December 7, 2007 by Catholic San Francisco

Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper

An estimated crowd of more than 16,000 took part in the 14th annual 12-mile Guadalupana Pilgrimage from South San Francisco’s All Souls Parish to San Francisco’s St. Mary’s Cathedral on Dec. 1. Roxanna Garcia (above) of St. Paul Parish in San Pablo played the role of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Alfredo Ruiz of Cathedral Parish in San Francisco represented St. Juan Diego, the indigenous native of Mexico to whom the Virgin Mary appeared, leaving a miraculous image on his cloak or tilma. See additional photos and coverage on Page 11.

(CNS PHOTO/BRYCE RICHTER, COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON)

Stem-cell advance met with California caution By Rick DelVecchio Human embryonic stem cells will play a role in stem-cell research for years to come as scientists try to confirm that reprogramming adult cells to mimic embryonic stem cells is as promising a technique as it appears to be, the interim chief of California’s state-funded stem-cell research institute said. November’s announcement that two groups of researchers had created stem cells without destroying human embryos appeared to herald an imminent end to the moral dilemma that has split some scientists and the Church. The Catholic Church teaches that embryos at any stage are human beings and that no potential medical benefit justifies destroying them. But Dr. Richard Murphy, interim president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine in San Francisco, said that cells created by the reprogramming technique must be tested to make sure they are safe and effective. He said the testing will involve a detailed comparison of the genetic makeup of reprogrammed cells to that of human embryonic stem cells. Human embryonic stem cells will be necessary for this work because they are the “gold standard” of a quality called pluripotency, he said. They are called pluripotent because they can mature into any other type of human cell.

Junying Yu of the Genome Center of Wisconsin poses in a lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Nov. 19. Yu is lead author of a paper on reprogramming adult stem cells to create cells nearly indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells. The head of California’s stem-cell research institute, however, claims embryonic stem-cell research will continue.

“What this new research does is really reinforce the need for these,” Murphy said. “Unless we understand what goes on in a human embryonic stem cell, which is totally pluripotent, we are not going to be able to understand whether these induced pluripotent cells are as important as we hope they are.” He said the reprogrammed skin cells reported last month have 1,000 fewer genes than the 30,000 genes in embryonic stem cells. “That’s three percent, and we really don’t know what those 1,000 genes do,” Murphy said. “It could be that they are really critical. Work on human embryonic stem cells is clearly needed to figure that out.” Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk disagrees. The director of education for the Philadelphia-based National Catholic Bioethics Center, an independent non-profit that advises U.S. bishops and the Vatican on life issues, warned in a Dec. 1 commentary (see Page 14) that although reprogramming promises to end the ethical and scientific issues over stem cells, there are voices in the “bio-industrial complex” pushing to expand destructive human embryo research. In an interview with Catholic San Francisco, he said he was not surprised by Murphy’s remarks about the STEM CELL, page 8

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Dominican Republic report . 3 Charities’ wish lists . . . . . . 6 Scripture . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Impact of abortion on men addressed

Mission San Rafael Arcangel turning 190

Mission Dolores choir sets holiday performances

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December 7, 2007

SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS

Clergy appointments . . . . 21 Classified ads . . . . . . . 22-23

www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 9

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No. 37

Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

On The Where You Live by Tom Burke The League of the Sacred Heart from St. Cecilia Parish in San Francisco marked its 90th year Sept. 14. Among those enjoying the milestone were Josephine Quartaroli, Mary Kiner, Pat Quinn, Peg Ryan, Remy Retuta, Rosemarie Azinheira, Nina Madamba and Bernie Elizarde. John Fiore entertained on the accordion. The accordion was one of several instruments I took lessons on with little success. I have a cousin, Billy, whose playing would have had Myron Floren quaking in his boots. All those buttons and keys! How do they do it? … Speaking of how it’s done! Sean Brown, new public relations director at Woodside Priory School, has let us know of the “greening” of the Portola Valley campus that includes a Green Performing Arts Center with a “9,000 square feet roof” made of “drought-tolerant native California plants.” The building’s first event was Mass Nov. 11 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first Mass celebrated by the founding Benedictine Fathers at the school. Father Egon Javor who helped celebrate that first Mass presided at the milestone

Valerie Collett, left, an English teacher at Notre Dame High School in Belmont, is congratulated by principal, Rita Gleason, on being selected for a Teacher Tribute Award from Stanford University.

Jane Rand, left, Emma Potter and Jack Malone help with ecology program at Notre Dame des Victoires Elementary School.

liturgy. Welcome aboard to Sean who follows in the steps and good work of former Priory flack, Carolyn Dobervich. We wish her well! … Ecology is also on the front-burner of Notre Dame des Victoires Elementary School where science teacher, Shana Solinsky, has formed a club to help inform how “we can live more responsibly.” Faculty and students have been trained in what to compost and recycle. Student compost monitors in assisting of the proper disposal of any waste at lunch. A Kid Chow lunch program features packaging that is mostly compatible with the program. Creating a school garden, beach clean-ups and banning all styrofoam at the school are in the works…. Hats off to students at Notre Dame High School in Belmont whose recent car wash raised more than $1,100 to help the people of Darfur. The school’s Stand-Up Club sponsored the effort. Leading the scrubbing were club moderator, John Ottersberg, and club officers, Arabela Mendez Diaz,

Members of Separated and Divorced Catholics of the Archdiocese of San Francisco and Bay Area recently enjoyed their annual gala dinner the Lakeside Café in San Francisco. Leadership of the group includes, from left, Vonnie McGee, Margie Torres, Grenville Berliner, Betty Geraldizo, Kathi Barnes, Jack Breslin, Susan Fox, Carol Coburn. Information about Bay Area single, divorced and separated programs is available from Jesuit Father Al Grosskopf at (415) 422-6698.

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The Guardsmen and the Bring Me a Book Foundation recently donated Bookcase Libraries to Mission Dolores Elementary School’s kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms. On hand for ribbon-cutting ceremonies were Andreina Gualco, left, principal, Michael Schantz, Tom Power, Diane Calzi and Robert F. Raney, III. Set to get into the new pages are students Leticia Silot, Cristina Casco, Jocelyn Munoz and Joseph Seto.

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Raeanne Dutto, Dani Labat, Katrina Cho…. Over a few blocks at Notre Dame de Namur University, student Delos Reyes helped 25 developmentally disabled adults prepare and serve a full-course Thanksgiving feast to their friends and families. “This event allows the opportunity for people with developmental disabilities the chance to enhance and develop the basics of preparing large meals for large groups,” Delos said. Delos is one of 18 seniors in a human services class who have taken on projects “to benefit the community and make use of their learning.” …This is an empty space without ya’!! The email address for Street is burket@sfarchdiocese.org. Mailed items should be sent to “Street,” One Peter Yorke Way, SF 94109. Pix should be hard copy or electronic jpeg at 300 dpi. Don’t forget to include a follow-up phone number. Call me at (415) 614-5634 and I’ll walk you through it.

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December 7, 2007

Catholic San Francisco

Dominican Republic: Day Two Catholic San Francisco Assistant Editor Rick DelVecchio returned Nov. 30 from a five-day pilgrimage and fact-finding trip to the Dominican Republic sponsored by Food for the Poor, an independent relief organization which supports education and economic projects addressing poverty in that Caribbean nation. Four reports and photos filed from the journey are available on the CSF website: www.catholic-sf.org.

By Rick DelVecchio LOS CACAOS, on Dominican-Hatian border, Nov. 27 — This is no man’s land. The hundreds of Haitian men, women and children who live here have reached a political and geographical dead-end. They cannot push forward without crossing the Dominican border illegally, and

they cannot turn back to the center of Haiti without returning to a country that offers scarce resources and no future. Dry, barren, lacking utilities, transportation and communication, Los Cacaos should not be a place where people settle. But the Haitians, who began trickling in 50 years ago in search of a better life in the far more stable and more prosperous Dominican Republic, must stay because they have nowhere else to go. Malnourished and with no means of income other than selling charcoal made by burning the few trees left in the countryside, they are entirely dependent on outside help if they are to have any future other than bitter subsistence. “They’ve been there for a few generaDOMINICAN REPUBLIC, page 18

(PHOTO BY RICK DELVECCHIO/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

How do you escape poverty with nowhere to go?

Olean Jean Baptiste, 38, shares a two-room hovel in a Haitian border town with her seven children, ages 2 to 18. Food for the Poor is building new homes for destitute families in the Haitian-Dominican Republic border zone known as “La Linea.”

Court drops contempt-of-court citation against Orange bishop ORANGE, Calif. (CNS) — An Orange County Superior Court judge has dropped a contempt-of-court citation filed against Bishop Tod D. Brown of Orange by attorneys for abuse victims. According to a statement posted on the Orange Diocese’s website, the charge was dropped Nov. 20. The action came after the diocese and plaintiffs’ attorneys finalized a settlement in four civil lawsuits against the diocese. “Removal of the contempt-of-court citation came after plaintiffs’ counsel signed formal dismissal papers. Removal of the citation was not a prerequisite for settlement,” the statement noted. The citation had alleged that the bishop

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sent Msgr. John Urell, pastor of St. Norbert Parish in Orange and former vicar general of the diocese, to a residential treatment facility in Canada as a legal tactic to keep him from testifying in abuse cases. “The recommendation to place Msgr. Urell in a residential treatment facility was made by Msgr. Urell himself, his doctors, his family and close friends and the diocesan vicar for priests,” the diocese said in September when the contempt-of-court motion was filed. “At no time was the diocesan legal team involved in making this decision.” No allegations of sexual abuse have been made against Msgr. Urell, who reportedly broke down after giving six hours of depositions to attorneys for the victims.

Diocesan attorney Peter M. Callahan said the judge dropped the citation because it was “completely false” and “without any factual or legal basis.” “‘Contempt of court’ is the willful disobedience of a court order,” he said. “As we explained to the judge, there never was any court order requiring (Msgr.) John Urell to complete his deposition.” Despite the diocese’s statement to the contrary, the Los Angeles Times reported

that lawyers for the plaintiffs in the civil cases claimed the diocese told them to drop the contempt-of-court charge or “they would have refused to pay our clients.” In a statement about the settlement in the civil suits, Bishop Brown said: “Our faith is in large measure founded in the concept of forgiveness. As Catholics prepare for the celebration of Christmas, it is appropriate to demonstrate consideration for others while recognizing our own failings.

Catholic San Francisco

NEWS

December 7, 2007

Chinese bishop ordained

in brief

YICHANG, China (CNS) — Newly ordained Bishop Francis Lu Shouwang of Yichang says serving Catholics in his diocese is a challenging task amid rapid social transformation taking place due to a major dam project. The 41year-old prelate was ordained with a papal mandate and the Chinese government’s recognition Nov. 30 in St. Francis Cathedral in Yichang. It was the first episcopal ordination in Yichang in nearly 50 years.

(CNS PHOTO/ALESSIA GIULIANI, CATHOLIC PRESS PHOTO)

End of Christianity in Iraq?

Skin-bound book auctioned LONDON (CNS) — A book bound in the skin of an executed Jesuit priest was sold at an auction in England to an unnamed collector for more than $11,000. The macabre, 17thcentury book tells the story of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot and is covered in the skin of Father Henry Garnet. The priest, at the time the head of the Jesuits in England, was executed May 3, 1606, outside St. Paul Cathedral in London for his alleged role in a plot to detonate 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath the British Parliament, an act that would have killed the Protestant King James I and other government leaders. The book, “A True and Perfect Relation of the Whole Proceedings Against the Late Most Barbarous Traitors, Garnet a Jesuit and His Confederates,” contains accounts of speeches and evidence from the trials. It measures about 6 inches by 4 inches.

LONDON (CNS) — The war in Iraq might have caused the end of Christianity in the country, said a Chaldean Catholic bishop. Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo, Syria, said the hundreds of thousands of Christians who had fled their homes in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion are still too scared to go home. He told Catholic News Service in a Nov. 28 interview in London’s Church of the Immaculate Conception that unless security improved in Iraq the Chaldean diaspora may become permanent. “They love their country, but at the same time it is impossible for them to go back to this situation,” said Bishop Audo, who ministers to approximately 60,000 Iraqi Christian refugees in Syria.

Pope invites Muslim scholars VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI has responded to a letter from 138 Muslim scholars by inviting a group of them to meet with him and with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. The papal response, released Nov. 29, came in a letter to Jordan’s Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal, president of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought in Amman and architect of the Muslim scholars’ project. The letter said the pope wanted “to express his deep appreciation” for the statement of the Muslim scholars, “for the positive spirit which inspired the text and for the call for a common commitment to promoting peace in the world.”

Congregation drops age restriction

Dutch Jesuit priest Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, superior general of the Society of Jesus since 1983, announced last year he would step down and called for a general congregation to elect a new superior. The meeting will begin Jan. 7 in Rome.

2007 about 33.2 million people were living with HIV, 2.5 million became infected and 2.1 million died of AIDS.

Former Paulist president dies GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (CNS) — Mourners gathered Nov. 20 at St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Grand Rapids and Nov. 24 at St. Paul the Apostle Church in New York for Masses remembering Father Joseph V. Gallagher, former president of the Paulist Fathers. Father Gallagher died Nov. 16 at Hecker House, the residence of the Paulist Fathers in Grand Rapids, from complications of Parkinson’s disease. He was 85.

MERRILL, Wis. (CNS) — Spurred on by the vitality of their elderly Sisters and the congregation’s motto,”The need of the times is the will of God,” the Holy Cross Sisters have dropped the age restriction that prevented women over 50 from being considered for entrance to the congregation.

(CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER)

Henry J. Hyde, retired Republican Congressman from Illinois, speaks with the press in 1999 after the White House defense team ended opening arguments in the impeachment trial of former President Bill Clinton. The 83-year -old Catholic political figure, whose name became synonymous with efforts to limit federal funding of abortion, died Nov. 29 at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

(CNS PHOTO/WIN MCNAMEE, REUTERS)

Pro-life Congressman dies Nov. 29

Pope: respect unchanging morals Pope prays for AIDS victims VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Promoting lasting peace, justice and human dignity requires solidarity and a respect for unchanging moral values, Pope Benedict XVI said. Meeting Dec. 1 with representatives of 85 Catholic agencies recognized as nongovernmental organizations by the United Nations and other international bodies, Pope Benedict said the problems of humanity cannot be solved without a clear acceptance of ethical norms. “International discussions often seem marked by a relativistic logic,” which is convinced that the only way to find agreement and promote peaceful coexistence is to ignore the fact that each human life was created by God and to pretend that there are no moral absolutes, the pope said.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI offered his prayers for the families of the estimated 2.1 million people who have died of AIDS this year, and he asked all people to work to end discrimination against those living with AIDS and HIV. At the end of his Nov. 28 general audience, the pope spoke about the Dec. 1 commemoration of World AIDS Day. “I am spiritually close to those who suffer because of this terrible disease and their families, especially those who have lost a relative,” he said. “I assure all of them of my prayers.” According to figures released Nov. 20 by UNAIDS, “global HIV prevalence — the percentage of people living with HIV — has leveled off” and the number of new infections each year has fallen. UNAIDS estimated that in

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Most Reverend George H. Niederauer, publisher Maurice E. Healy, associate publisher & executive editor Editorial Staff: Dan Morris-Young, editor; Tom Burke, “On the Street” and Datebook; Rick DelVecchio, assistant editor; Michael Vick, reporter

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December 7, 2007

Catholic San Francisco

(CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO VIA REUTERS)

Encyclical encourages encounter with ‘God’s human face’ By John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) — It’s difficult to select a single summarizing line in Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Spe Salvi (“Saved by Hope”), but a fundamental point is found in its first few pages. Christ’s sacrifice, the pope wrties, overturned the pagan worldview of the early Christian era. In Christianity’s new vision, the universe was governed not by the laws of matter but by a personal God who revealed himself in the person of Jesus Christ. “And if we know this person and he knows us, then truly the inexorable power of material elements no longer has the last word; we are not slaves of the universe and of its laws, we are free,” he says. Throughout its 76 pages, the pope’s encyclical on hope is not just an exposition of philosophical and theological arguments, but an invitation for people to personally encounter Jesus Christ.

