September 11, 2009 by Catholic San Francisco

Catholic san Francisco

(CNS PHOTO/FRANCESCO BIGANZOLI/CURIA VESCOVILE VITERBO, REUTERS)

Bishops urge united Catholic voice on health reform issues

Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper

Nancy Frazier O’Brien WASHINGTON (CNS) – Sounding many of the same themes, bishops around the country are urging Catholics to contact their members of Congress about the need for health care reform and the importance of keeping abortion out of any final plan. U.S. bishops are committed to bringing “the principles of Catholic social teaching” to “each serious proposal” in the health care debate and will stand firm for conscience protections and against abortion funding, said Bishop William F. Murphy, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development in a Sept. 2 statement. “Health care is an essential good for every human person,” he said, but the church has to remain “resolute” on “long-standing prohibitions on abortion funding and abortion mandates,” while ensuring “freedom of conscience for health care workers and institutions.” This generally is regarded as the right to not participate in abortion-related activities and other procedures in which they cannot in good conscience be involved. “If ever there was a need for the united Catholic voice to be heard clearly and strongly, now is the time,” said Bishop Robert E. Guglielmone of Charleston, S.C. “Our representatives and senators need to hear our voice and we have a voice that is credible because it ... is a moral voice and one that has centuries of experience in health care,” he added. Many of the bishops’ comments quoted extensively from earlier letters on health reform by Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., and Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, who chair the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development and on Pro-Life Activities, respectively. BISHOPS HEALTH REFORM, page 18

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates an outdoor Mass Sept. 6 in Viterbo, Italy, where cardinals instituted the first papal conclave more than 700 years ago.

Pope encourages strong witness of Gospel, commitment to charity By Catholic News Service VITERBO, Italy – Pope Benedict XVI encouraged Italian Catholics to strengthen the witness of the Gospel in all areas of life, from personal charity to politics. The pope made the remarks Sept. 6 during a visit to Viterbo, a city near Rome where cardinals instituted the first papal conclave more than 700 years ago. At an outdoor Mass at a sports complex, the

pope told a crowd of some 20,000 people that announcing and witnessing the faith remains a task for every era of history. It begins with the responsibility to listen to God’s word and discern his signs, he said. “The most immediate sign of God is certainly attention to one’s neighbor,” he said. The charitable activity of the church and its members is an essential expression of faith and an important service to modern society, he said. POPE ENCOURAGES, page 18

San Francisco’s St. Vincent de Paul Society to commemorate 150 years By Tom Burke

Boy smiles in SVDP historic photo.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society, founded in Paris in 1833, found its way to San Francisco not many years later amid the California Gold Rush. Tales of miners paying for high life with gold nuggets overlooks the many who did not “strike it rich” and those who had quickly lost their riches. Many were soon in need of food, clothing and shelter. “It was in this milieu that the St. Vincent de Paul Society sprung up,” said Jen Shelnutt, chief development officer of San Francisco’s St. Vincent de Paul Society. “Some early San Franciscans were motivated by something more valuable than gold – their Catholic faith and the belief that they best served God by helping others.” Since that time, the organization estimates it has helped more than 3 million people. Records show that in 1866, the first conference – the basic membership unit for SVDP often emanating from a parish – served 4,236 people and raised $3,125.87. Today, more than 1,000 people a day find assistance through Vincentian members in 29 San Francisco conferences, as well as the organization’s Vincentian Help Desk and its six housing, health and food programs. “While San Francisco has changed immeasurably since the

Gold Rush, there still are many in our city who cannot afford the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter,” Shelnutt said. “The need for people driven by faith and charity continues.” The group’s members – Vincentians – and its volunteer corps work quietly seeking to “serve everyone who appears at our door,” Shelnutt said. While a line-up of celebratory events might seem to contradict the group’s almost anonymous mode of action, it is necessary, Shelnutt said. “We owe it to the thousands of volunteers upon whose shoulders the St. Vincent de Paul Society has been carried for 150 years,” she pointed out, “and to the millions whose lives have been touched in that time.” Conference members serve those in need with simple gestures of kindness – making sandwiches for the homeless, picking up groceries and medicine for the homebound, providing transportation for the elderly, also providing emergency funds for struggling families facing homelessness. The St. Vincent de Paul Society is one of San Francisco’s major human service providers operating the largest homeless shelter in Northern California and the City’s largest system of domestic violence shelters. While “the future is bright” Executive Director Chris Cody is preparing for the extended impact of the current ecoSVDP 150 YEARS, page 3

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Funeral guidelines . . . . . . . . 6 News in brief. . . . . . . . . 10-11 Women Jubilarians . . . . 12-13 Archbishop’s Journal. . . . . . 14 Galileo’s challenge . . . . . . . 17

Medal of Honor in Afghanistan ~ Page 4 ~ September 11, 2009

Catholic High Schools Guide ~ INSIDE ~

Book reviews, Datebook . 20-21

Scripture and reflection ~ Page 16 ~ ONE DOLLAR

Classified ads . . . . . . . . . . . 23

www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 11

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No. 27

Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

All smiles on first day of school Aug. 25 at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco were seniors Danny Lara, Natalie Mazzucco, Mariah Salamy and Brendan Johnson. Total number of students at the coeducational school is 1,275. John F. Scudder, Jr. is president. Ken Hogarty is principal.

Senior Jacqueline Tobini leads freshmen in opening day cheers at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco Aug. 23. Total number of students at the coeducational school is 1,444. Jesuit Father Robert T. Walsh is president. Patrick Ruff is principal.

On The Where You Live By Tom Burke On hand to welcome freshmen Aug. 11 at San Francisco’s Archbishop Riordan High School were Benjamin Lloyd, Andrew Sprinkles, Cody Regalia, Adam Del Castillo, and Aidan Fitzsimon. Total number of students at the all-boys school is 590. Marianist Father Thomas J. French is president. Kevin R. Asbra is principal.

This writer was happy to have Bishop Ignatius Wang stop by to say `Hello’ during his recent stop at the Pastoral Center. “I’m here to clean out my office,” the newly retired prelate said. When I asked when he might be taking a vacation, he said laughing that retirement had somewhat put him “on vacation all the time.” Bishop Wang continues to be in residence at Holy Name of Jesus Parish with longtime parishioner and Holy Name staffer, Colleen Durkin, assisting him with his office needs there…. Lucked out again when I ran into Father Len Calegari, who was ordained in 1963 and retired several years ago after 23 years as pastor of St. Peter Parish in Pacifica, not to mention his other

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years of service including faculty duties at Junipero Serra High School. “I’m just busy enough to be happy,” he told me, noting his schedule lets him help where needed without the stress of too much to do. One of the funniest moments in this column’s now more than 10 years still belongs to Father Len. “When I hear the Irish Blessing I wish I were Irish,” the fully Italian priest told me several whiles ago, “but then I quickly return to my senses.” Father Len now resides at St. Stephen Parish in San Francisco. Speaking of retired, have you noticed that the letters from the word we all aspire to also spell “retried”?... St. Timothy Parish says a “Big Thank You” to Larry Meyers service including maintenance at the church and painting traffic lines….Congrats, too, to Coleen Mercado, second place winner in a Faithful Citizenship Essay Contest sponsored by Catholic Family Life Insurance. Winners were selected from more than 800 entries from students throughout the nation. Coleen’s prize was $250 U.S. Savings Bond. Holy Angels Elementary School, where Coleen is a student, received a $250 cash gift. Essays focused

Marin Catholic High School welcomed freshmen Aug. 20 and rang in the first day of school Aug. 24. Enrollment at the coeducational school is 720. Father Tom Daly is president. Chris Valdez is principal.

on being Catholic in the United States today and how to be “faith-filled” citizens. Mighty proud are the young scribe’s parents, Karen and Luther Mercado…. School is in and more than 16,900 students are enrolled in 63 elementary and middle schools in the Archdiocese of San Francisco with more than 8,200 attending 14 Catholic secondary schools here. Hats off and good luck to all who make it happen!!... This is an empty space without you. Send items via e-mail to burket@sfarchdiocese.org and by ground to “Street,” One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco 94109. Electronic photos should be jpegs at 300 dpi. No zip files, please. Hard copy photos are also welcome sent to the Peter Yorke Way address. I can be reached at (415) 614-5634.

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September 11, 2009

Catholic San Francisco

Young Muslim leader’s talk to focus on building religious pluralism By Michael Vick When he comes to St. Mary’s College in Moraga Sept. 15, Muslim author and interfaith dialogue proponent Eboo Patel told Catholic San Francisco he plans to press students to pursue religious diversity and understanding. “Religious pluralism exists when people from different backgrounds live together in equal dignity and mutual loyalty,” Patel said. “I plan to extend the challenge and the invitation to become leaders in building that pluralism.” Patel is founder and executive director of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based non-profit that encourages interfaith cooperation. He was also recently appointed to the Advisory Council of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, where he works with other faith leaders to promote cooperation through service. Patel said Muslims and Christians have an

Correction A story on a concert Oct. 23 at Holy Name Church by the Philippine Madrigal Singers (CSF Sept.4) contained an error as to the date and time of a subsequent Mass in December at St. Mary’s Cathedral. The accurate information is as follows: San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop William J. Justice will be the principal celebrant of the Simbang Gabi Commissioning Mass Dec. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1111 Gough St. (at Geary Blvd.) in San Francisco.

Eboo Patel

important role to play in fostering interfaith dialogue. “Young Muslims and young Christians are all taught compassion and mercy,” Patel said. “At this point of commonality Muslims and Christians can build relationships. Once these relationships have been established, we

SVDP 150 years . . . ■ Continued from cover nomic downturn. “We are bracing for difficult years ahead,” he told Catholic San Francisco, “but we have faith in the future and gratitude for all that we have received. The financial crisis has resulted in significant funding cut-backs to our programs. Yet, these challenges also present opportunities for St. Vincent de Paul to re-evaluate how we serve the poor and marginalized and reshape and renew our programs.” Shelnutt said the economy’s devastation has a real impact on the work of St. Vincent de Paul and the people it helps. “Every program is seeing increases in the number of people seeking help,” she said. “There is an alarming rise in domestic violence and this year, because of lack of space, we had

can begin to take on challenging issues that we might not agree on – knowing that we start at a place of mutual respect.” Patel’s talk is part of a yearlong interfaith initiative at the college. Patel is a member of the advisory board of the school’s Center for Engaged Religious Pluralism, headed by Professor Barbara McGraw at St. Mary’s College. McGraw said the group began from a desire to bridge the differences between religious and secular groups, and blossomed into an interfaith effort. “The center grew out of my interests in bridging the divide between religious right and secular left,” McGraw said. “There are many other voices, other secular voices, other religious voices, that have interesting things to add to the discussion. But the center is not just interfaith dialogue, but specifically addresses public policy and issues in the culture.” Among the endeavors the center has taken on are efforts to promote the rights of diverse religious groups in California’s prisons, and to turn away more women seeking help from battering than in any year since we started keeping statistics. For every woman we took in we had to turn away five.” The work goes on, Cody said. “St. Vincent de Paul has been a cornerstone charitable organization in San Francisco for 150 years,” he said. “We intend to strengthen and expand our work to continue to serve our fellow San Franciscans by being present to the poor and marginalized in our city.” A Mass of Thanksgiving Sept. 20 at 3:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Cathedral begins a series of commemorations of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco’s first 150 years of service. Archbishop George H. Niederauer will preside. Activities for the SVDP “Sesquicentennial Celebration” include the Mass Sept. 20 at St. Mary’s Cathedral; a “Friends for the Poor Walk” Sept. 26; and SVDP’s annual Brennan Dinner in

addressing the impact of non-Christian current and former legislators in the U.S. Congress. McGraw said apprehension about interfaith dialogue stems from misunderstanding the goal of interreligious collaboration. “People often think everybody is getting together and watering down their faiths into one common interfaith faith,” McGraw said. “Actually, we’re coming together with all our own core commitments to be a witness to common values. It enriches and deepens one’s own faith and also creates a community of greater understanding.” Patel, an Indian American and a Muslim, holds a doctorate from Oxford University, where he studied religion on a Rhodes scholarship. He writes “The Faith Divide,” a featured blog on religion for the Washington Post. Patel’s talk at St. Mary’s College will be held at 7 p.m. at the Soda Activity Center, 1928 St. Mary’s Rd. in Moraga. The event is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.engagedpluralism.org or contact Professor Barbara McGraw at (925) 631-4061.

San Francisco’s St. Vincent de Paul Society operates the Vincentian Help Desk serving walk-up clients daily with fresh clothes and other necessities.

November. For more information about upcoming events and the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco, visit www.svdp-sf.org or call (415) 977-1270.

Priests Retirement Fund 2009 Providing for them the same love and generosity they provided us for generations.

For more than 156 years, priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco have served the Catholic faithful generously and well in the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin. Our priests have committed their lives to bring Christ to us. Throughout our lives…from baptism to death, through good times and difficult times, our priests have been there to celebrate, counsel, encourage, and bear witness to the power of God’s love. Sharing in the priesthood of Christ, our priests are a part of every Christian family. As priests for life, they remain part of our family for life.

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We hope you will consider a gift to the Priests Retirement Fund. The Fund faces challenges similar to Social Security and most pension funds. There are a greater number of retired priests today and, thanks be to God, our priests are living longer, healthier lives. This places a welcome but unanticipated burden on the Priests Retirement Fund. Our priests have selflessly given to us, now we can return this gift through our support. Your gift can become an occasion to express your love for them and your gratitude to the Lord, for their faithful service to us. Your generous gift will be a tremendous blessing shared and will give great comfort to our retired Archdiocesan priests – current and future.

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Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Soldier’s faith takes root, spreads during deployment in Afghanistan FOB AIRBORNE, Afghanistan (CNS) – On a recent starlit night in eastern Afghanistan, five U.S. soldiers and two civilians spread out under a tent, sitting on leather couches and wooden plank benches to discuss the doctrine of the real presence in the Eucharist. Cpl. Andrew Roy Jr. of Holy Family Parish in Watertown, N.Y., read aloud from a computer outline on a flat-screen television in the chapel at FOB Airborne. He reviewed the history of Gnostics and councils that have long debated the real-presence doctrine of the Roman Catholic faith. In May, this stocky soldier with clear blue eyes and a forceful voice was not wearing a wooden rosary over his chest as he was that night. Instead, he was in the throes of a spiritual journey that led him from being agnostic to a devout Roman Catholic. In the desert of Afghanistan, his spiritual fervor offers an oasis of religious discussion and dialogue about faith and the church. Roy, who never made it past his first Communion to confirmation until adulthood, struggled with understanding and embracing his faith for most of his life, until this

Medal of Honor for US soldier killed in battle called bittersweet By Jessica Weinstein MAYDEN-SHA, Afghanistan (CNS) – Over his military career, Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti, 30, won dozens of awards for valor, for achievement, and for sheer grit and ability – but this one will be his last. Monti, a Catholic who was confirmed at St. Ann Church in Raynham, Mass., will be honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor in September. It is the crowning measure of an American military hero. It is the United States’ highest military honor. Many of Monti’s fellow soldiers have been redeployed back to Afghanistan – where he died. In interviews gathered on the battlefield, they remembered a lighthearted, fun-loving man who could whip soldiers into a unified fighting force capable of handling any situation with confidence. For these men, the award is a bittersweet but well-deserved honor.

