The Catholic Spirit - January 3, 2013 by The Catholic Spirit Publishing Co.

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New local initiative seeks to strengthen faith, invite others By Joe Towalski The Catholic Spirit

Have you been reading your copy of “Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion and Purpose” that you received from your parish last month? Are you ready to accept an invitation to strengthen your Catholic faith and invite others to know and love Jesus and his Church more deeply? The book distribution was among the first outreach efforts of Rediscover: — a new pre-evangelization, evangelization and catechesis initiative of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that will complement existing outreach efforts in local parishes. Converting hearts begins with “encountering the person of Jesus Christ — it has to be that personal relationship,” said Archbishop John Nienstedt in an interview with The Catholic Spirit. “So it’s not just a question of getting people into the doors of the church. We have to get them to fall in love with Christ.” But, he added, a renewed faith “can’t just remain individual; it has to become something that’s communal as well because we’re members of the body of Christ. . . . And it doesn’t stop with church. We have to strengthen our family life and be out in the community in terms of taking care of the poor and the sick and people who have real needs.” A series of opportunities to strengthen faith and nurture a more personal encounter with Christ will follow over the next several months, including PLEASE TURN TO INITIATIVE ON PAGE 4

Advocates speak up, pray for detained immigrants By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

As the Christmas season draws to a close, a small but passionate group of people will celebrate the Feast of Epiphany, Jan. 6, by praying outside of a detention center near downtown St. Paul. The feast day coincides with Immigration Sunday Minnesota, and this group will honor the day by gathering to pray in front of a facility where immigrants suspected of violating immigration laws are detained. Starting in 2008, Catholic parishes and organizations banded together with other local churches to sponsor vigils on the first Sunday of every month. It just so happens that this PLEASE TURN TO IMMIGRATION ON PAGE 19

John Joslin, right, a member of St. Stanislaus in St. Paul, and Chris Engen of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis stand in front of the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center in St. Paul. The two are part of a group that sponsors a prayer vigil in front of the center on the first Sunday of each month. Dianne Towalski / The Catholic Spirit

JANUARY 3, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

New year brings many opportunities for celebration, prayer My greetings to all for a blessed New Year! We begin 2013 in the lingering joy of the Christmas season. While most holiday decorations have already been taken down, we as disciples of the Lord Jesus have two more Sundays in which to ponder how our whole lives have been radically transformed by the mystery of the Incarnation.

That They May All Be One

Upcoming feasts

Archbishop John C. Nienstedt

Feasts of Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord are followed by Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and sad anniversary of Roe v. Wade

This Sunday the Catholic community will gather to celebrate the feast of the Epiphany. There are a number of themes that run through this liturgy to touch us in a personal way: 1) each person’s individual search or journey to find the Truth who is a person, Jesus Christ; 2) the coming together of faith and reason as those three men of science set out to discover the truth; 3) the divine epiphany or manifestation of the Word-made-flesh to all the nations, not just the Jewish nation. Jesus Christ is indeed that rising star who calls all of us to come into the light. Next Sunday, the Church will celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, and so conclude our Christmas season. In the baptism of Christ, we find the first clear manifestation of the Blessed Trinity in the Gospels, the one God revealed in three persons — Father, Son and Spirit. We are thus reminded on this important Sunday that, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches, baptism is “the gateway to

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. Vol. 18 — No. 1 MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT Publisher SARAH MEALEY Associate publisher

JOE TOWALSKI Editor

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the annual Christian Unity Lecture at the University of St. Thomas on Wednesday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m. I hope you will consider attending.

Archbishop’s schedule ■ Friday, Jan. 4: 2 p.m., Boston, Mass., Cathedral of the Holy Cross: Episcopal ordination of Bishop-elect Robert P. Deeley as auxiliary bishop of Boston. ■ Saturday-Friday, Jan. 5-11: Tucson, Ariz., Region VIII bishops retreat. ■ Sunday, Jan. 13: 10 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Mass and brunch with archdiocesan consecrated virgins. ■ Monday, Jan. 14: 2 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan development meeting. 7 p.m., Maple Grove, Church of St. Joseph the Worker: Archdiocesan Catholic Services Appeal quadrant meeting. ■ Tuesday-Wednesday, Jan. 15-16: Washington, D.C., USCCB school voucher/tax credit seminar. ■ Wednesday, Jan. 16: 7 p.m., New Brighton, Church of St. John the Baptist: Archdiocesan Catholic Services Appeal quadrant meeting. ■ Thursday, Jan. 17: 9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: ACSAC meeting. 2:30 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Preparation for Presbyteral Council meeting. 3 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan Finance Council meeting.

life in the Spirit” (CCC, 1213) and, indeed, the very life of God. Through those saving waters, we become children of the Father and members of Christ’s body, the Church. We are buried with Christ so as to be raised up to live a new life as a “new creature” (CCC, 1214). The “newness” of the sacrament of baptism involves the forgiveness of both original and personal sin, while the consequences of sin, that is, the inclination to sin, remains. It is appropriate on this feast to consider the new life of God’s grace that we received and examine how faithful we have been to the avoidance of sin in our life.

Praying for unity Jan. 18 will mark the beginning of

the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year’s theme is “What Does God Require of Us?” a quotation taken from the Book of Micah 6:6-8. The prophet’s strong call for justice and peace contextualizes the search for Christian unity within the historic relationship of God’s interaction with humanity. We are called to ask ourselves what God requires of us within the movement toward full visible unity of the Church. Resources for promoting this theme may be found at the Vatican website (http://bit.ly/VCWhT2). The Archdiocesan Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs together with the St. Paul Seminary have invited noted ecumenical scholar, Father Jared Wicks, SJ, to give

Hearing Tests Set for Senior Citizens 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

a year. Demonstrations of the latest devices to improve clarity of speech will be programmed using a computer to your particular needs — on the spot — after the tests. See (and HEAR) for yourself if newlydeveloped methods of correction will help you understand words better. Tests will be performed at one of 20 convenient Greater Twin Cities Avada Hearing Care locations.

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Praying for life

On Jan. 22, we will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, a tragic judicial fiat that legalized abortion on demand. Legal protection was denied on that day to the most vulnerable among us, our unborn children, and a devastating blow was dealt to the most fundamental human right, the right to life, without which all other rights are threatened. Here in the archdiocese, an allnight vigil will be held on Jan. 21 at the St. Paul Seminary, beginning with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 7 p.m. and concluding with Benediction at 7 a.m. The sacrament of penance/reconciliation will be available from 8 p.m. to midnight. On Jan. 22, the annual prayer service will be held at the Cathedral of St. Paul at 10:30 a.m., followed by a procession to the Capitol and a MCCL rally at noon. I, myself, will accompany the seminarians and other pilgrims going to Washington, D.C. for the March for Life which this year will be held on Friday, Jan. 25, beginning with Holy Mass at noon. Indeed, the New Year starts out with many varied, yet important, activities! God bless you!

Official His Excellency, the Most Reverend John C. Nienstedt, has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. Effective December 6, 2012 Region I Catholic School (HopkinsMinnetonka) given the name Notre Dame Academy. Effective December 10, 2012 Reverend Raymond Rickels, OFM, granted the faculties of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis for the duration of his assignment to the Sacred Heart Friary in Saint Paul. Effective January 1, 2013 Reverend Francis Kittock, appointed Dean of Deanery Eighteen and representative to the Presbyteral Council. Reverend Corey Belden, appointed Dean of Deanery Eleven and representative to the Presbyteral Council. Reverend Gregory Welch, appointed representative to the Presbyteral Council.

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“Lost time is never found again.” Benjamin Franklin

Local News from around the archdiocese

JANUARY 3, 2013

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

St. Agnes bell tower clock receives a timely fix By Dave Hrbacek

it provides a beautiful view of St. Paul, especially the east-facing one. “It’s one of the best [views] in the city,” said Ernster, who noted that the work was done during the 100th anniversary of the completion of the church. “If you pull off all four faces, you get a panoramic view of the whole city, plus you can see downtown Minneapolis.”

The Catholic Spirit

Three men stood on a precarious ledge about 150 feet above the ground inside the bell tower at St. Agnes in St. Paul just days before Christmas. One wrong move would cause a quick trip to the pavement below. But the trio displayed no fear as they worked earnestly at the task at hand – fixing the east-facing clock on the tower. Turns out, they made all the right moves on the morning of Dec. 21, which means folks who look up from the parking lot between the church and school once again will read the correct time throughout the day.

Watch your step

Drooping hand That was the objective of this $1,500 job, which took only about an hour to complete, thanks to the expertise of Boyd Owens of The Verdin Company in Cincinnati. Aided by two staff members at St. Agnes, he removed the clock face and repaired both the hands and the mechanical device that moves them. Problems with the gears would cause the minute hand to droop regularly to the 6 position, causing errors in the time by up to 30 minutes. “It needed to be fixed,” said John Ernster, 69, a lifelong parishioner who manages the parish archives and served as a trustee for 25 years. “Everybody’s happy [that it got repaired]. It’s the one that faced the school, so it was very obvious.” All four sides of the bell tower each have a clock, with the other three functioning normally. Whenever one of the 5-foot clock faces is removed,

Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit

Boyd Owens, right, of The Verdin Company takes a photo with his phone of the newly repaired clock in the bell tower of St. Agnes Church as he gets ready to put it back in place Dec. 21 with help from St. Agnes staff members Brian Weisman, left, and Rick Vacha.

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Please enter through Activity Center doors on Albert St. No preregistration necessary. Cost: $10

Saturday, January 12, 2013 • 8:30 a.m. 550 S. Albert St., St. Paul, MN 55116

*Students whose first choice is CDH are encouraged to take the Placement Test at CDH

From the east face, viewers can see both the State Capitol and the Cathedral of St. Paul. The three men paused after removing the clock face to take in the sight. They, along with Ernster, who came up that morning and stood back to watch, couldn’t help but marvel at the beautiful cityscape sprawling before them. A crisp winter sky with the sun angled low nearly made the scene sparkle. However, the narrow, 1-foot concrete ledge was a stark reminder to not get too caught up in the aerial view. “If you don’t like heights, you don’t want to be up there standing on that ledge,” Ernster said. Yet, the final step in the process had all three men doing just that. And, as they rotated the face to its upright position, they turned the screws to lock it into place for perhaps the next 100 years. Fittingly, just minutes after the job was finished, the bells directly beneath the men tolled the hour of 10 o’clock. All that was left was to climb back down, walk into the parking lot to read the correct time and admire a job well done.

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Initiative offers many ways to grow closer to Christ, Church CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Rediscover: book clubs, a faith speakers series and an archdiocesan-wide celebration of the Catholic faith this fall at the St. Paul RiverCentre. Rediscover: also features its own website (REDISCOVERFAITH.ORG) and a social media presence on Facebook (Rediscover Faith), Twitter (@RediscoverFaith) and YouTube. A Rediscover: app for iPhones, iPads and Android devices will debut soon featuring hundreds of articles on everything from God to culture in an easy-to-use question-and-answer format. Users will be able to customize the app to assist their faith and prayer life and use geo-location to find parishes as well as times for Mass, confession and Eucharistic adoration. Visit REDISCOVERAPP@COM to learn more about the app and sign up to be notified when it launches. Each issue of The Catholic Spirit this year will feature a special four-page pullout section focused on a Rediscover: faith theme that could be used as a study

More online Rediscover website:

Rediscover-faith.org

Facebook: Twitter:

Rediscover Faith

@RediscoverFaith

YouTube: Rediscover Faith App:

Rediscoverapp.com

aid by individuals, families, parish groups and high school youth. The section will include columns by local priests and lay people as well as one by Matthew Kelly, the author of “Rediscover Catholicism” who spoke to local pastors and parish leaders about the initiative last November. “It is the most inspiring thing I have seen in the Church at a diocesan level in the 20 years I have been speaking and writing,” Kelly said about the Rediscover: initiative. “Most of all I am looking forward to [how] it will ignite people’s faith [in ways] that we have not even imagined. We are working toward some intended outcomes, but the Holy Spirit will take this work and use it for so much more.”