ANALYSIS That invitation has been the core of Pope Benedict’s mission over the last two and a half years. In his first encyclical, Deus Caritas Est (“God Is Love”), the pope said Christianity’s main purpose is to help people accept God’s love and share it — beginning with love “in its most radical form,” the sacrifice of Christ. In Spe Salvi, the pope argues that faith in Christ brings well-founded hope in eternal salvation, the “great hope” that can sustain people through the trials of this world. In presenting Jesus Christ as the source of love and hope for contemporary men and women, the pope has tried to explain the Church’s beliefs in ways that are convincing without being authoritarian. Certainly he is a critic of contemporary culture in these pages, warning against the exaltation of science and technology, economic and individual selfishness, ideological excesses and misconceptions about freedom. But his critique is based on reasoned analysis, reflecting the pope’s conviction that Christianity, more than just an exercise in faith, does and must make sense to the modern mind. The pope also has shown sympathy for people who may doubt, or who are no longer attracted by the

Pope Benedict XVI signs his encyclical, Spe Salvi (“Saved by Hope”) , at the Vatican Nov. 30.

Church’s traditional arguments. For example, he acknowledges that many people today may find the idea of eternal salvation monotonous and “more like a curse than a gift.” He goes on to say that “eternal life” is an inadequate term and suggests people think of salvation more in terms of a supreme moment of satisfaction or joy. Some readers of Spe Salvi were struck by the fact that the pope did not mention the Second Vatican Council or cite its documents. Pope Benedict in general appears to prefer the writings of individual Christians — ancient and contemporary — to illustrate his points. In this encyclical, the pope quotes early Church fathers and contemporary saints, making powerful arguments for hope that draw from centuries of Christian experience. Both the sermons of St. Augustine and the diary of a 19th-century Vietnamese martyr are at home in this text. Some of the more interesting and striking passages of the new encyclical have been honed in papal talks and writings over the last two years. For example, the assessment of Marxism, although ultimately negative, contains praise of Karl Marx’s “great analytical skill” in describing the social injustices of his time. Pope Benedict made a similar statement in his book, “Jesus of Nazareth,” published earlier this year. Some of the encyclical’s most compelling language comes in a reflection on the Last Judgment, which

includes these words about divine justice, “Evildoers, in the end, do not sit at table at the eternal banquet beside their victims without distinction, as though nothing had happened.” That’s a theme the pope explored during a trip to Germany in 2006, when he said the idea of judgment should call people to accountability. “Don’t we want the outrageous injustice and suffering which we see in human history to be finally undone, so that in the end everyone will find happiness, and everything will be shown to have meaning?” he asked then. On that occasion, as in the new encyclical, the pope said only one thing can keep people from being afraid of the God of judgment: an encounter with Jesus Christ, God’s “human face.” (Ed. note: The text of Spe Salvi may be accessed on the Vatican website: www.vatican.va.)

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286 Ashton Avenue, San Francisco (one block from Ocean Ave.) Serving the Ingleside community of San Francisco, since 1913, St. Emydius is a multi-cultural, multi-racial, all inclusive faith-sharing community. Daily Mass At 8:30 am 4:00 pm Saturday Vigil Mass 8:30 am Sunday Mass 10:30 am Sunday Mass To reach us from 19th Ave., take Holloway Ave., (near S.F. State, heading East), to Ashton Ave., left on Ashton to De Montfort Ave. To reach us from 280 S. (at City College) exit Ocean Ave. going West, turn left on Ashton to De Montfort Ave., (1/ block up). 2

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Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

Local charities’ Christmas wish lists GRACENTER

ST. ANTHONY FOUNDATION

Owned and operated by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Gracenter is a six-month residential treatment center for women between the ages of 18 and 35 with addiction issues. The program provides an integration of addiction educational classes, case management, group sessions and individual as well as family reunification therapy - all rooted in the Good Shepherd core values of mercy, reconciliation, individual worth and zeal. We have recently begun a day treatment program. Our clients are mostly undereducated, underemployed and undervalued. We strive to help them recognize and develop their self-worth, personal responsibility and deepen their relationships with others and God. Above all we help them understand that addiction is manageable. For 75 years the Sisters of the Good Shepherd have been responding to the needs of young women in San Francisco and are grateful for those who join with us in shepherding those who appear lost.

St. Anthony Foundation serves the poor and homeless in San Francisco and works toward long-term solutions to poverty and homelessness. We do this through a network of 11 programs that serve the least regarded population. Programs include St. Anthony Free Dining Room, the Free Medical Clinic, and others that provide transitional housing for women, residential drug and alcohol recovery, job training and education and advocacy on poverty issues.

Wish list includes: Twin sheets Twin blankets Bed pillows Bath,hand and kitchen towels. Gift cards for necessary clothing (Target, Macy’s, Kohl’s, Ross, etc.) Where: Contributions may be delivered in person or sent to: Ann Lund, Executive Director Good Shepherd Gracenter 1300 Bacon St., San Francisco, CA 94134 (415) 586-2845 www.gsgracenter.org

ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY OF MARIN COUNTY The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Marin helps struggling people and families with basic and critical needs, such as shelter, food and clothing. We’ve operated the Free Dining Room in San Rafael for 26 years (without a single day off!), and we’ll serve more than 130,000 meals this year to Marin County’s hungry senior citizens, lowwage earners, children, veterans and many others. We absolutely depend on community support and donations to keep our doors open to anyone who needs a hot meal and a dose of compassionate friendship. Wish list includes: Napkins Paper towels Toilet paper Men’s athletic socks Toothbrushes and toothpaste Shampoo, deodorant Gloves Food wish list includes: Turkey and other meats Cold Cereal, oatmeal Jam & Jelly Ketchup and mayonnaise Butter or margarine Corn Oil Grocery gift certificates Where: Donations may be dropped off at 820 B St, in Downtown San Rafael, seven days per week from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations may also be sent to SVdP Marin, P.O. Box 150527, San Rafael or made on our website, www.vinnies.org. Phone: (415) 454-3303, ext. 16

MOUNT ST. JOSEPH-ST. ELIZABETH Founded in 1852 by the Daughters of Charity, Mount St. Joseph - St. Elizabeth serves San Francisco women in recovery and their children. The mission since its founding has been to seek out the most vulnerable and underserved in San Francisco and to provide quality services. Wish list inclues: Volunteer trainer for exercise program Ping-pong equipment (not table) Board games Athletic equipment: volley and basket balls, badminton and soft ball gear Small CD player Women’s jackets Clothing and shoes for infants and toddlers up to size 4 T Gift cards for Ross or Target in any amount. These are for clients to use for others during the holidays Where: Gifts may be dropped off at 100 Masonic Ave., San Francisco Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Call (415) 351-4055 with questions.

Wish list includes: New and unopened: Socks, underwear, razors, soap, shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion, shaving lotion,toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, calendars or date books for 2008, new toys Clean and in good condition: Clothing - especially jeans and coats (particularly men’s and children’s), umbrellas and raingear, blankets, shopping bags with handles Small and medium kitchen appliances: Microwaves, toaster ovens, coffee makers, cooking utensils, gadgets, televisions, DVD and VCR players Please do not bring: Furniture, large appliances, lighting or plumbing fixtures, car seats, baby furniture, used toys, books, magazines, typewriters, knick-knacks and jars and/or anything you wouldn’t want to carry home to a small apartment yourself. Where: St. Anthony Curbside Drop-off Dec. 15-18, Dec. 22-25 Weekdays: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and weekends: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. For more information, call (415) 592-2734 about donations or (415) 592-2829 about volunteering.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES CYO Catholic Charities CYO is one of the largest non-profit providers of social services in the Bay Area. Founded in 1907 to care for the orphans of San Francisco’s 1906 earthquake and fire, its mission is to serve and advocate for the poor, the sick, the distressed, children, youth, families, immigrants and seniors, regardless of their faith. Today, we operate more than 30 programs throughout San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo counties, which serve more than 40,000 clients every year. Where: In San Francisco, gifts may be dropped off at Catholic Charities CYO, 180 Howard St., Suite 100, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. In Marin County, gifts may be dropped off at St. Vincent's School for Boys, 1 St. Vincent Dr., San Rafael, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. In San Mateo County, gifts may be dropped off at San Carlos Adult Day Services, 787 Walnut St., San Carlos, from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Or call (415) 972-1200 to arrange drop off at a program location closer to you.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES CYO HOLIDAY 2007 WISH LIST FAMILY

AND

CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Rita da Cascia wish list: Diapers size 2,3,4 Microwave Women’s and children’s hats, scarves, pajamas and sweaters Canal Family Support Program wish list: Art supplies (markers, colored pencils, construction paper, scissors, beads, “play-doh”, glue) School supplies (pencils, erasers, paper, pens) Jewelry-making supplies Coloring books Beginning reader books (kindergarten/first grade level) Cameras, walkie talkies Sports equipment (soccer balls, cones, rubber playground balls, jump ropes) Puzzles, educational games/toys Snack food for 50 kids Gift certificates (Target, Safeway, Toys R Us, Ross, United Market, Borders) Backpacks Clothes for children Stuffed animals, dolls Children’s Videos Toy cars, blocks, Legos Board games Raffle prizes for Spirit of the Holidays Party Recorders/musical instruments Bus transportation for field trip Mission Day Care wish list: Art supplies (tempera, paper, colored pencils, glue, markers, etc.) PE supplies (basketballs, Hulahoops, jump ropes) TV-set, DVD-player 2-deck toaster Microwave oven 4 emergency radios with light Digital photo camera Educational software for children K-12

Children’s Village Child Development Center wish list: Commercial grade laminator with laminating film to create instructional materials and preserve children’s art. Sponsor our holiday potluck celebration by providing food for 50 children and staff and assisting with set up and clean up. Six large (20 gallons and over) aquariums for plants and animals to enhance science curriculum. Twelve instructional grade classroom xylophones or marimbas with mallets for music curriculum Treasure Island Supportive Housing wish list: Gift cards for families (Target, Wal-Mart, Safeway, KMart, etc.) Homeless Prevention Programs wish list Safeway gift cards for $25 each for food Bed, Bath and Beyond gift cards for $50 each for movein furnishings

SENIOR SERVICES San Carlos Adult Day Care wish list: Small freezer with locking door Large, lockable storage cabinets to replace the open shelves Multimedia projector for activities, presentations, trainings Sturdy carts (like the stainless steel food service carts) for moving audiovisual equipment Carts/dollies for stackable chairs and folding tables Large 4-slice toaster Large waffle Iron Stereo with a 5-disc CD changer and tape deck Meals on Wheels San Mateo wish list: Laser printer for program office OMI Senior Center 30 Bath and Body gift baskets 30 Food gift baskets 10 – $50 donations for a special entertainment program 6 – $300 donations for transportation to community activity San Francisco Adult Day Services wish list: 50-52” flat screen TV for the San Francisco Adult Day Services and Alzheimer’s Day Care Resource Center 10 – $50 donations for a special entertainment program 6 – $300 donations for transportation to community activity

ASSISTED HOUSING

AND

HEALTH SERVICES

Derek Silva Community wish list” Microwave Winter Coats Rain Gear Gift Cards Computers/Printers Kids toys Bedding TV/DVD players House hold items (pots, pans, utensils, etc.) Leland House Towels, twin bed sheets Pillow cases, comforters 45 stuffed stockings Sweatpants and sweatshirts Toiletry packs CYO Athletics wish list: 50 Reversible Jerseys 100 Ice Packs 30 Regulation & lite white volleyballs 30 Boys & girls orange basketballs CYO Camp wish list: Sponsor a child at CYO Summer Camp Sponsor a Low Ropes Course Element that encourages team building and communication Sports equipment, soccer goals, basketballs, softball equipment, volleyballs, kickballs Portable multimedia projector Laptop computer 36” TV DVD/VCR players and recorders Rototiller for organic gardening project Batteries for electric vehicles

December 7, 2007

Catholic San Francisco

Abortion’s impact on men addressed at conference (PHOTOS BY DAN MORRIS-YOUNG/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

First international meet on male post-abortion trauma held at Cathedral (For an expanded report on the Reclaiming Fatherhood conference, visit the Catholic San Francisco website: www.catholic-sf.org.)

By Dan Morris-Young SAN FRANCISCO – While the impact of abortion on men is low on the cultural radar, there is overwhelming research, clinical experience and anecdotal evidence that men can be profoundly traumatized by the elective loss of a child whether he encouraged it, resisted it, or only learned of it after the fact, according to presentations at the first international conference on men and abortion. Nearly 200 persons from at least seven nations and 28 states gathered at San Francisco’s St. Mary’s Cathedral Nov. 28-29 to hear the personal stories of men who have been affected by abortion, reports on research on the topic, and presentations by counselors and therapists on the treatment of men suffering post-abortion grief. Organized by the Milwaukee-based National Office of Post-Abortion Ministry & Healing (NOPAMH), the Reclaiming Fatherhood: A Multifaceted Examination of Men Dealing with Abortion conference was co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of San Francisco and the national office of the Knights of Columbus. Victoria M. Thorn, NOPAMH executive director, opened the event with a brief overview of how men, like women, experience hormonal and other changes during a partner’s pregnancy, something little recognized. “Men’s bodies are busy with their own changes” during a mate’s pregnancy, she said, “although the physiology of men during pregnancy is not yet taken seriously.” Four men shared personal stories of how abortion had unexpectedly pulled the carpet from under their lives. Chris Aubert, 50, an attorney, traced his life from days as a “very secular young guy” focused on “making money and in general becoming a yuppy” to his shocking realization during a 1994 ultrasound procedure for his wife “that that is a baby.” It flooded over him, he said, that on two occasions prior to his marriage he had concurred with pregnant girlfriends to terminate pregnancies. “I realized that I had killed two of my own kids,” he said. “It was almost like the hand of God reached down and touched me.” He recalled how after the first abortion in 1985 he had left a rose and a $200 check for his then girlfriend. “But I felt no sorrow, no pain, no nothing,” he said. “I had happily agreed to the abortion.” Similarly, he described a second abortion in 1991 with a different woman. “I went to the clinic with her and sat in the waiting room reading a magazine for 20 or 30 minutes, then we went to lunch.” It did not occur to him, Aubert said, “that in the next room my child was being dismembered and killed.” “Something in the depth of my belly,” he said, “kept rising higher and higher” as the realization of the loss of two children sank in. By then a convert to Catholicism, Aubert said he told his wife, “There is something I have to tell you,” and he revealed the past abortions. “She could not have handled it better,” he said. He has since “jumped both feet into the pro-life world.” He has established a website on his experiences and abortion (www.chrisaubert.com), and he has spoken “to groups of 50 to 1,000” about his convictions. (Ed note: the Web site contains links to graphic photos of abortions.) Mark Bradley Morrow, a licensed Christian counselor

Catherine T. Coyle, Ph.D., responds during a question-and-answer session following the first day of presentations at the Nov. 28-29 Reclaiming Fatherhood Conference at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Other speakers at the international gathering included, from left: Warren L. Williams, a Christian counselor; Vincent M. Rue, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Pregnancy Loss in Jacksonville, Fla.; and Tom Golden, author of “Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing.”

and Milwaukee radio personality, told participants that as young man he had “within the space of 20 months conceived four children in my apartment and allowed my four babies to be aborted in four different states.” For 15 years, he said, he “did not feel a lot of pain or guilt,” but then experienced “a melt down one night when I thought of what I had done in the past.” His symptoms included “shame, anger, anxiety attacks and nightmares.” Worrying what people would think of him – now a successful Christian counselor and media figure – he reluctantly shared his history with his wife, family and others who, he said, have been “kind, loving and supportive.” “Not all men are negatively impacted by abortion,” Morrow said, “but many are, and they need your love, encouragement and compassion.” On the first day of the conference, psychotherapist Vincent M. Rue, Ph.D., and post-abortion therapist Catherine T. Coyle provided an overview of research on the effects of abortion on men. Author of “Men and Abortion: A Path to Healing,” Coyle underscored that research on how abortion affects men is in its infancy. Nevertheless, she said, “qualitative studies” make it clear there can be significant consequences. She, Rue and other conference speakers all reported that many men experience depression and guilt as well as grief, anxiety, powerlessness, anger, emotional turmoil, sexual dysfunction and other symptoms often associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is common, they said, for a man to repress feelings about an abortion in his life for years. Immediately following a partner’s abortion, men often report a sense of relief, they said. However, said Rue, “It is like a virus. It goes deep.” And eventually, he said, delayed symptoms of trauma will often surface despite men’s frequent “avoidance and denial.” Director of an independent research and treatment center, the Institute for Pregnancy Loss in Jacksonville, Fla., Rue has established a website which gathers information on persons’ experiences with abortion, www.abortionresearch.net. One aspect of abortion in the United States mentioned frequently during the conference is that “men have no reproductive rights whatsoever” even if they are married to a woman considering an abortion, in the words of Rue. That fact contributes to many men’s “feelings of powerlessness” in the wake of a child being aborted, Rue and others said. Rue charged that most media as well as the preponderance of mental health organizations and professionals continue to promote abortion despite “the mental health risks” such as “thoughts of suicide in post-abortion women being six times higher” than the general population. “There is zero awareness” of a connection between male suicide and abortion, he said. “It is not even a category.” The experts said substance abuse and risk-taking behaviors appear to be common among men associated with an abortion. Marriage and family therapist Gregory Hasek, whose practice focuses on sex addiction, said he came to realize the importance of adding a question on past experience with abortion to his client in-take information survey as he

‘I went to the clinic with her and sat in the waiting room reading a magazine…. in the next room my child was being dismembered and killed.’

