I LOVE BEING CATHOLIC
ST. ANTHONY Messenger ‘I Have a Dream’
AUGUST 2013 • $3.95 • WWW.FRANCISCANMEDIA.ORG
Taking a Moment with God Angels All around Us Beyond Bullying
50 Years Later
Cell Phone Inspires Chicago Doctor to Design Affordable Hearing Aid Outperforms Most Higher priced Hearing Aids Reported by J. Page CHICAGO: Ž‘…ƒŽ Â„Â‘ÂƒÂ”Â†ÇŚÂ…Â‡Â”Â–Â‹Ď?‹‡† ÂƒÂ”ÇĄ ‘•‡ǥ Š”‘ƒ– Č‹ ČŒ ’Š›•‹…‹ƒÂ?ÇĄ ”Ǥ Ǥ Š‡”—Â?—”‹ǥ Šƒ• Œ—•– •ŠƒÂ?‡Â? —’ –Š‡ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ƒ‹† ‹Â?†—•–”› ™‹–Š –Š‡ ‹Â?˜‡Â?–‹‘Â? ‘ˆ ƒ Â?Â‡Â†Â‹Â…ÂƒÂŽÇŚÂ‰Â”ÂƒÂ†Â‡ÇĄ ƒˆˆ‘”†ƒ„Ž‡ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ƒ‹†Ǥ This revolutionary hearing aid is designed to help millions of people with hearing loss who cannot afford— or do not wish to pay—the much higher cost of traditional hearing aids.
“Perhaps the best quality-to-price ratio in the hearing aid industryâ€? —Dr. Babu, M.D. Board-Certified ENT Physician ”Ǥ Š‡”—Â?—”‹ Â?Â?‡™ –Šƒ– —Â?–”‡ƒ–‡† Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ Ž‘•• …‘—Ž† Ž‡ƒ† –‘ †‡’”‡••‹‘Â?ÇĄ •‘…‹ƒŽ ‹•‘Žƒ–‹‘Â?ÇĄ ƒÂ?š‹‡–›ǥ ƒÂ?† •›Â?’–‘Â?• …‘Â?•‹•–‡Â?– ™‹–Š ŽœŠ‡‹Â?‡”ǯ• †‡Â?‡Â?–‹ƒǤ He could not understand why the cost for hearing aids was so high when the prices on so many consumer electronics like TVs, DVD players, cell phones and digital cameras had fallen. ‹Â?…‡ ‡†‹…ƒ”‡ ƒÂ?† Â?‘•– ’”‹˜ƒ–‡ ‹Â?•—”ƒÂ?…‡ †‘ Â?‘– …‘˜‡” –Š‡ …‘•–• ‘ˆ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ÂƒÂ‹Â†Â•ÇĄ ™Š‹…Š –”ƒ†‹–‹‘Â?ƒŽŽ› ”—Â? „‡–™‡‡Â? ̈́ʹǥͲͲͲnj̈́͸ǥͲͲͲ ˆ‘” ƒ Â’ÂƒÂ‹Â”ÇĄ Â?ƒÂ?› ‘ˆ –Š‡ †‘…–‘”ǯ• ’ƒ–‹‡Â?–• …‘—Ž† Â?‘– ƒˆˆ‘”† –Š‡ ‡š’‡Â?•‡Ǥ ”Ǥ Š‡”—Â?—”‹ǯ• ‰‘ƒŽ ™ƒ• –‘ Ď?‹Â?† ƒ ”‡ƒ•‘Â?ƒ„Ž‡ •‘Ž—–‹‘Â? –Šƒ– ™‘—Ž† Š‡Ž’ ™‹–Š –Š‡ Â?‘•– …‘Â?Â?‘Â? –›’‡• ‘ˆ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ Ž‘•• ƒ– ƒÂ? ƒˆˆ‘”†ƒ„Ž‡ ’”‹…‡ǥ Â?‘– —Â?Ž‹Â?‡ –Š‡ Dz‘Â?Â‡ÇŚÂ•Â‹ÂœÂ‡ÇŚĎ?‹–•njÂ?‘•–dz ”‡ƒ†‹Â?‰ ‰Žƒ••‡• ƒ˜ƒ‹Žƒ„Ž‡ ƒ– †”—‰ •–‘”‡•Ǥ ‡ ‡˜ƒŽ—ƒ–‡† Â?—Â?‡”‘—• Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ †‡˜‹…‡• ƒÂ?† •‘—Â?† ƒÂ?’Ž‹Ď?‹‡”•ǥ ‹Â?…Ž—†‹Â?‰ –Š‘•‡ •‡‡Â? ‘Â? –‡Ž‡˜‹•‹‘Â?Ǥ ‹–Š‘—– ÂˆÂƒÂ‹ÂŽÇĄ ƒŽÂ?‘•– ƒŽŽ ‘ˆ –Š‡•‡ ™‡”‡ ˆ‘—Â?† –‘ ƒÂ?’Ž‹ˆ› Â„ÂƒÂ•Â•Č€ÂŽÂ‘Â™ ˆ”‡“—‡Â?…‹‡• ȋ„‡Ž‘™ ͳͲͲͲ ÂœČŒ ƒÂ?† Â?‘– —•‡ˆ—Ž ‹Â? ƒÂ?’Ž‹ˆ›‹Â?‰ –Š‡ ˆ”‡“—‡Â?…‹‡• ”‡Žƒ–‡† –‘ –Š‡ Š—Â?ƒÂ? ˜‘‹…‡Ǥ
O
Designed By A Board-Certified Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Doctor Doctor-Recommended, Audiologist-Tested +++++ Top rated hearing aid online—thousands of satisfied customers FDA-Registered Save Up To 90% Free Shipping Available Batteries Included! Comes Ready To Use
O
100% Money Back Guarantee
O O O O O O
Šƒ† Œ—•– ’—”…Šƒ•‡†Ǥ “I felt that if someone could devise an affordable device like an iPhoneÂŽ for about $200 that could do all sorts of things, I could …”‡ƒ–‡ ƒ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ƒ‹† ƒ– ƒ •‹Â?‹Žƒ” ’”‹…‡Ǥdz
Affordable Hearing Aid With Superb Performance Š‡ Š‹‰Š …‘•– ‘ˆ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ƒ‹†• ‹• ƒ ”‡•—Ž– ‘ˆ Žƒ›‡”• ‘ˆ Â?‹††Ž‡Â?‡Â? ƒÂ?† ‡š’‡Â?•‹˜‡ —Â?Â?‡…‡••ƒ”› ˆ‡ƒ–—”‡•Ǥ ”Ǥ Š‡”—Â?—”‹ …‘Â?…Ž—†‡† –Šƒ– ‹– ™‘—Ž† „‡ ’‘••‹„Ž‡ –‘ †‡˜‡Ž‘’ ƒ Â?‡†‹…ƒŽ ‰”ƒ†‡ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ƒ‹† ™‹–Š‘—– •ƒ…”‹Ď?‹…‹Â?‰ –Š‡ “—ƒŽ‹–› ‘ˆ …‘Â?’‘Â?‡Â?–•Ǥ Š‡ ”‡•—Ž– ‹• –Š‡ ‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ܠ ÂŽÇĄ •–ƒ”–‹Â?‰ ™‡ŽŽ —Â?†‡” ̈́ʹͲͲǤ It has been declared to be the best low-cost hearing aid –Šƒ– ƒÂ?’Ž‹Ď?‹‡• –Š‡ ”ƒÂ?‰‡ ‘ˆ •‘—Â?†• associated with the human voice without overly amplifying background noise.
Tested By Leading Doctors and Audiologists Š‡ ‡ƒ”‹�‰ ‹† Ž Šƒ• „‡‡� ”‹‰‘”‘—•Ž› –‡•–‡† „› Ž‡ƒ†‹�‰ ’Š›•‹…‹ƒ�• ƒ�† ƒ—†‹‘Ž‘‰‹•–• ™Š‘ Šƒ˜‡ —�ƒ�‹�‘—•Ž› ƒ‰”‡‡† –Šƒ– –Š‡ sound quality and output in many cases exceeds more expensive hearing aids.
“I have been wearing hearing aids for over 25 years and these are the best behindthe-ear aids I have tried. Their sound quality rivals that of my $3,000 custom pair of Phonak Xtra digital ITE.â€? Č„ ‡”ƒŽ† ‡˜› “I have a $2,000 Resound Live hearing aid in my left ear and the MDHearingAid PROÂŽ in the right ear. I am not able to Â?‘–‹…‡ ƒ •‹‰Â?Â‹Ď”Â‹Â…ÂƒÂ?– †‹ˆˆ‡”‡Â?…‡ ‹Â? •‘—Â?† quality between the two hearing aids.â€? Č„ ”Ǥ ÂƒÂ›ÇĄ Š›•‹…‹ƒÂ? “We ordered two hearing aids for my mother on Sunday, and the following Wednesday they were in our mailbox! Unbelievable! Now for the best part—they work so great, my mother says she hasn’t heard so good for many years, even with her $2,000 digital! It was so great to see the joy on her face. She is 90 years young again.â€? Č„ ÂŽ ‡–‡”•‘Â?
For the Lowest Price Call Today 1-800-873-0680 Phone Lines Open 24 Hours EVERY DAY
www.MDHearingAid.com/KW80
Use Offer Code KW80 to get FREE Batteries for a Full Year!
Inspiration From a Surprising Source Š‡ †‘…–‘”ǯ• ‹Â?•’‹”ƒ–‹‘Â? –‘ †‡ˆ‡ƒ– –Š‡ Â’Â‘Â™Â‡Â”Â•ÇŚÂ–ÂŠÂƒÂ–ÇŚÂ„Â‡ –Šƒ– Â?‡’– ‹Â?‡š’‡Â?•‹˜‡ Š‡ƒ”‹Â?‰ ƒ‹†• ‘—– ‘ˆ –Š‡ ŠƒÂ?†• ‘ˆ –Š‡ ’—„Ž‹… ƒ…–—ƒŽŽ› …ƒÂ?‡ ˆ”‘Â? ƒ Â?‡™ …‡ŽŽ ’Š‘Â?‡ Š‡
Doctors and patients agree: “BEST QUALITY SOUND� “LOWEST AFFORDABLE PRICE�
FREE Shipping Available
Proudly assembled in the USA from Domestic & Imported Components.
45 DAY RISK FREE TRIAL
100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
BBB RATING
A
CONTENTS
ST. ANTHONY Messenger
❘ AUGUST 2013 ❘ VOLUME 121/NUMBER 3
ON THE COVER
COVER STORY
At Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, these young men, all Catholic school students, sing a word of hope at an annual liturgy celebrating African-American heritage.
28 ‘I Have a Dream’ 50 Years Later On the anniversary of Dr. King’s famous speech, a leading black theologian discusses what it means for us today. By Father Bryan N. Massingale
CNS photo/Karen Callaway, Catholic New World
F E AT U R E S
D E PA R T M E N T S
16 Why I Stay Catholic
2 Dear Reader
In a world full of questions, it was the only answer. Text by Kevin Wells, photos by Tom McCarthy Jr.
3 From Our Readers 6 Followers of St. Francis Christian Mondor, OFM
20 Angels All around Us They defend us, protect us, and remind us that God is closer than we think. By Laura Stanko Britto, OSF
8 Reel Time Austenland
16
The Soup
24 Stopping by Church on a Summer Afternoon
12 Church in the News
Weighed down by life, a woman finds respite in her church. By Kristina Santos
34 Living Simply 41 Editorial Assisted Suicide: Who’s Next?
36 Beyond Sticks and Stones Teen harassment is a growing epidemic. Here are tips for adults to help prevent it. By Jennie Withers
10 Channel Surfing
47 Year of Faith Faith Celebrated
20
42 Fiction: The Other Side
48 Short Take World Youth Day
Would the baby live? By Barbara Tylla
50 Ask a Franciscan Dealing with Clergy Sexual Abuse
52 Book Corner Hope Sings, So Beautiful
54 A Catholic Mom Speaks Lord, Help Me Let Go
36
56 Backstory
ST. ANTHONY M
DEAR READER
essenger
Opened by Grace
Publisher/CEO Daniel Kroger, OFM
In a unique way, each saint teaches us something important about God. “Their great example lends us courage,” says the Roman Missal’s Preface II of the Saints. Because of original sin, no person is born holy. Behind every saint is the story of that person’s courageous and progressive opening to God’s grace. St. Louis IX (1214–1270) continuously opened his heart to God’s ways, fulfilling his duties as husband, father, Secular Franciscan, and king of France. Louis, a friend to Sts. Bonaventure and Thomas Aquinas, was very concerned about the administration of justice in his realm. He was especially concerned that poor people be treated justly. St. Louis and his royal contemporary, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, are considered patrons of the Secular Franciscan Order—of people encouraged to live the gospel of Jesus after the example of Francis in marriage, in the single vocation “in the world,” or as diocesan priests. Louis went on crusade twice, dying of disease in North Africa. He was canonized 27 years later. The Church worldwide honors him on August 25. California’s Mission San Luis Rey, near Oceanside, is named for him. May Louis help us to open our lives to God’s grace and then follow that grace wherever it may lead us!
Chief Operating Officer Thomas A. Shumate, CPA
Director of Content Creation and Services Jennifer Scroggins
Editor in Chief John Feister
Art Director Jeanne Kortekamp
Franciscan Editor Pat McCloskey, OFM
Senior Editor Jack Wintz, OFM
Managing Editor Susan Hines-Brigger
Associate Editors Christopher Heffron Rachel Zawila
Editorial Assistant Sharon Lape
Director of Marketing, Sales, and Internet Barbara K. Baker
Advertising
SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
Fred Limke
Printing Kingery Printing Co. - Effingham, IL
If you have a question, concern, or problem with your subscription, we’re here to help.
Subscription and Billing Questions?
How to Subscribe
Toll-free phone: 866-543-6870 To help us better answer your questions about subscriptions, please have your address label on hand. If you have billing questions, please have your invoice available. Mail: St. Anthony Messenger P.O. Box 189 Congers, NY 10920-0189 Internet: StAnthonyMessenger.org/subscribe Fax: 845-267-3478
Want to subscribe or add a gift subscription? Call 866-543-6870, weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (Eastern time), or visit StAnthonyMessenger.org/subscribe.
Subscription Prices United States, $39 per year; Canada and other countries, $69 per year. See website for digital rates and to order bulk copies.
Mailing List Rental Moving? In order to keep your subscription current, we need four weeks to change an address. Send us your new address, new telephone number, and old mailing label.
2 ❘ Augus t 2013
If you prefer that your name and address not be made available to select organizations, send your current mailing label to Mail Preference Service, St. Anthony Messenger, P.O. Box 189, Congers, NY 10920-0189.
ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER (ISSN #0036276X) (U.S.P.S. PUBLICATION #007956 CANADA PUBLICATION #PM40036350) Volume 121, Number 3, is published monthly for $39.00 a year by the Franciscan Friars of St. John the Baptist Province, 28 W. Liberty Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-6498. Phone (513) 241-5615. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional entry offices. U.S. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: St. Anthony Messenger, P.O. Box 189, Congers, NY 10920-0189. CANADA RETURN ADDRESS: c/o AIM, 7289 Torbram Rd., Mississauga, ON, Canada L4T 1G8. To subscribe, write to the above address or call (866) 543-6870. Yearly subscription price: $39.00 in the United States; $69.00 in Canada and other foreign countries. Single copy price: $3.95. For change of address, four weeks’ notice is necessary. Writer’s guidelines can be found at Franciscan Media.org. The publishers are not responsible for manuscripts or photos lost or damaged in transit. Names in fiction do not refer to living or dead persons. Member of the Catholic Press Association Published with ecclesiastical approval Copyright ©2013. All rights reserved.
