St. Anthony Messenger April 2018

Sharing the spirit of St. Francis with the world V O L . 1 2 5 / N O . 1 1 • APRIL 2018

IN THIS ISSUE:

Movie reviews from Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP PAGES 52–53

REPAIRING CHRISTIANITY’S

MOST SACRED SHRINE

RICHARD ROHR, OFM, ON REBUILDING OUR FAITH APRIL 2018 • $4.99 StAnthonyMessenger.org

JESUS CHRIST, FINANCIAL COUNSELOR SERVING THE POOR ON FRANCISCAN GROUND

BE TRANSFORMED AS CHRIST’S DISCIPLES ♦ INTO HIS LIKENESS

Be Transformed as a Disciple of Christ

Edward Sri ighly regarded writer and teacher Ed Sri provides a readable but in-depth exploration of how to live as a disciple and experience the transformation Jesus wants to work in our lives. We desire to live more like Christ, but we often fall short. This book helps us follow those initial promptings of the Holy Spirit, so that we may more intentionally encounter Jesus anew each day and be more disposed to his grace changing us ever more into his likeness.

H

IHLP . . . Sewn Softcover, $16.95

“A masterful work, embodying the fruit of decades of study and life as a disciple of Christ. A roadmap to aid the disciple of Jesus through our lifelong transformation in Christ. Theologically rich and eminently practical.”

— Curtis A. Martin, Founder of FOCUS

♦ MARY IN THE BIBLE AND IN OUR LIVES

Fr. Wilfrid Stinissen renowned spiritual writer offers a clear, beautiful exposition of Catholic beliefs about Mary. Fr. Stinissen shows that Mariology corrects any attempt to minimize the good news that God became man so that man could become like God, emphasizing the astonishing truth that God has initiated an intimate communion with mankind. In a world that strives to reduce our human dignity, Mary reveals the very high value of man in God’s eyes and God’s wondrous love for each one of us.

A

MBOLP . . . Sewn Softcover, $15.95

“This wonderful book by the esteemed Carmelite spiritual master offers insightful doctrinal clarity and a stimulus to a renewed love for Our Lady. A work of great value, a unique contribution to spirituality.”

— Fr. Donald Haggerty, Author, The Contemplative Hunger

♦ MERCY AND HOPE

Mike Pacer e all need hope in our world. Flowing forth from the Heart of Jesus is a torrent of mercy that is the source of this much-needed hope. Pacer helps readers to discover how in God’s mercy we find a reason for joy here on earth and expectation for eternal joy in Heaven.

Hope is not merely a feeling, but also an action through which our lives are transformed. This book provides wonderful, practical ways that we can live more joyful lives through being merciful to others and receiving mercy ourselves.

W

MHOP . . . Sewn Softcover, $14.95

“Pacer offers a loving, heartfelt account of the hope he’s found in Divine Mercy. Through his personal reflections on Scripture, St. Faustina’s writings, and the theological virtues, he offers fresh insights into the hope-filled mystery of God’s merciful love.”

— Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, Author, 33 Days to Morning Glory

www.ignatius.com P.O. Box 1339, Ft. Collins, CO 80522

(800) 651-1531

VOL. 125 NO. 11

APRIL

2018

38 Repairing Christianity’s Most Sacred Shrine

COVER STORY

By Greg Friedman, OFM

The place of Jesus’ burial was in danger until a historic renovation rolled back years of damage and unearthed long-lost frescoes and inscriptions in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

18 Rebuilding Our Faith PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF CUSTODY OF THE HOLY LAND (2)

By Richard Rohr, OFM

Sometimes the key to growing our faith is a return to the basics.

22 Jesus Christ: Financial Counselor

By Mark P. Shea

Jesus shows us how to manage money without losing our souls.

26 On Franciscan Ground

Text by Daniel Imwalle | Photography by Kate Messer

Firmly rooted in the Franciscan spirit of compassion,

COVER and ABOVE: A liturgical procession circles the restored Edicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

this center is a collective of seven nonprofits committed to nourishing the minds, bodies, and souls of those on society’s margins.

34 From Tiny Acorns

By Kenneth Davis, OFM Conv

The loss of a live oak leads to a new conception of the seven lively virtues.

46 7 Pathways to Awe

By Patricia M. Robertson

Experiencing these goose-bumps moments can bring us closer to others and God, our source of wonder.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 1

Dr. Ray brings no-nonsense advice to a new generation.

30% OFF with discount code samGRa samGRaND order today at

shop.FranciscanMedia.org

VOL. 125 NO. 11

ST. FRANCIS URGED PEOPLE: “Let us love our neighbors as ourselves. And if anyone does not want to love them as himself, let him at least not do them any harm, but let him do good.”

SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS 14 Ask a Franciscan

6

Your Voice

Letters from Readers

16 Franciscan World

12 Editorial

16 St. Anthony Stories

32 At Home on Earth

17 Followers of St. Francis

58 Faith & Family

Third Order Regular Sisters and Brothers

An Earth Day Challenge

A Saintly GPS

Priceless and Precious

Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv

52 Reel Time

Paul, Apostle of Christ

54 Channel Surfing

Building off the Grid

32

16 POINTS OF VIEW

Defending My Good Name

MEDIA MATTERS

2018 APRIL

Time to Step Up Our Game

52 55 Audio File

Charlotte Gainsbourg: Rest

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 5 8

Dear Reader

Church in the News

55 Pete & Repeat

59

59 In the Kitchen 60 Reflection

56 Bookshelf

From Star Wars to Superman

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 3

THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE SAINTS

Saint Day

NOW AVAILABLE FOR AMAZON ALEXA! Go to www.FranciscanMedia.org/Alexa to learn how to add Saint of the Day to your Alexa-enabled device.

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

of the

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

EDITOR AT LARGE

John Feister

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Sharon Lape

dear reader “Let us begin again.”

–St. Francis of Assisi

T

hose words have been the drumbeat of our work since last summer, when plans for St. Anthony Messenger’s redesign began. We are now four issues in and, despite a few hiccups, the editors are thrilled with the results.

There is still one more change worth noting, though. Susan Hines-Brigger and I will be at the editorial helm of the magazine. John Feister, editor at large, so instrumental in its redesign, will continue to contribute his fine writing as we move forward. Susan and I have worked together at St. Anthony Messenger for almost two decades, but we’ve known each other since childhood. She and I are thrilled to rise to this new challenge—and we’re taking you, our readers, with us.

One thing that hasn’t changed is our mission to share the spirit of St. Francis with the world. We are so tethered to that principle, in fact, that it is published on the cover of each issue. For April, you’ll find three articles written by noted Franciscans: Greg Friedman, OFM, Richard Rohr, OFM, and Kenneth Davis, OFM Conv, a trio of unique and dynamic voices who share a single goal: to spread the mission of St. Francis far and wide.

We hope this issue feeds your spirit. That is, after all, the hallmark of our work.

Thank you for your loyalty and support. Onward!

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ADVERTISING

Graham Galloway

Susan Hines-Brigger, Executive Editor

Christopher Heffron, Executive Editor

PRINTING

ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER (ISSN #0036276X) (U.S.P.S. PUBLICATION #007956 CANADA PUBLICATION #PM40036350) Volume 125, Number 11, is published monthly for $39.00 a year by the Franciscan Friars of St. John the Baptist Province, 28 W. Liberty Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-6498. Phone 513-241-5615. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional entry offices.

U.S. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: St. Anthony Messenger, P.O. Box 189, Congers, NY 10920-0189.

CANADA RETURN ADDRESS: c/o AIM, 7289 Torbram Rd., Mississauga, ON, Canada L4T 1G8.

To subscribe, write to the above address or call 866-543-6870. Yearly subscription price: $39.00 in the United States; $69.00 in Canada and other countries. Single copy price: $4.99. For change of address, four weeks’ notice is necessary. See FranciscanMedia.org/subscriptionservices for information on your digital edition.

Writer’s guidelines can be found at FranciscanMedia.org/ writers-guide. The publishers are not responsible for manuscripts or photos lost or damaged in transit. Names in fiction do not refer to living or dead persons.

Member of the Catholic Press Association Published with ecclesiastical approval

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

Copyright ©2018. All rights reserved.

FranciscanMedia.org

SHERRY WEDDELL

Kingery Printing Co. Effingham, IL

FATHER GREG FRIEDMAN, OFM writer

Repairing Christianity’s Most Sacred Shrine

KATE MESSER

MARK P. SHEA

On Franciscan Ground

Jesus Christ: Financial Counselor

photographer PAGE 26

writer

PAGE 22

PAGE 38

Father Greg promotes the mission of the Holy Land Franciscans at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, DC. He is editor of The Holy Land Review and accompanies pilgrims in the Holy Land and Franciscan places in Italy.

He was formerly an assistant editor of this magazine.

Freelance photographer Kate Messer says, “Photography is a perfect blend of my love for people, art, and all things beautiful.” For well over a decade, she has been specializing in photojournalism, portfolio, and portraits.

Mark P. Shea lives in Seattle with his wife, Janet, and is the author of numerous books, including Salt and Light: The Commandments, the Beatitudes, and a Joyful Life and The Work of Mercy: Being the Hands and Heart of Christ.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 5

POINTSOFVIEW | YOUR VOICE Welcome Back, Fiction and Poetry!

I enjoy the new format of St. Anthony Messenger magazine but worried when the first few issues came out, as it seemed the sections containing fiction and poetry were no longer included.

I’m happy to see both poetry and fiction in the February issue. The pieces were great! I personally blended right into the fiction story (“The Nuns at Starbucks,” by Terry Sanville). Thanks to everyone for the enjoyable reads!

Mary Hoeft Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Time to Face Reality

Looking for spiritual inspiration?

https://vimeo.com/ franciscanmedia inspirational videos for your spiritual journey

6 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

I’m writing in regard to the news story “Thousands Attend Annual March for Life” in Susan Hines-Brigger’s “Church in the News” column from the March issue. Since the Roe v. Wade decision, over 60 million babies have been aborted. Orphanages, foster care, juvenile detention centers, and boys’ and girls’ homes are bursting at the seams with unwanted, abused, and discarded children—with millions more without any accommodations. If the repeal of Roe v. Wade happens, it will bring tens of millions of additional unwanted babies into the world—then what?

Right or wrong, the results of the Roe vs Wade decision by Catholic Supreme Court justices eliminated the need for women to have coat-hanger abortions in back rooms and alleys by quacks. When and if Roe v. Wade is repealed, women will not miraculously start loving and accepting responsibility for children they don’t want. Men will not begin accepting responsibility for their unwanted creations and neither will they magically become celibate. Nor will our churches become orphanages and adoption centers for the millions of unwanted babies the repeal will generate. So, after coathanger abortions and dumpster babies rematerialize—then what?

The moral decay that produces the need for abortions rests at the feet of

the Catholic Church; no amount of marching will change that fact nor wash the blood of these fetuses from our hands. We need to stop the theatricals and start facing our reality.

Travis L. Middleton Peach County, Georgia

Outdated Term I am a religious brother, professed in the Third Order Regular (TOR) of St. Francis for the past 58 years. The January issue of St. Anthony Messenger had an interesting article in “Friars of the Future,” by John Feister. However, I was dismayed to find on page 32 the phrase aspiring lay brother.

Use of the term lay brother in an article titled “Friars of the Future” is contrary to the description of the vocation to the religious brotherhood and indeed to the title of the article itself.

The term lay brother is pre-Vatican II. It is no longer used or acceptable. The accurate and proper description should have read, “Friar John is an aspiring religious brother. . . .” Our numbers are small but our dedication and deeds have been great!

Brother John Paul McMahon, TOR Steubenville, Ohio

The Oneness of Creation It’s been quite a while since last I wrote in, but when I saw the pop on the chin you received in the January “Your Voice” column, I just had to write to tell you that Christopher Heffron’s editorial “Inconvenient Truths” (August 2017) is a fine-flying essay whose every feather is a fact.

The present administration actually promotes policies of pollution, and what’s happening in the EPA is immoral. Dumping mine waste into freshwater streams and rivers, fracking, unreliable and dangerous pipelines, invasion of national parks for strip mining and oil exploration, absolutely insane removals of regulations that safeguard the environment—all of these and more deeply harm “the

delicate interconnectedness of our planet and those who share its riches” (as Mr. Heffron writes in the editorial).

Thank you for publishing such a fine editorial, and thank you for producing a magazine that’s fair-minded enough to allow the opposition a voice, even if that opposition misrepresents the facts. In this case, Mr. Heffron’s editorial provided scientific facts and cited “Laudato Si’,” Pope Francis’ encylical on the environment.

Jim Littwin Chicago, Illinois

Trump a ‘Good Man’?

In regard to Bill Kane’s letter, “False Witness,” which appeared in the January 2018 issue, I can only politely say that calling Donald Trump a “good man” must have been meant in the spirit of Christian charity. Referring to him in this way overlooks a myriad of faults and his constant messages of hatred and bigotry, which are not in any way in the spirit of St. Francis. Our brother Francis kissed lepers; he didn’t treat them as undeserving of compassion or love.

I found the inadvertent endorsement to be very much out of place in a publication that promotes Christian values. Mr. Trump’s description of the sacred host as a “cracker” should have been enough to eliminate even overt references to him.

Gerald Gagnon Lake Zurich, Illinois

Where Were the Catholic Critics of Obama?

I totally agree with the letters from both Bob Miller and Bill Kane in the January “Your Voice” column. Many Catholic magazines never spoke against Obama regarding his pro-abortion stance and the contraception mandate, among other liberal causes, yet seem so quick to overtly criticize our current president. I would bet that over half of your readers agree with me and your leftist political takes run the risk of offending them.

Claudia Zimmerer Lindsay, Texas

Greener Recipes Needed I am learning to enjoy your new format. As always, I enjoy your articles. I would like to request that your recipes have a gentler focus.

I refer, of course, to recipes that are at least vegetarian, but preferably vegan.

Studies have shown that living on a plantbased diet is kinder to the body, as well as Mother Earth. And the added bonus is that there is no need to alter recipes for Lent!

Sharon Peariso Louisville, Kentucky

Keeping in Spiritual Shape As a longtime subscriber who looked forward to each issue, I am delighted by your updated look. As always, the topics are pertinent and help me stretch my faith. Thanks for all your work to keep me pondering.

Norbert Curran Palmyra, Pennsylvania

One Saint, Two Feast Days Recently, I heard someone complain that St. Joseph was given two feast days. One feast is on March 19, and the other is on May 1—for St. Joseph the Worker. God himself asked Joseph to guard Jesus and the Virgin Mary.

Without hesitation, Joseph accepted the task and saved their lives when threatened by King Herod.

When it was safe, he brought his family home to Nazareth, where he supported them with his work as a carpenter—a great example of a dedicated worker from whom we should learn. Also, to whom do we pray for a happy death? St. Joseph! Joseph has many virtues for us to imitate. He deserves his holy days.

Aurora Pelleschi Brooklyn, Ohio

CORRECTION: The “Ask a Franciscan” column in our December issue mistakenly asserted that the term living will is not used much now, having been replaced by “advance medical directives and medical power of attorney.” A living will is a type of advance medical directive used to enable a patient to specify which procedures to use and under what conditions. A medical power of attorney is needed if a person is unable to convey that information.

DISCLAIMER: Letters that are published do not necessarily represent the views of the Franciscan friars or the editors.

We do not publish libel. Please include your name and postal address. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.

CONTACT INFO We want to hear from you!

QUESTIONS: To better serve you, please have your address label and/or invoice available before calling.

MAIL LETTERS: St. Anthony Messenger: Letters 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498 E-MAIL LETTERS: MagazineEditors@ FranciscanMedia.org WEBSITES: StAnthonyMessenger.org StAnthonyMessenger.org/ subscribe PHONE NUMBERS: (866) 543-6870 (toll-free) (845) 267-3051 (Canada toll-free) (513) 241-5615 ext.141 (Advertising) FAX NUMBER: (845) 267-3478 (subscriptions) FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/ StAnthonyMessengerMagazine TWITTER: Twitter.com/StAnthonyMag SUBSCRIPTION PRICES: $39 (US) • $69 (other countries) For digital and bulk rates, visit our website.

