The Catholic Spirit - February 14, 2013 by The Catholic Spirit Publishing Co.

Newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

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February 14, 2013

Mary Jo Copeland to get Citizens Medal

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Pope prepares to say goodbye Citing health reasons, Benedict XVI says he will resign at month’s end

Special message from Archbishop Nienstedt

By Carol Glatz and Cindy Wooden

Like you, I was completely surprised by the news this week of Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation, set for the end of this month. I am also saddened by the thought of losing his strong leadership for our Church. He is a holy man and a learned scholar of the highest order. He has been for us an inspirational and deeply pastoral ARCHBISHOP shepherd these past NIENSTEDT eight years. At the same time, I am impressed by his humility. He has shown great courage in recognizing his deteriorating health as an impediment for the kind of vibrant leadership he believes is needed for the Church at this time in history. The decision to step down was no doubt a difficult one. I understand he reached his decision only after extensive prayer and reflection. As he said in his statement, “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.” In the time since his announcement, I have reflected a bit on our Holy Father’s legacy. Indeed, the bishops of Minnesota, North and South Dakota and I met with him just last March as part of our “ad limina” trip to Rome. During the eightday pilgrimage, my brother bishops and

My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Catholic News Service

Saying he no longer has the strength to exercise ministry over the universal church, Pope Benedict XVI announced Feb. 11 that he would be resigning at the end of the month after an eight-year Minnesotans pontificate. “After having reand others peatedly examined respond my conscience beto pope’s fore God, I have come to the cerdecision tainty that my — Pages 8-9 strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry,” the pope told cardinals gathered for an ordinary public consistory to approve the canonization of new saints. Pope Benedict, who was elected in April 2005, will be the first pope to resign in more than 600 years. He told the cardinals, “In today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of St. Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me.” Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told journalists at a briefing that the pope’s decision was not PLEASE TURN TO LAST ON PAGE 21

CNS photo / Paul Haring

Pilgrims have their cameras ready as Pope Benedict XVI makes his way through the crowd in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican before a general audience in 2007. The 85-year-old pontiff said he no longer has the energy to exercise his ministry over the universal church and will resign at the end of the month.

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St. Valentine: Stuff of legend is matter of prayer in Italy Catholic News Service The liturgical feast of St. Valentine, removed from the general church calendar in the late 1960s, continues to be celebrated with special Masses, a marathon and fireworks in Terni, Italy, which claims the saint as its former bishop. While the Catholic Church remains convinced there was a third-century martyr named Valentine, a lack of specific information and the possibility that there may have been more than one St. Valentine led to the removal of the liturgical feast from the church’s general calendar. But the feast still appears on the calendar of some local churches, particularly the Diocese of Terni, Narni and Amelia in Italy’s Umbria region. The diocese says it has hard evidence that the martyred Bishop Valentine was known and venerated in Terni, about 65 miles north

of Rome, as far back as the seventh century. And history books report that Pope Zachary met Liutprand, king of the Lombards, at the Basilica of St. Valentine in the mid-700s. The first Basilica of St. Valentine was built in the fourth century on burial grounds just outside the Terni city walls and, according to the diocese, a body believed to be that of St. Valentine was found there in the early 1600s. The diocesan website makes it clear that the connection between St. Valentine and romantic love is the stuff of legend. One version says that St. Valentine, working in the garden, heard a young couple fighting and carried a rose out to them. He offered them the flower, asking both of them to hold it, but to do so tenderly because of the thorns. He then explained to them what it meant to be of “one heart.”

FEBRUARY 14, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Penance, conversion are key to Lent

That They May All Be One Archbishop John C. Nienstedt

I heartily recommend each of us making a specific resolution this Lent in the areas of prayer, fasting and almsgiving

Those who put themselves forward as public leaders, whether in the Church or in society, are expected to act in ways that befit the dignity of their office and the inherent trust that is placed in them by those whom they serve. But we know from experience that the human person is ever so susceptible to the Evil One who clearly watches for defenses to fall and temptation to effect its damage.

Seeking forgiveness Jesus came among us to save us from our sins. His message was clearly directed to this point: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” (Mark 1:15). That is what makes the Gospel, “Good News,” which is to say that finally, in the long history of mankind, there is a way to have our sins forgiven. It is a call to our minds, our hearts and especially to our wills so that we might change, and so that we may be more perfect even as our heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:48). The beloved apostle, St. John, in his first epistle, reminds us straightforwardly that none of us are free of sin. He writes: “If we say, ‘We are free of the guilt of sin,’ we deceive ourselves; the truth is not to be found in us. But if we acknowledge our sins, he who is just can be trusted to forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrong. If

The Catholic Spirit

The Catholic Spirit’s mission is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It seeks to inform, educate, evangelize and foster a spirit of community within the Catholic Church by disseminating news in a professional manner and serving as a forum for discussion of contemporary issues.

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Archbishop’s schedule ■ Friday, Feb. 15: 11:15 a.m., Brooklyn Park, Church of St. Vincent de Paul: Liturgy for archdiocesan annual staff retreat day. ■ Sunday, Feb. 17: 2 p.m., St. Paul, Cathedral of St. Paul: Rite of Election. ■ Tuesday-Wednesday, Feb 19-20: Recognition events in Florida: Feb. 19, 11:30 a.m., NET Ministries luncheon. Feb. 19, 5 p.m., Mass and dinner for archdiocesan annual Naples event. Feb 20, 7:30 a.m., Archdiocesan development breakfast. Feb. 20, 12 p.m., St. Paul’s Outreach luncheon. ■ Sunday, Feb. 24: 10:30 p.m., Montgomery, Church of the Holy Redeemer: Sunday Liturgy and reception. ■ Tuesday, Feb. 26: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Scheduling meeting with staff. 9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archbishop’s Council meeting. 12 p.m., St. Paul, St. Catherine University: Board meeting and Higher Learning Commission (HLC) site team reception. ■ Wednesday, Feb. 27: 8 a.m., St. Paul, St. Catherine University: Board meeting. ■ Thursday, Feb. 28: 3 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan Finance Council meeting.

we say, ‘We have never sinned,’ we make him a liar and his word finds no place in us” (1 John 1:8-10). This week marks the beginning of Lent 2013. It consists of 40 days during which the whole Church goes on retreat. Originally, Lent was designed as the final stage in the process of conversion on the part of those who hope to be baptized at the Easter Vigil. This is still true of the many catechumens and candidates for full admission to the Church who are enrolled in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults in our parish com-

Announcement — Free electronic hearing tests will be given all next week Monday thru Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. The tests have been arranged for anyone who suspects they are not hearing clearly. People who generally feel they can hear, but cannot understand words clearly are encouraged to come in for the test, which uses the latest electronic equipment. Everyone, especially those over age 55 should have an electronic hearing test once

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munities. But the Church in her wisdom invites all of us to join those preparing for baptism in the exercise of penance and in seeking greater “metanoia” or conversion in our lives. We do so by participating in the areas of 1) increased prayer or intimacy with God, 2) in almsgiving, that is, giving practical attention to the needs of the poor and vulnerable in our midst, and 3) in fasting or abstaining from the pleasures of this

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Official His Excellency, the Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Effective January 14, 2013 Reverend Jonathan Shelley, granted an extension of his sabbatical until March 31, 2013. Effective January 18, 2013 Reverend Allen Kuss, granted the faculties of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis for the duration of his assignment at the Saint Paul Seminary. Effective February 25, 2013 Deacon Glenn Skuta, appointed “ad nutum episcopi” to exercise the ministry of a permanent deacon at the Church of Saint Rose of Lima of Rosetown, Minnesota, and the Church of Corpus Christi of Saint Paul. Deacon Michael Humbert, appointed “ad nutum episcopi” to exercise the ministry of a permanent deacon at the Church of the Guardian Angels of Oakdale, Minnesota.

Clarification A Jan. 31 story about the National March for Life said Bill Dill of the archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life led a group that included marchers from the Diocese of Superior, Wis. Megan Noll, director of Marriage, Family and Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Superior, coordinated and led the Superior group.

“The only genuine elite is the elite of those men and women who gave their lives to justice and charity.” Sargent Shriver

Local FEBRUARY 14, 2013

News from around the archdiocese

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The White House calls: Copeland plans visit to get award By Dianne Towalski The Catholic Spirit

Donald Tillman and Joanna Wiborg found themselves in a “bad situation,” early last week, homeless with nowhere to go. The couple came to Mary’s Place in Minneapolis with their three children ages 12, 11 and 3, not knowing what to expect. They were nervous and the children were scared. But the couple had never met Mary Jo Copeland. “She took us in and made us feel right at home,” Tillman said. “It really helped us in a bad situation.” The children were happy and felt at home within minutes, Wiborg said. Stories like this happen every day at Sharing and Caring Hands and Mary’s Place. Copeland founded Sharing and Caring Hands in 1985 as a safety net for those who couldn’t get help from the government — those who fell through the cracks. Today, the organization helps thousands of individuals and families with emergency needs for rent, utilities, health expenses, food, clothing, shoes, travel expenses, job costs and more.

Called to help others On Feb. 15, Copeland will be honored by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor, for her years of service to the community. She is among 13 recipients chosen from more than 6,000 nominations. “It is my distinguished honor to award these individuals the 2012 Citizens Medal for their commitment to public service,” Obama said in a press release. “Their selflessness and courage inspire us all to look for opportunities to better serve our communities and our country.” Copeland will travel to Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, and receive her medal from the president the next day. Her daughter Barb and family friend Father Cory Rohlfing, pastor of St. Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi, will travel with her. “I still haven’t taken it all in,” Copeland said. “When I got the call I was a bit overwhelmed, but yet very humbled because there are so many people in this world doing very dedicated things for our Lord, all over, in every city. I was very, very honored.” Copeland has always felt called to help others. She and her husband Dick raised 12 children, but she knew she wanted to do even more.

Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit

Mary Jo Copeland gives welcome bags to members of a new family at Sharing and Caring Hands in Minneapolis before sending them across the street to their new temporary home at Mary’s Place Feb. 11.

“I knew that God was calling me beyond the family. The family has my love — I never worked — I just taught them how to love God and make the world better because they were in it,” she said. “I knew that that love had to go beyond that house. It was just a calling; it was there as they were growing up, and I knew. I didn’t know what, but I knew that I had to do the will of God.” And, people like Tillman and Wiborg are happy that she answered that call. “She’s very deserving of it [award], we’ve seen it just in the six days we’ve been here,” Tillman said. Said Wiborg: “I’ve never met anybody like her in my entire life. She can touch the hearts of even the toughest

Tuesday, March 12, 2013 New Brighton, MN

St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 835 2nd Ave. NW Father Michael Skluzacek 651-633-8333 6:15 p.m. Mass

people to get through to them and put a smile on their face.” Copeland’s impact goes beyond helping those in need. She also has managed to turn people struggling financially into part of her vast army of staff and volunteers. “There are no words to explain her. She’s not of this world because if she was, she couldn’t be doing all that she does,” said Melissa Hightower, office manager and volunteer coordinator at Sharing and Caring Hands. “I’ve been on both sides of the wall. Me and my children were here as clients and she took us in. I started volunteering, and a few months later she offered me a job.”

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 North St. Paul, MN

Thursday, March 14, 2013 Pine Island, MN

2000 N. Margaret St. Father William DeZiel 651-777-8304 6:30 p.m. Rosary 7 p.m. Mass

451 5th St. SW Father Randal Kasel 507-356-4280 6:30 p.m. Rosary 7 p.m. Mass

St. Peter Catholic Church

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Catholic foundation president to retire

Obituary

The Catholic Spirit

Father Roger Pierre served for five decades

Marilou Eldred, president of the Catholic Community Foundation since 2005, has announced her retirement, effective April 30. The organization’s board of directors has named Anne Cullen Miller, currently the foundation’s vice president of finance and investments, as the next president effective May 1. During her eight years as president, Eldred helped attract new donors and partners to the foundation, strengthened the capacity of the board and staff, and built collaborative relationships within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and dioceses throughout Minnesota, according to the foundation. When Eldred assumed the presidency on January 1, 2005, the foundation managed assets of $138 million and managed 632 funds. Today, the foundation stewards assets of $198 million held in more than 1,000 funds. “Marilou’s exceptional leadership has positioned the Catholic Community Foundation to serve the Church well into the future, creating a lasting legacy of charity for faithful Catholics and the ministries they support,” said Archbishop John Nienstedt, chair of the foundation’s board of directors.

The Catholic Spirit Father Roger Pierre, 76, died Feb. 6. He was born Oct. 8, 1936 and ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis Feb. 2, 1963.

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

In this file photo from 2010, Marilou Eldred poses in her office at the Catholic Community Foundation in St. Paul.

“It is a great blessing to have the Catholic Community Foundation as a strong resource and partner for our local Church,” he added. “I am most grateful to Marilou for the commitment she has demonstrated to its mission, and for the outstanding progress that has occurred under her leadership.” A graduate of Mundelein College in Chicago with a bachelor’s degree in history, Eldred earned her master’s degree and doc-

torate in education administration from New York University and was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Notre Dame. She received The Catholic Spirit’s Leading with Faith Award in 2010 and the Alexandrine Medal from the then-College of St. Catherine in 2005. She and her husband Don and daughter Sarah live in St. Paul and are parishioners of Assumption.

Father Pierre served at Immaculate Conception in Faribault, St. Patrick in St. Paul, St. Pius X in White Bear Lake, St. Richard in Richfield, St. Bartholomew in FATHER PIERRE Wayzata and St. Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake. He retired from active ministry in 2007. A Mass of Christian Burial was Feb. 9 at St. Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake. Interment was to be at St. Mary of the Lake Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to St. Mary of the Lake.

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FEBRUARY 14, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Rite of Election is opportunity to show support for those entering Church By Joe Towalski The Catholic Spirit

Photo by Mike Ekern/University of St. Thomas

University of St. Thomas head football coach Glenn Caruso, center, walks onto the field with his players before the homecoming game against Bethel University in October 2012 at O'Shaughnessy Stadium. The Tommies won 37-0 and went through the regular season undefeated.

For Tommies football coach, it’s family first Glenn Caruso to speak at archdiocesan men’s conference March 16 By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

Glenn Caruso courted his wife the same way he coaches football — he set his sights high. He met his future wife Rachael in 1998 while serving as an assistant coach for North Dakota State. She was finishing up her degree in dietetics and nutrition, and they both were serving as volunteers in the Special Olympics. “We were both in charge of different things and she stood up at a subcommittee meeting one day and started to give her talk about how things were going,” said Caruso, 38. “I said, ‘All right, that’s the lady I’m going to marry.” “I heard her talk, I could see her positive nature,” he said. “She’s certainly a beautiful gal, but what really shines through is her care for other people and her positive nature, and that’s a big deal to me.” The two married in May of 2001 and, seven years later, he became the head football coach at the University of St. Thomas. His teams have improved every year over the five years he has held the reins, and the Tommies fell just one win short of a national title last December, falling to Mt. Union in the NCAA Division III championship game. Caruso will talk about football, and more importantly, family, when he appears at the annual Archdiocesan Men’s Conference in March. He won’t have far to go to make the speech. The event will be held on the UST campus at the field house.

Setting priorities Anyone wanting to know what matters most to Caruso need only take a peek inside of his office on the third floor of the new Anderson Athletic Complex. The only visible sign of his job is a Tommies football helmet on a shelf in front of a

Men’s Conference scheduled for March 16 Men in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are invited to attend the annual Men’s Conference, which takes place Saturday, March 16 at the University of St. Thomas Field House from 8 a.m. to noon. For those wanting an early start, eucharistic adoration begins at 7 a.m., along with the sacrament of reconciliation and registration. The conference officially begins at 8 a.m. with Mass celebrated by Archbishop John Nienstedt. After that will be featured speakers, including University of St. Thomas head football coach Glenn Caruso.

window, placed behind more than a dozen pictures of Caruso and his wife and kids — Anna, 8, Cade, 7, and Truman, 5. In fact, anyone who spends any time around the team will inevitably run into Rachael and the kids. And, those four key individuals came up early and often in a conversation he had with The Catholic Spirit about his team and his values. And, they’ll no doubt be mentioned in the talk he gives at the men’s conference. “We’ll talk about, in my opinion, why we were put on this earth, which is to raise morally responsible, well-educated kids to hopefully grow up to be great parents, great spouses,” he said. “Our responsibility is to our kids, more so than to any other facet of our life.” His second priority is his football team, which to him is an extension of his immediate family. The word family serves as a cornerstone of his program. “For us, the word family is an acronym that our kids wear on their wrist everyday, and it stands for Forget About Me, I Love You,” he said. “It’s the idea that if you’re willing to put yourself second, and a greater cause first, great things can occur.”

That certainly has held true for his team, which was 2-8 the year before he arrived and has had winning seasons all five years of his tenure. The seniors who report to practice next fall have not lost a regular season game. St. Thomas last lost a game in the regular season four seasons ago and has suffered its only loss of the season in the playoffs three straight years, each of those years advancing further than the previous one. How does he think his teams have managed to keep improving? Through failure. “I’m a big believer that failure is something that is also a blessing,” he said. “I believe that. And, I think I am in the vast minority on that. I think most of our society believes that failure should not be embraced, and failure should be suppressed and failure should be at all costs avoided. We went 14-1 this year and I’m pretty sure that I learned more from the one loss than I did [from] any one of the 14 wins. “I think that we get successively better because when the failure occurs, we don’t try and suppress it, we embrace it. [It’s] the old story of being thankful for the thorns. Everybody can be thankful for the roses. They smell nice, they’re pretty, they’re fun to look at. Everyone likes them. And, we will be thankful for the roses. We’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the journey. But, we’re also going to be thankful for the thorns because at the end of the day, that’s probably what helps us build our character more than a pretty smelling flower.”