“Those are the awards no one wants because it hurts,” said 1st Sgt. Gary Hunsucker, 44, in an interview in eastern Afghanistan. Hunsucker was Monti’s commanding officer in the Army’s 371st Cavalry, 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. He is an imposing man, with a gruff manner and a quick wit, but his voice softened slightly when he recounted the evening of June 21, 2006. “We were planning to go into a hornet’s nest of insurgents,” he said. According to Hunsucker, Monti led a group of 15 scouts on a reconnaissance mission in Gowardesh. Hunsucker was in charge of planning the mission, watching back at the base. Monti was in charge of the soldiers. Suddenly Hunsucker’s radio crackled loudly. It was Monti – call sign “Chaos 35.” “He says, ‘We’re being pinned down by RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades),

“It’s rare” for anyone to get sick from the Eucharist, added Leo Mount, a civilian police trainer from St. Luke Parish in Stratford, N.J. “Why is a Protestant prevented from partaking when anyone claiming to be a Catholic can take (the Eucharist)?” asked Rev. Masengale. “If you’re not predisposed – or right with God – if you don’t believe it’s Christ’s body and blood – why share a common meal?” responded Roy. One soldier – Spc. Charlie Bunch, a member of an Assemblies of God church in Carthage, N.Y. – quizzed Roy on the meaning of the Eucharist. “When we have Communion back home, a lot of people think it’s just a one-time deal, but I think every time we take it, we should treat it so seriously that we grow stronger in Christ,” he said. “We share your faith, brother. We believe every time your grace increases,” said Roy. The Protestants in attendance were particularly interested in a debate about the significance of the Eucharist for Catholics. “The Eucharist is considered the greatest of the sacraments because you’re taking in the body and the blood of SOLDIER’S FAITH, page 5

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared Monti, left, was killed by enemy fire in 2006 while helping Pvt. Brian Bradbury, right, to a waiting medevac helicopter in Afghanistan. Monti, a Catholic who was confirmed at St. Ann’s Parish in Raynham, Mass., will be honored posthumously with the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor, in September.

(CNS PHOTOS/COURTESY SGT. GARY HUNSUCKER)

deployment to Afghanistan with the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division. “In May, he was bringing in books to disprove God’s existence, and now he’s willing to fight for it,” said the Rev. Jeff Masengale, a captain and a Southern Baptist chaplain. “I just wanted to rile things up,” Roy told Catholic News Service. But over a three-month period, discussions between the two men led Roy back to his Catholic roots. Recently, he decided to turn his private research into a catechism class for other soldiers on this forward operating base, or FOB. “It’s a little bit selfish because I love learning all this,” he admitted with a smile. On this particular night three Protestants and three Catholics came to Roy’s class. They peppered him with questions as he moved through his outline, sharing the debate within the early church on the concepts of real presence and transubstantiation. “What about people getting sick through sharing the cup?” asked Cpl. Sam Higginbotham, a Southern Baptist medic in a grey army T-shirt. “If you know you’re sick, you’re under a moral obligation to abstain, and that’s OK,” Roy responded.

By Jessica Weinstein

and we’re getting our butt handed to us because of the amount of fire,’” recalled Hunsucker. Hunsucker radioed back, asking for a location to send help. MEDAL OF HONOR, page 6

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September 11, 2009 Father Mirek Jordanek, a Czech army chaplain, celebrates Mass for soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division at Forward Operating Base Shank in Afghanistan Aug. 1. There are just six priests for 17,000 U.S. soldiers in eastern Afghanistan.

Soldier’s faith . . . ■ Continued from page 4 Jesus Christ,” explained Roy. “It’s grace, as Jesus puts it, that will raise you up on the last day.” “How would Catholics view Baptists not taking the Eucharist regularly?” asked the Rev. Masengale. “These are gifts for you,” replied Roy. “You are missing out, but Catholics wouldn’t say you’re without salvation. Take the gift and be blessed or don’t.” Despite the divisions of church doctrine and tradition represented by this group, the discourse was civil and full of laughter. “I like learning. I’m a student forever. Anytime I get a chance to hear someone’s point of view, I take (advantage,)” said Higginbotham. “When you come from various Protestant backgrounds, there’s a lot of stereotypes,” said Spc. Gregory Gates, a

Catholic San Francisco

(CNS PHOTO/JESSICA WEINSTEIN)

Novena to St. Therese of the Child JJesus

nondenominational Christian from Youngstown, Ohio. “Actually what I’ve been learning is that these stereotypes aren’t necessarily so. It’s good to hear from someone who’s actually Catholic what the Catholic Church really believes, and it’s encouraged me to study the Bible more and search for myself what I believe is true in the word of God,” he said. “I want them to understand what Catholics believe and that it’s reasonable,” said Roy. “If they come to find that out and now they are forming questions about the faith – maybe they will come to Catholicism,” he added. So each night, Roy closes with the following prayer: “Thank you, Lord, for these people who are interested in learning more about you. Despite our differences, we thank you that we all believe in one Savior.” And before the night is over, he encourages participants to bring more students. “You’ll get a free catechism,” he jokes. “How can you go wrong?”

“Jesus is on fire with love for us… Look at his adorable Face… There You will see how much He loves us” St. Therese of Child Jesus

September 23 – October 1 The Novena will be conducted by The Discalced Carmelite Priests

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Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Cardinal, priests discuss what guides decisions on Catholic funeral WASHINGTON (CNS) – In his homily at Sen. Edward Kennedy’s funeral Aug. 29, Father Mark Hession explained the pastoral purpose of the liturgy. “In the Catholic tradition, the Mass of Christian burial weaves together memory and hope,” said the senator’s Cape Cod, Mass., pastor. “The worship of the church locates us precisely between a past we reverently remember and a future in which we firmly believe.” As Kennedy’s family mourned, millions of people around the world watched a memorial service Aug. 28 and the next day’s funeral and burial. The latter services included the participation of prominent church leaders, including the archbishop of Boston, yet some critics said the fact that the Massachusetts senator had a Catholic funeral was a scandal to the church. “Has the potential to be a scandal that will make Notre Dame’s Obama Day a walk in the park,” said an editorial by LifeSite News, a pro-life Web site. The Catholic Action League of Massachusetts said of the funeral Mass: “This morning’s spectacle is evidence of the corruption which pervades the Catholic Church in the United States.” Robert Royal, president of the Faith and Reason Institute in Washington, decried the

Medal of honor . . . ■ Continued from page 4 “The last comment I got from him was, ‘I can’t raise my head or I’ll get it blown off,’” he remembered. It was the last time anyone heard from Monti. According to accounts gathered from other soldiers who were present that night, Hunsucker said Monti and another sergeant

“irreversible” damage to the church from allowing Kennedy a funeral that did not focus attention on his failings, namely his support for legal abortion. Participating in Kennedy’s funeral rites were two cardinals and priests from at least four dioceses. Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley of Boston presided at the funeral, and Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, the retired archbishop of Washington, presided at the burial. In a Sept. 2 posting on his blog on the archdiocesan Web site, www.bostoncatholic.org, Cardinal O’Malley acknowledged the controversy over Kennedy having a Catholic funeral, but said marginalization of people over even an issue as important as abortion is the wrong path. “Given the profound effect of Catholic social teaching on so many of the programs and policies espoused by Sen. Kennedy and the millions who benefited from them, there is a tragic sense of lost opportunity in his lack of support for the unborn,” Cardinal O’Malley wrote. Nevertheless, Cardinal O’Malley said, he strongly disagrees with those who said the church should not have permitted Kennedy a public Catholic funeral. fought hard to keep the enemy from advancing. Monti then pulled Pvt. Brian Bradbury to a waiting medevac helicopter. But in the process, he was exposed to enemy fire. An RPG landed close to him, killing him. When he died, Monti held the rank of staff sergeant, and was promoted to sergeant first class posthumously. According to his father, Paul Monti, in his last moments, he said the Lord’s Prayer and told the men around him to “tell my family I love them.”

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He noted that the details of the senator’s correspondence with Pope Benedict XVI in his last weeks revealed an acknowledgement of “failing to always be a faithful Catholic, and his request

for prayers as he faced the end of his life.” “The Holy Father’s expression of gratitude for the senator’s pledge of prayer for the church, his commendation of the senator and his family to the intercession of the Blessed Mother, and his imparting the apostolic blessing, spoke of His Holiness’ role as the vicar of Christ, the good shepherd who leaves none of the flock behind,” he wrote. Cardinal O’Malley later said, “At times, even in the church, zeal can lead people to issue harsh judgments and impute the worst motives to one another. These attitudes and practices do irreparable damage to the communion of the church. If any cause is motivated by judgment, anger or vindictiveness, it will be doomed to marginalization and failure.” Msgr. Anthony Sherman, executive director of the Secretariat of Divine Worship of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Kennedy’s funeral at the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was well within the guidelines of the church’s Order of Christian Funerals. “It was basically a regular Catholic funeral,” he said. Even the two brief rememCATHOLIC FUNERAL, page 9

“We lost a leader,” said Hunsucker. “Society lost a good human being.” Hunsucker described Monti as a man who didn’t talk much about his faith, but poured himself into his soldiers. “He was everything to his guys – to any soldier he came in contact with,” he said. “He treated every last one of them (soldiers) better than what they were. Doing that, they got motivated to do bigger and better things,” said Master Sgt. Gary Young, 37. “All the soldiers that he touched – he changed their lives in so many ways.” “He was one of those leaders that soldiers didn’t want to disappoint,” added Staff Sgt. Christopher Grzecki who was with Monti when he died. “Monti’s priorities were on the men under him. This was evident on June 21 when he gave up his own life in order to save the life of one of his subordinates,” he added. It was the ultimate sacrifice from a man who was generous off the battlefield too.

Monti’s father said that, while his son was stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., he and his roommate bought a $500 kitchen set, but after seeing the children of one of his soldiers eating on the kitchen floor, Monti gave the table and chairs to them. “He felt that they needed the kitchen set more than he did, so he gave it to them,” recalled Paul Monti in an e-mail. “His boys always came first,” wrote the soldier’s mother, Janet Monti, in an e-mail. On Sept. 17 President Barack Obama will present Monti’s family with his award. Monti’s fellow soldiers will be watching and participating in a parallel ceremony in Afghanistan at the site of his death. Hunsucker hopes it will provide closure for the men who knew Monti. But he believes that the best way to honor Monti’s sacrifice is to continue his care and commitment to American soldiers. “I’d take him before I’d take the award,” said Hunsucker.

(CNS PHOTO/JASON REED, REUTERS)

By Patricia Zapor

Family and clergy stand beside the casket of Sen. Edward Kennedy at his funeral Mass in Boston Aug. 29. Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley (top) was present in the sanctuary.

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September 11, 2009

Respect Life program for 2009-10 shows diversity of pro-life concerns WASHINGTON (CNS) – “Every Child Brings Us God’s Smile” is the theme for the 2009-2010 Respect Life program, based on one of Pope Benedict XVI’s homilies during the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Although the Respect Life program itself has been a year-round initiative since 1972, U.S. Catholics across the country have used the month of October to focus on life and human dignity. Many parishes will hold a special Respect Life Mass Oct. 4, the first Sunday of Respect Life Month. Materials are developed for the Respect Life program each year by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities. The topics addressed this year show the diversity of pro-life concerns, including: – “Why You Matter: A Reflection on Human Dignity” by Father John Bartunek, a member of the Legionaries of Christ.

– “Assisted Suicide: Death By ‘Choice’” by Rita L. Marker, executive director of the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. – “The Difference Is the Difference: Sexual Difference and the Defense of Marriage” by Father J. Brian Bransfield, assistant general secretary of the USCCB. – “Contraception: The Fine Print” by Susan E. Wills, assistant director for education and outreach in the pro-life secretariat. – “Addressing Infertility With Compassion and Clarity” by Capuchin Franciscan Father J. Daniel Mindling, academic dean at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. – “Where Do We Go From Here? The Challenge of Building a Culture of Life” by Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

The 2009-2010 Respect Life packet also includes a collection of suggested prayers for Respect Life Sunday, a “Litany to Mary, Mother of Life,” a novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe and a Holy Hour for life, as well as suggested preaching reflections for Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. The Committee on Pro-Life Activities creates this package annually to help spread the Catholic Church’s pro-life message to schools, religious education programs, and Catholic institutions and organizations. The folder also includes information on how to order supplies for this year’s program and a CD with additional literature on the selected issues. Many supplies are available in both Spanish and English. For more information visit www.usccb. org and see “Pro-Life Activities’ under Departments.

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Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Catholic funeral . . . ■ Continued from page 6 brances by Kennedy’s sons and a eulogy by President Barack Obama were appropriate and did not overshadow the liturgical emphasis on prayer for the deceased, he said. Besides Msgr. Sherman, a canon lawyer at The Catholic University of America in Washington was among those who said having a Catholic funeral Mass for Kennedy was perfectly appropriate under church law. Canon 1184 provides several conditions under which Catholics must be “deprived of ecclesiastical funerals.” They include: “notorious apostates, heretics and schismatics; those who chose the cremation of their bodies for reasons contrary to Christian faith”; and “other manifest sinners who cannot be granted ecclesiastical funerals without public scandal of the faithful.” The commentary accompanying the code text notes that “funerals may not be denied to someone who gave a sign of repentance before death,” such as summoning a priest. It notes that the conditions are rarely met to deny a “manifest sinner” a funeral that would cause public scandal. Jesuit Father Robert J. Kaslyn, dean of Catholic University’s School of Canon Law, said in deciding whether someone is denied a Catholic funeral under Canon 1184 the

church presupposes that the deceased was not a “manifest sinner.” Canon 213 says that “the Christian faithful have the right to receive assistance” from the church, “especially the word of God and the sacraments.” Father Kaslyn said given that right, when a question of denying a funeral arises, “the value in denying a funeral would have to outweigh the value in granting one.” He compared the pastoral issue to the question of whether couples seeking a church marriage should be denied the sacrament if it’s not clear that they are sufficiently faithful. In addressing the question, Father Kaslyn paraphrased Pope John Paul II, saying that “to judge the presence or absence of sufficient faith is almost impossible, and therefore the church should presuppose that if a couple is willing to go through the preparation process that is sufficient.” “Trying to say whether someone is or is not a sinner is just as difficult,” he said. “In dealing with the conscience of an individual, are we to presume that an individual has not received spiritual guidance?” In the case of Kennedy, Cardinal O’Malley presided over the funeral, with decisions about the liturgy made by the principal celebrant, Jesuit Father J. Donald Monan, chancellor of Boston College, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Boston. “There never was any question that Sen. Kennedy was

entitled to a Catholic funeral,” the statement said. “The senator was a regular communicant at parishes in Washington, D.C., and in Massachusetts. The purpose of the funeral liturgy is to pray for the soul of the deceased person. Our prayer is inspired by our hope in God’s mercy and forgiveness. Sen. Kennedy, like any person, was imperfect and in need of God’s mercy.” Father Kaslyn said the church doesn’t consider a funeral a reward to be withheld based upon what others believe to have been the condition of the deceased’s soul. It instead is an occasion for prayers for the deceased and comfort for the survivors, Father Kaslyn said. “We’re trusting to God’s mercy, leaving the judgment to God.” While many families have a story of a relative who was denied a funeral in decades past because of divorce or suicide, that’s not the current practice. The commentary in the Code of Canon Law specifically says people in irregular marriages or people who committed suicide are not included among those who are automatically denied funerals, “since deprivation of a church funeral not infrequently causes as much if not more scandal than granting it.” Said the USCCB’s Msgr. Sherman, “The judging game is very dangerous.” Cardinal O’Malley said in his blog that the way to change abortion law is to change people’s hearts. “We will not change hearts by turning away from people in their time of need and when they are experiencing grief and loss.”