MAILING LIST RENTAL: If you prefer that your name and address not be shared with select organizations, send your current mailing label to: SUBSCRIPTION HOUSE: St. Anthony Messenger PO Box 189 Congers, NY 10920-0189

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 7

church IN THE NEWS

people | events | trends

By Susan Hines-Br ig ger

Parishioners of Mary Help of Christians Church in Parkland, Florida, pray for the victims February 16.

I

egram to Archbishop Wenski, assuring “all those affected by this devastating attack of his spiritual closeness. With the hope that such senseless acts of violence may cease,” he invoked “divine blessings of peace and strength.”

The night after the shooting, thousands of mourners gathered for a candlelight vigil near the high school while others attended a prayer service at Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church in Parkland.

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, who was archbishop of Denver at the time of the shooting at Columbine High School, released a statement the day after the shooting: “We need to pray for the victims and their families because—as I witnessed firsthand at Columbine—their suffering is intense and long-lasting,” he said. “And we need to be angry—angry at our lawmakers for doing so little to prevent these catastrophes.”

n the wake of the deadly school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, a parish fewer than two miles away from the school decided to honor those killed and injured in the attack by celebrating the Stations of the Cross on Fridays “in memory and in solidarity with those who died and all their families, and those at school who experienced this violence on Wednesday,” according to Polish-born Father Ireneusz Ekiert, who became administrator of Mary Help of Christians Parish in December.

On February 14, 17 people were killed and a number of others injured when Nikolas Cruz went on a shooting rampage at the school, shortly before the end of the school day. A parish member, 14-year-old freshman Gina Montalto, was one of the victims.

Montalto had attended Mary Help of Christians Elementary School.

8 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

“By participating in the suffering and pain of Christ, we are able to better understand our suffering and the sense that we are not alone in our suffering, that God understands our suffering, and that God is there with us in our suffering,” the priest said.

Miami Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, as well as Pope Francis, issued statements expressing prayers and anger over the shooting.

“We all are understandably outraged when innocent children are made victims of senseless violence,” said the archbishop. “This Ash Wednesday, we begin our Lenten season that calls us to penance and conversion. With God’s help, we can remain strong and resolute to resist evil in all its manifestations. May God heal the brokenhearted and comfort the sorrowing as we once again face as a nation another act of senseless violence and horrifying evil.”

Pope Francis sent a late-night tel-

CNS PHOTOS, TOP: PAUL HARING; BOTTOM: TOM DERMODY/ THE CATHOLIC POST

A candlelight prayer vigil was held February 15 for the victims of a mass shooting the previous day at nearby Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The shooting left 17 people dead.

CNS PHOTOS, LEFT: CARLOS GARCIA RAWLINS, REUTERS; RIGHT: TOM TRACY

POPE, PARISHES RESPOND TO PARKLAND SHOOTING

VATICAN DENIES REPORT ABOUT POPE BENEDICT’S HEALTH

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will turn 91 on April 16.

CNS PHOTOS, TOP: PAUL HARING; BOTTOM: TOM DERMODY/ THE CATHOLIC POST

CNS PHOTOS, LEFT: CARLOS GARCIA RAWLINS, REUTERS; RIGHT: TOM TRACY

T

he Vatican has issued a statement countering reports that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has a degenerative neurological disease or paralyzing condition, reported Catholic News Service (CNS). It came following an interview published February 13 in the German entertainment magazine, Neue Post, in which Pope Benedict’s 94-yearold brother, Msgr. Georg Ratzinger, said the former pope has a nerve disease that is slowly paralyzing him.

“The greatest concern is that the paralysis could eventually reach his heart and then everything could end quickly,” Msgr. Ratzinger was quoted as saying. “I pray every day to ask God for the grace of a good death, at a good moment, for my brother and me. We both have this great wish,” he added.

The Holy See press office issued a statement in response to the interview, saying that “the alleged news reports of a paralyzing or degenerative illness are false. In two months, Benedict XVI will turn 91 years old and, as he himself recently said, he feels the weight of years, which is normal at this age.”

In early February, Pope Benedict sent a letter to an Italian newspaper saying that “with the slow diminishing of my physical strength, inwardly I am on a pilgrimage toward Home.

“It is a great grace in this last, sometimes tiring stage of my journey to be surrounded by a love and kindness that I never could have imagined,” Pope Benedict wrote.

ARCHBISHOP FULTON SHEEN CASE BACK IN COURT

T

he court case over the relocation of the remains of Bishop Fulton J. Sheen has been sent back to the original court by the New York Supreme Court’s appellate division for an evidentiary hearing, reported CNS. Sheen was originally from Peoria, Illinois, but died in New York, where his remains are currently. Bishop Sheen gained fame in the 1950s with a prime-time television series called Life Is Worth Living.

The Diocese of Peoria says the transfer of the archbishop’s remains is seen as a key factor in the continuing progress of his sainthood cause, officially opened in 2002 by the diocese. The cause was suspended by the diocese in September 2014.

Joan Sheen Cunningham, the archbishop’s niece and closest surviving relative, is in favor of moving his remains back to Peoria.

In late 2016, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arlene Bluth had granted Cunningham’s request, but the Archdiocese of New York appealed the decision.

Arguments in the case were heard last October.

In its 3–2 decision issued February 6, the New York Supreme Court’s appellate division reversed the 2016 decision and called for an evidentiary hearing solely on disputed issues regarding Archbishop Sheen’s own burial wishes.

Msgr. James E. Kruse, vicar general of the Diocese of Peoria, issued a statement saying, “We are confident that the new hearing and ruling will be completed in short time,” and predicted that the court will rule in favor of Cunningham.

The Archdiocese of New York has said that the move is not necessary for Sheen’s cause to continue. “There is no impediment to his cause progressing, as the Vatican has told us there is no requirement that the earthly body of a candidate for sainthood reside in a particular place,” it said.

Evidence of the alleged healing of James Fulton Engstrom—whose mother, Bonnie, is shown above—is boxed and sealed in front of a portrait of Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 9

church IN THE NEWS POPE PAUL VI TO BE CANONIZED

P

O

n February 17, nine new members were appointed

by Pope Francis to the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. Among the new members are abuse survivors or the parents of survivors, reported CNS. The commission was established by Pope Francis in 2014 to address the issue of sexual abuse within the Church. Its purpose, he said at the time, is “to propose to me the most opportune initiatives for protecting minors and vulnerable adults, in order that we may do everything possible to ensure that crimes such as those which have occurred are no longer repeated in the Church.”

Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley of Boston, who was reappointed as president of the commission, said in a statement released by the Vatican that the new members “will add to the commission’s global perspective in the protection of minors and vulnerable adults.”

Also according to the statement: “Discussions have been underway for some months with a view to creating an ‘International Survivor Advisory Panel,’ a new structure shaped by the voices of victims-survivors. The goals for this panel include studying abuse prevention from the survivor’s perspective and being proactive in awareness raising of the need for healing and care for everyone hurt by abuse.”

WANT MORE? Visit our newspage:

FranciscanMedia.org/catholic-news 10 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

PRESIDENT TRUMP ADDRESSES NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST

U

S President Donald Trump told attendees at the 66th National Prayer Breakfast on February 8 that “American heroes reveal God’s calling,” according to CNS. During his 14-minute speech, the president said those who strive to help others as part of their daily routines and in emergencies are signs of God’s grace. He highlighted American servicemen and servicewomen around the world who are “defending our great American flag,” police officers “who sacrifice for their communities,” teachers who “work tirelessly” for their students, and parents who “work two and three jobs to give their children a better, a much more prosperous, and happier life” as signs of inspiration.

“All we have to do is open our eyes and look around us and we can see God’s hand. In the courage of our fellow citizens, we see the power of God’s love at work in our souls and the power of God’s will to answer all of our prayers,” President Trump said.

The National Prayer Breakfast has been held yearly since 1953. Worldwide leaders from over 100 countries attend. It is hosted by members of the United States Congress and is organized on their behalf by The Fellowship Foundation, a Christian organization.

CNS PHOTOS: PAUL HARING (3)

POPE RENEWS MEMBERSHIP OF CHILD PROTECTION COMMISSION

CNS PHOTOS, TOP: FELICI/CATHOLIC PRESS; BOTTOM: JONATHAN ERNST, REUTERS

Pope Paul VI

ope Francis told a group of pastors in Rome in mid-February that Pope Paul VI will be canonized sometime this year, reported CNS. During a question-and-answer session, the pope told attendees, “There are two [recent] bishops of Rome who already are saints,” referring to Sts. John XXIII and John Paul II. “Paul VI will be a saint this year,” he added.

He noted that the sainthood cause of Pope John Paul I is open, and added, “Benedict [XVI] and I are on the waiting list; pray for us.”

In early February, the Congregation for Saints’ Causes voted to recognize as a miracle the healing of an unborn baby and helping the baby’s mother reach full term.

Doctors had told the baby’s mother that she had a high risk of miscarriage. Despite the announcement, Pope Francis has not formally signed the decree recognizing the miracle or held a consistory—a meeting of cardinals—to set the date for the ceremony.

T-SHIRT RAISES MONEY FOR PAPAL CHARITY

O

Bladder Control.

Frequent nighttime trips to the bathroom, embarrassing leaks and the inconvenience of constantly searching for rest rooms in public – for years, I struggled with bladder control problems. After trying expensive medications with horrible side effects, ineffective exercises and uncomfortable liners and pads, I was ready to resign myself to a life of bladder leaks, isolation and depression. But then I tried BetterWOMAN. When I first saw the ad for BetterWOMAN, I was skeptical. So many products claim they can set you free from leaks, frequency and worry, only to deliver disappointment. When I finally tried BetterWOMAN, I found that it actually works! It changed my life. Even my friends have noticed that I’m a new person. And because it’s all natural, I can enjoy the results without the worry of dangerous side effects.

Thanks to BetterWOMAN, I finally fought bladder control problems and I won!

ALL NATURAL

Clinically-Tested Herbal Supplement • Reduces Bladder Leaks • Reduces Bathroom Trips • Sleep Better All Night • Safe and Effective – No Known Side Effects • Costs Less than Traditional Bladder Control Options

• Live Free of Worry, Embarrassment, and Inconvenience You don’t have to let bladder control problems control you. Call now!

Also Available: BetterMAN

®

The 3-in-1 Formula Every Man Needs – Better BLADDER, Better PROSTATE, and Better STAMINA! Order online at www.BetterMANnow.com.

Call Now & Ask How To Get A

FREE BONUS BOTTLE CNS PHOTOS: PAUL HARING (3)

CNS PHOTOS, TOP: FELICI/CATHOLIC PRESS; BOTTOM: JONATHAN ERNST, REUTERS

n February 8, a charitable initiative using an image of Pope Francis as a superhero was kicked off at a Vatican news conference. Autographs of sports stars will be collected on the shirt and it will eventually be auctioned off to raise money for the pope’s charity, according to CNS. The image on the shirt was painted by artist Mauro Pallotta, who paints his removable street art onto paper that he then glues with a water-based adhesive to walls around Rome. He hung the image on a backstreet near the Vatican, but it was removed two days later. Before its removal, the image captured the attention of the media, who shared the image.

At the press conference announcing the project, Pallotta said he was “enormously happy and proud” about the latest initiative and that the message behind his work was finally understood.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from the autographed T-shirt sold at auction will go to Peter’s Pence, a collection that primarily funds the Roman Curia, but earmarks about 10–15 percent of funds to be used by the pope for emergency relief, medical assistance to those in need, and the construction of schools and hospitals in poor areas, said Archbishop Angelo Becciu, a top official in the Vatican Secretariat of State.

Thanks to BetterWOMAN, I’m winning the battle for

Limited Time Offer

1-888-615-6266

CALL TOLL-FREE or order online: www.BetterWOMANnow.com

Front of T-shirt

Back of T-shirt

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Use as directed. Individual results may vary.

BetterMAN and BetterWOMAN are the trademarks of Interceuticals, Inc. ©2017 Interceuticals, Inc.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 11

13 10 ⁄8 103⁄4 10 ⁄16 7

101⁄2

POINTSOFVIEW | EDITORIAL

An Earth Day Challenge

A

coarse expression entered our national conversation this past January, uttered by our president behind closed doors. Outhouse would be the closest euphemism that comes to mind for the word used to refer to Haiti and countries in Africa. Who could blame anyone for the uproar that followed?

Besides being an embarrassing display of vulgarity, though, the denigration of countries in or near the Third World really is doubly hypocritical. We make up pejorative, derogatory names for places we ourselves have degraded for coal, uranium, gas, diamonds, or even a rare metal (tantalum) that makes our cell phones and other digital devices work.

Pope Francis, in his 2015 encyclical, “On Care for Our Common Home” (“Laudato Si’”), takes inspiration from St. Francis to wake us up to a different sense, a sense of responsibility for—and respect of—God’s gift of creation. That would be creation everywhere, including not only places and things, but all life, especially people.

On Earth Day this year, April 22, let us consider that we humans are connected to the earth by God, and that the denigration of this earth is often connected to the exploitation of God’s people. Our disrespect both of earth and of creatures is an affront to our Creator.

TRUTH IS IMPORTANT

We could quote the pope at length on this, as we have in the three years since “Laudato Si’” was written. In a word, though, Pope Francis is calling us to recognize dominion over domination. We must care for our gifts, or the earth and everything that lives on it will suffer. That concept of dominion, of respecting God’s gifts, including our very selves, is a fundamental theme of our faith.

The truth about what is happening is important here; we can’t excuse ourselves from respecting the earth and its people by claiming ignorance or powerlessness. Time and again we see people who act otherwise. They recognize that respect starts in our own local behavior—from energy conservation, to sustainable farming, to nurturing close-to-home, small-scale environmentalism. It is there we learn respect.

We could say, “Environmentalism starts at home.” What we learn at home, then, especially in our great democracy, we take into the public sphere, into our political and economic decisions.

There are many Church-based groups that nurture a variety of environmental projects—for example, the Franciscan sisters’ Michaela Farm in Indiana and other similar projects nationwide—or support sustainable agriculture with farmers markets. These are today’s pioneers, leading us toward a better relationship with everything around us.

MYTH OF POWERLESSNESS

Contrast that approach to our current frenzy, chasing the bottom line. Our open season on natural resources—extracting resources with abandon, mining rare earth minerals for smartphones without caring for the natural landscape, or forcing children to labor in mines in parts of Africa and elsewhere—will bring prices down, sure. Adding environmental protections brings the price up on everything. But if we follow the short-term bottom line, we’ll do ourselves in over the long haul.

There is a myth of powerlessness that keeps us out of the bigger decision-making around our resources and services.

Those decisions affect the quality of our lives at home, the health of our communities, the good of our entire environment. The big players make decisions; we all live with them.

But the big players can only follow the short-term bottom line if we do.

Many smaller companies, and some bigger ones, have sustainability programs that seek ways to do business in environmentally friendly ways. We should buy from them, even if the cost is a bit higher. We have economic muscle in our purses and back pockets, in our computers and smartphones.

Crazy talk, you say? Consider this: When getting groceries, it really would be cheaper for us to steal from the local grocery store or to hijack the Amazon driver. Soon, though, our stores would shutter, and even Amazon would have problems. Society would put us in jail. That doesn’t seem like a very good way to do business! The same is true as we interact with our environment. We must be responsible stewards, or there will be disastrous consequences.

COARSE, BE GONE

Let’s face it: The majority of large-scale environmental abuse (beyond dousing suburban lawns with chemicals) happens in areas of poverty. Those could be in the so-called undesirable parts of our country (poor communities such as Flint, Michigan, the coalfields of Appalachian eastern Kentucky, communities across the country near abandoned manufacturing plants or landfills). Worse, they are in the countries many Americans—President Trump was right—unashamedly refer to with coarse words.

This Earth Day, let us act with respect toward these places and the people who live in them. Alas, in many ways we are back to the starting block here because our progress is dismantled in the current political climate. But acknowledging the integrity of creation, as Franciscans call it, is the foundation that environmentalism is built on. Then it is our God-given duty to act, close to home and beyond.

—John Feister

12 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org 101⁄2 103⁄4 1013⁄16 107⁄8

Genuine Blue Diamonds

Over 12 Genuine Blue Diamonds Set with Genuine Blue Diamonds and a White Diamond

Crafted of Solid Sterling Silver Arrives in a Deluxe Gift Box with a Special Blessing

One of life’s greatest gifts is to have a strong sense of faith and trust in God. Now, you can celebrate your precious beliefs with a special blessing and expression of faith through an heirloom-quality jewelry creation. The “Heaven’s Blessing” Blue Diamond Pendant is a gorgeous symbol of faith that you’re sure to cherish forever.

