December 2019

After escaping from terror in Africa, Balthazar says

‘LIFE IS EASY IF YOU PUT IT IN GOD’S HANDS’ DALE LA VUELTA PARA

ESPAÑOL

THEOLOGY 101

AN ADVENT CAROL FROM THE BISHOP

THE HOLY TRINITY – THE MOST IMPORTANT OF OUR BELIEFS CULTURE

A BITE-SIZED FEAST FOR ADVENT

Help children grow in the virtue of honesty

FROM THE BISHOP

BISHOP EARL BOYEA

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

Carlson Productions

THE HOLY TRINITY – THE MOST IMPORTANT OF OUR BELIEFS

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, there are many moral issues out there which demand our attention. However, it occurred to me that it might be good to focus on the most important of our beliefs: the Trinity. We believe in one God, not more than one.

The mystery which has been revealed to us in Jesus is that this one God comprises three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is truly a mystery which we cannot explain completely this side of the grave. That is why we call it faith – we believe it. We will experience this communion of love in heaven, and then all will be clear.

Until that glorious day, let me look at this from a different point of view, from our prayer and daily life. Most of us, when we pray, do so to “God.” I presume that we mean by this, “the Father.” That is what happens in the Mass when we say a prayer to God; it is addressed to the Father. It strikes me that we should be conscious of directing our prayer and praise to this loving Father, the one who sent his only Son to become one of us at the Annunciation to Mary, and then at Christmas, until he gave us the gift of his Son on the cross on Good Friday. The Father was showing his love for us in this extended gift into our time and history.

That is why our access to the Father is always through his Son. It is Jesus who has told us about the Father and his deep love for us. And Jesus did not just tell us; he showed us by his words, his miracles, his suffering and death. Without Jesus, we would not know about the Father. Jesus taught us to call God, “Father.”

He gave us a prayer, the Our Father. So, all prayer that we direct to the Father is always through Jesus and in union with Jesus. We give great thanks to the Father for having given us his Son for our salvation.

But that gift-giving on the part of the Father did not end on Good Friday. Rather, the Father continues to give us his love and power and presence through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, who has taken up residence in all our hearts through baptism and confirmation.

I am fully convinced that most of us do not feel this presence at work in us. Is that the Holy Spirit’s fault or ours? Or is that not a question we should ask ourselves? But if we do not ask it, are we not missing part of our life with the Holy Trinity? Most of us are like corked bottles of wine. And we are not empty bottles. There is a great vintage within each of us which only needs the open air to breathe and to be of benefit to ourselves and the world.

This is why all the prayers of the Church are directed to the Father through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Notice this next Sunday when you hear the priest say the opening prayer at Mass. We are related to all three persons of the Trinity, and to the degree that we are not, our relationship with God is lacking in full maturity.

What shall we do? First of all, it is important to have a deeper encounter with Jesus, and that can be achieved through the reading of the Gospels and a deeper appreciation of the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Eucharist. Second, we need to invite the Holy Spirit to direct our lives, to let that Spirit guide us, perhaps even in ways we would rather not go. Finally, all this needs to be directed, then, in an act of praise and thanks to the Father for his many gifts to us. Is that not what this Christmas season is most about? We are thankful for the gifts we have already received.

We need to invite the Holy Spirit to direct our lives, to let that Spirit guide us, perhaps even in ways we would rather not go.”

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INSIDE December

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‘LIFE IS EASY IF YOU PUT IT IN GOD’S HANDS’ YOUR LIFE

6 marriage matters

He says: ‘She’s become

obsessed with her health and diet.’ She says: ‘It’s the most important thing, he should care more.’ What do they do?

7 parenting

Help children grow in the

virtue of honesty

work life

5 tips for working at home

P.12

YOUR FAITH

8 grow+go

• Await the Lord with an open heart • Chuck offers his time and talent to the St. Joseph Guild

10 in the know with Father Joe

PLUS

20 culture A bite-sized feast for Advent

22 local news 24 things to do

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P.20

Father Joe’s mailbag 12 Theology 101 An Advent Carol

productively P.7

YOUR STORIES

1 8 my story

Louise wishes for others to know the Lord 5

YOUR LIFE

GETTY IMAGES/FATCAMERA

MARRIAGE MATTERS

EVERYONE AGREES

WHAT DO THEY DO? HE SAYS:

She’s become obsessed with her health and diet She's at the gym several hours a day. Can't we have a pizza and a movie together occasionally and not count the calories?

SHE SAYS:

It’s the most important thing; he should care more He should care about his health as much as I do. Why isn't he at the gym more?

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THAT maintaining one’s health and fitness are worthy goals. The

quarrel here is not about that, but about how much is good enough versus how much is too much.

The problem is that there’s not necessarily one right answer. Two reasonable, healthy and fit people can have very different and equally valid perspectives. For example, what might seem to her to be just the right amount of time and attention given to diet and exercise could seem “obsessive” to him, while what’s just right for him could seem careless and irresponsible to her.

Try this: Start by seeing your doctor(s) to establish basic, objective standards for your health and fitness. From the sound of it, she’s probably doing fine in this regard. Now, if he actually has some health issues related to diet and exercise, then he should make some changes, not just for his sake but for hers, too. As her husband, his body belongs not just to him but to her. Sure, she took him “for better and for worse,” but that’s no license for him to be unconcerned about his health. On the contrary, out of love for her

FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

he should always be striving to maximize all that is “better” about him while minimizing the “worse.”

But if he’s in basic, objectively good health, then she needs to give it a rest. His obligation to maintain his health doesn’t mean he has to approach it with the same vigor that she does. Bottom line: They don’t necessarily have to eat the same things or spend the same number of hours exercising.

Now look at the flip side. Might she need to scale back her intensity a bit? What he says does raise a flag potentially if maintaining top physical form is more important to her than maintaining top form in their relationSTEVE AND ship. The quality of their BRIDGET PATTON relationship matters far hold master’s more than the health of degrees in their bodies. theology and And most important of counseling and all is the health of their serve as family relationship(s) with God: life ministers for “While physical training is the Diocese of of limited value, devoSacramento. tion is valuable in every respect, since it holds a promise of life both for the present and for the future.” (1 Tm 4: 8-9)

YOUR LIFE WORK LIFE

YOUR LIFE PARENTING

5 TIPS

FOR WORKING AT HOME PRODUCTIVELY

WORKING FROM HOME has such a great ring to it, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t want to be able to roll out of bed, stumble to the computer with a fresh cup of coffee,

GETTY IMAGES/PEOPLEIMAGES

and bang out a day’s work in their paja-

Help children grow in the

virtue of honesty My dad boldly cut to the chase when there was a lesson to be learned. If we didn’t tell the truth, we heard, “A man is no better than his word, so the real cost of lying is another man’s trust.” Nobody likes to be lied to or deceived, so helping our children grow in the virtue of honesty is important and sometimes difficult work. Here are a few tips to help.

• Understand the why: There are three common reasons kids don’t tell the truth. They want to win approval. They want to cover up misbehavior so they don’t disappoint you.

And they want to avoid punishment.

SHERI WOHLFERT

is a Catholic school teacher, speaker, writer and founder of Joyful Words Ministries. Sheri blogs at www. joyfulwords.org

• Dig up the root: Once you discover the why, dig deeper for the root. If you’re trying to figure out why your child told their friends you owned a beach house and a private jet, you might discover the bigger lesson is about authentic friendship.

• Show them: Our words and actions are powerful. Children pick up on what we say to others. If we make up a story to get out of a commitment or call in sick when we really aren’t, they see that as permission to tell lies themselves. We have to model honesty if we want our kids to be honest.

• Catch them: Acknowledge the times they do tell the truth and act in an honest and trustworthy way. Make sure you point out how pleasing that is to the Lord.

• Don’t set them up: If you see their blue tongue and know they ate the blue sucker you told them they couldn’t have, don’t ask them if they ate it. Move right to the heart of the matter and say something like, “I see you ate the sucker, so your consequence will be ...

• Truth and love: Call them out when they don’t tell the truth, but do it in love. Scripture is full of stories like that of Zacchaeus, who wasn’t honest, but, with the help of Jesus, found a way to make the situation right. Let them know being honest can be tough, but God is always there waiting to give us the grace to say and do the right thing if we ask for help.

mas? As it turns out, that’s not the most effective way to conduct a successful work day at home. Here are some tips on how to ensure a productive day: 1. Designate a work space. It’s best to have an office with a door to shut out distractions – but a desk space that is only for work is OK if that is what fits your space.

2. Dress for success. Do your pajamas motivate you? Do they make you feel professional? Probably not. No need for black-tie-appropriate clothing, but get ready for the day as if you had to greet co-workers and clients in person.

3. S chedule lunch and breaks. Take appropriate-length breaks and keep track of them to keep yourself accountable.

Consider having a lunch plan so you aren’t standing in the kitchen deciding what to eat.

4. N o household chores. Make that a hard rule, because the rabbit hole you’ll find yourself in can be deep.

Nothing derails workday productivity more easily.