Important part of team A beautiful flower with thorns on its stem sums up the situation he faced when he met Rachael. After seeing her and instantly falling in love, he got the chance to talk with her a week later at another Special Olympics meeting. That’s when he sprung his feelings on her — and got poked with a sharp thorn. PLEASE TURN TO FOR ON PAGE 21

Hundreds of catechumens and candidates seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church will gather Feb. 17, the first Sunday of Lent, for the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at the Cathedral of St. Paul and the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. Archbishop John Nienstedt will preside at the ceremony at the cathedral at 2 p.m. Bishop Lee Piché will lead the basilica ceremony at 1:30 p.m. The rite marks the beginning of the final preparation of catechumens (those not baptized) for the sacraments of initiation, typically celebrated at the Easter Vigil. From the time of the Rite of Election until the time of their initiation, the catechumens are referred to as “members of the elect.” During the Call to Continuing Conversion, individuals who already are baptized and who are preparing for entrance into the Catholic Church are recognized. As of Feb. 12, 214 catechumens and 473 candidates were preparing for initiation, said Father John Paul Erickson, director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship. During the ceremony, catechumens who have signed the Book of the Elect at their parish come forward to be greeted by the archbishop or bishop, who receives the parish’s book. Candidates are asked to stand and be recognized. “It’s a marvelous celebration of the Holy Spirit active and alive in our Church,” Father Erickson said.

Call to conversion The entire local Church is invited to attend the Rite of Election. While catechumens and candidates are seeking initiation into the church, in a larger sense the call to continuing conversion extends to all the faithful. “We are all called during Lent to meditate upon our baptismal promises and to renew them and to continue to go deeper in terms of conversion,” Father Erickson said. “It’s a chance for us all to be encouraged and affirmed and challenged.” The rite is also a reminder that the catechumens and candidates are not only becoming members of their local parish, but of the wider Church as well. As such, they need the prayer and support of their fellow Catholics, he said. “When they are elected by the local bishop, that bishop is not only speaking for this local Church, he is in a very real sense speaking for the universal Church — a universal Church that not only exists on every continent of the world, but also stretches back centuries,” Father Erickson said. “These are individuals that are now growing in communion with a history. They’re being granted a heritage and a future.”

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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Second Minnesota lawsuit filed against HHS mandate By Susan Klemond

ily by other means. The case is strong “particularly because of the substantial burden [Hall] has taken in his vow of fidelity to the Church,” Kaardal said. “He may have trouble with secular remuneration if he can’t continue to run his business the same way.” In early February, the Obama administration refined the criteria by which some non-profit religious organization can be exempted or accommodated to opt out of the mandate. For-profit secular companies still must provide and pay for the coverage directly.

For The Catholic Spirit

The owner of a St. Joseph, Minn., business that provided equipment for the rescue in 2010 of 33 Chilean miners trapped underground filed in U.S. District Court last week the second Minnesota lawsuit against the Obama administration’s contraception mandate. Because it would force him to violate Church teaching, Proposed Deacon Gregory Hall, HHS rules fall president and CEO of American Manufacshort of turing Co., and a permeeting manent deacon in the bishops’ Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, is seekconcerns ing relief from the — page 10 HHS mandate (named for the Department of Health and Human Services, which is enforcing it as part of the Affordable Care Act). The mandate requires that all health insurance plans include contraceptive, sterilization and drugs considered to be abortifacients. The case comes after a similar lawsuit was filed last year by two Minnesota businessmen. One of the plaintiffs in that case has received a preliminary injunction releasing him and his business from the requirement as the case is being decided. While seeking to protect his conscience, Deacon Hall also feels an obligation to continue providing health insurance with-

Recent injunction

CNS photo / Nancy Phelan Wiechec

The headquarters of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is seen in Washington, D.C., in this file photo.

out the contraception coverage to his 42 employees after the current term of his health plan expires on April 1, and he is concerned that if he doesn’t offer insurance he could be at a competitive disadvantage, according to the verified complaint filed with the court. American Manufacturing, which makes products such as mining equipment, mud pumps and drill rigs, has fewer than 50 employees and isn’t required to provide insurance, but its health plan now includes the contraception coverage. Larger for-profit businesses must provide and pay

for a health plan with the coverage or face substantial fines. Deacon Hall’s religious freedom should be protected under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a 1993 federal law seeking to prevent laws that substantially burden the free exercise of religion, according to Erick Kaardal, of Minneapolis-based firm Mohrman & Kaardal, P.A. who is representing Deacon Hall in the case. Deacon Hall, who lives in Houston, bought the company in 1999. As a deacon, he is not paid by the Galveston-Houston archdiocese and must support his fam-

Stuart Lind, owner of the Minnetonkabased medical device company Annex Medical, who is also seeking relief from the HHS mandate, late last month was granted a preliminary injunction enabling him to continue offering his employees health insurance without contraception coverage while the lawsuit he and coplaintiff businessman Tom Janas is being decided. The appeal was granted after an earlier motion was denied in U.S. District Court in January. The appeals decision came very close to the date Lind would have been required to either provide the contraception coverage as part of the company’s health plan or drop coverage entirely. In its decision, the appeals court interpreted a recent Missouri case differently than the district court. Lind’s and Janas’ lawsuit will go before the appeals court this summer or fall, according to Kaardal, who also represents the two businessmen.

Michael F. McGovern 2013 Recipient of St. Paul’s Outreach Bishop Paul Dudley Servant Leadership Award

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FEBRUARY 14, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Roe v. Wade on trial: Students are the judges By Barb Ernster

ray Principal Dave Meyer thought the students understood the issues well and has proposed having the Prolife Center present the case to the whole school in the fall.

For The Catholic Spirit

High school students got a chance to participate in a mock trial of Roe v. Wade presented by constitutional law professors at the University of St. Thomas School of Law Prolife Center. Approximately 60 students from Catholic schools and homeschools and their advisers attended the imaginary court case, based on the Prenatal Anti-Discrimination Act (PRENDA) legislation pending in Congress that would outlaw the performance of race- or sex-based abortions. The mock case of Karhart vs. Holder assumed the act is signed into law and is being challenged in a lawsuit as unconstitutional because it prohibits pre-viability abortions. Professor Mike Paulsen, chair of the law school, played the role of the opposing attorney for the imaginary Dr. L.R. Karhart. Professor Teresa Collett played the role of special assistant attorney general for the United States who argued that the court should reverse Roe v. Wade and uphold PRENDA. Professor Robert Delahunty and Minneapolis attorney Kevin Conneely with Leonard Street & Deinard played the court judges. The Prolife Center was established for the purpose of training young lawyers in defense of human life and rebuilding a culture of life. Collett said the presentation is part of their new outreach to high school youth as one of the most prolife law faculties in the country. Their hope with the mock trial was to help students understand the complexities involved in overturning Roe v. Wade and the arguments and legal positions on both sides of the decision. “We want to prepare them. It’s apologetics,” said Collett. “These young people will be the next generation of pro-life lawyers, journalists, politicians and busi-

Student views

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

From left, Academy of Holy Angels seniors Annah Blackburn, left, Anne St. Amant and Alyssa Radosevich discuss what they heard during a mock trial Jan. 31 at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, in which arguments were made for and against the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in America.

ness people who support the protection of the unborn.” Paulsen, who is credited with starting the Prolife Center, said the hope is that this will be a recurrent program. “This was an opportunity to expose young students to the types of arguments that are raised in the constitutional debate over abortion. I think it was a valuable education for all, and hopefully furthered understanding and the pro-life position,” he said. The pro-life position argued by Collette focused on new understanding of pregnancy, fetal development and women’s health based on scientific and medical developments since 1973; the well-documented harms to women from abortion; the hindering of women’s equality rather than advancement due to an unlimited

abortion license; and discrimination in the womb based on race and sex. Paulsen argued on the fundamental right to privacy; that the human fetus is “potential human life” not a person; and the principle of “stare decisis,” which requires adherence to the essential holding of Roe v. Wade, recognizing a constitutional right to choose abortion. Following the trial, students had a chance to break into small groups and judge the case for themselves. Only one group of two students who identified themselves as pro-life voted to uphold Roe based on the right of privacy and the principle of “stare decisis.” Students asked a number questions, such as the extent of the right to privacy, cases when a mother’s life is in danger, and what would happen if Roe v. Wade were overturned. Based on the questions, Hill-Mur-

Cretin Derham Hall juniors Lilliana Gomez and Jordyn Alt were among those who weighed in on the issue. Gomez said she especially liked the argument that abortion did not improve women’s equality, and it suggests that the only way women can participate equally as leaders is to deny their fertility and their own children. “Keeping abortion legal is almost taking away [equality] from womanhood, masculinizing us,” said Gomez. Alt added that it gives men an excuse not to have a part in the child’s life because the woman “could have aborted it.” “I thought the fact that it’s considered a double homicide if you kill a pregnant mother, but then if you just kill the child, it’s not murder. That was very interesting,” said Alt. “I guess I came pro-life and I’m leaving pro-life.” Holy Angels Senior Alyssa Radosevich said the trial was a valuable experience. “It really felt like I was in a court room and I got to see what it would look like to debate one of these topics,” she said. “I learned a lot on how they argue the cases and in order to understand your side even more, you have to get to know the other side so you know how to come back with arguments.” The archdiocesan Respect Life Office helped promote the initiative to Catholic schools, parishes and high school youth groups. “What a wonderful opportunity for the future of our young people who may be interested in this kind of work to see how our judicial system works and how decisions are made,” said Respect Life Coordinator Sharon Wilson.

Government’s idea of women’s freedom harms women By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit

Difficult issues of human sexuality, contraception, the role of women and religious freedom have come together as the Obama administration disregards religious objections to its contraception mandate while also promoting the harmful lifestyle that widely available contraception engenders, according to Helen Alvare, founder of the ALVARE national women’s organization Women Speak for Themselves, who spoke at the University of St. Thomas last week. The White House, Hollywood, Planned Parenthood and other powerful groups are sending the message that women’s freedom almost completely overlaps with sexual expression without procreation, and the government is not accepting dissent from this view, said Alvare, an associate law professor at George Mason University in Arlington, Va., who serves on the Pontifical Council for the Laity. “That’s freedom to be able to be expressing oneself in a sexual way but without a child involved in it,” she said. “Very closely

tied in with this is the coincident message that anyone who opposes [this] freedom is an enemy of human rights, and that includes religion.”

‘Tireless advocate’ Alvare spoke as part of the Siena Symposium for Women, Family and Culture, an interdisciplinary faculty group founded at UST that is dedicated to rebuilding families and culture through scholarship and insights about the Catholic faith. At the event, Alvare was awarded the Siena Symposium Humanitarian Leadership Award because “she is a tireless advocate for the unique gifts of women and for the natural family,” according to Siena codirector and UST law professor Teresa Collett. Women Speak for Themselves consists of women who support the Church and its teachings on sex, marriage and family life. Nearly 40,000 have signed an open letter to President Obama and other members of government on religious liberty and women’s health that Alvare co-drafted last year. She also is co-author and editor of “Breaking Through: Catholic Women Speak for Themselves,” a collection of essays about faith and life issues that has garnered attention especially from younger women. The contraception or “HHS Mandate”

(named for the Department of Health and Human Services which is enforcing it as part of the Affordable Care Act) requires that, as the majority of employers renew their health insurance plans, they provide and pay for contraceptive, sterilization and abortifacient drugs for their employees. Forprofit and non-profit institutions continue to legally challenge the mandate. Consequences of widely available contraceptives are the cheapening of sex and misjudgment of the risks involved, she said. Studies show they factor into a higher incidence of sex outside of dating relationships, cohabitation, non-marital and unintended pregnancies and births, she added. “When you introduce widespread contraception and abortion you take all the weight out of sex,” Alvare said. “It doesn’t have to mean a relationship. It doesn’t have to mean a child. It doesn’t mean you stay connected to anybody. It’s just expression.” However, there is evidence that many women do not consider sexual expression as the main aspect of freedom and are often more concerned about other issues of family, career and life, she said. Nor is the data the government has built its argument upon necessarily accurate, said Alvare, who pointed to Institute of Medicine recommendations to the HHS as containing many inaccuracies.

In a separate interview, Alvare said a lawsuit against the HHS mandate recently filed by a Minnesota company that provided equipment for the 2010 rescue of 33 Chilean miners reveals that corporations and institutions act out of conscience on a variety of issues. “We want corporations to have a conscience when it comes to fair treatment of women, the way that they deal with the environment, to labor practices,” she said. “But somehow the one bit of conscience you don’t care if they have has to do with human sexuality, marriage, family, abortion — somehow that one is not permitted.” Recent government actions related to religious institutions’ hiring of ministers and denying the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops a grant to fight human trafficking because of its stance on contraception and abortion represent other threats to religious liberty, Alvare said. On the contraception issue and other threats to religious liberty, Catholics need to share the importance of religious freedom for individuals, communities and as a nation — and they also need to share their faith, she said. “We have to get into the hard work of explaining what we believe about women and men, relationships, family, generosity to children, what sex is for, and that our bodies and souls are not separate,” she said.

FEBRUARY 14, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Pope’s decision shows concern for good of the Church, say Archbishop Nienstedt, Bishop Piché By Joe Towalski The Catholic Spirit

Archbishop John Nienstedt said he was surprised like everyone else around the world when he heard the news about Pope Benedict’s resignation for health reasons. The archbishop was on his way Feb. 11 to a 6 a.m. holy hour during a visit to St. John Vianney College Seminary when someone asked him if he had heard the news. “My first reaction was that it was probably just a rumor,” Archbishop Nienstedt said. Later, when it was confirmed, the archbishop said he read Pope Benedict’s statement about the resignation and felt the Holy Father explained his situation well. “He said to be an effective bishop of Rome and leader of the universal Church, one has to have a good mind and a good body,” Archbishop Nienstedt noted. “It’s a lot of stress and a lot of moving around. He’s been very visible in his travels. He’s kept up a schedule not unlike that of John Paul II. That all takes a toll.” In addition to surprise, the news also comes with sadness. “I think he’s been a great pope for us,” the archbishop said. “He’s been a great teacher, a wonderful writer, a great thinker, a learned man. He’s been a real gift to the Church.”

For the good of the Church Bishop Lee Piché said he was surprised, “even stunned” at the news. But he said he has great respect for the pope, who has proven to be a wise and innovative thinker. “From my perspective, the most important aspect of Pope Benedict’s announcement is his revelation that he took this step as a matter of conscience, but that the decision is not about him, but about the needs of the Church,” Bishop Piché said. “It is for the sake of ensuring that the communion of Christ’s disciples in our time have the vigorous and agile kind of leadership we need not only to survive, but to thrive and grow,” the bishop added. “Our Church, because it is a worldwide communion, is vast, and the challenges are immense and complex. The Holy Father recognizes that he has reached the point in his life when the limitations of age and strength make it impossible for him to fulfill the demands of the office for the good of the Church.” Bishop Piché said he thinks the pope is telling all the faithful that we must re-examine our thinking and attitudes about the papal office. “For one thing, it forces us to make more clear our understanding of the distinction between the person and the office, between the individual, Joseph Ratzinger, and the role that he has filled as the Vicar of Christ,” the bishop said. “In the end, the Church will grow in her understanding and appreciation of this essential office of unity and universal governance which can appear to many to be an anachronism and a monolithic thing. Pope Benedict, in this one amazing stroke, has made the papacy one of the most relevant topics of our age.”

MN Catholics express sadness, thanks By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit

Early Monday morning, Marcelle Diedrich was half asleep when she heard the news on her radio that Pope Benedict XVI will resign at the end of the month. “It was quite a surprise,” said Diedrich, a parishioner at St. Joseph in West St. Paul. “It woke me up because it was so unexpected.” Diedrich wasn’t the only one taken aback by the flood of media reports announcing the pope’s retirement. Archdiocesan Catholics who heard the news as they started the day reacted with both admiration and sadness. In considering the Holy Father’s nearly eight-year pontificate, they also noted his life’s legacy of service and scholarship, while looking to the Church’s future. The 85-year-old pontiff announced his resignation in a statement, saying, “After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”

Humility evident CNS photo / Tony Gentile, Reuters

Pope Benedict XVI walks with a cane as he arrives to meet with seminarians in Rome Feb. 8. The pope announced Feb. 11 that he will resign at the end of the month.

Teacher at heart Archbishop Nienstedt said his personal encounters with Pope Benedict have always been relatively short, but he has found much to admire during the pope’s service the last eight years. The pope is a theologian and former teacher, Archbishop Nienstedt noted, and that background showed through during visits, such as the “ad limina” visit he and Bishop Piché made to Rome last March to report on the state of the archdiocese. “Shortly after his elevation to the papacy, people used the word ‘serene’ to describe him,” Archbishop Nienstedt said. “I think that really captures it. There’s a sense of peace and calm. He listens attentively to everything that’s said — like a good teacher would. He likes to have a colloquium of sorts with the bishops instead of meeting one on one. I think he enjoys that give and take that you have in a seminar.” He also said Pope Benedict is a humble man — a fact proven by his latest decision. “It’s not easy to give up authority and power and influence in the Church,” the archbishop said. “But he’s just seen that it’s the right thing to do. I think that takes a man who has great introspection and is a man of great reflection and humility.” Archbishop Nienstedt said the pope’s decision comes at a perfect time just as Lent begins. Prayer and fasting are needed, he said, so that “the Holy Spirit’s will might be done, that we’ll have a pontiff that will be equal to his great successors that we’ve had.” “In my lifetime, we’ve had strong, faithful pontiffs,” he added. “I have every reason to believe the College of Cardinals will elect another.”