An evangelizing community Archbishop Nienstedt said Rediscover: flows from the archdiocese’s Strategic Plan for Parishes and Schools announced in 2010 that is helping to “right size” local parish and school ministries “so that we can become an evangelizing community once again.” He cited Kelly’s book in noting that the Catholic Church, over its 2,000-year history, has fed, clothed and housed more people than any other religious denomination. The Church has been one of the biggest benefactors of the arts, and it has been a premier defender of human See rights. related “But we have forgotten how to tell our editorial story,” Archbishop Nienstedt said. on page 9 “What’s worse, [Kelly] said, is we’ve let others tell the story for us. . . . This is an opportunity for us to regain our footing and be able to tell the great story that is ours. That’s exciting.” Of the 74 million Catholics in the United States, research shows that only about 17 million attend Mass every week. And about 7 percent of Catholics can be characterized as “actively engaged” — they are generous with their time, talent and treasure; they commit to regular prayer; they strive to learn more about their faith; and they display a willingness to share their faith and bring others to Christ.

Increasing the percentage of actively engaged Catholics, as Rediscover: seeks to do, “would be a great success,” the archbishop said. Rediscover: is relying on people actively engaged in their faith to reach out to those who are less involved — people in the pews most or some Sundays who feel a connection to the faith but might not know how to go deeper. Every Christian, the archbishop noted in this recent pastoral letter on the new evangelization, “is called to be an evangelist.” Speaking to pastors and parish leaders in November, Archbishop Nienstedt said he had just returned from the U.S. bishops’ meeting in Baltimore, where much of the focus was on the new evangelization proclaimed by the Church and Pope Benedict XVI. “Everyone there agreed that the ‘new’ in that expression is precisely the new historical situation that we find ourselves in — that is, a society that is thoroughly secular with no reference to God or eternity, a society that is likewise materialistic and individualistic in its decisionmaking and its attitudes,” he said. “Yet, my brothers and sisters,” he added, “it is precisely in this context that you and I are called to teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ — a message that is Good News because it offers light and truth, guidance and hope to many who have lost their way in their quest for happiness.”

Search for happiness “The core yearning of the human spirit is for happiness,” Kelly said. “If you open the catechism, [it] talks about man’s yearning for happiness. God created us for happiness. And really our yearning for happiness is a yearning for God. “We do the things we do because we believe they will make us happy. Sometimes, we’re mistaken. . . . I think we live in an environment where more and more people are confused about what will fulfill them — everything from shopping, to drinking, to sex, to the applause of the people around us. We’re very, very confused about what will actually bring happiness.” During the last half-century, people have been getting more and more of what they want, he added. “But are people happier today than they were 50 years ago? I think most people would say no. I think people are more irritable, more restless and more discontent today than they were 50 years ago.” The Rediscover: initiative can help them find the source of true happiness, — a deeper relationship with Christ and his Church, Kelly said.

Rediscover: Catholic Book Club Inquire at your parish if it has started, or will be starting, a Rediscover: Catholic Book Club discussion group as a way to foster community, learn more about the faith and develop friendships among parishioners.

Critical to the success of Rediscover: is a focus on invitation and hospitality by those who count themselves among the Church’s “actively engaged,” Kelly added. “People don’t come to a party they’re not invited to,” he said. “We have to become a people of invitation — whether it’s inviting people to church, or inviting people to an event, or inviting people to read a book or listen to a CD. “Once they’re invited, we have to make them feel welcome. People will walk through the doors of your church this Sunday for the first time. There’s a pretty good chance no one will acknowledge them. Nobody will know they are there for the first time. Nobody will ask them, ‘If there’s anybody here for the first time, we’d love to talk to you for three minutes after Mass.’ “They will either have an experience that resonates with them or not. If they have one that resonates with them, they’ll be back next Sunday. If they don’t, they’ll be at another church down the road next Sunday that may or may not be Catholic. “Hospitality is critically important.”

Molly Schorr, director of parish life at St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park who attended a Rediscover: launch event in November, said “now is the time to share that [faith] message. Deep down, I firmly believe that every person knows who Jesus Christ is and knows who God is in their life. But the ability to share that, and the ability to embrace what that means in everyday practice has gotten lost because there’s not an avenue for that. “An evangelization initiative [like Rediscover:] first of all gives people permission to talk about it and to share their faith. But then it also encourages and empowers people to practice that in everything that they do.”

The 2013 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration will be from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12 at the St. Paul RiverCentre. Featured speakers include Archbishop John Nienstedt; Matthew Kelly; Father Robert Barron, founder of the global ministry Word on Fire and rector/president of Mundelein Seminary in the Archdiocese of Chicago; Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas; Martha Fernández-Sardina, director of the Office for Evangelization in the Archdiocese of San Antonio; and chastity speaker Jason Evert. Jeff Cavins will serve as emcee. Registration opens in April.

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JANUARY 3, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Obituaries

Top spot goes to Wayzata in Catholic Spirit tourney

Father Berg continued to serve after retirement Father Richard Berg, 85, died Dec. 26. He was born Nov. 13, 1927 and ordained for the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis June 7, 1952. Father Berg served as associate pastor at Resurrection and Our Lady of Victory in Minneapolis and St. Michael in West St. Paul. He was pastor at Sts. Peter and Paul in Loretto, St. Michael in Stillwater, St. John the Baptist in New FATHER BERG Brighton, St. Peter in Forest Lake and St. Francis of Assisi in Lake St. Croix Beach. He retired from active ministry in 1997, but continued to help with sacramental ministry at Our Lady of Peace in Minneapolis and other parishes. The Mass of Christian burial was to be Jan. 2 at St. Francis of Assisi in Lake St. Croix Beach. Burial is at St. Michael Cemetery in Bayport.

The Catholic Spirit Wayzata High School made it three in a row by capturing the championship of The Catholic Spirit Christmas Basketball Tournament Dec. 29 at the University of St. Thomas. The Trojans defeated the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, 75-70, in the championship game. The Stars made their first ever appearance in the title game, defeating Cretin-Derham Hall, 6046, in the semifinals the day before to advance. The final day of the tournament featured games for third, fifth and seventh place. In the third-place game, CretinDerham Hall defeated Rosemount, 77-66. In the fifth-place game, Hill-Murray topped Milwaukee Bay View, 94-80. And, in the seventh-place game, Providence Academy prevailed against Minnesota Transitions, 79-42. Minnesota Transitions filled in for St. Agnes after the first round due to a scheduling conflict. This was the 16th year of the tournament.

Father Holl minstered as pastor, hospital chaplain

Above: Junior guard Adam Hoffman of the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield tries to block a shot by senior guard Bradley Carlson of Wayzata High School during the championship game of The Catholic Spirit Christmas Basketball Tournament Dec. 29 at the University of St. Thomas. Wayzata won the game, 75-70, and captured the championship. Left: Junior center Jack Fossand of St. Agnes School in St. Paul tries to block a shot by sophomore center Francis Delaney of Cretin-Derham Hall during first-round action of the tournament Dec. 27. Cretin-Derham Hall won the game, 74-59.

Photos by Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

Vigil is chance to pray for healing from abortion By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit

For women and men seeking crisis pregnancy assistance, it’s often not their first crisis — some have already had abortion experiences. A counselor at Pregnancy Choices in Apple Valley, Pete Herold, knows something of what they’re going through because he and a former girlfriend had an abortion in the 1980s. His experience has given him a passion for helping anyone facing abortion, including men like him who know the pain of going through it. It’s also shown Herold, a parishioner at St. Joseph in Rosemount, the important role that men play in advocating for their baby’s life.

While sometimes ministering to those hurt by abortion at Pregnancy Choices, one of the Total LifeCare Centers, he’s also helping organize the archdiocese’s first allnight prayer Vigil where they and anyone else can pray for healing and to end abortion. The “All-Night Prayer Vigil for Hope, Healing and Mercy,” will take place on Jan. 21-22 — just before the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion — at St. Mary’s Chapel at the St. Paul Seminary. The vigil, sponsored by the archdiocesan ministry Project Rachel, will start with Mass at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 and end at 7 a.m. Jan. 22. The sacrament of reconciliation will be available from 8 p.m. to midnight.

The vigil precedes the “Prayer Service for Life” at the Cathedral of St. Paul later that morning. “Every year’s important in January but this year is even bigger because it’s 40 years,” Herold said. “It’s affected a lot of people in the last 40 years.” The archdiocese is promoting the vigil in parishes where statistics show many struggle with past abortions, he said. “Sometimes these people just bury it for a long time,” Herold said. “All of a sudden it’s surfaced and you really need to deal with it and [this is] an opportunity to heal and realize that God’s mercy is great — bigger than any sin that we commit in PLEASE TURN TO ALL NIGHT ON PAGE 19

Father James Holl, 90, died Dec. 29. He was born Feb. 13, 1922 and ordained for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on June 15, 1948. Father Holl served as assistant pastor at St. Patrick and the Cathedral of St. Paul, both in St. Paul, and was a chaplain at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul for 10 years. He also served as pastor at St. Michael in Kenyon, St. Nicholas in New Market, Transfiguration in Oakdale, St. Pascal Baylon in St. FATHER HOLL Paul, Resurrection in Minneapolis and Annunciation in Hazelwood. He retired from active ministry in 1997. A Mass of Christian Burial was set for Jan. 3 at St. Peter in North St. Paul. Interment was to be at St. Mary Cemetery in North St. Paul.

Longtime St. Joseph’s Hospital leader dies Sister Marie de Paul (Mary Patricia) Rochester died Dec. 26. She was 99. She was born Feb. 4, 1913 and joined the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, St. Paul Province in 1943. She made her final vows in 1949. In 1956 she was appointed administrator of St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Paul, beginning a 29-year (non-continuous) ministry at the facility. She later worked as director of mission effectiveness and then in the hospital archives. SISTER MARIE A Mass of Christian Burial was to be celebrated Jan. 2 in the St. Joseph Provincial House Chapel in St. Paul; burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights was set for Jan. 3.

