St. Anthony Messenger June | July 2022

JUNE/JULY 2022

‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

SHARING THE SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS WITH THE WORLD • FranciscanMedia.org

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SAINT OF THE DAY

JUNE/JULY 2022

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. THOMAS MORE June 22

ST. CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA June 27

ALL IMAGES FALL UNDER PUBLIC DOMAIN RIGHTS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

Made famous by his own holy life and featured in the movie A Man for All Seasons, St. Thomas More is the patron of those in the legal profession.

Husband, father, chancellor, and lawyer, Thomas More was martyred by a reluctant King Henry VIII in 1535.

St. Cyril of Alexandria was instrumental in the Church’s doctrinal statement that there is one person but two natures in Christ. The practical implication of this teaching is that we believe that Jesus is truly God and truly human.

ST. ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL July 4

ST. VERONICA GIULIANI July 9 A Capuchin Poor Clare nun, St. Veronica Giuliani received the gift of the stigmata of Jesus Christ. Few people have been blessed with these marks. St. Francis of Assisi and St. Pio of Pietrelcina were probably the most notable among them.

St. Elizabeth of Portugal did not have an easy time, even though she was royalty.

She spent her life seeking peace between herself and her unfaithful husband, and between many of her relatives. Elizabeth retired to a Poor Clare monastery where she died.

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F EAT U R E S

VOLUME 130 ISSUE 1 JUNE/JULY 2022

SPECIAL ISSUE: ‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

16

The Franciscan Embrace of ‘the Other’

By Margaret Carney, OSF

18

On the Front Lines of Human Trafficking

The Franciscan Peacemakers have been helping women struggling with prostitution and poverty for over 25 years. Now some of the women they’ve helped are giving back.

By Stephen Copeland

23

Welcoming Our Afghan Brothers and Sisters Inspired by St. Francis, this author reaches beyond language and cultural differences to connect with Afghan refugees resettling in the United States.

By Patrick Carolan

27

‘Love. Listen. Accompany.’

Walking with the LGBTQ Community

Someone you love has come out as LGBTQ. Jim Martin, SJ, offers ways to respond with love, respect, and compassion.

By Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

32

Voting Is a Pro-life Issue

Sister Anita Baird wants to make sure that every person’s vote matters, especially those in the minority.

By Susan Hines-Brigger

36

Along treacherous stretches of borderland between the United States and Mexico, Franciscans are working to respond to the humanitarian crisis there with faith and compassion.

By Daniel Imwalle 2 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

Women battling addiction and homelessness earn a living wage and learn business skills in the Franciscan Peacemakers’ (page 18) social enterprise program. In the program, women make and sell all-natural bath products, such as the lemon verbena bath bombs shown here.

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

Franciscans at the Border

OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY OF FRANCISCAN PEACEMAKERS; THIS PAGE: LOWER RIGHT: CNS PHOTO/TYLER ORSBURN

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

DEPARTMENTS

12

42

46

8

SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS

POINTS OF VIEW

CULTURE

12 Ask a Franciscan

7

42 Media Reviews

How Can I Resolve My Anger against the Roman Catholic Church?

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

14 Franciscan World US National Fraternity

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

14 St. Anthony Stories Passing on a Prayerful Tradition

Editorial The Noble Pursuit of Conversion

By Christopher Heffron

46 At Home on Earth

Embracing ‘the Other’

By Christopher Heffron

44 Film Reviews

Intention and Attention

By Kyle Kramer

The Bad Guys The Boys in Red Hats The Tale of King Crab

By Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

48 Faith & Family Let’s Meet in the Middle

By Susan Hines-Brigger

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

50 Let Us Pray Dances and Diapers: Reflections on Parenting and Prayer

By Stephen Copeland

5 6 8 49 52

Dear Reader Your Voice Church in the News Friar Pete and Repeat Reflection

COMING IN THE AUGUST ISSUE: •

An article on the work of Greg Boyle, SJ, and Homeboy Industries to promote a culture of hope and healing amid gang violence in Los Angeles

•

A look at the innovative schooling model of the Cristo Rey Network in light of challenging financial times and the COVID-19 pandemic StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 3

CONTRIBUTORS

June/July 2022

MARGARET CARNEY, OSF, STD, writer, The Franciscan Embrace of ‘the Other,’ page 16 Sister Margaret is a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. Her education in theology and Franciscan studies took place at Duquesne University, the Franciscan Institute of St. Bonaventure University, and the Pontifical University Antonianum in Rome. She is the author of Light of Assisi: The Story of Saint Clare (Franciscan Media).

PATRICK CAROLAN, writer, Welcoming Our Afghan Brothers and Sisters, page 23 A Catholic activist, organizer, speaker, and writer, Patrick has served as the executive director of the Franciscan Action Network, and he cofounded the Global Catholic Climate Movement and the Faithful Democracy Coalition. Patrick lives in Connecticut with his wife, Stella.

Together they raised four children, two biological and two adopted, and took care of several foster children.

CO

E

STEPHEN COPELAND, writer, On the Front Lines of Human Trafficking, page 18 Stephen is an Indiana native who now lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife and infant son. He published his first book, Where the Colors Blend, about his journey from despair to a place of faith and hope. Stephen is studying for his master’s degree while contributing widely to St. Anthony Messenger and Franciscan Media. Learn more about him at CopelandWrites.com.

DANIEL IMWALLE, writer, Franciscans at the Border, page 36 In addition to writing, Daniel serves as the managing editor of this magazine. He also manages Franciscan Media’s daily prayer resource, Pause+Pray. When he isn’t busy catching stray commas, Daniel is probably writing and playing music. He and his wife, Belinda, make their home in Cincinnati, Ohio.

HENRI MIGALA, photographer, Franciscans at the Border, page 36 French-born Henri Migala started his photography career in the Andes. His photographs have won international and national awards and have been published in a variety of print and online publications. Henri continues to work as a contract photographer and story writer for international development and humanitarian aid agencies on projects around the world, as well as volunteering for local community media outlets.

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THIS PAGE: ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUBJECT UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

CLIFFORD HENNINGS, OFM, writer, The Source of Peace and Unity, page 49 Father Clifford, of St. John the Baptist Province, is associate pastor of the Church of the Holy Family in Novi, Michigan. He received a BA in Catholic studies from DePaul University and a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union. Father Clifford contributes regularly to Franciscan Media and St. Anthony Messenger.

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 1 Member of the Catholic Media Association Published with ecclesiastical approval Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

ONLINE: 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) SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: $48 (US) • $78 (other countries) For digital and bulk rates, visit our website.

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PHOTO CREDIT HERE

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DEAR READER by Christopher Heffron

THE OFFICES OF FRANCISCAN MEDIA are nestled in the heart of a neighborhood called Over-the-Rhine (OTR to locals), one of the most iconic—some might say notorious—neighborhoods in Cincinnati.

It’s a beautiful but bruised part of the city. If you look out of our office windows, you might see a less-than-discreet drug exchange or police trainees out for a morning jog. You might see mothers walking their children to day care or homeless people walking to nowhere. Three weeks ago, there was a fatal shooting two blocks south from our building. It barely made the news.

The friars are not here by accident. They first came to OTR in the 19th century from Austria to serve German expats in the area. Over the decades, the neighborhood changed, but the friars remained. They are in this neighborhood to bear witness to its struggles and to be a presence to its residents. St. Francis laid that groundwork. His friars today continue the mission.

And with this issue, so do we. The five articles presented here are each inspired by a formative moment in the life of St. Francis—when he embraced the leper. Here we profile individuals or organizations that lift “the others” in our uneven society. But I would encourage you to look closer. What each article says, implicitly, is what Francis preached all along: There is no “them.” There is only “us.” From those who are trafficked to those who seek asylum in our country; from LGBTQ youth to minority voters, we are one family. These five articles celebrate that.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Executive Editor

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 5

POINTS OF VIEW YOUR VOICE

Stacey Bailey, Kansas City, Kansas

THANK YOU, DR. COLLEEN! I have to let the editors of St. Anthony Messenger know that the article “Five Steps toward Better Communication,” by Colleen M. Arnold, MD, in the March issue was very helpful. Having subscribed to St. Anthony Messenger for around 50 years (is that possible?), there have been many inspiring issues. But I was especially thankful for this one. I copied the article for my meditation group and was amazed at how group members’ responses echoed mine. I know that each of my “prayer buddies” will also be passing on this selection. So, thanks to you all and to Dr. Colleen. During this time of COVID-19 and strife in Ukraine, we need good advice that helps in a practical manner.

Joanne Kelly, Lake Worth, Florida

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

FEEDBACK FROM OUR ONLINE READERS On “My Own Canticle of the Creatures,” by Susie Forrester (April 2022) What a beautiful article! The photographer is clearly gifted. We would be wise to follow her example and appreciate God’s bounty that surrounds us. St. Francis would be proud.—Lisa T. This is totally inspiring. Thank you for sharing your tremendous, God-given gift! PS: I am an amateur photographer who takes mostly nature scenes. When I’m shooting (during the pandemic, mostly from my living room window!)—sunsets, mist, dew, limbs of trees in all seasons, birds, close-ups of leaves, flowers—I do it with the thought that I am communicating with God and that I am glorifying God.—Mari M. Castrovilla On “Followers of St. Francis: Hope and Humanity at the Border” by Stephen Copeland (April 2022) Father Emmet, I am grateful to God for allowing me to see the legacy of St. Francis in your work with the ones who have nothing. May God bless you and allow you to continue the great job you do for my Latino brothers and sisters.—Francisco Martinez I have been on the border in Nogales, Mexico, working for 14 years at the Kino Border Initiative, cooking and serving meals and distributing clothing to migrant families as a volunteer with the Samaritans of Green Valley (Sahuarita, Arizona). I can identify with this profile very well as I get ready to go this morning to help prepare food and serve more than 500 migrants. We have had a maximum of 1,300 people to make meals for in one day.—Jaime Brusstar

St. Anthony Messenger • Letters • 28 W. Liberty St. • Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498 MagazineEditors@FranciscanMedia.org

6 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

SUSIE FORRESTER/APRIL 2022

A LIFTED SPIRIT I want to express my appreciation for your wonderful magazine. During the fall of 2019, I decided to subscribe.

I began to look forward every month to each edition. In 2020, your magazine played a part in a happy circumstance for me, so I thought I would share the experience.

My husband is a long-haul truck driver, and each year he is required to pay a heavy haul tax and retain the documentation that shows he paid this tax. During 2020, he lost this important tax documentation. We looked everywhere for it and couldn’t find it. To make matters worse, it was at the height of COVID-19, so we tried faxing the government agency for a copy, but we didn’t receive confirmation that they had received the request.

We looked into other options but no luck. So I prayed to St. Anthony and St. Jude. We needed the documentation

by January 1, 2021, in order for my husband to continue to work. However, weeks started to come and go.

The renewal for your magazine came, and I questioned whether I should renew, wondering if we would have work for the next year. I finally made up my mind early one morning to renew my subscription.

Later that morning, I went out to see if any mail was delivered. I could hardly believe what I had received in my mailbox. Only one letter was there, which was the tax document that we so desperately needed—just in the nick of time. I credit the saints for helping me, and I appreciate your magazine because, since that time, I’ve noticed when I am undergoing a difficult circumstance, your magazine is delivered, and it lifts my spirits.

THE NOBLE PURSUIT OF CONVERSION “THOUSANDS DISPLACED. More than 100,000 missing.

Cities and infrastructures destroyed,” a United Nations investigator reported last April. Although these grim realities sound like the crisis in Ukraine, this UN report describes the war in Syria, now in its 11th year. While news agencies were dispatched to Eastern Europe when Russia invaded its neighbor in February, the Syrian conflict has largely gone unreported of late.

This could be attributed to our limited attention spans, worsened by the 24-hour news cycle. Nothing will stay in the forefront for long. But regardless of the crisis we are facing—be it war or COVID-19 or racial unrest— something always surfaces that we must face but often turn away from: embracing “the other.” In the weeks following the evacuation in Afghanistan, 75,000 refugees came to the United States seeking asylum, drawing the ire of many.

Advocates pray for a smooth transition for refugees in their adopted countries—and for the conversion of those who favor closed borders. How should we as a culture react? We can start by looking at the life of a 13th-century saint.

OPENED HEARTS

D-KEINE/ISTOCK

SUSIE FORRESTER/APRIL 2022

POINTS OF VIEW EDITORIAL by Christopher Heffron

St. Francis’ conversion didn’t happen overnight. It came in stages. One step in that journey was when Francis embraced a leper on the side of a road. As he walked on, he turned back to see that the leper had disappeared, and he thought it was Christ whom he embraced. Sweet as this story is, it is likely a legend. What isn’t fiction is the time he spent with lepers outside Assisi.

In his Testament, St. Francis wrote, “When I was in sin, it seemed extremely bitter to me to look at lepers, and the Lord himself led me among them and I practiced mercy with them.” Note his wording: “practiced mercy with them.” This means he received as much as he gave— possibly more so.

Who are the lepers in our society today? “The other” implies anybody on the periphery: those who look, worship, or love differently than the majority. It isn’t easy to embrace those who are different, but conversion isn’t designed to be simple. Stepping outside our comfort zones will always be a noble challenge. Again, we have an example to work with.

Being the son of a successful cloth merchant, Francis was a carefree young man who dreamed of battlefield glory in Assisi’s war with Perugia. But that wasn’t meant to be. Spending a year as a prisoner of war brought on an internal storm. When Francis returned home, he could no longer savor the rewards of wealth. This led to a life of poverty and penance.

What Francis understood is that real conversion requires tearing down our own walls. And he embraced something many of us struggle to reconcile: God loves us all—the imprisoned, the homeless, the refugee.

It’s our job to open up our internal borders instead of closing them.

ON FRATERNITY AND FRIENDSHIP Pope Francis is leading by example in this effort. In fact, so committed is our pope to embracing “the other,” that his encyclical “Fratelli Tutti” addressed a bitterly divided world.

One line from it can sum up his papacy and the legacy of his namesake: “We encounter the temptation to build a culture of walls . . . to prevent this encounter with other cultures, with other people. And those who raise walls will end up as slaves within the very walls they have built” (27).

That is advice worth heeding. If the walls we build around us are too high, light cannot reach us. We will never see the Promised Land, a world without borders, where all of God’s beloved—regardless of skin color, creed, or country of origin—are welcomed.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 7

CHURCH IN THE NEWS

by Susan Hines-Brigger

FRANCISCAN MINISTER GENERAL VISITS UKRAINE

Brother Massimo Fusarelli, minister general of the Franciscans (left), recently attended the “Faith in Ukraine” event. Leaders from various religions gathered to address the violence in the region, such as the attack (right) where a pro-Russian soldier surveys the destruction.

series of testimonies and reflections, music, poetry, and meditations.