St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
FROM OUR READERS
Jubilant over the June Issue I would like to commend your wonderful magazine, which I always read cover to cover. The June issue was especially heartwarming. I loved Patricia Zapor’s “Remembering My Dad, Sargent Shriver.” It was well-written and very interesting. I learned things that I never knew about this man, such as his habit of writing loving letters to his children. What a beautiful way to express love! This Catholic family has done much to contribute to society and the world. Theresa Doyle-Nelson’s “Blessed Louis Martin: A Patron for Mental Health” was of special interest to me because my daughter was named after Thérèse. This saint’s parents were a wonderful example to their lovely family. Jack Wintz, OFM’s, article,
“Anthony and Francis Loved Creation,” was wonderful. I can just picture both of them preaching to the fishes and birds. Please keep presenting these beautiful articles about the saints! Ginny Swart’s “Cook’s Joy” was especially delightful. I felt like I was right there with Katherine because I, too, love to cook. She was a very generous person. Your stories each month are an inspiration to me. Susan Hines-Brigger’s editorial, “Should We Ban Guns?”, was very good and thought-provoking. I enjoy her articles and columns. Keep up the good work with St. Anthony Messenger. As a young child, I can remember seeing it in my home! Marie Carlson Sebring, Florida
Article Misses Mark
What’s on Your Mind? Letters that are published do not necessarily represent the views of the Franciscan friars or the editors. We do not publish slander or libel. Please include your name and postal address. Letters may be edited for clarity and space. Mail Letters, St. Anthony Messenger 28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498 Fax 513-241-0399
ICONS © ISTOCKPHOTO/ ELIELI
E-mail MagazineEditors@ FranciscanMedia.org Facebook Like us! Go to: Facebook.com/ StAnthonyMessengerMagazine Twitter Follow us! Go to: Twitter.com/StAnthonyMag
Fr ancisca n Media .org
When I received the June issue of St. Anthony Messenger, I was greatly disturbed by Judy Ball’s cover article, “Sister Simone Campbell: Nun on the Bus.” Sister Simone’s address to the Democratic National Convention was a disservice to our Catholic faith. Speaking on behalf of the poor and mentioning her pro-life stance were totally lost on the audience. The overall impression she made was: here is a Catholic nun supporting a certain candidate. When you consider that the convention delegates voted down the mention of God in their platform, that only exacerbates the situation, especially when President Barack Obama has pushed the abortion agenda, samesex marriage, and limiting our religious freedom of conscience. This is in direct opposition to our Catholic bishops’ position on these topics. The Nuns on the Bus and Sister Simone could have made a positive impression if they had protested in support of pro-life. At the very least,
her speech was a poor decision. She certainly did not represent our Catholic faith. L. Harry Groen Cincinnati, Ohio
From Womb to Tomb Forgive me for any criticism of Sister Simone Campbell and the work of Nuns on the Bus. However, I am continually perplexed that any report of their social-justice agenda neglects mention of the unborn and the profound effects abortion has on our nation’s conscience and human dignity. I fail to see how a human being who truly believes that life begins at conception could speak at the Democratic National Convention and fail to mention the issue of abortion. Certainly Sister Simone’s joy was evident in her speech. However, the fact that the unborn are being slaughtered daily by a party that supports abortion as “reproductive rights” was plainly missing. I pray for all Catholics—especially women—as we discern for ourselves God’s call to the vocation of womanhood, keeping the seamless garment of life together. Pro-life is from the womb to tomb. Christine Kesterson, MDiv Buffalo, New York
Life Must Be Honored First I was very disappointed when I received your June issue and saw your cover story on Sister Simone Campbell. I know she is working for social reform for the poor, but when the Democratic Party platform supports the killing of unborn babies, I have a real problem with Sister Simone’s speaking at its convention. Yes, poverty and hunger are very important, but in weighing them against the right to life, I don’t think they quite measure up. Just seeing the picture of her on Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 3
the screen at the convention, in my eyes, tells many people that it is OK to support President Obama, even though he supports the death of innocent human beings. In God’s eyes, I would think that life would be the most important issue because God made us in his image and likeness. That being said, the other issues of hunger and poverty would be taken care of if we respected human life in all its stages. Diana Meyer Glandorf, Ohio
Good Intentions Get Lost What an unpleasant surprise to see Sister Simone Campbell on the cover of the June issue. It seems that Judy Ball failed to explain what the proper implementation of ObamaCare means and what part of health-care reform is part of Sister’s pro-life stance. Does Sister Simone think that forcing people to support that which is against their religious beliefs is something to be promoted? Does she believe health care should include abortion and contraceptives? I believe that Sister Simone allowed herself to be used by the Democrats to promote ObamaCare and will someday regret it. Good intentions do not make up for poor judgment. Donald Nauyokas Chicago, Illinois
How we reestablish our moral compass without being preachy and overbearing is something that must be resolved. Only then can our nation start moving on the road that we imagine we are traveling! Don Brunner Phoenix, Arizona
God and Guns In response to Susan Hines-Brigger’s editorial, “Should We Ban Guns?”, in the June issue: I’m afraid that what I see in the anti-gun rhetoric is basically the liberal line that, if the government will pass enough laws, everything will be fine, nice, safe. Unfortunately, the government often ignores the very laws that were passed and the result is only a call for more laws. I believe these editorials belong in the liberal press and have no place in a religious magazine. I, for one, intend to vote for and encourage my
representatives to vote for laws that protect my rights. For the record, I am a Catholic, anti-abortion, and an NRA member. John Deeter Millbury, Massachusetts
Gun Violence, Firsthand At last! I was gratified to read Susan Hines-Brigger’s editorial. So much has been publicized concerning religious liberty and the right to life (which seems to only include abortion). I can’t understand why the Church doesn’t put as much effort into speaking out for gun control, especially since St. Rose of Lima Church in Newtown, Connecticut, experienced firsthand the horror and subsequent loss and grief as a result of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Geraldine Vitolo Shelton, Connecticut
Have You Seen Your Digital Edition?
Respect Is Lacking
4 ❘ Augus t 2013
FREE to
This month’s digital extras include a video on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech
St. Anthony Messenger subscribers!
along with additional articles and resources on the beauty of the Catholic faith, the presence of angels, and bullying prevention.
St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
TABLET AND PHONE: © OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHY/VEER; COMPUTER MONITOR: © KONE/VEER
While I agree with Susan HinesBrigger’s editorial, “Should We Ban Guns?”, in the June edition, I feel that the gun issue is only the tip of the iceberg. Somehow our nation must reestablish a culture where we demonstrate a greater respect for one another. How we can accomplish this is, in my opinion, the great issue. We must restore families to two-parent households and get away from our obsession with “stuff” (if the comedian George Carlin were still alive, he’d be having a field day with our materialistic drive) and overt desire to know what everyone is doing every minute of the day.
KISSES For My Granddaughter™ Personalized Birthstone Music Box Personalize It! Heart-shaped charm can be engraved with any name (up to 10 letters)
•The perfect gift at a great value •Impressively sized at 3½ inches high Plays the Melody “You Are So Beautiful”
•Hand-crafted of Heirloom Porcelain, 22K gold and genuine Swarovski crystals •The fabric plume carries a message of love for your granddaughter
CUSTOMIZED WITH YOUR CHOICE of 12 sparkling Swarovski crystal birthstones, just for your granddaughter JAN
FEB
JUL
MAR
AUG
APR
SEP
MAY
OCT
“February”
JUN
NOV
DEC
www.bradfordexchange.com/grandkiss A Precious Granddaughter Gift, Value Priced! Inspired by one of America’s most beloved candies, the KISSES For My Granddaughter Personalized Birthstone Music Box is exquisitely hand-crafted of lustrous Heirloom Porcelain® with a shiny, silvery finish. Only The Bradford Exchange could bring you such a perfect, value-priced gift for your dear granddaughter—customized with her name on a 22K gold heart-shaped charm and Swarovski crystal birthstone of your choice! Even the fabric plume bears a sweet message of love for your granddaughter. An array of exceptional features make this music box a precious treasure at great value!
Genuine HERSHEY’S KISSES®... Genuine Value! Order now at only $59.99*, payable in three installments of $19.99, the first due before shipment. Our 365-day moneyback guarantee assures your 100% satisfaction. Send no money now. Just return the Reservation Application today, indicating the name to be engraved and the birthstone of your choice.
RESERVATION APPLICATION
P.O. Box 806, Morton Grove, IL 60053-0806
©2013 BGE 01-17837-001-BIUP
Name (Print in block letters. Limit of 10 letters per name.)
YES. Please reserve the KISSES For My Granddaughter™ Personalized Birthstone Music Box as described in this announcement. More than one granddaughter? Print the name and birthstone month for each box reserved.
Month
1. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___
2. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___
3. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___
4. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
___ ___ ___
Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)
Address City
The HERSHEY’S, KISSES Conical Configuration and Attached Plume Device trademarks and trade dress are used under license. ©2013 The Hershey Company
SEND NO MONEY NOW
State
Zip
01-17837-001-E10601 *Plus a total of $9.99 shipping and service per Kiss. A limited-edition presentation restricted to 95 firing days. Please allow 4-8 weeks after initial payment for shipment. Subject to product availability and order acceptance.
F O L L O W E R S O F S T. F R A N C I S
Blessing of the Waves
H PHOTO BY MARGE BITETTI
untington Beach, California, known as Surf City, has over three miles of smooth sand and beckoning Pacific waters. It is home to the Ocean Pacific Surf Championship each year. So 23 years ago, when Father Christian Mondor, OFM, was assigned to Sts. Simon and Jude Parish in Huntington Beach, it was no surprise that the ocean would call to him. All of his life this Southern California native was a swimmer. Then, at the age of 70, he decided it was time to try surfing. Father Christian, now 88, combined his love of the ocean with his zealous involve-
Father Christian Mondor, OFM
A group gathers for the annual Blessing of the Waves celebration in Huntington Beach, California.
ment in the Huntington Beach Interfaith Council, of which he is a past president. Active in fostering mutual understanding for the diversity of faiths in the community, Father Christian worked with the council for the establishment of the Blessing of the Waves, an annual event started by the Diocese of Orange. Held each year in October to coincide with St. Francis’ feast day, the Blessing of the Waves has been a fitting way to show respect for God’s creation and bring people of all ages and faiths together. Each year, members of various faith traditions gather at the water’s edge in Huntington Beach to ask God’s blessing on the waves, the surfers, and the city. The ceremony starts on land, with religious leaders from the interfaith council reciting prayers from their own faith traditions. Father Christian blesses the thousands gathered with rosemary sprigs dipped in holy water. At the end of the service, the surfers paddle out into the ocean, forming a prayer circle in thanksgiving for God’s gift of the ocean and offering prayers for those who use it. Father Christian is still an active surfer; however, the endurance needed for the tra-
PHOTO COURTESY FRED GALLUCCIO
STORIES FROM OUR READERS Customized Care
© HADRIAN KUBASIEWICZ/FOTOLIA
Learn more about St. Anthony and share your story of how he helped you at AmericanCatholic.org/ Features/Anthony.
6 ❘ Augus t 2013
On a return trip from Italy, my husband and I went through airport customs and then bought some gifts at the duty-free shop. As we headed to our gate for boarding, I realized I was missing my carry-on bag. Instant panic ensued. I told my story to the first flight attendant we saw. She said my bag was probably back in customs. When I got to our gate, I again told my story, but the plane was ready for takeoff, so I had no time to go back. Feeling devastated, I again told my story to one of our flight attendants as we approached our seats. As we waited, I prayed, “Tony, Tony, come around. Something’s lost and must be found” three times. As I finished, the call came for me to “please come forward. We have your bag.” My bag was returned in perfect condition. One of the flight attendants heard my plight and ran all the way to customs. —Dolores Horner, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
ST. CLARE
Serving the Poor Although the nuns at San Damiano worked hard and lived very frugally, poor people around Assisi came to them for food, shelter, clothing, and other assistance. The exemplary lives of Clare and the other nuns caused people to donate even more than the monastery needed. Poor Clare monasteries around the world continue Clare’s compassion through the corporal works of mercy and through their prayers that all people will recognize and address all types of social injustice. —P.M.
CNS PHOTO/OCTAVIO DURAN
ditional Hawaiian-style paddle is more strenuous than he can handle since his openheart surgery. So, for the past several years, his friend Father Matthew Munoz leads those gathered. Father Christian says: “When Jesus chose water as a sign of new life to join his group, it was an initiation process, and they always did it through an immersion—you were immersed in water, like being buried with Christ in Baptism. It is no accident that Jesus chooses water. You die to self, symbolized by the immersion into water, and you rise up a new creation. “St. Paul says that Baptism is like a physical death, but it is a death into a new life,” he continues. “Every time I go under a wave it is like reexperiencing Baptism. When you go under a big wave, you know that this could be the end—it could be your death. But then you pop up and breathe fresh air. What a great gift life is! “Surfing is a sport where you can really meditate, experience, and wonder about our faith. The whole atmosphere of the sport can be a very spiritual experience.” —Marge Bitetti
To learn more about Franciscan saints, visit AmericanCatholic.org/Features/Saintofday.
S T. A N T H O N Y B R E A D
Fr ancisca n Media .org
Send all postal communication to: St. Anthony Bread 1615 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498
Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 7
PHOTO BY FRANK JASPER, OFM
The National Shrine of St. Anthony is located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Consecrated in 1889, it includes a first-class relic of St. Anthony and serves as a center for daily prayer and contemplation. The Franciscan friars minister from the shrine. To help them in their work among the poor, you may send a monetary offering called St. Anthony Bread. Make checks or money orders payable to “Franciscans” and mail to the address below. Every Tuesday, a Mass is offered for benefactors and petitioners at the shrine. To seek St. Anthony’s intercession, mail your petition to the address below. Petitions are taken to the shrine each week. To post your petition online, please visit stanthony.org, where you can also request to have a candle lit or a Mass offered; or you may make a donation to the Franciscans or sign up to receive a novena booklet.
REEL TIME
W I T H S I S T E R R O S E PA C AT T E , F S P
Austenland
PHOTO BY GILES KEYTE, COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
SISTER ROSE’S
Favorite
Jane Austen Films Pride and Prejudice miniseries (1995) or film (2005) From Prada to Nada (2011) Clueless (1995) Mansfield Park (1999) Persuasion (1995)
8 ❘ Augus t 2013
Keri Russell plays an American woman fixated on finding love in the quirky new film Austenland. Jane Hayes (Keri Russell) is in her mid-30s, works in an office, and cannot find a man who measures up to her ideal: a life-size cutout of Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy from the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice. Jane’s apartment is a step back into the Regency era when the British author Jane Austen (1775–1817) wrote novels about young women whose circumstances made it difficult to find husbands. Then Jane does something spontaneous that may cure her of her obsession: she uses all her savings to book a vacation at a Jane Austen theme park in the United Kingdom. When she arrives, she meets the formidable Mrs. Wattlesbrook (Jane Seymour), who outlines the rules to Jane and another guest, Elizabeth (Jennifer Coolidge). They change clothes and, now in costume, take the carriage to the main house and begin living life straight out of an Austen novel. But things are about to get complicated. Austenland is a romantic comedy that is very campy and a little silly. Director Jerusha Hess, who gave us the endearing cult classic Napoleon Dynamite, exaggerates details and
mannerisms whenever she can. I think the film—co-produced by Stephenie Meyer of Twilight fame and based on the 2007 novel by Shannon Hale, who co-wrote the script with Hess—may annoy some Austen fans, but the movie has a good heart and has something to say to women and men. I would not hesitate to use the film for a retreat for women because it offers so much to reflect on and talk about. Our protagonist, Jane, must put away the things of childhood and grow up. Not yet rated, PG-13 ■ Some sexual innuendo, language, mature themes.
The Conjuring Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) play a married couple who investigate reports of demonic activity and the paranormal. Pending the results of their inquiries, these “demonologists,” as they call themselves, report to Church authorities who may perform an exorcism. They live in Connecticut with their daughter, who is curious St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
PHOTO BY MICHAEL TACKETT © WARNER BROS.
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga star in The Conjuring, a film about a real-life husband and wife who wage war on the supernatural.
Copperhead In upstate New York in 1862, young men, nearly old enough for the new draft that President Abraham Lincoln has established, talk of war and court girls. Their fathers, however, have deep-seated opinions about the war between the North and the South. Abner Beech (Billy Campbell) is firmly opposed to the war and refuses to side with the North or the South. His concern is that the US Constitution has been threatened by the Union’s war on the South. Fr anciscanMedia.org
SWORDSPOINT PRODUCTIONS
about the occult objects that her parents keep in a locked room. One day Roger (Ron Livingston) and Carolyn (Lili Taylor) ask Ed to look into the frightening events going on at their old farmhouse in Rhode Island. There are noises and something is tugging at the feet of their five daughters at night. Because Lorraine feels this kind of activity so intensely, Ed wants to refuse, but Lorraine wants to help relieve the family of their suffering. The Conjuring has all the ingredients of a horror film: isolation, fear, nature in chaos, apparitions, and demonic possession. Ed and Lorraine Warren are real people—Ed died in 2006—and Catholic. They were also involved in the famed Amityville haunting in the 1970s. It is not clear how authentic their relationships with local bishops and the exorcisms were, but the film makes a positive point about parents not neglecting their duty to have their children baptized. The film takes liberties with historical facts, too, and its theology is somewhat off. But The Conjuring will probably scare your socks off. Not yet rated, R ■ Peril, violence, graphic images.
Abner believes that solutions other than war ought to have been tried and that the South should have been left to go its own way. He feels that his family, friends, and New York State are more important than the tens of thousands of mostly young men dying for the Union. The film tells of “peace Democrats” or “Copperheads,” a small, partisan group that wielded some influence in the 1862 elections with the aim to stop the war and killings. They were not favorable, even to abolitionists, though Copperheads admitted that slavery was wrong. This is famed Civil War filmmaker Ron Maxwell’s third movie about the war between the North and the South. The script, by Bill Kauffman, is based on a late 19th-century novella by Harold Frederic. Kauffman, a devout Catholic and political ideologue, makes points worth thinking about in today’s political milieu. I think what the film talks about is more interesting than the gentle film itself. Not yet rated, R ■ Some fighting.
Billy Campbell plays a man who is strongly opposed to the Civil War in director Ron Maxwell’s Copperhead.
Catholic Cl assifications A-1 A-2 A-3 L O
General patronage Adults and adolescents Adults Limited adult audience Morally offensive
■
The Catholic News Service Media Review Office gives these ratings. See usccb.org/movies.
■
Find reviews by Sister Rose and others at CatholicMovieReviews.org.
Augus t 2013 ❘ 9
CHANNEL SURFING
WITH CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON
UP CLOSE
Wednesdays, 10 p.m., E! On August 8, 2012, television Armageddon struck when millions of reality TV enthusiasts turned a 7-year-old beauty pageant contestant named Alana Thompson into a national celebrity. The show, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, was a sensation, and the Thompson family became superstars. Somewhere, television’s pioneers wept. It’s no revelation to say that, as a culture, we’re too focused on the famous. Joel McHale, host of E!’s The Soup, agrees. And his show—9 years old and still going strong—is a remedy. It’s a simple format. In front of a live audience, McHale criticizes various clips of the most ridiculous moments from reality television and celebrity news. Though imbued with lightning-fast mental reflexes, the host can send audiences rolling with just the slightest rise of an eyebrow. But take a closer look: McHale isn’t simply disparaging the worst of pop culture. Without saying it outright, he’s telling viewers, “You deserve better.” Thoughtful, worthwhile television shows—ones that affirm, uplift, or challenge us—are out there. We just have to look for them. The Soup is proof that television can offer worthwhile viewing for channel surfers hungry for quality. And McHale reminds us that the most powerful weapon against truly bad television is the off button on our remote controls.
Shark Week Starts August 4, Discovery Channel George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, once told National Geographic that the iconic 1975 film Jaws “perpetuated the myths about sharks as man-eaters and bloodthirsty killers, even though the odds of an individual being attacked by a shark are almost infinitesimal.” After Jaws, killing sharks for sport rose as our understanding of the great mammal plummeted. Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, cable television’s longestrunning program, is working to change that. Often feared and misunderstood, sharks are not, in fact, serial killers of the sea. Shark Week illustrates the value of these animals and echoes the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states, “Animals are God’s creatures. He surrounds them with his providential care. By their mere existence they bless him and give him glory” (2416).
Inside Man
PHOTO BY DALE BERMAN/E! ENTERTAINMENT
Sundays, 10 p.m., CNN With his Oscar-nominated film Supersize Me (2004), Morgan Spurlock proved that he was a filmmaker to be reckoned with. His documentary series Inside Man is further evidence. Unlike the showy documentarian Michael Moore, Spurlock doesn’t editorialize; he stays at a comfortable distance. Whether he’s peering into the lives of marijuana farmers or working alongside immigrant laborers in Florida, Spurlock’s show is perceptive and powerful. Future episodes will tackle guns, immigration, education, elder care, unions, and the worst drought in US history.
Joel McHale hosts The Soup, E!’s long-running series that lampoons the worst in pop-culture news. 10 ❘ Augus t 2013
St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
© DISCOVERY CHANNEL/CHRIS FALLOWS
The Soup
Set with 3 Genuine Diamonds
Wear Heavenly Inspiration For those who have faith in their heart, they are blessed with the gift of the Lord’s guidance. Now, wear a stunning expression of this belief—the “Pure Faith” Diamond Ring, only from The Bradford Exchange.
