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St. Francis’ conversions: I What might St. Francis’ life say to us today ?
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Francis embraces the leper St. Francis himself tells us about his first conversion. As he lay dying at the little church of St. Mary of the Angels (the Porziuncola), he dictated a final testament. It began with these words: “This is how God inspired me, Brother Francis, to embark upon a life of penance. When I Statue of St. Francis of Assisi at the Church of the was in sin, the sight National Shrine of St. Francis in San Francisco. of lepers nauseated me beyond measure; but then God himself led me into their comFirst, Francis says that God himself led pany, and I had pity on them. … What had him into the company of lepers. While this previously nauseated me became a source of encounter shocked Francis, it was not a bolt spiritual and physical consolation for me.” out of the blue. God had been preparing Our reflection on what Francis has to him for this momentous meeting. Early teach us begins with this life-changing biographies of the saint describe him as ST. FRANCIS, page 8 meeting with the leper. ECCHIO/CATHOL
(Following is the text of a statement by San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer in response to recent statements on abortion, Church teaching on the beginning of life, and other life issues made by U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, congresswoman for California’s Eighth District which covers most of the City and County of San Francisco.) ast month, in two televised interviews and a subsequent statement released through her office, Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and a Catholic residing in the Archdiocese of San Francisco, made remarks that are in serious conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church about abortion. It is my responsibility as Archbishop of San Francisco to teach clearly what Christ in his Church teaches about faith and morals, and to oppose erroneous, misleading and confusing positions when they are advanced. In his statement about Speaker Pelosi’s remarks, Archbishop Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., expressed the response of many bishops when he said, “We respect the right of elected officials such as Speaker Pelosi to address matters of public policy that are before them, but the interpretation of Catholic faith has rightfully been entrusted to the Catholic bishops.” In addition to Archbishop Wuerl, several other bishops have already appropriately and helpfully pointed out the errors in the Speaker’s remarks. Nevertheless, it is my particular duty to address them as well. Let me acknowledge even as I do so that Speaker Pelosi is a gifted, dedicated and accomplished public servant, and that she has stated often her love for her faith and for the Catholic Church. The Speaker has been supportive of legislation that helped to implement some of the social teachings of Archbishop George the Church. However, her recent remarks H. Niederauer are opposed to Church teaching. In The Catechism of the Catholic Church we find this statement: “Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, willed either as an end or a means, is grossly contrary to the moral law.” (2270-71) The Catechism then quotes the Didache (also referred to as The Teachings of the Twelve Apostles), the oldest extant manual of church order, dating from the late first or early second century: “You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.” In 2004 the bishops of the United States, in their statement, “Catholics in Political Life,” said: “It is the teaching of the Catholic Church from the very beginning that the killing of an unborn child is always intrinsically evil and can never be justified. This is the constant and received teaching of the Church. It is, as well, the conviction of many other people of good will.” On the television program “Meet the Press,” on Sunday, August 24, 2008, Speaker Pelosi spoke of herself and the bishops of her Church in these words: “So there’s some areas where we’re in agreement and some areas where we’re not, and one being a woman’s right to choose, and the other being stem cell research.” In April of this year, in a teleconference with Catholic News Service and other media she made a similar remark: “I have a sort of serenity about the issue. I come from a family who doesn’t share my position on pro-choice. The Church sees it another way, and I respect that.” The bishops at the Second Vatican Council declared that, as Catholics, we believe what the Church authoritatively teaches on matters of faith and morals, for to hear the voice of the Church on those matters is to hear the voice of Christ himself. (Lumen Gentium, No. 25; Mysterium Ecclesiae, No. 2) Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit guides the Church and protects it from error. We believe that the Roman Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI, is the successor of Peter, the Rock on whom Jesus Christ has built his Church, and is not just another man who is entitled to his opinions on faith. We believe that we are called to trust the Spirit to guide the Church, so we do not pick and choose among her teachings. ARCHBISHOP RESPONDS, page 14
(Following is the first in a series of reflections on the life of St. Francis of Assisi provided by the Archdiocesan Worship Commission.) The dedication of the “Porziuncola Chapel” at the National Shrine of St. Francis on Sept. 27 provides an opportunity for us to reflect on the life of the patron of our Archdiocese and city. Francis of Assisi is one of the most beloved of Catholic saints, honored by people regardless of their faith. His gentleness, love of God’s creation, and deep human compassion make him a most attractive figure. But his unvarnished embrace of the Gospel makes Francis a challenging person as well. By the sheer force of personality, Francis of Assisi effected a revolution in 13th-century Europe – but that personality was shaped in the crucible of Christian conversion, indeed, of several conversions. In this series of articles, we will look at three important turning points in the life of the Poor Man of Assisi. May his example shed light on our personal journeys of faith.
K DELV (PHOTO BY RIC
Archbishop Niederauer responds to House Speaker’s statements
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION San Rafael jubilarians . . . . . . 3 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Scripture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Catholic Bestsellers . . . . . . 16
St. Thomas More School adding wing ~ Page 7 ~ September 5, 2008
Parental notification law back on ballot ~ Page 8 ~
Life and times of a CYO referee ~ Page 9 ~
SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS
Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Classified ads . . . . . . . . 18-19
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Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
On The Where You Live by Tom Burke Congrats to Kory Storer and Mike Prescott on their qualifying for the recent U.S. Amateur Golf Tournament in Pinehurst, N.C.. Both men are recent graduates of Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont. “Kory and Mike have both worked very hard to achieve this milestone and both represented this program and their school very well while they were students here,” said Josh Doody, NDNU athletic director. Kory and Mike both played well in the late August tourney missing the cut for final rounds by just a few strokes each….Remember the upcoming first Gala Dinner benefiting programs of Immaculate Conception Academy in San Francisco. The Oct. 4 soiree commemorates the 125th anniversary of the school and honors some of ICA’s major donors through the years. It’s always hats off to Patty Cavagnaro, longtime development director and forever alumna of ICA, who is the engine behind the new event. ICA was founded in 1883 by the Dominican Sisters of San Jose and is led today by president Sister Mary Virginia Leach, O.P. and principal Sister Janice Therese Wellington, O.P. See Datebook…. The St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco is working hard to get its Walk for the Poor on its feet, so to speak. The 5K event – be not afraid, you can walk any or all of it – takes place Sept. 27 at Lake Merced and you can make a donation personally or have friends sponsor you. Proceeds benefit the ongoing work of this lifegiving-and-saving group soon celebrating major anniversaries here – 150 years – and around the world – 175 years. See Datebook…. Prayerful best wishes and many more years to Carmelite Sister Maria Antonia Scheer and Salesian Sister Maria Antonia Sister Kathleen Gibson Scheer, OCD who will commemorate their 50 years as religious at a Mass of Thanksgiving Sept. 6 – tomorrow – at 4:30 p.m. at St. Paul Church, 29th and Church St. in San Francisco. Both women are
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St. Stephen parishioners pitched right in for the recent District 11 Community Clean-up at Lake Merced. Among those taking the task in gloved-hand were Deacon Dan Rose, left, Trish Hargarten, Kerry Slattery, Terese Lawler, Steve Santos.
1954 graduates of the now-closed and much-missed St. Paul High School. Thanks to Mary Ramirez for fillin’ us in…. The year is also beginning for the Catholic Professional and Business Club. The group meets monthly over appetizers and refreshments to mingle and chat. A featured speaker is also on the agenda. Longtime Pastoral Center colleague and director of development for the Archdiocese, Mike O’Leary is among those behind the much-worthy CPBC effort. See Datebook. Mike is also deeply involved with events and fundraising for the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, especially the unveiling of the Porziuncola on Sept. 27. If you think you’d like to volunteer for this special evening, see Datebook….Kudos of the highest order for Victoria Ricossa, who recently was awarded the Girl Scouts “Gold Aw a r d ,” a n h o n o r achieved by only five percent of the group’s members. Victoria’s brothers, Stephen, Joseph and Nicholas are all Eagle Sister Kathleen Scouts. Proud folks are Gibson, FMA Katherine and Stephen Ricossa. Proud grandparents and bearers of the good news are Anstell and Ronald Ricossa. Victoria is soon a freshman at Sonoma State University…. An
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anchors away salute for Eileen Welch, a junior at St. Ignatius College Preparatory, and recent deckhand in the William I. Koch International Sea Scout Cup in Annapolis, Md. Proud parents are Kathleen and Steve Welch. Proud grandparents and heralds of the accomplishment are Betty and Bill Welch…. School has just started but the need for blood is a forever undertaking. Thanks to Archbishop Riordan High School for leading the way over the past year. Students and staff donated 269 pints of plasma-plus and have been recognized for Outstanding Achievement by Blood Centers of the Pacific. Faculty member, Ted De Saulnier, moderator of the school’s Core Service Group, represented Archbishop Riordan at the recent “Blood Heroes” luncheon where honors were announced….This is an empty space without you. Send items and pictures via e-mail to burket@sfarchdiocese.org. Mailed items should be sent to “Street,” One Peter Yorke Way, SF 94109. Pix should be hard copy or electronic jpeg at 300 dpi. Don’t forget to include a follow-up phone number. Call me at (415) 614-5634 and I’ll walk you through it.
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September 5, 2008
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Firefighters and police officers’ remembrance Mass this Sunday The annual Mass for deceased police officers and firefighters who died in the line of duty and their families will be celebrated Sunday, Sept. 7, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Monica Church, 23rd Ave. and Geary Blvd. in San Francisco. Father John Greene, pastor of St. Monica and chaplain to the San Francisco Fire Department, will preside. Father Michael Healy, pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish in San Mateo and chaplain to the San Francisco Police Department, will be homilist. “We invite all police, firefighters and their families and especially the families of police men and women and firefighters who have died,” Father Healy said. The names of firefighters and police officers who have died in the line of duty this year and in years past will be read aloud. The Mass also remembers those who died in the 9/11 attacks. Firefighters and police officers will minister as altar servers. Cadets from the police academy will handle hospitality. San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong and San Francisco Fire Chief Joanne Hayes-White will be in the assembly, Father Healy said. A reception will follow the liturgy.
‘Friends of Poor Walk’ set To mark the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the organization will hold “Friends of the Poor Walks” in locations across the country on Sept. 27. Locally, a walk will be held at Lake Merced in San Francisco. A Mass will be celebrated at 7 a.m. in the parking lot at the corner of Sunset and Lake Merced Boulevards, to be followed by the roughly 4.6- mile walk around the lake beginning at 8 a.m. Proceeds from pledges raised by walkers will support SVdP programs in service of the poor. To register as a walker or to pledge support for a walker, visit www.svdp-sf.org. To volunteer, call (415) 977.1270, ext. 3018. Katherine McCarron, director of Vincentian Support Services for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, San Francisco, said planners are hopeful of in excess of 500 participants.
Deans’ appointments listed Archbishop George H. Niederauer has appointed the following priests as deans for five-year terms, effective Sept. 1. The appointments were announced Aug.22. Deanery 1: Father Donald S. D’Angelo, pastor, Holy Name of Jesus Parish, San Francisco. Deanery 2: Father Charito E. Suan, pastor, St. Charles of Borromeo Parish, San Francisco. Deanery 3: Father Xavier M. Lavagetto, O.P., pastor, St. Dominic Parish, San Francisco. Deanery 4: Father René J. Iturbe, S.M., pastor, Notre des Victoires Parish, San Francisco. Deanery 5: Father Mario P. Farana, pastor, St. Paul Parish, San Francisco. Deanery 6: The Dominican Sisters of San Rafael celebrated jubilees this summer with a Mass for family and friends at St. Father James T. Tarantino, pastor, St. Hilary Parish, Tiburon. Raphael Church, San Rafael, and a reception at the Dominican Sisters Center. From left to right, back row standDeanery 7: Father Paul J. Rossi, pastor, St. Raphael Parish, ing: Sisters Marie Molini (60 years), Margaret Burke (60 years), Anna Louise LaVoy (70 years), Thaddeus O’Brien San Rafael. Deanery 8: Father Rene R. Ramoso, pastor, St. (60 years), Christina Lee (60 years), Gloria Montanez (50 years), Joanna Browne (70 years), Annette Sheaffer (50 Augustine Parish, South San Francisco. Deanery 9: Father C. years), seated, from left: Margaret Mary McCarthy (75 years) and Sister Marie de Lourdes Bassac (60 years). Michael Padazinski, J.C.D., chancellor for the Archdiocese of San Francisco and in residence at Mater Dolorosa Parish, South San Francisco. Deanery 10: Father LEARN ROSARY MAKING Anthony E. McGuire, pasA Catholic Tradition tor, St. Matthew Parish, San Contact us for a catalog and introductory offer! Mateo. Deanery 11: Father LEWIS & COMPANY James H. MacDonald, Dedicated to Rosary Making! pastor, St. Pius Parish, (800) 342 - 2400 rosaryparts.com Redwood City.
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September 5, 2008 EWTN is carried on Comcast Ch. 229, Astound Ch. 80, San Bruno Cable Ch. 143, DISH Satellite Ch. 261, and Direct TV Ch. 370. Comcast airs EWTN on Ch. 70 in Half Moon Bay and on Ch. 74 in southern San Mateo County.
in brief
Immigration global emergency CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (CNS) – Pope Benedict XVI said the global immigration phenomenon represents a social emergency that must be faced with a sense of responsibility and humanity. He called on richer countries to be attentive especially to the needs of illegal immigrants, but said immigrants themselves must respect “the duty of legality that is valid for everyone.” The pope made the remarks at his noon blessing in Castel Gandolfo Aug. 31. In late August, some 70 Africans were believed to have drowned between Malta and Sicily when their boat capsized. The pope said it was another example of immigrants’ hopeful passage turning into tragedy.
Hurricane recovery aid asked Baton Rouge, LA — Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is collecting financial donations to help communities along the Gulf Coast recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Gustav. Donations will be used to fund local Catholic Charities agencies’ emergency and long-term humanitarian relief efforts. Charities initial work will focus on directing resources and supplies to hurricane victims, a spokesman said. To contribute to Catholic Charities USA’s response efforts, call (800) 919-9338 or visit www.CatholicCharitiesUSA. org. Credit card donations are accepted.
Pass given Mexico City law MEXICO CITY (CNS) – The Mexican Supreme Court upheld a Mexico City abortion law when eight of the 11 justices refused to consider a constitutional challenge on the issue. Catholic officials across Mexico expressed sadness at the Aug. 28 decision, but also promised to focus attention on better serving pregnant women who might be considering abortion.
200,000 to attend Lourdes Mass LOURDES, France (CNS) – At least 200,000 pilgrims are expected to attend the Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI during his September visit to the Sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes, said the local bishop. Bishop Jacques Perrier of Tarbes and Lourdes said: “We will be outside the holiday period, so there’ll probably be fewer pilgrims from the central Paris area. We are expecting 200,000 people for the main Mass, but one is always in for surprises when popes come to France.” Eternal Word Television Network will be closely covering the Sept. 13-15 papal visit. Broadcast times and other details may be accessed at the EWTN website: www.ewtn.com.
Catholics lead conventions’ prayers
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Freed Colombian hostage Ingrid Betancourt meets Pope Benedict XVI in a private audience at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Sept. 1. The Catholic politician, who was abducted in 2002 while she was running for president of Colombia, thanked the pope for his support during her captivity. Bilingual Staff Information and Referrals ● Care Coordination
WASHINGTON (CNS) – In politics, every word, every action, every appearance, even every prayer, is analyzed in terms of how it helps one side or hurts the other. So the appearances of Jesuit Father Edward Reese and St. Joseph Sister Catherine Pinkerton in leading prayers at the Republican and Democratic conventions, respectively, are getting attention. Father Reese, president of Brophy College Preparatory School in Phoenix, accepted the invitation from the Republican presidential candidate, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and his wife, Cindy, to offer a prayer at the GOP convention in St. Paul, Minn., Sept. 3 because he has known the couple for years. The McCains’ sons, James and Jack, graduated from Brophy. Sister Catherine, a lobbyist for Washington-based Network, a Catholic social justice lobby, gave the benediction to close the Democratic convention Aug. 27. While Sister Catherine serves on the Catholic National Advisory Council to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign, she said she saw her appearance on the dais as nonpartisan.
Indigenous celebrate win BRASILIA, Brazil (CNS) – Indigenous peoples living in the northern tip of Brazil are celebrating an initial victory in what could be a long legal battle to regain full control of their land. Brazil’s Supreme Court has postponed a decision on whether or not to allow nonindigenous rice farmers to remain within the Raposa-Serra do Sol (Fox-Sun Mountain) territory, an area of 4.2 million acres surrounded by Venezuela and Guyana and home to 20,000 Indians.
No Miss Sister Italy ROME (CNS) – An Italian priest has scrapped plan to stage an online beauty pageant for nuns after the idea drew criticism from Church leaders. Passionist Father Antonio
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Catholic san Francisco Editorial Staff: Dan Morris-Young, editor: morrisyoungd@sfarchdiocese.org; Rick DelVecchio, assistant editor: delvecchior@sfarchdiocese.org; Tom Burke, “On the Street”/Datebook: burket@sfarchdiocese.org; Michael Vick, reporter: vickm@sfarchdiocese.org
Missouri execution delayed ST. LOUIS (CNS) – After the Catholic bishops of Missouri and other religious leaders urged clemency in the case of Dennis Skillicorn, the Missouri Supreme Court granted a 30-day stay of execution for the inmate who had been scheduled to die Aug. 27.
Study Viet religious freedom WASHINGTON (CNS) – A U.S. watchdog group released a report expressing concern over persistent religious freedom violations in Vietnam. Religious freedom “in Vietnam continues to be mixed, with improvements for some religious communities but not for others, progress in NEWS IN BRIEF, page 5
Is God calling you to walk in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi?