Expertly hand-crafted in solid sterling silver, this pendant features a stunning custom-designed cross. A sparkling pavé of 12 genuine blue diamonds are set throughout the cross with a genuine white diamond set at the very center of the design. Highly sought for their unique color, the blue diamond is also a symbol of peace and spirituality. An 18” solid sterling silver chain completes the look. The pendant arrives in a deluxe gift box with a card that reads “With God all things are possible”.

A Remarkable Value for an Heirloom-Quality Keepsake This diamond pendant is a remarkable value at $129*, payable in 4 easy installments of just $32.25 and backed by our 120-day guarantee. It arrives in a deluxe gift box, complete with a Certificate of Authenticity and a blessing card. To reserve, send no money now; just mail the Priority Reservation today. But hurry! This offer may only be available for a limited time! *For information on sales tax you may owe to your state, go to bradfordexchange.com/use-tax ©2018 The Bradford Exchange 01-27446-001-BI

www.bradfordexchange.com/27446

LIMITED TIME OFFER

PRIORITY RESERVATION

Signature

Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, firstserved basis. So please respond as soon as possible to reserve your pendant

Shown actual size

SEND NO MONEY NOW Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)

9345 Milwaukee Avenue · Niles, IL 60714-1393 Address

YES.

Please reserve the “Heaven’s Blessing” Blue Diamond Pendant for me as described in this announcement.

City

State

Zip

E-mail (optional)

*Plus $11.98 shipping and service (see bradfordexchange.com). Please allow 4-6 weeks after initial payment for shipment. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.

01-27446-001-E10601

SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS | ASK A FRANCISCAN

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

Defending My Good Name My daughter-in-law has told lies about me, disrespected my husband, and won’t let us speak to our grandchildren. My son totally believes what she says.

I cannot stop crying, and my heart is simply crushed. I realize that God knows the truth and knows what she is doing. I have been praying hard, but the hurt is very great. What can I do to open my son’s eyes without seeming as though I’m simply trying to cause problems?

Pat McCloskey, OFM

Father Pat welcomes your questions!

ONLINE: StAnthonyMessenger.org E-MAIL: Ask@FranciscanMedia.org MAIL: Ask a Franciscan 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

All questions sent by mail need to include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

E

veryone has a right to her or his good name. That is clear, but there are usually several options about trying to do that. There are no guarantees that any option will succeed to the extent that you desire.

Select a falsehood she has told about you, one that your son may have the easiest time recognizing as not true. Bring this to his attention privately, perhaps in a call to his cell phone. If he ends up recognizing that the statement you selected is indeed false, then you are further ahead than before you made that phone call.

Although you might then mention that this is not the only false statement she has made about you, you should probably avoid the temptation to list all the similar statements of which you are aware.

Then ask if he knows what is driving such conduct on the part of your daughter-in-law.

If you are seeking reconciliation, remember that you may need to admit one or two

things you may have done that contribute to the current bad blood between you and your daughter-in-law.

As the older person, you may have to be content with knowing that the damage caused by her statements can never be completely undone. But you also cannot afford to put your life and happiness on hold until you receive an apology from her.

A separate phone call from your husband to your son might also help. May the Lord be your peace and your strength.

WE HAVE A DIGITAL archive of “Ask” Q & As, going back to March 2013.

Just click: • the Ask link and then • the Archive link.

Material is grouped thematically under headings such as forgiveness, Jesus, moral issues, prayer, saints, redemption, sacraments, Scripture—and many more!

What were the customs in Jesus’ day for young Jewish people regarding courtship, engagements, and physical intimacy before marriage? What about any children conceived or born before the wedding? n the United States today, you don’t hear the word betrothal very often. In Jesus’ day, however, this was an ordinary part of the marriage process. The future husband and wife publicly declared their intention to marry at some future date. Many more marriages were arranged by the families of the bride and groom than are arranged in the United States today.

When St. Joseph learned that Mary was pregnant, and he knew that he was not the father of this child, he had three options: 1) denounce her for adultery, 2) write a bill of divorce to dissolve the betrothal and free Mary to wed someone else, or 3) follow through with the wedding.

He chose the third possibility after he learned in a dream the real story about Mary’s pregnancy (Mt 1:18–25). If he had wanted to, he could have accused Mary of adultery, which, according to the law of Moses, was punishable by death for both parties.

Jews considered children conceived during a couple’s betrothal legitimate heirs. Pagan laws would not challenge that if the father recognized the child or children as his own.

That is what St. Joseph did for Jesus although he was not the Messiah’s biological father.

I

14 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

CNS PHOTOS: RIGHT: L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO; INSET: PAUL HARING

?

WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

LEFT: MCKOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA; RIGHT: BIALASIEWICZ/FOTOSEARCH

Jewish Wedding Customs

Excluding God

Y

Wedding on an Airplane?

During Pope Francis’ visit to Chile and Peru last January, he married a couple during one of the flights. Does Church law permit that? arlos Ciuffardi Elorriage, 41, and Paula Podest Reuiz, 39, had been civilly married for several years but not in the Catholic Church. They approached the pope about their situation, and—after an extended conversation—he offered to witness the wedding on the next flight during his pastoral visit.

What the pope did was newsworthy because it was so unusual, but the local bishop can authorize a wedding outside a Catholic church. This is very common for interfaith weddings and often happens when a Catholic marries another Christian in the spouse’s church.

C

s

ST. ANTHONY

BREAD s

FRANK JASPER, OFM

My brother says that every time we talk I preach and bring up God to him. He wants this to stop. I told him that won’t happen and that, if he continues to feel that way, he needs to stay away or not listen. Was that the right thing to say? our brother’s description of these conversations may be very different. When he objects to your “preaching,” he may feel that you are judging him harshly for his past or present choices. If you are not doing that, that’s where your conversation needs to start.

He might feel that you have 20/20 vision about his faults but are oblivious to your own. Jesus’ statement about seeing the splinter in another’s eye but ignoring the wooden beam in one’s own (Mt 7:3–5) may apply here.

Healing this situation will require respectful listening by each of you. Reconciliation within a family is rarely easy and is never guaranteed. It is, however, always worth pursuing humbly.

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.

CNS PHOTOS: RIGHT: L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO; INSET: PAUL HARING

LEFT: MCKOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA; RIGHT: BIALASIEWICZ/FOTOSEARCH

viSit our webSite to:

Pope Francis made Paula and Carlos very happy.

Praying the Rosary during Adoration?

During eucharistic adoration, is it permissible for a group of people to pray the rosary? That strikes me as improper because it emphasizes Mary instead of Jesus. n 2002, St. John Paul II added the luminous mysteries; the fifth one recalls the institution of the Eucharist. In fact, in the joyful, sorrowful, and glorious mysteries, Jesus is present or understood to be present even if the mystery seems to focus on Mary (for example, the crowning of Mary as the queen of heaven and earth).

I

StAnthony.org

s

mAil poStAl communicAtionS to:

St. Anthony Bread 1615 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498

s

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 15

SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS “Woe to me if I should prove myself but a half-hearted soldier in the service of my thorn-crowned Captain.”

—Fidelis of Sigmaringen

FRANCISCAN WORLD

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

Third Order Regular Sisters and Brothers

T

ST. FIDELIS of Sigmaringen (1577–1622), a Capuchin Franciscan priest, was one of the first missionaries sent by the newly established Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. He also became its first martyr.

He joined the friars later in life and was famous for his compassion. After trying to bring Calvinists and Zwinglians back to the Catholic Church, he was murdered outside Seewis, Switzerland. Fidelis was canonized in 1746.

—Pat McCloskey, OFM

?

FranFed.org

ST. ANTHONY STORIES

A Saintly GPS

WANT MORE? Learn about your saints and blesseds by going to: SaintoftheDay.org

16 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

S

t. Anthony never ceases to amaze me. In a sudden move from Colorado to Arizona, I had to first meet a friend to begin the long drive from southern Colorado to Marana, Arizona. I could not find the turnoff to her mother’s ranch and said a prayer. At that moment, my friend drove up to meet me. She is the same friend who years ago introduced me to an old St. Anthony rhyme: “Tony, Tony, look around, something’s lost that must be found.”

Now we have “found” ourselves as neighbors.

My grandmother always had a special devotion to St. Anthony. This devotion was dormant in me until reawakened by memory lapses and several house moves as I have aged. He should also be the patron saint of those who struggle with remembering things!

—Paula E. Palotay, Arizona

BILL STRAUS

As a lawyer, Mark Rey defended the poor. As a Capuchin, he continued to do the same.

Third Order Regular Rule was approved by Pope John Paul II in 1982.

Most of the Franciscan sisters whom you have ever met belong to the Third Order Regular branch of the Franciscan family. The 2017 edition of The Official Catholic Directory lists 88 communities of Franciscan women in the United States.

Some of those are directly under a local bishop; the larger ones have pontifical approval and are under the Holy See’s Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Most US congregations of Franciscan sisters and brothers belong to the Franciscan Federation of the Sisters and Brothers Third Order Regular of the United States.

TOP: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; BOTTOM (COMPOSITE): AROSOFT/FOTOSEARCH, FRANK JASPER, OFM, BIG YELLOW ARROW

ST. FIDELIS of SIGMARINGEN

his is the second largest group within the Franciscan family, after the Secular Franciscans. In St. Francis’ day, the only women religious were cloistered, contemplative nuns such as St. Clare. There were no Franciscan sisters who ran schools, hospitals, orphanages, or other works of mercy.

In the 1400s, women who engaged in these apostolates began to establish official religious congregations. Sometimes they moved from being Secular Franciscans to being members of the Third Order Regular (TOR). Others such as St. Angela Merici, who founded the Company of St. Ursula, established their own congregations.

Both groups had a Rule (regula), but members of TOR communities lived together and engaged full-time in an apostolate. A revised

FREE to

FOLLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS

A Poor Church for the Poor

SUBSCRIBERS

This Conventual Franciscan is the type of bishop Pope Francis seeks, devoted to encounter.

BILL STRAUS

TOP: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; BOTTOM (COMPOSITE): AROSOFT/FOTOSEARCH, FRANK JASPER, OFM, BIG YELLOW ARROW

B

ishop John Stowe of Lexington, Kentucky, never aspired to be bishop. He is a Conventual Franciscan, 51 years old, from Our Lady of Consolation Province. Based in southern Indiana, its members work in parishes, retreat centers, and missions in the United States and overseas. Three years ago, as vicar (vice) provincial, Father John was on his way to visit the missions.

Driving from his assignment in northeast Ohio to Cleveland’s airport, he got a phone call. Actually, his traveling partner, a provincial councilor, got a text, then listened to a voice mail—at that time, Father John was known not to carry a cell phone. It was the US papal nuncio. Father John called and heard a simple question, he recalls: “‘Pope Francis has appointed you to be the fourth bishop of Lexington, Kentucky. Do you accept?’ He said it all in one breath! Without thinking, I said, ‘I love Pope Francis and would do anything he says.’”

A native of Lorain, Ohio, Father John had spent most of his career as a parish priest, then diocesan vicar, then chancellor of the border Diocese of El Paso, Texas. He served as pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (“Old Ysleta Mission”), a centuries-old parish of 2,000 families—“there were seven weekend Masses, if that helps you get an idea of the size,” he says. The Conventuals go far into the region’s history, on both sides of the border.

From Texas he was assigned back to Carey, Ohio, to the Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation, where he served as guardian of a 15-friar community.

“We never did actually count how many pilgrims came, but I know we hosted about 40–60 buses per year. The

Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv

friars would use a typically Franciscan approach: friendly, welcoming.”

The Spanish he learned studying along the way in Costa Rica has served him well in Lexington. “We have 23 parishes that offer Mass in Spanish,” he says, close to half of all the parishes in the diocese. “Many of those working in the horse-racing industry are Hispanic immigrants,” he says. There are seasonal migrant tobacco workers too.

His is a mission diocese, where Catholics comprise about 3 percent of the population. Half of the sprawling 50-county diocese is in Appalachia, where 24 percent of children live in poverty. “The Diocese of Lexington has the right ingredients for becoming the Church that Pope Francis envisions: more attention, encounter, and engagement with the poor and plenty of opportunities for evangelization and outreach.” Bishop Stowe represents the type of bishop Pope Francis is fond of: dedicated to simplicity and engaged with the poor.

Recently he was appointed to be the US bishop representative to Pax Christi USA. The peacemaking efforts of Pax Christi are close to the heart of this Franciscan. He is especially drawn to building peace among Christians and Muslims. “We are so polarized,” he bemoans. In the encounter of St. Francis and Sultan al-Kamil, Bishop Stowe sees a message for today: “We don’t understand the Muslim community. We need to understand each other and to hear that we are family together.”

By the way, Bishop Stowe is still a Franciscan (“lots of people ask me that!”). He gives retreats and visits the motherhouse when he can.

—John Feister

On the go?

St. Anthony Messenger has a digital edition that is available to all print subscribers.

• Does not change your print subscription • Easy to register at: StAnthonyMessenger.org

Want more inspiration?

Visit the website FranciscanMedia.org for: • Saint of the Day • Minute Meditations • Family resources • Prayer downloads • Information on the seven sacraments

FranciscanMedia.org StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 17

REBUILDING

OUR

FAITH

Sometimes the key to growing our faith is a return to the basics.

By Richard Rohr, OFM

Love binds us together. It is our foundation. As St. Paul said, “So faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

18 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

PHOTO CREDIRT

n 1205, St. Francis of Assisi heard these words in a vision: “Rebuild my church, for you see it is falling into ruin.”

Every so often, religious institutions become rigid and need to be revived and reborn. Catholics teach that “the Church was reformed but is always in need of reformation.”

Reformation is the perpetual process of conversion that is needed by all individuals and by all institutions. When Churches become machines more than movements, it’s a sign that they must shake off historical and cultural calcifications so they can continue evolving as a living movement.

Just as in Scripture and our own lives, growth is never in a straight line; it is often three steps forward and two steps backward.

At a time when so many people are leaving the Church and Christianity’s reputation may seem irreparably damaged, we again need to rebuild our faith “from the bottom up,” upon its strong foundation.

My spiritual father, St. Francis, was a master of making room for the new and letting go of that which was tired or empty. He was ready for absolute newness from God and, therefore, could also trust fresh and new attitudes in himself.

His God was not tired, and so he was never tired. His God was not old, so Francis remained forever young.

Francis was the first to create a living Nativity scene, bringing to life the revolutionary way God revealed God’s self in the vulnerability of a baby in a manger. The incarnation of God in Jesus was foundational to Francis, and he wanted others to experience its life-changing power.

Francis was at once very traditional and entirely new in the ways of holiness. Franciscanism is not an iconoclastic dismissal of traditional Christian images, history, or culture, but a positive choosing of the deep, shining, and enduring divine images that are hidden beneath the too-easy formulas. It is no fast-food religion, but slow and healthy nutrition, drawing from what Francis called “the marrow of the Gospel.”

DENBELITSKY/FOTOSEARCH

I

PHOTO CREDIRT

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 19

20 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

FOTOMAK/FOTOSEARCH PHOTO CREDIT HERE

PHOTO ALPHA SPIRIT/FOTOSEARCH CREDIT HERE

spit up on a new and Both Jesus and Francis did not let unexpected shore.

