March 2016 by St. Anthony Messenger

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ST. ANTHONY MARCH MARCH 2016 2016 •• $3.95 $3.95 ••FRANCISCANMEDIA.ORG FRANCISCANMEDIA.ORG

Irish Priest

Liam Lawton on

St. Patrick AIDS in the City of Brotherly Love Grassroots Films On a Greyhound to Easter

Messenger

REFLECTION

Spring

has returned.

The Earth is like a child that knows poems. —Rainer Maria Rilke

CONTENTS

ST. ANTHONY Messenger

❘ MARCH 2016 ❘ VOLUME 123/NUMBER 10

ON THE COVE R

28 Liam Lawton on St. Patrick

Who knows what St. Patrick really looked like! This stylized image depicts fact and folklore—he was a bishop; he preached the Trinity, but probably not with a shamrock. Father Liam is inset.

This Irish priest and musical celebrity explores the saint’s amazing journey. By John Feister

Illustration by Vincent Zawada

F E AT U R E S

D E PA R T M E N T S

14 Siloam: A Safe Haven

2 Dear Reader

People living with HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia find comfort and companionship here. By Phyllis Hanlon

3 From Our Readers 4 Followers of St. Francis Kevin Cronin, OFM

20 Grassroots Films This independent film company is changing lives through its award-winning documentaries. By Donis Tracy

6 Reel Time The Lady in the Van

Telenovela

34 Lent in a New Light

10 Church in the News

The lens of mercy helps us to see the season in a fresh way. By Marcellino D’Ambrosio

26 Editorial An Election-Year Challenge

38 The Road to Easter

49 At Home on Earth

On a bus ride across the Northwest, this writer embarks on a deeper spiritual journey. By Mary Sharon Moore

44 Fiction: Slaughtering the Fatted Calf

8 Channel Surfing

In like a Lion, Out like a Lamb

Families can be challenging. By Marie Anderson

50 Ask a Franciscan How Can We Forgive Terrorists?

52 Book Corner Passion

54 A Catholic Mom Speaks Beauty Beyond the Mirror

56 Year of Mercy Prayers for Life and Death

57 Backstory

DEAR READER

ST. ANTHONY M essenger

The Carceri

Publisher/CEO Daniel Kroger, OFM

Leaving Assisi and climbing for about an hour up Mount Subasio, pilgrims arrive at a series of caves that St. Francis and his earliest companions used for prayer. Simple roads and taxis make this spot available to everyone who cannot or prefers not to walk there. The comune of Assisi, which owned this land and its small chapel, gave their use to the friars in the 13th century. A small hermitage was added two centuries later. St. Bernardine of Siena once lived there. Pope Francis visited this shrine during his one-day visit to Assisi on October 4, 2013. The Carceri is one of the Italian places where, in a typical year, St. Francis spent approximately half of his time in prayer and penance. Francis would eventually write a special Rule for friars living in hermitages such as the ones near Cortona, Borgo San Sepolcro, Poggio Bustone, Greccio, Fonte Colombo, Speco di Narni, Cetona, and La Verna. Solitude, prayer, and penance in the Carceri’s caves prepared Francis and his companions for a very active life of preaching.

Click the button on the left to hear Father Pat’s further reflections on the Carceri.

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(U.S.P.S. PUBLICATION #007956 CANADA PUBLICATION #PM40036350) Volume 123, Number 10, 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 109200189. 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 countries. Single copy price: $3.95. For change of address, four weeks’ notice is necessary. See St AnthonyMessenger.org for information on your digital edition. Writer’s guidelines can be found at StAnthony Messenger.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 ©2016. All rights reserved.

2 ❘ Ma rch 2016

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

FROM OUR READERS

A Stellar Offering The article by Jim Van Vurst, OFM, in the January 2016 issue of St. Anthony Messenger, “Mary’s Loneliness,” has prompted me to state that it gives the finest rendition of Mary’s life I have ever read. It introduced ideas regarding her life that I never before encountered. What an excellent view of what her life might have been like! John Smith Westminster, Colorado

Mary, a ‘Role Model’ As the mother of an estranged adult son, reading “Mary’s Loneliness,” by Jim Van Vurst, OFM, moved me deeply. Never before have I so identified with Mary’s suffering. The article reminded me that her sorrowful journey began many years before she

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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witnessed the death of her beloved son. Our Blessed Mother is a wonderful role model for those of us who are faced with myriad and unresolved losses. Bonnie Boyle Cote, OFS Washington, DC

Megachurches Light on Substance I’m writing in regard to Dr. Brennan Hill’s article from the January issue, “5 Lessons from Megachurches.” His analysis of these religious wonders was thoughtful and balanced, but aren’t they all just entertainment venues, with a thin religious veneer? If we Catholics emphasized pop music and dropped a lot of the liturgy, our Sunday services would be more “fun” and attract folks needing respite from the daily boredom of work. (And yes, I do know exactly what liturgy means and demands.) My experience with RCIA, however, tells me that, although candidates and catechumens may have enjoyed the fun of previous faith experiences, they are seeking the liturgical and sacramental life that no megachurch has. I’m eager to attract everyone to Catholicism; but please, let’s not imitate megachurches. Bill Laudeman Red Bank, Tennessee

The ‘Mega Mentality’ Having recently read Dr. Brennan Hill’s article from the January issue, “5 Lessons from Megachurches,” I have a few comments I’d like to share. There is nothing positive about the megachurch phenomenon. But, for the sake of argument, I can only say that the Good News is widely spread and the rock-star status of people like Joel Osteen and Rick Warren has brought Christianity more to the popular forefront. Unfortunately, in order to compete,

many mainstream Protestant churches have bought into this mega mentality. These churches are entertainment industries peddling Jesus as the main attraction. The more people they rope in, the more money they can generate. People come for a show and enjoy the amenities of the club. The congregation is nothing more than numbers. Do you really think the shepherd knows his flock in a megachurch? By the way, some of these churches do not even have a pastor, per se; the preacher sometimes appears on a large screen on Sunday mornings courtesy of a satellite linkup. S.B. Griggs Ft. Walton Beach, Florida

BLM Lacks King’s Vision I found Christopher Heffron’s editorial in the January issue, “Dr. King’s ‘Dream’ for America,” to be disturbing. He suggests that the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement continues Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s work. I don’t see anything remotely resembling Dr. King’s vision in the BLM movement. Who is the BLM’s leader and where is their movement’s statement on nonviolence? Dr. King moved the nation forward with his eloquent “I Have a Dream” speech. The BLM movement moves us backward into anger and violence, and does nothing to promote racial justice. Here’s my answer to your question: “But would King approve of BLM’s incendiary tactics?” Absolutely not. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech incorporated elements from Isaiah, Jesus, and Mahatma Gandhi. It spoke to and resonated with all people. Black Lives Matter does not speak; it yells and provokes. Arthur R. Geiger Avon, New Jersey M a rch 2 0 1 6 ❘ 3

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

‘Loving God Gladly’ “

prayed when I was young that I would never inflict God on anyone or bore them to death,” says Father Kevin Cronin, OFM. For 22 years, Father Kevin has been sharing the Gospel as a preacher with the Franciscan Ministry of the Word, sponsored by the Holy Name Province of the Friars Minor. The ministry has several locations in the United States and offers parish missions, days of recollection, and retreats throughout the eastern United States and Canada. Father Kevin grew up on Long Island and, from a very young age, knew how he wanted to serve God. “I always wanted to be a preacher, to share the Good News of Jesus, or as Pope Francis would call it, the ‘Joy of the Gospel.’ Because I love Jesus—I went to daily Mass (on my own) since second grade—I wanted to be able one day to talk about him and share him.” He entered the seminary in 1962 at age 14, attending St. Joseph Seraphic Seminary in Callicoon, New York, beginning his 13 years of preparation to become a Franciscan priest. “I was blessed in the high school seminary to have speech classes, which I always

Kevin Cronin, OFM

took very seriously. Whenever I heard a sermon, I would say, “How can I say this in a more meaningful or relevant way?” The life of a priest is difficult enough, but that of a preacher is even more so. “Many friars would like to do this ministry but do not like the lifestyle . . . traveling around from parish to parish, meeting new priests, sleeping in different beds every time, living out of a suitcase or, in my situation, out of my car,” Father Kevin says. While the life of an itinerant preacher can be difficult, Father Kevin finds it immensely rewarding. “Our format is always the basic Gospel values of love, mercy, peace, and healing. I never get tired of speaking about this, and it’s new for every group. Our theme this year is ‘Loving God Gladly’ from the words of St. Francis: ‘What else are the servants of God, but God’s minstrels, whose work is to lift up people’s hearts to spiritual joy, that they might love God gladly.’” Spreading the Gospel can also lead to a preacher’s spreading himself too thin. “It takes everything in me to make it work each time, lots of energy, and I use all my skills and imagination to get the word across.

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

PHOTO FROM INGIMAGE

A Needle in a Haystack

4 ❘ Ma rch 2016

An old farm gentleman asked me to help him look through boxes and boxes of business records for a certain book of statements. The shed that he had stored them in was piled high with row after row of boxes . . . what a mess. He wasn’t Catholic, but considering this was going to take days to look through all of these boxes, I told him that there was a saint who was good at finding things. I said the little prayer while standing at the door to the shed: “Dear St. Anthony, look around. We’ve lost something that can’t be found.” I’m sure he scoffed under his breath, but since he needed my help, he politely accommodated me. Sure enough, I walked into that junk-filled shed, over to a box that was open, reached in for what looked like a statement book, and said, “Is this it?” He was dumbfounded! I wasn’t. —Pat Dooley Dube, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

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

Click here to learn more about Father Kevin and the other members of the Franciscan Ministry of the Word.

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA

God’s Mercy In his sermon notes, Anthony writes: “O the mercy of God! Never does he refuse to be merciful but is ever present to those who turn to him, as Isaiah says, ‘Cry and the Lord will answer; call and he will say, “I am here for I the Lord am merciful’” (Is 58:9). Anthony took sin very seriously, but he never preached in a way that caused sinners to lose hope of obtaining God’s mercy through sincere repentance. His sermons led to many confessions. –P.M.

COSIMO TURA/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

“We used to do four-day, Monday-toThursday missions, but found out that was too much for the people and too much for us to then go out again on Saturday. I am an extrovert, but I need lots of alone time to recharge,” he says. Usually the people who attend the missions are very receptive. “Our teams do see the Church as it really is, both inside the rectories and out, and with all humility, the most common response I get are the words ‘wonderful, awesome,’” says Father Kevin. He finds his joy in bringing people to Jesus. “As I always say on our second day, if only one person comes home to the Lord this week, it will make the whole mission worthwhile. There’s more joy in heaven if one comes home, especially during this Year of Mercy.” Scripture tells us that God’s word does not return unto him void. Father Kevin can see that at work. “My favorite memory is seeing the eyes of someone telling me that these were the best days of their life! People show up, hungry for God’s word. As long as people keep coming, I’ll keep preaching.” —Janice Lane Palko

tal Digi as Extr

To learn more about Franciscan saints, visit SaintoftheDay.org.

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REEL TIME

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

The Lady in the Van

PHOTO BY NICOLA DOVE, COURTESY OF SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

SISTER ROSE’S

Favorite Films about

Aging The Straight Story The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Quartet Driving Miss Daisy Robot & Frank

6 ❘

March 2016

Oscar winner Maggie Smith and Alex Jennings shine in the British comedy-drama The Lady in the Van. Alan Bennett (Alex Jennings), the British playwright, is a man who struggles when writing: he talks to himself in his Camden home in London. He is often distracted by noisy activity on the street below. A homeless woman (Maggie Smith), who lives in a van and goes by the name Mary Shepherd, upsets the residents and gets mad when the police tag her car for removal. When Alan decides to investigate, Mary takes advantage of him by barging into the house to use his bathroom. There is no end to Mary’s ability to manipulate Alan. One day, she asks if she can park her van in his parking space for three weeks until she gets a permit. She ends up staying 15 years. It seems that no matter how outrageous she is, Alan’s capacity for kindness is unlimited. Mary, whose real name is Margaret, had trained to be a classical pianist and twice tried to become a nun. But something happened that changed her life forever. A strange man, Underwood (Jim Broad-

bent), blackmails her. But what for? She goes often to confession, always repeating the same sin. The priest tries to have patience while hiding a can of air freshener nearby. Maggie Smith is perfect as the homeless but resourceful Mary; the Oscar winner’s hallmark curmudgeonly persona blends touchingly with regret, fear, and guilt. The Lady in the Van is based on the life of Mary Shepherd/Margaret Fairchild, and is adapted from Bennett’s award-winning play and radio drama in which Smith also performed. Unfortunately, the one nun in the film does not appear in a good light. Not yet rated, PG-13 ■ Crude behavior, unsettling images.

The Finest Hours US Coast Guard First Mate Bernie Webber (Chris Pine) is stationed in Chatham, Massachusetts, on Cape Cod. He is about to propose to Miriam (Holliday Grainger) when a St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

Playing men of honor, Eric Bana, Chris Pine, and Kyle Gallner star in the maritime drama The Finest Hours, based on a true story.

PHOTO BY DANA HAWLEY

gigantic nor’easter hits the coast of New England in February 1952. Two tankers, the SS Fort Mercer and the SS Pendleton, split in half in the rough seas, but the Coast Guard receives distress signals only from the Mercer. With all of the Coast Guard’s resources going to help the Mercer, Webber’s commanding officer, Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana), decides to send Bernie and a crew of four on a 36-foot boat to rescue the Pendleton crew when the ship sends out a weak signal. Meanwhile, Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) quietly takes command of what’s left of the Pendleton and, with some of his comrades, figures out how to save the men until they can be rescued in an unrelenting storm. The Finest Hours is based on the 2009 book The Finest Hours: The True Story of the U.S. Coast Guard's Most Daring Sea Rescue by Casey Sherman and Michael J. Tougias. It is a true story of real-life superheroes—men of true character—who are both courageous and humble. They are not afraid to take unimaginable risks to save others or to pray for divine help. Despite the presence of danger throughout, which might turn off some viewers, I really liked this film. A-3, PG-13 ■ Intense sequences of peril.

summer home so she can study. But it is next to the house of Travis (Benjamin Walker), who likes to party and play his music loudly. When Gabby marches over to his house to complain late one night, the flirtation begins even though Gabby has a boyfriend, Dr. Ryan McCarthy (Tom Welling). When Dr. McCarthy goes out of town for several weeks, Gabby and Travis become involved. Despite ups and downs, they marry and have two kids, but something happens in the marriage that calls for difficult choices. There is a lovely part in the film when Gabby and Travis speak of God and their beliefs—one of Sparks’ necessary story ingredients. The author’s characters used to be chaste before marriage, but as he explained in 2012 for the film adaptation of his book The Lucky One, when his characters have sex before marriage, it means they will be together forever. Not yet rated, PG-13 ■ Sexual content, mature themes.