5. Allow yourself to enjoy your environment. Just as you may have access to an outdoor lunch area or a trail to walk at a traditional office, take advantage of similar perks at home. A change in scenery throughout the day can stimulate your thought process and actually boost your productivity.

Remember wherever your work takes you, Jesus is with you. Ask him to remind you to treat a home work base like the privilege it is, and you will be successful.

BY CYNTHIA KAAN

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YOUR FAITH

In a similar way, the season of Advent is marked by joyful and hopeful expectation. As Christians, we are awaiting the birth of Christ. The Church encourages us to be patient, wait with longing and allow Jesus to prepare us for his coming. However, too often we approach Christmas and God’s action in our lives much like Neal and Laura. We long for certain things to happen and important prayers to be answered, but when our expectations aren’t met, our faith diminishes and we question whether we need to “grow up” and recalibrate our understanding of who God is and what he can do for us. We approach God on our terms, expecting him to act as Jesus Claus, ready to give us what we want as long as we’re good. This posture stymies our ability to authentically “grow and go” because by trying to subject God to our desires, we elevate ourselves above his plan and authority. Then, when our desires aren’t met to our exact specifications, the disappointment we feel is directed at God, instead of the true culprit of broken expectations, which is ourselves.

Even though the prophets foretold the coming of Christ, few could have foreseen and believed that God would come to earth in this most hidden manner.

From Mary, to Joseph, to the Wise Men, and even Herod, all of the characters of the Christmas story wrestled with God exceeding, adapting or obliterating their expectations. When we humbly ask the Father for things but remain open and obedient to his response and action, we avoid the damage of unfilled expectations and instead receive the joy of living within his divine will, which is occasionally confounding, often unexpected, but always good. As Christians, we’ve been given a sneak peek of where this most miraculous story leads (the ultimate defeat of sin and death through Jesus’ death and resurrection), but Advent allows us to reset our expectations, marvel at the creativity and humility of God and, eventually, approach the stable like the shepherds: hopeful, joyful and expectant. They arrived before the Lord with empty hands but open hearts. May we do the same.

GROW

as a disciple of Jesus

open heart an h it w d r o L e h t it a w A

My second-favorite Christmas movie is “The Santa Clause” (“White Christmas” is no. 1). There’s a great scene where Charlie’s parents, Neal and

Laura, are discussing when they stopped believing in Santa. Both of them nostalgically realize that the Santa bubble popped when they desperately hoped for, and expected to receive, an Oscar

PETE BURAK

respectively, but, as Neal laments, “Christmas came and no weenie whistle.”

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FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

T.Gennera

Meyer weenie whistle and the Mystery Date Game,

is the director of i.d.9:16. He has a master’s degree in theology, and is a frequent speaker at events for youth and young adults.

The St. Joseph Guild ministry was started at St. Agnes Church in Flint by Ed Stepulkoski when Father John Rocus served at the parish prior to arriving at Holy Spirit. For information about starting a St. Joseph Guild in your parish, contact Tim Comperchio at tcomperchio@ holyspiritrcs.org.

GO

evangelize

Chuck offers his time and talent to the St. Joseph Guild MEMBERS OF THE St. Joseph Guild at Holy Spirit Parish in Brighton meet every Wednesday morning for their weekly assignments to help the parish with miscellaneous maintenance jobs as well as new projects. According to Father John Rocus, pastor of Holy Spirit, the group has saved the parish a great deal of money, while members have formed a tight-knit social group.

One member of the guild, Chuck Dumiller, cooks lunch for the group each week and talks about their ministry.

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPY BY MIKE FRIESEMAN

WITNESS: No one has to show

PRAYER: The most important

up; it’s not mandatory. But by showing up on a particular day of the week to work, there is witness to the community that we’re all here to serve. In doing so, we also serve one another; that’s why we sit and have coffee and donuts in the morning to see what’s going on in each other's lives – we listen and do the best we can to support one another as part of what we do.

prayer is our beginning and foundation, which is morning Mass.

We say grace before our meals, and individually everyone has their prayer time as well. Prayer, obviously, is not to be neglected. We are even reminded by the noon Angelus bells, which for centuries was the time for workers to come in for their lunch, so that is part of prayer as well. There are lots of ways we incorporate prayer.

INVITATION: The guild operates on a totally voluntary basis, so during Mass or at functions at the parish, we’re always inviting – generally speaking, retired people – but we have some people who come once a month because that’s their work schedule. We have volunteers with disabilities, as well, and there are lots of functions that folks can do to make them feel useful as part of the Holy Spirit Parish community.

ACCOMPANIMENT: The guild members accompany each other in our walk by getting to know one another, and knowing when people are having an issue or a problem – that’s when we try to make ourselves available to help.

But I also want to point out that this is fun: We kid each other, we joke with each other, we give each other a tough time. In that sense, it’s all about friendship with our fellow workers.

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FATHER JOE’S MAILBAG T. Gennara

YOUR FAITH IN THE KNOW WITH FATHER JOE

FATHER JOE KRUPP

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

DEAR FATHER JOE: Q If Lucifer was an angel in heaven, how was he able to sin?

A

Practice.

No, seriously, we have free will. When we see God face to face, our free will is set — we are finished making choices. The angels had that moment, that choice. And so Lucifer was free to sin, and when he did so and tried to elevate himself above God, he essentially “set” his free will.

I do know that the free will of non-fallen angels is different than ours, but they never use it badly.

Q

DEAR FATHER JOE: I was taught that when the priest raises the body and blood of Christ at the consecration, we should make the sign of the cross. But most people do not, and do nothing at all. What is proper reverence at those moments?

A 10

As long as it is not distracting to others, you do whatever you feel called to do. If it brings you

FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

closer to the Lord, then it’s a good thing. Some people make the sign of the cross, as you were taught; some people say a specific prayer; and some people try to do nothing at all except look in adoration.

If it’s not distracting to your neighbor, like, say, juggling, then it’s fine. Seriously, you should do whatever works for you — and that may be different every time. Try to really be in that moment — body, mind and soul.

DEAR FATHER JOE: Q What is the significance of the placement of the creed during Mass? Why is

it in the Mass, and why after the readings and before the eucharistic prayer?

A

The creed is a really important part of the Mass.

It is placed where it is because we are about to enter into Communion, from the Latin communio, which means “one heart, one mind.” The creed is a statement that we are all on the same page, so to speak — that we are one in heart and mind as we are about to receive the source of that unity in holy Communion.

It’s sort of like the prelude at the beginning of a song that hints at what is coming up. The creed does that as well, and the consecration echoes the creed beautifully. It starts with the big picture and becomes more and more specific, until we get to the moment when Christ is truly with us.

DEAR FATHER JOE: Q Why do we pray for the sick? Nothing will change.

A

We pray because God tells us to pray. We pray because God wants to hear from us. We pray because we have free will and God will not intervene in our lives without our permission. Does our prayer change God’s action? It may or may not — God tells us to ask. He tells us, “Ask and it will be given to you … knock and the door will be opened to you.” And what he is going to give us is the Holy Spirit — from whom we may get what we long for, or the strength to endure until God gets what he longs for – for us.

We definitely should pray — the whole idea that God knows the future is important because it gives us an idea of how God answers our prayers. We live in a planet of billions of people where options are always changing, but God is one step ahead of us.

Prayer can lead to one or two changes. We will change ourselves for sure. Or our circumstances may change. But we can be sure that God may not give us what we want, but he will give us what we need.

DEAR FATHER JOE: Q How can we protect our children against the influencers of the world when even the faithful are not faithful?

A

God is faithful; we are not. I think we get into trouble if we move ourselves into the category of the good guy. Because then we stop evaluating ourselves, and thinking about how we should change. Because none of us are there.

Guarding our kids means we need to be as holy as we can get, because holiness is attractive, and sometimes we forget that. But we should not be too sure of our own holiness, because we can always grow closer to God. You need to speak the truth, and speak the truth in love, to your children. And remember, your children are free. They will make their own decisions.

You may do everything “right” and your kids still end up not going to church. At some point, you just need to put them in God’s hands.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A QUESTION FOR FATHER JOE KRUPP TO CONSIDER FOR A FUTURE COLUMN, PLEASE SEND TO: EDITOR@ FAITHCATHOLIC. COM.

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YOUR FAITH THEOLOGY 101

WHEN CHARLES DICKENS published A Christmas Carol in December of 1843, the importance of Christmas was fading in England. People had lost sight of its meaning and relevance, a cultural state of affairs that we can certainly relate to today. This one story larity and its impact on redefining the importance of Christmas at that moment in England. Even now, this story continues to permeate our consciousness.

For example, the book introduced the still-used, and

An

Advent Carol 12

FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

often criticized, phrase, “Merry Christmas” to the English language. And who can forget the famous mantra of Ebenezer Scrooge: “Bah! Humbug!”