Engraved with the Sentiment “You’ll Never Walk Alone” Alon Al one” e
Beautifully hand-crafted of solid sterling silver, the ring’s band crisscrosses to create a unique infinity bypass design. Etched in the center of the ring is a mirror-cut cross set with a radiant diamond. Two more diamonds are set among the stylish filigree work of the band. The band is engraved on the inside with You’ll Never Walk Alone, as a reminder that the Lord is by your side!
H d Hand-crafted f d off Solid Sterling Silver
A Remarkable Value... Available for a Limited Time
Arrives in a custom presentation case
This ring is a remarkable value at $99*, payable in 4 easy installments of just $24.75 and backed by our 120-day guarantee. It arrives in a custom case along with a Bradford Exchange Certificate of Authenticity. To reserve, send no money now; just mail the Reservation Application today!
www.bradfordexchange.com/16559
The Bradford Exchange RESERVATION APPLICATION
SEND NO MONEY NOW
Signature
P.O. Box 806, Morton Grove, IL 60053-0806
YES. Please reserve the “Pure Faith” Diamond Ring for me as described in this announcement. Shown actual size
from
©2013 BGE 01-16559-001-BI
LIMITED-TIME OFFER first-come, first-served basis. Respond as soon as possible to reserve your ring.
A Fine Jewelry Exclusive
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED To assure a proper fit, a ring sizer will be sent to you after your reservation has been accepted.
*Plus $9.98 shipping and service. Please allow 4-6 weeks after initial payment for shipment of your jewelry. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.
Mrs. Mr. Ms.
Name (Please Print Clearly)
Address City
State
Zip
E-Mail (Optional)
01-16559-001-E10601
CHURCH IN THE NEWS
❘ BY RACHEL ZAWILA
Bishops React to Supreme Court Rulings
CNS PHOTO/JONATHAN ERNST, REUTERS
case will likely affect how the federal government must treat same-sex marriages for purposes ranging from Social Security benefits to taxation and immigration, reported Catholic News Service (CNS). In 32 states, constitutional amendments ban same-sex marriage, while 12 states and the District of Columbia recognize such marriages. Another eight states recognize civil unions or domestic partnerships, with some having overlapping bans on same-sex marriage. According to a study issued May 30 by the Public Religion Research Institute, 62 percent of US Catholics support same-sex marriage.
Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami, plaintiffs in the case against California’s same-sex marriage ban, known as Proposition 8, stand together in front of reporters as they depart the Supreme Court in Washington June 26. The US Supreme Court rulings on same-sex marriage were a “tragic day for marriage and our nation,” said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan on behalf of the US bishops. Following the June 26 rulings in which the court declared the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as between one man and one woman, unconstitutional, Cardinal Dolan, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco, chair of the US bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage, released a statement saying the court “has dealt a profound injustice to the American people. “The federal government ought to respect the truth that marriage is the union of one man and one women, even where states fail to do so,” they continued. “The preservation of liberty and justice requires that all laws, 1 2 ❘ Augus t 2013
federal and state, respect the truth, including the truth about marriage.” In a separate case, the high court sent back to lower courts a challenge to California’s Proposition 8, the voter-approved initiative barring same-sex marriage. Two days later, the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals formally dismissed the case, making same-sex marriage again legal in the state. Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori said the court’s decisions were the “latest in a troubling trend of decisions by lawmakers, judges, and some voters, which ignores the fundamental truth about marriage: it is the most valued, most important social unit in our society and as such is deserving of the protection and special recognition societies have afforded it throughout history.” While neither decision will require states to honor same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions, the DOMA
Vatican Releases Worldwide Church Statistics The number of priests, bishops, permanent deacons, and seminarians all increased in 2011, while the number of women in religious orders continued to decline, according to statistics released by the Vatican. At the end of 2011, the number of bishops in the world increased from 5,104 to 5,132, while the total number of priests around the world grew from 412,236 to 413,418. The number of permanent deacons—about 41,000—increased more than 1,400 over the previous year, reported CNS, with the vast majority living in the Americas or in Europe. These statistics are included in the Statistical Yearbook of the Church, an annual report of worldwide Church figures. The number of Catholics in the world remained essentially unchanged at 1.2 billion at the end of 2011, according to the yearbook, while an increase in the number of Catholics in Africa (4.3 percent St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
N E W S B R I E F S N AT I O N A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L
CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING
Pope Francis recognized June 3 the martyrdom of 95 men and women religious and laymen who were killed during the Spanish Civil War. Among the new martyrs were 66 Marist Brothers, four Discalced Carmelites, four Sister Servants of Mary, two laymen, and a diocesan priest. They were killed between 1936 and 1939 during the war. Ken Hackett, retired president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), has been nominated by President Barack Obama to be US ambassador to the Holy See. Hackett was appointed president of CRS in 1993. During his 18-year tenure, he established a division focusing on outreach to dioceses, parishes, Catholic organizations, and colleges and universities. As US ambassador to the Holy See, he succeeds Miguel Díaz, who left the post in late 2012. Pope John Paul II has moved one step closer to sainthood after the Vatican’s Congregation for Saints’ Causes approved a second miracle attributed to his intercession. Just weeks after Pope John Paul II’s 2005 death, thenPope Benedict XVI waived the traditional five-year waiting period, allowing the late pope’s path toward canonization to begin. Pope John Paul II was beatified in 2011. Lutherans and Catholics have pledged to celebrate together the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in 2017. Releasing a joint document, “From Conflict to Communion,” on June 17, the Vatican and the Lutheran World Federation agreed to set aside centuries of hostility and prejudice and, instead, focus on a reciprocal admission of guilt and highlight the progress made by Lutheran-Catholic dialogue in the past 50 years.
growth) and Asia (2 percent) was reported. Most of the world’s Catholics (48.8 percent) were found to be living in the Americas, followed by Europe (23.5 percent), Africa (16 percent), Asia (10.9 percent), and Oceania (0.8 percent). There was substantial growth over the past decade in the number of men joining a religious order in both Asia (up 44.9 percent since 2001) and Africa (up 18.5 percent); in contrast, their numbers fell in Europe by Fr ancisca n Media .org
The Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph released an auditors’ report June 18 that provided a full account of how its leaders have handled clergy sex-abuse cases. The auditors found the province hid abuse from parents and police, kept offenders in ministry after their misconduct was known, and spent more money on defense attorneys than on helping victims. The report included names of 23 friars whom the auditors confirmed were guilty of sexual misconduct. The Province of St. Joseph is the first province in the Church to voluntarily open its records for review and release details of the findings. St. Joseph will now be permanently included in the eucharistic prayers used at Mass, following Pope Francis’ confirmation of the decision originally made by Pope Benedict XVI. While St. Joseph’s name was already added to the first eucharistic prayer in the 1960s by Blessed John XXIII, the new decree inserts his name in Eucharistic Prayers II, III, and IV, adding the words “with blessed Joseph, her spouse” after recognizing the Virgin Mary. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed a law that prohibits taxpayer funding of abortions in federal healthcare exchanges. The new bill also prohibits funding for abortion in private health-care plans that include a federal subsidy. The governor announced last December that Pennsylvania would not set up a state health exchange under the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Twenty-four Philadelphia parishes merged into 10 on July 1 as a result of the latest wave of parish consolidations in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s parish planning initiative. The parishes will form new, consolidated parishes with some of the churches becoming worship sites. For more news, visit AmericanCatholic.org.
18 percent over the past 10 years and in the Americas by 3.6 percent. The number of women in religious orders has shown “a sharp downward trend,” according to the statistical yearbook, with a 10 percent decrease worldwide since 2001, settling at just over 713,000 women religious at the end of 2011. The number of candidates for the priesthood, however, showed continued growth worldwide, rising from 118,990 candidates at the end of
2010 to 120,616 candidates at the end of 2011.
Pope Participates in Q&A with Young In his now well-known, off-the-cuff style, Pope Francis ditched a selfdescribed “boring” speech he had prepared for some 9,000 students, alumni, and teachers from Jesuit-run schools and associations in Italy and Albania and opted instead to answer Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 1 3
be in politics. “We can’t play the role of Pontius Pilate and wash our hands of it,” the pope answered, stating Catholics have “an obligation to get involved. Politics is one of the highest forms of charity because it seeks the common good.”
CNS PHOTO/MAX ROSSI, REUTERS
Pope Downplays Threat of Religious Orders’ Reform
Young people surround Pope Francis as he meets with students from Jesuit schools June 7 in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.
1 4 ❘ Augus t 2013
CNS PHOTO/MAX ROSSI, REUTERS
some of the attendees’ questions. When asked why he chose not to live in the apostolic palace, the pope said he wasn’t motivated by trying to live up to some kind of “personal virtue,” but rather joked, “It’s for psychiatric reasons.” Living alone “would not do me any good,” he said, explaining he preferred to live “among the people.” Pope Francis urged everyone gathered to try to live more simply, saying, “In a world where there is so much wealth, so many resources to feed everyone, it’s incomprehensible how there can be so many hungry children, so many children without an education, so many poor.” One teenage boy asked the pope for advice on how to remain faithful when struggling with doubt. “Don’t be afraid of failure,” the pope replied. Life’s journey “is truly the art of looking at the horizon, reflecting on where I want to go, but also putting up with the fatigue from this journey.” When asked by a young girl if he wanted to be pope, Pope Francis laughed and said no, remarking that a person who wants to become pope doesn’t have his best interest at heart. One adult present asked Pope Francis what Catholics’ role should
Speaking to a group of priests and nuns from Latin America June 6, Pope Francis told them not to worry if they find their orders under similar scrutiny as the US Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR). “They will make mistakes; they will make a blunder; this will pass!” the pope told the leaders of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Men and Women Religious. “Perhaps even a letter of the Congregation for the Doctrine [of the Faith] will arrive for you, telling you that you said this or that. . . . But do not worry. Explain what you have to explain, but keep going.” According to the Chilean magazine Reflexión y Liberación, which published a partial account of the meeting, Pope Francis admitted his job was “difficult” and that in the Roman Curia, there are “holy people,” but “there also is a stream of corruption. The ‘gay lobby’ is men-
tioned, and it is true, it is there. . . . We need to see what we can do.” Religion News Service reported that a network of gay clergy first surfaced around the time of the “Vatileaks scandal,” which led to the arrest and imprisonment of Pope Benedict XVI’s personal butler for leaking confidential communication to the press. Pope Benedict had tasked three retired cardinals to investigate the allegations of infighting and personal rivalries in the Curia mentioned in the documents. Pope Francis received the cardinals’ report after his election in March. One of Pope Francis’ first actions after being elected was to create a council of eight cardinals to offer suggestions on reforming the Vatican, an act which almost all cardinals in the conclave reportedly asked for. “I also asked for it,” the pope said. “I cannot promote the reform myself, these matters of administration. I am very disorganized; I have never been good at this. But the cardinals of the commission will move it forward.” In response to the release of the pope’s statements, the Vatican’s chief spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, said the meeting with the Latin American religious leaders was “of private nature” and “therefore, I have no statement to make on the content of the conversation.” A
Pope Francis meets with leaders of the Latin American and Caribbean Confederation of Men and Women Religious during a private audience at the Vatican June 6. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
Paid Advertisement
Memory Pill Helps the Brain Like Prescription Glasses Help the Eyes, Claims US Surgeon General Candidate Remarkable changes observed, helps users match the memory power of others 15 years younger in as little as 30 days! SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – Help is on the way for those who routinely lose their car keys, get lost while driving, forget to call people back, or misplace their TV remote control. Just like a good pair of glasses can make blurry vision, sharp and crystal-clear, there’s a new, doctor-recommended memory pill that may help your brain, sharpening your memory and mental powers, and making that slow-thinking, sluggish brain as sharp as a tack. In controlled research studies, the prescription-free formula, known as Procera AVH® has been shown to increase memory, mood, and mental clarity, but it does much more than that.
coaxing” aging brains to function more youthfully, helping match the speed, memory abilities and mental powers enjoyed by others who were up to 15 birthdays younger.
Younger-Functioning Brain in 30 Days? If the results of this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study, published in JANA, a leading peer-reviewed scientific journal, are to be believed, it may be entirely possible that you can get your new, youngerfunctioning brain in as little as 30 days. This is old news for Robert Heller, MD, who uses and recommends the formula. “It’s not a drug,” says Dr. Heller, “it’s a nutritional supplement that can help a Time Travel foggy, sluggish brain forYour Brain? become a sharper, quicker, and If you have ever dreamed healthier brain.” of traveling back in time, this drug-free compound may be Wake Up Call the next best thing. for Tired Brains For years, Dr. Heller looked for an effective solution to patients’ complaints about mind and memory. “I searched for a remedy or treatment that could help my patients, even friends and family, regain the memory and mental sharpness we all seem to lose with age. I am quite happy to now recommend Procera AVH as it gives the UCLA Geffen School of brain much needed support Medicine Assistant Clinical against free radicals and Professor and Internist, improve the decline in neuroRobert Heller, MD uses transmitters,andbloodflowand and recommends a drugoxygen.” free method to increase memory, mental focus “For me, it’s like reading and concentration. an eye chart with the right pair During research trials of glasses instead of an old pair at the prestigious Brain of lenses. Everything comes Sciences Institute, clinical into focus, my brain is more researchers witnessed a crisp, more focused, clearer, remarkable transformation in and sharper.” study participants’ brains. Dr. Con Stough at the Over a period of a few Brain Sciences Institute weeks, scientists observed the concurs, “It’s a fairly unique formula “biochemically process that pumps the brain
full of more energy (oxygen), improves blood circulation to the brain and increases the key neurotransmitters that are responsible for cognitive functioning.”
Curiositypiqued,Dr.Steiner did his own research to learn more about the formula He read about a US cognitive researcher who had taken a new approach to treating memory loss, addressing the “energy crisis” that occurs naturally in human brains around the age of 40-50. Author, researcher, A randomized, doublepreeminent brain expert, and blind, placebo-controlled lead formulator for Procera study on what may be the AVH, Joshua Reynolds, explains, world’s first truly effective memory pill was conducted “One-third of your brainpower at this university research may be lost by the age of 40, facility. and up to 50 percent may be Elizabeth K. of Rochester, lost by the age of 50!” NewYork experienced a nightHalf-Blind... and-day difference in her mind and Can’t See It and memory. At the age of 54, “If you were to lose half her memory was declining at your vision, essentially go an “alarming rate.” She searched high and half-blind, you would surely low for a solution, before she notice it,” says Reynolds. “But heard about ProceraAVH. She the gradual loss of mental acuity and brainpower over many decided to give it a try. “It took about a month for years may be too subtle for the memory benefit to kick in. people to notice.”This explains Six months later, even my why many Procera AVH users husband was impressed with seem surprised at the effects. my improved memory. And I am very happy with my renewed mental clarity and focus!” A ‘Bonus’ Effect? Elizabeth was pleasantly surprised with one of the formula’s ‘bonus effects.’ “Within a week I felt a wonderful change in my mood. It was such an unexpected bonus,” smiles Elizabeth. Pharmacist Gene Steiner, Pharm.D, was relocating to another state and was apprehensive about taking the state board of pharmacy jurisprudence examination, a daunting examination that tests a candidate’s mastery of pharmacy law. Dr. Steiner took Procera AVH daily for two weeks prior to the test, and passed with flying colors. “The recall I experienced was near fantastic,” says Steiner.
Frustrated and concerned about her “alarming rate” of memory loss, 54-year-old Elizabeth K., Rochester, NewYork, discovered a natural memory pill that changed her life.
Mark S. in Alego, Texas, was worried about being at his best during sales calls. “I really needed something to help with mental clarity, focus and memory. I have to be at my best when I meet with clients.” Shortly after he started taking Procera AVH, Mark was amazed at how sharp and mentally focused he was during his appointments. “It was definitely a noticeable difference. I was very pleased with Procera AVH and happy to know it will help me stay at my best.”
Neural Pathways, Revitalized! Three clinically validated brain boosting nutrients in Reynolds’ formula have been shown to “light up aging brains like a Christmas tree.” Procera revitalizes tired sluggish brains cells with a fresh supply of oxygen and key vital nutrients. Plus, it helps restore depleted neurotransmitters, which may help increase and enhance alertness, concentration, and memory. “We included acetyll-carnitine, a natural modified amino acid with a proven record of memory enhancement,” says Reynolds. “It’s the same brain nutrient found in cold-water fish, but you’d have to eat over 20 servings of fish to get what’s in one daily dose of Procera AVH.” The formula also contains vinpocetine, a substance that helps deliver increased oxygen and glucose to your brain. “Vinpocetine helps increase circulation in the brain, so your brain feels more alive, like a breath of fresh air,” says Reynolds. The third ingredient is huperzine, a potent plant chemical shown to improve learning and memory at all ages. “Students may do better in school when they take it,” adds Reynolds. “And the US government has been studying huperzine’s neuroprotective powers against the brain-damaging e f f e c t s o f pesticides in food.” Selwyn Howell credits Reynolds’ memory pill with bolstering his confidence. “It helped me speak out more than I used to. I am growing more confident every day.” Carey S. reports, “I feel so much more focused and with the new energy I’m now ready to tackle the things I’ve been putting off for years!”
Get a FREE Bonus Supply And a FREE Book,Too! Try Procera AVH RiskFree today and receive a Free Bonus Supply along with a free copy of medically acclaimed, 20/20 Brainpower: 20 Days toA Quicker, Calmer, Sharper Mind!, a $20 value.
Age-related vision loss is easily corrected with glasses. A novel drug-free compound has been found to help fight age-related memory loss and poor mental clarity in as little as 30 days.
Procera AVH is the leading US brain health supplement. It is clinically shown to help improve memory, mood and mental clarity! And it comes with a 90-day satisfaction guarantee so you can experience the long-term results risk-free, too! Free Rapid Detox Formula for First 500 Callers! Reynolds is also including, with the first 500 orders, a FREE supply of his powerful brain detox formula, Ceraplex, scientifically designed to help flush away environmental toxins from the brain to help enhance memory and focus even further. This is a special introductory offer and supplies are limited, so call now.
CallToll-Free! 1-800-223-8175 This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. UCLA is not involved in the product described in this material. The reference to Dr. Heller should not be construed as an endorsement by UCLA.
