AUGUST 2022
HOPE HAS AN ADDRESS
Also in this issue: CRISTO REY SCHOOLS AT 25 REFORMING THE CHURCH THE WISDOM OF ST. CLARE SHARING THE SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS WITH THE WORLD • FranciscanMedia.org
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SAINT OF THE DAY
AUGUST 2022
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IN HIS 2018 APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION, “Rejoice and Be Glad,” Pope Francis writes: “Holiness does not make you less human, since it is an encounter between your weakness and the power of God’s grace. For in the words of León Bloy, when all is said and done, ‘The only great tragedy in life is not to become a saint.’” Join Franciscan Media in our daily celebration of these holy men and women of God!
ST. LAWRENCE August 10
ST. BARTHOLOMEW August 24
While we do not know many facts about St. Lawrence, his courageous witness to the faith is well known, as well as some interesting legends, which may or may not be true. They show a fascination with St. Lawrence and his testimony to the faith.
We know nothing about St. Bartholomew except that he was one of the Twelve Apostles. If he is the man called Nathanael, then we know he is from Cana—but that doesn’t tell us much. But knowing that he gave his life in the service of the faith is enough.
ST. ROSE OF LIMA August 23
ST. JEANNE JUGAN August 30
St. Rose of Lima lived a life of penance and devotion to the poor at home under the disapproving eyes of her parents. They wanted her to marry, but Rose felt another calling. While her lifestyle raised some eyebrows, at her death the city of Lima recognized her sanctity.
Canonized in 2009, St. Jeanne Jugan had a history of helping the elderly and the poor. She founded the Little Sisters of the Poor to help her with her work, and at the time of her death the community numbered 2,400 women.
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F EAT U R E S
VOLUME 130 ISSUE 2 AUGUST 2022
18
Reforming the Catholic Church Worldwide
What started with the Roman Curia in March will eventually affect the entire Church. By Pat McCloskey, OFM
21
Words of Wisdom from St. Clare
Through her writings, St. Clare offers us a guide to a stronger faith life. By Susan Hines-Brigger
26
Smart Schooling
First implemented 25 years ago, Cristo Rey high schools have survived declining enrollment, rising costs, and a pandemic. And they’re still going strong. By Katie Rutter
COVER STORY
32
Hope Has an Address
Father Gregory Boyle, SJ, has built “a culture that heals” in a city plagued by gun and gang violence. His ministry has helped restore hope and reduce crime. By Maria Luisa Torres
THIS PAGE: In Chicago, members of the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School senior class reenact the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe appearing to St. Juan Diego, whom they honor by raising roses in the air. This long-standing tradition celebrates the community’s Mexican heritage and is one of the most anticipated days of the school year.
2 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
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COVER: Arique Franco attends the 2022 Lo Maximo Awards and Dinner Gala. He is a trainee in the 18-month program at Homeboy Industries.
COVER: COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES/EDDIE RUVALCABA; OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO
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DEPARTMENTS
12
46
42
18
SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS
POINTS OF VIEW
CULTURE
12 Ask a Franciscan
7
38 Media Reviews
What about Universal Salvation? By Pat McCloskey, OFM
14 Followers of St. Francis Sister Meg Earsley, FSPA By Emily Putzke
16 Franciscan World New US Province: Our Lady of Guadalupe By Pat McCloskey, OFM
16 St. Anthony Stories Spring Cleaning
Editorial Reckoning with Our Culture of Gun Violence By Daniel Imwalle
42 At Home on Earth
TV/Streaming: Stories of a Generation with Pope Francis By Susan Hines-Brigger
39 Book Reviews
Addressing Our Digital Addictions By Kyle Kramer
Book: The Whole Language Reviewed by James A. Percoco Book Briefs: By Julie Horne Traubert
44 Faith and Family Living Our Vows By Susan Hines-Brigger
40 Film Reviews Top Gun: Maverick Downton Abbey: A New Era Hustle By Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP
46 Let Us Pray Defiantly Catholic By Deacon Art Miller
COMING IN THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE:
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
• A profile of the Catholic Project, an initiative dedicated to bringing together clergy and laypeople to heal the wounds of clergy sex abuse in the United States
5 6 8 45 48
• An article on the struggles of “Dreamers,” young immigrants who applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status to remain in the United States
Dear Reader Your Voice Church in the News Friar Pete and Repeat Reflection
StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 3
CONTRIBUTORS
August 2022
DEACON ART MILLER, writer, Let Us Pray: “Defiantly Catholic,” page 46 In addition to his ministry at St. Mary’s in Simsbury, Connecticut, Deacon Art works with groups such as COMPASS Peacebuilders, a youth violence mitigation and reengagement program in Hartford, Connecticut. He and his wife, Sandy, run Deacon Art Miller Ministries, where they work with women dealing with homelessness to help them financially or emotionally. He was featured in our February 2021 issue in an article about racial issues in the Church.
CO
PAT MCCLOSKEY, OFM, writer, “Reforming the Catholic Church Worldwide,” page 18 The author of the popular Ask a Franciscan column, Father Pat has worked part-time at Franciscan Media since 1972 and full-time since 1999. He is the Franciscan editor of this magazine and edits Franciscan Media’s two homily services. His most recent book is Peace and Good: Through the Year with Francis of Assisi (Franciscan Media).
EMILY PUTZKE, writer, Followers of St. Francis: “Franciscan-Hearted Formation,” page 14 Emily is a writer from Western New York who served as Franciscan Mission Service’s communications associate during their 2021–2022 DC Service Corps program year. She earned her BA in history from SUNY Empire State College. Emily’s work has been featured by the Franciscan Network on Migration and in the St. Austin Review, Calla Press, and History Today.
KATIE RUTTER, writer, “Smart Schooling,” page 26 An award-winning video producer, editor, writer, and journalist based in Bloomington, Indiana, Katie specializes in Catholic/Christian media. She is the founder and producer of Thing in a Pot Productions, which provides promotional videography for small businesses, nonprofits, and religious organizations in southern Indiana. Her work has been shown across the country and around the world.
MARIA LUISA TORRES, writer, “Hope Has an Address,” page 32 A freelance writer from the Los Angeles area, Maria has worked in the religious press for numerous years. She previously served as associate editor for Angelus News and assistant editor for Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City. A lifelong Dodgers fan, avid TV watcher, and band parent, Maria resides in her hometown of Burbank, California, with her son.
4 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
THIS PAGE: ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUBJECT UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED; DEACON ART MILLER: SESHU PHOTOGRAPHY; OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES
LOUIE MORA, photographer, “Hope Has an Address,” page 32 Louie grew up in Los Angeles and is currently a student at East Los Angeles College. Previously incarcerated, he has redirected his life through the lens of his camera, capturing the essence of kinship and humanity in communities across Los Angeles. His photography focuses on the unseen, voiceless, and marginalized. Louie is the visual storyteller and photographer at Homeboy Industries.
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PUBLISHER Daniel Kroger, OFM PRESIDENT Kelly McCracken EXECUTIVE EDITORS Christopher Heffron Susan Hines-Brigger FRANCISCAN EDITOR Pat McCloskey, OFM ART DIRECTOR Mary Catherine Kozusko MANAGING EDITOR Daniel Imwalle CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Sandy Howison EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Sharon Lape PRINTER EP Graphics ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER (ISSN #0036276X) (USPS PUBLICATION #007956) Volume 130, Number 2 Frequency: Published 10 times per year Member of the Catholic Media Association Published with ecclesiastical approval Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. WEBSITES: StAnthonyMessenger.org • FranciscanMedia.org FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/StAnthonyMessengerMagazine TWITTER: Twitter.com/StAnthonyMag PHONE: (866) 543-6870 (toll-free) (937) 281-2128 (outside of the US) YEARLY SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: $48 (US) • $78 (other countries) Single-issue price: $6.00 (US) For digital and bulk rates, visit our website. TO SUBSCRIBE OR FOR US POSTMASTER ADDRESS CHANGES: St. Anthony Messenger PO Box 292309 Kettering, OH 45429-0309 MAILING LIST RENTAL: If you prefer that your name and address not be shared with select organizations, send your current mailing label to the address above.
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DEAR READER by Susan Hines-Brigger
A UNIQUE MINISTRY ONE OF THE PIVOTAL MOMENTS in St. Francis’ life occurred when he embraced a leper, someone who had been seen by most people as an outcast in society. Even Francis—at that point in his life—had felt the same way. With that embrace, however, he began to see the person rather than the disease. Too often, society turns its back on those whom it has deemed unworthy by some arbitrary rule. Thankfully, though, there are people like Father Greg Boyle, SJ, who has embraced those on the margins in East Los Angeles and helped bring them hope (see page 32 to read the article by Maria Luis Torres). For Father Greg, that means helping gang members to step away from that life and into a brighter future. His Homeboy Industries program began in 1988 after he was named pastor of Dolores Mission Church. Not only was this the poorest Catholic parish in Los Angeles, but the surrounding area also had the highest concentration of gang activity. Father Greg began working to address the problem. The program he began has now grown into the largest gang intervention, rehabilitation, and reentry program in the world, welcoming thousands through its doors each year. And it is all because Father Greg took a situation that others saw as hopeless and viewed it as an opportunity. He, much like St. Francis, decided to embrace those whom society had turned its back on. And it has made all the difference in the lives of many. May we all be inspired to seek out similar ways to help those in need.
Executive Editor
StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 5
POINTS OF VIEW YOUR VOICE JUNE/JULY ISSUE ENGAGING ON MANY LEVELS I can’t remember the last time I read St. Anthony Messenger from cover to cover. I know it’s been years— probably the late 1980s, when I worked at St. Anthony Messenger Press. However long it has been, the June/July cover really caught my attention and interest. That got me inside the issue. The “You Welcomed Me” theme was beautifully developed from so many perspectives in the articles. And once I was on a roll reading the issue, the rest of the magazine was equally engaging. Dan Anderson, OFM, Cincinnati, Ohio
Kathryn D. Wiegand, Keene, New York
KEEPING POLITICS AND THEOLOGY SEPARATE I am writing to express disappointment with Mark Shea’s article in the May issue. Indeed, the Eucharist is a personal relationship with God, and I absolutely agree with the premise in the title. Unfortunately, Mr. Shea almost immediately went into a political diatribe instead of sticking to the rational/theological arguments that support the concept. I do not think this brings us closer to a unified approach to our faith and beliefs. John Murphy, Arroyo Grande, California
CARING FOR THE WHOLE HUMAN LIFE Thank you for publishing Mark Shea’s article in the May issue. His well-written argument lays out the facts and sums up what I believe. It is time that the general public comes to the realization that being pro-life means more than “saving unborn babies.” For far too long, babies and their parents have not received the support they need to thrive, mainly due to stinginess on the part of those who think the poor don’t deserve decent lives. Thus abortion prevailed, and those in power were happy to allow it because it eliminated babies who may have become a drag on the economy, due to their parents’ poverty. As Mr. Shea wrote: WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
“The number one abortifacient in the United States . . . is poverty.” Pro-choice is not pro-abortion. It is giving a pregnant woman power, not taking it away. As for refusing the Eucharist to those who are prochoice, Pope Francis followed Jesus’ teaching when he said that he has never refused the Eucharist to anyone. Jesus offers himself to all who believe, regardless of their status. Jesus fraternized with those on the margins of society. We should do likewise and spread his message of love and care to them. If we truly followed his teaching, there would be no need for abortion. Kathleen M. Klein, West Allis, Wisconsin
FEEDBACK FROM OUR ONLINE READERS “Franciscan Peacemakers: On the Front Lines of Human Trafficking,” by Stephen Copeland (June/July 2022) This was a marvelous story, told with clarity and compassion, about the transformative power of love that created a community and justice-centered enterprise. There were many examples in the article of how God graciously extends a second chance to all who want to embrace a new possibility for themselves in solidarity with other wounded healers.—Mark “Mary, Untier of Knots,” story by Maureen O’Brien; artwork by Carol Cole (May 2022) This was exactly what I needed to hear this morning. Five months ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I finished chemotherapy this past week and am getting ready for a double mastectomy. I tossed and turned all night with anxiety over the upcoming surgery. I started this journey with a novena to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, and found great peace through my initial diagnosis. This was the reminder I needed today as I begin the next step in my recovery. Thank you!—Kelly
St. Anthony Messenger • Letters • 28 W. Liberty St. • Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498 MagazineEditors@FranciscanMedia.org
6 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
CNS PHOTO: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS
WWJD? Thank you, Mark Shea, for your powerful article in the May issue of St. Anthony Messenger (“I’d Like to Say: Stop Weaponizing the Eucharist”). I am so dismayed by the lack of compassion and the vitriolic rhetoric from so many parts of the Church surrounding the issue of abortion. How I long for us to be working together with all people of good will to care for mothers and young families in these trying times. What would Jesus do?
RECKONING WITH OUR CULTURE OF GUN VIOLENCE I VIVIDLY REMEMBER the shock and heartache I and so many others around the country felt following the shooting at Columbine High School in April 1999. I was in high school myself at the time, and things never really felt the same afterward. The fear that a horrific event such as Columbine would happen again was validated over and over: Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Pulse Nightclub, Las Vegas, to name only a few. This past May, a mass shooting at a Buffalo supermarket by an alleged White supremacist was followed a mere 10 days later by the tragedy in Uvalde, Texas. With school out for the summer, crime waves seem to parallel heat waves, especially in dense urban areas, and we find ourselves inundated by news stories about gun violence in our city streets. As I write this, I’m also reminded of a family friend who died by suicide 10 years ago today. A gun that he purchased in the interest of self-defense was ultimately used for self-harm. Along with suicide by firearm, there are countless accidental gun deaths. As a people, we’re heartbroken, fatigued, and fed up. How do we respond? How can we even find the energy to dig deep and face this abyss?
