June 2013 by St. Anthony Messenger

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Sister Simone Campbell Nun on the Bus Remembering My Dad, Sargent Shriver Pope John XXIII’s Legacy Blessed Louis Martin: Patron for the Mentally Ill

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CONTENTS

ST. ANTHONY Messenger

❘ JUNE 2013 ❘ VOLUME 121/NUMBER 1

ON THE COVER

COVER STORY

Executive director of the Catholic lobby NETWORK and a Nuns on the Bus leader, Sister Simone Campbell, SSS, uses her time in the spotlight to advocate for the poor and underprivileged.

28 Sister Simone Campbell: Nun on the Bus This tireless advocate continues her campaign for social justice following last year’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. By Judy Ball

Photo by Tony Tribble

F E AT U R E S

D E PA R T M E N T S

16 Remembering My Dad, Sargent Shriver

2 Dear Reader 3 From Our Readers

Mark Shriver looks back on his father, who taught his children to have hearts for praying and hands for building a better future. By Patricia Zapor

6 Followers of St. Francis Justin Belitz, OFM

8 Reel Time Midnight’s Children

24 Blessed Louis Martin: A Patron for Mental Health Mental illness is not a punishment from God, as we learn from the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s saintly father. By Theresa Doyle-Nelson

10 Channel Surfing Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition

12 Church in the News 22 Living Simply

34 Anthony and Francis Loved Creation

33 Editorial Should We Ban Guns?

As we strive to respect God’s earth, let us love animals as they did. By Jack Wintz, OFM

44 Year of Faith Faith Professed

36 Finding St. Anthony

50 Ask a Franciscan

A new documentary from Salt + Light Television sheds light on this beloved saint. By Christopher Heffron

52 Book Corner The Myth of Persecution

40 ‘The Good Pope’

54 A Catholic Mom Speaks News Flash: We’re Not Perfect

On the 50th anniversary of Blessed Pope John XXIII’s death, author Greg Tobin talks about the pope’s lasting impact. By Carol Ann Morrow

56 Backstory

46 Fiction: Cook’s Joy She thought her kitchen days were over. By Ginny Swart

‘Is He Still a Jesuit?’

ST. ANTHONY M

DEAR READER

essenger

‘True Power Is Service’ When preaching on March 19 at his installation as bishop of Rome, Pope Francis applied these words to the ministry of St. Joseph and, by extension, to his own new ministry. He had earlier recalled the need to respect and protect all creation, as Francis of Assisi did. Anthony of Padua certainly reflected the power-as-service leadership model that Jesus demonstrated when he washed the feet of the apostles at the Last Supper. Pope Francis has shown such leadership in several ways. For example, on Holy Thursday he washed the feet of 12 young women and men at a juvenile detention facility in Rome. When Anthony was proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1946, Pope Pius XII gave him the title “Doctor of the Gospel.” Anthony had extensive knowledge about the entire Bible and was always ready to show its application to his listeners’ lives. Anthony’s openness to the needs of the Church and of society made him willing to exercise new ministries as those needs changed. He was a servant leader as a teacher, a preacher, the head of the friars in northern Italy, and a writer of sermon notes to aid other preachers. Anthony was not afraid to point out to the citizens of Padua during Lent 1231 that imprisoning debtors should stop. Anthony urged his contemporaries—and he urges all of us—to live as servant leaders. His feast is June 13.

Publisher/CEO

Daniel Kroger, OFM

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

Assistant Editors

Christopher Heffron Rachel Zawila

Editorial Assistant Sharon Lape

Director of Marketing, Sales, and Internet Barbara K. Baker

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Kingery Printing Co. - Effingham, IL ST. ANTHONY MESSENGER (ISSN #0036276X) (U.S.P.S. PUBLICATION #007956 CANADA PUBLICATION #PM40036350) Volume 121, Number 1, 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.

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FROM OUR READERS

Mirrored Grief

A Timely Article

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

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When I received the April issue of St. Anthony Messenger in the mail, my heart skipped a beat when I saw Tom Smith’s article, “Rising from the Grief of Suicide,” in the table of contents. Oh, how timely this article is for me! In February of this year, the world of my entire family drastically changed when we received a call from our son telling us that his 18year-old son, Cody, our grandson, had hung himself. The paramedics officially pronounced him dead “on or after February 22, 2013.” All the emotions expressed by the author of the article are still painfully fresh and raw for us. Thank you for publishing this article. God meant it to be for me. Mary Culp Battle Creek, Michigan

PHOTO COURTESY TOM SMITH

death and that often all that is I would like to thank St. Anthony needed is listening and to avoid sayMessenger for Tom Smith’s article, ing “committed suicide.” “Rising from the Grief of Suicide.” I will keep this article and share it Our journey on the same road began with others. on February 11, 2006, with the death Marie Wolfram of our son, Christopher. Grand Rapids, Ohio So much of what Smith wrote in the article mirrored our own experience; for example, repeating the day of the week the death occurred, asking why over and over, repeating the story, wishing we could have stopped our loved ones. I especially appreciate the outreach and teaching Mr. and Mrs. Smith are doing. It The April article “Rising from the Grief of Suicide,” by is important for people to Tom Smith (seated far right), touched many readers. know that depression, like many diseases, can end in

cious Pope,” whitewashed the true story of Pope Celestine. I have read that, when he proved not up to the administrative duties of the job, the future Pope Boniface installed a speaking tube into the cell where Celestine chose to sleep. At night he would say, “This is the Holy Spirit. Resign the papacy!” Once he did, Boniface threw him into a dungeon—or as Sweeney put it, “confined” him—where he died of neglect. Poor Celestine deserved better, and we deserve to know the full story. Stephen Van Eck Lawton, Pennsylvania

I Am Not Contaminated! This is in reply to the letter from Bob Rowland in April’s “From Our Readers.” I am appalled that he would accuse eucharistic ministers of having “contaminated” hands. The Church made it possible for laypeople to distribute Communion, and I consider it a holy privilege to be one. I entered the Church in 1967 (I am now 95 years old), and I truly believe it has come a long way since Pope John XXIII opened that window of fresh air. When the priest faced the altar, the congregation was totally shut out of the liturgy. And using our own language is so much better— now we have a feeling of belonging. We are all participants, and having the laity distribute Communion has strengthened this feeling. I do agree that the attire of some, especially young people, could be improved. However, another way of looking at this is that they are attending Mass, which is certainly better than not being there at all. Edna M. Atella Hinsdale, Illinois

Poor Celestine Jon Sweeney’s sidebar in Pat McCloskey, OFM’s, April article, “Pope Benedict XVI: Legacy of a Gra-

Be Better Role Models It was disappointing to see St. Anthony Messenger promote the Ju n e 2 0 1 3 ❘ 3

movies Safe Haven and The Notebook in recent issues. Although these movies are wonderful in many ways—revealing virtues of faithfulness, forgiveness, hope, and love— they were also offensive in that they have main characters having sexual relations before marriage. Our culture supports this type of behavior because the couples were “in love.” But this can cause confusion for our younger generations. Where are the virtues of modesty, chastity, and purity? We need more examples of actors modeling these virtues. Hopefully, in the future, there will be more movies that will endorse all the virtues of our beautiful Catholic faith without promoting promiscuous behavior. Mary Beth Rushforth Yardley, Pennsylvania

Love God and Neighbor

Our top-read articles from the April issue were:

93%

Pope Benedict XVI: Legacy of a Gracious Pope

88%

Bring Back the Sabbath

83%

Rising from the Grief of Suicide

ficient number of priests, Mass was held on Sundays and volunteers were plentiful. When Mass was shifted to other days due to the priest shortage, volunteers became scarce. Our ministry, which services a state veterans’ home and a county nursing facility,

currently has seven eucharistic ministers—all of whom are over 70—to serve 300 Catholics weekly. An article in your publication calling this situation to the attention of your readers could result in more volunteers for this mission in many areas. Suggest that they check with local nursing facilities to see when or if Mass is offered. If clergy are not available to serve Mass, suggest that they hold Communion services periodically using consecrated hosts and wine from a nearby parish, using lay personnel to conduct the service. I think this would be of great benefit in bringing Christ to those unable to attend Mass due to their disabilities. Charles A. Barker Metuchen, New Jersey

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Reaching Out to Veterans There is a problem in the Catholic Church which St. Anthony Messenger could help resolve. It is the shortage of volunteers in the various ministries which serve those confined in veterans’ homes and nursing homes. I have been involved in these ministries in both federal and local nursing and veterans’ homes for more than 40 years. When there was a suf4 ❘ J un e 2013

This month’s digital extras include videos of Sister Simone Campbell and Pope John XXIII, along with additional

St. Anthony Messenger subscribers!

articles and information on Father’s Day, Venerable Fulton J. Sheen, and Saints Anthony and Francis.

St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

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EJ Brennan’s letter “Secular Agenda?” in April’s “From Our Readers” criticized those whom he says place social-justice issues in “primacy over the mandate from Jesus to love God first.” Jesus did not establish a primacy between the First and Second Commandments. His story of the Good Samaritan demonstrates that love of God and love of neighbor are intertwined. Most social-justice advocates whom I have met are driven by a deep love for God. They demonstrate that love by loving the least of God’s brethren (Mt 25:40). We cannot truly love God unless we love those whom God loves. Cynthia Summers Lewis Cincinnati, Ohio

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F O L L O W E R S O F S T. F R A N C I S

Mental Prayer

“

he kingdom of God is among you,” Jesus told the Pharisees in Luke’s Gospel (17:21). Meditation can help one more fully discover this kingdom, according to Father Justin Belitz, OFM, founding director of the Franciscan Hermitage, an interfaith spiritual center in Indianapolis. For in a meditative state, he says, we can become consciously aware of the divine presence that is with us all the time. Father Justin began the Franciscan Hermitage in 1984, under the direction of his superiors in the Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart. The friars envisioned a center open to all faiths that would adhere to the Vatican II teaching that says to give away

Father Justin Belitz, OFM

The Franciscan Hermitage in Indianapolis is an interfaith life center dedicated to nurturing personal growth and development.

what we have but be open to the truth in other traditions. Beyond workshops, lectures, classes, and support groups offered at the hermitage on a daily basis, Father Justin also presents a parish-renewal program—a mini-retreat titled “Success: Full Living”—to parishes and groups around the world. When St. Anthony Messenger spoke to him, he had just returned from a speaking tour of five European cities, where he shared this contemporary approach to Franciscan spirituality with hundreds of attendees, introducing them to the practice of meditation and its benefits. “All of the saints (and holy people of all religions) make it clear that if a person wants control of the life process, he or she must be involved in the discipline of mental prayer or meditation,” says Father Justin. “We believe that all human beings are put on earth to learn to love, and meditation is the tool to help them do just that. Even the scientific community is stressing the need to get everyone to meditate daily. That is the way we will create world peace and produce ethical people.” The “life process” is what the program

PHOTO BY LULU KINNETT AND BRIAN HARVEY

STORIES FROM OUR READERS Sight Restored

Learn more about St. Anthony and share your story of how he helped you at AmericanCatholic.org/ Features/Anthony.

6 ❘ J un e 2013

My brother lost his expensive prescription eyeglasses overboard at a sailboat dock. It was near sundown, and he became very angry. I drove home, praying to St. Anthony for help. I took a garden rake and a long bamboo fishing pole and drove back to the boatyard. With the bamboo pole securely taped to the handle of the rake, I lowered the rake into the water, still praying to St. Anthony to help me retrieve the glasses. Darkness was rapidly setting in. After several minutes of gently probing and continued prayer, I felt the rake touch something on the bottom. On the third or fourth attempt, as the rake neared the surface, I could see the gold frame of the glasses, glistening in the flashlight beam and resting on the tines of the rake! My brother was absolutely amazed. When he asked me how I found his glasses I told him to thank St. Anthony! —John, Mystic, Connecticut

St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

ST. ANTHONY

Finding Lost Objects During Anthony’s three years in France, a young friar left the brotherhood, taking with him the friars’ only copy of the Gospels. After Anthony prayed that it would be returned, it was. The young man went on to become an exemplary friar. Because of this event Anthony is invoked by people searching for whatever they have lost. In time, people understandably expanded this custom, now praying for family relationships or for friendships that have become lost or grown cold over the years. Anthony has helped people restore good relations. —P.M.

PHOTO BY FRANK JASPER, OFM

identifies as the “Life Mechanism”—the reality that we create our own life experience. “Choices, therefore, are very important,” explains Father Justin. “When you choose appropriate goals and develop a positive attitude, you create a satisfying life experience. But when you choose inappropriate goals or develop a negative attitude, you create a dissatisfying life experience.” By relaxing physically and mentally while directing attention inward, people can deeply reflect on their life experiences, which can “move all of us to feel joy and peace, as well as oneness with everyone and everything.” Father Justin says the center focuses on getting people back to the spirituality of Jesus, “which is the spirituality of Francis. St. Francis is the alter Christus—the ‘other Christ.’” As St. Francis exemplified, “simple living, love, and compassion for all living things, and the awareness that we are all one—that is the spirituality that will mark this 21st century,” says Father Justin. —Rachel Zawila

To learn more about Franciscan saints, visit AmericanCatholic.org/Features/Saintofday.

Visit FrJustin-Hermitage.org for more information.

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Send all postal communication to: St. Anthony Bread 1615 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498

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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.

Ju n e 2 0 1 3 ❘ 7

REEL TIME

W I T H S I S T E R R O S E PA C AT T E , F S P

Midnight’s Children

SISTER ROSE’S PHOTO BY DUSTY MANCINELLI

Favorite Movies about

Fathers It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Life Is Beautiful (1997) Life as a House (2001) The Way (2010)

8 ❘ June 2013

Midnight’s Children, based on the novel by Salman Rushdie, is garnering critical acclaim. At the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, India gained independence from Great Britain, and two baby boys were born and deliberately switched by a hospital nurse, Mary (Seema Biswas). Baby Saleem, whose mother dies in childbirth, grows up as the privileged son in the Sinai family. The other child, Shiva, instead grows up begging with his poor father. Shiva discovers an enchanting parallel universe where he encounters and befriends other “midnight children.” Years later, Mary reveals what she had done. Mr. Sinai (Ronit Roy) is crushed and reacts cruelly. Mrs. Sinai sends Saleem (Satya Bhabha) to live with her sister in West Pakistan. Eventually, Saleem and Shiva (Siddharth) come to blows as the midnight children gather over 30 years’ time through India’s various crises as a new nation. Midnight’s Children is based on the 1981 Booker Prize-winning novel by Salman Rushdie, who also wrote the script and adds some voice-over narration in the film. Deepa Mehta directs a cast of thousands in this epic tale that reveals India’s postcolonial era through the lives of two opposing charac-

ters. India’s rich cultural texture—mixed with the enormous influence of its colonial past—is presented through magical realism. I enjoyed this film. It shows India’s story in ways that are vastly different from Sir Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning 1982 film Gandhi, though Midnight’s Children is somewhat shorter at 146 minutes. It’s from the inside looking out, rather than the outside looking in. Not yet rated ■ Violence.