Why I Stay Catholic In a world full of questions, it was the only answer. TEXT BY KEVIN WELLS ■ PHOTOS BY TOM MCCARTHY JR.
M
OST NIGHTS after everyone has gone to sleep, I’ll climb the stairs for bed and pass into the soft sound of my childhood: the Baltimore Orioles’ play-by-play men whispering the story of the game from the pocket transistor radio in the bedroom of my 10-year-old son, Sean. It’s like a summer poem. And for a while, I’ll stand in darkness beside Sean’s top bunk, inches from his soft breath, and eavesdrop in on the late innings. Sean was given the unfashionable radio—the same small, rectangular model I fiddled with 35 years ago from my bunk bed when navigating through the AM static to tune in to a game. Like U2, Pat Conroy fiction, Irish pubs with low ceilings, and Baltimore’s Little Italy, baseball is a passion that will forever course through my bloodstream. I will never shake these joys. I can’t. I feel the same about my Catholic faith. No matter the anguish, consternation, or unhappiness it’s occasionally whipped up in me, I will never shake this sturdy and glorious faith. I can’t, because I know it to be true. I know it is the truth because it came from the lips of Jesus Christ. Our first pope passed on these wildly transformative truths and, like
16 ❘ Augus t 2013
10 of his closest friends, died for it. But skin strippings, upside-down crucifixions, beheadings, and all the rest of the agonies could not put a halt to this budding faith. There was too much glory in it. So like a world-class, 4x400 relay team, the early Church fathers, martyrs, and a mushrooming band of followers managed to pass it forward. And those very same deposits of faith spread like tentacles throughout a jolted, saucer-eyed world. Today, these radical, mind-bending truths are burned into our Magisterium and Catechism. These scripturally sound truths are as convincing to me today as Cal Ripken Jr. snapping Lou Gehrig’s streak was for me as a kid.
Saving Graces I remain a Catholic because it saved me. Minutes from death’s door after unsuccessful brain surgery in 2009, I was anointed by a healing priest and was mysteriously saved. I’ve too often brought distress and worldly concerns into eucharistic adoration only to be consoled and heartened in its aftermath. I’ve confessed my sins, received graces, and watched my life change in the smallest and most wonderful ways. I am continually floored by the manner in which a simple family rosary St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
Author Kevin Wells not only gave his son, Sean, 10, an appreciation for the Catholic faith, but also imparted a love for baseball. Many summer nights, Sean falls asleep to the Orioles’ broadcast from his father’s radio (left).
will change the entire complexion of my family. The Holy Spirit works wonders because it has no limitations. And because of our sacraments, this same Spirit booms within the Catholic faith. And as shepherd of my family, I want to sustain this Spirit and Catholic faith within my family. I know I am a substandard dad and husband. I need help. And things are changing.
Souls at Stake One night last summer, I took Sean to Camden Yards to watch the Orioles throttle the Oakland A’s 10-1. We sat through a steady drizzle for nine innings until, finally, Orioles’ left fielder Fr anciscanMedia.org
Nolan Reimold gathered in an easy fly to end the game. But at points in the game, I noted that my once-small boy is no longer small. For the first time he asked to leave his seat and buy his own Augus t 2013 ❘ 17
Kevin and his wife, Krista, make sure their children, Sean, Gabby, 12, and Shannon, 5, have healthy, well-rounded lives that include family prayer and practicing America’s pastime.
pretzel and soda. (Before, that was my job.) He overheard and commented on the five inebriated 20-somethings seated a row behind us and their choice of vulgarities. Time is moving on, and my boy is growing older—as are his siblings, 12-year-old Gabby and 5-year-old Shannon. In our hands, my wife, Krista, and I hold virtual innocence—souls unencumbered by the restlessness, confusion, and pain that run so deeply today. Sean was given the transistor radio partly because, in my own simplistic manner, I’m trying to hold back a dragon. Gabby has a stocked bookshelf because I’m trying to hold back that same dragon: the secular and youth culture. I think back to my most carefree days, and I recall the same joys most people probably do: flashlight tag, ice-cream trucks, backyard bonfires, and the neighborhood pool. I know my kids’ lives are not fairy tales. Eve reached for the apple, and sin, pain, and evil shot into the world. And soon, my children will suffer because of their unwise decisions. And they may slowly pull away into a world so contrary to their untroubled lives of today. Souls are at stake here. Today, perhaps more 18 ❘ Augus t 2013
than ever before, we wrap our arms around the unbending authenticity of our Catholic faith and work in piecemeal fashion at passing it on to our kids. This Catholic faith, I know, will help keep them from deep hurts and waywardness.
‘I Will Not Leave You’ In John’s astounding retelling of the Last Supper, Jesus comforts his confused disciples, telling them he will give them an advocate to be with them always. “I will not leave you orphans” (Jn 14:18a), Jesus says hours before his departure for Calvary. That line has remained with me since hearing it long ago. This rudderless culture—where immorality is mainstreamed and sacred truths are repeatedly punched in the mouth—will soon be upon them, and it will likely scar them in some ways. As a dad who wants to slay every dragon in sight of my children, I know I’m helpless in preventing it. Its fire spews unbridled. So I rely on the redeeming graces that my Catholic faith provides to help them feel “unorphaned” as they ease into their teenage years. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
All I can do is try to shape them and gently burn into their souls, psyches, and memories the gentle reassurances of God’s measureless love and tender care for them. So, after dinner, I resurrect life lessons from Little Visits with God, a book published in the 1950s, where names like Henry, Frank, and Judy pepper the pages to teach small lessons in morality. And they will laugh and poke fun at me for bringing outdated characters like “Harry the Grocer” and “Pete the Milkman” to our dinner table. I will laugh right along with them, but I will ask questions about virtue afterward. And these questions will help steer them to question their own morality and decisionmaking.
Breath of Heaven On some nights, we’ll pray the rosary. And on those nights—when they’re fidgety, when they can’t wait to get to the sidewalk chalk and the sprinkler, when it’s the third inning of the Orioles’ game—I imagine this rosary will one day become their most cherished prayer. When they look back one day, this rosary will be the most lasting, rhythmic memory of Fr anciscanMedia.org
their childhood. Prayer, they’ll discover if they Resurrecting an old already haven’t, is their umbilical cord to favorite after dinner, Kevin heaven. It will feed them always. reads Little Visits with God And on the way to the barn to ride Manny, to the family. It’s his hope the old racetrack thoroughbred, their mom that his children never will occasionally stop by the exposed Blessed forget God’s love for them Sacrament at our parish up the street to allow is immeasurable and them to share their hearts with Jesus. Mommy constant. will tell them that Jesus is right there in the chapel in front of them, listening to their every word. She will tell them that he loves when you visit him, maybe more than anything else in the world. We will continually lead them deeper into the mysteries tal of their faith. Because it’s true, Digi as Click here to read more Extr and because it will one day, articles on the beauty of God willing, lead to the salvathe Catholic faith. tion of their souls. And, really, isn’t that what this is all about? A Kevin Wells is the author of Burst: A Story of God’s Grace When Life Falls Apart (Servant Books), in which he tells the story of his near-death. In 2012, he was awarded the James Cardinal Hickey National Figure Award by the Archdiocese of Washington, DC. Kevin and his family live in Maryland. Augus t 2013 ❘ 19
Angels All around Us They defend us, protect us, and remind us that God is closer than we think. B Y L A U R A S TA N K O B R I T T O , O S F
I
ILLUSTRATION BY ANNE HORTS/i2iART.COM
T WAS A COLD WINTER day when he first appeared as I was stacking books in the religion section of a major bookstore. We began a conversation about classic Catholic authors, mysticism, and spirituality. He was surprised I knew something about the mystics and inquired about how I came to have read so many books on spirituality. I revealed that I had studied theology and had worked in the Church as a minister of religious education. He asked if he could pray for me because he felt God was leading him to do so. I immediately had a sense that God was present with us. The man’s presence brought a sense of peace and calm to me in a time of turmoil and confusion. It was my break time, and the man and I went to the café to talk. I learned his name was Michael, and he was studying for ministry in the Orthodox Church. We talked, and I shared that my father was in the hospital in Connecticut and not doing well. I was working at the bookstore after being laid off from a teaching position and I was also suffering from depression. He prayed for peace and God’s presence in my life and the Fr anciscanMedia.org
health of my father. I experienced an immense transforming peace that I hadn’t known in a long time. I never learned Michael’s last name even though, over the next few months, when he would come into the store, I would try to take my break so that we would have coffee and talk about life and prayer. We talked about how family life can be difficult and challenging. We also shared our love for the Eucharist. I wrote in my journal that Michael was like an angel from God who was sent to offer hope and peace during a very difficult time in my life. My father died that May, and I only saw Michael once more after that. My experience with Michael—and others who have touched my life— seems as though God sent my guardian angel in human form. Reflecting on how God has entered my life through “angels,” I realized that my prayer also led me to ponder ways in which God called me to be one for others.
To Protect and Serve Everyone has an angel story. It may be the experience of barely avoiding a car accident, or a stranger stopping to help you when your car breaks down on the side of the road. Recently, I was
driving the speed limit when the car behind me began bearing down on me. I resisted going faster. Suddenly, a deer raced across the road. Realizing that I probably would have hit the deer if I had been going faster, I gave thanks to God for the protection I felt. Once, when I was working in a parish, I was leading a Communion service on the feast of the Guardian Angels because the pastor of the parish was called to an emergency and couldn’t say the daily Mass. I read the readings for the day, and one of the daily communicants, a man named Jim, asked if he could share something. With tears in his eyes, he shared how his guardian angel had protected him from serious injury and had been there at other times. We were all touched by his sharing. Jim got me to become more aware of God’s presence and protection in my life. The Church teaches that we each have a guardian angel, though I feel as if I’ve had several. Many of us may have had the traditional picture hanging in our rooms of a winged angel helping a child cross a bridge. Or perhaps we have wondered what our angel’s name is. My angels—the nonwinged variety—have been called Augus t 2013 ❘ 21
tal Digi as Extr
Click here for more articles and resources on angels.
The Catholic Church on
ANGELS
Michael, Jim, Ellie, Rita, and many other names. I, too, have been called to be an angel. When I was walking home from my job once, I met an older woman who seemed confused trying to cross a busy intersection. I offered to help her. She told me she was lost and looking for the post office so she could pick up her food stamps. I offered to walk with her to the post office and realized that it wasn’t a task she could accomplish on her own. A phone call the next day to social services arranged for the food stamps to be mailed directly to her and for additional assistance that she needed. I never met her again, but my experience with her told me that I needed to become more aware of how to help seniors, especially those without families.
Easing Life’s Burdens
As I write this, I find myself in prayer, reflecting on people in my life who brought glad tidings to me and announced the Lord’s presence. There’s a difference, however, between angel in the strict Catholic sense, and angel in the broader context. Friends and family who support us in times of struggle are angels, in a sense, but the Catholic Church’s formal definition of the word is quite different. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) speaks of the Church and humans benefiting from the presence of these holy beings. “The existence of the spiritual, non-corporeal beings that Sacred Scripture usually calls ‘angels’ is a truth of faith. The witness of Scripture is as clear as the unanimity of Tradition” (CCC 328). The Catholic Church believes there is a link among believers, angels, and the God who made us all: “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and interces-
© MARCO KLAUE/FOTOLIA
sion. ‘Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life.’ Already here on earth the Christian life shares by faith in the blessed company of angels and men united in God” (CCC 336).
22 ❘ Augus t 2013
While I was working as a religious educator in a parish in Lynchburg, Virginia, I took a class in pastoral counseling at Virginia Baptist Hospital, where I visited patients. For several weeks I visited an elderly man in rehab who had suffered a stroke and was learning to speak again. It was hard for me to understand him in the beginning, but I stayed and listened and came back the following weeks. One day, when I went to visit him, his wife was there to take him home. He introduced me to her and thanked me for listening and talking with him when he was just learning to speak. He told me I had been an angel in his life. It seems that everywhere I have lived I have met people who have come into my life and been there spiritually for me during lonely and difficult times. After a major traffic accident 20 years ago, I needed rides to and from physical therapy. A neighbor, who was the mother of four young children, somehow got me there and back many days. It is the caring, the meals, and the assistance we offer to those in need or at a death of a loved one that make God present to others. Another story I’m reminded of is St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
when my son was very sick just after being born. He spent two weeks in the neonatal intensive care. People I hardly knew brought meals and support. Friendship is a training ground for angels. During my senior year of college, I lived in a lay community called Emmaus, along with 11 others. Our landlady, Rita, lived next door, and she provided a listening ear, a cup of tea, and baked goods if we came over to do laundry free of charge in her machine. She patiently listened as we grew in faith and maturity. She would take my hand and say a prayer. She was like a mother to us.
So that his work might continue... Please remember
FRANCISCAN MEDIA in your estate plans
Our legal title is: Franciscan Media LLC 28 W. Liberty Street ■ Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498 For more information, call: 1-800-488-0488
Travel with Fr. Frank & other Catholics!
All around Us During the year between college and graduate school, I went back to Connecticut and lived with my great-aunt, Mary. She had been a widow for many years and was a very prayerful person. During the course of that year she was diagnosed with cancer and decided to forgo chemotherapy. She did not want to die in a hospital and spoke of going to heaven and seeing her beloved husband. While I believe God wanted me there to help care for Mary, I realized that, in many ways, she was teaching and ministering to me. As she grew weaker, she could do less and less, but the last thing she gave up was helping prepare meals for shut-ins. We talked about her funeral and planned it. Mary was more of an angel to me than I was to her. Indeed, human angels are all around us. They offer a comforting word or a smile to us when our day may not be going well. On our spiritual journeys, they stand by us during the valleys and dark times. These angelic people, for me, have been the good listeners who help us in our times of grief or despair. Their reflective listening and encouraging words, a shared verse of Scripture, or a question that causes us to look at life in a new way help us know God’s presence in our lives. A Laura Stanko Britto, OFS, is a middle school teacher and a mother of two. She and her husband, Greg, live in Woodbridge, Virginia. Fr anciscanMedia.org
Caribbean Cruise & New Orleans Tour
11 Days
from
$1349*
Price Includes Airfare from 51 U.S. Cities! Your chaplain is Fr. Frank Wittouck, SCJ, from Houston, TX. This will be his 8th trip with YMT as your Catholic chaplain.
Depart January 30, 2014 Your adventure begins in fabulous New Orleans! Enjoy a city tour and discover ‘The Big Easy,’ including the French Quarter, colorful Bourbon Street, the Ninth Ward, devastated by Hurricane Katrina; and travel on St. Charles Avenue, following the Mardi Gras route. You will also visit the museum “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond Exhibition,” plus tour two area historical mansions and plantations. Relax and unwind on board Royal Caribbean’s Serenade of the Seas, for your 7-night cruise of the Caribbean. Take advantage of the many onboard amenities as you sail to the ports of: Falmouth, Jamaica, noted for being one of the Caribbean’s best preserved Georgian towns; Georgetown, Grand Cayman, with crystal-clear warm waters and stretch out on the radiant white sands at 7-Mile Beach and off the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, Cozumel, Mexico. * Per person, based on double occupancy. Price based on Inside Cabin, upgrades available. Add $299 tax/service/government fees.
For details, itinerary, reservations & letter from YMT’s chaplain with his phone number call 7 days a week:
1-800-736-7300 Augus t 2013 ❘ 23
Stopping by Church on a Summer Afternoon Weighed down by life, a woman finds respite in her church. BY KRISTINA SANTOS
I
T’S A TUESDAY in July and the thermometer has hit 100 degrees. I feel wound tight as a drum—tense with fatigue, with the heat. It’s been a difficult day; what is usually smooth going feels bumpy and rough. The troubles that are always here—an ongoing problem with a coworker, a worry about my son, the terminal illness of my mother-in-law—seem so much harder to bear today. On my way to get groceries after work, I drive by church and see that one side of the double wooden doors is open. It looks shadowy and quiet inside. It looks restful, inviting. I decide to stop. Stepping from the air-conditioned car, I find the heat feels so stifling and heavy it hurts to breathe. I think of words from St. Augustine: “Is not the life of man upon earth a trial, a continuous trial? All my hope lies only in your great mercy.”
Taking Refuge
ILLUSTRATION © DICK COLE
Inside church, I take a generous helping of holy water. I bless myself: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Water slips down my nose, splashes on my blouse. It feels cool and reviving, like a gift from heaven, a touch of God’s instant mercy. Two women are kneeling before the altar. Their murmured prayers float toward me like a song of devotion, welcoming me into church. I pause in the vestibule, listening to them, respectful of their presence, their prayers. The women embrace and then leave church through the front side door. I pray for them— Fr anciscanMedia.org
that whatever they are praying for, they will be comforted, they will know they are not alone. I walk toward the altar, as the women before me had just done and as countless others have done. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes: “So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help” (4:16). How blessed we are with this confidence we have in our God? How blessed we are to be this “us” that is not alone here? Sometimes, during difficult times in my life, I’ve felt that the people who gather here— those of us who are drawn together in our mutual need to be close to God—have held me up, held on to me. I’ve felt connected, heart to heart, prayer to prayer. Here in God’s house, from the small space of our individual lives, we come together in faith. As the Dominican Timothy Radcliffe says, “We tiptoe into a larger space, God’s vastness, whose compassion is beyond our imagination.”
Soaking in God’s Presence I kneel in a front pew. The breeze, passing through the open windows and front side doors, gently lifts the altar cloth. The way it is moving, it seems as pretty and alive as summer flowers. The palm trees outside are crackling and swishing. On each side of the altar, votive candles flicker beneath the statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and our Blessed Mother. The sanctuary lamp gives off a comforting red glow. It is quiet and still—yet it seems so alive. I think of all the sacred ceremonies that have Augus t 2013 ❘ 25
gone on here: weekday morning Masses, Sunday Masses, weddings. Just this morning a funeral was celebrated for a 91-year-old man. I think of all the people marching up to Communion, the confessions, the professions of faith, the knees knelt on, the hands folded, the heads bent, the tears cried, the smiles and hugs offered.
tal Digi as Extr
Click here to read more articles about the richness of the Catholic faith.
It seems to me that all that has been here is here still. It can’t be seen, but as St. Paul says: what can be “seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal” (2 Cor 4:18). It all stays; nothing is lost. I think of my brother’s funeral, years ago now; my husband’s and my wedding 40 years ago; our son’s Baptism, first Communion, and Confirmation— and all of the other sacred events in the
75-year history of this church. The joy, the grief, the love, and the community that was created then continue. Such weight, such holy heaviness— layer upon layer of holy happenings.