‘ENOUGH!’
CNS PHOTO: MARCO BELLO/REUTERS
CNS PHOTO: EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS
POINTS OF VIEW EDITORIAL by Daniel Imwalle
Now 23 years after the dark benchmark of Columbine, if anything has changed with regard to gun violence in our country, it’s been for the worse. Fortunately, there are voices calling us to walk the Gospel path—the only way forward for our sick society. During his general audience on May 25, after praying for the victims in Uvalde, Pope Francis said: “It’s time to say, ‘Enough!’ to the indiscriminate trafficking of guns. Let us all strive to ensure that such tragedies can never happen again.” Echoing the pope’s sentiment, Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, tweeted: “The Second Amendment did not come down from Sinai. The right to bear arms will never be more important
than human life. Our children have rights too. And our elected officials have a moral duty to protect them.” As Cardinal Cupich suggests, there are some in our country for whom the right to own a gun is almost sacred. The Second Amendment—written for the purpose of the forming of state militias during the vulnerable early days of our nation—doesn’t specify which arms we have a right to bear, and it’s hard to imagine that the Founding Fathers had semiautomatic rifles equipped with bump stocks in mind. As it stands, our inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are taking a back seat to the right to gun ownership.
INSTRUMENTS OF DEATH Instead of looking critically at our gun culture, every time there is a mass shooting, opponents of gun control will vaguely reference “mental health” problems in our country as the cause, though it’s almost never specified what is meant by the use of that phrase. Numerous studies, including a massive and potentially definitive study that appeared in the journal Psychological Medicine in February 2021, have shown that there simply is no connection between mental illness and mass shootings. So if mental illness isn’t the culprit for mass shootings, what is? Others say that the root of this violence is evil. Now we’re onto something. But pointing out that evil is the cause says nothing about the means. With reasonable restrictions on firearms in place, we can hope for a country with fewer instances of gun violence—including mass shootings. I say “hope” because until we as a society try out a reasonable approach to gun control, we won’t know how well it will work. By the time you read this, the stalemate in our polarized political climate will have resulted in more avoidable massacres. Why wait any longer? Why make the children in our country wait a single day more? That is, in itself, evil. StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 7
CHURCH IN THE NEWS
by Susan Hines-Brigger
ARCHBISHOP SAYS PELOSI TO BE DENIED COMMUNION
THIS PAST MAY, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco announced that he will no longer allow US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to receive Communion because of her support for abortion rights, reported Catholic News Service (CNS). Pelosi, a Catholic, represents California’s 12th Congressional District, which is entirely within San Francisco. The archbishop said he made the decision “after numerous attempts to speak with her to help her understand the grave evil she is perpetrating, the scandal she is causing, and the danger to her own soul she is risking” as a Catholic who supports legalized abortion. The ban, he noted, will remain in place unless and until she publicly repudiates “support for abortion ‘rights,’” goes to confession, and receives absolution “for her cooperation in this evil.” “Please know that I find no pleasure whatsoever in fulfilling my pastoral duty here,” Archbishop Cordileone said. “Speaker Pelosi remains our sister in Christ. Her advocacy for the care of the poor and vulnerable elicits my admiration. I assure you that my action here is purely pastoral, not political. I have been very clear in my words and actions about this.” Some bishops, however, questioned the move. Archbishop Michael Jackels of Dubuque, Iowa, issued a statement describing the action as “misguided.” “As Jesus said, it’s the sick people who need a doctor, not the healthy, and he gave us the Eucharist as a healing remedy,” Jackels said. “Don’t deny the people who need the medicine.” He also contended that the issue of abortion is not the only critical “life issue” that is currently facing the Church. 8 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
“Protecting the earth, our common home, or making food, water, shelter, education, and health care accessible, or defense against gun violence . . . these are life issues too,” he said. “To be consistent, to repair the scandal of Catholics being indifferent or opposed to all those other life issues, they would have to be denied holy Communion as well.” RELATED NEWS In an open letter issued in June, the Catholic bishops of Colorado asked Catholic legislators “who live or worship in the state” and voted for Colorado’s Reproductive Health Equity Act “to voluntarily refrain from receiving holy Communion until public repentance takes place and sacramental absolution is received in confession.” The Reproductive Health Equity Act is considered one of the nation’s most permissive abortion measures. Signing the letter were (pictured below, identified left to right): Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila of Denver, Auxiliary Bishop Jorge H. Rodriguez of Denver, Bishop Stephen J. Berg of Pueblo, and Bishop James R. Golka of Colorado Springs.
CNS PHOTOS: TOP LEFT: ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO/DENNIS CALLAHAN; TOP RIGHT: TOM BRENNER/REUTERS; LOWER RIGHT: CNS COMPOSITE/ARCHIVE PHOTOS
San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone, seen in a file photo celebrating Mass outside the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, has banned US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (right) from receiving Communion in the archdiocese, due to her support of abortion rights. The move was welcomed by some bishops but questioned by others.
LOWER RIGHT: CNS PHOTO: JAMES RAMOS/TEXAS CATHOLIC HERALD
CNS PHOTOS: TOP LEFT: ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO/DENNIS CALLAHAN; TOP RIGHT: TOM BRENNER/REUTERS; LOWER RIGHT: CNS COMPOSITE/ARCHIVE PHOTOS
POLL REFLECTS CATHOLIC AMERICANS’ VIEWS ON CHURCH LEADERSHIP ACCORDING TO A RECENT POLL, the majority of American Catholics disagree with Church leadership regarding issues such as abortion, inclusion of LGBTQ people, and the denial of Communion to politicians. The survey was conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research in May, following the leak of a draft opinion suggesting a majority of Supreme Court justices support overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. Regarding the issue of Roe v. Wade, the poll showed that 63 percent of Catholic adults say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, and 68 percent say Roe should be left as is. The poll also showed that only 31 percent of lay Catholics agree that politicians supporting abortion rights should be denied Communion, while 66 percent say they should be allowed access to the sacrament. Most Catholics say the Catholic Church has had at least some influence in their lives in general and on their views on social issues. But a majority say the Church has had little influence on their political views. Thirty-four percent of Americans say their opinion of the Church has deteriorated over the past five years, while only 8 percent have a better view of the Church and 55 percent say their attitude has not changed. Among Catholics, 26 percent have a more negative view of the Church as compared to five years ago, 17 percent have an improved opinion, and 57 percent feel the same way. Forty-eight percent of Catholics who were polled said their church attendance levels are similar to five years ago, while 37 percent said they’re attending Mass less often.
Catholics who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender
Catholic politicians who disagree with the Church’s position on the death penalty
Divorced Catholics who remarry without getting an annulment
Catholic politicians who disagree with the Church’s position on abortion
FRANCISCANS SELECT NAME FOR NEW PROVINCE THE US FRANCISCANS announced the name of the new province that will be established in late 2023. Due to declining numbers, six of the provinces will merge into one, under the name of Our Lady of Guadalupe Province. The decision came following more than a year of discussions with friars and straw ballots regarding the province’s new name. In a letter to the friars, the provincial ministers said the name choice “brings an essential feminine and maternal element to our brotherhood.” They added, “Our Lady of Guadalupe proclaims that we should learn from God what it means to approach each other with humility: learning, accepting others, and forever traveling from head to heart. For centuries, she has represented values that are fundamental to our order: a commitment to justice, to standing alongside the oppressed.” StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 9
CHURCH IN THE NEWS
CONTINUED
BISHOPS SPEAK OUT FOLLOWING SHOOTINGS
Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller of San Antonio comforts people following the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Nineteen students and two teachers were killed in the attack.
IN THE WAKE of the shootings in Buffalo, California, and Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Catholic leaders spoke out and called for stronger gun control measures, saying it is a life issue, reported CNS. Shortly after the shooting in Uvalde that killed 19 students and two teachers, Pope Francis said, “It’s time to say, ‘Enough!’ to the indiscriminate flow of guns.” He encouraged everyone to be committed in the effort “so that tragedies like this cannot occur again.” San Antonio Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, who comforted families outside a local civic center in Uvalde as they waited for news, said in a statement: “When will these insane acts of violence end? It is too great a burden to bear. The word tragedy doesn’t begin to describe what occurred. These massacres cannot be considered ‘the new normal.’ “The Catholic Church consistently calls for the protection of all life, and these mass shootings are a most pressing life issue on which all in society must act—elected leaders and citizens alike,” he said. “We pray that God comfort and offer compassion to the families of these little ones whose pain is unbearable.”
The archbishop also confirmed to a CNN reporter that there’s an effort to connect with the family of the gunman, Salvador Ramos. He said he would show them gestures of “tenderness, compassion because they are suffering too.” He said Ramos’ actions were evil, but he didn’t agree when he heard someone say, “That man is evil.” “No, they were evil actions. Everyone has dignity and the family is suffering too,” he said. “It’s easy to make remarks that destroy people’s lives . . . there’s already enough destruction.” In the days following the shootings, four bishops who chair committees within the US Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote a joint letter to Congress calling on members to “unite in our humanity to stop the massacres of innocent lives.” The bishops urged all members of Congress “to reflect on the compassion all of you undoubtedly feel in light of these tragic events and be moved to action because of it. There is something deeply wrong with a culture where these acts of violence are increasingly common. There must be dialogue followed by concrete action to bring about a broader social renewal that addresses all aspects of the crisis, including mental health, the state of families, the valuation of life, the influence of entertainment and gaming industries, bullying, and the availability of firearms.” In June, after 20 senators announced a bipartisan proposal to address gun violence, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, released a statement praising the action. “I am deeply grateful that members of Congress have undertaken bipartisan negotiations to address the plague of gun violence in our nation. . . . I encourage Congress to continue these important efforts which will help build a culture of life. It is imperative this Congress passes into law new protections for the American people.”
THIS PAST JUNE, the US bishops marked the 20th anniversary of the implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People that was passed as part of their commitment to address the issue of clergy sexual abuse. Washington Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, who was president of the bishops’ conference when the charter was passed, called it a “pivotal moment” for the US Church. There is still work to be done, though, for bishops to regain credibility, he said. 10 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
The most recent annual report reviewing diocesan compliance with the charter covering the year from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, showed that 195 of 197 US dioceses and eparchies participated in the audit. Auditors chose 61 entities for more detailed audits with 10 conducted in person. The other 51 were conducted online. Data was collected from 134 other dioceses and eparchies. Of the 61 entities undergoing audits, two dioceses and two eparchies were determined to be in noncompliance with the charter.
CNS PHOTO: MARCO BELLO/REUTERS
CHARTER FOR THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TURNS 20
PHOTO CNS PHOTOS: CREDITLEFT: HEREVATICAN MEDIA; RIGHT: MARIA GRAZIA PICCIARELLA/POOL; LOWER RIGHT: VATICAN STAMP AND COIN OFFICE
CNS PHOTO: MARCO BELLO/REUTERS
CHURCH IN THE NEWS
NEWS BRIEFS
Pope Francis greets Bono, lead singer of the band U2, before a meeting of Scholas Occurentes in Rome. The event was for the launch of the “Laudato Si’ School.”
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II talks with Pope Francis during a meeting at the Vatican in 2014. The pope sent well-wishes to the queen on the occasion of her celebration of serving 70 years on the throne.
BONO, the lead singer for the rock band U2, joined Pope Francis on May 19 to celebrate the launch of the Scholas International Educational Movement and its environmental project. The movement, which began in Pope Francis’ Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, supports education in poor neighborhoods by pairing their schools with private schools and institutions in wealthier neighborhoods. Two days earlier, the pope signed a decree changing Scholas Occurrentes’ status from a pontifical foundation to “an international association of the faithful.”
permanent deacons, sociocultural demographics, and ministerial involvement. The full study can be found online at https://bit.ly/3mhEyqP.
FOLLOWING 10 YEARS OF WORK, Jerusalem’s Via Dolorosa is now more accessible to disabled and elderly people, as a result of the $6.5 million Accessible Jerusalem-Old City project. The renovation includes ramps as well as a set of “Venetian stairs,” which combine short sloping steps within the ramps along the steep path on a stretch near the fifth, sixth, and seventh stations. Gura Berger, spokeswoman for the East Jerusalem Development Company, which implemented the program, said that maneuvering the path is still an effort, but planners were limited in solutions because of the historical and topographical aspects of the city. Berger added that it is difficult to make accessible a city that was constructed in ancient times with the intention of keeping invaders out. THE CENTER for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University recently released its findings on the status of the permanent diaconate in the United States in the document “A Portrait of the Permanent Diaconate.” The study’s findings include the percentage of active vs. nonactive deacons, the archdioceses/ dioceses and eparchies with the largest number of
IN HONOR of the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth‘s years on the throne, Pope Francis sent a message to her, saying, “On this joyful occasion of your Majesty’s birthday, and as you celebrate this Platinum Jubilee year, I send cordial greetings and good wishes, together with the renewed assurance of my prayers that Almighty God will bestow upon you, the members of the Royal Family, and all the people of the nation blessings of unity, prosperity, and peace.” The pope also donated a Cedar of Lebanon to the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, which encourages people from across the United Kingdom to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.”