Yet times change, and while A Christmas Carol has become itself part of the Christmas tradition, the story alone cannot capture the true meaning of Christmas for Catholics – but it can shed light on that which can: the season of Advent. Like Christmas, the season of Advent (from the Latin: ad venio “to come to”) has lost its significance for many Christians. Often, it is simply viewed as the four super busy weeks prior to the celebration of Christmas during which we scramble to complete our gift shopping and to prepare for the Christmas dinner. In reality, though, Advent calls the Catholic faithful to much more …

GETTY IMAGES/DAVE RHEAUME ARTIST

began to change all that with its immediate popu-

so in order to “re-member,” “re-establish,” “re-cognize” who we truly are once again – sons and daughters of God destined for eternal life with the Communion that is the Holy Trinity. This life with God alone is valuable; this alone is happiness.

In A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is brought face-to-face with his past. He sees his late sister Fan, who rescued him from the loneliness and isolation of boarding school. He revisits the Christmas party THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PRESENT: thrown by his kind-hearted mentor, Fezziwig. And he THE TASK TO FORGET relives the loss of his one true love, Belle. In each case, Scrooge is challenged by the ghost to remember that The second ghost to visit Scrooge makes it a point which holds true value and produces true happiness. to show him the importance of Christmas Day by Scrooge, of course, resists this challenge even after allowing him to see how people all over, even those getting lost briefly in the spirit of joy as each memory who lived in the most wretched of circumstances, passes through his consciousness. Joy such as this mark Christmas in the present. Scrooge witnesses the has belonged exclusively to the past for Scrooge, a Cratchit family’s happiness despite their poverty, and past which is dead and gone – and best left that way. the fun and fellowship at his nephew’s house. More Reality and the demands of making money afford no than this, the ghost allows Scrooge to feel not only room for this kind of sentimentality, this remembering his own great loss at not celebrating, or entering into, of who he was.

Christmas, but even the loss of others, namely his Scrooge simply tries to suppress the regret that nephew, due to Scrooge’s absence. begins to bubble up from the depths of his being. He Perhaps at this point, the spark of awareness begins does not want to remember who to grow into a steady flicker for he was and how he has changed.

Scrooge as he starts to realize the However, he cannot help but consequences of his self-centered While A Christmas Carol has notice how different he is now as drive for money. His self-enclosing he recalls how he has treated the become itself part of the activity had managed to isolate son of his dear Fan so poorly; how him in miserly misery and numb Christmas tradition, the story he has employed practices that him to the joy that saturated the alone cannot capture the true oppress his sole employee, Bob air on Christmas Day. His obsesmeaning of Christmas for Cratchit, much in contrast to how sion with himself and his greed Fezziwig had treated him; and how Catholics – but it can shed light had completely blinded him to the his growing obsession for money existence of others. on that which can: the season and material wealth had eclipsed The first task of Advent calls us of Advent.” his love for Belle. to remember our identity in Christ.

The season of Advent presents The second task calls us to make us with the same challenge as this first ghost. It repour souls a fit dwelling place for the “mind of Christ” to resents a time for preparing ourselves to celebrate the well up within us here and now, especially in our celegreatest gift ever presented to the world, the incarnate bration of holy Communion. After all, Catholicism is an Word of God. It also represents an opportunity for us incarnate religion that is not simply content with the to look to the past and to remember who we really are, happenings of history. Instead, as the body of Christ in where we come from and where we fit into this greatthe world, the Church is to make present the word of est story ever told.

God, a role that takes on an additional dimension when The logic for this task should be clear: If we do not it comes to Christmas Day. know who we are, we cannot know for whom we were Remembering seeks to re-establish proper order to made. If we do not seriously undertake the task of our lives – to know who we are and to whom we are reassembling our identity as baptized Catholics, our going. This second task now speaks to us of the need lives will reflect a lack of proper order that is disrupted to forget ourselves (our self-centeredness) in order when we fail to remember that we were created by to make room in the inn of our hearts for the Spirit a loving God for eternal life in communion with God. of Christ who is present among us and through us in This act of remembering is crucial if Advent is to be a a special way on Christmas Day. The repentance and season of repentance and reconciliation in preparation reconciliation that result from the first task gives way for entering the full joy of Christmas Day. to the self-emptying of the second task in a way that In Advent, we are called, then, to “re-member” God’s enables us to say, paraphrasing the words of St. Paul great gift of love, the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ (the in Galatians: “It is no longer I who celebrate Christmas culmination of so many years of expectation). We do Day, but Christ through me.”

S. OLSON

THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS PAST: THE TASK TO REMEMBER

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.

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YOUR STORIES

COVER STORY

After escaping from terror in Africa, Balthazar says

‘LIFE IS EASY IF YOU PUT IT IN GOD’S HANDS’ B

BY NANCY ROSEBUSH SCHERTZING | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM LUNING

ALTHAZAR MATAKARA looks calmly across the table in the St. Vincent Catholic Charities conference room. His voice never wavers, his demeanor never changes, even as he recounts the terror of his life in Africa and his journey to the U.S. “Life is easy if you put it in God’s hands,” he says simply. “Life is hard if you make it hard. You have to believe in God and know he will save us.

“Growing up in Burundi, I have always believed that life can change suddenly. Our history is full of merciless exploitation and atrocious control as a Belgian colony. The Belgians left brutal rulers in power when the colonial era ended.

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“For instance, two of my older brothers were earning university degrees and were making good lives.

When I was 10, soldiers came and killed both of them in a government purge of the educated and wealthy.

Fear was always with us, but I was born to parents with big faith that God is there for us.

“When I came of age, the Belgian government offered me a university scholarship to study in Belgium.

Despite my brothers’ experience, I accepted and went abroad to learn. In 1989, I earned a degree in electronics engineering and returned home to work as a technology coordinator in the office of studies of the programs of secondary education.

“I had fallen in love with a daughter of the family across the street from my family home. Alphonsine

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Busabusa married me and started college while I worked. Soon, we welcomed a son into our lives. According to our custom, Alphonsine’s grandmother named our child. She chose Arnaud Muhimpundu, which means give him blessings, because he was the first son of the first daughter.

“Our history of purges has led our people to change our naming practices. Instead of taking the father’s or mother’s last name – which makes it easy to find people of the same family – we gave our children different last names. Everyone in our family has a name chosen for its meaning.

“Despite the government purges and repression, Burundian people generally lived peacefully together.

That changed suddenly in 1993 when the army assassinated the elected president, igniting a civil war.

Many people died, thousands more were injured, and countless families fled to refugee camps across Africa. The violence was horrific, with neighbor killing neighbor, and friends cutting down friends.

“Alphonsine was attending Burundi University and I was working at a TV station controlled by the military.

We knew we were targets because of our education, so we packed what we could carry with our 1-yearold son and slipped across the border into the Democratic Republic of Congo. We found menial jobs that allowed us to rent an apartment and raise Arnaud.

“For three years, we put our faith first and built our life together in Congo while the genocide and civil war raged in neighboring Burundi and Rwanda. Then one night, we found ourselves surrounded by Congo-

lese fighters advancing down the there for them. Over the next four mountains on our town. Immeyears, I heard the children grew diately, we grabbed Arnaud and and thrived as Alphonsine raised LEARN MORE raced to the shore of Lake Tangthem by herself. anyika to try to escape.

“In 2004, Alphonsine got notice St. Vincent Catholic Charities is the desig“Hundreds of people of all ages from the UNHCR that our family nated refugee resettlement agency for adults and abilities crowded the lakecould resettle in Canada. It was and families in Lansing and mid-Michigan. Its shore with us, hoping for a mirathe answer to so many prayers!

Refugee Services assist with the basic essentials cle. Completely exposed to the But somehow, in the course of to welcome refugees to the Lansing community fighters, all we could do was pray resettlement, plans changed. She and help them reach self-sufficiency. and wait for boats that were comand our children ended up going Catholic Charities agencies in the Diocese of ing to evacuate us to Tanzania. to America – to a town called LanLansing share the love of Christ by performing “As each boat approached shore, sing, Michigan. the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. hopeful refugees surged to board “For this move, instead of UNit. Too many desperate people HCR workers, they were met by • St. Vincent Catholic Charities, Lansing: overcrowded many small boats, staff from St. Vincent Catholic 517.323.4734 causing them to sink in the deep Charities, who helped with houswaters. I heard their screaming and ing, food, education and support • Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and cries for help as the water claimed in establishing their lives here. FiHillsdale Counties, Jackson: 517.782.2551; them. There was nothing I could do. nally, I could communicate with AlAdrian: 517.263.2191 “After spending the night praying phonsine and the children through on that shore, we boarded a boat American friends! I continued • Livingston County Catholic Charities, and made it to safety in Tanzania, working in Derby until 2006, when Howell: 517.545.5944 thankful God had saved us. On I was cleared to join my family in shore, workers from the United Nathe U.S. Before long, I became a re• Catholic Charities of Shiawassee and tions High Commissioner for Refusettlement clerk at St. Vincent RefGenesee Counties, Owosso: 989.723.8239; gees (UNHCR) met us and took us ugee Services, where Alphonsine Flint: 810.232.9950 to the refugee camp we would call works as a case manager. home for the next three years.

