Rethinking vocations for the generation after the culture wars WASHINGTON (CNS) – That the Church needs more people to enter consecrated life is a given. But what is less understood is that it must connect with younger Catholics in ways that align with the new generation’s shift in world view from that of their Baby Boomer parents. Religious and Catholic lay leaders gathered in Chicago recently to work out ways to promote religious life to a new generation in a new century. The work is beginning at a “critical juncture in consecrated life,” as one participant put it.
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
The gathering, funded by a foundation that wished to remain anonymous, featured talks and small-group discussions designed to result in an action plan for promoting vocations in the United States. Holy Cross Brother Paul Bednarczyk, executive director of the National Religious Vocation Conference, said a final report on the symposium and the proposed plans would be presented to the foundation by the end of the year, and made public after a board meeting of the vocation conference in February. The gathering was a follow-up to a 2009 study of recent vocations to religious life conducted by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. The study found that although the numbers in religious orders may be decreasing, new members are passionate about religious life and religious communities following more traditional practices have better success attracting younger members today. Brother Bednarczyk said young people today no longer have the opportunity that past generations had to interact with members of religious communities. “Just recall the impact that men and women religious have had in your own life,” he said. “While they taught RETHINKING VOCATIONS, page 10
Philippines: Churchstate tension over family planning bill MANILA, Philippines (CNS) – The president of the Philippine bishops’ conference said the church was open to dialogue with President Benigno Aquino III about his proposal to distribute contraceptives to control the nation’s population growth. The prelate denied media reports that he threatened to excommunicate the president. “While the prevailing sentiment of a number of bishops was that of dismay and frustration over the reported stance of the president regarding artificial contraceptives, imposition of the canonical sanction (excommunication) has not been contemplated” by the bishops’ conference, Bishop Nereo Odchimar of Tandag, conference president, said in a statement Sept. 30. “I stated that the initial approach of this issue is to be in the spirit of dialogue and not of confrontation,” the statement said. “Threat of excommunication at this point of time can hardly be considered to be in line with dialogue. I maintained that the traditional position of the church is that human life starts at conception and not at implantation. Some contraceptive pills and devices are abortifacient. Any completed act to expel or kill the fertilized ovum is considered to be an act of abortion. “I went on to say that the penalty of excommunication is meted out to the principals and accomplices PHILIPPINES, page 3
(CNS PHOTO/EDUARDO MUNOZ, REUTERS)
More vocations news, pages 8-9
Haitians in Cayes-Jacmel wait in line for medical care at a two-day free health care clinic at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish. Nine months after the devastating earthquake, more than 1 million people left homeless are still living in camps. The United States should liberalize immigration policies for Haitians and work harder at reconstruction in Haiti and toward finding permanent family solutions for orphans, said a report from bishops and others who visited the region recently as part of a delegation from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and its affiliated agencies.
Archdiocesan rescue plan for struggling schools By Valerie Schmalz Two to four Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco are likely to be closed at the end of this school year, but a new strategic plan is being implemented to help another dozen schools that are struggling, Department of Catholic Schools Superintendent Maureen Huntington said. The Archdiocese has 53 elementary schools – more than it needs, as the demographics of the area have changed from the population boom of the 1960s, Huntington said. “San Francisco is ninth in Catholic population out of 12 dioceses (in California) and yet it is second only to Los Angeles in the number of elementary schools it operates – meaning that there are dioceses in California with two or three times as many Catholics as we have who operate fewer elementary schools,” Archbishop George H. Niederauer told Catholic San Francisco. Catholic elementary school enrollment in 12 urban dioceses in the United States has dropped by a third since 2000. The San Francisco Archdiocese has not been immune from the trend, and the latest enrollment figures show a decline of more than 2 percent from last year. By county, there are 250 fewer students in San Francisco, 25 fewer in Marin and 125 fewer in San Mateo County. High school enrollment throughout the Archdiocese is down by about 100 students, the schools department said.
In addition to the long-term demographic shift, the fallout from the 2008 economic crisis continues to hurt families who would choose Catholic school but are not confident enough financially to make that commitment, Huntington said. “This policy is targeted at schools that are saveable,” Huntington said. Two to four parish schools appear beyond rescue, she said, but declined to provide more detail.
Two to four K-8 schools are likely to close at school year’s end. The policy was adopted by the Archdiocese effective Sept. 3. Called the “Strategic Plan in Support of Catholic Parish Grammar Schools,” it provides a framework to guide the archdiocesan schools team in helping struggling schools. The team can help in areas such as marketing, building parent advisory boards and improving financial management, Huntington said. “That’s the main thing: how to support the schools, rather than waiting and letting a school go under RESCUE PLAN, page 7
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION IVF Nobel criticized . . . . . . . . 5 What is a deacon? . . . . . . . . . . 9 Letters: “Let the tears flow” . 12 “Let’s bury the eulogies”. . . . 13 Stretched by great writers . . 14
Blessing of Animals ~ Page 3 ~ October 8, 2010
Pondering Vatican time ~ Page 4 ~
Three real-life sisters share monastic life ~ Page 9 ~ ONE DOLLAR
Datebook of events . . . . . . . . 17 Service Directory . . . . . . . . . 18
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 12
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No. 31