Teresa Palmer and Benjamin Walker navigate the ups and downs of their relationship in the film The Choice.

Catholic Cl assifications A-1 A-2 A-3 L O

The Choice The latest movie based on a Nicholas Sparks romance novel moves away from the author’s usual North Carolina, over to coastal Georgia, and front-loads the romance to the beginning of the film. Gabby (Teresa Palmer), a medical student who works at the local hospital, rents a Fr anciscanMedia.org

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.

March 2016 ❘

CHANNEL SURFING

WITH CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON

UP CLOSE

Mondays, 8:30 p.m., NBC Desi Arnaz didn’t just open doors for Latino performers in the 1950s with the classic I Love Lucy—he obliterated them. But that cultural victory was short-lived. Sixty years later, the Latino community is underrepresented on television. And our national fabric doesn’t lie: according to a 2013 report by the US Census Bureau, there are over 54 million Latinos living in this country. Dynamo Eva Longoria is seeking to turn that television tide. Following in the footsteps of other singlecamera comedies such as The Office and Parks and Recreation, Telenovela is an outrageous, often funny, sometimes cringeinducing backstage look at the creation of a Spanish soap opera. Longoria leads the ensemble cast of mostly Latino actors, and she’s terrific. As she proved in Desperate Housewives, she has a razor-sharp delivery, and it’s put to perfect use here. Fair warning to channel surfers: because this series pokes fun at and celebrates telenovelas simultaneously, cartoonish sexuality is commonplace. But viewers should stick with it. The series, much like its contemporary, Jane the Virgin, reminds audiences that our Latino brothers and sisters—whether in real life or on a flat screen—enrich our culture. Hopefully this series can continue to educate and entertain in equal measure.

Fixer Upper

PHOTO BY BEN COHEN/NBC

Tuesdays, 9 p.m., HGTV Home renovation shows are so ubiquitous it’s hard to tell them apart. But HGTV still has a few gems in its crown, namely Fixer Upper. This start-fromscratch rehab series was a hard sell for this channel surfer, namely because of the antics of one of its cohosts, Chip Gaines. Like an adult toddler who cannot sit still, Chip’s boundless energy and penchant for hijinks can be jarring upon first viewing. But his humor and boyish nature ultimately add color to the show. Waco, Texas-based Chip, a contractor, and his wife, Joanna, a designer, take potential homebuyers through the entire purchasing and renovation journey: from selecting the ideal home, to rehabbing it, to the often awe-inspiring redesign. The hour-long series brings viewers bird’s-eye into how Chip rethinks the structure itself, and how Joanna makes it shine. She is perhaps the most gifted designer on the network—and that’s saying a lot. Unlike other remodeling shows, such as the fun but ultimately hollow Flip or Flop, which is only focused on profit, Fixer Upper is a richer, deeper experience. Joanna and Chip are emotionally invested in the buyers’ journey and they both show, through their talents, how important it is to build memories in the family home. Chip and Joanna’s playful bantering and unified vision add substance and flavor to a time-tested recipe.

Eva Longoria leads an impressive ensemble cast in NBC’s comedy Telenovela, about the making of a Spanish soap opera. 8 ❘

March 2016

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CHURCH IN THE NEWS

❘ BY SUSAN HINES-BRIGGER

March for Life Goes On 72-hour waiting period, and informed consent.”

CNS PHOTO/GREGORY L. TRACY, THE PILOT

Foot-Washing Ritual Not Only for Men, Says Vatican

A pro-life message is written on the snow-covered window of a parked US Capitol Police patrol car during the March for Life January 22, the 43rd anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion in the United States.

1 0 ❘ Ma rch 2016

on its own flavor,” he said, “to make holy all of life, by connecting the dots to every single person,” from the unborn to the born to the elderly, to those “suffering from human trafficking” and those “exploited by pornography,” and “to the unemployed and the underemployed, looking not so much for a handout as a lift up.” Connecting the dots to all persons is what God intended, Bishop Zubik said, “to see each other as God sees us all.” Later, at the march, Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, cochairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, praised efforts by state legislatures. “The gains have been historic—282 pro-life laws have been enacted since 2010, including laws to stop dismemberment abortions, require a

CNS PHOTO/SAM LUCERO, THE COMPASS

Nearly 50,000 people gathered in Washington, DC, on January 22 to mark the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, despite forecasts of an impending record snowfall. In the days prior, Jeanne Monahan-Mancini, president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, said the march would not be canceled. “The world may think that we’re a little bit crazy to be here on a day like today,” she said, “but those that are standing here know that there is no sacrifice too great to fight the human-rights abuse of abortion.” At a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, prior to the march, Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubick urged attendees to “connect the dots” of all pro-life issues. “To connect the dots in 2016 takes

A new decree issued by the Vatican specifies that the Holy Thursday ritual of foot washing can include “all members of the people of God,” including women, reported Catholic News Service (CNS). The decree came a little over a year after Pope Francis sent a letter to Cardinal Robert Sarah, then head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, saying that the rubric of the Roman Missal dealing with the ritual should be changed. The pope’s letter and the congregation’s decree were released by the Vatican on January 21. The decree states that pastors can now choose “a small group of the faithful to represent the variety and the unity of each part of the people of God. Such small groups can be

Ann Clark washes the feet of Isabelle Joski during a Holy Thursday liturgy in 2009 at St. Mary Church in Algoma, Wisconsin. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

N E W S B R I E F S N AT I O N A L A N D I N T E R N AT I O N A L

More than 3.2 million people visited and attended papal events, liturgies, or prayer services at the Vatican in 2015. The numbers were compiled by the Prefecture of the Papal Household, which coordinates papal events and distributes free tickets to papal audiences and liturgies. The year before, the number was 5.9 million visitors received by Pope Francis.

tioned off during the Philadelphia Auto Show, running January 30 to February 7. Proceeds from the auction will benefit ministries of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, with 50 percent directed toward the annual Catholic Charities Appeal, and onethird each to Casa del Carmen social service agency in North Philadelphia, Mercy Hospice for homeless women and children in the city, and the archdiocese’s schools of special education. The archdiocese said the second car used during the visit may be auctioned at a later date.

CNS PHOTO/JOSHUA ROBERTS

The Archdiocese of Seattle has posted a list of clergy and religious accused of sexual abuse of a minor who have served or resided in western Washington on its website—seattlearchdiocese.org. Those on the list have allegations that are either admitted, established, or determined to be credible. Archbishop J. Peter Sartain said publishing the list builds on the archdiocese’s longstanding efforts at transparency, accountability, and urging victims to come forward.

CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO, HANDOUT

The conviction of Msgr. William Lynn, the first highranking American Catholic Churchman convicted of a crime in connection with the clergy sexual-abuse scandal, has been overturned by the Pennsylvania Superior Court and a new trial ordered. In its ruling, the Superior Court said the common pleas court under Judge Teresa Sarmina “abused its discretion by admitting a high volume of unfairly prejudicial other-acts evidence.” Msgr. Lynn was convicted in 2012 under the state’s child endangerment statute and sentenced to three to six years in prison.

Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, met with Pope Francis on January 22 for a private audience in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. The previous week the pope—who describes himself as a “dinosaur” regarding technology— welcomed Eric Schmidt, executive chairman of Alphabet Inc., the parent company of Google. One of the Fiat 500 L sedans used by Pope Francis during his visit to Philadelphia last September was auc-

made up of men and women, and it is appropriate that they consist of people young and old, healthy and sick, clerics, consecrated men and women, and laity.” Vatican spokesman Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi told journalists that although traditionally 12 men were selected to represent the 12 apostles, the meaning of the rite signifies Jesus’ unconditional love. Fr ancisca n Media .org

Singer David Bowie was remembered by the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, just days after his January 10 death from cancer. The paper noted that the singer was ”never dull,” and credited his frequent incursions in other art forms such as painting, theatre, and cinema, with his maturity as an artist. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, also paid tribute to Bowie, tweeting out lyrics from Bowie’s hit song “Space Oddity.” For more Catholic news, visit AmericanCatholic.org.

With the new decree, he said, the pope wished that “this dimension of the gesture of Christ’s love for all” be the focus rather than just a portrayal of the Last Supper.

Vatican Agreement with Palestine Goes into Effect On January 2, the Comprehensive Agreement between the Holy See and

the State of Palestine went into full effect, reported CNS. The Agreement, which supports a two-state solution in the Holy Land, regards essential aspects of the life and activity of the Church in Palestine, while at the same time reaffirming the support for a negotiated and peaceful solution to the conflict in the region. It was originally signed in June 2015, but with the stipulation that it M a rch 2 0 1 6 ❘ 1 1

would not be fully effective until “both parties have notified each other in writing that the constitutional or internal requirements for the coming into force of the Agreement have been met.” Although the Agreement is considered as the first official recognition of the State of Palestine by the Holy See, the Vatican has referred to the State of Palestine since January 2013. The Vatican also praised the United Nations’ recognition of Palestinian sovereignty in 2012. CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

National Historical Park Honors Priest

Pope Francis visited Rome’s main synagogue on January 17, where he said the Church “recognizes the irrevocability of the Old Covenant and the constant and faithful love of God for Israel.” Pope Francis is the third pope to visit the Rome synagogue, and Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, the chief rabbi of Rome, said that in Jewish tradition “an act repeated three times becomes ‘chazaqa,’ a fixed tradition.”

seeds to the area so the missions would be self-sufficient. Tucson Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas marked the occasion by celebrating Mass outside the ruins of Mission San José de Tumacácori Church. In his homily, he spoke about what it

CNS PHOTO/NANCY WIECHEC

Tumacácori National Historical Park in Arizona paid tribute on January 10 to Jesuit Father Eusebio Francisco Kino with Kino Legacy Day. Father Kino, an Italian missionary to the American Southwest, was known as the “Padre on Horseback.” He founded 24 missions and was also known as an astronomer, builder, mapmaker, linguist, agriculturalist, and stockman. In honor of Kino Legacy Day, the park service set up displays of heritage horses, livestock, and other items associated with the missionary priest who brought cattle, other livestock, European farming tools, and

Tumacácori National Historical Park marked Kino Legacy Day, the 325th anniversary of the Jesuit missionary’s first visit to an Oodham village there, with a Mass on January 10, presided by Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas of Tucson, Arizona. 1 2 ❘ Ma rch 2016

means to be a great missionary. “They teach Christ, they preach Christ, they lead to Christ,” he said. “That was the purpose of Kino’s whole life, to lead the native peoples to Christ. To teach them about a God who loved them dearly and who was there among them, always at their side.” The Tumacácori mission church dates to the early 1800s. It had a short-lived tenure as an active church, but Apache attacks, upheaval following war with Mexico, and one particularly hard winter led to its abandonment by the mid1800s. The site was named a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908, and in 1990 Congress created Tumacácori National Historical Park, which includes the old monument land and the remains of two smaller missions. The Mexican Archdiocese of Hermosillo in Sonora, the Diocese of Tucson, and the Italian Archdiocese of Trent, where Father Kino was born, have all been advocating for his canonization. A St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

Siloam A Safe Haven

People living with HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia find comfort and companionship here. BY PHYLLIS HANLON

INCE THE 17TH CENTURY, Philadelphia has been known as the “City of Brotherly Love.” But as the AIDS crisis became a serious health concern in the 1990s, some of the city’s citizens failed to show any affection. At that time, more than 1.2 million people in the United States were living with HIV/AIDS, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). By 1993, more than 200,000 Americans had died from AIDS; 3,000 of those individuals had been living in Philadelphia. Although Philadelphia had become an early advocate and center for AIDS activism, public sentiment still promoted stigma, discrimination, and fear toward those who were infected. It was in this social climate that Darlene King learned of her HIV diagnosis. In 1992, her husband—who, unbeknownst to her, had been unfaithful—was diagnosed with HIV and passed the illness along to his wife. Fearing retribution, he forbade her to reveal the condition. So for 14 years she bore the secret in isolation. But in 2005, divorced and desperately seeking a support system, she discovered Siloam.

Rooted in Scripture When Sister Bernadette Kinniry, RSM, entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1959, she spent her 14 ❘

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PHOTO BY DAVID KAPPLER

first 30 years in various academic positions. Although she enjoyed teaching and administrative positions, she came to sense a need to work with “people on the edge.” Her involvement with Project HOME, a ministry that cares for the homeless, confirmed her path. “It was 1990, and a man told me he was living with AIDS. I could sense myself internally stepping back from him, yet as I continued speaking with him, I thought, He could be my brother! Then, deep in me, I heard, ‘He is your brother.’ I also met a 17-year-old transgender fellow whose family had disowned him. He felt that he was a nonperson and was St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

extremely vulnerable,” she says. “Meeting them planted in me a need to get involved with people who have HIV/AIDS.” Five years later, Sister Bernadette, together with Augustinian Father Don Reilly, OSA, established a mind/body/spirit program, initially intended only for those with HIV/AIDS. But during research and conversations with approximately 30 different social service agencies, they learned of the need to involve families and caregivers, so they opened up the program to those not only infected, but also affected, by HIV and AIDS. Before opening its doors in 1995, however, Fr anciscanMedia.org

the program needed an appropriate name. Sister Bernadette was inspired by a passage in the Gospel of John (9:1-41), citing a religious/political connection between Jesus’ act of healing the blind man and the Pharisees’ refusal to accept the miracle. She explains that Siloam means “one who has been sent into our midst.” The Pool of Siloam, from this Gospel, is a healing pool for those considered outcasts. She often senses God saying to her, “‘Wait until you meet this person. You’re going to love them!’ It reveals to me God’s precious love for all the people we are so privileged to

Darlene King (center) takes part in a support group at Siloam for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Clinical psychologist Brother Bob Thornton, OSA (far right), facilitates the weekly group.