— Chris Aubert

gradually learned of the significant number of men he was treating who were tormented in part by abortion. Hasek, executive director of the Misty Mountain Family Counseling Center in Oregon, said he sees a close correlation between clients who suffer from problems related to their own fathers – abuse, neglect, absence – and their own “loss of fatherhood” resulting from an abortion. “The loss of a father relationship is huge,” he said, noting that 95 percent of sexually addicted men had poor relationships with their fathers. Hasek and other speakers emphasized that men typically process trauma differently than women, and that males’ defenses often include anger and/or intense activity as mechanisms to “distract from the real problem.” During his homily at a Cathedral morning Mass Nov. 29 for conference attendants, Archbishop George Niederauer said “stark issues face us in this struggle” to develop a “culture of life” as outlined in Pope John Paul II’s 1995 encyclical, Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life). Listing abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research as well as war, health care and immigration, the Archbishop said followers of Christ “are forced to choose and make a stand all the time. Comfort, convenience, self-centeredness challenge our faithfulness to the Gospel of life.” The Archbishop said Advent season scriptural readings “each year present very dramatically this struggle between the culture of life and the culture of death.” Referring to the Nov. 29 Mass readings, the Archbishop said, “The first half of this Gospel passage describes the recent fall of Jerusalem — people fleeing the city to the mountains; some falling by the sword; some taken captive; some trampled under foot; the terrible fate of women who are pregnant or nursing their infants in the midst of that violence and chaos.” “In the lives of men and women facing difficult choices— choices that involve life and death, maybe even the death of new life—there can be psychological violence and emotional violence that matches that description,” the Archbishop said. “God’s grace is always adequate to help us make these choices,” he continued, “but we must be for each other channels of his grace, agents of his loving, strengthening action, and we must hear ourselves called to reach out for that strength and grace when we need it.” NOPAMH’s Thorn told Catholic San Francisco she delighted with the event turnout and said participant evaluations praised the content and the “opportunity to network” with one another. Attendants were a blend of clergy, women religious, mental health professionals, counselors, persons who work with post-abortion ministry such as Project Rachel, and “at least 15 men” who wanted to deal with abortion in their lives. “We were moved by how the fathers who attended were touched by the fact someone would acknowledge their pain,” Thorn said. While no follow-up conference is on the drawing boards, she said, there were numerous requests that one be held. “The conference brought to light issues that are rarely if ever discussed, but are very important, and we certainly congratulate the organizers,” said Via Vigil, program coordinator for the archdiocesan Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns which worked with NOPAMH and the Knights of Columbus. Both Vigil and MaryAnn Schwab, coordinator of the Archdiocese’s Project Rachel Post-Abortion Ministry, praised Project Rachel, the Archdiocesan Council of Women, and United for Life San Francisco for providing volunteers and funding for much of the program. “We were thrilled to be part of this groundbreaking experience,” said Schwab. “This is a field that definitely needs to be addressed and we had some of the best people in the country here, pioneers in the field.” Website for the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation & Healing is www.noparh.org.

Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

Vatican official declares stem-cell studies show science can be ethical By Cindy Wooden VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Recent studies showing that human skin cells can be reprogrammed to function as stem cells demonstrate that scientific progress can be achieved without violating basic ethical norms, said Bishop Elio Sgreccia, president of the Pontifical Academy for Life. “If this technique is validated, it would be a historic discovery,” the bishop told Vatican Radio in late November. Separate studies from teams in Japan and in the United States demonstrating success in creating stem cells without using and destroying human embryos were published online Nov. 20 by two scientific journals. By adding four genes to human skin cells, the scientists were able to create stem cells that genetically match the

donor and have the ability to become any of the 220 types of cells in the human body. “The Church conducted this battle for ethical reasons, encouraging researchers to move ahead with adult stem cells and declaring illicit the destruction of embryos,” Bishop Sgreccia said. The success of the approach, which the Japanese and U.S. researchers followed for scientific and not primarily for ethical reasons, demonstrates that progress does not have to violate ethical norms, he said. “Ethics that respects the human being is useful also in research,” Bishop Sgreccia said. And, he said, the results demonstrate that “it is not true that the Church is against research, only that it is against bad research, research which damages human beings, in this case the human embryo.”

Bishop Sgreccia said it is a shame so many human embryos have been destroyed and so many millions of taxpayer dollars have been spent on embryonic stem-cell research when better results have been obtained without destroying embryos. “It is true” that researchers do not know for sure what will work and what will not when they begin a project, the bishop said, “but there were already indications that results could be obtained using adult stem cells, while from embryonic stem cells there have been no results.” “I do not know if those who have invested money and passed laws precisely to allow this (embryonic stem-cell research) will be able to recognize their error and turn back, but at least the scientists who want to achieve results will go looking where they have been proven to be found,” Bishop Sgreccia said.

Stem cell . . .

Parish sponsors blood drive

■ Continued from cover

Blood Centers of the Pacific will hold a blood drive at Sts. Peter and Paul Church in San Francisco Dec. 9. BCP workers will be on hand from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the donor coach in front of the church, 666 Filbert St. Donors will receive a free cholesterol test. BCP supplies more than 500 pints of blood daily to more than 40 Northern California hospitals. For more information, visit www.bloodcenters.org. Appointments are not required, but can be made at (415) 421-0809.

next phase of research. “The claim that (human embryonic stem cells) are absolutely necessary is, of course, an exaggerated claim,” he said. “When he refers to them as a gold standard, that’s a play on words,” he said. “The real gold standard is the type of stem cell you get from mouse embryos, which are much better characterized and the science is much further along.” In an e-mail message, he added: “A ‘sliding scale’ which values embryos less than infants, and infants less than adolescents, and adolescents less than adults, is clearly mistaken. All of us, at all stages along the continuum, possess the same dignity and worth as humans.” In the interview, Father Pacholczyk concluded, “I always tell people I’m an embryo that grew up. That’s a hard biological fact that advocates of Prop 71 are doing their best to dance around.” Carol Hogan, communications director for the California Catholic Conference, sounded a similar note in a Nov. 30 commentary. Will the Prop 71 institute refocus its funding, she asked, or will “the California alchemists stubbornly continue putting aside moral concerns while destroying embryos in the race to discover the ‘elixir of life’”? Meanwhile, Murphy explained that viruses and cancer cells were placed in the reprogrammed adult cells to induce them to perform as pluripotent cells. Scientists must try to identify native genes that perform the same function without the possible health risk, Murphy said. “We have to go back to human embryonic stem cells because those are the cells that have all the secrets,” he said.

R ETREATS VALLOMBROSA CENTER Retreats and Spirituality Programs

DECEMBER 31, 2007 “New Year’s Eve at the Movies” Led by Father David Pettingill $100 per person Join us for our annual New Year’s Eve Retreat. Conferences this year will be based on two popular films: the first conference will be called Frank Capra’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Life”. The second conference will be called “Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Rear Window”. While the titles may seem playful, retreat director, Father David Pettingill, promises that the conferences will be prayerful and reflective. Use this retreat opportunity to reflect on the graces of 2007 and to look forward to the blessings of 2008.

VALLOMBROSA CENTER • (650) 325-5614 Fax: (650) 325-0908 •

Web: www.vallombrosa.org

Dr. Richard Murphy

Voters created the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine when they passed Proposition 71 in 2004. The act amended the state Constitution to establish a right to conduct stem-cell research involving adult stem cells, cord blood stem cells and pluripotent or progenitor cells. Murphy said he could not say how much of the research funded by the institute involves human embryonic stem cells. He said the institute wants to broadly fund stem-cell research. “What we see in California is parallel tracks of research,” he said. “We think they’re all important. We’ve got years more research to be able to understand whether these reprogrammed cells are as important as we think they are.” He said he expects the breakthrough on reprogrammed cells to spark interest among researchers. The Kyoto University and University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers who published the breakthrough separately plan to open labs in California and seek institute funds to support their work, he said. And next week, the institute will fund a new round of grants for young scientists in the field. These researchers “are going to be dependent on the

information we get from human embryonic stem cells to do their work,” Murphy told Catholic San Francisco. Murphy echoed a Dec. 3 commentary in The Washington Post by Alan I. Leshner, chief executive of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and Dr. James A. Thomson, the senior author on last month’s paper in the journal Science describing the University of Wisconsin group’s work. “It’s important to remember that we’re at square one,” they wrote. Thomson is quoted in the New York Times as saying, “If human embryonic stem cell research does not make you at least a little bit uncomfortable, you have not thought about it enough. I thought long and hard about whether I would do it.”

San Damiano Retreat 2008 THEME:

Awaken to the Sacred

New Year’s Retreat

JAN. 11-13

JAN. 12

December 31 to January 1

San Damiano retreat DANVILLE,

CALIFORNIA

FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY Waking Up To The Holy: Mystics, Saints & Everyday Life Sr. Gabriele Uhlein, OSF, Ph.D. BEGINNING ENNEAGRAM Growing Spiritually Maurice Monette, M.Div., Ed.D.

JAN. 25-27 Fr. Rusty Shaughnessy, OFM & Sr. Rebecca JAN. 29-31 Shinas, OP

Conferences and Meetings

250 Oak Grove Avenue Menlo Park, CA 94025 E-mail: host@vallombrosa.org

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

SILENT RETREAT Paula D’Arcy MID-LIFE WORKSHOP Paula D’Arcy Fr. Rusty Shaughnessy, OFM

PO Box 767 • Danville, CA 94526 925-837-9141 • www.sandamiano.org

ST. CLARE’S RETREAT Santa Cruz

2381 LAUREL GLEN ROAD SOQUEL CA 95073 E-mail stclares@sbcglobal.net Web site: www.nonprofitpages/stclaresretreat Reservations for weekends must be made by mail and accompanied by a $10 non-refundable deposit per person. Suggested retreat donation $115.00 private room, $105.00 oer oerson double room.

JANUARY 4-6

MEN & WOMEN: Fr. Michael Barry,SS.CC

11-13 VIETNAMESE RETREAT 18-20 SPECIAL GROUP (Miller) 25-27 Knights of Columbus Fr. Emmerick Vogt, O.P. “The Eucharist: A Mystery to be Lived”

(831) 423-8093 • Fax: (831) 423-1541

300 Manresa Way, Los Altos, CA 94022-4659 www.jrclosaltos.org Dec. 12-16, 2007 Silent, Individually-Directed Retreat A Silent Retreat for Men and Women JRC Pastoral Staff & Associates This longer retreat offers an opportunity for prayerful preparation for Christmas. Each retreatant will explore, with an individual director, some of the themes of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and of the Sacred Scriptures.

Jan. 11-13, 2008 Renewal of the Spirit for the New Year A Silent Retreat for Women Fr. Paul Macke, S.J. As 2008 begins, many of us will focus on New Year resolutions, like losing weight. This retreat will stress a more important priority–renewing our inner spirit through prayer. “God reshape my heart and create a new spirit within me.” (Psalm 51)

Jan. 18-20, 2008 Reconnecting With God in Our Daily Experience A Silent Retreat for Men Fr. Paul Macke, S.J. This retreat will attempt to help us remember and become more sensitive to how God is working in our everyday life. “Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this daythe day on which you left Egypt, the place where you were slaves.’”(Exodus 13:3)

Jan. 25-27, 2008 Because We Are Chosen A Non-Silent Retreat for Married Couples Led by Pete & Sue Fullerton, with Fr. James Hanley, S.J. God invites each of us into our marriage. When we say yes to God, everything changes. Marriage is our road to salvation. How do we respond to God's call? Join other married couples who want to slow down and take time to be together to pray, laugh, and rediscover our call to be holy in our relationships with each other and the families we create.

Jan. 25-27, 2008 Prayer Styles for People in Recovery A Recovery Retreat for Men and Women Led by Fr. Kevin Ballard, S.J., & Sr. Patricia Galli, R.S.M. Learning to pray and to meditate doesn’t have to be difficult. Recovery motivates us to live on a spiritual basis. Other traditions point the way. We can adapt their wisdom and methods for our busy lives and our busy minds.

For more information and to make reservations, kindly call 650-948-4491 Email: retreat@jrclosaltos.org Web: www.jrclosaltos.org

December 7, 2007

Catholic San Francisco

Lawsuit seeks to block enforcement of SB777 By Rick DelVecchio A new California law designed to protect public school students against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity should be struck down as vague and subjective, a group of Southern California educators allege in a civil-rights lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in San Diego County Nov. 27. The lawsuit attacks SB 777, also known as the California Student Civil Rights Act. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law in October over the strong opposition of the California Catholic Conference and others who argued the measure is anti-family and designed to promote alternatives to traditional sexual mores. In a second challenge to SB 777, a group called Capitol Resource Family Impact is circulating a petition to have a referendum on the law placed on the June ballot. “SB 777 seeks to normalize alternative lifestyles in California schools,” according to a flyer prepared to be placed in church bulletins. The law amends the state Education Code to specify that public school students are entitled to equal rights regardless of disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or any other characteristic contained in the state Penal Code’s definition of hate crimes. Advocates said the bill was crafted to eliminate inconsistent language among anti-discrimination provisions of the Education Code. They predicted the new law would make it easier for school districts to design anti-discrimination policies defensible in court. But the lawsuit argues that SB 777 makes the legal picture more vague. It fails “to give a person of ordinary intelligence a reasonable opportunity to know what is prohibited,” according to the suit. The complaint also claims that the requirements might “trap the innocent” by not providing fair warning of what is prohibited.

SB 777 “places educators in the impossible position of (1) reading the minds of individuals to determine the individual’s self-defined sexual identity so as not to inadvertently discriminate against the individual based upon their self-defined sex and (2) protecting the privacy and safety of all students from persons of the opposite sex. There is no limitation on how often a person may change their selfdefined sex and there are no applicable standards on which educators may rely” to implement the law, the suit argues. The plaintiffs are the California Education Committee LLC and Priscilla Schreiber, a board member of the Grossmont Union High School Education District in San Diego County. The committee members identified include three other board members of the same school district, three teachers in Los Angeles, San Diego and Riverside counties and an unnamed female student athlete at a public high school in San Diego County. The student represents other public high school students

Former LA priest sentenced to 10 years LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A former priest of the Los Angeles Archdiocese pleaded guilty Dec. 3 to 12 counts of sexually abusing two boys between 1996 and 1998 and was sentenced to 10 years and four months in prison. Michael Baker, 60, “deceived parishioners, therapists, Church leaders and, most of all, his victims” for many years, said Cardinal Roger M. Mahony of Los Angeles in a statement. “By his actions he caused terrible damage to innocent lives, and obscured the good deeds of many priests and others who minister to God’s people,” the cardinal said. “I hope that today’s action, combined with his previous removal from the priesthood, bring into sharp focus for him the horrific damage he has caused, and that it also brings

Saint Agnes Church Sacrament of Reconciliation Wednesday, December 12 9am to 7pm If you have been thinking about going to Confession, this may be the day for you. Confessors are available through the day. All are welcome. 1025 Masonic Avenue, San Francisco (415) 487- 8560 www.saintagnessf.com Parking is available in our Oak Street Lots.