The Secular Franciscan Order is just that, an Order within the Catholic Church and not an organization or club. SFO members strive to live the Gospel in the manner of St. Francis by spreading the Gospel by word and example in their homes, at work, and in their parishes. If you are searching for a way to renew your baptismal commitment, to deepen your relationship with the Lord, and give witness to the Kingdom of God, the Lord may be inviting you to consider a vocation as a Secular Franciscan.
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Rungi canceled the Miss Sister Italy contest and closed his blog Aug. 26 after superiors of his order intervened, informed sources said. Father Rungi said he was calling off the pageant because it had caused widespread confusion. A few days earlier, the priest had announced on his blog that he would host an online contest to determine “the most beautiful sister in Italy.” He made it clear the pageant would highlight nuns who were “beautiful in spirit,” by publicizing their lives and work. But he said it would also serve to let people know that many of today’s Sisters were physically beautiful.
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People hold candles in front of the cathedral in Mexico City Aug. 30 during a protest against kidnapping. More than 150,000 citizens dressed in white marched Aug. 30 in Mexico City and elsewhere to protest a wave of kidnappings and gruesome murders.
Franciscan spirituality is going from the Gospek to life and life to the Gospel.
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Volunteer Physicians for a new medical Clinic. The Order of Malta will be opening a new clinic this fall located in the Cathedral of Christ the Light Center om downtown Oakland to provide free medical care for uninsured patients withouT regard to race, color, religion or ability to pay. Volunteer physicians, especially General Practitioners, Family Practitioners, Internists and Gynecologist, are currently being recruited to staff clinic. Medical malpractice coverage will be provided.
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Ruling requiring doctor to violate conscience decried By Nancy Frazier O’Brien WASHINGTON (CNS) – A California Supreme Court decision upholding the rights of a lesbian to be artificially inseminated despite the religious objections of her physician violates the physician’s rights of religious freedom and freedom of speech, according to officials of the California Catholic Conference. “No one has the right to demand a non-emergency medical procedure from someone who finds that procedure morally unacceptable – or religiously objectionable,” said Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Curry of Los Angeles following the court’s Aug. 18 ruling in North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group v. Guadalupe T. Benitez. “This case did not involve a life-and-death situation but only a possible inconvenience – one which required the patient to ‘walk across the office,’” added Bishop Curry, who chairs the conference’s Religious Liberty Committee. James F. Sweeney, legal counsel for the California Catholic Conference, agreed. “To even suggest that a physician’s religious and moral conscience must yield to the directives of a patient regarding a non-emergency procedure is so clearly contrary to traditional notions of individual liberty and religious freedom that there should have been no question that the court would defer to the constitutional rights of the involved doctors,” he said. In the case, Benitez and her partner, Joanne Clark, met with Dr. Christine Brody at North Coast Women’s Care Medical Group in August 1999 in Vista, Calif., to discuss Benitez’s desire to become pregnant. Brody told Benitez her religious beliefs would preclude her from performing a procedure called intrauterine insemination, but others in her medical practice could perform it.
tutional right to an exemption from a neutral and valid law of general applicability on the ground that compliance with that law is contrary to the objector’s religious beliefs,” the state high court said. The California Catholic Conference had filed a friend-ofthe-court brief in the Benitez case, as had Americans United for Life, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Human Life International, the Islamic Medical Association of North America, several rabbis, the Thomas More Law Center and other organizations. Robert Tyler, general counsel for Advocates for Faith & Freedom, which represented the doctors and their medical practice in the lawsuit, said the organization would “review our options to seek review from the U.S. Supreme Court.” “This decision may have a big impact on California’s Proposition 8, the initiative to protect traditional marriage, as voters begin to recognize the radical agenda of our opposition,” Tyler added in a statement. The ruling came as federal regulations protecting health care providers’ conscience rights were released for public comment August 21 by Secretary Michael Leavitt of the Department of Health and Human Services. The U.S. Catholic bishops’ spokesperson on abortion, Deirdre A. McQuade, welcomed the proposed regulations as a way to protect medical personnel from being coerced to violate their consciences in federally funded programs. “Doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel face pressure to participate” in procedures that “many find abhorrent in good conscience,” McQuade said. “The enforcement of federal laws designed to protect their freedom of conscience is long overdue On July 18 the bishops’ Committee for Pro-Life Activities wrote to Congress urging support of the conscience protection measures. The letter’s text may be found at www.usccb.org.
Brody said her objections were based on the fact Benitez was unmarried. Benitez and Clark contend that it was because they are lesbians. California anti-discrimination law requires businesses to provide “full and equal accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges or services” to all persons regardless of their “sex, race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability or medical condition.” A ban on discrimination based on marital status was added to the law in 2006. Another physician at North Coast, Dr. Douglas Fenton, then became involved in Benitez’s medical treatment but was unsuccessful in helping her to become pregnant. She then sought treatment from a third physician and conceived a child in June 2001. She sued North Coast, Brody and Fenton in August 2001, alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation. The court’s 7-0 decision, written by Justice Joyce Kennard, begins: “Do the rights of religious freedom and free speech, as guaranteed in both the federal and California constitutions, exempt a medical clinic’s physicians from complying with the California Unruh Civil Rights Act’s prohibition against discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation? Our answer is no.” The court’s ruling relied heavily on its 2004 decision in Catholic Charities of Sacramento v. Superior Court, which said Catholic Charities agencies in California were not exempt from a state law requiring employers that provide prescription drug insurance coverage for their employees to include coverage for prescription contraceptives. The U.S. Supreme Court later turned down an appeal of that decision. “Thus under the United States Supreme Court’s most recent holdings, a religious objector has no federal consti-
News in brief . . . ■ Continued from page 4
25 RUSSIA AVENUE SAN FRANCISCO Since 1937 (CNS PHOTO/PARTH SANYAL, REUTERS)
A Christian girl, whose face is marked by burns she received in recent sectarian violence, sits in a shelter in Raikia, a village in the eastern Indian state of Orissa Aug. 31. Thousands of people sought shelter in makeshift government camps in eastern India after being driven from their homes by mobs that attacked Christian communities. The attacks followed the murder of a Hindu leader. At least 14 people have been killed.
some provinces but not in others, reforms of laws at the national level that are not fully implemented or are ignored at the local level, and still too many abuses of and restrictions on religious freedom affecting most of Vietnam’s diverse religious communities,” said the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in a 32page report released Aug. 25. The report includes findings from the commission’s 2007 trip to Vietnam.
International Night September 6 12 piece band Opens at 6:00 p.m. Call for Reservations:
415-585-8059 Parking lot across from club Manager: Rich Guaraldi, Jr. Past Grand President of the YMI
Denounces kidnappings LONDON (CNS) – Latin-rite Archbishop Jean Sleiman of Baghdad, Iraq, has denounced the continuing kidnapping of Christians in his country and urged the government to take more action to end such crimes. He said he had received “countless” reports of kidnappings, most generally for large ransoms. “The media ignores this matter,” he said in an Aug. 22 interview.
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6
Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
obituary
Sister Nancy McLaughlin did pioneering parish work for Sisters Presentation Sister Nancy McLaughlin (formerly Sister Mary Dolores) died Aug. 29 at the Presentation Motherhouse in San Francisco. The San Francisco native was born on May 22, 1936. She had been a Sister of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary for 54 years. She leaves her sister, Mary McLaughlin Banchero, her brothers-in-law, Mario Banchero and George Hemmerle, nieces, nephews, and their families, many friends, as well as her loving Presentation Sisters. Sister McLaughlin earned a degree in education from the University of San Francisco and a doctor of ministry degree from the Jesuit School of Theology, Berkeley. In 1957, she began 10 years of Catholic elementary teach-
VALLOMBROSA CENTER Summer Retreats & Spirituality Programs
for the Sisters of the Presentation and ing in schools in San Francisco and served as justice coordinator until her Los Angeles. In the San Francisco death. In that role, Sister McLaughlin Archdiocese, she taught at St. Anne coordinated the local justice efforts School from 1957 to 1958 and at St. of the Sisters of the Presentation, as Elizabeth School from 1958 to 1961. well being instrumental in furthering In 1968, she helped pioneer a new justice efforts nationally and internaministry for Sisters by becoming a tionally. pastoral associate at Transfiguration From 2004 to 2007, she co-directed Parish in Castro Valley. Following 10 the International Intern Priest Program years at Transfiguration, she served as sponsored by the Oblate School of a pastoral associate from 1978 to 1983 Theology, San Antonio, Texas. at St. Stephen Parish, San Francisco, A funeral Mass was celebrated at and from 1983 to 1998 at St. Andrew the Presentation Motherhouse at 2340 Parish, Daly City. Turk Blvd., San Francisco on Sept. During her years in parish ministry, 1. Interment was at at Holy Cross Sister McLaughlin helped train lay Cemetery, Colma, on Tuesday. people for parish leadership and in the Memorial contributions to the areas of liturgy, Scripture, justice and Sisters of the Presentation may be the role of the laity in the Church. From 1994 to 1998, Sister Nancy Sister Nancy McLaughlin, PBVM sent to Sisters of the Presentation, Development Office, 281 Masonic served as a Councilor for her order. In 1998, Sister McLaughlin headed the Justice Office Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118.
Conferences and Meetings
RETREATS
“SACRED HEALING” Sept. 17, 2008
Joan Prohaska, O.P.
SEPT. 27 AWAKENING THE MYSTIC David Richo, Ph.D., M.F.T. OCT 3-5
ST. CLARE’S RETREAT
OCT. 4 2 PM
Santa Cruz
2381 LAUREL GLEN ROAD SOQUEL CA 95073 E-mail stclares@sbcglobal.net Web site: www.nonprofitpages/stclaresretreat
“HEALING FROM THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF TRAUMA & ABUSE” Oct. 3-5, 2008 Lynette Danylchuk, Ph.D. and Kim Kubal
“HANGING OUT AND HANGING IN WITH ST. PAUL Oct. 3-5, 2008
Fr. Dave Pettingill
26-28
“SACRED HEALING RETREAT: YOUR FAITH HAS HEALED YOU – GO IN PEACE” Oct. 24-26, 2008
Joan Prohaska, OP
VALLOMBROSA CENTER 250 Oak Grove Avenue Menlo Park, CA 94025
•
(650) 325-5614
Fax: (650) 325-0908 Web: www.vallombrosa.org
MID-LIFE WORKSHOP Fr. Rusty Shaughnessy, OFM Sr. Peggy Dwyer, CSJ, MFT
OCT. 31- SILENT CONTEMPLATIVE NOV. 2 Fr. Carl Arico
SEPTEMBER 19-21
BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS Franciscan Friars
OCT. 14-16
Reservations for weekends must be made by mail and accompanied by a $10 non-refundable deposit per person. Suggested retreat donation $115.00 private room, $105.00 per person double room.
12-14
FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY Fr. Allen Ramirez, OFM Conv.
2008 THEME:
Awaken to the Sacred
WOMEN: Fr. Serge Propst, OP “The Stages of Prayer” WOMEN: Fr. Serge Propst, OP “The Stages of Prayer” WOMEN: Fr. Serge Propst, OP “The Stages of Prayer”
SAN DAMIANO RETREAT
PO Box 767 • Danville, CA 94526 925-837-9141 • www.sandamiano.org
OCTOBER 3-5
WOMEN: Fr. Serge Propst, OP “The Stages of Prayer” MARRIED COUPLES: Fr. Serge Propst, OP 10-12 “The Stages of Prayer” 17-19 A.A. & Al-Anon WOMEN: Fr. Pat Mullen 24-26 A.A. & Al-Anon WOMEN: Fr. Pat Mullen 30-Nov. 1 HALLOWEEN (No Retreat)
(831) 423-8093 • Fax: (831) 423-1541
300 Manresa Way, Los Altos, CA 94022-4659 www.jrclosaltos.org
The Catholic Professional and Business Club Meets WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10, 2008 CAESAR’S RESTAURANT-SAN FRANCISCO 5:30 p.m.–7:30 p.m. 2299 Powell St., San Francisco, CA 94133
CATHOLIC ETHIC: BATTLING FOR GOODNESS IN A WORLD OF EXTERNAL VALIDATIONS – MICHAEL PRITCHARD We are challenged every Sunday to hear Jesus’ Gospel and to live a spiritual life. But sometimes it feels like living a spiritual life is in conflict with the market-place and society in general. How can we merge the two? We mingle with people from all walks of life and are tasked to achieve common business goals while following our spiritual compass. How can we use our spiritual compass at work? Michael will delve into these issues as he explores this critical topic. Michael Pritchard is a nationally acclaimed keynote speaker and facilitator whoe uses a variety of humorous stories and useful tools to educate his audiences on improving communication skills.
Sept. 26 Sept. 28
RETREATS
MEETINGS
Ceasar’s Restaurant - ITALIAN APPETIZERS SERVED located at 2299 Powell Street (and Bay Street), San Francisco, CA 94133. Enclosed is my check made payable to “CPBC_ADSF” for: ___ Annual Membership (s) at $45.00 each $ __________ ___ Meeting (s) on Sept. 10, 2008 at $20 per member, $27 per non-member $ __________ TOTAL: $ __________ NAME: ____________________________________________ ADDRESS: ________________________________________ __________________________________________________ CITY, STATE, ZIP ___________________________________ PHONE: ___________________________________________ E-Mail: ___________________________________________
Pleae send form and payment to: CPBC, Attn: Mike O’Leary One Peter Yorke Way San Francisco, CA 94109
EVENTS
The Vision of Ellacuría and Teilhard A Non-Silent Retreat for Men, including the Men of Los Altos Fr. Dave Ayotte, S.J Through this meditation from the Second Week of the Exercises, retreatants will be invited to greater detachment in order to develop a global vision on behalf of the poor. We will look at two figures who lead the way: Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, S.J., and Fr. Ignacio Ellacuría, S.J. Oct. 3 Oct. 5
Mysteries of Light, Histories of Freedom A Silent Retreat for Men Fr. Kevin D. Ballard, S.J. In this retreat we will prayerfully look at our lives and the lives of several saints and fellow disciples of Jesus in the light of these five beacons. As the old prayer says: Grant, O Lord, that I may know Thee well, and do all things in Thy Light, and according to Thy holy Will. Oct. 10 Oct. 12
Echoes of Vatican II A Silent Retreat for Men & Women, including the St. Vincent de Paul Society Fr. Joseph Fice, S.J. The Second Vatican Council renewed the Catholic Church and brought it into the contemporary world. This 40th anniversary of the completion of the Council offers a fitting occassion to revisit its treasures, and to reflect and pray over them. Oct. 17 Oct. 19
Eternal Life: To Love One Another A Non-Silent Retreat Looking Toward the end of life Fr. Bernard Bush, S.J.; Dr. André L. Delbecq; Janet Perucca-Kleinhoffer; Leelamma Sebastian, JRC Program Director Eternal life starts here and goes on forever. How we live here determines how we will be for eternity. It is to be a life of loving service that follows Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life. This retreat will prepare us for that transition.
For more information and to make reservations, kindly call 650-948-4491 Email: retreat@jrclosaltos.org Web: www.jrclosaltos.org
September 5, 2008
Catholic San Francisco
7
St. Thomas More School to dedicate new wing A dream of more than two decades will come true at St. Thomas More Elementary School Sept. 14 when a new school building addition will be dedicated. Catholic San Francisco spoke recently with Joseph Elsbernd, principal of St. Thomas More for the last 23 years and assistant principal Marie Fitzpatrick, now in her 22nd year at the school. Groundbreaking for the building, which includes a new gymnasium, library, and preschool, kindergarten and science classrooms, took place in 2005 but the vision of expanding the school started to take place even before that. “I listened to parents for years before that,” Elsbernd said. “We saved for a long time to raise $2.5 million before we even started our plans.” The project so far has cost $6.2 million; $4.75 million has been raised. Fundraising continues to close the deficit as well as finance “phase three,” which Elsbernd said includes adding a stage to the gymnasium and “updating and revitalizing” the original school building. The cost would have skyrocketed but for the help of school parents, Fitzpatrick said. “Parents have put in thousands of volunteer hours on this project,” she pointed out, noting tasks went way beyond toting and lifting. “It would have been another million dollars, at least,” she said. In addition, a committee of parents, contractors, alumni and friends of the school has been invaluable to project completion, Elsbernd said. “Something old, something new, something borrowed” is an idiom easily applied to the new St. Thomas More structure. From labor to library bookshelves and furniture, every inch of the facility has been planned with attention to education, economics, and efficiency. “We saw in the paper that Cody’s bookstore was closing its San Francisco location so we contacted them right away and purchased much of their shelving,” Elsbernd said. “These shelves are sturdy, strong and earthquake
(PHOTOS BY TOM BURKE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
By Tom Burke
Workers prepare frames for 26-foot stained glass windows that will stand at entrance of St. Thomas More’s new school building.
proof. They are just perfect for our needs.” More than 20 parents dedicated a day to the bookshelf project including removing them from the original site, loading them onto trucks, taking them into the school and installing them in the new library. Chairs for the library were also acquired inexpensively and re-upholstered by school parents. Stadium comforts have also found their way into the new library. Three of the room’s windows overlook the gymnasium and on game days the site will be converted to what Elsbernd called “luxury boxes.” The extraordinary seats will be offered as auction items at school fundraisers. “People can throw their own little parties here and get a great view of the game,” Elsbernd said. Fitzpatrick said the school has been gathering books for the library for several years. “It’ll take a couple more years to fill all the shelves, but we’ll ST. THOMAS MORE SCHOOL, page 15
Committed to the spiritual well being of our residents
Joseph Elsbernd and Marie Fitzpatrick tower above chairs and tables built-to-size for St. Thomas More’s new pre-school classroom.