In a letter from Pope Francis that was read in Ukrainian by a Franciscan friar, the pope thanked the leaders for offering their prayers and demonstrating kinship among followers of different religions. Such a gathering, he said, “contributes to strengthening the sense of responsibility of believers before a war that contradicts all those efforts made in past decades to build a world with fewer weapons and greater peace.”

Rabbi Alon Goshen-Gottstein, founder and executive director of Elijah Interfaith Institute, noted the historic nature of the event. “As far as I know, this is the first time ever that an interfaith delegation has undertaken a mission of friendship and solidarity, entering a country at war. This is all the more remarkable, considering the high level of the religious representatives.”

Following the event, Brother Fusarelli remained in Ukraine for a few more days, visiting with friars throughout the region.

FLORIDA’S 15-WEEK ABORTION BAN SIGNED INTO LAW ON APRIL 14, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a measure that limits most abortions in Florida to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, reported Catholic News Service (CNS). The law, which takes effect July 1, includes provisions to improve infant health and to analyze and reduce fetal and infant mortality. It replaces a previous law that allowed abortions until 24 weeks of pregnancy.

DeSantis said, “Life is a sacred gift worthy of our protection, and I am proud to sign this great piece of legislation which represents the most significant protections for life in the state’s modern history.” The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops released a statement 8 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

commending the passage of the law. They said: “While there is still work to be done, today’s bill signing marks significant progress toward full legal recognition of unborn children. Additionally, the bishops of Florida remain committed to supporting mothers in need during their pregnancies through parishes and other ministries, and the network of pregnancy centers across Florida.”

The new law includes exceptions for severe fetal anomaly, to save the mother’s life, or to prevent a serious risk of substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman other than a psychological condition. It does not make exceptions for cases of incest or rape.

CNS PHOTOS: LEFT: CNS SCREENSHOT/YOUTUBE; RIGHT: CHINGIS KONDAROV/REUTERS

AMID THE ONGOING WAR IN UKRAINE, the minister general of the Order of Friars Minor (OFM) joined other religious leaders for a weeklong visit to Romania, Ukraine, and Poland this past April, reported Vatican News.

Brother Massimo Fusarelli, OFM, made the trip to express the closeness of the Franciscan family to all those suffering from the war in Ukraine. The trip, which included Jewish, Muslim, Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic, Buddhist, and Hindu leaders, was organized by the US nonprofit organization Peace Department and the Elijah Interfaith Institute of Jerusalem.

According to a press release from the order, Brother Fusarelli will “be present in the area of conflict and neighboring countries to listen, welcome, and be a sign of solidarity for all those who today are experiencing and suffering the deep wounds of war.”

On April 12, the interfaith delegation gathered in the main theater of Chernivtsi in western Ukraine for the event “Faith in Ukraine,” which featured a

POPE MEETS WITH CANADA’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

CNS PHOTO: PAUL HARING

CNS PHOTOS: LEFT: CNS SCREENSHOT/YOUTUBE; RIGHT: CHINGIS KONDAROV/REUTERS

Assembly of First Nations representatives walk outside St. Peter’s Square after performing at the Vatican on March 31. Pope Francis held three meetings to listen to the experiences of representatives of Canada’s indigenous communities.

POPE FRANCIS MET with delegations from Canada’s First Nations and offered an apology on behalf of the Church for the treatment of children in the residential school system, reported Vatican News. Earlier this year, reports revealed the treatment of indigenous children in Canada’s residential schools run by the Church. The pope also spoke of his desire to visit Canada.

The pope held meetings with each of the delegations from Canada’s First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

The groups told the pope stories about life in the residential school system—a scheme for the forcible integration of indigenous children into Canadian culture by separating them from their families and communities and placing them in boarding schools.

Following the individual meetings, the pope met with all the groups and offered an apology for their experiences. “For the deplorable conduct of those members of the Catholic Church, I ask for God’s forgiveness and I want to say to you with all my heart: I am very sorry,” Pope Francis told members of the delegations.

“And I join my brothers, the Canadian bishops, in asking your pardon,” He added that he felt shame “for the role that a number of Catholics, particularly those with educational responsibilities, have had in all these things that wounded you, in the abuses you suffered, and in the lack

of respect shown for your identity, your culture, and even your spiritual values.”

Following the meeting, Natan Obed, president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, told reporters, “I was touched by the way in which he expressed his sorrow and also the way in which he condemned the actions of the Church in particular,” reported CNS. He said the next step is a commitment to discovering the full truth of what went on at the schools and bringing to justice any priests, religious, and lay staff who abused students and are still alive.

During their week in Rome, Obed said representatives were able to meet with officials of the Vatican Secretariat of State and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, the religious order that ran many of the residential schools, seeking a commitment from them to give indigenous people full access to records and archives regarding the schools.

The leaders stressed the importance of obtaining the records in order to help them write the history of the schools, but especially to help identify the missing children—anywhere from 6,000 to 10,000 indigenous children who were taken to the schools and never returned to their families. Elders believe some of them are in the unmarked graves that were found at the sites of the former schools.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 9

CHURCH IN THE NEWS

CONTINUED

NEW YORK CARDINAL DOLAN RECEIVES CARLO ACUTIS RELIC ARCHBISHOP DOMENICO SORRENTINO of Assisi, Italy, presented a first-class relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis to New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan for the US Catholic Church’s three-year National Eucharistic Revival that begins June 19, the feast of Corpus Christi, and culminates with the National Eucharistic Congress in 2024, reported CNS. The cardinal accepted the relic, which is a fragment of the teen’s pericardium (the membrane that surrounds and protects the heart), on behalf of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the USCCB’s Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, which is spearheading the eucharistic revival.

Acutis is the patron of the first year of the eucharistic revival. The 15-year-old Italian teen’s use of technology to spread devotion to the Eucharist prompted Pope Francis to hail him as a role model for young people today. Acutis, who died of leukemia in 2006 and was beatified in 2020, is entombed in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Assisi.

Before the relic was presented to Cardinal Dolan, a letter to the congregation was read, saying: “Blessed Carlo tells us: ‘The more we receive the Eucharist, the more we will become like Jesus, so that on this earth we will have a foretaste of heaven.’ Such a promise can only fill all who venerate the relic with hope and joy.”

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY SELLING DRESS FROM THE WIZARD OF OZ

DONNELLY BEGINS WORK AS US AMBASSADOR TO HOLY SEE

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA announced in April that it will be selling the recently discovered dress worn by Dorothy in the movie The Wizard of Oz to help establish the school’s new film acting program.

According to the press release from the university, the dress, which had been donated to the school in 1973, will be featured in the “Bonhams Classic Hollywood: Film and Television” sale. Bonhams, the international auctioneer, estimates that the value of the dress is anywhere from $800,000 to $1.2 million.

ON APRIL 11, JOSEPH SIMON DONNELLY, the new US ambassador to the Holy See, presented his credential letters to Pope Francis, officially marking the beginning of his work, reported Vatican News.

As ambassador, Donnelly’s main task will be to serve as a liaison between the Holy See and the US government. Diplomatic relations between the Holy See and the United States were established in 1984. In a statement released by the embassy, Donnelly said, “My family and I are proud to be members of the Catholic faith, and through my years of public service, the Church has been a core part of my life and my values.”

The statement noted that the ambassador “looks forward to strengthening the important and strategic relationship between the Holy See and the United States, especially our shared commitments to defending human rights and religious freedom, combating human trafficking, caring for the environment, and advancing peace and security around the globe.”

10 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

CNS PHOTOS: TOP RIGHT: GREGORY A. SHEMITZ; LOWER LEFT: TYLER ORSBURN; LOWER RIGHT: VATICAN MEDIA

A reliquary containing a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis is displayed during Mass at St. Rita of Cascia Church in the South Bronx, New York, on April 7.

PHOTO CNS PHOTOS: CREDITLEFT: HEREBARBARA JOHNSTON/COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME; RIGHT: VATICAN MEDIA

CNS PHOTOS: TOP RIGHT: GREGORY A. SHEMITZ; LOWER LEFT: TYLER ORSBURN; LOWER RIGHT: VATICAN MEDIA

CHURCH IN THE NEWS

NEWS BRIEFS

Sharon Lavigne, an environmental justice activist and founder of Rise St. James, stands in front of a chemical plant near her home in St. James Civil Parish, Louisiana.

Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner—in Ukraine for his third trip as a papal envoy—prays over a mass grave near Borodyanka, Ukraine.

THIS PAST MAY, SHARON LAVIGNE, an environmental justice activist, was awarded the University of Notre Dame’s 2022 Laetare Medal—the oldest and most prestigious honor given to American Catholics. Lavigne is the founder and director of Rise St. James, a faith-based grassroots organization fighting for environmental justice in St. James Parish, Louisiana.

the mission of the Church is exactly what we need to do as good stewards of God’s gifts.”

MANOR COLLEGE IN Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, along with 15 other colleges and universities, announced this past April that they will be conferring an honorary degree on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is the first honorary degree that Manor College, which is the only accredited college in America founded by the Sisters of St. Basil the Great, has granted in its 75-year history.

Due to the conflict in Ukraine, Honorary Consulate of Ukraine to Philadelphia Iryna Mazur, Esq., will accept the degree on behalf of President Zelenskyy. The honorary doctorate of humane letters degree is typically awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and/or philanthropic contributions to society.

THE ARCHDIOCESE OF SEATTLE and St. James Cathedral have announced plans to sell and redevelop four properties with Westbank, a global developer recognized for its long-term commitment to sustainable building. The vision, according to a statement from the archdiocese, is to create an inspiring carbon-neutral community that enhances the future of the First Hill neighborhood, while also supporting the continued mission of the Catholic Church.

Archbishop Paul D. Etienne said, “Creatively thinking about how we can better use our properties to achieve

ON HIS THIRD TRIP TO UKRAINE, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, who heads the Office of Papal Charities, delivered a second ambulance on behalf of Pope Francis.

Weeks earlier, the pope blessed the first ambulance, which was delivered to the Regional Center for Mother and Child Health.

JUST DAYS BEFORE Pope Benedict XVI celebrated his 95th birthday on April 16, Pope Francis made a brief visit to his predecessor at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican, where Benedict resides, in order to bring both birthday and Easter wishes to the pope emeritus. During the short meeting, the two talked and prayed together.

VATICAN REPRESENTATIVES recently visited Quincy, Illinois, in order to investigate possible miracles related to Servant of God Father August Tolton. A miracle is needed to give him the title of Venerable. Father Tolton was born into slavery and is the first recognized African American priest ordained for the US Catholic Church.

THE LEGIONARIES OF CHRIST released their “Annual Report: Truth, Justice, and Healing” this past April.

The report shows four new allegations of sexual abuse against members of the congregation between March 2021 and March 2022, as well as new allegations made against priests already undergoing canonical procedures after being named in previous reports. Updated data on cases and documents are available on the website 0abuse.org.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 11

SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS

ASK A FRANCISCAN by Father Pat McCloskey, OFM

How can I resolve my anger against the Roman Catholic Church?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer here. What specific injuries has the Catholic Church inflicted on you? What steps through civil law or the Church’s law have you already taken to obtain justice?

If the statute of limitations has not expired regarding those injuries, then I advise you to pursue your complaints through the relevant civil and/or canonical systems.

If the statute of limitations has expired and you cannot bring your case to a court in either system, then I suggest that you take the time and energy to ask yourself: What has my anger already cost me? If my anger about these injuries continues, what is it likely to cost me? Do I like the person that I am becoming by the way I have chosen to respond to these injuries?

As I write this, I am well aware that you may have suffered outrageously at the hands of specific individuals or identifiable groups within the Church. I am not asking you to lie to yourself about these past events.

Nothing worthwhile can be built upon a lie, even if it is repeated frequently.

When we tell ourselves the whole truth about past events, we can make them the key to understanding our past life—and our foreseeable future—or we can respond in a way more likely to encourage the peace and freedom that God has always wanted us to enjoy as people made in the divine image.

We cannot change things that happened to us in the past, but we do have some freedom about how we respond to them now and in the future. Our choices today can reaffirm the most unjust things we have experienced, or they can motivate us to create a more just present for ourselves and other people who have suffered similar or worse injustices. What will it be in your case?

What will you have to show for your anger and how you’ve dealt with it five, 10, or 40 years from now?

12 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

How do you get past all the things about the Church that you dislike?

Yes, I have experienced unjust actions on the part of people who represented the Catholic Church in some way.

In my own experience and my observation of others, anger at the entire Church for past injustices tends to feed upon itself, needing no additional fuel, heat, or oxygen to continue burning. These are the necessary three elements for any fire—physical or psychological.

The summer after I was ordained a priest in 1975, I studied for six weeks at the Franciscan Institute, a part of St. Bonaventure University in southwestern New York State. A freestanding clock near the dining hall has four Latin sayings about time. The one that I remember best is “Tempus sanat vulnera” (Time heals wounds).

I remember thinking to myself, If only that were so.

Ten years later, I learned that the Italian word magari means exactly that!

Time can heal wounds that are properly treated soon after they occur. Time, however, can also make permanently crooked a broken bone that was improperly set.

Over time, I have come to terms with past wounds and the people who have inflicted them. Some of them will probably die without knowing exactly how their actions affected me. But keeping all my wounds raw hardly guarantees that those people will ever accept full responsibility for their decisions.

Such a decision on my part would, however, guarantee that I have placed my life “on hold” until those people sought my forgiveness in a way that I judged to be completely honest and proportionate to their offense!

I might very well end up with nothing positive to show for an anger that I so carefully nurtured over a long period of time.

In my experience, people are often tempted to berate the institutional Church while forgetting that the incarnational Church has given them the Gospel yardstick by which to measure its failings. In the time of Francis of

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ANGER AT THE CHURCH

BEAUTIFYING ONESELF

TOP: ADAM KAZ/ISTOCK; BOTTOM: MIKE LEWIS/FRANCISCAN MEDIA

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Assisi, many people complained bitterly about a disgustingly fleshy Church around them while rhapsodizing about a spotless spiritual Church in heaven.

Sin in the Church is hardly new.

In a sense, Francis of Assisi is revered almost 800 years after his death for how he chose to deal with his own sins and those of other Christians.

At Mass after the Our Father, I find comfort when I or another priest asks God in the name of everyone there to “look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church.”

I’m sorry that I cannot make your pain disappear, but I hope this response and the one preceding it help you recognize your present options and which one holds the greatest promise of healing.

Is it proper for a woman to use artificial hair, fingernails, and eyelashes to beautify herself? Similarly, is it proper for a man to use a wig, undergo plastic surgery to decrease face wrinkles, or color his hair?

