Newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis
Prepare your heart for Advent
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The Catholic Spirit
November 18, 2010
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News with a Catholic heart
Cardinal: U.S. must redouble efforts to protect Iraqis
Western metro nonprofit spotlights rising suburban poverty
Catholic News Service
By Maria Wiering
In his last week as president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago urged the U.S. government to “redouble its efforts to assist Iraqis” in providing safety for its citizens, especially religious minorities. “To meet its moral obligations to the Iraqi people, it is See critically imrelated portant that the United editorial States take ad— Page 10A ditional steps now to help Iraq protect its citizens, especially Christians and others who are victims of organized attacks,” said Cardinal George in a Nov. 9 letter to U.S. President Barack Obama. Cardinal George sent the letter after the Oct. 31 attack on the Syrian Catholic church in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad that killed 58 people and wounded 75. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York was elected president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 16. In a brief discussion of the letter during the Nov. 15 opening session of the bishops’ annual PLEASE TURN TO STORIES ON PAGE 20A
The Catholic Spirit
CNS photo / Thaier al-Sudani, Reuters
Women grieve during a Nov. 2 funeral for victims of an attack in Baghdad, Iraq. Religious leaders worldwide are condemning the Oct. 31 attack on a Syrian Catholic cathedral in Baghdad and urging political leaders to ensure religious coexistence in the region.
Bishops in Baltimore: Read about the fall meeting on page 7A and at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM.
Economy a ‘perfect storm’
Pope: Rich economies must pay attention to farming Catholic News Service Modern economies must pay more attention to farmers and the entire agricultural sector, not out of some nostalgic yearning for a simpler time, but out of recognition that farms feed the world and offer dignified work to millions of people, Pope Benedict XVI said Nov. 14. Thanksgiving holidays in many countries at the end of the harvest season are an appropriate time for everyone to reflect on the importance of agriculture and on the ways that many modern economies ignore the sector or actually inflict harm on it through trade policies or through the promotion of industries that destroy farmland, he said. With the current global economic crisis, the pope said, the temptation of the richest countries is to band together to improve their own situations, often in a way that harms the world’s poorest countries and uses up “the natural resources of the earth, entrusted by God the creator to human beings to cultivate and safeguard.” The world needs to forge “a new balance among agriculture, industry and services” that results in sustainable development, available work and food, and resource preservation, he said.
On the outside, Beth’s life looked like the American dream: She lived in a beautiful house near Lake Minnetonka, and her husband’s career allowed her to stay home to raise her two young sons. It was a comfortable — even enviable — life for a woman in her late 20s. But that was the facade. On the inside, Beth had endured emotional abuse from her husband since the beginning of their marriage. And when she tried to leave the marriage for the sake of her sons, the abuse turned physically violent. Beth, who requested that her last name not be used, left her husband in 2007 and obtained a divorce, but it cost her nearly everything. Because her husband failed to pay bills, she and her boys lost their home and moved in with Beth’s father. Although Beth, now 35, worked in management and sales prior to her marriage, she didn’t have a college degree, so finding a good job was difficult. When she realized that she had exhausted her own resources, she turned to Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners, a nonprofit serving eight western metro suburbs. Several Catholic parishes are part of the effort. When people think of poverty, most don’t think of Twin Cities suburbs — especially those around Lake Minnetonka, where big boats and bigger houses reign supreme. Yet, Beth and her sons are among 4,495 individuals from 1,469 households IOCP helped in fiscal year 2009-2010. And, suburban poverty is on the rise. Since 2004, IOCP’s housing assists have increased by 38 percent.
Read Thanksgiving reflections on pages 2A, 10A and 15A.
Beth is among “the new poor” — those who had no history of poverty but became poor during the economic recession due to home foreclosures or lack of job opportunities. Many of them were not as financially secure as Beth once seemed to be. In the 1990s, moderate- and lower-income people migrated to the suburbs for safe streets, good schools and new jobs, including people who were “living on the edge,” said LaDonna Hoy, IOCP’s executive director. When the recession hit, it didn’t take much for some people to reach a tipping point. The organization serves Hamel, Long Lake, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, Wayzata and Plymouth. PLEASE TURN TO CHURCHES ON PAGE 19A
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NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Which angel’s basket will you contribute to?
That They May All Be One Archbishop John C. Nienstedt
Legend of the two angels reminds us to be thankful for all the blessings we’ve received
There is a legend that speaks about two angels who were sent down from heaven, each with a basket in hand. They went from place to place, to poor houses and rich houses, visiting the children saying their prayers and people worshipping in their churches. In short, they visited believers, young and old alike. Then, at length, they came flying back to heaven with their collected loads. The basket borne by one angel was laden, but that of the other was very light — hardly worthwhile, one would have thought, to go so far and collect so little. “What have you in your basket?” asked one angel of the other. “I was sent to collect the prayers of all of the people who said, ‘I want’ and ‘Please give me,’” answered the angel who carried the heavy load. “And what have you in yours?” “Oh,” replied the other angel sadly, “I have been sent to collect the ‘thank-yous’ of all the people to whom our great God had sent a blessing; but see how few have remembered to give thanks!”
Appreciating God’s gifts Our national holiday of Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to contribute to the second angel’s basket. Those of us who live in the United States of America, despite these difficult economic times, have been
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. 15 — No. 21
MOST REVEREND JOHN C. NIENSTEDT Publisher BOB ZYSKOWSKI Associate publisher JOE TOWALSKI Editor Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by Catholic Spirit Publishing Company. Subscriptions: $29.95 per year Senior 1-year: $24.95 To subscribe: (651) 291-4444 Display Advertising: (651) 291-4444 Classified advertising: (651) 290-1631 Published bi-weekly by the Catholic Spirit Publishing Company, a non-profit Minnesota Corporation, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102 (651) 291-4444, FAX (651) 291-4460. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional post offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102. www.TheCatholicSpirit.com e-mail: catholicspirit@archspm.org USPS #093-580
“We must seek opportunities to share what we have with others, not only at Thanksgiving, but every other day of the year as well.
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ARCHBISHOP JOHN NIENSTEDT
truly blessed. We have been blessed with life and family and friends. We have been blessed with this great country, with our freedom and our collective prosperity. As Catholics, we have been blessed with our faith, our parishes, and our connection to the Universal Church. We know that every good gift comes from God and that God calls us to be good stewards of the gifts he has given. This means we must seek opportunities to share what we have with others, not only at Thanksgiving, but every other day of the year as well. After all, love isn’t love until it is given away. One of my favorite quotes on offering thanksgiving comes from St. Augustine, who said: “Let us rejoice then and give thanks that we have become not only Christians, but Christ himself. Do you understand and grasp, brethren, God’s grace toward us? Marvel and rejoice: We have become
Christ. For if he is the head, we are the members; he and we together are the whole man. . . . The fullness of Christ then is the head and the members. But what does ‘head and members’ mean? Christ and the Church.” And it follows, of course, that the most perfect prayer of thanks is that of the Holy Eucharist. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The Eucharist is a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Father, a blessing by which the Church expresses her gratitude to God for all his benefits, for all that he has accomplished through creation, redemption, and sanctification. Eucharist means first of all ‘thanksgiving’” (paragraph 1360). My most fervent wish at Thanksgiving is that our Catholic people will take every opportunity to participate in the Holy Eucharist at the Sunday liturgy, to be sure, but also
Archbishop Nienstedt’s schedule ■ Saturday, Nov. 20: 5 p.m., Burnsville, Church of the Risen Savior: Sunday liturgy. 7 p.m., St. Paul, St. Paul RiverCentre: Festival of Trees event. ■ Sunday, Nov. 21:10:30 a.m., Chanhassen, Church of St. Hubert: Sunday liturgy. 4 p.m., Anoka, First reconciliation service. ■ Monday, Nov. 22: 3:30 p.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Catholic Community Foundation quarterly board meeting. ■ Monday, Nov. 29: 9 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting of the Caleb Club. 10:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Meeting with the superior general of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. ■ Tuesday, Nov. 30: 8:30 a.m., St. Paul, Archbishop’s Residence: Scheduling meeting with staff. 9:30 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Archdiocesan Comprehensive Assignment Board meeting. 11:45 a.m., St. Paul, The St. Paul Seminary: Strategic Planning Task Force luncheon. 5:30 p.m., West St. Paul, Church of St. Joseph: Dinner and penance service. ■ Wednesday, Dec. 1: 11 a.m., St. Paul, Chancery: Minnesota Catholic Conference board meeting. ■ Thursday, Dec. 2: 12 p.m., Minneapolis, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport: Holy Eucharist and address the Airport Serra Club.
Appointment Father Kammen named administrator at St. Hubert Father Paul Kammen was named parochial administrator for St. Hubert in Chanhassen. Father Kammen, who was ordained in May 2007, has been serving as an assistant pastor at St. Hubert. He previously served as assistant pastor at Holy Name in Medina. Official Archbishop John C. Nienstedt has made the following appointment in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis: Effective Nov. 11, 2010: Rev. Paul Kammen, parochial administrator; St. Hubert Catholic Church, Chanhassen.
more often during the week. And, motivated by the love experienced at Mass, they will be ambassadors of Christ’s love in charitable works on behalf of the poor, the sick, the stranger and the marginalized.
Advent nears This also prompts me to point out that the holy season of Advent is right around the corner. While Advent has a different focus than Lent, it is nevertheless a penitential season, providing us with opportunities to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ in time through the sacraments, and to prepare for his coming at the end of time. The Scriptures of this season call us to be a waiting and watchful people; both these attributes are anything but passive. Rather, we are called to be proactive in seeking the presence of Jesus. Again, frequent participation in the Mass and in the doing of charitable works are two tried-and-true ways of giving meaning to our Advent journey. The four weeks of Advent will pass quickly, so I recommend planning ahead. Christmas will be here before you know it. Let us hope that the second angel has more in her basket by the time we get there. God bless you!
Father McCauley is interim director of Catholic conference The Catholic Spirit Archbishop John Nienstedt has announced the appointment of Father David McCauley as interim director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference. He replaces Christopher Leifeld. A native of St. Paul, Father McCauley was ordained in 1963 for the Diocese of Fargo, N.D., where he served in pastoral and campus ministry. He served as pastor of Nativity in Fargo from 1981 until 1995, when he returned to St. Paul to FATHER MCCAULEY become executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, which is the public policy and advocacy voice of Minnesota’s Catholic bishops. He served as director for six years and returned to parish ministry in the archdiocese. He served St. Ambrose in Woodbury, Mary, Queen of Peace in Rogers, St. Rita in Cottage Grove and retired as pastor of St. Pascal Baylon parish in 2009. Father McCauley will serve as interim director of MCC while a national search for a new executive director is being conducted.
Life’s most urgent question is: What are you doing for others? Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Local NOVEMBER 18, 2010
News from around the archdiocese
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New facility at St. Odilia to offer care at end of life
Honoring their sacrifice
By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit
A new facility will bring eight chronically or terminally-ill people to St. Odilia in Shoreview for end-of-life care in the next few months. A 6,000-square-foot facility named Saint Therese at St. Odilia is scheduled to open in January. The building, formerly the priory of the Crosier Fathers and Brothers, currently is being renovated to accommodate up to eight residents at a cost of $700,000. When the Crosiers moved out in 2007, they left behind 4.3 acres of land and three buildings. A 20-member campus expansion committee discussed what to do with the buildings. “We brainstormed all kinds of possibilities for all three properties,” said Tom Schumacher, parish administrator. “We came up with over 100 ideas on how to use this space — a home for unwed mothers, college dormitory, youth gathering space, that was high on our list.”
Examining the possibilities
Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit
Military veteran Bob Spinharney of Holy Family in St. Louis Park leads a procession of the American flag during a Veterans Day Mass Nov. 11 at Holy Family celebrated by the pastor, Father Thomas Dufner. Showing allegiance to the flag are students of Holy Family Academy. After Mass, eighth-graders at the school served breakfast to veterans and their spouses. Guest speaker Hector Matascastillo of St. Paul described his distinguished service in the U.S. Army, which included tours of duty in Iraq and numerous other countries, plus his personal battle with post-traumatic stress disorder. View more Veterans Day photos at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM.
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Eventually, the parish decided to use one of the buildings for a rectory for priests and another for staff offices to free up space in the church and school building for a new pre-school program. That left the priory, which the committee continued to address. Eventually, the members started looking at a facility for seniors and consulted PLEASE TURN TO RESIDENTS ON PAGE 20A
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
In the past six years, Pope John Paul II Catholic School in northeast Minneapolis has made a tremendous turn-around. It faced near-closure in 2004, but today it runs its budget in the black (thanks, in part, to a pastor with a business degree), serves as a model for multi-age classrooms and has made a commitment to strong Catholic identity initiatives, for which it earned a national award in April. Still, the kindergarten to eighth-grade school is among the Catholic schools undergoing an “urgent review” as part of the archdiocesan Strategic Plan for Parishes and Schools, which Archbishop John Nienstedt announced Oct. 16-17. Under the plan, some parishes received detailed directives to merge, cluster or collaborate with others nearby. Schools were not given directives as specific as that. Instead, the plan launched a process for further school review, with local leaders deciding the schools’ futures with additional input from their stakeholders, including parish and school communities. Under the plan, all schools are called into greater collaboration, ongoing evaluation and greater accountability. Possible outcomes include schools becoming stronger in key areas, engaging in structured collaboration with other Catholic schools, or closing if they are determined to be unsustainable in the long term. These reviews are an integral part of meeting Archbishop Nienstedt’s vision of having strong, sustainable Catholic education, said Catholic schools superintendent Marty Frauenheim. “We want to grow Catholic education throughout all parts of the archdiocese, and we can’t do that unless we have a good plan,” she said. One school undergoing urgent review, Pope John Paul II Catholic School, was willing to talk to The Catholic Spirit about the process it is going through.
Assigning school categories As part of the process, the plan assigned schools within the archdiocese to one of four categories: urgent review schools, sustainability review schools, shared resource discussion schools and schools where there is no change at this time. Schools assigned to urgent review, like Pope John Paul II, must complete an evaluation of their school’s long-term viability and present their recommendations to a review board. A final decision on the recommendation will be made in January.
Catholic schools seek
sustainability solutions
Schools are evaluated in four categories that the archdiocesan Strategic Plan identifies as criteria for long-term viability: Catholic identity, academic programming, financial management, and community outreach or development. These marks were already part of a sustainability review process several schools used prior to the archdiocesan Strategic Plan. At this time, the archdiocese is not making public the names or number of other schools in any category. However, schools themselves were to inform their communities and stakeholders of their status in October. Catholic Schools Office staff members and Parish Services Team members are assisting schools through the process. “We’ve really tried to make it be about the schools having the opportunity to do the work we’ve asked of them without the guessing game out there as to who’s in what category, and what does that mean,” Frauenheim said. The January deadline for schools undergoing urgent reviews allows Archbishop Nienstedt and others adequate time to review the information the schools present to determine if the
schools have a plan for long-term viability. Some local school leaders may recommend that their schools should close at the end of the 2010-2011 school year. School leaders that recommend their schools stay open must prove the schools are sustainable for the long term. “We’re very hopeful that they can find a way to meet challenges there, but we’re also realistic enough to know that for some of them that have been teetering, . . . they may determine that they’re not sustainable . . . and they need to close,” Frauenheim said. If it is determined that a school should close, parents, students, teachers and staff would have time to look for a new school or jobs. The archdiocese will assist families in finding another Catholic school which meets their needs. “The biggest gift we can give families is for them not to be unsure of where their school is,” Frauenheim added.
Hope in northeast Father Glen Jenson, Pope John Paul II’s canonical administrator, said northeast Minneapolis needs the consolidated school, which serves 11 parishes: All Saints, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St. Anthony of Padua, St. Boniface, St.
Clement, Sts. Cyril and Methodius, St. Hedwig, St. Maron, Holy Cross, St. Lawrence and Our Lady of Lourdes. Father Jenson expects its review presentation to demonstrate that the school is indeed viable, although that hasn’t always been the case. In 2004, Pope John Paul II had lost its state-recognized accreditation and faced financial challenges. Its board recommended that it close. But it was the only Catholic school in its region of Minneapolis — to close the school meant the loss of Catholic school education in an area in which 20 percent of people identify themselves as Catholic. Archbishop Harry Flynn recommended the school remain open to serve its area, and new leadership came in to help strengthen the school. In the past six years, Father Jenson and Principal Debra King have worked to revitalize the school. The school was awarded full accreditation in 2008, a feat of which King is especially proud. The school transformed its single-grade classrooms into multi-age classrooms for grades after kindergarten, and uses class “leveling,” in which certain subjects are taught at the same time school-wide, and students attend language arts and math classes taught at their ability level, which may not correspond with their grade level. This method works well at the school, since many of its students are learning English as a second language, Father Jenson said. In January, the archdiocese announced receiving a Solutions Initiative grant to help seven other schools use multi-age classrooms, with Pope John Paul II as a model. And, Pope John Paul II School received a Sadlier Catholic Identity Award at the National Catholic Educational Association convention in April for its efforts to maintain its school’s Catholic identity. In addition to its weekly all-school Mass, Pope John Paul II has added a Mass for each classroom, so Father Jenson can preach especially to their age group. The school also increased the number of allschool opportunities for the sacrament of Reconciliation, and it has introduced its students to Benediction, which includes eucharistic adoration. Prayer is a regular part of the students’ day, and Father Jenson is a frequent classroom visitor. PLEASE TURN TO MPLS. ON PAGE 22A
GOP controlled Legislature offers opportunities and challenges By Pat Norby
to be real tough,” Father McCauley said.
The Catholic Spirit
What about public welfare?
The upcoming state legislative session presents “a mixed bag” for the concerns of Minnesota’s Catholic bishops, said Father David McCauley, interim director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the bishops’ public policy voice. With concerns about the state’s budget deficit, Father McCauley said it is questionable whether any other issue can even get a hearing in the next session, which will feature a House and Senate with Republican majorities. The close governor’s race between DFL candidate Mark Dayton and Republican Tom Emmer appears headed to a recount before a winner is named. “I’m assuming the referendum [on defining marriage as a permanent union of one man and one woman] will be easier to pass if we can get it a hearing,” he said. If it would pass, he added, the governor, by law, cannot veto a bill calling for a referendum. “But, in [other] social concerns areas, I think it’s going
Paul Martodam, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, said he expects Catholic Charities leaders to spend a lot of time at the Minnesota State Capitol during the upcoming legislative session. “There’s been a lot of talk about cutting budgets during the campaigns, but very few specifics,” said Martodam. “When you get down to what’s in the budget, education and health care are the two big components of the state budget. Our concern is the small amount that is left over for our public welfare programs.” For a number of years, Catholic Charities was able to meet the needs of all the people who came to its doors for help. But, that is not a given. “The fact is we’re maxed out,” Martodam said. “The reality is that we see continuing growth in the number of unemployed people, and the number of people losing
their jobs. . . . We see an increase in the levels of need every day in our programs.” State and federal funding makes up about 43 percent of the total $37 million Catholic Charities budget, he said. The rest of the budget includes: charitable contributions, 33 percent; archdiocesan funds, 5 percent; United Way, 6 percent; program fees and rent, 10 percent; and investments, 3 percent. “We’re seeing increased levels of giving, but nothing to come close to making up for the amounts that are at stake here,” he said. The first concern is for the poorest and most vulnerable citizens: people who are homeless, those with disabilities and the frail elderly, he said.