Inclusive + Diverse + Jesuit

How many children in our lives give us a hug when we’ll ask for one – or when they know we need one? Throughout the Missions,there are many children in need; abandoned and alone, some are even living on the streets, without food, shelter — sometimes without hope and love as well. Religious Sisters reach out to these little ones, with practical help and always with the love of our Lord. Says one mission Sister:“Each of these children I would like to hug in a warm embrace.” This Christmas, will you add Sisters in the Missions to your Christmas gift-giving list? In this way, with your support through the Society for the Propagation of the Faith, you are with these Sisters as they reach out with the love of Jesus to the poor of the Missions, especially the children.

The Society for THE PROPAGATION OF THE FAITH

…a Pontifical Mission Society

Most Rev. Ignatius C. Wang One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco, CA 94109 Attn: Dept C Enclosed is my Christmas gift for the Missions. . . ❐ $100 ❐ $50 ❐ $25 ❐ $10 ❐ $_______(other) Name_____________________________________________________________ Address___________________________________________________________ City______________________________________State_______Zip__________

www.givetothemissions.org

some sense of justice and solace to his victims and the Church community he so grievously harmed,” he said. In the late 1980s, Cardinal Mahony had allowed thenFather Baker to remain in ministry after the man admitted he had sexually abused two minors. He underwent treatment and ongoing counseling, but in 2000 the archdiocese received additional complaints that made it clear the priest had continued to abuse minors. He was laicized in 2000. In 2002 Baker was charged with more than a dozen crimes against boys, but those charges were voided by the U.S. Supreme Court, citing California’s statute of limitations. In May 2002, Cardinal Mahony issued an apology to all his priests for having returned Baker to ministry.

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whose privacy rights will be affected by the new law’s definition of gender, according to the suit. A Riverside County law firm, Advocates for Faith and Freedom, specializing in pro-family cases, represents the plaintiffs. “There are a lot of issues that pertain to the push by radical groups trying to destroy the family through the homosexual agenda and other related issues,” said Robert Tyler, the firm’s general counsel. The suit names as defendants Schwarzenegger, Attorney General Jerry Brown and schools Superintendent Jack O’Connell. Vicki Evans, Respect Life coordinator for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, has criticized SB777 in the past as having “the potential to make it illegal to uphold certain Catholic teachings such as traditional marriage as a benefit for children and society.” “What parents deem morally objectionable,” she said, “is fast becoming synonymous with ‘hate speech’ in our society.”

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Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

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Takacs String Quartet shows ‘ customary dash and spirit’ By Father Basil DePinto Music loving San Franciscans owe it to themselves to look eastward at the superlative offerings of Cal Performances, most of them presented in the two fine concert halls on the Berkeley campus. The afternoon of Dec. 2 marked the return of a perennial

Pro-life group wants movie critics’ ousters Father Tom Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, has called on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to fire film reviewer Harry Forbes. Forbes, director of the USCCB Office for Film and Broadcasting, recently praised the film “The Golden Compass,” a film based on a series of novels by author Philip Pullman. Pullman, one of Britain’s most outspoken atheists, said the series was an attempt “to undermine the basis of Christian belief.” Forbes is no stranger to controversy. Two years ago he wrote a positive review of the controversial film “Brokeback Mountain,” which portrayed a homosexual affair between a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy. On Dec. 4 Father Euteneuer told Catholic San Francisco that for him Forbes’ latest action was the last straw. “He has put the bishops on record as praising an avowed, militant atheist,” the priest said. “If he were working for me he would have been fired yesterday.” Father Euteneuer also called on the USCCB to fire John Mulderig, co-author of the “Golden Compass” review. The priest charged the requested action comes down to protecting young people. “The fact that these gentlemen could recommend this movie to children is just abhorrent to me,” he said. Catholic author and blogger Amy Welborn reported that the advertising agency for New Line Cinema, which produced “The Golden Compass,” is using Forbes’ and Mulderig’s review of the film to promote advertising in diocesan newspapers. Sister Mary Ann Walsh, director of the USCCB Office of Media Relations, told Catholic San Francisco Dec. 4 that no conference response to the HLI statement was planned. Bilingual Staff Information and Referrals ● Care Coordination

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SCRIPTURE SEARCH By Patricia Kasten

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favorite, the Takacs String Quartet (the Hungarian name is pronouced tak-atch). A clear sign of the favor in which the group is held was the sold-out house, to which was added a complement of 50 or 60 stage seats to accommodate the overflow. The program was not adventurous but all three pieces were performed with the group’s customary dash and spirit. It is by now a cliché to remark with some surprise that there is still a lot of good music to be composed in the key of C major, but in Haydn’s time it was taken for granted. The opus 74 Quartet dates from the maestro’s happy years in London (17911792), where he was made much of by an adoring public. The piece reflects Haydn’s warm, sunny disposition and the players gave it a suitably bright, energetic run-through. Then it was time to get down to work. There could hardly be a greater contrast to Haydn than the spiky, rough-hewn quartets of Bartok, so different from much of the lyricism in most of this great 20th century master’s work. The Quartet No. 5, while not quite as intense and demanding as the Third, for example, is still a difficult piece for the average listener. It was a measure of the mastery of the Takacs players that they held the audience in thrall, especially in the quiet ending of the Andante, when not a sound could be heard but the music: this in a season when hacking and sniffling are all too frequent. Not this time. After intermission came a throwback to full-blown 19th century romanticism with the Quintet of Robert Schumann, for which the Takacs was joined by the brilliant young pianist Joyce Yang. This is music of the utmost emotional release (Schumann

BELMONT – A celebration of Christmas music, including opera, choral and chamber offerings, is being offered at Notre Dame de Namur University’s Cunningham Memorial Chapel on Dec. 7 and 8. The instrumental prelude begins at 7:15 p.m., the concert at 7:30 p.m. This Christmas festival will combine the full forces of NDNU’s Department of Music and Vocal Arts, including NDNU’s new Pocket Opera Studio, Concert Choir, and Camerata Chamber ensembles. The Pocket Opera Studio, an affiliate of Donald Pippin’s Pocket Opera in San Francisco, will perform Menotti’s famous and beloved one-act opera, “Amahl and the Night

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Visitors,” which became a classic the night it premiered on NBC TV on Christmas Eve, 1951. “Amahl” is stage directed by Greg Fritsch, conducted by NDNU’s resident composer Henry Mollicone. Tickets are $20 general admission, $10 students and seniors. For more information, call (650) 508-3729.

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was newly married) joined to technical surety and imaginative inventiveness. There were so many memorable moments in the performance that it’s hard to choose favorites. In the first movement there was the delicious interplay of cello and viola; the whole of the scherzo gamboled along, ushering in a happy finale. But special plaudits belong to the brilliant contribution of Ms. Yang. Although still a student at Juilliard at the age of 21, she has already concertized widely, after winning the Van Cliburn Competition in 2005. On this occasion she found just the right balance between assertiveness and reticence, so that the piano never dominated the strings but still retained its forward place in the whole. Ms. Yang is clearly on the threshold of an important career, and it will be interesting to watch her development. Always a welcome presence on the local scene, the Takacs Quartet is a stunning reminder of the irreplaceable role of chamber music in musical life in general. The larger forms – opera, symphony – get most of the attention (and the generous grants), but the string quartet remains an indispensable current of musical vitality, which accounts for the eagerness of players to engage in it and audiences to bask in its glow. A small group, intensely involved in a demanding task, and willing to forego personal prominence to achieve a common goal: not only a musical ideal, but perhaps a tellingly human one as well.

For further information regarding questions, concerns, or complaints about research, research related injury, and questions about the rights of research participants, please call (650) 723-5244 or call toll free 1-866-680-2906, or write the Administrative panel on Human Subjects in Medical Research, Administrative Panels Office, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5401.

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Catholic San Francisco

(PHOTOS BY JOSE AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

December 7, 2007

Devotion, dance and endurance were in abundance at the 14th annual Guadalupana Pilgrimage.

14th annual Guadalupana Pilgrimage draws 16,000 to Cathedral Between 13,000 and 14,000 devotees of the Virgin of Guadalupe – some without shoes — walked the 12 miles from South San Francisco’s All Souls Parish to San Francisco’s St. Mary’s Cathedral on Dec. 1 where they joined more than an additional 2,000 worshippers to celebrate a festive and faithfilled Mass concluding the annual Guadalupana Pilgrimage. Now in its 14th year, the event drew participants from throughout northern California and was led in part by Msgr. Pedro Agustin Rivera Diaz, rector of the Old Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Archdiocese of Mexico City. In brief remarks during the Mass, Msgr. Rivera said he was delighted to see people from Mexico, Latin America “and all over the world” taking part in the pilgrimage. Msgr. Rivera’s basilica church is adjacent to the new, 14,000-seat Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe where the tilma (cloak) of St. Juan Diego with the miraculous image of the pregnant Virgin Mary is enshrined. “It really is just amazing that the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe has reached so many people,” said Pedro Garcia. He and his wife Marta are co-founders of the Guadalupana Pilgrimage and its general coordinators. In Mexico, Msgr. Rivera has been charged by Church authorities with spearheading opposition to liberalization of abortion laws there, a topic he addressed during a Nov. 25 Day of Recollection Dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe as Protector of Life at St. Mary’s Cathedral attended by more than 500. During his Spanish-language homily at the pilgrimage

Mass, Archbishop George H. Niederauer said, “In every age Our Lady of Guadalupe has been a patron and intercessor for her children. Mary knew what it was to flee to another country with a baby in her arms, when she and Joseph fled to Egypt with the infant Jesus. She knew what it was to be a stranger and to learn a strange language.” The pilgrimage route included respite and worship stops at St. John the Evangelist and Holy Angels churches as well as at Holy Cross Cemetery where

Pro-life march set Dec. 9 A pro-life rosary march will be held in San Mateo Dec. 9 in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The march will begin at 2 p.m. at St. Gregory Church, 2715 Hacienda St., and end seven blocks away in front of a Planned Parenthood facility. For more information, call Jessica at (650) 572-1468.

walkers were served hot chocolate by cemetery staffers. Pilgrims were greeted by music and two Azteca dance groups when they arrived at the Cathedral, including two San Francisco-based troupes — Danza Xitlali and Danza Teokali. Radio station LA RAZA 93.3 FM was praised by Pedro Garcia for its informal sponsoring role in the event, advance publicity, and live, day-long coverage of the pilgrimage. During much of the trek pilgrims were buoyed by the music of Banda de Los Hermanos Fuentes, a band which has taken part “for at least a half dozen years now,” Garcia added. Garcia also said organizers were pleased with the large turnout of young persons, estimating that 60 percent of the pilgrims were 30 and younger. Father John Balleza, pastor of Redwood City’s Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, is chaplain to the Guadalupana organization. Other priests taking part in the event included Father William Justice, archdiocesan Vicar for Clergy; and Msgr. Jose Rodriguez, pastor of St. John the Evangelist Parish and Vicar for Spanish-Speaking.

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Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

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Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper

Guest editorial Holy Grail of reprogramming: a new era for stem-cells? By Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk The recent discovery that regular old garden-variety skin cells can be converted into highly flexible (pluripotent) stem cells has rocked the scientific world. Two papers, one by a Japanese group and another by an American group, have announced a genetic technique that produces stem cells without destroying (or using) any human embryos. In other words, the kind of stem cell usually obtained by destroying embryos appears to be available another way. All that is required is to transfer four genes into the skin cells, triggering them to convert into pluripotent stem cells. It has been called “biological alchemy,” something like turning lead into gold. Many are hailing “cellular reprogramming” as a breakthrough of epic proportions, the stuff that Nobel prizes are made of, a kind of Holy Grail in biomedical research. As important as this advance may prove to be scientifically, it may be even more important to the ethical discussion. It offers a possible solution to a longstanding ethical impasse and a unique opportunity to declare a pause, maybe even a truce in the stem-cell wars, given that the source of these cells is ethically pristine and uncomplicated. As one stem-cell researcher put it recently, if the new method produces equally potent cells, as it has been touted to do, “the whole field is going to completely change. People working on ethics will have to find something new to worry about.” Thus, science itself may have devised a clever way to heal the wound it opened back in 1998 when human embryos began to be sought and destroyed for their stem cells. Dr. James Thomson (whose 1998 work ignited the controversy, and who also published one of the new breakthrough papers) acknowledged just such a possibility in comments to reporters: “Ten years of turmoil and now this nice ending.” Whether this nice ending will actually play out remains to be seen, but a discovery of this magnitude, coupled with a strong ethical vision, certainly has the potential to move us beyond the contentious moral quagmire of destroying human embryos. Change never comes easily, however, and before we can really change, we need to see the reasons why we should change. Each of us is, incredibly, an embryo who has grown up. This biological fact stares researchers in the face every time they choose to “disaggregate” a human embryo with their own bare hands. It makes many researchers edgy, touching them on some deeper level of their being. It makes many Americans queasy and eager to find alternatives. Dr. Thomson, who has overseen the destruction of numerous embryonic humans himself, had the honesty to acknowledge this fact in comments he made to The New York Times recently: “If human embryonic stem cell research does not make you at least a little bit uncomfortable, you have not thought about it enough.” Reprogramming eliminates these ethical concerns even as it offers a highly practical and straightforward technique for obtaining pluripotent stem cells. The sheer practicality of the new reprogramming approach, coupled with its ethical advantages, really makes it a no-brainer. Yet despite all these advantages, a number of voices can be heard arguing that the bio-industrial-complex emerging around destructive human embryo research must be safeguarded and expanded. There are at least three reasons for this. First, the financial investment that has already been made in this arena is significant, especially considering certain state initiatives like Proposition 71 in California which devote large sums of state taxpayer money to pursue research that depends on human embryo destruction. Once large sums of money are involved, ethics often becomes the first casualty. Second, some of the scientists who advocate the destruction of human embryos have never really taken the moral concerns very seriously because the creed they subscribe to is the so-called “scientific imperative,” namely, that science must go forward, as if it were the highest good. The third reason embryo destructive research will still likely be promoted has to do with abortion. Several astute commentators have noted recently how the whole field of embryonic stem cell research seems to serve as a kind of “hedge” for abortion. In the same way that a garden gets a hedge placed around it to protect it, embryonic stem cells are becoming a placeholder for abortion. If embryo killing becomes incorporated into the way we cure illnesses and maintain our health as a society, then abortion on demand will be more likely to curry favor in our culture as well. Father 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

Post-abortion pain real Please pass this letter on to all the people working for the National Office of PostAbortion Reconciliation & Healing. You have my deepest sympathy. On the shores of the Pacific, in and near the City of St. Francis, at the back door you are trying to pick up the broken pieces and mend postabortion men. At the front door, in my opinion, the pulpits of most of the Christian denominations have used Paper Mate liquid paper, fast dry to eradicate all words on stopping abortion. The government of the United States proclaims it is acceptable for a mother to kill her own child. As a local white-haired observer for many years, the majority of Christian religious, including our own, are reluctant to inform and educate on the pain that abortion causes the people of God. I commend you on your efforts, and wish you well for attempting to help men who are suffering from the loss of their precious holy infants. I will do all I can to help your cause. You are truly carrying a heavy cross. Roy Domenico Petri San Anselmo

Hysterical views

L E T T E R S

There must be other syndicated columnists who could fill the space you devote each week to the extreme and sometimes hysterical views of George Weigel. His column on the next social encyclical asserts that “for the first time in human history, no one has to be poor...no one has to go to bed hungry or, worse, starve.” That’s difficult to reconcile with the situation in Darfur and Haiti and other areas as described in your own pages and in the appeals made throughout the year by the Church itself. It’s hard to take Weigel seriously when he makes statements referring to concern over the environment as “doomsday-mongering” and suggests the Nobel Committee has reduced “that once-distinguished award to the equivalent of an Oscar” because it has honored Al Gore. Your readers deserve more balanced commentary than Weigel provides week after week. Ted Weber, Jr. San Francisco

Pro-lifer treated unfairly The Rev. Anthony McGuire has no right to prevent Mr. Ross Foti from practicing his pro-life Catholic religion at St. Matthew Catholic Church. Mr. Foti is not disruptive during Mass and probably recites the liturgy and partakes in the holy sacraments as other parishioners. His vehicle parked off the church premises on a pubic street is lawful. Arresting him for trespassing on church property — he attended a weekday Mass —is no infraction and should be contrary to God’s Law. The Catholic Church has placed before its parishioners many sculptures and pictures of a dead Christ on a crucifix in more than one place in most churches or parish