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(Above) Siloam operates out of this former parish building on the edge of North Philadelphia. Over 30,000 people in the Delaware Valley are currently living with HIV or AIDS, and Philadelphia’s infection rate is five times the national average. (Above right) Sister Bernadette Kinniry, RSM, one of the founders of Siloam, spends time talking with Tyrone Cook. Cook is not only a client, but a volunteer, as well.

meet. In John’s Gospel, Jesus saw in this man something different than what everyone else saw,” she says, reiterating Jesus’ belief that physical disability is not a sin. “This story contains a lot of what I experienced working with a diverse population. I ran into attitudes in myself of judgment, ignorance, religionism, racism, ethnicism, and homophobia, and am glad that they surfaced for me to be healed. I’m grateful that I’ve experienced that aspect of a God who shares that welcomed depth with me. Siloam represents the attitude and clarity of Jesus on what it means to really see.” Siloam operates at the edge of North Philadelphia out of a former parish building that closed some 30 years ago. The property exudes warmth, from its hand-beveled, natural wood walls and leaded glass to a cozy fireplace and outdoor gardens. “There is something life-giving about the building. Our board chose to buy the old church, the former convent, and the parking lot,” Sister Bernadette says. “Since then we have continued to use the former rectory as headquarters.”

Addressing Mind, Body, and Spirit Siloam provides integrated programs that address the whole being, in concert with traditional medicine. Social service agencies and some medical professionals in the area also refer their patients to Siloam. Programs, such as “Coming to Peace with Self,” boost selfconfidence in a safe, welcoming place. “People can be with others who are the same and can learn from each other,” says Sis16 ❘

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ter Bernadette. “They can look at life and realize they are not alone. We try to create a safe place where people can speak the truth without being mocked. Clients gain a new sense of belonging to the human family. We create a safe place where people can rediscover themselves.” Emphasizing the importance of taking care of the physical body, as well as emotional needs, clients have access to a number of relaxation therapies at Siloam, including massage, yoga, meditation, and tai chi. Faithful, trained, generous volunteers provide these services at no cost to the clients. On a practical level, Siloam helps clients with everyday issues related to employment, health care, personal fulfillment, and other matters. Programs on topics such as returning to the workforce, research updates regarding HIV and aging, and insurance educate and engage clients in a meaningful way. “These programs help clients bridge a perceived gap,” says Sister Bernadette. Siloam collaborates with several local agencies, speakers’ bureaus, and subject experts to offer lunch-and-learn programs, nutritional talks, updates on HIV research, and treatment options. “We see a hunger in all our clients for something that matters. Most are searching for peace and a sense of belonging to the human race,” she says.

Food for the Soul Clinical psychologist Brother Robert Thornton, OSA, came to Siloam on a part-time basis after a friend died from AIDS. “This was not just altruism, but a personal loss,” he explains, St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

of the retreat, clients are encouraged to take advantage of bodywork as part of the experience. Most revel in the luxurious surroundings and accommodations. “Some people live in shelters. Having a private bathroom is a treat. They are grateful for a quiet place to relax,” says Brother Bob. He points out that the story of the broken pot (2 Cor 4:7-11) serves as one of the pivotal themes of a retreat. “This story speaks to how our brokenness is a dimension of giftedness. We explore how our woundedness and weakness is a gift.”

Free from Judgment Twenty years ago, social service agencies in Philadelphia adopted a “trauma-informed care” model, which fosters safety and autonomy. “We were doing that long before there was a name on it,” Brother Bob says, adding that

Fr anciscanMedia.org

PHOTOS BY DAVID KAPPLER

asserting that his involvement at Siloam is a two-way street. “What the clients do for us is just as important as what we do for them. We are all struggling with things in some way.” Brother Bob facilitates weekly support groups, offers pastoral counseling and individual psychotherapy, and helps clients access community resources. Recently, he began a monthly support group for those with both hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS. “Periodically I do a half-day retreat based on topics clients request, such as forgiveness, reducing self-destructive behavior, and PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]. Most of these people have had exposure to violence and sexual abuse at an early age.” In addition to one-day retreats on-site, Siloam has conducted more than 70 threeday retreats at the Sisters of Mercy Trocaire House in Sea Isle, New Jersey, and more than 20 three-day retreats at the Franciscan Spiritual Center in Aston, Pennsylvania. Clients, family members, and professional caregivers are invited; in some cases, broken relationships have been repaired. Brother Bob assists with the retreats, which involve time for discussion, reflection, and bodywork. Clients are encouraged to reflect on the past and the future in nonverbal ways. For instance, one person might use color and shape to create a collage while another cuts photos from a magazine that represent his or her sentiments. Brother Bob says, “This taps into another dimension and encourages people to stretch. It’s amazing and beautiful what people produce.” While spiritual rejuvenation is a key goal

two decades ago stigma for this population was much more powerful than it is today. “It’s still alive, but was much more amplified then. There are no worries about being judged here, no worries about fear of stigma. Our goal is to create a safe place where people can reclaim their own value and giftedness as a person.” Working with clients at Siloam challenges Brother Bob to deal with his own brokenness every day in creative ways, and to be lifegiving for those he serves. “We are all human and experience woundedness and trauma. It’s a great leveler.” He asserts that those who work and volunteer at Siloam are no different from the clients. “We have the same human struggles, and our life is guided by values like mutual respect and safety. I get taken care of here. That’s what keeps me coming back.” Darlene King credits Siloam for drawing her out of isolation and back into living again.

Brother Bob Thornton, OSA’s connection with Siloam came after a friend of his died from AIDS. He says that what the clients offer him is just as important as what he has to give them.

March 2016 ❘

Darlene King (left) and Charlotte Dye proudly display pillows they made in a crafts class at Siloam. The classes serve as a wonderful stress reliever, as well as time to socialize with others, says King.

Susanne Cassidy, a lay associate with the Sisters of Mercy, volunteers as a touch therapist at Siloam. Her work supports the organization’s mission to treat the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.

PHOTOS BY DAVID KAPPLER

From her first contact, she immersed herself in several activities, booked a massage, and joined group therapy. “It was a community of sharing and support,” she says, noting that group members offered practical advice. “You live through moments you never thought you’d see. The group celebrates milestones with you, and they grieve with you.” King spends a significant amount of time at what she refers to as her “second home.” She regularly partakes of the monthly luncheons at Siloam where MANNA (Metropolitan 18 ❘

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Area Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance) offers lessons in nutrition and a healthy meal. She also participates in the craft classes; she preserved her mother’s memories by converting one of her favorite dresses into a “gratitude pillow.” Not only does the group produce beautiful and useful home accessories, they also enjoy socializing with others. “All the things I do at Siloam are stress relievers,” King says. “All of us have issues in our lives. But when you come in the door, they disappear.” In 2013, administrators at Siloam asked King St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

to join the board of directors. “Siloam wanted someone with academic and business experience and who was also a client. I had administrative acumen and could give the client perspective on services. I could tell them how effective services are and what new services we could provide,” she says. She adds: “I’m not sure the folks at Siloam realize the health benefits of what they’re doing for us. It’s playing a big part on our mental and physical health. When people treat you with respect, it does so much for you. When you have HIV, people face stress and stigma. At Siloam they naturally treat you as a human with dignity. It benefits our psyche, spirit, mental and physical health.” Siloam has helped King break down selfimposed barriers that prevented her from achieving good mental and physical health. “Siloam has changed the lives of so many people. It has helped them come out of sadness, to bring down the guards,” she says.

Volunteer Support

“Being able to share my life experiences is helpful to others. That’s the basis of Siloam. It’s a safe place. People who attend can feel free to be honest as to Click here for more on who they are. It really doesn’t Siloam and ministries to matter how a person became those living with HIV/AIDS. HIV positive,” she says. “Everyone here is trying to be a better person. It’s an accepting, nonjudgmental environment for those living with HIV/AIDS and encourages people to live as they are. Siloam does work that no one else is doing.” Sister Bernadette points out that all people who come to Siloam are connected, regardless of religion or spiritual belief system. “It’s natural to relate to others in a mutually life-giving fashion. People need to relate to themselves, others, and a higher power, as well as to nature and those who have gone before and those who will come after.” A

tal Digi as Extr

Phyllis Hanlon is a freelance writer from Massachusetts whose articles on traditional and alternative health have appeared in several different publications. A mother of four and grandmother of nine, she enjoys spending time with family and vacationing in warm locations.

Siloam could not exist without the generosity of its many volunteers, one of whom is Susanne Cassidy, a lay associate with the Sisters of Mercy. She suffered personal loss when her 37-year marriage fell apart in 2000, which was eight years after learning her son was gay. Cassidy wanted to understand him better so she joined a support group for parents of gay children and became part of a speakers’ bureau. By coincidence, she met Sister Bernadette, who invited her to Siloam. The mission of the program prompted her to become actively involved, so she volunteered. Initially, Cassidy typed meeting minutes for the board at Siloam and helped out in other small ways. “I would do data entry one day a week and anything else they needed,” she says. “I also volunteered on the retreats.” Your Digital Impressed with the benefits she Edition noted in clients who had gotten massage, Cassidy decided to become a ther• Free to print subscribers apist and went to massage school in • Does not change 2003. She says, “I found that touch your print therapy offered benefits both for me subscription and for the recipient. I began to realize • Many digital the client’s willingness to trust me led extras me to trust life again.” • Register at StAnthony Siloam’s motto is “spirituality for Messenger.org wellness,” and Cassidy is proud to be part of the journey toward wellness.

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March 2016 ❘

N 2006, A NEW FILM COMPANY came onto the scene—one less interested in producing blockbuster Hollywood hits and more interested in feeding souls. It was the dream of Joe Campo, and it won a prestigious Christopher Award, an award meant to encourage deep human values. The Human Experience documented the experiences of two brothers, Jeffrey and Clifford Arize, as they journeyed into places not normally featured in movies—into the world of the homeless in the streets of New York City; into Lima, Peru, among the abandoned children; and even in Ghana, Africa, where they documented the lives of lepers. Along the way, the two brothers documented their personal sufferings, their search for life’s meaning, and, ultimately, the forgiveness they found for those who caused them much suffering in their own lives. Critics loved the movie. “Winning the award was certainly motivating,” recalls Campo, the film company’s founder and executive producer. “[The Christopher Award judges] were very impressed with the depth of the human suffering that the young men experienced in their lives, and the forgiveness they were able to find in their hearts.” After filming The Human Experience, Grassroots Films continued producing high-quality inspirational documentaries, such as Fishers of Men and Child 31. Based in Brooklyn, New York, the small, independent film company’s sole purpose is “to create entertainment that inspires,” according to its website.

A Conversion Story

BY DONIS TRACY

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRASSROOTS FILMS

This independent film company is changing lives through its award-winning documentaries.

Behind the scenes, the history of Grassroots Films reads like one of the films the company so carefully creates. At 61, Campo is the heart and soul of the organization. He was born and raised on Long Island. One of four boys in an Italian American home, Campo had planned out his life: work, marry, buy a house, provide for his family, retire, and live comfortably—the modern American dream. Then God called. “It was 1988,” Campo recalls, “and I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life.”

Clifford Arize shoots footage in Malawi for the film Child 31, about the organization Mary’s Meals. March 2016 ❘

Click the button above to hear an interview with another Christian filmmaker.

He remembers having what he calls a “conversion experience.” “I didn’t even know what conversion was,” he admits. “I felt this inner calling, and I felt that it was real. And so then I thought, Maybe I’m crazy.” For one full year, Campo sat in front of the Blessed Sacrament at St. William the Abbot Parish in Seaford—his family’s parish—asking God what to do. That’s when a member of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal introduced him to Father Benedict Groeschel, the founder of the order. Campo recalls how he sat down with Father Benedict, poured out his soul, and confessed that he was “about to give up everything I do, and everything I know and own, and strictly work for the poor. “I said, ‘I think I’m nuts,’” continues Campo. “And he said to me, ‘You are, but this time you’re batting for the right team.’” Armed with the certainty that God was calling him to serve the poor, Campo set about looking for ways to involve himself with those ministering to those less fortunate. “Honestly, I thought I was going to go to a third-world country,” he admits. Then, another exchange with Father Benedict cemented his call. “Father Benedict told me about the St. Francis House. This was the first apostolate he did outside the friary walls,” says Campo. Begun in 1967, the St. Francis House is a home for young men who have no other place to turn. Father Benedict explained that he was look-

ing for someone to become the director; otherwise, the place was going to have to close. “He spoke about all the guys as if they were his own sons,” recalls Campo. “I felt that father vocation. I felt all that. That was me. He was talking about me. “I had told myself, ‘Don’t commit to anything. Don’t agree to anything,’” he laughs. “But then there I was and I said, ‘This is for me. I’ll do it.’ “And then, Father Benedict looked right at me and said, ‘Joe, don’t ever look back.’ When he said that, he threw me,” recalls Campo. “But at that very moment, he became a father figure to me.”

From a House to a Home In 1990, Campo took over as director of the St. Francis House. Almost immediately, he set about making changes. “When I first came here there were bunk beds in every room. It was like a dormitory, if you will. My feeling was that what was missing from the boys’ lives was a home, and a dormitory doesn’t work. Although it will give them shelter and keep them safe and so forth, it doesn’t change lives,” declares Campo. “The whole concept was a home. It was a Christ-centered home, as well. That was very important,” he continues. “The house was never a shelter. It was a home.” According to Campo, the boys came to the St. Francis House either via the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal or through another program called “Youth 2000,” which Campo also

A Grassroots Films crew and cast head down a dirt road in Africa to their next location while filming The Human Experience. PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRASSROOTS FILMS

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directed. The program provided monthly retreats for young adults. To be accepted into the St. Francis House, young men would have to go through a rigorous interview process, explains Campo. “You didn’t just walk in. The young men that we let into this house you’d have to feel confident that they would be OK in your home, too. This was the last stop for most of the guys that came through here,” he says. Rules were strictly enforced, explains Campo. Drugs, alcohol, fighting, swearing all were prohibited. Attending Mass, praying the rosary, and eucharistic adoration were all mandatory. Schooling was given a high priority—Campo would dutifully attend every open house and parent night, which for many was the first time anyone had ever cared about their education. “I would be asked by many of them, ‘Why do you care?’ and I’d answer, ‘Because that’s what a father does—he cares,’” Campo recalls. “If you don’t like the discipline, if you’re not here to learn, if you don’t want to go to school, then this isn’t the place for you,” he would tell his “sons.” In addition to schooling, everyone had to Fr anciscanMedia.org

eat dinner as a family. Chores were divvied up—some were made to cook the nightly meal, others had to wash the dishes, still others had to mop the floors. During their first year at the house, no one was allowed to have a girlfriend. “They needed that time to learn to listen to me, not to their girls,” he shrugs. “They needed a year to realize that this wasn’t another stopover; this was their home.” After the one-year moratorium, girlfriends were always encouraged to eat dinner with the “family.” “I would ask the boys, ‘What is your intention? What are you dating her for?’ Because even if the girls’ parents didn’t want to know, I wanted to know. I needed to know,” he stresses. “The house had the Holy Spirit,” Campo says with a nod. “They learned the respect of a family, and it turned into a family, if you will. The boys grew up together as if they were brothers. Actually, we were closer to each other than to our own families. That’s basically what happened.” Although Campo never kept an accurate count of how many “sons” he cared for— something he deeply regrets not having done—

Joe Campo sits with Father Benedict Groeschel, CFR, following an interview. It was the last time the two saw each other before Father Groeschel’s death in 2014.