JANUARY 3, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

“There is no more important value than upholding the right to life in all circumstances.” Cardinal Sean Brady of Armagh, Northern Ireland, president of the Irish bishops' conference, urging Catholics to make their opposition to abortion clear to politicians as the Irish government considers legalizing abortion in limited circumstances

Nation/World JANUARY 3, 2013

News from around the U.S. and the globe

2013: Pope’s agenda for a year of faith By Francis X. Rocca Catholic News Service

Fortunetelling, like all occult practices, is strictly taboo at the Vatican; and prophecy is a rare gift among journalists. But Pope Benedict XVI’s calendar for 2013 is already filling up with planned, probable or possible events. Here are 10 to watch for in the news during the coming year. ■ Italian elections When Italians go to the polls Feb. 24, the big story for most foreign observers will be the fate of a comeback attempt by former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. For the pope and other Italian bishops, a prime concern will be whether voters instead elect a center-left majority that could bring Italy into sync with other major Western European countries — and out of line with Catholic moral teaching — on such issues as in vitro fertilization and legally recognized unions of same-sex partners. ■ New encyclical Pope Benedict’s fourth encyclical will be released in the first half of next year, very possibly in the spring, according to Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman. Treating the subject of faith, the encyclical will complete a trilogy on the three “theological virtues”; the previous installments were “Deus Caritas Est” (2005) on charity, and “Spe Salvi” (2007) on hope. ■ Worldwide eucharistic adoration On the feast of Corpus Christi, June 2, Pope Benedict will lead an hour of eucharistic adoration to be observed simultaneously around the world, highlighting a traditional devotion that fell largely out of use in the decades after the Second Vatican Council, but which has grown more popular with the pope’s personal encouragement. This promises to be one of the most visually impressive of many events scheduled for the Year of Faith, which ends Nov. 24. ■ Charter for health care workers The Vatican plans to publish an updated version of its 1995 guidelines for Catholic hospitals, taking into account nearly two decades of technological developments and political trends in areas including abortion, euthanasia, embryonic stem-cell research and human cloning. The document, whose target release date is in June, will reflect Catholic moral teaching on biomedical issues and Catholic social teaching on the equitable and effective provision of health care. ■ World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics are expected to gather in Rio in July for a week of events whose highlight will be the presence of the pope, encouraging them to cultivate their faith and religious identity. This will be Pope Benedict’s second trip to Brazil, the country with the world’s largest Catholic population, where he is also likely to address

CNS photo / Paul Haring

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his Christmas blessing “urbi et orbi” (to the city and the world) from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Dec. 25. The pope prayed for the people of Syria, who are “deeply wounded and divided” by conflict and violence, as well as for peace in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East.

problems of inequality in a developing economy, as well as the need for good government and civil peace in Latin America as a whole. ■ New U.S. ambassador? The post of U.S. ambassador to the Vatican has been vacant since Miguel Diaz stepped down shortly after the November 2012 elections, and the choice of his replacement will be especially delicate given current tensions between the Church and the Obama administration. All previous ambassadors have been Catholics, but it could be hard to find one who has not taken a public stand over the administration’s plan — strenuously opposed by U.S. bishops — to require that most Catholic institutions provide insurance coverage for contraception and sterilizations, which violate the Church’s moral teaching. ■ New secretary of state? Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone has served as Pope Benedict’s top aide since 2006. Some commentators, especially in the Italian press, have accused him of neglecting necessary administrative reforms and blamed him for mismanagement documented in the so-called “VatiLeaks” of confidential correspondence. Pope Benedict reaffirmed his confidence in his longtime collaborator last July, but the cardinal is already three years past the standard retirement age of 75, so he could well leave the stage this year. His replacement would likely be another Italian, perhaps Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, currently prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. ■ New archbishop of Chicago? Cardinal Francis George, who has led the Archdiocese of Chicago since 1997,

turned 75 — the age at which bishops must offer to resign — last Jan. 16. Pleased with the effects of his recent chemotherapy for kidney cancer, he has called his prognosis “very, very hopeful” and said that he has no plans to step down. But he has acknowledged the seriousness of his condition and the possibility that Pope Benedict might replace him this year. ■ New cardinals? The number of cardinals under the age of 80, the only ones eligible to vote for the next pope, will be down to no more than 110 by Oct. 19. Pope Benedict could choose to boost their number to the legal limit of 120 by calling a consistory on the day before the feast of Christ the King (Nov. 24, 2013), a traditional occasion for the creation of cardinals and the last day of the Year of Faith. Likely additions to the College of Cardinals include Archbishop Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and Archbishop Vincent Nichols of Westminster, England. ■ Anniversary of the Edict of Milan 2013 is the 1,700th anniversary of the Roman Empire’s legal toleration of Christianity, a watershed moment in the history of the church. Hopes have dimmed that Pope Benedict and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow might jointly commemorate the occasion at the Serbian birthplace of the Emperor Constantine I, who promulgated the edict. But the pope is almost certain to mark the anniversary in some way, perhaps taking the opportunity to highlight one of his primary concerns, threats to religious liberty around the world today.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Briefly Supreme Court justice denies injunction against contraceptive mandate Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied two companies’ request for an injunction while they challenge part of the Department of Health and Human Services’ contraceptive mandate in court. In an order filed Dec. 26, Sotomayor ruled that the owners of the Hobby Lobby craft store and the Mardel Christian bookstore chains did not qualify for an injunction while they challenge requirements of the Affordable Care Act. The law takes effect Jan. 1. Sotomayor ruled on the petition because she oversees the federal circuit where Hobby Lobby filed suit challenging the HHS mandate. The companies’ Oklahoma City-based owners contend that the mandate violates their religious beliefs because some of the drugs they are required to cover can lead to abortion. The owners have appealed lower-court rulings that denied their claims on religious grounds. Sotomayor’s decision does not pertain to any of the other lawsuits filed by Catholic and other religious organizations against the mandate. Meanwhile, Priests for Life won its challenge to the mandate when government lawyers agreed Dec. 20 that the pro-life organization would not have to offer contraceptive services through the health insurance it provides to employees.

Bishops: Budget deal must shield charitable deductions, tax credits

Deductions for charitable giving, tax credits for working families and vital programs that serve poor and vulnerable people in the United States and abroad must be protected in any budget deal that reduces the country’s $16 trillion deficit, the chairman of two U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops committees told Congress. The letter was sent Dec. 14 to each member of the House of Representatives and the Senate by Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, Calif., chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. No fiscal deal had been reached as of Dec. 28 as the country moved closer to a series of automatic spending cuts — known as sequestration — and the end of Bush-era tax cuts set for Jan. 1. The cuts under sequestration would affect discretionary spending on military and nonmilitary programs alike. — Catholic News Service

“To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This Catholic Life THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Opinion, feedback and points to ponder

JANUARY 3, 2013

Newtown school tragedy: A Catholic response The Catholic Spirit invited Jill Moes, principal of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in Hastings who previously worked as a public school psychologist, to offer a Catholic response regarding the Dec. 14 school shootings in Newtown, Conn. The recent tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., have called us all to partake in small moments of reflection this holiday season. I am no different. As a Catholic school principal, I have spent long hours examining the tragedy through my own role as a school administrator, as well as my role as an employee of the Church. Many years ago, I worked as a public school assistant principal and school psychologist. I was involved in very difficult discipline issues on a daily basis across all grade levels, from early childhood through 12th grade, and I recognize that public school administrators deal with difficulty Jill Moes every day. I feel that my unique history with both public and Catholic education enables me to have an interesting perspective when examining how the tragedy at Sandy Hook relates to our Catholic schools. This perspective continues to remind me of how blessed I am to work in the environment I do.

Reflection

Praying as a community On Dec. 21, there was a moment of silence in Newtown for all those who lost their lives on that tragic day. At St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Hastings, we do not have moments of silence. Instead, we pray out loud, together as a school. We were able to come together on Monday morning in our school gymnasium as a community to intercede for all those affected by the shooting. We prayed for the victims, their families, and even for Adam Lanza [the perpetrator]. As a previous school psychologist, I cannot help but wonder about Lanza’s past and cannot help but wonder what measures could have been taken to prevent this tragedy. I am not alone; so many people in our global community are also struggling with these questions. One preventative measure that is often tossed around in legislative meetings and academic discussion is the creation of an environment in which bullying and low self-worth is virtually non-existent. Indeed, the issue of bullying played into almost all of the discipline issues that I dealt with as a public school administrator. The self-worth of an individual influences all other aspects of the culture of a school. When students have a positive self-image, they are more productive, kinder and more considerate of those around them. When young students do not feel that they are worthy beings, they lash out and emotionally and physically hurt other students. I am asked frequently about why there is less bullying in Catholic schools, and I quickly conclude that it is the culture that a Catholic school provides. Our school culture is a beautiful balance of respect for each other and a respect for life. Our Catholic faith is founded on our belief that every child is a gift from God with unique talents and gifts. This belief is the foundation of our schools, and we treat our students with respect and love as if they are our own children. We provide rules and procedures to protect them and we enforce these procedures in a kind and gentle way that articulates to our students that we truly care for them. Catholic schools provide spiritual growth and moral development which is encouraged through instruction

CNS photo / Gregory A. Shemitz

Brad Stankiewicz, 8, looks at his mother, Kathy, as she prays during a special Mass at Holy Cross Church in Nesconset, N.Y., Dec. 28 for the 26 students and staff members killed two weeks earlier at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The Mass coincided with the feast of the Holy Innocents.

Readers respond to Connecticut school shootings The Catholic Spirit invited readers in its Dec. 20 edition to respond to the question: What is the best way to respond to the school shooting tragedy in Newtown, Conn.? The following were among the answers we received. Some have been excerpted for space reasons; go online to THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM to read the full responses as well as others we received. The best way to respond to the school shooting tragedy in Newtown, Conn., is to work for life-affirming spiritual values. Both gun regulations and providing better mental health services are wise, but more is needed. We allow the proliferation of violent video games because we believe in free speech, yet at the same time we’re pushing any mention of God and religious expression out of public life — even though we’re supposed to have freedom of religion in this country, not freedom from religion. Can this aspect of our culture be anything but confusing for young people who need positive examples to live by? Another problem is the lack of respect for human life. If we can sanction killing unborn babies on demand through all nine months, why do we think that life in other stages will be seen as valuable and will be respected? Our culture itself is our biggest problem if we don’t remember that we’re also spiritual beings with spiritual needs.

Letters

LUCILLE CARLSON St. Peter, Forest Lake

■■■ I was struck by a phrase expressed by the president, news broadcasters and citizens of Newtown: “They are babies. Who would do this to babies?” I believe it is the innocence of young children that warranted the question of who would do such a thing — or why. But the reference to babies struck a deeper chord because we have sanctioned the deaths of millions of babies, even more innocent than the victims of NewPLEASE TURN TO LOCAL ON PAGE 10

in the Catholic faith, weekly liturgy and daily prayer. It is really hard to be a bully to your classmate when you come together and pray for each other every morning (as well as numerous times throughout the day). Students are often made aware of the difficulties that each and every one of their peers is bringing to school through prayer: a grandmother who is sick, a pet who is dying. We pray for each other. Catholic schools teach compassion and give students sensitivity toward those who are struggling, and even go beyond the school walls and into the communities in which we live. All grade levels at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School have multiple community service projects. This helps students see beyond themselves and teaches all of us to help serve others. Catholic schools are small and have small class sizes. They are schools where everyone knows your name and administrators know the parents personally. At the center of our school’s success and culture is our greatest asset — our Catholic school teachers. These professionals bring to the classroom the highest degree of skill, commitment and caring. They uphold our tradition of academic rigor and prepare students for the day when they will use their gifts to better their community. Our families understand that our school staff is serving them and that Catholic school teachers believe that their work is a ministry. I think one of the best parts of working in a Catholic environment is the immense parental support I receive. When I did discipline as a public school administrator, I was so discouraged when I would call a parent and the first response was, “Not my child. . . . Prove it was my child.” Even with video proof, parents would still be skeptical of my authority and would turn a blind eye to the problems concerning their children. As a Catholic school principal, if I need to call home to a parent, I am confident that the parent will support the disciplinary actions of the school (and will reflect these decisions in their own parental actions at home). We share the same morals and values and discipline with our families. Our Catholic school students are not perfect and may make the wrong choice like any other child but, as a community, we are able to help them resolve the situation and will encourage them to determine a better, more respectful choice for next time. This process often includes reflection on their Catholic identity as well as their relationship with God, and is done in a way that is respectful to the student. We treat our students as we would want to be treated.

Developing leaders During our community prayer time for the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary, as I watched our community come together in a time of tragedy, I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened had Adam Lanza graduated with a Catholic education. As a previous public school administrator, I of course understand the hard work our public school teachers are doing, as well as the effort our public school administrators are putting in while trying to support them. But I cannot help but feel blessed to a part of a Catholic school team. We are developing the leaders for tomorrow, full of compassion and love. I will continue to trust my students’ judgment in the decisions that will someday affect all of us. As graduates leave our Catholic schools, I am confident that we have taught them well and that we, as a community, will continue to support them in prayer — a prayer we will pray out loud.