When Thomas Loome, a parishioner at St. Michael in Stillwater, heard the news, he said he was filled with admiration because what the pope did was extraordinary and in the interest of the Church. “There is virtually no tradition for a pope resigning, and I myself am delighted that he has set a precedent for modern times,” said Loome, retired theologian and founder of Loome Theological Booksellers in Stillwater. “I think that Benedict will go down in history as having served the Church faithfully, but never more so than when he resigned.” The Holy Father’s humility is evident in his decision to resign, said Ron Snyder, a member of Our Lady of Grace in Edina. “He entered very humbly and even said that he was a little taken aback when he was pronounced pope,” he said. “Now, he humbly steps aside. I just think it’s

consistent with his personality, a very gentle, tender person.” Colleen D’Andrea, a student mission leader with St. Paul’s Outreach who attends St. Mark in St. Paul, agreed that the decision showed the Holy Father’s humility. “I think that it is a really sad thing,” she said. “Pope Benedict has been an incredible asset to the Church at this time. It’s incredible his humility to recognize where he is and wanting to protect the Church.” Deacon Spencer Howe, who is completing studies for the priesthood at the Pontifical North American College in Rome before being ordained this spring, said he has learned much from Pope Benedict. DEACON HOWE “It is so evident that he has carried the whole Church and world in his heart during his pontificate and thereby shown the world what it is to intercede for those who are in need,” Deacon Howe said. Joseph Kuharski, also a student at PNAC, said he didn’t realize the pope had resigned until he later heard a retired U.S. cardinal speaking about the Holy Father’s replacement. Noting that the Holy Father has been “a true spiritual father” to him, he said in many ways the pope embodies the type of priest he wants to be — “firm, yet gentle, prudent, yet bold, wise, yet aflame with pastoral charity.” KUHARSKI Kuharski also cited the pope’s importance in his theological studies. “I truly believe that he was one of the greatest theologians of our era and PLESE TURN TO SEMINARY ON PAGE 21

Special message from the archbishop CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 I made our official visit to the Vatican, which included two personal meetings with the Holy Father. The “ad limina” visit occurs approximately every five years. In hindsight, it was an enormous blessing to have had our timing for the visit fall within the last year of this pope’s tenure. I recall fondly our meeting with the pope. I will always remember the way in which he listened intently to each bishop about news from our respective dioceses. I remember his gracious demeanor and attentive pastoral interest in us all. I also remember the peace I felt in his presence. And I will never forget when, in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican, the Holy Father gave a truly stirring talk on the incredibly important concerns about marriage and family life. I had the great honor of addressing the pope before his talk. It was an experience that I will treasure warmly in my memory for as long as I live. Indeed, the Holy Father’s resignation is an historic event and one that requires

our prayers during this time of transition. The process of electing a successor has a long history and reflects the great traditions of the Church. Truly, the Holy Spirit guides this process, as He works through those human vessels who will be entrusted in electing the new pope. We can have great confidence in this process, which is tried and true, and know with comfort and assurance that our next Holy Father will be exactly who our Lord has known from all eternity would be the successor to Peter at this time in human history. As this process moves forward and our Church unites around a new shepherd in March, you can be sure that The Catholic Spirit, our newspaper of this archdiocese, will provide up-to-date information in these pages and on our online homes at WWW.ARCHSPM.ORg and WWW.THECATHOLIC SPIRIT.COM. Thank you for joining your prayers to mine, united in faith, hope and love, during this important time in the history of our one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. May God bless you all!

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Resignation will set in motion period of transition Catholic News Service While the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI is a first for the church in centuries, it also leads to a complicated period of transition that ends in the election of a new pope. Regulated by ancient traditions and recent rules, the period between popes — known by the Latin term “interregnum” — will begin exactly at 8 p.m. Rome time Feb. 28, a date and time Pope Benedict stipulated in a declaration he made Feb. 11 for when the See of Rome and the See of St. Peter will be vacant. Normally the interregnum begins with a pope’s death and is followed by a period of mourning. This time the pope will resign from his ministry and spend a short period of prayer and reflection at the papal summer villa in Castel Gandolfo, south of Rome, before moving to a monastery at the Vatican.

11 cardinals from U.S. eligible to vote in conclave Here is a list of the 11 cardinals from the United States who are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a successor to Pope Benedict XVI: ■ Raymond Burke, head of the Apostolic Signature ■ Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston

Rules to follow The rules governing the interregnum are matters of church law, not dogma. The apostolic constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis” confirms that as long as the Holy See is vacant, the universal church is governed by the College of Cardinals, which cannot, however, make decisions normally reserved to the pope. Such matters must be postponed until the new pope is elected. Until there is a pope, the Roman Curia — the Vatican’s network of administrative offices — loses most of its cardinal supervisors and cannot handle any new business. The College of Cardinals is to deal solely with “ordinary business and matters which cannot be postponed.” At present, there are 209 cardinals, and all of them are asked to meet in Rome to help administer the transition period. The College of Cardinals does this through two structures: a general congregation, in which all the cardinals are to meet daily; and a particular four-member congregation, consisting of the chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and a rotating team of three cardinal assistants. Only those cardinals under age 80 will be eligible to vote in the coming conclave. Cardinals who are age 80 or over by the time the “sede vacante” begins Feb. 28 are excluded from the closed-door proceedings. There will be 117 cardinal-electors on that date. As chamberlain, Cardinal Bertone is to administer the goods and temporal rights of the Holy See until the election of a new pope. Meanwhile, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, is charged with making preparations for a conclave to elect a new pope, and the cardinals must set the time for the conclave to start. The word conclave comes from Latin, meaning literally “with key,” and reflects the previous tradition of locking the cardinals in an area where they would spend day and night until the new pope’s election.

■ Timothy Dolan of New York ■ Francis George of Chicago ■ James Harvey, archpriest of the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls

■ William Levada, retired prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith ■ Roger Mahony, retired archbishop of Los Angeles ■ Edwin O’Brien, grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre ■ Sean O’Malley of Boston ■ Justin Rigali, retired archbishop of Philadelphia ■ Donald Wuerl of Washington — Catholic News Service

CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec

On the day set for entry into the conclave, the cardinal-electors assemble in St. Peter’s Basilica to attend morning Mass. In the afternoon, they walk in procession to the Sistine Chapel, located just to the north of St. Peter’s. The voting may begin that afternoon with one ballot; on following days, normally two ballots are held in the morning and two in the afternoon. A pope is elected when he obtains a two-thirds majority, reflecting a change Pope Benedict established in 2007 that effectively undid a more flexible procedure introduced by Blessed John Paul. According to the new rule, the two-thirds-majority rule cannot be set aside even when cardinal-electors are at an impasse. If the cardinals are deadlocked after 13 days, the cardinals pause for a day of prayer, reflection and dialogue, then move to runoff ballots between the two leading candidates. A papal election will continue to require a majority of two-thirds of the voting cardinals. All voting is secret, in writing, on paper ballots, which are deposited in a receptacle by each elector, then counted. Ballots are taken to any cardinals residing at the Domus Sanctae Marthae but who are too sick to come to the Sistine Chapel. After each morning and afternoon round of voting,

the ballots are burned. By tradition but not by rule, they are burned with special chemicals to produce the black smoke signifying an inconclusive vote, or white smoke if a new pope was elected. Due to confusion in the past as people in St. Peter’s Square tried to determine what color smoke was coming out of the Sistine Chapel smokestack, the basilica’s bell is also rung to confirm a successful election.

Making the announcement Once a new pope has been elected, he is asked if he accepts the office — he is encouraged but not bound to do so by the current rules — and is asked to choose a name. Traditionally, the senior member of the cardinal deacons — currently Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, 69 — announces the successful election results from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. After the new pope has donned papal robes, he proceeds to the balcony, where he greets the public and offers his first blessing. At a time designated by the pope, usually a few days later, he officially opens his ministry with an investiture Mass at St. Peter’s. The new pope is no longer crowned with a papal tiara, but receives a pallium, or stole, in recognition of his authority.

Benedict will be prayerful presence in next papacy Catholic News Service Even though Pope Benedict XVI will spend his retirement near Rome and then inside Vatican City, he will not play any role in the upcoming election for a new pope, and he will not interfere with the responsibilities and decision-making activities of the new pontiff, the Vatican spokesman said. Rather, the new pope will have the prayerful support and empathy of someone who understands “more than anyone in the world” the burden and responsibilities of being a pope, said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi. The spokesman also confirmed that Pope Benedict has a pacemaker and has had it “for some time.” He said the battery recently was changed, but that the procedure had nothing to do with the pope’s decision to resign. Father Lombardi made his remarks Feb.

12, the day after the 85-year-old pope announced that, because of his age and waning energies, he was resigning effective Feb. 28. In response to questions about how a conclave and a new papacy will be played out while a former pope is still alive and living in the vicinity, Father Lombardi said, “there will be absolutely no problem” because Pope Benedict is a discreet and “extremely scrupulous” person. No one would ever expect from him any “interference or comments that would cause even minimal awkwardness or problems for his successor,” he said. “Rather, his successor will feel supported by the prayers and intensely loving presence and interest from someone who, more than anyone in the world, can understand and be interested in the worries of his successor,” the priest said. “Pope Benedict will surely say absolutely nothing about the process of the election,”

the spokesman said, “and not intervene in any way in the process,” he said.

New living arrangements Father Lombardi told journalists that the pope was free to decide where he wanted to live in his retirement. A monastery in the Vatican Gardens is currently being renovated for the pope’s future residence. It will “guarantee him a certain autonomy and freedom,” but at the same time, allow him to remain in the Vatican. It was not clear who would be moving in with the pope to serve as his assistants, but Father Lombardi said the residence is small, and number of staff would be, too. Father Lombardi also announced that Pope Benedict’s Ash Wednesday Mass Feb. 13 was transferred from its ancient, traditional site to St. Peter’s Basilica because of the large crowd expected.

The Mass, Father Lombardi said, was expected to include more concelebrating cardinals, bishops and priests than usually go to Rome’s Basilica of Santa Sabina, the small Ash Wednesday “station church.” The spokesman said the Ash Wednesday Mass was expected to be the last large liturgical event of Pope Benedict’s papacy. Pope Benedict’s last general audience, Feb. 27, is likely to be held in St. Peter’s Square instead of in the Vatican audience hall since the hall holds only 7,000 people and the square can hold tens of thousands, he said. The Vatican spokesman said the pope’s fourth encyclical, a letter on the theological virtue of faith, was unlikely to be ready for publication before his resignation at the end of the month. The hoped-for document will either not be published under his pontificate or it will not appear “in the usual form of an encyclical,” he said.

Nation/World

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Proposed rules fall short of meeting bishops’ concerns Catholic News Service The new proposed rules issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding insurance coverage of contraceptives show movement but fall short of addressing the U.S. bishops’ concerns, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan said in a Feb. 7 statement. The cardinal, who is president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the 80-page document released Feb. 1 by HHS concerning the contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act indicates that the administration “seeks to offer a response to serious matters which have been raised throughout the past year.” He also noted that the bishops “look forward to engaging with the administration, and all branches and levels of government, to continue to address serious issues that remain. Our efforts will require additional, careful study.” The rules are open for a 60-day comment period and are expected to be finalized this summer. After evaluating the proposed rules, Cardinal Dolan said in the statement that the bishops continue to stand by the statement on the HHS mandate issued by their Administrative Committee last March and affirmed by the entire body of bishops last June. In that statement, he said, the bishops expressed concern over the mandate’s “exceedingly narrow” four-part definition of “religious employer,” one that exempted houses of worship, but left “our great ministries of service to our neighbors, namely, the poor, the homeless, the sick, the students in our schools and universities, and others in need” subject to the mandate. Such a distinction, they said, created a “second class of citizenship within our religious community,” and weakened the federal law’s “healthy tradition of generous respect for religious freedom and diversity.” The cardinal credited the administration for proposing to drop the first three parts of the four-part test, which he said “might address” some of the bishops concerns but not all. An HHS spokeswoman said Feb. 1 no nonprofit religious institution — including churches, universities, hospitals and charities —will have to “arrange, contract,

CNS photo / Nancy Phelan Wiechec

New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan listens to proceedings of the U.S. bishops’ meeting in November in Baltimore. Cardinal Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a Feb. 7 statement that the government’s new set of proposed rules on insurance coverage of contraceptives falls short in meeting concerns of the Church.

pay for or refer for” contraception insurance for employees or students who want it.

‘Inaccurate distinction’ Cardinal Dolan faulted the proposed rules for maintaining an “inaccurate distinction among religious ministries,” noting that HHS “offers what it calls an ‘accommodation,’ rather than accepting the fact that these ministries are integral to our church and worthy of the same exemption as our Catholic churches.” He also said the proposed rules seem to “take away something that we had previously — the ability of an exempt employer (such as a diocese) to extend its coverage to the employees of a ministry outside the exemption.” The cardinal also noted that the government would require all employees of “accommodated” ministries in religious institutions to have access to contraception coverage, noting that they “may not opt out, nor even opt out for their children.” According to HHS, even in the case of self-insured religious entities — which includes many dioceses and colleges — em-

ployees or insured students who want contraceptive coverage will be able to arrange it through outside insurance companies, at no cost to themselves and without financial or even administrative support of the faith-based institution. Cardinal Dolan said “gaps in the proposed regulations” make it unclear “how directly these separate policies would be funded by objecting ministries, and what precise role those ministries would have in arranging for these separate policies.” This lack of clarity, he said, provides “the possibility that ministries may yet be forced to fund and facilitate such morally illicit activities,” which the bishops would like to see changed in the final rule.

Lack of protection The cardinal also expressed concern that the HHS mandate “creates still a third class, those with no conscience protection at all” such as “employers sponsoring and subsidizing the coverage, insurers writing it, and beneficiaries paying individual premiums for it.” He said the proposed rule confirms that HHS “has no intention to provide any exemption or accommodation at all”

to this group. The new proposed rules specify that no exemption will be given to “for-profit, secular employers.” Cardinal Dolan noted that during the past year, the bishops have been assured by the administration that they will “not have to refer, pay for, or negotiate for the mandated coverage” and they “remain eager for the administration to fulfill that pledge.” “We will affirm any genuine progress that is made, and we will redouble our efforts to overcome obstacles or setbacks,” he said. He also noted that the bishops take seriously the invitation to submit concerns during the comments period and said they will “do so in the hope that an acceptable solution can be found that respects the consciences of all.” “At the same time, we will continue to stand united with brother bishops, religious institutions, and individual citizens who seek redress in the courts for as long as this is necessary,” he added.

Varied rulings To date, 44 lawsuits have been filed against the HHS’s contraceptive mandate, 15 by for-profit businesses and 29 by nonprofits groups such as Christian hospitals, universities and charities. According to the website of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represents Catholic and other religious institutions in a number of the lawsuits, 14 forprofit plaintiffs have obtained rulings touching on the merits of their claims against the mandate and 11 have secured injunctive relief against it. In developments on some of the other lawsuits, a federal judge Jan. 22 dismissed a suit filed by the Diocese of Erie, Pa., calling it premature, because the HHS rules for the contraceptive coverage have not been finalized. But he dismissed the case “without prejudice,” meaning the diocese can bring the case back to court if it is not satisfied with the final rules. In December, a U.S. District Court judge ruled that the lawsuit mandate filed by the Archdiocese of New York and two other Catholic entities can move forward. Catholic dioceses and other plaintiffs whose cases have been dismissed are appealing those decisions.

Briefly Catholics, four Reformed bodies reaffirm common agreement on baptism Representatives of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and four Protestant denominations in the Reformed tradition have publicly reaffirmed a mutual agreement in effect since the Second Vatican Council that recognizes the validity of each other’s baptisms. The four Protestant bodies are the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Christian Reformed Church in North America, the Reformed Church in America and the United Church of Christ. The signing took place Jan. 29 at St. Mary Cathedral in Austin, Texas, during a prayer service at the opening of the annual meeting of the ecumenical association Christian Churches Together, which in-

cludes over 40 Christian denominations and groups. It marked the first time the Catholic Church in the United States has ever signed on to such an agreement, although Catholic bishops’ conferences elsewhere in the world have done so.

House of Commons passes same-sex marriage bill on second reading Members of Britain’s House of Commons voted, 400-175, to allow same-sex marriage, pushing a controversial piece of legislation closer to becoming law. The vote followed six hours of debate and represented the first time lawmakers were able to vote on the redefinition of marriage to include same-sex couples. The bill will now be scrutinized in committee before having a third reading in

the House of Commons and must also pass through the House of Lords before it would become law later this year. The Catholic Church has campaigned against the bill, which is also strongly opposed by the Church of England, the mainstream Protestant denominations and by Jewish, Muslim and Sikh leaders.

Assisted-suicide bill passes first committee vote in N.J. Assembly A bill that would allow assisted suicide in New Jersey, subject to voter approval, was passed out of a legislative committee and will be taken up by the state Assembly. The New Jersey Death with Dignity Act was approved by a 7-2 vote with two abstentions by members of the Assembly

Health and Senior Services Committee Feb. 7. It now moves to the full Assembly. A hearing on a companion bill in the state Senate was yet to be scheduled as of Feb. 7, said an assistant to State Sen. Joseph F. Vitale, who chairs the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. If passed by both the state Assembly and Senate chambers and signed by Gov. Chris Christie, provisions in the bill call it to be placed before voters who would decide whether to allow assisted suicide in the state. The bill faced opposition from individual doctors and several organizations including the New Jersey Catholic Conference, the New Jersey Council of the Knights of Columbus, New Jersey Right to Life, Medical Society of New Jersey and New Jersey Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. — Catholic News Service

8-PAGE PULL-OUT SECTION

10 things to remember for

Lent A journey to the foot of the cross Bishop David Ricken of Green Bay, Wis., chairman of the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, offers these “10 Things to Remember for Lent.”

1. Remember the formula.

The Catholic Spirit

The Church does a good job capturing certain truths with easy-to-remember lists and formulas: 10 Commandments, seven sacraments, three persons in the Trinity. For Lent, the Church gives us almost a slogan — prayer, fasting and almsgiving — as the three things we need to work on during the season.

2. It’s a time of prayer.

A Catholic Spirit special section

Lent is essentially an act of prayer spread over 40 days. As we pray, we go on a journey, one that hopefully brings us closer to Christ and leaves us changed by the encounter with him.