“Our jobs allow us to minister to • Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw “We arrived with nothing but others who come from far away County, Ann Arbor: 734.971.9781 the Bible Alphonsine grabbed as – often experiencing trauma and we fled Congo. But UNHCR workhardship like we faced. Though we ers provided us with the essenare safe and very grateful to be tials we needed to survive: shelter, food and water. here, sometimes we miss the traditions and practices of Alphonsine headed a women’s group in the camp, our home countries. That is one reason I organized an and I farmed and did some teaching. Our daughter, African Mass. Since 2014, the first Sunday of the month, Armandine Uwimana, was born during this time. Her Father Ntakarutimana, a Burundian priest and parochial name means belong to God. vicar at St. Joseph Parish in Owosso, has said Mass at “After three years, life became very difficult in the 4 p.m. in St. Thomas Parish, East Lansing. Father Ntacamp, and we decided to move to Lusaka, Zambia. While karutimana speaks Kirundi and Swahili, so many Catholiving as refugees in hiding, I started a business, the chillics from across Africa can come celebrate Mass in their dren attended school. Our second daughter, Linda Nduown language and tradition. wimana, was born. Her name means I belong to God. “I have traveled. Jesus traveled. We have lived in “Our life wasn’t complete. We were still foreigners different places, and speak the language of each hiding in the foreign land of Zambia, so we applied place. I lost everything. I started over. I lost everyOur jobs allow for resettlement, hoping to stay legally in Zambia or thing. I started over. My advice to everyone is, ‘Keep another country where we could raise our children faith in God because this is life. Where we are born is us to minister and live in peace. After a few years, I left so I could not often the place we are going to stay.’ to others who work as a bench engineer at the Sound and Vision “All my life I grew up with people dying, and I come from far Center in the British town of Leicester, Derby. The oplearned that what you have is nothing. We will leave away – often portunity was great, but my family could not join me. it in the end. So I never become discouraged when I “Before, every time we moved we had fled for our lose things because I never, never let go of God. Alexperiencing lives – losing everything then starting over. This time, phonsine and I have always believed he would save trauma and I had to leave my family behind, and I feared for them. us. He saves us now. hardship like There was no way to communicate with them across “You see? Having faith is very wonderful. Life is we faced.” the continents. Again, I prayed that God would be easy if you put it in God’s hands.” Balthazar smiles.

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FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

AS A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR,

Louise’s wish is ‘for other people to know the Lord’

W

HEN LOUISE PARÉ lost her job at a Catholic publishing company after 42 years, she wasn’t sure what to do with her life.

One minute she was working and the next she was unemployed, and still a year away from retirement.

She asked her pastor to pray for her and to help her discern what to do next. He said “spiritual direction” kept coming to him in his prayer. So she signed up for a course on becoming a spiritual director through the Institute for Spiritual Direction, which is run out of the St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt. She completed the course in December 2018.

“To me, the big thing – the only thing – is to help people have a better relationship with Jesus,” Louise says.

“A lot of people are very faithful Catholics and have been going to church their whole life. They may serve in the parish, but when it comes to having a personal relationship with Jesus, they don’t even know it’s possible.”

“They work so hard to make their faith part of their life, and it almost breaks my heart that they don’t know how much Jesus loves them and how active he is in their lives,” she says. “There’s always a hunger in them.”

Louise says spiritual direction is often misunderstood, but has gained traction and is becoming something in which lay people are interested.

“It’s been quite a blessing and an eye opener to be able to meet with people and see the hunger they have for the Lord,” she says.

The Institute for Spiritual Direction (ISD) program is only a few years old, but the class sizes are growing rapidly. Louise’s class had only seven people; a current class has nearly double that. “There is growth and so much interest in the program,” she says.

According to Father David Rosenberg, director of the St. Francis Retreat Center and the institute, participants are typically people who have served the Church in some way previously. The program consists of coursework and practicum sections. While completing the practicum, spiritual directors in training meet with people who are on retreat at St. Francis. Those conversations allow them to practice their craft before they take on their own directees at parishes.

For Louise, becoming a spiritual director is related to other things she’s done in her life to grow closer to the Lord, such as becoming a consecrated virgin in 1992.

“What I’m doing as a spiritual director is almost an extension of that. You give your life to the Lord in a

very deep way, and you come to understand the love he has for the Church and for each person. It really drives and motivates what I do – this drive for other people to know the Lord.”

Father David says the ISD course is a serious commitment for those who want to participate, but it is helping fill a gap in parishes for people who need guidance.

“Spiritual direction is getting help in the ultimate journey of our spiritual life,” he says. “It’s very hard to do that on your own.” Spiritual directors were critical in his own journey to the priesthood, so he wants to give others the same gift.

“If you bring a person in that’s been connected to their faith and you give them insight into a deeper journey, they will be as profoundly moved as I was,” Father David says.

For people such as Louise, the journey to learning how to help others also helps them.

“People are experiencing their own inner conversions and becoming radically moved by the life of Christ, through the saints, and they get to pass that onto their directees,” Father David says.

Louise says it’s inspiring to watch people discover God’s love for them and their desire to serve him: “It’s so beautiful to watch it unfold. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to do something like this.”

YOUR STORIES MY STORY

BY MARIA SERVOLD PHOTOGRAPHY

BY REY DEL RIO

It’s been quite a blessing and an eye opener to be able to meet with people and see the hunger they have for the Lord.”

19

A D E Z I S E BIT FOR FEAST NT ADVE

SO HERE WE ARE. It’s almost Advent. Christmas approaches. And once again, it’s Santa versus Jesus. Sadly, because of our culture of commercialism, Santa (representing all the secular manifestations of the holiday) overshadows the true Christian essence of the weeks leading up to the 25th of December, which concerns the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

T. Gennara

CULTURE

MICHELLE DIFRANCO

is a designer and the busy mom of three children.

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But it wasn’t always that way. As we focus on preparing our hearts and minds for the great feast of Christmas, we must remember that our beloved St. Nicholas, who is the basis for the popular cultural icon Santa, deserves to be celebrated during Advent. But we need a proper understanding and appreciation for who this Saint really is, and why he surfaces on the Christian calendar this time of the year.

St. Nicholas is an Advent saint since his feast falls after the start of the holy season on December 6. Some may feel that this quiet time of anticipation for our Savior is not yet the time for celebration. But focusing on the life of holy saints like Nicholas does help us in our Advent waiting, since their very lives are beautiful examples of how to prepare for the coming of our Lord in our own lives!

Although there isn’t a lot of information on the life of St. Nicholas, we know he was a man of holiness, compassion and generosity (for the poor). He dedicated his life to God at a young age and later became bishop of

FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

Myra in the province of Lycia during the fourth century. Over time, Saint Nicholas’ legacy became present throughout much of Europe. Even after the Protestant reformation when recognizing saints was discouraged, he maintained popularity, especially in the Netherlands.

The Dutch immigrants eventually brought the legend and traditions of celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas (nickname, Sinterklaas) here to the United States.

One tradition which harkened to the saint’s generous nature had children put out their shoes the night before his feast day. The young ones would wake up to find small gifts and treats placed inside by the saint himself. Since the Nicholas’ feast day is so proximate to the Christmas holiday, the traditions of both holidays began to blend and fuse together, and soon the feast of St. Nicholas largely evaporated from the Christian consciousness, though many of its traditional festivities lived on as adopted appendages to the Christmas holiday.

In the Netherlands today, the feast of St. Nicholas is still celebrated with the arrival of “Sinterklaas.” And along with the festivities of the beloved Dutch holiday come plenty of sweet treats, including Kruidnoten, which are little bite-sized cookies made with cinnamon and other sweet spices. It is held by many that this tradition contributed to the Christmas cookie tradition so common in the United States today.

So as Advent arrives “Santa” will again become omnipresent in our midst. And before Christmas even arrives, I will feel saturated with the red-bearded character. But celebrating the feast of St. Nicholas as a valuable and virtuous part of our preparation for Christ’s coming is, in its truest form, a great addition to our Advent season.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANE FOLKERTSMA

NEWS FROM THE MCC

Kruidnoten are little bite-sized cookies made with cinnamon and other sweet spices.

It is held by many that

Michigan Catholic Conference welcomes proposed federal rule change to protect faith-based child placement agencies

this tradition contributed to the Christmas cookie tradition so common

O

N FRIDAY, NOV. 1, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposed a rule

change that will ensure faith-based adoption and foster care agencies are neither discriminated

in the United

against nor excluded from federal funding due to

States today.

their religious mission. The proposed rule change reconsiders a 2016 rule that penalized faith-based entities for adhering to their religious teaching and

KRUIDNOTEN COOKIES for the Feast of St. Nicholas Makes approximately 75 cookies

Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1 cup brown sugar ½ teaspoon baking soda ¾ cup of butter 4 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ½ teaspoon ground ginger pinch of salt.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and the spices.