The Place Beyond the Pines As carnival performer Luke (Ryan Gosling) is ready to quit for the night, he sees Romina (Eva Mendes) standing nearby. They had had a one-night stand the year before, but she says nothing about the son she bore him as he gives her a ride home. When Luke learns he is the father, he quits the carnival and gets a job as a mechanic to support his child. His paternal instincts are strong; he cries when his son is baptized. Luke needs more money, however, to lure St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

PHOTO BY ATSUSHI NISHIJIMA

Ryan Gosling plays a father who turns to a life of crime in director Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the Pines.

At Any Price Henry (Dennis Quaid) owns a farm in Iowa that has belonged to his family for generations. He has two sons who want nothing to do with his enthusiastic farming methods and a seed-cleaning scam. One son is off climbing the Andes. The other, Dean (Zac Efron), wants to race NASCAR. Henry’s father, Cliff (Red West), pushes his son to expand the farm—just as everyone else has—or Henry will fail. Meanwhile, Henry is having an affair with Meredith Fr anciscanMedia.org

PHOTO BY MATT DINERSTEIN, COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Romina away from the man with whom she is living, so he begins to rob banks. A rookie cop, Avery (Bradley Cooper), finds his path entwined with Luke’s—with a shocking outcome. Avery is tormented by this outcome and lies about what really happened. He has a young son and has much to lose. The Place Beyond the Pines is directed and cowritten by Derek Cianfrance, and it is one of the most nuanced and worthy films I have seen in a long time. The theme of water, which ties the film together, represents life, spirit, healing, and cleansing. It is about conscience, choices, regret, and the bond between fathers and sons. Unfortunately, the violence is intense, and the women really don’t factor into the story, which is crafted in a new style of narrative that works and keeps the film interesting. The Place Beyond the Pines does question fatherhood in America today: Will the next generation of fathers be more moral or will they continue unraveling the nuclear family? Not yet rated, R ■ Language, violence, drug use.

(Heather Graham), who lives in town. Henry treats a tenant farmer badly, who then reports him to the Monsanto-like corporation that has patented the DNA of seeds. Henry is cleaning and reselling seeds illegally to make a profit. His moral transgressions mirror the larger ethical violations of the corporation that has the audacity to patent life. At Any Price sharply questions the image of the Midwest as being family-centered, wholesome, upright, and good. North Carolina-born director Ramin Bahrani’s films have looked at small segments of America through a magnifying glass, and he always finds something to admire. Here, the director is more ambitious, but there is nothing feel-good or redemptive about this film, cowritten by Hallie Elizabeth Newton. It may well reflect reality, but this family’s unity is based on lies and corruption. Any semblance of the happiness promised by the myth of the American dream has been replaced by a desperate and deceitful scramble for profit—at any price. Not yet rated, R ■ Mob violence, crude humor.

At Any Price, starring Dennis Quaid and Zac Efron, is about a farming family who faces difficult moral dilemmas.

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.

June 2013 ❘ 9

CHANNEL SURFING

WITH CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON

UP CLOSE

Tuesdays, 8 p.m., ABC Truth be told, I’ve never liked NBC’s The Biggest Loser. The reason? I think it’s cruel to turn life-or-death weight loss into a competition for our amusement. That’s a hunger game I just won’t watch. ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition, which just started its third season, is a better show with better motives. According to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 35.7 percent of adults in the United States are classified as obese. Extreme Makeover’s host and transformation specialist, Chris Powell, is working to lower that percentage one person at a time. It’s a daunting undertaking: Powell selects eight applicants whose weight has ballooned to a dangerous number. Over the course of a year—or, in TV time, an episode—he coaches, encourages, and, what’s most impressive, listens to their pain and struggle. While many of us tend to look away from the obese, Powell looks into their eyes. He reminds them—and us—that everybody has value. And he’s right: we all are children of God, regardless of our body-mass index. Powell is more than just a buff trainer with a network platform. He’s seeking to save lives. That sincerity alone elevates Extreme Makeover to heights The Biggest Loser can never reach.

The Layover The Travel Channel, check local listings Even if you missed the second season of this fascinating program, complete episodes are available at travelchannel.com. Be warned, though: host Anthony Bourdain is an acquired taste for some channel surfers. Proudly cantankerous and prone to profanity, this writer and chef is, nevertheless, a funny and effective communicator who wants to share his love of travel. What sets Bourdain apart from other travel-show hosts is that he isn’t interested in breathtaking vistas or five-star accommodations. To truly appreciate a culture, he maintains, you have to be willing to get dirty. Rubbing elbows with locals and eating exotic foods from dive restaurants are where you’ll uncover the real treasures of world travel. Bourdain shows what you can find when you get lost.

Brain Games

PHOTO BY VIVIAN ZINK/ABC

Mondays, 9 p.m., National Geographic The human brain weighs approximately 3.1 pounds—but it’s a powerhouse organ that, like the muscles in our bodies, needs exercise. That’s what makes National Geographic’s Brain Games worth your time. Covering everything from our ability (or inability) to maintain attention, to our vision, to the tricks our minds play on us, this Jason Silvahosted program is a good deal of fun, often surprising, and, ultimately, practical. No matter the age, our brains are sponges that need to absorb and process in order to stay viable. That’s just good science. Besides, who doesn’t love a brainteaser?

Trainer and transformation specialist Chris Powell hosts ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition. 10 ❘ June 2013

St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

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Pope Francis by Dr. Matthew Bunson Get to know Pope Francis! A culmination of extensive research from sources in multiple languages, this comprehensive book offers: A complete biography of the first pope from the Western Hemisphere, including his family history, work as a priest and bishop, and his time as a cardinal. 16 pages of full-color photos from Pope Francis’ past and present. Texts and speeches given by Pope Francis from the moment of his election to his Installation. An examination of the global challenges the new pope faces in the universal church.

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CHURCH IN THE NEWS

❘ BY RACHEL ZAWILA

CNS PHOTOS/PAUL HARING

Cardinals to Study Curia Reform

Pope Francis has selected these eight cardinals to advise him on reform of the Vatican bureaucracy: (clockwise from top left) Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga, Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya, Giuseppe Bertello, George Pell, Oswald Gracias, Reinhard Marx, and Seán P. O’Malley. Pope Francis has named an international panel of eight cardinals to advise him in the governance of the universal Church, according to a Vatican announcement released April 13. In addition to advising the pope on decisions about the Church, the group, which includes Boston Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, will study ways to reorganize the Roman Curia, or Church hierarchy, and revise the apostolic constitution, Pastor Bonus. Along with Cardinal O’Malley, the group includes Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of the government of Vatican City State; Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa, retired archbishop of Santiago, Chile; Cardinal Oswald Gracias of Mumbai, India; Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, Germany; Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kinshasa, Congo; Cardinal George Pell of 1 2 ❘ Jun e 2013

Sydney, Australia; and Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, who will serve as the group’s coordinator. They will meet for the first time October 1–3 but are “currently in contact” with Pope Francis, according to the Vatican statement. Calls for reform in the Church have come in the wake of the ongoing clergy sex-abuse crisis and the 2012 “VatiLeaks” scandal, in which confidential correspondence that was leaked to the media provided evidence of corruption and mismanagement in various Vatican offices. That affair prompted a detailed internal report, which Pope Benedict XVI, upon his retirement, designated for the eyes of his successor only. According to the Vatican, the suggestion for an advisory panel on reform arose during the meetings of

the College of Cardinals that were held prior to the conclave that elected Pope Francis. The Pastor Bonus document the cardinals are studying was published in 1988 and was the last major set of changes in the Roman Curia. In related news: ■ Citing financial problems, the Vatican has elected to not pay its employees a bonus. “In the past, on the occasion of the start of a pontificate, a bonus was granted to Vatican employees,” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said April 19. “In the present case, given the difficult economic situation in general, it seemed neither possible nor opportune to burden the budgets of Vatican offices with a considerable, extraordinary, and unexpected expense.” According to Catholic News Service (CNS), the Holy See, which employs about 2,800 people, reported a deficit of $19.4 million for 2011. In place of the employees’ bonus, Pope Francis has decided to make a donation to several charitable organizations.

Pope Calls for Decisive Action against Sex Abuse The Vatican must continue “to act decisively concerning cases of sexual abuse,” said Pope Francis in an April 5 meeting with Archbishop Gerhard L. Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. According to a statement released by the Vatican following the meeting, Pope Francis asked the congregation to continue “promoting measures that protect minors, above all; help for those who have suffered such violence in the past; necessary procedures against those found St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

CNS PHOTO/MIKE CRUPI, CATHOLIC COURIER

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 Total Catholic school enrollment decreased by 1.5 percent during the past school year, according to a report issued by the National Catholic Educational Association, and 148 Catholic schools were either closed or consolidated. Despite the reported losses, the survey showed 525 Catholic schools have opened since 2000, with 28 in the 2012– 2013 school year. There are currently more than 1.4 million elementary students enrolled in 5,472 Catholic elementary schools.

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Archbishop Jerome G. Hanus of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa, and named Bishop Michael O. Jackels of Wichita, Kansas, as his successor. The pope also appointed Msgr. John Folda as bishop of Fargo, North Dakota, and Father David J. Walkowiak, a Cleveland pastor, as bishop of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mother Maria Theresia Bonzel, foundress of the Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration, will be beatified November 10 in Paderborn, Germany. The announcement follows the Vatican’s recognition of a miracle attributed to her intercession that occurred in Colorado Springs, Colorado, nearly 15 years ago. Mother Maria

guilty” and added that “the commitment of bishops’ conferences in formulating and implementing the necessary directives in this area is so important for the Church’s witness and credibility.” As archbishop of Buenos Aires, the future pope talked of his archdiocese’s rigorous screening and selection of candidates for the priesthood and religious life in the book Pope Fr ancisca n Media .org

Kansas lawmakers passed a bill that declares life begins “at fertilization” and bans sex-selection abortions and tax breaks for abortion providers. Governor Sam Brownback said he will sign the bill into law. In Virginia, the state’s board of health gave its approval on new regulations for abortion clinics. Among the new requirements are mandatory state inspection of clinics and architectural requirements to match those of newly constructed hospitals. Archbishop-designate José Rodriguez Carballo, minister general of the Order of Friars Minor, has been named secretary of the Vatican office that oversees the world’s religious orders. He headed the Friars Minor since 2003, and since 2012 he has been serving as president of the Union of Superiors General, the international organization for the heads of men’s religious orders.

CNS PHOTO/OCTAVIO DURAN

A New York federal judge decided April 5 to lift the age limit on purchases of over-the-counter emergency contraceptives, which previously required a prescription for girls 16 years and younger. In response, the US bishops’ conference has called for the decision to be appealed and overturned. “No public health consideration justifies the unregulated distribution of such drugs to children,” said Deirdre McQuade, spokeswoman for the bishops’ Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities.

Theresia was born September 17, 1830, in Olpe, Germany. She founded the community in 1863, seeking to combine the contemplative and active religious life through a commitment to perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and the works of mercy in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. She died December 12, 1875.

Twenty-one Catholic members of the British Parliament have written Pope Francis to ask him to relax the rule on priestly celibacy for Latin-rite priests. In the letter, the legislators said they believe the rule should be changed to allow married men to be ordained priests where pastoral needs require it. It did not suggest that serving priests should be given permission to marry, and the legislators proposed that the celibacy rule be retained for bishops. For more news, visit AmericanCatholic.org.

Francis: Conversations with Jorge Bergoglio by Sergio Rubin and Francesca Ambrogetti. “If a priest is a pedophile, he is so because he brought that perversion with him from before his ordination,” he said. In On Heaven and Earth, a 2010 book of conversations between Rabbi Abraham Skorka and then-Cardinal Bergoglio, the future pope said he believed the proper action to take

against an abuser would be to prohibit him from exercising his ministry and begin a canonical process in the diocese. “I don’t believe in those positions that propose supporting a kind of ‘corporate’ spirit in order to avoid damaging the image of the institution,” the future pope told Rabbi Skorka. In his meeting with Archbishop Ju n e 2 0 1 3 ❘ 1 3

Colombia’s First Saint Canonized Mother Laura Montoya’s May 12 canonization gave Colombia its first saint. “For Colombians and for the congregation, this is a historic 1 4 ❘ Jun e 2013

roughly 850 sisters has a presence in more than 21 countries.

Vatican Continues Reform of LCWR

CNS PHOTO

Müller, Pope Francis said he admired “the courage and honesty of Benedict XVI” in confronting the problem and called for “zero tolerance” in order to protect children and punish abusers, reported CNS. In related news: ■ The Archdiocese of Milwaukee announced April 3 that it will release approximately 3,000 pages of documents that contain details about clergy sexual abuse. According to CNS, the documents will be taken from priest personnel files, files of the bishops and vicar for clergy, and other sources in the archdiocese and will include depositions of retired Milwaukee Archbishop Rembert G. Weakland, along with those of Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, who headed the Milwaukee Archdiocese from 2002 to 2009. “My hope is by making these documents public, we will shed muchneeded light on how the archdiocese responded to abuse survivors over the past 40-plus years when confronting this issue, and they will aid abuse survivors and others in resolution and healing,” said Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki. Archbishop Listecki summarized the contents of the documents, saying they show incidents of abuse that date back 25, 50, and even 80 years. “The release of documents is something abuse survivors have asked for and if it can help us keep moving forward, I am willing to do it,” he said. The archdiocese plans to post the documents to its website by July 1. ■ The Archdiocese of Philadelphia deemed three suspended priests unsuitable to return to ministry. Fathers Joseph J. Gallagher, Mark S. Gaspar, and Richard T. Powers had been placed on administrative leave by the archdiocese in 2011 for allegations of sexual abuse against them.