Funding priorities Martodam noted three funding priorities for Catholic Charities: ■ Group residential housing, which serves people in PLEASE TURN TO MORE ON PAGE 20A
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NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
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Priest helps Chanhassen parish heal in wake of arrest By Julie Carroll The Catholic Spirit
When Father Paul Kammen, parochial administrator at St. Hubert in Chanhassen, learned about the arrest Nov. 4 of then-pastor Father Michael Krenik on charges of indecent exposure to an undercover police officer, Father Kammen’s initial reaction was confusion, disbelief and anger, he said. “But I believe that problems have to be confronted, and wishing problems away doesn’t make them disappear,” the 33year-old priest wrote on his blog. “So I tried my best to make the most of a rough situation.” In a Nov. 8 post titled “Moving forward together” at HTTP://FATHERPAULKAMMEN. WORDPRESS.COM, Father Kammen wrote about how he broke the difficult news to his congregation and the support he received from parishioners and staff members in the wake of the alleged incident. He also posted a text of the homily he gave at all Masses that weekend. “It’s OK to question God. It’s OK to have doubts — even Jesus did,” Father Kammen said in his homily. “But Jesus knew that he was not abandoned by the Father, and my hope is that we know that
“When we hurt, we come together and help one another through the storm.
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FATHER PAUL KAMMEN
as well. Take the time you need to talk about this with your families and friends. Take the time to bring it to prayer, and know that healing is a process that can take a long time. “The one thing that I can say to you with certainty is that we will get through this because that’s what we do,” Father Kammen added. “When we hurt, we come together and help one another through the storm. We don’t ignore something or hope it magically goes away. We face it, we deal with it, and we help one another heal.”
Show of support That weekend, many parishioners expressed to Father Kammen their support, he wrote in his blog. There were “no angry e-mails, no ‘I’m leaving the parish,’
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
none of that — just support. And I suppose it shouldn’t surprise me because that’s what people do at this parish — they help one another.” Long-time parishioner Bernie Gaytko, who attended the 8:30 a.m. Mass Nov. 7, said the congregation gave Father Kammen a standing ovation after the homily. Father Kammen’s message that “one man is not the church, we are the church,” really stuck with Gaytko, he said. He also was impressed with the professional manner in which Father Kammen and staff members dealt with the situation at the parish school, where Gaytko’s grandson is a student. In an interview with The Catholic Spirit, Father Kammen said that he informed students of Father Krenik’s depar-
ture from the parish in an age-appropriate manner; answered students’ questions along with Father Peter Laird, archdiocesan vicar general; and held a prayer service with the children. “For such a young man, Father Paul is just handling the situation like an old pro,” Gaytko said. Father Krenik, 53, was arrested around 1:20 p.m. in a park near Eustis Street and North Mississippi River Boulevard in St. Paul, police said. He was taken into custody on charges of “indecent exposurelewd conduct” and released, according to a police report. On Nov. 5, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said in a written statement that Father Krenik had “voluntarily resigned” as pastor and would be restricted from all public ministry until the case was resolved. Archdiocesan officials said they were unaware of any previous misconduct involving Father Krenik. Father Kammen has been assigned the position of pastoral administrator at St. Hubert. He said he would be meeting further with staff and archdiocesan officials regarding this transitional time. Father Kevin Magner will assist at St. Hubert during the interim, he added.
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Most photogenic Catholic church is postcard-perfect winner The Catholic Spirit Tim Alms of Red Wing is the winner of The Catholic Spirit’s latest photo contest for his colorful picture of St. Columbkill church in Belle Creek. Judges from The Catholic Spirit photo staff proclaimed Alms’ shot “clearly a winner” among 154 entries in the “Minnesota’s Most Photogenic Catholic Church” photo contest, sponsored by Lifetouch, producers of parish pictorial directories. Alms wins the $100 top prize. The judges noted, “This photo incorporates a beautiful blue sky and white puffy clouds against the warm-colored brick of this gorgeous church. A simple composition, yet very effective. Taken at exactly the right time of day, it looks like a postcard. Well done!” When he entered this photograph, Alms noted, “I was married in this church 22 years ago. We have just found today that the church will be closing and merged with Holy Trinity in Goodhue. This was the 150th anniversary of the church; very bittersweet.” Second place went to Nick Werner of Hastings for his aerial photo of St. John the Baptist church in Vermillion, where he said he’s been a member since he was born. The judges said, “This aerial view is unique, creative and dramatic. The beauty of this church really stands out against the green foliage, with a dark vignette Tim Alms of Red Wing took first place with this photo of St. Columbkill Catholic Church in Belle Creek.
PLEASE TURN TO AERIAL ON PAGE 21A
“Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love, but to use violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.” Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Nation/World NOVEMBER 18, 2010
News from around the U.S. and the globe
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At assembly, Archbishop Dolan elected USCCB head Catholic News Service In a series of close votes, the U.S. bishops elected Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York to head the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for the next three years and chose Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., as vice president. By selecting Archbishop Dolan, 60, from a field of 10 candidates that included Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., USCCB vice president, the bishops diverged from the usual practice of electing the USCCB vice president as president. Because a USCCB vice president cannot serve for two consecutive terms, Bishop Kicanas was not eligible to run for vice president. Archbishop Dolan will succeed Cardinal Francis George of Chicago as USCCB president at the close of the bishops’ fall general assembly Nov. 15-18 in Baltimore. “I’m surprised, I’m honored, I’m flattered and a tad intimidated,” Archbishop Dolan told Catholic News Service. The election of Archbishop Dolan marks the first time since the bishops’ conference was reorganized into its current form in 1966 that a sitting vice president who sought the presidency did not win the election. In two elections, circumstances dictated that the vice president did not rise to lead the conference. A sampling of bishops interviewed after the vote suggested the choice of Archbishop Dolan seemed to be more about changing the process of assuming the vice president would be elected president.
Other business ■ The first day of the meeting included the introduction of items to be voted on the next day (after this issue of The Catholic Spirit went to press), including an agreement on the mutual recognition of baptism from the Reformed-Catholic dialogue. ■ In discussing health reform in his address, Cardinal George said “developments since the passage of the legislation” have confirmed that “our analysis of what the law itself says was correct and our moral judgments are secure.” He did not specify what those developments were. The USCCB opposed passage of the final health reform legislation, saying it would permit federal funding of abortion, inadequately protect the conscience rights of health care providers and leave out immigrants. Cardinal George said the debate also raised the question of “who speaks for the Catholic Church.” “The bishops . . . speak for the church in matters of faith and in moral issues and the laws surrounding them,” he said. “All the rest is opinion, often well-considered opinion and important opinion that
CNS photo / Nancy Wiechec
New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan smiles after being elected the next president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops during the bishops’ annual fall meeting in Baltimore Nov. 16. The vote was 128-111 on the third ballot. He defeated Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., current USCCB vice president.
deserves a careful and respectful hearing, but still opinion.” ■ The cardinal addressed several other issues in his outgoing speech, among them concern for Christians in the Middle East (see page 1A). ■ Bishop Kevin Farrell of Dallas, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on National Collections, commended American Catholics for the generosity they showed to the people of Haiti in
contributing millions of dollars for earthquake relief. He said in a report to the assembly that U.S. Catholics contributed $82.3 million as part of a special collection taken up in parishes with 60 percent going for humanitarian aid and 40 percent for church reconstruction. ■ The assembly heard a brief update on the importance of using social media to evangelize. Bishop Ronald Herzog of
Pope calls for local support for prayer vigil for the unborn By Rita Fitch Catholic News Service
Pope Benedict XVI encouraged Catholics around the world to participate in a prayer vigil for unborn babies to be held on the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, Nov. 27, either in St. Peter’s Basilica or in their local parishes. Speaking Nov. 14 after reciting the Angelus, the pope said, “The season of preparation for Christmas is an appropriate time for invoking divine protection over every human being called into existence and for thanking God for the gift of life we received from our parents.”
The pope called for the vigil to pray for the unborn and their parents, for an end to abortion and research that destroys embryos, and recognition of the dignity of every human life. The Vigil Nascent Human Life will include prayers for overturning of laws that permit the destruction of innocent lives, and for the healing of those who have acted against innocent human life. Pope Benedict will preside over an evening prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica Nov. 27 and asked that parishes, religious communities, associations and movements around the world hold vigils of their own.
Alexandria, La., a member of the bishops’ Committee on Communications, said the communications habits of young people make it imperative for the bishops to deliver church teachings in new ways. ■ Saying “today is like 1970 for marriage,” Archbishop Kurtz urged his fellow bishops Nov. 15 to look at the challenges to traditional marriage as if they could see Roe v. Wade on the horizon. Archbishop Kurtz made the comments as chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Defense of Marriage, which was just upgraded to a subcommittee of the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. He updated the bishops on various projects to reinforce the church’s teaching about the sanctity of marriage, including the release of new multimedia materials and active work in battling legislative efforts to change legal definitions of marriage in order to legalize same-sex marriage. ■ Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services made an appeal for more priests to serve as military chaplains. He also asked each bishop to designate a day of fasting and prayer in his diocese for “a just and lasting peace,” for an end to military suicides, and for the families and soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in military service.
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Individuals, art need transcendent values, pope says Outdoor Mass
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
Pope Benedict XVI warned countries of the danger of no longer being at the loving service of their citizens as he urged the faithful to bring Christ’s message of hope to all people. During a two-day journey to a oncestaunchly Catholic Spain, the pope sought to bolster and renew people’s faith in God and convince an increasingly secular society that the church wants dialogue, not confrontation. The pope’s Nov. 6-7 visit, his 18th trip abroad, brought him first to one of Catholicism’s most popular and ancient pilgrimage sites, Santiago de Compostela, and then Barcelona, where he consecrated the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. During the Nov. 7 Mass in which he blessed and anointed the altar of the church dedicated to the Holy Family of Nazareth, he said Christians must resist every attack on human life and promote the natural institution of the family. Under the government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who came to power in 2004, Spain has relaxed its divorce laws, eased restrictions on abortion, legalized same-sex marriage and allowed gay couples to adopt. In his homily, the pope praised the technical, social and cultural progress made over the years. However, he said, a country must also advance morally. He asked that courts, legislative bodies and society respect and defend the sacred and inviolable life of the child from the moment of conception. “For this reason, the church resists every form of denial of human life and gives its support to everything that would promote the natural order in the sphere of the institution of the family” based on marriage between a man and a woman, he said.
Overflow crowds More than 6,000 people filled the church, which the pope elevated to a
CNS photo / Jesus Diges, Reuters
Spain’s King Juan Carlos kisses the hand of Pope Benedict XVI after a Mass at which the pontiff consecrated the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, Nov. 7.
minor basilica during the Mass. Another 50,000 people followed the event outside on 33 jumbo screens that dotted the surrounding streets and squares. A “kiss-in” protest of about 200 people happened along the pope motorcade route, as gay rights’ advocates kissed as the vehicle passed. At least 200,000 people lined the streets of the city to see the pope, according to city authorities. The church, begun in 1882 and expected to be finished by 2026, is the masterpiece of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, a Catholic whose beatification cause is under way. The minor basilica is a splendid example of the natural synthesis of tradition and novelty as well as of faith and art, the
pope said in response to journalists’ questions aboard the papal plane from Rome Nov. 6. The “certain dissonance” between the world of art and religion “hurts both art and faith,” he said. Art and faith need to be brought back together again and be in dialogue, he said, because truth is expressed in beauty and in beauty one finds the truth. He told reporters that in Spain the trend toward “anticlericalism and secularism” was especially marked in the 1930s, which created “a clash between society and faith that also exists today.” He said faith and society must come together, too, and not be wedged apart.
While the papal trip was not an official state visit, the pope was greeted upon landing in heavy fog in Santiago de Compostela by Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia of Asturias, Spanish cardinals and bishops, and government authorities from the local, regional and national level. During an outdoor Mass celebrated in front of the 12th-century cathedral of Santiago de Compostela Nov. 6, the pope said when societies and governments are no longer at the loving service of all people, then arrogance and exploitation risk snuffing out true human development and fulfillment. Only by loving and serving others like Jesus did, even with the simplest of gestures, will humanity regain a sense of happiness and hope, he said. About 6,000 people filled the tiny square to capacity and 200,000 more were present in the small city, lining the streets and squares, according to local authorities. The pope came as a pilgrim to commemorate the holy year of St. James, which occurs every time the feast of St. James — July 25 — falls on a Sunday. He took part in some of the traditional pilgrim rituals such as kneeling in prayer in the small crypt housing the apostle’s tomb, walking through the holy door and admiring the immense stone and silver-plated statue of St. James that most pilgrims embrace. After the Mass in Barcelona Nov. 7, the pope visited Obra Nen Deu, a center run by the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart for children with mental disabilities. The pope urged Christians to keep offering financial support for charitable works even at a time of economic crisis. The pope met in Barcelona with King Juan Carlos of Spain and Queen Sofia and held a brief private meeting with Prime Minister Zapatero at the Barcelona airport before taking off for Rome.
Clerical sex abuse, religious freedom on cardinals’ agenda
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Pope Benedict XVI has convened a meeting of the world’s cardinals to discuss a wide range of topics, including clerical sex abuse and religious freedom around the world. The “day of reflection and prayer” will take place at the Vatican’s synod hall Nov. 19, the day before the pope presides over a consistory to create 24 new cardinals, a Vatican statement said Nov. 8. The morning session will begin with discussion of the situation of religious freedom in the world and the new challenges being faced. The cardinals will then take up the question of “Liturgy in the life of the church today.” The afternoon session will hear three reports. Cardinal-designate Angelo Amato, head of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes, will speak on the 10th anniversary of “Dominus Iesus,” the doctrinal congregation’s 2000 statement that underscored the unique and universal salvation offered by Christ through his church. — Catholic News Service
“Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.” St. Jerome
This Catholic Life NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Opinion, feedback and points to ponder
The Catholic Spirit
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Bible school: Pope encourages devoted, reasoned approach to Scripture By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
God constantly tries to enter into dialogue with the people he created — speaking through creation and even through silence, but mainly in the church through the Bible and through his son, Jesus Christ, Pope Benedict XVI said. In his apostolic exhortation, “Verbum Domini” (“The Word of the Lord”), the pope encouraged Catholics to embrace and value each of the ways God tries to speak to humanity. The document, a papal reflection on the conclusions of the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God, was released at the Vatican Nov. 11 and emphasized the need to improve Catholics’ familiarity with the Bible and with the need to read and understand it in harmony with the church. The Bible is not a dusty collection of ancient writings addressed only to ancient peoples, he said. But it’s also not some sort of private letter addressed to individuals who are free to interpret it any way they please, the pope said in the document, which is nearly 200 pages long. The pope said he wrote “Verbum Domini” because “I would like the work of the synod to have a real effect on the life of the church: on our personal relationship with the sacred Scriptures, on their interpretation in the liturgy and catechesis, and in scientific research so that the Bible may not be simply a word from the past, but a living and timely word.”
Catholics, read up! Pope Benedict asked for greater church efforts to teach Catholics about the Bible, to help them learn to read it and pray with it, to treat it with great dignity during the liturgy and emphasize its importance by making sure homilies are based on the day’s readings. For centuries, Catholic laity actually were discouraged from reading the Bible themselves. Even though that began changing 100 years ago, Bible reading often is seen as a Protestant activity. In fact, some evangelical Christians use passages from the Bible to preach against the Catholic Church, which the pope said is truly ironic since “the Bible is the church’s book.” It was the church that decided which of the ancient Christian writings were inspired and were to be considered the New Testament, the pope said. And it was the
CNS photo / Karen Callaway, Catholic New World
A woman studies the Bible in 2009 at St. Mary of Celle Parish in Berwyn, Ill.
church that interpreted it for hundreds of years. “The primary setting for scriptural interpretation is the life of the church,” he said, not because the church is imposing some kind of power play, but because the Scriptures can be understood fully only when one understands “the way they gradually came into being.” Obviously, he said, the key message of the Bible — the story of God’s love for his creatures and the history of his attempts to save them — can be grasped only if people recognize that the fullness of God’s word is Jesus Christ. Jesus “is the definitive word which God speaks to humanity,” the pope wrote, and “in a world which often feels that God is superfluous or extraneous, we confess with Peter that he alone has ‘the words of eternal life.’”
Bible requires thought, faith The Scriptures themselves teach that God created human beings with a special dignity, giving them intelligence and free will. In approaching the Scriptures, he said, people must use that intelligence to understand what is written. Pope Benedict, a theologian who served for more than 20 years as president of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, said academic approaches to Scripture
studies were essential for helping people understand the Bible, as long as those studies recognize that the Bible is not simply a piece of literature. For example, he said, a lot of Catholics — including priests giving homilies — are completely at a loss when dealing with “those passages in the Bible which, due to the violence and immorality they occasionally contain, prove obscure and difficult.” Those passages, he said, demonstrate that “God’s plan is manifested progressively and it is accomplished slowly, in successive stages and despite human resistance. God chose a people and patiently worked to guide and educate them.” God’s education of his people continues today, for example, by helping people understand the importance of safeguarding creation and working for more justice in social and political systems, he said. Pope Benedict said God’s dialogue with humanity through the Bible must lead to greater faith and a more powerful witness in the world.
Old lessons, new attention While the papal exhortation mentioned plenty of early church theologians and their approaches to understanding Scripture, it also included a long section about men and women who read the Bible and were inspired to live its message in the world. “Every saint is like a ray of light streaming forth from the word of God,” he said, listing personalities ranging from St. Clare of Assisi to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and from St. Dominic to St. Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer, the founder of Opus Dei. Some of the Bible’s lessons are old, but need to be given new attention, Pope Benedict wrote. The Scriptures make it clear that the family founded on marriage is part of God’s plan for humanity and for human happiness. “In the face of widespread confusion in the sphere of affectivity, and the rise of ways of thinking which trivialize the human body and sexual differentiation, the word of God reaffirms the original goodness of the human being, created as man and woman and called to a love which is faithful, reciprocal and fruitful,” he wrote. The Bible, the pope said, is filled with words of consolation and joy, but as God’s word it also is “a word which disrupts, which calls to conversion.”
Pope offers step-by-step guide on how ‘lectio divina’ meditation works By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
In his post-synodal document on the Word of God, Pope Benedict XVI urged all Christians to get to know the sacred Scriptures better. He gave a few suggestions that included having a Bible in every home and engaging in a more attentive, prayerful listening to Gospel readings. The pope paid particular attention to the importance and efficacy of “lectio divina,” a form of prayerful meditation on the word of God, and he offered a step-bystep guide on the practice. The post-synodal apostolic exhortation, “Verbum Domini” (“The Word of the Lord”), was released Nov. 11. The pope said the first step is to open with a reading (“lectio”) of a text, “which leads to a desire to understand its true context: What does the biblical text say in itself?” Understanding what the text is trying to say is impor-
Want to read more? Archbishop John Nienstedt wrote about lectio divina prayer in his Oct. 11, 2007 Catholic Spirit column. Read it at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM.
tant so as to move beyond one’s own notions and ideas, he said. “Next comes meditation (‘meditatio’), which asks: what does the biblical text say to us?” the pope wrote. Christians both as individuals and as a community need to let themselves be “moved and challenged” by what the sacred text is telling them, he wrote. “Following this comes prayer (‘oratio’), which asks the question: what do we say to the Lord in response to his word?” wrote the pope. Prayer is critical for hearts and minds to be transformed, he wrote.
“Finally, ‘lectio divina’ concludes with contemplation (‘contemplatio’), during which we take up, as a gift from God, his own way of seeing and judging reality, and ask ourselves what conversion of mind, heart and life is the Lord asking of us?” he wrote. God asks everyone not to conform themselves to the world, but to be transformed by conversion, he wrote. Contemplation and reflection let the mind consider reality as God sees it and help foster within oneself “the mind of Christ,” the papal document said. “The process of ‘lectio divina’ is not concluded until it arrives at action (‘actio’), which moves the believer to make his or her life a gift for others in charity,” said the pope. The pope said in his document that the monastic tradition of “lectio divina” is “truly capable of opening up to the faithful the treasures of God’s word, but also of bringing about an encounter with Christ, the living word of God.”