A Spirit Reenergized I feel my tension easing, releasing into the weight of every single thing that has happened here, into the love and hope of every prayer, and into the holy sacraments through which Jesus brings us close to “the Father of compassion” (2 Cor 1:3). Resting here, I feel blessed with God’s gentle presence. I feel how, in the words of the Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins, “We are wound with mercy round and round, as if with air.” As I leave church on this July day, I pause to make the sign of the cross with holy water. It’s still hot outside, but I feel more capable of coping with the heat, and with everything else that’s difficult as well. I thank God for bringing me here, for knowing my need and showing me the open door of the church. I pray that
with this mercy I have received, I will also be merciful to others in all of the situations and problems that I face. Our need to be both receivers and givers of mercy is the purpose of Christ’s presence among us. “He, Himself, in a certain sense, is mercy,” says Pope John Paul II. “The truth, revealed in Christ, about God the ‘Father of mercies,’ enables us to ‘see’ Him as particularly close to man, especially when man is suffering.” This is why, with a lively sense of faith, we are turning “almost spontaneously, to the mercy of God . . . being moved to do this by Christ Himself, who through his spirit works within human hearts.” I will stop by church another day, I know. And God will be here waiting and will gather me in—as he gathers in each and every one of us—hot, tired, worried, fit, unfit, and in between. A Kristina Santos is a freelance writer from Patterson, California. She has had over 150 short stories and nonfiction articles published in Catholic and Christian magazines.
LIGHTEN UP
“I was good today, but it was probably a fluke.” 26 ❘ Augus t 2013
“I just can’t say enough about renouncing my vow of silence.” St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
Bringing a Message of Service and Hope to All
Officially Licensed by the Vatican Observatory Foundation
Pope Francis Exclusively from Ashton-Drake On March 19, 2013, Pope Francis, history’s first Jesuit Pope and the first from Latin America, officially began his papal ministry. During his inaugural Mass, the Argentine native pledged to serve ‘‘the poorest, the weakest, and the least important,’’ striking the same tones of humility that have marked the days since his election. It’s a message consistent with his beloved namesake, thirteen-century friar St. Francis of Assisi, giving hope and inspiration to believers around the world. Officially licensed by the Vatican Observatory Foundation, the Pope Francis Limited Edition is a moving portrayal of the 266th Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church on the day of his installation, beautifully sculpted by a renowned master doll artist and painted by hand. Richly detailed, fabric costuming re-creates The Holy Father’s ceremonial vestments embellished with golden embroideries and papal symbols, and he carries a golden staff. The edition comes complete with a custom display base adorned with a brass-finished plaque.
An incredible value—strictly limited! Your Pope Francis Limited Edition is individually handnumbered with a matching-numbered Certificate of Authenticity and arrives in a custom Collector’s Box with a special Collector’s Card. This fine collectible can be yours for just $129.99*, payable in five easy installments of $25.99 each, backed by our 365-day guarantee. Orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis— and worldwide demand is expected, so DON’T WAIT. Order today!
www.ashtondrake.com/pope
Order now! Call 1-800-346-2460
The Ashton-Drake Galleries
9200 North Maryland Ave. Niles, Illinois 60714-1397 PLEASE RESPOND PROMPTLY
❒YES! Please reserve the Pope Francis Limited Edition for me as described in this announcement.
( Name (please print clearly)
Address
City
)
Telephone
Apt. No.
State
E-mail Address
Zip
03-02063-001-D63501
*Plus a total of $14.99 shipping and service charges. Please allow 10 to 12 weeks for shipment after initial payment is received. All orders are subject to acceptance.
This figure is not a toy, but a fine collectible. Approx. 17" including display base. ©2013 Ashton-Drake, 9200 North Maryland, Ave., Niles, IL 60714-1397
03-02063-001-BI
‘I Have a Dream’ On the anniversary of Dr. King’s famous speech, a leading black theologian discusses what it means for us today. B Y F AT H E R B R YA N N . MASSINGALE
T
HE SCENE has become iconic in America’s memory: a vast crowd numbering hundreds of thousands massed on the broad expanse facing the Lincoln Memorial—the largest interracial gathering for justice in the nation’s history—and the resonant voice of a powerful, young preacher intoning in rhythmic cadence: “I have a dream.” Martin Luther King Jr.’s address on that August day 50 years ago is justly legendary. It has been acclaimed as the most important speech of the 20th century, a milestone of the civil-rights movement, and a masterful articulation of the aspirations for which black Americans were striving. This speech is one of the most quoted texts in social and political discourse. Few would have no understanding of what or whom “I have a dream” refers to. Yet that very familiarity is both beguiling and troubling. Every January, in celebrations marking his birth, we hear King’s signature summons replayed on the nation’s airwaves. So common is this refrain that one can be forgiven for becoming numb to its impact and enduring relevance even as we celebrate its importance. The iconic status of King and his “dream speech” is an obstacle to a deeper understanding of both his life and his continuing challenge. As we mark the 50th anniversary of this landmark speech, let us take the time to consider it in its totality. Let us ponder its meaning for a Church faced with increasing cultural diversity and a country still struggling with the challenge of ensuring effective racial and economic justice to all of its citizens.
The Speech in Its Fullness CNS FILE PHOTO
28 ❘ Augus t 2013
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday is recognized alongside Presidents’ Day and other national holidays, was a scholar, preacher, writer, and civilrights martyr.
Dr. King’s famous speech is much invoked, yet seldom fully read. We tend to focus on the final eight minutes of an almost 20-minute address. We highlight the dream part of the text and thus neglect King’s prior diagnosis of the nation’s anemia concerning its will for racial justice. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
50 Years Later
CNS PHOTO/MICHAEL MCARDLE, NORTHWEST INDIANA CATHOLIC
King began by noting that he was speaking on the 100th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the act by which Abraham Lincoln made a first step toward the legal abolition of slavery in the United States. King recalled that event in order to give a report card to the nation on its progress toward ensuring justice for all its citizens, and especially its citizens of color. King deftly outlined what he called the country’s “shameful condition” concerning its treatment of slavery’s descendants. He declared: “But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free; 100 years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination; 100 years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean Fr anciscanMedia.org
of material prosperity; 100 years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself in exile in his own land.” Indeed, King concluded that the country’s promise of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” to African Americans was nothing more than a metaphorical bad check that came back to its bearers stamped “insufficient funds.” It is important to underscore, then, that before the comforting “dream” section that is so often quoted, King delivered a scathing critique of the nation’s lack of political will to confront the pervasive racial injustice in its midst. He sharply criticized the lack of urgency within the country to address the ills that consigned
What does the future hold for America’s young? It surely will be in a diverse society. Pictured here, the Emerson High School choir performs at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels in Gary, Indiana, during an annual King tribute.
Augus t 2013 ❘ 29
30 ❘ Augus t 2013
too many to the margins of social and economic life. Such complacency, he argued, was typified by those who sought refuge in “the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.” In the face of such entrenched callousness and social indifference, King strongly maintained that human progress was neither automatic nor inevitable, but instead required tireless exertion and commitment to the cause of right. He did not relate his vision in order to offer either facile comfort to the majority or reassurance of their goodwill. Rather, he spoke of his dream to encourage those assembled, who had to leave Washington and return to the struggle for justice, with all of its hardships, risks, and dangers: “Go back to Mississippi; go back to Alabama; go back to South Carolina; go back to Georgia; go back to Louisiana; go back to the slums and ghettoes of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.” The most famous and quoted section of King’s address, the part that we most recall, “I have a dream . . .” comes only after and in the context of that prophetic indictment of injustice. Perhaps this is the reason why, as a nation, we don’t focus on the speech’s beginning. Its sharp edge reminds us of a painful and shamefilled history, one that leaves us uncomfortable,
PHOTO BY WARREN K. LEFFLER/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT
(Right) This photo, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, shows the crowd estimated between 200,000 and 300,000, 80 percent black, gathered to advocate for civil-rights legislation in Congress. The Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts followed.
PHOTO BY LEROY WOODSON/ NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
(Far right) Dr. King is seen here with other religious leaders at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, August 28, 1963, where he made his iconic speech.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
(Right) Poverty in America has hit black communities hardest. These children lived in substandard housing in Birmingham, Alabama, a center of the civil-rights movement.
for it haunts us with the tragic acts and silences of our past—a past not yet fully overcome.
Browning of Church and Society Yes, this nation has transcended much of the ugliness of its troubled racial past. But if we dwell on the prophetic force of King’s speech in its entirety, we see that it is more than a cherished relic that attests to how noble souls conquered past injustices. It is a sobering summons to confront the legacies of the past that stubbornly endure still today. ■ As during King’s lifetime, the myth of black achievement and progress masks the reality of token accomplishment on the part of St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
CNS PHOTO/JIM WEST
CNS PHOTO/JIM WEST
(Left) Poverty remains a stifling issue in America to this day. This Washington, DC, soup kitchen is typical of those in cities across the country.
a few. On every measure of social progress— for example, educational attainment, life expectancy, and gainful employment—African Americans still lag far behind not only white society, but also other racial and ethnic groups. ■ As during King’s life, black and brown children still are too often uneducated and undereducated, enduring learning environments that would be deemed intolerable for whites, and thus are stymied in their quests for intellectual opportunities commensurate with their abilities. ■ As during his life, our nation’s prison population is overwhelmingly young, poor, male, uneducated, black and brown, who experiFr anciscanMedia.org
ence harsher sentences than white people charged with similar crimes. ■ As during King’s life, our nation’s street corners are gathering places for, in the words of President Barack Obama, “young men and women without hope, without miracles, and without a sense of destiny other than life on the edge—the edge of the law, the edge of the economy, the edge of family structures and communities.” ■ As during his lifetime, racial violence and hate crimes still stain our public life. Burning crosses, hanging nooses, and Nazi swastikas are still deployed, too often, to remind us of the normative racial hierarchy that refuses to be disturbed. As a country, we are becoming more racially and culturally diverse than ever before. Our unfinished struggle for racial justice gives these disturbing realities heightened urgency. At least one out of three Americans is now “Latino or nonwhite” (a category used by the US Census Bureau). Moreover, almost half of the nation’s children under the age of 5 are members of racial or ethnic minority groups.
(Far left) The marches continue, this one in April 2013, in Birmingham, Alabama, to mark the anniversary of Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” a plea for solidarity. Wrote King, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Augus t 2013 ❘ 31
© JAMIEWILSON/DREAMSTIME.COM
Because of immigration patterns and differing birthrates among the various racial groups, it appears likely that by the middle of this century, whites will no longer be the majority race in the United States. Indeed, it is probable that our country will have no single racial majority group. The US Catholic Church is ahead of the nation in this decisive racial and ethnic shift. At the conference “Diversity in the Church” held at the University of Notre Dame in May 2010, thenApostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pietro Sambi told the participants that white Anglos were now a minority of the US Church. He declared: “We don’t have diversity in the Church. We are a diverse Church.” Every Sunday, Catholics in this country worship in dozens of lanKing dreamed of a guages; among these are English, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Chinese, Korean, Hmong, and time when “little Vietnamese. black boys and Further evidence of this significant demoblack girls will be graphic change lies in the composition of the nation’s priests. Every year since 1999, between able to join hands 20 and 30 percent of the newly ordained diocewith little white san priests are foreign-born. Indeed, in some boys and white dioceses, including my own of Milwaukee, girls as sisters and recent years have seen the majority of our newly ordained clergy being foreign-born Latibrothers.” nos, Africans, and Asians. By God’s grace, the Catholic Church in the United States has now become a microcosm of the world. Thus, the future of both our nation and our Church is indeed “brown.” The landscapes of both are being, and already have been, decisively altered. Our schools and workplaces, and our parishes and churches, are more racially and ethnically diverse than many would have imagined, dreamed, hoped—and some may have desired. One of the signs of the time in our nation is a sense of anxl ta Digi as Click here to read more artiiety over, discomfort with, and Extr cles on Dr. King and divereven opposition to this change sity within the Church. in population and membership. For example, the 2008 papal Mass in Washington, DC, during Pope Benedict XVI’s visit, highlighted our Church’s diversity, from the Acts Pentecost reading to multilingual Prayers of the Faithful to liturgical music from across the cultural spectrum. Said one major Catholic commentator during the live broadcast: “We’ve just been 32 ❘ Augus t 2013
subjected to an overpreening display of multicultural chatter. And now the Holy Father will begin the sacred part of the Mass.” The contrast, if not opposition, the commentator drew between “multicultural” and the “sacred” is striking, sad, and disturbing. His statement was never challenged or rebuked. Apparently, this Catholic leader believed that only European cultural products and music could be truly Catholic. It is important that we not see such events as isolated incidents. They illustrate a gnawing concern over and even discomfort with the changing American and Catholic identities now under way. Such deep ambivalence, if not resistance, complicates and magnifies the challenge of addressing the legacy of racial injustice that still endures in our nation. As a nation and a faith community, we have not yet realized the dream to which King gave voice 50 years ago.
The Beloved Community So what was King’s dream? What was the vision that inspired not only his famous speech, but also his life and ministry? King called his vision “the Beloved Community.” By this he meant, as biographer Lewis V. Baldwin explains, an “inclusive and interracial society characterized by freedom and justice for all.” Toward the end of his life, King used another metaphor to describe his animating vision, that of a “great world house” where people relate across their differences according to the norms of justice and love. He described this vision as follows: “We have inherited a large house, a great ‘world house,’ in which we have to live together—black and white, Easterner and Westerner, gentile and Jew, Catholic and Protestant, Moslem and Hindu—a family unduly separated in ideas, cultures, and interests, who, because we can never live again apart, must learn to live with each other in peace.” This deep conviction of the interconnectedness of the human family, what Pope John Paul II, echoing Catholic social teaching, called “solidarity,” is the essence of King’s dream. The cause that guided his thoughts and actions was the realization of an inclusive human community where all are accepted whatever their differences, regardless of race, color, creed, or class. The Beloved Community is the heart of King’s dream, a vision of a society marked by the embrace of the other as a full participant in social, economic, and political life. This is why King declared that he dreamed St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
Hope for Today The major shifts occurring in the composition of our nation and Church give new urgency to the quest for racial and economic justice. The Catholic Church of the 21st century will be shaped by the seismic shift in the demographics of US society and in its own membership. And our Church cannot adequately respond to these shifts unless it becomes an effective witness of human inclusion and a proactive force for racial justice. It is here that King’s dream can serve as a powerful resource for sorely needed inspiration. There is a tendency to dismiss dreams, visions, and oratory as naive exercises of romantic idealists. We dare not speak against them, so we celebrate their anniversaries and then tuck them back away. We return to the grind of daily reality with its gritty demands Fr anciscanMedia.org
that are seemingly impervious to efforts to change them. King’s address—with its combination of prophetic challenge and visionary idealism—reminds us of the power and necessity of dreams. Visions such as his Beloved Community illumine possibilities that are overlooked, paths
CNS PHOTO/GREGORY A. SHEMITZ, LONG ISLAND CATHOLIC
of a time when “little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.” This was not a mere flourish of brilliant oratory. It was an illustration of a deeper, bigger vision of inclusive welcome, acceptance, and embrace. Nor are the images he offered in his “dream speech” the musings of a utopian, romantic idealist. King understood all too well that realizing such a dream would require sustained struggle, courageous commitment, and, above all, the relentless pursuit of social and economic justice. Toward the end of his life, King renewed his commitment to his dream and expanded upon it by adding: “I still have a dream that one day the idle industries of Appalachia will be revitalized, and the empty stomachs of Mississippi will be filled, and brotherhood will be more than a few words at the end of a prayer, but rather the first order of business of every legislative agenda.” This, then, is King’s dream for America, both as a nation and as a people of various faith commitments. For King believed that his vision of the Beloved Community was nothing else but the earthly form of the reign of God. And as he looked at the multiracial throng that thunderously acclaimed his address on that August day in 1963, he later reported, “For a brief moment, I saw the vision of the Beloved Community realized.”
not yet taken, potentials that lie dormant, and capacities not yet developed. Visions spring from and fuel our inner spirits from which come the courage, fortitude, and determination we need for our protracted struggle against injustice. Dreams and visions inspire us to continue to build a country and a Church that are more faithful to its national creed and its faith convictions. Prophetic visions, such as King’s, inspire us to continue to act as God’s agents in the world. And they assure us that efforts for wider and deeper justice for all are not in vain. In the words of the dreamer, “With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.” May the Church say “Amen!” to the challenge of realizing King’s dream. A
Kailah Douglas (right) sings with her sister, Danielle, and the rest of the Thea Bowman choir at this 2008 Mass for black Catholics at St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre, New York. The choir is named for the late Franciscan Sister Thea Bowman, a leader in intercultural awareness.
Father Bryan N. Massingale, a priest of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, is a professor of theology at Marquette University. Former president of the Catholic Theological Society of America, he holds an STD in moral theology from Accademia Alfonsiana in Rome. His most recent book is the awardwinning Racial Justice and the Catholic Church (Orbis Books). Augus t 2013 ❘ 33
LIVING SIMPLY
❘ BY CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON
The Transportation Transformation
G
o outside and take a deep breath—if you dare. Smog has become as much a summertime staple as baseball games and parish festivals. And we have nobody to blame but ourselves. It’s no secret that we Americans have a dependency on our cars. In fact, the Sierra Club, one of the nation’s oldest environmental organizations, reports that Americans travel almost three trillion miles by car each year. Transportation contributes about one-third of all US carbon dioxide emissions, according to Sierra’s reports. That’s a lot of pollution. While it’s unrealistic for most of us to give up our cars completely, making subtle adjustments to our lifestyles and our habits can offset significant environmental harm. Here are some tips for sensible traveling.
1
Drive carefully.
2
Carpool.
“The earth is the LORD’s and all it holds, the world and those who live there.”
—Ps 24:1
3 4 ❘ Augus t 2013
© STEFANO LUNARDI/ISTOCKPHOTO
© NEJRON PHOTO/FOTOLIA
The Environmental Protection Agency encourages drivers to avoid aggressive acceleration and braking. It’s also important to make sure tires are properly inflated. Tires that are inflated appropriately improve gas mileage.
The benefit is twofold: we are aiding the environment by having one fewer car on the road; and the relationships we share with those in the car with us can be strengthened. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
© VLADIMIR SEMENOV/ISTOCKPHOTO
3
Combine trips. The US Department of Energy encourages drivers to have a game plan before running errands. Short trips from a car that has been idle can use twice the fuel that combining trips does. It also reduces the wear and tear on your car.
4
Bus it.