THE VATICAN stamp and coin office recently released several commemorative coins, including one promoting the importance of vaccinations and a silver medal for peace in Ukraine. Proceeds from sales of the silver medal will be used to help victims of the war. IN MAY, the World Meteorological Organization released its latest “State of the Global Climate 2021” report, which states that the past seven years have been the hottest years to date and that four key climate indicators set new records last year.
SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS
ASK A FRANCISCAN by Father Pat McCloskey, OFM
WHAT ABOUT UNIVERSAL SALVATION?
AM I STILL FORGIVEN?
Does God forgive me after I have asked for forgiveness and repent? What if I did not even ask for forgiveness from the person I wronged? Yes, God has forgiven you in the situation that you 12 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
describe. To think otherwise would make God’s divine forgiveness dependent on a human action that may no longer be possible. What if the person wronged died before you could ask for his or her forgiveness? Forgiveness is real when the guilty party wants for the innocent person what God wants for that individual: to share divine life. One of Satan’s favorite tactics is to raise doubts by linking a fact (for example, I regret having wronged this person) with something that is no longer possible (the person has died before I realized that what I said or did about her or him was seriously wrong). Things get even more complicated when people speak as though the guilty party’s desire for forgiveness (onesided by definition) is the same as reconciliation, which clearly must be mutual. Unfortunately, many people think asking for forgiveness is useless if reconciliation is no longer possible. Satan wins whenever that way of thinking is accepted as true. I encourage you not to doubt the good effects of forgiveness (you are living more honestly with yourself) even when the reconciliation I have described is unlikely or physically no longer possible.
ORTHODOX OR CATHOLIC?
My Orthodox friends say that they are “catholic.” How can that be? The word catholic is first an adjective meaning “universal.” Only in the 11th century did it become a noun meaning “member of the Roman Catholic Church.” The Nicene Creed that all mainline Christians accept and pray concludes with the words, “I believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.” The word orthodox literally means “right teaching.” In time, it came to mean “member of an Orthodox Church.” Your friends have every right to say that they are catholic. Both Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew use this same wording.
ISTOCK IMAGES (COMPOSITE): DIMITRIS 66; JAMES BREY
Is universal salvation compatible with the teachings of the Catholic Church? Yes, in the sense that it is possible. No, in the sense that universal salvation is inevitable. That would render repentance for one’s sins no longer necessary and suggest that free will is a comfortable sham. This teaching is sometimes called “Origenism,” named for the Egyptian biblical scholar who died in Tyre in 253 or 254. Although Origen had critics during his lifetime, Origenism was not condemned as heretical until the Second Council of Constantinople (553). It is not at all certain that he believed all the statements lumped together 300 years later as Origenism. According to A Concise Dictionary of Theology, by Gerald O’Collins, SJ, and Edward G. Farrugia, SJ, Sts. Athanasius of Alexandria, Basil the Great, and Gregory of Nazianzus (all bishops and officially recognized as doctors of the Church) admired Origen and his teachings. Something similar happened to Antonio Rosmini (1797–1855). Although “Rosminianism” (40 statements taken from his writings) was condemned by Pope Leo XIII in 1887, he was cleared of any heresy by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2001, which declared, “The meaning of the propositions, as understood and condemned by the [1887] decree, does not belong to the authentic position of Rosmini.” He was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. In his 1998 encyclical, “Faith and Reason,” St. John Paul II referred to him as a “great Christian thinker.” It is easy to distort a person’s teachings after that person has died and, therefore, cannot respond to accusations of heresy.
Is using them morally permissible? The Catholic Church has said that it is OK to receive a COVID-19 vaccine that was developed with the assistance of stem cells. Many other vaccines or medicines also use them. What is my moral obligation about using or not using such products? How much research in this area do I need to do? What are reliable sources to use in researching this? On November 20, 2020, heads of the US bishops’ Committee on Doctrine and Pro-Life Activities issued a clarification on this issue (available at usccb.org). They noted that neither the Pfizer nor the Moderna vaccine involved the use of cell lines that originated in fetal tissue taken from the body of an aborted baby at any level of design, development, or production. “Some [people] are asserting,” that statement continues, “that if a vaccine is connected in any way with tainted cell lines, then it is immoral to be vaccinated with them. This is an inaccurate portrayal of Catholic moral teaching.” Referencing three Vatican documents on this subject, the US statement notes that “at the level of the recipient, it is morally permissible to accept vaccination when there are no alternatives and there is a serious risk to health.” I am indebted to Father Dan Kroger, OFM, an ethicist and our publisher, for these references.
FINDING TIME TO PRAY
TOP: KIEFERPIX/ISTOCK; BOTTOM: MIKE LEWIS/FRANCISCAN MEDIA
ISTOCK IMAGES (COMPOSITE): DIMITRIS 66; JAMES BREY
VACCINES OR MEDICINES THAT USE STEM CELLS
Know that we care.
Let us pray for you. Submit your prayer requests to StAnthony.org or Franciscan.org.
How can I obtain the discipline to say the rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy daily? I try, but I would like to be more consistent. We don’t find time the same way we might find a quarter on the sidewalk. We need to make or create time for what is truly important to us. It might be easiest to link these prayers to something you already do each day. Could you pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy before you brush your teeth in the morning? Or after your evening meal? Could you pray the rosary while you are taking a walk? Every good or harmful habit takes time to develop. Please don’t become discouraged if you fail to carry out your good intention right away. Remember the days when you succeeded—and how much better that day probably went. FATHER PAT WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU! EMAIL: Ask@FranciscanMedia.org MAIL: Ask a Franciscan, 28 W. Liberty St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498 All questions sent by mail need to include a self-addressed stamped envelope. ONLINE: FranciscanMedia.org/Ask-a-Franciscan Archived Q&As are available and searchable by category: FranciscanMedia.org/St-Anthony-Messenger/Ask-Archives
The Franciscan Friars, Province of St. John the Baptist 1615 Vine St, Ste 1 Cincinnati, OH 45202-6492 513-721-4700, ext. 3219 /StAnthonyShrine /ShrineStAnthony /StAnthonyShrine
StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 13
SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS
FOLLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS by Emily Putzke
Pictured above are recently commissioned FMS missioners (left to right) Mari Snyder, Sister Meg Earsley, Julia Pinto, and Victor Artaiz.
FRANCISCAN-HEARTED FORMATION
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live the Gospel every day, I understood why this was my direction,” she recalls. “It wasn’t until I had learned more about Franciscan spirituality and the theology behind it that I realized this was exactly where I needed to be.” Learning more about Franciscan spirituality during her discernment and formation gave Sister Meg a deep appreciation for St. Francis. “He was simple and took the Gospel’s teachings literally, never diluting the message of love for God and neighbor,” she says. “It is this simple expression I long to imitate in my life. I also believe he saw all of creation as God does: beautiful, precious, and a unique expression of God’s creative love.”
GETTING TO THE ROOT OF MISSION WORK After professing her first vows in the summer of 2021, Sister Meg began preparing for a year of ministry in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, which she began in early 2022. While some of this preparation took place within her community, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration decided to deepen Sister Meg’s mission preparation by entering into a distinctive partnership with Franciscan Mission Service (FMS), an independent nonprofit organization founded by Franciscans and led by laypeople. Through this partnership, Sister Meg received three months of intensive formation at Casa San Salvador as part of FMS’s Overseas Lay Mission program. Within this program, the richness of Sister Meg’s formation as a sister converged with the richness of FMS’s 32 years of experience preparing and supporting lay men and women for mission in Franciscan placements around the world. Through direct service experience, community
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SISTER MEG EARSLEY, FSPA/FRANCISCAN MISSION SERVICE (3)
LAUGHTER COULD BE HEARD wafting from the windows of Casa San Salvador, Franciscan Mission Service’s house of hospitality and training center, which is tucked in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, DC. In the dining room, 13 individuals hailing from across the country gathered for dinner. This intergenerational group made a commitment to live simply in community while serving individuals experiencing economic poverty and marginalization through the ministry of presence, whether locally in DC or overseas. While this was not a new scene at Casa San Salvador, there was something novel about the 2021–2022 community. Sister Meg Earsley, a Franciscan Sister of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA), sat at the table with her lay housemates, filling the room with a joy that radiates wherever she goes. She inspired her Casa housemates by sharing her love for cooking, playing Bananagrams, cleaning the kitchen, admiring creation, and leading prayer in the Casa chapel. Born and raised in southeastern Wisconsin, Sister Meg grew up in a Catholic family but knew very little about religious life. “I think it was because of my not knowing about religious life that I felt a very direct call from God. I jokingly say that I wouldn’t have figured it out on my own, and I was getting old (just about 45) so God had to be really clear,” reflects Sister Meg. “I had been successful working in the software industry and had a position in leadership for an international company but felt restless, like there was another path for me.” As Sister Meg discerned, she felt a direct call from God in adoration to become a religious sister and began researching orders. “After visiting and seeing how they
BREAD
FRANK JASPER, OFM
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SISTER MEG EARSLEY, FSPA/FRANCISCAN MISSION SERVICE (3)
ST. ANTHONY
LEFT: Sister Meg Earsley, FSPA, visits with two children at the Santa Clara Nutrition Center in Bolivia, which offers education, nutrition, and health services at the clinic. RIGHT: After a full day of walking through neighborhoods and inviting families struggling with malnutrition to the center, Sister Meg returns to the town of Ascención via motorcycle taxi.
living, and classes that expose missioners to a wide variety of relevant topics and practical concerns, Sister Meg and the other lay missioners in formation developed the tools necessary to succeed in their life and ministry. The Overseas Lay Mission program broadened Sister Meg’s understanding of Franciscan mission being rooted in a ministry of presence and accompaniment. Through their dynamic training seminars, workshops, and retreats, FMS’s formation process covers topics such as conflict resolution, Catholic social justice, power and privilege, theology, advocacy, and a plethora of relevant subjects relating to overseas missions. For the other lay missioners in formation, Sister Meg’s presence deeply enriched their experience. This partnership epitomizes what Father Anselm Moons, OFM, the founder of FMS, envisioned for the organization by bringing lay and religious together to be formed for mission.
INCLUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS After completing her formation with FMS, Sister Meg now serves with the Tertiary Sisters of St. Francis (TSSF). They are longtime friends and companions in Franciscan solidarity with the FSPA. The Bolivian Province of the TSSF ministers specifically in the Santa Cruz region of the country. They are active and involved in parish work, health care, and assisting those living in poverty. “I desire to serve God by loving, being loved, and showing God’s love through relationships of inclusivity,” Sister Meg reflects. “I need continuing prayers, patience with myself, and the patience of others. I pray that as I take this journey of relationship with a new family in a new culture, we are all able to see Christ in one another.” As Sister Meg transitions to serving in Bolivia, the lessons she learned in FMS’s Overseas Lay Mission program will stay with her. “I know I can count on this large family for prayers, support, and understanding as I navigate the joys and challenges of mission.” To learn more about FMS, visit their website: FranciscanMissionService.org.
The National Shrine of St. Anthony is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Consecrated in 1889, it includes a first-class relic of St. Anthony and serves as a center for daily prayer and contemplation. The Franciscan friars minister from the shrine. To help them in their work among the poor, you may send a monetary offering called St. Anthony Bread. Make checks or money orders payable to “Franciscans” and mail to the address below. Every Tuesday, a Mass is offered for benefactors and petitioners at the shrine. To seek St. Anthony’s intercession, mail your petition to the address below. Petitions are taken to the shrine each week.
visit our website to:
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St. Anthony Bread 1615 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498
StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 15
SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS
FRANCISCAN WORLD by Pat McCloskey, OFM
NEW US PROVINCE: OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE IN OCTOBER 2023, six OFM provinces in the United States will become Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, the order’s general council has decided (see news item on page 9). This process, which has been in the planning since 2012, involves the provinces of St. Barbara (Oakland, California), Sacred Heart (St. Louis, Missouri), Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Franklin, Wisconsin), St. John the Baptist (Cincinnati, Ohio), Holy Name of Jesus (New York City, New York), and Our Lady of Guadalupe (Albuquerque, New Mexico). The current Our Lady of Guadalupe Province will function on its own until the new province is established. Immaculate Conception Province (New York City, New York) was originally involved but later withdrew. When Juan Diego reported Mary’s 1531 apparition at Tepeyac Hill to the Franciscan bishop of Mexico City, Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, the bishop had his doubts. On a second visit, roses fell from Juan’s tilma.
CAOIMHÍN Ó LAOIDE, OFM
“Let the friars show themselves as members of the same family.” —Rule of 1223
ST. ANTHONY STORIES SPRING CLEANING This past spring, I spent some time cleaning up and decluttering our attic. It’s been years since it has been organized, and I “found” lots of items I forgot we even had. Upon going through an old chest, I discovered an album of family photos from many years ago. One of the photos in the album was of my youngest son, now an adult with a family of his own. I pulled the photo out and set it aside on top of a box, making a note to show it to my son the next time I saw him. After cleaning up a bit more, I went to the spot where I had placed the photo, and it was gone! I looked all over the area and couldn’t find it. I offered a prayer to St. Anthony to help find the photo and decided to go downstairs for a drink before looking again. When I got to the bottom of the attic ladder, I turned around, and there was the photo on the ground. With all my cleaning and moving things around, it must have fallen out of the attic to the floor below. Thank you, St. Anthony! —Mary Schmidt, St. Paul, Minnesota
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TOP RIGHT: CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING; RIGHT: COURTESY OF FATHER CAOIMHÍN Ó LAOIDE, OFM
Father Caoimhín Ó Laoide, OFM
CAOIMHÍN Ó LAOIDE, OFM (Province of Ireland), was named a year ago as the minister general’s delegate to assist in establishing Our Lady of Guadalupe Province, the merger of six OFM provinces in the United States. Father Caoimhín served as minister of the Province of Ireland, general councilor of the order, and in 2017 as visitator of St. John the Baptist Province. He met last June with the six provincial ministers and will meet this month with them and their councils. On May 1, he wrote to the friars of the six provinces, “I have always admired the vitality, creativity, and authenticity of Franciscan life in the United States and have enjoyed the company of the friars, whether at formal meetings or at social events.”
