St. Anthony Messenger June/July 2020

Sharing the spirit of St. Francis with the world VOL. 128/NO. 1 • JUNE/JULY 2020 • PUBLISHED BY FRANCISCAN MEDIA

SPECIAL ISSUE

DISCIPLESHIP IN A DIGITAL WORLD

FAITH. HOPE. CONNECT.

JUNE/JULY 2020 • $4.99 StAnthonyMessenger.org

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VOL. 128 NO. 1

2020 JUNE/JULY

SPECIAL ISSUE

DISCIPLESHIP IN A DIGITAL WORLD: FAITH. HOPE. CONNECT. 21 Introduction: Using Technology

to Build Up the Kingdom of God

By Clifford Hennings, OFM

22 Adults Are Part of the Solution

By Susan Hines-Brigger

ISTOCK IMAGES: COVER: PEOPLE IMAGES; ABOVE: LAKSHMIPRASAD S

Adults have an opportunity to model good online behavior for the younger generations. The question is: Are we doing it?

30 Confronting Teen Suicide

By Christopher Heffron and Rory Shelton

Young people have never been more connected or more isolated. A psychologist and a teen advocate for suicide prevention shed light on this crisis.

38 Teens: What They Want Us to Know

By Roy Petitfils

Adolescence is a tumultuous time. It’s easy to forget that, ultimately, teens just want to be acknowledged, listened to, and respected.

ABOVE and COVER: In September 2019, Pope Francis said, “A better world is possible thanks to technological progress, if this is accompanied by an ethic inspired by a vision of the common good, an ethic of freedom, responsibility, and fraternity.” As disciples in a digital world, we can use technology to spread the Gospel.

44 Spiritual Nourishment in a Digital World

By Daniel Imwalle and Christopher Heffron

Amid growing calls for meaningful digital resources, these media ministries are responding daily with content that feeds the soul.

COMING NEXT

ISSUE

An article on Sts. Francis and Clare as models of courage A look at how the Liturgy of the Hours can bring peace to our busy lives StAnthonyMessenger.org | June/July 2020 • 1

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Saint Day

of the

T

he saints were real people with real stories—just like us! Their surrender to God’s love was so gen-

erous that the Church recognizes them as heroes and heroines worthy to be held up for our inspiration. Join Franciscan Media in our daily celebration of these holy men and women of God. Sign up for Saint of the Day, a free resource delivered right to your inbox.

Go to SaintoftheDay.org to start your journey.

Blessed Franz Jägerstätter June 7 Blessed Franz Jägerstätter, a devoted married man with children, refused to serve in Hitler’s army and was arrested and executed as a result of that decision.

Not condemning fellow Catholics who did serve, Blessed Franz felt he had to follow his conscience and resist evil.

St. Anthony of Padua June 13 An Augustinian monk who was inspired by the martyrdom of Franciscan missionaries, St. Anthony of Padua joined the Franciscans hoping to be a missionary. But God had other plans for him.

He became one of the outstanding philosopher/ theologians of the order.

St. Maria Goretti

St. Kateri Tekakwitha

July 6 St. Maria Goretti has captured the love and affection of thousands of people because of the simplicity and purity of her life. Killed defending her chastity, Maria Goretti posthumously witnessed the conversion of her murderer and his reconciliation with her family.

July 14 Known as the “Lily of the Mohawks,” St. Kateri’s story is one of courage and humility. Bravely facing her uncle’s dislike for anything Christian, she converted to Catholicism at age 19. This led to a life of extreme penance and austerity for the young woman.

www.FranciscanMedia.org Go to www.FranciscanMedia.org/Alexa to learn how to add Saint of the Day to your Alexa-enabled device.

LEFT TO RIGHT: GERMAN WIKIPEDIA/SZIKLAI AT; MC KOZUSKO/SAM; CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR/JUN ACULLADOR; CREATIVE COMMONS/JIM MCINTOSH

Saints and blesseds featured in the months of June and July include . . .

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VOL. 128 NO. 1

“Each saint in heaven rejoices over the glorification of the other; mutual love overflows in both directions.”

2020 JUNE/JULY

—St. Anthony of Padua

12 SPIRIT OF ST. FRANCIS

14 POINTS OF VIEW

10 Ask a Franciscan

14 I’d Like to Say

Examining My Conscience

Apathy Is the New Deadly Sin

12 Franciscan World

16 At Home on Earth

12 St. Anthony Stories

18 Faith Unpacked

13 Followers of St. Francis

19 Editorial

LEFT TO RIGHT: GERMAN WIKIPEDIA/SZIKLAI AT; MC KOZUSKO/SAM; CREATIVE COMMONS/FLICKR/JUN ACULLADOR; CREATIVE COMMONS/JIM MCINTOSH

Vatican Basilica

Crisis and Crossroads

Piece of the Puzzle

Our Call to Evangelization

Mike Carsten, OFS

Social Media: We All Must Be Accountable

54 Faith & Family

Pick Up That Phone!

50

CULTURE

50 Media Reviews

6

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

52 Film Reviews 4 Dear Reader

Video | Inside Quest interview

with Simon Sinek Book | The Hope of Glory

The Clark Sisters Boys State Jump Shot

5 Your Voice 6 Church in the News

55 Lighten Up 55 Pete & Repeat 56 Reflection

StAnthonyMessenger.org | June/July 2020 • 3

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dear reader

Networking or Not Working?

PUBLISHER

W

henever I’m around my nieces, Rory, 16, and Cameron, 13, their relentless TikToking, Snapchatting, and FaceTiming annoy me. I’m puzzled by the amount of time they devote to their online lives. Then something sobering happened to me recently. Out of curiosity, I looked on my iPhone to see how long I had spent on it that day. Seven hours, 42 minutes. I was sick about it.

YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and texting clearly occupy more time than I realized.

(Apologies to my nieces.)

Connectivity has become a crutch in our culture. It seems every meal we prepare must be captured and posted. Every emotion is adorned with a hashtag. We seek out pity or praise for that quick little hit of dopamine. And it’s often disingenuous: I comment on the Facebook posts of people I probably wouldn’t talk to in person. Who among us can’t relate to that statement?

Why is social networking . . . not working? Why are we hooked on digital platforms that foster inauthentic relationships? These questions surfaced among our staff months ago, and we decided to devote an entire issue to answering them. We hope it provides you with some clarity.

And because I’m too proud to neglect mentioning it, my niece, Rory, who is pondering a career in journalism, coauthored the teen suicide article in this issue with me. She, like so many in her generation, has wisdom to spare.

Daniel Kroger, OFM PRESIDENT

Kelly McCracken EXECUTIVE EDITORS

Christopher Heffron Susan Hines-Brigger

FRANCISCAN EDITOR

Pat McCloskey, OFM ART DIRECTOR

Mary Catherine Kozusko MANAGING EDITOR

Daniel Imwalle

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Sandy Howison

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Sharon Lape

DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING

Ray Taylor

Christopher Heffron, Executive Editor

PRINTING

Kingery Printing Co. Effingham, IL

writer Using Technology to Build Up the Kingdom of God PAGE 21

Father Clifford is a Franciscan friar from the St. John the Baptist Province. He is completing four years of service as associate pastor for St. Monica-St. George Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio, and with the Catholic campus ministry for the University of Cincinnati.

ROY PETITFILS

writer Teens: What They Want Us to Know PAGE 38

Roy Petitfils has worked with youth and young adults for more than 25 years as a minister, teacher, school counselor, and now as a counselor in private practice.

He specializes in counseling teens and young adults.

Learn more about his work at RoyPetitfils.com.

RORY SHELTON

writer Confronting Teen Suicide PAGE 30

Rory Shelton will be starting her junior year this fall. She is a member of Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer suicide prevention team at her high school. Rory is also a varsity volleyball player and a member of SALT (Student Athlete Leadership Team).

She lives in the Midwest.

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PHOTO CREDIT HERE

CLIFFORD HENNINGS, OFM

ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER (ISSN #0036276X) (U.S.P.S. PUBLICATION #007956 CANADA PUBLICATION #PM40036350) Volume 128, Number 1, is published 10 times per year 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. US POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: St. Anthony Messenger, PO Box 189, Congers, NY 10920-0189. CANADA RETURN ADDRESS: c/o AIM, 7289 Torbram Rd., Mississauga, ON, Canada L4T 1G8.

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POINTSOFVIEW | YOUR VOICE Feedback from Our Online Readers

On “Praised Bee,” by Susan Hines-Brigger (April 2020) It was a great story. A lot of creativity and love goes into making these beautiful candles.

—Kay

It’s so nice to see that Martin Marklin created a wonderful business—one that was most needed at a critical time. His work is amazing. What an honor it is to read an article that explains all that he has accomplished.

—Mark

On “Praying My Way through Dementia,” by Gloria Hutchinson (March 2020) Gloria, you touched my heart. Thank you for sharing your journey, mindful that you are not alone. It’s a reminder that none of us are alone. We are in God, and God is in us.

—Irene

Thank you, Gloria, for your lessons in prayer, which serve in every state and situation of our lives. I join you in praying that you never forget your God. —Gilbert

.S.P.S. TION ed 10 Friars Street, 5615. addiddress ngers, AIM, 8.

call n the Single notice ption-

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a.org/ manun fic-

I am lying in bed right now next to my 86-year-old mom, who is declining from Alzheimer’s disease. I am her caretaker. I am blessed to have the honor to do this for her as she was my best friend in life, in addition to being my mom. The days are not always easy, and each one is different. I pray to God to take her when he is ready and to spare her any more decline. But I know it’s all in his time, not mine. So I wake every morning and do my best to care for this fragile person who once was the strongest person I knew. And I thank God for the time and privilege I have to be with her. I ask for help when I’m exhausted and overwhelmed. And now I thank God for coming across this article. Nothing is a coincidence with God. Thank you for sharing your story, and may God bless you!

—Jill

Profound Prose

I don’t respond to stories, although a lot of them touch me and are catalogued in my memory. I am compelled to reach out to you after reading Gloria Hutchinson’s article in the March issue (“Praying My Way through Dementia”) for the third time. Every time I read it, I am captivated by her truly beautiful prose. What a brilliant writer, and she surely

is shining through her most unscrupulous medical condition. I have commended her in my prayers, thanks to the bravery she has shown in this marvelous article. I can even sense some humor in her vivid descriptions of the symptoms she has to endure daily.

Thank you, St. Anthony Messenger, and grateful appreciation to you, Gloria, for allowing us faithful subscribers a glimpse into your beautiful life. You’ve been a role model for allowing your wonderful husband, Dave, and our blessed Lord to carry you through day by day. God bless you and yours.

Claire Rovegno, Burlingame, California

Having Good Friends Who Are Atheists

Having lost my 45-year-old daughter unexpectedly in February 2019 due to complications from a pulmonary embolism, I can well relate to the parent’s feelings about having lost a son (“A Deep Wound,” from March’s “Ask a Franciscan,” by Pat McCloskey, OFM).

On the other hand, I was quite offended by the letter writer’s characterization of atheists as being “rotten people.” My atheist friends have a great respect for social justice, with some volunteering to aid the less fortunate.

They also keep me company at peace vigils and in anti-war marches.

Rotten people are so-called Christian politicians who strive to lessen such social programs as Social Security, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicare, and Medicaid. Such mean-spirited positions are antithetical to the teachings of the Prince of Peace.

Louis Pumphrey, Shaker Heights, Ohio

Faulty Logic

This letter is in response to the letter from Judy Roy in the March “Your Voice” column (“The Sanctity of Life at All Its Stages”).

Ms. Roy seems to infer that abortion is on the same plane of moral equivalency with enforcement of border laws and separation of arrested individuals from their families.

In following the laws of logic, as in a valid comparison, both sides have to be reasonably equal; that is, they have to be proportionate.

Does anyone seriously believe that the legal enforcement of federal laws rises to the same degree of evil as abortion?

Tony Humeston, Albia, Iowa

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church IN THE NEWS

people | events | trends

By Susan Hines-Brigger

POPE DELIVERS SPECIAL ‘URBI ET ORBI’ MESSAGE

n an extraordinary move, Pope Francis delivered a special blessing “to the Church and the world” in late March during the coronavirus pandemic gripping the world, reported Vatican News. The formal blessing is usually given only immediately after a new pope’s election and on Christmas and Easter.

The pope delivered the message in a rain-drenched, empty St. Peter’s Square. It was broadcast on Facebook, YouTube, TV, and radio. While delivering the message, the pope was flanked by the ancient icon of Mary, Salus Populi Romani (health of the Roman people)—usually housed in the Basilica of St. Mary Major—and the “Miraculous Crucifix” kept in the Church of San Marcello on the city’s Via del Corso, which he had visited earlier in the month.

Pope Francis offered a meditation on the crisis, reflecting on the passage from the Gospel of Mark in which Jesus and the disciples find themselves caught in a storm on a boat in the Sea of Galilee.

Noting that the Gospel passage begins, “When evening had come,” the pope said that because of the pandemic and its effects, it has felt like “for weeks now it has been evening.

“Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets, and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void that stops everything as it passes by,” Pope Francis said to all watching and listening remotely. “We feel it in the air; we notice it in people’s gestures; their glances give them away.

“We find ourselves afraid and lost,” he said. “Like the

POPE’S FAVORABILITY RATINGS INCREASE, FOLLOWING 2018 DECLINE

A

recent Pew Research Center survey shows that the number of US Catholics who view Pope Francis favorably has increased, two years after those numbers hit an all-time low amid clergy sex-abuse scandals.

According to the poll, six in 10 US adults say they have a “very” or “mostly” favorable view of Pope Francis, up from roughly half who said this in September 2018, when the question was last asked.

At the time of that poll, a Pennsylvania grand jury had just released a report documenting decades of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests. At the same time, former cardinal Theodore McCarrick had recently resigned because of separate sex-abuse allegations.

The poll shows that overall, public opinion of Pope Francis is now roughly at the same level as when he assumed the papacy in 2013. It is, however, below higher points in 2015 and 2017, when 70 percent of US adults said they had a “very” or “mostly” favorable view of the pontiff.

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CNS PHOTOS: TOP LEFT: ALESSANDRO BIANCHI/REUTERS; TOP RIGHT: CNS SCREEN GRAB/VATICAN MEDIA

I

CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA

Pope Francis prays in front of the “Miraculous Crucifix” during a prayer service in an empty St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on March 27.

disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm.”

But the pandemic storm, he said, has made most people realize that “we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented.” And it has shown that each person has a contribution to make. “On this boat are all of us,” he said.

Introducing the formal blessing, Cardinal Angelo Comastri, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, announced that it would include a plenary indulgence “in the form established by the Church” to everyone watching on television or Internet or listening by radio.