All of the procedures you describe are morally permissible. Although any one of them might improve a person’s self-image, each of them could become an obsession for someone who chooses to live much of life under “if only” terms—as if each of these procedures could guarantee a happy and stress-free life.

Some wrinkles and gray hair are well earned in the service of others.

Would Botox have made St. Teresa of Calcutta more beautiful or St. Damien of Molokai more handsome? “God doesn’t make junk” is a saying from the 1960s. It’s still true.

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

A Mass for Dad

St. Joseph, our spiritual father, on the grounds of the St. Anthony Shrine.

This Father’s Day, remember your father by having a Mass offered for him, or in his memory.

Visit StAnthony.org

The Franciscan Friars, Province of St. John the Baptist 1615 Vine St., Ste 1 Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-721-4700 /StAnthonyShrine /ShrineStAnthony /StAnthonyShrine

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 13

SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS

FRANCISCAN WORLD by Pat McCloskey, OFM

US NATIONAL FRATERNITY THE 12,000 SECULAR FRANCISCANS in the United States belong to over 600 local fraternities in 30 regions (SecularFranciscansUSA.org). The national fraternity includes the regional ministers, a nine-member executive council, and a friar from each of the four obediences.

As servant leaders, members of the national fraternity assist regional fraternities, especially through visits and help in initial and ongoing formation. They act as liaisons with the international OFS presidency.

The OFS national fraternity had their last in-person meeting in 2019 at Pax Christi Retreat Center in Corpus Christi, Texas. Their gatherings in 2020 and 2021 were via Zoom. They are looking forward to resuming an in-person gathering in August 2022.

JAN PARKER, OFS “They should strive to bring joy and hope to others.”

—Rule of the OFS

ST. ANTHONY STORIES PASSING ON A PRAYERFUL TRADITION I’ve been a subscriber of St. Anthony Messenger magazine for over 50 years, and I have prayed many times to St. Anthony to help me find a lost item. My grandchildren know this, and now they say a prayer when something goes missing. Recently, my granddaughter Vivian lost a bracelet while riding the bus to work. She called the lost and found at the bus station later that day, but no one had turned in her bracelet. After saying a prayer to St. Anthony, Vivian went to bed, unsure of whether she’d see her bracelet again. The next morning, she checked her phone, and there was a voice mail from the bus station, informing her that someone had turned the bracelet in. St. Anthony heard her prayer!

—Beth Hurley, Dallas, Texas

14 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

TOP: COURTESY OF ROBERT STRONACH, OFS; RIGHT: COURTESY OF JAN PARKER, OFS

NATIONAL MINISTER Jan Parker was professed as a Secular Franciscan in 1988. A member of the San Damiano Fraternity in O’Fallon, Missouri, she previously served as formation director and as minister in her region.

She is energized by bringing together and being together with her OFS sisters and brothers as they live the Gospel generously in their daily lives. They are called to be “messengers of joy and hope in every circumstance.”

C

If fo a S P K

N P A

TOP: COURTESY OF ROBERT STRONACH, OFS; RIGHT: COURTESY OF JAN PARKER, OFS

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‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

16 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

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The Franciscan Embrace of ‘the Other’

By Margaret Carney, OSF

DESCRIBING THE EARLY experience of St. Francis as his former friends struggled to understand the change in him, Henri d’Avranches describes his outreach to the lepers: What spread his good name in the first place was his patience In virtue of which he is given the care of the lepers, no one Was more zealous than he in looking after them, even if At one time he could not bear to watch their houses even At a distance. Now he makes beds, wipes away venom, soothes ulcers, Touches mouths, washes feet, strokes corroding, rotten limbs, And forces to the task his fugitive feelings.

—The Versified Life of St. Francis, by Henri d’Avranches, 125, 126 (see p. 456 in Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume 1) It is easy for us to romanticize this early experience of Francis—his first embrace of a leper. We speak of it often as emblematic of dramatic change in a person seeking to know Christ, to live by the Gospel’s injunction. Given the lack of experience of most modern people with the experience of Hansen’s disease (leprosy), it becomes hard to truly imagine the kind of courage and self-control that serving such sufferers entails.

D’Avranches makes sure that the reader does not miss the radical impact of this change in Francis. It is described in terms that evoke emotional responses. He wants us to imagine the revulsion, the fear, the sensual impact of the work of nursing these victims. And, in doing so, he allows us to then imagine the power of the grace of Christ—the gift of conversion—that drives a man like Francis to such a change of behavior and sensibility. And this change will stay with him all his life. As he descends from La Verna and the extraordinary mystical encounter with the crucified Christ in the stigmata, he expresses a desire to return to his care of the lepers!

As we read the articles of this issue of St. Anthony Messenger, let us try to enter into the descriptions, the

invitations, the challenges they contain. The call to enter into the world of “the other” contains a costly component. Moving from accepted bias, taboos, and prejudices is not an easy step.

Often such taboos are reinforced by laws of both Church and state. They are firmly implanted in a culture or society’s conscious and unconscious mindset.

While a person can “study” his or her way to a new understanding of “the other,” often it requires more than intellectual acceptance of a new position. The movement from understanding to action and advocacy is a movement of grace. This profound understanding of the way of Christian conversion of life was a bedrock for the leaders of early civil rights activity. If today’s leaders of new social movements do not appeal to such faith-based beliefs, they nonetheless invite us to new moments of conversion, new responses to changes in our capacity to be inclusive of persons and identities that not so long ago were considered outside acceptable norms.

The very first name that Francis and his companions adopted was that of penitents. Too often we reduce the notion of penance, of being penitents to actions that involve confession of wrongdoing, enacting tough disciplines to move from vice to virtue such as fasting, self-denial, and other actions that involve giving up something appealing. Francis led the recovery of a biblical understanding of penance as the root conversion that signals entrance into the following of Christ. It is the response to the call that opens the public preaching of Jesus: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). It is a profound reorienting of one’s way of living that leads to new demands—often unexpected consequences of being part of the community of disciples.

So, we share the wisdom of our authors, and we pray for the gift to believe that the Gospel invites us to new and tough choices. Yet, these choices are the path of life for all disciples, even we who struggle to match the ancient creeds to the newest crises of our times.

Margaret Carney, OSF, is a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities and is a teacher of Franciscan history and spirituality. She continues to serve as a lecturer and leader for Catholic higher education and Franciscan organizations in the United States.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 17

‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

On the Front Lines of Human Trafficking

By Stephen Copeland

Near a local farm, the Franciscan Peacemakers team gathers for a photo op and some outdoor fun. LEFT to RIGHT: Cynthia Perkins, Shelly Roder, Shinichi Hamilton, Deacon Steve Przedpelski, Mary Leach Sumlin, Katie Coffey, Shenise Davis, and Carmen Fontanez.

18 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCISCAN PEACEMAKERS

The Franciscan Peacemakers have been helping women struggling with prostitution and poverty for over 25 years.

Now some of the women they’ve helped are giving back.

CYNTHIA PERKINS NEVER got the chance to meet Father Bob Wheelock. But on August 7, 2020, she attended his funeral. She wanted to say thank you.

Father Bob, OFM Cap, cofounded the Franciscan Peacemakers, a Milwaukee-based street ministry that changed Cynthia’s life. Now Cynthia is doing the work that Father Bob began: helping to provide healing for Milwaukee women caught in sexual exploitation, addiction, or homelessness.

“Cynthia is a recipient of Father Bob’s dream,” says Peacemakers executive director Deacon Steve Przedpelski, who calls Cynthia his “guardian angel.”

Twenty-five years before, in 1995, a captain from the Milwaukee Police Department had a conversation with Father Bob that would lay the foundation for Peacemakers and help save the lives of women like Cynthia. The captain, ahead of his time, could see the effects of sexual trauma in Milwaukee’s most crime-ridden areas. He suggested to Father Bob that one of the city’s most dire needs was providing women with a safe way out of abuse.

Father Bob and fellow Capuchin Father Mike Sullivan, who were living in a friary near downtown Milwaukee, began leading outreach efforts on the corner of 16th and North, in the middle of one of the city’s most poverty-stricken and drugtorn neighborhoods. Deacon Steve would join them that same year. They handed out bag lunches.

They connected with people in the community.

They advocated for families who wanted help getting their children into different schools. They learned about the complex layers of sexual exploitation, addiction, and homelessness. Franciscan Peacemakers was formed.

It was on this same corner 15 years later that Cynthia would meet Deacon Steve.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 19

education from start to finish,” Deacon Steve reflects, “but these women have been my best theology teachers.”

One might wonder how three men ended up leading an organization that serves women on the streets of THE GOSPEL MODEL Milwaukee. Like St. Francis of Assisi’s radical embrace In 2002, as Peacemakers’ founders Father Bob and Father of the “other,” they saw Christ in this forgotten group of Mike transitioned to outreach roles in different cities, people and stepped into the void. Part of Father Bob’s Deacon Steve was named executive director. Carmen passion may have been connected to the sexual abuse he Fontanez was hired to do street outreach alongside him. suffered as a young boy in the Boy Scouts. Deacon Steve “When Deacon Steve started sharing with me what grew up with an alcoholic and abusive father. he did—just going out on the street and meeting peoDeacon Steve says that Father Bob was a pioneer ple where they’re at—it reminded me so much of the in this kind of work. “I’m not saying Bob was Francis,” Gospel,” Carmen reflects. “Jesus just went out to meet Deacon Steve laughs, “but he worked people where they were and for who and lived his life tirelessly to live up they were. He accepted them and to the expectations of Francis.” called them into something betIn the Peacemakers’ genesis, they ter. I felt this overwhelming emowould sometimes cover women’s tion and knew that this is what I rent at recovery houses. The first two needed to be doing.” women who took them up on this The Peacemakers’ constant street in the late 1990s got off the streets presence during that first decade and and, to this day, are living full and a half led to a degree of trust in the healthy lives. One of them earned a community. Deacon Steve recalls master’s degree. once driving by a woman they had “We were thinking to ourworked with who was being beaten selves, Dang, that was easy,” up by a man on a street corner.

Deacon Steve laughs.

Because of their relationships with It would be three years, however, drug dealers and gang leaders in the Cofounders of Franciscan Peacemakers, Friars before another woman would trust area, one of the dealers stepped up Bob Wheelock (left) and Michael Sullivan the Peacemakers with her rehabilito protect the woman while Carmen tation. Deacon Steve recalls, “That pulled the woman into their van was three years of intense education from women on the as they drove by. “We did good, huh?” smiled the drug street—of really learning about the role of trauma withdealer the next time he saw Deacon Steve. out them even realizing that they were traumatized.”

The Peacemakers also work closely with law enforceFor women facing sexual exploitation, the solution is ment as an unofficial social services extension—an hardly ever as simple as “leaving the lifestyle,” just as the important offshoot, considering the distrust many people cure for homelessness is hardly ever as simple as “getting of color have for police. When Deacon Steve was first a job.” Traffickers and pimps are often master manipulacontacted for this story, he was on his way to a meeting tors, leveraging shame, threatening to kill a woman’s with a detective. It isn’t uncommon for the Peacemakers family, doing anything they can to trap a victim in the to respond to a situation at a house of prostitution where lifestyle for their own financial gain. several people might be brandishing firearms. When According to the National Runaway Safeline asked if he ever considered being armed, Deacon Steve (1-800-RUNAWAY), one in three teens on the street will laughs and says, “We’re peacemakers!” be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leavOne of the many challenges they faced over the years, ing home. In other words, this could happen to anyone. however, was the success rate of the women they were Traffickers often masquerade as loving parental figures, trying to help. Two to three months in a recovery house fooling women and children into thinking they’re safe. usually wasn’t enough to break the cycle of years or even Before victims know it, they are trapped in a lifestyle that decades of trauma. Years of being demeaned and abused involves being raped several times a day. left gaping holes in their identity and sense of self-worth.

The Peacemakers realized that they had a lot to learn “It was hard at first for me to understand why women to become more trauma-informed in their approach. would go back to that lifestyle when it seemed so much Thus began a lifelong journey of learning from these better on the other side,” says Carmen. “But when you women on the streets. “I’m a product of Catholic learn about trauma, it’s easier to understand why they 20 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

COURTESY OF CAPUCHIN PROVINCE OF ST. JOSEPH ARCHIVES

LESSONS FROM THE ‘BEST THEOLOGY TEACHERS’

Shinichi Hamilton, production manager with Franciscan Peacemakers, hand-pours candles. Shop for their products at: FranciscanPeacemakers.org/collections.

might slip back into something that is familiar and predictable, even though that’s not where they want to be.”

But what was the solution? How could the Peacemakers improve their model?

“It felt like we kept putting Band-Aids on,” Carmen admits. “I felt like we could be doing something more.

We wanted to provide another pathway to healing, a place where they felt safe, loved, and not judged.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCISCAN PEACEMAKERS

COURTESY OF CAPUCHIN PROVINCE OF ST. JOSEPH ARCHIVES

RESTORING A SENSE OF PURPOSE A spiritual director once told Deacon Steve to visit the touchstones that feed his spiritual growth as often as possible for the rest of his life. One of those touchstones is Assisi, where he has visited three times. The other is Thistle Farms in Nashville, Tennessee.

Carmen was intrigued by Thistle Farms, led by Episcopalian priest Becca Stevens, partially because of the high success rate with the women they served. Thistle Farms had a two-year safe house that helped women truly detach from their lifestyle, as well as a social enterprise—or, in the words of Rev. Becca, a “justice enterprise”—for making soaps, jewelry, and bags, which helped them to rebuild their sense of self as they created something beautiful and meaningful.

“What I’ve learned in the past 30 years of doing this work is that you think people are broken, when in truth, they’re just broken open,” Rev. Becca says. “The miracle

is when we come together with that ‘broken-openness,’ we can turn it into a fierce compassion. We are all invited to be both the healed and the healers. If we’re sitting across the table offering each other grace and compassion, with the idea that we are both giving and receiving, that’s when love is transformative.”

Deacon Steve and Carmen finally decided to visit Thistle Farms in 2012 for a conference. “When I heard Becca speak, it took me 10 minutes to buy into it,” Deacon Steve reflects. “I remember saying out loud to Carmen, ‘We can do this.’” Carmen jokes that halfway through the first session Deacon Steve was texting “like a teenage girl” as he reached out to board members and volunteers.

Two years later, the Peacemakers opened Clare Community, named after St. Clare of Assisi, a two-year safe home that could house two women at a time. They also launched their social enterprise, where women made candles, soaps, bath bombs, and lotion.