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Catholic San Francisco

NEWS

September 11, 2009

in brief (CNS PHOTO/GRZEGORZ KOZAKIEWICZ, REUTERS)

‘He’s still with us’ in spirit WESTFIELD, N.J. – The phone rang. Diane Starita held her breath and sank to the floor at her home in Westfield. The voice on the other end of the line was her husband, Anthony. He told her he was trapped on the 106th floor of the north tower of the World Trade Center, surrounded by smoke and flames, desperately trying to find a way out. The brief conversation took place Sept. 11, 2001, following the deadly impact of American Airlines Flight 11 at 8:46 a.m. “Somehow he found a working phone,” she recalled in an interview with The Catholic Advocate, newspaper of the Newark Archdiocese. “He said: ‘I’m still here,’ meaning he was still in the building. He told me he loved me.” And then the line went dead. Anthony M. Starita, 35, was one of 685 Cantor Fitzgerald Securities employees – and 12 Westfield residents – lost on that dreadful day. Two planes hijacked by terrorists brought down the trade center’s twin towers and killed close to 3,000 people. The anniversary of the attacks is “a day for us to be together as a family,” Diane Starita said during an emotional interview at Holy Trinity Church in Westfield. “We’ve all gone on with our lives, but it’s amazing how easily you’re brought back to the memories of that day,” Diane Starita said. “My children and I have a good life, but there are times when it’s hard for me to be ‘in the moment.’ Anthony’s missing, but he’s still with us.”

Diocese prepares for G-20 summit PITTSBURGH –The Diocese of Pittsburgh is preparing for what will be an unprecedented event in area history: Pittsburgh will host the Group of 20 summit Sept. 24-25. The summit, a gathering of representatives from the world’s 19 largest national economies and the European Union, will primarily address policies and programs to deal with the impact of this past year’s worldwide recession. President Barack Obama will be in Pittsburgh for the summit along with many other world leaders. Pittsburgh Bishop David A. Zubik sees the summit as an opportunity for prayer and reflection on the social teachings of the church. Urging an atmosphere of welcome and hospitality to the G-20 participants, Bishop Zubik also called for prayers throughout the diocese that summit leaders might “be guided by a true sense of service, a true dedication to peace and a true desire to create a world where poverty can diminish and wealth is shared more generously.” Mass schedules will be

Delegates representing several religions visit Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland to pray for peace Sept. 8. Up to 1.5 million people, mostly Jews, died in the former Nazi death camp during World War II. Among the Catholics participating in the service was Polish Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Pope John Paul II’s former personal secretary and the current archbishop of Krakow.

provided to all area hotels for use by the summit participants, and Bishop Zubik has asked each parish to consider holding eucharistic adoration during the two-day summit.

Laypeople nurture vocations OMAHA, Neb. – New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, keynote speaker at the 67th Serra International Convention in Omaha, said the lay faithful of the church have a duty to nurture vocations to the sacramental priesthood. “Ordained priests have the duty to call forth the gifts of the lay faithful as they share in the role of Jesus of teaching, serving and sanctifying,” Archbishop Dolan said. “And the lay faithful have the duty to take care of vocations to the sacramental priesthood.” The archbishop is the episcopal adviser to the Serra Club, an international organization that promotes and fosters vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. He was one of several speakers at the convention held at Omaha’s Qwest Center Aug. 27-30 and attended by more than 500 people. The event opened with a Mass at St. Cecilia Cathedral with Omaha Archbishop George J. Lucas as presiding bishop. Archbishop Dolan said one way to start promoting religious vocations was to begin with emphasizing the vocation of marriage and family. “Only 50 percent of our Catholic young people are approaching the sacrament of matrimony,” he said. “Vocations to the priesthood

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CINCINNATI (CNS) – A decision deemed to be a personnel matter in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati has garnered international attention for Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk and the woman religious he has determined can no longer teach religious education on behalf of the archdiocese. Sister Louise Akers, a 66-year-old Sister of Charity, met with the archbishop in early August at her request to discuss the fact that in April the archdiocesan Office of Catechesis and Evangelization removed her from its list of approved teachers and speakers for archdiocesan programs and events. The private meeting was first reported in the National Catholic Reporter Aug. 31. The two discussed Sister Louise’s public support for the ordination of women in the Catholic Church; her name and photo had appeared on the Web site of the Women’s Ordination Conference, and she was listed as an advisory board member for the group. The archbishop told Sister Louise that she needed to publicly dissociate herself from this group and rescind her support of women’s ordination NEWS IN BRIEF, page 11

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September 11, 2009

News in brief . . . n Continued from page 10

(CNS PHOTO/JAYANTA SHAW, REUTERS)

in order to receive permission to teach and lecture in the name of the local church. In 1994 Pope John Paul II issued a document saying that because Jesus chose only men as his apostles the church is not authorized to ordain women. He also said the position was a definitive, ordinary church teaching that must be firmly held by Catholics and is not subject to change.

Legionaries’ letter to lay members details reforms order has made WASHINGTON – The Legionaries of Christ have initiated a number of reforms since publicly acknowledging early this year that the order’s founder, Mexican Father Marcial Maciel Degollado, fathered a child, two U.S. Legionaries priests said in a letter to members of the order’s lay association, Regnum Christi. The reforms include the training of Legionaries on best practices when dealing with minors to protect children from sex abuse; reconfiguring business and management practices; and altering the depiction of Father Maciel in the order’s communications, including Web sites and publications, Father Scott Reilly, director of the order’s Atlanta territory, and Father Julio Marti, director of the New York territory, wrote Sept. 1. In February, Legionaries’ officials said they had only recently learned their late founder had fathered a child. In the past, Father Maciel had been accused of sexually abusing young seminarians in the order. Father Maciel died Jan. 30, 2008, at the age of 87. In May 2006 the Vatican decided after its own investigation against conducting a canonical trial, but rather ordered the then-frail Father Maciel to withdraw to a life of prayer and penance.

Catholic parish joins in efforts to help after Indonesian quake TASIKMALAYA, Indonesia – A Catholic parish in the predominantly Muslim Indonesian province of West Java is working to provide emergency aid to victims of the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck Sept. 2. Humanitarian aid is not being adequately dis-

Members of the Missionaries of Charity, the global order of nuns founded by Blessed Mother Teresa, pray on her feast day in Calcutta, India, Sept. 5. Mother Teresa, who died in 1997, is famous for her work with the poor and destitute. Her efforts won her the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997.

tributed to victims “so we must help the people” who have not been reached, Father Albertus Nugroho, a priest at Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Tasikmalaya, told the Asian church news agency UCA News. Parish leaders, representatives of the Indonesian bishops’ charitable agency and a representative of the Muslim Students Movement in West Java met Sept. 3 and agreed first to provide emergency aid, then to work on rehabilitation and reconstruction. Working with members of the Muslim Students Movement, Catholic high school students will help distribute humanitarian aid from stores in church halls, UCA News reported. Parish leaders said they were told other parishes and the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services would send them aid to distribute.

Drug cartels recruit youth MEXICO CITY – The executions of 18 young men during a prayer service at a Mexican drug rehabilitation center Sept. 2

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failed to surprise many church and public safety officials, who say Mexico’s drug cartels increasingly are luring vulnerable youths into lives of addiction and crime. “Every day there are more young people” involved in the drug trade, said Father Jose Jesus Mata Trejo, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Chihuahua, to the south of Ciudad Juarez, where the executions occurred. He said the cartels target vulnerable young people with few economic opportunities, “pay them in cash and drugs,” and are developing domestic markets for drugs due to difficulties in smuggling illegal merchandise across the Mexican-U.S. border. Investigators say gunmen interrupted the evening prayer at El Aliviane rehabilitation center Sept. 2, lined up the participants and opened fire with assault rifles. No motive has been given for the attack, but it occurred in a Ciudad Juarez neighborhood located mere blocks from a busy bridge that links the border city with El Paso, Texas.

Priest will not run for president MANILA, Philippines – Father Eddie Panlilio, who has served as governor of the Philippines’ Pampanga province since 2007, said he will not run for president in 2010 and will instead throw his support behind Sen. Benigno Aquino III. “After much prayer, contemplation and consultations, we have decided to respond to the call for love of country, sacrifice and unity initiated by Sen. Mar Roxas,” Father Panlilio told the media Sept. 4 at the Club Filipino in San Juan, northeast of Manila. His remarks were reported by the Asian church news agency UCA News. “We have decided not to pursue our plan to run for president in the upcoming elections,” Father Panlilio said, reading from a joint statement with Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, with whom the priest had forged a political partnership. Father Panlilio announced in July that he was ready to seek a dispensation from his priestly duties to run for president. He has not exercised his ministry since 2007. Asked about his next move, Father Panlilio said he might resume his ministry or run for a second term as governor of Pampanga. He also said he is considering running for other government posts.

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Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Catholic San Francisco

47 Sisters in four communities celebrate jubilees Sisters of Mercy 70 YEARS Sister Mary Edith Hurley, a San Francisco native, entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1939 after graduating from St. Peter’s Academy. Her ministry has been devoted to elementary school teaching at schools throughout the Archdiocese including Holy Name of Jesus, St. Peter’s, St. Stephen’s, and St. Gabriel School in San Francisco; St. Bartholomew’s in San Mateo, and St. Catherine of Siena and Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame. 60 YEARS Sister Barbara Cavanaugh entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1949 later graduating from St. Mary’s College of Nursing. Sister Barbara moved to the Altiplano of Peru in 1964 staying for 31 years, as a nurse, midwife and supervisor of formation programs for young women. She has ministered through Healing Touch since 1995. Sister Mary Ann Scofield entered the Sisters of Mercy community in 1949 later earning a Ph.D. in theology from St. Mary’s College at Notre Dame. In 1989 she helped begin Spiritual Directors International while creating a program in spiritual direction at Mercy Center, the first on the West Coast. 50 YEARS Sister Lucy Calvillo attended elementary and high school at St. Peter’s in San Francisco, entering the Sisters of Mercy in 1959. She has been a devoted first grade teacher at St. Peter’s since 1986. Sister Joan Clarke entered the Mercy community in Burlingame in 1959. A high school teacher, she earned graduate degree in psychology in 1974. Two years ago she came to Marian Convent in Burlingame. Sister Ellen FitzGerald entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959 and taught writing and literature, at the University of San Francisco and at her alma mater Mercy High School in San Francisco where she was a member of the first graduating class. She holds a post-graduate degree in English from Notre Dame University. Sister Helen Gilsdorf directed the Mercy School of Music in the 1960s and then was a music teacher at St. Peter’s and St. Gabriel’s Schools in San Francisco and had a variety of roles at Our Lady of Angels in Burlingame and other schools. Sister Maureen Hally, a native of San Francisco, attended Mercy High School in San Francisco. She was justice coordinator for the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy and the Western Region from 1995 to 1999. She is currently a volunteer at Coyote Point Junior Museum and tutor for elementary school children.

Sister Anna Marie Law entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959. An elementary school teacher, she received her M.A. afrom University of San Francisco. She is a former supervisor of teachers in the credential program at Loyola Marymount University. Sister Mary Janet Rozzano is a graduate of St. Gabriel’s School and Mercy High School San Francisco as well as a teacher and former principal of Mercy High School Burlingame. Holding a graduate degree in gerontology, she served as chaplain at Mercy Retirement and Care Center for 16 years and became Spiritual Care Coordinator at Marian Care Center in Burlingame in 2008. Sister Clare Marie Schroer, professed in 1959 and was a preschool teacher at St. Matthias Day Center in Redwood City for 15 years. She has served as marketing and admissions coordinator at Mercy Retirement and Care Center since 1998. Sister Pauline Borghello, who entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959, is a graduate of San Francisco’s St. Peter School and Academy earning a graduate degree in educational administration in 1975.She has been principal of St. Gabriel’s School in San Francisco since 1981. Sister Ritamary Burnham entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959 serving as an elementary teacher, vice principal and principal, from 1963 to 1988. She is currently serving at St Justin the Martyr Parish in the Diocese of San Jose. Sister Judy Cannon graduated from Mercy High School in San Francisco and entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959. After teaching mathematics at Mercy High in Burlingame, she became Director of Social Justice at Catholic Healthcare West from 1987 to 1989. She is currently a member of the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community leadership team based in Omaha, Neb. Sister Marcia Kinces is a staff nurse at St. Mary’s Medical Center where she has served since 1980. Sister Marcia attended Holy Name School and Mercy High School in San Francisco. Sister Mary Peter McCusker entered the Sisters of Mercy in Burlingame in 1959 and earned an undergraduate degree in nursing at the University of San Francisco where she served as a nursing supervisor and instructor. She served in the Mercy mission in the Altiplano of Peru from 1979 to 1984. Sister Judy Morasci attended St. Peter’s School and Academy in San Francisco and entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959. She attended Russell College with a major in education and in 1998 became regional director of mission services of Catholic Healthcare West of Central California. Sister Lillian Murphy, a graduate of St. Peter’s School and Academy, entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959, receiving her master’s degree in public health from the University of California at Berkeley in 1976. She became CEO of Mercy Housing in 1987. Sister Joan Marie O’Donnell graduated from Mercy High

Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose

Sister Mary Edith Hurley, RSM

Sister Barbara Cavanaugh, RSM

Sister Mary Ann Scofield, RSM

Sister Lucy Calvillo, RSM

Sister Joan Clarke, RSM

Sister Ellen FitzGerald, RSM

Sister Helen Gilsdorf, RSM

Sister Maureen Hally, RSM

Sister Anna Marie Law, RSM

Sister Mary Janet Rozzano, RSM

Sister Clare Marie Schroer, RSM

Sister Pauline Borghello, RSM

Sister Ritamary Burnham, RSM

Sister Judy Cannon, RSM

Sister Marcia Kinces, RSM

Sister Mary Peter McCusker, RSM

Sister Judy Morasci, RSM

Sister Lillian Murphy, RSM

Sister Yvette Perrault, RSM

Sister Ann Rooney, RSM

Sister Joan Marie O’Donnell, RSM

School San Francisco, entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959 and later earned a graduate degree in secondary education from San Francisco State University. She was regional vice president of mission and organization development of Catholic Healthcare

West’s Central Coast region from 1998 to 2001 and currently is chaplain at Alma Via Assisted Living in San Francisco. Sister Yvette Perrault is senior citizen ministry coordinator at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in North

Dominican Sisters of San Rafael

vselor with an office at the Jesuit Institute for Family Life in Burlingame since 1988. Hard of hearing since childhood, she is a hearing loss specialist and has been co-president of the Peninsula Chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America.