This Catholic Life/ Opinion-Commentary

JANUARY 3, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

A Year of Faith opportunity no one should miss

Editorial Joe Towalski

The new Rediscover: initiative will help you deepen your faith and better equip you to share it with others

Did you make a new year’s resolution? Are you committed to doing something that will make you happier? Healthier? If you have room for one more resolution — one you’ll keep and not abandon after the first few weeks of this new year — how about committing to something that will deepen your faith and better equip you to share it with others? The archdiocese’s new Rediscover: initiative offers that opportunity. ■ Make time to read “Rediscover Catholicism” by Matthew Kelly, the book your parish handed out last month. It will help you become what Kelly calls “the best version of ourselves” through the “genius of Catholicism.” If you read just 10 pages a day, you’ll finish it in about a month. Also, if your parish is hosting a Rediscover: Catholic Book Club, consider joining it and entering into a community conversation about faith with other members of your parish. ■ Commit to attending the four talks in the 2013 Faith Speakers Series that begins in February on topics ranging from finding God’s purpose for your life to overcoming life’s challenges through God’s grace. (See page 4 for details). Bring a friend or two

with you — following each presentation there will be an opportunity for social time and discussion. ■ Save the date for the 2013 Rediscover: Catholic Celebration on Saturday, Oct. 12 at the St. Paul RiverCentre. It will feature Mass, great music, a slate of internationally known speakers, and a host of exhibits about faith formation, worship and service opportunities. Registration begins in April. ■ If you haven’t already, read Archbishop John Nienstedt’s recent pastoral letter on the New Evangelization, “I believed, therefore I spoke.” (You can find it at WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG; click on “reference” and then “pastoral letters.”) In addition to talking about the importance of encountering the living Jesus and sharing the Good News with others, the archbishop outlines a seven-point plan for a deeper faith life. In this Year of Faith proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI, the Rediscover: initiative is an invitation to learn more about the depth and beauty of our Catholic faith, to find what true happiness is all about. Let’s not decline the invitation. Let’s resolve to accept it and the promise it offers for us to grow closer to Jesus and his Church.

Rights of the disabled, the United States and the Holy See

Faith in the Public Arena Jessica Zittlow

What could be so problematic about an international treaty that aims to protect and promote the rights of the disabled?

t seems odd that any nation would reject an international treaty titled, “United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.” But, that’s what happened when the ratification of the UNCRPD failed to receive the required twothirds approval in the U.S. Senate in early December. In a Dec. 4 press release, treaty supporter Human Rights Watch said that by ratifying the treaty the United States would have had an opportunity to strengthen its leadership on the rights of people with disabilities. Critics of the treaty claimed that ratification by the U.S. would threaten our sovereignty and that it would prevent Americans from homeschooling their disabled children. What could be so problematic about an international treaty that aims to protect and promote the rights of the disabled? Protecting the most vulnerable among us is a social responsibility of paramount importance for Catholics, so was the UNCRPD’S failure to pass the Senate good or bad?

Everyone except the unborn Sounds bites from both sides of the treaty debate seem rather short on substance and long on politicking. The Holy See’s statement concerning the treaty offers more insight. Since the beginning of its development, the Holy See’s UN delegation had been an active participant in UNCRPD negotiations. Vatican diplomats noted several promising aspects to the treaty: “While there are many helpful articles in the [UNCRPD], including

“International treaties should reflect a

consistent ethic of life from conception to natural death — especially for those with disabilities who continue to be pushed to the margins of society. Justice demands that we never settle for less.

”

JESSICA ZITTLOW

those that address education and the very important role of the home and the family, surely the living heart of this document lies in its reaffirmation of the right to life. For far too long, and by far too many, the lives of people with disabilities have been undervalued or thought to be of a diminished dignity and worth. My delegation worked assiduously to make the text a basis upon which to reverse that assumption and to ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights by people with disabilities.” Yet, ultimately, the Holy See was unable to ratify the UNCRPD because it excluded the most vulnerable class of people with disabilities: the unborn. To be clear, nowhere in the UNCRPD does it say: “These rights apply to everyone except the unborn.” Article 25, however, refers to “sexual and reproductive health” and in some countries this term includes abortion or access to abortion.

Predicament for Church As Susan Yoshihara, senior vice

president for research at the Catholic Family and Human Institute notes, the Catholic Church and others are in the unfortunate predicament of having to oppose the treaty “because of the vast disparity between our aspirations for this treaty on one hand, and the limitations of its text and deep flaws in the U.N. system in which it will be interpreted.” At stake are two conflicting understandings of rights, the dignity of the human person, and human life — one based in secular humanism and the other grounded in the natural law. When phrases and text are interpreted from these two opposing world views, they can create vastly different outcomes. The treaty’s mention of “sexual and reproductive health” is not the only problematic phrase. “Family planning services” and “regulation of fertility” can now mean distribution of free oral contraception and condoms with little education on more sustainable, natural methods; “marriage” can now apply to a union between two people of the same sex;

and, “gender” can now be dubiously interpreted based on claims that sexual identity can be adapted indefinitely for new and different purposes. The Holy See’s support for article 18 on “liberty of movement and nationality,” and for article 23 on “respect for home and the family,” is based on an interpretation that these are ways to “safeguard the primary and inalienable rights of parents.” Unfortunately, article 7 has the potential to undermine these rights, excluding parents and guardians from the decision-making process and giving the state primary authority over their disabled child: “State Parties shall ensure that children with disabilities have the right to express their views freely on all matters affecting them…” Some well-intentioned Catholics will wonder, “If the rights of persons with disabilities are so important, can’t the UNCRPD be good enough for now?” Yet, if the UNCRPD cannot even ensure a disabled person has a right to be born, the human rights that it does recognize do very little good for him or her. As marriage advocate Maggie Gallagher said, “A comity that is bought by surrendering principle is submission, not comity at all.” International treaties should reflect a consistent ethic of life from conception to natural death — especially for those with disabilities who continue to be pushed to the margins of society. Justice demands that we never settle for less. Jessica Zittlow is communications associate with the Minnesota Catholic Conference.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 3, 2013

Commentary

/ This Catholic Life

Say yes to new risks and new graces in 2013

Twenty Something Christina Capecchi

Perhaps the difference between you and your better self is a matter of being less rushed in this new year — more awake, more aware, more attuned

arbara Benson Keith’s wake-up call came while chatting with a fellow kindergarten teacher at the end of a school day. Her colleague said, “‘I hope in 10 years I’m right here in this classroom doing the same thing,’” Barbara recalled. “And inside I was like, ‘Ack! No!’ That didn’t appeal to me at all.” In the spring of 2000, after 12 years of teaching, Barbara took a leave. She was ready to embark on her next adventure. “I thought, ‘You can be safe or you can take risks and live your life.’”

Inspired overseas Barbara traveled to Pompeii, Italy, taking in colossal mosaics that left her slack-jawed. Back home, she immediately set to creating a mosaic, digging out leftover chunks from a community education stained-glass class she’d taken nearly a decade ago. She worked on a card table wedged beside the basement furnace, playing the “Wicked” soundtrack on repeat as she pieced together a 51-by-51inch rendering of Queen Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. The mosaic took four months and 4,800 pieces of hand-cut glass. It won second place in the Minnesota State Fair, landing Barbara the first of dozens of public art commissions that have kept pouring in, providing full-time work since 2007. She and her husband Pete moved to the country and built a home,

starting with a large worktable for her mosaics. Now the self-taught artist has her own studio. She tends to chickens, taps maples for syrup and studies roving shadows. With her black hair, youthful face and bright smile, the petite 46-yearold looks stress free. “When I was teaching, there was always noise,” Barbara told me. “Now it’s quiet, and I’m healthy, and I don’t have to set my alarm in the morning. You finish a piece and you say, ‘Wow, I made that!’”

Time to change? Barbara’s journey from the classroom to the country inspires me, especially as we unroll a promising new year. It is a chance to more fully become the people God designed, to discover and perform the work he set out for us, drawing on the unique set of skills and talents no one else possesses. That may call for a career change, an address change or an attitude change. Maybe the key will be to start praying or to resume praying, to pray earlier or later, alone or in communion, with your own words, with ancient words or with no words at all. It could be time to take a long, hard look at the thing keeping you from pursuing God’s will. Will you bend to it again or are you ready to press forward? Are you willing to cut and glue as many tiny pieces as Barbara made on

Photo submitted

This stained-glass wren is part of a three-bird series created by Barbara Benson Keith for a Minneapolis hospital. She completed the project last month.

the card table in her basement? Can you trust that all the labor may produce a masterpiece? Perhaps the difference between you and your better self is a matter of being less rushed in 2013 — more awake, more aware, more attuned. I’m anticipating the new year like never before. I can almost see the flood of love and purpose it will bring, shoving all the less important stuff out of view and demanding my

best — someone wiser, gentler and stronger. My answer will be simple, the same word that turned a peasant into the Mother of God, the one that opens every door and invites every grace: Yes. Christina Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, Minn. She can be reached at WWW.READCHRISTINA.COM.

Local Catholics reflect on Connecticut school tragedy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 town, who have no right to life on their own because they have not yet been born. I hope I am not the only person who finds some irony in this situation. The Christmas season is a fitting time to remember the Holy Innocents, those babies killed by order of King Herod, who wanted to be certain that no Christ would usurp his power. It is also a fitting time to ask whether the lack of regard for the unborn is but one step leading down a path to a place we dare not imagine, a place where we might wonder just whose life is seen as worthy of protection. Perhaps to suggest such a correlation is too simplistic or even too oblique. There is the mental state of the shooter to consider and his easy access to weapons, both of which have a direct connection to the tragedy. But the question might be asked: “If we don’t protect the unborn, what next, who next?” I can’t help but wonder if this is an example of “who next?” ROSE BURCKHARDT St. Boniface, St. Bonafacius St. Mary of Czestochowa, Delano

■■■ A tremendous amount of good could be done if employers in communities throughout this country allowed their employees to make payroll deducted contributions to organizations that can effectively channel funds to school-based violence-prevention programs. Funding can be used to not only teach empathy, cooperation and positive problem-solving skills, but also to help at-risk kids with mental health services, extra tutoring and mentoring. We need a community response. Letting people make payroll contributions to help stop violence, like employers already do to help social service groups, health charities and environmental groups, is overdue. It is not complicated. Employee fund drives already exist. People want to support schools and violence-prevention efforts. The framework exists for effectively preventing violence. What is needed is leadership within organizations that employ people (businesses, government, churches, nonprofits) to allow their employees to contribute to organizations like PeaceMaker Minnesota like they do the United Way, Community Health Charities and the Environmental Fund. DAN MCNEIL St. John the Baptist, New Brighton

The writer is executive director of PeaceMaker Minnesota.