‘Three Cups of Tea’ author to speak
Greg Mortenson, co-author of “Three Cups of Tea” and director of the Central Asia Institute, will deliver a free lecture Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. at the University of San Francisco’s McLaren Conference Center, Golden Gate Avenue between Masonic and Parker. Mortenson is pictured here with students from Sitara School in the village of Sarhad in Northeast Afghanistan in 2005. For background on Mortenson’s international works, visit www.gregmortenson.com.
Services Include: Spiritual Care/On-site Chaplain Housekeeping and Laundry Service Resident Activity & Social Programs Daily Licensed Nurse on Duty Upscale Meal Program Located on the St. Thomas More Church Campus
Call Today to Schedule a Tour:
PLEASE CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO SAINT PATRICK’S SEMINARY
www.almavia.org
PLEASE DONATE YOUR GIFT ONLINE AT http://www.stpatricksseminary.org/
Cosponsored by the sisters of Mercy of the Americas & the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
or mail your contribution to:
415-337-1339
RCFE#: 385600270
ST. PATRICK’S SEMINARY & UNIVERSITY Office of Advancement, 320 Middlefield Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
8
Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
Parental notice law endorsed by California Catholic Conference By Michael Vick Pro-life groups are asking California voters to approve a measure that would prohibit abortions involving underage girls until 48 hours after a parent or other family member has been notified. Proposition 4, commonly referred to as “Sarah’s Law,” qualified for the Nov. 4 ballot. It will be the third parental notification measure put forward in California in four years. Even though similar laws are on the books in more than 30 states, the two previous initiatives, Prop 73 in 2005 and Prop 85 in 2006, were voted down after well-funded opposition led by Planned Parenthood. Prop 73 failed with 47.2 percent of the vote; Prop 85 received 45.8 percent. Prop 4 is sponsored by Friends of Sarah, a committee with major funding by Sonoma County winemaker and former Republican state Assemblyman Don Sebastiani and by Jim Holman, publisher of the San Diego Reader and a major contributor to the previous parental notification measures. The California Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s Catholic bishops, endorses the measure. Prop 4 differs from the previous measures by addressing criticism that notification could subject pregnant girls to parental abuse. The measure states that if such abuse is reported, another adult family member can be notified of the abortion. Acceptable adult family members include
a grandparent, stepparent, foster parent, aunt, uncle, sibling, half-sibling, or first cousin of a minor. The family member must be at least 21 years old. Prop 4 provides for a judicial override “based on clear and convincing evidence of (the) minor’s maturity or best interests.” Parents also can sign a Department of Health Services form authorizing an abortion without parental notice. No notice is required if the physician concludes the abortion is necessary to save the minor’s life. Proponents say the measure is meant both to protect young people and to reduce the rate of abortions among minors. “In every state where parental notification has passed, abortions (for minors) plummeted,” said Vicki Evans, director of the Respect Life Program of the Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns for the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Evans said Prop 4 makes good medical sense as well. “It’s very inappropriate to have a serious medical procedure without notifying a parent. It’s a real conflict with parental rights. Also, with these laws, there is always a judicial bypass, which is generally granted.” Proponents argue that Prop 4 would protect underage girls from sexual predators. In a 1995 study among 46,000 school-aged girls in California, researchers reported most pregnancies were the result of sexual relationships with adult men between five and seven years older. Evans said Prop 4 faces an uphill battle. The two previous initiatives failed largely because
St. Francis . . . ■ Continued from cover the pampered son of a rich merchant, but some time in early adulthood Francis experienced a sea-change as regards his ambitions. From dreams of wealth he turned to dreams of military glory, but then abandoned these to embrace a life of prayer and charitable works. In this he faced strong opposition from his ambitious father, who disapproved of his son’s “throwing away” a successful career. God gradually led Francis into these deeper spiritual paths, but when He brought him into contact with lepers, it was a watershed moment. Francis was being invited – or challenged – to step across an immense social chasm. Because contagious diseases were such a mystery to the people of the Middle Ages, it is understandable that lepers were isolated from the larger community. Given the miraculous healings of lepers by Christ, they were viewed with ambivalence by Christians: their affliction was not necessarily a sign of divine disfavor, and it was recognized that they should receive both religious and social assistance. However, they were clearly marginalized, and for the sheltered son of Pietro da Bernadone to consort with them must have been the talk of Assisi. Whatever its impact on his fellow citizens, it is clear from Francis’ own words that a new chapter opened in his life the day he embraced that leper. This encounter teaches us some uncomfortable truths. First, it suggests that when we seek to do God’s will, He always calls us to make greater sacrifices. Some years ago a book appeared called “The Good Enough Catholic.” As an antidote to scrupulosity, or to efforts to somehow impress God by our good deeds, such a phrase might be therapeutic.
of opposition TV ads warning of the dangers of parental abuse, and the new language in Prop 4 has not convinced Planned Parenthood that parental notification is good policy. Amy Moy, associate vice president of public affairs at Planned Parenthood Golden Gate, told Catholic San Francisco the goal of reducing teen abortions is a good one, but argued that the solution is not parental notification. “The real answer starts with caring families, prevention through comprehensive sex education, including abstinence, and access to contraception,” Moy said. “The truth is that most teens are talking to their parents. The ones that aren’t are doing so for good reasons.” Moy said she believes the provision of alternate family members is an unacceptable solution. “This new element is a disingenuous false option,” Moy said. “This so-called new protection does nothing to make sure minors are safe. In order to trigger this false option, a teen would have to allege abuse, and watch as police knock on the same door she has to return to. This could lead her to not seek care at all.” Katie Short, a lawyer with the Life Legal Defense Foundation and co-author of “Sarah’s Law,” countered Moy’s objections. “Child abuse investigators have ways of interviewing minors without going to the home, but at some point, yes, the parents will be brought in,” Short said. “They are hurting the minor. There is no way around that.” If a teen is from an abusive home, child protective services should intervene, Short said.
St. Francis, St. Clare documentary Sept. 21 “Assisi Pilgrimage: Walking in Faith with Francis and Clare” will air Sept. 21, at 5 a.m. on KGO ABC 7. The hour-long documentary, whose producers include Franciscan Communications, takes viewers to the key places in the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare. The 12th century saints both left lives of comfort to take on lives of deep spirituality. “Francis and Clare have captured people’s imagination since the very beginning of their respective vocations,” said Franciscan Friar Greg Friedman, writer and director of the piece. The broadcast is made possible by the U.S. bishops’ Catholic Communications Campaign and the cooperation of local television outlets. DVD copies of the program are available for purchase by calling (800) 488-0488. But if by a “good enough Catholic” we mean “What do I have to do to just get by?”, the life of St. Francis, and indeed any of the saints, disturbs us in our mediocrity. Francis had already violated a number of taboos: abandoning a career in the entrepreneurial society of his family, working as a common laborer to rebuild abandoned churches, selling his father’s goods to help the poor. These were not the actions of a Catholic content to “get by.” And still, Francis learned, it was not enough: Christ had given Himself to the last drop of blood out of love for Francis. Francis for his part could not put limits on his love in return. A second challenge of this conversion is the question it
“Planned Parenthood’s answer is to give her a secret abortion and send her back to an abusive home,” she said. Planned Parenthood’s Moy also warned that parental notification could lead to more unsafe, illegal abortions. This, however, is a “phantom fear,” says a law professor who has studied abortion in other states. “Parental involvement laws are on the books in over two-thirds of the states, some for over 20 years, and there is no evidence that these laws have led to an increase in illegal abortions,” Teresa Stanton Collett wrote in the Vermont Law Review, citing testimony before a Texas House Committee as well as a federal Centers for Disease Control report. Stanton Collett is a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law. Referring to Prop 4 as “Sarah’s Law” is based on the 1994 death of a 15-year-old female in Texas as the result of an abortion. Initiative supporters say a parental notification law could have prevented the death. Prop 4 opponents claim the opposite. While Evans said she was initially skeptical about Prop 4’s chances, she said the fact that Prop 8, the proposed state constitutional amendment to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, will draw many socially conservative voters to the polls and could give “Sarah’s Law” a boost. Carol Hogan, director of pastoral programs and communication for the California Catholic Conference, agreed. She predicted most of the PARENTAL NOTICE LAW, page 17
forces each of us to ask: “Who is the leper in my life?” It might be a category of persons, a co-worker or neighbor, or it could even be a member of our own family. I may feel I have good reasons to avoid this leper. It does not matter. The point is simply that, wherever we draw the line, Jesus stands on the other side of it. This is what Francis realized on that fateful day. A holy man close to our own time, Charles de Foucauld, observed that Jesus has taken the lowest place, and no one can deprive him of it. The early biographies tell how the leper disappeared after Francis embraced him, and imply that it may have been Christ Himself. If so, this simply illustrates the plain words of Jesus: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” (Mt 25:40) To recognize Jesus in the leper meant, for Francis, to recognize him in everyone. His “preferential option for the poor” included his wealthy and headstrong father, too. It meant seeing Christ in the spiritually diseased. There is a story told of a group of heretics who publicly denounced the priest in their town who kept a mistress. Francis simply went up to the priest, knelt, and kissed his hand. Our choices “for” often imply choices against; once Francis reached across the chasm and embraced the leper, he learned that there is no “us” and “them.” We are all poor sinners. The greatest shock Francis experienced was not simply that he saw Christ in the leper. He saw himself in the leper. That in turn will lead him to a second conversion, upon which we will reflect in Part Two of this series.
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September 5, 2008
Catholic San Francisco
9
Crissy Russo: the life and times of a CYO referee By Deidre Rettenmaier
(PHOTO BY JERRY DOWNS)
There you are, sitting in the stands on the edge of your seat, the final moments of the game being played out, when you hear the shrill sound of a referee’s whistle. A split second later you hear the call that will either win or lose the game for the team you’re rooting for. In those fragments of time that seem to stand still, have you ever wondered: who are these referees, and why do they get to call all the shots? Meet Crissy Russo – formerly Crissy Di Luzio of 1998 state championship fame, now CYO Athletics referee, coach, wife, and mother. How did Crissy become a referee? It all began at age 5, when she started shooting hoops with the boys at St. James Elementary School. A grade school aptitude soon turned into a high school passion at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (SHCP) where in 1998 Russo and the varsity team became the first in San Francisco to win a basketball state championship in 70 years. “It was exciting,” Russo said. “I got to meet the Mayor (Willie Brown). We were a Cinderella team. No one thought we’d make it past Nor-Cal sectionals.” Russo starred in that game, tying the record for most points scored in a state game (29). While at SHCP, Russo connected with Rick Robles, the referee assignor for all CYO games and her friend since childhood. He took Russo under his wing and taught her about being an official. From Robles she learned that refereeing is similar to coaching, just minute-by-minute, play-by-play. “Every game is a tremendous learning opportunity, both for the players and for the officials,” she said, adding, “When I referee a game being played by third through fifth graders, I let them know why I make each call so they can learn from their mistakes. The coach on the sidelines can only say so much during a game, and may not be able to offer insight as immediately as a referee can.” Russo continued her CYO refereeing while attending San Jose State University where she also played basketball. A little older and wiser, she said her role as a CYO referee during college became a way to give back to the community and return to her basketball roots. “Playing CYO sports as a kid built my foundation as an athlete and contributed to my success. I wanted to inspire and motivate kids the way so many of my CYO coaches had inspired me.” Russo earned a degree in business administration from San Jose State in 2003 and this year marks her tenth year as an official for CYO and her fourth year as a CYO coach.
In her role as a CYO referee, Crissy Russo says she hopes “to teach young players … that they have what it takes to be winners, each and every one of them.”
She and her husband married in August 2006 and welcomed their first child last October. If family and CYO activities don’t keep her busy enough, she has a full-time job as a senior marketing coordinator. She officiates nine to 11 games per week that fill many evenings and most weekends.
CYO Family Day Sept. 7 CYO Family Day on Sept. 7 kicks of the Catholic Youth Organization’s fall season. To be held at St. Ignatius College Prep, 37th Ave. at Sunset Blvd. in San Francisco, the event begins with Mass on campus at 11 a.m. A picnic begins at noon, followied by swimming with licensed lifeguards and a festival until 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 for events and $5 per person for picnic lunch. Call (415) 972-1233 or visit www. cccyo.org.
Is Your Child Bright But Struggling in School?
In her free time, she enjoys playing in a recreational basketball league with friends she’s known since she was 12. Russo smiles when summing her philosophy. “What I hope to teach young players today through coaching and officiating is that they have what it takes to be winners, each and every one of them.” Deidre Rettenmaier is a grants associate at Catholic Charities CYO.
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Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
Guest Commentary St. Paul and the Cross By Father Peter John Cameron, OP In writing to the people of the City of Corinth, the apostle Paul emphatically states, “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). Why this insistence, this priority on Jesus crucified in the life of St. Paul? The virtues that we look for in potential friends always include humility, self-sacrifice, and the willingness to forgive. With amazement, St. Paul states that Jesus humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross (Phil 2:8). In this act, Paul recognizes the miracle that he has been loved as a friend by the best of Friends. The night before he died, Jesus spoke out loud what we consider to be the sine qua non criterion for friendship: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15:13). And as the apostle himself observes, “only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die” (Rom 5:7). The cross for Paul is an unending event that returns him to that galvanizing moment of being loved by Jesus, so that, with every remembrance of the cross, that relationship begins anew. Acknowledging this took a heroic act of humility on Paul’s part. In a passage from the letter to the Colossians, Paul could well be speaking of himself: “Even when you are dead [in] transgressions …, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; obliterating the bond against us, … he removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross” (Col 2:13-14). Thus, to be himself in the most authentic way, Paul’s attention must remain fixed on Christ’s cross. For what Paul formerly could never face in himself – whether it was his shame or fear or pride or denial or sense of fatalistic dread – has met its match in the crucified Christ. Every contradictory, subversive and impossible condition that Paul experienced in himself is reconciled in Christ. He proclaims that in Christ “all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things to him, making peace by the blood of the cross” (Col 1:19-20). St. Paul does not want to live even one second without recollecting the cause of such inconceivable reconciliation. One can almost hear the joyous hope in his voice as Paul declares: “And you who once were alienated and hostile in mind because of evil deeds he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through his death, to present you holy, without blemish, and irreproachable before him” (Col 1:21-22). He continues, “Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life” (Rom 5:10). Paul recognizes clearly that the crucifixion was Christ’s perfect way of belonging to the Father. There can be no better manifestation of obedience and ultimate power, which is nothing but love, than through the free abandonment of the Son to the Father on the cross. It leads Paul to want to repeat that pattern as the very mode and method of his life. He writes, “Now those who belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24). Not because of a “moral ought” or the prowess of willpower, but because of affection. The crucifixion is Christ’s consummate way of loving his Father. Paul does not regard the cross from the perspective of its horror, its hardship, or its hurt. He sees it as a chance. The cross is the way to break out of our crippling self-reliance so as to depend fully on God. Without the cross in our life, how comfortable we would become – how complacent and self-content. The cross is the ingenious cleverness of the Father’s mercy. The cross is a divine strategy that keeps us from collapsing back into ourselves. The cross is the way that God persistently calls us back to him, moment by moment, detaching us from all our secret supports by which we would connive to become autonomous and self-serving. In sum, the cross is Paul’s privileged way of sharing in Christ’s belonging to his father: “Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom 14:8). Dominican Father Peter John Cameron is a member of the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C. and the editor of the new book, “Praying with St. Paul.” The commentary above excerpted from the September issue of the magazine, Magnificat – www.magnificat.com. Also visit www.sfarchdiocese for more information on “The Year of St. Paul” declared by Pope Benedict XVI.