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TOP RIGHT: CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING; RIGHT: COURTESY OF FATHER CAOIMHÍN Ó LAOIDE, OFM
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Reforming the Catholic Church Worldwide
What started with the Roman Curia in March will eventually affect the entire Church.
BEFORE LAST MARCH 19, most people working at the Roman Curia (Vatican offices working for the pope) probably never called themselves “missionary disciples” or were described that way by the world’s bishops who regularly dealt with them. The apostolic constitution “Preach the Gospel,” approved that day, does just that and sets in motion a new approach for those offices that will also change how parishes, dioceses, and conferences of bishops work. During the cardinals’ 2013 pre-conclave meetings, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, SJ (archbishop of Buenos Aires), observed that the Catholic Church was too “selfreferential,” focused too much on itself and not enough on its mission to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Many cardinals apparently agreed. Within a month after his election, Pope Francis appointed an eight-member Council of Cardinals (soon expanded to nine) representing the whole Church geographically. He gave them two tasks: 1) propose how the Roman Curia should be reformed and 2) advise him on governing the worldwide Church. This group, which includes Boston’s Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM Cap, met in person or remotely 40 times over nine years before completing its first task.
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MC KOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA
By Pat McCloskey, OFM
A NEW SPIRIT Many in the Roman Curia have seen themselves primarily as administrators. Pope Francis, however, sees them first as evangelizers serving the Western and Eastern Catholic Churches. They work in 16 departments of the Roman Curia called dicasteries (see list on the right) and other Vatican offices. Because all baptized Catholics are called to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to their particular talents, Pope Francis has decided to open all leadership positions to laypeople, clerics, and members of religious communities. In some ways, this is the most significant change in “Preach the Gospel.” Its preamble lists 11 principles and criteria for service in the Roman Curia. In some ways, those describe Gospel-based service at every level within the Catholic Church.
Cardinal Luis Tagle (above) and Archbishop Rino Fisichella head the two sections of the Dicastery for Evangelization.
NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL BISHOPS Before Vatican II, many people saw local bishops as the equivalent of corporate middle managers; Rome gave the orders that they must implement. Vatican II taught that all bishops have some responsibility for the entire Church, one that they fulfill with and under the successor of St. Peter. The Catholic Church is first a communion of Churches before it is a hierarchy. National or regional conferences of bishops received new responsibilities from Vatican II. The synods of Eastern Catholic Churches were already carrying out much of the work that Vatican offices do for the Western Church. For example, synods elect bishops, to whom the pope extends “ecclesial communion.” In “The Joy of the Gospel,” his November 2013 apostolic exhortation, Pope Francis called for a “sound decentralization” within the Church. None of this undermines the unique leadership of the Bishop of Rome.
LEFT: CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING; RIGHT: CREATIVE COMMONS 3.0/THE MANILA CATHEDRAL
MC KOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA
The Catholic Church is first a communion of Churches before it is a hierarchy.
Cardinal Michael Czerny, SJ, the new head of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, looks on as Pope Francis delivers his Easter message and blessing “urbi et orbi” from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in 2022. At the age of 2, he emigrated from Czechoslovakia to Canada.
THE SECRETARY OF STATE’S OFFICE COORDINATES THE WORK OF 16 DICASTERIES: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Evangelization Bishops Clergy Communications Eastern Churches Legislative Texts Service of Charity Causes of the Saints Culture and Education Laity, Family, and Life Doctrine of the Faith Promoting Christian Unity Interreligious Dialogue Promoting Integral Human Development • Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments • Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Seven of these offices trace their roots to the Roman Curia’s 1588 reorganization; one began in the next century. The remaining eight were created in the 20th or 21st centuries.
StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 19
EFFECTS ON DIOCESES AND PARISHES Two words are significantly absent from “Preach the Gospel”: clericalism and careerism. If the Roman Curia seeks to model humble service, then dioceses or parishes should certainly do no less. Unfortunately, many laypeople around the world have experienced firsthand the abuses of clericalism and careerism. Missionary disciples at the Roman Curia will now have five-year terms, renewable once. Dioceses and religious communities will thus be asked more frequently to identify people who can share in the Roman Curia’s evangelizing work. Some talented directors of diocesan offices and muchappreciated pastors will probably be called to Rome, helping a worldwide Church listen more carefully before it teaches. During his 2013 pre-conclave talk to the cardinals, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio alluded to the patristic image of the Church as the “mystery of the moon,” which has no light of its own but only reflects light from Christ. Reforms within the Church allow that reflected light to further energize the Church’s mission. Pat McCloskey, OFM, former director of communications at the worldwide headquarters of the Order of Friars Minor (1986–92), is the Franciscan editor of this publication and its Ask a Franciscan columnist.
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WOMEN WORKING IN NEW ROLES
Pope Francis greets Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerelli, now the secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. As of mid-June 2022, she was the highest-ranking woman among leaders of the 16 main offices of the Holy See.
BEFORE JUNE 5 when “Preach the Gospel” went into effect, no woman held a top-tier job at the Vatican. According to “Preach the Gospel,” sacramental ordination is no longer required for such a service delegated by the pope.
AS OF JUNE 5, 2022, POPE FRANCIS HAD NAMED: • Sister Alessandra Smerilli, FMA, as secretary of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development,
POPE FRANCIS HAD PREVIOUSLY APPOINTED: • Sister Nathalie Becquart, a Xaviere sister, as an undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops office (making her the first woman voter at the 2023 synod in Rome) and • Sister Raffaella Petri, FSE, as secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City (supervising personnel, security, museums, and related responsibilities). An increasing number of laypeople have worked in Vatican offices in recent years, including Paolo Ruffini, head of the Dicastery of Communications. Until 2022, only clerics were voting members of the Holy See’s various offices. By virtue of their appointment, laypeople or members of religious communities can now be voting members of any of these offices. For example, when the Dicastery for Bishops proposes someone as the next bishop of your diocese, laypeople might have participated at the highest level in discussions among voting members to identify that office’s recommendation.
CNS PHOTO: VATICAN MEDIA/COURTESY OF DICASTERY FOR PROMOTING INTEGRAL HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Again, Roman curial offices before the 2022 reform often acted as though episcopal conferences were an “administrative convenience,” not a group of pastors equally committed to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For centuries, groups of bishops have been making formal trips to the Vatican to inform the pope about the Church’s work in their part of the world (referred to as ad limina visits). The bishops also visit some of the Holy See’s main offices. The US bishops had already begun a round of such visits before COVID-19 caused their postponement in March 2020. With some frequency, many bishops previously returned home from those visits feeling that they had been scolded by teachers rather than welcomed as equal partners in the Church’s evangelizing mission.
Words of Wisdom from St. Clare By Susan Hines-Brigger
The rose window on the front of the Basilica of St. Clare stands high above the city of Assisi. And while the intricacies of the window stand somewhat in contrast to the simplicity of Clare, the beauty of the window certainly does not.
TOP: NICK NICK KO/ISTOCK; BWZENITH/ISTOCK
Through her writings, St. Clare offers us a guide to a stronger faith life. WHEN I TRAVELED TO ASSISI for pilgrimage almost 10 years ago, I thought I was going mostly to immerse myself in the life of St. Francis. I knew we would also be learning about St. Clare, his companion, but I didn’t feel as drawn to her. At the time, I knew very little of her story, other than she was connected to St. Francis. Once I arrived, though, and began to also walk in Clare’s footsteps, I found myself drawn to her. I saw a strong woman who held fast in her beliefs, despite the many challenges she faced along her journey. Her resilience inspired me. Living tucked away at San Damiano, Clare was able to reach people outside the walls of her monastery and still does to this day. She couldn’t spread her message through traveling and preaching, as Francis and his brothers did. Instead, she did it through her words and everyday examples of humility and simplicity. During her life, St. Clare wrote a number of things that we can still read today. She wrote four letters to Agnes of Prague, a noblewoman who had come to know of Clare through the friars. Through the letters, Clare counseled Agnes in ways to grow and fully live her faith. Clare also wrote a letter to Ermentrude of Bruges, though whether she actually wrote the letter is disputed. But perhaps her two most important writings were her Testament and the Rule for her order—the first woman to do so. That Rule would turn out to be her final words, being approved just a day before her death. So perhaps I was drawn to her as a writer, with her use of the written word to evangelize. And while the authorship of some of her letters has been questioned, they still capture the essence of her spirit. Therefore, it only makes sense that I find inspiration in her words. Hopefully, you will too. StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 21
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PHOTO CREDIT HERE
Throughout the city of Assisi, vibrantly colored flowers fill the streets and buildings. The street scene evokes the spirit of St. Clare, who often referred to herself as the “little plant of St. Francis.”
—Fourth Letter to Agnes of Prague
JUST AS I SUSPECT most people do, when I look into a mirror, I see my flaws. Unfortunately, given the standards of the society we live in, we have been conditioned to do just that. I focus on the gray hairs that I want to get rid of, the COVID-19 weight I’ve gained but not yet taken off, and the wrinkles I want to cover up. I also use it to help put on the products that I use to mask the things that I find troubling. What I don’t see reflected back at me, though, is what lies beyond that mirror. In both her fourth letter to Agnes of Prague and her Testament, Clare uses the mirror as a tool to show others how to live out their faith. Being born into a family that was part of the majore, or upper class, meant that Clare would have had the finest of things, from clothes to food. So, surely, she had a mirror or two with which to check her appearance. It’s not too difficult to imagine that some of them may have been rather ornate. In her fourth and final letter to Agnes of Prague, Clare used the concept of a mirror as a tool to help
Agnes grow in her faith. Also of nobility, Agnes would have understood the reference. What she might not have realized, though, was the deeper meaning of the mirror of which Clare spoke. The challenge, Clare told her, was to not only look into the mirror and see ourselves, but to also think of how the mirror is reflecting us to others. She once again used this reference with her sisters in her Testament, saying: “For the Lord himself has placed us not only as a form for others in being an example and mirror, but even for our sisters whom the Lord has called to our way of life as well, that they in turn might be a mirror and example to those living in the world. “Since the Lord has called us to such great things that those who are to be a mirror and example to others may be reflected in us, we are greatly bound to bless and praise God and be all the more strengthened to do good in the Lord.” One of Clare’s great gifts was to explain ways to follow our faith in a very accessible way. It is a gift that still guides us today.
“She was the first flower in Francis’ garden, and she shone like a radiant star.” —St. Bonaventure on Clare
ALEXANDRO 900/ISTOCK
PHOTO CREDIT HERE
“Gaze upon the mirror each day, O Queen and Spouse of Jesus Christ, and continually study your face within it.”
WHEN I AM SEEKING PEACE, I often go to my garden. I soak in the beauty of the flowers and marvel at how the flowers I planted the year before have continued to grow and spread. Plants that are thriving are often divided and replanted in other places in the yard, where they will once again grow and spread. I remember having that same feeling I have in my garden when I was in Assisi and looked out over the valley below the city. I would take in the beauty of the wide array of flowers spread across the landscape. And I would marvel at the flowing flower boxes on the houses
as I walked throughout the city. It was a feast for the eyes. And it made me think of St. Clare. Clare often called herself the “little plant of St. Francis.” And while St. Francis may have helped start her growth, she certainly did most of the growing and spreading on her own. Just like the many flowers in Assisi, Clare shared the beauty of her faith for all to see through her actions and words. From inside the walls of San Damiano, she grew and nurtured a community of sisters that flourished and spread far and wide, even to this day. There is great beauty in that. StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 23
“May the excitements of the world, fleeing like a shadow, not disturb you.” —Letter to Ermentrude of Bruges
EVERY TIME I READ THESE WORDS, I think of the iconic line from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” And both quotes are perfectly accurate. We live in a world of bigger, better, faster. We work longer hours, sleep less, and are constantly on the go. As a result, we find ourselves stressed and exhausted. But in her letter to Ermentrude of Bruges, St. Clare reminds her that it doesn’t have to be that way. And Clare had the example to back up what she was saying. For most of her life, she lived a very simple and quiet life at San Damiano. She and her sisters found
joy and solace in the slow pace of their lives, which were filled with prayer and necessary work. There were no excesses to draw attention away from their focus, which was Christ. One of the greatest mistakes many of us make is thinking that we will have enough time to do whatever we plan to. We push things off for later or when we have the time. What we don’t think about, though, is, What if there is no later? St. Clare died at a rather young age by today’s standards. But look at how determined she was in her calling and everything she accomplished during those years. With that in mind, we should ask ourselves what we are doing with our time.
“Let the love you have in your hearts be shown outwardly in your deeds.”