5
Ride a bike.
Keeping your car in park just two days a week can lower greenhouse gas emissions. According to the American Public Transit Association, using public transportation regularly can save the equivalent of 900,000 fill-ups every day.
6 7
Be a roamin’ Catholic. Stretching our legs for a walk can strengthen bones, lower blood pressure, and lift our moods.
What would Francis do? Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of ecology, but, in his lifetime, he was also an optimist—and no stranger to walking. “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible,” is a saying attributed to him. Francis had a deep love for the earth and for those who shared it with him. We can do the same.
Aside from the environmental benefits, cycling can improve muscle tone, improve heart health, and reduce stress.
Fr ancisca n Media .org
Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 3 5
Beyond
Sticks and Stones Teen harassment is a growing epidemic. Here are tips for adults to help prevent it. BY JENNIE WITHERS
H
PHOTO BY GREG KRELLER
IS NAME IS ISMAEL, which means “May God hear.” It is an appropriate name for this 15year-old young man of slight build, whose warm smile and lively brown eyes reveal he has wisdom to share. I met him at a conference on bullying where he was part of a student panel. Ismael introduced himself and told me that because I wrote Hey, Back Off! Tips for Stopping Teen Harassment, I was his hero. I had a feeling if I heard this young man’s story, he would become mine. I was right. Ismael is being raised by his grandparents. He is quick to point out there are no other people on this earth who could have done a better job. Ismael is an old soul who would prefer to live in a time when Doris Day was in her prime. “I am a Democrat, and becoming the first Hispanic president is something I might do,” he tells me. “I am not just Catholic, I am an ultra-Catholic. One item on my bucket list is to someday meet a pope. And I want to be like Mother Teresa and help as many people as possible. I think being a priest is also a future possibility, as is marriage, family, and being a deacon.” Ismael’s smile fades after I ask him when his problems with bullying began. It was the sixth grade. Although uncomfortable with going into too much detail about how he was Fr anciscanMedia.org
harassed, Ismael reveals he was rumored to be gay. He believes this happened because he didn’t like sports in a school where athletes were kings. He was bullied verbally and physically for being outspoken about political and religious views. “One time, some of the kids played keepaway with my rosary I carry with me,” he recalls. “I was pushed, shoved, and even choked.” I ask Ismael the question I always ask when speaking to teens about their struggles with bullies: I want to know if he told anyone about what was happening to him. Ismael glances at his grandmother apologetically before answering: “I went to my school counselor. He told me, ‘Kids will be kids,’ and that I should ‘toughen up.’ I didn’t tell my grandparents because I didn’t want to worry them. I told God, but I didn't want to tell anyone at my church. I guess I was ashamed.” Sharing any problem with adults is difficult for teens, but issues with bullying seem to be particularly rough. The reason may be that they lack the knowledge about harassment they need to express themselves. Alternatively, teens also recognize adults who do not know or understand what they are going through and, therefore, cannot help them. It is imperative for teens, parents, and those working with teens to know what constitutes harassment and the laws and policies in place
Ismael Fernandez’s bullying began in the sixth grade. Not wanting to worry his grandparents, Ismael tried to correct the problem on his own, to no avail. As a result, his grades slipped and he lost interest in the activities he used to enjoy.
Augus t 2013 ❘ 37
to stop and prevent it. Teens who know about harassment are provided a way to analyze their experiences and a vocabulary to discuss what is happening to them. Adults who are educated realize harassment cannot be solved with quick fixes or useless clichés.
A Hostile Environment
tal Digi as Extr
Sixth grade was only the beginning of Ismael’s victimization. He followed the advice of his counselor and tried to toughen up and stand up for himself. It didn’t work. Harassment that goes unchecked escalates and becomes severe, persistent, and pervasive. By the end of seventh grade, Ismael was in a dire situation. “There were two things that made seventh grade worse,” he says. “I got a cell phone, and somehow a group of kids who picked on me got the number. They would send me texts telling me to kill myself or threatening to beat Click here for more informe up. mation and resources on “The other thing happened teen harassment prevenin my favorite class: band. We tion. had a substitute. Four boys— one of them was my cousin— started in on me, saying I was gay and other stuff. Before too long, the whole class was against me. The substitute had no control. The only person standing up for me was my sister.” Ismael’s grandmother says she attempted to contact the school after the incident, but each time she was told they were taking care of it. The principal’s way of dealing with the situation was to make Ismael work on a char-
ity project with the four boys who had abused him because “they needed to learn to get along.” Ismael’s grandmother didn’t like this, but Ismael wasn’t talking to her about what happened to him, so she went along with it. I was not surprised to hear the boys were nice to one another while they were working together, but the bullies were unreformed because they had not experienced any real consequence. There was some change for Ismael, however. “I felt like the things that were happening to me were my fault because I needed to learn how to get along with other people,” he says. “I think it was because of that I really stopped talking to anyone about anything, except God. It was also after that I stopped doing well in school, and music wasn’t important to me anymore.”
Connection Failed Ismael was struggling, and, once again, adults weren’t practicing genuine listening. One of the reasons we pray is because God is a great listener. He doesn’t lecture or give advice, but he listens, guides us through his teachings, and allows us to come to solutions on our own. This is how you must be with teens as well. Ask them open-ended questions and be still when you get the answers. Then guide teens to come to their own proactive conclusions. Ismael becomes quiet at this point in our conversation. His grandmother tells me Ismael stopped doing things he normally did. He was always a straight-A student, but during this
Ismael’s grandmother has been a constant source of support for Ismael. When his school couldn’t stop the bullying, she transferred her grandson to another school and got him into private counseling.
PHOTO BY CHRISTINE FENDLEY
38 ❘ Augus t 2013
St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
Finding Support The breaking point for Ismael’s grandmother was when she met with Ismael’s counselor at school. The counselor told her that Ismael was having suicidal thoughts, but she wasn’t too worried because he didn’t have a plan. Ismael’s grandmother was understandably alarmed. She pulled him out and enrolled him in the school where she was employed. Ismael’s grandparents also got him into private counseling. Ismael knows my next question before I even ask. “I had a knife that I talked a friend into giving me. I spent nights in my room, crying to the crucifix with that knife at my side,” he tells me. The new school was better for Ismael. He thought the kids were nicer, and the administration didn’t let bullying happen as much. But he was angry he had to be there. It felt like failure to him. And even though he wasn’t sick anymore and he was making new friends and receiving the help he needed, Ismael stopped talking to God. “I guess I kind of became an atheist,” he Fr anciscanMedia.org
PHOTO © MONKEY BUSINESS/FOTOLIA
time he didn’t turn in his homework and his grades dropped. But slipping grades and the loss of enthusiasm for music wasn’t the worst of it. Ismael’s grandmother fights tears as she tells me: “Near the end of the school year, Ismael began to shake uncontrollably. We took him to doctors; he had to stay a few days in the hospital. It was horrible. After a lot of tests, doctors knew it was a stress-related illness, but Ismael wasn’t talking to anyone about what was going on. He missed a lot of school. In the summer, he was healthy so we sent him back to school in the fall. The beginning of the next school year was no better for Ismael. Instead of shaking, he began falling. On the first day of school, he fell seven times.” Ismael’s grandparents called meetings and worked with the school to try to help Ismael, but nothing was working. Nobody seemed to be making a connection between Ismael’s illnesses and bullying. I ask Ismael if he thought there was anyone who knew why he was so sick. “I think maybe some of my teachers did; at least they were nice to me about things, but others weren’t,” he says. “Some of the teachers and office people treated me like I was faking it or like I was being lazy and trying to get out of work even though I’d always been a good student.”
Being an Advocate Trust your instincts about the teens you know. If you feel as though there may be something wrong with a teen, there probably is. Pay attention to changes in routines, appearance, behavior, friends, and activities. In our society today, bullying should be one of the first things that comes to mind when teens begin to demonstrate changes. Be careful of labeling a teen as difficult or lazy. Perhaps it’s time to look deeper into what’s happening in their lives. Watch for changes in: ■
Routines: Is your teen doing or not doing something he or she usually does?
■
Appearance: Has what he wears or how he wears it changed? How about his hair? What about his posture?
■
Behavior: Is she acting out, getting into trouble? Does she act depressed? Angry?
■
Faith: Does his faith seem to be shaken? Is he questioning beliefs he once had? Does he want to skip church or youth activities? Has he stopped praying?
■
Verbal communication: Does she drop hints? Make odd comments? Yell? Whisper?
■
Social norms: Have her friends changed? Have her hangouts? How about her social activities?
The next step is to get teens to talk about their victimization. When speaking with teens about bullying, focus on what happened or what is happening. Do not focus on how they feel and do not lecture. Ask open-ended questions and be a great listener. Teens may choose to say nothing, say “I don’t know,” or give you a shoulder shrug, but this is too important to let them off easily. Keep asking open-ended questions, share a personal experience you’ve had with bullying, spend time with your teen—anything you can think of to create an atmosphere of empathy, openness, and trust. If your teen is struggling with harassment, he or she needs you. Augus t 2013 ❘ 39
When Ismael was at his lowest point, St. Clare came to him and promised she would always be there for him. With her and God’s support, Ismael regained confidence in himself and the strength to ask for help.
admits. “Then I got a miracle. One night, St. Clare came to me. She told me that the Heavenly Father had big plans for me. And she gave me the same promise God gave to her: she would always be there for me. After that, I vowed to become the ultra-Catholic I am today. I attend church every week, I volunteer for as many service projects as I can, and I go to Confession often for the support it gives me. I am better, I know how to be assertive, and I want to help other people so they don’t have to go through what I did. I know God and St. Clare, of course, will help me do that.”
An Assertive Answer
Today, Ismael is a happy person. A class president, musician, and stellar student, he shares his story in the hopes of educating others about teen harassment and depression.
PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE FENDLEY
With the help of his faith, private counseling, his family, a priest he considers a friend, and other supportive friends and adults, Ismael is a happy person. He works to maintain his assertive personality because he realizes he cannot help others if he doesn’t take care of himself first. The comfort, support, and direction he finds through religion are imperative in that. Ismael is a class president, musician, and stellar student. He helps others by educating them about harassment and teen depression. Ismael will have setbacks and trials just as we all do, but he now has confidence in himself, pride in his uniqueness, and the strength to ask for help. “I know I was passive, and it made me a target for bullies,” he says. “I have worked very hard to become assertive, and that has made all the difference. I went through a very bad
bullying situation and made it out the other side. I want to help as many people as I can become educated and assertive so they can avoid harassment.” Helping a teen become assertive now will guide him or her toward a lifetime of happiness. In order to truly guide a teen to assertiveness, however, you must first have an assertive personality yourself. I am amazed by Ismael’s faith, which, along with his family, got him through a very difficult time in his life. Our youth need us to educate, guide, and support them. As Ismael’s hero, Blessed Mother Teresa, said, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten we belong to each other.” When it comes to our current harassment epidemic, we do not have peace. We have to take ownership of this problem because we belong to one another. Parents and adults who work with teens can be more like St. Clare and Mother Teresa and make it known to teens that we are there for them. We do that through becoming educated about harassment, practicing genuine listening, trusting our instincts, and becoming assertive so that we may help teens be assertive. Then will we stop harassment. A Jennie Withers is the author of Hey, Back Off! Tips for Stopping Teen Harassment. She is a graduate of Boise State University and teaches technical reading and writing and creative writing at the high school level. She lives in Meridian, Idaho, with her husband and two daughters.
40 ❘ Augus t 2013
St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g
EDITORIAL
Assisted Suicide: Who’s Next? Is there anything less pleasant, anything that we’d like to sanitize more, than death? The slippery slope just got slipperier. Late in May, Vermont became the fourth state, after Oregon, Washington, and Montana, to legalize physician-assisted suicide. Does it signal, as Boston’s Cardinal Seán O’Malley says it does, the beginning of an “alarming trend nationwide”? Based on previous experience, he may well be right. Consider abortion. It’s a trend that, once legalized 40 years ago, swept the nation and stayed put, in every community. How did it grow to such scale? Quietly. As our nation pretended that the unborn aren’t people, a lot of us turned the other way. Think about the poor, a less-quiet challenge. In recent decades have we, as a nation, cared what happens to those on the bottom rung? The trend has been to run as fast as we can from the social programs (they’re a tax burden) and pretend that poor people don’t exist. And then there’s today’s slippery slope, “death with dignity.” Is there anything less pleasant, anything that we’d like to sanitize more, than death? The emerging mantra is, “Let’s make death easy.” As soon as we get the idea that the end is near, let’s give a shot, or offer pills, and just get rid of the problem.
Have We Forgotten So Soon? State-by-state legalization might be just now gaining momentum, but the idea has been around for a long time. Admittedly, it’s not the same, but it’s an echo of the eugenics movement, which sought to purify races at the turn of the 20th century. Adolf Hitler took eugenics full tilt between 1939 and 1945. As one Nazi poster, picturing a disabled person, put it, “This person suffering from hereditary defects costs the community 60,000 Reichsmark [2013: US $240,000] during his lifetime. Fellow German, that is your money, too.” Fr ancisca n Media .org
Hitler’s “Charitable Foundation for Curative and Institutional Care” murdered about 250,000 inconvenient people. His euthanasia decree of 1939 said, in part, that those who, “on the basis of human judgment, are considered incurable, can be granted mercy death after a discerning diagnosis.” No, we’re not predicting a military state with gas chambers, but the logic of mercy death sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
The Weakest Go First Victims of physician-assisted suicide choose it for a variety of reasons. Fear of pain is one. Yet palliative care is ethical and available. Pain management is a specialty of hospice care. Another, certainly, is to Does it signal, as avoid being a burden on Boston’s Cardinal Seán their families. This strategy is quietly affirmed in a sociO’Malley says it does, ety that cherishes the the beginning of an choice of the individual above all else. “If Grandma “alarming trend decides it’s time,” goes the nationwide”? refrain, “who are we to intervene?” This is the slippery slope that Cardinal O’Malley sees from New England. As assisted suicide becomes legal, the weakest members of our society—especially those who are sick and aged—will now have an option to painlessly and legally end their lives. Never mind that ethical pain management is readily available; it might be too costly or timeconsuming. The slope steepens after that. When assisted suicide is legal, might not some families subtly (or directly) encourage a dying member to go ahead and finish it off? How about the abandoned elderly? Why not offer an easy way out? Alarmist, perhaps, but let’s call a spade a spade. Physician-assisted suicide is a step we should not be taking. It is morally wrong. After all, the inconvenience of death is part of the sacred mystery of life. —John Feister Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 4 1
The Other Side Would the baby live? FICTION BY BARBARA TYLLA
I
n 1961, on a Saturday morning in August, Jenny Boone left the house early. She was gone before Grandma Boone got up; gone before Mr. Popoff, across the road, had finished milking his goats. She left a note reminding her grandmother that she was spending the day at Marci Deane’s, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl before she made her escape from the house. It was only 6:30, but the Missouri air clung to her body like hot, damp towels, and she was glad she had worn 4 2 ❘ Augus t 2013
cutoffs instead of jeans. “Come early,” Marci had said to her on the phone the night before. “We’ll be workin’ on the tree fort.” “The one Cletus started last summer?” “That’s the one. Mama will make lunch for us. It might take all day.” Jenny was encouraged but not optimistic. Marci might have changed her mind already. She’d been moody and restless ever since her brother’s death, though Jenny knew the mood swings were not only because of the loss;
much of it had to do with Marci’s mother’s unexpected pregnancy. “Mama thinks God’s giving her this baby ’cause he took Cletus away. Well, I don’t want it. I ain’t even gonna look at it when it comes,” Marci had said. Jenny felt sorry for the baby who had no say in its conception, though she didn’t tell Marci this. She wondered, though, if her friend’s feelings would have been different if Cletus had died another way. If he had died at home instead of during a civil-rights rally at college, would Marci have been St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
ILLUSTRATION BY VINCENT ZAWADA
as bitter? “It’s not fair,” Marci had sobbed the day the police called. “My brother wasn’t even at the rally. He was walkin’ to his chemistry class. He didn’t even see the rock comin’.” Jenny stopped to catch her breath as her chest began to tighten. It happened every time she thought of Cletus dead in the snow and cold. She’d been friends with the Deanes for so long that she no longer saw their color—though she knew others did. Even so, she couldn’t begin to comprehend how much hate had been Fr ancisca n Media .org
loaded on that rock before it had been thrown.
S
he expected Marci to meet her when she got to the house, but when she knocked on the door it was Uncle Willie who answered. A relative of the Deanes, Uncle Willie lived with the family and worked in his nephew’s cabinet shop. He was an early-to-work man, however, so Jenny was surprised to see him still in the house. “Hey, Uncle Willie, you’re gettin’ a
late start today. Are you on vacation or something?” “Vacation!” the little man snorted. “I wish it was vacation, but it ain’t. Marci’s mama is in the hospital. Her pains started last night.” “But it’s too early for the baby. It’s not due until October.” “Tell that to the baby,” he said. “It’s been tryin’ to get out of its mama all summer.” He hesitated, eyeing the girl. “I’m takin’ Marci to the hospital now. Do you want to come? Unless you’ve got other plans, of course.” Au gu s t 2 0 13 ❘ 4 3
Jenny grinned. Uncle Willie knew she had no plans that didn’t include Marci. “Sure, but what about Mrs. Deane? Maybe she’d rather have family with her today.” “If you ain’t family, I don’t know what is,” Uncle Willie said. “How long have you girls been friends?” Jenny hesitated. The word that sprang to mind was always, because sometimes it seemed that long, but she hadn’t always lived in Deepwater. She’d just turned 6 when her parents were killed in a New Year’s Eve accident, and Grandma Boone had brought her to the farm to live. Until that time, she’d lived in an apartment building in Chicago. She’d never seen a cornfield or a cow, except in movies, and the only black people she knew were the maintenance men and cleaning ladies who worked in the building. The move to Deepwater changed all that.
I
t had been early in April when a barefooted imp dressed in coveralls and a pink blouse came into the backyard, lugging a bucket of tadpoles. She struggled up the steps, sloshing water on each step, and deposited the bucket onto the porch. “A nickel apiece. Six for a quarter,” Marci gasped, her face a dusky shadow pressed against the screen. “My brother says they’re good bait for bass.” “Your brother’s right,” Grandma Boone laughed. She was impressed with the child’s industry and bought the entire bucket of tadpoles before telling the girls to release them.