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Commentary
/ This Catholic Life
Thanksgiving prayer is for Iraqi Christians to have place at table s Thanksgiving approaches, we are once again reminded of all the blessings we enjoy. One of those blessings is the freedom to worship God without fear. Recent world events, however, remind us that this is a blessing that not every person — particularly not every Christian — enjoys throughout the world. Many people are still grieving in the wake of a terrorist attack Oct. 31 that killed 58 people and left some 75 wounded at a Syrian Catholic cathedral in Baghdad. It’s not the first time Christians in Iraq have been targeted by militants, who have killed a local bishop, priests and lay people in previous attacks. And it likely won’t be the last. Following the cathedral incident, Christian leaders met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss security problems at their churches. Pope Benedict XVI called on the international community to work together to end the “heinous episodes of violence that continue to ravage the people of the Middle East.” And Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, the outgoing president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged the U.S. government to “redouble its efforts to assist Iraqis,” particularly religious minorities. Such public calls for action are
cause of bad economies, oppressive government policies and terrorism carried out in the name of religion.
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Editorial Joe Towalski
Throughout the Middle East, Christians are leaving their home countries because of bad economies, oppressive government policies and terrorism carried out in the name of religion
Still, there is reason to hope. At the recent Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, the pope reminded participants: “Peace is possible. Peace is urgent.” But it will require working with national and local governments to promote respect for freedom of religion and conscience. And it will require ongoing dialogue between Christian and Muslim leaders and lay people, who must work together for the common good and reject all violence wrongly committed in the name of God.
Prayerful support CNS photo / Debbie Hill
Imad Freiz lights a candle before a special memorial Mass Nov. 5 at Holy Family Church in Ramallah, West Bank, in solidarity for those killed in the recent attack on Iraq’s Syrian Catholic cathedral.
welcome, of course. But will they make a significant difference?
Regional problem Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the retired archbishop of Washington, D.C., noted during the bishops’ recent meeting that, before the current war in Iraq, there were 900,000 Christians in the country. Now there are fewer than 350,000. Many left to look for work, although the ongoing
lack of security likely will prompt more to leave. Sadly, those Christians who left with the intention of returning some day are less likely to do so if they have to fear the consequences of going to church and living their faith openly. While Iraq is in the spotlight, it isn’t the only place where Christians face difficult challenges. Throughout the Middle East, Christians are leaving their home countries be-
This Thanksgiving, when you attend Mass or an ecumenical prayer service and as you gather around the dinner table, keep the Christians of Iraq and the rest of the Middle East in your prayers. And consider showing your own thanks for the blessings you’ve received by making a donation to an organization, such as the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, that is helping Middle East Christians realize a better life — one in which they are able to raise and support their families in peace, and one in which they can worship without fear.
Abraham Lincoln’s devotion to Thanksgiving Day was talking recently to a high school student about Thanksgiving Day. She praised the “Pilgrim Fathers” for “making this an annual holiday.” That got me started with filling in some history about Thanksgiving Day that she had never heard before. It is a history that Americans should remember with great pride. The earliest thanksgiving celebration for a good harvest was held by the 53 surviving Pilgrims at Plymouth in the early autumn of 1621. It was a custom of the English to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest. The Pilgrims, however, did not refer to this harvest festival as a “Thanksgiving,” even though they gave thanks to God. To them, a Day of Thanksgiving was a religious event. Their first recorded religious Day of Thanksgiving was in 1623 in response to a providential rainfall. Over time, the religious Day of Thanksgiving and the harvest festival evolved into a single event. History books tell us that, in 1789, the Episcopal Church formally recognized that the U.S. president and governors of states had the authority to proclaim a thanksgiving holiday. Some presidents proclaimed these, while others did not. On Oct. 3, 1863, however, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that there would now be a fixed time for a “Thanksgiving Day” to be celebrated annually. At the time, Lincoln was dealing with the horrors of the Civil War
I Commentary Antoinette Bosco
Despite Civil War, Lincoln recognized our country’s blessings and declared a day to give thanks
“To these bounties, which are
so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the everwatchful providence of Almighty God.
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ABRAHAM LINCOLN
that put brothers against brothers. He spoke out, asking the nation to remember the blessings they had “of fruitful fields and healthful skies.” He said: “To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.”
Counting our blessings Lincoln spoke then of good things going on in the nation despite the horrible war. He mentioned peaceful
industry, the abundant mines giving us iron, coal and precious metals; a great increase in population, “notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield.” Let us not forget that on Jan. 1 of that same year, Lincoln had written and signed the Emancipation Proclamation, ending the slavery of human beings. Because of his faith, Lincoln believed slavery should be ended, and he expressed his faith again in his proclamation that created Thanksgiving Day: “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the
Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.” Continuing, Lincoln invited citizens “in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.” I have read books about Lincoln that contend he wasn’t a churchgoer. But “Lincoln’s Devotional,” which was signed by Lincoln on the inside cover and re-published in 1957, contains scriptural and other inspirational messages that “he used and cherished,” wrote the poet/ writer Carl Sandburg in the book’s introduction. Sandburg also recalled that, 80 years after Lincoln’s death, a printed statement in Lincoln’s handwriting was discovered in which he answered election campaign charges that he “was an open scoffer at Christianity.” Responded Lincoln: “I have never denied the truth of the Scripture. . . . I do not think I could myself be brought to support a man for office whom I knew to be an open enemy of, and scoffer at, religion.” On Thanksgiving Day, let us thank God that he gave us Abraham Lincoln. Antoinette Bosco writes a column for Catholic News Service.
This Catholic Life / Commentary
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
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Just months shy of 90th birthday, hunter bags first deer ne of my finest moments in the great outdoors actually took place indoors. I had no plans to spend time outside Oct. 7, other than heading to my office. However, during a brief time of prayer before leaving, my thoughts drifted to a scene unfolding in the woods about 100 miles away, near Little Falls. At Camp Ripley, a large military base where training exercises take place all year, an aging World War II veteran was brandishing one of the lightest weapons used on these grounds — a 12-gauge shotgun. My father, Ray Hrbacek, was making his first trip to the wooded compound. His name was drawn in a lottery to participate in a special deer hunt for disabled war veterans. At the age of 89, he was hoping to do for the first time what most hunters accomplish when they’re much younger — bag his first whitetail. The possibility of this remarkable feat danced in my head as I read the Gospel passage for that day, Luke 11:5-13. It was about 8:20 a.m. when I began to reflect on these verses, in which Jesus tells his disciples, “Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
scratched Dick’s blind, using the agreed-upon signal. But, there was a problem — Dick and Dad were busy watching a doe in front of the blind. Paul’s scratching only distracted them and alerted the doe. Eventually, it continued feeding, turned and walked away. Dad thought he might be losing his chance. Meanwhile, Dick wondered if Dad could make a good shot after watching Dad the previous day fail to see a deer only 25 yards from the blind. The deer they were now watching was facing almost completely away, offering no clean shot. Perhaps — though I’ll never know for sure — this is where my prayer came in. Almost magically, the deer started turning broadside. Dick gave him the green light to shoot, and Dad pulled the trigger.
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The Outdoors Dave Hrbacek
Dad’s success proves that Luke 11:5-13 can be applied to deer hunting
Urgent request to heaven Instantly, I decided to apply that exhortation and ask God to bring a deer to my dad. This was the last day of the hunt. No one in our family, including Dad, knew if he would ever try again. So, with a sense of urgency, I went from asking to pleading. But, here’s the tricky part of following Jesus’ directive: he never says that you will get what you ask for. Only that you will receive. This is
Photo by Paul Hrbacek
Ray Hrbacek, right, celebrates his first whitetail deer with guide Dick Nordling at Camp Ripley near Little Falls.
the stumbling block for me — often, I am only interested in receiving the thing I specifically ask for. If I don’t get it, I end up feeling disappointed. As I’ve gotten older (and, hopefully, more mature in my spiritual life), I have realized that there is much more to this passage than either getting, or not getting, what you want. In this case, for example, I know that my dad was already getting the enjoyment of being in the woods, and spending time with my brother, Paul, who went with him. Plus, there was the time I had spent with him getting ready for the hunt, which included sighting in my shotgun and letting him practice with it left handed (he can no longer shoot right handed because of failing eyesight). I also took him
to Clearwater for his hunt orientation. Though I didn’t pick him up until 9:30 a.m., he got up at 6. That’s how excited he was for the hunt. Yet, despite all of these blessings, I still wanted him to put the icing on the cake and finally tag his first deer. He has shared in the success of his three deer-hunting sons over the years. Now, I figured, it was his turn.
An answer to prayer Only about 10 minutes after finishing my prayer, my dad was sitting vigilantly in the blind, scanning the woods in front of him for deer. My brother was facing in the opposite direction in a blind set up behind the one dad shared with his guide for the hunt, Dick Nordling. Paul spotted a deer feeding in a field. He
A possible record Instantly, the deer ran off. Dad thought he had missed. I can’t blame him for being pessimistic. Decades of futility would do that to just about anyone. Dick, an experienced hunter, was not fooled, however. He saw the deer react and knew Dad’s shotgun slug had found its mark. The doe fell after running only 20 yards, and history was made. All of this proves — in my mind, at least — that the fifth chapter of Luke’s Gospel can be applied to deer hunting. Now, Lord, about that 12-point buck I would like to see on my next deer hunt. . . . Dave Hrbacek is a staff photographer at The Catholic Spirit. Visit his Faith Outdoors blog at HTTP:// C OMMUNITY.T HE C ATHOLIC S PIRIT. COM / FAITHOUTDOORS.
Deep conversations about motivating experiences strike a more civil chord he first night of the Twin’s baseball playoff found 80 souls gathered at St. John the Baptist Church in New Brighton to explore the issue of civility in civic discourse. People came from some 20-plus parishes that night, and many others would have attended had we not held the event on Wednesday’s “parish education night.” The entire staff at the Office for Social Justice was struck by the fact that people from all over the archdiocese really wanted to wrestle with this issue. Of course, in the midst of an election season and the negative political ads, it was more than obvious how much we need to focus on discourse rather than shouting, and on being civil rather than rude and obnoxious. During our evening together, University of St. Thomas professor Mike Klein just began to scratch the surface of this topic. I personally found the discussion of distinguishing between positions and interests very helpful.
T
Faith and Justice Kathy Tomlin
This [listening] approach is bound to capitalize on our responsibility to each other
Taking a position Typically when people get into a
“Behind the positions are interests that inform the listener at a deeper level.” KATHY TOMLIN
“conversation,” each person displays a position on an issue and seldom, if ever, understands what is behind the position the other person has taken. For example, people who have strong feelings on immigration are not typically shy about sharing their position on the issue: The United States is being taken over by undocumented immigrants — they should go back home and get in line. Or conversely: The United States has historically been a melting pot — we should continue to welcome the stranger and not get hung up on national security. Those two statements are positions. But they are more than that. Behind the positions are interests that inform the listener at a deeper level. We just need to take the time to ask the right questions and actually enter into a conversation.
If more time was spent and less judgment offered, could we get beyond the one-line stance to the interests that drive the position? If so, we might find we have more common ground and agreement than was apparent at first blush.
Considering interests What interests might actually lie behind the first statement? Perhaps: ■ Being unemployed but seeing Latinos working. ■ Anglo-Saxon interpretation of law — strict construction. ■ A vacation to Arizona. ■ The opinion of a favorite politician. Conversely, these interests might actually lie behind the second statement: ■ Education in American history. ■ Experience as a Peace Corps vol-
unteer in Guatemala. ■ Fluency in Spanish. ■ Father was a landscaper who hired Latinos. Digging deeper into interests and having a conversation that listens to the experiences of others without challenging motives might unearth a much deeper understanding of why they take the positions they do. It doesn’t necessarily mean that we will agree in the end. But it will allow us to understand at a deeper level, reflect on the meaning of that understanding, and analyze if there is any common ground that can move us forward. For sure, this approach is bound to capitalize on our responsibility to each other and might make for fewer “parking lot” conversations that occur after meetings — when people air their differences in a less than constructive way. In this post-election time (prior to the election of 2012), let’s develop some new habits that make a serious attempt to listen more deeply. Kathy Tomlin is director of the Catholic Charities Office for Social Justice.
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Priest offers parents practical ways to teach virtues By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit
In teaching their children about faith and virtue, it helps when parents offer a few examples, according to Father Francis J. “Rocky” Hoffman, executive director of Relevant Radio. “When Mom and Dad love each other, kids know that they love each other,” he said. “When Mom and Dad love their kids, kids know that they love them. When Mom and Dad love their faith, then the kids love their faith. It’s that simple.” Offering practical advice and wisdom gained through his own life, priesthood and experience as a Chicago-area preparatory school chaplain, Father Hoffman recently spoke to more than 500 parents and others on the topic “Five Virtues All Catholic Parents Should Pass on to Their Children” at Maternity of the Blessed Virgin in St. Paul.
Virtuous blessings Beside encouraging parents to demonstrate their Catholic faith by loving each other, their children and their faith, the host of the radio show “Go Ask Your Father” cited work, sincerity, piety, poverty and purity as virtues parents can and should teach their kids. Noting that God assigned tasks to Adam even before the introduction of original sin, Father Hoffman said children should be taught that work is a blessing. “Work fills us with satisfaction,” he said. “Participation is a great blessing, and you have that ability to train your children for
“When Mom and Dad love their faith, then the kids love their faith. It’s that simple.
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FATHER FRANCIS J. “ROCKY” HOFFMAN
Father Francis J. “Rocky” Hoffman is executive director of Relevant Radio and also hosts the radio show “Go Ask Your Father.” He spoke with The Catholic Spirit during a recent visit to the Twin Cities.
Executive director, Relevant Radio
the taste of hard work.” Labor is also a means to perseverance and purification, Father Hoffman said. “Work is to the soul what a plow is to the soil,” he said. “The taste of hard work helps us weed out those weeds deep in our soul.” Another virtue children should learn is sincerity, which involves knowing themselves, he said. “If we can train them in sincerity it will help them a great deal.” The sacrament of reconciliation provides kids with a good opportunity to grow in self-knowledge. Father Hoffman said. “There’s something so therapeutic in going down on your knees and saying, ‘Bless me Father, I sinned,’” he said. “I did it. It’s my fault and I’m sorry.” He added that it’s important to train children to not feel sorry for themselves. Along with self-knowledge, children can learn knowledge and affection for God, called the virtue of piety. To grow in affection for God, kids should learn to love the Blessed Mother and the Eucharist, Father Hoffman said. Through the mystery of the Incarnation, love for the Blessed Mother helps in understanding Christ’s humanity.
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He recommended praying even an abbreviated rosary as a family and also making Sunday Mass attendance special. “It’s important to inculcate in children a sense of the presence of the Eucharist,” he said. While kids learn reverence, they can discover creative ways to grow in holiness through poverty, said Father Hoffman, who offered three suggestions for living out the virtue. First, he said, don’t consider things as exclusive, personal possessions. Second, try not to have any unnecessary things. And, third, don’t complain if lacking some necessity. Also, he emphasized the benefit of teaching children to tithe at an early age. The final virtue on the list was purity, which Father Rocky said can be passed on through parents’ attitudes at home. By monitoring various forms of media, he said, “You as parents have a responsibility to make sure that garbage doesn’t come into the house.” PLEASE TURN TO TEACHING ON PAGE 21A
What are two or three of the top challenges that U.S. Catholics face today? I would say the first one is faith in the reality of God’s presence and his providence. The other is related to that, and that is materialism, which deceives people to think they will find satisfaction in temporal goods or temporal realities, and deceives them to think they can control things. What happens is if everything’s in control, whether or not they admit it, they think, ‘I don’t need God.’ I think the third one would be … a lack of gratitude to God for his providence and his gifts. Certainly we could think it’s the culture, it’s the governmental system, it’s the Congress, but I think all the real challenges we face are within ourselves. How is Relevant Radio helping PLEASE TURN TO Q & A ON PAGE 21A
“If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that he has great designs for you, and that he certainly intends to make you a saint.” St. Ignatius Loyola
The Lesson Plan NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Reflections on faith and spirituality
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Christ, our king, laid down his life so we may live “A man will come whose name is the Dayspring; from his throne he will rule over all; he will speak of peace to the nations” (Liturgy of Hours, 1st ant. morning prayer, feast of Christ the King). his Sunday, the last of the liturgical year, the church celebrates the feast of Christ the King. On this feast, we renew our subjection and obedience to the saving love of Christ, our king, creator and savior. It has been fixed on a Sunday for the benefit of the faithful so that they “free from their daily tasks, may in a spirit of holy joy give ample testimony of their obedience and subjection to Christ” (Pius XI, Quas Primas Deacon 29). Jonathan It is a beautiful parVenner adox of our faith, rooted in the infinite goodness of God, that we find true freedom, peace and joy precisely by being subject and obedient to our Divine King. It is precisely in a world that mistakes self-determination
Readings Sunday, Nov. 21 Christ the King ■ 2 Samuel 5:1-3 ■ Colossians 1:12-20 ■ Luke 23:35-43
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Sunday Scriptures
For reflection When do you find it most difficult to be obedient to our king and savior?
and license for freedom and happiness that we must proclaim and praise the universal dominion of Christ the King, “the author of happiness and true prosperity for every man and every nation” (Quas Primas 18). Christ is a king who is at the same time love and authority. He is both ruler and savior. To submit to Christ’s reign is to submit to his love. We see this in Sunday’s Gospel. As Christ is hanging on the cross, he is surrounded by people who are mocking
him. They taunt him by demanding that he display his kingly power by “saving” himself (Luke 23:35-37). Yet, it is by suffering and dying in obedience to the will of the Father for the redemption of mankind that Christ, king and priest, has chosen to exercise his power.
Wednesday, Nov. 24 Andrew Dung-Lac, priest and martyr, and his companions, martyrs Revelation 15:1-4 Luke 21:12-19 Interior silence allows us to hear the Holy Spirit’s guidance, consolation and encouragement.
are loved beyond our understanding, and the darkness St. Paul speaks of is not just “out there,” it is within our own hearts and minds. Once we stop throwing stones at one another (in our day we like to use spiteful blogs) and become still enough to listen to our own wounds, we begin to understand that we are all loved, sinners in need of forgiveness. As St. Francis put so well, “Can true humility and compassion exist in our words and eyes, unless we know we, too, are capable of any act?”
We must conform to Christ “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again” (John 10:18). The peace of Christ is not
experienced by demanding that Christ conform to our way of doing things, but by our being conformed to his way through humility, faith, hope and love. “The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, ‘Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed we have been condemned justly. . . . Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom’” (Luke 23: 40-42). It was in response to this humble faith that the great king replied, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). As we await Christ’s definitive return when his kingdom will come in all its fullness, may we, publicly and privately, individually and collectively, pay him his due homage as our true king. May we witness to the happiness and freedom of belonging to Christ and of letting him determine and direct the whole of our lives. May we pass from serving him upon this earth to praising him forever in heaven. Deacon Jonathan Venner is in formation for the priesthood at the St. Paul Seminary for the Diocese of Sioux Falls, S.D. His home parish is Ss. Peter and Paul in Pierre, S.D., and his teaching parish is St. Bridget of Sweden in Lindstrom.
Daily Scriptures Sunday, Nov. 21 Christ the King 2 Samuel 5:1-3 Colossians 1:12-20 Luke 23:35-43 “He is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation.” — Colossians 1:15 I recently had one of those humbling moments when all my preconceptions and assumptions about a woman I had known for decades were shattered in an instant. I had always thought she was a little stuffy, so imagine my surprise to see her at the State Fair, enjoying a rock band and savoring a corn dog. Just as I carried a distorted and narrow image of that woman, so we remake Jesus in an image to suit our point of view. Today, may we pray for the humility to acknowledge that our knowledge is imperfect and our vision is limited.