SO MANY TIMES IN LIFE it seems as if words fall short of what we want to express. Sometimes we just need to show up. One of my most precious memories of my mom, who passed away shortly before I traveled to Assisi, is one of presence. On the one-year anniversary of a close friend’s passing, her family had a Mass said for her. During a conversation with my mom, I believe I had mentioned it and that I was going but said nothing more. The next morning, though, as I walked into church, I saw my mom sitting in one of the pews. I hadn’t expected anyone to join me. When I walked up and sat next to her, she simply took my hand in hers. Throughout my life, I’m sure my mom had said thousands of words to me. But one of the things that I most vividly remember is not something that she said, but rather something that she did. She showed up. St. Clare was known for showing up. She often took care of her sisters—or the friars—who were ill. In fact, she cared for Francis near the end of his life. One story 24 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
is that Clare used to wash the feet of her sisters after they would come in from doing chores. On this particular day, as she finished washing the feet of one of her fellow sisters, Clare bent over to kiss her foot. Out of humility, the sister pulled her foot back, striking Clare in the mouth. Rather than recoil in pain, Clare simply proceeded to kiss the sister’s foot. Even when Clare was sick and in bed, she ministered to others as she was able. During those days, she would use the time to sew altar cloths for surrounding churches. Ministry in action—that was Clare’s default. It should be ours as well. These are only a few lines from St. Clare’s writings that can serve as starting points for the growth of our faith on both the inside and outside. If a simple woman living a life inside the walls of San Damiano can cast such a powerful message and example to the world, imagine what we can do, with the help of her direction. Susan Hines-Brigger is an executive editor of this magazine. She has a great devotion to St. Clare.
MC KOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA
—Testament of St. Clare
PHOTO CREDIT HERE
MC KOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA
Once she joined St. Francis, Clare never traveled beyond these walls of San Damiano. Still, she was able to spread the beauty of Christ’s message to others.
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Smart Schooling By Katie Rutter
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First implemented 25 years ago, Cristo Rey high schools have survived declining enrollment, rising costs, and a pandemic. And they’re still going strong.
THE FOUNDERS OF AN innovative schooling model certainly never dreamed their high schools would need to survive a financial crisis caused by a pandemic. In fact, the thinkers behind the Cristo Rey Network were simply responding to the Gospel call to serve those who need it most. “The model was created out of a need to fund the students’ cost of education,” explains Morgan Collier, executive vice president at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago. This school pioneered a new model intentionally created to serve families who could not pay tuition. “The founders around the table knew the city of Chicago had generous Catholic corporate leaders and said, ‘Well, maybe the students can work to pay for their education by harnessing the generosity of those leaders,’” she says. For decades, Catholic schools have relied on parishioner donations, steady tuition income from substantial enrollment, and a low-paid faculty of consecrated religious. Today, laity in need of living wages make up the vast majority of school faculty. Rising tuition quickly prices out middle- to low-income families. Enrollment was falling even before the pandemic caused many families to seek financial relief. The Catholic innovators behind the Cristo Rey Network saw the writing on the wall and have already rethought their financial system for a new age. Though impacted by the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, these schools are weathering the storm and helping their students to thrive even in the toughest times.
A Cristo Rey student jumps for joy at her high school graduation ceremony. In the Cristo Rey model, students spend one day a week in entry-level positions in real corporate settings, which helps fund their education.
COURTESY OF CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO/TRICIA KONING PHOTOGRAPHY
A DOWNWARD SPIRAL According to data released February 2021 by the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), an average of 100 Catholic schools close or consolidate every year. Few schools open to balance the loss; on average, only 15. Financial woes caused by COVID-19 accelerated these closures. By the fall of 2020, over 200 Catholic schools had closed or consolidated. Most cite economic uncertainty: Tuition is unpaid, enrollment is plunging, and donations have dropped. “The economics are a real challenge. It’s expensive to run a school; and to do so for the families who most deserve it, it’s impossible to ask them to pay more than they have,” explains Daniel Dougherty, president of Cristo Rey New York. Elementary schools have borne the brunt of the pandemic, making up nearly 90 percent of the closures. But since those schools are a pipeline for high schools, they are a predictor of future trends. “Declines in enrollment at the primary grade levels may lead to a delayed but significant impact on secondary school enrollment within the next five to 10 years, proving potentially disastrous for secondary school viability,” reads the NCEA report.
RETHINKING THE SYSTEM The Cristo Rey model is a pioneering funding and educational structure tested in Chicago 25 years ago and now replicated in 38 high schools across the country, with a total enrollment of over 12,300 students. In contrast to the national trend, their school count during the summer of 2020 was unchanged by the pandemic: One school closed, but another opened. An additional Cristo Rey high school opened last fall, with another scheduled to open this year. Two more may be founded in coming years. StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 27
Sometimes the teens are placed at businesses that they could only dream of. Students from De La Salle North Catholic—a Cristo Rey high school in Portland, Oregon—have been hired by apparel giants Nike and Adidas. In New York, Kaela worked at Capital Group, one of the world’s largest investment organizations. Cristo Rey schools are not attached to a parish. Most are sponsored by a religious order and draw students from a larger area than traditional Catholic schools. These families are attracted to the unique opportunity that Cristo Rey offers and are willing to travel for it. It took Kaela about 45 minutes, or “two trains and a bus,” to get to school. “You need to be committed,” she explains. “The school’s committed to you; you have to be committed to actually do the work.”
BACK TO THE ROOTS
The model may be new, but Cristo Rey schools see themselves as going back to the roots of Catholic education. The schools are intentionally founded in inner-city and low-income neighborhoods where they serve mainly minorities and immigrants. Cristo Rey schools see Their ministry is not unlike the beginthemselves as going nings of the Catholic school system in AN INNOVATIVE MODEL this country, founded by saints such as If there is minimal tuition and no direct back to the roots of Elizabeth Ann Seton, Frances Xavier parishioner support, how does Cristo Catholic education. Cabrini, and Katharine Drexel, to eduRey pay the bills? They draw on the very cate the poor and outcasts of their days. resource they are attempting to fosNationally, minorities and urban communities are ter: the students. losing access to Catholic education at an alarming rate. Students at a Cristo Rey school spend four days in the According to the February 2021 data from the NCEA, classroom with daily schedules that are slightly longer “Underserved groups were over twice as likely to have than the average high school. On the fifth day of the their schools closed compared to all closures and all week, the students go to work in a real corporate setting communities served by Catholic schools.” with entry-level responsibilities, effectively paying for The first Cristo Rey high school was founded in 1996 their own education. in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago, then known as a “I think it’s a blessing,” says Kaela Dolmo of her hot spot for drugs and gangs. A shuttered parish elemencorporate job. Kaela began her senior year at Cristo Rey tary school building was purchased and converted for New York last fall. secondary school use. “My mom didn’t have as much opportunity as me. The goal was providing an excellent education She went to Catholic school but only for a year because for low-income, mostly first- and second-generation my grandma wasn’t able to financially support it. So Mexican immigrants. The Cristo Rey plan was to I think that for me to help my mom actually support give students entry-level corporate jobs that covered getting my education and actually doing the work to educational costs. help pay, I think it’s amazing. I’m so happy that I can The model worked. Within a few years, this first actually do it.” Cristo Rey high school was bursting at the seams and These job opportunities are assigned by the school needed to expand the building. itself. Each Cristo Rey high school seeks out corpo“[My parents] just really had a huge concern, like my rate partnerships to find work for their students. Law, brothers or my sister and I falling into the wrong path accounting, and architectural firms; local government because it was so common at the time,” says Chicago agencies; insurance companies; and tech businesses are alumna Hilda Carrasco. The daughter of immigrants, just some of the groups that hire Cristo Rey students. 28 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
OPPOSITE PAGE: TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF KAELA DOLMO/CRISTO REY, NEW YORK; TOP RIGHT: COURTESY OF CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO ARCHIVES
“We’re not affiliated with a parish, so we don’t rely on parishioner support for the school,” explains Collier. “Yet we’re also not driven by enrollment and tuition like so many other schools. If we take a hit in enrollment of 10 students, we’re not in jeopardy of closing, per se, because our revenue model is driven by the students that we have working for companies.” In addition, Cristo Rey schools charge only minimal tuition from students, so families have been able to keep their kids in school even in tough times. The Cristo Rey high school in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York City, in contrast to 20 school closures in their archdiocese, actually had more students after the pandemic began and is currently at capacity. “We don’t let ability to pay stand as an impediment to students attending,” explains Dougherty. “Our tuition is $2,000 a year, and it was $2,000 when we opened the school in 2004—it’s never gone up.” Scholarships and grants mean that most families do not pay even that much. Nationally, Cristo Rey families pay an average of $788 per child per year. By comparison, it costs the school about $15,500 to educate each student.
MIDDLE: COURTESY OF CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO/JENNIFER SIROTA; BOTTOM: COURTESY OF DE LA SALLE NORTH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL/ANDREA LONAS
OPPOSITE PAGE: TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF KAELA DOLMO/CRISTO REY, NEW YORK; TOP RIGHT: COURTESY OF CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL, CHICAGO ARCHIVES
Kaela Dolmo sits at her desk at the Capital Group in New York. She calls her job “a blessing” that allows her to contribute to her own education.
After graduating in 2014 from Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in Chicago, Hilda Carrasco went on to the University of Illinois’ Gies School of Business. In 2018, she gave the convocation speech at her college graduation ceremony (pictured above).
This 2022 Cristo Rey graduate in Chicago wears her gratitude on her head. Her mortarboard reads: “Thanks to my mother and father, I am a strong young woman with a diploma.”
“I think the kids at our school are the future of Portland,” says Tim Joy, former principal at De La Salle North Catholic in Portland, Oregon, and now its senior English teacher. The school recently moved into a larger space to accommodate more students.
StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 29
uniforms and host training programs to teach new Carrasco graduated in 2014 and now works at an students corporate etiquette. “I think, overall, that just accounting firm that employs Cristo Rey students. “By really helped give us an idea that we could see ourselves being at Cristo Rey, we were surrounded by a community working in downtown [Chicago businesses],” she says, that believed in us.” adding that her father worked low-paying factory jobs By 2001, the model was replicated in Portland, his whole life. Oregon. That school, De La Salle North Catholic, All Cristo Rey students leave high school with four recently moved into a new, larger space—after renovatyears of corporate experience under their belt, something ing a parish elementary school that had been closed for future employers find attractive. Many of them also leave 35 years—in order to accommodate the waiting list of with professional recommendations and students who want to attend. networks that follow them into college Tim Joy, who retired as principal Students were and beyond. But on a much deeper level, of De La Salle North Catholic in June thriving. The corporate the Cristo Rey corporate work-study 2021, lists current issues of “this time internship opened up program helps students realize what of trauma associated with the pana world of unexpected they can achieve. demic, but also the nation’s own reckopportunity. That is what happened to Zhada oning with injustice and race.” Black, Allen. A new graduate of De La Salle in Hispanic, and minority students make Portland, she intends to study medicine in college, with up nearly 90 percent of the student body at his high the hopes that, in a few years, she’ll be “wearing that school. “I think the kids at our school are the future of white coat and being an OB/GYN.” Portland,” he concludes. Her freshman year at De La Salle, Zhada was placed to work as an assistant to an OB/GYN doctor. Her BELIEVE AND ACHIEVE responsibilities included greeting patients, taking their The Cristo Rey founders soon discovered that they had vitals, preparing for examinations, and assisting during hit on an idea that was valuable from more than a finanmedical procedures. cial perspective. Their students were thriving. For many, “I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is going to be a good the corporate internship opened up a world of unexfit for me. I don’t know if I’m good enough,’” Zhada says. pected opportunity. “You know, being only 15 and a freshman and you’re “Had it not been for Cristo Rey, a lot of us wouldn’t working in health care. . . . Do you trust me doing that? have even learned how to dress professionally,” explains Should I be doing that?” Carrasco. Cristo Rey schools require businesslike 30 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
COURTESY OF DE LA SALLE NORTH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL/ANDREA LONAS
A graduate of De La Salle High School in Portland, Oregon, Zhada Allen now attends Clark Atlanta University, the first historically Black college or university in the South. She says Cristo Rey taught her, “You’re capable of doing anything, if you put your mind to it.”
With the confidence and experience gained at her job, Zhada applied to 15 colleges and universities. She was accepted into all of them. “The opportunity to get a college prep, academic education and to get exposure to the professional workplace seems to have a magical effect on student growth,” explains New York’s Dougherty. “Every one of our kids is admitted to a four-year college, and the class of 2020, every single one of them enrolled in a four-year college, even in the midst of the pandemic.” He compares Cristo Rey kids to students with similar socioeconomic backgrounds who, according to national statistics, usually enroll in college at half that rate. “I’m amazed when—I’ve heard this from a couple of visitors—people come to the school and they’re just surprised. They come in, and kids walk up to them and say hello and say, ‘Can I help you?’” says Joy, the retired principal in Portland. “Our kids are different because of that whole experience of [being] surrounded by teachers and staff who care and love them and know them by name . . . and strong relationships with their supervisors.”
BEYOND THE PANDEMIC
COURTESY OF CRISTO REY NETWORK
COURTESY OF DE LA SALLE NORTH CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL/ANDREA LONAS
Father John P. Foley, founder and chair emeritus of Cristo Rey Network, sits with Elizabeth Goettl, the current president and CEO. The Cristo Rey Network oversees all the Cristo Rey high schools in the nation.