Complicity sidestepped
Age of Mary
Your Aug. 22 editor’s note regarding Dominican University’s response to its partnership with the Buck Institute was curious. Dominican states that none of the seven students enrolled in its Masters in Biological Sciences program have been placed in a Prop 71- funded stem cell lab to date. Their response misses the point entirely. Just because none of its students have been placed in a stem cell lab does not address the fact that Dominican is in partnership with a facility that is doing research with human embryos, killing them to find cures for others. Shouldn’t a university with a Catholic identity be encouraging the Buck Institute to back away from research destroying human embryos rather than being complicit in the research? Julie Butler Sonoma
If I may be permitted a rejoinder to the Aug. 22 comments of Oscar Ramirez: I admire his concern for our Blessed Mother’s place of honor in salvation history, but seriously question his understanding of today’s Church. He expresses the myopic view of a small minority that Vatican II demeaned Mary’s place in the Church. Nothing is further from the truth. That kind of pessimistic view represents distorted and regressive thinking. It was the mistaken view of nonCatholic sensationalist journalists reporting on Vatican II. To view the Second Vatican Council and the postconciliar time in this light is virtually to doubt the work of the Holy Spirit and of Popes John XXIII and Paul VI. Vatican II and the magisterial teachings that followed offer strong, clear and abundant teaching on Mary’s exalted position in salvation history and call for a true devotion to her. The Council in no way capitulated to an opposing view. The Council positively situated Mary in the total context of the Church rather than treat her in a separate document. Her importance lies in her relationship to Jesus Christ our Redeemer and his Church, not in her individuality. Did the Council produce a teaching document on our redemption by Jesus Christ? On the Holy Eucharist apart from the Divine Liturgy and the sacraments? Study chapter eight of Lumen Gentium, Sacrosanctum Concilium, Pope Paul VI’s Marialis Cultus, the U.S. bishops’ “Behold Your Mother,” Pope John Paul’s Redemptoris Mater, the Congregation of Catholic Education’s “The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation.” That’s for starters. Pope Benedict XVI is most fervent and lucid in promoting greater understanding of Mary and proper devotion. No other era has produced a richer body of Marian teaching and exhortation. Chapter eight of Lumen Gentium is the largest and most balanced Marian magisterial teaching of any era. From what base are dissenters coming? None of these teachings have discouraged devotional practices. If they have diminished in some quarters, that is not the fault of the teaching Church but of practicing Catholics. Today we see flourishing Marian societies, shrines, movements and devotions; and sound Marian studies based on Scripture and Tradition. To see otherwise is to miss the forest because of preoccupation with a single tree. In fact, we are living in the Age of Mary. Brother John Samaha, S.M. Cupertino
On judges and guns Jane Sears recent column regarding the Mercy Sisters’ program to help women released from prison was very thoughtful. It showed how treating individuals as unique persons and creations of a loving God can be transformative. Unfortunately, Ms. Sears struck out in her Aug. 8 column supporting the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision against the District of Columbia’s ban on handgun ownership. It is not only the USCCB that supports gun control but the majority of big city police chiefs. I think it not unreasonable to anticipate an increase in gun-related deaths and injuries, both accidental and intentional. And, it is somewhat laughable to uphold Justice Scalia as the antithesis of an “activist judge.” From the time he was sworn in, he has been on the hunt to overturn any judicial precedent that he thinks stands in the way of his distorted conservatism. It is, in fact, his “legislating from the bench” that overturned the action of the local D.C. elected officials. How could it be serving his doctrine of “originalism” for him to try to show that the Constitutional words “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state” were not a limitation on the words that followed “the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”? Finally, how does Ms. Sears come to the conclusion that it is “the Catholic Supreme Court justices who do not make their decisions arbitrarily.” Really? Jack Hitchcock San Mateo
L E T T E R S
‘Father Al’ lauded Great Aug. 22 article on Father Al Vucinovich. We have known him since shortly after he was ordained and have been very close friends since. Tom Burke’s article portrays the wonderful, loving, caring person that he was. Frank and Sheila Kellers Sunnyvale
Letters welcome Catholic San Francisco welcomes letters from its readers. Please: ➣ Include your name, address and daytime phone number. ➣ Sign your letter. ➣ Limit submissions to 250 words. ➣ Note that the newspaper reserves the right to edit for clarity and length. Send your letters to: Catholic San Francisco One Peter Yorke Way San Francisco, CA 94109 Fax: (415) 614-5641 E-mail: morrisyoungd@sfarchdiocese.org
Mass changes welcome The celebration of the Mass varies not only from diocese to diocese, but parish to parish. I have never understood why the Church doesn’t establish the correct form and enforce the same. Now we are advised that certain responses from the laity will be changed, but probably not before 2011 when the entire Roman Missal in English will be approved by the Vatican. If the past is prologue, good luck! When the Mass was changed after Vatican II, it seems a group of “progressive” liturgists came up with the current responses, which were at variance from the literal translation of the Latin. Now, we’re going back, thanks in no small part to the pope, I trust. It’s about time. In my preVatican II missal, the English responses were exactly as the newly proposed responses. While changes in the Gloria are mentioned in your Aug. 22 article, no example is given, but I’ll bet that “Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth” is changed to “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of LETTERS, page 13
September 5, 2008
Catholic San Francisco
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Spirituality for Life
What does ‘heart of a child’ mean? Unless you change and become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. How can we do that? How do we unlearn sophistication, undo the fact we are adults? What kind of recessive journey can re-virginize a heart? Part of our quandary comes from how we think of the heart of a child. When we picture the heart of a child, we almost automatically think of innocence. A child’s heart is innocent by nature. Indeed it is stunningly innocent. There are few things in this world that can stop us in our tracks, make a man watch his language, make a woman watch her actions, make all of us watch what we talk about in open conversation, make us regret bad decisions, and make us want to be better persons than the innocence of a child. Innocence is a powerful moral light that sears the soul. But that isn’t exactly what Jesus had in mind when he challenged us to become like little children. We cannot remain children. Childhood is naturally outgrown and adulthood brings with it a bewildering complexity in life in general and in sexuality in particular that is not yet inside the heart of a child. And we don’t choose this. For an adult, life cannot be simple and much of the natural innocence of a child is lost in that fact.
So what does Jesus have in mind? He does have a certain innocence in mind, though not the simple innocence of pre-sophistication, of being sheltered from one’s own complexity and that of the world. The innocence Jesus glorifies in children is the wholeness of not yet being wounded, of still being able to trust, of not yet having one’s heart hardened by sin, wound, and disillusionment. Jesus says as much when he is asked if divorce is wrong or right. He answers the question not by pronouncing it categorically wrong or right but by giving a deeper reason for its frequency: Divorce happens, Jesus says, because our hearts are no longer as they were “in the beginning,” namely, in that pristine time before Adam and Eve sinned and (in terms of our own lives) in the pristine time before we were wounded. In an unwounded heart, in the heart of a child, divorce is not an option. To acquire the heart of a child is to try to move beyond the things that have wounded and hardened us. But that is only one aspect of it. The quality of heart, seen in a child, that Jesus most challenges us to imitate is that of acknowledging powerlessness and helplessness. A child is powerless. It cannot provide for itself, feed itself, or take care of itself. For a child, if mum and dad do not get up and
make breakfast, there will be no breakfast! A child knows dependence, knows that life comes from beyond itself, that it is not self-providing and self-sufficient. We tend to forget this as adults. The adult Father heart, at least during Ron Rolheiser those years when we are healthy and strong, likes to believe itself to be self-providing, self-sufficient. The adult heart tends to live the illusion of self-sufficiency, and that false notion is at the root of much of the pseudo-sophistication and lack of empathy that can isolate us from others. Can this be undone? How can we “change and become like little children”? Nature, God and circumstance often do it for us. An example: Several years ago, I went to the funeral of a 90-yearROLHESIER, page 15
Guest Commentary
Democrats’ platform winks at life issues A few comments about the new Democratic Party Platform, news of which has been circulating in the media recently: I’m sorry to disappoint the pro-life Democrats, but this is not the year the Democratic Party will be including them in their “big tent.” There are two major premises the Democrats are putting forward to prove that they are “pro-life.” First, they are supporting pre- and post-natal care for infants and they are supporting adoption. It is beyond easy to support these things. Who doesn’t? Second, they want to make contraceptives and comprehensive sex education more widely available. However, studies show that wide use of contraceptives leads to more abortions, not fewer, because abortion is used as a back-up to failed contraception. This isn’t even taking into consideration the fact that chemical contraceptives can act as abortifacients if fertilization has already taken place. If the Democrats take the White House, the following things will happen. These are not guesses or predictions, but rather campaign promises to the Democratic constituency. 1)The Mexico City Policy (instituted by President Ronald Reagan, rescinded by President Bill Clinton, and reinstated by President George W. Bush) will be overturned as the first executive order of the new Democratic president. The Mexico City Policy prohibits the United States
from using taxpayer dollars to export abortion to foreign countries. 2) U.S. taxpayer funding of abortions will be expanded under Title X funding, Medicare, Medicaid, health plans for federal employees, military personnel and women in federal prisons. 3) Conscience clauses for physicians, nurses, other medical personnel and pharmacists not wishing to participate in abortions, will be weakened or eliminated. The Democratic lobby has already successfully watered down the proposed Health and Human Services Regulations that would have strengthened and codified this conscience clause protection. 4) A pro-abortion litmus test will be applied to every Supreme Court (and likely, most lower federal court) appointment to keep Roe Vs. Wade in force. What Professor Douglas Kmiec says about the question of abortion legalization being turned back over to the 50 states with the demise of Roe is true. However, the first step is still overturning Roe so the states even get the ability to limit the “sacred cow” of abortion. 5) Legislation will be introduced to overturn the ban on partial-birth abortion, passed by Congress and signed by President Bush in 2003, and upheld by the Supreme Court in 2006. 6) President Bush’s executive order limiting federal funds for human embryonic stem cell research will be overturned.
7) A White Housedriven attempt to pass the Freedom of Choice Act will be mounted. The FOCA eliminates any and all restrictions on abortion by any state or by the federal government. It will elimiVicki Evans nate things like parental involvement for minors, informed consent and waiting periods for abortions and fetal pain legislation. Above and beyond abortion-related issues themselves, legislation is promised by Representative Nancy Pelosi and Senator Barack Obama to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act, signed by President Clinton in 1996. In a nutshell, I agree with Deirdre McQuade of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The changes put forth do not even make a dent in the pro-abortion platform of the Democratic Party. Vicki Evans coordinates the Respect Life Program of the Archdiocese of San Francisco’s Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns.
The Catholic Difference
Campaign 2008: Jaw, jaw, war, war Winston Churchill, master of eloquent bellicosity, is also remembered for saying that “‘jaw, jaw’ is better than ‘war, war.’” As a general matter, who could disagree? If conflicts can be settled by the arts of politics and diplomacy, they should be. But are there situations when “jaw, jaw” makes things more dangerous than the plausible threat of “war, war”? Can the soft power of “jaw, jaw” change minds bent on wickedness, absent the mind-concentrating possibility of the use of hard power? The classic cautionary tale here involves Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler. Prime Minister Chamberlain’s “jaw, jaw” with Hitler at the 1938 Munich conference wrote a death sentence for independent Czechoslovakia. When Chamberlain returned to London to proclaim “peace with honor” to the cheering throng, Sir Orme Sargent, a senior Foreign Office official, observed acidly, “You might think that we had won a major victory instead of betraying a minor country.” That betrayal – which was rooted in Chamberlain’s vane conviction that he could talk Hitler into reason and moderation – helped unleash the dogs of war, on very unfavorable terms for the defenders of civilization. The Kennedy-Khrushchev summit of 1961 was another example of “jaw, jaw” making things worse. By Kennedy’s own (off-the-record) testimony, the Soviet dictator ran roughshod over him. Coming shortly after the Bay of Pigs fiasco in Cuba, the Vienna summit left Kennedy worried that Khrushchev judged him a weakling – a premonition that proved warranted a year later when the Soviet Union began installing nuclear-armed ballistic missiles in Cuba,
dramatically escalating the Cold War. The net result of a failed “jaw, jaw” between JFK and “Mr. K”? The Cuban Missile Crisis, and a world teetering on the brink of “one minute to midnight” (as Michael Dobbs’ new book on the drama of October 1962 puts it.) “Jaw, jaw” was unavailing in the 1990s as Yugoslavia came apart at the seams. “Jaw, jaw” has arguably made matters worse with North Korea (now a nuclear power), Zimbabwe, Sudan and Burma. On the other hand, “jaw, jaw” prevented a bloody little war between Argentina and Chile in the late 1970s. “Jaw, jaw” broke the political-military logjam between Egypt and Israel and led to the first Arab-Israeli peace treaty. And “jaw, jaw” may just have taken hold in the embryonic political institutions of Iraq, making something approaching responsible and responsive government possible there. In the presidential campaign, the question of whether “jaw, jaw” is always better than “war, war” will likely focus on Iran. For six years, the world has known about Iran’s secret nuclear programs. American and European diplomacy has failed to get Iran to come clean on what it’s really up to. The U.N. has proven less-than-useless. The organization’s chief nuclear inspector, Mohamed El Baradei, is usually dismissive of western security concerns about Iran’s nuclear program. Last December’s U.S. National Intelligence Estimate, which claimed Iran had stopped pursuing the weaponization of nuclear technology shortly after Saddam Hussein fell, is of cold comfort when you realize that building the bomb itself is relatively easy. What the Iranians have been concentrating on
in recent years is the hard part – creating sufficient quantities of weaponsgrade plutonium. Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calls Israel a “stinking corpse” and pledges to George Weigel wipe it off the map. He’s made similar threats against the U.S. and Great Britain. Ahmadinejad’s political fevers, and those of the mullahs who hold ultimate authority in Iran, involve apocalyptic speculations. As they understand Shi’a eschatology, vaporizing Jerusalem will hasten the messianic age. Is Ahmadinejad a man to whom one can talk reason? Are the mullahs? If the Iranian nuclear program is not halted, the next president of the United States will almost certainly face the prospect of a nuclear-capable Iran that can wreak havoc in the Middle East, transfer nuclear weapons to terrorists, or, in its more subtle moments, conduct nuclear blackmail. How is “jaw, jaw” to prevent this, if Iran’s leaders imagine the West to be feckless? That is a question of the gravest moral and strategic import. It must be discussed seriously in the weeks ahead. George Weigel is Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C.
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Catholic San Francisco
A READING FROM THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL EZ 33:7-9 Thus says the Lord: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. If I tell the wicked, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, ” and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. But if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself. RESPONSORIAL PSALM PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9 R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation. Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. It would seem that the worst sin one could commit nowadays (socially speaking) is “judging.” Even something as simple as asking a frequently late co-worker to arrive on time for meetings can result in accusations of being “judgmental” – at which point the person making the request instantly backs off, expressing copious regret for committing such a vile transgression. Culturally we have become so wary of “judging” or of being labeled “judgmental” that we have become a society in which there is great moral confusion and little clarity, even among fellow Christians, as to right and wrong. All we know is “judge not, and you will not be judged.” Therefore, we are loath to criticize anyone or express disapproval of anything. In the midst of this, we hear the Gospel reading for the 23rd Sunday. Traditionally referred to as the Doctrine of Fraternal Correction, Jesus gives explicit instructions, outlining specific steps for correcting a fellow Christian. Taken in light of the reading from Paul, placed in the context of acting out of love, Fraternal Correction is nothing less than fellow Christians looking out for one another, calling one another to task, bringing one another back from sin; in short, helping one another to better live the standards Christ has given us. Such a practice, as prescribed by Christ himself – complete with his comprehensive instructions – becomes an exercise to build up the community of faith in which all of us, with an eye toward living the Gospel, walk together along the path Christ has given us, pulling back those who go astray, and occasionally being pulled back ourselves. As a basic practice within a Christian community, and apparently practiced by the people of the early Church, how would Fraternal
September 5, 2008
Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Ezekiel 33:7-9; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20 Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.”
R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. A READING FROM THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS ROM 13:8-10 Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet, ” and whatever other commandment there may be,
Scripture reflection FATHER BILL NICHOLAS
Fraternal Correction: are we called to ‘judge’? Correction be understood and responded to in today’s moral climate? Alas, the “corrector” would be left vulnerable to hostility. More often than not, he or she would be met with accusations of being “judgmental,” of being un-accepting of other people’s differences, of being closed-minded, politically incorrect, and perhaps be made to feel that, in lovingly carrying out Christ’s instructions, he or she had in fact committed a sin. As a result, out of our fear of being labeled “judgmental,” our tendency is to neglect one of Jesus’ most fundamental instructions for building up the Body of Christ. What if, however, we look at Fraternal Correction from the standpoint of the first reading? Read by itself or alongside the doctrine outlined in the Gospel, God sternly asserts to Ezekiel – and therefore to us who hear it in the Mass – that if he fails to warn the wicked, God will hold him responsible for the wicked man’s death. This puts Fraternal
Correction in a much more ominous light. We must Fraternally Correct, not only because Jesus instructs us to, but also because the very salvation of our souls depends upon it! Indeed the Letter of James reminds us “the person who brings a sinner back from his way will save his soul from death and cancel a multitude of sins” (James 5:20). Are we, therefore, called to “judge”? Is it part of our mission as followers of Christ to be “judgmental”? Have we allowed popular morality and political correctness to shame us away from exercising a fundamental duty given to us by Christ? Or are we simply confused because our definitions have been mixed up by a morally permissive culture that has equated correction with “judgmentalism”? In failing to correct out of love, are we, in fact, acting out of egotistical self-interest so as to avoid being labeled as bigoted, arrogant, closed-minded or “judgmental”? In our avoidance to call
are summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law. A READING FROM THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW MT 18:15-20 Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” the sinner back, are we, in fact, writing our own judgment? This fundamental doctrine does not mean that we become a Church of sanctimonious busybodies. Jesus still reminds us to “remove the plank from your own eye first, then you will see clearly to take the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matt. 7:5). In taking on the task of Fraternal Correction we must humbly be open to receive correction from others, without resorting to calling them “judgmental”. Hence, we must be aware of the need for discernment when called to act as corrector so as to avoid acting as hypocrite. We also must be aware that Fraternal Correction will often be received with extreme hostility. After all, when one reminds people of their Sunday obligation, guess who objects to the reminder. In telling people of the importance of arriving on time for Mass and not leaving at Communion, guess who is usually offended, and why. In affirming Christian social and moral values in a society hostile to Christianity, guess what the reaction might be. We are called to tread a fine line. We must ourselves endeavor to avoid sin and avoid giving offense. We are not called to give condemnatory judgment toward others. We are, however, called to look after one another as we work together to live the Gospel. In a society extremely hostile to anything that hints of being “judgmental,” we are called to correct one another out of humility and a fraternal love. In doing so we save our own souls, take greater care and responsibility for one another, and ultimately act out of obedience to Christ. Father Bill Nicholas is parochial vicar at Our Lady of Loretto, Novato, and author of “I Saw the World End: An Introduction to the Bible’s Apocalyptic Literature.”