An indulgence is a remission of the temporal punishment a person is due for sins that have been forgiven. Catholics following the pope’s blessing could receive the indulgence if they had “a spirit detached from sin,” promised to go to confession and receive the Eucharist as soon as possible, and said a prayer for the pope’s intentions.

Pope Francis then raised a monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament and gave an extraordinary blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world).

“May God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace,” he said. “Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak, and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm.”

WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES, WORLD YOUTH DAY POSTPONED

Cardinal George Pell, seen here in a screen grab, spoke to Sky News Australia after his conviction for molesting two 13-year-old boys in 1996 was overturned.

Pope Francis waves to participants at the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama City.

The next World Youth Day is being pushed back to August 2023.

CNS PHOTOS: TOP LEFT: ALESSANDRO BIANCHI/REUTERS; TOP RIGHT: CNS SCREEN GRAB/VATICAN MEDIA

CNS PHOTO/VATICAN MEDIA

O

n April 20, the Vatican announced that Pope Francis has decided to postpone two major Church events because of the coronavirus pandemic, reported Vatican News.

A statement issued by the Holy See Press Office confirmed that Pope Francis, together with the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, is postponing the World Meeting of Families and World Youth Day. It said the decision was made “due to the current health situation and its consequences for the movement and gathering of young people and families.”

The World Meeting of Families, which was scheduled to take place in Rome in June 2021, will now take place in June 2022. And so that two major events would not be held during the same summer, World Youth Day, which was originally set to take place in Lisbon in 2022, will now be held there in August 2023.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the dicastery, told Catholic News Service (CNS) April 20 that now is the time his office would be signing contracts with hotels and airlines if the World Meeting of Families were still to be held in 2021, “But no one knows what will happen,” so it seemed prudent to push the meeting back a year.

A few days later, the Vatican also announced that the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress, which had been scheduled to take place in Hungary in September 2020, was being postponed to September 2021.

CARDINAL PELL GUILTY VERDICT OVERTURNED

C

ardinal George Pell was released from prison in April after Australia’s High Court announced their unanimous decision to overturn the guilty verdict on five counts of molesting two 13-year-old choirboys in 1996 that was upheld by Victoria’s Court of Appeal last August. The High Court justices based their decision on the fact that the appellate court had failed to take into consideration whether there

“remained a reasonable possibility that the offending had not taken place,” leaving open “reasonable doubt” as to the cardinal’s guilt.

Cardinal Pell has been in prison since his February 2019 conviction. Shortly after the High Court acquitted him, he left the prison and is reported to have been taken to a monastery in Melbourne.

Following the acquittal, Cardinal Pell released a statement in which he reiterated that he has “consistently maintained” his innocence and saying that he holds no ill will toward his accuser. The cardinal said his trial “was not a referendum on the Catholic Church, nor a referendum on how Church authorities in Australia dealt with the crime of pedophilia in the Church. The point was whether I had committed these awful crimes, and I did not.”

Cardinal Pell’s legal problems might not be over, though, reported CNS. Prosecutors could potentially revive another set of charges for a second set of historical abuse allegations that were headed for trial but dropped once he was originally convicted.

He is also facing a string of civil suits. Australian news media have reported as many as 10 suits either filed or in preparation. Also, new allegations were made in recent weeks as part of a three-part documentary series on child abuse in the Australian Church.

Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference, said in a statement that the High Court’s ruling will be “welcomed by many, including those who have believed in the cardinal’s innocence throughout this lengthy process.

“We also recognize that the High Court’s decision will be devastating for others,” he said. “Many have suffered greatly through the process, which has now reached its conclusion.

The result today does not change the Church’s unwavering commitment to child safety and to a just and compassionate response to survivors and victims of child sexual abuse. Any person with allegations of sexual abuse by Church personnel should go to the police.”

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people | events | trends

PARIS ARCHBISHOP WELCOMES RENEWED PLEDGE TO REBUILD NOTRE DAME

In April, the bells of Notre Dame Cathedral rang to mark the one-year anniversary of the fire that destroyed part of the church.

T

his past April, one year after a fire destroyed part of the Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris Archbishop Michel Aupetit welcomed a renewed pledge by French President Emmanuel Macron to rebuild the cathedral, reported CNS. In an interview with Radio Notre Dame, Archbishop Aupetit said: “I can’t speak for all humanity, but this is certainly a moment of global emotion and witness. Both the city and state, which own the cathedral, are agreed on the goal of reconstruction.”

Describing the cathedral as a “symbol of society’s resilience,” Macron pledged all efforts to ensure its full reconstruction by 2024. He noted that construction was on hold because of the COVID-19 crisis but said it would “start up again as soon as possible.”

Jean-Louis Georgelin, the former general overseeing the reconstruction, told France’s Catholic Le Pèlerin weekly that he believed a Te Deum (a prayer of praise and thanksgiving) for the building’s rededication would be held April 16, 2024, the year Paris is due to host the Olympic Games.

POPE SETS UP NEW COMMISSION TO STUDY WOMEN DEACONS

P

ope Francis once again opened the discussion on women deacons, establishing a new commission to study the topic, reported CNS. The new “Study Commission on the Female Diaconate” will continue the work of a previous group that Pope Francis established in 2016 to study the historical facts about the women referred to as deaconesses in the New Testament and the role of women deacons in the early Church.

Pope Francis named 10 members of the new commission—five women and five men, including two permanent deacons from the United States: Deacon Dominic Cerrato, director of deacon formation for the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois; and Deacon James Keating, director of theological formation at the Institute for Priestly Formation at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. Cardinal Giuseppe Petrocchi of Aquila will serve as president of the new commission.

Pope Francis originally had set up the commission at the request of the women’s International Union of Superiors General. The subject came up again last October, though, when the final document of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon asked that synod members, several of whom advocated for opening the diaconate to women, be able “to share our experiences and reflections” with members of the original commission.

In his post-vote talk to synod members, the pope promised that he would have the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith “reconvene the commission or perhaps open it with new members.”

But he told synod participants what he had told reporters the previous May, saying that the 12 theologians and historians on the original commission were unable to reach a full consensus on whether “there was an ordination with the same form and same aim as the ordination of men,” but more study was needed. He promised to “pick up the gauntlet” thrown down by women at the synod who asked for further discussion.

FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY TO COVER TUITION COSTS

I

n April, Franciscan University in Steubenville announced that it will cover tuition costs for the fall 2020 semester for all incoming full-time undergraduate students enrolled in its oncampus programs, reported CNS. The university made the move in response to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

Franciscan Father Dave Pivonka, the university’s president, said in a statement, “As a university, we feel called by God to ease the burden for students, so they can experience the irreplaceable value of a Franciscan university education.”

The program, called “Step in Faith,” was unanimously approved by the university’s president and board of trustees and will cover the remainder of tuition costs after scholarships and grants have been applied.

CNS PHOTOS: TOP: GONZALO FUENTES/REUTERS; BOTTOM: PAUL HARING

church IN THE NEWS

8 • June/July 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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CNS PHOTOS: TOP: GONZALO FUENTES/REUTERS; BOTTOM: PAUL HARING

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SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS | ASK A FRANCISCAN Examining My Conscience

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

Why aren’t the corporal works of mercy the focus of an examination of conscience before receiving the Sacrament of Reconciliation? I have tended to be scrupulous regarding sins to confess. Now I wonder, in light of Jesus’ explanation of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31–46), whether this would be a better place to start my examination of conscience.

T Father Pat welcomes your questions!

ONLINE: StAnthonyMessenger.org E-MAIL: Ask@FranciscanMedia.org

?

MAIL: Ask a Franciscan 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202

When Did It Change?

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

F

WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

WE HAVE A DIGITAL archive of 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!

When did Saturday night Mass for Sunday start to be allowed?

irst, please remember that Judaism in Jesus’ day considered that a “day” began with sunset of the previous day. Jewish feasts still follow that custom. Although some Christians accepted this calculation for their own celebrations, most people considered a “day” to go from midnight to midnight.

There were already late afternoon and evening Masses before Vatican Council II (1962–65). Until 1953, however, Catholics were normally expected to fast from everything (water included) from midnight before receiving Communion. In the decree entitled “Christus Dominus,” Pope Pius XII granted local bishops permission to allow late afternoon or evening Mass before a Sunday, holy day of obligation, or other major feast—as long as the Mass did not begin before 4 p.m. I have a very clear memory of participating in a parish Mass for the feast of Mary’s assumption on a late afternoon one August 14. This was sometime before 1962.

In 1953, the eucharistic fast was changed to no solid food or alcoholic drinks for three hours before Communion. Other liquids could be taken up to one hour before Communion.

On May 25, 1967, St. Paul VI approved “Eucharisticum Mysterium,” which made late afternoon or evening Masses more common. Pastors were instructed to explain that the biblical concept of “day” extended from sunset to sunset; later Saturday afternoon was already “Sunday.”

The eucharistic fast was changed to one hour before receiving Communion, with no restriction on when medicine could be taken.

As happens with some frequency in the Catholic Church, a liturgical practice already permitted for a particular region can later be extended to the whole Church.

TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP RIGHT: PARYS/FOTOSEARCH; BOTTOM: LEAF/FOTOSEARCH

Pat McCloskey, OFM

here is nothing to prevent someone from including this in an examination of conscience. It could, however, cause even more problems for an individual inclined to be scrupulous: “Did I really do enough in the situation when . . . ?” An exclusive focus on the corporal works of mercy might cause a person to overlook a sin not specifically addressed in that passage from Matthew’s Gospel: murder, bank robbery, adultery, theft, for example. Reviewing one’s observance of the Ten Commandments is not the only way to be “properly disposed” to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus’ parable does not cancel out the Ten Commandments.

The usual way of examining one’s conscience has the danger of not taking sins of omission as seriously as they deserve.

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Quick Questions and Answers I had an attorney draw up a living will regarding my health, specifically not to have a feeding tube. Since then, I have wondered if I did the correct thing.

You did well to make this provision, but you might have done better if you had drawn up a medical power of attorney, which gives more discretion to the person you select to make these decisions should you be unable to do so.

By definition, a living will tends to cover medical procedures available only at the time it was drawn up.

Why does the prophecy of Simeon come before the Holy Family’s flight into Egypt? Luke 2:40 says that Jesus, Mary, and Joseph eventually settled in Nazareth.

The massacre of the Holy Innocents and the consequent flight into Egypt occur only in Matthew’s Gospel, which says nothing about where Mary and Joseph lived before Jesus was born. Only the Gospel of Luke says that Mary and Joseph lived in Nazareth before and after Jesus’ birth.

Shame and embarrassment about certain sins I have committed have caused me to avoid going to confession lately and decreased my reception of Communion.

We are all sinners! A mortal sin requires grave matter, full knowledge, and full consent. If you don’t think all three were present, you don’t need to confess this. Your continued reception of Communion has probably helped you chart a new course. This is probably true of many saints, and yet they kept making their conversion deeper and thus more generous.

TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP RIGHT: PARYS/FOTOSEARCH; BOTTOM: LEAF/FOTOSEARCH

Can people who die before being baptized be saved? The Catechism spoke of Baptism of water (sacrament), blood (martyrdom), and desire (those preparing for Baptism).

Yes, they can be saved. If those categories were understood very strictly, that would mean that the majority of people who lived before Jesus would have no possibility of being saved. That is not what the Catholic Church now teaches.

Know that we care.

Let us pray for you during these uncertain times.

Submit your prayer requests to StAnthony.org or Franciscan.org

What can I say to a young person who says that pain and illness prove there is no God, that God is simply in our minds and is not, therefore, real?

Some answers are too simple—and convenient—to be true. This explanation of human suffering (mostly caused by other people misusing their God-given freedom) directly contradicts God’s self-revelation in Scripture as a compassionate God. If, in fact, there is no God, then compassion will soon be seen as entirely optional, something that resembles a hobby. Like it or not, we all eventually become like the God whom we worship or deny.

The mental image of God that is being rejected by these people is not what the Bible teaches anyway.

What caused St. Anthony of Padua to go to Italy?

He got sick as a missionary in North Africa and was heading home, but his ship ended up in Sicily, where he stayed with the friars. Because they were going to the annual chapter (meeting) of the friars in Assisi, he joined them.

This was in 1220; St. Francis was there, but we do not know if they met.

There were several thousand friars at this chapter. When the chapter ended, Anthony went with the friars from Emilia Romagna (Bologna area).

The Franciscan Friars, Province of St. John the Baptist 1615 Vine St, Ste 1 Cincinnati, OH 45202-6492 friarworks@franciscan.org 513-721-4700, ext. 3219

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SPIRITOFST.FRANCIS “We must fast and abstain from vices and sins and from an excess of food and drink and be Catholics.”

—St. Francis of Assisi

FRANCISCAN WORLD

Vatican Basilica

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

T

MATT TALBOT (1856–1925) served as a messenger for a liquor merchant in Dublin, Ireland. At the age of 15, he started down the path of addiction, one he would not leave for 15 years.

Having taken “the pledge” for three months, he made a general confession and began attending daily Mass.

He extended the pledge and started a life of strict penance.

His first seven years of sobriety were especially difficult as he began redirecting his life.

In 1890, Matt joined the Secular Franciscan Order; he died in 1925 on his way to Mass. He was declared “Venerable” in 1973.

—Pat McCloskey, OFM

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

ST. ANTHONY STORIES

Piece of the Puzzle

M

y husband and I are retired, and we started working on jigsaw puzzles to keep our minds active and fingers nimble. We were about to complete a puzzle I had borrowed from a friend, but we were missing two pieces. I didn’t want to return it with missing pieces when I knew all the pieces were there when she gave it to me. We both started searching the oriental rug under the table on our hands and knees with our phone flashlights while saying a prayer to St. Anthony. But, alas, we didn’t find them. I was still thinking about it and telling my husband about the St. Anthony prayer (“St. Anthony, please come around, because something is lost and it cannot be found”) when I slipped my hand into my sweater pocket and found a piece!

The next morning, the first thing we did was go back to the oriental rug and start searching again, repeating the St. Anthony prayer. Suddenly, my husband found the piece where we had both searched before. Thank you, St. Anthony!

—Jane and Jerry Luchtefeld, Edwardsville, Illinois

12 • June/July 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB STONACH, OFS

Facing his addiction to alcohol enabled Matt Talbot to reclaim the freedom for which he was created.

LEFT: CREATIVE COMMONS/WILLIAM MURPHY/FLICKR; RIGHT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; BOTTOM: WITTHAYAP/FOTOSEARCH

MATT TALBOT

he Basilica of St. Peter that Francis knew was begun by Emperor Constantine in AD 326 over a pagan cemetery that included a small shrine to mark St. Peter’s tomb. The emperor cut away a large part of the Vatican hill. The present basilica was constructed on the same site beginning in 1506 and consecrated in 1626.