Blessed Mother Laura Montoya, the Colombian founder of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate and of St. Catherine of Siena, was canonized on May 12 and became the first Colombian saint. moment that we will cherish,” Sister Cristina Santillan of the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of Mary Immaculate and of St. Catherine of Siena, which Mother Montoya founded, told CNS. The fact that Mother Montoya is the first Colombian saint is historic, considering the South American country is the sixth-largest Catholic country by population, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Mother Montoya was born in north-central Colombia in 1874. Raised by her grandmother, as a teenager she trained to become a teacher. It was while teaching at schools that she chose the religious life. After an encounter with a group of indigenous Colombians who had been mistreated, Mother Montoya dedicated her life to working directly with the country’s poor. This work led her to start her religious order in 1914. She died in 1949 at age 75. Today, the congregation of

Pope Francis reaffirmed the Vatican’s call for reform of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), an organization that represents about 80 percent of the country’s 57,000 women religious. Archbishop Gerhard L. Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reported this to LCWR leaders, whom he met on April 15. In April 2012, the congregation issued an assessment of the organization, citing “serious doctrinal problems which affect many in consecrated life,” and called for the organization’s reform to ensure its fidelity to Catholic teaching in areas including abortion, euthanasia, women’s ordination, and homosexuality, reported CNS. According to an LCWR statement following the meeting with Archbishop Müller, “the conversation was open and frank”; the bulletin did not elaborate any further. In a statement released by the Vatican, Archbishop Müller said the meeting gave him an opportunity to express his “gratitude for the great contribution of women religious to the Church in the United States as seen particularly in the many schools, hospitals, and institutions of support for the poor, which have been founded and staffed by religious over the years.” Seattle Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, who has been assigned by the Vatican to oversee the reform, was also present at the meeting, at which Archbishop Müller highlighted “the teaching of the Second Vatican Council regarding the important mission of religious to promote a vision of ecclesial communion founded on faith in Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church as faithfully taught through the ages under that guidance of the Magisterium,” according to the statement. A St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

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Remembering My Dad,

Sargent Shriver Mark Shriver looks back on his father, who taught his children to have hearts for praying and hands for building a better future. B Y PAT R I C I A Z A P O R

IKE OTHER FATHERS and sons, the late Sargent Shriver and his son Mark shared interests in sports and politics. In addition, they both have spent their adult lives in public service—in politics and in making the world a better place for the poor and marginalized. Less typical—and certainly less a part of the highly public life shared by members of such a prominent political family—is their affinity for writing love letters, to and about each other. Not that either of them probably thought of their writing as love letters. But with the habit of writing notes to the Shriver kids—which Sargent started and Mark tries to emulate—as well as a book the son wrote about his dad, it’s hard to miss the love at their core.

American Royalty The Shrivers are those Shrivers—part of the extended Kennedy clan. Sargent and Mark are the husband and son, respectively, of Eunice 16 ❘ June 2013

Kennedy Shriver, the sister of President John F. Kennedy and senators Robert F. Kennedy and Edward M. Kennedy. Mark was part of the pack of cousins photographed in those football games on the beach in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts: one of the blond, angular-jawed, brilliantly smiling young people lined up with their famous parents for portraits as America’s version of royalty. Even without the Kennedy mystique, Sargent and Eunice led lives of such significant public contribution that some of the nation’s most successful service organizations would not exist without them: the Peace Corps, Special Olympics, Head Start, VISTA, Job Corps, Foster Grandparents, Upward Bound, and the National Clearinghouse for Legal Services. Sargent was ambassador to France, an adviser to President Kennedy, a vice presidential candidate, a war hero, and an early advocate for civil rights. He was also a dad who slipped notes under his children’s doors overnight. He penned notes left for Mark and his sibSt A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

CNS PHOTO/CHAZ MUTH

lings as they grew up—short bits of encouragement or observations on life. Later in his children’s lives, he mailed letters to colleges and to new homes with spouses and their own children. For Mark, the family writing legacy played out as a book, A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver, which he wrote to synthesize the lessons about life and love from his father, particularly as the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease overwhelmed him. In the 2012 memoir, Mark comes to terms with the difficult—yet often rewarding—last years of his parents’ lives. He recounts his own career in public service and politics and weaves that into memories of a childhood that was simultaneously exotic, frequently public, and dotted with encounters with many of the most prominent figures of a lifetime.

Remembering Sargent Sargent, who died in January 2011 at the age of 95, apart from founding some of the most Fr anciscanMedia.org

important service organizations, was also a World War II veteran who survived several brutal naval battles. He worked on civil rights in Chicago in the 1950s, helping desegregate the city’s Catholic schools. In later years, he worked behind the scenes with the US bishops in drafting their policies on nuclear proliferation. The elder Shriver’s interest in bioethics and his work on the topic at Georgetown University set the stage for Catholic involvement in the field, Mark says. “Dad was talking about it well before others were.” Sargent was a key player in the administration of his brother-in-law, President John Kennedy. Mark’s book makes clear that theirs was a household where school friends and Special Olympians were as likely to be encountered as cardinals, United States Cabinet secretaries, and sports stars. There are the references people of a certain generation expect, such as those famous football games in Hyannis Port. There’s even a

Mark Shriver is shown at his home in Bethesda, Maryland, in 2012. His father, Sargent Shriver, a lifelong Catholic, was revered as the founding director of the Peace Corps and the architect of anti-poverty programs such as VISTA, Head Start, and Upward Bound.

June 2013 ❘ 17

(Far right) Sargent imparted a love of civic duty to his son, Mark, who ran for US Representative from the 8th Congressional District of Maryland in 2002.

CNS/JFK LIBRARY HANDOUT VIA REUTERS

(Right) US President John F. Kennedy and Sargent Shriver attend a ceremony honoring the first Peace Corps volunteers in Washington, DC, in 1961.

PHOTOS COURTESY MARK SHRIVER

(Above) The boys of summer: aside from politics and social-justice work, Sargent and Mark shared a love of sports. Here, they are photographed at a Baltimore Orioles game with Mark’s son, Tommy. (Above right) The Shriver family gathers for Eunice’s 85th birthday in 2006. She passed away three years later.

18 ❘ June 2013

delightful side story of Mark and his cousins making “Kennedy candles” out of scrap wax and beach sand that they sold to tourists who wandered through the neighborhood, hoping for a Kennedy sighting. But the Shriver-Kennedy mystique drops away as Mark layers those stories with an unvarnished recounting of his struggles while caring for aging, ailing parents. Little incidents of odd memory lapses in the early stages of his father’s disease evolved into sometimes inappropriate behavior, such as blowing his nose into his bare hand. Yet Mark knew it was important for his sociable father to get out among people. “You’re always a little nervous, and you think, They’re thinking weird things about your father and about you. At least that’s what I

always felt,” Mark says in an interview with St. Anthony Messenger. “But the bottom line is: Who cares what they think? If you’re loving your father and your father’s loving you and he blows his nose or does something inappropriate, you know, it’s life.”

A Love for Charity Giving back is in the Shriver blood. As senior vice president for strategic initiatives and senior adviser to the CEO for Save the Children, Mark’s job involves a variety of ways of helping kids survive and thrive. Sargent’s legacy clearly lives on in his son. “What I’m trying to do in my work at Save the Children is to make sure kids are educated and have healthy lifestyles,” Mark says. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

That includes, for instance, driving a crossAnd Mark tries to apply remembered lesagency effort to make children at home and sons from how his parents raised him. abroad a priority. This includes a new cam“I think particularly about the way he hanpaign, “Keeping America’s Children Safe,” dled my brothers and sister and me when we through which Save the Children advocates for made mistakes,” he says. “He held us accountmeasures to reduce gun violence and increase able, but he also showed us unconditional access to mental-health services, as well as love and support and forgiveness. Do I do that establishes national commissions to address the as much? That’s a day-in and day-out struggle challenges children face every day. for me. But I’m definitely more aware of it. His tenure at Save the Children followed “But sometimes,” Mark continues, “I find an eight-year stint in the Maryland House of myself yelling on the sidelines—if my daughDelegates, which was preceded by founding the ter is not moving as fast as she should in a Choice Program, an intervention agency for at- lacrosse game. And then I think, Is this about her risk youth—just to name a few major career or is it about me? Do I really need to yell now?” points. Mark told Catholic News Service last year that he and his wife, Jeanne, don’t purposefully instruct their children to get involved in service organizations. They accomplish this by modeling behavior that they want them to learn. “Our kids know they’re supposed to help people, whether they’re mentally disabled, poor, or just forgotten,” he says. Their children all play on teams through Unified Basketball, which pairs kids with disabilities with kids who Devotion to St. Anthony is deep, sincere and don’t have them.

Celebrate the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, June 13

Dear Friend,

The Letter Legacy Lives On In our interview, which took place as A Good Man was being released, Mark sat in the living room of his suburban Maryland house, supervising kids—his own and their friends. Just a few years earlier, Mark says, his mother, Eunice, would have been coming through the door about that time to help out with her grandchildren, giving them a dose of the same kind of energetic childhood he and his siblings and cousins enjoyed. Those are the times he misses his mother—who died in 2009—the most, he acknowledges. But in putting together the book about his father, Mark found that the more he dug into Sargent’s history— and particularly as he reflected on the legacy of those notes—the more he found himself becoming closer to his father. His own kids, Molly, Tommy, and Emma, receive notes from him as well. “Do I write them as many notes as my father did? No. But I’m trying.” Fr anciscanMedia.org

intense. There is comfort in the belief that such a saint is interested in our human needs and takes them so seriously when we entrust him to carry our concerns to the Lord Himself. He is the go-between amid us and the Almighty. We seek divine help to recover whatever is missing in goods or in spirit. Let us pray with you. Send us your intentions and we will personally see to it that they are placed at the National Shrine of St. Anthony in Cincinnati. At the same time, we will see to it that your gifts are used to assist the friars in their work among the poor. If you’d like, we will light a candle for your intention. The candle will burn for ﬁve days as a quiet reminder of your prayer. May the Lord, through the intercession of St. Anthony, give you peace.

— Fr. John Bok Send your intentions or light a candle ($5 suggested donation per candle)

ÜÜÜ°ÃÌ> Ì Þ° À}ÊUÊ(513) 721-4700 The Franciscan Friars, Province of St. John the Baptist 6INE 3TREET 3TE s #INCINNATI /( June 2013 ❘ 19

PHOTOS COURTESY MARK SHRIVER

From the perspective of fatherhood, the son sees his dad’s habit of attending Mass daily as part of what helped him deal with his kids and the other challenges of life compassionately. “I think it was the discipline of going to Mass every day. It calmed him down and paradoxically energized him. It made him realize he was not God—he was not ultimately in charge,” Mark says. “I think that gave him great freedom to go about doing whatever the day presented. It also slowed him down to realize that every day is special, that every interaction is special.”

‘Love, Daddy’ Mark closed his book, A Good Man, with a reproduction of the letter he received for his high school graduation. It reads: “Happy Graduation Day, Mark, and congratulations! Always remember, numero uno, that you are a unique, infinitely valuable person. “Your mother and I love you—so do your brothers and sisters and friends. But all our love and interest put together cannot compare with

Sargent loved writing letters to his children, like the one below— a tradition Mark tries to emulate as a father.

Sargent congratulates Mark after his son graduated from Holy Cross in 1986. He later went on to receive a master’s degree from Harvard University. 20 ❘ June 2013

St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

the passionate interest and love God himself showers on you. You are His! He wants you! And He will make you the perfect man you want to be. Love, Daddy.” “I found it after he died,” Mark says. “I find that the notes he wrote, in particular, continue to speak to me in different ways since he died. I feel like I have a very active relationship with him—not only in speech, but what he wrote and how he handled people and situations.” The graduation letter especially sticks with him. “I definitely had forgotten about that letter. I stumbled on it, and it was like, whoa!” he says. “A lot of people tell me they got letters from their parents on graduation day and they told them to work hard, it’s a land of opportunity, and your dreams will come true.” But like so many other aspects of his father’s life, that note was rooted in thoughts of God. “I was struck by how much that note was about love, about love from your family and friends, but most importantly from God and how you should trust God because God will make you the perfect man you want to be.”

Mark admits he can’t remember what he thought about the note as an 18-year-old. “It must have meant something to me when I was 18 because I put it in the scrapbook,” he says. But now, as a 49-year-old, “it means something different to me. Even though he’s physically not present, he’s very much spiritually or emotionally connected,” he says. Though it’s not exactly what Click here for more articles he set out to share with the and resources on Father’s book, Mark says he’s learned Day. since it was published that one theme in particular resonates with readers. “It’s never too late to develop a relationship with your parents, even though they’re dead. You can go back and think about them, ponder, and pray about them,” he says. “It can be really powerful. They’re always teaching.” A

tal Digi as Extr

Patricia Zapor is a reporter for Catholic News Service, whose work has appeared in Catholic Digest and Philanthropy Magazine, as well as this publication.

POETRY Woods in June

Magdalena Chooses Books

Advancing from sunlight Into indefinite length Of woods,

Her hands grazing leather spines, wondering: Would Ignatius read more than romance?

There is an increasing mood Of discovery, Extended deep-green branches, Partly hidden bluebird’s Sudden song, Numerous flowers Of the seasonal, Violets, Jonquils, Forget-me-nots, Hidden Within the dim sanctuary Of shade.

—William Beyer

Pain a raw crimson scorching his hip as her brother-in-law recovers in the Castle of Loyola. Her intuition unfolds a fist: lives of Christ, the saints. Did she hear his first delight? Torrential flood broke then from the sure desire. God had a dream. Magdalena turned the page.

—Kathy Coffey Fr anciscanMedia.org

June 2013 ❘ 21

LIVING SIMPLY

❘ BY SUSAN HINES-BRIGGER

Easy Summer Fun

s a mom, I know that by the second week of summer, my kids are already bemoaning the fact that “there’s nothing to do.” Well, actually, there are lots of things they could be doing. Here are some suggestions to keep them happy— and occupied.

Firefly races

Scavenger hunt

3 4 © YULIUFU/FOTOLIA

When I was a kid, my sisters and I would often head to the backyard around dusk and seek out fireflies. After each of us had caught one, we would open our hands on the count of three and see whose firefly flew off first for the win.

Make a list of items the kids can find outside. Give the list to each kid and send them off to collect the items. The first one to return with all the correct items wins.

Play in the rain When the summer rains come, send the kids outside—as long as there is no threat of lightning. Let them cool off and splash away their energy.

Get out of the heat Seek out places to go that have little or minimal cost involved, such as the library, a museum, or a local park. Look for places in your own city or town that you’ve never visited before. You might be amazed at how much you’ve been missing.

Go old-school Pull out some games from your childhood and teach them to your kids and their friends. Assistant editor Christopher Heffron and I had a lot of fun recalling all our favorite games from childhood, such as kick the can, flashlight tag, and spud. Not familiar with some of these games? Pick the ones you know or Google “kids outdoor games.”