Guest Commentary
Organ transplantation: the ethical issues In June, Catholic San Francisco published a feature story about a 2005 heart transplant surgery at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. The recipient of the transplanted heart was Father Joseph Bradley, a priest of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. This fascinating story provides an excellent opportunity to reflect on certain moral and medical issues pertaining to organ transplants and specifically a heart transplant. Since its inception, organ transplantation has been guided by the overarching ethical requirement known as the “dead donor rule,” which simply states that patients must be declared dead before the removal of organs for transplantation. Therefore, the guiding ethical principle for organ transplantation is: While it is moral to take organs from a dead body to help a living person, it is not moral to take organs from one living person to give them to another, if one thereby causes the death of the donor. A person might decide, for example, to donate a kidney or part of one’s liver to another individual, motivated by charity and love for one’s neighbor. Such a gift is morally acceptable as the
donor can continue to live with only one kidney or one lung or a partial liver. In the United States, about every three to four organs that are surgically transplanted are recovered from deceased donors. What criteria are used to determine whether or not a donor of a heart is, in fact, dead? Traditionally both the legal and medical communities determined death when certain bodily functions ceased, especially respiration and heartbeat. This determination was generally referred to as cardiopulmonary criteria. With the increasing ability of the medical community to resuscitate people with no heart beat or respiration, and with the widespread use of life support equipment which can artificially maintain body functions indefinitely, the need for a better definition of death became necessary. Around 1970, the law began to accept the declaration of death on the basis of the irreversible and complete absence of all functions of the entire brain. In 1968, the diagnostic criteria of brain death became widely accepted after a committee at the Harvard School of Medicine proposed that the
determination of death be made by neurological criteria. In 1981, a presidential commission issued its landmark report “Defining Death: Medical, Legal and Ethical Issues in the Determination of Death.” Father Gerald This report indicated that Coleman, SS death is determined when the “whole brain” – the brain and brainstem – is no longer functioning. Today, physicians in all U.S. states may pronounce death when total brain function is determined to be permanently lost. Nevertheless, the traditional heart-based pronouncement is accepted as an alternative. Today both the legal and medical communities, in addition to the definition of death defined by the cessation COLEMAN, page 15
September 5, 2008
Letters . . . ■ Continued from page 10 goodwill,” which has a profoundly different meaning. I love the statements that the changes will take a while “to allow for catechesis on the reasons for the revisions.” At the time of the adoption of the current Mass, the bishops said the wording of the Roman Missal was to be followed strictly, yet celebrants often “enhance” the liturgy with their own verbiage, such as: “This is the Lamb of God who was conceived on March 25th, born on Dec. 25th, died on Good Friday and rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, happy are those including all who are present here today who are called to his supper.” And then there are the gender neutral who pray “Glory to God in the highest and peace to God’s people on earth.” They will only be happy when we no longer refer to God the Father and God the Son. Let’s not forget the charismatics who introduced us to the upraised (and frequently joined) hands at the Our Father. I have seen many televised Masses at St. Peter’s in Rome and not one cardinal, bishop, priest or layman (other than the celebrant) has hands upraised much less joined. And lastly, can we all learn when to sit, stand and kneel at the same time? I. P. Sicotte, Jr. San Francisco (Ed. note: Reader Sicotte is close. The suggested revision for the Gloria begins “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.”)
Solution is simple I appreciated the Aug. 22 front-page article by Mr. Rick DelVecchio on the rights of workers. I declare myself as one brought up and trained on the importance of workers’ right to form unions. I believe that the call for ground rules by the union to the supervisors and managers is definitely a social justice issue in contrast to the statement of the health care system’s vice president of theology and ethics quoted in the article. Catholic social teaching over my many years of life has declared unequivocally that workers have a right to organize and form unions. Workers in the St. Joseph Health System along with the NLRB have documented anti-union conduct across the system as late as this July. Like Msgr. John Brenkle, I am deeply saddened by the apparent disconnect between the St. Joseph of Orange Sisters’ strong social justice legacy and their antiunion posture regarding their own hospital workers. It is inconsistent to say you support unions while doing everything possible to discourage your workers from forming their collective voice. If the Sisters and their SJHS managers are sincere about the rights of workers to choose for themselves whether or not to vote for a union, the solution is simple: adopt mutually agreed ground rules and a timely enforcement mechanism as recommended by our bishops and as demonstrated by Catholic Healthcare West. Sister Kathleen Healy, PBVM San Francisco
Anti-unionism disavowed Thank you for your objective evaluation of the anti-union activities conducted by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange in your Aug. 22 article “Union, hospital system battle over workers’ right to choose.” In contrast to a number of advertisements appearing in our local newspaper here in Santa Rosa, paid for by the St. Joseph Healthcare System, your article brought forth clearly the real facts concerning the concerted anti-union policy and actions taken by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. The statement of Kevin Andrus, the system’s vice president for corporate communications, “We are not anti-union,” is not simply ludicrous, but a falsification. Not only has the NLRB warned this system
about obvious anti-union activities, but the Fair Elections Commission of Sonoma County issued a scathing 26-page report as long ago as August 2005 regarding anti-union activities carried out at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. Thanks to the leadership of Msgr. John Brenkle, Bishop Daniel Walsh and the Priests’ Council of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, the Catholic community of this area is on record as disavowing the conduct of the St. Joseph Health System and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange who own and control this system. I personally have experienced the anti-union activities. I together with three employees approached the office of the CEO of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital to deliver a request for him to consider as a model the Fair Election Agreement agreed to by Catholic Healthcare West, only to be refused entry by security and threatened with arrest. The local police were called to extract us, if we did not leave. The American Catholic Church is just now emerging from one notorious scandal, only to have looming on the horizon another scandal with the conduct of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, who have morphed into a multi-billion dollar corporation, and as such have so identified with the American corporate mentality they have repudiated the long-standing position of the Catholic social justice tradition regarding the indispensable place of unions in a free market economy. Those of us who are aghast at this conduct are deeply appreciative of your objective reporting. Hopefully, with your kind of reporting the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange will one day return to the social justice teachings of the Church. Father Raymond G. Decker (Pastor emeritus, Sacred Heart, Olema) Sabastopol
Listen to Father Corapi I’ve recently discovered Father John Corapi on Catholic radio and try to listen to him every chance I get. But a search of your publication shows you haven’t reported anything about him since 2003. His ministry deserves a feature article and regular reporting. He is a unique person willing to talk about articles of faith and morals that for some strange reason are considered out of date or controversial right now: heaven, hell, purgatory, angels, devils, exorcism, etc. In the meantime, the entertainment world is having a field day churning out film after film involving struggles of good vs. evil, featuring fantastic creatures and settings straight out of the Apocalypse. It seems like it is the Church that is out of tune, not Father Corapi. Please get with it. The young people have mostly gone South, in case nobody’s noticed who’s at Mass these days. Chris Creighton San Francisco (Ed note: Father John Corapi is broadcast in the Bay Area on Immaculate Heart Radio, 1260 AM. His half-hour broadcast is scheduled Monday through Friday at 9 a.m., and Sunday through Thursday at 9 p.m., according to the radio station’s website: www.ihradio.org. A perpetually professed priest of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, Father Corapi resides in Kalispell, Mont.; his website is www.fathercorapi.com.)
Jubilee enjoyed The July 25 piece on St. Robert Parish¹s 50th anniversary looked great. The spirit of the parish was truly captured in Tom Burke¹s article. It was especially nice that you had longtime parishioner Catherine Murphy in the pictures, too. From what I heard, parishioners were quite pleased to be recognized in Catholic San Francisco as well. Thanks again for a nice article. Virginia Yanke San Bruno
Paul of Tarsus? It is amazing how biblical history repeats itself. In St. Cloud, Minn., a profes-
sor at the University of Minnesota, Paul Z. Meyers, made good on his vow in July to desecrate a Communion host by putting a nail through it. As Catholics, we too have been persecuted. After all, we are one body in Christ. This is a wake-up call for all of us to pray for him and others who hold a similar view. This is our new Paul of Tarsus. May our Lord Jesus Christ also touch him and ask him as he did of Paul of Tarsus, “Paul, Paul, why do you persecute me?” Virginia Enrico South San Francisco
Apparitions questioned I was disappointed to see in a recent edition an advertisement for a “Medjugorje Pilgrimage.” Although the Medjugorje industry (travel and tourism) is quick to denounce the local bishop for the Medjugorje area, Bishop Ratko Peric has consistently denied that the so-called “seers” in the area have received visits from Mary. I would urge your readers to search the Internet for the statements of Bishop Peric so that they can read the truth about this hoax. How can anyone believe that Mary would be a party to the lies, deceptions, greed and tawdriness that is so integral to Medjugorje since 1981? Laurette Elsberry Sacramento (Ed. note: The Vatican continues to monitor events at Medjugorje, but it has not taken a formal position other than to support the Bosnian bishops’ ban on official pilgrimages.)
Abolish death penalty In a recent letter Mr. Al Serrato wrote “...there are times when capital punishment is necessary and appropriate, however unpleasant.” Is now such a time? No. Our late Pope John Paul II said in St. Louis, Mo., in January 1999, “A sign of hope is the increasing recognition that the dignity of human life must never be taken away, even in the case of someone who has done great evil. Modem society has the means of protecting itself, without definitively denying criminals the chance to reform. I renew the appeal I made most recently at Christmas for a consensus to end the death penalty, which is both cruel and unnecessary.” The 1997 Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2267, states: “Assuming that the guilty party’s identity and responsibility have been fully determined, the traditional teaching of the Church does not exclude recourse to the death penalty, if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor. If, however, non-lethal means are sufficient to defend and protect people’s safety from the aggressor, authority will limit itself to such means, as these are more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good and are more in conformity to the dignity of the human person. Today, in fact, as a consequence of the possibilities which the state has for effectively preventing crime, by rendering one who has committed an offense incapable of doing harm – without definitely taking away from him the possibility of redeeming himself – the cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically non-existent.” Many countries have abolished the death penalty. Several states have abolished it or instituted a moratorium on its use because of justified concerns that it is inflicted unfairly and on people convicted mistakenly. Persons formerly on death rows in the U.S. have been released when their innocence was proven. The death penalty is not needed to safeguard our right to life; imprisonment will do it, while protecting us from the guilt and shame of executing people who might have been convicted wrongly, and giving those who were convicted rightly a chance to repent and redeem themselves. It is appropriate to remember we follow One who was crucified, not those who crucified him. Carolyn M. Daniel. San Francisco
Catholic San Francisco
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Vote truth, not feelings Well, they are at it again. I mean persons like Father Robert J. Cioffi, of Trenton, N.J., who continue confusion and misinform Catholic voters, saying “… you may vote for a person who is pro- choice if you feel you have a moral reason to support the candidate for his stand on other issues.” And what is “if you feel”? We vote for truth, not feelings. It is abhorrent that as the director of the Office of Social Concerns for the Diocese of Trenton Father Cioffi would only present his “feelings.” It is sickeningly apparent this thinking destroys the “single issue of life” and doesn’t hold a candle to the priority of life. If you have no life given you, how can you handle other moral issues? If you say it is all right to kill babies so as to save the planet and subordinate animal life, do away with the military so as to eliminate war, then you miss the point of being a practicing Catholic, a Catholic who doesn’t pick and choose what he/she believes, and this includes bishops who have no guts to lead their flock with the whole truth. They have become politicians first, and Catholic second. God save us from those who disobey the basic teaching of the Church (and our Constitution), and who have definitely lost their way. Abortion is evil personified and they sweep it under the rug. How dare they instruct Catholics that it can be permissible to vote for a murderous evil-doer who smiles while he espouses murdering children. May God forgive us if we aid and abet such evil. Justine Nunan San Bruno
Title twist twisted I was shocked to hear about Attorney General Jerry Brown’s blatantly changing the wording of the title and summary of Prop 8 on the November ballot. How can he do that? How can he just twist the title and summary to put an entirely different slant on the proposition? He has taken a constitutional and legal issue of definition and turned it into a violation of human rights issue. He has changed light into dark. I would call that “misleading,” one of the necessary components to stop him from accomplishing his misguided purpose. What I can’t understand is why people who promote same-sex marriage can’t “think or see beyond their noses,” as my mother used to say. What messages are we giving to the future generations? At the rate we in California, America and the world are going, there won’t be future generations to wonder about this problem. I’m sure our God, who created us all in his image and according to his own purposes, will intervene before we humans become extinct. Let’s all pray so. Juanita Douglass Redwood City
Support Prop 8 In their statement on Proposition 8, our good California bishops said: “And finally, we strongly encourage Catholics to provide both the financial support and the volunteer efforts needed for the passage of Proposition 8. And-please exercise your citizenship and vote in November.” Support is needed. At their Aug. 2 fundraiser, “Equality California,” the major backer of same-sex “marriage,” raked in more than $2.2 million, including from donors such as Wells Fargo Bank, the California Teachers Union, the Service Employees International Union, and A. T. & T. And of course PG&E gave $250,000. Probably some of you work for those organizations. All of us probably do business with at least one of them. The Defense of Marriage side doesn’t have big corporate donors like that, only average people. But there are a lot of us. If you’d like to help, you can download a donation form or make a credit card donation by going to www.protectmarriage.com. Gibbons J. Cooney San Francisco
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Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
USCCB corrects House Speaker’s views as ‘misleading’ and outdated By Rick DelVecchio Catholic and conservative commentators reacted with outrage and disbelief to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s nationally televised comments that Church teaching is undecided on when life begins and that the question “shouldn’t have an impact on a woman’s right to choose.” Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said he has had long experience with Catholic politicians disagreeing with Church teaching on abortion but never before with what he called “absolute misrepresentation.” “I have to tell you in 15 years of doing this job this one goes off the end,” he told Catholic San Francisco. Pelosi should correct the record, he said. The Archdiocese of San Francisco received scores of emails from around the country, many urging that the Church correct Pelosi. In an official response, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a joint statement by the heads of the USCCB Pro-Life and Doctrine Committees calling Pelosi’s comments “misleading” and based on mistaken theories of fetal development that modern embryology made obsolete 150 years ago. “The Church has always taught that human life deserves respect from its very beginning and that procured abortion is a grave moral evil,” the USCCB said in a statement signed by Cardinal Justin Rigali, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee for Pro-Life Activities, and Bishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine. Individually, one U.S. cardinal and two other archbishops publicly corrected Pelosi. Pelosi “is a gifted public servant of strong convictions and many professional skills,” Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput wrote in a message also signed by Auxiliary Bishop James Conley. “Regrettably, knowledge of Catholic history and teaching does not seem to be one of them.” Cardinal Edward Egan of the Archdiocese of New York said he was “shocked” at Pelosi’s comments and found them not only misleading but also “utterly incredible in this day and age.” Washington, D.C., Archbishop Donald Wuerl said, “We respect the right of elected officials such as Speaker Pelosi to address matters of public policy that are before them, but the interpretation of Catholic faith has rightfully been entrusted to the Catholic bishops.” Pelosi stood by her remarks. A spokesman, Brendan Daly, told the Associated Press in a statement Tuesday that she “fully appreciates the sanctity of family” and based her views on conception on the “views of St. Augustine, who said: ‘...
Archbishop responds . . . ■ Continued from cover Mr. Tom Brokaw, the moderator of “Meet the Press,” asked Speaker Pelosi, “When does life begin?” She responded: “We don’t know. The point is that it shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose.” Later: “I don’t think anyone can tell you when life begins, when human life begins.” Mr. Brokaw: “The Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly that it begins at the point of conception.” Speaker Pelosi: “I understand. And this is maybe fifty years or something like that.” Speaker Pelosi’s remarks called forth many responses, from Catholics in the pews as well as from bishops. As a result, on Tuesday, August 26th, two days after “Meet the Press” had aired, the Speaker’s office issued a statement on her behalf. It contained this sentence: “While Catholic teaching is clear that life begins at conception, many Catholics do not ascribe[sic] to that view.” That statement suggests that morality can be decided by poll, by numbers. If ninety percent of Catholics subscribe to the view that human life begins at conception, does that makes Church teaching truer than if only seventy percent or fifty percent agree? Authentic moral teaching is based on objective truth, not polling. For instance, in 1861, as the Civil War began, a majority of the residents of Massachusetts opposed slavery, a majority of the residents of South Carolina approved of slavery, and in Missouri people were sharply divided on the issue. Does that mean that, in 1861, slavery was immoral in Massachusetts, moral in South Carolina, and something of a moral “wash” in Missouri? Sound moral teaching demands much more good sense than that. Since August 24th many Catholics have written me letters and sent me e-mails in which they expressed their dismay and concern about the Speaker’s remarks. Very often they moved on to a question that caused much discussion during the 2004 campaign: Is it necessary to deny Holy Communion to some Catholics in public life because of their public support for abortion on demand? I want to address that question in the light of the 2004 statement of the U.S. bishops, “Catholics in Political Life,” and their 2006 statement on preparing to receive Christ worthily in the Eucharist, “Happy Are Those Who Are Called to His Supper.” Both statements can be found on the bishops’ website, usccb.org, and they lead the reader to conclude that this is a sensitive and complicated question, and does not lend itself to sound bites, headlines or slogans. In their 2006 document, “Happy Are Those Who Are
the law does not provide that the act (abortion) pertains to homicide, for there cannot yet be said to be a live soul in a body that lacks sensation ...’” Pelosi, a long-time San Francisco Democratic congresswoman and lifelong Catholic, made the comments in response to a question from host Tom Brokaw on NBC’s Sunday morning public affairs show “Meet the Press.” They were part of a wide-ranging interview on the eve of the opening of the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Brokaw recalled the Aug. 16 presidential candidates’ forum at Saddleback Church in Orange County, where Pastor Rick Warren asked Sen. Barack Obama his opinion on when a baby should be granted human rights. Obama answered that science and theology disagree and that the answer is “above my pay grade.” Brokaw asked Pelosi what her response would be if Warren “were to come to you and say, ‘Help me out, Madam Speaker, when does life begin?”’ Citing her Catholic faith and knowledge, Pelosi gave a detailed answer and was undeterred when Brokaw tried to interrupt her to clarify Church teaching, according to NBC’s transcript of the interview: “PELOSI: I would say that as an ardent, practicing
Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time. And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the Church have not been able to make that definition. And … St. Augustine said at three months. We don’t know. The point is, is that it shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose. Roe vs. Wade talks about very clear definitions of when the child — first trimester, certain considerations; second trimester; not so third trimester. There’s very clear distinctions. This isn’t about abortion on demand, it’s about a careful, careful consideration of all factors and — to — that a woman has to make with her doctor and her god. And so I don’t think anybody can tell you when life begins, human life begins. As I say, the Catholic Church for centuries has been discussing this, and there are those who’ve decided.…” BROKAW: The Catholic Church at the moment feels very strongly that it... PELOSI: I understand that. BROKAW: ...begins at the point of conception. PELOSI: I understand. And this is like maybe 50 years or something like that. So again, over the history of the Church, this is an issue of controversy. But it is, it is also true that God has given us, each of us, a free will and a responsibility to answer for our actions.”