Letters welcome Catholic San Francisco welcomes letters from its readers. Please:

➣ Include your name, address and daytime phone number. ➣ Sign your letter. ➣ Limit submissions to 250 words. ➣ Note that the newspaper reserves the right to edit for clarity and length. Send your letters to: Catholic San Francisco One Peter Yorke Way San Francisco, CA 94109 Fax: (415) 614-5641 E-mail: morrisyoungd@sfarchdiocese.org

centers. There may be even pictures in the Bible or representations of saints in the throes of death or torture. Adults and children wear crosses depicting the crucifix. Even the slide show on the St. Matthew’s Church website has at least three death scenes So a few deaths scenes on a car can’t really be offensive to the Rev. McGuire and his staff or they would remove them. Of course, the Bible would have to be sent back to the monasteries for a rewrite. The mission statement of their Catholic Church school as shown in the student handbook seems at odds with the pastor’s citizen arrest and an unofficial “restraining order.” I see nothing disruptive in Mr. Foti’s practices. No doubt the Catechism teaches doctrine about abortion and contraception and so many other practices consigned to the Church. I think the “Church body” has to find more persuasive arguments to prevent a parishioner to change his position. After all, many Catholics practice contraception and have had abortions and yet the clergy continue to admonish parishioners to obey God’s Law. Would sinners be turned away from St. Matthews or is that obviated by “confession?” Mr. Foti makes people think even if his visuals are disturbing. In the context of daily life Catholics and others watch a lot of television, movies, books, and magazines depicting even more disturbing events. Jack Kirkpatrick Redwood City

PICO rooted in IAF

I read a letter in Catholic San Francisco (Oct. 12) from a parishioner who wondered why the parish was being asked to donate money to an organization named PICO without being told “who or what this PICO organization really is.” Recently you published a glowing article about the activities of the San Francisco Organizing Project, which states on its website that it is “affiliated with the PICO National Network.” Among many other “faithbased” organizations, this network includes at least 10 Catholic parishes. Parishioners might be interested to know organizations such as PICO (and ACORN and others) are directly or indirectly spawned by an organization called the Industrial Areas Foundation. The IAF was founded in 1940 by Saul Alinsky (author of “Rules for Radicals”) for community organizing around progressive social and economic issues. It is still the largest of the organizing networks in the U.S. PICO, in fact, was founded by a student of Alinsky’s. The IAF, PICO and similar organizations seem to be engaged in many worthy sounding projects. I trust the people involved are motivated by good intentions. However, it is questionable whether Catholic parishes should be dues paying members of such organizations. Stephanie Block, who has written an analysis of the IAF (Google, “A Commentary on the Industrial Areas Foundation”) has framed the Church’s relationship to social issues well: “Many of the issues addressed by community organizing are prudential, that is, there may be citizens of good will on both sides. Churches do not have the expertise to decide a social issue, only the moral absolutes to inform it. It is unjust to act as though a negotiable solution is mandated by God or to coerce that solution by using the authority of the Church in a manner inappropriate to it.” The IAF and affiliates seem to be a growing presence in U.S. Catholic parishes. I, and I bet other parishioners, believe it behooves the hierarchy to closely examine and clarify this relationship in the light of Church doctrine. Robert Johnson Fairfax (Ed. note: PICO stands for People Improving Communities through Organizing. ACORN is the acronym for Association of Community Organization for Reform Now.) LETTERS, page 17

December 7, 2007

Catholic San Francisco

The Catholic Difference

Blessed Franz’s unshakeable faith Several years ago, I asked Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Vienna, what he thought about the delays in the beatification process for Franz Jaegerstaetter, the Austrian peasant beheaded for refusing to serve under arms in Hitler’s Wehrmacht. Cardinal Schoenborn is a theologian of no small accomplishment; he’s also a man of deep piety, which his answer reflected: “I’m already praying to him.” A little relieved, I confessed that I, too, had jumped the canonical gun and had been praying to a man whom, like the cardinal, I regarded as a martyr – indeed, as one of the singular figures of 20th century Catholicism. So it was a great satisfaction this past Oct. 26 when the official Church caught up with us, so to speak, and Franz Jaegerstaetter was beatified in Linz, Austria. Very few people would have imagined the young Franz as a saint. He was a hellion, and it was only after his marriage to Franziska Schwaninger and a honeymoon pilgrimage to Rome that this largely uneducated peasantworker was transformed by grace into serious Catholic. A very serious Catholic. Jaegerstaetter was a daily communicant in an era when that was far more unusual than today; he became a Third Order Franciscan; he read closely in the Scriptures and the lives of the saints; he fasted, did acts of penance, gave generously to the poor, and served as volunteer sacristan of his local parish. When Hitler’s Anschluss led to Austria’s incorporation into the Third Reich, Jaegerstaetter, alone in his village,

protested. Too many Austrian Catholics welcomed the new order with enthusiasm, voting in large numbers for incorporation into Nazi Germany. Jaegerstaetter (according to that distinguished amateur historian, William Doino Jr.) wrote that “what took place in the spring of 1938 was not much different from what happened that Holy Thursday 1,900 years ago when the crowd was given a free choice between the innocent Savior and the criminal Barabbas.” Franz Jaegerstaetter’s own trial came soon enough. Called to military service in 1943, he refused induction, not on pacifist grounds (he wasn’t a pacifist), but on the basis of what we would now call selective conscientious objection: Hitler’s war was an unjust war being waged by a fatally wicked regime. Therefore, conscience would not permit serving as a soldier in the Wehrmacht. Jaegerstatter’s pastor and bishop tried to talk him out of his objections. His responsibilities to his wife and family weighed heavily on him. His offer to serve as a military paramedic was refused by the Nazi regime. In a prison cell in Berlin, Jaegerstaetter suffered intensely at the thought that he might be acting irresponsibly toward his family. But as he wrote his wife on the day of his execution, “It was not possible for me to spare you the pain that you must now suffer on my account. How hard it must have been for our dear Savior when, through his sufferings and death, he had to prepare such a great sorrow for his mother – and they bore all this out of love for us sinners.

I thank our dear Jesus, too, that I am privileged to suffer and even die for him...May God accept my life in atonement not only for my sins but for the sins of others as well.” Franz Jaegerstaetter George Weigel was executed by guillotine on Aug. 9, 1943 – one year to the day after Edith Stein, now St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, died in the gas chambers of Auschwitz/Birkenau. The brilliant Carmelite philosopher and the simple Austrian peasant shared an unshakeable faith that, as Blessed Franz put it, “Neither prison nor chains nor sentence of death can separate [us] from the love of God...[for] the power of God cannot be overcome.” Given the life-and-death choice between what Dietrich Bonhoeffer (the Lutheran martyr executed by the Nazis in 1945) called “cheap grace” and “costly grace,” Edith Stein and Franz Jaegerstaetter embraced the costly grace of the cross – and now share the glory of the resurrection. May their intercession at the throne of grace be a powerful aid in the new evangelization of the German-speaking world. George Weigel is a senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Guest Commentary

Give toys outside the box this Christmas The recent spate of product recalls during the busiest toy-buying season of the year leaves many adults worried about what gifts they will give children and other loved ones. As alarming as the state of toy safety is, it provides an opportunity to exercise creativity and extra thoughtfulness in what presents we put under the Christmas trees and into loved ones’ hands. Here are some gift suggestions that might appeal to all age groups and maturity levels: ◆ The whole family can enjoy season passes to the local children’s museum, an aquarium, zoo or museum. At Christmas, these passes can be wrapped up with a guidebook to the locale or a video of a virtual tour. (Most of these venues also have websites the family can explore beforehand.) ◆ Visits made throughout the year will promote family togetherness, learning for all, and might even spark career interests or a desire to volunteer. ◆ Children interested in sports can be given a piece of equipment, lessons or tickets to a sporting event along with a book about the history of the sport and those who play it. ◆ Children who like music might enjoy an instrument and lessons. The mental and physical dexterity they develop will apply not only to their artistic pursuit but to many other facets of their lives.

◆ Spiritual health can be nurtured through books on faith. Young children are often fascinated by stories of saints’ lives. Older children can appreciate faith-based books and family heirlooms — perhaps a guide to saying the rosary along with a rosary that belonged to a grandparent. ◆ Creative thinking is important at any age and can be nurtured in even the youngest by the gift of a simple set of building blocks (that are not so small that they present a choking hazard). Older children might benefit from building airplane or ship models, drawing or painting sets, or a telescope with a guide to the sky. ◆ Many families have a rich ethnic heritage demonstrated in needlework, pottery, dance, music and other creative forms. Some are expressed in different languages. Besides serving as an excellent gift for a child, giving instruction in specific heritage manifestations creates a bridge from one generation to another, ensuring that beautiful, meaningful traditions endure. ◆ A faith-centered family might decide that the most memorable, meaningful Christmas they could have would be to volunteer their time as a family at a local shelter, food collection drive or other event. Or the family could make a commitment to contribute financially throughout the coming

year to a missionary, church or community agency that serves others. To explore local, national and international opportunities for service, contact your local diocesan office of missions, Catholic Charities Maureen Pratt (www.catholiccharitiesusa.org) or the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at usccb.org. If parents still want to give a toy or two to their children, two websites track safety and recall issues: World Against Toys Causing Harm (W.A.T.C.H., www.toysafety.org) and United States Public Interest Research Groups (www.uspirg.org). Perhaps this is the Christmas to think outside the ordinary Christmas box and give gifts that promote health, education, charity and a deep and active expression of our faith. Maureen Pratt is a regular contributor to Catholic News Service.

Spirituality for Life

‘Glory’ found in forgiveness, not muscle We all nurse a secret dream of glory. We daydream that we will stand out and be recognized. And so we fantasize about great achievements that will set us apart and make us famous. The daydreams vary, but always we are at the center - the most admired person in the room, the one scoring the winning goal, the ballerina star, the actor picking up the Academy Award, the author writing the bestseller, the intellectual winning the Nobel Prize, or even just the one in the circle who tells the best story. What we are chasing in all this is notice, uniqueness and adulation so we can be duly recognized and loved. We want the light shining on us. This isn’t all bad or unhealthy. We are built to stand in the spotlight. Our own reality is massively (sometimes oppressively) real to us. Scientists today tell us that the universe has no single center, but that everywhere and every person is its center. So it is not a big secret that each of us feels ourselves at the center and wants to be recognized as being there. We nurse a secret dream of glory. And, partly, this is healthy. What is less healthy is how we envision that glory. In our fantasies, glory almost always consists in being famous, in standing out, in achieving a success that makes others envious, in somehow being the best-looking, brightest or most talented. In our fantasy,

glory means having the power to actuate ourselves in ways that set us above others, even if that is for a good motive. For instance, some of our fantasies are daydreams of goodness, of being powerful enough to squash evil. Indeed, that was the messianic fantasy. Before Jesus was born, goodhearted and religious people prayed for a Messiah generally envisaged as a worldly superstar, a person with a superior heart and superior muscles, a Messiah who would reveal the superiority of God by out-muscling the bad. But, as we see from the Gospels, real glory doesn’t consist in out-muscling the bad, or anyone else. When Jesus was being crucified, he was offered precisely the challenge to prove he was special by doing some spectacular gesture that would leave all of his detractors stunned and helpless: “If you are the Son of God, prove it, come down off the cross! Save yourself!” But, with a subtlety easy to miss, the Gospels teach a very different lesson. On the cross, Jesus proves he is powerful beyond measure, not by doing some spectacular physical act that leaves everyone helpless to protest, but in a spectacular act of the heart wherein he forgives those who are mocking and killing him. Divine kingship is manifest in forgiveness, not in muscle. That is real glory and the one thing of which we really

should be envious, namely, the compassion and forgiveness Jesus manifested in the face of jealousy, hatred and murder. We see this illustrated in the Gospels when James and John come to Jesus and ask him to give Father them the seats of glory at Ron Rolheiser his side. Jesus takes their request seriously and does not, on that occasion, caution them against pride. Rather he asks, “Can you drink from the cup [of suffering] that I shall drink?” In naiveté, they answer: “We can!” Jesus replies: “The cup that I shall drink you shall drink, but as for the seats [of glory] at my right hand or left, these are not mine to give.” What Jesus is saying is this: You will taste suffering, everyone will, and that suffering will make you deep. But, it won’t necessarily make you deep in the right way. Suffering can make you deep in compassion and forgiveness, but it can also make you deep in bitterness and anger. Only comROLHEISER, page 21

Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT

Scripture reflection

Isaiah 11:10; Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12 A READING FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH On that day, a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. The cow and the bear shall be neighbors, together their young shall rest; the lion shall eat hay like the ox. The baby shall play by the cobra’s den, and the child lay his hand on the adder’s lair. There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea. On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious. RESPONSORIAL PSALM R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever. O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king’s son; he shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever. Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever. For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever. May his name be blessed forever; as long as the sun his name shall remain.

In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed; all the nations shall proclaim his happiness. R. Justice shall flourish in his time, and fullness of peace forever. A READING FROM THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS Brothers and sisters: Whatever was written previously was written for our instruction, that by endurance and by the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Welcome one another, then, as Christ welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I say that Christ became a minister of the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, to confirm the promises to the patriarchs, but so that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing praises to your name. A READING FROM THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

ROB GRANT

Lions,tigers and lambs-Oh my! Lions laying with lambs. Leopards grazing with calves. Knowledge as deep as the sea. Rescue for the afflicted. Oh yes, and unproductive trees being cut down and thrown into the fire. Our readings for this second week of Advent follow well on the “be awake” admonition of our Scripture passages from the first week of Advent. Each of these powerful readings, from Isaiah the visionary, David the psalmist, Paul the zealot and, most directly, Matthew the most prolific chronicler of Jesus’ years on this earth, challenges us to ask the big question: “Just what is this Kingdom that is at hand?” The Jewish audience to whom John the Baptist (and 40 years later, Matthew) is preaching knew a lot about kingdoms. They knew the stories of their nomadic ancestors like Isaac and Jacob and Joseph being at the mercy of the emerging empires of Babylonia and Assyria, culminating with the enslavement of the Hebrew people by Egypt in the mid-second millennium BCE. They knew the checkered past of their own Jewish kingdoms of the first millennium BCE, when kings like Saul, David and Solomon fought off the expansionist advances of the Jebusites and Philistines, only to find the newly-formed Jewish nation itself soon embroiled in intertribal rivalries that split the Jewish kingdom in two, North (Israel) and South (Judah) and ushered in 200 years of bloody infighting and Hebrew-on-Hebrew assassinations. They knew the humiliation of domination by Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans, Cyrus and the Persians, and Alexander and the Greeks. And, most recently in their history, their brutal subjugation by Pompey and the Romans in the first century BCE. Yes, Jews knew from kingdoms. And they knew from their lions-and-lambs prophet Isaiah just what kind of kingdom John the Baptist was talking about — a kingdom not won by bloodshed, but offered through reconciliation. A kingdom not fueled by power, but nourished by surrender. A kingdom not skewed to the famed and privileged, but geared to the outcast and disadvantaged. What’s not to like? Well, if you are the sort who’s used to blood-shedding, power wielding and privilege-getting, you might not be so happy about the New Deal bring proposed. Here’s the curious thing about us humans. Oftentimes, we end up liking (and choosing)

what we’re used to, even if the alternative sounds really wonderful. A no-bloodshed Kingdom of Peace sounds nice and it’s something we all “want,” but over the millennia we’ve become pretty used to the idea that to have peace (or, in our current parlance, security) we sometimes need a little war. Matthew’s John the Baptist is not too happy with his Galilean countrymen, and he wouldn’t be too pleased with us, being “used” to wars, big or little. For our rejection of the prophetic idea of swords being plow-shared and spears being pruning-hooked, he tells us we’re like a fruitless tree — good for nothing but to be burned. A compassion-fueled Kingdom of Reconciliation sounds nice and it’s something we all “want,” but in the course of our history we humans have become quite comfortable with the notion that to maintain order and righteousness, we really need to lay down the law and hold to it. For our resistance to the prophetic idea of surrender of power, John tells us we’re like a fruitless tree —good for nothing but to be burned. A Kingdom of Equality sounds nice and it’s something we all “want,” but, truth be told, we don’t think it’s fair that some people just “get” to have the things that we worked hard for and “earned.” For our resistance to the prophetic idea of standing with the outcast and disadvantaged, John tells us we’re like a fruitless tree— good for nothing but to be burned. Quite a controversial kingdom this Isaiah and John are calling us to as we move through these weeks of Advent. So, the second question: Knowing the challenges of this kingdom, are we on board? Are we willing to be the people, the Church, the species who really want this radical kind of kingdom, and are willing to work to make it happen? As we await the kingdom “already here, and yet to come,” will this Advent find us becoming ever more the prophets of lion and lambs, seeking deep knowledge, bearing the fruits of reconciliation, surrender and compassion? Or, will we simply be those fruitless limbs good for nothing but burning? Rob Grant is a 30-year veteran of parish work in San Francisco, where he currently serves as music director at Corpus Christi Church, cantor/guitarist at St. Gabriel and Notre Dame des Victoires, and teacher of music and liturgy at St. Paul’s.

