Bishops support START treaty; pledge to urge US Senate to ratify pact
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
WASHINGTON – The president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops welcomed the signing of a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty between the United States and Russia and promised to urge the U.S. Senate to ratify the pact in a letter to President Barack Obama. “Based on a moral imperative to rid the world of nuclear weapons, the conference of bishops will be a steadfast supporter of strong and bipartisan action on the new treaty as an important and essential step toward a nuclear-free future,” Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago wrote in a letter to the White House. “We will urge members of the U.S. Senate to come together across party lines to ratify the new START treaty,” Cardinal George said. Citing the church’s teaching on just war and its longstanding opposition to nuclear weapons, Cardinal George said the road to a world free of such weapons will be difficult, but that the pact between the world’s primary nuclear powers is another step toward greater global security. The April 8 letter also outlined some of the steps necessary toward eventual nuclear disarmament including verification of reductions in both countries’ nuclear stockpiles; ratification and implementation of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to stop all nuclear weapons testing; reducing America’s reliance on nuclear weapons for security; securing nuclear materials from terrorists, which was the topic of the Nuclear Security Summit in Washington April 12-13; adopting a treaty to prohibit produce of weapons-grade material; and strengthening the International Atomic Energy Agency to monitor nonproliferation efforts and ensure access to peaceful uses of nuclear power. “We are pastors and teachers, not technical experts,” Cardinal George said. “We cannot map out the precise route to the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons, but we can offer moral direction and encouragement.” “Although we cannot anticipate every step on the path humanity must walk, we can point with moral clarity to a destination that moves beyond deterrence to a world free of the nuclear threat,” he said.
(CNS PHOTO/JASON REED, REUTERS)
By Catholic News Service
The leaders of international delegations at the Nuclear Security Summit 2010 in Washington pose for a group photo April 13. U.S. President Barack Obama and the leaders of 47 countries were meeting to find ways to secure the world’s nuclear stockpile.
San Mateo parishes form job support network for young adult members Percent 11.0 10.0
By John Wildermuth
9.0
When a group of Peninsula parishes started a job support network for their unemployed neighbors, they didn’t think they’d be working with their neighbors’ children, too. The volunteer network opened for business in January and received plenty of response from people left jobless by the economic downturn. But for many of those clients, their own unemployment wasn’t the only worry. “A lot of those people have college-age children” and we’re seeing them move back home after graduation, depressed and discouraged because they couldn’t find work, said Deborah Mosunich, a volunteer from St. Gregory Parish in San Mateo. With unemployment running at12.5 percent statewide and even higher for those under 25, the same thing was being seen in parishes across San Mateo County, said Msgr. Robert McElroy, pastor of St. Gregory. “It became clear that many people out of college were having great difficulty finding work,” he said. “There was a whole set of new challenges they were facing.” This isn’t news to college guidance counselors,
National Conference on Global Poverty at St. Mary’s Cathedral April 20-21 The One Voice of Faith Conference on Global Poverty, sponsored by an Interfaith Coalition will take place at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco April 20-21 (See Catholic San Francisco April 2 at www.catholicsf.org). Registration begins 9 a.m. April 20. Youth leadership summit is 4–7 p. m. Interfaith prayer service, 7 p.m. Conference Cost: $50, $25 for students, $20 for youth summit alone. Visit www.imdgc.org for more information.
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Nationally, unemployment in March remained at 9.7 percent, while California’s unemployment figure was 12.5 percent with even higher levels for young adults. who have been working overtime to help their young charges deal with the new realities brought by the tough economic times. “Students are really concerned,” said Carrie McKnight, director of career services at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont. “There’s a lot of anxiety around the campus with seniors.” For those college students, who grew up in economic PARISHES JOB SUPPORT, page 7
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Mass at bombed cathedral . . 3 News in brief. . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Teaching children to pray . . . 8 Volunteer opportunities . . . 10
Vocations: the harvest is great, the laborers few Multimedia - Audio on www.catholic-sf.org April 16, 2010
Commentary and letters . 12-13
Coadjutor named in LA Archdiocese ~ Page 6 ~
‘Letters to God’ Film review ~ Page 16 ~
ONE DOLLAR
Scripture and reflection . 14-15 Services, classified ads . 18-19
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 12
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No. 13
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Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010
On The Where You Live By Tom Burke
ICA junior, Cindy Santisteban, alumna and retired SFPD Lt. Mary Nilan Stasko, and sophomore Wentana Habtemariam at school’s recent Health Fair.
Congrats continue for Star of the Sea Elementary School now in its 100th year! Helping mark the milestone is a book on the school’s first century plus an oral history CD. The book and CD were “the brainchild of the Centennial Committee and is being written and produced by two current Star of the Sea parents, Stella Bialous and Kristi Coale,” said Star alum and now school parent, Chris Sellai. More than 30 hours of interviews were complied for the project and the finished Adele Balmy, Diane Meiswinkel, John and Margaret Sellai, and Rosa Schiesel shared memories a parents of students at Star of the Sea Elementary School for a new book about the Richmond district school. “They were embedded in the Star of the Sea school community serving as room parents, den mothers, scout leaders, parent club officers, and chair people for almost every school event for several decades,” the school said.
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product will be available for purchase at Centennial events scheduled for the end of April and at www.starsf.net.... High on the list at Immaculate Conception Academy’s February Health Fair was personal safety and on hand to address it was retired SFPD Lt. Mary Nilan Stasko, a 1972 graduate of the of the Mission District high school. Mary has been a presenter at the twice-a-year wellness talks for 11 years. Her key words to the school’s young women this year told them to stay aware of their “internal spidey-sense” as a means to stay safe. “Don’t get in a car with strangers – no matter how cute,” the former Hats off for a fine season – undefeated in league play - to Convent of the cop said. If scared about being Sacred Heart High School varsity basketball! Top from left: Coach Kara followed duck into the nearest Okamoto, Charlotte Kiaie, Lynette Mackey, Scarlett Kirk, Shannon McInerney, store. “People will not follow India Pearce, Amy Domergue, Assistant Coach Luther Cuffy. Bottom from left: you into a store.” If uncomBridgette Hanley, Tori Green, Rebecca Halloran, Amanda Aish, Tina Mateo, fortable in a certain situation, Jayni Webster. Not available for the photo were Team Manager Katharine get out of it, she said, and Noakes and Athletic Director Elena De Santis. reminded all to talk to their parents about such occurrences. More than 20 community agencies were present with information at the also elected to several terms as Superior General of her event coordinated by the ICA Guidance Department…. congregation and for many years served at the Sisters’ ICA leads an “all hats off” for Franciscan Sister St. Clare’s Retreat in Soquel also teaching weekly Mary Francis Coleman, a 1956 ICA graduate who died Religious Education classes at St. Michael’s in Boulder January 16 in Beaverton, Oregon. Sister Mary Francis, Creek. In 2004, Sister Mary Francis was diagnosed with also an alumna of St. Anthony Elementary School – breast cancer using the illness to minister to other cancer now St. Anthony Immaculate Conception, entered patients. “Sister Mary Francis will be dearly missed by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of her Franciscan Sisters and the many others she met in Sorrows in September 1956. Sister Mary Francis served her apostolates in Hong Kong and the United States,” her in missions in Korea where temperatures were as cold congregation said in an announcement of her death. Sister as 30 degrees below zero, and Hong Kong where flood Mary Francis has been remembered in Masses at the waters from a typhoon threatened her life. She was convent chapel of the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose at Immaculate Conception Academy… The class of ’80 from the much-missed St. Rose Academy planned their 30th reunion over dinner at San Francisco’s Buca di Beppo restaurant a few months ago. “Fittingly, we sat at the Pope’s Table,” classmate, Heidi Leupp, told me. Also on the planning team are Siovonne Smith, Nancy Shea Solomon, Maureen Glick, Nora Borgonovo, Siobhan Rhea-Surraco, Julie Hallisy, Susan Imperial, and Sandy Hayderi Halpin. The official class of ’80 reunion will take place August 21. Members of the class should e-mail heidi.leupp@gmail.com.... This is an empty space without you. E-mail items and electronic pictures – jpegs at no less than 300 dpi – to burket@ sfarchdiocese.org or mail them to Street, One Peter Yorke Way, SF 94109. Don’t forget to add a follow-up phone number. Thank you. My phone number is (415) 614-5634.
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HELPLINES FOR CLERGY/CHURCH SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS 415-614-5506 This number is answered by Barbara Elordi, Archdiocesan Pastoral Outreach Coordinator. This is a secured line and is answered only by Barbara Elordi. 415-614-5503 If you wish to speak to a non-archdiocesan employee please call this nunmber. This is also a secured line and is answered only by a victim survivor.
April 16, 2010
Catholic San Francisco
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Philippine bishop celebrates Mass at bombed cathedral By Catholic News Service
(CNS PHOTO/STRINGER VIA REUTERS)
MANILA, Philippines — Bishop Martin Jumoad of Isabela celebrated Mass at his cathedral April 13 after it was damaged in bomb attacks. “I have texted Church members about the Mass for the victims and a candlelighting ceremony at the plaza at 6 p.m. with our Muslim partners so we can show our collective condemnation and yearning for an end to this violence,” Bishop Jumoad told the Asian church news agency UCA News April 13. Approximately 25 people, believed to be from the Abu Sayyaf rebels, dressed in police uniforms and killed nine people, including three soldiers and a policeman, in attacks in Isabela, Basilan’s provincial capital. Abu Sayyaf is a militant Islamic group seeking a separate state for the minority Muslim population in the southern Philippines. Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, commander of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, told reporters that the first explosion occurred around 9:50 a.m. at Isabela City stadium. He said the improvised explosive device was placed on a taxi. The Associated Press reported that Muslim militants disguised as policemen and soldiers detonated bombs and opened fire Tuesday in a series of coordinated attacks. It said Abu Sayyaf militants were involved in the attacks in Isabela city on the island province of Basilan, one of the most daring operations by the al-Qaida-linked group in recent months, Lt. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino said. Another bomb was attached to a motorcycle parked at the back of St. Isabel Cathedral; it destroyed the back of the cathedral building and priests’ rooms in the rectory, Dolorfino said. Bishop Jumoad said two priests there at the time were not hurt. The bomb planted near Claret College of Isabela did not explode. Teachers were holding a seminar in the Catholic school at the time of the attempted attack. Bishop Jumoad arrived on Basilan Island by boat with Dolorfino and six priests after the military cordoned off Isabela. Dolorfino placed troops in nearby Zamboanga City and other urban areas in Basilan on heightened alert to avert possible similar incidents. He said four civilians were killed by the attackers as they withdrew. The cathedral blast also occurred as they retreated, he said. Security forces also recovered a bomb in front of the residence of Basilan Judge Leo Principe, but it was detonated by members of the military’s Explosives and Ordnance Division, Dolorfino said. Principe had ordered the arrest of at least 130 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf in 2007. However, Dolorfino said the military did not suspect the Moro front, the largest armed rebel force in the South currently negotiating peace with the government.
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A Philippine police investigator gathers evidence at the scene of bomb attacks in Basilan island in the southern Philippines April 13. Muslim militants disguised as policemen and soldiers detonated bombs and opened fire April 13 in a series of attacks.
Catholic San Francisco
NEWS
April 16, 2010
in brief
VATICAN CITY – Pope Benedict XVI is open to meeting with victims of sexual abuse by clergy, but only far from the media spotlight in a private setting that is conducive to reflection and discretion, said the Vatican spokesman. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told journalists that he could not confirm whether the pope would meet with sex abuse victims during his apostolic visit to Malta April 17-18. “Time is very short and the program is very intense,” he said during a press conference April 13 detailing the pope’s itinerary, which will span just 26 hours on the ground. Father Lombardi said the pope has already expressed his wish to meet with more victims, and like previous meetings with victims in Washington and Sydney, Australia, a potential meeting in Malta would not appear on the official schedule. “It’s not something that is put in a program and announced” ahead of time, he said, adding that he would inform the media immediately when and “if there is something significant to say.”
Polish primate seeks answers, pope sends condolences after crash WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s Catholic primate has urged fellow citizens to see the death of Polish President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others in a weekend air disaster as a “dramatic challenge” to build “a fuller community” at the national level and with neighboring states. “We are all asking ourselves the same painful question – how was this possible?” Archbishop Henryk Muszynski of Gniezno said at an April 11 Mass in his archdiocese. “Why has a new drama been added to the greatest drama of the last war in the innocent deaths of our nation’s political and religious elites?” he asked. “We can expect the causes of this tragic accident to be explained directly in the future. But the wider question will no doubt stay unanswered, along with the pain and sadness not just of close families but also of all Poles.” The plane carrying Kaczynski, top government and military officials and religious leaders crashed in heavy fog April 10 while attempting to land at the Russian airport of Smolensk.
(CNS PHOTO/JOHN GRESS, REUTERS)
Pope open to meeting with victims
bombed parts of Rome, to June 4, 1944, when Allied forces liberated Rome from German control. It also reconstructs Hitler’s plan to kidnap the pope. Pope Benedict saw a shortened version of the film during a screening April 9 at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome. The film, by Canadian director Christian Duguay, “presents the fundamental role Venerable Pius XII played in saving Rome and many persecuted people,” the pope said after the screening.
Catholic bishop, Buddhist monk urge government, protesters to talk BANGKOK, Thailand – A Catholic bishop and a leading Buddhist monk have called on the government and “red-shirt” demonstrators to renew talks after violent clashes left 21 dead and hundreds injured. “In today’s Thailand, anger and hatred are spreading across the country,” said Bishop Michael Bunluen Mansap, retired bishop of Ubon Ratchathani and former head of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace. His remarks were reported by the Asian church news agency UCA News. “What endangers the country is not civil war, it is anger and hatred, and there seem to be lots of people with hatred today,” he said, adding that the government and protesters should end all hostile activities and restart talks. The so-called “red shirts,” a loose coalition of political activists and supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have been encamped in Thailand’s capital for nearly a month.