Got any other ideas or suggestions? If so, share them on our St. Anthony Messenger Facebook page at Facebook.com/StAnthony MessengerMagazine. 2 2 ❘ Jun e 2013

St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

A life without

love

is like a year without

summer. —Swedish proverb

Ice Cream in a Bag 2 Tbsp sugar 1 cup half-and-half 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 cup salt (Kosher or rock salt works best, but table salt is fine.) 1 pint ziplock bag 1 gallon ziplock bag Ice cubes (enough to fill the gallon-size bag about half full) Combine sugar, half-and-half, and vanilla extract in the pint bag. Seal it tightly. Place the salt and ice in the gallon bag. Place the sealed smaller bag inside the larger bag. Seal the larger bag. Shake the bags until the mixture hardens (about 5 minutes). Feel the small bag to determine when it’s ready. Take the smaller bag out of the larger one and add mix-ins, such as sprinkles or candy. Now eat the ice cream right out of the bag. Enjoy! Fr ancisca n Media .org

Ju n e 2 0 1 3 ❘ 2 3

CNS/COURTESY OF SANCTUARY OF LISIEUX; BACKGROUND © KONSTANTIN KALISHKO/PHOTOXPRESS

Blessed Louis Martin

St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

24 ❘ June 2013

A Patron for

Mental Health Mental illness is not a punishment from God, as we learn from the life of St. Thérèse of Lisieux’s saintly father. BY THERESA DOYLE-NELSON

didn’t know that . . . a month after my reception of the Habit, our dear Father would drink the most bitter and most humiliating of all chalices” (St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Story of a Soul, chapter 7). She was not alone. Mental illness afflicts about 25 percent of adult Americans today, impacting roughly one in five families. People with mental illness often feel isolated, misunderstood, and scared. Family and friends frequently experience worry, uncertainty, and emotional exhaustion. Unfortunately, mental-health issues are often attributed to poor attitudes or a lack of effort. In fact, the mind can malfunction, just as a kidney, heart, or liver can fail to work properly. Great strides have been made in understanding, diagnosing, and treating mental-health issues; however, a crippling stigma still exists, causing those with poor mental health to suffer from both their sickness and unfair judgments by others. Adding to their burdens, religious people dealing with mental illness often see their illness as a sign that they have been abandoned by God or are experiencing divine punishment. Patron saints for those suffering from mental illness include Dymphna, Margaret of Cortona, and Benedict Joseph Labré. They have helped people undergoing emotional suffering or their loved ones. Hopefully, Blessed Louis Martin, the father of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, will soon be added to this list. He and his wife, Zélie, were beatified in 2008. In Story of a Soul, Thérèse makes several vague remarks about her father. For example, she recalls a strange childhood vision.

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Although Louis was away on a business trip, she saw him, hunched over and with a cloth veiling his head. A frightened Thérèse shouted out to him; however, the vision soon ended. She wrote: “I kept in the bottom of my heart the conviction that this vision had a meaning which was one day to be revealed to me. That day was a long time in coming; but after 14 years, God Himself tore away the mysterious veil” (chapter 2).

A Loving and Gentle Elderly Father St. Thérèse’s writings strongly convey Louis’ love and kindness toward his daughters. This gentle father turned 54 shortly before the death of his wife, Zélie, leaving him with five daughters to raise on his own: Marie (17), Pauline (almost 16), Léonie (14), Céline (8), and Thérèse (only 4). After Louis sold their home and the family watchmaking business, the family moved to Lisieux, where Zélie’s brother, sister-in-law, and two nieces lived. There, Louis devoted himself to his daughters, prayer, and good works. “Ah! How I loved, after the game of checkers was over, to sit with Céline on Papa’s knees. He used to sing, in his beautiful voice, airs that filled the soul with profound thoughts, or else, rocking us gently, he recited poems which taught the eternal truths,” Thérèse described (chapter 2).

Worsening Health, Moments of Joy About 10 years later, Louis’ health began to decline. Two daughters were already in Lisieux’s Carmelite convent; the three youngest were still at home. A seizure on May 1, 1887, partially and temporarily paralyzed his left side. June 2013 ❘ 25

A few weeks later, Thérèse told him of her desire to enter the Carmelite monastery. Although she was only 14, a tearful Louis felt as though her calling was true and gave his permission. Though he grieved at this sacrifice to the Lord, Louis supported Thérèse’s quest to become a Carmelite. On April 9, 1888, Thérèse became a Carmelite postulant. A tearful Louis, then 64, blessed her near the cloister door. Because Léonie had recently returned from testing her vocation as a Visitation nun, the family at home now consisted of Louis, Léonie, and Céline, with Uncle Isidore’s family nearby. About six or seven weeks after Thérèse’s entry into Carmel, Louis’ behavior showed signs of depression. Céline wrote, “He began

malcy to times of confusion, nervousness, and grief. When he felt good, he focused on God and acted charitably. At the end of October 1888, he had a difficult relapse, leading to bursts of sadness, anxiety, and more paralysis. This setback delayed the reception of Thérèse’s Carmelite habit until the following January. Although Louis had improved, family members worried about an emotional breakdown; however, the day was beautiful in all respects.

A Painful Setback The remission was short-lived. The next month, Louis began hallucinating, feeling compelled to keep a revolver to protect Léonie and Céline. This led Uncle Isidore to have Louis committed to the Bon Sauveur mental ward in nearby Caen. Céline wrote that he went there without initially realizing where he was being taken. Soon he humbly surrendered to divine providence. During lucid times, he tried to be a good patient, glorifying God as much as possible and showing kindness to other patients. He once wrote, “I am very well here, and I am here because it is the will of God. I needed this trial.” Céline and Léonie moved to Caen and initially visited him daily. After a few months, they could visit him only weekly, which they did from Lisieux, to which they had returned. Thérèse professed her final vows on September 8, 1890. Céline had previously brought a copy of her vows and the crown of roses Thérèse was to wear for her father’s blessing, a special comfort for the then 17-year-old. She wrote: “I was obliged to ask for Papa’s cure on the day of my Profession; however, it was impossible for me to say anything else but this, ‘My God, I beg You, let it be Your will that Papa be cured!’”

Returning to Lisieux

A statue of Thérèse of Lisieux in the garden of her childhood home shows her asking her father, Louis Martin, for permission to become a Carmelite nun.

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to show signs of more emotionalism, and tears came easily and frequently to his eyes.” In late June, Louis disappeared, leaving his daughters terrified. A few days later, he sent word from Le Havre (about 24 miles away), requesting money. Céline and Uncle Isidore immediately found Louis and brought him home. He explained his desire to live in prayerful solitude; however, Céline wrote to her sisters, expressing fears and anxieties for their dear father. His mental health vacillated from nor-

During his three years at Bon Sauveur, Louis’ mental health slowly declined. He often covered his head with his handkerchief, fulfilling Thérèse’s childhood prophetic vision. He eventually lost the use of his legs. In May 1892, Uncle Isidore brought Louis back to Lisieux, where Léonie and Céline cared for him. Then 68 years old, Papa cried with happiness during his journey back to Lisieux. Louis was soon taken to Carmel to see his three Carmelite daughters: Marie (32), Pauline (30), and Thérèse (19). Though very joyful at seeing their father, the nuns could not hold St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

Hope in Suffering With increased medical knowledge, some people have theorized that Blessed Louis Martin suffered from Alzheimer’s. His symptoms may point to cerebral arteriosclerosis, a blockage of arteries in the brain. Whatever his precise medical condition, his pain was very real: physically and mentally excruciating, feeling misunderstood and degraded. Yet his suffering can now bring hope and inspiration to others. Blessed Louis Martin’s struggle with mental affliction can encourage others to accept similar trials, to glorify God on good days, and believe that God is still close on difficult days. Louis exemplified sharing in Christ’s cross, allowing God to do what he wills for us. People suffering from mental illness and their families can learn from Louis that the trial may be painful, but that it is temporary and can be endured with God’s help. Louis once told Céline and his absent daughters, “Children, do not be afraid for me, for I am a friend of the good God.” People who struggle with emotional distress or mental illness, or have a loved one who does, might consider asking Blessed Louis Martin to pray for them or their loved one. Reports of miraculous healing linked to Blessed Louis Martin’s intercession can be sent to: Office Central de Lisieux / 51, Rue du Carmel / 14100 Lisieux, FRANCE. © CHIN HAN LOW/DREAMSTIME.COM

back their tears. Shortly before leaving, Louis pointed heavenward and managed to say, “Au ciel!” (“in heaven”). They understood him to say that their next time together would be in heaven. Indeed, this was their last earthly visit. “Papa is fairly well, I cannot say very well, for he has had several very sad days,” wrote Céline. “He seemed to be seized with great anguish and attacks of weeping, which tore my own heart. Yesterday he kept saying to us: ‘Oh, children, do pray for me.’” Near their rented house in Lisieux was Uncle Isidore’s garden, where Céline and Léonie often took their father for strolls in a borrowed wheelchair. Louis loved these outings; the fresh air and activity apparently gave his spirits a great lift. Music also seemed to soothe his mind. “Thus he loved to listen to the melodies played on the piano by his godchild, Marie Guérin,” wrote Céline. “He would stay there in a kind of rapture for a long time.”

Path Traced by Jesus In June of 1893, Léonie again tried her vocation at Caen’s Visitation convent. Céline cared for her father, assisted by Uncle Isidore, his family, and a married couple. With all four sisters away at convents, she felt terribly alone and emotionally drained. She valued regular letters of encouragement from Thérèse, who wrote a few months later, “The road on which you are walking is a royal road, it is not a beaten Fr anciscanMedia.org

track, but a path traced out by Jesus Himself.” Meanwhile, Uncle Isidore decided to try to get Louis to the Guérin’s vacation estate, La Musse (about 43 miles away). Its nature and scenery were a great tonic for Louis. He found great consolation when Céline or Uncle Isidore wheeled him to spots with inspiring views. Céline recalled: “I shall remember all my life the beautiful expression of his countenance, when in the evening, at twilight, we stopped in the depths of the woods, to hear the song of the nightingale. He listened with an awareness in his look! It was like an ecstasy, something I just can’t explain—a touch of Heaven reflected on his features.” Click here to read Sister Louis recovered fairly well Karen Zielinski’s article, “The from two strokes suffered in Stigma of Mental Illness.” the spring of 1894. He had a more serious attack in July and received the Anointing of the Sick. Céline hovered nearby, pouring out her heart in prayer. Suddenly, Louis opened his eyes and gave a tender look of love and gratitude to Céline, appearing serene. He died on July 29, 1894, a month short of turning 71. A

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A graduate of St. Bonaventure University in New York, Theresa Doyle-Nelson is a Catholic freelance author who writes from the Texas hill country, where she lives with her husband and the youngest of their three sons. June 2013 ❘ 27

Sister Simone Campbell

Nun on the

Bus

This tireless advocate continues her campaign for social justice following last year’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. BY JUDY BALL

ister Simone Campbell, SSS, gives new meaning to the word busy. Among her traveling, speaking engagements, and service as executive director of NETWORK, a Catholic social-justice lobby in Washington, DC, her calendar is somewhere between jammed and crammed. And she continues to remain in the thick of things following her speech at last year’s Democratic National Convention and the November presidential election. There’s also the ongoing “Nuns on the Bus” project to juggle.

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An e-mail requesting a telephone interview is returned at 5:58 on a Saturday morning with an apologetic “Right now won’t work. Next month?” When we finally nail down a date and time after some false starts, Sister Simone announces into her cell phone at the start of the interview: “It’s a miracle!” Then comes her trademark laugh: full-throated, warm, infectious.

Spreading Her Message Sister Simone has been in the spotlight—and sometimes in the eye of the storm—for more than a year. A newfound celebrity, she’s the first woman

religious to address a national political convention. (See the sidebar on page 31.) Late last year she received a “Defender of Democracy” award from the Parliamentarians for Global Action in Rome; many other winners have been heads of state. Has all the attention gone to her head? “No,” she replies carefully. “It’s not about me. I’m just doing my part.” Sister Simone is sustained by prayer (she begins each day with an hour of meditation) and the conviction that she is simply using the gifts that have been given to her by the Holy Spirit. While life is unfolding at lightning speed for St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

PHOTO BY TONY TRIBBLE

the California-born Sister of Social Service, she is relishing every opportunity she has to preach and uphold Gospel values. Whether she’s engaged in promoting NETWORK’s priorities (economic justice, immigration reform, health care, peacemaking, ecology), addressing a rapt audience on a crowded convention floor along with millions of viewers at home, hopping aboard a bus to remind voters that budgets and elections have moral consequences, or gently sparring with Stephen Colbert on his hit cable show on Comedy Central, Sister Simone is about one thing: Fr anciscanMedia.org

reminding anyone who will listen that Jesus invites us to be on the side of the poor, the people at the margins. “I’ve always had a sense of justice and of being called,” Sister Simone, 68, told St. Anthony Messenger last December. While a student at Immaculate Heart College in Los Angeles, she took to the streets, tutoring in South Central Los Angeles and participating in sit-ins at the board of education. Along the way, she learned that she liked working with people with a shared mission. “For me, it was always about Jesus and the Gospel; how I am called to be Christ’s body.”

On a Mission It wasn’t much of a leap for her when, in 1964, she entered the Buffalo-based Sisters of Social Service. Their foundress, Sister Margaret Slachta (sometimes spelled Schlacta), was the first woman member of Parliament in her native Hungary. Elected in 1920, she focused on the well-being of women, children, and families. As a new member of the Sisters of Social Service, Sister Simone was quickly at home. The reforms of Vatican II were just emerging. Religious life was “so exciting.” After being involved in archdiocesan administraJune 2013 ❘ 29

tion in Portland, Oregon, and doing community organizing on the side, she earned a law degree at the University of California at Davis. Then came 18 years at a low-cost legal-service center she founded to help the working poor. Fast-forward to April 2012, when NETWORK, the Catholic lobby she has headed since 2004, officially celebrated its 40th anniversary. As magical as the party at Trinity University in Washington, DC, was, she left it convinced that the mission of NETWORK (net worklobby.org) needed to be better known. But what could she do? Four days later, the Vatican “answered my prayer and that question,” Sister Simone says. In a surprising announcement, the Vatican reported the findings of an investigation of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) that not only called LCWR into question, but also mentioned NETWORK as a problem organization that collaborates with LCWR. Both groups were then (and still are) under the scrutiny of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Though she was “stunned” that Rome had never even spoken with her before its announcement, Sister Simone chose to keep moving forward rather than just spin or stew.

and imagination. To this day, neither Sister Simone nor anyone else in attendance can remember who came up with the idea, or the name, of “Nuns on the Bus.” But the concept was simple enough: just as the country was beginning to enter the political season in earnest and elect a president, small groups of women religious would board buses and take to the road, calling attention to people living in poverty, bringing to them and all who would hear them a message of hope. They would speak out for Gospel values and for the people on the margins as they traveled within their states and stopped at various Catholic-sponsored social-service agencies that help the poor lift themselves out of poverty.