February 14, 2013 Page 11

PLEASE TURN TO PRAYER ON PAGE 13

Lent

The Catholic Spirit’s Rediscover: section in each issue of 2013 highlights a new Rediscover: theme for you to reflect on and discuss with others.The last two issues focused on finding deeper meaning, greater purpose and a deeper sense of belonging in your life. As part of the ongoing effort to help Catholics rediscover the depth and beauty of our faith, the section also will highlight special periods during the Church’s liturgical year. This issue’s Rediscover: section features the penitential season of Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13. — See center section

ALSO INSIDE: ■ U.S. bishops’ statement on sacrament of penance

— page 12

■ How to go to confession

— page 12

■ Pope’s Lenten message

— page 13

■ Don’t forget to read Archbishop Nienstedt’s Lenten column

— page 2

12 Lent

God’s Gift of Forgiveness The following is a pastoral exhortation on the sacrament of penance issued by the U.S. bishops and encouraging Catholics to take advantage of this sacrament, particularly during Lent. Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: “Peace be with you!” With these words, the risen Lord greeted his frightened Apostles in the Upper Room on the day of his resurrection. They were troubled, anxious, and fearful — much like each one of us at some point in our lives. Christ repeated the words, “Peace be with you.” But then he added, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them” (John 20:19-23). What an extraordinary gift! The risen Lord was proclaiming that all the We bishops and suffering he had just endured was in order to make available priests are eager to the gifts of salvation and forgiveness. He wanted the help you if you Apostles to receive these gifts. He wanted them to become experience apostles of this forgiveness to difficulty, hesitation others. In the sacrament of penance and reconciliation, also called or uncertainty confession, we meet the Lord, about approaching who wants to grant forgiveness and the grace to live a renewed life in him. In this sacrament, the Lord in this he prepares us to receive him sacrament. If you free from serious sin, with a lively faith, earnest hope, and have not received sacrificial love in the Eucharist. The Church sees confession this healing as so important that she requires that every Catholic go sacrament in a at least once a year. The Church also encourages long time, we are frequent confession in order to ready to welcome grow closer to Christ Jesus and his Body, the Church. By the grace of the Holy you. Spirit, we seek forgiveness and repentance, let go of patterns U.S. BISHOPS of sin, grow in the life of virtue and witness to a joyful conversion. Since the graces of the sacrament are so similar to the purpose of the New Evangelization, Pope Benedict XVI has said, “The New Evangelization . . . begins in the confessional!” We bishops and priests are eager to help you if you experience difficulty, hesitation or uncertainty about approaching the Lord in this sacrament. If you have not received this healing sacrament in a long time, we are ready to welcome you. We, whom Christ has ordained to minister this forgiveness in his name, are also approaching this sacrament, as both penitents and ministers, throughout our lives and at this special moment of grace during Lent. We want to offer ourselves to you as forgiven sinners seeking to serve in the Lord’s name. During Lent — in addition to the various penitential services during which individual confession takes place — we bishops and priests will be making ourselves available often for the individual celebration of this sacrament. We pray that through the work of the Holy Spirit, all Catholics — clergy and laity — will respond to the call of the New Evangelization to encounter Christ in the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. Come to the Lord and experience the extraordinary grace of his forgiveness!

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A priest hears a young man's confession in this file photo. CNS photo / Gregory A. Shemitz

How to go to confession . . . The following information is provided by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. PREPARATION: Before going to confession, take some time to prepare. Begin with prayer and reflect on your life since your last confession. How have you — in your thoughts, words, and actions — neglected to live Christ’s commands to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39)? As a help with this “examination of conscience,” you might review the Ten Commandments or the Beatitudes (Exodus 20:217; Deuteronomy 5:6-21; Matthew 5:3-10; or Luke 6:20-26). GREETING: The priest will welcome you; he may say a short blessing or read a Scripture passage.

counsel you on how to better live a Christian life. ACT OF CONTRITION: After the priest has conferred your penance, pray an Act of Contrition, expressing sorrow for your sins and resolving to sin no more. A suggested Act of Contrition is: My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy. (Rite of Penance, no. 45)

THE SIGN OF THE CROSS: Together, you and the priest will make the Sign of the Cross. You may then begin your confession with these or similar ABSOLUTION: The priest will extend his hands words: “Bless me, Father, for I have over your head and pronounce the sinned. It has been [give days, words of absolution. You respond, Has it months, or years] since my last “Amen.” confession.” been awhile? PRAISE: The priest will usually CONFESSION: Confess all your sins praise the mercy of God and will If it has been a while to the priest. If you are unsure invite you to do the same. For since your last what to say, ask the priest for help. example, the priest may say, “Give confession, remember, When you are finished, conclude thanks to the Lord for he is good.” “Do not fear” (Is 41:10). with these or similar words: “I am And your response would be, “His The priest will help guide sorry for these and all my sins.” mercy endures for ever” (Rite of you. Feel free to take this Penance, no. 47). how-to guide with you. PENANCE: The priest will propose (For more information, an act of penance. The penance DISMISSAL: The priest will visit WWW.USCCB.ORG/ might be prayer, a work of mercy conclude the sacrament, often CONFESSION.) or an act of charity. He might also saying, “Go in peace.”

FEBRUARY 14, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

POPE’S MESSAGE

Faith is genuine only if coupled with charity for others By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

Faith and charity can never be separated nor opposed to each other, just as faith by itself isn’t genuine without charity, Pope Benedict XVI said. “Faith is knowing the truth and adhering to it; charity is ‘walking’ in the truth,” the pope said in his annual message for Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 13 for Latin-rite Catholics. “Faith is genuine only if crowned by charity.” The text of the pope’s message was released by the Vatican Feb. 1. “It would be too one-sided to place a strong emphasis on the priority and decisiveness of faith and to undervalue and almost despise concrete works of charity, reducing them to a vague humanitarianism,” Pope Benedict said. “It is equally unhelpful to overstate the primacy of charity and the activity it generates, as if works could take the place of faith.”

Both essential At a news conference to present the message, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, which promotes Catholic charitable giving, told reporters, that insisting on the indissoluble link between faith and charity is like “hitting a raw nerve.” The cardinal said the pope’s message underscores how misguided it is to see faith as an abstract, intellectual endeavor and charity as the concrete or practical side of the Church, or to favor one over the Faith is knowing the other. “It’s convenient for many, inside truth and adhering and outside” the Church, to see [the Church] as divorced from the real to it; charity is world, “inebriated from the scent of candles, busy putting the sacristy in ‘walking’ in the order, focused on obscure theological debates and clerical truth. quarrels rather than on the integral POPE BENEDICT XVI human person Christ spoke to,” the cardinal said. Another mistake, he said, is seeing the church as just another large philanthropic agency for which social justice and meeting people’s physical needs are the primary concerns, “forgetting that the desire for God lies at a person’s core.”

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Prayer, fasting, almsgiving keys to Lent CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

3. It’s a time to fast.

With the fasts of Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, meatless Fridays, and our personal disciplines interspersed, Lent is the only time many Catholics these days actually fast. And maybe that’s why it gets all the attention. “What are you giving up for Lent? Hotdogs? Beer? Jelly beans?” It’s almost a game for some of us, but fasting is actually a form of penance, which helps us turn away from sin and toward Christ.

4. It’s a time to work on discipline.

The 40 days of Lent are also a good, set time to work on personal discipline in general. Instead of giving something up, it can be doing something positive. “I’m going to exercise more. I’m going to pray more. I’m going to be nicer to my family, friends and co-workers.”

5. It’s about dying to yourself.

The more serious side of Lenten discipline is that it’s about more than self-control — it’s about finding aspects of yourself that are less than Christ-like and letting them die. The suffering and death of Christ are foremost on our minds during Lent, and we join in these mysteries by suffering, dying with Christ and being resurrected in a purified form.

6. Don’t do too much.

It’s tempting to make Lent some ambitious period of personal reinvention, but it’s best to keep it simple and focused. There’s a reason the Church works on these mysteries year after year. We spend our entire lives growing closer to God. Don’t try to cram it all into one Lent. That’s a recipe for failure.

7. Lent reminds us of our weakness. Of course, even when we set simple goals for ourselves during Lent, we still have trouble keeping them. When we fast, we realize we’re all just one meal away from hunger. In both cases, Lent shows us our weakness. This can be painful, but recognizing how helpless we are makes us seek God’s help with renewed urgency and sincerity.

8. Be patient with yourself. When we’re confronted with our own weakness during Lent, the temptation is to get angry and frustrated. “What a bad person I am!” But that’s the wrong lesson. God is calling us to be patient and to see ourselves as he does, with unconditional love.

9. Reach out in charity. As we experience weakness and suffering during Lent, we should be renewed in our compassion for those who are hungry, suffering or otherwise in need. The third part of the Lenten formula is almsgiving. It’s about more than throwing a few extra dollars in the collection plate; it’s about reaching out to others and helping them without question as a way of sharing the experience of God’s unconditional love.

10. Learn to love like Christ. Giving of ourselves in the midst of our suffering and self-denial brings us closer to loving like Christ, who suffered and poured himself out unconditionally on the cross for all of us. Lent is a journey through the desert to the foot of the cross on Good Friday, as we seek him out, ask his help, join in his suffering, and learn to love like him.

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‘Conquered by Christ’s love’ The theme of the pope’s message, “Believing in charity calls forth charity,” was taken from the First Letter of St. John (4:16): “We have come to know and to believe in the love God has for us.” In the context of the Year of Faith, the pope dedicated his message to the relationship between faith and charity, which he also explored in his 2005 encyclical on charity (“Deus Caritas Est”). All Christians, especially charity workers, need faith — that personal encounter with God in Christ and the experience of his love, the pope said. “Christians are people who have been conquered by Christ’s love and accordingly, under the influence of that love, they are profoundly open to loving their neighbor in concrete ways,” he said. A Christian life starts with accepting God’s gift of faith with “wonder and gratitude;” but it is a journey that continues as God seeks “to transform us” to become more like Christ and share his love with others. “Only then does our faith become truly ‘active through love;’ only then does he abide in us” he said. “The Christian life consists in continuously scaling the mountain to meet God and then coming back down, bearing the love and strength drawn from him, so as to serve our brothers and sisters with God’s own love,” he said.

Lent

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

CRS Rice Bowl: What you give up for Lent changes lives The Catholic Spirit

MOUSSA’S STORY

More than 800 million people across the globe may wake up every morning wondering if they will have enough to eat that day, according to Catholic Relief Services. One way that you can make a difference in the lives of our poorest brothers and sisters throughout the world is to become involved with CRS Rice Bowl (formerly known as Operation Rice Bowl). This Lenten program, which has been in place for more than 37 years, invites Catholics to act on their faith by helping people in need through prayer, sacrifice, solidarity and charity. Nearly 13,000 faith communities across the United States participate in the program each Lent.

My name is Moussa Ouedraogo and I live with my wife and seven children in Burkina Faso, a small country in West Africa. Most of the people in our village are farmers, but because of poor rainfall, insects and other problems, it is difficult to produce enough food. Often we can only grow enough to last seven or eight months of the year. We call the rest of the year “the lean season.” Several years ago CRS helped us set up an irrigation system in a plot of land near the village. We divided this land into small gardens for different farmers in the village. With CRS’ help we formed committees to keep our irrigation system in good repair and to manage our water and seed supplies. In my garden I grow corn and onions. I am now able to grow enough food for my family’s needs and also have produce to sell at the market. Life is much better. With the money I earned in the market, I bought two donkeys and a plow to help me farm more efficiently. I am able to send all of my children to school, and I just built a new house. Like the others in my village, I have always wanted to provide a good life for my family. With the help of CRS, this dream has come true.

New look CRS has revamped its well-known campaign, aiming to make it more relevant for the millions it reaches each year with its themes of sacrifice and hope. In addition to changing its name, the program also More online focuses on a new message: “For Lent, for Life: What Father Leo you give up for Lent Patalinghug from changes lives.” “Grace Before Meals” CRS Rice Bowl asks that hosts a cooking show you eat a meal each week with CRS to show prepared with a recipe Catholics how to from a developing country make fun, meatless to get a taste of the meals from around the subsistence diet so many world for Lent. Visit WWW.CRSRICEBOWL.ORG survive on. When you try every week for Lent. these simple meatless meals, you are urged to put the money into a symbolic “rice bowl” to be donated to CRS through your parish at the end of Lent. Or you might watch a video or read a story to gain a better awareness of the hopes and dreams of those overseas. During this Lenten season, you are invited to reflect on the lives of our brothers and sisters who face poverty and hunger every day and pray with them. It is through such actions that you will come to feel solidarity with our human family, Rice Bowl organizers say. “It is not enough just to commit funds. We must also strive for new solutions to address hunger,” CRS president Carolyn Woo said in introducing the redesigned program during an online news conference last Oct. 16 marking World Food Day. “The lack of food is a threat to all aspects of society. A lack of food will hurt society at its core. It is important to remember that CRS Rice Bowl is about living our faith and doing our part to alleviate hunger both in the United States and overseas,” Woo said. “The Year of Faith asks us to renew our own faith and live and act on that faith in word and action and allow faith to become a light for ourselves and others,” she added. “CRS Rice Bowl allows us to live our faith and allows us to engage our family and parishioners and other

Photo by Regina Kane / CRS

people to talk about this faith and understand what this faith calls us to do.”

Helping far and near The Rice Bowl campaign collects about $8 million annually, with 25 percent of funds staying in local diocesan communities to fight hunger. The remaining 75 percent of the collection funds CRS anti-hunger efforts around the globe. These projects focus on initiatives that bring clean water, small enterprise development, agricultural expertise, educational opportunities, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention, and mother/child health programs to the poor in more than 40 countries. Visit CRSRICEBOWL.ORG to find more ideas and resources to help integrate CRS Rice Bowl into your own Lenten observances.

Lenten regulations for fasting and abstinence Here are the church regulations for fasting and abstinence during Lent: ■ Everyone 14 years of age or older is bound to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, all the Fridays of Lent and Good Friday. ■ Everyone 18 or older, and under 59 years of age, is bound to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. ■ On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, only one full meatless meal is allowed. Two other meatless meals, sufficient to maintain strength, may be taken according to each one’s needs, but together they should not equal another full meal. Eating between meals is not permitted. When health or ability to work would be seriously affected, the law does not oblige. ■ Catholics should not lightly excuse themselves from these prescribed minimal penitential practices.

Pay It Forward projects to benefit those in need of food, water, joy The Catholic Spirit Three finalists have been chosen for this year’s Catholic Spirit Pay It Forward for Lent initiative, which is based on the New Testament parable of the three stewards who each were given money to manage and grow. Each of the three groups will receive $100 to grow for its chosen project during Lent. The recipients are: ■ A fifth-grade class at Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Minnetonka led by its teacher, Janel Dysart. They will be partnering with the “363 Days” organization to make and package sandwiches for the hungry. ■ St. Timothy’s Overseas Project, a group at St. Timothy in Blaine. They are working with Project Uplift, a national

group, that will be installing water tanks in a village in Uganda. ■ Seven-year-old Sylvia Such, a member of St. John the Baptist in Savage. She will create care packages and deliver them to people at nearby shelters for battered women and teens.

Feeding the hungry Dysart and her fifth-grade students learned about the “363 Days” program from the director of youth ministry at Immaculate Heart of Mary parish, who had done a service project with the organization before. The class was already planning to do this project when Dysart heard about the Pay It Forward initiative. “The Pay It For-

ward initiative will help us purchase supplies for this project, along with donations collected from students and families, so that our efforts can help even more people than we’d originally hoped.”

Water for Uganda The social justice committee at St. Timothy in Blaine looked at several overseas projects, but voted to work with Project Uplift on its water tank project in Uganda because they felt they could do the most good. “We hope that the money we raise will be able to fund the building of a water tank and reduce the villagers' reliance on outside water,” said Kate Shea, a member of the group.

Spreading joy, happiness Such proposed creating care packages for those who need a little joy and happiness in their day after making one for her cousin, who was in the hospital being treated for cancer. A budding artist, she loves to make cards and will include one with each package, as well as some small treats and a postagepaid postcard so the recipient can continue to spread joy and happiness. Such plans to hand-deliver the packages to Safe Haven Teen Shelter, Southern Valley Alliance for Battered Women and a few other places, including to the priests of her parish. “I want the priests to know we are thinking about them too,” she said.

“Music can change the world because it can change people.” Bono

This Catholic Life FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Opinion, feedback and points to ponder

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Positive feedback: Vatican invites rock band to explain youth culture By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

When the head of the Pontifical Council for Culture said he wanted to listen to what today’s young people had to say, he wasn’t afraid to hear it belted out at 100 decibels. Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi invited members of the Italian rock group, The Sun, to speak their minds through music to the cardinals, bishops, lay members and advisers of the council, as well as to a large contingent of footstomping, cheering young fans. The band’s 30-year-old lead lyricist and singer, Francesco Lorenzi, confessed that despite being used to playing stadiums with tens of thousands in the audience, knowing “we’d be playing for cardinals, bishops, ambassadors and journalists, we didn’t get any sleep last night.” It was the first time a Vatican dicastery had a rock group as the “opening act” of its plenary assembly — usually a routine, speech-filled, sit-down affair where members come together for a few days to discuss a relevant theme. But if the culture council was going to discuss “Emerging Youth Cultures” for their plenary at the Vatican Feb. 6-9, then what better way to get a feel for the subject than by inviting young people in, the cardinal said. “We adults, older generations, and we priests have to make an effort to not put [young people] under a sort of microscope, but go to their level and begin to listen a little to what the rhythm of their mind, their heart is like,” Cardinal Ravasi told Vatican Radio.

Conversion experience The Sun’s rhythm, created by two guitarists, a bass player and drummer, shook the walls of Rome’s LUMSA University Feb. 6 as the group delivered songs about their Catholic faith such as “Onda Perfetta” (“Perfect Wave”) that says: “I have a whole world full of hopes and dreams, they’re illusions only if you don’t believe.” While Vatican VIPs weren’t dancing in the aisles, many read through the lyrics and applauded with smiles. In between songs, Lorenzi explained the band’s evolution from its birth in 1997 as Sun Eats Hours, which is an Italian saying equivalent to “time is fleeting, so get as much out of life as possible,” to being voted the “best Italian punk band in the world” in 2004. They lived up their name, he said, traveling the globe, opening for world-famous acts like The Cure and Ok Go and experiencing enormous success. But instead of feeling happy, the band members were angry and barely spoke to one another, Lorenzi said, losing themselves and each other in a nonstop revelry of “alcohol, drugs and women.” Lorenzi started to turn his life around in 2007 when a night out with friends fell through and his mother suggested he instead go to a faith formation course being held that week at the local parish. “I know you love me,” he said he told his mother, “but I want to be happy and I don’t go to church to be happy.” But he agreed to just see what it was like, even though he was certain it would be miserable and they’d make him “sing awful songs.” Instead, the warm welcome and genuine joy he saw on people’s faces “really struck me.” “I saw a joy I never saw before and at a place I thought was for nerds. But it was the kind of joy I needed more than ever,” he said.