When Francis visited the original basilica in the spring of 1206, he was in the process of his conversion. Pilgrims threw money through a grate onto the actual tomb below the church. Because Francis was offended by what he considered meager offerings, he threw in many more coins. After exchanging clothes with a beggar, Francis begged in French in the colonnade in front of the basilica (Legend of the Three Companions, 10). Francis would later say, “Whoever mocks a poor person blasphemes his Creator.”

The two basilicas on this site have played an important role in helping many people appreciate their Baptism and the responsibilities flowing The Basilica of St. Peter that Francis knew dated from the from it. May all of us be open to the same type of fourth century and was torn down 1,100 years later. It conversion Francis experienced there. and the present basilica were built over the tomb of St. Peter.

s

FOLLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS

ST. ANTHONY

‘The Promise Is So Great’

T

PHOTO COURTESY OF BOB STONACH, OFS

LEFT: CREATIVE COMMONS/WILLIAM MURPHY/FLICKR; RIGHT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; BOTTOM: WITTHAYAP/FOTOSEARCH

. Peter.

Mike Carsten, OFS

by means of intentional individual encounter in four different ways currently in four communities within the city. “Cars and trucks carry food, water, and winter survival gear into two of the city’s more desperate areas, searching for and serving those trapped in severe poverty,” Carsten says. “Franciscan Ministries’ two warming centers, the Canticle Café Midtown and the Canticle Café East English Village, serve impoverished seniors; homeless men, women, and children; and the working poor.”

Carsten says that the material goods Franciscan Ministries delivers come in as fast as volunteers can give them out.

Recently, Franciscan Ministries opened its fourth location in the city—in an area without a Catholic or Franciscan presence—in a building that was purchased with a donation from another Secular Franciscan.

He was amazed that within two weeks they were serving meals: “Once the community discovered why we were there, the food and items needed started to pour in.” One of the blessings of this ministry is witnessing how communities come together to meet a need. The people who make up these communities are not all Catholics, but rather from a variety of faiths. Once trust has been established, Carsten has the chance to share his faith and Franciscan charism, while respecting cultural and religious backgrounds.

Pope Francis has called Secular Franciscans to live up to what is promised during the rite of profession, “to be the visible face of the Church.”

Carsten challenges his fellow Secular Franciscans to be people of encounter: “We should be fearless in what we do, [in] how we engage the world.”

—David Seitz, OFS

BREAD s

FRANK JASPER, OFM

he

hese are the words of Mike Carsten, OFS, a Secular Franciscan and cofounder of Franciscan Ministries of Detroit. When you spend time with Carsten, you quickly realize that he is a man of action. The seeds of Franciscan Ministries were planted in the early 2000s while he was attending a national chapter meeting of Secular Franciscans.

Carsten remembers discussing with some fellow members from across the country questions such as: What are we called to do? How can we, like Francis, serve those most in need?

Carsten’s ministry was born out of need. Working in downtown Detroit, in the middle of a 7.2-square-mile green zone of economic refurbishment, he witnessed the homeless population being pushed to the outer boundaries of the city. As the city of Detroit was renewing itself, gentrification took hold and the poor, homeless, and mentally ill were being pushed out farther away from the shelters and institutions that serve their needs.

Carsten recalls a prayer he said many years prior, “Whatever door you open for me, I will walk through.” He has walked through many doors since then with only the eyes of faith. “I operate out of abundance,” he shared, “an abundance of grace and an abundance of the Spirit.”

October 4, 2014, the feast of St. Francis, is significant in the life of his ministry. The IRS letter granting Franciscan Ministries 501(c)(3) status arrived in the mail. That is the official birthday of the ministry. However, Carsten was already actively engaged in serving the homeless population prior to that official designation.

“In four areas of the city, we serve men, women, and children caught in isolation,” he explains. “Extreme poverty, homelessness, mental illness, gentrification, a lack of work, a lack of clean water, and institutionalized violence tear at the dignity of the individual.” Franciscan Ministries responds

The National Shrine of St. Anthony is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Consecrated in 1889, it includes a first-class relic of St. Anthony and serves as a center for daily prayer and contemplation.

The Franciscan friars minister from the shrine. To help them in their work among the poor, you may send a monetary offering called St. Anthony Bread. Make checks or money orders payable to “Franciscans” and mail to the address below.

Every Tuesday, a Mass is offered for benefactors and petitioners at the shrine. To seek St. Anthony’s intercession, mail your petition to the address below. Petitions are taken to the shrine each week. viSit our webSite to:

StAnthony.org

s

mAil poStAl communicAtionS to:

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

s

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POINTSOFVIEW | I’D LIKE TO SAY

By Patrick Carolan

Apathy Is the New Deadly Sin

Patrick Carolan

?

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xpress outrage, offer prayers, do nothing; express outrage, offer prayers, do nothing; repeat! Sound familiar? This is our pattern after every mass shooting. We hear about a horrific shooting where many men, women, children (fill in the blank) are killed by— depending on if the person is white, black, or Muslim—a terrorist, thug, or mentally unstable individual. We are shocked. The talking heads on TV ask: “How this could happen?”

Our political and religious leaders offer their prayers and thoughts. For a few days, we talk about how we have to do something so this does not keep happening. When things get back to normal, nothing changes except the headlines. We bury our heads in the sand and keep electing the same people over and over who refuse to do anything.

It is predictable what political leaders will say after an event like the horrific 2017 shooting in Las Vegas. Those on the right will talk about the need for mental health reform. Former Speaker Paul Ryan was right on cue after Las Vegas, saying, “Mental health reform is a critical ingredient to making sure we can try and prevent some of these things that have happened in the past.” After the 2015 Sandy Hook shooting, Ryan called for a moment of silence on the floor of the House of Representatives, talked about the need to reform the mental health system, and criticized the Democrats for politicizing the issue.

On the other side of the aisle, the left calls for their own solution: gun control. Their response is equally narrow and repetitious,

including accusing Republicans of political aims.

And on either side, nothing gets done.

MULTIPLE ISSUES

I am beginning to think Ryan is right: The issue is about mental health. Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Perhaps we should be looking at the mental health not of those committing these horrific acts, but rather of those who sit back and do the same thing over and over, expecting that this time the results will be different. Maybe Einstein is right. We keep reacting the same way, looking for the same solutions, proposing the same legislation, and hoping we get different results.

It is not just the issue of guns. It is a multitude of issues including racism, climate degradation, immigration, human trafficking, Islamophobia, abortion, and on and on.

It is not just folks who would be considered “right-leaning”; it is those who are on the left as well. In her book No Is Not Enough, Naomi Klein asks: “How do they intersect? What root cause connects them? How can these issues be tackled in tandem, at the same time?”

Her questions are some of the more interesting ones. We tend to view issues in isolation. We live in silos, not really thinking about the intersectionality of all these issues.

Issues like gun safety and regulations often are viewed simply from the perspective of the Second Amendment. People who oppose any

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CatholicClimateMovement.global

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UPPER LEFT: COURTESY PATRICK CAROLAN; TOP: BIALASIEWICZ/FOTOSEARCH

Patrick previously served as executive director of the Franciscan Action Network. He is also a cofounder of the Global Catholic Climate Movement.

He currently serves as director of Catholic outreach for Vote Common Good. He is a recipient of the 2015 White House Champions of Change Award and is personally dedicated to social justice through individual and societal transformation.

changes to our gun laws will say it is our God-given right to own guns. They rarely consider the history of the Second Amendment or think about the connection between guns and racism.

I wonder if folks would think differently about the Second Amendment if they knew that its genesis was, at least in part, a concern with preserving slavery. Southern leaders wanted armed militias to control their slaves. So they insisted on language in the new nation’s Constitution protecting that right. In the 1960s, when the Black Panthers started arming themselves, conservatives called for stronger gun laws.

In 1967, targeting the Black Panthers, California introduced legislation to ban carrying a loaded weapon in public. The National Rifle Association testified in favor of the legislation.

CNS PHOTO/KATHLEEN FLYNN/REUTERS

UPPER LEFT: COURTESY PATRICK CAROLAN; TOP: BIALASIEWICZ/FOTOSEARCH

FIGHTING AGAINST APATHY

I have been engaged in the work of transformative social change for many years. I believe the greatest obstacle to social change is not a lack of concern—we want to help the poor and marginalized. But we have been enticed into a perception of apathetic consumerism. We feel good about ourselves when we bring a bag of groceries to church for a food pantry somewhere or write a check to provide aid when there is a tsunami in the Philippines or a hurricane in Puerto Rico or Houston—as long as it does not involve a personal encounter with the homeless or poor.

I often give talks on social change, and afterward someone always comes up and tells me how much they admire me for the work that I do. My response is, “Don’t admire me; join me.” These are good people, well-meaning folks who understand that things are not right and who would like to help: except they have to pick up the kids at Little League, dance class, music lessons; they need to mow the lawn; they’re too tired because they work more hours to buy the latest gadget—and a myriad of other rationalizations. Meanwhile, gun violence and mass shootings continue; children are kidnapped, trafficked, and sold into slavery so we can have access to cheap products; women are trafficked and sold into the sex trade; and the climate is being destroyed.

There is the possibility that the mental health disease that afflicts all of us is apathy. In her book, Beyond Apathy: A Theology for Bystanders, Dr. Elisabeth Vasko argues that we are complacent when we are willing to tolerate violence against the poor and the marginalized. She describes this as “bystander participation in patterns of violence.” It is not necessarily just the overt forms of violence, such as mass murders, that have become commonplace. Dr. Vasko describes the more covert forms of violence such as bullying, sexism, hidden racism, and sexual violence. She says: “We live in a society that is all too willing to tolerate violence.

Violence, a communal problem, impacts the flourishing of all involved: victims, perpetrators, and bystanders. Violence desecrates the image of God as it dehumanizes and fractures communion among all God’s people.”

“Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change.”

—Pope Francis

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

How do we counter the sin of apathy? Catalyzing mass public demand for change requires first laying a moral foundation. As people of faith, we should have the courage to speak with a prophetic voice and lay bare our country’s political leaders, religious leaders, and corporate CEOs who understand this mortal threat, yet consistently enact policies and practices that worsen it or do nothing at all. Dr. Vasko states: “To be a Christian is to take sides with those who are marginalized, dehumanized, and subject to violence. Whether we like it or not, neutrality isn’t an option. In the face of violent activity, to hide behind the mirror of ignorance is to take sides with the powers that be.”

In Making All Things New, Sister Ilia Delio, a Franciscan theologian, says: “Eucharist means being an active participant in the cosmic body of Christ, a body evolving unto fullness, the cosmic person, through the rise of consciousness and unity in Love . . . . The Gospel life is not a social agency of good works but a life of mindful presence.”

So the question is: Do we keep reacting the same way?

Do we propose the same solutions? Pope Francis says in “Laudato Si’”: “Many things have to change course, but it is we human beings above all who need to change. We lack an awareness of our common origin, of our mutual belonging, and of a future to be shared with everyone. This basic awareness would enable the development of new convictions, attitudes, and forms of life. A great cultural, spiritual, and educational challenge stands before us, and it will demand that we set out on the long path of renewal.”

Twentieth-century visionary Buckminster Fuller stated: “In order to change an existing paradigm, you do not struggle to try and change the problematic model. You create a new model and make the old one obsolete.” Isn’t it time to break out of the endless loop of “express outrage, offer prayers, do nothing, repeat”? Jesus’ message is one of love and peace, not fear, hatred, and war. The marginalized, the poor, the refugees—all of us—are the body of Christ. Will we welcome the body or reject Christ? If we truly believe the message of Jesus, then everything must change.

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POINTSOFVIEW | AT HOME ON EARTH

By Kyle Kramer

Crisis and Crossroads

Kyle Kramer

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it hits hardest those on the margins—those without friends and loved ones to lean on and be with, those without the capacity to reach out and connect.

A MOMENT OF CHANGE

Even after social distancing requirements are lifted, there is a danger that the draconian societal measures we have taken to manage this pandemic may largely remain in place, just as more intrusive security became the norm in a post-9/11 world. Think, for example, about our newfound collective germophobia and all of the extreme precautionary behavior it has caused us to adopt.

I know that I have a new level of paranoia that I wouldn’t have believed possible even a few weeks ago. I’m not sure how easy it will be for me—or any of us—to turn that off and find a sane balance between good social hygiene and meaningful social contact. In the absence of that balance, I fear we’ll be tempted to convince ourselves—as we had already begun to do even before COVID-19— that Netflix, Zoom, Google, and Facebook Live are adequate substitutes for real human contact.

I hope the point is clear: We, too, face many dangers and temptations to let our fear get the better of us—witness the hoarding of toilet paper and many other goods. At the

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RUIGSANTOS/FOTOSEARCH

EarthandSpiritCenter.org

A

s I write this column, the coronavirus is spreading exponentially in the United States, and almost all of the country is in lockdown. I have no way of knowing what the situation will be by the time you read this, many weeks later. What I do know is that the monumental crisis of this pandemic presents us with great danger and great opportunity— and, therefore, with consequential choices between fear and hope.

Many of the dangers presented by the coronavirus are obvious: danger to those who contract the virus, to the frontline health-care workers who care for them, and to overburdened, under-resourced health-care systems.

Even with massive programs of aid and assistance, this pandemic could nonetheless mean the financial ruin of many individuals, families, and businesses that don’t have the resources to weather the storm.

As if those weren’t enough, consider the social dangers we face. The United States already had a loneliness epidemic, with almost 30 percent of US households containing just one person and 50 percent of our population indicating in a recent poll that they sometimes or often feel isolated and alone. And now we—who are social, relational creatures by our very nature—are being told to fear being around other people. This is incredibly hard on everyone, but, as always,

LEFT: COURTESY OF KYLE KRAMER; RIGHT: MOTORTION/FOTOSEARCH

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.

same time, however, I think a crisis like this presents us with unprecedented and exciting opportunities. I keep trying to imagine looking back at it from the vantage point of one, five, or 10 years, with hope that it ends up being a watershed moment for our culture.

RUIGSANTOS/FOTOSEARCH

LEFT: COURTESY OF KYLE KRAMER; RIGHT: MOTORTION/FOTOSEARCH

A WAKE-UP CALL

In the midst of the crisis, we have a fantastic occasion for the better angels of our nature to come to the fore, and, God be praised, there’s plenty of evidence that they are. Neighbors are discovering each other and beginning to watch out for one another. Parents are finding new ways to be there for their kids, and teachers for their students. Service providers are heroically trying to take care of the vulnerable. Even as they can’t get to worship services, many are doubling down on spiritual practices that help cultivate presence, equanimity, and compassion for others. We’ve seen all sorts of creative, resourceful acts of kindness and generosity that would soften even the hardest heart. These are also, I believe, part of our true nature. I’m hoping that we get used to exercising this level of mutual care and concern, and that it becomes the new normal, even when the pandemic passes.

