People of God, January 2019

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January 2019 Vol. 37, No. 1

Serving the multicultural people of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe www.archdiosf.org

See page 36

See page 2 See page 14

Faith-Filled Education | Fostering Uniqueness | Preparing Leaders See page 28


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The Archdiocese of Santa Fe African American Catholic Community Invites all to the annual

2019 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mass and Celebration

Invitation for All Christians to Pray Together Open to everyone to participate in any of the below ecumenical events: Tuesday, Jan 22 at 5:30 pm St. Bede’s Episcopal Church is hosting a Prayer Service and a simple supper with Santa Maria de La Paz Catholic Church and United Church of Santa Fe at 1601 St. Francis Drive, Santa Fe, 505.982.1133 Tuesday, Jan 22 at 7:00 pm Prayer Service at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, 505.836.5011 Wednesday, Jan 23 at 6:00 pm Taizé Service at Santuario de Chimayo in the Santo Niño Chapel, 505.689.2404

Sunday, January 20, 2019 12 noon St. Joseph on the Rio Grande Catholic Church 5901 St. Joseph Dr. NW, Albuquerque Presider: Most Rev. John C. Wester Archbishop of Santa Fe For more information please call 505-836-3627 Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Office of Social Justice and Respect Life 505-831-8167

Thursday, Jan 24 at 6:30 pm Cathedral Basilica, First Presbyterian and Church of the Holy Faith Episcopal - Pastors Panel discussion on current topics respective to their churches at Church of the Holy Faith Episcopal, Santa Fe, 505.982.5619 Friday, Jan 25 at 7:00 pm Evening of Prayer at Our Lady of the Annunciation, Albuquerque, 505.298.7553 For more information, you may call Rose Garcia at 505.831.8243.


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Inside This Month’s Issue 2 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mass & Celebration 4 Archbishop’s Letter: A Right Relationship with God 8 2019 Annual Catholic Appeal 10 Vocations 12 Retreat for Lay Ministers 14 Catholic Education 24 Catholic Charities 25 Social Justice 29 Wedding Anniversaries 32 Rest In Peace 34 Safe Environment 36 Sanctity of Life Awareness & Unity Day

Prayer Intentions JANUARY/ENERO Young People and the Example of Mary That young people, especially in Latin America, follow the example of Mary and respond to the call of the Lord to communicate the joy of the Gospel to the world. Pope Francis holds his crosier as he celebrates Mass marking the feast of Mary, Mother of God, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Jan. 1.(CNS photo/Paul Haring)

Jóvenes en la escuela de María Por los jóvenes, especialmente los de América Latina, para que, siguiendo el ejemplo de María, respondan al llamado del Señor para comunicar la alegría del Evangelio al mundo.

Annual Catholic Appeal Recipient Spotlight

NATIVE AMERICAN MINISTRY

Native American Ministry works to build strong Catholic leaders within the pueblos by bridging the two faith traditions together to create and nurture faithful members of the Church. This ministry also serves 50,000 Native American Catholics in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, and provides continuous support and assistance in the areas of leadership development and catechesis in the Pueblos. To learn more about the Native American Ministry, visit our website at: http://www.acaarchdiosf.org Click on ‘Pastoral Ministries Division’ in the left navigation menu. The ‘Native American Ministry’ link can be found under ‘Community Outreach’. *video message* for the ‘Worship and RCIA Office’.

DID YOU KNOW?

7% of ACA contributions help Native American Ministry? Our newest section, ACA Recipient Spotlight, will regularly highlight ministries and organizations supported by donations to the ACA.

Donations to the ACA Foundation remain a major funding source to our ministries and services during and beyond the Archdiocesan Chapter 11 Reorganization. ACA is not part of the bankruptcy filing. All donations remain confidential and do not fund legal claims. Las donaciones a la Fundación ACA siguen siendo una fuente importante de financiamiento para nuestros ministerios y servicios durante este tiempo y más allá de la reorganización del Capítulo 11 de la Arquidiócesis. ACA no es parte de la declaración de bancarrota. Las donaciones recibidas por ACA son confidenciales y no financian demandas legales.

Notice of Annulment Proceeding From the Office of the Tribunal of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Very Rev. Oscar Coelho, J.C.L., Judicial Vicar Case Name: YESTER-PETITT; Prot. Num.: 2018-0268M Barbara Lee Petitt is hereby notified that Lawrence T. Yester has filed a petition for a declaration of ecclesiastical nullity of the marriage contracted by both of you. Please contact the Office of the Tribunal before February 8, 2019 at Office of the Tribunal, 4000 St Joseph Pl NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 505.831.8177 Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Barbara Lee Pettit is to inform the Office of the Tribunal as soon as possible.

Together We Can Reach Our Goal!

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Your donation will remain confidential, and is protected within the Annual Catholic Appeal Foundation of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, a New Mexico Non-Profit Corporation, as a separate organization. Your donation does not fund legal claims.” Visit our new ACA Website at: www.acaarchdiosf.org to donate to ACA 2018, watch Archbishop Wester’s ACA video, and much more!

People of God

Official Magazine of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe

Publisher: Most Rev. John C. Wester Editor/Photography/Design: Celine Baca Radigan cradigan@archdiosf.org

Assistant Editor/Photojournalist: Leslie M. Radigan lradigan@archdiosf.org

Production: Christine Carter

Published monthly with the exception of July. The Editor reserves the right to reject, omit, or edit any article or advertising copy submitted for publication. All items submitted for consideration must be received by the 10th of the previous month. Check out Media Kit online @ www.archdiosf.org. Advertising listings do not imply Archdiocesan endorsement. Friend us on Facebook: Archdiocese of Santa Fe Official • twitter.com/ASFOfficial

4000 St. Joseph Pl. NW • Albuquerque NM, 87120 • (505) 831-8162


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A Right Relationship with God

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uring these first days of 2019, it is not uncommon to hear people making their New Year’s resolutions, giving witness to the truth of Alexander Pope’s famous quote, “Hope springs eternal in the human breast…” Yet, like Charlie Brown who, year after year, hopes Lucy will not pull the football back as he tries to kick it, so also are so many of our resolutions, our hopes, dashed as the painful reality of life’s failures seem to mock our dreams, our aspirations and our heartfelt hopes for a better future. This seems truer than ever this year as we contend with continued wars throughout the world, sharp political divisions in our country, stock market volatility, and the ravages of poverty, addiction and violent crime here in New Mexico. And as Catholics, it is even harder than ever to maintain hope as we deal with the tragedy of clergy sexual abuse, which has caused inexpressible suffering in those who have been victims, and also has thrust a deep wound in

our own hearts. No, hope does not seem to square with our reality right now. But as understandable as such pessimism is, it has no place in the heart of a Christian. Through our baptisms, we were made one with Christ in His suffering, death and resurrection. Therefore, despite all the reasons for dejection and despair, we are a people of hope. Hope is in our Catholic DNA and always will be. As Psalm 33 puts it, “We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name.” (Ps. 33: 20-22) Our hope is based on a right relationship with God, a relationship that brings profound peace and inner wholeness – a relationship that has a future. The Book of the Prophet Zephaniah gives us an insight into this reality. Zephaniah does not paint a rosy picture: he is read only once in the entire three-year cycle of the Sunday lectionary and perhaps for good reason since it is a difficult book of the Bible that speaks of judgment and calamity. However, in the middle of this “doom and gloom”, there is an island of hope that speaks of joy because God is with us. The prophet reminds the people that God is in their midst. As St. Paul says in Romans 8:31, “If God is on our side, can anyone be against us?” St. Paul grasped this reality in a profound way. The Lord Jesus Christ, in whom and through whom and for whom all things were made, loves us with a personal and limitless love. He is the Hound of Heaven, the Good Shepherd, who searches us out and whose love constantly renews us. Our relationship with Christ gives us a hope that cannot be extinguished. As we read in Paul’s letter to the Romans, “Neither death nor life, nor angel nor prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power nor height nor depth nor any created

thing can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39) The core of this message is that only a right relationship with our God of love will give us true hope. When we place our hope in material things, states of being, public acclaim, power or financial success we soon realize that our hopes were destined to be dashed. There is a certain fleeting joy that comes with these realities but this joy is superficial and leaves us wanting, hoping, for more. Just look at the number of wealthy, powerful or popular people who are depressed and never satisfied with what they have as they keep searching for happiness somewhere else. St. Augustine was aware of this centuries ago when he reminded us that our hearts are restless until they rest in the Lord. St. Ignatius built on this truth when he wrote that we are created for one purpose only, namely, to be one with God forever in heaven. Only a relationship with God can fulfill all our hopes. As a wise man once said, “God knows all we want and He has all we need.” Moreover, to be in a loving relationship with Christ is to be affirmed at our deepest level, giving us a sense of self-worth and the sure knowledge that our lives have meaning. This in turn allows us to love ourselves in the proper sense of that term and to love others as ourselves. A right relationship with God opens up so many other relationships in our lives, all of which help to fulfill our hopes for the future. Only love can completely fulfill us since human beings were created for love by a God who is love. Created in His image, love is our only destiny and love is itself the only way to achieve that destiny. As Jesus told us, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” In other words, Jesus is the truth that leads us along the path of life by loving us into being and being


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our love. As I have said, a relationship with God always has a future. Christ is always coming to us: He is the God of more. The Christmas Feast we just celebrated is symbolic of the infinite ways that Christ comes to us every moment of our existence. Christ loves us with an everlasting love, which is a critical aspect of our hope and of our joy. Joy that lasts only for the moment, even if the type of joy brought about by love, is not ultimately satisfying. Love must always grow. Like a river, the more it changes, the more it grows, the more it remains itself. If love were only for the present, it would doom us to a life of regret, looking at what once was and is no more. Christ’s love is not like this. It is forever and therefore it is a source of unending joy, of unending possibilities, of hopes fulfilled. This is why the sacrament of marriage joins a husband and wife in a permanent bond, a bond meant to last an entire lifetime. Indeed, because Christ is an intimate part of that sacrament, their love can be seen as unending: Christ’s love comes with an eternal seal. Christ has promised to be with us always until the end of time, at which point we will be one with Him forever in heaven. Now that is something to hope for! True hope, then, is not a matter of passing fancy or New Year’s resolutions, but rather a mature love affair with God that takes root in this life in our love for others, and blossoms in eternity. Because we have a future with Christ, our most painful present will be transformed into a redeemed past. In other words, there is always hope in Christ, there is always new life in Christ, there is always a tomorrow with Christ. All the loves of our lives are subsumed into Christ’s eternal love for us and our eternal love for Him. That is why in the end, death itself will die and we will be one with Christ and all the loves of our lives forever. This is the perspective Christian hope gives to our grieving Church and especially to the victims of clergy sexual abuse. This moment is profoundly painful and will continue to be for the unforeseeable future. But even this tragedy cannot eradicate our hope for the future. God is with us and we rejoice, we have hope, even if through our tears. Sincerely yours in the Lord