CNS photo

Cardinals watch as the Italian rock group The Sun performs during a concert opening the plenary meeting of the Pontifical Council for Culture in Rome Feb. 6. Pictured are Francesco Lorenzi, guitarist and vocalist; Matteo Reghelin, bassist; and Ricky Rossi, drummer.

“I saw a joy I never saw before and at a place I thought was for nerds. But it was the kind of joy I needed more than ever.

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FRANCESCO LORENZI Member of the Italian rock group, The Sun, after attending a faith formation event

Bolstered by a new community, prayer, Mass and eucharistic adoration, Lorenzi’s life changed completely, he said. The other band members saw the transformation and slowly — over a period of five years — followed suit, wanting to discover the source of Lorenzi’s contagious happiness. The band members had a new mission in life and on stage, Lorenzi said; they cut the band name down to The Sun “because it shines forever” and focused the lyrics on “what matters most in life,” like love, friendship, “life after life” and faith in God. He told Catholic News Service that people don’t need to “hit bottom” before they discover the beauty of salvation. “Jesus will come and get you, trying up until the very end, but that doesn’t mean you have to hit bottom, because he’ll take you even when you’re doing fine,” he said.

Survey of youth Telling council members The Sun wanted to help the church bridge the gap with young people, Lorenzi offered a booklet summarizing the results of an informal survey he took with readers of his blog, WWW.FRANCESCOLORENZI.IT. Over two weeks, some 25,000 people read the post, and hundreds sent responses to his three questions. Asked “what helps attract young people to the church?” the responses included, “credible and enthusiastic witnesses,” but also pilgrimages to the Holy Land, a chance to have a personal spiritual guide and outlets for artistic expression, the booklet said. “What do you want from the church?” evoked responses like greater trust in laypeople, putting the great questions of life front and center, and clear, sincere honest dialogue where formality and abstract ideas get set aside now and then, it said. “What keeps the church and young people apart?” elicited replies like not understanding the reasons behind positions the church takes, “ostentatious wealth,” a lack of answers to people’s questions and poor communication skills. “The church has lots of beautiful things to say” about things young people care about, “but it needs to find a way to say it” and have that message reach young men and women everywhere, Lorenzi said. But even the most stirring speech or web post can’t answer people’s hunger for human contact and understanding, Lorenzi told CNS. “A great speech without contact is at risk” of going nowhere, he said, while if it’s coupled with warm and genuine outreach, “the incredible can happen.”

Commentary

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

/ This Catholic Life

Museum exhibit calls attention to treatment of bodies after death

e are wonderfully and fearfully made (Psalm 139:14). The human person, made in the image and likeness of God, is the only creature on earth that God willed for its own sake. As Catholics, we believe that a human person is the real Dr. April Lind unity of body and soul. Each Sunday we profess our hope of our resurrection and life of the world to come. Blessed John Paul II through his teaching known as the Theology of the Body taught that the body alone is capable of making visible what is invisible. The purpose for our existence is to know, love and serve God and each other. Since God loved us first, our response to his love is what God uses to draw us closer to him. We become temples of the Holy Spirit because of God’s gift of himself that transforms us. When we reach out to our brothers and sisters in Christ we form relationships that form the basis of communities. It is within these relationships, living in community and communion with each other that we reflect the Trinity. It is in our nature to seek out beauty and truth, for this ultimately is our search for God. Therefore, it is no wonder that thousands of people have been drawn to the Body Worlds exhibit that has traveled the globe. This exhibit, currently at the Science Museum of Minnesota, provides insights into the marvel of our very being like never seen by most people. The current exhibit focuses on the Cycle of Life and showcases health, disease and aging. The human bodies on display have been

Commentary

preserved using a process called polymer impregnation or “plastination” which allows them to be posed, and are displayed in a gallery setting.

Very grateful I am forever indebted to the person who graciously donated her body so that I could learn the fundamentals of anatomy in my first year of medical school. There is no doubt in my mind that seeing the body firsthand at a very detailed level laid the foundation for all the knowledge that I gained during medical school and continues to provide me with a framework for understanding disease states that effect my patients. I am grateful for the heroic gift of those who chose to donate their body to science so physicians like me can learn the knowledge required to care for the health of others. It has been through my studies and the continued practice of medicine that I have come to appreciate the divine within the human. Science continues to make incredible strides on the frontiers of medical knowledge. Yet, the more that is uncovered, the more is revealed, especially in how dynamically and intricately complex and interdependently we function. Our living, physical bodies visibly reflect the supernatural interconnection we are to be in the world.

Life is sacred As Catholic Christians we consider life as sacred from the moment of conception in our mothers’ womb until our natural death. Our life does not end after the physical death of our body. While we experience a temporary sepa-

Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

A body sits on display at the Body Worlds exhibit in 2006 at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

ration from our physical bodies we look forward to the end of time when we are reunited with our resurrected transfigured bodies. We know if we live with Christ, although we will die as Christ did, we will rise with him as well. I would hope that this exhibit stirs visitors to a greater understanding of the human body and provides an opportunity for them to ponder the Creator and his creation in each of us. I hope visitors would recognize that the deceased bodies on display were once animated by human souls that lived and laughed and prayed and are now part of the Church Suffering

or hopefully the Church Triumphant. The catechism teaches the bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity in faith and hope of the resurrection (2300). The Church does not have a concern when people donate their bodies to science, if they are so called. One could ask if a venue such as this is befitting the dignity of the human person. This exhibit is provided by a for-profit entity which may call in to question whether it’s truly an altruistic and educational event. It is reported the bodies on display were from people who donated their bodies to science, and organizers say their plans are to have the bodies cremated after they are no longer able to be on display. There are still concerns expressed by some groups and, while I am not an investigative reporter, I believe how the organizers and employees treat the bodies would reveal their intentions. In this technological and scientific age when we can do so much, it is important to consider whether we should do what is possible. Participating in events that bring us closer to God will always bear good fruit. There is no official Church position regarding this exhibit. It is, however, prudent for us to consider our understanding of the Catholic teaching on the dignity of the human person, and whether an exhibit like this helps or hinders our appreciation of this teaching — especially when making a decision whether or not to attend. Dr. Lind is a member of the archdiocesan Commission on Biomedical Ethics and a board member of the Twin Cities Guild of the Catholic Medical Association.

Newfound optimism for educational choice in Minnesota

Faith and the Workplace Peter Noll

There is hope that new parental choice bills recently introduced in the Legislature will gather momentum

rom the mid- to late-20th century, Minnesota was known as a national leader in school choice. During that era, initiatives enacted to support parents of nonpublic school children included equitable pupil transportation, special education, share-time instruction, textbook aid, health services and qualifying education tax credits and subtractions. Today, Minnesota ranks 17th among school choice states and has the second largest achievement gap for children of color — a precipitous downward spiral for a state once at the top of the educational mountain. After a promising 2011 regular session, two parental choice bills enacted by the Legislature were vetoed by Gov. Dayton. But recent discussions with lawmakers and other organizations advocating for the expansion of parental choice in education have buoyed optimism that new 2013 choice bills recently introduced in the Legislature will gather momentum.

Backed by research School choice advocates have been furiously attempting to correct both negative trends by introducing school choice legislation that would provide all children, particularly children of color and children living in poverty, the opportunity to choose a quality educational program in which they can thrive.

One of the largest impediments has been school choice opponents perpetuating the false assertion that parental choice drains funding from public schools and does not produce positive results. Yet, empirical data from scores of research studies indicate the contrary. On Jan. 31, renowned education researcher, Patrick J. Wolf, a native Minnesotan and now professor at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, returned to Minnesota to speak during National School Choice Week. Wolf has conducted extensive research on the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and the District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program. OSP, according to Wolf, increased the high-school graduation rate of students by 12 percentage points, if they were lucky enough to win the annual scholarship lottery. Longitudinal data from his studies indicate that students who graduate from high school live longer, healthier and more productive lives than their peers who do not. They make significantly more money and, consequently, pay significantly more taxes, are less likely to commit crimes and are less likely to become a burden on the public. In other words, highschool graduates on average contribute more to society and require less from it than do high-school dropouts. Wolf’s study combined the in-

creased-graduation results from rigorous government evaluations with the work of labor, health and publicpolicy economists who have estimated the value of a high-school diploma to get an overall estimate of the impact of the program. Combining the increased income and financial benefits of longevity and quality of life, a high-school diploma is worth almost $350,000 to an individual. Because a high-school diploma makes an individual less likely to commit crimes, Wolf posits, it decreases both the costs incurred by crime victims and the administrative costs of the criminal justice system. Coupled with the increased tax revenue made on the increased income, it yields an extra benefit for society of over $87,000 per high-school graduate. Furthermore, multiplying the number of additional graduates by the value of a high-school diploma yields a total benefit of over $183 million. In other words, school choice pays significant dividends to the individual and society.

Church supports parents In his 1994 “Letter to Families,” Blessed John Paul II said “[F]amilies and those to whom they entrust a share in their educational responsibilities must enjoy true liberty about how their children are to be educated.” The Minnesota Catholic Conference has consistently maintained

that all children have the right to a quality education. As stated by MCC’s current legislative positions, parents are the primary educators of their children and have the right to send their children to the school of their choice, whether public, religious or independent. Social justice further demands that government resources be provided to poor families so that they may choose the educational path best suited to their child’s success. (“Familiaris Consortio,” 36; “Gravissimum Educatonis,” 6)

Join the movement With three school choice bills already introduced this legislative session, there is hope on the horizon! To continue the positive momentum of these developments, Catholic parents, and everyone who cares about giving all children the best shot in life, must make their voice heard. Become an active school choice advocate by subscribing to MCC’s Catholic Advocacy Network. Visit the MCC website (WWW.MNCC.ORG) and click on “Join the Network” under the “Take Action” menu tab. Get involved, and help return Minnesota to the top of the school choice movement that is sweeping across the nation. Peter Noll is the Minnesota Catholic Conference’s education director.

This Catholic Life / Commentary

FEBRUARY 14, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

An Alaskan cruise, a path to priesthood

Twenty Something Christina Capecchi

Father Mike drew people in only to point them to Christ

atthew Bearth was 17 when he set out on an Alaskan cruise that changed the course of his life and led him to the seminary. Today the 20-year-old college junior loves to recount that northern voyage. Matthew didn’t have a passport when his family decided to take an Alaska cruise the August before his senior year. It was a time when an onslaught of questions was beginning to come from every direction. What college are you going to attend? What kind of career are you planning? He didn’t know the answers. As a young boy, he’d considered being an astronaut or an NFL punter. Now the Burnsville teen was thinking practical: a business degree from a college where he’d have good odds of meeting a nice Catholic girl. “I was definitely assuming marriage,” Matthew told me.

“The cruise introduced him to Father Mike Schmitz, a young priest from another Minnesota diocese with a magnetic personality and enough athleticism to complete an Ironman competition.”

C CHRISTINA HRISTINA C CAPECCHI APECCHI

Nature and Scripture The Alaskan landscape stunned him — soaring mountains, calving glaciers, gliding eagles. He saw brown bears snatching salmon and whales engaged in bubble netting, a feeding technique in which a dozen humpbacks surfaced with mouths full of flopping fish. To Matthew, it was all a vibrant reflection of the Creator. The cruise also provided a close encounter with Scripture, providing him time to study the Gospel of Matthew and glean new insights. Most significant, the cruise introduced him to Father Mike Schmitz, a young priest from another Minnesota diocese with a magnetic personality and enough athleticism to complete an Ironman competition. Here was a man who could’ve scored any job or wooed any woman and he chose to sacrifice it all for

priesthood.

An excellent life

to be a better man.

And he wasn’t just coping or content. He was happy. He had chosen this vocation above all others, recognizing its nobility, adventure and joy.

The teenager resolved right then and there that, no matter what vocation he pursued, he would lead the same kind of life: totally centered on Christ, directing others to Him. After seeing such an amazing example, why aim any lower? “I knew I could live an excellent life,” he said. Back home, Matthew downloaded all of Father Mike’s homilies onto his iPod and quickly devoured them. Senior year started, bringing other changes. He cut back on pizza and dessert and reduced his portions, shedding 30 pounds over the course of the school year. He began praying a decade of the rosary every day, logging it in a notebook he kept by his bed. He wanted

Time passed, and faith remained the center of Matthew’s life. A year ago he decided to enter St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul. He met Father Mike at his parents’ cabin up north, where the two men had a heart-to-heart talk in the garage about priesthood. Now half way through his first year as a seminarian, Matthew still keeps in touch with his mentor, texting back and forth and getting together when Father Mike is in town.

Matthew was intrigued. He could see there was no ego at work; Father Mike drew people in only to point them to Christ. He made deft references to “The Simpsons,” “Twilight” and Miley Cyrus in his homilies, yet when it came time for consecration, he demonstrated a reverence Matthew had never before witnessed. “He celebrates the Mass as if he was in heaven,” Matthew said. “It’s as if he’s talking to God — and you know he is.”

“God placed him in my life for a reason.” Christina Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights. She can be reached at WWW.READ CHRISTINA.COM.

The best way to respect customers’ dignity is to provide great service

Faith and the Workplace Tom Bengtson

Too often, customers get treated as mere ‘consumers,’ and the experience is less than satisfying

ne of the most effective ways to live your faith at work is to provide great customer service. The way you show someone you care about them is to give them the attention they deserve as a living, breathing image of God. Too often, customers get treated as mere “consumers,” and the experience is less than satisfying. Most of us can quickly recall incidents where we believe we have been the victims of poor customer service. I can think of many, but let me share the details of three incidents.

Bad experiences In the first incident, I uploaded several photographs to a photo finisher’s website. I received an email a couple of hours later telling me the prints were ready to pick up. I drove to the store only to be told the prints, in fact, were not ready. It would be a few hours because they were having trouble with their machine. I asked why they sent me the email saying the photos were ready. They said it was an automatically produced email that didn’t take into account the breakdown of their developer.

“If you work on retail’s front lines, seek out the training to provide great service.” TOM BENGTSON

In the second incident, I needed 150 two-sided photocopies so I went to one of those quick printing stores and they were able to make the copies while I waited. They gave me a bag with the copies and I was on my way. Later, I looked at the copies and found that about a third of them were copied only on one side. I had to go back to the store and, after I explained what had happened, they completed the job. In a third incident, I went to a cell phone store to replace a lost charger for my daughter’s phone. I showed the clerk the phone and he quickly produced a box for a charger. I paid for it and went on my way. When I got home and gave the charger to my daughter, she opened it only to discover there was no electrical cord included. I couldn’t believe it. I went back to the store and found the same

clerk. I showed him what happened and he came back with another box. This time, we opened it together and checked to make sure all the pieces were included. These were very minor incidents but they all caused real frustration. As the customer, I was frustrated because each incident was so avoidable. The photo finisher could have sent me a follow-up email saying the original email notice was wrong. The photocopier could have looked at the copies to see that they were all prepared as expected. And the cellphone clerk could have looked inside the box before selling me the charger. Sure, I could have inspected the photocopies and checked for the charger cord myself but as the customer, I assumed these stores would come through as expected. In fact, they didn’t and the

impression I got was that they didn’t care about me. It seemed as though they just wanted me to move on so they could get to the next “consumer.” I don’t blame the front-line staff because I’m sure they were doing exactly what they were trained to do. Or more accurately, what they weren’t trained to do. Good customer service is a manager’s responsibility, and the best way to fulfill that responsibility is to train staff to provide it. Too often, frontline staff lacks the training, ability and authority to correct service problems when they arise. If you work on retail’s front lines, seek out the training to provide great service. Ask your manager: “What options do I have for resolving customer problems?” A good manager empowers staff to dignify every customer with service that says they are special — because as images of God, they are. Small business owner Tom Bengtson can be reached through his website: WWW.TOMBENGTSON.COM.

“It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord, your God, and him alone shall you serve.’” Luke 4:8

18 T

The Lesson Plan CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Reflections on faith and spirituality

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Resist temptation by following Jesus’s example

“D

on’t waste your time by going to Mass on Sunday. You know you would rather spend the whole day at the lake.” “Don’t worry, no one is around. You know you want to check out that website.” “Come on, it’s only $50, take it. You deserve that money. Besides, no one is going to notice $50 missing from the petty cash.” Temptation to sin is something that we all experience. In the Gospel this Sunday, we hear the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert, where the devil tries to thwart Jesus’ divine mission by tempting him to sin. In this encounter, Jesus stands strong against the attack of the evil Deacon one, and thus provides for us all a great Brian Park model for how we can fight temptation when it inevitably comes our way. In fact, this Gospel passage teaches us several things about temptation and how to resist it as Jesus did. First, it is important to point out that the devil’s temptations began after Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and “he was hungry.” It is good to be aware of the fact that many of us are most vulnerable to temptations when our physical or emotional states are not in a good place. Here is a good acronym to remember: H.A.L.T. —which stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired.

Sunday Scriptures

Readings

Reflection

Sunday, Feb. 17 First Sunday of Lent

What is one way that you have found successful for resisting temptation? Is there a Scripture passage that helps you in this regard?

■ Deuteronomy 26:4-10 ■ Romans 10:8-13 ■ Luke 4:1-13

So, when you find yourself hungry, angry, lonely, and/or tired, then it is probably a good time to halt, to pause, to recognize the situation you are in and realize that you might be in a state where you are subject to some serious temptations to sin. Once you realize this, you can take pre-emptive measures against possible temptations by either doing something to fix your physical or emotional state, or begin seeking the Lord and asking for his help.

