2024 September-October Liguorian Magazine by Liguori Publications

BEYOND ACADEMICS

How Catholic Schools Are Building Community

Powerful Stories of Healing and Offering our Lives to Christ

◆ THE HERMIT: The Priest Who Saved a Soul, a Marriage, and a Family

The moving story of a holy priest-turned-hermit who came to the rescue of a deeply wounded woman and family during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his raw and tender memoir, Kevin Wells pulls readers into an unforgettable story of Fr. Martin Flum who orchestrated the slow resurrection of his wife, Krista, from the nightmare of deep wounds and addiction.

Wells’s rollicking tale of inner crisis and hope- lled healing takes readers on a spiritual roller-coaster with a penetrating exploration into the o -overlooked sacramental grace of marriage and the mysterious movement of God in dry and lonely places

◆ A YEAR OF DAILY OFFERINGS

Fr.James Kubicki, S.J. , well-known spiritual guide on Relevant Radio, presents a prayerful 366day experience immersed in the lives of the saints, the rhythm of the Church calendar, and the stories of ordinary people living the Eucharist in their daily lives. It will help you reorder not just your devotional life, but the entire way of o ering your day to Christ.

He provides a rich array of reflections based on Ignatian spirituality with a fresh perspective on connecting with God through morning prayer using prayers of the saints, a word to carry you throughout the day, and an evening reflection on the day you o ered to God.

HERMP Sewn So cover, $17.95

“A harrowing, utterly candid account of a married Catholic couple struggling with the bondage of addiction. It reveals how Christ yearns to pour out healing and liberation upon us, if we would only reach out to receive what He longs to give us. is phenomenal story should be read by all who seek to follow Jesus wholeheartedly.”

— Michael O’Brien, Author, Father Elijah and Island of the World

“ e best book I’ve ever read on how to pursue the spiritual life in marriage. A delicate, intimate, and compelling narrative told with the riveting literary style of Kevin Wells.”

David Torkington, Author, Wisdom from the Christian Mystics

YDOP Sewn So cover, $18.95

“For the past 20 years we have listened to Fr. Kubicki’s ‘Daily Reflections’ on Relevant Radio, which are clearly a fruit of his interior life, study and reflection. This new readable companion of Daily Offerings is short, clear, and packed with inspiring content, perfect for busy people on the go.”

— Fr Francis “Rocky” Ho man, CEO, Relevant Radio

“Fr. Kubicki’s mediations and prayer of self-o ering help us grasp what a great glory it is to unite our daily ups & downs to the perfect sacri ce of Jesus.”

Daria Sockey, Author, The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours

SeptemberOctober

Beyond Academics

The important role Catholic schools play in their communities

Called Beyond Comfort Explore the life of a Redemptorist missionary at home and abroad

When I Was Sick, You Visited Me The poignant lessons learned through hospital chaplaincy

how to accept yourself so you can get back to loving yourself

September-October Columnists

Fr. Philip Dabney, CSsR (“The Redeemer, Mary, and You”) has preached numerous parish missions and retreats. The gift he believes he offers is his love for his priesthood and the people of God. He once wrote: “I began my priesthood by offering my life to Christ, and he has filled my life with his people.”

Juliet Byington Holden (“Keep the Faith”) works with a foundation in St. Louis to connect critical resources with organizations and churches in the region, and after thirty years in the nonprofit sector, she has a deep appreciation for those who make straight the path for others.

Most Reverend Bruce Lewandowski, CSsR (“Plain Talk”), is auxiliary bishop, urban vicar, and episcopal vicar for Hispanic Catholics in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Bishop Bruce was formerly the pastor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Patrick parishes in Baltimore.

Fr. Michael McAndrew, CSsR (“Padre Migrante”), has served for thirty-plus years in Redemptorist Hispanic ministry initiatives, youth ministry, bilingual parish missions, and farmworker ministry. He is an associate with the Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network, was director for a Campesino Ministry, and was part of the preparation team for the Redemptorist mission in Matamoros, Mexico.

Fr. Robert Pagliari, CSsR, PhD (“Holy Homework”), has served as a Redemptorist priest for forty-plus years, dedicating his life to an array of ministries, including teaching, parish administration, preaching, and editing. Liguori Publications updated Fr. Bob’s Holy Homework in 2022, a book that was first published in 2018.

Br. Raymond Pierce, CSsR (“The Lighter Side”), is a native of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. His ministry is storytelling via email. Every week, he sends “Morning Smiles” emails of humor and personal stories to nearly 1,000 senior citizens.

Fr. Thomas M. Santa, CSsR (“A Word from the Publisher”), was named president and publisher of Liguori Publications in January, his second assignment as the company’s leader. Professed as a Redemptorist in 1973, his ministries have included retreat work and writing reflections for the Scrupulous Anonymous newsletter.

María Ruiz Scaperlanda (“Redemptive Living”) is an award-winning journalist and author of Catholic-based articles and books, including The Shepherd Who Didn’t Run: Blessed Stanley Rother, Martyr from Oklahoma and Rosemary Nyirumbe: Sewing Hope in Uganda

Adam Tran-Chung (“Social Media Perspectives”) is stepping in to write for his brother, Andrew, who is beginning his novitiate to become a professed Redemptorist. Adam is also passionate about the intersection of social media and the Church and looks forward to providing content for this column.

I have truly been evangelized by the poor, who have taught me through their simplicity, authenticity, generosity, and integrity about God and God’s love.

FR. JOSEPH P. DORCEY, CSSR

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Liguorian is named after our founder and patron saint, St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696–1787). Doctor of the Church, bishop, patron of confessors, moral theologian, prolific writer, pastoral theologian par excellence, and founder of the Redemptorist Congregation. It is in his spirit and inspired by the charism he shared with us, “With him there is plentiful redemption for all,” that this magazine and all pastoral educational products of Liguori Publications proudly claim we always strive to be Catholic, Pastoral, Trusted. To learn more about the Redemptorists, visit Redemptorists.com Catholic. Pastoral. Trusted.

Friends and Family

This September-October issue of Liguorian is significant to me. Although each issue represents my best effort, this issue is special. All the feature articles are written by people who are very important to me. These wonderful people have shaped the contours of my life and faith and continue to do so.

When I began planning this issue of Liguorian , I did not intend to assemble the feature articles in a way that represents this wonderful synergy, yet it all fell into place. I understand such moments as those of God’s creative grace reaching into our lives, forming gifts and blessings in ways we never imagined. It is yet another manifestation of the living mystery of plentiful redemption for all.

Fr. Tom Donaldson, CSsR ("When I Was Sick, You Visited Me"), and Fr. Joe Dorcey, CSsR ("Called Beyond Comfort"), are Redemptorists who were with me in the seminary, beginning in 1967. Fr. Tom was a junior, I was a sophomore, and Fr. Joe was a freshman seminarian. It is hard to believe that was fifty-seven years ago; it seems like yesterday! The seminary has long since closed, but, through the grace of God, we have persevered.

As the years unfolded, our paths crossed many times. Our families knew each other and have shared many memories together. Our high school experiences overlapped, and we share to this day many of the same friends. It was not until our ordinations, beginning in 1977 and ending in 1979, that we took very different paths. Fr. Tom became a parish priest, pastor, well-received parish missionary, and, now, Catholic hospital chaplain. I became a teacher, retreat director, writer, publisher, and, later in life, pastor. Fr. Joe went to Brazil after his ordination and followed a path that brought him to five different continents.

A Word From the Publisher

FR. THOMAS M. SANTA, CSsR

I understand such moments as those of God’s creative grace reaching into our lives, forming gifts and blessings in ways we never imagined.

Scott Czarnopys ("Beyond Academics") is my nephew. He is the second son of my youngest sister, Theresa. His two siblings, Nathan and Megan, are also accomplished in their chosen paths: Nathan is a postmaster, and Megan is a school principal. Nathan has two children: Kai works in the post office, and Tamia is married to Boston Celtics player Xavier Tillman. Xavier and Tamia have three wonderful children.

My niece Megan has two children, both of whom are still in school. Grayson is an outstanding student and athlete, and Sylvia is also a student and athlete, and she assembles world-class charcuterie boards. Scott has two children, Haven and Dax, both of whom are great students and athletes who are just beginning to excel in their chosen areas of interest. I would be remiss if I did not mention Arley, Marcia, and Corey, the spouses of Scott, Nathan, and Megan. They, too, are wonderful individuals.

Finally, Vinita Hampton Wright ("The Interior Life") is a great friend, awardwinning author of Christian books, retired editor from Loyola Press in Chicago, and, most recently, spiritual director. Vinita and I have occasionally combined our efforts and conducted Catholic writer retreats—platforms to form and encourage Catholic writers. Vinita and her husband, Jim, recently moved from Chicago to Ar -

ANDREW ANGELOV / SHUTTERSTOCK

kansas after many years of work and never-ending creativity. Jim is a spectacular photographer and has a keen eye for beauty that only a photographer seems able to capture.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Liguorian as much as all of us here at Liguori Publications have enjoyed sharing it with you. If the occasion presents itself, please share your magazine with others. Better yet, sign them up for the free digital edition of the magazine or encourage them to subscribe to the print edition. There are many more wonderful and inspirational stories planned for the months ahead, and we would love to share these moments with as many readers as possible. I invite your family and friends to become a part of ours. A

I hope you enjoy this issue of Liguorian as much as all of us here at Liguori Publications have enjoyed sharing it with you.

Readers’ Retorts

Send Us Your Feedback!

Write: Liguorian Editor, One Liguori Drive, Liguori, MO 63057 E-mail: Liguorianeditor@Liguori.org

The opinions expressed don't necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors. Letters must be signed and include the writer’s full address and daytime phone number. Names will be withheld from publication upon request. The editors reserve the right to edit letters for length, clarity, and style.

Dear Liguorian Editor,

Your article “Living in the Light of Christ’s Peace: Achieving Peace through Nuclear Disarmament” in the July-August issue of Liguorian is a very good reminder that true peace cannot be achieved by nuclear weapons, contrary to what the government claims. I believe it gives us a constant fear that nuclear weapons will be used against us by an adversarial government or a terrorist group. I also wish to see articles regarding gun violence in this country. It is so sad to see the news each day about victims of gun violence. It has become so common that it appears their lives are no longer valued.

Tess M. (via email)

Dear Liguorian Staff,

I’m quite saddened to read that one of my favorite contributors to the magazine has passed away. Over the years, Jim Auer’s writings have really captivated me. I always anticipated something from him in every issue. Jim, I’ll truly miss you. Rest in God’s glorious peace. My gratitude to all of you, Liguorian family, for your fine publication and for featuring great writers like Jim Auer.

Filomena F. (via email)

Thanks for a Great Issue

Dear Liguorian Editor,

This issue is packed with great articles! I read with great interest Fr. Matthew O’Toole’s article “The History of the Mass.” The comparisons of before and after Vatican II were explained so well and were easy for me to understand. As a kid growing up during the Mass changes post-Vatican II, this article really brings back memories of dinner-table discussions!

I also appreciate the book excerpt from Visits to the Blessed Sacrament and Our Lady This is a wonderful glimpse of the book, and, as a weekly adoration-goer, I find that it’s a practical guide to prayer that will be inspiring and purposeful.

The article by Patrick Hayes gave an insightful history of the Forty Hours devotion along with the timeline. I could go on and on about this issue! Thank you, thank you! I’m going to pass it on to my friends to read.

JoAnn C. (via email)

A MAN AT A RALLY CAMPAIGNING FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, IN SUPPORT OF THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AT WAR. ROBERTOBARCELLONA/SHUTTERSTOCK

In this exciting testimony about migration ministry in the Catholic Church, Fr. Michael McAndrew, CSsR, brings to life the realities of migrants and their pastoral needs, providing poignant insight into how to approach migration ministry today. If your parish is struggling to create effective sacramental programs for migrants, or you simply want to learn more about migration ministry, this book is an excellent tool for you.