“What I wish for people who are inspired by the stories of the Franciscan Peacemakers and Thistle Farms is that they would use their consumerism to support those efforts,” Rev. Becca says. “If that’s what you value and you think it’s good, then buy your soap from them, not from a chain store. I wish people would use their purchasing power to support work that they believe is the right thing for the world. People can take this on as part of their StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 21

Cynthia Perkins (left) was once ministered to by the Franciscan Peacemakers. Now she works for them as an outreach and recovery assistance specialist, helping women break the cycle of homelessness. Women in the Peacemakers’ Clare Community earn a living wage and work toward individual and collective healing by making and selling all-natural soaps, lotions, candles, bath bombs, and salt scrubs.

Cynthia adds, “Part of what Shenise is saying is that we’re not judging you.”

“And we’re going to love them until they learn to love themselves,” Shenise affirms.

“Everyone has something to give,” Cynthia continues.

“There are so many beautiful people who are suffering.

And if you take the time to get to know them, you’ll see that, in spite of what they present to the world, when you look into their heart and soul, you’ll see their humanity, beauty, gifts—gifts that you really want to see developed.”

For Cynthia, Shinichi, and Shenise, their gifts are not only developing but blossoming. Less than a month before, Cynthia was named the 2022 Woman of Valor by SURVIVORS TAKE THE REINS the Milwaukee Trafficking Coalition. She Deacon Steve says that he always dreamed recently finished her associate degree and of the day Peacemakers would be “We’re going to love is now pursuing a degree in social work. survivor-led. That day is practically here.

Four days before, Shinichi graduated Sitting next to each other on a Zoom them until they learn from Clare Community and, one day call are three survivors, all with active to love themselves.” before, was able to help her niece out roles in the Peacemakers. There’s Cynthia, Shenise Davis with rent, something Shinichi says would who oversees outreach and recovery. have been unfathomable to her two years There’s her former roommate in Clare ago. In 11 days, Shenise will reach 20 years of sobriety Community, Shinichi Hamilton, who is now the prothrough Narcotics Anonymous. duction manager for the social enterprise. And there’s Today these three women are using their own stories Shenise Davis, who works as a sales associate for the of pain and abuse to meet others where they are, followsocial enterprise. ing the path of Father Bob and Deacon Steve in their Cynthia, Shinichi, and Shenise ooze with passion for own profound way. Next year, they hope there will be the work they do. They hope to be to others what Deacon more doing the same.

Steve and Carmen were to them. They hope to fill the “You just want to save everybody, but you can’t,” Conrad House this year with women who want someShenise says. “So we keep coming to work every day, thing different for their lives. talking until we’re blue in the face, giving them what they “It’s important to show the women we work with need, and waiting for the next day.” that you’re just not talking to them but that you’ve been Cynthia adds, “And we hope that day for change is where they’re at,” Shenise reflects. “I think a lot of women today.” To learn more about the Peacemakers, visit their are scared of the unknown. They don’t know what’s on website, FranciscanPeacemakers.org. the other side, and they’ve forgotten that there is another side. We share with them where we’ve been and that they Stephen Copeland is an author and storyteller. Stephen blogs regularly for Franciscan Media and has contributed to St. Anthony Messenger’s Let Us can do it. It takes one day at a time.”

Pray and Followers of St. Francis columns.

22 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FRANCISCAN PEACEMAKERS

story. This isn’t a story that happens to somebody else.

This is our story.”

In 2021, the Peacemakers’ social enterprise increased its total sales by over $110,000 from the previous year to $273,000. That same year, the Milwaukee Biz Times named the Peacemakers the social enterprise of the year. And in 2022, the Peacemakers will open Clare Community in the former Conrad House, which will be able to care for up to 12 women looking to get off the streets. The Conrad House is the former friary where Father Bob once lived.

‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

Welcoming Our Afghan Brothers and Sisters

By Patrick Carolan

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Inspired by St. Francis, this author reaches beyond language and cultural differences to connect with Afghan refugees resettling in the United States.

A YOUNG AFGHAN BOY told me about his harrowing escape from Afghanistan the day Kabul fell.

He had been in school that day but managed to connect with his uncle and cousins to get to the airport. He came here with only the clothes on his back. His sandals are falling apart, held together by tape. His family is still in Afghanistan.

He is one among thousands of Afghan refugees who fled after the Taliban captured the capital city on August 15, 2021. For a long time, Afghanistan has been a pawn in the global power struggle between superpowers. It is a beautiful country that was the birthplace of the great Sufi mystic and poet Rumi.

Today some 95,000 of our Afghan brothers and sisters are scattered throughout the United States at various refugee camps. During previous migrations, Americans have been generous in traveling to other countries to help at refugee camps; many have donated money and resources to help. This is the first time in a long time that we have set up refugee camps in our own country.

A SALAAM AND A HIGH FIVE I spent several weeks volunteering in such a refugee camp in Virginia, filled with over 5,000 Afghan refugees.

Many came with nothing. Many are separated from family members. They speak Pashto or Dari along with some English. Each morning as I arrive at the camp, I am greeted with the traditional salaam with a bow of the head and a touch to the heart—though many of the boys that I worked with follow that up with a high five and “What’s up?”

Despite all that he has been through, the young boy who told me about his escape from Afghanistan is filled with laughter and joy. He speaks a little English, so he helps teach the other children who do not. I also heard the story of a young man who is married and has one daughter. He has a master’s degree. Despite the fact that he has lost everything, he has a contagious smile. I was trying to teach him English while he taught me Pashto.

I was part of a group of volunteers from different organizations, including the United States Conference StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 23

At the camp, we were told that our role would be to of Catholic Bishops. Our role was to provide recreainteract with the refugees and maybe help provide some tional opportunities and a chance to relate with some recreational opportunities. Larry and Cathy thought Americans in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. While they would be working at the distribution center, sortat the camp, I was blessed to work with volunteers ing and distributing clothes and other supplies. Instead, representing different parts of the country and comthey were assigned to work at a recreational tent where ing from various backgrounds. Some I had previously Afghans would gather during the day. The tents were worked with, and others I met for the first time. We all separated by gender, so Cathy was at the women’s had one thing in common: an inner sense of how we tent and Larry at the men’s. As Larry are all connected and a drive to reach out described it: “Our challenge was to relate to those in need. with the refugees across the language barI draw my inspiration from the 13thWe are all connected; rier. This proved to be a more interesting century Franciscan theologian and leader through God, and more challenging work than handSt. Bonaventure, who tells us that how ing out clothes.” we choose and what we choose make a we are all one.

The tents were open each day from difference—first in what we become by 9 to 5. When we arrived, there were no our choices and second in what the world structured programs in the tents. Folks becomes by our choices. This simple statejust came and hung out. The younger boys would go back ment by Bonaventure explains the profound vision of St. and forth between the men’s and women’s tents. Larry Francis: a vision of a world where we are all connected; mentioned that years ago he had volunteered with Big through God, we are all one.

Brothers. There he learned that sometimes it is enough to just be there, watch TV, and play games. As Cathy MAKING CONNECTIONS described it: “We were told to ‘engage’ with the kids. That Larry and Cathy Couch share that vision. Larry has been was no problem. The girls were very friendly and eager to a Catholic activist and leader. We had worked together interact with me and with the female Marines who were on numerous projects over the years, particularly around assigned to the tent.” immigration. He served as a lobbyist for the National Because there was no formal structure, we volunteers Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd in were pretty much left on our own. Our days consisted Silver Spring, Maryland. He has advocated for people livof doing art projects, teaching language skills, shooting in poverty and victims of human trafficking, worked ing hoops, and just being present. While the children to prevent domestic abuse, and sought compassionate were energetic, it was clear that they had recently gone immigration reform.

24 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

CNS PHOTO: KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

An Afghan boy pumps his arms with excitement as he and other refugees board a bus at Washington Dulles Airport on September 1, 2021.

BREAD

FRANK JASPER, OFM

Refugees travel by bus to a processing center. They are among hundreds who fled Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul to begin a new life in America.

through a major trauma, having been displaced from their homes and lost most or all of their possessions. Indeed, they were now strangers in a strange land. Despite this, they were very eager to learn, especially English.

Larry is a master in tae kwon do. Tae kwon do had been growing in popularity in Afghanistan since Rohullah Nikpai won medals in both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Larry offered to teach basic skills to the young boys, but that idea was rejected. It was felt that many of the children had been traumatized by war, and it was feared that if we trained in tae kwon do on a military base, the children might assume they were being prepared to go into battle.

Instead, we organized a demonstration on the base. The theater was packed with boys and girls and some adults. They were somewhat skeptical at first, wondering what this old White guy was doing wearing a dobok (the uniform worn by tae kwon do martial artists). But when Larry started breaking boards with his hands and feet, they sat on the edges of their seats, cheering.

For a brief period of time, we gave them a respite from their trauma. Larry and Cathy summed up their experience, saying: “We are very grateful to have had the opportunities to spend time with these wonderful Afghan refugees. Hopefully, we helped to make their transition into our way of life a bit less stressful.”

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:

SHARING STORIES AND LAUGHTER

CNS PHOTO: KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

CNS PHOTO: KEVIN LAMARQUE/REUTERS

ST. ANTHONY

A week after Larry and Cathy got to the camp, I arrived. At the airport, I met a volunteer from New Mexico named Pooya Rezai. Pooya himself was a refugee. He was born in Iran in 1973. His family left during the Iran-Iraq War and settled in America in 1984. Pooya had previous experience working with refugees.

When he was a teen in Los Angeles, his parents started a community center to assist immigrants and refugees with notary and translation services. With the mantra “Keep Your Roots and Learn Your New Country” as a model, the community center hosted Persian poetry nights, plays, and concerts. Years later, Pooya responded to the refugee crisis in Europe as a volunteer. He traveled to Lesbos, Greece, to volunteer with Emergency Response Centre International.

Pooya and I formed a team. Each morning when we arrived at the tents, Pooya would organize the boys and lead a morning exercise session. I would

StAnthony.org mAil poStAl communicAtionS to:

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StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 25

Pooya came up with the idea of building kites. For various reasons we were told that it would not be a good idea. But we went ahead anyway, gathering newspapers, sticks, string, and glue to assemble a dozen kites. We gathered the boys in an open field and gave them the kites. The look of joy on their faces was priceless. These boys had been through a traumatic experience, but for a brief few hours they were able to be just boys again.

A number of other people volunteered to help.

Marines were assigned to each tent; some would spend time with the boys and girls playing basketball or Uno. One Marine shared her story. Her parents were refugees from Central America and had to escape violence in their home country. She was able to convey hope to the Afghan women.

We also worked with Ariana Arghandewal, a refugee from Afghanistan whose parents left during the civil war in 1989. She came to the center to work as an interpreter.

When I asked her why, she said: “I’ve been a refugee twice over and understand both the cultural and linguistic challenges of moving and adjusting to an entirely different society. I wanted to be of service to people who would be experiencing some of those challenges. I came to the United States from Germany, and that was a culture shock that took me years to adjust to. Clearly, those coming from Afghanistan would have a hard time with it. I just wanted to ease that transition for them.”

En route to Dulles, Virginia, a child waits to board a US Air Force transport with her family at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after fleeing Afghanistan in August 2021.

sit with the men and share stories. They would ask me questions about different parts of the country. They were concerned about how to maintain their culture while assimilating into America. Sharing our stories was a way to teach them English. They all wanted notebooks so they could write down phrases and practice them.

Despite all that they had lived through, they still managed to laugh—especially when some of the younger men asked me about dating in the United States and I tried to explain the concept of online dating.

26 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

One key concept in every major religion is the belief in welcoming the stranger. The Bible is full of messages about this. Ezekiel 16:49 tells us that God destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because of the inhabitants’ refusal, despite their prosperity, to care for the stranger and the poor. The Gospel of Matthew teaches us, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (25:35).

St. Francis would never have considered anyone a stranger. He would have thought of them as a child of God, his brother and sister. He would welcome them, feed them, and care for them. St. Francis viewed all creation as his brothers and sisters. He understood that we are each unique but connected through creation.

Every creature is not only a member of a certain species but also a unique aspect of the infinite mystery of God. Every aspect of creation is a unique sacred story, and through our interconnectedness with God and all creation, we are part of the sacred story.

Patrick Carolan previously served as executive director of the Franciscan Action Network. He is also the cofounder of the Global Catholic Climate Movement and is the director of Catholic outreach for Vote Common Good.

CNS PHOTO/US AIR FORCE AIRMAN 1ST CLASS KYLIE BARROW HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

WELCOMING THE STRANGER

‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

‘Love. Listen. Accompany.’

Walking with the LGBTQ Community

By Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

NITO100/ISTOCK

Someone you love has come out as LGBTQ. Jim Martin, SJ, offers ways to respond with love, respect, and compassion.

IN 2013, I SAW a documentary I have never forgotten.

Facing Fear tells the story of a former teen skinhead, Tim Zaal, and a gay teen, Matthew Boger, whom Tim thought he had killed on a wild night of gay-bashing with 14 others in West Hollywood in the early 1980s.

Matthew’s mother had kicked him out of the house at the age of 13 when he told her he was gay. He lived on the streets of West Hollywood for four years. Tim grew up in an all-White neighborhood east of Los Angeles.

When his brother was shot by a Black man, Tim blamed all people of color and became a White supremacist.

In a twist of providence, Matthew and Tim met years later at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, where Matthew worked and Tim, now a father and a changed man, volunteered. When they recognized each other, they walked away. But the museum leadership asked them to speak to students and groups about their story. Forgiveness and friendship grew out of getting to know one another.

After seeing the film, I couldn’t understand how a parent could kick out her young teen son because he was gay. Matthew’s mother said it was because no one living in sin could live in her home.

Violence against LGBTQ persons is increasing in the United States. The Human Rights Campaign (hrc. org) reports that in 2020 the FBI found that hate crimes “based on sexual orientation represent 16.7 percent of hate crimes, the third largest category after race and religion.” But because cities are not mandated to report hate crimes, these numbers are probably much higher.

“Suicide rates among young people have been on the rise in recent years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” reported Dan Avery in an article for NBC News in April 2021, “but gay and bisexual youths are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide as their straight peers.” In addition, AmericanProgress.org notes that there are between 1.6 million and 2.8 million homeless youth in the United States, and a disproportionate number are LGBTQ youth.

I interviewed Jesuit Father James (Jim) Martin, an advocate for the LGBTQ community, about this reality. Father Martin is the author of the 2018 best seller Building a Bridge: How the Catholic Church and the LGBT Community Can Enter into a Relationship of Respect, Compassion, and Sensitivity and is the subject of the 2021 documentary Building a Bridge.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 27

WHAT SHOULD PARENTS DO? Father Jim, you are a compassionate advocate for members of the LGBTQ community. What are parents to do when their children “come out” to them? What if the children are teens or young adults?