The power of the word Another key lesson about temptation that this Gospel passage teaches us is that the word of God has great power when one is being tempted. In each of the three temptations by the devil, Jesus responds by proclaiming the word of God. Thus, when we experience temptations, we should do as Jesus did: quickly bring to mind the truths found in the Scriptures.

Deacon Park is in formation for the priesthood at St. Paul Seminary for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. His home parish is St. Joseph in West St. Paul, and his teaching parish is St. Agnes in St. Paul.

Creation story isn’t science but reveals God’s love, pope says

Daily Scriptures Sunday, Feb. 17 First Sunday of Lent Deuteronomy 26:4-10 Romans 10:8-13 Luke 4:1-13

By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

Monday, Feb. 18 Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18 Matthew 25:31-46 Tuesday, Feb. 19 Isaiah 55:10-11 Matthew 6:7-15

Monday, Feb. 25 Daniel 9:4b-10 Luke 6:36-38

Wednesday, Feb. 20 Jonah 3:1-10 Luke 11:29-32

Tuesday, Feb. 26 Isaiah 1:10, 16-20 Matthew 23:1-12

Thursday, Feb. 21 St. Peter Damian, bishop and doctor of the Church Esther C (Chapter 4): 12, 14-16, 23-25 Matthew 7:7-12

Wednesday, Feb. 27 Jeremiah 18:18-20 Matthew 20:17-28

Friday, Feb. 22 The chair of St. Peter the Apostle 1 Peter 5:1-4 Matthew 16:13-19

Of course, in order to do this effectively, you have to be familiar with the Bible and know some of it by memory. A great practice to start this Lent would be memorizing Scripture. Pick a short passage (1-3 verses) and pray that Scripture, out loud, after every meal you eat. If you do this, you will be amazed at how quickly you can memorize different passages of Scripture, and thus be better prepared when temptation strikes. St. Paul says in the second reading for this Sunday, “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” All of us face temptation to sin, but never forget that God is always near to save us and help us remain faithful no matter what temptations we might face.

Thursday, Feb. 28 Jeremiah 17:5-10 Luke 16:19-31 Friday, March 1 Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28 Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46

Saturday, Feb. 23 Deuteronomy 26:16-19 Matthew 5:43-48

Saturday, March 2 Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Sunday, Feb. 24 Second Sunday of Lent Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18 Philippians 3:17 — 4:1 Luke 9:28b-36

Sunday, March 3 Third Sunday of Lent Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12 Luke 13:1-9

The biblical account of creation isn’t a textbook for science, Pope Benedict XVI said. Instead, the first chapter of Genesis reveals the fundamental truth about reality: that the world is not the result of chaos, but is born of and continually supported by God’s love, the pope said Feb. 6 at his weekly general audience. In a series of Year of Faith audience talks about the creed, Pope Benedict touched on the description of God as “creator of heaven and earth.” In an age of science and advanced technology, how are Catholics supposed to understand the Old Testament account of creation that says God created the heavens and earth in six days, and rested on the seventh? the pope asked. “The Bible isn’t meant to be a manual of natural science,” the pope told the estimated 5,000 visitors and pilgrims gathered for his audience. “Instead it is meant to make understandable the authentic and deep truth of all things,” he said.

Origin in the Word The creation account in Genesis reveals the fundamental truth that “the world is not a collection of opposing forces, but has its origin and steadiness in the Word, in the eternal reason of God, who con-

tinues to sustain the universe,” the pope said. The creation story also points to the fact, he said, that God has a plan for the world and for humanity, a plan that gives people “the courage to face the adventure of life with trust and hope.” It shows that everything God creates is “beautiful and good, filled with wisdom and love; God’s creative action brings order, leads to harmony and gives beauty,” Pope Benedict said. God created man and woman in his image and breathed life into the human form he molded out of clay from the earth, according to Genesis, the pope said. The biblical affirmation means that humanity is not self-made or god-like, but is united by the same origin despite cultural, historical and social differences. It also means, he said, that “we all carry in us the vital breath of God, and every human life, the Bible tells us, is under the specific protection of God.” “This is the most profound reason behind the inviolability of human dignity against every temptation to measure a person’s worth using criteria of utility and power,” he said. The description of the Garden of Eden means that God gave humanity, “not a wild forest, but a place that protects, nourishes and sustains,” he said.

“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” Theodore Roosevelt

Arts & Culture Exploring our church and our world

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

‘Bible’ miniseries aims for ‘emotional connection’ with viewers By Mark Pattison

U.S. Catholic bishops. Downey singled out Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, D.C., “who has been a great supporter and adviser to us for the last year or so,” she said. She and Burnett added later there were about 40 theological and biblical advisers who helped before and during filming. “We had a very great and warm reception,” Downey said, adding she had told the bishops that, while growing up in Derry, in Northern Ireland, “I went to a convent school and was educated by the Sisters of Mercy; the girls fondly named them the ‘Sisters of No Mercy,’ and it got a big laugh in the room.”

Catholic News Service

It took the combined clout of an actress best known for playing an angel and her big-ratings executive-producer husband, but Roma Downey and Mark Burnett have pulled off the making of a 10-hour miniseries, “The Bible,” that gets its premiere Sunday, March 3, on the History cable channel. The miniseries runs 7-9 p.m. Central time each Sunday in March through March 31, Easter Sunday. (Check local listings to confirm dates and times.) Downey’s career role was playing the angel Monica for nine seasons in the TV drama “Touched by an Angel.” Husband Burnett, whose U.S. TV hits include “Survivor,” “The Voice,” “The Apprentice,” “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” and “Shark Tank,” added his Hollywood muscle. “He doesn’t take no for an answer. When he hears ‘no,’ he just thinks of a new opportunity. When it was a tough sell, he just persevered,” Downey said of her husband. “He’s just like [St.] Paul, very courageous.”

Striving for reality Unlike other biblical films and TV miniseries, “The Bible” splits its 10 hours evenly between the Old and New Testaments. Another difference, according to Burnett: “For example, in a lot of older biblical films, it looks like a lot of the disciples,

Limited to 10 hours

CNS photo / Joe Alblas, courtesy Lightworkers Media

Roma Downey portrays Mary in a scene from the television miniseries “The Bible.” Downey and husband Mark Burnett produced the miniseries that will run on cable’s History Channel 7-9 p.m. Central time each Sunday in March through March 31, Easter Sunday.

Jesus, the Romans, stepped right out of a dry cleaner. Not a speck of dust on them. And the lighting didn’t feel real.” He surmised that such films were made “over the years [by] people with great hearts for service and faith, but with very little budget and very little experience, and sometimes the result isn’t optimal, and it’s not the best movie or show. . . . . History Channel provided us with a great

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budget, and I knew we wanted to make this emotionally connective, and very real for today’s audiences.” Burnett and Downey, who portrays Mary, the mother of Jesus in “The Bible, were interviewed by Catholic News Service prior to an invitation-only screening Feb. 5 in Washington. The day before, they were in Dallas, showing a 45-minute grouping of miniseries scenes to about 60

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“The Bible” used the same special effects team that won a special-effects Oscar for the period film “Gladiator.” It borrows a page from “Gladiator” and “The Passion of the Christ” in its depictions of violence and brutality. While some violence takes place off-screen, what’s not visible on the screen is still made plain by the sound effects. Even for Christians such as Downey and Burnett, “it’s very daunting to take on the Bible,” she told CNS. “We only had 10 hours to tell the story. We wish we had ten hundred hours. “We had to break it down. We wanted to make an emotional connection with the audience, to draw the audience in and tell the stories from a very human point of view. That meant we had to tell fewer stories.”

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS PROJECT MANAGER The Office of Communications of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is seeking an individual to lead marketing and communications projects in support of the priorities of the Office of Communications and other offices of the Archdiocese. This is a temporary position requiring 30-35 hours per week. Candidates should have the following attributes: • Business experience in marketing and communications project management as well as excellent organizational skills. • Ability to work cooperatively and productively on a team with a client-service orientation

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Visit www.archspm.org/careers for more information or to apply.

Calendar

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Dining out Fish fry at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Every Friday: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $10.95. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. Chicken and rib dinner at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Every Wednesday: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $12. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. KC pancake breakfast at St. Thomas the Apostle, St. Paul — February 17: 8 a.m. to noon at 2119 Stillwater Ave. Cost is $7 for adults and $5 for children 6 to 12. Pancake breakfast at Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights — February 17: 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. at 4030 Jackson St. N.E. Free will offering. KC pancake breakfast at St. Casimir, St. Paul — February 17: 8 a.m. to noon at 934 Geranium Ave. E. Cost is $7 for adults and $5 for children 6 to 12. Soup supper at St. Wenceslaus, New Prague — February 18: 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 215 Main St. E. Features Chili, vegetable beef and chicken noodle soup. Cost is $7.25 for adults and $25 per family. Religious education breakfast at Mary, Queen of Peace, Rogers — February 24: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 21304 Church Ave. Free will offering.

Parish events Father Steven Hoffman will speak at St. Helena, Minneapolis — February 15: 7:30 p.m. at 3204E. 43rd St. The topic of his talk is “The Challenge of Believing in God’s Love and Receiving it.” Cost is $5. Spaghetti dinner at St. Canice, Kilkenny — February 16: 4 to 7 p.m. at 183 Maple St. Lt. Col. Mark M. Weber, author of “Tell My Sons,” will speak at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $7 for adults and $4 for children 6 to 12. Proceeds benefit youth attending Steubenville North Conference and a mission trip. For information on LT. Col. Weber, visit WWW.TELLMYSONS. COM. “Basic Teachings of the Catholic Church” an 8-part series at St. Helena, Minneapolis — Mondays February 18 to April 8: 7:30 to 9 p.m. at 3204 S. 43rd St. Series will be taught by Father James Reidy. The only cost is for books, $14.95. For more information or to register, call (612) 729-7321. Family education evening at St. Peter, Forest Lake — February 21: 6:30 p.m. at 1250 South Shore Drive. Speaker is Ray Guarendi, clinical psychologist, author and EWTN radio and TV personality. He will speak on “Standing Strong as a Parent.” Childcare provided, register before February 15. For information, call (651) 982-2235. Author Liz Kelly to speak at St. Mark, St. Paul — February 22: 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 1976 Dayton Ave. Topic is “Reasons I Love Being a Catholic.” Soup supper before presentation and Stations of the Cross immediately follow. Free will offering. Father John Paul Echert will speak at St. Helena, Minneapolis — February 22: 7:30 p.m. at 3204E. 43rd St. The topic of his talk is “The Seven Sorrows of Mary.” Cost is $5. Consortium Carissimi early music ensemble concert at the Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis — February 22 and 24: 8 p.m. Friday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday at 88 N. 17th St. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for seniors and students and are available at the door or online at WWW.CONSORTIUMCARISSIMI.ORG.

information, call (651) 439-9098.

Lenten dinners

Healing Mass at St. Joseph, Hopkins — February 19: Rosary at 7 p.m. followed by Mass at 1310 Mainstreet.

The following is a list of parishes and schools hosting fish fries or dinners during the Lenten season. The dinners are fish fries unless otherwise noted.:

Prayer service for life at Lumen Christi, St. Paul — February 27: 7 p.m. at 2055 Bohland Ave. A reception will follow.

February 14 (Thursday): St. Jerome, Maplewood — soup supper follows Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m. at 380 E. Roselawn.

February 15: St. Peter School, North St. Paul — 4 to 7 p.m. at 2620 N. Margaret St. Holy Family, St. Louis Park — 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 5900 W. Lake St. Guardian Angels, Chaska — 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 217 Second St. Holy Cross, Minneapolis — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1621 University Ave. N.E. St. Pascal Baylon, St. Paul — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 1757 Conway St. Holy Family Maronite Church, Mendota Heights — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Hastings — 3:45 to 5 p.m. and 5:15 to 7 p.m. at 600 Tyler St. St. Matthew, St. Paul — 4 to 7:30 p.m. at 510 Hall Ave. St. Albert the Great, Minneapolis — 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the corner of E. 29th Street and 32nd Avenue S. St. Peter, Forest Lake — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1250 S. Shore Drive. Sacred Heart, Robbinsdale — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 4087 W. Broadway Ave. St. Michael, Pine Island — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 451 Fifth St. S.W. St. Timothy, Blaine — 5 to 7 p.m. at 707 89th Ave N.E. Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — Mexican enchilada dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St. (Enchiladas also sold by the dozen) Good Shepherd, Golden Valley — 5 to 7 p.m. at 145 Jersey Ave. S. St. Bernard, St. Paul — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the corner of Rice Street and Geranium Avenue. St. Michael, Prior Lake – 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 16311 Duluth Ave. Menu also includes macaroni and cheese. Knights of Columbus, Faribault — 5 to 7 p.m. at 17 N.E. Third St. Knights of Columbus, Shakopee — 5 to 7:30 p.m. at 1760 Fourth Ave. E.

February 20 (Wednesday): Holy Cross, Minneapolis — soup supper from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Kolbe Center on 17th Avenue and 14th Street N.E.

February 21 (Thursday): St. Jerome, Maplewood — soup supper follows Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m. Author Liz Kelly to speak at St. Mark, St. Paul — February 23: 9 to 10 a.m. at 1976 Dayton Ave. Topic is the “The Seven Last Utterances, A Lenten Reflection.” Coffee and rolls before the presentation and eucharistic adoration immediately following. Free will offering. KC Bingo and spaghetti dinner at St. Michael, Farmington — February 23: 5:30 p.m. at 22120 Denmark Ave. Cost is $7.50 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12 and $25 for a family. Men’s breakfast at St. Helena, Minneapolis — February 23: Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at 3204 E. 43rd St. Bishop Lee Piché will speak

Singles at 380 E. Roselawn.

February 22: Holy Cross, Minneapolis — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1621 University Ave. N.E. Our Lady of Peace, Minneapolis — 5 to 7:30 p.m. at 5426 12th Ave. S. Holy Family, St. Louis Park — 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at 5900 W. Lake St. St. Pascal Baylon, St. Paul — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 1757 Conway St. Holy Family Maronite Church, Mendota Heights — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1960 Lexington Ave. S. St. Matthew, St. Paul — 4 to 7:30 p.m. at 510 Hall Ave. St. Albert the Great, Minneapolis — 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the corner of E. 29th Street and 32nd Avenue S. St. Peter, Forest Lake — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1250 S. Shore Drive. Sacred Heart, Robbinsdale — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 4087 W. Broadway Ave. St. Michael, Pine Island — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at 451 Fifth St. S.W. St. Timothy, Blaine — 5 to 7 p.m. at 707 89th Ave N.E. Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — Mexican enchilada dinner from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 401 Concord St. (Enchiladas also sold by the dozen) St. Peter, Mendota — 5 to 7 p.m. at 1405 Highway 13. St. Bernard, St. Paul — 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the corner of Rice Street and Geranium Avenue. St. Anne, Hamel — 4 to 7 p.m. At 200 Hamel Road. Knights of Columbus, Faribault — 5 to 7 p.m. at 17 N.E. Third St. Knights of Columbus, Shakopee — 5 to 7:30 p.m. at 1760 Fourth Ave. E. St. Joseph, Rosemount — 6 p.m. at 13900 Biscayne Ave. W.

February 27 (Wednesday): Holy Cross, Minneapolis — soup supper from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Kolbe Center on 17th Avenue and 14th Street N.E.

February 28 (Thursday): St. Jerome, Maplewood — soup supper follows Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m. at 380 E. Roselawn. about “Spreading the Faith” after breakfast. Cost is $5. Reservations must be made in advance by calling (612) 729-7321 or email JOHNSONDAG@SAINTHELENA.US.

Prayer/ liturgies Sant’Egidio Community Evening Prayer at St. Richard, Richfield — every Thursday: 7 p.m. at 7540 Penn Ave. S. Legion of Mary prayers in front of Planned Parenthood, St. Paul — Every Friday: 3 p.m. at the corner of Vandalia and Charles. For

Sunday Spirits walking group for 50-plus Catholic singles — ongoing Sundays: For Catholic singles to meet and make friends. The group usually meets in St. Paul on Sunday afternoons. For information, call Judy at (763) 221-3040 or Al at (651) 482-0406. Singles group at St. Vincent de Paul, Brooklyn Park — ongoing second Saturday each month: 6:15 p.m. at 9100 93rd Ave. N. Gather for a potluck supper, conversation and games. For information, call (763) 4250412.

School events Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten tours at St. Rose of Lima School, Roseville — February 21 and 26: 9 a.m. Thursday and 6:30 p.m. the following Tuesday at 2072 N. Hamline Ave. for information, visit WWW.SAINTROSE OFLIMA.NET.

Other events Third quarterly meeting of the St. Paul Deanery Council of Catholic Women at Holy Childhood — February 21: Begins at 8:30 a.m. at 1435 Midway Parkway. Morning of Reflection is entitled "Friendship of Women" by Sharon Horgan, former director of catechesis for the archdiocese. Cost is $12. RSVP by February 19, by calling (651) 261-2534. All women are invited to attend.

Retreats Day of recollection for care givers at Annunciation, Minneapolis — February 16: 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 509 W. 54th St. Event for care givers includes Mass, adoration, conferences, and the sacrament of reconciliation. A care giver is anyone who lives, works or regularly visits persons with serious illnesses or disabilities. Cost is $15 with lunch provided. For information, or to register, call (651) 291-4543 by Feb. 8. Women’s Lenten retreat at Holy Spirit, St. Paul — February 23: 8 a.m. to noon at 515 S. Albert St. Explore “Faith in the New Evangelization” with prayer, sacraments, reflection and a presentation by Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn. Cost is $10, Register online by Feb. 20 at HTTPS://GIVING.ARCH SPM.ORG/LWR. Women’s Lenten retreat at Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights — February 23: 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 4030 Jackson St. N.E. Speaker is Gina Bauer. Cost is $10 and lunch is included. Reservations required by February 18 by calling (763) 788-1897. Women’s Lenten retreat at St. Agnes, St. Paul — February 23: 8 to 11 a.m. at 548 Lafond Ave. Features an inspirational talk by Dia Boyle on “Family, Friends, and Saving Civilization,” Latin High Mass, adoration, benediction and the rosary. Open to all women 18 years and older. Event is free. Continental breakfast will be served. Call (651) 925-8809 to RSVP.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Seminary rector admires pope’s example of giving ‘the best we can to the Lord’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 that his thought has helped bring about a great renewal of theology, especially in the liturgy and in biblical theology,” he said.