Set aside. In a larger mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add milk. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients and mix to combine. On a slightly floured surface, knead until you've achieved a soft and slightly sticky dough.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Roll the dough into halfinch balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Using the bottom of a flat glass, give each cookie a slight press. Bake 12-15 minutes. Immediately remove cookies with a spatula onto a cool surface.

placing children with a married mother and father.

David Maluchnik, vice president for communications for the Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC), responded to the proposed change: “The proposed federal rule change, while unfortunately not preventing states and local governments from continuing to discriminate against faith-based agencies, will help to ensure diversity in child placement by preventing discrimination from the federal government. At the expense of vulnerable children and their well-being, too many Catholic child placement agencies nationwide have been forced to close due to discrimination or animus. We therefore view this as a good first step in protecting faith-based agencies across the country.

“While some public officials in Michigan are seeking to shutter faith-based agencies in this state, we welcome the proposed federal rule change that will help to preserve the mission, identity and long-standing community presence of Catholic adoption and foster care agencies in the United States.

“In the not-too-distant past the state of Michigan had relied heavily on partnering with religious communities to place children in forever homes; it is time for the state to return to its well-intentioned past, move on from its current discriminatory efforts, and set the cultural battles aside so that faith-based agencies can continue the important work of placing children.”

The MCC is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan. For more information, contact Dave Maluchnik at dmaluchnik@micatholic.org.

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YOUR COMMUNITY After escaping from terror in Africa, Balthazar says

‘LIFE IS EASY IF YOU PUT IT IN GOD’S HANDS’

The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Lansing

DALE LA VUELTA PARA

ESPAÑOL

THEOLOGY 101

AN ADVENT CAROL FROM THE BISHOP

THE HOLY TRINITY – THE MOST IMPORTANT OF OUR BELIEFS CULTURE

A BITE-SIZED FEAST FOR ADVENT

DECEMBER 2019 VOLUME 19: ISSUE 10

PUBLISHER

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DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

7TH GRADE VOCATIONS MASS

Help children grow in the virtue of honesty

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Elizabeth Martin Solsburg VICE PRESIDENT/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR FAITHTM (USPS 019993) 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. ©2019 FAITH Catholic. FAITH is a trademark of FAITH Catholic.

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On Oct. 11, at the teacher in-service day on “Building Intercultural Competence” at Lansing Catholic High School, Bishop Earl Boyea announced the establishment of two new scholarships designed to increase the number of minority staff and students in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Lansing.

The creation of the scholarships is in response to 10 recommendations submitted by the Diocese of Lansing Task Force on Race and Catholic Schools to Bishop Boyea earlier this year. The chair of the task force, Dr. Joan Jackson Johnson, was present to endorse the new scholarships. “The blessing of these scholarships is that, hopefully, it will raise the number of minority students in our schools – they are in our parishes, but families simply have a challenge sometimes in getting those dollars to get their kids into school,” she said.

In his announcement, the bishop said, “As a Church, we need to reach out more effectively to Catholic minority students in terms of enrollment and retention, and we need more Catholic minority faculty and staff – I very much believe these new scholarships will help us achieve that.”

The Venerable Augustus Tolton Scholarship is designed to increase the number of Catholic AfricanAmerican students in the diocese’s 32 schools. It will provide needs-based tuition assistance. Venerable Augustus Tolton (1854–97), was a former slave who became the first black priest in the United States.

The St. Katharine Drexel Scholarship has been established to increase the number of Catholic minority teachers in diocesan schools. Named for St. Katharine Drexel (1858–1955), a pioneer in establishing schools in the U.S. for Native and African Americans, it will provide tuition assistance for Catholic persons of color who wish to transition into teaching within a Catholic school via the State of Michigan’s Teachers of Tomorrow program.

FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

On Oct. 22, the feast of St. John Paul II, hundreds of seventhgraders from the Diocese of Lansing gathered to celebrate the annual Vocations Mass with Bishop Earl Boyea at St. Mary Cathedral.

Following Mass, the young people gathered for presentations on discerning the variety of vocations.

Talks on the priesthood, matrimony, and religious and consecrated life were presented by Father John Whitlock, vocations director, Deacon Randy Desrochers, director of diaconal formation, Dawn Hausmann, director of consecrated religious vocations, Jenny Ingles, director of fertility and life ministries, and religious sisters from several congregations.

REQUIESCAT IN PACE Father Jim Lothamer, PSS, died Nov. 1. He was 76 years old. He joined the Society of St. Sulpice prior to his ordination in 1968, and served the first 20 years of his priesthood as a teacher and administrator at St. Mary’s College in Baltimore. Father Jim served the Diocese of Lansing as the pastor or intermediate pastor at St. Joseph, Adrian; St. Agnes, Fowlerville; St. John Student Chapel, East Lansing; St. Mary, Pinckney; St. Mary, Charlotte; St. Ann, Bellevue; and St. Mary, Morrice. A memorial Mass was celebrated Nov. 9 at St. Agnes Church in Fowlerville.

DIOCESAN YOUTH CELEBRATE ‘THE FATHER’S LOVE’ Almost 300 young people and their adult leaders participated in the Diocese of Lansing High School Youth Conference, “The Father’s Love,” on Sunday, Nov. 3 at Lansing Catholic High School. The goal of the day-long event was to bring teenagers into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Bishop Boyea celebrated Mass.

DIOCESE OF LANSING

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S CONFERENCE

WELCOME THE STRANGER More than 120 parish leaders gathered Oct. 11 at the Welcome the Stranger among Us - Pastoral Care of Immigrants Conference presented by the Hispanic Ministry Office of the Diocese of Lansing. According to Susana Chapa Vargas, director of Hispanic/Latino ministry for the diocese: “The goal of this conference was to sensitize and inform the participants about the reality of immigration and the immigrants in America and our diocese, from the perspective of the Catholic faith, in order to provide the participants with the tools to bring pastoral care and to protect immigrants.”

MIDDLE SCHOOL CONFERENCE

WOMEN’S CONFERENCE On Oct. 12, more than 600 women attended “Hope Restores,” the Diocese of Lansing’s seventh Catholic Women’s Conference at the Lansing Center. Bishop Boyea presided at Mass, which highlighted a day of music, prayer and inspirational presentations. Featured speakers included Judy Landrieu Klein, author of Mary’s Way: The Power of Entrusting your Child to God; Sheri Wohlfert, teacher, writer and founder of Joyful Words Ministries; Erin Looby Carlson, director of communications for the Diocese of Saginaw; and Father Mark Rutherford, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Williamston. Music throughout the day was provided

by Melanie Rea.

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Bishop Boyea presided at Mass and led adoration for approximately 2,300 students in grades 6-8 and and their adult chaperones attending the Holy Fire Conference held Oct. 13 in Bowling Green, Ohio, for dioceses in Michigan and Ohio.

More than 300 young people and their adult leaders from the Diocese of Lansing participated in the one-day experience designed to invite and challenge the young people “to embrace their baptismal call and embrace the relevant and powerful gospel of Jesus.”

Hosted by the Diocese of Toledo and produced by the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, this event was designed “to gather and grow the emerging faith of thousands of young people ... so they see themselves as active witnesses of Christ and engaged members of the Catholic Church.”

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DIOCESE OF LANSING ADVENT RECONCILIATION SERVICES Please contact the parish and confirm date and time.

CLINTON/EATON/INGHAM (Regional two Masses only) • Dec. 15, 2 p.m., St. Thomas Aquinas, East Lansing • Dec. 15, 2 p.m., St. Gerard, Lansing JACKSON • Dec. 9, 7 p.m., St. Rita, Clarklake • Dec. 10, 7 p.m., Queen of the Miraculous Medal, Jackson • Dec. 12, 7 p.m., St. Catherine Labouré, Concord • Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Our Lady of Fatima, Michigan Center • Dec. 18, 7 p.m., St. John the Evangelist, Jackson • Dec. 21, 10 a.m., St. Mary Star of the Sea, Jackson LENAWEE/HILLSDALE • Dec. 8, 7 p.m., St. Elizabeth, Tecumseh • Dec.10, 6:30 p.m., Light of Christ, Blissfield • Dec. 11, 7 p.m., St. Joseph Shrine, Brooklyn • Dec.18, 7 p.m., Sacred Heart, Hudson LIVINGSTON • Dec. 10, 7 p.m., St. Augustine, Howell • Dec. 11, 7 p.m., St. Mary Magdalen, Brighton • Dec. 12, 7 p.m., St. Joseph, Howell • Dec. 16, 7 p.m., Holy Spirit, Brighton • Dec. 18, 7 p.m., St. John the Baptist, Howell • Dec. 19, 7 p.m., St. Mary, Pinckney • Dec. 21, 7 p.m., St. Patrick, Brighton • (No Service at St. Agnes, Fowlerville) WASHTENAW • Dec. 10, 7 p.m., St. Joseph, Dexter • Dec. 11, 7 p.m., St. Mary, Chelsea • Dec. 12, 7 p.m., Immaculate Conception, Milan • Dec. 12, 7 p.m., .St. Mary, Manchester • Dec. 16, 7 p.m., St. Andrew, Saline • Dec. 17, 7 p.m., St. Mary Student Parish, Ann Arbor • Dec. 18, 7 p.m., Old St. Patrick, Ann Arbor 24

THINGS TO DO

RETREATS

Dec. 5, 6 p.m., St. John the Baptist, 2099 N. Hacker Rd., Howell, will host an Advent Tea in Thompson Hall. For information, contact the parish office at 517.546.7200.