Faithful citizenship workshops set for September By Michael Vick In preparation for the upcoming November elections, the Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns for the Archdiocese of San Francisco will hold workshops Sept. 17-19 and 2426 focusing on “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” a document Joan Rosenhauer released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops last November. A 90-minute workshop will be held in each of the three counties of the Archdiocese with separate English and Spanish offerings. All sessions will be from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Spanish language sessions will be Sept. 17 at Mission San Rafael, 1104 Fifth Ave. in San Rafael; Sept. 18 at Mission Dolores Hall, 3321 16th St., San Francisco; and Sept. 19 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Hall, 300 Fulton St., Redwood City. Featured speaker at the Spanish-language evenings will Called to His Supper,” the bishops begin by reminding Catholics that “the celebration of the Mass is the center of the life of the Church.” The Eucharist joins each of us to the one sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross, unites us with the Risen Christ, and unites us with one another in Christ. Each reception of Holy Communion looks forward to our union with Christ forever in heaven. The very first generation of Christians saw the need to examine one’s conscience regarding one’s worthiness to receive the Body and Blood of the Lord. Writing around 57 A.D., St. Paul told the Corinthians, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup.” (1Cor. 11;27-28) Of course we are never fully worthy to eat the bread and drink the cup, as we exclaim at each Mass before we receive Holy Communion: “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.” However, the unity nourished and expressed in Holy Communion can be broken by serious sin, hence our self-examination enables us to acknowledge whether we have committed such a sin, and to seek out the Sacrament of Reconciliation before eating the bread and drinking the cup. The practice of the Church is to accept this conscientious self-appraisal of each person (Canon 912). Thus, in this matter the state of the person’s awareness of his or her situation is of fundamental importance. As the bishops say most forcefully in the 2006 document, “ . . . we should be cautious when making judgments about whether or not someone else should receive Holy Communion.” Nevertheless, the bishops go on to say: “If a Catholic in his or her personal or professional life were knowingly and obstinately to reject the defined doctrines of the Church, or knowingly and obstinately repudiate her definitive teachings on moral issues, however, he or she would seriously diminish his or her communion with the Church. Reception of Holy Communion in such a situation would not accord with the nature of the Eucharistic celebration, so that he or she should refrain.” Why is this repudiation of Church teaching such a serious matter? The bishops respond: “To give selective assent to the teachings of the Church deprives us of her life-giving message, but also seriously endangers our communion with her.” This teaching of the bishops does not violate the separation of church and state. That separation does not require a division between faith and public action, between moral principles and political choices. Believers and religious groups may practice their faith and act on their values in public life, and have done so throughout the history of this country. In his or her
be Jose Antonio Medina, advisor on Hispanic ministry for the California Catholic Conference. Each session will also have a panel discussion featuring Jesuit Father George E. Schultze, spiritual director and lecturer on Catholic social thought at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, and others. The English-language sesJose Antonio Medina sions will be Sept. 24 in San Mateo at St. Bartholomew Auditorium, 600 Columbia Dr.; Sept. 25 at St. Sebastian Hall, 373 Bon Air Rd., Kentfield; and Sept. 26 at Holy Name of Jesus Parish Hall, 1555 39th Ave., San Francisco. The featured speaker will be Joan Rosenhauer, coordinator for special projects for the United States Catholic Conference. The evenings will also feature a panel discussion with Rosenhauer, Father Schultze and Bill May of Catholics for the Common Good. conscience, properly formed, a Catholic should recognize that making legal an evil action, such as abortion, is itself wrong. What of Catholics who find themselves questioning the teachings of the Church, or experiencing uncertainties and questions about them? The bishops answer, “Some Catholics may not fully understand the Church’s doctrinal and moral teachings on certain issues. They may have certain questions and even uncertainties. In situations of honest doubt and confusion, they are welcome to partake of Holy Communion, as long as they are striving to understand what the Church professes and to resolve confusion and doubt.” Cardinal William Levada, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and my predecessor as Archbishop here in San Francisco, wrote in 2004: “No bishop is eager to forbid members of his flock from receiving the precious Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, who invites us into communion with Himself and his Body, the Church, as grace and salvation.” In that same year, the U.S. bishops acknowledged that pastoral sensitivity, and they endorsed the following approach to this question of denying Holy Communion: “Given the wide range of circumstances involved in arriving at a prudential judgment on a matter of this seriousness, we recognize that such decisions rest with the individual bishop in accord with the established canonical and pastoral principles. Bishops can legitimately make different judgments on the most prudent course of pastoral action. Nevertheless, we all share an unequivocal commitment to protect human life and dignity and to preach the Gospel in difficult times.” From that statement I conclude that it is my responsibility as Archbishop to discern and decide, prayerfully, how best to approach this question as it may arise in the Archdiocese of San Francisco. I regret the necessity of addressing these issues in so public a forum, but the widespread consternation among Catholics made it unavoidable. Speaker Pelosi has often said how highly she values her Catholic faith, and how much it is a source of joy for her. Accordingly, as her pastor, I am writing to invite her into a conversation with me about these matters. It is my obligation to teach forthrightly and to shepherd caringly, and that is my intent. Let us pray together that the Holy Spirit will guide us all toward a more profound understanding and appreciation for human life, and toward a resolution of these differences in truth and charity and peace.
Most Rev. George H. Niederauer Archbishop of San Francisco
September 5, 2008
Coleman . . .
St. Thomas More School . . . ■ Continued from page 7 do it,” she said, noting parents had already purchased “thousands of dollars worth of volumes” for the reading space. “The new gym is something all the parents wanted and the kids, too,” Elsbernd said. It is the first time in school history that students could practice and host home games on campus. Visitors will cross St. Thomas More Plaza on their way into the new building. Stained glass windows saved from San Francisco’s now-closed St. Edward the Confessor Church are among plaza enhancements. The windows, all 26 feet tall, bear renderings of St. Edward and well-known religious art. A fountain and a statue commemorating St. Thomas More by his well-known “Man for All Seasons” moniker will adorn the new entryway. “The sculpture contains elements of the
Rolheiser . . . ■ Continued from page 11 old man. While he had always been an honest man, a good man, a family man, and a man of faith, he had also, at least up until the years shortly before his death, been a particularly strong man, fiercely independent, proud of his self-sufficiency and not infrequently hard on others and cantankerous in his dealings. His son, a priest, preached the funeral Mass and said this: Scripture tells us that the sum of years of a man’s life is 70, 80 for those who are strong. But my dad lived for 90 years. Why those extra 10 years? Well, it’s no mystery. In my dad’s case, God needed 10 extra years to mellow him.
End-of-life issues from advance medical directives and hospice care to organ donations and palliative care v. terminal sedation will be topics at a Sept. 13 conference at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1111 Gough St., San Francisco. Sponsored by the Respect Life Program of the archdiocesan Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns, the event is scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Featured speakers will include Nancy Valko, RN, president of Missouri Nurses for Life; Carol Hogan director of communications for the California Catholic Conference; and Mary Male Schembri director of parish and community response at Catholic Charities CYO. Admission is $35 (scholarships available), which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. For information and registration, contact Vicki Evans (415) 614-5533 or vevans1438@aol.com. and deserve the complete respect due to human persons. John Paul II made this point clearly in his 2004 allocution
Sulpician Father Gerald Coleman is vice president for ethics for the Daughters of Charity Health System.
four seasons as well as a statue of the saint,” Elsbernd said. The multi-purpose idea follows throughout the new building. A foyer just inside its entrance is large enough to accommodate small luncheons and meetings. “This building brings us many opportunities to enhance the educational environment but also a sense of pride and accomplishment to a community of people who have worked for such a long time to realize this dream,” Elsbernd said. “We are proud we have been able to achieve this.” “This realizes a huge dream for the school,” Fitzpatrick said. “It sets us up for the next century of education. Schools today, especially Catholic schools, have to offer a lot more than they offered 50 years ago to be competitive and attract families and students. These kinds of improvements are so very important to the continuation of Catholic schools.” The new building will also free up campus space including portable classrooms that previously housed the kindergarten.
“We’ll keep them and use them as meeting rooms,” Elsbernd said. “Our old library will become a music room and tutoring center where aides can work with smaller groups of students.” The school, which opened in 1954, serves 320 students. The school’s history is displayed in pictures and other items throughout the new building. Among them is a contract for the construction of the original school. “The original school building was built for $148,000,” Elsbernd said. “This new building cost just a little bit more.” Maureen Huntington, superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of San Francisco, will attend the dedication ceremonies. “The completion of the gym at St. Thomas More has been a dream of the community for 14 years,” she said. “Thousands of individuals, local philanthropic organizations, parents, parishioners, alumni and students of the school have worked hard over the years to make this a reality.” A back-to-school Mass starts at 10 a.m. in St. Thomas More Church, Brotherhood Way at Junipero Serra Blvd. with dedication ceremonies following. For more information, call (415) 337-0100.
Nancy Valko, RN Mary Schembri
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age is an
By Patricia Kasten
Gospel for September 7, 2008 Matthew 18:15-20
honor.
Following is a word search based on the Gospel reading for the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A: a lesson on ways to restore harmony to the church. Words can be found in all directions in the puzzle. SINS LISTENS TO YOU THREE THE CHURCH COLLECTOR BOUND AGREE
AGAINST YOU TAKE WITNESSES GENTILE YOU BIND IN HEAVEN FATHER
ALONE TWO OTHERS REFUSES TAX EARTH LOOSED MY NAME
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SAVE YOUR HOME! IN FORECLOSURE OR BEHIND? STUCK IN A BAD A.R.M. LOAN?
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about persons in a permanent vegetative state: “I feel the duty to reaffirm strongly that the intrinsic value and personal dignity of every human being do not change, no matter what the concrete circumstances of his or her life. A man, even if seriously disabled in the exercise of his highest functions, is and always will be a man, and he will never become a ‘vegetable’ or an ‘animal.’” The “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services” address the question of the donation of organs after death in numbers 63-65. These directives encourage Catholic health care institutions to provide the means whereby those who wish to do so may arrange for the donation of their organs and bodily tissues so that, after death, they may be used for donation or research. Hospitals have very strict guidelines involving many disciplines, e.g., neurologists, cardiologists, ethics committees, and transplant teams, in making decisions with the family and surrogates in a decision to donate a heart, or any bodily organ. No coercion is ever used. Only persons who are declared brain dead are potential heart donors. Patients or their legally-appointed agent for medical decision making, sometimes called a proxy or surrogate, can make an ethically appropriate decision to donate one’s heart to someone in need, once the patient has been declared brain dead using the appropriate neurological criteria. Candidates for such a transplant have a life-threatening deterioration of the heart and in the end stages of their disease they will die without effective treatment. No treatment is as effective as a heart transplant for these patients. Father. Joseph Bradley is a living example!
■ Continued from page 12 of cardiopulmonary function, use whole or total brain death as a legal definition of death. It is possible, then, to declare a person legally dead even if mechanical equipment keeps the body’s metabolic processes working. After the release of the presidential report, the head of the prolife group American Citizens for Life stated that “legislation limiting the concept of brain death to the irreversible cessation of total function of the brain, including the brain stem, is beneficial and does not undermine any of the values we seek to support.” In his 1958 speech, “The Prolongation of Life,” Pope Pius XII stated that death is determined by medical experts and this determination “does not fall within the competence of the Church.” In 2000, the Pontifical Academy of Science upheld this point. Consequently, the Church leaves the question of what signs indicate death to medical experts. John Paul II gave support to determining death by neurological criteria in a 2000 talk to the International Congress on Organ Transplants. The pope said, “…the criteria adopted in more recent times for ascertaining the fact of death, namely the complete and irreversible cessation of all brain activity, if rigorously applied, does not seem to conflict with the essential elements of a sound anthropology.” It is important to distinguish brain death from neurological conditions that render a person unable to communicate, for example, persons in a coma or in a permanent vegetative state. Although these individuals cannot exercise even the most minimal of human powers, they are still fully human
Catholic San Francisco
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Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
Music TV
Books RADIO Film stage
‘Beautiful Boy’ speaks of addiction in authentic voice By Dan Morris-Young There are any number of autobiographical books on the market these days about the wrenching impact drug addiction has not only on the addict, but the addict’s family, friends, co-workers and even addiction professionals who work with them. However, as someone who knows the realities of having a substance-addicted child, I can say with candor that David Sheff’s “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction” (Houghton Mifflin Co., 2008. 326 pp., $24) speaks as authoritatively and honestly as anything I have read on the topic. Sheff deftly – and poignantly – chronicles his son Nic’s slide into addiction – from dabbling with alcohol and marijuana to using them and other drugs on a regular basis, to eventual and total dependence on highly addictive and vindictive meth (methamphetamine). Author of other books (“Game Over, China Down” and “All We Are Saying” ) and a widely published journalist (New York Times, Rolling Stone, Playboy, Wired, Fortune), Sheff uses a fluid style and a reporter’s objectivity in describing Nic’s continual lies (“I’ll be fine. I’ve stopped using”), his thefts (even from his little brother’s piggy bank), his run-ins with the law, his multiple relapses, his vulgarity, his inability and unwillingness to come to grips with profound addiction. At the same time, we come to know a very intelligent, gifted, humorous and sensitive young man whose essence is being
choked from him by meth’s steely grip – right before the eyes of his father, step mother, two siblings and mother. No matter what they do. A central message is that the life of an addict’s family often becomes as unmanageable as the addict’s. “It is debilitating to be dependent on another’s moods and decisions and actions,” writes Sheff. He adds: “I bristle when I hear the word ‘codependent,’ because it’s such a cliché of self-help books, but I have become codependent with Nic….” Sheff provides a bit of cathartic relief for parents and others who have flailed through the mixing bowl of treatment options -- programs, facilities, half-way houses, ranches, agencies, interventions, centers. Employing journalistic research skills, he also supplies the reader not only a moving narrative of addiction and family, but a lot of solid information and education. That said, though, a great quote from one of the physicians with whom he worked trying to secure the best treatment for Nic speaks volumes: “This experience of advising you has made me more convinced that making a selection of programs in the mental health/substance abuse service system is like reading tea leaves.”
Yep. No magic pill. No sure-fire protocols. Only hard work, tough love, hope upon hope, and prayer. The role that prayer, faith and God play in Sheff’s story is significant. Apparently a nonpracticing Jew, the author openly admits to a basically agnostic, non-believing “spiritual” platform. Yet as his son’s compulsions override every promising development for “cleanness,” Sheff repeatedly finds himself exploring the divine option, trying to make sense of 12-step programs’ “higher power.” Eventually, he simply prays, “Please, God, heal Nic. Please, God, heal Nic. Please, God, heal Nic.” Many of us know our own version of that prayer. In contrast to most families’ battle with addiction, however, Sheff and Nic will both benefit financially in the long run, it would seem. In April, Paramount Pictures announced it had purchased the screen rights to not only “Beautiful Boy” but to the book Nic himself has written, “Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines.” Both books are non-fiction bestsellers. (Dan Morris-Young is editor of Catholic San Francisco and a Catholic News Service columnist.)