Most Rev. John C. Wester, Archbishop of Santa Fe

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Una Buena Relación con Dios

Arzobispo John C. Wester

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urante estos primeros días de 2019, no es raro escuchar a la gente hacer sus resoluciones de Año Nuevo, dando testimonio de la verdad de la famosa cita del poeta británico del siglo XVIII, Alexander Pope, “La esperanza mana eterna del seno humano...” Sin embargo, al igual que como sucede en la serie animada de Charlie Brown, quien año tras año espera que Lucy no mueva el balón de fútbol mientras él intenta patearlo, también son defraudadas muchas de nuestras resoluciones y esperanzas cuando la dolorosa realidad de los fracasos de la vida parece burlarse de nuestros sueños, nuestras aspiraciones y nuestras sinceras esperanzas de un futuro mejor. Esto parece más cierto que nunca este año en el que nos enfrentamos a continuas guerras en todo el mundo, fuertes divisiones políticas en nuestro país, inestabilidad en la bolsa de valores y los estragos de la pobreza, la adicción y el crimen violento aquí en Nuevo México. Y como católicos, ahora es aún más difícil que nunca mantener la esperanza cuando nos enfrentamos a la tragedia del abuso sexual del clero, que ha causado sufrimientos inexpresables a los que han sido víctimas, y que también ha herido

profundamente nuestros corazones. No, la esperanza no parece encajar con nuestra realidad en este momento. Pero por muy comprensible que sea ese pesimismo, no tiene cabida alguna en el corazón de un cristiano. A través de nuestro bautismo, fuimos hechos uno con Cristo en Su sufrimiento, muerte y resurrección. Por lo tanto, a pesar de todas las razones para el desaliento y la desesperación, somos un pueblo de esperanza. La esperanza está, y siempre estará, en nuestro ADN católico. Como dice el Salmo 33: “ En el Señor nosotros esperamos, él es nuestra defensa y nuestro escudo; en él se alegra nuestro corazón, en su santo nombre tenemos confianza”. (Sal. 33: 20-22) Nuestra esperanza se basa en una buena relación con Dios, una relación que trae a una paz profunda y plenitud interior - una relación que tiene un futuro. El Libro del Profeta Sofonías nos da una idea de esta realidad. El libro de Sofonías no pinta un cuadro de color de rosa: se lee una sola vez en todo el ciclo de tres años del leccionario dominical y tal vez con razón, ya que es un libro difícil de la Biblia que habla del juicio y la calamidad. Sin embargo, en medio de esta “ adversidad “, hay una isla de esperanza que habla de alegría porque Dios está con nosotros. El profeta recuerda al pueblo que Dios está en medio de ellos. Como dice san Pablo en Romanos 8,31: “Si Dios está con nosotros, ¿quién estará contra nosotros? San Pablo captó esta realidad de una manera profunda. El Señor Jesucristo, en quien, por quien y para quien todas las cosas fueron hechas, nos ama con un amor personal e ilimitado. Él es el Cazador del Cielo, el Buen Pastor, que nos busca y cuyo amor nos renueva constantemente. Nuestra relación con Cristo nos da una esperanza que no puede ser extinguida. Como leemos en la carta de Pablo a los Romanos, “Ni la muerte, ni la vida, ni los ángeles, ni las fuerzas de universo, ni el presente, ni el futuro, ni las fuerzas espirituales, ya sean del cielo o de los abismos, ni ninguna otra criatura podrá apartarnos del amor de Dios, manifestado en Cristo Jesús, nuestro Señor”. (Romanos

8:38-39) Lo principal de este mensaje es que sólo una buena relación con nuestro Dios de amor nos dará la verdadera esperanza. Cuando ponemos nuestra esperanza en las cosas materiales, los estados de ser, la aclamación del público, el poder o el éxito financiero, pronto nos damos cuenta de que nuestras esperanzas estaban destinadas a ser frustradas. Hay un cierto gozo fugaz que viene con estas realidades, pero este gozo es superficial y nos deja deseando, esperando, más. Basta con mirar el número de personas ricas, poderosas o populares que están deprimidas y nunca satisfechas con lo que tienen mientras siguen buscando la felicidad en otro lugar. San Agustín se dio cuenta de esto hace siglos cuando nos recordó que nuestros corazones están inquietos hasta que descansan en el Señor. San Ignacio construyó sobre esta verdad cuando escribió que fuimos creados para un solo propósito, a saber, ser uno con Dios por siempre en el cielo. Sólo una buena relación con Dios puede cumplir todas nuestras esperanzas. Como dijo un hombre sabio: “Dios sabe todo lo que queremos y tiene todo lo que necesitamos”. Además, tener una buena relación de amor con Cristo es ser afirmado en nuestro nivel más profundo, dándonos un sentido de autoestima y el conocimiento seguro de que nuestras vidas tienen sentido. Esto a su vez nos permite amarnos a nosotros mismos en el sentido correcto de ese término y amar a los demás como a nosotros mismos. Una buena relación con Dios abre muchas otras relaciones en nuestras vidas, todas las cuales nos ayudan a cumplir nuestras esperanzas para el futuro. Sólo el amor puede saciarnos completamente, ya que los seres humanos fuimos creados por amor por un Dios que es amor. Creado a su imagen, el amor es nuestro único destino y el amor es en sí mismo el único camino para alcanzarlo. Como nos dijo Jesús: “Yo soy el camino, la verdad y la vida”. En otras palabras, Jesús es la verdad que nos lleva por el camino de la vida amándonos y siendo nuestro amor. Como ya he dicho, una buena relación


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con Dios siempre tiene un futuro. Cristo siempre viene a nosotros: Él es el Dios de más. La fiesta de Navidad que acabamos de celebrar es un símbolo de las infinitas maneras en que Cristo viene a nosotros en cada momento de nuestra existencia. Cristo nos ama con un amor eterno, que es un aspecto esencial de nuestra esperanza y de nuestra alegría. El gozo que dura sólo por el momento, aunque sea el tipo de gozo que produce el amor, no es en última instancia satisfactorio. El amor siempre debe crecer. Como un río, cuanto más cambia, más crece, más permanece en sí mismo. Si el amor fuera sólo por el presente, nos condenaría a una vida de arrepentimiento, mirando lo que una vez fue y ha dejado de ser. El amor de Cristo no es así. Su amor es para siempre y por lo tanto es una fuente de alegría interminable, de posibilidades interminables, de esperanzas cumplidas. Es por eso que el sacramento del matrimonio une al esposo y a la esposa en un vínculo permanente, un vínculo destinado a durar toda la vida. En efecto, como Cristo es una parte íntima de ese sacramento, su amor puede ser visto como interminable: El amor de Cristo viene con un sello eterno. Cristo ha prometido estar con nosotros siempre hasta el fin de los tiempos, en cuyo momento seremos uno con Él por siempre en el cielo. ¡Eso sí que es algo por lo que esperar! La verdadera esperanza, entonces, no es una cuestión de moda o de propósitos de Año Nuevo, sino más bien una historia madura de amor con Dios que se arraiga en esta vida en nuestro amor por los demás y florece en la eternidad. Porque tenemos un futuro con Cristo, nuestro presente más doloroso se transformará en un pasado redimido. O sea, que siempre hay esperanza en Cristo, siempre hay vida nueva en Cristo, siempre hay un mañana con Cristo. Todos los amores de nuestras vidas están incorporados en el amor eterno de Cristo por nosotros y nuestro amor eterno por Él. Es por eso que al final, la muerte misma morirá y seremos uno con Cristo y con todos los amores de nuestras vidas para siempre. Esta es la perspectiva que la esperanza cristiana da a nuestra afligida Iglesia y especialmente a las víctimas del abuso sexual del clero. Este momento es profundamente doloroso y seguirá siéndolo en un imprevisible futuro. Pero ni siquiera esta tragedia puede erradicar nuestra esperanza para el futuro. Dios está con nosotros y nos regocijamos, tenemos esperanza, aunque sea a través de nuestras lágrimas. Sinceramento suyo en el Señor,

Arzobispo John C. Wester

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(Traducción por Rocío González)

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January 1, 2019 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Welcome in the New Year! I wish you a blessed 2019. Performing the corporal works of mercy shapes each of us to be merciful offering the love of God to the world. It is also required of us for salvation - as Jesus tells us in Matthew 25. We are all called to be merciful. In the spirit of what St. Paul said to the Romans “…welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you”, it is my hope that anyone who enters a Catholic church for Mass, or an event at any other time, will feel comfortable and welcome. Hospitality is everybody’s ministry in the church. Hospitality is a virtue that is character building. We have each had the experience of being the guest or the host. In the Beatitudes, (Mt 5:3-11) we are taught that the poor in spirit, the hungry, the persecuted and the reviled will be the ones to inherit the Kingdom. The lesson is that through Christ the rejected, excluded and abandoned become accepted. Showing others the hospitality of Christ is to provide that invitation of acceptance. The 2019 Annual Catholic Appeal theme, ‘His Mercy Endures Forever – Welcome the Stranger’ will emphasize this focus of our ministries. Through our many ministries we invite the unfamiliar, unknown, and unformed people of our communities to engage in faith building and other services we provide. We engage with young adults to invite them to strengthen their faith; with the incarcerated to have hope of society reunification and to receive confession and/or receive the Eucharist; with those suffering from substance abuse, in nursing homes, living with disabilities and/or deafness to feel part of the greater community of the People of God. Our ministries work with people of many cultures, backgrounds, talents and gifts in our Archdiocese. Everyone is invited. All are welcome. In the end, hospitality abides not in our homes but in our hearts. We must make room for the stranger. I ask for your generous financial support of the 2019 Annual Catholic Appeal, “His Mercy Endures Forever…Welcome the Stranger”, as a way for us to work together to continue our necessary work in our communities. Sincerely yours in the Lord,

Most Reverend John C Wester Archbishop of Santa Fe


1º de enero de 2019 Queridos hermanos en Cristo: ¡Recibamos con júbilo el año nuevo! Es mi más ferviente deseo que el 2019 les traiga múltiples bendiciones. Nuestras obras de misericordia contribuyen a formarnos como personas compasivas y capaces de ofrecerle al mundo el amor de Dios. Asimismo, es necesario practicarlas para lograr nuestra salvación, como nos lo dice Jesús en Mateo 25. Todos somos llamados a ser misericordiosos. En el espíritu de lo que san Pablo les dijo a los romanos: “Ámense los unos a los otros, así como Cristo los ha amado a ustedes”, tengo la esperanza de que cualquiera que asista a una misa celebrada en una iglesia católica o que participe en cualquier acto que se celebre allí en otro momento, se sienta a gusto y bien recibido. La hospitalidad es el ministerio que todos debemos practicar como iglesia. La hospitalidad es una virtud que fortalece la calidad moral de las personas. Todos hemos tenido la experiencia de ser el invitado o el anfitrión. En las bienaventuranzas (Mt 5, 3-11) se nos enseña que los pobres de espíritu, los que tienen hambre, los que son perseguidos por causa de la justicia y los que son injuriados serán los herederos del Reino de Dios. La lección que nos dan es que, a través de Cristo, los que sean rechazados, excluidos y abandonados pasarán a ser los aceptados. Ofrecerles a los demás la hospitalidad de Cristo es hacer una invitación que denota aceptación. El lema de la Campaña Anual Católica 2019: “Su misericordia perdura para siempre – Da la bienvenida al forastero”, pondrá énfasis en el enfoque propio de nuestros ministerios. Mediante los diversos ministerios invitamos a las personas de nuestras comunidades que son consideradas forasteras, desconocidas y escasas de formación, a que procuren vigorizar su fe y a que participen en los demás servicios que les ofrecemos. Interactuamos de varias maneras con adultos jóvenes a fin de motivarlos a que fortalezcan su fe; con personas encarceladas para alimentar su esperanza de reintegrarse a la sociedad, se confiesen y comulguen; con aquellos que consumen estupefacientes indebidamente; con los que están recluidos en hogares para ancianos y con los que viven con alguna discapacidad o con deficiencia auditiva, con el fin de que se sientan que son parte importante de la comunidad del pueblo de Dios. En los ministerios que se ejercen en nuestra arquidiócesis se trabaja con personas de muchas culturas y de procedencias distintas, así como también con aquellas que poseen muchos talentos y dones. Todos están invitados a participar y serán bien recibidos. Al fin de cuentas, la hospitalidad no radica en nuestro hogar sino en nuestro corazón. Les suplico que le brinden apoyo a la Campaña Anual Católica mediante un donativo generoso, teniendo presente que “Su misericordia perdura para siempre – hay que dar la bienvenida al forastero”, como una manera de unir esfuerzos para continuar realizando el trabajo necesario en nuestras comunidades. Sinceramente suyo en Cristo,