New film sheds light on Pius XII’s wartime efforts, says pope Pro-life movement gains in Cuba CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy – A new film on Pope Pius XII can help people, especially younger generations, understand a period of time that is often forgotten, said Pope Benedict XVI. The made-for-television, two-part miniseries, titled “Under the Roman Sky,” stars U.S. actor James Cromwell as Pope Pius, and covers events from July 19,1943, when Allied planes heavily
HAVANA – Clinical physician Conchita Morales watched the crowd of 200 people slowly filing out of historic St. Francis of Assisi Church in a neighborhood of Old Havana and felt a deep sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. After 15 years, Pro-Vida Cuba (Pro-Life Cuba) had concluded its first-ever public prayer service. Filled with prayer and inspirational talks,
Alina Szatkowski touches a sculpture April 12 outside St. Adalbert Catholic Cemetery in Niles, Ill., commemorating the 1940 Katyn massacre. The sculptor, Wojciech Seweryn, was killed in a plane crash April 10 near Smolensk, Russia, along with Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and Catholic clergy, including Archbishop Tadeusz Ploski, Poland’s military archbishop. The travelers were on their way to a service commemorating the Katyn massacre.
the event moved Morales and her husband, Hector Gonzalez, a radiologist. “We had no idea what to expect,” Morales told Catholic News Service after the March 25 event. “We will be strengthened in this difficult mission now.” As director of Cuba’s only national pro-life organization, Morales has long called attention to the dangers of abortion in Cuban society in smaller venues. While the organization has not been prohibited from meeting, it has done so largely in private. Until March 25. Called Dia por la Vida (Day for Life), the gathering included prayer, eucharistic adoration and Mass. It marked the 15th anniversary of the organization’s founding. The audience included several doctors, according to organizers.
Franciscan doctor-ethicist named to president’s bioethics commission WASHINGTON – Franciscan Brother Daniel Sulmasy, a medical doctor who also holds a doctorate in philosophy, has been named to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues. The White House announced the appointment of Brother Sulmasy April 7. Brother Sulmasy, 54, currently works at the University of Chicago, where he is professor of medicine and ethics in the departBrother Daniel ment of medicine and the Divinity Sulmasy School. He is also associate director of the university’s MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. He previously held faculty positions at New York Medical College, where he was director of the Bioethics Institute, and at Georgetown University in Washington. NEWS IN BRIEFS, page 5
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April 16, 2010
Catholic San Francisco
News in brief. . . ■ Continued from page 4
WASHINGTON – Two pending federal lawsuits seek to pull the Vatican into U.S. courts over claims that it is liable for damages to victims of sexual abuse by priests. And in Britain, attorneys are said to be investigating whether Pope Benedict XVI himself might be charged, when he goes to England and Scotland in September, with crimes against humanity over the alleged mishandling of sexual abuse cases. The U.S. Supreme Court has on its list of cases to consider accepting this term an appeal of a 2009 lower court ruling saying the Holy See is not protected under sovereign immunity from being sued by victims of clergy sexual abuse. Under the principle of sovereign immunity, attempts have been historically unsuccessful to hold the Holy See – or any sovereign entity – liable in U.S. courts for civil damages related to actions by individuals. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in March 2009 that under a provision of Oregon law, a man may pursue his case, seeking to hold the Vatican liable for damages after he was sexually abused by a priest while he was in high school. That case is on appeal to the Supreme Court, which last fall invited Solicitor General Elena Kagan to weigh in on the matter from the perspective of the U.S. government. In a separate case, the U.S. District Court in Louisville, Ky., has been asked to find sovereign immunity does not apply in the case of three men who want to sue the Vatican for negligence. Meanwhile, in Britain, The Associated Press reported that attorneys are investigating whether Pope Benedict could be charged upon his arrival in England this September under the principle of universal jurisdiction, an element of international law, for an “alleged systemic coverup of sexual abuses by priests.”
Stevens’ retirement leaves court without strong death penalty critic WASHINGTON – The retirement this spring of Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens leaves the court without its strongest critic of the death penalty. Just 10 days before his 90th birthday, Stevens announced April 9 that he would step down at the end of the term this summer. His departure will provide President Barack Obama with his second opportunity to name a Supreme Court justice. Justice Sonia Sotomayor replaced Justice David Souter when he retired last June. Obama was to host a meeting at the White House April 21 with key Republican and Democratic senators to discuss the vacancy. He is expected to announce a nominee quickly, with the goal of seating the new justice by the opening of the court’s new term in October. Stevens’ career on the court has included more than 3,500
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Sexual abuse lawsuits seek to pull Vatican into U.S., European courts
opinions, including some on which his views have shifted during his 35-year career, notably on capital punishment. He also wrote some of the court’s significant opinions or dissents on First Amendment issues including prayer in schools, obscenity and public display of the Ten Commandments. On abortion-related cases, his was a consistent vote to uphold Roe v. Wade and limit efforts to regulate abortion.
‘Too high a price’ to keep nation’s electricity on, says bishop WHEELING, W. Va. – As West Virginia mourned the 29 coal miners killed in the April 5 explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in Montcoal, Bishop Michael J. Bransfield of Wheeling-Charleston said the safety of the state’s miners
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Members of a nonsalaried vendors’ association make a pilgrimage to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City. The vendors say sales are slumping because of the struggling Mexican economy, and face increased competition because more Mexicans are turning to jobs in the informal economy – where no taxes are paid – to earn a living.
must be a priority. “We offer this Mass for the 29 miners who lost their lives this past week,” Bishop Bransfield said at the beginning of the Mass he celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Wheeling April 11. “We pray today for them and for their families.” Life must be protected from birth to natural death, Bishop Bransfield said. It is his hope, he said, that the protection that miners need will be provided to them in the future. “Our country should realize that West Virginia pays too high a price when we turn on our electricity,” the bishop said in his homily.”As one of the greatest suppliers of electricity in our country, we must reflect on what producing this energy truly costs.” The death toll of miners killed in the explosion rose to 29 after the four workers initially listed as missing were found dead April 10. – Catholic San Francisco
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Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010
Cardinal Mahony praises his new coadjutor as ‘most effective leader’ LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Cardinal Roger M. Mahony praised his new coadjutor, Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, as “a most effective leader” working with priests serving the Spanish-speaking communities across the country. “His leadership in proclaiming the dignity and rights of our immigrant peoples has helped motivate many people to advocate for our immigrants,” said the cardinal, who noted that Archbishop Gomez is the Chair-elect of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration Surrounded by Easter lilies in front of the archbishop’s chair in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the cardinal introduced Archbishop Gomez of San Antonio as coadjutor archbishop of Los Angeles at an April 6 press conference. Pope Benedict XVI named the 58-year-old Texas archbishop as coadjutor April 6. He will automatically become head of the archdiocese upon Cardinal Mahony’s retirement. The cardinal will turn 75 next February, the age at which bishops are required by canon law to submit their resignation to the pope. He is the first Latino archbishop to serve the archdiocese and the third Mexican native to be a Los Angeles prelate. The first was Bishop Francisco Garcia Diego Moreno, a Franciscan who was the first bishop of both Californias — the territory that became the U.S. state of California in 1850 and Mexico’s Baja California. The second is one of the archdiocese’s six current auxiliaries, Bishop Gabino Zavala. Born in Monterrey, Mexico, Archbishop Gomez became a U.S. citizen in 1995. He stood alongside Cardinal Mahony as he was introduced to the press. Seated behind the two prelates were Bishop Zavala, Auxiliary
(CNS PHOTO/TIM RUE)
By Paula Doyle
Bishops Gerald E. Wilkerson, Oscar A. Solis, Alexander Salazar and Edward Clark, and retired Auxiliary Bishop Joseph M. Sartoris. The cardinal said he had urged the selection of a Hispanic as the next archbishop of Los Angeles; Hispanics make up 41 percent of the total population of the three counties that comprise the archdiocese. He noted that Archbishop Gomez is chairman-elect of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Migration. Cardinal Mahony also cautioned people against assuming that because Arcbishop Gomez is one of 24 Opus Dei bishops around the world, he must be “conservative.” “In fact, these labels of ‘conservative’ and ‘liberal’ are really unhelpful in the life of the Church,” he said. “We are all called to a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, and I can attest that both of us share a common commitment to Christ and to the Church, and that both of us are interested in promoting the teachings of the church fully as well as bringing the words and example of Christ to today’s society and
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Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of San Antonio speaks at a press conference at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles April 6. By appointing Archbishop Gomez as coadjutor of Los Angeles, Pope Benedict XVI has chosen a successor to Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, left.
world,” Cardinal Mahony said. In his remarks, Archbishop Gomez alternated between English and Spanish, as had the cardinal before him. He also apologized for them being so brief, because it was “the kind of moment (when) words cannot fully describe my feelings.” The coadjutor said he would entrust his new ministry in the archdiocese to Our Lady of Guadalupe’s love and protection. He was briefly overcome with emotion, needing to take a sip of water, when talking about his time with the people of San Antonio, where he has been archbishop since February 2005. “In their patience and generosity, they
taught me how to be a bishop,” he said. Calling the archdiocese “one of the great Catholic communities in the world,” Archbishop Gomez described Los Angeles, with its diversity of populations, as being like no other city in the world in reflecting “the global face of the Catholic Church.” “That fact,” continued the archbishop, “invites us to do two things: first, to thank God for our diversity and the energy it creates; and second, to commit ourselves more deeply to the things that unite us — a zeal for Jesus Christ; confidence in the Gospel; reverence for the Eucharist; service to the poor; defense of the unborn child, the immigrant and the disabled; and a love for the Church as our mother and teacher.” In answer to a question from the press about Opus Dei, Archbishop Gomez said the prelature’s emphasis on the universal call to holiness had helped him to grow in his spirituality. He noted that Opus Dei was considered a “liberal” group in its early years and, since the Second Vatican Council has been perceived as “conservative.” Regarding his priorities for the archdiocese, he said he would stress religious education to help Catholics better understand the faith. He also said he supported Cardinal Mahony’s commitment to collaborative ministry, nurturing, utilizing and appreciating the gifts that all Catholics — lay, ordained and religious, men and women — bring to the service of the Church and community.
Vatican offers online summary of clerical sex abuse procedures By John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican has posted on its website, www.vatican.va, a summary of procedures for handling sex abuse allegations against priests, in order to illustrate the Catholic Church’s commitment to protecting children and punishing offenders, Vatican officials said. The online “introductory guide” lists the investigative steps, trial options and possible penalties for clerical sex abuse of minors, including dismissal from the priesthood. It underlines the local bishop’s responsibility to follow civil law in reporting such crimes to the appropriate authorities. “This is to help the public understand how we facilitate, how we proceed. This is transparency, transparency of the Vatican. We have nothing to hide,” Passionist Father Ciro Benedettini, a Vatican spokesman, said April 10. The move came after a spate of articles portrayed Vatican officials, including Pope Benedict XVI when he was the Vatican’s top doctrinal official, as slow to act on allegations of sex abuse by priests. Church officials have said many of the published reports exhibited a lack of knowledge about the current procedures and how they work. The online guide explains the practices adopt-
ed in the wake of a 2001 papal document that established strict universal norms for handling cases of sexual abuse by priests against minors and placed these cases under the authority of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The guide confirmed that the Vatican was currently updating the norms to reflect some changes over the last nine years, but said the modifications would not change the basic procedures. The Web page highlighted several essential steps in investigating and processing abuse cases. First, it said, the local diocese is to investigate every allegation of sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric. If the allegation has a “semblance of truth,” the case is referred to the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation. During this preliminary stage, the local bishop may restrict the activity of a priest as a precautionary measure, in order to protect children. “This is part of his ordinary authority, which he is encouraged to exercise to whatever extent is necessary to assure that children do not come to harm,” it said. The doctrinal congregation then studies the case presented by the local bishop. It has a number of options at its disposal: — Penal processes. The doctrinal congregaABUSE PROCEDURE, page 9
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Parishes job support . . . ■Continued from cover boom times, it was never supposed to be like this. College graduation was supposed to be another step toward a new and even better life. “Their whole life since maybe fourth grade has been straightforward: if you do A and do B then you get C,� said Alex Hochman, assistant director of the career services center at the University of San Francisco. “So they were convinced that if they write a perfect resume, they’d automatically get a job,� he said. “But now they’re finding that A plus B doesn’t always equal C.� But it’s one thing to identify a problem and another to actually do something about it, as the job network quickly discovered. The same job skills training, interview instruction and resume building efforts that worked so well with older job seekers unemployed for the first time in years didn’t strike a spark with young people who were suddenly out of school and out of work. When only a handful of the under-25s turned out for an opening workshop, it was back to the drawing board.
Catholic San Francisco
7
those places to get out and make the contacts that can lead to work, Mosunich said. “The person you talk to might not have a job to offer, but he may know someone who does,� she said. In the days of the immigrant church, the local Catholic parish was a one-stop shop for any new arrival. With the help of the priest and parishioners, a newcomer could get help finding a job and a place to live, as well as becoming an instant part of a community of fellow believers. That’s not the way modern Catholics always see their parishes today, which is a shame, Msgr. McElroy said. “There’s nothing new with parishes being involved in finding jobs for their members and other similar secular concerns,� he said. “There’s a strong sense of community, with people eager to help.� That help extends to the young people who are an essential part of those parish communities, both now and in the future. The slow start of that job program for young people doesn’t worry Msgr. McElroy or the volunteers for that growing job network the mid-Peninsula parishes are sponsoring. It’s an effort they are convinced will bear fruit. “We have to fine tune the program to get those young people involved,� he said. “But we will.� For more information, e-mail jobs@stgregs-sanmateo.org.