Fr. Michael McAndrew, CSsR, has served for more than thirty years in Redemptorist Hispanic ministry initiatives, youth ministry, bilingual parish missions, and farmworker ministry. Today, he is an associate with the Catholic Migrant Farmworker Network. Fr. Mike authored Migrant Faith (Education and Leadership Press, 2013). In 2024, he began writing a column called “Padre Migrante” in Liguorian magazine.

Que Viva!

There are moments in life when feelings of great joy and happiness simply can’t be contained. It was December, and the parish was celebrating the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As a tilma (a cloak) with our Lady’s image imprinted on it came up the main aisle of the church, shouts of “Que viva! ” filled the air. Repeatedly, “Que viva! Que viva!”

These two words, “Que viva!”, carry a world of meaning. They express love and affection. They speak of care and concern. They are a declaration of great pride. They are a wish, a desire, and a prayer. These words give voice to feelings of immense joy and happiness. Literally, the expression means “Long live…” or “May you live for many years.”

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 each year, and shouts of “Que viva!” all month long express one’s gratitude for family, culture, faith, community, and solidarity. There is much to celebrate!

Que viva la familia! —Long live family! Family is always first in Hispanic culture. It’s called familismo. Family members are responsible for each other and care for one another. They are expected to prioritize their immediate and extended family members above all else. Family gatherings are frequent and filled with warmth and love. Birthdays, weddings, and religious ceremonies are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Gatherings are filled with laughter, lively conversation, and, of course, great food.

MOST REVEREND BRUCE LEWANDOWSKI, CSsR

Que viva la Iglesia! —Long live the Church! While many Hispanic families pray together daily at home, Sunday prayer is special. Showing up and connecting with the church community at Mass on Sunday is a fiesta (party). Hispanic parishioners arrive early, before Mass, and stay late afterward. The Mass, along with music, food, and social interaction, make Sunday the high point of the week. Hispanic Catholics have a profound love and respect for our Lord in the Eucharist.

Que viva la Virgen! —Long live the Virgin Mary! Popular religiosity takes the form of devotions that lie outside of official or institutionalized religious practice. They express people’s desire to connect with God. Often, the Church adapts and accepts a popular devotion, not only because of the affection people have for it but also because it is an authentic expression of faith. Devotions are an integral part of everyday Hispanic Catholic life. La Virgen , the Virgin Mary, is not confined to the church building. She is everywhere: on the rearview mirrors of cars; on shirts, jackets, and caps; in supermarkets, restaurants, and homes. She is welcome everywhere and makes an appearance in all places where people gather. She is a sign of hope, God’s love, and continued closeness to his people.

These are only a few examples of the faith and culture that Hispanic people bring to the Church; there is so much more. What a blessing for our Church and nation! Long live Hispanics! Que vivan los Hispanos! A

Church procession through the streets of Cozumel, Mexico, on Easter Sunday

Beyond Academics

HOW CATHOLIC SCHOOLS BUILD COMMUNITY

SCOTT CZARNOPYS

The unparalleled strength of Catholic schools lies in our unwavering commitment to holistic education beyond academics. As a principal of a Catholic K–8 school, I am honored to serve in an environment that blends faith, academics, and values. Our dedicated parents and faculty prioritize the cultivation of character alongside academic achievement, fostering well-rounded individuals with a strong moral foundation to enter the world. The sense of community within our school family ensures a supportive and nurturing atmosphere, promoting personal growth and spiritual development.

Catholic schools stand out for instilling empathy, compassion, and social responsibility, preparing students not just for academic success, but for a

life guided by ethical principles. In a society turned inward, our Catholic faith continues to ask us to think outside ourselves and serve others. Serving each other will allow our communities to thrive and enable us all to grow in soul.

Every human is unique and has his or her own story. Although Catholic communities may differ, we share many gifts and challenges. My story, and the story of our community in Parnell, Michigan, may differ from yours. Nonetheless, I believe there are basic blueprints we can all lean on to foster the faith-filled community we desire. Ultimately, humans thrive when we meet face-to-face to worship, pray, and play. It’s time to set down our phones, slow down our nonstop busyness, and come together to experience each other the way we’ve done throughout all of history—in person.

Catholic schools stand out for instilling empathy, compassion, and social responsibility, preparing students not just for academic success, but for a life guided by ethical principles.

Parish History

Saint Patrick Parnell is a rural Irish parish in Parnell, Michigan, located on the outskirts of Grand Rapids. It is well-known throughout the region for its large, historic church and chicken dinner festival, which dates back to the 1860s. A number of descendants of the Irish founders still remain in the parish.

Saint Patrick School was founded in 1893 as an integral mission for the parish. It enjoyed a successful mission for many years but began to fundamentally change and struggle during the early 2000s. The 130-yearold school was teetering on the brink of closure and had only seventy students enrolled when I arrived in 2010. Now, in 2024, fourteen years later, the school has a waiting list and a robust enrollment of 245 students. We recently constructed two additional classrooms to provide space relief for the maximum-capacity school.

The school’s revitalization is a testament to the faith and resiliency of the members of the Saint Patrick community. Generations of many families have passed through the school doors; in fact, this past school year, we welcomed our first fifth-generation student. Saint Patrick School has been sustained by the prayers and generosity of a faithfilled community. Our church community has proven, again and again, that our values go beyond academics. This demonstrates what our Catholic communities provide when given the necessary support, even as challenges remain.

Being a Principal Is Not What It Looks Like

When I started my career as a middle-school teacher, I watched my principal daily. I could never figure out what she was doing; she seemed stressed all the time. From my perspective, the school was running well. My coworkers were nice, and the kids were smart and made the

Saint Patrick Parish was founded by immigrants who settled in the townships of Grattan, Ada, Vergennes, and Cannon, Michigan, in the early 1840s.

same mistakes they always have. I assumed she oversaw everything, signed some checks, supported her teachers, and had the luxury of enjoying a hot cup of coffee each morning. I was wrong.

A school principal’s job is not what it looks like. My master’s degree in educational leadership did not prepare me for the day-to-day duties—my own flawed life and ability to endure did. My leadership classes never taught me that being a principal is actually being a community leader. It’s not about creating schedules, evaluating your staff, or making curriculum decisions. Yes, those things occur, but, ultimately, through the lens of our Catholic faith, I listen to, walk with, and support families through their pain and suffering. Leader ship comes from growth in character, which is accomplished by enduring difficult circumstances. How you react and behave when times are tough is what truly makes the rubber hit the road.

Imagine this: a couple says they are getting divorced, and they want to know how to tell their children. A father tells you he’s lost his job, which was the only source of income for his family. A grown man asks for help with his alcohol problem. A mother tells you she has terminal cancer.

is tangible. Walking with people through incredible difficulties is not an easy task, but there is beauty in it—a “beautiful struggle.” We have crucifixes in every classroom to serve as a constant reminder of pain and suffering and how we will all experience it one way or another. Leadership is not easy, but God made every person in his image, and they are all worth the beautiful struggle.

New Challenges on the Horizon

You can only unpack these conversations in person, where the pain and emotion being shared with you

In my fourteen years serving as a principal, it has become an increasingly challenging role, particularly in the past five years. Overall mindsets appear to be shifting, even while the beauty of teaching and learning with children remains the same. The world has become more polarized, and it’s felt in our schools by our children. When all aspects of life become politicized, we lose our focus on the basic mission of helping each other grow in soul, encounter Christ, and get to heaven. Arguments about what is or isn’t Catholic, what’s too conservative or too liberal, or what the role of schools is today can dominate discussions, hindering us from embracing those around us. This dilemma is everywhere, and a strategy I have employed is to shut out the noise and simply listen to people, no

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

matter their viewpoint. I approach every conversation with a blank slate, with no bias or predetermined destination. This tactic allows me to listen; now, more than ever, people need to be heard.

At some point, our mindset shifted from “what’s good for the community” to “what’s good for me.” I encounter people who are constantly searching for individual happiness and personal affirmation. This message of “it’s about you and your happiness” has been acknowledged around the world. Unfortunately, constant happiness is not achievable—and it’s a very small slice of the pie chart of life.

Our faith provides answers in the midst of society’s crisis of searching for meaning. At the very least, it provides the opportunity to be with others. Whether through a homily’s

message or in prayer time, I’ve been called to think outside myself and care for others. That itself is transformational. As a community, we need to find ways to humble ourselves, pull people back into the fold, and see each other as children of God, not as enemies with differing opinions. We teach this ideal to our students, but to transform our communities, we all need to apply it.

Small Solutions Bear Great Fruit

As a society, we’ve become isolated, searching for instant gratification and happiness, yet coming up empty-handed. We’ve become defensive, feeling slighted. We need to make a change at a higher level, which can be intimidating and overwhelming.

In the small, semi-rural town of Parnell, one way we are breaking these chains is by emphasizing what has always been good: providing daily encounters for the children

and engaging our parents, who are their children’s primary teachers. One of our parish family’s missions is dedicating ourselves to helping men become more involved in their families and community. We accomplish this by humbling ourselves and admitting that, as men, we need to be better fathers, husbands, and community leaders. We can’t expect the priest, principal, or mothers to take care of everything. It takes two to make a marriage work, and it takes all of us to build community. Everyone is busy, but busyness is no longer an acceptable excuse.

Four years ago at Saint Patrick, we started a men’s group called Exodus. We follow the Exodus 90 program that is familiar to many. The program itself does not matter, but the fact that we’ve grown from five dads in the first year to more than thirty today does. The program requires prayer, asceticism, and fraternity. Instead of meeting for Bible study— which can be off-putting for some men—we gather in downtown Grand Rapids and work out together. Afterward, we get coffee and discuss our progress in the program—acts of asceticism that include fasting, taking cold showers, abstaining from alcohol, and more. It’s a challenge, and it humbles all of us, yet the bonds we’ve created are real and lasting. Today, the men show up at Saint Patrick School to read and help at com-

Fr. Tom Cavera and Scott Czarnopys work out weekly with men who make up their Exodus group. Here, they climb the historic Depression-era stairs in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

munity events, and they regularly attend confession. The change instigated by our men’s group reaches beyond the school walls and is helping build our community as a whole.

While this program is intended for men, there are many similar opportunities for building faith communities of both women and men that you can incorporate into your community at-large. There are longterm gains from experiencing your community face-to-face: praying, learning, working out, breaking bread together. It’s time to get back to board games and bonfires where we all sit together, talking about our children and telling jokes. This type of fraternity is becoming lost. Even a tailgate after Mass in the parking lot encourages all to join as a community for food and family.

The fruits of our program are real—the dynamic has changed in Parnell. It takes everyone in the household to come together, support each other, and build community. And when things don’t go as planned, there is a strong, supportive Catholic community to assist people in various ways.

Being a leader and providing examples of true community starts at home and flows into the school. Catholic school is a prime place to experience this type of community and build a faith-filled foundation for children as they grow into adulthood. Let’s all be involved and invested in our youth and each other. To all the parents, grandparents, and people in the neighborhood: churches and schools are still the epicenter of cities and towns. Let’s band together and strengthen communities everywhere. A

Scott Czarnopys is married to his beautiful wife, Arley, and has two children, Haven and Daxton. He is an elementary-school principal serving in his fourteenth year at Saint Patrick School, a thriving semi-rural Catholic school in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan.