Advent Week 2 Anticipation of coming wonder can be seen in Sunday readings The following Advent Wreath prayer is intended to help busy households make Advent a prayerful time during the rush of Christmas preparations. The language is fairly simple to be used by groups of adults or adults with children. Sharing the task of proclaiming the readings will allow for participation by a variety of members of the household. Leader: Today begins just the second week of Advent, our season of waiting and preparing for Christmas. In order to help each of us prepare our own hearts for the birth of Christ, we take these few moments again this week to pray together. Light two candles on the Advent Wreath Read aloud: Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12 Leader: Do you ever feel like Christmas will never get here? The readings that the Church has selected for this Second Sunday of Advent just add to that sense of anticipation, teasing us about the wonders to come. The Prophet Isaiah tells of the savior who is coming, how wonderful he will be, how things will change, how what we’ve come to believe and expect will all be different. St. Paul tells the people of Rome to take hope in the fact that we don’t have to try to figure things out for ourselves,

that Jesus – through his life and through his parables left instructions for us – instructions, for example, about how to treat a neighbor, and who our neighbor is. In the Gospel reading, Matthew shares the story of John the Baptist, this strange character who has come to prepare the way – and prepare us even today – to be ready for the coming of the Lord. Repent, the Baptist warns, and be ready to prove you have repented. Closing prayer: (Leader may read all, or share with others.) 1) Dear God, give us hope. Don’t let us settle for good enough but to strive always and with everyone to be just and kind, and to work for peace. 2) Holy Spirit, guide the choices we make this week so that we remember the instructions Jesus left for us. Assist our efforts to be wheat, not chaff. 3) Father in heaven, we offer thanks to you for this season of Advent, this reminder to prepare our hearts for the coming of your son into our world. 4)Come, Lord Jesus, open our eyes so that we see you in every person whose life touches our own.

Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

obituaries

Sister Jose Forsyth, 97, dies Nov. 24

Sister Hauner loved childcare and baseball

Former San Francisco educator Sister Jose Forsyth, BVM, 97, died Nov. 24, at Marian Hall, Dubuque, Iowa. Sister Forsyth taught in San Francisco at St. Brigid School, 193040; and St. Paul Elementary, 1940-46. Sister Jose She also was an educator in southern Forsyth, BVM California, Nebraska, Montana, Missouri and Iowa, and a parish minister in Missouri. Sister Forsyth was born Feb. 22, 1910 in Pottawattamie County, Iowa. She graduated from Mt. St. Gertrude Academy, Boulder, before entering the BVM congregation on Sept. 8, 1928. She professed first vows on Aug. 15, 1930, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1936. A funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 29 in the Marian Hall Chapel with interment at the congregation’s Mount Carmel cemetery. Memorials may be given to the Sisters of Charity, BVM Retirement Fund, 1100 Carmel Dr., Dubuque, Iowa 52003.

Letters . . . ■ Continued from page 14

God bless America President Bush, the media and many U.S. organizations send thank you messages to American troops serving in Iraq and

Sister Agnella Hauner, a Dominican Sister of Mission San Jose for 71 years, died Nov. 17 at the Sisters’ Motherhouse in Fremont. She was 88. Childcare was Sister Hauner’s area of expertise as well as her pride and joy, the congregation said, noting her “loving care of boarders” at schools including Immaculate Conception Academy in San Francisco and 31 years at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in Pasadena. As one of Sister Agnella’s beloved “girls,” a former student said, “It is my fervent hope that somehow Sister knows how many young women’s lives she has touched, guided and changed, and who throughout their lifetime take with them the lessons learned at her loving hands. I will be forever grateful.” The late religious was an avid baseball fan with quick reference to statistics including earned run averages for pitchers, on-base percentages for hitters, and giving armchair advice to managers. One of her favorite pictures was with famed Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager, Tommy Lasorda. Sister Hauner gave her summers to often underprivileged youngsters at camps administered by the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. She enjoyed her time in this work and was honored to work with them. A funeral Mass was celebrated Nov. 26 at the motherhouse

Afghanistan, where they often had to kill people. But they have never mentioned and thanked the American troops who are serving in places where they are saving lives. Recently, when a deadly storm — Tropical Cyclone Sidr — hit Bangladesh, it was the United States Navy; the United States Marine Corp and the United States military medics that launched an efficient way to

In this season of light, remember the

light your loved one has brought to your life. Peace Joe, Pam and Amy

One of Sister Agnella Hauner’s favorite photos was one taken with longtime former Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager Tommy Lasorda.

chapel with interment in the community cemetery. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at a future date at Flintridge Academy. Remembrances may be made to the Dominican Sisters, 43326 Mission Blvd. in Fremont, 94539.

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thousand of lives when tragedy hits a nation as presently in Bangladesh and not long ago during an earthquake in northern Pakistan. It is time all of us and all nations standup and salute the U.S. troops and say, “Thank you.” God bless America. Lenny Barretto Daly City

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Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

Dominican Republic. . .

Youngsters of Los Cacaos on the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic pose and have fun for the camera during Catholic San Francisco Assistant Editor Rick DelVecchio’s Nov. 27 visit to the village.

tions, and it’s a poverty that’s very aggressive,” said Angel Aloma, executive director of Food the Poor. Uniformed school children carrying their country’s flag marched up a dusty street to welcome the community’s visitors with a song and bouquet of artificial flowers. The display was touching, but the eyes of many of the grownups amid the shanties told a different story: the eyes begged and often stabbed with anger or shame. Olean Jean Baptiste, 38, for example, showed a deep sadness in her eyes as she allowed visitors to pull back the curtain of the only bedroom of the two-room shack she shares with her seven children. The childrens’ father is not part of the household. Baptiste is falling behind on her $5a-month rent. She is desperate. Asked how often her children have enough to eat, she said: “One day yes, one day no.” Deluis Saintelus said he and his five children have no home at all. He said they sleep outdoors in the community market. Fanes Josef, 25, said he wants nothing to do with Los Cacaos anymore. He wants to go to another country to attend school. He was joined by a friend, Willie Alcide, 23, who also announced he wants to leave immediately. “We want to have a person who can help us go to school this year,” Josef said. “Choose for us.” But as bad as things are in Las Cacaos, they are better than they have ever been. Hope is rising because charitable organizations are committed to improving the quality of life and creating a basis for a sustainable economy. Food for the Poor, working with funds from a wealthy Florida homebuilder, Frank McKinney, is replacing residents’ mud-and-stick shanties with 350-square-foot cinderblock homes with proper roofs and foundations; 90 homes have been built, at a cost of $5,200 each, and 230 are planned in the town and four other settlements along the international border known as “La Linea.” Food for the Poor also has dug four wells and is helping build a fish farm where residents will raise tilapia as a protein source. A community center is coming, and a pharmacy, a police station and a bank that will offer small loans. No one really knows if these improvements will help Los Cacaos become a sustainable community. But it seems clear the changes will relieve the suffering of a handful of people mired in some of the worst poverty in the Americas.

(PHOTOS BY RICK DELVECCHIO/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)

■ Continued from page 3

While Food for the Poor is overseeing construction of new, 350-square-foot, cinderblock homes in Los Cacaos, the majority of residents live in shanties or on the ground.

Food for the Poor is hoping to adapt the model to other communities on the Dominican-Haitian frontier and has already had success working with a wealthy parish in Virginia to bring housing and services to the nearby hamlet of El Corte. “It’s a model,” said Liony Batista, Food for the Poor’s projects manager for Central America. “If they don’t rise up from here, we’re doing something wrong.” On a later visit to El Corte, Batista showed off a water system build by Food for the Poor and explained that for a modest investment in American economic terms additional wells could guarantee the community’s water requirements. “For $10,000 you could give a community three or four wells,” he said. “It doesn’t take a lot. The Internet has made it possible to affect our whole world from our living rooms.”

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Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

Mission San Rafael’s 190th anniversary year focus of Dec. 15 event Father Rossi said the occasion is also important to him personally. “I was born and raised in San Rafael as was my father after his parents settled here after moving from Italy. I was baptized at St. Raphael Church, graduated from St. Raphael School, served as an altar boy in both the Mission and the church and celebrated my first Mass in St. Raphael Church May 19, 1974.” “I want to see Mission San Rafael be more attractive to pilgrims and tourists and continue to be a central place, a landmark in San Rafael and Marin County. San Rafael identifies as the `Mission City’ and I believe we should make this historic site attractive, giving it the dignity, respect and centrality it deserves.” Olive said restoration of the Mission is a plank in an overall parish plan. “This project can arouse pride among parishioners and their interest in the parish history,” he said. “We want everyone to come,” said Teri Brunner, Mission Museum curator and lifelong St. Raphael parishioner. “It will be powerful.” Persons who plan to attend the reception following the Mass have been asked to notify planners by calling (415) 454 8141, ext. 12. A planning committee of eight including two members of the Coast Miwok Tribe and Father Rossi coordinated the event during the last five months. St. Raphael Parish has a membership of 2,300 families.

By Tom Burke St. Raphael Parish will celebrate the 190th anniversary of the founding of Mission San Rafael Arcangel on Dec. 15. The event will include Mass at 5 p.m. preceded by a display of Native American exhibits from 4 p.m. Retired Sacramento Bishop Francis Quinn, who has recently returned to Sacramento after many post-retirement years of service with Native American people in Arizona, will preside at the Mass. The St. Raphael Parish Choir will sing historic mission music to accompany the Mass and the Lord’s Prayer will be recited in the Coast Miwok language by a member of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. A tribal member will read the names of 26 Coast Miwok Indians who were baptized at the Mission 190 years ago. “This is a timely opportunity to call attention to efforts for renovating the Mission site and underscoring its historic significance to the Catholic Church and Marin County,” said Richard Olive, executive director of the Mission San Rafael Arcangel Preservation Foundation. The anniversary celebration will also serve as an official launching of the foundation, Olive said. The foundation was established to allow the Mission to gather its own funding as a separate non-profit entity. The event will also help publicize foundation goals which include restoring the Mission site located next to the parish church, renovating and upgrading the gift shop and

Mission San Rafael Arcangel’s 190th anniversary of founding will be marked Dec. 15 in San Rafael.

restrooms, and constructing a piazza with historic themes that serve as a welcome to pilgrims, tourists and Marin County residents, reported Olive. “This anniversary is important in the life of the Archdiocese of San Francisco because Mission Dolores was dependent upon Mission San Rafael for the care of their sick who were sent here to heal,” said Father Paul Rossi, St. Raphael pastor. The site first served as a “recuperation center” for Coast Miwok Indians who became “sick in the cold and dampness of San Francisco,” he said, noting it was later “expanded into a robust mission.”

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650-868-2992 diane.wahler@hotmail.com

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Parking lot across from club Manager: Rich Guaraldi, a YMI member

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RIS) D PAUL MOR BY DAVI (PHOTOS

April 20, 2007

2, 2007 MARCH EDITION ORATIVE COMMEM SPECIAL

SEVENTY-FIVE CENT S

Page V4 acolyte~ See instituted as

WORLD DA OF PRAYE Y FOR VOCAR TIONS

Pope and Bush set probable meet

USF student nurses share skills, learn wisdom

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He said a member of SAN FRANCISCO that he had worked the faculty shared with the Virginia es, memorial liturgies– Prayer servic- Tech engineeri Francisco ng department in Archdiocese of San edgements of campus and acknowl- past and “knew some of the people the Newspaper of the who took place on college security concerns were killed.” campuses across the nation and in Another moving the San Francisco in the Archdiocese of he said, was when part of the service, wake a student from Schunk of the April found it too 16 shooting spree emotionally challengi Laos at Seminarian David ng to left at least 33 peopleVirginia Tech that pray in English so she dead, shared prayer including her native the gunman. Laotian. “It was powerful in ly On the day of felt by all,” he said. the shooting s University of San Mary Jansen, director Francisco President Members of Virgin of Jesuit Father Stephen the Archdioc ese of San Francisco ia Tech’s Corps of ’s Young campus-wide e-mail Privett sent out a Adult Ministry Cadets pray in the War Memor Office, ial Chapel at the for the victims, their offering prayers had received a request said her office Blacksburg, Va., Virginia Tech communifamilies and the the national Catholic on Tuesday from April 16. A gunma university in n, later identified as a Virginia Tech also said the Universit ty. The message Associat ion (CCMA)Campus Ministry y has done extenstudent, shot dozens which asked sive planning and preparatio prayer intentions the school earlier of people at that gencies, but that “today’s n for emer- port be sent to theand messages of supin the deadliest campu day. At least 33 people were killed “very large Newman events will Commun force USF, and all s shooting rampa ity at universiti Virginia Tech.” Jansen ge in U.S. history again re-examine campus es, to once said she forwarde . d the CCMA request Nearly 100 attended security.” to Bay a 5:30 p.m. others. Area Newman Club leaders and prayer service for victims, families the Virginia Tech In his message to and students on Monday at Dominica Father Privett stated, the USF campus, n University of “Today’s horrific VATICAN CITY California in San Rafael, Father Bob events at Virginia Tech have shocked President George W. (CNS) – U.S. Haberman, head of The president us campus ministry, all. We join with others in offering our have his first formal Bush is expected to Paul three times. had met Pope John told Catholic prayers for the San Francisco. victims, for those Benedict XVI in earlyaudience with Pope The president Dominican college injured, for the families officials told the affected and for a Vatican spokesma June, according to Florida Gov. Jeb ’s brother, former Marin Independ the entire Universit n. Bush, led the U.S. y community as it del- the Columbin ent Journal that since responds Jesuit Father Federico egation to this e high Lombardi said Mass. to Pope Benedict’s inaugural PECIAL April 14 that Bush is they have increased school shootings — that they may unimaginable tragedy security and adoptfind strength and supOCATION Vatican June 9 or 10 expected to visit the ed updated tactics Also April 14, Father port as they after participating in grieve the loss of so S ECTION to deal with emerLombardi told gencies, the summit of leaders reporters that former many innocent lives.” but in reality there of the Group of Iranian President is no failEight industrialized proof way to “Fortunately, incidents countries in Germany. Mohammad Khatami would visit such as this Pope one at Virginiaprevent incidents like the on American Bush made his last Benedict at the Vatican Tech – which has college campuse s May 4. for the April 8, 2005,visit to the Vatican been rare,” declared Khatami was scheduled are to be in in U.S. the deadliest on-campus attack from he added. “We know, however, John Paul II. Cardinal funeral of Pope Rome for a conferenc r history. law enforcement experts summe Joseph Ratzinger, e on dialogue ization the future Pope Benedict, and Organ that no peace sponsore d At Belmont’s Notre workplace or institutio Catholic Youth by the Pontifica celebrated the Gregorian Dame de Namur funeral Mass. l University about the pool at the 2007 summer from violence. Someone n is immune over University and the CYO vers the 30 in persons maneu who Iranian in a 3 p.m. took e aerial Embassy to the Vatican. than 200 youth ing to prayer service Mondaypart mined to harm others can is deterant campers practic were among more the summer, accord as ceed, whether A handfuoften sucwell, said Jesuit Father l of exuber it be at the shopping on Aug. 4. The boys participated over Thomas Splain. June. ages nine to 16 s near Occidental Retreat Center in VA TECH camp TRAGEDfacilitie than 700 youth Y, page 3 CYO Camp and final session. More r of the 216-acre

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Local and nationa l extended for VA prayers Tech tragedy

By Dan Morris-Young

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33 people, including the killer, dead. Cardinal Bertone of the “senseless said in the wake Benedict asked him tragedy” Pope to tims, their families assure the vicschool community of and the entire his Pope Benedict “asks prayers. God our father to console all those who mourn and to grant them that spiritual strength which triumphs over violence,” Cardinal Bertone said.