March 2016 ❘

(Right) Crew members shoot footage in England of Father Conrad Osterhout, CFR, for the film Outcasts. The movie is scheduled to be released this year.

he estimates that close to 100 young men have passed through the doors of the St. Francis House.

A Common Purpose

It was one of these men that Campo credits as the driving force behind launching a film production studio. This particular young man was looking for a “safe place to stay for a (Far right) On one day’s while” and was an excellent photographer. notice, Campo traveled to “I was looking for something for some of Rome, where he presentthe guys to do so we could employ them— ed Pope Francis with a especially the guys that were not collegecopy of the film Outcasts. bound—so that they would have a work, a dignity, and a career,” explains Campo. “None of these guys was going to be working in a fast-food place. They’d make a lot more money selling drugs. It would be breaking the law, but it’s a survival Click here for more on tactic, and these guys were all tal Digi as the St. Francis House and good at surviving.” Extr Grassroots Films. This particular young man suggested they shoot a film. Campo agreed, and in keeping with his “family” ideal, every young man in the house had to get involved in some capacity. “I believe God gives everybody at least one talent. But these guys had many talents,” he says, his voice full of emotion. “Some of them were directors. Some were writers. Some of them could be producers. They could do it. They just needed some coaxing, and someone to stand behind them, like all of us. Someone to tell us when it’s right.” Their first film was about themselves. Shot

with a small, handheld camera, the film was very well received. The St. Francis House, which operates strictly on donations, saw a spike in revenue. More important, “the guys began to see that we were really onto something,” he says. “And so we opened up a company,” shrugs Campo. “We called ourselves Grassroots Films, and started to take on some jobs—small jobs, but jobs, nevertheless. And we all got better at our craft. “Father Benedict then gave us the opportunity to film him, and we did,” continues Campo. “And it came out good—really good, and professional.” That film was reviewed on EWTN, and Grassroots Films became an instant success.

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF GRASSROOTS FILMS

Joe Campo (middle) joins former residents of the St. Francis House and their children for a picture. In all, former residents have blessed this surrogate father and grandfather with 63 grandkids.

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

POETRY

Monarch Struck with wonder by an unexpected visitor Life shared in the frolicking joy of a butterfly’s journey

According to Campo, many Church organizations began hiring Grassroots Films to shoot their short movies because, “when it came to doing work for the Church, these guys understood what secular companies have no idea about: they knew the sacraments, they knew the rosary. They had lived it. They had basically been brought up on it.” Grassroots Films is now a thriving independent film company. Although only three of the original boys have remained involved in the organization, Campo credits the film company with providing stable work environments for many of his “sons.” “A film company is not a 9-to-5 kind of job,” he explains. “When you are working, you’re busy 24/7. When it’s slow, you’re at a standstill, so depending on the size of the project, we could have five people working and as many as 25. “Grassroots Films was successful in the respect that it got them their homes, their cars. These are guys who never dreamed of owning their own homes, and now they have them,” he says proudly. He notes that the St. Francis House does not get any funding from the film company—“this is a charity; that’s a business”—but that any profits go to the families of those involved in making films. Today, Grassroots Films is working on three separate films—Outcasts, a movie about the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal; a short film about the Fr anciscanMedia.org

Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious, and a movie about Medjugorje entitled Mir, which means “Peace” in Croatian.

Traversing the sun’s rays to never quite alight from freedom’s lease

—Angela Steiert

Different, but the Same Mission Although the St. Francis House still exists, changes in the New York legislature have forced Campo to no longer accept young men to his house. Residents must now be over 18 before they are admitted to the St. Francis House, according to New York state law. Today there are four men living at the St. Francis House, but because of their ages—most are in their mid-20s— Campo has once again changed the setup. Instead of one house with many bedrooms, the St. Francis House is now set up as smaller studio apartments in order to teach the men to live responsibly and independently. “It’s different, but this is the way we can best help these guys,” he says. Thinking back on his life, Campo can’t help but smile. “It’s nice to know that your work is important, right? These are not menial tasks that we are working on. We’re in the business of the salvation of souls,” he says, and then, recalling Father Benedict’s words many years ago, he adds solemnly, “and I am very glad I never looked back.” A

Slow Motion Spring Slow motion spring Poky in its arrival Dragging its green feet Through the cool March air Barely nudging buds To throw off their coats And sit in the sun Wearing their spring dresses.

—Eileen Sullivan

The Crucified Infinite Goodness . . . Excess of Suffering Love: Christ, our Redeemer.

—Jeanette Martino Land

Donis Tracy is a freelance author who lives and works in the Boston area. She has previously written a number of articles for this magazine, including the March 2015 feature on James Foley. March 2016 ❘

EDITORIAL

An Election-Year Challenge Cooperation is a key to our nation’s success moving forward. Last September, Pope Francis stood before the members of the US Congress and spoke these words: “The challenges facing us today call for a renewal of that spirit of cooperation, which has accomplished so much good throughout the history of the United States.” Half a year later, those words seem to have fallen on deaf ears. In just eight months, we Americans will be heading to the polls to elect our next president. Are we prepared? Do we know enough about each candidate’s platform to make an informed choice? Have we kept ourselves above the infighting, name-calling, and finger-pointing so that we can focus on what’s best for our nation? In his address, Pope Francis spoke of the need for us to resist the pitfalls of elections when he said, “Politics is an expression of our compelling need to live as one, in order to build as one the greatest common good: that of a community which sacrifices particular interests in order to share, in justice and peace, its goods, its interests, its social life. I do not underestimate the difficulty that this tal i involves, but I encourage you in this effort.” g i D as We are, however, creatures of habit and Extr are too often drawn into the us-versus-them mentalClick here for resources on ity of elections, treating faithful citizenship. them merely as the World Series or Superbowl of politics as opposed to a great opportunity for our country. Candidates—for better or worse—are too often chosen by party loyalty and not by facts. All ideas are shut down as having no merit by the opposition—simply based on where those ideas come from. Cooperation? Not a chance. Uncooperation, rather, seems to have become the modus operandi for elections. Unfortunately, in the process, issues—important issues—get lost amid the fray. 2 6 ❘ Ma rch 2016

What to Do? Bemoaning the current state of politics isn’t going to move us forward, however. And the election is going to come this November, regardless. Thanks to technology, having access to vast amounts of information regarding the election and its candidates is relatively easy. That, however, can be both a blessing and a curse. We need to make sure we’re basing our decisions on facts, and not the e-mail someone sent you, or something your friend posted on his or her Facebook page. That is why, if we want to make a difference with our vote, we need to inform ourselves. Don’t just take things the candidates say at face value. Do your homework. Stand above the fray. Base your vote on an informed conscience. Every four years, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops offers “Forming Conscience for Faithful Citizenship,” a statement on political responsibility to help with just that. The purpose is “to help Catholics form their consciences in accordance with God’s truth.”

Be a Helper It has often been said that, if you aren’t part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Pope Francis spoke to this idea when he told members of Congress, “The complexity, the gravity, and the urgency of these challenges demand that we pool our resources and talents, and resolve to support one another, with respect for our differences and our convictions of conscience.” As voters, we should consider those words as a challenge. The right to vote is a weighty responsibility. It is also a wonderful gift and opportunity to make a difference. Let’s treat it accordingly. That means that when you cast your ballot this fall, please do so with a wellinformed conscience and purpose. Think about how, with your vote, you can help move our country forward, in a spirit of cooperation. —SHB St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

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Liam Lawton on St. Patrick This Irish priest and musical celebrity explores the saint’s amazing journey. BY JOHN FEISTER

HO WAS ST. PATRICK? Beyond the colorful tales of snakes and shamrocks, what do we know about the real person? We turned to an Irish priest for answers, and found one with a story of his own. To understand Father Liam’s interest in St. Patrick, the fifth-century missionary, it first will help to understand Liam. Father Liam Lawton, of Carlow, Ireland, is a platinum-record-selling musician whose passion is Irish history. How often do you find those three—priest, star, history buff—in one package? His is a household name in Ireland. His musical programs have been narrated by Gregory Peck, John Malkovich, Frank McCourt,

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and others; he has recorded 15 albums. He has performed in Chicago Symphony Hall, Carnegie Hall in New York, the White House, the Vatican, on TV and radio specials, on national stages in Ireland. He came to know St. Patrick well due to some American friends. Leaders at Old St. Patrick parish in Chicago—the family of famed sociologist and fiction writer Father Andrew Greeley, to be specific—wanted to commission original music for the renovated church’s rededication. After meeting Liam in Carlow, Joyce Durkin, Andrew Greeley’s sister, invited Liam to Chicago to see the church. Liam, keen on Irish tradition, was blown away. A century earlier, artist Thomas O’ShaughSt A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MPC PRODUCTIONS; ST. PATRICK PHOTO BY EUGENE PLAISTED, OSC

nessy had created stained-glass windows and wall paintings for the church inspired by Ireland’s ninth-century Book of Kells. That illuminated, hand-lettered book of the Gospels is a world treasure. “Basically, he recreated the Book of Kells in the church, right on the ceilings and walls. It was just amazing!” recalls Liam of his first visit to Old St. Pat’s. “It’s the only thing like it in the world.” In the mid-1900s, as church membership dwindled, the building had fallen into disrepair. The 1990s saw a renaissance of membership. Now, in 1997, Liam was seeing the newly renovated church. The Greeleys were looking for music for the rededication Mass. Would Father Liam write for the occasion? Fr anciscanMedia.org

The performance of the subsequent setting, “Mass of the Celtic Saints,” along with a new collection he created, “The Clouds’ Veil,” became a turning point in Father Liam’s growing popularity. More to our point, the rededication Mass became an entrée for Liam to write music for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Chicago’s Symphony Hall. “The Shepherd Boy,” which Father Liam composed, based upon the life of St. Patrick, was performed there in 2000, with orchestra and Irish musicians, with film icon Gregory Peck serving as narrator. (It would be Peck’s last public performance.) For two days he and Liam worked on the script, as Peck made the telling of St. Patrick’s story his own. “He was 84 years of age, and he was so gracious,” recalls Liam. In the coming years Liam’s warm music on life’s themes, to be recorded by EMI record label (of Beatles fame), would find a stronger home in the United States. The Church-devoted portion of his music would be distributed by GIA, the Chicago company behind many of the hymnals and musicians serving parishes in this country. Father Liam gladly took on the piece about St. Patrick because of his own Irish tradition. He grew up in a bilingual, working-class household, in a small town where Irish (Gaelic) and English both were spoken. His father came from a region where Irish was the main lan-

(Opposite) Father Liam Lawton is well known in Ireland for his inspiring concerts of popular music in addition to his more Church-oriented work. He is pictured above next to Ireland’s great missionary, St. Patrick.

March 2016 ❘

as he might say, a few months ago at his rectory across the Atlantic. He had a few days off between concerts across the country and a Christmas special on the BBC radio/TV network—all that before the three parish Masses on Christmas Eve. Yet it didn’t take much to get the St. Patrick stories coming.

Life of Patrick

PHOTO COURTESY OF OLD ST. PATRICK’S CHURCH

(Right) “It’s the only thing like it in the world,” says Liam of Chicago’s historic stained glass and wall paintings at Old St. Pat’s church, inspired by Ireland’s ninth-century Book of Kells.

guage (a Gaeltacht). A favorite uncle, Patrick, an accomplished traditional musician, had taken young Liam under his wing and passed along a love of traditional Irish culture. Now, perhaps, you can see why we called this priest about St. Patrick. We rang Liam up,

We all know the legends of Patrick, but Liam can tell of the man behind the legends. Patrick’s real method? Imbibe the local culture. Learn and use the Gaelic language. Use Gaelic symbols and sacred places. For example, “the Celtic cross we know today was basically a cross superimposed on the sun," says Liam. "Patrick converts sun worship to Son worship.” The Celtic cross, sign of Christianity across the Irish countryside, is the result. St. Patrick at about age 16 was captured from his British home in a raid and lived as a slave in Ireland, in the wilderness, in extreme privation, tending flocks. He escaped after six years, his writing, Confession, tells us, but couldn’t forget “the plight of the Irish people,” says Liam. The years of rough treatment, isolation, and meager food had turned him inward. In his writings he admits to never caring much about

he Celtic cross we know today was basically a cross superimposed on the sun. Patrick converts sun worship to Son worship.

PHOTO FROM INGIMAGE

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

Missionary Priests T. PATRICK WAS ONE of the Church’s great missionar-

note of hope and faith in the face of grief. People, lots of

ies, but does Liam, this musical priest who has brought

them, have used that music to help them cope. Liam has

his own faith-building music to faraway places, see

the stories to prove it. “Music is a divine gift,” he offers. “I

himself as a missionary? He doesn’t use that language. We

think, if it is used from the right place, God can do bound-

all have gifts, he says. On the other hand, he knows his life is

less good with it, his gift, if we give it back to him.” That

blessed: “I never dreamed I would

understanding of grace drives him.

get to the places I have gotten,”

He originally wrote this most

he says. "I never had an ambition

popular of his songs after the

to do so.”

tragic death of his uncle Patrick,

Liam receives a steady outpour-

his mentor in the ways of Irish tra-

ing of letters and stories from the

dition. Now he reflects, “You never

countries where his music is

know. It was out of my own bro-

played, documenting changed

kenness that I wrote that, and yet I

lives. His song “The Clouds’ Veil”

suppose the Lord allows it then to

has become a standard at funerals

be used in the lives of others.”

across Ireland. Though Liam tells stories from Australia and

That brings us back to St. Patrick, himself no stranger to

other countries, perhaps the most poignant is from our own

suffering. “It’s how God works in the vulnerability and the

New York City, where the song was used first at one funeral

brokenness of the human condition,” Liam says of Patrick.

of a 9/11 victim, then in funeral after funeral in the weeks

“It was a very dark place. If you read Patrick’s writings, he’s

following. The song was sung again at the 10th anniversary

sometimes almost on the point of despair. And yet, under-

of the terrorist tragedy, and will be performed by Liam in

lying it, there is a trust, and hope comes out of that.”

