September 2012

10 | Community mourns loss of Fr. Timothy Davern ◆ 11 | Knights prepare for upcoming Oct. 20-21 Arizona Rosary Celebration

Serving the Church of Phoenix

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Catholic Sun

Volume 28, Number 9 • September 20, 2012

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© 2011 The Catholic Sun • 44 pages in two sections • $1.75

‘Night of Hope’ seeks to close tuition gap

Bishop releases third edition of ‘Catholics in the Public Square’

By Ambria Hammel The Catholic Sun

By Ambria Hammel The Catholic Sun

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted released the third edition of his booklet “Catholics in the Public Square” during EWTN’s Family Celebration Sept. 8-9 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

The Arizona Catholic Conference gave away thousands of copies at the event and sent others to local parishes. All told, there are now more than 250,000 booklets in the hands of Arizona voters offering clear, concise answers to living a fully-engaged Catholic life.

“Religious liberty in itself is our first freedom. It’s crucial that we’re able to be free,” the bishop said during a Sept. 8 roundtable discussion broadcast on the Catholic network. The forum helped Catholics understand key issues, especially heading into election season.

Michael Warsaw, president and CEO of EWTN, also took part in the whirlwind two-hour panel discussion. EWTN was among the — See Bishop page 15 ▶

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

YEAR OF FAITH

New pastoral letter exhorts Catholics

By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

P

www.catholicsun.org

ope Benedict XVI has proclaimed a Year of Faith to assist Catholics in deepening, sharing and living out their faith at a time in which he said large portions of society are experiencing a “profound crisis of faith that has affected many people.”

In his apostolic letter, Porta Fidei, Pope Benedict set forth the meaning and purpose of the Year of Faith, which commences Oct. 11, the 50th anniversary of the opening of the

Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

“This will be a good opportunity to usher the whole Church into a time of particular reflection and rediscovery of the faith,” the Holy Father wrote in Porta Fidei. “Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of ‘Blest Are Those Who Believe’ grace and joy.”

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted A pastoral letter from the and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo bishops of the Phoenix Diocese A. Nevares issued a pastoral letPages I-XII — See year of faith page 16 ▶

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted baptizes new Catholics into the faith during Saturday Easter Vigil, April 7. “Our entrance into the faith through the saving waters of baptism should be remembered throughout our pilgrim journey of faith,” Bishop Olmsted and Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares write in their pastoral letter, “Blest Are Those Who Believe.”

4 Catholics Matter Marlene McCauley

Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha’s intercession sparks local Catholic’s lifelong mission

As the economy continues to struggle, so do many parents who are trying to pay tuition for their children’s Catholic school education.

This fall marks the fifth year that the diocesan Catholic Schools Office will host Night of Hope.

It’s scheduled for Nov. 3 at the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix.

It’s a time when the public comes together — businesses, school staff, alumni, parents and private donors — to celebrate the gift of Catholic education and raise tuition dollars for whomever might need it.

Some funds are earmarked for immediate use. The rest is invested in an endowment fund.

“Our night is basically a night of celebration,” said Bill Borders, who is chairing the event for the second straight year. “We use the event as a bridge to close the gap for tuition.”

Donors at last year’s Night of Hope raised more than $100,000 which helped 275 students facing tuition shortfalls stay in the Catholic school of their choice.

That’s more students than the size of some of the diocese’s smaller elementary schools.

Borders, whose two children graduated from St. Francis Xavier in recent years, said supporting Catholic education is important because it validates a family’s choice to integrate religious beliefs and values into a child’s education. Students at the diocese’s seven preschools and 29 elementary schools gather for prayer or Mass every morning. Some stop mid-step for the Angelus at — See night of hope page 18 ▶

7 Immaculee Ilibagiza Rwanda Survivor to share story in Chandler

17 Back to School Faith-filled classrooms

quickreads

Page 2 ✦ The Catholic Sun

Fall pledge drive Immaculate Heart Radio, 1310 AM in Phoenix and online at www.ihradio.com, will host its fall pledge drive Sept. 24-27 live from its network headquarters in California.

There will be testimonies, interviews and prize giveaways for donors to the listenersupported station, which launched nearly three years ago. Donate online for by calling 866-77-HEART.

of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary who once served at Xavier College Preparatory recently passed away. They include: Sr. Jeanine Moran, 90, Sr. Alice (Cyrilina) Connell, 102, and Sr. Catherine Patricia O’Brien, 99.

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

Rosary for USA Starting Oct. 1 and continuing every Monday until the day before elections, Manny Yrique, who spearheaded the Rosary for the USA on July 4, will lead the same patriotic prayer at Mount Claret Retreat Center, 4633 N. 54th Street.

For more about the rosary itself or the gathering at Mount Claret, call (602) 269-0009 or go to: http://www.magnalitecatholic.com/usa_rosary.html.

Mourning religious leaders Two communities are each mourning the loss of three former religious leaders. Claretian Father Daryl Olds, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Prescott, celebrated a memorial Mass Aug. 30 for three former pastors: Fr. Joe Gamm, Fr. Frank Pyka and Fr. Jack Hencier. All three entered eternal rest within the same week.

Additionally, three Sisters

Christian Service Awards The Catholic Community Foundation invites eighth graders to apply for its competitive Christian Service Awards, an indepth scholarship recognition program that honors students who show extraordinary Christcentered behavior through service to their parish, school and community. Generous benefactors will award 29 scholarships valued at $8,000 each to be used at a Catholic high school.

The deadline to apply is Oct. 15 with applications available at www.christianserviceawards. org. Every applicant will be granted an interview with the awards committee.

Cardinal urges seminarians to rely on authentic Catholic teaching WASHINGTON (CNS) — In a letter to seminarians of the Archdiocese of Washington, Cardinal Donald W. Wuerl encouraged them to rely on authentic Catholic teaching in their preparation for the priesthood, so that they will

be able to share the truth of the Church’s teachings with the people they will one day serve. He urged them to look to the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a sure guide on what the Church teaches.

“Your need to be wellgrounded in authentic Catholic teaching is important, first for your own participation in the great, living teaching tradition of the Church,” the cardinal said in his Sept. 3 letter to the archdiocese’s 74 seminarians. “One reason why you are required to take so many courses in Catholic teaching, history and philosophy is so that you are not only aware of the immense gift of the great Catholic tradition, but that you are also well prepared to access it, understand it, appropriate it and share it,” he added.

The cardinal titled his letter “Faith Seeking Understanding in the Life of the Seminarian.”

He said that as priests, they will be ministering to people in a materialistic, secular world who, in their worldly culture and by alternative voices claiming to be Catholic, have been taught things that are counter to church teaching, especially in the area of sexual morality.

The cardinal noted that Pope Benedict XVI has warned of college and university theology teachers who have presented “teachings that were never

September 20, 2012 accepted as part of Christ’s Gospel,” as new teachings “in the ‘spirit’” of the Second Vatican Council, and those theologians’ false teachings have been amplified in the secular mass media. Cardinal Death penalty “A Short Course on the Death Penalty” meets on Monday nights for nine weeks starting Oct. 1 at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale.

The course is designed to allow those opposed, those in favor and the undecided to learn from each other.

Bob Basque and Dan Peitzmeyer of Death Penalty Alternatives for Arizona will facilitate the class. Cost is $30 including materials. Register by calling (480) 948-7460 or of visit their website, www. thecasa.org Pope Benedict arrives in Lebanon as ‘pilgrim of peace’ BEIRUT (CNS) — Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Lebanon Sept. 14, saying that he came “as a pilgrim of peace, as a friend of God and as a friend of men.” In his remarks at a welcoming ceremony at Beirut’s airport, Pope Benedict praised Lebanon, with a mixed population of Christians and Muslims, for its distinctive record of “coexistence and respectful dialogue.”

But speaking in a country that was devastated by a civil war from 1975 to 1990, the pope acknowledged that Lebanese society’s “equilibrium, which is presented everywhere as an example, is extremely delicate”. ✴

When you’re thinking of making a change

Index Schools Our Views Letters Opinion/Commentary Nation/World Media/Arts Classifieds La Comunidad Sunbeams

17 20 21 22 23 24 26 28 31

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Local Catholics mark 25th anniversary of John Paul II’s visit Catholics from around the Phoenix Diocese gathered for Mass at St. Mary’s Basilica to remember the 1987 visit of Blessed John Paul II. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted lauded his “unbounded confidence in Divine mercy” and commitment to proclaiming the Gospel of Life.

“From early in life until his final breath, John Paul II built his life on the love of the Lord Jesus,” the bishop said.

SOLT sisters profess perpetual vows at parish they serve Two sisters working at Most Holy Trinity School dedicated their entire lives to the mission of the Church Sept. 12.

Sr. Maria de Jesucristo Crucificado and Sr. Alison Marie of Abba Father made their profession of perpetual vows to the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity at the parish. They’re among five SOLT sisters serving the school and two SOLT priests leading the parish.

“Deep in the soul of humanity, there’s an understanding of sacrifice,” Fr. Anthony Anderson, SOLT, said during the homily.

Sr. Maria, who is a preschool aide and Sr. Alison, who teaches third grade religion and sacramental preparation, completed an eight-year formal discernment process in order to take their final vows. They’ve been renewing their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for the last five years. At the foot of the altar, they consecrated their entire being to Jesus.

The Catholic Sun

▶ For full story: bit.ly/jpii-092012

Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

Deacon candidates advance

By Ambria Hammel The Catholic Sun

E

ight men took another step toward holy orders in the Phoenix Diocese, their wives and families at their side.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted installed the deacon candidates to the Ministry of Reader during an evening Mass Sept. 7 at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. The men, hailing from parishes across the Valley and one in Flagstaff, completed their first formal year of formation for ordination to the permanent diaconate. The bishop reminded them that they are to be stewards of God’s word and that they are to proclaim it whether it is convenient or inconvenient.

▶ For full story: bit.ly/SOLT-092012

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▶ For the full story: bit.ly/diaconate-092012

Calvary Catholic Cemetery 201 W. University, Flagstaff

▶ Tune in to “The Bishop’s Hour,” hosted by Michael Dixon, on 1310 AM every Monday at 11 a.m., with encore broadcasts Thursdays at 9 p.m. The Oct. 1 show will feature Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted on the Year of Faith; Life Teen’s Matt Smith on the faith of college students; and Larry Costanzo on the Arizona Rosary Celebration.

Archived shows: www.thebishopshour.org.

▶ Celebrate Marriage, 10 a.m., Sept. 22, Ss. Simon and Jude, RSVP: (602) 354-2132 ▶ Notre Dame Preparatory Gourment Gala, 6:30-9 p.m., Sept. 29, on school campus.

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September 20, 2012

MARLENE MCCAULEY Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha’s intercession sparks local Catholic’s lifelong mission

By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

A

fter her 4-year-old son Peter was healed of a profound hearing loss, Marlene McCauley became a woman on a mission. She’s been living that mission for the last 40 years, spreading devotion to soon-to-be-canonized Kateri Tekakwitha.

Jesuit Father Francis Weiser, a former professor of McCauley’s, was visiting the family back in the 1970s and told them to ask for Kateri’s intercession. Peter was suffering from a 65 percent hearing loss and the surgery doctors recommended didn’t offer a guaranteed cure. “We’ll ask Kateri,” Fr. Weiser told McCauley. “She leaves no prayer unanswered.”

When Peter’s hearing was restored, Fr. Weiser told Marlene she now had a responsibility to tell others about the “Lily of the Mohawks.” And tell them she has.

She’s written three books on the 17th century convert to the faith, the first Native American woman ever to be be canonized. McCauley has also taken her husband and six children around the world, performing puppet shows about the life and faith of Kateri. One of the more memorable performances was at the 1976 Eucharistic Congress in Philadelphia, attended by then-Cardinal Wojtyla.

At 42, she had just given birth to her youngest child. Representatives of Planned Parenthood visited her in the hospital, telling her she shouldn’t have any more children.

“I took their papers and ripped them up and threw them on the floor,” McCauley said. “I told them, ‘We’re doing a show in Philadelphia and we’re leaving tomorrow and we’re taking the baby with us. This baby is going to be the main star in the show.’”

And just like that, two-day old Joseph appeared in the production as Baby Kateri, packed into a Native American child carrier.

As the McCauley children grew, so did their roles in the family apostolate.

“The children all worked as a team,” McCauley said. “Some of them made puppets, some made costumes, some did the sound system, some did writing — each one had something to do.”

McCauley, devoted to daily Mass and the Eucharist, is also a gifted painter and sculptor. One of her paintings of Kateri was displayed in churches around the United States and is now permanently housed at the Mission of St. Francis Xavier in Kahnawake where Kateri’s body lies.

In the late 70s, she and her husband, Alan, spread devotion to Kateri on Native American reservations in Arizona, becoming godpar-

Joyce Coronel/CATHOLIC SUN

ents to a Navajo baby girl named Kateri. At St. Francis Xavier Parish, they worked to have a statue of Kateri placed in the church. The statue’s dedication took place at a packed Mass where then-Bishop James S. Rausch announced that Kateri was to be beatified.

McCauley recently spoke at the national Tekakwitha conference in Albany, NY. She was present at Kateri’s beatification and will travel to Rome next month for her canonization.

Faith in a nutshell:

When God wants something, He makes a spiritual landscape. If you look at the 17th century, the time when Kateri was alive…the Sacred Heart was appearing to St. Margaret Mary, begging her to tell the world how much He loves us. And little Kateri was praying, burning with love for Jesus and the cross and the holy Eucharist and making amazing sacrifices that were painful in order to identify with Jesus.

What she loves about being Catholic:

It’s truth. Jesus, God, the Trinity — every bit of it is objective truth and we are Catholic because of the Eucharist. Jesus didn’t abandon us — he gave us Himself in the Holy Eucharist. If we could share this with everyone — that Jesus is there — what a gift to be united with Him and to have His heart within us.

Take away:

McCauley hand-wrote one of her books at a Phoenix restaurant. It took her years, and a man there offered to type it up on his computer. “He became a Catholic,” McCauley said. “God puts us where we should be at the right time. It’s the Holy Spirit that works.” ✴

Parish:

St. Francis Xavier

Apostolate: Promoting devotion to Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Quotable: I can never say no [to requests for performances] because I am a child at heart. I love puppets. It’s a way of bringing joy and happiness to people and to bring Catholicism in its great glory. We absolutely love our faith and we love to share it.

Catch more “Catholics Matter” features on Sundays following the 9 a.m. televised Mass on AZ-TV 7 / Cable 13

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September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun

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Page 5

‘Life or death’: Local Catholic turns to social media for living kidney donor

By Gina Keating The Catholic Sun

W

ith time running out, Remy Marceau turned to social media to find an answer to his prayers — a kidney donor to save his life.

The Facebook launch — which went viral in June and led to 12,000 people sharing his story in 10 days — derived from a 10-year-old email prayer chain.

“To think this all More on Remy started from one ▶ facebook.com/ little group, from kidneyremydy one little church ▶ remydy.com in Glendale,” said Yvonne Marchese, a member of the chain who also helped launch the webis not a candidate for a deceased site. She currently works in the donor. Instead, he needs a living national office of Catholics Come donor. He receives daily potassium Home in Georgia. hydration infusions at home, which The blue-eyed former youth are the equivalent to drinking 80 group member from St. James Powerade sports drinks.

Parish in Glendale has been part Even with that, he’s still dehyof a continuous prayer chain for drated.

Marceau’s failing health.

For the past two years Marceau As a young boy, Marceau sufhas been seeing doctors at fered from debilitating muscle Scottsdale’s Mayo Clinic, whose cramps due to low potassium. As medical board recommended the he aged, his symptoms gradually 25-year-old for a transplant. So rare became worse. He was eventually is his surgery, it will be a first for the diagnosed with Bartter Syndrome, transplant team. The high priority a condition caused by kidneys that case involves removing both kidcan’t retain sodium. neys in two separate surgeries.

Because his kidney’s over-filter, “Remy is very positive and always he doesn’t need dialysis and he smiling. It’s who he is, but it’s not

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how he feels,” said Beverly Fraser, prayer chain founder and theology teacher at Notre Dame Preparatory in Scottsdale. “He’s going to die without a transplant. It’s life or death.”

His private, personal request for prayers from his former parish youth group turned into a social media campaign resulting in many offers to help. The numbers were so high that Mayo Clinic asked for calls on Remy’s behalf to cease.

“Without question the website had a huge impact,” Marchese said.

“Social media has the ability to get out news to millions of people.

This is the best of social media — using it for the good.”

Although both Fraser and

Erik Samarpan, rN, inserts a new port Sept. 8 on remy Marceau, who’s awaiting a kidney transplant.

Marchese had a hand in launching the Facebook page and a website, they believe God directed their actions.

“I have been praying for him for 10 years,” Marchese said. “I was just at the right place at the right time for God to use my talent to get the ball rolling.”

For Remy, the decision to go public was a difficult one. He admits he was afraid because reaching out made him feel vulnerable.

He keeps up his appearance and happy attitude in spite of the constant pain he is in.

“I don’t look sick because I don’t want to look sick,” Marceau said. “I was meant to do this for a reason. I

am turning it into a positive experience because it’s the only way to get through it; friends, prayer and attitude.”

According to the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona, more than 2,200 people in the state are waiting for an organ transplant.

Of those, an overwhelming 1,588 are in need of a kidney transplant.

Blessings have outnumbered the disappointments throughout the process. The viable donors who called the clinic but were not a match for Marceau were asked if they would consider donating a kidney to someone else on the transplant list.

Yet, the most profound grace has been the ability for Marceau to set aside his own suffering and reflect on how his experience could benefit others.

“What I’m learning as I go through this is how can I make this process successful for someone else. People shouldn’t have to wait so long that it’s too late,” he said. “That’s what runs through my head every night.”

Marceau has set his sights on becoming an advocate for other patients at the clinic following his imminent surgery.

“I don’t have any fear of what’s coming. I know I’m taken care of

by God,” he said. “He’s in full control of everything.” ✴

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September 20, 2012

St. James Parish celebrates 30 years of ‘presence of Christ’

By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

GLENDALE — Members of St. James Parish gathered Sept. 8 for Mass followed by a festive dinner to celebrate their 30th anniversary as a parish.

The celebration was a vibrant, multicultural affair with both African and traditional Mexican dancers and music. Prayers of the faithful were offered in Swahili, Spanish, Samoan, Hindi, French, Italian and English.

Two priests who are both natives of Uganda staff the Glendale parish. There’s also a weekly Mass in Spanish.

Fr. Robert Aliunzi, AJ, pastor of St. James since 2005, said that the anniversary celebration had a forward-looking focus.

“It was a moment of renewal for the next 30 or more years both spiritually as well as structurally,” Fr. Aliunzi said. “We are planning on remodeling the church and giving it the regular feeling of a church inside as well outside.”

Pam Hester, business manager of the parish since 1999, said Masses are held in what was originally designed as a multipurpose building.

“We are in the beginning stages right now, but we’re hoping to turn it into a real church — we don’t

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

Fr. Greg Schlarb, vicar of stewardship who was raised in South Africa, delivers the homily Sept. 8 during St. James Parish’s 30th anniversary Mass. The community, which is led by African priests, is rich in multiculturalism.

have kneelers or pews,” Hester said.

Fr. Greg Schlarb, vicar of stewardship for the Diocese of Phoenix, was raised in South Africa and was asked to be the homilist at the anniversary Mass.

“What we find here is the real presence of Christ,” Fr. Schlarb said of the parish. “There’s more to come. There’s more good presenting itself in this community. Let’s

open ourselves up to prayer, to hear the Word of God, in prayer and in Scripture, bringing us together as community.”

Fr. David Sanfilippo, vicar for priests for the diocese, was also on hand to mark the anniversary. “You’re living witness that the Word of God has no boundaries,” Fr. Sanfilippo said. “Until the Lord returns, may you continue to be

signs of the Lord’s love.”

Ten of the original founding members of the parish were presented with a decorative St. James Cross in honor of their contributions to the community.

“From the very beginning of St. James, they were registered here and carried the cross in the positive way of the Lord, through their life, through the sacrifices they made

which have made St. James what it is today,” Fr. Aliunzi said. “They have remained a constant.”

Barb Schoolcraft is one of those original members.

Schoolcraft recalled the parish’s first rummage sale being held out of the back of a pick-up truck. She was on hand for the first spaghetti dinner, and for nine years, managed the snack bar for Friday-night bingo. She’s also been involved in the seniors group and is a longstanding member of the collection-counting group.

“Fr. Robert [Aliunzi] said he thought I’d done every job in the parish except be a priest,” Schoolcraft quipped. “We are a family,” she said. “Everybody supports everybody else and when you need help, they’re always there for you.”

Five years ago, at age 82, Schoolcraft traveled to Uganda to witness first hand St. James Parish’s major outreach: Efforts to Educate the Needy Children of Uganda.

Parishioners have been sponsoring the education of children, many of them orphans, in the African nation through the non-profit EENU for the last several years and plan to build a school there as well. ✴ J.D. Long-García contributed to this story.

The Peter’s Pence Collection gives U.S. parishioners a chance to unite in solidarity with the Holy Father, the faithful worldwide, and those most in need of charitable love. The Holy See uses the Collection proceeds to provide emergency assistance and aid to the most disadvantaged around the world. Please be generous in the Collection and, in doing so, cast the love of Christ upon the world.

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localchurch

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun ✦ Page 7

Survivor of Rwandan genocide to speak in Chandler

By Joyce Coronel

Surviving Rwanda

The Catholic Sun

Paul Haring/CNS

Rwandan genocide survivor Immaculee Ilibagiza gestures while sharing her story of survival and forgiveness at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Alexandria, Va., in 2006. During another speaking engagement, Ilibagiza stood before 600 people April 18, 2007, on the stage of the Caldwell College student center auditorium in Caldwell, N.J., and discussed how the power of prayer saved her life 13 years ago. She will speak at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Chandler.

Immaculee Ilibagiza, who survived the Rwandan genocide of 1994 in which nearly a million people were killed — including nearly every member of her family — will speak Oct. 29 at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish in Chandler.

Ilibagiza visited the Valley in 2009 and briefly addressed attendees at the Knights of Columbus’ Guadalupe Festival held at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. John Jakubczyk, a Knight since 1981, remembered Ilibagiza’s stirring speech.

“She was impressive in her humility as she described some of the horrors she suffered. She expressed her love for the Blessed Mother and explained how God watched over her,” Jakubczyk said.

Beth Ruggiero, chair of the English department at Seton Catholic Preparatory, was unable to attend the 2009 event, but is looking forward to meeting Ilibagiza in person when she speaks to Seton students Oct. 30.

“I think that she has such a powerful faith that everyone can learn something from her,” Ruggiero said.

Paula Osterday, Seton’s advancement director, said Ilibagiza was invited to speak to students because of her extraordinary faith and determination.

“A number of years ago our students and faculty came up with four

Immaculee Ilibagiza, Rwandan genocide survivor, tells her story of faith and determination at 7 p.m., Oct. 29 at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish.

General admission tickets are $15 and can be purchased at www.setoncatholic.org or call (480) 963-1900. Reserved seating tickets are $50 and include a meet-and-greet reception at 6 p.m.

charisms to describe our patron saint at Seton: love, faith, courage and determination,” Osterday said.

“Each school year, we designate a charism and try to use it systematically throughout our curriculum, our publications and our events.”

The entire student body — including incoming freshmen — is required to read a book chosen by faculty that illustrates the charism chosen for the school year. This year Ilibagiza’s “Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust” was selected.

Ilibagiza, who spent a harrowing 91 days huddled in a tiny bathroom with seven other women in a desperate effort to avoid being killed in the brutal conflict, credits her survival to her Catholic faith and devotion to the rosary. She lost nearly half her body weight during the ordeal but emerged nevertheless with a willing-

ness to forgive her persecutors.

“When we realized the enormity of her story, and how impactful she is, we decided to open up her evening session to a larger section of the community,” Osterday said. Normally speakers address Seton students and parents only. St. Andrew the Apostle Parish, just a couple miles from the Seton campus, agreed to host Ilibagiza on Oct. 29. The Chandler parish has room for 1,200 attendees.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted is also enthused about Ilibagiza’s visit.

“Immaculee Ilibagiza offers a compelling witness to the power of forgiveness to turn hatred on its head. As a friend of mine likes to say, ‘Forgiveness is the best revenge,’” the bishop said. “It is the only response that can stop a cycle of violence and begin a culture of love.”

Her words are compelling, he said, because “she herself has lived the message that she conveys. Moreover, she found the ability to forgive in her Catholic faith and her devotion to the Mother of God, especially through praying the rosary.”

Marissa Eink, a junior at Seton Prep, read “Left to Tell” over the summer and said she was inspired by it.

“As soon as I put it down, I automatically knew that it was going to be one of those stories that really stays with you,” Eink said. “She taught me that you need to stay strong in your faith no matter what the circumstances are, if they’re good or bad.” ✴

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Thanks to our generous friends and benefactors who make these awards possible.

Page 8 ✦ The Catholic Sun

localchurch

September 20, 2012

‘Changing the Culture One Woman at a Time’

Women of Grace’s Johnnette Benkovic to speak in Mesa

By Joyce Coronel

‘Changing the Culture One Woman at a Time’

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Johnnette Benkovic, executive producer of EWTN’s “Women of Grace” television program and host of “Women of Grace Live,” a national talk show that airs locally on 1310 AM, Immaculate Heart Radio, will speak Saturday morning Oct. 20 at St. Timothy Parish in Mesa.

Michelene Tanberg, a St. Timothy parishioner who spearheaded the drive to have the Catholic radio and television star appear in the Valley, said she was motivated by a tragic incident.

“My niece took her life last year,” Tanberg said. “She was abused by her husband for 20 years. She had no self-worth left.”

Tanberg said Benkovic consis-

Saturday, Oct. 20 St. Timothy Parish, Mesa Check-in: 7:30 a.m.-8:15 a.m.

Begins with Mass at 8:30 a.m.

Conference will end 4:30 p.m.

Cost: $45, including lunch Pay online: www.sttimothymesa.org Or mail check: St. Timothy Catholic Church 1730 W. Guadalupe Road Mesa, AZ 85202 Courtesy Johnnette S. Benkovic/CNS

tently speaks about the dignity of women — something her niece never heard.

“Society teaches you must look

skinny and you must be beautiful,” Tanberg said. “That’s a lie. So many women don’t know why they were created and don’t know they have inherent dignity.”

The one-day conference, Tanberg said, is an opportunity for women to discover the truth about themselves.

“Johnette is so articulate about our faith and so enthusiastic,” Tanberg said. “Women need to learn why we’re here and the truth that the Church has given us.”

Kay Kandas, who helped organize the conference, is also a big fan of Benkovic. “She’s very current on the culture,” Kandas said.

“She knows what’s going on and talks about how to live the Catholic life in our culture today.”

Fr. Charlie Goraieb, pastor of St. Timothy, said Benkovic encourages women to see themselves as “daughters of the Lord,” to appreciate their femininity and to “celebrate that and see how, through true feminine genius, women are able to grow in grace and in their relationship with the Lord,” Fr. Goraieb said. “I think it’s very helpful, very important.” ✴

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localchurch

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun ✦ Page 9

First Native American woman to be canonized Oct. 21 Kateri Tekakwitha, ‘Lily of the Mohawks’

EWTN to broadcast Canonization Mass EWTN will be airing the Canonization Mass live at 4 a.m. EST, Oct. 21, 2012.

The encore broadcast will be at 11 a.m. EST, later that day.

By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

Pope Benedict XVI will canonize Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, a 17th century Mohawk Indian woman, Oct. 21 in Rome. An iconic figure of faith long revered by Native Americans and others, Tekakwitha will be the first Native woman to be canonized.

Deacon Jim Trant, who has worked among the Native peoples for more than 40 years and is parish life coordinator for Native American missions in the Diocese of Phoenix, lauded Blessed Kateri’s devotion to the Eucharist.

“I think it’s going to be just wonderful, especially for young Native Americans to have a saint of her young age that they can use as a role model to emulate,” Deacon Trant said. “She was very much dedicated to the Eucharist. She was an evangelist among her people, spreading the faith, especially among the women in the villages she lived in.”

Herman Ray, a Pima Indian who lives in Salt River, just east of Scottsdale, credits Tekakwitha with saving his life. He said that in 2007 he was at the end of his rope, battling addictions to alcohol and crack cocaine.

“I cried out to God and said, ‘I don’t want to die. I know You gave me my life and I don’t want to die and go to hell.’ I felt like I was in a pit,” Ray said. “He heard my cry.

And He sent Kateri into the pit to help me out.”

Without counseling or a rehab program, Ray said he was able to escape the bonds of addiction, something he thinks was a miracle due to Blessed Kateri’s intercession.

A few days after his heartfelt prayer, Ray’s mother invited him to attend the national Kateri Tekakwitha conference in Washington, D.C. “On the last day, they had a Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception. I went into this big, huge church and there was a statue there of Kateri,” Ray said. “I heard drums and Native singing, saw the smoke blessing with eagle feathers, people dressed in their regalia. It showed me that I could be a Native and have my traditions and also be a Catholic. To combine those two together makes me strong as a native and a Catholic.”

Since then, Ray said he’s had a strong desire to be in church frequently and to spread devotion to Blessed Kateri, telling others how she saved his life and that she is a bridge between Natives and nonNatives in Catholicism.

“She was a true Native to her people, but she had the most devotion to the Lord,” Ray said. “In that way, she shows Natives that you can be a Native as God created you, but

EWTN, the Eternal Word Television Network, broadcasts locally on Cox Cable Channel 13.

Nancy Phelan Wiechec/CNS

A statue of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha stands amid trees on the grounds of the shrine dedicated to her in Fonda, N.Y., July 14, her U.S. feast day. The 17th-century Mohawk-Algonquin woman will become the first member of a North American tribe to be declared a saint when she is canonized Oct. 21.

you can also be a Catholic in the way God wants you to worship Him.” Cathy Vasquez, who belongs to the Tono O’Odham tribe, is in charge of the Inter-Tribal Kateri Circle and is also an elected Board Member for the National Tekakwitha Conference. She’s been involved with the Phoenix Kateri Circle since she graduated from Northern Arizona State University.

The group spreads devotion to Blessed Kateri and meets monthly to pray the rosary.

“During that era when [Blessed Kateri] grew up, for many tribes Catholicism was forbidden. Even her own family wanted to exile her,” Vasquez said. “To maintain

that devotion and faith in Our Lord no matter how much pressure you might experience is inspiring.”

Blessed Kateri’s canonization, Vasquez said, shows that “Natives can maintain their culture while continuing our faith and our devotion.”

Both Ray and Vasquez plan to attend the canonization ceremony in Rome.