Reverendísimo John C. Wester Arzobispo de Santa Fe


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Discernment: Discovering the Joy God Wants for You By Rev. Michael Niemczak, Associate Vocations Director Discerning the will of God is the process of discovering what your deepest desire is. The great secret is that He desires our happiness even more than we do, and – here’s the kicker – since He created us, He knows exactly what will make us happiest in this life and lead to endless happiness in the next. The journey of discernment is essentially nothing other than getting to know better and trust more fully this God who loves us. Because of this, the most important aspect of discernment is the development of a prayer life. If we are to get to know and trust this God who invites us to follow Him down sometimes surprising paths, we must learn to pass time in His presence – to come before Him on our good days, our bad days and everything in between. What eventually led me to accept His invitation to follow Him down the path of priestly discernment was this very development of a life of prayer. I was blessed at my home parish of St. Thomas Aquinas with two things in particular: a perpetual adoration chapel and the opportunity every day for Mass and confession. A place to pray at any hour of the day in the presence of the Lord and the opportunity for a daily encounter with the sacraments throughout my high school years helped me to make my relationship with God something more than a weekly checkup. The more I prayed, the more I got curious about various aspects of the faith, which led me to begin studying my faith, reading sacred scripture more and exploring the catechism of the Catholic Church. Throughout this time though, to be honest, I was still rather scared at the idea of becoming a priest. I had thought much about being a husband and father growing up, and the idea was

comfortable and brought me great joy; I hadn’t ever allowed myself to give the idea of priesthood much thought because I was scared that God’s calling me to be a priest might take me away from a future I knew would give much joy in being a husband and father. What I only learned from having a consistent prayer life and slowly getting to know, love and trust this God was that He knew my desires better than I did, and that once I was courageous enough to imagine myself as a priest during my times of prayer, an even deeper level of joy was opened up for me at the mere thought of it. I realized the choice was between the beautiful good of marriage and the exact good for which God made me of priesthood. Now, a few years into priesthood, I can happily say that God did not steer me wrong, and it is a life I would not trade for anything in the world. Working in the Vocations Office for the archdiocese, I can say that our goal with any man who comes our way is not just that he become a priest, but that he become a saint. Our job is to accompany men on the path of getting to know Our Lord as best as they can and thus be able to hear His call clearly, whether it be to become holy priests or holy laymen. Either way, holiness is the goal, and happiness the result. Without obligation or commitment, single Catholic men (high school seniors to age 50) are invited to attend a Discernment Retreat to learn more about a priestly vocation. The Discernment Weekend Retreat is February 1-3, 2019 at 5pm at the Madonna Retreat Center, 4040 St. Joseph’s Pl, Albuquerque. Call Fr. John Trambley or Cory Woodcox at 505.831.8143 to register or for more information.

Archbishop John C. Wester has made the following assignments: Effective Saturday, December 15, 2018 – Rev. Adam Lee Ortega y Ortiz, currently the rector of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the pastor of Cristo Rey in Santa Fe has resigned from his assignment and has received permission to take a personnel leave. Very Rev. John Cannon has been appointed temporary administrator of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and Cristo Rey, he will continue his current assignment as pastor of San Isidro in Santa Fe. Fr. Adam this past weekend spoke at all the Masses at the Cathedral and Cristo Rey Parish. He stated: Serving you as pastor of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis and as pastor of Cristo Rey has been a richly rewarding experience for me these past 6 ½ years… I have also experienced some personal challenges in these years, some of which have become particularly difficult for me of late. That is why I took some personal time these past few months. It is clear to me now that I need more time and to that end Archbishop Wester has given me permission to take a personal leave of absence… I also ask that you keep me in your prayers during this time of transition. Effective Saturday, December 15, 2018 – Rev. Leon Vigil, currently the pastor of Sacred Heart in Clovis, has received permission to take a personnel leave. Rev. Eulalio Arteaga Pionon has been appointed temporary administrator of the parish. Once he is no longer needed at Sacred Heart,

Fr. Arteaga will return to his assignment as parochial vicar of Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Las Vegas. The dean of the Southeast Deanery, Very Rev. Charles Ugochukwu will assist Rev. Arteaga. Fr. Leon wrote a letter that was read at all the Masses at Sacred Heart Parish. He wrote: Serving you as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish has been a true joy for me so early in my priesthood… the transition from the seminary to diocesan life can be challenging, not to mention becoming a first time pastor within two years of ordination. Lately, some of these challenges have become particularly difficult for me, prompting me to take some time for retreat and contemplation… Archbishop Wester has given me permission to take a personal leave of absence for several months. Effective Wednesday, January 16, 2019 – Very Rev. Julio Gonzalez S.F., currently pastor of Holy Family in Chimayo has been appointed dean of the Northwest Deanery, he will continue as pastor of Holy Family Parish. Very Rev. Glenn Jones, current dean of the Northwest Deanery begins his new assignment as Vicar General, Vicar for Clergy on said date. Effective Saturday, February 2, 2019 – Rev. Timothy Martinez, currently pastor of Risen Savior in Albuquerque has been appointed rector of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and pastor of Cristo Rey. Very Rev. John ASSIGNMENTS Continued on page 11


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january 2019

International Gathering of Norbertines By Abbot Joel P. Garner, O.Praem., Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey Almost all religious communities have periodic communal gatherings, often called Chapters. This is the case with the Canons Regular of Prémontré (the formal name for the Norbertines). Every six years, the abbots and delegates from our Norbertine communities around the world meet to conduct the business of the Order at the international level. This summer was my fifth General Chapter, as our gathering is called. I was accompanied by Brother James Owens, our delegate, and Fr. Peter Muller who was the translator from English to Spanish. While English was the primary language of the Chapter, translation was simultaneous in seven other languages. The 2018 General Chapter took place at the Abbey Rolduc in Holland, which is now a hotel located minutes across the border from Germany. This was the Abbey of Augustinian Canons where Norbert spent a good deal of time discerning the direction his life should take before the Order was founded in the 12th century. The Chapter did significant work, the most important of which was the election of a new abbot general, and the approval of the reworked Constitutions of the Order. Jos Wouters, the former abbot of Averbode Abbey in Belgium, is our new Abbot General. He is in his late 50’s and possesses advanced degrees in canon law and spirituality. In addition, he speaks a number of languages. Fr. Peter, Br. James and I brought our little lives from our young abbey in New Mexico into the midst of our brothers and sisters from five continents—all people of faith, all dedicated Norbertines—each of whom carry the unique story as religious men and women. I became acutely aware of how diverse were the contexts out of which our Norbertine lives are being lived. There were Norbertines in countries where severe poverty takes its toll, where atheistic Communism has totally marginalized Christians, where resources— financial and spiritual—are in short supply, or vocations are not only down but have almost totally dried up. Here are some statistics: The Order of Prémontré is made up of 1,261 men in 39 canonries and 70 canonesses in five monasteries. We are living and working in 27 countries worldwide—in Europe, Africa, North and South America, Asia, and Australia. In Europe, the religious landscape is disappearing more and more. In other regions, like the Congo and India, it is flourishing. In ASSIGNMENTS Continued from page 10 Cannon, current temporary administrator of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and Cristo Rey will continue his current assignment, pastor of San Isidro in Santa Fe. Effective Saturday, February 2, 2019 – Rev. Christopher Hallada, currently parochial vicar of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and Cristo Rey in Santa Fe, has been appointed parochial vicar of Our Lady of Fatima in Albuquerque. Effective Saturday, February 2, 2019 – Rev. John Kimani, currently parochial vicar of Estancia Valley in Moriarty has been appointed parochial vicar of Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and Cristo Rey in Santa Fe. Effective Saturday, February 2, 2019 – Rev. Jason Pettigrew, currently parochial vicar of Immaculate Conception in Las Vegas has been appointed parochial vicar of Estancia Valley in Moriarty.

Brother James Owens, Fr. Peter Mueller, Abbot General Jos Wouters, and Abbot Joel Garner still other, modest growth can be discerned. We visited our grandmother abbey of Berne in Holland on the Sunday in the middle of the two weeks. A trip on the Sunday between the two weeks of the Chapter gave us a breather from the meetings. Dennis Hendrickx, the abbot there, was the secretary of this General Chapter, which means he organized it. After Mass, we gathered with the townspeople with flags waving and bands playing to welcome the abbey’s fourth new beer called “The Abbot General”. It is quadruple strength and the first bottle was flown to the plaza and into the hands of the abbot on a drone! Quite a sight and great fun. Then we were invited for a glass of the new brew with the townspeople. However, it was a bit strong for my taste. Many of our abbeys in Europe have long run breweries as a means of support. The Chapter ended with a Eucharist with our new abbot general and a very festive and delicious meal. As a balance to the blistering heat, which was setting records in Europe (and no air conditioning in our hotel), was the excellent food. I think I can say that most of the participants in the 2018 Chapter left in an upbeat and hopeful mood. Despite the unique challenges we face in our respective countries, the ideals of the Jerusalem Community and the dream of Prémontré continue to animate us in our communal life and ministry. Effective Tuesday, February 26, 2019 – Rev. Charles Ugochukwu, currently pastor of St. Helen in Portales has been appointed pastor of Risen Savior in Albuquerque. From February 2, 2019 to February 26, 2019 Rev. Thomas Noesen OP, currently parochial vicar of Risen Savior will be temporary administrator of said parish. Effective Tuesday, February 26, 2019 – Rev. Francisco Carbajal, currently parochial vicar of Our Lady of Sorrows in Bernalillo, has been appointed pastor of St. Helen in Portales. Effective Tuesday, February 26, 2019 – Rev. Michael Niemczak, currently parochial vicar of Santa Maria de La Paz in Santa Fe, has been appointed parochial vicar of Our Lady of Sorrows in Bernalillo. From February 2, 2019 to February 26, 2019 Rev. Michael Niemczak will function as parochial vicar of Risen Savior. Rev. Michael Niemczak will continue as the Associate Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

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january 2019

I Thirst... A Retreat Day for Lay Ministers … Saturday, February 23, 2019 Cristo Rey Catholic Church (1120 Canyon Rd, Santa Fe NM 87501)

Retreat Master: Archbishop John C. Wester Retreat will begin at 9:30am with registration and endFebruary with Mass at23, 4:30pm Saturday, 2019

Cristo Rey Catholic Church

Cost for the day is $10.00 and lunch 1120 includes Canyon Rd, Santa Fe NM 87501 (Translation available upon request)

Retreat Master: Archbishop John C. Wester

Retreat will begin at 9:30am with registrationor and end with Mass at 4:30pm Questions? Call 505-831-8221 505-831-8165 Cost for the day is $10.00 and includes lunch available upon request) Register online at (Translation https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=1b5cec Questions? Call 505-831-8221 or 505-831-8165 or fill Register out the registration form below and mail it in with your payment online at https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=1b5cec or fill out the registration form below and mail it in with your payment

Contact Information Name:

Phone:

Address:

City, State:

Zip Code:

E-mail:

Parish:

Ministry:

Please list any special needs we need to be aware of: Translation needed:

 None

 Spanish

 American Sign Language

**Please make check payable to: Archdiocese of Santa Fe** Mail or deliver payment and registration form to: The Catholic Center, L.M. Retreat 2019, 4000 St. Joseph Place NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 ***OFFICE USE ONLY*** Date Received: __________ Amount Received: __________ Entered: __________ Confirmation Letter: ________ Parish Check #:_________ Personal Check #: _________ Cash:_____


PEOPLE of GOD

january 2019

Given an Epiphany

By Very Reverend Glenn Jones, Chairman, ASF Presbyteral Council, Pastor, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Los Alamos

H

ow ‘bout that New Year snowfall, huh? Skiers are certainly happy. Being an old Texan where we don’t normally get such a volume, it was (and continues to be) an “interesting” experience. Just trying not to slip and bust a couple of ribs; been there, done that … hopefully for the last time (the ol’ ribs have had a hard life). Prayers go up for all of YOUR safety, too. But snow has an interesting effect: it covers all. This “covering all” theme is quite appropriate for the present moment, for we Christians (or at least most of us) recently celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany—the name given to the visit of the “magi” or “wise men” to the newborn Jesus (Matthew 2:1). Christians see in this truly pivotal event in salvation history the realization of the “people of God” moving from perceived as the Jews/Israelites alone to encompassing all peoples of the world. St. Paul describes this particularly: “There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek [meaning non-Jews], but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.” (Romans 2:910) … and “…the Gentiles [non-Jews] are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (Ephesians 3:6) This universality of the opportunity for the salvation offered through Christ is also affirmed by St. John in the book of Revelation: “I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their

hands…” (Revelation 7:9). Jesus Himself affirms the pending universality in this vein: “And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 13:29) In our day of (imperfectly) attempted diversity and inclusion, we see how God Himself sets the example, even from the time of Jesus’ birth: this “epiphany” given to the world of the universal brotherhood of mankind. Jesus provides example in His own ministry often, interacting with many who would have been rejected by the Jews of the time: Samaritans, lepers, tax collectors (of whom even His apostle Matthew was one), those otherwise considered “unclean” or cursed in some way (the blind, deaf and lame), and even women in what was a very patriarchal society in which they were largely dismissed out of hand. Certainly even Christianity, made up of imperfect people, has—and in many places, continues to— observed this ideal of universality and brotherhood quite imperfectly. But, using the old saying that we often recall for lapsed churchgoers: “Church (community worship) is not a museum of saints, but a hospital for sinners” … just as we don’t go to school because we know all already. And so … we all continue to struggle against cultural prejudices, bigotry, and the like, but we can hold this celebration of those magi’s visit two millennia ago as remembrance and affirmation of all peoples as children of God. After all, fellow Christians, as one of the saints wrote, explicating what we should simply glean from scriptures anyway: there is not a person in history or on earth for whom Jesus Christ was not crucified … and St. Paul reminds us: “God our Savior…desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:3-6) Therefore … if Jesus died for all … and if the Father longs for all … will we ourselves reject any person? If we do so, how can we pray “Thy will be done” while simultaneously wanting His will to be thwarted?