Many of us, tired of being cooped up at home, are rediscovering the natural world as a place of solace, beauty, and healing. Maybe it took the online overdose such as we’ve been experiencing lately to break the illusion that the virtual world is sufficient for our needs. And even as our economic systems are experiencing damage and disruption, the natural world is experiencing some degree of reprieve from the relentlessness of human economic activity. What if, after this crisis passes, our newfound connection to God’s creation leads us to reevaluate the things we thought were “essential,” and so we don’t simply go back to the same patterns of consumption and destruction?

What’s it going to take for us to come out of this better than we were going in? First, this pandemic is an invitation to start realizing—as individuals and a society—that the life we had pre-pandemic was not actually what we want to return to. We can step into a new story that honors our interconnectedness and doubles down on caring for friends, strangers, and creation.

Second, this pandemic has shown us that, when we need to, we can make drastic and instantaneous changes to our way of life. With that evidence, we can no longer plead that it’s just too hard to create large-scale economic and governmental structures that support a kinder and gentler way of life. We’ve shown we can do it. We just need to keep being willing to do it, even after the crisis passes.

Even as we face suffering, loss, danger, fear, uncertainty, and many sorts of death, we also stand at the threshold of a new, resurrected way of living. I hope and I believe that the Holy Spirit is at work, guiding us toward this better and more hopeful future—and that in the deepest part of us, we want to take that road.

HELPFUL

TIPS MOVING FORWARD 1

Make a list of the new practices you adopted that have helped you (and others) get through the pandemic. Which of these can you keep, even after the immediate dangers have passed?

2

A classic Christian contemplative text is The Cloud of Unknowing. In the fog of uncertainty about the long-term consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s a perfect time to pick up this text as a companion to your prayer.

“Men lose all the material things they leave behind them in this world, but they carry with them the reward of their charity and the alms they give. For these, they will receive from the Lord the reward and recompense they deserve.”

—St. FranciS oF aSSiSi

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POINTSOFVIEW | FAITH UNPACKED

By David Dault, PhD

Our Call to Evangelization

David Dault, PhD

David hosts the weekly radio show Things Not Seen: Conversations about Culture and Faith.

He also cohosts The Francis Effect podcast with Father Dan Horan, OFM. He lives with his family on the South Side of Chicago.

Want a certain topic covered? Send us your request.

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any years ago, long before I became a in the faith, are agents of evangelization.”

Catholic, I worked as a youth minister What struck me about this was the phrasat a midsize Presbyterian congregation on ing. Pope Francis does not say, “all the bapthe east side of Atlanta. In addition to weekly tized Catholics.” He says, “all the baptized.” hangouts, the annual youth conference in That’s a stark contrast to the vision of the Montreat, North Carolina, and the occasional leader of the Mexico mission, isn’t it? For him, car wash, we would also gear up every couple Catholics did not count as “true” Christians. of years to go on a mission trip.

As he drove the van that day, all those years I went on only one of those trips during ago, the vision he could see through the windmy time on staff. It was a journey that took shield was limited to “all the ones baptized us to a small village in central Mexico. We our way.” had flown down to Brownsville, Texas, where The pope is trusting the work of mission we were met and picked up by the leader of to “all the ones baptized God’s way.” a small evangelical If we look at the ministry, staffed by data from the past 15 Americans who were years, we see that the “All the baptized, whatever making their home number of Christians, their position in the Church or there. of all varieties, has their level of instruction The van ride been steadily shrinkin the faith, are agents of seemed endless, taking ing. Quite often, evangelization.” us from the sandy and troublingly, in —Pope Francis desert near the border the places where through a beautiful a community or swell of low, verdant congregation seems mountains. Our destination was a hamlet to be growing, we find that it is doing so by named Doctor Arroyo, a few hours south of poaching the members of another Christian Monterrey. community.

As we drove into the outskirts of town, the This approach is not a sustainable model ministry leader was giving us the background for growth. More importantly, by the stanof the place. I was half listening, half dozing, dards set in “Evangelii Gaudium,” it is also not when something he said caught my full attentrue evangelization. tion. “There are so many unchurched people REACHING OUT TO ALL down here,” he said, looking out through the In his Rule of 1221, St. Francis of Assisi front windshield at the buildings around us. reminded the brothers that “they should From the back of the van, I spoke up. “I thought it was 80 to 90 percent Catholic down love one another, as the Lord says. . . . And they should show the love they have for one here,” I said. another by their deeds.”

“That’s right,” he replied. “None of these Both Pope Francis and St. Francis are callfolks know Jesus.” ing us—and indeed calling all the baptized— to turn away from our arguments and toward ALL THE BAPTIZED the world.

A few years later, when I went to grad school, The world is covered in sickness. Let us be I learned there was a term for this kind of healers. The world is covered in strife. Let us mission work. The professors at the seminary be peacemakers. The world exploits the poor. called it “poaching.”

Let us be truth tellers and advocates for the That trip to Mexico came to mind when I least of those among us. We have no more was rereading Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortime to squabble with our brothers and sisters tation “The Joy of the Gospel” (“Evangelii in Christ, as if they were our adversaries.

Gaudium”). In the document, the pope tells We are the baptized, and the world awaits us that “all the baptized, whatever their position in the Church or their level of instruction the Gospel.

TOP LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICAGO SUNDAY EVENING CLUB/KHIEM TRAN

M

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POINTSOFVIEW | EDITORIAL

By Pat McCloskey, OFM

Holding Ourselves and Social Media Companies Accountable

Y

es, we need to hold ourselves personally accountable for the e-mails that we send, the comments that we tweet and retweet, and the websites that we visit and recommend to other people. Why does this matter? We eventually become whatever we choose on a regular basis, whatever we accept as “normal,” “That’s the way life is,” or “This is no big deal.”

Social media companies also need to hold themselves accountable—more on that later.

Regarding the e-mails that we originate, three rules drawn up in a pre-Internet age should apply: 1) Is this information accurate? 2) Is it kind? 3) Does it need to be said? The same three questions should also apply to the e-mails that we consider forwarding to friends and family members.

Why are many people willing to say via the Internet things that they would never say to that individual face-toface? It’s even worse when people use screen names.

Also, why is Internet pornography so popular? According to a 2014 study by Google and Columbia University, 13 percent of web searches were for porn sites; 20 percent of mobile-device searches were likewise for porn sites, with men accounting for 87 percent.

Is anonymity the Internet’s chief advantage? One study estimated that over 20,000 users were watching porn per second, while the number of people in the United States addicted to pornography exceeded 200,000. In divorce courts and Catholic tribunals, pornography usage is increasingly cited as a factor in marriage breakups. Pornography is also linked to increased depression, sexual violence, and human trafficking.

TOP LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICAGO SUNDAY EVENING CLUB/KHIEM TRAN

SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES HAVE A ROLE

Before the 2016 presidential election, the Internet was a natural place to exchange positive or negative views of the major candidates or ballot issues. The Internet was simply a new forum for doing what voters have been doing for centuries, but without the need to identify oneself accurately or the organization that stands behind a particular website.

Fast-forward to March 2020, when National Public Radio reported on an Atlantic Monthly article about a website in Nigeria that was supposedly promoting a humanitarian nongovernmental organization there. Come to find out, the NGO was bogus, and its website was completely financed by Russia’s government. Especially with social media outlets, not all that glitters is gold.

The heads of US government intelligence agencies have concurred that there was indeed a concerted Russian campaign to undermine the 2016 US elections at the national level. The same agencies have warned that similar efforts are

happening in this year’s elections.

Some social media companies have said that they are simply a conduit of information and thus have no responsibility to verify its content. They say that this is simply a matter of the free speech protected in the United States by the First Amendment.

If there is no right to shout “Fire!” in a crowded theater, is there a digital equivalent? Or does this new technology completely invalidate such a question?

Last spring, some Internet providers arranged that a search of “coronavirus” should go first to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some providers have also increased efforts to drop websites that use the COVID-19 pandemic to promote racist or other antisocial perspectives.

By refusing to carry certain ads or blogs, aren’t companies that do this admitting that they have responsibilities to the larger society, that they are more than a neutral conduit of information?

What about an Internet provider that, having been shown documents establishing trademark rights and a violation by one of the provider’s customers, agrees to take down the disputed material only if the person complaining obtains a court order requiring the provider to do so? Why aren’t the legal documents about the trademark enough?

Necessary public health measures during the COVID19 pandemic remind us that, although the right to privacy is very important, it is not absolute. “Due process of law” always enters into any privacy issue. “Only God is absolute,” a Scripture professor once reminded me.

REDISCOVERING ‘WE’

Highly individualistic people naturally dismiss any talk about “the common good.” They tend to see personal freedom totally in zero-sum terms: Everyone else’s freedom is a threat to my freedom. According to this perspective, governments exist simply to guarantee maximum extension and protection for my personal freedom and self-interest. That cannot be.

The Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were thankfully written by men of a broader though still imperfect vision. They did, after all, protect slavery without ever using that word in either document.

“Self-evident truths” may take a long time to sink in.

We become whatever we choose consistently. Selfdiscipline is the only real discipline. All the rest is cops and robbers—important as law enforcement is for all of us.

Are all of us making healthy choices about our use of social media? If not, are we ready to change our ways? How soon?

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S Using Technology to Build Up the Kingdom of God

By Clifford Hennings, OFM

FATHER FRANK JASPER, OFM

I

t’s funny how life works. If you would have asked me about the role of digital technology in society early last March, I would have spoken of its perils. I would have told you that young people spend far too much time on social media. I would have bemoaned how isolated we all have become because of it—how important it is that we encounter people in the flesh, to be there in person. I would have argued how we need to be near each other, even touch one another. I say it’s funny, because these days I am singing a different tune.

As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, we are being asked to do what is unnatural for us. We are being asked to stay apart and avoid going out. How happy I am that we are living in a time where connection can mean the push of a button. I, along with so many others, have found an avenue for ministry in this technological landscape—Zoom calls to students, Skype Tools of technology may calls with couples preparing for marriage, online be used to build up the Masses and lectures. These are the tools currently kingdom of God or to at hand for the sowing of God’s word.

They may be used to build up the kingdom of tear us apart. Their value God or to tear us apart. Like any tool, their value is found in how they are is found in how they are used and who is holding used and who is holding them. Consider the cross. It was a sign of humilithem. ation and guilt in the ancient world. Yet, in the hands of God, the cross became the means of our salvation.

Our modern world is rapidly evolving. What the future will look like, we can only guess.

However, I am certain that God’s power to transform cannot be outdone. As the world provides new tools for communication, we need to be a part of it. Where we see such tools being used to spread misinformation, let us spread the Gospel. Where technology is used to drive consumerism, let us use it for charitable works. Where trolls seek to bully our youth, let us speak words of encouragement and the love of God. In other words, let us become the tools in God’s hands. If we do that, the kingdom of God will certainly flourish—either in real life or online. In the following pages, we take a look at both the blessings and challenges that come with being a disciple of Christ in the digital age.

Clifford Hennings, OFM

Father Clifford is a Franciscan friar from the St. John the Baptist Province.

He has been serving as the associate pastor for St. Monica-St. George Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio, for the past four years. He also works with the parish’s Newman Center, the Catholic campus ministry for the University of Cincinnati, located nearby.

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Adults Are Part

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OCUSFOCUS/FOTOSEARCH

Adults have an opportunity to model good online behavior for the younger generations. The question is: Are we doing it?

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Problem

By Susan Hines-Brigger

OCUSFOCUS/FOTOSEARCH

of the

!

N O I T U SOL

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—PEW RESEARCH, 2017

want to be on? As adults, are we contributing to the negative aspects of this tool or using the blessings of technology to the benefit of both our smaller social circles and the greater community?

NOT JUST A YOUNG PEOPLE’S PROBLEM

When most adults think about poor online behavior, like cyberbullying, they immediately think of adolescents. Do a quick Google search and you will find a treasure trove of information regarding the online behaviors of adolescents. Accompanying many of those articles are tips for how adults can help younger people deal with the challenges and downsides of digital media.

If you try to find information regarding adults’ online behavior, the search numbers drastically decline. That’s because we’re supposed to know better, right? Well, that’s not often the case.

A 2017 Pew Research survey found that “41 percent of Americans have been personally subjected to harassing behavior online, and an even larger share (66 percent) has witnessed these behaviors directed at others.

In some cases, these experiences are limited to behaviors that can be ignored or shrugged off as a nuisance of online life, such as offensive name-calling or efforts to embarrass someone. But nearly one in five Americans (18 percent) have been subjected to particularly severe forms of harassment online, such as physical threats, harassment over a sustained period, sexual harassment, or stalking.”

Unfortunately, this less-than-stellar behavior goes all the way to the highest office in the

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CNS PHOTO/TYLER ORSBURN

“41 percent of Americans have been personally subjected to harassing behavior online, and an even larger share (66 percent) has witnessed these behaviors directed at others.”

had thought about starting this article with a sampling of recent comments from various social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and others.

Unfortunately, I was not able to find many that were fit for print or did not contain offensive, demeaning, or downright hateful language. Even Pope Francis has not been able to escape the wrath of online commenters.

So instead, I will offer just a few of the often repeated words that I came across in a 5-minute run-through of the sites: idiot, moron, fat, ugly, stupid. Instances of namecalling, body shaming, harassment, and sometimes actual threats are typed out for all to see. And that’s not even considering private text messages.

There is something about the protective shield of the Internet that makes people feel free to share or say whatever they want without fear of consequences. If we have an opinion, we’re going to share it. The veil of the computer screen makes us forget that there is a real-life person on the other end.

But there is a flip side to this behavior. At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, online communication served as a lifeline for many of us. This technology helped us stay connected via social media, online conferencing, and a wide range of other forms of technology. We have read posts and comments that truly lift up what is good and right with people and our world. It has demonstrated the best of what social media can—and should— be used for.

The question we have to ask ourselves, though, is which side of that behavior do we

ANTONIOGUILLEM/FOTOSEARCH

I

The veil of the computer screen often makes us forget that there is a real-life person on the other end. land. President Donald Trump is well-known for his Twitter rants and name-calling. The responses, however, are often no less inappropriate. It is behavior we wouldn’t tolerate from children and young adults. And yet we turn a blind eye to it or laugh it off. Sports, entertainment, politics, parenting, the Church, and even Pope Francis are wide-open targets for online attacks.