(CNS PHOTO/ BRENDAN

“You’re doing a great job!” – Kate Martin “The whole paper is excellent and, in fact, we send it on to our relatives in Honolulu!” – Dolores and Pat Dunn “Kudos to Catholic San Francisco.” – Joseph Sullivan “May I commend you for your choice of articles and the breadth, depth, and quality of writing with which you present them.” – Sr. Judith Guevara, PBVM “Rolheiser’s faith and compassion shine from his heart.” – S.M. Verdino “One of the best Catholic newspapers in the country.” – George Weigel

Pope Benedict offer s condolences, prayer following VA Tech tragedy

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI was deeply saddened by the massacre at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., and prayed for the victims and their families. Vatican Secretary Tarcisio Bertone sentof State Cardinal Bishop Francis X. a telegram to DiLorenzo of Richmond, Va., expressing the pope’s condolences to all those affected by the April 16 shooting that left at least

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Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8 Senior living . . . . . . . . . . 9-11

problems of has “a wonderful relationsh and “has The Catholic Church Program, Morris said, with the World Food ” for years. supported us financially principle of all the great faiths of “If there is a unifying the responsibility of those who “it’s We know the the world,” he said, those who have not. have to take care of ‘I was hungry and you fed me.’ All — absolute scriptural references are replete with the Sister Cre this.” the great religious doctrines cen aboutGue have to do somethingsia XVI Popeo andrrer mandate that wecele braPope ty organizati tesBenedict er’ in fightin silve the thanked als, churches, communi During meetings with Morris said, rhejubi www.catholic-sf. in the U.S. and abroad. remarkable partn lee ~ See Pag poverty-relief efforts as execuaround the support org John Paul II at the Vatican, ty, according lis resident who served e ies of Catholic missionar V4 Morris, an Indianapo Nations’ World Food Program, hunger and pover pontiffs for the role lay people — who VOLUME 9tive• director Brothers, priests and countries. of the United humanApr—ilSisters, world of the No. 13 head about his international 27, r impoverished in stories g 200 work forme The ary compellin the 7 le partner to shared to Children: do extraordin has been a remarkab Catholic talk on “Connecting Program. itarian ministry in a “The Catholic Church through of Living in a Global Food part in ility World Program, Responsib and at St. Joan U.N.’s Importance for the World Food Caritas,” Morris said, “but also Nutrition Impacts Kids” and Community and How ies all over the world.” people Relief Services in Indianapolis. of the lots of diocesan missionar hope in the many good during his of Arc Parish and School 10th executive directorto 2007. Morris said he finds poor with basic human needs through and his wife, Jackie, lived in Rome Program. Morris served as the 2002 the Morris World Food aid organization from 88 million and ministries that help countries. leadership of the U.N. Pacers world’s largest food school” five-year serves as a consultant for the Indiana Food Program fed the U.S. and Third World Food now in the world and every contributions. in During 2006, the World with $2.9 billion in “If every congregation communities and students do, Morris Riley Hospital for Children, the Gleaners , people in 78 countries to impoverished countries what many religious along in solving the problem” and helps the Boy Scouts, all in Indianapolis. Reflecting on visits ons and their supporters are did and Bank “we would be a lot further Morris said relief organizati hunger, he said. in alleviating hunger. world of progress this making slowly is — in this rich world, “But the fact of the matter for those numbers,”

on — 75

no excuse Scripture. . . . . By Wyand die every day of malnutritiare dying . . .Mary . . . . Ann 25,000 human beings people . . . 16 850 million people children — and more malaria, tubercuof POLIS (CNS) — Some— are hungry every percent of them malnutrition, than die Datebook . . . . . . INDIANA It’s of them children mal- of hunger, of combined, it’s shameful. It’s sinful. . . world . . . .—. .half in the 19 population is hungry, HIV A sixth of the world’s Every day, 25,000 people losis and ible. It’s unacceptable.” reprehens Travel ads . . . . . day. lives in poverty. nourished of malnutrition. . . . . . . and die — . . . children 21 — including 18,000 ing statistics can be been a Classified ads . . . . Those sobering andto heartbreak if more individu- ‘The Catholic Church has Morris, James . . . . ,21-23 according eliminated g ons and companies

St. Patrick Seminary shares view lead s on priestho er od ~ See Pag e V1 SEVENTY-FI VE CENTS

Got Vocatio n? Novice talks abo ut discern ment ~ See Pag e V2 VOLUME 9

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N WEEK’S EDITIO INSIDE THIS

Feast of the Assumption August 15 ~ Page 10 ~

years Vallombrosa marks 60 ~ Pages 12-13 ~

.......6 Retreat Directory . . . . . . . 17 Scripture . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 . . ry Directo Travel . . . . . . 20 Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22-23 . ads ed held ss Classifi Black Catholic Congre

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www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 9

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No. 23

August 10, 2007

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Our Lady of Guadalupe Events Dec. 8, 6 p.m.: Mass and celebration honoring Our Lady at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 40th Ave. at Balboa in San Francisco with Mariachi music and food after the liturgy. Call (415) 386-6475. Dec. 12, 5 a.m.: Mananitas Mass at Mission Dolores Basilica, 16th St. at Dolores in San Francisco beginning with procession from parish school. Mariachi band will provide music. Father Arturo Albano, pastor, will preside with concelebrants including former pastor, Father Bill Justice, Vicar for Clergy. Tamale breakfast follows. Parking in schoolyard. Call (415) 239-9107.

Advent Opportunities Dec. 7, 8, 7:30 p.m.: “Amahl and the Night Visitors” and Concert Choir of Notre Dame de Namur University at the school’s Cunningham Chapel, 1500 Ralston Ave. in Belmont. Tickets are $20/$10 seniors and students. Call (650) 508-3729 or contact concerts@ndnu.edu. Dec. 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16: “A Christmas Carol,” the musical, at Notre Dame de Namur Theater, 1500 Ralston Ave. in Belmont. Gala performance tickets for Dec. 7 are $40. Admission to other dates is free. For tickets and curtain times contact boxoffice@ndnu.edu or call (650) 508-3456. Dec. 8, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.: Pauline Books & Media daylong Family Christmas Celebration. Games, music, entertainment, picture taking with “Baby Jesus,” refreshments and fun. All takes place at 2640 Broadway in Redwood City. Call (650) 369-4230. Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.: “Show Tunes and Christmas Songs,” a concert at All Souls Church, 315 Walnut St. in South San Francisco featuring the Singing Priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, the Small Christian Communities Choir and others. Tickets are $10. Call (650) 589-9530 or (650) 438-0425 for availability. Dec. 9, 4 p.m.: “Lessons and Carols,” an Advent celebration at St. Cecilia Church, 17th Ave. and Vicente St. in San Francisco; Russell Ferreira, conductor/music director, Justin Kielty, organist. Dec. 12, 19, 7:30 p.m.: Interfaith prayer service with guest presiders and speakers at Most Holy Redeemer Church, 100 Diamond St. in San Francisco – Dec. 12: Ray O’Connor, Victoria McDonald; Dec. 19: Nanette Miller, Gina Hens Piazza. Call (415) 863-6259 or visit www.mhr.org. Dec. 12, 7 p.m.: St. Gabriel Church, 40th Ave. between Ulloa and Vicente in San Francisco, presents Taizé. All are invited. Mercy Sister Suzanne Toolan, a principal in bringing Taize to the United States, will lead. For more information, Mercy Sister contact St. Gabriel Parish Suzanne Toolan Center, (415) 731-6161. Dec. 13, 7 p.m.: Pauline Books & Media for a multimedia presentation on the Advent “O” Antiphons. Inspiration through music and art and a prayerful way to enter the final days of Christmas preparation; 2640 Broadway, Redwood City, (650) 369-4230. Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m.: St. Charles Parish, 880 Tamarack Ave. in San Carlos presents its annual Christmas concert under the direction of Claire Giovannetti accompanied by Jim Stevens and Chris Candelaria. Performance features Adult and Children’s Choirs with music of Advent and Christmas. Free-will offering benefits parish music ministries. Call (650) 591-7349, ext. 32. Dec. 15, 11 a.m.: Christmas Remembrance Service at Holy Cross Cemetery, 1500 Mission Rd. in Colma. Father John Talesfore, pastor, St. Mary’s Cathedral, will preside. Call (650) 756-2060. Dec. 15, 2 p.m.: Annual Tenderloin Christmas, a musical story about the birth of Christ, at St. Boniface Theater, 175 Golden Gate Ave. in San Francisco The event will be a benefit for the St. Francis Living Room (www.sflivingroom.org), a non-profit organization providing for elderly seniors in the Tenderloin Neighborhood. Show features Litz Plummer, “The Opera Lady” known for singing outdoors along Maiden Lane to the delight of locals and tourists. Santa Claus

December 7, 2007

Datebook

Reunions - 2008

The internationally renowned Mission Dolores Basilica Choir presents its16th Annual Candlelight Christmas Concerts at Mission Dolores, 16th and Dolores St. in San Francisco, Dec. 16, 5 p.m. and at St. Catherine of Siena Church, Bayswater and El Camino Real, Burlingame, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m. Tickets $12 to $25. Visit www.missiondolores.org or call (415) 621-8203.

Jan. 19: Notre Dame des Victoires Elementary School, class of 1982, NDV Church Hall, $45 includes drinks, dinner and more. Contact Mary Vlahos at Marygv68@comcast.net if you would like to help or have questions. Feb. 23: Class of ’53 from Jefferson High School at Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco. Contact Ario Gregori at (650) 343-7009. March 29: Class of ’58 from Notre Dame High School, San Francisco. Contact Patricia Cassidy Hendricks at (415) 822-1549.

Single, Divorced, Separated

will hand out goodies for the kids. Admission is free. Visit www.LivingMiracleProductions.com. Dec. 15: 190th anniversary celebration, Mission San Rafael Arcangel. Features Native American exhibits, 4-5 p.m.; Mass at 5 p.m. with retired Sacramento Bishop Francis A. Quinn presiding; reception from 6:30-8 p.m. hosted by Mission San Rafael Arcangel Preservation Foundation. For information, contact Theresa Brunner McDonald at (415) 454-8141, ext. 12, or tbrunner@saintraphael.com. Dec. 16, 7 p.m.: Theology by the Glass with Christopher Lyford, assistant superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of San Francisco at Savvy Cellar, 2048 Broadway in Redwood City. Sponsored by St. Pius Parish. Contact Kevin@oius.org or call (650) 365-0140. Dec. 16-24, 6 a.m., Simbang Gabi at St. Stephen: Now on its 11th year and with eight parishes participating: St. Anne of the Sunset, St. Brendan, St. Cecilia, St. Emydius, St. Finn Barr, St. Gabriel, St. Stephen, and Star of the Sea. Liturgies will include scenes from the Gospel reading of the day. A parish community hosts each day. As in the Philippines, participants share a light breakfast daily before going off “to the fields.” Archbishop George Niederauer will celebrate Mass on Dec. 24 followed by a “Pasko sa Baryo” potluck Christmas party with cultural dances, music and parol festival. Contact Nellie Hizon at (415) 699-7927. Dec. 17 through Dec. 24, 6:30 p.m.: Join the Sisters of St. Paul each evening in their Solemn Christmas Novena with Scripture and song. First time ever opened for public participation! Pauline Books & Media, 2640 Broadway, Redwood City, (650) 369-4230. Dec. 19 through Feast of Epiphany Jan. 6: Live Nativity scene at Our Lady of the Pillar Church, Kelly and Church St. in Half Moon Bay. Event is sponsored by Knights of Columbus, Our Lady of the Pillar Council 7534. Live singing and music. For times and special events, call Mel Ewing at (650) 726-6765 or Jose Diaz at (650) 728-0274. 1st and 3rd Tuesdays: Noontime concerts – 12:30 p.m. - at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral, 660

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California St. at Grant, San Francisco; $5 donation requested. Call (415) 288-3800. Sundays at 3:30 p.m.: Concerts at St. Mary’s Cathedral followed by Vespers. Call (415) 567-2020.

Taize/Chanted Prayer 1st Friday at 8 p.m.: Mercy Center, 2300 Adeline Dr., Burlingame with Mercy Sister Suzanne Toolan. Call (650) 340-7452; Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park at 7:30 p.m. Call Deacon Dominic Peloso at (650) 322-3013. Tuesdays at 6 p.m.: Notre Dame Des Victoires Church, 566 Bush at Stockton, San Francisco with Rob Grant. Call (415) 397-0113. 2nd Friday at 8 p.m.: Our Lady of the Pillar, 400 Church St. in Half Moon Bay. Call Cheryl Fuller at (650) 726-2249. 1st Tuesday at 7 p.m.: National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, 610 Vallejo St. at Columbus, San Francisco. Call (415) 983-0405 or visit www.shrineSF.org. Sundays: Gregorian Chant at the National Shrine of Saint Francis, 610 Vallejo St., San Francisco, 12:15 p.m. Mass. For more information, call (415) 983-0405.

Food & Fun Dec. 8: Noel Ball benefiting De Paul Youth Club of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in San Francisco. Evening takes place at Fairmont Hotel, Mason and Califronia St. in San Francisco. Sponsored by club’s auxiliary. For ticket information ( $175 per person), contact (415) 921-6732. Dec. 9, 10:30 a.m.: Pancake breakfast with Santa at St. Stephen Parish, 23rd Ave. and Eucalyptus Dr. in San Francisco. Adults $8; students $5, children under 5, $3. Bring a toy to help San Francisco Firefighters Christmas Program. Call Sean White at (415) 260-7559. Dec. 13, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Christmas mixer sponsored by Catholic Professional and Business Club at San Francisco Elks Lodge, 450 Post St. – 3rd floor – between Powell and Mason. Enter at Kensington Park Hotel. No-host bar. Event is to cel-

The newly organized Adult Faith Formation Team of St. Augustine Parish in South San Francisco met for a Day of Recollection at Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in Half Moon Bay Nov. 3.

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ebrate season and to network. Call (415) 614-5502. Dec. 15: Handicapables gather for Mass and lunch at noon at St. Mary’s Cathedral. Volunteer drivers always needed. Call (415) 751-8531. Dec. 19: Christmas luncheon benefiting Good Shepherd Guild at Olympic Club, Lakeside with social at 11:30 a.m. and lunch at 12:30 p.m. Tickets are $65. Call Judith Terracina at (415) 753-2081.

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Information about Bay Area single, divorced and separated programs are available from Jesuit Father Al Grosskopf at (415) 422-6698. Separated and divorced support groups: 1st and 3rd Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at St. Stephen Parish Center, San Francisco; call Gail at (650) 5918452 or Vonnie at (650) 873-4236. 1st and 3rd Thursday at St. Peter Parish Religious Education Building, 700 Oddstad Blvd., Pacifica. Call Diana Patrito or Joe Brunato at (650) 359-6313. 2nd and 4th Wednesday in Spanish at St. Anthony Church, 3500 Middlefield Rd., Menlo Park at 7:30 p.m. Call Toni Martinez at (650) 776-3795. Catholic Adult Singles Association of Marin meets for support and activities. Call Bob at (415) 897-0639 for information.

Consolation Ministry Grief support groups meet at the following parishes. San Mateo County: St. Catherine of Sienna, Burlingame; call Debbie Simmons at (650) 5581015. St. Dunstan, Millbrae; call Barbara Cappel at (650) 692-7543. Good Shepherd, Pacifica; call Sister Carol Fleitz at (650) 355-2593. Our Lady of Mercy, Daly City; call Barbara Cantwell at (650) 755-0478. Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Redwood City; call parish at (650) 366-3802. St. Robert, San Bruno; call Sister Patricia at (650) 589-2800. Marin County: St. Anselm, San Anselmo; call Brenda MacLean at (415) 454-7650. St. Isabella, San Rafael; call Pat Sack at (415) 472-5732. Our Lady of Loretto, Novato; call Sister Jeanette at (415) 897-2171. San Francisco: St. Dominic; call Deacon Chuck McNeil at (415) 567-7824; St. Finn Barr (bilingual); call Carmen Solis at (415) 584-0823. St. Gabriel; call Elaine Khalaf at (415) 564-7882. Young Widow/Widower Group: St. Gregory, San Mateo; call Barbara Elordi at (415) 614-5506. Ministry to Parents: Our Lady of Angels, Burlingame; call Ina Potter at (650) 347-6971 or Barbara Arena at (650) 344-3579.

