and in our faith families.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, each of our families affords us protection for all of those dark forces in our world that seek to hold us in their sway. When we need to be strengthened, nourished and find healing, we all feel the call to enter into the care and protection of our own family and our faith family, the Church.

And so, during these seasons of Advent and Christmas, let us renew our love and commitment to both of our families; draw strength from the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph; and share God’s love with each other in our holy mother the Church, living now with the vision and love of our newly found and gifted “Papa Francis.”

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T. Gennara

The colorful umbrellas were protecting those standing on Michigan and West Avenues in Jackson, as they formed a cross for the “Right to Life – Life Chain.” The rain did not prevent parishioners from 64 churches in the area from expressing their support for the unborn. Lumen Christi students prayed, sang and meditated while holding signs. Several St. John the Evangelist, Jackson parishioners stood in front of the Planned Parenthood facility as a reminder that this organization is the no. 1 abortion provider in the community.

Those present were all strong advocates of the “Right to Life” and what that means. Dennis Boltz stated, “I was adopted. If my mother had decided to abort me, I wouldn’t be here.” His wife, Lori, shared that now that she is retired, they are able to actively participate. – Jan Hoffbauer

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notes:

Diocese of Lansing Archive Photo

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the cathedral and the closing of the diocesan Year of Prayer, there will be Mass at the cathedral on Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. A reception will follow in the Cathedral Hall, and all are warmly invited and encouraged to attend.

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