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So … rather than reject, accept; rather than exclude, include. And rather than hate, love. Certainly we reject evil actions, but even many of those may be done through some ignorance, or due to some cultural or other early persuasion. Remembering Jesus’ own gentleness toward sinners, our mission, O Christians, is not to judge the soul (though actions might be objectively known as evil, e.g., harming the innocent), but rather to convince through wisdom and gentleness. As the mystic St. John of the Cross wrote: “Who has ever seen people persuaded to love God by harshness?”, and “Where there is no love, put love – and you will find love.” Los Alamos prides itself on its openness. So, in this season of the “Prince of Peace”, let us be truly a “city on a hill” … not just in geography, but in example to others … in kindness toward ALL peoples—remembering St. John already quoted above, and how in his vision of: “all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…” After all, the Magi were led by the light of a star, but Jesus calls us to be the light of the world. Reprinted with permission, Los Alamos Daily Post newspaper. Effective January 16, 2019 – Archbishop John C. Wester has appointed Very Reverend Glennon Jones Vicar General, Vicar for Clergy, Vicar for Religious for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Effective January 16, 2019 – Archbishop John C. Wester has appointed Very Reverend John Daniel as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Los Alamos. At that time, he is released from his current assignments: Vicar General, Vicar for Clergy, Vicar for Religious, Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. We are deeply grateful for his dedicated ministry to the people of God.


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Invest in your Child's

FUTURE

NOW ENROLLING!

january 2019

Choose

CATHOLIC Schools

Call 505-831-8172 for information about schools in your area www.asfcatholicschools.org


january 2019

PEOPLE of GOD

St. Pius X Reunites for Gala

By Melissa W. Sais, St. Pius X High School

“For One Night Let’s All Reunite!” at the St. Pius X High School Foundation Mardi Gras Gala 2019 on March 2 at Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. “This is a night to celebrate Pius unity, spirit and strength,” said Jean Marie Skipp, St. Pius X associate director of advancement and alumni. Guest speaker for the evening will be Sol Gutierrez, an international student at SPX from San Jose de Cabo, Mexico, with a special connection to the school. In 2004, at age 4, Gutierrez needed life-saving surgery to correct her severely

deformed back, a complicated surgery not available in her birth country of Ecuador. Her family needed to raise $30,000 to pay for expenses, even after a surgeon in New York agreed to waive the costs of the surgery. The students of St. Pius X in 2004 heard of her situation and raised $12,500 for her. Since then, her dream has been to attend her beloved “San Pio” as a student. She attended her first day of class at St. Pius on Jan. 7 and will finish out her senior year this year at the school. Gutierrez is a gifted singer and also will perform at Mardi Gras. The evening will include fine dining, entertainment, dancing and an auction to benefit the St. Pius X High School Foundation.

JOIN US! Open House

Jan 30th & 31st 9am - 11am www.saintpiusx.com 505-831-8400

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“All funds raised at the gala will greatly benefit deserving St. Pius X students,” Skipp added. “Our students are giving back to the community tremendously, providing 34,000 service hours in 2017-2018. Our ACT scores are above the average and more scholarship money is being granted to our seniors every year, with $16.2 million awarded in 2018. Our students are consistently excelling in sports, academics, giving back to the community and growing spiritually. The Gala supports their efforts.” For information on sponsorships and tickets, contact Jean Marie Skipp at 505.831.8500 or jskipp@spxabq.org.


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PEOPLE of GOD

Faith-Filled Education

Fostering Uniqueness

january 2019

Preparing Leaders

Holy Cross’ Jesus Jamboree

Holy Cross Catholic School Children Confidently Succeeding Pre-Kindergarten through 7th grade school in the Espanola Valley committed to academic excellence and teaching Catholic values.

Now Enrolling for the 2019-2020 School Year Please contact us for more information 505-753-4644 or www.hccatholicschool.org 1331 State Rd. 76, Santa Cruz, NM 87567

By Rebecca Hodges, Principal, Holy Cross Catholic School In December, Holy Cross held its annual Jesus Jamboree for all students and siblings. There were 11 stations where students made nativity scene ornaments, dog treats for the animal shelter, biscochitos, played limbo to Christmas music, holy family door hangers, cards and wreath pins for those who are unable to attend Mass, pipe cleaner advent wreath, cupcake walk, and a name for Jesus mobile. This fun afternoon was to prepare students for Advent and Christmas by providing interactive and thoughtprovoking activities. Why are we making cards for the shut ins? Why are we making dog treats for dogs that aren’t ours? This was a nice family friendly time for families to share their active faith together.


PEOPLE of GOD

january 2019

Faith-Filled Education

Fostering Uniqueness

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Preparing Leaders

Holy Ghost Catholic School = STEM Fostering Faith, Learning, Service through Academic Excellence By Dr. Noreen Copeland, Principal, Holy Ghost STEM, a curricular focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, is the latest educational initiative to prepare students for the job market of the 21st century. Religion and Art are included in STEM at Holy Ghost Catholic School (HGCS). To incorporate STREAM into teaching and learning at HGCS, STEMscopes, a STEM curriculum recently developed by Rice University, was adopted in 2016 to provide handson learning opportunities for students. Continuing to pursue academic excellence, teachers at HGCS are also working toward STEM Teacher Certification with NISE, the National Institute for STEM Education. STREAM extends into students’ after school activities. The Lego Robotics Teams recently advanced to the state championship, winning first place in Table Games and Core Values at the regional meet. Instilling in students a desire to serve others as Jesus did begins in kindergarten. Primary students record their time in service to their family on their Service Learning Log. Intermediate students expand their service to the parish and school while middle school students work independently on community service projects. Student service extends to the greater Albuquerque community. Working with Albuquerque Open Space, students in grades 5-8 have planted hundreds of trees and shrubs in the bosque, and cleared trails and prevented erosion in the foothills. A total of 6,760 hours of service including 2,974 hours of community service were accomplished by the 208 HGCS students in the 2017-18 school year. Two school-wide projects, Merry Bags and Kids Against Hunger, provide opportunities to practice the corporal works of mercy in our community.

Excitement filled the voices of students as they packed “Merry Bags” and prayed for the clients of St Martin’s Hospitality Center. Each Merry Bag was

personally decorated with Christmas symbols and contained a hand-made card, chap-stick, candy, a beanie or HOLY GHOST Continued on page 23


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january 2019

Open House Thursday, January 31st 9am-2pm

Come see what the

WOW

It's never boring. Learning is always FUN!

STEM, Art and Music are the BEST!

is all about!

We have time with God.

It's like a family!

Annunciation Catholic School 2610 Utah St. NE Albuquerque, NM 87110 505-299-6783 www.acsabq.org

Open House

January 31, 2019 9am - 1pm


january 2019

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PEOPLE of GOD

january 2019

Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School Invites You to

Open House immediately following the 10 o’clock and 11:30 masses on Sunday, 27 January 2019. Come and enjoy OLA’s Annual pancake breakfast beginning at 7:30 am - 1:00 pm hosted by OLA’s Home & School Association. Explore the difference a Catholic education can make in the life of your child/grandchild. Limited openings in select grades. Financial Aid available.

At OLA we are family

815 Guaymas Pl. NE ~ olacs.org/school ~ (505) 256-3167


january 2019

The Family Life Office is developing a ministry for the suicide bereaved. We need six or more volunteers who have experienced suicide loss to help with various responsibilities. We will meet for several weeks before launching the group. Training, materials, the opportunity to give input, and ongoing support will be provided. If you are interested, please call Kay Hockey at 505.353.2466 for more information. Retrouvaille, a lifeline for troubled marriages. Is your marriage tearing you apart? Is there little or no meaningful communication? Are you considering separation or divorce? We believe Retrouvaille can help. Retrouvaille will teach you a method to reestablish communication. This three phase program consists of a weekend experience, a series of seven follow-up sessions over a three-month period, and a monthly meeting for lifelong support. The next program will be February 8-10, 2019, now in both English and Spanish. For more information or to register, please call 505.890.3495 in Albuquerque or 1.800.470.2230. You can also find us online www. HelpOurMarriage.com.

PEOPLE of GOD

Seasons of Hope Bereavement Support Group at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary. A Christcentered support group for those grieving the death of a loved one. January 23, 2019 from noon to 2 pm and January 24, 2019 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. To reserve your place or for more information contact barbara@holyrosaryabq.org or 505.836.5011x 227. Nurture Your Love Would you like to tweak your communication skills and discover ways to resolve conflict in a healthy way? Dating, engaged and married couples are invited to have six date nights with the “Nurture Your Love” program. Topics included are: Effective Communication Skills, Conflict Resolution Strategies, Healthy Intimacy, Spirituality, and Managing Finances. The interactive program will be six consecutive Tuesdays, January 23-February 27, 2019 from 6:30-8:00pm at the Catholic Center in Albuquerque. The cost for the entire program is $30 per couple. To register, contact yduran@archdiosf. org or 505.831.8117. Facilitator: Mary Pepper, MA, Family Studies, sponsored by the ASF Family Life Office.

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Singles: Relationship Skills 101 is an interactive, educational, skill-based seminar on effective communication skills, building and recognizing healthy relationship traits and on the benefits of utilizing the relationship attachment model. The three week program will be February 8, 15 & 22, 2019; 6:30- 8:00pm at the Catholic Center. The cost for the entire program is only $15. To register, contact yduran@archdiosf.org or 505.831.8117, sponsored by the ASF Family Life Office. For information on Evenings for the Engaged, please go online www.stjudenm.org or contact the parish 505.898.0826. The Archdiocese of Santa Fe’s Family Life Office is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. The site provides detailed information on all family life ministries, as well as easy access to a calendar of events and links to online registrations. To view the new Family Life Office website, visit www.familylifenm.org.