Datebook is a free listing for parishes, schools and non-profit groups. Please include event name, time, date, place, address and an information phone number. Listing must reach Catholic San Francisco at least two weeks before the Friday publication date desired. Mail your notice to: Datebook, Catholic San Francisco, One Peter Yorke Way, S.F. 94109, or fax it to (415) 614-5633.

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Clergy appointments Archbishop letter outlines corporate structure changes On Dec. 4, Archbishop George H. Niederauer met with the archdiocesan clergy as well as parish finance council members to brief them on recent modifications to the corporate structures of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The essence of the changes is explained in the following letter that was sent to archdiocesan school principals, agency heads and Pastoral Center personnel on Dec. 4. Dear Archdiocesan School Principals, Archdiocesan Agency Heads and Chancery Staff: Today, along with my advisors, I met with the clergy of the Archdiocese as well as members of the parish finance councils at St. Mary’s Cathedral to review recent corporate restructuring within the Archdiocese. At that meeting I stated that the issues raised by the civil courts over the past several years have caused dioceses throughout the country to consider whether their existing civil law corporate structures adequately recognize and reflect the unique status of parishes and schools under Church law. I added that the courts have made it clear that if a diocese maintains that under Church law parish and school properties cannot be used at the discretion of the bishop then this concept must be unequivocally enshrined in the civil law structures of the Church. As a consequence, our goal here in San Francisco has been to allow the day-to-day operations of our parishes and schools to continue in a cohesive, efficient manner while at the same time establishing simple ownership models that clearly distinguish the canonical assets of the parishes and schools from those of the Archdiocese in general. The revised corporate structure system, as outlined at the December 4th meeting,

Rolheiser . . . ■ Continued from page 15 passion and forgiveness bring glory into your lives. Jesus defines glory very differently than we do. Real glory is not the glory of gold medals, championships, Oscars, or of being an object of envy. Glory consists in being deep in compassion, forgiveness and graciousness — and these are not often spawned by worldly success, by being better-looking, brighter, richer or better muscled. We all nurse the secret dream of glory. Partly this is healthy, a sign we are emotionally well. However, this is something that needs to grow and mature. Our secret dream of glory is meant to mature so that eventually we will begin to envision ourselves as standing out, not by talent, looks, muscles or and speed, but by the depth of our compassion and the quality of our forgiveness. Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher, and awardwinning author, is president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas. His website is www.ronrolheiser.com.

does not in any way affect either Catholic Charities CYO or St. Patrick’s Seminary. Catholic Charities CYO will continue as the social service arm of the Archdiocese. St. Patrick’s Seminary will continue to have responsibility for the training of seminarians for the priesthood. Under the revised corporate system, the parishes and schools and the central administrative offices of the Archdiocese will continue to be operated through The Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Francisco, A Corporation Sole – often referred to as “the Archdiocese.” However, the real property and capital assets belonging to the parishes and schools under Church law have been segregated from the real property and capital assets of the Archdiocese and are now entrusted to two distinct nonprofit religious corporations, each governed by a board of clergy and laity, established expressly for the purpose of owning and managing those respective properties and assets in accordance with the laws of the Church. The names of these corporations are The Archdiocese of San Francisco Parish and School Juridic Persons Real Property Support Corporation and The Archdiocese of San Francisco Parish, School and Cemetery Juridic Persons Capital Assets Support Corporation. You will be hearing from the representatives of these two corporations in the months ahead. It is my hope that with this corporate restructuring in place we can rededicate ourselves to being effective stewards of the Church’s people and goods. Sincerely yours in Christ,

Most Rev. George H. Niederauer Archbishop of San Francisco

Following are clergy appointments recently released by the Archdiocese of San Francisco: ● Father Erick E. Araúz: parochial vicar, Our Lady of the Pillar Church, Half Moon Bay, effective Oct. 10. ● Father Rafael de Avila: administrator, Church of the Visitacion, San Francisco, effective Oct. 10. ● Father Jose Chavarin: on sabbatical, undertaking canon law studies at the Gregorian in Rome, effective Oct. 26, 2007, returning April 28, 2008. ● Father Steve Davies: in residence, St. Brendan Church, San Francisco, effective Nov. 12. ● Father Patrick Donovan, CSSp: parochial vicar, St. Dunstan Church, Millbrae, effective Nov. 1. ● Father Joseph Healy: parochial vicar, Most Holy Redeemer Church, San Francisco, effective Nov. 4. ● Msgr. Dick Knapp: in residence, Nazareth House, effective Nov. 27. ● Father Faustine Mosha: moderator of the Holy Childhood Association, Propagation of the Faith Office, effective Nov. 19; in residence with the Congregation of Christian Brothers. ● Father Terrence Ryan, CSP: in residence at Old Saint Mary’s Church, effective Oct. 24. ● Deacon Dan Rosen: ministry at St. Stephen Church, effective Dec. 1.

Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

Christmas service scheduled Dec. 15 at Holy Cross

(CNS PHOTO COURTESY BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION)

The solemnity of Mary’s Immaculate Conception is celebrated on Dec. 8, and honors the conception of Mary in the womb of her mother, St. Anne, without original sin. A mosaic of the Immaculate Conception from the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington depicts the Blessed Virgin Mary in glory. The doctrine that Mary was free from original sin from the moment of her existence was promulgated by Pope Pius IX in 1854.

SERVICE DIRECTORY For Advertising Information Call 415-614-5642 Fax: 415-614-5641 E-mail: penaj@sfarchdiocese.org

PLUMBING Plumbing • Fire Protection • Certified Backflow

John Bianchi

Demolition GENERAL CONTRACTOR METAL, STEEL, WOOD, ETC. . . Variety of jobs / repairs also, hauling.

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Gydesen Const., Inc. General Contractor

Featuring Pressure Washing ● ● Repairs ● Safety Grab Bars ●

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Call (650) 757-1946 Cell (415) 517-5977

Phone: 415.468.1877 Fax: 415.468.1875

A Christmas remembrance service “for those who have died and in prayerful support for those who grieve” will be held Dec. 15 at 11 a.m. in the All Saints Mausoleum Chapel of Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery, Colma, cemetery officials announced. Father John Talesfore, rector of St. Mary’s Cathedral, San Francisco, will officiate. During the service (not a Mass) the names of persons who participants wish to remember “may be written on ornaments colored by local school children,” a press released stated. Additional ornaments will be available at the cemetery office through Dec. 31. For more information, call (650) 756-2060, or visit the cemetery website: www.holycrosscemeteries.com.

SPECIALIZING IN SAN MATEO COUNTY REAL ESTATE If I can be of service to you, or if you know of anyone who is interested in buying or selling a home, please do not hesitate to call me . . .

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MORROW CONTRUCTION

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PARTY RENTALS

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Dr. Daniel J. Kugler Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Over 25 years experience

Confidential • Compassionate • Practical (415) 921-1619

Unhealed wounds can hold you back - even if they are not the “logical” cause of your problems today. You can be the person God intended. Inner Child Healing Offers a deep spiritual and psychological approach to counseling: ❖ 30 years experience with individuals, couples and groups ❖ Directed, effective and results-oriented ❖ Compassionate and Intuitive ❖ Supports 12-step ❖ Enneagram Personality Transformation

Lila Caffery, MA, CCHT San Francisco: 415.337.9474 Complimentary phone consultation www.InnerChildHealing.com

HEALTHCARE AGENCY The Irish Rose

Home Healthcare Agency Specializing in home health aides, attendants and companions. Serving San Francisco, Marin & the Peninsula.

Contact: 415.447.8463

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When Life Hurts It Helps To Talk

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REAL ESTATE

NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

COUNSELING

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(650) 355-8858

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Katherine E. Atkinson, director of cemeteries for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Catholic Cemetery Conference, an international organization of Catholic cemeteries based in Portland, Ore. Atkinson has been a member of the Department of Cemeteries for 22 years and was named its first lay director in 1998. “It has been very rewarding work,” Atkinson said, “especially working with families and seeing the growth of the cemeteries including our new buildings, sections, and special occasion events.”

GARAGE DOOR REPAIR

Discount

Garage Door

Repair

License # 802499

NOTICE TO READERS Licensed contractors are required by law to list their license numbers in advertisments. The law also state that contractors performing work totaling $500 or more must be state-licensed. Advertisments appearing in this newspaper without a license number indicate that the contractor is not licensed.

For more information, contact:

Lic #376353

Contractors State License Board 800-321-2752

One Price 24 /7

ACCOUNTANT

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December 7, 2007

PUBLISH A NOVENA Pre-payment required Mastercard or Visa accepted

Cost $25

If you wish to publish a Novena in the Catholic San Francisco You may use the form below or call 415-614-5640

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail. Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assist me in my need. Help me and show me you are my mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help me in this need. Oh Mary, conceived without sin. Pray for us (3X). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3X). Say prayers 3 days. C.O.

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Your prayer will be published in our newspaper

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail.

Name Adress Phone MC/VISA # Exp. Select One Prayer: ❑ St. Jude Novena to SH ❑ Prayer to St. Jude

❑ Prayer to the Blessed Virgin ❑ Prayer to the Holy Spirit

Please return form with check or money order for $25 Payable to: Catholic San Francisco Advertising Dept., Catholic San Francisco 1 Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco, CA 94109

Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assist me in my need. Help me and show me you are my mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help me in this need. Oh Mary, conceived without sin. Pray for us (3X). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3X). Say prayers 3 days.D. & L.D.

Help Wanted – EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – NAZARETH HOUSE is a non profit, faith based, Christian retirement community in San Rafael with a long tradition of providing compassionate and quality care in its independent, assisted living and skilled programs. The Sisters of Nazareth are committed to strengthening their mission by recruiting an Executive Director that embodies their values and exhibits strong leadership, dedication and a desire to collaborate. The Executive Director is responsible for the overall operations of the community, to maintain a consistent level of quality care, services and innovative programming, which meets the Sisters of Nazareth standards, goals and mission. Leadership skills include ability to supervise and implement the best practices for care, services and financial management. SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE A minimum of 5 years experience working in senior housing or related field. Degree in gerontology, nursing, social work or related field An RCFE Administrator’s licensed, skilled nursing administrators license a plus. Experience working with faith based nonprofit organizations Ability to communicate well orally and in writing Ability to develop and implement a budget Illustrates ability to be a strong leader and promoter of staff development

Please respond to hr@agesong.com. Nazareth House is an Equal Opportunity Employer. "

Piano Lessons Piano Lessons By a Conservatory of Music Graduate (Pianist / Mentor)

Piano Lessons PIANO LESSONS BY

CAROL FERRANDO. Conservatory training, masters degree, all levels of students. CALL (415) 921-8337.

Hall for Rent

HALL FOR RENT Knights of Columbus San Rafael #1292 Dining and dancing rooms for up to 120. Kitchen facility. Ideal for Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, etc. tassonejoe@hotmail.com

415.215.8571 Adult Beginners Ladies / Gentlemen $75 a month 2x – 2 hours

650-307-4979

Vocations DESIRE PRIESTHOOD? RELIGIOUS LIFE?

Elderly Care Personal care companion, Help with daily activities; driving, shopping, appointments. 27 years experience, references, bonded. (415) 713-1366

Room for Rent Room for rent, $625/mo. including utilities, washer/dryer, Richmond district in SF, no pets.

(415) 668-2690

Help Wanted 2 CT. T.W. ROUND DIAMOND THREE-STONE RING BY MERCURY The mystery and ambiance of this diamond anniversary ring in 14 karat yellow gold is unforgettable. Three round diamonds sparkle with an approximate weight of 2.01 karats t.w. The center round diamond weigs approximaately 1.01 karats and the 2 side round diamonds weigh approximately 1.00 karat total weight. I bought the ring at Shane Co. for $8,000. It’s brand new. The price I am selling it is $7,500.00 or best offer.

My phone # is 415-505-1934

Help Wanted

heaven can’t wait

Serra for Priestly Vocations Please call Archdiocese of San Francisco Fr. Tom Daly (415) 614-5683

ADVERTISING SALES For The Largest Publisher of Catholic Church Bulletins This is a Career Opportunity! • Generous Commissions

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Catholic San Francisco

• Stong Office Support

Call 1-800-675-5051 Fax resume: 925-926-0799

Holy Family Day Home, a non-profit childcare and family support center located across the intersection from Mission Dolores, is looking for fulltime teachers with Child Development Permits, and substitute teachers. This nationally accredited program is opening two new classrooms in their beautiful new, state-of-the-art facility. For more information, please visit us at www.holyfamilydayhome.org or send a cover letter and resume to Sheriann Chaw, Program Director, 299 Dolores Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.

gonzaga.edu/ministryinstitute

ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO

Organist Help Wanted ORGANIST WEDDINGS • FUNERALS

Worship Services, Catholic Experience Marie DuMabeiller 415-441-3069, Page: 823-3664 VISA, MASTERCARD Accepted Please confirm your event before contracting music!

Tahoe Rental LAKE TAHOE RENTAL Vacation Rental Condo in South Lake Tahoe. Sleeps 8, near Heavenly Valley and Casinos.

Call 925-933-1095 See it at RentMyCondo.com#657

ADVANCEMENT / DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

The Alliance of Mission District Catholic Schools creates a unique partnership of collaboration in every dimension of school life among the Catholic elementary schools of San Francisco, CA, Mission District. The AMDCS Advancement / Development Director will work with the Executive Director in this new model creating comprehensive start-up functions for the Advancement / Development program. The Advancement / Development Director will generate and oversee those funding and related marketing activities that address the goals of the AMDCS: current and future viability of the schools through innovative strategies for tuition endowment, capital renovation and improvement, and curriculum enhancement.

Full Time Position SALARY: Competitive and negotiable. Job Description available. Patrick Schmidt, Associate Director Office of Human Resources, Archdiocese of San Francisco schmidtp@sfarchdiocese.org

FULL-TIME POSITION AVAILABLE Tribunal Canonical Auditor The Archdiocese of San Francisco Pastoral Center is seeking a qualified individual to serve as Canonical Auditor to assist the Marriage Tribunal by guiding the movement of the annulment petitions through the various procedural steps from acceptance of the petition to its final conclusion.

Position Requirements ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

We are looking for full or part time

◆ ◆

RNs, LVNs, CNAs, Caregivers In-home care in San Francisco, Marin County, peninsula Nursing care for children in San Francisco schools If you are generous, honest, compassionate, respectful, and want to make a difference, send us your resume: Jeannie McCullough Stiles, RN Fax: 415-435-0421 Email: info@snsllc.com Voice: 415-435-1262

◆

Mature practicing Catholic in good standing Proven experience in interviewing with ability to listen with perception and without judgment Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to empathize with people in order to put them at ease in a difficult situation Ability to communicate clearly in written and verbal form Must be able to prepare, document and present accurate and concise reports Strong organizational skills with the ability to multi-task, manage an efficient workflow and meet deadlines Computer literate with proficiency in MS Word Ability to honor and maintain confidentiality Bachelor’s Degree, Masters a plus Some understanding of Canon Law related to marriage and annulments preferred

We offer competitive compensation with religious organizations, a very substantial benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance coverage, employer-funded Pension Plan, 403(b) Plan and Flexible Spending Plan, generous holiday schedule. Located downtown with free gated parking.

PLEASE SUBMIT RESUME, COVER LETTER & 2 REFERENCES TO: Patrick Schmidt, Associate Director Office of Human Resources Archdiocese of San Francisco schmidtp@sfarchdiocese.org

Catholic San Francisco

December 7, 2007

ince the Sisters of Mercy first arrived from Ireland in the 1850s and began tending the sick and poor, St. Mary’s Medical Center has touched the hearts of generations of San Franciscans. The Sisters began their lifesaving ministry, first by visiting patients at The State Marine and County Hospital, then managing and establishing the first St. Mary’s Hospital. This year, St. Mary’s Medical Center honors its rich legacy as the oldest continuously operated hospital in San Francisco. We look forward to continuing our mission to provide the Bay Area with compassionate, personalized care combined with the latest advances in medical care and cutting-edge technology. Call 415-750-5831 today for a booklet commemorating St. Mary’s 150 years of service to San Francisco.