A PERENNIAL CHALLENGE

Back in 1963, the Internet was a far-off concept, but other forms of communication were widespread at the time, such as television. In response to these new avenues of communication, the bishops at Vatican II approved the document “Inter Mirifica,” regarding the media of social communications.

The document stated: “The Church recognizes that these media, if properly utilized, can be of great service to mankind, since they greatly contribute to men’s entertainment and instruction as well as to the spread and support of the kingdom of God. The Church recognizes, too, that men can employ these media contrary to the plan of the Creator and to their own loss. Indeed, the Church experiences maternal grief at the harm all too often done to society by their evil use.”

When you read that passage in the context of our current forms of social media, the message still applies. Since then, the shifting online communications world has continued to be on the radar of subsequent popes such as St. John Paul II and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, both of whom spoke often of the potential of online communication as well as the possible downside.

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“When you know better, do better.”

In his 2002 World Communications Day message, Pope John Paul II likened the rapidly growing Internet to an ancient Roman forum, where “politics and business were transacted, where religious duties were fulfilled, where much of the social life of the city took place, and where the best and the worst of human nature was on display.”

With that in mind, he said: “Like the new frontiers of other times, this one, too, is full of the interplay of danger and promise, and not without the sense of adventure which marked other great periods of change. For the Church, the new world of cyberspace is a summons to the great adventure of using its potential to proclaim the Gospel message.”

That challenge still lies before us today perhaps even more so as we become more and more reliant on digital communication as part of our everyday lives.

Pope Francis accepts a book from Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook (far left), detailing the history of Internet connectivity throughout the world.

Zuckerberg is joined by his wife, Priscilla, and Greg Burke, director of the Vatican press office.

BE BETTER

The poet Maya Angelou once said, “When you know better, do better.” We adults should use that as our battle cry regarding our own online behavior. That is because the younger generations are watching the behavior we model. How can we steer them in the right direction regarding positive digital behavior

when we ourselves seem to have lost our way?

Despite its flaws, the Church has used online communication to help embolden our sense of community, especially during this time of separation due to the coronavirus pandemic. (For some examples, read “Spiritual Nourishment in a Digital World” on page 44.)

And no one has been a better model of that than Pope Francis. From his 18.2 million followers on Twitter to his frequent video messages virtually delivered to people throughout the world, he has harnessed the power of social media to build up society and communicate with not only Catholics but also people throughout the world. He is known for stopping to snap selfies with people, and in 2017 he delivered an online TED Talk on “Why the only future worth building includes everyone.” He has taken online evangelization to a new level.

The pope’s 2020 message for the World Day of Social Communications focused on storytelling, citing Exodus 10:2, which says “that you may tell your children and grandchildren.” He spoke of all of us as storytellers and asked us to reflect on what types of stories we are telling and living.

“I believe that, so as not to lose our bearings, we need to make our own the truth contained in good stories. Stories that build up, not tear down; stories that help us rediscover our roots and the strength needed to move forward together. Amid the cacophony of voices and messages that surround us, we need a human story that can speak of ourselves and of the beauty all around us. A narrative that can regard our world and its happenings with a tender gaze. A narrative that can tell us that we are part of a living and interconnected tapestry. A narrative that can reveal the interweaving of the threads which connect us to one another.”

TIME FOR A SELF CHECK-IN

Once we decide that we want to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem, then what do we do? Here are five questions you might consider asking yourself when it comes to your online behavior.

CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO/HANDOUT

—Maya Angelou

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1) Would I say that to my child, grandchild, family, or friend?

I doubt that if your child or grandchild said something you didn’t agree with, you would call him or her stupid, an idiot, or worse.

Would you tell friends or relatives that they looked fat in a picture they posted? If you can answer no to those questions, then you should be able to answer no about saying those things to anyone you interact with on the Internet. Ask yourself: How would I feel if someone else said to me the same thing that I am about to post?

“Before you speak, ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful.

If the answer is no, maybe what you are about to say should be left unsaid.”

—Bernard Meltzer

2) What’s the source?

In the more than 20 years I have been writing this magazine’s “Church in the News” column, I have learned one thing—sometimes the hard way—and that is to always go back to the original source.

If the pope said something, go to the Vatican website to read it for yourself. If an organization made a statement regarding something, check out their site. Organizations usually have a section on their websites dedicated to news or official statements.

And read beyond the headline. The purpose of a headline is to grab the reader’s attention in as few words as possible. By that fact, it is not possible to flesh out the full story in a headline. Keep reading.

Also, make sure to fact-check things you read. Thanks to the expanse of the Internet, there are many people who offer their opinions as facts. Some good fact-checking sites are snopes.com, politifact.com, and FactCheck.org.

3) Do I need to comment?

Sometimes it’s best just to scroll right past some comments. Just because we can comment doesn’t mean we have to. If you see someone has posted something negative or hurtful, try not to respond. Take the higher road and say a prayer for that person. We never know what people are going through that may make them lash out in such a negative and hurtful way. Don’t let them draw you into their pain.

4) What message am I sending?

Aside from what we say through our words on the Internet, we also make a statement by the things we like and forward. Memes and photos can seem funny but can also be hurt-

ful when they are directed at a specific person or play into and foster certain stereotypes.

Stop and think for a moment before hitting the like, share, or retweet button.

5) Am I part of the problem or the solution?

Stop and think about your online behavior in the past few weeks. Think about things you’ve posted, forwarded, or commented on.

Now look at them through the lens of this question: Was your behavior loving and positive? Did it contribute to the building up of community? Or did your actions tear down the connectivity for which we should all be striving?

In the words of radio host Bernard Meltzer: “Before you speak, ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful. If the answer is no, maybe what you are about to say should be left unsaid.”

TIME FOR ACTION

As I said earlier, there is an abundance of articles for adults on how to help younger generations deal with the complex and often difficult world of social media. And while those articles from knowledgeable professionals are all very helpful, we have the ability to make a big difference ourselves. We can accomplish that by demonstrating the types of behavior both online and in real life that we hope to instill in our children and grandchildren.

With the current pandemic and the upcoming election, we are likely to not see the best online behavior from adults. Let’s remember to be part of the solution, not add to the problem.

As Pope Francis said in this year’s World Day of Social Communications message: “This is the network we want, a network created not to entrap, but to liberate, to protect a communion of people who are free. The Church herself is a network woven together by eucharistic communion, where unity is based not on ‘likes,’ but on the truth, on the ‘Amen,’ by which each one clings to the body of Christ and welcomes others.” Let’s help make that happen.

Susan Hines-Brigger is an executive editor of this magazine.

As the mother of four, she does her best to stay current about technology and social media platforms and tries to model and monitor good digital behavior.

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CONFRONT

TEEN SUIC 30 • June/July 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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Young people have never been more connected or more isolated. A psychologist and a teen advocate for suicide prevention shed light on this crisis.

O

UICIDE

By Christopher Heffron and Rory Shelton

FATCAMERA/ISTOCK

NTING

n a chilly January morning in 1991, Jeremy Delle, 15, walked in late to a packed English class in Richardson, Texas, with a .357 Magnum in hand. After muttering a sarcastic remark to his teacher, he put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. Fellow classmates, postmortem, described Delle as quiet and withdrawn. His suicide might have become a footnote if not for a fledgling Seattle rock band called Pearl Jam, who captured Delle’s tragic death in their 1992 song “Jeremy,” a blistering ode to adolescent angst. And while teen suicide is not a ’90s construct, Pearl Jam’s song illuminated this crisis for a generation.

Adolescence is designed to be difficult. But in an era of smartphones and hyperconnectivity, it’s much harder.

According to a 2019 study by YouGov, a global public opinion and data company, one in five teenagers spends at least four hours online every day. Young adults, we’re learning, have never been more connected or more isolated.

Some teens in crisis, like Nathaniel Hassan, explicitly use social media to broadcast their pain—and their plans. In 2016, the 18-year-old posted a suicide announcement video on his Instagram account, which was seen by 15,000 people, many of whom offered support. But those messages went unacknowledged. Shortly after posting his video, Hassan walked into a wooded area in Mandeville, Louisiana, and ended his life.

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Suicide along gender lines: • 77.97 percent male • 22.03 percent female

Firearms accounted for 24,432 suicides in 2018 (50.5 percent).

All statistics in this article are sourced from the American Association of Suicidology (Suicidology.org)

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PHOTO CREDIT HERE

On 10 by Un

ABOVE: ZODEBALA/ISTOCK; RIGHT: MRSEGUI/FOTOSEARCH

It’s impossible not to compare the spike in depression believes that adults have a greater role to play in how young among young adults and the parallel rise in social media use. people interact on the digital landscape, as does the Catholic This often toxic cocktail, in fact, has been closely moniChurch. tored for years. According to a 2017 study released by the “I believe parents need to stand up here, place limits, have American Psychological Association (APA), passwords, and check on their child’s history between 2009 and 2017, depression rates on the Internet,” Patterson tells St. Anthony increased to more than 60 percent for teens Messenger. “But I also think the Church can The American 14 to 17. The report also found that the help by offering classes and guidance on the Psychological increased use of digital media “may have ethical use of social media.”

Association changed modes of social interaction enough But Patterson feels that there are greater cautions teens to affect mood disorders and suicide-related forces at play here than Instagram and from choosing viroutcomes.”

TikTok. Young people, especially in the tual relationships The APA’s study also noted the dangers for LGBTQ community, battle undercurrents of over actual teens who choose virtual interactions over stress and aggression that seasoned adults actual ones. “Individuals who spend more cannot understand. relationships. time on social media and less time with oth“The amount of pressure on teens is worers face-to-face report lower well-being and risome. I see 17-year-olds who believe they are more likely to be depressed.” need to figure out what to do with the rest of The study concluded that “more US adolescents and their lives,” he says. “I see teens under great pressure regardyoung adults in the late 2010s (vs. the mid-2000s) experiing sexuality and sexual identity. And I see a lot of teens who enced serious psychological distress, major depression, and are spiritually lost with no sense of meaning in their lives.” suicidal thoughts, and more attempted suicide and took their It’s important to address some of the myths surrounding own lives.” suicide. These include the notion that talking to at-risk teens about suicide is dangerous (the opposite is true); irresponsible or excessive media coverage is not detrimental to teens KNOW THE SIGNS contemplating suicide (it is); and failed suicide attempts usuParents of teenagers should know this: Social media can be ally signal an end to suicidal ideation (sadly, no). dangerous. The psychological damage it can inflict, studKnowing the warning signs is also critical. According ies show, can be deadly. Richard Patterson, PhD, a clinical psychologist and trauma therapist working in El Paso, Texas, to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the following

behavioral patterns should be monitored: • talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves; • increased use of alcohol or drugs; • reckless behavior; • sleeping too little or too much; • withdrawing themselves; and • extreme mood swings.

The trick is to pay attention, assess the situation, and listen without judgment, something Patterson challenges adults to do regularly. “There needs to be a forum where teens can voice their doubts and struggles without fear of judgment,” he says. “Parents, school counselors, coaches, and pastors—any adult whom they believe will listen.”

In that spirit of listening to teens’ joys and struggles, the following testimony is penned by Rory Shelton, 16, whose life was upended by the suicide of her friend Ben.

PHOTO CREDIT HERE

ABOVE: ZODEBALA/ISTOCK; RIGHT: MRSEGUI/FOTOSEARCH

One person every 10.9 minutes dies by suicide in the United States.

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‘HI, I’M RORY’

BELOW: Rory Shelton, coauthor of this article, lost her close friend to suicide in 2019. From pain, she’s found purpose through her work with Hope Squad.

They say you don’t know what you really have until it’s gone. In my case, I knew what I had—I just never thought I would lose it. Hi, I’m Rory. I will be starting my junior year in the fall at a high school in the Midwest. And this is my story.

It was a Monday morning, March 18, 2019. I had just gotten back from a volleyball tournament in St. Louis the night before. I

remember waking up still smiling about our exciting first-place finish. I was ready for the week ahead. Little did I know what had actually gone on that morning.

I remember getting to school. First period was great—we had just learned some new math. When I got to my next bell, history, my friend received a phone call from her mom telling us that Ben, my first real friend, had taken his life. I remember thinking, No, this

MC KOZUSKO/SAM (2)

As many as 40 to 50 percent of the US population have been exposed to suicide.

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There is generally one suicide attempt every 26 seconds in the United States.

Total number of suicides in 2018: 48,344.

Parents can feel powerless when raising a young person struggling with suicidal ideation. But talking to your kids about those very struggles can often lead to healing.

can’t be real—it’s fake. I wasn’t able to wrap my mind around it. I remember walking out of the classroom, crying hysterically. I can’t express the kinds of thoughts that swirled around in my head. I felt confusion, hopelessness, loss, pain—many different feelings that no teenager should have to go through.

I walked out of school that day, knowing that I would never see Ben ever again. I thought about how he would never laugh, cry, party, graduate, or live life the way teenagers are supposed to. The pain I felt, and still feel, is the worst I have ever had to cope with. It’s been over a year without my first friend, my best friend, my companion. I miss Ben every day.

MC KOZUSKO/SAM (2)

HOPE AND HEALING

I participate in an organization called Hope Squad (HopeSquad.com), a nationwide, school-based, peer-to-peer suicide prevention program, which focuses on prevention, intervention, and postvention. I participate in this program with about 30 other kids from the 10th to 12th grades. I was chosen to represent my class from all of my peers. We meet every other Wednesday and talk about how we can help the people around us with simple gestures, such as smiling at someone in the hallway and writing letters to other students.

We also have exercises to help us learn the warning signs of people who might be thinking of harming themselves.

I love coming together to focus on mental health and helping people one day at a time. I especially enjoy the role-playing activities we

participate in. It helps to identify some of the more subtle warning signs a student may be exhibiting. We have learned specific signs like giving away possessions, formerly outgoing students becoming withdrawn, and selfinjuring. We have also learned to identify verbal warnings such as “Nothing matters” and “I don’t want to be here anymore.”

Personally, I see the drama and the hate unfold daily. I’ve seen other students ridiculed on social media. I myself have been called a despicable word on Instagram, which hurt. For those teenagers who are not mentally equipped to deal with it, this can cause trauma.

I, too, go through many daily struggles.

Sometimes they are large, like the pain I feel without Ben. Sometimes they are just me being a teenage girl and worrying about everyday things like my appearance, homework, volleyball, and grades. I know I am still young, but I’ve had my share of good times and bad.

The hardships that I have experienced in my 16 years have caused emotions most teenagers never have to go through. Ben’s suicide caused a devastating sense of loss that I think about daily.