Golden Jubilee Reflections When I made final vows as a Sister of Mercy, I chose “Led by the Spirit” as the inscription on the ring I received. Over my 50 years in the community, I’ve come to recognize so many Spirit-led moments when I was drawn to a particular ministry, to a use of talents I hardly knew existed in me, to words or actions that in spite of my limitations proved helpful or healing to another person. Over five decades, through ministries in education, community governance, and spiritual care of older adults, through times of joyful light, dark uncertainty and loss, through major changes in our religious community, Church and world, my relationship with God has changed and, I hope, grown stronger. I find I have fewer “answers” about God but that I have a deeper trust, born of experience, that God, “the Mysterious One who is always with me,” is indeed faithful. One translation of Psalm 16: 8 says, “I am sure God is here right beside me.” God HAS been here—in my sisters, in those I have served and ministered with and in so many other wonderful ways. I am full of gratitude for the gifts of these 50 years! – Sister Janet Rozzano, RSM

Front from left: Sisters Antonia Leber, Luz Maria Quintero Reyes, Brigid Bray, Mara Anne Palomares, Jean Marie Des Jardins, and Veronica Lonergan. Back from left: Sisters Cecilia Soberon, Madeline Marie Nabonne, Mary Ybarra, Mary Liam Brock and Jeanne Harris.

The Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose celebrated anniversaries of religious profession of 14 Sisters with a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Joseph Church in Fremont June 24. Retired Oakland Bishop Emeritus John S. Cummins was principal celebrant. During the Mass, the Sisters renewed their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to Sister Gloria Marie Jones, Congregational Prioress. Sister Jean Marie Des Jardins celebrated 70 years of religious profession, while Sisters Antonia Leber and Veronica Lonergan marked 60 years. Sisters Mary Liam Brock, Mara Anne Palomares, Brigid Bray, Jeanne Harris and Cecilia Soberon celebrated 50 years, and Sisters Madeline Marie Nabonne, Mary Ybarra and Luz Maria Quintero Reyes celebrated 25 years. The total number of years given to the Church by all the jubilarians is 705. Three sisters from Germany, Sisters Ludovika Sewald, and Mechtildis Okos who celebrated 70 years, and Sister Bernadette Huber, 50 years, were unable to attend the celebration in Fremont, but they were warmly remembered by their sisters and friends. Following the liturgy the jubilarians and 600 guests celebrated at the Motherhouse.

Hollywood. She ministered in Appalachia at the New Foundation in Pocohantas, Virginia from 1988 to 1992. Sister Ann Rooney, a graduate of Mercy High School in Burlingame, has worked as a marriage, family and child coun-

Sister Mary Ann Shea, BVM, celebrates 75th Dominican Sisters of San Rafael celebrated Jubilee on Saturday, July 25 with Mass at St. Raphael Church and a reception with family and friends at the Dominican Sisters Center. Together the group represents over 800 years of religious life and ministry. Front from left: Sister Anselm Beardsley, OP - 80 years, Sister Victoria Commins, OP - 60 years, Sister Jeremy Carmody, OP - 60 years, Sister Alicia Lechner, OP - 70 years, Sister Petronilla Davis, OP - 60 years, Sister Carolyn Wagner, OP - 60 years. Back from left: Sister Patricia Lyons, OP - 70 years, Sister Abby Newton, OP - 25 years, Sister Darylynn Costa, OP - 25 years, Sister Marion Irvine, OP - 60 years, Sister Ruth Droege, OP - 50 years, Sister Anne Dolan, OP - 50 years, Sister Patricia Simpson, OP - 50 years, Sister Anne Bertain, OP - 50 years, Sister Patricia Boss, OP - 40 years.

Sister Mary Ann Shea (Agnes Corneille), a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, entered religious life in 1934. She taught music at St Paul Elementary School from 1940-42, at Most Holy Redeemer from 1969-79 and at St Thomas More from 1979-81. She will be honored in September in rites at Mount Carmel Motherhouse Chapel, in Dubuque, Iowa.

Sister Mary Ann Shea, BVM

Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Archbishop’s Journal

‘A house of prayer for all peoples’ San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer delivered the following homily at Vespers at the Cathedral of the Madeleine Aug. 14 in Salt Lake City. Led by Bishop John C. Wester, former auxiliary bishop of San Francisco, the Utah diocese is celebrating the centennial of the Madeleine Cathedral. Saint Paul the Apostle, in the eighth chapter of his Letter to the Romans, describes God’s plan of salvation in these words: “Those God predestined he likewise called; those he called he also justified; and those he justified he in turn glorified.” The apostle tells us that every moment and action of God’s saving plan is aimed at the final destiny of eternal glory for all who put their faith in Jesus Christ: we are chosen, we are called, we are justified (that is, put in right relationship with the Father through the Son by the action of the Holy Spirit), and we are ultimately glorified–called home to share eternal life with our loving God. We believe that this plan of God includes everything that happens to us Christians. How easy it is to nod our agreement with these lovely thoughts, yet how greatly they are in conflict with what we might call “the American way” of religion! In this country many people like to say that we can all try to find God in our own ways, we can embrace the religious faith that suits us, and we can choose the church community with which we feel most comfortable. This sounds as if we ourselves are definitely in charge; we take the initiative. And yet, at the Last Supper, Jesus said to his first followers (and to us): “You have not chosen me; I have chosen you.” God, in Christ Jesus, comes in search of us, all of us. God takes the initiative; we do not. Of course St. Paul teaches that we are free to respond to God’s grace, but his saving grace is offered to all. God sent his Son to redeem us; we received the Gospel story, we didn’t make it up; the Good News awoke love and trust in our hearts. It is all God’s doing. He gives us a share in the life of the risen Christ here and now, so that we may live it with him forever. Mary, Christ’s Mother and our Mother, is the perfect sign of this saving plan of God for us. In this solemn feast of her Assumption we celebrate the fullness of salvation in Jesus Christ. Mary is united forever with God, body and soul, in eternal life. As spiritual writers have remarked, what we are now, Mary once was, answering God’s call here on earth; what Mary is now, we hope and pray to be, fully one with God forever. Her response to the angel, “Let it be done to me

according to your word,” becomes our lifelong prayer. Jesus Christ, God’s Son and our brother, saved us as a people, and not one by one. We are called to be the assembly of believers, to be the living stones with which the Holy Spirit builds up the Church, the People of God. “You are the temple of the living God,” St. Paul told the Corinthians, and St. Augustine, preaching at the dedication of a church, declared, “what was done when this church was being built is similar to what is done when believers are built up into Christ. When they first come to believe they are like timber and stone taken from woods and mountains. In their instruction, baptism and formation they are, so to speak, shaped, leveled and smoothed by the hands of carpenters and craftsmen.” From the time of Father Lawrence Scanlan, who came to Utah more than 130 years ago, who became its first Catholic bishop nearly 120 years ago, and who dedicated this Cathedral exactly 100 years ago, the Holy Spirit has been building up the Church in Utah out of the living stones of generations of faithful and faith-filled Catholics. When Archbishop Joseph Alemany of San Francisco first sent Father Lawrence Scanlan to Utah in 1873, there were 90 Catholics here. Father Scanlan rode on horseback from mining camp to mining camp to visit them. Now there are a quarter of a million Catholics in this diocese. All along the way, this Church’s one foundation has been Jesus Christ her Lord, built on the rock of faith shared by Catholics around the world, united in fidelity under the Vicar of Christ, the Bishop of Rome and successor of St. Peter. The cathedra, or chair, of the bishop, gives the cathedral its name, and signifies his role as chief priest, teacher and unifier of the local church. “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,” proclaims the Prophet Isaiah, and that has been the story of this beautiful Cathedral of the Madeleine. Think for a moment of the generations of Catholics who have come here to pray for one another and for themselves, to pray for servicemen in danger in two world wars, in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, and now at risk in Afghanistan and Iraq. Think also of Catholic families, whose members have been baptized here, received their First Communion and first sacramental absolution here, been confirmed and married here, worshiped here week after week; and finally been commended to eternal life from this church. We give thanks for the vision and the courage of Bishop

Views in the News U.S. Bishops’ 2009 Labor Day statement focuses on Catholic values By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON – It is possible to bring Catholic values to the ongoing debate over health care reform just as it was done earlier this year in forging a four-way agreement on the potential unionization of workers at Catholic hospitals, said Bishop William F. Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y. “Leaders in Catholic health ministry, the labor movement and the Catholic bishops sought to apply our traditional teaching on work and workers and to offer some practical alternatives on how leaders of hospitals, unions and others might apply our principles as an aid to reaching agreements in their own situations,” said Bishop Murphy, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. The four-way document, “Respecting the Just Rights of Workers: Guidance and Options for Catholic Health Care and Unions,” achieved “a consensus among all the parties on a set of principles, processes and guidelines for a respectful and harmonious approach to let workers in Catholic health care facilities make free choices about unionization,” Bishop Murphy said. The bishop highlighted details of the agreement in this year’s Labor Day statement, issued annually by the chairman of the domestic justice committee. Dated Sept. 7, Labor Day, the statement is titled “The Value of Work: The Dignity of the Human Person” and was released Sept. 2 in Washington. As they were in “Respecting the Just Rights of Workers,” the bishops are committed to bringing “the principles of Catholic social teaching” to “each serious proposal” in the health care debate, he said, and will stand firm for conscience protections and against abortion funding. Signing on to the unionization document were the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Health Association, the AFL-CIO and the Service Employees

International Union, which has been seeking representation rights for workers in the health care field. The “two key values” agreed upon by the four parties were “the central role of workers themselves in making choices about representation” and “the principle of mutual agreement between employers and unions on the means and methods to assure that workers could make their choices freely and fairly,” Bishop Murphy said. “Health care is an essential good for every human person,” he added, but the church has to remain “resolute” on “longstanding prohibitions on abortion funding and abortion mandates,” while ensuring “freedom of conscience for health care workers and institutions,” generally regarded as the right to not participate in abortion-related activities and other procedures in which they cannot in good conscience be involved. By the same token, immigrants, most of whom “work hard, pay taxes, contribute to Social Security and are valuable members of our society, ... are denied access to health care services,” Bishop Murphy said. “This should not happen in a society that respects the rights and dignity of every person,” he said, adding that immigration and other laws must “guarantee fair treatment to the millions of immigrants in our country who contribute to our economy and the common good.” Bishop Murphy also drew on Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical “Caritas in Veritate” (“Charity in Truth”), calling it “a major point of reference for us all as we give thanks to God for the meaning with which God has endowed work as a reflection of the dignity of every worker.” He quoted the pope as saying: “The primary capital to be safeguarded is ... the human person in his or her integrity: Man is the source, the form and the aim of all economic and social life.” Bishop Murphy also quoted what the encyclical says about “decent work”: “work that expresses the essential dignity of every man and woman in the context of their particular society; work that is freely chosen, effectively

Scanlan. He began this exceptional Cathedral when there were probably no more than 3,000 Catholics in all of Utah, fewer than you would find in many a city parish here today. In this Diocese of Salt Lake City parish after parish Archbishop and mission after misGeorge H. sion followed the course of the ancient Catholic Neiderauer Church in so many places: first a house church, then a building used for many purposes, and finally a beautiful sacred space. We celebrate, and give thanks for, not only the building of this Cathedral 100 years ago, but also the attentive, expert and loving restoration of the Madeleine over 15 years ago. So much dedication and so many skills and talents went into the fashioning of this gracious gift to future generations of Utah Catholics. From time to time one hears the voices that deplore such lavish beauty in a mere building, and claim that the resources would have been better spent on helping the needy. Even St. John Chrysostom, though, while he urged his people to give alms before giving beautiful ornaments to the church, still advised them to feed the Christ in front of them who is hungry, “then use the means you have left to adorn his table.” Dorothy Day, a holy woman who spent her life serving the poor, nevertheless defended the building of a beautiful church. She said the poor need bread, but they need—and deserve—beauty as well. With joy, then, we can celebrate this lovely Cathedral of the Madeleine as well as the Good Samaritan Program right next door in the rectory, feeding the hungry and ministering to the needy 365 days a year. On this feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary we continue our earthly pilgrimage of faith together toward the heavenly Jerusalem where Mary reigns as Queen. During this joyful centennial celebration we seek the continued blessing of Mary’s Son on this house of prayer and faith and hope and love, this temple where Christ dwells in our midst and hallows our hearts.

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associating workers, both men and women, with the development of their community; work that enables the worker to be respected and free from any form of discrimination.” Decent work, the encyclical continued, also “makes it possible for families to meet their needs and provide schooling for children, without the children themselves being forced into labor, ... permits the workers to organize themselves freely, and to make their voices heard, ... leaves enough room for rediscovering one’s roots at a personal, familial and spiritual level, ... (and) guarantees those who have retired a decent standard of living.” Bishop Murphy said Labor Day is the time “to recognize the value and dignity of work and the contribution and rights of the American worker.” He also called on Catholics to remember “those without work and without hope” This year the observance comes at time when the country faces a number of “challenging problems,” including the current economic situation and worries about the future, he said, but Americans “are still fundamentally an optimistic people,” who are committed to working together to address the nation’s problems and “build on the strengths of who we are.” Editor’s note: To view the full text of the USCCB 2009 Labor Day statement, visit www.usccb.org or www.cacatholic.org.