Phoenix Catholic Marlene McCauley, who is not a Native American, has long been devoted to Blessed Kateri, too. McCauley, author of “Adventures with a Saint: Kateri Tekakwitha, Lily of the Mohawks,” is enthused about the upcoming canonization.

“They’ve waited a long time —

it was over 300 years ago that she was born,” McCauley said. “She will bring to them new life in their faith and loving Jesus in the holy cross and in the Eucharist.”

McCauley also lauded Blessed Kateri as someone modern-day Catholics could emulate. “She will be a model for their youth because she lived a life of purity with a burning love of God. This is what we need and what they need,” McCauley said. “It’s the most wonderful thing that could happen.”

Kateri Tekakwitha was born in modern-day upstate New York to a Mohawk war chief and Christian Algonquin mother. Her village was struck by smallpox, killing both her

mother and brother and leaving her deeply scarred and with severe damage to her vision.

Baptized at age 20, fellow tribe members and even her family ostracized her, especially after she vowed to never marry. According to those who knew her, she lived a life of heroic virtue and prayer.

She received threats to her life and eventually moved to a Christian mission near Montreal where she died a year later at age 24.

Blessed Kateri’s intercession is credited with healing Jacob Finkbonner, a 5-year-old Native boy from Washington, who in 2006 was near death, suffering from a lifethreatening, flesh-eating bacteria after he split his lip playing baseball.

“Sr. Kateri [Mitchell] from the national conference was in the Seattle area and went to his bedside after he received the last rites,” Vasquez said. “She arrived with Kateri’s relics and they prayed over him.” Finkbonner was healed and his cure marked the second required miracle for canonization of Kateri Tekakwitha. ✴

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localchurch

The Catholic Sun

September 20, 2012

‘When he laughed, he turned a light on in a soul’ Community mourns Fr. Timothy Davern

By Gina Keating The Catholic Sun

Arizona native Fr. Timothy R. Davern, JCL, inveterate storyteller with legendary recall, died Aug. 30, at Tempe St. Luke Hospital. He was 60.

“His most favorite book was the encyclopedia,” said his sister, Cathy Davern Gronquist, of Santa Fe, New Mexico. “He knew all those random facts because he read the encyclopedia, and remembered everything because he had a photographic memory.”

Born in Yuma, Fr. Davern was surrounded by academia as he

Courtesy Davern Family

fr. Timothy Davern, JCL, died Aug. 30. he was 60.

grew up. His father, Francis, now deceased, was a professor at universities throughout the country,

including Northern Arizona.

His mother, Mary Margaret “Peggy” Meighn, is the former director of International Affairs at Western Illinois University.

“Our backyard was the university,” Gronquist said. “He always had his nose in a book, and I know it comes with his job.”

The Church of the Resurrection in Tempe was filled with people from all walks of life whom he met throughout his nearly 35 years as a priest, for the vigil service, rosary, and Mass of Resurrection.

Bill Murphy, his college roommate from the University of Notre Dame, choked back tears as he recalled his friendship with Fr. Davern.

“We were drawn together for the love of a good story,” Murphy said.

“When he laughed, he turned on a light in a soul.”

Shannon Nolan and his wife, Anna, arrived with their four children, two of whom were baptized

by Fr. Davern.

Nolan first met Fr. Davern at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Tempe in 1996 when he was fresh out of college.

“It was Fr. Tim that got me involved with the youth ministry and the Church. He was just a wonderful priest,” he said.

Fr. Fred Adamson, vicar general for the Phoenix Diocese and Moderator of the Curia, said Fr. Davern embraced his priesthood and loved the sacrament of baptism.

“I would have to wrestle him to baptize when I was a priest [at Resurrection Church]. He loved to baptize the little children,” Fr. Adamson said. “We lost a bright light in our community. He was a

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faithful servant who kept the light of faith alive for others.”

The mood turned poignant during the homily when his friend and colleague, Fr. Charles G. Kieffer, VF, pastor of St. Theresa Parish, captured the humanness of Fr. Davern’s struggles through Sacred Scripture.

Referring to the raising of Lazarus from the Gospel of John, Fr. Kieffer made the correlation of the untying of Lazarus from the burial cloths to Fr. Davern being released from his body ravaged by diabetes and alcoholism — now at rest, at peace and sanctified by Jesus.

“Slowly Tim found himself ‘tied hand and foot,’ bound up, by those multiple and spiraling health challenges,” Fr. Kieffer said.

“But now…it’s Tim who comes out of the darkness and into the light. It’s Tim who hears the command given by Jesus, ‘untie him… and let him go free.’ Free to know that eternal life is the unending embrace of God’s love.”

Fr. Davern will be remembered for his brilliant mind, dry sense of humor and quick wit. Not to mention his brief homilies.

He was often heard saying, “You know, you lose them after seven minutes.”

Bishop James S. Rausch, the second bishop of Phoenix, ordained Fr. Davern a priest for the Phoenix Diocese on May 13, 1978.

He served as parochial vicar at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Resurrection Parish, St. Anne Parish in Gilbert and at Holy Spirit Parish. He also served as pastor at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Fr. Davern served in diocesan positions as adjunct judicial vicar, chancellor, and judicial vicar. He was also the spiritual moderator of the St. Thomas More Society and was a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and of the Canon Law Society of America.

Fr. Davern received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame, a master’s degree from St. Meinrad School of Theology and a licentiate in canon law from Catholic University of America.

Fr. Davern is survived by his mother, Peggy Davern of Tempe, his sister, Cathy, his brother-inlaw, Guy Gronquist, and nieces Elizabeth and Augusta Gronquist of Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The visitation was Sept. 4, at Resurrection Church, followed by the funeral Mass the next morning.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to Regina Cleri Priest Retirement Fund or Seminarian Education Fund, care of the Diocese of Phoenix, 400 E. Monroe St., Phoenix, AZ, 85004, or to the charity of your choice. ✴

localchurch

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun ✦ Page 11

‘Arizona Rosary Celebration’ organizers gear up for big event

By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

For years, the Diocese of Phoenix has hosted one of the largest annual public rosary celebrations in the United States, bringing together thousands of local Catholics in a colorful, mid-October tradition.

The event features traditional Mexican dancers in a vibrant parade through downtown Phoenix and a blessing procession at the Phoenix Convention Center that culminates with the recitation of the rosary, a keynote address by a well-known speaker and benediction.

Last year, the Arizona Rosary Celebration broadened its reach to establish a rosary event in the Diocese of Tucson. The celebration in Tucson takes place Oct. 20 at the Cathedral of St. Augustine. The Phoenix event will be held Oct. 21.

The Knights of Columbus and other organizations, such as the Legion of Mary and the Catholic Daughters, assist both dioceses with Arizona Rosary Celebration.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted will preside at the Phoenix event and Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas will preside at the Tucson event.

Larry Costanzo of the Knights of Columbus is chairman of the 2012 statewide celebration.

“It’s a great opportunity for people to get together and pray the rosary since the way to Jesus is through Mary,” Costanzo said. “But this year, the United States needs all the help we can get from prayer to save our country. In a nutshell, we Catholics need to get together and pray that our country will turn around and go back to a culture of life from a culture of death.”

Mario Fierros, one of the organizers of this year’s event, agreed.

“The situation in our country, in our state and in our world — people are in great need of the rosary,” Fierros said. “It’s going to help solve some of the problems we have.”

John Garcia of the Knights of Columbus pointed to the blessing procession as one of the more touching aspects of the event.

“It’s a thing of beauty and a demonstration of the unity we have as Catholics,” Garcia said. “It’s a coming together of everybody.

We erase the lines of ethnicity and color and we are just Catholic.”

The rosary celebration, Garcia said, is also a show of Catholic faith and unity in a world in which Christianity is under attack.

“This is the time when we get together and show the world we are standing unified by our faith and we can still do it publicly,” Garcia said. “Catholics are here to stay.

We’re not a fad and we’re not going to go away quietly into the night.”

The celebration in Phoenix begins when the Columbian Squires and Silver Rose leave St. Mary’s High School at 11:15 a.m. and march to the Diocesan Pastoral Center. There, they will join altar servers for lunch at noon

Arizona Rosary Celebration Phoenix, Sunday, Oct. 21 12:15 p.m. Parade of the Missionary Image of Our Lady of Guadalupe departs from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 909 E. Washington St. Noon-1:30 p.m. Confessions Phoenix Convention Center 1:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Basilica choir concert, Phoenix Convention Center 2 p.m. Bishops’ procession, blessing procession, keynote address, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, rosary and Benediction For more information: www.azrosary.com

Immaculate Conception

Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

The Arizona Rosary Celebration is a vibrant event that brings together Catholics from all over Phoenix and Tucson to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary through praying the rosary.

with Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo Nevares of the Diocese of Phoenix.

Fr. Zachary of Our Mother of God Shallow, SOLT will be the keynote speaker for both the Phoenix and Tucson celebrations. A former attorney, Fr. Shallow later served as a formator of seminarians for the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity.

He now serves as the priest director of administration and formation for the lay faithful for SOLT. Kindergarten through eighth grade students who attend Catholic schools, religious education programs or are home-schooled are invited to participate in the ARC’s poster contest again this year. The

Janet LaPlante, former president of the Phoenix Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, has written a column about the Immaculate Conception to promote the upcoming Arizona Rosary Celebration.

Read it online:

theme for this year’s contest is “The Immaculate Conception and my Family.” The deadline for Phoenix submissions is Oct. 17. Rules and registration forms are available at www.azrosary.com. Winners of the contest will be invited to a pizza party with the bishop of their respective diocese. ✴

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Page 12 ✦ The Catholic Sun

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September 20, 2012

Golf tourney teams up with Maggie’s Place, 40 Days for Life

By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

Organizers of this year’s Friends of the Cathedral Golf Tournament are hoping golf enthusiasts of all skill levels will join them Sept.

28 for a day of friendly competition on the greens at Desert Ridge Resort and Spa. The tournament, which is in its fifth year, is the main fundraiser for Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral. Phil Lester, business manager for the cathedral, said there’s a new emphasis for this year’s tournament.

“This year we’ve taken on two partners,” Lester said. “Maggie’s Place, a home for women who are pregnant and homeless, and 40 Days for Life.”

A portion of the proceeds from the tournament will benefit both organizations, Lester said. Maggie’s Place runs three homes in the Valley, and 40 Days for Life is a twice-a-year prayer campaign outside of abortion clinics that seeks to persuade women to continue their pregnancies.

“It’s a terrific venue, a beautiful golf course,” Lester said. “The whole setting is wonderful and it includes a great lunch.” Attendees can also enjoy a silent auction, drawings and prizes.

David Arambula, chair of this year’s tournament, said he wants Catholics in the Diocese of Phoenix

‘Theology on Tap’ reaches out to young adults

By Joyce Coronel

Courtesy Friends of the Cathedral

Friends of the Cathedral The Friends of the Cathedral Golf tournament is Sept. 28 at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa, 5350 E. Marriott Drive Registration/Breakfast: 6:30-7:15 a.m.

Four-person scramble, shotgun start: 7:30 a.m.

Awards Lunch Silent Auction/ Raffle immediately follows golf Register online by Sept. 20: friendsofthecathedral.com

to understand the importance of the cathedral as the mother church.

“The cathedral is everybody’s church, all the parishes. It’s everybody’s cathedral, not just Ss. Simon and Jude,” Arambula said. “We are trying to help out other organizations and other people throughout the Valley.”

‘Theology on Tap’ The political series will take place on three Mondays in October at Ajo Al’s Mexican Café, 5101 N. 16th St., Phoenix. To register, visit: politicaltotl.eventbrite.com

The Catholic Sun

In the early days of the Church, St. Paul engaged the Greeks in the Areopagus, telling them the truths of the Christian faith. Ryan Hanning said something similar is taking place in Valley hotspots today through “Theology on Tap.” The local Theology on Tap program is launching a three-part series at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 dubbed “The Participation of Catholics in the Political Life” at Ajo Al’s Mexican Café, 5101 N. 16th St., Phoenix. Fr. John Ehrich, director of Medical Ethics for the diocese, will lead the discussions.

Hanning, director of parish leadership support for the Diocese of Phoenix, said Theology on Tap reaches out to young adults, engaging them where they are about the truth and beauty of Catholicism.

“It’s a young adult ministry meant to catechize young adults in the settings they’re already in,”

Hanning said. “Our nights are all opportunities for a catechesis that we host in restaurants, cafes and bars.”

The approach is effective, Hanning said, because it reaches out to young adults in a place where they are already comfortable. “Why can’t we turn that experience into something sanctifying and glorifying to God, by praying together, studying His word and having a great talk on one of the key themes of our faith?” Hanning asked rhetorically during an interview with The Catholic Sun. Pamelle Easterling, an Arizona State University graduate and a parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, is co-facilitator for the upcoming Theology on Tap series. She said the program originated in Chicago, but is known locally as Theology on Tap-Phx and is approved by the Diocese of Phoenix.

Many priests from the Phoenix Diocese, including Fr. John Lankeit, rector of the cathedral, and Fr. Rob Clements, former rector of the cathedral, participate in the tournament. Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares has participated in past years as well.

Friends of the Cathedral, the sponsor of the golf tournament, is an organization that supports and seeks to raise awareness of the cathedral’s place in the life of the local Church.

Ordinations to the priesthood and the Chrism Mass — the annual liturgy during Holy Week in which the oils for baptism, confirmation and ordination are blessed — both take place at the cathedral. It is also where Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted resides. ✴ Easterling worked with Hanning and Fr. John Ehrich, pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle, in developing the upcoming series. This year, Theology on Tap will incorporate the Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI. “The Year of Faith will be the overarching theme for everything we are doing,” Easterling said. “The USCCB says that the young adult population, 18-35 year-olds, represent half of the Church. We’re mobile…a lot of people don’t think we exist.”

Easterling said the political series will take place on three Monday nights in October and will help participants become well-formed Catholic voters.

“The first one will talk about Catholics in political life; the second one will be about forming a Catholic conscience and how Catholics need to engage the political realm,” Easterling said. The last forum in October will be a Q-and-A session with a panel of experts in law and bioethics.

Easterling said young adults from about 58 parishes in the Diocese of Phoenix have participated in Theology on Tap series in the past. She and co-coordinator, Nicole Denison, are both hoping for a good turnout. ✴

localchurch

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun

✦

Page 13

Cemetery Grounds Clean-Up The next scheduled clean-up of all flowers and decorations at St. Francis, Holy Cross, Queen of Heaven, and Calvary Cemeteries will be the week of Monday, October 8, 2012.

Any and all flowers and decorations left on the grounds on or after this day will be removed and disposed. Flowers may be returned Saturday, October 13, 2012.

Decorations are permitted on posted holidays only.

Holy Redeemer Cemetery and All Souls Cemetery Clean-up date first Tuesday of each month.

Thank you for your understanding & assistance.

Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

fr. fred LeClaire, CMf, pastor of the newly declared parish, St. Catherine Laboure, takes his oath of fidelity, administered by Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares, during Mass Sept. 2.

Chino Valley mission becomes a parish

By Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

The community of St. Catherine Laboure, located near Prescott in Chino Valley, has tripled in size over the last dozen years. Along with that growth came the recent designation of the community as a parish within the Diocese of Phoenix.

Fr. Fred Adamson, moderator of the Curia, said that the new designation for St. Catherine Laboure establishes it with separate identity under canon law.

“They’ve been functioning essentially as a parish for some time,” Fr. Adamson said. St. Catherine’s already has a pastoral council, finance council and religious education program, characteristics of a parish, he said.

Claretian Father Fred LeClaire, administrator of St. Catherine since 2004, was installed as pastor of the newly designated parish

by Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares at a Sept. 2 Mass.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Fr. LeClaire said. “We’ve just gone from being one the largest missions to one of the smallest parishes overnight, so our work is really cut out for us.”

St. Catherine’s was established as a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in 1980 and held its first Mass in what is now the church hall on March 23 of that year. A new sanctuary was erected in 1990. Members of the parish, Fr. LeClaire said, are a mix of senior citizens as well as some younger families. About 15 percent are Hispanic and a Spanish Mass is celebrated on Sunday evenings.

“I think there’s a greater responsibility to carry on the work of the Lord now because you don’t have another parish overseeing your operations,” Fr. LeClaire said.

As a mission, St. Catherine’s needed approval from Sacred Heart Parish in order to begin any new ministries, build new structures or make financial decisions. “Now the responsibility

is ours,” Fr. LeClaire said.

Linda Marschner has belonged to St. Catherine’s since 2006 and helps fold the newsletter and count the collection. She said everyone she’s talked to is comfortable with

the change is designation “It shouldn’t be a big change,” Marschner said. “The people make the church, whether it’s a mission or a parish. The fact that Fr. Fred is going to remain, people are happy.” ✴

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localchurch

Page 14 ✦ The Catholic Sun

September 20, 2012

Communities build to create independent, efficient churches

By Ambria Hammel The Catholic Sun

New, and for some permanent, places of worship are on the horizon around the diocese.

It’s been a long time coming for Catholics in Flagstaff. San Francisco de Asís Parish united under one name 15 years ago — consolidating three churches — but still doesn’t have a centralized area for prayer and faith formation. If all goes well, that could change by the end of the year or certainly by Easter.

The “Building God’s House, Our Home” capital campaign is seeing daily fruit. All the walls of a 22,000-square-foot church are up and the church tower is two-thirds complete. Exterior work should wrap up next month.

“Once we’re all together, it’s going to be that much more special,” said Mark Smith, capital campaign manager.

The community took walking tours of the new property atop scenic McMillan Mesa in August.

Smith said many were impressed with the progress so far. The new church will feature solar panels and radiant heating that comes through the floor. It would also seat nearly 1,400 people, almost double what St. Pius X Center, the current church, can hold.

Still, the new design should maintain intimacy. The altar will extend toward the pews, much like All Saints Parish in Mesa or St. Thomas Aquinas in Avondale. Overflow seating will be off to the sides.

The church and parish offices — which will also house a relocated school — should open by next fall.

Both projects involve local material and builders as much as possible including some rock quarried from northern Arizona. A large boulder uncovered from the future church site will serve as the altar.

Plans for expansion at Our

The exterior of a new mission site for La Santisima Trinidad in Scenic, Ariz. is complete (left). The project is awaiting more funds so volunteer labor can work on the interior.

The move will allow the mission to stop renting worship space.

Courtesy photo

Construction of a centralized parish for San Francisco de Asís Parish is well underway in Flagstaff (right). This view is from behind the altar. The front doors are also installed and the church tower two-thirds complete.

The church should open by Easter.

Courtesy ph oto

Lady of the Angels, a conventual church at the Franciscan Renewal Center in Scottsdale, are in the beginning stages. The 60-year-old facility has outgrown its 212-seat worship space on Lincoln Drive and is working with the Franciscan Friars Province of Santa Barbara and the Phoenix Diocese to design

something more efficient.

Other church building projects are not as much about space as they are about practicality. La Santísima Trinidad Mission in Scenic, Ariz., currently rents a 100-seat space for Mass. Volunteer labor began building this summer for the mission’s own 6,000-square-foot church

down the street. It will allow 400 people to gather for Mass and offer meeting space in the back. The exterior of the stucco church is finished while work on the interior awaits further funding.

St. Henry Parish in Buckeye is also building in order to leave its days of rented worship space

behind. Weekend liturgies have been at a local elementary school for eight years because the parish’s 31-year-old worship space is no longer adequate. The new build will be three miles north of the current church.

Fr. Billy Kosco, pastor, said the nine-month build on Miller Road about one mile south of I-10 couldn’t come soon enough. More than 1,000 families show up for the two Sunday Masses. Still, St. Henry’s location and outdated design, including an alley as the front entrance, has left some people in the dark about the 55-year-old parish.

“A week doesn’t go by that someone doesn’t come by and say, ‘By golly, you have a church in town?’” Fr. Kosco said.

Fr. Kosco’s plans for the full campus will put those questions to rest.

He ultimately envisions an almost monastery-like feel when future phases are complete. Everything will connect. For now, the first $3 million phase will provide a hall — the temporary church — and a chapel.

The new design will largely mirror what St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Parish opened as a spirituality center three years ago in Anthem. St. Henry Parish is even using the same construction crew and architect. They plan to finish in January of 2013. ✴

localchurch

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun

✦

Page 15

Bishop re-releases ‘Catholics in the Public Square’ at EWTN’s Family Celebration ▶ Continued from page 1

first to file a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate requiring health insurance plans to provide coverage for contraception, sterilization and abortioninducing drugs.

An updated “Survey of Religious Hostility in America,” released in August by the Liberty Institute and Family Research Council, presents more than 600 incidents of religious attacks and hostility in the United States. Most of them occurred within the last 10 years, according to an executive summary. They’re happening in the public arena, at school and against churches and ministries.

The most direct attack, the bishop said, is through the HHS mandate. By requiring religious employers to provide services through insurance that directly violate their consciences, the mandate greatly jeopardizes the ability to freely practice the faith, the bishop said.

Alan Sears, CEO and general counsel of the Alliance Defending Freedom, called it a perilous time.

His firm has 1,500 lawyers in three countries and at the United Nations.

He called the threats before the courts now unprecedented. There are some exemptions, including the Amish community, but they’re too narrow to adequately protect all religious institutions.

“This is about the government defining what the faith is, who the faithful are and how and when we can practice the faith,” Sears said.

The nearly 2,000 people in the crowd often matched such comments with applause.

Marci Moffit, president of the Catholic Medical Association, offered a physician’s perspective.

Many physicians question leaving the practice of medicine or taking drastic measures in order to still practice without violating their consciences.

Moffit cited an Ahwatukee doctor who resorted to accepting only cash payments so that he won’t have to deal with health plan services that violate Church teaching.

Remaining obedient to God and listening to His voice is key, especially when there don’t seem to be any good alternatives, the bishop said.

Sears agreed. He acknowledged that sometimes the stakes are high, but it’s important to have people who will prayerfully say, “We will not comply.”

It’s not just reproductive issues threatening religious liberty. Sears and others were quick to bring up the redefinition of marriage.

He cited one case where a photographer was sued for a violation of human rights for refusing to photograph a same-sex wedding and another where a company wouldn’t print a T-shirt supporting same-sex relationships.

Raymond Arroyo, host of “The World Over,” an international news

Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted took part in a panel discussion on religious liberty during EWTN’s family Celebration Sept. 8-9 at the phoenix Convention Center.

magazine on EWTN, moderated the roundtable discussion. He asked about cures for these moral ailments.

Bishop Olmsted said the political process is a start. So is education.

After all, Arizona Catholics were almost evenly split at first on the issue of gay marriage in 2006. By election time, after a voter’s guide and other educational material, it was 82 percent against it.

It’s equally important, however, the bishop said, to live the Catholic faith at home and to grow in a life of prayer. He also commented on the benefits of fasting to help fight evil during a lengthy Q-and-A. “There’s a power that comes in joining our whole body with our convictions,” the bishop said in direct response to a listener’s question. “Fasting is especially important to give us a freedom — a freedom to grow in detachment from our comforts.”

Crowds at EWTN’s Family Celebration also learned the difference between negotiable and nonnegotiable issues, how to live their faith as a young adult Catholic, how to steer friends away form morally

corrupt choices and more. The celebration brought crowds from across Arizona and at least 26 other states.

Raymond Arroyo challenged the crowd to think about the legacy they’re leaving behind. In a onehour address mixed with tangible advice and humorous impersonations, Arroyo reminded attendees that creative expressions of the faith and leading by example will go much further in the work of evangelization than words ever will.

“The thing that often brings people to any faith is the living, breathing example,” Arroyo said.

Mother Miriam of the Lamb of God and Jesuit Father Mitch Pacwa, host of “EWTN Live” and “Threshold of Hope,” also gave addresses. Mother Miriam, among other things, offered practical advice for families. Beyond prayer, she suggested reading Catholic literature, such as a papal encyclical, as a family.

She also reminded parents that they have stewardship over their children’s souls and highlighted tips from Archbishop Charles J. Chaput’s first book, “Living the Catholic Faith:

The third edition of “Catholics in the public Square” was issued Sept. 8.

Rediscovering the Basics.”

Three sets of local guests shared their joys of embracing a simple approach to Catholic living on a special “Life on the Rock” show

Sept. 8. The Poor Clare Sisters of Perpetual Adoration recapped their Arizona journey and plans for building a monastery with full enclosure in Tonopah.

Teenagers from nearby St. Henry Parish in Buckeye were guests alongside Fr. Billy Kosco. They shared their approach to youth ministry and their witness of staying Catholic in high school.

Catholic young adults involved with St. Paul’s Outreach at Arizona State University offered a similar college take. The model creates separate men and women households rooted in faith and fellowship.

“Community life really prepares you for vocation, whatever that is: married life or priesthood. We’re striving for something greater,” said Daniel Tansill, a St. Paul’s Outreach alum.

Whenever he told houseguests about their mission, they were very supportive. ✴

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Page 16

✦

localchurch

The Catholic Sun

September 20, 2012

YEAR OF FAITH: Pastoral letter calls Catholics closer to the sacraments ▶ Continued from page 1

ter Sept. 14, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the visit of Blessed John Paul II to Phoenix.

The letter sets forth the principle ways in which Catholics can participate in the Year of Faith.

Portions of the letter are addressed to specific groups, among them, married couples, the elderly, clergy, religious and educators. The longest passage is addressed to families in an effort to encourage and challenge them in their life of faith.

“You are not called to a mediocre, passive existence in the Church,” the bishops wrote. “Rather, you have an indispensable mission in the New Evangelization. “ Ryan Hanning, director of parish leadership support for the diocese, said the Year of Faith will be an opportunity for Catholics to grow in their understanding of the faith and to live it more deeply.

“The vision of the Holy Father is that every Catholic would engage in the New Evangelization by rediscovering the joy of the faith in their life,” Hanning said. “Rediscovering that joy will lead us to sharing the joy we have in our life with others.

Our relationship with Christ will then flow out into everything that we do and impact society.”

Helping families pray Praying together as a family is something Hanning says is a top priority for the Year of Faith in the local Church.

“We’re inviting all families throughout the diocese to pray as a family every night,” Hanning said.

“There are lots of resources on the Web to help them if they’re not doing it already.”

The Phoenix Diocese will also launch www.catholicfamilyprayer. org this month in an effort to help families pray together. The rewards

ARIZONA ROSARY CELEBRATION Sunday

October 21 Phoenix Convention Center Halls F & G

2:00 - 4:15 PM Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted Bishop of Phoenix Presiding

Honoring Mary under her title of

The Immaculate Conception

Confessions 12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.

Pre-event Concert 1:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The Choir of St. Mary’s Basilica Directed by Gordon Stevenson

Keynote Speaker

Rev. Zachary of Our Mother of God, SOLT Recitation of the Holy Rosary, Led by

Most. Rev. Eduardo Nevares Auxililary Bishop of Phoenix

Upcoming events

Year of Faith

These are some of the events Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted has designated to mark the Year of Faith: Oct. 7 ▶ Opening Liturgy for the Year of Faith, Mass with Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, 9 a.m. Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral. ▶ Mass with Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares, 9 and 11 a.m.

(Spanish)Immaculate Conception, Cottonwood. of family prayer, the bishops wrote, are “peace, unity, and joy that reach beyond this world.”

In their pastoral letter to the faithful, Bishop Olmsted and Bishop Nevares outline specific ways in which families can grow closer to God. One concrete way, they said, was by reclaiming Sunday as the Sabbath.

“Without regular Sunday worship, our life in Christ can barely survive, and our faith will suffer on many levels,” the bishops wrote.

“Attend Sunday Mass together as a family, making this connection to the Church and her communion an immovable element of your family’s week, and where possible, Mass on other days during the week.”

A deeper sacramental life The Phoenix bishops are calling on Catholics to a richer, more active sacramental life, urging more frequent and worthy reception of the Eucharist as well as the seeking of forgiveness and healing through the sacrament of reconciliation.

“This treasure of frequent reception of the Sacrament of Confession should be rediscovered with great joy and thankfulness,” the pastoral letter reads. The bishops also called on priests to “generously and more frequently [make themselves] available for hearing confessions.”

Hanning said plans are in the works to increase confession times.

He quoted Pope Benedict’s statement that “the New Evangelization begins in the confessional.”

Evangelization, Hanning emphasized, always involves conversion.

“God always calls us to something greater than ourselves. A relationship with God is not a relationship with the abstract,” Hanning said. “A relationship with a person changes you.”

The process of conversion, he said, begins when we recognize our own inability to save ourselves. “We need the love of Jesus Christ not only to forgive our sins, but to know our purpose in this world,” Hanning said.

Life in Christ begins with the sacrament of baptism. The bishops’ letter urges the faithful to commemorate the day on which they were baptized.

“Every Catholic should know

Oct. 11 50th Anniversary of the Opening of the Second Vatican Council. Vespers with Bishops Olmsted and and celebrate the day of their baptism as their ‘birth into new life,’” the bishops wrote. “Parishes should renew their efforts to educate persons of all ages about this foundational sacrament.”

Family mealtime The bishops’ pastoral letter stressed the importance of families sharing meals together.

“Every family meal can help to strengthen the family bond,” they wrote. “We strongly urge you to rediscover the joy and beauty of the family meal, to make every sacrifice necessary in order to share more meals together as a family, and to work towards making this a daily habit in your home.”

Hanning, the father of six children ages 15 months to 11 years, said sitting down together to share the evening meal is something his family does nightly. He recognizes that this practice is rather uncommon in 2012.

“It’s something that as a culture we’ve lost,” Hanning said. “And it’s really hard to rediscover the joy of faith, to figure out how to trust in God if we don’t have that modeled in our family.”

He referenced a Gallup longitudinal study that shows that only 40 years ago, the vast majority of American families ate dinner together every night. Today, just 23 percent do so. The shared family meal, he said, is about more than simply eating together.

“There’s something special about breaking bread together. We come together as a family to talk about our day, to reflect together on how we’re growing,” Hanning said.

“Even in just that simple banter in the arguments over the family meal, all of that is the main way in which God calls us to trust in Him.” Fr. Chuck Kieffer, VF, pastor of St. Theresa Parish, acknowledged that families are often busy shuttling children back and forth between extracurricular activities. But, he said, a shared meal is important. It’s something he and his brother priests are committed to at the rectory.

“Monday night is our community night. We pray and eat together as priests,” Fr. Kieffer said. “We hold Monday to be kind of sacred, so we don’t make other commitments

Nevares, 6:30 p.m. St. Mary’s Basilica.

Oct. 29-Nov. 2 Eucharistic Congress, Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral.

An entire week devoted to the Holy Eucharist. Holy Mass each day at 6:30 p.m., followed by keynote speakers. Forty-hour devotion begins Oct. 29 following keynote speaker.