Stats on Catholic Schools

Across the United States

Catholic schools, at all education levels, are integral to their communities and the children they serve. According to the National Catholic Educational Association’s (NCEA) Data Brief: 2023–2024

Catholic School Enrollment , Catholic schools have “emerged as beacons of stability, reversing years of enrollment decline.” Listed here are a few key stats from the report:

• National Pre-K–12 enrollment for the past academic year was 1,693,327.

• Enrollment in Catholic schools across the nation has remained stable since the last academic year.

• While fifty-five Catholic schools closed or consolidated, 38 percent of schools have a waiting list for students.

• There are a total of 5,905 Catholic schools in the United States.

• The Great Lakes region and West/Far West region account for almost half of the Catholic school population.

• The Southeast region experienced the highest enrollment increase since 2019.

• A majority of elementary schools remain parish-sponsored, although the percentage of diocesan-sponsored elementary schools has increased to 18 percent.

Being a leader and providing examples of true community starts at home and flows into the school.

➊ The family Mariquinha and Anastácio in Coari, Amazonas, Brazil. I lived in their home for a month, and their children were great teachers of the Portuguese language.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

➋ Our parish boat in Coari was the Pe. Vicente, named after a Brazilian Redemptorist who died way too young of meningitis. I spent many hours on this boat, traveling to more than 160 rural communities in the parish.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

➌ Wonderful stories are written in the historical lines of this man’s face, photographed in the village of Caapiranga, Amazonas, Brazil.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. VINCENT “NOÉ” AGGELER, CSSR

Called Beyond Comfort

THE LIFE OF A REDEMPTORIST MISSIONARY

Fr. Joseph P. Dorcey, CSsR, has been a Redemptorist missionary for fifty years, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to different peoples around the world, from rural Wayne, Nebraska, to distant lands.

FR. JOSEPH P. DORCEY, CS S R

I have been blessed to be a Redemptorist missionary for fifty years. Through this magnificent vocation and mission, I have been sent to work on five continents and in numerous countries: Brazil, Suriname, Nigeria and several other African nations, Italy, Ireland, Poland, Austria, the Netherlands, Russia, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and, of course, North America. I have also served as secretary general of the Redemptorists in Rome for ten years. I have had the privilege of living and preaching the Gospel among remarkably diverse peoples, cultures, and nations, always receiving more than I gave.

My missionary journey began during my last year of theology studies in upstate New York. My religious superiors informed me that I would be sent as a missionary to Manaus, Brazil. I was thrilled and a little anxious, but—being young and adventurous—I started learning Portuguese. Learning a language is the beginning of a missionary vocation.

Being a missionary requires an individual to be ready and willing to go beyond one’s comfort zone. I have always been called from my comfort zones—from the womb to life on earth, and from distant seminaries in Wisconsin and New York to countries around the world. A missionary necessarily suffers in many ways, yet being a missionary is a tremendous blessing.

Mission Work Requires Humility

When I arrived in Brazil in 1980, it was humbling to be unable to communicate; a two-year-old had a more developed vocabulary than I did! It was also frightening, because if I did not learn the language better, I could do nothing but return home. It was not only the language but also the distinct cultural customs, ways of thinking, food, climate— everything was different. I have truly experienced a lifelong process of learning about and becoming part of worlds different than my own. By the grace of God, I have learned new languages, recognized the profound value of differing realities, and embraced people, their cultures, and their worldviews. These things took time, but I ultimately understood that being a missionary would enrich me in a myriad of ways.

Success in a mission is not always easy to define. Perhaps success is best understood as fidelity.

Fidelity is a difficult lesson to learn because there are many temptations to abandon commitment to the mission. There can be frustration at not witnessing tangible fruit from your labors. Often, on the rivers and lakes of Amazonas, I wondered what I was doing with my life, out in the middle of the jungle. I was among some of the poorest, simplest, and most beautiful people in the world. I would ask God to give me a small sign that it was all worthwhile. Every time I did this, God answered my prayer in a simple and powerful, yet unexpected, way. I was routinely gifted with the necessary grace to continue bringing the Good News to the poor and abandoned people of the Amazon rainforest.

Working with Lepers

In Brazil, I coordinated pastoral work for the 167 rural communities in the vast St. Ann/St. Sebastian parish in Coari, where travel is only possible by boat on the rivers and lakes.

The municipality of Coari had the highest incidence, per capita, of Hansen’s disease (leprosy) in all of Brazil. Our mission team reached out to those abandoned because of the disease. We also educated people

and provided medication to treat the condition. We did everything possible to reintegrate the hansenianos (lepers) into their communities.

For example, one man, Bruno, had lived on his own for thirty years in the Amazon rainforest, completely isolated from all human contact. We were able to reconnect him to his community. It truly was “redemption.” Bruno returned to life, despite the disease that had disfigured his body. He was transformed into a beloved member of his community, truly embraced as a child of God.

Mission Work Is God’s Work

I have always tried to remember that the mission did not begin with me, nor will it end with me. It is God’s work, and I am a useless servant making my small contribution to the coming of God’s kingdom. The Holy Spirit was already at work among the people of God long before I arrived in a given country. Many great missionaries before me dedicated their life’s work to the mission. I’ve only built upon an already solid foundation.

During these fifty years of missionary experiences, what have I learned about Jesus, about the Church, and about myself? It has taken me this long to understand many things, such as the Italian word distacco, often used by St. Alphonsus Liguori. Distacco means “detachment,” the ability to let go and not cling to anything or anyone. This includes ideas, opinions, and ways of

acting. It is the ability to let go and let it be, to adapt. Distacco involves courage and a deep trust in God, qualities vital to missionary life. Distacco is essential if you desire to become a disciple of Jesus.

Jesus is the Master, the Teacher. Through mission work, I have learned that the Lord is trustworthy. Biblical faith means placing complete confidence in God who is Love, who never abandons us.

I especially love the parable of the prodigal son in Luke’s Gospel because Jesus shows us, as clearly as possible, the God he knew and loved, the loving father who awaited his son’s return, who ran to greet him, who hugged and kissed him, not judging, condemning, or punishing him. God is like a father who loves absolutely and unconditionally the child who returns home. This is the God that the poor and abandoned helped me to know, love, and serve.

in the Amazon rainforest were mystics. Perhaps one must be to survive there, for it is a mystical world. But in their utter earthiness, they are deeply attuned to the Divine Presence found in that world of water and jungle.

They have also taught me much about the people of God and the Church. The Church should be like the heart of God, rejecting no one and lovingly embracing all people. Too often, we tend to make God and the Church too small, too exclusive, too elite.

What Mission Work Has Taught Me

I have truly been evangelized by the poor, who have taught me through their simplicity, authenticity, generosity, and integrity about God and his love. I often thought many people

Not surprisingly, I have learned many things about myself as well. I overcame fear and pride. Pride is like cholesterol: I had to be cleansed of the bad pride that makes a person individualistic, arrogant, and judgmental. Like Jesus, I learned humility through what I suffered, through struggling to speak other languages and understand different people and cultures. I learned these hard lessons through the despair, disappointments, and doubts I experienced on the missionary journey.

Yet, at the same time, I have learned to be constantly grateful, kind, and compassionate. I have gained courage and generosity, trust-

➍ A typical thatch house is home for a poor, simple family—the salt of the earth. The house sits on stilts because of annual flooding.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FR. VINCENT “NOÉ” AGGELER, CSSR

➎ Children accompany us down the riverbank, back to the boat, after a pastoral visit to their community.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

➏ Me with my longtime brother-friend Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin in Rome on the day he received his red hat.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR

ing that the Master walks with me. Contracting malaria, dengue fever, and dysentery were all teaching moments. I learned to listen better to God speaking in nature and through other people, especially in the wisdom of the poor and simple. The uneducated and illiterate have taught me some of the most profound truths about life and love. Because of them, I learned to love variety and diversity. I also learned that a sense of humor is vital for any missionary’s spirituality. I learned to laugh, especially at myself!

One of my most profound experiences as a Redemptorist missionary priest did not occur overseas. After fourteen years in Brazil, I returned to the United States and became an assistant pastor at St. Alphonsus Parish in Chicago, Illinois. The Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center was nearby and did not have a Catholic chaplain. The Filipino nurses often felt more comfortable calling us, although another parish was closer. The calls came at all hours of the day, and because it was a trauma center, you knew the encounter would not be pleasant.

One cold, snowy night, the phone rang, so I answered the call to go to the hospital. I had no idea what to expect. You couldn’t be sure if the family or the nurses had asked for you.

That night, a beautiful seventeenyear-old woman, Yolanda, had been shot in the head. When I entered the

waiting room, I met her mother, Jackie, and her father, Willie. I had been a priest for sixteen years, but I did not know what to do, so I simply sat with them. We visited Yolanda, who was hanging on to life by a thread. I had never seen anyone who had been shot before, let alone an innocent teenager. I anointed her and said the appropriate prayers, and we returned to the waiting room.

I had no idea what to do or say. Jackie saw my desperation and asked, “Father, maybe we could pray?” I hadn’t thought of it because I didn’t know whether they believed in God. When no meaningful prayer came, Jackie said, “Father, maybe we can just pray Our Fathers and Hail

Preaching the Good News of Plentiful Redemption

It is the nature of all Redemptorists, by their religious profession, to be missionaries of hope, sent to preach the Good News of plentiful redemption to the poor and most abandoned in a wounded world. The Redemptorist Congregation began in Italy in 1732 but soon expanded its missionary reach to all continents.

Here are some statistics about the Redemptorist Congregation today, highlighting its missionary character.

4,527 Redemptorist missionaries live in and work out of religious communities in 84 countries on 5 continents

3,422 priests

60 bishops

9 permanent deacons

76 transitional deacons (soon to be ordained)

314 brothers

646 clerical students preparing for ordination

106 professed perpetual vows

540 professed temporary vows

Marys.” We prayed many Our Fathers and Hail Marys until five o’clock in the morning, and a peaceful serenity filled the room.

To this day, I laugh at the fact that it took a good laywoman like Jackie to teach me how to be a good priest in such a tragic situation. Sadly, Yolanda died five days later, but Jackie and Willie came to Mass at St. Alphonsus every evening that week, and we are still good friends today. While this encounter occurred “at home,” it is still one of the most profound experiences of my missionary life where I could see God’s grace tangibly at work.

The life of a missionary provides many stories about faith, struggles, and every imaginable aspect of the human condition. I share these few thoughts and experiences in the hope that they will nourish your faith, broaden your horizons, and inspire you to continually open your mind and heart. I pray that through the grace of God, you will respond to God’s call to go beyond your comfort zone to where you will meet the living, loving, laughing God who is utter Compassion, and whom we know, through Jesus, always loves us. A

Learn More about the Redemptorists

Dear Padre,

My priest talks about the need for Catholics to “deepen our conversion.” I’m already Catholic. What else is there to convert to?

Often, we think of conversion as something that happens only when someone joins the Catholic Church. But the word “conversion” has several meanings. As used by priests, it means to enter more deeply into a life of faith. As Catholics, we are called to continual conversion through everyday gestures of following Christ (see Catechism of the Catholic Church , 1435).

I have a non-Catholic friend who inscribed on her Bible the date she accepted Christ. I could write “January 8, 1962” on my Bible because that’s the date of my baptism, the day I was saved. At baptism, I received the grace to convert daily after I became old enough to do so on my own. But my conversion isn’t something that happened once in the past. It wasn’t the last sacrament I received. It was the first sacrament I received as I began my faith journey.

We deepen our faith and continue our conversion as we live the sacramental life of the Church. “Christ’s call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians. This second conversion is an uninterrupted task for the whole Church” (CCC 1428). This is seen clearly through the sacraments of the Eucharist and penance. The Eucharist is something Catholics participate in weekly, and most Catholics take part in the sacrament of penance at least once a year. Why? Because we want to deepen our conversion.