The Cristo Rey model shows that, with innovation and dedication, there can be a bright future for Catholic schools, despite the present struggles. “Parents yearn for schools that form character and focus on whole-child development,” says Elizabeth Goettl, president and CEO of the Cristo Rey Network, which oversees all the high schools following the model. “For future viability, schools need to perform at high levels in every respect, provide real value, [and] consider creative funding mechanisms that allow enrollment of
students from middle- and low-income families.” A model combining whole-student education with a low financial barrier carries an attractive power that could draw students, reverse declining enrollment, and revive the Catholic school system. The Cristo Rey model will not work for every school. Elementary schools, of course, cannot send their students to work at corporations. But educators need to find other ways of providing excellent schooling without pricing out low-income families. A century ago, Mother Frances Cabrini established 67 institutions in 35 years—including schools, hospitals, and orphanages. Catholic schools today need courageous innovators who are not afraid to strike out against all odds and follow the fresh promptings of the Holy Spirit. As Cristo Rey shows, a thriving school system produces thriving students. Taught by educators listening to the Holy Spirit, the students are themselves ready to listen and change their world in their own time—which might come sooner than expected. For example, the new building for De La Salle North Catholic in Portland was partly designed by one of its graduates, now an employee of the architecture firm where he worked in high school. “I knew that if I wanted to see change, I had to be that change,” explains Zhada of her decision to pursue a medical career after her experiences at Cristo Rey in Portland. In words that would hearten Catholic educators, she concludes, “You’re capable of doing anything, if you put your mind to it.” Katie Rutter, an award-winning video producer, editor, and journalist based in Bloomington, Indiana, specializes in Catholic/Christian media. Along with her work as a freelance writer, she creates short documentaries, promotional videos, and news reports. Her article “Nuns and Nones: Connection across Generations” appeared in our November 2020 issue.
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HOPE Has an Address By Maria Luisa Torres
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ABOVE: PHOTO BY LOUIE MORA; LEFT: COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES
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Father Gregory Boyle, SJ, has built “a culture that heals” in a city plagued by gun and gang violence. His ministry has helped restore hope and reduce crime.
GROWING UP IN South Los Angeles in the 1980s, Osvaldo Fernandez became involved with gangs and drugs at a young age, lured by a false “sense of belonging” that felt akin to a brotherhood of sorts. One day the native Angeleno experienced what could have been—or should have been—a transformative moment. A gang rival approached Fernandez while he was unarmed, pulled out a firearm, placed the barrel of a .45-caliber pistol against his forehead—and pulled the trigger. “And nothing happened,” Fernandez recalls. “Then I reacted and slapped the gun away, and it went off [in the other direction]. And then I ran, of course, and he shot at me a couple of times. . . . God said, ‘It wasn’t your time’ . . . because that first bullet should have been in my brain.” While that incident didn’t deter him from remaining on the wrong path—which eventually resulted in a 20-year prison sentence on drug dealing charges—today Fernandez, now 48, is determined to reclaim and rebuild his life. His goals: “To be there for my family, my marriage, [to work] and be a productive citizen in society.” Helping him along that multipronged journey is a special LA-based nonprofit founded by a beloved Jesuit priest with a humble nature and a generous heart.
MODEST BEGINNINGS ABOVE: Trainee Osvaldo Fernandez, 48, is determined to rebuild his life after serving prison time for drug dealing. LEFT: Homeboy Industries has stood as a beacon of hope in Los Angeles for more than 30 years.
In 1986, Father Gregory Boyle, SJ, was appointed pastor of Dolores Mission Church in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. Surrounded by the highest concentration of gang activity in the city at the time, Dolores Mission was also the poorest Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, with a predominantly Latino immigrant community. For Father Boyle, that serendipitous appointment would light the embers of a revolutionary concept that would alter the course of his life and bring hope and healing to countless lost souls: treating gang members as children of God. StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 33
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES (2)
Homeboy Industries currently welcomes more than As a firsthand witness to the catastrophic impact of 8,000 people who enter through their doors every year gang activity on his parishioners and the surrounding hoping to transform their lives. Its flagship 18-month community, he recognized an important underlying training program is offered to more than 450 men and truth: Hurt people hurt others. Instead of ministering women annually. around them, Father Boyle began reaching out to young The overall goal of the combined services and job men and women on the margins: former gang members training is to allow Homeboy trainees to discover their seeking to escape the seemingly endless cycle of violence, true selves and learn to make healthy lifestyle choices. By imprisonment, lost relationships, broken spirits, and redirecting their lives, they dead-end futures—and willcan begin contributing to the ing to accept a helping hand well-being of their famito take that first step. lies and communities, and “If it’s true that the trauhopefully break the cycle of matized are going to be more intergenerational trauma. likely to cause trauma, it’s That’s what happened equally true that the cherfor Inez Salcido, a substance ished will be able to find their abuse counselor and case way to the joy of cherishmanager at Homeboy—who ing themselves and others,” is formerly gang involved and explains Father Boyle. “It’s in recovery from drug addicnot enough to say, ‘Just tion. The 18-month training say no to gangs.’” program changed the trajecWith that concept tory of her life, which had in mind, in 1988 Father long been on a similar tragic Boyle—or “Father G” as he path as her parents, who both is affectionally known by died of complications stemmany—launched Jobs for a ming from years of drug use. Future with a simple goal: to “I come from a long line help former gang members of addicts and gang members. find jobs. That mustard seed I was basically raised by the soon sprouted. Over the past streets, by the neighborhood,” three decades, what began recounts Salcido, the oldest as a local ministry evolved of four siblings who grew up into the highly regarded and A trainee wears a T-shirt produced by Homeboy Silkscreen and Embroidery, one of the organization’s 10 social enterprises. in Southeast Los Angeles. widely known Homeboy “Growing up, it was a normal Industries: the world’s largest thing . . . for us to join the lifestyle. gang-intervention, rehabilitation, and reentry program. “So that was my life from the age of 13 until [about my 30s],” she continues. LIVES REDIRECTED Not even the birth of her son in her mid-20s deterred Homeboy Industries has stood as a beacon of hope in her from remaining enmeshed in the life. After watching Los Angeles for more than 30 years, providing support him grow up from afar (being raised by his dad), Salcido services and job training to former gang members and got a dose of tough love from her son: “If you’re not previously incarcerated individuals. Their slogans are around, I’ll disown you—you [won’t be] my mom.” many, including “Nothing stops a bullet like a job” and “I just remember thinking, ‘Damn, I need to get [it] “Hope has an address”—it’s literally 130 W. Bruno Street together,’” she recounts. But she let him down yet again in downtown Los Angeles. and ended up incarcerated once more. During times of As a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Homeboy strife, Salcido had rarely turned to prayer because she utilizes a combination of donations and revenue from would inevitably end up back behind bars. One day, it various social enterprises to fund its innovative model finally clicked: God was answering her prayers by taking of therapeutic wraparound services and training. It has her off the streets. a yearly budget of $28 million, and as of 2020 had a Today, thanks to the support of her family, Homeboy professional staff of more than 100, as well as nearly 150 Industries, and plenty of prayers, Salcido has been clean professional volunteers.
A client of Homeboy Industries has a tattoo removed as part of a free service offered by a team of 40 volunteer medical professionals. They have removed more than 15 million inches of tattoos, focusing on those that are neighborhood-specific and gang-related.
and sober for nine years, and she now helps others in their recovery. Salcido is only one of countless success stories, and one of numerous former “homies” currently making a difference in the lives of trainees. According to Father Boyle, approximately two-thirds of Homeboy’s current senior staff members are themselves graduates of the program. “I don’t run this place anymore; people who have come through the program run it all,” says Father Boyle. He recounts a presentation led by six homegirls and homeboys, while he was discreetly seated in the back. A woman in the crowd surprised everyone by asking, “Father Greg is going to die someday—what are you going to do after he’s gone?” Not skipping a beat, one of the homeboys stood up, signaled the other five to stand as well, and replied, “All of us have keys to the place.” They received a standing ovation.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES (2)
UNFAZED BY THE PANDEMIC The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought both surprises and challenges for Homeboy, as it did for the rest of the planet. The mayor of Los Angeles deemed Homeboy an essential organization early on. Despite some initial disruption, they soon adopted all necessary safety protocols, and even set up a temporary canopied outdoor office for Father Boyle to help him continue his seemingly ceaseless stream of conversations of varying lengths with homies—both current and former—while addressing staff inquiries and welcoming visitors. This was the bustling scene in late November 2021,
with Father Boyle, workers, trainees, and volunteers back inside the fully functioning Homeboy headquarters. Inside, Father G sits front and center in a glassenclosed office. On this crisp fall day, he’s in town, but soon he’ll be traveling again to any number of speaking engagements or promoting his latest book, The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness (see page 39 for a review of Father Boyle’s book). As he chats with various people flowing in and out of his office, he seems energized and tireless, eager to answer questions and quick to smile. His engaging demeanor is contagious. “We closed briefly, maybe for three months or something, while we figured out what was going on, like the whole world was,” recounts Father Boyle. They soon pivoted their food services to Feed Hope, providing meals to half a million people—seniors, homeless, and shut-ins in Los Angeles County. Despite the myriad challenges created by COVID-19, grants, revenues, and donations—including major gifts— have been increasingly robust, notes Father Boyle. The organization brought in $30.4 million in 2020, an increase of $8.6 million from the previous year. An unexpected boon came when Homeboy Industries was named the recipient of the 2020 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, increased from $2 million to $2.5 million in honor of the 25th anniversary of the award. And the needed monetary support keeps coming. They received $15 million in funding from the State of California’s 2021–2022 budget to further develop Homeboy’s workforce training and reentry program in partnership with the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB). StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 35
‘A CULTURE THAT HEALS’ Homeboy’s current revenues and outreach stand in stark contrast to its modest beginnings, when the new endeavor not only had very limited resources, but also lacked support from a segment of the community that many find surprising, notes Father Boyle. “In the early years, [we had] death threats, bomb threats, and hate mail—never from gang members, because we symbolized hope, but from folks who demonize gang members,” he says. “Almost exclusively our hate mail was from law enforcement,” he reveals. “‘I am a sheriff. I hate what you’re doing, I hate who you are. You’re part of the problem here, not part of the solution.’ The [thinking was], ‘If only Father Boyle knew this population the way we do.’” At issue was the mindset of us versus them, of “getting the bad guy,” which is the typical mentality among many who work in law enforcement, according to Father Boyle. “[But] there are no bad guys; there [are] just people in pain or traumatized or mentally ill,” he explains, adding, “The largest mental institution on the planet is LA County Jail, so what does that tell you about how badly we address the societal dilemma?” In subsequent years, the chiefs of police grew “more enlightened,” recalls Father Boyle. The evidence, after all, was irrefutable. “In 1992, we had 1,000 gang-related homicides [in Los Angeles],” he says. “Well, what’s happened to that number? It was cut in half. And then cut in half again. 36 • August 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org
“I think we’ve had a singular impact on public safety. Singular,” emphasizes Father Boyle. “Before there was no exit ramp off of this crazy violent freeway—until this place came around. And suddenly gang members started to see people getting off the freeway.” Unfortunately, the pandemic has had a negative impact on violent crimes nationwide, with homicides up by 30 percent in every major city across the country, including Los Angeles. “Violence and homicides are always about something else, so the trick is to find the something else. It shouldn’t surprise us that the baseline is really a lethal absence of hope,” explains Father Boyle. “The pandemic exacerbated the despair level.” Addressing the increasing violence begins with examining its roots and acknowledging that those engaging in violence are not solely gang members or criminals; they are human beings. “Everybody who comes through here is traumatized and really damaged, so how do we help them heal?” asks Father Boyle. “Society wants to punish the wound, but we say, ‘What if we sought to heal it?’ “We do that around here [at Homeboy]—everybody cherishes with every breath they take, and it’s a culture that heals, and it’s a relationship that heals,” he continues. “Maybe as a society we can too.”
THE MARROW OF THE GOSPEL Hand in hand with cherishing one another and embracing a culture of healing is an atmosphere immersed in Christ, though not necessarily in overt, traditional ways.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES (4)
Father Greg Boyle, SJ, began ministering to gang members in 1986, when he became pastor of Dolores Mission Church, the poorest parish in Los Angeles. Today, “Father G” continues to embrace those who come to Homeboy Industries as children of God.
HOMEBOY’S SOCIAL ENTERPRISES AND SERVICES
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES (4)
Mario Lundes worked at Homeboy Bakery and other enterprises as a trainee. Now he helps others rebuild their lives working in Homeboy’s Substance Use Disorder Department.
After all, there is more than one way to proselytize, notes Father Boyle. “There was a woman who [once asked] me, ‘How much time do you spend each day at Homeboy praising God?’ And I said, ‘All damn day,’” he recalls. “The whole place is soaked with the marrow of the Gospel; that’s all you get here. It’s part of the air you breathe.” Someone else once asked him the question in a slightly different manner: “Do you bring gang members to Christ?” Father Boyle’s reply? “No, they bring me to Christ.” And living the true meaning of Christianity includes always leaving the door open to those genuinely seeking to change their lives, even if they have failed in their previous efforts. Just like Fernandez. He is more than 12 months into his second attempt at completing the 18-month program. He was first hired as a trainee in 2018, shortly after completing his 20-year sentence. But his initial efforts at Homeboy were half-hearted, he admits now. This time, Fernandez knows he will complete the program because he is putting in the extra time and effort he avoided the first time around, in particular embracing inner healing. “If you don’t have that and you don’t work on it, then it’s a guarantee that you will fail and you will go back, or you’ll die; there’s no other gray area,” says Fernandez. These are facts he knows all too well. When he left the program halfway through 2018, he went back to selling dope, ended up spending another year and a half in prison, and even survived COVID-19 while incarcerated. He was paroled on February 3, 2021, and the very next day he was back at Homeboy Industries, where he was welcomed with open arms. “Now I’m gonna do the same things, but I’m gonna do it all in a positive way,” he says. And, as before, he’ll do it with the support of his family, his fellow homies, and Father G.