More events online: www.catholicfamilyprayer. org/calendar/ that interfere with prayer time and mealtime. It tends to work, but it also requires a concerted effort to actually calendar it and say nothing else is going to get in the way.”

Activities at local parishes Parishes around the Phoenix Diocese are gearing up for Year of Faith by incorporating it into their programs and events.

Several parishes in the diocese are planning sacramental prep retreats that focus on discovering the joy of faith. Others are addressing issues of faith in their weekly bulletins.

Throughout the diocese, Hanning said, parishes will “highlight the role of faith and the rediscovery of that faith and that trust in God.” Fr. Kieffer said he will be taking parish staff on a retreat at St. Andrew’s Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Valyermo, Calif.

“We’re going to have a retreat on the Year of Faith given by one of the monks at the abbey,” Fr. Kieffer said. “Hopefully we’ll come back from that not only refreshed and recharged but also with some good ideas for the Year of Faith.”

Lily Hannan, director of the youth program at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, has already planned activities to mark the Year of Faith and bring young people closer to God. “The first half will be on the life of the saints, personal holiness and deeper conversion,” Hannan said.

“The second semester is more catechetical.”

That’s when they’ll be studying the Creed by way of YOUCAT, the official youth catechism recommended

by Pope Benedict XVI that features a book and an interactive website.

Youth group members will make a public profession of faith at the end of the second semester, something Hannan said she hopes to capture on video.

Bishop Olmsted said the Year of Faith will help Catholics focus on things that last and have endurance in a changing world.

“Without a doubt, the Year of Faith will help us in Arizona to deal more effectively with the challenges of atheism and secularism,” the bishop said, “not just so we can survive them but so that we can use their emergence as a teachable moment for the Church.” ✴

I

Blest Are They Who Believe A pastoral letter on the occasion of the Year of Faith.

Promulgated on Sept. 14, 2012.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted

Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

“G

o into the whole world and proclaim the good news to all creation,” Jesus said, “The man who believes in it and accepts baptism will be saved; the man who refuses to believe in it will be condemned” (Mk 16:15). What a difference it makes to believe in God. When faith is absent, the Lord’s work is hampered: “Jesus did not work many mighty

Introduction

deeds there because of their lack of faith” (Mt 13:58). When faith is active, it can move mountains, for nothing is impossible with God. Faith, which opens the door of our heart to Christ, is a great gift from Him, a free decision on our part, and a major force for shaping our individual lives and indeed the history of the world.

Throughout the 2,000-year history of our Church, the unique and central proclamation of our faith has been based on a personal encounter with the living God – the God who created us in love and unfolded His plan for us throughout the narrative of salvation history. In His Son, He took on our flesh, suffered death for our sins, and rose from the dead so that we might rise with Him to everlasting life.1 Our Catholic faith is a celebration of this unique encounter, demonstrated throughout the world by the victorious saints in heaven, and us pilgrims here on earth who seek to know, love, and serve our Lord Jesus Christ. In every age, the Church brings together the faithful, calling them to conversion, strengthening them through the

Sacraments, and sending them to serve in His vineyard. But for every faithful pilgrim, it is always necessary to deepen and sometimes even to revitalize our relationship with God and His Church. It belongs to each generation to “rediscover the journey of faith so as to shed ever clearer light on the joy and renewed enthusiasm of the encounter with Christ.”2 For this reason the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI declared that the Universal Church will celebrate this “Year of Faith,” a year dedicated to renewed and concentrated efforts on proclaiming, teaching, and defending the truth, beauty, and goodness of our faith in Christ. As we also commemorate the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, we will highlight the many conciliar and post-conciliar documents

1. cf 1 Cor 15:20

2. Porta Fidei para 2

Part One: To All The Faithful

T

hroughout the Diocese of Phoenix, there will be increased opportunities for all believers to celebrate our faith during this important year.

In union with the Holy Father, and in solidarity with Catholics throughout the world, we are calling each of the faithful to participate in the Year of Faith in the following ways: 1. Sincere, personal profession of faith.

2. Renewed participation in the Liturgy.

3. Increased study of Scripture and the Catechism.

4. Reflection on the history of faith.

5. Intensified witness of charity.

6. Fostering and promoting vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life.

A special Diocesan website has been created to assist the faithful in their celebration of this grace-filled year (www.CatholicFamilyPrayer.org). You can also visit the unique sites created by the Vatican (www. annusfidei.va/content/novaevangelizatio/en.html) and the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (www. usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/newevangelization/year-of-faith) to help them fully engage in the Year of Faith.

1. The Profession of Faith In their encounter with Christ, Christians seek to conform themselves to Him and grow in faith (cf Rom 12:2). The heart of evangelization, and the dynamism of the New Evangelization, is this personal encounter that makes Christians authentic witnesses to the love that Christ has for each one of us. This personal relationship with Christ compels us to share Him with others: “It is the love of Christ that fills our hearts and impels us to evangelize.”5 In this Year of Faith, Pope Benedict XVI calls each of the faithful “to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction, with confidence and hope,” rediscovering the content of faith that we celebrate, live, and believe.6 Throughout the Diocese, the faithful and all those who serve our parishes and apostolates will be given opportunities to publicly profess their faith in the Risen Lord. This profession will mean we are re-committing ourselves to a deeper relationship with Christ and His Church, as well as to the task of proclaiming the Good News in our “homes… among our families… so that everyone may feel a strong need to know better and… transmit to future generations the faith of all times.”7 5. Porta Fidei para 7 (cf. 2 Cor 5:14) 6. Porta Fidei para 9 7. Porta Fidei para 8

that “have lost nothing of their value or brilliance.”3 We invite all the Catholic faithful, as well as our separated brothers and sisters in Christ, to participate in the Year of Faith by an “authentic and renewed conversion to the Lord, the one Savior of the world.”4 This Pastoral letter contains two distinct yet connected parts. Part I is addressed to all the faithful and outlines the six principle ways in which all Catholics can enter into this special year. Part II highlights the specific ways that we invite the faithful through their various vocations to celebrate the Year of Faith. It is our hope that you will prayerfully read Part I and also the section in Part II that pertains to your state of life.

3. John Paul II, Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte (6 January 2001), 57: AAS 93 (2001) 4. Porta Fidei para 6

2. Renewed Participation in the Sacraments In a special way, all the faithful are called to a renewed sense of awe of and increased participation in the holy mysteries. ▶ Our entrance into the faith through the saving waters of Baptism should be ardently celebrated and remembered throughout our pilgrim journey of faith.

Every Catholic should know and celebrate the day of their Baptism as their “birth into new life.”8 Parishes should renew their efforts to educate persons of all ages about this foundational sacrament as well as to prepare parents and uninitiated adults for entrance into the saving waters of Baptism. ▶ The Sacrament of Confirmation builds on our Baptism, perfecting Baptismal grace, rooting us more deeply in the Holy Spirit, and increasing our relationship with God as His sons and daughters.9 The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the sacrament seals us with His gifts of Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, and Fear of the Lord. During this special Year, we must be more aware of and open to these gifts, asking God to reawaken within us an appreciation for the profound role of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

8. CCC1277 9. cf CCC1316

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▶ The Sacrament of the Eucharist has always been and remains the “source and summit” of our faith. Through our participation in the Eucharist, we witness the profound love of Christ, who suffered and conquered death for our sins to bring us to everlasting life. His real and substantial Presence in the Eucharist renews and strengthens us so that we may faithfully serve as His sons and daughters. For this reason, the Year of Faith calls each one of us in a particular way to witness to Christ’s presence in the Eucharist and to receive Holy Communion more frequently and worthily. ▶ The Sacraments of Service – the vocations of Marriage and Holy Orders – are particularly important in our society, yet perhaps the most often misunderstood. Married couples, priests, deacons, and consecrated men and women are all called to witness the love of God in their particular vocation. During the Year of Faith, those who have received or are preparing to receive these sacraments should reflect upon and understand with greater clarity how they reveal the love of God to the world. ▶ The Sacraments of Healing – Reconciliation and the Anointing of the Sick – remind us of the ever present need we have for God in our lives. In all believers, the Year of Faith should bring forth a deeper recognition of our need for God’s healing grace and increased desire to seek God’s mercy in the Sacrament of Confession. Pope Benedict XVI reminds us that, “the New Evangelization begins in the confessional.”10 In a society that often confuses freedom with licentiousness, recognizing the reality of our brokenness helps us not only to better understand the objective nature of sin that wounds our relationship with God and one another, but also to increase our confidence in God’s mercy and redemption. The authority given by Christ to all priests to forgive sins in His name (Jn 20: 22-23) is a great treasure of the Church. During the Year of Faith, this treasure of frequent reception of the Sacrament of Confession should be rediscovered with great joy and thankfulness. This year should also be an opportunity to grow in our understanding and appreciation of the Anointing of the Sick. In this sacrament, Christ the healer makes His ever present grace particularly palpable in the believer – a grace to strengthen, support, and encourage those who have a serious illness, who have grown weak because of aging, or who are undergoing a serious medical procedure. Scripture reveals the unique role of our belief in Christ’s willingness and ability to heal us. In this Year, all believers, and especially those who have received or will receive the Sacrament, should contemplate the meaning of this grace given during times of exceptional suffering.

3. Study of Scripture and Participation in Catechesis “Faith is choosing to stand with the Lord so as to live with Him. This ‘standing with Him’ points towards an understanding of the reasons for believing.”11 Understanding the faith requires reading, listening, and praying with God’s word in Holy Scripture, as well as studying how God has revealed Himself through the teachings of the Church. For this reason, the study of Scripture and the participation in catechesis are upheld as a necessary aspect of both “standing with Him” and “living with Him.” We call all Catholics to more deeply fall in love with Christ by listening to His voice proclaimed through Scripture and Tradition. A renewed and more ardent study of the faith “direct10. Papal Address on Sacrament of Confession March 12, 2012 11. Porta Fidei para 10

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

ed towards the love that never ends”12 is necessary for a more enthusiastic and joy-filled faith in Christ and His Church. The faithful should read the Sacred Scriptures, the Catechism, and the documents of the Church’s Magisterium, both individually and as a family, and they should seek out and participate in the many opportunities for Scripture study and catechesis through local parishes and the Diocese.

4. The History of our Faith Scripture speaks of salvation as an ongoing, ever present reality. St. Paul’s says, “for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed” (Rom 13:11). In this way, we can say that we have been saved, that we are being saved, and that we will be saved through Christ our Lord. In other words, the history of Salvation as anticipated and perfected in Sacred Scripture continues through God’s saving plan for each of us today. By “retracing the history of our faith,” we can “highlight the great contribution of men and women have made… through the witness of their lives,” and recognize the personal “continuing work of conversion” that is still necessary.13 During this Year of Faith, we must recall the salvific activity of Christ through: 1. His Church, in His apostles, “who fearlessly proclaimed to all the joy of the resurrection,”14 and in His disciples, “who formed the first community around the teaching of the Apostle,”15 2. in His Martyrs, who gave their lives in service of the Gospel,16 3. in His men and women consecrated, who leave all things behind to be concrete signs of waiting for the Lord,17 4. in people of faith throughout the centuries, “who have confessed the beauty of following the Lord Jesus herever they were called to bear witness,”18 5. and to us who live now for Christ and as His witnesses in the world.19 Improving our knowledge of the history of the Catholic faith comes through prayer and study, read12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

CCC para 25 Porta Fidei para 13 Porta Fidei para 13 E Porta Fidei para 13 F Porta Fidei para 13 G Porta Fidei para 13 H Porta Fidei para 13 I Porta Fidei para 13 J

ing and learning from the Magisterium, as well as from solid teachers and texts about Scripture, Church history, the lives of the saints, and major figures in Catholic life (past and present).

5. The Witness of Charity “Above all, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:14). Since faith and charity support each other, the Year of Faith should be directed towards intensifying the witness of charity.20 The evidence of our faith is found in the way that we love as Christ loved, that we serve as Christ served. Our faith must be witnessed and supported by our actions.21 The Church’s concrete witness to charity in truth has been and continues to be a vibrant light for a secular world that doubts we can “serve without counting the cost.”22 During this Year of Faith, individuals, parishes, apostolates and movements are called to clearly witness charity in truth through service in Christ’s name.

6. Fostering Vocations It is the call of each Christian to ardently “ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest” (Mt 9:38). In addition to our prayers, we – as parents, extended family, friends, teachers, coaches, group leaders, etc. – are called to foster vocations to the clergy and consecrated life by helping young people discern their calling to a state in life. Both through the love witnessed in the family and in our Church communities, youth and young adults gain the courage to listen for and accept God’s plan for their lives. Our Holy Father Benedict XVI reminds us that “families are not only the privileged place for human and Christian formation; they can also be “the primary and most excellent seed-bed of vocations to a life of consecration to the Kingdom of God.”23 It is our hope that the home and parish be places “where vocations are carefully discerned and their authenticity tested, places where young men and women are offered wise and strong spiritual direction.”24 During this Year of Faith, let us renew our efforts to pray and foster vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life in our homes and parish communities.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

Porta Fidei para 14 Cf. Jas 2:14-18 Prayer of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 2012 World Day of Prayer for Vocations, 2012

Blest Are They Who Believe

III

Part Two: To Specific Groups

We are convinced that while we face difficult times in our Church, we are also on the cusp of a “new springtime” for marriage and the family. How so? Here we wish to offer an analogy and a challenge. Much like the ultrasound which gives a couple the privilege of seeing their child “knit in the mother’s womb” (Ps 139:13), the domestic church offers a revelatory moment to society about the truth and beauty of God’s plan for marriage and the family. These truths about the dignity of human life and the sanctity of marriage are written on the heart, and lies can never hold in the face of the truth.

Every human heart longs to know the truth, and many respond in respect and awe when the truth is revealed

in all its integrity and fullness. The ultrasound has given the pre-born human person his revelatory moment, much like the Domestic Church is called to witness in society to God’s faithfulness to His people, His abundant and fruitful love, and the goodness of His plan for marriage and the family.

In this Year of Faith, we need you, as the leaders of our domestic churches in the Diocese of Phoenix, to be an ultrasound for the truth of marriage and the family! As the “real presence” of the child on display in ultrasound images preaches the Gospel of Life clearly and convincingly – yet without words – we urge you to pray, to ask for God’s healing and miraculous intervention of peace and truth so that you and your family will inspire faith and will become more and more an “icon” of love and life in the world. You will in this way, little by little, be formed by our God, who is Love, into a beautiful, convincing work of art in the potter’s hands, radiating life and love. Lies and distortions, with which the evil one begins his work of destruction, will simply fall apart in the face of more marriages alive in Christ Jesus, radically open to the will of the Father, fueled by the Holy Spirit, and sacramentally saturated with grace in His Church.

In this Year of Faith, we urge you to reflect upon and pray more for your mission in the Domestic Church, especially how living this mission inspires faith in both your immediate and extended communities. Living this mission, you will be “caught up into Divine Love”27 and be inheritors of the prophetic promise called for in the Vatican II document Gaudium et Spes, that “authentic conjugal love will be more highly prized, and wholesome public opinion created about it if Christian couples give outstanding witness to faithfulness and harmony in their love, and to their concern for educating their children.” In this way, the Domestic Church will be for the “renewal on behalf of marriage and the family.”28 Even in times of great difficulty and pain, in times of separation and strife, Christ is present to strengthen, heal, and enrich the vocation of marriage. Even tremendous difficulties of hurt, disillusionment, and economic hardships in marriage can, and indeed must be, embraced as Christ embraced the cross, out of covenantal love. This is the whole Christian difference. It is of vital and paradoxical significance that the altar at Mass has a crucifix present, the image which the world finds hopeless and a sign of failure. Yet in faith, we know our Lord’s crucifixion and death to be the moment of deepest victory. Your marriage, handling times of trial and suffering with grace and perseverance, will be for many the truest evidence of beauty, the real proof that Christian marriage is indeed “caught up into Divine Love” because it is built on rock, not sand (cf. Mat 7:24-29). Particularly in this Year of Faith, your very existence as married couples and families, especially in times of suffering, is a powerful sign of faithful love to the world.

Witnesses of the holiness and goodness of marriage may seem lacking in today’s society, but in every generation, heroic witnesses of marital and paternal fidelity shine brightly. Consider, for example, the love between Luis and Zélie Martin (the parents of St. Thérèse of Lisieux) whose witness of love modeled that of Christ for His Church, nurturing a simple and beautiful piety in their daughters who are now celebrated and imitated throughout the world. Consider, too, the love of Pier Luigi and Gianna Molla and the grace of the sacrament of marriage which sustained them throughout their trials, preparing them to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to bring their daughter into the world.

Every marriage will undergo difficulties. Therefore,

25. Lumen Gentium, para 11 26. Baltimore Catechism Question #6.

27. Guadium et Spes, para 48 28. Guadium et Spes, para 49

R

ecognizing the unique and varied roles of the faithful throughout the Diocese, we wish to identify some practical ways that each can participate in the Year of Faith, given their particular state of life.

Marriage and Family Life 1. To Married Couples We would like to address our mothers and fathers, the leaders of the Domestic Church in our diocese,25 the “first and abiding catechists” in teaching the faith to children. A trustworthy tradition in the Church, derived from the teaching of the great saint and Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine calls you the “regents” of your “little church” as husband and wife, father and mother.

You are not called to a mediocre, passive existence in the Church. Rather, you have an indispensable mission in the New Evangelization. The often quiet and thankless mission of prayerfully building a home full of love and life, and bringing up your children to “know, love and serve God in this life and to be happy with Him forever in the next”26 is not forgotten. It causes rejoicing in heaven, and in our own heart as your Bishops. We wish this segment of the Year of Faith Pastoral Letter to encourage and challenge you personally.

There is no greater concern to the Church than the health and flourishing of her marriages and families.

Much confusion in our time is spread daily about the nature of marriage and the family, which is the first society created directly by God. In the first chapter of Genesis, we see the beautiful image of God shown in the creation of man as “male and female” (Gen 1:27). And we hear the blessing of God Himself who calls them to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28) instituting the permanent, faithful, loving relationship of husband and wife. But this beautiful design instituted by God and His plan for marriage is so attacked, so ridiculed, so undermined, and so manipulated by forces within our society. Why? We must see here nothing less than a masterful spiritual attack from the “father of lies” (John 8:44), who deals in distortion, manipulation, and discouragement. Make no mistake; the Church defends marriage and the family, including its public definition in law, not because she is somehow determined to force her “private opinion” on all members of society. She has neither power nor desire to do this. Rather, the Church makes this lively and hope-filled defense in the humble confidence that she is defending God’s plan for His creation, and that no society can long survive the neglect of the family or the erosion of marriage.

The Ultrasound our world needs today

Saabi, Galbe.Com/CNS

we urge you to surround yourselves with other married couples, who can affirm the sacredness of this vocation.

During this Year of Faith, reach out to new couples in your neighborhood, parish, and/or school(s) of your children. Seek help when difficulties arise - assistance from your pastor, from solid counselors who understand and defend the sacramental nature of marriage, and from programs provided at the diocesan and parish levels for the renewal and healing of marriage.

If you are not sacramentally married, we urge you to move toward a remedy for this during this Year of Faith by contacting your parish, and perhaps beginning the marriage preparation process. This process, recently strengthened in our Diocese, will help you to understand the richness and beauty of the call to Christian marriage, as well as your mission to bear witness in the world through a joy-filled marriage. In some life situations, such as divorce and remarriage without annulment of the previous union, it may be very difficult to hear and act on what is needed to remedy the matter.

Please know that we are here for you, and encourage you to take the steps necessary to avail yourself of the riches God has prepared for you in the sacrament of Marriage.

Three Fundamental Helps to Parents In this section, we wish to emphasize three areas which the “Giver of good gifts” (cf. Jas 1:17) offers to the leaders of the domestic church in order to strengthen them in their weekly walk of faith. Like all gifts, they must be unwrapped and used, and as the lead catechists of your home, your mission is to assure the unwrapping and the full and proper use of the gifts for your children. The parish is there to assist you, to be in solidarity with your work of evangelization and catechesis of your children, but it is your own sacred honor to assure your children’s education in the faith. None of these three gifts is novel, and none will surprise, but as air, food, and water are essential to the body, there are essentials to the spiritual life of the Catholic home. These three gifts are: 1. Keeping the Sabbath, 2. Establishing and protecting the Family Meal, and 3. Family Prayer.

Keeping the Lord’s Day In many families today, there is a great need to rediscover the sanctity of Sunday and the keeping of the Sabbath. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice.”29 Without regular Sunday worship, our life in Christ can barely survive, and our faith will suffer on many levels. From the beginning, God set aside one day of the week to be different from the others. He called it the Sabbath, and he intended it to be a day for rest and family worship.

29. CCC #2181

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In his Apostolic Letter “The Day of the Lord,” Blessed John Paul II invited us to think more deeply about time itself in order to appreciate God’s gift of the Lord’s Day. He wrote, Do not be afraid to give your time to Christ! …He is the One who knows the secret of time and the secret of eternity, and He gives us ‘His day’ as an ever new gift of His love. The rediscovery of this day is a grace which we must implore, not only so that we may live the demands of faith to the full, but also so that we may respond concretely to the deepest human yearnings. Time given to Christ is never time lost, but is rather time gained, so that our relationships and indeed our whole life may become more profoundly human.30 Only the Maker of time can teach us time’s true meaning and fill every day with hope. He does this when we have the wisdom to place all our days, but especially our Sundays, in His hands with boundless trust. The family is the ideal place to learn the value and meaning of the Lord’s Day. What a difference Sunday makes when we make it a day of rest, a day free of unnecessary “busyness”, a day to accept Jesus’ invitation: “Come away… and rest a while” (Mk 6:31).

When Sunday is forgotten, and we are left only with a weekend, events become strictly entertaining or just an extension of work. As one author has observed, we can end up “amusing ourselves to death.” We no longer rest in the Lord’s presence, we no longer make the Eucharist the center of our lives; we just avoid boredom by incessant entertaining and a rat race of other activities. But it need not be so, and the family is the key to turning around the tragic loss of Sunday in society today.

When preserved as days of rest, Sundays bring a healthy rhythm to our lives, remind us of the value of both work and leisure, and renew our eagerness for spending eternity with the Lord who made us. Even more than being a day of rest, Sunday is a day of worship and joy. Our human need for rest is far surpassed by our need for genuine joy that only God can give.

There is something profoundly exhilarating about celebrating the saving death and Resurrection of Jesus together with the parish family on the day Christ rose from the dead. During this Year of Faith, we pray that families throughout the Diocese will rediscover how to rejoice in the Lord on each Sabbath, as well as to discover rich new ways to keep the Lord’s Day sacred and spent together as a family.

Family Meal Time It is often said that marriage and family life are hard work. This notion, while not untrue, can make family life seem like nothing but a burden. Keep in mind that time together is more fundamental than “hard work.”

Like all relationships, our relationship with God and our relationship with others, family relationships only thrive when time is spent together. It should not surprise us that social science points to the family dinner table as a key to family unity and to children’s success.31 Every family meal can help to strengthen the family bond. It is an opportunity for prayer and catechesis, renewing the closeness of bonds, hearing stories of the day, discussing important topics, sharing life wisdom, learning old traditions and making new ones, and simply enjoying each others’ presence. A Doctor of the Church from the 4th century, St. John Chrysostom, who preached to parents in another challenging culture, saw the family table as an ideal setting for leading children in the faith and inviting the Holy Spirit in a deeper way: When you go home from here, lay out with your meal a spiritual meal as well… In short, that the household 30. Para #7 31. Gibbs, Nancy; “The Magic of the Family Meal”; Time Magazine, June 2006. Several studies cited.

might become a church, so that the devil is driven off and that evil spirit, the enemy of our salvation, takes to flight; the grace of the Holy Spirit would rest there instead, and all peace and harmony would surround the inhabitants.32 The cumulative effect of the daily meal over time brings with it several long-term benefits. As you participate in the Year of Faith, we strongly urge you to rediscover the joy and beauty of the family meal, to make every sacrifice necessary in order to share more meals together as a family, and to work towards making this a daily habit in your home.

Praying Together

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

Few statements are more true than the axiom, “The family that prays together stays together.” The family that prays together learns how to weep together, to rejoice together, to face difficulties together, to forgive each other, and to love one another. Since prayer directs our attention to God, it enables us to turn to God in all the various moments of daily life, both as individuals and as a family.

During this Year of Faith, you are again invited to make family prayer a priority in your lives. The rewards of this are peace, unity, and joy that reach beyond this world. We encourage all families to use three simple ways to grow in prayer: 1. Attend Sunday Mass together as a family, making this connection to the Church and her communion an immovable element of your family’s week, and where possible, Mass on other days during the week.

2. Pray the Rosary with deeper devotion so that with Mary, our Lord’s first disciple and our spiritual mother, we will gaze with love upon her dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Adopt or continue mealtime prayer, before and after meals.

For more inspiration and ideas on prayer and life as a domestic church, we encourage you to visit the Year of Faith website: www.catholicfamilyprayer.org During this Year of Faith, we want to express our gratitude to you as parents, and we want you to know how grateful we are for your continued witness of faith in the Diocese of Phoenix. We applaud your efforts to build a domestic church in your home, your openness to the gift of life in your marriages, your generosity of service to others in need when children do not naturally come, as in the painful case of infertility. Our prayerful support and collaboration are with you every day. In this Year of Faith, renew your trust in the Lord, lead your families in the faith, and know “that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6).

2. To the Elderly In this Year of Faith, we remind our elder brothers 32. St. John Chrysostom Homily 2 on Genesis 13

and sisters in Christ of the tremendous opportunities to enrich their lives, deepen their love for Christ, and sharpen their awareness of God’s presence always available to us. While life in its later stages presents new and often difficult challenges, the graces provided to us never diminish, nor does our call to participate with God’s grace in the mystery of the Cross – a participation for our salvation and the salvation of others (cf.

Luke 9:23). In a particular way, these final years draw us closer to God, call us to be ever more grateful for all we have received, and challenge us to share the gifts God has given us with great love and conviction.

We remind each of you, that while the challenges of old age may diminish our mental or physical ability, our dignity as a beloved son or daughter of God will never diminish. And as we enter the twilight of our life, new and richer opportunities will come to further realize our dignity as persons. During this special Year, continue to be strong witnesses of faith, hope, and love, by accepting the challenges that may come and finding new opportunities to serve God more selflessly through prayer for others. When we retire and grow older, we can commit even more time to praying for our families, friends, neighbors, and the Church, as well as offering up our suffering for others. As we approach the end of our earthly life, we need not be afraid. We can find courage and strength in knowing “that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom 8:28). Throughout the Year of Faith, we ask you in humility to remember to offer special prayers for the Bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated religious, seminarians, engaged and married couples, families, as well as for vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, and to married life.

3. To the Youth In this Year of Faith, we call on the Youth in a particular way to take ownership of their faith, to seek the truth and to be heroic witnesses of the truth, and to bring the Good News of God’s incredible love to your peers and family. Youth brings with it a beautiful dignity, an expression of wonder and trust that should not be lost as you enter into adulthood. The Sacred Scriptures remind us of the dignity and important role youth play in God’s plan of salvation. God speaks to each of us these marvelous words: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you” (Jer 1:5). Trust in God’s unfailing love for you, and His plan for your happiness, fulfillment, and salvation that can only come from following His will for your life. Get to know or call to mind again the many great saints, who modeled the love of Christ in their service to others in both large and small ways. The world today is in desperate need of youthful witnesses of the evangelical virtues, faith, hope, and charity, witnesses such as Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Blessed Chiara Luce Badano, and St. Kateri Tekakwitha.

Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati is an excellent witness of faith because his love and defense of the faith only strengthened his intellect and character. He found in faith not a rejection of reason, but a sincere embrace of it and of both the physical and spiritual realities that encompass the human person. Listen again to his words of wisdom:“To live without faith, without a patrimony to defend, without a steady struggle for truth, that is not living, but existing.”33 Dear young people, we call on each of you in this Year of Faith not just to exist, but truly to live and to be authentic witnesses of faith.

Bl. Chiara Luce Badano is an exceptional model of enduring hope because despite falling ill in the prime of her youth, she maintained a joy and peace that continued through her suffering until the very moment of her death at the young age of 18. Her simple yet authentic 33. Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati, Letter to a friend February 27, 1925

Blest Are They Who Believe

V witness to the love of Christ led to the conversion many of her doctors and caregivers who found in her joy a profound proclamation of Christ’s victory over death.

St. Paul tells us that “since we have such hope, we act very boldly,” (2 Cor 3:12) and in the face of difficulty and suffering, we can be steadfast in our trust of God’s love and plan for each of us, serving as a beacon of hope to all those who are yet to know Christ. Together, we can stand with joy in Christ like Blessed Chiara, against the culture of death while proclaiming a culture of life in all we say and do, among our friends, at our workplace, in our homes, and at school.

St. Kateri Tekakwitha is an unparalleled American example of courage and love for Christ which compelled her to care for those in the most desperate of conditions. Her witness of charity, to the sick and dying in Sault Saint-Louis, Canada, was always in service to the truth; the truth of our human dignity, the truth of our redemption in Christ, and the truth that we are God’s hands and feet in this world. She understood that “to defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity.”34 We urge you, dear young friends in Christ, to ardently study our Catholic faith in this special Year, and to ask the essential questions of life so that you may “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope” (1 Peter 3:15). Do not hesitate to hope boldly in God’s plan for your life, and to seek His will for you daily in prayer and frequent reception of the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confession.

Don’t be afraid to love as Christ loved, to seek authentic live-giving relationships with your peers and colleagues, and to find ways to serve in Christ’s name.

The Clergy and Consecrated Life 4. To Priests In this Year of Faith, the Church encourages her priests to foster a more passionate love for the Lord through personal spiritual renewal and faithful service of God and His people, especially in the celebration of the Sacraments. Following the example of Christ Himself, we have been called to give our very lives for the salvation of souls. This becomes possible only after having a personal encounter with the living Christ and when continuing to cherish that treasure.

The Year of Faith offers each of us an opportunity to deepen our longing for holiness of life. This will take place through: increased prayer, Eucharistic adoration, faithfully praying the Liturgy of the Hours, celebrating the sacraments with greater attentiveness and care (most especially the sacrifice of the Mass), and through generously and more frequently making ourselves available for hearing confessions. Let us enter into this Year of Faith with an increased desire to grow closer to Christ through our life and ministry. Our mission to evangelize and to heal the culture, to be ministers of charity and hope, depends upon an intimate closeness to the Lord, and our own faithfulness to this relationship will serve as powerful and inspiring examples during this Year of Faith.

Brother priests, who share with us the duty and honor of serving Christ as priests in the 21st century, there are two priorities that the Holy Father has encouraged us to address in the New Evangelization. Both are useful for us to contemplate as we prepare ourselves and our diocese for the Year of Faith: First, promotion of the sacrament of Confession, and second, prayer as a school of hope.