Open House Feb. 21st 5-7 pm So, you think you know Santo Niño? Think again. Come see all the amazing things happening at Santo Niño Regional Catholic School. Call for your tour today (505) 424-1766. Now Enrolling for 2019-20


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january 2019

2018 Anniversaries Archdiocese of Santa Fe

Shown here are those celebrating anniversaries at the Catholic Center for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe: Deacon Robert Vigil, Director, Pastoral Outreach (5 years); Kim Montaño, Director, Audit/ Accounting Parish Support (15 years); Fabian Yañez, Director, Office of Worship (10 years); Annette Klimka, Victim Assistance Coordinator (10 years); Della Montaño, Secretary, Youth/Young Adult Ministry (20 years); Most Rev. John C. Wester; Debbie O’Bryan, Accounting Assistant (35 years), Elvia Becerra, Assistant, Hispanic Ministry (15 years); Jason Myers, Senior Auditor (10 years); Cory Woodcox, Office Manager, Vocations (5 years) Not pictured: Rev. Msgr. Bennett J. Voorhies, Director, Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs (5 years), Anne Avellone, Director, Social Justice/Respect Life (15 years), Cruz Dominguez, Maintenance, IHM Retreat Center (10 years)

Catholic Daughter Advent Retreat

From left to right: Dr. Catherine Collins, Tomasita Martinez, Loveida Cisneros, Lupe Anaya, Rosaline Ortega, Irma Cisneros, Annabelle Ortiz Vigil, Sharon Bautisto, Dolores Trujillo, Maria Luisa Duran, Cordy Nilmeier, Charise Cordero, Cecelia Valdez, Margaret Hammer, Debbie Maestas

10,000 Gather for Blessing of Albuquerque’s Old Town Christmas Tree By Reverend Andrew J. Pavlak Pastor, San Felipe de Neri, Albuquerque

An estimated 10,000 faithful gathered for the annual blessing of the Christmas tree in Albuquerque’s Old Town, December 7, 2018. As we gathered on this festive night, amidst signs and wonders Christ Jesus was born in humility and poverty in Bethlehem of Judea: His birth brings joy to our hearts and enlightenment to our minds. With this tree, decorated and adorned, may we continue to welcome Christ among us; may its lights guide us to the perfect light. The 2018 San Felipe de Neri Fiesta Royal Court were also present to celebrate one of New Mexico’s joyous traditions. They are: Queen Naomi Anaya; King Jeremiah Archuleta; and Princess Alex (Alexandra) Davis.

The Catholic Daughters from Northern New Mexico, Court Sacred Heart, Court Our Lady of Guadalupe and Court Sangre de Cristo held their annual Advent Retreat in December at San Francisco de Asis Parish in Ranchos de Taos. The theme for the retreat was “Blessed art you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” (Luke 1:42) The Advent Retreat, facilitated by CDA State Secretary Dr. Catherine Collins and assisted by Debbie A. Maestas, members of Court Sacred Heart in Ranchos de Taos, provided members with opportunities to discuss and share the meaning of Advent including the history, prayers and spiritual exercises for everyday life. The scripture, prayers and music all focused on growing closer to God through the anticipation of the coming of His son Our Lord Jesus at Christmas. Items were collected and donated to the Taos Men’s Homeless Shelter.


january 2019

PEOPLE of GOD

Stewardship Corner

What Does Stewardship Mean to You? Susan Murphy Superintendent, Office of Catholic Schools Stewardship quite often evokes in people the need to monetarily give to the church, charities, and other various causes. I believe that we often forget that stewardship is represented in the way we live our lives. Many campaigns stress “time, talent, and treasure” as we consider the embodiment of a good steward. These traits are important ones, however, the way we live our everyday lives is a more important descriptor of stewardship.

HOLY GHOST Continued from page 17 gloves and a $5 gift card. The school’s Service in the Spirit Club encouraged students and their families to raise over $3,000 through sacrificial giving for the annual Merry Bags Project. On December 19th the eighth grade delivered the Merry Bags to the clients of St. Martin’s while the school choir sang Christmas carols. Visit Holy Ghost Catholic School to learn more about our academic excellence and commitment to service. In addition to our monthly Open House, our admissions director, Mrs. Holly Filener, will accommodate your schedule and arrange a tour of the school. HGCS remains the only Catholic school in New Mexico to earn the Blue Ribbon School of Excellence recognition from the US Department of Education. 2019 HGCS Open House Dates: January 25 and 31; February 22; March 22; April 5 and 26, May 10.

We all have the ability to be good stewards regardless of socioeconomic status, age, or culture. As people of stewardship, we are called to be the face of God in our everyday lives. This call to action can be expressed in the inclusion of people who have no family in holiday celebrations, comforting a neighbor who is frightened by what is happening as they need medical care, assisting your team when the set up for a meeting hasn’t been done, or even when a child invites someone to eat with them in the cafeteria. At times, we can get lost thinking of our own personal needs and forget to reach out to those who may need just a little something to make their day better. It is the simple things in life that we forget to do. Stewardship is the way we reach out and share our gifts. Whether it is our time we value, our talent may assist those we encounter, and even our treasure may help the many charities giving aid to those in need. A good steward does not have to include all of these traits, but a good steward serves as a reminder that we are the face of God in everything we do. During the seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas, we spend time reaching out and helping those less fortunate than us, those who do not have as much as we have, or those who can benefit from a small act of kindness. Stewardship is about living the spirit of this season every day of our lives.

Office of Stewardship 505-831-8173 • www.stewardshiparchdiosf.org

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To advertise in People of God, THE MAGAZINE contact Leslie M. Radigan at 505-831-8162 or email lradigan@archdiosf.org


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january 2019

Two Years in Casa de Corazon, Catholic Charities Gives More Help to More People Spring 2019 Registration for Adult Education Classes Open This Month Catholic Charities Center for Educational Opportunity is dedicated to strengthening the Albuquerque community by helping adult students achieve their educational goals in a safe and supportive learning environment. We offer classes in high school equivalency exam prep, English as a second language, citizenship exam prep, and workforce development. Classes in our workforce development track include roofing, construction, administrative assistance, Microsoft Excel training, and childcare. New student registration sessions for the spring 2019 semester will be held on January 16th and 17th at 9am, 12pm, and 6pm at Catholic Charities 2nd floor, 2010 Bridge Blvd SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105. The only cost is a $10 course registration fee paid by credit/debit card or money order. Classes will begin on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Learn more at ccedu.org or call 505.724.4672.

New Record Set at 15th Annual Saint Nicholas Ball! Catholic Charities is excited to announce that the 15th annual Saint Nicholas Ball, held in November, netted over $150,000 for Catholic Charities programs and services, highest record for the gala yet! Over 450 guests registered to kick off the holiday season with us in support of the most vulnerable in our community. This achievement would not have been possible without the hard work of our event chair Lori Muller and her committee, Catholic Charities staff, numerous volunteers, and our sponsors including Risen Savior Catholic Church, Our Lady of the Annunciation Church, Aiken Printing, Gorman and Company, Berger Briggs, the Coffey Migrant Justice Fund, and many table sponsors. We would also like to thank Archbishop John C. Wester for joining us as a key speaker at the event, the “Versace Mariachi” Orlando Marquez for serving as our emcee, and Bruce Stabile for acting as our auctioneer. The 16th annual Saint Nicholas Ball will be on November 23, 2019. To learn more or to join the 2019 event committee, contact Catholic Charities Development Office at 505.724.4637 or development@ccasfnm.org.

Two years ago Catholic Charities opened Casa de Corazon, a building accommodating all of Catholic Charities’ services, including classrooms for childcare and adult learning, that was years in the making. This centralized building has allowed us to give more help to more people. In the last year, Catholic Charities has provided support to 17,479 individuals and families in need. That is a nearly 40% increase in people served in the past two years! Those served include: 1,200 individuals and families provided with self-sufficiency and housing assistance, 80 children enrolled in our Children’s Learning Center, 200 individuals and families participating in our refugee programs, 1,200 students enrolled in our adult education classes, 8,595 clients seeking immigration and citizenship legal assistance, 521 clients receiving assistance from our VAWA program, and 5,680 individuals and families served through the various programs encompassed in our Center for Community Involvement. We would like to thank our amazing staff, volunteers, and donors who have helped us continue our mission to put faith in action to improve the lives of those in need.

International Club End-of-Semester Celebration at Holy Ghost Catholic School By Jennifer Murphy-Dye, Middle School Religion Teacher at Holy Ghost Catholic School At the beginning of December, middle school students at Holy Ghost Catholic School hosted the International Club end-ofthe-semester celebration. The International Club is an after-school homework club held at Hayes and Van Buren Middle Schools sponsored by Catholic Charities’ Center for Refugee Support. It is composed of students from refugee families from the African countries of Rwanda, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, and Burundi, and the Middle Eastern countries of Iraq and Syria. Pushpins on a map in Holy Ghost’s gym provided a graphic representation of how far these families have traveled geographically, and this celebration provided a glimpse at how far these young people have come academically! Students from Holy Ghost and the International Club gathered in the gym and played basketball and soccer, enjoyed a meal together, and worked in teams to invent new games. An awards ceremony recognized the achievements of these young people who, despite being uprooted from their home countries, are studying diligently in order to be successful in school. The youths also received gifts from Catholic Charities and toiletries in bags hand-decorated by Holy Ghost middle school students. Special thanks to the principal, teachers, parents, and Catholic Charities staff and volunteers who supported, organized, chaperoned, and served at this special event, especially Mr. David Tichnell from Holy Ghost Catholic School, as well as Peace Izabayo, Saja Saleem, and Kathy Freeze from Catholic Charities.


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St. Vincent de Paul, Santa Fe, Honors Most Senior Member By Eva Pereira, St. Vincent de Paul Council President In November, the Santa Fe Thrift Store Committee honored its most senior member, Lourdez Gonzales. At the conclusion of their scheduled business meeting, Eva Pereira, SVdP of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Council President, presented Lourdez with a St. Vincent de Paul certificate of appreciation for her many years of caring service. As part of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Conference of Santa Fe, Lourdez presently helps people in need at the Thrift Store Pantry on 1088 Early Street, but her selfless service to both her parish community and the Santa Fe area has spanned decades. Lourdez has served the needy since she was a young woman, and recently celebrated her 89th birthday. During this remarkable tenure, she has contributed through many different roles,

beginning with her efforts at the “tendita”, as the Santa Fe Thrift Store was known in its early days. Lourdez credits her mother for inspiring her service ethic and later, her experiences working at the New Mexico Land Office bolstered her commitment to help others. As she approaches her 90th year, Lourdez says she now sees people’s needs with greater clarity than when she was younger, and this informs her service on their behalf. St. John Chrysostom, a fourthcentury Christian patriarch and great instructor of the Church said, “If you cannot find Christ in the beggar at the church door, you will not find Him in the chalice.” Through her countless charitable efforts, Lourdez has long placed herself as a Vincentian at Chrysostom’s metaphoric “church door”, and so has indeed found Christ by serving those in need. Her Vincentian works have also

Members of the Santa Fe Thrift Store Advisory Committee: Charles Winston, Lourdez Gonzales, John Little, Dolores Romero, Cliff Russell, and Carol Lomax (seated). been supported by her husband, Cliff Russell, a Vincentian leader himself. We thank both Lourdez and Cliff for their service to the Santa Fe community. The Santa Fe Thrift Store

Pantry serves over 30 families every week with food generously provided by Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Cristo Rey Parish and the St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral parishes.