September 11, 2009

Catholic San Francisco

The Catholic Difference

Homecoming A year or so ago I got a letter from a man with whom I’d first begun corresponding shortly after his tour as an infantry lieutenant in Iraq. We began by discussing various questions of just war theory, but then our letters touched more and more on my young friend’s vocational discernment, for he had left the service on completing his deployment in sunny Mesopotamia. In his August 2008 letter, he sent an account of his homecoming and asked whether I thought it could be published somewhere, because he wanted to “thank the American public.” I couldn’t find an outlet for him, but on re-reading his letter, it occurred to me that I could help him say “thanks” by reprinting parts of it here: “We were slowly coming together in a mass formation, rather numbly, in a dark parking lot. The usual chit-chat and murmur of side-bar conversations was conspicuously absent. We had just spent the last couple of days in a series of hangars, airfields and airplanes — traveling back from the Middle East and it was now almost 2 a.m. That was certainly one of the reasons for our numbness. “All several hundred of us seemed to know where to go and what to do without being told. Nobody was saying anything. It was silent, except for the dull roar coming from the large building in front of us. We had rejoiced when we heard them say that our date of departure from the theater of operations was finally known, and now our feet

were standing once again on beloved American soil. “The first row of soldiers started moving once the buses were empty and the bags were all put in a certain place. I was further to the back. Someone had apparently told the first row to face to the left and start walking. The rows behind them were following suit as the walking turned into a jog. It appeared that all of us were going to run single-file into the gym. “As we ran through the main doors, through the smoke from the smoke machine and out onto the gym floor, we were plunged into sensory overload. Bright lights, booming music, mobs of people cheering and shouting and waving at somebody. Homemade signs, welcome home banners, and red, white and blue bunting were everywhere. Someone was on the microphone stirring up our families and loved ones even more. And we just stood there in the middle of it — not knowing quite what to do or where to look or what to think. And it went on and on and on. Then I saw the American flag. “I remember everything about the Welcome Home ceremony very clearly until the national anthem began, at which point the details of the festivities and sequence of events turned into a watery blur. For a thousand reasons I could no longer look at that flag while hearing that song unemotionally, partially because I was raised an American patriot who loves his country dearly, but mainly because of what our band of brothers had experienced

over the past year. I didn’t know why I was tearing up. Was I happy or sad? It was all jumbled up together: the good, the bad and the ugly. “So thank you for supporting us, praying for us, and welcoming us home. George Weigel It makes a difference.” In the cover letter accompanying his thank-you note to America, my correspondent wrote that he had recently “gotten an education in how to put down tile and will soon be learning how to refinish wood floors. I love the fact that we do all our own maintenance, cooking and cleaning. We get to know each other in a different light.” So what’s my pen pal, the Iraq veteran, doing now, down on those floors? He found something even tougher than the training he received in the armed forces and he’s in love with what he found, even though it took him to the hard streets of Newark. He’s a novice in the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement. George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.

Potpourri

Are we too hot not to cool down? The earth, as usual, is undergoing constant change. As Mother Nature “takes her course” she blows hot or cold, and there is some controversy over just what we can or cannot do about the current global warming hysteria. We hear global warming doubters complain that Al Gore, in his enormously popular book “An Inconvenient Truth,” prefaces possible disasters with too many “ifs,” resulting in mere guessing games based on nothing more than chance. Others point out that scientific findings prove that Arctic glaciers and Greenland’s ice sheets are melting, and that that the disappearing ice clogging the Northwest Passage will soon result in smooth recreational and commercial sailing. Some simply remind us that the theories of global warming have incited more controversy than the equally sensationalized global cooling hysteria of the ‘70’s. The warnings were the same, just the temperatures were different. Meanwhile, it seems our only recourse is try to determine which of the forecasts of pro or con “experts” are valid or misleading. While we wait, we have to deal with extremism from alarmists on both sides of the weathervane. In Greek mythology, the Earth Mother was the Goddess Gaia. According to some, there has been a return of her dire predictions that the earth is running a high fever. The “experts” of

today tell us this is partially the fault of gaseous emissions caused by carbon contaminated humans. We are warned that unless we stop putting massive amounts of carbon dioxide into the air by buying new cars that get five more miles to a gallon, exchanging all of our standard light bulbs for the CFL fluorescents, and canceling our summer barbecues, the planet will become a barren desert where the only thing green will be our envy of those who remember grass, leaves, flowers and polar bears. Certainly, the planet is in a period of warming, but is it really mostly human generated as the neo-Gaiaites would have us believe? Or are we to believe the other scientists, who with “proportionate logic”, insist there are any number of reasons for this ongoing, natural phenomena of solar fluctuations, Mars melting, the sun, the tides. Changes in the atmosphere have happened for eons without the excessive fixations so prevalent today, and as stewards of the earth, we are duty bound to do our part to reverse the inevitability of global warming. Meanwhile, to verbally express doubts that we are the major culprits invites either a “frigid” silence or a “sizzling” argument. Most disturbing in this ongoing controversy are the alarmists convinced that overpopulation is the major contributor to the problem which is, of course, still another reason to excuse

and accept the depravity of abortion. This notion implies that Gaia worship is as dogmatic in its beliefs as any religion, the difference being that it uses charts and drafts rather than Scripture and tradition to frame its Jane L. Sears tenets. One’s left with the impression that those determined to make us fearful of frying and along with those who predict we’ll soon be freezing, share the common trait of being full of hot air. Tempering the frenzy surrounding the global warming myth with sensible reasoning doesn’t deny that “there’ll be a change in the weather and a change in the sea,” but as the ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said so long ago, “Nature does nothing uselessly.” Jane L. Sears is a freelance writer and a parishioner at Our Lady of Angels Parish in Burlingame.

In a Family Way

The Holy Family comes home School has begun and like it or not, we are all back on schedule. The family vacation, short-notice three-day weekends, the projects we did (or didn’t quite get to) are all behind us. For those of us with school-age children, September brings a rush of activities. Our schedules are no longer ours, but rather our children’s and their teachers. Weekdays hurl by in a rush of drop-offs and pick-ups, which is to say nothing of our nights, for let us not forget homework, choir, sports and the myriad activities that consume our evenings. Of course, all this activity is only added to maintaining our homes and our jobs. With so many demands on their time, it is little wonder that many parents find themselves struggling to maintain a sense of spirituality in their lives. Many complain they simply have no time to devote to their spiritual needs. And for too many parents, they despair in the knowledge that their spirituality has stalled. It makes one wonder how our parents and grandparents did it. How did they raise us all, teach us what it means to be a Christian, get us cleaned up and off to Mass on Sunday, and school on Monday? On those tough days, I even find myself wondering how Mary and Joseph managed the challenges of their time. Jesus may well have been the best kid ever, but he was still a kid at one point and had all the needs of any other kid. Joseph still had to keep up at work. Mary, Immaculate Conception and all, still had a family and home to care for. Times may have been different when we were kids - or when

Jesus was - but they were hardly easier on parents. It gives me hope that the ‘Holy Family’ faced challenges not so dissimilar from our own. It gives me hope because, as parents, our most sacred work is this rather messy, unglamorous business of rearing our children. After all, is not the raising one’s children the most selfless, giving (and yes, exhausting) work one can undertake? Though most of us don’t think of it in these terms, the work of parenthood is really and truly ministry. It is a ministry of love, of giving, of sacrifice, of hope, of patience, and of kindness. And as ministry, it is the work of God. Admittedly, it is difficult to appreciate the majesty of the moment when you are up late at night changing a diaper or waiting for the arrival of a past-curfew teenager. But understanding that even these challenges of family life are acts of holy service is an important element in understanding your relationship with God. Certainly, many parents struggle to find a silent moment for prayer. But considering how much parents are required to give of themselves, it is essential to ensure that you are nourishing your own spiritual growth. It begins with the following: First, recognize that the work of raising a family is truly holy work. Second, as true ministry, this work needs to be augmented by prayer and reflection (even if it is reflection while on the go). Connecting what you read in scripture or pray on Sunday to what you do the rest of the week has never been more important. Even if it is just a few seconds here and there, bringing God into your day-to-day life through prayer can reignite your

relationship with him. Third, remember we fulfill our ministries not for Jesus, but with Jesus. This is the way he wanted it, and simply recognizing this can be a tremendous help in dealing with the pressures Deacon Rafe and challenges of one’s tasks. You are not left to do Brown this work alone. Finally, as this work is holy, it is in its own unique way an offering to God. You may be changing a diaper, but it is an act of love. Take a moment and offer it to God in prayer. You may be cooking dinner, but you are feeding the hungry. Offer it to God. You may be tired after a long day of work and the second you come home the kids will pounce on you, the dog will want to be walked, and your spouse will need to talk to you. But thank God for these blessings, take deep a breath and ask him for a bit of strength, and offer him this moment with a profound sense of gratitude. As for the rush of activities that comes with the new school year, do your best, and take time every day to thank God for these crazy, wonderful blessings that are your ‘holy family.’ Deacon Rafe Brown lives in San Mateo with this wife and two children. He serves at St. Matthew Parish.

Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture reflection

Isaiah 50:5-9a; Psalm 116:2, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35

RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. I love the Lord because he has heard my voice in supplication, Because he has inclined his ear to me the day I called. R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. The cords of death encompassed me; the snares of the netherworld seized upon me; I fell into distress and sorrow, And I called upon the name of the Lord, “O Lord, save my life!” R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. Gracious is the Lord and just; yes, our God is merciful. The Lord keeps the little ones; I was brought low, and he saved me. R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. For he has freed my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living. R. I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living. A READING FROM THE LETTER OF JAMES JAS 2:14-18 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you do

‘Who do you say that I am?’

not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to you from my works. A READING FROM THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK MK 8:27-35

(CNS PHOTO/J.D. LONG-GARCIA)

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF ISAIAH IS 50:5-9A The Lord God opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord God is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let that man confront me. See, the Lord God is my help; who will prove me wrong?

DEACON ED CUNNINGHAM

A crucifix hangs before a mural depicting the Resurrection in the sanctuary at St. Timothy Parish in Mesa, Ariz.

Jesus and his disciples set out for the villages of Caesarea Philippi. Along the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” They said in reply, “John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets.” And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter said to him in reply, “You are the Christ.” Then he warned them not to tell anyone about him. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke this openly. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. At this he turned around and, looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.” He summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.”

The loss of a job, the onset of Alzheimer’s, the serious illness of a child, the death of a loved one – these tragedies and many others bring pain and suffering that devastate not only the person affected but also those most close to that person. That pain and suffering are a part of life, we somewhat acknowledge. That they can be our own lot to experience, we would like to ignore, but growing years and experience quickly remind us that some suffering, in one form or another, is part of the human condition, and that this has always been so. Now, how we view this fact of life is indeed another matter. The Greek playwright Sophocles, in the closing lines of “Oedipus the King,” fatalistically remarks that no man is fortunate until he passes through the gates of death. In “King Lear,” Shakespeare comments that the gods kill us for their sport, like wicked little boys toying with trapped flies! Thomas Hardy, the English novelist and poet, in his poem “Hap” says that whether we have joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain, is a matter of complete indifference to whatever god there might be. Viewed through the eyes of many philosophers and writers down the ages, the lot of men and women is dreary, grim, and predetermined. Sunday’s readings, however, present an entirely different view and approach to pain and suffering and death. In the first reading from Isaiah, the suffering servant endures his present pain and suffering, confident of God’s presence, protection and help. “The Lord God is my help … He is near who upholds my right.” Whatever happens, whatever comes, he is sure that he will not be alone. With God beside him, he knows that he will not be put to shame; he is confident that ultimately he will prevail. The gospel, a lesson in the meaning of discipleship, comes at the subject of suffering and death rather indirectly, with Christ asking his disciples the seemingly innocuous question “Who do people say that I am?” Then Peter quickly replying, “You are the Christ.” Only after Jesus explains what being the Christ means—the necessity of suffering, rejection and death—does the shocked Peter reject such a notion and

rebuke Jesus, because this is not the Christ, the anointed one, the Messiah that Peter expected. Jesus, however, quickly rebukes Peter. The way of the cross is a fact of life, and to be a disciple, one must accept the cross and follow Christ – a message intended not only for his disciples but also for the following crowd, both of whom he summons. “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.” “Who do you say that I am?” seems to be such a simple question, but its answer will have tremendous consequences. If we respond as Peter did, “You are the Christ,” then we must accept the cost of discipleship. And then it is our faith that will enable us to carry whatever cross enters our lives. And it is in the second reading from James that prompts us, by its very clear, simple message, to examine the quality of our faith, the very foundation of all that we are about: “faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” It is not enough to say that we have faith; we must live out that belief in our daily lives. As the old cliché has it, “Actions speak louder than words.” Or, in more modern terms, “You have to walk the talk.” Attendance at Mass, private prayer and devotions, spiritual reading and study—all play very important parts in the life of a believer. But in one way or another, this belief must carry over into the actions of each day, in the ways we reach out to others and in the ways we accept those who reach out to us. And perhaps it is by focusing on others and by refusing to get caught up with ourselves that we follow Christ as one of his disciples, taking up the daily challenges that we encounter – challenges that confront us with denying ourselves and focusing on the needs of others. “Who do you say that I am?” – a question we cannot ignore, a question each of us is called to answer by the way we daily live out our faith. Deacon Ed Cunningham directs the archdiocesan permanent diaconate formation program.

Spirituality for Life

Extraordinary women, extraordinary stories In her new book, “Waking Up to This Day,” Paula D’Arcy shares this story: A woman she knows lost a son in an accident. Some years later someone was commenting on how hard this must be for her, not to get to watch her son grow up and marry and not to ever get to hold her grandchildren. Her response: “I don’t think in those terms. The answer is that I don’t know. I don’t know what his life should have been. I realize today that his soul had its own journey and its own terms with life. This had nothing to do with me. But I got to participate for a while in the journey of that soul. For that I am unspeakably grateful.” This story reminded me of another story a woman shared recently on a retreat. Her mother had been a woman of extraordinary faith and unwavering balance. The mantra that she first lived herself and then repeated over and over to her children was that we are happy only when we are grateful for what we have because then, and only then, will what we have be enough for us. Her perennial counsel was: It’s enough! And she lived this out, to her dying words: Hospitalized with a disease that would not respond to medication, she developed a blood infection from which there was little

hope of recovery. Her family kept vigil around her bedside for several weeks while her condition deteriorated. Finally, she herself took the initiative: She called her family round her, told them that they had been with her in the hospital and away from their homes for too long, informed them that she had called the palliative care unit in the hospital and asked to be transferred there, and that she would die that same day. She was moved to the palliative care unit and the nurse there told the family that she was about to give their mother a shot of pain medication that would put her into a deep sleep from which she would probably never regain consciousness. As this was about to happen, her daughter, the one who shared this story, sat by her mother’s bed, held her hand, clung to her like a drowning child, and said: “Oh Mom, a little more time! Just a little more time! Not quite yet! Stay with us for just a little more time!” But her mom, with what strength she still had, replied: “Enough, it’s enough.” Those were her final words to her daughter and her family. These are strong stories from strong women, each with enough wisdom and faith to undercut the false sentimentality which can so easily paralyze us in the face of loss. Both knew

that there is a time to let go and a way to let go that doesn’t lessen love but increases it. Both knew the deep truth of the Resurrection: that faith asks us not to mummify what’s dead but to entrust it back to the Father earth and to the God who Ron Rolheiser gives life and new life. Both knew that the deep secret of life is not to be paralyzed by death, but to let go, to move on, to go deeper. And both had a proper respect for life’s deep rhythms. “I realize that his soul had its own journey and its own terms with life.” “This is not about me ...” “I am unspeakably grateful for having been part of its mystery.” We would respect each other infinitely more if we, like these women, could actually accept that. False sentiment habitually tempts us in the other direction. We cry a lot of tears because SPIRITUALITY FOR LIFE, page 19

September 11, 2009

Catholic San Francisco

By Dennis Sadowski

proposed by Catholic astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus nearly a century earlier. Like any good scientist, Galileo began to share his findings and he became a celebrity across Europe. In 1611 he traveled to Rome to demonstrate the telescope to Jesuit astronomers, who confirmed his celestial discoveries. He was warmly welcomed by Pope Paul V. As time passed, however, Galileo’s views posed a dilemma for the magisterium, the church’s teaching authority. What he espoused contradicted Scripture, which placed earth at the center of the universe. If earth, the home of beings created in the image and likeness of God, was no longer the center of the universe, then it would force the church to reformulate its theology. What irked church officials, explained Frank K. Flinn, adjunct professor of religious studies at Washington University in St. Louis, was not so much what Galileo was saying, but how he was saying it. At one point, in his typically self-righteous way, Galileo said that the church should stick with helping people get to heaven rather than explaining how the heavens worked. “Galileo was correct but not tactful,” said Flinn, a former Franciscan seminarian. “The magisterium gets very, very sensitive about laypeople interpreting Scripture. This is what got the hackles up of the magisterium,” he said. Church criticism of Galileo’s views arose from time to time. In December 1614, Dominican Father Tommasso Caccini of Florence criticized Galileo’s conclusions in a sermon. Although the priest’s superior sent Galileo a written apology and the priest was deposed by the Roman Inquisition, the criticism put the scientist on notice that he was rankling some clergy. Fifteen months later a papal commission issued an edict against the Copernican theory. Afterward, Cardinal Robert Bellarmine delivered the equivalent of a modern day cease and desist order to Galileo to stop talking about heliocentricity.