34. Caritas in Veritate, para 1.

On the Sacrament of Confession, Pope Benedict, while meeting with priests and bishops in Rome, spoke about “the close connection between holiness and the Sacrament of Reconciliation,”35 recalling how our great saints in the Church bear witness to this sure path to sanctity. This Sacrament of mercy begins with a sincere look at one’s actual condition in life, followed by a recognition of our need for the love and forgiveness of Jesus, and then a lifting of our eyes to the face of Christ and confession of our sins. If we are open to His grace, the Holy Spirit stirs up within each of us “a profound desire: the desire for change, the desire for mercy and, ultimately, the desire for an encounter with Christ.”

Vasily Fedosenko, Reuters/CNS

Because of the deeply personal nature of the Sacrament of Penance, it has the power to bring each of us into a profound communion with the Lord Jesus in all His tenderness and compassion. This is why, Pope Benedict says, “The New Evangelization begins in the Confessional.” Where else is despair so soundly defeated as in the sincere confession of our sins? Where else are our deepest fears overcome, our deepest doubts dispelled, and our deepest thirsts quenched? The New Evangelization begins in the Confessional, because it begins when, as St. Augustine said, “mercy meets misery.” The confessional is where Christ meets us sinners.

Secondly, in his encyclical Spe Salvi, Pope Benedict writes: “A first essential setting for learning hope is prayer.” Prayer truly is a school of hope. When we priests pray with our people, when we continue to pray in tragedy and in hardship, we help them and also ourselves to be wiser than despair. The Holy Father also tells us, “One who has hope lives differently.” What a difference it makes to believe in the love of God. What a difference it makes to receive and to minister God’s mercy in the Confessional. What a difference it makes to be united in prayer in the Eucharist.

My brother priests, please join me in recommitting ourselves during this Year of Faith, resolved once again to making the Eucharistic Sacrifice the center of every day, and to spending a generous portion of each week in the Confessional. With Christ alive in our hearts, we can bring glad tidings to the poor, be wiser than despair, and be faithful witnesses to the Lord Jesus for the people we have the privilege to serve. The fruits of this commitment will inspire, (re)awaken, and increase the faith of our people who have been entrusted to our care and guidance.

5. To Deacons In the Acts of the Apostles (6:1-7), we see that with a growing community, the Apostles needed helpers to assist them by taking care of the widows and the orphans. Here in the Diocese of Phoenix, we are very blessed with men of great faith who have responded so generously to God’s call to holiness and the Church’s call to serve as deacons. During this Year of Faith, we are newly grateful to God for our deacons engaged in 35. Ad Limina Visit March 9th 2012

a variety of pastoral settings: administering parishes, visiting the sick and the elderly, visiting the prisoners, working among the outcasts and forgotten, bringing the charity of Christ to our Native Peoples, witnessing the Sacrament of Marriage, administering the Sacrament of Baptism, preaching the Word of God at Liturgical celebrations and Holy Mass, catechizing the faithful, and many other roles of charitable service. Your tireless efforts and consistent dedication offer a unique witness in this Year of Faith.

During this special Year, we ask all Deacons throughout the Diocese to commit to renewed efforts of evangelization of our culture and to outreach to the materially poor and the poorly catechized. In your vocation as deacons, strive to engage all persons and all your work with the same passion, love, and zeal as the deacons of the early Church, bearing witness to Christ in both word and deed.

We encourage you also to meditate on the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary, and especially on how Jesus, by seeking not to be served but to serve, brought the light of faith, hope, and charity into the world. Throughout this Year of Faith, contemplate further how you are called to be channels of the luminous presence of Christ in today’s world. When you pray the Luminous Mysteries of the rosary, reflect on the life of Christ and on your own life as a Deacon in service to the faithful: ▶ The First Luminous Mystery, “The Baptism in the Jordan”: As you prepare families for baptism and as you celebrate baptisms you are in a privileged position to help parents and children to discover anew the life and light that come from Christ and His Gospel. Never underestimate the many graces that God pours forth at every Baptism through your sacred ministry. ▶ The Second Luminous Mystery, “The Wedding of Cana”: When you assist couples in their preparation for Holy Matrimony and when you officially witness marriages in the name of the Church, remember that Jesus worked His first miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana.

Let this inspire you to help these couples look beyond the wedding ceremony and enter into a life-long sacrament in which the love of Christ for His Bride the Church shines forth in mutual love. ▶ The Third Luminous Mystery, “Jesus Proclaims the Kingdom of God”: You are Heralds of the Gospel. You share in the Church’s mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of God. As Jesus brought new light into the world through His preaching, so too do you bear witness to Christ in your teaching, preaching and catechesis. Be ever mindful of the power of God’s word to transform our lives and the lives of those we serve. ▶ The Fourth Luminous Mystery, “The Transfiguration”: When the first disciples were tempted to despair, the Lord Jesus took some of them up a mountain and was transfigured before them so that their faith might be strengthened. Your faith too is strengthened by your encounter with Christ through ordination. Stay always close to Him and you will find the grace to be beacons of hope for all, especially for the least of the Kingdom. Remember always, when serving those affected by loss and tragedy, to point them to Christ, the source of our hope. ▶ The Fifth Luminous Mystery, “The Institution of the Eucharist”: As a deacon you are privileged to assist the priest at the altar of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In this most public role you are witnesses of Christ’s humble gift of Himself. May this mystery inspire you to live an intensely Eucharistic life of generous service.

We are deeply grateful for you, our brothers in the faith, who serve alongside the Bishops and priests in your unique ministry of Word, Altar, and Charity.

During this Year of Faith, may all of us come to a greater understanding of your roles as servants of the mysteries of Christ and of your brothers and sisters. May your humble service always reflect the light of Christ to all.

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October 11, 2012 - November 24, 2013 • www.catholicfamilyprayer.org

6. To Consecrated Women and Men In this Year of Faith, we call on consecrated brothers and sisters to listen again to the powerful words from Benedict XVI during his visit to the United States: You, dear men and women religious, both contemplative and apostolic, have devoted your lives to following the divine Master in generous love and complete devotion to his Gospel… .By your personal witness and your fidelity to the ministry or apostolate entrusted to you, you prepare a path for the Spirit. For the Spirit never ceases to pour out his abundant gifts to awaken new vocations and missions, and to guide the Church, as Our Lord promised… into the fullness of truth.”(cf. Jn 16:13) The Holy Father goes on to ask those in Consecrated Life to “be the first to demonstrate the humility and purity of heart which are required to approach the splendor of God’s truth.” The tradition of this way of life is to be the “first friend of the poor, the homeless, the stranger, the sick, and all who suffer,”…to be… “beacons of hope casting the light of Christ upon the world and encouraging young people to discover the beauty of a life given completely to the Lord and his Church.” You are, in your daily life and witness, beacons of hope for our Diocese. Echoing the words of the Holy Father in a special message given to new members in Consecrated Life, we too exhort you: “Never forget that you are called to carry on, with all the enthusiasm and joy that the Spirit has given you, a work that others have begun, a legacy that one day you too will have to pass on to a new generation. Work generously and joyfully, for he whom you serve is the Lord!”36 Thank you for your years of faithful service to the Diocese of Phoenix and beyond. During this Year of Faith, may you come to a greater understanding and renewed enthusiasm for your indispensible witness to Christ. Through the many charisms and ministries of education, pastoral care, prison, parish, and healthcare, you live out the words of Jesus found in Matthew 25:31-46, and in you, we continue to see the face of the living Christ.

The Church Engaging the World 7. To the Catholic Faithful working in secular fields As the Church marks with gratitude the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, we remember the important call of the Council fathers for the laity to be engaged in the temporal order for the sake of the Kingdom of God.37 As professionals in health care, law, engineering, education, and other professions, as laborers and skilled tradespeople, you make the Church present and operative through your service to others, working “for the sanctification of the world from within as a leaven.”38 As Catholics, your vocation directly advances the ministry of the Church in the world: to heal the sick, to defend the most vulnerable, to educate and catechize the culture on the dignity of the human person. By living lives of personal and professional integrity, you are called to bear witness to the Gospel always; “In this way you may make Christ known to others, especially by the testimony of a life 36. All quotes taken from the homily of Benedict XVI at St. Patrick’s April 19, 2008.

37. Lumen Gentium, para 31, Apostolicam Actuositatem 5.

38. Lumen Gentium, para 31

resplendent in faith, hope and charity.”39 The zeal to bear witness to Christ is born from love, nurtured by prayer and frequent reception of the sacraments, and propelled by cooperation with the Holy Spirit. You are called to courageous virtue, and must prepare yourselves to be credible witnesses to Christ’s joy and peace that comes from knowing and living for Him. During this Year of Faith, may you have a new awareness of your important role in renewing the temporal order and joyfully participate in witnessing Christ to the world. May you be ever more “conscious of the dignity of human work which can never be in end to itself” but always points to a participation in our redemption.40 May you look to St. Joseph and our Blessed Mother and all the saints as models of strength and joy, and pray always for the grace and strength to persevere.

8. To Educators and Catechists Bl. John XXIII called Vatican II in order to strengthen and defend the deposit of faith and the truth of the human person.41 Educators have a privileged place to form young minds in the discovery of the natural world and the study of God’s creation. Education in the Catholic tradition is never just solely intellectual, nor solely spiritual. Seeking to form the whole person, mind and soul, educators and catechists play an essential role in the authentic development of the human person. During this Year of Faith, we invite educators to rediscover the joy of teaching, and to find with those you teach the blest excitement of discovering the truths of this world. We invite catechists to teach more confidently the truths of our faith, especially those most often misunderstood and rejected, as well as to seek for yourselves a deeper, more fervent knowledge, appreciation, and love for the deposit of faith which you join us in proclaiming and defending. May you find fresh energy for witnessing to Christ through fidelity to daily prayer, devotion to the Mother of God, and renewed appreciation of the truth that Christ has entrusted to us in the Church.

9. To Non-Believers It is with an open and a humble heart that the Church extends a special invitation in this Year of Faith to nonbelievers, and to all those who are seeking answers to the questions inherent in the human experience, especially those that touch on faith and the meaning of life.

The fundamental questions about identity (“Who am I?”), about origin (“Where did I come from?”), about destiny (“Where am I going?”), about purpose (“Why am I here?”), and about morality (“How am I to live?”) demand answers. It is precisely on these questions that the Catholic Church offers to the world a uniquely holistic understanding of man made in the image and likeness of God, both rational and free. By seeking the profoundly important truths of our origin and destiny, we can begin to understand our trajectory in life and how we are to live. We also acknowledge, however, that “although each individual has a right to be respected in his own journey in search of the truth, there exists a prior moral obligation, and a grave one at that, to seek the truth and to adhere to it once it is known.”42 This obligation to seek the truth and adhere to it is the starting point of all authentic dialogue.

Through her 2,000-year heritage, the Catholic faithful have asked these questions and sought to answer them through a dialogue between faith and reason. Faith and reason are not mutually exclusive, nor should they be separated. They are the “two wings on which the human 39. Ibid 40. Paul VI, Feast of the Holy Family Homily, Jan 5th 1964 41. Address of Pope John XXIII at the solemn opening of the Second Vatican Council, October 11, 1962. Council Daybook p. 25.

42. Veritatis Splendor, para 34

spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.”43 Through reason, we can observe the ordered world around us and posit the existence of a Creator. Through reason, we can observe the intricate design of life, and the intended plan for its promotion and continuation. Through reason, we can observe the “how” and the “what” of the physical universe. However, we also seek deeper answers that are demanded by reason. The “whys” of the physical and meta-physical universe are answered not by ignoring them, but answering them through the lens of faith. It is through this marriage of faith and reason that a complete holistic answer of the human person and our purpose on earth can be truly discovered. The Church bears this constantly in mind, and it carries a timeless truth which speaks to the heart of the human person and his place in God’s creation. From its inception, the Catholic Church has been charged with the mission of bringing the good news of Jesus Christ into dialogue with all people, in all times and places (cf. Mt 28:19-20). This mission is an essential component not only of what the Church does, but of who she is,44 and for this reason it is our wish to embrace, always and everywhere, the opportunity to enter into authentic dialogue with those of our fellow men and women who, though non-believers, are seeking after the truth.

We pray that in this Year of Faith, there will be an increased awareness of the important role faith has played – and continues to play – in mankind’s search for beauty, truth, and goodness. Throughout this special year, may all men and women of good will seek answers to these fundamental questions and along with the Church profess the Good News of God’s unfailing love for His creation.

Conclusion What brought the greatest sorrow to the heart of our Savior, especially when He returned to His hometown of Nazareth, was the people’s lack of faith. He came into our world to reveal the love of the Father and to restore hope to a world weighed down by the despair and burdened by sin. He came that we might have life and have it to the full (Jn 10:10). But He will not force us to accept His love and His gift of hope. He will only invite us to open the door when He knocks, to accept through faith all the many the gifts of the Kingdom that lasts forever. You and I have received this great gift, a treasure beyond all imaginings, and we must not hide it under a bushel basket. As our Holy Father says,”Today, too, there is a need for stronger ecclesial commitment to new evangelization in order to rediscover the joy of believing and the enthusiasm for communicating the faith…

Faith grows when it is lived as an experience of love received and when it is communicated as an experience of grace and joy.”45 May this Year of Faith make us more like the Blessed Virgin Mary, of whom Elizabeth said (Lk 1:45): “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. +Thomas J. Olmsted Bishop of Phoenix + Eduardo A. Nevares Auxiliary Bishop of Phoenix 43. Fides et Ratio Introduction 44. cf. CCC, para. 849 and Redemptoris Missio, para. 3 45. Porta Fidei, para 7

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Bienaventurados los que creen Una carta pastoral en la ocasión del Año de la Fe. Promulgado el 14 de septiembre del 2012.

Obispo Thomas J. Olmsted

Obispo Auxiliar Eduardo A. Nevares

Queridos Hermanos y Hermanas en Cristo, ayan por todo el mundo y anuncien la Buena Nueva a toda la creación”. Jesús dijo, “El que crea y se bautice, se salvara; el que se niegue a creer será condenado” (Mc. 16:15). Qué gran diferencia hace el creer en Dios. Cuando la fe está ausente, el trabajo del Señor se obstaculiza: “Y como no creían en él, no hizo allí muchos milagros” (Mt. 13:58).

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Introduccion

Cuando la fe es activa, puede mover montañas, pues nada es imposible para Dios. La fe que abre las puertas de nuestros corazones hacia Cristo, es Su gran regalo, una decisión libre de nuestra parte, y una fuerza mayor para formar nuestras vidas independientes, y sin duda la historia del mundo.

A través de los 2,000 años de historia de nuestra Iglesia, la proclamación única y central de nuestra fe ha estado basada en un encuentro personal con el Dios viviente - el Dios quien nos creo en amor y desplegó Su plan para nosotros a través de la narrativa de la historia de la salvación. En Su Hijo, Él tomo nuestra carne, sufrió la muerte por nuestros pecados y resucitó de entre los muertos para que nosotros podamos resucitar con Él a la vida eterna.1 Nuestra fe Católica es una celebración de este encuentro único, demostrado a través del mundo por los santos victoriosos en el cielo y, nosotros los peregrinos aquí en el mundo, quienes buscamos conocer, amar y servir a Nuestro Señor Jesucristo. En cada edad, la Iglesia reúne a los fieles, llamándolos a la conversión, fortalecién-

dolos a través de los Sacramentos, y mandándolos a servir en sus viñedos. Pero por cada peregrino fiel es necesario profundizar siempre y algunas veces aun revitalizar nuestra relación con Dios y Su Iglesia. Le pertenece a cada generación el “redescubrir el camino de la fe para iluminar de manera cada vez más clara la alegría y el entusiasmo renovado del encuentro con Cristo.”2 Por esta razón el Santo Padre, el Papa Benedicto XVI declaro que la Iglesia Universal celebrara este “Año de la Fe”, un año dedicado a la renovación y a los esfuerzos concentrados en proclamar las enseñanzas y en defender la verdad, la belleza y la bondad de nuestra fe en Cristo. Así como al conmemorar también el 50avo aniversario de la apertura del Segundo Concilio Vaticano, nosotros subrayaremos los muchos documentos conciliares y post conciliares que “no pierden su valor

1 cf. 1 Cor 15:20

2 Porta Fidei parr 2

A

través de la Diócesis de Phoenix, habrá crecientes oportunidades para que todos los creyentes celebren nuestra fe durante este importante año. En unión con el Santo Padre y en solidaridad con los católicos a través del mundo, nosotros estamos llamando a cada uno de los fieles a participar en el Año de la Fe de las siguientes maneras: 1. Una profesión de la fe sincera y personal.

2. Una participación renovada en la Liturgia.

3. Un aumento en el estudio de las Escrituras y el Catecismo.

4. Reflexión en la historia de la fe.

5. Intensificación en el testimonio de la caridad.

6. Desarrollando y promoviendo las vocaciones al sacerdocio y a la vida consagrada.

Un sitio Web especial de la Diócesis fue creado para ayudar a los fieles en su celebración de este año lleno de gracia (www.

CatholicFamilyPrayer.org). También usted puede visitar los sitios creados por el Vaticano (www.annusfidei.va/content/ novaevangelizatio/en.html) y la Conferencia de Obispos Católicos de los Estados Unidos (www.usccb.org/beliefsand-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-offaith) para ayudarlos a conectarse completamente en el Año de la Fe.

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Primera Parte: Para Todos los Fieles

1. La Profesion de la Fe

ni su esplendor”3. Nosotros invitamos a todos los fieles católicos, tanto como a nuestros hermanos y hermanas separados en Cristo, a que participen en el Año de la Fe con una “autentica y renovada conversión al Señor, único Salvador del mundo.”4 Esta carta Pastoral contiene dos partes distintivas pero conectadas. La Parte 1 se dirige a todos los fieles y subraya las seis formas principales en que todos los católicos pueden ingresar a este año especial. La parte II resalta las formas específicas en que estamos invitando a los fieles a través de sus varias vocaciones a celebrar el Año de la Fe. Nuestra esperanza es que ustedes leerán en oración la Parte I y también la sección en la Parte II que representa su estado de vida.

3 Juan Pablo II, Carta Apostólica Novo Millennio Ineunte (6 de enero del 2001), 57: AAS 93 (2001) 4 Porta Fidei parr 6

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“V

2. Participacion Renovada de los Sacramentos

En su encuentro con Cristo, los Cristianos buscan ajustarse a Él y crecer en la fe (cf. Rom. 12:2). El corazón de la evangelización, y el dinamismo de la Nueva Evangelización, es este encuentro personal que hace de los Cristianos testigos auténticos al amor que Cristo tiene para cada uno de nosotros. Esta relación personal con Cristo nos obliga a compartirlo a Él con otros: “es el amor de Cristo el que llena nuestros corazones y nos impulsa a evangelizar.”5 En este Año de la Fe, el Papa Benedicto XVI llama a cada uno de los fieles a “confesar la fe con plenitud y renovada convicción, con confianza y esperanza,” descubriendo de nuevo el contenido de la fe que nosotros celebramos, vivimos y creemos.6 A través de la Diócesis, los fieles y todos aquellos quienes sirven a nuestras parroquias y a los apostolados, se les darán oportunidades de profesar públicamente su fe en el Señor Resucitado. Esta profesión, querrá decir que nosotros nos estamos comprometiendo de nuevo a una relación más profunda con Cristo y con Su Iglesia tanto como con la labor de proclamar la Buena Nueva en nuestras “casas…con nuestras familias…para que cada uno sienta con fuerza la exigencia de conocer y…transmitir mejor a las generaciones futuras la fe de siempre.”7

En una forma especial, todos los fieles son llamados a renovar ese sentido de admiración y aumento en la participación de los santos misterios. ▶ Nuestro ingreso a la fe a través de las aguas salvadoras del Bautismo deben ser celebradas ardientemente y recordadas a través de nuestra jornada de peregrinación de fe.

Cada Católico debe saber y celebrar el día de su Bautismo como su “nacimiento a la nueva vida”8 Las parroquias deben renovar sus esfuerzos a educar a las personas de todas las edades acerca de este sacramento fundamental tanto como de preparar a los padres y adultos no iniciados para entrar a las aguas salvadoras del Bautismo. ▶ El Sacramento de la Confirmación amplia nuestro Bautismo, perfecciona la gracia bautismal, enraizándonos más profundamente en el Espíritu Santo, e incorporándonos más firmemente a Cristo como sus hijos e hijas.9 La cascada del Espíritu Santo en el Sacramento nos sella con Sus dones Sabiduría, Conocimiento, Comprensión, Consejo, Piedad, Fortaleza y Temor al Señor. Durante este Año tan especial, debemos darnos más cuenta de, y estar abiertos a estos dones, pidiéndole a Dios que vuelva a despertar dentro de nosotros una apreciación para la relación profunda con el Espíritu Santo dentro de nuestras vidas.

5 Porta Fidei parr 7 (cf. 2 Cor 5:14) 6 Porta Fidei parr 9 7 Porta Fidei parr 8

8 CIC1277 9 cf. CIC1316

VIII

11 de octubre del 2012 - 24 de noviembre del 2013 • www.catholicfamilyprayer.org ▶ El Sacramento de la Eucaristía siempre ha sido y permanecerá la “fuente y la cumbre” de nuestra fe.

A través de nuestra participación en la Eucaristía, nosotros atestiguamos un profundo amor de Cristo, quien sufrió y conquisto la muerte por nuestros pecados para llevarnos a la vida eterna. Su Presencia real y sustancial en la Eucaristía nos renueva y fortalece para que así podamos servir como Sus hijos e hijas fidedignamente. Por esta razón el Año de la Fe nos llama a que cada uno de nosotros en una forma especial, seamos testigos de la presencia de Cristo en la Eucaristía y para que recibamos la Santa Comunión con mayor frecuencia y mas dignamente. ▶ Los Sacramentos de Servicio – la vocación al Matrimonio y el Sacramento del Orden – son particularmente importantes en nuestra sociedad, aunque tal vez, son usualmente los más males entendidos. Las parejas de casados, los sacerdotes, los diáconos y los hombres y mujeres consagrados, todos son llamados a presenciar el amor de Dios en sus vocaciones particulares. Durante el Año de la Fe, aquellos quienes han recibido o se están preparando para recibir estos sacramentos deben reflexionar sobre, y comprender con mayor claridad como ellos van a revelar el amor de Dios al mundo. ▶ Los Sacramentos de Sanación - La Reconciliación y la Unción de los Enfermos - nos recuerda de la necesidad siempre presente de Dios en nuestras vidas. En todos los creyentes, el Año de la Fe debe llevarnos a un reconocimiento aun más profundo de nuestra necesidad por la gracia de curación de Dios y del deseo creciente de buscar la misericordia de Dios en el Sacramento de la Confesión. El Papa Benedicto XVI nos recuerda que, “La Nueva Evangelización comienza en el confesionario.”10 En una sociedad que frecuentemente confunde la libertad con el libertinaje, reconociendo la realidad de nuestra ruptura nos ayuda no solamente a entender mejor el objetivo natural del pecado que hiere nuestra relación con Dios y con cada uno de nosotros, pero también aumenta nuestra confianza en la misericordia y redención de Dios. La autoridad dada por Cristo a todos los sacerdotes para perdonar el pecado en Su nombre (Jn 20:22-23) es un gran tesoro de la Iglesia.

Durante el Año de la Fe este tesoro de frecuente recepción del sacramento de la Confesión debe ser descubierto de nuevo con gran alegría y agradecimiento. Este año también debe ser una oportunidad para crecer nuestra comprensión y apreciación de la Unción de los Enfermos. En este Sacramento, Cristo el sanador hace Su gracia siempre presente especialmente palpable en el creyente – una gracia que fortalece, apoya y anima a aquellos quienes tienen una enfermedad seria, y quienes han aumentado su debilidad a causa de la edad, o aquellos que se van a someter a una operación medica seria. Las escrituras revelan el rol único de nuestra creencia en la habilidad y el deseo de Cristo de curarnos. En este Año, los creyentes y especialmente aquellos que han recibido o que recibirán el Sacramento, deben contemplar el significado de esta gracia dada durante tiempos de excepcional sufrimiento.

3. Estudio de las Escrituras y la Participacion en la Catequesis ‘

“La fe es decidirse a estar con el Señor para vivir con él.

Y este ‘estar con él’ nos lleva a comprender las razones por las que se cree.”11 Comprender la fe requiere leer, escuchar y orar con las Palabras de Dios en las Sagradas Escrituras, tanto como estudiar como Dios se ha revelado El mismo a través de las enseñanzas de la Iglesia. Por esta razón, el estudio de las Escrituras y la participación en la catequesis son mantenidas como un aspecto necesario tanto de “Permanencia con El” y “Viviendo con Él”. Nosotros llamamos a todos los católicos a enamorarse más profundamente de Cristo oyendo Su voz siendo proclamada a través de las Escrituras y la Tradición. Un estudio renovado y más ardiente de la fe “puesta en el amor que no acaba”12 es necesario para tener una fe más entusiasta y llena de alegría en Cristo y Su Iglesia.

Los fieles deben leer las Sagradas Escrituras, el Catecismo y los documentos del Magisterio de la Iglesia, tanto individualmente como en familia, y ellos deben buscar y participar en las muchas oportunidades del estudio de las Escrituras y la Catequesis a través de las parroquias locales y la Diócesis.

10 Declaración Papal sobre el Sacramento de la Confesión, 12 de marzo de 2012 11 Porta Fidei parr 10 12 CIC parr 25

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

4. La Historia de Nuestra Fe

5. El Testigo de la Caridad

Las escrituras hablan de la salvación como una realidad continua y siempre presente. San Pablo dice “nuestra salvación está ahora más cerca que cuando llegamos a la fe” (Rom. 13:11). De esta manera, nosotros podemos decir que nosotros hemos sido salvados, que estamos siendo salvados y que seremos salvados a través de Cristo Nuestro Señor. En otras palabras, la historia de la Salvación anticipada y perfeccionada en las Sagradas Escrituras continúa a través del plan de salvación de Dios para cada uno de nosotros hoy. Al “volver a recorrer la historia de nuestra fe” nosotros podemos “poner en relieve la gran contribución que los hombres y las mujeres han ofrecido…a través del testimonio de su vidas” y reconocer el “constante acto de conversión” personal, el cual es todavía necesario.13 Durante este Año de la Fe, nosotros debemos recordar la actividad salvadora de Cristo a través de: 1. Su Iglesia, en Sus Apóstoles, “sin temor alguno, anunciaron a todos la alegría de la resurrección,” 14 y en Sus discípulos, “quienes formaron la primera comunidad reunida en torno a la enseñanza de los Apóstoles”.15 2. en sus Mártires, quienes entregaron sus vidas en servicio al Evangelio,16 3. en sus hombres y mujeres consagradas quienes dejan todo para ser signos concretos de la espera del Señor,17 4. en personas de fe a través de los siglos quienes “han confesado a lo largo de los siglos la belleza de seguir al Señor Jesús allí donde se les llama a dar testimonio”18 5. y a nosotros quienes vivimos ahora por Cristo como Sus testigos en el mundo.19 Mejorando nuestro conocimiento de la historia de la Fe Católica viene a través de oración y estudio, leyendo y aprendiendo del Magisterio, tanto como de las profesoras y textos sólidos acerca de las Escrituras, la Historia de la Iglesia, las vidas de los santos y de las personas más destacadas de la vida Católica (pasado y presente).

“Por encima de esta vestidura pondrán como cinturón el amor, que lo hace todo perfecto” (Col. 3:14). Como la fe y la caridad se apoyan mutuamente, el Año de la Fe debe ser dirigido hacia la intensificación del testimonio de la caridad. 20 La evidencia de nuestra fe se ve en la forma como nosotros amamos como Cristo amo, que servimos como Cristo sirvió. Nuestra fe debe ser atestiguada y apoyada por nuestras acciones.21 El testimonio concreto de la Iglesia a la caridad en la verdad ha sido y sigue siendo una luz vibrante para un mundo secular que duda que nosotros podemos “servir sin contar el costo”22 Durante este Año de la Fe, los individuos, las parroquias, los apostolados y los movimientos son llamados a que atestigüen claramente la caridad en la verdad a través del servicio en el nombre del Señor.

13 Porta Fidei parr 13 14 Porta Fidei parr 13 E 15 Porta Fidei parr 13 F 16 Porta Fidei parr 13 G 17 Porta Fidei parr 13 H 18 Porta Fidei parr 13 I 19 Porta Fidei parr 13 J

6. Promoviendo las Vocaciones El llamado de cada cristiano es que “rueguen, pues, al dueño de la cosecha que envíe trabajadores a recoger su cosecha,” (Mt. 9:38) en forma ardiente. Además de nuestras oraciones, nosotros – como padres, familia extendida, amigos, profesores, entrenadores, líderes de grupos, etc. – somos llamados a promover las vocaciones al clero y a la vida consagrada, ayudando a que la gente joven discierna su llamado a un estado en la vida. Tanto a través del amor vivido en la familia como en nuestras comunidades de la Iglesia, los jóvenes y los jóvenes adultos adquieren el valor para oír y aceptar el plan de Dios para sus vidas. Nuestro Santo Padre Benedicto XVI nos recuerda que “Las familias no son solo el lugar privilegiado de la formación humana y cristiana; también pueden ser “el primer y mejor seminario de la vocación a la vida consagrada al Reino de Dios.”23 Nuestra esperanza es que el hogar y la parroquia sean lugares “de discernimiento atento y de profunda verificación vocacional, ofreciendo a los jóvenes un sabio y vigoroso acompañamiento espiritual.”24 Durante este Año de la Fe, renovemos nuestros esfuerzos de oración y promovamos las vocaciones al sacerdocio y a la vida consagrada en nuestros hogares y comunidades parroquiales.