What are the three most important things parents can do for their children who are LGBTQ?

TOP: COURTESY OF FATHER JAMES MARTIN, SJ; BOTTOM: ARON M/ISTOCK

Love. Listen. Accompany.

Love first. One of the best ways to communicate this is to respond by saying things like, “Thank you for telling The most important thing is to love me.” “You know I will always love you.” your child. Every parent knows this, but “I’m so grateful you’ve shared this part often they feel unequipped to respond of yourself with me.” Listening means when their child comes out. I often hearing their sorrow and pain, as well say to parents, “You know more than as their joy and hope. Parents are often you think you do.” In this case, you surprised that for many young people know how to love. today, coming out is seen as something Listening is a big part. Listen to your to celebrate—because they are comchild’s experiences. Don’t be afraid to ask Father Jim Martin, SJ ing to a deeper understanding of who questions, but always communicate your they are. Finally, accompany. Your child love and acceptance. Coming out can be may be going through some changes, perhaps in how a difficult thing for a child. They’re talking about sexualthey dress, perhaps regarding their friends, perhaps ity, something that’s difficult for any child to discuss with their taste in music. Think of it as a pilgrimage you’re parents. But one of the most crucial things for the mental going on with them. health of LGBTQ youth is parental acceptance. And one of the main reasons for teen homelessness is LGBTQ kids being kicked out of their houses—by the way, usually for BUILDING A BRIDGE: THE BOOK AND THE MOVIE “religious reasons.”

What was the best part about making the documentary There are, of course, differences in how one deals with Building a Bridge? a teen versus an adult and times when psychotherapy Seeing how the film brought together so many different helps—not because being LGBTQ means being mentally voices. The filmmakers did an amazing job of including ill, but to help the person through the process. But, in the LGBTQ Catholics, parents of LGBTQ kids, theologians, end, it’s about love. parish ministries, and so on. It’s a reminder that this Remember that God has given you this child, and so issue does not affect just LGBTQ people themselves, but God will give you the grace to love them, even if they the whole Church. I was also glad that they captured turned out different than you expected. Are you willing some of the pain and struggles of LGBTQ youth. Often to allow yourself to be surprised and even challenged by people say, “What’s the big deal?” Well, in the film you the mystery of God’s ways? see what the big deal is.

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The first edition of the book was simple and short. The first part was based on a talk I gave, and the second was a series of Gospel meditations to invite readers to see how Jesus reached out to those on the margins. But even in the few months after the book came out (no pun intended), I saw that it needed to be revised and expanded a great deal.

To begin with, the LGBTQ Catholic community challenged me on the idea of a “two-way bridge.”

Both “sides”—LGBTQ Catholics and the institutional Church—need to reach out to one another. But I had to make it clearer that the onus is on the institutional Church to take the initiative, since it is in a position of ecclesial power. As one LGBTQ Catholic said: “We’d love to talk with bishops. But some of them won’t meet with us.”

Also, there were many more stories and insights, as well as facts and figures, which I wanted to include, especially when I saw how the book was being used by parishes and schools. I didn’t set out to write a resource, but that’s what it has become, since there are so few books written on the topic from a Catholic perspective.

THREATS TO THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY One of the most concerning things is the lack of a pastoral response as Church to anyone who identifies as LGBTQ who attempts suicide and/or self-harm. How do parents, teachers, pastors, and others respond to this reality?

You highlight one of the most important aspects of this ministry. Suicide is a life issue. So we need to defend the lives of LGBTQ people as much as the lives of the unborn child in the womb, the refugee at the border, or the elderly person dying of COVID-19. Violence, beatings, and harassment are also commonplace. Sadly, the Church has spoken up hardly at all on this issue.

It’s even worse overseas. Did you know that in 70 countries being gay is a criminal offense, and in 10 countries you can be executed for being gay? This is an area in which the Church can take a stand without changing any teaching. In fact, combating LGBTQ suicide and opposing violence against them supports Church teaching.

Why do people respond with violence to members of the LGBTQ community? Some cite fear of the unknown or fear that God will disapprove of them for being kind. What do you think?

The 2021 documentary Building a Bridge is based on Father Jim Martin’s ministry to LGBTQ Catholics. In this scene from the film, he speaks with Christine Leinonen, a mother and activist.

I agree. It’s primarily a fear of the “other.” And religion, sadly, sometimes contributes to this. If you consistently condemn people, speak of them exclusively in the language of sin (when we’re all sinners), and single them

CNS PHOTO: COURTESY OBSCURE PICTURES

TOP: COURTESY OF FATHER JAMES MARTIN, SJ; BOTTOM: ARON M/ISTOCK

In the film, you talk about changes you made between the first and second editions of your book Building a Bridge.

Can you tell us about them?

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 29

Pope Francis, in a letter to Father Jim Martin, SJ, encouraged him in his LGBTQ ministry, writing, “You are a priest for all men and women.”

THE ROLE OF CHURCH AND SOCIETY In June 2021, Pope Francis wrote to you: “Thinking about your pastoral work, I see that you are continually seeking to imitate this style of God.” How did this affirmation from the Holy Father make you feel? How is your pastoral work aligned with the agenda of Pope Francis, who welcomes and encourages members of the LGBTQ community to come to Mass and send their children to Catholic schools and religious instruction?

The Holy Father’s support means everything to me. In 2019, Pope Francis invited me to meet with him for 30 minutes in the Apostolic Palace, where we discussed LGBTQ ministry. At the end of that meeting, he asked me to continue my ministry. But I didn’t feel that I could 30 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

share that with the public. Then last summer I learned that I would be able to share the letter he had sent, which was a great blessing. And remember, as a Jesuit, he is also my boss. By the way, everything I do in this ministry comes after asking for permission from my Jesuit superiors.

I try to align my ministry with the Holy Father’s outreach: showing welcome, reaching out to a group on the margins, and helping them find their place in what is, after all, their Church too.

Why are some well-intentioned members of the Church or any faith community so averse to admitting that a person does not choose to be LGBTQ but is born that way, and that God loves that person regardless of his or her sexual orientation?

Frankly, I have no idea. Nearly every reputable psychiatrist, psychologist, biologist, physician, and social scientist—not to mention LGBTQ people themselves and their parents—will tell you this, but some people refuse to believe it.

Some of this is from fear, which can lead to hatred.

The New Testament says, “Perfect love drives out fear.”

Well, perfect fear drives out love too.

There is still an alarming amount of homophobia in our Church. I don’t mean sincere misunderstanding or even critiques of LGBTQ ministry; I mean hatred. I suppose that if someone is forced to admit that a person is born this way, it may threaten how they have been dealing with sexuality overall—and perhaps with human anthropology—and that may lead to denial.

COURTESY OF FATHER JAMES MARTIN, SJ

out in homilies and bishops’ statements, then it becomes easier to think they are a threat. We see this over and over in history: the targeting, demonization and, eventually, dehumanization of a marginalized group. Recently, one bishop said that transgender people don’t even exist. I can’t imagine language that is more dehumanizing than that.

But it’s also about a person’s own interior life. In the past five years, I’ve spoken to many psychiatrists and psychologists about the rage that is often directed at LGBTQ people (and this ministry). To a person they say, “It’s about something going on inside of them.” The most rageful people are usually those who are the most conflicted about their own sexuality, and it’s easier to direct that anger outward. We should never underestimate how much of that is in the Church.

Is there a mystery in attempting to reconcile our call to faith, hope, and charity with our brothers and sisters who identify as LGBTQ? What should we do when we don’t understand the words of Scripture and the reality of persons in our families or communities?

COURTESY OF FATHER JAMES MARTIN, SJ

COURTESY OF FATHER JAMES MARTIN, SJ

Father Jim Martin, SJ, travels widely but carries with him the same message of love, tolerance, and respect for each other’s humanity.

The mystery is how so many people can judge them when Jesus says not to judge, and hate them when Jesus says to love. When we look at the Bible, we also need to understand a few things. First, we need to understand the passages about homosexuality in their historical context and remember that Catholics are not fundamentalists. Sometimes I ask people, “Do you think that we should stone people who commit adultery?” And they say, “Of course not.” And I say, “Why not? That’s in the Bible too.” Most people are fine with understanding those lines in a different way today. But when it comes to homosexuality, suddenly we’re all fundamentalists.

But the more basic lesson of the Scripture is how Jesus reached out to those on the margins. Just look at the stories of him encountering the Roman centurion (who wasn’t Jewish), the Samaritan woman (who was in an irregular sexual relationship), and Zacchaeus (who was a hated tax collector). These are all people on the margins in various ways, as LGBTQ people are in the Church. And what does Jesus do? He listens to them, accompanies them, and loves them. We need to pattern ourselves after Jesus. Otherwise, what’s the point?

What role can the entertainment arts play in educating people about the complexities of LGBTQ issues?

We can’t underestimate the influence that the arts and

popular culture have in terms of helping the world see LGBTQ people as human beings. Think of shows like Will & Grace, Ellen, and, more recently, Jeopardy!, where a transgender person became one of the most winning contestants in the show’s history. For those who don’t have contact with many LGBTQ people, these shows helped to show them in their humanity.

On a more serious note, we also have movies about conversion therapy like Boy Erased, which show us the wrong way to deal with LGBTQ people. So, I think the arts community has an important role to play.

How can parents gain a new perspective on LGBTQ lifestyles and the psychological dangers of rejection?

What can we do when parents are unwilling to stop their condemnation?

The last thing that LGBTQ kids (and LGBTQ people in general) need is more trauma. I don’t want to paint them as always victims—like anyone, their lives are filled with joy too—but we can’t underestimate how challenging their lives are. While there is growing acceptance for LGBTQ people, they still face immense hurdles, especially in finding welcome in the Church.

In cases where parents refuse to listen to experts or feel that they’re doing something immoral by accepting their children, we must help these kids feel loved by God—and welcome in the Church—any way that we can.

Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP, is the founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Los Angeles and an award-winning film critic for St. Anthony Messenger. She holds a doctorate of ministry, with a concentration in film and pastoral communication.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 31

‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

Voting Is a Pro-life Issue

By Susan Hines-Brigger

SISTER ANITA BAIRD, a Daughter of the Heart of Mary, has never been afraid to speak up when it comes to tough topics, especially those related to racial justice. For over 20 years, she has been working to achieve the reality “that all men are created equal” on behalf of those for whom that statement doesn’t necessarily always ring true.

These days, Sister Anita is speaking out about an issue that she says is a fundamental human right but remains challenging for many. That issue is the struggle minorities face when it comes to their voting rights and the concerns surrounding those rights. It is, she says, “a pro-life issue.”

“When you take away people’s power to voice their choices to protect their rights, it has a spiraling impact,” she explains. “It’s not just voting in the booth, but when you talk about systemic issues, when you look at housing, when you look at education, when you look at health care in the midst of COVID-19, we see how unequal access is for people of color. And I think that’s why it’s so important for us to be aware that it’s not just simply casting your ballot, but how it impacts communities that have been disadvantaged for hundreds of years.”

Sister Anita believes the beginning lines of the Declaration of Independence that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” are some of the most powerful words ever written. She points out, though, that when they were written, they did not really include everyone.

The writers, she says, “owned slaves, and they did not consider them full human beings. Women were not included and poor Whites who did not own property were not included. So it was a very narrow frame of ‘all men are created equal.’”

And while such challenges now affect primarily people of color, she believes that over time it will begin to affect others too.

Cardinal Francis George. Her role was to direct archdiocesan initiatives to eradicate racism in its structures and institutions. She also served as Cardinal George’s liaison for race relations to the city of Chicago.

She has served as her community’s regional superior, provincial councilor, and as its first Black US provincial. She was president of the National Black Sisters’ Conference from 2001 to 2003.

In 1998, Sister Anita was awarded the Harriet Tubman award from that conference. The yearly award honors one of its members who, through her ministry, is an advocate for Black people and has a strong identity within the Black community.

At the time, she told Global Sisters Report that there is a clear difference between racial equality and racial justice, noting that having only equality and not justice would be as if the Catholic Church’s response to the sexual abuse crisis was to promise it wouldn’t happen again.

In both cases, she says, justice is needed, not simply statements or a desire to move forward. “It took until 1979 until the bishops finally acknowledged racism as a sin,” says Sister Anita, referring to the bishops’ pastoral letter “Brothers and Sisters to Us.” In 2018, the bishops once again took up the issue of racism with their pastoral letter titled “Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love.” In it, they stated: “As bishops, we unequivocally state that racism is a life issue. . . . We have also seen years of systemic racism working in how resources are allocated to communities that remain de facto segregated.”

When Sister Anita became the first Black woman to win the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in 2018, she told the conference that racial justice in the Catholic Church will take “more than just singing ‘Kumbaya.’”

YEARS OF WORK

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPEAKING UP

Sister Anita’s work for racial justice goes back decades. In 2000, she was named founding director of the Office for Racial Justice for the Archdiocese of Chicago by the late

When asked why Catholics should care about this issue, she says it’s not only Catholics. “I don’t know how any Christians can turn a blind eye to the situation, just in

32 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

PHOTO BY KAREN CALLAWAY

Sister Anita Baird wants to make sure that every person’s vote matters, especially those in the minority.

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

PHOTO BY KAREN CALLAWAY

Sister Anita Baird, seen here in Chicago’s St. James Chapel in the Archbishop Quigley Center, has spent most of her life advocating for the rights of the marginalized. One of those issues, she says, is the right to have one’s voice heard through voting.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 33

LEFT: George O’Hara, accompanied by Sister Anita, was one of the founding members of the Archdiocese of Chicago’s anti-racism team.

RIGHT: Sister Anita presents Chicago’s Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry with the St. Katharine Drexel Racial Justice Award in 2010.

34 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

vocation as Catholic sisters is inherently political: ‘We are all called to participate in public life. . . . Authentic faith always involves a deep desire to change the world. . . . We cannot remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.’”

A RESURRECTION PEOPLE But Sister Anita has hope, and she points out that by the middle of this century, people of color will be in the majority in the United States.

Therefore, she says, steps to make voting more difficult in communities of color, often in lower income neighborhoods, “may backfire. I think sometimes when you push people back against the wall, it gives them more energy. If you tell people they can’t do something, it often gives them the courage and incentive to prove you wrong. There’s always a way around. But I think people have to be motivated and energized.”

Hope is something that as Christians we must continue to have, Sister Anita says. “As dark as these days may seem, I think back to my ancestors, who came over on those slave ships and were separated from family, lost their language, their identity, lived under the brutality of the whip for hundreds of years without seeing an end to it. Somehow, though, they never lost hope, and they never lost trust in God. “So if they could endure that, certainly I have no right to lose hope today. Much progress has been made. That is very true. We just have to stay the course. As people of the Gospel, we have to believe that, in the end, truth and justice will prevail.”