Principal knows pain of violence Tragedy is never expected. It surprises you, takes your breath away, causes you to mourn deeply and to see the presence of God. We know at Ascension Parish. On Nov. 24, the Ascension Catholic School community participated in the church service for eighth-grade student Peter Wilson and his grandmother Beatrice Wilson [they were killed at their home on Oct. 29]. It was a solemn affair, the culmination of many weeks of mourning for these two beautiful people that were murdered in the night as they slept and were awakened to terror. In the weeks following, we received many a heartfelt card, email messages of support and prayer, and notes from school children from all over the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Unfortunately, some comments were unsettling, and I wanted to shout out that Peter had a wonderful family life — peaceful and supportive, nurturing and healthy. Though black and living in north Minneapolis, he and his grandmother were calm, peace-loving people dwelling in a Christ-centered home. Our stereotypes were once again challenged recently when an intruder entered an elementary school in a quiet community populated predominantly of Caucasian people, with the result being 20 children and six adults killed at gunpoint. We see clearly that violence favors no ethnicity, no income level, no neighborhood bearings. The absence of peace and

safety can rear up anywhere. As people of faith in Jesus Christ, we must look within ourselves and discern how better we can confront this reality of violence in our society. What are we doing in our homes to foster peace? Who are the politicians that support peaceful legislation? More important, do we support them? What are our actions teaching our children? Do our biases and prejudices get in the way of calling for action to stop the violence? Prayer is an amazing thing, and I thank God that we can pray in our Catholic schools. The Catholic schools are one of the strongest safeguards toward teaching and demonstrating the peace of Jesus Christ to our children. Through continued support, our Catholic schools can engage our children in this message of peace in ways that no other organizations can, through daily, consistent teachings of peace and justice, fairness and non-violent solutions to problems. The Church calls us to the understanding that life is to be preserved and protected. A few days before Peter died, he wrote in his Catholic religion class journal, “I am praying for my soul.” We believe that this type of faith fostered in his inner city Catholic school prepared him for eternity. DORWATHA WOODS Principal, Ascension Catholic School, Minneapolis

“Vocations are born of a Catholic culture. And this Year of Faith should be a time in which we find new energy to support our priests and seminarians and to build this culture of vocations.” Los Angeles Archbishop Jose H. Gomez

Vocations A Catholic Spirit special section

JANUARY 3, 2013

How should I live my life? Pope tells young people to cultivate a desire for ‘lofty objectives’ and ‘service to others’

Accepting Jesus’ invitation The pope said that God never abandons his creation and remains true to his word. His faithfulness is his love, which, “fully manifested in Jesus Christ, engages with our existence and demands a response in terms of what each individual wants to do with his or her life and what he or she is prepared to offer in order to live to the full.” His faithfulness is his love, which, “fully manifested in Jesus Christ, engages with our existence and demands a response in terms of what

Friendship with Jesus nurtures vocations For Catholics, the Christmas season officially wraps up with the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord shortly after Epiphany. However, each January the Catholic Church in the United States sneaks in another celebration beginning with the baptism feast: National Vocation Awareness Week. Observed Jan. 13 to 19 this year, it is an opportunity for dioceses, parishes and religious communities to promote vocations through prayer and education. Vocation awareness might not seem like a topic of great interest to young people today, but a recent study found that more than 600,000 youth and young adults in the United States have seriously considered a religious vocation in the Church.

Discerning God’s plan

CNS photo / Karen Callaway, Catholic New World

Father Nestor Torres, a priest of the Chicago Archdiocese, teaches an icebreaker game to young men and women at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Des Plaines, Ill., last July.

he or she is prepared to offer in order to live to the full. Accepting Jesus’ invitation to “Come, follow me,” means no longer choosing one’s own path, but rather “immersing our own will in the will of Jesus, truly giving him priority, giving him pride of place in every area of our lives: in the family, at work, in our personal interests, in ourselves,” he said. Vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life “are born out of the experience of a personal encounter with Christ, out of sincere and confident dialogue with him” through prayer and the sacraments, the pope

said. Pope Benedict called on young people to bypass “superficial and ephemeral” pursuits and cultivate a real desire “for what is truly worthy, for lofty objectives, radical choices, service to others in imitation of Jesus.” He called on priests “to accompany young people as ‘companions on the journey,’ helping them, on life’s often tortuous and difficult path, to recognize Christ, the way, the truth and the life, telling them with Gospel courage how beautiful it is to serve God, the Christian community and one’s brothers and sisters.”

Always Christ, always faithful Benedictine Priests and Brothers of Assumption Abbey

For For more more information, information, contact: contact: Br. Br. Michael Michael Taffe, Taffe, OSB OSB Vocation Vocation Director Director vocations@assumptionabbey.com vocations@assumptionabbey.com www.assumptionabbey.com www.assumptionabbey.com 701-974-3315 701-974-3315

NOTICE

By Sister Constance Carolyn Veit, LSP

Catholic News Service God’s love is unconditional yet demanding, asking all to choose how they will live their gift of life, Pope Benedict XVI said. “The love of God sometimes follows paths one could never have imagined, but it always reaches those who are willing to be found,” the pope said in his message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, to be observed April 21, 2013. God’s “deep, demanding love . . . gives us courage; it gives us hope in our life’s journey and in our future; it makes us trust in ourselves, in history and in other people,” the pope wrote in the message released in midDecember. The day’s theme for 2013 is “Vocations as a sign of hope founded in faith.”

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How can we help these thousands of young people to take the next step? Along with prayer, a good way to encourage them would be to talk about vocations in terms that are relevant to them. Pope Benedict XVI does just that. Our Holy Father understands the pivotal role of friendship in the lives of young people, often telling them that they are uniquely able to reach their peers with the Good News of the Gospel. The pope encourages young people to be missionaries to their contemporaries by inviting them to an experience of faith and remaining close to them on their life journey. In this way, young believers help their peers to discover the vocation God has planned for them. But the Holy Father goes much deeper. He knows that the ultimate friendship is with Jesus Christ himself, and he is not afraid to share this conviction with young people. “There are many people who bring you happiness, but there is also a great friend who is the creator of the joy of all, and with whom our hearts are filled with a joy that surpasses all other, and which lasts throughout our lives: this friend is Jesus,” he told a group of university students PLEASE TURN TO ENCOURAGE ON PAGE 14

Vocations

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT â&#x20AC;˘ JANUARY 3, 2013

The deacon: Servant of the New Evangelization By Deacon Joseph Michalak For The Catholic Spirit

â&#x20AC;&#x153;They could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which Deacon Stephen spoke. . . . Then Deacon Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture of the Suffering Servant, he proclaimed to the Ethiopian the good news about Jesus.â&#x20AC;? According to the Acts of the Apostles, the first deacons were men â&#x20AC;&#x153;of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom,â&#x20AC;? ordained to assist the apostles in their ministry by â&#x20AC;&#x153;keeping accounts,â&#x20AC;? that is, doing administration and handling practical matters. Yet, immediately the Holy Spirit leads these deacons into powerful preaching and evangelization â&#x20AC;&#x201D; proclamation of the Good News about Jesus. Indeed, other than Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; own teaching, the most dramatic sermon recorded in the New Testament is by Deacon Stephen, a sermon for which Stephen suffers the first martyrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s death in imitation of the Lord, with the words of Jesus on his lips: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lord, do not hold this sin against them.â&#x20AC;?

Speak through his envoy A week ago, Pope Benedict XVI called Deacon Stephen â&#x20AC;&#x153;a model of all who want to serve the New Evangelization.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stephen shows that the novelty of proclamation does not primarily consist in the use of original methods or techniques, which certainly have their uses, but in being filled with the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be guided by Him,â&#x20AC;? the pope said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The novelty of

LEAD. INFLUENCE.

Servant to all

As servant, just like Jesus, the deacon must be radically available to do Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will, to speak as his envoy. In practice, this means the deacon commits to praying the Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s morning and evening prayer, he commits to â&#x20AC;&#x153;lectio divinaâ&#x20AC;? (sacred reading of Scripture), he commits to frequent and even daily assistance at the Eucharist, for the ministry of charity begins in and returns to the Eucharist. He commits to obedience to the bishop for his ministry of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. And, because he is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;icon of Jesus the Servant,â&#x20AC;? the deacon must be willing to accept misunderstanding and even obscurity, even in the Church herself where the deacon â&#x20AC;&#x201D; â&#x20AC;&#x153;the other clergyâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; so often serves behind the scenes. Even in the liturgy, the deacon stands beside and slightly behind the priest! â&#x20AC;&#x153;To speak through His envoy.â&#x20AC;? This is the essence of the diaconate; this, too, is the essence of the New Evangelization, in which Word is wedded to the witness of charity, of love embodied in action â&#x20AC;&#x201D; nothing dramatic, simply â&#x20AC;&#x153;being filled with the Holy Spirit and allowing ourselves to be guided by Him.â&#x20AC;? Or perhaps, then, drama of the highest order.

There is no one way of being deacon â&#x20AC;&#x201D; except that the deacon is the sacramental servant of the Word in the Church. If the priest is ordained to bear the image of Jesus as Victim-High Priest, the deacon is ordained to bear the image of Jesus the Servant.

Deacon Joseph Michalak is director of diaconate formation for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. To find out more about the vocation of ordained ministry as a deacon, call (651) 962-6891 or email JTMICHALAK@STTHOMAS.EDU.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the priest is ordained to bear the image of Jesus as Victim-High Priest, the deacon is ordained to bear the image of Jesus the Servant.

â&#x20AC;?

DEACON JOSEPH MICHALAK

proclamation lies in immersing ourselves deeply in the mystery of Christ, the assimilation of his word and of his presence in the Eucharist, so that he himself, the living Jesus, can act and speak through his envoy.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Speak through His envoyâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that is the essence of the deaconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocation. He is a man of the Church â&#x20AC;&#x201D; ordained like a priest, no longer a layman â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who is meant to be immersed in the living Word of God as a servant of the Word, and who is an ambassador of that Word wherever he may find himself or wherever he is sent by the bishop. One of the unique features of the deaconâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vocation, as Benedict XVI has said, is the â&#x20AC;&#x153;multiplicity of the diaconateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s applications.â&#x20AC;? There is not just one profile, he says, and so deacons bring the embodied presence of the Church and the witness of the Word into the cultural sector,

into the educational realm, into the world of business and, of course, into the sector of charity in all its dimensions: the deacon orders the Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s charity, Benedict said in his first encyclical, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deus Caritas Est.â&#x20AC;? In a world that is rapidly losing its vision for what marriage and family are meant to be, the deacon (if he is married) may well play a key role in the restoration of holy marriage and family life, the domestic Church where we live for something beyond ourselves, so often bearing the grief of others.

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Vocations

JANUARY 3, 2013 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Msgr. Weiss: He was there

Kick Off the Year of Faith with

The following was first published on the USCCB Blog. It was written by Sister Mary Ann Walsh, director of media relations for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He was there. Msgr. Robert Weiss, pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Newtown, Conn., went quickly to the scene of the Dec. 14 school massacre. There were the bodies of 20 little children, six staff and the 20-year-old perpetrator who killed them and then himself. And from that moment on and for days to come, Msgr. Weiss became the face of compassion to MSGR. WEISS victims’ families, to parishioners, townspeople and, through the media, the entire world. He and other clergy said nothing had prepared them to deal with such a situation, but they may be wrong. Msgr. Weiss knew that by right of baptism and later ordination, he must bring Christ’s presence to the world, especially in troubled times. He had to eschew anger for caring, point to hope amidst near despair, and give a reason to live to some who felt their reason for living lay dead. Often he had to do so without words. As God’s representative, Msgr. Weiss came from the only world that offered consolation. People attended Mass in

search of comfort. For memorial and funeral Masses, Scripture guided him. When it comes to the human encountering the divine, nothing matches a Catholic funeral. It stands out at the final commendation of the deceased. “May the angels lead you into Paradise,” the Church prays. “May the martyrs greet you at your arrival and lead you into the holy city, Jerusalem. . . .” The teaching that “life is not ended but changed” lets children, parents, brothers, sisters and friends know they will see their loved one again. Msgr. Weiss became psychologist and counselor. Leave the Christmas lights on, he advised families who asked what to do. “I saw 20 new stars in the sky tonight,” he said evoking a human image at an overflow Mass the night of the crime.