Thursday, Nov. 25 Thanksgiving Day Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a Luke 21:20-28 Gratitude is a sure sign that we have not forgotten our total dependence on God. Friday, Nov. 26 Revelation 20:1-4, 11 — 21:2 Luke 21:29-33 We tend to see what reinforces our viewpoint rather than noticing how God is actually present in our world.
Monday, Nov. 22 Cecilia, virgin and martyr Revelation 14:1-3, 4b-5 Luke 21:1-4 We cannot comprehend the tremendous power of the smallest action done in faith.
Saturday, Nov. 27 Revelation 22:1-7 Luke 21:34-36 Anxiety is as much an obstacle to living in faith as the more obvious enticements.
Tuesday, Nov. 23 Clement I, pope and martyr, Columban, abbot; Blessed Miguel Agustin Pro, priest and martyr Revelation 14:14-19 Luke 21:5-11 It is only in the present moment that we can chose what is life giving and rooted in love, or deadening to our spirit and rooted in fear and hate.
Sunday, Nov. 28 First Sunday of Advent Isaiah 2:1-5 Romans 13:11-14 Matthew 24:37-44 “Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light.” — Romans 13:12 If we remain faithful to prayer, sooner or later we will discover two things: we
Monday, Nov. 29 Isaiah 4:2-6 Matthew 8:5-11 When is it most difficult for you to pray for something without assuming you know how it should be answered? Tuesday, Nov. 30 Andrew, apostle Romans 10:9-18 Matthew 4:18-22 What quality most attracts you to Jesus? Wednesday, Dec. 1 Isaiah 25:6-10a Matthew 15:29-37 Notice if you have a difficult time believing you will receive what you need. Thursday, Dec. 2 Isaiah 26:1-6 Matthew 7:21, 24-27 Make sure your actions are the result of a conscious turning to God, the source of all goodness.
Friday, Dec. 3 Francis Xavier, priest Isaiah 29:17-24 Matthew 9:27-31 We all need the humility to pray to be healed of our spiritual blindness. Saturday, Dec. 4 John of Damascus, priest and doctor of the church Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26 Matthew 9:35 — 10:1, 5a, 6-8 People are healed when we offer what they need rather than judging how they should behave. Sunday, Dec. 5 Second Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10 Romans 15:4-9 Matthew 3:1-12 “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse.” — Isaiah 11:1 We know from our own lives that great things often have unexceptional beginnings. Many of us look back with wonder as we realize that a lifelong friendship was born out of a chance meeting, or a casual introduction eventually led to marriage. Likewise, our salvation comes from something as unlikely as the birth of a vulnerable infant in an unremarkable town. This Advent, may we be especially aware of the many ways God continues to come to us in unexpected and hidden ways. The daily reflections are written by Terri Mifek, a member of St. Edward in Bloomington and a certified spiritual director at the Franciscan Retreat House in Prior Lake.
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Isaiah: Old Testament prophet for the Advent season The Advent prophet. Isaiah is the prophet of Advent, and excerpts from his book are the most-used texts for the first readings of the Masses leading up to Christmas.
By Father Michael Van Sloun For The Catholic Spirit
Isaiah’s Advent message. Isaiah is the prophet who guides our journey through Advent as we prepare for Christmas. Advent is a season of joyful anticipation, and Isaiah invites us to look forward to the coming of the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord. Advent is a liturgical season with a strong penitential tone, and Isaiah urges us to straighten out our crooked ways, tear down our mountains of misdeeds, and fill in the valleys of our bad habits. It is a time to turn away from sin and receive forgiveness. Advent is also about the arrival of the reign of God, a kingdom of justice and peace, and Isaiah urges us to obey the Lord’s instruction, walk in the ways of peace, follow the promptings of the Spirit, and be just in thought, word and deed. Advent is a time to be filled with hope, rejoice in glad tidings and welcome the Messiah. Messianic expectation. The prophet Isaiah eagerly looked forward to the day when the Messiah would come. He, along with all of Israel, was keenly aware of the promise that God made to Moses: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kinsmen, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him” (Deuteronomy 18:18); a promise also made to King David: “I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his kingdom firm. I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me” (2 Samuel 7:12b,14). The Immanuel prophecies. The three Immanuel prophecies are unique to the prophet Isaiah and are found in his Messianic Oracle, chapters 6 to 12. These cherished texts stand at the forefront of the Advent season because they anticipate the coming of Immanuel, God with us, and the arrival of the ideal king, the one who would decisively change the course of history, rule
Advent Sundays. In the three-year Lectionary cycle, there is a total of 12 Advent Sundays, and readings from the prophet Isaiah are proclaimed the most often, seven times, all four Sundays in Year A and the first three Sundays of Year B. In Year C, the first readings are taken from four different Old Testament prophets: Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah and Micah. Isaiah’s voice rings out over all the others as the prophet of Advent.
Isaiah holds a scroll in a stained glass window at Holy Family in St. Louis Park Father Michael Van Sloun
with justice and bring peace. The first prophecy describes the birth of Immanuel: “The virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The second prophecy describes his dominion: “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, FatherForever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful” (Isaiah 9:5-6a). The third prophecy describes the justice of his rule: “A shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. Justice shall be the band around his waist” (Isaiah 11:1,2a,4a,5a).
Advent weekdays. Isaiah is also the most-quoted prophet on Advent weekdays. Of the 17 daily Masses over the first three weeks, passages from Isaiah are proclaimed 14 times: six times the first week, five the second, and three the third. In the eight-day octave immediately prior to Christmas, Dec. 17-24, Isaiah is quoted only once, on Dec. 20, while the other first readings are chosen from a variety of sources. The Liturgy of the Hours. The selection of readings in the Breviary makes an emphatic statement regarding Isaiah’s importance. Every Scripture text for the Office of Readings for every day of Advent is taken from Isaiah. Moreover, many of the readings for morning prayer, daytime prayer, midday prayer and midafternoon prayer, as well as a number of the responsories, are taken from Isaiah. The manger scene. The ox and donkey that are present near the manger in many Nativity sets are included because of a verse in Isaiah: “The ox knows its owner, and an ass, its master’s manger” (Isaiah 1:3a). Father Michael Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.
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Let’s do Advent better this year with family and friends ■ (Optional) read aloud: Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24: 37-44.
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his Advent, let’s not just put an Advent wreath out as a decoration. Let’s really do Advent. Let’s gather family or friends each week of the Advent season and pray that beautiful ritual together. We can do this. And we don’t have to be embarrassed about it, either. Let’s pick a day of the week and a time that works for the folks we’d like to join us. We might have to say something like, “Hey, remember praying around the Advent wreath when we were kids? Let’s do that again this year.” Let’s invite friends, neighbors, co-workers, grandparents, children and grandchildren.
Leader: Did you hear the siren? Did the alarm go off for you? The readings that the church has chosen for this first Sunday of Advent are clear as a bell. It’s a message that has been the same for centuries: You’d better get ready if you know what’s good for you! The prophet Isaiah lets the Israelites know that change is coming, and they are going to like it, because it is going to be a time of peace, a time when all will walk in the light of the Lord. The evangelist Paul sounds the alarm, too. Paul tells the people of his day they’d better wake up and start acting right if they want to walk in the light of Christ. Matthew’s Gospel brings us that message, too.
Keep it short and sweet Our Advent wreath ceremony doesn’t have to be a major production — 10, 15 minutes max. That’s not too much to ask. And it’s pretty simple. The Catholic Spirit is making it easy by publishing an Advent wreath ritual for each of the four weeks of the Advent season. Clip it out of the paper or pull it up on WWW.THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM and make all the copies you need. And why? Because it will be the first step in observing, living and celebrating the new church year. Because it will get us started remembering our call to holiness. And just think: If we do Advent right — if we prepare the way of the Lord in our own lives, in our own households, in our own communities — Christmas, this year, may just be less about presents and more about the gift that we all received with the birth of the Child Jesus.
Advent Week 1 — Nov. 28 The following Advent Wreath prayer is intended to help busy households make Advent a prayerful time during the rush of Christmas preparations. The lan-
“Stay awake,” he quotes Jesus, and you’d better have your life in order because you don’t know when your time will be up and you will be judged for how you lived. Closing prayer: (Leader may read all, or others in the household may each read a segment.)
guage is fairly simple, to be used by groups of adults or adults with children. Sharing the task of proclaiming the readings will allow for participation by a variety of members of the household. Leader: Today begins a special time of year for us. This week we begin the season of Advent — that period of preparation and waiting before Christmas. In order to help each of us prepare our own hearts for the birth of Christ, we take these few moments each week to pray together. ■ Light the first candle on the Advent wreath.
■ Dear God, help us to be ready to walk in your light. This first week of Advent, help us prepare our minds and our hearts to follow the teachings of your son, Jesus. ■ Holy Spirit, guide the choices we make throughout this week so that we choose to do what honors our creator and what shows our love of others. ■ Father in heaven, we offer thanks to you for the many reminders you send us to prepare our lives so that we are able to spend eternity with you in heaven. ■ Come, Lord Jesus. Come into our hearts, so that when the time comes, we will be prepared to join you in everlasting joy.
Take time to count your blessings and thank God for your gifts By Father Michael Van Sloun For The Catholic Spirit
The holiday season moves into full swing this month with our annual celebration of Thanksgiving. It is marvelous to be able to have an attitude of gratitude. God is our provider, the giver of all good gifts, so when it comes to giving thanks, our first expression of gratitude should be directed to almighty God. Jesus stressed the importance of thanking God when he asked the Samaritan leper who had been healed, “Has no one but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” (Luke 17:18). St. Paul taught: “Be thankful” (Colossians 3:15); “Sing hymns with gratitude” (Colossians 3:16); and “Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). That point is emphasized during every Mass when the priest says, “Let us give thanks to the Lord our God,” and the congregation responds, “It is right to give God thanks and praise.”
When it comes to gratitude, the first step is the ability to recognize our blessings. If there is no awareness of gifts received, there is no need to offer thanks.
Prepare for Thanksgiving As Thanksgiving draws near, set aside a few moments to spiritually prepare for the holiday. Pause to count your blessings. Consider life and health, family and friends, talents and abilities, opportuni-
ties and accomplishments, financial and material blessings. And do not forget to count your spiritual blessings: the Father and creation, Jesus and the Gospel, the Holy Spirit and inspiration, Word and sacrament, faith and grace, forgiveness, redemption and salvation. Apart from God, we would have nothing. God has blessed us with everything that we have.
As we become increasingly aware of our countless blessings, it should lead us to give God greater praise and thanks, and our gratitude is best expressed in prayer. The Greek word “eucharistos” means “thankful,” and as Catholics we believe the best way to thank God is at the Eucharist, our prayerful celebration of the Mass. St. Paul also recommends hymns and the psalms, sung at Mass or anywhere. It is also an excellent spiritual practice to thank God in our personal private prayer each and every day. Consider making prayer a central part of your celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. The ideal way would be to attend Mass. Also, before sitting down to your Thanksgiving dinner, take a moment as a group to offer thanks with your meal prayers. Sometime between rising and retiring, take a quiet, private moment to offer God your own personal prayer of thanks. Father Michael Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.
“Art must be an expression of love or it is nothing.” Marc Chagall
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The Catholic Spirit
Exploring our church and our world
NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Pope welcomes exhibit, says Vatican Library indispensable By Sarah Delaney Catholic News Service
Not only an extraordinary repository of the knowledge of mankind, the Vatican Library also is a “precious tool” for pontiffs in their governance of the church, Pope Benedict XVI said as a new exhibit highlighting the 500-year-old institution opened at the Vatican. The opening of the show combining state-of-the-art technology with centuries-old treasures offered the pope the occasion to praise the library’s collection of human thought from antiquity to the 21st century. The Vatican Library, he said, “has preserved, since its origins, a unique and truly ‘catholic’ and universal openness to all that is beautiful, good, noble and worthy that humanity has produced over the course of centuries.” Pope Benedict said in a Nov. 11 letter to the Vatican archivist, Cardinal Raffaele Farina, that it was important for popes to be able to avail themselves of the knowledge to be found in the library as they make decisions regarding the universal church. “It is a precious tool which the bishop of Rome cannot and will not go without,” he said.
A virtual glimpse In its mission to preserve such heritage, the pope said, the library has always been open to “all those who search the truth” without any “confessional or ideological discrimination.” In fact, he said, it has collected works on all aspects of human thought and therefore “is not a theological or primarily religious library.” But the library is off limits for most. Only the most highly qualified and ac-
CNS photo / Paul Haring
A copy of the Borgianus Latinus, right, a missal for Christmas made for Pope Alexander VI, is displayed in a new exhibit on the Vatican Library at the Vatican Nov. 9. The exhibit gives visitors a glimpse of the Vatican Library, which is only open to qualified scholars.
credited scholars have access to the vast and varied collection of books, manuscripts and prints that line the Vatican Library’s 31 miles of shelves. To remedy this for the general public, the exhibit, titled, “Know the Vatican Library: A Story Open to the Future,” offers a virtual glimpse of the papal library. Open until Jan. 31 in the Braccio Carlo Magno next to St. Peter’s Square, the exhibit is part of the celebration marking the end of a three-year restoration of the papal library, created in the 15th century by Pope Nicholas V. The exhibit was conceived “to allow all
those who don’t have the privilege to enter” to get to know the library, Cardinal Farina said at a news conference at the Vatican Nov. 9. He said the show would illustrate how the Vatican Library “is the patrimony of all humanity.” Cardinal Farina said Pope Benedict is expected to view the exhibit Dec. 18.
Vatican treasures Visitors walk into a re-creation of the frescoed Sistine Hall, where video images on the walls show how monks of centuries past toiled at their desks as they wrote their manuscripts and illuminated them with exquisite drawings. Visitors
can don white gloves and take their turn at turning the pages of high-quality reproductions of the medieval- and Renaissance-era volumes. Another room shows a selection of the manuscripts kept in the library, most of them reproductions of the invaluable originals. They include a Book of the Hours in Latin from 1500, Greek Bibles in parchment rolls and a book by the 14thcentury Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio. Original prints and engravings of maps and landscapes of Rome from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries are followed by original volumes of printed texts by Galileo, Petrarch, Ludovico Ariosto and Voltaire. An original 15th-century print by German artist Albrecht Durer can be found with original drawings for the altar at Rome’s Basilica of St. John Lateran by Baroque architect Francesco Borromini. The Vatican Library’s rich collection of coins and medallions is represented by original pieces and a video explaining the evolution of coinage. An eight-minute video describes the history of the library and offers a glimpse of the building, its study halls and endless shelving, and describes the contents: some 80,000 manuscripts, nearly 1.6 million books, approximately 8,400 incunabula and an important coin and medallion collection of 300,000 pieces. It also explains how, in such a vast network, a misplaced book can be lost forever. Now, each book can be identified and found through a system using radio frequencies. Entrance to the exhibit costs 5 euros and reservations can be made through the website WWW.VATICANLIBRARY.VA.
Musicians celebrate new NPM chapter with Nov. 22 concert By Julie Carroll The Catholic Spirit
Church musicians and choir members from throughout the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis will perform hymns, chants and contemporary liturgical music on Monday, Nov. 22, at St. Olaf Church, 215 S. 8th St., in Minneapolis. Members of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians will perform the free public concert and sing-along in celebration of a new Twin Cities chapter of the organization. “The National Association of Pastoral Musicians is really the preeminent musicians organization for the Catholic world,” said Lynn Trapp, director of worship and music at St. Olaf. “Here in the Twin Cities, we’re very blessed to have a big hub of church musicians, composers and well-known people in the field,” Trapp said. Many musicians in the archdiocese have been NPM members for years, he added, but it wasn’t until Trapp and a handful of other musi-
cians decided to start a local chapter earlier this year that it became a reality. “Our goal as a chapter here is to gather and garner Catholic musicians no matter what their discipline is or their level of ability, to get people participating together, enjoying one another and learning,” said Trapp. To date, about 100 people have joined the local chapter. “The door is wide open [to new members],” Trapp said. “It’s a way of connecting to other colleagues in the field, to stay updated with music repertoire and the church documents, and to enjoy the conventions, which are marvelous.” Trapp, an organist, pianist and composer, has been an NPM member since high school. “Through the years as my career grew,” he said, “it was a wonderful laboratory for me to launch my art and talent.”
Connecting with colleagues Rob Glover, director of music at St. Therese in Deephaven, worked with
Trapp and others to form the local chapter. Glover has been a member of NPM since it began more than 30 years ago. “To me, the thrill of being a liturgical musician in this archdiocese is having others to network with,” he said. “Sometimes you can feel isolated in your parish, and it’s just a simple phone call or a little drive away and you’re talking with somebody else who is dealing with the same problems.” The local NPM chapter gives area musicians one more way to connect and collaborate, Glover said. “It’s just a great way of supporting each other.” Kathy Borgen, assistant music director and organist at All Saints in Lakeville, has been a member of NPM for about seven years. “As a part-time musician and as a person who does not have a degree in church music, . . . [NPM] has really helped me learn some of the ins and outs of liturgy,” she said. “It’s also put me in touch with other musicians, liturgists
and clergy.” Because the organization has been so helpful to her, Borgen joined the NPM Twin Cities chapter leadership committee. She believes musicians especially could benefit from NPM membership, but added that Catholics who are not involved in music ministry also are invited to attend the group’s meetings. “If a congregation member were to come to one of the meetings, they might hear things that, in the past, they’ve just taken for granted,” Borgen said. “The music happens every week, and you show up at church and it’s there. It might be very pretty, it might be something you really like, but you never think about what goes on behind it. So you would have access to the thoughts that go into the planning of the music and how it really fits into the liturgy and how it’s not just music for music’s sake.” For more information about the NPM Twin Cities chapter, go to WWW.TWINCITIES NPM.BLOGSPOT.COM.
Calendar Dining out Fish fry at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Nov. 19 and 26: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $10.95. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. KC pancake breakfast at Applebee’s Restaurant, Eagan — Nov. 20: 8 to 10 a.m. at 1335 Towne Centre Drive. Cost is $5 per person. Will feature Rainbow the Clown. KC All-you-can-eat breakfast at Holy Name of Jesus, Wayzata — Nov. 21: 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 155 County Road 24. Free will offering. Pancake breakfast at Immaculate Conception, Columbia Heights — Nov. 21: 8:30 to 11:45 a.m. at 4030 Jackson St. N.E. Free will offering. Dad’s belgian waffle breakfast at St. Alphonsus, Brooklyn Center — Nov. 21: 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at 7025 Halifax Ave. N. KC benefit breakfast at Knights of Columbus Hall, Stillwater — Nov. 21: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1910 S. Greeley St. Cost is $6 for adults and $3.50 for children 12 and under. KC auxiliary homemade soup and pie supper at Knights of Columbus Hall, Shakopee — Nov. 21: 4 to 7 p.m. at 1760 Fourth Ave. E. Choose from four kinds of soup, dessert and coffee. Cost is $7 for adults and $3.50 for children 12 and under. KC Chicken and rib dinner at Knights of Columbus Hall, Bloomington — Nov. 24 and Dec. 1: 5 to 9 p.m. at 1114 American Blvd. Cost is $12. Call (952) 888-1492 for reservations. Men’s Club dinner at Sacred Heart, Rush City — Dec. 4: 5:30 to 7 p.m. at 425 Field Ave. Tickets for the beef and pork roast dinner are $8.50 for adults and $5 for children 6 to 11. KC Belgian waffle breakfast at Guardian Angels, Chaska — Dec. 5: 8 a.m. to noon at 218 W. Second St. Cost is $7 for adults and $3 for children 5 to 12.