Homeboy trainees receive handson opportunities to learn a variety of job skills while simultaneously earning a paycheck. There are 10 social enterprises at Homeboy Industries, such as: • Feed HOPE • Homeboy Bakery • Homegirl Café • Homegirl Catering Trainees also benefit from a variety of services and educational programs, including: • Tattoo removal • Anger management • Domestic violence support • Youth Reentry services • Educational services • Homeboy Art Academy • Legal assistance • Mental health services • Parenting classes • Substance abuse support For more information, visit: HomeboyIndustries.org/ social-enterprises.
Maria Luisa Torres is a freelance writer and editor based in Los Angeles. She previously served as associate editor of Angelus, the news magazine for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
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CULTURE
STREAMING by Susan Hines-Brigger
STORIES OF A GENERATION WITH POPE FRANCIS
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Some of the names featured in the docuseries are well known, such as filmmaker Martin Scorsese and environmentalist Dr. Jane Goodall. But the series also features lesser-known individuals, whose stories prove no less powerful. Austra Bertha Flores, the first female mayor in Honduras, talks about her struggle for the rights of the weakest in her country and her personal battle to ensure that the perpetrators of her daughter’s murder do not go unpunished. Perhaps the most touching story, though, is that of Danilo Mena Hernández, a farmer who lives in a forest in Costa Rica. The father of two blind sons makes their dream come true by bringing them to “see” the sea with their hands for the first time. In the episode on work, Scorsese is interviewed by his 22-year-old daughter, filmmaker and actress Francesca. He tells her about how his love of filmmaking began. Scorsese is also featured in the episode on love, which features clips of him and his wife, Helen Morris, who is reported to suffer from Parkinson’s disease. The cinematography is stellar, beautifully capturing not only vast images of the ocean and forests, but also more intimate ones of quaint shops and homes. The opening of the series features intricate artistic depictions of the subjects. And the score perfectly captures the setting of each segment. Pope Francis is right about the wisdom to be gained from our elders. This docuseries is proof of that.
ALL COVERS COURTESY OF SUBJECTS’ DISTRIBUTOR/PUBLISHER/PRODUCTION COMPANY; BELOW: COURTESY OF HOMEBOY INDUSTRIES
LOVE, DREAMS, STRUGGLE, AND WORK—those are the four themes that make up the basis of Netflix’s fourpart docuseries Stories of a Generation with Pope Francis. The series, which was released last December, is based on the pope’s book Sharing the Wisdom of Time, published by Loyola Press. For the series, filmmakers under the age of 30 interviewed women and men over age 70. The result is 18 stories shot across five continents over the course of one year. In each episode, people of different backgrounds, social status, cultures, and religions share their stories. Given its international scope, the entire series is subtitled. Pope Francis, who is featured throughout the series, begins by saying, “It is important for the future of humanity that the young talk to the old.” He offers his own personal wisdom based on experiences and insights he has gained and shares stories from his life. The pope is interviewed by Jesuit Father Antonio Spadaro, editor of La Civiltà Cattolica, who also helped with the book. At a Rome film festival last October, Father Spadaro said Pope Francis agreed to participate in the Netflix series on the condition that he would not be “the star” of the project but would simply enter into the conversation like the other elders interviewed, “talking about himself and his personal experiences,” reported Catholic News Service.
MIDDLE: NETFLIX.COM; TOP: NETFLIX.COM/VATICAN MEDIA
Netflix
BOOK REVIEW by James A. Percoco
BOOK BRIEFS by Julie Horne Traubert
THE POWER OF GOD’S TENDERNESS
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CULTURE
PREPARE TO MEET the “homies” of Homeboy Industries and their bold and courageous mentor and healer, Gregory Boyle, SJ, known to the homies as simply “Father G.” Also prepare yourself for some absolute holy hilarity and tears. Father Boyle’s most recent book is a story that transpires in the worst part of the City of Angels. He ministers to those on the margins of life, and, in doing so, he brings them to true life by encountering the Holy Trinity and transforming them to be the individuals God meant them to be. In these pages you will meet many people our society dismisses, but Father Boyle rescues and restores them to wholeness. The Whole Language Rooted in Scripture and mystics, including By Gregory Boyle, SJ fellow Jesuit Pedro Arrupe, the Persian poets Avid Reader Press Hafiz and Rumi, and Franciscan Richard Rohr, the book teaches readers about Father G’s more than 30-year ministry. This is in no way a book about despair and sadness. Rather, Father G and his homies are repositories of joy—the kind of joy that God wants all humans to experience. Perhaps that is what makes this story so remarkable. Vulnerable people rescue one another through the miracle of simply being a fellow human being and extending compassion and healing to one another. Follow Father G as he travels with his homies to speak across the country to groups large and small who have been inspired by this living witness to the power of God through his simple humanity. In many ways, Father G is like Christ himself, and the homies are like his apostles. They seem to be on the move all the time, practicing what Jesus taught, particularly to not be afraid of “the other,” read in this case to be rival gang members. There is no “them” in these pages, only other human beings who make up the whole language of humanity. It is a very hopeful book that not only shakes one’s conscience but also seeks to challenge our ideas about God and Christ’s mission in 2022. You will be inspired through these modern-day parables and, in the end, not only embrace Father G’s homies, but perhaps follow in their footsteps of service. James A. Percoco is a nationally recognized history educator, author, and history chair at Loudoun School for Advanced Studies in Ashburn, Virginia.
Jesuit Father Greg Boyle (standing in the center) founded Homeboy Industries in Los Angeles over 30 years ago. For more on his work, see the article “Hope Has an Address” on page 32.
Paschal Paradox By Diarmuid O’Murchu Franciscan Media
THE PASCHAL CYCLE IS one of birth, death, and rebirth. Father Diarmuid O’Murchu of Ireland sees this pattern of spiritual evolution throughout his life experiences and reveals his reflections in this autobiography, which he penned during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. His emphasis is on the dying and letting go of the securities we hold tightly so as to grow in new, transformational directions. All life, all creation is intimately connected through this constant state of change—plants, animals, the universe itself. This book provides insight and support on our changing paths.
The Caregiver’s Companion By Debra Kelsey-Davis and Kelly Johnson Ave Maria Press
MANY PEOPLE who are called into caregiving for family or friends may find themselves feeling isolated, frustrated, and exhausted. Authors Debra KelseyDavis and Kelly Johnson have been there themselves and have created a beautifully illustrated journal to help examine many of the challenges and fears. They guide you with prayer, Scripture, and thoughtful questions, allowing you to express your thoughts and to truly reflect on your caregiving experience, encouraging you to see the sacred in your work and to cherish this holy time with your loved ones.
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CULTURE
FILMS by Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
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Christopher McQuarrie, with music from Hans Zimmer, Lady Gaga, and others. Oscar winner Jennifer Connelly, who plays Penny, a single mom whom Maverick once dated, is the romantic interest. Top Gun: Maverick is very entertaining and even inspiring. The film belongs to Cruise, Kilmer, and Teller. The meeting between Maverick and Ice, whose health is in obvious decline, is as warm as it is hostile and competitive. Themes of forgiveness, reconciliation, brotherly love, and humility abound. But the women, even Phoenix, are given far less to do in the film. In the background is the constructed geopolitical context of bombing an enemy country without any attempt at diplomacy and killing pilots who have no faces. A-3, PG-13 • Battle violence, peril.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT FATHER STU THE ADAM PROJECT LUCY AND DESI TICK, TICK . . . BOOM! SPENCER
TOP GUN: MAVERICK: PARAMOUNT PICTURES
THIRTY-SIX years after Tom Cruise’s Top Gun blasted into theaters, the sequel arrives without missing a beat. When Maverick is fired from his job as a test pilot by Admiral “Hammer” Cain (Ed Harris), he is reassigned to the Top Gun Academy in San Diego where he once trained. Neither Cain nor “Cyclone” (Jon Hamm), who commands the flight school, want Maverick to go to Top Gun, but his old nemesis, “Ice” (Val Kilmer), now the commander of the US Pacific Fleet, decides that Maverick is needed. The fighter pilots are needed for a top secret mission, and Maverick is the only one who can train 12 pilots (including a woman, “Phoenix,” played by Monica Barbaro) from which six will be chosen. Though we never find out where it is, the pilots learn that a uranium enrichment plant has been detected in a hostile country and must be destroyed. One of the young pilots is “Rooster” (Miles Teller), son of “Goose,” Maverick’s friend and radar intercept officer, who died in a training accident with Maverick in Top Gun. There is tension between Rooster and Maverick from the get-go, just as other tensions play out in the film, some of which will remind fans of the original. Joseph Kosinski does a stellar job directing this sequel. The action-packed and emotional script was penned by a trio of writers, Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and
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DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA
IN 1928, the aging Lady Grantham (Maggie Smith) reveals to the family that she has been left a villa in France and that the family has been invited to visit. Everyone upstairs and downstairs wonders what is going on, but preparations for the journey are made. To complicate things, Jack Barber (Hugh Dancy), a film director, arrives to shoot a film at Downton. Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) remains at the estate to watch over the production and the house, while the family decamps to the French Riviera. Just how the villa came to Lady Grantham is a mystery that her son, Robert (Hugh Bonneville), must solve because his identity is threatened by this gift, and his mother is saying very little. While this overlong film is bookended by the wedding of one of Downton’s favorite characters, Tom Branson (Allen Leech), to Lucy Smith (Tuppence Middleton), and the death and funeral of another, everything in the middle is just a chance to barely catch up with characters we grew to love during the six seasons of the television show. The film looks gorgeous, but the story is so heavily contrived as to border on boring. The plotlines are neatly tied up at the end, including the gay butler, Thomas (Robert James-Collier), finding a romantic partner (Dominic West). It’s time to retire Downton Abbey, which is streaming on Amazon Prime. A-3, PG • Mature themes.
HUSTLE
STANLEY SUGERMAN (Adam Sandler) has been traveling the globe for 30 years as a scout for the Philadelphia 76ers, an NBA team, and he dreams of being a basketball coach. When the owner, Rex Merrick (Robert Duvall), dies, his ruthless son, Vince (Ben Foster), takes over, and his daughter, Kat (Heidi Gardner), Stanley’s ally, moves on with her life beyond the team. Stanley discovers an amazing player in Spain, Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangomez), but he fails to do a background check before bringing him to Philadelphia. Things go from bad to worse as Stanley’s professional and personal relationships fall apart. This is probably the best acting I have seen from Sandler in this small movie with a big heart. Hustle is streaming on Netflix. Not yet rated, R • Crass humor; references to porn addiction; language. Catholic News Service Media Review Office provides these ratings. Source: USCCB.org/movies A-1: General patronage • A-2: Adults and adolescents • A-3: Adults • L: Limited adult audience • O: Morally offensive
Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP, is a Daughter of St. Paul and the founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies. She has been the award-winning film columnist for St. Anthony Messenger since 2003 and is the author of several books on Scripture and film, as well as media literacy education.
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POINTS OF VIEW AT HOME ON EARTH by Kyle Kramer
ADDRESSING OUR DIGITAL ADDICTIONS
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As I described in my most recent book, Making Room, simplifying our lives can trim back those vines and enrich the soil so we can live with greater intentionality, freedom, virtue, and purpose—so that we can be the better people so desperately needed right now. In this and upcoming columns, I’d like to explore several themes that relate to the Gospel call to live more simply.
HEALTHY HABITS I’d like to begin with how we use digital technologies such as email and instant messaging, smartphones, social media, and streaming services. These technologies have come to have an outsized impact on our daily lives. We’re in the grip of a mass addiction to time- and attentionsucking digital distractions, which are literally rewiring our brains and eroding our ability to focus, to pray, or to relate to each other. If the digital world is like food, we have been bingeing indiscriminately. Simplifying and purifying our relationship with the digital world begins with carefully deciding what content and tools you engage with, just as we would favor dark leafy greens over unhealthy, processed snack foods. Pay close attention to how you feel when you’re scrolling endlessly through your social media feeds or when you’re sucked into yet another TikTok video, news feed item, or Netflix episode. Your intuition will help you know at a gut level whether something helps or hinders you in becoming the person you want to be. Guided by this feedback, you can choose carefully what you use. Trust that it is quite possible to thrive and stay reasonably informed while using these services less or not at all. After discerning which tools and media you want to keep in your “digital diet,” it’s important to develop good
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IF WE WANT A SOCIALLY JUST and ecologically flourishing world, we need better people. We must become the kind of people who can foster positive change. That was Jesus’ message. He didn’t take up political or military power and make sweeping, top-down societal changes. The kingdom he preached, worked for, and died for was interior. He changed people, one heart at a time, and he trusted that changed people would then change the world—which, we know from history, they did. If our Christian tradition is going to have any relevance moving forward, it will come from providing us a vision of what we could be and the practical guidance and communal support to grow toward that vision. In short, this is because our tradition helps us become better people who can imagine and create a better world— and become happier and more fulfilled in the process. What does it mean to be a good person? Even with such diversity among us, there are common threads. Good people have joy, connectedness to others, and internal freedom. They are generous. They embody the cardinal and theological virtues of our tradition: wisdom, justice, courage, temperance, faith, hope, and love. How might we become better people? It’s a combination of divine gift and disciplined human effort to discern and practice what helps us grow in virtue. I’ve found Jesus’ parable of the sower to be a great guide when considering the process of growing in virtue. I don’t want to become entangled in thorns, overwhelmed by the ways of the world. I don’t want to grow in thin soil, unprincipled and incapable of weathering the slightest adversity. I want to sink my roots in rich, deep soil and to bear the best fruit I can for the betterment of the living world. God may ultimately give the growth, but we help with the gardening.
from attention-fracturing digital addictions. But without a third step, it’s easy for the thorns to regrow. What will keep you away from the thrall of the digital world is to take all of the time, energy, and attention you are saving and invest it in cultivating better, more satisfying activities. Spend time and attention on your important relationships. Find high-quality recreational and spiritual activities that connect you with others, with your own body, with the natural world, and with God. Read books. All of these provide the joy of sustained, deep concentration on a single thing at a time, whether that’s prayer or poetry or raking leaves. How we spend our time and direct our attention are some of the most important decisions we make as Christian disciples. I’d like to see us make those choices as radically as did the early followers of Christ, whose changed hearts became beacons of light in a dark, violent empire. Even though we’ll do it imperfectly, Jesus calls us to nothing less.