“We’re feeling around now,� Mosunich said. “We think there’s a need (for job assistance), but the question is how to reach out to the young people who need it.� The problem could be more with the messengers than the message, she admitted. “With parents involved, improving job skills becomes just one more thing your mom is trying to make you do,� Mosunich said. But it also could be that the growing on-line world of social networking isn’t serving young college grads well in the current jobs marketplace. “Kids are so technology-oriented today many of them are convinced that all they need to get a job is their computer and a Blackberry,� said Mosunich, whose career has been in the retail industry. “But you still get jobs from contacts, not from job boards.� Those personal contacts are so important that Hochman tells students at USF that they need to get out and make themselves seen off-campus by potential employers at least three times a week. “I tell them they have to be aggressive,� he said. “If they just use the school system, that’s probably not enough in this economy.� But what too many people, young and old, fail to realize is that their Catholic parishes can be another of
St. Matthew Parish project to help jobless members, focusing on hourly workers By Rick DelVecchio (PHOTO BY RICK DELVECCHIO/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
The jobs support network of the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s central San Mateo County deanery is expanding to St. Matthew Parish in San Mateo. The parish Hispanic council and Father Juan Lopez, parochial vicar, are inviting people who need job counseling and people who can volunteer to support job-seekers. In the coming weeks they hope to match the two groups, with employed people serving as coaches to offer emotional and technical support to those looking for work. The effort is open to all but will focus on Hispanic hourly workers.
They’re hanging on by the grace of God – Father Juan Lopez Bill Tauskey, an adviser to the deanery-wide project who helps parish leaders set up programs built around confidential, one-on-one support for the jobless, addressed the St. Matthew Hispanic council Sunday after the 8:30 a.m. Spanish-language Mass. “I saw 400 or 500 people in church this morning,� he said. “Unemployment is 10 percent. That means 40 or 50 people don’t have jobs. The mission is to help those people. We care about people who are hurting and we want to say something more than, ‘God bless you, we hope things work out.�
St. Matthew parochial vicar Father Juan Lopez, is helping the parish Hispanic council organize a project to help jobless members of the community.
For more information, call the parish at (650) 344-7622 or Bill Tauskey at (650) 340-9254 or bill. tauskey@igpartnersinc.com. On catholic-sf.org: Hear Father Lopez describe the project http://bit.ly/9ioQ4i. Emotional support is the most important service that a member of the community can offer a neighbor in need, Tauskey said. “Just knowing someone cares goes a long way,� he said. “It may help that person step back from the edge.� Father Lopez said many parish members are coping with loss of income. They want to work but are unable to secure enough hours. “They’re hanging on by the grace of God,� he said. The Hispanic council plans to hold a meeting where unemployed members will be invited to describe their needs. People with experience helping the unemployed also will be asked to get involved. Then, the council plans to bring in people who may have jobs to offer, such as construction foremen and restaurant managers. “I told them I was going to call on their gifts and talents,� Father Lopez said.
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April 16, 2010
Traditional devotions and innovative practices foster local children’s faith Education and Youth Ministry. “It also builds the community of faith,” The little ones at Ecole Notre added Vivian Clausing, associate Dame des Victoires ask for a “chadirector of Youth Ministry and pel pass” to visit the downtown Catechesis. San Francisco elementary school’s At Holy Name of Jesus School chapel during lunch and recess. The near Ocean Beach and Golden Gate chapel, converted in 2008 from the Park in San Francisco, the first and old school library with a donation second graders attend the school’s from a benefactor, has a red candle weekly Mass on Thursday with an signaling the Blessed Sacrament’s older child as part of the school’s presence and Rosary beads lying emphasis on teaching the faith in on the seats. the context of loving relationships, “It supports our commitment said first grade teacher and assistant to prayer and helping our children principal Linda McCausland. “They appreciate a sacred space that sit together, they sing together, they allows them to sit and be, to listen love each other, they hug each other,” to God,” said Notre Dame des McCausland said. “It is a wonderful Victoires Principal Mary Ghisolfo. empathetic relationship to build for “Just for a few minutes, it’s a time the older children to remember what away from the hustle and bustle.” it was like to not know all the inforThroughout the Archdiocese of mation, not know all the prayers,” San Francisco in parish religious said McCausland, who is in her 33rd education programs and in schools, Shown praying in the Notre Dame des year at Holy Name School. “The Victoires school chapel are seventh the faith of children is nurtured in little ones want to know and they grade student John Briseno and first sometimes slight ways that call on can learn by hanging around with the grade students Sebastian Flores-Fok, traditional devotions and innovabig ones. They’ll come back singing Sahil Maurice and Caroline Kelly. tive practices to encourage children from Mass. It’s a wonderful, wonderto pray. ful experience.” “Prayer builds our relationship with God and that’s the The religious education program at Our Lady of Mercy most important thing we have in life,” said Sister Celeste parish in Daly City, Sister Fe Bigwas, RVM, includes food Arbuckle, director of the archdiocesan Office for Religious and parent involvement almost every step of the way in a popular program that involves around 300 children a year with classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays to accommodate working families’ schedules. Whether it is the
By Valerie Schmalz
Summer Camps Education
Teaching prayers to children and youth The Archdiocese of San Francisco has a prayer curriculum – prayers that each Catholic school and each parish religious education program teaches. Schools and parishes can add other prayers to the list, depending on the culture of the community and the spirituality of the parish and school, said Sister Celeste Arbuckle, director of the Archdiocesan Office for Religious Education and Youth Ministry. Kindergarten: Sign of the Cross, Hail Mary, Guardian Angel Prayer, Blessing with Holy Water First Grade: Our Father, Glory be to the Father, Grace before meals, Begin verbal Mass responses, Genuflection and ritual Second Grade: Ritual and verbal Mass responses, Simple Act of Contrition Third Grade: Apostles Creed, Begin learning ritual and process of the Rosary, simple litany responses Fourth Grade: The Rosary, Ritual of Stations of the Cross, Morning Offering Fifth Grade: Prayer to St. Francis, Ritual and prayers for each sacrament, Prayer to the Holy Spirit Sixth Grade: Ritual and prayers for each sacrament Seventh-Eighth Grades: Nicene Creed
four prayer and faith sessions with families, teachers, and students the religious education program hosts throughout the school year or the mandatory first Communion and confirmation parent meetings and retreats, there is almost always a potluck, “always food,” Sister Bigwas says. Often, helping parents renew their faith is a big part of teaching children to pray, says Michael Smith, director of youth and religious education at St. Dominic parish in San Francisco. Before many religious education classes, “children sit with parents and they sing a song together that we will do together through the season. We have the parents sit with the children so the parents see how to pray and do that at home with the children,” Smith said. For older youth, particularly those preparing to be confirmed, Smith said the focus is on personal prayer. On the confirmation CHILDREN’S FAITH, page 9
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Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010
Children’s faith . . . ■ Continued from page 8 retreat to the Marin Headlands, the teens write a letter to God, “as a way to foster communicative prayer,” Smith said. They learn “not just rote prayer, but conversation with God,” he said. “They learn that prayer can be personal and private. They burn the letters at the end of the retreat so it remains between them and God, but offered to God as smoke rises up.” At Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Belmont, the religious education program includes at least one high school age student in each classroom, said youth minister Kathy Grosshauser. “They have an opportunity to learn how to teach the kids, they go to Mass with the classes,” said Grosshauser, whose daughter, a junior at Notre Dame High School, is in her third year helping out in the third grade. “Every third class she puts together the lesson plan and works with the kids. This is giving the older kids a chance to spread their wings and share their faith.” A big benefit, Grosshauser said, is the high return rate of parish teens who have been confirmed and want to work in the program. At Our Lady of Mercy, parents, teachers
and students conclude the year with a special rosary and Mass to the Blessed Mother which includes crowning Mary with flowers and everyone, adults and children, bringing offerings of flowers to place before the statue of Mary, Sister Bigwas said. Like Our Lady of Mercy, St. Francis Assisi in East Palo Alto offers catechism classes on Thursdays and Saturdays to accommodate working parents’ schedule. Nearly 500 children in religious education and the two-year preparation programs for first Communion and confirmation attend, pastor Father Lawrence Goode said. During Lent at St. Francis of Assisi Church, children joined adults in enacting Stations of the Cross in the streets of East Palo Alto, with five different Stations of the Cross each Friday, as the mostly Spanish language parishioners went to 14 houses for each stations journey, each house representing one Station of the Cross, said Father Goode. “Last time I was out, there was a little boy. We had two flashlights. I gave one to this little boy to put on the image,” said Father Goode. “I noticed another little child, same age, about 10, kneeling with his head buried in his hands right in front of the image of the station and he was praying away. I was very impressed.”
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Abuse procedure. . . ■ Continued from page 6 tion may authorize a judicial penal trial at a local church tribunal, or it can authorize the local bishop to conduct an “administrative penal process.” Under either procedure, if a cleric is judged guilty he is subject to a number of possible penalties, including dismissal from the priesthood. Appeal can be made to a tribunal of the doctrinal congregation or to the congregation itself. — Cases referred directly to the pope. In “very grave cases” where a civil criminal trial has found the cleric guilty of sexual abuse of minors or where the evidence is overwhelming, the doctrinal congregation can take the case directly to the pope and request the offender’s dismissal from the priesthood. There is no recourse to such a penalty.
9
The congregation also takes to the pope requests by priests who acknowledge their crimes and asked to be dispensed from the obligation of the priesthood. The pope grants these requests “for the good of the church,” it said. — Disciplinary measures. In cases where the accused priest has admitted his crimes and has accepted to live a life of prayer and penitence, the local bishop can issue a decree prohibiting or restricting the public ministry of the priest. If the priest violates the terms of the decree, possible penalties include dismissal from the priesthood. Recourse against such decrees is made to the doctrinal congregation, whose decision is final. Editor’s note: Catholic San Francisco has placed the Vatican’s Guide to Understanding Basic CDF Procedures Concerning Sexual Abuse Allegations on its website www. catholic-sf.org; click on National/World and Church/Vatican.
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Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010 A Haitian woman carries supplies provided at a Catholic Relief Services distribution point in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. CRS continues its recovery work in the stricken nation.
Volunteers
Catholics in the Archdiocese of San Francisco contributed more than $1.2 million to Catholic Relief Services to help Haiti after the devastating January 12th earthquake. The international relief arm of the U.S. bishops raised $120 million nationally, Church and relief officials said. The total from all four Bay Area dioceses topped $3.3 million, the Catholic international relief service reported. “I am so grateful to all the people of the Archdiocese of San Francisco who came forward, in this difficult time financially for many of them, to reach out to sisters and brothers in such dire need. This is what it means to see and serve Christ in others,” said Archbishop George H. Niederauer. “A key goal is to help the Haitian Church get back on its feet,” said Archbishop José H. Gomez, Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Subcommittee on the Church in Latin America, in an April 8th news release. Funds are already allocated to re-establish the Catholic radio station in Port-au-Prince as a way to help Catholics stay connected as the country rebuilds in the aftermath of the January 12th disaster. The bishops are now working to re-open churches and provide temporary housing for priests in a nation where 80 percent of Haitians are Catholic. “Life in Haiti revolves around the parish communities,” said Archbishop Gomez. “Reconstituting parishes is vital to bringing back some sense of normalcy to people’s lives. We are starting
(CNS PHOTO/EDUARDO MUNOZ, REUTERS)
Bay Area Catholics give CRS $3.3 Million for Haitian Earthquake Relief
with temporary rectories but foresee chapels, schools and community centers to follow.” On January 13, a day after the earthquake destroyed much of Haiti’s capital, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, chairman of Catholic Relief Services, appealed to Catholics across the country to help Haiti through parish collections. As of the first week of April, parish collections raised $58.7 million, with another more than $60 million contributed via individual donations, according to the USCCB. In the Archdiocese of San Francisco, direct contributions via telephone calls, website, text, and checks sent by mail were higher than the substantial Sunday collection contributions, George Wesolek, director of the archdiocesan Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns, noting the archdiocese posted all
the possible ways to give on the website Sflifeandjustice.org. Sunday collections raised $549,560 while $720,730 was donated via other means. Despite a tough recession, and unemployment hovering around 10 percent, spontaneous fundraisers were common. For instance, the Moonstar Buffet Restaurant in Daly City sponsored an event to raise $25,000, said Robert Dalton, associate director of development for the Archdiocese. In the Santa Rosa diocese, the parish of St. Helena raised more than $35,000 for St. Helena Orphanage in Haiti. About 5,000 Haitians live in the Bay Area, most in Marin County, Wesolek said. More money is still coming in, said James DeHarpporte, Western regional director for Catholic Relief Services. As of the April 12, contributions from the Oakland diocese exceeded $1 million, San Jose diocese’s contributions were $750,000, and the Santa Rosa diocese gave $350,000, DeHarpporte said. The numbers include both Sunday collections and independent donations.