Parish events Turkey bingo at St. Odilia, Shoreview — Nov. 19: 6:30 to 9 p.m. at 3495 N. Victoria St. Cost is $1 for three games. Holiday extravaganza at St. Therese, Deephaven — Nov. 20 and 21: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sat. and 9 a.m. to noon Sun. at 18323 Minnetonka Blvd. Work of Human Hands fair trade sale at St. Batholomew, Wayzata — Nov. 20: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 630 E. Wayzata Blvd. Items include chocolate, coffee, baskets and jewelry. Saturday Morning Breakfast for Men at St. Helena, Minneapolis — Nov. 20: Mass at 8 a.m. followed by breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and a talk at 3201 E. 43rd St. Featured speaker is Father Andrew Cozzens. Cost is $5. Call (612) 729-7321 for reservations before noon on the 19th. Turkey bingo at St. Michael, Farmington — Nov. 20: 6:30 to 9 p.m. at 22120 Denmark Ave. A sloppy joe dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Turkey bingo at Presentation of Mary, Maplewood — Nov. 20: 7 to 10 p.m. at 1725 Kennard St. Cost is 25 cents
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Don’t miss Fontanini Nativity signing at Leaflet Missal Stefano Fontanini from the House of Fontanini in Bagni di Lucca, Italy will make a personal appearance at Leaflet Missal in St. Paul Nov. 27. He will be available to answer questions and sign pieces from the company’s Nativity Collection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free. Leaflet Missal is located at 976 W. Minnehaha Ave. For more information on the event, visit WWW.LEAFLETONLINE.COM. For information on the House of Fontanini, visit WWW.HOUSEOF FONTANINI.COM. per card. Pizza, hot dogs and snacks available for sale. Craft and bake sale at Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Paul — Nov. 20 and 21: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat. and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun. at 401 Concord St. Also features homemade tacos. Holiday bazaar at St. Margaret Mary, Golden Valley — Nov. 20 and 21: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun. at 2323 Zenith Ave. N. Holiday craft and bake sale at Our Lady of Victory, Minneapolis — Nov. 20 and 21: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat. and 9 a.m. to noon Sun. at 5155 Emerson Ave. N. St. Francis de Sales and St. James Holiday funfest and silent auction at Nova Classical Academy, St. Paul — Nov. 21: 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 426 S. Osceola Ave. Features games, crafts and Santa with a little gift for each child. Turkey bingo at St. Michael, Prior Lake — Nov. 21: 6 to 8 p.m. at 16311 Duluth Ave. Cost is $3 per card/player. Refreshments will be served. Sunday Night Dinner at St. Peter, Richfield — Nov. 21: Dinner, followed by presentations. Choose between “The Gospel of Luke,” and “Lights, Camera, Faith.” Fourth in a five-night series, also meets Dec. 5. 5:30 p.m. at 6730 Nicollet Ave. S. RSVP to (612) 866-5089. Turkey bingo at St. John, Little Canada — Nov. 21: Food available at 5 p.m., bingo at 6 p.m. at 380 Little Canada Road. $4 donation good for 15 turkey games. Additional games played for cash prizes. Turkey bingo at St. Joseph, Lino Lakes — Nov. 21: 1 to 4 p.m. at 171 Elm St. Turkey bingo at All Saints, Minneapolis — Nov. 21: 2 to 5 p.m. at 434 Fifth St. N.E. Features games, refreshments and door prizes. Turkey bingo at St. John the Baptist, Savage — Nov. 21: Begins with dinner at 5 p.m. and bingo at 6 p.m. at 4626 W. 125th St. Cost is $5 per card. Bake sale at Presentation of Mary, Maplewood — Nov. 21: 9 a.m. to noon at 1725 Kennard St. Sausage supper and turkey party at St. Mary, New Trier — Nov. 21: Meal served from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. with games and refreshments until 8 p.m. at 8433 239th St., Hampton. ‘Mostly Baroque’ First in the Cathedral Music Series at the Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul — Nov. 22: 7:30 p.m. at 239 Selby Ave. Noted chamber
ensemble The Musical Offering performs. Free will offering. For information about the group, visit WWW. MUSICALOFFERING.ORG. ‘What Catholics Believe: Angels and Saints’ at St. Odilia, Shoreview — Nov. 22: 7 to 8 p.m. at 3495 N. Victoria. Sister Penny Dunn will speak. For information, call (651) 415-3331. Turkey and ham raffle at St. Boniface, Minneapolis — Nov. 23: 7:30 p.m. at 629 Second St. N.E. Admission is $2 (adults only). Sponsored by the St. Boniface Catholic Aid Council. An evening of enrichment at St. James, St. Paul — Nov. 30: Social at 6:45 p.m. followed by talk from 7 to 8 p.m. at 496 View St. Topic is: “Understanding One Another: One Generation at a Time.” Suggested donation is $5. Sponsored by the St. Paul Deaneries Council of Catholic Women. Annual Christmas Village at St. Raphael, Crystal — Dec. 4: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 7301 Bass Lake Road. Features food, gift baskets, games and entertainment. Bake and craft sale at Our Lady of Lourdes, Minneapolis — Dec. 4 and 5: 4 to 7 p.m. Sat. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun. at 1 Lourdes Place. Features French meat pies, crafts and more. WWW.OURLADYOFLOURDESMN.COM. Christmas boutique and bake sale at Holy Name, Minneapolis — Dec. 4 and 5: After Masses Sat. and Sun. at 3637 11th Ave. S. Shop for decorations, gifts and treats. Christmas fair at St. Hedwig, Minneapolis — Dec. 4 and 5: After the 5 p.m. Mass Sat. and 8 to 11:30 a.m. Sun. at 129 29th Ave. N.E. Features crafts, baked goods and a children’s store where all gifts are $1. Christmas bazaar at St. Vincent de Paul, Brooklyn Park — Dec. 4 and 5: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat. and 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sun. at 9100 93rd Ave. N. Bakery, gourmet coffee. Sat. only there will be kid’s crafts and a sandwich lunch.
Boutique and bake sale at Incarnation, Minneapolis — Dec. 4 and 5: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat. with soup lunch and 8:30 a.m. to noon Sun. at 3801 Pleasant Ave. S. Also features a silent auction.
Prayer/ liturgies Legion of Mary prayers in front of Planned Parenthood, St. Paul — Nov. 19: 3 p.m. at 1965 Ford Parkway. For information, call (651) 439-9098. Prayer at the close of the day at Assumption, St. Paul — Sundays during Advent: 8:30 p.m. at 51 W. Seventh St. A half-hour ecumenical service sung by the Minnesota Compline Choir. For information about the choir, visit WWW.MINNESOTACOMPLINE.ORG. Knights of Columbus traveling rosary at Lumen Christi, St. Paul — Nov. 21: 2 p.m. at 2055 Bohland Ave. Community Thanksgiving service at Sacred Heart, Robbinsdale — Nov. 21: 4 p.m.at 4087 W. Broadway Ave. Features adult choirs of Sacred Heart, Elim Lutheran and Valley Community Presbyterian. A reception will follow. Legion of Mary prayers in front of Planned Parenthood, St. Paul — Nov. 26: 3 p.m. at 1965 Ford Parkway. For information, call (651) 439-9098. Knights of Columbus traveling rosary at Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul — Nov. 28: 2 p.m. at Stanford and Prior Avenues. Festive Advent Vespers: Prayer, Reflection, Music at St. Mary, St. Paul — Nov. 28: 5 p.m. at 261 Eighth St. E. A soup supper will follow.
Singles 50-plus singles dinner at St. Joseph, New Hope — Nov. 28: 5 p.m. at 8701 36th Ave. N. Includes social hour, dinner and speaker. Cost is $10. Call (763) 439-5940.
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Calendar Submissions DEADLINE: The Catholic Spirit is biweekly. Items should be submitted by Noon Thursday, seven days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. Recurring or ongoing events must be submitted each time they occur. LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and institutions. Items are published on a space available basis. ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following to be considered for publication in the calendar: • Time and date of event. • Full street address of event. • Description of event. • Contact information in case of questions. E-MAIL: SPIRITCALENDAR@ ARCHSPM.ORG.
School events ‘Just Desserts’ fundraiser for Way of the Shepherd Montessori School at St. Patrick, Oak Grove — Nov. 19: 6:30 to 10 p.m. at 19921 Nightingale St. N.W. Evening features desserts, hors d’oeuvres, wine, games and more. Register online at WWW.THEWAYOFTHE SHEPHERD.ORG. Holiday Classic boutique at Faithful Shepherd School, Eagan — Nov. 20: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 3355 Columbia Drive. Features 60 vendors offering jewelry, crafts, food and more.
Unique boutique at St. Austin, Minneapolis — Dec. 4 and 5: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat. and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun. at 4050 Upton Ave. N. Features knitted and crocheted items, cutlery, fresh nuts and more.
60th anniversary all-school reunion at St. Pascal Baylon School, St. Paul — Nov. 27: Mass at 4:30 p.m. with social to follow at 1757 Conway St. For information or to RSVP, visit WWW.ST PASCALS.ORG.
Christmas boutique and bake sale at Guardian Angels, Oakdale — Dec. 4 and 5: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat. and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun. at 8260 Fourth St. N. Features more than 50 crafters. Santa visit from 1 to 3 p.m. Sat.
Open house at St. Bartholomew School, Wayzata — Nov. 30: 6:30 to 8 p.m. at 630 E. Wayzata Blvd. For students entering preschool, kindergarten or grades 1 to 6. For information, visit WWW.ST-BARTS.ORG/SCHOOL.
(No attachments, please.) FAX: (651) 291-4460. MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
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Spirit of Giving
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Rare baseball card is ‘gift of heaven’ for School Sisters of Notre Dame By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic News Service
BigStock photo
The ruins of Murrisk Friary sit in front of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo, Ireland. An Irish judge ordered a man who verbally abused a police officer to make a pilgrimage on the holy mountain instead of serving prison time.
Pilgrimage, not prison for Irishman By Michael Kelly Catholic News Service
An Irishman who was promised by a judge that he would be spared time in prison if he undertook a religious pilgrimage and said “a few prayers” has completed the task and raised about $4,000 for charity in the process. Joseph McElwee had been convicted of drunken behavior and verbally abusing a police officer and faced a prison sentence. However, in March, Judge Seamus Hughes came up with a novel opportunity for McElwee to avoid prison time and ordered him to climb Ireland’s holiest mountain, Croagh Patrick in County Mayo. McElwee reported to the court this week and showed Hughes photographs of himself and 13 friends on top of the roughly 2,500-foot mountain where St. Patrick fasted for 40 days in the fifth century. At the time of his conviction, the judge said: “I want you to come back with evidence that you did the four stations of Croagh Patrick and say a few prayers. You then might have a different impression of County Mayo and its people.” The police officer whom McElwee
Only online Read about the Franciscan Brothers of Peace Holiday Food Drive at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM.
insulted grew up near the mountain. McElwee told the judge he regretted what he had done and had managed to raise money for charity during the climb. Hughes asked if he had found climbing the mountain therapeutic and McElwee agreed that he had. “I hope that when you come out of a pub in the beautiful village of Rathmullan in future, you take in a deep breath of fresh air from nearby Lough Swilly and you will appreciate that gardai (police) are there for your own protection,” the judge said. Hughes ordered half of the cash to be given to a local hospice and the other half donated to an adult mental health services program. He also asked McElwee to write a note to be included with the donations explaining the circumstances surrounding the donations. While community service orders are common for less serious offences, it is believed to be the first time that an Irish judge ordered someone to undertake a pilgrimage in lieu of a prison sentence. The judge’s initiative at keeping someone out of prison may prove popular with the cash-strapped Irish government, which is considering $8.2 billion in cuts to public spending.
Sister Virginia Muller grew up rooting for the Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, N.Y. Ministering in Baltimore, she has more recently adopted the Orioles as her hometown heroes. But ask who her favorite player is and the white-haired School Sister of Notre Dame turns to a Pittsburgh Pirate from another generation. “Honus Wagner!” Sister Virginia exclaimed with a laugh. Sister Virginia made the comments during a Nov. 5 news conference at her religious congregation’s motherhouse in Baltimore, announcing that a rare 100year-old Honus Wagner baseball card bequeathed to the School Sisters of Notre Dame brought them $220,000 in an online auction that closed Nov. 4. The card, graded authentic though in poor condition, was left to the sisters’ Atlantic-Midwest province by the brother of one of the congregation’s members. The sister died in 1999 and her brother died earlier this year. He left everything he had to the sisters, including the card, which surpassed initial estimates of its auction price by $162,900. Sister Virginia, former treasurer of the Atlantic-Midwest province, was the personal representative of the donor’s estate. The card was part of a series called T206 produced by the American Tobacco Company from 1909 to 1911. It was discovered in a safe deposit box with a note that said: “Although damaged, this card will be exponentially valuable in the 21st century.”
A ‘tangible sign’ of good Sister Virginia said that when she opened the safe deposit box, she had no idea who Honus Wagner was. After news of the card began to circulate across the country, Sister Virginia received a telephone call from South Carolina. It was Leslie Roberts, Wagner’s granddaughter. “She was absolutely thrilled that the
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School Sisters had this card and will be receiving such a gift,” Sister Virginia said. Sister Virginia noted that Roberts recounted how her famous grandfather sat her on his lap while chewing tobacco and feeding her bits of Hershey’s chocolates. The retired baseball star enjoyed telling tall tales and once explained to his granddaughter how he hit his longest home run when he smacked a ball out of the CNS photo park and into a A detail from the train heading to T206 Honus Wagner California. baseball card. Sister Kathleen Cornell, provincial leader of the sisters’ Atlantic-Midwest province, said the money from the auction has not been earmarked for any specific project but will be used to support the congregation’s educational ministries in North America and the work of sisters in Latin America and Africa. She called the bequest a “tangible sign of the goodness of people to us.” Doug Walton, managing partner of Walton Sports & Collectibles, won the auction for the card. The final price, including a buyer’s premium of 19.5 percent, was $262,900. According the news release, only about 50 of the T206 Wagner cards are known to exist, with this one being new to the census of known examples. This card was in the collection of the donor since 1936, and caused a major stir in the sports collectibles hobby when its existence was revealed this past summer. When asked if she thought there was divine intervention at play with this card, Sister Virginia had a quick response. “It’s certainly more than luck,” she said. “We believe we are about God’s ministry — God’s work — and so we know it’s a gift of heaven.”
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iving Prayer
Oh, God, when I have help me to remembe food, r the hungry. When I have work, help me to remembe r the jobless. When I have a warm help me to remembe home, r the home When I am without pa less. in, help me to remembe r those who suffer. And remembering, hel p me my complacency an to destroy d be compassion. Make me stir my concerned enough to help, by word and deed, tho se out for what we take who cry for granted. Samuel F. Pugh
CS
Please help the poor and unfortunate. Assist the families and give help to the children.
Spirit of Giving
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
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Churches and communities collaborate to provide housing, services CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A Hoy describes the current economic situation as “the perfect storm” for organizations like IOCP — more people need help, and less people are able to help. Currently, IOCP is turning away 20 to 30 of the roughly 100 people who request housing assistance each month because the organization lacks the funding. Hoy hopes fundraising efforts can help it meet every housing need next year. She sees more people “patching jobs” — or working several part-time jobs to pay the bills, but they are likely not receiving benefits. “By the time they get to us, they’ve usually gone through all other venues,” Hoy said. “Their back is to the wall.” As poverty has increased, so has IOCP’s efforts to educate its community. Today, the communities are more engaged around the issue of suburban poverty, Hoy said. “[Suburban poverty] is not as hidden as it used to be,” she added. Each year, IOCP hosts Sleep Out, a campaign to raise awareness and funds for the housing needs of families it serves. Last year it raised $1.6 million. This year’s Sleep Out kicked off Nov. 12 and lasts until Dec. 12. Its goal is to raise $1.8 million. In addition to housing assistance, which ranges from rent assistance to connecting families to affordable housing, IOCP also works to meet needs related to employment, transportation, child care, food and community connectedness. Last year, 1,241 families used its food shelf, and many of them visited multiple times. In total, the food shelf had 14,417 requests for food. Additionally, IOCP provided Thanksgiving meals to 579 families in 2009.
Asking for help The first time Beth used a food shelf at a local church was humbling, she said, but the volunteers were kind to her. “I remember feeling, ‘I can’t believe I’m here,’” she said. Yet, she also felt relief as she received bag after bag of groceries for her family. She never expected to be in a situation where she would need real help, she said. Beth was used to being the one helping. In high school, she was 4-H president, and she volunteered at St. Stephen’s Human Services in Minneapolis. In her early 20s, she was active in community environment advocacy, and was planning to serve as her garden club’s president before her divorce. For Beth, the most important thing IOCP offered was emotional support as she filled out paperwork for food stamps and other governmental assistance programs. Without IOCP, she had little idea of how to obtain the resources available for helping her get back on her feet. One of IOCP’s mantras is “respect first, help second,” Hoy said. Even though Beth had a roof over her head, she fit into Hoy’s description of homeless. Some homeless sleep outside in parks, but many others stay on friends’ couches, or move in temporarily with another family. Beth only planned to stay with her father and his family for a short time, but it turned into nearly two years. St. Anne in Hamel, Holy Name of Jesus in Medina, St. Bartholomew in Wayzata, and St. George in Long Lake are among 24 area faith congregations that support IOCP. The outreach grew out of St.
“By the time they get to us, they’ve usually gone
You can help! Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners is hosting its annual Sleep Out housing campaign Nov. 12 to Dec. 12. Since 1986, the annual Sleep Out has raised funds and awareness about suburban poverty and homelessness. This year’s goal is $1.8 million. During the Sleep Out, supporters donate funds to IOCP to support people who spend a night sleeping outside, or they sleep outside themselves to alert others about the need to support the housing solutions IOCP provides.
”
through all other venues. Their back is to the wall.
LADONNA HOY
Bartholomew in the late 1970s. Hoy was St. Bartholomew’s director of pastoral ministry at that time, and she became IOCP’s executive director when it became its own organization in 1979. She describes her motivation as “Gospel driven,” but she emphasizes that IOCP collaborates with and helps people of all faiths, or none. Holy Name of Jesus was one of IOCP’s founding churches, and it continues to support the organization. It took a special collection for IOCP Nov. 6-7 and is planning a three-night event for the IOCP Sleep Out. It regularly collects food at three of its weekend Masses for IOCP’s food shelf. “[IOCP does] superb work, and I think their growth and support they’ve gotten through the community is a testament to that,” said Sabrina Mauritz, director of parish life at Holy Name of Jesus.
She’s looking forward to the day when she has a good job and can afford a mortgage on her own house, she said. Yet, she doesn’t know what she would have done without the help, she said. “The surrender to needing help is humbling, but it’s a gift,” Beth said. “It’s good to know that even though there are certain things you do alone, you are never alone.”
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In August, IOCP helped Beth move her family out of her father’s house and into affordable housing. Having a place for her boys to call home means a lot, Beth said. She is now a University of Minnesota student studying environmental science, and she hopes to go on to earn a master’s degree and eventually work in environmental planning and policy. IOCP has helped pay for her books, and it paid for new tires for her car.