Moses got to the Promised Land, Sister Anita points out. He wasn’t able to cross into it, but his people did.

Similarly, she says, quoting the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., even though we haven’t made it yet, in time, “We will get to the Promised Land.”

Susan Hines-Brigger is an executive editor of this magazine. She has written articles on a number of important topics such as racial issues, sex trafficking, clergy sex abuse, and more.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SISTER ANITA BAIRD (2)

terms of the dignity of the human person and the rights that every human being has to live decently and have access to just basics,” she adds.

Sister Anita says that, as Catholics, “we have to follow the mandate of Jesus. It’s very basic.”

Unfortunately, though, she believes the Catholic Church has been co-opted into the current political frenzy and has not spoken out enough. That voice has been silenced, she states, adding that the bishops are not addressing the issues that are at the heart of people’s daily lives.

Minorities often face challenges when voting. In recent years, a number of states have instituted laws that many feel lead to voter suppression. In response, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act was introduced to Congress. The purpose of the bill is to make voting more accessible and easier for citizens. It addresses issues such as voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance.

The bill was passed by the House in August 2021, but since moving to the Senate it has languished. Sister Anita says that speaks to the division we are facing in our nation. “The whole thing is about winning,” she notes. “It’s sad to see, especially because he was one of their colleagues.”

In response, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2021, the Black Sisters’ Conference, of which Sister Anita is currently the vice president, joined with the LCWR in issuing a statement regarding the sacred right to vote. In it, the sisters pointed out that “the strength and vibrancy of our democracy is dependent on the right of all people to vote regardless of their race, zip code, economic status, or party affiliation.”

Citing the long history of racism with regard to voting rights, the sisters stated: “Our brothers and sisters struggled, some gave their lives, to secure the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It falls to us to continue their work.

Pope Francis reminds us in ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ that our

KEY TERMS Two terms that are often bandied about when discussing voting rights are redistricting and gerrymandering. Not everyone knows or understands what those terms mean or what their implications are for voters, though. Here is a brief overview.

REDISTRICTING (REDISTRIBUTION)

CNS PHOTO: DUSTIN CHAMBERS/REUTERS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SISTER ANITA BAIRD (2)

People in Atlanta demonstrate on June 21, 2021, during a stop on the Freedom Ride For Voting Rights tour, sponsored by Black Voters Matter. It made stops in several southern states on its way to Washington, DC.

GERRYMANDERING

This is the way in which electoral districts are added, removed, or otherwise changed. This complicated process occurs every 10 years and is based on census numbers. Once those numbers are released for all 50 states, seats in the US House are handed out accordingly. Through the process, some states will gain or lose seats. Some will keep the same number of seats.

Regardless of how the number of seats plays out, though, new districts for congressional and state legislative seats must be drawn to create districts that are equal (or as close as possible) in population.

When district lines are drawn to benefit one candidate or party over another, that is known as gerrymandering.

According to the website FairVote.org, the practice is usually legal but can be challenged. What can be illegal, however, is racial gerrymandering, “which originally referred to manipulating legislative district lines to under-represent racial minorities. Tactics such as ‘packing’ Black voters into a given district or ‘cracking’ them to make Black voters a minority in all districts can be illegal. This sort of gerrymandering was first used in the South after the Civil War to dilute the Black vote.”

Where those lines are drawn is often left up to the state legislature. Some states, however, have created commissions—such as a citizens’ commission in California— to do the work and thus avoid having elected officials involved in the process. At times, redistricting plans can end up having to be decided by the courts.

The practice is named after Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, who in 1812 submitted to the state Senate a redistricting plan that would have concentrated the voting strength of the Federalist Party in just a few districts, thereby giving disproportionate representation to the Democratic-Republican Party.

Critics argue that the process has been used to neutralize minority voting power. Supporters, however, say that the process enhances electoral competitiveness.

Some of Governor Gerry’s new districts were oddly shaped, with one resembling a salamander, thus giving rise to the term gerrymandering.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 35

‘YOU WELCOMED ME’

Franciscans at the Border Along treacherous stretches of borderland between the United States and Mexico, Franciscans are working to respond to the humanitarian crisis there with faith and compassion.

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PHOTOMIGALA CREDIT HERE HENRI

By Daniel Imwalle

PERCEPTION VS. REALITY

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

PHOTOMIGALA HENRI CREDIT HERE

1,954 MILES. It’s roughly the distance from Chicago to Los Angeles. It’s also the length of the US-Mexico border, from where the Rio Grande empties into the Gulf of Mexico in the east, to the Pacific coast in the west. Much of the terrain along the border is rugged, arid, and in many places inhospitable, despite its natural beauty.

When you hear the word desert, scorching temperatures often come to mind, and that part is certainly true.

In the Sonoran Desert, for example, summer temperatures typically soar well above 100 degrees, nearing 120 some days. However, desert nights can be surprisingly cold, dipping into the 30s or even upper 20s. Death from exposure can easily happen at temperatures below 50 degrees. Add to this the lack of access to water, and traversing this region by foot becomes even more daunting.

Yet every year, massive numbers of migrants attempt the passage. And every year, sadly, many don’t survive the perilous journey. Whether those who attempt to cross make it here and find a way to stay, get caught and deported back across the border, or perish along the way, they are largely a shadowy, nameless, and faceless group in American society. They are nearly invisible, but when they are seen, they’re often viewed with distrust, misunderstanding, and hatred.

In St. Francis’ time, the lepers in the valley below Assisi were seen in much the same way. Today, migrants and other marginalized groups are the lepers in our society. And just as St. Francis realized in one of the most important moments in his life, we are called not only to see them, but also to embrace them, to love them as Christ does. Following in the footsteps of their founder, Franciscans and associates are reaching out with compassion in the borderlands. Far from turning away, they have chosen to go where the pain is with the aim of relieving suffering and promoting justice. They are living out what Pope Francis called for in his 2021 message on the World Day of Migrants and Refugees: that we “advance together toward an ever wider ‘we.’”

On a mission to recover the body of a migrant, three volunteers with the Eagles of the Desert assess the treacherous terrain along the US-Mexico border in Southern California.

In the summer of 2018, Sister Maria Louise Edwards— who belongs to the Felician Sisters of North America— happened upon a photo essay in the New York Times titled “They Have a Mission in the Desert: Finding the Bodies of Border Crossers,” by Simon Romero, with photos by Victor J. Blue. The story stopped her in her tracks. It described the efforts of an organization called the Águilas del Desierto (“Eagles of the Desert”) to recover the remains of migrants who died during border crossings.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 37

“I was really moved by what I read, but, at the same time, it was like this complete disconnect because I couldn’t understand how all of this was happening, and this was the first I had heard of it,” Sister Maria Louise says. The photo essay showed a group of volunteers braving the heat to help a man locate the remains of his brother. As Sister Maria Louise learned more about the Águilas, she saw that the organization was helping to bring closure to families and dignity to those who died in the desert.

At first, Sister Maria Louise offered to help the Águilas by crafting wooden crosses, which volunteers would place wherever human remains were discovered.

Soon she felt the call to do more, but, by her own admission, she didn’t know much about the humanitarian crisis at the border. “I didn’t know what was the truth and what wasn’t,” she says. “You get all these stories about the people crossing: They’re criminals, drug dealers, people trying to do their worst in our country.” But that narrative didn’t gel with what she was finding out as her relationship with the Águilas developed.

With all the competing information and politics surrounding the issue of migrants crossing the US-Mexico border, Sister Maria Louise opted for firsthand experience to illuminate the truth. “I wanted to go and see for myself,” she says. So, two months after building her first crosses for the Águilas, she walked out into the desert with them on a search.

ONE LITTLE SHOE It’s not uncommon to find abandoned articles of clothing in daily life: a stray glove in a park during winter, a pair of forgotten sunglasses left poolside, or perhaps an oddly placed single sock on a sidewalk. And there’s 38 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

usually nothing particularly impactful about these items, except maybe as indicators of absentmindedness or our throwaway culture. However, it was a little girl’s shoe that forever changed Sister Maria Louise one day in the arid borderland of southern California and Mexico.

In October 2018, Sister Maria Louise participated in her first search with the Águilas, which took place near the sparsely populated area of Ocotillo, California.

“We started our search at the border with our backs to Mexico,” she recalls. “We were so close, we set off the underground sensors, and the Border Patrol called us to ask, ‘Are you guys really out there?’” And indeed they were. The group was looking for a 19-year-old man who had been missing for several weeks.

“Within two hours, we found a skull,” Sister Maria Louise says. “That was a very impactful moment for me because I had never seen a skull, let alone one just lying on the ground. I remember thinking, This is not our culture. This can’t be my country.” The group went on to discover a rib cage and pelvis. It was determined that the remains belonged to a woman, not the 19-year-old man they were looking for, but it could mean closure for another family waiting in anguish for news about their lost loved one.

As the search continued, Sister Maria Louise found herself walking across a large boulder. “Right at the edge of the rock was a little girl’s shoe,” she says. “As I looked closer, there was still some of her foot in the shoe. I don’t think it was a coincidence that God brought me on my first search to find a woman and child. Not a gang member, not a criminal—a woman and a child.”

When faced with such a devastating discovery, the urge to recoil is powerful. “It’s a real battle within yourself,” Sister Maria Louise says. “You can shut down.

LEFT: COURTESY OF SISTER MARIA LOUISE EDWARDS; RIGHT: HENRI MIGALA

Sister Maria Louise Edwards found out about the Eagles of the Desert after reading about them in a New York Times photo essay. A discarded purse and a child’s shoes are physical reminders that migrant families are increasingly making the dangerous crossing to the United States.

You can push away the suffering. You can push away the unbelievable reality of what you’re standing there looking at: a body. That for me is the real challenge: to let it still impact me, to let it still hurt.” Ultimately, the Christian response kicked in for Sister Maria Louise.

“You run toward the suffering; you don’t run away from it,” she says.

A DAUGHTER’S WISH

HENRI MIGALA (2)

LEFT: COURTESY OF SISTER MARIA LOUISE EDWARDS; RIGHT: HENRI MIGALA

A volunteer carries a cross with him while on a search. Whenever human remains are found, volunteers leave a cross at the site and say a prayer for the deceased person and his/her family. Authorities are then contacted and provided with the exact coordinates of the location.

In running toward the suffering happening at the US-Mexico border, Sister Maria Louise and others engaged in humanitarian efforts often come face-toface with the sheer magnitude of attempted crossings, the result of powerful geopolitical and economic forces.

According to US Customs and Border Protection, over 7,000 people have died trying to cross the border since 1998, though that number is likely higher, as an additional 3,000 people are listed as missing. It’s quite possible that recovery efforts will locate and identify the remains of some of these missing souls, but, sadly, many of those lost to the desert will never be found. However, the Águilas and organizations such as Border Angels and No More Deaths are working to change that.

The Águilas del Desierto were founded by a man named Ely Ortiz, whose brother and cousin had gone missing while attempting to cross into the United States in 2009. When no agency on either side of the border would help him in his search, Ortiz and one other human rights activist went walking into the desert to bring closure to his family and a dignified burial for his loved ones. After Ortiz found his family members’ remains, he realized that there must be many more people who have gone through the same ordeal. “I know the agony of losing a loved one to the desert,” said Ortiz in

the 2018 New York Times photo essay. “The desert is like a lion, stalking both the strong and the weak. The desert could devour any of us.”

What started as essentially a one-man army, the Águilas now have a dedicated core group of volunteers, including Henri Migala, who has spent decades working in the areas of humanitarian aid, public health, and disaster response. “I first heard of the Águilas when an ad for them popped up in my Facebook feed,” Migala recalls. “It was a short blurb about recovering the remains of migrants in the desert. I sent them a message asking if I could volunteer, and I received a very kind and welcoming response inviting me to the next search. I’ve been going ever since.”

Now having spent four years with the Águilas, Migala’s experiences on searches continue to resonate with—and haunt—him. “I’ve been on three searches where adult children were looking for their fathers,” he says. One of those searches involved a young pregnant woman who was looking for her father. The woman, who lived on the US side of the border, was getting close to her due date and hoped her father could come to be present for the birth of her child. The father, realizing that the visa process would take at least five years, decided to try to cross but went missing near some irrigation canals.

“We were looking for his body with his daughter, who was eight months pregnant, and her anguish was just palpable,” Migala says. “It was so surreal and bizarre to share space with this young woman, who knew that her dad was missing because she asked him to be with her.” Although the group didn’t find him that day, Border Patrol scuba divers located his body not long after. The young woman was so traumatized and distressed that she went into premature labor.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 39

It’s not uncommon for a search to include 20 to 25 volunteers, but some missions have had up to 50 participants. Information on a missing person’s whereabouts is provided by family members, Border Patrol, or sometimes even smugglers.

Fortunately, the Águilas have grown in visibility, with their mission shared in the New York Times, on CNN and PBS, and on their own website (AguilasdelDesierto.org) and social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Their YouTube channel is particularly impactful, as footage of searches reveals the unforgiving landscape border crossers face. With increased awareness, more people from across the United States are volunteering with the Águilas.

Their work now includes rescue as well as recovery efforts. In the past year, the Águilas have rescued over 180 people from almost certain death. As Sister Maria Louise puts it, many of those rescued “are actively dying” when the Águilas find them. Typically, there are 20 to 25 volunteers on a search, though some searches have had 50 volunteers. The scope of their searches has also expanded to New Mexico and Texas.

Both Migala and Sister Maria Louise are quick to point out the delicacy of working along the border, where there is a network of complicated relationships to maintain, including communicating with distraught families, working with Border Patrol, and even getting information from various sources on the last whereabouts of a missing person.

In particular, a stable relationship with Border Patrol has proven invaluable. “If we did somehow damage our relationship with Border Patrol, then definitely fewer lives would be saved,” says Sister Maria Louise. “Our relationship with Border Patrol is very important. We’re very careful to keep that relationship positive.”

Moreover, the Águilas must remain explicit in their mission to avoid misunderstandings and any potential legal threat to their activities. “Of course, we are not involved in any way in helping people cross the border,” Migala says. “Our only mission is to help reduce death 40 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

and suffering along the border—and we do that by trying to get people not to cross the border illegally, rescuing those who need rescuing, and recovering and repatriating the remains of those found in the desert.”

After receiving medical care, many of the migrants who are rescued by the Águilas are deported back across the border (see sidebar on page 41), only to attempt another crossing later. As Migala mentioned, the Águilas have made efforts to prevent illegal crossings. Members of the Águilas have visited numerous migrant centers in Mexico, giving presentations and distributing brochures and flyers detailing the dangers of attempting border crossings. They plan to expand these educational campaigns to a number of countries in Central America to raise even more awareness.