20 Porta Fidei parr 14 21 Cf. Stgo. 2:14-18 22 Oración de San Ignacio de Loyola.

23 Jornada Mundial de Oración por las Vocaciones, 2012 24 Jornada Mundial de Oración por las vocaciones, 2012

Bienaventurados los que creen

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Segunda Parte:

Estamos convencidos que mientras nos enfrentemos los tiempos difíciles en nuestra Iglesia, también estamos en la cúspide de un “nuevo tiempo de Primavera” para el matrimonio y para la familia. ¿Cómo así? Aquí nosotros deseamos ofrecer una analogía y un desafío. Semejante a como un ultrasonido el cual da un par de escenas privilegiadas de ver a su hijo “tejido en el vientre de su madre” (Sal. 139:13), la iglesia domestica ofrece un momento de revelación a la sociedad acerca de la verdad y la belleza del plan de Dios para el matrimonio y la familia. Estas verdades acerca la dignidad de la vida humana y la santidad del matrimonio están inscritas en el corazón, y las mentiras nunca podrán mantenerse en la cara de la verdad. Cada corazón humano desea saber la verdad, y muchos responden con respeto y admiración cuando la verdad es revelada en toda su integridad y plenitud. El ultrasonido ha dado a la persona humana antes de su nacimiento,

su momento de revelación, tal cual la Iglesia Domestica es llamada a atestiguar en la sociedad la fidelidad de Dios hacia Su pueblo, Su abundante y fructífero amor, y la bondad de Su plan para el matrimonio y la familia. ¡En este Año de la Fe, nosotros los necesitamos a ustedes, como líderes de las iglesias domesticas en la Diócesis de Phoenix, de ser un ultrasonido para la verdad del matrimonio y la familia! Así como la “presencia real” del niño muestra en la pantalla imágenes de ultrasonido que predican el Evangelio de la Vida claramente y convincentemente - aun en la ausencia de las palabras – nosotros les urgimos a ustedes a que oren y le pidan a Dios una intervención de paz y verdad curativa y milagrosa para que usted y su familia inspiren la fe y se conviertan cada vez mas y mas en un “icono” de amor y vida en el mundo. Usted, de esta forma, se irá formado poco a poco por nuestro Dios, quien es Amor, en una obra de arte convincente y bella en las manos del alfarero, radiando vida y amor. Las mentiras y las distorsiones con las cuales el malvado comienza su trabajo de destrucción, simplemente se derrumbaran al enfrentar más matrimonios vivos en Jesucristo, radicalmente abiertos a la voluntad del Padre, abastecidos por el Espíritu Santo y saturados sacramentalmente con la gracia de Su Iglesia.

En este Año de la Fe, les urgimos a que reflexionen sobre, y oren mas por su misión en la Iglesia domestica, especialmente en como viviendo esta misión le inspira la fe tanto a su comunidad inmediata como a la extendida. Viviendo esta misión, usted será “asumido en el Amor Divino”27 y serán herederos de la promesa profética hecha por el documento Gaudium et Spes del Vaticano II, que “se apreciará más hondamente el genuino amor conyugal y se formará una opinión pública sana acerca de él si los esposos cristianos sobresalen con el testimonio de su fidelidad y armonía en el mutuo amor y en el cuidado por la educación de sus hijos. De esta forma, La Iglesia Domestica será para la “renovación a favor del matrimonio y de la familia.”28 Aun en los tiempos de grandes dificultades y dolor, en tiempos de separación y lucha, Cristo está presente para reforzar, curar y enriquecer la vocación al matrimonio. Aun bajo tremendas dificultades de dolor, desilusión y problemas económicos en el matrimonio pueden, y realmente deben ser abrazadas como Cristo abrazo la Cruz, por su amor al convenio.

Esta es la completa diferencia Cristiana. Es de significancia vital y paradoxal que el altar tenga un crucifijo presente durante la Misa, la imagen que el mundo encuentra sin esperanza y una señal de fracaso. Sin embargo en nuestra fe, nosotros sabemos que la crucifixión y muerte de nuestro Señor es el momento de la victoria más profunda. Su matrimonio, manejando los tiempos de tribulación y sufrimiento con gracia y perseverancia, será para muchos, la más verdadera evidencia de belleza, la prueba real que un matrimonio Cristiano está realmente “envuelto en el Amor Divino” porque está construido sobre roca, no en arena (cf. Mat. 7:24-29). Particularmente en este Año de la Fe, su propia existencia como parejas casadas y familias, especialmente durante los tiempos de sufrimiento, es un signo poderoso de amor fidedigno para el mundo.

Los testigos de la santidad y beneficio del matrimonio pueden estar ausentes en la sociedad de hoy, pero en cada generación, los testigos heroicos de fidelidad marital y paternal brillan radiantemente. Considere, por ejemplo, el amor entre Luis y Zélie Martín (los padres de Santa Thérèse de Lisieux) cuyo testimonio de amor modelo el de Cristo por Su Iglesia, consintiendo una piedad simple y bella en sus hijas quienes son ahora celebradas e imitadas a través del mundo. Considere también, el amor de Pier Luigi y Gianna Molla y las gracias del Sacramento del matrimonio que los sostuvo a través de sus tribulaciones, preparándolos para hacer el sacrificio máximo para poder traer a su hija a este mundo.

Todo matrimonio enfrentara dificultades. Por lo tanto, nosotros los urgimos a que se rodeen con otras parejas de casados quienes pueden afirmar lo sagrado de esta vocación.

Durante este Año de la Fe, dirígete a las nuevas parejas en tu vecindario, en tu parroquia o en la escuela de tus hijos. Busca ayuda cuando se presenten las dificultades – ayuda de tu pastor, de consejeros sólidos quienes comprenden y defienden la naturaleza sacramental del matrimonio, y de los programas proveídos a nivel de la parroquia o de la diócesis para la renovación y sanación del matrimonio.

Si usted no está casado sacramentalmente, nosotros le

En muchas familias de hoy, hay una gran necesidad de volver a descubrir la santidad del Domingo y de observar las Fiestas. El Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica enseña que “La Eucaristía del domingo fundamenta y confirma toda la práctica cristiana.”29 Sin la adoración regular del Domingo, nuestra vida en Cristo sobrevive difícilmente y nuestra fe sufriría a muchos niveles. Desde el comienzo, Dios puso de lado un día a la semana para que fuera diferente de los otros. Él lo llamo el Domingo y el quiso que este fuera un día para el descanso y para la adoración en la familia.

En su Carta Apostólica “El Día del Señor” el Beato Juan Pablo II nos invita a que pensemos más profundamente sobre el tiempo mismo para poder apreciar los regalos de Dios del Día del Señor, El escribió, ¡No tengáis miedo de dar vuestro tiempo a Cristo!…Él es quien conoce el secreto del tiempo y el secreto de la eternidad, y nos entrega ‘su día’ como un don siempre nuevo de su amor. El descubrimiento de este día es una gracia que se ha de pedir, no sólo para vivir en plenitud las exigencias propias de la fe, sino también para dar una respuesta concreta a los anhelos íntimos y auténticos de cada ser humano. El tiempo ofrecido a Cristo nunca es un tiempo perdido, sino más bien ganado para la humanización profunda de nuestras relaciones y de nuestra vida.”30 Solo el Creador del tiempo puede enseñarnos el verdadero

25 Lumen Gentium, parr 11 26 Baltimore Preguntas del Catecismo #6.

27 Guadium et Spes, parr 48 28 Guadium et Spes, parr 49

29 CIC #2181 30 Parr #7

Para los Grupos Especiales

R

econociendo los roles únicos y variados de los fieles a través de la Diócesis, nosotros queremos identificar algunas formas practicas en que cada uno puede participar en el Año de la Fe, dado el estado de sus vidas particulares.

El Matrimonio y la Vida Familiar 1. Para las Parejas Casadas Nosotros queremos dirigirnos a nuestras madres y padres, los líderes de la Iglesia Domestica de nuestra Diócesis,25 la “primera y la catequista duradera” en sus enseñanzas de la fe a los niños. Una tradición confiable en la Iglesia, derivadas de las enseñanzas del gran Santo y Doctor de la Iglesia, San Agustín, los llama los “regentes” de su “pequeña iglesia” como marido y mujer, madre y padre. Ustedes no han sido llamados a una existencia que sea mediocre o pasiva en la Iglesia. Más bien, ustedes tienen una misión indispensable en la Nueva Evangelización.

La misión que muchas veces es silenciosa y sin agradecimiento, la de construir un hogar en oración llena de amor y vida, y de educar a los niños para “conocer, amar y servir a Dios en esta vida y de ser felices con Él para siempre en la próxima”26 no ha sido olvidada. Ella es el manantial de la alegría en el cielo, en nuestros corazones como sus Obispos. Nosotros deseamos que este segmento de la Carta Pastoral del Año de la Fe los estimule y te desafíe a ti personalmente.

No hay preocupación más grande para la Iglesia que la salud y el florecimiento de sus matrimonios y las familias.

En nuestro tiempo se ha diseminado mucha confusión acerca la naturaleza del matrimonio y de la familia, la cual es la primera sociedad creada directamente por Dios. En el primer capítulo de Génesis, nosotros vemos la hermosa imagen de Dios mostrándonos en la creación al hombre, como “varón y mujer” (Gen. 1:27). Y nosotros escuchamos las bendiciones de Dios mismo quien los llama a que “sean fecundos y multiplíquense” (Gen. 1:28) instituyendo una relación permanente, fiel, y amorosa entre marido y mujer. Pero este hermoso designio instituido por Dios y Su plan, para los matrimonios es tan atacado y ridiculizado, tan socavado y tan manipulado por las fuerzas dentro de nuestra sociedad. ¿Por qué? Aquí no podemos ver menos que un ataque magistral espiritual del “padre de toda mentira” (Juan 8:44), quien funciona con distorsión, manipulación y desmotivación. Que no haya confusión: la Iglesia defiende al matrimonio y a la familia, incluyendo el término publico de la ley, no porque ella sea determinada en alguna manera como la forma que fuerza su “opinión privada” sobre todos los miembros de la sociedad. Ella no tiene ni el poder ni el deseo para hacerlo. En lugar, la Iglesia hace esta defensa llena de vida y esperanza con la confianza humilde de que ella está defendiendo el plan de Dios para Su creación, y que ninguna sociedad puede sobrevivir por largo tiempo la negligencia de la familia y la erosión del matrimonio.

El Ultrasonido que nuestro mundo necesita hoy

Mary Parlin, West Nebraska Register/CNS

urgimos a que mueva a remediar esto durante el Año de la Fe contactando a su parroquia, y quizás comenzando el proceso de la preparación al matrimonio. Este proceso, que ha sido fortalecido recientemente por nuestra Diócesis, le ayudara a usted a comprender la riqueza y belleza del llamado al matrimonio Cristiano, tanto como su misión de ser testigo del mundo a través de un matrimonio lleno de felicidad. En algunas situaciones de la vida, tales como el divorcio y un nuevo matrimonio sin anulación de la unión previa puede ser muy difícil oír o actuar sobre la situación que se debe remediar.

Por favor, sepa que nosotros estamos aquí para usted, y la(o) animamos de que tome los pasos necesarios de aprovechar de las riquezas que Dios le ha preparado a usted en el sacramento del Matrimonio.

Tres Ayudas Fundamentales para los Padres En esta sección, nosotros queremos hacer énfasis a las tres áreas que el “Donante de los regalos buenos” (cf. Stgo.

1:17) ofrece a los líderes de la iglesia domestica en orden de fortalecerlos en su camino semanal de la fe. Como todos los regalos, ellos deben ser abiertos y usados, y como los catequistas principales en sus hogares, su misión es la de asegurar que los desenvuelvan y que hagan uso completo y propio de los regalos para sus hijos. La parroquia está ahí para ayudarlo, para estar en solidaridad con su trabajo de evangelización y la catequesis de sus hijos pero es su honor sagrado y propio de asegurar la educación de sus hijos en la fe. Ninguno de estos tres dones es nuevo y ninguno sorprenderá, pero como el aire, la comida y el agua son esenciales al cuerpo, también hay esenciales para la vida espiritual del hogar Católico. Estos tres regalos son: 1. Observando el Domingo, 2. Estableciendo y protegiendo la Comida en Familia, y 3. La Oración en Familia.

~ Observando el Dia del Senor

11 de octubre del 2012 - 24 de noviembre del 2013 • www.catholicfamilyprayer.org

concepto del tiempo y llenar cada día con esperanza. El hace esto cuando nosotros tengamos la sabiduría de alocar todos nuestros días, pero especialmente nuestros domingos, en sus manos con confianza sin límite. La familia es el lugar ideal para aprender el valor y el significado del Día del Señor. Como se marca la diferencia cuando hacemos del domingo un día de descanso, un día sin: negocios necesarios, un día para aceptar la invitación de Jesús: “Vámonos aparte…y descansarán un poco” (Mc. 6:31).

Cuando se olvida el domingo y nos quedamos solamente con el fin de semana, los eventos se vuelven puramente de entretenimiento o solo una extensión del trabajo. Como ha sido observado por un autor, nosotros podemos terminar por “entretenernos hasta la muerte.” Ya no descansamos en la presencia de Dios, ya no hacemos de la Eucaristía el centro de nuestras vidas, solamente estamos evitando el aburrimiento, entreteniéndonos incesantemente en una carrera de ratas y otras actividades. Pero no necesariamente debe ser así, y la familia es la clave para devolver la perdida trágica del domingo en la sociedad de hoy día.

Cuando el domingo se preserva como un día de descanso, este nos trae un ritmo saludable de descanso a nuestras vidas, recordándonos tanto del valor del trabajo como del descanso, y renueva nuestro entusiasmo de durar la eternidad con el Señor quien nos creo. Aun más que ser un día de descanso, el domingo es un día de adoración y alegría. Nuestra necesidad humana de descansar, es muy sobrepasada por nuestra necesidad de sentir una alegría verdadera que solamente nos puede dar Dios. Hay algo profundamente estimulante acerca de celebrar la muerte salvadora y la resurrección de Jesucristo juntos en la familia parroquial en el día en que Cristo resucito de entre los muertos. Durante este Año de la Fe, nosotros oramos para que las familias a través de la Diócesis vuelvan a descubrir como alegrarse en el Señor en cada domingo, tanto como que descubran nuevas formas enriquecedoras de mantener el Día del Señor sagrado y de pasarlo juntos en familia.

La hora de la Comida en Familia Frecuentemente se dice que la vida del matrimonio y la familia requieren un arduo trabajo. Esta noción, mientras que no es falso, puede hacer aparecer a la familia como nada más que una carga. Retenga en su mente que el tiempo pasado juntos, es más fundamental que el “trabajo arduo”. Como todas las relaciones, nuestra relación con Dios y nuestra relación con los demás, relaciones de familia solo florecen cuando pasamos tiempo juntos. No debe sorprendernos que la ciencia social nos dirija hacia la mesa de la comida familiar como una clave a la unidad familiar y a la superación de los niños.31 Cada comida en familia puede ayudar a fortalecer los lazos familiares. Es una oportunidad para la oración y la catequesis, renovando la cercanía de los lazos, escuchando las historias del día, discutiendo los tópicos importantes, compartiendo la sabiduría de la vida, aprendiendo viejas tradiciones y formando nuevas, y simplemente disfrutando de la presencia de cada uno.

Un Doctor de la Iglesia del Siglo 4, San Juan Crisóstomo, quien predico a los padres de otra cultura difícil, se dio cuenta que la mesa de la familia es un lugar ideal para conducir a los niños a la fe e invitar al Espíritu Santo en una forma más profunda: Cuando vayas a casa desde aquí, pon con tu comida, una comida espiritual también…en pocas palabras, que el hogar puede convertirse en una Iglesia, para que el demonio sea desterrado y que el espíritu maligno, el enemigo de nuestra salvación, tome vuelo; la gracia del Espíritu Santo descansaría allí en su lugar, y toda la paz y la armonía rodearía a los habitantes.32 El efecto cumulativo de la comida diaria, traería con el tiempo muchos beneficios a largo tiempo. Cuando participen en el Año de la Fe, nosotros les urgimos a que descubran de nuevo la alegría y belleza de la comida en familia, de hacer todos los sacrificios necesarios para lograr compartir mas comidas juntos como una familia, y de trabajar hacia la meta de hacerlo un hábito diario en sus hogares.

Orando Juntos Pocos argumentos son más verdaderos que el axioma, “La familia que ora unida, permanece unida”. La familia que ora 31 Gibbs, Nancy; “La Magia de la Comida Familiar”; Time Magazine, Junio 2006. Se mencionan varios estudios.

32 San Juan Crisóstomo Homilía 2 en Génesis 13

unida aprende a como llorar unida, a como alegrarse unida, a como enfrentar las dificultades unida, a como perdonarse los unos a los otros, y a como amarse los unos a los otros. Como la oración dirige nuestra atención hacia Dios, esto nos permite ir hacia Dios en todos los diferentes momentos de la rutina diaria, tanto individualmente, como en familia.

Durante el Año de la Fe, ustedes están invitados de nuevo a hacer que la oración en familia sea una prioridad en sus vidas.

Las recompensas de esto son la paz, la unidad, la alegría que alcanza aun más allá de este mundo. Los animamos a que todas las familias usen estas tres simples formas para crecer en la oración: 1. Asistir a la Misa del Domingo unidos como una familia, haciendo esta conexión a la Iglesia y a su comunión un elemento inmovible de la semana de su familia, y donde sea posible, ir a Misa durante otros días de la semana.

2. Rezar el Rosario con una devoción más profunda para que con María, la primera discípula del Señor y nuestra madre espiritual, miremos fijamente con amor a su adorado Hijo, nuestro Señor Jesucristo.

3. Adoptar o continuar la oración a la hora de la comida, antes y después de las comidas.

Para mayor inspiración e ideas sobre la oración y la vida como una iglesia domestica, los animamos a que visiten el Año de la Fe en el sitio Web: www.catholicfamilyprayer.org.

Durante este Año de la Fe, nosotros queremos expresarles nuestra gratitud a ustedes, como padres, y queremos que sepan cuan agradecidos estamos por su continuo testimonio de fe en la Diócesis de Phoenix. Nosotros aplaudimos sus esfuerzos por construir una iglesia domestica en sus hogares, por su sinceridad a los dones de la vida en sus matrimonios, su generosidad en el servicio a otros en necesidad cuando los niños no llegan naturalmente, como en los casos dolorosos de la infertilidad. Nuestras oraciones los apoyan y nuestra colaboración esta con ustedes cada día. En este el Año de la Fe, renueva tu confianza en el Señor, dirige a tus familias en la fe y sabed que “si Dios empezó tan buen trabajo en ustedes, estoy seguro de que lo continuará hasta concluirlos el día de Cristo Jesús” (Fil. 1:6).

2. A las Personas Mayores

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

En este Año de la Fe, nosotros recordamos a nuestros hermanos y hermanas mayores en Cristo de las tremendas oportunidades de enriquecer sus vidas, de ahondar su amor por Cristo y de agudizar su concientización de la siempre presente presencia de Dios al servicio de nosotros. Aunque la vida en sus fases tardías presenta nuevas y muchas veces desafíos difíciles, las gracias que se nos dan nunca disminuyen, ni tampoco nuestro llamado a participar con Dios en el misterio de la Cruz - una participación para nuestra salvación y la salvación de otros (cf Lc. 9:23). En una forma particular, estos años finales nos acercan a Dios, nos llaman a ser más agradecidos por todo lo que hemos recibido, y nos retan a que compartamos los dones que Dios nos ha dado con gran amor y convicción.

Le recordamos a cada uno de ustedes, que mientras los retos de la edad madura pueden disminuir nuestra habilidad mental y física, nuestra dignidad como amados hijos e hijas de Dios nunca disminuye. Y mientras entramos a la penumbra de nuestras vidas, nuevas y más ricas oportunidades llegaran para comprender aun más nuestra dignidad como personas. Durante este Año especial, continúen siendo testigos de la fe, la esperanza y el amor, aceptando los retos que puedan llegar y encontrando nuevas oportunidades para

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servir a Dios con menos egoísmo a través de la oración por otros. Cuando nos retiremos o envejezcamos, podemos comprometer aun más de nuestro tiempo para orar por nuestras familias, amigos, vecinos y por la Iglesia, tanto como ofrecer nuestros sufrimientos por otros. Cuando estemos llegando al fin de nuestras vidas terrenales, no debemos sentir miedo.

Podemos encontrar el valor y la fuerza en el conocimiento de “que Dios dispone todas las cosas para bien de los que lo aman, a quienes él ha escogido y llamado” (Rom. 8:28).

A través del Año de la Fe, les pedimos con humildad que recuerden de ofrecer oraciones especiales por el Obispo, los sacerdotes, diáconos, religiosos consagrados, seminaristas, parejas comprometidas y casadas, familias, tanto como por las vocaciones al sacerdocio y a la vida consagrada, y a la vida de matrimonio.

3. A la Juventud En este Año de la Fe, nosotros llamamos a la Juventud en una forma especial para que tomen pertenencia de su fe, que busquen la verdad y que sean testigos heroicos de la verdad, y que traigan la Buena Nueva del increíble amor de Dios, a sus amigos y a sus familias. La juventud trae consigo una dignidad hermosa, una expresión de maravilla y confianza que no se debe perder cuando estén entrando a la etapa de adulto. Las Sagradas Escrituras nos recuerdan de la dignidad y del rol tan importante que tiene la juventud en el plan de Salvación de Dios. Dios nos habla a cada uno de nosotros con estas palabras maravillosas: “Antes de formarte en seno de tu madre, ya te conocía; antes de que tu nacieras, yo te consagre” (Jer. 1:5).

Confía en el amor constante de Dios por ti, y en Su plan para tu felicidad, logros, y salvación que solo pueden llegar al seguir Su voluntad para tu vida. Conoce o recuerda los muchos santos, quienes modelaron el amor por Cristo en su servicio para otros tanto en formas pequeñas como en grandes. El mundo de hoy esta con una necesidad desesperada de jóvenes testigos de las virtudes evangélicas, fe, esperanza y caridad, testigos tales como el Beato Pier Giorgio Frassati, Beata Chiara Luce Badano, y Santa Kateri Tekakwitha.

Bto. Pier Giorgio Frassati es un excelente testigo de fe porque su amor y defensa por la fe solo fortaleció su intelecto y su carácter. El encontró en la fe no un rechazo a la razón, sino un sincero abrazo a ella y en ambas, sus realidades físicas y espirituales, que están incluidas en la persona humana.

Escuchemos de nuevo a sus palabras de sabiduría: “Vivir sin fe, sin un patrimonio para defender, sin una lucha continua por la verdad, eso no es vivir sino existir”33 Querida juventud, nosotros los estamos llamando en este Año de la Fe no solo para que existan, sino para que vivan realmente y para que sean auténticos testigos de fe.

Bta. Chiara Luce Badano es un modelo excepcional de esperanza duradera porque a pesar de haberse enfermado en la flor de la juventud, ella mantuvo una alegría y paz que continuo a través de su sufrimiento hasta el mismo momento de su muerte a la temprana edad de 18 años. Su testimonio simple pero autentico al amor de Cristo llevo a la conversión de muchos de sus doctores y cuidanderos quienes encontraron en su alegría una profunda proclamación de la victoria de Cristo sobre la muerte. San Pablo nos dice “¡Qué esperanza tan grande! ¡Y qué seguridad nos da!” (2 Cor. 3:12) y en frente a la dificultad y el sufrimiento, nosotros podemos estar firmes en nuestra confianza del amor de Dios y en el plan para cada uno de nosotros, sirviendo nosotros como una inspiración de esperanza a todos aquellos que están por conocer a Cristo.

Juntos, podemos estar con alegría en Cristo como la Beata Chiara, contra la cultura de la muerte, mientras que proclamamos la cultura de la vida en todo lo que hacemos y decimos entre nuestros amigos, en nuestro trabajo, en nuestros hogares y en la escuela.

Santa Kateri Tekakwitha es un ejemplo Americano sin paralelo de valor y amor por Cristo el cual la obligo a cuidar por aquellos que estaban en las condiciones más desesperadas. Su testimonio de caridad hacia los enfermos y los moribundos en Sault Saint-Louis, Canadá, fue siempre un servicio a la verdad; la verdad de nuestra dignidad humana, la verdad de nuestra redención en Cristo, y la verdad de que somos las manos y los pies de Dios en este mundo. Ella comprendió, “por tanto, defender la verdad, proponerla con humildad y convicción y testimoniarla en la vida son formas exigentes e insustituibles de caridad.”34 33 Bto. Pier Giorgio Frassati, Carta a un Amigo 27 de febrero de 1925 34 Caritas in Veritate, parr 1.

Bienaventurados los que creen

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El Clero y la Vida Consagrada 4. A los Sacerdotes En este Año de la Fe, la Iglesia promueve a que sus sacerdotes cultiven un amor más apasionado por el Señor a través de una renovación personal y un servicio fiel a Dios y a Su pueblo, especialmente en la celebración de los Sacramentos.

Siguiendo el ejemplo de Cristo mismo, nosotros hemos sido llamados a dar nuestras propias vidas por la salvación de las almas. Esto se hace posible solamente después de haber tenido un encuentro personal con el Cristo vivo y cuando continuamos valorando ese tesoro.

El Año de la Fe nos ofrece a cada uno de nosotros una oportunidad para fortalecer nuestro deseo por la santidad de vida. Esta tomara lugar a través de: aumento en la oración, adoración Eucarística, oración fiel de la Liturgia de las Horas, celebrando los Sacramentos con mayor atención y cuidado (muy especialmente el sacrificio de la Misa), y a través de generosamente y más frecuentemente hacernos accesibles para escuchar las confesiones. Entremos en este Año de la Fe con un deseo mayor de crecer más cerca de Cristo a través de nuestras vidas y ministerios. Nuestra misión de Evangelizar y de sanar la cultura, de ser ministros de caridad y esperanza, depende de la cercanía intima al Señor, y nuestra propia fidelidad a esta relación servirá como ejemplos poderosos e inspiradores durante este Año de la Fe. Hermanos sacerdotes, quienes comparten con nosotros el deber y honor de servir a Cristo como sacerdotes en el siglo 21, hay dos prioridades que el Santo Padre nos ha enfatizado a dirigir en la Nueva Evangelización. Ambas nos son útiles a nosotros para contemplar mientras nos preparamos nosotros mismos y nuestra diócesis para el Año de la Fe: Primero, promoción del Sacramento de la Confesión y Segundo, la oración como una escuela de esperanza.

Sobre el Sacramento de la Confesión, el Papa Benedicto, durante una reunión con sus Obispos y sacerdotes en Roma, hablo sobre “la conexión cercana entre la santidad y el Sacramento de la Reconciliación,”35 recordando como los grandes santos en la Iglesia fueron testigos de este camino seguro a la santidad. Este Sacramento de misericordia comienza con una mirada sincera a las condiciones de vida actual, seguida por un reconocimiento de nuestras necesidades por el amor y el perdón de Jesús, y después una elevación de nuestros ojos a la faz de Cristo y la confesión de nuestros pecados. Si estamos abiertos a Su gracia, el Espíritu Santo remueve dentro de nosotros “un profundo deseo; el deseo del cambio, el deseo de la misericordia y, últimamente, el deseo por un encuentro con Cristo.”

Por la naturaleza tan profundamente personal del sacramento de la Penitencia, este tiene el poder de traer a cada uno de nosotros a una profunda comunión con el Señor Jesús en toda su ternura y compasión. Por esto es que el Papa Benedicto dice, “La nueva Evangelización comienza en el confesionario”. ¿Donde mas es el despecho tan duramente conquistado como lo es en la confesión sincera de nuestros pecados? ¿Dónde mas podemos superar nuestros miedos más profundos, desalojar muestras dudas más profundas, y saciar nuestra sed más profunda? La Nueva Evangelización comienza en el Confesionario, porque comienza cuando San Agustín dijo, “la misericordia se encuentra con la miseria”. El confesionario es donde Cristo nos encuentra a nosotros los pecadores.

Segundamente, el Papa Benedicto escribe en su encíclica Spe Salvi: “El Primer lugar especial para aprender que la esperanza es oración.” La oración es verdaderamente la escuela de la esperanza. Cuando nosotros los sacerdotes oramos con nuestra gente, cuando nosotros continuamos a orar en la tragedia y 35 Ad Limina Visita 9 de marzo de 2012

en la adversidad, nosotros los ayudamos y también a nosotros mismos a ser más sabios que el desespero. El Santo Padre también nos dice, “Uno que tiene esperanza vive de forma diferente.” Qué diferencia se hace al creer en el amor de Dios. Qué diferencia hace el recibir y administrar la merced de Dios en el Confesionario. Qué diferencia hace el estar unidos en oración en la Eucaristía.

Mis hermanos sacerdotes, por favor únanse a mí en comprometernos de nuevo durante este Año de la Fe, resuelvan una vez mas de hacer del Sacrificio de la Eucaristía el centro de cada día y de pasar una porción generosa de cada semana en el Confesionario. Con Cristo vivo en nuestros corazones, nosotros podemos llevarles olas de felicidad a los pobres, ser más sabios que la desesperación, y ser testigos fieles al Señor Jesús a través de las personas quienes han sido confiadas a nosotros para cuidarlas y guiarlas. Los frutos de este compromiso nos inspiraran, despertaran y despertaran de nuevo e incrementaran la fe de nuestro pueblo quien ha sido encomendado a nuestro cuidado y dirección

‘

Nosotros los urgimos a ustedes, nuestros jóvenes amigos en Cristo, a que estudien ardientemente nuestra fe Católica en este Año especial, y que hagan las preguntas esenciales de la vida para que así ustedes puedan estar “siempre dispuestos para dar una respuesta a quien les pida cuenta de su esperanza” (1 Pedro 3:15). No duden en tener esperanzas plenas en el plan de Dios para sus vidas, y de buscar Su voluntad para ustedes en oración y recepción frecuente de los Sacramentos de la Santa Comunión y la Confesión. No tengan temor de amar como Cristo ama, de buscar relaciones autenticas que dan vida con sus amigos y colegas, y de encontrar formas de servir en el nombre de Cristo.

5. A los Diaconos En los Hechos de los Apóstoles (6:1-7), nosotros vemos que con una comunidad creciente, los Apóstoles necesitaban ayudantes para asistirlos, en el cuidado de las viudas y de los

Gregory A. Shemitz/CNS

huérfanos. Aquí, en la Diócesis de Phoenix, nosotros hemos sido muy bendecidos con hombres de gran fe quienes han respondido tan generosamente al llamado de Dios a la santidad y el llamado de la Iglesia para servir como diáconos.

Durante este Año de la fe, una vez más, nosotros estamos muy agradecidos a Dios por nuestros Diáconos que están trabajando en una variedad de ubicaciones pastorales: administrando parroquias, visitando a los enfermos y a los ancianos, visitando a los prisioneros, trabajando entre los indeseables y olvidados, trayendo la caridad de Cristo a nuestros Pueblos Nativos, atestiguando al Sacramento del Matrimonio, administrando el Sacramento del Bautismo, predicando la Palabra de Dios en las celebraciones Litúrgicas y la Santa Misa, catequizando a los fieles y en muchos otros roles de servicios de caridad. Sus esfuerzos incansables y dedicación consistente ofrecen un testigo único en este Año de la Fe. Durante este Año especial, les pedimos a todos los diáconos a través de la Diócesis a que se comprometan a renovar los esfuerzos de evangelización de nuestra cultura y a hacer el acercamiento a los materialmente pobres y a los pobremente catequizados. En sus vocaciones como diáconos, luchen por comprometer a todas las personas y a todo su trabajo con la misma pasión, amor y entusiasmo como los diáconos de la Iglesia de los primeros tiempos, sirviendo de testigos de Cristo tanto en la palabra como en la obra.