In the moments of the old get in the way of the new, but like insecurity and crisis, all religious geniuses, “shoulds” and “oughts” revealed what the old don’t really help; they was saying all along. just increase the shame, Francis both named guilt, pressure, and and exemplified that likelihood of backslid“first, churchless incaring. It’s the deep “yeses” nation in the human that carry you through. heart.” But somehow Focusing on something he also knew that it you absolutely believe was the half-knowing, in, that you’re commitorganized Church ted to, will help you that passed this shared wait it out. mystery on to him and preserved it for future WORTH THE WAIT generations. He had the Change can help us find meaning or turn us bitter. True transformation requires that we let go. Love wins over guilt humility and patience any day. It is sad that to know that whatever we settle for the shortis true is always a shared truth; and institutions, for all their run effectiveness of shaming people instead of the long-term weaknesses, make this widely shareable, historical, and comlife benefits of grace-filled transformation. But we are a munal. culture of progress and efficiency, impatient with gradual Both Jesus and Francis were “conservatives” in the true growth. God’s way of restoring things interiorly is much sense of the term: They conserved what was worth conservmore patient—and finally more effective. God lets Jonah run ing—the core, the transformative life of the Gospel—and in the wrong direction, until this reluctant prophet finds a did not let accidentals get in the way. They then ended up long, painful, circuitous path to get back where he needs to looking quite “progressive,” radical, and even dangerous to be—in spite of himself! Looking in your own “rearview mirror” can fill you with gratitude for God’s work in your life. the status quo. This is the biblical pattern, from Abraham to In so many places, there are signs of the Holy Spirit workMoses, to Jeremiah, Job, John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph. ing at all levels of society. The Church might well have done EMBRACING CHANGE its work as leaven, because much of this reform, enlightenTransformation often happens when something old falls ment, compassion, and healing is outside the bounds of organized religion. Only God is going to get the credit. apart. The pain of disruption and chaos invites the soul to The toothpaste is out of the tube. There are enough peolisten at a deeper level and move to a new place. The mystics use many words to describe this chaos: fire, darkness, death, ple who know the big picture of Jesus’ thrilling and alluring vision of the reign of God that this Great Turning cannot emptiness, abandonment, trial, the evil one. Whatever it is, it be stopped. There are enough people going on solid inner does not feel good and it does not feel like God. We will do anything to keep the old thing from falling apart. journeys that it is not merely ideological or theoretical. This This is when we need patience, guidance, and the freedom reformation is happening in a positive, nonviolent way. The changes are not just from the top down, but much more to let go instead of tightening our controls and certitudes. from the bottom up. Not from the outside in, but from the Perhaps Jesus is describing this phenomenon when he says, inside out. Not from clergy to laity, but from a unified field “How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those that find it are few” (Mt 7:14). Not accidenwhere class is of minor importance. The big questions are tally, he mentions this narrow road right after teaching the being answered at a peaceful and foundational level, with no Golden Rule. Jesus knows how much letting go it takes to “do need to oppose, deny, or reject. to others whatever you would have them do to you” (7:12).

I sense the urgency of the Holy Spirit, with over 7 billion Transformation usually includes a disconcerting reorienhumans now on the planet. There is so much to love and tation. Change can either help people find a new meaning, embrace. I am convinced that the only future of the Church, or cause people to close down and turn bitter. The differthe one body of Christ, is ecumenical and shared. Each of ence is determined by the quality of our inner life, or what our traditions have preserved and fostered one or another we call “spirituality.” Change of itself just happens; spiritual jewel in the huge crown that is the cosmic Christ; only transformation is an active process of letting go, living in the together can we make up the unity of the Spirit, as we learn confusing dark space for a while, and allowing yourself to be to defer to one another out of love.

Your people shall rebuild the ancient ruins; the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; “Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you, “Restorer of ruined dwellings.”

—Isaiah 58:12 A SOLID FOUNDATION

FOTOMAK/FOTOSEARCH PHOTO CREDIT HERE

PHOTO ALPHA SPIRIT/FOTOSEARCH CREDIT HERE

If we are going to rebuild Christianity from the bottom up, what is the foundation upon which we’re building? Love is our foundation and our destiny. It is where we come from and where we’re headed. As St. Paul famously says, “So faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Cor 13:13).

St. Augustine said, “The Church consists in the state of communion of the whole world.” Wherever we are connected, in right relationship—you might say “in love”—there is the Christ, there is the authentic “body of God” revealed.

This body is more a living organism, a dynamic and growing body, than any formal organization.

God’s love is planted inside each of us as the Holy Spirit who, according to Jesus, “will teach you everything and remind you of all that [I] told you” (Jn 14:26). Love is who you are.

Only God in you can know God. You cannot know God in an intimate, experiential way with your mind alone. You are going to need full-access knowing, which many of us call nondual consciousness, the contemplative mind, or even the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16).

Great religion seeks utter awareness and full consciousness, so that we can, in fact, receive all. Everything belongs and everything can be received. We don’t have to deny, dismiss, defy, or ignore. What is, is the great teacher. The purpose of prayer and religious seeking is to see the truth about reality, to see what is. And at the bottom of what is, is always goodness. The foundation is always Love.

Enlightenment is to see and touch the big mystery, the big pattern, the Big Real. Jesus called it the reign of God; Buddha called it enlightenment. Philosophers might call it Truth.

Many of us see it as Foundational Love.

The central practice in mature spirituality, therefore, is that we must remain in love (Jn 15:9). Only when we are eager to love can we see love and goodness in the world around us. We must ourselves remain in peace, and then we will find peace over there. Remain in beauty, and we will honor beauty everywhere. This concept of remaining or abiding (Jn 15:4–5) moves religion out of any esoteric realm of doctrinal outer space where it has been lost for too long.

There is no secret moral command for knowing or pleasing God, or what some call “salvation,” other than becoming a loving person in mind, heart, body, and soul. Then you will see what you need to see. Jesus did not say, “Thou shalt be right”; Jesus said, “This is my commandment, ‘Love one another’” (Jn 15:12).

I pray that you may be firmly planted in the breach between the world as it usually is (Power) and the world as it should and could be (Love). Both love and power are the necessary building blocks of God’s peaceful kingdom on earth. Love utterly redefines the nature of power. Power without love is mere brutality (even in the Church), and love without power is only the sentimentality of private lives disconnected from the Whole. The Gospel in its fullness holds power and love together, creating new hope and healing for the world.

May you go and grow forward as a breach-mender, restoring the places in which God’s presence has become hidden or misrepresented. Have courage and be tender.

This article was compiled and adapted from Richard Rohr’s 2017 Daily Meditations on the theme, “From the Bottom Up.” Learn more about Richard Rohr, OFM, and sign up to receive his free Daily Meditations at cac.org/sign-up.

When we are eager to love, we can see love and goodness in the world. When we find peace within, we will find peace around us.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 21

22 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

FOTOSEARCH IMAGES, COMPOSITE: 4774344SEAN, KMITU, STEVANOVICIGOR, RIGHT: HANDMADE PICTURES

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

GOD

Jesus Christ

Financial Counselor Jesus shows us how to manage money without losing our souls.

By Mark P. Shea

O

ne of the issues that Jesus discussed more than any other is, surprisingly, money.

He talks about its right use, its dangers, its applications, and its spiritual significance.

And, Jesus being Jesus, he talks about it in ways that are often shocking and paradoxical.

As Christians, we are called to be the sort of people who use money in a way pleasing to God. But that can often look and sound weird, especially when stacked up against the sorts of things we hear bandied about in the world. Even many fellow Catholics give us the side-eye if we pursue Gospel priorities. So it’s good to review some of the startling principles laid out by Our Lord regarding money, if only to make clear to baffled friends that there is a method to the seeming madness.

FOTOSEARCH IMAGES, COMPOSITE: 4774344SEAN, KMITU, STEVANOVICIGOR, RIGHT: HANDMADE PICTURES

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

1. DON’T CHEAT THE POOR It’s less important that I be cheated than that the poor be cheated. The world’s axiom is “Don’t let them rip you off!” One of the most beloved texts of the New Testament comes from 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat.” This has formed the basis for a huge number of discussions about “only giving to the deserving poor” and so forth.

There’s only one problem: It’s not a text about charitable giving. It’s a text written by Paul to the Thessalonian Christians and has nothing to do with almsgiving at all. Paul is addressing fellow believers convinced that the second coming is just around the corner, so let’s all pray and do nothing. Paul’s point is that Christians are to get off their duffs, obey God, and do good works in imitation of Jesus, who spent many years as a carpenter. In short, we are to be good witnesses and not goof off while hiding behind piety. This instruction is

intended for those inside the household of the Church.

But when it comes to those outside the household of the Church, what does Jesus tell us Christians to do? “Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow” (Mt 5:42).

That’s all. No background checks. Don’t worry if this is a con job. Don’t have the person fill out a character reference. And if the request is accompanied with a threat, be all the more eager to pony up generously: “If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles” (Mt 5:40–41).

Everything within us rebels at this. We demand punishment for the thief and for the sluggard. And to be sure, we are to be “shrewd as serpents” (Mt 10:16). So there is a place for wisely husbanding our resources. And if you are worried about feeding an addiction, then find another way to give, such as donating food.

The main point of the New Testament is that we have far more call to be generous than to be fearful. But the world, that great kingdom of fear, shouts that our property, no matter how much we have and how badly our neighbor may need it, is ours with an ironclad lock, and everything we give that is not legally owed is “charity.”

2. OUR STUFF IS NOT OUR OWN Our right to our stuff is not absolute; our neighbor’s right to life takes priority. Consider Lazarus in the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Lk 16:19–31). The rich man had far more than he needed. Lazarus had nothing.

Whose property was the rich man’s in such StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 23

a case? St. John Chrysostom tells us: “Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.”

Likewise, St. Gregory the Great says: “When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice.”

Have you ever wondered why the rich man in the parable went to hell? He didn’t go there for failing to give Lazarus charity, because charity means “a gift not owed.” Failing to give what is not owed is not a sin. If I am sitting next to you on the bus and you are quietly reading a book and I get off the bus, I haven’t sinned against you by not giving you 10 bucks. I didn’t owe you 10 bucks, so I did not cheat you by not giving it to you. But if, like the priest and the Levite in the parable of the good Samaritan, I see you lying in a pool of blood and pass by, I do sin against you. You have a right to your life and therefore a right to be given the care you need for your injuries so that you don’t lose that life. If I deny you the help I can give you, I am cheating you out of something I owe you.

That’s what the rich man did. He did not refuse charity to Lazarus. He cheated him out of what he was justly owed: the material goods he needed in order to live. He sinned against Lazarus by hogging what belonged, by rights, to Lazarus and not to himself. And so he was guilty of both theft and killing Lazarus by a sin of omission.

3. THE RICH AND POOR ARE INTERTWINED The rich exist for the sake of the poor, while the poor exist for the salvation of the rich. I did not come up with that tidy summary of Christian economics; St. John Chrysostom did. He’s also the guy who told us: “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find him in the chalice.” St. John’s point is profound; it’s tied up not only with the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, but also with another strange parable, the dishonest steward (Lk 16:1–9).

Jesus tells this odd story of the crooked steward who is about to lose his job. He is not strong enough to dig and is too proud to beg, so he summons his master’s debtors and jacks their bills way down (basically shaving off the 24 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

commission he would have otherwise gotten for his services). Why? Jesus tells us: “Make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings” (Lk 16:9).

In other words, Jesus turns the ancient idea of patronage—currying favor with the rich and powerful—on its head. He tells us, in essence, to use our money to curry favor not with the wealthy and powerful, but with the weak and despised—those he elsewhere calls “these least brothers of mine” (Mt 25:40).

Instead of paying you back with perishable money so that you have your reward (Mt 6:5), their prayers for you will gain you a treasure “where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal” (Mt 6:20).

4. DON’T EXPECT A PROFIT Be absolutely certain to invest your money in people who will never generate a return on your investment. Jesus says: “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.

For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Lk 14:12–14).

Jesus even extends the principle to enemies: “If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit [is] that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful” (Lk 6:34–36).

This, again, sounds counterintuitive, but you can see the wisdom of it in the difference between the outcomes of World Wars I and II. After World War I, we imposed harsh terms on the Germans and demanded that they “pay us what you owe us.” The result: humiliation, rage, and, finally, Hitler. After World War II, we helped our enemy rebuild. The result: reconciliation, healing, and friendship. We can do the same in our personal lives. Give love to your enemy (and yes, that can be done in monetary ways because gifts are forms of

love), and your enemy will often feel ashamed of his or her enmity and repent his or her anger toward you.

What if your enemy doesn’t? Then he or she is among “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,” and you will be blessed because your enemy cannot repay you.

“But I want my money!” you say. Yes, you do. So do we all—which brings us to the last principle.

5. REMEMBER THAT THE POOR ARE BLESSED Regard money and riches with the same wary distrust that Gandalf has for the One Ring (from J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings), and regard the poor as what Jesus says they are: blessed. Our American civilization has specialized in softening the New Testament’s intense leeriness over the danger of riches. We are accustomed to hearing elaborate explanations of how Jesus’ counsels to the rich young man don’t actually apply to anybody. We get lots of help from our culture in learning how to breed smaller and smaller camels and make bigger and bigger needles. And we shy far away from “Woe to you who are rich” (Lk 6:24); “Worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word” (Mt 13:22); “The rich he has sent away empty” (Lk 1:53); and, above all, “No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Lk 16:13).

In short, our culture insists that money is a mere thing and therefore neutral. But the New Testament, starting with Jesus himself, takes a more nuanced view and insists that “unrighteous mammon,” as Jesus calls it, exerts an attraction on us just as the other three great idols—pleasure, power, and honor—do. The moment you stop making a willed choice to love God more than money is the moment you start drifting toward its gravitational field. And the more in love with money you become, the less you love God. In fact, you cannot find a single reference to money or earthly riches in the New Testament that is not fraught with active hostility and suspicion. The simple fact is that Jesus says to “despise” and “hate” mammon because if we don’t, we will despise and hate God. Conversely, though we like hearing about being poor “in spirit” much better than

The moment you stop making a willed choice to love God more than money is the moment you start drifting toward its gravitational field. And the more in love with money you become, the less you love God.

“Blessed are you who are poor” (Lk 6:20), Jesus constantly speaks of the poor in terms of positive blessing. We find no admonishments for their laziness, no suggestion that their poverty is a judgment, no scolding about their need to work harder, play by the rules, and not try to game the system. Jesus never once offers a suggestion that the poor have failed but, on the contrary, makes them the focus of the first beatitude. They have none of the muffling, insulating power of wealth protecting them from the fecklessness the rich so often display. They know they don’t have money and therefore put no false hope in it, instead putting their hope in God.

IN GOD WE HOPE That’s the point of all of Jesus’ teaching on money: Hope only in God. In the kingdom of God, the chosen are chosen for the sake of the unchosen. Each member of the body exists for the good of the other members. The riches of the rich exist for the poor, while the prayers of the poor are the salvation of the rich.

Clutch your gold and it will pull you down to hell. Give it away and the poor will fashion it by their prayers into a golden ship that will carry you across the waters of death to heaven, where Lazarus and all the saints will welcome you.

Mark P. Shea is a popular writer and speaker. He is coauthor of the best seller A Guide to the Passion: 100 Questions about the Passion of the Christ. He is also a regular guest on Catholic radio and writes for the blog Catholic and Enjoying It! at Patheos.com.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 25

FRANC

St. Francis Seraph Ministries | Center for Respite Care | Haircuts from the Heart | Mary Magdalen House

ON

By Daniel Imwalle • Photography by Kate Messer

Firmly rooted in the Franciscan spirit of compassion, this center is a collective of seven nonprofits committed to nourishing the minds, bodies, and souls of those on society’s margins.

“

Mary Magdalen House, the Welcome Home Collaborative, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, and TriHealth Outreach Ministries) came together under one roof in December 2017 to serve the homeless and working poor in the historic and economically diverse Overthe-Rhine district.

That same roof used to cover a printing press and warehouse for Franciscan Media’s books and other products until 2015, when distribution was moved offsite. Renovations took only two years to complete. Once a place where books that spoke to the Franciscan charism were housed, now the Saint Anthony Center lives and breathes that same charism, restoring dignity to those who are so often invisible to the world around them. As Chris Schuermann, executive director

of St. Francis Seraph Ministries, puts it, the center is “Franciscan, literally down to its core.” A street sign outside the Saint Anthony Center reads “Thomas J. Klinedinst Jr. Way,” honoring the late board president of St. Francis Seraph Ministries. The establishment of the center was initially Klinedinst’s idea.

Though the center itself is new, there is nothing novel about service to those in need in this urban neighborhood, especially from the Franciscans—who have been present in the area for over 170 years. What is different is the model that this conglomerate of nonprofits demonstrates.

Often, ministries to the homeless and

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you’re doing the impossible.”

These words, often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, are being wholeheartedly embraced and lived out on a daily basis at the Saint Anthony Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. Seven outreach ministries (St. Francis Seraph Ministries, the Center for Respite Care, Haircuts from the Heart, the

26 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

CISCAN

alen House | Welcome Home Collaborative | Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank | TriHealth Outreach Ministries

GROUND

distressed buildings in the area. These remodeled buildings can then be used as transitional housing for those struggling with poverty in Cincinnati’s urban core.