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20A
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Stories of hope, sorrow rise in wake of Iraqi attack CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A general meeting in Baltimore, Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, retired archbishop of Washington, said the attack on the church also raises the issue of how Christians who have left Iraq are faring in the countries where they are living as refugees. He noted that before the current war, there were more than 900,000 Christians in Iraq, and that there are now fewer than 350,000. “Many who fled are wandering around, looking for work” in countries that are not equipped to handle the demand. “Our country has not stepped up to help,” said Cardinal McCarrick, noting that “these people have nothing and cannot go back.” Cardinal George responded to Cardinal McCarrick by noting that he and Bishop Gerald Kicanas of Tucson, Ariz., vice president of the conference, had been discussing the issue with Archbishop Pietro Sambi, apostolic nuncio to the United States. While the stance of the church had been to encourage people to return to Iraq so the Christian community does not disappear in the country, Cardinal George said the recent developments make clear this is not a viable option. The USCCB and the Vatican have been in contact with the State Department to encourage a shift in policy on admitting Iraqi refugees, Cardinal George said in his remarks to the bishops, who affirmed his letter to Obama by acclamation.
War’s ‘tragic consequences’ In the letter, the cardinal reminded the president that the U.S. bishops had expressed “grave moral questions” before the U.S.-led combat began in Iraq and had warned of the “unpredictable consequences” of that action, Cardinal George said. “The decimation of the Christian community in Iraq and the continuing violence that threatens all Iraqis are among those tragic consequences.” The attack, along with recent bombings in Baghdad, “are grim evidence of the savage violence and lack of security that has plagued the Iraqi people, especially Christians and other minorities, for over seven years,” he said. Although the U.S. bishops welcome the end of U.S. combat in Iraq, Cardinal George said, the United States “has so far failed in helping Iraqis to develop the political will needed to deploy effective strategies to protect the lives of all citizens.” “Having invaded Iraq, our nation has a moral obligation not to abandon those Iraqis who cannot defend themselves,” he added.
“We are in need of your prayer and your moral and fraternal support. Your friendship encourages us to remain in our land, to preserve, and to hope.
”
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4A
STATMENT FROM THE IRAQI BISHOPS
Calling for U.S. action The cardinal outlined a series of steps that, “at a minimum,” the United States and the international community must help Iraq to achieve: “Enable the Iraqi government to function for the common good of all Iraqis. “Build the capacity of Iraq’s military and police to provide security for all citizens, including minorities. “Improve the judicial system and rule of law. “Promote reconciliation and the protection of human rights, especially religious freedom. “Rebuild Iraq’s shattered economy so that Iraqis can support their families. “Assist refugees and internally displaced Iraqis.”
Mourning those killed Iraqi Christians returned to the Syrian cathedral for Mass Nov. 7 amid beefed up security. Fides, the news agency of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, reported that while the church interior had been cleaned, bloodstains were still visible on the walls. Sources told Fides that people attending the Mass wore black robes as a sign of mourning and carried lit candles to remember those killed. The lit candles were placed in the form of a large cross in the middle of the aisle, next to the names and photos of the dead, Fides reported. Father Mukhlas Habash, who celebrated the Mass Nov. 7, called on the faithful to pray for the victims and their attackers and recalled Jesus’ commandment to “love your enemies,” the news agency said. Fides said eyewitnesses heard one of the victims, Father Tha’ir Saad, tell the attackers “Kill me, not this family with children,” as he used his body to shield them.
More problems, costs likely if services eliminated
“We are in need of your prayer and your moral and fraternal support. Your friendship encourages us to remain in our land, to preserve, and to hope. Without that we feel isolated,” said a message from the Iraqi bishops to the prelates in France. Elsewhere, Iraqi Christians held silent marches in remembrance of those killed, reported Vatican Radio. The rallies, held in Detroit, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Toronto, London, Cairo, Sydney and other cities, demanded increased protection for Christians in Iraq.
Vatican, Italy help wounded Twenty-six of the Iraqi Catholics injured in the attack were transferred to a Rome hospital for treatment. Pope Benedict XVI thanked Italy’s foreign minister for helping facilitate the transfer of three children, seven men and 16 women. In a press release Nov. 13, Rome’s Gemelli Hospital said most of the 26 were in fair condition and were being treated by a medical team with a variety of specialties. As of midday Nov. 15, the hospital had not issued a further update. The Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, reported that Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, had asked Italy’s foreign minister, Franco Frattini, to organize the transfer of the patients for treatment. A group of 35 Iraqi Catholics hurt in the attack already had been transported to Paris Nov. 10. Frattini, a former ski instructor, joined a group of ski instructors Nov. 15 at an audience with Pope Benedict.
Looking to faithful for hope
Before speaking to the group, Pope Benedict said he wanted to express his deep gratitude to Frattini for arranging the transfer of the patients to Rome. The transfer was funded by Italy’s foreign aid program and the patients were flown to Rome from Baghdad by the Italian air force.
Vatican Radio reported that Iraqi bishops also looked to the faithful of France for hope, entrusting themselves to the protection and intercession of the church of Our Lady of Lourdes.
The patients were accompanied by 21 family members who were being housed in apartments belonging to the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, to which the hospital belongs.
homeless shelters and transitional facilities. ■ General Assistance Medical Care. “The system that was set up in the last Legislature has been just a dramatic failure and needs to be fixed,” he said. ■ Runaway and homeless youth. Catholic Charities provides most of the 40 beds available in the Twin Cities for runaway and homeless youth. It has been estimated that about 700 youth are homeless and on the street each night. “We make such a small dent now in the need, so, we’d be concerned about any cut to those services,” he added. Martodam said he and other representatives from Catholic Charities will be spending more time educating new members of the Legislature about the important role of government, along with nonprofits and the business community, in addressing those issues. “The reality is, the more of these services we eliminate, the greater the cost will be — in the long run — to society,” Martodam said. “We can cut a few dollars today, but it’s going to cost a lot more down the road.” People will end up in jails, emergency rooms and long-term facilities that cost society a great deal more than the alternatives that are currently in place, he explained. Helping people understand the consequences “will take a great deal more of our time,” he said. At the same time, Catholic Charities’ Office for Social Justice will be focusing more energy on engaging parishes to partner with Catholic Charities in providing services and helping parishes develop response programs. “If we can provide some technical support or planning support, whatever it is that helps a parish to respond, we are delighted to do that,” Martodam said.
Residents of Saint Therese at St. Odilia will be close to parish, school CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3A with Catholic Senior Services, whose mission is to strategically coordinate and enhance Catholic, parish-based housing and services for older adults throughout the archdiocese. That led to a referral to Saint Therese of New Hope, a senior care facility. Enter Barb Rode, president and CEO of Saint Therese, who immediately threw her passion into opening a facility designed to offer end-of-life care, including hospice, in a setting that feels homey for both residents and their families.
Residents will have their own rooms, with space for family and friends to gather around them. Also, they will be in close proximity to both the parish and school, which will mean regular contact with parish staff, parishioners and students at the school. “There’s not enough of that; we’ve segregated the generations [in American culture],” said Rode, whose company is providing the funding for the facility. “This will certainly help bring the generations back together.” She already is at work helping to develop a program for eighth-graders at the
school to come over and spend time with the residents. The students will make welcome baskets for residents, plus decorative baskets for their belongings. This is one of, hopefully, many ways in which members of the parish and school can help the residents.
Healthy society But, Schumacher noted, the benefits go both ways. “I think that the exposure to the residents will be a great asset to our school and our parish community,” he said. “It’s a whole circle of life. There is a lot of interest in the parish [in this facili-
ty]. People are asking how it’s going. It’s exciting to hear.” What both Rode and Schumacher are particularly excited about is that the residents will be able to look out their windows and see children playing on the school playground. Then, they can look out the other side of the building to see a wooded area that includes a pond. “You can tell how healthy a society is by how well they care for their children and their elderly,” Rode said. “This campus is a perfect example of a healthy society.”
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Aerial views, natural lighting key elements in winning photographs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6A adding a nice touch and enhancing the view of the church.” Werner pointed out that he digitally enhanced the shot “to make it look as if it were a painting of the church.” His efforts earned the second-place prize money, $50. “I was able to capture this image by going flying with my uncle on a mid-summer night around 7 p.m.,” Werner explained. “I caught this image quickly since we really couldn’t stop, and just love how it turned out.”
Two third-place winners There was a tie for third place, with the $25 prize going to both entrants. While a number of photographers sent in photos of St. Mary church in New Trier, judges said the best was by Brenda Beissel of Hastings. They commented: “This simple, yet effective composition captures the beauty of this rural church, highly visible to those who drive through New Trier. The positioning of the elegant front of the church and the surrounding elements of trees, sky and clouds is wonderfully done. And, the lighting makes the colors rich and vibrant.” Also a third-place winner was Mary Spychala of Rice for her photo of St. Patrick church in rural Sauk Rapids in Minden Township in the St. Cloud diocese. “Another well-done aerial view,” the judges said. “This photo includes the broad, rural landscape that surrounds the church. Its simple, unspoiled beauty makes you want to pay this church a visit.” Spychala’s entry explained that the shot came about because of more than a bit of luck. “My grandmother, Caroline Neumann, was married (at St. Patrick) and is buried in the cemetery. My parents, Rose and Al Jackels, were married here. I took this picture from a hot air balloon ride that I won in a contest. I use a 35mm zoom camera. This was very exciting as in a balloon ride you go where the wind takes you, so to be
Brenda Beissel of Hastings captured just the right light when she snapped this shot of St. Mary in New Trier to garner a tie for third place.
Nick Werner of Hastings digitally enhanced this photo of St. John the Baptist in Vermillion to take second place.
where we spent summers as children and my mother grew up was a very happy day.” All 154 entries can be viewed on THECATHOLIC SPIRIT.COM by clicking on “Photos” on the menu bar and scrolling down and clicking on “2010 MN Catholic Church Photo Contest.” In addition, the best of the entries will be showcased on the web soon in a multimedia production, also on THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM. A photo of the winner and a Lifetouch representative will appear in the Dec. issue. A hot air balloon carried Mary Spychala of Rice to this view of St. Patrick in rural Sauk Rapids and a tie for third place.
Put your Christmas prayer on paper for annual poster contest The Catholic Spirit invites youth in grades one through 12 to enter this year’s Christmas poster contest. Participants must be enrolled in the archdiocese’s Catholic schools or parish religious education programs. Home-schoolers may also enter. Prizes will be awarded to individuals with winning entries. ■ Artists are asked to finish the phrase: “This Christmas I’ll be praying for _____________________________________________________.” The completed sentence must appear with a picture on each entry. ■ Artists may use markers, crayons, colored pencils and/or paints.
Teaching virtues to children CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12A
As Catholics, “we’re not prudes but we’re not foolish, either.” To keep an eye on what children are doing on the Internet, Father Hoffman suggested placing the computer in a public place, such as near the refrigerator, which he jokingly called “the icon of hope.” Lastly, he stressed the importance of modesty in speech and dress. “Modesty is to dress in such a way that when people look at you they want to look at your face because that’s where you communicate most,” he said.
Practical lessons Christopher Marble, a member of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center, said he
picked up tools at the talk that he will use in raising his three young daughters. In the area of purity, he said he learned “how I treat my wife affects how my children view themselves and view their parents.” Katie Kaari of St. Michael in Stillwater said she recognized the importance of honesty and teaching her two daughters about confession. “It reminded me to attend confession more, not just for me but also for my children.” She added, “The presentation inspired me just by giving me reminders of how to live day-to-day life in Christ.”
■ Entries must be submitted on 8.5-by-11- inch paper. ■ The artist’s name, address, telephone number, school, grade and parish should appear on the back of each entry. ■ A first-place prize will be awarded in each of four categories: grades one through three, grades four through six, grades seven through nine, and grades 10 through 12. ■ The winning entries, along with honorable mentions, will be published in The Catholic Spirit’s Christmas edition, Dec. 16, and online at THECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM. A panel of Catholic Spirit judges will select the winners based on artistic skill, creativity and reproducibility. Each winner will receive a $50 Visa gift card. Entries must be postmarked by Friday, Dec. 3. Posters should be sent to: Christmas Poster Contest, The Catholic Spirit, 244 Dayton Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102. Questions? Call editor Joe Towalski at (651) 291-4455, or e-mail him at TOWALSKIJ@ARCHSPM.ORG.
Father Rocky Hoffman Q & A CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12A Catholics address these challenges? Relevant Radio helps people because — we call it ‘Talk Radio for Catholic Life’ — we’re telling the human story and we’re letting Catholics, no matter where they are in their faith life, tell their own story. It becomes a platform by which people can witness to each other. There’s something transformative when you just focus on the word. That’s why it can be so powerful and so persuasive. You’re concentrating much more. We also make a deliberate attempt to follow three guiding principles: faithfulness to the magisterium, unity with the bishops, and [remaining] under the protection of the Blessed Mother.
You’ve been executive director of Relevant Radio for about six months. Can you give a progress report? Thanks be to God and through the intercession of the Blessed Mother; we’re making progress . . . and carrying out the apostolate which really works well for us. We are finding the means we need to stay on the air and bring messages which are inspiring and transformative to many, many souls. We received 40,000 prayer intentions last year, and every single one is prayed for individually. We take that very, very seriously. My job is to be an obstinate enthusiast. I’ve never worked harder and prayed more.
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NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Mpls. school considers itself critical to local mission, despite funding needs CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4A The school’s enrollment increased by 15 percent this year, boosting it to 105 students. The school had maintained a stable enrollment for the previous five years.
Long-term planning The archdiocesan Catholic Schools Office has met with all schools assigned to one of the three review categories to explain its expectations. “As schools are asked to go through these reviews, there are no preconceived conclusions. It’s an open process. There were all kinds of rumors out there, and I think [the open process] is really reassuring to them,” Frauenheim said. “We want this to be about their community. We want them to come to the conclusions that they do. We want them to look at all the options and the challenges,” she added. The schools’ planning process does mean more work for the schools, but it’s
required now for Catholic education to be stronger in the future, Frauenheim said. The process should be familiar — schools already plan for their future as part of routine accreditation reviews every seven years. Additionally, schools submit annual progress reports to the accreditation organization and the Catholic Schools Office. In order to ease the process, the archdiocese compiled each review school’s data for it to use as it examines its situation. The archdiocese is also working with the Alliance for Catholic Education of the University of Notre Dame to identify school funding models and other best practices already in place in other U.S. Catholic schools that the archdiocese may be able to adopt. ACE reported its findings to the archdiocese the week of Nov. 7.
A ‘mission critical’ school? Despite Pope John Paul II School’s improvements, the school’s past troubles
were so deeply rooted in the community’s mind that it took several years to convince parishioners that the school was not on the verge of closure and that it was worth investing in. Even now, Holy Cross parish is working to meet fire code in the 1949 building it rents to John Paul II Catholic School. The parish installed a fire alarm system at a cost of nearly $100,000, and now it’s trying to raise the money for a sprinkler system, which is expected to cost about $250,000. Father Jenson and King view Pope John Paul II School as a “mission critical school” — a school essential to the local church’s mission, but unable to sustain itself financially without help from the broader Catholic community because of the demographics it serves. Between 70 and 75 percent of its students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, a statewide marker indicating students from low-income families. More than half of its students are students of color.
Already, the school benefits from two grants designed to support urban Catholic schools: the Legacy Grant, which is administered by the archdiocese, and the Pohlad grant, which is administered through the Friends of Catholic Urban Schools, or FOCUS. Yet, four of the northeast Minneapolis parishes that sponsor the school are slated to merge under the Strategic Plan for Parishes, which makes for an uncertain future, Father Jenson said, since it could affect parish subsidies. Rather than look at the urgent review status as a stigma, King and Father Jenson are embracing it as an opportunity to explain more deeply their long-term vision and the schools’ value to its community and the archdiocese, they said. “If we as a community are going to serve these children with a high level of poverty in their homes who want a faithfilled environment for their kids, then it’s going to take the community — and I mean the larger Catholic community — to support that,” King said.
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Resurrection Cemetery, Mendota Heights Three lots each valued at $1,435. Will sell all three for $3,330 total. (651) 653-1522.
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651-224-7471 344 E. University Ave., St. Paul
BUILDING SPACE
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The Diocese of St. Cloud, Minnesota is seeking a full time Director for its active Mission Office. The position includes diocesan directorship of the Pontifical Mission Societies; oversight of diocesan and parish partnerships, parish mission groups, mission animation and education, Catholic Relief Services programs and the Missionary Cooperation Plan. The Director coordinates connection and relationship building between people in the St. Cloud Diocese and our mission partners around the world to foster engagement of Catholics with the global Church and the world-wide mission of Jesus Christ. Qualified candidates must possess a Bachelor’s Degree with a focus in theology, international relations, cultural studies or other related degree. Cross cultural ministry and overseas mission experience preferred. Salary commensurate with experience.
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“Our focus is the least of these. And that is not the focus of Washington no matter who is in charge.” John Carr, executive director of the U.S. bishops’ Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, commenting about Catholic policy priorities following the Nov. 2 election
Overheard 23A The Catholic Spirit
Quotes from this week’s newsmakers
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 “To meet its moral obligations to the Iraqi people, it is critically important that the United States take additional steps now to help Iraq protect its citizens, especially Christians and others who are victims of organized attacks.”
Remembering the Innocents
— Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, in a Nov. 9 letter to U.S. President Barack Obama
“We may not have known who Honus Wagner was before this, but his name is blessed to us now.”
SISTER VIRGINIA
— Sister Virginia Muller, former treasurer for the AtlanticMidwest province of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, which will receive $220,000 from the auction of a very rare T206 Honus Wagner baseball card that was donated to them
“It is a precious tool which the bishop of Rome cannot and will not go without.”
Dave Hrbacek / The Catholic Spirit
From left, Jim Twyman and Roger Thoennes of the Knights of Columbus Marian Council in Bloomington finish erecting 400 crosses Nov. 12 on the grounds of Our Lady of Grace in Edina, where they were scheduled to remain for two weeks from that date. The display is called Cemetery of the Innocents. Each cross represents 10 unborn babies killed by abortion every day in the U.S. The crosses were supplied by the Franciscan Brothers of Peace in St. Paul and installed by a group of 19 people from both the council and Our Lady of Grace. Twyman is a member of OLG, while Thoennes belongs to St. Richard in Richfield.
St. Thomas Academy fetes four with Fleming Award St. Thomas Academy presented Fleming Alumni Veteran Awards to four alumni to recognize their honorable service in the U.S. military and dedication to the academy. The awards were presented during a Veteran’s Day assembly Nov. 11 at the The Mendota Heights Catholic Spirit school, which included an address by Maj. Gen. Richard C. Nash, the adjutant general for Minnesota and head of the Minnesota National Guard. Award recipients include: U.S. Air Force Maj. Matt Michaud, who is serving as a B2 Stealth Bomber Pilot and was present to accept the award; the late U.S. Army1st Lt. Eugene Hanousek, who was killed in action Feb. 5, 1945, in France; Marine Capt. Kelly Hinz, who was killed May 2, 2005, in a fatal aircraft crash in Iraq; and U.S. Air Force Capt. Thomas (O’Kane) Gramith, who died in an aircraft accident July 17, 2009, in Afghanistan.
News Notes
The Fleming Medal is named for Capt. Richard Fleming, recipient of the Medal of Honor and the acadmy’s highest decorated graduate (1935).
Oblates tap U.S. leader Father Louis Lougen, provincial of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in the U.S. Oblate Province, was elected superior general of Missionary Oblates worldwide. Father Lougen, 58, spent 17 years as a missionary in Brazil and was novice master in Godfrey, Ill. He will be in the Twin Cities Dec. 3 and 4 as part of his visits to U.S. Oblate LOUGEN districts.
Law school accredited The University of St. Thomas School of
Law received full accreditation from the American Bar Association Oct. 20. The school, which opened in 2001, received provisional accreditation in 2003 and its first full accreditation in 2006. The law school started with 120 students taking classes in Terrence Murphy Hall on the university’s Minneapolis campus. Today, 476 students are enrolled and attending classes in a permanent campus building in Minneapolis.