Volunteer opportunities abound in helping local charities Following are a selection of volunteering opportunities at local charities and organizations. • Catholic Charities CYO is an independent non-profit organization operating as the social services arm of the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Founded in 1907 to care for the orphans of the San Francisco earthquake, CCCYO today serves more than 35,000 people each year, a majority of whom are children. Rooted in our faith traditions of charity and justice, CCCYO works to support, stabilize and strengthen families. Volunteers have the power to change lives and impact communities. Donating your time, even if it is just a small amount, can create lasting effects in the lives of the individuals and families we serve. Since there are various volunteer opportunities within our organization, we have set up monthly volunteer information sessions for potential volunteers to attend. These sessions provide background into our programs and services, and allow you to ask questions before making a final decision. All sessions take place evenings at our main office in San Francisco located at 180 Howard Street (at Main Street), Suite 100. Next Volunteer Sessions: Tuesday, April 27th: 6:00 to 7:00 and Tuesday, May 25th; 6:00 to 7:00. Contact Liz Rodriguez at erodriguez@cccyo.org or (415) 972-1297 to fill out a volunteer application before the information session. A list of current open volunteer positions is available online at www.cccyo.org/volunteer. • The St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco each day serves more than 1,000 men, women and children through a spectrum of programs, including a detox center for homeless and low-income people; a free clothing- and grocery-distribution program; the city’s largest continuum of shelters and services
for battered women and their children; and the largest homeless shelter in Northern California. Join us for the last Saturday of every month for Volunteer Orientation, where you will learn about available volunteer opportunities with our shelters, programs, and events helping those suffering from poverty, homelessness, addiction and domestic violence. All orientations meet from 10:05-10:50am at the St. Vincent de Paul Society Wellness Center, located at 1175 Howard Street. Next volunteer orientation is Saturday, April 24, 10:0510:50 a.m. For more information, please contact Joe Garvey, Volunteer Coordinator, at (415) 977-1270 x 304 or jgarvey@svdp-sf.org. • St. Anthony Foundation: Every month, St, Anthony’s serves thousands of poor and homeless individuals and families through its food program, drug and alcohol recovery, free medical clinic, clothing program, tech lab, and other programs. Our award winning volunteer program is an integral part of our services and relationships. With the dedication of more than 9,000 volunteers each year, this service is made possible. For more information, please visit us at www.stanthonysf.org and fill out a volunteer opportunity request form. Or, contact Marie O’Connor, Individual volunteer coordinator, at (415) 592-2726. • The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of San Mateo County is the safety net every year for over 40,000 San Mateo County residents in need, including over 17,000 children. SVdP helps families and individuals in emergency situations. Feeding the homeless, keeping people housed, offering basic survival necessities. See how you can join us by registering for SVdP’s next Volunteer Orientation on Tuesday, May 4th at 1:30 p.m.
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You will hear about our Homeless Help Centers in South San Francisco, San Mateo and Redwood City, working with SVdP parish Conferences, volunteering on our San Mateo Helpline and serving the incarcerated. Call Atrecia at (650) 373-0623 to reserve a spot at the next volunteer orientation at SVdP’s District Office in San Mateo or email svdpinfo@yahoo.com. The rewards of volunteering are heavenly! • La Porziuncola Nuova in San Francisco needs volunteers. The Porziuncola is the first phase of the Renaissance Project currently taking place at the National Shrine of St. Francis located at the intersection of Columbus and Vallejo in the North Beach area. Volunteers become members of the Knights of Saint Francis and are charged with protecting and securing the La Porziuncola Nuova. In addition, they function as docents during their volunteer hours at the chapel. At The Porziuncola in Assisi, Italy, St. Francis began to understand his vocation to follow the Gospel and give up all worldly goods, pray for and advocate peace, the environment and of course, take care of the poor and sick. Our La Porziuncola Nuova in San Francisco is a 78 percent scale replica of Saint Francis’ chapel in Assisi. It is open to everyone 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, closed on Mondays. The goal is to have two volunteers present for each hour that the chapel is open to the public. To volunteer and become a Knight of Saint Francis, contact Jim Brunsmann at jimbrunsmann@comcast.net or go to www. knightsofsaintfrancis.com and follow the Volunteer Application link at the bottom of the home page. For additional information on the Knights of St. Francis, click the Archconfraternity of Saint Francis link at the bottom of the same home page.
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Find out about Coming of Age programs, workshops, discussion groups, and volunteer opportunities with organizations that need your help! Visit www.ComingofAge.org/BayArea or call (888) 308-1767.
Capturing the Talent, Energy & Expertise of People 50+
April 16, 2010
Efforts begin to restore, rebuild earthquake-damaged Chilean churches
Catholic San Francisco
Volunteers
(CNS PHOTO/MAGLIO PEREZ, REUTERS)
By Aaron Nelsen SANTIAGO, Chile (CNS) – As Osvaldo Corona scrambled from his second-floor bedroom during the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked Chile Feb 27, he got a glimpse of the renowned red-tiled cupola that graced Divine Providence Church. Stumbling to safety, he looked again and the cupola was gone, strewn in pieces on the street. “It happened so fast,” recalled Corona, the church’s longtime administrator. “I looked at the floor because everything was moving and all of a sudden I heard a tremendous crash and the cupola was gone.” Declared a national monument in 1989, the church suffered serious damage and now is closed. Divine Providence Parish is not alone. After the fifth largest earthquake ever recorded, hundreds of historic buildings in the south central region of Chile lay in ruin. The National Monuments Council, responsible for cataloguing the destruction of cultural treasures, has identified 241 such sites damaged during the quake. Nearly 75 percent of them are Catholic institutions. In addition, the Statistical Office of the Chilean bishops’ conference reported that 80 percent of all churches in the quake zone were damaged. The extent of damage varies among the dozens of churches in 12 of the country’s 27 dioceses. The end result is that an estimated 1 million people no longer have a place to worship. The executive committee of the bishops’ conference has established a Reconstruction Support Commission to collaborate with other entities on restoration efforts. The National Monuments Council provides funding for sites designated historically important, but it is unclear where funds for reconstruction and restoration will come from, said Maria Elena Troncoso Delpiano, executive secretary of the National Commission of Cultural Property of the Church. She is heading church efforts to assess the damage in coordination with the council. The process of restoring so many sites will take years. The cost is expected to soar into the hundreds of millions of dollars, according to the monuments council. Troncoso said that from what she has observed, the earthquake dealt the church a devastating blow, reducing dozens
of century-old structures to rubble. Repeated aftershocks have opened cracks and fissures in many buildings left standing. The monuments council and the National Center of Conservation and Restoration are spearheading the damage assessment efforts in collaboration with the religious organizations, architects and architecture students. The council primarily is focused on buildings, while the conservation and restoration center is concerned with altars, furniture, ornaments, images and paintings of historical significance. For its part, the council has dispatched a dozen teams of architects and archeologists to damaged sites. In some communities they have arrived to find the city has already given the green light to demolish buildings before they have had a chance to assess the extent of the damage. “Now is the time for solutions,” said Oscar Acuna, executive secretary of the National Monuments Council. “Before we hastily demolish buildings we need to consider whether we want communities of patrimonial significance or communities without an identity.” While many adobe buildings simply crumbled under the
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A priest celebrates Mass for earthquake survivors in front of a damaged church in Constitucion, Chile, March 7, following a magnitude 8.8 quake in central Chile Feb. 27.
force of the quake, Troncoso and the council insist that many can be restored. Among the most recognizable buildings damaged in the quake was the UNESCO World Heritage site, La Matriz Church in the coastal city of Valparaiso. Other less well-known churches, such as Immaculate Conception in Maipo, Holy Guardian Angels in Buin and Our Lady of the Rosary in Pirque, were closed during Holy Week. Divine Providence, however, made do with outdoor services. On Good Friday the congregation unfolded plastic chairs under the shade of a white tarp as Corona made preparations for the midday service. Built between 1881 and 1890 by Italian architect Eduardo Provasoli, the neo-Renaissance church has survived numerous other earthquakes, including Chile’s last big one, of 8 magnitude, in 1985. During that quake, several of the church’s archways cracked, but were eventually repaired. The latest quake reopened old wounds. Then, as now, Corona lived on church grounds. He can’t explain why his church was repaired while others were neglected. All he can say is that Divine Providence will again pick up the pieces. “It’s sad we lost the cupola,” Corona said, “but it will be restored, and look just as it did before.”
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MARIN ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN
30 N. SAN PEDRO ROAD, SUITE 275 SAN RAFAEL, CA 94903 Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteers are needed to work with children who are dependents of the court as a result of having been abused, neglected or abandoned. Volunteers undergo a thorough background and screening process and complete approximately thirty two hours of initial training. As a trained CASA volunteer you will meet and work with dedicated professionals who are helping children and families reunify. People with bilingual and/or cultural skills and experience are particularly needed. Please contact Tyler Stanley at 415-507-9016 or tyler@marinadvocates.org for more information. Or visit our website at www.marinadvocates.org
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Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
Views in the News Vatican rebuts allegations of stalling on California sex abuse case By John Thavis VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Vatican officials have rebutted allegations that the future Pope Benedict XVI stalled on a priestly sex abuse case in 1985, and said critics have misunderstood the fundamental Church procedures in use at the time. Based on claims made by Jeff Anderson, an attorney who has been party to lawsuits against the Catholic Church resulting in tens of millions of dollars in settlements and currently is trying to sue the Vatican in federal court, the Associated Press reported that then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger resisted pleas to defrock Father Stephen Kiesle, a priest in the Oakland Diocese with a record of sexually molesting children. It cited a letter from Cardinal Ratzinger, who was head of the Vatican’s doctrinal congregation, advising further study of the case for “the good of the universal church.” Vatican officials pointed out that Cardinal Ratzinger was responding to the priest’s own request for dispensation from the vow of celibacy, and at the time had no authority to impose dismissal from the priesthood as a penalty for sex abuse. Jeffrey Lena, a lawyer for the Vatican based in Berkeley, said the AP article reflected a “rush to judgment” and presumed – incorrectly – that Cardinal Ratzinger’s office had control over clerical sex abuse cases. “During the entire course of the proceeding the priest remained under the control, authority and care of the local bishop who was responsible to make sure he did no harm, as the canon law provides,” Lena said. “The abuse case wasn’t transferred to the Vatican at all.” Other Vatican experts in church law, who asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak on the record, made several other points about the Kiesle case: – Cardinal Ratzinger’s 1985 letter came in response to a request for dispensation from priestly obligations, not a request for sanctions against an abuser. The distinction is important, they said. At the time, Pope John Paul II had introduced a policy of greatly reducing the number of such dispensations, out of concern that the commitment to the priesthood was no longer seen as permanent. – Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter acknowledged the “grave” reasons involved in this particular case, urged the local bishop to follow the priest closely and advised further careful consideration of the situation. Kiesle was in fact laicized two years later, on the eve of his 40th birthday; there was a policy at the time of not granting dispensations to priests under the age of 40. – Cardinal Ratzinger’s letter had no bearing on protecting children from Kiesle, or protecting the church’s reputation. The priest had already been convicted of sexual abuse in a well-publicized civil trial in 1978 and had – in theory, at least – been removed from all ministry by the Diocese of Oakland. Again, at that time removal from ministry was the responsibility of local church officials, not the Vatican. – Authority over allegations of sexual abuse of minors by priests was transferred to the doctrinal congregation only in 2001. In 2003, special faculties were granted to the congregation to make it easier to dismiss offenders from the priesthood. Cardinal Ratzinger is said by many to have pushed for these changes in order to confront what was recognized as a major problem in the church. Vatican sources said the Kiesle case illustrates how the Vatican has changed its approach over the years, particularly regarding the penalty of dismissal from the priesthood. Laicization is now seen as a proportionate punishment for “all the egregious cases” of sex abuse of minors, one official said. “We have acquired a keen sense of the nature of the crime of sexual abuse of minors and of the scandal that derives from it,” he said. In the case of Kiesle, removal from the priesthood did not prevent him from committing sexual crimes. He was convicted in 2004 of a second sex offense, that of molesting a girl in 1995, and was sentenced to six years in prison. He lives today in a California community as a registered sex offender. Catholic San Francisco contributed to this story.
Rush to judgment The story in the Sunday San Francisco Examiner, “Pope may have stalled case,” is an example of poor writing and poor taste. Such an article, specifically the title of the article, falls into the clutches of secularist propaganda and tabloid trash. Inferring that Pope Benedict XVI delayed the removal of a child molester, from the priesthood in a timely manner is not accurate reporting and lacks research. The article implies that His Holiness, prior to becoming Pope, did something wrong in regard to investigating the molestation case. It’s about time for the media, in general, to refrain from such unjustifiable opinion, and get to the crux of this issue that plagues all public and private places such as schools, hospitals and other institutions. The media should see the obvious strategy of people who seek to destroy the Catholic Church. Richard Bodisco San Francisco
Blessing of women
Healing opportunity So, the Vatican has decided to go to the bunkers and engage in trench warfare with anyone who suggests a lack of vigilance about priest sex abuse. If the press lobs an accusation of negligence by bishops, the Vatican returns fire with an accusation of “anti-Catholic bigotry.” How incredibly unhelpful! This is a war that is unnecessary and one which will damage everyone. The sad fact is that there is a good deal of anti-Catholic bias in the media. Another sad, but equally true, fact is that many of our Church leaders have acted in a regretfully negligent way. One fact does not negate the other and the Vatican should not pretend that it does. The current stance by the Vatican is the very definition of bunker mentality.