Social media allows all of this to be shared instantly, which is good and bad. It’s great to be able to share and view accomplishments, triumphs, wins, and good news with this technology. Social media also allows much easier identification of at-risk people who may be struggling. I’ve witnessed cries for help on social media—and we have been trained in Hope Squad to notify an adult immediately. It

“We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained; perplexed, but not driven to despair.”

—2 Corinthians 4:8

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“I’ve learned a lot in the last year. I was forced to quickly learn how to cope with tragedy at 15. I’ve learned how to help others cope with death, suicide, and loss. I miss Ben every day of my life, but I hope to use what I’ve learned to help prevent this in the future.”

—Rory Shelton

“My mom has always been my best friend,” Rory (right) says of her mother, Lauren (left). “Throughout my grieving stage, she comforted me and told me how loved I am. I couldn’t ask for a better mom and role model.”

THE LONGEST ROAD

Rory Shelton will be starting her junior year of high school in the fall. Christopher Heffron is the editorial director at Franciscan Media and Rory’s very proud uncle.

MC KOZUSKO/SAM

Rory and Hope Squad, surely on the front lines of this crisis, have their work cut out for them: The American Association of Suicidology lists suicide as the second leading cause of death among 15- to 34-year-olds and the 10th overall leading cause of death in the United States.

Patterson is a member of this organization. In his work, which includes counseling people of various age groups and social backgrounds, he sees a common thread woven through nearly every story: the loss of hope.

“My bottom line on the epidemic of suicide among teens, among veterans, even among the elderly is that we are facing a crisis of hope,” he says. “Many people are feeling overwhelmed and do not find faith to be a consolation. My task as a therapist is, first and foremost, to help them find hope.”

Those who have lost a loved one to suicide have a difficult road ahead. Patterson understands this firsthand. “Survivors of suicide—be they family or friends—have a long journey of their own, fraught with unanswered questions,” he says. “I’ve lost three active clients to suicide.

They will be challenging me the rest of my days.”

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TOP: PHOTO COURTESY OF KEITH KLEIN/HOPE SQUAD NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS; BOTTOM: IVELINRADKOV/FOTOSEARCH

could be a teacher, parent, or counselor. I have done this myself.

Before social media, no one may have ever known, causing delayed intervention. Conversely, social media also allows you to witness many acts of abuse and hate.

I never thought I would be the one to experience this feeling—that of losing a close friend— but I have learned that other people who have gone through it grieve differently. Some do not outwardly show emotions and instead keep their pain to themselves. Some people, like me, feel more comfort being around my family and friends and talking about my grief and letting it out.

Experiencing these emotions at such a young age has given me the privilege to help others who have gone through the same things.

I’ve learned a lot in the last year. I was forced to quickly learn how to cope with tragedy at 15.

I’ve learned how to help others cope with death, suicide, and loss. I miss Ben every day of my life, but I hope to use what I’ve learned to help prevent this in the future.

—Rory Shelton

The Power of Peer Groups

PARENTING IS TOUGH. But parents of children in the throes of suicidal crises face a wholly different struggle. Psychologist Dr. Richard Patterson offers some faith-based strategies to help teens at risk.

“Youth groups are a key here, but they need to be structured in such a way that teens can safely explore their questions, doubts, and struggles,” he says. “Many of the teens I deal with struggle with questions and doubts but do not feel free to explore those in a nonjudgmental context. Churches need to acknowledge and address that suicide has a spiritual component.”

Dr. Patterson offers these suggestions to parishes: 1. Each parish should establish a relationship with a local mental health professional.

2. That professional provides two training sessions on identifying teens at risk. One session would be for parents, the other for all parish personnel working with teens (youth groups, Confirmation classes, etc.). Both trainings would also provide procedures for getting help.

TOP: PHOTO COURTESY OF KEITH KLEIN/HOPE SQUAD NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS; BOTTOM: IVELINRADKOV/FOTOSEARCH

MC KOZUSKO/SAM

3. A third session should be provided to teens. This would focus on what to do if your friend tells you he/she is suicidal. This comes up a lot, especially through social media. Often, a friend is the first to know.

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Youth groups—religious or otherwise—can be a steady source of fellowship for young people. These teens represent Hope Squad from Lakota East High School in Liberty Township, Ohio. Learn more at HopeSquad.com and GrantUsHope.org.

If someone you know is suicidal, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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StAnthonyMessenger.org | June/July 2020 • 37

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TEENS

What They Want Us to Know

COMPOSITE: TRAIN TRACKS: MARCCO PHOTO; PEOPLE: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP RIGHT: PIOLA666/ISTOCK

By Roy Petitfils

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Adolescence is a tumultuous time. It’s easy to forget that, ultimately, teens just want to be acknowledged, listened to, and respected.

COMPOSITE: TRAIN TRACKS: MARCCO PHOTO; PEOPLE: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP RIGHT: PIOLA666/ISTOCK

L

ike many teens I’ve worked with, I didn’t grow up in the most functional of families. I was born to a single mother who worked three or four jobs at any given point to make ends meet. Most nights she worked late. From the age of 13 onward, I spent many weeknights home alone in an empty house feeling lonely, sad, and angry. Of course, I couldn’t articulate that at 13, but I was hurting, and I wanted to make the hurt go away. I turned to food.

Every day, I would come home and try to eat things that made me feel better. And week by week, month by month, I needed more and more food to make me feel better. By the age of 15, I could no longer be weighed on my doctor’s scale, which maxed out at 350 pounds, and I was forced to be weighed on a scale at our local butcher shop. As I stood on the steel platform and watched the long red needle spin and land at 420, I murmured, “That can’t be right.” My mom, with tears in her eyes, assured me we would do something about my weight. We didn’t.

THE FEAR OF BEING INVISIBLE

Being a poor kid on scholarship at a private school was hard enough on its own. Being morbidly obese didn’t help. It felt as though I was picked on constantly. And the more I got teased the more I ate when I got home. By the time I was a senior in high school, I couldn’t fit in the desks in several of my classes; those that I did squeeze into left welts and bruises on my stomach and side. Wearing a 6X shirt and size 64-inch waist, now weighing 480 pounds, I was embarrassed to leave the house and almost never wanted to go to school.

Midway into my senior year a teacher pulled me aside and informed me that I was becoming obnoxious, which wasn’t like me, and he wondered what was going on. I had no idea what he was talking about. I told my mom, and she suggested that I be nicer to people. I didn’t realize I wasn’t being nice.

Today, I attribute that obnoxious attitude largely to my desire to be seen. At some point during high school, I stopped getting picked on. I went from being bullied to being ignored. As strange as it may sound, being harassed was preferable to feeling ignored. I was the biggest human being in my town, yet most days I felt like no one could see me. Unconsciously, I left behind Mr. Nice and ushered in Mr. Jerk. Mr. Nice was invisible. Mr. Jerk got me attention—negative attention, to be sure, but at least that was something.

Rejection, contrary to what many suggest, is not our greatest fear: being invisible is. I’ve experienced in my own life and in the lives of teens I know that rejection is preferable to not feeling that you are seen. We need attention, especially during our formative years, and we’ll stop at nothing to get it—even if it means attracting negative attention.

People will get as big as it takes (through food or steroids), as thin as it takes, have as many piercings and tattoos as it takes, wear whatever hairstyle and clothing it takes, and act in whatever way necessary to receive attention. For teens, attention is like oxygen for the soul. And in the most unfortunate situations, they’ll take lives, including their own, so as to not feel invisible. It’s no wonder that as of this writing, suicide is the third leading cause of death for teenagers today.

If I can’t be seen, then why should I be here at all?

SEEING THE WHOLE

Sometimes it’s not that teens feel totally invisible, as I did, but that they feel a certain part of themselves is not being seen. Such was the case with Stephen, a high school junior who, on paper, had every reason to be happy. He was a great athlete, and he had a wonderful personality and lots of friends. His parents were genuinely kind, warm, and delightful people—to which he would attest. On the surface, it didn’t make sense at all that this young man was depressed, StAnthonyMessenger.org | June/July 2020 • 39

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having suicidal thoughts, always irritable, and now verbally lashing out toward his parents.

When we first met for counseling, he was smiling and very friendly, which is rare in teens at the first session. We seemed to hit it off right away, and he didn’t hesitate to tell me that he hadn’t been feeling like himself lately.

In fact, he wasn’t sure what that even felt like anymore. He was aware that he was losing his temper with his parents and starting to do the same with peers and teachers. But he couldn’t figure out why.

Just as I was about to bring the session to a close, with three minutes left, he said, “Oh, and I’m adopted.” I said nothing and just looked into his eyes. Knowing how important it is, for guys especially, not to feel overexposed too soon, I broke eye contact and asked, “What’s it like for you—being adopted?”

“It sucks!” he said harshly, as if I, the counselor, was an expert who should know that being adopted sucks.

“So,” I said, “for you being adopted is a really tough thing.”

“Yeah. It is,” he said and then stood up, smiled, shook my hand, and said while walking out the door, “See you next week, man.”

I began our second session by asking, “What was it like for you last time? When you left my office, what were you feeling?

Thinking?”

“Well,” he paused, “I dunno. I mean, I guess it was good.”

“But what were you feeling when you left?”

I asked.

“Oh . . . relieved, I think,” he said, looking away.

“What happened last time that made you feel relieved?” I asked.

Stephen paused and then said, “I think it was the way you looked at me when I told you I was adopted. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I’m always scared to tell people I’m adopted. Either they look at me like an orphan or they try to convince me that I’m better off than I could be, and that I should be grateful to have such wonderful parents and a wonderful life, considering my alternative.

But you didn’t do that. You just looked at me for a while and asked what being adopted was like for me. That was cool.”

In the following weeks and months, Stephen shared with me how he was picked on as a kid for being adopted. He would cringe as he recounted stories of kids in middle school calling him a “redhead orphan.”

Stephen allowed me to walk with him toward healing those painful wounds because in our first visit he experienced me seeing a part of him that others did not, but a part he wished they would. Even though he was aware of his many blessings and grateful for much of his current life, there was a part of him that felt neglected, unworthy, and unwanted.

A WITNESS TO PAIN

In Sue Monk Kidd’s novel The Secret Life of Bees, August Boatwright, a woman who farms bees for honey, takes in Lily, a girl who has run away from her abusive single father.

“Sure people see me, but they don’t really ‘see’ me. They see parts of me: the athlete, the guy who likes to party, the stud who gets the girls. They don’t see the depressed kid who hates his life, who feels pressured into living up to a reputation he created, and the part of me that’s scared to death of someone finding out about these ‘other’ parts of me.”

GILLTREJOS/ISTOCK

—High school junior

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“Youth need our appreciative gaze; mostly, they simply need our gaze.

One of the deepest hungers inside young people is the hunger for adult connection, the desire to be recognized, seen, by a significant adult. They desperately need, and badly want, the blessing that comes from our gaze and presence.

They need for us to see them. In the end, more than they want our words, they want our gaze.”

—Ronald Rolheiser, OMI

Lily soon discovers that, ironically, this was the same place her mother ended up when she left Lily’s dad years ago.

Lily struggles to understand why her mom would leave her, and August suggests that when people are hurting, they need to leave the situation they believe is hurting them. Lily responds, “Was it the wounded places down inside people that sought each other out, that bred a kind of love between them?” August responds, “But it’s something everybody wants—for someone to see the hurt done to them and set it down like it matters.”

Teens need us to see their pain, even if there has been no perceived harm done to them. It may be that they experienced a particular situation as painful or that there was a relationship or time in their life that caused them hurt.

During these times, what they need most is not someone’s logical explanation of how they see the situation, but validation. Rather than making the person feel like a victim, this validation legitimizes their experience and shines the light of hope into their darkness. It offers meaning to what would otherwise feel like a random, possibly sadistic experience.

Mark’s account of Jesus’ interaction with a wealthy young man reads, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him” (10:21). Jesus made it a point to see that young man, and in so doing loved him in such a powerful way. The French word used in this passage is regarder, a verb that means “to watch.” In my personal Bible, I’ve written the word regarding over the words looking at in this passage. It says a bit more. It speaks of a respectful, attentive look. In fact, when we don’t feel respected and attended to, we use the word disregarded. I often wonder what the young man felt as Jesus gazed at him.

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TO BE KNOWN AND UNDERSTOOD

Times have changed, and teens in some very important respects are different than I was as a teen—as you were as a teen. But that desire to be seen remains constant. The experience of being seen by another is a powerful form of intimacy. Deep inside each of us, at every point in our lives, but most especially during the turbulent period of adolescence, we need to be seen.

Teens need to see themselves through the eyes of significant others. When this happens, we feel known, understood in some way. This is especially important for teens who have been wounded. What may seem like a distrust of others is usually matched by an equal desire to be really seen.

This article is adapted from What Teens Want You to Know (but Won’t Tell You), by Roy Petitfils (Franciscan Media).

Roy Petitfils is a licensed counselor at Pax Renewal Center in Lafayette, Louisiana. He studied ministry and spirituality at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas and holds a master’s degree in mental health counseling from the University of Louisiana. He and his wife, Mindi, live in Youngsville, Louisiana, with their two sons, Max and Benjamin. Learn more about his work at RoyPetitfils.com.

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MIHAILOMILOVANOVIC/ISTOCK

Lord, help us to really see deep into the hearts of teens, in the same way you search and probe our own hearts. Give us the grace to want to see you and your Spirit as you dwell within each of the teens in my life. Amen.

the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me” (Mk 10:21).

Since the details of what happens to the young man after he leaves, disappointed in Jesus’ answer, are not known, I’d like to think that at some point in his life, the man was touched by the way Jesus saw him and did indeed turn his life over to Christ.

FOTOSEARCH IMAGES: LEFT: ALTANAKA; RIGHT: IKOPHOTOS

Prayer to Help Us Connect with Teenagers

in five years, and I dreaded conversing with a man of the cloth. I didn’t want to give him my spiritual résumé or have to lie to him if he asked me about going to Mass when I had no intention of doing so.

The priest looked deep into my eyes and smiled in a way that no one had ever smiled at me before. Instead of asking me to attend Mass, he invited me to lunch. After that lunch, he invited me to another, and another.

At least once a week throughout the fall and spring semesters, he invited me to spend time with him, usually at a local pizzeria sharing its signature meat pizza called the “T-Rex.” I remember feeling, “This guy doesn’t seem to notice that I’m obese and poor.”

Today I realize that he did notice, but that didn’t throw him off, because he saw something deeper in me. When I was a 500-pound 19-year-old, he saw the 220-pound, healthy husband and father who is writing this. He saw the entrepreneur, the minister I could and would grow to become. He saw me.