Ultrasound on menu The Stillwater Knights of Columbus Council 1632 will host a benefit breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21, to help St. Croix Valley LifeCare Center purchase a new 4D ultrasound machine. The Supreme KC Council will match donations at this event. Knights will serve pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage links, applesauce, juice, milk, coffee and more for $6 for adults or $3.50 for children 12 years old and under at the KC Hall, 1910 S. Greeley St., Stillwater.
— Pope Benedict XVI, in a Nov. 11 letter to the Vatican archivist remarking on the importance of the Vatican Library as a new exhibit highlighting the 500year-old institution opened at the Vatican
“It’s for me, above all, a response of thanksgiving to God for having survived. It is my contribution to the rebuilding of the country, but at the level of the spiritual and the human.” — Father Alphonse Quesnel, a Montfortian priest serving as pastor of a parish in Port-auPrince, Haiti, who has put together an “earthquake catechesis” consisting of reflections, songs and prayers for survivors of the Jan. 12 earthquake
“We’re treating this monument as a sign of faith — an external manifestation that religious belief is still alive here.” — Father Andrzej Sapieha, spokesman for Poland’s Zielona Gora-Gorzow Diocese, commenting on efforts by a parish in western Poland that will dedicate later this month what it says is the world’s largest statue of Christ
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NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Special 16-page pull-out section
Getting a loan from your home What you need to know before you obtain a reverse mortgage
2B
Find a place to live
More about moving, travel, health care, funeral planning and legal counsel
3B - 16B
Guide to Senior Housing
8B - 9B
Pope John Paul II inspired singer with Parkinson’s “I was grateful he was in . . . a public position . . . and he chose to continue that as long as he could.”
13B
The Catholic Spirit November 18, 2010
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Senior Living
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Reverse mortgage might enhance your quality of life By Julie Pfitzinger For The Catholic Spirit
Reverse mortgage alternatives
The saying “home is where the heart is” applies to people of all ages, but perhaps especially to seniors, many of whom have lived in their homes for decades. In addition to the emotional attachments they have established, many have built up equity in their homes as well. A growing number of seniors are opting for a reverse mortgage, which allows them to access this equity as tax-free income, using the funds to improve their quality of life in a variety of ways. “With challenges that come from managing expenses on a fixed income, senior homeowners are finding that a reverse mortgage can help them keep up with life’s expenses and improve their monthly cash flow,” said Tom Pinger, reverse mortgage consultant with Wells Fargo. The funds from the reverse mortgage can be received monthly, used as a line of credit or dispersed as a lump-sum payment to the borrower, who must be 62 years old or older to qualify. Reverse mortgages have been insured by the Federal Housing Administration for more than 20 years and can be taken on the borrower’s principal residence only.
Is a reverse mortgage right for you? There are other financial options to consider before committing to a reverse mortgage, according to a recent article on the AARP website. ■ Tapping other resources. Do you have substantial cash value in a life insurance policy that is no longer needed? Do you have investments or real estate holdings that aren’t providing income but could be sold? Are you eligible for any low-income assistance? ■ Downsizing. Do you really need to stay in your current home? Does it have more space than you need? Downsizing your living quarters can have many lifestyle advantages in addition to the cost savings. ■ Selling and renting. Homeowners who are being pinched financially should also think about selling their houses and renting instead. There are buildings and communities that cater to renters 55 and up. Selling a home, especially one that you’ve lived in for a long time and that has appreciated, can free up needed capital. By renting, you can let someone else worry about maintenance and landscaping.
Counseling is required All prospective borrowers must complete an educational counseling session with a HUD-approved counselor to PLEASE TURN TO GET ON PAGE 16B
Source: “Reverse Mortgage Alternatives,” AARP.ORG.
Senior Living
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
3B
Heritage Place of Roseville
To our readers The descriptions of senior housing and other services in this section were provided by the facilities and service agencies, which are responsible for the accuracy of the content. — The Catholic Spirit
Heritage Place of Roseville is a welcoming, faith-based community of people who become friends around the dinner table, play, learn and worship together, and gather to celebrate the milestones of life. You’ll choose from our one- and two-bedroom floor plans with all utilities paid. Each unit includes a washer and dryer. And, you’ll wake every morning to a complimentary breakfast! The services and amenities offered at Heritage Place of Roseville, including home care, provide independence, security and dignity when choosing the retirement lifestyle you prefer. If you’re looking for a place to feel at home, consider Heritage Place of Roseville first. For more information, call (651) 489-3293.
Cerenity Senior Care — Marian of St. Paul
Michael O’Brien
Cerenity Senior Care — Marian of St. Paul campus offers a wide array of housing options and health care services including: Day Away — which is an adult day center — independent living, assisted living, board and care, memory care and skilled nursing. Marian of St. Paul is located adjacent to the historic Mississippi River Valley. Marian of St. Paul is well known in the community for its strong Catholic heritage. Mass is held six days a week in Marian of St. Paul’s own Chapel of St. Mary.
Michael O’Brien provides a range of services in the trust, planning, wills and trust, estate plans to avoid probate, simple wills, trust wills for minor children, asset transfers, buy-sell agreements, supplemental need trusts, family limited liability companies and limited partnerships, charitable trusts, estate tax returns and contested and uncontested probate administration. See ad below.
For more information, please call (651) 793-2100 or visit WWW.CERENITYSENIORCARE.ORG.
Basic Services: • • • • • •
Three Meals a Day 24 Hour Emergency Service Medication Set-up & Reminders Full time Activity Program Medical Appt. Set-up & Follow-up Transportation Set-up & Assistance • Housekeeping • Cable TV
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ESTATE TAX PLANNING, TRUSTS, WILLS, PROBATE . . . Protect your family or other beneficiaries with an estate plan that transfers your property or business the way you want with as little tax cost as possible.
Call me: Michael R. O’Brien, Attorney at Law (Over 25 years experience) (612) 332-1030 mobrien@losgs.com
24 Hour Respite
The Cypress Manor (above) The Willows (right)
Private Pay & Accepting Long Term Care Insurance 55 & Older. For more information or to set up a tour, please call:
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Leonard, O’Brien, Spencer, Gale & Sayre, Ltd.
wpassistedliving.com
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TheCatholicSpirit.com
or you can visit our website:
4B
Senior Living
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Franciscan Health Community
Episcopal Homes
You’ll enjoy quality, secure living in your apartment home when you move to Riverview Highlands or Highlands on Graham in St. Paul’s beautiful Highland Park neighborhood. Move in by Jan. 1 and your first month’s rent is free! Many apartments have river views, and shopping amenities are moments away. Choose from one-, two- or threebedroom apartments in a friendly, independent living environment. Additional services are available as needed to help residents maintain their greatest level of independence. Franciscan Health Community residents enjoy quality care and engaging programs that bring a special zest to daily living.
Episcopal Homes has a variety of senior housing available in St. Paul. Following is a brief description of senior living residences.
For more information, please call (651) 695-4100 or visit www.franciscancare.org.
St. Therese Southwest, where seniors celebrate life St. Therese Southwest is a retirement community located in Hopkins on 14 acres of weeping willows and walking paths. The campus provides the feeling of living in the country with the benefit of being close to the city. We provide a spiritual environment in which people of all faiths are welcome. Catholic Mass is offered daily, as well as Protestant services weekly. For more information, please call St. Therese Southwest at (952) 933-3333 or visit WWW.STTHERESESOUTHWEST.COM.
■ Episcopal Church Home Nursing and short-term rehab care in a faith-based, not-for-profit. Medicare/Medicaid certified. Our mission is to support each individual’s physical, social and spiritual needs. More than 380 inclusive religious services yearly, including weekly Catholic Communion and rosary, plus monthly Catholic Mass. Visit WWW.EHOMESMN.ORG or call (651) 646-4061 for a tour. ■ Iris Park Commons “A Community of Heart” features 59 one/two bedroom and studio apartments, plus assisted living services for age 55-plus. We support each individual’s physical, social and spiritual needs. Catholic Communion is availabnle every Sunday. Weekly Communion, rosary and monthly Mass next door at Episcopal Church Home. Scheduled transportation for shopping and social outings. Visit WWW.EHOMESMN.ORG or call (651) 646-1026 for a tour. ■ Cornelia House Gracious living for independent adults age 62-plus. Residents enjoy the peace of mind that comes from living on a continuing care campus with all the long- and short-term care they may ever need. We offer 47 one- or two-bedroom apartments, community spaces and a resident council that organizes social events. Visit WWW.EHOMES.ORG or call (651) 288-3931 for a tour. ■ Seabury Affordable independent living, age 62-plus. Recognized as one of the finest HUD-subsidized senior housing facilities in the nation. Forty-nine one-bedroom apartments with central air conditioning. Seabury is proud that limited income need not mean limited quality of life. Visit WWW.EHOMESMN.ORG or call (651) 379-5102 for a tour. ■ Carty Heights Affordable independent living for age 62-plus. Applications being taken for a waiting list. Although located away from the Episcopal Homes campus, residents enjoy the same priority access as other campus residents. Forty-nine one-bedroom air-conditioned apartments. Visit WWW.EHOMESMN.ORG or call (651) 288-1142 for a tour.
Attend daily Mass within steps of your home.
STATE-OF-THE-ART THERAPY DEPARTMENT includes inpatient and outpatient therapy services SHORT TERM REHABILITATION private room/private bath addition FOUR NEIGHBORHOODS a dining room in each living area DAILY ACTIVITIES and many community outings in our new van THE VILLA AT INNSBRUCK individualized memory care in a secure environment HOLY SPIRIT CHAPEL for spiritual services and personal reflection
Cerenity Care Center and Residence – Marian of Saint Paul is a continuum of care campus that provides every level of care for you or your loved one. > Independent Living > Board and Care
> Assisted Living > Memory Care
> Adult Day Center > Skilled Nursing
Please call 651-793-2100 today to schedule a tour.
www.CerenitySeniorCare.org Formerly HealthEast Senior Care, Cerenity Senior Care is a faith-based partnership between HealthEast, Benedictine Health System, and Clement Manor.
Senior Living
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
5B
North Spirit Medical
MJ Properties
North Spirit Medical offers a complete product offering of medical equipment and supplies for sale. We also have hospital beds and wheelchairs. We bill most insurance programs and offer delivery throughout the 11-county metro area. We’re a comprehensive source for medical supplies and equipment. Our mission: “By working together and understanding your concerns, we can use our experience and knowledge to help you select the best products to fit your individual needs.� We have a genuine concern and interest for your self worth and independence to grow and enjoy life to the fullest extent possible. We offer medical equipment and supplies tailored to meet clients’ needs, including walkers, lift chairs, scooters, bathroom safety products, incontinence and ostomy supplies, crutches and more. We also offer equipment for customers with specialized needs requiring feeding tubes, pumps and feeding supplies, nebulizers and other medically sensitive equipment. Among North Spirit’s larger specialty items are hospital beds and customized, motorized wheelchairs. We’re working together to understand and respond to your needs.
Walk to daily Mass when you live at 1440 Randolph Ave. in St. Paul. Second generation family-owned and operated, these valuepriced apartments offer a great savings for today’s independent senior. Located adjacent to Holy Spirit Catholic Church and School in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul, this building provides a quiet and simple living atmosphere for independent seniors 55 and older. We offer a variety of oneand two-bedroom units in a well-maintained security building. The site is located on a bus line and within blocks of Korte’s Supermarket. Other features include: elevator, underground heated parking and outside garages, new appliances, a friendly on-site management team, mini-health clinic, tenant lounge and wonderful neighbors. Come view our beautifully remodeled units today. For more information, call MJ Properties of St. Paul at (651) 690-4961.
Epiphany Senior Housing We are two separate buildings that offer different things: independent living and assisted/memory care. Both buildings are attached to Church of the Epiphany in Coon Rapids to meet the spiritual needs of residents. Epiphany Pines Senior Housing overlooks a pond and wildlife setting. It is in a convenient area to access. Our philosophy of care at Epiphany Assisted Living is founded on the belief that every resident deserves to be treated with respect, dignity and hospitality. Our residents have a choice of where they want to live and our goal is to exceed their expectations every day with unsurpassed service. The quality of life for each resident is enhanced by nurturing the spirit of one’s self-esteem, preserving one’s dignity, and by providing a secure environment for one’s protection and privacy. For more information, call (763) 7550320.
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Crest View Senior Communities is a faith-based, not-for-profit organization that has been providing services to older adults since 1952. Crest View Senior Community in Columbia Heights offers a continuum of care and service, including senior housing, assisted living, home care, memory care, short-term rehab care and skilled nursing care.
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long term care | assisted living | independent living | rehabilitation memory care | home health care | www.bhshealth.org | 800.833.7208
6B
Senior Living
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Saint Therese in New Hope, Brooklyn Park and Shoreview Experience the blessing of Saint Therese, with communities in New Hope, Brooklyn Park and Shoreview. Saint Therese, established in 1968, is a Catholic nonprofit serving seniors at every stage. In addition to pleasant, carefree apartment living, dependable assisted living services and expert nursing care, Saint Therese has also become a leader in rehabilitative therapy for those recuperating from surgery. New to the family is Saint Therese at St. Odilia in Shoreview, where individuals with chronic or terminal illnesses are provided with palliative care services in a unique, serene setting near St. Odilia Church.
Regina Medical Center’s Senior Living Regina Medical Center’s Senior Living, located in Hastings, offers a continuum of care, including assisted living, memory care, adult day program, nursing home and transitional care with an on-site senior therapy center. Since 1965, we have been caring for seniors with love, respect and dignity, instilling a sense of purpose. Our health care campus conveniently offers senior living options as well as a hospital, affiliated clinics, pharmacy, physical and occupational therapy, two retail shops and a chapel, all under one roof. We offer convenience to residents and their families, with options for care to help residents live life to the fullest. For information, please call (651) 480-4333 or visit WWW.REGINAMEDICAL.ORG.
Visit WWW.STTHERESEMN.ORG or call (763) 531-5000 for detailed information.
Sholom Community Alliance Harris Communications Harris Communications, located in Eden Prairie, is a major distributor of products for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. In business since 1982, our product line includes amplified phones, personal amplifiers, TV listening devices, loud alarm clocks, signaling devices and smoke detectors. We also sell products that can be used in churches to meet American Disabilities Act requirements for public places. The 2011 Harris Communications catalog is now available, showing products for all levels of hearing loss. Call (800) 825-6758, or go online to request your free catalog. To view our products, stop by the Eden Prairie showroom or go online to WWW.HARRISCOMM.COM.
NEW MOVING SPECIAL
Sholom Community Alliance is a nonprofit organization providing a continuum of residential, social service and health care services, primarily for older adults. The Alliance’s two campuses — Shaller Family Campus in St. Paul and Ackerberg Community Campus in St. Louis Park — offer housing and a whole host of services for seniors including senior apartment homes, assisted living, memory care, HUD-supported senior apartments, short-term rehab, skilled nursing care, hospice care, vitality and aquatics center with warm water therapy pool, in-house home health-care services and adult day services. For more information on the Shaller Campus, call (651) 328-2000; for the Ackerberg Campus, call (952) 935-6311.
A full continuum-of-care; adult day services, independent and assisted living, skilled nursing, and memory care. All faiths welcome.
from Heritage Place of Roseville — A Senior Community Mention this Ad and Receive
FREE
*$2000 in Moving Services PLUS The Full Package Deal for 2 Full Months. Includes: Breakfast & Lunch Daily • Weekly Housekeeping
Call for information: 651-489-3293 Offer valid for moves completed by December 31, 2010 * We pay up to $2000 in moving services provided by Senior Moves to Heritage Place of Roseville
1101 On Main Independent living rental, loft-style apartments 612.378.8814 RiverVillage North Subsidized independent living 612.605.2501 Adult Day Program Support for seniors living at home 612.379.1370
MainStreet Lodge Assisted living 612.362.2450 RiverVillage East Assisted living, memory care 612.605.2500 Catholic Eldercare on Main Skilled nursing care, memory care 612.379.1370
Senior Living
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
7B
Lakeview Commons in Maplewood Lakeview Commons invites you to experience the warmth and rewards of living in a beautiful and natural setting nestled in the trees. Lakeview is located on the corner of McKnight and Maryland right across from Beaver Lake in Maplewood. You can be as independent as you wish or use our services to meet your needs. We offer traditional assisted living, enhanced care suites and memory care. Our great food, spiritual, socialization and fitness programs plus regular bus outings keep residents happy and as busy as they desire. Come and tour Lakeview Commons and decide if we can be your next home. Call Joyce Aakre at (651) 773-7150 to set up a tour.
St. Benedict’s Senior Community — Monticello St. Benedict’s Senior Community’s mission is “Our actions are guided by the belief that ‘All Shall Be Treated as Christ.’”
FOOT CARE In the privacy of your home Services include • Foot Bath • Trim toenails, • Remove corns, callouses • Foot massage
Call Shelly at
651-501-0624 FOOTWORKS Licensed and Insured
With foundational values and beliefs rooted in the tradition of the Catholic faith, St. Benedict’s Senior Community welcomes people of all faiths. Our campus features: ■ Retirement, assisted living and memory care apartments. ■ Amenities such as a chapel, theater, general store, fitness center, club room and enclosed outdoor courtyard.
Kessler & Maguire
Call (763) 295-4051 for a tour.
Funeral and Cremation Services
Rosoto Villa Rosoto Villa is a 55-plus independent community, conveniently located at 1901 Desoto St., just east of 35E at Roselawn and Desoto in Maplewood, within walking distance of St. Jerome Church. We offer inhome washer/dryer, large eat-in kitchen, underground parking and storage lockers (included), community room, guest suite, bus to shopping, activities and exercise room. Rosoto Villa is independent living at its finest. Visit WWW.AZUREPROPERTIES.COM or call (651) 771-4464 for a tour.
Overwhelmed with a move?
WE CAN HELP!!!
Special services for seniors who are moving
• SORT • PACK • • UNPACK • RESETTLE • Call for a Complimentary Assessment
952-944-1028 651-224-0335 Since 1990 • Insured • Bonded • References Available www.gentletransitions.com
Serving Families since 1916 At Need * Preneed * Cremation
“A Life Well Lived is Worth Remembering” Call for information and receive a free planning booklet to help you guide your family through difficult times.
(651) 224-2341 640 West 7th St. at St. Clair St. Paul, MN 55102
John E. Trojack Law Office, P.A. Using counseling-oriented estate planning, John E. Trojack and his associate attorney, Joseph E. Trojack, will work hard to help you give “what you own, to whom you want, when you want, and the way you want.” To ensure an “estate plan that works,” they help you establish and maintain a formal updating program. And, the office assures you of fully-disclosed and controlled costs.