A Moral Budget

scrutiny, a number of Catholic groups, including the US Conference of Catholic Bishops and NETWORK, found it seriously wanting in light of Catholic social teaching. It certainly hit a nerve with Sister Simone. The veteran social activist was and is galled that a fellow Catholic would propose a budget that, she says, seeks to “dramatically cut socialservice programs, especially food programs, end the guarantee of Medicare, and slash Medicaid”—all in the name of cutting the national deficit. Congressman Ryan “claims his budget reflects the principles of our shared Catholic faith, but the Ryan budget fails a basic moral test of harming families living in poverty,” Sister Simone said during the presidential campaign. As an alternative, she and NETWORK are part of the Faithful Budget Campaign (faithfulbudget.org), made up of various communities of faith, many of them Catholic. Their goal: reasonable revenue for responsible programs. From her experience, that includes many of the programs run or sponsored by Catholic sisters that get federal money—“amazingly responsible programs,” as she sees it. All government programs must be accountable, she insists, “including the Pentagon’s budget.” Sister Simone did manage to have an in-person meeting with Congressman

If ever there was one, Sister Simone is one of “the-glass-is-half-full” types. Where others might shrink in fear, she took advantage of the media storm that erupted following the Vatican’s announcement. As the executive director of NETWORK, she shared openly and enthusiastically about the life of women religious and their commitment to the poor. As a result, the mission of NETWORK was in the public eye as it hadn’t been in a long time, if ever. But she was only getting started. During one of her morning meditations, three words came to her: Ask. For. Help. Within a month she had pulled together a 90-minute meeting of highpowered friends of NETWORK who responded to her invitation to share ideas about how the organization might experience a new burst of energy

Sister Simone Campbell traveled the country with other women religious on a nine-state “Nuns on the Bus” tour in 2012, calling attention to the needs of the poor.

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PHOTO BY TONY TRIBBLE

Blessing in Disguise

Around the same time Nuns on the Bus began to roll—beginning with a 2,700-mile journey through the Midwest—Congressman Paul Ryan, a Catholic from Wisconsin, was selected as the vice presidential nominee for the Republican Party. The budget that he had already proposed to remedy the nation’s economic woes (passed in the US House of Representatives in April 2011 but never in the Senate) was embraced by Mitt Romney, the party’s presidential nominee. As the so-called Ryan budget came under close

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About That Convention Speech

t all started when some of the staff working on the Obama reelection campaign contacted Sister Simone Campbell to see if she could suggest the names of some women religious who could deliver a prayer at the upcoming Democratic National Convention, set for Tampa in September 2012. She replied with some names and contact information. The campaign staff e-mailed back that she herself was now at the top of their list. Would she be agreeable? “Well, I pray all the time,” Sister Simone replied. “That’s not a hard task.” A short time later the invitation changed, and she was asked to deliver a six-minute address at the convention. After getting clearance from her NETWORK board and talking with her religious community and others, Sister Simone agreed to speak under three condi-

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tions: she would uphold her pro-life position; she would speak on behalf of the poor “who go unseen and would otherwise be unheard in that setting”; and she would emphasize the importance of political parties having “a big tent,” one that includes people of varying views and backgrounds. No objections were raised, and within weeks, everything was set. Sister Simone tried to bring NETWORK’s presence to the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina (held a week before), but nothing materialized. So, it was on to Tampa. On speech day she was advised to expect an inattentive convention filled with moving people and waving placards—certainly not a rapt audience, she was told. Using a teleprompter for the first time, she took a deep breath and stepped into her speech with a hearty, “Good evening. I’m

Sister Simone Campbell, and I’m one of the ‘Nuns on the Bus.’” Wild applause came from the conventioneers before her. More applause came as she spoke of the importance of individual responsibility while also being her sister’s and brother’s keeper; of the need to create an economy “where parents with jobs earn enough to take care of their families”; and of the importance of the proper implementation of the new Affordable Care Act, including expanded Medicaid coverage, calling health-care reform “part of my pro-life stance” and “the right thing to do.” Looking back, Sister Simone treasures her six minutes (seven if you include the applause) as a precious opportunity to speak about real people with names and struggles and hopes. “Bringing those people into that arena was sacred for me,” she says.

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Ryan in July 2012. There is no evidence either one’s mind was changed as a result, but she suggested a followup meeting in a thank-you note to him. As she looks back on the 2012 presidential election, Sister Simone acknowledges that NETWORK became involved in “a political, partisan” effort. “It wasn’t our initiative” once Representative Ryan became part of the Republican Party ticket and his proposed budget became part of the platform, she says, but “it would have been bad for our nation. We had to continue to speak out.” And yet, she concedes, “I sometimes feel like a kid in a school yard saying, ‘Well, he did it first.’”

The Work Ahead

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Click here to watch a video of Sister Simone Campbell explaining the mission of Nuns on the Bus.

which keeps rolling though the election is far behind. Sister Simone can’t predict what steps, if any, the Vatican might take regarding NETWORK and what those steps could mean for her personally. Some months ago, someone “who has 32 ❘ June 2013

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But there’s no question: Sister Simone Campbell is still on the campaign trail, though not a partisan one. Hers isn’t just a crusade for some vague or general notion of justice. It’s a campaign for Margaret, the woman who lost her job and her health insurance, developed cancer, had no access to diagnosis or treatment, and died an early death; for Shiesa, who is making her way from homelessness to a college degree; for Wilbur, a former inmate, who has paid his debt to society and is now a single parent, successfully juggling work and child care. She carries Margaret’s photo in her Bible and the names and faces of so many struggling Americans she has met in her work at NETWORK and with Nuns on the Bus,

Taking part in the “Loaves and Fishes Day of Action” on Capitol Hill in Washington March 20, Sister Simone urges US lawmakers to protect the poor and families. a lot of knowledge of Rome and Vatican activities” suggested she had better beware. “I trusted that person’s analysis—and it scared me,” she acknowledges. “But then I realized I can’t let fear stop me from trying to lift up the needs of people at the margins of our society.” Occasional fears and uncertainty aside, Sister Simone trusts that she is following a Gospel path. She believes there is diversity in Rome, and she finds that encouraging. She is also pleased that the US bishops’ conference was in sync with NETWORK and Nuns on the Bus about the damage the Ryan budget would do to the social safety net. But some differences can’t and won’t disappear, she knows. Historically, she

says, “the role of women religious is to stand with those at the margins of our society. It’s not to be in the center. We have different experiences than those who have the mission of protecting the center.” As this issue went to press, Sister Simone announced that the Nuns on the Bus will hit the road again—now in support of immigration-reform legislation. She invited bishops to join her this time: “They don’t have to ride on the bus,” she said. “They can come stand with us at events.” A Judy Ball is a widely published freelance writer and editor from Cincinnati, Ohio. She has an MEd in guidance and counseling and an MA in humanities from Xavier University in Cincinnati. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

EDITORIAL

Should We Ban Guns? Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s talk. As in not yell at one another, take sides, dig in our heels, or any of the other things that seem to happen every time this subject comes up. Let’s be frank. We have an epidemic of violence in this country, and guns play a big part. It is not acceptable, and something needs to be done about it. I know the arguments against gun control—cities with strict gun laws actually have more crime, and anyway, the Second Amendment of the US Constitution gives us the “right to bear arms.” But again, what good are those arguments doing to move us toward a more peaceful country or, for that matter, world? If you asked for my personal solution, I would answer, “Get rid of them completely.” But I’m also a realist. I understand that will not happen. There are too many exceptions—police, military, etc.—to make that a reality. But surely we can do better than what we recently witnessed in Congress, when a minority of senators voted down two bipartisan bills that would have expanded background checks on firearm sales and banned some semiautomatic firearms modeled after military assault weapons. (Can someone please tell me why the average person in the community where my family lives—or any US community for that matter—would need a semiautomatic firearm modeled after a military assault weapon?) We need to do something besides drawing our line in the sand and daring other people to cross it. Two senators tried to make that happen. Senators Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.)—both gun owners and defenders of Second Amendment rights—tried to cross Fr ancisca n Media .org

those lines by proposing the amendments that were ultimately defeated. I commend them. But it didn’t work. The amendments required 60 votes to pass in the 100-member Senate. That meant that Democrats and independents in favor of the amendments, who hold 55 seats, needed support from some of their Republican counterparts to help the amendments pass. They didn’t get those five votes. Who knows why? Tell me, members of Congress, what is so hard about working together to find a solution? Are you afraid of not getting reelected? Will you lose donations? Are you determined not to budge because something was proposed by someone outside your party? Tell me, are any of those things more important than the lives of those struck down by gun violence? Your inability to work together to find a solution certainly sends that message.

Underlying Issues I’m also aware that guns are but one piece of a much bigger puzzle we have to figure out. The violence that is rampant in our society has numerous issues behind it, such as mentalhealth and economic issues. I’m sure we’ve all heard the phrase “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” Technically, that is true. But when those guns get in the hands of people with mental-health issues, people who feel hopeless, or people who are numbed to violence for a vast number of reasons—our media included—we have a major problem. And we have tragedies here in the United States such as Columbine, Aurora, and Newtown, among others. Until we peel back and look at those issues in light of these

tragedies, many of the gun-control arguments, plans, and solutions seem weak.

Call against Arms I could sit here and cite statements and quotes from any number of popes and religious leaders from all faiths about the need for peace. I could find quotes and documents that would be in favor of gun restrictions. I could tell you that St. Francis would probably speak out against guns. But those quotes and arguments have been tossed around ad nauseum, and they haven’t moved us forward at all. So I will make my own plea. Please, let’s work to find a way to bridge our divide on this issue. You know my position; I’m well aware of the other sides. I don’t know what the solution is. But there has to be a way. I’m tired of turning on the TV only to see the litany of shootings—and overall violence. It’s an everyday crisis across the country. We can no longer turn our heads or lose interest once the news coverage ceases. I doubt, despite my hopes, that guns will go away. But I feel that I need to say something. I feel that I need to remind people that surely there are ways we can address the issue. At the very least, let your representatives and senators know that this is an issue that is important to you, and that you will hold them accountable. Of course, not everyone will have the same argument. Some will call for stricter gun laws; others will call for fewer. Our job is to find some middle ground. If we look hard enough, want to, and are willing to work together, I bet we can find it. —Susan Hines-Brigger Ju n e 2 0 1 3 ❘ 3 3

Anthony and Francis St. Anthony Preaches to the Fishes One day, St. Anthony was in the Italian city of Rimini, where a good number of heretics lived. St. Anthony preached to them, hoping to win them over to Christ. But they did not care to listen to his words. So Anthony decided to go to the river near the sea. He stood on the bank between the river and the sea. Since the heretics had refused to pay attention to him, Anthony invited the fishes to come BY JACK WINTZ, OFM near and listen to the word of God. Suddenly, a great number of large and small fishes came before him and, as they held their heads out of the water, they listened to his sermon. This they did peacefully and meekly. Then St. Anthony spoke in this way: “My brother and sister fishes, you must thank your Creator with much gratitude

As we strive to respect God’s earth, let us love animals as they did.

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because he has given you such a noble element for your dwelling place, as well as many kinds of food to eat. He has given you fins also, so you can roam the waters as you like!” Some of the fishes began to open their mouths and nod their heads as a way of praising God. On seeing this, St. Anthony rejoiced and cried out: “How blessed is the Creator! For the fishes give God more honor and praise than the heretics do. The fishes may lack the gift of reason, but these creatures of the sea pay more attention to the words of Anthony than do these faithless heretics.”

St. Francis Preaches to the Birds One day, St. Francis of Assisi walked into a wooded place where a large gathering of birds had assembled. St. Francis simply strolled among them. He began speaking to them as St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

ILLUSTRATION BY HEIDI YOUNGER

Loved Creation though they understood what he was saying. As he walked about, St. Francis invited them to listen to the word of God. “O birds, my dear brothers and sisters,” he said, “you should always praise your Creator. For God has given you feathers and wings for flying. He provides you with pure air—and cares for you, so that you have no need to worry at all.” As he spoke, the birds showed their excitement by stretching their necks and extending their wings, opening their beaks, and watching St. Francis attentively. St. Francis moved among the birds, brushing against them with his habit. Yet not one of them moved until the man of God gave them his blessing—and permission to leave. Then they all flew happily away! His companions had been waiting on the road and they saw everything. When he walked back to rejoin them, St. Francis, simple man that he was, began to accuse himself of negliFr anciscanMedia.org

gence because he had never thought to preach to the birds before. A famous fresco by Giotto, a 13th-century painter, portrays a similar scene. In it, St. Francis and another friar are standnig by a tree where a number of Click here to read more birds have gathered on the about Saints Francis and ground and are looking Anthony’s connection with intently at St. Francis. The saint animals. has his hand raised in gentle blessing as he bends toward the birds in a spirit of reverence and wonder. Giotto’s whole fresco exudes a sense of the goodness of God and of the sacredness of all God’s creatures. A

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Jack Wintz, OFM, is senior editor of this publication and editor of Catholic Update. He is also author of numerous books about St. Francis and animals, as well as Friar Jack’s Espirations, a free e-newsletter accessible at FriarJack.org. June 2013 ❘ 35

Finding

St. Anthony A new documentary from Salt + Light Television sheds light on this beloved saint. BY CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON by Father Tom Rosica, CSB, who was in the limelight recently as one of the Vatican’s spokespeople during the election of Pope Francis. To learn more go to saltandlight tv.org.

(Opposite page) Filmmakers Ed Roy and Dina Shackelford are bringing the life of St. Anthony to the small screen for Salt + Light Television. The documentary is being produced in collaboration with Roy’s J6 Media Works.

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Who Was St. Anthony? He is the go-to saint when we misplace car keys, wallets, and rings. But, in a way, that undercuts the importance of this great saint from Lisbon. St. Anthony is capable of helping us locate something greater than mere possessions: our faith, for starters. Who among us hasn’t felt lost on our spiritual path? Anthony of Padua can help us find God. But how much of the saint do we really know? New York filmmaker Ed Roy didn’t know much before he started work on a documentary about Anthony, but he has grown to admire the saint even more. He spoke to St. Anthony Messenger about the film, which, at the time of this writing, was still in production. Finding Saint Anthony: A Story of Loss & Light will air June 13 on Salt + Light Television. Canada’s Salt + Light, a digital network, is led

Q: How did you get involved in this project? A: I was at Salt + Light in 2012 for an interview in connection with an art documentary I had shot. After the interview, Father Tom Rosica pulled me into his office to talk about an idea to do a one-hour film on St. Anthony of Padua. Salt + Light Television has a special priority for telling the lives of the saints and blesseds in a contemporary way. And because of the widespread devotion to St. Anthony among so many ethnic groups in particular, he asked me to tell this story. So we sat down and, in about 30 seconds, I had the outline of what he was looking for. I went home with this very light sketch of some ideas for a one-hour documentary on St. Anthony. And the only stipulation was to explore within the film the sense of loss and finding on a deeper level. That’s what we’re trying to explore within the film. In St. Anthony’s own life, there were moments where he lost his bearings. At certain points he came to the deep understanding that he had to surrender himself to whatever God’s plans were for his life. Q: What draws people to Anthony? A: I knew very little about St. Anthony before this project. My Catholic background is FrenchCanadian. St. Anthony doesn’t figure very St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

large in that culture. I just knew he was a saint who people prayed to when they’ve lost items. Yet, over time, I began to understand that St. Anthony, even in helping people find lost items, is helping people experience God’s love for them. And so it’s about knowing that you’re not alone in life—that there’s a companion, a friend in heaven you can turn to.