WEBER RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER, 517.266.4000 or WEBERCENTER. ORG

Dec. 5-7, St. Patrick in Brighton is hosting “Healing the Whole Person” retreat at John Paul II Healing Center. To register, visit jpiihealingcenter.org and for information, email jpiiretreatbrightonmi@gmail. com.

Dec. 7, noon-7 p.m. and Dec. 8, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., the St. Paul Altar Society’s annual Christmas Cookie Sale will be in the Father Kolenski Hall in Owosso with homemade cookies, bars, candies and plates of homemade goodies decorated for instant gift giving. This event benefits the altar society. For information, contact the parish office at 989.723.4277, ext. 1101.

Dec. 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., St Michael, Grand Ledge will have a P.T.O. Craft Bazaar. For more information, contact the parish office at 517.627.8493.

Dec. 7, 6-8:30 p.m., Holy Spirit in Brighton will host Advent by Candlelight, inviting all women to come and prepare their hearts for the Advent season with seminarian Deacon John Vinton. Includes a musical presentation, prayer, food and fellowship.

To register, email Karoline by Dec. 1 at karoline.heldt@gmail.com.

Dec. 12, 6 p.m., Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, 2316 W. Coldwater Rd. in Flint, will celebrate its feast day with Mass followed by light refreshments in the San Juan Diego Activity Center. For information, contact the parish office at 810.787.5701.

Dec. 15, 2 p.m., the Diocese of Lansing - Disabilities Ministry and All Faith Ministry for Disabilities are

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Dec. 1, 7 p.m. to Dec. 5, 11 a.m., Advent retreat – “The Immanence of the Incarnation: How close can God be?” This four-day Advent retreat includes presentations, shared prayer, and the opportunity for shared reflection. Cost: $160 for commuter; $425 for single and $325 for double occupancy. Cost includes all meals and snacks.

hosting a Special Needs Mass and holiday party at the St. Francis Retreat Center Chapel, 703 E. Main St. in DeWitt. Following Mass, there will be a catered meal and a wrapped gift for each of the special needs attendees. Everyone is welcome to come and join the fun. To RSVP

by Dec. 9, contact Cathy Blatnik at 517.381.1410 or blatsie63@yahoo. com.

Dec. 15, 3 p.m., St. Agnes, Fowlerville’s Music Ministry invites you to The Silence and the Sound, a Christmas music program that features its adult and children’s choirs, hand bell choir and youth ensemble. Following the program, there is a reception in Higgins Hall.

All are welcome to share in the Christmas celebration. For information, contact the parish office at 517.223.8684.

Dec. 20, 7 p.m., St. Mary Queen of Angels Parish, 4413 Morrish Rd., Swartz Creek, will host a euchre tournament fundraiser sponsored by its Knights of Columbus Council. For more information, call 810.635.3684.

Jan 17, 7 p.m., Spiritus Sanctus Academy will have a Pro-Life

CATHOLIC CHARITIES CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF JACKSON, LENAWEE AND HILLSDALE COUNTIES (CCJLH), JACKSON: 517.782.2551 AND ADRIAN: 517.263.2191 or CATHOLICCHARITIESJLHC.ORG •T he Personal Needs and Linen Closet is located at 407 S. Mechanic St. in Jackson. Personal hygiene items, cleaning products and linens are available free of charge to those in need. It is open on the second and fourth Fridays of each month from 9 a.m. to noon. For information about how you or your organization can help, please call 517.782.2551.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF SHIAWASSEE AND GENESEE COUNTIES, FLINT: 810.232.9950 AND OWOSSO: 989.723.7239 or CCSGC.ORG •A ngel Tree Program is an opportunity for individuals, teams, companies and organization to make Christmas special by adopting a family. Your gift, large or small, makes a difference.

Families are available to adopt beginning Nov. 1. For more information, contact John Manse, director of community services, at 810.785.6911 or jmanse@ccsgc.org.

CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES OF WASHTENAW COUNTY, 734.971.9781 or CSSWASHTENAW.ORG •A re you interested in making a difference in a child’s life?

The Foster Care Program needs foster parents. If you are

Euchre Night at its Ann Arbor campus for Michigan's favorite card game. If you haven’t played before, there will be a “Euchre 101” at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $20 per person and includes euchre rotations, hors d'oeuvres, 50/50 raffle, wine pull and more. All proceeds support its eighth-grade class pilgrimage to the March for Life in Washington, D.C. Everyone is welcome to attend. To RSVP, email Caroline Biskner at carolinebiskner@yahoo.com or visit tinyurl.com/ssaeuchre2020.

Jan. 25, 7-11:30 p.m., 3rd annual Lansing Catholic Corks + Cuisine fundraising event will be held in Lansing Catholic’s gymnasium. Join us for a casual, relaxed evening for our Catholic community to have fun and socialize in support of the

interested or considering becoming a foster parent, Catholic Social Services has monthly informational meetings in Ann Arbor on Tuesdays and Thursdays to provide an overview of the foster care process. There are no fees associated with becoming licensed for foster care. For information, call 734.971.9781 ext. 488.

LIVINGSTON COUNTY CATHOLIC CHARITIES, 517.545.5944 or LIVINGSTONCATHOLICCHARITIES.ORG •C hristmas Blessing Project for homebound low-income seniors: This annual community support project helps vulnerable seniors.

If your organization would like to help, please consider having a drive for food, hygiene items, cleaning/paper products and more. This would help those in need during this blessed season of love and joy. Items need to be dropped off by Dec. 5 at 2020 E. Grand River, Ste. 104, Howell. For more information on how to help, call Suzi Snyder at 517.546.9910.

ST. VINCENT CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF LANSING, 517.323.4734 or STVCC.ORG • “Be An Angel” holiday giving campaign: “Be An Angel” tags are available at holiday giving trees at the Lansing and Meridian malls, or participating stores in the Eastwood Towne Center.

Each tag has information on the item to purchase and donate.

An unwrapped gift with Angel tag and price tag sticker attached to the gift can be dropped off before Dec. 23 at STVCC, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call St. Vincent at 517.323.4734.

high school. Enjoy fabulous food that showcases delicious bites from local restaurants and wine/ beer from area distributors and brewing companies. Tickets: $40 in advance. Must be 21+ to attend.

For event information, visit www. lansingcatholic.org. For sponsorship opportunities, contact LCHS Event Coordinator Paula Wilcox at paula.wilcox@lansingcatholic.org or 517.267.2121.

Feb. 22, St. Martha Catholic Council of Women, Okemos will host a oneday women's retreat, “I am Yours,” in the parish hall at 1100 W. Grand River Ave. Cost is $25 and includes lunch. For more information and to register, visit www.st-matha.org in January or email stmarthaccw@ gmail.com.

CAFÉ EVENTS Jan. 19, 2 p.m., A new group of people seeking to learn about the Catholic Church will begin meeting at St. John Church and Student Center in East Lansing. These will be interactive sessions.

So please bring your questions. Share the gift of faith this Christmas season by inviting someone you know to consider this opportunity. For information, contact Pete Ries at 517.351.5460, ext. 1328 or pries@elcatholics.org.

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CITAS DE LOS ORADORES INVITADOS Hermana Attracta: “Lo principal que podemos hacer como feligreses es hacernos amigos de las personas, conocerlas. Una vez que conocemos a las personas, ya no hablaremos de ellas como “esas personas”.

LA CONFERENCIA CATÓLICA DE MICHIGAN Según la Conferencia Católica de Michigan (MCC, por sus siglas en inglés), Michigan tiene la tradición de acoger a personas de diversos orígenes, incluidos inmigrantes, migrantes, refugiados y solicitantes de asilo, que se han sumado al carácter del estado. El MCC apoya políticas que: • Defiendan la dignidad humana de todas las personas y luchen contra las injusticias que comprometen la dignidad de los inmigrantes, incluyendo el acceso a un I.D. o identificación estatal.

• Continúen dando la bienvenida a refugiados y asilados al estado que han sido admitidos por el gobierno federal.

• Reconocen y promueven los valores que los inmigrantes brindan a la cultura y la economía de Michigan

El Padre Tim dijo a sus parroquianos Hispanos: “Hay una razón por la que están aquí. No es solo una casualidad. Es por diseño divino. Están aquí para ayudarnos. Queremos que conserven su fe, sus tradiciones, familia, fiestas y comida. Ustedes cámbiennos, no dejen que les cambiemos”.