In an area that is quickly becoming gentrified—with many older buildings being renovated into well-appointed urban dwellings—the decision to repurpose the site as the Saint Anthony Center was a bold one. “Surprisingly, our upscale neighbors were very supportive of the plans for the Saint Anthony Center, including some who wrote letters of support when we needed to get a zoning variance from the city,” Schuermann explains. “Some have volunteered to serve meals in our new dining room.”

Volunteers are a crucial ingredient

to the Saint Anthony Center’s recipe for success in meeting the needs of those they serve. Its success doesn’t derive only from the number of volunteers at the center (currently, over 4,000 annually). Rather, the volunteers’ passion to make a difference and the connections they make with the people they help fuel the center’s good work.

“Volunteers quickly become connected to our clients and their various needs because the center now draws hundreds of people each day seeking help,” Schuermann says. She points out that volunteers also enjoy helping out at multiple ministries.

Many people have asked Schuermann how such an innovative and effective new model of service came about and in such a short period of time. “The answer is simple,” she says. “The Franciscans paved the way.”

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

working poor are located in different parts of a neighborhood—or even entirely different parts of town—which makes it difficult for the individuals they serve to access essential resources.

Before the Saint Anthony Center, individuals in need would have to walk—sometimes great distances—to get a shower at one ministry, a meal at another, and basic medical attention at still another. The Center for Respite Care, for example, provides medical recovery services for homeless individuals recently discharged from the hospital.

TriHealth Outreach Ministries provides registered nurses and community care workers for home visits to pregnant women and the elderly in the surrounding neighborhood. The Welcome Home Collaborative, operated by the nearby Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, provides opportunities for homeless individuals to rehab

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 27

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35).

The words from the Gospel of Matthew (at the top of the page) are at once simple and profound. Where there is a need, our faith calls us to give, to be present. For the men (above) waiting for the Mother Teresa of Calcutta Dining Room to open its doors for dinner, basic needs are not a given in their daily lives. But they can at least rely on receiving two meals and a bag lunch five days a week at the dining room—run by St. Francis Seraph Ministries.

(Opposite page, upper left) As many as 600 bagged lunches a week are prepared and handed out to day laborers after breakfast in the dining room. Some of the workers put in 10-hour shifts and bring home as little as $35 at the end of the day, so a bagged lunch not only nourishes them but saves them some money too.

(Opposite page, upper right) You might not guess it by the warm smile on his face, but Tony, 45, has been facing the challenges of homelessness for nearly 15 years. It’s a monumental task to escape 28 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

the cycle of homelessness, but Tony is working hard, volunteering at the Saint Anthony Center as well as at other nonprofit organizations.

(Opposite page, lower left) Tabitha, dressed in layers to face the cold winter temperatures, often shelters herself from the elements under a nearby bridge. She comes to the Saint Anthony Center for the meals provided.

(Opposite page, lower right) Edward was blessed by Mother Teresa when she visited a homeless shelter in Cleveland in the late 1970s. When he saw that the dining room at the Saint Anthony Center was named after her, he saw it as a sign from above that this would be a place of warm welcome for him.

Carrying on her spirit of compassion, Edward—who wears multiple crosses around his neck—often greets people around him with a friendly embrace.

“What I receive first and foremost every day here is respect.”

—Freddie, a frequent guest at the Saint Anthony Center

30 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

The twin spires of St. Francis Seraph Church are a beacon in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood for those struggling with poverty and homelessness. Right next door to this Franciscan parish is the Saint Anthony Center, ready to meet the basic needs of the souls they serve.

(Opposite page, top right) Freddie, who has dealt with homelessness for over a decade, gets a trim at Haircuts from the Heart.

Besides a sharp haircut, clients can take a shower, brush their teeth, and get their clothes washed at the Mary Magdalen House.

Once clothes are laundered and folded, they are placed in bags (opposite page, middle right), ready for pickup by their owners. For many, these basic services help them get interview-ready as they head out into an often judgmental world (opposite page, lower right).

(Above, left) Lois Shegog is the director of the Sarah Center, part of St. Francis Seraph Ministries. This female-centered outreach ministry provides classes on jewelry-making, quilting, sewing, and other forms of art. Members are able to sell their crafts through the Sarah Center and its retail partners, bringing in much-needed income while developing important professional skills.

Volunteers Bridget Vogt (this page, lower left) and Samantha Sansone pack boxes of diapers at Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank. Every day, one in three families in the United States struggles to afford the price of diapers for their children. The diaper bank serves lowincome families across the entire Greater Cincinnati area.

Daniel Imwalle is the managing editor of St. Anthony Messenger. Kate Messer has been a freelance photographer for well over a decade, specializing in photojournalism, portfolio, and portraits. Photography is a perfect blend of her love for people, art, and all things beautiful.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 31

POINTSOFVIEW | AT HOME ON EARTH

By Kyle Kramer

Priceless and Precious

T

Kyle is the executive director of the Passionist Earth & Spirit Center, which offers interfaith educational programming in meditation, ecology, and social compassion.

He serves as a Catholic climate ambassador for the US Conference of Catholic Bishopssponsored Catholic Climate Covenant and is the author of A Time to Plant: Life Lessons in Work, Prayer, and Dirt (Ave Maria Press, 2010).

He speaks across the country on issues of ecology and spirituality.

He and his family spent 15 years as organic farmers and homesteaders in Spencer County, Indiana.

EarthandSpiritCenter.org

?

WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

32 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

Who hasn’t experienced the immeasurable beauty of nature, which no amount of money can buy?

When we look back on our lives, I hope we can say we lived with gratitude and care for all that is priceless and precious. To my mind, that’s what it means to be at home on God’s good earth.

HELPFUL

TIPS

1

Count Your Blessings

Do you tell those you love how precious they are to you? How might you cultivate similar gratitude for nature?

2

Take some time to list everything nature does to make your life better, easier, or even possible. It will be a long list!

3

Consider reading The Green Bible—an NRSV version of the Bible that highlights (in green, of course) all passages related to nature and the environment.

LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLE KRAMER; TOP RIGHT: LROZUM/FOTOSEARCH; LOWER RIGHT: HARPERCOLLINS

Kyle Kramer

hey say the best things in life are free— and I believe it. No amount of money can buy a sense of real belonging with your family, friends, and community, or assure health in body, mind, and soul. As I think about my own life, there is almost nothing that I really care about that I earned, planned, or even expected. It has all been a gift.

Money can’t buy any of these, because at the heart of them is love, in its various forms.

The common source is the One who is love itself. Love doesn’t compute in the economic realm; it doesn’t factor into the gross domestic product or the S&P 500. Yet its measure is infinitely clear on a deathbed or at a funeral.

Isn’t the natural world priceless too? Who of us, for example, hasn’t had an experience in which the loveliness of nature inspired us with love for its Creator—an experience that no amount of money could buy? Scripture is replete with such witness, from the Book of Job to the Psalms to the sermon on the mount, in which Jesus urged his followers to consider the lilies of the field.

In addition to beauty, science has helped us recognize the crucial ecosystem services that nature also provides us at no charge, and which no amount of money or technology could replace. Nature gives us food, raw materials, energy, soil replacement, irrigation, air and water purification, coastal protection, climate regulation, flood control, and waste decomposition. These all come without price, and they are all precious, as we would quickly learn if we lost them.

Given that we are rapidly diminishing the earth’s capacity to provide these resources, concerned scientists have tried to assign a dollar value to global ecosystem services. In 2014, that figure was $142.7 trillion—compared to a total gross world product of $77.8 trillion.

How strange: Environmental services that are essential to our survival and are worth almost twice our overall global economic activity basically don’t even factor into our key economic indicators. At the end of the day, though, even better accounting won’t tell the whole story—because God’s infinite love is also at the core of nature’s gifts.

LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLE KRAMER; TOP RIGHT: LROZUM/FOTOSEARCH; LOWER RIGHT: HARPERCOLLINS

Solemn Novena to St. Anthony JOIN THE FRANCISCAN FRIARS VISIT WWW.STANTHONY.ORG TO: in praying a nine-week Solemn Novena to • Get the series of novena prayers St. Anthony, beginning on April 17, 2018!

• Learn more about the novena • Read about St. Anthony of Padua The Franciscan Friars, Province of St. John the Baptist 1615 Vine St, Ste 1 · Cincinnati, OH 45202-6492 StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 33

From Tiny Acorns The loss of a live oak leads to a new conception of the seven lively virtues.

ope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’—like the poem by St. Francis on which it is based—speaks of the fragility of our ecology due in large part to the weakness of our morality. Unless we value each creature as integral to our humanity, we cannot act as responsible stewards of a global community.

As a Franciscan working with undergraduates, I was pondering the significance of the pope’s words for my ministry when an old friend died: a southern oak, older than anyone on campus. Students called this majestic tree the “smoking oak,” because it was where they were allowed to light up. But I thought of it as smoking because, at every dawn, it was a billowing, black silhouette against a horizon glowing like a firestorm. It was my faithful friend, next to whom I prayed every dawn in any weather.

But now it had perished and was being hacked by chain saws before being hauled away to the school’s 34 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

annual bonfire. When the creaking and chain sawing began, I wanted to flee somewhere quiet where it would be easier to pray. But my love and admiration for this paradigm of perseverance overcame me. How tragic if such a great life would die alone and unlamented. Nothing so strong and faithful should die with no one at its side. So I stayed to grieve the tree, standing watch to pray that our ancient champion would pass gently, and suddenly death invited me to reflect intently.

In death, this live oak became a micro metaphor for the global reach of Laudato Si’, which states: “Consequently, we can ascend from created things ‘to the greatness of God and to his loving mercy’” (#77). If creation is a book of revelation, then meditation on nature may lead us to a deeper appreciation and understanding of the nature of God’s mercy.

Thus, even before our oak burned in a bonfire, it fueled

FOTOSEARCH: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BOARDING1NOW; DCWCREATIONS; MARILYNA; BRIANGUEST

P

TOP: COURTESY OF NASA; BOTTOM: PILOTL39/FOTOSEARCH

By Kenneth Davis, OFM Conv

Humility

Generosity

Meekness

Zeal

FOTOSEARCH: CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BOARDING1NOW; DCWCREATIONS; MARILYNA; BRIANGUEST

TOP: COURTESY OF NASA; BOTTOM: PILOTL39/FOTOSEARCH

my contemplation upon the seven lively virtues, which I share here with readers as I have preached to our undergraduates. Like our oak tree, each virtue demonstrates the nature of God’s mercy: We become merciful only by receiving the mercy of God. HUMILITY

While I seek recognition, our oak was taken for granted for so long that it seemed a permanent feature of the landscape, like a hill or a lake. Humility comes from the Latin word for dirt. Would that I were as firmly planted in humility as the tree was in the humble earth, but too often my pride drives me to desire acknowledgment and appreciation for my actions. I pray through God’s mercy to become as unpretentious as an acorn.

GENEROSITY

Our oak’s outstretched boughs bestowed endless benediction. Its leaves held countless confidential conversations and it witnessed many pets, prayers, and parties. The roots were deep because it had many memories to share. Compared to the tree, my generosity is but a small twig. I do not open my arms, my heart, my wallet, or my time like our oak—abundantly and without exception—welcomed any passerby.

Thus, I pray through God’s mercy to sink my roots deeply into the same rich liberality whose bounty was our oak’s beauty.

MEEKNESS

The oaken wood had withstood hurricane and drought, pests and plagues. I’m not even meek and patient when the tater tots are cold, much less when my own compulsions become pests or the moods of family members seem as changeable as the weather. The oak did not approve of evil, yet endured it.

I, however, sway like a sapling in the wind, blown about by my anger at adversity. Therefore, I pray through God’s mercy for the docility of those slender sprouts of spring that turn all things to the good of those who serve their Creator.

ZEAL

Our oak exuded life. In its branches birds nested, in its shade we rested, upon its bark lichen and moss contested. Our oak was so exuberant with life that mites munched its marrow.

There was nothing slothful about our noble guardian, which surrendered its body so others might live. I, however, stem exuberance, quiver like a twig before fanaticism, and easily branch into apathy. I pray God’s mercy makes me passionate about giving life to others even when I’m tired to death.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 35

I pray through God’s mercy that upon my death I can sincerely say that, like our oak, the earth was more enriched than depleted by my life.

SOLICITUDE

Temperance

Our oak envied no one, begrudged nothing. It admired birds, but was content not to fly. It welcomed prattling squirrels, but was happy with its own silence. Solicitude is the ability to assume the good about others and rejoice in their fine fortunes. In a political season during which rancor reigns and debating opinions degenerate into debasing opponents, I resolve to show solicitude. I will not truncate compliments to students nor appreciation for our maintenance workers, the kitchen staff, and secretaries. Like our tree, I will reflect the true nature of God’s mercy.

TEMPERANCE

During all its long life, our live oak never took more than it needed. It never gorged itself on water or gobbled more nutrients than it required. What would the world’s environment be like today if the human race had been as temperate as oaks rather than as gluttonous as ogres? Every sin against creation is a sin against the Creator. Consequently, I pray through God’s mercy that upon my death I can sincerely say that, like our oak, the earth was more enriched than depleted by my life. What a crowning canopy!

CHASTITY

What can an old oak teach the young people on our campus about chastity? Channeling the sap of life through chastity 36 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

Chastity

rather than rebelling against self-mastery is exactly what Pope Francis means by “fertile chastity”—that is, the begetting of spiritual children just as the Virgin Mary did.

Who knows more about such fertile chastity than our ancient oak? It fed a forest! It was a live oak and it was alive not with a craving to consume, but with a desire to donate. I recall every sparking sunrise made holy as my spirit struggled upward, while our live oak’s branches soared heavenward, straining like me to ignite with the object of its desire: the sun afire.

While in this life, our oak could never reach the heights of its fiery desire. Live wood cannot combust. Like Christ, who died upon another tree, our oak had to expire in order to inspire. Through its death by bonfire, our oak was resurrected as spirals of sparks billowing from its oaken heart to rise higher and higher.

Death ignited the oak to brightly proclaim that we, too, must serve as fuel for the Spirit, burning like wood to its flame. Laudato Si’—praise God’s majesty in creation and in crucifixion! Laudato Si’—praise God for the earth from which burst the Resurrection! Laudato Si’—praise and bless and thank the Lord for the nature of God’s mercy.

Kenneth Davis, OFM Conv, is a visiting professor at St. Joseph College Seminary in Saint Benedict, Louisiana.

FOTOSEARCH: LEFT: ALEKSANDER; MIDDLE: ENSKANTO; RIGHT: VICTOR BURNSIDE

Solicitude

FOTOSEARCH: LEFT: ALEKSANDER; MIDDLE: ENSKANTO; RIGHT: VICTOR BURNSIDE

Author. Poet. Farmer. Activist.

Discover God’s gifts with Wendell Berry.

30% OFF with discount code samBERRY order today at

shop.FranciscanMedia.org

repairing christianity’s

MOST SACRED

SHRINE

The place of Jesus’ burial was in danger until a historic renovation rolled back years of damage and unearthed long-lost frescoes and inscriptions in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

By Greg Friedman, OFM | Photography courtesy of Custody of the Holy Land

OPPOSITE PAGE: The Edicule stands in a great rotunda in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. One of a series of such structures dating to the fourth century, it protects what Christians venerate as the site of Jesus’ burial and resurrection.

Prior to 2016, it was in danger of collapse due to physical deterioration and the wear and tear of daily use. In that year, an ambitious project began, to rehabilitate what is arguably Christianity’s holiest shrine.

t is the holiest Christian shrine. But, until March 2017, it was in danger of imminent collapse.

The shrine goes by an odd name, the Edicule, meaning “little house.” It sits under a great dome in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre. No bigger than a good-sized garage, its marble-clad walls are festooned with hanging oil lamps and mismatched candlesticks with bare, energy-efficient lightbulbs. Daily, thousands of visitors line up for hours to see the sacred spot believed to be the burial place of Jesus.

Simply finding one’s way to the Edicule to visit the tomb of Jesus isn’t easy.

On my first visit to the church, I was struck—as many pilgrims are—by a sense of “religious chaos” there. Crowded with both religious pilgrims and casual tourists, the space is divided into a confusing maze of chapels, walkways, and stairs. It is noisy—the hubbub of conversation overlaps with periodic religious songs and ringing bells, as liturgies take place in various parts of the church.