A Story Worth Telling

Fr anciscanMedia.org

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY J6 MEDIAWORKS

Q: Why does his life merit a film? A: Don’t all saints merit a film of their lives? I think they do. We always need to be presented with models of heroic choices. The saints are individuals who have been able to make those choices in their lives—often small choices—that eventually take them to a fulfillment of themselves. We need those stories in front of us. Those stories help us understand what’s most valuable in our lives. We need

Writer and Franciscan scholar Dan Horan, OFM, gives his perspective on St. Anthony for the documentary, which airs June 13. June 2013 ❘ 37

Father Mario Conte, OFM Conv.—an Anthony aficionado and one of those featured in the documentary—says that many Catholics see the saint as a close friend and confidant—a devotion he calls the “Anthonian Phenomenon.”

Madeline Nugent, seen here being interviewed by filmmakers, believes that Anthony’s courage is rooted in his choice to surrender completely to the will of God—knowing that was the best route to take.

Carol Ann Morrow, book review editor for St. Anthony Messenger and one of the experts featured in the documentary, has always maintained a special devotion for Anthony.

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these heroic stories of people who have tried to make a thrust toward God, but also toward their fellow human beings. Q: What concerns or fears did you have about making the film? A: As a filmmaker, I often feel a little bit too small to be telling anybody’s story in the first place. It’s a daunting task to tell someone’s life story. Life is so rich—there’s such a universe within each person. Take St. Anthony for example. He has been touching people’s lives for almost 800 years. Does he need a filmmaker to come in and help him continue to do that? Probably not. But if I’m there to tell a story, there is a need not only to dig below the surface of popular piety toward him, but also to try and do justice to his vision of God and humanity. So how do I, in my own work, continue to

do justice to what he stood for? As a filmmaker, the task is to go back and rediscover the journey of a man named Fernando who never saw himself as a saint. Fernando was a Christian like the rest of us, and his life’s journey had ups and downs like we all have. But there’s something within those ups and downs that is worthy of imitation.

A Saintly Life Q: What did you learn about Anthony in this process? A: I learned that he didn’t start out as a Franciscan. He started out as an Augustinian. I learned that he was from a family of lower nobility. Yet he chose to follow the path of Francis, which was a downwardly mobile path as opposed to upwardly mobile, so there’s a great contrast there. For me, when someone makes that kind of courageous choice, it says St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

Christopher M. Bellitto, PhD, says that the 13th century was a time of new spiritual awakenings. “The 13th century got faith and reason right—balancing the heart and the head. And Anthony’s gift is how he did this so well,” he says. something about his heart and his compassion and sense of what’s important in life. I learned that Anthony was very well educated. He had an incredible memory. And because of that he found himself being invited to go throughout northern and southern France to preach. I find it odd that we don’t recognize him as such. But in his day, he was quite the mouthpiece not only for Franciscanism, but also for the Gospel itself. He always tried to encourage people, to lift them up, to invite them to be better. He invited people to a broader view of themselves in relationship to their fellow man, but also to their relationship with God. He helped them to see that God’s creation was good. Q: What about Anthony will be new for viewers? A: He was one of those guys who had a gentle path toward sanctity. He didn’t have any big upheavals in his life regarding conversion. He was a young man when he fell in love with the idea of being a monk. Though he did experience significant turning points in his journey, he wasn’t one who seemed to have great temptations toward wealth or glory. He was someone who seemed to have this very constant, growing dimension toward understanding better and better what God wanted from him. Q: What is it about Anthony’s life that stood out for you? A: More than anything, the word surrender. It’s a surrender that is based on the conviction and belief that God loves me immensely. And that he has a plan for me that’s better than anything I can create for myself. Part of that conviction entails letting go of the desire to control Fr anciscanMedia.org

my own life, to be the one who’s in charge. It’s an opportunity to extinguish the ego and then see what happens from it.

Timeless Choices Q: Why is Anthony still relevant? A: I asked that question to some of the people I interviewed for the film. His message, his life, and his choices are timeless. His choice of surrender, his understanding of a loving God who has a wonderful plan for each one of us is a timeless message. Those messages don’t go away. And part of that also encourages all of us to reevaluate some of our own choices in life, reevaluate our attitudes toward each other. Q: What do you hope viewers gain from your film? A: Everyone will take away from the film something different. What I hope people gain from it is to get to know this individual a little bit better. If they’re drawn into the story, they might rethink who he was and maybe it’ll create a new curiosity or it’ll awaken something in them that was dormant about their own vision of God. I hope people will look at the film and see that I as a storyteller have respected his life and given them a good ride in the process—that they’ve enjoyed it. And I hope it doesn’t put people to sleep. That’s true of any filmmaker. Whether you’re making the next Star Wars or you’re working on the life of St. Anthony, it’s always a challenge to draw your audience in and to allow them to go on a journey and walk away feeling better about themselves and about life. A Christopher Heffron is an assistant editor and the social media editor of St. Anthony Messenger. June 2013 ❘ 39

He convened the epochal Vatican Council II. But Pope John also helped bring the world from the brink of nuclear war in 1962, then issued a message of peace that rings true today.

‘The Good Pope’ On the 50th anniversary of Blessed Pope John XXIII’s death, author Greg Tobin talks about the pope’s lasting impact. BY CAROL ANN MORROW

REG TOBIN had an idea. When younger Catholics hear of Pope John XXIII, they might think of history’s Second Vatican Council, or perhaps they’ve heard vaguely of “the friendly pope.” Tobin wanted to interpret this man’s life for readers today. A book editor, author, and Church expert for many years, Tobin is vice president for university advancement at Seton Hall University. He wrote The Good Pope: The Making of a Saint and the Remaking of the Church (HarperOne, 2012). St. Anthony Messenger interviewed Tobin about a particular aspect of the pope’s life that changed the way the Church was seen by the whole world. Fifty years ago in April, newspaper headlines and magazine covers heralded a message of peace, “Pacem in Terris” (“Peace on Earth”), the final encyclical of this dying pope. It was addressed not only to the clergy and the faithful, but “to all men of good will.” People of good will around the world read it with interest—and with hope. His message of peace—specifically against nuclear weapons—gnaws at modern consciousness.

A Peace Plea from the ‘Pope of the World’ Tobin is certain that Pope John XXIII “has a message for us in our contemporary world.” Pope John’s background both as a soldier and as a veteran diplomat throughout World War II gave the pope keen insight and feeling for the theme of this encyclical, one which he knew would be his last, as he was dying of cancer, only five years into his papacy. Tobin sketches the scenario. “Pope John was elected at the height—or the depth—of the Cold War, the terrifying nuclear standoff between East Fr anciscanMedia.org

and West. That influenced his pontificate, and he had a great influence on world affairs during that time. He was conscious of his position of moral authority, and he wanted to be certain that he had as strong an influence on the drive for peace and reconciliation in the world as he could. So he conceived of this statement, this encyclical, with that in mind, I think. It sealed his identity as the pope of the world in a different way than any pope had been to that point. He became a model for the popes who would follow.” Prior to John XXIII’s papacy, Tobin explains, “the Church had been largely in a defensive mode in the world. It had been under attack, persecution. It was very inward-looking in many ways, and John wanted to change that. He wanted to update many of the outward practices of the Church, and he wanted to open up the Church to the world so the world could look in and know what Catholics were all about. And there’s no more powerful or central message than that of peace. This encyclical really captured that in a way that was very conscious and deliberate on his part. It really had a very strong, immediate, powerful influence in the world.” In Tobin’s book The Good Pope, he offers some backstory on the historic letter, which the pope conceived, Tobin says, during the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when nuclear war seemed imminent. Pope John XXIII, through intermediaries, actually encouraged Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to continue negotiations with the United States at this perilous time. He even sent an advance draft of “Peace on Earth” to the Soviet leader, possibly underlining the passages on arms proliferation and nuclear weapons. That alone earns the papal letter a place in world history. June 2013 ❘ 41

At the time of its issuance, the US State Department, writes Tobin, broke a “precedent of silence toward papal encyclicals,” praising the encyclical. Positive response came from quarters as diverse as the Soviet news agency, the United Nations, and the National Council of Christians and Jews. Time magazine called it “one of the most profound and significant documents of our age.”

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Click here to watch a video about Pope John XXIII.

“It changed the conversation,” Tobin writes. “[The pope] engaged the world in gentle, impassioned, fatherly dialogue, understandable to superpowers and peasants alike.”

A Surprising Vatican Council Of course, “Peace on Earth” is by no means the only mark Pope John XXIII left on the Church. Four years into his papacy, this former diplomat engaged the Church in a dialogue of renewal through the historic Second Vatican Council (1962–65). Together with this encyclical, it was the great—and unpredicted—achievement of his papacy. Pope John invited observers of almost every religious tradition to attend (and

he gave them good seats, Tobin reports). Pope John XXIII was a genuine optimist, says Tobin. He had a deep inward spiritual focus himself and, looking outward, he was focused on “building, reforming, shaping a Church that was defined through peace, spirituality, and a connection with God.” All this, Tobin says, “despite opposition that he faced within the Vatican to the idea of a council.” Tobin recalls that “John XXIII, after the opening ceremonies, did not appear on the floor of the council, but monitored it from his apartment.” Why? Tobin says, “He didn’t want to appear to be forcing anything or favoring anything in the debates—and there were very hot debates. The council had opened with a big bang when the majority of the bishops rejected the agenda and a number of the draft documents out of hand and said, ‘No, we want to start from scratch—and really have some debate and discussion.’ That was not an easy situation, and it shocked the traditionalists deeply after all the hard work they had done. “John had a vision for the council,” Tobin says, “but I don’t think he wanted to force it on anybody. He allowed things to develop in a way that ultimately put the direction of the council on the path he had hoped for from the beginning.” It was to be a pastoral council. It would not focus so

“Every believer in this world of ours must be a spark of light, a center of love, a vivifying leaven amidst his fellowmen.” CNS PHOTO/COURTESY OF ARCHBISHOP LORIS CAPOVILLA

—”Peace on Earth,” #164

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much on doctrine as on the way the Church was to be present in the world. Only on one issue did John enter directly into the proceedings of a council whose end he would not live to see. The solution, Tobin reports, was to pair Italian Cardinal Alfredo Ottaviani and the more liberal German Cardinal Augustin Bea to cochair the rewrite of the stalled schema on divine revelation, a teaching on how God makes the divine will known to people. Delineating a Catholic understanding of both Scripture and tradition, it represents some of the council’s most important work. Tobin, together with other chroniclers of the council, asserts that this appointment of two squabbling prelates changed the course not only of that committee’s document, but of the entire council. The diplomatpope had worked behind the scenes. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

VATICAN COUNCIL: PHOTO FROM CNS/GIANCARLO GIULIANI, CATHOLIC PRESS PHOTO; PHOTO OF TOBIN BY MILAN STANIC/SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

Fifty Years—and Forward So what would Pope John XXIII think about the situation of the Catholic Church in today’s world? Tobin reflects, “His optimism would come into play if he were here to witness what’s going on within the Church, the various scandals, difficulties, and persecutions the Church faces in some parts of the world. He would very urgently call us to prayer in the way that Pope Francis has done. “When it comes to facing the scandals, I think John would do it directly and gently. In his heart, he would be angry as well as sad at the causes of the scandals. This is going out on a limb, but I believe he was capable of absorbing things like this in the way that Christ did—taking on the sins of the world. . . . “John XXIII was the Vicar of Christ Fr anciscanMedia.org

(Above) The world’s bishops were summoned to Vatican II to “open the Church’s windows” so that “we can see out and the people can see in.” (Right) Author Greg Tobin says he feels “connected” to the popes—and has written several books about them. and he had that capacity as well. He could just take a lot in and keep moving forward. He would keep a smile on his face and a prayer in his heart. I would say that Pope John had an extremely high emotional IQ.” A Carol Ann Morrow is the former assistant managing editor of St. Anthony Messenger. For resources on Vatican II and a Catholic Update summary of “Peace on Earth,” visit catalog.Franciscan Media.org.

YEAR OF FAITH

❘ BY MAURICE J. NUTT, CSSR, DMIN

Faith Professed “To rediscover the content of the faith that is professed, celebrated, lived, and prayed, and to reflect on the act of faith, is a task that every believer must make his own, especially in the course of this Year.” Door of Faith, 15

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Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen (1895–1979) was well-known for his radio work, TV programs, newspaper columns, and books. Ordained in 1919, he taught at The Catholic University of America. Named auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York (1951), he was already national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Rochester (1966–69) and was named a titular archbishop when he retired. He hosted The Catholic radio series (1930–50) and followed it with his Life Is Worth Living TV series (1951–57). Bishop Sheen won an Emmy (1952) and wrote 73 books. Pope Benedict XVI declared him “venerable” in 2012.

expound on our relationship and commitment to Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church. We profess and witness to our faith by showing others the reasons for all that we say and do. “Faith professed” can be demonstrated by not remaining silent in the face of hatred and injustice; seeking out those in need of love, comfort, and healing; showing concern for the poor, the prisoner, and the oppressed; offering forgiveness; making real and relevant the words of the Nicene Creed, that we “believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life” and become people who give life and hope to lifeless people, places, and situations we encounter. At our best, this is who we are, this is our faith, and we are proud to profess it! A Maurice J. Nutt, CSSR, DMin, is a renowned revival, mission, and retreat preacher. Father Nutt is a member of the Redemptorist Parish Mission Team based in Chicago.

ILLUSTRATION BY JULIE LONNEMAN

t. Francis of Assisi is widely, though inaccurately, quoted as saying, “Preach the Gospel always; if necessary, use words.” He clearly lived out these words. If the Gospel is to be credible, it must be professed by our words and our actions. Thomas of Celano, St. Francis’ first biographer, quotes him as telling his first friars: “The preacher must first draw from secret prayers what he will later pour out in holy sermons; he must first grow hot within before he speaks words that are in themselves cold.” This “growing hot within” is at the heart of professing our faith. We typically think of those who overtly profess their faith as those who are Bible “toting and quoting” Christians, those who are always talking about Jesus, those who demonstrate their faith by wearing religious articles or T-shirts with scriptural or religious citations. “Growing hot within,” however, means much more. When we profess our faith at Sunday Mass in the Creed, we express what unites us. Our profession of faith is not the mindless rambling of cold words but rather a ministry of presence. In essence, our profession of faith is what we believe and who we truly are. Long after we have said these words at Mass, we are called to give life to those words. When we become “faith professed,” people will see a change in us and will ask what is going on in our lives. Then we can take the opportunity to explain and

VENERABLE FULTON J. SHEEN

A Living Sign God our Father, you sent your only son, Jesus, to be a living sign of your love and compassion for the human family. Help each of us to give daily and steadfast witness to the faith into which we have been baptized.

Click here to read more about Venerable Fulton J. Sheen.