Strong legacy The pope faced significant challenges during his papacy and came out with statements about relativism, pluralism and secularism, said Snyder, who studied the Holy Father’s work in graduate school at the University of St. Thomas. “I think he will go down as one who looked very keenly at society and took on the drift of a secular culture,” he said. Said Roz Garner, a parishioner at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis: “I think this is a wake-up call for all Catholics. As Catholics we need to obey what the pope said. This is the Year of Faith. We need to know our faith. We need to learn it. We need to share it. We need to teach it from the rooftops, the rafters, every square corner.”

At the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul, the impact of the pope’s decision is being felt, according to Msgr. Aloysius Callaghan, rector of the seminary. But the pontiff’s legacy will go on. “He’s a great example to us all to recognize and give the best we can to the Lord in the work we do,” Msgr. Callaghan said. “Now he realizes what he can do best is live a life of prayer and contemplation as the best way to serve.”

Growing ever younger Deacon Howe said his years in Rome have strengthened his gratitude for the Holy Father: “Ours is a faith of spiritual childlikeness and I have seen in [Pope Benedict] something of what [English writer] G.K. Chesterton observed about the Church as a whole, that as the world grows tired and old, the Church grows ever younger and more vital in faith.”

Last resignation was 600 years ago CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 prompted by any medical illness, but was due to a natural “decline of strength” associated with old age. Even though the announcement had caught almost everybody by surprise, it was not a snap decision, but rather one that “had matured over the past few months,” Father Lombardi said. The pope made his announcement in Latin from a pre-written text during a morning ordinary public consistory where a large number of cardinals were present. Fulfilling the canonical requirement, Pope Benedict solemnly declared to the cardinals, “Well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of St. Peter, entrusted to me by the cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of St. Peter, will be vacant and a conclave to elect the new supreme pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.” It is up to the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, to make preparations for a conclave to elect a new pope. Father Lombardi said after the pope steps down, he will move to the papal villa in Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome. He will stay there until the renovation is completed of a cloister, set up by Blessed John Paul II, which is located inside the Vatican Gardens, he said. The pope will then live in the cloister, called the Mater Ecclesia monastery, and dedicate his time to prayer and reflection, the Vatican spokesman said.

No interference When asked if there would be any confusion over leadership or a schism were a possibility, Father Lombardi said he believes the pope “had no fear of this” happening because he clearly demonstrated his desire to step down and no longer be pope or retain any papal authority. The pope, who is past the age allowed a cardinal to vote for a new pope, will

obviously not be part of the conclave that will convene to elect his successor, he added. He is not likely to play any role in the “interregnum” or time between popes because “there is no role for a predecessor pope” during this period, the priest said. The Jesuit priest said a “sede vacante” usually lasts less than a month, and that it was more than likely a new pope would be elected in time to lead the full schedule of Holy Week and Easter liturgies. When asked why the pope chose Feb. 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, as the day to announce his stepping down, Father Lombardi said most likely the date was a coincidence, and that the pope instead chose an event — the ordinary public consistory — where a large number of cardinals would be present. When asked whether the pope had any medical illnesses or bouts of depression that may have prompted his resignation, Father Lombardi said the pope was “absolutely not” depressed and possessed a remarkable “spiritual serenity” and composure despite the many difficult moments he has had to face as pope. The pope has increasingly had trouble walking in the past year, often using a cane and always being assisted getting up and down steps. However, the Vatican has never released medical information that would make it appear the pope suffers from anything other than joint pain connected to his age. The option of a pope to resign is explicitly written into the Code of Canon Law. It says a pope may step down, but stipulates that the decision must be made freely and “duly manifested.” No one needs to formally accept a pope’s resignation for it to be valid. The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII in 1415. Pope Benedict had long said it would be appropriate for a pope to resign for the good of the church if the pontiff felt he were unable to physically bear the burden of the papacy.

For St. Thomas coach, there’s no conflict between family, football CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 She informed him that she already had a boyfriend. Then, before he could say ouch, he shot back that she should go and tell the boyfriend thanks, but she was going to end that relationship and begin another, one that had long-term potential. “She thought I was just nuts, and I was dead serious,” he said. Nine months later, she agreed to go out. Today, she not only is his wife and mother to their kids, but an important part of the team. “She is absolutely the head coach of our operation,” he said. “I say all the time I have three kids but she has four because she’s got to deal with me, in addition to the 8-year-old and the 7-year-old and the 5-year-old. Her selfless nature and her true care for other people is the reason why I am able to do what I do.” “And,” he added, “she takes a great deal of pride in our team, as she should because even though she is not the one who has the quotes in the paper and she’s not the one who’s picture is up on the website, she is every bit the one that allows us to be high functioning here.” Although she doesn’t get involved in recruiting players, her offspring serve as an important barometer of a player’s character. “Our kids are at practice probably twice a week and hanging out with them [players] all the time,” he said. “I believe you can tell a lot about a player by how he handles it when you put your 5-year-old on his lap. You can tell a lot about who that person is and how he was raised and how he deals with kids.”

Aiming high For Caruso, there is no conflict between football and family. And, that’s a big reason why he is happy at St. Thomas and

why he has no interest in moving on in his coaching career, despite that his success surely by now has drawn the attention of colleges higher up the NCAA ladder. “I’m so confident in what we have going on here at St. Thomas, the idea that I can meld the only two things I really put the vast majority of my time into — my family at home and our family here,” he said. “I don’t have a lot of hobbies. I don’t like hunting or fishing, I’m not a snowshoer, I’m not a guy who vacations all over the place, I don’t drive fancy cars. But the things that I’m passionate about are those two [family and football].” That said, he is not shy about admitting that, as much as he tries to learn from failures, he nevertheless wants to achieve the ultimate goal – a national championship. “That’s been the goal from day one,” he said. “And, as long as I am the head football coach at the University of St. Thomas, that will never change. I’m just not a believer in setting goals any lower than the absolute top. I’ve been like that since I can remember, and I will never change that. So, I have no problem saying that’s the goal. It will be every single year I’m the head football coach here.” Yet, he will not leave his family in the dust as he goes after this goal. He already thinks ahead to his funeral, where he is certain that whoever gives the eulogy will not talk about trophies or championships. Rather, they will talk about the job he did at home. “I love winning. You’re probably not going to meet a guy that’s more competitive than me,” he said. “But, even though I’m still that competitive, at the end of the day, it pales in comparison to how good of a father and how good of a husband I am.”

Lent is time of renewal, conversion CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 world to concentrate on the good that awaits us in the Kingdom. While these three activities are external, they are meant to call forth a result that is internal to the believer. I heartily recommend each of us making a specific resolution in each of these areas this Lent. Of course, our Lenten works should by their very nature lead us to celebrate the sacrament of penance/reconciliation wherein we confess our sins out loud and then hear the words of Christ’s forgiveness.

Time of renewal In his Lenten message, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, “The Lenten period is a favorable time to recognize our weakness and to accept, through a sincere inventory of our life, the renewing Grace of the Sacrament of Penance and walk resolutely towards Christ.” This time of renewal also should lead us to a more dedicated resolve to reach out to the poor, the sick and the stranger in our midst. The love of God when personally experienced flows over into the love of neighbor. My dear friends, let us plan to make this Lent the best one yet. Let us take

“Our Lenten works

should by their very nature lead us to celebrate the sacrament of penance/reconciliation wherein we confess our sins out loud and then hear the words of Christ’s forgiveness.

”

ARCHBISHOP JOHN NIENSTEDT

Jesus at his word when he says, “I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners” (Luke 5:32). Let us swallow our pride in order to hear that call and then let us roll up our sleeves to begin anew on the road to conversion, the road to Easter, the road to the Kingdom. God bless you!

FEBRUARY 14, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

New Vatican guidebook gives tourist tips, scholarly details Catholic News Service The official Vatican City travel guide was released, aimed at making life easier for pilgrims and tourists, and offering accurate and exhaustive details for scholars and historians. The “General Guide to Vatican City” says it’s trying to fill the gap created over the 80 years since the Vatican published its first official guide one year after the city-state was established in 1929. Even though there are many other travel guides out there, “what was still

missing was an essential, rigorous work that illustrates” every aspect of Vatican City, the guide’s introduction says. The dark blue paperback was published in English, Spanish, French and Italian in a joint venture by Jaca Book — a Milanese publishing company — the Vatican Museums and the Vatican publishing house, Libreria Editrice Vaticana. In 447 pages, the 2012 guide packs in colorful photos, maps, contact information and extensive details about the artistic, archaeological, architectural and historical patrimony housed on Vatican City

State’s 109 acres. The smallest country in the world has “one of the highest concentrations of art works in the world,” the guide says.

Expert views What makes the guide unlike other travel guides is that the sections about the Vatican Museums were written by the museum departments’ own curators; the sections on the Vatican Library and Secret Archives were written by the offices’ top officials; and other sections were written by Vatican experts or top-notch outside

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“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Nelson Mandela

Overheard FEBRUARY 14, 2013

Quotes from this week’s newsmakers

Catholic Schools Week

A student’s reflection

Photo courtesy of Divine Mercy Catholic School

On Wednesday, January 30, students from Divine Mercy Catholic School and Bethlehem Academy began their school day celebrating Mass with Archbishop [John] Nienstedt. Our entire school community, from preschool through grade twelve, gathered together in prayer showing tremendous unity as a Catholic school family. In addition, many of our parents and grandparents were able to join us too. Being chosen as an altar server for the Mass made me feel honored and humbled. When the archbishop arrived, I was able to introduce myself to him and shake his hand. Not only did I truly feel holiness in his presence, I was amazed at how fancy and ornate his vestments were. Because my dad had told me the archbishop often begins his homilies with a song, I was not surprised when “Like a Shepherd” flowed tunefully and confidently from his lips. The students from Bethlehem Academy were a great example to those of us at Divine Mercy. They taught us reverence through their prayerfulness and by the way they were dressed. Yet on the other hand, we at the elementary school were able to remind our B.A. buddies what it means to sing and worship freely. I can’t think of a better way to start a school day, especially during Catholic Schools’ Week! Celebrating the Eucharist with Archbishop Nienstedt, our two priests (Fr. Finnegan and Fr. Lundgren), classmates, and even some grandparents, kept me inspired throughout the day. We, in Faribault, were blessed to have several generations of Catholic school supporters celebrating Mass together.

Photo courtesy of St. Croix Catholic School

St. Croix Catholic School in Stillwater held its second annual day-long “Faith Rally” on Jan. 31. The day of faith started with an all-school Mass, followed by the demonstration of a living rosary, saint activities, service projects, and prayer. Above, Ben Corbid, a 7th-grader, works with kindergartener Chase Yocum to create a rosary bracelet during the service project portion of the day.

Three coaches inducted into CAA Hall of Fame

Celebrating

Archbishop John Nienstedt greets kindergarteners Anna Tobin and Noah Casper as they bring him the gifts during a Catholic Schools Week Mass Jan. 30 at Divine Mercy in Faribault. Mitchell Malecha, a junior at Bethlehem Academy, looks on.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Griffin Malecha Grade 6 Divine Mercy Catholic School Faribault

The Catholic Athletic Association inducted three men into its Hall of Fame Feb. 11 at Mendakota Country Club in Mendota Heights. All three are long-time participants in the program, which serves Catholic grade school students in the St. Paul area. Inductees are Bob Doane, Ted Steichen and Bob Tschida. The Doane is a longCatholic Spirit time coach at Nativity of Our Lord School, in St. Paul. He coached swimming track, basketball and baseball. He coached swimming for 34 years, and noted in his acceptance speech that his girls track team never lost a meet during the years he coached. He attended Holy Spirit School in St. Paul. Tschida, who also went to grade school at Holy Spirit, has coached baseball at Highland Catholic School in St. Paul since 1984. Among the many athletes he has coached are Jack and Buzz Hannahan, who both attended the school. Jack, a Major League baseball player in his seventh season, signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds in December. Buzz also has played professional baseball and now lives in Rochester. Prior to Highland Catholic, Tschida coached at Immaculate Heart of Mary-St. Luke School in St. Paul. Steichen, who attended St. Agnes School in St. Paul through 12th grade, was owner of Steichen’s Sporting Goods in Roseville, which closed in 2012 after opening in 1954. Steichen, who retired from the business in 1999, supplied uniforms and other equipment to CAA, often at a substantial discount. The CAA, which is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year, serves more than 5,000 kids annually from about 50 schools in St. Paul and the surrounding suburbs.

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FEBRUARY 14,2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

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Lent

Learning more about our faith The Catholic Spirit’s 4-page Rediscover: pullout section in each issue of 2013 highlights a new Rediscover: theme for you to reflect on and discuss with others. Coming up FEB. 28: Who is Jesus?

Penitential season a time to ‘repent and believe in the Gospel’

HEART OF THE MATTER Father Michael VAN SLOUN

ent is a penitential season. The words of Jesus that are used for the signing of foreheads with ashes on Ash Wednesday provide the double focus of Lent: “Repent and believe in the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). Lent is a time to repent or to turn away from sin. Repentance involves an examination of our lives, the humble admission of our wrongdoing, genuine sorrow or contrition for the sins we have committed, a thorough housecleaning and elimination of all of our evil thoughts and deeds, a firm resolve to live a better life, and the confession of our sins. Lent is also a time to believe in the Gospel. When the house is swept clean, it must not be left empty (see Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26). Lent is a time to “redecorate,” to get rid of the dirty rugs, the tattered sofa and the discolored drapes — all symbols for sin — and to refurnish the house with new, clean, well-made items: wholesome thoughts and desires, the practice of the virtues, good habits, good deeds, upright conduct and decency: a rebirth and renewal in grace and

The Catholic Spirit • February 14, 2013

holiness. Fasting (no solid food between meals) and abstinence (no meat) are required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstinence is required on all of the Fridays of Lent (see regulations on page 14). The penitential practices are prayer, fasting or self-denial, almsgiving and works of charity, and all four are highly recommended throughout Lent.

Liturgical modifications The Gloria and the Alleluia verse before the Gospel are eliminated during Lent, and a special Prayer over the People after the Prayer after Communion is added. For parishes with a Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program, the Scrutinies are celebrated on the third, fourth and fifth Sundays of Lent. Flowers and other decorations are to be kept to a minimum or eliminated entirely. The color for Lent is violet or purple, a somber color that represents mourning, suffering, humility, contrition and the Please turn to LENT on section’s third page

Rediscover-faith.org

“Lent is a time to ‘redecorate’ [our lives], to get rid of the dirty rugs, the tattered sofa and the discolored drapes — all symbols for sin — and to refurnish the house with new, clean, well-made items: wholesome thoughts and desires, the practice of the virtues, good habits, good deeds, upright conduct and decency.” Father Michael Van Sloun

Prayerful giants Prayerlessness is one of the great torments of modern times. For decades, the time we spend in focused prayer has been diminishing as our lives have become busier and busier. We have fallen into the tyranny of the urgent, which demands that we rush from one urgent thing to the next. The problem with this is that the most important things are hardly ever urgent. This can leave us always doing urgent things but never doing important things. It is these most important things that we are never getting around to in this cycle. Prayer is one of those important things, and among the highest CELEBRATING priority. Prayer helps us to identify what matters most and strengthens our hearts and minds to give priority CATHOLICISM to those things in our daily lives. What could be more important than prayer? Matthew Prayerlessness distorts the human person. Without KELLY prayer, over time we forget the attitudes and qualities that make us uniquely human (compassion, generosity, humility, fortitude) and we become more and more like mere animals. Prayer leads us to catch a glimpse of the best version of ourselves, and it helps us to develop the virtue necessary to celebrate our best selves. If you watch your evening news tonight you will discover that the world desperately needs men and women of prayer and virtue. People in your neighborhood need More online your prayers, your parish needs your prayers, and your colleagues at work need your prayers. Visit REDISCOVEROver the years I have encountered many FAITH.ORG to read great families in my travels. A number of years another article by ago I started trying to work out what made Matthew Kelly about a these families so steadfast and full of life. World War II soldier Tolstoy begins the epic novel “Anna Karenina” who was a with these lines: “Happy families are all alike; “prayerful every unhappy family is unhappy in its own giant.” way.” What I have discovered is that all the great families I have encountered have a “giant of prayer.” These prayerful giants pray constantly for their families, surrounding them with God’s protection. Somewhere in their not-too-distant past is a person who was a prayerful giant. A prayerful giant is a person who covers their family with prayer, anchoring the family in God’s grace. Sometimes it is the grandmother or grandfather, the mother or father, an uncle or aunt. And, from time to time, you have to go back two or three generations, sometimes more. But you always find a prayerful giant in their family tree. Every family needs a cornerstone of prayer to pray for the family, now and in the future. I suppose if a family gets far enough down the road from that prayerful giant without raising up another, its members begin to lose their way. Does it take a generation or two, or three or four? I don’t know. I suppose it depends on many variables. But in each generation, each family needs at least one of these men and women of faithful prayer to guide and protect it.

Community of prayer Have you ever known a really prayerful person? What did you notice about that person? Your family, your parish, the Church, and the world need you to become a giant of prayer. Personal prayer is a deepening of your relationship with God, discovering who God is calling you to be for him and for others. The liturgical prayer of Sunday Mass is the prayer of the whole Church gathered as a public proclamation of who we are as Catholics. What you bring to Mass on Sunday is your prayer life, and the deeper it is, the more deeply you can enter into the public expression of the faith of the Church. The Mass is not simply about you; it is the whole Church gathered as a sign of hope to the world. A community at prayer is a beautiful thing. This Lent I encourage you to begin (or renew) your commitment to a life of prayer today. If you do, I am confident that you will find it is a faithful guide that will lead you deep into a lifelong friendship with God. What are you going to do in this life that is more fulfilling than developing a friendship with God? One of the great moments in the life of a Christian comes when we realize, once and for all, that a life with prayer is better than a life without prayer. Will this be just another Lent or a life-changing time of renewal? Kelly is an international best-selling author, speaker and founder of The Dynamic Catholic Institute.