Nosotros los animamos a que también mediten en los Misterios Luminosos del Rosario, y especialmente en como Jesús, no buscando el ser servido sino en servir, trajo la luz de la fe, la esperanza y la caridad al mundo. A través de este Año de la Fe, contemplar aun más como ustedes son llamados a ser canales de la presencia luminosa de Cristo en el mundo de hoy.

Cuando ustedes recen los Misterios Luminosos del rosario, reflexionen en la vida de Cristo y en sus propias vidas como Diácono en servicio a los fieles: ▶ El Primer Misterio Luminoso, “El Bautismo en el Jordán”: Mientras ustedes preparan a sus familias para el bautismo y mientras ustedes celebran a los bautismos, ustedes están en una posición privilegiada para ayudar a los padres y a los

hijos a descubrir de nuevo la vida y la luz que viene de Cristo y Su Evangelio. Nunca devalúen a las muchas gracias que Dios demarra durante cada bautismo a través de su sagrado ministerio. ▶ El Segundo Misterio Luminoso, “Las Bodas de Cana”: Cuando ustedes les ayudan a las parejas en su preparación para el Santo Matrimonio, y cuando ustedes atestiguan oficialmente los matrimonios en el nombre de la Iglesia, recuerde que Jesús ejecuto Su primer milagro en las bodas de Cana. Dejen que esto los inspire a ayudar a estas parejas mirar más allá de la ceremonia del matrimonio y a entrar a un sacramento de por vida en el cual el amor de Cristo por Su Novia, la Iglesia, brilla hacia delante en amor mutuo. ▶ El tercer Misterio Luminoso, “Jesús Proclama el Reino de Dios”: Ustedes son los heraldos del Evangelio. Ustedes comparten en la misión de la Iglesia proclamando el Reino de Dios.

Así como Jesús trajo nueva luz al mundo a través de sus predicas, así también ustedes servirán de testigos a Cristo en sus enseñanzas, predicando y catequizando. Estén siempre alertas al poder de la palabra de Dios de como transforma nuestras vidas y las vidas de aquellos a quienes servimos. ▶ El Cuarto Misterio Luminoso “La Transfiguración”: Cuando los primeros discípulos fueron tentados a desesperar, el Señor Jesús llevo a algunos de ellos y subieron a una montaña y se transfiguro ante ellos para que su fe fuera fortalecida. Su fe también es fortalecida en su encuentro con Cristo a través de la ordenación. Siempre quédense cerca de Él y ustedes encontraran la gracia para convertirse en la inspiración de la esperanza para todos, especialmente para los que sufren penuria del Reino.

Recuerden siempre cuando sirvan aquellos afectados por una perdida y tragedia, de dirigirlos hacia Cristo, la fuente de nuestra esperanza. ▶ El Quinto Misterio Luminoso, “La Institución de la Eucaristía”: como diáconos ustedes son privilegiado al ayudar a los sacerdotes en el altar en el Sacrificio de la Eucaristía. En este rol tan público, ustedes son testigos del regalo generoso de Cristo, de El mismo. Que este misterio los inspire a vivir una vida intensamente Eucarística de servicio generoso.

Les estamos profundamente agradecidos a ustedes, nuestros hermanos en la fe, quienes sirven al lado de Obispos y sacerdotes en su ministerio único de Palabra, Altar y Caridad.

Durante este Año de la Fe, que todos lleguen a un mayor entendimiento de sus roles como sirvientes de los misterios de Cristo y de sus hermanos y hermanas. Que su servicio humilde siempre reflejen la luz de Cristo sobre todos.

6. A los Hombres y Mujeres Consagrados En este Año de la Fe, nosotros llamamos a los hermanos y hermanas consagradas a que escuchen de nuevo las poderosas palabras de Benedicto XVI durante su visita a los Estados Unidos: Ustedes, queridos hombres y mujeres religiosos, tanto contemplativos como apostólicos, que han dedicado sus vidas a seguir al Divino Maestro con amor generoso y completa devoción a Su evangelio…Por su testimonio personal y su fidelidad hacia el ministerio o apostolado confiado en ustedes, ustedes preparan un camino para el Espíritu. Por que como el Espíritu nunca para de regar sus abundantes dones para despertar nuevas vocaciones y misiones, y de guiar a la Iglesia, como Nuestro Señor nos lo prometió…en la riqueza de la verdad” (cf. Jn. 16:13).

El Santo Padre continua pidiéndoles a aquellos en la vida consagrada a “ser los primeros en demostrar humildad y pureza de corazón que son requeridas para aproximarse al esplendor de la verdad de Dios”. La tradición de esta forma de vida es la de ser “primero amigo del pobre, de los destituidos, de los extranjeros, los enfermos y de todos los que sufren”…a ser…“inspiración de la esperanza de estampar la luz de Cristo sobre el mundo y animar a la gente joven a que descubran la belleza de una vida dada completamente al Señor y a su Iglesia.” Ustedes son, en su vida diaria testigos e inspiración de esperanza para nuestra Diócesis. Haciendo eco a las palabras del Santo Padre en un mensaje especial dado a los nuevos miembros en la Vida Consagrada, nosotros también los exhortamos: “Nunca olviden que ustedes están llamados a continuar con todo el entusiasmo y la alegría que el Espíritu les ha dado, un trabajo que otros han comenzado, un legado que otros han iniciado. Un legado que un día ustedes también tendrán para pasar a una nueva generación. ¡Trabajen generosamente y alegremente, porque aquel a quien

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11 de octubre del 2012 - 24 de noviembre del 2013 • www.catholicfamilyprayer.org

ustedes sirven, es el Señor!”36 Gracias por sus años de servicio a la Diócesis de Phoenix y más allá.

Durante este Año de la Fe que lleguen a una comprensión mejor y renovado entusiasmo por su indispensable testimonio a Cristo. A través de muchos carismas y ministerios de educación, cuidado pastoral, prisión, parroquia y cuidado de la salud, ustedes viven las palabras de Jesús encontradas en Mateo 25:31-46, y en ustedes, nosotros continuamos a ver la faz del Cristo vivo.

A LA IGLESIA CONqUISTANDOSE EL MUNDO ‘

7. A los Fieles Catolicos trabajando en campos seculares

8. A los Educadores y a los Catequistas El Bto. Juan XXIII llamó al Segundo Vaticano para fortalecer y defender el depósito de la fe y la verdad de la persona humana.41 Los educadores tienen un lugar privilegiado para formar mentes jóvenes en el descubrimiento del mundo natural y del estudio de la creación de Dios. La educación en las tradiciones Católicas nunca es solamente intelectual, ni solamente espiritual. Buscando formar la persona completa, mente y alma, los educadores y los catequistas tienen un rol esencial en el desarrollo auténtico de la persona humana. Durante este Año de la Fe, nosotros invitamos a los educadores a que descubran de nuevo la alegría de enseñar, y de encontrar en aquellos a quienes enseñan la emoción bendita de descubrir las verdades de este mundo. Nosotros invitamos a los catequistas a que enseñen con más confianza las verdades de nuestra fe, especialmente aquellas que son más frecuentemente incomprendidas y rechazadas tanto como que busquen para ustedes un conocimiento más ferviente, y hondo, apreciación y amor 36 Todas las citas son sacadas de las Homilías de Benedicto XVI en San Patricio 19 de abril de 2008.

37 Lumen Gentium, para 31, Apostolicam Actuositatem 5.

38 Lumen Gentium, para 31 39 Ibid 40 Pablo VI, Homilía de la Fiesta de la Sagrada Familia, 5 de enero de 1964 41 Discurso del Papa Juan XXIII durante la apertura solemne del Segundo Concilio Vaticano, 11 de octubre de 1962. Diario del Concilio p. 25.

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

por el depósito de fe la cual nos une en proclamar y defender.

Que encuentren nueva energía para atestiguar sobre Cristo a través de fidelidad a la oración diaria, la devoción a la Madre de Dios y la apreciación renovada a la verdad de Cristo que Dios nos ha confiado en la Iglesia.

9. A los No Creyentes Es con un corazón humilde y abierto que la Iglesia extiende una invitación especial en este el Año de la Fe a los no creyentes, y a todos aquellos que están buscando respuestas a las preguntas inherentes en la experiencia humana, especialmente aquellos que tocan sobre la fe y el significado de la vida.

La preguntas fundamentales sobre la identidad (“¿Quién soy yo?”), sobre el origen (“¿De dónde vengo?”), sobre el destino (“¿Hacia dónde voy?”), sobre el propósito (“¿Por qué estoy aquí?”), y acerca de la moralidad (“¿Cómo debo vivir?”) demandan respuestas. Son precisamente en estas preguntas que la Iglesia Católica ofrece al mundo una comprensión holística única del hombre hecho a la imagen y semejanza de Dios, tanto racional como libre. Al buscar las verdades profundamente importantes de nuestro origen y destino, nosotros comenzamos a comprender nuestra trayectoria en la vida y como debemos vivir. También reconocemos sin embargo, que “si existe el derecho de ser respetados en el propio camino de búsqueda de la verdad, existe aún antes la obligación moral, grave para cada uno, de buscar la verdad y de seguirla una vez conocida”.42 Esta obligación de buscar la verdad y adherirse a ella, es el punto de salida a todo dialogo autentico. A través de los 2000 años de herencia, los fieles Católicos se han hecho estas preguntas buscado las respuestas a ellas, a través del dialogo entre la fe y la razón. La fe y la razón no son mutuamente exclusivas, ni deben ser separadas. Ellas son las “dos alas con las cuales el espíritu humano se eleva hacia la contemplación de la verdad.”43 A través de la razón, nosotros podemos observar el mundo organizado alrededor de nosotros y postular la existencia del Creador. A través de la razón nosotros podemos observa el intricado diseño de la vida, y el plan de intención para su promoción y continuación. A través de la razón, podemos observar el “como” y el “que” del universo físico. Sin embargo, también nosotros podemos buscar más profundamente las respuestas que nos pide la razón. Los “porqués” del universo físico y metafísico son respondidos no al ignorarlos, sino contestándolos a través del lente de la fe. Es a través de este matrimonio entre la fe y la razón que una respuesta completamente holística de la persona humana y de nuestro propósito en la tierra puede ser realmente encontrada. La Iglesia mantiene esto en la mente constantemente, y esto lleva una verdad sin tiempo la cual le habla al corazón de la persona humana y a su lugar en la creación de Dios. Desde su inicio, la Iglesia Católica ha sido cargada con la misión de traer la buena nueva de Jesucristo al dialogo con toda la gente, en todos los tiempos y lugares. (cf.

Mt. 28:19-20). Esta misión es un componente esencial no solamente para lo que la Iglesia hace, pero para quien es ella,44 y 42 Veritatis Splendor, parr 34 43 Fides et Ratio Introducción 44 cf. CIC, parr. 849 y Redemptoris Missio, parr. 3

por esta razón nuestro deseo es abrazar, siempre y en todas partes, la oportunidad de entrar en dialogo autentico con aquellos de nuestros prójimos hombres y mujeres quienes, aunque no creyentes, andan buscando la verdad.

Nosotros oramos para que en este Año de la Fe, haya un aumento en la conciencia de la importancia del rol que la fe ha tenido – y continúa teniendo – en la búsqueda de la belleza, la verdad y la bondad. A través de este año tan especial, que todos los hombres y mujeres de buena voluntad busquen las respuestas a estas preguntas fundamentales y que con la Iglesia profesen la Buena Nueva del inacabable amor de Dios por Su creación.

‘

Mientras la Iglesia marca con gratitud el 50avo aniversario del Segundo Concilio Vaticano, nosotros recordamos el llamado importante de los padres del Concilio a los laicos quienes están ocupados en los asuntos temporales para el bienestar del Reino de Dios,37 Como profesionales en el cuidado de la salud , la ley, ingeniería, educación y otras profesiones, como trabajadores y trabajadores expertos, ustedes hacen que la Iglesia presente y opere a través de su servicio a otros, trabajando por “la santificación del mundo como desde dentro, a modo de fermento.”38 Como católicos, su vocación directamente avanza el ministerio de la Iglesia en el mundo: de curar a los enfermos, de defender a los más vulnerables, educar y catequizar a la cultura sobre la dignidad de la persona humana. Viviendo sus vidas con integridad personal y profesional, ustedes siempre son llamados a ser testigos del Evangelio: “Y así hagan manifiesto a Cristo ante los demás, primordialmente mediante el testimonio de su vida, por la irradiación de la fe, la esperanza y la caridad.”39 El entusiasmo para ser testigo de Cristo nace del amor, es cultivado por la oración y la recepción frecuente de los Sacramentos, y estimulado por la cooperación con el Espíritu Santo. Ustedes han sido llamados al valor y a la virtud y deben prepararse a ser testigos creíbles de la alegría y la paz de Cristo que llega de conocerlo y de vivir por El. Durante este Año de la Fe, que tengan un nuevo conocimiento de su importante rol en renovar el orden temporal y participar llenos de alegría en atestiguar sobre el mundo de Cristo. Que ustedes sean aun mas “conscientes de la dignidad del trabajo humano el cual nunca puede ser un fin en sí mismo” pero siempre apunta a la participación en nuestra redención.40 Que volteen hacia San José y a nuestra Madre Bendita y a todos los santos como modelos de fuerza y felicidad, y oren siempre porque la gracia y la fortaleza perseveren.

Conclusion Lo que le trajo el dolor más grande al corazón de nuestro Salvador, especialmente cuando El regreso a Su pueblo de nacimiento de Nazaret, fue la falta de fe de la gente. El vino a nuestro mundo para revelar el amor del Padre y para restaurar la esperanza a un mundo sobrecargado por la desesperación y cargado por el pecado. El vino, para que pudiéramos tener una vida y tenerla en plenitud (Jn. 10:10). Pero El no nos forzara a aceptar Su amor y su Don de esperanza. El solo nos invitara a abrir las puertas cuando El llame a ellas, a aceptar a través de la fe todos los muchos dones del Reino que perduran por siempre. Ustedes y yo hemos recibido estos regalos maravillosos, un Tesoro mas allá de cualquier imaginación y no podemos esconderlo debajo de una canasta llena. Como nuestro Santo Padre dice, “Por eso, también hoy es necesario un compromiso eclesial más convencido en favor de una nueva evangelización para redescubrir la alegría de creer y volver a encontrar el entusiasmo de comunicar la fe…La fe, en efecto, crece cuando se vive como experiencia de un amor que se recibe y se comunica como experiencia de gracia y gozo.”45 Que este Año de la Fe nos haga más como la Santísima Virgen María de quien Isabel dijo (Lc. 1:45): “Dichosa tú por haber creído que se cumplirán las promesas del Señor.”

Santa María, Madre de Dios, ruega por nosotros los pecadores, ahora y en la hora de nuestra muerte, Amen.

+Thomas J. Olmsted Bishop of Phoenix

+ Eduardo A. Nevares Auxiliary Bishop of Phoenix

45 Porta Fidei, parr 7

schools Faith in education.

September 20, 2012

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Back to school

Schools upgrade learning methods, but remain grounded in Truth

By Ambria Hammel The Catholic Sun

B

Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

St. Matthew eighth-graders Christopher Quintero and Alonso Serrano listen to rules on the first day of school. The school’s junior high students received their own email account this year. Other local students are using iPads and interactive learning walls.

BRIEFS Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos SCOTTSDALE — Our Lady of Perpetual Help School will host the annual visit from Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos, Spanish for “Our Little Brothers and Sisters,” a network of orphanages in Latin American and the Caribbean. The 18 dancers and musicians making the journey this year are from Mexico.

The greater community is invited to Friends of the Orphans’ annual Faces of Hope Gala 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Chaparral Suites Resort. The event includes a four-course dinner, no-host bar, auctions and performances. www.friendsoftheorphans.org.

Influential coaches Richard Obert of The Arizona Republic compiled a list of the most influential high school coaches he’s covered in his 30 years with the newspaper. He based his list on coaches he deemed shaped the local sports landscape, brought out the best in athletes and created change.

Three Catholic school coaches, past and present, made the list.

They included Karen Self for Seton

girls basketball, Pat Farrell for St. Mary’s football in the ‘80s and ‘90s and Sr. Lynn Winsor, who twice coached Xavier girls golf to at least 12 straight titles among other achievements.

Five others made the honorable mention list including Curtis Ekmark, who was named National Coach of the Year more than once last season and led the Lady Knights to a national basketball championship title.

eing prepared for class these days doesn’t alwyas mean having a sharpened pencil or a ballpoint pen. Sometimes it means having a stylus and wellcharged tablet computer.

Junior high students at Blessed Pope John XXIII School in Scottsdale and Loyola Academy as well as freshmen at nearby Brophy College Preparatory began using iPads for assignments, tests and class work when school resumed in August.

The move was a natural progression for Brophy. The all-boys Jesuit school debuted PCs starting with the freshmen class seven years ago. Every freshman after that received some type of personal computing device.

New coaches Eric Larkin is the new wrestling coach at Seton Catholic Preparatory in Chandler. He was an NCAA National Champion at ASU and competed with national, Olympic and World USA teams. Susan Fox, who has an extensive background in as a swimmer and coach, will lead the Sentinels in swim and dive.

Commander King will coach boys’ basketball. He has eight combined

— See back to school page 18 ▶

years of experience at two Arizona high schools and was part of the 2000 Big Sky Championship team for NAU. His wife, Jennifer, is an assistant coach with Seton’s girls’ team.

At St. Mary’s, Ty Amundsen will be the boys’ basketball coach. He has over 17 years of coaching experience at youth, scholastic and collegiate levels and holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education. Amundsen is also teaching at St. Mary’s. ✴

8th Grade day: nov. 2, 2012; www.ndp8grade.com Open hOuse/Campus tOurs: nov. 4, 2012 appliCatiOns due: nov. 30, 2012 entranCe exam: Jan. 12, 2013

Notre Dame PreParatory integrates faith

into a challenging college preparatory curriculum that promotes academic excellence, instills moral values, and encourages lifelong service.

Target gift cards Target gave away $800 to 13 local Catholic schools last month as part of its $2.5 million giveaway through a Facebook campaign.

Schools earned a $25 gift card for every 25 votes. Ss. Simon and Jude earned $125.

Other top earnings were $100 each at St. Louis the King in Glendale, Christ the King in Mesa and St. Catherine of Siena.

Perfect score Lauren Riddiford, a senior at Xavier College Preparatory, earned a perfect score on the ACT exam which tests English, math, reading and science skills. Roughly onetenth of one percent of all testers achieve such a distinction each year. Last year only 704 of the more than 1.6 million students tested earned the top score.

Riddiford hopes to attend Oxford or Columbia. The last time a Xavier student earned a perfect ACT score was 2001.

All but a handful of classes now use digital textbooks or teacher-generated resources, according to Jim Bopp, assistant principal for technology. He said being a 1-to-1 computing school increases organization and efficiency and allows teachers and students to focus more on problem solving, creative and critical thinking and fluency in artistic presentation than on memorization.

Freshmen seem to like the upgrade to iPads.

“At first I was a little skeptical because I like regular computers,” Valentine Hernandez said.

But after playing around with the iPad at home and during a summer training day, he found the applications to be pretty straightforward.

• Average class size is 15 students.

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• Graduates have been accepted to many prestigious and competitive academic institutions including Harvard, Cornell, Brown, Stanford, Duke, Georgetown, Tulane, USC, Boston University and all U.S. military academies.

• The 227 members of the Class of 2012 were awarded $13 million in scholarships and included three National Merit Scholars and 52 Summa Cum Laude graduates.

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schools

Page 18 ✦ The Catholic Sun

September 20, 2012

‘Night of Hope’ seeks to close tuition gap at Catholic schools

▶ Continued from page 17

▶ Continued from page 1

noon and many pray before dismissal too. Classrooms are also equipped with prayer areas.

High schoolers study theology and attend regular reconciliation services. Many Catholic school students develop a natural love for helping those in need. Some tutor fellow Catholic school students and many regularly hold drives and fundraisers for worthy causes including local Catholic schools in lower income areas.

“Our ultimate goal, always, is to close the tuition gap at our Catholic schools over the next 10 years,” Borders said about Night of Hope. “We don’t want to lose great students regardless of what school they attend.”

That’s why having the community as a partner is imperative, he said. Part of the evening’s program will recognize longtime community partners. Sr. Mary Norbert Long, S.C., who finished 28 years at

Back to school

Night of Hope Night of Hope, the formal benefit for diocesan Catholic Schools’ tuition endowment fund, will be held at 6 p.m.

Nov. 3 at Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, 340 N. Third St. Tickets are $125 each and sponsorships available.

For more information, call Margaret Hardy at (602) 354-2344, email mhardy@ diocesephoenix.org or visit the web: catholicschoolsphx.com/ noh.php

St. Mary Basha Catholic School in May, will be one of two presented with the Guardian of Hope award.

The Catholic Schools Office will recognize Gary Brown, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries and Mortuaries, as a corporate

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

Kiley Emerling, a first-grader at Blessed Pope John XXIII, smiles for a photo during the first week of school. Students went back to school last month.

partner. The Katzin Classical Music program will also share the spotlight. David Katzin launched the program 10 years ago to bring an appreciation of classical music to eight inner city Catholic schools.

Student ambassadors will greet Night of Hope guests, serve as mini masters of ceremony and leave handcrafted mementos at the tables. The schools are again responsible for centerpieces.

MaryBeth Mueller, superinten-

dent of Catholic schools for the diocese, said Night of Hope is a great way “to bring administrators, students, parents, donors, clergy, teachers and friends of Catholic education together to celebrate the wonderful gift of Catholic education to the Church, community and nation. It is a true celebration as well as a ‘Night of Hope’ for those who follow in our footsteps.”✴

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Technology affected how — not what — students learn. Teachers and school administrators are still committed to promoting academic excellence, moral values and lifelong service — all staples of diocesan schools.

Fr. Robert Bolding would add forming men and women in the Truth to that list. He’s been chaplain and theology teacher at St. Mary’s High School since 2009, but moved into the newly created role of president-rector July 1.

That means he’ll focus on Catholic identity and mission, among other administrative duties.

He said his installation Mass Aug. 22 was a moving image of how Catholic education is tied to the ministry of the bishop and mission of the Church.

“He is genuinely concerned with the salvation of every student, of every staff member. He makes that the genuine focus of every decision that he makes,” said Kellie Taylor, campus minister at St. Mary’s. “He’s willing to make people angry for the sake of Truth and virtue and willing to make hard decisions.”

Fr. Bolding cited the Catechism when reminding students this year about the importance of modesty.

Girls must wear skirts to the knee both in the front and back.

Students at St. Maximilian Kolbe School, a Catholic school not under diocesan guidance, are now more closely united with the life of the Church. The school moved its classrooms from 15th and Maryland avenues in Phoenix to St. Joseph Parish at 40th Street and Shea Boulevard when classes resumed Aug. 20. The move helps the school offer Mass daily, instead of only once a month.

“We are blessed to have the faculty, students and their families joining us at St. Joseph Parish,” said Fr. Greg Rice, MHM, interim parochial administrator. “St. Maximilian Kolbe School is known for its faith-filled families, joyful students and commitment to an authentically Catholic education.”

Having the physical and sacramental life of the Church present remains a focus of all Catholic schools. Fr. Raymond Ritari, pastor of St. Matthew School, leads students in daily prayer in the church.

On the first day of school, he visited each classroom to bless it and the students.

While Fr. Bolding was their chaplain, St. Mary’s students regarded him as a huge role model who encouraged confession and talked them through personal issues. Fr. Matt Henry, chaplain at Bourgade Catholic High School, sees himself as a resource of Catholic teaching.

“I try to show them that our Catholic faith gives us a way of life and try to model that for them,” said Fr. Henry, who is in his third year at the school. “I show them that the faith is proposing that we can say yes to things.” ✴

schools

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun ✦ Page 19

Schools open larger facilities to meet enrollment, embrace technology

By Ambria Hammel The Catholic Sun

Students at a few Catholic campuses returned to expanded and more modern facilities when school resumed in August.

First- through eighth-graders at St. Francis Xavier essentially arrived at a new school altogether Aug. 21. The last of the Jesuit school’s original buildings came down over the summer. Two, twostory buildings, the second of which opened last month, stand in its place.

The school’s 10 newest classrooms offer high speed and wireless Internet, a Britelinks projector that turns any surface into an interactive learning space and LED lighting.

They’re also substantially larger, growing from 650-square-feet to more than 1,000-square-feet.

Private, small-group meeting space between the classrooms is another new feature. That is particularly helpful for students needing more individual instruction as the kindergarten teachers found out.

The kindergarten and junior high grades moved into a similar, adjacent building two-and-a-half years ago. Both structures and the new library, which also temporarily houses administration, are rich with natural light.

“We wanted a lot of windows so kids could daydream. That’s a really big part of Jesuit spirituality, to trust your imagination, that God speaks through our imagination,” Kim Cavnar, principal at St. Francis Xavier told The Catholic Sun. She noted the ceiling-high windows in the library. They’re thought to symbolize students and alumni bringing the light out into the world, Cavnar said.

The library is now more fully equipped to serve students, said Mary Ellen Olivieri, librarian.

She guessed it to be about twothirds larger than the old library and praised the open and inviting space. Oversized armchairs and several tables provide ample work and study space. A 36-station computer lab is also part of the media center.

“The buildings are important, but what is more important is that we’re educating children. We’re giving them the best possible educational environment that we can,” Jesuit Father Dan Sullivan said during a public tour.

Phase C of St. Francis Xavier’s ongoing Etched in Our Hearts capital campaign is underway. The school’s final building will house administration and classrooms for Spanish, art and music. Students in those classes are meeting in temporary space this year.

That’s a thing of the past at nearby Xavier College Preparatory.

An Aug. 31 blessing and dedication of Founders Hall and Chapel of Our Lady provided long-awaited classroom space for every teacher — something lacking for at least 20 years.

Xavier ambassadors led the nearly two-hour walking dedication Aug. 31. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted blessed four newly renamed areas of the campus before entering Founders Hall, a new two-story building with a student union, cafeteria, classrooms and 350seat chapel.

The two-story hall features 10 new classrooms equipped with interactive “SMART” walls and two photo labs. The rooms also feature flatscreen TVs, which offered a live feed of the 90-minute walking dedication. Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted stopped along the way to bless five outdoor areas of campus that now bear honorary names.

“This is a work that expresses great love, a love for God, a love for our faith, a love for women,” the bishop said in the student union area of Founders Hall.

He acknowledged the tradition Xavier has for producing intellectual witnesses of the Gospel who win hearts for Jesus. The bishop also expressed confidence in Xavier’s continued pursuit of providing a sound education in the faith. It’s something the pope said remains the most profound internal challenge facing the country.

The bishop said Xavier’s new 350-seat chapel, which sits inside Founders Hall, shows a true com-

mitment to the faith in all its beauty.

Nathan Ward, a sculpture teacher at Xavier, is one of many who aided its design. He chipped away at soft maple to craft the image of a lamb holding a cross with eight symbolic floral motifs seen within the altar.

The chapel’s rich natural light largely comes from stained glass windows. Some depict the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Others show the litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary or the Stations of the Cross. A 10-foot wooden crucifix hangs above the tabernacle.

A Catholic education is in such demand in Phoenix’s Maryvale area that St. Vincent de Paul School added four classrooms in two modular buildings. The rooms allowed the school to offer two classes per grade, something not seen since the mid ‘80s.

Students are not yet settled, however, because the school is still waiting on permits to complete the modular install. A ribbon cutting ceremony is forthcoming. ✴

Photos by Ambria Hammel/CATHOLIC SUN

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views

Page 20 ✦ The Catholic Sun

Editorials, Letters, Opinions and Perspectives

September 20, 2012

letters@catholicsun.org ✦ catholicsun.org ✦ facebook.com/thecatholicsun ✦ twitter.com/thecatholicsun

Human Freedom

guesteditorial

‘Unbelievable!’

Editor’s note: Sept. 14 marked the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II’s visit to Phoenix. The following reflection was adapted from a column originally published in 2005 for our special edition celebrating the life and times of the late pontiff. It was written by Christopher Gunty, former associate publisher of The Catholic Sun, now the associate publisher of The Baltimore Review Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

W

ho would have thought that a city like Phoenix could ever host the pope? By any stretch of the imagination, it was a long shot.

However, when word came in 1986 that Pope John Paul II would make his second pastoral visit to the United States in 1987, Bishop Thomas J. O’Brien decided to formally invite the Holy Father. After much consideration, visits by “advance teams” to many cities which had also issued invitations to the Holy See and much prayer, the word came back in an official announcement from the Vatican: Phoenix would be one of the cities included on the pope’s itinerary.

“Unbelievable!” the headline screamed on the front page of The Catholic Sun. The news of Phoenix’s selection was unbelievable enough, and that was before we knew all the work that would be required.

We could not have predicted the 18 months of (sometimes frantic) preparations. As founding editor/managing editor of The Catholic Sun, I worked with Marge Injasoulian, diocesan director of communications, as assistant chairman of the communications committee for the visit; we also both served on the diocesan visit steering committee.

We attended scores of meetings and spent hundreds of hours on site visits, writing news releases, negotiating media positions with Secret Service, setting up press centers and in general making sure that a couple thousand media people who would be covering the event would have as much as access and information as we could provide.

On top of that, my staff at The Catholic Sun, a brand new newspaper only established in April 1985, had to prepare to cover what would arguably be the biggest story in its history, the biggest story for any diocesan newspaper: the visit of the pope to the local Catholic Sun file photo diocese.

Pope John Paul II participated in a reception We hired additional writers and for clergy, religious and laity at Ss. Simon and photographers. We added special issues. We spent too much money. Jude Cathedral during his Sept. 14, 1987, visit.

But it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime event and we wanted to provide our readers with the best we could.

Some of my favorite memories include: ▶ A few days before Pope John Paul II touched down in the Valley, Injasoulian and I visited all the sites for a final check of preparations. By divine providence, we stopped by the trucking company that was providing the flatbed trailer for the television cameras and photographers. But something looked wrong with the stair-stepped platforms. Then it struck us: it was facing the wrong way, as though the trailer and photographers would be behind the pope, but actually it would be in front of the popemobile. Thankfully the problem was solved before the papal motorcade. ▶ The newspaper’s five photographers for the day, who included some of the best freelance photographers available in the state, took more than 4,000 pictures in 24 hours. Each of the Sun’s photogs chose their 100 favorite shots, from which I selected more than 90 for possible use in our special edition. ▶ Perhaps the most poignant memory is how the cover photo was selected for our special edition about the visit. One photographer argued that a picture showing the pope giving Communion made a strong statement that despite all the pomp and circumstance, Pope John Paul always pointed to Christ. What made it most convincing was the photo he advocated was taken by someone else. And so we selected it and headlined it: “We saw him as bishop, pastor and priest.”