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St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

TUTU Live your faith, Share your faith

The New Evangelization and You Be Not Afraid

Greg Willits Many Catholics have heard the phrase “New Evangelization,” but don’t know what it means or how it might apply in their lives. The New Evangelization and You clearly explains what the New Evangelization is and how it applies to every Catholic and examines realistic ways to make the New Evangelization a part of each Catholic’s daily living. While explaining the goals, history, concepts, and action items of the New Evangelization, the book spotlights other Catholics already making a difference by the ways they share their faith and inspires readers to embrace this call in their own lives. This book is meant to light a fire under every Catholic and to inspire an active response of faith. Experience the joy of knowing faith, living faith, and sharing faith. Item #T36515 • ISBN 978-1-61636-515-8 • $16.99 AUDIOBOOK: Item #A36595 • ISBN 978-1-61636-595-0 • $24.99

The Everyday Catholic’s Guide to the Liturgy of the Hours Daria Sockey The Liturgy of the Hours is the daily prayer of the universal Church, but all those “hours,” the hymns, the multicolored ribbons, and page-flipping are intimidating. Daria Sockey provides a solid overview in this practical handbook, giving you the confidence you need to start right away. Learn about the history of the Liturgy of the Hours, why it is relevant today, and how to choose from the many resources available for the prayers and hymns. Sockey helps you start slowly and build a daily habit that can fit into even the busiest schedule. Item #T36528 • ISBN 978-1-61636-528-8 $13.99

Answer Your Call Reclaim God’s Purpose for Faith, Family, and Work

Dick & Martha Lyles “What does God want me to do with my life now?” If you’ve ever asked that question, Answer Your Call can help. Each person has a unique set of natural gifts meant to be used in concert with God’s supernatural graces. Answer Your Call offers insightful advice on how to live your calling at home, in the workplace, and in your community. It goes beyond mere theory, using questions, short quizzes, and practical exercises to help you discover what God is asking of you now. Interspersed with Scripture and Catechism quotes, as well as wisdom from popes and saints, Answer Your Call will guide you to carry out God’s purpose in every dimension of your life. Item #T36540 • ISBN 978-1-61636-540-0 • $16.99 AUDIOBOOK: Item #A36597 • ISBN 978-1-61636-597-4 • $24.99

Raising God-First Kids in a Me-First World Barbara Curtis This book is for parents struggling to help children overcome (while learning to overcome themselves) our inherent self-centeredness—the center-of-the universe mentality—reinforced ceaselessly by the media and forces of consumerism. Instead, God-first kids are secure in God’s love and have learned how to live well from the inside-out from the real pros—their parents. • Item #T36534 ISBN 978-1-61636-534-9 • $14.99

CONNECT WITH US Formerly St. Anthony Messenger Press

28 W. Liberty Sreet, Cincinnati, OH 45202 1-800-488-0488 Fax: 513-241-1197

Order online at

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ILLUSTRATION BY VINCENT ZAWADA

atherine Harris stood in the middle of her garden and wondered what she was doing there. This had happened quite often lately. Oh, yes, that’s right, she was going to pick the last of the tomatoes. Tomatoes Rob had planted. The last of the vegetables he’d grown from seed and so lovingly nurtured in their tiny patch. The spinach was finished, the spring onions were all picked, and now only a few tomatoes remained, the leaves of the plants already curling and brown. She picked three, enjoying the warm, solid feel of them, so much nicer than store-bought ones: tastier, too. Not that she tasted much these days. She hadn’t bothered to cook properly for more than six months, ever since Rob had gone. In fact, she felt as if her life was on hold and she couldn’t raise the enthusiasm to do anything. She spent many mornings just watching TV or looking at old photo albums, reliving the happy times they’d had. Her best friend, Moira, who’d been her rock through it all, often popped in and was beginning to look concerned. “You really need to start getting out again, Kath. Sitting around like this doesn’t suit you.” Moira hesitated. “I’m on my way to the homeless shelter. Why not come with me and get involved there?” “Maybe next week,” said Katherine. “Thanks.” She felt guilty refusing, but she just didn’t have the energy for any of her friend’s good works. Moira peered over her shoulder. “I love old photos. Oh my goodness, here’s a wedding picture of you and Rob. Look at his sideburns! And your bouffant hair! Who’s this other guy? He looks just like Rob.” “His younger brother, Aidan. He was Rob’s best man.” “I didn’t know Rob had any family.” “Only Aidan. They were very close and did everything together.” “So where is he now?” Katherine sighed. “No one knows. Aidan lost his job, went through a bad divorce, and moved away. He promised

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to write, but he never did, and we completely lost touch.” “That’s so sad,” murmured Moira. “It affected Rob terribly. He never stopped thinking of Aidan and tried to trace him. He even hired an investigator who tracked Aidan down to New York, but after that he seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth.” “You’ll do the same if you don’t put on a bit of weight.” Moira put her arm around Katherine’s shoulder. “Are you eating properly?” “Of course I am. I’m hardly fading away.” But after 30 years of cooking for family and friends, lately she had been satisfied with just an egg on toast or

Joy

Cook’s

soup from a packet. There was no joy in preparing these, but everything else just seemed too much effort. Rob wasn’t there to enjoy her steak pie or her Thai chicken soup garnished with fresh lemongrass. No one was going to push back his chair after her crème caramel and say, “My compliments to the chef!”

She thought her kitchen days were over. F I C T I O N B Y G I N N Y S WA R T

atherine and Rob had always loved cooking, and from the first month they were married, they’d liked nothing better than having friends around for a meal they had cooked together. Rob loved experimenting with different flavors, and some of their happiest times were spent in the kitchen. Their friends would bring wine or contribute a dessert. The evenings were filled with discussions and arguments and laughter. Rob enjoyed playing the host, making sure everyone’s glass was full and not allowing anyone to feel ignored. Often, during the evening, he’d catch Ju n e 2 0 13 ❘ 4 7

Katherine’s eye and wink at her happily. Sometimes he put on a record and they ended by dancing to the Beatles and, as they got older, to slower, more romantic music. He’d whisper in her ear, “Another great evening, eh, love?” “You and Rob have the magic touch!” Moira would say when she phoned to thank her for the supper. “And you’re so lucky. I can’t believe Rob does so much of the cooking. No one gives better dinner parties than you two.”

hen Abbie was born, Katherine started compiling a recipe book for their daughter. Every time she or Rob made a particularly successful dish, she’d copy the recipe into a thick hardcover book. Rob often tried exotic dishes such as Greek egg and lemon soup, sweet potato curry, or olive couscous, although she stuck with more traditional fare. Later, when they all became more health conscious, she included recipes for homemade muesli, butternut gnocchi, and Rob’s special spinach fritters. And all their family favorites: apple cake, lemon pie, rice pudding, and brandy tart. Twenty-five years later, when Katherine presented this book to Abbie just before she married, it bulged with the accumulation of years of good cooking. “I hope you and Mike will have as much fun in the kitchen as Dad and I have, darling,” Katherine said. “These are all our favorites.” Abbie made a face.

ANSWERS TO PETE AND REPEAT 1. Sis is wearing her hair in pigtails. 2. Pete’s handkerchief is folded down. 3. Scruffy has come to help. 4. Pete is wearing sunglasses. 5. There is an extra row in the garden. 6. Pete’s tool has rotated. 7. Sis’ overalls have a pocket. 8. Pete is wearing a watch.

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“I’ll do my best, Mom,” she laughed. “But these all say ‘one handful of this’ and ‘one or two big spoons of that’— how am I supposed to guess?” “Well, that’s how Dad and I have always cooked,” she said. “I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it.” But Abbie never really became the cook that Katherine was. And even after three years of marriage, she doubted if her son-in-law knew how to switch on the kettle, let alone prepare a meal.

atherine looked at the tomatoes she’d picked. I’ll give these tomatoes to Abbie when she comes over this afternoon, she thought, putting them into a little bag. Her daughter was running late and looked harassed and tired when she finally arrived. “What a day,” Abbie said, collapsing into an easy chair. “I’m bushed.” “You work too hard, love,” said Katherine sympathetically. “It’s the end of the financial year. Next week we’ll be back to normal. But ages ago, Mike invited his boss and his wife for dinner tomorrow. I’d love to cancel, but I can’t. This dinner is important to Mike. What on earth am I going to give them? What magic, delicious recipe have you got that takes 10 minutes to prepare, Mom?” Abbie gave her mother such a look of anguish that Katherine couldn’t help smiling. “How about if I made a big Indonesian curry for you? I could cook it tomorrow morning and bring it round in the afternoon. All you’d have to do is cook some rice and make a salad.” “Would you? Your lovely chicken curry, with the raisins and the fresh coriander? Oh, Mom, you’re a life saver!” “No problem,” said Katherine. “I’ll go to the market today for the coriander. It has to be fresh.” Katherine was surprised by how much she looked forward to cooking a proper dish again. It had been months since she’d been to the farmers’ market, and she wandered among the stalls, smelling the fresh vegetables and newly baked

bread. She relished the experience. I must come here more often, she thought. Rob and I used to come almost every week. She selected a bunch of fresh coriander for the curry and couldn’t resist a handful of fresh marjoram and some sprigs of fresh parsley for herself.

he next morning the tantalizing smell of curry was starting to permeate the kitchen when there was a knock on the door. It was Moira. “Mmm, what’s this I smell? Curry?” Katherine smiled. “I’m not making it for me. I promised a big pot of it to Abbie. She has to entertain Mike’s boss tonight, and she hasn’t time to cook.” “Lucky Abbie! I’m glad you’re busy in the kitchen again, Kath.” “I’d forgotten what fun it was,” admitted Katherine. “Coffee?” “How did you guess I’d brought cookies?” In the sunroom, Moira said, “Kath, I know I’ve suggested this before, but the homeless shelter could really use your help. Your expertise, actually.” “I’m an expert at absolutely nothing, Moira. What are you talking about?” “You know how to cook. The woman who has been in charge of the dinners for years has resigned. The rest of us have been trying our best for the past couple of weeks, but our customers are complaining.” “They’re used to a three-course gourmet meal, are they?” asked Katherine. “No, but the stew is tasteless and tough, and the vegetables always seem to boil to mush before the meat dish is ready.” “Timing the different dishes to be ready at the same time is Cooking 101,” murmured Katherine. “Do you make soup?” “We sometimes do, but it’s pretty bland. If we’re given donations of nice fresh stuff, it seems a crime to turn lovely red tomatoes or green spinach into brown sludge.” “It is.” Katherine made a decision. “OK, I’ll come with you tomorrow and see if I can help, but just for one morning.” St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

ne look at the dismal state of affairs in the shelter kitchen meant that Katherine couldn’t help going there every day. “I knew you would!” said Moira happily. “And look at the difference you’ve made.” It was true, she’d changed things. The first morning, Katherine had been dismayed at what she had to work with—battered old pots, blunt knives, and an asthmatic stove that had seen better days. But she’d made a stew from the cheap cuts of beef, cutting them into small pieces and browning them with onions, garlic, and a handful of chopped marjoram. She let it bubble at a low temperature until the meat was tender and tasty. The tired, old potatoes were starting to sprout, but she peeled and mashed them and added a good dollop of milk and a big cup of chopped, fresh parsley. Thirty or so folks lined up for the meal. “Sure smells good, ma’am,” said the first recipient. “You the new cook here?” “Just temporary,” replied Katherine with a smile. She enjoyed the remarks from the others as they took their heaped bowls. “You’ve used herbs in this, haven’t you?” asked one elderly woman approvingly. “I used to as well, when I had a family to cook for. They make all the difference. Any more in that pot?” “That’s the first time we’ve been asked for seconds,” observed Moira. The shelter had regular supplies of basic food delivered, but there were none of the extras that Katherine considered essential. That afternoon she made it her business to ask for donations from the folks at the farmers’ market and arranged to collect leftover fresh vegetables and overripe fruit every afternoon after they had packed up. She made fruit salad from the fruit almost every day and added the celery, carrots, or tomatoes to the meat dish, which sparked it up almost to her usual culinary standards. She persuaded the supermarket owner to donate three gleaming new

Fr ancisca n Media .org

cooking pots and begged him for desiccated coconut, as well as her favorite spices. The boxes of cumin, coriander, and oregano meant she could regularly serve curried vegetables, as well as her favorite Thai soup. “He was such a nice man,” Katherine said to Moira. “He said he was happy to give because he sees the homeless on the street every day and just thanks God he is not one of them.” “Most of these people have tragic stories,” said Moira. “They come from such different backgrounds but, in just about every case, something awful happened and they couldn’t cope. Losing a job, getting a divorce, their partner dying—you name it.” Katherine looked down the line of people waiting for curry and rice. “Is it my imagination or are there more people waiting for lunch?” she asked. “Word’s gotten around, girl. This shelter serves five-star food these days,” smiled Moira.

oon Katherine recognized many of the regulars. Annie with her beanie pulled down low, Dogman with the long white beard. Mr. Hagerty, who wore so many layers of clothing he could barely bend his arms. She tried to have a few cheerful words with each one of them as she filled their bowls. The line was nearly at the end one day when she heard a low chuckle. “My compliments to the chef, ma’am.” The skinny man standing in front of her wore a dirty sweater, and his long, matted hair almost hid his face. But his soft voice sounded strangely familiar to Katherine. He smiled hesitantly at her and for a long moment, she didn’t recognize him. Then she realized she was looking up into Rob’s twinkling blue eyes and knew this man was Aidan. He had come home at last. A

Ginny Swart is a writer based in Constantia, South Africa. She is the author of the books Under the African Sun and Desert Dreamweaver, as well as over 500 short stories.

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ASK A FRANCISCAN

❘ BY FATHER PAT McCLOSKEY, OFM

‘Is He Still a Jesuit?’ The election of Pope Francis raises the question, “Is he still a Jesuit?” I have heard conflicting answers. When a member of a religious congregation is elected pope, does that group mobilize around their brother? Pope Francis clearly has ties to some of the Church’s greatest minds. Members of religious orders or congregations who are made bishops still belong to their original communities. The Code of Canon Law states

that in such a case the new bishop “remains a member of his institute, but is subject only to the Roman Pontiff by his vow of obedience.” It continues, “He is not bound by obligations which he prudently judges are not compatible with his condition” (705). Regarding the vow of poverty, goods acquired by a diocesan bishop belong to his diocese (Canon 381:2). For other bishops, ownership belongs to his institute or the Holy See, depending on the institute’s leg-

Why Was the Fig Tree Cursed?

In Mark 11:12–14 (also Matthew 21:18–22), Jesus condemns a fig tree for not bearing fruit. Although this occurred in the spring (shortly before Passover), fig trees usually bear fruit in the fall and winter. The Gospel of Mark notes in verse 13b that it happened outside the season for figs. Why did Jesus do this? In his Dictionary of the Bible, John L. McKenzie, SJ, notes that this incident has long been a difficult passage to interpret. After noting that there are “early figs” (available 10 months of the year) and “late figs” (August to winter), McKenzie then continues: “Other commentators with, it seems, greater probability, interpret the action of Jesus as entirely symbolic, with no reference to the quality of the tree itself; the fig tree which is bearing no fruit is a symbol of unbelieving Israel, which is cursed for its unbelief and remains barren.” Fig trees are among the most commonly mentioned trees in the Old Testament. Jeremiah 24:1–10 describes a basket with two kinds of figs. God says the ripe figs represent the Jews exiled to Babylon but who have hearts open to the Lord. The overripe, rotten figs represent Jews who turned away from the Lord. Of course, this second example does not describe Jesus’ first followers—almost all of whom were raised as devout Jews. God’s covenant with the Jewish people is irrevocable (Rom 11:29).