We deepen our faith and continue our conversion as we live the sacramental life of the Church.

Do you have a question for the Padre?

Go to DearPadre.org to send your question and to learn more about “Dear Padre.”

“Dear Padre” is a longtime feature of Liguori Publications’ Our Parish Community Sunday bulletins. To find out about receiving these bulletins in your parish every Sunday, call 800-325-9521.

FR. PATRICK KEYES, CS S R

The Rosary’s Touch

Several years ago, I gave a retreat to parishioners in New Hampshire. After the morning session, we all went to the parish hall for lunch. On the way there, I encountered an older woman who was going out the door. I invited her to stay for lunch, but she told me she had an appointment for a massage. Jokingly, I replied, “Boy, I wish I had time for a massage.” She gently looked at me and said, “Father, I am an eighty-year-old widow who has lived alone for ten years. I go for a massage every week because no one touches me.” She reminded me of how important the power of touch is.

When you think about it, Christianity is the most down-to-earth of all religions. It doesn’t ignore the human condition. Instead, Christ becomes one of us, enters our world, and heals with the power of touch. All the sacraments we celebrate involve some form of touch. God reaches out, and through the power of touch, we are embraced, fed, blessed, and strengthened. Given all the tension we regularly experience, we need that touch.

The same can be said for the rosary. This small circle of beads gives us spiritual assurance, reminding us that God is always with us. With each bead I touch, I speak to Mary, and Mary brings me Jesus. Amazingly, as I walk this circular pathway with Mary, my thoughts begin to untangle, my heart becomes tranquil, and Jesus breathes into me the healing grace I need. With the rosary, our skin touches Mary’s necklace, and we experience inner healing.

In 2008, the Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and several other hostages were rescued from their captors after spending six years in the jungles of Colombia. For Ingrid Betancourt, a lapsed Catholic in captivity, the tool for her survival was the rosary. She prayed the rosary by fingering the buttons on the jacket her captors had given her. She liked the idea of using these buttons—these practical, ordinary objects—for something positive, something mysterious. Gradually, through her “button rosary,” Ingrid began to feel a special connection to her faith. Touching the jacket’s buttons, she said, was like pressing the numbers on a cell phone. “I thought that through [the rosary], I could plug into a stream of love from Mary, and I did.” People heal when touched. It’s why Jesus gave us the sacraments. It’s why Mary gave us the rosary. A

St. Joseph Mass League

Established

Like the comforting touch of a loved one, the rosary fosters connection and healing.

When I Was Sick, You Visited Me

FR. TOM DONALDSON, CS S R

Iam privileged to serve as a Catholic chaplain at two Catholic hospitals in St. Louis, Missouri, where I offer spiritual and emotional support to patients. While it is my job to offer appropriate spiritual care, it is not a oneway street. Many patients offer me inspirational encounters with God that I am blessed to receive. One such moment is particularly memorable.

One morning, I visited a ninetyyear-old African American patient. When I knocked at his door and identified myself, he immediately asked me to come in. Vincent was sitting in his bed, reading the newspaper. He offered me a seat, and we began chatting. Vincent had been widowed for many years, and he lovingly spoke of his wife of sixtythree years and their family. He was a devout Baptist, proud of his faith and tradition. As our conversation ended, I asked Vincent if he would like to pray. He responded, “I thought you’d never ask!”

I stood close to Vincent, who closed his eyes. After praying softly for a few minutes, I looked at Vincent. He had one eye open and said, “Come on now, Rev, you can do better than that!” We both began laughing so hard that tears streamed down my face. Finally, with a beautiful smile on his face, Vincent told me, “You’ll get there, Rev, don’t you worry. You’ll get there.” It was a precious moment!

As a priest for forty-seven years, I have primarily served Catholic populations. Yet, in the hospital, the population is frequently not Catholic. Most of the patients are Muslim, atheist, Sikh, Wiccan, Christian, and Jewish, among other faiths. As a chaplain, I serve all these people, regardless of whether or not they have a particular faith.

Hospital chaplaincy requires me to be open-minded, having compassion and respect for the diverse beliefs and faiths I encounter. As part of a ministerial team at the hospital, my primary role is to provide spiritual care and guidance to all,

including patients and hospital staff, such as the nurses, physicians, and volunteers.

Of course, I enjoy encountering Catholic patients and administering the sacraments—like reconciliation, Communion, and anointing of the sick—to them. However, the spiritual care and guidance I typically provide are well outside my formal training as a Catholic priest. It has been challenging for me to learn how to provide appropriate spiritual care in a multidenominational setting, along with serving many nonbelievers.

and peers to help us further develop our skills in meeting the needs of everyone we serve.

During the past two years, it has been very beneficial to have a multidenominational chaplain staff. This diversity has provided me with wonderful opportunities to learn and gain experience from my colleagues and patients. We are often called into stressful and upsetting situations with patients, families, and staff. I have gained valuable wisdom from my fellow chaplains during these moments. It is a real gift to have the

The diversity of a multidenominational chaplain staff has provided me with wonderful opportunities to learn and gain experience from my colleagues and patients.

The Strength of Diversity

At the hospital, we have a diverse group of chaplains who identify not only by religion and faith tradition but also by race, gender, and sexual orientation. Because many patients do not identify as Catholic, this diversity of chaplains allows for the ministering of suitable pastoral care to the patient population. Because of the diversity I regularly encounter, an extremely helpful tool for my job has been Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) classes. These classes bring together ministers of all faiths in a professional clinical setting, where we receive feedback from teachers

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support of other men and women in our chaplain department, for I can debrief with them and call on them in overwhelming situations. I am privileged to work with chaplains who do not share my faith and have a wealth of experience in hospital chaplaincy. These same chaplains have also expressed their appreciation for my Catholic background and the theological perspectives I bring to the ministry.

Knowledge Is Key

There is a definite learning curve when it comes to being a Catholic priest-chaplain at a Catholic hospital

Can I Be a Chaplain?

Not only priests but also laypeople, religious, and deacons can be chaplains. A chaplain provides professional spiritual and emotional support to people in various settings, including the military, hospitals, and prisons.

Although my main role as a chaplain is to provide spiritual care, comfort, and support to patients and their families, I am often called to provide this same care to nurses, doctors, and other hospital staff.

that serves a diverse faith population. Before I can serve others, it is crucial that I have a solid foundation in my own faith tradition. Understanding my faith tradition, beliefs, practices, and values helps me connect with people of other faiths and offer appropriate spiritual care and support. At the same time, it is important to avoid imposing my personal beliefs. My job is to support individuals, families, and staff personnel with their spiritual needs, not to evangelize or enforce my beliefs.

As a Catholic chaplain, it is important that I am knowledgeable about other faiths and beliefs so I can provide proper guidance and ensure that individuals of all backgrounds feel valued and respected. My fellow chaplains have frequently helped me navigate ministering to people of different faiths and nonbelievers. It is important for a chaplain to seek guidance from their hospital pastoral staff when he or she is unsure about providing spiritual care to someone from a different faith, as chaplains must be inclusive toward all individuals. A chaplain must work toward creating a welcoming and hospitable environment. Learning about the different faith perspectives I regularly encounter has helped me better understand the population I am serving

and has simultaneously taught me about my own biases and stereotypes regarding various faith backgrounds, cultures, and races.

The qualities of empathy, attentiveness, and active listening are the centerpieces of spiritual care. In an active-listening posture, it is useful to pay attention to the language people use when describing their situations and to listen for words or phrases that reveal their personal faith. Of course, I automatically express my faith using Catholic terminology and cultural examples. Early in my chaplaincy, when I would encounter patients who expressed their faith in terms different than mine, I would catch myself thinking, Why don’t they say it this way? Well, because they are not Catholic! This sounds like an obvious insight, but it is an essential one. Gradually becoming more familiar with other denominations has helped me serve

patients who pray and express their faith in different ways.

Common Duties

Although my main role as a chaplain is to provide spiritual care, comfort, and support to patients and their families, I am often called to provide this same care to nurses, doctors, and other hospital staff. Additionally, my duties include administering the sacraments, presiding over religious services, and praying with people.

Currently, I serve on two hospital floors, which differ depending on the needs of the day. A senior chaplain assesses both the patient population and the floors that may not have seen a chaplain the previous day, and I am assigned accordingly. Each day, when I arrive, a member of the pastoral care team provides me with a list of patients on my floors. This list contains newly

admitted patients as well as remaining ones. The team also shares any concerns that might have surfaced with patients, family members, or the medical staff and lets me know where I might be of assistance.

Spiritual care is the combination of compassion, presence, empathy, and support. Providing such care involves building relationships with those who serve in the hospital, especially the staff. Taking time to get to know and listen to each other continues to enhance the service we are providing to all patients.

Encounters with Patients

There are many memorable, blessed moments I have experienced with patients. Through listening to and praying with them, I have truly learned what it means to serve the people of God. Even though many individuals are not Catholic, they still teach me how to respect, empathize,

The National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) is a leading Catholic chaplain resource in the United States, providing multiple levels of training and certification for new and current chaplains. Founded in 1965, NACC partners with various universities and organizations, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), to provide pastoral care to all.

In 2023, NACC certified 56 new chaplains and renewed certification for more than 120 chaplains.

To find out more about NACC’s mission or to become a chaplain yourself, visit their website at nacc.org .

and offer appropriate support and comfort to people of all faiths and beliefs. Here are a few more memorable encounters.

Not long ago, I had a wonderful visit with an elderly, devout Christian man. We talked at great length, and, after a pause in the conversation, I asked him, “Would you like to pray?” He asked in return, “Well, isn’t that what we’ve been doing?” He was reminding me that prayer is the grace of conversation. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

I once visited a Catholic woman who spoke about her health, family, work, and financial concerns. As our conversation ended, I asked if she would like to pray. “Oh, yes,” she replied. “I need all the prayers I can get.” As I was about to offer a prayer, she began to pray the Hail Mary. When we finished the simple prayer

that we had prayed countless times throughout our lives, she told me, “That was comforting. Thank you.” What a comfort memorized prayer can be!

And remember Vincent, who told me, “Come on now, Rev, you can do better than that!”? As I continue in this ministry, it is my prayer that I will continue to improve in serving all those entrusted to my care. A

Fr. Tom Donaldson, CSsR, has conducted dozens of parish missions over the years, including retreats for priests, deacons, and religious. He continues to give retreats and parish missions around the country, especially for men and women involved in Twelve-Step recovery programs. Fr. Tom has a master’s degree in addiction studies and currently resides at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Church in St. Louis, Missouri, where he is the superior of his religious community.

LThe Interior Life

INSIGHTS FROM A SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

ike many people, I retired from one career to pursue another kind of work. After thirty years as a book editor, I followed the call to become a spiritual director, and sitting with people in spiritual conversation now takes up a significant portion of my time. This ministry gives me much joy and has offered me a special window into the interior life. Here are a few key insights of what I’ve learned so far.

VINITA HAMPTON WRIGHT

Psychology Enhances the Spiritual Process

People who seek spiritual direction have discovered that they are ready to deal quite intentionally with the interior life. It’s often the case that they have experience in discussing such matters in therapy or counseling. The past half-century has given us a psychological vocabulary that is helpful in naming our experiences and specifically identifying our struggles. Such naming and identifying can lessen a person’s sense that he or she is stuck with his or her issues or that it’s all “too big to face.” Prior experience and appropriate vocabulary are certainly more helpful than a general religious diagnosis of “I’m a sinner.” A wise confessor or spiritual mentor will help a person unpack “sinner” to focus on a certain temptation or habit, but for someone who is guilt-ridden and carrying decades’ worth of baggage, that specific guidance may not be useful. Such individuals will most likely benefit from being guided to better interior health by someone in the mental-health profession—at least initially—rather than a spiritual director.

