Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
By Jim Lockwood
(PHOTO BY JOSE LUIS AGUIRRE/CATHOLIC SAN FRANCISCO)
Catholic san Francisco
Boston studies parishes’ future; change ahead for some Toledo parishes
Dominic Segerblom, 4, is anointed during the World Day of the Sick Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral Feb. 12. See Page 10 for more photos.
Newsletter offers spiritual guidance to prisoners Mass. The Order of Malta was founded in Jerusalem at the end of the 11th century to run a hospice for pilgrims; WASHINGTON (CNS) – With its quarterly newsletthe organization received papal recognition as a religious ter “The Serving Brother,” the American Association of order in 1113. the Order of Malta is trying to bring spiritual guidance The order gradually took on military responsibilities and hope to the Catholics who make up 25 percent of the out of a need to defend pilgrims and Christian lands from more than 2.3 million prisoners in the U.S. Muslim attacks, and from the 14th to the 17th centuries it The inspiration to become active in prison ministry was a major naval power in the Mediterranean. Throughout came to Steve Caron, a its history, however, the Knight of Malta, when he order’s chief aims have been Alarmed by heard a reading at Mass sanctification of its mem– from chapter 25 of the bers, service to the faith Gospel of St. Matthew: and charitable work, which the dramatic “I was in prison and you includes members’ outreach visited me.” to prisoners. Alarmed by growth in “No one was talking the dramatic growth in the about prison ministry,” prison population in the the prison Caron said. “So I talked U.S., in 2006 the American about it with my parish Association of the Order of population, priest who encouraged me Malta made prison ministry to speak with prison chapits national work. the Order of Malta made prison lains in our area.” According to Caron, the Caron said he thought: association has since com“There’s more that I can mitted substantial resources ministry its national work. do,” feeling there was a to provide Bibles, spirireal need to help prisoners tual readings and volunteer who, perhaps because of their Catholic faith, might be labor to reach those behind bars with Christ’s message. closed off to guidance because they felt “ashamed or Because of the austere nature of most prisons, and the embarrassed” by their actions. As it turns out, he was heavy restrictions placed on prisoners’ use of television, coincidentally invited to join the Knights of Malta less radio and the Internet, Caron and the Knights decided that than a month after hearing Matthew 25 proclaimed at SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE, page 9 (CNS FILE PHOTO/KAREN CALLAWAY)
By Becket Adams
BOSTON (CNS) – In the Boston archdiocese, a team of priests, deacons, religious and laypeople will help lay the groundwork for the archdiocese’s future, which will likely result in fewer parishes but a similar number of churches that currently serve Catholics. Boston Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley announced the formation of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Commission Feb. 2. The 18-member board will make a final recommendation to him on a pastoral plan for resources available in the near future. “This is an important endeavor that will help guide and shape the future of the archdiocese in meeting the pastoral needs of our parishes and ministries, and in advancing the mission of the church,” the cardinal said. Father Richard Erikson, archdiocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia, did not give a specific timeline for the group to accomplish its work but he said that by the end of the year church officials could have a sense of how to proceed. About a week before the Boston announcement, officials in the Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, announced a three-year parish reorganization plan is to begin in July with changes for 13 parishes, which will either be twinned or merged with other parishes or will share a pastor. Over the next two years, further reorganization is planned that will affect another 20 parishes. In Boston, Father Erikson said the timeline for implementing the pastoral plan over the long term has not been concretely established, but he said Cardinal O’Malley wants a gradual implementation. The priest told The Pilot, the archdiocesan newspaper, that the committee’s goals include assisting Cardinal O’Malley in presenting a future pastoral plan that will “be equal to the resources we have available” and helping the archdiocese prepare for “challenges we will have in the future.” He said he anticipated the plan will include a number of parish mergers with individual churches remaining open as places of worship. “Our hope is to maintain and sustain as many churches as possible,” he said. In contrast, the archdiocese shuttered dozens of church buildings as part of its 2004 parish reconfiguration process, roiling the local Catholic community and sparking several parish vigils and civil and canonical appeals. Father Erikson expressed hope that 20 years from now, the archdiocese would have fewer parishes but “not dramatically fewer churches.” He cited dwindling Mass attendance, financial strain PARISHES’ FUTURE, page 9
Stem cell research: The Catholic view This week’s issue features three articles on the fast-expanding field of stem cell research. On Page 10, Valerie Schmalz reports on the first human clinical trials of a possible therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells. On Page 12, Vicki Evans raises concerns about California’s public stem cell agency, which has funded $1 billion for buildings, training and research, much of it in the Bay Area, since 2006. On Page 13, Father Tad Pacholczyk says embryonic stem cells have become “a great modern secular fairy tale.”
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Combating bullying . . . . . . . 5 Avoid negative thinking . . . . 6 Local news . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8 Feast of St. Peter Damian . . 14 Father Rolheiser . . . . . . . . . 15
Cathedral Memories ~ Page 3 ~ February 18, 2011
Priests fear Egyptian youth will leave church ~ Page 11 ~
Datebook of events . . . . . . . 17
iPhone confession app ~ Page 16 ~
ONE DOLLAR
Service directory . . . . . . . . . 18
www.catholic-sf.org VOLUME 13
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