Catholic San Francisco welcomes letters from its readers. Please send your letters to: Catholic San Francisco One Peter Yorke Way San Francisco, CA 94109 Fax: (415) 614-5641 E-mail: healym@sfarchdiocese.org or visit our website at www.catholic-sf.org, Contact Us
Woman of God Thank you for publishing the wonderful article “A Ministry of Healing” on the work of Mercy Sister Mary Ann Scofield. Liz Dossa did a wonderful job of capturing the essence of this wonderful woman of God. She has been a guiding light in the spiritual direction field for many years and I am grateful that more people will come to know of her loving service to the people of God. George Biniek San Francisco
L E T T E R S
Thank you for including in Catholic San Francisco (News in brief, March 19) the story about a commentary in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, that a “greater presence of women could have helped abuse crisis.” Many of us were educated by nuns and know firsthand their many contributions to the Church. More women in positions of authority in the Church would indeed help. Regarding a letter by George Wesolek (Letters, March 26) regarding the public support for the Senate healthcare reform bill by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and the Catholic Healthcare Association: I found it to be an intemperate and divisive attack on the thousands of women religious in America who are members of LCWR, many of whom manage and work at our 624 Catholic hospitals. Mr. Wesolek says they represent a “tired feminism” and embrace a culture that supports abortion! Of course he knows that’s not true. By coincidence my copy of Commonweal arrived today and the lead editorial, “Cry Wolf”, is a thoughtful analysis of why support of the health bill is not the equivalent of supporting abortion. However, we live in an age where press agents are paid to polarize, whatever the truth. Avoid careful thought and nuanced distinctions. The sharper the divisions, the more energized the (smaller) base. John W. Weiser Kentfield
Letters welcome
I recall fondly one day when the SNAP group was demonstrating outside of the Chancery. At the time, John Wester had recently been ordained bishop. He warmly invited the group of victims inside for a sympathetic hearing of their stories and history. It was a healing moment for both groups. There is another opportunity for a healing experience now. But it will require some Christ-like humility on the part of the Church, not a bunker mentality. Jim Hargarten San Francisco
Time for patience
We have to say we agree whole heartedly with George Weigels’s criticism of parents who refuse to use the “crying rooms” and allow their children to disrupt the priest and congregation. As he mentioned, parishes went to great lengths and expense to build these rooms to enable families with small children to attend Mass together without distracting those around them. It is disturbing and distracting when children act up during the sermon or during the Consecration, Yet we have been at Masses where this has happened, and the parents and children remain in the pew. However, as Mr. Weigel disclosed, pastors are reluctant to request from the pulpit or personally or in the weekly bulletin, “even in the kindest possible way,” that parents with babies and small children use the “crying room.” We understand it is the Archdiocese which inhibits parish priests from admonishing parents, fearing these families will leave the Church. However, some of the churchgoers who are distracted every week by the noise might choose to go elsewhere. We have to admit we are “not without sin.” Prior to mass, we do greet and talk with friends sitting in the last pew. We try to speak quietly, but this exchange still might be disturbing to those in the area saying prayers before mass. We do hope something positive results from Mr. Weigel encouraging people to “rediscover the sounds of silence,” and we look forward to reading any rebuttal. Mr. and Mrs. George O’Connell San Francisco
And ‘by herself” I always enjoy reading the Archbishop’s homily. That was the case for March 26 issue homily, “Nor do I condemn you,” about the woman who was condemned to be stoned. The reading and interpretation are always interesting especially with someone with the talents of Archbishop Niederauer. For me it always brings back a fond memory from the 1970’s. I was sitting listening to the reading, at St Peters in Pacifica. Next to me was a good friend and fellow parishioner Joan Cummins who happened to be a Professor at San Francisco State and wore with pride the mantle of “ardent feminist.” As the words “she was caught in the very act of adultery” were read Joan leaned over and whispered in my ear “by herself.” I was in my mid 30s and as a cradle Catholic by that time had read and listened to the parable many times and had never realized the omission or at least inconsistency. Today I am in my mid 70s and have yet to hear any mention on the subject when the parable is read and discussed. Jack Donnellan Half Moon Bay
April 16, 2010
Catholic San Francisco
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Looking Around
Facing up to the clergy sex abuse scandal Holy Week was heavier this year for many Catholics due to allegations of clergy sex abuse of children in Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland and other countries. Catholics worldwide are shaken by criticism of Pope Benedict XVI. Concern for victims is on our minds. The search for reasons, which began here in the U.S. eight years ago, is reopened. How, we ask, can the Church make amends and what must be done to prevent a recurrence ever again? For me, the path of analysis begins at the entry gate – two gates really. The first is the threshold one crosses when entering a seminary; the second is advancement to orders. If I were a bishop or admitting provincial, I would want to know the sexual history of every candidate. This is extraordinarily intrusive, I know, and invasive of privacy. No one would be forced, however, to continue or even to begin to participate in this conversation, but the conversation between the candidate and the admitting authority to a seminary should, I believe, touch on the delicate questions of how one has managed his sexuality, on whether one’s sexual identity is adequately known to himself and whether one feels truly called to and capable of meeting a commitment to celibacy. If the candidate had ever been sexually abused, that fact should be known. Not that it would of itself be disqualifying, but it should open up an honest examination of whether or
not the psychological impact of the violation has been dealt with so that the probability of the victim ever becoming a violator would be judged to be minimal. Exquisite care would have to be taken to avoid creating the impression (or aggravating an impression already there) that the young man caused the abuse or is morally responsible for it. Any victim of abuse as a child must be a psychologically healthy young adult when entering the seminary. On this point, I would say that serious doubt should be disqualifying. Similarly, when it is time to advance a seminarian to orders, the same kind of special, even sacred, conversation should take place. If the commitment to celibacy has proved to be unmanageable, if anything even remotely resembling the criminal behavior that produced the scandals we all now deplore occurred during the seminary years, the candidate should be denied admission to orders. As harsh as these steps appear when laid out here in cold print, it would be wise for bishops, superiors and seminary rectors to apply them now retroactively and confidentially to those famous “files” that have been turned over, however belatedly, to criminal prosecutors. What if these procedures had been in place many years ago when the tragic figures now called “cases” sought admission to the seminary or requested advancement to ordination? Could some cases of subsequent abuse have been prevented?
If, as we say perhaps too glibly when we talk about cases of clergy sexual misconduct, “even one is too many,” would it not follow that application of a guideline that would bar advancement to ordination, Father William harsh as it may appear to be, would have served the interJ. Byron, SJ est of protecting children? Conversations along these lines are now happening in many dioceses and religious orders around the world. This is an obvious preventive measure. It is also a welcoming, encouraging and positive assist, on the part of those in authority, to healthy young men of generosity and talent, whom God is calling to ordained ministry. We can only hope and pray that they will not be discouraged by reports of past failures in the wounded church they want to serve. Jesuit Father Byron, Professor of Business and Society at St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, writes a column for Catholic News Service. E-mail: wbyron@sju.edu.
Making a Difference
Moving away from nuclear weapons “Nuclear weapons must be banned,” declared Pope John XXIII in his famous encyclical “Peace on Earth” (“Pacem in Terris”). Good Pope John’s condemnation of nuclear weapons should be universally echoed. After all, these weapons are unequaled in their ability to cause massive death and destruction. With at least eight nations currently possessing more than 23,300 nuclear warheads, the threat of nuclear war, the acquisition of nuclear weapons by terrorists and the possibility of an accidental launch of nuclear missiles places the world’s survival in peril! Yet, defying common sense, many politicians and citizens in the U.S., as well as in the other nations that have nuclear weapons, take pride in the fact that they possess weapons of mass destruction. The Catholic Church continues to warn against such insanity. Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican’s representative to the United Nations, said on May 4, 2005, “The Holy See emphasizes that the peace we seek in the 21st century cannot be attained by relying on nuclear weapons. ... Nuclear weapons assault life on the planet, they assault the planet itself and in so doing they assault the process of the continuing development of the planet.”
Since the U.S. and Russia possess more than 96 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons, it is an absolute moral imperative that we lead the way toward a world completely free of these weapons of mass destruction. Pope Benedict XVI, in his Jan. 1, 2008, World Day of Peace message, wrote “I feel bound to entreat those in authority to resume with greater determination negotiations for a progressive and mutually agreed dismantling of existing nuclear weapons.” On April 8 President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev moved in the direction called for by the pope. By signing the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty they agreed to reduce their operational strategic nuclear warheads – those highly destructive long-range air, sea and land-based nuclear weapons – to 1,550 each. While that number of nuclear warheads still leaves each side capable of destroying the world many times over, it’s a significant step away from the abyss. But for this treaty to become law it must be ratified by the Russian parliament – the Duma – and obtain the approval of two-thirds of the U.S. Senate. We will never get from more than 23,300 nuclear warheads to zero in one step. It will take several major treaties
to reach the total global nuclear disarmament called for by the Holy See. But this treaty, if ratified, will get the world moving in that direction. However, Senate approval is not at all certain. Tony Magliano That is why it is essential that each of us e-mail and/or phone (Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121) our two U.S. senators, urging them to vote for ratification of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. One final thought regarding the evil of nuclear weapons: According to a new report by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the United States alone spent more than $52 billion in 2008 on nuclear weapons and related programs. Imagine the number of people around the world who could have been fed, housed, educated and employed with that huge sum. And imagine the good will and resulting peace that would have been achieved. Tony Magliano writes on Social Justice concerns in his Catholic News Service column.
The Catholic Difference
The limits of the papacy During the preparation of the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Pope Paul VI proposed that the constitution’s discussion of papal primacy include the affirmation that the Pope is “accountable to the Lord alone.” This suggestion was rejected by the Council’s Theological Commission, which wrote that “the Roman Pontiff is also bound to revelation itself, to the fundamental structure of the Church, to the sacraments, to the definitions of earlier councils, and other obligations too numerous to mention.” Pope Paul quietly dropped his proposal. Yet the image persists that the Catholic Church is a kind of global corporation, with the pope as CEO, the bishops as branch managers, and your parish priest as the local salesman. And according to that image, the pope not only knows what’s going on all the way down the line, he gives orders that are immediately obeyed all the way down the line. Or, to vary the misimpression, the Church is like the United States Marine Corps – there, at least according to legend, when the Commandant issues an order, everyone from the highest-ranking four-star to the lowliest Parris Island recruit staples a salute to his forehead and does what he’s told. This distorted and distorting image of the pope as dictatorial CEO or Marine commandant is, admittedly, reinforced by the language of the Code of Canon Law. Thus Canon 331 states that the “Bishop of the Church of Rome … has supreme, full, immediate and universal ordinary power in the Church, and he can always freely exercise that power.” Yet, while, both theology and law tells us that the pope enjoys the fullness of executive,
legislative, and judicial authority in the Church, his exercise of that power is circumscribed by any number of factors. It is circumscribed by the authority and prerogatives of local bishops, According to the teaching of Vatican II, bishops are not simply branch-managers of Catholic Church, Inc.; rather, they are the heads of local Churches with both the authority and the responsibility to govern them. Moreover, the pope, according to the Council, is to govern the Church with the College of Bishops who, with him and under him, share in responsibility for the well-being of the entire People of God, not only for their own local Churches. The pope’s capacity for governance is also shaped by the quality of his closest associates, and by the accuracy and timeliness of the information he receives from the Roman Curia via the nuncios and apostolic delegates who represent the Holy See and the pope around the world. An example of how this fact of ecclesiastical life can impede a pope’s ability to respond promptly to situations comes from the American crisis of clerical sexual abuse and episcopal misgovernance in 2002. Because of grossly inadequate reporting from the apostolic nunciature in Washington between January and April 2002—when the firestorm was at its hottest—John Paul II was about three months behind the news curve in mid-April 2002; what appeared (and was often presented by the press) as papal uninterest in the U.S. crisis was in fact a significant time-lag in the information-flow. Papal governance can also be undermined by inept subor-
dinates. Thus the image of an uninterested John Paul II was reinforced in 2002 by Cardinal Dario Castrillon’s disastrous presentation of the Pope’s annual Holy Thursday letter to priests that year, during which George Weigel Castrillon blew off questions about the U.S. crisis by saying that John Paul had more important things to worry about, like peace in the Middle East. These very real human limits on the exercise of papal power seem almost impossible for some editors and reporters—and indeed for some Catholics—to grasp. Yet the fact remains that the overwhelming responsibility for turning the scandal of clerical sexual abuse into a full-blown Church-wide crisis lays at the feet of irresponsible local bishops, and unfortunately of bishops who bought the conventional wisdom about therapeutic “cures” for sexual predators. That underscores the imperative of getting episcopal appointments right and of removing bishops whose failures destroy their capacity to govern: see “Ireland today, Catholic Church in.” George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.
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Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010
A READING FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES ACTS 5:27-32, 40B-41 When the captain and the court officers had brought the apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders, did we not, to stop teaching in that name? Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” The Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop speaking in the name of Jesus, and dismissed them. So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing. R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Hear, O Lord, and have pity on me; O Lord, be my helper. You changed my mourning into dancing; O Lord, my God, forever will I give you thanks. R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13 R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. I will extol you, O Lord, for you drew me clear and did not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, you brought me up from the netherworld; you preserved me from among those going down into the pit. R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Sing praise to the Lord, you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger lasts but a moment; a lifetime, his good will.
A READING FROM THE BOOK OF REVELATIONS REV 5:11-14 I, John, looked and heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They were countless in number, and they cried out in a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing.” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.” The four living creatures answered, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
Third Sunday of EAster Acts 5:27-32; Psalm 30:2, 4, 5-6, 11-12, 13; Revelations 5:11-14; John 21:1-19 A READING FROM THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN JN 21:1-19 At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.
T
he final Gospel encounter with the Risen Jesus is told at the end of the Gospel of John, when the Beloved Disciple recognizes Jesus standing on the shore following the great catch of fish. In this final encounter with Jesus, several events follow one right after another: Jesus feeds the fishermen when they come ashore – “Come, have breakfast;” He confronts Peter with both his commitment – “Do you love me?” - and his mission – “Feed my sheep.” The entire episode ends with a call that is all too familiar to those who are His disciples – “Come, follow me.” This call to Peter concludes a story that began with the catch of fish. It is nonetheless a call that, for Peter, comes with a catch. In the verses immediately preceding, Jesus describes to Peter just what exactly it will mean to follow Him – “’When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, ‘Follow me’” (John 21:18-19). Prior to meeting Jesus, Peter had a very different life. Now that he had declared his love for Jesus and received the command to “feed my sheep,” new things would be asked and expected of him. All this is encompassed in
Scripture reflection FATHER WILLIAM NICHOLAS
Year for Priests – A call with a catch Christ’s basic call to “Come, follow me,” a call that was the catalyst to everything that followed. Upon review of the many times Jesus issued this call throughout the four Gospels, it is a rare occasion when the call did not come with a catch. When Jesus approached the men who would be among his Apostles, his call to “Come, follow me” meant abandoning their livelihood as fishermen (Mt
4:19-22; Mk 1:17-20). The same is true for the tax collectors Matthew (Mt 9:9) and Levi (Mk 2:2). For others, “Come, follow me” meant having no place to lay one’s head (Mt 8:19-20), to “let the dead bury the dead” (Mt 8:22) or to abandon what had previously been familiar (Lk 9:61-62). To the rich young man, Jesus said, “Sell all you have and give to the poor...Then come and follow me” (Mk 10:21; Lk 18:22).