(CNS PHOTO/ERICH LESSING, ART RESOURCE)

WASHINGTON (CNS) – When Galileo Galilei first turned his simple telescope toward Jupiter, the moon and then the sun nearly 400 years ago, it’s not difficult to imagine how amazed he was. Known as the father of modern science, Galileo meticulously recorded the motions of the four largest satellites of Jupiter and drew images of Earth’s moon that showed it to be much more geographically complex than the smooth sphere others imagined. The sun, he concluded, actually revolved; the motion of sunspots proved it. Galileo’s discoveries in 1609 and 1610 – the result of making improvements to a device invented by Johannes Lipperhey, a German spectacles maker working in the Netherlands – led to an explosive growth in astronomy. At a deeper level, it caused humans to reconsider their place in the universe and forced the Catholic Church to confront what it held sacred in its understanding of God’s creation. “The great thing about the discoveries is that they really did change the way we look at the universe,” said Jesuit Brother Guy Consolmagno, an American working on the staff of the Vatican Observatory headquartered in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, near Rome. “The biggest lesson for people of faith today is to realize that everything we know is true, but the universe is far more complicated than we believe,” he told This Galileo portrait by Dutch painter Catholic News Service. Justus Sustermans hangs in the Prior to turning to astronomy, Galileo, a devout Palazzo Pitti art gallery in Florence, Italy. Roman Catholic born Feb. 15, 1564, was a mathematician and a physicist. Had he not been motivated to improve upon Lipperhey’s first telescope, the mathcentered universe. The discussion did not present the supporter ematics professor still would be considered a major of the traditional theory in a very positive light. Six months after contributor to understanding the laws of motion. His publication, the Inquisition banned further printing of the book. experiments at the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the early A month later Galileo was summoned to Rome. 1590s showed that objects of different weights fall Galileo arrived in at the same speed when February 1633 and underdropped from the same went questioning from the height. Inquisition for four months. Astronomer Gerry Although he appealed to his Williger of the University inquisitors to allow his work of Louisville in Kentucky to continue being dissemisaid Galileo was a scinated, Galileo eventually entist’s scientist, one agreed to recant his views who would test theories in order to receive a lenient extensively and trust that sentence. Found guilty of his observations revealed heresy, he was placed under valuable information. house arrest in his villa in “He was a good experiArcetri, near Florence. mental physicist, so it was In 1637, Galileo became natural for someone like blind, the result of years of him to say, ‘Oh, here’s a solar observations. He died at new piece of equipment. his villa Jan. 6, 1642, at the Let’s take a look at it.’ He age of 77. It would be another saw an opportunity and century before the Copernican he took it,” said Williger, theory was proven. a Catholic. It took 350 years for the It was in 1609 that church to reverse itself in Galileo learned about Galileo’s case. In October Lipperhey’s invention of 1992, Pope John Paul II a year earlier. Galileo, formally acknowledged that who chaired the maththe church erred when it ematics department at the condemned Galileo. University of Padua, set In honor of the 400th out to develop his own Galileo Galilei is shown before the Holy Office of the Inquisition at anniversary of Galileo’s device that could magnify the Vatican in this painting by Fleury Francois Richard. first use of the telescope to distant objects more than view night-sky objects, the the two or three times astronomical community that Lipperhey’s could. Galileo’s first attempt led to a telescope of about eight It was 16 years before Galileo heard from church authori- has organized events around the world to celebrate the power. A few months later he had designed one to ties again. Under Pope Urban VIII, elected in 1623, the International Year of Astronomy 2009. The Vatican has magnify objects 20 times. church was more open to the Copernican model. Galileo, joined in the observance by sponsoring symposia and proWhen the Italian mathematician turned it toward who greeted Pope Urban after his election, continued to grams exploring advances in astronomy. In October, an exhibit of historical astronomical instruthe heavens, he began tracking what became known explore the night sky and report his discoveries. However, as the Galilean moons revolving around Jupiter: Io, it was his “Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World ments opens at the Vatican Museums. In November the Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. His observations Systems” – published in 1632 after more than five years of Pontifical Academy of Sciences is participating in a study week on astrobiology in a program looking at life in the led him to conclude the earth was one planet among development – that led the church to act. several revolving around the sun, giving credence to In the book, Galileo put two proponents of Copernican universe and the search for extraterrestrial life. GALILEO, page 18 the heliocentric – sun-centered – planetary system theory in a discussion against a supporter of the traditional earth-

Shown here is Galileo Galilei’s original telescope. Between 1608 and early 1610 he developed the first instrument that combined glass lenses for a closer view of the cosmos.

(CNS PHOTO/COURTESY OF INSTITUTE AND MUSEUM OF THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN FLORENCE, ITALY)

(CNS PHOTO/MARCO BUCCO, REUTERS)

Father of modern science, Galileo challenged the church 400 years ago

Catholic San Francisco

Bishops health reform . . . ■ Continued from cover Those letters stressed the need for a health care system that is accessible and affordable for all; that covers everyone from conception to natural death; that does not erode current federal policy against funding abortions; that preserves freedom of conscience for providers and institutions; and that controls costs and applies them equitably among payers. Many bishops also urged Catholics in their dioceses to stay informed about the status of health care efforts by frequent visits to the USCCB Web site at www.usccb.org/ healthcare. “The Catholic Church does not endorse any particular prescription for what a revamped system should look like,” noted a statement by three officials of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati that was endorsed by Archbishop Daniel E. Pilarczyk. The church sees the present moment as “an opportunity that should not be buried by partisan politics or misleading exaggerations of what the emerging legislation does or does not include,” the statement said. “We hope that civil dialogue will produce an affordable method that provides ready access to quality, comprehensive and affordable health care for every person living in the United States.” In Boston, Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley said he spoke briefly to President Barack Obama about health care at the funeral of Senator Ted Kennedy. He said he told Obama the U.S. bishops “are anxious to support a plan for universal health care, but we will not support a plan that will include a provision for abortion or could open the way to abortions in the future.” One of the most extensive analyses of the elements of health care reform came in a joint statement by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kan., and Bishop Robert W. Finn of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo. “Despite the many flaws with our current policies, change itself does not guarantee improvement,” they said in the Sept. 1 statement. “Many of the proposals which have been promoted would diminish the protection of human life and dignity and shift our health care costs and delivery to a centralized government bureaucracy.” The Catholic obligation to the common good requires that “we must find some way to provide a safety net for people in need without diminishing personal responsibility or creating an inordinately bureaucratic structure which will be vulnerable to financial abuse, be crippling to our national economy, and remove the sense of humanity from the work of healing and helping the sick,” the Kansas City bishops said. They and other bishops also stressed the role individuals must play in caring for their own health. “All individuals, including those who receive assistance for health care, might be given incentives for good preventative practices: proper diet, moderate exercise and moderation of tobacco and alcohol use,” they said.

Pope encourages . . . ■ Continued from cover The pope said lay Catholics, in addition to doing volunteer and charity work, should also witness the faith in other areas, including service to political action. “The seasons of history go by, the social contexts change, but what doesn’t change and disappear is the vocation of Christians to live the Gospel in solidarity with the human family, in step with the times,” he said. The pope said the desert, popular in the Bible as a place of spiritual drama and difficulty, has relevance in contemporary times. “The most profound desert is the human heart, when it loses the capacity to listen, to speak and communicate with God and with other people. Then one becomes blind because, unable to see reality, ears are closed against those who

September 11, 2009 The Kansas City statement quoted from an earlier message on health reform by Bishop R. Walter Nickless of Sioux City, Iowa, which said: “The gift of life comes only from God, and to spurn that gift by seriously mistreating our own health is morally wrong.” “The most effective preventative care for most people is essentially free – good diet, moderate exercise and sufficient sleep,” Bishop Nickless said. “But prenatal and neonatal care are examples of preventative care requiring medical expertise, and therefore cost; and this sort of care should be made available to all as far as possible.” Bishop Blase J. Cupich of Rapid City, S.D., said health care reform “is not just a task facing the government” but also related to “our need to take personal responsibility for our health.” “In the face of powerful pressures in a consumerist society, we should not overlook in this moment of health care reform the need to exercise moderation in a world of abundance,” he said. “If we say that health care is a right rooted in our belief in human dignity, then we need to respect our own life and dignity by adopting lifestyles that enhance our health and well-being.” Cardinal Rigali also issued his own statement in which he stressed the importance of not allowing the praiseworthy goal of health reform to be derailed by abortion. “At a time when so much good will is being shown to create an equitable, affordable and just health care system in the United States, it would be tragic if this praiseworthy end were corrupted by including an immoral means, namely provisions for abortion,” he said. “This would not be health care.” In a column for the Aug. 27 issue of his archdiocesan newspaper, The Catholic Spirit, Archbishop John C. Nienstedt of St. Paul and Minneapolis said health reform legislation “has far-reaching moral implications for us as a people and as a nation.” “What it permits and what it disallows speaks volumes about the values that we hold dear and are willing to fight to defend,” he added. “This is, in my mind, one of the most important issues of our lifetime. Please let your thoughts be known.” Bishop Paul S. Loverde of Arlington, Va., reminded Catholics of the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in his commentary on health care reform. Christ’s parable, he said, “illustrates an essential characteristic of the Christian in public life: vigilance.” “The truly vigilant realize that it is not reforming the health care system in itself that is wrong – in fact some reform is needed,” Bishop Loverde said. “Rather, it is the specific proposals included in that reform that could endanger the lives of the unborn, and the freedom of conscience of health care providers and citizens.” He urged Catholics to educate themselves about the various health reform proposals before Congress, contact their representatives with their views and, “first and foremost,” to pray. “With earnest hearts, we ask (God) for the grace to be witnesses to the dignity of life and for his blessing on our legislators in their debates and decisions,” he said. cry for help, and the heart is hardened in indifference and selfishness,” he said. While in Viterbo the pope visited a Marian sanctuary and met with the cloistered nuns who reside there. They prayed together to Mary for the special intention of modern families that are “divided and in crisis.” Later the same day, he traveled to the nearby town of Bagnoregio, where he venerated the relics of St. Bonaventure, a 13th-century Franciscan theologian and a doctor of the church. Addressing townspeople in the square outside the cathedral, the pope underlined St. Bonaventure’s incessant search for God and his ability to see and praise the beauty of creation. The saint understood God as the source of such beauty, he added. “How useful it would be if today, too, people discover the beauty and value of the created world in the light of divine goodness and beauty!” he said.

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$4,999 (100% inclusive, air, taxes, gratuities)

France & Bavaria

featuring the Oberammergau Passion Play

July 30 - August 9, 2010 11 Days • 14 Meals: 9 Breakfasts • 1 lunch • 4 Dinners

Highlights…Paris • Eiffel Tower Dinner • Seine River Cruise • TGV Train • Strasbourg Alsace Wine Route • Wurzburg • Winery Visit • Nuremberg • Oberammergau Passion Play

Double $5,629 (100% inclusive, air, taxes, gratuities)

Mexico’s Colonial Jewels

featuring Mexico City, Guanajuato, San Miguel de Allende, Zacatecas, Tequila & Morelia

November 7 - 18, 2009

12 Days • 17 Meals: 11 Breakfasts • 6 Dinners

Highlights…Our Lady of Guadalupe • Pyramids of Teotihuacan • National Folkloric Ballet Performance • San Miguel de Allende • Granaditas Museum • Rafael Coronel Museum • El Eden Silver Mine • Hospicio Cabanas • Tequila Agave Fields • Patzcuàro • Morelia National Museum of Anthropology * 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Double $2,189 (100% inclusive)

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Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Spirituality for Life . . . n Continued from page 16

we make other peoples’ lives about me. I may be someone’s parent, spouse, friend, brother, sister, teacher, mentor, or guardian, but ultimately that other person’s soul has its own individuality, freedom, demons, and destiny. Others are not about me. Most tears

we cry are for ourselves, not others. “It’s enough!” These are important words to own. For Thomas Merton, that realization constitutes the elusive secret to happiness. Here is how he describes what it meant to find peace in his own life. Writing in his journal one day, he shares that on this day he has found peace. Why? Because today, he writes, it is enough to be, in an ordinary human mode, with one’s hunger

and sleep, one’s cold and warmth, rising and going to bed. Putting on blankets and taking them off, making coffee and then drinking it. Defrosting the refrigerator, reading, meditating, working, praying. I live as my ancestors have lived on this earth, until eventually I die. Amen. There is no need to make an assertion of my life, especially about it as mine, though doubtless it is not somebody else’s. I must learn gradually to

forget program and artifice. On that day in his life he was able to say: “It’s enough!” And it was. And it’s that acceptance alone that can undercut the cancer of our dissatisfactions. Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, theologian, teacher, and award-winning author, is President of the Oblate School of Theology in San Antonio, TX.

TRAVEL GUIDE

Galileo . . .

n Continued from page 17

Catholic San Francisco (CNS PHOTO/COURTESY OF INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY 2009)

Meanwhile, the staff of the 118-year-old Vatican Observatory continues to conduct research at the frontiers of astronomy. In addition to a facility at Castel Gandolfo, the Vatican Observatory Research Group, hosted by the University of Arizona, studies deep-sky objects with the modern Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope on Mount Graham in southern Arizona. For scientists such as Brother Consolmagno, Williger and Karen Lewis, visiting professor in physics and astronomy at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., the astonishing astronomical discoveries that began with Galileo and continue today with far more complicated instruments show God’s magnificence. Each new discovery poses no conflict with the trio’s Catholic faith. “I look out there at the universe and even though I understand how it can all work together, it’s still mind-boggling that it works,” Lewis said. Lewis and her colleagues know there remains much more to learn about the universe. “Part of me feels like it wouldn’t be any fun if we understood everything,” she said. “It’s interesting to think God gave us this awesome puzzle to figure out.” Editor’s Note: Information about the Vatican Observatory is available online at www.vaticanobservatory.org. Information about the International Year of Astronomy is available online at www.astronomy2009. org and www.astronomy2009.us/.