However, a person who has learned to put their suffering into words and to trust another with his or her interior turmoil is in a better place to benefit from spiritual direction. A peer of mine who works primarily with young professionals says that being in therapy has prepared some of his directees to open up to him in spiritual direction. They come to him with language for their experiences and therefore have a good starting place for exploring their interior lives from a spiritual standpoint.

Bad Theology

Leads to Bad Consequences

Having worked with various directees over the years and having compared notes with other spiritual directors, it’s clear to me how much damage has been done by the proliferation of faulty theology. For in-

stance, theology that solely follows the obedience/disobedience model to describe one’s relationship with God has kept people from maturing to an adult faith; they still operate out of guilt and fear, as though they are children dreading when their father gets home and learns of their transgressions. Theology that begins with evil and sin, rather than with God’s creation of a good universe, forms within people’s psyches a story that starts not with a loving God who creates but with worthless people who do evil. The primary focus of these individuals is extricating themselves from a horrible, sinful world, rather than drawing near to the God who has already made a path for them.

Most people struggle to believe in the reality of God’s mercy toward our weaknesses, faults, failures, and sins. Many long to be forgiven—for not turning out the way they think they should have, for not figuring out life fast enough, for not being perfect.

Equally damaging are theologies that claim to have discovered the magic formula for obtaining God’s blessing. Specifically, the “health and wealth gospel” convinces people

that if they are suffering, then they must have done something wrong, because God’s approval is shown only when we prosper, not suffer. In other words, the rich and longstanding Christian theology of suffering has been tucked into a back corner somewhere, and now entire Christian communities blame the victim consistently and fervently.

Those of us who sit in spiritual accompaniment with people who have been shaped and harmed by bad theology witness up close how difficult it is to abandon a hurtful system of belief and learn slowly— often through years of healing—to trust in God’s mercy and in Christ’s completely effective life, death, and resurrection, along with the Holy Spirit’s continuing work in our lives.

There Is Always a Third Way

The God we encounter in honest and humble engagement, whether in spiritual direction or otherwise, reveals to us a world that is expansive and creative. In my role as a spiritual director, I see that what we perceive as an either/or situation more likely than not presents additional facets and possibilities. Increasingly, my practice is to ask, “Is there a third way you might not have seen or considered yet?”

How freeing it is to contemplate a way you don’t yet see and to know that your failure to solve a problem today does not eliminate the possibility of better results tomorrow.

Spiritual Direction is a practice by which, through spiritual conversations and questions, one individual leads another to a deeper understanding of his or her relationship with God, encouraging that person to live out the consequences of that relationship and grow in intimacy with God. While a spiritual director guides individuals on their spiritual journeys, God is at the core, inviting these individuals to strengthen their relationships with him.

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How liberating to believe that God is capable and willing to make a path where one doesn’t seem feasible. As I continue to accompany others, I am learning to relax and to wait for the third (or the fourth, or the tenth) way to appear.

Our Ongoing Need for Mercy, Forgiveness, and Permission

For every person who opens up in the spiritual-direction process, there is a unique conversation that unfolds. At the same time, it’s astounding to see very similar spiritual strongholds emerge across the variety of people who see me. Most people struggle to believe in the reality of God’s mercy toward our weaknesses, faults, failures, and sins. Many long to be forgiven—for not turning out the way they think they should have, for not figuring out life fast enough, for not being perfect. Most people crave the permission to be honest about their hurts, fears, and dreams. They need permission to trust their gifts, their knowledge, and their spiritual intuition. Mostly, they seek permission to be themselves.

I’ve come to assume that many of my directees are looking for forgiveness of some sort from somebody, whether it be God or themselves. A directee may carry a sense of never being enough and that, on any given day, God is disappointed in him or her. It’s also likely that, from his or her early years, this person was not granted permission to simply be who he or she is because various individuals withheld approval. I assume these things to be true even of people who appear to function well and not be deeply troubled. Sooner or later, they will speak of their need for mercy, forgiveness, and permission.

God’s Love Is Relentless

When I was younger, I carried the burden of believing I must convince other people how much they needed God. Once I convinced them, I thought I needed to tell them how to act so that God would save them.

I believed that the fate of their souls rested on my ability to evangelize and then coordinate and guide their faith lives. By age thirty, I was exhausted and angry. I left the Faith for a few years and eventually felt my way back as I explored a broader and deeper Christianity, one informed by the Church’s history and fueled by continuing study and life experiences in the worldwide body of Christ.

By the time I felt drawn to the ministry of spiritual direction, I had witnessed and experienced divine love that expanded beyond human attempts to comprehend or imagine the God who loves us. After speaking with people in spiritual conversations for years, I witness this love’s gentle and relentless activity in daily life. If a person cannot relate to God in one way, then God’s love opens another avenue by which that person can connect. If someone fails to perceive God’s reality in their pain, he or she encounters it through something else, such as understanding or gratitude. If a person can’t notice God in silence and peace,

then God’s love jostles him or her in a crowd. Divine love does not give up. God will use all opportunities to make contact with us, and he will wait for any opening through which he can enter our human experience. You don’t have to be a spiritual director to discover what’s happening in your spiritual landscape or that of others. You need to pay attention only to what you are learning and to what happens in others’ lives. This requires spiritual conversations in our ordinary relationships. The people we live and worship with have many things occurring in their souls, and so do we. When we chat about what’s happening in sports or what to expect from the weather this week, might we venture deeper? What about the weather of the interior landscape? A

Vinita Hampton Wright worked in religious book publishing for more than three decades. She is retired and continues to write, edit, and present retreats and workshops on creativity, writing, and prayer. She works as a spiritual director in Northwest Arkansas.

If a person cannot relate to God in one way, then God’s love opens another avenue by which that person can connect.

How to Find a Spiritual Director

Interested in finding a spiritual director? Many parishes offer spiritual direction—inquire at your local parish to see what spiritual direction services they may provide. If a spiritual director isn’t available near you, check out some of these online services and books that provide various resources and tools for you to grow in your relationship with God.

IgnatianSpirituality.com SpiritualDirection.com

Hesychia School of Spiritual Direction, Redemptorist Renewal Center, Tucson, AZ

Introduction to the Devout Life (Catholic Classics) by St. Francis de Sales; available from Ascension.

Fire Within: St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross and the Gospel on Prayer by Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M. Available from Ignatius Press.

Finding Our Way to God: Spiritual Direction and the Moral Life by Fr. Dennis J. Billy, CSsR; available from Liguori Publications (828034).

The Helpers

Autumn is a fresh, new time for me. I wait for temperatures to drop and leaves to fall in the neighborhood each year, and I remember when fall meant new school clothes and clean, empty notebooks. Fresh slates!

This year feels different, though. It’s been one year since we lost my mom. Seven weeks from her diagnosis to her death last September still stings. This political season promises to be wrenching and painfully partisan. War rages and worry rises. That fresh, new feeling of fall feels more distant than ever.

Fortunately, my career in the nonprofit world has given me daily exposure to the “helpers.” In the words of the beloved Mr. Fred Rogers, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Here are a few helpers on my mind today:

A small rural church received a modest grant to make an impact in its community. The members decided to assist some of the most vulnerable in their town. Some of the money bought half a cow from a butcher for a group home for teens from abusive homes, providing meat they could rarely afford. The church members learned about a child who, because of a lunchroom debt to the local school, was given a single cheese sandwich to eat every day instead of the regular lunch. The church decided to pay that child’s debt…and that of every other child in the school.

An elderly food-pantry client received more money than expected when she settled an old pension issue. She gave the extra funds to the food pantry, despite the staff urging her to keep the windfall. As she pushed the dollars across the desk, she said, “You respect me when I come here for help. I must ask you to respect my wishes to help the next person who needs it.”

A young woman cared for her grandparents as Alzheimer’s stole their memories, function, and lives. She has since personally raised millions of dollars to support affected families and find a cure.

A young mother lost her son to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Her grief was overwhelming, as was her fear when she eventually had another baby. She knew too well that the worst can happen. Happily, her new baby thrived, which spurred her to embark on a new life mission. She now trains medical professionals and chaplains to work with the terrified parents of “rainbow children,” or children born after a SIDS child.

In an old and crowded homeless shelter, one resident gentleman cleans up after volunteer teams bring donated dinners to the group. When asked why he does it, he, without fail, looks surprised and says, “Because I’m so grateful for such good food and kind help!”

When times are troubled, there are good people and good deeds all around us, every day. Keep the faith, friend, and look for the helpers. A

Even in troubled times, God’s helpers abound.

The Catholic

Overturning “Bubble Zones” Outside Abortion Clinics

Pro-lifers have asked the US Supreme Court to overturn precedent that allows laws across the country to forbid pro-life activists from entering “bubble zones” outside abortion clinics, claiming the laws violate the US Constitution’s First Amendment right to free speech.

In a petition to the Supreme Court, the pro-life group Coalition Life seeks to overturn the precedent set in the 2000 Hill v. Colorado ruling. That ruling upheld a law that prohibits individuals from coming within eight feet of another person at an abortion facility, sharing antiabortion literature, or engaging in “oral protest, education, or counseling” without permission from the clinics’ clients.

Coalition Life—the nation’s largest organization of “sidewalk counselors” who gather outside abortion clinics to try to persuade clients to not go through with the procedure—challenged the bubble-zone law in Carbondale, Illinois, last year. The college town’s three abortion clinics have drawn many clients. However, a federal appeals court dismissed the case in March 2024, saying it was bound to do so because of the Hill ruling. Carbondale repealed the law on July 13, 2024, but Coalition Life is now using it as a vehicle to challenge the Hill precedent.

Peter Breen, executive vice president and head of litigation for the Thomas More Society, a Catholic legal organization representing Coalition Life, said, “Now that the Supreme Court has returned the abortion debate to the people and their legislators, it is more important than ever to restore the free-speech rights of those who advocate for life in the public square.

“‘Bubble zones,’ like the one in Carbondale, are an unconstitutional and overzealous attempt to show favor to abortion businesses, at the expense of the free-speech rights of folks who seek to offer information, alternatives, and resources to pregnant women in need,” Breen added. “It’s time to end, once and for all, the political gamesmanship that places like Carbondale play with our free-speech rights.”

Gary Gately is the founder and editor of The Catholic Observer, a subscription-based newsletter. Gately, a lifelong Catholic, is an award-winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, the National Catholic Reporter, America: The Jesuit Review, Newsweek, The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, the Center for Public Integrity, CNBC.com and United Press International. Please email news tips or suggestions to Garymichaelgately@gmail.com.

Michigan’s Ban on Conversion Therapy Challenged

A Catholic therapist and Catholic Charities in Michigan have sued to challenge a state law banning “conversion therapy,” arguing that the law violates their free speech and freedom of religion by forbidding them from talking through gender-identity issues with children.

The thirty-page lawsuit states that the plaintiffs, a Lansing therapist and Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee, and Hillsdale Counties, “Have suffered and will suffer irreparable harm, including the loss of their constitutional rights.” The law, the suit says, also violates the Fourteenth Amendment guarantee of due process because it “employs vague, undefined terms that invite arbitrary and selective enforcement.”

Plaintiff Emily McJones, who owns and operates Little Flower Counseling in Lansing, counsels young people seeking help to address gender dysphoria. In counseling, she seeks to identify the underlying causes of their discomfort, ease their distress, and, if possible, help them embrace their bodies without resorting to irreversible medical procedures.

“I opened Little Flower to offer those who come through my doors compassionate therapy that helps them live whole, integrated lives,” McJones said. “But now Michigan officials are threatening to strip my license because I provide therapy rooted in my faith and the best available scientific evidence.”