The way he saw me affected the way he treated me, and the way he treated me drastically affected the course of my life. I can say without question that I am who I am and where I am today as a direct result of being truly seen by him and by a few others at the Catholic student center. How we see others matters.

The young man in the Gospel ultimately walks away sad because he has many possessions. I’ve read and heard interpretations of this Gospel story that assume the young man spent the rest of his life off-track, that he left Jesus with no intention of ever doing what Jesus asked—“Sell what you have, and give to

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BE AWARE OF YOUR ASSUMPTIONS. As much as possible, begin every interaction with an open mind. This is not easy, but it’s difficult to see the reality of the young person in front of us when our vision is blurred by our preconceptions and assumptions.

Adolescence is a time of rapid change on every level. When I was teaching in the classroom, every day I had a note on my desk that read, “These are not the same kids that were here yesterday; get to know these kids.”

MAKE AND KEEP EYE CONTACT. I know, it sounds too simple actually to be effective, but I’ve found this to be a very useful tool in counseling, mentoring, and parenting. The reason it’s so effective, especially today, is that many teens spend their days looking into their smartphones, tablets, computers, and the like. The amount of real eye contact they experience is minimal. So when you do engage with teenagers in this way, it has an impact on the person, even if only unconsciously.

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ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS AND LISTEN. Even if their answers are brief or they act a little weird about this, it is usually because they are nervous. But teenagers like the attention and appreciate your effort to let them know you care about what they think. When we make a habit of asking them questions and then patiently listening to them while they answer, teens feel seen. They experience this as us focusing on them in a positive way, and it contributes to their positive self-esteem. It’s another opportunity to build trust and a pathway for open communication.

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FOTOSEARCH IMAGES: LEFT: ALTANAKA; RIGHT: IKOPHOTOS

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StAnthonyMessenger.org | June/July 2020 • 43

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A 100-year-old cottonwood tree at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has continually inspired the center’s founder, Richard Rohr, OFM, to meditate on life’s interconnectedness.

Spiritual Nourishment in a Digital World J

ust as uplifting news stories seem to get buried under the more salacious and exploitative items, the efforts to spread goodness and well-being via technology are often overshadowed by mind-numbing games and unhealthy use of social media. Although we ought to tread carefully in the web-based world of content, we should also keep an open mind to where it can be beneficial to our psyches and spirits. Indeed, Pope Francis, though cautious, was optimistic when he stated that “a better world is possible thanks to technological progress, if this is accompanied by an ethic inspired by a vision of the common good, an ethic of freedom, responsibility, and fraternity, capable of fostering the full development of people in relation to others and to the whole of creation” (audience at the Vatican, September 2019).

There is a growing wave of people who are seeking more from their experience with digital media, something that connects them to faith, meaning, and healthier relationships. To meet this need, apps, podcasts, YouTube channels, blogs, and many other virtual spaces are springing up—so many, in fact, that it’s getting to be somewhat of a challenge to know where to start. To help you navigate this ever-changing digital landscape, here are six examples of the emerging presence of meaningful media.

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LOWER RIGHT: COURTESY ERIC ZIMMER/THE ONE YOU FEED

Amid growing calls for meaningful digital resources, these media ministries are responding daily with content that feeds the soul.

TOP AND OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF THE CENTER FOR ACTION AND CONTEMPLATION

By Daniel Imwalle and Christopher Heffron

Father Richard Rohr has found a famous friend in Oprah Winfrey. The two discussed his book The Universal Christ on Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations.

THE CENTER FOR ACTION AND CONTEMPLATION

The brainchild of Richard Rohr, OFM, the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) strives to enrich the lives of spiritual seekers by striking a balance between healthy introspection and outward expressions of responding to the Gospel call. Not long after moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico, Father Richard established the CAC in 1986.

Popular events such as CONSPIRE—an in-depth, threeday conference on contemplative living—and the two-year Living School program have attracted thousands of participants interested in the center’s inclusive and welcoming ministry.

LOWER RIGHT: COURTESY ERIC ZIMMER/THE ONE YOU FEED

TOP AND OPPOSITE PAGE TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF THE CENTER FOR ACTION AND CONTEMPLATION

THE ONE YOU FEED

It all started with a parable. In it, a grandfather tells his grandson about the two wolves that are in a constant struggle within us—one that represents kindness, bravery, and love, and another that represents greed, hatred, and fear. The grandson asks which wolf will win the battle, and his grandfather responds, “The one you feed.” This parable is central to the ethos of the website and podcast named after the grandfather’s answer to his grandson.

Eric Zimmer, a life coach and author, certainly knows what it’s like to feed the wrong wolf. When he was 24, he was homeless, addicted to heroin, and facing serious legal consequences if he didn’t make a bold move to start being the best version of himself. For the past 20 years, Zimmer has fine-tuned his approach to behavior modification, coupling ancient wisdom with cutting-edge cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to help people reframe their internal monologue in a positive light.

The One You Feed podcast is a weekly offering and the flagship of Zimmer’s efforts. The podcast, which numbers over 300 episodes, has more than 13 million downloads and was listed on Oprah’s list of “22 Podcasts That Will Motivate You to Live Your Best Life.” Although the podcast covers a wide range of topics related to well-being, most of the content falls within four main areas: anxiety and depression,

Calling to mind Jesus’ 40 days in the desert, the location seems a fitting backdrop for an institution focused on mindfulness and soul-searching. And, again mirroring the life of Christ, whose ministry followed his time of self-discovery in the desert, the CAC encourages those who engage with its content to apply what is gained through contemplation back in the “real world.” According to the center’s website, their mission is to “open the door for a critical mass of spiritual seekers to experience the transformative wisdom of the Christian contemplative tradition and nurture its emergence in service to the healing of our world.”

Although visiting the CAC in person for its many retreats and seminars remains a popular draw, it has increasingly offered a variety of resources online. Four podcasts, e-learning courses, daily e-mail meditations from Father Richard, and an online bookstore are just a few of the items on the CAC website. One of the podcasts, Another Name for Everything, features weekly conversations between Father Richard and the two hosts, Brie Stoner and Paul Swanson, on a plethora of topics that unpack the concept of contemplative living.

Ever in tune with the times, Another Name for Everything doesn’t shy away from addressing current issues, such as living out our faith in an era of globalization and practicing mindfulness during the coronavirus pandemic. In a fast-paced culture that is increasingly fixated on immediate results, the CAC is an oasis of calm for the world-weary.

cac.org

addiction and recovery, habits and behavior change, and meditation and mindfulness.

Beyond the podcast, the website features a blog, two programs that drill down into Zimmer’s approach to self-improvement (the Spiritual Habits and Personal Transformation programs), and “Eric’s Bookshelf,” a list of both fiction and nonfiction titles that have been formative to Zimmer’s own personal growth. For those hungry for a life lived with more intentionality, The One You Feed is there to nurture the good wolf in us.

OneYouFeed.net

Eric Zimmer left, lived a hard life on the streets before becoming a successful life coach and podcast host.

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Catholic women looking for fellowship and a shared love for the faith would be wise to check out Blessed Is She, a collective of talented female writers who seek to build community through writing.

BLESSED IS SHE

“Blessed is She is a sisterhood who desires two things: prayer + community. If that sounds up your alley, we’re so glad you’re here.” Site visitors are met with this warm salutation straight away—and that inclusive tone is used throughout this unique online experience.

Founded by Jenna Guizar in the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona, Blessed Is She is a collective of dedicated female Catholic writers with the noble mission to share their love for the Catholic faith with like-minded women.

The Blessed Is She site is admirably simple—and attractively designed. Visitors can

engage with their blogs and devotionals, and shop for gifts to feed the spirit. One blog in particular was both timely and relevant, “Tips for Attending Mass from Home with Kids.”

Published during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, author Valerie Keinsley offered these sage words for parents on lockdown: “Nothing about this is normal or easy, and that’s okay. Pausing the live-stream to redirect rambunctious kids, adjusting your usual Sunday traditions, and longing for in-person community and fellowship are all going to take a lot of patience and flexibility on everyone’s parts. Pray for the patience to continue to adapt as this current crisis evolves, and trust that God provides everything you need.”

Providing faith-based tips for navigating life’s peaks and valleys is in abundance in their ministry and on their site.

“You belong here”: These three words can be found on their “About Us” page. Blessed Is She welcomes weary seekers to visit, get comfortable, and be inspired to celebrate the richness of the Catholic faith. To those in need of community and spiritual nourishment, welcome home.

BlessedIsShe.net

LIFE TEEN

LEFT: Mark Hart is the CIO and executive vice president of Life Teen, a Catholic youth ministry organization. Their mission: to bring teens closer to Christ.

TOP: PEOPLE IMAGES/ISTOCK; LOWER LEFT AND OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY LIFE TEEN (3)

One of Life Teen’s missions is to bring teens closer to Christ with the Blessed Virgin Mary as their intercessor and guide. Interesting enough, but nowhere in their “About Us” page does it boast their strongest asset for such a noble mission: Mark Hart. As the CIO and executive vice president of Life Teen,

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TOP: PEOPLE IMAGES/ISTOCK; LOWER LEFT AND OPPOSITE PAGE: COURTESY LIFE TEEN (3)

Life Teen understands that young Catholics are a powerful, vocal force within the worldwide Church.

Their content brings the Spirit to life for Catholic teens.

Hart, also known as “The Bible Geek,” is an evangelist, writer, speaker, and educator to reckon with. (Search his name on YouTube, sit back, and enjoy the ride.)

But to be fair, Hart is one branch on a mighty tree. This is a ministry that seeks to invigorate the faith lives of young Catholics. And while the feel of this outreach is perhaps more traditionally Catholic than others, they provide a cornucopia of rich materials for young Catholics and their parents to feed on.

The site might seem a bit overwhelming at first, so start with their Catholic Youth Ministry blog, which offers a variety of topics for readers to savor. They address front-burner issues that teens face daily, such as depression and anxiety. Other blogs tackle struggles that are of-the-moment, such as maintaining faith and your sanity during a pandemic. The writing is crisp, and the wisdom shared in these blogs can soothe a weary heart. The site also offers materials for middle school and high school kids who might be struggling with their faith.

But back to Mark Hart, who has amassed quite a loyal following among young Catholics: Rare is it that you find a speaker, author, host, and humorist who can merge youthful energy and powerful catechesis. Hart is a speaker in demand—and his popularity is due, in part, to the delivery of his message.

He doesn’t pander. He relates. The same can be said for Life Teen.

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Casey Cole, OFM, is usually not far from his laptop, ready to blog or post a video.

BREAKING IN THE HABIT

It’s always refreshing to see a young person energized by faith and eager to share it. That feeling takes on a special form when that young person is a tech-savvy professed Franciscan, proud to wear his brown robe. Part blog, YouTube channel, and social media presence, Breaking in the Habit is the evangelization tool of Father Casey Cole, OFM. On the homepage, a number of topics slide automatically across the top of the screen, with titles such as “Can a Christian Be Rich?,” “An Open Letter to Christians,” and “Eight Hilarious Religious Jokes.” Right from the start, visitors can tell that Father Casey is here to engage, ask some tough questions, and also share in some levity.

There’s a pop culture awareness and sensibility to Breaking in the Habit that is at once disarming and thought-

provoking. In a blog entry where Father Casey sings the praises of the TV comedy Scrubs, he also makes a subtle call to honor the doctors and medical professionals working on the battlefront of the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s the perfect example of how Father Casey evangelizes: He finds common ground and works from there. He asks questions about faith and doesn’t pretend to always have the answers, but his keen insights and popular approach will appeal to seekers who might not otherwise see the Catholic faith as welcoming.

Breaking in the Habit has a strong social media element, including a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

But it’s on YouTube where Father Casey has truly crystallized his evangelization efforts. Now with over 60,000 subscribers and well over 5 million total views, the Breaking in the Habit YouTube channel is clearly doing something right.

The welcome video that Father Casey features on the channel’s homepage is titled “50 Reasons I Love Being Catholic,” which includes items such as Reconciliation, charity, and the friar’s appreciation of sacred art and architecture.

A quick scroll through other videos has Father Casey reflecting on what it’s like to walk around in public in his habit, talking about the day of his priestly ordination, and examining our constant struggle with sin.

The wide variety of topics and the sincerity the friar brings to his videos meet a felt need for the people in the pews to connect with the clergy, and he’s clearly having a lot of fun doing it!

BreakingintheHabit.org

“The mission of Breaking in the Habit is to evangelize and catechize in the Franciscan spirit in order to promote faith, energize communities, inspire active involvement, and encourage vocations to consecrated life.”

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COURTESY BUSTED HALO

COURTESY CASEY COLE, OFM

—Casey Cole, OFM

Saving a Life from a potential catastrophe

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ABOVE: Father Dave Dwyer, host of the podcast Busted Halo Show, is the knowledgeable and funny force behind this ministry of the Paulist Fathers.

INSET: Here, Dwyer speaks with Bishop Robert Barron.

Fall Emergency

Don’t let the “.com” fool you: Busted Halo is a ministry of the Paulist Fathers.

Though this popular resource provides content for all Catholics, irrespective of where they are on their faith journeys, it’s the mysterious seeker demographic that seems to benefit most from its offerings. And they have a big job on their hands: According to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center, 53 percent of millennials say they attend a religious service once or twice a month/a few times a year.

While studies show the majority of this generation believe in God, there seems to be a general apathy for celebrating it formally. And this is why Busted Halo is such a strong resource.

Through articles, videos, podcasts, radio, and a bustling social media platform, the content creators behind Busted Halo infuse their materials with humor, heart, and catechetical prowess. Their audience is nourished spiritually without being judged.

Their podcast, Busted Halo Show, hosted by Father Dave Dwyer, is particularly strong. Father Dwyer, who has an infectious sense of humor and energy to spare, spearheads this punchy podcast that is at turns fun, funny, and rife with Catholic wisdom. Recent shows tackled the COVID-19 crisis, human trafficking, and surviving the loss of a loved one. You can find the Busted Halo Show wherever you get your podcasts. It’s time well spent.

As for the name of this organization, their website says it best: “Catholic belief is that all God’s children are ‘saints in the making,’ yet our life’s journey is fraught with imperfections, struggles, and mistakes. Each of us sports a halo that is either dented, scratched, tarnished, or in some way busted. God loves us despite this and continually calls us to polish our halos up to a nice golden shine.”

COURTESY BUSTED HALO

COURTESY CASEY COLE, OFM

BUSTED HALO

BustedHalo.com

Daniel Imwalle is the managing editor of St. Anthony Messenger. Christopher Heffron is the editorial director of Franciscan Media.