Mother Teresa, Church teaching top Bestseller list’s topics Following are the Catholic September Children & Young People Christopher West, Servant Books 7. Did Adam & Eve Have Belly Buttons? 2008 Bestsellers books as reported by the 1. The Catholic Faith Handbook for Youth (9780867166194) Matthew Pinto, Ascension Press Catholic Book Publishers Association. Brian Singer-Towns, Saint Mary’s Press 5. The Great Divorce (9780965922883) Hardcover C. S. Lewis, HarperOne (9780060652951) (9780884899877 pb; 9780884899884 hc) 8. Mother to the Poor 1. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light Jung-wook Ko, Pauline Books & Media 6. United States Catholic 2. Tear Soup A Recipe for Mother Teresa with Brian Kolodiejchuk, (9780819848635) Catechism for Adults Healing After Loss Doubleday (9780385520379) 9. Handbook for Today’s Catholic Teen USCCB Publishing (9781574554502) P. Schwiebert & C. DeKlyen, 2. A Persistent Peace Jim Auer, Liguori Publications 7. Handbook for Today’s Catholic ACTA/Grief Watch (9780961519766) John Dear, Loyola Press (9780764811739) A Redemptorist Pastoral Publication, 3. Called to His Supper Revised (9780829427202) Liguori Publications (9780764812200) Jeannine Timko Leichner, Our Sunday 10. The Catholic Youth Prayer Book 3. The Dream Manager L. Krupp, M. Miller & M. Shrader, 8. Sing to the Lord Visitor (9781592762996) Matthew Kelly, Beacon Publishing/ Saint Mary’s Press USCCB, USCCB Publishing 4. FAQs About Confirmation Hyperion (9781401303709) (9780884899006) (9781601370228) Christina Bigatel Durback, Pflaum 4. Rediscovering Catholicism * This list is based on publisher reports of 9. Compendium of the Catechism of Publishing (9781933178479) Matthew Kelly, Beacon Publishing all orders-including orders from general the Catholic Church 5. Welcome, Children! (9781929266081) interest, Catholic and Christian stores-in Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Jean Buell, Pflaum Publishing 5. Catechism of the Catholic Church the U.S. and Canada for titles published by USCCB Publishing (9781574557206) (9780898371741) Doubleday (9780385508193) members of the Catholic Book Publishers 10. The Screwtape Letters 6. Adventures of Saint Paul Our Sunday Visitor (9780879739775) C. S. Lewis, HarperOne Oldrich Selucky, Pauline Books & Media Association. © 2008 Catholic Book USCCB Publishing (9781574551099) Publishers Association, Inc. (9780060652937) (9780819807861) 6. The Gift of Years Joan Chittister, BlueBridge (9781933346106) 7. Surprised by Hope N.T. Wright, HarperOne (9780061551826) 8. Celebration of Discipline 25th Anniversary Edition Experience the fresh anointing Richard Foster, HarperOne (9780060628390) of the Holy Spirit’s inviting, leading and calling 9. Ten Prayers God Always Worship and celebrate joy-filled healing Masses ~ Says Yes To Anthony DeStefano, English, Spanish and Youth tracks available Doubleday (9780385509909) 10. Christ Our Hope Pope Benedict XVI, For more information, please call: Paulist Press Youth ~ (415) 350-8677 (9780809105618)
Holy Spirit Conference
Paperback 1. Catechism of the Catholic Church Doubleday (9780385479677) Our Sunday Visitor (9780879739768) USCCB Publishing (9781574551105) 2. St. Paul: A Bible Study Guide for Catholics Mitch Pacwa, Our Sunday Visitor (9781592764204) 3. Mere Christianity C. S. Lewis, HarperOne (9780060652920) 4. Good News About Sex & Marriage
September 19 ~ 21, 2008 Archbishop Riordan High School 175 Phelan Ave. (next to City College of San Francisco)
Speakers: Bishop Mylo Hubert C. Vergara, D.D. ~ Diocese of San Jose de Nueva Ecija, Philippines Fr. Lou Cerulli ~ Montreal, Quebec, Canada Fr. Jim Tarantino ~ San Francisco Carolyn Suty ~ San Jose
Hispanic ~ (415) 297-1709 Mario Vierneza ~ (415) 467-2099 Ernie von Emster ~ (650) 594-1131
Doors open at 8:00 a.m. Saturday & Sunday $25 per day, $35 for the weekend, $10 Youth a $6 hot lunch is available 7:00 p.m. Friday Charismatic Mass (Fr. Cerulli) followed by Healing Service 11:00 a.m. Saturday Healing Mass 2:00 p.m. Sunday Closing Mass
Sponsored by the Archdiocese of San Francisco Charismatic Renewal
September 5, 2008
St. Mary’s Cathedral Gough and Geary St. in San Francisco – (415) 567-2020. Ample parking is available free of charge in the Cathedral lot for most events. Second and Fourth Fridays through September at 7:30 p.m. in Cathedral Event Center, Monsignor Bowe Room: Discussions of Plato’s Works, a series on the philosophical works of Plato, with the goal of recapturing the wisdom of the ancient authors on perennial questions. The series is free. For a complete list of dates and reading materials visit: www.stanthonypaduainstitute.org/phisem_flier.pdf. Presented by Reynaldo Miranda of the St. Anthony of Padua Institute. For more information, call (888) 619-7882, or e-mail MagisterTextus@StAnthonyPaduaInstitute.org.
National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi Vallejo at Columbus St. in the City’s Historic North Beach. Visit www.shrinerenewal.org or call (415) 983-0405 Sept. 27: Volunteer for one of the biggest moments to come to the Shrine in its history – the dedication and blessing of The Porziuncola, an exact replica of the chapel which St. Francis himself helped rebuild in Assisi. A sacred stone from the famous city will also be placed in the tiny worship space to further the Shrine connection to St. Francis and its promise to be a place of prayer, respite and solitude for those who visit. Cardinal William J. Levada, former Archbishop of San Francisco and now prefect for the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome, will preside. Volunteer duties include directing participant and pedestrian traffic and making visitors feel at home. For information, call (415) 983-0213.
Datebook Oct. 3, 4 and 5: Cathedral’s Second Annual Festival of Flowers showcasing the work of San Francisco’s finest florists, adorning the shrines and altars of landmark St. Mary’s Cathedral. The Festival opens with a gala preview and reception on Friday evening, and will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, free of charge. Among the event’s presenters will be Presbyterian minister, Rev. William McMillan, of Northern Ireland, who is well known around the world for his floral arrangements. Presentations of floral design in sacred art, and the Little Rev. William Flower Festival, will take place downstairs in the Cathedral McMillan Event Center. For a schedule of times and events, or tickets to the gala preview or design presentation, visit www.cathedralflowers.org.
Sept. 19, 6 p.m.: The Four Pillars Gala at St. Mary’s Cathedral will honor Archbishop George H. Niederauer with proceeds benefiting St. Patrick’s Seminary and University in Menlo Park in its mission of “the initial and ongoing formation of priests” for service in a “contemporary and multicultural world.” The evening will feature entertainment by Diana Stork of Festival of Harps as well as an exclusive wine auction. The event takes its name from the four pillars of formation: human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral. Tickets are $150. Call the seminary at (650) 325-5621 or visit www.stpatricksseminary.org.
Sept. 12, 6:30 p.m.: Concert by Jesse Manibusan at St. Raphael Church, 1104 Fifth Ave. in San Rafael. Jesse has the special gift of being able to engage and reach out to any individual -- either one on one at a confirmation retreat, or within a large group of teens at a youth rally. The dynamic performer will touch your soul and have you praising God with him. Suggested donation of $5 for individuals or $30 for parish youth groups. Reception afterward. Contact Chris Lorentz at (415) 454-8141, ext. 28 or clorentz@saintraphael.com.
Food & Fun
TV/Radio
Oct. 4, 6 p.m.: Immaculate Conception Academy commemorates its 125th year at the first ICA Gala Dinner at the San Francisco Marriott, 55 4th St. in San Francisco. Tickets are $150. Patron opportunities are also available. Visit www.icacademy.org or call Patricia Cavagnaro at (415) 824-2052, ext. 31. Sept. 7, Mass at 11 a.m. with picnic from noon – 4 p.m.: CYO Family Day at St. Ignatius College Prep, 37th Ave. at Sunset Blvd. in San Francisco. It’s an afternoon of CYO fun with family and friends featuring a picnic, all-day swimming with licensed lifeguards on duty and a festival to celebrate the kickoff of CYO Athletics’ Fall Season. Enjoy games and activities plus hot dogs with all the trimmings. Tickets are $10 per person for events and $5 per person for picnic lunch. Call (415) 972-1233 or visit www.cccyo.org. Sept. 10, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.: Famed San Francisco comic and youth advisor, Michael Pritchard will entertain along a theme of living one’s faith in the market place at the monthly meeting of the Catholic Professional and Business Club at Caesar’s Restaurant, corner of Bay and Powell St. in San Francisco. Michael Pritchard Pritchard’s work with youth has been featured on CNN and in Time magazine. He speaks regularly to parent, civic and professional groups around the nation. Tickets are $20 for members and $27 for non-members. Annual memberships are available at
Sunday, 6 a.m., WB Channel 20/Cable 13 and KTSF Channel 26/Cable 8: TV Mass with Msgr. Harry Schlitt presiding. Saturday, 4 p.m.: Religious programming in Cantonese over KVTO 1400 AM, co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry and Chinese Young Adults of the Archdiocese. 1st Sunday, 5 a.m., CBS Channel 5: “Mosaic,” featuring conversations on current Catholic issues. 3rd Sunday, 5:30 a.m., KRON Channel 4: “For Heaven’s Sake,” featuring conversations about Catholic spirituality. KSFB Catholic Radio 1260 AM offers daily Mass, rosary and talk on the faith – visit www. ihradio.org
Sept. 6, 11 a.m.: First Saturday Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. Call (650) 756-2060. Sept. 7, 10:30 a.m.: Annual Mass for Police and Firefighters at St. Monica Church, 23rd Ave. and Geary Blvd. in San Francisco. Father John Green, pastor of St. Monica and SFFD chaplain, will preside. Father Michael Healy, pastor of St. Bartholomew Parish in San Mateo and SFPD chaplain, will be homilist. Oct. 4, noon: The Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary celebrate 175 years as a congregation and 120 years in Northern California with this special Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Paul Church, 29th and Church in San Francisco. Call (415) 648-7538.
Arts & Entertainment
Parental notice law . . .
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http://svdp-sf.org, drag mouse to the lower left hand corner of this link: “Friends of the Poor Walk” or call Katherine McCarron, at (415) 977- 1270, ext. 3003, kmccarron@svdp-sf.org. All money raised will help those in need in San Francisco.
$45. Call (415) 614-5579 or visit the CPBC website at www.cpbc-sf.org. Sept.13: Join the St. Stephen School for an evening of family fun at the annual Family Bingo Night. A spaghetti dinner will be served while the entire family plays bingo for fun prizes. To be held at the Janet Pomeroy Center. For more information and tickets contact Tony Maffei at anthonymaffei@ comcast.net or (650) 992-6763. Sept. 14: The St. Stephen Parish Picnic returns to Morton Springs in Glen Ellen. Admission to the park is free. For more information, contact Tony Maffei at anthonymaffei@comcast.net or (650) 992-6763. Sept. 25, noon: Golf outing benefiting Roots for Peace, a local charity that has raised millions for the removal of land mines in war-torn areas. Takes place at Peacock Gap Golf Club in San Rafael. Contact Spencer Baird at (415) 455-8008 for details. Sept. 29, 10 a.m.: 16th Annual Capuchin Golf Tournament at Stanford Golf Course. Tickets at $300 include lunch, driving range, green fees, cart, cocktails, dinner as well as prizes and beverages throughout the day. Tickets at $50 for dinner-only are also available. Proceeds benefit Capuchin Franciscan Friars charities and programs throughout California and Mexico. Call Mike Stecher at (650) 342-4680 or Anne Hahn at (650) 692-5044. Sep. 26, 27 and 28: 70th Annual St. Philip Parish Festival. Festivities start with parish dinner on Friday at 6 p.m. followed by two days of games, activities and free entertainment Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Teen dance takes place Saturday at 7 p.m. St. Philip campus is at 24th and Diamond Street in Noe Valley; details at www.stphilipfestival.org or call (415) 824-8467.
Special Liturgies
Catholic San Francisco
Trainings/Lectures/Respect Life Sept. 13, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.: “End of Life Issues Conference,” sponsored by the Respect Life Program, Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns of the Archdiocese of San Francisco at St. Mary Cathedral Rooms A/B/C. Continuing education credit of 5 hours is available for nurses at a cost of $50.General admission is $35 (scholarships available), which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Speakers include Nancy Valko, RN, president of Missouri Nurses for Life; Carol Hogan, California Catholic Conference; Mary Male Schembri, Catholic Charities CYO. They will be speaking on end-of-life topics including the definition of death, organ transplant issues, palliative vs. terminal sedation, assisted nutrition and hydration, hospice care, advance medical directives, California
assisted-suicide legislation and conscience clauses. For information and registration, contact Vicki Evans (415) 614-5533 or vevans1438@aol.com. Sept. 13, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.: Wayne Weible, who has written about the Medjugorje apparitions, will be guest speaker at a one-day conference at St. Mark Church, 325 Marine View Av., Belmont, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. Opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Mass follow. No Charge. Bring a bag lunch. Call Father Al Furtado, pastor, at (650) 591-5937 or Tony (650) 576-7947 for additional information. Sept. 14, following 5 p.m. Mass: Wayne Weible will be guest speaker at St. Luke Church, 1111 Beach Park Blvd., Foster City. He will speak on the apparitions and messages from Medugorje. No charge. Call Deacon Paul (650) 345-6660 or Tony (650) 576-7947 for any additional information. Sept. 23, 24, 7 p.m.: Gil Bailie begins “The Emmaus Road Initiative,” a series of talks on the integration of theology and anthropology, an area of study Pope Benedict XVI has called a path to a “most exciting part of the Catholic faith.” Bailie is author of “Violence Unveiled: Humanity at the Crossroads.” The Gil Bailie Sept 23 presentation is at St. Patrick’s Seminary and University, 320 Middlefield Rd. in Menlo Park. The June 24 talk is at the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, 2301 Vine. St. in Berkeley. Admission is free. Joining Bailie at St. Patrick’s is Rene Girard a former professor at Stanford University. For more information including sites and times of future talks, call (707) 996-4704.
Social Justice Sept. 17, 18, 19 at 7-8:30 p.m.: A Faithful Citizenship Conference in Spanish will take place at, respectively, Mission San Rafael, 1104 Fifth Ave. at A St. in San Rafael; Mission Dolores, 16th and Dolores St., in San Francisco; and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Fulton and James St. in Redwood City. The event will feature a panel of experts and focus on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement, “Faithful Citizenship and Formation of Conscience.” Speakers will include Jesuit Father George Schultze. Materials for and a discussion of the Protect Marriage Initiative - Proposition 8 - will also be included. For more information, contact publicpolicy@sfarchdiocese.org or call (415) 614-5570. Sept. 24, 25, 26, 7-8:30 p.m.: A Faithful Citizenship Conference in English will take place at, respectively, St. Bartholomew Parish, 300 Alameda de La Pulgas, San Mateo; St. Sebastian Parish, 373 Bon Air Rd., Kentfield; and Holy Name of Jesus Parish, 1555 39th Ave., San Francisco. The event will feature a panel of experts and focus on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement, “Faithful Citizenship and Formation of Conscience.” Speakers include Jesuit Father George Schultze. Materials for and a discussion of the Protect Marriage Initiative - Proposition 8 - will also be included. For more information, contact publicpolicy@sfarchdiocese.org or call (415) 614-5570. Sept. 27, 7 – 10 a.m.: The St. Vincent de Paul Society of San Francisco invites you to unite with hope and laughter in a walk around Lake Merced beginning at Lake Merced parking lot where Sunset dead ends into Lake Merced. Entrance signs will be posted. Registration is free. To register, visit
St. Patrick’s Seminary Celebrates 110 years
Taize/Chanted Prayer 1st Friday at 8 p.m.: Mercy Center, 2300 Adeline Dr., Burlingame with Mercy Sister Suzanne Toolan. Call (650) 340-7452; Young Adults are invited each first Friday of the month to attend a social at 6 p.m. prior to Taize prayer at 8 p.m. The social provides light refreshments and networking with other young adults. Convenient parking is available. For information contact, mercyyoungadults@sbcglobal.net. 1st Friday at 7:30 p.m.: Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave., Menlo Park at 7:30 p.m. Call Deacon Dominic Peloso at (650) 322-3013. Tuesdays at 6 p.m.: Notre Dame Des Victoires Church, 566 Bush at Stockton, San Francisco with Rob Grant. Call (415) 397-0113. 2nd Friday at 8 p.m.: Our Lady of the Pillar, 400 Church St. in Half Moon Bay. Call Cheryl Fuller at (650) 726-2249. 3rd Friday, 8 p.m.: Woodside Priory Chapel, 302 Portola Rd., Portola Valley. Contact Benedictine Father Martin at (650) 851-6133 for directions or information.
Reunions Sept. 11, noon: Star of the Sea Academy, class of 1950, at San Francisco’s Irish Cultural Center, 45th Ave. at Sloat Blvd. Contact Marilyn Day at wilymar@ att.net or (408) 252-2609. Sept. 18: St. Agnes Elementary School, class of 1946, at San Rafael Joe’s. Contact Joan Hunt at jnjhunt2003@aol.com or (818) 248-4513. Oct. 18: The class of 1978 from Our Lady of Angels Elementary School is planning a reunion with site to be announced. All class members as well as former teachers are asked to contact Julie Britton Kanzaki at kanzakis@comcast.net. Star of the Sea Elementary School will mark its 100th year in 2009. Graduates, former students, staff and friends of Star of the Sea and its now closed sister-school, Star of the Sea Academy, are invited to call (415) 221-8558 or e-mail centennial@ staroftheseasf.com. Events marking the occasion include opening rites, dances, golf outings and wine tastings.
Single, Divorced, Separated Information about Bay Area single, divorced and separated programs are available from Jesuit Father Al Grosskopf at (415) 422-6698. Ongoing support groups for the separated and divorced take place at St. Bartholomew Parish, 300 Columbia Dr. at Alameda de las Pulgas, in San Mateo, first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7 p.m. in the Spiritual Center and first and third Wednesdays of the month at St. Stephen Parish Hall, Eucalyptus and 23rd Ave. in San Francisco next to Stonestown Mall at 7:30 p.m. Call Gail at (650) 5918452 or Joanne at (650) 347-0701. Catholic Adult Singles Association of Marin meets for support and activities. Call Bob at (415) 897-0639 for information.
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, or e-mail burket@sfarchdiocese.org.
■ Continued from page 8
‘Women of Grace’ meeting Sept. 19-21 in Sacramento
lobbying attention will go to Prop 8, but voter spillover could push Prop 4 over the top. Holman said he is hopeful for the measure’s passage “We came so close the last two times with so little money, and with no television advertising,” he said. “Sarah’s Law” advocates have raised roughly $2.4 million, against nearly $4 million for the No-on-4 campaign. The largest contributors to the opposition campaign are Planned Parenthood affiliates in California and one in New York, which combined have raised more than $3 million.