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The Michigan law broadly defines conversion therapy as “any practice,” including speech, that seeks to “change” an individual’s “gender identity,” “behavior,” or “gender expression”—including to help individuals align their behavior or gender expression with their biological sex. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the conversion-therapy ban into law a year ago. Twenty-two other states have also banned the therapy, according to the Movement Advancement Project, which advocates for LGBTQ equality.

Attorneys for Becket, a nonprofit religious-liberty law firm representing the plaintiffs, wrote, “Because Plaintiffs are chilled or prohibited from discussing issues of human sexuality and gender identity, their clients are denied access to ideas they wish to hear and to counseling that would help them live consistently with their own personal, religious, and life goals.”

Texas Attorney General Targets Second Catholic Organization Aiding Migrants

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, already battling to shut down a forty-sixyear-old Catholic shelter network in El Paso, is now investigating what he calls criminal “smuggling” and harboring of migrants by Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley.

“We’re looking into, specifically, several criminal [and] possible criminal violations—smuggling persons and bringing in and harboring certain aliens,” Matthew Kennedy, an attorney with the Republican AG’s office, testified at a court hearing.

Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, one of the largest migrant-aid agencies in Texas, denied the claims as the product of a baseless “fishing expedition” and asked a judge to block the AG’s office from forcing a Catholic Charities official to answer a prosecutor’s questions at a deposition.

The agency noted that it has provided 100 pages of documents and said that Paxton’s office has no legal right to depose anyone from Catholic Charities.

Kennedy pointed to a February 2022 letter to Catholic Charities’ national office, written by Texas US House Representative Lance Gooden: “I am troubled by the growing role NGOs have in fueling the drastic increase in illegal immigration across our southern border and throughout the country…. Regardless of Catholic Charities’ motivation behind aiding and abetting aliens, this does not grant them the right to violate federal law and regulation. It is irresponsible for Catholic Charities to fuel illegal immigration by encouraging, transporting, and harboring aliens to come to, enter, or reside in the United States.”

At the time, Gooden wrote letters making the same accusations against Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service and Jewish Family Services, both of which aid migrants.

Catholic Charities argued that Texas is violating its right to religious freedom under the First Amendment of the US Constitution and that the AG’s office has exceeded its authority. Republicans, along with some conservative Catholics, have increasingly targeted Catholic Charities and other NGOs that aid migrants, saying they knowingly enable illegal immigrants to cross the southern border and illegally harbor them. A

BARTOLOMIEJ PIETRZYK / SHUTTERSTOCK

AROUND THE TABLE

Ingredients

Fresh Monastery Salsa

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 4 CUPS

6 tomatoes, chopped into very small pieces

1 medium white onion, diced into tiny pieces

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ear cooked corn, or 1 can corn, drained, if no fresh available

1 small bunch parsley

1 small bunch cilantro

1 small bunch chervil (if available)

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Optional: 1 small jalapeño pepper

Instructions

➊ In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, black beans, corn, and, if desired, jalapeño.

➋ In a small food processor or blender, finely chop the parsley, cilantro, and chervil until they have a uniform, pesto-like consistency. Add these herbs to the bowl along with the cumin, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Stir well. Taste and add spices as needed.

➌ Spoon salsa into small containers with lids. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Source: Sacred Feasts: From a Monastery Kitchen, © 2009 Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette (818622, Liguori Publications). To order, visit Liguori.org or call 800-325-9521. JANE VERSHININ / SHUTTERSTOCK

Modern Evangelization

Living in the twenty-first century, it is not difficult to see how easy it is for individuals to share their messages with the public. The rise of technology allows us to share our stories and the things we cherish. At the push of a button, celebrities, politicians, and athletes can raise awareness for causes they feel strongly about. With many headlining events, whether they are centered on a charitable foundation, a sporting event, or a holiday, we see an increase in posts from influencers who aim to bring awareness to these events. In this way, thousands of people learn about such events and potentially spread the message by reposting or telling friends.

As Christians, we are called to actively preach the Good News. We must make use of the resources we are privileged to have so that Christ’s mission here on earth does not go unfinished. For my part, I cannot help but think back to the feast of Pentecost, when the apostles were endowed with the strength of the Holy Spirit to go out into the world and “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Like them, we, too, have been given the strength of the Spirit to go out and do the same. Much like the way celebrities and politicians gain traction and awareness for their causes through social media, we should use social media as a tool to make Christ known to the world.

We can look to many Catholic influencers today and see how they have used social media to bring the Good News of Christ to a much wider audience than was possible in the past. Individuals such as Bishop Robert Barron and Fr. Casey Cole seek to improve the faith and spirituality of their followers, as well as to introduce the Church to those who are alien to it. With the many capabilities and forms of social media, we, too, can contribute to this mission. Whether we post about a feast day or share a favorite Bible verse, we are actively participating in the Church’s work of evangelization. With the ability to reach greater audiences at our fingertips, we can open our Church to a diverse range of people who can relate to the word of God.

ADAM TRAN-CHUNG

Social media can put the power of evangelization at our fingertips.

Much like the celebrities and influencers we come across today, we can be an integral part of the conversation and perhaps assist others in their spiritual journeys. The work of evangelization we do online highlights our faith’s active role in our everyday lives. Through social media, we can show the world that our faith is not confined to a specific day of the week; rather, it is constantly on our minds and in our hearts. By using social media as a tool for evangelization in the modern world, we are effectively continuing Christ’s mission and bringing the word of God to new lands and peoples. A

Making a Case for God: FAITHFUL ENCOUNTERS

WILLIAM CLARK, OMI

How do we experience our Catholic faith fully? Are we intentionally encountering God in our lives? This excerpt, from page 75, provides insight into the realities of our daily encounters with Jesus Christ.

Our O wn EncOunt Ers That encounter of Moses with God begins a series of events that established the Israelites as the Chosen People. That series includes the Exodus, the appearance of Yahweh on Mount Sinai, the giving of the Law, and establishing the covenant. Even though very remote in time and place, those events are also part of our story, part of our heritage, part of our encounter with God.

Our circumstances are very different from those of Moses. There is, however, much in that story of Moses to which we can relate quite readily. There are three verses in that passage that have particular significance. In Exodus 3:1–15, the first verse of the chapter tells us, “Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. Leading the flock beyond the wilderness, he came to the mountain of God, Horeb.” From that we learn the context of Moses’ encounter with God. It was in the context of his daily activities.

dinary way; that God will suddenly appear on a bank of clouds amid thunder and lightning….

God is not hidden in some place where it would be extremely difficult to find him. Avery Brooke provides a wonderful image in the title of one of her books, Hidden in Plain Sight. It seems God is often hidden in plain sight. The great challenge is to know where to look (that is, in the concrete circumstances of our everyday lives). There is a story of a South African farmer who sold his farm and spent the rest of his life searching everywhere for diamonds, only to learn later that the richest diamond mine in the world was discovered on his farm….

In verse six, we read God’s words to Moses: “‘I am the God of your father,’” he continued, “‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’” Then we are told: “Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.” We learn that when Moses realized what was happening, who it was he was encountering, he became fearful. In verse eleven, Moses asks God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” When Moses learned what God was commissioning him to do, he tried to beg off.

In those three ways, I believe we are very much like Moses. First, if we are to encounter God, it will be in the context of our daily activities. Secondly, encountering God will always carry with it a salutary fear; a certain awe. Finally, when challenged by God, our natural reaction is to flee, to try to beg off. It seems worthwhile to elaborate on these three points.

First, if we are to encounter God, it will be in the context of our daily activities. It is quite unrealistic to think an encounter with God can occur only in some extraor -

A fundamental truth is that our encounter is through the person of Jesus Christ. We believe that Jesus is the son of God and our Savior. We believe it is primarily in and through Jesus Christ that God is revealed to us. Encountering God means encountering Jesus Christ. It needs to be emphasized that the encounter must be personal, meaning it must involve the whole person, mind, and will. It is possible to base one’s spiritual life on ideas and principles and insufficiently on intimacy with the person of Jesus Christ. The words of Jesus are very clear. He did not say, “I will show you the way.” He said, “I am the way.” He did not say, “I will teach you the truth.” He said, “I am the truth.” He did not say, “I will bring you life.” He said, “I am the life.” Those words are not rhetorical exaggerations but an expression of exactly what is involved. It is not as though there was a path already there which Jesus simply pointed out, or a general truth already in existence to which he merely calls attention. It is a question of union; union with the living God in and through the person of Jesus Christ. There is no other way. Jesus made that abundantly clear. “No one comes to the Father except through me.” A

This excerpt is from Making A Case for God: Faithful Encounters by William Clark, OMI (822322). Available from Liguori Publications. To order, call 800-325-9521, or visit Liguori.org.

Book Excerpt

God Walks With His People

On September 29, the 110 th World Day of Migrants and Refugees will be celebrated in Vatican City. The theme for this year is “God walks with his people.” In Pope Francis’ message for the event, he calls on the Church to “rediscover its itinerant nature as the people of God.” He reminds us that we are all migrants on this earth, journeying to our true homeland, the kingdom of heaven. To recall the itinerant nature of the Church is not only about placing faith and confidence in God; it is about recognizing that we are the people of God, a community. Remember the migration of Abraham and his descendants, which represents the human search for God, meaning, security, and a place to call home.

Today, during a time when global migration is politicized, villainized, and feared, we need to consider migration with the same eyes of faith as migrants, rediscovering the trust that our ancestors in faith possessed when migrating to a new home. Here are some stories of migrants I have met who have faced many dangers yet placed their faith in God.

A fourteen-year-old boy ran out of water while crossing the desert. With only empty water bottles in his pack, he continued on, thinking he was going to die. That night, it rained, and he filled his water bottles. He walked for another three days, believing God was with him, and when he arrived at his destination, the boy went to Mass to give thanks to God.

Another story involves five young men who met as migrants at the southern border of Mexico. As they traveled with other migrants to the United States border, they vowed to protect themselves, and others, from danger. They traveled with several women and small children, and, as they shared their story with me, they did not speak about the difficulties of the journey but rather about the safety they felt with each other and the protection of God, whom they knew walked with them. They began their journey as strangers but came to recognize each other as people of God.

Migrants experience thirst, hunger, exhaustion, fear, and, at times, despair, yet they push on because of faith. Along the way, any blessing—a little rain, a welcome from a stranger, a caring Samaritan—helps migrants recognize that every grace they experience is the presence of God walking with them. May we “rediscover our itinerant nature as people of God.” a

Padre Migrante

FR. MIKE MCANDREW, CSsR

Image depicting a migrant on his journey, being carried by Jesus. Painted by a migrant artist at a migrant shelter in Mexico.

God of Details

Although she still gives me the best hugs in the world, she is no longer the grandchild that I regularly sit in my lap and, without too much effort, make giggle to the point of hiccups. Elenita is now thirteen years old, standing at the threshold of her teenage years and a million life transitions.

Today, I make a point of looking at Elena’s eyes, and she responds with a Texassized smile, giving me one more squeeze before letting go. My mind wanders to a memory, a realization that takes me by surprise: I was thirteen and heading into the eighth grade—exactly Elena’s age—when my family of four left our Caribbean world to live in the continental United States.

Until the age of twelve, I lived in a Spanish-speaking country surrounded by the cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents who lived with us. But everything changed after my thirteenth birthday, when we left Puerto Rico and my Cuban relatives behind, becoming submersed in a new and unfamiliar culture that spoke only English—in school, music, church, and movies.

But perhaps the biggest change in my life was my name. My parents named me María de Lourdes after Our Lady of Lourdes, inspired by a French priest at their parish, La Catedral de San Rosendo, in Pinar del Río, Cuba, who became their mentor and dear friend. On the island, I was known and addressed as “Lourdes.” But in the US, my name became just “María.” “Lourdes” was too hard to pronounce.