And now, 25 years after that amazing day, we still remember John Paul II as the Vicar of Christ, Bishop of Rome, supreme pastor of the world’s Catholics — and a simple priest, bringing the Gospel to the people of God. ✴

Part two: Education for freedom

“I

t is not enough to say ‘I am free’,” Blessed John Paul II was accustomed to say, “One needs also to say ‘I am responsible.’”

Human freedom is both a gift and a responsibility. It cannot be achieved without the hard work of overcoming selfishness, developing selfdiscipline, learning obedience, building virtues, and making constant efforts to grow in love of God and of others. In part one of this series, we looked at the nature of human freedom and the need for God’s grace to overcome slavery to sin and to arrive at mature freedom. Now, let us consider the educational steps that are needed to make that journey with God’s help. As we do so, we do well to keep in mind that God created us for eternal happiness, and that he bestowed on us natural desires that assist our growth in freedom.

The stage of discipline Fr. Servais Pinckaers, OP, a well-known moral theologian and Thomistic scholar, delineates three stages of education in freedom: the stage of discipline, the stage of progress, and the stage of maturity (Cf. “The Sources of Christian Ethics,” pp 359-371). His insights can be a great help in understanding how to grow and advance in human freedom. Today, I shall consider the first of these stages.

Learning freedom is like learning to perform beautiful music or preparing to compete in the Olympics. It requires that we learn the value of basic rules and of good teachers. We need to learn what to do and what to avoid. With these and the help of God’s grace, we can then inculcate personal discipline that allows us consistently to put the rules into practice.

To appreciate the value of teachers in this endeavor, it is helpful to recall the origins of the word discipline. It is derived from the word disciple. One learns discipline by following the good example and the insights of a worthy teacher. We see this in the lives of the Apostles who had the great privilege of being among the first disciples of the Lord Jesus.

Removing bad habits We shall never be free until we remove bad habits that are contrary to charity and goodness.

This requires that we look within our hearts for selfish patterns of behavior and for any moral inertia and laziness that get in the way of following God’s law that leads us to freedom. Before we can replace wrong attitudes with good ones, we have to discover and uproot what is wrong.

A great help in this effort is the study of the Ten Commandments and other laws revealed by God in the Sacred Scriptures or handed down in the Church.

What limits freedom is sin, not God’s commandments; and what broadens freedom is obedience to the moral law. As the Catechism says (#1740), “By deviating from the moral law man violates his own freedom, becomes imprisoned within himself, disrupts neighborly fellowship, and rebels against divine truth.”

A wonderful thing happens when we begin to follow the law of God: we discover that it resonates with our innate moral sense. Our human nature, designed by a loving Creator, helps us along the path to freedom.

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted Jesus Caritas www.catholicsun.org

Nature is designed for freedom According to St. Thomas Aquinas, nature is the source of human freedom. We are able to be free because of our natural inclinations, not in spite of them. This comes as a surprise to some, since our experiences with temptation and the failure of sin seem so closely linked with human nature.

But the spiritual impulses within us that hinder freedom come from our “fallen” human nature, from the scars left behind by original sin. It was not like this in the beginning. God did not design human nature so that it would impede growth in freedom. On the contrary, He planted within us both a desire to be free and the natural spiritual inclinations and moral sense that enable us to be free (I am not talking here about inferior animal instincts but inspirations of a higher quality placed within human persons by God).

Each natural spiritual inclination is called by St. Thomas Aquinas an “instinct of the Holy Spirit.” God creates us, in other words, with a spiritual interiority that serves as a kind of point of departure for the development of freedom. We are, you might say, spiritually wired to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in order to overcome all that hinders freedom and then to receive with gratitude the many gifts of God that enable us to grow in obedience and virtue.

This is why Pope Benedict tells us that it is only in relation to God that a human person can come to know what human freedom truly is and subsequently to advance in living this freedom.

The best examples of human freedom, not surprisingly, are provided by Jesus and Mary.

The Virgin who was conceived without sin was able to say with complete freedom to God, at the moment of the Annunciation (Lk 1:38), “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” With similar trust in His heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Lk 22:42), “‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.”

This is freedom at its fullest; it is obedience built on complete trust; it is the free decision of love that redeemed the world.

How different is the freedom of Jesus and Mary from the popular concept of freedom described as the human will to self-determination, wherein one insists on a radical difference between oneself and all others. The freedom we see in Mary and Jesus encompasses all three stages of growth in human freedom and far more. It helps us, as we seek to accomplish the first stage, to see the great value of surrender in trust to the will of God. In the next issue of The Catholic Sun, we shall continue this consideration of human freedom, moving on to consider the second stage of education in freedom: the Stage of Progress in virtue. ✴

views

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun ✦ Page 21

Feedback: letters@catholicsun.org | P.O. Box 13549, Phoenix, AZ 85002 | twitter.com/thecatholicsun | facebook.com/thecatholicsun Letters must be signed and should not exceed 300 words | We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length | Please include name, address and phone number | Opinions expressed on this page are the writers’ and not necessarily the views of The Catholic Sun or the Diocese of Phoenix.

letters/comments Democrat vs. Republican The letter “Hugely biased” (The Catholic Sun, Aug. 16) tells of a people adrift, resulting from decades of catechesis not delivered in a manner faithful to Church teaching. It tells of a people caught in the chains of “postmodernism, progressivism, relativism and secularism,” all of which are the direct antithesis to the one “-ism” we profess. Now, however, many Catholics who affiliate with the Democratic Party are beginning to feel the oppressive weight of these “-isms,” which rule their lives, as the letter writer points out, in the apparent swing the Church is taking from the Democratic to the Republican party.

But here is the Good News: first, the Church is apolitical, a respecter of both parties, a follower of none. Secondly, the gates of hell shall not prevail against Her. The Church is not swinging from Democratic to Republican; the Democratic Party has swung far away from our beliefs as Catholics.

When a political party has practiced on the outside edges of our beliefs — abortion choice, embryonic stem-cell research, assisted-suicide, etc., we’ve always worked for hope and change.

When that party forces a demand that the Church, as an employer, accept abortifacients, birth-control and sterilization, as part of a health care mandate, it is a direct attack on religious freedom. The Church cannot accept these mandates without violating the number one human rights and social justice principle: the dignity of the human person.

The Catholic Sun stands for our beliefs, stands firm in the knowledge that Christ will be with us always, and suggests that we should view Democratic or Republican ideology only under the bright light of the Catechism and Catholic social teaching. If we want to affiliate with a political party, that’s freedom, but always, we should first call ourselves Catholic Christians who live by a Gospel of life irrespective of the time or prevailing political philosophy. We should never limit our calls for justice because Christians in the past did bad things.

We should point toward Christ, align our lives with His teachings, and prepare ourselves only for eternal life.

Bob Curtis Chandler

Quiet time?

During a Eucharistic Conference my wife and I attended in California in 2000, John Michael Talbot, a Catholic convert and renown singer, was a guest speaker and talked about a “new liturgy” that was coming in which no singing would occur during or after distribution of the Eucharist. This time would be spent in quiet time with the Lord.

What happened to the 2000 liturgy change? Should we not have some quiet time with the Lord during the Mass?

Lou Brugioni Phoenix

Can I sin with my vote?

The recent political conventions have demonstrated the importance of the upcoming general election. We will either continue to see the moral decline of our culture or we will begin to recapture our country’s Christian heritage. Can I sin by the way I vote? Here are some reflections.

As a faithful Catholic I am called to work to form my conscience.

This is well outlined in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The more I look into things the more I discover that one side of the political debate speaks and acts in marked defiance to the teaching of the Catholic Church in matters that can constitute grave sin. The question I ask myself is: Can I vote for these individuals without sinning? The Catechism tells us “…we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them” (CCC 1868 and 1869). This is clearly an opportunity of sin.

As a deacon in the Church, I also have the potential to sin by causing scandal. “Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense” (CCC 2284-2287).

My reflection tells me that I can sin with my vote in three specific ways: First, by refusing to properly form my conscience. Second, by cooperating with evil in defiance of the teaching of the Church.

And third, causing scandal to others by my actions.

So yes, I can sin with my vote! How about you?

Deacon Dick Petersen Tempe

CNS photo/Jim Lo Scalzo, Reuters

The U.S. Supreme Court justices, left to right, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Antonin Scalia, Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; back row, left to right, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Justice Stephen Breyer, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. and Justice Elena Kagan.

The future of the pro-life cause

“I

t’s the economy, stupid!”

James Carville’s memorable note-to-self during the 1992 presidential race will be the determining factor in the 2012 campaign, according to the common wisdom. That may be true. But as Catholics consider their responsibilities between now and Nov. 6, it would be good to remember that the future of the pro-life cause in America is also at stake.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 79.

Justices Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy are 76.

Justice Stephen Breyer is 74. The president elected in November will likely appoint two Supreme Court justices, and may appoint as many as four, over the next quadrennium. If that next president replaces Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kennedy with nominees who think that Roe v. Wade (1973) and Casey v. Planned Parenthood (1992) were wrongly decided, there could conceivably be a 7-2 Court majority to overturn (or, in effect, gut) those dreadful decisions and return the abortion debate (and related life-issues questions like euthanasia) to the states. There, the pro-life cause would win some states (likely the majority) and lose some others. With national opinion polls showing a pro-life majority for the first time in a long time, however, the conditions would be right for legally advancing the cause in a dramatic way.

If, conversely, Justice Scalia (and Justices Ginsburg and Breyer, and possibly Kennedy) were to be replaced in the next presidential term by nominees favorable to the Court’s judgment in Roe and Casey, the radical abortion license created by those two decisions might well be set in federal legal concrete for the next 30 years. The pro-life cause would go on, but it would continue under severe federal legal restraints.

That this choice should present itself in partisan terms is a national tragedy. In the aftermath of the 1992 election, several of us gathered around Governor Robert Casey of Pennsylvania to plan a Democratic nomination challenge to President Clinton in 1996.

Casey had been blocked by the Clintons from speaking at the 1992 Democratic convention; he combined a strong pro-life record with an appeal to the important voting bloc of “Reagan Democrats;” he had twice been elected governor of a crucial swing state; and whether or not he could wrest the Democratic nomination away from President Clinton, a strong Casey campaign

George Weigel The Catholic Difference www.catholicsun.org/category/views

in 1996 would have established two crucial points – the pro-life issue is a bipartisan one, and there is ample room in the Democratic Party for gung-ho pro-lifers.

It would have been great fun; it might have been historic; but it was not to be. Governor Casey’s health went south, the challenge to President Clinton never materialized, and the throw-weight of pro-lifers within the Democratic Party was further reduced.

Where all of that eventually led was demonstrated in early 2010, when pro-life Democrats in the House of Representatives provided the slim margin of victory for Obamacare – the implementers of which are now whittling away religious freedom and asking dental insurers whether they provide abortion coverage in their plans, all in the name of a virtually unlimited and government-funded right to abortion-on-demand.

A civil rights issue As the natural successor to the classic civil rights movement, the pro-life cause ought to have been a bipartisan cause; it should certainly have been the cause of Catholic progressives. Yet as early as 1967, Richard John Neuhaus, then a Lutheran pastor and a civil rights veteran, warned his fellow-liberals in a Commonweal article that they were betraying the civil rights cause by flirting with “liberalized” abortion laws.

Neuhaus’s article won a prize from the Catholic Press Association; but that was then, and this is now. And as the Democratic Party has become ever more intransigent on the abortion question – with rare exceptions like Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-Illinois), a true pro-life hero – the pro-life cause has been abandoned by the old pro-civil rights coalition, even as AfricanAmerican communities are decimated by the abortion license.

In any case, the pro-life stakes in 2012 could not be greater. Men and women of conscience will form their judgments accordingly. ✴ George Weigel is a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C. Please send comments to letters@catholicsun.org.

views

Page 22 ✦ The Catholic Sun

September 20, 2012

Feedback: letters@catholicsun.org | P.O. Box 13549, Phoenix, AZ 85002 | twitter.com/thecatholicsun | facebook.com/thecatholicsun Letters must be signed and should not exceed 300 words | We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length | Please include name, address and phone number | Opinions expressed on this page are the writers’ and not necessarily the views of The Catholic Sun or the Diocese of Phoenix.

Debate fails to persuade dissenters; conversion of heart needed

N

estled in the mountains not far from Naples, Italy, there’s a rustic little village known as Pietrelcina.

Visitors from all over the world descend upon it for much more than a sweeping view of the majestic valley, the cobblestone streets, quaint homes and baskets of crimsoncolored geraniums. Pietrelcina is St. Padre Pio’s hometown.

The Church celebrates the humble Capuchin friar’s feast day Sept. 23.

So while my email box is stuffed with political junk mail and the airwaves are jammed with the polemics of the season, in my mind, I’m back in Pietrelcina, standing before a tiny, airless confessional where the renown stigmatist heard confessions 10 to 12 hours a day.

I’m convinced that the answers to the crisis of faith in which our country is embroiled can be found right there, at the door of the confessional.

While debate has its place, it will ultimately fail to persuade the large number of Catholics who openly disagree with the Church’s infallible teaching on human sexuality and thus have no qualms about voting for candidates who defend a supposed right to abortion and same-sex marriage.

It’s going to take conversion of heart for that to change and that presupposes vast numbers of Catholics availing themselves of the healing power and graces received with a good confession. And in order to make a good confession, there’s got to be an honest and fearless examination of conscience.

The Fathers of Mercy based in Auburn, Ky., publish an

Joyce Coronel J.C.’s Stride www.catholicsun.org/category/views

excellent examination of conscience to help prepare Catholics for the sacrament. One of the first things they ask is, “Did I neglect prayer for a long time? Did I fail to pray daily?”

They also ask this: Do I vote in accordance with a properly formed conscience, in a way consistent with the teachings of the Church in regard to the sanctity of human life?

Radical surrender For all of us out there who are worried about what will become of a country where Catholic politicians loudly and scandalously defend the right to kill babies, we’ve got to look ourselves in the mirror and ask, “Am I part of the problem?”

In other words, am I taking seriously the obligation to seek God’s mercy and truth in prayer each day? Do I honor Our Lady’s request to pray the rosary daily for conversions? Do I truly enter into a spirit of prayer and reflection, or am I just going through the motions, giving God the least attention in my life?

My friend, the Catholic who wasn’t

Chris Benguhe A Better View

M

y best friend is one of the most Catholic people I know.

Only he’s not Catholic. But we can all learn something about being Catholic from him and his life.

His mother and father came here with five children from Vietnam with $50, and they split that with two other families who arrived with them.

They proceeded to work their tails off, mom and dad working two or three jobs apiece, while my friend who was the oldest did his best to watch his smaller siblings and keep them in line while his parents were toiling.

They believed in America, and they were so grateful to be here, regardless of how hard they had to work. They knew they had an opportunity to give their children a life of freedom, prosperity and opportunity they never would have had under a communist dictatorship.

Here they were fortunate enough to meet many caring people who offered them not only jobs but also an education, specifically the principal at St. Francis Xavier grade school and a local grocer. The grocer offered to pay half the tuition for my best friend and his siblings to attend school there if the school would front the other half.

That’s where I met him. And that’s where he excelled by leaps and bounds to achieve great grades, great knowledge and great compassion — hallmarks of great Catholicism.

His father eventually worked his way up to becoming the

www.catholicsun.org/category/views

plant manager for a local high-tech company and could pay the tuition himself, something he was only too happy to do for the incredible education.

My friend and his siblings went on to achieve greatness, each one of them getting advanced degrees and becoming lawyers, teachers, and my best friend going to work for the same company his father was a plant manager for, only as a high level executive after receiving his MBA. If the story ended there, it would still be an amazing American success, but there’s more.

Core values This friend, besides being there for me through thick and thin, ready to give me the shirt off his back if I needed it, has become a sort of saint for immigrants.

That all started a few years ago at the beginning of the housing crisis. When he saw all the homes in nearby neighborhoods abandoned and falling into disrepair, he decided to buy them and fix them up, and rent them out.

But rather than getting the highest price for these rentals, he rented to people whom he thought had the greatest need

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BeginningCatholic.com poses some sharp questions to penitents that we need to answer, too. “Am I trying to live in a spirit of Gospel poverty and simplicity? Have I gossiped?

Watched movies and television that involve sex and nudity?”

I’m convinced that if more Catholics truly committed themselves to sincere, heartfelt daily prayer and monthly confession, we would see the conversions our country desperately needs and a sharp decline in the number of those who, as BeginningCatholic.com phrases it, “let someone or something influence my choices more than God.” It is my fervent prayer that during the upcoming Year of Faith declared by Pope Benedict XVI, that every Catholic would have an encounter with Jesus Christ, that every one of us would deepen our love for Him and strive to live our faith more authentically, in a radical surrender to His grace and will, allowing no one and nothing to take our gaze from Him. When we do that, there’s a great peace and joy that remove all fear and worry. St. Padre Pio’s most famous statement, “Pray, hope and don’t worry,” will then be something that we live daily.

Those who are committed to the Gospel of Life already know that abortion and same-sex marriage are non-negotiable issues. Rallies and debates can energize those who already believe that, but what our country really needs right now is conversion of heart. ✴ Joyce Coronel is a regular contributor to The Catholic Sun. Please send comments to letters@catholicsun.org. and would use these homes as a place to start a new life in America for themselves and their families.

I have watched him turn down renters with more money, better credit, or more polished looks because he knew that it would mean so much more to those who had less.

He doesn’t do this so he can take credit – in fact he prefers to pretend to be a hardcore business man with a heart of stone. Only his actions drown out his protestations.

He doesn’t do this for a tax break — in fact he pays more taxes than he should.

I know he does it because of what he learned when he watched his father share what little they had with others.

I know he does it because of how much he valued the opportunities that others gave him as a child of an immigrant family struggling to make it in America.

I know he does it because it was the way our Catholic teachers, priests and nuns taught him to respect our fellow brothers and sisters — that compassion, love and service to others was at the core of how to be Catholic.

And I know he does it because he chooses of his own moral volition to care, sweet and simple.

As we get ready for another election and both sides of the political aisle tell us what’s “really” important, hopefully my non-Catholic friend’s story can remind all of us Catholics of what is really important, today, tomorrow and forever: So that we can personally see Christ’s face in those that come our way, and then help relieve their pain in whatever way God has made it possible for us to do so.

Long live Catholicism and God bless America. ✴ Chris Benguhe is a columnist for The Catholic Sun.

nation/world Catholic news from around the globe

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun ✦ Page 23

catholicsun.org ✦ catholicnews.com ✦ twitter.com/thecatholicsun

Vatican firmly condemns US deaths, disrespect against religions

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican firmly condemned the recent attack against a U.S. consulate in Libya, which led to the death of a U.S. ambassador, three U.S. personnel and at least 10 Libyans.

“The very serious attack organized against the United States diplomatic mission in Libya,” it said, “calls for the firmest possible condemnation on the part of the Holy See.” “Nothing, in fact, can justify the activity of terrorist organizations and homicidal violence,” said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, in a written statement released Sept. 13.

The U.S. ambassador to Libya, J. Christopher Stevens, and three staff members were killed during what appeared to be a preplanned, sophisticated armed attack against the U.S. consulate in Benghazi Sept. 11.

U.S. officials said it was too soon to know whether the attack was related to the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. Authorities were looking into those responsible for

Esam Al-Fetori, Reuters/CNS

Demonstrators hold signs during a rally Sept. 12 in Benghazi, Libya, to condemn the killers of J. Christopher Stevens, U.S. ambassador to Libya, and the attack on the U.S. consulate in the city. Religious leaders from across the spectrum were quick to condemn the hate message of an anti-Islam film and the violent attack on the consulate it supposedly provoked Sept. 11 in which Stevens, three other Americans and several Libyan soldiers were killed.

the raid, which according to witnesses, also involved the use of rocket-propelled grenades.

“Along with our sadness, mourning and prayers for the victims, we again express hope that, despite this tragedy, the international community may discover the most favorable ways to continue its commitment in

favor of peace in Libya and the entire Middle East,” Fr. Lombardi said.

The statement came after an earlier Vatican communique decrying disrespect toward all religions and deploring all violence as unacceptable.

“Profound respect for the beliefs, texts, outstanding figures and sym-

bols of the various religions are an essential precondition for the peaceful coexistence of peoples,” Fr. Lombardi said.

“The serious consequences of unjustified offense and provocations against the sensibilities of Muslim believers are once again evident in these days, as we see the reactions they arouse, sometimes with tragic results, which in turn nourish tension and hatred, unleashing unacceptable violence,” said the written statement, which was also translated into Arabic.

The Vatican said that statement was a response to a growing sense of anger and unrest erupting in parts of the Middle East in reaction to the trailer of a U.S.-made amateur film mocking the prophet Mohammed.

Though the trailer had been released online in July, it grabbed Arab media attention only after its recent translation into Arabic.

Tensions over the film had been mounting in Egypt and thousands of unarmed demonstrators gathered outside the United States Embassy in Cairo Sept. 11. Some of the demonstrators eventually breached the compound’s walls and destroyed a flag found inside.

Mob protests followed in Libya, including the attack on the U.S. compound in Benghazi later that night. Protests against the film spread to Yemen Sept. 13 with reports of demonstrators storming the U.S. embassy in Sanaa.

The deaths of the Americans in Libya had already been reported by the time the Vatican released the first statement Sept. 12, but the circumstances and motives behind the attack were still unclear, Father Lombardi told reporters that day.

The Vatican chose to first address the concern that had been brewing for some time, namely “the waves of agitation spreading in the Muslim world in reaction to the offenses against their religious sensibilities,” Father Lombardi told Catholic News Service Sept. 13.

The Sept. 12 statement appeared “in the context of the pope’s imminent trip” to Lebanon Sept. 14-16 and it “condemned these offenses and at the same time the violent reactions,” he said.

In Egypt, Copts and other Christians joined Muslims in protesting the film, said Fr. Rafic Greiche the director of communications for the Catholic Church in Egypt. ✴

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Page 24

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The Catholic Sun

Books, Films, Music and the Arts

September 20, 2012

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Book review

Catholic novel set in Haiti sure to sneak up on readers Reviewed by Robert Curtis The Catholic Sun

O

ne thing that all readers need to be aware of is that sometimes books will sneak up on them.

Marie-José Roumain’s new novel, “Indelible Fixation” is one of those.

For a creative writing instructor like me, however, any novel titled with words of more than two syllables is immediately suspect. This might seem trivial until we look at the “great” novels: “The Sun Also Rises,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Ben Hur,” or “Gone with the Wind,” and “Silas Marner,” all strong, simple one or two syllable word titles. Whenever

creative writing instructors encounter such multi-syllable titles as “Indelible Fixation,” we worry about a penchant for highfaluting vocabulary and possibly a stodgy read.

But this is where this novel sneaks up on us.

The setting for the story is Haiti, mid and later 1990s, a place where angels and demons battle 24/7, 365 days a year including Christmas and Easter, a place where the Church is constantly under assault from the forces of voodoo, poverty, totalitarian political regimes and a harsh though lush environment.

But even a creative writing instructor can forgive a seemingly pretentious title with opening

Robert

Curtis Media Critic

lines that reads “Devils and angels hurled down from heaven on a mission to win separate souls for their separate causes. The recruitment lasted through Shrove Tuesday into dawn of Ash Wednesday. Most participants feasted gluttonously; many indulged in the seven cardinal sins. A few were accidents of

fate. Three youngsters faced two choices: escape or perish.”

This is great promise because not many books throw the entire thing — plot, theme and the moral of the story — down in the opening lines.

The story concerns three young people whose lives eventually become biblical archetypes; they are: Victor Hassac, who becomes a priest, following two uncles; his best friend Phillip Louventure, who becomes an accountant, taxcollector, and then much worse; and Leza Pineau, the fallen woman between them. Leza loves Victor, Phillip loves Leza and nothing gets completely resolved, nor, as we eventually discover, does it need to. Victor and Phillip move to the same village of Cascade Town while Leza inexplicably disappears from the story until referenced near the end.

Sorting the real from the unreal in this place of suffering and cruelty is sometimes wholly difficult because of the duplicity natural to the human condition. Naturalistic and supernaturalistic forces abound and play the great cosmic chess game with the souls of the faithful and the unfaithful as its pawns.

What delivers hope and the possibility of redemption are the cadre of characters surrounding Victor in his parish, especially a farmer named Tines, the faithful archetype who always hates the sin but still loves the sinner. Never doubt the significance of names in a novel: Tines tills the soil, as in the tines of a cultivator, seeking ever the good harvest, while Phillip becomes a land speculator cheating residents at the bidding

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of a childish voice — the Devil — hidden behind the gates of the biggest estate in the Cascade Town vicinity.

Tines and the other faithful fight constantly for justice, remain loyal to the fundamental teachings of the Church, and constantly practice the great, abiding act of forgiveness.

Themes in the novel run the gambit of Church teaching: faithfulness to Christ and His Church, the sanctity of life at all moments in the human life-cycle, charity, kindness, forgiveness, and even an exorcism of demonic possession demonstrating the ultimate power of God. The moral of the story, if there is one, is that the gates of Hell shall not prevail, even if they are just up the road from Victor’s parish, which is obviously why the priest’s name is “Victor,” (again, never let these names escape scrutiny).

“Indelible Fixation” is a book that sneaks up on us — a seemingly abstract, multi-syllable title explodes into a magnificent play of passion and compassion, in which some character in the story represents each one of us.

Vastly catechetical, without seeming presumptuous, the novel gives us all a glimpse of what faith and Church can do, even in the most cruel and difficult of circumstances.

Given a broad-range marketing plan, “Indelible Fixation” becomes a classic of Catholic literature.

Published by Jantili Press. ✴ Robert Curtis, a life-professed Lay Dominican, is the author of 17 books, holds a master’s degree in creative writing, teaches composition at the University of Phoenix and creative writing at Rio Salado College.

media

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun ✦ Page 25

Film review

‘Finding Nemo 3D’ Pixar flick still good, nine years later Reviewed by David DiCerto Catholic News Service

A

timid tropical fish embarks on a harrowing journey across vast stretches of treacherous ocean to rescue his lost son in the delightful animated adventure “Finding Nemo 3D” (Disney), now rereleased in 3-D nine years after its debut in multiplexes.

With beautiful underwater landscapes and a solid cast lending their voices, director Andrew Stanton creates an enchanting fable about courage, self-sacrifice and the power of love to overcome insurmountable odds.

Marlin (voice of Albert Brooks) is an overly protective clown fish trying his best to raise his only son, Nemo (voice of Alexander Gould), in the relative safety of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. But even the security of their plush sea anemone home is not without hazards — a reality Marlin is all too mindful of, having lost Nemo’s mother and siblings to a coral predator.

On the first day of school, the runtish Nemo finds himself the brunt of classmates’ jokes. Egged on by dares and desperate to be accepted, the impetuous minnow

T

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turns a deaf gill to his father’s warnings and swims beyond the reef ’s “drop-off,” and out to the open sea to investigate a boat.

Before Marlin can reel him in, Nemo is netted by a scuba diver and motored off, leaving Marlin helpless in the boat’s wake.

Befriended by an absentminded fish, Dory (voice of Ellen DeGeneres), the skittish Marlin takes off into the unknown in search of his son.

Nemo lands in a fish tank in a dentist’s office overlooking Sydney’s harbor, populated by an assortment of kooky tropical fish including the gang’s scarred leader, Gill (voice of Willem Dafoe), who’s

itching for a prison break. Nemo has been marked as a birthday present for the dentist’s niece — a rambunctious toddler whose last “gift” ended belly-up and sleeping with the, uh, fishes. Nemo’s plight sparks Gill to plot a daring escape.

Meanwhile, the aquatic odd couple of Marlin and Dory continue their odyssey, with menacing sharks, ravenous gulls, forests of deadly jellyfish and other dangers of the deep standing — or swimming — in their way. But not even the tiny fish’s whale-size heart can guarantee a happy ending or prevent his chances of ever finding Nemo and saving him from being, literally, flushed down the drain.

The film’s real scene-stealers are the trio of bumbling sharks, Bruce, Anchor and Chum (voices of Barry Humphries, Eric Bana and Bruce

Spence), who have formed a 12-step program aimed at changing their image as mindless eating machines to friendly ocean neighbors — their support group’s motto is “Fish are friends, not food.” Though the toothy critters supply the biggest guffaws, their gaping jowls may prove scary, especially for young children.

The sequence which finds Marlin and Dory literally making a leap of faith inside a whale echoes the biblical story of Jonah — as well as the Disney classic “Pinocchio” — hinting at the necessity of surrendering to the will of God in times of despair.

In the absence of a traditional Disney villain, the ocean itself takes on a pivotal role, offering both breathtaking beauty and unfathomable danger.

While some viewers may favor

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more traditional animation techniques, “Finding Nemo” elevates computer animation to a new level of fluidity, improving on early Pixar offerings like “Toy Story” and “Monsters, Inc.” The underwater environments created are visually stunning, ranging from the richly textured color-gardens of the Great Barrier Reef to the more muted, almost impressionistic, palette of the ocean expanses.

And while Disney’s never-saw-aheartwarming-plot-that-couldn’tbe-exploited-and-merchandised attitude is to be frowned at, audiences will find it hard not to applaud this whale of a tale. ✴ DiCerto is former staff critic with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office for Film & Broadcasting.

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Miscellaneous

Youth

The music, sung at the liturgy by a small choir, largely comes from the African-American hymnal, Lead Me, Guide, Me, reflecting a conscious effort to sing music that is liturgically correct and which draws from both African-American sacred song and Catholic traditions.

The choir also participates in the twice yearly Diversity Masses in the Diocese, and in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Mass.

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in the Culture of Life, living chastely now and preparing to live in healthy, holy marriages, as priests or religious, or single lay persons.

Teens meet 4 times per year for 3 school years, complete 15 volunteer service hours, and attend a spiritual retreat. To register for this Diocesan program visit www.catholicacademyforlifeleadership.org.

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La

Página 28 ◆ The Catholic Sun

AÑO

Comunidad Un servicio de noticias de la Diócesis de Phoenix

DE LA

Carta pastoral promueve fe de la Iglesia local

20 de septiembre del 2012

FE

Por Joyce Coronel The Catholic Sun

E

l Papa Benedicto XVI ha proclamado un “Año de Fe” para ayudar a los Católicos a profundizar y a vivir su fe en un momento en que, el dijo, grandes partes de la sociedad están atravesando por una “crisis de fe que ha afectado a muchos.”