New York next month: “Even though the rain hides the

Liam Lawton’s best-selling records include “Healing

stars/Even though the mist swirls the hills/Even when the

Song,” “The Clouds’ Veil,” and his newest, “The Best of

dark clouds veil the sky/You are by my side.”

Liam Lawton.” His books include Songs of My People. Find a

The melodic song is beautifully accompanied, offering a

God before his captivity; on the lonely hills, though, the shepherd boy had turned to constant prayer. One might expect that: his father was a deacon, his grandfather a priest, in those days of married Catholic priests. After returning home, he left again, perhaps to enter a monastery across the English Channel in Gaul, and eventually was ordained. After many years (one biography suggests 18), in 432 he was nominated to succeed a deceased bishop among the scattered Christian communities of Ireland. Was he known there, or did his confreres know of his dreams of returning? We don’t know. But he used that scattered Christian community as a springboard for his amazing work of the next 30 years. By the end of his life, by one report he had consecrated 350 bishops and brought the faith to thousands from all across Ireland. There really is no hard historical data beyond Patrick’s writings, though, and he includes no count. The writings usually accepted as authentically his are the Confession and his “Letter to CroatFr anciscanMedia.org

more complete list at StAnthonyMessenger.org.

icus.” Other writings, such at St. Fiacc’s early biography of Patrick, corroborate the incidents that Patrick describes. Future Bishop Fiacc, as a boy, 1600 years ago last year, saw St. Patrick light Ireland’s first Easter fire, on the Hill of Tara, near Liam’s parish today. “One of the things that struck me in his Confession is the humility of Patrick,” says Liam. “He must have been terribly moved by the plight of the Irish people to come back, but also trusting that God would protect him.” In Patrick’s writings, the modern Irish priest also was struck by Patrick’s “own sense of weakness and vulnerability.” In one writing, recalls Liam, Patrick bemoans that “many people were killed because of conversion to Catholicism. He was very cognizant that these people had lost their lives.” Patrick asks for forgiveness for not protecting the people more. We often think of songs with St. Patrick, or of prayers such as the well-known “Breastplate of St. Patrick.” But these are later works, probably from the monastic tradition, attributed

Liam has recorded 15 albums over the years covering popular themes, Irish traditional music, and hymns for worship in Catholic liturgy. March 2016 ❘

(Right) Croagh Patrick, once-retreat for St. Patrick, sees tens of thousands of pilgrims annually. There’s a shamrock, sign of the Trinity, in Patrick’s hand.

to the saint. Patrick was more likely to pray the Psalms, says Liam. “He translated the Bible for the people—he was one of the first to put the Bible into the Irish language. So he was very much based on the Scriptures, I think. “The one thing that made Patrick successful,” suggests Liam, “is that he befriended the chiefs, and in a lot of cases educated their sons.” He would use that relationship for gaining safe passage into the next clan’s territory. “I think it’s amazing, when you think of it, what he achieved, when you consider that Ireland was covered with deciduous forest, and that traveling around was not easy. It’s amazing that so many people were converted— and without much bloodshed.”

A Spirituality in Threes

Click the button above to hear a portion of John Feister’s interview with Liam Lawton.

Patrick indeed promoted the Trinity, of course, but there was another trio that Patrick helped to develop in Irish spirituality, says Father Liam: three practices of prayer. The first of these was the desert, though in a figurative sense in this lush countryside. “In Gaelic, they call it the diseart,” explains Liam. “It was in keeping with the early Desert Fathers. Patrick climbed the mountain in County Mayo, called today Croagh Patrick, which is still a place of pilgrimage.” Every last Sunday in July, 15,00020,000 faithful will climb that mountain together, in a day of prayer, though pilgrims climb the mountain yearlong. “In pre-Christian times, it probably was a place to ascend, to meet with the gods, so Patrick Christianizes it and makes it a place of Christian pilgrimage," explains Liam. A second pillar of Patrick’s prayer is penance. In County Donegal, in the lake Lough Derg, is Station Island, also known as St. Patrick’s

What Would Patrick Do? Patrick, the missionary, built up the Church across Ireland when it had barely been planted. What would Patrick do today in the face of the Church’s many challenges? Is there anything in his approach that we might heed? Liam is quick to answer: “Like Pope Francis, Patrick had a common touch: he got down St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

PHOTO FROM MRCHARCO/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

(Left) St. Brendan the Navigator, in the fifth century, is said by some to have sailed as far as America. He surely sailed far, spreading the faith. His Anam Cara, spiritual mentor, was St. Ita.

Purgatory, a retreat of penance and pilgrimage still in steady use. Patrick is said to have established this retreat, says Liam, and there are European frescoes from the Middle Ages showing monks and lay pilgrims going there. He highlights part of the retreat offered there, which he himself has taken twice: barefoot, the first night sleepless, nine penitential beds. “It’s difficult,” he admits, and advises, “Google it if you want to get a better sense.” The third element of Irish spirituality springing from Patrick is Anam Cara, a “soul-friend.” This person, man or woman, explains Liam, is your “spiritual accompanier throughout your life. If you read the lives of the Celtic saints, they always have a mentor.” St. Brendan (“who discovered America, we believe, right?” Liam teasingly offers), for example, had a mentor, St. Ita. “This was the precursor of spiritual direction, and also of [the current form of] the Sacrament of Reconciliation,” he suggests, that notion of “penance, the notion of unbinding your vulnerability, your fragileness, your habits, your sinfulness, to another person.”

John Feister is editor in chief of this publication. He has master’s degrees in theology and humanities from Xavier University, Cincinnati. Fr anciscanMedia.org

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF IRELAND ON THE COMMONS

and he learned the language of the people, and spoke it so that he could communicate with them on a day-to-day, ordinary level. It was by befriending them and getting to know them—their habits, their ways of life, their children, their education—that’s how he brought God to the people.” Today, as we know, the Church is seen as irrelevant by some people, especially many young adults. “I could be wrong,” qualifies Liam, “but I think we’ve overinstitutionalized the means by which the Gospel is spread. We’ve put it out of reach of ordinary living, in the sense that people don’t identify with us.” He contrasts that with his parish’s food kitchen, feeding about 100 each day. “For me, that’s where Christ would be, in the ordinary bits and pieces of life.” For Liam, those ordinary bits and pieces are the songs his uncle taught to him, and now his own music, echoing Irish tradition, touching and transforming people across continents. This year he’ll perform at the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York (April), and then later in Australia. “I see constantly how God touches people’s lives. I’m not going to give up on that,” he insists. That brings to mind an Irish saint. A

Irish Centennial

NE HUNDRED YEARS AGO this month was the Easter Rising, which marked the beginning of events leading to the Irish War of Independence three years later. Ireland is in the midst

of a yearlong celebration of the rebellion. The centenary itself, celebrated on Easter Monday, falls only a few days after St. Patrick’s Day this year, which will undoubtedly take on an even more celebratory character because of it. Patrick, after all, is an icon of Irish identity. “Patrick had sought to bring Christ to the people,” says Father Liam, “but [the revolutionaries] sought to bring a new kind of freedom that would allow freedom of thought, culture, and expression, which also included a faith culture.” The Rising was on Easter weekend for a reason, says Liam: “They saw their struggle as part of the story of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection.” In January the Irish bishops issued a statement calling upon the war-scarred Irish to nurture “healing conversations” and to “reflect on whether we have been sufficiently courageous in promoting a radical culture of peace.” There has been a fear among many Irish that the upcoming anniversaries could lead to more violence in Northern Ireland.

Click here to send a St. Patrick e-card. Click the button on the right to listen to Liam Lawton.

tal Digi as Extr

March 2016 ❘

The lens of mercy helps us to see the season in a fresh way. BY MARCELLINO D’AMBROSIO

Jay Mendel checks boxes full of canned and dry goods—“the things needed for the body”—at an outreach program in Sparta, Tennessee, operated by St. Andrew Parish.

(BELOW) CNS/ RICK MUSACCHIO, TENNESSEE REGISTER

in a New Light

HE EUCHARIST cannot exist in isolation from life. It is the liturgical commemoration of a Work of Mercy that is designed to issue forth in works of mercy. Thus mercy is essential to the life of every member of the Church until evil and suffering are no more. St. James reminds us that a Christianity that responds to suffering with no more than kind words and tender sentiments is neither true love nor even authentic faith: “If a brother or sister is ill clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit?” (Jas 2:14–17).

Here are seven tips about the works of mercy:

Mercy is for everyone. One of the greatest misconceptions of my early years was that Catholicism is a two-track system. Laypeople just need to worry about keeping the precepts of the Church and the 10 Commandments. The Sermon on the Mount and true holiness are the territory of those called to priesthood and religious life. Knowing that this misconception was pervasive, the Second Vatican Council affirmed in its “Dogmatic Constitution on the Church” that the call to holiness is absolutely universal (see “Lumen Gentium,” chapter 5). And holiness means love, and love means mercy. Therefore, works

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of mercy can’t be relegated only to those who belong to the social justice committee or the Missionaries of Charity. Everyone, without exception, is called to the works of mercy.

Mercy relieves suffering, and there are different kinds of suffering. I once heard someone offer a striking petition during the prayer of the faithful: “Let us pray for all St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

(RIGHT) © PERSEOMEDUSA/INGIMAGE

3268ZAUBER/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

LENT

those suffering from the pain of not knowing the love of God.” The lack of bodily necessities certainly causes great distress. But so does the lack of the things of the spirit. It is important to keep in mind that the Church enumerates not only corporal works of mercy but spiritual works of mercy, as well, and that the latter actually have a certain preeminence. Perhaps not everyone is ready to instruct the ignorant or admonish sinners. But at least one of the spiritual works of mercy is something that virtually all of us can do, regardless of our location or state of health: interceding for the living and the dead. Indeed, this is the work of mercy performed by the glorified saints in heaven.

3 CNS PHOTO COURTESY CATHOLIC PRESS PHOTO

Charity begins at home. That angel of mercy, Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata, was often approached by people who wanted to share in her apostolate to the poorest of the poor. Her advice to them was often to go home and love their own family members. If we open our eyes, there are people all around us who are lonely, sick, overworked, and troubled. They very much need our compassion and attention. This is where we must start. “If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tm 5:8).

Charity can’t end at home. The story of the Good Samaritan is striking for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that the hero of the story had no natural bond with the victim. Jews and Samaritans actually had great antipathy for each other. So we can’t restrict our works of mercy to family, friends, and those who belong to our Church or political party. As Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount, our works of mercy must extend even to our enemies.

Mercy is not always convenient. There are times that works of mercy can be planned and fit in an orderly way into our schedule. But suffering and crisis are often unpredictable. And responding to them can often be inconvenient. The Good Samaritan took a lot of time and went through no small expense to make sure the victim in the story was provided for. The Samaritan was probably late for an appointment as a result.

Charity is not the same as social work. While people often refer to anything that benefits the disadvantaged as “charity,” the word actually means divine, supernatural love. It is action that springs from the love of God that has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (see Rom 5:5) and must involve not just giving things but giving ourselves. We must see God’s image and likeness in the person who benefits from our charity, and love that person for God’s sake. There is nothing wrong with making a year-end char-

Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata was a heroic example of a person who lived out the works of mercy. Though she went to the periphery to tend to the needy, she often advised people to first practice compassion at home.

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

Though mercy and charity may start at home, they mustn’t end there. We are called to reach out to our neighbors and even our enemies when they are suffering—either physically or spiritually.

CNS/ MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER, REUTERS

Could you reach out with mercy and shake the hand of someone who tried to take your life? Pope John Paul II did just that on December 27, 1983, in a Rome prison. Two years prior, Mehmet Ali Agca had attempted to assassinate the Holy Father in St. Peter’s Square.

CNS PHOTO/ L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO VIA EPA

itable gift, but if this is to be a true work of mercy, the motivation must be deeper than the wish for a tax write-off. For St. Francis and Mother Teresa, serving the poorest of the poor was serving Jesus himself (see Mt 25:34–46). A work of mercy can and should be a deeply spiritual encounter.

Mercy is never condescending. The goal of the ancient enemy of mankind is to use suffering to rob those made in God’s image of their human dignity. Our goal in the work of mercy is always to restore that dignity and honor it. “Charity” that belittles the recipient is never true mercy. It may relieve some bodily suffering, but it only causes a deeper suffering of alienation and humiliation. The Divine Word emptied himself of glory and stood shoulder to shoulder with us. The one giving mercy cannot look down on the recipient of mercy. In fact, the merciful humbly understand that they always receive as much as or more than they give when they work to alleviate the suffering of the needy. St. John Paul II wrote an encyclical on God the Father near the beginning of his pontificate. With all the possible descriptions and titles for God used in Scripture and tradition, what was he to title such an encyclical? The answer for him was simple: “Rich in Mercy” (see Eph 2:4). God is preeminently the Father of mercies and the God of all consolation (see Fr anciscanMedia.org

2 Cor 1:3). The way we can be recognized as his authentic offspring is by living a lifestyle of mercy. It is interesting that in the Bible’s only description Click here for more on Lent of the last judgment, salvation and the works of mercy. or damnation hangs not on how much religious art people have in their houses or how many Masses they’ve attended, but how they’ve treated the least of Jesus’ needy brothers and sisters (see Mt 25:34–46). A

tal Digi as t Ex r

This article is adapted from 40 Days, 40 Ways: A New Look at Lent (Servant Books). Marcellino D’Ambrosio is a world-renowned commentator on religious issues. Known as “Dr. Italy,” he has a popular website, Facebook page, and Twitter feed and appears weekly on a variety of Catholic TV and radio networks. March 2016 ❘

The

Road

L On a bus ride across the Northwest, this writer embarks on a deeper spiritual journey. BY MARY SHARON MOORE

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March 2016

ONG BEFORE DAWN, I feel the cool spring morning air. The sky outside my window is studded with stars. The dancing flame of an oil lamp splashes fingers of light across the small sacred icon, Christ, Extreme Humility. I feel unworthy to look upon this image of the well-beloved Son, his life poured out in love, in mercy. Far from embracing a life of costly love, I cannot muster the will to enter into Lent in a way that would actually change me. Imagine, I think, living the Lent which the Lord has in mind. I am startled by this thought. But here it is, birthed without labor, as though the Lord himself has prayed it through me. Prayer, I have learned, is not a tool, not a means to an end. I cannot use prayer to get God to do things for me. Prayer, St. Paul insists, St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

Easter

is the Holy Spirit praying through me. Is it possible, I wonder, as I turn my gaze now toward the icon of Holy Trinity, that the only real prayer is the eternal conversation between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? If it is, I think, this would be prayer enough to sustain me. I drift for some time inside this thought, and then return to ponder how I might celebrate this Lenten season. No honest question goes unanswered, especially the one that seems birthed, without labor, by the Holy Spirit. The answer, an invitation, arrives swiftly, an intuition deep and clear: I want to worship my Father from within the temple of your life. I turn these words in my mind, and hold space for them in my heart: I want to worship my Father from within the temple of your life. Fr anciscanMedia.org

Suddenly, the Lord is intimately present, startlingly real. In a flash of insight I realize: he takes seriously this relationship which I also take seriously. He wants to worship his Father, the loveliest thing he can do, from within my life, within my experience. I speak one word—“Yes.”