On that visit, our guide stuffed us into a procession of people climbing the small stairway to chapels covering what is left of the rock of Calvary. From Calvary, we descended another staircase, past the “Stone of Anointing,” where it’s believed Jesus’ body lay after his death. The crush of pilgrims moved slowly toward the Edicule.

38 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

A SACRED SHRINE ENDANGERED

In the past 200-plus years, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Edicule had been ravaged by earthquake, water, and fire. The British overseers of Palestine after World War I had warned the three major Christian communities who serve in the church—the Greek Orthodox, the Latins (Roman Catholics, represented by the Franciscan Friars of the Custody of the Holy Land), and the Armenian Orthodox—that the church would be closed unless they agreed to make it safe for visitors. World War II, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, and the sometimes contentious negotiations among the communities delayed restoration until the 1950s.

In February 1952, the communities formally agreed to restore and stabilize the dome above the Edicule, a project which, along with other repair work, would take until 1997, when the newly restored and redecorated space was inaugurated with an unprecedented ecumenical ceremony.

But beneath the dome, the Edicule sat unchanged in its iron supports. There was no common agreement on its restoration.

During my 2012 visit, I was shocked to see a marble panel literally bulging out from its front wall. Smoke darkened its interior and candle wax marred the exterior. The human impact of millions of visitors had taken its toll. Hidden beneath the marble exterior,

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

I

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 39

THIS PAGE: The Edicule is pictured after (top photo) and before (bottom photo) the project to restore and stabilize the over-200-year-old structure.

In both pictures, the oil lamps and other decorations that normally cover its façade have been removed. As seen in the bottom photo, two centuries of smoke from burning candles had discolored the marble slabs and obscured the inscriptions on the external walls. The colors of the “onion dome” were not visible. The iron superstructure erected by the British in 1947 (on the right side) remained.

The restoration team placed a temporary entranceway in place to permit pilgrims to enter the shrine safely. The top photo shows the results of the cleaning and stabilizing of the Edicule, now freed of the iron superstructure.

40 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

serious deterioration threatened the shrine’s stability.

In 2015, the Israeli Antiquities Authority and local police, citing the danger to visitors, ordered the Edicule closed for a few hours each day. This action spurred the three Christian communities to meet and eventually act. Restoration experts from the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), Greece, assessed the state of the structure.

A COMPLEX HISTORY

To understand the problems facing those experts, it’s necessary to understand the complex history of the Edicule and the church in which it stands.

The Gospel stories of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial tell us that he was taken outside the city to Calvary, “the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha” (Jn 19:17). Here, in an abandoned limestone quarry, the Romans executed criminals, raising crosses on the skull-like rock.

After his death, Jesus was buried in a nearby cave offered by Joseph of Arimathea, a follower of Jesus. Wealthy Jews of that time carved tombs in the soft stone walls of the quarry. These tombs sometimes had two chambers—a front area for mourners and an inner chamber with shelves for the bodies of the dead. Today’s Edicule reflects this design.

Christians certainly prayed at the place of Jesus’ resurrection (later incorporated into the city) within the first century. They would have remembered its location even after the Roman Emperor Hadrian covered over the area with tons of rubble and built a pagan temple there.

In the fourth century, the Emperor Constantine approved the removal of the temple and the excavation of the area, uncovering a cave-tomb that was identified by witnesses as that of Jesus.

A huge basilica rose over the excavated site, incorporating both the tomb and the rock of Calvary. Within a grand rotunda—called the Anastasis (“Resurrection”)—a small shrine (the Edicule) was built to protect the tomb itself.

A series of churches and Edicules followed on the spot. These in turn suffered damage and destruction from conquerors, fire, and earthquakes. The present-day Edicule dates only to 1809–1810, when it replaced a structure destroyed by fire.

A HISTORIC AGREEMENT

The team of NTUA experts, led by Professor Antonia Moropoulou, presented their report to the heads of the Christian communities in early 2016. In an interview with St. Anthony Messenger, Professor Moropoulou said: “[It was] after more or less eight months of cooperation and dialogue . . . . But of course, that was not an easy task. It was a great challenge. What was important was that we were empowered by the fact that this environment of dialogue and common trust was a stable ground to go on.”

Using ground-penetrating radar and other noninvasive methods, Professor Moropoulou and her team found that mortar throughout the walls was “susceptible to swelling, dissolution, and degradation.” Up until 1868, a circular opening in the dome above the Edicule allowed rain to pour down on the structure.

Moisture was rising through capillary action from water channels and open vaults below the Edicule’s floor. The exterior iron framework, installed by the British in 1948, was deteriorating.

As the rehabilitation project progressed, the team from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, worked around the clock to meet the strict deadline imposed by the Christian communities within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Temporary scaffolding and a barrier around the Edicule allowed work to proceed without interrupting the flow of pilgrims and the daily round of liturgical services. A workshop installed in a gallery on the church’s upper level permitted the team to clean and stabilize stone sections removed from the structure.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 41

The NTUA team proposed an ambitious plan to: • dismantle and remove the stone panels of the Edicule • remove all damaged or incompatible mortar • repoint the masonry where possible, with injected grouting by a unique process developed by Professor Moropoulou • clean all surfaces inside and out • stabilize the structure by resetting columns, wall panels, and other elements • do conservation work on the dome of the Edicule and interior walls.

The goal of this ambitious plan? Professor Moropoulou says it was “to ensure the structural integrity and to negate the severe deformation . . . [and] to reveal and preserve the values of the Holy Edicule.”

The religious communities were willing to give the goahead, but with two conditions.

Fred Hiebert, archaeologist-in-residence at the National Geographic Society (NGS), came to Jerusalem at the invitation of the Greek Orthodox community to observe and document the project. He explained those conditions to St. Anthony Messenger: “The first is that the project could not disturb the Holy Fire [on the Greek Orthodox Easter], so the entire project had to be done between two Easters.

“The second thing, which was even more of a challenge, was that they agreed to carry out the restoration without stopping the pilgrims from going inside. In other words, they couldn’t close the shrine while it was being restored.”

The NTUA’s sophisticated technology, Hiebert contends, was ideal to address the religious communities’ concerns. “To be honest, it sort of blew my mind to see this high technology applied, the same kind of high technology that we use in archaeology: ground-penetrating radar, a laser map that gives you centimeter precision so you know exactly what you’re doing, and thermographic cameras.”

On March 22, 2016, the Greeks, Franciscans, and Armenians held a ceremony in front of the Edicule to mark their agreement. Work began in May and continued around the clock. Behind a temporary barrier, technicians worked while pilgims visited, entering the Edicule through a protected walkway. Marble slabs from the exterior and interior walls were lifted into the second-story gallery of the Franciscans where, in a temporary workshop, restorers could repair and clean them.

As the NTUA team worked, their instruments began to yield mounds of data. Absorbing all that information, Fred Hiebert says, was like “trying to drink from a fire hose. There are so many discoveries that were revealed during the process of architectural conservation. The National Technical University team just didn’t have time to internalize all these new discoveries because we were basically up against a hard deadline. Frescoes got uncovered that had been completely invisible. Inscriptions were found that had been invisible before.”

Hiebert points to one significant find. Between the exte42 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

rior and interior walls, “two sides of the original cave that scientists and historians have never seen before and have always wondered about” are still present. “It helps—sort of—conclude a centuries-old debate about the actual shape and size of the original cave and the original burial platforms that are inside.”

THE ‘HOLY ROCK’ REVEALED

But an even more important revelation came on October 26, 2016. The restoration team needed to open the area venerated as the actual burial place of Jesus. They wanted to install a water barrier to protect the newly restored foundation and walls from future water damage. They asked permission to remove the marble slab over the spot—venerated by centuries of pilgrims. It had been in place since the present Edicule was constructed in 1809.

The communities agreed to close the church for 60 hours, an unprecedented move. There would be no advance notice of when the tomb would be opened. Kristin Romey, staff writer for NGS, told St. Anthony Messenger, “It was a moment that was just so weighted in history . . . and on top of that, there was a whole level of anxiety because the Greeks were very concerned that there would be the potential for a terrorist attack while the tomb was opened, so they would not even tell us the day that it was going to happen. They just said, ‘Be in Jerusalem this week. We’ll give you a couple of hours’ notice. Be prepared to be locked in the church for up to 60 hours.’ That’s the maximum amount of time to have it open.”

A select group of observers from among the Christian communities, with other guests, waited as the marble slab was carefully removed. Below it was a second slab, broken horizontally, and bearing a portion of a carved cross. This second slab had been reported centuries earlier by eyewitnesses. Scholars speculated that it dated from the Crusades, but now it awaited analysis by the Greek team.

Beneath the second slab was original stone, believed to be the resting place of Jesus after the crucifixion. Until this moment, the team had not seen evidence of the rock bed with their ground-penetrating radar.

A MOMENT OF FAITH

The Holy Land Review, official publication of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, reported reactions of the Franciscans and their associates who were permitted to view the opened tomb.

Franciscan Father Dobromir Jazstal, vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land, recalled: “It was without any doubt a very moving moment. When the slab was lifted off, everyone was trying to imagine what might be there underneath. We were experiencing something really special, which brought us near to Christ himself.”

Franciscan Father David Grenier, secretary of the Custody of the Holy Land, observed the emotions of those present.

“I saw all those who went in and I saw them come out. One

The innermost of the Edicule’s two chambers contains a marble slab, seen on the right, which covers the bedrock believed to be the place where Jesus’ body was placed after it was removed from the cross.

The chamber is shown here stripped of its oil lamps and most of its usual decorations.

On October 26, 2016, workers removed the upper marble slab, exposing a second slab (inset photo), broken horizontally and engraved with a cross.

A restricted group of visitors were permitted to enter for veneration. The removal of the slab also permitted the team to install a waterproof barrier and to conduct measurements which now date the lower slab to the Constantinian era.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 43

The Silent Witness: An Easter Reflection

By Fergus Clarke, OFM

The sense of awe at being present for such a historic occasion was broken only by the occasional nervous chatter of the Greek Orthodox monks, the Franciscans (representing the Catholic Church), and Armenian Orthodox.

Would the tomb reveal anything? Would this be somewhat akin to those occasions when a long-lost safe, retrieved from the depths of the ocean and now primed to reveal its secrets, disappointed? A la Hollywood, would the earth shudder? Would a voice from deep within boom out, “This is holy ground! This far and no farther!”? Would sparks emerge? A lightning bolt, perhaps?

Yet everyone was quiet when the official representatives of those three Churches emerged to say that, for the moment, all that was visible underneath the now-removed slab was a kind of filling of unknown origin.

As the hours wore on into the next day, it was with excitement that we received the news that, with the filling carefully removed, the tomb revealed yet another marble slab with a cross, and underneath that, a portion of the rock on which Jesus’ body had lain. (Previously, scholars had doubted that any part of the rock could have remained, given the ravages of time and the deliberate destruction of the area in 1009 by the Fatimids.)

44 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

But there it was. Whenever pauses in the work permitted, we were able to enter, and experience the once-in-a-lifetime privilege of seeing and touching the holy rock. It was here in this place that the greatest event in the history of humanity occurred more than 2,000 years ago, when sin and death were conquered by the raising of Jesus from the dead.

How I wanted that rock to speak!

But the rock remained silent. It continues to keep its silent watch just as it has done for all these years.

Now, any time that I enter the Edicule, whether it be to celebrate the Eucharist or to incense the tomb on other occasions, I always take the time and look toward that portion of the cave wall on the southern side, where now a narrow window that was exposed during the course of the recent work offers a view of a section of the rock.

I want to say to it, “Speak.

What was it like to have seen and received the broken and bruised body of your Creator? How did it feel to have supported and held it, as if you could have wrapped your arms around it to offer comfort on that Good Friday evening, and then to have looked on in sheer amazement as he rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning?”

In its silence, it looks back at me as if to say, “Now you tell what you have seen and heard. He is not here! He is risen.

Alleluia!”

Franciscan Father Fergus Clarke serves with the friars of the Custody of the Holy Land at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

COURTESY OF CUSTODY OF THE HOLY LAND/MARCO GAVASSO/CTS

WE WAITED WITH A SENSE of great anticipation on the night of October 26, 2016, as inside the Edicule enshrining the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre, engineers under the supervision of the National Technical University of Athens prepared to expose something that had been seen by no living creature. The marble slab covering the burial site of Jesus, in place since 1555 and not opened since 1809, was about to be removed.

The Work That Remains

The NTUA team completed their work in time for the celebrations of Easter in the Holy Sepulchre in April 2017. Now that the Edicule is clean and stable for the first time in nearly two centuries, its safety is assured for the foreseeable future.

COURTESY OF CUSTODY OF THE HOLY LAND/MARCO GAVASSO/CTS

In March 2017 an ecumenical gathering marked the end of the rehabilitation project. On the roof of the Edicule can be seen the equipment for monitoring and adjusting the humidity within the structure.

after the other, their eyes were shining with tears, filled with emotion.”

Osama Hamdan, architect for the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land, brought a different viewpoint: “I am a Muslim, and Jesus is a prophet for us. To work at the tomb of Jesus—it’s really emotional. To be here, at this exact moment, I felt very privileged.

The Sepulchre is part of the places that are also venerated by Muslims. It has a great religious and historical value.”

While some would have wished to make a more thorough examination of the burial place of Jesus, the deadline of Orthodox Easter 2017 loomed. The opening was sealed and work continued. But measurements taken while it was exposed would offer one further surprise. Samples examined using archaeometric investigation revealed that mortar holding the lower slab to the bedrock dates to AD 345, plus or

minus 165 years. This means that the lower slab (thought to be more recent) comes from the Constantinian era.

More revelations will certainly come as the mountain of data is studied and released, something Professor Moropoulou promises future generations. One concession to the future came as the team was permitted to open a window in the inner wall of the tomb chamber, opposite the burial place of Jesus. A Plexiglas cover will permit future monitoring of the original stone of the cave. And this “window into time” will offer an opportunity for pilgrims to view the Holy Rock that witnessed the Resurrection.

Greg Friedman, OFM, is a Franciscan friar in service to the Franciscans of the Holy Land and editor of The Holy Land Review. Marie-Armelle Beaulieu and Beatrice Guarrera of Terre Sainte Magazine contributed to the reporting for this article.

But the team, led by Professor Moropoulou, tempers that assurance with a warning. The floor beneath the rotunda is itself threatened. Open vaults and numerous water chambers collect rainwater and sewage. The same process of deterioration that threatened the Edicule now bodes an uncertain future for the Anastasis itself and thus with it, the Edicule.

The NTUA team has offered a plan to the Christian communities to eliminate this threat. But the communities, cautious of disrupting the daily flow of pilgrims and the conduct of daily rituals, have yet to act.

Time inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre proceeds according to the demands of faith, worship, and ancient customs. And yet, over the centuries, the world outside has intervened into the chronology of salvation—most often in a destructive way. The project to restore the Edicule has been historic, in its positive outcomes, thanks to the cooperation of the Christian communities (photo above). The encounter of science and faith offers hope for this holiest of Christian shrines.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 45

7Awe

Pathways to

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

By Patricia M. Robertson

46 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

DURKTALSMA/FOTOSEARCH

Experiencing these goose-bumps moments can make us happier and kinder, bringing us closer to others and God, our source of wonder.

DURKTALSMA/FOTOSEARCH

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

W

hat is more awesome than a star-filled night? Perhaps a sunrise over a lake or over the Grand Canyon? Or a baby, especially if that baby happens to be your grandchild?

When the Wise Men saw an extraordinary star in the sky, it filled them with awe and wonder and compelled them to follow. In the same way, awe compels us and brings us to our knees before our God. According to psychologist Dacher Keltner, director of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab at the University of California, Berkeley, “Awe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast or beyond human scale, that transcends our current understanding of things.” What is greater than our God? Recent studies exploring the healing potential of awe and wonder state that feeling awe may be the secret to health and happiness. It’s akin to the health benefits of meditation, which slows us down, quiets our hearts and minds, and helps us achieve a new perspective on life. Awe can help us realize our insignificance before the immensity that is God and strengthen our connections to other human beings. Experiencing awe makes us happier and kinder. It can even alter our bodies, reducing levels of cytokines, markers of stress and inflammation. Some even refer to awe as a seventh emotion, right up there with the big six: happiness, sadness, anger, fear, disgust, and surprise.