68th ANNUAL

BROTHER MATHIAS CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DINNER Sunday, March 17, 2019 • 3:00-6:00pm

St. Pius X High School, 5301 St. Joseph’s Dr., Albuquerque, NM 87120 TICKETS: $15 ADULTS, $5 CHILDREN 12 AND UNDER Purchase at the door or online at www.gscnm.org Tickets also available in advance at these locations: Garson’s: 2415 San Pedro NE, ABQ Good Shepherd Center: 218 Iron SW, ABQ Faith Works: 3301 Menaul NE #31, ABQ Immaculate Conception Church: 224 7th St NW, ABQ Holy Family Religious Supplies: 9469 Coors Blvd NW #1, ABQ San Felipe de Neri Church: 2005 North Plaza St Pius X High School: 5301 St Joseph’s Dr. Dinner sponsored by the Good Shepherd Center Proceeds benefit the Good Shepherd Center, a St. John of God sponsored ministry


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january 2019

The “Throwaway” Culture and Abortion

By Carol Feeney, Project Rachel Coordinator January is Sanctity of Human Life month, commemorated for the Roe V. Wade decision of January 22nd, 1973, which legalized abortion in all fifty states. Every January, Catholics observe the day in prayer and public witness to the dignity of life from the womb to the tomb. In our Archdiocese, we mark the occasion through our Sanctity of Life Mass, march and rally on January 16, 2019 in Santa Fe. In the words of Pope Francis, “Human life is sacred and inviolable. Every civil right is based on the recognition of the first, fundamental right, the right to life, which is not subject to any condition, of a qualitative, economic and certainly not of an ideological nature… [Today]...human beings are themselves considered consumer goods to be used and then discarded. We have created a ‘throwaway’ culture which is now spreading. In this way life too is discarded.” (April 11, 2014 audience with the Italian Movement for Life) The throwaway culture is exemplified by the millions of babies that have been aborted in the United States since the Roe v. Wade decision. In direct contrast, the Catholic Church teaches that every human being has dignity; each one being created by God in the image of God, with a life sanctified by God. This truth, taught by the Church since antiquity, opposes the throwaway culture. An untold number of abortions result from women being used for sexual gratification in encounters within meaningless relationships or without any relationship at all. Many postabortive women see themselves as throwaways, rejected by the Church and by God. They do not believe that they can be

forgiven for their abortion. Ironically and tragically, a common response to the psychological and emotional damage from abortion is to repeat the pattern of abortion. However, the truth is that Christ, through the Church, offers mercy, healing and forgiveness to all who seek it. To recognize the dignity of lives that others see as inconvenient or un-loveable is to reject the throwaway culture of the modern world and to embrace the timeless truth that all human life is a gift sanctified by God. The Catholic Church celebrates the dignity of every individual, offering mercy and forgiveness on a journey toward reconciliation with God, and toward self-forgiveness and healing. For help after abortion, please call the confidential Project Rachel message line: (505) 831-8238. “We must never allow the throwaway culture to enter our hearts, because we are brothers and sisters. No one is disposable!” (Pope Francis, World Youth Day 2013, address to the community of Varginha, Brazil.)

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Plan for National Migration Week January 6-12, 2019: Building Communities of Welcome By Anne Avellone, Director, Office of Social Justice and Respect Life For nearly a half century, the Catholic Church in the United States has celebrated National Migration Week, which is an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the circumstances confronting migrants, including immigrants, refugees, children, and victims and survivors of human trafficking. The theme for National Migration Week 2019, Building Communities of Welcome, draws attention to the fact that each of our families have a migration story, some recent and others in the distant past. Regardless of where we are and where we came from, we remain part of the human family and are called to live in solidarity with one another. Unfortunately, we often fail to encounter migrants as persons. We do not take the time to engage migrants in a meaningful way, as fellow children of God, but remain aloof to their presence and suspicious or fearful of them. During this National Migration Week, let us all take the opportunity to engage migrants as community members, neighbors, and friends. To do so, we will look at the important role that foster care plays in the lives of unaccompanied immigrants and refugees, highlight MRS’ Parishes Organized to Welcome Refugees, and examine local initiatives that are making important

contributions in this regard. USCCB has a tool kit, a poster and a prayer card that can be copied for use in your ministries: https:// justiceforimmigrants.org/take-action/national-migration-week/ Please plan a prayer service or other actions in your parish!

Bishops Approve Historic Pastoral Letter Against Racism Check website regularly for updates, including the Spanish translation of the letter and resources for Hispanic/Latino

At their recent general assembly meeting, the full body of bishops voted on and adopted, nearly unanimously, their new pastoral letter Open Wide Our Hearts. The office of Education and Outreach is excited to present educational resources for grades K-12, higher education, and parish based resources including a bullet insert, pastoral aid for the 1st Sunday in Advent, prayers of the faithful, scripture reflections,

and a series of backgrounders. These resources give ample opportunity for communities to come together and heed the call of the pastoral letter, find conversion in our hearts and communities, and educate ourselves and our children about God’s love for each of us which demands dignity for each person, regardless of their race, identity, or gender. The full text of the pastoral letter can be found at usccb.org/racism.

Catholics. The pastoral letter calls us all to journey together towards the conversion of hearts, minds, and institutions.

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“Whatsoever You Do To the Least of My People, You Do Unto Me.” By Rachel Baca, CCHD Intern As we respond to our call as Catholics to follow Jesus’ footsteps and live a fulfilling life of love and charity, we remember these words from Pope Francis in 2013 to the pastoral convention: “The proclamation of the Gospel is destined primarily to the poor, to those who often lack the essentials for a decent life. The good news is first announced to them, that God loves them before all others and comes to visit them through the acts of charity that the disciples of Christ carry out in his name.” Catholic social teaching is rooted in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, the Holy Bible and the teachings of the church through the ages. Our faith calls us to to ensure that the most vulnerable, and those who are worried about putting food on the table have a chance to get back on their feet and give glory to God for helping and showing them love and compassion. Let’s look at some statistics: Did you know that 1 in 6 Americans and 1 in 5 children live in poverty (15.3 million kids), and 1 in 7 households in America do not know where their next meal will come from? According to the US Census data, that means that 40.6 million people live at or below the poverty line. 15.6 million households had difficulty providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. Rates of food insecurity were substantially higher than the national average for households with incomes near or below the federal poverty line. And New Mexico has the highest rate of poverty of all states in the US. The people of “Poverty USA” are family members, neighbors, colleagues – young and old, black, white and brown, healthy and sick, rural and urban. They are not making the headlines, much less the election-year rhetoric. Many families are struggling but you can help

magnify the voice of people who are poor or vulnerable. What can you do? Start exploring Poverty USA and help awaken others to the struggles of people living in poverty and the inspiring ways in which they are spreading hope. As Catholics,

we are called to respond to this immense human suffering! Learn how you can help at www. povertyusa.org. Download a daily reflection calendar for the month of January that has links to stories and prayers of how you can help! Get more resources https://

povertyusa.org/teach and be part of the solution! In addition, I am available to present on poverty awareness to many different faith formation groups. You can reach me at (505) 831-8232 or rcbaca@ archdiosf.org to schedule your presentation now!


january 2019

Ballou, Dabney

PEOPLE of GOD

Mr. Joseph Franklin Dabney, Jr. of Philadelphia, PA and Miss Brenda Ballou of Albuquerque, NM were joined in Holy Matrimony on December 28, 1968 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Albuquerque. After attending Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and obtaining a BA degree in General Business, Mr. Dabney served in the US Army. He worked at Mountain Bell Telephone Company and works part time for Albuquerque Public Schools. After attending the College of St. Joseph on the Rio Grande and receiving her BS and her Master’s degree from the University of New Mexico, Mrs. Dabney worked and retired from Albuquerque Public School as a teacher. Mrs. Dabney is a founding member and coordinator of the African American Catholic Community of Archdiocese of Santa Fe. They currently attend Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Catholic Church. They have three children: Mrs. Darlene Rencher of Philadelphia, Pa, Ms. Angela Dabney of Atlanta, GA, and Mr. Joseph F. Dabney III and wife Elisha of Albuquerque, NM. They have seven grandsons, John, Joseph IV, Isaiah, Chace, Joel, Jordan, Levi, and one great-grandson, Javen.

Cordova, Contreras

Mr. Nago Contreras and Miss Annabelle Cordova were high school sweethearts at Belen High School. Nago graduated in 1967 and Annabelle graduated in 1968. They were joined in holy matrimony on January 25, 1969 at Our Lady of Belen, where they are current parishioners. They have three children: son Steve (wife, Melissa and sons Steven, 25 and Adan, 20); daughter Stephanie (husband Tim Hargrove of Las Cruces); and daughter Sharon (husband Michael Sanchez and daughter Annaleigh, 10 and Xander, 8). They have done a lot of travelling. They enjoy our time with their grandkids, who are such blessings. They also enjoy camping and going to the casino. They will be celebrating their 50th anniversary with their family.

Garcia, Sandoval Mr. Fredrick J. Sandoval and Miss Marianna Garcia of Rio Communities, NM will celebrate their anniversary on January 25, 2019. They are currently parishioners of Our Lady of Belen Catholic Church in Belen. Fredrick and Marianna were married at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cimarron, NM by Fr. James Vance. The banns of matrimony announcing the couple read Fredrick J. Sandoval, son of Filadelfio Sandoval and Estella Arellano from Springer, NM and Marianna Garcia, daughter of Nicolas Garcia and Eloisa Herrera of Cimarron, NM. Fredrick and Marianna made their home in Springer and were parishioners of St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Springer for 25 years. They have one son, Fredrick C. and daughter- in- law, Gina, and a grandson, Hunter Nicolas Sandoval, all of Albuquerque. Fredrick is an avid fisherman and hunter, and retired from the utility business two years ago. Marianna retired from the State of NM and currently works for an insurance broker in Albuquerque. Both enjoy their adult lives entertaining their beloved families and traveling. Fredrick comes from a family of eight and Marianna comes from a family of 11. As they celebrate their golden anniversary, they ask family and friends to keep them in their prayers and thank the good Lord for being with them through their 50 years of marriage.

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Faith Comes Alive When Distaster Strikes Dr. Tim Muldoon

At this beginning of the new year, it is good to take a moment to recall the stories that shaped people’s lives over the past year. In particular, I am mindful of Hurricane Michael in Florida; Hurricane Florence in the Carolinas; Cyclone Gita in American Samoa; Typhoon Yutu in the Mariana Islands and Typhoon Mangkhut in Guam. Moreover, the hurricanes which hit Texas, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands in late 2017 have left many in those regions with a long road to recovery, which takes years and millions of dollars. And in a society whose attention span is overwhelmed daily—if not hourly—stories of the difficulty of recovery will often take a back seat to those in the most recent news cycle. In its most recent broadcast episodes, Catholic Extension recalls our commitment to support communities devastated by natural disasters. Among the 87 U.S. dioceses we support are many in areas affected by hurricanes, earthquakes, or fires. Bishop Curtis Guillory, whose diocese of Beaumont, Texas, was pounded by Hurricane Harvey in late 2017, put it well. He noted that while there can be a significant outpouring of concern in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, the greater challenge may well be the long-term recovery of buildings and infrastructure. It is that long-term recovery which Catholic Extension seeks to support with its commitment to partner with dioceses. To use one example, Catholic Extension recently gave a matching grant to St. Peter the Apostle Church in Pascagoula, Mississippi, as the latest installment of its ongoing support for the church which was impacted by Hurricane Katrina back in 2005. Katrina remains one of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history, both in number of lives lost and in total cost, but to many it is a distant memory. Catholic Extension, rooted in a theology of solidarity with those on the margins, will continue to ease the burdens wrought by this and other disasters. Nowhere is the present challenge of recovery more acute than in parts of the United States separated by ocean, making both immediate and long-term recovery difficult. For example, in the diocese of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, the Church gave out $425,000 in relief following Hurricane

María, supporting immediate needs for food, water, power, clothing, and health care. The Church was for many residents the only immediate source of help, and even now months later it remains a lifeline for residents who remain off the grid and must be reached by person-to-person contact. Many individuals and parishes have responded generously to Catholic Extension’s Patrons of Puerto Rico program to support the Church’s ongoing efforts there, and as a consequence Catholic Extension has offered hundreds of thousands of dollars to support all six Puerto Rican dioceses. Similarly, in American Samoa, the Church supported hundreds of people in immediate need following Cyclone Gita last February, offering emergency vouchers to grocery and hardware stores. Catholic Extension has sent over $200,000 to American Samoa to support both emergency and long-term relief efforts. In the Mariana Islands, the devastation is severe. Bishop Ryan Jimenez, returning from the island of Tinian after Typhoon Yutu hit in October, shared photos that show the total loss of the church and other facilities. He reports that for now, the congregation will use whatever public facilities are available until a new church can be built. Also in October was Hurricane Michael, which hit the gulf coast of Florida. Bishop William Wack of the Diocese of PensacolaTallahassee observed that in times of stress and difficulty, like those following the onslaught of storms, many can feel that the challenge of rebuilding is overwhelming and isolating. The role of the Church, he says, is to remind people that they are never alone. One good example was the parish of Saint Dominic in Panama City, which itself sustained considerable damage and yet which provided thousands of people with food and water in the storm’s aftermath. As much as material needs are in short supply following a storm, perhaps even more desperate is the need for hope. And what we’ve seen in these many recent examples are communities that are fundamentally oriented toward hope. Father Michael Nixon, the pastor of Saint Dominic, expressed it well: it is a joy and a blessing to be able to share hope, rooted in the faith that God’s love can be shared even in the midst of tragedies.