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1-855-617-1231 StAnthonyMessenger.org | June/July 2020 • 49

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By Susan Hines-Brigger

Digital Addiction SimonSinek.com

“There’s nothing wrong with social media and cell phones.

It’s the imbalance.”

—Simon Sinek

S

“ d d y a in a t a a p t o h is li b COURTESY OF SIMON SINEK INC

peaker Simon Sinek is perhaps best known for his 2009 TED talk about helping businesses discover the purpose of why they do what they do. But it was during a more intimate interview with Tom Bilyeu on the show Inside Quest that Sinek addressed a topic that touched on something relating to each of us.

Because Sinek often works with companies, the focus of the interview was millennials in the workplace. One of the subjects he talked about was the generation’s use of cell phones and social media and how it has affected not only their work lives but their entire lives.

Simon Sinek What he said, though, provided insights not only for the intended audience, but also to behaviors that speak to a pool of people well beyond just that generation. As evidence, in its first week, the video garnered over 80 million views and has now been viewed hundreds of millions of times.

Sinek, an ethnographer (the detailed observation of people in their natural environments), points out that for all of us, social media is akin to a drug. And we’re addicted, he says. That is why we get a rush when we hear the ding of an incoming message or e-mail and we are constantly checking and obsessing over likes, views, and friends, he points out.

“Engagement with social media and our cell phones releases a chemical called dopamine.

That’s why when you get a text, it feels good. Dopamine is the exact same chemical that makes us feel good when we smoke, when we drink, and when we gamble. In other words, it’s highly, highly addictive,” says Sinek. “Like all addictions,” he adds, “in time it will destroy relationships, it will cost time, it will cost money, and it will make your life worse.”

Sinek points out that people who have grown up with social media and cell phones have trouble forming deep, meaningful relationships and, in times of stress or trouble, will turn to social media instead of their friends.

He also recounts different scenarios in which people turn to technology rather than each other, such as virtual conference rooms in place of in-person meetings or when a dinner companion leaves the table to go to the bathroom. Our first reaction, he says, is to grab our phone.

He recommends that people do not keep or charge their phones by their beds. “If you wake up and check your phone before you say, ‘Good morning,’ to your girlfriend, boyfriend, or spouse, you have an addiction.”

Instead, he says, take your phone out of the bedroom and remove the temptation. As for those who use their phone as an alarm, Sinek has one thing to say: “Buy an alarm clock.”

Videos by Sinek, including the one mentioned here, can be found on his website.

ICONS

music

CULTURE 060720.indd 50

books

podcast tv & streaming

film

video

e-learning & online 4/30/20 10:09 AM

ger

Editor’s Picks:

Edited by Julie Traubert

The Seven Last Words of Christ

H

THE HOPE OF GLORY

BY JON MEACHAM Convergent

COURTESY OF SIMON SINEK INC

“The work of discerning—or depending on your point of view, assigning—meaning to Good Friday and to the story of the empty tomb is a historical as well as a theological process, as was the construction of the faith that has shaped, and is shaping, the lives of billions of believers.”

ow wonderfully blessed we are to have one of America’s preeminent, popular historians share with us his faith and interpretation of the words Jesus spoke from the cross. Jon Meacham is a former member of the vestries of St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue and Trinity Church Wall Street in New York City. In this age of grand celebrity confession of personal problems, Meacham admits to being a sinner but does not dwell on that.

Instead, he focuses on the redemption we are all promised given the events that unfolded on Good Friday and on Easter Sunday. Using his historian’s eye and writer’s gift of verve, in 128 pages Meacham plumbs the depths of Scripture from the Old and New Testaments to explain how the seven last words of Christ are the centerpiece of what it means to be a serious and committed Christian.

We live in a time marked by hate, division, polarization, and tribalism. The words of Jesus are the antithesis of this paradigm. Love, forgiveness, compassion, and gentleness should be the guiding principles for genuine believers.

What makes this book so singular and different from the other books published by Meacham is the intimacy and personal feeling he imparts to readers. This is more than just mere preaching to the choir. Rather, Meacham’s humility, grace, gravitas, and stature in American culture take a back seat to his admission of faith. Risky? Maybe. But aren’t all Christians called to take the ultimate risk as Jesus did and put their total trust in the divine power of a compassionate God? Each of the seven words, or phrases, spoken from the cross by Christ are dissected by the author within the context of the old order, particularly in the Psalms, and of the new order in the Pauline letters. Each examination provides an in-depth analysis of the particular word, the meaning that Jesus wanted to convey, and how his words had been presaged and then used to build the new Christian faith.

Along the way, readers come to understand just how the Man-God revolutionized humanity and created a way of life that calls us to subscribe to what Abraham Lincoln would intone centuries later, “the better angels of our nature.”

Reviewed by James A. Percoco, a nationally recognized history educator with over 35 years of teaching experience.

g&

THE CATHOLIC RUNNER

BY CHRIS EASTERLY Our Sunday Visitor

A

uthor Chris Easterly becomes your personal trainer—for running and for nurturing your faith. He motivates you through his 30-day devotional, with each entry providing a scriptural reflection and a focus for your daily run. For beginners and seasoned runners, this is a healthy and dynamic way to connect with yourself and God.

CATHOLIC HIPSTER: THE NEXT LEVEL

BY TOMMY TIGHE Ave Maria Press

F

ollowing his Catholic Hipster Handbook, Tommy Tighe, along with many hip contributors, introduces thought-provoking reflections on topics ranging from Lectio Divina and tattoos to Catholic Twitter and Flannery O’Connor. It features a new batch of cool, overlooked saints and prayers to guide you, as well as novel ways to live your faith.

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HAVE A FAVORITE CULTURE ITEM YOU WANT TO SHARE? Let us know about it: MagazineEditors@Franciscan Media.org

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CULTURE

By Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

Sister Rose Pacatte, FSP

FAVORITE

SPORTS DOCUMENTARIES Senna (2010) Women in Sports (2016) Do You Believe in Miracles? (2001) Step Into Liquid (2003) Free Solo (2018)

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WANT MORE? Visit our website: StAnthonyMessenger.org

I

t is 1963 in Detroit. Mattie Moss Clark (Aunjanue Ellis), mother of five daughters, gets an idea for a gospel song in the middle of the night. She rouses her young daughters, gathers them around the piano, and before long they are singing the refrain in perfect harmony. The family, including their father, Elbert (Demore Barnes), belongs to the Church of God in Christ, where he is a deacon.

Mattie, who directs, is convinced she and her daughters have a calling to sing the Gospel to the church. Twinkie (Christina Bell), the eldest daughter, writes the songs and the music, while Karen (Kierra ‘Kiki’ Sheard), Dorinda (Shelea Frazier), Denise (Raven Goodwin), and Jacky (Angela Birchett) are the singers. Their lives reach a certain rhythm, but Elbert is jealous and accuses Mattie of ambition. He becomes violent toward Mattie and Twinkie (who is not his biological child, but who is the only father she’s ever known), and a divorce follows.

Tensions arise when Twinkie, whom Mattie has pulled out of school so she can travel with her and write music, wants to continue her studies. When Twinkie reveals she is pregnant right before a church convention, where their moral virtue must be unassailable at all times, Mattie is angry and heartbroken.

The young women want to popularize their music and reach a secular audience.

When the Clark Sisters are nominated for a

Grammy and invited to sing on television, Mattie is called before the bishop and church elders, who take away her title as president of the International Music Department of the church. They demand that neither she nor her daughters continue to perform.

Mattie, ever strong, replies that she is called to preach to all nations. When they reply that she is to be humble and obedient, she walks out.

The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel premiered to an audience of 2.7 million on Lifetime when it aired in April, an all-time record for the network. The film is directed by Christine Swanson, and the story and teleplay are by Camille Tucker in her first feature film.

The story of these powerful women draws you in. It is easy to identify with the domestic trials and challenges the family faces. While the story may feel like an inspiring soap opera, what makes the film stand out are the amazing vocal performances, especially the gospel performance at the Grammy Awards.

The Clark Sisters are an American treasure who made gospel music mainstream. The film is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Not yet rated • Domestic violence.

52 • June/July 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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BOYS STATE: COURTESY OF APPLE (2); JUMP SHOT: THE KENNY SAILORS STORY: COURTESY OF JUMP SHOT

Sister Rose’s

THE CLARK SISTERS: FIRST LADIES OF GOSPEL

LEFT: COURTESY SISTER ROSE PACATTE, FSP/MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS; THE CLARK SISTERS: FIRST LADIES OF GOSPEL: AMANDA MATLOVICH SET STILLS (2)

Sister Rose is a Daughter of St. Paul and the founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies. She has been the award-winning film columnist for St. Anthony Messenger since 2003 and is the author of several books on Scripture and film, as well as media literacy education.

JUMP SHOT: THE KENNY SAILORS STORY

I BOYS STATE

BOYS STATE: COURTESY OF APPLE (2); JUMP SHOT: THE KENNY SAILORS STORY: COURTESY OF JUMP SHOT

LEFT: COURTESY SISTER ROSE PACATTE, FSP/MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS; THE CLARK SISTERS: FIRST LADIES OF GOSPEL: AMANDA MATLOVICH SET STILLS (2)

T

his documentary, which won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival this year, is both inspiring and deeply troubling. Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss produce and direct with Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim as an executive producer. Together they reveal an annual gathering most of us probably never heard of.

Since 1937, the American Legion has sponsored boys and girls (high school seniors, usually at different times) to gather for a week of leadership training in state government. This documentary, which begins very slowly and crescendos to a fever pitch, takes place in Austin, Texas, and follows the initial selection process for thousands of boys who will learn the process of running for governor and other offices in their state. Ben is ultraconservative and inspired by Ronald Reagan; Steven is the child of parents who immigrated from Mexico. Ben learns that lying is necessary for politicians to succeed, even if he sacrifices his morals to do it. Steven, by contrast, holds on to his principles in a gathering dominated by those who uphold pro-gun rights and anti-abortion views.

The film quotes George Washington, who believed the two-party system would subvert the power of the people. I found the film challenging in that it shows young men growing up to be just like some of those who hold office currently. But it showed signs of character and courage in some of the boys, which offers hope for our contentious public square. I hope they make a film about Girls State next.

This film is currently streaming on AppleTV+.

Not yet rated, PG-13 • Lying for personal gain.

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

n 1934, a 13-year-old Wyoming boy named Kenny Sailors had to shoot a ball over the head of his 6’5” brother.

Standing still, he jumped straight up.

Using one hand, he shot the ball in an arc and made the basket. The move was an innovation that has become so standard in the game of basketball that the man who developed it has been all but forgotten.

One of the greatest moments for Sailors was in 1943 at the NCAA championship, played at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where the University of Wyoming beat Georgetown 46–34. Sailors was voted the most outstanding player. Life magazine memorialized his jump shot at this game for generations to come.

After college, military service in World War II, and a brief career in the newly formed NBA, Sailors retired for the sake of his wife’s health and moved to Glennallen, Alaska. There he coached high school basketball (and other sports) for 35 years. He died in 2016.

Basketball greats such as Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and others are trying to make Sailor’s humble life known, a life filled with basketball, God, family, and the US Marines. I loved this documentary—it is guaranteed to inspire. Jump Shot is available at JumpShotMovie.com and will be streaming on various platforms soon.

Not yet rated • No objectionable content.

Source: USCCB.org/movies

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POINTSOFVIEW | FAITH & FAMILY

By Susan Hines-Brigger

Pick Up That Phone!

Susan welcomes your comments and suggestions!

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

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VIRTUALLY RECONNECTING

The other night, my sister Karen—the extreme extrovert of the family—FaceTimed me for some company. Usually, because we live relatively close, we would see each other face-to-face, so this was the next best thing. At the time she called, I was working on organizing family photos, a task I had been wanting to do for the past two years. I would periodically interrupt our conversation to hold up a photo—usually an embarrassing one—I had found of us and our older sister, Beth. At some point, we decided to call Beth for a group chat.

For the next hour and a half, the three of us laughed and reminisced as we virtually looked through old pictures during this forced pause in life. It was a rare opportunity and a blessing for the three of us to spend time together, given our normally crazy schedules.

And my sisters weren’t the only ones I was able to virtually connect with. Suddenly, the idea of checking in with friends I haven’t seen in a while took on a whole new spin. We could now see each other while catching up. It was like we were actually together in person.

In fact, people on Facebook began hosting virtual happy hours.

In this unprecedented time of disconnection, technology has proven to be a lifeline for many. But some long for the personal connection that has been lost.

THE FLIP SIDE

But while many of my friends and I took full advantage of this new way of connecting, something very interesting happened with my kids. They saw the complete opposite situation.

As a parent, I feel as if I am constantly trying to encourage my kids to connect on a more face-to-face level with their friends. As most kids do these days, they spend a good deal of their off-school hours either on video chat with their friends or playing video games with them. Prior to the current crisis, that’s the way they preferred it.

That is why I was so surprised when, the other day, my daughter Riley—who has not been taking this self-quarantine well—was bemoaning how much she missed her friend Anna. I told Riley just to FaceTime her and talk.

“It’s not the same,” she said. “I want to see my friends in person.”

Wow. That was an unexpected answer.

I found it interesting the different way in which we both reacted to using technology amid a challenging situation. My generation and I saw it as a way to connect while we were separated. My kids, who always use technology to connect, longed for something more.

If there is anything good that can come out of this difficult and troubling time, maybe it’s a renewed desire to connect with each other— no matter how we do it.

Check out videos of Susan talking about her family’s experience during their self-quarantine at vimeo.com/FranciscanMedia.

54 • June/July 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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Susan has worked at St. Anthony Messenger for 26 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.

TOP LEFT: MC KOZUSKO/SAM; TOP RIGHT: IKOPHOTOS/FOTOSEARCH

Susan Hines-Brigger

es, you read that headline right. I know, I know, we’re always telling people to get off their phones. In fact, I often feel as if I spend half my day saying that to my kids. But things have changed recently. And that change is the coronavirus pandemic.

I am writing this column from home while self-quarantining along with my husband, Mark, three of our four kids, two dogs, a chinchilla, and a rabbit. Our oldest daughter, Maddie, is holed up at her place. For me, as an introvert, these weeks of staying home have suited me perfectly. In fact, the other day I saw a meme that said we introverts have been practicing for a situation like this our entire lives.

But I also know that for the extroverts among us, being physically separated from others is a huge challenge. I know that because the extroverts in my life have told me so.

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SEND US YOUR best caption for this photo. The winner will get his or her caption published in an upcoming issue, a special gift from St. Anthony Messenger, and, of course, bragging rights!

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reflection

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.”

CHRISTIAN MEYER DESIGN/ISTOCK

—Audrey Hepburn

56 • June/July 2020 | StAnthonyMessenger.org

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