Despite all the darkness and desperation she has witnessed out in the desert, Sister Maria Louise takes heart and finds strength in her core spirituality. “I’m so grateful that I’m a Franciscan,” she says. “It’s just so much a part of who I am and how I want to see the world. Everything is relationship.” This fundamental understanding of our interconnectedness, all parts of the body of Christ, helps Sister Maria Louise face each person she encounters in her work with the Águilas with care and compassion.

She also realizes that her work with the Águilas is grounded in the Gospel. “We’re all supposed to be ushering in the kingdom of God, but what is the ‘ushering in’ that I’m doing?” asks Sister Maria Louise. “I don’t want to usher in a kingdom where it’s OK that people are dying in the desert. That’s not the kingdom of God that I want to see come into this world. I want to say this is wrong. I want to say this life mattered. This little girl mattered.”

Daniel Imwalle is the managing editor of this publication. He has long been fascinated by Latin American cultures and history. Having married into a Mexican family, he has visited Mexico City many times and traveled extensively to other parts of the country. He and his wife, Belinda, make their home in Cincinnati, Ohio.

HENRI MIGALA

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS

Brother David writes down the date and a message of “peace and good” on a gallon of water. The friar and other humanitarian organizations leave containers of water along known migrant trails.

Ministering to Migrants Facing Deportation When migrants get deported to Mexico at the Raul H. Castro Port of Entry in Douglas, Arizona, Brother David Buer, OFM, is often on the other side, waiting to receive them. “It’s not unusual for over 150 migrants to come through in one day,” says Brother David, a Franciscan friar who has worked at the US-Mexico border in Arizona for over 15 years. Across from Douglas is the Mexican town of Agua Prieta, in the Mexican state of Sonora. Many of the migrants who are deported there are hungry, tired, and even unsure of where they are. “The US side has a policy called lateral deportation,” says Brother David. “If migrants are caught four hours to the west, they might be brought all the way over to Agua Prieta and dropped off there. So, oftentimes, migrants are really disoriented.” Many of the deportees arrive at Agua Prieta at 3:00 in the morning, shivering from the cold desert night.

At the Migrant Resource Center (MRC) in Agua Prieta, those who have just been sent back can find food, water, coffee from the fair trade cooperative Café Justo, basic medical attention, and other resources. The center, which has been open since 2006, is a joint effort among the town of Agua Prieta, the Presbyterian Church’s Frontera de Cristo organization, and the School Sisters of Notre Dame and has helped over 100,000 people gain their footing after being deported from the United States.

Although the number of migrants passing through the center fluctuates, even on a slow night, Brother David has seen just how important it is for the MRC to offer its services. “One night a few weeks ago, only seven migrants came through, but they were so grateful,” he recalls. “One guy had been out in the desert for three days without food. We had hot coffee and sandwiches for them and two outdoor heaters for them to warm up next to.” As the seven migrants went on their way, they each thanked Brother David for being there for them. The next night, 85 migrants showed up at the center.

OCTAVIO DURAN, OFM (2)

HENRI MIGALA

Brother David Buer, OFM, has worked at the US-Mexico border for over 15 years. Among other justice and peace initiatives, he assists at the Migrant Resource Center in Agua Prieta, Mexico.

For Brother David, as with Sister Maria Louise, Franciscan spirituality continually injects energy into his work at the border. Although St. Francis lived in a world radically different from ours, “I think he’d be proud to learn that his friars are doing this kind of work in the world today,” he says. “As Franciscans, our focus is presence and direct service.”

For more about the MRC and related ministries, visit Frontera de Cristo’s website: FronteradeCristo.org/Ministries.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 41

CULTURE

by Christopher Heffron

EMBRACING ‘THE OTHER’ Given the state of the world, as consumers of media, there’s value in mindless entertainment. But we also can use these avenues to understand those who differ from us, who face challenges we cannot imagine.

The following can be found on Netflix, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE SICK

BOOK

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE DISABLED

What Doesn’t Kill You: A Life with Chronic Illness—Lessons from a Body in Revolt

By Tessa Miller

FOR THE HEALTHY, it is unimaginable that your body could work against you. For the chronically ill, it’s an everyday ordeal. In her book What Doesn’t Kill You, author Tessa Miller guides readers through her diagnosis of Crohn’s disease—from stubborn denial to begrudged acceptance. But it’s the audiobook, read by the author herself, that gives the pain and humor behind her story some added heft. What shines through is how misunderstood the chronically ill are and how it is our duty to walk this journey with them.

Miller reports that three in five Americans suffer from a chronic disease. What Doesn’t Kill You sheds light on a real problem for millions of Americans.

PODCAST

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE AGED

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

By Mark Haddon

THIS PECULIAR AND FUNNY novel from 2003 centers on Christopher Boone, a British 15-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome investigating the murder of his neighbor’s poodle, Wellington. Narrated by Christopher himself, our hero is a math prodigy, deeply intuitive, and challenged by crowds and loud noises. But under the careful watch of author Mark Haddon, Christopher isn’t helpless. Rather, he leans into his fears and limitations— while solving a crime that nobody but he seems to care about.

Uncannily written, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time gives much-needed agency to those diagnosed with Asperger’s. It’s a beautiful read.

ACCORDING TO A LATE 2021 survey, 26 percent of those 55 or above listen to podcasts regularly—and that number is growing. Seniors looking for an impactful podcast that informs and inspires should check out The Not Old—Better Show.

“A show for those 50+, by those 50+,” this engaging and informative podcast tackles everything from digestive health to climate change to the golden age of Hollywood.

But what it shows us is that Baby Boomers have interests, trials, and curiosities as varied as their grandchildren. This podcast explores (and sometimes pokes fun at) the joys and challenges of aging.

TED TALK

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE UNHOUSED

The Issue of Homelessness

A RECENT STUDY showed that over 553,000 Americans experience homelessness on any given night. Over the past two years, COVID-19 has only worsened the problem. The Issue of Homelessness is TED Talk’s stab at addressing the issue from a high level. The four videos included in this library are short and impactful, particularly writer Becky Blanton’s talk on how depression was a slippery slope into homelessness.

What makes TED Talks time well spent is that the presenters never pander—they bring you into a lived experience. And when that experience is homelessness, it is our obligation to watch. Learn more at: Ted.com/Playlists/564/The_Issue_Of_Homelessness.

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ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUBJECT UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED (7); LOWER LEFT: CAROL THACKER/ISTOCK

AUDIOBOOK

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUBJECT UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED (7); LOWER LEFT: CAROL THACKER/ISTOCK

DOCUMENTARY

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE ADDICTED

FILM

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE MENTALLY ILL

Heroin (e)

DIRECTOR ELAINE MCMILLION Sheldon packs quite a punch in this documentary short. On the surface, it’s about the opioid epidemic in a working-class West Virginia town.

But we quickly learn its true focus is three women on the front lines of it: Jan Rader, a fire chief; Patricia Keller, a judge; and Necia Freeman, an urban missionary. All three women are pitted against a powerful foe: According to a 2022 report by the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 15.8 percent of the US population qualifies as having an opioid use disorder.

Heroin(e) pays homage to these women fighting the epidemic but wisely shares the spotlight with those in the throes of addiction or new to recovery. And it shows how compassion and love can help an addict at any stage.

STREAMING

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE IMPRISONED

When They See Us

Girl, Interrupted

LONG CONSIDERED by critics (and film elitists) as a lesser One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1999’s Girl, Interrupted, based on a true story, is a standout examination of mental illness on its own. Winona Ryder is career-defining as Susanna Kaysen, a young writer who buckles under the weight of mental illness and admits herself into a psychiatric facility in 1967 Massachusetts. There she is helped—and in some cases hindered—by the other patients in the facility.

Mental illness is a risky theme to explore in film. Even with the best material, it can promote scenery-chewing. But the story behind Girl, Interrupted unfolds slowly, quietly. And Ryder lends humanity to her portrayal of a brilliant young woman trying to outrun her demons.

ON THE EVENING of April 19, 1989, a White female jogger was raped and left for dead in Central Park. After a hasty investigation and trial, five young men of color would serve time for the crime.

But there was one issue no one in authority seemed to care about: The Central Park Five (as they came to be known) were wholly innocent.

Writer/director Ava DuVernay— one of the best filmmakers of her generation—weaves together an intricate story of injustice, systemic racism, and healing while giving a voice to the imprisoned.

The United States leads the world in wrongful convictions annually. Thanks to organizations like the Innocence Project, over 2,400 people have been exonerated in this country since 1989. When They See Us, a miniseries of startling honesty and power, tells but a few of these stories.

MUSIC

SPOTLIGHT ON: THE HUMAN CONDITION

“SO FAR AWAY. Doesn’t anybody stay in one place anymore?” Carole King croons on her seminal album Tapestry. Who can’t relate to the painful distance—regardless of the circumstance—between you and a loved one?

Who hasn’t experienced sadness that lingers longer than it probably should?

King’s 1971 masterpiece still resonates today because she wrote the songs squarely within the confines of the human condition.

Tapestry spent 313 weeks (roughly six years) on the Billboard charts largely because it’s so perfectly relatable, so expertly rendered. And it’s worth a revisit.

Tapestry

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 43

CULTURE

FILMS by Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

THE BAD GUYS

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with the new program—until a master manipulator and a gorgeous thief are unexpectedly revealed. Changing from bad to good is not as black-and-white as Professor Marmalade tells them.

The Bad Guys is directed by Pierre Perifel and based on the books by Aaron Blabey. The animation is gorgeous. Etan Cohen wrote the script, but the “additional screenplay material,” provided by Yoni Brenner and Hilary Winston, bog down the flow with unnecessary plot twists. The strength of the film, however, is how it uses negative stereotypes to build a positive story, showing that change is possible and that we don’t have to accept the cards we are dealt in life. We can risk change by doing good and believing that everyone deserves a second chance. The film is in theaters now.

A-2, PG • Cartoon peril.

SISTER ROSE’S FAVORITE SUMMER MOVIES THE WAY WAY BACK (2013) E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) JAWS (1975) DO THE RIGHT THING (1989) INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996)

THE BAD GUYS: DREAMWORKS

WOLF (VOICE OF SAM ROCKWELL) is the debonair leader of an animal crime family. Other members include Snake (voice of Marc Maron), his sarcastic lieutenant who cracks open safes without the benefit of hands; Piranha (voice of Anthony Ramos), the young “muscle” of the gang; the sensitive Shark (voice of Craig Robinson), a master of disguise; and Tarantula or “Webs” (voice of Awkwafina), the sharp-witted computer genius and the only female in the gang. They love saying, “We might be bad, but we’re good at it!”

This enjoyable animated film starts with the crew stealing the Good Samaritan Award that will be presented to Professor Marmalade (voice of Richard Ayoade), a pompous guinea pig, by Governor Diane Foxington (voice of Zazie Beetz).

When they are caught, Foxington tells them they are “a crew in decline” who steals because they are angry, steeped in self-loathing, and trapped in their own stereotypes. They know people are afraid of them, and since that will never change, why should they try now?

Professor Marmalade, however, believes everyone can change and urges Foxington to let the crooks prove it instead of going to jail.

Against all odds, Professor Marmalade’s words have a positive effect on them. He gives each one an opportunity to do good. They resist but still manage to get

BOTTOM: COURTESY SISTER ROSE PACATTE, FSP/MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS; THE BOYS IN RED HATS: DESKPOP ENTERTAINMENT; THE TALE OF KING CRAB/OSCILLOSCOPE

THE BAD GUYS: DREAMWORKS

THE BOYS IN RED HATS

MANY WILL REMEMBER the 2019 Right to Life March in Washington, DC, thanks to the confrontation between students from Covington Catholic High School in Kentucky and Nathan Phillips, a Native American activist. Phillips played a ceremonial drum as he stepped in between the students and members of the Black Hebrew Israelites. They ended up in a face-to-face encounter with Covington Catholic student Nicholas Sandmann, who seemed to be smirking at Phillips. The video went viral because the news media interpreted the encounter as hostile and racist. The media left out details of the event as well as the broader context provided by additional video footage.

In The Boys in Red Hats—a title that refers to the red MAGA (“Make America Great Again”) hats many of the Covington Catholic students wore that day—filmmaker Jonathan Schroder, himself a Covington Catholic alumnus, takes a deep dive into the events of January 18, 2019, and explores what happened and the culture of the school that gave rise to the standoff. He says there is more to the images captured that day than what we saw on television and online. Schroder demonstrates that it behooves us all to take a second look inside the White privilege bubble of Covington Catholic, a culture consisting of the diocese, parents, and teachers (one who got away with hitting students for years).

You may not be comfortable when watching The Boys in Red Hats, but the film may convince you to question the news media and to “empathize with people who are not walking in your shoes or do not have what you have.” The film is available for streaming on Vudu.

Not yet rated • Racism, conflict.

THE TALE OF KING CRAB

IN THE 1800S, when princes still ruled in Italy, Luciano (Gabriele Silli), the son of a doctor in a rural town, searches for meaning in life.

We know this because the legend is being retold in a modern-day tavern along the Italian seacoast. The old-timers share bits and pieces of the story of Luciano, knowing that, with each telling, details change so much that no one knows what’s true anymore.

Luciano falls in love with Emma (Maria Alexandra Lungu), but their union is ill-fated. The prince’s men trick Emma into following them into the castle. Luciano, angry at the prince’s interference in the lives of the people, sets the castle on fire. He escapes to Argentina and emerges as Father Antonio, a Salesian priest in search of gold.

Written and directed by Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis, this beautifully filmed arthouse story meanders its way across the screen and invites us to think about life’s meaning and what is important. It also shows us that violence solves nothing. The Tale of King Crab, in limited theatrical release, is in Italian with English subtitles.

Not yet rated • Violence.

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.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 45

POINTS OF VIEW AT HOME ON EARTH by Kyle Kramer

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

—Henry David Thoreau

INTENTION AND ATTENTION

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seems increasingly scattered by manifold mechanisms that commandeer and monetize our attention. How can we swim against that current and craft lives—and a whole culture—in which our attention is firmly and wisely guided by our intention, rather than being jerked around by the latest meme or catastrophe? I’m convinced that if we could do so, we’d live in a way that is more meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling. We would also contribute to a healthier society that can truly tackle the pressing global challenges we face.

TIME TO INCREASE AWARENESS As with most things I write about, this is also quite personal for me. In my midlife, I’m becoming increasingly aware of the limitations of my time, skill, and energy, and I’m feeling a strong calling to move from busyness and breadth to focus and depth. I don’t want to keep allowing myself to be pulled in so many directions, trying to be all things to all people, juggling too many tasks at once.