When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.” Clearly, Peter and the Apostles are not the only ones for whom the call “follow me” comes with a catch. However, we know from the tradition of our Church that, not only Peter, but all of the Apostles, would eventually give their lives for the glory of God and the spread of the Gospel, after enduring persecution, arrest and torture. “Come, follow me” had a catch, and it was a catch accepted and lived courageously. In this Year for Priests, called by our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, I am reminded of the many ways my own life has progressed, the many roads I have taken in living, not only as a Catholic, but one called to serve as a priest. Some of these roads were quite unexpected and surprising, some challenging, but all leading to my being the kind of Catholic, and the kind of priest I am today – and the journey has not yet ended. What have been the unexpected consequences and new roads taken by each one of us as part of our answer to Christ’s basic call to “Come, follow Me”? Where and how will that journey eventually end for each one of us? Father William Nicholas is parochial vicar at Our Lady of Loretto Parish in Novato. Visit his website at www.frwcnicholas.com.
Spirituality for Life
The resurrection of Jesus and physical creation Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was once asked by a critic why he so often mentioned atoms and molecules when he talked about Jesus. His answer: I am trying to formulate a Christology that is large enough to incorporate the full Christ because Christ is not just an anthropological event but a cosmic phenomenon as well. What does he mean by this? Essentially that Christ came into the world not just to save human beings and reshape human history, but to save and reshape the earth as well. Christ came to save the world, not just the people living in it. We see the deep proof of this in the resurrection. Jesus was raised from death to life. A dead body was resurrected and that, clearly, has a dimension that goes beyond the mere psychological and spiritual. There is something radically
physical in the resurrection. Simply put, when a dead body is raised to new life the physical structure of the universe is being altered, atoms and molecules are being rearranged. Thus, Jesus’ resurrection is about more than simply new hope being born inside of human consciousness. It is also about a change in our planet. Granted, the resurrection is about human hope. Without belief in the resurrection there is no horizon and no promise beyond the asphyxiating confines of this life. The resurrection opens us to possibilities beyond this life. It gives us a meta-future. But it gives a meta-future to the world, our planet, as well. Christ came to save the earth, not just those of us who live on it, and his resurrection is also about the future of this planet.
The earth too needs saving. How? From what? For what? If we take scripture seriously, we see that the earth is not just a stage upon which human beings get to work and play, something that has Father value only in relationship to us. Like humanity, it Ron Rolheiser too is God’s work of art, God’s child. Indeed SPIRITUALITY FOR LIFE, page 15
April 16, 2010
Spirituality for Life . . . ■ Continued from page 14 it is the matrix, the mother, the womb, from which we all spring. Ultimately we, human persons, are only that part of God’s creation that has become self-conscious and we do not stand apart from the earth and it does not exist simply for our benefit, like a stage for the actor, to be abandoned once the play is over. Physical creation has value in itself, independent of us. Scripture challenges us to recognize this, and not just so that we can insure ourselves a continued supply of air, water, and food by better save-guarding the integrity of creation. Scripture asks us to recognize the intrinsic value of the earth itself. It has value in itself, apart from us, and it is destined to share eternity with us. It too will go to heaven. Moreover, like us, it is also time-bound, mortal, subject to decay, dying. Outside of an intervention from the outside it has no future. Science clearly teaches this. The laws of
entropy tell us that the universe is running down, the sun is burning out, all energy is finite. The earth’s days are numbered, counted. It will take millions of years, but finitude is finitude. There will be an end to the earth as we know it. Like us, it too will die. Outside of something being offered to it from the outside, it has no ultimate future. This is what St. Paul refers in the Epistle to the Romans when he tells us that creation, the physical cosmos, is subject to futility and, like humanity itself, is groaning and longing to be set free from its bondage to decay so as to enjoy the glorious liberty of the children of God. The Epistle to the Romans assures us that earth, our planet, will enjoy the same future as we will. In the resurrection it too is given a new possibility, transformation and an eternal future. But what will this look like? How will the earth be redeemed? It will be redeemed in just the same way that we are, through the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrection brought into our world a new power, a new arrangement of things, a new hope, and something so radically novel that it can only be compared to what happened at the initial
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creation when our universe first started. At the dawn of creation the atoms and molecules of this universe were made out of nothing, ex nihilo, nature took shape, and its reality and physical laws held sway from then on – until the resurrection of Jesus. Something new happened then, radically new, and that event (which in its core contained a radically physical component) touched every aspect of the universe, from the soul and psyche inside of every man and woman to the inner make-up inside of every atom and molecule. In the resurrection of Jesus the very atoms of the universe were rearranged. The laws of physics were somehow stunningly altered and because of that our planet now too has the possibility of eternal life. Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher, and award-winning author, is president of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX. He can be contacted through his website www.ronrolheiser.com.
Guest brings faith, humor and insight to ‘Archbishop’s Hour’ on 1260 AM radio Well-known speaker, youth mentor and man of great humor, Michael Pritchard, guests on The Archbishop’s Hour April 23 at 9 a.m. on Immaculate Heart Radio 1260 AM in the San Francisco Bay Area. Pritchard, in an extended interview with host, Tom Burke and Archbishop’s Hour executive producer, Maury Healy, speaks of his own journey including his faith-filled life as husband, father,
stand-up comedian, and youth counselor. Pritchard, who said he has prayed as many as 15 rosaries on long driving trips to his many public appearances, appears regularly on PBS in series pointed at children and adolescents and the struggles of the growing-up years. Michael Pritchard is an acclaimed keynote speaker, wellness coach and youth guidance motivator. Traveling coast to
Michael Pritchard
coast, he uses humor to educate his audiences on life skills, anti- bullying, improving communications, violence prevention, social emotional learning and instilling new dedication to both work and school. The Wall Street Journal complimented him for “the humanity and authenticity of his material.” Pritchard, who attends Mass at St. Vincent’s Chapel San Rafael, has been featured on CNN and in Time Magazine, and profiled on CBS Sunday Morning program and the NBC Today Show. Visit www.michaelpritchard.com
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April 16, 2010
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By John Mulderig NEW YORK (CNS) – Though its underlying theology is evangelical, Catholic viewers – and Christian believers of every stripe – will welcome the inspirational and touching drama “Letters to God” (Vivendi). That’s because director David Nixon’s family-friendly tale of courage and conversion celebrates the power of Gospel values to transform lives in a way that transcends denominational divides. Based on real events, this is the story of Tyler Doherty (ably and endearingly played by Tanner Maguire), a faith-filled 8-year-old boy stricken with brain cancer. Tyler’s favored method of praying – and of reflecting on his struggles – is to write letters to the Almighty, describing daily events and asking for favors in the kind of chatty tone one might use with a close friend. But Tyler doesn’t just put pen to paper, he also mails his notes, addressed simply “To God, From Tyler.” Initially, this befuddles Brady McDaniels (Jeffrey Johnson), the postman who has just taken over the local route in Tyler’s Norman Rockwell-esque hometown. Depressed over his recent divorce –and a potentially disastrous mistake that cost him visiting rights with his young son – war vet Brady leads a squalid, solitary life, drinking to excess by night and barely holding on to his job by day. Still, Brady’s unwilling to trash Tyler’s correspondence or even drop the envelopes into the dead letter box. Eventually he tries to leave them in a local church, but he’s interrupted by the pastor (L. Derek Leonidoff) who insists that Brady keep the missives, since God must have had a reason for choosing him to receive them in the first place. As Brady gradually befriends Tyler and his family – which includes widowed, overtaxed mom Maddy (Robyn Lively), devout grandmother Olivia (Maree Cheatham) and teen brother Ben (Michael Christopher Bolten), who’s emotionally conflicted over Tyler’s illness – he finds the lad’s innocent piety and against-the-odds optimism, (expressed both
in person and through those messages to God which Brady has by now begun to read), subtly wearing away at his own cynicism. The only noticeable divergence from Catholic teaching comes late in the script – developed by Sandra Thrift from an original draft by co-director Patrick Doughtie, father of the real youngster on whom Tyler’s character is modeled – when Tyler’s perky best friend Samantha (Bailee Madison) expresses the assurance, rather than the trusting hope, that her acceptance of Jesus into her heart will lead her to eternal life. (Audience members of a certain age will recognize Ralph Waite, who plays Samantha’s seemingly gruff but ultimately good-hearted grandfather, Mr. Perryfield, as John-Boy Walton’s daddy on the long-running CBS Depression-set drama “The Waltons.”) There are also hints that Brady and Maddy’s friendship may develop into something deeper; Tyler prays, in one of his letters, for God to send his mother someone who will relieve her loneliness. But this remains only a vague possibility by the time the credits roll, so the issue of a morally troublesome second marriage for Brady never really arises. While the inclusion of the mature subjects listed below may make this unsuitable entertainment for the youngest viewers, objectionable material of any kind is entirely absent from this heartwarming look at the infectious faith of a young man who, despite the ravages of a potentially terminal illness, continued to treat God as his pen pal. The film contains themes of life-threatening illness, divorce and alcoholism. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. John Mulderig is on the staff of the USCCB’s Office for Film & Broadcasting. More reviews available online at www.usccb.org/movies.
Year of the Priest: How is being a priest like being a businessman?
(CNS PHOTO/POSSIBILITY PICTURES)
‘Letters to God’ – an inspirational and heartwarming story of faith
Bailee Madison and Tanner Maguire star in a scene from the movie “Letters to God.” Based on real events the film tells the story of a child’s faith and the effect it has on others.
Pope’s Malta visit plus other EWTN TV highlights Telecasts of Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Visit to Malta, April 17-18, will highlight upcoming special programs on EWTN, the 24-hour Catholic television network. The twoday visit will commemorate the visit of St. Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, who was shipwrecked on Malta on his way to Rome and a trial before Roman authorities. Coverage of the arrival ceremonies will air locally April 17 at 8 a.m.; followed by the pope meeting with Malta’s President at 9:15 a.m.; and a visit to St. Paul’s Grotto where the Pope will greet the general public at 10:45 a.m. Also televised will be a Solemn Mass at the Floriana, April 18 at 1 a.m., which will be rebroadcast April 18 at 6 p.m. Other telecasts include the Pope meeting with young people, April 18 at 7:45 a.m., and the departure of the Holy Father for Rome, April 18 at 9:30 a.m. In other program highlights: Dario Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos will celebrate Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., to mark the fifth anniversary of the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI, April 24 at 9:30 a.m., with a rebroadcast April 24 at 9 p.m. Cardinal Castrillon, the President Emeritus of the Pontifical Commission “Ecclesia Dei,” will also give the homily. A Christopher Close Up program, titled “Left to Tell,” will focus on Immaculee, a survivor of the Rwandan genocide, as she explains how she was able to forgive the people who murdered her family. It airs April 21 at 7:30 p.m. and April 24 at 2:30 a.m. “Bernadette: Her Vision Became a Legend” is another special April program. The Vatican recommended the film, calling it a “sensitive portrayal of a very moving story.” This film on St. Bernadette’s life was shot on location in France and features actress Sydney Penny as Bernadette. It airs April 24 at 5 p.m. EWTN is carried 24 hours a day on Comcast Channel 229, AT&T Channel 562, Astound Channel 116, San Bruno Cable Channel 143, DISH Satellite Channel 261 & Direct TV Channel 370. Comcast airs EWTN on Channel 70 in Half Moon Bay and on Channel 74 in southern San Mateo County. For more information, visit www.ewtn.com.
SCRIPTURE SEARCH Gospel for April 18, 2010 John 21:1-19 Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the Third Sunday of Easter, Cycle C: breakfast with the risen Lord. The words can be found in all directions in the puzzle.
What can a retired Wall Street executive, mutual fund pioneer, and father of six kids tell us about the Catholic priesthood? Quite a lot in fact, when he’s a priest himself. Fr. Andrew Johnson of San Francisco’s St. Thomas More parish, shares a unique perspective on the “Year of the Priest”. Before his ordination in 2004, he was a top exec at Franklin Templeton, and was known as “The Money Doctor” on his radio and television programs. To his priesthood, in service to Christ and his Church, Fr. Andrew now brings all that he has learned in business, in the world, and in family life. WHEN: Wednesday, May 12, 5:30 to 7:30pm WHERE: Chancellor Hotel, 433 Powell (btwn Post and Sutter), San Francisco COST: $20 for members, $30 for non-members (become a member for $45) Includes delicious appetizers and no-host bar PAY AT THE DOOR or for RESERVATIONS: Mail your contact information & a check payable to “CPBC-ADSF” to: CPBC, Attn: Mary Jansen, One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco, CA 94109
www.cpbc-sf.org
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April 16, 2010
St. Mary’s Cathedral Gough and Geary Blvd. in San Francisco. Call (415) 567-2020 Strength for the Journey, a ministry of support for people diagnosed with life-threatening illness and the families, friends and caregivers, is in its inaugural stage at the cathedral. Deacon Christoph Sandoval is director. Cal (415) 567-2020, ext. 203, or e-mail Rcs7777@comcast.net.
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Single, Divorced, Separated April 23-25: “Married Singles” Lifestyle describes couples that may have lost the sense of closeness they once had as marriage partners and are living more like roommates. Retrouvaille (Pronounced retrovi with a long i) teaches couples how to survive times like this in their marriages. This program has helped tens of thousands of couples experiencing levels of marital distress from disillusionment to deep misery. For confidential information about, or to register for the program call (415) 893-1005 or email SF@RetroCa. com, or visit HelpOurMarriage.com. Catholic Adult Singles Association of Marin County: “We are Catholics, single or single again, who are interested in making new friends, taking part in social activities, sharing opportunities for spiritual growth, and becoming involved in volunteer activities that will benefit our parishes, our community, and one another. We welcome those who would share in this with us.” For information, call Bob at (415) 897-0639. Catholics 55 and over interested in meeting others of the faith in that age group are invited to contact Mary at mpecci@sbcglobal.net. A core group who will organize events for this age group is being formed. Minimum effort required.