The Assignment before Me It’s a 26-hour Greyhound bus ride from my hometown, Eugene, Oregon, to Idaho Falls, Idaho, where I will spend a few days on a work assignment. This journey, I suddenly realize, will be the retreat I never thought I had time to make. The words of Jesus in his final suffering come to mind. Heading east out of Eugene, we climb rapidly into the Cascades. In every direction I see only the lush green of spring. Tender sunlight dapMarch 2016 ❘

VISITOR7/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

This bus station in Eugene, Oregon, served as the starting point of this author’s physical and spiritual journey through the Cascade Mountains.

Ah, my needs are met, I think to myself. “I thirst,” I hear Jesus say.

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March 2016

ples through forest pine, fir, and hemlock. So much beauty makes me dizzy. I am completely unprepared for the endless expanse of stark high desert of eastern Oregon. I would never survive here, I think, as we roll past lava beds and tumbleweeds and ghost town shanties in this dry and desolate plateau. I think now of endless desert stretches in our border states, of the scorching arid lands of North Africa, the desert highways in other parts of the world, where people travel across hot sands and rough terrain, exposed to all that could consume them, fleeing for their lives. My kin, every one. My God, my God, I hear them cry, why have you forsaken me?

I Thirst Around 7:30 p.m. we roll into Ontario, at the edge of eastern Oregon. The driver secures our bags in a big wooden box. It’s a two-and-ahalf-hour dinner stop. Across the four-lane road coming into town I spot a family-style restaurant, where I hope to find a decent meal. A little glass of red wine would be nice, I think, as my joints get moving after nine and a half hours on the bus. I set my mouth for a cabernet. But it’s a real possibility that family-style restaurants in small towns in far eastern Oregon do not serve alcohol. I turn my attention to the business of crossing four lanes of traffic at twilight. I arrange my life around never having to be thirsty. Thirst—real, unslakable thirst—is a condition of helplessness, of vulnerability. Not by chance is water a symbol of life—not only in birthing, but for survival. “Like the deer yearns for run-

ning streams,” the psalmist writes, “so my soul yearns for you, my God.” I think of Jesus, hanging in crucifixion under an unforgiving sun. “I thirst,” he cries out, delirious with a thirst I cannot ease. Someday, I think, I will set aside time to really meditate on these words of Jesus. I settle into a booth. Wine is not listed on the menu. My waitress approaches. I press my luck. “Do you have wine?” I ask hopefully. “Yes, we do.” “What reds do you have?” She hesitates, looking apologetic. “We have just . . . red.” “Ooh,” I say. And then I really press. “I was hoping for maybe a cabernet.” “Cabernet?” the waitress says. “Hmmm. I think I saw one of those little bottles left over from a party.” She disappears, and then returns. “Sorry, hon, that last little bottle is gone.” My glass of ice water is looking pretty good. The waitress disappears again, and then I see her approach, looking triumphant, little red trophy in hand. “Hon, I found that last little bottle of cab.” Ah, my needs are met, I think to myself. “I thirst,” I hear Jesus say. Later, I think, I will sit with his words.

Woman, Behold Your Son At the Salt Lake City station, just before sunrise, I head to the restroom to wash away the fatigue that has overcome me. A young woman leans in close toward the mirror, applying mascara. “Good morning,” I say as I stand at the sink. My simple greeting opens the floodgate. “I am so excited,” she says, turning to me. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

Lake City bus station, I pray a blessing on this mother-and-son reunion. Woman, I hear in my heart, behold your son.

Today, You Will Be with Me in Paradise

INGIMAGE

“I get to see my little boy today. I haven’t seen him for three years.” Clearly she is a young woman with a story. “He love, love, loves Superman,” she says. Out of her duffel bag she pulls a Superman T-shirt. She holds it up for me to see. “I am soooo excited about being a mommy again. I miss him so much.” That fresh mascara stands a chance of running in dark rivulets down her face. “What’s your little boy’s name?” I ask, entering into her happiness. “Trevor,” she says. Her eyes shine. “I am so happy for you,” I say. “My name is Maria.” Maria has become my street name. It’s just easier for strangers to remember. “And what do you like to be called?” I ask. “Carla,” she says. Carla, I sense, may be returning home from three years in prison. Why else would a young mother be separated for so long from her son? The words of Jesus come back to me: I want to worship my Father from within the temple of your life. I turn to the mirror to check my own mascara. “Carla,” I say, “this is your special day. Can I say a prayer for you right now?” Her hands are rough to the touch, I notice—sinewy and strong. In the early morning, in the restroom of the Salt Fr anciscanMedia.org

It’s now 10:15 p.m. My four-day stint in Idaho Falls is finished, and I am headed to Spokane for a weekend assignment. My host drops me off at the convenience store, where a van will take me north through the night. Thirteen men—I count them—wait with me. I can tell that they are workers, their bodies hardened with labor that no one else will do. I position myself upwind from the clouds of cigarette smoke. The van pulls in, and we quickly board. I hear a couple of muffled conversations, but mostly everyone wants to sleep. I look out to the starry night as the lights of Idaho Falls grow distant. I have no idea what direction we are going. I only know that I am traveling, in tight quarters, with a van full of strangers, who in every way are not like me. Except that they are. Is there not, after all, only one heartbeat, the heartbeat of God? I settle into my seat. Spokane is 11 hours away. When I insert my earplugs, I hear the faint beat of my own heart. My thoughts drift. Jesus had a heartbeat. There was a day when his heart began to beat. And a day when it stopped. His heart stopped beating on a day when he was wedged in among strangers. He was on a journey not of his choosing. These men, I wonder, are they, too, on a journey not of their choosing? I close my eyes and imagine the heartbeat within each one of them. One heartbeat. That’s all that humankind and the living universe is allowed. Not many separate heartbeats, but one. At least, this is Jesus’ most ardent desire. These men might be going north to work the fields, to prepare the orchards, to dress the vines for the coming season. Some may be mechanics, or carpenters, accustomed to backbreaking work, their bodies like fine-tuned

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I lift up each one in prayer, invoking the sweet grace of a fresh start.

machines accustomed to long hours of labor in cool mornings and unforgiving midday sun. They carry the one heartbeat in them, whether they know it or not. This is the living definition of heaven, I think. And I recall the beautiful words coming from the Master’s parched lips: This day you will be with me in Paradise.

Father, Forgive Them

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The van lets us off in Butte, Montana, in a dismal little box of a station. It’s now 3:20 a.m. The next bus, scheduled to arrive at 5:40, will cover the final stretch of my trip to Spokane. Inside the station, I find four dark gray walls, a few video game machines, some pop and snack machines, and a couple of restrooms. The chairs are hard plastic. If you want to sleep, you sleep on the floor. I pull out my laptop to stay busy. I count seven men, ranging from maybe early 20s on up. I Click here for more on see a young woman, too, who the season of Lent. looks as if she needs a better chance at life. Everyone seems weighed down with exhaustion. I sense that they live in a permanent state of transit. Some may be fresh out of prison. For all their rough edges, though, I sense an unspoken camaraderie. Or at least they allow each other space. Around 5:15, one young man stirs and pipes up: “Hey, man, what’s the earliest you can buy beer in this town?” Someone replies, “Safeway opens at 6.” March 2016

I hear no reply from the young man dreaming of his breakfast beer. I do not know the details of the lives of these fellow passengers. Maybe a combination of loose threads and dead ends. Maybe they wonder what someone like me is doing in this bus station in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night. I lift up each one in prayer, invoking the sweet grace of a fresh start. Father, I pray with the crucified Lord, forgive them. For all the loose threads and dead ends, forgive them. They know not what they do. Father, forgive me. I have no clue, really, what I do against your majesty and the humanity of others.

The Temple of Life Back at home now, I put down my bags and sink into my prayer space. Exhaustion tumbles over me. I gaze upon the icon of Christ, Extreme Humility, then upon Holy Trinity. I recall my desire to live this Lenten season well, and the Lord’s words to me: I want to worship my Father from within the temple of your life. My offering seems paltry, my efforts inconsistent. This is no magnificent temple, I think. But I desire it to be a space of love, of mercy, where humanity can enter in, in all of its exhaustion and, perhaps, leave with some stirring of hope. A Mary Sharon Moore serves parishes throughout the United States with parish missions, ministry team development, and adult faith development. She is author of several books, and her spiritual direction practice spans the United States. Her website is marysharonmoore.com. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o r g

Slaughtering the

Fatted Calf Families can be challenging. FICTION BY MARIE ANDERSON

LORIA STUMBLED toward the phone ringing on the kitchen wall. No good news came right before dawn. “Please, God,” she prayed. Had her daughter snuck out? Was Marin crying at the police station again, smelling of pot and beer? Since that frightening episode last month, her daughter had been grounded, and Gloria had spent weekend nights in the family room dozing in the TV’s glow, closer to the doors than she’d be upstairs where Charlie, her husband, snored softly. Marin was 15, defiant, and contemptuous. The sweet girl she’d once been had disappeared. Gloria made the sign of the cross, and answered the phone.

ILLUSTRATION BY JASON RAISH

“

oney?” “Dad!” This was the call she’d both dreaded and desired. “Is Mom . . . ?” “Glory, I woke you, didn’t I? I’m

sorry, but your mom wanted you to know right away. We’re on speakerphone. Viv, tell Glory the wonderful news!” Her mother shouted, “My Lorna’s coming home!” Lorna? Gloria’s knees wobbled. Her sister had avoided the family for four years, ever since their mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, leaving all the caregiving to Gloria and their father, who was confronting early Parkinson’s. “Lorna’s coming for Easter!” her mother yelled. “Dad, it’s 3 a.m. Did Lorna just call you?” “It’s not 3 a.m. in Singapore.” “She’s in Singapore?” “We’ll have a party!” her mother shouted. “We’ll invite everyone! I want lamb cakes and beef tenderloin!” Beef tenderloin? Beef tenderloin was over $25 per pound at the butcher. Gloria had been planning on ham for their Easter meal. “She’s arriving the Wednesday M a rch 2 0 1 6 ❘ 4 5

before Easter,” Gloria’s dad said. “Can you pick her up from the airport, Glory?” Her mother was talking now, but Gloria wasn’t listening. She was remembering her last phone call to Lorna four years ago. Her sister, living in Seattle, had just gotten divorced. “What’s up?” Lorna had asked. “I’m on the clock. Got a plane to catch for my Switzerland ski trip.” Gloria explained their mother’s terrifying diagnosis. “This should be a wake-up call for both of us,” Lorna said. “What a legacy our parents are sticking on us—Dad’s Parkinson’s or Mom’s dementia. At least you’ve got a daughter and husband to take care of you, if the time comes. Who’s going to help me? I’m not going to waste a second of my health. And you shouldn’t either.” “The job now, Lorna, is to care for Mom. We’ll have to work as a team— you, Dad, me.” “There’s not much I can do from Seattle,” Lorna said. “My job’s here. And I’d never move back to Chicago. How can anyone live without mountains and ocean?” “It’s not about you now, Lorna! God, you’re so self-absorbed. No wonder your husband dumped you. I’m surprised it took him so long.” Silence, and then Gloria heard a soft click. Not even a goodbye. Now, four years later, just before a Sunday dawn, Lorna had announced her return.

ater that morning, Gloria sat between her husband and daughter in their usual pew at church. During the homily, Marin began texting on her phone. Gloria was too disturbed by the homily to grab the phone away. “So, remember,” Father Gallagher was saying from the pulpit. “There is more joy in heaven over the one who strays and then returns, than over the 99 who need no salvation.” What a thundering coincidence, hearing this right at the beginning of her own prodigal sibling drama, Gloria thought. In the car after Mass, only Charlie made an effort to talk. From the back-

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seat came the soft clicks of Marin texting. Gloria sighed. “Who’re you mad at now, Mother?” Marin sighed loudly, imitating Gloria. “Your mom doesn’t like Luke’s Gospel of the Prodigal Son,” Charlie said. “Especially now with your prodigal Aunt Lorna coming for Easter.” “So what’s the prob, Mother? You’re always complaining how Auntie Lorna doesn’t help with Grandma. You should be happy she’s coming. Just like that father in the Gospel is happy his bad son has come home.” Gloria turned toward her daughter. Marin was looking out the open car window, the wind blowing her overlong bangs from her overpainted eyes. “I’ll tell you what the prob is, Marin. I think the good son is getting a raw deal. The father slaughters the fatted calf and throws a big party to celebrate his bad son’s return. But the hardworking, good son has never even been given a young goat to feast on with his friends. Heck, he wasn’t even told about the party! He returns from toiling in his father’s fields and finds everyone feasting on the fatted calf! “And then, what fries me the most is when the father basically tells his good son, ‘Hey, you’re always around, and everything I have is yours anyway. So stop whining.’ Like the good son is out of line for wanting a little recognition and appreciation!” Charlie laughed, though Gloria saw that he was white-knuckling the steering wheel. “Gloria,” he murmured. “I don’t think that’s quite what the father said.” “No, but he implied it! Anyway, don’t you agree that heaven’s got it backward? There should be more joy in heaven for the good sons, not the bad ones who live it up and then, only when they hit rock bottom, return to the fold.” Gloria looked at her daughter. “Your thoughts, Marin?” Marin rolled her eyes. “Lighten up, lady. It’s just a stupid story.” Her phone warbled and she lifted it. “Put that down!” Gloria snapped. “And apologize for calling me lady!” “What? Seriously? I don’t think so!” “I’m waiting!” Gloria yelled.