ACTION STEPS SETTING DIGITAL BOUNDARIES • One tip to manage your email inbox is to reduce the inflow of messages. Unsubscribe from as many lists as you can. In your workplace, discourage the practice of copying every possible colleague connected to a project. Use online calendar tools like Doodle polls to cut down on the emails necessary to set meeting times. • Be aware that YouTube is designed to be highly addictive. You may want to turn off all the video suggestions, or at least give yourself strict time limits to avoid falling down the rabbit hole.
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boundaries and practices for when and how you engage with them. For example, I found it absolutely impossible to be focused, much less contemplative, when my phone or laptop pinged me all day with notifications. So I turned them all off: I don’t get any alerts except texts (and often I keep my phone on do-not-disturb mode, except for a few numbers). I just check manually at a few specific times I’ve scheduled. Sometimes people find it annoying that I’m not instantly reachable, but most people either haven’t noticed or have adapted. I have also found it deeply nourishing to avoid using screens for the first hour of my day (and often the last), and for good chunks of the weekend. You might consider setting time budgets for streaming content and playing games, then track your screen time and even consider putting automatic limits on it. Doing these two things—intentionally choosing digital content and services and choosing when and how you make use of them—is a great start to freeing yourself
Kyle Kramer is the executive director of the Passionist
Get Kyle’s latest book, Making
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StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 43
POINTS OF VIEW FAITH AND FAMILY by Susan Hines-Brigger
FOR SOME REASON, on a recent Sunday afternoon, my kids decided to pull out our family photo albums and started taking a walk down memory lane. At one point— in between pointing out who had more pictures than the others—they came across the album holding pictures from my and my husband, Mark’s, dating years. They laughed hysterically at pictures of my big hair and what they consider bad ’80s fashion—even though they fail to realize that a lot of it is back in fashion now. Hello again, fanny packs and overalls. When they looked at the pictures, that’s all they saw— what was right there in front of them. What I saw when I looked at the pictures, however, was two young kids falling in love. And I also realized that young couple had absolutely no idea what that really meant. Oh, the things I wish I could tell them.
A LONG AND WINDING ROAD This month, Mark and I are taking a trip for a longoverdue and two-year-delayed (thanks, COVID-19) celebration of our 25th wedding anniversary. Truth be told, though, we will be marking over 30 years that we have been together. And it’s been quite a journey. The day we stood before God, our friends, and family and took our vows, we had no idea what those words really meant. But we certainly have learned along the way.
“For better or for worse”—this is a big one, and I think it encompasses a lot of what it means to be married. Falling in love is easy. It’s the staying in love part that can get difficult. And while sometimes it can be the big things that are challenging, often it can also be the little ones. Compromises need to be made, growth has to happen—both individually and collectively—and communication needs to stay open and active. For Mark and me, the most challenging part of our vows has been the “in sickness and health” part. Not many brides and grooms really think that the first part of that vow will ever become reality. I know Mark and I certainly didn’t. Sure, we meant that promise when we said it, but making a promise and living it out are two very different things. That became abundantly clear when I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis after our son, Alex, was born. Chronic illness can have a devastating effect on a relationship. In fact, the divorce rate of marriages in which one spouse has a chronic illness is 75 percent. Roles get turned upside down, and plans get canceled or greatly adjusted. Without a solid base, there is no reinforcing and repairing where the cracks have appeared. So while I love looking back on photos of that young couple, so madly in love, I appreciate, even more, the way that love has played out and changed over the years— even if some of the styles haven’t.
SUSAN WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU! Faith and Family • 28 W. Liberty St. • Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498 CatholicFamily@FranciscanMedia.org • FranciscanMedia.org/Faith-and-Family
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LIVING OUR VOWS
AS I WRITE THESE WORDS, I’m sitting in a hospital bottle feeding. And I wanted absolutely no part of it for waiting room. My dad is undergoing his second knee my own life. surgery in three months. My mom is doing her best to I’m far from alone. According to the US Census stay focused on her crossword puzzle as CNN drones Report, in 1970, there were 38 million unmarried on in the distance about the war in Ukraine. It’ll be a American adults (28 percent). In 2021, the number 12-hour day of wait and worry. I’ll drive them home swelled to 122 million (48.2 percent). Almost half of the when this is over and help my dad get as comfortable population! While marriage and family are worthwhile as possible in his inexplicably uncomvocations for many—and you won’t find fortable recliner. I’ll probably be back a disparaging word on the institution “Let the Church always the next day to work from their house in this piece—that calling falls on deaf be a place of mercy in case they need any kind of heavy liftears for many of us. And I, for one, am and hope, where ing or errands. not ashamed. everyone is welcomed, This is no great hardship on me. Our culture and our Church make I’m more than happy to do it. Through it difficult to justify my disinterest in loved, and forgiven.” —Pope Francis marriage. I think unmarried people, in various health challenges and surgeries, being geographically close to them the eyes of many, look incomplete: half makes me feel that I’m contributing something—and instead of whole. Certainly, many singles long for the it puts my mind at ease. As I sit in the hospital waiting joys, comforts, and challenges of married life, but it’s for the surgery to be over, a thought occurs to me: If I simply not a call for everyone. You’ll find my name on were married with children, I don’t know that I’d be this that list. available to help them. While Pope Francis hasn’t spent considerable As a young twentysomething, I did my research. A time trying to shift the Church’s view of singlehood vs. college friend of mine had three children in as many marriage and family (especially for divorced Catholics, years. As a full-time student and new mother of three many of whom feel unsupported in parish circles), he’s girls with a husband who traveled constantly, she certainly cautious about cliques continuing. “Let the needed support, so a few of us took turns with childChurch always be a place of mercy and hope, where evcare. I loved those kids—they were smart and funny eryone is welcomed, loved, and forgiven,” he has said. and curious. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for me to take I love the inclusivity of that line. I don’t feel on the an evening shift, while a friend and fellow helper would outside looking in. I love that he wants our Church to be cover other parts of the morning and afternoon. It was a place where all are welcomed and safe under its roof— a crazy, fun, fulfilling era of baths, bedtime stories, and regardless of marital status.
by Bob Vojtko These scenes may seem alike to you, but there are changes in the two. So look and see if you can name eight ways in which they’re not the same. ANSWERS: 1) The band on Sis’ shirt is wider. 2) There are now chips on Friar Pete’s ice cream cone. 3) The bumper on the truck is now rounded. 4) Sis’ cone is longer. 5) The bottom star on the truck is now a different shape. 6) The pattern on one cone in the truck is now straight. 7) The light at the top of the truck is larger. 8) The rim over the wheel is shorter.
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UNMARRIED AND UNASHAMED By Christopher Heffron
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POINTS OF VIEW LET US PRAY by Deacon Art Miller
DEFIANTLY CATHOLIC
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home. Nor will you allow anyone to take a picture of you with one of those cameras. Do you understand me?” We all agreed—even my father who was not used to taking orders from my mom. She knew our little effort would not change the vulgar system in a land thousands of miles away, nor would it affect the bottom line of a company such as Polaroid. And yet she would make certain that our family would stand up for what was right. Her purpose was to instill in us her undying commitment to the sanctity of all people everywhere. She was pro-life before it was a movement or slogan.
STRENGTH AND DIGNITY One could speculate where this unwavering commitment to the belief in the right of all God’s creatures to live fully and without fear came from. It might have been engendered by the seed of courage that blossomed when her friend Mamie Till-Mobley, the mother of Emmett Till, stood strong in her faith when the horrid murder of her son broke the hearts of our community and the world. For it was then that the world got the chance to see the strength and dignity of Black mothers. This seed of faith was fortified when, in 1957, my mom and dad were finally able to buy a new home, which happened to be in a White community. She began
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IT IS REMARKABLE that our senses and memory are so closely linked: those smells, sounds, or tastes that transcend time and space. Every time I hear car tires screeching, I remember the 7-year-old me when my dad’s car was rammed from behind. I can remember the loud bang of our screen door as it closed that told me in my youth it was summertime. I remember my brother’s scream when he heard his classmate and friend Emmett Till was murdered in Mississippi. That particular memory still lingers in the ether, infinitely hovering since 1955. Back in the day (I love saying that), my mother gathered us kids together. Not an unusual thing, but this time her serious face gave weight to what she was about to tell us. “There is a political system in South Africa that is called apartheid,” she said. “It denigrates and dehumanizes Black Africans who have lived there for thousands of years—long before it was invaded by Europeans. One of the methods they use is to require all Black Africans to carry passbooks in order to travel anywhere in the country. “Those passbooks have a picture of the person so they can be identified,” she continued. “The pictures in those passbooks are taken with a Polaroid camera because it produces an instant picture. Polaroid is an American company. From this point on, no one in this family will buy one of their cameras. They are not to enter our
WE PRAY . . . Within each of us a seed of faith was planted. Our task is to nurture it with When the Mass has ended, we are not to leave our faith, our love, or our kindness behind the stained glass windows.
care—to give it breath and light. It is our task to share it in every moment and every person. In that way, dear God, it will produce a harvest untold.
attending Mass at our new parish and chose to defiantly sit in the front pew as a response to the priest’s statement that he did not want the newly arriving Black Catholics to attend his church. He did not know or understand the faith of my mom. He had never witnessed someone who would fight to be Catholic. I am my mother’s son.
Amen.
GO IN PEACE Our Church is God’s Church, and we belong to God. Church is the place we go to nurture our faith. It is where we go to be community. It is where we go to hear and listen to the word of God—to be encouraged to live a life of faith and love. When the Mass has ended, we are not to leave our faith, our love, or our kindness behind the stained glass windows. My mother understood that. This nurturing of faith and commitment to God is what my mother understood and tried desperately to live. To her, Mass was more than a Sunday morning conversation. It was her locker room where she readied herself to enter the game: to live by the rules she learned, the nourishment she received, and to make certain her little team would be ready to be defiantly Catholic.
ACTION STEPS
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PRAYER
• Find places in Scripture that grab your heart in broken times. Seek places in the Bible that help you find the “message in the mess” that is afflicting you: Scripture passages such as Psalm 139 or Philippians 4:9. • At the end of Mass, we are called to go out to love and serve the world. Our faith, hope, and love have been nourished in the Mass, but it is then that the work of Mass truly begins. Daily online prayer resource: CHECK OUT PAUSE+PRAY! FranciscanMedia.org/PausePray StAnthonyMessenger.org / August 2022 • 47
REFLECTION
—St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Feast Day: August 14
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The most deadly poison of our time is indifference.
The comfort of the cross. Death giving way to resurrection and eternal life. The poor and meek are blessed beyond all. The last will be first, and the first will be last. Christianity is filled with mysteries and paradoxes that seemingly defy understanding.
How do we make sense of it all? In Paschal Paradox: Reflections on a Life of Spiritual Evolution, internationally acclaimed author and speaker Diarmuid O’Murchu explores these ideas, grounding them with his own life experiences, to offer a provocative new take on the questions that confound skeptics and believers alike. Part memoir and part meditation, Paschal Paradox digs deep into the author’s life before soaring to grapple with the big transpersonal ideas inspired by each personal story.
Order your copy today! Shop.FranciscanMedia.org If this isn’t a timely purchase, please consider ordering directly from our online store. It will take a little longer to arrive, but it will benefit the nonprofit work of Franciscan Media, spreading the Gospel through our resources to thousands every day.
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“ Words, images, intuitions about Francesco so artfully assembled that thousands have breathed the pine-scented Umbrian air and glimpsed—however fleetingly— the sun-drenched horizons of the soul’s longing.” —Margaret Carney, OSF In 1972, a young Franciscan friar named Murray Bodo wrote a captivating book about the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Francis: The Journey and the Dream offered readers a unique combination of lyrical prose and brief, absorbing vignettes that inspired hundreds of thousands of people all over the world to contemplate the life of the famous saint and see him in a new way. Fifty years and over 200,000 copies later, this book still captivates people everywhere, and Father Bodo is still writing about St. Francis and the Franciscan way of life. His poetic style continues to draw readers in, and he himself continues to gaze in wonder at the saint who worked nearly his entire life to rebuild the Church. This special anniversary edition includes a new preface in which Father Bodo reflects on a half century spent immersed in the Franciscan way.
Available August 16 at Shop.FranciscanMedia.org! Franciscan Media books are available wherever books are sold, and every sale supports our mission of sharing God’s love in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Buying directly from our online store is the most direct and effective way to show your support with your purchase.