The Catholic Spirit • February 14, 2013

Lent in letters: Two women d By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

What does reading a book from a rooftop in Manhattan have to do with Lent? Plenty for two women who forged a friendship through that experience and, within a year, made a commitment to write each other a letter every day during Lent 2005. Amy Andrews and Jessica Mesman Griffith met in the spring of 2004 during a creative writing workshop at the University of Pittsburgh. Both were graduate students there at the time and found out quickly that they shared a common desire to explore matters of faith. A few months later, after moving apart, they made their decision to write each other. With only a couple of slips, they managed to stay true to their promise. In fact, the writing has continued off and on to this day, ‘Love and Salt’ even though both are married with children. Their mostly-handwritten mailings express an intimate view of book quotes life and the struggle to find meaning in both the Catholic faith “When I was twelve, and the sacrificial season leading up to Easter Sunday. the year before Mom got And recently, they decided to let the world in on their private sick, she and I made a correspondence. They have published a book entitled, “Love & Lenten promise together Salt: A Spiritual Friendship Shared in Letters (Loyola Press).” to go to Mass every day Different upbringings until Easter Sunday. I Amy and Jess, as they call each other in their letters, come from don’t remember going to vastly different spiritual backgrounds. Jess was raised Catholic in a church any other time suburb of New Orleans, but her father abandoned the Church besides Christmas and Easter, not even holy days. after his wife died during Jess’s childhood. She went through a period of questioning, then eventually rediscovered her Catholic But, I remember those faith as an adult. Lenten Masses. . . . I’m Amy, on the other hand, grew up in what she calls an sure this is one reason I “agnostic/atheistic” household, and knew nothing of the Catholic have loved our letters so Church. Yet, she found herself asking questions about God. much, because they are The women, and their dual journeys of spiritual searching, restoring this memory joined together on a rooftop in New York City during a for me, that feeling of networking trip to wrap up their writing workshop. They added being one of two women talking, sharing something an extra day to their trip to walk and talk on the streets of the city that never sleeps. that is ours alone. In our Navigating the skyscraper-laden avenues of the bustling city, own way, we too are they happened to walk into a small bookstore. walking together toward Not knowing exactly why, Amy grabbed a paperback copy of the church.” — Jessica the Old Testament’s Book of Ruth. She bought it, and they broke it Mesman Griffith open at the apartment building where a friend lived. “We ended up reading it together aloud on the rooftop,” said Jess, 36. “We were just sort of overcome by this story. I think “I began Lent by reading it aloud to each other is sort of a strange thing to do with announcing my lack of a new friend — sit together and read aloud from the Bible. But, desire for God, but now there was something in that reading aloud together that made it I think it wasn’t that I feel like prayer.” didn’t desire God, but They were reading Chapter 1 and when they got to Verse 16, it that I failed to see that grabbed them both: “Wherever you go I will go, wherever you what I was desiring was lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people and your God, in fact God. I failed to my God.” imagine [St.Teresa of In the story, a Jewish woman named Naomi suffered the death Avila’s] incarnate God of her husband and later, her two sons. One of the daughters-inwho dwells in the law, Ruth, chose to stay with Naomi rather than return to her innermost chamber of native land, making her intentions clear with the passionate our souls, who pledge quoted above. permeates our loves and A similar bond was formed on the Manhattan rooftop that day. losses.” “I don’t even know that we recognized that by saying that — Amy Andrews aloud, we were kind of making a vow to each other,” Jess said. “It was only in hindsight that we realized that’s what we had done. And, it really gave us strength through the really hard times, to go back to that moment and remember that story and that prayer.”

Lenten discipline

Jessica

Far fro and dee Joys, sor continu of Lent. “I thin entered Easter th the exer Said J think I h the pow someon The e during t new me Decemb tragedy “The going to Amy sai if we ha other.” It actu publish for work unneces What them to somethi “That we did t story. W had writ

Not long after that night, the two women parted, Jess for South Bend, Ind., where she would take a job at the University of Notre Dame, and Amy for DePaul University in One m Chicago where she would teach mathematics. Engaged to their husbands at the time of the And, workshop, both got married in the next few months. And, their new and busy lives seemed Dave, an to cool the relationship. children “We moved apart and it was like our friendship almost ended for several months,” said Thoug Amy, 42. “We had a few conversations and they were short and awkward. pledge o “Jess came to visit me shortly before Lent. I had decided to convert and become Catholic, and I had asked her to be my sponsor. So, on that visit, we were talking about how we would have this relationship In their own words through Lent leading up to Easter. We decided, and I don’t remember Visit Rediscover-faith.org exactly how, that we would write letters. We thought of it as a Lenten discipline, which really excited us — the idea of something difficult to Amy and Jess talk about t that we could do every single day.”

journey of faith.

deepen faith, friendship

Photo by John Casteen

Mesman Griffith, left, and Amy Andrews.

om being brief thoughts on the mundane aspects of life, the letters were lengthy ep, probing some of life’s toughest questions, like why a loving God allows suffering. rrows, anxieties, frustrations and reflections all are woven together into a uous string of writings that helped Amy discover — and Jess rediscover — the season

nk through writing these letters and having this daily observance, I have really that story of Lent for the first time,” Amy said. “And, I just never felt the joy of he way that I did that Easter [in 2005] because I felt like I had really been through rcise of Lent.” ess: “I had been through Lent countless times and yet I had never really engaged. I had gone through the motions, but I had never really understood the purpose or wer of some of these traditions. And so, to be a sponsor and to be walking with ne who is converting . . . was just a completely life-changing experience.” xperience has continued beyond 2005. Amy and Jess wrote letters to each other the next two Lenten seasons, though not as frequently. The second year brought eaning and intensity to the letters, as Jess gave birth to a daughter, Charlotte, in ber 2005, and Amy was due to give birth six months later, but instead faced the of a stillborn child in May 2006. devastation of losing that dream [of having a child] and realizing that Jess’s life was o go forward and mine was not would have been intolerable without our letters,” id. “I don’t know how we would have continued talking or making our way forward adn’t had this quiet, private way of pouring out our thoughts and our grief to each

ually was during a time when the two lived near each other that they decided to the letters. They both ended up on the campus of Sweet Briar College in Virginia k purposes for the 2008-09 academic year. Their proximity rendered letters ssary, even though they tried to find creative ways to keep them going. t they ended up doing was making copies of all their previous letters, then binding ogether and giving each other a copy. They also read them all, and realized there was ing worthwhile for a larger audience. t was the first time we read through them in their entirety,” said Jess. “And, when that, we were just really struck by the story they told. We never intended to tell a We were just writing our daily letters. . . . It really seemed like this wasn’t a story we tten, this was a story that God had written, and we had lived it.”

more time

they continue to live it today, with Jess still living at Sweet Briar with her husband, nd two children, and Amy living in Chicago with her husband, Mark, and two n. gh their lives are as busy as ever, they have decided, one more time, to make the of writing a letter to each other every day this Lent. “The letters are so tied to Lent. . . . We really live Lent in our letters,” Jess said. “We have kind of fallen short the past few years. . . . Now that this book is out in the world, we are ready to commit ourselves again to try and do that letter a day this Lent.”

g to listen heir

Desert silence for a noisy culture The same first reading beckons to us every Ash Wednesday: “Return to me with your whole heart.” And every year the words feel new and necessary. It is a comforting, heartbreaking invitation: God shows nothing but love for the prodigal children we all can be. He yearns for each of us, and he gives us the season of Lent to crawl back into his arms, wounded and thirsty. Even if you’re not engaged in the Catholic Church, even if it’s been years since you slid in a pew and bowed on a kneeler, I bet that you, like me, feel a deep-down need for Lent. It’s a 40-day cure for our age of excess, a season for giving up, not heaping on, for slowing down, not speeding up. “I think I’ve been in a hurry for almost seven years,” an Illinois mother wrote on her blog last month. We’re thrown so many fast fixes and shiny solutions these days that it’s hard to identify the reason something’s off, why more can feel like less. The real problem, the source of our restlessness, is only satisfied by God. That “holy longing,” as author Father Ron Rolheiser put it, is often REFERENCE POINTS muffled by the noise in our lives — the clattering and clamoring that ring in our minds like an echo chamber, even after we lay down our heads and close our eyes. Christina I find it interesting that the majority of Catholics — including a number CAPECCHI who attend Mass just a few times a year — abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent. They want to remember what it’s like to go without. In an era of instant gratification, they long to exercise discipline, to say no, even if the buffalo wings are half off. We enter into Lent because Jesus retreated for 40 days in the desert, immersing in prayer and withstanding temptation. My husband and I once stood at the base of the staggering Mount of Temptation, craning our necks and squinting as we imagined the profound spiritual journey that happened there. Years later what I remember most is the unyielding For reflection sun, how dry and dusty it was, how my contacts What’s one concrete thing you will burned and we sought shelter under a canopy. do this Lent to tune out the busyness Our tour guide, Wisam, a Catholic from Palestine, of everyday life and tune in more told us he visits the Mount of Temptation for soothing deeply to God? whenever he’s angry. God always spoke to those in desert silence, he said. Monks began settling into those scorched mountains outside Jericho back in the fourth century, coming to number more than 50,000 over the span of two centuries. Wisam thinks the Catholic Church wouldn’t look the same today had those men not endured the heat and silence, building interior lives that gave rise to cathedrals and catechisms. One of the insights of my 20s has been an appreciation of life’s cycles, the mile markers of our earthly journey: Fat Tuesday followed by Ash Wednesday, winter answered by spring, Good Friday resolved by Easter Sunday. These contrasts give life its contours. I’ve learned to be patient because we develop in spurts: in skills, in faith, in relationship and in self knowledge. You never know what breakthrough is right around the corner, so we press forward, mining a new day for all its possibilities. Rebuilding a stalled spiritual life begins by relaxing your standards: Prayer is not judged for correctness or righteousness. There’s no report card or extra credit. It’s not about the words but the position of your heart, reflecting on God’s will and dwelling in his love. It’s never too late to begin anew: “Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart.” Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights.

Lent is time to prepare for Sacred Triduum Continued from first page willingness to do penance. Purple is associated with suffering because Jesus was clothed with a purple cloak when he was mocked by the soldiers during his Passion (Mark 15:17,20; John 19:2). Lent lasts 40 weekdays and six Sundays. The number 40 comes from the 40 days Moses spent on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18; 34:28); the 40 days Elijah journeyed to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8); and the 40 days Jesus fasted and prayed in the desert (Matthew 4:2; Luke 4:2).

Time of preparation Lent is a time to prepare for the Sacred Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter as well as a time for catechumens to prepare for the reception of the Easter sacraments and baptized believers to prepare to renew their baptismal promises. The sacrament of reconciliation is highly recommended during Lent, particularly during the last weeks, so a person can be absolved, and once cleansed, enter the celebration of the Sacred Triduum in the state of grace. Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.

To order a copy of the book, visit HTTP://WWW.LOYOLAPRESS.COM/ or call 1-800-621-1008.

LOVE-AND-SALT.HTM,

Rediscover-faith.org

Nearly 4,000 attend talks on ‘finding God’s purpose for my life’ By Joe Towalski The Catholic Spirit

Margaret Fritz decided to attend the first talk in the Rediscover: Speakers Series after seeing a notice about it in her parish bulletin at St. Helena in Minneapolis. The Feb. 4 multimedia presentation by Father Peter Laird at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton focused on “Finding God’s Purpose for My Life,” and it struck a chord with Fritz, a sophomore at Convent of the Visitation School in Mendota Heights. “As a high school student, I have many tough choices approaching, such as where to go to college and what to study,” said Fritz, who attended the talk with her mom. “I feel this talk has helped remind me that God has a plan and, if I want to find and follow that plan, I can pray and talk with God. God will help lead me, even if I don’t know where the end result might be. I should trust in him because God is loving and wants the best for me.” The talk, which Father Laird repeated Feb. 5 at St. John Neumann in Eagan and Feb. 7 at Our Lady of Grace in Edina, drew nearly 4,000 people over the three nights. “I was completely overwhelmed by the number of people who attended the event,” said Robert Jensen, a member of St. John the Baptist who is helping to implement the Rediscover: initiative at his parish. “You could just feel the level of energy of the people. . . . I thought to myself, ‘This is awesome. This is how the Church should be — a building busting at the seams with people desiring to be spiritually fed.’”

Age-old search The search for the meaning of life and true happiness is as old as the human race, Father Laird, vicar general

Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit

Father Peter Laird, vicar general of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, speaks at Our Lady of Grace in Edina Feb. 7 as part of the Rediscover: Faith Speaker Series.

of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, told those in attendance after they viewed a four-minute video introducing the themes of the speakers series. The search for meaning is often challenged by the “current of now” — the busyness of daily life with all its seeming urgency that distracts us from that search, Father Laird said. This leads many people to pursue a vision of happiness that ultimately isn’t fulfilling. People look for happiness on a variety of levels: in things, in trying to be better at something than someone else, in living for others — but these all lead to an “imperfect” happiness, Father Laird said. True happiness, he added, can only be found with God — not a God of unpredictability or capriciousness,

or one who is impersonal and distant, but rather one who seeks us out, offers the gift of his love and sustains us every moment of our lives. Father Laird pointed to the story of Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916), a rich man and initially an atheist who sought happiness in things and accolades but who was still unhappy. Foucauld’s sister eventually convinced him to visit a priest friend who heard his confession. It was then that Foucauld discovered God’s love and that God must be at the center of his life if he truly wanted to be happy. Foucauld became a monk, offering hospitality to the people of North Africa. “Your way may be very different,” Father Laird told the audience. “And, yet, it’s all the same. In marriage and single life, in friendship, in work, in leisure. What made Charles happy is what will make you and I happy because it’s the meaning and purpose of our life: . . . to surrender to [God’s love] and to live from it.”

Framework for living Katherine Burrill, a member of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony, attended the presentation with a friend as a way to nourish her faith during this Year of Faith declared by Pope Benedict XVI. The presentation “gave me a framework in which to examine my own life,” said Burrill, who plans to attend future presentations in the Rediscover: Speakers Series. She said it was “an encouragement to see so many people dedicated to engaging deep questions and learning more about the treasure of our Catholic faith.” The introductory video and a video of Father Laird’s talk can be viewed at REDISCOVER-FAITH.ORG.

Overcoming life’s challenges to be topic of series’ third presentation By Joe Towalski The Catholic Spirit

One of the biggest challenges facing every person is living up to their Godgiven potential — to live the way God wants them to live, despite the struggles of everyday life. To do that, says Father Andrew Father Cozzens Cozzens, “I need a source of strength beyond me, and this is what the Church gives us. It gives us the strength of Jesus Christ himself through the sacraments.” “Overcoming Life’s Challenges Through God’s Grace” will be the focus of a free, 90-minute multimedia talk by

Father Cozzens at 7 p.m. March 4 at St. John the Baptist in New Brighton. The talk will be repeated March 5 at St. John Neumann in Eagan and March 7 at Our Lady of Grace in Edina (see schedule below). (“Living in Communion With God” will be the topic of an earlier set of talks Feb. 18, 19 and 21; see The Catholic Spirit’s Jan. 31 Rediscover: section or visit WWW.REDISCOVER-FAITH.ORG and click on “events” for more information.) Both talks, and another one slated for later in March, are part of the 2013 Rediscover: Faith Speakers Series. Father Cozzens, assistant professor of sacramental theology at the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, said a goal of the Rediscover: initiative is to help everyone to know what Archbishop John Nienstedt emphasized in his recent

pastoral letter on the New Evangelization — that Christianity is not mainly a set of rules; rather, it is about a relationship with a living person: Jesus Christ. “Only if I experience the love of this living person will I be able to live Christianity,” he said. “The main way that we experience this love is through the sacraments, especially the Mass, which makes Christ’s love for us truly present. The Mass allows us to encounter the living person of Christ and receive strength to overcome our daily struggles.” Unfortunately, Father Cozzens said, many people don’t understand the power of the sacraments. “For example the central experience of our faith each week is the Mass,” he said. “But if we are honest, sometimes we find

it boring. In order to really face life’s challenges with living faith and God’s grace, I need to learn how to draw strength from Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. This talk will focus on these realities and how they affect us today — how they can change our daily lives by allowing us to know God in a powerful way through the Mass.” Father Cozzens said he hopes that anyone who wants to learn more about how to find deeper meaning in his or her daily life will attend the talk. “I love sharing about God’s life in the sacraments and how this makes a difference for us practically,” he said. “I hope that others will find the strength for facing life’s challenges that I and thousands of others have found through a relationship with Christ in the Eucharist.”

Download the Rediscover:App All talks begin at 7 p.m. Living in Communion with God Monday, Feb. 18 New Brighton: St. John the Baptist Tuesday, Feb. 19 Eagan: St. John Neumann Thursday, Feb. 21 Edina: Our Lady of Grace Presented by Father Michael Keating

Overcoming Life’s Challenges Through God’s Grace Monday, Mar. 4 New Brighton: St. John the Baptist Tuesday, Mar. 5 Eagan: St. John Neumann Thursday, Mar. 7 Edina: Our Lady of Grace

the way

Keeping God at the Center of My Life Monday, Mar. 18 New Brighton: St. John the Baptist Tuesday, Mar. 12 Eagan: St. John Neumann Thursday, Mar. 21 Edina: Our Lady of Grace Presenter to be announced soon

Presented by Father Andrew Cozzens

Talks in Spanish will also be given. Go to Rediscover-faith.org for dates, times and locations

The Catholic Spirit • February 14, 2013

Rediscover-faith.org

The new Rediscover: app for iPhone, Android and iPad will be released soon. It will feature new functionality to support your faith journey, all in one place.Visit REDISCOVERAPP.COM for more information and to sign up to be notified when it is released.