Once considered the domain of mystics or reserved for significant life events, these goose-bumps moments are now believed to be available to all of us on a daily basis.

They can strike us in the middle of a busy street corner, as they did Thomas Merton in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, where he experienced the revelation that we “are all walking around shining like the sun.” They can strike when we least expect it, filling our hearts with wonder, sending tingles down our spines. They are not restricted to spiritual geniuses, but readily available to all who are open to them.

While it may happen spontaneously, there are paths to heighten our awareness of wonder. The following are seven such pathways. As we celebrate Easter, why not take a moment to seek out God and experience awe in God’s presence?

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 47

1. GO OUTSIDE.

When I start to feel down and overwhelmed by life’s pressures, I hop on my bike and trek along Falling Waters Trail to Lime Lake in northern Michigan. I sit by the water until my frazzled nerves are soothed. My head clears, and I see new ways to look at old problems; new ideas for writing pop into my head. I return refreshed and renewed.

It’s helpful to put away those technological devices now and then and go out and experience the sounds of birds singing, crickets chirping, and the wind whistling through trees. In my former house in the village of Concord, Michigan, I routinely got up and watched the sunrise from the porch swing. I spent hours on my swing, reading and writing, while stopping to watch the world pass by. In my new home, I watch the sunset through my front windows and enjoy the quiet and privacy of my backyard. I take daily walks around the neighborhood with my dog and ride my bike along Falling Waters Trail as often as I can. And on those days I can’t get outside, I stare out the windows and watch the changing scene nature provides. Each provides a break from the stress of the technological world we live in and a chance to glimpse awe.

2. ROCK A BABY.

My grandson laughs and joy bubbles in my heart. There is nothing more important for me to do than to hold this small child.

Some hospitals even allow volunteers to come in and rock babies. It’s good for the babies, who need to be touched, and good for the volunteers.

I’ve been aware of the contemplative nature of rocking a baby since before I had kids of my own, when I held my nephews and nieces. Now rocking my new grandson inspires awe. Babies are so close to God, having so recently come from God. They are a source of wonder and thereby deserve their own category!

48 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

AMENIC181/FOTOSEARCH

A person cuts me off in traffic after church.

Do I say something, or forgive without having to confront? Or it may be the person who spread unkind rumors about a

ANITAPATTERSON/FOTOSEARCH

3. BE PART OF A COMMUNITY.

loved one, or a former employer who fired you for no good reason that you are aware of. All of these people inhabit our local communities, whether our work communities, the cities we live in, our communities of friends, or our churches. Try though we might, we cannot get away from every such person, nor would it be good for us if we did.

Despite our foibles and failings, people are also sources of wonder. Our family and friends may drive us crazy, but they are also the human face of God. I’ve been surprised by acts of kindness, seemingly coming out of nowhere, by complete strangers as well as by close friends. These leave me close to tears and remind me of God’s love.

4. EXPERIENCE THE ARTS.

I remember putting down Catherine Marshall’s book Christy and being filled with wonder at God’s presence in the life of this young woman. If only I could write like that! For days, the experience stayed with me. Even today, over 40 years later, I remember that book and how I felt after reading it. There is something about a truly good book that stays with us afterward and arouses feelings of awe.

Go to a museum, listen to music, attend a play, read a book. The books I love most are the ones that stir awe within me, bring me to tears, or cause me to marvel at the world around me and see the world with new eyes—books that bring me closer to God. A play well done can leave me feeling inspired, a feeling that can last for days.

So can a beautiful symphony or musical performance.

AMENIC181/FOTOSEARCH

ANITAPATTERSON/FOTOSEARCH

5. CREATE SOMETHING.

When I pick up a pen and apply it to lined paper, it seems God is writing through me, sitting on my shoulder, whispering in my ear as my lifeblood pours out onto paper, and I write that which I know is not just from me. It comes from some creative source that is greater than I am. This doesn’t always happen, but those times when it does are worth the hours of struggle to put one line down. Not everything I write comes from God. Yet God has to be the source of some of it, for sometimes I write words that are simply better than any

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 49

I could come up with on my own.

After 60 years of life, I know that anything I write that is mediocre or even terrible is all my own. Anything I write that is good comes from God, and that is a source of awe.

I feel close to God when I am writing.

God is cocreator with me in the writing process. Others create beautiful works of art through painting, drawing, cooking— the list goes on. All can lead us to wonder at our God, the master creator. You don’t have to be an accomplished writer, painter, or musician to create something beautiful. You may create through the meals you prepare with love for your family, quilts pieced together, or a rocking horse crafted for your children or grandchildren. Pick the medium that works for you.

6. MEDITATE AND PRAY.

There have been times in quiet prayer when God has touched my heart in a way that only God can. I’ve felt comfort and peace amid times of trial and struggle. Or God might give me a single word, a word that I can feast on for weeks, even years—words that fill me with wonder and change me in ways I could never have accomplished on my own.

It takes time and patience to allow God to speak to us in prayer, to feel God’s presence. Some people give up when God doesn’t speak immediately or in ways they expect. The more experience we gain in prayer, the more easily these moments of awe will come to us. If you are unable to progress in prayer, seek out a guide to help you, someone trained in spiritual direction.

Prayer is a way of opening ourselves up to wonder. Prayer changes us, helps us see the world and the people around us through different eyes. If we continue in our practice of prayer—and seek out help when we are stuck—eventually we will be able to see, as Merton said, that we “are all walking around shining like the sun.”

50 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

OIASSON/FOTOSEARCH

I sit in the pew, and tears are close to the surface. I feel surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, family, and friends in the faith who have gone before me and wait to welcome me home. I pray for my children and

HASENONKEL/FOTOSEARCH

7. GO TO CHURCH.

OIASSON/FOTOSEARCH

HASENONKEL/FOTOSEARCH

their children and add my prayers to the collective prayers of the community. I feel tears, but I don’t always know where they come from. There is so much pain and suffering in the world, so many needs to pray for. Somehow, I am part of all of this, and so my eyes water. I hold back my tears, lest someone rushes to comfort me. These are beautiful tears, tears of awe and sadness.

I realize that sometimes church services fail at invoking a sense of awe and wonder, a common complaint. And yet that is what church is all about, connecting us to our God. I consider myself fortunate that I have a church where I find awe. But it isn’t something that just happens; it is something that is nurtured over time, through years of attendance and prayer. It requires effort.

Throughout my life, I have had my struggles with the Catholic Church, yet it is precisely through having worked through those struggles that I now find awe—awe that comes from years of attendance, rich memories that surface when I enter the church sanctuary. I don’t experience this in churches of other faiths—not because it is not possible, but because my roots and history in the Catholic faith predispose me to awe in Catholic churches.

Find a church that works for you, where you can experience God’s presence, where you can put down roots. It’s important that you give it time. If it doesn’t happen, give it more time. Be open to how God might be speaking to you amid the challenges of parish life. Sitting in the quiet of a church, with candles lit, encourages contact with the source of all wonder, our God, who made us. A prayerful church service helps us experience God and his presence in our lives as well as the world.

These are but seven paths. There are many more available to us and many variations on those I mentioned. We have been made by God, for God. And so we are hardwired to experience awe. Awe is all around us; wonder is always calling to us, speaking to us. Are you ready to listen? How will you experience wonder today?

Patricia M. Robertson is a writer and spiritual director who lives in Jackson, Michigan. She is the author of Daily Meditations for Busy Moms (ACTA Publications), seven novels, and numerous articles.

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 51

media MATTERS

reel TiMe | channel surfing | audio file | bookshelf

By Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

FAVORITE MOVIES ABOUT

HEROES WHO CHOOSE NONVIOLENCE Hotel Rwanda (2004) Selma (2014) Gandhi (1982) Schindler’s List (1993) Where Do We Go Now? (2011)

I

n AD 64, Rome is burning. Emperor Nero blames the destruction on the Christians living there. He imprisons the aging apostle Paul (James Faulkner) and any other Christian he can capture.

Luke (Jim Caviezel), who wrote about Jesus’ life even though he never met him, sneaks into prison to hear any messages Paul might have for the frightened Christian community, which is headed by Aquila (John Lynch) and Priscilla (Joanne Whalley). It is obvious that Paul’s days are limited, so Luke asks him to dictate the story of his conversion and the formation of Jesus’ early community of followers in what will become the Acts of the Apostles.

The Roman procurator, Mauritius (Olivier Martinez), is intrigued by Paul, but still orders him to be flogged. When Mauritius’ daughter is taken ill, he must decide to trust the Roman gods or take a chance on this aged Christian healer. Meanwhile, Aquila and Priscilla are conflicted about staying in Rome: Do they remain to care for the community or flee to preserve the community? Paul offers no help: He trusts that they will remember his words about love, peace, and nonviolence, and dis-

52 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

cern the best thing to do.

Paul, Apostle of Christ is written and directed by Andrew Hyatt, who also wrote 2015’s Full of Grace. Here he imagines what Paul might have been like, physically and spiritually, at the end of his life. Faulkner does a brilliant job of portraying the former persecutor of Jesus’ followers. Caviezel, in a welcome change from his more solemn performances in film and television, is an animated friend and scribe to Paul.

Those who are interested in exploring what the personality of St. Paul might have been like will certainly appreciate this film. I was impressed by how the script integrated lines from Paul’s letters into believable dialogue.

This technique often comes out heavy and preachy, but here it seems natural.

Not yet rated, PG-13 • Violence and peril.

THE DATING PROJECT: AWE, INC./FATHOM EVENTS; 15:17 TO PARIS: CNS/WARNER BROS.

Sister Rose’s

PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST

LEFT: SISTER NANCY USSELMANN; PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST: CTMG

Sister Rose is a Daughter of St. Paul and the founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies.

She has been the awardwinning 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.

THE 15:17 TO PARIS

A

THE DATING PROJECT

THE DATING PROJECT: AWE, INC./FATHOM EVENTS; 15:17 TO PARIS: CNS/WARNER BROS.

LEFT: SISTER NANCY USSELMANN; PAUL, APOSTLE OF CHRIST: CTMG

K

erry Cronin, PhD, philosophy professor at Boston College, noticed a few years ago that her students were not dating because they didn’t know how. She gives her class an unusual assignment. Twice each term, they must ask someone out on a date. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture—coffee and conversation could be the first date.

This new documentary from Paulist Productions and Family Theater is a fascinating look at five adults, ages 18 to about 40, who have never dated or have chosen not to for various reasons.

The film is a direct challenge to the hookup culture of casual sex that can leave people lonelier than ever.

Dr. Cronin offers levels to dating that open up ways to see how authentic and mature relationships can begin and develop. The five subjects in the film are open, funny, and vulnerable, and genuinely want to find the right person to build a life. Dr. Cronin’s project reveals the lie of popular culture that tells us who we are, what we should look like, and who we should be.

As I watched the film, it brought to

Kerry Cronin, PhD

mind Pope John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body.” The film succeeds in addressing respect for the human person in relationships and marriage, and is sure to spark important conversations. The film’s honesty, humanity, and humor will inspire young people and encourage parents to talk about things that matter before their children leave the nest.

TheDatingProjectMovie.com

Not yet rated • Mature themes.

Catholic News Service Media Review Office gives these ratings.

A-1 General patronage

A-2 Adults and adolescents

A-3 Adults

L Limited adult audience

O Morally offensive

Source: USCCB.org/movies

lek Skarlatos, Anthony Sadler, and Spencer Stone, friends since childhood, are grown and backpacking through Europe in July 2015. Alek is in the National Guard and on leave from his boring life as a security guard in Afghanistan. Spencer is in the Air Force. He is trained in survival, evasion, resistance and escape, martial arts, and wrestling. Anthony is finishing college.

Spencer, in a thoughtful mood, asks Anthony when they are in Venice if he has ever felt that their lives are moving toward something big and meaningful. He gets his answer when the three friends take the train from Amsterdam to Paris.

They hear shots and people screaming. Spencer confronts Ayoub El Khazzani (Ray Corasani), a 25-yearold Moroccan, who comes out of the bathroom with an assault rifle. They are unarmed, but work to subdue him, as do three other passengers. Their fast acting that day saved the lives of more than 500 people without firing a shot.

Clint Eastwood’s direction is unadorned. The film is based on true events and the three lead actors play themselves. The approach befits a film that tells a story about ordinary people who do extraordinary things when called upon by unexpected circumstances.

A-3, PG-13 • Peril, violence, guns.

?

WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 53

media MATTERS

reel time | channel surfing | audio file | bookshelf

By Christopher Heffron IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Blue Planet II BBC Earth, bbcearth.com

DIY, diy.com

W

ith all due respect to Mr. Henry David Thoreau, a fraction of us have the guts or the gumption to walk away from our lives to live in the woods so deliberately. We are tethered—gratefully, yes—to our children, our jobs, and our daily schedules. Every day, we willingly join the fray of business and busyness. But that doesn’t mean we can’t dream of detaching from our responsibilities for an hour to imagine a simpler, more rustic life. Behold, the magic of television: DIY’s Building off the Grid is unique among other shows on the lineup because it revels in taking the road less traveled.

DIY and its sister channel, HGTV, are all about supply and demand. Viewers clamor for shows about shiplap and high-end crown molding, first-time buyers ready to take the plunge on an oversized starter home, and impossibly goodlooking hosts reimagining a subpar landscape. And there are plenty of shows to quench that thirst. But Building off the Grid is grittier, less camera-ready.

The formula is simple: Each episode features individuals who are building a custom home from the ground up. They construct their domiciles using materials from the trees and rocks around them. They hunt for their dinners. They gather water from streams. To no surprise, their carbon footprints are minimal.

In fact, these 21st-century settlers have unplugged almost entirely from civilization. No computers. No smartphones. No social media. What’s charming about this show—and its subjects—is that such a day-to-day reality isn’t penance. They welcome the detachment. They embrace the pace.

The heartbeat of the show is admirable—and inherently Franciscan. Most of us have more than we need and yet we cannot stop acquiring. St. Francis showed us that simplicity is a remedy. After all, the poor man of Assisi sought refuge in caves and on mountaintops for solitude and prayer. And while that might not suit everybody, Building off the Grid, a jewel in DIY’s crown, reminds us that less is almost always more.

54 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

LEFT: VIRGIN RECORDS; RIGHT: BECAUSE MUSIC; PETE & REPEAT: TOM GREENE

Building off the Grid

would dare not assign a gender to the Almighty, but if God took a human voice, he might very well sound like David Attenborough.

The 91-year-old British naturalist, in his beautifully aged lilt, narrates the latest installment of the BBC’s seven-part nature series Blue Planet II. Simply put: No other nature documentary series can touch it.

“We know more about the surface of Mars than we do of the deep parts of our oceans,” Attenborough says in the first episode. (Channel surfers: Let that sink in for a moment.) This series seeks to change that. Much as BBC Earth did with their groundbreaking Planet Earth series, Blue Planet gives viewers unparalleled access to some of the most remote areas of the sea. There, drama unfolds. A killer whale stalks a giant octopus; a baby sea turtle evades ravenous birds to reach the “safety” of the ocean; a pod of dolphins play a game in the looming shadow of a great white shark. And it’s breathtaking: There isn’t a stale or dull moment in the series. BBC Earth’s ace cinematographers capture the splendor of the seas, in all its carnage and beauty.

LEFT: CC0 CREATIVE COMMONS/PIXABAY; RIGHT: SCUBAGUYS/FOTOSEARCH

I

reel time | channel surfing | auDio file | bookshelf

Editor’s Pick Retro-spective AIR | MOON SAFARI

I

n 1998, the music world was awash with all manner of sugary pop. Even under-the-radar electronic music was dominated by only a few subgenres.

Enter Air’s Moon Safari. Difficult to categorize, the album starts off quietly with the mysterious “La Femme d’Argent” (“The Silver Girl”). The band, composed of an architecture student (Nicolas Godin) and a mathematics student (Jean-Benoît Dunckel), gives special attention to creating a warm, lush sonic environment that reaches back into ’60s folk and ’70s prog rock while simultaneously sounding fresh and forward-thinking.

Quite possibly the strongest song on the album, “Kelly Watch the Stars” sweeps listeners away on a playful musical journey fit for an interstellar road trip. The only lyrics to the song—the title—implore the subject and listeners to keep looking up, to keep marveling at the beautiful creation around us. A breezy yet substantial album with plenty of surprising twists and turns, Moon Safari is an ideal set of songs to soak in as spring sets in.