Amy Ketner: “Nuestra misión, arraigada en el llamado de Cristo de reconocerlo en los demás, especialmente en los marginados, se puede lograr con tres elementos: educación (para la comunidad no inmigrante y para la comunidad inmigrante), defensa y cuidado/acompañamiento pastoral, todo basado en el mutuo acompañamiento”.

Javier Orozco citó la Bula del Papa Francisco durante el Jubileo Extraordinario de la Misericordia de 2015: “Necesitamos constantemente contemplar el misterio de la misericordia ... Misericordia: la ley fundamental que habita en el corazón de cada persona que mira sinceramente a los ojos de sus hermanos y hermanas. En el camino de la vida ... abriendo nuestros corazones a la esperanza de ser amados para siempre a pesar de nuestra pecaminosidad”.

DE LA COORDINADORA DEL MINISTERIO HISPANO Susana Chapa Vargas: El objetivo de esta conferencia fue sensibilizar e informar a los participantes sobre la realidad de la inmigración y los inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos y nuestra diócesis, desde la perspectiva de la fe católica, para proporcionar a los participantes las herramientas que les permitan brindar atención pastoral y proteger a los inmigrantes. Creo que se logró el objetivo, me gustaría animar a todos los participantes a comenzar un ministerio para atender a los inmigrantes en su parroquia si aún no lo tienen,

TOM GENNARA

estoy más que dispuesta a ir a sus parroquias con nuestro equipo y ayudarles en lo que necesiten para que esto suceda. Pueden contactarme en mi e-mail: schapa@dioceseoflansing.org o llamándome a mi línea directa 517.342.2520.

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ACOGIENDO AL FORASTERO ENTRE NOSOTROS Conferencia sobre el cuidado pastoral de inmigrantes

M

ÁS DE 120 LÍDERES PARROQUIALES se reunieron el 11 de octubre en la Conferencia “Welcome the Stranger Among Us - Pastoral Care of Immigrants” presentada por la Oficina del Ministerio Hispano de la Diócesis de Lansing. Los oradores incluyeron a la Hermana Attracta Kelly, OP, directora de la oficina de Asistencia de Inmigración de las Adrian Sisters; el Dr. Javier Orozco, director ejecutivo de Dignidad Humana y Asuntos Interculturales de la Arquidiócesis de St. Louis; el Padre Tim Nelson, pastor de la parroquia St. Mary Star of the Sea en Jackson; y Amy Ketner, coordinadora del ministerio hispano/latino en la parroquia estudiantil St. Mary en Ann Arbor. Se unieron a representantes locales de la comunidad hispana y líderes parroquiales para proporcionar información e inspiración para responder a las necesidades de los inmigrantes en la Diócesis de Lansing.

La Hermana Attracta retó a los líderes de la parroquia a ayudar a educar a los miembros de sus parroquias para que comprendan la importancia de proteger los derechos de los inmigrantes, de mantener unidas a las familias y de apoyar una política pública justa que promueva el bien común.

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El Dr. Javier Orozco explicó los cuatro pilares para proporcionar apoyo pastoral a los inmigrantes en nuestras comunidades: Encuentro, Acompañamiento, Misión y Solidaridad.

El Padre Tim Nelson, párroco de St. Mary Star of the Sea, dijo a los participantes que ha observado

FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

una increíble devoción a la fe católica entre los inmigrantes hispanos, a pesar de la falta de acceso a una buena catequesis en las zonas remotas de los países donde vivían anteriormente. Amy Ketner compartió pasos específicos para implementar el ministerio a los inmigrantes y para educar a los feligreses de manera que puedan recibirlos y apoyarlos.

Miembros locales de la comunidad hispana compartieron su historia de emigrar y trabajar en los Estados Unidos, y uno de ellos habló de su trabajo en la industria láctea dentro de la Diócesis de Lansing. Comenzando en un puesto a nivel de entrada - ordeñando vacas y limpiando graneros Sergio ahora es un ayudante de confianza para el dueño de la lechería, brindando referencias y capacitación para los nuevos trabajadores cuando es necesario.

ARTÍCULO DE PORTADA

Dios me guía y yo le sigo. Me da oportunidades todos los días, cada minuto, para ver su rostro en los demás y para ayudar donde pueda.”

Nuestros invitados eran mis clientes del restaurante. ¡La familia de Felipe no pudo unirse a nosotros, pero celebramos con mucha alegría!

“Nuestras hijas nacieron de ese amor. Fabiola vino tres años después de nuestra boda, luego Ariana y Lily. Fabi ahora nos ha dado una nieta y otra hija vendrá muy pronto.

“Dios me guía y yo le sigo. Me da oportunidades todos los días, cada minuto, para ver su rostro en los demás y para ayudar donde pueda. Esto fue especialmente claro cuando nuestra hija Ari estuvo grave. Ella había estado expuesta a una intoxicación grave por plomo cuando fuimos a México a visitar a la familia. Casi muere”. Los ojos de Rocío se llenaron de lágrimas al recordar esa ocasión.

“Ari es una estudiante universitaria ahora y ya está bien. Pero su enfermedad me llevó a pasar mucho tiempo en clínicas y hospitales. Cuando los pacientes tenían preguntas, especialmente aquellas que no entendían inglés, yo las ayudaba traduciendo las instrucciones de atención, brindándoles información sobre las normas y reglamentos. Me encantó servir en esos tiempos oscuros.

“Cuando Ari recuperó su fuerza, la directora de mi clínica de salud me preguntó si quería trabajar para ellos. Me capacitaron como asistente médico, me enseñaron cómo tomar la presión arterial, ayudar a los pacientes a completar el papeleo y traducir ya lo había hecho antes. “¡Dios estaba viendo! Pone a las personas en nuestro camino y nos da oportunidades de amarlo ayudando y amando a los demás.

“Mi vida estaba ocupada y llena de felicidad. Criamos a nuestras hijas y participamos en nuestra iglesia. Leía la palabra del Señor durante la Misa, estaba y sigo en el coro y ministro de Eucaristía en la parroquia de la Sagrada Familia, antes Sta. María en Adrián. Más allá de la Misa, participé en el ministerio de migrantes y en la Sociedad Guadalupana. ¡Había tantas maneras de servir al Señor!

“Cuando nuestra hija menor, Lily, tenía siete años, comenzó a actuar diferente, se enojaba mucho. La llevé al doctor y su médico nos envió a hacerle pruebas que indicaban cáncer.

“En todo momento, les decía que estaban equivocados. A pesar de que la biopsia indicaba claramente cáncer, no creía lo que los médicos decían de la salud de nuestra pequeña hija. Pero sabía que yo no podía cambiar las cosas, ni cambiar a las personas.

Dios está en control.

“Dios nos había dado a Lily, y necesitaría una razón para llevársela. Recé: ‘Señor, me disté a Lily, y ella es tuya. Pero si podemos tenerla un poco más’ . . .” La voz de Rocío cae en un ronco susurro mientras las lágrimas caen por sus mejillas. “Pedimos oraciones a nuestra parroquia y familias. Ella estaba muy enferma.

“Eventualmente, Lily necesitó más de una transfusión, que pareció revivirla lo suficiente como para que pudiéramos ir a casa hasta la próxima biopsia.

Mientras estábamos sentados en el consultorio del médico, nos llevó mucho tiempo esperar los resultados.

Finalmente llegó el doctor, ‘No sé por dónde empezar’.

Dijo, ‘Lamento la demora, pero tuvimos que regresar para asegurarnos de que realmente teníamos la biopsia de Lily y no la de otra persona. Esta médula ósea es completamente diferente de su biopsia anterior’.

“Le dije, ‘Lamento mucho que Dios haya tenido que confundirte, doctor. Pero él estaba trabajando en un milagro para nosotros’. Después de eso, Lily ha estado en un horario de chequeos regulares y está completamente libre de cáncer. Una vez al año, ve a su oncólogo para un chequeo, pero hoy es una bella y fuerte joven de 19 años.

“A través de esa terrible experiencia, y por un total de casi 13 años, he tenido el privilegio de servir a Dios desde su casa como coordinadora de la oficina en la parroquia de Sta. María – Sagrada Familia ahora. Sirvo a Holy Family como coordinadora de la oficina, y tengo extra-deberes para amar y apoyar a nuestros feligreses [recién unidos] y aquellos fuera de nuestra iglesia que necesitan ayuda. Mis ojos están abiertos a lo que Dios tiene reservado para mí, y eso me hace feliz.

“Mi pasaje bíblico favorito proviene de la segunda carta de San Pablo a Timoteo (2 Tm 4: 6-8). Espero que un dia resuma mi vida: ‘Porque yo ya estoy para ser derramado como una ofrenda de libación, y el tiempo de mi partida ha llegado. He peleado la buena batalla, he terminado la carrera, he guardado la fe. En el futuro me está reservada la corona de justicia que el Señor, el Juez justo, me entregará en aquel día; y no solo a mí, sino también a todos los que aman Su venida’.