“Ladies!” Charlie exclaimed. “Fine,” Marin said. “Sorry.” She put down her phone and resumed looking out the window. They finished the drive home in silence.

n the Wednesday before Easter, it was just Lorna and Gloria on the 40-minute drive from the airport to their parents’ home. Charlie was working; Marin was at school. Navigating through heavy traffic, Gloria listened while Lorna answered calls on her phone. “Sorry,” Lorna said between calls. “I’m leading a hike up Mt. Rainier when I get back to Seattle, and there’s a bunch of details to work out.” “Aren’t you the busy little gal?” Gloria said. Lorna thrust her phone into her purse. “What’s with the baditude, Gloria? I’m giving up seven vacation days to be here. I’m giving up being with people who love me, and who I love, to spend time with this family. This biological family of mine. Not the family of my heart.” “You’ve ignored your biological family for four years, Lorna. Hearts need blood flow in order to keep beating. You haven’t flowed so much as a Christmas card to your biological family for four years.” “Mom and Dad sure seemed happy to hear from me. You should hear what Mom had to say about you. She called you bossy, crabby. She said toads and spiders fall out of your mouth whenever you open it. She actually said that, Gloria.” Gloria’s heart churned. “Let’s see what she says about you after the next week. You wanna fill in for me and change her diapers, cajole her into the tub, fix diabetic-safe meals, trick her into taking her meds, drive her to three different doctors?” “Christ, Gloria! Your husband supports you. Your daughter is old enough to take care of herself. What else you gotta do?” They didn’t speak again until Gloria parked in front of their parents’ home. “Have fun,” Gloria said. “You’re not coming in?” Lorna asked. Gloria heard the panic in her St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

sister’s voice. She kept her eyes on the steering wheel and shook her head. Suddenly, Lorna laughed. “Oh, my Lord! No way!” Gloria looked up and gasped. There, bouncing down the front steps, was Marin. Lorna shot from the car. “Look at you, girl! All grown up! A gorgeous young woman!” Marin hugged Lorna, and Gloria frowned. When was the last time she’d gotten hugged by her daughter? She stumbled from the car. “Marin! What are you doing here?” Marin stepped out of Lorna’s embrace. “Dad left work early and picked me up from school. We’re here to welcome Auntie Lorna.” Charlie appeared in the front door, flanked by Gloria’s parents, all three of them smiling and waving—at Lorna. Traitors, Gloria thought. They had pizza delivered for dinner, and while they ate, Lorna chattered about her trips, job, and friends. “It’s getting late,” Charlie finally said. “I’ll take Marin home. It’s a school night for her, and work for me tomorrow.” Gloria stood, too. “You can stay, honey,” Charlie said. “Maybe catch Lorna up with our life.” Gloria shook her head and sighed. “Lorna!” their mother shouted. “You don’t have to leave too, do you? You still have to tell us what’s new with you.” That’s all we’ve been hearing, Gloria thought. “Viv,” Gloria’s dad said. “Lorna’s not leaving. She’s staying right here with us for a whole week . . . for Easter!” “Oh!” Gloria’s mother clapped her hands. “Let’s have a party!” Lorna laughed. “You know, Mom, if you had a computer, I could Skype and e-mail you all the time, send you photos of my adventures and friends.” Lorna frowned at Gloria. “I’m surprised you haven’t set them up with a computer yet, Gloria.” “Oh, it’s that one,” their mother said, scowling at Gloria. “I don’t want to bother that lazy one with stuff like that.” Gloria felt tears well. “Now, Viv.” Gloria’s dad patted his wife’s head. “Our Glory does a lot for us. We’d be lost without her.” Fr ancisca n Media .org

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I won’t cry, Gloria thought, even as her tears began to spill. Suddenly, Marin flung her arm over Gloria’s shoulders and pulled her close. “There’s no school Friday for me, Auntie Lorna,” Marin said. “How about you and me go shopping for a computer then? I could help you pick one out for Grandma and Grandpa. We could have it up and running before Mom makes me go to Good Friday services.” “That’s a great idea, Marin,” Charlie said. “And Lorna, this would be a good way for you to cover all those Christmases and birthdays you’ve missed.” Gloria smiled at the shock blanching her sister’s face. “I think I will stay for a bit,” Gloria said. As soon as Charlie and Marin left, Lorna whispered to Gloria. “Let’s take a walk. We have to talk.”

or the first block, they walked in silence. “Look, Gloria,” Lorna finally said. “I can’t afford to buy them a computer. My job is shaky. I may not survive the next reorganization. My townhouse is worth less than my mortgage. I’d like to get Lasik surgery this year, but it’s not covered by my insurance.” “So this is why you’ve come home? To hit our parents up for money?” “You don’t get it, Gloria. You’ve got it all—a husband who loves and supports you, a great daughter.” Gloria shook her head. “Marin’s not always so great to me. I’ve been so busy mothering our mother that I’ve neglected mothering my own daugh-

ANSWERS TO PETE AND REPEAT 1. The collar on Pete’s shirt is lower. 2. There is now a flag on top of the building. 3. The crossbar on the window is now in front of the other. 4. Pete’s shirt is longer. 5. The green bar on the store is now white. 6. Pete’s left hand has moved on the kite. 7. The ampersand and the word flags have shifted to the right. 8. Pete is looking straight ahead.

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ter. My loving little girl has disappeared. We argue constantly. Her grades could be better. Her mouth could be way better.” “When you were helping Mom in the bathroom before the pizza came,” Lorna said, “Marin told me how awesome you were with the police when she had that bit of trouble.” “She said that?” Gloria felt her face warm. “Though I wouldn’t call getting busted for underage drinking and pot a bit of trouble.” Lorna sighed. “Marin’s a good girl. But she’s not you. So she partied a little bit. I did that too around her age. She wants your acceptance, warts and all. That’s what’s killing her, Gloria. She thinks you don’t think she’s good enough.” “You’ve seen her for a few hours today and you somehow know all that? You have no standing, Lorna, to be telling me anything about my daughter.” Lorna sighed again. “Well, you’ve done a great job taking care of Mom, helping Dad. He told me that.” “So now you’re buttering me up, Lorna? Planning to ask me for your Lasik money?” Lorna groaned. Then she spun around and strode back toward the house. Gloria froze. She felt her stomach twist, her heart pound. Something thick and sticky filled her throat. She watched her sister move farther and farther away. Like her mother. Like her daughter. The three women she loved most, disappearing.

cry exploded from her throat. “Wait! Lorna! Come back!” She ran after her sister, tripped, and fell. Suddenly Lorna was there, helping her up, both of them crying. “I’m sorry,” Gloria said. “I’m doing it again. I drove you away four years ago with my mouth, and I’m doing it again.” Lorna wiped her own wet eyes. She hugged Gloria. “I was angry,” Lorna murmured. “I am angry. You’ve said a lot of hurtful things to me. But I guess I’ve just been using my anger at you as an excuse to be uninvolved in

Mom’s care. Truth is, both of them falling apart like they are freaks me out. It scares me. I’m sorry I haven’t been helping you, Gloria.” They stepped apart and sighed at the same time. Lorna started laughing, and after a moment, Gloria joined in.

n Holy Saturday night, Gloria woke suddenly. Had she heard the front door open and close? Charlie snored softly. She looked at the clock on her nightstand. It was just after 2. Go back to sleep, Gloria scolded herself. She’d soon be busy. There was a big feast to prepare after church. Marin is home sleeping, Gloria told herself. She is. Hating the heaviness in her gut, Gloria sat up. She eased from bed and padded down the hall to Marin’s room. The door was closed. Gloria pushed it open. Marin’s bed was empty. Gloria leaned against the wall for a long time, staring at Marin’s empty bed. Then she trudged to the stairs that would lead to the family room, where she would sit and wait for her daughter to return. Downstairs she saw that light spilled from the kitchen. Voices murmured. Gloria stood in the dark dining room, gazing through the pass-through opening in the wall between the dining room and kitchen. Seated at the kitchen table were Marin and Lorna. Marin was icing the lamb cake that Gloria had made yesterday. Lorna was wrestling with the beef tenderloin, cursing softly as she trimmed it and tied it with string. Gloria could hear something bubbling on the stove. And now she realized that the dining room table had been set. Even the water goblets were out, ready to be filled. Her eyes warmed. Something bright and fierce swept through her—swift, soft bristles scrubbing her clean. She felt her lips bloom into a smile. A

Marie Anderson is a writer and married mother of three in LaGrange, Illinois. She is the founder/ facilitator of her local library’s writing group, now in its seventh year. Her fiction and essays have appeared in various publications. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

AT HOME ON EARTH

❘ BY KYLE KRAMER

In like a Lion, Out like a Lamb

and nursed me back to health, I also caught a glimpse of what a gentler life might look like. That life may still be a far-off mountain for me, but I like the view. I think “in like a lion, out like a lamb” could also, I Let’s Tread hope, describe the arc of modern life as a whole. StartLightly ing a few hundred years ago, amped up on Enlightenment Be gentle with yourself: rationalism and the neweat well, get enough sleep, found energy from fossil and push your body just fuels, we built an industrial enough, through exercissociety that roared with lioning and stretching. like power and remade the entire face of the globe: huge Be gentle to others: comcities, monoculture farms, mit to doing one small, mountains leveled, and rivers five-minute favor for somererouted. one every day. Now, however, we’re beginning to see the serious Be gentle toward the Earth: costs we have imposed on choose one day a week or ourselves, other species, and month to leave your car our planet itself. We can’t parked. keep going like this. We need to find a new way of living with more kindness and gentleness toward each other and God’s creation, as Pope Francis reminds us in his encyclical on the environment. We have to go out of the modern era like a lamb, or we’ll just plain go out like a light. As Catholics, we must start where all good things begin: in prayer, knowing that the Lamb that was slain is ready to help us become a little more lamblike, too. A

Kyle Kramer is the executive director of the Passionist Earth and Spirit Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

The image of a gentle lamb serves as a reminder of our need to treat God’s creation with care. Fr ancisca n Media .org

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Click here for more ways to be gentle with both ourselves and the Earth.

M a rch 2 0 1 6 ❘ 4 9

here’s a familiar proverb about the month of March: it comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb. As the pivot point between winter and spring, March often begins with harsh, blustery cold, but ends with gentler, warmer weather that foreshadows good gardening ahead. I’ve recently come to believe that this proverb may describe more than just a month on the calendar. Personally, it speaks to an important truth about my own life, too. I charged into my adulthood like a lion: full of ideals and plans and energy, eager to change the world—and God help anyone who got in my way. Building a house and a farm from scratch, I spent 15 years working my poor body to the bone. Recently, that poor body, now middleaged, finally rebelled with a back injury that knocked me out of commission for weeks. For the first time, I couldn’t just ignore the pain and keep working; I had to really stop and rest. It was excruciating—not just the pain, but also the idleness. But in the midst of it, especially in the kindness of my family and others who put up with my whining

ASK A FRANCISCAN

❘ BY FATHER PAT McCLOSKEY, OFM

How Can We Forgive Terrorists? The Lord’s Prayer says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Another prayer asks, “Lord, help us to forgive perfectly so that we may intercede fervently to you for them without returning evil for evil to anyone.” Terrorists have openly proclaimed that their God has demanded death to infidels and nonbelievers. They have committed atrocious crimes against innocent humanity. We are involved in a kill-or-be-killed war. How is perfect forgiveness possible? This is a variation on an age-old question. Although forgiveness is one-sided (I decide to forgive) and reconciliation must be mutual (the other person wishes to establish a better relationship), these two concepts are frequently, but mistakenly, identified as the same thing. I can forgive someone and yet file a domestic violence complaint about

that person or seek a restraining order. Forgiving a person is compatible with pursuing legal action for nonpayment of a debt. I can forgive and yet install a car alarm or home security system. We can be confused about what genuine forgiveness looks like. I have forgiven a person when I wish for her or him whatever God wishes for that person (living as someone made in God’s image and intended to enjoy their God-given freedom). If that’s what I hope for someone, then I have already forgiven that person— though I may be far from reconciling with that individual. People often withhold forgiveness in the hope that their decision will bring the guilty party to his or her senses—and knees. If, however, I follow that strategy and the guilty party apparently dies clueless (as happens very often), what have I gained? You did not use the terms Muslims

Holy Year of Mercy Information Where can I find a list of scheduled events for the Holy Year of Mercy? Other resources?

CNS PHOTO/L’OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Roman events are listed at www.im.va. Other sections at this home page include news, jubilee documents, pastoral resources, Pope Francis (pictured at left going through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s), jubilee in the world, and ways to participate. Video clips and photos are also posted there. Parish or diocesan websites may use the Year of Mercy logo (p. 56 in this issue) to indicate special events.