LEFT: VIRGIN RECORDS; RIGHT: BECAUSE MUSIC; PETE & REPEAT: TOM GREENE

CHARLOTTE GAINSBOURG | REST

M

usical ability and creative energy course through the veins of Charlotte Gainsbourg. The daughter of actor/singer Jane Birkin and singer Serge Gainsbourg—widely considered one of the greatest French songwriters of the 20th century—Ms. Gainsbourg has appeared in dozens of films and won the coveted Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009.

An ambitious outing, Rest is both an engaging and challenging listen.

Gainsbourg digs deep, reflecting on the deaths of her father (from a heart attack stemming from a life of alcohol abuse) and her half sister Kate, who fell from her apartment in 2013—an apparent suicide. The opening song, “Ring-a-Ring o’ Roses,” immediately brings into focus the theme of death and loss, playing off the children’s rhyme: “Ring-a-ring of roses/Pocket full of posies/We all fall down.”

The third song, simply titled “Kate,” is sung entirely in French, Gainsbourg’s first language. One need not understand the words to catch the melancholy echoing in her heart following the death of her half sister.

What is so surprising about Rest is that, despite its dark subject matter, many of the songs are powered by driving rhythms and catchy synthesizer hooks.

“Deadly Valentine” is a case in point of the energetic, even upbeat sound achieved on the album. The great Paul McCartney wrote the lyrics and played multiple instruments on “Songbird in a Cage,” which showcases how apt Gainsbourg is at bringing together major talents under one tent.

The album ends in a rather surprising way. A home recording of one of Gainsbourg’s young daughters trying to recite the alphabet in broken English is mixed into an anthemic and stirring conclusion, rich in strings and a dramatic piano part. Ultimately, in Rest, life wins out and artistic expression becomes a form of catharsis for both songwriter and listener. Despite the darkness that touches us all, there is a light of life we must hold on to, a light often right in front of us in the form of children.

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 below)

GET THE Great fun for BOOK puzzlers of all ages!

Go online to order: Shop.FranciscanMedia.org For ONLY $3.99 Use Code: SAMPETE ANSWERS to PETE & REPEAT: 1. There is a knob on the purple door. 2. Sis’ dress now has polka dots. 3. The window on the green building is wider. 4. Sis is wearing boots.

5. There is a curb by the sidewalk. 6. A fire hydrant has appeared. 7. A light blue stripe is on the building on the left. 8. Pete’s umbrella now has a ferrule on the top.

LEFT: CC0 CREATIVE COMMONS/PIXABAY; RIGHT: SCUBAGUYS/FOTOSEARCH

PETE&REPEAT

By Daniel Imwalle

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 55

reel time | channel surfing | audio file | bookshelf

By Carol Ann Morrow

Seeking a Christ Figure

I

FROM STAR WARS TO SUPERMAN

BY JAMES L. PAPANDREA Sophia Institute Press

“People need to be rescued.

Somebody needs to save the day, or even the world. In other words, people need a savior.

And that’s what a hero is.”

—James Papandrea

56 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

f you enjoy being entertained and challenged by science fiction films, you are in for a treat with James Papandrea’s From Star Wars to Superman. Science fiction films have perennially held fascination for me.

Ever since my first course in media literacy, I came to appreciate the breadth and depth of ethical and theological themes woven directly or indirectly into the composition of a film. The fact is: Films play an increasing role in defining both ourselves and society.

They broaden our exposure to life and provide alternative readings of life’s meaning and significance.

In From Star Wars to Superman, Papandrea offers the reader fresh insights to exploring how a “Christ figure” may be present within a film.

The reference to a Christ figure is simply a technique that creates an allusion between the film’s character(s) and the biblical Jesus. In some ways, the Christ figure is seen as a type of spiritual or prophetic figure that may exhibit one or more traits identified in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

From Star Wars to Superman is an easy-to-read and insightful journey through a dozen of the most popular, classic science fiction films of modern history. The seamless flow of ideas and analogies within each chapter delightfully holds the attention of the reader.

Each chapter examines an alternative reality that is created within each given science fiction film story, introduces the hero, or savior character, and asks what kind of Christ figure the story presents us with and what that says about humanity and salvation.

Throughout the book, Papandrea offers the reader a direct and simple approach for defining how Jesus has been understood and explained (theol-

ogized) at various times of Church history. By familiarizing oneself with these terms, the reader cultivates a basic vocabulary and film lens for exploring and identifying other likely Christ figures in a film. Finally, Papandrea aids the reader by demonstrating how science fiction films indicate humanity’s search for ultimate meaning in the universe.

As Papandrea mentions, this is “not a book for theologians; it’s a book for insightful, imaginative people who love stories about heroes having adventures.” Science fiction films introduce us to alternative worlds where we are challenged to bring our own faith understanding into conversation with another reality. They offer us an opportunity to explore the implications and consequences of alternative worlds that are grounded in technological evolution, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

I have been teaching an undergraduate course titled “Religion and Film” for over 15 years. One of the objectives of the course is to cultivate within my students film literacy skills in order to critically interpret film language and to explore how religious or spiritual themes can be reflected in a film. My current students were thrilled with the review of From Star Wars to Superman; thus, it is now one of the required texts for our studies. This is an uncomplicated, inspiring, and challenging book of how to seek out Christ figures not only in science fiction films, but most 21st-century films today.

Reviewed by Sister Angela Ann Zukowski, MHSH, D.Min, director of the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives and professor in the Department of Religious Studies of the University of Dayton (a Catholic/Marianist University).

COURTESY OF JAMES MARTIN, SJ/NUTOPIA

media MATTERS

SHAHBAZ BHATTI

MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS, AND JESUS

DIALOGUE OF THE HEART

BY JOHN L. ALLEN JR.

BY CARL MEDEARIS

BY MARTIN MCGEE, OSB

Liturgical Press

Bethany House

Orbis Books

“He suffered harassment, beatings, and even torture, but he was not deterred.”

“The answer to issues in the Middle East? Jesus. A political answer simply doesn’t exist.”

“Fear is contagious, and, as St. John tells us, the only antidote to fear is love.”

P

H

B

erhaps the least-known story to Catholics in America is the widespread persecution—real persecution—of Catholics and other Christians overseas. Veteran Vatican correspondent John L. Allen Jr. returns to the topic in this short biography of a martyr among Pakistani Christians. In 2012 Allen dealt with worldwide persecution of Christians as a key trend in his book The Future Church.

An installment in the series “People of God,” popular biographies of modern faith models, living and dead, Shahbaz Bhatti is 126 pages and written in an accessible style. Here’s a solid introduction to this little-known modern martyr for our faith.

ere is a short primer on Islam, updated from its 2008 first edition. Author Carl Medearis, who lived in Beirut, Lebanon, for 12 years, is now director of the Middle East Studies Program at William Jessup University in California.

Medearis writes for a Christian audience and implores readers to take on the open, loving attitude of Jesus in considering Islam. He covers a lot of territory in a short book, from the pillars of Islam, to an Islamic understanding of Jesus and biblical themes, to personal encounters between Christians and Muslims. Building bridges is the key.

What I’m Reading

COURTESY OF JAMES MARTIN, SJ/NUTOPIA

Dakota: A Spiritual Geography,

by Kathleen Norris

James Martin, SJ, is a Jesuit priest, editor at large of America Magazine, and consultor to the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communications.

He is also the author of several books, including Jesus: A Pilgrimage.

At Play in the Lion’s Den: A Biography and Memoir of Daniel Berrigan, by Jim Forest Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community, by Pádraig Ó Tuama

roadly speaking, in North America Muslims are a sometimes misunderstood but solid presence in mainstream culture, in Europe a stream of fleeing refugees, and in other parts of the world in direct and sometimes violent conflict with Christians.

In this book, British Benedictine Martin McGee explores what preceded the well-known 1996 kidnapping and murder of the Trappist monks near Medea, Algeria (basis of the film Of Gods and Men). The monks were in peaceful coexistence with the surrounding Muslim community for many years. That experience sheds light on positive relations between Muslims and Christians everywhere.

KIDS’

SPOT A CHILD’S BOOK OF VALUES TEXT BY ESTEVE PUJOL I PONS

ILLUSTRATIONS BY ADRIÀ FRUITÓS

T

his large-format, beautifully illustrated hardbound book presents classic morality fables and tales from around the world, from the familiar Aesop and Hans Christian Andersen to various cultures’ traditional fables. Each presents one of 26 values.

I Want to See: What the Story of Blind Bartimaeus Teaches Us about Fear, Surrender and Walking the Path to Joy,

by Roc O’Connor, SJ

Books featured in this section can be ordered from:

The Gospel of John, the Gospel of Relationship, by Jean Vanier

web: www.stmarysbookstore.com e-mail: stmarysbookstore@gmail.com

St. Mary’s Bookstore & Church Supply

1909 West End Avenue • Nashville, TN 37203 • 800-233-3604

StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 57

POINTSOFVIEW | FAITH & FAMILY

By Susan Hines-Brigger

Time to Step Up Our Game subject because his absence absolved him of any blame?

I wondered, if Alex had been at the game, what would he have done? Better yet, if I had been at the game, what would I have done?

Would I have said something or waited for someone else to speak up? What would Alex have seen me do?

Susan Hines-Brigger

O

ne of the first things I learned as a parent is that kids are like sponges. They soak up everything around them—even the things we don’t want them to. When they’re young, it’s easier to limit all of the sources from which they pick things up. We can monitor what they watch, listen to, or hear us say.

As they grow, though, so does their world and circle of influence. We try to filter out what they absorb, to the best of our ability.

But sometimes, despite our best efforts, we fail. This is even more difficult in our world of readily accessible and widely used technology.

WAKE-UP CALL

Susan welcomes your comments and suggestions!

E-MAIL: CatholicFamily@ FranciscanMedia.org MAIL: Faith & Family 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

?

WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

A few months ago, there was an incident at my son’s Catholic high school that involved some students yelling racial and homophobic slurs at players on the opposing team during a basketball game.

How long the taunts went on before finally being put to a stop is a matter of whom you’re asking. Who was responsible is also up for debate. But there is no denying one thing, and that is that it happened.

In the aftermath, there were apologies and conversations about what took place, why it did, and how to use it as a teachable moment for all involved. There were rationalizations by some parents that this type of behavior has gone on forever and happens at all schools.

Indeed it has. That doesn’t make it acceptable.

For the next few days, I found myself avoiding the topic by telling people, “Alex wasn’t at the game.” Why? Did that somehow mean that I didn’t have to bring up the

58 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

I also reflected on where these kids must have learned such disregard for their fellow human beings. Sure, we can blame the media, social media, and any number of other influences.

That’s easy. But what about us? What part do we play in these situations?

For instance, what about the mom who wrote derogatory statements in the comment section of an online news story about the incident? Her comments were not all that different from some of the things those young men said. What about the dad I watched verbally assault a teenage ref at his daughter’s grade school soccer game?

Many of us parents have probably uttered at some point or another, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Maybe it’s time we change that up to encourage our kids to mimic what we say and do. It’s time that we adults take a long, hard look in the mirror and hold ourselves accountable for what we are teaching our kids through our actions.

On April 1, we will celebrate Easter. For the past 40 days, we have been working to recapture and reaffirm the basic message of our faith: that we are important enough that Jesus was willing to die for us. Let’s live up to that message.

The reality is that we are our kids’ greatest teachers. We need to speak up and let them know where we stand in situations like this.

We need to call them out when we see or hear them doing or saying something we are not OK with. No more “kids being kids.”

They may not look as if they’re listening, but they probably are. On the off chance that they are, it’s time for us to speak up. We can do better than this. We are better than this.

Our kids are watching.

FOTOSEARCH: BOTTOM: SRIBA3; TOP: LIGHTHUNTER

LOOK IN THE MIRROR

LEFT: MCKOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA; RIGHT: KUNGVERYLUCKY/FOTOSEARCH

Susan has worked at St. Anthony Messenger for 23 years and is an executive editor. She and her husband, Mark, are the proud parents of four kids—Maddie, Alex, Riley, and Kacey. Aside from her family, her loves are Disney, traveling, and sports.

in the kitchen

Eggplant Bruschetta

with Susan Muto

Lent, Vegetarian, and Vegan Friendly

yield: 6–8 servings • prep time: 30 minutes; inactive time: 1 hour • cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 medium eggplants 1 cup chopped celery 1 eight oz. can plum tomatoes, diced (or use 1 cup fresh tomatoes that have been blanched and peeled, then diced) 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 shallot, sliced thin ½ cup black olives ¼ cup capers salt and pepper 1 cup mushrooms, any variety, sliced 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 to 3 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped without stems

Instructions: Peel and cube the eggplants, and discard the seeds. Sprinkle salt over the cubes and mix well. Let the eggplant sit in bowl for an hour.

In a large bowl, mix the celery, tomatoes, red bell pepper, shallot, black olives, and capers, and set aside.

Rinse and drain the eggplant cubes.

Sauté the cubes in olive oil with the garlic cloves for about 5 minutes, add sliced mushrooms, and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, add the parsley, red pepper flakes, salt, and fresh ground pepper to taste. Gently toss together. Serve with crackers or on warm toasted bread slices.

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

F

ood freely given exacts from us a promise to go beyond its selfish reception to the unselfish realm of gratitude. There we commit ourselves to give to others what we have received.

My food mentors—grandmother and mother—cooked not because their sense of dignity depended on others’ opinions of them, but because they knew that treating tablemates to the best they could offer was the backbone of every family and nation.

Though ingratitude might have come to their table, it disappeared when they left it. These dear women echoed in their own way these touching words from the prophet Isaiah: “All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, buy grain and eat; Come, buy grain without money, wine and milk without cost! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what does not satisfy? Only listen to me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare” (Is 55:1–2).

FOTOSEARCH: BOTTOM: SRIBA3; TOP: LIGHTHUNTER

GH

SuSan Muto is the executive director of the Epiphany association, a nonprofit ecumenical education, consultation, and research center. a prolific author and internationally renowned teacher and speaker, she holds an M.a. and ph.D. in English literature from the university of pittsburgh.

G ood Food fo r Body a nd Spiri t

LEFT: MCKOZUSKO/FRANCISCAN MEDIA; RIGHT: KUNGVERYLUCKY/FOTOSEARCH

usan Muto invites you to experience meals as a sacred time.

her love for cooking permeates this book, as she shares her memories of growing up in an Italian family with a mother who also loved to cook. Muto’s stories make you feel as if you are right there in the kitchen with her and her mother as they go about preparing meals, each of which becomes an opportunity to experience the goodness of God through the food we eat and the company we share. Muto also includes recipes that are simple to prepare, using ingredients that are readily available.

Whether you are a novice cook or highly experienced, or just enjoy good food, this book will bring you to a new understanding of the gift we share when we take the time to eat well.

Table of Plenty

S

Go o d Fo o d f o r Bo dy and Spiri t Muto

“A compelling book about the intimate connection between the food we eat and the nourishment required for a healthy spiritual life.”

— F r . r a l p h ta j a k , o . S . B . , chaplain of the Epiphany association

LIMITED COPIES AVAILABLE. GET YOURS NOW!

l Table of Plenty s t o r ies r e f lections r eci pe s

CookInG—Essays & narratives

SuSan Muto Muto_Table of Plenty_CVR.indd 1

1/7/14 3:54 PM

Go online to order the book: Shop.FranciscanMedia.org For 20% OFF Use Code: SAMTABLE StAnthonyMessenger.org | April 2018 • 59

reflection “The human family has received from the Creator a common gift: nature.”

PHOTO CREDIT HERE MARTINM303/FOTOSEARCH

—Pope Francis

60 • April 2018 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

Looking for a quiet moment in your busy day?

Minute Meditations is a free daily resource to feed your spirit.

Go to www.franciscanmedia.org/minutemeditations to sign up.

Share Your Blessings

Send a free e-card today! www.CatholicGreetings.org

28 W. Liberty Street Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498

Donate Today

and Help Spread the Gospel in the Spirit of St. Francis!

Franciscan Media greatly depends on your generosity!

Your gift brings the friars at Franciscan Media that much closer to their overarching goal—to fill the world with Franciscan spirit.

To join in the mission, send your gift* today to: Franciscan Media, 28 West Liberty Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45202-6498 Please mark SAM18 on your check OR go online: donate.FranciscanMedia.org/SAM0418 *Your gift is tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.