Good Health The San Francisco Council of the National Association of Catholic Nurses is hosting a program on Catholic Healthcare Professionals at the Intersection of Contemporary Public Policy. It will be presented by Carol Hogan, Pastoral Projects and Communications Director for the California Catholic Conference. Saturday, April 17, 2010, 9 to noon at St. Mark’s Church, 325 Marine View Avenue, Belmont, CA. Refreshments and free CEUs for nurses. For information, contact Mary Ann Haeuser at haeuser@sbcglobal.net or (415) 497-4092.
Arts and Entertainment April 16, 8 p.m.; April 17, 18, 3 p.m.: Three Great Stories from the Sixteenth Street Players at Mission Dolores School auditorium. Three one-act plays offering comedy and suspense. Free admission. Call (415) 244-0808. April 23, 24, at 7 p.m. and 25 at 2 p.m.: St. Cecilia’s Drama Club’s Once on This Island Junior at St. Cecilia School, 17th and Vicente in San Francisco. Once on This Island, Jr. is a Caribbean adaptation of “The Little Mermaid”, featuring a poignant story and catchy, Caribbean flavored score. Now in its 5th year, the St. Cecilia Drama Club includes students in the 4th through 8th grades directed by Katy Porter. Tickets are $10 and available at the door. For more information, email cammyblackstone@mac.com or walshlarocca@comcast.net or call (415) 731-8400.
Trainings/Lectures/Respect Life April 24, 5:30 p.m.: 39th Annual United for Life Dinner at the Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Ave., San Francisco. San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer will lead invocation. Guest speaker is Elder Walter B. Hoye. Tickets are $45 Walter B. Hoye per person and $400 for tables of 10. For reservations, call Catherine Conway (415) 824-6541 or e-mail cjc3436@yahoo.com. April 24, 9 a.m. – noon: Women Mystics Come of Age, a presentation by Paulist Father Terry Ryan at Old St. Mary’s Paulist Center, 660 California St at Grant in San Francisco. Coffee and treats at 9 a.m. Admission is free. Sponsored by Contemplative Outreach and the Paulist Center. Contact Mary Wyman at mary.wyman@yahoo.com.
Helping bring Seussical, Jr. to stage at St. Matthew School were Kevin Afiesh in the role of Mr. Mayor, Eva Zakula as Horton, Rachel Foote playing Mrs. Mayor and Katie Polk as Jojo.
Seussical, Jr. was recently performed by the Drama Club of St. Matthew Elementary School in San Mateo. More than three-dozen student thespians in the fifth through eighth grades rehearsing since October under the direction of Katie Kimball, drama director and choreographer, Barbara Varian Barrett, music director and production manager, Amy Harris, stage manager and St. Matt’s class of ‘98, and Tyler Jones an ’08 St. Matt’s grad, performed to sell-out crowds. Father Anthony McGuire, pastor, and school principal Beverly Viotti were welcomed in cameo appearances as Vlad Vladikoff, and a citizen of Whoville.
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Francisco. Tickets: $75 per person, RSVP deadline April 21. For more information, call (415) 351-4055 or visit www.theepiphanycenter.org On behalf of event chair Irene Holmes, the Epiphany Center League, and over 150 families we serve annually, Epiphany Center invites you to our second annual luncheon Celebrating Mothers. We will have a Songbirds Chorale performance, an inspiring testimony from a client, and great gifts for sale for mothers and other special women in our lives. Proceeds benefit the Epiphany Center, a ministry of Mount St. Joseph-St. Elizabeth and the Daughters of Charity, to provide life-changing and life-saving services for women, children, and families in San Francisco. May15, 1:10 p.m.: “Parish Family Day at AT&T” advance ticket sales - $14 per person - only by March 30. The SF Parish & School Baseball League will host a free ‘tailgate’ party of hot dogs and sodas, and we will feature 84 of our longest throwers in a ‘long-toss’ competition by grades 3 - 8. If he is not pitching, Giants’ long-toss champ, Barry Zito will hand out the trophies. Parishioners wishing to attend should contact their Athletic Director, or they can contact e-mail bstableford@sfpsbl.org or phone (415) 559-8728.
St. Thomas More Society Club is oldest fellowship of Catholic lawyers, law students, paralegals and judges in the West. For more information about the Society, our events, and how to become a member, contact Bob Zaletel at rzaletel@littler.com or (415) 288-6343. You may also visit www.stthomasmore-sf.org April 22, noon: Lunch at the Family Club, corner of Bush and Powell Streets, San Francisco. Guest speaker is Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio, Ph. D. Father Fessio, founder of Ignatius Press, earned his doctorate in Theology in 1975 from the Germany’s University of Regensburg with the future Pope Benedict XVI as his thesis director. Tickets are $45 for those with over 10 years in practice, $38 for those with 10 years or less in practice, and $20 for law students and clergy. For reservation, contact Bob Zaletel at (415) 288-6343 or e-mail rzaletel@litller.com
TV/Radio May 8, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Come join your Catholic brothers for the 1st Annual Peninsula Catholic Men’s Conference. The battle is raging all around us and it’s time to stand up and fight the good fight. Theme is The Lord’s Gym with talks on Christian Fatherhood and other topics of the times. Takes place at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in Foster City. Day features talks from Catholic speakers including Jesse Romero and Terry Barber. Tickets are $35 each and include a continental breakfast and lunch. Call or e-mail Johnny Garcia at (626) 3313549, ext. 413 or johnny@saintjoe.com for more info. You may also visit www.saintjoeconferences.com. May 12: Contemplative Day of Prayer, Santa Sabina Center, 25 Magnolia Ave, San Rafael, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Eucharist at 1:15 p.m. Donation $20. For more information: (415) 457-7727; info@santasabinacenter.org.
Reunions April 24, 7 p.m.: Class of ’85 from St. Finn Barr Elementary School at The Vin Club, 515 Broadway in San Francisco. Tickets are $30 and include two drinks and appetizers. Call (415) 452-8807 or e-mail rodolfo415@yahoo.com. April 25: The St. Gabriel Alumni Association is hosting a Golden Diploma Reunion for the Class of 1960. Mass will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. followed by a reception at 12:15 p.m. Alumni from the Class of 1960 are welcome to contact Sue Phelps at (415) 566-0314 or by email at sphelps@stgabrielsf.com to RSVP or for more information. April 29: Luncheon reunion for class of 1950 from St. Cecilia Elementary School. Contact Doris at (415) 664-2247 or amadoris@sbcglobal.net
Vocations April 24, May 15: The Society of Mary, Marist Fathers and Brothers are sponsoring monthly days of discernment for men between the ages of 18 and
35 at St. Peter Chanel Seminary, 2335 Warring St. Berkeley. These days will provide an opportunity to think, pray and discuss their Christian calling to remain single, get married or to commit to the consecrated life as a religious priest or brother. Call (510) 486-1232 or e-mail maristvocations@sbcglobal.net.
Returning Catholics Returning Catholics Home Program at St. Paul of the Shipwreck Church in San Francisco begins April 13. Call Loretta Chatmon at (415) 468-3434.
Food & Fun April 21, noon: Pasta and meatball lunch at Immaculate Conception Chapel, Folsom off Cesar Chavez/Army St. in San Francisco. Tickets are $8 per person. The family-style meal includes salad, bread, pasta and homemade meatballs. Beverages are available for purchase. The meal is served in the church hall, beneath the chapel. Call (415) 824-1762. April 24, 5:30 p.m.: Saturday Night Fever, 21st annual Auction/ Dinner Dance at the San Mateo Marriott Hotel benefiting Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and School in Belmont. Auctions feature more than 500 items to be bid on. Enjoy a gourmet dinner at 7:30 p.m. then dancing to the music of Jack Aces until midnight. Tickets are $100 per person and include wine with dinner. Call (650) 593-6157 and ask for Gail. April 29: Discarded to Divine - Fundraising Event for the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco in St. Mary’s Cathedral Conference Center, Gough and Geary Blvd. 6 p.m. General Admission; 5 p.m. for VIP ticket holders. Ticket prices include Premium VIP admission $250, VIP admission $150, General admission $75. Purchase online at www.svdp-sf.org. Contact Michelle Forshner at (415) 977.1270 x 3018 or mforshner@svdp-sf.org April 30, 11:30 a.m.: Epiphany Center’s Celebrating Mothers Luncheon at St. Francis Yacht Club, San
April 24, 11 a.m.: Are you afraid of being a victim of crime or a red light runner? Then, come to the Church of the Epiphany’s Community Safety Meeting in the parish cafeteria (corner of Naples and Italy Sts, in San Francisco). Guest speaker is Jon Shepherd from S.F. Safety, Inc., who will present personal safety tips and give an overview of Neighborhood Watch. All are welcome to attend. Call Carol Haunert (415) 585-9549
Fridays at 9 a.m.: The Archbishop’s Hour on Immaculate Heart Radio, KSFB - 1260 AM, San Francisco. Enjoy news, conversation and in-depth look at local and larger Church. Program is rerun Fridays and Mondays at 9 p.m. and Sundays at 11 a.m. e-mail info@sfarchdiocese.org with comments and questions about faith. 1260 AM also offers daily Mass, rosary and talk on the faith. Visit www.ihradio.org Sunday, 6 a.m., KOFY Channel 20/Cable 13 and KTSF Channel 26/Cable 8: TV Mass with Msgr. Harry Schlitt presiding. Sunday, 7 a.m.: TV Mass on The Filipino Channel (TFC) (Channel 241 on Comcast and Channel 2060 on Direct TV. Saturday, 4 p.m.: Religious programming in Cantonese over KVTO 1400 AM, co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry and Chinese Young Adults of the Archdiocese. 1st Sunday, 5 a.m., CBS Channel 5: “Mosaic,” featuring conversations on current Catholic issues. 3rd Sunday, 5:30 a.m., KRON Channel 4: “For Heaven’s Sake,” featuring conversations about Catholic spirituality. EWTN Catholic Television: Comcast Channel 229, AT&T Channel 562, Astound Channel 80, San Bruno Cable Channel 143, DISH Satellite Channel 261, Direct TV Channel 370. For programming details, visit www.ewtn.com.
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, e-mail burket@sfarchdiocese.org, or visit www.catholic-sf.org, Contact Us.
10-Day Pilgrimage • July 2 -11, 2010 • Hurry, only 5 Seats Left!
Oberammergau Passion Play 2010 Visit our web site www.petersway.com
A 10-Day Pilgrimage featuring the famous Passion Play in Oberammergau
“The Best of Austria & Germany” with St. Matthew Church Led by Fr. Anthony McGuire Inclusive, per person sharing a twin, from San Francisco
$3,995.00 + $395.00* Departure Taxes & Fuel Surcharges *Airline departure taxes and fuel surcharges are subject to increase until the time of ticketing (approximately 30 days prior to departure).
Land only price: $3,195.00
Peter’s Way Tours Inc. For more information call: 1-800-225-7662
• Vienna • Linz • Passau • Salzburg • Oberndorf • Bavaria
For Itinerary, Tour Brochure & Enrollment Information Call: Barbara Barrett
650-343-1373 Ext.142 or email: bbarrett@stmatthewcath.org
Final Payment deadline extended to April 25, 2010 !
18
Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010
SERVICE FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Painting PAINTING DIRECTORY Visit our website: www.catholic-sf.org Call 415-614-5642 Fax: 415-614-5641 E-mail: penaj@sfarchdiocese.org
Plumbing Painting Healthcare Agency BEST PLUMBING, INC. Your Payless Plumbing
Lic. # 872560
➤ Drain-Sewer Cleaning Service ➤ Water Heaters ➤ Gas Pipes ➤ Toilets ➤ Faucets ➤ Garbage Disposals ➤ Copper Repiping ➤ Sewer Replacement ➤ Video Camera & Line locate PROMPT AND UNPARALLELED SERVICE
(650) 557-1263 EMAIL:
bestplumbinginc@comcast.net Member: Better Business Bureau
HOLLAND Plumbing Works San Francisco ALL PLUMBING WORK PAT HOLLAND CA LIC #817607
Interior-Exterior wallpaper hanging & removal Lic # 526818 Senior Discount
415-269-0446 650-738-9295
www.sospainting.net FREE ESTIMATES
BONDED & INSURED
415-205-1235
S
S.O.S. PAINTING CO.
anti Plumbing and Heating
415-661-3707
Investment
Serving all your plumbing needs. Complete bathroom renovations ◆ Senior, parishioner discounts
◆
Serving the entire S.F. Bay Area www.adanplumbing.com 650.270.7766 Lic# 841835
Handy Man Painting, roof repair, fence (repair/ build) demolition, carpenter, gutter (clean/ repair), kitchen/bathroom remodel, decks, welding, landscaping, gardening, hauling, moving, janitorial.
Call (650) 757-1946 Cell (415) 517-5977 NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR
Maintenance Services GARIBALDI MAINTENANCE CO. Complete Janitorial – Window Cleaning Quality Service Since 1946
“Large Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Care”
FREE ESTIMATES (415) 441-2454 www.garibaldimaintenance.com
Fully Insured
Notary
Breens’ Mobile Notary Services
Certified Signing Agent
Timothy P. Breen Notary Public
PHONE: 415-846-1922 FAX: 415-702-9272
* Member National Notary Association *
Home Healthcare Agency Specializing in home health aides, attendants and companions.
MORROW CONTRUCTION Specializing In Wood Fences
(650) 994-6892 lic. 343633
CAHALAN CONST. Foundations, Earthquake Dryrot, Termite, Siding, Stucco Additions. Remodels lic# 582766
415.279.1266
Contact: 415.447.8463
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 info, contact: Contractors State License Board
800.321.2752 painting and remodeling
DEWITT ELECTRIC
Roofing
Ph. # (415) 281- 0999
www.primarypaintingsf.com License #698355
Counseling
Carpet Cleaning
Marriage and Relationship Counseling
Safe Non-Toxic, No Shampoo, Dry in Hours not Days
David Nellis M.A. M.F.T.