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Through the lens of faith The grace of the moment, that special gift of God, was with Msgr. Weiss. And so was six to eight years of training before ordination. Early in his priesthood he likely labored beside seasoned priests, learning the trade and crafting his own distinctive pastoral style. Seminaries are intense, a fish bowl-like experience in a close-knit community, where praying, studying and eating together taught him about the human condition. Spiritual directors and formation directors pushed and pulled him to articulate his inner life, called him to greater PLEASE TURN TO SOMETIMES ON PAGE 14

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Vocations

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 3, 2013

Sometimes greatest ministry priest can provide is one of simple presence CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 accountability and comforted him when he struggled. Seminary and the first years of priestly ministry are an immersion into the depths of one’s own humanity followed by an immersion into the depths of others. And it is always filtered through the lens of faith. Seminarians face queries about how they feel at the death of someone dear. How has the grieving process been? How do they feel when a friend leaves the seminary? How do they deal with the loss?

And how do Christ and the seminarian’s faith help him with each of those? This is the undertow of seminary life, where academic training is but a part. And then it happens, an unconscionable act of violence. Perhaps he remembered from his training in visiting hospitals and nursing homes: the ministry of presence, where sometimes the most soothing ministry is just being there. Sometimes words can get in the way and people just need to know that everything has not evaporated, that there is still someone to lean on, that even if they don’t see

the working of faith in this moment, then perhaps another does. Sometimes a priest can draw on the words of Christ, and sometimes he simply stands as a presence to show God is not absent. Msgr. Weiss, whatever his previous experience with grief and struggle, and whether or not he had been tested in the fire of faith, at Newtown stood as a pres-

ence and image of that faith for others. Perhaps it was grace, or training or both that let Msgr. Weiss touch souls across the nation. For right from the start, like Jesus, he was there. Contributing to this post was Father Daniel Merz, associate director of the USCCB’s Secretariat for Divine Worship.

Encourage youth to be friends with Jesus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11 in Rome in December. “The more you get to know him and to enter into dialogue with him, the greater the happiness you will feel in your hearts.” These words echo the pope’s first homily in 2005, when he encouraged young people to open wide the doors of their hearts to Christ: “If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful and great. No! Only in this friendship are the doors of life opened wide. Only in this friendship is the great potential of human existence truly revealed. Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. . . . Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return.” As a young girl, St. Jeanne Jugan, founder

of the Little Sisters of the Poor, sought this friendship with Jesus. It led her from a marriage proposal to the realization that God wanted her for himself; from membership in a lay ecclesial movement to establishing a religious congregation devoted to care of the elderly poor. She gave God everything and received a hundredfold in return as she saw her religious community grow. If you know a young person whom you feel would make a good priest or religious, reach out and tell them so. Share our Holy Father’s words about friendship with Jesus Christ. Tell them that if they give themselves to Christ, he will give them a joy that surpasses all others — the joy of being “no longer servants, but friends” (cf. John 15:15). Sister Constance Carolyn Veit, LSP, is director of communications for the Little Sisters of the Poor in the United States.

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“Arise! Shine, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord has dawned upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

The Lesson Plan JANUARY 3, 2013

Reflections on faith and spirituality

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Our encounter with Christ, fullness of truth deepens over time

his Sunday, we will celebrate the Solemnity of the Epiphany. The word “epiphany” literally means “revelation” or “manifestation.” It calls to mind the image of a curtain being yanked aside, unveiling a work of art to the public for the very first time. Or, it is like the world premiere of a highly anticipated film like “The Hobbit.” In either case, the excitement and anticipation have been building over the course of weeks and months. There are rumors of what the finished product will be like; there are speculations being thrown about by critics and Deacon fans. There is the ocJoah Ellis casional sneak peak or trailer, providing just the slightest glimpse of what is coming and further whetting everyone’s appetite.

it. This is true even though all that meaning was present the first time you watched it.

Readings Sunday, Jan. 6 The Epiphany of the Lord ■ Isaiah 60:1-6 ■ Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 ■ Matthew 2:1-12

Ongoing process

Reflection Meditate and pray over today’s Scripture readings. What insight do they give you that you didn’t have before?

Sunday Scriptures

Though it can be hard for us to imagine, for many people, this is what the coming of Jesus was like. While the Israelites and others knew that a Messiah — a Savior — was coming, they knew very little about him. Every now and then, a prophet would give a small glimpse of what he might be like. The Scriptures provided hints in veiled language about the day of his com-

ing. There was great anticipation among the people. Finally, the veil was torn aside and he was revealed. The Gospel for this Sunday recounts how Jesus Christ was manifested to the whole world, symbolized by Magi who came from foreign lands. And what a manifestation this is! By Jesus’ birth, life, ministry and death, God has revealed to the world everything we

Daily Scriptures Sunday, Jan. 6 The Epiphany of the Lord Isaiah 60:1-6 Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 Monday, Jan. 7 St. Raymond of Penyafort, priest 1 John 3:22 — 4:6 Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25

Acts 10:34-38 Luke 3:15-16, 21-22 Monday, Jan. 14 Hebrews 1:1-6 Mark 1:14-20 Tuesday, Jan. 15 Hebrews 2:5-12 Mark 1:21b-28

Tuesday, Jan. 8 1 John 4:7-10 Mark 6:34-44

Wednesday, Jan. 16 Hebrews 2:14-18 Mark 1:29-39

Wednesday, Jan. 9 1 John 4:11-18 Mark 6:45-52

Thursday, Jan. 17 St. Anthony, abbot Hebrews 3:7-14 Mark 1:40-45

Thursday, Jan. 10 1 John 4:19—5:4 Luke 4:14-22a Friday, Jan. 11 1 John 5:5-13 Luke 5:12-16 Saturday, Jan. 12 1 John 5:14-21 John 3:22-30 Sunday, Jan. 13 The Baptism of the Lord Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

Friday, Jan. 18 Hebrews 4:1-5, 11 Mark 2:1-12 Saturday, Jan. 19 Hebrews 4:12-16 Mark 2:13-17 Sunday, Jan. 20 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Isaiah 62:1-5 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 John 2:1-11

can know. Everything! All truth — about God, our faith, human beings and the rest of creation — is found in Jesus. We are privileged to have received this revelation. But, as you might imagine, it needs some unpacking. A movie that has great literary depth and significance is not fully understood after you see it once. You must watch it again and again, each time discovering more of the meaning within

If this is the case for a great movie, it is even more the case for Jesus — the Truth — who contains and reveals all truth. That fullness of truth was there when you first encountered or heard about him, but now it needs to be unpacked. This is true no matter how much or how little you know about him. We are never finished with this process of encountering Jesus Christ more deeply and learning more about our Catholic faith. As a result, it is important to continue doing these things throughout our whole lives. The Year of Faith we are in is a great opportunity to do just that because there are many Catholic books and resources being made available to us at this time. Pick up one of them, such as Matthew Kelly’s “Rediscover Catholicism” or Pope Benedict’s “Jesus of Nazareth,” and begin working your way through it. You’ll find that, as the first reading says, “your heart will throb and overflow” with what you find (Isaiah 60:5). Deacon Joah Ellis is in formation for the priesthood at the St. Paul Seminary for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. His home parish is Epiphany in Coon Rapids, and his teaching parish is St. Timothy in Maple Lake.

Epiphany:

Jesus came for the salvation of all By Father Michael Van Sloun For The Catholic Spirit

The good news of the birth of Jesus and the salvation he brings is intended not only for the people of Israel, but for all people everywhere. And, the appearance of the star to the Magi is one of the first Gospel indicators of the universality of salvation. Matthew began with the end in mind. If the Gospel ends with Jesus saying, “Go . . . make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), then the Gospel ought to begin with an announcement of the birth of Jesus to all nations. The Magi lived in the East, most likely Persia. They were highly educated upper class nobility, “wise men,” who were wellinformed in astronomy, “astrologers.” They were political or government dignitaries because they served as advisers to the king and princes, and they were spiritual guides because they acted as pagan priests who were both fortune tellers and magicians. The Magi were not Jewish; they did not belong to the people of Israel.

In Matthew’s infancy narrative, the Magi serve as representative figures for Gentiles — all those in the world who are not Jewish. The appearance of the star and the announcement of the birth of Jesus to the Magi indicate that Jesus, the Good News of the Gospel, the arrival of the reign of God, and the salvation that Jesus brings are intended not only for the Chosen People, Israel, but for all people, those of every nation, race, language and culture, every person in every land in every age of history.

Route to God For Jews, one of the privileged pathways to God is through Scripture, but the Gentiles did not have or know the Word. So God used another method, a star. The beauty of creation is readily observable to anyone, so whether a person sees a star, the sun or the moon, billowing clouds or the blue sky, mountains or rivers, animals or plants, in wonderment and awe creation leads everyone, believer and non-believer alike, to God. PLEASE TURN TO SCOPE ON PAGE 16

The Lesson Plan

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 3, 2013

Scope of Jesus’ mission included the Gentiles CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Once captivated by the star, the Magi followed it to Israel, as the Chosen People still serve an important role in leading people to God, and it was necessary for the Magi to consult the prophecies to find Jesus because Scripture eventually becomes valuable to all who seek God.

Expanded scope Initially Jesus came only for the Jews (Matthew 15:24). His initial instruction to his disciples was, “Do not go into pagan territory” (Matthew 10:5), but rather, “Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). Except when Jesus went to Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, all established Jewish communities, many refused to follow him, and in a short while the Pharisees began to plot how they might put Jesus to death. Jesus expanded the scope of his mission to include the Gentiles when he went to the east side of the Sea of Galilee and to Tyre and Sidon. Ultimately, Jesus came for all, Jew and Gentile alike. The Collect Prayer for the Epiphany begins, “O God . . . who revealed your Only Begotten Son to the nations by the guidance of a star.” Jesus came for all nations, and the appearance of the star to the Magi hundreds of miles from Israel says that salvation is intended for everyone, near and far.

THREE ROYAL GIFTS OF THE MAGI The Magi gave Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11) — extraordinarily expensive gifts, treasures, items that reveal the Christ child’s true identity. ■ Gold is a precious metal. When Jesus was born, roughly 95 percent of the ancient Mediterranean world lived at the subsistence level; the people were truly poor and could barely eke out a living. Only a rare, select few — kings and queens, nobles and princes — ever received valuable gifts, and gold ranked as the best gift of all. Gold is highly symbolic. It says that the recipient is of the greatest stature, of the highest nobility, greater than anyone else. When Jesus was given gold, it said symbolically that he was a king (Isaiah 9:6), the “King of kings” (Revelation 17:14; 19:16), the one who would reign from David’s throne (2 Samuel 7:12-14,16; Daniel 2:44; 7:14; Luke 1:32-33), the King of the Jews (John 19:19), the one to whom all power was given both on earth and in heaven (Matthew 28:18). Gold says that the child Jesus is the King! ■ Frankincense was used by priests when they offered worship and sacrifice to God in the Temple (Leviticus 2:2). When it was burned, it created a sweet-smelling fragrance that was pleasing to God. And, as the smoke curled

upward, the peoples’ prayers were carried to God (Psalm 141:2). When the infant Jesus was given frankincense, it indicated symbolically that the newborn child would be a priest. In fact, frankincense reveals that the child Jesus is the eternal High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15; 5:5; 7:22-28; 8:1-6; 9:1128). ■ Myrrh is the most unfamiliar of the three gifts. Before the days of embalming, myrrh was a costly perfumed oil applied to the skin of a person who had passed away (see Matthew 26:7,12; Mark 14:3, 8; John 12:3, 7). Nicodemus used a mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint Jesus’ body after he died (John 19:39-40). When the Magi presented the child Jesus with an urn of myrrh, it said that he was born to die, to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21), to spare people from condemnation and death, and to open the gates of heaven. Myrrh anticipates that the child Jesus would die, be anointed with fragrant oil and reign as the savior of the world. The three gifts of the Magi reveal who Jesus is: the King; the eternal High Priest; and Savior. — Father Michael Van Sloun

Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.