Looking back at all these changes and how they affected my thirteen-year-old self, I can’t help but smile, remembering the first “aha!” moment long ago: the instant when I recognized God in all of it. In his generous love for me, God chose every detail of my life—the languages, the moves, every person, every change, every situation—just for me, María de Lourdes!

Redemptive Living

MARÍA RUIZ SCAPERLANDA

God doesn’t waste any details. God chose each of my four adult children to be my children. And now, in my next phase, God chose each of the fourteen grandchildren in my family tribe. In each of those relationships rests my personal path to holiness—each struggle, each phase, every acceptance, surrender, awe, and delight. How will I love and honor these particular people “given” to me?

In the words of British mystic Caryll Houselander, “The reason why we are with these particular people is because it is precisely to these people that Christ wants us to give his love.… We are his trustees for these people; he has put his love for them into our hands, into our hearts. We did not choose this place—Christ has chosen it. We did not choose these people—Christ has chosen them. We are asked one thing: to have the humility and courage to open the secret place of our heart to Christ….” (Lift Up Your Hearts , Caryll Houselander). A

The people in our lives are gifts from God. MONKEY BUSINESS IMAGES

“I have long since come to believe that people never mean half of what they say, and that it is best to disregard their talk and judge only their actions.”

DOROTHY

St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s Feast Day is October 1.

Known for her “little way,” St. Thérèse provides us with simple ways to grow in relationship with Jesus. This doctor of the Church inspires us to live out our Catholic faith through the small things in life.

DAY, FOUNDER OF THE CATHOLIC WORKER MOVEMENT (1897–1980)

Did You Know…

That the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is September 14? Legend has it that the cross on which Jesus was crucified was first discovered by St. Helena in Jerusalem and consequently venerated in the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. The cross was stolen by Persians in AD 614 and returned to Jerusalem by Eastern Roman Emperor Heraclius in AD 630. Today, pilgrims can view the site of Calvary and Jesus’ tomb in the basilica.

Play Ball! Postseason baseball is scheduled to begin on October 1, with a potential World Series Game 7 set for November 2.

Halloween fun fact: Halloween is October 31. Traditionally known as “All Hallow’s Eve,” this holiday is the vigil for All Saints’ Day, which occurs every November 1. Although society has pushed the association of death and ghoulish activities with Halloween to an extreme, as Catholics, we are called to remember the dead and reflect on the final judgment. Use this Halloween as a time to contemplate these pieces of our faith and to rejoice in the fact that Jesus conquered death and rose again.

Catholic KINDNESS

A CALL TO HOLINESS

USEFUL SUGGESTIONS TO HELP YOU GROW AND LIVE OUT YOUR FAITH DAILY.

• Join or start your own Bible study with a few close friends.

• Get more involved in your parish— join a committee or volunteer regularly.

• Attend eucharistic adoration once a week.

• Pray a daily rosary.

• Join or start a Catholic book club.

• Be fearlessly Catholic: invite someone interested in Catholicism, such as a coworker, relative, or friend, to attend Mass with you.

• Consider instituting daily intentional prayer time with your family.

• Feel less-than-knowledgeable about a particular topic in the Faith? Take a course, read a book, attend a retreat, or go to parish talks to learn more.

• Want to help spread the faith to adolescents and young adults across the country? Consider donating to a missionary organization, such as FOCUS, Life Teen, Damascus, and many more!

• Consider becoming a sponsor for someone at your parish’s OCIA program.

• Deepen your faith by going on a retreat.

• Participate in a parish or local community ministry that attends to the most abandoned of society.

• For Halloween this year, dress your children up as their favorite saint or religious person.

• Carve pumpkins depicting the cross or other religious symbols.

COMPILED BY THE STAFF OF LIGUORI PUBLICATIONS

How has your life changed because of your faith?

• Reflect on the areas of your life that have been influenced by faith. Actively incorporate your faith into the aspects of your life where it is more difficult to do so.

DRAWLAB19 / SHUTTERSTOCK

The Path to True Self-Acceptance

START LOVING YOURSELF AGAIN BY FIRST LEARNING TO ACCEPT YOURSELF

FR. CHARLES WEHRLEY, CS S R

Self-acceptance escapes many people in our society because they lost their ability to accept themselves—just as God created them to be—during childhood. Parents, religious laws, and societal norms tell us we are not acceptable if we don’t live up to their standards. When we don’t fit into their mold of who a person should be or how a person should behave, our self-acceptance is easily robbed from us.

Small children are very impressionable and tend to believe everything adults tell them. Sadly, many young children are told they are too stupid, too fat, too lazy, too ugly, and so forth. I once gave a parish mission where a lady tearfully told me that when she was a little girl, her mother told her, “If you want to know what a pretty girl looks like, look at your sister.” This was only one of the terrible things her mother had said to her, causing the woman to grow up hating herself. Sadly, many children are also told they will never amount to anything in life or are too sinful for God to love them. Imagine being told by your mother that she wished she’d aborted you. More than one person has disclosed this to me during retreats I’ve directed. Such ugly statements erase a child’s self-acceptance and self-worth.

Self-hatred is not natural for a toddler. Have you ever seen toddlers look at themselves in the mirror? What do they see? Having no self-criticism, they see something amazing! They purely accept and love themselves just as they are. A toddler may even kiss his or her image in the mirror. These feelings can change as the child grows from the toddler stage into adolescence and then young adulthood due to criticism and interference from adults.

I don’t know any adults who look at themselves in a mirror without feeling resistance. What do we see and say to ourselves when we look in a mirror? “I’m so fat. No wonder people make fun of me.” “My hair is falling out, and I can’t face being bald. No woman will ever want me.” “My face is so pale and ugly. I don’t want anyone to see me today.” Poor self-acceptance prompts these thoughts and tells us we are simply not good enough to earn other people’s acceptance and love. This negative thinking can eventually lead to depression.

Telling ourselves we are not “good enough” is a poisonous mantra that many of us repeat daily. It erodes any sense of self-acceptance or self-love we may have left, because this pessimistic belief leads to further negative self-talk. Negative self-talk leads to negative feelings. Negative feelings lead us to act out in addictive ways: drinking alcohol until the feelings are temporarily washed away, overeating until we are fully saturated and falsely comforted, grabbing credit cards for a shopping spree that induces a temporary high, running to the casino and rolling the dice until feelings of euphoria replace feelings of hopelessness.

Once these short-lived highs subside, we are left with feelings of guilt and shame, reinforcing the idea that we are “worthless losers” who are not “good enough.” We then engage in more negative self-talk, our feelings hit rock bottom again, and the cycle of addictive behavior repeats itself.

Many people think that only serious addicts engage in such behavior, but this is not true. It’s easy to be in denial, believing we don’t have a problem with emotional self-medicating. However, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t turn to some form of emotional selfmedicating when times are tough and they don’t want to face the accompanying bad feelings. For example, emotional self-medicating with food might be one of the primary addictions in our society.

It’s important to remember there can be no self-love without self-acceptance. The two are directly linked. Self-acceptance—complete and unconditional—must come first. Our ability to accept ourselves 100 percent, just the way God created us, produces healthy self-love.

To recover your self-acceptance, start by asking yourself, “What do I refuse to accept about myself?” Write down everything you think of. Is it your face, your hair, your body size? Is it your personality or your intelligence? Is it your perceived lack of creativity or talent? Is it your social status? Is it your past or current behavior? Or is it the fact that you beat yourself up for making mistakes?

Whatever you choose to dislike about yourself blocks your self-acceptance and prevents you from loving yourself the way God created you. It also prevents you from being the mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and

Meditation

physically healthy person God is calling you to be so you can fulfill your God-given purpose in life. For me, self-approval was never an option growing up. My self-image was always based on what others thought of me and what they told me about myself. “You’re too fat.” “You’re too thin.” “You’re so dumb sometimes.” “You’re an attractive person, but you’re not handsome.” I believed these negative things people told me. I internalized them and began to feel like I was “less than,” which led me to believe I had to earn acceptance and love. I was unable to develop a good, healthy self-love as a young adult because my self-acceptance was based on what others thought of me.

Years of recovery have taught me that I am the only person who has the power to make myself happy or unhappy. We make ourselves unhappy when we give our personal power to others, accept the negative thoughts they place in our heads, and constantly ruminate over those thoughts. When we accept and cling to what others think about us, we become their prisoners. We give them complete control over how we see, think, and feel about ourselves.

criticisms and begin to befriend and accept yourself once again.

Because you are responsible for your life and happiness, choose to accept everything about yourself that you have refused to accept in the past, including your imperfections. Everybody is imperfect. Instead of feeling bad about yourself, develop new rituals to help you move past your negative thoughts about yourself.

When you get up in the morning and face the mirror, instead of disliking what you see, sing a chorus of “I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt.” If you beat yourself up over mistakes, begin to accept those mistakes as part of simply being human, and ask yourself what you can learn from them. For all of us, learning from mistakes means we will gain wisdom and grow into more intelligent and dependable individuals.

Today and every day, choose to own your personal power by giving yourself the gift of unconditional selfacceptance. If you are struggling with the inability to accept and love yourself, surrender your struggle to God and allow God to do for you what you are unable to do for yourself.

If this resonates with you, it’s time for you to say, “No more! I’m done making the mistake of giving my personal power away to everyone else in my life. I need the approval of only two beings in my life: God and myself.”

Everybody already has God’s approval—God created us all, just the way we are, and placed his stamp of approval on us at birth. No one can take that approval away from us; we can only willingly give it away. If you have already given it away, you need to take it back by giving yourself the gift of your own stamp of approval. You can do this when you stop comparing yourself to others, stop believing the negative things others may think and say about you, and instead come to believe that you lack nothing that God’s grace can’t give you.

Stop and ask yourself, “Why do I honor others’ negative thoughts about me? Why am I willing to accept negative opinions from people I don’t really know? Why do I care?” Once you realize how skewed your thoughts are, you can gain the power to stop accepting their

Therapy can be another important consideration, especially if you are carrying around years of mental and emotional baggage. Life is always a partnership with God—God can only help you as much as you are willing to help yourself. If your problem feels too big to handle, turning to therapy can be essential. God has provided us with professionals who can hear our stories, empathize with us, and point us in the right direction to start reclaiming our lives from any damage imposed on us during childhood.

Once you begin to build up authentic self-acceptance and self-love, you will learn to further protect yourself from others’ negative opinions by establishing and enforcing boundaries. Be kind to yourself and start your journey of self-acceptance and self-love today. a

Fr. Charles Wehrley, CSsR, is a Redemptorist priest and retreat director, specializing in TwelveStep recovery retreats. He directs retreats across the United States and is currently the communications director for the North American Conference of Redemptorists.

ARIYA J / SHUTTERSTOCK

God Light

JOHN KELLY

“What are you doin’, Lucas?”

The boy’s grandfather, a rough-hewn and stout man of seventy-eight, walked past him on the way into the barn. Lucas saw him but continued to study the designs his sneakers were making in the dirt.

Grandfather came back out with a bale of hay skewered by two metal hooks. “I didn’t hear you, son.”

“Nothing much.”

“Nothing much isn’t much of a description, is it now?”

For the first time, Lucas looked up into the hard, gray eyes bearing down on him. His own eyes were wet with tears, and he looked away again, out into the swaying grass of the acreage.

Grandfather set the hay down next to Lucas and sat down heavily. “Still hurting, are we?”

Lucas nodded, almost imperceptibly.

“Thought as much.” The two looked out over the land together. It was a majestic day, the knobbed hills bumping up against an ocean of sky. Clouds threatened to move in, blocking out the sun every few minutes. But then a shaft of sun would burst through, spraying the land in a halo of light.