Johnnette Benkovic, host of the Eternal World Television Network’s “The Abundant Life,” and Raymond Arroyo, internationally recognized author and journalist, will be among speakers at the Ninth National “Women of Grace” Conference to be held in Sacramento Sept. 19-21, report planners. Arroyo will be the keynote speaker at a Saturday night banquet. The anchor of EWTN’s “The World Over” news program, Arroyo is author of “Mother Angelica: The Remarkable Story of A Nun, Her Nerve,
“Women of Grace” is a “new apostolate for women founded by Benkovic and dedicated to helping women discover their feminine genius by encouraging and affirming them in their dignity as daughters of God,” an event spokesperson said. The weekend conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency. For more information or to register, Raymond Arroyo Johnnette Benkovic visit www.womenofgrace.com or call and a Network of Miracles” which was a Joanne Kane at (800) 558-5452, ext. New York Times bestseller. 235.
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Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
PUBLISH A NOVENA
Catholic San Francisco
c l a s s i f e d s SERVICE DIRECTORY FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION Call 415-614-5642 Fax: 415-614-5641 E-mail: penaj@sfarchdiocese.org
painting and remodeling John Holtz
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If you wish to publish a Novena in the Catholic San Francisco You may use the form below or call 415-614-5640 Your prayer will be published in our newspaper
Name Adress Phone MC/VISA # Exp. ❑ Prayer to the Blessed Virgin ❑ Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Select One Prayer: ❑ St. Jude Novena to SH ❑ Prayer to St. Jude
Please return form with check or money order for $26 Payable to: Catholic San Francisco Advertising Dept., Catholic San Francisco 1 Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco, CA 94109
Maintenance GARIBALDI MAINTENANCE CO. Complete Janitorial – Window Cleaning Quality Service Since 1946
“Large Enough to Matter, Small Enough to Care”
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Handy Man Painting, roof repair, fence (repair/ build) demolition, carpenter, gutter (clean/ repair), decks, skylight repairs, landscaping, gardening, hauling, moving, janitorial. All purpose.
Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assistme in my need. Help me and show me you are my mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help me in this need. Oh Mary, conceived without sin. Pray for us (3X). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3X). Say prayers 3 days. S.G.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit Holy Spirit, you who make me see everything and who shows me the way to reach my ideal. You who give me the divine gift of forgive and forget the wrong that is done to me. I, in this short dialogue, want to thank you for everything and confirm once more that I never want to be separated from you no matter how great the material desires may be. I want to be with you and my loved ones in your perpetual glory. Amen. You may publish this as soon as your favor is granted. R.A.
Safe Non-Toxic, No Shampoo, Dry in Hours not Days
Construction DALY CONSTRUCTION
(650) 593-5959
GENERAL CONTRACTOR Lic. #659078
Roofing
MUZIO & ROVERO INSURANCE SERVICES, INC. P.O. Box 1178, Mill Valley, CA 94941 (415) 388-2096
Call today for a free quote Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company AMCO Insurance Company Allied Property and Casualty Insurance Company Depositors Insurance Company Nationwide Agribusiness Insurance Company Des Moines, Iowa 50391-1100
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Auto
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Party Rentals SM
FINE SERVICE, BETTER EVENTS.
TABLES SEATING LINENS SETTINGS SERVEWARE STAGING
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1- 800-717-PARTY
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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
Lic #376353
Broken Spring/Cable? Operator Problems? Lifetime Warranty All New Doors/Motors
0% Financing Available
SPECIALIZING IN SAN MATEO COUNTY REAL ESTATE If I can be of service to you, or if you know of anyone who is interested in buying or selling a home, please do not hesitate to call me . . .
Auto Service HABELT’S AUTO SERVICE
* Parishioner of St. Gregory’s Church, San Mateo
Complete Auto Repair
415-664-1735
415-931-1540
Real Estate
800-321-2752
3865 Irving St. at 40th Ave. – Since 1964 –
One Price 24 /7
Today
MIKE TEIJEIRO Realtor (650) 523-5815 m.teijeiro@remax.net
Lopez Island (San Juans, Wash. State): 3-Bd, 2 bath (plus loft) custom double-octogon home on 2.1 acres. Mongo views of Straits of Juan de Fuca and Olympic Mountains. Walk to beach, to golf course or to wee airport. Double-car garage. Near marinas. Master suite has its own deck, studio, two sliding doors and jetted tub. Write, read, walk, rest. 2,100/month. (360) 299-0506. seaweedhero@yahoo.com.
$
Plumbing
HOLLAND Plumbing Works San Francisco ALL PLUMBING WORK PAT HOLLAND
CA LIC #817607
The Irish Rose
Home Healthcare Agency Specializing in home health aides, attendants and companions. Serving San Francisco, Marin & the Peninsula.
Contact: 415.447.8463
Counseling 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.
Farm
Fax 415-759-8911 dalynjk@msn.com
(650) 994-6892
RENT, REST, SMILE
Multi-Policy Discounts Insure both your home and auto with Allied Insurance and save! With Allied Insurance, more really is better.
415-753-6804
Specializing In Wood Fences
House for Rent
Insurance Services Healthcare Agency
NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR
Carpet Cleaning
Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail. Most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel Blessed Mother of the Son of God, assistme in my need. Help me and show me you are my mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth. I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to help me in this need. Oh Mary, conceived without sin. Pray for us (3X). Holy Mary, I place this cause in your hands (3X). Say prayers 3 days. S.G.
Call (650) 757-1946 Cell (415) 517-5977
Commercial & Residential Serving SF & San Mateo Co. St. Charles Parishioner
t Interior & Exterior t Remodeling
Prayer to the Blessed Virgin never known to fail.
Prayer to St. Jude Oh, Holy St. Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near Kinsman of Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need, to you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present and urgent petition. In return I promise to make you be invoked. Say three our Fathers, three Hail Marys and Glorias. St. Jude pray for us all who invoke your aid. Amen. This Novena has never been known to fail. This Novena must be said 9 consecutive days. Thanks. M.S.
BONDED & INSURED
415-205-1235
Inner Child Healing Offers a deep spiritual and psychological approach to counseling: ❖ 30 years experience with individuals, couples and groups ❖ Directed, effective and results-oriented ❖ Compassionate and Intuitive ❖ Supports 12-step ❖ Enneagram Personality Transformation
Lila Caffery, MA, CCHT San Francisco: 415.337.9474 Complimentary phone consultation www.InnerChildHealing.com
MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIP SOLUTIONS • Marriage, Family and Pre-Marital Counseling • Brief counseling –lasting solutions • No Cost for first consultation.
David Nellis M.A. M.F.T. (415) 242-3355 www.counselingforchristians.com
When Life Hurts It Helps To Talk • Family • Work • Depression • Anxiety
S anti
• Relationships • Addictions
Dr. Daniel J. Kugler
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
(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 Lic. No. 390254
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Over 25 years experience
Confidential • Compassionate • Practical (415) 921-1619 1537 Franklin Street • San Francisco, CA 94109
Senior Care IN HOME CARE FOR SENIORS Lic.# 39702 We provide excellent services to fit your needs. Our caregivers are caring individuals who have many years experience assisting elderly patients in diverse cases. Our rates are reasonable and competitive. 35 Years in San Mateo County 25 Years Experience Caring for Elderly We provide Live-In; Live-Out; Daily; Weekly; Long-Term; Short-Term vm: 650-286-7547 • bus: 650-367-7327 e-mail: ebw8bion@yahoo.com
Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
Catholic San Francisco Help Classifieds FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION
Wanted
Call: 415-614-5642
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY PARISH SECRETARY/RECEPTIONIST AT St. Teresa of Avila Parish 390 Missouri Street San Francisco, California 94107
415-285-5272 Part Time or Full Time (Monday-Friday) Computer Skills Required Resume should be sent to the attention of Fr. Paul Warren at above address and received by September 9
Fax: 415-614-5641 Email: penaj@sfarchdiocese.org
SISTERS’ ASSISTANT II
Piano Lessons PIANO LESSONS BY
CAROL FERRANDO. Conservatory training, masters degree, all levels of students. CALL (415) 921-8337.
Live In Companion Seeking a trusting, healthy, compassionate, single, female live-in companion. For more information, call (415) 722-9368. If no answer, leave message.
The West Midwest Community of the Sister of Mercy of the Americas, Burlingame campus, has an on-call position for all shifts available. Provides personalized care and support to Sister-residents together with person-centered care teams to ensure Sisters’ continuing independence and quality of life. High School diploma or GED required. Minimum of two years work experience, preferably in elder or healthcare facilities, or comparable education/training or combination of both. Must enjoy working with the elderly, is caring and compassionate, flexible, with good communication and interpersonal skills, can understand and follow individualized care plans, multi-task and prioritize and work with evolving systems and structures. California CNA license and CPR certified required. Interested qualified applicants may send their resumes to: Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, West Midwest Community, Attn: Human Resources, 2300 Adeline Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010 or e-mail cmoore@mercywmw.org or fax (650) 373-4509
House for Rent
POSITION AVAILABLE FULL-TIME PRESCHOOL TEACHER
2 BEDROOM, 1 BATH HOME AVAILABLE, incl. utilities, Saint Phillip Preschool is a Catholic Preschool in San Francisco currently looking for a full-time, experience teacher to join our team. fully furnished, shared washer & dryer, $1,600/mo. EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE: Call (650) 515-8507 Applicants must have 12 ECE/CD units plus two years preschool teach-
Piano Lessons Piano Lessons by Professor Vladimir Romanenkov
(415) 587-8165
Elderly Care Personal care companion, Help with daily activities; driving, shopping, appointments. 27 years experience, references, bonded. (415) 713-1366
Move in Special
MOVE IN SPECIAL! 3 Free Months Quail Ridge Mobile Home/RV Park. Located between Grass Valley and Oroville! Majestic Setting – Drug Free Park (530) 675-9188
ing experience OR at least six ECE/CD units (core courses) and in the process of obtaining the remaining 2+ years of teaching experience.
QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS NEEDED: • • • • • •
Able to work on a collaborative teaching team, building trust and cooperation. Strong organizational and communication skills. Able to implement curriculum in developmentally appropriate practices for preschools and emergent curriculum. Demonstrate personal qualities of warmth, sense of humor and ability to accept children and adults from diverse backgrounds. Expertise in children’s assessments and adult communication. Experience in Montessori, Center/Play-Base or High/Scope a plus, but not required.
DUTIES AND GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES: • • • • • • •
Builds and maintain the Catholic vision and philosophy of the school. Implement a successful Pre-Kindergarten curriculum. Mentor and guide classroom staff and parents to assure quality program. Under the direction of the Director and Head Teacher, ensure smooth operation of daily functions. Maintain a safe and clean school and work environment. Communicate effectively with parents and staff, promoting and atmosphere of teamwork and community. Promote the school through activities both on-site and in the community.
COMPENSATION: We offer competitive salary, benefits, paid vacation. Saint Phillips Preschool assists staff in their professional growth by providing workshops whenever possible. The position is full time. Salary range is dependant upon education and experience.
APPLY:
All applicants will be reviewed by the Preschool Director. Position is open until filled. Catholic applicants given priority – all applicants considered seriously. You may fax your resume and over letter to: (415) 282-8962. Or email: fathertony@sbcglobal.net
ADVERTISING SALES For The Largest Publisher of Catholic Church Bulletins This is a Career Opportunity! • Generous Commissions • Excellent Benefit Package • Minimal Travel • Stong Office Support • Work in Your Community
Call 1-800-675-5051 Fax resume: 707-258-1195
19
heaven can’t wait Serra for Priestly Vocations Please call Archdiocese of San Francisco Fr. Tom Daly (415) 614-5683
We are looking for full or part time
RNs, LVNs, CNAs, Caregivers In-home care in San Francisco, Marin County, peninsula Nursing care for children in San Francisco schools If you are generous, honest, compassionate, respectful, and want to make a difference, send us your resume: Jeannie McCullough Stiles, RN Fax: 415-435-0421 Email: info@sncsllc.com Voice: 415-435-1262
SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT JOB TITLE: SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT WORK LOCATION: ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN FRANCISCO PASTORAL CENTER Looking to make a difference? We, the Catholic Church of San Francisco, pledge ourselves to be a dynamic and collaborative community of faith known for its quality of leadership; richness of diversity of culture and peoples; and united in faith, hope and love. The Archdiocese of San Francisco is seeking a professional, highly skilled Senior Administrative Assistant. This is a regular full-time position. Competitive salary with non-profit organizations, an excellent benefits package including generous holiday schedule and free gated parking. PRIMARY FUNCTION: Performing all secretarial and advanced administrative responsibilities; Assists in the scheduling and preparation of meetings, events and travel as necessary; Maintains files and databases; Performs other assigned duties to ensure responsibilities are handled in an efficient, effective and professional manner. SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS MUST HAVE THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS: • Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree or equivalent experience. • Minimum of 3 to 5 years experience as administrative assistant in professional office environment. • Excellent computer skills with sound knowledge of MS Word, Excel, Access and Outlook required. (Minimum typing speed: 50 WPM) • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a demonstrated ability to compose professional correspondence. • Possess a high level of organizational ability and ability to identify, set and maintain priorities. • Ability to make independent decisions within assigned area of responsibility and work without close supervision. • Must demonstrate the ability to work with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. • Experience in working with highly confidential matters and displaying professional discretion at all times. • Ability to transcribe is a plus. • Proven ability to work collaboratively and harmoniously with others. • Practicing Roman Catholic in good standing with the Church. PLEASE SUBMIT RESUME, COVER LETTER AND 2 REFERENCES TO: Archdiocese of San Francisco Office of Human Resources, Associate Director One Peter Yorke Way, San Francisco 94109 Fax: (415) 614-5536 • E-mail: schmidtp@sfarchdiocese.org
20
Catholic San Francisco
September 5, 2008
Medjugorje Pilgrimages
TRAVEL LAKE GUIDE TAHOE For advertising information please call 415.614.5642
Catholic San Francisco invites you
to join in the following pilgrimages
Hosted by Visionary Mirjana SFO Departures Sep. 15-24, $2025 Oct. 13-22, $2025 Nov. 28-Dec. 7, $2075 Feb. 24-March 5, 2009, $2025 April 13-24, 2009, $2099
RENTAL
TRINITY PILGRIMAGES Ph: 480.443.3912, Email: trinitypilgrimage@cox.net www.trinitypilgrimage.com
Vacation Rental Condo in South Lake Tahoe.
VACATION RENTAL Hawaiian Condos Waianae Oahu
Sleeps 8, near Heavenly Valley and Casinos.
2 or 3 bedrooms near Beach next to Golf Resort. Fully furnished – 30 miles from Honolulu Airport.
30% OFF
Call 925-933-1095
SPAIN AND FATIMA
Great for families or as Fundraiser Prize
www.MassiveAloha.com
See it at RentMyCondo.com#657
Oct. 23 – Nov. 2, 2008
CALL NOW Casey Logwood – 415-532-9191
Departs San Francisco 11-Day Pilgrimage
* discounted off published rate cannot be used with other discount offers
2,799
only $
Fr. Don Hying, Spiritual Director Visit: Paris Lisbon, Fatima, Seville, Granada, Toledo, Madrid, Avila, Valley of the Fallen, El Escorial
Cathedral of Madrid
HOLY LAND December 30, 2008 – January 9, 2009
Tour 90404
Departs San Francisco 11-Day Pilgrimage
2,799
only $
($2,899 after Sept. 21, 2008)
Tell our advertisers you saw their ad in Catholic San Francisco
Fr. Larry Young, Spiritual Director Visit: Tel Aviv, Caesarea, Mt. Carmel, Tiberias, Upper Galilee, Jerusalem, Masada
Garden of Gethsemane
April 29-May 10, 2009
SOUTHERN ITALY
DISCOVERING CATHOLIC TEACHERS
P.O. Box 67
January 15 – 24, 2009 Departs San Francisco 10-Day Pilgrimage
2,299
only $
($2,399 if deposit is not paid by Oct. 2, 2008)
Fr. Chris Crotty C.P.M., Spiritual Director
✢
AND TRADITIONS
Saint Mary’s, KS 66536
Come to Mexico City and celebrate the Feast Days of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego!
e c e e Gr andey
Rome
Visit: Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Bari, Mt. St. Angelo, San Giovanni, Lanciano, Cascia, Assisi, Orvieto Rome (Papal audience)
GREECE • TURKEY
Honor St, Juan Diego and Our Lady of Guadalupe on their feast days, December 9th and 12th. Discover the Catholic treasures of Mexico City and much more!
Turk
Pilgrimage Chaplains: Fr. Robert P. Cipriano, Director of the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, and Fr. Thomas M. Parenti, Pastor of St. Brendan Church, both in San Francisco.
Price: $1,6455 pp, plus air taxes and surcharges
April 29 – May 10, 2009
Includes roundtrip air from San Francisco, 6 nights hotel accommodations, all breakfast and dinners, services of a professional tour escort / guide, and medical travel insurance. Space is limited. Call today!
Departs San Francisco 12-Day Pilgrimage
only $
Catholic Heritage Tours
4,249
($4,349 after January 19, 2009)
Deadline to register: Sept. 15, 2008
Fr. Ron Williams, Spiritual Director Includes outside cabin and shore excursions
For more information, call 1-800-290-3876, Or visit www.catholicheritagetours.com/mexico
Athens
Visit: Athens, Istanbul, Mykonos, Patmos, Kusadas, Rhodes, Heraklion, Santorini, Piraeus, Corinth
$4,249 if deposit is paid by 1-19-09 For a FREE brochure WORLD TRAVEL AGENCY on these pilgrimages contact: Full service travel agency for over 30 years 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)
●
Specializing in vacations and cruises Mexico ● Hawaii ● Canada ● Las Vegas OPEN: Mon.-Fri. 9 am-5 pm Sat. 10 am-2 pm ● Sun. by appointment
www.worldtravelagency.com
510-236-1081
●
●
email: worldtravelagency@aol.com
2300 El Portal Dr., Suite H, San Pablo
Se Habla Español