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“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.” Michelangelo

This Catholic Life JANUARY 3, 2013

Exploring our church and our world

Guarding against grime at the Sistine Chapel By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service

In an effort to protect Michelangelo’s famed frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Museums will be installing a new ventilation system to suck the dust, dirt and humidity from visitors. With 5 million tourists pushing through the turnstiles each year, all that traffic is taking its toll as “dust, temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide are the great enemies of paintings,” said Antonio Paolucci, director of the Vatican Museums. To lighten the heavy human footprint, the museums are installing a 110-yardlong carpet leading to the chapel’s entrance to clean off people’s shoes, he told the Italian newspaper, Corriere della Sera. Suction vents will line the same path to vacuum hair, dust and other particulates off of visitors before they head into the chapel, and a new climate control system will lower temperatures “to remove heat and humidity from people’s bodies,” he said. He has said reducing the impact by limiting the number of visitors was “unthinkable.” The construction of the new dirt-and grime-prevention system has “made a lot of headway,” and Paolucci said he hoped it would be fully operational before the end of 2013.

Work begins on dorms for Catholic students at two secular universities By Laura Dodson Catholic News Service

Catholic students at one secular university in Florida soon will have a dormitory all their own. In a historic collaboration, Bishop John Noonan of Orlando, Fla., Anthony Catanese, president of Florida Institute of Technology, Matt Zerrusen, president of the Newman Student Housing Fund, and Salvatorian Father Douglas Bailey, chaplain of Catholic campus ministry at the school, participated last month in the ceremonial groundbreaking for Mary Star of the Sea Catholic Student Residence. The ceremony was the second in as many months at a secular university in which housing specifically designated for Catholic students is being constructed. A similar ceremony took place Oct. 3 at Texas A&M University-Kingsville for St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center, which includes a dormitory and chapel.

Keeping the faith

Learning more The museums’ director also wants to sweep away visitors’ ignorance about the cultural, historical and theological significance of the Renaissance master’s frescoes by offering an instructional preview virtual tour beforehand. Though it’s only in the brainstormstage, Paolucci said the idea would be to build a pavilion where visitors could sit, watch large close-ups of the ceiling’s images and listen to an explanation of the artwork.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

CNS photo / L’Osservatore Romano

Michelangelo’s depiction of the “Last Judgment” adorns the wall behind the altar of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel during a vespers service in late October. In an effort to protect Michelangelo’s famed frescoes in the chapel, the Vatican Museums will be installing a new ventilation system to suck out the dust, dirt and humidity.

The Newman Student Housing Fund is financing the new residence hall at the Florida school. The dormitory will house 140 students beginning in the fall. Once the dormitory is completed, construction of a chapel will begin. “Fifty percent of students on college campuses lose their faith by the time they graduate,” Zerrusen said. “This is unacceptable. It is a huge, huge deal in campus ministry, and all the Newman Centers want to add dorms. These are the first, the pioneers. “We are creating authentic Catholic campuses inside secular ones,” he explained. “If we want a way to change the culture of campus life and affect the future of our country, this is a big way of doing that. We can’t sit back and watch these kids go uncatechized. We’ve got to do something, and we are.”

Calendar

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 3, 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) 8881492 for reservations. Wild Game Feed at St. Timothy, Blaine — January 12: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 707 89th Ave. N.E. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children 4 to 12. KC pancake breakfast at Transfiguration, Oakdale — January 13: 8 a.m. to noon at 6133 15th St. Cost is $7 for adults and $5 for children 6 to 12. Take-out available.

Parish events ‘Bethlehem: A Hands-on Experience’ at Mary, Mother of the Church, Burnsville — January 5 and 6: After the 4 p.m. Mass Saturday and after the 8:30 and 11 a.m. Masses Sunday at 3333 Cliff Road. During Epiphany weekend, experience the culture during the time of Jesus’ birth. There will be refreshments and activities for all ages. Everyone is encouraged to dress in costume. ‘Discipleship: A Call to Holiness’ first in a four-week series at St. Odilia, Shoreview — January 10: 7 to 9 p.m. at 3495 N. Victoria. Father Phillip Rask will reflect on scripture and his pastoral experience and Renee Allerheiligen, parish consultant, will help revitalize discipleship. For information, visit WWW.STODILIA.ORG. Acoustic Café at St. Mark, St. Paul — January 11: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at 2001 Dayton Ave. Includes delicious treats and beverages with music by five Catholic musicians from the Archdiocese. Cost is $5. For information and a list of musicians, visit WWW.SAINTMARKMN.ORG. ‘Setting the Table for Steubenville’ women’s event at the American Legion, Montgomery — January 13: Noon at 102 Elm Ave. S.W., Montgomery. Enjoy entertainment, lunch and a speaker with proceeds going toward a trip to the Steubenville Youth Conference for youth from Holy Redeemer and St. Canice in Kilkenny. Call (507) 364-8819. ‘Stress to Balance: De-stressing Divorce’ at All Saints, Lakeville — January 14: 7 to 8 p.m. at 19795 Holyoke Ave. Brenda DeMotte will speak. ‘Discipleship: A Call to Holiness’ second in a four-week series at St. Odilia, Shoreview — January 17: 7 to 9 p.m. at 3495 N. Victoria. Father Phillip Rask will reflect on scripture and his pastoral experience and Renee Allerheiligen, parish consultant, will help revitalize discipleship. For information, visit WWW.STODILIA.ORG. ‘Mother’s Day of Renewal’ at Holy Family, St. Louis Park — January 26: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 5900 W. Lake St. Speaker, author and blogger Tami Kiser will present on being Mary in a Martha world. Confessions at 7:30 a.m., 8 a.m. Mass followed by breakfast, talks and lunch. Register by Jan. 12 for $25. After Jan. 12 cost is $30. For

at 2501 Hwy 100 S. For students entering grades 7 to 12. For information, email ADMISSIONS@BSMSCHOOL.ORG.

Don’t Miss Single parent retreat Spend a morning with other single parents and be renewed in your vocation not only as a parent, but the man and woman God created you to be. The Office of Marriage, Family and Life is sponsoring a single parent retreat from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 2 at Maternity of Mary, St. Paul. Father John Paul Erickson, director of the archdiocesan Office of Worship, will present, “The Call to be Holy in Season and Out.” Jean Stolpestad, director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Life, will talk about, “Power lunches, Power Rangers and the Power of Prayer.” Cost is $10 per family and includes childcare. Register online at WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG by Jan. 30.

Newly married retreat Take a day to strengthen your marriage during the Newly Married Retreat for couples married up to 7 years. The office of marriage, family and life is sponsoring the event from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at St. Charles Borromeo, St. Anthony. The retreat, led by Jeff and Emily Cavins, includes a continental breakfast, breakout sessions, a catered lunch, reconciliation and renewal of vows. Cost is $40 per couple and registration is required by Jan. 29. Register online at HTTPS://GIVING.ARCHSPM.ORG/NMR2013. information or to register, email

BINS5@COMCAST.NET.

TROB-

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 information, call (651) 439-9098. All night vigil with the Blessed Sacrament at Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — January 4 and 5: 7 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday at 401 Concord St. Christmastide Taizé prayer service at St. Richard, Richfield — January 4: 7:30 p.m. at 7540 Penn Ave. S. For information, visit WWW.STRICHARDS.COM. Charismatic Mass at St. Albert the Great, Minneapolis — January 13: 1 p.m. at 3200 E. 29th St. Bishop Lee Piché will be the celebrant. For information, call (612) 243-9411. Holy Hour Dedicated to Religious Liberty, Life and Marriage at the Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul — January 20: 3 to 4 p.m. at 239 Selby Ave. Participate with the archdiocese and the nation as we pray a Holy Hour dedicated to religious liberty, life and marriage led by Archbishop John Nienstedt. For information, visit WWW.ARCHSPM.ORG.

Singles Sunday Spirits walking group for 50plus 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) 425-0412. 50-plus Second Sunday Supper event at St. Joan of Arc, Minneapolis — January 13: 5 p.m. social hour, 6 p.m. dinner and 7 p.m. entertainment at 4537 Third Ave. S. Cost is $10. Call (952) 8845165 or visit WWW.SECOND-SUNDAY. ORG.

School events Open house at Holy Name of Jesus School, Wayzata — January 6: 1 to 3 p.m. at 155 County Road 24. For students entering grades pre-K to 6. To RSVP, call (763) 473-3675. For information, visit WWW.HNOJ.ORG/SCHOOL. Early childhood education and kindergarten open house at St. Peter, Forest Lake — January 7: 6:30 p.m. at 1250 South Shore Drive. For those interested in Discovery Childcare, preschool, pre-kindergarten or kindergarten. For information, visit WWW. SCHOOL.STPETERFL.ORG. Open house at Convent of the Visitation School, Mendota Heights — January 8: 7 p.m. at 2055 Visitation Drive. For students entering grades 9 to 12. Open house at Holy Name of Jesus School, Wayzata — January 10: 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 155 County Road 24. For students entering grades pre-K to 6. To RSVP, call (763) 473-3675. For information, visit WWW.HNOJ.ORG/SCHOOL. Kindergarten open house at St. Jude of the Lake School, Mahtomedi — January 10: 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 600 Mahtomedi Ave. Placement testing at Cretin-Derham Hall, St. Paul — January 12: 8:30 a.m. at 550 S. Albert St. No preregistration necessary. Cost is $10. For information, visit WWW.C-DH.ORG. Open house at St. Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights — January 13: 1 p.m. at 949 Mendota Heights Road. For students entering grades 7 to 12. For information, visit WWW.CADETS.COM. Open house at Benilde-St. Margaret School — January 14: 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Middle School open house at St. Jude of the Lake School, Mahtomedi — January 14: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 600 Mahtomedi Ave. Kindergarten and Montessori preschool open house at St. Croix Catholic School, Stillwater — January 14: 6:30 p.m. at 621 S. Third St. For information, visit WWW.STCROIXCATHOLIC. ORG. Open house at Convent of the Visitation School, Mendota Heights — January 15: 6:30 p.m. at 2055 Visitation Drive. For students entering grades pre-K to 5. Open house at Academy of Holy Angels, Richfield — January 16: 6 p.m. at 6600 Nicollet Ave. S. For students entering grades 9 to 12. For information, call (612) 798-2624.

Young Adults ‘Theology on Tap’ winter series at The Glockenspiel Restaurant, St. Paul — January 9: Doors open at 7 p.m. with a speaker from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 605 7th St. W. Kalley Yanta will speak on “Living One’s Faith with Courage in the Modern World” followed by further discussion and fellowship. Sessions are free of charge, however drinks and food are not included. ‘Theology on Tap’ winter series at The Glockenspiel Restaurant, St. Paul — January 16: Doors open at 7 p.m. with a speaker from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 605 7th St. W. Father Mark Moriarty will speak on faith and science, followed by further discussion and fellowship. Sessions are free of charge, however drinks and food are not included.