“It’s a four-star afternoon, that’s for sure,” the older man said, nodding to himself. Lucas wiped his eyes, looking out, feeling uncomfortable in the long silences. But Grandfather let the silence linger, as if it were another friend who had joined them.

to you if you don’t feel like your insides are going to burst.”

Lucas sat up in Grandfather’s lap. “Oh, Granddad, I loved that old dog. I loved him so much.”

“I know you did. More importantly, he knew you did. Why, anyone could see you two were the best of friends. He had a good long life, so don’t you go questioning that. I don’t think a dog ever had it any better. His time to go. That’s all.”

They looked out over the land together, now finding comfort in the silence and the afternoon breeze. More clouds had moved in, and columns of light danced across the green fields.

“It’s a four-star afternoon, that’s for sure,” the older man said, nodding to himself. Lucas wiped his eyes, looking out, feeling uncomfortable in the long silences.

Lucas sniffled and brought up a foot to balance himself against the wall of the barn. “I don’t like it,” he said.

Grandfather nodded. “Not sure that you should.”

“I want it to go away.”

“That’s understandable,” the man said, smiling to himself. “But it’s not really that easy.”

Lucas looked over at him. “Why not?”

“Because, son, the pain is telling you that your loss was dear indeed.” Lucas began to cry again, even though he tried desperately not to. Grandfather brought a weathered arm around him, bringing Lucas onto his lap. Lucas turned his face into the dark-plaid shirt and let the tears spill forth.

“I miss him so bad…”

“Of course you do. He was with you nearly all of your eight years. How could you not?”

“I just can’t…”

“You just can’t what?”

“I just…I mean…I just don’t want to keep feeling like this.”

Grandfather caressed the boy’s soft hair. “Part of growing up is accepting those feelings that make us uncomfortable. We’re not supposed to always like it. Feeling happy is easy. It’s the other side of those feelings that take time to muster, but muster you will. And besides all that, Grady didn’t mean anything

“Know what that is?”

Grandfather said, pointing to the rays of sunlight. Lucas shook his head. “Photographers call it ‘God light.’ It’s because it’s as if the Almighty is sending a bit of himself down to us here so we can get a glimpse. Picture-takers try to take advantage of it when it happens. Pretty, isn’t it?” Lucas nodded, absently.

“That’s a funny thing, too.”

“What is?” Lucas asked.

“Well, it’s rare to have that kind of light showin’ itself. Weren’t supposed to get any storm clouds for a few more days. Know what I think?”

Lucas studied his grandfather. “I think the Good Lord’s trying to tell you something.”

“What?”

Bible Quiz answers (puzzle is on page 44)

1. O (Acts 13:9)

2. G (Mt 26:25)

3. K (1Sam 18:20)

4. E (2Sam 6)

5. U (Ex 1:15–17)

6. Y (Jn 20:24–25)

7. L (1Kings 18:16–40)

8. N (Gen 5:25–29)

9. R (Gen 16:1–4)

10. C (Num 13:30)

11. D (Ezek 37:1–4)

12. F (Mk 6:17, 27)

13. W (Mt 14:1)

14. S (Mt 23:27)

15. M (Lk 21:37)

16. X (Mt 16:18)

17. Q (Ps 146:9)

18. H (Gen 29:17)

19. I (Mk 15:42–46)

20. P (Gen 29:17)

21. T (Gen 11:1–9)

22. V (Ex 19:20–20:17)

23. A (Gen 8:4)

24. J (Gen 13:13)

25. B (Mt 26:6–7)

“Yep, I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that he’s sending you a special message, Lucas. He’s saying, ‘Don’t you worry about a thing. Grady and I are having a right fine time up here.’”

Lucas climbed down from Grandfather’s lap and walked a couple of steps toward the fields. He turned back. “How do you know that?”

“Well, look at it yourself. You think anyone besides God can spread beauty like that across the land?”

Lucas scanned the land and sky. The puffy clouds were outlined by a yellow sheen. Brilliant light poked through, dappling sections of the property. “No, sir, I don’t. But…how do you know Grady’s with him?”

Grandfather stood up and walked over to Lucas. “Because I do, son. Grady was a dog full of love for you. God’s the one that created love. Stands to reason when God called him home, they’d be sittin’ together, probably talking about you.”

Lucas thought that sounded right. A fresh tear spilled forth, but he didn’t care.

“And, you know, Lucas, it’s always a fine thing to thank God. Even for things that hurt. Because truth

be told, he already knows how you feel. He just wants you to tell him so he can let you know it’s all right.” Grandfather patted the boy’s neck, hefted up the bale of hay, and headed around the barn.

Lucas stood for minute, staring at the golden shafts of light. “Grady…you’re going to be OK. Thank you, God. Thank you for caring for my dog.”

He started to turn away and then stopped, looking back at the sky, the clouds, and the land. “I wonder if he can hear me….”

Lucas took off across the field, churning his sneakers through the high grass. He began laughing and running harder, until sweat popped onto his forehead. He ran through one field and entered a larger field of yellow wheat. He lifted his arms, yelling into the sky. And the Light wrapped itself securely around the boy. a

John Kelly has written about a wide spectrum of topics since he began writing seriously thirty years ago. He has dozens of published articles and short stories in regional and national magazines.

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Bible Quiz

Rate yourself on your knowledge of Scripture. Match the first column with the second. Answers are on page 42.

1. AKA Saul ______ A. Ararat

2. Betrayer of Jesus ______ B. Bethany

3. Daughter of Saul ______ C. Caleb

4. David brought the ark here ______ D. Ezekiel

5. Deliverers of Hebrew baby boys ______ E. Jerusalem

6. Didymus, the doubter ______ F. John the Baptist

7. Elijah defeated the prophets of Baal here ______ G. Judas

8. Grandchild of Methuselah ______ H. Leah

9. Hagar thought little of her ______ I. Mary Magdalene

10. He encouraged Moses to invade ______ J. Sodom

11 . He saw a vision of dry bones ______ K. Michal

12 . He was beheaded ______ L. Mount Carmel

13 Herod ______ M. Mount of Olives

14 Jesus said they were like whitewashed tombs ______ N. Noah

15 . Jesus spent nights here after teaching ______ 0. Paul

16 . Peter ______ P. Rachel

17 Protected by the Lord ______ Q. Resident alien

18 She had dull eyes ______ R. Sarai

19. She was at Jesus’ burial ______ S. Scribes and Pharisees

20. She was shapely and beautiful ______ T. Shinar

21 . Site of the tower of Babel ______ U. Shiphrah and Puah

22 Ten Commandments place ______ V. Sinai

23 . The ark landed on this mount ______ W. Tetrarch

24 . This city’s inhabitants sinned against the Lord ______ X. The rock

25 . While here, a woman anointed Jesus’ head ______ Y. Thomas

QUIZ RATINGS

Grandparents’ Halloween

Sunday, September 8, is National Grandparents’ Day. Poland was the first country to nationally celebrate grandparents, beginning in 1965. Today, this important tribute is observed in twenty-three countries, including Vatican City. In 2021, Pope Francis expanded this occasion to include World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which is celebrated annually on the fourth Sunday in July. This date was chosen because it is the day closest to the memorial of Mary’s parents, Sts. Joachim and Anne, the grandparents of Jesus.

In the Roman Curia, the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life promotes two ways for Catholics to celebrate this Church-based holiday. The first is by attending Mass and praying for the intentions of our grandparents. The second is to visit seniors and elderly folks who are living alone. In fact, a plenary indulgence is available for those who participate in either of these activities.

In the United States, about four million greeting cards are sent out for National Grandparents’ Day each year, to the delight of golden-agers. This day is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to show their wholehearted appreciation for their grandparents with expressions of kindness, such as calling them on the phone or inviting them to dinner. People living in retirement villages or nursing homes would certainly welcome visits from their grandchildren and loved ones on this special day.

October 31 is Halloween—a word that was formed as a contraction for “Hallows’ Eve” because it is literally the evening before the solemnity of “All Hallows,” which is more commonly known as All Saints’ Day.

Holy Homework

FR. BOB PAGLIARI, CS S R, PHD

Children delight in donning costumes and masks that feature their favorite movie stars, athletes, or cartoon characters, trekking from house to house in the community, ringing doorbells and hoping to fill their bags with sweets and treats.

Although we ordinarily do not link National Grandparents’ Day and Halloween, perhaps this year we can introduce an imaginative blend of these two holidays. Our kids are very fond of the grandparents who dote on them with gifts and favors, indulging them in ways their parents never would. So why not let the children go trick-or-treating disguised as Grandma and Grandpa? After all, they are not fictitious characters like Superman or Wonder Woman. Grandparents are genuine heroes who are well known to our youth and have been generous caregivers during our youngsters’ formative years. A

Holy Homework

As a family, let’s take time this September 8 to email, write, call, or visit our grandparents. Then, for Halloween, let’s help our youngsters dress up in wigs, long dresses, ties, suspenders, or any outfits that mirror the occupations their grandparents held before retirement. Besides navigating the neighborhood for candy, let’s be sure that our kids make that special visit to Grandma and Grandpa, showing how much they honor and love them.

OLENA YAKOBCHUK/ SHUTTERSTOCK

The Lighter Side J

The Potato Predicament

It was potato-planting season, and Tom had been caught speeding. Because he couldn’t pay the fine, he was sentenced to ten days in jail. His wife was furious and refused to visit him.

Instead, she wrote him an accusing letter. “Now that you’re in that comfortable jail, I suppose you expect me to dig the potato garden and plant the potatoes. I’m not going to do it!”

Tom thought about it and wrote a letter in reply. “Don’t you dare dig up that garden. That’s where I hid all the money!”

Two days later, his wife wrote again. “Somebody at the jail must

be reading your mail. The police came here and dug up the entire potato field! What do I do now?”

Back from the jail came a final note: “Plant the potatoes!”

Dog-gone Tail

A gentleman went to the veterinary hospital and asked, “I wonder if you could remove my dog’s tail?”

The vet, somewhat puzzled, asked, “Why do you want your dog’s tail removed?”

“Well,” said the gentleman, “my mother-in-law is coming to visit, and I want to eliminate all signs of welcome!”

If you have jokes or amusing stories you’d like to share, please email them for consideration to Liguorianeditor@Liguori.org, or mail them to Liguorian Editor, One Liguori Drive, Liguori, MO 63057.

“I realized I should have studied also instead of just relying on prayer.”

The

Italian Mama Giuseppe excitedly tells his mother that he’s fallen in love and is getting married.

He says, “Just for fun, Mama, I’m going to bring over three women, and you have to guess which one I’m going to marry.”

The next day, Giuseppe brings three beautiful women into the house. They all sit the couch and chat with Mama for a while.

He then says, “OK, Mama! Guess which one I am going to marry.”

Mama immediately says, “The one on the right.”

“That’s amazing, Mama. You’re right! How did you know?”

Mama replies, “I don’t like her.”

Church Signs

• Honk if you love Jesus! Keep texting while driving if you want to meet him soon!

• Forgive your enemies…it messes with their heads.

• Be the kind of person your pet thinks you are!

• Jesus is watching, but the police have radar!

Br. Raymond Pierce, CSsR, supplies the text for “The Lighter Side.”

© SCOTT

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MASTERS

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◆ THE SINGING-MASTERS

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Blessed Are the Righteous

The Saints and Me! Saints of the Beatitudes series includes nine valiant and courageous holy people whose stories inspire children to live the eight beatitudes, no matter what challenges they face.

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828683 Pope John XXIII: Blessed Are the Peacemakers Available Fall 2024

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Barbara Yoffie Illustrated by Chris Sharp

Barbara Yo e Illustrated by Chris Sharp

Barbara Yoffie Illustrated by Chris Sharp