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PARA ROCÍO, “DIOS NOS DA OPORTUNIDADES TODOS LOS DÍAS PARA QUE VEAMOS

SU ROSTRO EN LOS DEMÁS”

POR NANCY ROSEBUSH SCHERTZING FOTOGRAFÍA POR REY DEL RIO

iempre he sabido que Dios está conmigo”, simplemente nos dice Rocío. “Mi Tita solía contarnos cuando niños las historias más maravillosas. A medida que crecía y asistía a Misa, ¡me di cuenta de que muchas de las lecturas eran las historias que me contaba mi Tita!

“Amaba mucho a Dios, a los 10 años, decidí que quería ser monja. A medida que crecía, mi amor por Dios nunca flaqueó, pero a los 15 años conocí a un chico y pensé en cambiar el objetivo de mi vida para poder amar a Dios y a mi familia”.

Sonríe.

“S

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FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

“Aunque mi camino de vida cambió, mi amor por el Señor no cambió en lo absoluto. Me alegra mucho servir a los demás en su nombre, sin importar mis trabajos. Durante la preparatoria, atendía mesas en el restaurante de mi tío Mario. Poco después de graduarme, Felipe entró a mi vida y supe que era él con quien envejecería. Solo salimos tres semanas antes de comenzar a planear nuestra boda.

“Durante nuestro compromiso, solía rezar: 'Dios, realmente amo a este hombre, pero no estaré con él si él no te ama como yo'. Tuvimos la oportunidad de asistir a un Cursillo, lo animé a ir y fuimos. Durante el retiro, Dios le reveló a Felipe todas las formas en que su amor estuvo presente a lo largo de su vida. Y Felipe se enamoró de Dios como lo había hecho yo en mi infancia.

“Sabía que Dios me había dado el hombre con el que construiría una vida. Después del Cursillo, Felipe fue a México a pedirle a mi mamá mi mano en matrimonio.

“Mis padres y hermanos vinieron a Adrian para nuestra boda, pero mi tío Mario y mi tía Virginia y primos eran la única familia que teníamos aquí.

ÍNDICE

La Santísima Trinidad: La más importante de nuestras creencias P. 2

Oración por los Inmigrantes y Refugiados ¡Señor Jesús, cuando multiplicaste los panes y los peces, proporcionaste más que comida para el cuerpo, nos ofreciste el regalo de ti mismo, el regalo que satisface cada hambre y apaga cada sed! Tus discípulos estaban llenos de miedo y dudas, pero tú derramaste tu amor y compasión en la multitud de migrantes, dándoles la bienvenida como hermanos y hermanas.

Señor Jesús, hoy nos llamas a dar la bienvenida a los miembros de la familia de Dios que vienen a nuestra tierra para escapar de la opresión, la pobreza, la persecución, la violencia y la guerra. Al igual que sus discípulos, nosotros también estamos llenos de miedo y dudas e incluso sospechas.

Construimos barreras en nuestros corazones y mentes.

Señor Jesús, danos tu gracia, Para desterrar el miedo de nuestros corazones, para que podamos abrazar a cada todos como nuestro

propio hermano y hermana; Ayúdanos a dar la bienvenida a los migrantes y refugiados con alegría y generosidad, respondiendo a sus muchas necesidades; Que con tu gracia tomemos consciencia de que tú llamas a todas las personas a tu santa montaña para aprender los caminos de la paz y la justicia;

Para Rocío, “Dios nos da oportunidades todos los días para que veamos su rostro en los demás” P.4

Que con tu gracias compartamos nuestra abundancia mientras organizas un banquete ante nosotros; Que con tu gracias seamos testimonio de tu amor por todas las personas, mientras celebramos los muchos regalos que traen.

Te alabamos y te damos gracias por la familia que has convocado de muchos pueblos. Vemos en esta familia humana un reflejo de la unidad divina de la Santísima Trinidad en quien hacemos nuestra oración: Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo. Amén

Acogiendo al forastero entre nosotros - Conferencia sobre el cuidado pastoral de inmigrantes P.6

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COLUMNA DEL OBISPO

LA SANTÍSIMA TRINIDAD: LA MÁS IMPORTANTE DE NUESTRAS CREENCIAS EN ESTA ÉPOCA DEL AÑO,

existen muchos problemas morales que exigen

nuestra atención. Sin embargo, se me ocurrió que podría ser bueno centrarse en la más importante de nuestras creencias: la Trinidad. Creemos en un Dios, no más de uno. El misterio que nos ha sido revelado en Jesús es que este Dios comprende tres personas: el Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu Santo. Este es realmente un misterio que no podemos explicar completamente de este lado de la tumba. Por eso lo llamamos fe, lo creemos. Experimentaremos esta comunión de amor en el Cielo, y luego todo será claro.

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FAITH Magazine | DECEMBER 2019 | WWW.FAITHMAG.COM

Necesitamos invitar al Espíritu Santo a dirigir nuestras vidas, a dejar que ese Espíritu nos guíe, tal vez incluso en formas en las que preferiríamos no lo haga.”

Carlson Productions

Hasta ese glorioso día, permítanme ver esto desde un punto de vista diferente, desde nuestra oración y nuestra vida diaria. La mayoría de nosotros, cuando oramos, lo hacemos a "Dios". Supongo que queremos decir con esto, "El Padre". Eso es lo que sucede en la Misa cuando decimos una oración a Dios; Está dirigido al Padre. Me sorprende que debamos estar conscientes de dirigir nuestra oración y alabanza a este Padre amoroso, el que envió a su único Hijo para convertirse en uno de nosotros en la Anunciación a María, y luego en Navidad hasta el regalo final de su Hijo para nosotros. en la cruz el Viernes Santo. El Padre estaba mostrando su amor por nosotros en este regalo extendido en nuestro tiempo e historia.

Es por eso que nuestro acceso al Padre es siempre a través de su Hijo. Es Jesús quien nos ha contado sobre el Padre y su profundo amor por nosotros. Y Jesús no solo nos los dijo; sino que lo demostró con sus palabras, sus milagros, su sufrimiento y muerte. Sin Jesús, no sabríamos sobre el Padre. Jesús nos enseñó a llamar a Dios "Padre". Nos dio una oración, el Padre Nuestro.

Entonces, toda oración que dirigimos al Padre es siempre a través de Jesús y en unión con Jesús. Demos muchas gracias al Padre por habernos dado a su Hijo para nuestra salvación.

Pero esa entrega de regalos por parte del Padre no terminó el Viernes Santo. Más bien, el Padre continúa dándonos su amor, poder y presencia a través del derramamiento del Espíritu Santo, quien se ha establecido en todos nuestros corazones a través del bautismo y la confirmación. Estoy completamente convencido de que la mayoría de nosotros no sentimos esta presencia trabajando en nosotros. ¿Es culpa del Espíritu Santo o nuestra? ¿O no es una pregunta que deberíamos hacernos? Pero si nos la preguntamos, ¿no nos estamos perdiendo parte de nuestra vida con la Santísima Trinidad? La mayoría de nosotros somos como botellas de vino tapadas con corcho. Y no somos botellas vacías. Hay una gran cosecha dentro de cada uno de nosotros que solo necesita el aire libre para respirar y beneficiarnos a nosotros mismos y al mundo.

Es por eso que todas las oraciones de la Iglesia están dirigidas al Padre a través del Hijo y en el Espíritu Santo. Observen este próximo domingo cuando escuchen al sacerdote decir la oración de apertura en la Misa. Estamos relacionados con las tres personas de la Trinidad, y en la medida en que no lo estamos, nuestra relación con Dios carece de plena madurez. ¿Qué haremos? En primer lugar, es importante tener un encuentro más profundo con Jesús, y eso se puede lograr mediante la lectura de los Evangelios y una apreciación más profunda de la vida sacramental de la Iglesia, especialmente la Eucaristía. En segundo lugar, necesitamos invitar al Espíritu Santo a dirigir nuestras vidas, a dejar que ese Espíritu nos guíe, tal vez incluso en formas en las que preferiríamos no lo haga. Finalmente, todo esto debe ser dirigido, entonces, en un acto de alabanza y gracias al Padre por sus muchos regalos para nosotros. ¿No es especialmente esto de lo que se trata este tiempo de Navidad?

Estamos agradecidos por los regalos que ya hemos recibido.

EL OBISPO EARL BOYEA

es el quinto obispo de la Diócesis Católica de Lansing @BishopBoyea

La Santísima Trinidad: La más importante de nuestras creencias Acogiendo al forastero entre nosotros Conferencia sobre el cuidado pastoral de inmigrantes

FLIP OVER FOR

ENGLISH

PARA ROCÍO,

“DIOS NOS DA O P O R T U N I D A D E S T O D O S LOS DÍAS PARA QUE VEAMOS

SU ROSTRO EN LOS DEMÁS”