The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is a global celebration sponsored by the International Astronomical Union, UNESCO and several other science groups. It coincides with the 400th annversary of the first use of an astronomical telescope by Galileo Galilei.

invites you

to join in the following pilgrimages HOLY LAND

and bonus 1/2 day in Paris

December 10 – 21, 2009 Departs San Francisco 12-Day Pilgrimage

2,699

only $

($2,799 after Sept. 1, 2009)

Fr. Don Hying, Spiritual Director Visit: Tel Aviv, Netany, Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Tiberias, Jerusalem, Masada, Paris

IRELAND January 15 – 25, 2010 Departs San Francisco 11-Day Pilgrimage

2,599

only $

($2,699 after Oct. 7, 2009)

Fr. Chris Crotty, Spiritual Director

GLORY TOURS

Kylemore Abbey

Visit: Shannon, Cliffs of Moher, Knock, Croagh Patrick, Kylemore Abbey, Galway, Limerick, Blarney Castle and more.

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Nazareth

ITALY

Holy Shroud of Turin

April 20 – 30, 2010 Departs San Francisco 11-Day Pilgrimage

2,599 per person

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Visit: Milan, Turin, Florence, Assisi, Norcia, Rome (papal Audience)

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Shroud of Turin

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ST. CHARLES BORROMEO PARISH PILGRIMAGE TO ITALY Milan, Padua, Venice, Loreto, Assisi, Rome Spiritual Director: Rev. Fr. Moises Agudo October 20-29, 2009 (10 days) • Cost of tour: $2,800 ***************************************************************************** SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE TO THE HOLY LAND November 16-25, 2009, • Cost of tour: $2,490 plus airline taxes TBD ***************************************************************************** OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY Germany with Rome, Assisi, Florence, Shroud of Turin, Switzerland May 6-17, 2010 (12 days) • Estimated cost of tour: $3,390 land only, Air cost: $850+air taxes TBD ***************************************************************************** OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY, GERMANY w/ CZECH REPUBLIC, SWITZERLAND Berlin, Prague, Munich, Oberammergau, Vaduz, Lucerne, Zurich June 15-26, 2010 (12 days) • Estimated cost of tour: $3,390 Land only, Air cost: $850+air taxes TBD ***************************************************************************** OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY, GERMANY W/ AUSTRIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND Salzburg, Prague, Krakow, Divine Mercy-Wadowice, Czestochowa-Warsaw May 28-June 8, 2010 (12 days) • Estimated cost of tour: $3,390 land portion only, Air cost $850+taxes TBD For information about advertising in CSF’ S T RAVEL G UIDE

call 415.614.5642 or visit www.catholic-sf.org

OBERAMMERGAU plus Munich, Salzburg, Vienna & Budapest Sept. 28 – Oct. 8, 2010 Departs San Francisco 11-Day Pilgrimage

3,999

only $

($4,099 after June 20, 2010)

Fr. Dennis Duvelius, Spiritual Director

Schöenbrunn Palace

Visit: Munich, Neuschwanstein, Oberammergau, Salzburg, Danube River Cruise, Vienna, Budapest

For a FREE brochure on these pilgrimages contact: Catholic San Francisco (415) 614-5640 Please leave your name, mailing address and your phone number California Registered Seller of Travel Registration Number CST-2037190-40 (Registration as a Seller of Travel does not constitute approval by the State of California)

Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

In autobiography, Irish mystic seeks to share the comfort of angels “ANGELS IN MY HAIR: THE TRUE STORY OF A MODERN-DAY IRISH MYSTIC” by Lorna Byrne. Doubleday (New York, 2009). 320 pp. $24.95

Reviewed by Nancy L. Roberts Lorna Byrne is an Irish mystic who says she has been seeing and communicating with angels since she was a baby (though she only later grew to understand this). Growing up poor in Dublin, as a child she was so enthralled by watching these otherworldly beings that others thought her to be mentally retarded. Eventually, she says, she realized that she hadd been given a special gift, the ability to communicatee with spirits and angels. Now 56, she has comfortedd and helped thousands over the years who have sought ht her guidance. Her autobiography, “Angels in My Hair,” relates es stories of her many angelic encounters. Guardian angels els sometimes appeared to her “as a spark that would then en grow and open up to full size; sometimes they wouldd bbe massive, much bigger than the person they were minding.” These “radiant” beings showed themselves in many vivid colors, sometimes all in gold or silver or blue. Or

she sometimes understood their presence through watching the lightest feather float through the air. As a young child, she innocently assumed that everyone else could also perceive the beautiful beings she observed beau so readily. Eventually she r realized that her gift was reali unique uniq and best kept quiet. As a girl she experienced many ma hardships and was somewhat taken aback so when wh her angelic companions io predicted (correctly, as it turned out) that she would go on to marry her w beloved Joe, that they b would have children and w that Joe would die early from illness. With her children raised, raised Byrne decided to share her in off inspiring others. Your guardh experiences i i the h hopes h i ian angel, she writes, “was assigned to you before you were even conceived. ... Once you were born and as you grow up your guardian angel never leaves your side for an instant; he

is with you when you sleep, ... all the time.” Although human beings must still experience the suffering and disappointments of this world, the guardian angel quietly protects and helps us through. And at death, the guardian angel eases our crossing over into eternal life. Byrne’s message is straightforward and her literary abilities modest, yet her book is fairly engaging. She comes across as a gentle soul without guile, encouraging others to be receptive to the nurturing presence of these largely invisible beings. In fact, she says that she wrote her book “so that people will realize that angels are walking beside us, that they are there all the time, that we just need to reach out and let them help. It’s as simple as that.” And angelic encounters are reminders “that there is a reason to live, that there is hope in all circumstances ..., our bodies might die, but our souls don’t, and ... we all have wings of some kind or another, even if we fail to recognize them in ourselves or others. We are all, in fact, angels.”

Roberts is professor of journalism and communication at the State University of New York at Albany and the author of “Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker.”

Tales of Holocaust survivors can challenge, uplift Catholic readers “LUNA’S LIFE: A JOURNEY OF FORGIVENESS AND TRIUPH” by Luna Kaufman. ComteQ Publishing (Margate, N.J., 2009). 308 pp. $24.95 “GERTRUDA’S OATH: A CHILD, A PROMISE AND A HEROIC ESCAPE DURING WORLD WAR II” by Ram Oren. Doubleday (New York, 2009). 308 pp. $24.95

Reviewed by Eugene J. Fisher “Luna’s Life” and “Gertruda’s Oath” are both stories of survival of Jewish children during the Holocaust. They will both challenge and spiritually uplift Catholic readers. The author of “Gertruda’s Oath,” Ram Oren, has been called the John Grisham of Israel, and well deserves the title. His book is an engrossing page turner and a true account of very real events. The hero of the story is not the child survivor, Michael, the son of a wealthy Polish Jewish family, but his Catholic nanny, Gertruda, who promises the boy’s dying mother to bring the boy to Israel, to join his family there. She does, but how she

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does it is a tale told amid horror, narrow escapes and the saving kindness of Poles, such as the priest who takes them in, places the boy in his school (teaching him just enough about Catholicism to pass as one of his students) and even gives Gertruda a job (and false identity papers). Another person who helped them survive, when they had been captured by the Germans and the boy’s Jewishness was about to be revealed, was a Nazi SS officer. How he got there and why he risked his life to save a child he did not know is one of the absorbing subplots of the book. In contrast to the saving help of the SS officer is the betrayal of the two by the family’s chauffer, who brings them out of Warsaw to relative safety, only to steal the car and all their belongings, including the meager amount of money Gertruda had brought with her to provide them with food and shelter. Gertruda and Michael live through the harrowing events of the time, from Kristallnacht and a harrowing escape from Warsaw just ahead of the German troops. At the end of the war they manage to get to a displaced persons camp run by the Allies and, ultimately, unto a ship bound (illegally) for Israel. The name of the ship was the Exodus. “Luna’s Life” is the author’s own firsthand account of how she and her family were herded into the ghetto of Krakow, rounded up with the other Jews, crowded into cattle cars and sent to the concentration camps. What she experienced there and how she survived is a compelling story. At one point, for example, she fashions a makeshift needle, scavenges the camp for loose threads and embroiders her camp

SCRIPTURE SEARCH Gospel for September 13, 2009 Mark 8:27-35 Following is a word search based on the Gospel th reading for the 24 Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B: Jesus wants a profession of faith, in words and acts. Words can be found in all directions in the puzzle. DISCIPLES SAY THAT I AM CHRIST SUFFER REBUKE DENY FOLLOW ME

VILLAGES JOHN TEACH RISE SATAN TAKE UP MY SAKE

CAESAREA BAPTIST SON OF MAN PETER AFTER ME HIS CROSS SAVE IT

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number, 648, onto her striped prison dress. This was, for her, an act of defiance and assertion of her human identity, which the camps were designed to strip away from her as even the number on her clothing would fade away. The “forgiveness and triumph” in the book’s subtitle refers to her life in America after the death camps, and especially her experiences working on Holocaust education in Catholic and public schools with Msgr. John Oesterreicher and Dominican Sister Rose Thering of the Institute for Jewish-Christian Studies at Seton Hall University. That institute, established in 1953, was the first of its kind not only in the United States, but in the world. A culminating moment in her life, Kaufman writes, was her 1994 meeting with Pope John Paul II. These books, taken together, tell us much about the human capacity not only for evil, but, more importantly, for goodness. And they can teach us much about what it means to be a Christian.

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September 11, 2009

St. Mary’s Cathedral Gough and Geary Blvd, San Francisco. Call (415) 567-2020 Sept. 16 – 29: Cathedral Art Show in hallways of the Cathedral Event Center. Free admission. Opening Reception Sept. 16, 6 p.m.- 9 p.m. Show open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Mondays and Wednesdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Portion of proceeds from art sales will benefit St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Vincent de Paul Society. Contact André Furlan or Sarah Curtiss (415) 310-7473; GraceArt@GraceArtGroup.com Oct. 1 – 4: Cathedral Festival of Flowers - The International Year. The Cathedral Festival of Flowers was founded in 2007. In 2009, “Cathedral Festival of Flowers – The International Year” will welcome some of the most renowned floral artists from the Bay Area alongside special guest designers from the Northern Ireland Group of flower Arranging Societies, the National Association of Floral Arrangement Societies of England, and the Association of Irish Flower Arrangers. The Festival will conclude on Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. with a Festival of Choirs. A complete schedule of events for the festival can be found at: cathedralflowers.org. Oct. 4, 2 p.m.: Blessing of Animals at neighboring St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1111 O’Farrell. Please bring pets on a leash and also your own pooper scooper! St. Francis, feast day Oct. 4, (1181 - 1226) founded the Franciscan Order and is the patron saint of San Francisco and of Italy, and of all people who work to protect the environment. Oct. 15: St. Damien’s Day at the Cathedral. The Belgian born Father Damien, priest to the lepers of Molokai, later becoming a leper himself, will be canonized on October 11, in Rome. On October 15 his relic will be brought to the Cathedral, en route to the Cathedral in Honolulu where the relic will be permanently housed. 1:30 p.m.: “Damien”, a one man performance by New York actor Casey Groves presented for young people. This presentation will take place in the Cathedral Event Center. 7:30 p.m.: Reception and Veneration of the Relic of St. Damien of Molokai, Archbishop George H. Niederauer will receive the relic of St. Damien with prayer, word and song led by Bay Area members of the Pacific Islands, all are invited to attend.

Datebook Sept. 20, 3:30 p.m.: Archbishop George H. Niederauer is principal celebrant of a Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral commemorating the 150th anniversary of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco. All members and friends of the organization are invited. For information, call (415) 977-1270, ext. 3018. Archbishop Niederauer will be honored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco at its annual Brennan Dinner November 12 in the Cathedral’s downstairs halls. Tickets are $150. For information, call Michelle Forshner at (415) 977- 1270, ext. 3018.

Takes place at Catholic Charities CYO, 36 West 37th Avenue, San Mateo. Cost is $15 per sessionEnroll by calling Catholic Charities CYO at (650) 295-2160, ex.199. Pamela Eaken, MFTI, and Natasha Wiegand, MFTI, facilitate the sessions. The program is supervised by David Ross, Ph.D.

Catholic Charismatic Renewal

Information about Bay Area single, divorced and separated programs is available from Jesuit Father Al Grosskopf at grosskopf@usfca.edu (415) 422-6698. Oct. 3, 6 p.m.: The Separated and Divorced Catholics of the Bay Area are having their Annual Gala Dinner. Come and join in at the Lakeside Café, 2529 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco. Tickets are $40, including wine and dessert. No-host cocktail hour begins the evening. A guaranteed good meal and companionship! Reservations required by Sept. 25. Call Jack at (415) 566-4230 or Miriam at (415) 992-3657.

Sept. 18 – 20: “It is Mercy I Desire,” the 2009 Holy Spirit Conference sponsored by the Charismatic Renewal of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Guest speakers and presiders include San Francisco Auxiliary Bishop William J. Justice, Father Dan Nascimento, pastor, St. Brendan Parish in San Francisco; Father Peter Sanders of Monterey and others. Tracks are available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese as well as sessions for youth. Masses daily - Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday 11:30 a.m.; Sunday 2 p.m. Tickets are $35 for all weekend sessions or $25 per day. Youth tickets at $10 include lunch. The event takes place at Archbishop Riordan High School, 175 Phelan Ave. across from SF City College in San Francisco. Call for information: English (415) 467-2099 Hispanic (415) 297-1709 Youth (415) 350-8677 Vietnamese (408) 661-6751and Visit www.sfspirit.com.

Vocations

Pauline Books and Media

September 13: Retreat for Serious Discerners! The Sisters of Nazareth invite young women seriously considering religious life to Discerners’ Retreat at Nazareth House, Los Angeles. Please contact Sister Fintan, CSN for reservations, more information. E-mail: vocations@nazarethhousela.org or call (310) 216-8170.

Daughters of St. Paul, 2640 Broadway, Redwood City (650) 369-4230 - Visit www.pauline.org Sept. 16, 7 p.m.: Ancient Prayers, Ever New – Praying with the Psalms: St. Paul Sister Mary Leonora is a graduate of Magdalene College and has a certification in catechetics from the Gregorian University in Rome. Embark on a journey into the world of the Psalms: their types, characteristics, language, metaphors and spirituality, as well as methods for studying and praying the Psalms.

Single, Divorced, Separated

Support Resources Relevant to the Economy Sept. 12, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Free one-day Impact Lab at St. Gregory Church, 2715 Hacienda St. in San Mateo. Registration is necessary. Call Bill Tauskey at (650) 340-9254. Focus is people looking for employment or making a career change. Sponsored by St. Gregory’s and other San Mateo County parishes. Edgewood Works: An employment support group meets Mondays 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. and 4th Thursdays from 7 – 9 p.m. in Merry Room at St. Matthias Church, 1685 Cordilleras Rd. in Redwood City There is no cost to attend. Drop-ins welcome. Call (650) 906-8836 or e-mail edgewoodworksstm@gmail.com for more information. Tuesdays, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.: Stress Management Group - Benefit from relaxation techniques, mind and body awareness practices, group support.