january 2019

My Top Ten Books in Spirituality for 2018 By Rev. Ron Rolheiser, O.M.I. This year I will restrict myself to focusing only on books that deal explicitly with spirituality, notwithstanding some very fine novels and books on social commentary that I read this year. But first, an apologia: Taste is idiosyncratic. Keep that in mind as you read these recommendations. These are books that I liked, that spoke to me, and that I believe can be helpful for someone seeking guidance and inspiration on the journey. They may not speak to you in the same way. Which spiritual books did I find most helpful this year? • Veronica Mary Rolf, Julian’s Gospel, Illuminating the Life and Revelations of Julian of Norwich. Julian of Norwich is one of the great Christian mystics, but her thought is not easily accessible to most readers. This book gives a good introduction to her life and her writings and highlights as well how much of a spiritual oasis she was in a time when most parts of Christianity conceived of God in very harsh terms. • John Shea, To Dare The Our Father, A Transformative Spiritual Practice. Shea takes up each article within the Lord’s Prayer to challenge us regarding various aspects of our lives, not least vis-à-vis our struggle to come to reconciliation with others. The section on Jesus’ own struggle in Gethsemane is

especially insightful. • Gerhard Lohfink, Is This All There Is? A world-class scripture scholar takes up the question of the afterlife as spoken of in scripture. This is first-rate scholarship rendered accessible to everyone. Lohfink is a gifted scholar and gifted teacher. This is a graduate course on the afterlife made available to everyone regardless of academic background. • Benoit Standaert, Spirituality An Art of Living. Standaert is a Dutch Benedictine monk and this book (easy to read because it is broken up into short meditations) is gem of wisdom and challenge. Those of you with Protestant and Evangelical backgrounds schooled on Oswald Chambers’ classic will know what I mean when I say this book is a “My Utmost” for all Christians. Thomas Moore, Ageless Soul, The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy. Moore is always brilliant and this book is no exception. He’s one of our generation’s best defenders of soul. But this book comes with a bit of a warning label: Some people may find it a bit too much of a stretch in terms of lacking religious boundaries. Be that as it may, it’s a brilliant book. • Elizabeth Johnson, Creation and the Cross, The Mercy of God for a Planet in Peril. One of the foremost Catholic theologians BOOKS Continued on page 32


january 2019

PEOPLE of GOD

Gene-Edited Babies and the Runaway Train of IVF By Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D.

In November 2018, a Chinese scientist named He Jankui (known to his associates as “JK”) claimed that he had successfully produced the world’s first geneedited human babies using “gene surgery.” The twin girls, he said, were born somewhere in China with a modified gene that makes them immune to infection from HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. A special DNA splicing technique called CRISPR/Cas 9 was used when they were embryos to make the edits. In a series of short videos posted on YouTube, JK offers an explanation of, and justification for, what he did. He reminds his viewers that when scientists first began doing in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1978, a number of ethical concerns were raised, but those mostly subsided over time: “The media hyped panic about Louise Brown’s birth as the first IVF baby. But for forty years, regulations and morals have developed together with IVF, ensuring only therapeutic applications to help more than 8 million children come into this world. Gene surgery is another IVF advancement.” In another video, he puts it this way: “Look back to the 1970s with Louise Brown. The same fears and criticisms then are repeated now. Yet, IVF unquestionably has benefited families. There will be no question about the morality of gene surgery in 20 to 30 years.” JK’s strong conclusion leads us to ask whether the general sense of revulsion that has arisen towards his gene-editing work is merely alarmist and shortsighted. Are people failing

to grasp the importance and propriety of what he is doing? Is he a pioneer ushering in a new age of enlightenment where mankind will be able to make use of the powers of science to achieve good ends? Or should his gene editing work be condemned and JK branded as a rogue scientist violating significant moral boundaries? The answer to these questions will, in fact, be linked to whether we understand IVF to be ethical or not — JK is right to draw the parallel. If we conclude that IVF is something good and ethically acceptable, we end up granting the principle that it is OK to engage in very harmful and damaging actions as long as we have a good end or purpose in mind. Although IVF involves a litany of grave harms, like the engendering of human beings in laboratories and the freezing or destruction of embryos, if our intention is to help others fulfill their desire to have a baby, it must be OK. By this same logic, gene editing of our children will also be considered acceptable as long as our intentions are good and we’re trying to help others, even if we’re actually causing serious harms along the way. Adding up the grave harms from IVF gives us a long list: IVF turns procreation into “production.” It dehumanizes embryonic children, treating them as objects to be frozen, manipulated, abandoned or destroyed. Since the practice began in 1978, millions of embryos have become warehoused in liquid nitrogen, abandoned in frozen “orphanages.” Millions more have been outright discarded as biomedical waste. Instead of IVF Continued on page 32

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Making a Difference

Reflections on Pope Francis’ 2019 World Day of Peace message By Tony Magliano As the saying goes, “Politics and religion don’t mix.” Although this cliché is espoused by many, you will not hear it from Pope Francis. On the contrary, the leader of the Catholic Church firmly teaches that our Gospel-based faith has a wealth of wisdom to offer the often corrupt world of politics. And that it is our duty to strive to infuse that wisdom into the body politic. As exhibit “A,” consider the Holy Father’s Jan. 1 World Day of Peace message – appropriately titled “Good politics is at the service of peace.” Peace “is like a delicate flower struggling to blossom on the stony ground of violence,” the pope writes. “Politics is an essential means of building human community and institutions, but when political life is not seen as a form of service to society as a whole, it can become a means of oppression, marginalization and even destruction.” This is so true. As one of many sad examples, consider how often political officials allow and even authorize the oppression of minority groups like the Rohingya in Myanmar, and now in Bangladesh (see: https://bbc.in/2KPgZ7Q, https://bit.ly/2RPcE4a). And consider that many political leaders in governments throughout the world, including democracies, largely ignore the marginalized poor – in effect exiling them to the fringes of society, and even leaving millions of them to die every year (see: https://borgenproject.org/15-worldhunger-statistics/). Among the “political vices” the pope cites are “xenophobia, racism, lack of concern for the natural environment, the plundering of natural resources for the sake of quick profit and contempt for those forced into exile.” All of which bring to mind recent dire environmental warnings from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (see: https://on.natgeo. com/2C4uv2j), the National Climate Assessment (see: https://

bit.ly/2DFvfvO), and the often cold-hearted political response to suffering migrants (see: https://bbc. in/2yZnCMD). Here the pontiff’s words are equally strong, “Political addresses that tend to blame every evil on migrants and to deprive the poor of hope are unacceptable. Rather, there is a need to reaffirm that peace is based on respect for each person, whatever his or her background.” Pope Francis then challenges the immoral tragedy of war and fear. He says, “Peace can never be reduced solely to a balance between power and fear.” And adds that the proliferation of arms is “contrary to morality and the search for true peace” (see: https://bit.ly/2BqRelc). And he condemns “forms of nationalism that call into question the fraternity of which our globalized world has such great need.” In the world – political and otherwise – where self-centered egos often dominate, Pope Francis calls our attention to the humble corrective teaching of Jesus: “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Francis then challengingly calls us to be creative peacemakers: “Today more than ever, our societies need ‘artisans of peace’ who can be messengers and authentic witnesses of God the Father, who wills the good and happiness of the human family.” And to that Pope Francis encouragingly adds, “Everyone can contribute his or her stone to help build the common home.” With open hearts and minds to God, let each of us ask ourself: What is my stone? And how can I best use it to build our common home? And then consider a New Year’s resolution worth keeping: Read “Good politics is at the service of peace” and prayerfully strive to put it into practice (see: https://bit. ly/2CmIobS). Tony Magliano is an internationally syndicated social justice and peace columnist.


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january 2019

Rest in Peace Deacon Felix Barela Deacon Felix Barela, age 73, a resident of Belen, NM, completed his earthly journey on November 29, 2018 and met our Heavenly Father. He was a spouse, father and grandfather who served his Country and our Lord, as a deacon in the Catholic Church for 25 years, serving both Belen and La Joya missions. Deacon Barela was preceded in death by his parents, Fidel and Thomasita Barela and siblings: Mateas Barela, Rosie Lucero, Carmen and Albino Barela. He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Albinita Barela, his children; Carlotta (Fred) Duran, Theresa McGee, Patrick Barela, Lorenzo (Joyce) Barela, Helen Bonds, Monique (Richard) Navarrette, his 16 loving grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Sr. Miriam Clare Glandorf Sr. Miriam Clare Glandorf, SC died December 16, 2018, at the age of 98 in Mother Margaret Hall, the nursing facility of the Sisters of Charity. Sr. Miriam Clare was born Angela Mary Glandorf on April 21, 1920, to Joseph J. and Clara (Scheve) Glandorf in Cincinnati, OH. She was the only girl of four children. She was a Sister of Charity for 76 years, receiving the name Miriam Clare at the time of First Vows. Sr. Miriam Clare grew up in Norwood, OH. After high school, Sr. Miriam Clare went to cosmetology school, graduated and opened her own beauty shop. It was at the time when World War II was breaking out; two of her brothers volunteered for military service. She reflected on where she

could best serve, choosing the Sisters of Charity. It was the kindness, helpfulness and dedication of the Sisters that led her to enter the Congregation in September 1942. Sr. Miriam Clare earned a Bachelor of Science in English from the College of Mount St. Joseph, Cincinnati, in 1955 and she received her master’s in administration from Xavier University, Cincinnati, in 1962. Sr. Miriam Clare’s ministries included 56 years as an educator in Catholic elementary schools in New Mexico, Michigan and Ohio; 41 of those years she served as principal. She taught at St. Vincent Academy, Albuquerque, in 1944; St. Mary, Albuquerque (1965-’66). Sr. Victoria Marie Forde, a close friend of Sr. Miriam Clare, recently recalled, “Her strong faith and deep love of God and our Blessed Mother were the bedrock of Miriam Clare’s whole life, no matter what the circumstances.”