En su carta apostólica, Porta Fidei, el Papa Benedicto expone el significado y propósito del Año

‘Bienaventurados los que creen’ Carta pastoral de los obispos de la Diócesis de Phoenix Páginas I-XII de la Fe en cual se inicia el 11 de octubre, en el Quincuagésimo Aniversario de la apertura del Segundo Concilio Vaticano y el Vigésimo de la publicación del — Ver BiENAVENTUrADOS página 29 ▶

Vigilia pascual en la Catedral de San Simón y San Judas, el 7 de abril.

J.D. Long-García/CATHOLIC SUN

La libertad humana Segunda parte: Educación para la libertad

“N

o es suficiente decir ‘Soy libre’,” el Beato Juan Pablo II estaba acostumbrado a decir, “Uno tiene también que decir ‘Soy responsable.’”

La libertad humana es un don y una responsabilidad. No puede lograrse sin el trabajo duro de superar el egoísmo, desarrollar autodisciplina, aprender obediencia, edificar virtudes y hacer esfuerzos constantes para crecer en el amor de Dios y de los demás. En la primera parte de esta serie, vimos la naturaleza de la libertad humana y la necesidad de la gracia de Dios para superar la esclavitud del pecado y llegar a libertad madura. Ahora, consideremos las medidas educativas que son necesarias para hacer ese viaje con la ayuda de Dios. Como lo hacemos, está bien tener en cuenta que Dios nos creó para la felicidad eterna, y que El otorgó en nosotros deseos naturales que ayudan a nuestro crecimiento en libertad.

La etapa de disciplina

El Padre Servais Pinckaers, OP, teólogo moral y erudito tomista bien conocido, delinea tres etapas de la educación en libertad: la etapa de la disciplina, la etapa de progreso y la etapa de madurez (cf. The Sources of Christian Ethics, pp 359-371). Sus ideas pueden ser de gran ayuda en la comprensión de cómo crecer y avanzar en la libertad humana. Hoy, voy a considerar la primera de estas etapas.

Aprender la libertad es como aprender a tocar música hermosa o preparándose para competir en los Juegos Olímpicos. Se requiere que aprendamos el valor de normas básicas y de buenos maestros. Tenemos que aprender qué hacer y qué evitar. Con estos y la ayuda de la gracia de Dios, podemos inculcar disciplina personal que nos permite constantemente poner en práctica las normas.

Para apreciar el valor de los profesores en este esfuerzo, es útil recordar los orígenes de la palabra disciplina. Se deriva de la palabra discípulo. Uno aprende disciplina siguiendo el buen ejemplo y las reflexiones de un maestro digno. Lo vemos en las vidas de los apóstoles que tenían el privilegio de estar entre los primeros discípulos del Señor Jesús.

Obispo Thomas J. Olmsted Jesus Caritas catholicsun.org/bishopolmsted.html

Eliminar malos hábitos

Nunca seremos libres hasta que eliminamos los malos hábitos que son contrarias a la caridad y bondad. Esto requiere que miremos dentro de nuestros corazones para descubrir patrones egoístas de comportamiento y cualquier inercia y pereza moral que nos impiden poder seguir la ley de Dios que nos conduce a la libertad. Antes de que podemos reemplazar actitudes malos con los buenos, tenemos que descubrir y desarraigar a lo que está mal. Una gran ayuda en este esfuerzo es el estudio de los Diez Mandamientos y otras leyes reveladas por Dios en las Sagradas Escrituras o entregadas por la Iglesia.

Lo que limita la libertad es pecado, no los mandamientos de Dios; y, lo que amplía la libertad es la obediencia a la ley moral. Como dice el Catecismo (#1740), “Al apartarse de la ley moral, el hombre atenta contra su propia libertad, se encadena a sí mismo, rompe la fraternidad con sus semejantes y se rebela contra la verdad divina.”

Una cosa maravillosa ocurre cuando comenzamos a seguir la ley de Dios: descubrimos que se identifique con nuestra innata sentido moral. Nuestra naturaleza humana, diseñado por un Creador amante, nos ayuda en el camino a la libertad.

La naturaleza es diseñada para la libertad.

Según Santo Tomás de Aquino, la naturaleza es la fuente de la libertad humana. Somos capaces de ser libre por nuestras inclinaciones naturales, no a pesar de ellos. Esto viene como una sorpresa para algunos, ya que nuestras experiencias con la tentación y el fracaso del pecado parecen tan estrechamente vinculadas con la naturaleza humana. Pero los impulsos espirituales dentro de nosotros que obstaculizan la libertad provienen de nuestra naturaleza humana “caída”, de las cicatrices dejadas por el pecado original. No fue así al principio. Dios no diseñó la

naturaleza humana de modo que impidiera el aumento de la libertad.Por el contrario, plantó en nosotros un deseo de ser libre y las inclinaciones espirituales naturales y sentido moral que nos permiten ser libre (no estoy hablando aquí sobre los instintos animales inferiores sino inspiraciones de una calidad superior se colocan dentro de las personas por Dios).

Cada inclinación espiritual natural es llamado por Santo Tomás de Aquino “instinto del Espíritu Santo.” Dios nos crea, en otras palabras, con una interioridad espiritual que sirve como una especie de punto de partida para el desarrollo de la libertad. Estamos, usted podría decir, espiritualmente conectados a cooperar con el Espíritu Santo con el fin de superar todo lo que obstaculiza la libertad y luego recibir con gratitud los muchos dones de Dios que nos permitan crecer en obediencia y virtud.

Esto es la razón de que el Papa Benedicto nos dice que es sólo en relación con Dios que un ser humano puede llegar a saber lo qué es verdaderamente la libertad humana y posteriormente avanzar en vivir esta libertad.

Los mejores ejemplos de la libertad humana, no sorprendentemente, son proporcionados por Jesús y María. La Virgen que fue concebida sin pecado era capaz de decir con la libertad completa a Dios, en el momento de la Anunciación (Lucas 1:38), “He aquí la esclava del Señor; hágase en mí según tu palabra.” Con la confianza similar en Su Padre celestial, el, Señor Jesús rezó en el Jardín de Getsemaní (Lucas 22:42), “Padre, si quieres, aparta de mí esta copa; pero no haga mi voluntad, sino la tuya.” Esto es la libertad al máximo; es la obediencia construida en la confianza completa; es la decisión libre del amor que redimió el mundo.

Qué distinta es la libertad de Jesús y de María desde el concepto popular de libertad que se describe como la voluntad humana a la libre determinación, en la cual se insiste en una diferencia radical entre uno mismo y todos los demás. La libertad que vemos en Jesús y a María abarca las tres etapas de crecimiento de la libertad humana y mucho más. Nos ayuda, como nos tratan de lograr la primera etapa, para ver el gran valor de entrega de confianza a la voluntad de Dios.

En la próxima edición del Catholic Sun, continuaremos con esta consideración de la libertad humana, pasando a considerar la segunda etapa de la educación en libertad: la etapa de progreso en la virtud. ✴

lacomunidad

20 de septiembre del 2012

‘Bienaventurados los que creen’ ▶ Continuado de la página 28

Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica.

“Esta será una buena oportunidad para introducir a la Iglesia entera a un tiempo de reflexión y al redescubrimiento de la fe,” escribió el Santo Padre en Porta Fidei. “La fe, en efecto, crece cuando se vive como experiencia de un amor que se recibe y se comunica como experiencia de gracia y gozo.”

Carta Pastoral exhorta a Católicos locales El Obispo Thomas J. Olmsted y el Obispo Auxiliar, Eduardo A. Nevares publicaron una carta pastoral el 14 de septiembre, coincidiendo con el Vigésimo Quinto aniversario de la visita de Juan Pablo II a Phoenix. La carta señala las principales formas en las que Católicos pueden participar en el Año de la Fe. Porciones de la carta están dirigidas a grupos específicos entre ellos, parejas de casados, los ancianos, el clero, religiosas y educadores. El fragmento más largo está dirigido a familias haciendo un esfuerzo para animarles y retarles en la vida de la fe.

“No están llamados a una existencia mediocre y pasiva en la Iglesia,” escribieron los obispos.

“En lugar de eso, ustedes tienen una misión indispensable en la Nueva Evangelización.”

Ryan Hanning, director del respaldo del liderato parroquial para la diócesis dijo que el Año de la Fe, será una oportunidad para que los Católicos crezcan en su entendimiento de la fe y comiencen a vivirla más profundamente. “La visión del Santo Padre es que cada Católico se integre a la Nueva Evangelización y vuelva a descubrir el gozo de la fe en su vida,” expresó Hanning. “Redescubrir ese gozo nos llevará a compartir el gozo que tenemos en nuestras vidas con otros. Nuestra relación con Cristo fluiría entonces dentro de todo lo que hacemos e impactaría la sociedad.”

Ayudando a las familias a rezar Rezando juntos en familia es algo que Hanning dice es una prioridad para el Año de la Fe en la Iglesia local. “Estamos invitando a todas las familias a través de la diócesis a rezar en familia cada noche,” dijo Hanning. “Hay muchos recursos en el Internet para ayudarles si no lo están ya haciendo.” La Diócesis de Phoenix también lanzará www. catholicfamilyprayer.org este mes para asistir a las familias a rezar unidas. Los beneficios de la oración familiar, expresaron los obispos, son “paz, unidad y gozo que alcanzan más allá de este mundo.” En su carta pastoral para los fieles, el Obispo Olmsted y el Obispo Nevares señalan formas específicas por medio de las cuales las familias pueden acercarse a

Dios. Una forma concreta, dicen, es reclamando el día Domingo como el Sabat. “Sin esa veneración del Domingo, nuestra vida en Cristo a penas puede sobrevivir y nuestra fe sufrirá de muchas maneras,” escribieron los obispos.

“Asistan a Misa los domingos en familia y hagan esa conexión con la Iglesia y su comunión, un elemento inmovible en la semana de su familia, y cuando sea posible, asistan a Misa otros días de la semana.”

La vida sacramental Los obispos de Phoenix están llamando a los Católicos a participar en una vida sacramental más rica y mas activa, instando a recibir la Eucaristía merecidamente con más frecuencia, y a buscar el perdón y la sanación a través del sacramento de Reconciliación.

“Recibir el Sacramento de la Confesión frecuentemente es un tesoro que debe de ser vuelto a descubrir con gran gozo y agradecimiento,” señala la carta pastoral. Los obispos también hacen un llamado a los sacerdotes a “estar generosamente disponibles con más frecuencia para oír confesiones.”

Hanning dijo que hay planes de aumentar el horario de confesiones. Citó el comunicado del Papa Benedicto que “la Nueva Evangelización comienza en el confesionario.” La Evangelización, enfatizó Hanning, siempre incorpora la conversión.

“Dios siempre nos llama a algo más grande que nosotros mismos.

Una relación con Dios no es una relación con el abstracto,” dijo Hanning. “Una relación con una persona nos cambia.” El proceso de la conversión, dijo, comienza cuando reconocemos nuestra

propia inhabilidad de salvarnos a nosotros mismos. “Necesitamos el amor de Jesucristo no solamente para que nuestros pecados sean perdonados, sino para conocer nuestro propósito en este mundo,” añadió. La vida en Cristo se inicia con el Sacramento del Bautismo.

La carta de los obispos exhorta a los fieles a conmemorar el día en el que fueron bautizados. “Cada Católico debería de conocer y celebrar el día de su bautizo como el ‘nacimiento a una nueva vida,’” expresan los obispos. “Las parroquias deberían de renovar sus esfuerzos para educar a la gente de todas edades acerca de este sacramento fundamental.”

Comida en familia La carta pastoral de los obispos

The Catholic Sun ✦ Página 29 enfatizó la importancia de que las familias compartan la hora de comida.“Cada comida en familia puede ayudar a fortalecer la unión familiar,” escribieron.

“Les exhortamos a que vuelvan a

Diócesis de Phoenix Cementerios y Funerarias Católicas

descubrir el gozo y la belleza de comer en familia, a que hagan todo sacrificio necesario para que su familia se una a la hora de comer, y a trabajar para que esto sea un hábito diario en su hogar.” ✴

Plan de Herencia Católica TM

La opción preferida Para Familias Católicas

Informes, llame al Señor Gray

“Un Lugar Sagrado…Una Obra de Misericordia”

Programas Sin Interés

(602) 267-1329

Retiro de Discernimiento Para Mujeres y Hombres entre 18-49 años de edad Quien les interesa aprender más Sobre la Vida Religiosa Consagrada.

Jesús confio en Usted.

12,13,14 de octubre

Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe 8502 W. Pinchot - Phoenix

Apertura y Bienvenida a las 5:30 p.m., viernes.

Clausura a la 1:00 p.m. Después del Almuerzo el domingo $25.00 al registro Para más información o para inscribirse hable con Hmna. Jean Steffes, CSA (602) 354-2006 – jsteffes@diocesephoenix.org Name/Nobre: or_________________________________________________ (602) 354-2005 – mgonzal@diocesephoenix.org Address/Dirección: ____________________________________________ City-State/Ciudad-Estado: _____________________________________ Patrocinado por el Comité de Vocaciones Intercomunidad de la Diócesis de Phoenix y la Oficina para Religiosos.

Zip/Código:

La Colecta Peter’s Pence ofrece a los fieles estadounidenses la oportunidad de unirse en solidaridad con el Santo Padre, con los fieles de todo el mundo y con los que más necesitan un amor caritativo. El Santo Padre utiliza lo recaudado en la Colecta para brindar ayuda de emergencia y socorro a los más desfavorecidos alrededor del mundo. Por favor, contribuya generosamente a la Colecta y, al hacerlo, estará esparciendo el amor de Cristo por el mundo.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

(Jn 14:27)

Sea una señal de paz de Cristo para los más necesitados.

Domingo 23 de Septiembre del 2012 Haga su cheque pagable a:

Diocese of Phoenix • 400 East Monroe Street Phoenix, Arizona 85004

Coordinadora diocesano • Margo Gonzalez

(602) 354-2005

Mi donación especial para el Santo Padre:

$500 $250 $100 $25 Other $_____________ Name/Nombre: _________________________________________________ Address/Dirección: ____________________________________________ City-State/Ciudad-Estado: _____________________________________ Zip/Código: _______________________

Page 30

✦

The Catholic Sun

September 20, 2012

THE LATEST

S A C R E D

S P A C E

An ongoing look at parishes in the Phoenix Diocese.

The parish is trying to raise money to buy statues of the Virgin Mary and St. Joseph.

The resin statues are nearly six feet tall and decorated with gold leaf. Agua Viva, a faith formation program that helps develop Catholic leaders, began meeting this month on Tuesday evenings. Well-known Catholic vocalist and evangelist Miguel Ochoa held an evening of song and reflection at the parish Sept. 7.

St. Augustine

PHOENIX

WHAT’S UNIQUE? The parish offers the Alpha Course, a 10-week refresher course for lapsed Catholics.

The Padre Pio healing ministry meets every second and fourth Tuesday of the month to pray for the sick. Flame of Love of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, part of an ecclesial movement, is a prayer group that meets on Mondays at 6 p.m. in the parish chapel to pray the rosary for families, conversion and unity in the Church.

— Joyce Coronel

QUOTABLE UPCOMING Adult men of the parish are invited to gather at 10 p.m. on the third Friday of each month for adoration in the chapel. The night of adoration ends with 7 a.m. Mass Saturday mornings. Fr. Carlos Gomez-Rivera, pastor of St. Augustine, is leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land Nov. 6-17. Pilgrims will visit Bethlehem, Nazareth, Galilee and other key places in the life of Jesus and the early Church.

Faithfulness to Jesus in the Eucharist is our motto. We cannot live in this world without honoring Him and having Him as our Lord and God. Here at St. Augustine Parish Community we are constantly seeking God’s face in our parish life.

Founded: July 16, 1970 Founding pastor: Fr. William J. Reid Address: 3630 N. 71st Ave. Phone: (623) 849-3131 Pastor: Fr. Carlos A. Gomez-Rivera Number of families: 1,300

— Fr. Carlos A. Gomez-Rivera, pastor of St. Augustine

Diocese of Phoenix CATHOLIC CEMETERIES and mortuaries (602)267-1329 In remembrance of those individuals interred in our Catholic Cemeteries for the month of August

St. Francis

Cemetery and Mausoleum 2033 N. 48th St., Phoenix Maria R. Barrett Birdena M. Barron Agnes Bivona Dolores M. Black Martha F. Bodell Virginia Borem Joseph C. Caldera Rachel V. Castro Ellen A. Cegles Manuel A. Contreras Roy Deleon Cruz Phyllis Ann Dudycz John W. Easton Michael Egbert Carlos Estrada Ruth G. Fernandez Violet M. Frankson Maria Josefina Frisone Gabriel A. Garcia Steven Ray Garcia Lucio R. Gaspar Peggy M. Grucky Natalie Gurule Rogaciano Hernandez Bernard Kennedy Joseph Knoell Gerard B. Madaio Ettore J. Marsolo Delia L. Martinez Manuel R. Mendoza II Edward A. Mendoza Jesus G. Molina Rosie Moller Eloisa V. Morales Richard Paul Olivas

Kathryn L. Orum Agnes M. Prusak Mary C. Pryor Frances P. Roman Elizabeth Rossman Peter R. Ruiz Faye R. Sena Margery A. Shunick Richard E. Shunick Amelia R. Soza Harry V. Soza Ross Edward Thompson, Sr. Henry Valdez Keith Richard Watson James C. Whitman Mary J. Wilkinson

Holy Cross

Cemetery and Mausoleum 10045 W. Thomas Rd., Avondale Lorenzo E. Aguilar Dolores O. Barrera Michael Francis Coyne Lorenzo Diaz Leroy P. Dominguez Denzil L. Dowell Joseph C. Gragnano Emmanuel Hernandez Sandoval Isabella Hernandez Maria Rosario Hernandez Dorothy J. Jones Robert T. Kelly, Sr. James F. Kriecha Yaneli Lopez Rios Gouda Malak Anthony J. Mandile Geraldine A. Medrano

Jesus Hector Noriega

Ana E. Mosqueda

Brittney D. Reed

John Murillo

Edgar Isaac Sandoval

Marie S. Price

Silva Alberto

Anthony Rodriquez

Walter L. Thal

Gabriel Matthew Rosen

Angelica Teresa Villalva

Audrey L. Rouse

Isidro Amor Villareal

Dora G. Salazar

Arthur Herera Williams

Ruben M. Salazar

Tara Laverne Williams

Jeanne J. Sidor

Felisa Zuniga Ramirez

Esther Smith

Queen of Heaven

Richard F. Smith

Cemetery and Mortuary 1500 E. Baseline Rd., Mesa Danyel Lilith Alvarez-Rogan Angel Baeza Mary Ann Bochenek Leon Bourgeois Barbara J. Burm Virginia E. Celaya Matthew Kenneth De la Garza Clarence Dinet Ethan D. Dorman Belen H. Duran Angel Antonio Gutierrez Angela Maria Halprin Ryan Elizabeth Harig Teresa Herrera Damian Heslip Donna F. Hines Sedky I. Ibrahim Robert C. Jackson Earl E. Jarvis Bernard W. Kelly Florence C. Kern Francis Kresge Clare Frances Kunz John Laufer

Holy Redeemer Cemetery 23015 N. Cave Creek Rd., Phoenix Leo Contois James E. Craine Frederick A. Goebel Jourjit Hassoun Hector Hinojos Arnold L. Jahaske Ida M. Lane Joseph Charles Ruht Leslie Ann Ryan-Tuengel John Sperduti Ronald G. Sullivan

Calvary Cemetery 201 W. University, Flagstaff Scott W. Ross

All Souls Cemetery 700 N. Bill Gray Rd., Cottonwood No entries at this time.

sunbeams Community Events Calendar

September 20, 2012

The Catholic Sun

✦

Page 31

Write: Sunbeams, The Catholic Sun, P.O. Box 13549, Phoenix, AZ 85002 ✦ Email: sunbeams@catholicsun.org ✦ Fax: (602) 354-2429 ✦ www.catholicsun.org

To Our Readers

Sunbeams are free public service announcements.

Catholic parishes, groups or organizations are guaranteed one-time publication for each listing. Announcements from nonCatholic agencies and groups will be considered for publication, space permitting. Submissions must be received in writing by Oct. 3 for publication Oct. 18. please keep submissions to 40 words or less.

Pilgrimage listings not accepted.

Meetings and Classes

“Adventures in Matthew,” with

Jeff Cavins 24-week sessions, Mondays 7-9 p.m., Sept. 24, or Tuesdays 1-3 p.m., Sept. 25, and “Adventures in Acts” 20-week session, Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m., Sept. 25, St. Theresa Parish, 5000 E. Thomas Rd. Cost of materials: $26. Info: mary. muir@cox.net or (602) 840-0850 or www.biblestudyforcatholics.com.

40 Days for Life Campaign, 6 a.m.-

6 p.m., Sept. 26-Nov. 4, Planned Parenthood Facility, 610 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. Pray the Rosary daily and intercede for the unborn, their parents, and those who work to end babies’ lives. Info: call Kathleen at (480) 361-4120.

“The

Great

Adventure;

Epic:

A Journey Through Church History,” 6:30-8:30 p.m., Mondays beginning Oct. 1, Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral, Smith Hall, 6351 N. 27th Ave. Cost: $30. Info: (602) 242-1300 ext. 146.

Marriage Mini-Conference with

Katrina Zeno, 8 a.m.-noon, Oct. 6, St. Mary Magdalene Parish, Gilbert. Cost: $15 per couple, breakfast included. Seating is limited.

Babysitting available. Info: (480) 788-3052 or registration: marriageconference.eventbrite.com.

“Tears Speak... But Spirits Soar,”

7 p.m., Oct. 9, Mount Claret Retreat Center, Pope John Paul Center, 4633 N. 54th St., Phoenix, is a support group for women who have lost a child(ren) to abortion and wish to heal the loss. For confidential discussion, call Patty at (480) 838-7474.

Johnnette Benkovic Conference.

Changing the culture one woman at a time, Oct. 20. Reservations: www.sttimothymesa.org.

Eucharistic Congress, 7-9 p.m.,

Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 6:30 p.m., Mass, followed with keynote speaker of the day, Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral,

6351 N. 27th Ave. Teen talks, 40hour devotion, and 24-hour confession beginning Nov. 1; photo exhibit of Eucharistic miracles. Info: (602) 242-1300 or www.simonjude.net.

Theology of the Body workshop,

with Katrina Zeno, 7-9 p.m., Nov. 9 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Nov. 10, Diocesan Pastoral Center, 400 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. Cost: $60 (before Nov. 5) and includes a workbook, breakfast, and lunch. Info: call Christina at (602) 354-2179 or www.tobcenter.org.

Secular Order of Discalced Car-

melites meets on the third Saturday of each month. Participation in prayer and formation following charism according Teresian Carmel.

Focus of study is Rule of St. Albert and Carmelite saints. Info: call Candida Kirkpatrick (602) 481-6028.

Worship

Healing Mass with Fr. Frank Bartel,

6:30p.m. Praise and Worship, 7 p.m.

Mass, Oct. 1, St. Thomas Aquinas, 13720 W. Thomas Road, Avondale.

Info: call Ada Fe at (623) 933-9401 or Ferrell at (623) 972-6401.

Catholic Physicians’ Guild Annual White Mass with Bishop Ol-

msted and Bishop Nevares, 6 p.m., Oct. 5, Diocesan Pastoral Center, 400 E. Monroe St. For all physicians, nurses, dentists and other health care professionals. Dinner: $100, Phoenix Country Club. Info: www.cpgphoenix.com.

Entertainment

St. Vincent de Paul Parish Annual

Fiesta, 6-11 p.m., Sept. 28, 4-11 p.m., Sept. 29, 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sept. 30, southwest corner of 51st Avenue and Osborn Street; look for the ferris wheel. Come one come all; carnival rides, food, drinks and free live entertainment.

St. Jerome Fall Festival, 6-10 p.m.,

Sept. 28, noon-10 p.m., Sept. 29, noon-8 p.m., Sept. 30, Mayor Greg Stanton will be our honored guest and will draw for our raffle prizes.

Raffle tickets available in the school office. Info: (602) 942-5644.

Octoberfest noon-9 p.m., Sept. 29,

St. Stephen Byzantine, 8141 N. 16th St., live music, dancing and performances, European foods, games, Silent Auction and Raffle. Info: call Teresa (602) 821-2939 or Ann (602) 790-1045.

Notre Dame Prep Gourmet Gala

2012, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 29, 9701 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale; features tastings from fine restaurants/purveyors, complimentary cocktails and wine, music and dancing. A $10,000 cash raffle prize, and free valet parking. Tickets: $85-$100.

Info: (480) 634-8227 or visit www. notredamepreparatory.org/gala.

The Sound of Music, by Xavier,

Brophy Theatre, 7 p.m., Oct. 10-11, 2 p.m., 7 p.m., Oct. 13, Xavier College Prep Performing Arts Center; in honor of principal Sr. Joan Fitzgerald, BVM’s 50th Anniversary at Xavier. Tickets: $7. Info: (602)-2403161, pacbox@xcp.org.

35th Annual St. Mary’s High

School Class of 1977 Reunion, Oct. 12-13. RSVP by Oct. 3 to: Laura Avila at (602) 249-4872 or foxylotsy@cox.net.

N. 64th St., Scottsdale. Come enjoy the fun and shop with 50 crafters, vendors, raffle, silent auction, Sweet Shoppe, Café with lunch, and door prizes. Info: (480) 948-8370.

Luminarias of Christmas, Xavier’s Holiday Silent/Live Auction and Dinner, 5:30 p.m., Nov. 10, Xavier College Preparatory, Founders Hall. Proceeds will benefit Xavier’s Legacy of Leadership Capital Campaign. Tickets: $125. Info: call Maria at (602) 240-3138, or mmurphy-fontes@ xcp.org or xcp.maestroweb.com.

“40 Years in the Desert with

Christ,” 11 a.m. Mass with Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, Nov. 4, Our Lady of Joy Parish, Carefree; followed by a reception in the Parish Hall from noon-4 p.m.

WIN A 2013 Camaro Convertible!

This and That

Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace

University, 5:30-7 p.m., Tuesdays, Sept. 18-Nov. 13, Sacred Heart Parish. Learn how to get rid of debt, manage money, spend and save wisely and more. Cost: $95. Info: (928) 445-3141.

18th Annual Golf Tournament for Sacred Heart Catholic School, Sept.

22, Prescott Golf and Country Club, Dewey; fun tournament on a beautiful course. Everything is included.

Info: (928) 445-2621 www.sacredhearteducation.com for downloadable registration form.

Craft Fair, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Oct. 6,

Holy Cross Parish, 1244 S. Power Road, Mesa, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus Council #7904 Ladies Auxiliary. All are welcome.

Info: (480) 981-2021.

Fall Rummage Sale sponsored by

St. Clement of Rome Women’s Guild, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Oct. 13, Father Earl D’Eon Hall, 15800 Del Webb Blvd., Sun City. Find a treasure you can’t live without; furniture, clothing, jewelry, kitchenware, appliances, linens, books, cacti, and much more. Lunch available. Info: (623) 974-5867.

The Christ Child Society of Phoenix Open House, 6-8 p.m., Oct. 25, Mount Claret, 4633 N. 54th St., Phoenix, learn more about what we do to enhance the lives of our underserved children here in the Valley. Info: www.christchildsocietyphoenix.org.

36th Annual Church Mouse Boutique, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Nov. 3 and 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Nov. 4, Blessed Sacrament Church, 11300

All proceeds will be donated to the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. Tickets: $100 each or 6 for $500. Drawing Dec. 1, 2012 at the Seton After Dark Gala. Info: call Mark Buessing at (602) 809-8321.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul

Free up space in your garage and

donate your vehicle. We accept cars, boats, motor homes, trailers and motorcycles. To process a car donation, call 1-800-322-8284.

Leave a legacy by including St.

Vincent de Paul in your will or estate plan. There are many options and plans available. Info: www. stvincentdepaul.net or call Shannon Clancy at (602) 261-6814.

The Casa

“Reasons and Seasons of the Heart,” a weekend retreat with Fr. Joseph Schwab, OFM, Oct. 5-7, follow the development of the Franciscan tradition in some of the disciples of Francis and Clare. Fee per person including meals: $130; with lodging $215 single, $165 Double/per person. Register online: www.thecasa.org or call (480) 9487460, ext.151.

“Derangement in the Spiritual

Life,” with John Auther, SJ, 6-8:30 p.m., Oct. 26, an enlightening look at the spiritual life, “through our derangement into the new arrangement.” Fee per person: $20, includes dinner. Registration required. Reflection only: $10, registration appreciated. Register online: www.thecasa. org or call (480) 948-7460, ext.151.

“Introduction

to

Centering

Prayer,” 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Nov. 3, develop a personal understanding of Centering Prayer with the guidance of Carol Whittaker and Sharon Taszarek, who will provide the foundational information for the practice of Centering Prayer. Fee per person: $45. Register online: www.thecasa. org or call (480) 948-7460, ext.151.

“The Process of Forgiveness:

A Silent Retreat” with Fr. William Meninger, OCSO, Nov. 9-11, author of The Process of Forgiveness with several optional 20-minute meditation periods. Fee per person including meals: $130; with lodging $215 single, $165 double per person.

Register online: www.thecasa.org or call (480) 948-7460, ext.151.

TAX CREDIT NOTICE Now in effect: The Arizona Legislature has passed an

ADDITIONAL $500 / $1,000 TAX CREDIT

for the Private Education Tax Credit for Catholic Schools.

When you maximize the current tax credit ($503 / $1,006) you are eligible to claim this additional tax credit for gifts made to Catholic Education Arizona.

New Limits

$1,003 siNGLe $2,006 mARRieD

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL OUR OFFICE: 1-888-TAX-CRDT (1-888-829-2738) Catholic Education Arizona is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization and has never accepted gifts designated for individuals. Per state law, a school tuition organization cannot award, restrict or reserve scholarships solely on the basis of donor recommendation. A taxpayer may not claim a tax credit if the taxpayer agrees to swap donations with another taxpayer to benefit either taxpayer’s own dependent.

Page 32 ✦ The Catholic Sun

Our faith helps families believe in themselves.

These are difficult and uncertain economic times.

Today, the faces of the new working poor include families and individuals who until recently were self-sufficient, owned their homes, and had good jobs. It could be your neighbor down the street, or the family of a National Guardsman, struggling to make ends meet on a military stipend.

St. Vincent de Paul is there to offer a hand to those in need—with faith, hope and love. Yet the needs in our community are growing. We see new faces coming to us for help each week. It’s only because of people with compassionate hearts like yours, that we are able to help so many. Visit stvincentdepaul.net today to make a difference.

Help make a difference today.

Donate. Volunteer. Shop.

P.O. Box 13600 • Phoenix Arizona 85003-2830 • 602-266-HOPE • www.stvincentdepaul.net

September 20, 2012