St. Thomas More Society Club is oldest fellowship of Catholic lawyers, law students, paralegals and judges in the West. Sept. 24, noon: Monthly luncheon of St. Thomas More Society at the Family Club, 545 Powell Street, San Francisco, honoring all past St. Thomas More Award recipients and past presidents of the group. Jesuit Father Stephen Privett, president, University of San Francisco, will speak on Catholic education and the USF mission. For more information about the Society, luncheons, other events, and how to become a member, visit www.stthomasmore-sf.org, or contact Society President Greg Schopf, gschopf@ nixonpeabody.com.

Special Liturgies Sept. 23, 7 p.m.: Feast of St. Pio of Pietrelcina at Our Lady of Angels Church, 1721 Hillside Drive, Burlingame. Sept. 27, 11:30 a.m.: Mercy Sister Pauline Borghello is honored on her 50th year as a religious at St. Gabriel Church, 41th Ave. at Ulloa in San Francisco where she is principal of the parish Sister Pauline school. A reception follows in the parish hall. Borghello

Young Adults Sept. 16: The Young Adult group at St. Gabriel Parish is back! The kick off is a wine and cheese social at 6:30 p.m. in the Parish Center located on 40th Avenue. The Young Adult-On-The-Go program is designed for busy 21 to 35 year olds, to meet new friends, and reflect on faith in a comfortable environment. Young Adult-On-The-Go will offer many activities based on common interests, the opportunity to share experiences, and host guest speakers. One such idea is to volunteer time fundraising for Mercy Beyond Borders, a non-profit organization founded by Mercy Sister Marilyn Lacey. The group works to alleviate poverty in Sudan by supporting the education of displaced women and young girls. Contact Yasmine Kury at (415) 731-6161 if you have any questions. Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.: Young adults seeking direction or support in strengthening their spiritual relationship with Christ, come join us on our next Christian Life Program. This 10-week program is brought to you by the Singles for Christ Ministry and will be held at Corpus Cristi Church, Santa Rosa between Mission and Alemany in San Francisco. Orientation begins on September 18 at 7:30pm. For more information please contact JC @at (650) 892.8892 or email us at sfcsfclp@gmail.com.

Food & Fun Sept. 12: Serra Clubs of San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin honor seminarians and their families at our annual Mass and barbeque at St. Patrick’s Seminary, 320 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park. Mass is at noon followed by barbeque. Cost $20. Contact Art Green at (650) 576-1255 or artgre@gmail.com Sept. 16, Oct. 21, noon: Spaghetti 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.

Catholic San Francisco

Beverages are available for purchase. The meal is served in the church hall, beneath the chapel. Call (415) 824-1762. Sept. 18, 19, 20: “San Francisco - City by the Bay,” annual St. Robert Parish festival, Fri. 6 – 11 p.m.; Sat. 1 – 11 p.m.; Sun. 12:30 – 6 p.m. Come enjoy festive entertainment all weekend long. A variety of delicious foods, games, rides for kids, raffle prizes and bingo. Valet parking available. Located at 1380 Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno For more information please call (650) 589-2800. September 20, 1p.m.: St. Gabriel Athletics’ Oktoberfest Celebration at the San Francisco Irish Cultural Center, 2700 45th Ave. at Sloat. Cost: $30/ adult, featuring entertainment, silent auction and German Food. All proceeds benefit the St. Gabriel Athletics. Contact: Donna Nathanson at (415) 4528604 or go online to purchase tickets at http://stgpa. com/Home_Page.html Sep. 25, 26, 27: 71th Annual St. Philip School Festival and Centennial Parish CelebrationFestivities start with parish dinner Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. Then two days of games, activities and free entertainment Sept. 26, 27 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Teen dance Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. Fun takes place on parish campus at 24th and Diamond Street in San Francisco’s Noe Valley. Visit www.stphilipfestival.org or call (415) 824-8467. Sept. 26, 6 – 10 p.m.: Aloha, an evening at St. Thomas More Church, Brotherhood Way at Thomas More Way in San Francisco, featuring the best of Hawaii - Roast Pig and a Polynesian dinner show. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for children 6-12 years old. No-host bar. Proceeds benefit the parish. Call (415) 452-9634. Sept. 26, 8 a.m.: Friends of the Poor Walk: The St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco invites you to participate in the Friends of the Poor Walk. The 5K walk around Lake Merced will raise awareness and funds for food, clothing, beds, and basic utilities for the poor in San Francisco. Outdoor Mass at the intersection of Sunset Blvd. and Lake Merced Blvd. (parking will be available) opens the day. You can participate as a walker, pledger, volunteer, or all three. To register, or for more information, call (415) 977-1270, x3088, and leave a message with your contact information or go online at www.sffriendsofthepoorwalk.org and select: “Council of San Francisco 94107.” September 26, 6 p.m.: St. Anthony of Padua Institute is hosting “An Evening With G.K. Chesterton,” featuring a performance by renowned Chesterton impersonator Dr. John ‘Chuck’ Chalberg and dinner by Bay Area chef Erik Keilholtz. This fundraising event will be held at St. Margaret Mary Church in Oakland. Tickets are a $70 donation. For more details, or to purchase tickets, go to http:// www.sapi.org/chesterton or call (888) 619-7882. Sept. 27, 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.: International Food, Music and Dance Festival at St. Thomas More Church, Brotherhood Way at Thomas More Way in San Francisco, featuring unique ethnic cuisine and entertainment. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Admission is $3 per person. Foods from Burma, Brazil, Philippines, Middle-East, plus Greece and U.S.A. Proceeds benefit the parish. Call (415) 452-9634. Sept. 30, 1 – 5 p.m.: Champagne Bingo at St. Peter and Paul Church, 666 Filbert St. on Washington Square in San Francisco. Free parking. Tickets at $20 per person include hot lunch, champagne, and two free bingo cards. No tickets sold at door. Call (415) 885-0567. Sponsored by parish Holy Name Society. No children allowed.

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.

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Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

Worldwide rosary Sts. Peter and Paul Parish was well represented in the “Worldwide Rosary Day” Aug. 16. More than 40 priests, religious and laity of the North Beach faith community gathered in Washington Square to pray the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary. Salesian Sisters Antoinette Polini, Kathleen Gibson, and Ann Cassidy and Salesian Fathers Salvatore Giacomini and Austin Conterno, and pastor, Salesian Father John Itzaina shared in the prayers. The parish participated in the worldwide simultaneous praying of the Rosary as part of the International Marian Festival that took place in Paray le Monial, France.

Construction MORROW CONTRUCTION Specializing In Wood Fences

(650)lic.994-6892 343633

SERVICE DIRECTORY FOR

ADVERTISING

Healthcare Agency Construction Vonnegut Thoreau Construction

Additions. Remodels lic# 582766

415.279.1266

The Irish Rose

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

Celtic Home Care

Contact: 415.447.8463

415.637.3405 415.425.8609 Serving SF & Bay Area

Auto Service HABELT’S AUTO SERVICE

Complete Auto Repair 3865 Irving St. at 40th Ave. – Since 1964 –

John Holtz

Ca. Lic 391053 General Contractor Since 1980

(650) 355-4926

Painting & Remodeling •Interiors •Exteriors •Kitchens •Baths Contractor inspection reports and pre-purchase consulting

Electrical DEWITT ELECTRIC Your #1 Choice

For all your electrical needs!

25 Years in Bay Area Lic. C-10 (631209)

Ph.415.515.2043

Painting

S.O.S. PAINTING CO. Interior-Exterior wallpaper hanging & removal Lic # 526818 Senior Discount

415-269-0446 650-738-9295

415.314.8415 VTConstruct.com Lic# 903690

Roofing

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY COUNSELING

(415) 786-0121 • (415) 586-6748

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: ❖ 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

Plumbing

• 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

Complete Janitorial – Window Cleaning Quality Service Since 1946

S anti

Fully Insured

Painting BILL HEFFERON

Plumbing and Heating 415-661-3707 Michael T. Santi Since 1972 Ca License # 663641 24 Hour Emergency Service

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

PAINTING INTERIOR, EXTERIOR All Jobs Large and Small

10% Discount: Seniors, Parishioners Call Bill 415.731.8065 • Cell: 415.710.0584 Member of Better Business Bureau Bonded, Insured – LIC. #819191

Green Handyman

(650) 557-1263 EMAIL:

bestplumbinginc@comcast.net Member: Better Business Bureau

Plumbing • Fire Protection • Certified Backflow

John Bianchi Phone: 415.468.1877 Fax: 415.468.1875 100 North Hill Drive, Unit 18 • Brisbane, CA 94005

When Life Hurts It Helps To Talk

GARIBALDI MAINTENANCE CO.

www.garibaldimaintenance.com

Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT 1319)

www.counselingforchristians.com

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

FREE ESTIMATES (415) 441-2454

David Nellis M.A. M.F.T.

(415) 242-3355

Painting, roof repair, fence (repair/ build) demolition, carpenter, gutter (clean/ repair), kitchen/bathroom remodel, decks, welding, landscaping, gardening, hauling, moving, janitorial.

“Large Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Care”

Lic. No. 390254

HOLLAND Plumbing Works San Francisco ALL PLUMBING WORK PAT HOLLAND CA LIC #817607

BONDED & INSURED

415-205-1235

Senior Care Garage Door Repair IN HOME CARE FOR SENIORS

Discount

LIC.# 39702

Garage Door

FREE ESTIMATES

Visit us at

35 Years in San Mateo County 25 Years Experience Caring for Elderly We provide Live-In; Live-Out; Daily; Weekly; Long-Term; Short-Term

Broken Spring/Cable? Operator Problems?

vm: 650-286-7547 • bus: 650-367-7327 cell: 650-834-7227 • e-mail: ebw8bion@yahoo.com

Lifetime Warranty All New Doors/Motors

catholic-sf.org

(650) 593-5959

Maintenance Services

Excellent services to fit your needs by caring individuals who have many years experience assisting elderly patients in diverse cases. Our rates are reasonable and competitive.

www.sospainting.net

Commercial & Residential Serving SF & San Mateo Co. St. Charles Parishioner

NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

Counseling

415-664-1735

painting and remodeling

Safe Non-Toxic, No Shampoo, Dry in Hours not Days

Handy Man

Matt Joyce

Elderly Care Caring for the Elderly

Carpet Cleaning

Quality Remodelers and Builders Serving the San Francisco Bay Area

CAHALAN CONST. Foundations, Earthquake Dryrot, Termite, Siding, Stucco

INFORMATION

V isit our website: www.catholic-sf.org Call 415-614-5642 Fax: 415-614-5641 E-mail: penaj@sfarchdiocese.org

Repair Lic #376353

-Kitchen/Bath Remodel -Insulation/Weatherization -General Home Repair -

650-515-1419 CA Lic#927761 Bonded/Insured Tim@green-handyman.com

Hauling ➤ Hauling ➤ Job Site Clean-Up ➤ Demolition ➤ Yard Service ➤ Garbage Runs ➤ Saturday & Sunday

FREE ESTIMATES! • Fast & Affordable

PAUL (415) 282-2023 YOELSHAULING@YAHOO.COM

LAST-MINUTE SERVICE AVAILABLE

Tree Care Removal of challenging trees Fully licensed and insured Fine Pruning Certified arborist 24 Hr. emergency service WC 5304 Insurance work Serving Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish for over 25 years

650.355.1277

One Price 24 /7

415-931-1540 0% Financing Available

NOTICE TO READERS

Licensed contractors are required by law to list their license numbers in advertisments. The law also state that contractors performing work totaling $500 or more must be state-licensed. Advertisments appearing in this newspaper without a license number indicate that the contractor is not licensed. For more info, contact: Contractors State License Board

800-321-2752

September 11, 2009

catholic san francisco’s CALL: 415-614-5642

classifieds

Rolheiser Retreat

FR. RON ROLHEISER, OMI “Creating Sabbath Space In Our Lives” 10-part DVD for group or personal retreats. Perfect for private priest retreats.

Chimney Cleaning

Help needed with groceries, laundry, light housekeeping, 1-2 times per week, references required.

(415) 931-3146

ELDERLY CARE

800-233-4629 www.videoswithvalues.org

(415) 713-1366

39.99

Home Care Needed

Personal care companion, Help with daily activities; driving, shopping, appointments. 27 years Alzheimer’s experience, references, bonded.

Catholic San Francisco

Music Schola Gregorianum, formerly the music ministers of the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, is available to provide music for weddings, funerals, and other liturgical rites. The quartet is especially trained in Gregorian chant as well as other early sacred music of the Catholic Church. For rates and more information, contact For rates and more information, contact schola Joseph Murphy Murphy scholamanager, manager, Joseph atat (415) (415)468-1810 468-1810or orvisit visitwww.sfschola.net. www.sfschola.net.

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.

Fundraising Performance RECYCLE THIS PAPER!

GOLDEN GATE BOYS CHOIR 20th Anniversary & CD Release Event - A Fundraiser for GGBC -

Piano

Saturday, September 26th, 2009 • 9-11am

Lessons PIANO LESSONS BY

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

C’era Una Volta, 1332 Park Street, Alameda 12 admission, includes continental breakfast plus performance Children 6 and under free admission

GGBC’s latest CD and previous CD’s available for purchase Boys and bellringers who made the CD will be present to meet the guests and to perform live at intervals throughout the morning.

Vocation

For reservations, call: (510) 887-4311 or tickets at the door http://ggbc.org/

Desire Priesthood? Religious Life? Lay Ministries? Superb Sabbatical? Jesuit Retreats? 800-645-5347 – 24/7 gonzaga.edu/ministryinstitute

We are a musical organization for boys, providing them with an outstanding opportunity to develop their talent and general musical appreciation skills through a graduated, thorough course of musical study. The Golden Gate Boys Choir is constantly looking for young voices to add to the boys choir. We are accepting auditions and new members.

We are looking for full or part time

RNs, LVNs, CNAs, Caregivers

Help Wanted

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:

CYO TRANSPORTATION Catholic Charities CYO

Jeannie McCullough Stiles, RN Fax: 415-435-0421 Email: info@sncsllc.com Voice: 415-435-1262

CYO Transportation Services of Daly City, a program of Catholic Charities CYO, has employment opportunities for individuals who wish to be a school bus driver.

CHP-Certified School Bus Driver Training provided at no cost Must have a clean driving record; DMV H-6 printout required Drug testing, fingerprinting and background check required Must be at least 18 years old Must be responsible, punctual, and team-oriented Full & part-time positions available We offer excellent benefits package and competitive pay Please contact Bill Avalos, Operations Manager, at bavalos@cccyo.org or (650) 757-2117.

Catholic San Francisco

September 11, 2009

SPECIAL EARLY BIRD PRIZE $10,000 (Deadline: Midnight, Sept. 11)