E-mail: info@kesslermaguire.com
Read us on the web @
TheCatholicSpirit.com
Phone
(651) 633-1686
(651) 288-1142
(612) 379-1370
(651) 793-2100
(763) 782-1601
(651) 288-3931
(763) 781-5304
Company
Benedictine Health Center at Innsbruck
Carty Heights
Catholic Eldercare
Cerenity Care Center
Columbia Village
Cornelia House
Crest View on 42nd
www.crestviewcares.org
ehomesmn.org
www.crestviewcares.org
www.cerenityseniorcare.org
catholliceldercare.org
www.ehomesmn.org
www.innsbruck.org
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Senior Housing
Your Guide to
(763) 755-9229
(952) 233-4487
(952) 988-0953
(651) 489-3293
(651) 464-1026
(651) 770-1111
(651) 227-0336
Ephiphany Pines Senior Housing
Gardens at St. Gertrude’s
Gianna Homes
Heritage Place of Roseville
Iris Park Commons
Lakeview Commons
Little Sisters of the Poor
www.azureproperties.com www.centracare.ocom
www.sttheresesouthwest.com www.sttheresesouthwest.com
www.fhcare.org www.wpassistedliving.com www.1101onmain.com
(612) 605-2500
(612) 605-2500
(763) 782-1601
(651) 771-4464
(763) 295-4051
(651) 379-5102
(952) 939-1660
(763) 531-5400
(763) 531-5000
(763) 531-50987
(763) 493-7000
(952) 960-5550
(952) 933-3333
(763) 782-1601
(651) 451-1853
(651) 696-8500
(763) 7128363
(612) 378-8814
River Village East
River Village North
Royce Place
Rosoto Villa
St. Benedict’s Senior Community
Seabury
Sholom Community Alliance
Saint Therese of New Hope Residence
Saint Therese of New Hope Care Center
Saint Therese at St. Odilia
Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake
St. Therese SW Terraces
St. Therese SW Towers
The Boulevard
The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
The Highlands on Graham
Whispering Pines Assisted Living
1101 On Main
www.goodsam.com
www.crestviewcares.org
www.sttheresemn.org
www.sttheresemn.org
www.sttheresemn.org
www.sttheresemn.org
www.sholom.com
www.ehomesmn.org
www.crestviewcares.org
catholiceldercare.org
catholiceldercare.org
www.fhcare.org
(651) 696-8420
Riverview Highlands
www.reginamedical.org
(651) 480-4333
walktodailymass.com
www.littlesistersofthepoor.org
www.ecumen.org
ehomesmn.org
goodsam.org
www.giannahomes.org
bhghealth.org
www.epiphanypines.org
Regina Assisted Living
(651) 690-4961
www.epiphanyal.org
(763) 755-0320
Ephiphany Pines Assisted Living
MJ Properties
ehomesmn.org
(651) 646-4061
Episcopal Homes
www.brookdaleliving.com
(952) 832-4084
Edina Park Plaza
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Transitional Care Unit
TCU
10B
Senior Living
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Whispering Pines Whispering Pines in Anoka provides companionship and a family-like environment with 24-hour care that includes three meals a day, medical appointment and medication setup and follow-up, activities, private and semi-private rooms and nutritional support. Assistance with bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting are available. We accept private pay or county assistance. For more information or a tour of the facilities, call (763) 712-8363 or visit WWW.WPASSISTEDLIVING.COM.
Corner Medical Corner Medical is owned and operated by Al Neumann, this year’s recipient of the University of Minnesota Mayo School of Science’s Alumni of the Year award, a licensed respiratory therapist and a member of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Buffalo. Our staff is trained and knowledgeable in a wide variety of home medical equipment and supplies, which allows us to meet your and your patient’s needs. One of Corner Medical’s specialties is the treatment of patients with obstructive sleep apnea, providing a wide array of CPAP equipment and supplies. Corner Medical also specializes in complex rehab, which includes custom power wheelchairs and seating. For more information, visit WWW.CORNERMEDICAL.COM.
Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels Washburn-McReavy Funeral Chapels is the oldest family-owned funeral business in Minnesota. Established in 1857, before Minnesota became a state, Washburn-McReavy is a fourth generation business. Quality, personal service, and funeral and cremation services are available at all of our chapels. Call (612) 377-2203 for a brochure or visit WWW.WASHBURN-MCREAVY.COM.
Gianna Homes A highly-trained team of health care professionals ensure than residents at Gianna Homes receive the best care available. The RNs, CNAs and physical therapists, along with musical and massage therapists and staff members provide nurturing stimulation, prayer, laughter and friendship around the clock. Gianna Homes embraces a whole-life approach to care for seniors with memory loss. Come and see for yourself the spirit that permeates our home. For more information, call Anne Marie Hansen, president and founder of Gianna Homes, at (952) 988-0953 or e-mail her at ANNE@GIANNAHOMES.ORG. Visit our website at WWW.GIANNAHOMES.ORG.
r Seniors Since 196 o f g n i r Ca Assisted Living, Memory Care, Care Suites, Adult Day Program, 5 Nursing Home & Transitional Care • • • • • • • • • • •
1175 Nininger Road • Hastings, MN 55033 651-480-4333 • www.reginamedical.org
24-hr. nursing care services Senior Therapy Center Dental and Podiatry on-site Chapel with daily Mass and weekly ecumenical services Daily activities/social events Beauty/Barber Shop Media Center gs Openin le Country Store b Availa Paul’s Pub Community Center Beautiful gardens
651-480-4333
Offering the convenience of an entire health care campus including hospital, clinics, pharmacy and therapy
Senior Living
NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Benedictine Health Center at Innsbruck We are part of the Benedictine Health System and sponsored by the Sisters of St. Benedict of Duluth. Our campus includes a new transitional care unit, the Villa at Innsbruck (secure memory care) and a therapy center serving outpatients and inpatients. We have more than 60 private rooms and baths, delicious food and outstanding rehabilitation. Weekly Mass is offered in the Holy Spirit Chapel. Spiritual support is woven throughout our programs. We take pride in incorporating our values — hospitality, respect, stewardship, justice — into the lives of our employees and residents. For more information, call (651) 6331686.
11B
Benedictine Health System
Gentle Transitions
Twenty-five years ago, the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery, Duluth, established the Benedictine Health System with three Member Organizations to further the Benedictine health care mission, efficiently and effectively manage the Sisters’ health care resources, increase coordination among its health care organizations and increase the involvement and participation of the laity in the expanding Benedictine health care ministry. Changes in health care prompted change and in 2008 a new structure was created. The BHS acute care operations formed a new organization under Essentia Health and the long-term care organizations became the focus of BHS. St. Scholastica Monastery continued to provide the Catholic sponsorship for both entities. Today, the Benedictine Health System continues to flourish due to its commitment to its Mission and Core Values and the prayers of the Sisters. Throughout 2010, the Benedictine Health System and its now more than 40 participating organizations have come together in peace to celebrate the past 25 years and look forward to the future and continuing this mission.
For the past 16 years, our mission has been to ease the relocation process and to provide our clients with peace of mind during an otherwise traumatic time. We help plan, coordinate and supervise all aspects of a move. From planning and packing to picture hanging and making the beds, we take care of every detail with compassion, efficiency and professionalism. What makes our service special is not what we do — it is how we do it.
For more information, visit WWW.BHSHEALTH.ORG.
For a complimentary moving assessment, call (952) 944-1028 or (651) 224-0335.
Billman-Hunt Funeral Chapel
Footworks Footworks is a licensed home health care agency that specializes in basic foot care for seniors in the privacy of their homes. Foot-care sessions consist of soaking feet, trimming toenails, buffing down corns and calluses, and foot massage for circulation. Footworks is owned and operated by Shelly, who formerly worked in the health care field for 18 years. All employees are either nurses or nurse aides, with special training in foot care. Footworks offers complimentary foot care seminars to senior groups, community centers, etc. For more information, call (651) 501-0624.
Billman-Hunt Funeral Chapel has a long tradition of serving our neighbors in northeast Minneapolis. We are proud of the fact that one of our family will always be assisting your family with compassion, direction and knowledge through each step of the funeral and follow-up process. For three generations, “Families Serving Families” has been our sincere motto and it always will be.
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Senior Living
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Catholic Eldercare Celebrate life-long living at Catholic Eldercare. Enjoy comfortable senior apartments, quality care at the level you need, and engaging, faith-filled programs that challenge and delight. Choose from independent living, skilled care, memory care or adult day services. Serving Twin Cities elderly for 25 years, Catholic Eldercare truly is a place to call home. For more information, call (612) 379-1370.
Kessler & Maguire Funeral Home
Sister of deceased recipient accepts medal Kessler & Maguire Funeral Home has been a prominent fixture in St. Paul since 1926. The Tudor-style building has undergone extensive remodeling and updating over the past two years. The staff will honor your wishes (whatever your situation or reasons) in a dignified, compassionate and caring way. Please call (651) 224-2341 for more information on services we offer in advance of need and personalized funeral and cremation services.
Jean Roberts, center, accepts the Congressional Gold Medal, the U.S. government’s highest civilian honor, on behalf of her late sister, Ruth Roberts, from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Martha Johnston, a friend of the sisters, watched the Nov. 11 presentation at Catholic Eldercare in Minneapolis, where Roberts lives. Ruth Roberts, 91, who died on March 10, 2006, joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. She graduated from training at Avenger field in Sweetwater, Texas in 1943 as one of the first 385 female pilots to receive their wings. Those who served as WASP were considered civil service employees until 1977, when Congress granted them veteran status and, in 1979, issued official honorable discharges.
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Front row, John & Richard Hunt. Back row: Robert & Jeffrey Hunt.
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NOVEMBER 18, 2010 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
13B
Singer with Parkinson’s admires how late pope faced illness By Mark Pattison
“The first thing I felt was pity and sympathy [for Pope John Paul II]. It’s not an easy thing to deal with and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.
”
GRACE GRIFFITH
Catholic News Service
Singer Grace Griffith knew what Pope John Paul II was going through once he became afflicted with Parkinson’s disease. Griffith, 54, received her own diagnosis of Parkinson’s in 1998. Her brother had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 1992. Moreover, when not paying the bills with her music, Griffith was a physical therapist and had worked with Parkinson’s patients. “The first thing I felt was pity and sympathy” for Pope John Paul, said Griffith in a Nov. 8 telephone interview with Catholic News Service from her home in Accokeek, Md. “It’s not an easy thing to deal with and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”
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She added, “In a way, I was grateful that he was in a position — a public position, very public — and he chose to continue that as long as he could. A lot of times when you have Parkinson’s, it’s easy to drop out. Him having the spiritual strength and resources and people to help him around helps, but he also had to be a fairly courageous person to soldier on as he did. “So the first [feeling] was sorry and the second one, honestly, was admiration,” she added. Griffith, one of 10 children, had 12 years of Catholic education. When she was growing up, her parents invited Jesuit seminarians from Georgetown University to have dinner with the family. She has received multiple Wammies from the Washington PLEASE TURN TO ILLNESS ON PAGE 14B
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Senior Living
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
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During an open-air Mass in Lourdes, France, Aug. 15, 2004, Pope John Paul II gave Communion while seated. The late pope, who struggled with the effects of Parkinson’s disease, greeted the sick at Lourdes, and told them that he always relied on and benefited from the prayer offerings of those who suffer.
Illness prompted singer to become more compassionate, change priorities CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13B
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Area Music Association for her folk and Celtic music, and has performed on the global stage.
Expect worst, hope for best Once she received her diagnosis, “I imagined the worst might be possible, although I hoped for the best,” Griffith said. Her brother counseled her on things to do. “I began making a long-term financial plan for whatever might come with the future,” she noted. “I sold my house, that kind of thing, so I could live on a lot less money.” “What has come is that it’s had a tremendous impact on all aspects of my life. But 13 years later or whatever it is, it’s better than what I thought it might,” Griffith said. Living with Parkinson’s has unmistakably changed her life. Griffith said she can no longer work as a physical therapist. Her performance schedule has been curbed. When performing, she must travel with a guitarist since she cannot reliably count on her hands obeying her brain’s commands. She also has an “understudy” who takes the stage should she not be able to perform at all. But, paradoxically, Griffith has experienced benefits. “It has made me more compassionate and changed my priorities in many ways,” she told CNS. “It was a lifelong struggle in many ways. I used to think of music as a vanity pursuit. It took me a long time to come around to the idea that art, whatever forms it takes, can give us as human beings some kind of connection. “When I came to the conclusion that people were telling me that their music did help them feel better, it’s worthwhile, and I don’t allow myself to wallow,” she said. “It helps me get a lot of the ego out. Ego really used to get in my way. It’s a hindrance to true art.” She added, “I’m a lot less buggable since
the diagnosis. Suddenly, big stuff becomes small stuff immediately.”
Supporting research Four years ago, she underwent deep-tissue brain stimulation surgery at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Doctors implanted a medical device called a brain pacemaker, which sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain. It has restored some function. Griffith noted that Parkinson’s is “not just a physical disease, it’s cognitive.” She has performed and spoken at the first two worldwide symposiums on Parkinson’s that brought together doctors, researchers, patients and caregivers. The first was in Washington, the second earlier this year in Glasgow, Scotland. Already she’s looking forward to the next symposium in Montreal. “I can say it was wonderful,” Griffith said of the Glasgow conference. “I’ve always felt comfortable when I get with ‘survivors’ — I would like to call them that rather than ‘sufferers.’ I know that they understand certain things and people who haven’t had that experience can’t understand. . . . To have that huge conference all over the world yet finding a commonality and benefiting from each other’s wisdom, that was just a wonderful thing.” Recently, “Sailing,” an anthology of songs from her four solo albums, was released. Unlike most singer-guitarists, Griffith does not write her own songs. “I do enjoy writing poetry. But there are so many people (writing songs) who are out there, and it’s a calling they have to follow,” she said. “In a way, there’s something special about singing someone else’s song. It’s an act of empathy. A redemptive experience. You share the feeling, you kind of go through that experience with the song. It’s a pretty neat way of bonding, one person to another, and overcoming our apparent separateness as human beings.”
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Jesuit priest returned to school to defend poor in the courtroom
Looking Around Father William Byron
The late Father Ed Convey, SJ, wore a Roman collar on campus by day and a coat and tie in the evening law school classroom
My Jesuit friend, Father Edwin Convey, who died in mid-October, was a priest-lawyer who had a bachelor’s degree in accounting from New York University before he entered the seminary in 1942. Prior to ordination to priesthood in 1953, he taught mathematics to high school boys at Georgetown Preparatory School during a threeyear break from his seminary studies in philosophy and theology at Woodstock College. As a priest, Father Convey returned to NYU to earn a master’s in business administration, and with that credential began teaching accounting and economics at Loyola College (now University) in Baltimore. I was his faculty colleague for a while at Loyola, and admired his commitment to classroom instruction of students during the restless 1960s as well as weekend pastoral care of Baltimore Catholics trying to accommodate to the changes brought about by Vatican II.
“Ed Convey chose to avoid the high-speed legal lanes and move into the asphalt jungles inhabited by inner-city youth.
”
FATHER WILLIAM BYRON, SJ
Reacting to society Social conditions generated by Vietnam War protests and the domestic War on Poverty prompted a quiet but unexpected reaction from Ed Convey. He began the part-time study of law at the University of Maryland, whose law school was then and still is located in Baltimore. He wore a Roman collar on campus by day and a coat and tie in the evening law school classroom for several years. Then, in 1971, Ed became a lawyer and began his second career with the official title of “Defender of the Poor in Criminal Cases” as a member of the Baltimore Public Defender’s Office. I happened to have a conversation with him one evening when he returned to the Jesuit Community at Loyola after a busy day in court. “I had a pretty good day today,” Ed told me. He then described how he had successfully represented a poor African-American youngster in a bench trial that led to acquittal.
Ed said that his client turned to him when they left the courtroom and said, “You ought to be a lawyer.” “I am a lawyer, Jimmy,” said his defender. “No you’re not; you’re not charging me any money. You ought to be a lawyer. You could be making a lot of money!”
Befriending clients He probably could have made a lot of money by practicing law, but Ed Convey chose to avoid the highspeed legal lanes and move into the asphalt jungles inhabited by inner-city youth. He was able to befriend clients, and sometimes he succeeded in moving them onto the straight-and-narrow path to produc-
tive living. He told me that, not infrequently, he would be stopped on a Baltimore street by a grateful mom who simply wanted to say thanks for the difference Ed had made in her young son’s life. Sixty-seven years a Jesuit, 57 years a priest, and a public defender from 1975 to 2009 is quite a career. Baltimore’s St. Thomas More Law Society recognized him in 1993 with their “Man of the Year Award.” Ed surely wasn’t interested in recognition, but it was nice that they noticed. I suspect he recalled on that occasion words attributed to Thomas More that were written by Robert Bolt in his play “A Man for All Seasons.”
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Jesuit Father William J. Byron writes the column “Looking Around” for Catholic News Service. He is university professor of business and society at St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pa. E-mail: WBYRON@SJU.EDU.
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When More advised an ambitious young man, who had his eye set on a position in the royal court, to become a school teacher, the young man asked, “Who would know it?” And More replied, “You, your students and God. Not a bad public, that.” Add “clients” to “students” and you can count the grateful audience that will remember Ed Convey for years to come.
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • NOVEMBER 18, 2010
Senior Living
Get advice before funding home remodeling with reverse mortgage CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2B understand the program and how it will impact their financial circumstances. The application process takes place after this step is completed. “Family members or other trusted advisers are always welcome to attend the counseling session with the borrower. In fact, we encourage that,” said Pinger, who also is a parishioner at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. The loan amount from the reverse mortgage is dependent upon several factors: the age of the borrower, the current appraised home value and the interest rate. Closing costs are also assessed. Pinger said reverse mortgages are what are referred to as non-recourse loans; the loan is due when the owner sells the house or dies, but the borrower (or the estate of the borrower) will never owe more than the home’s value at that time. Long-term benefits of a reverse mortgage may include meeting daily or monthly living expenses, eliminating credit card debt or covering health care costs. The money can also be used to pay off the existing mortgage on the home if there is one.
Long-term benefits of a reverse mortgage may include meeting daily or monthly living expenses, eliminating credit card debt or covering health care costs. Adapting home for aging According to Pinger, seniors frequently use the income from the reverse mortgage to make much-needed repairs or to adapt their home in ways that can help meet their new physical challenges. “Many seniors want to ‘age in place,’ that is, remain in their homes for as long as possible,” said Pinger. For that reason, special remodeling projects might include
the installation of grab-bars in the bathrooms, better lighting, replacing carpeting with hardwood floors or installing a ramp at one or more entrances to the home. The cost of those repairs can add up, which is why having access to extra income can prevent seniors from putting off making an investment in these necessary projects. When asked whether the economic downturn has led to greater interest in reverse mortgages among seniors, Pinger said that the reasons for taking out a reverse mortgage vary based on each individual’s situation. “Certainly the economy has an impact on peoples’ finances,” he said. “From my own experience, I’m seeing many individuals interested in learning how a reverse mortgage might be able to give them financial peace of mind. “The people I meet with all have their own individual situations. We always discuss the reverse mortgage in detail to make sure it is a good fit and meets their specific needs.” For more information, contact Tom Pinger at (612) 8012052 or TOM.PINGER@WELLSFARGO.COM.
Pope says golden years can be spiritually fruitful Catholic News Service Although he walks quickly and appears to have no serious medical problems, the 83-year-old Pope Benedict XVI said he knows what it’s like to get old and experience increasing physical frailty. Greeting a small gathering of his peers and elders during his September trip to London, the pope said, “Our long years of life afford us the opportunity to appreciate both the beauty of God’s greatest gift to us — the gift of life — as well as the fragility of the human spirit.” In the midst of a four-day visit filled with the pomp of papal liturgies and the formality of meeting royalty and government officials, Pope Benedict visited St. Peter’s Residence, a home for the aged run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. “Those of us who live many years are given a marvelous chance to deepen our awareness of the mystery of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity,” the pope told the 76 residents, who include nine priests and members of religious orders. “As the normal span of our lives increases, our physical capacities are often diminished; and yet these times may well be among the most spiritually fruitful years of our lives,” the pope said. Patricia Fasky, who lives at St. Peter’s, welcomed the pope to the residence’s small theater and told him, “we all love you and we pray for you.” The tiny stage was decked with yellow and white flowers; in front of it stood a mosaic of St. Peter, which the pope gave to the home, and a gold chasuble, which the residents and nuns gave the pope. While the sisters and staff members energetically reached out to shake or kiss the pope’s hand, it was the pope who approached many of the elderly, grasping their hands with both of his. Pope Benedict also used his visit to St. Peter’s as an opportunity to reaffirm church teaching about the value of human life at every stage of its development and to urge people to love and respect the elderly.