It’s not sustainable or enjoyable, and it’s also the epitome of hypocrisy, since I run an interfaith spirituality center that teaches various forms of meditation and contemplative practice.

Shouldn’t I know better? Perhaps, most importantly, with our twins heading off to college in a few months and our youngest not too many years behind, I realize that I need to make the most of the little remaining time I have with them still at home. I can’t afford to be distracted, or I will miss what’s most important.

AMENIC 181/ISTOCK

THERE’S A PARADOX about human beings that continues to fascinate me. On the one hand, both in our individual lives and in our collective life as a society, we seem to be endlessly distractible. Our attention is fleeting and, so often, we give it to whatever is bright and shiny rather than what is needful or meaningful. On the individual level, that could look like mindlessly checking email, news, or social media feeds to the neglect of our relationships, our work, and even self-care. On the societal scale, we often dither and squabble among ourselves in the face of urgent and existential global challenges like the coronavirus pandemic or climate change.

On the other hand, we can also focus our attention like a laser and act with deep intention and purpose.

Consider how a cancer diagnosis can, in an instant, rearrange our priorities. Witness how the Ukrainian people galvanized themselves against the Russian invasion and how so much of the world has responded with coordinated efforts to help the Ukrainians and to thwart President Putin’s aggressions. Or think about how the scientists who developed the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines just put their heads down and did their work, rather than getting distracted by the rancorous political food fights around COVID-19 restrictions. When we need to, we can really pay attention and do important and necessary things, individually and together.

Unfortunately, it seems to take some sort of personal or global disaster to get us to think and act with focus and deliberateness, especially in a clickbait world that

GOING DEEPER

BOTTOM: COURTESY OF KYLE KRAMER; RIGHT: MUNDUS IMAGES/ISTOCK

AMENIC 181/ISTOCK

We need to ask ourselves what is most important, knowing that if it’s going to mean anything, it will have to be a short list, probably including our relationships, our spiritual growth, doing good work (whether paid or unpaid), and our physical and psychological health. If we listen, the Holy Spirit will reveal our necessary priorities.

Then we can be intentional about incarnating them in our lives, just as Thoreau’s desire for focused deliberateness drove him to his life on Walden Pond. We can also see how vital it is to strengthen our attention muscles, so that we’re not constantly distracted from what we really want our lives to be about.

Of course, the primary way to do that is through prayer, especially contemplative prayer in its various forms. In that quiet, we encounter our busy mind and notice how our thoughts and feelings bounce around like pinballs. Sitting in the discomfort of this rather than letting distractions run away with us, we can gently practice bringing our attention back, again and again. That repeated return is the grace of such practice, as the loving stillness of God is always available to welcome back our wandering minds and hearts, time and again, no matter how far they stray.

We also need to bring intentionality to our outer life.

Take things off your plate. Take things off your phone, such as social media apps and notifications. Commit time to your priorities—because without those commitments, your intentions will get lost in the shuffle—and then guard that time with the ferocity of a (gentle) warrior. Offer the precious gift of your undivided attention and presence, whether that’s to the work you’re doing or a person you’re with. Be kind to yourself when you inevitably fail, and then keep trying.

I can offer no guarantee that making these changes on an individual level will magically transform our societal woes. But I don’t think we’ll get to a flourishing world without each of us beginning to live with more intention and attention. For my part, as I’ve begun to live more deeply, I’m finding that, while there’s a discipline to it, the fruits are worth it. Profound joy and satisfaction are possible when the distractions give way to real presence. I feel more stable and more resilient, more focused and impactful, more loving and empathetic. More, as St. Irenaeus wrote so long ago, “fully alive.”

ACTION STEPS LET’S PAY ATTENTION • Take a week or a month and keep track of the amount of time you spend each day with undivided attention, whether that’s while at work or at home. Are you happy with that amount, or might you consider trying to increase it?

• Pay attention to how you feel when you’re in the midst of constant context switching, like incessantly checking email, texts, or social media. Do you feel centered? Do you feel close to God? If not, consider what boundaries you might want to draw around such habits.

Kyle Kramer is the executive director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center (EarthandSpiritCenter.org), which offers interfaith educational programming in meditation, ecology, and social compassion. He is the author of Making Room: Soul-Deep Satisfaction through Simple Living (Franciscan Media).

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 47

POINTS OF VIEW FAITH AND FAMILY by Susan Hines-Brigger

LET’S MEET IN THE MIDDLE

A BATTLE OF WILLS Now, I’m not saying my kids have ever demanded a golden goose or all the other things Veruca wanted, but there certainly have been times when they have been less than willing to meet me and their dad halfway. Those things have ranged from clothes to chores to curfews and many things in between. The results have been tantrums and meltdowns when they were little. And as they got older, they began using their words to express their unwillingness to yield to whatever was standing in the way of them getting what they wanted. The result? Oftentimes yelling or silence, slammed doors, or hurt feelings.

Before you think I am recusing myself from being guilty of digging my heels in on something and being unwilling to give even an inch, I’m most certainly not.

Sometimes there have been good reasons for that, such as their safety. Other times, I’m sorry to say that I think it was more out of the principle that I was the parent and, therefore, right. We probably can all admit to that, can’t we? But what I do know for certain is that the times when both of us refuse to meet somewhere in the middle, we both remain stuck and unhappy. On the flip side, when we each give a little, we usually manage to come up with a solution that works for both of us.

THE BIGGER PICTURE It’s not only parenting that has taught me about the need to compromise, though. My marriage has certainly been an ongoing journey of learning to meet each other halfway. And my job requires a constant practice of give-and-take. The result is often a better solution than if either side had demanded his or her way.

Unfortunately, these days, compromise is something that seems completely foreign to most people. Whether the subject be the Church, politics, COVID-19, education, or any number of other topics, we just can’t seem to find some common ground. We dig in our heels and engage in an endless tug-of-war. I’m right; you’re wrong.

If I compromise, I lose and you win. The result is much like the situation with my kids: yelling or silence, closed minds, hateful words, and hurt feelings.

The only answer, if we want to change things or make progress on anything we care about, is to meet somewhere in the middle. I’m willing—are you? I’ll meet you halfway.

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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TOP: SHAPECHARGE/ISTOCK; BOTTOM: MC KOZUSKO/SAM

IN OUR FAMILY, we have a running joke that if someone wants something and isn’t willing to compromise, we call them Veruca Salt. Veruca, as you may remember, is the girl from the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory who made repeated demands of her father.

When he tried to compromise with her regarding her demands, her response was always, “No, Daddy. I want it now!” End of story. And, in the end, her inability to budge on things did not end well for her.

As a parent, I’m well aware of the art of compromise.

I like to think I have become somewhat good at it, seeing that I’ve been doing it for over 24 years. In fact, I think it’s something that most parents are well versed in.

“FINALLY, BROTHERS, REJOICE. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you” (2 Cor 13:11). Who among us does not desire this?

Whenever I hear these words, it’s as if the Spirit of God is whispering: “This is right. This is good. This is what we are made for.”

Indeed, we are made for this: a community built on mutual affection and care, filled with peace and rejoicing. To be free of quarrels and jealousies, to know you belong without judgment or contempt, to delight in the success of another and they in yours: These are the hallmarks of a godly society.

TURN TO CHRIST When we see the divisions in our world among nations, political parties, Church factions, even within the pews of our parishes and the walls of our homes, we can so easily become dismayed. We long for peace and unity, but how can it come to pass? There seem to be as many answers to that question as there are people to ask it. Some put their trust in political maneuvering, others in economic power or military might, others in technology and medicine.

Yet what I have found is this: While some put their trust in chariots and horses, we trust in the Lord. It is Christ and Christ alone who can heal the deep wounds that divide us. It is Christ alone who can bridge the vast expanse between us. Our job is to be open to his prompting, to go where he leads, to let go of our grievances, and join with those he puts in our lives.

I have seen marriages on the brink of divorce

transformed into beacons of light. Where they once had sides, now they are one. The bridge that united them was Christ. It might seem trite to say couples ought to pray together, but I do say it because it works. Christ works. It is hard to pridefully boast or fight with another when you have invoked Christ to be in your midst.

Christ has the power to humble our spirits, and this is key. We cannot hope to be united or find peace so long as we still hold the weapons of jealousy, wounded pride, or the haughty spirit of indignation. We must let Christ win, and for that, we must accept defeat.

SMOOTHING OUR EDGES I recall an image a mentor offered me years ago. I was a young man in formation living with a dozen other hotheaded youth. He likened us to a bunch of jagged rocks, held in a box and being shaken about. Each rock strikes the others, chipping away the edges, until all are made into smooth stones.

As a Church, we are together in Christ, and he wishes to chip away the edges. This requires the humility to accept that we need to be worked on. It is uncomfortable to admit our wrongs, our hurts, and our shortcomings. Yet it is essential.

To be healed, you must admit you need healing. Go to the physician. To gain wisdom, you must recognize your ignorance. Go to the teacher. To be fed, you must realize that what you are pursuing does not satisfy. Go to the one with bread from heaven. If we truly want peace in our lives, we must lay down our arms in surrender and go to the Prince of Peace. In this we are united and in this we will rejoice.

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) A crease in the cloud on the right is missing. 2) The third hot dog is longer. 3) There is another line on the spatula. 4) The first dial on the grill has changed position. 5) The top of the ketchup bottle is smaller. 6) The table in the back is now all one piece. 7) The second bun is longer. 8) The sun has an extra ray.

TOP: SHAPECHARGE/ISTOCK; BOTTOM: MC KOZUSKO/SAM

THE SOURCE OF PEACE AND UNITY By Clifford Hennings, OFM

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 49

POINTS OF VIEW LET US PRAY by Stephen Copeland

DANCES AND DIAPERS: REFLECTIONS ON PARENTING AND PRAYER

50 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

A NEW PRAYER We named our boy Indy Jude. I was raised near Indianapolis in a small house in the country. I was surrounded by love, by fields, by sisters, cousins, and friends. Indiana has always represented a sense of safety, simplicity, and kindness—an environment I’d like to give to my son here in North Carolina.

There is a quote I love from Hoosier author Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine, where the protagonist is asked to baptize the town’s babies even though he’s not a priest. These are his censored words: “Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth. It’s hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It’s round and wet and crowded. At the outside, babies, you’ve got a hundred years here. There’s only one rule that I know of, babies, you’ve got to be kind.”

I feel the weight of Indy’s head in the palm of my right hand. There are so many things I do not know about developing this formative mind, but I know this: I can raise him to be kind. It is enough to calm my fears.

We gave him the middle name Jude mostly because we liked the sound. But why not do some meaningmaking? St. Jude is the patron saint of lost causes. It has been a hard year, the hardest yet. I already feel little Indy Jude recovering my wonder, my hope. (Or is that the Zoloft?)

DAMIRCUDIC/ISTOCK

I HOLD MY NEWBORN SON; he holds my gaze. As I carry him in my arms, he carries my heart to a new place. I notice every shift of his eyes, every wince, every movement, and all the thoughts he has not yet learned to express. I feel every ounce of energy jolting through his body. Then I feel the energy slowly dissipate, trickling out into the nothingness, as I bob him up and down, swaying in the living room to Fleetwood Mac. His body relaxes as he closes his eyes.

As we dance, I’m reminded of Thomas Merton’s communion with the birds outside his hermitage: “Sermon to the birds: ‘Esteemed friends, birds of noble lineage, I have no message to you except this: be what you are: be birds. Thus, you will be your own sermon to yourselves!’

Reply: ‘Even this is one sermon too many!’”

How was I ever on the fence about wanting children?

Thank God for my wife, who always knew she wanted to be a mother. My children are my books, I always thought to myself. But now my words are uncontained, spun out in every which way, like threads pulled from a blanket. It is the very beginning, I suppose, of my writing decline.

My only other comparison to this wordlessness, this mysticism, is grief. I once wrote a parable about a mystic who spent each day writing about God, then casting her pages into a bonfire each night. I think I understand that parable more now.

Merton quote from his beautiful essay “Rain and the Rhinoceros,” where, in the spirit of Henry David Thoreau, he meditates upon the sound of rain at his hermitage: “Nobody started it, nobody is going to stop it.

It will talk as long as it wants, this rain. As long as it talks, I am going to listen.”

Until Indy gets hungry again, I’m going to dance.

I’m suddenly startled by a loud noise. Energy shoots up my back and stiffens my arm. Indy has blown a hole in his pants. He is awake now, flustered, though he was the one who fired the cannon.

I think of Brother Lawrence’s prayer to the “Lord of the pots and pans,” this Lord of dances and diapers. A new prayer in a new moment has begun.

Daily online prayer resource CHECK OUT PAUSE+PRAY! FranciscanMedia.org/PausePray

ACTION STEPS • Often, we enter prayer with an agenda, carrying to God our fears and anxieties. This is a good way to pray, but sometimes we miss moments of connection throughout the day that can become prayers themselves. How might we open ourselves up to experiencing these moments, even when words fall short?

• It’s also easy to romanticize prayer. How might these moments of connection reveal themselves to us in everyday tasks and the things that we are often simply trying to “get through”? How might we allow all our random thoughts and feelings to exist in prayer?

PRAYER GOD OF ALL THINGS God of “the pots and pans” and dances and diapers, teach us to savor moments of connection COURTESY BELLA BABY PHOTOGRAPHY, BELLABABYPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

DAMIRCUDIC/ISTOCK

I carry Indy over to the turntable. It’s time to flip Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours record, which I do, already a pro at one-armed tasks. I was always afraid to hold babies. I was even afraid to talk to babies—those strange little aliens—unsure of what to say. I don’t feel any of that these days. I was born to be a dad.

Indy shifts his head, squeaks, then settles back into the dance. I think of his two grandmothers in heaven. I think of how happy they would be. I return to studying his face, to reading this book that I will never finish. His cheeks and forehead have mostly recovered from the bruises and scratches he suffered from the C-section two weeks before. How could I have made someone so beautiful? I look at my wife on the couch and understand.

I have work to do. I have deadlines to meet. There is no paternity leave for a freelancer. But my to-do list has little hold over me during this dance, this magic, this thin space, this prayer. I am reminded of another

which reveal themselves to us through beauty, wonder, humor, or everyday tasks in the lives you have gifted to each of us.

StAnthonyMessenger.org / June/July 2022 • 51

REFLECTION

He was the helper, stretching forth a hand of mercy to those who had nothing, and showing compassion to the afflicted.

StAnthonyMessenger.org

52 • June/July 2022 / StAnthonyMessenger.org

PHOTO CREDIT HERE CASARSA GURU/ISTOCK

—Thomas of Celano, The First Life of St. Francis

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 unique 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.

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.