IVF Continued from page 31

BOOKS Continued from page 30

“loving our children into being” through the one-flesh union of husband and wife, IVF mass produces children in clinics, assembly-line style, under the impetus of market capitalism. Children born by IVF, moreover, experience roughly double the rate of birth defects of regularly conceived children. Over the years, these kinds of concerns have been mostly glossed over or ignored — we’ve grown accustomed to frozen orphanages, and to the high toll involved in the process of assuring that a few of our embryonic children survive and successfully implant. We downplay the risk of birth defects. Our insensitivity and desires have trumped a clear sense of ethics. As we face the daunting question of editing human embryos, we run up against the same temptation. Editing our embryonic children to be free of a particular disease requires numerous embryos to be simultaneously created (or thawed out), treated as “products” and subjected to genetic “treatments,” with many of them perishing during the experiment, in order that a few of them might survive and develop without the disease. Editing our embryonic children may also involve risks to them that we will only understand later when they grow up. Is it ever proper to experiment on our own offspring? Moreover, gene editing in embryos introduces changes that will be passed into the human gene pool, establishing permanent and irrevocable changes to our own humanity. How does one adequately evaluate the risks of such changes? The fact remains that we’ve been willing to tolerate an abundance of human carnage up to this point with IVF, and one of the great tragedies of our age has been our tone deafness to the evils of IVF. JK argues that we are similarly poised to accept the production of gene-edited babies as yet another variation on the theme. Will his brazen instrumentalization of human beings call forth gasps of disbelief, serious reflection and action, or only a few more passing yawns? Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the diocese of Fall River, MA, and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. See www.ncbcenter.org

of our generation pushes her thought (and ours) a little further apposite the issue of how the incarnation of God, in Christ, is a “deep incarnation” that affects physical creation as well as humanity. Christ came not only to save the people on this earth, but also to save the earth itself. Christ also takes in nature. Johnson helps explain how that might be better understood. The book contains an expert theological synthesis on Christian views of why Christ came to earth. • Jordan Peterson, 12 Rules for Life, An Antidote to Chaos. This is one of the most argued about books of this past year. It’s brilliant, a good read, even if you don’t agree with everything or even most of what Peterson says. Some conservatives have used the book very selectively to suit their own causes; just as some liberals have unfairly rejected the book because of some of its attacks on liberal excesses. Both these readings, to my mind, are unfair. Peterson’s overall depth and nuance doesn’t allow for the way it has been misused on the right and criticized on the left. In the end, Peterson lands where Jesus did, with the Sermon on the Mount. Its title is somewhat unfortunate in that it can give the impression that this is just another popular self-help book. It’s anything but that. • Makoto Fujimura, Silence and Beauty. This is a beautiful book, written by an artist highly attuned to aesthetics. It’s a book about art, faith, and religion. Fujimura is a deeply committed Christian and an artist. For most people this would constitute a tension, but Fujimura not only shows how he holds faith and art together, he also makes a sophisticated apologia for religion. • Pablo d’Ors, Biography of Silence. Ors is a Spanish author of both novels and spiritual essays. This book (small, short, and an easy read) can be a good shot in the arm for anyone who, however unconsciously, feels that prayer isn’t worth the time and the effort. Writing out of a long habit of silent meditation, Ors shows us what kind of gifts prayer can bring into our lives. • Trevor Herriot, Towards a Prairie Atonement. Herriot is a Canadian writer and in this, his latest book, he submits that just as when we wound others reconciliation demands some kind of atonement, so too with our relationship with earth. We need to make some positive atonement to nature for our historical abuses. Happy reading!


PEOPLE of GOD

january 2019

TV Mass Schedule

Archbishop’s Schedule

The Catholic Center St. Joseph/St. Francis Chapel Over the air television Sunday at 6:30 a.m. on KRQE TV-13-2, KBIM TV-10-2, KREZ TV-6-2 and KASY-My50TVCable or satellite providers on KRQE TV-13, KBIM TV-10, KREZ TV-6, FOX 2 American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted TV Mass donations may be sent online to www.archdiosf.org or mailed to: Vicar General’s Office/TV Mass, 4000 St. Joseph’s Pl. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120 Check out Sunday and daily readings at www.usccb.org

Seminary Burse The following parishes have sent in excess Mass stipends and other contributions collected at the Archdiocesan Finance Office for seminarian education. These receipts are for the month of December 2018. Excess Mass stipends are from multiple Mass intentions celebrated at parishes. The archdiocesan policy is for excess Mass stipends to be used for seminarian education. Parish Name/City

33

Amount Received

Anonymous 1,550.00 Our Lady of Guadalupe – Clovis 1,200.00 Our Lady of the Annunciation – Albuquerque 1,385.00 St. Joseph on the Rio Grande – Albuquerque 730.00 Total $ 4,865.00

JANUARY 16 Wed 7:00am 12:00pm 1:45pm 17 Thu 2:00pm 5:00pm 18 Fri 2:00pm 6:00pm 19 Sat 11:00am 20 Sun 12:00pm 22 Tue 10:00am 2:00pm 23 Wed 9:00am 24 Thu 7:30am 1:00pm 26 Sat 11:00am 29 Tue 10:00am 30 Wed 8:00am 6:00pm

Legislative Breakfast, Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Santa Fe Sanctity of Life, Cathedral Basilica, Santa Fe Rally at Roundhouse, Santa Fe Record TV Mass (English) for ACA Mass, Western Region Superintendents Record TV Mass (Spanish) for ACA ACA Kickoff, Immaculate Conception, Las Vegas NM ACA Kickoff, Santa Maria de La Paz, Santa Fe African American Catholic Community Mass and Lunch, St. Joseph Rio Grande Presbyteral Council, Madonna Center, Abq. Personnel Board, Madonna Center, Abq. Feast Day Mass, San Idelfonso Pueblo Opening Prayer, 50th Governor’s Prayer Breakfast, Santa Fe Executive Finance Committee ACA Kickoff, Sacred Heart, Clovis NM Annual Catholic Schools Mass, St. Joseph on the Rio Grande, Abq. Archdiocesan Finance Council, Catholic Center, Abq. ACA Kickoff, Holy Ghost, Abq.

FEBRUARY 1-4 2 Sat 9:00am 6 Wed 4:45pm 8 Fri 1:00pm 9 Sat 9:00am 15 Fri 11:00am

Vocation Discernment Weekend, Madonna Center, Abq. Mass for Emmaus Journey Students, Catholic Center Abq. Mass Catholic Health Association, Hotel Abq. Executive Presbyteral, Catholic Center, Abq. Mass and Keynote for Detention Volunteers, San Jose Mission, Abq. Teacher In-Service Liturgy, St. Pius X High School, Abq.


PEOPLE of GOD

34

january 2019

Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, N.M, listens to the homily during Mass in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mundelein Seminary Jan. 3 at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Illinois, near Chicago. The U.S. bishops were on retreat Jan. 2-8 at the seminary, suggested by Pope Francis in September, which comes as the bishops work to rebuild trust among the faithful as questions continue to revolve around their handling of clergy sex abuse. (CNS photo/Bob Roller)

2019 Abuse Awareness Training for Adults Creating a Safe Environment for Our Children Sponsored by the ASF

Rev. 10.17.18

PROMISE Pledg to Protect to HE

Attendance at the workshop is MANDATORY for all clergy, employees, and volunteers in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Pre-registration is necessary contact: Annette Klimka, Victim Assistance Coordinator or Rose Garcia at 505.831.8144 for trainings that are hosted at the Catholic CenterWe or contact trainthe parish that is hosting the training (see below schedule). Note: Please do not bring children - no one under the age of 18 is allowed in the training. If you are everyone to late you will not be allowed to enter and interrupt the training. Please contact Annette, Victim Assistance Coordinator 505.831.8144 to report any abuseand that prevent has occurred by Clergy, Employee or Volunteer in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. report abuse. IN THE EVENT OF BAD WEATHER – CALL 505-831-8144 FOR A RECORDING ADVISING IF THE TRAINING IS CANCELLED.

195 U.S. dioceses/

January 31, 2019 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday

St. Jude Thaddeus 5712 Paradise Blvd., NW Albuquerque, 87114 call to register 898.0826

February 16, 2019 9:00 a.m. – Noon Saturday

St. Thomas Aquinas 1502 Sara Road, SE Rio Rancho, 87124 call to register 892.1511 ext. 107

March 21, 2019 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary 9502 4th Street, NW Albuquerque, 87114 call Francesca to register 340.0421

April 4, 2019 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday

Catholic Center 4000 St. Joseph’s Pl. NW Albuquerque, 87120 call to register 831.8144

May 9, 2019 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday

Catholic Center 4000 St. Joseph’s Pl. NW Albuquerque, 87120 call to register 831.8144

June 22, 2019 9:00 a.m. - Noon Saturday

Our Lady of Fatima 4020 Lomas Blvd., NE Albuquerque, 87110 call to register 265.5868

eparchies have a victim assistance coordinator to obtain assistance and provide support for those abused.

July 20, 2019 9:00 a.m. - Noon Saturday

2,400,6 4,484,6

trained

We provide

Shrine of outreach St. Bernadette to 11401 Indian School those abused. Road, NE Albuquerque, 87112 2,390,95 We require backgrou call to register 298.7557

background St. Johnchecks. Vianney

August 24, 2019 9:00 a.m. - Noon Saturday 1001 Meteor Ave., NE 100% of U.S. Rio Rancho, 87114 dioceses/eparchies require allegations of Liz toWe report all call register sexual abuse to be reported to public authorities. 892.4449 allegations. September 14, 2019 9:00 a.m. – Noon. Saturday

Our Lady of the We work Annunciation withStreet, law NE 2621 Vermont enforcement. Albuquerque, 87110 call Melanie to register 298.7553

October 17, 2019 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday

Risen Savior 7701 Wyoming Blvd., NE Albuquerque, 87109 – call to register 821.1571

November 14, 2019 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday

Sacred Heart 309 Stover Ave., SW Albuquerque, 87102 – call to register 242.0561

December 5, 2019 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. Thursday

Catholic Center 4000 St. Joseph’s Pl. NW Albuquerque, 87120 – call to register 831.8144

Copyright © 2015, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, DC. All rights reserved.

for clerics and volun


Prayer for Healing San José and El Niño Jesús

SAINT JOSEPH AND THE CHILD JESUS

Icon written by William Hart McNichols | St. Joseph on the Rio Grande | http://frbillmcnichols-sacredimages.com/

Loving and Merciful God, look upon us with compassion as we cry out to you in our time of contrition. Your Church is brought low by the sins committed against our innocent children in whose eyes we see the image of your crucified Son. Just as Jesus gathered the children into his loving arms, so gather us now into your healing embrace, especially those who have been crushed by the scourge of abuse. Fashion us, your sons and daughters, into instruments of your healing presence so that your humble Church may itself be healed as we seek to comfort all who

have been devastated by the actions of those who betrayed our trust. You, who know all mysteries and whose wisdom is beyond compare, guide us through these turbulent days. Assist us in our efforts to bring justice to those who have been offended, give us the grace to restore our suffering communion and imbue us with new life in our efforts to heal and to protect, especially those who are most vulnerable. We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is with us now and forever. Amen.

Dios amoroso y misericordioso, míranos con compasión mientras clamamos a ti en este tiempo de contrición. Tu Iglesia ha sido abatida por los pecados cometidos contra nuestros hijos inocentes, en cuyos ojos vemos la imagen de tu Hijo crucificado. Así como Jesús reunió a los niños en sus brazos amorosos, así también reúnenos ahora en tu abrazo de sanación, especialmente a quienes han sido devastados por el azote del abuso. Convierte a tus hijos e hijas, en instrumentos de tu presencia sanadora, para que tu humilde Iglesia pueda ser sanada mientras buscamos consolar a todos los que han sido devastados

por las acciones de quienes traicionaron nuestra confianza. Tú, que conoces todos los misterios y cuya sabiduría es incomparable, guíanos a través de estos tumultuosos días. Ayúdanos en nuestros esfuerzos por hacer justicia a quienes han sido ofendidos, danos la gracia de restaurar nuestra sufrida comunión e infunde nueva vida a nuestros esfuerzos por sanar y proteger, especialmente a aquellos que son más vulnerables. Te lo pedimos por nuestro Señor Jesucristo, que está con nosotros ahora y siempre. Amén


Sanctity of Life Awareness and Unity Day Wednesday, January 16, 2019 in Santa Fe

Sponsored by the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops

Join us as the three Dioceses of New Mexico prayerfully mark the 46th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade legalizing abortion with a Sanctity of Life Awareness and Unity Day. The day includes a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis in Santa Fe, a prayer procession and rally at the Roundhouse and visiting legislators. Noon Mass at Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis in Santa Fe The three Bishops of New Mexico, Archbishop John C. Wester (Archdiocese of Santa Fe), Bishop Gerald Kicanas, Apostolic Administrator (Diocese of Las Cruces) and Bishop James S. Wall (Diocese of Gallup) will be concelebrating Mass at noon. ***Participants are asked to bring baby items like diapers, blankets, bottles, etc. and/or socks and toiletries for the elderly to be collected at the Mass and distributed to organizations that provide support to expectant mothers in need or nursing homes.

1:30pm Procession to the Roundhouse Immediately following Mass, at approximately 1:30pm there will be a prayerful procession from the Basilica to the Roundhouse.

2:00pm Rally at the Roundhouse and Visiting Legislators The rally and visit with legislators will be led by Allen Sanchez, the Director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops. For more information, call the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Office of Social Justice and Respect Life: 505-831-8167. Note: Other groups may be hosting events surrounding the Mass, march and rally.


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