ANSWERS TO PETE AND REPEAT 1. Sis is wearing sunglasses. 2. A flame is coming out of the grill. 3. Sis’ shorts are replaced by a skirt. 4. The tree has lost a branch. 5. One of the burgers is gone. 6. There is a hole in the leaves of the tree. 7. Sis has lost her sock. 8. Pete’s wearing a watch.
4 4 ❘ Augus t 2013
“I prefer my frogs in the garden, catching bugs, instead of on a hook, luring bass. You put those taddies back where you found them, and I’ll give you each a piece of peach pie.” The girls agreed to the task though it took most of the afternoon because they named each tadpole before releasing it, and finding the right names took time. Jenny remembered there was a lot of giggling involved and by the time they were finished, both girls were soaked, but sometime between the first taddy’s release and the peach pie’s consumption, “always” had begun. “You see,” Uncle Willie said, “a family is more than just sharin’ blood.”
T
hey found Mr. Deane pacing the waiting room when they got to the hospital. His lean face brightened momentarily when he saw them but then quickly darkened. “Dr. Corliss got the pains stopped last night,” he said, “but this morning the baby’s heart rate dropped, and Lucy’s blood pressure spiked. He had to take the baby now or risk losin’ ’em both.” Marci gave a strangled cry as she ran to her father. “Oh, Papa, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” ”For what, child?” he asked. “You’re not to blame for this.” “But I am. I wished the baby gone. I wished it gone all summer.” “Wishin’ it gone and wishin’ it dead isn’t the same thing.” “How do you know?” Marci wailed. “They sound the same. Maybe to God they are.” Mr. Deane smiled and stroked his daughter’s head. “I’m pretty sure God doesn’t listen to those kinds of prayers. You were sad and lonesome for Cletus. God knew that.” “Sure,” Jenny said. She could feel her chest tightening again, and she refused to surrender to tears. “Sure, God knows you’re always sayin’ things you don’t mean,” Mr. Deane continued. “He probably doesn’t even listen to you anymore. He probably puts his earplugs in when you start talkin’.” “Earplugs,” Marci said with a scorn-
ful sniff. “They don’t have earplugs in heaven.” “How do you know? Maybe they do. Maybe the angels use ’em to shut out the harp music.” There was a moment of stunned silence, then Marci giggled, and Uncle Willie laughed, and some of the tension in the room eased. Cautiously, Marci glanced up at her father. “Can I see Mama before the doctor takes her?” Mr. Deane shook his head. “I’m sorry. He said he couldn’t wait. He took her into the delivery room just before you got here.” He sat down in one of the plastic waiting-room chairs and pulled his daughter onto his lap. “You can see her afterward. You can see them both . . . afterward.” Uncle Willie coughed and stepped forward, rubbing his chin. “All right, Edward, let’s have it straight. No pussyfootin’ around with the truth. What are the baby’s chances?” Mr. Deane looked up with a weary smile. “Coming this early, the doctor says it’s probably going to have problems—a lot of problems. It might have a chance if he can find an incubator for us. But without it . . . ?” His voice trailed off. Jenny frowned. She knew about incubators. She’d read about them in health class. She knew most hospitals in the country had them now, but when she mentioned this to the Deanes, they looked uneasy. “Yes . . . ,” Uncle Willie said finally in a low and careful voice. “Deepwater General does have an incubator. It has one.” “Well, one is all we need.” There was a short silence. Marci’s father smiled, but the smile didn’t spread to his eyes. “It sounds real easy the way you put it, Jenny,” he said, “and maybe someday it will be. Maybe someday both of you girls will see how easy it could be. But not today.” He took a deep breath and steadied his voice. “The incubator is not available because it’s on the other side of the hospital.”
J
enny was 7 when she first learned about ”sides.” She had fallen off her tire swing and cracked her elbow, and Grandma St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
Strengthen your Faith by Sharing it The New Evangelization and You
Catholic and Confident
Be Not Afraid
Henry Libersat
Simple Steps to Share Your Faith
Greg Willits You love being a Catholic, and you long for others to know the peace and joy you’ve experienced. But how do you communicate your faith effectively? Greg Willits is passionate about being Catholic, and in this book he shares practical tips and inspiring stories of everyday Catholics who have found ways to share their faith simply and confidently. • A woman launches a nonprofit to share Catholicism through video • A mom uses social media to connect with other moms • Two men start a ministry to inspire and challenge other men Also included is a list of 52 ways you can share your own faith—one for each week of the year. Item #T36515 | ISBN 978-1-61636-515-8 | $16.99 Audiobook available: Item #A36595 | ISBN 978-1-61636-595-0 | $24.99
Pope John Paul II called for a New Evangelization, with everyday Catholics sharing the Good News. But evangelization can be a scary word. Catholic and Confident will help you embrace the call to spread the message of salvation to everyone in your life. Real-life examples of Catholics—a plumber who prays for his clients, an attorney who stuns his coworkers with the truth about the Church—show you it can be done. You don’t have to be a saint or a sermonizer, you just need a little confidence. Catholic and Confident will show you how to: • recognize your call to spread the gospel • share your story • minister to your family • let the Spirit act Item #T36428 | ISBN 978-1-61636-428-1 | $10.99
Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization Mary Carol Kendzia, series editor
Jesus the Evangelist A Gospel Guide to the New Evangelization Allan F. Wright Pope John Paul II taught that evangelization does not impose our beliefs on others, but rather, proposes the Christian gospel and the person of Jesus. Allan Wright shows how Jesus is the ultimate evangelist, and how his life and teachings form the blueprint for our own efforts at sharing the Gospel. Jesus the Evangelist will help you become a better evangelist by becoming a better disciple. By following Jesus’ example, you will develop a deeper understanding of what evangelization means to Catholics today, and how you can help your parish be part of the new evangelization. Item #B36542 | ISBN 978-1-61636-542-4 | $14.99
Starting with Pope John Paul II, the Church has made a renewed commitment to the process of evangelization. In the fall of 2012, the bishops gathered in Rome for a world synod to define what they called the New Evangelization, and highlight its meaning for Catholics today. Drawing on the trusted and popular Catholic Update newsletter, the Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization traces the history of evangelization throughout Christianity, starting with the life and ministry of Jesus. You will learn about the work done by the Second Vatican Council in igniting a spirit of evangelization in the modern Church, and how this practice can and should play an active role in the life of every disciple of Christ. Item #B36582 | ISBN 978-1-61636-582-0 | $5.99
28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 800-488-0488 Fax: 513-241-1197 Order online at
Catalog.FranciscanMedia.org
Boone had taken her to the hospital to have it X-rayed. As they hurried into the lobby, a nurse at the reception desk gestured to a set of doors behind her. “Go right on in. Emergency’s through there.” Grandma had guided Jenny to the doors, but as she pushed the first one open the nurse called out sharply. “No. Not that one. Can’t you read the sign? That’s to the black side.” It was only for a split second, but Jenny saw a hall with lime-green walls and floors that a man was mopping. There was nothing black in the hall except the man, and she wondered if that side was like Through the Looking Glass and everything was reversed, but when she asked Grandma Boone, the old woman had laughed. “Where do you get those ideas, child? Black is black and white is white, but in a hospital both sides are the same.” “She was wrong,” Jenny said to herself as she looked at Cecilia Marie. The baby was born at 8:10 a.m. She weighed 4 pounds 9 ounces and was 11.5 inches long. She was too small for a nursery nightie, so the nurses put a handkerchief between her legs, covered her with a receiving blanket, and laid her on her mother’s chest to keep her warm. It was against protocol to allow that many people into the room, but Dr. Corliss said that this was a day for rule breaking. The baby needed to be watched, and they were short-staffed, so he had everyone put on gowns and masks and gloves and told them they could stay with Cecilia Marie until the incubator arrived. “For a baby that small, she’s surprisingly strong, but sometimes she forgets to breathe. She thinks she’s still inside her mama. So, it’ll be up to us to help her remember that in this world, she needs air.” An incubator had been found in Kansas City and was on its way, but it would take five hours to get to Deepwater. Five hours seemed like a lifetime to Jenny when she looked at Cecilia Marie, a baby so tiny she could fit into her father’s hands, so small she might slip back to heaven and no one would notice she had gone. 4 6 ❘ Augus t 2013
The nurses told them they could watch the baby in shifts, but nobody wanted to take the responsibility alone. “I expect we can last five hours,” Mr. Deane said. “We’ll keep an eye on the baby together.”
E
ven so, when it happened, they weren’t prepared. Mrs. Deane had fallen asleep with the baby curled on her chest. Cecilia Marie’s eyes were open, though the nurse who had taken her vitals earlier said she couldn’t really see anything yet. The girls weren’t so sure about that. They thought Cecilia Marie saw just fine. Her eyes were large, round, and wise and stared unblinking into their faces. She might not be able to see them, but she was seeing something—if not in this world, then the next. The room was quiet. The only noises came from the street and from a small, portable fan that the nurses had set on the window ledge. It did little but stir the hot air, and only if you were directly in front of it. Jenny wished they could turn on the ceiling fan, but the nurses said it would create too big a draft for the baby, so they contented themselves with chewing on ice and taking turns standing in front of the fan. Under the receiving blanket, Cecilia Marie stretched. She moved her legs, and one tiny hand made a fist. She took a breath and let it out. She took another breath and closed her eyes. “She’s asleep,” Marci said. Mr. Deane smiled. “She’s tired, I expect. It’s been a hard day.” For a moment they watched the sleeping baby curled like a rose on Mrs. Deane’s chest. Then Jenny leaned forward, frowning. “I don’t think she’s asleep.” It was Mr. Deane who moved first. He’d been standing at the foot of the bed. Now in one stride he moved to Jenny’s side and pushed her back. He scooped the baby up and held her before him. “No, you don’t,” he said as he looked into her face. “No, you don’t.” He pinched the baby’s cheek, then tapped her on the back and feet the way the nurse had showed him.
“You wanted to get here early. You must have had a reason. Don’t you dare give up so fast.” “Call the nurse,” Mrs. Deane said. She was awake and fumbling for the buzzer. “Call the nurse!” Mr. Deane knelt down by the bed with the baby still nestled in his hands. “You listen to me, Cecilia Marie. You listen to your daddy. You take a breath—just one. We’ll work on another one later.” “Edward . . . ,” Mrs. Deane said, tears clogging her throat. “She can’t hear you. She’s gone.” “No, she’s not,” Mr. Deane said. There was a fierce look on his face, and then suddenly he laughed. Jenny thought he must have turned crazy, laughing at a time like this, but then everyone was laughing because as he held the baby out, Cecilia Marie stretched and yawned and piddled on her mother’s breast. “What’s wrong?” the nurse demanded as she burst into the room. “Did she have an episode?” Uncle Willie grinned. “A little one,” he said and blew into his handkerchief. “But her daddy talked her out of it.” For a long time after the nurse left, they stood watching Cecilia Marie. She was wide awake now and kicking, her legs moving like tiny pistons against her mother’s chest. “She’s going to be a runner,” Marci giggled. “Look at her legs go.” Jenny considered this for a moment, then she smiled and shook her head. “No, I think maybe she’s gonna be a climber.” She was thinking about the tree house Cletus had started for them the summer before; the one she and Marci would finish. It would be a long time before Cecilia Marie would be able to climb the rope ladder, but that was all right. They had time. They would wait. A Barbara Tylla is a freelance writer with an extensive history in radio, where she reads for blind people. The American Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate is married with four daughters and 10 grandchildren. She lives in Racine, Wisconsin. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
YEAR OF FAITH
❘ BY MARÍA DE LOURDES RUIZ SCAPERLANDA
Faith Celebrated “To rediscover the content of the faith . . . is a task that every believer must make his own.” Door of Faith, 15
A
Fr ancisca n Media .org
She was known across the United States as a beacon of intercultural awareness. A Mississippian, Sister Thea Bowman (1937–1990) was one of only a few African American members of the Wisconsin-based Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration. She became a professor of English, a William Faulkner expert, and a singer who performed Negro spirituals with her operatic voice, all the while nurturing relations among whites and Native Americans in Wisconsin. In the 1980s she returned to Mississippi and began a career of intercultural awareness within the Church that stretched across races to communities across the country and on international television. Cancer took her life at age 52; she’s buried in Memphis, Tennessee.
In truth, there’s no substitute for the basics: daily prayer, reclaiming the graces of the sacraments, approaching faith with a willing heart, reclaiming the liturgy, and, especially, the Eucharist—the source of all inspiration. Only if we put the events of our lives in contact with the word of God and the sacraments will those events become signs of God’s presence in and for our lives. Only if we recommit to daily private and public prayer can we “rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived and prayed.” Do we dare live our lives with such certainty? A María de Lourdes Ruiz Scaperlanda is an awardwinning journalist, blogger, and retreat facilitator living in Oklahoma with her husband of 31 years and their Siberian husky, Diego. Learn more about her at mymaria.net and dayby daywithmaria.blogspot.com.
ILLUSTRATION BY JULIE LONNEMAN
s a young Cuban refugee growing up in the neighboring island of Puerto Rico, I was aware of all that made me different. Even though I spoke the same language, my schoolmates teased me for my differences in speech. Like other refugee families, ours was a multigenerational home shared with three grandparents. Our family spent time and energy taking classes and attending events that were meant to remind us of our native culture, lest we ever forget what made us Cuban. It was an unsettling time. I attended five different grade schools and lived in five different homes. I was a perceptive child. I felt my parents’ anguish over our family and friends still in Cuba. I ingested my grandmother’s nighttime tears and loneliness. I experienced my grandparents’ displacement. In the midst of all this inner suffering and external displacement— and perhaps directly because of it—my sense of place, belonging, and peace became deeply rooted in the Catholic Church. Unlike most people’s experience, however, this sense of being claimed and chosen was not attached to one parish—but to the universal Church. Walking into a church, celebrating the liturgy in unison, receiving the Eucharist with mis hermanos—my brothers and sisters in the faith— was, and is, home to me. Paraphrasing Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s declaration, I want this Year of Faith to arouse the desire to profess the faith in fullness and with renewed conviction.
SISTER THEA BOWMAN
Bring Your Flock Home Loving Shepherd, Look upon your children Separated from their native culture. Help them see they are part Of your universal Church Which nourishes them still. Inspired by your spirit, May they profess their faith With courage and love And celebrate your divine grace With this family of believers.
Click here to learn more about Sister Thea Bowman.
tal Digi as Extr
Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 4 7
SHORT TAKE
❘ AUTHOR
World Youth Day 2013: A Pilgrim’s Story Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics will be traveling to Brazil this month for World Youth Day. We posed a few questions to one of them. On August 24, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI announced the theme for World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro would be taken from the Gospel of Matthew: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (28:19). One of those disciples is Alex Johannigman. The 24-year-old Irving, Texas, resident has big hopes for his upcoming travels to Brazil, July 23–28: “It’s going to be life-changing,” he says. The throngs of faithful Catholics who are also bound for Rio would likely agree. Johannigman will journey with 30 other pilgrims from the Dioceses of Dallas and Fort Worth for the experience. The group was formed out of a ministry called The Shepherd’s Café (TheShepherdsCafe.com), whose mission, according to its website, is to “promote Catholic culture by providing a coffeehouse environment with Catholic décor, entertainers, speakers, and music for individuals to reflect, pray, enjoy, and grow spiritually in the fellowship of other Catholic Christians.” We spoke with Johannigman about his upcoming pilgrimage. Q. What are your expectations for the trip? A. I’m expecting to be challenged both physically and spiritually. I hope World Youth Day will strengthen my commitment to serve God and his Church for the rest of my life. I also hope to cele-
brate Christ’s love for his Church with people from other cultures and traditions around the world. Q. What do you hope to learn about other cultures? A. I hear stories about how Catholicism is exploding in the Southern Hemisphere. I want to see what Catholicism means to those people and why so many of them are so on fire for Christ. I also hope to expand my worldview and hear personal testimonies of other youth from around the world, and hopefully share my experience of Christ as a Texan and as an American with them. I pray that I will experience the outward passion for the faith that exists in other cultures outside of the Western world. Q. How do you think World Youth Day will deepen your faith? A. The whole pilgrimage experience is going to put me out of my comfort zone in a lot of ways. I won’t be sleeping much. I’ll be praying frequently before and during the trip. I’ll be challenged physically by traveling from site to site on foot, and I’ll be giving up a lot of the comforts that I am used to. In the past, I’ve grown closest to Christ through the most challenging experiences God has put in my path. I expect that this experience will bless me with a lot of similar graces.
Christopher Heffron is an associate editor and the social media editor of this publication. tal Digi as Extr
Click here for more resources on World Youth Day. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALEX JOHANNIGMAN
Q. It must be exciting to celebrate World Youth Day in Pope Francis’ home continent. What are your hopes? A. Getting to be present for the first World Youth Day with Pope Francis in his home continent has made me even more excited. I think this will be a life-changing event for everyone in attendance. Please keep me and my fellow pilgrims in your prayers, that God will use this experience to help us fall more and more in love with him by experiencing how Christ is present in the Church around the world.
Exclusive Thomas Kinkade-Inspired “Talking Nativity Angel” with Motion, Lights and Sound Open the Angel’s cape to hear Thomas Kinkade narrate the Christmas Story as the lights come on, the Wise Men rotate and the melody of “Silent Night” plays
Star and scene within light up!
* *
Heirloom-quality Nativity scene showcased within a gloriously detailed angel figurine Angel’s ornate hinged cape opens to reveal fully-sculpted figures of the Holy Family, a hovering angel, Wise Men and more
Shown much smaller than actual size of about 11 inches H. (28 cm) FREE AC Adapter included
* *
Magnificently hand-cast and hand-painted exclusively for The Bradford Exchange Star and scene illuminate with LED lights for a heavenly glow
A Bradford Exchange Exclusive! Order now. Order now at only $109.99* , payable in three installments of $36.66, the first due before shipment. Your purchase is unconditionally guaranteed for 365 days with no risk! Send no money now. Don’t risk missing out. Return the Reservation Application today!
It Moves! Wise Men, Shepherds, the Drummer Boy, and animals rotate around the Holy Family www.bradfordexchange.com/nativityangel
©2011 BGE ©2011 Thomas Kinkade k d 01 01-09771-001-BI2 09 1 001 B
RESERVATION APPLICATION
SEND NO MONEY NOW
9345 Milwaukee Avenue · Niles, IL 60714-1393
YES.