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or Islam in your question, but currently only extremists who claim to be devout Muslims demand death for infidels—a slogan that Christians have also used in the past. Truly devout Muslims deny that their religion can be forced on anyone or can justify the taking of innocent human life. Extremists of whatever variety live in a progressively smaller world, psychologically, with an ever-growing list of enemies. Forgiveness breaks the injury/ retaliation cycle. In doing so, forgiveness is often regarded by other people as foolish, naïve, or simply blind to the facts. St. Paul urged the Romans, “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good” (12:21). Eva Kor, a Holocaust survivor, may have said it best: “I forgive the Nazis, not because they deserve it but because I deserve it.” You can forgive someone and yet have no desire to invite them to share Easter dinner with you. That or a similar gesture would represent reconciliation. A refusal to forgive may or may not prompt the guilty party to seek forgiveness, but that refusal will certainly impose a high cost on the innocent party, who may resemble a special faucet that dispenses only boiling water. Jesus was not foolish, naïve, or out of touch with reality when he chose to forgive those responsible for his crucifixion. Neither was St. Stephen, who forgave in advance the people ready to stone him. Many modernday martyrs have done the same. My decisions must remain my decisions; I cannot act like a human jukebox—originally pressing B 11 to play the record of a favored song, but now automatically initiating some negative behavior. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

First Friday Devotion I am very interested in knowing more about the First Friday devotion—for example, its background, rules, and benefits. How does this devotion fit into the larger picture of our Catholic faith? I feel called to promote this devotion. Any suggestions? This devotion is one expression of a larger devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The custom of receiving Communion on the first Friday of nine consecutive months greatly increased after the reported apparitions of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque (1647-1690). All popular devotions need to be understood within their context and why that devotion has spread. First Fridays arose at a time when Jansenism was very strong in France and elsewhere. In A Concise Dictionary of Theology, Gerald O’Collins, SJ, and Edward Farrugia, SJ, describe Jansenism as “a theological and spiritual movement, characterized by moral rigidity and pessimism about the human condition.” It is named after Cornelius Jansen (1585-1638), bishop of Ypres, Belgium. Jansen “argued that God’s grace irresistibly determines our free choices and without special grace we cannot keep the commandments.” Five Jansenist propositions were condemned in 1653 and later. The movement greatly influenced how people thought about God, themselves, and others. Although few people were diehard Jansenists, many people were influenced by it. The First Friday devotion was a way of encouraging frequent (for those times) reception of Communion, linked to confession of mortal and venial sins. In 1905, St. Pius X encouraged more frequent reception of Communion, and in 1910 lowered the age for first Communion to 7. I can remember in the 1950s that our parish bulletin announced upcoming Communion Sundays for various groups such as the ladies’ Fr ancisca n Media .org

sodality, rosary/altar society, Knights of Columbus, and similar organizations. I served at many funerals where no one received Communion; at weddings, only the bride and groom did in many places. A few First Friday groups had breakfast after morning Mass, sometimes with a talk on a spiritual topic. Other groups attended noon Mass at a downtown church and had lunch together. In the 1950s and 1960s, this was the closest thing to a men’s spirituality or women’s spirituality group that many parishes had. Could your First Friday efforts involve an initiative to foster group reflection and spiritual growth? Some parishes still have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament on First Fridays. A little Internet research will yield the 12 promises associated with First Friday observance. No prayer, of course, enables a human being to create an obligation that God must fulfill. The First Friday devotion can aid our ongoing conversion to the Lord’s ways. A

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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

Passion Contemporary Writers on the Story of Calvary

Most-Read Books Tagged “Catholic” at Goodreads.com A Prayer Journal Flannery O’Connor Anything: The Prayer that Unlocked My God and My Soul Jennie Allen Mother Teresa: A Life Inspired Wyatt North Faith: A Novel Jennifer Haigh Unplanned: The Dramatic True Story of a Former Planned Parenthood Leader’s Eye-Opening Journey across the Life Line Abby Johnson

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Edited by Oliver Larry Yarbrough Orbis Books 144 pages • $18 Paperback/Kindle Reviewed by LINUS MUNDY, former publisher at Abbey Press, founder of CareNotes, and author of Simply Merton (Franciscan Media) and Comfort My People—A Pastoral Care Prayerbook (Abbey Press). In 2012, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Catholic Publishers. The perspectives on the events of Holy Week that are brought together in this volume are rich and diverse. The very concept of collecting a variety of takes on the Passion narratives is itself an inviting one. Five writers—Julia Alvarez, Elizabeth Cook, John Elder, Jay Parini, and Stephanie Saldaña— each help us see that we cannot conceive of Jesus’ life without recounting the story of his death. In his introduction to this work, the book’s editor, Oliver Larry Yarbrough, reminds us that each of the Gospel writers took considerable liberties in shaping, reshaping, and organizing their materials. For example, in Mark, the central message of the Gospel is not about demonstrating that the Messiah must suffer and die, but that Christ’s followers must understand what it means to be followers of a suffering Messiah. And in Luke, who was consciously working as a writer, we discover that his priority was

not necessarily to provide a detailed and accurate telling of what happened, but rather to give this Christ-follower’s interpretation of what happened: “an orderly account,” says Luke, “so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed” (Lk 1:1-4). In a chapter called “My Week of Sorrows,” Saldaña shares her reflections from the vantage point of writing and living in Jerusalem. Day by day, Saldaña gives us personal, moving reflections on Holy Week. An example is the poignant quote: “I remember that Wednesday morning in the week of the Passion is the last good day.” Alvarez takes the Gospel of Mark and assembles for us an exquisite “Fifteen Stations of the Cross.” Each station challenges us to “complete [the story] by changing our lives.” In contrast, Elder zeroes in on the heart of Matthew’s Passion narrative. From Elder’s own background, he applies what he has learned to today’s crying issue of climate change. Says Elder, “I find myself knotted deep in Matthew’s Passion and its association with a nature-based spirituality.” The reader will be both fascinated and moved by his argument. Of the five contributors to the book, I am most familiar with Parini. As an English major of old, I have just recently read Parini’s excellent Robert Frost: A Life and John Steinbeck: A Biography. In Passion, Parini focuses on the fourth Passion narrative, the Gospel of John. Being a biographer himself, Parini notes that, interestingly, this Gospel makes for “one of the world’s most challenging biographies”—the biography of Jesus— which he goes on to describe as “one of the primary stories of Western civilization.” A point of focus for Parini and his fortunate readers is John’s quotation of Jesus: “The kingdom of God is within you.” I read recently in a biography of Leo Tolstoy that, in the 1840s, Russian Orthodox Church parishioners were required to stand through, each Good Friday, a reading of all four Passion narratives. Yarbrough’s compilation of writings on the Passion offers a most rewarding look at these four readings. And standing while reading is optional. St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

BOOK BRIEFS

Enriching Catholic Women’s Lives Finding God’s Peace in Everyday Challenges 100 Meditations for Women By Heidi Bratton The Word Among Us Press 232 pages • $12.95 Paperback/E-book

A Home Full of Mercy The Gospel of Luke in the Family: A Study Guide By Vincenzo Paglia Pauline Books and Media 165 pages • $11.95 Paperback JUDITH DUNLAP is the author of several books for sharing faith in the family. Her book, The Year of Luke: Bringing the Gospel Home, is published by Franciscan Media. In the opening pages of his book, Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia reminds us that the Gospel is the most precious treasure of our Church. In this little book, centered on the Gospel of Luke, he offers us a key to opening that treasure in our homes. As president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and past president of the International Catholic Biblical Federation, the archbishop offers an informed and insightful view of Luke’s Gospel for the domestic church. In the introduction, the archbishop gives us a brief overview of Luke’s Gospel, and suggests the family listen well as they read a section each day, pray over it, and respond to its message. Archbishop Paglia divides the Gospel of Luke into 135 segments. In each section he recounts the Gospel story and offers his own spiritual reflection, as well as discussion questions related to Scripture. Luke’s Gospel is often called the Gospel of Mercy, which makes this small book an excellent resource for adult meditation during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. It would also be a wonderful tool for families with older children to read, listen, and respond to the Gospel together. With some creative adjustments, parents of younger children may also be able to use this book by adapting the reflections, questions, and actions to the appropriate age of their child. Fr ancisca n Media .org

An award-winning author and mother of six, Heidi Bratton knows well how busy and draining life can be for women in the 21st century. Her 100 short meditations come from personal experiences that challenged her to actively seek out peace amid the stress of daily life.

Fly While You Still Have Wings And Other Lessons My Resilient Mother Taught Me By Joyce Rupp Sorin Books 224 pages • $16.95 Paperback/E-book In an affectionate recollection of her mother, Hilda, Joyce Rupp celebrates the life—while mourning the loss—of this resilient, inspiring woman. The title comes from a phrase her mother would often use, which speaks to both her spirit and her approach to life.

Unleashed How to Receive Everything the Holy Spirit Wants to Give You Sonja Corbitt Ave Maria Press 192 pages • $15.95 Paperback/E-book A former evangelical Baptist, Sonja Corbitt brings a passion and magnetic energy to her Catholic faith. Unleashed delivers as a powerful guide on how to allow the Holy Spirit to enter into and enrich our lives.—D.I.

Books featured in Book Corner and Book Briefs 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 M a rch 2 0 1 6 ❘ 5 3

A CATHOLIC MOM SPEAKS

❘ BY SUSAN HINES-BRIGGER

Beauty Beyond the Mirror

ou look beautiful.” That’s what I said to my 17-yearold daughter, Maddie, recently as she left for a dance at her school. After she left, I thought that what I should have said to her was, “You are beautiful.” I should have told her that because what makes her beautiful is so much more than the new dress she was wearing, or the way she had so carefully fixed her hair. Yes, all those things were beautiful, but they were only a small part of what made her look so radiant that night. I thought of her self-confidence, her abilities, her intelligence, her drive. I thought of all those things and then about how many times I have missed the opportunity to compliment her on the person she is becoming.

“

Let’s Redirect Our Attention The topic of body image is a sensitive one—especially at Maddie’s age, though that age of self-awareness seems to be creeping younger and younger. How many times have I heard someone make reference to what a beautiful young woman Maddie is becoming, as opposed to asking her about her part-time job or college plans? What about when people praise my 10-year-old daughter, Riley, for having a dancer’s body, as opposed to just complimenting the way she performs? Let’s face it. We are an image-obsessed society. Sure, we say we understand that appearance is not the only part of who we are. But let’s be honest. How we look gets the lion’s share of our attention—daily—and we continue to berate and judge ourselves when we cannot meet standards set by others. As a society, we focus too much on the outside appearance of people, 5 4 ❘ Ma rch 2016

and forget to notice what truly makes them who they are. Don’t believe me? Turn on the TV and watch the red carpet report of an awards show, or the next time you’re in the checkout line at the store, check out what’s highlighted on magazine covers.

Guilty as Charged Having said all this, the day after Maddie’s dance, I found myself looking in the mirror, bemoaning my less-than-perfect figure. I work out,

and consider myself to be very fit. Last month, I completed a half marathon. But mostly what I see in my reflection is a middle-aged woman who gets asked at least once a month if she’s pregnant—I’m not. No, I certainly don’t resemble the stereotypical well-toned images that seem to be everywhere I look. It’s just not my reality and never will be. I’ve given birth to four kids. That much stretching and re-stretching does not bode well for developing six-pack abs. And, while I would not St A n t h o n y M e s s e n g e r . o rg

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY KURNICK MAASS

DIG A LITTLE DEEPER Stop and think about the last time someone truly complimented you for something other than your new haircut or outfit. On the flip side, stop and think about the last time you complimented someone for something deeper than what you can immediately see. If it’s been too long, perhaps it’s time to change the conversation. Tell someone something you love about him or her, aside from things on the outside. Instead of, “I like that necklace,” or “It looks like you’ve been working out,” say something like, “I loved watching you perform . . . play baseball . . . or listening to you sing.” Dig a little deeper and try to focus on the whole person. You also might take note of someone’s effort on something and acknowledge it. “You did a really good job on that project” or “I heard that you have a new job. What will you be doing?” might be good entries into the person’s story. They’ll probably be surprised to realize you noticed. How you decide to let someone know that you see deeper than what’s on the surface is up to you. Please, though, just do it.

trade my four pregnancies for anything, I still find myself looking sideways in the mirror far more often than I should. Why? Because I have been conditioned to. My kids see me doing that, and I think: What type of message am I sending them? As the mom of three girls, who acknowledges society’s overemphasis on how we look as opposed to who we are, you would

think I would know better. I obviously don’t. So the next time I look in the mirror, I’m going to try to see the mother, wife, writer, half-marathon finisher, and all the other things that make me, well, me. And then I’m going to remind myself to do the same thing for my kids—my son and my daughters. They deserve nothing less. A

Click the button above to listen to Susan’s “Marriage Moments.”

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

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YEAR OF MERCY

❘ BY CAROL GLATZ

Prayers for Life and Death The Corporal Works of Mercy ■ Feed the hungry ■ Give drink to the thirsty ■ Clothe the naked ■ Shelter the homeless ■ Visit the sick ■ Visit the imprisoned ■ Bury the dead

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

The Spiritual Works of Mercy ■ Admonish the sinner ■ Instruct the ignorant ■ Counsel the doubtful ■ Comfort the sorrowful ■ Bear wrongs patiently ■ Forgive all injuries ■ Pray for the living and the dead Skulls adorn the walls of this crypt of the Church of St. Mary of the Oration and Death—the headquarters of an archconfraternity with a rich history of burying the dead—in Rome.

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These efforts are about respecting this life and the one that follows. “The confraternity told people, ‘Yes, we have to live well, but most of all we have to die without being afraid of dying,’” Sapia said, which meant being ready for God’s judgment by trying to live a holy life. A

tal Digi as t Ex r

Click here for a longer version of this article.

Carol Glatz is senior Rome correspondent for Catholic News Service.

POPE FRANCIS ON MERCY “We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us.” —Misericordiae Vultus

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

CNS PHOTO/PAUL HARING

here was a time when if a poor farmer died or an unidentifiable murder victim was found, a group of Christians buried him or her with dignity. The Archconfraternity of St. Mary of the Oration and Death, an organization of laypeople, has, over 500 years, offered a Christian funeral and burial to the anonymous or forgotten. The organization started in 1538. Decades later, Pope Paul V gave the group’s chaplains special permission to celebrate Mass outside of a church, before sunrise and after sunset, “prerogatives that had been unthinkable” at the time, said Alfonso Sapia, head of the archconfraternity. Confraternities have been essential in providing charitable care and preserving the spiritual life of the Church, especially during the Reformation. Today, the group’s church in Rome has skulls, skeletons, and other bones. Sapia said such reminders “seem awful” in today’s culture, but in the past people were more accepting of dying.

BACKSTORY

Sharpening Our Saws

very year at about this time, some of your magazine editors take a trip to California. No, it’s not for vacation—in fact, they rarely see the sunshine. Instead, they spend long, crowded days inside Ana-

heim’s convention center, for three days the site of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Religious Education Congress.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER HEFFRON

This congress throws a net to literally 50 times as many people as our Catholic Media Convention, targeted at Church communicators. At Anaheim, what started decades ago as a training event for local religious educators now draws parish staff and educators from not only the western United States, but also other parts of the Pacific Rim, many parts of the United States and Canada, Mexico, Latin America, even parts of Europe. It is the largest event of its type in the world: last year 21,000 people attended 309 sessions in three languages, by 202 speakers. Why would your St. Anthony Messenger editors go to such an event? Content, content, content. The Los Angeles Archdiocese staff hand-select the presenters, who come from everywhere—big names and small—covering topics from how to help nurture faith in the home, to the latest trends in the Church, to social problems, parish

Between author meetings and training sessions, our editors spend time at our Franciscan Media exhibit booth, one of 500, meeting with subscribers, new and old.

programs, choirs, Pope Francis, and moral issues of the day. If it’s of concern to everyday Catholics and those who serve them, there’s a training session for it. Our editors go there not only to find an occasional good story (you’ve read a few in these pages, including this month’s cover story), but also for our own professional and personal development. In addition to the training workshops, there are multiple Masses each day from the many cultures of the region—people of many races, multiple languages. Mass in the packed Anaheim Arena is a picture of the universal Church—here comes everyone! The training workshops give us ideas or inspiration on how to approach various topics you might like to read about. I’m exhausted writing about it! But it’s a thrill to get new ideas, experience different faces of the Church, pray, and recharge, so that we can bring you a great magazine, month after month.

Editor in Chief @jfeister

Fr ancisca n Media .org

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ST. ANTHONY M 28 W. Liberty Street Cincinnati, OH 45202-6498

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