(650) 593-5959
www.counselingforchristians.com
When Life Hurts It Helps To Talk • Family • Work • Relationships • Depression • Anxiety • Addictions
Dr. Daniel J. Kugler Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Over 30 years experience • Reasonable Fees
Confidential • Compassionate • Practical (415) 921-1619 • Insurance Accepted 1537 Franklin Street • San Francisco, CA 94109
Do you want to be more fulfilled in love and work – but find things keep getting in the way? 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:
NOTICE TO READERS
(650) 355-4926
Lic. C-10 (631209) 09
Ayrton B. Sobral
Serving San Francisco, Marin & the Peninsula.
Construction
Ca. Lic 391053 General Contractor Since 1980
Ph. 415.515.2043 Ph. 650.508.1348
Trusted in San Francisco and The Bay Area Since 1994
The Irish Rose
Commercial & Residential Serving SF & San Mateo Co. St. Charles Parishioner
(415) 242-3355
Electrical Your #1 Choice! For all your electrical needs!
10% Discount: Seniors, Parishioners
Call BILL 415.731.8065 • Cell: 415.710.0584 Bonded, Insured – LIC. #819191
Since 1972 Ca License # 663641 24 Hour Emergency Service
◆
INTERIOR, EXTERIOR All Jobs Large and Small
bheffpainting@sbcglobal.net Member of Better Business Bureau
Michael T. Santi
ADÁN PLUMBING, HEATING, A/C
BILL HEFFERON
John Holtz
Painting & Remodeling •Interiors •Exteriors •Kitchens •Baths Contractor inspection reports and pre-purchase consulting
❖ 30 years experience with individuals, couples and groups ❖ Directed, effective and results-oriented ❖ Compassionate and Intuitive ❖ Supports 12-step ❖ Enneagram Personality Transformation ❖ Free Counseling for Iraqi/Afghanistani Vets
Lila Caffery, MA, CCHT San Francisco: 415.337.9474 Complimentary phone consultation www.InnerChildHealing.com
Home Care
QUALITY HOME CARE SERVING THE BAY AREA SINCE 1996 * Attendants * Companions * Hospice * Respite Care Competitive Rates • Screened • Insured • Bonded
Full Payroll Service www.irishhelpathome.com
Tel: 415 759 0520
Construction Matthew W. Johnson General Contractor 650.591.7243 www.mwjqc.com • Residential kitchen and bath remodeling • Additions • Free estimates • Safe clean secure worksites Free counter top appliance w/completed proposal Free food processor with kitchen
KEANE CONSTRUCTION ➮ Exterior / Interior Additions ➮ Baths ➮ Foundations, Stairs, Dry Rot ➮ Architect Available ➮ Senior Discount
Call: 415.533.2265
Lic. 407271
In Home Care IN YOUR HOME CARE FOR SENIORS Caring compassionate and committed to our client’s well-being and safety. Specialize in Dementia, Alzheimer, Cancer patients, Hospice and wheelchair cound.
24 hours, 7 days a week • Non-Medical Companion • Personal Hygiene • Medication Reminder • Other Medical Assistance • Errands – Doctor’s App’t • Meal Preparation
• Companionship, Socializing, Outing • Light Housekeeping • Special Needs • Affordable Rates
Emily Bion Wagman License #39702
650-834-7227 Cell ebw8bion@yahoo.com
Clinical Gerontologist Care Management for the Older Adult
Senior Care
Family Consultation –Bereavement Support
SUPPLE SENIOR CARE
Kathy Faenzi, MA, Clinical Gerontologist Office: 650.401.6350 Web: www.faenziassociates.com
“The most compassionate care in town”
1655 Old Mission Road #3 Colma, SSF, CA 94080 415-573-5141 or 650-993-8036
Striving to Achieve Optimum Health & Wellbeing
*Irish owned & operated
(415) 786-0121 • (415) 586-6748 Lic. # 907564
PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER! CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO
Homecare for Seniors by Accredited Caregiver Specialists
SF Bay Area
$17/hr
Free in-home assessment www.accreditedcaregivers.com 650-307-3890
Limousine Airport Special
N. San Mateo County - SFO…$30 San Francisco - SFO………….$40
*plus airport fee
Any other charter with reasonable price. Good Service. A-A Limousine Service • 415.308.2028 email: Augustshi@sbcglobal.net
(TCP 10581)
*Serving from San Francisco to North San Mateo
April 16, 2010
PUBLISH A NOVENA Pre-payment required Mastercard or Visa accepted
Cost $26
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, assistme 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. M.P.L.
Your prayer will be published in our newspaper
St. Jude Novena
Name Adress Phone MC/VISA # Exp. Select One Prayer: â?‘ St. Jude Novena to SH â?‘ Prayer to St. Jude
â?‘ Prayer to the Blessed Virgin â?‘ Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Please return form with check or money order for $26 Payable to: Catholic San Francisco Advertising Dept., Catholic San Francisco 1 Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco, CA 94109
Prayer to St. Jude
Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail.
May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved & preserved throughout the world now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus pray for us. St. Jude helper of the hopeless pray for us. Say prayer 9 times a day for 9 days. Thank You St. Jude.
A.M..
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
19
San Juan Island
Office space Live in the San Juans: for rent 3 bedroom, 2 bath home on Lopez Island on 2.1 acres with 240-degree views of San Juan Channel and the Olympic Mountains. Master suite features jetted tub, its own deck, and a den. Home also includes stone firepplace, 2-car garage, sleeping loft, main-floor deck and a pleasant walk to the beach. Within walking distance of golf course and tiny island airport. Served by ferry from Anacortes, WA – and a walk-on ferry ride to Victoria BC. $549,500.
SHARE OFFICE SPACE IN VAN NESS CORRIDOR An ideal space for a single professional, bright modern office space with use of large conference room, telephone system, computer networks. Share 1/3 of the office expense.
Call Heather (agent): (425) 350-5508
Contact Jack at (415) 474-9765, ext. 101
Help Wanted
heaven can’t wait
Oh, Holy St. Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near Kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need, to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition. In return I promise to make you be invoked. Say three our Fathers, three Hail Marys and Glorias. St. Jude pray for us all who invoke your aid. Amen. This Novena has never been known to fail. This Novena must be said 9 consecutive days. Thanks. R.P.
Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assistme 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. R.P.
Holy Spirit, you who make me see everything and who shows me the way to reach my ideal. You who give me the divine gift of forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Amen. You may publish this as soon as your favor is granted. M.O.
Please call Archdiocese of San Francisco
Live In Companion Needed
Certified Geriatric Aide
Caregiver AvailablE
Fr. Tom Daly (415) 614-5683
Seeking mature, healthy, sincere, honest, single woman for a live-in companion. Free room and private bath. For more information, please call (415) 921-8337
CERTIFIED GERIATRIC HOME AIDE,
Reliable, trustworthy, experienced caregiver. References available, has car.
native San Franciscan, 19 yrs. exp. seeks employment with elderly woman exc. ref. Will work overnight shifts 415-947-9858
Catholic San Francisco
Serra for Priestly Vocations
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@sncsllc.com Voice: 415-435-1262
Chimney Cleaning
Vickie (415) 587-3992
OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE Approximately 2,000 to 10,000 square feet first floor office space available (additional space available if needed) at One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco (between Gough & Franklin), is being offered for lease to a non-profit entity. Space available includes enclosed offices, open work area with several cubicles, large work room, and storage rooms on the lower level of the Archdiocese of San Francisco Chancery / Pastoral Center. We also have mail and copy services available, as well as meeting rooms (based on availability). Reception services available. Space has access to kitchen area and restroom facilities. Parking spaces negotiable. Ready for immediate occupancy with competitive terms. Come view the space. For more information, contact
Katie Haley, (415) 614-5556 email haleyk@sfarchdiocese.org.
Automotive
Hilltop Buick Pontiac GMC Truck I P L B A ! • Extensive inventory means selection • Competitive pricing • Give us your bid • We can offer YOU SAVINGS! • Exceptional customer service • Easy access off I-80 at Hilltop Richmond
J
N • 510.222.4141 3230 Auto Plaza, Richmond 94806
. .
20
Catholic San Francisco
April 16, 2010
In Remembrance of the Faithful Departed Interred In Our Catholic Cemeteries During the Month of March HOLY CROSS COLMA
Veronica Doering Alberto J. Downing John Michael Drew Elizabeth J. Driscoll George A. Ducker III Betty (Dougherty) Fahrner Dr. Robert J. Fahrner Corean Kay Fane Mayra Suez Fernandez Aldo Peter Figone James Frank Filip Eugene F. Flanagan August Franzella Jauceses D. Galdo Jennie Galea William Garibaldi Herbert H. Gee Maria Geraldi-Seefeldt Edna M. Gilchrist Gertrude Gloria Gillogley Paul A. Gliebe, Jr. Victor Goria Erlinda N. Gorritti Sam Grado Bernice Marie Granucci U Yaw Han Sr. M. Malachy Hannigan, SHF Baby Boy Harvey Santiago Henriquez Maria Cleofe D. Hernando David Lord Hockett Leonard J. Hollis Bernardine Ilch Henry G. Inglese Andrew M. Jesue Josephine Armena Kane George J. Keenan Mary Ann Kellam Daniel Gerard Kelleher Ruth A. Kelly Baby Josephine Louise Kerr Dore Knapp Jeanette F. Lang Phyllis Devencenzi Lindberg Rosalie Angela Longo Dolores Batto Lucas
Florence Adair Kim Michelle Adams Judith E. Allmaras John C. Allmaras Sadie Ambroise Josefina M. Angeles Maria T. Arceo Anthony J. Azzarello Andrew Azzaro Bernice R. Bacigalupi Stella S. Balbi Jeanette Barra-Salas Marvin Roger Benavidez Ana A. Bertolazzi John K. Bohm Merle F. Borruso Edwin Broas Donald J. Brozzo Alice F. Brugaletta Elva Govea Buenrostro Daniel J. Burrie Federico Cachapero Lupe M. Calderon Rolando S. Canlas Josephine M. Cannata Thomas John Carroll Ricardo Romeo Matamoros Casals Joseph Casey Gloria M. Cavanaugh Chun Ho Chan Evelyn V. Chlubna Rigoberto Collado Joseph C. Connell Patricia A. Coppinger-Griffin Rose Mary Crespo Antonia D’Agostino Frank V. D’Atri Elaine L. Dalquie Carolyn De Campos Elizabeth Joyce De Champ Maria Rhodora Elinore Acosta De Jesus-Maiolo Oscar R. De La Cruz Louis S. Dito
Grace R. Lugea Mildred A. Maita Lucille B. Maschinot Peggy J. Maslaniak Helen McAllister James Clinton McConnell Rose M. McLaughlin Norberta M. Mina Eva A. Monge Jean L. Montalto Baby Angel Ramos Montoya Anne L. Moor Leo Anthony Moore Michael Santiago Morales Isabelle Muzio Viola A. Nassour Dolores A. Nassour Mary L. Nunez William A. “Bill” O’Brien Yolanda Mary O’Brien Elena N. Paiva Joseph Teng-Ke Pang Sr. Mary Eileen Peach, SHF Madeline Pendergast Chito Marilyn Perez Emilio Rosillo Perez Lloyd E. Peterson Joseph Ham Van Phan Rosa Elena Pizarro George John Poppin Helen M. Powers Rosario Preciado James Leland Prosser Anthony Pueyo Richard J. Ragni Margaret E. Rivera Juan R. Robles Ana Maria Salazar Rodriguez Dorothy Rose Domenic Rossi Marie Alice Rouquette Raymond Ruiz Encarnacion Sabale Juanita H. Salazar Richard R. Salazar Eda A. Santora
William Aidan Savage Rita A. Sevilla Lydia Singh Carlos Siordia K. William Snively Nellie S. Soriano Paul J. St.Clair Janet Mary Steele Raymond P. Stupi Antonio M. Tiongson Ernie A. Velarde, Sr. Margaret L. Vellone Gail S. Vessichelli Martha L. Villafane Robert H. Wardlaw Alexander Y. Wong Rev. William H. Worner Irene G. Yeatrakase
HOLY CROSS MENLO PARK Rachel Dolores Adams Jacklyn P. Avila Robert James Collins Edward James Dombrow James John Flatley Eutimia Gutierrez William Thomas Joyce
MT. OLIVET SAN RAFAEL Patricia K. Andrade Mildred E. Andrews Margot Monteverde Chmel Jennifer M. DeStasio Richard S. Loberg Raphael Luciano Gabriel Luciano Henriette G. Monteverde Paolo (Paul) Mori Angelina J. Soldavini William P. Webb
HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CEMETERY, COLMA 1st Saturday Mass – May 1, 2010 All Saints Mausoleum Chapel – 11:00 am
Celebrant Fr. Michael Strange St. Vincent de Paul Parish
The Catholic Cemeteries Archdiocese of San Francisco www.holycrosscemeteries.com HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CEMETERY 1500 Mission Road, Colma, CA 650-756-2060
HOLY CROSS CATHOLIC CEMETERY Intersection of Santa Cruz Avenue, Menlo Park, CA 650-323-6375
MT. OLIVET CATHOLIC CEMETERY 270 Los Ranchitos Road, San Rafael, CA 415-479-9020
PILARCITOS CEMETERY Hwy. 92 @ Main, Half Moon Bay, CA 650-712-1676
ST. ANTHONY CEMETERY Stage Road, Pescadero, CA 650-712-1679
OUR LADY OF THE PILLAR CEMETERY Miramontes St., Half Moon Bay, CA 650-712-1679
A Tradition of Faith Throughout Our Lives.