Please reserve the “Talking Nativity Angel” Presented by Thomas Kinkade for me as described in this announcement. Limit: one per customer. Please Respond Promptly Signature Mrs. Mr. Ms. Name (Please Print Clearly)
Address City State
Closed view
Open view
Zip
01-09771-001-E10602
*Plus a total of $12.99 shipping and service each. Limited-edition presentation restricted to 120 casting days. Please allow 4-8 weeks after initial payment for shipment. Sales subject to product availability and order acceptance.
ASK A FRANCISCAN
❘ BY FATHER PAT McCLOSKEY, OFM
Dealing with Clergy Sexual Abuse When I was in college 40 years ago, I was sexually abused by two priests. I felt guilt and unhappiness for many years until I reported them to the vicar of clergy in my diocese. I received extensive, inpatient PTSD counseling. I also went to Confession regarding this. I am still in therapy, trying to come to terms with this abuse and the accompanying “voices” I experience. I have attempted to forgive myself, knowing that God would not want me to feel so bad all this time. What can I do to rid myself of these memories, voices, and bad feelings? Sometimes I cannot tolerate going to Mass because of how I
feel. Is it wrong to miss Mass because of this memory in my head and heart? First of all, thank you for writing. You are perfectly correct that God does not want you to feel so bad all this time. Clergy sexual abuse is always wrong because it is foremost an abuse of power, no matter the age of the person who was abused. I’m not sure that you needed God’s forgiveness; your present intention is the key to your healing. We can rarely control feelings and memories. Sin involves a person’s heartfelt choices and intentions. Is it possible that you haven’t forgiven yourself sufficiently? You can-
What Happened to St. Christopher?
ISAAC WONG/FATHER VICE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Soon after I took this saint’s name as my Confirmation name, he was dropped from the calendar of saints. Why? St. Christopher was martyred in modern-day Turkey in the middle of the third century. The 2001 edition of the Roman Martyrology gives his feast as July 25, which is also the feast of St. James the Greater, the apostle who is venerated in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Christopher’s name means “Christ bearer.” He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a group of saints especially popular in the Middle Ages and invoked for everyday needs. According to Butler’s Lives of the Saints, his specialty “was the care of travelers and a protection against sudden death.” When the worldwide calendar of saints was revised in 1969, his feast was deleted, although it is still observed in some places. His removal from the worldwide calendar is not a statement that he never existed. By Baptism, we are all called to be “Christ bearers.”
5 0 ❘ Augus t 2013
not change your past, but you have a certain amount of freedom about its influence on your present and future. The counseling that you have received has helped you reclaim some of your God-given freedom. You are made in God’s image and likeness. It sounds as though you feel fairly free many days and not very free other days. Psychological pain is very real. Some days it may be so intense that, indeed, you cannot join in the celebration of Sunday Mass. It can be as much an obstacle as a severe migraine headache or a highly infectious disease. It is also possible that Sunday Mass can be a reminder, an affirmation, that God wants you to live in greater freedom than you now experience. Christ’s body, the Church, remains broken and in need of healing. The Mass can be part of that healing, both individually and communally. If your overall intention is to praise God through the Mass, your mixed feelings do not cancel that out. May God’s Church give the good example that those two priests failed to give you and to others. May God be your strength and your guide.
Jesus’ Anger As a pacifist, I have had trouble with the Gospel story about Jesus overturning the moneychangers’ tables in the Temple (Mk 11:15 and Jn 2:15). Now, I am even more confused after our pastor justified his verbally violent outburst to a staff member by pointing out that he was following the example of Jesus, specifically mentioning this incident in the Temple. How can we reconcile the Jesus of peace with these incidents? St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
Anger is not always sinful; sometimes it is needed to identify and correct a grave injustice. Jesus’ prophetic action in the Jerusalem temple is an example of such anger. The situation you described, however, sounds like rationalizing of behavior that was far from Christ’s example. A morally mature person must admit that not every expression of anger is justified or morally good. Justifiable anger plays a part in every protest against sexual exploitation, slander, and degrading our environment. People who benefit from an injustice often try to present their silence over it as a virtuous act. Saying that some anger is justified does not mean that all anger is justified. Unfortunately, some people have turned themselves into human versions of institutional kitchen faucets that dispense only scalding water. Because “silence implies consent,” certain situations are so unjust that remaining silent would mean becoming an accomplice in that injustice.
Is Pope Francis the Last Pope? Someone told me that, according to the Prophecy of St. Malachy, the present pope will be the last one. In a bookstore, I recently saw a book making that same claim. How much of this can I believe? None of it. In our July 1979 “Wise Man’s Corner” column, the late Father Norman Perry, OFM, answered someone who reported that, according to this text, we were then only two popes away from Petrus Romanus —predicted to be the pope when the world will end. Father Norman pointed out that most historians regard these prophecies as forgeries. A bit more background may be helpful. St. Malachy (1094–1148) was the archbishop of Armagh (now in Northern Ireland). He was a monastic reformer and a friend of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, in whose monastery he died on a trip back Fr ancisca n Media .org
from Rome. Malachy was canonized in 1199. The Prophecy of St. Malachy was first published in Venice in 1595. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, the names of the popes between 1143 and 1590 were epithets “obviously derived from the pope’s family or baptismal names, native place, or cardinalatial titles. After 1590 the epithets become very vague. The prophecy is a 16thcentury forgery.” There always seems to be a market for people claiming to possess inside knowledge about the future. Jesus Christ was satisfied with public revelation. We, too, should find that enough. All the time and energy given to such activities can be put to much better use.
guardian angels. Other than Clarence, who appears in It’s a Wonderful Life, there have been no other familiar representations of guardian angels that I can recall. A belief in guardian angels flows from a belief in God’s providence, in God’s loving care for all people. Through the archangel Raphael (whose name means “God heals”), God cured Tobit. God refers to angels as mediators, bringing people back to justice (Jb 33:23–24). See also Matthew 18:10. Would that all of us listened to our guardian angels more! A
Father Pat welcomes your questions! Send them to: Ask a Franciscan, 28 W. Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498, or Ask@FranciscanMedia.org. All questions sent by mail need to include a selfaddressed stamped envelope. This column’s answers can be searched back to April 1996 at StAnthonyMessenger.org.
Do Only Christians Have Guardian Angels? The world’s population is approaching seven billion, and that makes me wonder if only Christians have
How to Subscribe to
ST.ANTHONY M essenger
St. Anthony Messenger is only $39.00 for 12 monthly issues. This price includes our NEW digital edition: StAnthonyMessenger.org/DigitalEdition __ YES! Please begin my subscription. Ship to: Name ________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________ City/State/Zip ___________________________________________ Payment Options (Choose one) ___ Please bill me $39.00 for 12 monthly issues. ___ Enclosed is my check or money order. ___ Charge my: __ Visa __ Mastercard Card #: __________________________ Expiration Date ______ Signature __________________________________________ Phone _____________________________ ________________ Mail to: St. Anthony Messenger, P.O. Box 189, Congers, NY 10920-0189 For fastest service, call toll-free: 866-543-6870, M-F, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern) To order a subscription online: StAnthonyMessenger.org/subscribe
Au gu s t 2 0 13 ❘ 5 1
BOOK CORNER
❘ BY CAROL ANN MORROW
Hope Sings, So Beautiful Graced Encounters Across the Color Line By Christopher Pramuk Liturgical Press 240 pages • $19.95 Paperback/e-book Reviewed by C. VANESSA WHITE, assistant professor of spirituality at Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, director of the Augustus Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program, and convener of the Black Catholic Theological Symposium.
WHAT I’M READING Search and Rescue: How to Bring Your Family and Friends into—or Back into—the Catholic Church by Patrick Madrid (Sophia Institute Press). The title says it all. This book is an excellent, go-to resource when it comes to evangelizing the people closest to you and inviting them home to the Catholic Church. Patrick Madrid gives concrete, easy-tofollow strategies for starting those often-difficult conversations with loved ones and being God’s instrument to call them back to the practice of their Catholic faith. As a lover of stories, I’m a big fan of the way Patrick guides the reader through his own experiences in evangelization, empowering all of us to “evangelize always,” never getting discouraged and remaining hopeful that the Holy Spirit will work in the lives of our family and friends. Tom Peterson is founder and president of Catholics Come Home and the author of Catholics Come Home: God’s Extraordinary Plan for Your Life (Image).
5 2 ❘ Augus t 2013
AUTHOR CHRISTOPHER PRAMUK invites the reader to journey with him in sometimes murky waters as he discovers the beauty of human encounters across racial lines and boundaries. Photographs help the reader to enter visually into the complexities of encountering the “other.” Today, in the midst of increased hopelessness, particularly in the realm of intercultural dialogue, people of faith need resources that point to the hope expressed in this book. The author begins his work focused on the discourse about race found in academic circles, as expressed in the lived experience of the poor in the global world as well as US history with persons of color. This section may be disturbing for some, but it is vital for those who wish to understand the complexity of race in our current global context. While the book is primarily a journey of his encounters with various communities in the African American context, readers are also introduced to other worlds, through stories that include theologian Virgilio Elizondo, mystic Howard Thurman, the Taos Indian community at Blue Lake in the United States, and Jewish spiritual writer and martyr Etty Hillesum. Pramuk reminds the reader that “none of us enters the conversation about race as a fully developed, completely integrated, whole person.” Rather, we must be challenged by one another and grow in wisdom and understanding. I was reminded that we people of faith may need to journey into places we do not wish to go. We may be called to enter into the desolation of the streets, listen to the stories of those whose lives were interrupted during and in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, dwell in the silence and pain of the Native Americans who reside in the desert, and share in the multilayered song of pain expressed in the black community. As I came to the final words in the book, I felt gratitude to the author for creating this work of beauty and challenge, sadness for our current climate of racial discourse, and hope that many others will be transformed as they encounter these stories and the communities that Pramuk unfolds. St . A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r
BOOK BRIEFS
Parish Community Rebuilt Awakening the Faithful, Reaching the Lost, and Making Church Matter By Michael White and Tom Corcoran Ave Maria Press 320 pages • $16.95 Paperback
Rock-Bottom Blessings Discovering God’s Abundance When All Seems Lost By Karen Beattie Loyola Press 152 pages • $13.95 Paperback/e-book Reviewed by MELANIE SHEETS, a college writing instructor who recently experienced loss of employment due to declining enrollment. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, with her husband, Randy. “WHY ME?” is an often-asked question. Dealing with life’s challenges is a difficult process that Karen Beattie attempts to understand and explain in this easy-to-read work of nonfiction. The journey to find the answer to this complex question is circuitous at times, as the author weaves her past experiences as well as her dreams for the future into her story. It is also a spiritual journey reflecting her roots as a Baptist and her conversion to Catholicism. Beset by many typical contemporary problems, Beattie finds herself jobless at particularly critical times. She supports her husband while he goes back to school to earn a degree to become more marketable. In the meantime, they try to start a family. When they can’t conceive, they attempt to adopt a child from Ethiopia, requiring a lot of money and rigid requirements. Beattie uses references from the Bible, literary sources, prayers, and even the dictionary in her effort to define a “blessing.” She does an excellent job of placing these in her writing to illustrate the universality of this quest throughout history and by a variety of people. The essence of the book, however, lies in this included observation by Nicholas Wolterstorff: “I shall look at the world through tears. Perhaps I shall see things that dry-eyed I could not see.” Fr ancisca n Media .org
Father Michael White and youth minister Tom Corcoran transformed their languid Baltimore parish into the engaged community it is today. The two recount the failures and successes they experienced along the way and provide the vision and strategic moves it took to bring their church back to life, providing a model other parishes can use to do the same.
Blessings for Leaders Leadership Wisdom from the Beatitudes By Dan R. Ebener Liturgical Press 96 pages • $9.95 Paperback/e-book The Beatitudes offer valuable insights into the characteristics of leadership. Each chapter is centered on one Beatitude; its lesson reinforced by other Scripture passages and insight from leadership specialist Dr. Dan Ebener. Readers are given resources to discover how they can become Christian leaders in their own lives.
A Community of Disciples Making Your Parish All It Can Be By Des Robertson Twenty-Third Publications 216 pages • $19.95 Paperback Des Robertson takes a look at some of the issues facing today’s Church and offers a model of a Church that is inclusive and accepting, suggesting practical ways we can be that Church more effectively. —R.Z. Books featured in this column can be ordered from
St. Mary’s Bookstore & Church Supply 1909 West End Avenue • Nashville, TN 37203 800-233-3604 www.stmarysbookstore.com • stmarysbookstore@gmail.com Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 5 3
A CATHOLIC MOM SPEAKS
❘ BY SUSAN HINES-BRIGGER
Lord, Help Me Let Go
A
s I write this, I am about to embark on a pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity provided by the Franciscans, and it could not be coming at a better time in my life. But in some small part of my mind, I’m nervous about going. I’m not sure why—too much going on in my life? Too much fear? In the literature that I received before the trip, I was reminded that I was going on a pilgrimage, not a vacation. It challenged me and my fellow pilgrims to put ourselves in the hands of the pilgrim directors and try to detach from all the “stuff” of life—in short, to let go. And therein lies the rub. You see, I’m not very good at letting go of things. Lately I’ve had to do a lot of it—my mom’s death, my oldest 5 4 ❘ Augus t 2013
daughter’s grade-school graduation, new responsibilities, and more. In fact, just this morning, I left my dad in the capable hands of a homehealth aide—and then cried the entire way to work. Would she take care of him as well as my sisters and I do? Would she do things around the house the way he was used to, the way my mom did? A million thoughts raced through my head. Then I realized I couldn’t do anything about it. It needed to be done, and it was out of my control. And I didn’t like it. When you stop and think about it, there are a lot of things we have trouble letting go of—grudges, habits, possessions—in all areas of our lives. For instance, I still find myself stumbling over the new translations at Mass and instinctively
reciting the old words. Old habits die hard, I guess. And more than once I have been caught in the “because we’ve always done it that way” mentality. Sound familiar?
Not All Bad But there are some good points about holding on to things, such as memories. I still vividly remember the feeling of my kids cradling up on my chest when they were babies. Or the feel of their little hands in mine. Those are things that will never go away, even when my kids no longer want to snuggle or hold my hand. The struggle is to find the things that most fulfill you—physically, mentally, spiritually. Is the grudge you’re holding against someone for something they said two weeks ago helping you become a better person, St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
A FRIENDLY REMINDER
or is it weighing you down? On the flip side, perhaps letting go of various types of clutter in your life— even e-mail, for instance—can help bring you peace of mind.
Practice Letting Go
CANON72/FOTOLIA
Holding on seems to be something we humans do a lot. We hold on to
possessions, guilt, anger, control, habits. Take a moment to stop and think about all the things you are holding on to. Now reflect on whether they are raising you up or weighing you down. Once you figure that out, then make a plan of attack to foster the positive and remove the negative from your life.
“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” —Julian of Norwich
ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY KURNICK MAASS
As I said before, letting go is not something I do very well. But for that matter, I don’t think society as a whole is very good at it. One time when I was really worrying and struggling with letting go of something, a friend of mine offered me this ultimate mantra for letting go from none other than Jesus: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Lk 23:46). Wow. Talk about handing over your trust. Since then, when I have struggled with letting go, I have used this to remind me to trust in God. Who or what helps you remember that it’s OK to let go of things? Share them with us on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
Start small. Let go of or foster one thing in your life that you’re struggling with letting go of—just one. For example, if you’re being weighed down by negative self-thoughts, then turn the lens and write down one thing you love about yourself. Don’t give yourself a timetable or boundaries for how you have to let go. Find what works best for you. If you don’t get it right, try again. Or try something else. Pray about it. Ask God for strength and comfort in your letting go. A
Do you have comments or suggestions for topics you’d like to see addressed in this column? Send them to me at “A Catholic Mom Speaks,” 28 W. Liberty St., Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498, or e-mail them to CatholicMom@FranciscanMedia.org.
PETE AND REPEAT These scenes may seem alike to you, But there are changes in the two. So look and see if you can name ILLUSTRATION BY TOM GREENE
Eight ways in which they’re not the same. (Answers on page 44)
Fr ancisca n Media .org
Au gu s t 2 0 1 3 ❘ 5 5
BACKSTORY
M
y column for this issue was going to be about reader reaction to the recent cover stories on TV personality Bill O’Reilly and “Nun on the Bus” Simone Campbell, IHM. But then I went to
Denver for a few days and came back with great news. We’ll get back to O’Reilly and Campbell reactions in a future issue, I promise. Father Pat, Barbara Baker, and I were in Denver for the Catholic Media
Conference, held annually by, primarily, the Catholic Press Association of PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON
the United States and Canada. We went to workshops such as ones on telling a story effectively (How am I doing?), protecting religious freedom, blogging, the state of family farming, and dealings between editors and freelance writers (I was on that panel). There were also speeches at the lunches and dinners, such as one by former movie star Dolores Hart, now a Benedictine nun in Connecticut, who spoke of her religious journey (and her new book), and rising star Father Robert Barron of Chicago, talking about the New Evangelization. Representatives of the Vatican communications office came across the Atlantic; US bishops’ communications staff came from Washington, DC. Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles talked one evening about why our bishops are pushing so strongly for immigration reform legislation that’s in Congress now. (We’ll publish freelancer Maureen Pratt’s interview with him next month.) Then came the frosting on the cake: the annual journalism awards. It’s a friendly but serious competition among any Catholic magazine or newspaper you’ve ever heard of. Hundreds of articles, editorials, design samples, and more were judged by a group of journalists and educators from Marquette University and Spring Hill College. St. Anthony Messenger, for the second consecutive year, won the top prize for national, general-interest magazines: First Place, General Excellence. A bunch of our articles, photos, and illustrations won individual prizes, too, including First Place for Carol Ann Morrow’s article on poverty (September) and Mary Kay Lane’s short story, “Alondra’s Bouquet” (March). And so did some parish resources that our staff produces (Catholic Update and I Believe). You can see a complete list at CatholicPress.org. We did it all for you. Thanks for subscribing.
Editor in Chief
5 6 ❘ Augus t 2013
St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg
© GINA SMITH/DREAMSTIME.COM
REFLECTION
A
rranging a bowl of flowers
in the morning can give a sense of quiet in a crowded day— like writing a poem or saying a prayer. —Anne Morrow Lindbergh
ST. ANTHONY M 28 W. Liberty Street Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498
essenger
Enlighten the world with a Catholic heart.
For 70 years, Catholics have put their faith into action through the lifesaving work of Catholic Relief Services. Join the compassionate champions of Christ who serve the poor overseas. The goodness in your heart can feed the hungry, heal the sick, care for orphans and shelter the homeless in 91 countries. Love your neighbors by answering their prayers with CRS.
Visit us at CRS.ORG to learn more.