Other events NET Ministries ‘The Gathering for Youth Ministers with Michael Hoffman: Building the Foundation of a Youth Ministry Leader at the NET Center, West St. Paul — January 10: 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 110 Crusader Ave. W. Michael Hoffman will present a program that will help anyone called to leadership in youth ministry build a solid foundation for their year. Cost is $45, walk-in cost after Jan. 8 is $60. Visit WWW.NETUSA.ORG/ THEGATHERING to register. The Well-read Mom Conference at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul — January 11: 4 to 6:30 p.m. at 2115 Summit Ave. (Anderson Student Center.) Learn why reading quality literature is crucial to our vocation as women. Cost is $11 and includes refreshments. For information, visit WWW.WELLREADMOM.COM. 11th Annual Catholic Conference sponsored by The Archdiocesan Association of the Holy Name Society at All Saints, Lakeville — January 12: Begins with Mass at 5 p.m. at 19795 Holyoke Ave. Dinner at 6 p.m. followed by presentation. The theme of this year’s conference is "Radical Catholic", featuring Chris Padgett, nationally known speaker, musician, song writer, author and convert to the Catholic faith. Conference is designed for parents and their teens. Youth groups and confirmation classes are encouraged to attend. Register by January 8. For information, visit WWW.NOMENSANCTUM.ORG.

Calendar Submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, seven days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following: • Time and date of event. • Full street address of event. • Description of event. • Contact information in case of questions. E-MAIL:

SPIRITCALENDAR@ ARCHSPM.ORG.

(No attachments, please.) FAX: (651) 2914460 MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • JANUARY 3, 2013

All-night vigil set for seminary

Immigration activist involves others CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 month’s vigil coincides with Epiphany Sunday. Members of this group and other activists say that immigrants often are detained for minor infractions, for unspecified periods of time and given fewer legal resources than U.S. citizens, plus have to suffer the trauma of being separated from their families. Added to that is that many do not speak English. “These people are undocumented and that’s against the law, but what we’re saying is the punishment doesn’t fit the crime,” said John Joslin, a member of the Interfaith Coalition on Immigration, an ecumenical group that sponsors the vigils each month. The hosts for the Jan. 6 vigil are the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, who helped start up the gatherings. They are also part of the Interfaith Coalition on Immigration. “It began after a woman we had been accompanying was detained there one day short of six months,” said Ginger Hedstrom, a CSJ consociate working in the CSJ Justice Office. “The number of people who were aware that Ramsey County was detaining migrants was minimal.” This group, hopes to change that by spending a half hour a month visiting the Ramsey County Adult Detention Center during the time period when families and friends are allowed to visit those who are detained. About 50 people come every month, and they hope to show support to the visitors, plus send a message to those inside that there are people who care about them. Joslin, a member of St. Stanislaus, said

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

Immigration Sunday: Jan. 6 The Catholic bishops of Minnesota have designated Sunday, Jan. 6, the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, as Immigration Sunday Minnesota. The day is an opportunity to learn more about the Church’s teaching on immigration and raise awareness about immigration issues facing the nation and state. The bishops released a statment on federal immigration reform in March entitled, “Unlocking the Gate in Our Hearts.” “The Church’s perspective on immigration is rooted in her teaching that every human person is created in God’s image and has God-given dignity, rights and duties,” the bishops said in the statement. For more information, visit the Minnesota Catholic Conference website at WWW.MNCC.ORG. To read the statement, click on “Legislation,” then “Bishop Statements, Correspondence & Testimony.”

he once was nonsympathetic to immigrants, especially those who entered the country illegally. But, he had a change of heart and now is working to create support for detainees. Hedstrom said: “My view on immigration changes every single time I come into contact with another migrant – coming to know the people who live the story. I hope that in 2013, each and every one of us can make a commitment to get to know at least one migrant and learn their story.”

this world.” The archdiocese also encourages anyone willing to pray for life to attend the vigil, which apart from Mass and the Divine Mercy chaplet at 3 a.m., will focus on silent prayer, he said. “We’re all in this together and that’s why it’s not just for those that are hurting with an abortion experience,” Herold said. “We want the prayer warriors to come, too. We want the people who pray to end abortion and pray for these people who’ve had these experiences.” Project Rachel, not to be confused with the non-profit post abortion retreat ministry, Rachel’s Vineyard, offers free, confidential one-to-one support from priests and trained lay volunteers to individuals in emotional, psychological, and spiritual pain as a result of abortion. At the vigil, the Knights of Columbus will serve as greeters and parking lot escorts, Herold said. He noted that abortion supporters will mark the 40th anniversary — another reason for pro-lifers to humbly pray at the Vigil for mercy, forgiveness, healing and an end to abortion. Whether or not they’ve had an abortion experience as Herold has, he believes that everyone has suffered spiritually from abortion. “There are fewer children out there today because of abortion,” he said. “Because of that we’re all affected.”

Pro-life events For those wishing to stand up for life during the upcoming anniversary of Roe v. Wade, there are several opportunities: ■ Prayer service for life The archdiocese is sponsoring a local Prayer Service for Life, which takes place Jan. 22 at the Cathedral of St. Paul. Led by Bishop Lee Piché, the 10:30 a.m. service will be followed by a march to the State Capitol and a rally organized by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. ■ Youth for Life Conference On Jan. 21, which is also Martin Luther King Day when many schools are closed, there will be a Minnesota Youth for Life Conference at Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale. Going from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m., it will feature speakers covering a variety of pro-life topics, including how youth can help overturn Roe v. Wade. For more information, visit WWW.MNYOUTHFORLIFE.WEBS.COM. ■ Defending Life in 2013: A three-lecture series at the Univerity of St. Thomas A lecture series reflecting on 40 years under Roe v. Wade will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Schulze Auditorium on the Minneapolis campus Tuesdays, Jan. 8, 15 and 22. Speakers are: Jan. 8 – Paul Wojda, “Always to Care, Never to Kill” focusing on end-of-life issues and physician assisted suicide. Jan. 15 – Clarke Forsythe, Senior Counsel for Americans United for Life, “The Tragic History of Roe.” Jan. 22 – Teresa Collett, “Defending Life in 2013 After 40 Years Under Roe v. Wade.”

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“Today’s culture is emphasizing the individual in an exaggerated way; the individual is becoming the measuring stick for everything, with the risk of putting oneself even in God’s place.” Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council for the Family, in a Dec. 21 interview with Catholic News Service

Overheard

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Quotes from this week’s newsmakers

Catholic Community Foundation appoints vice chair, board members The Catholic Community Foundation has appointed Norbert Conzemius as vice chair of its board of directors and Emery Koenig and Larry McGough as members of the board. The appointments were approved at the The foundation’s Catholic Spirit quarterly board meeting Nov. 19. The 27-member board provides strategic direction to the Catholic Community Foundation, which was established in 1992 with the mission to support the spiritual, educational and social needs of the Catholic community. Prior to his appointment as vice chair, Conzemius chaired the board’s investment and board governance committees and served on the strategic planning committee. He replaces Jerry Brennan, who has served in the role for the past three years. Conzemius and his wife, Mary Ellen are parishioners at Assumption in St. Paul. Koenig is executive vice president and chief risk officer of Cargill and serves as a member of the Cargill Corporate Leadership Team. He and his wife, Karen are parishioners at St. Joseph in Waconia. McGough is retired chairman of McGough Companies and is an active member of his parish, St. Rose of Lima in Roseville. He is a founding board member of the Catholic Community Foundation.

Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway star in a scene from “Les Miserables,” the big-screen adaptation of the longrunning stage show.

News Notes

Center for Mission sponsors Guatemala trip The Center for Mission of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is sponsoring a trip to San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala from June 29 to July 9. Participants will interact with the humble, faith-filled descendents of the Mayan people and hear their stories of hope and joy in the midst of what has been a persecuted Church. For more information, contact Mike Haasl at (651) 291-4504 or email HAASLM@ARCHSPM.ORG.

Relevant Radio offers quiz contest for students Relevant Radio has teamed up with sponsor, Sargento, to give students ages 18 and under a chance to win $100 for their Catholic school or parish. To participate in the CateQuiz, listen to the “Morning Air” show weekdays from Jan. 7 to April 12 at approximately 7:35 a.m. The third caller must answer a question selected from a list of 10 questions, which are available on the station’s website, WWW.RELEVANTRADIO.COM. Visit the Relevant Radio website for complete rules.

CNS photo / Universal Studios

‘Les Miserables’

Retelling of classic tale highlights power of faith Reviewed by Joseph McAleer Catholic News Service

If your Christmas season wish list includes a lavish, big-budget musical crafted in the classic Hollywood manner, then “Les Miserables” (Universal) is just the ticket. This rousing entertainment offers something for everyone: soaring anthems, tear-jerking romance, thrilling drama — and a positive portrayal of the Catholic faith. In fact, this faithful adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel, which was transformed into a worldwide stage sensation by impresario Cameron Mackintosh, is a deeply moral story. Characters rise and fall calling on God for grace and mercy, seeking personal redemption while trying to better the lives of others.

Can love survive? As the central character, ex-convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), comes to realize, “To love another person is to see the face of God.” The labyrinthine story spans two decades in post-revolutionary France and revolves around three characters: Valjean, who breaks his probation and seeks a fresh start; Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), obsessed with finding Valjean and bringing him to justice; and the doomed Fantine (Anne Hathaway), who sacrifices everything for the care of her out-of-wedlock daughter, Cosette (Isabelle Allen). The kindness of a Catholic bishop (Colm Wilkinson) convinces Valjean to amend his life. Over time, he changes his identity, becoming the benevolent mayor of a village and a factory owner. When Fantine is unjustly fired from his factory and forced into a life of prostitution, Valjean steps in, promising the now-dying woman that he will raise Cosette as his own. Cosette has been living with the Thenardiers (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter), wicked tavern owners and professional pickpockets. Their collusion with Javert makes for a narrow escape for Valjean. Years pass, and Cosette has blossomed into a refined young woman (Amanda Seyfried). On a Paris street she meets a young revolutionary, Marius (Eddie Redmayne). It’s love at first sight, much to the chagrin of fellow rebel Eponine (Samantha Barks), who happens to be the Thenardiers’ daughter. Can Cosette and Marius’ love survive the rising tensions of the mob, as streets are barricaded and weapons drawn? Is Javert closing in on Valjean at long last? “Les Miserables” barrels along to a satisfying climax that is profound in its endorsement of the power of faith.

Talented cast With little spoken dialogue and 50 songs from composer Claude-Michel Shonberg, and lyricist Herbert Kretzmer, “Les Miserables” is more opera than musical. Fortunately the actors’ pipes are up to the challenge, especially Hathaway, whose heartbreaking rendition of the signature tune, “I Dreamed a Dream,” is sensational. The film contains scenes of bloody violence, a prostitution theme, and nongraphic nonmarital sexual activity. The Catholic News Service classification is A-III — adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 — parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. McAleer is a guest reviewer for Catholic News Service.

JANUARY 3, 2013 “Everyone is coming to church seeking a word of comfort and consolation, which they don’t find anywhere else. You hear gun and mortar shots everywhere. We don’t know where they are coming from or where they are aimed; we only know that they bring death and destruction.” — Bishop Giuseppe Nazzaro, Latin-rite apostolic vicar of Aleppo, Syria, speaking about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses in the war-torn city

“We are creating authentic Catholic campuses inside secular ones. If we want a way to change the culture of campus life and affect the future of our country, this is a big way of doing that. We can’t sit back and watch these kids go uncatechized. We’ve got to do something, and we are.” — Matt Zerrusen, president of the Newman Student Housing Fund, which is financing a new residence hall for Catholic students at the Florida Institute of Technology, one of the first such efforts in the nation at a secular university

“When they leave, they don’t come back. My message to them is to stay, stay, stay, but if they don’t stay I understand, without justifying this departure.” — Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem, in his Christmas message in which he noted the decreasing number of Christians — currently slightly more than 1,330 — living in Gaza

“Any deficit reduction agreement or framework for future reform must protect the refundability of low-income tax credits, the charitable deduction and the millions of people who benefit from them.” — Bishop Richard Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, and Bishop Stephen Blaire of Stockton, Calif., chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, in a letter to Congress as the country moved closer to an end-of-year series of automatic spending cuts and the end of Bush-era tax cuts