5 0 ❘ Jun e 2013

islation (Canon 706). Retired bishops often live in a house of their community, but the Holy See can make other provisions. The institute, diocese, or the Holy See may pay his living expenses (Canon 707). A member of a religious community is often the first bishop of a missionary diocese, but his successor is usually a local member of that community or a diocesan priest. The March 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis included 17 members of religious institutes. Regarding your second question, a Jesuit pope is free to call on the services of any member of a religious community, including his own. The last pope from a religious institute was Gregory XVI (1831–46), previously a Camaldolese monk and cardinal. The white papal cassock began with St. Pius V (1566–72). As a Dominican, he had worn its white habit.

The Nicene Creed and Scripture At the end of the Nicene Creed, we say that we believe in the “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.” Is it true that this part of the Nicene Creed was intended to exclude potential persecutors of Christians? First of all, the official English translation used in the Roman Missal and in worship aids uses the expression “one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.” The first time I realized years ago that it was “catholic” and not “Catholic,” I wondered if this was a misprint; it is not. In fact, the word catholic means “universal” before it St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

means any group within Christianity. For this reason, Anglicans, Lutherans, members of the Orthodox Churches, and other Christians regularly pray the Nicene Creed in that sense. The phrase you cite is not there to discourage infiltrating persecutors. Although this text is usually called “the Nicene Creed,” in fact, what we pray on Sundays and on major feasts is actually “the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed,” finalized at the First Council of Constantinople in 381. The original Nicene Creed rejected the teaching of Arius by stating the Church’s faith regarding the divinity of Jesus. The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed rejected the teaching of Macedonius, who questioned the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Because the bishops in Constantinople felt that the Nicene Creed, adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325, had not given sufficient attention to the Holy Spirit, they added the section that begins “I believe in the Holy Spirit” to remedy that. Early Christian Creeds, by J.N.D. Kelly, provides a thorough history of the development of Eastern and Western creeds.

Only Two Vocations? A mother superior on a Catholic radio station recently said that for Catholics there are only two vocations: marriage or belonging to a religious community. Is that true? Mother Superior was simply wrong. Marriage, single life “in the world,” or religious life are the options for all Catholics. For men, there is the possibility of priestly ordination. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches: “Since, like all the faithful, lay Christians are entrusted by God with the apostolate by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, they have the right and duty, individually or grouped in associations, to work so that the divine message of salvation may be known and accepted by all [people] throughout Fr ancisca n Media .org

the earth.” The Catechism continues: “This duty is the more pressing when it is only through them that [people] can hear the Gospel and know Christ. Their activity in ecclesial communities is so necessary that, for the most part, the apostolate of the pastors cannot be fully effective without it” (900).

Who Can Receive the Anointing of the Sick? Is a person’s age the primary qualification to receive this sacrament? A person’s age is not the primary factor in receiving the Anointing of the Sick. The 1972 ritual indicates that it is for “Christians whose health is seriously impaired by sickness or old age” (97). Ideally, this sacrament should be celebrated while the person receiving it is conscious and is accompanied by relatives and friends. The ritual specifies that this sacrament may be repeated: “a) when the

sick person recovers after being anointed and, at a later time, becomes sick again; b) when during the same illness the condition of the sick person becomes more serious. “In the case of a person who is chronically ill, or elderly and in a weakened condition, the Sacrament of Anointing may be repeated when in the pastoral judgment of the priest the condition of the sick person warrants the repetition of the sacrament” (102). People of all ages, including children, who suffer from a serious illness or are facing major surgery can be anointed. 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.

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BOOK CORNER

❘ BY CAROL ANN MORROW

The Myth of Persecution How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom

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The Lessons of St. Francis: How to Bring Simplicity and Spirituality into Your Daily Life John Michael Talbot Rediscover Catholicism Matthew Kelly Dog Water Free: A Memoir Michael Jay Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Mission: 5 Steps to Winning the War Within John R. Wood Christ in His Fullness Bruce Sullivan

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By Candida Moss HarperOne 320 pages • $25.99 Hardcover/e-book Reviewed by JOYCE E. SALISBURY, professor emerita at the University of Wisconsin and author of many books, including Blood of Martyrs: Unintended Consequences of Ancient Violence (2004). AUTHOR CANDIDA MOSS, like many of us, is appalled by the political and religious polarization pervading the rhetoric that ricochets around the media’s airwaves and shapes our lives. Dr. Moss, theology professor at University of Notre Dame, suggests that part of the reason for our culture of conflict is the perpetuation of a Christian myth that claims from the earliest centuries of the Christian era, Christians have been persecuted. Readers should be forewarned that what Moss says, many will find shocking. This polarizing problem is compounded by our perception that our greatest Christian heroes are martyrs who bravely faced persecution and died for their faith. Moss argues that this idealization of martyrdom has “contributed to great violence and continues to support a view of the world in which we are under attack from our fellow human beings.” In order to correct this view of our Christian past and to ease our future, Moss dispels many myths about martyrs to set the historical record straight.

Moss describes a number of established ideas about Christian martyrs that she proceeds to disprove with her impressive knowledge of the ancient texts. She demonstrates that Christians in the early centuries were not constantly persecuted. Furthermore, there were plenty of martyrs before there were Christians. Some Jews and pagans died noble deaths for their beliefs. Moss also demonstrates that not all martyrs were passive, loving victims. Some volunteered to die while wishing vengeance. Finally, readers learn that not every story of martyrdom is true. According to Moss, most are invented tales, designed to offer moral lessons and highly exciting entertainment for Christian audiences longing for the heroics of martyrdom. This book is informative for a general audience with no background in the subject. Readers will learn the facts about martyrdom in the ancient world, why Romans were suspicious of Christians, and how few Christians actually died. The author clarifies which accounts of martyrs were accurate and which were invented, providing a good historical caution for the faithful who enjoy reading the acts of martyrs. In all these matters, the author’s scholarship is impeccable. The connections Moss makes between ancient violence and modern politics might be more tenuous. She demonstrates that much of the modern political discourse is dominated by the same polarization of good versus evil that shaped the accounts of the martyrs. For instance, when Rick Santorum in 2008 claimed that “Satan is attacking the great institutions of America,” it is hard not to hear echoes of Christians persecuted by Romans. However, one wonders if the stories of the martyrs are the origin of this simplistic, binary thinking. If so, then Moss’ work might be significant in changing these ideas. I hope she is right. Like most of us, I, too, would love to have a Christian tradition that contributes collaboration and compassion to our political discourse. If giving our understanding of martyrdom a little nuance and historical reality might promote this, I’m all for it, and this book would be a giant step in that direction. St . A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r

BOOK BRIEFS

Fatherhood Learning from My Father Lessons on Life and Faith By David Lawther Johnson Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company 159 pages • $15 Paperback

Catholic Perspectives on Sports From Medieval to Modern Times By Patrick Kelly, SJ Paulist Press 212 pages • $19.95 Paperback Reviewed by B.G. KELLEY, a freelance writer and former college basketball player who has written and spoken about the relationship between spirituality and sport. THIS HISTORICAL and theological look at the relationship between sport and spirituality is long overdue. Patrick Kelly’s informative and educational book combines exhaustive research with theological tradition. He offers an indisputable conclusion: the unity of body, soul, and spirit is essential to human wholeness. Kelly backs this up with the testimony of St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Ignatius, Blessed Pope John Paul II, and such modern-day sports icons as football coach Vince Lombardi and basketball coach Phil Jackson. The author emphasizes that the concept of play is integral to a positive relationship between sport and spiritual values. In the view of many Catholic theologians, play is tied to the necessity of the human spirit to restore the soul after the labors of work and study. Aquinas, though, delivers a caveat: he promotes play in moderation, with no purpose beyond itself in order to have spiritual and contemplative value. Kelly warns that when play is excessive and overly influenced by external factors, it can lead to concupiscence or abnormal desires and behavior. Kelly critiques the trajectory of sports as a means to an end for many youth, college, and professional athletes seeking wealth, status, power, and victory above the virtues of play. Fr ancisca n Media .org

A freshman at Harvard, David Lawther Johnson felt overwhelmed and homesick. He began exchanging letters with his father, a Presbyterian pastor; excerpts of which form this book. Rediscovering these letters years later, Johnson once again gleans advice from his wise father.

Husband, Father, Worker Questions & Answers about St. Joseph By Father Larry Toschi, OSJ; Father José Antonio Bertolin, OSJ; Rick Sarkisian, PhD Liguori Publications 128 pages • $12.99 Paperback/e-book There are no words of Joseph recorded in Scripture, yet his life speaks volumes about love, obedience, integrity, and the value of good work, according to the authors. Through a question-and-answer format, readers will learn about the virtues that make the foster father of Jesus worthy of devotion.

Stations of the Heart Parting with a Son By Richard Lischer Alfred A. Knopf 272 pages • $25 Hardcover/e-book A phone call from his son, Adam, changed Richard Lischer’s life forever. Adam’s melanoma had returned, and he had only months to live. Despite Adam’s increasing physical weakness, unexpected strength of spirit came to him and his family. In his final summer, a son teaches his father lessons to last a lifetime. —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 Ju n e 2 0 1 3 ❘ 5 3

A CATHOLIC MOM SPEAKS

❘ BY SUSAN HINES-BRIGGER

News Flash: We’re Not Perfect

t the beginning of last summer, my family made a list of 50 things we were going to do over the course of the kids’ summer break. I was determined that we were going to make wonderful family memories doing things like camping, playing Frisbee golf at the park, and growing our own garden. Well, guess how many of those 50 things we actually did? Five, maybe six. Whatever the number, it was a far cry from 50. And I felt like a complete failure. But did I learn my lesson? No. If you look at my online bulletin boards on Pinterest, you will find an obscene amount of craft projects, decorating ideas, and recipes that I have every intention of making, but probably never will. 5 4 ❘ Jun e 2013

Why shouldn’t I be able to grow and preserve all of the vegetables that I will organically raise in my backyard garden that I nurtured with compost from the bin that I built by hand and watered with rainwater collected in my self-made rain barrel? If I want it, I can do it, right? Well, not always. And once again, I will feel like a failure. I suspect I’m not alone in this quandary. It’s very easy for us to set our sights way too high. We have every good intention, but sometimes those good intentions fall short of fruition. I was harshly reminded of this not too long ago when I decided that, in spite of my multiple sclerosis, I was going to run an entire 5K race—no walking, only running. The only

problem was, halfway through my first training session my face went numb and I couldn’t focus my eyes— common symptoms for me when I’ve overextended myself. No, the truth is that sometimes we will fail. Sometimes we will fall short of what we hope or desire. And sometimes—probably more than many of us would like to admit—we will sin. And you know what? That’s OK. Our faith even tells us so.

But Wait, There’s More As Catholics, we’re in luck. Thanks to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we don’t always have to feel like complete failures. You see, through this sacrament we have a way to hit the reset button and try again to do better. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

5 FAMILY SPIRITUAL ADVENTURES If you and your family are in search of things to do this summer—or year—try out one of these five suggestions for spiritual adventures.

1 2 3

Go to Mass at your local cathedral, or even another parish in your area.

4 5

Volunteer together at a local charity.

Visit a nearby shrine or religious destination.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY KURNICK MAASS

Take a family retreat. Find someplace— either for a day or more—where the whole family can unplug and reconnect away from the bustle of daily life.

Try to grow some plants that are found in the Bible.

Reconciliation also reminds us not to give up. Just because we stumble and fall doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get back up and try again, albeit in a slightly different way. That’s not a foolproof plan, but it is a good incentive to try harder and not continue to beat ourselves up over our sins. What a great gift! And the beauty is that we can take advantage of this healing sacrament as often as we feel that we need to. Of course, that doesn’t mean we can use it as an excuse for bad behavior. But let’s face it: we’re going to mess up, and we’re going to sin. We’re not

perfect. We know that, and God knows that.

Family Redo So in that same spirit, this year my family made a list of 10, rather than 50, things that we wanted to do. And we gave ourselves the entire year in which to do them. Why set ourselves up to fail? I thought. I took a cold, hard look at my Pinterest boards. Projects will be pared down, recipes will be prepared and either deleted or placed in my cookbook, and organizational ideas will be tried and then promptly

implemented or deleted. But even if I fail at these things in my life, at least I know one thing: no matter what, I will always have one way to start again, and that’s through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. 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 48)

Fr ancisca n Media .org

Ju n e 2 0 1 3 ❘ 5 5

BACKSTORY

une has always been an important month in this shop. After all, we are named for St. Anthony, whose feast we celebrate each June. This is the 121st June that’s marked a new year for this magazine.

Our founding editor, Father Ambrose Sanning, clearly was placing our

magazine under the patronage of St. Anthony, not only in title, but also in a prayer on the cover of the earliest issues, seeking miracles. That type of faith has fueled this magazine over its century-plus tenure. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON

With God’s help, we continue to share in the ministry of Franciscans everywhere to spread the good news. We started small back in 1893. We grew, especially in the 1980s, to more than 400,000 subscribers. Our circulation is smaller now, but our reach over the Internet, since 1996, has grown tremendously. And our new digital edition (free to print subscribers at StAnthonyMessenger.org), points to the future. In the background, as we scramble to line up the best content and get it to you in the most appealing form, each of us is thinking of new ways to serve our subscribers. We want to deliver a first-rate magazine to you each month, and we want to find new ways PHOTO COURTESY OF THE FRANCISCAN ARCHIVES

to communicate as digital publishing grows. Like Father Ambrose and his friar-editors 120 years ago, we all are looking to the future and eagerly imagining, What’s next? Si Quaeris Miracula are the words atop each of those earliest issues. Those beginning words of the Responsory of St. Anthony, “If you seek miracles,” say something about the faith of all of us who create this magazine today. We start our meetings with a simple prayer, in one form or another, asking: God,

Founding Editor Ambrose Sanning, OFM

help us to bring your word to your people. We pray for our subscribers and for everyone who uses our media. And our prayer always ends, “St. Anthony, pray for us!” Might I ask that you, too, would pray for us? Pray that each of our staff, in the footsteps of Francis, Clare, and Anthony—and in the footsteps of Ambrose and those who followed—can use her or his gifts, through this magazine, to touch people’s lives.

Editor in Chief

56 ❘ Jun e 201 3

St An t h o n yM e s s e n g e r . o rg

REFLECTION

June 17 is World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.

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